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I have some drab spots in my garden right now and want to fill those areas with something that will add interest during the winter. What is a good choice?
Many gardens that look great in summer are flat and barren in the winter. One way to keep something attractive in the garden year-round is to plant species that have widely varying bloom times. By adding some ornamental grass you will give the garden something eye-catching in autumn that will hold its shape through the winter.
One species of ornamental grass that is popular in Yakima Valley gardens is Miscanthus sinensis, commonly known as maiden grass. There are many cultivars of M. sinensis, a plant native to varied habitats in Eastern Asia. There are several specimens of Miscanthus growing at the Yakima Area Arboretum in front of the Interpretive Center by the parking lot and at the east end of the Oriental Garden. Miscanthus is a low-maintenance, warm season, clump-forming grass that produces showy tassel-like plumes that appear in late summer. Most varieties grow well in Zone 5. Cultivar sizes grow anywhere from 3- to 10-feet in height and 2- to 6-feet in width. The larger varieties work great as a single specimen focal point in the yard. Miscanthus prefers full sun and is heat tolerant as long as adequate water is provided. It also tolerates a range of soil conditions. Because of its self-seeding habits, Miscanthus is considered an invasive species in Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states, where moist, moderate winters are ideal for self-propagation. In Zone 5, the plant can be controlled quite easily and is not considered a problem. People who grow Miscanthus often leave the previous season's foliage and plumes standing upright until new growth appears in late spring. To control its spread, or to divide the plant, cut its foliage back to about 6-inches above the crown.
Here are a few varieties to consider:
M. sinensis "Gracillimus" - one of the oldest cultivars. Narrow leaf blades are complemented by rust-colored plumes that bloom late summer to frost. Reaches 7-feet in height.
M. sinensis "Blutenwunder" - a cultivar known as Blooming Wonder because of its prolific blooms first appearing in early August. Tall, up to 7-feet and stately, with wide green leaves. It is also one of the hardiest cultivars.
M. sinensis "Purpurascens" - known as flame grass. Grass blades are a striking reddish-orange in the fall. Color intensity is known to increase in regions with warm, sun-filled summers such as the Yakima Valley. An early bloomer, with a compact growth habit and medium height of about 5-feet tall.
M. sinensis "Zebrinuss" - known as zebra grass. Horizontal banding on wide creamy-yellow blades of grass that send up plumes in late September. Stunning when backlit by the sun. Reaches 8-feet tall.
M. sinensis "Strictus" - with its horizontal banding on wide blades of grass, porcupine grass is reminiscent of zebra grass, but it has a more upright growth habit and is more compact. Blooms in mid-September and reaches 9-feet tall.
M. sinensis "Adagio" - one of several compact varieties that grow no higher than 3-4 feet tall. Blooms in mid-August. A good specimen for containers.
For people who want to mix their grasses, another contender for Yakima Valley gardens is "switch grass", Pancium virgatum, a hardy perennial that is native to grasslands and prairies across a large swath of North America. Switch grass grows to about 4-feet tall. There are several cultivars that produce reddish grass blades at maturity. The "Rotstrahlbusch" variety is tinged with red all growing season while some of the others such as "Shenandoah" start out with green leaves that then turn red by mid to late summer. "Rotstrahlbusch" has an upright growing habit, while "Shenandoah" has a more cascading form. Both varieties send up wispy, burgundy colored seedheads.
There is at least one specimen of P. virgatum "Shenandoah" growing at the Yakima Area Arboretum, near the main parking lot. It is a plant that must be seen in autumn to truly appreciate its crimson glory.
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What to do in the January garden....
If you have a greenhouse, now is the time to repeat some of the chores you've probably already done outside, such as cleaning up plant debris, cleaning pots and tools, checking your irrigation system, washing the windows on a sunny day, painting and varnishing, and making a list of seeds and supplies you'll need next spring.
Depending on how much sun your greenhouse gets or whether you are willing to go to the extra expense of cranking up a heating system, you can start slow-growing vegetables from seed such as onions and leeks. By spring these will be hardy, disease-free transplants.
A sunny windowsill inside a home can often accomplish the same effect as a greenhouse or cold frame. A heating pad can give seedlings, or even houseplants that aren't doing well, enough warmth to thrive. Don't forget the light. While many houseplants thrive in indirect light, seedlings will need about 14-hours of light a day. Seedlings that receive too little light grow thin, tall and weak and rarely produce a viable specimen for transplanting in spring. Many indoor gardeners compensate for lack of sunlight with artificial light such as fluorescent lamps placed directly over the seedlings.
Give your houseplants some TLC. Spritz them with water and use a soft cloth to wipe off the leaves. Be wary of commercial leaf shines because they will clog leaf pores. Check for browning of leaf tips, this can be caused by overwatering or too much direct sunlight.
Don't forget winter flowers. Bulbs such as paperwhites and amaryllis are easy to force in winter because they don't require chilling time.
Recycle your Christmas tree, or better yet, post it outside and lace it with food for birds and other backyard varmints. Just make sure it is in a location that isn't a magnet for neighborhood cats. Birds will reward you for your effort by hanging around until the summer to provide natural insect control.
Now is a good time to make an application of dormant spray to help control over-wintering insect and disease problems. Aphid eggs, for example, survive through the winter, but a coating of dormant oil spray smothers them. Avoid spraying when temperatures are below freezing, when it is raining or when the wind is blowing. Always read the labels for garden chemicals and follow the instructions.
