Gardening Tips

SEPTEMBER TIPS 2010

A GARDENER’S WORK IS NEVER DONE, BUT SEPTEMBER IS A TIME TO RELAX FOR A WHILE AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS!

Garden chores are not overwhelming by this time of the season. I know many are tired and just want to sit back and relax a little, enjoying the fruits of your labor.  Your hands are rough, but if you have not already tried my ‘poor person’s hand treatment’ you will find it later on, and if you are like me you do not want to see another weed until next year.  Take a deep breath and relax, you have earned it and soon the leaves on the trees will begin to show their autumnal tint and, you can ease up on the garden’s grooming after October.

When autumn crocus, asters, sedum and others are taking their curtain calls, it’s a good time to do a critique of the borders and plan improvements for next year’s performance.  Begin to slowly cut back on water; plants that remain in active growth late into the season, can be damaged by an unexpected cold snap if the ground is too wet.

Add an two inches of manure to the borders in early fall and a one-inch layer of fine bark mulch for winter protection to all newly planted perennials and shrubs this season and any evergreens, which are shallow rooted that you may plant this month.  Leave the spent perennials up with their ripened seed heads, a delicious menu for the birds in the cold months ahead and enjoy the softer subtle colors of gray, brown and yellow that blend so easily with the winter landscape.

Autumn is a wonderful time for planting.  The benefits are endless; many trees, shrubs and perennials can be planted to mid October, which gives them a head start with root development over those planted in the spring.  The cooler temperatures and still warm soil through October in New England, directs the plant to put their energy into producing strong roots.

However, if you are adding evergreens into the garden, these are shallow rooted and must be planted in September with peat, manure and seaweed tea, containing a root growth hormone, added to the planting mix.  Add a layer of fine bark mulch around the base of the evergreens and keep them well watered through November.  Evergreen roots are slow to establish and their leaves lose water quickly when exposed to the dry cold winter winds, which many of us discovered following the bitter blasts of last year resulting in damage to many of the broadleaf evergreens.

The reason for fall planting through mid October is that fall is more stable than spring especially in a late spring that can be cold, and wet.  Root growth will continue in fall as long as soil temperature is above 40 degrees, which is about the second week of November in the Northeast.

The following trees are NOT good candidates for fall planting: Birches, Larches, Gingko, Oaks, Magnolia, in fact all flowering fruit and flowering trees as well as the Eastern Red Cedar.  These trees have very fleshy root systems and their feeder roots are not large when young and take time to establish and are susceptible to frost heave.

Some perennials that do NOT like to be planted in fall are Artemisia, Lambs Ears, Foxglove, Penstemon, Anemone, Campanula, Kniphofia, Lupines, Scabiosa, Ferns and Grasses.

Therefore be aware when you are looking at the end of season bargains that you do not buy one of these above mentioned plants or you take a chance on losing them in a hard winter, especially one with bitter winds, winds are more dangerous to plants than the cold temperatures.

This is a good time to pick up end of season plant bargains.  Most nurseries and garden centers reduce their prices to sell off plants so they do not have to winter them over.  However, keep your eyes open for the following problem plants:

POTBOUND PLANTS – check the bottom of the pot to see if the roots are growing through the holes. If not, gently tap the plant out of the container to see if it has a network of overlapping roots that encompass the root ball. It is possible to salvage a root bound plant but they are more likely to have suffered from water and nutrient deficiencies over the summer and will be slow to root.

DISEASED PLANTS – plants that have been in containers all summer and fed high nitrogen fertilizers are easy targets for pests and diseases.  Check the plants for spots on the foliage, wilted or curling leaves, discolored roots, or visible signs of pest damage and infestation such as webbing or sticky residue on foliage.  Not only would these plants do poorly in the garden but could infect other plants and/or the soil.

BADLY SHAPED PLANTS – I am sure you know of Charlie Brown, the Peanuts character.  Badly shaped plants are the Charlie Brown Christmas trees of the plant world, the unwanted orphans that have been passed over year after year, the runts of the litter!  So folks, do not set yourself up with an ugly tree or shrub that is obviously beyond redemption; a plant that you will have to live with for years just because you wanted to save a few dollars.

MISLABLED PLANTS – be careful of mislabeled plants.  At the end of the season many plant tags have been lost or mixed up so you are likely to get for example, a perennial with flowers that are not the color you expected or even get a deciduous tree or shrub when you were looking for an evergreen variety.  Unless you like surprises stick to the plants that are part of large displays of identically labeled plants or with labels so firmly attached they look like they have been there for a while.

PEONIES - Plant or transplant Peonies ONLY in September and make sure the pink “eyes” of the root system are peaking above the soil level; cut down your existing peonies to about six inches from the ground just after the first hard frost and add some mulch for protection.

