The freshest summer veggies

Doesn't this sign say it all?  Let's face it, most of us in the Northeast want to be enjoying nature--and its bounty--right now. Our growing season is short, folks! Those in the know, know how to get the most out of our fleeting season.  Like my upstate neighbors, who not only proudly display the kitschy sign, above, but boast a garden shed full of the best that summer sunshine and showers can offer: just-picked lettuce, green beans and peppers.  It's right about this time that the cucumber and tomato plants are gearing up as well, making mid-to-late-July the start of nonstop mouth-watering season.  Look for "Early Bush" cherry tomatoes (like the ones pictured above) to mix with cukes just now ripening on the vine.  What tastes more like summer than that?

Check out this impressive array of yellow and green beans (pictured, right).  The raised beds not only make tending easier on the back, but discourage little critters from snacking on your garden goodies.  Of course the height is perfect for browsing deer seeking an all-you-can-eat salad bar, but the post-and-rail fence makes access a bit tougher (as well as spraying the perimeter of the garden with Liquid Fence).

When it comes to food-producing gardens, I admit to being fruit-and veggie-challenged.  My talents lie more in the flower-garden-designing arena.  I've been known to toss an occasional herb pot in the mix because the flowers and foliage add depth and drama to flowerbeds.  But, just like my beloved plants, I must also "grow or die," so I'm now the proud owner of six cucumber and eight pumpkin plants. 

As you can see in the photos below, they've just begun producing fruit (cucumber below, and pumpkin, bottom ).  Quite frankly, I'm delighted.  Why didn't I clear a sunny spot in my yard sooner?

 

Midsummer day's dream

We're heading into the height of the summer season, yet when you look around your outdoor spaces there's not much in bloom!  All the spring bulbs have sprung and fizzled.  The early-summer dazzlers  are withering, and the late-summer offerings are just beginning to bud.  What to do?

Of course, this is a great time to stock up on annuals--spreading their bright, cheery efflorescence around your yard--but not everyone has the time and money to tide over garden spaces this way.  It's more cost-efficient, and less time-consuming, to plant perennials that prefer flowering in the middle of summer.  Here, the most reliable mid-season bloomers:

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Early Bird Gold':  Unlike the original black-eyed Susan, which is just beginning to bud now, this early-blooming cultivar begins flowering around July 4th, and doesn't stop until nearly Halloween!  Pair it with 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea macrophylla--which begins blooming earlier than the traditional version because it's been bred to grow on new and old wood--and you've got consistent color from early July until late autumn (both pictured, above).

Coreopsis verticillata begins pushing out sunny yellow petals in late June, and will flower through August, and even into September.  Not only does this cultivar differ from the widely known Coreopsis lanceolata in foliage variety (it has feathery, string-like greenery as compared with the lanceolata's thick, rounded leaves, which makes for interesting textures in the flowerbed), but it buds later...and therefore, flowers last until deeper into the summer season, as seen in the background, below.


If you love the bright shot of color provided by daylilies, but lament the fact that they're nearing the end of their bloom cycle, you can opt for Asiatic lilies, which have flowers similar in shape and color.  They're just reaching their potential now (check out the magenta lily on the left-hand side of the shot, right).  Besides being available in a variety of hues, they boast playful whirls of greenery along their stems for foliage variety.

The gentle white blooms of the Physostegia virginiana, AKA Obedient plant (foreground), provides a neutral value in the center of the garden, and is just beginning to bloom now.  It makes a great mid-summer anchor, and is a must-have (along with Rudbeckia) for those who prefer only native plants in their outdoor spaces.

Don't forget about flowering groundcovers and trees.  The fuschia blooms on the creeping sedum in the front of this photo offer unending interest to garden visitors.  This versatile plant sports intricate foliage that's shaped like finely crafted florets, which only become more interesting when topped by the delightful pink blooms.  And while it can be challenging to find flowering trees in the middle of the summer, I've found that the Cornus kousa, a small deciduous tree (usually 8-12 feet tall) in the dogwood family, can "flower" for up to six weeks.  The flowers consist of four petals which are actually bracts (like poinsettias), and last from mid spring through the first few weeks of July.  Mine is done blooming (as you can see from the last ravaged blossom, below), but it's far from finished providing interesting color and texture to my yard.  After the bracts drop, the flower centers--small cherry-shaped berries--take center stage, turning from green to the color and appearance of a raspberry (bottom photo).  The edible berries not only keep the summer color going, but attract birds of all varieties.  What could be more colorful than that?

