Yearly Archives: 2015

GIFTS FROM THE GREENHOUSE

Poinsettias

Available in shades of white, pink, red, plum and combinations thereof, poinsettias are great for decorating your home as well as the perfect holiday gift. We sleeve your plants to protect them as you take them to your car.  Do not leave them in an unheated car…and take them quickly indoors when you get home. Poinsettias’ colorful bracts last well beyond all the holidays and even into the spring. These easy-care plants prefer bright, filtered light in a spot free from drafts. Let the plant become moderately dry between waterings.

Christmas Cactus

With colorful flowers in red, pink, salmon, lavender or white, Christmas cactus will do best in a sunny south, east or west window.  Keep the soil evenly moist.  To get your cactus to re-bloom, avoid any artificial light at night starting in September.  You will also need to keep the plant in a cool location, allow the soil to dry well between waterings.

Cyclamen

A popular plant with a profusion of colorful flowers that bloom for a long time.  Keep cyclamen evenly moist from September through May.  Let them dry from June to August, so the tuber can rest.  Ideal light is a sunny east or west window.  Cyclamen prefer a cool room (60 to 70 degrees).  Feed them from September to May, and then stop for the summer months.

Amaryllis

This plant never fails to break the gloom of winter and provide enormous pleasure with its gorgeous blooms.  If you want an amaryllis to bloom for Christmas, it must be started in the fall.  Plant your amaryllis in a container not much larger than the bulb itself with a third of it above the soil. Place in a warm, sunny spot, watering when soil is dry.  As the bulb grows more actively, increase the frequency of watering.  Your plant will flower in brilliant color!  After flowering, you can save the bulb for next year.

Norfolk Island Pine

These little ‘Christmas Trees’ are native to Norfolk Island in the Pacific, where they will grow as high as 200 feet, with trunks 10 feet in diameter. They are easy-to-please houseplants. A slow grower, Norfolk Island Pines will send out about 6 inches of new growth each year. Bright, indirect light is fine although in the winter the plants can stand full sun. Keep the plant moist, but never sodden. Feed your plant every 2 months. Repotting is best done in spring, but needs to be done infrequently, since the plants are slow growers. These trees lose their lower branches as they grow.

Indoor Bulb Planting

Of all flower bulbs, the paperwhite narcissus and amaryllis are probably the easiest to bring into flower in the indoor garden. Paperwhites are the delicate white flowering, notoriously fragrant narcissus that reliably bloom indoors about 4 to 6 weeks after planting.   Paperwhites are grown in a dish with stones (or in a pot with soil). Fill the dish halfway with stones and place bulbs on top. Place bulbs close together, but not touching. Add water up to the base of the bulbs. Pack more stones around the bulbs until just the tips of the bulbs are visible. Place in a bright, cool area (60-65 degrees F) and water regularly.

WILD BIRD

Feeding and observing wild birds is a hobby enjoyed by millions of people.  A commonly asked question is whether providing food will keep wild birds from migrating at the proper time of year and if feeding birds at certain times of the year may not be such a wise practice.  Not to worry; birds migrate based upon a complex set of day length and weather cues and not based upon food sources.  Feel free to enjoy this relaxing and interesting hobby all year round.  The best times to observe birds at your feeders are typically in the morning and again in the late afternoon or early evening.  A supplemental food source (the food from your feeders) is most beneficial to wild birds in winter months when the ground is snow covered for extended periods and in late winter/early spring before insects and plant seeds are abundant.  Parent birds with hungry young to feed will also visit feeders in the spring.  Providing a water source is also a great way to bring wild birds to your yard.  A birdbath or any shallow vessel that birds can drink from and bathe in will be used extensively, even in the winter months if a heat source is used to keep the water free of ice.

If you have only a single feeder in your yard, the best food to offer is black oil sunflower seed as this attracts the most different types of birds.  When using multiple feeders, try placing them at different heights and using different foods in each feeder to attract an even greater variety of bird species.  Thistle seed will bring finches of all types, but if you want to attract goldfinches specifically try an “upside down” thistle feeder.  Goldfinches are the only birds that can hang upside down on the perches and make use of these feeders.  A few suet cakes placed in the cage type holders and hanging in a tree will be attractive to woodpeckers, flickers, chickadees and nuthatches.  The larger and tougher black striped sunflower seed will bring cardinals and blue jays to feeders.  Ground feeding birds such as doves and juncos will help to clean up seed that is spilled from feeders at higher levels, but it is a good idea to rake the area underneath your feeders on a regular basis to remove any food that may become moldy and to lessen the possibility of disease transmission between birds.  Your feeders should also be cleaned periodically for the same reasons.  There is an endless variety of styles and sizes of bird feeders to purchase or you can have fun building one of your own.  A simply constructed platform feeder filled with seed offerings will bring birds within your viewing area and provide you with countless hours of enjoyment.

