The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Musings

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Different Soils for Different Toils Jan 01, 2020

Different Soils for Different Toils The expression “dirt cheap” must have come about before the advent of commercial potting soils. A gardener can drop a bundle even before acquiring seeds or plants. There’s nothing wrong, of course, with paying good money for a good-quality planting medium if it works for you. You might also find that you can make your own blend for a fraction of the cost and customize it exactly to your needs. Although there is no label requirement for potting soils, the components generally include some organic matter, such as peat moss or coconut coir, sawdust or ground bark, or loam, then some material for keeping the mixture from binding too much, such as sand, vermiculite, or perlite. Limestone is added to counter the acidity of the peat or wood products, and fertilizer may also be added. Commercial potting soils have usually been sterilized to reduce the chance of diseases developing. You can use your own garden soil for potting and seed mix as long as your garden is free of significant insect, fungus, or bacterial problems. If you are concerned about problems, heat moist soil on cookie sheets in the oven at 185°F for half an hour. If you can’t trust your own and don’t want to hassle with sterilizing, check out local loam suppliers. Chances are the loam is not coming from a source that has problems that will bother your plants. Basic Potting Soil: 1 part soil; 1 part peat or sawdust (or 2 parts if not using soil), 1 part sand, limestone (about 1 pound per 6 cubic feet of mix), fertilizer (optional, same ratio as limestone). For acid-loving plants, omit limestone, add 1/2-ounce iron sulfate. For shade-loving plants (begonia, etc.) reduce limestone by half, add iron sulfate as above. Seed Starter Mix: 1 part soil, 1 part peat or coconut coir, 1 part vermiculite or perlite. (Note: Peat moss should be sifted through a 1/4-inch mesh if it is too chunky.) This is a place to start. Experiment. There are two reasons not to re-use potting soil: The risk of spreading disease is greater, and some of the components will break down, making the mix too dense. However, used soil can be added to your garden, either directly or processed with your compost.

Trees in Season Dec 01, 2020

It’s easy to grow a few Christmas trees for your family use at the edge of a lawn or field. Some advance planning is required because it takes 8 to 10 years to produce an average-size tree. You may want to plant all of one type of tree or have variety from year to year. Among the best varieties are balsam and Fraser fir, white spruce, and Scotch pine, the latter two being the most adaptable to climate extremes and soil conditions. Christmas trees are often available through county extension service offices or through nurseries specializing in seedlings. A well-drained site is essential, as is full sunlight. Unless you plan to supply many friends and neighbors with trees, just install four or five the first year, and add one or two each year thereafter. Plant the trees at least 4 feet apart. During the time that the trees are growing, they are of course part of your landscape and can also serve as a windbreak or privacy hedge. If you decide to let some of the trees remain permanently, bear in mind that they will grow up to be “real” trees. Plant the seedlings early in the spring so that roots can become well established. Once set in, your trees will need surprisingly little care. An annual feeding of a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) will nourish them adequately. If seedlings should heave out over the winter (a result of inadequate drainage and/or a snowless winter), try setting them back in, packing the soil firmly. Keep young trees pruned to one leader; otherwise, don’t prune until the trees are 3 to 4 inches high. A tree left to its own (and nature’s) devices may turn out fine, but plantation quality can be ensured by removing the bottom whorl of branches (which also facilitates mowing around them) and by pruning each year to the desired shape. This shearing will also provide for denser foliage. Your own homegrown Christmas trees will be shapelier than trees in the wild, while saving you the considerable expense of buying commercially raised trees, thus making the season even jollier.

Saving Energy, Naturally Nov 01, 2020

A walk down a country lane can demonstrate what a difference trees and natural features can make to one’s comfort. The cool shade of overhanging maples is a welcome relief from the midday sun of July, yet on a bright winter’s day, sunshine streaming through the bare branches warms the body and soul. Similarly, the sheltering effects of pines and hemlocks is quickly realized when one steps from their protection and strolls out into an open field on a windy winter’s day. A well-designed homesite will incorporate these features in landscape design. An energy-efficient landscape has been proven to cut home heating and cooling costs by up to 30 percent. A house nestled against a hillside or next to a stand of pines is often spared the brunt of chilly winter winds, and trees that were spared the bulldozer blade during construction can reduce or eliminate the need for air-conditioning in the summer. If your home doesn’t have a natural windbreak, many evergreens are suitable for installation. White pine, Canadian hemlock, and Norway spruce are often used for this purpose. Plant them 4 to 6 feet apart in a staggered row. Generally speaking, wind velocity will be reduced from a distance up to five times the height of the plant. Topping each tree every year will keep the height right and will also force it to stay bushy. Another row of evergreens established along a walk or driveway will stop drifting snow and eliminate some plowing or shoveling. The strategic use of shade trees in a landscape may increase a property’s value by up to 20 percent and also provide energy savings. Planted in front of a porch or patio area on the south side of a house, they provide a pleasant place for outdoor activities. In the summer, the dense canopies of trees like maples and oaks keep these places cool, yet when leafless in the spring, winter, and fall, they allow sunshine to stream in. A pergola or trellis covered with grapes or a flowering vine can give attractive shade to windows or glass patio doors in summer, yet allow light to shine through when the sun is lower in the sky during the winter.

