Sutton Garden Club

Forced Fall Pruning

Walking through the garden and the adjoining woodland, after the recent October snow storm, is downright depressing. There are so many trees with broken branches and bark peeled off by the weight of the snow. What to do?

In general, Fall pruning is not advisable as it tends to stimulate new growth that will not have time to harden off before freezing temperatures arrive. However, given the damage that occurred from the October storm, gardeners/homeowners will want/need to clean up the debris. For large trees, it's best to hire a specialist with the appropriate equipment to handle the job. If you plan to do the clean-up yourself, make the cuts as smooth as possible in order to promote healing. One benefit to trimming the branches this time of year is the reduction of insect infestation as the onset of winter is right around the corner.

**The following is a basic guideline to pruning trees:

Prune trees, including fruit trees, in late winter.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs immediately after bloom.

Prune late-flowering shrubs (blooming in mid to late summer) in late winter or early spring.

Prune evergreens in winter and early spring; needled evergreens can also take a very modest pruning in early summer.

It's OK to remove diseased, dead or broken branches any time of the year and especially in fall, when allowing diseased parts to linger on a tree over the winter could just bring on headaches the next spring. Gardeners sometimes prune heavy bleeders like birches and maples in the fall if their sap would fall on sidewalks and patios. Also, the need to remove branches that could, if laden with snow or ice, interfere with power lines or structures, justifies pruning at any time- as we have just learned with the October storm.

Try to take advantage of the warmer than normaL temperatures we've been having and get those pruning chores out of the way before the snow flies. Winter is right around the corner!!

**http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/qa-fall-pruning/index.html

Treasured Tulips

Have you ever associated these words with tulips: skulduggery, thievery, and intrigue? The history of this flower embodies all of these and , sometimes, a broken heart, too.

Found growing in Asia as a wildflower, the tulip first became cultivated by the Turks as early as 1000 AD. Named for the 'turban-like' shape of it's bloom, the Tulip became a prized possession and a symbol of wealth and prestige. 'During the second half of the 16th century, news of this extraordinary flower reached Europe and seeds were sent to Celsius, the prefect of the Royal Medicinal Gardens in Prague. In 1593, Celsius fled to the Netherlands for religious sanctuary and became the head of the Leiden Botanical garden. Although these gardens primarily grew herbs and plants for medicinal use, Celsius began growing an arrray of tulips from his extraordinary collection of seeds. Some historians describe Celsius to be quite selfish, refusing to share or sell his prized tulips.Tulip devotees, desperate to possess this flower, began raiding his gardens to dig up the prized bulbs.' Celsius was so disgusted by these acts that he vowed never to grow tulips again!

Until 1630, only scholars and collectors sold tulip bulbs, but with the ever increasing popularity of the plant, others quickly began to look at it's sale as a 'get rich quick scheme'. Specualtors met at local inns to buy and sell them. Those who couldn't afford the bulbs had to be satisfied with purchasing furniture and artwork depicting it's beauty. Many of the watercolors painted at this time and now considered works of art were originally used in colorful catalogues to entice buyers to purchase the bulbs. This period in history has been referred to as 'Tuilipmania'. During this time a single tulip could fetch a price equivalent to the purchase of a home in the best part of Amsterdam -15 years worth of wages for the average Dutchman!

By 1640, Tulipmania had passed as people finally came to their senses. There were still bulbs that would sell for as much as three times the annual wage but the frenzy was over. 

Interest in the tulip has waxed and waned over the past several decades but the Dutch have continued to be the largest grower and exporter of the bulb (1.2 billion annually). The Dutch have also been attributed with spreading the popularity of the bulb as they migrated throughout the world planting the tulips in their gardens wherever they settled.

Today, there is a tremendous array of gorgeous tulip cultivars to tempt us. Beautiful colors ranging from deep reds and oranges to blush pinks and white. A few of these even boast of fragrances capable of filling a room with their perfumed scent.

Take time this Fall to plant your favorite variety and enjoy the beauty of this buried treasure next Spring.

Planting tips: Planting Depth needs to be at least eight inches from the tip of the bulb to the surface of the soil. Fertilize with bulb fertilizer or bone/meal . If there isn't sufficient rain within the first week of planting, water them well (they need about an inch of rain to get established). If you have a problem with voles, try planting the bulbs in a wire/mesh cage. You might need to put someting on top of the soil to prevent dogs from digging up the area in search of the bone (meal) !  

Survivors (maybe?)

