North Shore Gardener March 2007

Photo: BJones

March 7: Perennials – should I plant from seed or buy plants?, Soil for garden

Soil for garden
Q: Could you help me out with a general question regarding building up the nutrients in my beds - they have a variety of stuff - lilies, lilacs, butterfly bush, and a few other bushes (not exactly sure what they are, they aren't doing too well). My friend had planted things here and there and the soil was basically a clayish fill. If definitely needs help, I just don't know what to use. Last year I used the all purpose 90 day pellet slow release fertilizer just to give it a little boost but the plants definitely need more. I was going to put some vermiculite and then some peat to add little depth for now until it compacts. Do we need to get a truckload of topsoil? The bed is about 30 feet long by about 3 feet wide, a pretty big area that runs along the entire length of a fence. Also, is there an all purpose fertilizer I should be using for the bushes? I know azaleas and rhodys have there own plant food but we've got such a wide variety, any suggestions?

A: WOW! You've really been thinking "gardening" during this cold spell! I'll try to help!
First the soil: Please have a soil test done! This is particularly necessary if you have never done it before....or if where you have new beds. Simple test kits will be available at garden centers - but a more sophisticated test can be done by the U. of MA at Amherst ....check their website for prices and directions for taking samples. Beyond this, you should be adding fibrous material compost -it's very important for a clay soil! -So here's a new project for you! Start a compost pile for use through the coming years - leaves, grass, garden clippings and prunings, as well as some kitchen waste can be added to the pile.....This year, you might have to buy some compost...next year, it's free! Peat is a good fiber, as is manure - but dig it into the garden, don't just spread it on top! Peat can form a water barrier when it's laid on top of the soil, not dug in. When dug in, it holds water well - but so will the free compost you're going to have next year!. An all purpose fertilizer sounds fine - but use a special acid-based fertilizer for your rhodys and azaleas and maybe hydrangeas.....time release pellets are a great time saver - and they're available in many formulas from flowers to veggie to houseplants to acid.....! Buying a load of compost, not topsoil, would be beneficial, but not cheap. The load would be dumped in your yard - and then, you'd have to spread it around. (I’ll tell you a secret: I got the promise of a load of compost for my birthday this year!)

Perennials – plant from seed or plants?
Q: Coneflowers and similar perennials - we are going to place an order with Burgess Seed in the few weeks and were going to buy the plants but should I just start from seed if I find them in a store locally? A packet of seeds would be under $2, the plants are about $6 or $7 for 3 plants. I know I would have to wait to see results but is the wait worth the money saved? As always, any advice is greatly appreciated. Can't wait for spring to get out in the yard. We made 2 new beds in the fall and I'm curious to see what made it thru the winter. Thanks M.G.

A: Perennials are always a bargain when they're grown from seed. They’re certainly not “instant color” – but they are permanent color which you won’t end up replanting every year, True perennials won't bloom until the second year if seeded directly in the garden......If you start them indoors now, giving them a head start their first year, you might get blooms late in the summer - and certainly in years to come.

One advantage in growing from seed is that there may be many more different seeds available to you for different plants and colors ---growers usually grow the popular varieties, but that is changing rapidly, and most gardener's don't want to wait two years for the plants to mature. We're demanding special plants, already growing and ready for our gardens. Sometimes it’s tempting to buy the plant.(I saw a beautiful new echinacea called "Green Envy" - pale green petals with a rosy blush - really beautiful - but new - and $25. per plant!!) You won't find seed for this one in stores, at least for a couple of years... Echinacea (coneflower) is easy to grow – but since it has a long tap root, it doesn't like being relocated.
Plant seeds inside or outside in early spring, 3-4 weeks before last frost - or in the early fall - they take about 10-20 days to germinate....this plants about a foot and a half to two feet apart, when a few inches tall - then ignore them! Happy gardening! Keep in touch through the year - let me know how things are growing!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
This year - Daylight Saving time begins earlier – and ends later –
New dates for 2007: March 11 –Nov. 4.

Because of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the starting and ending dates have once again shifted. The familiar “”first Sunday in April, last Sunday in October dates were set in 1987 and changed several times during the OPEC oil embargo. Beginning in 2007, daylight time will start on March 11, the second Sunday in March - that’s next Sunday morning - and our days seemingly grow suddenly longer – we will all “Spring forward….” with great joy...Well, maybe not all! NOT in Hawaii, American Samoa, Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Arizona---except for the Navaho Nation which is predominately in Arizona and DOES go onto Daylight Shifting time! Confusing? A little! Why? What is in it for me? Why do we bother to change the clocks? It will give us more time to garden in the evening!! But….we still have the same number of hours of daylight, whenever we choose to use them. Why not call it Daylight Shifting Time? We’re not saving anything – just shifting an hour of daylight from morning to evening! Maybe we’ll use less electricity. And oh yes - this year, kids will go Halloween trick or treating in daylight, which should reduce street accidents. The Secretary of Energy will consider the energy saving that results with this new time change and will report on energy usage saved – and could change date back! One thing is sure: This year, we will end Daylight Shifting Time on Nov. 4, the first Sunday in November….when we will again “Fall back….”

