Diggin' It
Free gardening newsletter
It’s true that more gardening information than you can ever use is available free on the Internet.
But I like gardening magazines – Horticulture, Organic Gardening, Garden Design, and Fine Gardening -- and the garden sections of some home magazines – Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, and Sunset – even though I have to pay for them.
I can take a magazine along on a plane or just carry it out into the garden. I can build up a pile of them to read during the shivery winter days when I’m longing to be outdoors digging in the dirt.
And I often go back through them, “discovering” a plant that I recall wanting to try at the time but couldn’t find or got busy and forgot about.
The other day a nice compromise between online and print unexpectedly came my way. It looks as good as a magazine, but it shows up in your e-mail inbox – and it’s free.Fine Gardening calls it a monthly eLetter. (You can sign up here .)
The May 15 edition offers articles on clematis, morning glories and their beautiful kin, basil basics, window box how-tos, and remaking a flower bed.There’s an introductory paragraph and a color photo with each topic, then you click to go to a website to read the entire thing.
I printed out the one-page e-mail, which is sort of like a magazine cover, to keep as a reminder of the topics it covered.And I smiled as I did.
Yes, it’s the beginning of yet another file of gardening info – but at only one page at a time, it’s going to take years before it actually becomes a pile!
If you have other gardening newsletters you’d like to recommend, please leave a comment below.
The organized gardener
I’ll never forget the first time I talked with a long-time gardener who was able to tell me how different varieties of tomatoes and peppers had performed for him the year before – and even five years earlier.
He also knew how much rain had actually fallen on his yard (not at the official weather station) the previous week – and each of the past 10 years.
He wasn’t one of those people with a phenomenal memory who’ve been in the news lately. He wrote things down in a garden notebook. As I recall, it was a looseleaf notebook so he could just keep adding pages as the data accumulated.
Here’s one that’s free for the downloading. HomesteadGarden.com offers free printable pages to help you get started. Or, if you’re the crafty type, make one.
The type of notebook doesn’t matter nearly as much as having the information all in one place .
I like to keep track of the plants I buy each year and how well they grew and bloomed – or didn’t. That saves me from trying the same wonderful-sounding plant twice because I’d forgotten I’d already given in a whirl and it was a dud.
I like to know when my various hydrangeas and other shrubs bloomed each year, when we ate the first tomato of the season, and whether a particular cultivar of cucumber was a heavy producer or not – and for how long.
A garden notebook can also remind me of plants that I really liked and want more of. I always save the label and paste it to the page or put it in a special plastic bag that holds all the labels for a particular year. I never ceased to be surprised at how often I refer back to these.
I’m a bit of a weather junkie so I like to record the weather’s ups and downs, lows and highs, wets and dries (noting the rainfall amounts with a rain gauge in my backyard).
I’ve never done this, but a graph or drawing of all your beds is a wonderful idea.
If you’re big on experimenting in the garden, you can note different types of fertilizer you tried during the year, tools you bought, and so forth.
A to-do list at the front of the garden notebook can be a handy reminder – there always seems to be one thing that you forget about over and over.
And don’t forget to add photos! We gardeners often can use inspiration. It’s such a pleasure to look back at pictures taken at the beginning of a project, see how far you’ve come, and be able to say, “Hey, I’ve made a difference.”
That’s what’s keeps us going.
Grow roses in pots? Why not?
I’m a space-challenged urban gardener who lives in an 1870s row house. The front is shaded by street trees – obviously not a good place for growing roses, which enjoy soaking up the sun.
So when a UPS truck unexpectedly delivered several rosebushes the first year I lived here, I wondered what in the world I was going to do with them.
I wanted to grow them – they were hybrids that were being introduced the following year, and I’m always curious to try something new. Besides, I love roses.
The obvious answer was to plant them in large containers on my sunny patio out back. They made themselves at home there, and I’ve been doing it with different roses ever since.
The pots have to be big – 15 inches minimum for a miniature. Mine are about 30 to 36 inches tall and 18 to 20 inches in diameter.