NEW LAWN OR PATCH SEEDING - September is an excellent time to plant new grass, the young grass plants will have the advantage over weeds. Do not buy cheap seed, you reap what you sow!

Gently dethatch the areas that you wish to overseed or patch and do not use the large thatching machines as they can damage existing grass.   Add some manure to the area, broadcast the seed and cover the newly seeded grass area with salt hay (free from weed seed).  Do not allow the soil surface to dry out, keep it moist but not saturated or the seed will wash away.  When the grass appears, stay off it, do not mow and leave the salt hay to rot.  Next spring, a healthy lawn will emerge and if there are a few bare patches you can fill them in, in April.

I hope your spring bulb orders are in by now.  This season, be adventurous and go for masses of a single color for the greatest impact. No matter how small your planting area; it is the intensity that counts, with two or three dozen red Tulips or a hundred Daffodils planted on your woodland edge (buying daffodils in large numbers is less expensive as the bulbs are usually smaller; that is not a problem as daffodil bulbs grow in size with each season).  Even though many of the books say the spacing between these larger bulbs should be six inches, there is no reason they cannot touch.  Put some bulb food in the hole and make sure you plant the Daffodils eight inches down with the pointed end up, below the frost line.  Wear gloves when you plant bulbs as they have a skin irritant and can cause a rash.

If you cannot plant your bulbs immediately when you receive them, keep them in a cool, dry place.  The best time to plant spring bulbs, in the Northeast, is October to the middle of November.

Lily of the Valley can be transplanted this month but wear gloves because there is toxicity in this plant.

Dig up your gladioli corms, Calla bulbs, Elephant ear bulbs and Dahlia tubers when the foliage turns yellow.  Lay them in the sun to “cure” and store them in a cool, dry dark place.  When you dig the Dahlia tubers, do not pull them, pulling can break the tubers.

Fall is also the optimum time to plant Lilies.

Take your houseplants indoors after their summer sojourn and wash the foliage gently and repot with new potting soil.   Repot those plants that have outgrown their pots to a container that is only one size larger, and give them a dilute application of an organic fertilizer.  The one I prefer is seaweed emulsion.

September is a gardener’s paradise; the air is cooler, the soil easy to work and you will not overheat with the effort. Stay awhile in your garden; enjoy the comforting fragrance of fall.

AUGUST TIPS 2010

I have always felt that August was a rather ho hum month in the garden. But since we had a late long cool spring, which has resulted in later bloom time for everything, my August garden is looking rather vibrant, case and point, my Butterfly bush is only just now beginning to bloom. We have such a short blooming and growing season here in New England that a good-looking border is much appreciated especially in the dog days of summer. Of course there are always a few gaps to fill in with annuals or some later blooming perennials; and a trip to the garden center for some later season sales is worth the effort.

Plantings that looked good last year, may be oversized, not blooming so well and are in need of division, so get in there, divide some early flowering perennials and transplant some out so that every plant can have room to breath. Every plant needs space to flourish with nutrition from a second round of manure, ventilation and moisture.

Keep up with the deadheading; the borders should always look fresh and perky and deadheading will help to ensure this. Also make sure that your borders get at least one inch of water a week. Soaker hoses in the borders are much more efficient, as the water goes straight to the roots and you do not lose 40% of the moisture in evaporation also by this method you keep water off the foliage which can cause disease and mildew.

Cut back the spent annuals for a new flush of bloom that will arrive shortly. When the Coreopsis and Spirea has finished blooming, shear off the dead bloom and a new flush will appear; you can do this a few times in a season for repeat flowering.

Stop feeding roses in the middle of the month; roses require at least nine weeks before the first frost to go into a slow dormancy for the winter. Always give your containers a dilute application of organic plant food each time you water. If you do not have time to water the containers before you go out in the a.m. empty your ice trays into the containers to tide the plants over until you can add water in the cooler temp of the evening. However, a thorough watering in the morning is always the best time as night time watering can encourage powdery mildew especially on Summer phlox, Monarda and Hydrangeas. If you see this problem spray with my remedy of one gallon of water in a spray container adding two teaspoons of baking soda and the same amount of vegetable oil. Always spray in the a.m. before the temperature and humidity go above 160.

Keep feeding vegetables with manure, fish emulsion or another organic fertilizers like bone meal or blood meal. Place an old sneaker or a piece of carpet that your dog had lain on for a while – these odors will help to prevent animals from munching on the vegetables.

Pest control

Slugs – bury an expired date yogurt in the ground, up to rim, it will attract slugs and in they fall and the rest is history.

Slugs – dry dog food, take out an amount for that evening, add water to make it mushy, put mushy piles where slugs congregate, then go outside an hour later, armed with a garbage bag and you will discover the slugs are so full of food, they cannot slink away, they have had their ‘last supper’. Scoop them up with a shovel, into the garbage bag and throw it away.