Pruning of most deciduous trees and shrubs can be done this month. But, don't prune spring-flowering plants such as azalea, blueberries, forsythia or spirea because you would be removing their spring flowers. It is best to prune these plants right after they've finished blooming.
Now is a good time to get your lawn mower tuned up and have its blades sharpened. Chances are there will be a shorter wait at the repair shop than during the spring rush when you could be out mowing the lawn. A sharp mower blade cuts the lawn evenly and prevents damage to grass blades.
Wander around your yard to see where the winter gray spots are. Future plantings of evergreens in these areas will give the garden more year-round appeal. Or, try some ornamental grass. Even after the grass turns brown when the temperatures drop, many varieties produce feathery plumes or reedy spikes that add visual interest to the winter garden. Just remember to tread lightly and try to avoid walking on the lawn when it is frozen. Too much foot traffic can damage grass blades and garden soil and that will require extra work to repair in the spring when you'd probably rather be sowing seeds and planting flowers.
I want to keep my hand in gardening over the winter but it's too cold outside and my plants are dormant anyway. What can I do inside?
A little experimentation might be worth your time, especially if you live alone or the people you share a home with don't mind living in a plant laboratory. Try growing a pineapple purchased at the grocery store. Select a pineapple that has healthy green leaves and slice off the top about an inch below leaf growth. Place the top on its side for a couple of days to allow the cut portion to dry. Then, set the top in an 8-inch pot filled with potting mix. Place the pot in a warm place or on a heating pad and keep the soil moist. Keep the plant out of direct sunlight and fertilize it every six to eight weeks with an acidic fertilizer. Check the plant after about three months to see if it needs to be transplanted to a larger pot. After several months, a healthy pineapple plant will begin to develop new shoots from its base. When this occurs, you can cut off the parent plant or you can separate them and start additional plants. If you have a sunny window sill, try sowing some seeds. A heating pad that is waterproof will help with germination. Slow-growing vegetable such as onions and leeks can be given a head start now and by spring will be strong enough to transplant outside.
Or, start an herb garden in the kitchen to have fresh cuttings handy for cooking. Just remember that vegetables and herbs need a lot of light. To be successful you can't rely on the short periods of winter sunlight to produce strong, healthy plants. You will need to provide the right kind of artificial light and long periods of it. But plants need darkness too -- glucose production in most plants occurs at night. During photosynthesis, the Calvin cycle or dark reaction (meaning light independent), converts light energy and carbon dioxide into sugars also known as carbohydrates, which give plants their nutritional value.
Although the term "grow light" is used commercially for both incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, incandescent bulbs are not really effective for propagation because they produce a low color temperature and have a red-yellowish tone; natural daylight has a high color temperature and appears bluish. Incandescent lamps work just fine for highlighting an arrangement of houseplants, but they burn hot, so keep the bulb at least 24-inches from a plant to prevent scorching. There are many kinds of fluorescent lights available. They burn cool and are commonly used for propagation. The most important thing to remember when using fluorescent bulbs is proximity to the plant. For standard fluorescent bulbs, they should be placed about 4-inches above the seedlings. Technological advances have developed high-output fluorescent bulbs that produce a broader, more even light coverage. There also are compact fluorescents for small growing spaces.
A third type of grow light is metal halide, which sends a strong white light that closely resembles natural sunlight. Metal halides tend to produce shorter, more compact plants that look almost identical to plants grown outside. There is a cost tradeoff though. A single metal halide light fixture can cost more than an entire indoor growing system that includes a compact plant stand with fluorescent light fixtures. Like any gardening venture, space, time and long-term interest should be taken into account when planning an indoor growing system. There are plenty of options available for the beginner and the veteran.
So, don't let a little cold weather and short days stop you from gardening. A plant menagerie is just a light switch away.
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I tried several varieties of vegetables last year that weren't very good producers. Are there any out there that will keep my refrigerator filled with fresh produce?
There are vegetable and flower varieties that do better than others in the Yakima Valley simply because they are early producers and are more ideally suited to our short growing season. When considering what to plant, look to see when the variety matures. There are some tomato and pepper varieties that begin producing fruit within 60-days of transplanting. While they might be as desirable as one of those heirloom varieties that takes more than three months to mature, they will give you fruit and a lot of it, which is why you're putting it into the ground in the first place. Buying transplants at the big-box garden centers certainly will give you a good start on growing a strong producer, but, the choices are limited to the most common varieties, some of which are not really suited for the Valley. Starting plants from seed or scouring the garden catalogs this winter for oddball transplants can be more satisfying than a trip to the store and it will give you something different than what your neighbor is growing.
Many catalog companies sell out of their best varieties so it's a good idea to order early, even though your shipment won't arrive until spring. Here are a few vegetables and flowers that have shown vigor in Moxee over the past couple of years:
Taxi: This is a short-season, yellow-skinned tomato with a determinate growth habit. A scrawny transplant purchased last year through the mail and placed in the ground June 2 yielded it's first ripe tomato August 1.
How's that for a short season? There were so many tomatoes at maturity that there were hardly any leaves left, just fruit and vines. The plant has a compact growth habit, which makes it ideal for small gardens. But, don't be fooled by its size, this variety will require staking. It is such a heavy producer that vines get weighted down to the ground. The round fruits grow to a small fist size. They are mild tasting and non-acidic. They make a good salsa tomato, adding a splash of color to the mix.
