The Garden Checklist for March
The waiting is almost over; spring will be here in a few weeks! And after this dreary winter, I'm more than ready for nice weather! Let's hope that spring weather will be here soon. Here's a list of tasks for the month:
•Submit a soil sample for testing to determine how much lime and fertilizer your lawn and garden areas need.
For soil testing,we recommend the University of Massachusetts Soil Lab. The basic fee is $10 and their report will tell you how much lime, if any, and fertilizer is needed to provide the right amount of nutrients for your plants.
•Add lime to lawns and gardens only when a soil test recommends it.
•Till or turn the vegetable garden soil when it's at the proper moisture level.
•Use dormant oils to combat scale insects and mites when the temperature is above 40 degrees and when freezing temperatures are not predicted for a few days, and before the buds begin to open.
•Rake and remove debris from the lawn when it's dry.
•Have the lawn mower serviced and the blade sharpened.
•Fertilize your lawn according to Ohio State University recommendations.
•If you want to raise fruit in your garden, try grapes, raspberries, or strawberries. It is much less difficult to succeed with them than with tree fruits, and you'll get much faster results.
•Prune grapes, raspberries, blueberries, fruit trees and summer-flowering shrubs early in the month when the temperature is above freezing.
•Sow grass seed as soon as possible.
•Cut back the dried foliage of ornamental grasses.
•Particularly good choices for your cutting garden are phlox, daisy, dahlia, cosmos, aster, gladiolus, and lily.
•Have your garden and lawn soils tested to determine nutrient and pH levels.
•Start broccoli, cabbage and other cabbage family crops indoors by the middle of the month. They should be planted outdoors between the middle and end of April.
•Plant pea and spinach seeds, and onion, shallot and garlic sets on St. Patrick's day, weather permitting.
•Repot and begin fertilizing houseplants.
•Avoid walking on grass or ground covers while they are frozen.
•Fertilize woody plants and fruit trees.
•Purchase new 40-watt, cool-white fluorescent bulbs for starting your seedlings.
•Keep the bird feeder filled.
•Enjoy the early spring season!
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Ant or Termite?
Don't panic if you see a winged insect indoors this spring that looks like a termite; it may be a winged ant. Here's how to tell the difference:
Ants have bent antennae; termites have straight ones.
Ant bodies are constricted between the thorax and abdomen, giving them a shape like a figure 8. Termites do not have distinct body constrictions.
The forewings of ants are much larger than their hindwings. The two pairs of termite wings are essentially the same length.
Ant wings are transparent or brownish and firmly attached. Termite wings are milky white or grayish and are shed or removed easily.
With some detective work, ants can often be controlled by the homeowner. If the insects are termites, you have plenty of time to find a reputable pest control firm. Even a well-established termite colony only eats 1/4 of an ounce of wood per day.
Free information on carpenter ants, termites , and selecting exterminators is available at Extension.
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Pruning Grapes
If you planted grapes in your backyard last year, all canes except the strongest should have been removed at planting, and the remaining cane cut back to 2 or 3 buds. If a trellis has not yet been built, a 4-6 foot stake should be driven into the soil and used to train new growth.
Before growth begins later this Spring, decide on a training system and prune to achieve vigorous, straight trunks. The Four-Arm Kniffen system is the simplest, and the Single Curtain system is also suitable for the home garden. In either case, all but a single, vigorous cane should now be removed from among those allowed to grow last season. This cane will become the main trunk of the grape vine.
Tie the cane securely to the uppermost wire of the trellis or to the stake. Plastic ties or cloth strips are preferred over string or wire which may girdle the trunk. Cut the cane off just above the upper tie. For more details on growing grapes.
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Pansies
If you didn't get a chance to plant spring flowering bulbs last fall, you can still have early spring color in the garden by planting pansies. These little wonders love cool weather and can even stand some snow and frost. They will be available soon in garden centers and nurseries.
Pansies are best planted in March, enjoyed throughout April and May and then replaced with other annuals towards the end of May. This is sometimes hard to do as they still look good in May, but they will burn out quickly in the heat of June. Keep the plants deadheaded to increase the number of flowers for a showier display.
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Controlling Plant Diseases
Your garden plants will grow better and require less use of fungicides if you remember a few key points:
1. Select disease resistant varieties where possible.
2. Space plants properly to allow for good air circulation.
3. Water the lawn and garden in the late morning. Soak the soil to a depth of 6 - 8 inches, then allow it to dry out before watering again. Keep the water off the leaves of vegetables, annuals and perennials, as much as possible.
4. Plant your vegetables and fruits where they will receive full sun.
5. Avoid planting the same vegetables in the same area year after year; rotate your crops.
6. Plant in raised beds. Water will drain better and reduce conditions that favor soil borne diseases.
7. Make an annual application of organic matter to your soil. Spread humus or composted manures at a depth of 2 inches and then work them into the soil as well as possible.
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Fragrance Garden
Early in spring the sweet violets emerge, with their delicate, lightly perfumed, dainty flowers above heart-shaped leaves. Hyacinths are great planted at the edge of a flower bed or near an entranceway. Sweet rocket, sometimes considered a weed because it readily sets seed, has a sweet scent and makes a nice filler in a spring border. Clove pinks flourish in the cool weather of spring, occasionally reblooming in late summer or early autumn, with flowers(hot to pale pink, white, red) contrasting nicely with their grayish-green foliage. Consider Lily-of-the-valley in a shady spot and sweet peas climbing up a trellis in a sunny spot. Lilacs with their breathtaking aroma and peonies with their rose-like perfume are excellent in a sunny location.
As the days get warmer, think of lavender which has been prized for its perfume for hundreds of years; the sweet vanilla scent of heliotrope(fragrant during the day but more heady at night) and garden phlox whose sweet scent never fails to attract butterflies. Flowering tobacco( the old time varieties) perfume the air at night.
For the late summer garden, stock has a fragrance more intense at night; Summer hyacinth graces the late summer garden with its tall spikes, up to 36 inches high, carrying loose clusters of highly scented, bell-shaped white flowers. Tuberoses round out the season with their heady fragrance in early-to mid-fall.
