December cold

 December 21st is the Winter Solstice the shortest day and longest night of the year and the official start of winter. With our recent cold temperatures and snow flurries, winter didn’t wait for its official start. With the shorter periods of light plants die or stop producing new growth. Average daily temperature below 43F (6C) will also cause plants to stop growth; so the leaves, stems, and flowers die. However, the roots of trees, shrubs and some plants are storing energy for spring growth. After Dec. 21st we can look forward to days starting to lengthen; and nights shortening.

During freezing weather, water is more important than food to birds and animals. Birds need to drink and bath to survive. If your outdoor water source is frozen; pour in hot water. Or provide a water fountain since running water tends not to freeze.

Chrysanthemums plants can be increased by taking cuttings from shoots found below the soil round the old stems. If you don’t have time to take cuttings, just leave your chrysanthemums in their pots or in the ground. In spring the plants will start growing new shoots for fall blooms.

When the weather isn’t too bitter; build a rock garden, repair garden fences, clean and sharpen garden tools. To build a rock garden on a small slope make sure there is good drainage. Start with a layer of small gravel or grit then add topsoil. The border rocks should be placed so they slope backwards, so that rain drains off. Sandstone will make your soil more acidic; whereas limestone creates an alkaline soil.

After weeks of the Xmas frenzy I am ready to nest in my home and read the garden books I’ve been stockpiling all year, but haven’t taken the time to read. So while your garden is resting; envision your dream garden for 2011.

In “Remarkable Trees of Virginia”, author and lecturer Nancy Ross Hugo, Virginia Tech Department of Forestry extension specialist and Professor Jeff Kirwan and photographer Robert Llewellyn beautifully document the oldest, tallest, most historic and best-loved trees in the Commonwealth. This large coffee table book will help you enjoy your time inside while you peruse magnificent photos and fascinating description of beloved Virginia trees. In fact come spring you might want to plan a visit to some of these fascinating trees.

“The Wise Old Gnome Speaks, How to Really, Really, Really, Care About Your Garden” by James W. Smith is a small paperback bursting with practical info. In the third grade the author was in charge of the class vegetable garden. After managing plant nurseries he became an assistant Professor of Ornamental Horticulture at Cal Poly, the head gardener for several private estates, and a plant breeder.

As James writes “This book will save you time and money…will demystify gardening”, will enable you to understand plants. This is a fun and informative Xmas gift for the experienced and novice gardener.

END Copyright: Louisa Preston 2010

Drought & Rain

We can all see that we are in a drought. The wind, bright sun, and lack of rain dry out the plants and trees. Yesterday I spent most of the morning watering. The earth sucks the moisture down like a shower drain. Better to water your plants in early morning or dusk. Use a garden hose or water bucket to water at the base of your plant. A sprinkler will waste your water as the water droplets will be absorbed into the dry air.

Well that was two weeks ago.  Now the rain has been falling for 3 days and there are flash flood warnings.

The crape myrtles, butterfly bushes and other flowering plants and shrub were beautiful this summer. As are the butterflies they attract. My vegetable garden has all sizes of caterpillars, which I handpick and squash. Another insect pest is grasshoppers. Put a large jar with a water and white vinegar mixture in your garden. The grasshoppers and crickets will jump in and drown. One person told me he kills his grasshoppers with a bb gun.

Prepare for a winter garden by buying seeds of arugula, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cilantro, kale, leek, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard and sage. Also consider planting a cover crop, such as crimson clover, vetch or ryegrass. The cover crop is good for erosion control and nitrogen building. Till under in the spring. As soon as we get rain, plant your veggie and cover crop seeds.

Today I have a “show & tell”. This small plastic bin is a worm bin I made by drilling air holes into a plastic container. The red wiggler worms are my new pets. Every couple of days I check to see if they need more kitchen scraps. They eat vegetables, fruits, pasta or beans. No meat, fish, citrus peels, onions or garlic. My worms seem to prefer ripe cucumbers.

The red wiggler or Eisenia foetida is a more efficient and quicker processer of food waste than earthworms. The worms produce dark compost (vermicompost), which is a rich soil additive which can be added to potting soil, seed beds, and gardens. Or mix with water for a worm casting tea – for your plants; not you to drink.

The worm bin should be kept inside in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees. Kitchen, garage, basement or mud room will work. Keep away from vibrations such as from a refrigerator or washing machine. The vibrations make them uptight.=

Moist shredded newspaper with a small amount of soil works as their bedding. Also straw, peat moss and/or sawdust can be added to the bedding. If you have bad odors; the bedding is too wet, there is too much food, or not enough air.

My red wiggler worms were given to me at the Hanover Cooperative Extension booth during the Heirloom Harvest Festival in Charlottesville. Several sites on the internet sell red wiggler worms.