Horticultural housekeeping: when to deadhead flowering plants

Now may seem like a really strange time to talk about tidying up the garden.  Aren't all the flowers in full bloom? Yes, most of them are, but some have already finished their blossoming for the season.  The remnants of these plants must be addressed.

If you want show-stopping color next spring, now's the time to take the spent heads off lilac, Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica), and rhododendron.  If you don't, the plant will put most of it's energy into seed production rather than pushing out blooms for next season.

For rhododendron, it can be tricky.  It's far too easy to clip off not only the spent flowers, but next year's leaves.   Pictured below (focus on the section just below my thumbnail) is the nodule that attaches the bloom to the rest of the plant.  If you look closely, you will see new leaf growth at its base.  Being careful not to disturb the new growth, bend the spent section until it snaps off.  The spent blooms actually come off quite easily, but you must go slowly, or you will inadvertently pull new growth off as well.  As for the spent flowers that have dropped, don't allow them to litter the area around the rhododendron because the blossoms may precipitate fungal infections in the soil which can spread to the shrub.

Pieris japonica (AKA Japanese Andromeda or lily-of-the-valley bush, due to the similarity of the bell-like blooms) is a staple in northeast areas for early spring bloom, and to keep deer and other critters out of the garden.  The leaves of this plant are poisonous, so wildlife steers clear.  In fact, birds don't even nest in it!  In my yard, they prefer the rhododendron right next to it!

Like the rhodies, the pieris has plenty of new growth surrounding the spent flowers, so utmost care is vital to protect the plant and ensure plenty of budding next spring.  I never take pruning sheers to this plant.  I prefer to do as I do with the rhodie--pull off spent buds by hand.  Granted, it's tedious.  The buds are smaller and harder to isolate and yank off.  This is a time when I must remember every good gardener's mantra: patience is what makes a beautiful garden.  I don't try to take all the buds at once.  Every day for a few weeks I'll pluck a dozen or so dried-up flowers, as well as errant dead branches.

To the right is my very large pieris, with a bundle of dried flowers right in the center of the shot.  I'll  pull that section off right where it attaches to the branch.  It takes me about 10 minutes a day for a few weeks to tidy this plant (mine--which I inherited when I purchased my house--has been growing in that spot for more than 20 years, and it's quite large).  When your pieris is in full bloom next spring, you'll be happy that you took the time to ensure such beautiful bounty!

By now you should have deadheaded all spent lilac blooms (at least a month ago).  If not, leave them alone!  Lilacs, need to be removed immediately after blooming, or you risk trimming off next year's blooms.  I learned this the hard way when I clipped back my lilac bushes one warm July morning, many years ago.  The following spring the bushes were shapely--and very green.  I'd clipped off every last bud!

As for flowers, there are a few hard-and-fast rules.  For example, if you deadhead roses and mums, you'll promote new growth (you're essentially tricking the plant into putting forth new flowers when you take existing ones), but deadheading won't garner you any more blooms on your flowering bulbs.
If you're unsure whether certain plants will re-bloom if you deadhead them, why not try it?  At the very least, you'll remove old growth, improving the appearance of the plant. 

If you're looking to increase the number of plants in an area, don't deadhead.  After my poppies finished their blooming last year, I was tempted to cut off the long, gangly stems, but instead I tucked them under the foliage of a Montauk daisy because I wanted the seed heads at the top of the stems to dry out and burst forth with fresh seeds.  It was a good idea.  This year I had twice as many poppies in the flower bed.

Petal profusion

I've decided that the third week in June is the absolute loveliest in my upstate New York garden.  The sheer variety of shapes and colors is nothing short of inspiring.  It's the time of year that every gardener strives for, and every corner of the yard is chock full of nature's magnificent bounty.