Fall Gardener’s Calendar

September

Spray Bonide All-Season Spray on hemlocks to control woolly adelgid.

Spruce up the landscape by planting Fall Pansies, Flowering Cabbage & Kale, Garden Mums, Fall-Blooming Perennials as well as Trees and Shrubs.

Test your lawn pH to determine if you need to apply lime this season. A 40 lb. bag of Lime will raise the pH about a half a point per 1000 square feet of turf.

Pick up your Spring Flowering Bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, snowdrops and more! An Auger for the drill will also help make planting easier.

Plant cool-season salad greens (arugula, corn salad, lettuce, radishes and spinach) in cold frames.

Apply Superphosphate now to coax stubborn plants into bloom next year.

Aerate, re-seed and apply Fall Lawn Food to the lawn. Keep grass seed damp; water every day if necessary. You will also want to check for grubs. Increased activities of skunks, raccoons and moles as well as brown patches that peel back easily are an indication of grub activity. Apply granular Bonide Insect & Grub to control the grubs as well as chinch bugs and sod webworm.

Treat houseplants with Systemic Granules and Bonide Insecticidal Soap now to get rid of any insects before bringing them into the house prior to the first frost.

Clean out garden ponds and pools. Cover with Pond Netting before the leaves start falling.

October

Plant bulbs. Fertilize with Espoma Bulb-Tone and water in well.

Divide daylilies and spring-blooming perennials, including iris and peonies. Don’t be tempted to prune your spring flowering shrubs like forsythia, azaleas, camellia, holly, lilac, rhododendron, spiraea or viburnum or you will destroy next year’s buds.

Rake leaves from the lawn and lower the mower blade. Check your compost pile. Now is a good time to add Espoma Compost Starter to help break down brown leaves and lawn clippings.

Dig up summer-flowering bulbs, such as dahlias, cannas, tuberous begonias, caladiums and gladiolus after the frost kills the top growth. Treat them with Bulb Dust, pack them in Peat Moss, and store them in a ventilated area for winter.

Fertilize your trees with Jobes Tree Spikes after the leaves fall. Fertilize azaleas, rhododendron, and evergreens with Holly-Tone and other shrubs with Plant-Tone. Spray hemlock again with Bonide All-Season Spray Oil.

Set up bird feeders.

Clean up and destroy diseased rose leaves and debris surrounding shrubs and perennials. Mound 10-12 inches of dirt around roses to protect from winter damage. After the ground freezes, cover roses with mulch or straw.

Remove annuals, roots and all, and add to your compost pile, but do not add any diseased material to it.

Cut back perennials unless they feature ornamental seed heads and Fertilize with Plant-tone. Prune long raspberry and rose canes back to a height of three feet. Clean up your beds and gardens to avoid harboring insects and diseases over the winter.

Pot hardy spring bulbs (anemone, crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, ranunculus and tulip) and place in a cold frame or cool garage (40 degrees) or sink into the ground and mulch. Keep evenly moist.

Update garden records, noting successes and failures, gaps in planting, future planting and landscape changes.

Water all landscape plants well and mulch before the winter cold sets in.

Spray evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron, boxwood and rose canes with Wilt Pruf for protection against wind and cold weather.

pansiesBulbs_250x250

fertlize_250x250

mulch_250x250

PROTECTING TREES FROM DROUGHT STRESS

Summer can be the most stressful time of year for landscape plants with heat and drought being the main offenders.  When not receiving sufficient moisture, plants are much more susceptible to insect and disease damage. Trees are the most valuable landscape plants and therefore should be given priority during periods of drought.

Identify

Wilting and curling leaves will appear on drought stressed deciduous trees. Leaf edges will eventually turn brown and crispy and may drop prematurely.  Evergreen needles will begin to turn brown at the tips. As the drought continues the entire needle will turn brown.

Prioritize

Generally, the trees most at risk are those that are newly planted or transplanted. The root system of these plants is underdeveloped or has been damaged. Trees that are growing in a restricted area should also be of greater concern. This will include trees planted in containers, the grass strip between the street and sidewalk and trees grown adjacent to your house or driveway. Drought-sensitive plants like birches, beeches, dogwoods, Japanese maples and magnolias should also be given priority during drought conditions.

Water

It is best to begin good watering practices before the tree succumbs to drought stress. Trees need approximately one inch of water per week. If Mother Nature is not supplying it then you should.

Methods

It is best for the tree if the required water is applied all at one time to the soil, slowly and deeply. This can be accomplished by using irrigation bags on newly planted or small trees. Trees in a restricted area are best watered with a slow dripping hose placed at the base of the tree and moved frequently for even distribution. For larger trees, a soaker hose laid in a spiral pattern, radiating from the tree trunk out to the drip line, works well.