"CowPots" & Mulch

This spring I’ve been growing small seedlings by planting seeds in dirt in small containers, which I place in a sunny location in my house. After they have grown two sets of leaves, I transplant them to a larger pot. I’ve found “CowPots” perfect for my seedlings. These pots are made from composted cow manure. When the seedlings are ready for transplanting to your garden, place the “CowPots directly into the soil. Therefore, the roots are not damaged by removing the plant from a pot. The young plant roots easily penetrate the sides and bottom of the pot. As the composted manure biodegrades, the seedling is fertilized from the manure.

“CowPots” come in two different sizes, 4 inch or 2 inch. I bought these at Southern States. Oh and they don’t smell!

Mulch improves the appearance of our gardens. The other reason to mulch is to protect plants, conserve water, suppress weeds, and nourish soil. Mulch is an organic substance which is a by-products of forest harvesting. Best not to use mulch until it has begun to decompose. After I receive wood chips from a cut tree, I wait a year or so before using the pile of chips. As mulch ages, it becomes darker in color.

For acid loving plants, like azaleas and rhododendrons, use a mulch that releases acid, such as pine straw or pine bark. Hardwood mulches tend to become alkaline and are good for most other plants.

Do not use mulch which is made from recycled wood pallets and woody construction debris which has been dyed or stained. The dyes and stains will leach into your soil.

Apply mulch in 3 to 5 inches layer on your garden. Do not place mulch directly to base of plants. Especially, do not place against tree or shrub trunks because it can cause basal rot. Replenish mulch when there‘s one inch or less or it. Usually top off every year.

Prevent Slugs from Eating Your Plants

Earth Day has passed. I had planned to write in this blog to celebrate, but I’m fighting auto-immune diseases and some days/weeks just sleep away.

Are slugs eating your plants? An improvement over the dish of beer in your garden is a 16oz plastic container with lid. Cut holds in upper 1/3 side of the container. Bury up to the bottom edges of the holes.  This prevents the container from being knocked over. Add beer and place on lid.  The lid prevents evaporation and dilution by rain.  I've drowned in beer more than 50 slugs last month and my plants thank me.

First Day of Spring

The first day of spring arrived yesterday, Saturday, March 20th. The day was sunny with temperatures in mid 70s. The daffodils, crocuses, and forsythia blooms are prettier than ever thanks to the snow’s moisture and minerals.

The average date for the last frost for Richmond is April 27th. About 4 weeks before the last frost, which would be around March 27th, is the time to plant dormant roses and bare-root shrubs. Dogwoods and magnolias should only be planted in the spring.

Perennials such as hostas, liriope, Shasta daisies, and daylilies can be divided before new growth starts. Separate the plants and place back into the soil at the original depth. Water well and mulch. Plant the extras in containers for gifts.

Even with the cool days you can plant petunias, snapdragons, marigolds, nasturtiums, and dianthus.

Fertilize lilies, clematis, lilacs and bearded iris with bone meal or 5-10-5 plus lime. Also fertilize pansies and houseplants. Do not begin fertilizing peonies until after they have been planted for 2 to 3 years. A great all around fertilizer is liquid seaweed.

Vegetables that can be planted before the last frost are lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Plant onions, potatoes, peas, radishes, asparagus, and turnips near the end of the month. Seedlings started inside will appreciate fertilizing at half strength every two weeks.

Add mulch to asparagus, artichokes, bramble fruits and fruit trees. March is too early to remove mulch from your other plants. The ides of March can bring surprises such as last year when we had an 80 degrees week followed by two frosts.

March is a good time to repot houseplants into larger containers. Leggy plants should be cut back. Root your cuttings for our plant exchange in May. The secret to rooting coleus and wax begonias is to cut the top 6 inches of a leafy stem below a leaf node. Then remove the leaves from the bottom 3 inches and place the cutting in water adding a few drops of bleach. Place in a partially sunny window. Place in soil after roots have developed.

One way to celebrate spring is to attend the free Arbor Day Workshops and Exhibits on April 3rd at Byrd Park. Stay Co2ol with Trees, is on a Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carillon in Richmond’s Byrd Park. During the festivities, Richmond,VA will receive Tree City USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for the 19th straight year.

There will be a free tree giveaways, workshops, kid activities and music. Attendees will be able to purchase compost bins at a discount through the Clean City Commission.

Orchids, Virginia Historic Garden tour & Amaryllis

Did you miss last weekend’s Orchid Show at Strange’s (www.strangesgardencenter.com) in Richmond, VA? The show was presented by The Virginia Orchid Society (vaorchidsociety.org) with orchid displays and vendors. Free lectures both days and free repotting.

