THESE ARE SOME BASIC IDEAS TO CONSIDER WHEN STARTING, PLANNING,PLANTING OR RENOVATING YOUR GARDEN....
CHECK YOUR pH..KNOW AMEND YOUR SOIL BEFORE YOU START TO PLANT.
HOW MANY HOURS OF SUN OR SHADE DO YOUR PLANTS NEED? READ YOUR PLANT LABEL! SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ARTICLE EXPLAINING HOW MUCH LIGHT DOES A PLANT NEED.
THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS WATER. DRIP IRRIGATION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
WHAT PLANTS DO I USE; NATIVE, ORNAMENTAL, PERENNIAL,ANNUAL, DROUGHT TOLERANT OR SUSTAINABLE?
PICK A THEME FOR YOUR GARDEN THAT SUSTAINS OUR NATURAL BIO DIVERSITY THAT IS required to sustain ecosystems and the critical environmental services they provide for human populations. . THE FOLLOWING ARE ten culturally distinct landscape niches: meadow, wet area, dry shade, rain garden, forest edge, pond/stream edge, sunny slope, salt and sand, small garden and container.For a list of specific plants and plant names used in these ten culturally distinct landscape niches go to L.I. native button on the left side of this page.
MEADOW, When homes are built on former farmland there are often large areas planted in cool season turf grasses.
Lawns play an important role in the landscape, providing play areas,pathways and are used to define flower beds. However lawns do not provide biodiversitys in fact they require long hous of weekly maintenance. These sunny exspanses are ideal areas for planting a meadow.A healthy meadow in a sunny location is usually dominated by grasses. Indiangrass,Sorghastrum nutans,switch grass,Panicum virgatum little bluesterm,Schizachyrium scoparium or a number of broomsegesAndropogon sp. can be seeded to create a meadow. Purple top grass (Tridensflavus) blooms profusely in mid summer. Little bluestem is at the height of its beauty in the fall and winter when it turns a rich apricot color.
With warm season grasses as a start- ing point, you can add flowering perenni- als such as butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosas, black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), New England asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angLiae), New York ironweed (Vernonia noueboracensis), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), blazing star (Liatris spicata) and Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium dubium). Perennials can be added from seed (if the seed can reach the soil to make good con- tact) or by planting plugs, which allows you to add perennials in patterns. One strategy is to add perennials to the outer edge of the meadow where they will be most visible. Also, look at bloom times and select perennials that will bloom throughout the growing season to keep the meadow interesting.
Meadows do require some yearly maintenance. Keep woody plants from spilling over the meadow by mowing at to a height of 4-6 inches in mid-spring. You may ,choose' to leave some woody plants, like aster, red cedar (juniperus virginiana) to provide an interesting accent. To keep a meadow from becoming toO tall and rangy, mow again in early summer Spot spray for undesirable weeds in your meadow, such as invasive thistles or crown vetch.
To make a meadow more pleasing and visibly managed, mow a neat edge on a regular basis. Mowed paths give an appearance of order and allow you to stroll through the meadow to appreciate its subtle beauty.
A path invites an intimate experience with this meadow. Tan indiangrass contrasts nicely against a backdrop of burgundy fall foliage. Emerging warm season grasses provide a foil for Black-eyed Susan and other perennials.
New England aster defines the boundary between switchgrass and fireworks goldenrod.
Purple tones of emerging switch grass blends beautifully with purple coneflower and blazing star.
WET AREA,
Wet areas in the landscape provide a great gardening opportunity. Swales between property lines or other low areas often stay wet for a while after a rain. There are many wonderful native plants that thrive in moisture; and wet soils dis- courage most invasive plants. Starting with the canopy layer, red maple (Acer rubrurn), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), iron- wood (Clrpinus caroliniana), sweetgum , sweetbay magnoli: (lilginiltnll), sourgum , loblolly pine, sycamore,swamp white oak wil- low oak , and bald cypressare a few good choices.
Next add a shrub layer, which might include winterberry holly (flex verticilla- Id), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), but- ton bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and smooth withered viburnum (Viburnum nudum). There are very few woody plants that tolerate standing water. All these plants tolerate wet or moist soils, but if water pools on a routine basis, you may need to resort to herbaceous perennials only.
Some good perennials for moist sites include marsh mallow (Hibiscus moscheutosi, blue vervain (Verbena basta- ta), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalisi, great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitiea), New York aster (Symphyotrichum noui-bel-
gii), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium dubium or E. fistulosum).