A Good Eye, Deer Oct 01, 2020

Though an occasional nuisance to gardeners, deer are generally admired for their beauty and grace. The current deer population in the United States, estimated at over 12 million, is much larger than when this land was first settled by Europeans. The primary reason for the increase is land clearing. Through habitat development, even on a small scale, rural landowners can provide for deer population. Deer love the edge between woods and open land. Even a small opening in the woods or a thinning from logging will encourage deer. Deer will enjoy the shelter of evergreens and will also eat the lower branches of black cherry, red and striped maple, red oak, yellow birch, sumac, and their favorite—white cedar. They also will eat the bark of hemlock, fir, apple, cherry, and striped maple in March or April, when other food sources have been depleted. Selective thinning of the woods offers the advantage of letting in more sunlight to promote undergrowth and sucker growth from stumps, which the deer will enjoy. This also encourages top growth of the remaining trees. Clearing around old apple trees “lost” in the woods will enhance their fruit bearing — it may not be fruit you’d ever put in a pie, but the deer will love it. Although deer are adaptable in their eating habits, abrupt changes in diet can cause digestive problems. In the fall deer eat a lot of nuts and fruit to get the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to gain strength not just for winter but also for mating. During the mating season, which peaks in November, bucks may expend so much of their caloric reserves that they risk starvation during the winter. Antlers, used to battle competing bucks, start dropping in December. They will grow anew in the spring. The number of tines on antlers are determined by genetic factors combined with health and diet. If a deer has been injured, the antlers on the side opposite the injury are often stunted or deformed. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. And yes, deer have good eyesight. They are conditioned to detect the slightest movement, but will sometimes overlook stationary objects. Fortunately (for them) they have excellent hearing and smelling senses as well.

Be a Host to Hosta Sep 01, 2020

Over the years, the hosta has remained a favorite perennial with many gardeners. Also known as heart lily, plantain lily, and funkia, this easy-care plant, grown primarily for its colorful rippled foliage, is an ideal choice for shaded gardens. Some varieties such as plantaginea (‘Old August Lily’) will even grow in full sun. We associate hostas with Victorian gardens and public parks. Nineteenth-century gardeners appreciated how hostas thrived under difficult growing conditions, including beneath the canopies of shade trees and along well-traveled walkways. Home gardeners and designers are still using hostas for attractive solutions to landscaping problems. They will survive in areas too shady or competitive for other plants. They can be left in place for a dozen years or more without dividing and will even tolerate clay or compacted soils. Available in sizes ranging from 3- to 40-inches high and with leaf colors of blues, yellows, greens, and variegated, hostas will fit almost any planting situation. As a border or edging plant, the hosta is unsurpassed. Varieties such as ‘August Moon’ (fine yellow color with a crinkled leaf) and ‘Francee’ (green heart-shaped leaves with bright white margins) will shimmer under moonlight or lamp light, making them ideal for paths and entrances. In a wooded lot with various degrees of shade and sun, the hosta’s mottled leaves and small fragrant flowers bring light, color, and aroma to the area. Hostas are easily divided in spring or fall. If only one spare plant is needed, simply dig it from the edge of an existing clump. To make several divisions, lift the entire clump and try pulling apart the rhizomes by hand, making sure that a large bud or two remains with each division.

Flowers That Make Good Sense Aug 01, 2020

Many herbs are just as at home in the flower garden as they are growing by the kitchen door. Chives, for instance, can be nestled among rock garden plants or used in the perennial border. The spiky, light green chive foliage has an attractive grasslike appearance, and the pink-lavender flowers add early garden color. Lungwort, another early-flowering herb, was once used to treat whooping cough and other ailments of the chest. Its white-spotted green foliage adds variety to the garden, as do its bright pink flowers, which mature to a true blue. Often both pink and blue flowers can be seen growing on this herb at the same time. Yarrow, which flowers at mid-season, is aromatic, and its long-lasting rose, white, or yellow flower heads can be used in fresh or dried arrangements. Years ago yarrow tea was commonly used to treat colds and fevers, and the fernlike gray-green leaves added zest to summer salads. Herbs that add an entire season of bloom to the flower bed are hyssop (blossoms of purple, pink, or white), bedstraw (yellow), flax (blue), and the scented geraniums (pink, blue, purple). Many herbs are effective in plantings for the color and texture of their foliage. The artemisias, including ‘Silver King’, which grows to three feet, and ‘Silver Mound’, often used as a neat accent in the front border, have eye-catching gray-green leaves and stems. Several herbs make great ground covers. Creeping thyme can quickly cover a barren slope with sparkling silver foliage and bright pink or white flowers. When planted in the cracks between stones or bricks in a garden path, they perfume the air with every step. Lamium is an extremely attractive ground cover that thrives in shade or dappled sunlight. Its silver-green leaves are quite showy, as are its pink, white, or purple blooms. Also known as dead nettle, it is a close cousin of the bothersome weed stinging nettle but without any of the disadvantages. Chamomile is a low-growing ground cover with small daisylike, yellow-centered white blossoms. This tough, drought-resistant herb can be substituted for lawn grass and will even stand up to mowing. And if you’re at a loss as to what to do with the clippings, they can be brewed into a fine cup of tea.