Boothby's Blonde: This is an heirloom cucumber from Maine. Two specimens grow from seed sowed the last week of June 2005 produced several bushels of cucumbers beginning in late August. These are very vigorous plants that will require staking or trellising plenty of open ground to spread out on. The fruit has a yellowish-white skin similar to lemon cucumbers but grow much fatter and up to 6-inches long. They are very sweet and great for slicing in salads or fresh from the vine with a daub of balsamic vinegar. Nicotiana sylvestris: Add a bit of the tropics to your garden with a flower variety from the nightshade family that carries the melancholy name of "Only the Lonely". A spotted specimen grown from seed was placed out on the back patio in the summer of 2005. As an annual in Zone 5 it didn't make it through the winter but dropped enough seeds on the surrounding soil that by midsummer of 2006, it had reseeded itself and produced enough specimens that most were culled to ensure the vigor of the three plants left standing. This is a very eye-catching plant that will spark many gardening conversations. It grows large oblong leaves that fan out around the base of the plant. It eventually sends up a tall stalk (3 - 4 feet) that becomes covered with snow-white, pendulous, trumpet-like flowers. Once it becomes established, it grows vigorously and blooms all season. Calendula: This is an English garden favorite that gets snubbed at the garden centers. When the occasional Calendula does show up at the store it is predictably the pumpkin-orange variety and that is a shame because there is such a vivid spectrum of colors available through seed, from vanilla to burgundy. In Moxee, Calendula started from seed takes a while to produce its first flower because cold nights last through May. But, by midsummer Calendula is sprouting new flowers daily and don't forget that the flowers are edible. A summer salad sprinkled with Calendula petals will no doubt peak one's curiosity if not the palate. But the best thing about Calendula is that it s cold hardy. Long after your neighbor has removed those mushy marigolds killed by the first frost, your Calendulas will continue producing autumn color right up until the first snowfall.
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I have several kinds of fruit trees growing in my yard. When is a good time to prune them?
Late January through early March is the best time to prune fruit trees before active growth begins. Remember that the exact opposite is true of spring-flowering trees, such as dogwood and crabapple. If you prune those trees now, you will be removing the previous season's growth that produces the flowers. The best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees is right after they have finished blooming. In our climate, pruning after the deep freeze of December and early January will remove damaged areas. To reduce winter damage, avoid stimulating new growth late in the season by avoiding heavy applications of fertilizer or excessive summer pruning. The technique of pruning fruit trees is to thin them so they don't produce an overabundance of fruit. Through thinning you will increase the size and quality of the fruit and prevent limbs from breaking under the strain of excess fruit. Here is some pruning terminology to keep in mind when working on a tree.
Crotch angle: The angle formed between the trunk and limb. Scaffold limb: A large limb that forms a tree's framework. Leader: The uppermost portion of a scaffold limb. Shoot: The length of a branch after one season of growth. Spur: A short shoot that produces flower buds or fruit. When pruning fruit trees, there are a few basic ideas to keep in mind:
Never prune for the sake of pruning. If the tree has been well-maintained over the years it might only need occasional pruning, but it is better to do a moderate annual pruning than wait several years and be forced to make major cuts. Dead and diseased wood should be removed every year. Don't prune young trees too vigorously. It will delay fruiting. Your pruning strategy should take into account the fruiting habit of the tree. Apple trees, for example, often need a vigorous pruning to encourage new growth of fruiting wood. Apple fruit is produced on wood that have long-lived spurs. Don't let peach and plum tree limbs grow too close to the ground because some of the best fruit often grows near the top of the tree. With that in mind, keep the tops of these trees low so the fruit is easy to reach. Good light penetration is necessary for fruit spur formation, so it is important to keep the center of a tree open. The strongest crotch angle is 45° to 60°. Training scaffold limbs to these angles when the tree is young will reduce the need for corrective pruning later on. There is little evidence to support painting over pruning wounds. The commercial products available to seal pruning wounds do little more than blacken the pruned area. Healthy trees should be able to withstand careful pruning. The best protection for a wound from removal of a large limb is to leave the branch collar intact to protect against wood-rotting fungus. When working with young trees, scaffold selection and training should begin the first growing season. Pick two to four scaffolds with the appropriate angles to maintain. They should be evenly distributed and not growing directly above one another. Remove shoots developing below the selected scaffolds.
Before pruning during the first dormant season, spread the scaffolds because it will change the shape of the tree and might influence pruning decisions. Head the central leader to induce branching. Cut it back 3- to 5-inches above the point where you want the next set of scaffolds to appear.
Older trees that have been neglected can be reinvigorated with proper pruning. Keep in mind the concept of an open center and begin by removing diseased and damaged wood. Then thin out crisscrossing branches and encourage a strong central leader. With older fruit trees, branches that grow long but with no spurs are probably overgrown water sprouts that were not trimmed earlier.
By following a pruning regime that includes good scaffold selection and careful thinning cuts, you will establish a healthy and productive tree.
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I have tried growing tropical plants as houseplants but have had little success. What can I do to improve their vigor?
The drying action of home heating and cooling systems create a very poor environment for plants normally associated with a rain forest One option for people determined to grow plants that require high humidity is to create a controlled ecosystem. A terrarium not only provides suitable habitat but also gives the active gardener something to do during winter. Other than creating an artificial environment, the basic ingredients of a terrarium are very much like any other garden: Light, water, healthy soil, pest and disease control, proper temperature and patience.