The foam pots that mimic the look of clay are a good choice, since they’re attractive and retain soil moisture better than terra cotta. Second best would be plastic containers in a complementary color.
In containers, you’ll have to water more often than you do roses in beds. So the soil doesn’t dry out as quickly, you can use a water-holding potting soil. Or mix sifted compost, finely shredded leaf mold, or a water-holding polymer (sometimes called a hydro gel; ask about it at garden center) into the soil at planting time. All will make a noticeable difference in the dog days of August.
There’s no reason you can’t fill the bottom third of the container with garden soil, which is free and will anchor a lightweight container, then fill the rest with potting soil.
Because roses are heavy feeders and will bloom over and over until a hard frost in fall, you’ll want to mix fertilizer into the soil before planting. Pelleted fertilizer (it’ll say something like “lasts 9 months” on the label) lasts longest.
With organic fertilizers, I prefer the commercial blends that are mixed especially for roses, since they’ll contain the elements roses need.
When you plant, place the bush so the bud union (that’s the knob where the top of the rose has been grafted onto root stock) is about level with the top of the soil.
I’m thinking about all this because my new roses arrived last week, and I’ve got to get them potted later today. Since the bushes are in bud, my garden has a look of summer to it already. And that’s my favorite season.
The secrets of successful gardening – revealed
I often find that people often believe there’s some sort of secret to being a good gardener. I’m here to tell you that there aren’t. It’s mostly a matter of knowledge – knowing your yard, learning a bit about the plants you want to grow, and then planting correctly and not forgetting to water, weed, and feed them occasionally.
That doesn’t sound hard, does it? It isn’t. Here’s what you need to think about:
1. What’s the light like in your yard? Are the spots where you’re thinking about planting mostly sunny? Mostly shady ? A mixture of both? Maybe you’re not sure. If so, spend a little time observing where you plan to plant. Then you can estimate about how much sun it actually receives. Six hours is the minimum for plants that need full sun. Eight is better. (When areas are in the sun only in the afternoon, not the morning, I always count each hour as two, since afternoon sun is brighter and hotter.)
2. Do you know what your soil is like? Dig down and see. It is hard, red clay? Rocky, loose, and easy to dig in? Are there spots that stay wet a long time after rains? Or areas that are hot and dry and the hose won’t reach?
3. The reason you want to know about the light levels and the soil in your yard is that they really matter to plants. Some like sun and others want to be placed in shade. Some will tolerate damp clay soil and others will sit there and sulk (before slowly dying). So you’ll want to pick plants that like the conditions you have. Read the plant’s label before you buy and ask for advice from someone at the garden center where you shop.
4. Whether you’re planting a tree , a shrub, or a flower, take the time to do it properly. Don’t just dig a hole, stick the plant in, and hope. That's a recipe for failure.
5. Plants need watering – either from rain or from you. The rule of thumb for watering is that anytime rainfall is less than an inch a week, most plants will need a little water. But plants in clay soil will need watering less often than those in rocky terrain, and mature plants (especially trees and shrubs) will need less additional moisture than plants you’ve set out recently. (That’s because new plants’ roots have yet to grow deep into the soil. You’ll water annuals more than perennials and water everything more in hot weather than when it’s cool. You can feel the soil or poke a stick into the ground next to the plant to see if it comes out damp.
6. Mulch every plant with something like fine bark or pine needles. That helps keep moisture in the soil and prevents annual weeds from popping up. Three to four inches is about the right depth. No deeper, please!
7. Walk around your yard at least weekly and look at all your plants. Pretty soon, you’ll be able spot any problems in their early stages – when they’re much easier to control.
8. And don’t forget to sit down and enjoy your handiwork. I know it may sound silly, but I think that plants grow better when they’re appreciated.
Hydrangeas indoors and out
Those potted hydrangeas from the flower shop or supermarket are appealing this time of year with their big, floppy blooms in springtime hues of pink or blue (occasionally white). Understandably, many became thank-you gifts to moms on Sunday.
Potted hydrangeas – often called florist hydrangeas – are easy to care for indoors, providing you keep the soil moist. Don’t let them dry out! You’ll find that those large leaves and big blooms make them thirsty plants.
