Hello again,
Good garden center friend Hammon Buck owns and operates a fine garden center in Rockport ME called Plants Unlimited. Hammon quite often sends out some quality gardening advice to his customer list and I wanted to share this with you as a good reminder:
"Mulching is one of the best lines of defense for perennial plants against chilling temperatures. Mulching also can prevent the repeated freezing and thawing of soil that causes plants to "heave" out of the ground.
But the trick is not to mulch too soon. Mulching needs to be done after the ground starts to freeze but before the first significant snowfall of the year. If you mulch sooner, mice and other rodents may nest in the mulch, and plants may not be completely dormant. In general, the end of November is a good time to apply mulch in Maine although if an early snowstorm is predicted, you may want to apply mulch before it hits.
You can use pine needles, straw, leaves, or shredded bark. Straw is the best mulch because it is hollow and that provides good insulation. If you use leaves, make sure they are finely chopped to prevent them from matting down. (Another good reason to wait a few more weeks before mulching is that mice and other rodents will use these loose mulches--all of which I prefer--as a winter nest if they are laid down as mulch too early).
Apply a layer at least three to four inches thick around each plant. After you've laid it down, gently pull it away from the trunks and stems to give plants room to breathe. This helps prevent disease problems. Deeper mulching may be necessary in especially cold or windy sites. "
Showing posts with label perennial mulching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perennial mulching. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
An "Open Winter" Check of Perennials
Hello again,
Folks what an open winter indeed we have seen in Skillin's Country! With so much more fallen snow to the south of us this winter has been a head scratcher indeed!
Good friend Hammon Buck of Plants Unlimited sends out some very nice gardening information and this recent post came to my attention and I thought I would pass it on to you. This is extremely topical and VERY good advice for us gardeners in Skillin's Country. Plants Unlimited is a terrific garden center based in Rockport Maine. Hammon and I talk quite often and I always learn something about gardening and garden center business when we do speak. I hope he benefits some as well. Plants Unlimited is always worth a visit and they can be found at http://www.plants-unlimited.com/ and also at 629 Commercial Street (Route 1) in Rockport ME.
Here is the post:
"Outdoors, check your perennial plants. An "open winter," like this one demonstrates the need for protective mulch on strawberries and many perennial flowers as well as garlic, over-wintered spinach, and other crops that can easily be damaged by alternate warming and freezing of the soil. Although it is too late to undo any damage that's done, mulching now can prevent additional damage caused by spring fluctuations in soil temperatures.
Perennials, especially those newly planted last season, will sometimes "heave" out of the ground with an open winter (and the alternate warming and freezing of the soil that comes with an open winter. If you can't "step" or get the plant back into the ground, mulch it heavily and do so as soon as the frost leaves the ground. (and folks the frost is leaving the ground in sunny exposed areas of Skillin's Country!)
So far, we are not expecting too much plant damage with our lack of snowfall because temperatures have been fairly mild without giant fluctuations. Let's hope we don't have a "big chill"!" (that would cause the ground to "seize up" the root system!)
As I said to my good friend Joe one warm day: "Joe days like this as lovely as it is--this is why we mulch!" (To keep the ground frozen!)
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 24, 2010
Folks what an open winter indeed we have seen in Skillin's Country! With so much more fallen snow to the south of us this winter has been a head scratcher indeed!
Good friend Hammon Buck of Plants Unlimited sends out some very nice gardening information and this recent post came to my attention and I thought I would pass it on to you. This is extremely topical and VERY good advice for us gardeners in Skillin's Country. Plants Unlimited is a terrific garden center based in Rockport Maine. Hammon and I talk quite often and I always learn something about gardening and garden center business when we do speak. I hope he benefits some as well. Plants Unlimited is always worth a visit and they can be found at http://www.plants-unlimited.com/ and also at 629 Commercial Street (Route 1) in Rockport ME.
Here is the post:
"Outdoors, check your perennial plants. An "open winter," like this one demonstrates the need for protective mulch on strawberries and many perennial flowers as well as garlic, over-wintered spinach, and other crops that can easily be damaged by alternate warming and freezing of the soil. Although it is too late to undo any damage that's done, mulching now can prevent additional damage caused by spring fluctuations in soil temperatures.
Perennials, especially those newly planted last season, will sometimes "heave" out of the ground with an open winter (and the alternate warming and freezing of the soil that comes with an open winter. If you can't "step" or get the plant back into the ground, mulch it heavily and do so as soon as the frost leaves the ground. (and folks the frost is leaving the ground in sunny exposed areas of Skillin's Country!)
So far, we are not expecting too much plant damage with our lack of snowfall because temperatures have been fairly mild without giant fluctuations. Let's hope we don't have a "big chill"!" (that would cause the ground to "seize up" the root system!)
As I said to my good friend Joe one warm day: "Joe days like this as lovely as it is--this is why we mulch!" (To keep the ground frozen!)
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 24, 2010
Friday, April 3, 2009
Perennial Basics: Weekly and Seasonal Tasks
The following article (reprinted from Spring 2008) wraps up our Perennial Basics series. We have presented this series weekly for the last few weeks. The previous articles are easy to find by looking to the right tab! Let us know if you have any questions!
We sell a wide variety of perennials at Skillin’s. We define perennials as usually green or herbaceous plants that are best planted in beds with other perennials or as a complement to your shrub and tree (woody) or annual plantings or other aspects of your landscape world.
Perennial plants are intended to give us the ever hopeful gardener years of enjoyment as we nurture and feed them, pinch and prune them, and divide and worry about them. Yes, perennials become an extension of our family. Many perennials do not flower for long periods of time which only makes our appreciation of their colorful offerings that much sweeter when that time of year comes. Perennials are a blessing!
