Corliss Clips
March 2012
A monthly newsletter for fellow gardening
enthusiasts... offered with the hope that our Zone 5
garden experiences will prove useful, wherever on that
USDA map you garden. Presented by Corliss Bros.
Garden Center & Nursery / Authored by Deb Lambert
March 2012
A monthly newsletter for fellow gardening
enthusiasts... offered with the hope that our Zone 5
garden experiences will prove useful, wherever on that
USDA map you garden. Presented by Corliss Bros.
Garden Center & Nursery / Authored by Deb Lambert
As we plan a successful new season of gardening, with winter lingering beyond the windowpane, let's ignore those "wintry mixes" and turn our attention to attractive new candidates for the home landscape. Here's a little something to cure those late winter blues, alleviate your spring fever and get you out of that recliner... maybe get you dancing?
Twist-n-Shout™[Botanical Name: Hydrangea macrophylla 'PIIHM-I' (PPAF)
Common Name: Endless Summer® Twist-n-Shout™ Bigleaf Hydrangea]
Common Name: Endless Summer® Twist-n-Shout™ Bigleaf Hydrangea]
Meet this recent addition to the Endless Summer® family. Like the two previous introductions, this reblooming lacecap hydrangea produces flowers on new and old wood... making it perfect for tough New England winters... no more non-blooming macrophylla hydrangeas for you, with loss of overwintering buds. For those of us who follow such things, the added excitement is that Twist-n-Shout was developed by Dr. Michael Dirr of the University of Georgia... a veritable rock star of the plant world, whose widely respected research and shared information form the basis of many a gardener's or plantsman's opinion ("Manual of Woody Landscape Plants," etc). Parentage is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lady in Red' and Hydrangea m. 'Penny Mac'.
Here are the details ~ Prefers partial shade. Flowers all season long, with repeat blooms. As with other hydrangeas, blossom color varies... pink blooms in alkaline soil/blue blooms in acidic soil. Watering: keep soil moist. Feeding: slow release fertilizer in spring, no feeding after August 15th. Height & Spread: 3-5' / 3-5' Other: Attractive large green foliage, turning burgundy red in autumn. Has a rounded overall shape. Zone hardiness: Zones 4-9.
Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer® Twist-n-Shout™ ~ truly a new plant to get you dancing with anticipation... something about which we gardeners can all "twist and shout!"
A popular predecessor: Blushing Bride[Botanical Name: Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blushing Bride' (PP17, 169)
Common Name: Endless Summer® Blushing Bride Hydrangea]
Endless Summer® The Original[Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' (PP15, 298)]
(Thanks to Bailey Nurseries/Endless Summer™ Hydrangea
sites for photos and details.)
Hakonechloa macra ‘Nicolas’ PPAFHardy in Zones 5 – 9, growing 8-16" high. This grass thrives in full sun and well-drained, moderately moist soil. From breeder Bruno Carpentier comes this hybrid with solid green arching leaves that take on orange and red tones in the autumn adding even more interest. The colder it is, the more color you get!
Ornamental grasses bring amazing substance and texture, enhancing other plants and contributing a beauty all their own. Now that you're about to "twist and shout" this winter day away, at the thought of that new hydrangea, bask in the heat of this fiery new grass, sure to add spice and pizazz to any landscape.
NOTES FROM THE GARDEN SHED...
PHOTO: COURTESY POST WOODWORKING(Sheds on display at Corliss Bros.... garden storage with style!)
Armchair gardening concludes!
Time to put the finishing touches on those
garden plans and landscape designs.
And time to start gardening, in earnest...
Time to put the finishing touches on those
garden plans and landscape designs.
And time to start gardening, in earnest...
•Right plant/right place ~ Available light, soil type, drainage, exposure, topography... all must come under scrutiny, whether you're planning new gardens, major renovations or simply planting a single specimen. Do not set yourself up to fail. Be honest in assessing your proposed planting site. Example: Your new lilac will not thrive in the sour, low-phosphorus soil of that semi-shaded spot by the garage... choose another plant. That lilac you've been coveting, needs full sun and well-drained soil, with a higher pH than many of your landscape plants require... annual applications of balanced fertilizer, rock phosphate or superphosphate and pelletized lime (or wood ash) are usually indicated for that lilac to flourish.