Orchids provide lovely indoor bloom during the barren winter months. To find an orchid show in your area visit the American Orchid Society (http://www.aos.org/).

By April the snow will have disappeared for the 77th anniversary of Historic Garden Week in Virginia (www.vagardenweek.org & www.GCVirginia.org.) which is April 17th thro 25th. This is when Richmond and the surrounding counties are ablaze with blooming azaleas, lilacs, cherry trees, daffodils and tulips.

Free guidebooks are available at certain garden centers. Tickets may be purchased in advanced or at the houses or gardens during the day of the tour. Expect to wait in long lines to enter the historic private mansions and gardens.
Call the Virginia Tourism Corporation at 1 800-545-5500 for travel accommodations info, a free travel guide, and a state highway map.

Hope this is the end of our snow. Last year at this time the crocuses and daffodils were blooming. Now my daffodils are staying close to the ground and the buds are green.

I decided to google for info on the continuing care of my Amaryllis (Hippeastrum). I was amazed to find more than 250 sites. One site amaryllis.com only sells Amaryllis bulbs. For “after blooming care” cut off only the dead flowers. The flowering stem should not be cut until it starts sagging. After our last frost the pot can be placed outside in full sun. To provide food for the bulb you should continue to water and fertilize all summer.

Finally we have a break in the frigid weather and can work in our gardens. Prune the seed capsules off the tips of your crepe myrtles to give larger bloom clusters this summer. Prune the dead blooms from Rose of Sharon. Prune butterfly bush down to about a foot from the ground. Even in the winter weed.

Clean your fireplaces and place the wood ashes around lilacs, roses, peonies, clematis, daffodils and vegetable garden. The ashes add both lime and potash to the soil. Do not put the ashes around your acid-loving plants.

The holidays are over, but don’t throw out your forced bulb flowers with the Christmas tree. Cut off the dead flower heads and place plant in a sunny indoor location. Every second watering add a half dose of fertilizer to the water. In the spring place your potted amaryllis outside and plant the other bulbs in your garden.

Poinsettia plants can also be reused each year. Keep the plant in a sunny location where the night time temperature is no colder than 60 degrees. The soil should be kept damp and fertilized lightly when new growth appears. When the temperature is warm enough, cut back the plant and place outside. In early October bring the plant indoors for 12 hours of darkness a day and in December the bracts will turn to color for Holidays.

It is not too soon to start forcing blooms from flowering shrubs and trees. Forsythia is especially easy. Also try crabapple, peach, plum, pussy willow, quince, winter jasmine and witch hazel.

Start planning your spring vegetable garden. Sow seeds of cool season vegetables, such as arugula, in indoor pots or trays. Also start seeds of lavender, chives, dill, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Seeds of peas (soak over night), lettuce, spinach and chard can be planted in your garden if protected with a cover of black fabric.

Also indoors start germinating seeds of Petunia, Portulaca, Salvia, Snapdragon and Verbena. All take 8 to 10 weeks before their seedlings are ready to be planted in your garden.=

Attend a flower show. The Maymont Flower & Garden Show is Feb. 18th through Feb. 21st at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. For more info 800-332-3976 or http://www.macevents.com/

Feb. 28th through March 7th is The 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show “Passport to the World. Displays will represent India, Brazil, the Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore. For more info http://www.theflowershow.com/

Study your garden catalogues and plan for the arriving warm weather.

Snow!!!

We recently experienced a beautiful snow storm.  The snow cover will protect your plants from freezing and will provide moisture. Sprinkle bird seed (the birds will love you), sand or kitty litter on icy walks. Do not use salt which will burn your plants and shrubs and will eat away at bricks. Don’t forget to gently scoop fresh snow off boxwoods and evergreens for the snow may freeze and break branches.

Dec. 21st is the Winter Solstice the shortest day and longest night of the year and the official start of winter. With the shorter periods of light plants die or stop producing new growth. Average daily temperature below 43oF (6oC) will also cause plants to stop growth; so the leaves, stems, and flowers die. However, the roots of trees, shrubs and some plants are storing energy for spring growth. Tomorrow, days will start to lengthen; as nights shorten.

Check your plants you have brought into your home for the winter. The plants may harbor insect pests, such as aphids, which will quickly multiply in the warm environment. If you find infestations; wash the plant then spray a non-toxic soap insecticide on your plant.

After weeks of the Xmas frenzy I am ready to nest in my home and read the garden books I’ve been stockpiling all year, but haven’t taken the time to read. So while your garden is resting; envision your dream garden for 2010.

Warm wishes for a peaceful, happy, and healthy Holiday and New Year.

Preparing for Winter

The holly trees, decorated with red berries, remind us of the approaching holidays. If you have holly trees and no berries; you need a mate – for your holly trees. Hollies are dioecious. The female holly tree bears the berries and the male tree provides the pollen. One male holly tree will serve many female holly trees. If there is nothing better to eat; deer will munch on young holly trees.