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Turnips
The turnip is a popular home garden vegetable grown for both its foliage or "greens" and for its enlarged taproot and hypocotyl. Its what? A hypocotyl is an enlarged storage area located between the roots and stem. Turnip greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, iron and add fiber to the diet. Turnips are frost-hardy, cool-season vegetables, and should be planted as early as possible for summer use. For fall harvest, plant turnips about 10 weeks before the first frost.
Here are some turnip cultivars to consider: For roots: Just Right, Gilfeather, Market Express, Royal Crown, Purple Top White Globe and Tokyo Cross. For greens, try Alltop, Seven Top, Shogoin, and Topper.
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Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a perennial plant that, although considered a vegetable, is used as a fruit in pies, tarts and sauces. It is the petiole or leafstalk of rhubarb that is eaten. The leaves themselves should not be consumed as they contain oxalic acid. Rhubarb crowns should be planted or divided in early spring while the plants are still dormant. Cultivars that are grown in Ohio include MacDonald-bright red petioles; Valentine-deep red petioles that retain their color when cooked; and Canada Red-long thick petioles. Other choices are Crimson Red, Cherry Red, and Ruby.
Plant the rhubarb crowns or sets 3-4 feet apart in each direction. Do not cover crowns too deeply - 2 to 3 inches deep is adequate, with the tops of the buds just visible above the soil surface. Mulch the planting bed to control weeds and conserve moisture. Remove any flower stalks as they appear. Do not harvest any leafstalks the first year. Harvest for 1 or 2 weeks the second year; and 8 to 10 weeks in subsequent years. Established rhubarb beds should be divided every 5 to 7 years or when leafstalks become thin.
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Scented Geraniums
Many of you have grown geraniums, but have you ever tried scented Pelargoniums or scented geraniums? Scented geraniums are aromatic mimics of the plant world, copying floral, fruit, nut, spice, and other pungent odors. During the Victorian Era, scented geraniums were highly fashionable and were widely grown in English castles, cottages, and greenhouses.
Scented geraniums are probably the most variable plant in the herb world. Foliage size varies from one half inch to five inch; the foliage shape varies from skeletal to oak shaped leaves; and texture from velvety to scratchy to the touch. Fragrances include rose, nutmeg, ginger, lemon, peppermint and more. Scented geraniums can be grown for their decorative, culinary and aromatic qualities.
They do well on a sunny window sill, on a glassed-in porch or outside passed danger of frost. The potting medium needs to be well-drained. A suggested mix might be 1 part sphagnum peat moss, 1 part soilless mix and 1 part perlite. When watering, drench thoroughly, then allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings.
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Rolling the Lawn
Now is the time of the year when we see many companies advertising lawn rolling. Avoid the temptation to roll your lawn because rolling usually causes more damage than good. Heavy rolling of saturated or clay soils will cause soil compaction and increase soil moisture stress the following summer. Rolling should never be used to correct surface undulations caused by improper grading. However, light rolling (with an empty roller) is effective immediately following seeding to insure good seed-soil contact. Rolling is also beneficial on newly sodded areas to help insure good sod-soil contact and may also help to level severely mole damaged lawns.
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Shamrocks
An old Irish story tells about the persistence of the shamrock when it was forbidden by English law to be grown on Irish ground. The shamrock was tossed on the sod and even though underfoot it was trod, it still took root there-- and that's why the shamrock is celebrated each St. Patrick's Day as a metaphor for the persistence of the Irish people. Perhaps this is also the perfect day to find out about the type of potato that grows best in your area, as this is the traditional day for potato planting.
I can't give you the formula for finding that pot of gold, but here's the scoop on growing those wonderfully showy shamrocks.
Shamrock plants or Oxalis have many shining attributes that make them well worth considering for a permanent house plant collection. They are among the best of the indoor bulb plants: easy to find, easy to grow; they have a long bloom period; can be brought into bloom anytime from fall through spring; and they come in a variety of colors, including pink, white, yellow, red and purple. Oxalis plants have slender flower stems and fairly low-growing foliage that looks like enormous clover leaves. Their leaves and blooms are sensitive to light, and only open on sunny days; during darkness or cloudy weather the flowers close and the leaves fold up.
Oxalis can be potted in succession from September to March, setting the small bulbs 1 inch deep in a mix comprised of equal parts potting soil, peat moss and sand or perlite. The plants are small and look better in a group, so set 6 bulbs together in a shallow 6-inch pan. Water, set in the sun, and within about 2 weeks there will be a healthy show of foliage from the bulbs.
Usually they will flower in about one month and continue to bloom for about 2 months. During this growing period, the plants need night temperatures in the 50s, water when the soil is barely dry to the touch (or they will wilt easily), and fertilizer monthly. At the end of the bloom period, gradually reduce the amount of water and eliminate fertilizer altogether. Leave the bulbs in their pots until fall, when they can be repotted and planted again.
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Woods Cockroach
Almost every spring, homeowners that live in moist woodland areas become alarmed when suddenly, about dusk, large flying cockroaches enter their home. It is the large males, during their mating season in May and June, that seem to be attracted to night-lights. Should a female get indoors, numerous males may be attracted to her. These roaches live outdoors in hollow trees, under loose bark of dead trees, stumps or logs and in piles of firewood. They are simply an accidental invader and cause no damage to household possessions nor spread human disease. Once indoors, woods cockroaches wander during the daytime rather than at night compared to household roaches. Normally, they do not reproduce or establish themselves indoors nor have the repulsive odor commonly found in other cockroaches that live indoors. Their presence is temporary, perhaps a few weeks a year. They usually die within a few days in the house due to insufficient moisture.
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Grow Your Own Transplants
It may be extra work, but growing your own flower and vegetable transplants has some advantages. The principle one is having the cultivars YOU want, rather than being limited to what the local garden center stocks. Transplants need to be started anywhere from 4 to 14 weeks before the outdoor planting date depending on the species. For example, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seeds should be started 5-7 weeks prior to transplanting.
