JANUARY GARDENING

After a busy holiday season, all you might want to do now is curl up in front of the fireplace with some hot chocolate and a book.  So, go ahead and enjoy!  The rush of the holidays is over, so relax and enjoy the beauty of winter and those holiday plants.

And speaking of those holiday plants, would you love to keep them beautiful all winter or longer but think only truly green thumbs can achieve that?  Not so! Instead, holiday plants might open the door to the enjoyment and pleasure of nurturing other plants indoors throughout the winter.  Just remember a green thumb is simply a positive state of mind.  Learn the plant care needs of your plant.  Most care tags will include the light, temperature, humidity and watering needs.  For example:

POINSETTIA CARE:

•  For the best coloration and health, place in a sunny window (west or south exposure).

•  Avoid both cold drafts and drying heat from vents or fireplaces.

•  Maintain the temperature range of 55° F to 70° F.

•  Maintain a moist, not soggy, soil and check every day.

•  When the soil surface feels dry, add water until it begins to collect in the plant saucer.      Discard any excess water to avoid root rot problems.

•  Do not let the soil complete dry out.

Enjoy your holiday plants and remember, don’t panic!  With a little forethought, preparation and observance on your part, a new plant can become a challenging project rather than a predetermined failure.  No matter the color of your thumb in the past, with proper are, several holiday plants are capable of ringing in many new years to come.

But wait, there’s more!  While you are relaxing in front of the fireplace, pick up that new seed catalog!

Now is the best time to plan for your new bigger and better spring garden.  If you have saved photos from last year’s garden, dig them out and use them to help lay out any changes you talked about making last year.  Make a sketch of last year’s planting areas and add to them with your pencil what you would like for this year and make a list of what you need to buy.  This effort will help tremendously as you peruse those catalogs.  Do remember to order from catalogs that originate from your area.  You will achieve much better results from seeds and plants that are propagated and grown in and for your area.

TOM’S TIMELY TIPS FOR JANUARY

• When using salt to melt ice on walks and driveways, spread it carefully to avoid

damage to nearby shrubs  consider using sand or sawdust instead.

•       Brush snow from evergreens in an upward, sweeping motion.  Serious damage may be caused by heavy snow or ice accumulating on the branches.

• Turn and prune house plants regularly to keep them shapely. Pinch back new growth to promote bushy plants.

• Houseplants should not be placed on top of the television.  This location is too warm and in most homes too far from windows to provide adequate light.

• Now is the time to feed the birds in your landscape for natural food sources are scarce at this time of years.  Use suet cakes along with birdseed to provide protein and fat for birds.

Tom McNutt is a professor emeritus at The Ohio State University and a retired TV garden expert.

WINTERIZING GARDEN AND “THINKING GREEN”

Chilly mornings, falling leaves and the first blast of arctic air from Canada reminds us winter is right around the corner.  While some gardeners just finished planting trees and mums, others are starting to winterize the garden.

“Think Green” as you develop your chore list: protect those annual plants from frost; putting perennial gardens to bed for winter; and preparing trees and shrubs for the cold.

“GREEN TIPS”

    Instead of raking and bagging the leaves to cart off to the landfill, shred leaves with a mower to create a 1 to 2 inch thick layer of chopped leaves on top of the grass. The earthworms in the lawn will love the food, and the leaves will eventually break down, adding nutrients to the soil.

While your perennials are preparing for winter, your annuals are not.  Remove them, roots and all.  Lay them in windrows at the garden’s edge and grind them with a rotary lawn mower. Move the mower back and forth over the vegetation in a way that will blow the chopped material back into the garden.

Mix this chopped material into the garden; it will decompose long before the soil freezes.  Don’t however, chop and mix weeds.  Their seeds will over-winter in the soil only to sprout up at the first sign of spring.  Some weed roots propagate themselves, and will make a healthy – if unwanted – comeback next year.

For leaves you do collect, compost them with other organic matter, such as fresh grass clippings, spent vegetable and flower plants, and kitchen scraps.

Whether it is store-bought or homemade, compost contains everything plants need to grow, including organic matter and nutrients.  When incorporated into the soil, compost can eliminate the need for some commercial fertilizers.   Simply apply compost around the plant base as mulch or work it into the soil.  You can also enrich your lawn by spreading a light layer of compost over the grass.

WINTER PROTECTION

Most perennials are preparing for winter by “hardening off”, a process of gradual adjustment to cold weather.  You can help them make it through the winter by mulching beneath shrubs and around tree trunks.

The goal is to keep the plants dormant, rather than to keep them warm.  If plants are kept too warm, they may break bud and the subsequent tender growth will be killed by winter conditions.  On the other hand, winter mulch does provide some insulation against severe low temperatures.