Place a rock or a log in the garden where the ground beetle can hide, their menu is a slug.

Repel with smell – plant marigolds, mints (only in containers, as this plant is extremely invasive) basil (also plant basil among the tomatoes to repel tomato hornworms), lavender, nepeta, honeysuckle, cosmos, roses and summer phlox plus many more species that have fragrance. Nasturtiums deter white fly and squash beetles, and the flowers and foliage are great to eat in salads and on top of ice cream.  Attract lacewings by planting marigolds and sunflowers – they eat aphids. Insects do not like fragrance.

Place a few slices of cucumber in an aluminum pie plate. The chemicals in cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent, undetectable by humans but the scent drives garden pests crazy and makes them flee.

Vacuum the varmints! – Use a hand held rechargeable vacuum (like a dust buster) to suck up whitefly, Japanese beetles, Colorado potato beetles and cucumber beetles to name a few. Hold the vacuum in one hand and move lightly over the top of the plants. Support foliage with other hand to lessen damage to tender leaves and shoots. Limit vacuuming to upper leaves of plants to avoid sucking up fragile beneficial wasps. The vacuumed insects will be stunned but not killed. Open vacuum away from the plant afterwards and dump the pests into soapy water.

Place your orders for Peonies now so they can be delivered in time for September planting. Transplant existing Peonies or divide only in September.

Begin compiling your list of spring bulbs to send in early so that you can get the best choice of varieties. I’ll see you in your garden next month.

JULY TIPS 2010

Well, folks, welcome to summer, it’s here with a blast. Following a lovely cool spring with nourishing rain, cool nights and gentle sun, our plants are all ready to perform beautifully for you. However, if some of the plants seem to be later to bloom this season; it’s because of the kind of spring we have experienced. Be patient, and you’ll experience bloom for a longer period later into the season.

WATERING is so important during these growing months, particularly if you have recently planted trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. Plants in New England need at least an inch of water per week. Soaker hoses in your borders are the best idea; with this method of watering the moisture goes directly to the roots where it is needed and water is kept off the foliage, which causes disease such as black spot and powdery mildew. Using a regular hose loses 40% in evaporation. The exception for using the hose is when a plant first goes into the ground and is watered well that day, container watering and foliar feeding with manure tea in the heat of summer. Lawn watering is done with the spray method but for water conservation; water the lawn only when the green glow begins to fade. An established lawn will always bounce back even after hot dry spells.

June and July are the months when roses are at their best and they need loving care to keep them that way. Make sure you have manure and mulch around the base to keep the roots cool and moist, feed them monthly with an organic rose food called Roses Alive 3-5-3 and protect them with an organic insect spray called Pyola you will find on our website www.TheEnglishLady.com under ‘What to use in the Garden’. Water the roses thoroughly and deeply at least once a week, making sure that water is kept off the leaves. If you are bothered with Japanese beetles, and Moles again check the website “What to use in the Garden”.

If you are just beginning to grow roses, David Austin English roses are my personal preference; they are reasonably trouble free, are repeat bloomers, have beautiful colors and have the added bonus of lovely fragrances.

Some of my favorite David Austin roses are:

A Shropshire Lad (my home country in England) a peachy pink

Abraham Darby, shades of apricot and yellow

Evelyn (my favorite) with giant apricot colored flowers

Fair Bianca a pure white rose

Heritage a soft blush pink

A lovely combination in the garden are climbing roses and clematis planted together as they both enjoy the same planting environment of manure and mulch and look great climbing together over a fence, wall or arbor.

Stop feeding your roses in the middle of August so they can go into a slow dormancy, necessary to keep them healthy through winter. Always mulch and manure all borders; applying one inch of this wonderful natural bi product spring, summer and fall. The soil is not an inert medium that merely holds the plants erect, build the soil with manure to encourage the millions of microbes to work well.

HYDRANGEAS: Plant Hydrangeas in full sun if near the coast and in part sun away from the coast. Plant them in organically rich soil with manure and give them plenty of water. Hydrangeas are a wetland plant and will flourish with plenty of water. With all the spring rain we have had I am seeing more vibrant blooms than ever before. Watch out for powdery mildew and spray with a sulphur solution called Safer, that you can buy from the garden center or a natural product you can mix yourself is the following: two teaspoons baking soda, two teaspoons of vegetable oil or horticultural with a gallon of water in a sprayer. The rule of 160 applies when using a sprayer, which means spray early in the a.m. when it is cool, when the temperature is below 80 and the humidity is below 80, and when there is little or no wind.

If you have an alkaline soil (sweet) which is unlikely in our area, but if you do and want the deep blue color for your Hydrangeas, add peat or aged oak tree bark around the base of the plant.