A few weeks ago I asked for your input on the plants in your garden that best weathered our hot and dry summer, your watering routine and your approach to gardening in those weather extremes. Here's a brief summary of your input:

    1. Mulch, mulch mulch-was a big factor in most gardens keeping the soil cooler and helping to retain moisture.

    2. Drip irrigation was the water wise way to go in both ornamental and vegetable gardens.

    3. Perennial plants: No surprise that most herbs did well (sage, thyme, oregano) and even basil prospered, in light shade, with minimal watering.

     Echinacea, day lilies, phlox, russian sage, caryopteris, scabiosa, rudbeckia, shasta daisies and hollyhocks looked best. Ornamental grasses, usually very drought tolerant, expressed their heat/water stress with brown tips on the blades.

    Hostas and astilbes became brown and crispy and many opted to cut the unsightly plants to the ground.

    3. Annuals: Blue salvia, gomphrena, geraniums, snapdragons, fuschia, petunias and, surprisingly, wax begonias did well.

    4. Shrubs: Weigelia, purple smoke bush, golden privet, red and yellow twig dogwoods and needle evergreens looked fine but the stars, in my garden, were the 'Knockout Roses' which bloomed, non-stop, with no, and I do mean 'no', supplemental water!

    Hydrangeas were impacted most in spite of growing in shade and the leaves of Viburnums drooped in the heat of the day.

This list is by no means complete but merely a sampling of your response to my request. The true test of the resilience of our garden plants will be next Spring when we find out which ones really survived the additional stress of a New England winter.  

Is this a drought?

This span of day after rainless day of 90-plus degree temperatures and high humidity are taking a toll on plants. But is this officially a drought? According to the 'drought monitor map', Massachusetts is not currently experiencing a drought. I guess it depends on where you live. Some towns have had flash floods and others haven't gotten a drop of rain. Officially, it may not be a drought but it certainly looks like one to me! As I walk around the garden, I'm seeing wilting, crispy-leaved and dying plants and trees (except for the weeds that look as healthy as ever!). Like most gardeners, I'm dragging hoses, where I can, to try to keep plants alive and I find myself desperately searching the skies for darkened clouds that could bring some relief. 

I guess it's time to re-think my gardening practices. How much time do I have to tend to the needs of a thirsty garden and do I want to continue to do that. One approach to consider is Xeriscape gardening. Here, the lawn is eliminated or, at least, significantly reduced, and the area re-planted with drought tolerant plants. (Think about that-no more mowing!)  This doesn't mean you have to plant a cactus garden for there are a number of ornamental plants (trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals) that are drought tolerant.This also doesn't mean that you'll never have to water. It'll just be far less often. 

Here are some suggestions for designing a water-wise landscape:

*Group together plants wih similar water needs creating watering zones.

*Position zones so that they transition from least drought-tolerant to most drought-tolerant. If possible, place the least drought-tolerant plants closest to the watering source, planted in humus rich soil, dappled shade or near a water feature.

*Modify existing slopes to divert run-off to the least drought tolerant plants.

*Terrace slopes that can't be modified to minimize run-off and erosion.

*Incorporate a water feature into the highest water-use zone. A circulating water feature provides a moisture laden environment where ferns and other moisture loving plants can thrive without additional irrigation. If possible, this water feature should be sited in dappled shade to reduce water loss from evaporation. You can create dappled shade by planting dwarf trees and shrubs near, but not next to, your water feature.

 

I can see where I can make some of these changes easily, others are a long term project. I know the lawn will stay- I'm not ready to give that up yet.

Is this dry spell we're experiencing global warming or just typical New England weather where, as the saying goes, "wait a minute, it'll change" ? Hope it does and soon!!

 

 

 

Invasive Plant Alert!

We've all seen the 'beautiful' stands of Purple Loosestrife in the median strips of highways and marshes and are aware of it's invasive qualities. Did you know that it's making a comeback in the nursery business? There are ,supposedly, sterile cultivars being sold in nurseries across the nation. Bernard Bossy, an invasive plant expert from Cornell University, states that “unfortunately, the claim that cultivars of purple loosestrife are sterile is totally false. Research has shown that if cultivars such as ‘Morden Pink’, ‘Morden Gleam’, and ‘Dropmore Purple’ are grown with other cultivars or wild loosestrife, the seeds are highly fertile, with more than a 90-percent germination rate. Bees carry its pollen far and wide. To label these plants as sterile and not a threat to the environment is misleading and irresponsible behavior on the part of those selling the plant.”

It's importnt to know the there is a difference between invasive plants and those that are merely aggresive. Invasive plants have all the characterisitics of weeds but , because they have no natural predators (like insects or browsing deer) they're more vigorous than their native counterpart. Aggressive plants can usually be controlled by growing them in containers or with in ground barriers (like members of the mint family). Not so invasives. The Japanese Barberry  seeds, for example, are spread far and wide by birds and are beginning to replace the native shrubs of a some woodland areas.