This is only a small sample of peren- nials suitable for moist soils. With proper planning you can have a thriving garden that provides many seasons of interest. Sweetbay magnolia has early summer blooms combined with a lovely lemony fragrance; sweet pepperbush blooms in
the summer (and has yellow fall color as a bonus); Joe-pye weed blooms in mid- summer and marsh mallow, blue vervain and lobelia all bloom in late summer. In fall, you can count on purple foliage color from smooth withered viburnum and red or orange leaves from red maple, sweet gum and sourgum trees. Finally, the red berries of winterberry holly provide color throughout the winter. Winterberry looks best when it is displayed against an ever- green background or in combination with a warm season grass, such as switchgrass tPanicum virgatum), to provide a tan win- ter backdrop.
DRY SHADE see SHADE GARDENS button on the left
RAIN GARDENS
Rain gardens can change how we manage storm water in built environ- ments. Instead of providing more paved surfaces, curbs and storm drains to take water (a precious resource) away from our home lawns and landscapes, rain gardens promote the infiltration of water into the pervious surfaces we have remaining in the landscape. They are gardens built with the intention of reducing erosion, flooding, and non-point source pollution by lowering the volume of storm water runoff. Instead of becoming runoff, the rainwater is absorbed back into the ground through the garden.
Construction of rain gardens can vary greatly in complexity and cost. They are commonly built in an area where rain water naturally flows but not in low lying areas that are poorly drained. The garden area required depends on the source; typi- cally sized at 10-20% of the source area. To collect the runoff, grading is some- times necessary to redirect the water. The garden area is excavated, usually to a depth of four feet but variable with soil type. It is filled with a sandy soil followed by topsoil so the garden lays about six inches below grade. The plants must tol- erate standing water (for several days) as well as drought conditions. Hardy, herba- ceous, native plants generally perform best in rain gardens.
Cores drilled through a hard pan and filled with gravel allowed the area to drain more rapidly. Masses of perennials thrive in the lowest areas. Virginia sweetspire, winter berry holly, sweet bay magnolia and viburnum thrive in a rain garden that receives runoff from the roof and surrounding park lawnPerennials: Use the following in your rain garden,
Aquilegia canadensis, Canadian columbine Arisaema tripbyllum, Jack-in-the-pulpit Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed Athyrium filix-femina, lady fern
Cores drilled through a hard pan and filled with gravel allowed the area to drain more rapidly. Masses of perennials thrive in the lowest areas.
Virginia sweetspire, winter berry holly, sweet bay magnolia and viburnum thrive in a rain garden that receives runoff from the roof and surrounding lawn.
FOREST EDGE
The edge of an eastern deciduous forest often has filtered light and highly organic soil providing the ideal environ- ment for a diverse compliment of plants. Maintaining a healthy forest edge helps protect the rest of the forest from incur- sion by invasive plants. If you are lucky enough to border an existing forest or have a partially shaded edge on your property, you can create a rich garden in this niche.
On the wood's edge, shrubs and trees such as serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), spicebush (Linder a benzoin), blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifoli- urn), and arrowwood viburnum (V denta- tum} provide richly diverse habitats for birds, insects and other desirable wildlife. This edge will deliver a pleasing seasonal display when supplemented with showy native shrubs such as oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), pinxrerbloorn azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides), coast azalea (Rhododendron atianticumi, American beauryberry (Callicarpa ameri- canal, American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla garden it) or native perennials such as foamflower, (Tiarella cordifolia), Indian pinks (Spigelia marilandica), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), white wood aster (Eurybia divaricatus), heart- leaf aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), thin- leaved sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus) or woodland sunflower (Helianthus divar- icatusy. Using a few non-invasive exotic plants such as stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus), barrenwort (Epimedium sp.), donkey tail spurge (Euphorbia myrsinities), Japanese roof iris (Iris tectorumi, Korean mum, (Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield') or purple beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotima) can compliment and expand artistic character of a naturalistic landscape style. With carefully chosen combinations it's easy to create habitat and experience natural beauty in your own backyard.
Pond/stream edge,Well-planted pond or stream edges can improve ecological conditions and the natural beauty of your property. By over- coming our propensity for neatness along these edges, we can improve water and habitat quality. Plantings can filter nutri- ents and pollutants that flow from lawn and impervious surfaces of your land- scape. Nurture deep-rooting, shade- and habitat-producing plants to create a more attractive space for desirable fauna, and observers of fauna, and help make the most of your property's natural potential.
Many of the same shrubs that excel in wet conditions, such as winter berry, chokeberry and sweet pepperbush also thrive at the water's edge. Some stunning perennial flowers prefer conditions of a riparian edge, such as cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus), Joe pye weed (Eupatorium dubium and E. fistulosum), hardy ageratum (Eupatorium coelestinum), woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), bee balm (Monarda cvs. such as 'Raspberry Wine' and 'Coral Reef') and sneezeweed (Helenium cv.). Much of the water's edge vegetation has a narrow vertical form such as cattails (Typha angustifolia) and common rush (juncus eJfusus). Several ferns provide a perfect contrast to that vertical form like interrupted fern (Osmunda clay toniana) , ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), and lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina).