Timing is critical when applying winter mulch.  Applying it too early can smother the plant and encourage disease development.  Once the plants are completely dormant and temperatures are consistently below freezing, then the winter mulch can be applied.

DON’T FORGET THE GARDEN TOOLS

A little preventative maintenance now can prevent frustration and expensive repair in the future.  Proper maintenance also extends the life of tools and equipment and makes working with them easier and more efficient.

Clean your tools with a wire brush, scraper, or a strong stream of water.  Sharpen hoes, spades, pruners, loppers or saws.  Check all tools for loose screws or nuts and tighten.  Spray all bare metal parts with penetrating oil such as WD40 to prevent rust.

TOM’S TIMELY TIPS FOR NOVEMBER

•    Clean those rose beds.  Be sure all diseased leaves are raked up and disposed of.

•    Inspect trees and shrubs for bagworm capsules.  Remove and destroy them to reduce next year’s pest population.

•    Bring the garden hose indoors during winter.  Once cold, plastic hoses are easily cracked or broken when coiled.  Don’t coil them outdoors; rather, bring them inside and allow them to warm to room temperature before coiling.

•    Don’t cut off tops of perennials until they have dried (usually late winter).

•    Water trees, shrubs and foundation plantings thoroughly before ground freezes.

•    To protect young trees from rodents, use sleeves made from wire mesh or plastic tubing securely fastened around the trunk.

Tom McNutt is a professor emeritus at The Ohio State University and a retired TV garden expert.

OCTOBER GARDENING - WHAT TO DO?

  As the days get shorter and the nights cool down, you realize winter is just around the corner.  It’s time to relax and wait for spring to arrive….WRONG !!!

There are still many chores to accomplish – even after the first frost.  So whether you’re a novice or a savvy gardener, dig in and get busy with the fall chores.  Performing a few of these end of the season tasks will keep your garden looking it’s best for the rest of the season and pay off with beautiful blooms and a thicker lawn for spring and summer.

Mowing, fertilizing, cleaning, planting and watering continue to beckon. Lawns need mowing as long as the grass continues to grow, some years continuing through most of the fall.

October is he ideal month for an application of a fall or winter lawn fertilizer.  If the lawn needs to be aerated, do this first.

Included in lawn care is, of course, the annual raking of fall leaves.  A good means of dealing with this seemingly constant chore in October is a little bit often.  Raking your entire yard in a weekend will often lead to disappointment when the next day you are looking at yet another blanket of leaves. 

Fallen leaves should be recycled, either where they fall or transferred to another spot.  Dry leaves can be mowed to bits, gathered for use as winter mulch or raked to the compost pile.  Small leaves, such as honey locust may be left as is, but larger leaves such as oak and maple, should be shredded to speed decomposition and prevent smothering.

Annual plants with brown and shriveled foliage should be completely removed from the garden.  Removing spent foliage is an excellent way to reduce the chance of fungi and insect pests to over-winter.

Fall is a great time to plant perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs.  The chrysanthemum, also called a mum is considered the queen of fall color.  There are many beautiful mums on the market now but also consider asters, pansies and the flowering cabbage and kale for instant fall color.  Not only are the cabbage and kale great for outstanding color, but the leaves can serve as a garnish or edible underling on salad platters.  The colder the weather gets, the sharper the color on cabbage and kale.

What could your landscape use now?  Look at areas of the garden that need screening, could use a shade tree, or just need the boost of an intriguing new shrub.  Nurseries and garden centers have good supplies of plants this month, and large price discounts.

Newly planted flowers, trees and shrubs should be watered thoroughly every week or so right up until the ground freezes, especially if rain fall is lacking.  Perennials, trees and shrubs all continue to lose water through the winter, so you want them to go into dormancy with plenty of moisture.  Dry soil through the fall is one of the major contributing factors in plants not over-wintering well. Be diligent about places where your soil may dry more quickly, such as under evergreen plants and near the house.

TOM’S TIMELY TIPS FOR OCTOBER

•          Maintain bird feeders for over-wintering songbirds.

• Winterize and maintain your lawn and garden equipment once you are through using.

• Bring in all houseplants before frost.

• Hold off on fertilizing house plants – resume in March.

• Pot chives, oregano, basil or rosemary for winter use indoors.

Tom McNutt is a professor emeritus at The Ohio State University and a retired TV garden expert.

FALL AHEAD – PLANT NOW!

As the sizzle of the summer slowly leaves us for the fair-weathered temperatures of fall, we enjoy being outdoors more, but don’t always know what to do with our energies.  Many ask if it is too late to accomplish their fertile dreams of summer.  The following Chinese Proverb is my answer to that question.  “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.  The second best time is now”.

Fall is also the best time to select trees and shrubs for that brilliant color.  It is surprising that trees vary in color, even those labeled with the same name.  Look for the brightest color in a block of similar trees.

Now is the time for planting many types of trees.  The cooler, moister weather of fall makes for less stressful conditions and lessens your chances of root loss.

Contrary to popular belief, fall is also the perfect time for adding many other plants to your garden.

Yes, I know how tempting it is to go crazy with new plantings come spring, but you can get a head start by planting many specimens now.  A plant set out now has summer’s peak heat behind it, the probability of soaking rains ahead and still warm soil to encourage immediate and deep root growth.

Water-wise gardeners have long recognized the value of fall planting.  As days shorten and nights lengthen, plants transpire less and require less water.  Strong roots begin to develop in the warm soil, and soaking winter rains encourage them to penetrate deeper.

For an instant garden and a blast of color as summer turns into fall, fill your flowerbeds and empty spaces in your landscape with chrysanthemums.  They come in a wide range of autumn colors from white, yellow, and gold to bronze and maroon.  Lighter colors tend to bloom earlier than the darker reds and purples, so select different colors for a longer display of color.

What’s nice about mums, in addition to the long bloom time, is that they can be transplanted while in full bloom.  Just be sure to water thoroughly until they become established.

Mums also work well as container plants to decorate patios, porches, and decks. Go easy on the water, however, to prevent root rot.  Potted mums probably will not do well inside as lower light levels often result in yellowing leaves and droopy flowers.

Flowering kale and cabbage also make nice fall plants to replace annual flowers.  Both will turn a beautiful color with the cold and will last until covered with snow.  Or try fall asters, which are grown in pots by many garden centers for sale at this time of year.  They provide good color, and many are hardy as well.

Think Spring

If you are hoping for flowers that spring up in the spring, you’d better fall back on some good gardening techniques.  Most importantly, dividing old perennials, planting spring flowering bulbs and repotting houseplants.

September is a good time to plant perennials.  The winter rest will allow the plants to develop strong root systems that will allow them to better withstand the heat of summer.

Plant bulbs in the fall, starting when nighttime temperatures stay between 40-50°F.  But, be sure to plant approximately six weeks before the ground freezes to allow sufficient time for rooting.  Bulbs will root best in cool soil and once rooted, undergo natural changes that keep them from freezing.  Water your bulbs after planting to help them start the rooting process.

Before you move your houseplants back inside, repot any that have become root bound and check them all carefully for insect pests or their eggs.  Spray with insecticidal soap.  Clear out your windowsills to allow as much light as possible to come in to keep your plants healthy.  Houseplants should be brought indoors before night temperatures drop below 50°.  Planting pots that will be stored away for winter should be washed in a solution of one part bleach and ten parts water to ward off fungus and disease next spring. 

You can pot up some herbs to take indoors for winter use.  Since many culinary herbs lose much of their flavor when dried, why not freeze then instead!  Pick the foliage, toss in a baggie, label, and store in the freezer until needed.

Tom McNutt is a professor emeritus at The Ohio State University and a retired TV garden expert.

 

HUMMINGBIRD MOTH

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GARDENING INDEPENDENCE

 

 

Did you ever think about declaring your independence from the gardening grind and becoming a lazy gardener?  I have!  And it never fails: the spring and summer fertilizers are working, and so are the weed preventives.  But so, too, is Mother Nature.  Rain, rain, rain --and more weeds are growing.

What can you do?

Weeding is the answer, but that can be exhausting. You can spend hours pulling weeds or you could make it easier on yourself and be kind to the earth by mulching your garden or flower beds.  Granted, you will need to weed the area before you mulch, and the task will be less difficult if you pull the weeds when they are small.  But adding a thick layer of newspapers (no colored pages) between rows, then adding several inches of straw or bark on top will do a good job of keeping the weeds under control.

Mulching also will help the soil retain moisture, when it gets hot and dry.  This will reduce the amount of water you will need to apply.  Wet the soil thoroughly before laying down mulch.

Mulch also has many other virtues.  It prevents heavy rains from compacting the soil or eroding it.  Mulch helps maintain an even soil temperature and encourages earthworms.  It protects crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash from rot as these plants don’t have direct contact with the soil.  And, as it decomposes, it turns into compost, improving the fertility of the soil.

When Mother Nature stops watering your plants, it is up to you. To improve growth and quality, annuals and perennials require about an inch of water a week.  That means gardens should be soaked just once a week rather than every day or two.  Soil should be soaked to a depth of 6 to 12 inches, and not again until the top few inches begin to dry out.  Find a bare spot and dig a hole to check dampness depth.  When watering, use a soaker line, bubbler, sprinkler head or even a watering can to diffuse water and avoid erosion.

July is a perfect time not only to declare your independence, but also enjoy it and relax in the garden.  Plants are like people, they respond to tender loving care.  HAPPY GARDENING!

TOM’S TIMELY TIPS FOR JULY

• Be alert to slug and snail damage.  These creatures will be hiding during the heat of the day, but will come out of hiding in the cool morning and evening hours or after a rain.  Seek and destroy ALL slugs and their eggs!

• Keep the weeds pulled, before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again.  Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years.

• Change the water in your birdbath regularly, and keep it filled.  Standing water may become a breeding ground for mosquito larvae.

• Continue to watch for insect or disease damage throughout the garden, and take the necessary steps to control the problem.

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                                                     HOW WE HURT OUR TREES

The sunshine of summer is a perfect offering for a less than perfect spring.  use it well to make up for the past imperfections. Now is the time when the trees bloom and remind us of new life.  If, however, your tree is not looking too lively this spring, the problem may not be the tree. It may be you.

The following is a compilation of what we do that actually hurts our trees:

Too Little Space

This problem is really at the root of many tree problem (pun intended!).  You thought the space by the garage would be perfect for that little Maple tree you planted. But now it looks as if the tree could push the garage aside.  The best way to solve this problem is forethought.  Know about the natural growth and growth potential.  Properly planning ahead could save you and you tree a lot of hassle.

Lawn Mower Blight

This refers to the broken bark and wounded trunks caused by a careless mower.  The occasional accidental bump is no problem, but repeated wounds to the tree can cause a problem.   The best way to avoid this is to have a grass free ring around the tree.  Your soil moisture level will also improve because grass won’t be robbing any nutrients from your tree.

Bad Pruning

Pruning should be done to enhance the health, strength, vigor and appearance of the tree as well as to prevent limbs from interfering with houses, driveway, sidewalks and wires.  If your tree has a few branch stubs after pruning, it has been badly pruned!

The most important thing to remember about pruning is:  stubs are bad.  They leave a very short limb with nothing to do except push out a bunch of fuzzy sprouts!  Also, a stub wound cannot close, making decay sure to follow.

When pruning, do not remove the ring collar or ridge at the branch base.  make your cuts nearly flush, but not quite.

Chemicals

Most of us use chemicals to fight weeds around our yards.  This is no problem if the directions are followed exactly.  The very same chemicals which cause the weeds to die can, of course, damage your tree, if used incorrectly.  Never use chemicals without reading (and following) all the instructions.

Bad Soil

When the contractors are building a house, they generally flip the first few layers of soil to aid their project.  This is good for the foundation of our house, but bad for our trees.  What nature had intended to be a top layer of soil is now several feet lower and so the roots of our trees are left searching for the proper nutrients.

You probably don’t want to flip your soil back the way it should be, but you can modify the soil to make it a better growth environment.  Soil amendments such as sand, peat, compost and proper drainage, can help your tree survive.

Bad Watering

This is simple.  The tree may be getting too much water or not enough.  Newly planted trees, and trees in hot, dry, windy weather conditions, need to be watered more frequently.  Consider whether this could be ailing your tree.

Bad Pets

No, I am not referring to dogs naturally “watering” your trees, here.  But if your dog is chained to your tree, the chain could be cutting into the bark.  Also, cats have been known to damage small trees by using them as a scratching post.  Keep your eyes open for this one.

Bad Trees

Okay, maybe the tree isn’t bad, but maybe it just wasn’t meant to grow in your area.  If it is a newly planted tree that is causing you a problem, maybe it was root bound from being in the container too long.  Sometimes, you just can’t fix the problem of a tree.  But at least you tried.

Mulching Mistakes

Spring’s unseasonably cold weather forced many to mulch when they should have waited for warmer weather.  Cold ground temperatures and early mulching of landscape plants are causing poor plant growth now.  The mulch acts as a blanket holding in the cold temperatures, keeping the plants form thriving.

When Mulch

Mulch is usually applied first in spring after the soil has warmed and begun to dry from winter rains and snow.  This is usually mid to late spring.  Mulching too early can delay drying of the soil and subsequent root growth, which is dependent upon sufficient aeration (Oxygen in soil) and reasonably warm temperatures in the root zone.  In a spring season like this year’s mulching should be delayed until May or June.

Mulch Mayhap

If you mulched during the colder early spring, and your plants are not looking their best, it’s not too late to help them.  Simply pull the mulch away from the base of the plant and let the soil underneath warm up and dry.  Once this is achieved, the base may be covered again with mulch.

Over Mulching

Don’t do a bad thing by piling 10-12” mounds of mulch around your tree. I don’t know how this style of mulching came into being, but it is NOT correct.

Don’t get caught up in mulch mania, two or three inches is enough.  Also, pull the mulch one or two inches away from the tree to prevent bark decay.