Just because a plant is not a native, doesn't mean it's invasive (eg. Smokebush and Rose of Sharon) and some plants I'm already growing in my garden are potenital future additions. These include include periwinkle, daylilies, ribbon grass and English Ivy. Shocking!

Already on the list are Privet and the burning bush (Eunoymous alatus) that looks so beautiful in the Fall. As much as I love the variegated Privet I have, I'm going to dig it up and compost it (before it sets seeds).

As responsible gardeners, we all need to do our part to stem the spread of invasive plants in our region. I encourage you to read the entire Fine Gardening Magazine article to learn what you can do to help fight this battle.

Winter Gardening Projects

Happy New Year! The holidays have passed and we can settle into our wonderful, New England, winter weather. Well, at least it is picturesque! This is a particularly difficult time for gardeners. The garden is frozen, so we can't do much out there, or can we? How about getting a jump start on spring by forcing branches of shrubs and trees from your own garden. Those most suitable for forcing are the ones that set their flower buds during the previous garden season. Forsythias, Cornelian Cherrys, Fothergillas and Witch Hazels are the plants typically associated with forcing but have you considered trying branches from a Bradford Pear, Lilac or Eastern Redbud? The key to success is allowing these plants to experience a six-week period of dormancy, which, for our area, is between mid-January and late February. Coincidentally, this is also the best time to prune trees and shrubs, removing dead, diseased and crossing branches. 

  To get started, choose 

a mild winter day when the temperature is above freezing (good for the gardener, too!). Branches and buds are softer and more pliable, then, and will be better able to make the transition from cold outdoor temperatures to warm indoor temperatures. ..."inspect the branches carefully when making your selections, looking for those with lots of plump flower buds. Flower buds are round and fat, whereas leaf buds are smaller and pointed. If you're not sure what type of bud your looking at,  do a little bud surgery. When cut open, a flower bud will reveal miniature flower parts on the inside." 

 Make your cuts at a 45 degree angle, choosing branches that are 1/2 inch or less in diameter. Bring the gathered branches in the house, recut them under running water, place in a bucket of warm water (110 degrees), add floral preservative and set the bucket aside in a cool, dark place. A location with temps between 45 degrees to 55 degrees is ideal. Be sure to change the water as needed. When the buds begin to swell, in about three weeks, create your arrangment. FYI: Keep both the bucket and arrangment away from direct sunlight and a heat source to prevent the branches from drying out. Ahh! Enjoy the fragrance and color of an early Spring in your own home!

The Plant Delights Nursery Catalogue is available online! If your not familiar with them, you've got to check it out. Based in North Carolina, they publish an annual catalogue like no other you've seen. Humorous, but nonetheless accurate, descriptions are attached to their  plant lisitngs. Tony Avent, owner, is a plant hunter, traveling the world to discover new species and his nursery has been in the forefront of developing new cultivars of some of our favorite plants. In addition to an extensive listing of plants offered for sale, their website has a plethora of garden information and links to other garden sites. If your looking for a good belly-laugh, check out the somewhat irreverant humor of The Shady Deals Nursery Emu Ranch and Auto Repair.

On a more serious note, is the article on interpreting hardiness zones. What does 'zone 5' or '5a', really mean and what causes a plant you've been growing in your garden for years, to suddenly die. The USDA Hardiness Zones are based on average low winter temperatures, but don't take into account temperature extremes, the affect of snow cover, accumulated ice or even the onset of cold weather in the Fall. Did you know that the zone listing on the nursery plant tags could be random, especially when it gives a range of zones 5-9 ? Very interesting reading. Note: If you do have a plant that supposedly succumbs to our harsh winter, first be sure to look for a tunnel around the base- voles are active all winter, are voracious plant eaters and especially love your coveted, expensive and/or special ones!

Lastly, for those who want to release their inner artist, consider making mosaic garden art from bits and pieces of broken china and tile. Stepping stones. watering cans, shovels, trowels, mailboxes and bowling balls are some of the objects that can be transformed into colorful garden ornamnents. This craft is fun to do (involve your friends and family) and requires only simple and inexpensive household items. For a complete list of supplies needed and instructions check out the article by Lucy Hardiman in this issue of the Fine Gardening e-newsletter.

Keep busy! Spring is (almost) right around the corner.