Tips

  • Always water the soil and not the leaves or needles of the tree.
  • 2 – 4 inches of mulch placed over the soil, under the tree, from the trunk to just beyond the drip line, will help to conserve soil moisture. Be certain not to mound mulch against the tree trunk.
  • Water on overcast days, early in the morning or in the evening. Evaporation is slower during these times.
  • Fertilizer can injure tree roots during times of limited soil moisture. Avoid using fertilizer during drought conditions

BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR BACKYARD

In spring, female butterflies will be mostly concerned with finding their species’ specific host plants on which to lay fertilized eggs. Instinctively, they know they must find plants to ensure that their caterpillars will have appropriate food for survival after hatching. Both male and female butterflies will be looking for flowers with nectar for their own survival. And, they will be searching for shelter from rainy or windy weather, a sunny place for basking, and a source of water. Because many natural butterfly habitats in North America are disappearing at an alarming rate, it is becoming increasingly difficult for butterflies to find these necessities of life.

Starting a butterfly garden can be simple and rewarding if you follow these pointers. The most important thing you can do as a gardener is to plant both nectar and host plants in your garden. Providing host plants for caterpillars to feed on, will allow you to watch the metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. So, do not discourage caterpillars. They may make your garden plants look bad but it’s usually only temporary. Most important – do not use pesticides! You may be killing off the very insects you made the garden for. And, you don’t have to have a large area to get a response. Just a few select plants will spur some action. Choose the sunniest spot possible for your butterfly garden. It could be any size or shape; even a short border will work. A combination of woody shrubs, perennials and annual flowers works best, but using just a couple of plants can still yield results. Planting a section of wildflowers is an easy way to cover a problem area and lure some butterflies to your yard. If you don’t have the room for a garden, fuchsia, petunia or impatiens hanging baskets will attract butterflies as well as hummingbirds.

The following is a list of plants that attract butterflies:

Woody shrubs:

  • Glossy Abelia
  • Butterfly Bush
  • Japanese Privet
  • Honeysuckle
  • Weigela
  • Spiraea
  • Lilac
  • Deutzia
  • Trumpet vine

Perennials:

  • Achillea (Yarrow)
  • Butterfly Weed
  • Aster
  • Shasta Daisy
  • Cosmos
  • Carnation
  • Coneflower
  • Joe-Pye weed
  • Sunflower

Annuals and Tender

  • Heliotrope
  • Lantana
  • Rosemary
  • Marigolds
  • Petunias
  • Geraniums
  • Snapdragons
  • Portulaca
  • Zinnias
  • Allysum
  • Fucshia
  • Vinca
  • Balsam
  • Dahlia
  • Impatiens
  • Salvia
  • Verbena

Raising Rabbits for Food

Rabbits are fairly easy and inexpensive to raise, and really do breed as quickly as the rumors say, making them a good choice to raise for meat. Starting with one male and two female rabbits you can easily raise 40 to 50 rabbits a year. With about 3 pounds of meat per rabbit, you should have plenty for your family to eat or to take to a local farmer’s market.

Feeding your rabbits is fairly simple. A daily supply of fresh hay is necessary, preferably Timothy hay. Buckeye Rabbit Pellets are an economical alternative. Though it may seem like feeding your rabbits a type of hay with higher protein would help fatten them up, rabbits are designed to forage on low-nutrient food, and hays higher in protein, fat or calories, can upset their digestion. Fresh greens should be offered daily as well, about 2 cups for every 5 lb. of rabbit. If you keep this fresh diet going you will probably not need to feed rabbit pellets as well, but if you wish to ensure that the rabbits get all the proper vitamins and nutrients, a high-fiber, freshly milled green variety of pellet is recommended. And of course, keep plenty of fresh clean water available.

Rabbits should be housed under shelter in a large cage or hutch that gives them the freedom to move around, and still have plenty of space for their litter box. Avoid wire floors that can wear down or harm a rabbit’s feet. It’s also a good idea to provide things for your rabbits to chew or dig into, or they may begin to tear apart whatever they find around them. Cardboard, old phone books, or grass are a few examples of chewables that will keep rabbits occupied.

Most rabbits are eaten as fryers when they are between 7 to 12 weeks old. Once they are older than 12 weeks they become fertile, and should be kept in separate cages unless you intend for them to breed as well. When rabbits are 2 or 3 years old they can be made into a stew, and the fur becomes valuable as well. Be sure to purchase healthy, strong rabbits as your initial breeders. They don’t need to be show or pedigree, but you will want good health or the offspring will be small or sickly as well.

Rabbit_2

Rabbit_1

Pet Arthritis

Pets, like people, are susceptible to arthritis as they age. To help your pet age gracefully, here are a few tips to relieve arthritis pain in your animals.