To start with, you need a clear container. This can be anything from a fish aquarium to a brandy snifter. The size and shape of the container is limited only by the user's flexibility. Remember when selecting a container to take into consideration things such as placement, access and mobility. The last thing you want is a great terrarium sitting in the wrong place that is too heavy to move. While the standard perception of a terrarium is probably somewhere along the lines of a fish aquarium sitting on a bookshelf with an array of small plants and the odd scorpion or lizard running around inside there are plenty of other possibilities. Lamp stands or coffee tables that have glass enclosures make a great conversation piece when filled with live tropical plants and there is an added benefit that they double as a functional piece of furniture. Tall tubular terrariums accent a corner of a room nicely and can be used to grow larger species.
Base layer: This is for drainage. Overwatering leads to root rot and plant death so it is important that excess water has a place to go to keep the soil from becoming soggy. Use pea gravel, small pebbles or coarse sand. Another product on the market is expanding clay pellets that reduce the overall weight of the base layer. The base layer should be at least 1-inch thick and depending on the size of the terrarium, could be as much as 3-inches thick. Some terrarium builders put a thin layer of activated charcoal above the base layer. The charcoal helps clean the air of gasses released by decomposing organic material.
Substrate divider: Above the base layer there should be a thin screen to prevent the substrate from sifting down and clogging the base layer. The divider can be woven nylon shade material, fiberglass window screen or a layer of sphagnum moss
Substrate: There are premixed terrarium soils available or you can make your own using one part coarse sand, one part humus and two parts potting soil. To create a desert habitat, just add extra sand to the soil mixture and additional gravel to the drainage level. Construct a landscape using rocks, branches or mounds of soil to add dimension and interest to a terrarium. If you are planning to add critters to the terrarium, such as a tarantula or a snake, make sure there is a dedicated water source. Terrestrial animals also appreciate terraces or valleys and something to hide under to break the monotony of a flat landscape.
Plants: Choose groups of plants that will grow well together. Think about compatibility such as watering and light needs. Smaller varieties that grow slowly are a good choice to keep plants from outgrowing their environment. Treat your terrarium as you would any other garden space. Make plant choices based on height, color and texture. When putting the plants in the terrarium be aware of spacing and adequate growth room.
Light: Inadequate lighting can be the death of a terrarium. If you're using a fish tank for your container, experts recommend using two full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs that run the length of the tank. Regardless of your terrarium's shape or size, light should be provided for 12- to 14-hours a day. An automatic timer will help keep the light cycle steady. Never leave the terrarium in full sunlight.
Humidity: Use a clear cover for your container and check it often for condensation. A healthy terrarium should have a certain amount of moisture on the glass, but you don't want heavy drops of water appearing. When this occurs, open the lid slightly until the excess moisture evaporates. By experimenting with ventilation you can balance the humidity for the desired effect. An enclosed terrarium will need little water, but be vigilant to changes in a plant's appearance due to moisture levels.
Terrarium options are limited only by your own creativity. There's even a company in Massachusetts that breeds poison dart frogs for terrarium enthusiasts who have a fascination with the exotic.
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I'm planning a new garden space and was wondering what I should consider in terms of plant selection?
Many gardeners find the process of planning a garden almost as enjoyable as planting one. Let's face it, that lushly varied oasis of color and form we envision in our minds usually exceeds the results of the real thing. This is especially true for the first few years as the plants begin to grow - or not - and reach maturity. And then, of course, somewhere in-between we make changes to the original plan based on our strengths (literally because a lot of gardening - i.e. Earth moving - is hard work) and come up with a more pragmatic goal. Eventually our gardens grow into extensions of ourselves. An illustration of this also can serve as a cautionary tale for anyone scanning unused yard space this winter with grand schemes afoot.
There once was a man who lived in the upper Sacramento River Valley. He had lived in apartments for more than a decade and finally decided to rent a house. The lawn he inherited was in pretty bad shape but reinvigorating the lawn sounded boring. He wanted to plant flowers and vegetables and impress his neighbors. So, in March he started to dig. After years of cramped apartment living he had built up a reservoir of latent energy. It broke dormancy in the form of digging with his newly purchased shovel. He dug and he dug and he dug until he had converted several hundred square feet along the entire length of one side of the house into freshly spaded soil.
In April he started to plant. It didn't matter what he planted. If it looked good at the discount drug store it went into the garden.
In May he had to start watering because the rainy season was nearing its end. He hadn't really prepared for this and his hose wasn't quite long enough to make it the length of the garden so a lot of hand-watering was involved.
By July the inferno hit. The average daily temperature for the month was 101°. In his garden were shriveled Zinnias, a wilted pumpkin, dead peppermint, etc. It was no victory garden -- more like a defeated garden. And all that pristine soil was attracting cats near and far to their newest favorite dumping ground. Gardening can't be this hard, he thought. But a trip to the library soon supplied him with the most important garden tool there is: Knowledge.
In September the section that was unreachable by hose was converted into a rock garden. What was left of the summer stock was replaced with desert succulents and drought-tolerant ornamental grass. A large section of the rest of the garden became the "graveyard". This was a sheltered, last-chance haven for plants that failed to thrive in other parts of the yard. He also overseeded the lawn with a winter-hardy variety.
With the early spring came satisfaction. The lawn was golf-course quality. The red yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora, bloomed its first year. The Aloe plants doubled in size. The graveyard produced strong specimens that could be transplanted somewhere else and the neighbor's cats? Well, they didn't find the sharp rocks to their liking and took their business elsewhere.
The moral of the story is that you can't always get the garden you want.
We live in the high desert. The indigenous flora of the Yakima Valley has evolved to withstand extreme temperature swings. Unless you're willing to devote a lot of time running outside to protect plants every time there is a significant change in the weather you'll want to grow plants that are hardy in Zone 5. That means those cool subtropics are out. Don't plant Agapanthus, a Zone 7 perennial known as Lily of the Nile, unless you're lucky enough to have a predictable microclimate.
