North Shore Gardener November 2007

Photo: BJones

November 7, 2007: Storing Tender Summer Bulbs, Milkweed, Pet Problems, Lupines

Storing summer bulbs and tubers-
Q: What do I store bulbs such as cannas, elephant ear, and caladiums, tuberose begonias in for the winter - peat moss, perlite, or both? Could the caladiums just be left in the pot in the garage over the winter to die off instead of taking them out of the pot? I bought them in a pot and they are so nicely arranged, I hate to disturb them. Thank you for your time to answer my questions

A: Gardeners use either peat or vermiculite or perlite - or dry sand or a fine wood mulch - but I must admit I use neither – I air-dry flat on a garden tray with perforations or on a wire shelf or in a basket! The peat/vermiculite, etc. really doesn't do anything but separate the tuber/bulbs though the storage period and helps prevent rot – you should check them and move them around monthly no matter how you store them! As long as the bulb/tuber is in a dry and cool, and relatively dark, they will go dormant.
Dig them, shake the soil off after they dry for a few days, inspect for rot and bugs. Remove the leaves and stems after they die and store. I store them in a mesh basket - and last year, my cannas were piled in an empty, dry birdbath in the cellar and covered with a trash bag until they were repotted indoors in early spring!

Your caladiums could be stored in the pot of soil they're in - but next spring, you are going to want to change the old soil and replace with fresh topsoil or compost for the new growing season - so they will need repotting. You could take pictures or make a sketch of the placement you like and duplicate it next year - but remember that your tubers will have grown considerably over the summer and may grow quite differently.

Milkweed eradication
Q: We have milkweed. How can I get rid of them permanently?
A: Milkweed is difficult to get rid of.
You can try spraying each and every stem with Roundup or another plant killer.
And you can methodically cut off the seed heads. You know just how many seeds they produce each year! But while you're at it, why not take out the whole plant, root and all? After a rain, or watering, the whole plant will pull out quite easily.
The milky sap from the plant is quite irritating to some gardeners – please wear gloves when handling it.
Before you pull it all out, remember that milkweed is the primary food for the beautiful Monarch butterfly - do you really want to get rid of all of it?

Pet problem in garden
Q: There is a pet using an area of our flower bed as a litter box. I don’t know the culprit. Do you know of anything that would keep pets (dogs) off my lawn and flower bed without being toxic to the pet or my lawn/flowers?
JTG

A: The doggie problem is a little easier – and maybe there are cats, too! Try a product called Liquid Fence - it's a repellant liquid and you use it around the perimeter of the area and it safely repels dogs and cats.
It is made from natural plant oils and is not harmful to the invading pets or to kids playing in the area. Since it repels by scent, it must be re-applied often, probably weekly and particularly after a heavy rain....

Care of lupines
Q: I need some advice on lupines---have had success in raising lovely plants from seed which have flowered all summer long--lots of foliage as well--with the winter approaching, I am wondering how to winter them over--do I cut the leaves down to the ground and sort of mulch the roots over for the winter--or do I leave the green growth as is and try to cover with leaves etc to protect as much as possible thru the freezes?
Last winter the plants were so small that I could cover them easily with the leaf cover and hold till spring when they began to grow-- but this summer saw them get quite tall and now covering them will be a bigger problem and project.
My first instinct is to cut the leaves off and cover the remaining with leaves etc till next spring (am wondering also, if that is the correct thing to do, when is the right time to do it?)--might this be the thing to do? Hate to do something that will end up in my losing the plants as they were a lot of care to get this far from the seed state!
The instructions for the 1st winter were to mulch the small plants over giving protection from the weather--which I did--but there were no directions for the next seasons -Thanks for any help you can offer in this regard--
L.K.

A: I think I'm going to save you some work - since you worked so hard growing those wonderful lupines, you deserve a rest!
Let the foliage die down naturally with the frost, then remove it ----and that's all! Lupine does not require winter protection - in fact, mulch will promote rodents to nest in the delicious roots. Next spring, rake them out carefully so you don't damage foliage.
You may have some trouble with plants heaving with frost - gently replace them when you can, but do it gently - do it by hand, not with a heavy, booted foot!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Are you lacking refrigerator storage space for all of those delicious root vegetables that are still in the ground? Store the denser fleshed root veggies right where they grew – in the ground!

There is no better place for turnips, beets, carrots, radishes, vegetables our ancestors grew for use during the winter months. The first few frosts won’t bother them at all; in fact, they seem to get even sweeter with a frost. As the ground begins to freeze, you will need to cover with about a foot of straw or chopped leaves to prevent the ground from freezing solid – after a snowfall, you can just kick the leaves and straw aside and pull the veggie and store in your refrigerator.

