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How to bring Humor into Garden Beds

October 7, 2010

 

For centuries, Halloween and scarecrows have spurred the makings of laughable and scary figures on front lawns, porches, and in gardens. With these two traditions in mind, you can bring humor into your garden year round by making the “eager gardener” (seen in the photo above) in less than 30 minutes. Here’s how.

 Materials:

  • Four 2×4 pieces of scrap wood
  • Heavy-duty stapler or 2 thumbtacks
  • Old pants and boots
  • Newspaper or straw
  • Four bricks
  • Two nails
  • Hammer
  • Shovel

 

Instructions:

  1. For the leg frames, cut two 2×4 boards six inches longer than the old pants being used.
  2. For the base, cut two 2×4 boards approximately 18 inches long.
  3. Place the leg frame in the center of one base and nail together. Repeat for second leg frame.
  4. In the soil, dig out an area 2-3 inches deep x 20 inches diameter and level the area.
  5. Place your leg frames in the area about 7 inches apart.
  6. To secure the leg frames, place a brick on the front and back of each base.
  7. Cover base and bricks with dirt, and mulch with straw if desired.
  8. Slip the pants onto the leg frames and lightly stuff each leg, buttocks, and front of pants with crumbled newspaper or straw.
  9. Slip boots over the leg frames, inside the pant legs.
  10. Staple or thumbtack the back of each pant to the leg frames just below the edge of boot top so the pant legs don’t slip down.

 Tips:

  • To avoid moving your “eager gardener” around, choose a spot where planting won’t take place for several months.
  • Try to avoid an area where overhead sprinklers won’t hit your “eager gardener”.
  • Get the family involved and make a replica of each member.

 Copyright © 2010 Dianne Marie Andre

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How to Repurpose Autumn Leaves

October 6, 2010

 

Autumn leaves will continue to litter our yards and beds through November or December. You can rake and bag them for the landfill, use as mulch, or toss them in the compost pile. If you have an overwhelming amount of leaves, most (if not all) of them will go to the landfill especially if you live in town. However, you can repurpose the last of the leaves as mulch and for composting. Here are a few tips.

Leaf Mulch:

  • Shred leaves first through a chipper-shredder or run over them a couple of times with the lawnmower to prevent matting which prevents air circulation and water seepage.
  • Leaf mulch isn’t as appealing as other mulches but it’s one of nature’s freebees.
  • Leaves decompose slowly and provide good moisture retention.
  • Leaf mulch adds nitrogen and nutrients to the soil.
  • Leaf mulch does a fair job of weed control.
  • Eucalyptus leaves are slow to breakdown.
  • Use oak leaf mulch for acid-soil plants.

Mulch:  1) covers the soil; 2) retains moisture; 3) cools the soil in the summer and keeps it warm in the winter; 3) keeps topsoil from being washed away; 4) reduces weeds; 5) provides nutrients as it decomposes; 6) should be at least three inches from the base of plants and trees; 7) fine mulch should be one-three inches deep and coarse or shredded matter three-six inches. 

Composting Leaves:

  • Leaves are a good source of carbon.
  • Leaves will decompose faster if shredded.
  • Add leaves to compost pile in layers. If your leaves are green use for green layer. Dry, brown leaves for the brown layer. Turn pile 2 to 3 times per week. Keep moist like a sponge not soggy.

Compost:  1) is decomposed matter worked into the top soil; 2) amends the soil; 3) helps with erosion; 4) helps stimulate healthy root systems; 5) improves soil structure; 6) improves water retention; 7) provides good air circulation.

Note:  1) Oleander leaves should NOT be used as mulch or compost because of the high toxin. 2) Leaves left on lawns can smother the grass. 3) Remove diseased and chemically treated leaves from beds and lawns. Avoid mulching and composting these.   

Copyright © 2010 Dianne Marie Andre

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Overrun with Autumn Leaves

October 5, 2010

Silver maple leaves litter my driveway with golden hues and playful piles, a pretty sight this time of year. The leaves in the perennial garden aren’t as appealing. Brown, dull oak and yellow locust leaves are caught in every inch of every shrub, vine, groundcover, annual, and the soil.

The trees are undressing faster than I have time to gather their discarded clothing. Until last weekend, my rake hadn’t slipped across the beds in weeks. The landscape (and my life) felt unmanageable. I couldn’t stand the unkempt grounds any longer. Another week and the garden would be such a mess a crew would have to be hired. That’s not in my budget. Therefore, I shifted priorities and spent some time in the garden. First on the agenda was the entrance. 

It’s been several years since I first bought my first flat of Chrysanthemums (paludosum) for cool season color. Every year since, when summer’s heat skyrockets, the chrysanthemums dry up and spill seeds like sugar. Then when fall returns the seeds germinate between the flagstones. Once they reach transplanting size, I relocate them. This year there was enough to fill the beds edging the entrance and three areas in the garden. FREE seasonal flowers. I call that nature’s blessings.

Second on the garden agenda, were the leaves, millions-and-millions of leaves. The job of raking (and some trimming) turned into a two-day effort. Fortunately, my husband helped with the bagging. He’s amazing. Then, at the end of the day, wind dispensed its humor across the grounds. Soft laughter blew through the branches and tilting shadows as millions-and-millions of leaves fluttered downward onto my clean garden floor.

The landscape still feels unmanageable. But I feel better for the effort.

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Bragging on Brussels Sprouts

October 4, 2010

It’s hard to believe that these squatty plants will grow into a tall stock* of little green balls that children—and many adults—would rather use in a game of dodge ball then eat. There’s nothing sweet about Brussels sprouts, but they are nutritious. 