Get your pet out for regular exercise. This does not have to be intense or very long, but a quick walk around the block every day, or a half hour chasing toys around the room will help keep your pet’s muscles strong enough to support aging joints. Maintaining the proper weight of your pet is important as well, as it will reduce stress on their joints.

Omega 3 fatty acids should be a part of your pet’s diet (and probably yours as well!). These fatty acids are a great anti-inflammatory which can ease the pain of arthritis.  Feed Dr Gary’s Best Breed Dog or Cat food, which contains the Green Lipped Sea Mussel.  Green Lipped Sea Mussels are a natural source of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM.  These are helpful in keeping your pet’s joints healthy.  

 

Arthritis-2

Arthritis-1

Tips for Keeping a Clean Coop

Chickens are susceptible to a variety of infectious diseases. There are many ways to help prevent diseases from spreading through your flock, such as avoiding adding new birds frequently, and keeping other birds away from the flock. You can also prevent illness by following these simple coop-cleaning tips.

Before using a disinfectant, clean all surfaces with a detergent. Disinfectants work best on already cleaned surfaces. Using a detergent by itself, however, does not ensure that any diseases have been killed.

Disinfectants need at least half an hour to destroy the organisms that cause diseases. Allow everything to dry before using them, and then allow the product enough time to do its work.

The disinfectant solution should be warm when used, to help break up residue on the surfaces.

Follow any instructions included with the disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide, iodine and chlorine are common disinfectants.

Also remember to keep a close eye on the flock. At any signs of disease, quarantine infected birds, and disinfect the coop.

Coop_2

Coop_1

Protect Your Japanese Maples

Beautiful additions to any landscape, Japanese Maples will look their best when given some protection during our hot, dry summers. As the weather becomes hotter and drier, your Japanese Maples may show signs of heat stress with the development of crispy leaf edges and/or leaf drop.When planting a Japanese Maple, choose a location that receives morning sun only and has some protection from strong winds. Full afternoon sun and windy conditions will quickly stress plants and reduce leaf color.

Mulching will help to retain moisture and cool root zones. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch under your Japanese Maples, extending out to the drip line. Be sure to keep the mulch several inches away from the tree’s trunk to avoid fungus problems and crown rot.

Another way to keep your Japanese Maples looking their best is to use Bonide Wilt Stop to help minimize moisture loss from leaves. The best time to apply Bonide Wilt Stop is in early summer when Japanese Maples are in peak condition, before they start showing signs of suffering from heat stress. Make your applications early in the day or on an overcast day to avoid leaf burn. Apply monthly through the hottest part of the year and your beautiful trees will look gorgeous heading into the fall season.

japanesemaple_1

BERRY HEALTH

Is there anything more delicious than a bowl of fresh, sweet, ripe berries? Did you know that berries are one of nature’s most perfect foods? They are low in fat and calories, high in fiber and vitamins and loaded with powerful disease fighting antioxidants!

Antioxidants are compounds that repair damage sustained by our body’s cells. They help to slow down the ageing process. They keep us healthier! Some antioxidants treat infections, while others have anti-cancer properties. Cardiovascular diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Fresh berries can significantly reduce the buildup of LDL, bad cholesterol, the culprit that contributes to heart disease, stroke and arteriosclerosis. Studies show that just one cup of berries provide all the disease fighting antioxidants that one person needs in a single day.

Berries are available year round from the grocery store and may be eaten fresh, frozen or dried to receive their health benefits. Fresh berries are, however, more expensive when they are not in season. Growing your own berries is easy and fun. Home grown berries will ensure quality and freshness. What a sweet way to stay healthy!

GROWING BERRIES
Blueberries – grow in full sun or part shade in acidic soil (pH 4.5 – 5.5) amended with plenty of peat moss. Apply mulch to retain soil moisture. Prune after fruiting. Fertilize with a fertilizer recommended for acid loving plants.

Blackberries – grow best in full sun in very well drained soil with a pH of 6.0 – 7.0. Apply mulch to conserve soil moisture and to control weeds. Proper pruning is critical for this plant to fruit, research and follow instructions. Harvest tender fruit in the morning while it is still cool, refrigerate fruit immediately or freeze.

Raspberries – adaptable to a wide range of soil types but grow best in well drained, fertile soil with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2. Keep soil moist and protect plants from strong winds.

Strawberries – may be grown in containers or in a garden bed in moist soil in full sun. Prune off all runners that develop the first season so that all of the plants energy will go toward fruit production. Fertilize often as strawberries are greedy feeders. Mulch strawberry patch with straw to retain soil moisture, keep roots cool and fruit clean.

Note: cover all berry crops in netting, when in fruit, to protect from the birds.