Petunias Jul 01, 2020

Petunias are a common sight in almost any garden or landscape and with good reason: They are easy to maintain, come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, and can be bought just about anywhere. Their popularity, however, should not encourage you to take them for granted. Petunia cultivars tend to fall under two main types, the larger-flowered grandifloras and the smaller multifloras. The largest flowers can be up to 7 inches; the smallest, around 2 inches. Single-flower varieties generally produce bell-shaped flowers. The double-flowered varieties resemble carnations, with densely clustered petals forming fluffy balls. Colors include a range of pastels, plus deep red, blue, white, and several shades of yellow, and they can be solid, striped, or splotched with white. The petal edges may be wavy, ruffled, or fringed. Petunias provide constant color between the different blooming periods of perennials. They can also be used effectively in window boxes, patio containers, or hanging baskets, and there are several cascading varieties that work well in these locations. Though usually considered annuals, petunias are actually delicate perennials and may survive year-round in mild locations. All petunias thrive in full sunlight. Shade tends to discourage flowering and will also cause the plants to become leggy as they reach for more light. Even in full sun petunias can become spindly. The best way to control this is to pinch back the tips when the plants are still young to encourage bushier growth. Additional pinching and removal of spent flowers should be done throughout the growing season. The single-flowered varieties are more tolerant of poor soil — their main requirement is good drainage. All varieties are drought-resistant despite their delicate appearance. Of course, they will appreciate watering during a dry period—just be sure to spray manually underneath the flowers, lest they become water spotted. After a summer storm petunia flowers will look fairly ragged, but removing the most damaged flowers encourages a hasty rejuvenation. Fertilize petunias about once a month. In the evening your petunias will bring additional life to your landscape, for they attract beautiful moths, and the brilliant white-flowered varieties appear to glow in the moonlight.

Cane Enable Jun 01, 2020

This month, our Garden Musings are about raspberries. Mmmm. See our article with plant care tips—or, give your eyes a break and listen to the podcast, read by our editors! Fresh raspberries are always sold at a premium. And not only is the price prohibitive, but quality is also often low, for raspberries are notoriously poor keepers. The solution, of course, is to grow your own. A single plant will yield about a quart of berries each year; 20 to 30 plants will easily meet the needs of the average family, with enough berries for instant gratification and plenty to put into jam or the freezer. Planting Raspberries Raspberries require the same growing conditions as a lawn. Choose a sunny, well-drained planting site. Compost combined with 5 pounds of lime and 1-1⁄4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer, will adequately prepare a 100-square-foot area. For growing raspberries, the pH of the soil should be maintained at 5.7 to 6.5. As an alternative to regular liming, you can use wood ashes on your raspberry bed over the winter. Early spring is the best time to plant raspberries in most areas. Plants should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart, in rows 5 to 6 feet apart. Unlike other small fruits, raspberries should be planted an inch or two deeper than they were growing in the nursery (check for the soil line on the plants). Raspberry Care All raspberries will benefit from support provided by wire running on either side of the plants, which in turn is supported by T-style posts at regular intervals. This support keeps the berries off the ground and increases air circulation between the plants—a deterrent to fungus development. Raspberries are shallow feeders and will lose out to weeds in the quest for nutrients. Deep mulching with sawdust, bark mulch, or pine needles helps to keep the weeds down. The fruit-bearing potential of raspberries is dramatically affected by pruning. For summer-bearing varieties, remove all fruit-producing canes after harvest, and in the spring thin the remaining canes to the 3 or 4 strongest per row foot. Fall-bearers can be treated the same way if you want two light crops, but for one heavy crop in the fall, simply cut all the canes to ground level after harvest. Remove all old canes. See the Almanac's free and complete Guide to Growing Raspberries.

Growing Beans Can Be a Snap May 01, 2020

Among the most enthusiastic vegetables you can have in your garden is the humble bean. Though they can not be planted until the earth has been well warmed and the danger of frost is past, beans are quick to peep up through the seedbed, pulling their folded leaves from underground into the sunlight. You can assist in this process by turning the soil over several times to loosen it before planting and by mulching it lightly right after planting. If your beans are a pole variety, make sure the pole is firmly in the ground before planting. Given the opportunity, pole beans may reach a height of 10 to 15 feet. Unless you have an unusual garden (or you play for an NBA team), such a height is not practical, but you can take advantage of the potential by making an arch with two poles. Several arches in a row make a cozy tunnel, and beans can be harvested from the walls and the ceiling. Beans growing on poles enjoy better ventilation than bush beans, making them less susceptible to disease. Many gardeners grow both bush and pole varieties. Beans must be grown in full sunlight, lest the plants grow spindly in the search for more light. Too much heat, however, will reduce their productivity; 70° to 80℉ is ideal. In hot weather, mulch helps to cool the soil and retain moisture. Most beans will tolerate a wide range of soil types, but they won’t do well in soil that is poorly drained. Soil inoculants (available from most seed suppliers), which help to fix nitrogen in the soil, promote healthy growth and a better root system. Toss the seeds in the bean-inoculant powder before planting. Once the beans emerge, they can be fertilized with a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10. Pole beans tend to be heavier feeders than bush beans. There are so many varieties of beans that you can easily experiment with new ones every year and also grow your old standbys. Purple beans add color to a salad, but they turn green when cooked. The ‘Kentucky Wonder’ is famous for its good, reliable flavor, but you’ll find excellent flavor from ‘Romano’ and ‘Roma’ types as well. While you may develop preferences, a good fresh bean of any kind is bound to please your palate.