PRUNING HYDRANGEAS – If you want blooms each year, only prune in late summer as soon as the flowers are fading, and prune by one third. Cut out or shorten some of the oldest branches, then if the bush is still rather dense, thin out the weakest of the new shoots.  Always cut just above a strong side branch.  By removing the wood that has borne blossoms, you will keep the young shoots strong.

HANDS: Gardener’s hands are their tools of the trade so it is important to look after them. When my hands are in bad shape, I give them the Poor Man’s Hot Cream Treatment.  I use a  Calendula, Honey and Lavender cream heated in my microwave in the evening and then I put on white cotton gloves and when I wake up my hands are soft and smooth as a baby’s bottom.  Also when using organic products like manure, which contains bacteria, wear garden gloves, the bacteria is good for the soil and the plants but not for you.

FLAVORED OILS - Many herbs are at their peak right now and are ideal for flavored oils. The oil I use is olive oil and I harvest basil, parsley, sage, tarragon and oregano in the morning, rinse them well, pat them dry with a paper towel and then do my recipe: 1 cup of one of the herbs, to 3 cups of oil. With thyme and lavender, I use the flowers and use one cup of oil and a handful of blossoms. Then puree this mixture in a blender and store in a wide mouthed jar for three days (covered of course) shake at least three times a day for the first two days and on the third day let the mixture settle to the bottom, then strain the mixture through a paper coffee filter into a clean jar. You will now have a tinted but clear mixture. Refrigerate the oil and use within two to three weeks. I have tried these tasty combinations: lavender, lemon, garlic, shallots and basil with olive oil as the base - these are my favorites and are great brushed on vegetables and meats for grilling. The lavender oil is great with desserts.

MOLES: I know I have given you a few mole remedies in the past; but I know I have not given you the exlax method for a while and I can attest to the fact that some gardener friends have used this method and it seems to have worked - put chocolate flavored exlax into the mole holes, the moles, gophers, etc eat it up, then die of dehydration. On the website “What to use in the garden “ you will also find Mole-Relief Liquid Mole Repellent, which repels moles up to two months. However, in March, if organic grub control was used then there is less food for the moles to feed on and without their supply the moles will go elsewhere, although they do enjoy the earthworms. However, now that many of you are committed to gardening without chemicals the earthworm population is now increasing rapidly, so we will once again have a balance in the soil.

SUMMER PHLOX - I just love my summer phlox and keep the mildew problems down with Safer, the sulphur solution from the garden center, or my natural mix I mentioned above.  I have found that my white Phlox Miss Lingard is more resistant to mildew.  In order to get a second bloom, top off ten to twenty inches from the flower stems just after the flowers have gone by and within a few weeks or so you will get miraculous new growth.

Deadhead all annuals and perennials for a second bloom and clean up all spend blossoms. KEEP YOUR GARDEN CLEAN - a healthy garden is a clean garden.

When Coreopsis and Spirea have bloomed, shear off dead flowers and they too will rebloom.

Feed all containers and hanging baskets with a dilute application of organic fertilizer each time you water. Containers dry out quickly and need to be watered and fed daily as the weather is hot.  Mulch the containers with a fine bark mulch to help retain the moisture. If you do not have time in the morning empty your ice cube trays on the containers, slow release watering until you can get to them later.

Enjoy your garden and a Happy July 4^th.

JUNE TIPS 2010

“Cast not a clout till May is out”, that medieval English saying means do not put away your long johns until May is over; May is such a wonderful month with the freshening of the air with new growth and cool nights which is just wonderful sleeping weather with the windows open. I cannot remember the last time we had a real spring like we are experiencing this year, with plenty of rain. May is typically a dry month, although with the effects of global warming, no weather is typical these days. However, this beneficial rain is wonderful for all the spring plant growth happening now.

As I look out of my window into my field, I can see the buds opening on my long stand of peonies, and observe the symbiotic partnership between ants and peonies. A question I am often asked is “Maureen, should I worry about ants on my peonies?” The answer is “Ants are not a problem in this instance, lots of ants on the peonies just demonstrate that you have healthy plants with big buds producing more nectar which attract the ants”.

Make sure Peonies get plenty of water and AFTER blooming, give a light application of organic fertilizer (see “what to use in the garden”) and check the soils PH, it should be between 6.5 and 7.0. It is hard to ruin a good peony border but you can err in the fertilizing process, so go easy on the organic aged manure (never thought I would say that) and just the light application of organic fertilizer AFTER BLOOMING. At the end of May, I pinched off the side buds on my large stand of peonies, which ensures large terminal blooms on the plant.

On the subject of ants; if you see them “let them live”; more often than not their presence indicates that we have aphids present and these useful ants feed off aphids.