March 14, 2007: Summering poinsettias, Pruning winter damaged branches, Ficus sap

Pruning winter damaged branches
Q: We lost some pretty big branches from both evergreens and fruit trees over the winter – the wind and ice really did a job on them. After I remove the broken branches, can I cut the broken stubs that are still on the trees and even the trees out – or is it the wrong time to cut and prune?

A: Prune all you want as early as possible – until the sap starts to run later in the spring. Certainly remove the broken branches – and cut the broken stub ends off evenly to prevent further damage and disease. Most arborists tell us not to paint the bare ends – it was once thought that this would speed “healing” and keep bugs out, but the tree will heal just as fast unpainted. Cut the stub end off near the trunk, but don’t touch the collar, the slight swelling where the branch meets the tree trunk. I sometimes rub a bit of soil on the cut end, just for esthetics – then the cut place doesn’t look so obvious!

Ficus sap?
Q: I have enjoyed reading your column. Now I have a request. My Ficus tree has developed small, wax like deposits on some of the leaves. I have also noticed some of the leaves have browned at their tips. I use a wheelchair and therefore don't get to examine this quite as well as I might otherwise. The very white deposits are unlike what I have seen from white fly on the backs of leaves which are more like a suctioned on capsule, or is that from an avid or is that aphid? At any rate I have checked this under a jeweler’s loop and very white waxy deposit is my best explanation to date. Although a friend did mention it was somewhat of a milky substance as well. Such a dilemma! This tree has grown to be huge over the past 10 years and fortunately I still have house room for it so would hate to loose it now. Thank you ahead of time if you can possibly shed any light on my problem and otherwise thanks for trying. Would it be helpful to send you a specimen? Regards, B.N., Essex, MA

A: I’ll pass on the specimen! Specimens scare the guys in the mailroom!!! Ficus trees are in the fig tree family - they all have a white sap that harmlessly “bleeds" when a leaf or stem is broken or pruned - try it with a healthy leaf and see! Could this be what you are seeing? If there is nothing else troubling the tree, I think this might be the problem. Browning leaf tips could be due to over-fertilizing - or more simply, overly- dry hot heated air in the house in winter. Try adding additional humidity with water pans, misting, or even a humidifier - your plants will feel the difference, and so will you! Scale leaves a clear and very sticky residue behind - but it is definitely clear. Sometimes it is the only way you can locate the nasty, pesky scale on the underside of a plant leaf. Scale looks like tiny brown lumps, although the immature scale is soft until the shell hardens. Your big tree sounds wonderful - but some of the big trees can literally grow tall enough to go through the roof! (I have a Norfolk pine tree that we use as our Christmas tree that is going to hit the ceiling this year! (I told my hubby we might have to put a skylight in the roof!) You might consider gently pruning your tree as it reaches maximum height -ficus trees take well to gentle pruning in the early spring and generally become fuller and bushier during the summer growth period.

Summer poinsettia care
Q: I know you have discussed the procedure for "summering-over" a poinsettia plant ... I've clipped the articles and put them away safely at least once. This past season's plants are finally dropping their bracts and I can't find the article anywhere. Any chance you can access the original article and send it on? I have 4 plants to experiment with! Either way, thanks; I am a regular reader and I really appreciate your column. D.B., Marblehead, MA

A: So you want to become a poinsettia grower this year? Here’s a quick schedule for making poinsettias re-bloom that you can use every year:

November to December
Buy a healthy poinsettia, one that is fresh and strong – no yellow leaves, no bugs, principally white fly! And transport it home carefully through the cold. Place in a sunny window and water carefully. Enjoy it over the holidays and beyond.

January through May
Provide strong light all day and keep barely moist.
Fertilize every two weeks.
Prune to 6-8 inches tall around April 1 and repot if necessary

June through early September
Move the plant outdoors...they need to be outdoors in order to receive the higher light levels…
Provide 6-8 hours direct sun. Keep moist and fertilize weekly with an all-purpose fertilizer.
Pinch back the top 2-3 leaves on each stem to keep the plant bushy all summer- but stop pinching by late July, early August...certainly not later than September first. Pinching any later will rob you of flowers in the coming season.