Of course planning your garden space for continuous blooming from early spring through late autumn is vital for optimal enjoyment, but so many plants burst into blossom in late June...you don't want to miss out on the profusion!

I've listed my five favorite late-June bloomers because they never fail to satisfy.  The following plants produce year after year, reliable as clockwork, and lovely as a debutant at her first ball.

Daylily (Hemerocallis):  Pictured above, this lovely beauty's name is derived from two Greek words: "beauty," and "day," since each bloom lasts only one day.  It's the height of tragedy that something so divine is so fleeting, but philosophers tell us this is a metaphor for life, right?  Enjoy the perfection of each bloom as it emerges because it will bask in sunshine and human attention for a mere twenty-four hours (twelve, really...how many of us sit amid our blooms in the middle of the night?).  Fortunately each stalk has numerous buds, so the daylilies actually bloom for a number of weeks, well into July.  New cultivars will flower again and again.  Look for these versions for maximum flowering potential.  Good ones: 'Stella de Oro,' 'Barbara Mitchell,' and 'Dragon's Eye.'   

What makes this plant perfect for any Northeast garden?  The reasons are a varied as the rainbow of colors the plant is available in:  drought-tolerant, needs only average soil, suffers few pest and disease ailments, and can bloom in even part-sun conditions (though not as profusely as in full sun).  Daylilies grow anywhere from a foot (check out 'Happy Endings') to the orange-blossomed, six-foot staples you see naturalized along highways.  Study cultivars before coming up with a planting plan.

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica):  The sweetspire's fragrant white tassels are not only attractive to bees, butterflies and humans, but add flourish without competing with the many other blooms in an area.  Another plus: this is actually a flowering shrub, so long after the flowers fade, you've got a lovely plant with dark green foliage.  I like the 'Henry's Garnett' cultivar because it turns crimson in fall.  What makes it especially good is that it tolerates drier soils (though prefers moist areas), grows well in areas that have filtered shade or full sun, and is a U.S. native so will adapt to your garden with ease.  I have it growing right along my pond's edge (below, right).

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii): Available in shades of purest white to deep purple, I was able to find one in stunning fuchsia.  Sadly, I can't remember where I got it, but I'm so very glad I did.  Its deep green foliage and magenta blooms provide such a contrast to the orange flowers of the nearby daylilies (also pictured above) that it makes me smile each time I see the pairing.  When I was a humble horticultural student, a professor asked the class to design a flower garden utilizing two hues that we didn't think meshed.  The colors I shoes were orange and pink.  What I discovered then--and marvel at now--is what a dynamic duo orange and pink can be.  A more significant lesson:  When it comes to flowering plants, there are no bad color combinations.

The butterfly bush is particularly good in any garden because it blooms from early summer to frost, drawing hordes of its namesake beauties to its nectar-rich flowers all season long.  It prefers a sunny spot, so put it in a place that gets at least six hours of sun a day.  Other than that, it's not too finicky, requiring only average soil and moderate maintenance.  I planted mine next to my little dock with a bright red bench on it to draw the butterflies pond-side.

I especially enjoy the way the bright green foliage and pink blooms are offset by the maroon foliage of the ninebark behind the butterfly bush (right).  Planting these together was not by design, but a happy accident. 

Trumpet vine (Campsis):  As is the case with the butterfly bush I just touted, some consider trumpet vine a weed.  Hey one man's trash is another man's treasure, right?  I'll gladly invite these "weeds" to reside in my yard for as long as they like.  In fact, I let my trumpet vine meander its way through my garden just to see where it goes.  Not that I don't have to keep an eye on it.  Left unchecked, this vine can choke out other plants.  Fortunately it never takes offense to a harsh pruning.  I've been known to cut mine back to mere inches from the ground.

Of course, it's more fun to watch it misbehave in places, like under my second-story guestroom window (pictured below).  Thinking I'd trained it to adhere to the pergola we'd set up, it set its sights upward--and blazed a new path right along the asphalt shingles above the arbor!