Start with high-quality, fresh seed, clean containers with drainage holes, and a growing medium such as a peat moss-vermiculite mix. It is important to maintain high humidity during the germination process, as well as provide a minimum temperature of 55 degrees F.
Usually, the most limiting factor to producing good transplants at home is light. Place seedlings in the sunniest location possible, or use artificial lighting. A shop light fixture with one cool-white and one warm-white bulb works well.
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Planting Broccoli and Cabbage
Broccoli and cabbage are members of the cabbage family. They are also referred to as cole crops. Cole crops are cool season vegetables which grow best at temperatures between 60 and 68 degrees. When planted in the spring, these crops must produce good quality heads before the arrival of hot summer weather.
While the cole crops are cool season vegetables, they should not be planted when temperatures are consistently below 50 F. Broccoli and cauliflower plants exposed to prolonged periods (four or more days) of temperatures below 50 F may form heads prematurely. This premature head development is called buttoning. Buttoning occurs when plants are exposed to stressful conditions, such as prolonged periods of cold temperatures, dry conditions, and infertile soils. Also, large plants are more likely to button than young plants. Plants that button do not form usable heads.
In the Cleveland area, broccoli and cabbage should be planted in mid-April. Start plants indoors 4 to 5 weeks before planting outdoors or purchase young, stocky transplants at your local garden center. Harden the transplants outdoors in a semi-protected location for a few days prior to planting.
The cole crops perform best in fertile, moist, well-drained soils. When planting these crops, space transplants 18 to 24 inches apart within the row. Rows should be approximately 24 to 30 inches apart. At transplanting, apply 1 pint of a starter fertilizer solution to each plant. A starter fertilizer solution can be prepared by placing 2 tablespoons of a complete analysis fertilizer, such as10-10-10, in one gallon of water. Four to six weeks after transplanting, sprinkle 1 or 2 tablespoons of the complete fertilizer around each plant.
Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower require approximately 1 inch of water per week. Water the plants once a week during dry weather. Cultivate lightly around the cole crops as they have a shallow root system.
These crops can also be planted in mid-summer for a fall crop. Start the seed indoors in early to mid-July. Transplant the seedlings into the garden 4 to 5 weeks later.
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Vegetable Garden Plan
A little time spent planning your vegetable garden will help things run smoothly from planting day through harvest. If you are starting a new garden, locate it in a spot with good soil and at least eight hours of uninterrupted sunshine during the summer. Choose a site where water is readily available because vegetables need abundant moisture.
Scan the nearby vegetation before you dig a garden plot. Large black walnut and butternut trees growing by the garden spell trouble, due to the juglone exuded from their roots. Tomatoes and related crops wither away when grown near these trees. All nearby trees will compete with the garden for water, nutrients, and can shade your vegetables to reduce your harvest.
You might consider switching from a conventional garden laid out in rows to raised beds. Beds three or four feet wide allow you to work the soil and care for plants without ever standing on it. They can be any length, depending on the area available. Soil from pathways, compost, aged manure, or topsoil can be added to the bed. Raised beds can be framed with 2" x 8" construction grade lumber.
The deep, rich soil in raised beds permits intensive planting. Arrange your crops in blocks instead of rows and use an equidistant spacing pattern to create a nearly solid leaf canopy or "living mulch." Less room is wasted on walkways in raised bed gardens.
Save space with the use of fences or trellises for cucumbers, tomatoes, and pole beans. Interplant slow and fast growers in the same row to save space (such as, radishes with carrots, lettuce with tomatoes).
Planning a garden requires more than figuring out where you are going to plant something; you also need to figure out when you will plant it. Take advantage of all of the time available to you for gardening. Plant cool-season crops such as spinach, lettuce, and cole crops, both spring and fall. Plan to precede a warm-weather crop, such as tomatoes, with a quick growing cool-season crop, such as lettuce. Spring peas can be followed by quick growing warm-season crops like bush beans. Careful planning can get three crops out of one plot of ground in a single growing season.
In considering what to plant, choose vegetables that you and your family truly enjoy; why waste your time and effort on growing things that won't be eaten? Also, look for vegetables that will give the best return on your time and land investment. Some top performers in this area are tomatoes, peppers, beans and lettuces and other greens.
This teletip was adapted from an article by Diane Relf, Extension Specialist at Virginia Tech.
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Selecting Grass Seed
Kentucky bluegrass is still the best choice for homeowners who want a top quality lawn. Kentucky bluegrass spreads by tillering to produce a nice even surface. Grasses that are advertized as low maintenance and drought tolerant often grow in clumps so they are not the best choices for the front lawn!
For a sunny location, the recommendation is to buy a blend of two or three cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass. This will produce a first class lawn. In shady locations, fine fescues are the best choices. One of the most common approaches is to mix varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass together. The perennial ryegrass will germinate quickly and prevent the other seeds from washing or blowing away, and creating a more moderate environment for the other seeds as they emerge. The Kentucky bluegrass gradually fills in throughout much of the lawn while the fine fescues become established in the shady areas.
Turf-type tall fescues are best for low maintenance and high traffic areas, such as children's play areas.
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Pruning Fruit Trees
Backyard fruit growers are often hesitant to prune fruit trees for fear of causing injury to the tree. However, when pruning is neglected fruit production suffers. The primary purpose of pruning is to increase sunlight penetration, remove less productive wood, and shape the crown into an efficient, stable form. Pruning increases fruit size, promotes uniform ripening, increases sugar content, and decreases disease and insect problems by improving air circulation, and allowing better spray penetration. Now, late in the dormant season, is the best time to prune.
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Adding Lime to the Lawn and Garden
Lime should not be added to your lawn or gardens unless the recommendation is based on soil test results. Lime sweetens soil, that is, it makes the soil more alkaline. However, soil nutrients are most readily dissolved and therefore available to your turf and plants when the soil is slightly acidic. So, adding too much lime can make the nutrients, particularly the micronutrients, unavailable to your plants even though they're present in the soil in adequate amounts. Lawns and gardens suffer as a result of overliming.