Ginkgo trees also are dioecious. The female ginkgo produces a smelly and messy fruit, which is a delicacy in China. The ginkgo has beautiful fan shaped leaves which turns a brilliant yellow after the other tree leaves have already fallen. The falling yellow ginkgo leaves signify the end of colorful autumn.

We have plenty of dead leaves, but only the oak leaves should be used for mulching your garden. Oak leaves are pest resistant and retain moisture. Magnolia and beech leaves should remain under the tree; since they create their own fertilizer. Throw the rest of your leaves on your compost pile.

Are you considering a live Christmas tree this season? Then dig a large hole where you plan to plant your tree after the holidays. Fill the hole with your fallen leaves. When the ground is frozen; you will be thankful you were prepared.

Wisteria should only be fertilized after their leaves have fallen. This will give you more bloom and less growth next year.

Fertilize your bulb beds. Continue to water newly planted bulbs. In order to discourage voles; do not mulch around your bulbs until the ground is frozen.

Don’t sanitize your garden. Though some plants, such as Iris and peony, should be cut back and their dead leaves removed. Also roses should have their fallen leaves removed. However, many perennials are attractive and useful in their dormant state. They provide food and protection for birds and protect new growth. Especially, your chrysanthemums or mums will start to look messy as the flowers fade and the leaves fall, but the old stems will protect new growth. The result will be healthier plants next fall. So leave some of your garden clean-up till spring.

October Gardening Notes

October is a good time to plant bulbs, both in your garden and in pots. If planting bulbs in clay soil you should work bone meal, top soil and hardwood mulch into the soil. Use bulb-tone if you have animals which will be attracted to the bone meal and dig up your newly planted bulbs. Do not plant your daffodil bulbs until after the first hard frost. After the second hard frost, plant tulip bulbs. Follow with muscari and crocus bulbs.

For indoor pleasure, force daffodil, tulip, crocus, and hyacinth bulbs. Place your potted bulbs in a dark and cool location until green life appears. Then move to a sunny location where you can enjoy the blooms during the winter gloom. After blooming, let the bulbs dry; then store in a cool dark place. Plant these bulbs in your garden the following spring. Forced paperwhites usually do not bloom after being planted in your garden. However, I still plant them each year. So far with no luck, however, a friend has one batch of paperwhite bulbs which bloom every spring. We think one reason may be that the bulbs are planted close to a black top driveway, which keeps the soil warm in the winter. Do you know how to get paper whites to re-bloom?

October is the time to winterize your roses by applying potassium. Stop deadheading your roses so rose hips can form. The rose hips signal the roses that this is the time to go dormant. Give the roses a final deep water then mulch to protect their soil from freezing.

When the tree leaves start to show color begin to transplant and plant roses, shrubs and trees.

Mid-Oct should be your last fertilizing of shrubs and trees. Only fertilize English box every two or three years.

During the winter your garden mulch will continue to break down, improving the soil’s nutrient value and structure. However, as the shredded bark mulch decomposes it will deplete the nitrogen in your soil. If you used shredded bark as your mulch; you will need to add cottonseed meal or blood meal to your soil. Another way to add nitrogen to your garden is to plant a winter cover crop of clover or rye.

Before the first frost, dig up your sweet potatoes. Also pick your green tomatoes. Put up wind protectors if you have planned a winter veggie garden. Winter veggie gardens are my favorite. No insects. No foraging animals – except deer. Weed less. No sweating.

Enjoy the color of the dying leaves which was brought to us by last weekend’s cold weather.

Climate Change

There are actions we can to do to improve the environment for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. Recycling, green gardening, and a decrease in consumerism will improve the water we enjoy, the air we breathe and the stress we experience. It is not necessary to believe in climate change to want to improve life on earth.
Recycle newspaper by using as mulch for garden and by adding to our compost pile.

Add more flowers and vegetables to your lawn to decrease the amount of grass area which demands more work and fertilizer. Use beneficial insects and nematodes rather than toxic insecticides.

Drive less; carpool, bike, and walk more. Support alternative energy: wind mills, solar, and hybrid cars. Support thrift stores, yard sales, and farmers markets.

Today I’m participating in Blog Action Day (Oct. 15th) as one of the numerous ways to help.

Chiggers cont.

A friend makes a rinse out of water & cider vinegar which she puts on her dogs to wash  away chiggers.  This rinse remains on the coat.  Also beneficial for dog's skin.

If allowed to roam; Guinea hens and chickens eat ticks and chiggers.  But then you most be around to care for your fowl. 

