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Newsletter
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The
April
2007 Welcome
to this edition of the Frost and Freeze Damaged Plants The
effects of freezing temperatures and hard frosts are showing up in gardens,
orchards, fields, and nurseries all over the region.
Nearly everything in our outside nursery (trees, shrubs, and roses) was
affected by the frost and freeze. We
waited until the cold temperatures passed (hopefully) before beginning any
pruning. Thankfully, all of our
perennials outside came through the freeze with flying colors, as they were
protected with fleece blankets. So,
what is one to do with a garden or prize tree that looks all but dead?
For the most part, the answer is simply to take a “wait and see”
approach. What
is most damaged? The
further along the plants’ flower and leaf buds were in their development, the
more likely they are to have been damaged by below-freezing temperatures.
Early spring flowering trees and shrubs are the most likely to have some
flower damage, since many were already flowering or were at least breaking bud
at the time of the freeze. Also,
fruit trees that were blooming or close to blooming will likely produce little
to no fruit this year, unfortunately. Any
new growth put on this spring (especially if it had not been exposed to cold
temperatures in the previous weeks), was likely frozen.
Perennials Even
if your perennials look like mush, they should put forth new growth from their
crown in the coming weeks. Most
perennials should be pruned back below any damage.
Prune right above a leaf node, which will cause your plants to actually
be bushier than they were before the freeze.
If your perennials were frozen completely to ground level, simply cut the
dead foliage off just slightly above ground level.
Flowering will likely be delayed on many perennials, but it will still
happen this year (unless they are early spring blooming perennials).
Annuals Most
all annual and tropical plants are killed when temperatures drop below 32
degrees. Thus, if your annual plants
are black, white, or light brown in color, they most likely are dead.
You can prune them back below the damage and see if they send up new
foliage, though it is doubtful that they will.
Our last average frost in this part of Pansies
and Violas Pansies
and violas are virtually unaffected by cold weather!
In fact, they only bloom during cool temperatures, which is why we have
pansies and violas for sale during the fall and from early to mid spring.
Any damaged foliage on pansies and violas should be treated as you would
a perennial (see above). Vegetables Most
cool season vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, leeks, onions, carrots, turnips, kale, collards, lettuce, mustard,
potatoes, radishes, spinach, and Swiss chard, should have survived the frost and
freeze, though any protection that was provided would have certainly been
beneficial. Warm season vegetables,
such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, beans, and corn do not like it when
temperatures dip below freezing, and thus early plantings of these warm season
veggies are probably frozen. Roses Roses
benefit from pruning. Thus, we are
pruning all of our roses back in the nursery now.
Within about 10 to 14 days, they will send out new growth!
Like the perennials, they should flower this year, though flowering will
likely be delayed. If your rose is
grafted, take car to not prune it back below the graft (if you do not prune it
any shorter than 1’ tall, then you should not have any worries at all about
pruning below the graft). Ornamental
Trees and Shrubs A
“wait and see” approach is recommended.
We are removing all of the dead leaves now (removing the leaves by hand),
as well as pruning back any new growth that froze.
The dormant secondary buds should put forth new growth in the coming
weeks. It is best to wait and see
what is going to leaf out again before doing any extensive pruning.
Trees
and shrubs that bloom on old growth may not flower this year.
A prime example of this are the cultivars of Hydrangea macrophylla (with
the exception of remondant varieties, such as ‘Endless Summer’, ‘Endless
Summer Blushing Bride’, and ‘Penny Mac’, which all bloom on new growth).
Some shrubs may have died back to the base; only time will tell.
Some
trees are not as hardy as others. Japanese
maples, magnolias, and mimosa trees have all been hit hard by the freeze.
If you have a less hardy tree that was languishing before the freeze, it
may be severely damaged by the freeze. On
larger, well established trees, it may take months before the full extent of
possible freeze damage is seen. Fruiting
Trees and Berries As
noted above, if your fruit trees and berry plants were close to blooming or were
blooming at the time of the freeze, they likely will not have fruit this year.
Remove the dead foliage, but wait and see what leafs back out before
doing any extensive pruning. Evergreens Go
ahead and prune off any dead foliage on evergreens (hollies and boxwood, as well
as the needled evergreens). Prune
right above a leaf node to encourage your evergreens to bush out.