Sunny slope,Property edges often have sunny slopes-next to the driveway, along the back border or adjacent to the street. Mowing steep slopes is unnecessary and can be downright dangerous. Depending on the slope size, conditions, and desired aesthetic, choose from a combination of maintenance strategies that will eliminate the need to mow. You can spot spray to control undesirable plants or cut back with a string trimmer once or twice a year, creating more of a meadow or an old field aesthetic.
Many flowering plants such as gold- enrods (Solidago sp.), thoroughworts (Eupatorium hyssopifolium and E. rotundi- folium), and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) will volunteer among the little bluestem tScbizacbyrium scoparium), broomsedges (Andropogon sp.), prairie dropseed (Sporobolis heterolepis) and other grasses. 'Plugging' in a few suitable peren- nials such as thread leaf blues tar (Amsonia hubrichtii), blue star (Amsonia tabernae- montana), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosat, showy aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), wild indigos (Baptisia sp.), or pink doll's daisy (Boltonia asteroides 'Pink Beauty') can expand the flowering season and interest.
When you stop mowing entirely, early successional woody plants such as eastern red cedar, black cherries or ser- vin·herries will begin to colonize. Descourage undesirable woody and inva- sive plants by selective removal. Shrubs and trees might also be added, such as red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea), sweet pep- perbush (Clethra alnifolia), ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), sumacs (Rhus sp.) or bush honeysuckle (Diervilla sessili- folia). You can choose to slightly supple- ment the ecological succession by adding a few attractive species or replant the entire slope as a naturalistic garden bed depending on your aesthetic sensitivities. If you prefer a more orderly composition, limit the palette to two or three plants of complementary texture, height, and form.
SALT and SAND go to seashore gardening button on the left side of this page.
Small Garden, Modern life and schedules are well suited to small gardens like those accompanying- row house or a condo complex or area on a suburban lot.
Small gardens reward you with a more easily managed and maintained space, plus more time to enjoy that space. With less square footage, it's easier and less costly to amend your soil, mulch, and water your plants during dry spells.
You'll want to choose plants in scale with smaller plantings. For trees, this means smaller species or dwarf cultivars. Try sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virgini- ana) for an airy, open shape and showy white blooms in June, or serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) for a multi- stemmed tree with springtime flowers, summer berries, and red-geld fall color. Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is often grown as a multi-stemmed tree and fea- tures eye catching purple flowers in April and May before its foliage emerges.
Valuable vertical space in a small gar- den can be used for ornamental vines like Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana) (be sure to choose disease resistant culrivars), or [the long-blooming native honeysuckle.
Since a smaller garden limits the vari- ety of plants you can use, it's important
to choose species with long bloom, berry or leaf color displays. Plan your garden so you have something interesting happening in each season.
Container Gardening, go to Containers button on the left side of this page.
PLAN AND PLANT TO ATTRACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND BIRDS USING NATIVE PLANT MATERIALS.
CONTAINER OR RAISED BEDS GARDENS.
ELEMENTS, FORMS AND STRUCTURE. ROCK,STONE,WOOD,RAISED BEDS, CONTAINERS,FENCES,GATES,WALKWAYS, PONDS,POOLS,PLAY AREAS,TREES,PLANTS ARE SOME FORMS AND STRUCTURE THAT CAN BE USED TO CREATE THE FRAMEWORK OF YOUR GARDEN. SOME ARE EXSISTING OTHERS CAN BE ADDED TO BRING HARMONY TO YOU AND YOUR GARDEN.
MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP.
ORGANIC OR CHEMICAL. CHEMICALS KILL ALL INSECTS EVEN THE GOOD ONES THAT HELP KEEP OUR GARDENS FREE OF BAD INSECTS. LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF ALL INSECTS ARE BAD INSECTS.
TRANSPLANTING, DIVIDING,PRUNING AND PROPAGATING PLANTS.
KNOW YOUR PLANT ZONE..LONG ISLAND IS ZONE 6B or 7?
GARDEN FLOWER DESIGN CAN BE ACHEIVED WITH THE USE OF A COLOR WHEEL(AVAILABLE AT AN ART STORE). A COLOR WHEEL WILL SHOW YOU COMPLEMENTRY COLORS, PRIMARY COLORS, OPPOSITE COLORS THAT CAN REPRESENT FLOWER COLORS THAT CAN BE USED IN YOUR GARDEN DESIGN.CONSIDER HEIGHT,COLOR,FRAGRANCE AND BLOOM TIME.PERENNIAL OR ANNUAL.