Shortly winter will take care of the chiggers, which are inactive at temperatures below 60oF and die when ground temperatures fall to 42oF.

article/photos

Cowgirls & Mustangs: Riding the High Desert in California's Surprise Valley

Chiggers & Ticks: ugh!

August is heat and insects. August also is veggies, berries and flowers. I find it hard to harvest the latter when I know I risk chigger and tick bites. Mosquito bites are just a short time annoyance.

As a teenager living on a farm I spent the summer with itchy oozing boils sprinkled on my body. My parents would take me to the country doctor whose response was “I get them also. Maybe we are allergic to tomatoes.” .

I’ve learned that my migraines were sinus infections due to allergies to grasses, animal dander, pollen etc. I’ve outgrown or prevented these problems. But I still get horrible chigger and tick bites and sometimes I don’t want to leave the house except to jump into the car. Deer sleep in my lawn in spite of my dog. I’m surrounded by forest and pasture. I love gardening and weeding but not in August.

I can handle Japanese beetles, hornets, mosquitoes, ants, slugs, etc. but not chiggers or ticks. The first time my dog suffered with Lyme disease. I spread Sevin over a part of the flower garden where she likes to hang out. I’m organic gardener, compost my kitchen and garden wastes and collect rain water. I felt guilty using Sevin, but I was angry.

Thanks to friends and online info I hope to be better prepared for next August.

Chiggers and ticks (and spiders) are Arachnids. Their bite is similar. They both feed on most animals. Chiggers prefer reptiles and birds.

A well groomed yard free of weeds and brush will not attract ticks or chiggers. My yard is full of weeds, bushes, flowers, and veggies.

My dog is on Frontline, but she still gets bitten by ticks and chiggers. These insects also travel on her coat into our home. I’ve started to spray her coat with herbal sprays when she ventures outside. If she is dirty; I wash her with the garden hose before she enter the house. You may find this excessive but I’ve occasionally watched ticks walk up a wall or across the floor of my home.

Because you can see ticks they are easier to deal with than chiggers. If I feel a tick walking along my leg; my fingers quickly grab the insect and drop it in alcohol or the toilet.

Chiggers are microscopic. I’ve suffered many bites, but never seen the biter. Sometimes I feel them crawling on my body, but I think I’m paranoid. Chiggers move very quickly. Chigger bites do not appear until one to three hours after you’ve been bitten. Chiggers do not burrow in your skin. They take a bite (feeding for three or four days), move on and take another bite. Like ticks, they can live in your clothes. If you have been in a possible chigger area; take a hot soapy shower as soon as possible to wash the chiggers off. Immediately throw your clothes in the washing machine for a hot soapy wash.

The same sprays that deter ticks will deter chiggers. Wear boots and spray your outer garments with herbal sprays. One neighbor wraps her ankles with a kerosene soaked rag. Or put dog herbal tick collars around your pant legs (never on your bare skin). However, medical sulfur powder works best for chiggers. Sprinkle on warm, thin skin areas, especially skin folds. Also sprinkle along openings in your clothes and shoes. The powder is cheap and carried in drug stores. Mix with talcum powder to lessen strong odor. To be continued...

Summer Solstice

Today is the Summer Solstice. In the northern hemisphere this is the longest day and shortest night of the year. Some of your may celebrate by gathering herbs or performing 108 yoga sun salutations. I’m enjoying the day by watching the birds out my window while I write.

I’ve missed writing my blog entries due to fighting several auto- immune diseases which may become a future blog.

Each spring I plant veggies and by summer lose them to the rabbits, deer, groundhogs and squirrels. This summer I’ve already lost chard, raspberry, cucumber, and sunflower plants. Even though, I planted them in my high double fence garden. So I’m trying to be more sustainable by eating native “weeds”, such as dandelion, mustard and violet flowers and leaves, and plantain. I also grow herbs, such as arugula, basil, cilantro, sage, parsley, mint, and chives which easily reseed and are not eaten by the above animals. So far I haven’t had a lot of luck with rosemary though my lavender does well. My stevia plant I must take inside each winter.

My dog and I are constantly scaring the squirrels from the bird feeder. However, flying squirrels seem magical. A flying squirrel family lives in a blue bird house. About twice a year I check the box and am pleasantly surprised when one jumps out. Last week the flying squirrel did not disappear, but flatten herself on the pole above the box. I assume this was because she had babies inside.

With all the rain we’ve had this spring and early summer I feel like I’m in the jungle. My flowers are lovely and lush. I grow flowers that are easy to care for and not eaten by animals. Such as daisy, echinacea, black eye susan, aster, cornflower, dianthus, gladiolas, iris, daffodil, peony, hellebores, mullein, red hot poker and yucca. I plant tulips amongst the daffodils, which protect them from munching deer. Only the lilies next to my house are usually untouched. My butterfly bush grew up above my porch so I cut the large trunk to four inches from the ground this winter. The bush is growing back and producing flowers.

