You pour a cup of morning coffee and glance out over your lawn. Wait a minute! What are those little white bumps? They weren’t there last night. If you’ve ever had that happen to you, you can sympathize with the frustration felt by this reader...
QUESTION: “What can I do to stop the growth of mushrooms in my backyard? I have to remove them sometimes twice weekly.” – Dorothy Branch
ANSWER: Mushrooms (or toadstools) are often a sign that your lawn has insufficient drainage and is staying wet. Addressing the drainage problem is the best first step.
Simply picking the mushrooms won’t get rid of the problem. The mushrooms are the reproductive (or fruiting) structures of certain kinds of fungi that are present below the surface of the lawn. The caps contain millions of microscopic spores that are wind-carried until they find a favorable site in which to grow. They then send out long filaments deep into the soil below your lawn.
An excellent online resource is this publication from the University of California http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74100.html and you can click on a direct link to that report when you find this column under the Plant Man heading at my Web site www.landsteward.org
Even though picking the ‘shrooms won’t do much to prevent the underlying problem, the primary reasons for removing mushrooms from lawns are to keep them away from children and pets and to improve the lawn's appearance.
Always bear in mind that some species are poisonous and you should never eat mushrooms picked from your lawn unless you are a fungi expert and you are certain they are edible! It’s a good idea to keep a pair of dedicated mushroom gloves handy if removing them really is a frequent chore. This will help to keep the spores off your hands so you don’t ingest them or pass them along when you touch Fido or the kids.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a column titled “Turn wet land into spectacular bog garden.” Recently I received the following e-mail from a reader: COMMENT: “In light of the concern with rapidly disappearing wetlands and the recent Supreme Court decision concerning filling wetlands as a possible violation of the Clean Water Act, I think you might at least have mentioned wetlands protection and [its] importance. The Corps of Engineers is responsible for monitoring and enforcing activities involving wetlands. I realize you were probably thinking about rather small tracts; still it may not take much disturbance such as excavating soil to come within the terms of wetlands protection.” – John Watson
ANSWER: Good point, John. I am a strong supporter of wetlands protection and I’m pleased to take this opportunity to remind readers about the importance of wetlands preservation. As you note, I was specifically talking about those small patches of lawn or garden that are simply “wet land” rather than “wetlands.” Again, you can refer to that column by visiting my Web site.
Here’s another reader comment that you might find helpful:
COMMENT: “I would like to pass on some information to other gardeners. We have tried to plant a weeping cherry tree three times and every time it grows well and all of a sudden all the leaves fall off and it dies. We were told to use Bayer Systematic Insect Spray. Hopefully this is not premature but it is doing fantastic and so far the cherry tree borer has stayed away from it. I also used it on the crepe myrtles and no longer have the "sootie mold" on the leaves which comes from the aphids. Hope this helps someone.” – Bob Steffon
ANSWER: I have not tried that particular product so I have no personal experience, but I’m glad to know it seems to be working for you. I always like to receive ideas and recommendations from readers and then pass them along.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
'Plant’ your own personality on your landscape
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this column on the subject of new and unusual twists on old favorites for folks who want to create a landscape look that is just a little out of the ordinary. Judging by the e-mail I received, many readers are intrigued by the idea of less-than-familiar plants, so today I have a few more suggestions that will make your garden just a little more unique.
Spirea are among the easiest plants to transplant and to grow successfully. They also tend to grow quite quickly, so they are worth considering if you need to establish a mature look without a long wait. Spirea are not particularly uncommon, but if you pick one or two of the less common varieties you can put a personal stamp on your landscape.
Spirea "Snow Storm"
As the seasons change, this beauty seems to take on a whole different personality, if color is anything to go by. In late spring and early summer, it is covered by such a profusion of white blooms that it looks as if it had been blanketed by a freak snowstorm. The dome-shaped blooms are quite large (6 to 8 inches across) and are pure white with delicate pink centers. The blossoms contrast beautifully with the deep blue-green leaves.