But don’t allow water to accumulate at the bottom of the pot. If the pot is wrapped in foil, poke a few holes in the bottom and put a saucer beneath. There’s no quicker way to kill any indoor plant than letting its roots stand in water.
You’ll be tempted to put the plant on a table in the middle of the room. And that’s fine at night, if you like. But during the day, a hydrangea is going to need more light.
Place the plant in good bright light – light that casts a shadow – with at least some direct sun. It’s fine to cut off the flowers after they fade, if you want. It isn’t necessary, though.
But don’t think that’s it. A potted hydrangea is a gift that keeps on giving. It can be planted outdoors after all chance of frost is past if you live in Zone 6 and south. (It’s worth trying in Zone 5, too. Just plant the hydrangea in a protected place.)
Outdoors, these old-fashioned charmers like to grow in partial sun. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. So is an area with moist soil or one that can be easily reached by a hose. Outdoors, as well as in, hydrangeas want plenty of water.
The main problem with these attractive shrubs is that they’re very sensitive to frost damage in spring. I’ve been known to keep an old quilt or discarded mattress pad by the back door so I could rush outside in the evening after the TV weather forecaster predicted frost and toss it over my hydrangeas so the flower buds wouldn’t freeze!
When a hydrangea doesn’t bloom in the spring, frost is often the culprit. So if it’s still chilly where you live, wait a little longer before moving your potted plant into the great outdoors.
But that’s no problem. Hydrangeas are just as pleasant indoors as they are outside.
Romantic lilacs
There’s something about lilacs that really appeals to a wide range of people. Maybe it’s their sweet scent. It could be the old-fashioned flowers. Often it’s an association with the past – we rarely forget those lilac bushes grown by Grandmother or a favorite aunt.
Many cities around the country celebrate the lilac when it blooms. Boston’s world-renowned Arnold Arboretum draws thousands to its Lilac Sunday, and has been for 100 years.
This, and similar opportunities at a public garden near you, provide wonderful opportunities, of course, to get some fresh air and enjoy beautiful flowers.
But gardeners can also learn from such visits. Take a little notepad along and jot down names of plants that you really like. Maybe the flowers on one bush are a particularly lovely color or you like the size or scent of the blooms on another. Public gardens are great at labeling their plants, so write down the name.
Then you can research the plant later on the Internet, or ask about it at a garden center.
Lilacs grow and bloom best in cooler climates. They’re ideal for New England and the Midwest.
In the South – where the flowers last less than a week, typically, and mildew is a foregone conclusion in the hot, humid summers – common lilacs languish. But there is one lilac you can grow in warm-weather climates, in my experience: Miss Kim.
Even in the warmth that can characterize a Southern spring, the blooms are long-lasting. And I love their fragrance. A bonus is that their leaves change color in the fall.
For suggestions on some newer lilacs that will perform well in the North, see this article in Horticulture magazine.
If your lilac needs pruning do it as soon as the shrub has finished flowering. Any later and you’ll be cutting off next spring’s flower buds, which are formed over the summer.
If you’re a lazy gardener, don’t be concerned about removing the flowers after they fade. It’s just not true that the plant won’t bloom the next year if the flowers aren’t removed the year before.
The plant will look better, of course, if you do – but who’s going to climb up on a tall ladder to try to reach the top of a 10-foot lilac? Not me! So, relax and don’t worry about it.
Spring's loveliest trees
I took a long walk this afternoon and was bowled over by the beauty of the flowering trees – from deciduous magnolias and several kinds of ornamental cherries to pink and white dogwoods and the charming old-fashioned flowers of crab apples.
They were almost always accompanied by underplantings of multicolored tulips. So often the trees were massed in rows or groupings, which definitely multiplies their impact when they’re covered with blooms, as they are now.
It was a highlight of spring for me. Never mind that it was so cold and windy that I was sorry I hadn’t worn wool gloves. That’s Boston.