Native “weed” flowers such as mulberry and milkweed also grow in my garden. Clover grows in my lawn. Several weed flowers, such as false strawberry and ragweed require year round weeding or they will take over my yard and gardens.

I’ve been squashing beautiful florescent green beetles which are munching on my plants.

Some shrubs are so prolific that grazing deer prune but don’t destroy. My mock orange bushes, burning bush and nadines always look great. I need to put a net on my small blueberry bushes which have not been bothered until this summer. Something is eating berries along with the branches.

Please contact me if you can suggest other veggies or herbs which are not eaten by animals.

June Gardening Notes

In early June, Virginia’s temperatures soared to record high 100s. These high temps usually don’t arrive till August. I was in northern California during this time where we also experience record breaking high temperatures. Do these record breaking high temps represent global warming? The summer solstice, the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere when the sun is directly overhead at noon, arrives June 21st.

The occasional cool mornings are perfect for continuing garden preparation. Container grown shrubs can still be planted, but water frequently. Scatter seeds of forget-me-nots in damp shady places. Perennials can still be planted, but for several days must be watered and protected form the hot sun. For autumn blooms, plant dahlias, mums, and salvias. If we have less than one inch of rain in a week; water your plants.

Irises and daffodils were lovely thanks to a cool and wet spring. Bearded irises can be divided anytime from now until September. If large clumps of daffodils did not produce many blooms; they probably need to be divided.

Roses are considered the flower of love and continue to inspire poets and artists. The flower has many herbal and aromatherapy uses. Every summer I use rose hips from wild roses to make a tea high in vitamin C.

While I was in California I stayed in a friend’s house in Mill Valley. I’m in love with both her dog and her roses. Next spring I plan on starting a rose garden. For cane roses cut the rose blossoms just above a 5 leaflet to assure a strong stem for the next bloom. Plant garlic and rue near your roses to deter Japanese beetles. Geranium, alyssum, nasturtiums, rosemary and thyme attract beneficial insects. For mildew spray potassium bicarbonate fungicides in humid climates – like Virginia. Continue to fertilize until 6 weeks before the first expected frost.

Rhododendrons should be dead headed by hand about two weeks after the blooms have faded. Now is a good time to take softwood cuttings of shrubs such as azalea, boxwood, and spirea for propagation into new plants.

Determine the texture and sweetness of vegetables by the time of day you harvest. Pick peas and corn late in the day for maximum sweetness. Lettuce, and other leafy veggies and cucumbers are crisper if picked early morning. Pick strawberries in early morn. Do not wash or stem the berries until ready to use and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. If harvesting herbs for essential oils; pick just before flowering on a sunny day.

Do you have cats visiting your vegetable garden? While in northern California I helped in a community veggie garden by sticking many small branches in the soil and mulching with coconut hulls in order to prevent the cats from wanting to use the area as a “cat box”.

The Russian River‘s Secret Horticulture

Surrounded by carnivorous eating plants was not a situation I’ve experienced in my past visits to the wine district of Northern California. In mid February I traveled to the Russian River area of Sonoma County to explore a few of the less well known gardens and parks.

First I visited the Sonoma Horticulture Nursery, which specializes in rhododendrons and azaleas, along with a wide selection of shade-loving trees, shrubs and perennials. The eight plus acres of nursery and gardens are open all year to visitors. Azaleas and rhododendrons cover the hills which surrounded a shaded pond. The azaleas were beginning to bloom and I was tempted to purchase several. The owner Polo bought this nursery in 1976. He is proudly showed off a few of his 20 to 30 varieties of magnolias and his swamp garden with weird Cypress knees rising out of the muck. <http://www.sonomahort.com/>

I lunched in the secret garden patio at the back of the Mosaic Restaurant(http://www.mosaiceats.co/). Enjoying creatively prepared vegetables gathered from the owner’s garden and other local farms.

Not far away is the Armstrong Woods State Reserve(http://www.parks.ca.gov/) with hiking and driving paths through majestic redwoods. Check out the 1400 year old redwood “Colonel Armstrong”. I was sorry to miss the rare Calypso orchids which were not yet in bloom. Also I did not have time to visit the coast which was ablaze with masses of blue irises.

In Sonoma County it is impossible to escape the rolling hills crisscrossed by rows of vines. In the spring the mustard plants add a golden swath between the vines. Many wineries have developed gardens with plants and herbs that match their wine varieties. In these gardens you are encouraged to walk with glass of wine in hand and taste the plants matching the taste and smell of their wines with certain herbs..

Some wineries have elaborate gardens which are used for wedding and events; others offer quiet maze like paths. Kendall Jackson Wine Center has an educational herb garden and Korbel is known for its rose garden.

