Suffield Garden Club, Inc.
Organized June 24, 1934
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Gardening Tips
2010
March
February
2009
December
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JUMP START YOUR GARDEN
by Diana L. Ferrari, SGC Horticulture Committee
Everything begins with a
thought. Contemplate and create plans for your upcoming gardening
endeavors. An excellent way to connect to nature and nourish the mind,
body and spirit is to think positively about gardening plans. Peruse
seed catalogs. They are a wonderful source of inspiration, information
and offer many varieties which are not to be found in local stores.
You
can start seeds for flowers and vegetables indoors in almost any type
of container. It's easy as 1-2-3! Seedlings will need to be lifted out
and transplanted into a larger container when they are ready or, they
can be planted outdoors when there is no longer danger of frost.
One of the easiest and neatest methods is to plant seeds in individual, expandable peat pellets. Not only is there no mess to deal with but, the seedlings will experience little or no transplant shock or root damage when planted. It's simple as do-re-me!
Try my user-friendly seed-starting instructions and don't stop 'til you get enough:
Having a garden not only can produce nutritional food, glorious flowers and induce exercise but, the beauty of nature brings serenity to the brain and spirit.
You
can start seeds for flowers and vegetables indoors in almost any type
of container. It's easy as 1-2-3! Seedlings will need to be lifted out
and transplanted into a larger container when they are ready or, they
can be planted outdoors when there is no longer danger of frost. One of the easiest and neatest methods is to plant seeds in individual, expandable peat pellets. Not only is there no mess to deal with but, the seedlings will experience little or no transplant shock or root damage when planted. It's simple as do-re-me!
Try my user-friendly seed-starting instructions and don't stop 'til you get enough:
- Set pellets in a tray; cover them with water. I suggest leaving one to two inches between each pellet to allow for expansion
- Make 2 or 3 holes in each expanded pellet (now a peat pot) using a pencil. Carefully insert a seed into each hole; then pinch the pot to cover the seeds.
- Place pots in a warm area (about 70-75 degrees). Keep pots moist, but not soggy.
- When seedlings sprout move them to a cool, sunny window.
- Keep only one strong and healthy seedling per pot. Snip off the others.
- Transfer seedlings to a cold frame or place outdoors for a few hours daily, for one week, to acclimate them to the real world.
- When weather permits it's time to plant your seedlings, peat pot and all.
HOT HINT
You
are not alone. I can personally guarantee it won't be a thriller if you
lose any newly planted seedlings to cutworms. You can beat it!
Sledgehammers won't work here but you can protect your young, tender
plants from those smooth criminals by installing paper cups. Using TLC,
push a cup with the bottom removed into the soil surrounding each
plant leaving a scant 2" tall collar per seedling.
Follow these recommendations for preparing for this year's growing season and you'll be glad you did later on.
- Avoid walking on wet soil, which will compact it. Wait until the ground dries to start working in your flower and veggie beds. To test the moisture level, squeeze a clump of soil in your hand. If it breaks apart when you open your hand it is dry enough to work.
- Transplant and divide Galanthus (snowdrops) after the flowers fade but while the foliage is still green. If you have spring crocus that bloom this month, divide them just as the foliage has yellowed and died.
- When winter storms are over, remove trunk covers from protected trees. If a tree that was staked is growing straight, remove the stakes.
- Prune trees in early March while they are still dormant. Don’t trim spring flowering shrubs such as lilac, magnolia, and forsythia until after they finish blooming.
- Properly vent your greenhouse during early spring when fluctuating temperatures are common. Open the windows on mild days and close them before nightfall.
- It's time for houseplants to break their dormancy. You can fertilize at every second watering.
- Tune up your lawn mower. Replace the spark plugs, clean the air filter, remove any grass and debris, and get the blades sharpened and balanced.
- Remember to keep turning your compost pile and keep it moist but not too wet.
Having a garden not only can produce nutritional food, glorious flowers and induce exercise but, the beauty of nature brings serenity to the brain and spirit.
~Diana L. Ferrari
GIVE AN HERBAL PLANTER, THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
by Diana Lynn Ferrari, SGC Horticulture Committee
Design this easy-to-make and useful gift for yourself or your loved ones. A portable container which can be placed near or on a sunny windowsill makes a wise choice as a planter for culinary herbs.