Once established, trumpet vine requires absolutely no attention, and garners plenty of praise from visitors.  It may, in fact, be the most-noticed of all the plants in my garden spaces.  If you like a challenge, and don't always have to be in control, give this free-spirited vine a whirl.

Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla):  To me, this plant is the fairest of them all.  It blooms pink or blue, depending on the acidity of the soil (blue in acidic conditions, pink in alkaline soil), and never fails to make my garden visitors smile.  Although it first blossoms in late June, the flowers remain all season long, and can be easily clipped for dried arrangements and wreathes.  It truly is a floral gift that keeps on giving.


Nestled among naturalized buttercups, native smilacina, and potted annuals in my back yard, I revel in the pristine blue hues and sheer abundance of buds.  Hydrangeas give part-shade gardens lasting pizazz with absolutely no effort on the gardener's part.  A word to the wise: wrap plants in burlap in winter to protect them from harsh temperatures.  Bitterly cold winters freeze the buds right off the stems.  As you can see from the photo, right, the extra effort paid off.  My hydrangea has more blooms this season than ever before!

Stop clover from taking over

I often think that Mother Nature likes to mess with us just a little--like gently teasing small children.  You know you really shouldn't, but their reactions are so delightful that you often can't resist.  Take, for example, my never-ending battle with moss in my front yard.  To recap recent activities, I've elevated trees out front (taken the lower dozen branches off each tree) to allow more sunlight into the area, dusted existing moss with baking soda to kill it off, and  planted new grass in May, when cool temperatures and increased rainfall are supposed to optimize growth.  Then I watered diligently--twice a day.  My hard work paid off, to a point.  I DID get rid of the moss.  But I didn't get my lush, plush coating of healthy, green grass.  I got clover.

Why this happened is no mystery.  The reason for my rollicking hills of clover is due solely to mischief: Mother Nature playing games.  She switched up the months on me.  The month of May, known for cool spring breezes and pop-up showers, came in hot and heavy as the "dog days" of August.  Local meteorologists reported it the second-hottest, driest May on record in this area of the Northeast.   June was full of bluster.  The previous month's heat obviously left it cranky and deciding to make up for things, because of the 18 days we've experienced this month, 10 have been cooler and rainier than normal.  All my gently placed grass seed burned up in May, despite my conscientious watering.  My newly sprinkled seed in early June washed away with the daily deluges, leaving bare patches of earth where the moss had once been, and the clover was happy to occupy.

Now I've got nothing against clover.  It's better for the grass than moss because it "fixes" nitrogen in the soil (which means having the ability to obtain nitrogen from the atmosphere and “fix” it in nodules on plant roots).  Since nitrogen is the key ingredient for healthy, green blades of grass, I'm grateful for the amendment.  But other things benefit by the increased availability of nitrogen--like clover!  See the dilemma?  Standing on my front-porch steps gazing out over a veritable sea of white clover blooms, I swear I can hear laughter in the wind! 

Fortunately there are eco-friendly ways to get rid of the clover, but timing is important.  If you've got just a bit of clover, now's the time to pop it out of the ground before it spreads.  The blossom is a key place to start.  Gently grasp the bud and pull.  The bud is always on one of the main runners, so if you're careful you can get a whole lot of the plant out with just a few tugs.  Unlike pesky weeds like dandelion, which have deep taproots, the clover spreads by rhizomes that sit at the ground's surface, so getting it out is easier. 

 

For larger areas, spray clover patches with full-strength white vinegar first.  When clover starts turning yellowish-brown, take a garden rake to yank at the rhizomes.  Once you've removed all the clover, rake deep furrows into the ground and replant the grass seed.  Do this within a few days or weeds will take up residence in the bare spots. 

To prevent clover from taking over next year, put down 10-20 pounds of Corn Gluten Meal over the area where the clover is growing. Corn Gluten Meal is a natural suppressant for seed germination. It won't hurt the environment or you, and it will add about 10% nitrogen to the grass, which is about all it needs.

When all else fails, remember this: if you can't beat it, eat it!  Rip clover out, and toss it with lettuce and other veggies for an eco-friendly, and economical salad.  
 