I further suggest that you pay the $10 fee to have your soil tested by the University of Massachusetts Soil Lab . The recommendation will be based on the acid level of the soil and how resistant the soil is to change in the acid level. This will provide you with the best information so that you will know exactly how much lime, if any, is necessary. Soil samples should be analyzed every 3 - 5 years.
See OSU Extension Fact Sheet HYG-4006, "Fertilization of Lawns."
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Fertilizing the Lawn
When springtime returns, many homeowners know that the lawn should be fertilized. They often don't know how much to apply or when to apply it. This results in the wrong type of fertilizer being purchased and an incorrect amount being placed on the lawn. The results can be lawns that require mowing three times per week, lawns with brown patches due to fertilizer burn and hard earned money washed away with excess fertilizer.
Purchase lawn fertilizer with approximately a 3-1-2 to 5-1-2 ratio. Formulations such as 15-5-10 or 19-5-10 are appropriate. 30% of the nitrogen, the first number in the ratio, should be the slow release type. Read the label and look for terms such as slow-release, time-released or water insoluble. Fertilizer should be applied in April. Recent lawn fertilizer formulations contain little or no phosphorus.
Homeowners who are used to making heavy applications of fertilizer in the spring and then dealing with the rapid and lush growth will be surprised to find that the heaviest application of fertilizer should be made in the late fall. It's then that the nitrogen applied stimulates root growth to improve the overall health of the turf. Lawns fertilized properly in the fall do not require as much fertilizer in the spring and their growth is not as rapid or lush as those fertilized heavily in the spring.
So make your lawn fertilizer application correctly. You'll save money and time, and your lawn will be healthier.
See OSU Extension Fact Sheet HYG-4006, "Fertilization of Lawns."
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Pruning Blueberries
Blueberry growing requires pruning, maintenance of high soil acidity, and weed, insect and disease control. Blueberries begin to produce fruit in the third season and normally do not need to be pruned the first three years. During the fourth year, the dormant plants should be pruned in mid-March.
At this time remove dead and weak branches and thin, terminal wood with small buds. Prune interior crossing branches to admit light to the center of the plant. In subsequent years, pruning should thin out older branches to force new growth. Tall-growing branches can be headed back and thin branches removed.
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Getting Ready to Mow
A sure sign of spring is the sound of mower blades hitting rocks and branches! An amazing amount of debris ends up on lawns over the winter. If you don't pick it up before you mow, you endanger yourself and your equipment.
Although cleaning the lawn may take a few hours, it can keep you from damaging the mower or from being injured by flying debris. Before the first mowing, just walk across the grass and pick up or rake any trash, branches, gravel or pieces of pavement.
The highest concentrations of debris usually occur at the lawn-sidewalk border. This is where snow-clearing often throws litter, rocks and even chunks of pavement.
Scattered leaves can be left on the lawn, but leaves and other debris that are piled up could smother the grass and should be raked.
While walking the lawn, also look for areas that lifted up over winter.
Freezing and thawing cycles can cause areas of wet turf to rise. These areas should be rolled to allow for smooth and even mowing. Use a roller only once a year on lawn areas that rose during winter. Using it more often can compact the lawn. Rollers won't level rough lawns or those that are naturally uneven.
Now is also time to service the mower engine and sharpen the blades. For that first mowing, set the blades for a 2 inch cut to remove dead leaf blades to allow steady grass growth. Then, raise the blade to the 2 1/2 to 3 inch height.
See the OSU Extension factsheet Lawn Mowing, number HYG-4020-93 , for more information.
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Spots on African Violet Leaves
When spots develop on African violet leaves, they are usually the result of splashing water. African violet leaves are sensitive to cold water and will form spots where the water contacts the leaf tissue. potting of African violet leaves can be avoided by using lukewarm water rather than cold tap water.
Watering from below is also a remedy. Placing water in the bottom dish and allowing it to be drawn up into the soil should avoid splashing of water onto the leaves. Bottom watering however, can lead to a buildup of salt residue on top of the soil. Most tap water contains some mineral salt, and some water sources may have a considerable amount. Fertilizing the plants will also add salts to the soil. As water evaporates from the top of the soil, the mineral salts are left behind. Therefore, it is important to occasionally flush those salts by watering from the top until the water runs freely out the bottom of the pot. This should be done every month or so to dilute these salts and prevent root burn.
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Heaved Perennials
Gardens should be checked over during each thaw from now until late March for evidence of heaving. During periods of alternate freezing and thawing, shallow rooted plants such as iris and those plants which were transplanted in the garden in the fall may heave out of the ground. This exposes the roots to drying and chilling that may be fatal for the plant. Place mulch over the exposed root systems of heaved plants. Don't push them back into the soil! Replant heaved plants after the weather settles in April.
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Planting Peas
It's almost pea-planting time in the home garden, peas being a cool-season vegetable, quite frost tolerant, and needing a soil temperature of only 50 degrees F to germinate. Many gardeners like to plant peas of St. Patrick's Day. Do your best to get them planted before the end of the month. But which pea to plant? Garden or English peas are grown for their seeds. Some common garden pea cultivars are 'Little Marvel', 'Wando', 'Sparkle', and 'Green Arrow'. Snow peas, commonly used in Oriental dishes, have edible pods and are used when very young, just as the seeds start to form. Try "Mammoth', 'Melting Sugar', Dwarf Grey Sugar', and 'Oregon Sugar Pod'. Sugar snap peas are also an edible pod pea, but have larger and sweeter seeds and a thicker pod. They are grown to full size and eaten like snap beans. Suggested cultivars include 'Sugar Daddy', 'Sugar Ann' (dwarf), 'Sugar Snap', and 'Super Sugar Mel'.