The first time I served Brussels sprouts to my family, no one ate them. The second time, I smothered them in a creamy, cheese sauce. Unimpressed, my two young sons rolled Brussels sprouts around their plate like a game of hockey. It was several years later (after the boys left the coop) that I reintroduced Brussels sprouts to my husband. As I learned to prepare them different ways (pan and oven roasted are a favorite), Brussels sprouts have become a regular vegetable at our dinner table. Now, I’m growing them. Why not? Brussels sprouts are easy to freeze, and unlike frozen string beans, they maintain their fresh flavor.

Growing Tips:

  • Plant mid or late summer in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil.
  • Before planting work in 2-4 inches organic compost matter and all-purpose fertilizer.**
  • Plant 12-18 inches apart and 24-30 inches between rows.
  • Place transplants deep in the soil like you would a tomato plant.
  • Water deep (from the bottom, not overhead) and infrequent.
  • Don’t fertilize during sprout growth which can cause loose, soft sprouts, and splitting.

Watch for:

  • Aphids and ants
  • Cabbageworms and loopers

Harvest Tips:

Pick sprouts about 1-inch in diameter from the bottom up as they mature.

Nutrition:

  • High in vitamin C, iron, calcium, and fiber
  • Low in calories and carbohydrates
  • Zero saturated and trans fat

*The Brussels sprout stock in above photo was purchased at Trader Joe’s. The “squatty plants” are in my garden.

**Gardner & Bloome has a “Natural and Organic Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer.”

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Tie a Pink Ribbon Around your Garden Hat

October 1, 2010

Today is Pink Friday

 As an eighteen-year survivor

I’m wearing Pink to celebrate life

and

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 Please do the same.

 

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September Contest Winner

October 1, 2010

The winner of In and Around the Garden’s September Contest is:

 Valerie H.

Congratulations Valerie. I hope you enjoy your Lowe’s $10 gift card.

Thank you, everyone, for participating.

Your comments were encouraging and helpful.

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Budding Garden Thoughts

September 30, 2010

MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected  

 

“It does me good, sometimes, to be alone

To break away from mosaic pieces of my life

To find repose again.”

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2010 Dianne Marie Andre

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October Garden Tasks

September 29, 2010

Please note:  What I write in this space are lessons learned through trial and error, research, and from other gardeners and professionals. I garden in zone 9, but share garden experiences that I believe are relevant to most zones within a reasonable time frame and planting conditions.

October

Maintenance:  Take a walk around the outside of your house and the grounds. Note what tasks need attention. Some may include removal or replacement of tree stakes, weeds pulled, mulch added, struggling plants relocated or removed, gutters and downspouts cleaned, leaky faucets repaired, timers adjusted to the changing weather, old hoses replaced, portable lawn sprinklers and tools picked up and put away, chemicals properly disposed of or safely locked up, drip lines and drip heads replaced or unclogged.

If you don’t keep bird feeders filled during winter months, clean and store them until spring.

In the vegetable garden:  Keep critters away and eliminate pests and disease by removing debris from under fruit trees. Toss fallen, rotten fruit in the compost pile or feed them to your farm animals.

Sow seeds of  carrots, mustard, turnips, radishes, beets, peas, and parsnips.

Direct seed or transplant fava beans, Swiss chard, spinach, shallots, onions, lettuce, collards, cilantro, bok choy (or pak choi), rutabaga.

Other transplants include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery (cooking variety will grow year-round), beets, kohirabi, and leeks, Brussels sprouts, chives, parsley.

In the landscape:  Fall is the best time of year to plant most any type of tree, shrub, groundcover, and vine. This is the season to shop for autumn hues, and bargains.

Keep ponds and birdbaths clean of fallen leaves. Rake and remove leaves from lawns and beds.

Lay sod or sow seed for new lawns. Bare patches on old turfs can be seeded or filled in with sod.

Plant bulbs:  daffodils, tulips, narcissus, crocus, freesias, irises.

Keep dead-heading roses and perennials. Divide and replant perennials such as daylilies, lamb’s ears, Shasta daisies, yarrow.

For cool-season annual colors transplant Iceland poppies, primroses, sweet peas, snapdragons, annual stock, pansies, violas, sweet Alyssum, forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons, Johnny-jump-ups, calendulas, dianthus, lobelia, larkspur. From seed, sow California poppies.

Copyright © 2010 Dianne Marie Andre

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Insect Verdict

September 28, 2010

Dr. Gillian W. Watson, California Pest Prevention Service’s Entomology Lab, emailed the results regarding the plant sample that I mailed last week for scale identification.  Dr. Watson recognized the scale on my “Stairway to Heaven Jacob’s Ladder” (Polemonium reptans) plants as Coccus hesperidum, Common name Soft Brown Scale, C rated (native insect).

Dr. Watson also wrote, “Unfortunately, as an identification lab we cannot advise you on how to control them. Your County Agricultural Commissioner’s office can help you in that way or perhaps your local Nursery.”

Instead of contacting the suggested services, I turned to my Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs book for a quick read. Fortunately, Soft Brown Scale seldom causes serious damage. One recommendation is to treat with horticultural oil during dormant season or in spring when crawlers are active. The text also suggested removing heavily infested branches. Unfortunately, most of the stems and leaves on my plants were extremely infested. As I shared before (see September 22 post.), I opted to pull them out.

Although I lost two of my favorite plants, I view this backyard experience as a learning tutorial:  Examine my plants closely at the first sign of trouble, and send a sample for insect identification ASAP.

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October Events

September 27, 2010

October calendar of events has been posted. Click on ‘Events’ under Pages on the sidebar. I hope you find something fun and educational in your area.

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