GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

INTRO
June is a good month in the south; the humidity has not likely arrived, the days are long and school is out putting us on summertime.  A change in the daily routine is a welcomed change indeed!

BULBS

If your daffodil foliage is lying on the ground, it is now OK to cut back.

How well did your daffodils perform this year? Great? then leave them be; poorly?, then dig up the bulbs and divide once they finish maturing (as indicated by the died back leaves.) They are probably overcrowded.  Daffodil bulbs can be planted immediately or stored in a shade, well-ventilated location.

Remove the Amaryllis bloom stalk.

Remove German bearded iris bloom stalk to tidy up the plant.  During the 6 weeks or so after bloom time, next years flowers are forming.   It’s best to wait until the fall to transplant or otherwise disturb these plants or risk next years show.

The soil has warmed enough to plant caladiums and elephant ears.

Late spring is the time to plant autumn crocuses.

Dahlia tubers can still be planted.

ANNUALS

Tender annuals can still be planted: begonias, basil, coleus, impatiens.

PERENNIALS

Up until about the 4th of July, many plants can be pinched back to maintain shape, delay bloom time, and keep from getting leggy.  Give your garden Nip and Tuck; Plants that benefit from a nip include: Asters, Basil, Joe-Pye weed, heliopsis, Mint, Mums, Salvias, Sedums.

Keep flower heads deadheaded.

TREES & SHRUBS

ROSES

Remember to cut your faded rose blooms to encourage more growth.  Cut the stem just above the first 5-leaflet leaf below the bloom.

Remember, roses are a thirsty and hungry bunch.  The watering rule of thumb is to water each plant 5 gallons per week.  Fertilize every six weeks with a complete rose fertilizer.

HERBS

Rosemary can take a hard pruning.   Now is a good time to shape, shear it, prune to manage its size.

Its easy to plant more herbs than you can use  plan to share with friends and neighbors.

WATERWISE

As summer begins, so do summer vacations.   This also arises the need to have your garden looked after while you are gone!.  There is no need not to have container gardens just because you are going on vacation and don’t want to be bothered.  Why let a week or two away keep you from coming home to some nice plantings?  Here are some tips to caring for your container gardens and houseplants while you are on vacation.  These tips are for those with and without automatic irrigation systems.

Bring houseplants outside under the cool of the porch or eves of the house.

Get a neighbor kid to come over everyday to check on things and to water.  Most pots will need watering everyday.

Pool you pots together near a water source and out of the afternoon sun.

Add extra mulch to the base of the plant.

Add water lines to your containers from your irrigation system.

Don’t have an irrigation system?  The big box stores sell automatic systems that hook up to your spigot such as Mister Mister.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

INTRO

May brings the end of pine pollen and summer begins, at least the unofficial summer begins with Memorial Day celebrations.

Every garden has room for container gardens. Find some fabulous pots and fill them with whatever you fancy. Know the amount of sun you get and when. It matters when you select your plants. Remember containers tend to dry out faster and often, with this, nutrients leach out, requiring extra watering and fertilizing.

BULBS

It’s safe now to plant the Amaryllis from Christmas. It will not likely bloom again this year, but should do so next year. My Amarylis, from previous year’s, bloom mid month.

Now that the soils have warmed, plant Caladium bulbs or those potted and already in leaf. They like it warm and can be damaged by a cool weather, not just a frost. They are also big feeders, so they will need consistent watering and fertilizer during the growing season.

Actually, any tender summer bulb such as cannas, dahlias, ginger lilies, and tuberoses can be planted now.

Oh, the Iris are blooming their little heads off.  After blooming, cut flower stalks to tidy up the plant.  Recently, I cut some for a friend. She took a whiff and realized for the first time, bearded Irises have a lovely scent. They are nice to bring inside to enjoy the flowers and scent.

Cut the flowers stalks of daffodils. Try to ignore the leaves as they die a natural death.

ANNUALS

With the frost behind us, annuals can be planted with abandonment.

Visit public gardens to see the variety available for planting in our area.  The JC Raulston Arboretum is an All-American Selection (AAS) display garden exhibiting the most recent selection winners.

Direct sow zinnia seed at intervals to have cut flowers through frost.

PERENNIALS

May is not the ideal time for planting perennials, but they are oh, so available. Plan to plant, but pamper as well. Perennials will require extra watering to help get established.

Seeing the Chinese wisteria escaped in the wild brings a feeling of wonder. Yes, the color and flowers cascading down from the trees are beautiful, but they ain’t supposed to be there. Think twice about planting one. Instead, consider the the American wisteria, ‘Amethyst Falls’, a rich purple flowers,  blooming a little later the Chinese species.

TREES AND SHRUBS

May is Southern Magnolia’s bloom time. These flowers give so much and we need to do so little for them in return. I like to pluck a Magnolia bloom and float it in a bowl of water near where I read or enjoy the garden at the end of the day. It last but a day, but what a day it is.

The Endless Summer Hydrangea is the first Hydrangea to bloom on old and new growth with the ability to rebloom all summer long. I planted my Endless Summer in 2005.   To encourage reblooming, cut the blooms for drying or to put in vases for a fresh arrangement. This will also encourage the plant to set new buds.

Prune rhododendron and azaleas right after flowering.

ROSES

Roses are in full swing right now. Let your roses flush out and take shorter pruning tactics in May so they grow taller. This is usually good advice for the first couple of cuttings. Then you can prune at will, remembering to cut at an angle at the next 5 leaflets.  Roses are heavy feeders both food and water. Fertilize once a month and give each rose about 5 gallons of water each week or about an inch a week. Water at the base of the plant and in the morning to help discourage black spot.

HERBS

Plant an herb garden! If not for you, then for your garden friends. The black Tiger Swallowtail butterfly larvae love parsley and fennel. Let those green worms eat it all. Or plant enough to spare. If you don’t want them, call me at 760-5404 and I will rescue them to my gardens.

May, in my garden, is Lavender peak bloom time. Each May, I’m reminded of why I grow Lavender.  But it can look ratty many months of the year. After it flowers, cut back and shape.

VEGETABLES

WATERWISE

Keep your gardens cool, less thirsty, and reduce the amount of weeds,  top dress your garden beds of mulch. I can write volumes on the benefits of mulch. I believe in the power of mulch.

For my Roses, I use mini-nuggets, but for my perennial gardens, I used composted leaf mulch.