•Soil Testing ~ Whether it's a lilac, rhododendron, shade tree, vegetable garden, lawn or flower border, soil fertility and pH (acidity/alkalinity) are determined by a soil test. Soil test kits for the home gardener will provide a good indication about such factors in your landscape and you can make necessary adjustments, according to the results, based on the requirements of the plants you plan to cultivate. Plants already under cultivation, not performing to their full potential, will benefit from adjustments made, based on such soil tests. For more complete, advanced testing, consider sending samples to your local County Extension agent. In this area of New England, our best resource is UMASS (University of Massachusetts, Amherst), Department of Plant and Soil Sciences ~ just click on that link for their website and complete list of services, fees and instructions.
•Planting procedures ~ Once you've determined that the site is appropriate for the proposed plant, garden, lawn, etc., and you're willing to provide whatever yearly maintenance is necessary for success, the next logical and most important step is planting procedure. For complete instructions, whether you're installing balled and burlapped plants, or container-grown specimens, click on the Corliss Bros. website ~ it's a new site, under construction, so come back often for new developments. Click on the Corliss catalog (available soon) cover in my sidebar (catalog pdf will download), then scroll down for the correct procedures. One of the most common reasons for plant failure is planting too deeply... closely followed by over-mulching (also, direct contact between mulch and trunk) and improper watering techniques. Always ask before installation, if you're at all unsure!
•Plant Selection ~ While planting of woody ornamentals occurs from early spring through November, and selection remains strong throughout the season, there are instances where the widest variety selection exists in the spring... fruit trees, small fruits (raspberries, grapes, etc.) and, to a lesser extent, dogwoods, birch, Japanese maples and dwarf and unusual conifers. The widest selection of roses occurs in mid-May, which is also when annuals and hanging baskets are widely available. Late March/early April finds the sales yard starting to fill up with woody ornamentals and perennials starting to populate the bedding department. As with all outdoor endeavors in New England, everything is weather-dependent, so a generous dash of patience goes a long way!
•Seed Starting ~ Most seed packets will list the number of weeks required, from sowing seed to transplanting outdoors. For instance, tomatoes need only about six weeks. Our "safe date" for transplanting is May 30th, though most years mid-May is OK... beyond danger of frost. Therefore, late March to mid-April (I prefer only a 4-6 week indoor start... much longer, and plants tend to be leggy and take longer to adjust outdoors) is actually ideal for starting tomatoes, marigolds and other fast-growers. Take advantage of light, seed starting blends, milled sphagnum, full-spectrum plant lights, heated seedling mats, peat pellets, trays fitted with inserts and clear domes for that greenhouse effect. Plan to harden-off your seedlings (allow about a week) before transplanting outdoors - gradually exposing them to stronger light and wind (beware those chilly nights, however!). Scroll down to "Vegetables" for more timing.
•Cuttings ~ Take cuttings from stock geraniums and pot them up, after sturdy roots develop. Rooting hormone and bottom heat (the same heating mat that encourages seed germination) will hasten the rooting procedure. Your stock plants will benefit from the pruning and reward you with fuller growth and more blooms. Your rooted cuttings, set out in late May or early June, will beautify beds and containers all summer, at considerable savings!
Trays and inserts, often with a shallow dome,are commonly used for seed starting. Your seed
mix blend should be light and fast-draining...
usually a blend of milled peat, perlite and
vermiculite. I like to cover seeds with milled
sphagnum, to cut down on "damping-off."
This seed starting kit utilizes Jiffy 7® peat pelletsas the growing medium - convenient, space-saving
units. Like peat pots, they break down in the soil,
once transplantation is complete. Helpful hint: Slit
the surrounding mesh, as you transplant outdoors.
Finally! At long last! Manufacturers must have heard the pleas of gardeners, everywhere. While an unvented, shallow dome is satisfactory for only the briefest time, we now find a substantial dome that provides the necessary height for growing seedlings, or to accommodate cuttings that are slow to root-in. You can turn any 22" x 11" plastic tray into a miniature greenhouse. No more trying to prop open the base for ventilation, since two separate vents on top easily dial open to various settings.
Provide essential light - more reliable than sunny windows, with you turning the trays 180º everyday. Simply raise the light fixture on its own pulley system, as the seedlings grow, maintaining a distance of 3-4" between bulbs and seedling tops. Your seedlings will be stockier and healthier, eliminating stretching and one factor that contributes to the dreaded "damping off." (Temperature, overwatering, leaving water in the base of the tray, overly-heavy seed starting mix and improper feeding techniques are other contributing factors.) Note: Currently, our light units are hanging, not table top.
These are the full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs, available in 2' & 4' lengths, that approximate the natural daylight under which seedlings will thrive, once planted outdoors. Your light fixture (a shop light, with reflector sides works well... or the unit above) should be run for 12-14 hours per day, during daylight hours. Those seedlings and/or cuttings still need a dark, rest period at night, since we're trying to replicate nature's normal cycles.