What
you can do while waiting Continue
to give your damaged plants regular watering.
Right now, gardens in the area have more than enough water, but the
excess moisture should dry up fairly quickly with warm temperatures and wind.
Continue
to fertilize your herbaceous plants (perennials, annuals, and vegetables).
We recommend Daniels Plant Food, which has an analysis of Wait to fertilize damaged trees and shrubs until they are starting to put forth new growth. What
about plants in the nursery at As
mentioned above, we are pruning our roses and removing the dead foliage off our
trees and shrubs. We fully expect
EVERYTHING in our nursery to be hardy and to have survived the freeze.
Though the plants will not look as nice as they did two weeks ago, we
would like you to visit the nursery when you come and to continue to select
trees, shrubs, and roses for your landscape.
Nearly all of our trees and shrubs come with a 1 year guarantee (or a 5
year guarantee if you purchase MYKE with your
trees and shrubs), so the guarantee would certainly take effect if the
trees and shrubs you purchased after the freeze did not leaf out after you
planted them. Roses are not
guaranteed. We will be more than
happy to assist you in selecting the best plants- please just ask for assistance
when you come! We invite you, your family, and your gardening friends to come
see us this spring! We have a simply scrumptious (to the eyes!) selection of gorgeous plants, gardening tools, gardening accents, and more! We invite you to come for a fun day trip or to stop by while you are in the area! We are sure you will be fascinated with our selection and service! Things to do in your yard, garden, and lawn NOW: ~
The best time to apply dandelion killer is in the fall.
The second best time is right after the first flush of flowers in the
spring. Spot treat for dandelions by
spraying with Fertilome Weed Free Zone.
Mix Hi Yield Spreader Sticker in your
sprayer with the Fertilome Weed Free Zone to
make your spray cover a larger area and to increase its effectiveness.
**It is always best to have two sprayers- one for herbicides (weed and
grass killers) and one for all other sprays (fungicides, insecticides, and
fertilizers). Please note, Fertilome
Weed Free Zone (as well as all other broadleaf weed killers) will kill
ALL broadleaf plants, be they weeds or your prize plants! ~
Crabgrass is an annual grass that must be controlled with a pre-emergent
weed killer (which keeps the seeds from germinating).
It is best to apply the crabgrass preventer in early April (generally
before April 15th). However
as not all crabgrass seed is going to germinate at the same time, if you have
not applied crabgrass preventer, you will receive some benefit by going ahead
and applying it now. Apply Fertilome
For All Season Crabgrass and Weed Preventer Containing Barricade or Fertilome
Start-N-Grow. ~
Fertilize your spring blooming bulbs with Dutch Bulb
Food as the flowers fade. Over
the next few weeks, your bulbs will be storing food for next spring’s bloom.
Remove the seed pods only (no foliage yet) from spring blooming bulbs. ~ If the weather stays moderately cool, you still have time to plant your cool season veggie garden. We still have transplants available for cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, leeks, strawberries, and onions. Seeds for carrots, peas, radishes, turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi. Bareroot crowns of asparagus and rhubarb, seed potatoes, and onion sets. ~
Warm season vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant can be planted by
mid to late April. Okra, canteloupes,
cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon should not be planted until the very
end of April or first part of May. ~
Apply Treflan Pre-emergent Herbicide
granules at the time of planting to drastically reduce the number of weeds in
your garden. Treflan
keeps weeds (and all other plants- be they good or bad!) from coming up, thus do
NOT use Treflan in a garden where you have
planted seeds until the seeds have germinated.
