Sproutsandstuff

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Tips for Planting and Growing a Garden in Dry Shade

When my husband and I first purchased our home in 2004 I was super excited. Not only because it was our first home but because it had some mature trees and shrubs to provide me the shade I needed for my very own woodland gardens. What little did I know. Those mature trees are moisture and nutrient robbing thugs that rule my backyard. The first few years I was beaten into submission by them and put my backyard on the back burner and concentrated most of my efforts on the front yard. But eventually I had to tackle the backyard and boy it turned out to be quite a feat. My entire backyard was a mass of tree roots and hard packed dirt. Weeds wouldn't even grow.

I tried to do some research to find out what would grow there. I read and asked other gardeners for ideas what to plant and how to approach the area. I got varied responses on everything I asked from "roots aren't the problem" to "shade gardens are the easiest gardens to take care of". They were so wrong. My first issue is that all the tree canopies prevent most of the rain from coming down and watering the plants and what does make it through is sucked up by the tree roots. My second issue is that my problems don't come from a couple of trees it comes from 2 Silver Maple, 7 White Pine trees 2 Native Black Cherries, 1 Spruce and 1 Green Ash. That makes 13 big trees in a small area (maybe 60 ft x50 ft) fighting for every drop of water and every bit of nutrients available. Tree roots are the worst abomination any gardener can deal with. There-I said it. Here are pics of my backyard and the trees:

My backyard

Silver Maple surround by Hostas

Row of White pines in my backyard

The first year or two I would plant something and watch it slowly shrink or struggle to survive. I would water and fertilize the poor things without any positive results. Then I would go to dig the poor thing up and move it only to find the roots of the plant being strangled by tree roots. This would happen even though I had cleared the roots to plant. Those darn roots had come back full force to replace those I had removed. What is a gardener to do?

I ended up taking my own approach to this battle. These things listed below I have done and they have made a world of difference in the survival of my plants.

1. Do not fertilize individual plants. This causes the tree roots to grow heavily in the area that is fertilized to absorb the nutrients for itself. You might think you are fertilizing the plant but you are actually fertilizing the tree. The tree will win. If you must fertilize I suggest you fertilize the entire area so that the tree doesn't concentrate root growth in one particular area.

2. Do not water individual plants. This has the same effect as fertilizing individually. The tree roots will grow heavily in that concentrated area. Water the overall area not just the plant.

3. Try to bareroot the plants you are planting. By this I mean remove all the soil from around it's roots before you plant. I have found that the planting medium that the plants are sold in are tree root magnets. This might be due to the fertilizer or the ability of the medium to hold water.

4. Mulch to retain moisture. Enough said:-))

5. Plant in containers. You can do this either above the ground or even in the ground. Some Hosta enthusiasts do this to keep the tree roots from overtaking the Hosta. There is also a product sold called Spin Out Bags that help prevent root intrusion. I have never used them but have heard other gardeners swear by them.

6. Don't be impatient. If you plant your garden it make take a little longer for the plants to take hold than in other garden areas. Don't give up too easily. They just need more time to get established.

7. Choose appropriate plants. Native plants are a wonderful choice and some are suited to just this situation. There are also some great non-native plants that will work too. I had some great suggestions from some wonderful gardeners and other sources. Some were good, others not so good. Some that were suggested to me and I planted but failed to thrive because they had a difficult time dealing with the extreme dryness are: Alchemilla mollis, Pulmonaria, Brunnera, Bergenia, Tiarella and certain Astilbe. Here are some pics of a few that have done well for me:


Campanulastrum americanum

Most varieties of Aquilegia will grow in dry shade
well in dry shade

Geranium maculatum handles dry shade well

Digitalis grandiflora can handle dry shade

8. Avoid invasives! I know the temptation to fill in the area is overwhelming but DO NOT go out and buy plants deemed invasive. You will be sorry. I know many a gardener who thought that they could control these evil plants but in the long run you can not. Just say no to Ivy, Vinca, Lily of the Valley, Wintercreeper, Lamium Yellow Archangel, Pachysandra (non native) and the rest of those nasty invasives. There are not worth the damage to the environment or the work it will take you to remove them. Oh-and they really aren't that attractive anyways. I have seen lovelier plants in my time. Here are some pics of some of those plants taken in my neighbor's yard:

Invasives Ivy and Variegated Euonymous

Invasive Ivy Vinca and Lily of the Valley

Invasives spreading into the lawn

There is still a lot of work and growing to be done but I think in time I will eventually have the lush shade garden I have always wanted in my backyard. If you have any questions or comments fell free to leave them below and as always-Happy Gardening!