Another very useful creature in the war on pests is the lowly toad. In my garden I have toad houses, which are located in a shady, quiet spot. There is no reason to buy commercial toad houses. Unearth an old clay pot in the garage or shed, that is cracked, making sure that the crack is two to three inches wide for the doorway to this ‘toad house’ where the toad can enter. Also put a small saucer as a floor under the pot with some rocks, which you keep damp, which your friendly bad bug eater will set up residence and eat about two hundred bad bugs each night.

MULCH: mulch your gardens with a fine bark mulch, not the red dyed stuff and certainly not the cocoa mulch which has been found to be POISONOUS AND HAS CAUSED DEATH IN A NUMBER OF DOGS AND CATS WHICH ARE ATTRACTED TO THE CHOCOLATE SMELL, THE SYMPTOMS ARE SEIZURES AND DEATH WITHIN HOURS). When you mulch do not get the mulch any closer than four inches from the trunks of trees and shrubs, as any closer encourages rodents to come and gnaw on the wood. The garden as a whole can be mulched to a depth of one inch.

June is the month for Roses and personally I find that David Austin roses are the most trouble free, in these repeat bloomers, have beautiful colors and wonderful fragrances. Some of my favorites, which are in my garden, are A Shropshire Lad, (Shropshire is my home county in the U.K.) and is a soft peachy pink, Abraham Darby with blooms in apricot to yellow, Fair Bianca, a pure white, Heritage, a soft clear pink and my favorite Evelyn, which has giant apricot flowers in a saucer shape and the fragrance is a luscious fruity tone, reminding me of fresh peaches and apricots.

Make sure you have manure for the soil and mulch around the roses and feed with an organic rose food once a month until mid August, then stop feeding so they can go into a slow dormancy. Japanese beetles are very attracted to roses; so any Japanese beetle traps should be placed far away from your borders on the perimeter of the property. Check “what to use in the garden” on this website and if you have any problems on the roses, use Pyola.

A tip for keeping cut roses fresh: cut the roses in the morning, just above a five-leaf cluster and place stems in a container of lukewarm water. Inside the house cut the stems again under luke warm running water, forming a one and a half inch angular cut, and then place in a vase filled with luke warm water. Do not remove the thorns on cut roses, I have found this practice reduces their indoor life by as much as three days.

HYDRANGEAS: need plenty of water, (in the fields they were originally found close to water in wetlands, before they were introduced into our gardens), also manure, good ventilation, organic fertilizer and full sun.

WISTERIA: regular pruning through spring and summer is the main factor to help this arrogant vine to flower; by that I mean several times during the season. Prune every two weeks of the new growth at least six inches on each stem.

CLEMATIS WILT: if you have this problem with the clematis, you notice it early because the shoots wilt and die. Unfortunately this disease is impossible to cure, as it is soil born, therefore you cannot plant another clematis of that species in that area. You can, however, plant the Viticella clematis selection, which are vigorous, free flowering blooms and are not susceptible to wilt. Some good choices in this variety are Blue Belle, Etoile Violette, both are purple and Huldine, which is a white, Roses and Clematis make a great combination grown together as they enjoy the same growing environment and food.

CONTAINER GARDENS: If you have room for one pot you have room for a number; placed close together in different shapes and sizes, it creates your own miniature cottage garden. As well as regular pots, the most unexpected objects make really interesting containers. A friend who cut down trees this past winter, left the stumps and hollowed them out to make containers, one large and two smaller stumps together, a really interesting combo. At the same time look in your basement, shed or barn, like yours truly did two years ago when I found an old wooden wheelbarrow, with a wheel missing, and which I painted with organic paint, a periwinkle blue, a whimsical planter among four others. Or you may come across a large chipped ceramic jar, like the old two foot tall ceramic vinegar container from my basement, replete with a hole where the vinegar tap was inserted, which is ideal for drainage, and which will look great on my organically painted periwinkle blue bench next to the red milk shed and bar. Periwinkle blue was my color for certain structures in the garden that year and I think this year the color will be lemon yellow.

Plant the containers with a variety of ornamental grasses, large leafed plants like Cannas and Elephant Ears and perennials; remove perennials when they have finished blooming, plant them in the garden and add some others from the garden. Tuck in some annuals as needed.

LAWN CARE: Keep an eye out for moles and if you see evidence of them check “what to use in the garden”, remember no grubs, less food for the moles.