Russian River resorts also offer delightful gardens and unusual plants. I stayed at the “green” Creekside Inn & Resort which is surrounded by redwoods (one a rare albino) and is near the Russian River. Lynn and her handsome sons are knowledgeable about the area and created delicious breakfasts and snacks. Their cabins, one-bedroom apartments, units, and bed & breakfast rooms are environmentally friendly. Their cottages are wheelchair and dog friendly.

The Sonoma Orchid Inn, a 1906 farmhouse bed & breakfast inn is owned and run by Brian and Dana who are avid orchid collectors. Orchids are displayed through out the Inn and their greenhouse displays their award winning rare species including their own hybrids.

The Village Inn & Restaurant(http://www.villageinn-ca.com/) was custom built in 1906 as a private vacation home. The lovely landscaped gardens offer views of Russian River wildlife and mountains. Their restaurant offers Classic American cuisine created with fresh seasonal ingredients from their organic herb garden and local Sonoma farms.

Returning to Virginia I bought a Venus fly trap at a garden show. In California I had learned form Peter, the owner of California Carnivores, that most insect-eating plants are local to the wetlands of the east coast from Canada to Florida. Since the wetlands have been drained; only small protected areas still support these plants. I have visions of restoring a river bank and small bog behind my house with these plants. If you are interested in these sci-fi type plants; visit his store in Sebastopol or buy one of his books.

April Gardening Notes

April is the time of year when I can’t resist buying annual flowers to add color to my gardens and containers. I look for plants with many unopened blooms. Plants which have open blooms are often root bound and will grow slower. For a constant supply of cut flowers, I plant seeds at about 2 week intervals until mid July.

We probably all have areas of poor soil. This is the perfect place to plant the colorful nasturtiums. Wait for warm soil before seeding. Blooms should appear within 50 days. Too much water and fertilizer sends energy to the leaves not the flowers.

April is a good time to divide chrysanthemums. Pinch off the tops down to 6 inches. Pinch every month to keep the plants at this height until late July. Feed monthly with liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion until the buds show color.

Tulip leaves which have yellowed halfway down can be removed. Fertilize them at the same time. Dead head spring bulbs leaving the flower stem intact. After daffodils flowers, which have been decorating and scenting my rooms die, I don’t throw them away. Instead I scatter the flowers over my tulips and other deer loving plants. The deer bite into the daffodil stem by mistake and will leave the plant alone. Dead daffodils are a cheap and easy deer deterrent.

Finally I discovered a use for plastic packing peanuts. I use the plastic, not biodegradable peanuts, as a substitute for the gravel or stones I place in the bottom of my flower pots. A piece of pantyhose in the bottom will keep soil from dripping out.

Lilacs should be feed with manure and lime. Last azalea feeding should be after blooming. Crepe myrtles should be feed this month and July with a high phosphorus fertilizer. Fertilize tea roses once a month. Small, sparse and pale dogwood leaves are probably begging for fertilizer. Have the soil under the tree tested.

Some herbs that thrive in the sandy soil of sunny rock gardens and brick walkways are creeping thyme, sage, santolina, lavender and garlic.

The mustard greens are blooming; regrettably, I haven’t had time to harvest them. The leaves, buds and flowers are edible. This time of the year I see them for sale in health food stores. Other edible weeds are pigweed, purslane, chickweed, lamb’s quarters and dandelion greens. In my vegetable garden I’m planting Swiss chard, spinach and lettuce.

Many insects are your garden’s best friend. Bees pollinate; wasps destroy whiteflies and aphids; yellow jackets feed on flies and caterpillars; lady bugs eat aphids, mealy bugs, and spider mites. Other beneficial insects are dragonflies, lacewings, beetles, spiders, and beneficial mites. So avoid toxic sprays and dusts which kill beneficial insects, frogs and lizards.

February gardening notes

Has the lack of outdoor flowers caused you to go in to withdrawal? For your flower fix visit a garden show. This weekend, Feb. 21 -24 is the Maymont Flower & Garden Show (maymontflowershow.com) at the Richmond Convention Center. In March the Philadelphia Flower Show (theflowershow.com) is the 2th thro 9th and the San Francisco Show (gardenshow.com/sf) is the 12th thro 16th. Come April is the Historic Garden Week in Virginia (vagardenweek.org) April 19th thro 27th. Also in April is the Cincinnati Flower Show (cincyflowershow.com) which will be held outside from April 19th thro 27th. May 20th thro 24th is the grand Chelsea Show (rhs.org.uk/chelsea) in Eng.

