Archives of "The Gardener"

Click links to view abbreviated "Gardener" columns from 2006-2007 issues of The NEWS. (The complete articles are available in The NEWS.)

• The June Gardener (2007)
• The May Gardener (2007)
• The February Gardener (2007)
• The December Gardener (2006)
• The November Gardener (2006)
• The October Gardener (2006)
• The June-July Gardener (2006)
• The May Gardener (2006)
• The April Gardener (2006)
• Viburnum Leaf Beetle Alert (2006)

THE JUNE [2007] GARDENER

1. Plant Okra, lima beans, beans spinach
2. Peppers-mid June when soil is 55 degrees along with eggplant and tomatoes
3. Plant sweet potatoes
4. Design and plant your containers and window boxes
5. Plant your annual vines mid to late June
6. Harden off the flowers and vegetables that were started in the house in late May and early June, depending on the weather
7. In mid June it’s time to plant the annuals
   
8. If you do not use soaker hose for your gardens remember all plants and lawn should only be watered between 5:00 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. The plants need an average of 1” of water a week. Use a rain gauge; in the shade garden or where there is a canopy you may need more moisture

Walk that garden, but most of all HAVE FUN!

Kathrine Neville
Horticulture Chairman

THE MAY [2007] GARDENER

1. Harden seeds planted inside in April put outside in a shady protected area before planting in the garden
2. Fertilize bulbs with organic fertilizer
3. Prune early spring blooming shrubs as soon as they are through blooming
4. House plants go outside went temperature of outside is the same as inside/ in the shade for at least a week before putting them in the sun.
5. Ask Nursery people as you shop for plants for the new deer resistant and mildew resistant plants
6. Know your enemy-this is the time for insects also caterpillars which may become butterflies-remember the birds need those insects to feed their young- be aware of what you are spraying/ or avoid spraying all together and let those natural predators take over.
7. Use Horticultural oil and baking soda formula, once a week on roses and other plants which have a tendency towards powdery mildew/ Hort. Oil is great for smothering aphids
8. Cut back the wisteria after blooming and root prune it.
9. Clean all the containers and window boxes with a strong solution of bleach and hot water (if they fit put them in the dishwasher) ALWAYS use new soil never reuse-put the used container soil in the compost pile.
10. Walk your garden everyday, get to know the plants and you will be able to react to changes quickly before great damage is done.

Kathrine Neville
Horticulture Chairman

THE FEBRUARY GARDENER 2007

"Plants in pots are like animals in a zoo - they're totally dependent on their keepers." John Van de Water, "Potted Plants," Star-Ledger, 1996

Houseplant History
In the winter, passionate gardeners turn to their houseplants to satisfy their green-thumb urge. Indoor plants date back 3000 years, evidenced in Egyptian artwork of plantings in stone urns and troughs. The Greeks and Romans built a central atrium in their houses, decorated with container plants from surrounding vegetation. In the fifteenth century, southern European explorers brought botanical treasures back to their kings and queens. Some of these tropical plants survived in the southern European climate. Over the subsequent centuries, German, French, and English collectors brought back exotic flora from South America, Asia, and Africa. Eventually, in the seventeenth century, wealthy rulers built "plant houses" called orangeries to house citrus, figs, and palms. Today, most houseplants come from the tropics, a belt covering 40% of the earth's surface that circles the globe between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Our job, as gardeners and plant enthusiasts, is to provide our plants with conditions that closely replicate their tropical heritage.

A Happy Plant is a Healthy Plant
The correct amount of light, the right temperature, and water are the most important conditions for houseplants. Most plants require between 30%-50% humidity, a condition difficult to achieve in the average home. Create your own humidity by grouping plants together, placing them on orchid trays filled with water, or trays filled with pebbles and water. In addition, most plants need a 10° change in temperature from day to night. Water most plants when dry to the touch. Overwatering is the biggest cause of plant demise! The other main cause of plant failure is buying the wrong plant for the wrong conditions. Know the requirements of your plant before you bring it home. Feed with a balanced fertilizer, 20-20-20, but hold back feeding from November till March when most plants are resting or dormant (There are always exceptions to the rule.)

A Healthy Plant is a Healthy You
Scientific research supports the fact that houseplants are good for your health by producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide, toxins in the air, noxious household chemicals, and noise. By creating their own humidity, they can reduce dry skin, aid in recovery from illness, and provide shade. Beside all the good reasons to have houseplants, they are beautiful to look at, often are fragrant, and add to the ambiance of a home.

Enjoy the healthy and aesthetic benefits of your houseplants.

Recommended Reading
The Houseplant Expert by Dr. D. G. Hessayon, $17.95
Well-Clad Windows by Tovah Martin, $27.50
The Houseplant Encyclopedia by Ingrid Jantra and Ursula Kruger, $29.95

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

THE DECEMBER GARDENER 2006

“Only evergreen wreaths echo the medieval traditions of swags and garlands, of bringing greenery indoors during cold winter months. Of course these wreaths make great Christmas decorations when interspersed with red or silver, as we so frequently see today, but their beauty and scent should be enjoyed throughout the year.” Rob Pulleyn, The Wreath Book, 1988.