 

 

 

Why won't my iris and peony bloom?

Ever notice how nurturing a garden is a lot like raising kids?  Like our children, we try to establish our plants, encouraging them to lay down roots, and flourish.  We organize their space and weed out the bad influences that threaten to take over their territory or rob from them of nutrients.  Kinda like a bully demanding lunch money.

As the garden matures, we make plenty of mistakes.  We choose the wrong companions for them at times.  We don't always make the effort to study their individual natures, and they wilt.  Instead of rooting out our own errors, we become baffled, and decide there must be something wrong with the plants.  At times we become discouraged or busy, and the garden suffers neglect.

Through all the daily triumphs and travails, we cobble together a relatively healthy, attractive garden space and pat ourselves on the back.  After years of hard work we've established an enviable plot of land that friends and neighbors admire, flush with plush plantings that we enjoy spending time with.  Our job here is done.  The plants have grown and can pretty much tend to themselves.  We, proud parents, are merely in maintenance mode.

But then things go wrong.  For me, it was the failure of my well-established peony to produce the abundance of blossoms it usually does.  And the bearded iris didn't bloom at all this year!  I'd diligently created space around these plantings, so they wouldn't get crowded out of the flowerbeds.  I'd divided the iris last year, sprinkling rhizomes around the yard so they could take off in many areas.  I'd even doused them with fertilizer in May, to ensure they'd have the proper nutrients to reach their maximum potential.  But my efforts, it seems, were in vain.

So what do we do when our "babies" fail to thrive?  If you're like me, the first thing we do is panic.  We doubt.  Then we let determination take over.  I hit the Internet running, and thumbed through my extensive library of garden manuals.  Here's what my research turned up:

When a peony doesn't bloom

Temperature:  Part of the problem is out of our control.  Peonies thrive in cooler zones Usually zones 3-7).  They need to have a certain amount of days in the off season that dip below 40 degrees in order to properly form buds.  If your winter was milder than usual, the peonies will suffer for it, and produce fewer blooms.  This was NOT the case in upstate New York this past winter, so I had to look elsewhere for the culprit.

Light:  Peonies like at least six hours of sun each day.  Knowing this when I planted my peony 15 years ago, I chose the sunniest spot in my yard.  Unfortunately my nearby Japanese maple, only as tall as the day lilies back then, has grown to 30 feet.  It literally steals some of the peony's sunshine.  So today I put in a call to my arborist to schedule a trim.

Plant depth:  Peonies don't like a lot of soil smothering their roots.  Of course I planted them shallowly, but over the years as I've added other plants and amended the area, I inadvertently covered the peony roots in additional soil.  This, I believe, is the main reason my plant is suffering.  What can I do?  Today I will gently scrape some of the soil from the area, but it's really too late to aid the peony this season.  After August 15, I can gently lift the plant out (starting to dig a full foot-and-a-half away so I don't slice any roots), and replant it so that it has only an inch of soil around its roots.   This is tricky because peonies don't love being moved.  I must be careful not to damage the roots or foliage.  And I'll amend the soil with dehydrated cow manure and sphagnum peat moss before I place the plant back in the area.

When bearded iris won't bloom

Tight quarters:  If bearded irises become overcrowded they won't blossom.  They need to be divided every three to four years.  I divided mine last spring, so I thought I would get full bloom this year.

Light and depth:  Like peonies, irises also won't bloom if they're planted too deep, or don't get enough sunlight.  When planting iris, make sure to simply lay them on the ground and cover over lightly with a half inch of garden soil.  You can even leave a thumb-sized rhizome protruding from the ground.  And they, too, require 6 hours of sunlight each day, so I suspect my yard is becoming too shady for them.

Too much of a good thing.  If irises get too much nitrogen from fertilizer, they'll be nice and green--at the expense of the blooms! Sprinkle a fertilizer no greater than 10-10-10 (which stands for the ratio of NPK values--nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium--in soil.  These are the three main plant nutrients).

Now I must be patient.  My plants--like the kids and countless pets I've raised--do best when I allow them the time it takes to reach their full potential.