When summer turns to fall, the foliage puts on an eye-popping display of yellow, red and orange, a marked contrast from the profusion of white seen only a few weeks before.
Snow Storm can work well as a specimen, but I’ve seen it as the backdrop for a perennial garden when several of them are planted about 5 feet apart. It’s also an excellent choice if you’re looking for an unusual shrub border. It is fairly easy to grow and seems to maintain a consistent flower color regardless of soil type, but in my experience it prefers well-drained or sandy soil. At maturity, Snow Storm reaches a height of 3 to 6 feet.
Spirea "Magic Carpet" pp # 9363
It is no exaggeration to say that I fell in love with Magic Carpet the first time I saw it at the nursery. It was the height of summer so it was in full bloom covered with deep pink flowers offset by leaves that were bronze to light green with red tips.
The nurseryman told me that, in the spring, it has vibrant, red-emerging leaf shoots that turn to the bronze/light green color I was looking at under the summer sun. In fact, bright sun will bring out the most vibrant color and Magic Carpet is quite drought-resistant, too. Apparently, the foliage will retain its rich russet tones until well into late fall or early winter.
This is a plant that can play many roles in a landscape, due to its compact size, reaching a mature height of only 12" to 18" with a spread of about two feet or so. This would make a spectacular – and unexpected – groundcover or work well as a small specimen shrub, perhaps with the larger Spirea Snow Storm as a back drop.
Two other spireas you might want to check out if you would like a personal look for your landscape: Darts Red (with its striking deep red blooms) and the compact Lemon Princess (sporting oversized bright pink flowers over toothed gold-green leaves).
All well worth looking for when you’re striving for a landscape that reflects your individual personality! If you’re having trouble finding them, drop a note to me at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll help you with some shopping information. If you missed the previous column featuring unusual twists on old favorites, you can find it at www.landsteward.org under the Plant Man heading. Look for "variations on old favorites add pizzazz to landscape."
As fall planting season approaches, I’ll try to come up with a few more uncommon plants that might appeal to you. Meanwhile, if you want some specific suggestions, send me an e-mail with a few details about your landscape and location and I’ll reply with some suggestions.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Spirea are among the easiest plants to transplant and to grow successfully. They also tend to grow quite quickly, so they are worth considering if you need to establish a mature look without a long wait. Spirea are not particularly uncommon, but if you pick one or two of the less common varieties you can put a personal stamp on your landscape.
Spirea "Snow Storm"
As the seasons change, this beauty seems to take on a whole different personality, if color is anything to go by. In late spring and early summer, it is covered by such a profusion of white blooms that it looks as if it had been blanketed by a freak snowstorm. The dome-shaped blooms are quite large (6 to 8 inches across) and are pure white with delicate pink centers. The blossoms contrast beautifully with the deep blue-green leaves.
When summer turns to fall, the foliage puts on an eye-popping display of yellow, red and orange, a marked contrast from the profusion of white seen only a few weeks before.
Snow Storm can work well as a specimen, but I’ve seen it as the backdrop for a perennial garden when several of them are planted about 5 feet apart. It’s also an excellent choice if you’re looking for an unusual shrub border. It is fairly easy to grow and seems to maintain a consistent flower color regardless of soil type, but in my experience it prefers well-drained or sandy soil. At maturity, Snow Storm reaches a height of 3 to 6 feet.
Spirea "Magic Carpet" pp # 9363
It is no exaggeration to say that I fell in love with Magic Carpet the first time I saw it at the nursery. It was the height of summer so it was in full bloom covered with deep pink flowers offset by leaves that were bronze to light green with red tips.
The nurseryman told me that, in the spring, it has vibrant, red-emerging leaf shoots that turn to the bronze/light green color I was looking at under the summer sun. In fact, bright sun will bring out the most vibrant color and Magic Carpet is quite drought-resistant, too. Apparently, the foliage will retain its rich russet tones until well into late fall or early winter.