Seedling heat mats are available in various lengths that accommodate from 1-4 (22" x 11") seedling trays. This bottom heat hastens germination and rooting, whether you're starting seeds, rooting cuttings or starting begonia tubers. Note: once seed germination is complete, remove that tray and replace with newly-sown units... your mat pays for itself, in no time! If you've never employed such aids as those above, you'll be amazed at the difference, as you give 2011 a head start.
•Starting Begonias ~ These tubers need a generous head start. March is ideal. Planted shallowly, in peat pots filled with a light potting mix, kept lightly moist and fed (only after roots start to develop) in morning sun (or filtered PM sun, or under grow lights), Begonias will be ready to set out in filtered shade, come late May.
•Starting Begonias ~ These tubers need a generous head start. March is ideal. Planted shallowly, in peat pots filled with a light potting mix, kept lightly moist and fed (only after roots start to develop) in morning sun (or filtered PM sun, or under grow lights), Begonias will be ready to set out in filtered shade, come late May.
•Bulb selection ~ In addition to Begonia tubers, you'll find other summer bulbs offered during March and April... canna, calla lily, anemone, gladiolus, dahlia, lily, among others. These are bulbs (actually tubers, corms, rhizomes or true bulbs) that are not winter or frost-hardy, are planted after danger of frost and lifted for winter storage in the fall.
•Check stored summer bulbs ~ Be sure they are still disease and insect-free... use bulb dust, if necessary - discard any rotted bulbs. Continue to keep them cool and dark until planting time. Most can be planted directly into the garden by mid-May. If dahlias are sprouting too quickly, you may need to pot them and grow them along in a sunny window, pinching back periodically for increased fullness. Transplant outside in late May and enjoy earlier blooms than ever!
•Indoor plants ~ Are breaking dormancy. It's time to resume a feeding schedule and an ideal chance to repot, if needed... perhaps readying them for a summer vacation, come late May. Check for any evidence of insect activity and control, if indicated. Often, spider mite becomes very problematic at this time and needs to be addressed, before it spreads or worsens.
•Pansies ~ Pansies, Violas, Johhny-Jump-Ups... hardy little relatives of the genus Viola that thrive in cool, and even quite cold, weather. The first spring color encountered at garden centers and a reliable signal that spring has almost sprung! They may weary during the heat of summer, but usually catch their "second wind," during the cool days of fall.
•Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur ~ Currently unavailable, this combination product is sprayed in November, and again in March, when temps are around 40-45º for the control of insects, eggs and many diseases... probably the most important application, serving to smother these over-wintering problems, allowing us to start the season relatively free from last season's troubles. Fruit, shade and flowering trees will benefit from such precautionary applications, as will small fruits, flowering shrubs and roses. Presently, we suggest applying "All Seasons Oil", at the winter rate, for the control of such pests as scale insects, mites and aphid eggs. To control such diseases as peach leaf curl, black spot and powdery mildew, Lime Sulphur is the ideal choice. In addition to a thorough application on trunks, branches and stems, spray the surrounding soil... especially important around roses. It is not recommended to mix these two products, as plant injury will result... allow at least 30 days between these applications, or risk phytotoxicity with resultant injury. Ask us for help with your particular dormant season control needs.
•The Big Cleanup ~ Rake and sweep away road salt and sand from roadside lawn and garden areas. Follow with your second application (the first is in late fall, as a preventative) of gypsum (this is the curative app.), at 10-15# per 100 sq.ft., to neutralize the affects of that salt. Remove winter mulch from perennials and roses. Pick up winter debris - leaves, twigs, branches - from garden and lawn areas.
•Last-chance winter pruning ~ Before fruit trees break dormancy, and while you can see the overall outline, make those important pruning decisions... shaping, thinning, removing water sprouts and suckers... if the job is too large, contact a Massachusetts certified arborist (or, the equivalent in your state). Prune grapes, as needed, before the sap starts to rise. Cut July-bearing raspberry canes to the ground (only those that bore last season... you'll see the little calyxes remaining). Prune any large limbs from pine or spruce, so wounds heal quickly, without insect or disease invasion. Likewise, the removal of large wood from shade or flowering trees (avoid tip pruning that would remove existing flower buds). Prune away any, and all, dead wood from trees and shrubs.
•Feeding ~ As soils start to warm and dry, probably late March, begin fertilization of trees, shrubs, hedges, fruits and perennials. Weather-dependent, first feeding of roses is late March/early April, as many receive their spring pruning, to remove winter-killed canes and overly-long stems. Organic, granular fertilizers, such as Plant-Tone and Holly-Tone (in combination with rock phosphate for flowering and fruiting specimens) are lightly tilled into the soil at the dripline, preferably just before a soaking rain. For established, deep-rooted trees, use the bar-feeding method - 1# of organic fertilizer & 1# of rock phosphate per inch of trunk caliper (trunk diameter, at waist-height). Deliver into a series of 4-6" deep holes, punched into the soil, around the dripline. What's a dripline? Feeder roots are located right beneath branch tips... the area from whence rain drips from the shrub or tree. We'll talk more about subsequent feedings, next month. If needed, lime to sweeten soil and gypsum to improve drainage, are applied at this time, as well.
•Lime ~ Lilacs, roses and other sweet-soil candidates are limed in spring, to raise pH to preferred levels. Wood ash is also used as a soil sweetener, with a 5-gallon bucket being equivalent to a 50# bag of lime. Lawns are limed now, as well (50# per 1,000 or 2,000 sq.ft.). In doubt? Perform a simple soil test to determine quantities. Lawns with poor drainage will also benefit from a first application of gypsum.
•Vegetables ~ Plan to incorporate large quantities of compost and/or other organic materials. You may need to wait until soils dry sufficiently, before adding these materials. Soil worked too soon, while still wet, is harmed by too-early cultivation and the texture is adversely affected. Soil should be friable. Friable? Squeeze a handful of soil, run your thumb across it and watch it crumble apart. If it stays in a wet clump, it's too soon to work in those soil amendments. This is true for any soil you propose to cultivate. Same test before planting pea seeds! If soil remains wet and cold, the traditional mid-March planting date for peas must be delayed. Onion sets, shallot sets and spinach are also planted, as soils dry and start to warm.
During March, we give an indoor start to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, lettuce and peas. This is the month, also, for transplanting broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery and lettuce. Things to consider? Raised beds warm up sooner in spring, their height making planting and maintenance easier on the gardener. When space is limited, trellis vining veggies and/or grow them in containers.
•Compost ~ Reactivate those bins and piles! Harvest finished compost and till it into fallow beds, as soils become friable. As you gather winter debris, cut down perennial stems and gather stray autumn leaves, begin building new reserves, adding compost activator to hasten the process. As the days get longer and the sun stronger, the cycle begins anew! As always, alternate layers of wet, green material (nitrogen-rich) and dry, brown material (carbon-rich). The correct amount of moisture, aeration and heat (135º-160º, though many piles run from 105º-145º) leads to fast turn-around time for finished compost. Useful tools for compost management (OK, they're fun, as well, and a great gift for the gardener who has everything!)? A compost aerator tool, along with a compost thermometer, are great aids in maintaining a well-regulated, efficient compost pile.
•Birds ~ Mount birdhouses for spring broods. Returning migratory birds, as well as local songbirds who've not yet selected nesting sites, will soon take advantage of spring-mounted housing. The variety is amazing... houses and nesting shelves, especially designed for wrens, chickadees, bluebirds, robins, owls, wood ducks and so many local backyard favorites. It's still important to offer supplemental food sources, until natural food sources and insects are widely available, once again. During the nesting season, up to 90% of their diet consists of insects. Offer a little seed during the warm weather, if you wish... just enough to keep them in the area, for your enjoyment. They'll eat your garden insects, raise their young and provide hours of entertainment. Don't forget that clean source of water, for bathing and drinking!
•Water Conservation ~ Harness the rain! Install a rain barrel beneath your downspout and use this water in the landscape... recycling at its best.
•Last call for tool maintenance ~ Are your hand tools, long-handled tools and cutting tools all cleaned, sharpened and oiled? Including the wooden handles? Power equipment, like mowers and rototillers, should be serviced and may need a tune-up... are yours all set? Last call, before the season is upon us and technicians are too busy to take care of yours, upon short
notice!
•Edging Beds ~ A time-consuming, but necessary, chore. Be sure your bed edger is sharpened and ready to go, as soon as lawn and garden soils have dried sufficiently to accept foot traffic, without damage to soil structure.
•Spreading Bark Mulch ~ Chips, shredded, hemlock, mountain blend, valley dark... the choice is yours. Spread about 3" deep around trees and shrubs, or 1-2" deep around annuals and perennials, mulch will retain moisture, gradually break down into the soil (adding valuable organic matter) and retard weed growth. Cocoa hulls, buckwheat hulls, river stone and bark nuggets are among the bagged materials that will perform the same landscape functions. Never allow your preferred mulch to come in contact with the trunk, stems or crowns of trees, shrubs or bedding plants... always maintain a margin of bare soil around the base of each plant. Consider applying a product containing Treflan® or corn gluten, before topdressing with fresh mulch, around established plants or new plantings, but not in areas where you plan to sow seed, as these products will halt germination of all seed, not only weed seed.
•Lawns ~ As mentioned in earlier segments, once spring cleanup to remove leaves, debris and any road salt/sand accumulation is complete, lime and gypsum can be applied, if indicated. Looking ahead, April is a good month to apply your first feeding of the season.
Don't be too hasty if that first application includes a crabgrass preventative, as soils must warm sufficiently, first. If you abide by the calendar, rather than by specific spring weather conditions (each year varies, of course, and we New Englanders remember many a year where spring is almost nonexistent), your pre-emergence crabgrass control will have leached away, no longer providing much of a barrier, if any, to halt crabgrass seed germination. Remember, there are pre-emergence controls that halt all seed germination and some that allow you sow grass seed (at a higher price point). Look into corn gluten (does not differentiate between crabgrass and your grass seed), a nice safe choice around pets and children.
Take advantage of spring savings on 4-step lawn programs. Going organic? More and more folks are, these days... kinder to the family and gentler on the environment. The Espoma Company produces some fine lawn products, as does Organica®, with their 4-step all organic lawn program that can be tailored to fit your specific requirements... let us help you design your own organic program.
If power dethatching, and/or aeration, are indicated, allow soil to dry sufficiently before attempting this chore. There are some spring seasons that just remain so wet, that it's better to wait until fall, to avoid damaging the lawn. Also, turf should be established for about three years, to be tough enough to withstand these vigorous procedures. To maintain soil integrity, and lessen the chance of damaging soil texture, avoid even foot traffic if soils remain excessively wet.
Oh, yes... moles. What to do? It's too early to apply grub control, including milky spore disease (which takes a while to become established, anyway). Meanwhile, you may be finding mole or even vole (they eat roots and plants, and are primarily vegetarians, unlike moles who are insectivorous) tunnels, throughout lawn areas. Skunks, possums, raccoons and other hungry critters may show up at nocturnal lawn parties - true, they rid your lawn of the beetle grubs, but what messy, destructive guests they are! The granular Mole Max® or liquid Mole Max® are simply two forms of castor oil that drive away such critters, leaving you to deal with any grub problems on your own time table.
•A Plan of Attack ~ At the risk of sounding almost hyperbolic about pest and disease control, it is in your best interest, and that of your entire landscape, to develop a plan... to become proactive, before the growing season is upon you. Based on problems encountered over the past several seasons, as well as commonly-occurring nuisances, develop a preventative plan of pest management ~ Dormant-season applications to start the season clean... naturally-derived Serenade® or Natria® to halt the spread of many diseases, in an environmentally-sensitive manner... keeping plants healthy and well-fed, better able to stave off insect and disease assault... always turning, first, to the most effective/least aggressive solution to any problem... turning to nature for answers and solutions, wherever possible - products derived from beneficial bacteria, natural fermentation processes, soap (potassium salts of fatty acids) and food-grade oils, to name a few. For slugs and snails, turn to products containing iron phosphate, rather than metaldehyde (poisonous granules, particularly attractive to dogs, often with deadly results ~ we have chosen not to carry such products). And lastly, taking direct advantage of nature and target specific pests, by releasing natural predators such as beneficial nematodes and wasps, lacewings and ladybugs.
Got a Big To-Do List? If you're a gardener, especially in New England, you're in good company! Just take it one step at a time... it's all in the breathing! Don't get overwhelmed, this early in the season. Set up a sensible, time-squenced plan and stick to it... at least until nature sends you a curve ball, in the form of uncooperative weather, new diseases or unfamiliar insects. Delight in chores completed - rejoice in communing with nature and the peace you find in the garden - the sun on your back and the March wind in your face. There's not much room for pessimism in the garden... reality, yes - pessimism, no.
A little optimism will stand all of us in good stead, as we commence the brand new growing season. Find a spot for that 'Twist-n-Shout' Hydrangea, plant a 'Green Jewel' Echinacea, Gaillardia Commotion 'Tizzy' or get fired up over that new fiery-hued grass, Hakonechloa 'Nicholas'. Now, get out there and enjoy 2011 in the garden! [Maybe after any surprise snowstorms?]
~ finis ~
Deb Lambert ©2011
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