THERE IS A LIST OF PLANTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE PLANTED. THESE PLANTS ARE CALLED INVASIVE PLANTS, MEANING THEY ARE NOT NATIVE PLANTS. INVASIVE PLANTS CROWD OUT OUR NATIVE PLANTS AND DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO GROW. FOR A LIST OF INVASIVE PLANTS CLICK HERE http://www.ipcnys.org/
Gardening for hummingbirds and butterflies is easy and rewarding. Wildbirds, and particularly songbirds, and hummingbirds will flock to the insect-rich bloomsand the dying seed heads of spent flowers. You can create an abundantfood supply and simultaneously build a habitat for your wildlife. Red daylilys attract butterflies.
Gardening for hummingbirds and butterflies is easy and rewarding. Wild
birds, and particularly songbirds, and hummingbirds will flock to the insect-rich blooms
and the dying seed heads of spent flowers. You can create an abundant
food supply and simultaneously build a habitat for your wildlife. Red daylilys attract butterflies.
BUTTERFLY GARDENS Flying flowers or jewels of the sky are just two of the terms that have been used to describe the beauty and fascination that people have for butterflies. By following a few simple steps, you can attract these flying beauties to your garden. WHY DO BUTTERFLIES VISIT A GARDEN? Butterflies are looking for two things when they enter a garden: nectar, the food that adult butterflies need, and host plants, the place where the female will lay her eggs and the food that caterpillars need. Both are necessary to create a successful butterfly garden. NECTAR PLANT FACTORS Nectar plants These are plants with flowers that produce the sweet fluid that many insects, including butterflies, use as food. Flower colors Many of our native butterflies prefer plants that have pink, red, purple, yellow or orange flowers. Butterflies appear to be attracted to areas with large masses of a single color, or closely related colors, rather than gardens with many colors mixed together. Flower types Most butterflies must land in order to get to the nectar. They prefer plants having either clusters of short tubular flowers, or flowers with large, flat petals. Season-long flowering Butterflies are active from early spring through frost, and having a mix of plants in your garden that flower throughout this entire time will attract them all season long. HOST PLANT FACTORS A place to lay eggs Because tiny caterpillars can not travel far to find their own food, the female locates and lays her eggs on only the type of plant that the caterpillar can use as food. Caterpillar food Most species of caterpillars are particular about the type of plants they can eat. If the egg was not placed on the correct plant, the caterpillar hatching from that egg will not survive. Many native trees and other plants found in and around our yards are host plants for caterpillars. However, there are a variety of plants that can be included in a garden that are excellent host plants. If you feed them, they will eat Many gardeners do not like to see plants in their gardens that have been chewed on by insects. To avoid this, you may want to locate host plants in areas that are not highly visible, or in a separate garden area a short distance from the nectar plants. If you do not provide host plants, you will have fewer butterflies. LOCATION AND DESIGN Butterflies love sun Both butterflies, and the plants they prefer, like bright sunny areas protected from high winds. As you begin to plan your butterfly garden, look for areas around your yard that have at least six hours of sun each day. In South Carolina summers, areas with morning to mid-afternoon sun seem to work best. If your yard is not too large, you also can plan a garden that consists of separate "pieces" that are not adjacent to each other. A place to catch some rays On cool mornings, butterflies need to warm their bodies before they can become active. To do this, they often sit on a reflective surface such as a flat stone, spread their wings, and turn their backs to the sun. Their wings work like solar panels, absorbing the sun’s warmth that is then transferred to their bodies. Why are they eating dirt? Butterflies often gather in groups on wet sand or mud, and look like they are eating. This activity is called puddling, and they do it to obtain the minerals that are found in the soil. You can create a puddling place in your garden by placing a shallow pan in the soil, filling it with coarse sand, and keeping it moist. You can add salt to this at a rate of ½ to ¾ cup salt (table salt or rock salt) to 1 gallon of sand, mix well and moisten. Locate the puddling area under a soaker hose or near a drip emitter to help keep the sand moist. Butterflies do not only eat nectar! There are some butterflies that rarely feed on nectar and will only visit a garden if it has some extra touches, such as rotten fruit or manure. The best fruits are those that are either soft (banana) or moist (watermelon). Small amounts of fresh manure also will attract butterflies. If there are young children in your home, you may want to make sure that either of these items are in a protected area as they both sometimes attract wasps as well as butterflies. BUTTERFLIES AND CATERPILLARS ARE INSECTS! The use of insecticides will kill many butterflies and their caterpillars. If a pest problem develops in your butterfly garden, try using biological controls, such as ladybugs, lacewings and preying mantids as a first line of defense. These are often already present in a butterfly garden. If pests such as aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, or spider mites become a serious problem, try using controls such as insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils applied only to those areas on the plants where the pests are located. Widespread application of these may affect the caterpillars on their host plants and the butterflies visiting nectar plants. Applications of herbicides also may have a negative effect on caterpillars and butterflies. Choose your plants carefullly.Keep in mind these basic princibles, deisgn,color,texture ,soil, light and water requirements.