This is a plant that can play many roles in a landscape, due to its compact size, reaching a mature height of only 12" to 18" with a spread of about two feet or so. This would make a spectacular – and unexpected – groundcover or work well as a small specimen shrub, perhaps with the larger Spirea Snow Storm as a back drop.
Two other spireas you might want to check out if you would like a personal look for your landscape: Darts Red (with its striking deep red blooms) and the compact Lemon Princess (sporting oversized bright pink flowers over toothed gold-green leaves).
All well worth looking for when you’re striving for a landscape that reflects your individual personality! If you’re having trouble finding them, drop a note to me at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll help you with some shopping information. If you missed the previous column featuring unusual twists on old favorites, you can find it at www.landsteward.org under the Plant Man heading. Look for "variations on old favorites add pizzazz to landscape."
As fall planting season approaches, I’ll try to come up with a few more uncommon plants that might appeal to you. Meanwhile, if you want some specific suggestions, send me an e-mail with a few details about your landscape and location and I’ll reply with some suggestions.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Weeds have less chance in a thick, healthy lawn
The summer heat can create headaches for landscapers and gardeners. When it comes to watering, how much is too much? And what can be done about the sudden emergence of crab grass? These were questions e-mailed to me recently by readers of this column.
QUESTION: "I have 52,000 square feet of sod, it's been very nice and green but this year I have been invaded by crab grass. I have never had this problem before. I had previously used one of those green thumb services but this year I decided to do it myself to save some money. This crab grass grows so fast, so big it's taking over! It has popped up right through my sod. What do you think I'm doing wrong and what might correct the problem?" – Bob
ANSWER: Crabgrass can be a problem for cool-season lawns during the heat of summer. In most cases, the seed is there lying dormant during fall/winter and begins to sprout in spring. Your lawn service was constantly caring for your lawn, using the proper fertilizer, herbicide and correct mowing height. It is worth noting that weeds generally aren't a problem in thick, healthy lawns.
Most people just fertilize and mow their lawns. But, it takes research and a lot of time to achieve a healthy lawn. Fertilizer should be applied (on cool-season grass) in early spring, early summer, late summer, and early fall. Some fertilizer compounds contain herbicides which should be used in the spring season as a pre-emergence.
When mowing, the height will depend mostly on the recommended height set by the seed company for the grass planted. Most are in the 2-4 inch height range, but again it depends on the grass variety. Not enough fertilizer, mowing too closely, drought, insects and diseases can also play a part in the weed problem as well.
This time of year, you may want to visit your hardware store for their recommendation on a post-emergence herbicide for crabgrass that will not harm your lawn. Follow the directions on the packaging. Since you do have a problem with the crabgrass now, you may want to apply a pre-emergence during winter or very early spring.
There are several good books on lawn care at most book stores (maybe even your local hardware store). If you decide to continue to maintain your lawn yourself, you might want to pick one up.
QUESTION: "I have 19 Emerald green Arborvitae, planted about two months ago. I watered them as the nursery man said, for 5 minutes every other day for the first week, then if we had no rain, once a week for 5 minutes each. I also set up a weeping hose around all of them so that I could water them while I was at work. My question is, does overwatering cause the trees to go brown and if it does, will they come back if I stop watering them?" – Patrick Blythe
ANSWER: Plants that are over watered and plants that are under watered can show the same symptoms. Based on what you have told me, yes, I would guess that you are over watering. It is a hard call on how much to water during the heat of summer. My recommendation is to cut back on the amount that you are giving them. A good deep watering every 3rd-5th day will be more than enough during the hottest part of summer. You may need to check the soil at the base of the plants by pulling some of the soil away to see if the root area is moist or dry.