And, think about water. We can compensate for our minimal rainfall with the hose or an irrigation system. But how and when you water is something that should be planned before the plants go in. Plants that require little water make good sense environmentally and economically.
But mostly, gardening is experimental. What works in your neighbor's yard might not work in your yard. And just because someone says, "don't plant Agapanthus" doesn't mean you shouldn't try it. If you can make it grow, it's one heck of a plant. After all, it is your garden and you are what you grow!
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I know it isn't spring, but it seems like it is about time for the Master Gardener Spring Symposium. Am I right?
You are right and many Master Gardener volunteers have been planning so that you will have another fun day with us. It will be held February 24th and you can get more information by calling the Extension office at 574-1600. Of course, we will have wonderful classes for you to attend including topics such as Propagation, Flowering Trees through the year, Ornamental Grasses and others. You can count on us for an all-day supply of cookies, snacks and beverages and the chance to win wonderful prizes. There will also be a display of yard art to give you ideas for your own yard. Lunch will also be available for an additional fee. Come join us for a day of education and fun.
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What to do in the February garden...
It may look cold, barren and uninviting outside, but if you are a gardener, you have already been out there poking around hoping for some early bulbs showing their heads, and perhaps some annuals that have reseeded themselves. At any rate, gardeners don't really ever stop gardening and even if the cold and snow tries to stop them, they will retreat into the warm house to do some planning for when the weather is more inviting.
Get out your garden catalogs and begin some earnest reading. Choose your favorites to browse and that might mean that they offer better variety, better prices or lower costs to ship. All those things should come into play. You don't have catalogs? Get on the computer and keyword the name of the nursery you want and they will take info and send you one, or go visit the Arboretum Library where they have a whole shelf of catalogs. Look at the selection a bit different this year. Rely on old favorites but take time to study the new varieties of veggies and flowers and order something new. Why not try some lemon cucumbers or a glove artichoke or maybe you want to push the zones a little and try a warmer weather crop like peanuts. Put some creativity into your garden this year.
Shop for a 2007 calendar that has big squares for each day so you can use this as a journal. They are all on sale right now and what a good way to begin the year for recording your progress. Make the first entry the date, place and what you ordered out of the catalog. Include the prices you paid.
If you have backyard fruit trees, it is time to prune them and if you don't know how, call the clinic and a Master Gardener will call you back and help you -- 574-1600. There are also bulletins available on this subject. You can also prune some of your ornamental shrubs right now but do not prune spring flowering plants because you will cut off their blooms. It is also time to prune your grapes and while you are at it, take the prunings and make a wreath that hangs from the garden gate.
Take some time in your gardening shed/barn/garage and make sure all your spring tools are ready to go. Do some of them need sharpening? Are you a carpenter? Get ready for spring by building a cold frame to help with those early spring plantings. This is a good time to build or repair your raised beds. While you are at it consider making some one-foot grids in one of them to prepare for some square foot gardening. This system allows you to just plant what you need in each square and to do some succession planting for constant vegetables in the garden. This year Master Gardener volunteers will be installing this system in our demonstration garden located at the Ahtanum Youth Park. For more information about square foot gardening check out books by Mel Bartholomew at the Yakima Library.
Get ready for some spring seeding indoors by disinfecting all your old recycled pots and trays.
Do little walking in planting areas during the wet spring months. This can cause compaction and be hard on the roots of many of your plants.
Don't get in a hurry to get out into the garden and when you do go, start slow so that your winter muscles have time to get adjusted.
Be patient -- spring will come soon.
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Last year I tried growing many of my flowers from seed; however, I lost most of the seedlings to damping off. I'm willing to try again, but I do not wish to experience the same disappointment. Do you have any suggestions for controlling this damping-off critter?
Damping-off generally refers to sudden plant death in the seedling stage due to the attack of fungi. These fungi are soil-borne and are stimulated to grow and infect the seed or seedlings by nutrients released from a germinating seed.
The damping-off issues is a common problem worldwide. It occurs in most soils, temperatures, tropical climates and in greenhouses. The amount of damage the disease causes depends on the fungus, soil moisture and temperature. Typically, cool wet soils favor development of the disease.
Preventive measures are based on eliminating fungi that cause damping-off or providing chemical barriers to prevent the fungi from growing in the planting medium. As a home gardener, you may want to begin with the following steps:
Purchase pasteurized, packaged soil that is available at many garden centers. Prevent soil recontamination. Sterilize all items that you will use in your process of starting seeds, i.e. tools, pots, flats, etc. As the possibility of recontamination typically always exists, fungicide seed treatment should also be considered. Examples of fungicides used as seed treatments include Thiram and Captan. As always, be sure to read and follow label instructions when using any chemical.
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As I think towards spring, I also think how sad my yard looked last year, especially when compared to my neighbor's. When I queried my neighbor regarding his green thumb, he simply responded "Compost". So, what is so great about compost?
Perhaps you dug in and planted your garden before building up the soil as much as you should have. Compost is a way of fixing your soil without starting over. What your neighbor is telling you is that well-aged compost is his green thumb magic. Compost adds important organic matter to your soil, allowing it to stay moist, yet drain well. In addition, it adds air to keep your plant roots healthy and provides important nutrients for thrifty, robust plant growth.
