Garden Plants Information

Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don’t bloom well at all.

Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early. They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip back down below freezing. And that’s usually what happens. After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don’t bloom at all, or if they do it’s a very sad display.

Another reason this happens is because the bulbs are not planted deep enough. They may have been deep enough when you planted them, but as the soil goes through the freezing and thawing process, the bulbs can actually work their way up in the ground.

One way to keep your flower bulbs sleeping longer, which will protect them from freezing, is to mulch the bed. In the fall just apply a 3-4″ layer of well composted mulch. This layer of mulch will do a couple of things. It will maintain a higher moisture content in the soil, which is good, as long as the soil isn’t too soggy. Well composted mulch also adds valuable organic matter to the planting bed. Organic matter makes a great natural fertilizer.

A 3-4″ layer of mulch also acts as an insulator. It will keep the soil from freezing for a while, which is good because you don’t want the bulbs going through a series of short cycles of freezing and thawing. Then when the temperatures drop below freezing and stay there for a while, the soil does eventually freeze. Then the mulch actually works in reverse and keeps the soil from thawing out too early. Keeping it in a frozen state is actually good because the bulbs remain dormant for a longer period of time.

When they finally do wake up it is spring time, and hopefully by the time they emerge from the ground the danger of a hard freeze is past and they will not be damaged. If you can keep them from freezing, they will flower beautifully. The extra organic matter will help to nourish the bulbs when they are done blooming, and the cycle starts all over again.

We also plant annual flowers in the same beds with our spring bulbs. By the time the danger of frost is past and it’s time to plant the annuals, the top of the bulbs have died back and are ready to be removed. The mulch that is added in the fall also helps to nourish the annual flowers, as well as improve the soil permanently.

Anytime you add well composted organic matter to your planting beds, you are bound to realize multiple benefits. The key words here are “well composted”. Fresh material is not good.

About The Author

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of the popular gardening book “Free Landscape Plants!” as well as the owner and author of the gardening website http://www.freeplants.com Visit the website and sign up for his free gardening newsletter, and learn how to start your own money making backyard nursery on 1/20 acre or less.

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Care and Feeding of Your Herb Garden

Most herbs are fairly easy to maintain. They don’t need water every day and don’t really need fertilizer. The biggest concern you’ll have is weeding.

To find out if your garden needs water, take a finger and push it into the soil. If it is damp or wet under the surface, you don’t need to water it. If it stays dry all the way to your first knuckle, water it. Should your plants start drooping, water right away. This is more liable to happen in warmer climes and sometimes can be attributed to very hot temperatures, but is more likely to signify a desperate need for water.

The best way to water your herb garden is a technique called “deep watering.” This involves watering the garden for an extended period of time, until small puddles begin forming. This method is called “deep watering” because you’re ensuring that the water goes deep into the soil, down to the roots of your plants. If you deep water, you can leave your garden for a few days or more (depending on your climate and recent weather) without additional watering.

As I’ve said previously, herbs don’t really need any kind of fertilizer, but if you feel better doing so, they might like some compost. I once tried Miracle-Gro on my plants, but wasn’t comfortable with the idea of placing chemicals into the herbs and besides, it didn’t do a lick of good.

Sometimes you’ll have problems with pests. The very best way to combat them is to use an organic solution since you’ll be treating plants intended for human consumption. Try the following recipe from Canning Perennials, a nursery in Ontario, Canada.

Basic Soap Spray
You’ll need a 1-quart hand sprayer filled with warm water. Add a squirt of non-detergent soap such as Ivory or baby shampoo. Do not use detergent as this could harm your plants.

Additions to the Basic Soap Spray
When using additives, just add a teaspoon to your quart container of basic soap spray. It is best to test the mixture on one or two leaves before spraying the entire plant, to ensure that no leaf damage will result.

1. Oil - Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the basic soap spray to improve adherence.
2. Garlic - Combine about 1/2 cup of mineral oil with a dozen or so crushed cloves of garlic. Allow to stand for 48 hours. Strain. Start by using roughly 1 tsp in your quart sprayer.
3. Hot Spray - In a food processor, liquify a small onion and an entire bulb of garlic. Seep this mixture in a cup of olive oil. After 48 hours, strain the olive oil and discard the pulp. Add a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Store in a glass jar. To use, add a teaspoon to basic soap spray.

