This week's gardening tips from the Savvygardener

 

Savvygardener.com

Missouri Organic Mulch, Compost, Bulk Soil
 

Visit Our Website
Previous Issues
Buyer's Guide  
Tell A Friend  

Donations

Send A Postcard!

Bookstore  
Magazines 
Gardening Catalogs

Site Search
Contact Us
Submit A Tip

Feature Articles

~ Houseplant Care
~ When to Start
Seeds Indoors
~ Seed Starting Indoors
~ Vegetable Garden Calendar
~ Seed Starting Tomatoes

~

Shrub Pruning Calendar
~ Pruning Clematis 
~ Gardening in the Shade
~ Summer-Flowering Bulb Care
~ Drought-Tolerant Flowers for KC
~ Preparing for a Soil Test
~ Changing the pH of Your Soil
~ Growing Herbs
~ All About Composting
~ All About Mulch
~ Worm Composting
~ When to Harvest Vegetables
~ Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
~ Organic Pesticides & Biopesticides
~ Cold Frames & Hot Beds
~ When to Divide Perennials
~ Dividing Spring Blooming Perennials
~ Forcing Bulbs Indoors
~ Overseeding A Lawn
~ Pruning Trees
~ Pruning Shrubs
~ Planting Trees
~ Deer Resistant Plants
~ Trees that Survived the Storm
~ Stump Removal Options for the Homeowner
~ More...

Rose Tips
What's Hot... 
Nuisance of the Week
Turf Tips...
Winter Wisdom
Gardener's Glossary 

SavvyChat
~ On-Line Gardening Forum

Books We Love
Great Products
Web Resources
Event Calendar

Local Sponsors

~ Family Tree Nursery
~ Missouri Organic Recycling
~ Prestige One Landscaping
~ Ryan Lawn & Tree

Subscribe

Tell A Friend

Privacy Pledge

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 28, 2005

Where Does Time Go?
It is hard to believe that September has almost come and gone. Where did it go? A question I ask myself more and more these days. Time slips through my hands like sand in an hour glass. There are days that seem to go on forever and then there are those that are hard to remember. When I was growing up my parents used to say, "The older you get, the faster time goes by." Boy, is that not the truth? Of course when I was younger I wanted to be older. Now that I am older that seems to be just fine. I am like a well-planted perennial. Pleased with where I am. I am getting the right amount of food, water, sunshine and love. No need for dividing or transplanting.

I have been busy helping new neighbors with the overwhelming process of trying to figure out what has been planted in their gardens. The house was vacant for over two years and on top of that, the previous owners had no interest in taking care of the outside. The good news is that with a little time, lots of clean-up and some reorganizing of plants, they will have a great canvas to work with and are excited by the opportunity. It is always so great to have neighbors who care about what the outside of their home looks like. Wouldn't you agree?

~ Shelly  

Totally Tulips (Part 4)...
It's a sad and sometimes frustrating fact that hybridized tulips "burn-out" every few years or so.  You might be surprised to know that species tulips are not prone to burn-out and will return to the garden every spring for many years.  Now don't be mistaken, species tulips are different than hybrids.  They perform best in rock garden-like locations, require full sun, and well-drained, almost gravelly soils that drain quickly between rains.  

Species tulips are smaller in size than their hybrid relatives.  Most grow just 4 to 12 inches in height and do not like the competition of other plants around them.  Species tulips spread by self sown seeds or stolons.  Many have foliage which is mottled or gray to blue green in color.  They also offer more in the way of bloom.  Many have multiple blooms per stem, some have up to seven!

Interested?  Some species to try include:

  • Tulipa batalinii has soft yellow, fragrant flowers appearing in early spring.  It grows just 5 inches tall.
  • Tulipa clusiana grows 10 to 12 inches tall and blooms in early spring.  The flowers have a white interior with a crimson central star and a pink exterior.  It naturalizes very well.
  • Tulipa greigii comes in pink, yellow, orange, red, buff, cream, and apricot.  It grows 8 to 12 inches tall and blooms in mid-spring.  The blossoms are large - 4 to 5 inches when fully open.
  • Tulipa kaufmanniana grows 6 to 8 inches tall and is available in a wide variety of colors.  It blooms in early spring.
  • Tulipa linifolia grows 4 to 6 inches tall with brilliant red flowers.
  • Tulipa pulchella is a tiny plant growing 3 to 5 inches tall.  It has violet purple fragrant flowers in early spring.
  • Tulipa saxatillis naturalizes readily.  The flowers, lavender-pink with a yellow base, appear mid-spring.  Plants grow 6 to 8 inches tall.
  • Tulipa sylvestris grows 10 to 12 inches tall with fragrant yellow flowers.  Flowers occur 3 to 7 per stem.
  • Tulipa tarda flowers are yellow with white tips.  Plants grow 4 to 6 inches tall.  This tulip is easy to grow!
  • Tulipa turkestanica has cream colored flowers occurring 3 to 5 per stem.  Flowers appear in early spring.  Plants grow 5 to 8 inches tall.