Plant your most favorite herbs or, consider the following tasty choices which snuggle and live happily together because they all have things in common. They appreciate a warm, sunny spot with well-drained soil and need water only when the soil feels dry to the touch. Keep in mind they grow well in the hot, dry Mediterranean climate.
- Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) - Both fresh and dried leaves are excellent additions to roasted vegetables, meat, sauces and soup. I love fresh sprigs of Rosemary used as a garnish, secured uprightly.
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) - Fresh or dried leaves add a pungent twist to sausage, stuffing and breads.
- Sweet Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) - Belongs to the same genus as earthy Oregano. This herb is perfect in spaghetti sauce, pizza and egg dishes.
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) - Superb in soups, stews and sauces.
Most herbs will be content in any container so feel free to be creative and dazzle your loved ones or yourself with your selections. You may need to make drainage holes in the bottom of your planter and include a drainage dish. Use high-quality planting soil and leave ample room for the plants to grow freely. Liquid sea kelp and fish emulsion are good fertilizer choices.
HOT HINTS
- Design your herbal planter with one of the herbs cascading by positioning the plant at a near 45 degree angle, encouraging the attractive foliage to drape over the edge.
- Most herbs taste the best before they flower.
- Combine the herb(s) of your choice with olive oil for a luscious drizzle before roasting a combination of cut-up veggies. We like to kick it up a notch by including more-than-a-few hot pepper flakes! Use also as a dip for crusty, grain bread.
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
~President Calvin Coolidge
COMPOSTING: YIMBY! (Part 2 of 2)
by Diana Lynn Ferrari, SGC Horticulture Committee
Unlike sprawling compost piles, this YIMBY (Yes! In My Back Yard) compost bin keeps the contents neatly contained. Air can circulate freely, which is essential for breaking down the ingredients AND, this bin opens on any side, so it's super-easy to turn the pile.
Place your compost bin in a level, well-drained area in full sun, with good air circulation. ADD equal parts brown and green wastes, MINUS chemicals. To aerate the pile, mix or toss frequently with a garden fork, or poke air holes into it with a broom handle. Keep the pile moist, like a sponge, but not soaking wet. The process is finished when the bottom of the pile has dark, rich soil which willingly crumbles in your hand. Hmmm . . . Black Gold!
What you need to build your own bin:
- Eight 6-foot 2x4's
- Thirty-two 5/16-inch x 2-inch carriage bolts, nuts and washers.
- Four 3-inch door hinges
- Four large hook-and-eye assemblies
- 12-foot x 36-inch hardware cloth, 1/2-inch squares
- Poultry wire staples
- Waterproof construction adhesive
Recommended tools:
- Table or circular saw
- Rafter square
- Power drill
- Chisel
- Rasp
- Tin snips
- Pliers
- Heavy-duty work gloves
Let's Get Building...You CAN Do It!
1. Cut each 2x4 in half to make 16 3-foot pieces.
2. Cut a 3-1/2-inch x 3/4-inch deep notch (a rabbet) in both ends of each piece. You can do this on a table saw or with a circular saw. Make several close cuts (about 1/8 inch apart) across the grain in the notched section. Use a hammer and chisel to break out the wood between these cuts. Smooth with a rasp.
3. Fit notched ends together to make four 3-foot-square frames. Drill holes for two carriage bolts in the opposite corners of each notch (see illustrations).
4. Use construction adhesive in each joint before assembling. The nuts should face the outside so the bolts won't catch on your clothes when you're turning the pile. Use tin snips to cut the hardware cloth into four 3-foot-square sections.
5. Tack each corner of the hardware cloth to the frame with poultry wire staples. Then staple around the frame every 2 inches.
6. Connect two frames with two door hinges, then put two hook-and-eye gate latches on the other ends. Repeat this step for the remaining two frames. Stand the frames to form a square and latch the sections together.
7. Stand back and admire the results of your "Yankee Ingenuity." Then, fill 'er up!
Source: Birds and Blooms
COMPOSTING: YIMBY! (Part 1 of 2)
by Diana Lynn Ferrari, SGC Horticulture Committee
Composting offers a YIMBY (Yes! In My Back Yard) solution to the organic components of the municipal, solid waste stream.
Yard trimmings make up at least 13% of what households put out for disposal. Food wastes comprise another 10% of the total waste volume. That works out to about 200 pounds of yard trimmings and another 150 pounds of food waste per person, annually. These two segments alone can reduce our total waste volume by almost one fourth and yield an end product-- COMPOST, a very valuable soil amendment. Some gardeners use the term, "Black Gold", when referring to mature, crumbling compost.
Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter. Decomposition occurs naturally but, it can be accelerated. Microorganisms, worms and insects break organic materials into compost. Compost contains nutrients that, when returned to the soil, are used by plants. This is nature's way of recycling. Make your garden beneficial with nutritionally-loaded, friable soil!
Any natural, organic material can be composted. Examples are grass clippings, weeds, tree leaves, hedge clippings, straw, livestock manures and kitchen produce waste. Also, many manufactured organic materials that are NOT waxed or plastic-coated, such as newspapers, paper boxes, clothing scraps and wood shavings are compostable and may be used. DO NOT include toxic items that contain any type of chemicals.
You can make a compost pile in a back corner of your vegetable garden or build or buy a bin which will keep a neat appearance. This is a good thing and every gardening aficionado should have one.
Debora Reynolds, SGC's Horticulture Committee Member, enjoys her tumbler-style composter, shown above.
Join me next month and learn how to build a user-friendly, compost bin.
Source: University of Arkansas, Agriculture
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.
~Alfred Austin
MOONLIGHT BECOMES THEM!
by Diana Lynn Ferrari, SGC Horticulture Committee
Moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba) boastfully produces white, stunning flowers which become willing show-offs at night! PLUS, moonlight becomes them. I'm thrilled at the sight!
At sunset the attractive blossoms begin to unfurl, emitting a pleasant, light fragrance. This annual climber bears a strong resemblance to the old-time, beloved, morning glories but, the vines intentionally grow taller with larger flowers and leaves. Both annuals have heart-shaped leaves, are easy to grow and have a charming appearance.
My experience has been that a mere two or three seeds of the moonflower vine (and morning glories as well) will flourish into a "knock-your-socks-off" array which is admired all season. Provide them with a sturdy trellis, fence or other support with strings. The enchanting moonflower vine prefers full sun and moist soil.
Night-blooming flowers open in the evening to release their fragrance. They are attracting night-flying pollinators such as moths. Other night-blooming annuals to consider are the angel's trumpet (Datura inoxia), night phlox (Zaluzianskya capensis), and night-scented stock (Matthiola longipetala).
Night-blooming perennials include August hosta (Hosta plantaginea), lemon lily (Hemerocallislilioasphodelus), and citron daylily (H. citrina). 'Alaskan midnight', 'ice dancer', and 'nautical nights' are also nocturnal daylilies. Among woody plants, both the ear-leaved umbrella tree (Magnolia fraseri) and the sweet bay (M. virginiana) are night-scented.
For a more comprehensive list, refer to The Evening Garden: Flowers and Fragrance from Dusk till Dawn by Peter Loewer.
HOT HINT
Consider planting moonflower vine seeds at the base of your mailbox or lamp post. I recommend starting them indoors in peat pots mid-April. Showy, elegant blossoms will furnish a unique landmark for your visitors arriving in the evening and, will provide you with a welcoming sight upon returning home from a night out.
Source: About Gardening
Moonlight is sculpture.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
Yes, you can RAIN GARDENS
by Maria Capella, SGC Horticulture Committee
Although rain gardens have been around for a while many people have never heard of them. You have probably passed by a rain garden here in Suffield every day-- at the intersection of South Main and Bridge Streets.
What is a rain garden? A rain garden is a landscape or streetscape that consists of a shallow depression designed to collect and filter storm water. Every time it rains, storm water runoff from roads and parking lots is collected by the rain garden. The runoff is absorbed into the garden soil and the plants growing there.
Rain gardens can trap 99 percent of pollutants contained in storm runoff such as oil, metals and fertilizers. Even the mulch covering the garden assists in the filtration process. Rain gardens can be planted along streams, roads and ponds, anywhere there is storm runoff.
The Bridge Street Island rain garden was designed to create year-round visual interest. Evergreen shrubs are the foundation of the garden. In early spring daffodils awaken. Come mid-spring, Stella Doro daylilies and irises are in bloom followed by roses. The roses bloom until frost and Russian Sage helps with the summer color display.
The Suffield Garden Club, which maintains the island, uses eco-friendly products to control pests and diseases. The previous roses in the garden could no longer be maintained in this manner so a new disease-resistant variety called 'Theresa Buget' was planted.
See the University of Connecticut web site for a complete guide on how to build and design your own rain garden.