The familiar, pungent scent of evergreen needles ushers in the spirit of the holiday season. What better way to mark this special time of year than to decorate your home with wreaths, swags, garlands, and tabletop decorations fashioned from cut conifer branches. Almost everyone has one conifer, or more, in his/her yard. Most gardeners have a wealth of different species of trees and shrubs from which to choose. Instead of purchasing the omnipresent balsam wreaths at nurseries and gardening supply stores, think about making your own this year! The project is fun, easy, and much less expensive than purchasing wreaths that have probably been cut and fashioned a month earlier.

Wreathed in Green

Begin your project by cutting 5”-6” lengths from evergreens. Cutting from several varieties of conifers makes a prettier wreath. For 25 years I have been gently pruning our trees, making sure I have a variety of pine, spruce, chamaecyparis, juniper, hemlock, fir, and arborvitae. Since I make more than one wreath, I can use pine, hemlock, and chamaecyparis for one wreath, and a combination of juniper, fir, and spruce for another. As you cut your lengths, place them in a large plastic garbage bag, and once filled, store the greens in a cool garage or basement until you are ready to start your project. There is no need to keep the cut lengths in water. You can spritz the greens with water, and they will store beautifully until needed. Try to cut from your trees on a warm day in November – cutting can take a while, and you might as well take advantage of a nice day.

When you’re ready to start making your wreath, you will need a flat two-wire wreath form or a crimped wire form (size is your choice), #22 gauge spool wire, and wire cutters, clippers, gloves, and about one to one and half bushels of evergreen sprigs to make an 18” wreath. Gather 3 – 5 sprigs in your hand, and with the wire securely wrapped to the wreath form, start wiring the bundle to the form, repeating with each bundle, overlapping the ends until you have wired all the way around the form. When selecting which evergreens to use in the bundles, select for color, texture, and form. For example, choose a stiff piece of spruce, add a feathery length of hemlock, and finish with a graceful sprig of pine. Always gather the bundles in the same order. For contrast, every 5 or so bundles, I will add a sprig of golden chamaecyparis or blue spruce. You can add berried evergreen holly, Ilex verticillata, sprigs of rhododendron or mountain laurel, wire in pinecones, nuts or fruit. Many gardeners grow unusual varieties of conifers and different berried shrubs, so the choices are endless. Finish your wreath project with a purchased or homemade weather-proof bow. If you have leftover sprigs, use them in table arrangements (no need to buy greens from the florist!) or make a garland. It takes time, but produces a beautiful, unique decoration using your home-grown selection of evergreens. It will be prettier and last longer than pre-made garlands.

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

THE NOVEMBER GARDENER 2006

"Keep in mind that the average home is five percent drier than the Sahara Desert, has almost no air movement and usually poor light. These are hardly ideal conditions for plants.” Phil Tacktill, of the Jiu San Bonsai Company, on challenges of growing bonsai indoors, The New York Times, December 29, 1990

By November all houseplants that summered on outdoor patios and porches should be safely indoors. Check plants over carefully for signs of insects and disease and treat accordingly. Some plants may need repotting, and don’t forget to withhold food from November – March. Instead of bringing in large pots of geraniums, coleus, and other annuals, take cuttings and pot them up in smaller pots. Next spring you should have beautiful plants to start early in your gardens. Early November is the last date bulbs should be potted for spring forcing. Bulb pans should be kept in a cool, darkened basement or refrigerator (35 degrees – 45 degrees) for a period of 8-16 weeks, depending on the species, then gradually brought into warmer and lighter conditions.
November garden chores

• All planting, divisions, and transplanting should have been completed by the end of October
• Cut back perennials not left for winter interest to 2”- 4” from the ground
• Don’t prune evergreens or mums
• Rake leaves or shred by mowing leaves for compost use (also a good winter mulch for beds)
• Drain hoses and shut off outdoor faucets from inside to prevent freezing
• Plant bulbs before the ground freezes

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

• Finish planting, dividing and transplanting in early October
• Bed preparation for spring planting can continue throughout the month
• Keep new plants watered
• Rake leaves and put them in the compost pile, OR, leaves can be shredded by the lawnmower and left on the lawn as organic fertilizer
• Perennials that have ceased to flower can be cut back to 2”-3”
• Prune back late summer-blooming shrubs, if desired
• Thin out woody vines and raspberries
• Fall is a good time to do preventative pruning of tea and hybrid roses
• Basal pruning of evergreens (“limbing up”) can be done in fall
• When transplanting shrubs or trees in fall, prune branches to compensate for the loss of roots from digging them up

Enjoy autumn’s cool, crisp air and vibrant colors!