SUGGESTED LARVAL FOOD PLANTS ADULT BUTTERFLY Asters (Aster species) Pearly crescentspot Cherry laurel, black cherry, wild plums (Prunus species ) Tiger swallowtail Clovers (Trifolium species) and other legumes Sulfurs, gray hairstreak Dill, carrot, parsley, fennel, Queen Anne’s Lace (Umbelliferae: Parsley family) Black swallowtail Dogwoods (Cornus species) and viburnum Spring azure Elm (Ulmus species), willows Mourning cloak, viceroy and question mark Hackberries (Celtis species) Hackberry butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias species) Monarch Mustard family Cabbage and checkered whites Native grasses Various skippers Oaks (Quercus species) Banded hairstreak Passion flowers (Passiflora species) Gulf fritillary and zebra longwing Paw paw (Asimina species) Zebra swallowtail Pearly everlastings (Antennaria, Anaphalis, Gnaphalium) American painted lady Pipevines (Aristolochia species) Pipevine swallowtail Plantains (Plantago species) and snapdragon Buckeye Sassafras (Sassafras occidentalis) Palamedes swallowtail Senna, coffeeweed (Cassia species) Cloudless giant sulfur Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) Spicebush swallowtail Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) Red-Spotted purple IDENTIFYING YOUR BUTTERFLIES
Although it is nice to have butterflies and their caterpillars in your garden, it is even better if you know who is who. Two great identification books for beginners are:
Peterson First Guides: Butterflies and moths by Paul A. Opler Peterson First Guides: Caterpillars by Amy Bartlett Wright
For more advanced butterfly watchers:
Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Butterflies by Paul A. Opler & Vichai Malikul The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies by Robert Michael Pyle REFERENCES FOR BUTTERFLY GARDENING Butterfly Gardening for the South by Geyata Ajilvsgi, Taylor Publishing Co., 1991. The Butterfly Garden by Matthew Tekulsky, Harvard Common Press, 1985. Creating a Butterfly Garden by Marcus Schneck, Simon & Schuster, 1993. The Butterfly Garden by Jerry Sedenko, Villard Books, 1991. Prepared by Joe Culin, Extension Entomologist, Clemson University
THE INFORMATION ON OUR SITE IS MEANT AS A REFERENCE TOOL
RAISED BED GARDENS:
The many advantages of raised bed gardening
First, there are advantages for your garden:
Perhaps the most important advantage is greatly reduced soil compaction.
Plant roots need air. In an ordinary garden, you can’t avoid stepping in the
garden bed occasionally when doing your everyday gardening. A properly
designed raised bed garden allows you to do all your gardening from the garden
path.
Plants can be spaced a little closer together in a raised bed because you
don’t need places to step. This increases productivity per square foot of bed
and reduces weeding when the plants begin to mature.
Note: Avoid the temptation
to crowd your plants. You will still want to use generous plant
spacing because your plants will grow much larger in raised beds.
Raised beds tend to drain away excess moisture better than ordinary garden
beds. This is another advantage that helps the plant roots to breath.
In areas that have saturated soil like Florida and many areas of the South,
raised beds may be the only way you can grow many types of plants.
Soil conditions and types can be controlled more efficiently in a raised
bed and they can be varied easily from bed to bed. Raised beds are the
answer when topsoil is thin.
Water, fertilizer, compost, mulch, etc. can be applied more carefully
because they only need to be applied to the garden beds.
Various studies have shown that raised garden beds produce 1.4 to 2
times as much vegetables and flowers per square foot as ordinary beds, due
mainly to the above advantages. You can have a smaller and
more manageable garden that produces more goodies for your table.
Then, there are advantages for you:
Raised garden beds bring your garden closer to you. Raised beds are after all, raised!
Raised beds tend to bring more order and pleasing geometry to your garden,
especially when forms or edging are used to define them.
Raised beds can extend your gardening season. They tend to warm up a
little sooner in the spring and remain productive later in the fall.
Do your gardening from the comfort of the garden path. No more bending
over to pull weeds or trim plants. Sit on a stool or put a seat board on your
garden wagon!
What are the problems?
There are problems with most raised bed systems if you want to disassemble your
raised beds to move or rearrange your garden or if you just want to roto-till
your garden beds.
If you’ve framed your
raised beds with railroad ties, timbers or landscape blocks, disassembly and
reassembly is really a lot of hard work.
My back aches just thinking about that.