Do you want to improve your soil without starting over? Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Feed plants you already have. This technique can actually be done any time of the year but it is easiest in the spring when your plants are still small. How do you do it? Simple. If there is plant debris or mulch in your flower bed, pull that away, then put down 2- to 4-inches of compost around each plant. Start about an inch or so away from the crown and extend it just beyond the plant's drip line. Then exercise patience and allow your garden's earthworms and bacteria to do their job incorporating the compost into the soil. Doing this each year will gradually improve the condition of your soil. In the meantime, your compost works as mulch, keeping soil moist and inhibiting weed growth.
- Prepare the perfect planting hole. As you add new plants to your garden, dig a hole as large as you can without disturbing any nearby plants and dig the hole 3-to 6-inches deeper than normally required. Then, mix the soil from the hole in a bucket with an equal amount of compost. Put some of this mix in the bottom of the hole, place the new plant in and fill in around it with more of the mixture.
While you can initially buy compost commercially to get your garden off to a great start this spring, consider a composting program of your own. It is an easy, inexpensive way to turn garden waste into this wonderful garden tool. To learn more about composting, attend a no-cost Master Composter class offered through the Yakima Solid Waste Department. The telephone number to call is 574-2450.
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I know it isn't spring, but it seems like it is about time for the Master Gardener Spring Symposium. Am I right?
Yes, you are right and many Master Gardener volunteers have been planning so that you will have another fun day with us. It will be held February 24th and you can get more information by calling the Yakima County WSU Extension office at 574-1600 or going on-line and downloading the brochure and registration form at http://treefruit.yakima.wsu.edu/mg/mgindex.html
Of course we will have wonderful classes for you to attend including topics such as Propagation, Flowering Trees Through the Year, Ornamental Grasses and others. You can count on us for an all-day supply of cookies, snacks and beverages and the chance to win wonderful prizes. There will also be a display of yard art to give you ideas for your own yard. Lunch will also be available for an additional fee. Come join us for a day of education and fun.
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I love lilies and would like to plant some in my garden. Can you tell me ow to choose, plant and care for them?
Large, striking flowers, fabulous fragrance and relatively easy cultural requirements are some of the inviting reasons to grow lilies. But, perhaps the most compelling reason to grow them is because nothing can compare with an arm full (or vase full) of fragrant lilies. Asiatic and Oriental lilies are the two most popular types of lilies for the garden. They grow from fleshy bulbs that produce flowers that can be shaped like frilly stars, trumpets or bells and come in various colors. Different varieties have different hardiness ratings so look for bulbs that will thrive in USDA zones 6 and 7. Asiatic lilies are the easiest to grow. They are quite hardy and sturdy so they don't need to be staked. They are not particularly fussy about soil, as long as it is well-drained. Oriental lilies are popular because of their large, exotic blooms and heavy, sweet fragrance. If you mulch them heavily each fall they can be grown successfully in colder climates - provided the soil is rich in organic matter, has good drainage and is on the acidic side.
Although lily bulbs are usually planted in the fall from mid-September through mid-October, they can be planted in the spring. You must remember that these bulbs never go completely dormant so they must not dry out before planting. When buying bulbs, select firm, plump bulbs with roots attached and plant them as soon as possible. Plant any bulbs that you order through the mail as soon as you receive them.
Lilies that you buy in containers, such as Easter Lilies, can be planted in your garden throughout the growing season so long as they are sufficiently hardy. Avoid planting them out before cold weather has passed as the unconditioned bulb will be susceptible to the cold. Don't expect more blooms that year. Chances are, the bulb was forced early and will not bloom in the garden again until mid or late summer of the following year.
Plant lilies in full sun. Plant large bulbs 4- to 6-inches deep and smaller bulbs 2- to 4-inches deep (to the top of the bulb). They will look best grown in groups. Plant five to seven small bulbs together and groups of three to five for larger bulbs. Space the groups about a foot apart. Feed each spring with a phosphorus-rich fertilizer (such as 5-10-10). Divide and replant large clusters of bulbs every three to four years to keep them blooming vigorously.
New spring shoots are susceptible to slug and little varmint damage - so protect them however you can -- baits, traps or garden cats -- whatever will work for you. Watering the soil and not the plant will help to prevent most diseases that lilies are prone to. Deadheading will prevent the plant from wasting its energies producing seed. Wait to cut foliage back until it begins to die back. This will allow maximum energy to be stored to the bulbs so that you will be able to enjoy their presence in your garden year after year.
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Can you give me some tips for forcing blooms in the house? I want to see some color!
We do need some color in early spring and a good way to find it is from some of the garden branches you are pruning right now. It is a judgment call about what to cut and when to cut it but we can offer some guidelines. Shrubs that produce flowers before leaves are easiest to force. Only take branches that will leave the shrub looking right. Cut your branches on a mild day, around noon when the sap is up into the branches. Put the cut ends into a container containing room temperature water and in a few days, change the water and move this to a north-facing window so it receives some filtered light. When the flowers begin to open, put this into full sun to help the color of the flowers. Some that might do well when cut in March are Cercis canadensis, red bud, C. florida, flowering dogwood; Crataegus spp, hawthorn and Malus, flowering crabapple. For more information read the book Gardener's Desk Reference, by Anne Halpin.
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I love Alliums. How do I achieve the biggest, showiest blooms possible?