You can also use diatomaceous earth, a non-toxic powder made from crushed fossils of freshwater organisms and marine life. It is deadly to any insect and completely harmless to all other living creatures.

For severe problems, you might want to introduce some ladybugs or praying mantises to the garden. These predators will get rid of the “bad” bugs and leave your plants alone. Spiders are also good to have in your garden for the same reason, and you will often find that they have taken up residence there of their own accord.

Another solution to pests is called companion gardening. This entails planting herbs that repel bugs near plants that attract them. For example, one plant might have a tendency to get aphids, but another plant nearby repels them so that you don’t have to worry about the bugs. There are too many tips and tricks to companion gardening to go into here, so you may want to look for a book on this if you are interested.

A very common problem many herb gardeners encounter is called “damping off.” This happens when a fungus attacks the seedling, weakens the stem, and eventually kills it. When your seedlings have flopped over and appear to have given way at the point of emergence from the soil, they have damped off, and there’s nothing to be done except plant a whole new crop.

One year this fungus attacked every seedling I had. It started with the basil, which is most susceptible to damping off, and spread to everything else. It is impossible to cure but is easily prevented. The fungus thrives in damp conditions; restricted airflow is a big contributor to damping off.

Crowded growing conditions are another factor of damping off. Sow your herb seeds thinly, or, if planting seedlings, make sure they have plenty of room between them. To stave off the dampness which encourages the fungus, try a light covering of Perlite(TM) or clean sand sprinkled over the soil where the seeds are sown. This will absorb excess moisture.

Well-cared for herb gardens rarely have problems with fungi, but it does happen. To combat fungus on your plants, here are a couple of organic recipes, easily made in your kitchen, from Canning Perennials:

Baking Soda Spray
1 quart of water
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 squirt of liquid, non-detergent soap

Spray infected leaves thoroughly, including undersides and stems. In damp weather repeat regularly. This is an effective mixture to help prevent botrytis, black spot, rust, and powdery mildew.

Potato Starch Spray
1 quart of water
2 to 4 tablespoons of potato flour
1 squirt of liquid, non-detergent soap

In addition to fungal diseases, this blend is also an effective insect spray.

Part 6 - Harvesting and Drying

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Melinda Robinson is controlling partner in Rodeo City Technology Group, a Texas-based company that offers TMS (Total Marketing Solutions) — including custom content creation — that fit your business and bring maximum ROI. http://www.rodeocitytech.com

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There is nothing much more beautiful than trees laden with blossoms slowly blowing in the wind. Once the blossoms fall, however the trees seem barren. You can solve this problem with hanging baskets of flowers.

Mother’s Day is a great time of year for flowers. My wife usually receives one or two baskets of fuschias, which are hung outside widows to be enjoyed along with the views from our home. But, there are only so many windows and overhangs for placing these baskets. We discovered last year that hanging baskets in trees gives unexpected beauty to areas that might otherwise seem plain. We use the holiday and take advantage of basket sales.

Hanging baskets of flowers on tree limbs allows gentle rays of sun to penetrate the leaves, and also gives rain a chance to quench the flowers’ thirst. Also, by placing the baskets within easy reach of watering cans or hoses, maintenance is kept at a minimum.

Last year we extended our deck around to the front of the house, which brought lower tree limbs within reach. Watering is a cinch and pinching off old blossoms is a snap.

With baskets in the trees, birds readily invade these miniature flower gardens (squirrels, too). Humming Birds flitting from basket to basket under a canopy of leaves is a wonderful site.

As guests visit, they often comment on the beauty as well as the placement of our hanging baskets. Our trees seem to blossom from spring thru summer with a little help from our “tree flowers.”

Don Doman is a published author, video producer, and corporate trainer. He owns the business training site Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com), which he says is the home of the no-hassle “free preview” for business training videos. He also owns Simple Home Repair (http://www.simplehomerepair.com), which has a multitude of ideas for home decorating and landscaping.

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