CONTAINERS ARE VERSATILE CAN BE MOVABLE, CREATE MINI ENVIORMENTS WITH SPECIFIC SOIL AND WATER REQUIREMENTS IDEALLY SUITED FOR INDIVIDUAL PLANTS
MAINTENANCE AND UP KEEP: PRUNING Pruning Ornamentals Keeps Your Garden on the Cutting EdgeEvery year, landscape gardeners should step back, look at
their plantings and formulate a pruning plan that will keep ornamentals
looking their best. Pruning should start as soon as you have the plants in the
ground. You can shorten long stems and encourage branching to increase
the density and volume of new plants.Most landscape plants should be lightly pruned every few
years. If you prune hard every year to keep a plant to a certain size
in your landscape, it's better to replace that plant with one that has
growth characteristics better suited to the site.All gardeners should understand the difference between pruning and shearing.Pruning. Pruning means individually
selecting and cutting specific branches or twigs. Larger pieces are
removed at specific locations on the plant.Shearing. Shearing removes one to two inches of growth from the entire plant by indiscriminately clipping all twig ends.Before pruning, consider the properties of the plant. Look
at its natural form, growth habits, growth rate, height, spread and
flowering time.Gardeners should prune if:There are any dead, diseased, damaged or insect-injured parts.
There is a need to make the plant less dense or open the center for light and air flow.
The plant needs rejuvenation.
A special shape is desired, as with hedges or topiaries.
Dead flower clusters and seed pods must be removed. Savvy gardeners should use one of three pruning methods.Rejuvenation. This is the most severe
pruning method. Used on older plants that have grown too large or
woody. This approach removes the oldest branches at or near ground
level, leaving only young stems. Pruning old wood on shrubs will
stimulate the growth of new wood.If there aren't many young stems, remove about one-third
of the older wood each season over three years. New growth will have to
be pruned to encourage some branching and to retain the quality and
density of the plant.Thinning. These pruning cuts are done
by removing entire twigs or branches where they attach to the main
stem. It is the least conspicuous pruning plan. By cutting the
inward-growing twigs, the remaining growth will fill in the outside of
the plant. This method is best used on very dense plants.Heading Back. This method reduces the
height or size of the plant. Branches or twigs are cut back to a bud or
emerging side branch. The shape of the plant is controlled by the
location of the bud at the end of the cut. An inward-pointing bud will
make the plant denser; an outward-pointing bud will do the opposite.Remember that heading back stimulates the development of
smaller shoots and dense growth, particularly if every branch is headed
back. Heading back just 30 percent of a plant's longest branches in a
growing season is recommended.Shrubs that flower in the spring should be pruned after
they bloom. Plants that flower in mid-and late summer should be pruned
in the spring before growth starts. Any fall pruning should be done
after the plant is dormant, but keep pruning at this time of year to a
minimum.Source: Penn State Agricultural Information Services
KNOW YOUR PLANT ZONE..LONG ISLAND IS ZONE 6B or 7
The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones; each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone. If you see a hardiness zone in a catalog or plant description, chances are it refers to the USDA map. CLICK HERE TO SEE USDA ZONE MAP; http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Transplanting Season is Upon Us, therefore you should
know the rules of transplanting.
1. It's best to transplant almost all plants while they are dormant, which is right now in many parts of the U.S., but the transplanting clock is ticking.
2. You can bare root dormant plants when transplanting
but you can not leave them out of the ground for more than
a few minutes. When you re-plant them, make sure the soil
is loose so there are no air pockets around the roots.
3. Do not re-plant them any deeper than they were growing
when you dug them up.
4. Perennials are known as multi-crown plants and they can
be dug up and divided when they are dormant. You really
can divide them into many pieces. A single Daylilly after being divided cold yield 20 or more new plants.
5. When digging larger plants you should have 12" of root
ball for every one inch of trunk caliper.
DIVIDING PERENNIAL PLANTS;THE GENERAL RULE FOR MOST PERINNIAL PLANTS IS TO DIVIDE THEM EVERY THREE YEARS. DIVIDING YOUR PERENNIAL PLANTS KEEPS THEM HEALTHY AND PROMOTES GROWTH.
DIVIDING PERENNIALS
Perennial plants will always be popular in the garden because
they require so little care. Sooner or later, however, many
perennials will get "too big for their britches" and will need
to be divided.
How will you know when a perennial plant needs to be divided?
Some may need to be divided every 3-4 years, others will quite
happily grow for up to ten years before they need to be divided,
and a few species don't like to be divided at all. The best
thing to do is to let the plants tell you when it's time. Divide
a perennial when you notice any of the following symptoms:
The plant is flowering less than usual and the blooms are smaller
Growth in the center of the plant is dying, leaving a hole in the
center with growth only around the edges
The plant isn't growing as vigorously as it has in the past
The plant has outgrown its space and is becoming crowded by its
neighbors
Spring is the best time to divide most perennials, although there
are some exceptions to the rule. Perennials that bloom in the
spring, such as iris and poppies, can be divided in late summer to
early fall. Some plants don't like to be divided or moved at all.