Fertilome Start-N-Grow can also be
used on any flower beds (not on fruit or veggie gardens). ~ Prune Roses and apply Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care every four to six weeks. Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care is by far the easiest product to use to keep your roses from getting Black Spot. It is a systemic insecticide, systemic fungicide, and fertilizer, all in one product that is applied as a soil drench around your roses every four to six weeks. Its one weakness is it does not contain enough fertilizer (roses are heavy feeders), so we recommend a supplemental fertilizer, such as Daniels Plant Food or Bayer 2-in-1 Rose Fertilizer and Insect Control. If you would rather not use the Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care, you can use a combination of products to get the same results: Fertilome Systemic Fungicide (used every 10 to 14 days) and Bayer 2-in-1 Rose Fertilizer and Insect Control (used once a month). ~ Apply Bayer Tree & Shrub One Year Insect Control to all your ornamental trees (NOT fruit or nut trees, though). Bayer Tree & Shrub will provide a year’s worth of systemic insect control for your tree. It is one of the best preventatives for borers also, so it is great to use on lilacs, birch trees, and ash trees, in particular! As with the Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care, it is very easy to mix and apply! ~ Apply a solution of Hi Yield Aluminum Sulfate and Hi Yield Copperas to any Hydrangea macrophylla or Hydrangea serrata planted in Alkaline soil to turn the flowers blue this year. Only use this solution on hydrangeas that you are wanting to turn blue AND that have been planted in your garden for at least two or three years. Please ask for a Hydrangea Guide when you visit this spring for more information. ~ Replenish the organic mulch in your flower beds and around trees and shrubs. A 2” layer of cypress mulch, cedar mulch, pine bark mulch, or cocoa hulls should be maintained around your perennial plants. It is necessary to add to the mulch layer as the bottom layers of the mulch decompose. Please see information further down in this newsletter about mulching. The best mulches for annuals and vegetables are Cotton Seed Hulls or Composted Cotton Boll Compost. ~
Make a $5 hole for a $1 plant. They
say that in life we only regret the things we didn’t do, not the things that
we did do. Well, here at ~ Make a commitment to fertilizing your plants on a regular basis. Depending on what kind of fertilizer you use, your plants may need fertilizing anywhere from once a week to just every 3 or 4 months. Please ask for our recommended fertilizers! Most plants, particularly annuals, bloom on new growth. Thus, if the plant is not growing as a result of not being fertilized, your plants will consequently not bloom very much if any at all. CobraHead A
few weeks ago, we had a customer from Organic Vegetable Seeds We are carrying a great new line of Organic vegetable seeds! If you want to grow organic vegetables this year, plant these great organic seeds from Livingston Seeds, amend your planting beds with Organic Cotton Boll Compost, use OMRI certified Vegetable Garden MYKE at the time of planting, and fertilize your plants with an organic plant food (we have several to choose from, including Grow More, Fox Farm, and MYKE brands). Most
Texans seem to think everything is bigger and better in Fruit Tree Care Assuming your fruit trees still have viable buds, you can have wonderful crops of fruit from your home orchard this year if you adopt a rigorous spray schedule. As soon as 80% of the petals have fallen, begin spraying your fruit trees every ten to fourteen days with Bonide Fruit Tree Spray. Bonide Fruit Tree Spray contains both a fungicide and an insecticide which will prevent many of the problems common to fruit trees and their fruit. Follow all label instructions and harvesting information. Fertilize all your fruit and nut trees and berries with Fertilome Citrus, Fruit, and Pecan Food to greatly increase the production of fruits and nuts! If
your fruit trees have lost all their fruit and/or flower buds, and thus will not
produce fruit this year, you do not need to spray them with Bonide
Fruit Tree Spray. However,
you do need to treat them for foliar (leaf) diseases which can potentially kill
your fruit trees. Spray with Immunox
fungicide to prevent fungal leaf diseases. Angel Moss For years, we have used cocofiber liners when planting our large hanging baskets. This year, we have switched to using Angel Moss for nearly all of our baskets. Angel Moss is a type of Sphagnum moss which has amazingly high moisture retention. Simply said, it absorbs water which would otherwise drain out the basket at the time of watering, and then it releases the water to the plants as the soil dries out. In essence, it is a natural sponge. Angel
Moss is "farmed" based on a sustainable management program
approved by Angel Moss is delightfully easy to use. We have it available in preformed sizes for 16” and 20” baskets, in flat sheets, and in loose fill bags. It is thin and a bit unflexible when dry, but it expands very nicely and becomes very moldable when it is moistened! Try it this year for your baskets or planters that need liners! And, speaking of our baskets, we have absolutely gorgeous 16” and 20” Angel Moss baskets filled with unique arrangements of blooming and foliage plants! We also have some green moss cone-shaped baskets that are very unique! Our 12” baskets (green plastic baskets) are some of our most beautiful ever! When can I plant my plants? Please
be advised that the info below should be used as general guides.