As soon as the soil can be worked, sow seeds about 1" deep and 1- 2" apart in double or single rows.Plant low-growing types in rows 18-24" apart. Climbers can be planted in a double row 6" apart on either side of a trellis. Garden peas and snow peas have both climbing and low-growing varieties. Sugar snap peas grow on tall vines that require trellising.
Peas are a cool-season crop and may be planted in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Plant seeds 1" deep and 2" apart. Both sides of the trellis can be planted. Try successive plantings of small quantities to ensure a continuous harvest. Peas are tolerant of late snows and frosts, so get them in early.
There are three basic types of peas. Garden peas are grown for their seeds and harvested as soon as the pods are well-filled, but the seeds still tender and sweet. Snow peas have edible flat pods and very small seeds. They should be picked very young, just as the seeds start to form. And the third, snap peas are also an edible pod pea, but have larger, sweeter seeds and a thicker pod. They are grown to full size and then eaten like snap beans.
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Spinach Substitutes
Although spinach is easy to grow in spring and fall, it can be hard to keep through the hot summer. Plant these warm-weather spinach cousins for mid-summer harvest:
■New Zealand Spinach is a close kin to beets and Swiss chard. It has a vigorous, spreading habit and can reach two feet tall. As with beets, each seed is actually a fruit and will produce several plants. To hasten germination, soak seeds overnight in warm water prior to planting.
■Malabar spinach is a good plant to grow if space is limited, because the plants can be trained to climb on a fence or trellis. It can even be trained as a topiary around a circular wreath frame.
■Orach is closely related to lamb's-quarters and comes in a range of colors, from green to yellow to red. It can rapidly reach six feet tall but is most edible before it reaches a foot.
■Perpetual spinach beet is a chard that produces fine-textured spinach-like leaves with much smaller stems than other chards. Because it is a biennial, it will not go to seed in hot weather and is very much a cut-and-come-back green, supplying a steady source of tender green leaves from spring until fall.
The source for this was National Gardening.
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Checking Bare-root Stock
When ordering a tree or shrub by mail, chances are it will come to you "bare root" without any soil around the roots and with very little, if any, green growth on its branches so it looks like a box of dead sticks. Relax. Your new plant is not dead, only dormant. Here are a few tips on what to look for when you open a box containing a bare-root plant.
As soon as you receive your bare-root purchase, unpack it and examine it. The roots should be surrounded with a loose, water- retentive medium, such as shredded bark, cedar shavings or shredded newspaper. It should be tightly wrapped in a sheet of plastic, similar to kitchen plastic wrap, or a plastic bag secured by a tie, which prevents the packing medium from drying out.
Open the plastic wrap and inspect. The packing medium should feel moist but not soggy. The roots themselves should be moist and pliable and smell clean and earthy. There should be more root mass than top growth. The top growth of your plant will be limited to stems and leaf buds. Gently dent a bud with a knife or fingernail; the inside should be moist not bone-dry and empty. Scrape a little bark off the branch, moisture should immediately come to the surface, and the color just beneath the outer bark should be greenish. You should be able to bend the branches without breakage. Always look for insect and disease problems.
Save your packing slips in case you do find something wrong. A good way to judge a mail-order company is to read their return policies carefully. If they offer free replacement after a full growing season, they probably ship the highest quality stock.
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Kousa Dogwood
Dogwoods in flower are another sure sign of spring, but the Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) has other fine characteristics that make it an asset in the landscape year-round. Recommended for Ohio by the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association, Kousa Dogwood is a handsome small specimen tree that seldom grows more than 20' in height in Ohio. It produces showy white flowers in June, 3 weeks after Flowering Dogwood (C. florida). The flowers are followed by large red fruits, excellent red fall leaf color, and an exfoliating bark with age that forms a mosaic of gray, tan and rich brown. In addition, Kousa Dogwood has no serious pest or disease problems, and is quite drought tolerant.
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Perennials for Specific Sites
Gardeners often seek that "perfect" herbaceous perennial plant to fill a special location or need in the landscape. Below are listed some perennial plants useful for special purposes based on central Ohio growing conditions and experiences.
Plants for sunny, dry areas include Yarrow, Lamb's Ear, and Russian Sage.
Plants for moist to wet areas include wild gingers, obedient plant, Japanese Iris, and Bleeding Heart.
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Rejuvenating a Houseplant
Overgrown houseplants are easily rejuvenated. Most, like coleus, benefit from a hard pruning on occasion to encourage branching and reduce the overall size. Pruning has the additional advantage of producing cuttings that can be rooted to increase your collections, or to replace an aged specimen. An ideal time is the beginning of an active growing season, when the plant will quickly put on new growth.
Any sharp pruner, pocket knife, or clean pair of scissors can be used to prune your plant. To root your cuttings, you'll need rooting hormone, as well as small pots, a soilless mix and plastic bags. Before making any cuts, examine the stems you plan to leave for new growth sprouting from the leaf axils. Stems that have "blind eyes," or stems with leaf axils that look as if they will not produce new leaves, should be cut back to a growing leaf axil to encourage branching.
Select a stem that is three to four inches long and has at least three leaf nodes. Strip the leaves from the lower node, dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone and insert the cutting so that the lowest node is beneath the soilless mix. Place the entire pot in a plastic bag and place it on a windowsill, but away from full sun. Once the cutting has rooted, remove the plastic bag.
Your pruned coleus will begin to branch out immediately if placed on a sunny, southern windowsill. Water when soil is dry to the touch. Fertilize both the mother and daughter plants every four to six weeks to encourage new growth.
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Forsythia
Although some horticulturists may feel the forsythia is over- rated and over-planted in the landscape, it truly is a joy to behold its bright yellow flowers in March! The biggest problem is probably improper use of forsythia in the landscape, where it is often used in a foundation planting and pruned into a ball or hedge.
Forsythia is best displayed in mass plantings, groupings, shrub borders and banks. Although pruning may be necessary to keep it in bounds, that is best achieved by thinning out entire branches and heading back others to maintain a natural arching appearance. The Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association recommends the popular cultivars 'Lynwood Gold', 'Spring Glory', 'Meadowlark', 'Karl Sax' and 'Arnold Dwarf'.
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Pruning Ornamental Grasses
How far to cut back grasses and how to do it are the two questions gardeners often have. The answers depend on which grasses you have and the size of your garden. Most grasses should be cut back to within a few inches of the ground. Some grasses, usually cool-season grasses, do not like to be sheared too closely. Often plants shorn too closely will not recover. To be safe, unless you have been successful in the past, cut back cool- season grasses to two-thirds of their full size.
Cutting old foliage before the new foliage arises is easier than trying to work around newly emerging shoots(March - April). Avoid damaging new shoots, but don't despair: a new shoot will usually replace any that you accidently slice off.
In a small garden, a sharp pair of hand pruners will work well for most cutting. Grasses with soft foliage can be cut with a string trimmer (like a Weed Eater), though this often leaves a ragged appearance. Tough, tall perennial grasses are most easily cut by a weed trimmer with a sawblade attachment. Keep all blades sharp. Some grasses develop thick canes with lots of silica in the foliage, which quickly dulls a blade. Resource: The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses by John Greenlee.
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Organic Matter
Soil can be improved by the addition of organic matter. Spread 2 to 4 inches of organic matter over your vegetable or annual bed and work it well into the top 4 - 6 inches of the soil. Good sources of organic matter are leaf humus, composted manures, humus from your compost pile, peat moss and green manure crops. Manures should be well composted and have no ammonia smell. Only add composted manure to your garden soil. This will allow for the decay of the straw and weed seeds and for the conversion of the ammonia that can burn your plant roots into the nitrate form. Peat moss is suitable for all garden soil as long as it is worked into the soil very well. Peat moss will hold a lot of water and you don't want a layer of it on top of the soil where it will attract root growth. This will weaken the plant's root system by stimulating the formation of shallow roots rather than deep ones. The plant will then be more susceptible to drought conditions.
Green manure crops are plants grown especially to be turned under to feed the soil microbes. While they're growing, green manure crops reduce weed growth and keep the soil friable. Green manure crops that are commonly grown during the fall months to protect the garden soil during the winter include annual rye, oats, and winter rye. The same plants can be sown in the spring and turned under 2 weeks prior to planting the garden. The advantages of green manure crops are that they don't require hauling, the price of seeds is usually small, and they keep the nutrients in the soil from being washed away by spring and fall rains.
Adding organic matter to soil has been shown to reduce the activity of certain root rot fungi. Quite simply, improving soil begins with adding organic matter.
Organic matter can be added at anytime of the year. Mulching the summer garden with herbicide-free grass clippings or weed-free straw is another good way to incorporate organic matter. Finally, don't forget to turn under weeds and disease free plants as these are also sources of organic matter.
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Controlling Diseases and Insects in Home Fruit Plantings
Growing fruit crops in the home garden can be a rewarding experience and a source of enjoyment for many years. It can also be a disappointing venture and a source of frustration. The difference is most often due to the many diseases and insect pests that attack fruit crops and in understanding how to best avoid or reduce the damage they cause. Some problems are minor, but others have the potential to destroy the entire crop or to kill the plants.
Controlling tree and small fruit pests at home requires attention to five major areas.
1.Pest Identification. It is important for growers to be able to recognize the major diseases and insect pests of the fruit crops they wish to grow. Proper disease and insect identification is critical to making the correct management decisions. In addition, growers should develop a basic understanding of the pathogen or insect's biology and life cycle.
2. Crop and variety selection. If you choose not to use pesticides, more attention must be paid to the choice of crops, disease-resistant cultivars and good cultural management tactics. Blueberries, raspberries, thornless blackberries, strawberries, and some grape cultivars (in that order) offer the greatest chance for success.
3. Sanitation methods. Sanitation means keeping the fruit planting pruned and cleaned up.
4. Experience. It is important to anticipate major pest problems early and to properly time specific cultural practices and any necessary pesticide treatments.
5. Expectations. For tree fruits in particular, if the primary goal is to produce a perfect, blemish-free crop, the need for pesticide sprays must also be accepted. This means additional time and expense and, in the long run, no assurance of a perfect crop, because of the limited number of pesticides available for home gardens.
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Wisteria
Wisteria is a vigorous, twining vine with wide landscape usage where space permits and gardeners are committed to keeping them in bounds. Among its attributes are hardiness, vigor, longevity and the ability to climb high. Wisteria is greatly valued for its large, pendulous flower clusters that occur in the spring. Flowers are pea-like and may be white, pink, lilac-blue, bluish-purple or purple in color. The fruit is a long, green flattened pod that is not particularly ornamental. The plant climbs by means of twining stems. Older, established plants may have a twisted, woody trunk several inches in diameter. Plants that have been grown from seed remain in a long juvenile stage and often do not bloom for 10 to 15 years or longer. Plants that are grafted, and plants grown from cuttings or layered from a flowering plant will usually begin flowering earlier than seedlings.
Two species of wisteria are typically grown in home gardens: Chinese wisteria and Japanese wisteria. The Chinese wisteria is the more popular plant due to its flowering habit. Chinese wisteria may bloom within three to four years after planting; however, the juvenile period may be much longer.
In order to bloom well, wisteria require full sun (six or more hours of direct sun per day) and a deep, moderately fertile, moist soil that does not dry out excessively. The vine will adapt to most soils, though it prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil pH of 6.0-7.0 for best results. Some type of support will be necessary as mature plants can be quite heavy.
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Iron Chlorosis
Iron is necessary for the formation of chlorophyll, which is responsible for the green color in plants and is the source of plant food and energy. When the amount of iron available to plants is inadequate for normal growth, leaves become pale green, yellow or white and eventually brown, particularly between the veins. Mildly affected plants become unsightly and grow poorly. Severely affected plants fail to grow flower or fruit and may even die from lack of iron.
Iron chlorosis occurs most often in pin oak, white oak, white pine, magnolia, holly, sweet gum, dogwood, azalea and rhododendron.