Mid September
Take the plant indoors before temperatures at night fall below 50's.
Provide strong light all day. Keep evenly moist. Continue to fertilize every week.

Early October through Thanksgiving
Poinsettias are photoperiodic plants - which means their flowing is dependant on temperature and light levels. SO.................:
Every day: keep in bright light - keep moist - keep warm, 65-75 degrees during the day,
Every night: 5 pm-8 am – the plant must have complete, uninterrupted darkness - and lower temperatures! Any stray light can interrupt the blooming schedule - so no peaking, even with a flashlight! Cover them with a box or opaque bag - or move them daily to a cool, dark closet by late afternoon. Remember! No peaking!
They must have a cool night - about 10 degrees lower than daytime, as well as the hours of complete darkness to bloom.
Continue fertilizing weekly and watering....

Around Thanksgiving
As soon as the bracts develop some color, discontinue day/night treatment, but don't forget the daily bright hours of light, either artificial or natural. When the leaf bracts finally are fully colored, stop feeding - they'll bloom longer. Provide bright light. Keep moist, just like any tropical houseplant.
Don’t expect your blooms to be as huge as the original plant's – the plant will revert to a very charming smaller, and a wilder, natural poinsettia. Get ready to "wow" your friends next Christmas! You are now on the way to becoming a professional poinsettia grower!
I have also sent you another article which appeared here a few years ago. Good luck!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Get busy indoors!
Now is the time to evaluate and repot houseplants. Why now? Because roots are beginning to grow and respond to increasing early spring light and warmth. Lift the plant from the old pot very gently. If the roots have filed the pot, it’s time for a new, bigger one, if you expect the plant to grow larger. Replant in fresh soil in a pot about 2inches larger – don’t overdo pot size unless you have plenty of room. Water newly potted plant well and protect from strong sunlight for a week or two. When new growth appears, resume normal light conditions for that plant and begin a regular fertilizing schedule. Keep in mind that some of your plant clippings can be saved and rooted….they root fast now! This is also the time to prune houseplants. Some have grown leggy indoors – carefully prune as they come back to life this spring.

March 20, 2007: Hellebores, Butterfly bush, Grapevine, Check saved summer bulbs one more time!

Pruning grapevine
Q: I have 10 - 12 Niagara grapevines that produced grapes for the first time last summer. Over the last couple of years I have probably not pruned them correctly, and allowed each to develop 2 main stems. This spring should I prune off the thinner of each set of main stems? G. and C.M.

A: If they are healthy, and you have the space, leave the two main stems. Most growers initially prune to one, but if these have been growing for several years, you would sacrifice some fruit for the next year or two by cutting one of them. I might keep them - and prune the new canes. Are you growing them on an arbor or horizontally on wire? Fruit is obtained on new growth growing from previous year's growth. How can you tell one from the other? One-year canes have smooth bark; the older canes have a rougher bark. The best time to prune is in very late fall to late winter - finish pruning by April when the sap will be running (If you see sap “bleeding” after pruning, don't worry - it should not harm the vine, but try to avoid "bleeding" by pruning earlier next year!!) Remember - it's not just the fruit that counts - the vines also have to be allowed to produce foliage to feed the plant over the year - (and to produce the fruit for next year!) Hurry! Put on your boots and go out and prune the grapes before spring really comes!

Check stored bulbs
Q: What do I do – or when should I do something with the summer bulbs I saved from last year? I packed them away carefully in vermiculite and they’ve been sitting in the cellar all winter. Is now what is the right time to start them growing? I have saved gladioli and dahlias and a few tuberoses.

A: Check those saved bulbs one more time before planting time! It’s not time to plant quite yet – but just to be sure, just like you check your potato/apple bin or drawer, you need to occasionally take a peek and check for rot and mildew – and discard any rotten bulbs. Then you’ll be ready to plant when the weather gets warmer---or sooner if you are starting them indoors. If you have to replace some bulbs, for best selection, now is the time to order them.
Dahlias: start indoors, 6 weeks before last frost – plant tubers horizontally, like a sweet potato.
Tuberoses – start indoors or direct plant after danger of frost and ground warms– very slow to grow if ground is cold.
Glads – directly plant after last frost date – no early indoor start necessary
Tuberose begonias - start indoors 6 weeks before last frost date

Butterfly bush
Q: I have several Butterfly Bushes which I didn't cut back in the fall. When can I do it? Four of them are about 2-3 yrs. old and the others a few years older. The butterfly bush is doing really poorly and I'm afraid we're going to lose it. Can it be saved – or should I just plan on buying a replacement this spring? They’re really beginning to sprawl!

