everydaygardeners

Get New Shrubs for Free

Written on March 19, 2010 at 11:17 am , by everydaygardeners

Our newest issue of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living hit the newsstand March 16 (I argued for St. Patrick’s Day, but there apparently wasn’t enough green on the cover!).

One of the articles that is sure to pique readers’ interest is 25 Secrets Every Gardener Should Know. Here is one tip from the story:

Get new shrubs for free. Take 6-inch cuttings from easy-to-root plants, such as willow, poplar, privet, rose, redtwig dogwood, ivy, forsythia, arborvitae and creeping juniper. Dip the cut end into a rooting hormone (found at garden centers) and push it into a pot of moist potting mix. Cover with a plastic bag punched with holes that allow the plant to breathe. Place the container in an area where it receives light but no direct sun. Keep the soil moist but not drenched. Plants should root in about 6 weeks, after which time you can gradually acclimate them to the outdoors. Part shade is preferred till plants fully establish their roots several months from now.

Remember Bees when Ordering Plants & Seeds

Written on February 25, 2010 at 6:00 am , by everydaygardeners

As you’re putting together your mail-order plant wish list, think about species that sustain bees. I know what you’re thinking: “Bees might ruin my picnic!” Here’s my reply to that: “Cover your beer, and plant flowers that sustain bees anyhow.”

I just got a press release from the organizers of National Pollinator Week reminding us that one out of every three bites of food humans consume is dependant on bees and other animals for reproduction. Now you can see why it’s so important to protect these critters (even if they do sneak into our open cans of PBR when we’re not looking).

Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious situation that has caused a drastic decline in honeybees, still continues to stump researchers. And honeybees are not the only pollinators in peril; bumble bee species in the East and the West also are vanishing from their customary habitats, according to the sponsor of National Pollinator Week, June 21-27.

By planting for pollinators we can rebuild their habitat and make a positive impact on the survival rates for honeybees and other pollinators. Pollinators obtain vital nectar, pollen, and nesting resources from key plant species—especially natives—which can be incorporated easily into nearly all landscapes. Click here to find good native plants for your region.

National Pollinator Week is a project of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (www.nappc.org), which is managed by the Pollinator Partnership. To learn more, click here.

Serviceberry a Big Hit in Any Season

Written on February 18, 2010 at 12:03 pm , by everydaygardeners

Last week I gave a talk on “Trees in the Landscape” at the Des Moines Botanical Center, where I presented images of majestic oaks, maples and spruces. Not surprisingly, the trees that hit the audience’s hot button were smaller species. After all, most people have limited space to grow trees, so they’re interested in space savers.

They also like multi-season interest, which is why I was happy to tell them about serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). What’s not to like? Pretty flowers in spring, edible berries in summer, spectacular foliage in fall, and handsome habit in winter.

Serviceberry takes full sun or part shade, making it suitable for everything from a specimen to a perimeter plant on the outskirts of a shrub border. It likes moist (but not water-logged), acidic soil and grows in a wide range of climates. Some species grow in Zones 3-7, others like warmer temperatures in Zones 5-9.

By the way, as the son of a funeral director, I have to point out where the common name comes from. In the old days, many rural cemeteries had to wait till the ground thawed for burials. Graveside services often coincided with either the blooming (May) or berry production (June) of the serviceberry, hence the name. Another common name, Juneberry, relates to the timing of fruit production.

Chestnut Revival Underway!

Written on February 11, 2010 at 6:00 am , by everydaygardeners

Tucked safely in a blanket of peat moss, more than 500 Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) seeds wait out cool winter storage in a plastic bin. I’ll plant them this spring. Meanwhile, several hundred more seedlings sleep contentedly—some in pots in a cool garage, others “heeled in” the frozen soil of a protected raised bed mulched with leaves.

I’ll wager most of you never gave as much thought to chestnuts as I have. But I would encourage you to take another look. For starters, they are easy as pie to grow. Keep them watered and protected from vermin—that’s about it. They’ll accept most soils other than water-logged or  highly alkaline. And they are drought tolerant once established.