As we have just experienced, freezes and frosts can severely damage or
kill tender plants! Perennials
and cool season vegetables can be planted NOW!
They love cool weather! It is
much easier for hardy plants to get established in cool weather rather than in
the warm late spring and summer temperatures. Most
annuals can be planted by mid April. Our
last average frost occurs here around April 15th (in general, it will
be earlier the further south you are and later the further north you are).
Certain annuals, though, like Vinca and Zinnias loathe cold weather-
thus, please do not plant them until the first of May!
Cannas,
Elephant Ear, Gladiola, Tuberoses, and other summer bulbs can be planted now,
though they will not grow much until the soil warms up. We want you to have success with your plants, and schedule our transplant dates for our plants accordingly. We would be doing you a disservice by having vine crops, vinca, and other heat loving plants available in early April. Colorful Honey Wasp Catchers Get rid of wasps and other pesky flying insects the old-fashioned way. Our hand blown hanging glass wasp traps are a beautiful and effective way to catch stinging insects without harmful pesticides. Put a little fruit juice, watered down honey, or sugar water in the bottle and wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and flies are lured into the bottom opening and can’t escape. These simple, effective traps have worked for ages. Place your hanging wasp catcher discreetly from a distant hook or tree branch. Perfect for the porch, deck, or patio. Finally, you can eat outside in peace! Our
honey wasp catchers are available in blue, amber, green, or clear glass! Some of my spring blooming bulbs have finished flowering.
Can I mow them off now? It
is imperative that spring blooming bulbs are not cut back until the foliage has
turned yellow or brown, which unfortunately can take several weeks after
flowering. After the flowers have
faded, it is important to cut the dead flower head and swollen seed pod off the
plant- that way the bulb is not putting any energy towards producing seed.
Leave all the other foliage on the plant as is- do not tie it up or
otherwise smash it down. The bulb
needs as much foliage as possible to make food to bring to the bulb so that the
bulb will have energy to form the next year’s flowers.
To disguise the dying bulb foliage, plant perennials that are just coming
up about the time your spring blooming bulbs are finished- Hemerocallis
(daylilies) are a good choice. Remember
to fertilize new and existing bulb plantings in the fall with Dutch
Bulb Food and also fertilize them in the spring just as they are coming
up with another application of Dutch Bulb Food. Fertilome Start-N-Grow Now
this stuff sounds like a gardening miracle!
It provides superior pre-emergent (before the seeds germinate) weed
control, plus it is a slow-release plant food.
One easy application feeds landscapes (turf and ornamental plants) and
prevents certain broadleaf weeds and grasses for up to four months!
It also provides effective post-emergent control of crabgrass for up to
four weeks after germination! It has
a fertilizer analysis of
Ladies Night Out Tired
of cooking… cleaning… running errands… keeping up with the kids… then
join us for a fun and fabulous Ladies Night Out!
On Thursday, May 17th from Attn: Darlita Jelinek 1430 Hwy 58 S.E. Please include a note saying your check is for the Ladies Night Out and include the participant’s name(s). Or, a registration form is available on our web site, www.arnoldsgreenhouse.com And, we are still looking for vendors of products or services that appeal to women… if you have a product or service, or know someone who does, please contact Darlita at 620-964-2463 or 2423 and ask for a Ladies Night Out Vendor Application. Thanks! Gardening Classes We invite you to join your fellow gardeners in attending a gardening class this spring! Please see our website, www.arnoldsgreenhouse.com, then click on Gardening Classes to view our schedule of gardening classes- both seminars and fun, hands-on classes! Some classes are already full. To register for a class, please print off and fill out the Registration Form and mail it in with your payment. Thanks! Contain your Garden! We have planted numerous gorgeous container plantings which are on display now! You may purchase one of the complete container gardens, or we have all of the plants you need to duplicate each container displayed around each container on the bench endcaps! Select your favorite container from our great collection, fill your container with one of our choice potting soils, plant your plants (using MYKE at the time of planting), sprinkle the soil around your plants with Proven Winners Time Release Fertilizer, and water in well with Daniels Plant Food (use at a rate of 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water)! New Plants on the “JUST GOTTA HAVE” List: SHRUBS Azalea ‘Sweet Sixteen’ Berberis
‘ Buxus ‘Chicagoland Green’ Calycanthus ‘Venus’ Cornus ‘Golden Shadows’ Hibiscus ‘Lil’ Kim’ Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer Blushing Bride’ Hydrangea ‘Pinky Winky’ Hydrangea ‘Little Honey’ Hydrangea ‘Vaughn’s Lillie’ Ilex ‘Honey Maid’ Kolkwitzia ‘Dream Catcher’ Physocarpus ‘Center Glow’ Viburnum
‘ Weigela ‘My Monet’ HERBS Purple Winter Savory Basil ‘Pesto Perpetuo’ ANNUALS Anigozanthos ‘Kanga Red’ Argyranthemum ‘Reflection’ Bacopa ‘Copia’ series Begonia ‘Bonfire’ (neat!!) Begonia,
Rex ‘Devil’s Calibracoa ‘Cabaret’ series Calibracoa ‘Callie Painted Coral’ Calibracoa
‘Callie Purple Calibracoa ‘Minifamous Double Pink’ Celosia ‘Freshlook Gold’ Coleus ‘Watermelon’ Coleus
‘Wizard Coral Coleus,
Sun ‘ Coreopsis ‘Limerock Dream’ Cuphea ‘Triple Crown’ Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’ Impatiens, Trailing ‘Fanfare Orchid’ Lantana ‘Changing Times’ Nemesia
‘Magma Flame Nemesia ‘Magma Flame Pink’ Osteospermum ‘Soprano Lilac Spoon’ Osteospermum ‘Soprano Vanilla Spoon’ Penstemon
‘ Petunia ‘Easy Wave Coral Reef’ Petunia ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’ Petunia ‘Supertunia Cotton Candy’ Petunia ‘Supertunia Double Peppermint’ Petunia ‘Supertunia Raspberry Blast’ (you have to see this one!) Petunia ‘SuperCal Neon Rose’ and ‘SuperCal Terracotta’ (SuperCals are a cross between Petunias and Calibracoas) Phlox ‘Intensia Star Brite’ Porphyrocoma ‘Maracas’ Rhoeo ‘Compacta Tricolor’ (a great foliage plant) Scaevola ‘White’ Scutellaria ‘Veranda’ Sweet Potato ‘Sweet Caroline Bewitched’ Torenia ‘Magenta Moon’ and ‘Yellow Moon’ Vinca
‘ Vinca ‘Nirvana’ series (‘Nirvana Cascade Pink Splash’ will be here in a few weeks; all other varieties, plus some new ones, are available now.) Zinnia ‘Magellan’ series- new colors Zinnia’ Profusion’- several new colors Pennisetum ‘Princess’ Kalanchoe ‘Donkey Ears’ Kalanchoe ‘Flapjack’ Senecio jacobsenii Mandevilla ‘Red Velvet’ Mandevilla ‘White Velvet’ VEGETABLES Pepper, Hot ‘Holy Mole’ Tomato ‘Tomatoberry’ Pansies are ½ price, while supplies last! We are making room for more blooming plants that need the space currently occupied by Pansies! What can I do to increase the yields of my tomato plants? Better
Reds is your answer! In our Tomato
Trials during the summer of 2004, we found that Better Reds Mulch directly
caused an increase of 20% to 50% in the total weight of tomatoes
harvested. We compared eight
varieties of tomato plants. One
plant of each variety was mulched with Better Reds and one plant of each variety
was mulched with Cotton Seed Hulls. Pictures
are available of our Tomato Trials in the garden center! The
plants mulched with Better Reds: ~
Produced 20% to 50% more tomatoes (in weight) versus plants mulched with cotton
seed hulls. ~
The plants were larger, healthier, and more resistant to disease. ~
Retained moisture better and controlled weeds better than cotton seed hulls. Better
Reds can be used to enhance the growth of: Strawberries,
melons, red peppers, and other crops that fruit above ground, as well as
tomatoes. One
package of Better Reds contains enough mulch for eight (8) tomato plants and is
reusable for 2 to 3 seasons. I’ve heard about MYKE. What
is it exactly and what does it do? MYKE
is mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizal fungi
have occurred naturally in the soil for 400 million years.
