I’m doing a little expanding of my writing range – and experimenting with different Internet options. The one I can tell you about is now up and rolling is a lense at http://www.squidoo.com/beginning-gardening/ It has short articles – kind of like a blog but not a blog. I’ve just started it with info different from the websites. If you’re interested – drop into the above address and rate the effort (naturally, I’d love it if you’d give it a great rating!) :-) I add a new short article every week on a different topic.

I also started doing a weekly podcast for our local radio station this week. I now have the audio equipment on my own computer and this means I’ll be adding sound capacity to my repertoire over the next few months as I learn this system. I’m really excited about this because it means not only can I write about something, I can tell you the story about it as well. I’ll let you know when I start uploading the mp3’s for you to listen to.

My only complaint this week is that I have too many plants for too little space. Who ordered all these seeds anyway?

Have a great week in your garden folks.

:-)

New Articles for You Remember that if the url isn’t highlighted – simply cut and paste it into your browser.

This is a tender bulb that kind of looks like a pineapple – pic is there. http://www.flower-garden-bulbs.com/eucomis.html

And if you like fragrant roses and can overwinter these, here’s the trick for turning the taller ones into climbers. http://www.learn-rose-gardening.com/english-roses.html

There’s some info running around the net about bluestone for algae prevention in water gardens. Here’s the real info on it as usual. http://www.water-gardens-information.com/bluestone.html

And finally this week, I’ve done up an article on garlic. Everybody should grow this plant and it is quite easy to do. Here’s how. http://www.vegetable-gardening-tips.com/garlic.html

Want to ask a question? Click here to ask a gardening question.www.gardening-tips-perennials.com/askagardeningquestion.html

Your Questions Answered

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I had a reader write suggesting that anti-desiccants should not be used on Dwarf Alberta spruce as it could kill them. I researched this fact as I had never experienced this problem before nor heard of it. The fact is that it will turn Blue Spruce green temporarily but not permanently nor kill them.

The other warning on the label is, “When spraying on arborvitae, cypress, juniper, and cedar; be aware that if these species have not sufficiently hardened off for the winter whereby moisture retreats to the root system, moisture in plant cells could freeze and burst if early severe freezing weather should occur.”

In other words, let all these plants harden off well before spraying. But Dwarf Alberta Spruce is not listed here.

I wrote wilt-pruf asking about this and got this response:

Do You Want to Grow Lavender?

Dear Doug
Thanks for your inquiry. Wilt-Pruf is made from pine oil (natural resin from the pine tree) and water. It is totally organic and biodegradable, does not require registration with the EPA and meets specification of the FDA for use on edible crops. Wilt-Pruf does not materially interfere with osmosis or photosynthisis. Wilt-Pruf will not kill anything. It is especially suited to reduce moisture loss on spruce. We do caution users on our labeling, however, to avoid using on expensive dwarf plants as they can be very finicky and are very susceptible to plant failure especially if planted in pots and placed on apartment and roof top terraces. Any number of things can happen and of course any chemical that has been used will get the blame. We suggest they consult a plant pathologist or agriculture extension agent. Brad Nichols

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Several years ago I moved into a house with a badly overrun garden that has many tiger-lily plants. After several years of fertilizing etc., only a few of these plants actually bloom. Is there something I can do to encourage their blooms? A particular fertilizer or pruning? I've read they don't like to be transplanted, but I am considering this as maybe they are over crowded. Please help...(-: when you have a chance :-)

A: You don’t say whether they’re in full sun. Shade will reduce blooming for sure. I’m not sure where you heard that lilies won’t transplant – that is going to come as a serious shock to the entire bulb industry. (insert big grin here).

And yes, they may be overcrowded so this fall after they haven’t bloomed again, dig them up – divide them and replant them. If they were mine, I’d be adding tons of compost to the ground and not feeding with anything else. I’d want them well-fed but not overly fed with nitrogen (that too will encourage growth at the expense of flowers). Compost is the key to long term success with bulbs.

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I was told that Morning Glory plants are poisonous to animals. Is this true?

A: Well partially. Morning glory seeds are poisonous to mammals (including animals and you) While they won’t kill you (unless you’re going to eat a bunch) they will produce hallucinations, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, numbness of extremities, and muscle tightness. So eating them is definitely not recommended.

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We have had a major problem with the voles stripping the bark off our cherry trees. We are probably going to lose one, but would like to save the other. What can I do to correct and prevent this problem from happening again?

A: Several things I suspect. One – don’t plant cherries. But that being virtually impossible once you’ve developed a taste for fresh cherries, let me suggest you wrap the trunks with silver foil next fall from slightly below-ground right up several feet above the rabbit-eating line. Remove it in the spring so overwintering pests can be removed or dealt with using a dormant oil spray.

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My lawn is in horrible shape, and it has been recommended to me by a number of people to give it lime. Great, but...when I visit garden centers and stores, I don't see anything labeled "lime soil treatments". So, how and where do I get lime treatments for my lawn?

Secrets of Great Organic Lawns

A: I love it! OK – the deal with lime is that once somebody has wrecked the soil chemistry by adding lots of lawn fertilizer – killing off the soil microorganisms – the soil starts to turn acidic. Our chemical soil engineers figured out that if they added lime, then the soil would be better. Well, yes it will be better if all you’re measuring is pH (acidity levels) but that’s like putting a bandaid on a broken wrist. Your wrist will get some support but not healing.