Plant Parenthood Apr 01, 2020

Taking divisions from your own (or your neighbor’s) perennials is the easiest way to add to your perennial garden. Divisions guarantee what you’ll get; however, your choices are necessarily limited to what is available (usually plants that spread quickly and are quite common). Commercial seeds will also provide a known quantity, but if you’re willing to trust to serendipity, many pleasant surprises can develop by starting perennials from seeds you have collected. For greatest success in starting perennials, create a small raised bed in an area protected from drying winds and too much direct sun. Use the frame of the raised bed to support some shading material to protect seedlings. Perennials will grow and thrive in loose soil that holds moisture without becoming waterlogged. A sandy loam to which organic matter such as peat moss or compost has been added is ideal. A small amount of dehydrated manure will provide all the nutrients that the seedlings will require until they are potted or set out in the perennial garden. Many perennial seeds need to be exposed to cold temperatures for a certain period of time—a process known as stratification or after-ripening—before they will germinate. With seeds sown in the late fall, this happens naturally over the winter. If seeds are to be planted in the spring (or if they are held over from the previous season), first mix them with moistened peat moss and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for three to six weeks. Just before sowing seeds in spring, soak them overnight in warm water to expedite the germination process. Press small seeds firmly into the soil, and plant larger seeds at a depth 2 to 3 times their thickness. Water regularly, and once the plants have developed three or four sets of leaves, thin the bed by pulling out all but the healthiest plants. Most of the seedlings will benefit from a season in the nursery. These plants tend to be poor dividers and are therefore good candidates for starting from seed: poppies, cardinal flower, foxglove, baby’s breath, monkshood, gas plant, lupine, geum, and mallow. Certain plants are not recommended for starting from seed: astilbe, lily-of-the valley, mayflower (trailing arbutus), daylily, anemone, trumpet flower, sweet lavender, germander, and spiderwort.

Frame and Good Fortune Mar 01, 2020

No matter how long the gardening season, it always seems to fall a bit short. Frame gardening is one way that many gardeners extend the growing season for a variety of flowers and vegetables. To make a cold frame, construct a bottomless box and set it in the garden or atop other good soil in a sunny location. Frames are usually made from scrap lumber, but concrete blocks or bricks can also be used. Top the box either with glass (perhaps an old storm window) or a frame covered with clear plastic. Hinge the cover so it may be opened for ventilation on warm days. Gardeners use frames to “harden off” seedlings that were started indoors or to start their vegetable and bedding plants from seed. Sow seeds of crops such as radish, lettuce, endive, and scallions directly in the frame for an early or postseason harvest. You can even raise them there all summer as long as the cover is removed when warm weather arrives. Cold frames can also be used to good advantage for over-wintering potted herbs and perennials or for holding cuttings of woody plants taken during the summer. The trick to winter framing is insulation. Cover the plants and cuttings in the frame with salt marsh hay or straw, then cover the glass with plywood or a thick tarp to keep out light and prevent snow damage. A hot bed is a cold frame that is heated. This can be accomplished with electric heating cables, but the old method of using horse manure or compost works quite well and is more economical. For a nonelectric hot bed, excavate 18 to 24 inches under the frame and add manure or compost. Turn and moisten this material every couple of days for a week until it settles, then cover it with 6 inches of soil. As the manure or compost decomposes, it will generate enough heat to protect against early or late frosts. Temporary frames or “cloches” can be made by leaning old storm windows tent-style over the plants along the length of the garden row. To protect individual seedlings or small plants, cut the bottoms out of plastic milk jugs and place them over individual plants, holding the jugs in place with mounded soil. During sunny days, remove the caps for ventilation.

Wave Reviews Feb 01, 2020

A “foot-candle” sounds like a gadget that might have been advertised in an early edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, but actually it is a measure of light, specifically the amount of light cast by a candle over a one-square-foot area from the distance of one foot away. To put things in perspective, note that on a sunny summer day an exposed garden gets 10,000 to 15,000 foot-candles of light. A fluorescent lamp (two 40-watt bulbs) can provide 800 foot-candles if it is practically sitting on top of a plant, but move it back even a foot and the number drops to under 300. In order to conduct photosynthesis—the process of converting raw nutrients to carbohydrates, thus enabling the plant to grow and bear fruit—plants require both quality and quantity of light. Windowsills and greenhouses can supply plants with most of the light quality and energy sent from the Sun, but certain wavelengths, such as ultraviolet, are altered when they pass through even one thickness of glass. This is why you can’t get a suntan by sitting in front of a picture window. While many houseplants and seedlings will do quite well over the winter in a window location, most benefit from a supplement of artificial light and, when weather permits, a few hours basking on a sunny porch. Variegated leaves, for example, will be more pronounced with improved lighting. Seedlings have especially high energy requirements and do best indoors under grow lights. Duration of light, called the photoperiod, is critical. For most plants this period is at least eight hours daily, regardless of how many foot-candles are being produced. Conversely, plants also respond to darkness. Short-day plants, such as poinsettias, chrysanthemums, and Christmas cacti, can actually be prevented from coming into flower by lengthening their days with artificial light. Lengthening the hours of darkness by putting these same plants in darkness by the end of the afternoon will encourage bloom. Most fall-blooming perennials are short-day plants. You may want to set up a “light station” where you can rotate your plants that seem to want a little luminary boost. You might also consider setting up your seed-starting area a bit earlier for use as a light nursery for winter-weary houseplants.

