Timely Tips from Over the Garden Fence
You can catch George Wedel on Over the Garden Fence, 9:05 am Saturdays on AM 590 WKZO.
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TIMELY GARDEN TIPS FROM OVER THE GARDEN FENCE SEPTEMBER 28, 2002 God has blessed us recently with several soaking rains. Adequate soil moisture levels and cooling temperatures make this the very best time of year for many landscape, lawn & garden projects. Make time this autumn to set out that much-needed shade tree and to remove old overgrown foundation plants and replace them with exciting new plant varieties in a newly-designed setting. This is the perfect time to remove ugly overgrown shrubs and hedges and replace with newer varieties of shrubs that bloom better, have more color in the autumn, are more compact growers, and are easier to restrain. Remember, the season now is in favor of plants. Woody landscape plants set out now will perform better next year than those planted in the spring. Lately, on “Over the Garden Fence”, we’ve talked about upgrading lawns in the autumn. There’s still time to plant grass seed, to kill weeds, and to apply fall fertilizer to encourage lawns to thicken up. With the weather changes at this time of year, shorter days and cooler nights, turf plants tend to grow less rapid, than in the spring. More lateral growth results in improvement in turf density after the rigors of summer, so fertilization in the fall deserves top priority. More of the carbohydrates manufactured by photosynthesis at this time of year will be stored, building energy for early spring green-up. I recommend an application of Scotts Super Winterizer lawn food at this time. If summer-stressed lawns haven’t been overseeded, do it now. Even though it’s fall, irrigate whenever turf is dry. Moisture-starved lawns won’t flourish and thicken up as needed. Apply Diazinon granules to turf now to kill Japanese and June beetle grubs. Lower mower settings one notch now and one lower setting each time you mow, utill it has been reduced to two inches, which is the ideal height to overwinter turf. Each year in the winter, a certain percentage of busy gardeners belatedly realize that the flower bulbs they bought in September or October have not yet been planted and they are left wondering what to do with the little rascals. When in doubt, plant the bulbs. If bulbs should be planted in October and you’re looking at unplanted bulbs in December or January – get them in the ground. It’s not optimal, but it’s certainly not impossible. Plant the bulbs if it’s at all possible to dig in the ground. (Look for mulched beds that don’t freeze as quickly.) Bulbs are programmed by nature to “want” to grow and late-planted bulbs generally still grow and flower, though not always at peak performance. However, if you’re looking at unplanted spring-flowering bulbs in March or April, you’re probably out of luck. The reason is simple. Though flower bulbs look like nothing more than brown lumps, they are actually alive. Nestled inside each one is a tiny flower complete with leaves, surrounded by layers of plant food ready to nourish the bulb to bloom. Spring bloomers are known as “hardy” bulbs, programmed by nature to need a cold period before they can bloom. Not only can they survive the cold, they need it. That’s why they must be planted in the fall. Fall planting allows bulbs time to root, then settle in for a long, cold “beauty sleep” prior to spring growth. For tulips, for example, this translates to twelve to sixteen weeks in the dark with a sustained temperature below 50 degrees. In most areas, the optimal planting time is when autumn nighttime temperatures drop down to the 40 to 50 degree range. Before planting bulbs, take note of these requirements. Bulbs need well-drained soil. If your soil is on the heavy side, mix in a liberal amount of perlite or clay soil conditioner to a depth of eight inches. Always use a teaspoon of Bulb Booster under each bulb. As a general rule, the larger bulbs, such as tulips, hyacinths, and narcissus, should be planted six to eight inches deep and the minor bulbs set three to four inches deep. Shallow planted bulbs should have a mulch of bark or leaves to prevent frost heaving. The following is a partial list of spring flowering bulbs that will help your landscape come alive next spring with a rainbow of color. First to bloom after the snow melts are Specie crocus, Eranthis, Snow Drops, Chionodoxia, Specie iris, and Fosterianna tulips. The next to flower are Kaufmanniana tulips, Gregii tulips, giant crocus, Scilla, Puschkinia, Frittillaria, grape hyacinth, trumpet daffodils, and single and double-flowering early tulips. Most springs we can expect to enjoy by late April: hyacinths, Dutch iris, Darwin hybrid tulips, Triumph tulips, and short-cupped narcissus. In May, we will be treated to: Parrot, Lily, and May-flowering tulips and many of the late flowering narcissus. Be sure to check out the spring flowering bulb department at Wedel’s Garden Center. Our selection of over 350 varieties of grade “A” quality bulbs can’t be beat! So you don’t miss the most spectacular garden show on earth next spring, plant spring bulbs this autumn. Oh, about those bulbs you forgot to plant in fall: the best way to tell if they are still viable is to gently squeeze them. If they are firm, not dry or spongy, they are probably still okay – though no guarantees. Plant them immediately. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. A very interesting note for all landscape enthusiasts: After several years of being absent, Tree Sucker Stopper is back. Many plants produce suckers every spring. Although you prune them back, the sucker growth, or water sprouts, seem to re-grow all summer. Sucker Stopper comes in a ready-to-use sprayer and can be used on all woody plants to stop re-growth around all pruned branches. Are there perennials in your garden that have overgrown their allotted space? There is still time to dig up, divide the clumps, and replant them. When replanting perennials, be sure to work into the root zone composted cow manure, sphagnum peat moss, Plant Tone, and bone meal. It’s time to remove most vegetables from the garden. After the last potatoes have been dug, tomatoes picked, and pumpkins are taken to cover, I recommend going over the garden with a rotary mower to shred the vines. Next, rototill in any compost that is ready along with composted cow manure and lime, if needed. After rototilling, overseed the vegetable garden with field rye. The field rye will protect the soil all winter and, when worked into the soil next spring, will increase the organic content of the soil. Experienced plant specialists know that October is the best time of year to fertilize valuable deciduous shade trees, shrubs, and evergreens. A feeding of Tree Tone with trace minerals now will not only encourage more growth next year, but also will help your plants to stay healthy. If your established trees are an asset to your landscape, be sure to fertilize with Tree Tone every October. Remember, trees are much easier to keep healthy than to replace! Since this is our last “Over the Garden Fence” program for this year, I would like to suggest several tips to help our “green thumb” friends winterize their plants and gardens. Successful gardeners know how important it is to protect plants that are prone to winter injury from wind, dryness, and severe cold. Some shrubs and trees, such as magnolia, flowering dogwood, holly, burning bush pyracantha, privet, butterfly bush, and cotoneaster can incur root injury when soil temperatures drop below 20 degrees. These plants should be protected with a three or four inch layer of bark chips covering the entire root system to help insulate the roots from deep freezes. Be sure to remove most of the mulch in the spring. Tender plants should be protected not only to keep them from freezing, but also to keep the soil temperature steady and to prevent alternate thawing and freezing of the soil. Protection of most plants is best applied after the ground is slightly frozen. Mulching too early will encourage plant growth and voles and mice into the protected area. About the third week in November, tender perennial plants should be covered with four to five inches of straw mulch. Cut perennials back so three to four inch stubs are left to help hold mulch in place. Before mulching your perennials, be sure to apply a generous amount of composted cow manure and bone meal for better growth and blooms for next year. Rose bushes should be cut back and hilled up no sooner than the third week in November. At that time rose bushes should be pruned back to fourteen inches above the ground. Strip all remaining leaves and pull canes together with soft twine. Spray rose plants with Ropel to repel mice and rabbits all winter. Spray lime sulfur on rose plants and surrounding soil to control mildew. Then mound up bark chips or peat moss around the rose stalks and place cones over plants. I recommend waiting to place rose cones over the hilled roses until the third week of November. Be sure to ventilate cones with one small hole near the top of the cone to prevent overheating. Most climbing roses should be protected in late November after freeze-up. I recommend taking non-hardy climbing roses down off their trellises then spray them with Ropel Rabbit and Deer Repellent and lime sulfur. Bury rose canes and graft under five to six inches of shredded cedar bark. For more and better rose blooms next year, be sure to fertilize in late October. Feed each rose bush with 