First, start with the bulbs. For the biggest blooms, always buy "top-size" bulbs. This is a bulb-industry term that is a great indicator of how large your blooms will be; most often, the bigger the bulb, the bigger the flower. Second, always keep in mind that soil matters. The ideal soil for alliums is a sandy loam. Add a layer of compost and a bit of sand to your soil if it does not drain well. Work the compost/sand components deeply into the soil well below where the bulb will sit. Alliums are healthiest when planted in soil that stays dry, so combine them with other dry-loving plants to avoid giving them too much water. Third, immediately after planting, sprinkle some 7-1-5 bulb food onto the soil surface, scratch it into the soil and water it in. To keep the flowers blooming big and strong, feed them with about a handful of the same bulb food three times every year --
- -- In spring just as the foliage pokes through the soil;
- -- In summer when the blooms fade and foliage withers; and
- -- In fall, as you do your final garden cleanup.
If you have alliums that have grown weak and failed to flower it is quite often a problem with the roots. As long as they still grow foliage, it is not too late to save them. Problem indicators and possible solutions include:
- Pale, weak foliage - fertilize.
- Soil too wet and bulb is starting to rot - move it to a drier spot.
- Trees or shrubs aggressively competing - again, move the bulbs.
- Clump of foliage and no flowers - while Allium bulbs are slow to multiply, this may indicate they need to be lifted, divided and reset.
One final suggestion in helping you grow your alliums with the greatest "WOW" factor, is to pinch back the faded head before it sets seed. Leave the foliage and the entire stem to feed the bulb.
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I've heard that the Master Gardener Spring Symposium is this month. Is it too late to register?
Yes, the Spring Symposium is this Saturday, February 24th, 2007 at the Yakima Area Arboretum. You can go online and download a registration form at http://treefruit.yakima.wsu.edu/MG/mgindex.html, or call for a registration form or more information to the WSU Extension Office at 574-1600. You may also register at the door on a space available basis. Master Gardener volunteers have been planning lots of fun stuff so that you will have another great day with us. Of course we will have wonderful classes for you to attend including topics such as Propagation, Flowering Trees through the year, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials and others. You can count on us for an all-day supply of cookies, snacks and beverages, and the chance to win wonderful prizes. There will also be a display of yard art to give you ideas for your own yard. Lunch will also be available for an additional fee. Come join us for a day of education and fun.
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I am in the midst of ordering seeds for this spring's vegetable garden and the kids want me to order some gourds. There are so many choices. What should I order? And, can you give me any tips on growing them?
Great! It is wonderful to see interest in the garden by children and they have picked a fun crop to grow. The common name for gourds is based on their appearance. Just look at what a swan, penguin or banana gourd looks like and you will know why they are named as they are. The Latin name for gourds is Cucurbitaceae which makes them a cousin to cucumbers. They are easy to grow, like a well-drained soil and like to sprawl. You could grow them in hills and let them run along the ground but ideally they like a trellis to grow on. They will provide an annual privacy screen, create shade for your patio or grow along your fence to save space. Read the description of the seeds that the nursery is offering and they will tell you how big the gourds will get. Small gourds have a yellow bloom and open during the day. Large gourds have white blooms and open at night where they rely on night-flying insects to pollinate them. Some nurseries offer a package of seeds that include many varieties and this would be a good way to begin and fun to watch all the shapes and sizes you produce. Order some gourd seeds!!
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My husband spent the winter building window boxes for me and I have never planted them before. What should I do first?
First you should give your hubby a kiss and a big thank you! What a nice gift that will bring you pleasure for a long time. Window boxes are a way to bring a bit of color in small areas. Of course they look nice against your home, but can even brighten up the wall of the garage, an outdoor shed, the chicken coop or perhaps along side your mail box. And, you can do a multitude of plantings in them. Of course, you should consider perennials, annuals, vines and colorful foliage but you can even use them for food production by planting herbs and vegetables.
There are some planting instructions that can help you with success. First, it is a small area so use good soil with some compost mixed in and some sort of mulch on the top of the soil to help retain moisture. And water them often. Remember that we live in a desert and small containers will need more water. Make sure there is drainage in the bottom.
Consider where you are mounting the boxes. Depending on whether it is in the shade or the sun, choose and use plant material that grow best in those areas. If you decide to put one by the mailbox and it is near the hot road this would require some extra care in plant selection. Portulaca or moss roses do well in hot areas and will reseed themselves. We have seen boxes done entirely with sedum too and they are beautiful.
So do your homework and enjoy this wonderful gift you have received.
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I have had trouble in the past with powdery mildew in my garden. Can you tell me how to get rid of it?
Powdery mildew is one of the most common fungal disease in the world of plants. A white (or light gray) talcum-powder-like mildew is characteristic of this fungal disease which attacks many different plant species. To be accurate, it may be noted that some powdery mildew pathogens attack many different plant species, but most are specific to a limited host. In other words, the pathogen that causes powdery mildew on lilacs is not the same one that causes it on beans - but they are similar and can be controlled in the same ways.
Biological Controls: Contrary to popular belief, powdery mildew generally does not grow in wet, rainy conditions. Infection can actually occur on dry leaves. However, the relative humidity of the air does need to be high for spore germination. Warm temperatures, high humidity, poor air circulation and shade combine to make a perfect environment for the fungus to grow and spread. On the other hand extreme heat and direct sunlight are fungus killers.
Planting disease resistant or disease tolerant varieties with enough space between plants for good air circulation will get things off to a good start.
Succulent new growth is very susceptible to powdery mildew. Try cutting back on high-nitrogen fertilizer. Replace it with a time-release product or a lower nitrogen formula.
Prune out infected leaves and branches to remove disease and provide good air circulation and destroy all infected plant material included fallen leaves. Do not put them in the compost heap unless you know how to maintain a nice hot pile that will kill the pathogen.
