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Martin's Garden Notes
Here are a few tips on how to help your plants beat the summer heat.
Watering is only necessary when we have had an extended period of dry weather that creates stress on your plants. Annuals, vegetables and lawns are most at risk because of their shallow root system. Perennials, are somewhat less at risk, while shrubs, and trees have an even less
problem with dry weather. The depth of the roots seems to be the determining factor.
When you determine that your plants need water,( it is dry in the root zone, not just on the surface) water slowly and very deeply. Water enough to fill a coffee can 1" deep. It is only necessary to water every week or ten days if you have very sandy and droughty soil. Shrubs and trees need even less frequent watering but just as deep.
My father was a proponent of "dust mulch" in the vegetable garden. He achieved this with frequent cultivation creating a dusty surface that prevented weeds and conserved moisture.
When you think about it, at 1 inch rain or water you provide every week all summer would keep all our gardens lush and green.
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Martin"s Garden Notes
You can create a garden with many shrubs and even trees that will display blooms for most of the summer. In general, most shrubs will bloom for 3 to 4 weeks. With attention to blooming period, the blooms will come in succession.
We are mostly all aware of the blooming potential of Hydrangeas but adding Spirea, Potontilla, Russian sage and maybe a Crepe Myrtle your garden can have something blooming all summer and into the fall.
Crepe Myrtle can grow into a small tree that blooms in August. Spirea comes in pink, purple and white with some varieties having gold foliage. If you trim off the spent blooms it will continue to bloom all summer. Potontilla comes in white, pink or gold and can be treated in the same way.
Russian sage is light lavender while bluebeard is dark lavender-blue. Removing spent blooms will extent their blooming potential as well.
Be aware that all of these plants are bare of leaves in the winter so should be used where winter appeal is not important.
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Martin's Garden Notes
Creating a separation from neighbors is a goal for many gardeners. This is not really antisocial but just an effect to have your own outdoor space. This can be accomplished in several ways.
Often the request is for evergreens that completely hide the neighborhood year round. This may certainly be desirable in a space that you can see all the time, but if the space is used primarily in the summertime, shrubs and trees that bloom in the spring and summer when you are enjoying the garden may be good choices. Hydrangeas, Chaste Tree, Rose of Sharon, and Sourwood come to mind as very attractive summer bloomers. Try Forsythia, and Weigela, and many sorts of Vibernum for spreading plants that grow 8-12 feet tall.
If evergreens are the best for the space, remember that Spruce, Fir and Pines generally grow 20 feet wide and 50 feet tall. Arborvite will only get 8-10 feet wide and up to 20 feet tall. Some particularly narrow evergreens are Dragon lady holly, and Emerald Greeen Arborvite. Screen in shady places can be acheived with Yew, Holly, Rhododendron, and Mountain Laurel. If yours is an urban yard and space is at a premium, fences can be the most efficient way to create privacy. Fences are particularly effective in showing off the garden which can include many shrubs, small trees, and perennials.
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Martin's Garden Notes
Container gardening is a way to enjoy the pleasures of gardening when you do not have the space or inclination to garden in your yard. It allows you to have flowers, herbs and vegetables up close to where you enjoy the outdoors. Here are a few tips.
Choose good sized containers. The increased volume of larger pots provides extra room for the plant's roots.
Choose a soil mix that is well drained but high in moisture holding ingredients like peat moss. Porous containers such as terra-cotta, wood, and moss lined baskets allow the container to breathe, thereby keeping roots cooler and providing oxygen for the roots. Make sure your containers have drainage holes.
A ready source of moisture and nutrients is critical to produce good growth. Two products that help greatly are Osmocote, a slow release fertilizer, and Soil Moist, a material that increases the water holding capacity of your containers. mix these materials in your soil mix for superior performance.
When choosing plants, combine contrasting colors for an eye catching display, or use related colors for a more subtle effect. Many vegetables like lettuces, parsley, or even cabbages make attractive container plants to add to your flowers.
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Martin's Garden Notes
Hydrangeas are a staple of the summer garden and it is a pleasure to have so many varieties to choose from. Many visitors remark on how beautiful these plants are during the summer. Here is a guide to the varieties.
Endless Summer: New hybrid blue mophead blooms late into summer.
Nikko Blue: The large double blue "snowball" type grows to 5-6 feet tall.
Lacecap: lacy light blue outer petals with darker inner buds.
Glowing Embers: Lighter pink blooms will stay pink with a little lime.
Merritt's Supreme: Carmine red blooms with greenish centers.
Pink Elf: Small mophead grows to 2 feet, pink to purple blooms.
Pink Lacecap: Turns purple in acid soil, lime to keep pink.
Tokyo Delight: White outer florets with purple/pink inner buds.
Arborescens Anna Belle: Pure white, does not turn pink, tolerates shade.
All these types will turn pink with lime or blue/purple in acid soil (use aluminum sulfate).
Climbing Hydrangea: climbs like ivy with white lacecap blooms.
Hydrangea Pee Gee: is an August bloomer with cone shaped blooms turning pink with age.
These also come in tree form.
Kyushi: is a lacy form of PG that blooms earlier and Limelight opens greenish.
Pink Diamond: has pink lacy blooms.
Oakleaf Hydrangea: has white blooms and oakleaf shaped leaves that turn purple-red in the fall.
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Martin's Garden Notes
Gardening in the Shade
There are plenty of options for gardens in the shade. Often interesting foliage plants like hostas are excellent for providing structure for your shade garden. Astilbe, with plumes of white, pink or red Pulmonaria offering speckled foliage and pink, white or blue blooms in early Spring add color. Old fashioned Bleeding Heart blooms beautifuly in early spring while the dwarf forms bloom all summer.
Groundcovers are effective in the shade including pachysandra, and myrtle. Be cautious with ivy as it is quite agressive and hard to control when established. One Pachysandra discovered by a nursery in Connecticut
called Green Sheen is slower growing with glossy foliage. Introducing scattered groups of other perennials like hostas in a bed of groundcover adds interest to the space.
Several perennials bloom late in the season in the shade including Toad Lily with speckled blooms in October. EuropeanGinger, Ferns, Andromeda and Japanese Holly also work well.
All these add up to interesting possibilities for your shady garden.
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Happy Holidays
Well the air in New England is surely changing, the leaves haven fallen,and have been raked away. The Fall winds are fading and slowly the winter chill is taking over. Although our gardens are still for the winter there is so much to take in. As you know "Enjoyable Gardening" is based on the shores of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island.There are many winter gardens that grace the beautiful mansions in Bristol and Newport Rhode Island. As the holiday season begins we would like to share with you a site we are sure you will enjoy www.blitheworld.org. Take a few minutes and enjoy the Holiday Season in New England. Please let us know what you think, as the season continues we will share more with you.
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Thank you for your patience. We finally got the picture problem worked out, we have listed two pillows today more to come soon. We also have some totes to list and hope to have all on the site real soon
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It's time to make a few changes inside for the new season that is upon us. I have made a few pillows to add to your three season room or family room decor. Click on the link below to take a look.
http://www.enjoyablegardening.com/page5.php
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| The season is changing in New England quickly this year. Time to bring in those plants and close the windows. It's also a good time to start thinking about planning for spring. WHAT YOU SAY ? !!, yes start planning for spring. Stay tuned we will plan with you ........
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