Rhonda

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

10 Common Mistakes Made When Starting Seeds Indoors

Right now it is February and indoor seed starting has begun for some of us. I am a huge fan of seeds and seed starting and find great satisfaction in growing my own plants from seed. I originally started my seed starting journey many years ago trying to start seeds inside with absolutely no luck so I focused my attention on wintersowing. But then a couple of years ago I decided I didn't want to buy my annuals or herbs from the store any longer so I started indoor seed starting again. With some trial and error and a lot of research I finally had success. I now actually use my seed starting set up year round because it works so well for me. Here is a post I did last year on Tips for Successful Seed Starting: http://sproutsandstuff.blogspot.com/2014/04/tips-for-successful-indooor-seed.html With that success has also come mistakes and I am sharing them in this post and hope you can benefit from what I have learned along the way.

Herbs I started from seed indoors

So here is the list of the mistakes I made when I first started growing seeds inside:

1. Wrong soil-this is probably the TOP issue there is. Not any old soil will do for indoor seed starting. Some are too heavy, some are too light, and most aren't sterile. You need to use a sterile soil-less mix to be successful. Look at the seed starting mixes used by the growers-they are usually a peat or coir based mix without any added compost or soil. Read the "ingredients" when purchasing and avoid compost, soil, humus etc. in the mix. I prefer (and have had wonderful results) using Pro-Mix growing mix. Seed starting soils that are not sterile can harbor insects and disease which will be hard to control once they start.

My preferred seeds starting mix by Pro-Mix

2. An important issue that is easily overlooked is the issue of watering. ALWAYS bottom water-by this I mean place water in a shallow container and then set your pots or trays in the water and allow the water to be absorbed into the soil. When the soil becomes damp remove the pots or trays from the water and let drain so they do not sit in water. Bottom watering helps in controlling fungus/disease related issues like damping off and mold. Bottom watering also helps to control over-watering which also leads to disease issues.

3. Using the wrong pots/containers or unsterilized pots/containers can cause serious issues for gardeners. These issues are disease related. Molds and fungus just love decaying material and when you use items like eggshells and paper that decompose you are inviting disease issues. If you want to recycle use plastic containers from yogurt etc. for seed starting just make sure to clean them well with a bleach solution. I personally just keep recycling my pots from previous years-washing them thoroughly before each use. Also-I have never had any luck with peat pots or peat pellets. They dry out too quickly and also can act as a "wick" pulling moisture from seedlings because of too much surface exposed to the air.

Dirty seed starter cell from last year that needs cleaned

Cleaning and sterilizing plastic pots from last year

Clean and sanitizing seed starting cell packs from last year

4. Seedlings need light-not a little but a LOT. Not enough light causes weak, lanky and leaning seedlings. Make sure you give your seedlings plenty of light whether it is artificial or natural. I prefer to use artificial light in the form of fluorescent shop lights-no need to spend money for fancy grow lights unless that is what you want to do. I also reflect as much of the light back on to the plants as possible. This also helps to prevent legginess and keeps the plants healthy and bushy. My lighting system works well enough and provides enough light and warmth to keep my Agave and Sempervivums looking good all winter long. I leave my lights on my plants between 12-15 hours a day to make sure they receive enough light to grow big and strong.

One of the fluorescent light fixtures I use

For plants use 1 warm and 1 cool fluorescent lights

Reflecting the light helps keep plants bushy and prevents leaning

5. Fertilizing. Yes that can be an issue. You do not need a seed starting mix with fertilizer-seedlings do not need fertilizer until they have their second set of true leaves-not before. You don't feed your children if they aren't hungry so don't feed your seedlings until they need it. Over fertilizing can build up in the soil, burn the seedlings or even cause too much growth. More is not better! Too little fertilizer can cause a host of problems such as discoloring of leaves, leaf curl, spotting etc. depending on the deficiency. My recommendation is to apply a balanced, water soluble fertilizer at half the recommended strength every third watering.