I decided to google for info on the continuing care of my Amaryllis (Hippeastrum). I was amazed to find more than 250 sites. One site amaryllis.com only sells Amaryllis bulbs. For “after blooming care” cut off only the dead flowers. The flowering stem should not be cut until it starts sagging. After our last frost the pot can be placed outside in full sun. To provide food for the bulb you should continue to water and fertilize all summer.

When the leaves begin to yellow, cut the leaves back to about two inches from the top of the bulb and bring inside before the first frost of fall. This site then suggest removing the bulb from the pot and placing it in the frig at 40-50 deg. For a minimum of 6 weeks. Other sites say to put the plant in a 55 degree room - not the refrigerator. Since The Amaryllis Bulb Company is located in Florida they probably can not find a 55 degree room in late Fall. The plant should be placed back in sunlight 8 weeks before you would like them to bloom.

Were your paperwhites tall and floppy this holiday? They needed a drink. Professor Bill Miller of Cornell's Flower Bulb Research Program discovered that paperwhites(Narcissus tazetta) grown in water with a 5% concentration of alcohol bloomed beautifully on one-third shorter stems. Since most liquors are about 40% alcohol, that works out to 1 part booze to 7 parts water. Gin, vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila and rubbing alcohol work well, but wine and beer are too high in sugar. Start watering with this mixture once the roots begin growing and the green shoots reach about 1 to2 inches. This watering solution stunts the growth of the plant, but does not affect the blooms.

Native of Mediterranean Europe and Asia Minor paperwhite bulbs, which have not been forced, may be planted outside in zones 8 – 10. They may survive in our area if planted in a protected southern exposure site.

I’ve been watching a clump of daffodils which are growing outside my carport. When the weather is in the 40s the buds turn yellow. Then we get a freeze, they close up to green. The same buds have been slightly opening and closing for over a month.

This month our temperatures are ranging from 20 to70 degrees. Daffodils and crocuses are popping out. Winter jasmine’s masses of yellow blooms are often mistaken for Forsythia.

Forsythia is easy to force. Every February I cut a few branches, stick them in a jar with water and within a week have small blooms. However Andre & Mark Viette describe professional methods to force blooms. Cut 2 to 3 foot long branches covered with swelling buds, put cut ends in icy cold water and place for 2 days in a cool dark location. Then again cut the ends and place in vase of cold water and display in a sunny location. That is their cold method. Their warm method is even more complicated. Place the cut branches in warm water. Tent the branches and container in plastic and locate in a warm, but darken room.

January Gardening Notes

Pruning the seed capsules off the tips of your crepe myrtles will give you larger bloom clusters this summer. Also prune the dead blooms from Rose of Sharon.

Clean your fireplaces and place the wood ashes around lilacs, roses, peonies, clematis, daffodils and vegetable garden. The ashes add both lime and potash to the soil. Do not put the ashes around your acid-loving plants.

If we get a snow storm this year; sprinkle bird seed (the birds will love you), sand or kitty litter on icy walks. Do not use salt which will burn your plants and shrubs and will eat away at bricks. Don’t forget to gently scoop fresh snow off boxwoods and evergreens for the snow may freeze and break branches.

Don’t discard your amaryllis and other forced bulbs (except paper-whites). Cut off the flower heads and place plant in a sunny indoor location. Every second watering add a half dose of fertilizer to the water. In the spring place your potted amaryllis outside (bring back inside in the fall) and plant the other bulbs in your garden.

Poinsettia plants can also be reused each year. Keep the plant in a sunny location where the night time temperature is no colder than 60 degrees. The soil should be kept damp and fertilized lightly when new growth appears. When the temperature is warm enough the plant should be cut back and spent the summer outside. In October bring the plant indoors for 12 hours of darkness a day (I set my 2006 poinsettia in a dark corner of a room.) and in December the bracts will turn to color for Christmas.

It is not too soon to start forcing blooms from flowering shrubs and trees. Forsythia is especially easy. Also try crabapple, peach, plum, pussy willow, quince, winter jasmine and witch hazel.

After a cold snap check to see if any perennials have risen from their beds. This is caused from the ground freezing then thawing. Press the plant’s soil covered roots back into the ground and cover with mulch.

My vegetable garden is still providing arugula, chard, cilantro, parsley and sage. On the north side of the garden I used discarded windows as a wind break. When the temperature hits 32o or below, I throw old sheets over my plants.

With the unseasonable warm weather insects emerge. The Boxelder bugs swam on the southern side of my home and often find entry to the inside. These bugs are usually harmless both to plants and humans, but can stain the house siding.

It is not too early to start planning your spring vegetable garden. Start sowing seeds of cool season vegetables, such as arugula, in indoor pots or trays. Also start seeds of lavender, chives, dill, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Seeds of peas (soak over night), lettuce, spinach and chard can be planted in your garden if protected with a cover of black fabric.