The Fall Garden

The Summer of 2009, as short as it was, is over and the feel of Fall is in the air. This is my favorite time of year when working in the garden is so delightful! It's also a good time to take a critical look at the garden. Are there 'holes' in the garden where plants are not thriving, maybe needing to be divided or moved to a better location. Or, could these gaps be filled with late season bloomers. Many nurseries will be having sales of trees and shrubs, soon, and there will be bargains to be had! October is a great time to get these 'woodies', now gone dormant, into the ground. Plants will need at least six weeks before the ground freezes to allow the roots to get established.

Fall is perfect for dividing perennials, too. The mantra had always been-'divide Spring bloomers in the Fall and Fall bloomers in the Spring'. Not, necessarily, the case! This article on dividing perennials, in the latest issue of Fine Gardening, is far more detailed than any other I've come across and includes short videos on each of the five methods (based on root type). Well worth reading! Note: Spring can be so busy, you coud make divisions, now, for the 2010 SGC Plant Sale in May and plant them in a 'holding area' in your garden, ready to be popped out of the ground and potted up come April.

  Gardening catalogues advertise it and some local nurseries offer it as an alternative to bark mulches but rubber mulch is a product that I ,personally, knew nothing about. It comes in a variety of colors (yes, red too!) and is advertised to be safe and effective.

Would you use this in your garden?

    Turning the soil over each year is a millennium-old tradition that has been challenged only in the last half century. The major benefits attributed to the annual rite of tilling are that it aerates the soil; chops and kills weeds; and mixes in organic materials, fertilizers, and lime. Not to be downplayed are the psychological benefits of tillage. It induces a righteous-feeling sweat that makes a clean slate of last year’s mistakes. But, are you wasting your time? Wouldn't you love to eliminate this chore? This article explains why, maybe, you should.

    More reading :Fall Blooming Anemonies,  Plants for a Fall Cutting Garden, and Tips for Designing a Garden.

Shady Plants, Pest Control & Garden Structures

Plant Delight's Nursery's latest newsletter has arrived! Although geared predominantly to gardeners in Zone 7, Tony Avent , owner, usually includes valuable information for our northern gardens. Below is an excerpt from the newsletter about the impact of increasing shade as the upper canopy trees grow. 

"As I work in my garden this summer, one of my annual chores is to
examine the increase of shade throughout the garden. So often, we don’t
notice the gradual decline in plants growing in a shade garden until the
plants have shrunk to nothing, or in extreme cases, died completely.
This decline is due to several factors, including a lack of adequate
irrigation, and/or an increase in the amount of shade that is being cast
by the trees above. Unless you are really observant, it is hard to
imagine how much large trees grow each year. Since tree sizes aren’t
static, it doesn’t take long for an area which has the ideal amount of
filtered shade to become too dense for much of a herbaceous understory
layer to survive.

First, realize most true woodland plants are spring ephemerals, meaning
they get in their entire life cycle by the time the trees leaf out. In
order to get plants that remain looking good in the woodland throughout
the summer, we have to use prairie or woodland edge plants such as hosta
and hellebores that will tolerate shade. There are very few of these
plants that actually thrive in dense shade, including the likes of
asarum, aspidistra, ruscus, and many ferns. To keep these woodland
“interlopers” happy, you’ll need to keep the canopy open so that
filtered light can penetrate.

Try and train yourself to consciously watch plants whose size gets
smaller each year instead of larger or whose growth becomes more
spindly. The answer to the increasing shade is to raise the canopy of
the shade by removing some of the lower tree limbs or to selectively
thin the limbs. To keep a shade garden in good shape, this must be an
annual process. I like to do this in late spring /early summer when I
can tell how much shade a tree is producing after it has finished its
spring growth flush.

Obviously, to remove limbs, you’ll need a good pole saw...either a
manual or motorized type. I had always used manual pole saws like you
find in the box or hardware stores. Several years ago, frustrated by the
poor quality and lack of durability of these saws, I began researching
to see if there was a better brand available. My research led me to
Silky Saws. Silky Saws sell an array of high quality Japanese made
pruning saws. For large overhead limb removal, I purchased a 21'
Hayauchi pole saw. To say the difference between what I had been using
was night and day would be the understatement of the year. You’re not
going to easily bend, break, or dull the blade with this baby. I had
also been frustrated by never being able find a pole saw long enough to
reach the tallest limbs until I bought my 21' Hayauchi saw. After
several years, I can still say this is one of the finest gardening tools
I’ve ever owned. You can find these and many other great pruning saws at
http://www.silkystore.com/HAYAUCHI-390-21-Feet You’ll never go back to
cheap saws again.

The other problem with woodland gardening is the amount of moisture
required by large trees, which research indicates ranges between 50 and
200 gallons per day. If you aren’t supplementing your woodland garden
with water, your herbaceous plants will suffer. Selective pruning as I
mentioned earlier will also help to reduce the amount of water that the
large trees require."