6. Planting depth. Planting your seeds too deep or not planting them deep enough can cause issues. Some very small seeds need light to germinate while others might need dark. Issues related to planting depth can be: lack of germination, root development issues, and seed coat not falling off when seedling emerges. When in doubt plant your seeds no deeper than their diameter.

7. Not providing air circulation. Another big issue. Lack of air circulation can lead to disease issues, fungus gnats, and weak seedlings. Run a fan on your seedlings for at least a few hours a day to help prevent these issues.

8. Starting your seeds too early can also be an issue. Sometimes we get so excited at the thought of Spring that we start our seeds too early. If you have the space to take care of them as they get large then by all means start them whenever but if you have limited space and resources then don't start them too early. The general rule is to start most seeds 4-6 weeks before the last frost date for your area.

Basil started too early-had to harvest because it got too big

9. Sowing too much (more than you need). Boy does this happen. Sure that entire package of Tomato seeds doesn't look like a lot but when they start growing look out! If 50 seeds are in the pack and you plant them all and you have 50 percent germination you will have 25 tomato plants. Unless you are a farmer you don't need that many. Plus, they will take up a lot of room in your house. All I am saying is take it easy and only plant as many as you need and save or trade the rest of the seeds.

10. Not paying attention. You can't plant seeds and walk away. They are like children and need constant supervision in order to thrive. Preventing pest and disease issues requires constant monitoring. Once you see one plant keel over or one fungus gnat flying around you need to act quickly and the only way to do that is if you monitor. Keep an eye on things so you know when they need watered, fed or isolated.

Seedlings under lights

If you want to be successful at indoor seed starting remember to avoid making these mistakes that I have learned along the way. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below.

Happy Planting!
Rhonda

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Use Scrap Wood to Make a Native Bee House

Honeybees get all of the attention, but the truth is we should be thinking more about our native pollinators-especially our native bees. To do this we need to do a few things. First, stop using chemicals in our yards and gardens. Second, landscape with plants that attract and feed them. Third, provide areas for shelter and nesting. All of these things are pretty easy to achieve-even providing areas for shelter or nesting. One way you can do this is by taking a log and drilling random holes in it and placing it somewhere in your landscape:

One way of building a native bee nest-holes in a log

Another way is by building them a home. With a few scraps of untreated wood you can build a house for the native bees to nest in. This is quick and easy and doesn't really require much skill (otherwise I would have never been able to do it).
For this project you will need a few things:

1. Scrap wood-I used an untreated piece of 4x4 I had laying around but a 4x6 would be better-it should also be at least 6 in long and can be as long as you would like. I have seen them 3 feet long. You will also need a piece of wood for the roof-I used cedar shake.

Scrap wood

2. A couple nails and a couple screws.
3. A saw
4. A drill and drill bits (drill bit size 1/4 to 5/16 in)

To begin building your house you need to first cut your 4x4 or 4x6 so that the top will have an angel (so water will run off). I had a piece of wood that was bigger so I just cut it in half at an angle:

Make the cut at an angle

Next you need to begin drilling holes in the wood. These should be at least 3 1/2 inches deep (5 1/2 would be better if your wood is thicker)-just be sure not to drill all the way through the wood. I used 5/16 in drill bit for my holes. You can make a random pattern of holes or you can use a template. I used a pegboard as my template (copied it on to paper with pencil).

Peg board

Using pencil to transfer hole spacing on pegboard

Place paper over wood to use as a guide

Use the paper as a template for holes

Drilled holes in bee house

After you have drilled the holes you need to measure and cut the wood for the roof. Have it overhang a little to give some protection from the rain.

Measure roof so it has an overhang

Attach the roof to the block using nails or screws.

Attach roof

After you have the roof attached you need to securely attach the hanger. I used a soda can tab (works great) and screws.