Rome-ing the Landscape Jan 01, 2020

What do paper birch, white birch, and canoe birch have in common? Plenty! They are the same tree. Over the years people in different parts of the country have come to know trees by local names. Aspen, for instance, is commonly known as poplar or popple in some places and is sometimes mistakenly called gray birch. Maples are even more confusing. Is this a rock maple or sugar maple? Is that a striped maple or moosewood? It all depends on which name you prefer. The confusion does not end with trees. Black raspberries, black caps, and thimble berries are all one and the same, as is the popular houseplant sansevieria, a.k.a. snake plant and mother-in-law’s tongue. Imagine the added confusion when plantsmen of different countries want to purchase, or even just discuss, a particular plant.In the mid-18th century, the Swedish botanist and physician Carolus Linnaeus (aka Carl von Linné) revolutionized the study of science when he came up with a widely accepted system for classifying and naming plants (and eventually animals, minerals, and diseases). His system, known as binomial nomenclature, uses two Latinized words to describe each plant. The first, the genus name, describes a group marked by common characteristics. The genus name for any birch is Betula. Next comes the specific epithet, or species name, which is often descriptive. The paper birch classified with its Latin name is Betula papyrifera. A third or fourth name may be added to further describe a variety or cultivar. For example, the cut-leaf weeping birch is Betula pendula dalecarlica. Although Latin naming is the only certain way to describe plants accurately, common names will always have their place. Can you imagine a poem starting out, “Under the spreading Aesculus hippocastanum the village smithy stands”? “Scarborough Fair” would never have made the Top 40 if Simon and Garfunkel had sung, “Petroselinum crispum, Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris.” Common names are often more colorful and descriptive than their scientific counterparts. Flowers like Johnny jump-up and rambling rose add a poetic feel to the garden, while ironwood and rock maple make statements about strength.

The Graceful Jade Dec 01, 2019

Excluding fruitcakes and zucchinis, potted jades are probably the most common gift passed between friends and family members. But it’s not a high-maintenance acquisition, for the jade plant thrives on neglect. Treat it badly enough, and this humble servant may even bloom for you. The jade plant, Crassula argentea, looks like a small, gracefully branched tree. Although it grows slowly, an elderly specimen three feet tall is not uncommon. Its sculptured brown trunk and branches and thick dark green leaves give it a bonsai look. It can, in fact, be pruned, trained, and even grown in ornate shallow containers like true bonsai. Unglazed clay flowerpots have proven the best container for growing jades because they allow the soil to dry out quickly between waterings. Jades are succulents and can’t stand to have their feet wet. Unlike most plants, whose leaves shrivel when their roots are dying for a drink, jade’s leaves will pucker when the roots spend too long in wet soil. Water jades only when the soil becomes parched. Although this easy keeper will tolerate some shade, lack of strong sun makes it grow leafy and weak. When grown in strong light, the margins of the leaves turn a handsome rosy red. Given hot, dry, and pot-bound conditions that would do in many other houseplants, jade plants, especially older ones, may decide to bloom for you in clusters of fragrant, waxy pink or white flowers. Propagation is simple: All a branch has to do is touch the soil in the pot and it readily takes root. Just prune it from the mother plant and pot it. To produce a lot of new plants, root stem-tip cuttings in sand or a glass of water. Small jades do best if repotted every year until they reach a desired size, but mature plants actually do best when their roots are cramped. A perfect potting mix for jades and other succulents can be made by combining two parts potting soil, two parts sand, one-quarter part bonemeal, and one-half part dehydrated manure.

Fate With Brush Nov 01, 2019

The ancients used brush for building boats, shelters, arrows, spears, and fences. Today we are not apt to cut more than a few bean poles or tomato stakes. If you are industrious, you might construct some winter protection for shrubs or cut up sticks for kindling. But if you really want to get rid of the stuff, brush becomes a weed, and it seems that the more you try to eradicate it the more it grows. Some old-timers insist that brush cut in August will not grow back. Most evergreens if cut right to the ground will not reemerge. Whether by machine or hand, always cut brush as low as possible. If you can borrow some goats, sheep, or pigs, they can take care of the problem in a season and leave the ground more fertile as well. Otherwise, sow grass to choke out other growth, and if possible, mow the area every few weeks. If the new suckers can be held at bay for a year, most of them will not return. In small areas, a layer of black plastic will prevent new brush from emerging. (This will be effective only if you prevent even the slightest hole from forming in the plastic — not always possible when you are laying it over stumps.) Once you’ve “harvested” the brush, what to do with it? As little as possible. If you have an area where you can leave a brush pile, it will serve as a haven for forest creatures until it decomposes. Chipping it up for mulch is all right if you’ve got the equipment, but often it is just an expensive way of hastening decomposition. A brush pile for burning on a winter’s night after a skating or sledding party is a good idea. Make sure that your brush is stacked all in the same direction and close together, otherwise the fire will not catch. An oil-soaked rag wound round the end of a stick makes a good torch. Thrust it as deeply as you can into the center of the pile, and get out the marshmallows.

Ya Vole Oct 01, 2019

The field mouse, a.k.a. field vole or meadow vole, inhabits just about every region of North America. An important part of the food chain, these cute little critters are a favorite snack of snakes, foxes, coyotes, and birds of prey. House cats often test their hunting skills by stalking field mice through tall grass, and even weasels seek them out. One would think that with so many enemies field mice wouldn’t be much of a problem for farmers and gardeners, but this is not the case. Female field mice reproduce when about a month old and can have up to six litters of three to ten mice each year. During the summer, these mice of the meadow generally leave crop plants alone and dine on grasses, succulent weeds, and the occasional insect. They travel under the cover of grass “runways” just at the surface of the ground or burrow through loose mulch and leaf litter. As fall approaches, mouse damage starts to show up as they start gathering and storing seeds, grain, rhizomes, and bulbs. Ground covers may provide hiding places for foraging mice, so trees and shrubs that are surrounded by myrtle or pachysandra are at risk. In areas with snow cover, field mice use this cold camouflage to tunnel between woody plants such as fruit trees, dogwoods, berries, roses, and lilacs, stripping the nutritious bark under the snow and leaving the plant girdled. Girdled plants usually will not survive the next season. Sanitation is the key to mouse control in the orchard and around the home. If lawns and fields are kept mowed, mice will be more exposed to predators. Keep a minimum thickness of mulch around trees and shrubs to discourage burrowing, and remove thick accumulations of leaves around perennials. Protect small trees and shrubs by wrapping their trunks with plastic guards or (loosely) with wire mesh. Repellents are also available and may be useful in ground cover and other difficult areas. You may recall that Robert Burns wrote “To a Field Mouse.” But did the mouse ever write back?