Be sure to label your in-ground vegetable storage areas well so you can find them after a snowfall. You might even convince the kids to eat their veggies through the winter if they can also have the fun of digging them out of a layer of leaves and snow!

November 14, 2007: Wood Ashes, Fall Fertilizing, Tomatoes, Clematis

Wood ashes
I have another question, if you please. I realize you suggested coffee grounds for azaleas and rhododendrons, as they like it acidic. However, for lilac bushes, did you once recommend wood ash from the fireplace? Are there other shrubs that might like wood ash as well?

Many thanks, S.C.

A: Yes, wood ashes can be used on any plant that is NOT acid-loving: NOT on rhodys, azaleas, blueberries, cranberries, citrus, etc. Also - wood ashes should never be applied where you are going to grow potatoes, as it will promote potato scab. Wood ash has a liming effect on the soil.

Don’t "go wild" on the application of wood ashes to your garden - in general, about 20 pounds per 1000 sq. feet can be applied each year. (That’s roughly the equivalent of a 5 gallon pail - so do measure!) And twenty pounds of wood ash equals about 6 pounds of commercial ground limestone applied to the same area.
Note that I keep referring to wood ashes - nothing else will do! If you burn paper, trash, coal, lumber, painted or treated lumber, you will have to find another way of disposing of it.
And there are other uses for wood ashes in the garden:
Wood ashes will repel some insects and slugs!
If your compost is particularly acid, with a lot of pine needles or oak leaves, you can neutralize your compost by adding a sprinkle of wood ashes to each layer....
A note of caution: when cleaning your fireplace or fireboxes, protect yourself as if you were handling any strong alkaline material, like household bleach: Wear gloves, goggles and a dust mask - and do not apply wood ash outdoors on a windy day!
Have fun cleaning out the fireplace! You'll need it soon!

Fall fertilizing
Q: I wasn’t very good about fertilizing my hydrangeas and fairy princess roses this past summer. Is it too late to fertilize or what can I do to prepare them for winter? I would really appreciate an e mail response so I could get things done this weekend.
Thank you,
D.

A: Fertilize in the spring - if you fertilize now, you may cause soft, new
growth that will not make it through the winter.....
And don't prune the hydrangeas now - depending of the variety, hydrangeas have set their buds for next year and any pruning will reduce flowering for the next year. Prune next year, immediately after blooming. Of course, we have to count on a more mild winter, too, for good blooms! Any completely dead wood can be pruned out anytime.......
Prune the rose before leaf buds unfurl next spring -
Winter protection is always a plus - but not a necessity - burlap wrapping later in the early winter, and mulching after the ground freezes certainly will be of help - but it's a bit too early for that now!
Watch the Patriots this weekend instead!

White rings in tomato flesh this year
Q: My tomatoes were good this year but there was a ring of white in the outer flesh when you cut them open. What causes that? Is it a deficiency in the soil?
Thank your for all the help I get from your column.
Sincerely,
A.C.

A: This somewhat mysterious symptom is not visible to the eye - until you cut or bite into the tomato flesh!
There does seem to be some correlation between a low potassium level in the soil and this disorder - weather may also play a part in it: Extremely high temperatures during ripening seems to trigger it, too.
It may help if you fertilize the bed this fall with a higher potassium fertilizer: this formula is found in special fertilizers made for tropical plants, or simply a fall fertilizer for general garden use. Check the fertilizer labels for potassium (symbol K) content - the last number on the package should be high.....

Clematis move
Q: I have a clematis vine at my mailbox facing west directly in front the roots are covered by a cement block build a wall 10 inches tall. I also mound up mulch to another 6 or 7 inches higher to protect the roots from the full sun.
It bloomed beautifully and looked healthy until in the intense summer sun. Some of the leaves turned brown, some did not. I use a mixture of sevin, rosepride, orthonex, and spraying oil in all gardens.
I also found a never seen before bright yellow spider on the plant.
I would appreciate your thoughts. if I need to move it when is the best time and any suggestions on a similar flowering perennial-
A., Methuen

A: First of all, tell me: Why would you want to move it?!?! It sounds like it has the perfect home, right where it is-
BUT if you insist, you can move it in the fall (hurry now - time is getting very short!) or late winter/early spring, before new growth begins. (If I had a choice, I think I'd do it early next spring.)
Prepare the new planting hole first with plenty of well-composted material - be sure the new place is as good as the old site!!! Then, dig the plant with as large a root mass as you can handle. Water well! Mulch after the ground freezes - and baby the vine for at least the first year! Expect some set-back in flowering next season.
Clematis are remarkably hardy vines - but our weather has been so unreliable this year.
Write if you need more information - don't know much about the yellow spider-but it must be very hardy, with all that you say are spraying on the garden - do be careful with mixtures!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Collect and move your winter gardening supplies indoors - the supplies you’ll need for houseplants on the windowsills:
Clean a few pots – you’ll always have a plant that needs repotting next February!
Buy a couple of bags of potting soil….
On the last mild days, take care of the dirty chores you can do best outdoors: A final bug spraying, plant bathing, trimming –
Rescue any late blooming annuals that remain in the garden – they’ll be gone after a hard freeze. Pot them up and take them indoors for temporary houseplants: a few dwarf yellow marigolds, some purple or snow-white alyssum, a coleus or impatiens all make wonderful, colorful, but short lived plants – and they’re free!
And get ready to move in for the winter!