When MYKE is applied to the roots of plants, or dug into the soil near
the drip line of existing plants, the mycorrhizae colonize to the roots and
cause the plants to grow many, many times more roots than the plant would
without MYKE. As a result of the
plant having many more roots than normal, the plant’s ability to absorb more
water and nutrients such as phosphorus, copper, and zinc is greatly enhanced.
This in turn enhances growth of the plant and favors rapid development of
roots and plants. MYKE is not a
fertilizer, but it enables the plant to better absorb the nutrients in
fertilizer. Since MYKE enables the
plant to better utilize nutrients, always use a low phosphorous fertilizer (such
as Daniels, which is 4% Phosphorous). MYKE
only needs to be applied once during the plant’s entire life!!
Since mycorrhizae are naturally present in our soils, plants that are
over five years old really do not benefit from MYKE.
But, plants that you are planting this year and plants that have been
planted less than five years will greatly benefit from your use of MYKE this
year. MYKE is so beneficial to
plants, that with the purchase of the appropriate quantity of MYKE Tree &
Shrub on the same ticket, it increases our one year guarantee on most trees and
shrubs to a five year guarantee!! Please
ask for details when you visit this spring!
There are a few plants that MYKE will not colonize, such as blueberries,
rhododendrons, beets, cabbage, and carnations.
There are special formulations of MYKE for Trees & Shrubs, Annuals
& Perennials, and Vegetables. We
have used MYKE in all the hanging baskets we planted this spring, thus
increasing the plants’ ability to absorb water and nutrients.
We encourage you to try our Premium 12” hanging baskets instead of a
10” hanging basket this year! You
will be impressed with the nicer plants and how much better your baskets will
look in the middle of summer. A
12” hanging basket has 80% more soil than a 10” hanging basket!! What is the best fertilizer for my plants? Daniels
Plant Food, with an analysis of There
are numerous other fertilizers on the market, many of which are ok for your
plants, just none as good as Daniels! One
fertilizer to steer clear of though, is Miracle Gro.
Miracle Gro has tons of consumer advertising behind it, so it is a very
well known fertilizer, but it is one of the worst fertilizers you can put on
your plants. Miracle-Gro is very
high in salts and chlorine, both of which are very bad for plant roots.
If you’ve ever noticed a white ring on the insides of your terracotta
containers, it is because of too much salt in the fertilizer you are using.
We want you to have the best success possible with your plants, which is
why we stock several choice fertilizers, but no Miracle Gro! Give Your Hands a Break! Gardening
is hard on our hands. It is very
difficult to keep our hands well-manicured during “gardening season”.
However, your hands will thank you if you use the following products and
tips! Yard
Glove is a barrier
lotion that has been specially formulated for gardeners.
Yard Glove forms a protective barrier that prevents your skin from
absorbing dirt and harmful compounds used in the garden and around the yard.
When you are finished gardening for the day, Yard Glove is easy to
wash off your hands with just soap and water!
Good
quality gardening gloves! We carry
several lines of the best gardening gloves.
These aren’t your plain old jersey gloves- they are wonderful gloves
with coatings to keep your hands from getting wet and dirty.
From the blue Wonder Gloves that you received when you signed up
for our mailing list, to my favorite gloves- the Atlas Glove Nitrile Touch
glove, to Weeders gloves, and Sun Grips gloves, we have a great
selection! Wearing good-fitting
gloves (most of these brands are available in sizes X-large to small, some even
in X-large) will make all your gardening “chores” even more pleasant! Several
of our lady customers have shared the following tip with me:
If you have long fingernails, put a wad of cotton in the tip of each
finger of your gloves- the cotton will protect your nails as you garden! Would you like to spend less time watering and weeding AND have
healthier, more beautiful plants? Mulching your plants is the answer! ~
Mulch prevents the loss of water from the soil by evaporation. ~
Mulches reduce the growth of weeds, so long as the mulch material itself is
weed-free and applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or to smother
existing weeds. ~
Mulches keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, thus
maintaining a more even soil temperature. During
summer months, bare soil can reach 120 degrees F, but if that same soil were
mulched, it would only reach 85 degrees F! ~
Mulches prevent soil splashing, which not only stops erosion, but keeps
soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plants. ~
Mulches prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and
movement of water into the soil. ~
Mulches protect the trunks of trees and shrubs from damage by lawn equipment
(through the use of mulch around the tree trunk, preventing grass from growing
up next to the trunk). ~
Mulches help prevent soil compaction. ~
Mulches can add to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform
color and interesting texture to the surface. ~
Mulched plants have more roots than plants that are not mulched, because mulched
plants will produce additional roots in the mulch that surrounds them. Types of Mulch: For
Perennials, Trees, and Shrubs: Cypress
Mulch, Cedar Mulch, Pine Bark Mulch, or Cocoa Mulch will last the longest.
Replenish mulch once or twice a year to maintain a 2” layer (the bottom
layers of the mulch will decompose, necessitating additional mulch). For
Annuals and Vegetables: Cotton
Seed Hulls, Cotton Burr Compost, or HuMore Mulch Master Plus are best as they
can be tilled into the soil in late fall through early spring, providing an
annual application of compost to your garden soil- making your soil richer every
year! Apply
a 2” to 3” layer of mulch. Too
little and you will not get the full benefits of the mulch; too much and you can
starve the plants of water and air. Keep
mulch at least 2” away from the trunks of trees and shrubs. Tips to Cut Down on Watering We’ve
had rain for what seems like everyday of the past 3 weeks, so the thought of
watering the garden seems like a task that won’t be necessary for a while yet.
But… summer will be here in just about a month, and then we’ll want
to have all our water saving, drought tolerant, low-water use plans in place!
We recommend the following products and practices to encourage minimal
use of water. ~
Use MYKE mycorhizae at the time of planting ALL your plants (MYKE will not
colonize in just a few plants, such as blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons,
but it is beneficial to the vast majority of plants).
Mycorhizae is a beneficial soil fungi that attaches to the plant’s
roots and colonizes, causing your plants to grow many more roots than it would
on its own without the MYKE. Because
your plants have a plethora of roots, they will be faster growing (but not
weaker growing), better able to take up water and nutrients, have more
flowers/fruits/vegetables, and perhaps most important, they will be much more
drought tolerant. University tests
have shown that plants grown with MYKE are much more likely to survive a drought
than plants that have not received an application of MYKE at the time of
planting. MYKE is such a wonderful
product that we actually extend our one year guarantee on most trees and shrubs
to a five year guarantee with the purchase of the right amount of MYKE (the MYKE
purchase must be on the same receipt as the guaranteed trees or shrubs for the
extended warranty to apply). MYKE
only has to be used one time- at the time of planting.
MYKE is not a fertilizer, so you cannot overuse it and it will not burn
the plant roots. MYKE is available
in several formulations- Tree & Shrub, Annual & Perennial, ~
Use Soil Moist crystals in your container plantings.
We have been reluctant to carry Soil Moist in the past as some studies
have shown that the crystals do not release the water when the plants need the
water from the crystals. But,
countless customers have used it with much success, so we now offer it in
several sizes. To have the most
success with Soil Moist, we recommend soaking the dehydrated crystals in water
BEFORE you mix the crystals into your Sunshine Potting Soil.
If you mix the dry crystals with potting soil, then water your container,
the soil is likely to come flowing over the sides like a volcano due to the
expanding crystals! J
Soil Moist works by absorbing excess water at the time of watering, then
when the container dries out and the plants need water, the crystals release the
water to the roots that have grown into the crystals. ~
Use organic mulches around all your plants!
Organic mulches, such as cypress, cedar, pine bark, cotton seed hulls,
cotton burr compost, and Hershey cocoa hulls, have numerous benefits with water
conservation being one of the best! Mulches
inhibit weed growth, cutting down on the competition with desirable plants for
water. Mulches also cool the soil
surface, leading to less loss of water due to evaporation.
Mulches prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the
absorption and movement of water into the soil.
Organic mulches should be applied at a total depth of 2” to 3” thick,
unless you are mulching on top of weed barrier fabric, when a 1” layer is the
proper thickness. ~
Water in the cooler parts of the day, when less water will be lost due to
evaporation. **Try to water early
enough in the day, however, that the foliage has time to dry thoroughly before
the sun sets. Wet foliage in
combination with cooler night temperatures creates the perfect environment for
fungal diseases! ~
Water at the base of your plants- getting a higher percentage of the water to
the root zone, where it is needed, instead of merely sprinkling the foliage. ~
Water deeply and less often as opposed to shallowly and more often.