Iron chlorosis may occur as a result of one or a combination of causes. The condition is often due to high soil pH, which makes it possible for other elements to interfere with the absorption of iron, rather than to a lack of iron in the soil. This occurs in neutral to alkaline soils when the pH is above 6.5.
Or, it may be caused by an actual deficiency of iron or by application of excessive amounts of lime or phosphate to certain soils. It may be caused by over-watering, poor drainage or high levels of certain mineral elements in the soil such as manganese, copper or zinc.
The first step in correcting the problem is sampling the soil. For soil testing,we recommend the University of Massachusetts Soil Lab. The basic fee is $10 and their report will tell you how much lime, if any, and fertilizer is needed to provide the right amount of nutrients for your plants.
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Lady Beetle
Lady beetles, often called Ladybugs, are the most commonly known of all beneficial insects. In Europe they are called "ladybirds." Both adults and larvae feed on many different soft-bodied insects with aphids being their main food source. Ohioans like lady beetles so much that the Convergent Lady Beetle became the official state insect in 1975.
The length of the life cycle varies depending upon temperature, humidity, and food supply. Usually the life cycle from egg to adult requires about three to four weeks, or up to six weeks during cooler spring months. There may be five to six generations per year. In the autumn, adults hibernate, sometimes in large numbers, in plant refuse and crevices.
Lady beetles, both adults and larvae, are known primarily as predators of aphids, also called plant lice, but they prey also on many other pests such as soft-scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites and eggs of the Colorado Potato Beetle and European Corn Borer. One larva will eat about 400 medium-size aphids during its development to the pupal stage. An adult will eat about 300 medium-size aphids before it lays eggs. About three to ten aphids are eaten for each egg the beetle lays. More than 5,000 aphids may be eaten by a single adult in its lifetime. The lady beetle's huge appetite and reproductive capacity often allow it to rapidly clean out its prey.
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Peach Leaf Curl
Leaf curl is a springtime disease that occurs on peach, nectarine and related ornamental plants. The disease, though not a problem every spring, can be severe during cool, wet springs that follow mild winters. The leaf curl fungus damages peach trees by causing an early leaf drop. This weakens the trees, making them more susceptible to other diseases and to winter injury. Weakened trees also will produce fewer fruit the following season. Yield may be further reduced when blossoms and young fruit become diseased and drop.
Symptoms of leaf curl appear in the spring. Developing leaves become severely distorted (thickened and puckered), and have a reddish or purple cast. Later, as spores form on the leaf surface, the leaves become powdery gray in color. Shortly after this, the leaves turn yellow or brown and drop.
Leaf curl is not difficult to control. Since the fungus survives the winter on the surface of twigs and buds, a single fungicide spray, thoroughly covering the entire tree, will provide control. If leaf curl does result in significant defoliation in the spring, the fruit on affected trees should be thinned to compensate for the loss of leaves.
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Pesticide Formulations Used by Home Fruit Growers
Even experienced gardeners are sometimes confused by the array of pesticides and special formulations available and the need to select the right materials. Pesticides may be available in one or more formulations.
Pesticides used on fruit crops are most commonly sold as wettable powders, which are meant to be mixed with water, then sprayed on the crop. If the active ingredient makes up 50 percent of a wettable powder product, it is called a "50W" or "50WP."
Liquid concentrates are also meant to be mixed with water, then sprayed on the crop; the active ingredient usually ranges from 12 percent to 50 percent of the product.
Dusts are ready to apply as purchased; they are not mixed with water, and they usually contain 1 percent to 10 percent active ingredient.
For more information, see Controlling Diseases and Insects in Home Fruit Plantings.
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Plants with a Long Blooming Season
Gardeners often seek that "perfect" herbaceous perennial plant to fill a special location or need in the landscape. Here are some that many gardeners consider to have a long blooming season for your consideration for your perennial garden this year:
Butterfly Weed, Moonbeam Coreopsis, Fringed Bleeding Heart, Purple Coneflower, Blanket Flower, Black-eyed Susan, Perennial Salvia, Pincushion Flower, Sedum 'Autumn Joy,' 'Sunny Border Blue' Spike Speedwell, and Yarrow.
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Plum Curculio
The plum curculio is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains and is a native of America. The name is somewhat misleading because this insect attacks not only plums, but also apples, peaches, pears, cherries, quince, and other wild and cultivated fruits. It can be very destructive where no control measures are applied. Injury to all hosts results first from the spring feeding of adult beetles, then from female egg punctures in the fruit, next from the feeding of larvae within the fruit, and finally from the early fall feeding of adult beetles.
Both the adult and larval stages injure fruits. In spring, adults feed on buds, blossoms, leaves and new fruits. Feeding scars appear as shallow cavities on the fruit surface. The major injury occurs from the laying of eggs by the curculios. A small cavity is made in the fruit for the egg; then a crescent-shaped cut is made adjacent to the egg pocket. Fuzz on peaches makes it difficult to see this egg scar. The early feeding and egg-laying punctures can cause marked scarring and malformation of the fruit. Early feeding on the surface of peaches often causes severely deformed fruits known as "cat-faced" peaches.
Larvae hatching from the eggs feed inside the fruit until they are fully grown. Larval feeding in apples can cause distortion of the fruit.
The mechanical injury by adults in feeding and egg deposition can cause premature fruit drop. When the summer brood of adults appears, feeding cavities again can be found on the fruits.
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Spider Mites
Spider mites are not insects but are more closely related to spiders. These arachnids have four pairs of legs, no antennae and a single, oval body region. Most spider mites have the ability to produce a fine silk webbing. Spider mites are very tiny, being less than 1/50 inch long when adults.
Many species of spider mites can be found in Ohio landscapes. The twospotted spider mite, and spruce spider mite are the most common pests. The twospotted spider mite is an example of a 'warm season' mite. This pest has been reported from over 180 host plants including field crops, ornamental plants, house plants and weeds. The spruce spider mite, a 'cool season mite,' can be found on all types of conifers from spruces and pines to junipers and arborvitae.