November 21,2007: Walnut Tree, Hollyhock,

Transplanting walnut tree
Q: When I was reading your article on horse walnut trees and I wanted to know how to relocate a young walnut tree. What kind of soil and what technique should I use? What is the best time of the year to do this? I would appreciate your help.
Sincerely, I.I.

A: It's getting a little late to transplant a tree, although many nurseries are still shipping them for a few more weeks. It is very important that the transplanted tree has enough time to grow new feeder roots before the ground freezes hard - otherwise, transplant before the buds break in the very early spring and before any new growth begins.

Certain rules always apply whenever you transplant a tree:
Dig the new hole before you dig your transplanted tree, so that the little tree in transition never dries out.

Dig a deep enough hole and clear roots and rocks - this will be particularly important with your walnut tree because walnuts have a very long tap root ---which is why many people prefer to grow them from seed!

As you plant, fill the planting hole with good soil - walnuts do best in rich soil which holds water, not dry sandy soil.

If you do choose to transplant this fall, applying an anti-transpirant will help to keep the little tree from drying out in cold, dry winter winds.

Choose your new site carefully - give the tree plenty of room! Most walnuts do the best if they are grown in sun, as specimen trees – walnuts often reach a height of 100 feet.

Baby the young tree for several seasons with plenty of water.....and keep the area under the tree well-weeded, so the tree doesn't have a lot of competition for nutrients and moisture.

I don't know how old your tree is, but walnuts generally take seven to ten years to fruit - and of course, in later years, lumber from a walnut tree is superb!

Hollyhock letter
Q: Is it just my hollyhock or did others suffer the same death mine did?
I had about 20 plants in my garden and one day I noticed that the bottom leaves had wilted and were falling off. I took off a leaf and when I turned it over I saw it was covered with brown dots. It seemed that something small was imbedded in the leaf and causing it to die. I pulled off many of the lower leaves of each plant to try to stop the progress up the stalk but it didn’t help. What ever caused it continued all the way up the plant?
I’m concerned about next year since I certainly don’t want the same thing to happen.
What can I do if anything next spring to prevent it?
F.G., Topsfield

A: You probably have rust on your hollyhocks. Hollyhocks are easy plants to grow – but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their problems! And rust is one of them. What makes rust difficult to control is that it can winter-over, even in cold New England. Rust invades plants that are stressed – and this summer was certainly a stressful year for all of our garden plants! Removing the bottom leaves sometimes does help – but not when the disease has already spread. Diaconal or Funginex, which are broad spectrum fungicides can be used, if you use chemicals in your garden – use according to directions.

In the meantime, do what you can to discourage the disease: Clean up the hollyhock beds thoroughly this fall, disposing of all waste by burning – do not compost!

Keep your plants healthy next year: Provide them with plenty of water, and feed well – a low nitrogen fertilizer will promote better flowering – try a rose formula or a bloom booster.

If you mulch this fall, be sure to clean the hollyhock beds first, and then allow the ground to freeze before applying mulch or you’ll be harboring more rust….

Some hollyhock trivia:
In years past, tall hollyhocks were always planted around outhouses. That way, ladies could always find “the facilities”, without having the embarrassment of asking!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Keep raking the leaves - will this fall never end?!
Coming soon! The last lawn cutting! – the last time you’ll have to cut the lawn ‘til next spring!
The final cut of your lawn should be a short one – that allows better air circulation over the winter and hopefully less mildew.
If the almanac is right, we’re going to have a snowy December and January – and then a warm and early spring! So you might be cutting that lawn again a lot sooner than you think!

November 28, 2007: Dahlias, Carrots, Weeping Sally, Concord Grapes

Dahlias found
Q: I have some dahlia tubers that never went in the ground this season. They have been wrapped in newspaper. I would like to keep them overwintered until next year, but have noticed that they have started to sprout. What should I do?
Thanks. L.S.

