It takes a Pandemic!

I have been so busy the past few years that I haven't had any time to work on the blog. Well, we are sheltering in place for weeks on end and thought it was the perfect opportunity to add some articles and notes to the blog. I am excited at the prospect that folks will have a bit of time for rest,
contemplation, family and - Gardening!

Luckily, we have had some rain and it is a lovely time to be out in the garden. I have been pulling weeds, applying fertilizer (water in well), adding some plants and doing general repairs and clean up.
It is not a good time for rototilling when the soil is very wet as it destroys the soil structure but
spading and planting individual plants is o.k., if the soil is damp but not soggy.

Weeding is a lot better now as they pull out a little easier! Depending on the weed of course.
Best to weed the garden before they finish flowering and let go of seeds to avoid having
a deluge next year!  If you remember in fall to apply a pre-emergent i.e. Preen, Ronstar, Ortho
Weed Preventer etc..................repeating on a regular basis through spring, you can avoid quite
a few of the weeds that seed in. I actually don't use this in our garden as we have flowers and
bulbs that grow from seeds and tubers/bulbs so the pre-emergent (which kills emerging plants from seeds) isn't a good idea here. It has been great for general landscaping but should be
avoided in vegetable gardens where you are seeding in veggies. It is unknown how bulbs are
affected so don't take the chance with them.

The climate is definitely warming, as we know, and I see the results of this in my work everyday.
The lack of freeze has meant we have flourishing sub-tropicals and even tropicals  in our
gardens here in the SF Bay Area. There has been a huge interest in succulents too, as they
normally would get freeze damage in our area but now not so much. Rodents and insect pests
have also shown a population gain as the hard winters subside.
The gist of all this is that more drought tolerant gardens are finally having a gain in popularity and
a wide range of plants are available that weren't in our plant "palette" before. The nursery folk and growers have kept up with the trend and there are more and more drought friendly and interesting plants available. This makes my job very fun! Introducing new and colorful hybrids to client's and gardens is a blast.

As the weather improves, I will spray the poison oak and noxious scotch broom (a very invasive and rapidly spreading weed). A yearly task that keep the wilderness at bay and help with future issues. Remember to spray your deciduous fruit trees with dormant oil spray just before the flower buds open.
Clear old fruit and leaves from below trees and weed around them to avoid diseases and pests.
Citrus, gardenias, and plants that have yellowing of the foliage benefit from a good dose (or 2)
of chelated iron (soluble iron). This will green up the leaves and help the plants vigor.

I have saved up some topics for the blog so will add some more articles- finally!
Stay safe, healthy and have fun in the garden!

Water Conservation in the Garden

A Dry Winter on the San Francisco Peninsula

I went out to a job the other day to consult. The job was installed last year.  It was obvious that the irrigation was turned off and that the plants were stressed and some were even on the verge of dying.
Kind of an unusual problem to have in the middle of winter!

Well folks turn back on the irrigation because it hasn't rained in 2 months.  Especially at risk are plants under overhangs and on the south and west sides of the home.

Looks like we are going into a drought cycle so here are a few tips for saving water in the landscape.

- Use a thick mulch layer around plants to retain moisture. Be sure and pull mulch away from the plant crowns.

- Established shrubs don't need much water. Soak deeply twice a week in the warm weather.

- Lawns are shallowly rooted. Water 3 times a week for 10-12 minutes.
Longer times aren't usually needed.

- Water in the early mornings to avoid evaporation and for the water to soak in.

- Pots need to be watered very often. Consider skipping using potted plants in the drought or planting existing potted plants in the garden. (without the pot)

- Replace lawns with mulch and low water requiring plants like those
shown here. Even replacing a percentage of the lawn will help with water conservation and
will be healthier for the environment. Lawn uses tons of water,
needs a lot of care and is not very interactive with the environment.

- Avoid annuals and moisture loving, shallowly rooted plants during the
drought. Use scarce water resources to maintain the trees and shrubs in your garden.
Be sure and aid trees by giving deep watering twice per month in
the warm seasons. Percolate the water out through a slow running hose in 5-6 locations
below the drip line (edge of the foliage) of the trees.
Even the native trees are looking stressed the last few years. 
This type of stress can lead to disease and pest problems and the decline
of the trees.