Picking up a load reminds me of how important it is to make sure your yard waste is separated from your trash. This is not only good stuff once it is composted, but the conservation practice is in all our best interest! Confessions of a Sustainable Gardener – Part 3 Mulch

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

To encourage flowering, a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus is best. The fertilizer’s 3 main ingredients are N-P-K with N for Nitrogen, P for Phosphorus and K for Potassium. 10-10-10 means there is an equal proportion of each N-P-K. Hydrangeas like a low N and a high P, thus a combination of 10-40-10 would be ideal.

My general rule of thumb to remember what the numbers mean, is to start with the first number and apply from the top of the plant to the bottom. As such, N is for the green; P  is for the bloom; and K- is for the root or up and down and all around.

To refresh your understanding of pH, pH refers to the acidity of the soil and is measured by the number of Hydrogen ions present in the soil. pH is a logarithmic scale based on the power of ten. As such, pH of 6.0 is 10 times more acidic than pH of 7.0!  Thus, even a little change in pH can make a big difference. A pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acid, greater than 7 is alkaline. Most plants like a pH between 6.5 and 7. Hydrangeas like it more acidic than most plants.

GARDEN PESTS

WILDLIFE

Photo from David Spain, co-owner of Moss and Stone Gardens, Raleigh, NC.  CONTAINER GARDENS

LAWNS

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens, and Traditional Home magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

Cercis canadensis subsp. texensis 'Traveller'

INTRO

The entire month of April is wrapped in spring. With March madness behind us and the merriment of May ahead, we feel the need to stop and appreciate our gardens in April.

Our area’s last listed frost date is April 15th. The IRS has made this easy for us to remember! Sure enough, the date has been accurate in my journal for several years, but it is always close. All was fine until April 17, 2007 when we had, not just a late frost, but a killing winter freeze. I don’t recall experiencing anything like it before.

The month of April is full of tulips, daffodils, Virginia bluebells, Youshino cherry, flowering dogwood, crabapple, candy tuff, azaleas, creeping phlox, and more.  

BULBS

If you forced paper-white narcissus indoors over the holidays using a soil based medium, they can be planted outdoors for years of enjoyment. If you forced them in the absence of soil, they are spent; compost them!

I know it drives you crazy to see the fading leaves of the daffodil. Yes, it really is necessary to keep the green as long as possible for next year’s food.

ANNUALS

Wait until after the last frost before planting tender annuals such as Impatiens and Petunias.

PERENNIALS

The Cross Vine trellised over my garden gate and up the side of our house is striking in April. Love, love, love this vine. This is why we put up with a ratty looking vine in the winter or at least, this is why I do. The sticks of Miss Huff Lantana left for architectural interest (or should have for the health of the plant) can probably be cut to the ground now. I usually leave mine until the new growth comes in so I can have a visual to remind me of what will come.

Now is a good time to divide Hostas. There is lots of good advice out there on the proper way to do this. I take the in-situ method; i.e. as the green appears, I take a shovel, split the plant while still in the ground, pull half of it up and move it to its new home. Works for me. But in Helen’s Haven, I no longer grow Hostas, which saddens me greatly. The one area where we can grow them is infested with voles. Trying all the usual tricks, none have worked. But I would not longer grow them there even if I didn’t have voles. This area also too dry. When I re-worked Helen’s Haven into a water-wise design, I was no longer willing to bring water to this area. Such is gardening. The real beauty in gardening is the wealth of plants available to fill any niche one door closes with one door opens. I now have a very nice display of hellebores. Hellebores provide year round greenery, flowers in the late winter (wow), are drought tolerant and poisonous to voles, so they stay clear.

TREES AND SHRUBS

The time to prune azaleas is just after they bloom. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to prune most blooming shrubs right after they bloom. If you wait too long, you will cut off next years bloom.

If you have to tame forsythia, do it now. It can be cut back – as much as you need – and still have some flowers next winter.

If you got winter burn on your gardenia, just cut off the burned ends. Or, take the lazy method, which is what I do. Let the new leaves self prune the dead. The dead leaves will eventually drop off. If you see a lot of yellow leaves, test the soil and remember gardenias like acid soil! However, also remember this is part of the plant’s natural cycle. It looses leaves in the spring and then produces new growth. So be patient.

Now is good time to cut back the red-stemmed dogwood branches. The winter red color is on the new growth.

It is normal to see a large amount of Magnolia leaves shed beginning this month. Some find it messy, but if the Magnolia was left to grow properly, the leaves will fall within the drip line and should be of little consequence. By ‘grow properly’, I mean Magnolias are not meant to be limbedup. In fact helping the branches droop is encouraged. In earlier days, it was common to weigh the lower branches down with rope and bricks. By keeping a ‘skirt’ on the tree, it hides the falling leaves and makes the tree very stately from the ground up. Once the limbs are cut, there is no going back. I have friend in Burtee County. Her sister inherited a pre-civil war home with magnificent Magnolias out front. For whatever reason, she limbed them up. Now the beauty of these magnificent Magnolias has gone with the wind.

ROSES

HERBS

Plant herbs after the treat of the season’s final frost. Plant annual herbs such as basil, bi-annulas such as parsley, and perennial herbs such as rosemary, chives, thyme, and mint.

VEGETABLES

WATERWISE

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

GARDEN PESTS

WILDLIFE

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

March Maintenance Guide

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

INTRO

It could be said that March is the month for yellow. I can’t help myself and I gawk at the forsythia and the daffodils. I can’t get enough of them. I also can’t help but notice the difference between pruned forsythia and those left in their natural state. Forsythia look best left natural. If you can’t leave forsythia naturally, needing a tidier garden, than find another shrub that can tolerate pruning and not look unnatural. But the chances are you are growing forsythia because of what it does this month – bloom fantastic long arching stems of beautiful yellow flowers; so let it do what it does best, branch out and beg to be noticed adding to the yellows of spring.

With the arrival of spring, we start wanting to see beautiful gardens. Look for garden tours, events, and symposia. A garden tour is a great way to learn about gardens, plants that do well in your region, and walk away with a thousand ideas while having an enjoyable time. Even if you only walk away with one idea, it is worth it.   My gauge for a successful garden tour is when everybody’s garden was somebody’s favorite.

BULBS

Don’t kick yourself for not having daffodils blooming in your garden this month. Put in your day planner now to purchase spring blooming bulbs in the summer when the selection is best and plant daffodils in mid fall.  As a reminder, do not cut back the leaves of the daffodils until they have finished. Once they have lain down on the ground, they can be cut back.