A: To prevent further sprouting, your dahlia tubers must be quickly stored in a dark, cool place (about 35 degrees, NOT freezing).
First unwrap the newspaper and thoroughly inspect and discard any tubers that show any signs of rot or mildew. If those premature sprouts are more than 6 inches long, remove them after they dry and die.
Repack the tubers in plastic bags of dry sand, or peat, or vermiculite - don't crowd them! The purpose of the dry packing material is to keep the tubers from touching and prevent rotting over the winter.
Place the prepared bags in a cool, dry, dark place over the winter - and you'll have a good chance of saving the tubers for planting next spring.
Wait! You're not done yet! -Be sure to check the tubers every few weeks all winter for rot AND rodent damage!!

Pumpkins are orange - but carrots are white!
Q: I harvested my beets and carrots this weekend. I did receive a bumper crop but some of my carrots are white. Are there such things as white carrots? P.S. They are not parsnips!
P., Byfield

A: Absolutely YES! There are white carrots -and maroon, and purple, and yellow, and red, too!
I don't know where you got your seed, but I’ve seen multicolored carrots seeds being sold for kids' gardens this year - maybe a few seeds got mixed in! In extreme conditions, excess water, or high heat can lessen the color of a carrot.
Next year, you might check with an heirloom seed purveyor for some of the highly colored varieties if you want to grow some of the more exotic varieties.

Failed graft on Weeping Sally
Q: I planted a "Weeping Sally" last fall that has not turned out as expected...
The branches that were "weeping" seemed to have dried out and did not produce
any leaves/pussy willows this spring/summer.
Many new branches are growing shooting out from the trunk and the opposite
side of where the dried weeping branches are located. It appears that the nursery
had used a "wax" to control the direction of the branches to form the
cascade/weeping appearance.
What would be your recommendation to assist this tree to its "planned"
beauty?
Should I cut the seemingly dead branches, and trim the wildly growing other
branches?
Thank you, Weeping in Salem

A: Your "Weeping Sally" is a grafted tree on which branches of a weeping willow tree are grafted to the trunk of a stronger, more upright willow tree trunk in order to produce the "weeping", downward effect. Grafting wax is often used to hold the new branches in place until they bond with the trunk.
When any grafted willow tree produces a shoot from the trunk, it will not be the same kind of willow as the grafted branches and will not "weep" and grow in a downward manner - instead, it will be more upright, like the parent tree trunk.
You should have been instructed on how to trim off the wildly growing branches from below the graft line.....this is preferably done as soon as the bud appears, not after the branch is fully grown.......
There seem to be several problems with your grafted tree:
Some of the grafted branches have died.....The reason? The graft has simply
failed.
You note that the tree was bought barely a year ago. Before you cut a single branch, contact the seller (I hope you bought it locally!) - and ask for a replacement. He should be responsible for the graft failing.
When the tree is replaced, be sure you understand how to deal with the wild shoots - and give a new tree extra protection for the first few winters and plenty of water all through the growing seasons.

Concord grapes splitting
Q: We had a large quantity of grape clusters this year that grew to the right size, turned purple and just as they were ready to eat, many of them split at the top or didn't finish ripening. At the end of the vines the last few leaves wrinkled and turned whitish. It looked like some type of infection. I sprayed with 7 once, but if this is what I needed, it was too late. Anything I should do now for next year or in the spring?

Bill

A: The white on the leaves sounds like powdery mildew - make sure the vines are cleaned out thoroughly in the fall and destroy all effected foliage, but do not compost. There are plenty of fungicides on the market to control mildews - just make sure that the one you use is for eatable crops. (Safer makes one ....)
Grapes will split when grown in coastal areas which are very humid - they will also split when the vines are over-watered, or irregularly watered, whether by you or Mother Nature, which could have been the problem this year - this is a problem with tomato splitting, too..
Mulch next year to try to maintain a more even level of moisture, and don't water unless the soil is dry below the mulch.
As you found out, grapes don't continue to ripen after they are picked, so that is not a solution to your problem this year....

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Poinsettias are tropical perennial shrubs, so it's possible to keep them growing from year to year. In order to encourage them to produce their flower bracts this winter, they must be kept at 50 degrees and kept in total darkness for 12- 14 hours per day beginning any time from Sept to October first…..
Tip: Next year, plants can be set into a black plastic bag – and the bag rolled down each morning, and pulled up each evening.
Here is where it's tricky. Any small light can upset the process: .ANY light, a street light, a severe electrical storm or even turning on a light bulb for a few seconds can delay the bloom, so it takes a little effort. But it is very satisfying to see your results when you finally uncover the plant some November morning and see the red color creeping into the foliage. Then you can bring the plant out into a warm, sunny room and enjoy it for the holidays…..and you can finally forget about covering the plants each evening!

If you forgot to cover your plants this year, be assured that they revert to their normal blooming time and will eventually bloom anyway – of course, it might mean poinsettias at Easter or the Fourth of July!

But what are you going to do if you uncovered the plants this Thanksgiving week – and they are turning red already?? Not much, except to keep them in a cool spot to slow down, but not stop the color change.