Walking on Herbs Sep 01, 2019

Anyone who gardens seems never to have enough time on their hands. You can, however, enjoy “thyme” at your feet. An herbal lawn or pathway is somewhat more difficult to install than a conventional grass lawn, but in the long run it is much easier to maintain and is less subject to destruction from disease or insects. The appearance of an herbal lawn is more interesting than plain grass, and the aroma is enchanting. Low-growing thyme comes in several distinct varieties. Creeping thyme, woolly thyme, and lemon thyme are the most common. Once established, thyme can endure a fair amount of foot traffic. Chamomile is more delicate than thyme and will not hold up to major traffic, but interspersed with other plants it will be reasonably durable in the lawn, offering yellow, buttonlike flowers and a sweet, pineapple-like scent when stepped on. While it might be anathema to Americans, the dandelion is popular in England as a ground cover, and like many herbs, it has medicinal value as well. Likewise, violets and Johnny-jump-ups, commonly considered pests in the grass lawn, make for lovely sights and smells and can be part of your herbal lawn. And then of course there is mint, which may be the most appropriate plant for a pathway: It’s named after Mentha, a mistress of Pluto who was trampled by the jealous Proserpine and transformed into a plant to be forever walked upon. Pluto eased her fate by willing that the more she was trodden upon, the sweeter she would smell. Mint varieties include gill-over-the-ground, peppermint, spearmint, catnip, and many others, all of which are quite invasive. Mint welcomes mowing. In an herbal lawn, grass becomes the weed, so you will want to start with a well-cleared area. Herbs do not like rich soil, but the healthier the soil, the easier they will become established. Regular watering is important, and weeds must be pulled until the herbs predominate. Mowing a couple of times a year will help to eliminate other high-growing weeds and will encourage bushiness in the herbs.

Mullein It Over Aug 01, 2019

Growing to a height of 8 feet or more and topped with a bright yellow, cylindrical flower, mullein is one of those plants that have acquired many popular names throughout the centuries because of its myriad uses. The names Aaron’s rod and Jacob’s staff certainly refer to its sturdy stalk and quite possibly to its strength as a medicine. The nicknames torch, hedge taper, and candlewick plant were used in medieval Europe, where the tall plant was stripped of its leaves and the flower head saturated with oils and set ablaze as a ceremonial torch in funeral processions. Velvet plant and old man’s flannel refer to mullein’s soft, gray-green, fuzzy leaves. Said to possess antibacterial properties, they have been used for dressing wounds and as poultices to cure aches and pains. Early American settlers who brought the seeds across the Atlantic steeped the leaves and flowers to make a soothing tea. (The seeds, however, are poisonous.) Mullein also was respected as a beautiful accent plant for the perennial border, and beekeepers grew it as a late-summer pollen source (it blooms from July to September) and because it readily perpetuates itself from seed. A true biennial, mullein lives its first year from seed as a low, fuzzy rosette of gray-green leaves. The leaves keep their color through the winter, and in the spring the stalk rockets from the center of the rosette. Many gardeners cut off the flowers before the seed ripens to keep volunteer plants from taking over the garden. The seed, once dried, can be sown in fall. Its deep taproot system makes mullein hard to transplant but at the same time almost indestructible. It withstands drought and strong winds. Today, mullein still enjoys a place in the perennial garden. Besides the common yellow or “great” mullein, there are white, blue, purple, and red hybrids. The towering flowers make an impressive background plant and are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. If you are “mullein over” a new plant for your garden, this could be the one.

Cures for a Sluggish Garden Jul 01, 2019

They work at night under the protective cloak of darkness, slithering along on a silvery slime secreted from their own bodies. As daylight takes over the garden, they seek dank and dark places to hide from the sun. The only traces remaining from their attack are hardened, slimy trails glistening in the light and rough holes in the leaves and stems of plants. Who are these slippery culprits that deface scores of plants yet are barely ever seen? The villains responsible for this dastardly damage are slugs. Slugs are gray to brown in color and have been known to reach 4 inches in length. Lacking a protective shell, they must seek out shelter during the day to retain body moisture and temperature. They hide under garden debris and boards, and they flourish during wet spells. Left uncontrolled, slugs can become serious pests. Favorite foods include lettuce, cabbage, corn, tomatoes, beans, and peas. In the perennial garden they love hosta, delphiniums, tulips, and daffodils. Some gardeners stalk these evasive creatures at night with flashlights and pull them from the leaves of plants. (Latex gloves make the task less unpleasant.) Other gardeners place shingles, inverted flowerpots, or citrus rinds in the garden; slugs congregate beneath them and can be collected daily. Drop the slugs into a can of salt or hot, soapy water to finish them off. A modified version of the classic slug trap is a deep container filled with 1/2 inch of beer, or sugar water and yeast, sunk so that the top edge is slightly above ground. When the unsuspecting mollusk stops in for a drink on his way home, he drowns. Slug barriers are yet another foil. Wood ashes spread in a four-inch band around plants seem to deter slugs. Sand, stone dust, and other abrasive material is also used in hopes of ripping open the slug’s stomach as it speeds across the surface (highly unlikely for a creature whose odometer reads in feet per day). Keeping the garden tidy is one of the most effective ways of controlling slugs. Rake leaves from ground covers and from under shrubs often. Pick up flowerpots, flats, and debris to eliminate hiding places.