All the species tulips listed above are hardy in zones 4 through 7 with the exception of Tulipa pulchella and Tulipa turkestanica which are hardy in zones 5 to 8.  All should do fine in the greater Kansas City area.

When preparing the site, amend the area several inches wider and deeper than the bulbs will occupy with sand or gravel.  Planting on a gentle slope or in a raised bed assures good drainage.  Plant the bulbs 5 to 8 inches deep.  Species tulips are also suitable for planting in containers.

Source

Moisture Minders...
One problem with fall is that it makes us forgetful.  Even Savvygardeners sometimes cut back on watering too much this time of year.  Your perennials, trees, shrubs, and lawn need that moisture - not like they did in mid-summer but about an inch a week or so.  Watering now and through November helps ensure your plants have a healthy root structure going into our often harsh winters.

Plants That Came In From The Cold...
Once chilly overnight temperatures become the norm you will need to bring your winter houseplants back insideWhen you do, make sure to check them for pests.  Simply rinsing the plants' leaves, and soaking the pots in water for 15 to 20 minutes will drown most soil-dwelling pests.  Also, clean the windows where plants will be placed.  It can dramatically increase available sunlight and make for a much healthier plant!

 


What Are You Reading
When You're Not Reading
Savvygardener.com
?

Great Gardening Magazines
Are Right Here!

 

 

Tidy Up Around Fruit Trees...
No one likes worms and other pests in their fruit trees.  A simple clean up now can dramatically reduce the number of pests that return next year.  Just pick up and destroy any fallen fruit, branches, and leaves.  Worms and other pests feed on this fruit and debris, overwinter in the soil, and emerge in the spring to lay eggs and start the cycle all over again.

Garlic Lovers Get Ready!
Garlic needs to be in the ground at least one month before the soil freezes so now through mid-October is the ideal time for planting.  Start by planting the small cloves that are divisions of the large bulb.  The larger the clove, the larger the size of the mature bulb at harvest.  Do not divide the bulb until immediately before planting.  Although some people have had good luck planting the garlic from the grocery store, seedstock from a nursery or via mail-order is recommended.  

Garlic needs a full-sun site with loose soil rich in organic matter.  Adding compost to the bed is usually a good idea.  Plant the cloves (with their pointy sides up) three to five inches apart at a depth of two to three inches.  Add a light layer of mulch.  Allow 18 to 30 inches between rows or plant five inches apart in all directions if you're using raised beds.  Next spring the garlic will push through the soil and mulch.  We'll wait until then to complete the directions through harvest.

Chilly Change In The Air...
This time of year it's not unusual for overnight temperatures to dip into the 40's.  Brrr!  There's no frost on the horizon yet but keep in mind that our first frost is due in mid-October.  Remember that Mother Nature has her own agenda and doesn't have much time for statistics and averages.  Surprise early frosts can be a problem if you're not prepared.

For those of you new to Savvygardener.com we hope you will enjoy our timely frost alerts.  We send these e-mail alerts to all subscribers when we believe an untimely frost is likely.  Hopefully we are still several weeks from our first frosty scare.  Cross your fingers!

Oh Say Can You Seed...
It's not too late to overseed your lawn - but it's getting close.  You should be able to successfully overseed for the next week to 10 days.  After that your success will depend on how quickly winter arrives.  Two quick tips to increase your success:

  1. Keep your new turf well watered through the rest of fall.
  2. Read our very popular article, Overseeding A Lawn.

The great thing about seeding and overseeding is the low cost and high return.  Grass seed is cheap.  If your seeding is successful you wind up with a priceless lawn next spring.  If it's not 100% successful you haven't lost much.

Finally...
"Connection with gardens, even small ones, even potted plants, can become windows to the inner life. The simple act of stopping and looking at the beauty around us can be prayer."

~ Patricia R. Barrett, The Sacred Garden

To change your e-mail address, delivery method, or to stop delivery please follow the "Update Your Profile"  link at the bottom of your
e-mailed newsletter.

© 1999-2005 Savvygardener.com, Inc. All rights reserved.  If you wish to copy, transmit, or otherwise duplicate any of the material from our website please ask us first.  Thank you.