- Check irrigation for leaks, over spray and excessive run times.
Change spray heads to low gallonage type. Be aware of weather patterns and use irrigation for the most needed periods.

I will continue to post tips and suggestions on water saving, low water requiring plants and drought issues as things progress.

Pictures here  show the succulent version of senecio, penstemon and a nice mix of low water plants- lavender, zauchneria, sedums, euphorbia and chocolate cosmos.

Avoiding Freeze Damage to Plantings

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr its cold out there

Kind of brutal on skin and the tender leaves of sub-tropical and tropical plants. Although it hasn't dropped down below 20 degrees, which is when I really start to worry, we have had some seriously cold nights.

Things to cover when it gets down into those cold temps are small Citrus, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Orchids,  tropical pond plants and landscape plants, Pelargoniums (Geraniums), Cuphea, Mandevilla, Tree Ferns, Brugmansia, succulents and tender new plantings. Many flowering vines are subtropicals i.e. Trumpet vines, Bower vine, Hardenbergia- anti-desiccant sprays (see below) would be good for these.

Use cloth not plastic sheets to cover the plants and if you can, support the sheets off the foliage to avoid frost burn. Remove the sheeting in the day if it is sunny out. For further warmth you can use a light or single bulb below the sheets- this actually works believe it or not. Avoid contact of sheet to bulb!

There are sprays that can also help such as "Wilt-pruf" and "Cloud Cover" which are anti-desiccants
that help to keep leaves from "freeze drying". Follow manufacturers specs. for application and re-spray after rains.

Keep plants well watered between sporadic rains as this helps the leaves of all plants from becoming to wilted in the frosty weather.

Many plants will have frost burned foliage and go dormant in the cold weather but will recover in the late spring or summer growing from the roots or base. Leave any damaged plants well into the warm weather to make sure that they are really lost before replacing them.

The best advice is to avoid the use of plants not suited to your climate zone. We are having a significant climate change so have had good luck with sub-tropical here but hard freezes are cyclical so they are bound to hit gardens at some point.

Enjoy the frost and snow in the mountains- a pretty sight for Christmas time.

The Garden in the Summer

 

                                                     Summer Top Jobs in the Garden

The heat is on and the garden is flourishing!  In the cool evening go out and take a look and see what needs attention.

Things to look for:

Fruit tipping the branches dangerously close to the ground- thin some of the developing fruit and prop the branches with 2x4's. When ripe, remove all fruit from trees.

Wilting- check the watering system and make sure all the drippers are dripping and sprinklers popping up.  Give extra hand watering to suffering plants and wash the foliage of the garden overall.

Deep water your broadleaf trees and fruit trees.  In the summer lay the hose under your trees along the drip line in 4-5 spots and let run in each spot slowly for 30-60 minutes. Do this from June though September 1-2 times a month so that the trees and large shrubs get some deep watering. Irrigation is mostly surface watering.

Thin patches in the lawn. Check the watering system for coverage. Does the lawn have dry spots after watering? Increase the coverage on the head (open small screw on the top of the sprinkler nozzle).
or add heads as needed.
Sometimes these dry patches are grubs eating the lawn roots or greedy trees soaking up all the water.
Grubs can be treated with pesticide- see nursery for info.
For tree roots add sand or topdressing to bring up the soil level over the roots and over seed with lawn seed.

Fertilize, please!  Apply a slow release fertilizer or regular fertilizer to planting areas and wash in well to avoid burning. Blooming and leaf color will increase with food. Follow manufacturers instructions carefully.
Use "weed and feed" for lawns to control weeds and feed the grass.
Fertilize plants and lawn every 6 weeks in the growing season with regular fertilizer or every 6 months for slow release.

Put out shallow bowls of water for birds, insects and garden inhabitants. Its dry around here.

Remove dead flower heads for a better repeat bloom.

Control weedy plants so they don't overtake the other plantings.

Enjoy the garden! Its the best this time of year.