An Old-Fashioned Cutting Garden Jun 01, 2019

In Victorian times it was popular to have a special garden whose sole function was to provide flowers for cutting. This trend periodically enjoys revival, and with reason. While perennials and annuals can be grown together effectively, the food requirements for sustaining healthy perennials are excessive for annuals. And if one is going to gather cut flowers every morning or two, it is easier to do so in a garden that has been designed to be walked in. Gardening being what it is, there are no fixed rules. But there are a few basic considerations. Water cutting flowers frequently so that their blooms are full and succulent. Remove spent blooms immediately so that energy does not get transferred to seed production. Morning is the best time to cut bouquets—the flowers have had a chance to rest from the stress of the day before and are often glistening with dew. Avoid putting pressure on the stems when you hold them. Gardeners have described in detail the best methods for cutting and storing flowers—cutting straight across or at an angle on the stem, re-cutting before placing in a vase, mixing sugar and/or bleach in with water, or using seltzer water. There are good arguments for all of these, but the essentials are using a sharp blade for cutting, using tepid water for storing, and changing the water every day. Plant many varieties to provide a riot of color. Don’t forget pastels such as powder-blue delphiniums and soft yellow foxglove, as well as bold red roses and royal purple iris. Bells of Ireland, an unusual plant with green blooms, is striking in almost any arrangement. Even if you have a special cutting garden, many other plants outside the garden can add to a bouquet. Shrubs such as lilacs, spirea, beauty bush, azalea, dogwood, and hydrangea can donate attractive filler. Ferns, wild grasses, and leafy perennials like wormwood also work well. In the spring, cherry and apple blossoms mingle nicely with daffodils and tulips, and in the fall you can add colorful autumn leaves in among mums, yarrow, asters, and baptisia.

Delphiniums: A Labor of Love May 01, 2019

The towering spires of delphinium are often compared with church steeples, yet it is the long nectary of the flowers that provides the inspiration for the name: The dolphin’s nose, Greek delphis, gives us delphinium, and the feet of larks inspired the nickname larkspur. Lovelier still to the tongue is the Spanish nickname espuela del caballero—the cavalier’s spur. While delphiniums are beautiful in their own right, their qualities are appreciated all the more because they often require a lot of care. The gardener who anticipates the challenges in advance will have a better chance of success. Seed catalogs reveal a multitude of color choices, including stunning and varied shades of blue, pastel pinks and lavender, spritely yellows, whites, and two-tone varieties. Plants started in February will bloom the same year. The sunny days and cool nights of coastal New England, plus its ample rainfall, present optimum growing conditions, as does the western United States. In fact, in the cooler zones delphiniums can be expected to survive for a number of years, whereas in warmer regions a plant may last only a season or two. The species forms of delphinium seem to be longer-lived than the hybrids. In addition to living in the right place, the delphinium grower needs to be diligent about modifying the immediate conditions. While moisture is essential, wet soil will cause crown rot. Delphinium plants should be set in rich, well-drained soil. The bed should be prepared deeply, enriched with compost, and sweetened with lime, bone meal, or wood ashes. Plants emerging from self-sowing of the previous year should be thinned so that there is adequate ventilation between them. Fertilize regularly or top-dress with rich compost or composted manure. Because the spectacular flowers are so top-heavy, solid staking is essential. Wooden stakes may be stained green to be less conspicuous. Thin bamboo stakes (often available in green) should be pushed deeply into the ground. Stake each stem separately to keep the blooms erect. If your landscape is informal, you might also consider using large twigs or small branches for staking.

To Till or Not to Till Apr 01, 2019

Rototilling the vegetable plot can be quite satisfying. A compacted, rutted piece of ground harvested last fall is transformed into a fresh, new, rich-looking expanse of earth ready to be planted with this year’s dreams. Some expert tiller operators, eager to justify the ownership of a thousand-dollar-plus soil-stirring machine, have perfected their art to such a degree that they can rototill a large garden site without so much as leaving a footprint in the newly prepared ground. But not all gardeners agree with rototilling the soil every year—if at all. Each time that soil is cultivated or tilled, thousands of weed seeds are brought close to the surface, where they find just the right conditions to prosper. Roots of perennial weeds such as quack grass and dandelion may be sliced into several pieces, each chunk capable of producing another plant. It’s no wonder that weeds most often beat the crops up on a newly planted vegetable bed. The solution? Try no-till farming. Used properly, it conserves soil moisture, protects soil structure, and doesn’t disrupt beneficial soil organisms. Once the garden site is readied, the soil warmed, and the first flush of weeds dealt with, apply a thick mulch such as a few inches of compost, several inches of straw, or even sawdust. (Since sawdust robs nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down, add some fertilizer with it.) The results of mulching are many: Weeds are kept at bay, nutrients are released slowly to the soil, and plants are protected from temperature extremes. Above all, soil moisture is conserved during periods of drought. Adding new mulch every year, instead of tilling, keeps the soil in excellent shape. Just pull the mulch back to sow seeds or set plants. Before taking out a classified ad to sell your rototiller, remember: Tilling is still considered beneficial when starting new gardens, borders, and lawns because it is a good way to incorporate soil amendments. Anyway, most of us still can’t resist starting a vegetable garden on a piece of ground that wipes last year’s slate clean.