These homebodies include peonies and tree peonies, foxtail lilies,
bleeding hearts, goatsbeard and butterfly milkweed. They should be
divided only when absolutely necessary. Never divide a perennial
while it is blooming as this would be too stressful for the plant.
The first time you divide a perennial, you're going to be nervous
about it. That's natural, this process makes every gardener
nervous at first. But the more you divide perennials, the easier
it will become. Dividing perennials is often more stressful for the
gardener than for the plants.
Follow these simple steps to divide your perennials:
Start by digging around the perimeter of the plant with a sharp
spade
After digging all around the plant, slide your spade beneath the
clump and lift it out of the ground
Use a sharp spade or a knife to cut the clump into smaller, more
manageable plants
Discard any sections of the plant that are dead and trim off any
damaged roots
Keep the divisions moist and in the shade until they can be replanted Replant the divisions at the same depth the plant was originally
growing
Water the newly planted divisions well and keep them from drying out
while they re-establish themselves..There, that wasn"t so hard!
PROPAGATION; THERE ARE VARIOUS METHODS OF PROPAGATING DIFFERENT PLANTS, WOODY PLANTS CAN BE ROOTED IN WATER, AIR LAYERED,ROOTED USING ROOT HORMONE PRODUCTS, OR JUST PUTTING A CUTTING RIGHT INTO THE GROUND! KNOW YOUR PLANT BEFORE YOU START TO PROPAGATE IT..
MOST PLANTS CAN ALWAYS BE PROPAGATED BY SEED. SOMETIMES THE DOWNSIDE TO STARTING PLANTS BY SEED IS THEY DO NOT FLOWER THE FIRST YEAR AND MAYBE TAKE TWO OR THREE YEARS TO FLOWER. KNOW YOUR PLANT.
Different plants have specific methods and different times that they should be divided or transplanted. Know your plant for best results. Generally fall is a better time to plant plants and in some cases to divide plants as well. One reason being the ground is still warm, in the fall giving the roots of new plants time to grow before they go dormant. Planting in the spring, puts the new plants in cooler soil and then into the heat of the summer and the stress of summer drought and the need for water.Most plants should be divided or transplanted after they flower, not before. Know your plants chacteristics and habits before you do anything drastic.
OH YEAH PESTS... Protecting your garden from rabbits may be necessary in order to enjoy it.There are a variety of methods available to keep rabbits out of the garden. Dried blood meal is an effective rabbit repellent ifsprinkled around the edge of the garden.Unfortunately, it will wash away after several days andmust be re-applied. Continual use of this natural fertilizer throughoutthe summer is likely to cause the nutrients to become unbalanced inyour garden resulting in reduced flowering and harvests.Moth balls or crystals are a popular method, but areusually not effective. In addition, this chemical is rather toxic andcould be dangerous if swallowed.Wood ashes around the garden have been successful, but tend to increase the alkalinity of the soil.Probably the best protection from rabbits is to fence inthe garden. Use three foot high poultry netting (chicken wire) with thebottom six inches bent outward at a right angle.Bury this part of the fence with about a half inch ofsoil. When the rabbit tries to burrow under your fence, he will bestanding on what he's trying to dig through. The resulting 2 1/2 footfence is higher than a rabbit can jump.To reduce the area that needs to be fenced, plant yourpotatoes, tomatoes and squash outside of the fence, since rabbits willrarely eat these vegetables. Onions are usually safe outside of thefence also, but may occasionally be eaten.Flowers and other non-edible plants can be protectedwith a Thiram spray. This chemical repellent is available in mostgarden centers and Rabbit and Deer Repellent. Remember that new partsof the plants that have been produced since the plant was sprayed willnot be protected and may be eaten.
MOLES,VOLES,SQUIRRELS,SNAKES,RACOONS AND OTHER PESTS.Tips For Wildlife Prevention: Keep your lawn well maintained, grubs are the main diet for moles.Live traps are avilable for rent. Seal All Open Gaps and Holes Into the House or Roof Install Heavy-Duty Steel Screen on Roof and Gable Vents Screen Off Gaps Around Perimeter of Barrel Tile Roofs, Install Steel Screen Exclusion Barriers Around Raised sheds/decks. Block Off Openings Leading to Porches or Raised Decks Seal the Bottoms of AC Chase/Holes Where AC Lines Enter House Don't Leave Pet Food or Bird Seed Outside, Secure Your Garbage Can Lids, and Don't Leave Food Outside Clear Excess Debris From the Yard - Rats and Snakes Love It If You Have Fruit Trees, Pick Up Fallen Fruit Trim Back Trees and Landscaping Next to the Roof If You've Had Animals In Your Attic, Get it Deodorized. DOGS AND CATS ARE GREAT AT DETERRING PEST FROM YOUR YARD.