As the weather begins cool somewhat, generally in early/mid September, taper off watering even more to harden off the plants. Cutting down to watering every 7 to 10 days by fall would be good. As fall sets in, you may not even need to water them at all, as well as through the winter. If your fall/winter is drier than normal, you may want to water from time to time. In most regions, fall and winter receive more moisture (through rain and snow) and with cooler temperatures there is considerably less stress on the plants. However, you should not attempt to water during freezing weather.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
QUESTION: "I have 52,000 square feet of sod, it's been very nice and green but this year I have been invaded by crab grass. I have never had this problem before. I had previously used one of those green thumb services but this year I decided to do it myself to save some money. This crab grass grows so fast, so big it's taking over! It has popped up right through my sod. What do you think I'm doing wrong and what might correct the problem?" – Bob
ANSWER: Crabgrass can be a problem for cool-season lawns during the heat of summer. In most cases, the seed is there lying dormant during fall/winter and begins to sprout in spring. Your lawn service was constantly caring for your lawn, using the proper fertilizer, herbicide and correct mowing height. It is worth noting that weeds generally aren't a problem in thick, healthy lawns.
Most people just fertilize and mow their lawns. But, it takes research and a lot of time to achieve a healthy lawn. Fertilizer should be applied (on cool-season grass) in early spring, early summer, late summer, and early fall. Some fertilizer compounds contain herbicides which should be used in the spring season as a pre-emergence.
When mowing, the height will depend mostly on the recommended height set by the seed company for the grass planted. Most are in the 2-4 inch height range, but again it depends on the grass variety. Not enough fertilizer, mowing too closely, drought, insects and diseases can also play a part in the weed problem as well.
This time of year, you may want to visit your hardware store for their recommendation on a post-emergence herbicide for crabgrass that will not harm your lawn. Follow the directions on the packaging. Since you do have a problem with the crabgrass now, you may want to apply a pre-emergence during winter or very early spring.
There are several good books on lawn care at most book stores (maybe even your local hardware store). If you decide to continue to maintain your lawn yourself, you might want to pick one up.
QUESTION: "I have 19 Emerald green Arborvitae, planted about two months ago. I watered them as the nursery man said, for 5 minutes every other day for the first week, then if we had no rain, once a week for 5 minutes each. I also set up a weeping hose around all of them so that I could water them while I was at work. My question is, does overwatering cause the trees to go brown and if it does, will they come back if I stop watering them?" – Patrick Blythe
ANSWER: Plants that are over watered and plants that are under watered can show the same symptoms. Based on what you have told me, yes, I would guess that you are over watering. It is a hard call on how much to water during the heat of summer. My recommendation is to cut back on the amount that you are giving them. A good deep watering every 3rd-5th day will be more than enough during the hottest part of summer. You may need to check the soil at the base of the plants by pulling some of the soil away to see if the root area is moist or dry.
As the weather begins cool somewhat, generally in early/mid September, taper off watering even more to harden off the plants. Cutting down to watering every 7 to 10 days by fall would be good. As fall sets in, you may not even need to water them at all, as well as through the winter. If your fall/winter is drier than normal, you may want to water from time to time. In most regions, fall and winter receive more moisture (through rain and snow) and with cooler temperatures there is considerably less stress on the plants. However, you should not attempt to water during freezing weather.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Try something new in your garden!
The Plant Man column
for publication week of 08/13/06 - 08/19/06
(695 words)
###
The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
There’s something comforting about planting the tried-and-true in the garden. A sense of continuity and tradition. But sometimes, those familiar stand-bys can seem a little dull and boring. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Today, I have some ideas for turning “okay” into “Oh Wow!” How? By looking for plants that are perennial favorites... but then selecting variants from that plant’s family that are a lot less familiar. Take the tried-and-true and give it a tweak!
Hydrangea macrophylla Cardinal Red
Let’s start with a plant that is familiar to just about everyone: the hydrangea. It used to be the plant of choice with people looking for flowering shrubs. Because of that, hydrangeas seemed to be everywhere and as a result they began to lose their appeal. But I’ve noticed that the humble hydrangea is once again becoming popular, particularly with a younger generation of homeowners.