POWDERY MILDEW: keep an eye open for powdery mildew, especially after a rain and the humidity returns. In a sprayer, mix two teaspoons of baking soda, two teaspoons of vegetable or horticultural oil in a gallon of water and spray the mildew. Summer phlox is particularly prone to this affliction; I recommend Phlox Miss Lingard or Phlox David, white ones of the species, these are the most mildew resistant. Monarda, commonly known as Bee balm, also affected by the mildew; the one I have found to be the most resistant is “Cambridge Scarlet”. Do be careful when introducing Monarda into the garden; they, like Purple Loosestrife and Evening Primrose are extremely invasive and can take over your entire border. On the subject of invasive; if you plant mint; plant it only in containers, as mint too will spread throughout your borders. When spraying observe the rule of “160” which means if the temperature is 80 degrees and the humidity is 80 its too hot to spray, therefore early morning will be the optimum time.

I hope these tips are useful to you at this busy time of year in the garden and I hope you have time to relax and enjoy the garden; it’s important to have quiet time to recharge and have a balance in your life and what better place to do this than in the garden.

MAY TIPS 2010

“The darling buds of May”; such an apt phrase for one of the most enchanting months in the garden here in New England; especially after what seemed a particularly long winter. Forsythia, Magnolias, Azaleas, Daffodils, Quince, and Serviceberry have already bloomed for our delight and the rest tumbling over one another to make their appearance.

The early blooming perennials like the tulips; creeping phlox, forget-me-nots, primroses and candytuft bring much needed color to borders and rock gardens. When the spring blooming perennials are about four inches above ground give them a dose of organic slow release fertilizer (see “what to use in the garden” on www.theenglishlady.com) and two inches at least of manure throughout the borders for all plants, trees and shrubs, now, in July and again when your garden has done its major growing job in October. Keep replenishing, nourishing and rebuilding the soil, which is the main event in the garden. This month apply the manure around the base of the roses, pull back the mulch you put around them for the winter and reapply mulch in about three weeks. Apply bone meal around the spring bulbs when the leaves are still green and this nourishment will be absorbed in the bulbs for next season’s growth but keep bone meal off the foliage. Apply lime and manure around the lilacs, they like sweeter or alkaline soil, thus the lime.

If you are making an organic vegetable garden this year; a garden measuring 16 x 24 can feed a family of four for a year. Don’t work the soil if it is too wet or too dry. Double digging is the best way to go; it takes time and effort but its well worth it – dig down about one foot and remove the top soil and put to one side, then dig down and loosen the next one foot of soil and add about three inches of manure then put back the top soil and add another three inches of manure. This loose, aerated fertile soil will give excellent yield of fruits and vegetables in the garden. I prefer 6 x 4ft beds rather than rows for larger yield, ease of weeding and harvesting with narrow compacted soil paths in-between.

The garden should be situated on the south or southwest side of the property for maximum sun exposure in New England. Make sure you remove as many weeds as possible, preferably by hand before you even begin digging. You need a water source close by, as the garden needs lots of water, particularly the annual fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, which are hydroponics (mostly water).

In the loose soil you will be able to plant the vegetables plants so that they are touching which forms a natural canopy to shade out weeds and keep the soil reasonably moist; this close planting method also yields a larger crop.

I prefer to mulch the vegetable garden with manure, which prevents “capping”; capping is when mulch forms a crust, which does not allow water or air to penetrate the soil.

Fence in the garden with a tall fence to keep out critters and at the base of the fence install eight inches of fine mesh chicken wire above ground and eight inches below ground for the burrowing type of animal.

For organic insect control, plant marigolds, nasturtium, lavender, nepeta and honeysuckle (insects do not like fragrance), encourage lacewings, which feed on aphids by planting marigolds and sunflowers and attract ground beetles, which feed on slugs by having a log or a rock under which they can hide.

The grass is now a vibrant shade of green and when mowing keep the blades of grass at about three inches; the taller the blades the more sun it gets and the stronger the grass roots will be. If you are still procrastinating about lawn care; apply organic grub control, less food for the moles. If you have a few bare spots, spot seed them now and use only good quality seed. Check “what to use in the garden” for the organic products. On mowing leave the clippings on the lawn, it’s a natural source of nitrogen and if you have clover that’s an added benefit, as clover takes nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil for the plants.

Prune flowering shrubs after flowering by only 25% each season and do this before new buds set for next season.

On a rainy day go shopping for any garden supplies you may need, so that when the weather beckons you can be outdoors and not wasting time shopping. Buy good hoses, cheap ones will bend and crack. Our growing season is rather short, here in New England, but do not disturb the soil around your plants until the soil has warmed up by late May.

Certain plants, especially Peonies need plenty of water to produce flower buds. I have a thirty foot long stand of Peonies in my field that have been in the ground for over forty years; they are a sight to behold when in bloom. I give them lots of loving care with aged manure, and a light application of organic fertilizer in May; in a few weeks I will pinch off the side buds while they are still small, leaving the terminal flower bud on each stalk to develop into a really good-sized bloom.