1/8 cup of Super Phosphate, ¼ cup of Murate of Potash, and one shovel full of composted cow manure. Newly planted trees and shrubs will benefit from a four to six inch bark mulch. If mulched well, the roots will continue to grow until the soil freezes deeply. All newly planted trees should have their trunks wrapped with tree wrap. Pyracantha, holly, rhododendrons, and other broadleaf evergreens, as well as hemlocks and yews, need winter wind and sun protection. If these plants are exposed to winter sun and wind dehydration, the foliage can be destroyed and cause dying back. Protect wind-exposed broadleaf evergreen shrubs with burlap screens and spray with Cloud Cover. When snow covers our Michigan landscape and the deer and rabbits begin to eat our valuable plants, most gardeners get quite upset. To protect vulnerable plants without harming the animals, use Ropel Rabbit and Deer Repellent. Some of the plants they are most fond of are burning bush, quince, arborvitae, cotoneaster, juniper, roses, flowering crab, cherry, apple, and plum. Ropel should be applied when temperatures are 32 degrees or higher every six weeks. Ropel is a taste repellent, but is not toxic. Field mice can be a problem also, damaging valuable landscape plants. Mice do most of their damage by girdling plants below the snow cover. If you have had problems with mice in the past, I would recommend that you scatter Ramik Weather-proof Mouse Bait under vulnerable plants now. Two treatments, ten to twenty days apart before snowfall is advisable. Plants that exhibited mouse damage last winter should also be sprayed with Ropel. Voles resemble mice, but have shorter tails, smaller ears, and a stockier build than mice. Although they are present throughout the year and feed on grasses and other vegetation, we usually think about them after it is too late, when their feeding damage becomes obvious in spring after the snow melts. During the winter, their activity takes place under the protective cover of snow. When green vegetation tends to be scarce, voles change their diets to include tree bark. Trees and shrubs may be girdled at the crown, and feeding injury may extend to areas of the trunk and main branches just below the snow line. Vole runways through grass or other vegetation are about two inches wide, along the surface of the ground, with large patches of dead vegetation in the runways. Repellents, habitat modification, poison baits, and barriers are the main methods used to control vole and field mouse damage. High value trees and shrubs in the landscape can be protected with hardware cloth barriers placed around the base of individual trees and shrubs, about two feet higher than the expected maximum snow depth. The cylinders of wire should be constructed with the edges overlapped to prevent gaps. Drifting snow can pile up high against trunks. Taste repellents, such as Ropel spray, are safe to use on ornamental plants and can be effective when applied to the trunks and lower branches. Keep mulch away from the bases of trees and shrubs. Mow down vegetation and tall grasses for the winter to reduce protective cover for voles. Ramik poison bait should be placed under any plantings that provide winter protection for rodents. Destroy mice and voles now in the autumn before they injure plants during the winter. Because a harsh winter can’t be predicted, it is wise to protect plant investments ahead of time. By providing adequate protection in the late fall, valuable plants will come through the winter in excellent condition. Remember, an ounce of prevention is far less than replacement costs! Whenever you have gardening questions, feel free to come to Wedel’s Nursery, Florist & Garden Center, your 12-month horticultural center. Our experienced Michigan Certified Nursery Specialists and Master Gardeners are always happy to help YOU, any day, any season. It has been a pleasure for me, and I hope for you folks, sharing with each other “Over the Garden Fence” this year. I want to thank the fine staff at WKZO, especially Tim Abranowski, my co-host, and Tom Stermer, our WKZO account representative. A special thank you to you fine folks out there “Over the Garden Fence” for listening and calling in with questions and suggestions. I would also like to thank God for the challenging growing season this year and for all the beautiful flowers and bountiful harvest of vegetables and fruits form our gardens that He has blessed us with. I’m grateful for the many enjoyable hours in our gardens that He provided. I hope God blesses each of you with an enjoyable winter and the peace that only He can provide. Thanks again, and I hope to see you all next spring “Over the Garden Fence”. George Wedel |
Timely Tips
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09/21/02 |