Now it should be ready to take outside and hang. A South or Southeast facing position is best.

I put it out now because the native bees will be out and nesting before you know it and I want to be prepared for them. So try to get this or any other bee house out before March.

This is a cheap and easy project that you can do in minutes. I think it looks pretty good considering my woodworking abilities. Not only does this project reuse some of the wood leftover from other projects it also helps out my native bee population. I hope you try this out and let me know how it works for you.

Happy Planting!
Rhonda

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Aquilegia (Columbine) is an Easy and Beautiful Perennial for the Garden

When someone asks me "what plant or flower do you have the most of in your garden" I always reply Aquilegia or what is commonly called Columbine. To tell you the truth-I don't even know how many I have or even which ones I have. I have been letting them self-seed and I also randomly throw down seeds and have been doing it for years now. Since Aquilegia is probably the most adaptable and easiest to grow plant in my garden I encourage them to grow everywhere.

Patch of different Aquilegia growing in my garden

When I say easy and adaptable I mean it. It will grow in dry shade under my pine trees or or in Full sun (zone 5) next to Lavender. If you have a difficult area I suggest growing Aquilegia there. Aquilegia has a taproot which makes it a beautiful drought tolerant plant and is often used in rock and alpine gardens. It is perfectly hardy in zones 4-8.

White Aquilegia growing under pine trees

Aquilegia growing in full sun

There are some beautiful varieties out there-just about any color you can imagine! White, yellow, pink, red, purple, black, bi colors, solid colors-you name it.


Purple and pink Aquilegia

Pale pink Aquilegia

They also have a variety of flower forms-singles, doubles, short spurs, long spurs, without spurs.


Aquilegia chrysantha with long spurs

White Aquilegia (no id) without spurs

They are super easy from seed-in fact all of mine have come from seed. Don't waste your money buying a plant because Aquilegias are a short-lived perennial. Instead grow them from seed-you can buy seed packets from various retailers or just ask another gardener to share. I have received many seeds from other gardeners. One note though-Aquilegia hybridize readily so they may or may not look like the mother plant. I personally enjoy the surprise I get growing them from seed but if you want true "named" varieties buy the seed packets from the store. Sow seeds or allow them to self-sow every year to ensure you always have the plant around.

Aquilegia vulgaris "Black Barlow"

Aquilegia "Winky Series"

One bonus I truly appreciate in this plant is deer and rabbit resistant. I have a serious rabbit problem and this is one of my plants they avoid nibbling. Squirrels and deer stay away from it too! If you have any of these animal problems this is a must for your garden!

Purple Aquilegia

If you are looking to plant for pollinators Aquilegia is a must. It attracts bees as well as Hummingbirds to it's flowers. In my garden the hummingbird favorite seems to be my native Aquilegia canadensis but they do visit the others throughout my gardens and the bees don't seem to have a favorite. The go from on to another without regards to color or style.

Aquilegia canadensis

Aquilegia bloom throughout much of the month of May-but my Aquilegia "Tequila Sunrise" has an extremely long bloom time for the species blooming from May well into the month of June.

My longest blooming variety-Aquilegia "Tequila Sunrise"

I have to admit that this plant is not without it's problems. Leaf miners usually attack my plants every year. It does not harm the plant-it just cause the leaves to look funny. Aphids and spider mites can also be a problem. They also will usually not kill the plant but may cause leaves or flowers to become distorted. Mildew will surface on it's leaves from time to time-but this also will not kill the plant. My solution to all of these problems is not chemicals but to just cut the entire plant down to the crown and throw away (do not compost it). The plant will send up a new flush of leaves in no time and will look good as new.

Aquilegia do not need any help in the form of fertilizer. I do not fertilize the plants in my garden and they bloom beautifully so save that Miracle Grow for your other plants. The only nutrients my plants receive are those provided by my mulch layer breaking down or a rabbit pooping in the area.

White Aquilegia

I hope this post has given you some incentive to grow this very beautiful and useful plant in your gardens. They are an easy and wonderful addition to your garden and you will not be disappointed! Here are some more varieties to encourage you: