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In This Issue
Weather It's The
Weather
What's Bugging
You
Questionmark and
Mysterian
Success Tip of
the Week
From the Garden
to the Kitchen
Plant to Ponder
Contact
Information
Up
Coming Events
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either store between 6am and 9am, and receive 20% OFF
everything in stock!
(Sorry, excludes gift cards, design -installation - delivery
- consultation fees.)
Yardarama at Natorp's
Mason Garden Store
June 2, 2007
Quick Links
$10,000 Landscape
Makeover
Newsletter
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Success Tip Sheets
Landscape Design Kit
Gift Cards
Rita's Recipes
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Whether It's The Weather
80
degrees and humid? Not sure I'm ready for that! Warmer
temps and rain showers are bringing trees and shrubs and the
lawn along quite nicely, including those that have been
damaged by the late freeze. And, as the air warms, so does
the soil. But it's still cool, and stays damp longer when
it's cool, so if you're planning on planting annuals, don't
forget its not just frost that can be a concern, but so can
early cold wet soils. Tomatoes and peppers, as well as many
other cold tender annuals do not like cold wet feet! And
sometimes although they may not die, they may become stunted
and not grow to your expectations. So be cautious planting
some of the more sensitive annuals early. Hanging baskets,
window boxes, container planting - it's time to rumble!
[333 - only half evil.]
What's Bugging You?
Ants! Inside and out! BUT, I want to applaud 5 of you
email readers who caught my little "test" last week! I
wrote about all the ants I found, and when all was said and
done, I had dead ants and wings everywhere. Well, those
wings everywhere can be a sign that those are termites, not
flying ants (by the way, termite wings are the same size - 2
pair, same size)! And termites are swarming! Doug Young,
nursery manager from Benken's was the first to catch it and
suggested I call in a professional to look for termites.
Great job, Doug! First, to first suggest that I have a
positive id to the possible problem, and secondly, if indeed
they were termites, that only the professionals should
attempt to control them. Not the homeowner. Great advice!
Also need to remind you to watch for those pine sawflies
eating mugho pines and other selected pines. Also getting
loads of calls about Eastern tent caterpillars as well as
the dreaded Forest tent caterpillars, which are out in
unbelievable population levels! Remember, these feed on
maples and oaks, and populations are so heavy, and they're
usually in such large trees, its nearly impossible (and
impractical) to spray for control. Many homeowners are
calling right now as the FTCs are crawling everywhere in the
grass, sidewalks, drives, walls, and anywhere they can
crawl. And the numbers are in the thousands. Yes, you can
spray today, but you'll only kill what you sprayed today.
Thousands will be there tomorrow, so it becomes impractical
to keep spraying. Most are usually finished be late May /
early June. Sorry.
This
week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting continued
show of winter / freeze damages on woody plants, especially
roses and Japanese maples, gypsy moths have started to
hatch, cranefly larvae showing up in lawns, May apple rust
and Cedar apple rust pustules are showing up on junipers,
and carpenter and ground burrowing bees having fun scaring
folks.
Catch
the "Buggy Joe Boggs Report" Saturdays 8:42am on 55KRC radio!
[Did you hear about the dentist and the manicurist? They
fought tooth and nail.]
Questionmark and the Mysterians -
Your Questions Answered
"I am
doing container gardening and some are telling me that
packing peanuts are good to use to cut down on soil
expense. What do you say?" -I say that is one way to take
up space in a large or deep planted if the space is not
needed. But I do suggest you put those peanuts in ziplock
bags before you use them as a filler. Certainly makes it
easier when you need to dump out the container. Also
consider, one and two liter bottles, smashed aluminum cans,
false bottoms made of plywood, even a pyramid of regular
soil at the center of the pot will work.
"Where
can we find the "hardy" bananas in the Cincinnati area?"
-You can find them at Natorp's! And from what I've seen,
most are starting to pop back up in yards (mulched heavily
over the winter) as the weather warms.
"Is
there anyone local who offers soil testing?" -The Hamilton
County Soil and Water Conservation District does! It's
actually through Michigan State, and the charge is $10 if
you pick up the kit from the office and mail it in with your
samples, or $12 if they mail it for you. For more info,
call 513-772-7645 - Holly Utrata-Halcomb.
"With
the onslaught of Forest tent caterpillars, can't I spray in
advance to help control them?" -Nope, you can only spray
once they show up. Wait until you see the whites of their
eyes (or green or brown or black or whatever color their
eyes are!). And remember, it's really impractical to spray.
"Do you
suggest feeding our heavily freeze damaged plants to get
them growing faster?" -Not at first. Our decision here at
Natorp's is to give the plants time to start to regrow, then
we'll fed them lightly with something similar to a 5-10-10
fertilizer, about 1/2 rate at first, then a normal rate a
little later. We feel this is an easier way for the plants
to recover correctly.
"When
should I cut back my damaged Knock Out roses? They look
awful!" -Yes, some really took it on the chin from this
sudden freeze. BUT, they should totally recover over time.
If the canes are damaged, cut them back now, and cut them
back hard. It may be a slow recovery at first, but they'll
be back. As for woody plants like the Japanese maples, lets
wait at least one more week before we get out the pruners
and start cutting and cleaning them up. I have a feeling
after the pruning is finished, there may be a few folks who
will need to decide whether they want to wait for plant
recovery (a couple years maybe), or replace the plant.
Again, we'll know in about another week. Be patient!
[A backward poet writes inverse.]
Success Tip of the Week
Controlling Moss in the Lawn - If moss begins to appear in
your lawn, it's usually an indication that for whatever
reason, the conditions are not good for growing grass. The
grass dies out and the moss moves in. Moss does not kill
grass - it grows where the grass won't. Once moss becomes
established, grass will not spread into those areas.
Conditions that favor moss and not favor grass include one
or a combination of the following:
-Excessive shade -Low pH of the soil -Poor drainage
-Compacted soils -Excessive irrigation -Low soil
fertility -Poor air circulation -Shallow rocky soils
Killing
the existing moss - Moss can be killed or mechanically
removed, but unless the favorable conditions change to favor
growing grass, the moss will eventually begin to re-grow.
Moss can be killed with the use of many manufactured moss
and algae killers, copper sulfate or iron sulfate, or by
using a home remedy of dissolving 1 small box of baking soda
in 2 gallons of luke-warm water. Place in tank sprayer and
spray the moss. Burns it off within a day and keeps it away
for 4-6 weeks. Raking the moss with a hard rake will also
help in drying the moss and airing the soil. Again, these
are all temporary fixes.
Changing
the conditions-
Shade:
Moss tolerates shade better than grass. So thinning and
limbing-up trees will help increase sunlight and air
circulation. Removal of selected trees will also help allow
in more sunlight and better air flow. Also consider
planting a more shade tolerant grass such as the turf type
tall fescues. In extremely shady areas where grass will not
grow, consider planting shade tolerant groundcovers or
mulching the area. And if all else fails, let the moss
grow. It is green, and does well in the shade! Work around
it.
Check
the soil pH: Although pH of the soil is minor factor in
favoring mosses, if the soil is too acidic for turf growth,
adjust with lime to a favorable pH for turf (5.8 to 6.8 or
so).
Poor
drainage: Re-grading, adding French drains, elevating
areas, etc, are all ways to increase better water flow
through the area.
Compacted soils: Core aeration is the best way to open up
compacted soils. The next step would be to back fill those
holes with coarse sand for added aeration.
Excessive Irrigation: Watering on a regular schedule is not
good. Water only as needed and water thoroughly and deeply
each time you do.
Low soil
fertility: Again, have the soil tested. More than likely,
beginning a regular lawn care feeding program (getting
nitrogen back into the soil) does the trick. But do have
your soils tested to see what they may lack.
Once you
have altered these conditions, feel free to begin renovating
the area and growing grass once again - moss free! Natorp07
[A plateau is a high form of flattery.]
From the Garden to the Kitchen
"Hey
Rita what's Cooking?"
Yardboy,
Mother Nature has helped my onion chives go into full bloom
a bit early this year. The flowers are bright pink and lend
a shock of color to the herb garden. Now my garlic chives,
which have a white flower, always lag behind. So today I'm
going to start making some chive herbal vinegar. Herbal
vinegars are fun and easy to make, Yardboy, and even the
littlest child can help. Here's how I do it:
Wash and
dry a glass container - it can be a canning jar, a
decorative bottle, etc. If the lid is metal, you will have
to put a piece of plastic wrap under the lid to keep the
vinegar, with its acidity, from destroying the lid.
Fill the
jar 1/3 to 1/2 way up with herbs. What herbs to use? What
do you like and what's growing? Use your imagination.
Single herb vinegars are lovely and one dimensional, like
chive vinegar. When you combine two - four herbs in a
vinegar medley, you have a multi-dimensional vinegar with
haunting flavor.
Bruise
the herbs with a spoon as you put them in the jar. Add
aromatics such as a piece of shallot, a clove of garlic, a
hot pepper (or your favorite herb, Yardboy: hot & spicy
oregano), etc.
Pour
wine or champagne vinegar over the herbs to cover. **
Let
steep for a couple of weeks on the counter. The brighter
and warmer the area, the quicker the herbs will infuse.
You'll know when they've infused by the aroma and the fact
that the leaves will turn light gray/green and look wilted.
When herbs have infused, strain them out and add a new sprig
of herb to your vinegar. Try infusing them in the herb
garden - they will infuse in a day or so.
Even
faster: Bring mixture just to a simmer and let cool before
straining into jar. Put a fresh herb sprig into jar or
bottle.
**I make
my own wine vinegar by pouring 1/4 cup white wine into a
quart of clear vinegar.
Herbal
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup
herb vinegar
1/2
teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small
clove garlic, minced
Few
shakes of Maggi seasoning (opt)
2/3 cup
Olive oil
-Rita
Nader Heikenfeld, CCP / Macy's Regional Culinary
Professional / Herbalist / Author / Local TV and Radio
Cooking Expert / Adjunct Professor U.C. Clermont College /
Community Press Papers / Part time Witchdoctor / Maker of
strange potions /
www.abouteating.com
[A boiled egg is hard to beat.]
Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"
Herb
of the Year - Melissa officinalis /'Lemon Balm'
Hardy in zones 4-9, this perennial herb can easily reach 2
feet in height, is a spreading plant, and is known for its
dark green heart shaped wrinkled leaves (can produce small
creamy-yellow flowers which are good for attracting bees).
Lemon Balm enjoys moist but well drained soils and loves the
sun, but will tolerate partial shade. The leaves are used
for tea or make a nice addition to salads, stews and soups.
*Chosen by the International Herb Association
[I went to a seafood disco last week and pulled a mussel.]
A Little
Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
If you
see ants on your peonies, that's because they enjoy the
nectar-like stuff that the flowers secrete. If you have
cutworm problems, try putting cardboard bands around your
seedlings (an inch in the soil, and 2 inches above), or
aluminum foil around the base, or paper cups with the
bottoms cut out placed over them, etc. Remember if spring
flowering shrubs need pruning, its best done right after
they finish flowering. Make sure freeze damaged foliage on
perennials has been removed. Go ahead and cut back roses
and woody perennials like butterfly bush, Russian sage,
loosestrife, etc, but give freeze damaged woody plants (like
Japanese maples) at least another week to show you what is
dead and what may recover - then start your pruning. Keep
mowing the lawn on a regular basis. Never remove more than
1/3 of the blades each time you mow. Throw those clippings
back into the turf where they belong. Change directions
each time you mow, and by all means, keep that mower blade
sharpened! One last tip - as you get ready to plant
tomatoes and peppers this year, make sure you add calcium to
the soil (in ground or in pots). By doing this, as well as
keeping good even moisture around the plants, you can help
eliminate "Blossom End Rot".
[Cross a hedgehog and a snake, and you'll get two yards of
barbed wire.]
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