But if you’re lawn is really bad – then do two things. The first is read the free articles on lawn care at http://www.beginner-gardening.com and the second is to buy my e-book on Successful Organic Lawn Care. Use the money you’ll save on buying the lime to buy the e-book. (that’s what is called a shameless plug) :-)

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i hear that red mulch is good for tomatos? well i was wondering we buy my coffee in red plastic jugs and im going to cut the bottom out and put them over my tomatoes i think that it will help me against cut worms and i have kept the lids so if we do get a late frost i can pop them on at night then pop them back off in the morning my question is do you think they will work they are about 7 inches tall and 6 inches across i am afraid that it might hold to much water when it rains sorry so long just wondering if you think they would work thank you for all your gardening wisdom !

Tomato Growing Secrets

A: I buy my coffee in paper bags and store the beans in glass jars. Then fueled by coffee (composting the grinds every morning) I write newsletters. Having said that, red mulch seems to work by reflecting light back up to the tomato plant – whether the amount of reflection in your coffee plastic is enough, I don’t know. But you could do it with a few and without – let us all know how it turned out.

If they’re that small size, they’d only work for a few weeks until the plants outgrew them – so I truly doubt they’d have much of an impact on summer growth and fruiting. But again, let us know. The research was done with sheets of red film and you can purchase this from garden supply shops.

Your coffee cans might make excellent mini-greenhouses so use them for that.

From My Garden To Yours

I had forgotten how stubborn rocks in gardens can be when you want to take them out of the ground and they want to stay in the ground. And I had almost forgotten (but remembered quickly) that when you see a tiny little rock in the digging area that it really is the size of Prince Edward Island when you start to uncover it.

This past weekend, was the start of “let’s dig the new garden” time. I think a previous owner had tried to solve a bit of a low-lying area problem by laying in big flat rocks as stepping stones. These were mostly covered over with a thin layer of soil but in order to correct the problem, they had to be moved.

Oh happy day! An hour of scratching and prying and digging and several ginormous flat stepping stone rocks are sitting on their edges. Hopefully by the time you read this, I’ll have moved them somewhere where they won’t be in the way of the tiller and future progress.

Need some good water garden construction pictures?

I have to admire the builder because they used big stones in this situation. Another gardener used very small (two-fist sized) rocks as a border for the addition of a very small front flowerbed. These small stones have to be moved as well but I’ll just toss them into a wheelbarrow and use them for fill somewhere.

This is a prime gardening example of go big or go home. Every major garden I’ve ever seen uses the hardscape material (rocks, pavers whatever) that is appropriate to the garden under construction. In the case of rocks, bigger is better. Yeah, I know that rocks are heavy and take a lot of work but if you want to make an impression, get the largest rocks you can lift or move and use them.

If you’re concerned about moving large rocks, check out this amazing video of a fellow moving massive rocks using a few timbers, a bit of sand and a hose. You can surely move a few garden stones. http://www.exn.ca/dailyplanet/view.asp?date=2/17/2004# I’m not that far along but I am using prybars and some logs to get my beasts moving in the direction I want.

In the case of this new pathway, I’ll be excavating the path area down 8-inches and then filling it with crushed gravel to bring it back to ground level. I’ll tamp it down using a water hose and a specially built tamper. Think a board duct-taped to the end of a rake and pounded into the gravel. Water and pound, water and pound will be the rhythm as I settle the gravel in.

I’ll give it a few weeks to settle in and then decide whether those rocks are going back or whether I’ll top it with pea gravel or leave it as is for a more “country” look. I’m leaning toward the gravel as-is look as the walking surface will be easier to clean in the winter. If you’re doing some walkways this year, do think about what you’re going to use to keep it clean through our four interesting seasons.

Also make that base layer a thick one so it will not frost heave and it will provide a good walking and well-drained surface for company in muddy springs and fall rains.

This of course leads me directly to garden edging and what I’m going to use for separating the garden soil from the pathways.

I confess I’m not sure about this. I’ve looked at quite a few alternatives and the problem is a design one. While paver or brick edging looks very good in an urban setting it doesn’t fit in my rural garden. I dislike plastic edging even though the professional grade material will last for years and is pretty much unseen. By the way, never buy the cheaper grades of plastic edging unless you like having to replace sun-damaged, cracked plastic every few years.

At this point I’m leaning towards wood boards sunk in the ground to separate the plants from the pathways. It isn’t fancy but it will do the job and will be in keeping with the overall look of the house and gardens.

I briefly considered using the abundance of rocks I have to create raised beds and I may indeed come back to this in a few years but for the moment, I’m likely going with wood for the initial construction phase. If you’re using edging, pick one that goes with the rest of your property and the eventual design. If you have a wooden deck out back, consider using wood as edging. If you have a paver-patio, then use pavers to separate the garden to the deck. Tie these areas together using similar materials.

I was asked this past week about obtaining new soil for a garden bed. While I’ve written about this in the past, let me remind you that improving existing soil is far easier than replacing old material. I’ll be working in large amounts of organic matter and compost over the next year to kick the organic matter levels skyward. I’ll start this spring with compost tea so the micro-organisms get established and I think I see an entire case of fish emulsion in my immediate future to feed my plants while the soil is coming alive and compost is being made.

If you have soil that you’re not happy with, start this spring by working in compost (buy it if you have to) in large quantities. Spread at least a half-inch equally over the garden and turn that into the top few inches. Use fish emulsion through the season and watch your garden respond. Repeat this every year for great gardens.

I’ll be doing all that but first I have to finish moving those darned rocks.