A: It’s much too early to make a judgment on your butterfly bush! If you cut back the butterfly bush last year, it should come back with great vigor and bloom. Pruning is best done in August, and perfectly healthy bushes are very slow to show new growth in the spring ---so don't give up and dig it up! New growth will come from the middle of the clump – and butterfly bushes bloom on new wood (as well as a few blooms on the older wood – so you should get flowers later this year without any trouble. You will need to make a decision about the butterfly bushes this year since you didn’t prune in the fall: This spring, if you can spare the space, don't prune them - they will bloom very lightly on the old wood and profusely on new growth..... If you don't have room for their sprawl, prune immediately - and expect lighter bloom on all growth, old and new. Next year, go back to a normal pruning in early fall.

Hellebores
Q: I planted hellebores about three years ago. It is planted not too far from a maple – the only “good” spot as I hoped to enjoy it Feb- March. However, it has done nothing. Has not died, has not wilted, has not grown, has not flowered!!! I checked it more closely this weekend. Actually, there is some foliage, but not a lot. Some 3” green still there. Not very healthy looking. Do you have any suggestions? I purchased a nice plant from Lake Street in Salem, NH. I did feel plant was a little pricey, but thought seeds would take much too long I did all the usual things – fertilizing, water, etc….thank you. Thank you for your response. L.C.

A: I wonder if you prepared the soil as well as you should have three years ago when your initial planting was done. And did you continue watering over the summer? Yes, seeds take a long time - at least four years from seed to bloom, so plants are usually bought for the first planting- then you can save all the seedlings in future years. Hellebore is a trouble-free plant but once it gets its feet deep into the soil, it strongly dislike being moved about. But maybe the only chance is to dig the plant, amend the soil to a depth of about 12-14 inches and replant. This may be difficult as you have correctly planted under a tree, where they get early unobstructed sun in winter, but dappled shade during the rest of the year - but also there are the tree roots which will compete with the plant for nutrients and water - so water and fertilize throughout the summer Remove dying foliage after you see the new, green foliage appearing in late winter or spring, but be careful not to disturb the buds. There is still hope for the plant this year if you see foliage - and you might even get blooms later this spring. Due to the cost of the plant, I would certainly try amending the soil and replanting. If growth you are seeing now continues, you might water and fertilize all summer - then do the soil amending and replanting in the early fall. Replanting will set the plants back for another year or even two, but it will all be worth the premium price you paid for the plant! By now, I'm sure you know that all parts of this beautiful plant are extremely toxic - in fact, the ancient Greeks used to grow this plant and use it to poison the wells of their enemies - 'nuff said??

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
“Spring has sprung,
The grass has ‘riz…
I wonder where
The flowers is!”
Spring! It snuck in the back door at 1:26 pm yesterday in case you were busy eating lunch – and missed it. Spring is still hard to see unless you look very closely…… The willow trees along Rt. 128 are showing their green tips against a grey sky…is rain coming – or snow? Cardinals are singing and flying back and forth, checking out your landscape – they’re returning to claim new territory in your hemlock trees…. A few crocus and snowdrops are blooming – but that’s old hat! We saw them just last December! Winter didn’t seem quite as long this year...…we only needed parkas for a few weeks...and boots for a few weeks longer….We were duped by the late summer, followed by a late fall that lasted into December and so were the plants, so some bloomed…...only time will tell what damage was done. Spring is here – and with it, the beginning of another year of gardening.

March 2, 2007 : Perennial plants arriving! But it’s snowing!, Using old seeds, Doggie damage, Tuberose begonias

Perennial plants arriving! But it’s snowing!
Q: I was very organized this spring and placed my orders for many of my perennials two months ago, thinking I could beat the rush, and not face the risk of any “out of stock” notices. They promised to send them “at proper time for planting” – but they’ve started arriving now – and it’s going to snow! I admit that I seem to be getting everything I ordered because I ordered early– but now, what do I do with the plants? I can’t plant them now – there’ still snow!!! Help, please!

A: Don’t worry – open the boxes so the plants can breath and store them in a cool, dark spot for a week of two and plant as soon as possible. It doesn’t have to be warm and sunny to plant perennials – bare root or potted perennials can be planted within a month of the last frost date in your area – a grey day in April when it’s sleeting is not a pleasant time for planting but someone has to do it. It will all be worth it when they grow and bloom this year and next - and you got what you wanted by ordering early.