MAKING A PROPERTY DEER RESISTANT STARTS WITH A FENCE USUALLY 8-10 FEET HIGH. NEXT I USE BLOOD MEAL SPREAD AROUND THE FENCE LINE..FENCES CAN BE MADE WITH HEAVY COPPER OR CALVANIZED WIRE, CONNECTED USING EXSISTING TREES OR BAMBOO OR STEEL STAKES..I ALSO USE DEER RESISTANT SPRAYS(LIQUID FENCE), MALE HAIR CUTTINGS(NOT FEMALE) AND USED KITTY LITTER AROUND THE FENCE LINE. NEXT I STRING FISHING LINE 20/25 LB TEST STRUNG AROUND THE PROPERTY EITHER TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF AN EXSISTING FENCE OR MAKE A NEW FENCE THE FISHING LINE CAN BE CONNECTED TO TREES AND SHRUBS. SOMETIMES I USE TWO ROWS OF FISHING LINE ONE 4 FT HIGH AND THE NEXT 6 FEET HIGH, THIS WILL CONFUSE THE DEER AS THEY CAN NOT SEE THE FISHING LINE AND GET TANGLED IN IT.
DEER RESISTANT PLANTS ARE A WHOLE NEW GARDENING CHALLENGE. PROTECTING YOUR GARDEN AND PLANTS FROM DEER IS A FULL TIME JOB. SOME PLANTS THAT I KNOW THAT ARE NOT EFFECTED BY DEER INCLUDE,GINGSING,PACASANDRA,NEPETA(CATNIP)AND HELLABORES.THESE ARE PROVEN TO BE DEER RESISTANT.I WILL ADD MORE PROVEN TIPS ABOUT PROTECTING YOUR GARDENS FROM DEER. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT HUNGRY DEER HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO EAT ANYTHING.
For more information about deer resistant plants go on the left and click on DEER resistant
CROWN IMPERIAL FRITILLARIA, IS A BULB THAT DEER WILL NOT EAT, AND THE SMELL OF THE BULB MUCH LIKE LIQUID FENCE WILL REPELL THE DEER.
How Much Light Does That Plant Need?
Whenever a new plant is acquired for the garden, gardeners need to keep a few things in mind. To ensure a long, happy life for the plant, it must be hardy to your garden's climate and it needs to receive the proper amount of sunlight.
Determining whether or not a particular plant will survive the winter cold and summer heat is usually quite simple. The growing zone for plants is typically listed on the plant tag if the plant has been purchased from a nursery, and growing zone maps can be found in nearly every seed catalog or online.
But sometimes the light requirements listed on plant tags can be awfully confusing. What is the difference between "light shade" and "filtered shade"? And what exactly is "full sun"?
If a plant requires full sun, this means it should be planted in a spot where it will receive no less than six hours of unshaded sunlight each day. Most vegetable plants and many flowering plants require full sun.
Plants that require full shade should be planted where they will receive no direct sunlight. Locate plants with full shade requirements on the north side of your house or beneath a shade tree. Hostas, ferns and many woodland wildflowers require full shade or filtered shade.
Filtered shade is often found beneath trees that have more open canopies. The area is mostly shaded, but some dappled sunlight does reach the ground beneath the trees. A plant that grows well in filtered shade will generally perform just as well in part shade.
An area that receives four to five hours of shade daily is considered to be in part shade. A partly shady area may receive direct sunlight in the early morning or late afternoon, but is in full shade the remainder of the day. A plant that typically requires full sun will survive in part shade but may not bloom well.
If an area receives two to four hours of shade during the growing season, this would be considered light shade. A plant that needs full sun will tolerate light shade, especially if they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. In particularly warm climates, full sun plants will appreciate receiving some light shade to help them deal with the heat.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County has a wealth of Horticultural and gardening information, located on Griffing ave in Riverhead, N.Y.Click here; http://www.cce.cornell.edu./
Gardening for hummingbirds and butterflies is easy and rewarding. Wild
birds, and particularly songbirds, and hummingbirds will flock to the insect-rich blooms
and the dying seed heads of spent flowers. You can create an abundant
food supply and simultaneously build a habitat for your wildlife. Red daylilys attract butterflies.
BUTTERFLY GARDENS
RAISED BED GARDENS:
CONTAINERS ARE VERSATILE CAN BE MOVABLE, CREATE MINI ENVIORMENTS WITH SPECIFIC SOIL AND WATER REQUIREMENTS IDEALLY SUITED FOR INDIVIDUAL PLANTS