I’m not sure why I see few redbuds here. (I live in the city; maybe there are more of them in the suburbs.) They’re among my favorite flowering trees. I plant them wherever I live and find them carefree.
I’ve grown Forest Pansy, which has purplish leaves and has to be protected somewhat from the sun. (It’s hardy only to Zone 6.) It’s an attractive curiosity. But mostly I’ve planted unnamed redbuds that nurseries generally have priced reasonably, and all have shone.
One nice thing about living in a cold climate is that in mid-May I still am able to look forward to the bloom of Cornus kousa or Chinese dogwoods. In many places around the US, these aren’t planted nearly enough. They’re a good choice for extending spring’s season of bloom several weeks beyond the flowering dogwood.
The flowers are larger than on common flowering dogwood, and you’ll either like the way they’re arranged on the tree or not. (I do.) But you may want to try planting a kousa dogwood where you can look down on it from above. One cultivar that blooms a long, long time is called Summer Stars.
Somehow, in fall, when we think ahead to spring, we gardeners tend to concentrate on daffodils, tulips, crocus, and other bulbs. And I can’t imagine spring without them.
But flowering trees are a longer-lasting contribution to the season. And they fit nicely with my no-fuss gardening philosophy: You plant a tree once and it blooms every year from then on without any effort (or very little) from you.
That’s a good long-term investment.
Save money with a garden
I’ve been reading a lot about how people are coping with the current economic downturn. I’m sure you have, too. One thing that always happens when the economy’s bad and food prices are rising to the stratosphere is that many people decide to save money by planting a vegetable garden.
Can you really save money by growing cukes and corn, peppers and tomatoes? Quite a bit, says Bob Westerfield of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service . He estimates that you can save about three-fourths over grocery-store prices – provided you don’t factor in the cost of your labor. (I always try to think of it as exercise, not work.)
Which veggies make the most sense for inexperienced gardeners? The ones your family likes best! It doesn’t matter how great they look or how easy they are to grow, the idea is for people to eat and enjoy them.
So take a poll of family favorites. Tomatoes will probably top the list. They’re not hard to grow, but you’ll need tomato cages or strong stakes, and the plants will take up space in the garden all summer.
Choose varieties that are disease-resistant. And do have at least one cherry tomato plant. My recommendation: Sweet 100. It will produce early, long, and late. And it’s prolific in just about any climate. You’ll find that its tasty little tomatoes just perfect for tossing into a salad.
Every gardener who eats or cooks with peppers should plant several. If you like the gourmet kind that are $3.99 a pound in the grocery store – the yellow and orange ones, for instance – you’ll be delighted to find that they’re as simple to grow as green bell peppers – and cost no more. A true bargain.
And peppers are easily frozen for winter use without any pretreatment. Just wash them and put them in freezer bags, either whole or prechopped for tossing into recipes.
If you want red bell peppers, just leave green peppers on the plant after they mature and they automatically turn red. Even a beginner can't go wrong there.
Hot chili peppers, come in so many different varieties now that it’s hard to keep up with them all. And every year there are more new ones. If you like heat, experiment. Grow as many as you have room for. Keep records of what you try, then next year you can look for the ones that you liked best.
I tend to grow a few old favorites each year and then try one or two new ones. They’re a good investment for winter cooking because you can dry many of the hot peppers and freeze others. I feel rich knowing I have a supply of them in the freezer.
New garden book
Books become classics for a reason – because they continue to speak to successive generations.Certainly that's true of Barbara Damrosch's "The Garden Primer," which was the one-volume "gardening bible" of the 1980s, especially for those living in cooler climates.
But gardening information doesn't remain static, since plants – and especially recommended varieties – change rapidly. So can best practices and advice. So Ms. Damrosch has completely revised her miniencyclopedia of gardening for a new generation.
As the "primer" part of the name implies, this is a fine one-stop reference to basic information about growing plants – from annuals to vegetables. Gardening novices will find it an excellent introduction to digging in the dirt – mostly because of Damrosch's pithy common sense. It's hard to resist the advice of someone who says, "Good gardening is very simple, really. You just have to learn to think like a plant."
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