Select a slightly unusual variety – such as the Cardinal Red – and your planting puts a unique twist on an old stand-by. Not only is the foliage attractive, but the huge red flower heads put on a great show all summer. One of the reasons for the popularity of hydrangeas is that they are shade tolerant and grow well on the shady side of a building or under trees. I like to see them planted as specimens, or massed together for stunning borders. The dried flower heads look good in flower arrangements, too.
Another option, if you’re laying out cool colors for your garden, could be the hydrangea Nikko Blue that will look delightful amid all those purples, pinks and whites.
Hydrangea macrophylla Forever Pink
Two things make this hydrangea a little different. It’s a dwarf variety, making it perfect for a low hedge or foundation planting. Secondly, Forever Pink blooms about one month earlier than most other hydrangeas and usually continues looking good until frost.
But why stop at hydrangeas?
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica “Little Henry”)
If you’re looking for a compact shrub that’s easy to grow, relatively free of diseases and provides year-round color, Little Henry could be for you.
The lightly-scented pure white flowers remind me of a spectacular display of bursting fireworks, frozen in time. But it’s the foliage that boasts the most dazzling color. The dark green leaves take on a reddish tinge in early fall that develops into dark crimson and scarlet and the days get chillier. The fantastic blood-red foliage even eclipses the more familiar Burning Bush.
Little Henry is an easygoing fellow who tolerates soil from moist to dry and light conditions from full sun to shade. As always, if you cannot find this plant easily, drop me a line at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll see if I can get you some shopping information.
Rosa “Carefree Delight”
Your neighbors might have roses, but they probably don’t have this variety. Many horticulturists consider the Carefree Delight to be one of the most beautiful, long blooming, and hardy, disease resistant shrub roses available today, so this is definitely a possibility if you’re looking for a twist on a traditional favorite.
This is what you might call a “living fence” and forms a dense wall of foliage and hundreds of blooms with very little effort on your part. The flowers start out as dark pink buds that develop into white-eyed blossoms and often continue from late spring until frost.
Giant Pussy Willow (Salix chaenomeloides)
Yes, pussy willows are a familiar sight. But this one looks like it is on steroids! To give you an idea, it has catkins the size of a rabbit’s foot and can grow to about ten feet high. It’s not easy to find but quite easy to grow.
I like the silver-grey foliage in the summer and the glowing red-yellow bark in the winter. Seeing the red buds turn into furry catkins in the early spring still brings out the kid in me.
So look for unusual twists on old favorites and put a unique face on a familiar landscape.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
for publication week of 08/13/06 - 08/19/06
(695 words)
###
The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
There’s something comforting about planting the tried-and-true in the garden. A sense of continuity and tradition. But sometimes, those familiar stand-bys can seem a little dull and boring. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Today, I have some ideas for turning “okay” into “Oh Wow!” How? By looking for plants that are perennial favorites... but then selecting variants from that plant’s family that are a lot less familiar. Take the tried-and-true and give it a tweak!
Hydrangea macrophylla Cardinal Red
Let’s start with a plant that is familiar to just about everyone: the hydrangea. It used to be the plant of choice with people looking for flowering shrubs. Because of that, hydrangeas seemed to be everywhere and as a result they began to lose their appeal. But I’ve noticed that the humble hydrangea is once again becoming popular, particularly with a younger generation of homeowners.
Select a slightly unusual variety – such as the Cardinal Red – and your planting puts a unique twist on an old stand-by. Not only is the foliage attractive, but the huge red flower heads put on a great show all summer. One of the reasons for the popularity of hydrangeas is that they are shade tolerant and grow well on the shady side of a building or under trees. I like to see them planted as specimens, or massed together for stunning borders. The dried flower heads look good in flower arrangements, too.
Another option, if you’re laying out cool colors for your garden, could be the hydrangea Nikko Blue that will look delightful amid all those purples, pinks and whites.
Hydrangea macrophylla Forever Pink
Two things make this hydrangea a little different. It’s a dwarf variety, making it perfect for a low hedge or foundation planting. Secondly, Forever Pink blooms about one month earlier than most other hydrangeas and usually continues looking good until frost.