Spider mites have mouthparts modified for piercing individual plant cells and removing the contents. This results in tiny yellow or white speckles. When many of these feeding spots occur near each other, the foliage takes on a yellow or bronzed cast. Once the foliage of a plant becomes bronzed, it often drops prematurely.
Heavily infested plants may be discolored, stunted or even killed. Web producing spider mites may coat the foliage with the fine silk which collects dust and looks dirty.
Spider mite species seem to be warm weather or cool weather active pests. The twospotted, European red, honeylocust, and oak spider mites do best in dry, hot summer weather. The spruce and southern red spider mites do best in cool spring and fall weather.
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Using Fungicide Sprays
Fungicides can be an important component of the disease management program. However, it is important to remember that their use should be integrated with the use of sound cultural practices, a knowledge of pathogen and disease biology, and disease resistance whenever possible.
Fungicides are only effective when infectious plant diseases that are caused by fungi are truly the cause of the problem. In many cases, pests and diseases follow other environmental imbalances and may not be the major problem. In cases such as these, a fungicide may help but is often not the total answer. Also, it is important to remember that fungicides are only effective if several rules are followed. First, the correct material must be selected. This depends on correct diagnosis and identification of the pathogen. Second, the chemical must be applied at the right time of year and frequently enough to protect plant material adequately. Third, fungicides must be applied properly over plant surfaces. These three rules depend on making correct decisions based on correct knowledge. Too many people simply "spray and pray," and are often disappointed with the results. Remember, many fungicides are only preventative in nature.
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Use Pesticides Safely
The following precautions should be followed with all pesticides used around the home.
1. Read the label! Be sure it's the correct product to control your pest problem. Be aware of the toxicity of the material you are using, and wear the appropriate protective clothing.
2. Buy only enough pesticide for one year's use.
3. Store all pesticides only in their original, labeled containers. Keep all pesticides and measuring utensils in a cool, dry, locked storage area out of the reach of children and pets.
4. Measure the amount of pesticide to be used each time.
5. Be careful not to breathe pesticide dusts or mists during measuring, mixing and application. Most pesticide accidents occur while measuring the material and filling the sprayer.
6. Do not prepare more spray mixture than required for the job. Do not attempt to store unused spray mixtures.
7. Keep the sprayer clean.
8. Do not reuse pesticide containers.
9. If a pesticide concentrate is spilled on you or others, stop work immediately and wash it off. Change clothing if it becomes contaminated and wash it separately from other clothing.
10. Do not eat, drink or smoke while working with pesticides.
For more information, see Controlling Diseases and Insects in Home Fruit Plantings.
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Cardoon
Cardoon is a member of the thistle family and is a close relative of the globe artichoke, although it looks more like celery. Cardoon is cultivated for its fleshy root and stems, some of which are six or seven feet long. Tenderness in the cultivated varieties is ensured through blanching, which involves tying the leaves together after they have attained maximum growth and storing them for some time before using.
The main root, which is thick, fleshy and tender, is often boiled, then served cold in salad. It may also be sauted in butter. The stems may be treated like asparagus or celery , and the leaves, like spinach.
To grow cardoon, provide a deep, rich soil. Cardoon is planted in late May. Planting in trenches can be done on light, sandy soil but only on the surface in heavy soil. If trenches are used they should be 2 feet wide and I 1/2 feet deep. Space the rows or trenches 4 feet apart. On the surface, plant in hills 4 feet apart with 4 to 5 seeds per hill. Thin to the strongest seedling. Blanching requires I to 2 months. Tie the leaves into an upright position then either fill in the trench, mound the plants with soil, or wrap the plants with heavy paper. The leaf stalks become pithy if the soil gets too dry. Harvest when blanching is finished.
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Do Bugs Freeze in the Winter?
Ohio State University entomologist David Denlinger says not to worry. Most insects make their own antifreeze.
Antifreeze is an alcohol. It resists freezing even at very low temperatures. Water turns into ice at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but antifreeze doesn't freeze until it gets much, much colder. When antifreeze mixes with other liquids, it keeps them from freezing as fast.
Bug antifreeze works the same way --except that insects make their own. The shorter, colder days of early fall let insects know that it's time to conserve energy stores for the long winter ahead. When insects burn fewer energy stores, a sweet, sticky alcohol called glycerol builds up in their bodies.
Glycerol works like car antifreeze and resists freezing even in extreme cold. So when it mixes around inside an insect's body, the whole insect becomes more freeze-resistant. Dr. Denlinger says some insects even tolerate temperatures far below zero. So don't feel too sorry for insects this winter.
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Starting Seeds Indoors
Growing quality seedlings indoors requires high quality seeds, a well-drained, disease-free growing medium, containers, proper temperature and moisture conditions, and adequate light.
Use one of the many commercially prepared soilless mixes that are available. Various containers can be used to germinate and grow transplants. Gardeners can purchase flats, trays, pots, compressed peat pellets, and other commercial products. Cut-off milk cartons or plastic jugs, paper cups, and egg cartons can also be used to start seeds. The best use of the space under your lights will be made by using the cell packs and trays available at garden centers. Use the trays without holes to hold the cell packs so the plants can be watered from the bottom.
For most vegetables and annual flowers, sow the seeds indoors 4 -5 weeks before planting outdoors. After sowing the seeds, water the soil thoroughly by placing warm water in the the tray that holds the cell packs. After the soil becomes saturated, pour off the standing water. To insure a uniform moisture level during germination, cover the container with one of the clear plastic domes sold with the trays or clear plastic wrap. Set the container under your light stand, out of direct sunlight. A medium temperature of 70 to 75 F is adequate for the germination of most flowers and vegetables. Remove the plastic covering or bag as soon as germination occurs.
For best results, grow seedlings under fluorescent lights. It isn't necessary to have "grow lights" or a fancy light stand. 40-watt, cool white, fluorescent tubes work fine. The fluorescent lights should be no more than 2- 3 inches above the plants. They can be left on continuously, but should not be..
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