My maternal grandmother’s favorite bloom, the Lily of the Valley will soon be blooming by the barn with its delicate white flowers and fresh unique fragrance. Now that the lilacs have finished blooming, remove the withered flower clusters, also on the mountain laurel in late June and rhododendrons; this will ensure good blossoms for next year. This month apply manure, a light application of peat and mulch around the evergreens; rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azaleas are shallow rooted and the mulch will keep the roots protected, warm and moist.

The following annual seeds can be planted outside in mid May: calendula, coreopsis, marigold, nasturtium, nicotiana and zinnia. Also flats of many different and wonderful kinds of annuals have arrived in the garden centers; these plants, of course, will bear flowers earlier than the seeds you plant outdoors this month, although I find it really satisfying to bring certain things up from seed.

Tuberous-rooted begonias, caladiums, cannas and elephant ears can be moved from porch or cold frame to a part shade area when the weather is more stable.

If you staked trees that you planted last year, cut the stakes off at ground level do not pull them out of the roots or you could damage the system.

Aphid tip: squish a few in your hand; dead aphids release a chemical that causes other aphids to drop off the plants and leave the plants. Another ants and aphids tip – if you drink mint tea, sprinkle any leftover on these bugs and others they do not like the odor; however, do not plant mint except in containers, as it is tremendously invasive and will take over your garden.

Watch out for a dry spell that often occurs in May, and make sure you water all newly planted deciduous trees, shrubs and evergreens.

Houseplants can be moved outdoors for their summer sojourn at the end of the month. However, do not put your African violets outdoors but move them to a porch that is covered and shaded, or keep them indoors in a window that does not receive direct rays from the sun.

Wait until the soil warms up at the end of May to set out Dahlia tubers and gladioli corms.

Roses are not the troublesome creatures you have been led to believe. I like David Austin roses; these shrub roses are repeat bloomers with lovely fragrances. Roses need at least four hours of sun per day, good air circulation, and excellent drainage. During their growing period from the beginning of June to mid August; they are heavy feeders (they like the same conditions as Clematis, which look great mixed with roses). Add manure and compost to the planting mix and mulch around the base of the plant in mid May. Begin feeding with an organic rose food (see “what to use in the garden”) when the buds first appear and discontinue feeding in mid August. When planting new roses add kelp to the planting mix (found on this website under ‘what to use in the garden) as it promotes root growth and make sure on that first watering that the soil drains well, roses need good drainage. Deep watering is recommended at least once a week.

Plenty of stuff to keep you hopping folks and remember to keep your eye out for any pest trouble and when you spot it get on the ball immediately to avoid further problems. Throw away the herbicides and pesticides, it’s has the same effect as second hand smoke. Come to one of my “Garden Earth” lectures; check the lecture schedule on www.TheEnglishLady.com to reconnect your hands, mind and heart to the loving nourishment of Mother Nature. In stressful times, the garden offers an anchor for peace and quiet enjoyment. Enjoy the warmth, the gentle breeze, fragrance of earth and bloom.

April Tips 2010

Those April showers that come our way

They bring the flowers that bloom in May

And when it’s raining, lets not forget,

It isn’t raining rain at all, its raining violets

The last frost date in this area is usually April 15^th but this year due to the frost and freeze warning this week, move it up to April 22^nd in reference to planting or seeding.

April is the month of activity in the garden, and our old nemesis the weeds are beginning to rear their heads, so extract the little devils before they get too large or strong. However when weeds overwhelm you, and your aching back, think of the good side of weeds; nettles are food for butterflies, clover extracts nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil and oil from jewel weed soothes poison ivy rash. And of course, songbirds and other wildlife depend on weed seeds as a food source. When the weeds have been pulled in the borders, apply an organic weed pre-emergent, with a corn gluten base by Bradfield organics.

Plant bare root roses at the end of April and container roses in mid May. Add manure to the planting mix but do not fertilize with an organic rose food until buds appear in late May or early June.

Be careful clearing winter debris from around rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azaleas, as these evergreens are shallow rooted and you do not want to expose the roots. If the winter weather eroded soil around the roots, add a few inches and manure and in late April add mulch to keep the roots cool and retain moisture.

In late April plant Gladioli corms at two-week intervals so that you will get a succession of bloom. Plant the corms eight inches down as the extra depth helps keep the heavy blooms erect.

Last season, and I don’t see why this one should be any different, the red lily beetle was a menace. Apply organic Neem oil to deal with this infestation.