Salvias or Sages- what to do in winter

Salvias or Sages are the beloved garden perennials  of hummingbirds, butterflies and bees These hardy, multi-season blooming plants are colorful and aromatic. There are so many hybrids now that I have a hard time keeping up with the new varieties.  Not to be confused with the short lived annual types, the perennial low and medium shrub versions are long lasting and diverse. 

These plants have aptitudes to both half light and full sun. Some are water loving but most like a dry location. Many are subject to frost damage. Check the Sunset Western Garden Book for information on zones and water requirements for any new salvias you purchase.

In the winter Salvias will go dormant with many having the whole top die back. All the shrub forms of Salvia should be pruned back at the tail end of the frost season (late February) to allow for the new top growth to develop. For many of the shrub forms, if look down at the base of the plant you will see the fresh shoots developing around the crown.  Leaving the old top growth over winter helps to protect the new growth from freeze. The good thing about plants that rejuvinate from the base or grow from the old wood is that you have a whole new, fresh top and flowering stalks each year. If not pruned back the plants will become woody, leggy and not bloom well or at all.  The hummingbirds will be really mad too! 

 

During the growing season dead head (cut dead flower heads) back, plus about 2-4" of the foliage to keep the plants looking fresh and promoting new blooms.  Fertilize lightly with "Osmocote" or other all purpose fertilizer. They dont need a lot of food or really much care.

 

Nepeta, teucrium, and daylilies have a similar type of care with the top growth dying back in winter and the new plants emerging from the base.

Rachel Carson's Legacy

I was listening to a program on NPR yesterday about Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, a ground breaking work siting the use of pesticides and their effect on wildlife. This year is the 50th anniversay of the publication of Silent Spring. Ms. Carson's work led to many positve changes in the application and use of pesticides and the banning of a multitude of products that remain in the environment over long periods of time leading to reduced birth rates and even extinction in birds and other animals and insects.The program noted that the EPA was also formed as a result of concerns that arose in the light of Carson's work.

When I went through my courses at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in the early 1980's I studied "integrated pest management". This course was a direct result of the work put forth by Rachel Carson.  Rather than immediatly going to a chemical spray for pest problems the idea of integrated pest management was to use a combination of beneficial insects and bacterias, low toxicity sprays and more resistant strains of plants.  We did learn about pesticides but I was glad to see that many of the most hazardous materials had been banned.

The current movement towards organic produce and natural products for fertilizing and soil ammnedments is also a continuation of Rachel Carson's legacy.  As generations of consumers have become more aware of the dangers of lingering chemicals in the soil and water supply it has forced the large supermarket chains to demand more organic produce and also meats,poultry and fish.

As gardeners we can do at home what organic farmers are doing in the fields.  Promote an active bird and beneficial insect community. They help control the pests that eat our plants.  Rather than spraying with a pesticide try a mild soapy solution in a hose end sprayer for aphids, spider mites and mothes/larvae.  Gather up the snails in the evening instead of baiting. This actually worked a lot better in my garden than snail bait ever did.  Use natural fertilizers rather than chemical formulations. Luckily we now have several lines of great products for this.  Good old manure works well and compost from home. Be sure and leach before use (water down to wash away salts).
If you do use pesticide, do so sparingly. Usually 1 or 2 treatments will be enough to control a
problem.  Keep in mind that many pesticides and herbicides now available are held to a much more stringent standard so occasional use is not a horrible thing.

In our garden we always have an active ecosystem present because there are the basic needs of living creatures in the garden: fresh water available, flowers for nectar, seed heads too for birds, foliage for protection from predators, and fruiting trees.  Yes, we had some insect damage, some snails and the influx of wildlife but it all balanced out pretty well because there were beneficial insects, birds and bacteria to help out and Me, the gardener, keeping an eye out for problem spots.  My favorite helpers were the praying Mantis with their triangular heads and long legs! Very cool.

So yay- Rachel Carson! Thanks for caring about not only the birds and wildlife but our children as well. 

Summer Maintenance

 Tops Jobs in the garden in summer are:

Deadheading- removing dead flower heads plus a bit of the foliage

Watering appropriately-

Water in the early Morning and avoid windy

days

Keep annuals moist watering every day in hot weather and every other day on mild days

On slopes- stagger watering times breaking time into 2 segments i.e. 10 minutes twice a day rather than 20 minutes all at once. This should help with runnoff.