But why stop at hydrangeas?
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica “Little Henry”)
If you’re looking for a compact shrub that’s easy to grow, relatively free of diseases and provides year-round color, Little Henry could be for you.
The lightly-scented pure white flowers remind me of a spectacular display of bursting fireworks, frozen in time. But it’s the foliage that boasts the most dazzling color. The dark green leaves take on a reddish tinge in early fall that develops into dark crimson and scarlet and the days get chillier. The fantastic blood-red foliage even eclipses the more familiar Burning Bush.
Little Henry is an easygoing fellow who tolerates soil from moist to dry and light conditions from full sun to shade. As always, if you cannot find this plant easily, drop me a line at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll see if I can get you some shopping information.
Rosa “Carefree Delight”
Your neighbors might have roses, but they probably don’t have this variety. Many horticulturists consider the Carefree Delight to be one of the most beautiful, long blooming, and hardy, disease resistant shrub roses available today, so this is definitely a possibility if you’re looking for a twist on a traditional favorite.
This is what you might call a “living fence” and forms a dense wall of foliage and hundreds of blooms with very little effort on your part. The flowers start out as dark pink buds that develop into white-eyed blossoms and often continue from late spring until frost.
Giant Pussy Willow (Salix chaenomeloides)
Yes, pussy willows are a familiar sight. But this one looks like it is on steroids! To give you an idea, it has catkins the size of a rabbit’s foot and can grow to about ten feet high. It’s not easy to find but quite easy to grow.
I like the silver-grey foliage in the summer and the glowing red-yellow bark in the winter. Seeing the red buds turn into furry catkins in the early spring still brings out the kid in me.
So look for unusual twists on old favorites and put a unique face on a familiar landscape.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
No-sweat ideas for dog-day gardening
It’s August. It’s hot and dry, or it’s hot and humid. But pretty much everywhere... it’s hot. And that means, for most of us, it’s not much fun being outdoors.
Fortunately, the “must do” list for garden and landscape lovers is mercifully short. But that doesn’t mean you can let it slide!
Let’s take a look at my “dog days must do” list that will keep your landscape looking good until those cooler days return.
Start early!
Don’t put it off. It’s tempting to pour another cup of coffee and look out at the great outdoors from your air-conditioned nest. But leave it too late and when you DO step outside, the heat hits you smack in the face and you retreat back inside.
Work in short bursts
Get out there before the sun gets up too high and take care of one or two landscape chores, even if you only spend fifteen or twenty minutes doing it. You can always go back out again tomorrow morning.
Weed and weed again
Leave weeds alone too long and they get a real grip on your landscape, sucking up moisture and nutrients that should be going to your plants. Don’t try to weed every square inch in one go! Working in short bursts, thoroughly weed one area this morning, then tomorrow you can pick up where you left off.
As much as possible, try to pull the weeds before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. If you need an incentive, remind yourself that every seed will turn into a new weed if you don’t get it now!
Water the lawn... or not
As I’ve said many times before, for best results water deeply about once a week rather than lightly and more frequently. And set the mower blades to around three inches so that the slightly taller grass shades the soil and allows the moisture to linger longer.
But if your lawn should turn brown, or if your municipality imposes water restrictions, don’t sweat it. For the most part, a brown lawn is dormant and will resume its more attractive green hue when the fall rain returns.
Trees and shrubs
Take a look at your trees and remove any dead branches. If you have any summer flowering shrubs that are beginning to look unkempt, you can prune them back to a better shape as soon as they’ve finished flowering.
Perennials
Pick the dead flowers off your perennials. You can do this as you’re weeding around them if you wish, taking care of two chores at once. Deadheading not only makes your garden look fresher and brighter, they will also continue to flower longer because they will not go into their seed-producing phase just yet.
Look! Up in the sky...