Soil solarization is an effective way to control many soil borne problems, specifically the tomato blight that caused fruit rot last season. Covering the soil with clear plastic for one to two months can generate high enough temperatures in the top six to 12 inches of soil to kill pests, nematodes, weed seeds and many disease organisms like the tomato blight. This process has proved invaluable for home gardeners and the beneficial effects seem to last for several seasons. Midsummer is the best time to solarize but if you are not planting in the vegetable garden until the end of May, you can do this now. Dig a trench several inches deep around the bed, and spread the thin, clear plastic film (1-4mils) over the bed. Press the plastic into close contact with the soil and seal the edges by filling the trench with soil.

I urge you to throw away any pesticides and herbicides; they have the effect of second hand smoke on you, your children and pets. I am covering the state with my lecture on Garden Earth to reconnect people’s hearts, hands and minds with the nourishing energy of Mother Nature’s Life giving gardens. I am teaching people how to create a beautiful landscape but more important how to maintain it organically. That has always been the philosophy of my family’s heritage in landscaping and the same modus operandii is carried through in our company. Check ‘what to use in the garden ‘ on this website for all organic product sources.

Manure of course to all the borders and mulch with a fine hardwood mulch, which blends naturally with our New England landscape and is not poisonous like that bright red artificially colored stuff.

If you did not apply an organic grub control on the grass in March, apply now to keep the grubs down and cut down on the mole population so they will go elsewhere for food.

The soil is the most important component of the growing business; compost, organic manure and peat amend the soil to rebuild its structure. Good soil structure assists with drainage, compaction, and the rich humus that is the result as these amendments break down encourage the organic nutrients to work at full capacity. In a light soil such as sand, humus binds the sand particles together and in heavy soil such as clay it keeps the clay particles apart making room for air and drainage. Other humus forming materials are leaves and seaweed (kelp). Kelp also has a root growth hormone, which assists plants to form a strong root system.

Conditions in April are very favorable for new plant-root development, so with this in mind, transplant evergreen shrubs. New evergreens can also be planted at the end of April. Combine organic manure and peat with the topsoil in the planting hole. Give the roots a work out before planting to release them and open them up so the roots will reach into the surrounding soil for nutrients and water and will not dry out in the heat of summer.

Organic fertilizer containing blood meal, bone meal, seaweed, poultry litter and natural grains is the food that a plant requires. The bulky organic amendments mentioned above must be incorporated into the soil to improve soil texture and structure and supply some but not all necessary nutrients to plants. Some nutrient deficiencies will remain and these will be corrected with the use of organic fertilizers.

The major plant nutrients are nitrogen (N), which promotes healthy leaf growth, phosphorus (P) for healthy root growth, and potassium for flower development and ripening wood. Other important nutrients are required such as sulphur, magnesium, calcium, boron and iron, but in lesser amounts. The organic fertilizer provides all the important nutrients listed above. When buying the products read the labels, if there is a word you cannot pronounce; it’s a chemical so do not buy it.

The amendments and organic fertilizers are of plant and animal origin so gloves should be worn when using them as bacteria is present in them. These bacteria are great for the plants and the soil but not good for your health. These products tend to be slow acting; gradually making the nutrients available to the plant and the rewards are infinite. Organic fertilizers are applied in spring around mid to late May when the plant has about six inches of growth; this allows for the fertilizer to become active when the plant is growing most rapidly. Avoid applying fertilizers after the end of July as new growth may not go dormant before winter and the plant could suffer damage.

As well as the amendments of organic aged manure, peat and/or compost you can incorporate an organic root development fertilizer in the top four inches of the soil around the base of the trunk when planting trees and shrubs. Top dressing organic fertilizers are scattered over the soil surface and around the base of the plant, avoiding the foliage. Organic Liquid fertilizers when applied to the soil are most quickly absorbed by plants and are especially useful for container planting. Liquid manure tea and seaweed tea that you can make yourself are excellent for feeding throughout the growing season. Foliar (aka leaf) feeds are a quick acting tonic and are useful in supplying nutrients to plants especially in the heat and humidity of mid summer.

Apply an organic product like bone meal or blood before the leaves of spring bulbs yellow and do not cut the leaves of any of your spring flowering bulbs, the leaves send down energy into the bulbs to store for next season’s nutrition.

April is the time to tackle a new lawn or patch seed, use only good quality seed and organic fertilizers.

Do not be lulled into complacency with a few back-to-back warm days; we can still get a frost and I caution you not to plant annuals until Memorial weekend. Do not cultivate around the perennials in the borders until mid May. Do not panic if you were not able to get the April tasks done until May, your garden will wait for you and the constancy that is Mother Nature will continue to keep your patch of earth flourishing. Enjoy the pleasure of being outdoors in warmer temperatures, inhaling the pungency of awakening soil and experience the connection with growing things. Do not overdo it; warm up the body before the garden labor and stay well hydrated with lots of water. We are inexorably entwined with the earth and know that even the smallest gesture of a garden has positive rewards and the effects not only on you but our planet. I’ll see next time in your garden.