The reel deal: how to sharpen your push mower blades

I love my old-fashioned reel lawnmower.  You know what I'm talking about.  If you're over say, 40, there's a chance you at least saw one in your grandparents' garage.  I searched high and low for five years to find one.  Then one day I saw it: a little blast from the past, packaged up under the Scotts logo at my local hardware store.  No engine, just an artfully arranged cylinder of blades, two large-ish tires, and a simple handle--broad enough to push.  Hence its other name: the push mower.  Memories of watching my brother push the rhythmic grass leveler around my grandpa's yard filled my mind (sadly, I was not allowed to use the mower.  Not sure if my grandparents thought I'd hurt myself, or it just wasn't a ladylike activity).

The push mower is the perfect solution for those of us who have small lawns and/or want to cut our grass in the most eco-friendly way possible.  After all, the benefits are indisputable: no need to buy gas or oil; no air-polluting fumes spewing around our gardens; and a full-body workout while we guide our (wo)man-powered machines around our yards.  Yup, yours truly uses mine every week without harming myself or feeling less feminine.  Added benefits: the gentle swish-swish hum of the blades as they slice through the landscape, perfectly complementing (as opposed to drowning out) the birdsong from the nearby trees.  Far preferable to the unrelenting decibels of their motorized counterparts.  And then there's the smell: freshly cut grass.  Such a popular scent that Yankee Candle even offers this variety in wax.  Incidentally, they don't have a candle called "hydrocarbon exhaust," which is the stench coming off the gas-engine mowers.

Yes, I love my reel mower.  I DO NOT love keeping the blades sharpened.  Doing so, in fact, has proven quite a challenge to me over the past few years.  Yet I have found a few tricks for keeping my push-mower blades sharpened.  Here's what I've discovered:

*Don't bring your push mower to a lawnmower repair and sales shop unless the blades can be individually removed.  Staff cannot fit the pre-formed cylinders on the machines to sharpen the blades, so they have to sharpen them by hand, which is costly--if they'll even do it.  The one near me won't.

*Don't go in for gimmicks.  I purchased a Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener, which looked like a little pumice stone on a stick.  It seemed handy enough, since it hooked right into a rotary tool.  Problem was, it was so small that it only sharpened one mower blade before disintegrating. At four bucks each, it didn't satisfy claims to "save time and money," since I needed to buy six of them (one for each blade--$24!) and waste a lot of time changing out the electric drill.

*Do spend the time and attention needed to get the job done right.  With an "old school" implement like a reel mower, the old way of sharpening can be best.  Try metal finishing sandpaper or a coarse sharpening stone. Sharpening individual blades with a stone or sheet of sandpaper is pretty hard work, but there are sandpaper sharpeners that get the job done quicker.  You attach the sharpener to the back blade and brush against the cutting blades as they rotate past. The more you push, the sharper it gets.  This method can be a time-gobbler, depending on your arm strength and patience.  It can be as frustrating as--need I say it--watching the grass grow.

*Do go with the tried and true: a backlapping sharpening kit. This type of kit includes sharpening compound and a handle. You start by attaching the handle to the driving gear on the mower, then, apply sharpening compound to all of the blades of the mower using a paint brush. Next, start cranking the mower backwards so that the blades scrape each other down to a smooth edge.  The problem with this method is that it takes some serious arm strength, which I don't have.  This method is best for someone like my pal Karen, who has a freakishly strong upper-body area.

*Do look for new options.  In the same vein as "when all else fails, read the instructions," I've decided to look up sharpening options through the maker of my push mower: Scotts.  Low and behold, they offer a reel mower sharpening kit.  Who knew it could be that easy?  Clearly not I.  What can I say?  I'm not always the "sharpest blade in the drawer."   In any case,  I've just ordered mine through Amazon, and I'll keep you posted on the results.

One thing gardening pros recommend after sharpening your push mower: coating blades with a light application of oil.  This can prevent rust and other corrosion from setting in. Low acidity vegetable oil is a good choice because it won't leave any harmful residue on your lawn, and will protect the blades from moisture.  This handy trick will help you cut costs--as well as grass--for years to come.