Deep water fruit trees and other trees once per month until October leaving a hose running slowly out at the drip line (edge of canopy) for 1/2-1 hour.

 Lawns should be aerated to allow water penetration and leave blades a bit long for better heat resistance. Give plants a shower with the hose occasionally to wash off dust and pollution.

Remove diseased foliage (rust, powdery mildew or leaf spot) from plants- clean tools with clorox wipes to avoid spreading the disease.

Fertilize- every 4-6 weeks in the warm season with organic or regular fertilizer (10-10-10).

 Wash in fertilizer deeply and off of leaves to avoid burning plants.  Give lawn a nice top dressing of compost after aerating (1/4" layer).   
 Thin- fruit on edible fruiting plants and prop branches as fruit gets heavy to avoid broken limbs. Remove all the fruit from trees when ripe to promote health and vigor of the trees. Watch out for fireblight (ends of branches look torched) and prune out diseased wood cleaning tools inbetween cuts. 

I hope you have a lovely summer and enjoy your garden!   

Fountain Grass- the good, the bad and the ugly

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'- Fountain Grass appeared in the nurseries with many other ornamental grasses a few years ago, but be warned, not all ornamental grasses are as inocuous and lovely to care for as they first appear.

I too thought this would be a wonderful and graceful plant to use in ornamental, dry gardens. What a mistake! Fountain grass became quite the problem. Growing to a huge height and overwhelming borders only to completely die off in winter creating a giant cleanup and pruning project.  That would not have been so bad in comparison to what was to come.

The worst surprise came when I took my dog in to see the vet. because he was scratching at his ear a lot. She extracted a seed head from his ear and said he had got a foxtail in his ear. I quickly spoke up saying we didn't have any foxtails in the garden. Then it dawned on me- this was not a foxtail but a seed from the fountain grass in the backyard.  With his droopy ears the seed had burrowed down and was irritating his ear canal.  This was awful. Not only had I hurt my dog but we had been using these grasses in lots of peoples yards. Horrible.

Unfortunately in gardening this type of thing happens sometimes. A new plant is introduced and seems great but the reality is different than the first impression. I always used my garden as a testing ground for different plants to understand the growth, maintenance and disease resistance of plants in our area.  With the ornamental grasses the things to watch for are reseeding in an invasive way, unruly growth, and excessive maintenance issues. Most of my clients want low maintenance and if they have a gardener they may not know how to care for ornamental grasses.  Over watering can also be a disaster creating way too much growth and spread or the opposite- rotting out the crown. Over the years I have honed down the choices to many nice plants that are long lasting, stay trim and are fairly disease and pest free. Its taken awhile and new plants are always being introduced.  Gardening is a learning experience. Anyway, if I used a fountain grass in your garden I am sorry! It seemed wonderful at the time- wrong.   

Rose Pruning

Despite the lovely warm, dry weather the winter pruning must be done! Especially in mild years when plants are fooled by lack of cold and just keep growing and growing and growing. In the pictures above I have some before and afters of Roses trimmed and untrimmed (also note the poor staking of the tree rose- please use large.metal stakes when planting or this will happen to yours). Anyway the idea of doing winter pruning is to maintain good structure in the plants, prepare for the flowers and new growth in the spring and to prune out any dead or diseased wood also any crossoing branches (this is not always possible).
When pruning Roses always wear leather gloves preferably Rose gloves that have cuffs that cover your wrists and forearms too.  After many, many scratches and abrasions I finally have learned to always where my gloves. 
I don't really like to prune back into the old wood (branches with old bark and main trunk) so I try to keep up with the pruning each year so this doesn't become neccesary.  Roses are fairly forgiving though so a few wrong cuts aren't usually a disaster.
Start by pruning out the current years growth cutting back the green wood just above an active bud (one that is plump and not dead looking). I like to leave 2 active buds along the branches so as the Rose grows out there will be enough new growth.  Prune out any dead and damaged wood.
The old rule of thumb is not to leave the cut end of a dead branch any longer than 1/4" from the trunk.
As you prune open up the center of the plant so that as the foliage fills in there are not branches crowding the center and creating dark spots and poor air circulation that encourages pests.
As you finish pruning the Rose remove any leaves left on the plant and rake up below to remove diseased leaves that can infect the plant in the coming year.
For diagrams of the pruning see the Sunset pruning book which is very good or attend a class at a local nursery. I am happy to consult with local clients on garden care also.
A little care makes the world of difference in the flower production and health of your garden.
Enjoy and Happy Winter pruning!

Helping SubTropicals to Overwinter

We haven't had many hard freezes in the past few years but delicate sub-tropicals i.e. bougainvillea, gardenia, mandevillea, hibiscus etc.................need some help even in mild winters.

Spray these plants in early December with Wilt-pruf or Cloud Cover anti-dessicants to help them survive the winter cold.

If there is a warning out for a hard freeze cover plants with an old sheet or ground cloth (never plastic!)
supporting cloth off of the foliage. Putting a lamp or light (turned on) below the cloth adds heat to help in a freeze.

Move potted sub-tropicals under an overhang on a warm wall (south or west facing).

When planting these plants try to locate them below an eave on a warm wall so that even in winter the wall will warm in the day and retain some heat at night.

Avoid pruning back frost damaged areas of plants until way after the last freeze to allow plants additional coverage from old foliage and to see where new sprouts will appear.

Powdery Mildew

A fungal disease, Powdery Mildew, shown here on the leaves of a Lilac shrub is a common problem in our area.  Many times it is not a serious disease appearing on leaves just as the plants are about to go dormant or die off for the winter.  New growth in the spring can also be affected and the leaves usally drop off or can be removed without treatement.

The fungus is most common in the foggy,humid  days of spring and fall clearing up with the advent of warmer weather or the chill of winter.

Some plants are very prone to powdery mildew and it requires spray to help contol the disease on those plants- Squash, Zinnias, Hollyhocks,the older Rose hybrids and Dahlias are some plants that spring to mind.

Plants that are in areas of poor air circulation, the wrong light for the plant or overly humid areas can become so diseased that the plants will never thrive, so choosing the right location for the plants and not overcrowding or overwatering helps also.

With all fungal diseases it is important to remove any diseased leaves from the area below the plants as they fall or hand pinching out diseased leaves to stop the spread of the spores.

Sunset Western Garden book sites this fungus as one that likes dry surfaces so they suggest spraying plants with a jet of water early in the day to remove spores.  They also site sprays of baking soda or garlic diluted as helpful non-toxic methods for treatement.
An anti-dessianct of Wilt-pruf or Cloud Cover can aslo help to block the action of the fungus.

As I said this is a common, mildly serious disease which usually clears up on its own so my action is to just remove diseased leaves and make sure I rake up under the diseased plants.

Rose Care

When I first started studying Horticulture I didn't really think much of Roses. To me they were just spiny, diseased and gawky looking plants with an occasional nice flower. Then I started growing them and everything changed. I discovered the many varieties of Roses from ultra fragrant to ultra vibrant. Wow! I fell in love.

These days I usually have at least one scratch from rose thorns and always have one of our Roses blooming even in the winter.

I am amazed at how tough the plants are and what they become over time. As the plants age the trunks and branches become thick and tough supporting big plants with numerous blossoms mostly in spring but on and off all the time. At this point Roses are like candy to me and I never tire of trying new varieties and pouring over catalogs. So what does it take to grow lovely, healthy Roses? Well, some fairly general stuff.

First of all- Roses are not drought tolerant. They need consistent water throughout the year.

Let the area dry out in between watering and soak deeply 2-3 times a week.

Roses need sun- at least 6 hours. Hot reflexion off building is not great for them and burns them so it is better to have them out in an open area. Climbers can be on walls but use a trellis to allow for air circulation.

When planting use lots of compost and dig a big hole. If using bareroot roses follow planting instructions carefully being sure to poke in areas around roots with your hands or a broom handle to fill in air gaps around roots.

Feed them. They like rose food or slow release fertilizer. Follow label directions and water in well so roots don't get burned. Feed roses at least once a year in early spring.

Dead head old flowers. Cut back spent blossoms to the first 5 leafed stalk consistently to perpetuate bloom.

Prune back in January. Always prune Roses in the dormant season removing dead wood, shortening canes and cutting crossing branches. For climbers leave the main canes and cut back lateral branches to 3-4 buds. Miniature roses and floral carpet roses just need a little thinning and to be cut back about 4-6" at all branch ends. Pruning revitalizes the plants and keeps them full.

Don't crowd them. Over crowding causes areas of poor air circulation where diseases and pests can live.

Choose the best quality plants. Don't buy your roses from Home Depot! Order first quality Roses from Jackson and Perkins. They are the best and will do very well in the garden.

Enjoy and love them- they like that best!

Rodent Explosion!

Over the years I have battled Squirrels,Gophers, Rats, Moles and the occasional Rabbit but now a full fledged war is on!

The mild weather and late spring rains have created a huge population of rodents in our area. Add to that the depletion of natural predators and we have a big problem on our hands.

Rabbits aren't just in the wildlands anymore they are creeping into lots of urban areas and have been eating a perfectly trimmed skirt around shrubs, ruining lawns and decimating flower beds.
With Gophers eating the tops and Deer browsing too, some areas have become very frustrating garden spots.

If you have a Deer Fence then adding aviary wire along the base will help keep Rabbits out. Deer repellent also works for Rabbits, so that can help if they haven't taken over the garden.
Inside the fencing the Rabbits need to be trapped and moved out into the woods.

Gophers are also taking off and we now routinely use galvanized aviary baskets to plant in but make sure the wire extends up high enough so they don't dive over the edge into the root ball!

Gophers also can be trapped or there is a pretty good pellet drop tool for poisoning them. Not so great for wildlife and cats though!

Let me know if you need a referral on Rodent trapping or information on Deer tolerant plants.
There is no sure things with Deer or other pests but the damage can be kept down with some evasive measures.

One of the key things we have found with these pests is that herby, auromatic plants seem to be something that Rabbits and Deer dont like and even Gophers avoid.
At least these are plants that are good for humans and bees plus are low water requiring!

Squirrels and Rats are also an issue. They eat bark off trees, your fruit and the tips of branches just as they bud out. They are impossible to control and the best solution is a really good hunting cat (or a pack of them). Dogs help a bit but can't get up high enough to be a real threat.
They are way out of control in terms of population size so trying to dissuade them from living in your attic or nesting in dense foliage is a definitely called for. Covering trees with bird netting or mesh doesn't work for these guys at all. Best to plant fruit trees away from powerlines, fence lines and other adjacent trees. An Arborist friend pointed out that the powerlines are the Squirrel highways!

Good luck and I hope you are not a casualty of the rodent war!

Fall Check List

All of a sudden its fall! Scarlet, yellow and orange leaves glow in the late afternoon sun and the air is kind of cool and warm at the same time.

It is a great time to get out in the garden before the yucky cold weather and hard rains.

Here are a few things to take care of before all that:

Clean off the roof and clear the gutters.

Trim back long branches and excess growth in trees and large shrubs to let the air move through and to give them a good shape.

Rake up falling leaves so the snails don't make a home in them and have lots of eggs.

Spread slow release fertilizer for the rains to wash into the garden.

Turn down or off the irrigation controller as the rains pick up.

Pick up fallen fruit and any fruit still hanging on the trees that are over ripe to avoid

disease problems.

Check areas in garden where water can collect i.e. cans, pots or carts and turn over.

Put in cushions, umbrellas and outdoor decor that can be damaged in the storms.

Check drainage points and clear inground drain outlets that have collected debris and leaves.

Well that sounds like quite enough to do. I forgot to list- sit in a lounge chair and have a nice warm beverage!

Happy fall- it looks like it will be a great one.

Chlorosis

Chlorosis- a condition in which leaves turn yellow with veins remaining somewhat green.

Above on the left is a chlorotic citrus tree with yellowing leaves and some curling of the leaves.

Above on the right is a healthy citrus with good looking green leaves- lots of them.

In our area we have a lot of heavy clay and alkaline soils which tie up nutrients to trees and plants. In this case some of my Citrus are showing these signs of chlorosis or the lack of available iron. Sometimes a lack of zinc or manganese can also cause this. Believe it or not the healthy tree is in the same garden but is planted in better soil where the bunny hutch used to be!

The extra organic matter helped to loosen and fertilize the soil so that tree is doing great.

For the other trees I am using 'liquinox' chelated iron and zinc (in liquid form) diluted in a

bucket of water and then fed around the drip line of the trees. This is done every 3 months in the growing season. Our large Orange tree I will give several buckets full around the much bigger drip line.

This should help the trees green up, fruit better and be more full. It is a good idea to add compost or mulch around the base of chlorotic plants and carefully work it in if you can. This will break the heavy clay surface and allow nutrients to penetrate the soil. Try not to break up the root mass too much. For citrus it is important for the leaves to shade the thin bark or the branches and trunk can get sun scald. So the fuller the canopy the better.

Citrus are just one of the trees effected by this condition. Gardenias are also especially susceptible along with Hibiscus, Avocado, Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Nutrient deficiency can effect any plant but these are some that are prone to iron deficiency in our area.

Re-potting Orchids

Orchids are tree dwellers thusly they don't really grow in soil but are planted in bark. Special orchid bark as a matter of fact.

Orchids are commonly given as gifts in tiny containers or even in plastic sleeves. They like to have their roots crowded but after awhile they sap the energy out of the old bark and it is time for new.

We were just potting up some the other day and thought I would pass on a few notes about the
process.

Choose a container with a hole in the bottom (no water logged roots that way).

The container should only be a little bigger than that of the original (crowding is good).

Leave air roots exposed. These are roots that have grown up out of the sides or crown of the plant over the pot or into the air. These roots like to be misted by the way.

Add slow release fertilizer to the orchid bark- Osmocote is good but not too much.

You can use pebbles or broken pot shards in the bottom of the pot to avoid the hole getting blocked.

Gently lift out your Orchid and place it in the pot and fill around the root ball with bark. Don't break up the roots or score them. This can damage the plant.

Clean the leaves with a damp cloth. Remove any dead leaves.

Orchids like light but not hot direct sun. They enjoy heat too but not to the extreme. Create humidity by misting occasionally.

Orchids will actually bloom again if you put them on a regular fertilizing schedule and give them good light- a room that gets strong morning sun is the best.

Cymbidium orchids are the easiest and actually live outdoors in a protected spot that gets morning sun.
The hothouse orchids are harder to get to rebloom but they can surprise you if they get their food and some nice warm diffuse light. Hey, that sound like a greenhouse!

Summer Gardening Tasks

I am just getting ready to thin the fruit on the Peach and Apricot.
I am a little late but still can get the weight down on the limbs to avoid breakage. Looks like some propping with 2x4's is in order too.

Summer in the garden is an easy time. Just a bit of weeding and a lot of watering (or spot watering with the irrigation system).
If you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees then it is keeping up with the produce-yum.

Just a reminder to keep an eye on your fruiting plants- including vegetables to check for heavy areas and thin out the numbers. Citrus don't usually need this but if the limbs are long and leggy sometimes the branches on the citrus can break too.

The fruit trees that are in the most danger are peaches, apples, nectarines, persimmons and
apricots. Plums and pears self thin for the most part.
Heavy branches may need propping and I usually thin fruit down to be spaced evenly on the branches rather than in bunches. I want to be greedy and leave more but that has lead to breakage in the past.

Other garden tasks include: keeping up with snail bait and or patrol, dead heading (removing dead flower heads), deep watering trees (once per month in the summer and early fall) and
lawn fertilizing (and of course mowing!). For other parts of the garden use a slow release fertilizer that works for 6 months. I usually apply this in the spring and fall. Watch for yellowing or leaves that have green viens and yellow leaves. This is a sign of iron deficiency and the liquid iron or chelated iron formulas are best for this.

Enjoy the long,warm days and evenings. Keeping a nice garden and patio area really pays off in the summer!

Violet Agression

Heart shaped leaves. Lovely little dark purple flowers. Green
lushness. Who would have guessed such a nice ground cover would become a rampant pest. Well, I should have.

I didn't plant it and yet these wild violets have emerged and spread throughout the garden at an alarming rate. Beware!
Now I spend my evenings digging it out and plan to spray any
new shoots with Round-up. This is what it has come to.

I think this weed got past me by being so nice looking and I was further seduced by my Mothers exclamation of "oh look, violets!". She loves them but now I know the reason they call them "wild" violets.

So just a warning- don't let them go crazy in your garden or they will squeeze out all the nice plants that you have actually planted!

Time for some Lawn Care

I have been noticing a lot of yellowing lawns of late. It is time for some lawn fertilizing! This year we have these late rains that will help wash down the fertilizer into the ground even better.

Fertilizer gets tied up easily in our heavy clay soil so it needs a lot of "leaching" or heavy watering or rains to get it down into the soil. The lawn above is looking good- a nice medium to dark green and very even in color.

I don't really recommend any certain brands as there are a ton but you can go with your preference as to organic or un-organic type. A balanced 10-10-10 or some close variation of those numbers is good. Use a drop spreader or broadcast spreader to apply the small granular and wash in well because fertilizer can be very burning in any form. Follow instructions on the bag carefully to avoid burned patches.

Lawn fertilizer comes with or without weed herbicides. The "weed and feed" type controls broadleaf weeds in the lawn and works well- do not use in planting beds! It will kill your plants.

If you get lawn fertilizer without herbicide in it then it can also be used for flower beds around your home. Wash leaves off after application to avoid burning.

You will probably use both types over the course of the year so having the two types on hand is o.k.

For planting beds I like to use 'Osmocote' slow release fertilizer because it lasts for 6-10 monthes and is relatively non-burning. It takes awhile to work into the soil so if you need fast results this is not the thing. It can be used on lawn but is not as good as regular lawn fertilizer due to its slow action.

Lawns typically are fertilized every 6 weeks in the growing months- March-November.

I have noticed that gardening services are pretty random about this and are lax in feeding the garden. You don't want to over do it by fertilizing if your gardener has already done it so a frank conversation is in order. In general if the garden has a light green-yellow tinge in late spring/early summer it is a sign that no nitrogen/fertilizer is being applied.

In planting beds adding fertilizer then mulching or adding compost to the area in a 1-2" layer

will help feed the plants and hold in moisture. Pull mulch or compost away from plant crowns to avoid crown rot.

Topdressing lawn with fine soil conditioner is a similar idea to this for the lawn. This is normally done when adding seed for thin spots. Fill dips, low spots or holes with clean, coarse sand and over seed as needed then topdress. This helps keep the lawn even.

Dethatching and aerating is the last task in lawn maintenance. Aerating can be done every other year. Dethatching is done every 5-7 years or more. A lawn service can do this or you can rent the equipment to do it yourself.

Last note- do not use Chem-lawn or services that come out to do fertilizing for you. They are using too much chemical fertilizer, too often and making a toxic environment for your family and the community -not to mention the creatures living in the garden! It is better to under-do than overdo it with chemical fertilizers!

Enjoy the green and protect your lawn health for a longer lasting turf.

Mother's Day

It has long been my Mother's Day tradition to spend the day in my garden. I am often too busy to spend a whole, entire day in my garden so this is a luxury for me. This year it is kind of rainy but that will be refreshing- I guess. I am re-doing a path that has sunken about 2" and is now kind dangerous to traverse.
Usually I spend the day planting flowers and the tomato plants. This is a great day to do this after the cold weather but before the heat of summer sets in. The tomato is a slow plant anyway just taking its time until we get some hot days. But yum- there is nothing like a plump, homegrown tomato.
My kids always understood. They knew what their mother was really passionate about. They thought it a good excuse to lounge around in their rooms. We avoid the restaurant crowds and get a tan instead! The garden appreciates the care and is more beautiful for it. All I ask is that I be left in peace to do my thing with an occasional- "hey, Mom how ya doin?" Then back into the house they go or off to see friends. Its great.
Now the girls are off on their own but the tradition continues and I enjoy it just as much. The phone brings the "hey- Mom how ya doin?" instead of their shiny faces but that is o.k. too.
I hope you all have a lovely Mother's Day and can get some time to relax and enjoy the people or things you are really passionate about.