Second, they grow quick. You can go from a small seedling to a 5-foot specimen in under three years [even quicker growth for American chestnut (Castanea dentata), although that suffers from a blight disease and is usually grown as a shrub that dies back every so often]. Quick growth also means you can harvest nuts in just 6 or 7 years. That’s pretty fast turnaround for a nut tree.

Third, they flower in June, so late-spring frosts won’t hinder the crop. This means you can pretty much depend on a nut crop every year (as long as  you supply a second specimen to cross-pollinate).

Fourth, chestnuts are delicious, nutritious, and heart-healthy. You can eat them raw (after letting them “cure” for a few weeks), roast them, or grind them up and use them for many recipes.

Grow a  couple chestnuts  and experience the same delight crooner Jerry Vale must have felt singing this song.

Order Fruit Trees Now to Save Money

Written on February 3, 2010 at 5:47 pm , by everydaygardeners

Last year I was amazed to see local nurseries selling 5-foot fruit trees for $150 apiece. Bear in mind that you often need two trees for cross-pollination. So you’re basically at $300 before even lifting a shovel. And when I returned a few months later, they were sold out!

Psst! Have I got a deal for you! If you don’t mind waiting a year or two for your first crop, you can save a bundle of money buying bare-root fruit trees by mail order. Typical prices are $21 to $25 apiece and the trees are nicely developed. They’re just not going to bear fruit this year.

Our Early Spring issue of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living includes an article on how to grow apple trees in pots. Stark Bros. Nursery in Missouri supplied the trees for the photo shoot—and they’ve got a good selection. Another nursery you should look into is Miller Nurseries in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. They specialize in heirlooms that are impossible to find at local nurseries.

Get your order in now for delivery before trees leaf out.

Money-Saving Ideas

Written on January 28, 2010 at 6:00 am , by everydaygardeners

The current issue of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living has a piece that is near and dear to my heart: The Frugal Gardener, 30 Ways to Save Money. Here are a few examples from the story:

• Grow a cut-flower garden behind the garage or in some other out-of-the-way spot where you won’t notice wholesale harvesting. Bring the bouquets to work in lieu of store-bought arrangements (they’re great conversation pieces) or present them to loved ones as “thinking of you” gifts.

• Collect pine cones to use as ornamental toppers for potted plants. They’re also great for starting campfires.

• Use rapid-growing perennials such as Jerusalem artichoke, Joe-Pye weed, and boltonia for instant height while waiting for smaller trees and shrubs to mature.

And here are some other tips, courtesy of the National Gardening Association (garden.org).

Plant Four-Season Shrubs — Select shrubs that look interesting four seasons of the year. Viburnum and serviceberry are both shrubs with alluring spring flowers, attractive summer fruits, colorful fall foliage, and striking bark texture and color. Avoid plants like forsythia that are stars for one just season and nondescript during the rest of the year.

Share with Your Neighbors — Consider renting a tiller, lawn aerator, or chipper shredder with a neighbor. Buy bulk compost or bark mulch together and split the load. Coordinate what you plant in your vegetable gardens so you can share the extra produce in winter.

Divide, Conquer, and Share — Growing perennial instead of annual flowers reduces your seasonal expense of buying new seeds and plants. To expand your perennial garden divide overgrown plants, such as daylilies, iris, and hosta, and make new flowerbeds. Trade extra perennials with friends or organize a plant swap in your neighborhood.

Visit Yard Sales — Well-maintained tools can be used for years and they’re often inexpensive at yard sales. You may find containers and other garden supplies, too. Also check out craigslist.com and Goodwill.

Collect Rainwater — In areas where water is expensive and scarce, invest in rain barrels (or old garbage cans) to catch the water off your roof. Rainwater is free, and it has no municipal additives (which may harm some plants).

Mulch with Cardboard and Newspaper — To reduce the amount of mulch you buy, spread layers of newspaper or cardboard on garden paths. Then top with free wood chips you’ve obtained from municipal dumps or local arborists.