Ditto with the tulips. In our area, the Dutch tulips are used as annuals.  But can also be a benefit for those who aren’t keen on untidy bulb foliage.  I think tulips are the most underused bulb. They can be pricey, especially since they have to be replaced each year. That and the little garden critters love them too. I suspect this is why they are so underused. However, they are fantastic. I believe they are worth the money. Bulbs are long lasting and with the vast selection, they can be timed to bloom with the Dogwoods and the Azaleas.

Because I grow Dutch Tulips as annuals, I pull them as soon as the flowers are spent.

For summer blooming plants such as Gladiolus, plant corms now.  Planting every two weeks from now through spring will extend the bloom time.  Select well-shaped, large corms and plant in a sunny, well-drained location, planted no closer than four inches apart, 4 – 6 inches deep.

To get a jump start for a spring display, start caladiums and tuberous begonias inside.  Pot up bulbs with roots down and growth points up.  Keep at room temperature until they are ready to plant outside.  Both are very tender and benefit in waiting a couple weeks past the last frost date.

ANNUALS

Pansies are still looking good. We will be able to enjoy them through the end of May, if we want. Most usually pull in early May, after the threat of last frost, just in time to put in summer annuals. It also a good time to plant pansies.

Now is a good time to plant alyssum, snapdragon and viola. As well as larkspur, and poppies seeds.

PERENNIALS

If you haven’t already cut back your Liriope, look inside to see if the new growth has emerged. If you see the new growth, it can still be cut back, but  be careful that the new growth is not cut. The longer the new growth, the more difficult this task is. Cutting them back last month would have been ideal, but there may still be time- take a peek before you cut. Otherwise, trim off burnt edges and wait until next year.

My Hellebores are looking very good. Hellebores are one of my favorite plants for winter interest. I like to cut back the old leaves before (or as) the new growth emerges. Also, if you don’t want your Hellebores to spread, cut the flower heads before they release their seeds. Remember too, the Hellebores cross breed readily. So don’t trust the seed of your black hellebore to stay black if they keep company with other colors. Your original will stay black, but any babies will be something else.

Hostas are starting to come up. This is a great time to divide and share with a friend or another location in your garden.

For your daylilies, now is a good time to divide. Daylilies need dividing every 4 years or so to keep them flowering nicely.  They divide easily and happily.  Keep the clumps large, 3 – 5 fans each.  Share with friends or find now homes in your garden. This year’s blooms may suffer, but will recover by next year.  One way to look at it, if they need dividing, they are suffering anyway by not being divided!

Bee balm (Monarda) is sprouting now (and last month too.)  Take this opportunity to transplant and move around in the garden or to give to friends.

Spring is a good time to divide bleeding hearts, garden phlox, hostas, coreopsis, chrysanthemums, ajuga, and Shasta daisies. Transplant to other areas of your gardens, share with a friend, or donate to a plant sale.

Herbaceous peonies will be up soon. I love, love, love Peonies. The blooms of this long living perennial may only last a couple of weeks, but I cannot resist their scent and beauty.

If you haven’t cut back your ornamental grasses yet, you may still have time. Look inside the plant to see if the new growth has emerged. Be careful not to cut the new growth.

If you needed a good excuse to grow Carolina Jessamine, look around and get inspired. They are blooming everywhere – mailboxes, entrances, sides of homes, fences, anywhere you wish to add some local color.

Transplant seedlings of columbine, Lenten rose, purple coneflowers, and bee balm to an appropriate space, to move to another part of the garden, or to share with a gardening friend.

TREES AND SHRUBS

Look at those Redbuds. Mine opened up around the middle of the month. Before that, it was the Peaches and Cherries.

Coppice American beauty berry.  It helps stimulate growth and control size.

This is the time of year bear-root plants should be planted.  Either purchased at an independent garden center or received from the mail order nursery.  When they arrive, as the name applies, the roots will be bear.  These plants are dormant, without soil or potting mix, their clean roots moistened by damp sphagnum moss or softwood shavings, newspaper or the like.  Depending on the plant, the bear root could have a husky root system, but no leaves yet, or a chunk of roots, in either case, the plant looks nothing like what it will become.   The roots will soon sprout leaves and grow into fine plants.  Be sure to plant as soon as possible.  If the roots dry out, the plant’s health will be compromised.  Bear-root trees and shrubs benefit from extra care before planting.  Soak the roots in a bucket of water for 2 hours or more to help restore moisture.  In fact overnight is fine, but not much longer than that.  When planting, be careful not to plant too deeply.  Locate the soil line on your woody plant or a change of color, or a thickened area where the stem meets the roots.  Use these markers as guidelines.  Leave the crown (where stems sprout) at soil line when planting.

There is sill time to plant trees and shrubs.

Prune fig trees.  Fertilize fig and blueberries with a well balanced fertilizer (10-10-10).

ROSES

Roses are starting to put out new growth. We are ending the optimum time to plant bare root roses. Now is a good time to add a slow release organic fertilizer. Roses are heavy feeders. We will get a good couple of months before we see black spot or Japanese Beetles. The Lady Banks rose will be blooming soon. I love this Rose. It may only bloom once a year, but it virtually maintenance free, free flowing, and stunning. I have two; one on the South side of my house trellising up a Chinese Windmill Palm and another growing up a Maple tree, again, on the South side (of the property and the tree.)

HERBS

As the new growth is emerging, cut back the winter-burned leaves of St. John’s-Wort.

March is a great time to direct sow parsley.  Your Tiger Swallowtail larvae will love you for it!

VEGETABLES

WATERWISE

March is typically a wet month. Unless there was a winter drought, watering is not necessary. Even in a drought, given the cooler temperatures, watering perennials once every 4 weeks and annuals every 2 weeks is all that is necessary. Tress and shrubs will not likely need watering. However, your specific conditions will dictate what is necessary.

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Your bulbs will appreciate an application of a complete fertilizer as the green appears.

Pansies and violas appreciate a slow-release application now.

Now is still a good time to lay mulch. This gives you enough time to allow gardens to have a nice chill, killing off insects and such, while still protecting our plants. Also your perennials are just emerging and laying mulch is much easier before the plants are up. I like to use composted leaf mulch, but most of my clients still like triple shredded hardwood mulch.  It looks best right after it is laid. Oh for our gardens to look as good as it looks right after mulch is applied. For my clients who use the hardwood mulches, I recommend lightly raking the mulch every quarter to remove the larger pieces. It is these pieces that bleach out in the sun like old bones in a desert. Racking them up and using elsewhere in the garden helps extend to look of mulch. Of course, if you use composted leaf mulch you will not be off the maintenance hook. There will be plenty of bits of trash to pick up as the mulch is consumed.

Spot weed your beds and grass. I hand pluck out my weeds. If you do this before they get out of hand, they can be managed. Also in my beds, I use a hoe and just cut the weeds below the surface of the soil.

GARDEN PESTS

WILDLIFE

For your Bluebirds have your nesting boxes ready. They are looking to nest!

For your birds, if you haven’t done so already, now is a good time clean out your nesting boxes.  Removing old nests and debris from birdhouses gives a new family a fresh start.  It is also a good idea to scrub your birdbaths.

Here is something to think about:

Nature’s first green is gold.

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

- Robert Frost

CONTAINER GARDENING

LAWNS

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

INTRO

Before the garden season kicks into full gear, evaluate your garden with regards to sustainability. Are you doing all that you can do to reduce water, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer use? Are you composting? Are you harvesting rain water? Are you planting the right plant in the right place? Do you mulch? Are you using organic and/or mechanical means for pesticide and herbicides control, and are you using organic fertilizers? Let this be the year you consider doing all that you can do. Let this be the year you begin.

A good practice to begin the gardening season is to have your soil tested.

BULBS

Now is a good time to fertilize the flowering bulbs. A general 10-10-10 is good, but there are also products made especially for flowering bulbs, such as Holland brand products.  Many bulbs such as paperwhite narcissus, hyacinths and tulips are each to force and enjoyed indoors while waiting for spring.

If you see green from your bulbs starting to emerge, don’t panic. While there is still winter ahead, the leaves do fine; they are very hardy.

ANNUALS

Pinch spent blooms off pansies to maintain their flower show through spring.

PERENNIALS

February is a good time to cut back Liriope. The key is not to cut it too late and risk cutting off the new growth. The damage will not recover and can look tattered.  Also, the solid green variety spreads. If your original design had a pattern and if you want to keep that pattern (usually an alternate X pattern), then after the cut back, dig out the Liriope that has spread.

You can still plant peonies.  Fall would have been idea, but they can be planed now as well.  When planting, make sure the top of the crown is just above the soil line.  Peonies need the cold to set the buds.  Fertilize now before the spring growth so that it will be readily available when the plant is.

February is the time to fertilize your flowering ornamentals.  My beds get most of their nutrients from decaying mulch, but often times, from the result of an soil test, I will an organic fertilizer.

A warm winter day is perfect for preparing a new or existing garden bed.  For a new site, mark the area of the new bed and top dress several layers of newspaper and top dress with organic matter such as composted leaf mulch.   For existing beds, work the ground with a garden fork to loosen the soil and mix in the organic matter.  In doing so,  you will improve soil fertility and drainage.

If you vines have gotten out of hand, late winter is a good time to tame them.  Cut back wisteria, Virginia creeper, ivy, and Japanese honeysuckle

Cut back ornamental grasses.  Also, when to Fertilize Your Grass. Check the perennials, particularly those planted last fall, to be sure they didn’t heave from alternate freezing thawing.

TREES AND SHRUBS

If you root pruned trees or shrubs last fall, now is a good time to transplant.

For your enjoyment indoors, have spring come early by bringing in branches or purchase already forced branches or bulbs.  Here are some ideas.

As long as the ground isn’t frozen, it is still a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Prepare the planting hole with ample mulch. Also cover the root ball with mulch being careful not to bring the mulch right up to the trunk.

If you haven’t cut your butterfly bushes, do so now. Doing so controls the height, increases the flower show since butterfly bushes flower on new growth, but also protects the plant in the event of heavy wind and ice storms coating the branches too weak to support the ice.

Late winter is an ideal time to prune most shrubs, so the timing couldn’t be better. Take advantage of the downtime in the garden and prune. Careful though, learn to prune before you ruin the natural shape of your shrubs.

Add lime to your fig trees.  Our area tends to be acidic, and figs prefer a much sweeter soil.  Get a soil test to determine how much to apply. Experience with my so suggests adding about 2 cups of dolomitic lime.

Camellias blooms should be picked up from under the bush.  This will help prevent the spread of disease.

ROSES

For your roses, now is a great time to plant bare root roses. When you receive your bare root rose, unwrap the rose and soak in water for 2-8 hours, then plant immediately or they will dry out. Dig a hole 12-18 deep and 24 wide. Amend the soil by adding bone meal, manure, and soil conditioner. In the center of the hole, make a cone from the soil and spread the roots over the cone. Back-fill the hole with soil and tamp lightly, watering in. This helps to remove air pockets. Cover the bush completely with mulch. The union should not be showing! Consider disease-resistant shrub types such as “Carefree Beauty’ and ‘Knock Out’.

Now is a good time to do the final pruning of last season’s growth to prepare for this year’s growth – prune hybrid teas, grandiflora and floribunda roses.

HERBS

VEGETABLES

Prepare your vegetable garden by loosening the soil and adding organic matter.  If you need to enter the garden to harvest or maintain it, place a few stepping stones and stay on those while in the garden.  This will help keep the bed from with heavy foot traffic.  Limit the movement around the inside of the vegetable garden; or any garden bed for that matter.

February is a good time to plant onions, asparagus, and carrots.  If you didn’t plant your snow peas in January, you still have time now, but time is running out.

WATERWISE

Remember to water new plantings in the absence of rain.

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Even though you raked leaves, mowed them to reduce their size and then put them back on your garden or compost pile, there is still probably leaf litter around blowing in from the neighbors, trees, etc. Take a walk around your garden to collect leaves, old fruits, twigs, seeds, pods – all litter and add to the compost pile. Doing this on a pretty day, gives you a great excuse to be out of doors.

February is a great time to mulch. The ground has had a chance to freeze, killing off fungus and some pests, and the deciduous plants have left room for an easy application. In my book, nothing compares to a fresh application of mulch. I have now converted to total composted leaf mulch. For a long time, I still used triple shredded mulch in landscaped areas with leaf mulch in my garden beds. But I love the color of this mulch and it adds nutrients to the soil.

Mulch also helps prevent heaving.  Heaving is when newly planted plants (planted the previous fall) are subjected to freezing then thawing causing the plant to up root. It is OK to adjust these plants in place and they should be fine. It might be a good idea to add some additional mulch to reduce the likelihood of the ground freezing.

Stay on top of those winter weeds.

GARDEN PESTS

Are you noticing knots forming on the tips of your dogwood branches?  It’s likely caused by a tiny insect called a club-gall midge.  They lays eggs in the tips of dogwood branches in late spring.  As the larvae develop, they cause club-shaped galls, about a half-inch long to form.  Be sure to prune these out and rid them as they develop during the summer.

Once your winter-blooming Camellias (Camellia japonica) finish blooming; be sure to rake the fallen flower heads to discourage Camellia petal blight.

If you’ve had a problem with mealy bugs, aphids, scale, or mites, apply dormant oil.

WILDLIFE

Don’t forget to enjoy your birds. Putting feeders out where you can enjoy  the birds from the warmth of indoors, benefits you and the birds.

Birds need a water supply in the winter, if you can invest in a bird bath heater, you won’t be disappointed.

CONTAINER GARDENING

LAWNS

February begins weed season.  Watch for chickweed, hairy bittercress, and henbit.  Remove as you find them to keep the population down to a manage since, avoiding the need for a post-emergent herbicide.

Results for the soil test, in our acid area of North Carolina, will suggest the need to raise the pH of the soil.  This is typically done so with an application of lime.  Generally, I will add the recommended amount of pelletized dolomitic limestone.  This product is readily available at any hardware store, big box store,  and of course, your independent garden center.  Dolomitic Limestone neutralizes soil acid and supplies calcium and magnesium.

During this downtime for mowing Fescue lawns, sharpen the lawn mower blade, change the oil, and generally tune up your lawn mower.

magazisium Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

INTRO

January is a good time to look back on your gardening year and to plan ahead. Walk around your garden, shoot some photos, and make a wish list of your garden’s hopes and dreams.

It is always a good idea to photograph your garden each month as a photo journal of what is blooming when. But also, looking at your garden through the lens is telling. What you see and what others see are often times  two different things. We all have our priorities. What you may pass by everyday and don’t notice  because you got used to looking at it, will show up and be noticed in print, and by others.

It’s no different when seeing oneself in a photograph. Most of us don’t like what we see; we start picking it apart.  Do you like what you see in your garden photographs?  So while it is a good idea to walk around your garden to jot down ideas and list what needs to be done, it is a better idea to evaluate what you see from photographs.

We gardeners tend to plan our gardens to spring and summer showings.  Make your winter garden just as rewarding by planting for winter interest – flowers, color, fruit, textures, and scent.  Take a good look around. January is a good time to look back on your gardening year. Are there things you would like to change? Make a list, keep it handy, and add to it, as necessary, and check off the tasks once completed – its a good feeling.

Another thing to do at the first of the year is to conduct a soil test. Consider this your yearly reminder.

BULBS

If you will begin to see bulb foliage begin to emerge. It’s OK.  The leaves are hardy and if harmed, they will grow more.  Keep bulbs mulched so they aren’t lifted by heaving resulting from repeated freeze and thaw.

As the tips of your daffodils emerge, add a general 10-10-10 fertilizers or a fertilizer especially designed for bulbs, such as Holland Bulb brand.

If you didn’t fertilize your bulbs with a slow release fertilizer last fall, it is still OK to do.  Apply about a teaspoon per square foot of bed after the foliage emerges.

ANNUALS

To keep your pansies happy, apply an organic fertilizer such as bone meal or root simulator fertilizer designed specifically for pansies following the label directions. Re-apply every 4 – 6 weeks.

PERENNIALS

Semi-evergreen ferns look great in the winter garden.  There are some great ones to choose from including Christmas, Holly, and Autumn.

Late January and February is a good time to dig and divide liriope and mondo grass.  Now is also a good time to cut back liriope before the new growth emerges.  If done before new growth emerges, a lawnmower or string-tirmmer can make short work of this annual task.

When to Fertilize Your Grass.

TREES & SHRUBS

The most common Camellias grown in our area are Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonicas.  C. sasanquas bloom from September to January and tend to have a mass of small flowers (as compared to C. japonicas) blooming all at one time.  C. japonicas bloom from September to March and tend to have a fewer flowers bloom at a time.  Camellias like acid soil with some organic matter in semi-shady conditions.  Camellia sasanquas are also tolerant of some sun.

Figs do fine in many soil types, but perform best in slightly alkaline soil. To aid in this, given our areas natural acid tendencies, add powered dolomite limestone (CaCo3) to the fig bushes.

ROSES

With black spot so prevalent in our area, rack and clean underneath the rose bushes and discard.  this will help to reduce the amount of disease going into the next growing season.

Check that the crown of the rose bush is still covered. Often times, winter winds can blow mulch away.

HERBS

Lavender foliage remains a silver-green color during the winter months creating nice interest in the winter months.

VEGETABLES

Now is the time to plant English (green) peas.  A common mistake is to plant too late in the season.  English peas are very hardy and withstand sub-freezing temperatures.

Indoors or in a cold frame, sow seed of cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

WATERWISE

Plants in the winter still need water. We usually get a gracious plenty of rain in the winter and in the spring, but in times of drought, remember a winter drought can be as severe as a summer one. In fact, a plant planted in the fall that was not watered sufficiently in the winter and dies in the summer is often times blamed as a summer problem when it was more likely caused in the winter. Not that this is much consolation for the dead plant. But it does remind us that plants need water even in the winter.

Pansies have a shallow root system – make sure they get watered weekly, if not by nature, then by you.

For your Plumber…leave the hoses attached to your faucets! Your plumber will love you for it. If this is not the kind of love you seek, remove the hoses from your faucets so they don’t freeze and bust.

Stay on top of your weeding by handpicking your weeds from the grass and beds on a routine basis. Dig up wild onions and garlic as they emerge.  If possible, walk my gardens daily and note what needs to be done, creating a to-do list. Then weekly, I work through the list!

GARDEN PESTS

Spray for your aphids, scale and mites with a dormant oil. This will help to reduce the number of pest. Wait until the temperature is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer for at least 24 hours.

Look for and remove bagworm pouches hanging in junipers or other narrow-leaf plants.  Fire is an effective way to destroy bagworms.  If not removed, they will begin the cycle again during the next growing season.

Camellias (particularly Camellia japonica) really start to shine in January. To discourage Camellia petal blight, remember to rake spent flowers that have fallen underneath the bushes.

WILDLIFE

Recycle your Christmas tree to the garden for the birds. Fill with “ornaments” of pine cones covered with peanut butter rolled in birdseed and add some dried cranberries for color and good eats. The birds with thank you and you can reap the rewards of watching them enjoy.

Adding hollies to the landscape brightens up garden with color and food for the wildlife.  

CONTAINER GARDENING

It is not too late to pot up some spring bulbs.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

December Maintenance Guide

December can be a quiet time in the garden. Most of us are busy with other things, so the timing is good. Here is some of what we are doing in our Zone 7b gardens.

If you are in need for garden December garden inspiration, you may enjoy this -December Inspiration

HERBS

• Rosemary topiaries are widely available now from nurseries, garden centers, big box stores, and grocery stores. They make an excellent seasonal display, provide fragrance and decor for the table top inside or in a container outside. If kept outside, protect from freezing the first year. Potted Rosemary can easily dry out. Keep an eye on this. That shouldn’t be a problem since you will be going by often for a snip for cooking.

BULBS

• I love Amaryllis at Christmastime! I start looking for the bulbs in October and begin planting them every other week. This way, I’ll have them blooming throughout the holiday season. It is also a good idea to buy after Christmas when they go on sale. Pot them up and enjoy during Valentine’s Day. Come spring, these bulbs can be planted in the garden. You might find this interesting. The Amaryllis Lives on in the Garden.

• Forgot to plant your spring-blooming bulbs such as daffs and tulips? Not to worry, they can still be planted as long as you can work the soil. A good rule of thumb is to plant with the pointed end up, at a depth 2 times the size of the bulb and add a bulb fertilizer to supply the nutrients necessary for a spring showstopper. So, if the bulb is 2 inches from tip to root, then plant 4 inches deep.

PERENNIALS

• Cut back Cannas after frost and put in the compost pile. Be sure the cut them back though, leaf rollers that might be present can over-winter in the plant. Using a large kitchen knife, a quick slice at the base of the plant makes short work of this garden maintenance task.

• Cut back and remove Peony leaves after a killing frost. This helps prevent harboring of disease and tidies up the garden. Remember peonies need the chilling cold during dormancy for proper plant development. So be careful when mulching, keeping the “eyes” 4 exposed. Peonies are heavy feeders and perform well using compost or well-rotted manure to feed. I like to use composted leaf mulch. Mulch around the plant. Usually an inch or two for established plants is all that is needed.

ROSES

• Prune roses about half their size.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• We are in Sasanqua Season. How can you miss with these drought tolerant evergreens shrubs that flower in December? They may be slow-growing, but they are long-lasting. Yuletide is nice for their red blooms during the holiday. I’m partial to the white Camellia sasanqua ‘Sestugekka’

HOLIDAY DECORATING

• Deck the halls with boughs of Holly. Whip out those clippers and look around the garden. There is so much to use to add festive natural adornments to your home, both inside and out. Wreaths on the windows or door; accent the mailbox and the light post and reindeer holding court in your front garden greeting your visitors.

FERTILIZER

On a warm day this month, lightly fertilize annuals, then water. Be mindful on unseasonably warm days this month with little rain, check to see of annuals need watering.

PROPOGATION

• Now is a good time to take hardwood cuttings of deciduous woodies like forsythia, Quince, Mock orange, spirea, and viburnum.

WILDLIFE

• Remember the birds through spring. Actually, I tend to my bird friends year round. This is something I do that gives me a great deal of pleasure. They add so much to the garden and to the gardener’s enjoyment. Be sure to provide a continual supply of seed, suet and water. Did you know that a bird is 3 times more likely to die from lack of water in the winter than lack of food? Break the ice, if need be.
• Birdhouses make great holiday gifts and can look indoors or out.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Helen is co-founder and contributor to:

Beautiful Wildlife Garden
You can follow Beautiful Wildlife Garden on Twitter @Wildlife Garden and facebook at Wildlife Garden.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

November Maintenance Guide

NC State Farmers Market, Raleigh, NC

INTRO

Fall is a fantastic time to be gardening.  Soon enough there will be a killing frost hits; then it’s time to tuck your garden in bed for the winter. Our first frost date is unpredictable in terms of regions and microclimates. Raleigh’s first frost date, as calculated at NC State University, is November 5th.

In my mind, November is the inspiration; in case you need more: November Inspiration at Fine Gardening

Here are some of things we are doing in our Zone 7b gardens:
BULBS

• Plant your spring blooming bulbs this month.
• Healthy bulbs will be firm and show no sighs of mold or decay. Bulb companies such as Brent and Becky’s Bulbs will ship your order at the ideal planting time for your area. If you can’t plant immediately, store them in a cool, dry place until ready to be planted.
• Plant bulbs pointy end up. If no point is prominent, then look for the remains of a root and plant that end towards the earth.
• Plant your bulbs in a sunny location sunny when blooming, that is. This is a cool thing about bulbs, Take advantage of a an area in the garden that is shady in the summer, but sunny in the winter such as areas shaded by deciduous trees.
• Plant some bulbs in pots for forcing during the winter months.
• Cut back elephant ears, gingers and cannas and other spent plants and add them to the compost pile.

• Plant your warm-seasoned lawn with crocus. The Tommies, Crocus tommasinianus, are early blooming crocus that work well planted in the open lawn. The Tommies are nice because they are up in the winter landscape just when they are needed the most and down by the time mowing starts.
• Grape hyacinths are a happy bulb. Plant enmasse or in drifts. Many smart gardeners plant a single bulb along with the daffodils to aid as a reminder of where the daffodils were planted.
• The tiny bulbs of snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) and snowflakes (Leucojum) planted now, will bring great joy in early winter and early spring, respectively. Any other time of the year, these tiny flowers would be lost in the garden, but in the winter, with little competition, they shine like beacons.
• I like pairing daffodils with daylilies. While the foliage of the daff is dying back, the daylily starts to emerge, helping to hide the daffs untidiness until they are ready to be cut back.

HERBS

• Rosemary will not care that a frost has arrived. This wonderful Mediterranean shrub adds value to the fall and winter landscape. When it gets too big for an area, feel free to cut back.
• Hardy herbs such as chives, dill, fennel, or Rosemary can be cut and used for herb vinegar flavorings.

ANNUALS

• If you didn’t plant annuals in October, there is still time to do so in November. Plant forget-me-nots, pansies, snapdragons, and violas.
• Adding flowering kale, ornamental cabbage, and mustards add interest to the winter landscape and in container gardens.
• Collect seed. Use for next year, give to friends, share with your garden club.
• Seeds of larkspur, money plant, Iceland and California poppies can be sown directly.

PERENNIALS

• This is the best time to plant perennials. As long as the ground is not frozen, perennials can be planted now. Great deals may be available at garden centers as they sell the remaining stock.

TREES AND SHRUB

• Now is the best time to plant trees and shrubs, such as Azaleas and Camellias.

ROSES

• Rose catelogues will be arriving, if not all ready. Now is a good time to order or at least decide on my new bare root roses. I find to best to choose roses while they’re blooming. You will note when looking at a photograph of the same rose in three books or catalogues, it looks like 3 different roses. As such, I pay attention to the roses of my friend’s, my client’s, and other private and public gardens. I note what does well in our area and get an idea of their shape and color. Also, I learn about the rose’s maintenance needs. Personally, I don’t want to mess with anything fussy. I don’t spray my roses with pesticides; I don’t want anything that will put my butterflies at risk or for that matter, any beneficial insect. But I do love roses.
• After a freeze, it is OK to prune back your roses. It is not necessary to prune now; however the long canes are vulnerable to breaking in high winds or if coated with ice during an ice storm.

MULCH

• Rake the lawn of leaves, especially if you re-seeded your cool season grass, such as tall fescue. Wet leaves will mat down, smothering newly sprouted grass and reducing needed sunlight.
• Or don’t rake at all! I mow my leaves with a mulching mower. The bagged, chopped leaves are usually then put on the compost pile. Or they may go directly in a bed; it just depends on what I got going on. In either case, they stay with me and don’t go to the City yard waste center.
• Removed the leaves from the beds; otherwise they will just drive you crazy when the move around. Rake or blow them into the grass before mowing, then you can put them back in the garden beds.

PESTS
The cold air and soon a killing frost will help lower garden pest population.
WEEDS

• Once the garden is bare, the weeds are more visible. Pulling now is the best time to get a head start on next year’s weed season.

SOIL

• Now is a great time to collect a soil sample for analysis.

WATER

• Keep an eye on any new plantings. Continue to water new plantings often to keep moist. In the absence of rain, water new perennials once a week.
• Don’t let your fountain water freeze. It is best to winter-ize your fountain by shutting off the pump, disconnecting the hose from the pump and protecting the pump. Many fountains have large reservoirs which help keep the water from freezing. Also, depending of the type of material the fountain is made of, you may need to protect it further. Metal fountains are fine if left alone. Concrete fountains do best if water is not able to set and freeze. So it is advisable to put a towel in the bottom of each tier to soak up water and have the towel do the freezing instead of the concrete. Even with these precautions, I still had a concrete fountain freeze and crack. Ceramic fountains may need to be put inside a shed or garage to protect from freezing.
• Of course, a fountain is a wonderful feature to decorate for the holidays. I do various designs with my fountains. Just because it’s not running, doesn’t mean it can’t still be a showstopper. Fill it with evergreens, magnolias, pomegranates, and drape with ribbon. A metal fountain is a great opportunity to make a garden and design statement. After the holidays, it becomes a giant birdbath. When the water freezes in a tier, I send one of my kids out, usually Aster, with a hammer to break open.

WILDLIFE

• Don’t forget your bird friends. They add so much to the garden and to the gardeners enjoyment. My favorite part of the garden is when I am walking down a garden path and see and hear the birds take flight as I come through. Be sure to provide a continual supply of seed, suet and water.
• Leave any seed heads for the birds to feed over the winter and to add winter interest to the garden.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Helen is co-founder and contributor to:

Beautiful Wildlife Garden
You can follow Beautiful Wildlife Garden on Twitter @Wildlife Garden and facebook at Wildlife Garden.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

October Maintenance

INTRO

Fall is one of the most beautiful times in the garden and yet, most gardeners garden for spring, maybe summer, reluctantly in fall, and virtually not at all in the winter.

Being the year ’round gardener that  I am, I not satisfied with a season or two of beauty, color, form and texture. I choose to have four full seasons. I may not convince everyone to garden in the winter  yet, but I fully intend to preach the benefits of gardening in the fall. As summer wanes into fall, the humidity lifts, the days grow shorter, giving a feeling of preparedness. But also look around, and smell too, there is a lot going on. Flowers, color, fragrance. Osmanthus (tea olives) , sasanqua camellias, asters, roses, ornamental grasses, and  some azaleas are blooming. The leaves are changing colors, trees and shrubs have berries and pods, salvias and sages are alive with blooms. The birds seem a bit busier than before. All in all, October is my favorite time in the garden.

Thought you might enjoy  Fine Gardening October inspiration

LEAVES

It’s also a great time to prepare beds for next year. Mark new beds, or beds you want to extend, with marking paint or a hose.  Cut an edge, turn into the new bed, cover with newspaper, then finally cover with chopped leaves or mulch.  Let nature take her course.  Your bed will be ready for planting in the spring.

BULBS

• ‘Tis the season for planting spring flowering bulbs. Most require an extended period of cold to bloom. Daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips (Dutch and species), as well as, crocus, cyclamen, Dutch iris, and Galanthus (snowdrops) can be planted now.
• If you have a vole infestation or limited space, growing bulbs in a container is just the ticket.   Container grown bulbs gives you color in the spring just when and where you need it most – you decide!   Containers should be at least 10″ deep and have a drainage hole on the bottom. Cover the hole with wire mesh (landscape cloth) or gravel.   This will keep the dirt in and the critters out.
• We are lucky, Cannas are hardy in our area so it is ok to leave in the ground for the winter. Be sure to cut back the foliage to the ground after the freeze to rid the area of any harboring leaf rollers. In the spring, you can add Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as a natural way to rid this pest.

HERBS

• Harvest fresh basil to make pesto to extend summer through winter.  Thought you might enjoy

Putting up Fresh Basil Pesto

ANNUALS

• Kale, cabbages, mustards. Pansies, snapdragons, violas.  They are colorful, plentiful, long lasting, and cheap. I have often wondered why they are so underused.  For Pansies and Violas, I like to plant now. I tend to buy them earlier and nurse them in my holding area. I do this while the selection is good, but the ground is not quite ready for them. A good rule of thumb, the bigger the flower, the less flowering will go on. Violas, though small, tend to have abundant blooms.
• Sowing seeds of California, Iceland, and Shirley poppies, sweet alyssum, and larkspur this fall for a spring showing.  Best sown  in lean soil. They don’t re-seed well in Helen’s Haven since we are heavy mulchers. As such, I sow seeds in the spring.
• Collect seed of Cleome, cosmos, sunflower, and zinnias for planting next year.  Store in an envelope or brown paper lunch bag during the winter months.

PERENNIALS

• This is your best time for planting perennials. The fall is a good time to divide perennials such as Hostas, daylilies, and ferns.  If you have a gracious plenty to share with friends, ask some over to help with the work. Make it a fun day of potting up to share. Friends make the job easier and help the chore go by quicker.
• Sometimes, I find it hard to get in the garden in the fall after a full and rich spring and summer. But then I realize the rewards of good fall preparation, division, and planting, makes for a much happier spring and summer. Take advantage of some of these good warm sunny days. It is also easier to work in the soil when it is cool and wet.
• Now is a good time to move aquatic plants deeper into the water garden.
• Fall is the best time to plant peonies. Some say it’s tough to grow peonies in the south; there is a secret to dispel this myth. The secret to growing peonies successfully, is to keep the ‘eyes’ exposed.
• Set out peony root divisions now. Select those with 3 – 5 buds and 3 good roots. These long living plants don’t like to be moved, so be sure you like where they are going. Plant in a well-drained location that receives at least 6 – 8 hours of sun each day. The hole should be 2 – 3 feet deep and wide for each division.
• Mix in organic matter such as compost or composed leaf mulch. Fertilize with a pound of bone meal or super-phosphate. The ‘eyes’should be 1 inch above below the soil/mulch surface, water in well. Be patient. Peonies may not bloom the first year. But patients pay off since peonies can last 50 years or more.
• If you are trying to establish a moss lawn, now is a good time to do so. Moss prefers moist, acidic, lean soil.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Any woody shrubs or small trees that you want to relocate later in the winter or early spring can be ‘root pruned’ now. This is easy to do.  Around the dripline of the plant, sink a shovel into the ground as far as it will go. Circle the entire plant. In the meantime, the plant will begin to “repair” the fresh cut by sending out more roots at the cut ends.  This will give the plant a better chance of transplanting.
• Interiors of yews, Pines, arborvitae, and junipers may shed. This is natural for this time of year.
• There is always room for conifers. They make a great addition in the mixed border, hedgerows, and specimen plants. Evergreens will drop needles this time of year. This is normal. You may find the arborvitae yellowing up in spots, then turning brown. It can be trimmed back or wait until it dies back and then pinch off.
• White Sasanquas is blooming now. The fall is a good time to feed your camellias with cottonseed meal. Apply under the drip line of the plant.
• If you are looking for a nice fall interest shrub, consider the Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana). The magenta fruit is so beautiful in the fall and the birds love it. The white variety (Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Alba’) is also fantastic.

ROSES

• To help prevent diseases of your roses, rake up the any leaves from the beds. Removing some of the mulch exposed to the leaves is good idea as well. These leaves and exposed mulch can harbor blackspot spores that can over-winter in the leaves. Top-dress the garden with fresh mini-chip mulch.
• It is not the time to plant bare-root roses or container roses, but it is a good time to transplant them. If you have a rose that has outgrown its spot, needs better light, or want it in an area you can more readily see to enjoy, October is a good month to move roses.

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

• Compost - Use the mower to chop up fallen leaves.  Add to the garden bed or compost pile.  Grass clippings welcomed too.
• If we lack sufficient October rain, plan to water any new plantings, including bulbs.
• Water everything if nature hasn’t done it for you before the ground freezes. Evergreens in particular continue to lose water by transpiring during the winter. Also winds can desiccate.
• Don’t forget to water newly planted plants; slowly reducing the amount of watering until watering is only on an as-needed basis.

WILDLIFE

• Don’t be so quick to tidy up.  The remains of the summer and fall garden give shelter, food and cover for the wildlife while also adding winter interest to the garden beds.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Helen is co-founder and contributor to:

Beautiful Wildlife Garden
You can follow Beautiful Wildlife Garden on Twitter @Wildlife Garden and facebook at Wildlife Garden.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

September Maintenance Guide

Helen's Haven Summer - Mixed Bed

INTRO
September delights. With the dog days of summer behind us, September opens with cooler air creating a fresh scent and a sense of excitement.  The source of this excitement may be for no other reason than it being bearable enough to be out of doors once again.

Here’s some September Inspiration in case you need it.
BULBS

• Hopefully, bulb selection was already done while the selection was good.   Buy what you fancy while they are available. Avoid mushy, soft, moldy bulbs; buy from a reputable supplier.  And it is good to know that bigger IS better.
• October is a better time for planting, but purchase in September while the selection is best.
• Plant fall-blooming bulbs, such as autumn crocus.

HERBS

• Continue to harvest basil and use for cooking. Continue to pinch back flowers.

ANNUALS

• Sowing seeds of California, Iceland, and Shirley poppies, sweet alyssum, and larkspur this fall for spring color and fun.
• If your Zinnia’s have powdery mildew, they will come out soon, as such, no need to worry about them.  Next year, look for mildew-resistant strains.

PERENNIALS

• Towards the end of the month, as the weather cools, the best time to plant and divide  perennials begins.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Our native Dogwood is a fantastic four-season tree making it a choice for all those zoned to have one.   As the leaves turn from green to red, excitement ensures.

ROSES

• Roses make a big comeback in September and October.  Be sure to stop fertilizing your roses 6 weeks before the last expected frost. In Raleigh, we have a 90% chance of a frost by Halloween. Therefore, stop fertilizing by mid-September. If you have rose varieties with nice hips, this is also a good time to stop deadheading to allow the hips to remain. To tidy up your rose garden, remove the pedals by hand. Letting the hips to grow to signal the rose to go into dormancy.

PESTS
Watch where you reach.  Black widow spiders are plentiful.

Black widow spider

SEEDS

• Save seeds for planting next year or let plants self sow. Also consider leaving seed heads on the plants for the wildlife to enjoy.

WATER
September and October tend to be dry months, unless we have a hurricane.  Plan to water any new plantings, including bulbs.

WILDLIFE
Don’t be to tidy in cleaning up the garden and deadheading.  The wildlife will enjoy the seed.
Encourage pollinating insects in your garden, such as bees and butterflies, by providing them a tasty treat.  This fall, plan to plant nectar-rich plants.  Nectar, the sugar-rich liquid many flowering plants produce, sustains bees and butterflies.

For the Bees: Add clover, cotoneaster, golden rod, heliotrope, Eupatorium cannabium, Lunaria annua, love-in-mist, asters, and Echium vulgare.

For the Butterflies: Alyssum, Ajuga reptans, Iberis amara, catmint, echinops, verbena rigida, Rededa ororate, Joe-Pye weed.
Did you know:

• 80% of the world’s food crops need a pollinator at some stage in their life cycle; many require multiple visits.
• Stick with the species.   Many double flowers are usually sterile with no value to insects. The petals of the second flower replaced the anthers and nectarines leaving the plant unable to be fertilized.
• Many pollinating insects ingest protein-rich pollen before they can breed and some use pollen to feed their young.
• Plant in en masse making the plants easier to find through grouped color and scent.

David and Lara Rose putting up a screech owl box

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer and coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook friend’s page, Helen Yoest or Gardening With Confidence™ Face Book Like Page.

Helen also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum

Please visit my other blogs:

Beautiful Wildlife Garden

AND

Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.