It’s a hanging basket! Sometimes, when we’re concentrating on plants at ground level, we can forget to check on those hanging baskets. Reach up and push your finger deep down into the soil. You’re checking to see if there is enough moisture down at the root level, not just on the surface. If it doesn’t feel moist, water them thoroughly, but be careful not to over water to avoid rotting the roots.
While you’re at it, do the same thing with any container plants out there on your porch or patio. Again, the best time to water is early in the morning.
Bath time for birdies
If you have a bird bath, be sure that it has fresh water and isn’t getting green and slimy. Apart from being an unhealthy environment for the birds, stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. At the same time, make sure that tarps and wheelbarrows haven’t collected storm water creating a mini mosquito farm. Can you say West Nile Virus? I thought you could!
Remember, don’t be a hero! You won’t win a medal for working outside in the broiling sun until you drop. Go out early. Take a bottle of water with you. Work in short bursts. Don’t try to get everything done in one session.
Now go back inside and enjoy your air conditioning as you survey your landscape with a sense of real accomplishment. And remember the words of Scarlett O’Hara: “Tomorrow is another day!”
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
Fortunately, the “must do” list for garden and landscape lovers is mercifully short. But that doesn’t mean you can let it slide!
Let’s take a look at my “dog days must do” list that will keep your landscape looking good until those cooler days return.
Start early!
Don’t put it off. It’s tempting to pour another cup of coffee and look out at the great outdoors from your air-conditioned nest. But leave it too late and when you DO step outside, the heat hits you smack in the face and you retreat back inside.
Work in short bursts
Get out there before the sun gets up too high and take care of one or two landscape chores, even if you only spend fifteen or twenty minutes doing it. You can always go back out again tomorrow morning.
Weed and weed again
Leave weeds alone too long and they get a real grip on your landscape, sucking up moisture and nutrients that should be going to your plants. Don’t try to weed every square inch in one go! Working in short bursts, thoroughly weed one area this morning, then tomorrow you can pick up where you left off.
As much as possible, try to pull the weeds before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. If you need an incentive, remind yourself that every seed will turn into a new weed if you don’t get it now!
Water the lawn... or not
As I’ve said many times before, for best results water deeply about once a week rather than lightly and more frequently. And set the mower blades to around three inches so that the slightly taller grass shades the soil and allows the moisture to linger longer.
But if your lawn should turn brown, or if your municipality imposes water restrictions, don’t sweat it. For the most part, a brown lawn is dormant and will resume its more attractive green hue when the fall rain returns.
Trees and shrubs
Take a look at your trees and remove any dead branches. If you have any summer flowering shrubs that are beginning to look unkempt, you can prune them back to a better shape as soon as they’ve finished flowering.
Perennials
Pick the dead flowers off your perennials. You can do this as you’re weeding around them if you wish, taking care of two chores at once. Deadheading not only makes your garden look fresher and brighter, they will also continue to flower longer because they will not go into their seed-producing phase just yet.
Look! Up in the sky...
It’s a hanging basket! Sometimes, when we’re concentrating on plants at ground level, we can forget to check on those hanging baskets. Reach up and push your finger deep down into the soil. You’re checking to see if there is enough moisture down at the root level, not just on the surface. If it doesn’t feel moist, water them thoroughly, but be careful not to over water to avoid rotting the roots.
While you’re at it, do the same thing with any container plants out there on your porch or patio. Again, the best time to water is early in the morning.
Bath time for birdies
If you have a bird bath, be sure that it has fresh water and isn’t getting green and slimy. Apart from being an unhealthy environment for the birds, stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. At the same time, make sure that tarps and wheelbarrows haven’t collected storm water creating a mini mosquito farm. Can you say West Nile Virus? I thought you could!
Remember, don’t be a hero! You won’t win a medal for working outside in the broiling sun until you drop. Go out early. Take a bottle of water with you. Work in short bursts. Don’t try to get everything done in one session.
Now go back inside and enjoy your air conditioning as you survey your landscape with a sense of real accomplishment. And remember the words of Scarlett O’Hara: “Tomorrow is another day!”
The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org
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