Using old seeds
Q: Are my last years old seeds worth saving? They were stored in cool dark place, where it’s dry. Or should I give them to the kids to plant just for fun?

A: You didn’t say what kind of seeds you have. Some of the seed that last the longest are: Veggies- peas, beans, broc, melons, lettuce -
Flowers- alyssum, poppy, sweet pea, marigolds - last at least a few years Delphinium, candytuft, phlox, aster have a one- season shelf life – don’t count on saving them! Whatever you choose to do: Do a seed germination check before you do all the work of planting! Place ten seeds on damp paper towel in plastic bag – keep at about 75 degrees – check after a week or two. If five seeds out of ten sprout, you have a fifty percent germination rate – when you plant those seeds, you will want to sow them more thickly than normal to allow for failure. When germination falls much below 50%, it might not be worth the effort to plant – UNLESS they are special heirloom seeds, or very expensive seeds - then you might want to try them anyway! Please don’t give untested, out of date seeds to the kids – you’re inviting failure in gardening, where you should be inviting success. If they’re first-time gardeners, their initial results could be very discouraging using old seed.

Doggie damage
Q: Grass is finally visible again – and I can see the damage my dogs have done to it over the winter. I have a fenced area where my dogs are allowed to run. There are urine spots all over but especially at the base of certain trees, and in particular in parts of the lawn where he go out – why is it worse during the winter than during the summer months? And why does it damage the lawn? You put cow and horse manure in your garden and it doesn’t seem to bother it. What can I do with the spots?

A: It does seem to be worse in winter, doesn’t it? Doggies tend to quickly run outside to the same spot during bad weather, take care of business as fast as possible and return to their warm home - so we get repeated, more concentrated burning urine stains on the lawn.
Urine and feces both contain nitrogen, which certainly is in fertilizer – but in concentration, it burns the lawn. One of the ways you can tell a urine burn is by a brown or yellow stain, and a lighter green ring around the stain, where the diluted urine is actively fertilizing the lawn! Urine the bigger problem because it’s more concentrated than feces – and you can’t pick it up and dispose of it as easily! And it’s not just the grass! Male dogs can also lift their legs and damage shrubs!

What can you do?
You can walk your dog to different areas outside of your fenced area for each “outing” –
You can “water” urine spots in your own lawn, within 24 hours of use, to dilute the urine – hard to do in winter, but shoveling snow over the spot would also work…When it’s above freezing, drenching the low branches of the dogs favorite shrub with a watering can within an hour of spraying will help, too.
You could use one of the nitrogen- neutralizing sprays for urine on grassy area - try “Lawn Spot Away”, available at PetSmart.
You could walk your dog to the same spot in your yard, and make that “his toileting area” –and forget about that spot - it's “his” area!
Later in the spring, dig in some topsoil and reseed.
Incidentally, fresh manure is never used on your garden – it always is allowed to rot thoroughly before planting, giving it time to lose its ammonia content or it would burn your plants just as dog urine and feces does.

Tuberose begonias
Q I saved all of the tuberose begonia bulbs last fall – when do I plant them again?

A: Not outside yet- but you can give them a head start indoors later next month. If you directly plant them in the ground in May or June when it finally is warm enough, you won’t have blooms until mid summer or later, depending on the weather. Tuberous begonias are started indoors, about six weeks before night temperature reach 50 degrees. Start them indoors in peat or soil in individual pots if there are just a few - if there are many, plant them in a large flat. Some gardeners recommend a brief hours soaking in warm water before planting. Press the corms into the moist soil – don’t cover! Which side is up when planting? It’s very simple to remember: plant them cup, up! But if you get it wrong, the stems will find their way around and up – it will just take them a little longer. Keep the soil constantly moist. Bright light and normal room temperatures - and they’ll be sprouting in a few days. When are they ready for the garden? Take out about the same time you take you’re your houseplants out – temp should be consistently above 50 at night – no colder!

Outdoors, whether in garden or pots, plant in semi shade in a protected area - they’re very fragile plants. Don’t plant where the kids play baseball…or where the dog runs...the very safest place is in a hanging basket.

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Please! Above all – label you seeds as you plant them! They all look alike until the second, more permanent leaves unfurl….
Don’t try to rush seeds growing under lights by leaving the lights on night and day – all plants need to rest - and need a dark period of at least 8 hours out of every 24. If you can’t remember, or don’t have the time, buy a simple timer and let it turn the light on and off on a schedule – the job will get done whether you’re there or not and you will save electricity, too, because the lights won’t be on any longer than needed.