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman


(See the complete article in the October NEWS)

THE JUNE-JULY GARDENER 2006

“So extensive and beautiful is the genus Lilium, so varied in form, color, and periods of blossoming, that, like the daffodil, a garden might be made up composed of it alone. We readily concede its beauty; the next thing is to manage it.” George H. Ellwanger, The Garden’s Story, 1889

Perennial borders explode with color, form, and texture in June and July. If the rose reigns supreme in the June garden, the lily is the jewel in the crown. For over 4,000 years the lily (Lilium) has had historical significance in many cultures, a symbol for royalty, religion, and purity. It is a sun-loving bulb that likes rich, sandy soil and good drainage. A balanced fertilizer, lightly applied, keeps it happy before and after blooming. The Royal Horticulture Society and the North American Lily Society combined efforts to set standards for today’s horticultural system of nine divisions, based on origin and flower form. Lilies can be planted for massed effect, are useful as specimens, are useful as specimens, and make excellent cut flowers.*

June - July Garden Chores

• Finish planting by mid-month
• Transplanting and dividing can continue, but cut plants back and keep shaded
• Staking should be in place
• Watch for Japanese beetles – handpick and destroy
• Keep new plants watered
• Weed, weed, weed!
• Pinch back chrysanthemums and asters
• Deadhead to prevent reseeding, especially Aquilegia, Iris sibirica, Achillea, and Monarda
• Spent foliage can be cut back, such as Hemerocallis, tall bearded iris, and hardy geraniums

Take time to smell the roses…and the lilies!

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

(See the complete article in the June-July NEWS)

THE MAY GARDENER

“There is nothing like the first hot days of spring when the gardener stops wondering if it’s too soon to plant the dahlias and starts wondering if it’s too late.”  Henry Mitchell, The Essential Earthman, 1981

For gardeners, May is the busiest month of the garden season. Warm temperatures and long daylight promote phenomenal growth in plants and lawns.  May is planting month in the Northeast, where beds must be prepared for new plants and transplants.  Fill in those blank spaces with annuals, which offer great variety in color, form, and texture, putting on a non-stop show for months, whereas perennials bloom for only a few weeks, leaving the bed with green foliage.  Annuals brighten up a vegetable garden and can be used as companion plants (i.e., plant marigolds near tomatoes to thwart tomato pests).  Planters and hanging baskets bloom incessantly all summer, filling voids in different areas of the garden, patio, pool area, front entryway, etc.  Used as edging, annuals provide a unifying effect for a border.  Mass them for dominant effect in the mixed border, or in an annual bed where they are grown for foliage, height, contrast, or color.  Deadheading, feeding, and watering will maintain steady growth and bloom.  Nurseries and garden centers carry a kaleidoscope of new varieties. Tropical plants have been popular in recent years, and in the Northeast we can plant them as annuals, enjoying coleus, Colocasia, canna lilies, Brugmansia, and Phormium. 

Purchasing plants in flats is the quickest and easiest way to achieve a colorful effect.  For the more industrious gardener, starting seeds indoors can be very satisfying, plus ordering from catalogs offers a wider variety of choices.  Either way, annuals give you a great bang for your buck.

May Garden Chores

• Remove winter mulch
• Continue planting new plants and keep them watered
• Transplant and divide – this is the month to do this, while the shoots are small
• Add fresh mulch to beds
• Weed!  Keep up with the weeds now or you and the garden will become overwhelmed.
• Start pinching summer-flowering perennials
• Deadhead or shear spring-blooming perennials
• Stake delphiniums, peonies, and tall phlox
• Prune conifers for shaping, but don’t prune the leader  since it will change the tree’s natural habit of growth
• Prune spring-blooming shrubs after flowering (Deutzia, Syringa, Forsythia, Weigela, Kolkwitzia, Hamamelis, Kalmia, and Rhododendrons)
• Fertilize roses after first growth and feed every 6 weeks
• Top-dress perennial borders with an all-purpose organic fertilizer
• After hardening off, plant vegetables and annuals after the last frost date (between May 20 – 31, depending on the Zone)
• Direct sow other vegetables such as corn, bush and pole beans, and parsley
• Re-seed bare spots in the lawn

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

(Read the full "May Gardener" column in the NEWS)

THE APRIL GARDENER

“Nature has bestowed on Rex begonias many of her choicest gifts, uniting the radiancy and brilliancy of previous jewels, the luster of metals with the beautiful colors of the textures of the most costly fabrics.  The leaves alone possess all those charms, while the dainty flowers add lightness and grace.”  1911 catalog of Theodosia Shepherd and Company.

April Garden Chores

• Spring garden renovations begin
• Remove winter mulch
• Divide and transplant perennials when they are 3”-4” high
• Fertilize, top dress, and mulch
• Weeding begins in earnest!
• When the weather warms, prune back tender perennials such as chrysanthemums and monch asters

Let Spring begin!

Ronnie Schoelzel
Horticulture Chairman

Back to Snips and Tips page