Last year I came across a great article in a garden center trade magazine called “Green Profits” titled “Perennial Gardening Basics”. I think the article is fantastic for all perennial gardeners. For the next few weeks, I intend to give you small excerpts from the article (to whet your perennial gardening whistle). If at any time you would like the entire article emailed to you just let me know at info@skillins.com and I will send you a “Word” attachment.
Here are some weekly and serasonal perennial garden duties to add to your “workout.”
Weekly
First of all, if rainfall is intermittent, you will need to water your perennial garden. Check below the top two or three inches of soil and water if dry. Try to avoid wetting plant leaves during the day to prevent the spread of some plant diseases.
Spend some time walking through your perennial gardens removing spent flowers and damaged leaves by hand or with a hand pruner. Also, inspect for insects, diseases and signs of animal damage. Watch for leaves with holes or ragged edges; discolored or spotted leaves; chewed flowers or buds; or damaged stems. Once you have spotted a problem, your best move is to take the damaged part of the plant to your favorite garden center for a positive identification. They will also be able to recommend solutions for just about anything you confront them with. If you have no luck at the garden center, contact your local cooperative extension service.
Finally, everyone’s favorite task: weeding. Use a hoe with a small, sharp blade; a weeder; or pull them by hand. The trick is to get them by the root. Remember, you can burn as many as 300 calories an hour doing light weeding. There’s your incentive.
Seasonally
Keeping your garden tidy by edging the beds will add to its beauty. For the best results, use a half-moon edger or spade. Facing your garden, push the blade straight down about three or four inches. Then simply pull the handle toward you to remove a wedge of soil. Once you edge your garden once, it’s easy to keep it looking good with minimal effort.
Fertilizing and mulching should also be done periodically throughout the year - maybe not monthly, but certainly first thing in the spring and again heading into winter. Use a slow release, granular fertilizer or natural alternative in the spring. This should feed your garden well into the summer. Fertilizer formulations specifically for perennial gardens should not be difficult to find.
Mulch should be no deeper than two inches and organic materials like shredded bark should be replaced as they break down. (I like to mulch with compost, instead of conventional bark mulch)
Cut back most perennials to within eight to 10 inches from the ground after the tops die back or leave them intact for protection against the cold. In spring, cut back all dead stems to the ground and rake out debris. If you have questions about pruning back specific varieties, ask your favorite garden center expert.
Good Luck & Have Fun
I hope you are excited to get started planning a perennial garden. It is sure to provide years of enjoyment and receive plenty of compliments from friends and neighbors, all for very little effort.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 2009
We sell a wide variety of perennials at Skillin’s. We define perennials as usually green or herbaceous plants that are best planted in beds with other perennials or as a complement to your shrub and tree (woody) or annual plantings or other aspects of your landscape world.
Perennial plants are intended to give us the ever hopeful gardener years of enjoyment as we nurture and feed them, pinch and prune them, and divide and worry about them. Yes, perennials become an extension of our family. Many perennials do not flower for long periods of time which only makes our appreciation of their colorful offerings that much sweeter when that time of year comes. Perennials are a blessing!
Last year I came across a great article in a garden center trade magazine called “Green Profits” titled “Perennial Gardening Basics”. I think the article is fantastic for all perennial gardeners. For the next few weeks, I intend to give you small excerpts from the article (to whet your perennial gardening whistle). If at any time you would like the entire article emailed to you just let me know at info@skillins.com and I will send you a “Word” attachment.
Here are some weekly and serasonal perennial garden duties to add to your “workout.”
Weekly
First of all, if rainfall is intermittent, you will need to water your perennial garden. Check below the top two or three inches of soil and water if dry. Try to avoid wetting plant leaves during the day to prevent the spread of some plant diseases.
Spend some time walking through your perennial gardens removing spent flowers and damaged leaves by hand or with a hand pruner. Also, inspect for insects, diseases and signs of animal damage. Watch for leaves with holes or ragged edges; discolored or spotted leaves; chewed flowers or buds; or damaged stems. Once you have spotted a problem, your best move is to take the damaged part of the plant to your favorite garden center for a positive identification. They will also be able to recommend solutions for just about anything you confront them with. If you have no luck at the garden center, contact your local cooperative extension service.
Finally, everyone’s favorite task: weeding. Use a hoe with a small, sharp blade; a weeder; or pull them by hand. The trick is to get them by the root. Remember, you can burn as many as 300 calories an hour doing light weeding. There’s your incentive.
Seasonally
Keeping your garden tidy by edging the beds will add to its beauty. For the best results, use a half-moon edger or spade. Facing your garden, push the blade straight down about three or four inches. Then simply pull the handle toward you to remove a wedge of soil. Once you edge your garden once, it’s easy to keep it looking good with minimal effort.
Fertilizing and mulching should also be done periodically throughout the year - maybe not monthly, but certainly first thing in the spring and again heading into winter. Use a slow release, granular fertilizer or natural alternative in the spring. This should feed your garden well into the summer. Fertilizer formulations specifically for perennial gardens should not be difficult to find.
Mulch should be no deeper than two inches and organic materials like shredded bark should be replaced as they break down. (I like to mulch with compost, instead of conventional bark mulch)
Cut back most perennials to within eight to 10 inches from the ground after the tops die back or leave them intact for protection against the cold. In spring, cut back all dead stems to the ground and rake out debris. If you have questions about pruning back specific varieties, ask your favorite garden center expert.
Good Luck & Have Fun
I hope you are excited to get started planning a perennial garden. It is sure to provide years of enjoyment and receive plenty of compliments from friends and neighbors, all for very little effort.
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 2009
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