Fungicide: Although most plants will survive and outgrow a mild case of powdery mildew with simple biological controls, an application of sulfur or other commercial fungicide might also be warranted. Be sure to determine if the chosen product is registered for use on the affected plant by reading the label and be sure to follow all directions.
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When I start my own plants from seed they always get long and skinny and flop over sideways, especially the tomatoes. I know it's from lack of light but if I try to put them in our sunniest window they get too hot and dry out. Is there some way to start plants inside and provide them with enough light?
Legginess in plant starts grown indoors is a common problem and you are right about it being a lack of light. A south facing window may be too warm during the heat of the day to provide the right environment for fragile little seedlings but a window with an eastern or western exposure might not provide enough light to prevent leggy growth.
Light can be supplemented indoors by hanging a regular fluorescent light directly over the seedlings. The trick is that the light must be within inches of the plants. Two four-foot light fixtures hung side-by-side, can provide light for multiple seed starting trays. A sturdy five-foot board set atop cement blocks on either end is a simple framework from which to hang the light fixtures. Screw hooks into the underside of the board and use chains to hold the light fixtures. The fixtures can then be raised and lowered to keep the lights within a couple inches of the seedlings (don't let them touch the light). You will find that your seedlings will have more color and be less leggy when grown this way.
If you don't want to mess with the lights, growing your seedlings on the windowsill can still be a successful way to start plants. A gangly start is seldom a permanent problem once the plants get growing outside. However, care must be taken to prevent damage from sun, wind, cold and other weather exposure by acclimatizing a plant start to outside conditions before planting it out in the garden. Contrary to what you might think it can be the sun more than the cold that damages young plants. Protection from freezing is important but sunburn on tender leaves can also be devastating. Plants that have been somewhat light deprived need a little toughening up before they can take the great outdoors. This is called hardening off.
Hardening off is a process by which you gradually condition plants grown indoors to outdoor life. One method is to bring the plant outdoors for a gradually increasing period of time each day. Start with ten minutes and increase by five minutes each day for two weeks. This method works well as long as you're not forgetful. Another method is leaving plants in a sheltered place with filtered sun or that has periods of sun throughout the day. Using a double thickness of floating row cover as a tent is another effective method of hardening off. This lightweight garden fabric provides a few degrees of frost protection and will help prevent sunburn. After a few days the second layer can be removed and a single layer can provide diminishing protection. Just remember that the temperature will become elevated under that cover if left indirect sun on a warm day and conversely, that it will not protect from a hard freeze. It is best to take plants in at night until they are planted and/or frost danger is past.
Starting your own plants from seed can be very rewarding. You will be able to try weird and wild varieties that you could never find in the store. Seed catalogs will become your favorite read and you will find a new zest for gardening.
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What to do in the March garden...
Here is a list of things to do in the garden in March. Because you will be doing a lot of pruning and trimming this month, a set of clean, sharp garden shears is a must.
Finish pruning fruit trees and evergreens but avoid pruning flowering trees and shrubs, such as dogwood rhododendron, until after they bloom. Wait no longer than just after buds begin to swell to finish pruning soft fruit trees, such as peaches, cherries, plums and apricots. Now is a good time to transplant hardy nursery stock. Trees and shrubs will get a good chance to establish themselves and begin root growth before the heat of summer. Cut back ornamental grasses to a few inches above the ground to make way for new growth. Cut raspberries and other cane berries to about 5 feet; cut fall-bearing raspberries to ground level. To prevent the spread of cane borers, dig out and destroy galled canes and infested crowns. Prune rose bushes. Remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems. On bush varieties, cut stems back to an outward-facing bud, shortening them to about knee height. Make an angled cut about a quarter-inch above the outward-facing bud. Don't cut too close to the bud or it will dry out. The rule of thumb for many rosarians is the harder you prune, the stronger the new shoots will grow. Another good rose-growing tip is to feed them with alfalfa meal, a slow-acting, all-purpose fertilizer that helps create larger blooms and increases a plant's cold tolerance. Many rosarians make a foliar spray of alfalfa tea to apply directly to the leaves. To make alfalfa tea, soak 1 cup of alfalfa meal per 5-gallons of water. But be careful, an over-application of alfalfa meal will generate too much heat and damage roots. Divide perennials that bloom in late summer and early fall, such as blanket flowers and cone flowers. Spring and summer perennials can be divided now, too, but it is better to enjoy their blooms and divide them in the fall. You can tell when a perennial needs to be divided when the center becomes less vigorous or dies out. Give spring bulbs a light application of a balanced fertilizer. Replace or amend the soil in your tubs and containers. Add enough humus to break up compact soil so plant roots can spread freely. If you have a sunny spot in the garden, sow some sweet peas to get a jump on annual flowers. Soak the seeds overnight in lukewarm water to promote germination. Provide a trellis or other support for the plants to spread out on. Try sowing some root or cole crops such as radishes or cabbages. Keep a close eye on the seedlings and protect them from hard frosts with floating row cover. The issue with growing cold-hardy vegetables at this time of year is not so much protecting them from frost, cabbage can withstand subzero temperatures; it is getting the seed to germinate in soil that still has not warmed to an ideal temperature. A cold frame is an option for starting plants before moving them to the garden. Begin removing heavy layers of mulch around protected plants as the nights begin to warm. But, don't be fooled by a few warm days. The last day of frost for Yakima County is May 15. Thin layers of mulch should be left in place because they will protect plants from summer heat and retain moisture for more economical watering. Get started on weeds. Cool weather weeds already will be infesting your lawn and garden. If you had a lot of lawn weed pr