Determining the Indeterminate (A Fruitful Discussion About Tomatoes) Mar 01, 2019

Tomatoes bring a considerable amount of pleasure even before they are eaten. (This is assuming that as a true gardener you like to putter and experiment.) In addition to deciding between different types of fruit, you get to choose between determinate and indeterminate varieties. The former (more recently developed) are sometimes called self-pruning because they stop growing at a certain point and require neither staking nor pinching back. Determinate tomatoes will ripen virtually all at once (i.e., over a seven- to ten-day period). This is great if you are growing large numbers for sauce, but for general eating it’s a rather short season. Indeterminate varieties are often favored not only for a longer yield period, but also because they are higher in sugar, and the yield in terms of numbers of fruits can be significantly larger. That latter point is no guarantee, however—you’ve got to keep to the task. Indeterminate types usually need pinching back and staking to keep them from putting all their energy into leaves. If your tomatoes are indeterminate, stake or cage them soon after planting. A cage can be surrounded by a foot-high wall of roofing paper to cut the wind and retain heat, giving the young plant a further boost. Many gardeners believe that staked plants are less subject to soil-borne disease. And of course, fruit from staked plants is easier to get at. (However, some gardeners make an argument for letting tomatoes sprawl, on the basis that the horizontal foliage will shelter fruit from sunscald and the drying effects of wind and hot sun.) An alternative to staking that will benefit both determinate and indeterminate types is mulching. A thin organic mulch of dried grass clippings can be effective. Apply it after the soil has warmed up. Plastic mulch is effective as a barrier and as a heat collector. Just be sure to leave enough of an opening right around the plant to allow water to penetrate. Given all these factors, the gardening maxim that there is no one right way to do anything is particularly applicable here. After all, isn’t that what makes gardening so interesting?

Giving Your Flowers a Box Seat Feb 01, 2019

Growing plants in window boxes puts them at eye level, which lends a different perspective than having them in your garden. The plants will become part of your view to the outdoors. And from the outside, the plants and container become part of the architecture. Since wood looks nice in almost any location and can easily be custom-built to fit the length and width of a windowsill, it remains the medium of choice. Its life can be extended significantly by using the box simply as a holder for a metal or plastic planter or for several potted plants. Wood is also the easiest for mounting to your house. A word of caution here—do not set the box directly against the wood of your house. Leave an inch or two of breathing space so that moisture does not build up. All window boxes need drainage holes every few inches. Cover the bottom with a piece of large-mesh hardware cloth before adding a layer of 3/4-inch stones. Use a standard potting mix from your garden center, or mix your own using soil, peat, sawdust, sand, and a little bonemeal. Fill the box to within an inch of the top, then water and mix thoroughly. Add more soil if it has settled, and water and mix some more. What to plant? Petunias, geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, and begonias are good choices for main-theme flowers. Fill in with things like wandering Jew, ivy, euonymus, heather, or vinca, which will cascade over the edge of the box. Impatiens do well in shady locations. More subtle choices include coleus, heliotrope, and salvia. If you’ve got an accessible location, try planting edibles. Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, kale, and herbs will do nicely in a window box. Like flowers, they will need water every couple of days and fertilizer every two weeks. (Since a window box is just a breeze away from your living quarters, you might want to avoid aromatic fertilizer like fish emulsion.) Be sure to cultivate the soil regularly so that the water will penetrate throughout rather than just run off.

Outwitting Winter Jan 01, 2019

Winter is tough on plants. A snowless one exposes the soil to extreme temperature fluctuations that can damage the roots of trees and shrubs and actually heave perennials right out of the ground. Too much snow, especially the heavy or icy variety, snaps limbs and may even topple whole trees. Add to this drying winds, road salt, hungry animals, and even bright sun, and it’s a wonder plants make it through the winter at all. Choosing the hardiest plants for your particular location will eliminate much winter loss. ‘Reliance’ peach, for instance, is a tough variety that can be planted instead of ‘Elberta’ or ‘Red Haven.’ (If your spot is really cold, forget peaches altogether and stick to apples and pears.) Proper site selection will save a lot of headaches, especially when establishing evergreens. Brisk winter winds and sunlight intensified as it is reflected off snow can pull moisture from leaves and needles faster than it can be replaced. Plants such as holly, hemlock, rhododendrons, and laurel should be grown in filtered sunlight. They can be protected from wind and from browsing animals by installing barriers of snow fence or staked burlap. Not all plantings can be perfectly situated, so often it is necessary to afford them some winter protection. First and foremost, make sure plants are healthy as they head into winter. Keep watering all plants as late into the fall as possible, especially the evergreens. Plant roots grow and take in moisture long after the air temperature drops below freezing. Fall feeding should be done with a low-nitrogen fertilizer so that new growth is not stimulated. Use mulch where you can on all plants. Many perennials favor the lightness of salt marsh hay over a heavier bark mulch. Apply hay 8 inches thick over all beds. It is weed free and easily removed in the spring. Sunscald, caused by rapid heating and cooling of bark, can kill a newly planted tree quickly. Protect against scald by wrapping the trunk with tree wrap or burlap. Be sure to remove the wrap in the spring because it may harbor insects.

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