More from Fine Gardening e-Newsletter! Natural rememdies to control the pests in your garden from deer and rabbits to slugs, snails and beetle-like critters.

Enter the world of sustainable gardening with Billy Goodnick's "Cool Green Gardens" blog. Billy lives in Santa Barbara, CA, and delivers a West Coast perspective on landscape design that will translate into your own backyard. Check out CGG for great ideas on reducing your impact on the environment and creating a landscape that is an extension of your home. He asks, " What will you do if the well runs dry?"

On a lighter note, enter the Garden Structures Photo Challenge.The rules:

"...we're looking for photos of garden structures--trellises, bird houses, benches, statues, potting sheds, or whatever you think qualifies as a garden structure. Be creative!

Fine Gardening's staff members will choose a winner based on creativity and originality. The winner will receive a limited editon birdhouse from Erickson Birdhouses with an estimated retail value of $160". Check out the Photo Gallery to see what has already been submitted.

Lavender, Hydrangea & Tranquil Gardens

July Gardening tip: Time to Prune Lavender. I've grown Lavender for years and have always done the spring pruning to remove the dead and woody stems. Recently, I came across a video on "How to Prune Lavender" which focuses more on the harvesting and shaping of the plant. After watching it, I went right out to try it out on my plants. Bonus: I now have wonderful, fragrant stems of Lavender to share with friends and neatly trimmed plants, too!  This is definitely  highly recommended viewing if you grow this plant.

Just in- a new Fine Gardening e-newsletter.  Featured this month is an article on growing Big Leaf  Hydrangea with tips on how to amend your soil to get either blue or pink flowers. Check out the videos on pruning techniques and soil testing too.

Also in this issue, more on designing with spikey plants and choosing the companion plants to complement them. Plants to consider are the Yucca's, Prickly Pear , Sea Hollies and Agaves some of which are hardy to zone 6. A favorite of  mine is the New Zealand Flax. Although not hardy in our area, it is easily overwintered in the house during the winter, i.e. until it gets so huge you need to design your room around it!

A Summer Garden Festival!

On Saturday July 18th, Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth will celebrate their 18th Annual Open House and Summer Garden Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.    Free and Open to the Public.

 

Each July, people from all over New England visit the nursery to wander among the perennials, display gardens and 10 acres of daylily fields during the peak season of bloom among the more than 3,600 varieties of daylilies that the nursery offers. Tranquil Lake Nursery is the largest grower of Daylilies and Siberian and Japanese Iris in the northeastern United States. To celebrate the occasion the nursery will offer free lectures and demonstration, free daylily tasting, cool drinks and a diverse assortment of garden activities and garden vendors all day long.

 

This year, the theme for the Open House and Summer Festival is "Celebrating the Bounty of the Summer Garden." Twelve garden talks and demonstrations will be offered throughout the day, on the half hour, showcasing talented local horticulturists, gardeners, flower arrangers and herbalists. Each will explore creative aspects of gardening, design and harvest. Topics include selecting plant for the sun and shade, use of colorful flowers and foliage, design ideas to extend the season, exceptional woody plants, woodland and meadow flowers, utilizing tropical bromeliads, culinary and ornamental herbs, daylilies, dividing perennials, summer flower arrangements and using flowers and herbs to make edible gifts. There will be ample opportunity to taste daylilies and to learn about cooking with and growing with these special flowers. For more information visit www.tranquil-lake.com

 

Plant Delights Nursery

If you're not familiar with Plant Delight's Nursery, you're in for a treat! It's written like no other catalogue you've ever encountered. Caricatures and humor permeate the pages and pages and pages ( you get the idea!) of plant listings. They're located in North Carolina and tend to favor plants for Zones 7 and up. However, there are plenty of zone 5 plants of interest for our Massachusetts gardens. Owner, Tony Avent, is a world reknown plant hunter ,who searches the globe for new offerings for gardeners.

If you're a plantaholic (like me!) , i.e., someone who buys a plant and then tries to find a place in the garden for it , you won't be disappointed. You'll find many new cultivars of those plants we typically see at our local nurseries (hostas, huecheras, etc.) and extraordinary, rare plants to fill our gardening lusts.

There are still at least four more weeks of winter left -thanks to Punxsatawney Phil- and spending time reading the Plant Delights Catalogue will fill that time with much needed humor and ,maybe, you'll find the perfect plant to fill that space or two in your garden .

OH! I can' wait for Spring!

(FYI: The plants I've ordered from their catalogue arrived healthy and carefully packaged to protect them.)