Deep, but less often, watering promotes deep root systems.
If you give your plants just a little bit of water every day, they will
never have to grow deep roots to find water and will thus have shallow root
systems. Shallowly rooted plants are
less able to withstand drought. Potting Bench A note about Potting Soils.
We
recommend and carry only high quality potting soils.
Our potting soils are “soil less mixes” meaning they do not contain
any top soil. Rather, they are a
blend of peat moss, bark, vermiculite, and perlite.
The $1 or $2 bags of so called “potting soil” available at discount
stores are heavy and will soon develop a crusty layer, making it difficult for
your plants to grow, flourish, and be easy to water.
For the best success with your containers, please use Sunshine Potting
Soils- either the peat moss based blend or the Proven Winner’s
bark based blend. Your plants
will thank you! Support Independent Garden Centers Please
support independent garden centers as you shop for pretty flowers, veggies,
potting soils, mulches, fertilizers, garden remedies, and more this year!
While we at Please
continue to support independents so that we will all be around to help your
grandchildren and great grandchildren garden and discover the joys of plants!
Thank You! Are You Looking for Continuous Bloom in Your For
several years, we have been an advocate of planting for Continuous Bloom and
Four Season Interest in your perennial garden.
Why grow a perennial that only blooms for one week when you can grow one
that will bloom for a month or more? For
“more bang for your buck”, plant perennials that we recommend for continuous
bloom!
Long Blooming Perennials During
the summers of 2004 and 2005, we took notice of long blooming or reblooming
perennials in our gardens. To help
you plan your garden for maximum bloom, we have included the compiled list
below. Also, Rita Arnold presents
her class on Planting for Continuous
Bloom and Four Season Color several times through the year.
To check availability of classes and to register for this class, please
visit our website, www.arnoldsgreenhouse.com,
then click on Gardening Classes. If
you are unable to attend one of the presentations, we have Pam Duthie’s books
on Continuous Bloom and Continuous Color available for purchase in our library! Roses: ‘Red
Flower Carpet’ (my favorite rose! Blooms
from May/early June through October!) Other
GREAT roses are the ‘Knock Out’ series and the ‘Carefree’ series! Sun
Perennials: Ceratostigma
plumbaginoides Coreopsis
Coreopsis
‘Moonbeam’ Coreopsis
‘Crème Brulee’ (a NICE surprise last year!) Coreopsis
‘Flying Saucers’ Echinacea
‘Fragrant Angel’ Echinacea
‘Magnus’ Gaillardia
‘Fanfare’ (no garden should be without this LONG blooming perennial-
May/early June through NOVEMBER!!) Gaura
‘Siskiyou Pink’ Geranium
‘Rozanne’ Heliopsis
‘Loraine Sunshine’ Hemerocallis
‘Happy Returns’ Hemerocallis
‘Stella de Oro’ Hibiscus
‘Fireball’ Hibiscus
‘Lord Baltimore’ Knautia
macedonica (blooms all summer!) Leucanthemum
‘Becky’ Nepeta
‘ Nepeta
‘Blue Wonder’ Oxalis
‘Rosea’ (sun or shade!) Penstemon
‘Red Rocks’ Penstemon
‘ Perovskia
(all varieties; ‘Filagrin’ is my favorite) Potentilla
‘Nana’ Rudbeckia
‘Viette’s Little Suzy’ Salvia
‘May Night’ Salvia
‘Viola Klose’ Scabiosa
‘Butterfly Blue’ Scabiosa
‘Pink Mist’ Sedum
‘Rosy Glow’ Tradescantia
‘Sweet Kate’ Veronica
‘Sunny Border Blue’ Veronica
‘Eveline’ Veronica
‘Twickle Pink’ Perennial
Grasses: Pennisetum
‘Karley Rose’ (One of the best flowering grasses!) Shade
Perennials: Oxalis
‘Rosea’ (sun or shade)
This newsletter was compiled and written by Darlita Jelinek, Retail Manager of Arnold’s Greenhouse, Inc. Please
fell free to e-mail any feedback regarding this newsletter to retail@arnoldsgreenhouse.com
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1430 Hwy 58 S.E.
LeRoy, KS 66857 |