A Master Gardener's Journal

Today we'll hear from Joe Daniels, Delaware County Master Gardener, who will advise us on what gardening chores need to be done in July.

Houseplants:

1. If you will be leaving for a few days of vacation, you can help your plants stay moist until you return. Loosely cover the plants with a clear plastic bag and move them out of direct sunlight.

2. This is an excellent time to propagate houseplants, especially coleus, fuchsia, geraniums, wandering jew, swedish ivy, wax plant and other succulent plants.

Bulbs:

1. Divide bearded iris, using the vigorous outer portions of the rhizomes. Leaves can be cut back to 8" tall.

2. Order iris and peonies for planting this fall.

Vegetable Gardens:

1. Continue to plant heat resistant vegetables like beans, chard, and cucumber.

2. Provide shade to lettuce, radishes, and spinach to discourage bolting(stretching and flowering).

3. Watch for tomato hornworms; hand-pick these large caterpillars off.

4. Prepare for your fall garden with potatoes, broccoli, carrots and other fall crops.

5. Continue to weed your vegetable garden and apply fertilizer as needed.

Small fruits:

1. Blueberries, grapes and raspberries should be covered with netting to prevent birds from eating the entire crop.

2 Strawberries, June-bearers only, should be renovated following fruiting..

3. Fertilize strawberries now.

Lawns:

1. Be careful not to cut grass too short, most should be around 2 -5 " to avoid drought damage problems.

2. Leave nitrogen rich clippings on the lawn to keep it greener.

3. Water your lawn in any week where there is less than an inch of rainfall.

4. If using herbicides, be cautious about applications during very hot days, injury to desirable plants increases then.

5. Aerate lawns to improve drought resistance. A step-on plug aerator is okay for small areas.

6. Maintain lawn mower, by keeping the mower blades sharpened and replacing the air filter and oil per the owner's manual.

Perennials, Biennials, & Annuals:

1. Continue pinching mums and asters so that plants can flower in late summer and fall (but not much after mid July).

2. Echinacea, some sedums, and astilbe produce decorative seedpods which you may want to cut for dried arrangements, or leave them on the plants for winter garden enjoyment.

3. Deadhead (remove) dying and dead flower heads from flowering plants, unless you want them to reseed the area. Columbine and foxglove are among the many plants which will reseed.

4. A mid-summer application of liquid fertilizer will help to keep your flowers coming through the remainder of the summer.

5. More frequent waterings will be needed if you have a sunny, windy location. Be sure to water deeply at each watering.

6. Dig, divide and replant crowded iris plants.

Trees & Shrubs:

1. Native trees and shrubs may require additional watering if there is not at least 1" of rain per week.

2. When you shear hedges, remember to shape them so that the bottom is wider than the top if you look at the plants from the side. This will help keep growth full to the ground.

3. Many trees and shrubs can be propagated from cuttings in July and August. Most will take five or more years to reach the size of the plants you usually find in nurseries, however, producing your own plants can be very satisfying.

4. Check trees for webs of Fall Webworm.

5. Remove dead, dying, or hazardous tree limbs..

6. Remove sucker growth from trees.

7. Keep plants mulched to conserve water and cool roots (but remember, don't build any Tree Volcanoes . . . . . . we'll be watching!!!!!!!!)

8. A report from Michigan State University indicated that in 50 years a healthy tree can produce $31,250 worth of oxygen, recycle $37,500 in water, provide $62,000 in air pollution control, and $31,250 in soil erosion control. Consider
adding a tree to your landscape this fall.

Roses:

1. If heat is excessive this month, your flowers may be about half their usual size; they should recover to normal size when the weather cools. Cut fertilization to half strength to avoid stressing the plants further.

2. Reduce problems with black spot by watering only in the morning and remove lower leaves of diseased plants to improve air circulation.

Water Gardens:

1. Remove dead leaves.

2. If mosquitoes are a problem, add a few goldfish to the water.

Compost:

Keep the compost pile moist, but not wet. Comfrey is an excellent compost addition. The large succulent leaves help break down "browns".

And. . .

* Keep plants mulched to conserve water and cool roots (PLEASE, NO volcano mounds!!)

* Enjoy your gardens in the month of July. Go out early in the morning to garden or after the sun sets, drink plenty of liquids and stay cool.

* Keep weeding!

* Watch for insects and damage and take appropriate steps.

* If you've kept up with your gardening chores so far, you'll have earned a chance to relax just as the weather starts to heat up. Take some lemonade into the garden and take mental or written notes of what to change or do differently next year.

You can find more of Joe's gardening tips at our website: http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGtip_archieve.html

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

Concerned about pollution and global warming? Don’t think one person can make a difference? Oh yes you can! Did you know that how you garden can actually harm the environment? Would you like to learn how to practice environmentally responsible gardening on your own little plot of planet Earth? Read on…

Gardeners contribute to pollution and harm the environment in the following ways:

1. wasted water: by inefficient watering and by planting species that are water hogs

2. water pollution: pesticides and fertilizers from gardens and lawns runoff into streams, lakes and bays

3. air pollution: caused by hydrocarbon emissions from gas powered lawnmowers, trimmers and blowers (A lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as a car driven for 350 miles!)

4. yard waste: a major (and unnecessary) contributor to our landfill crisis

5. loss of diversity: caused by planting invasive plants that escape from the garden and choke out native vegetation, resulting in loss of habitat for wildlife

6. use of pesticides: can cause serious harm to human health and often kill beneficial insects and other wildlife.

Why should we care?

The pollution of our environment is taking a toll on our health, killing wildlife and contributing to global warming.

All green plants (not just trees) give off oxygen, which we humans need to breathe. The greater the amount of green vegetation, the more oxygen is produced. Let’s plant more of the right kind of green!

Half of our country is either dry or in drought conditions. Arizona as well as North Carolina and South Carolina are involved in legal battles over water rights. Who knows where the next problem will develop? Or what measures will be taken to solve the problem?

How you can help

1. Conserve water! Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation, mulch with shredded leaves and plant drought resistant plants.

2. Reduce (or eliminate) the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers (ask a Master Gardener about IPM—Integrated Pest Management)

3. Use electric instead of gas-powered garden tools or use hand tools.

4. Compost your yard waste and vegetable scraps instead of sending it to the landfill. Sign up for one of our composting workshops to learn how. (you’ll receive a free compost bin when you attend the class—what a deal!)

5. Buy native plants. Do not plant those nasty invasive species, which are still occasionally sold at garden centers. Remove any invasives that you have on your property (call the Master Gardeners hort line at 610-690-2671 for a list of natives and invasives)

6. Plant trees on the south and west sides of your house. They will provide shade and reduce your AC bills. Use the money you save to buy native plants.

7. Create a wildlife habitat area on your property. (call the Master Gardeners hortline for instructions)

8. Reduce the size of your lawn. Plant more trees, shrubs, native grasses and groundcovers. I can hear the screams of protest over that one, so I’d better give you a few reasons why it’s a good idea.

Lawns are high maintenance. They need to be cut, watered, fertilized and fussed over and sprayed with weed killers. Hey guys, wouldn’t you rather spend your time watching the Eagles--or a hummingbird sipping nectar from your Salvia? And if you’re paying a lawn service to do all that maintenance, think of all the money you’d save. If you just can’t let go of your lawn, investigate alternatives to pesticides and weed killers.

Over 67% of Americans have a garden. Those home gardeners spend over $11 billion a year on pesticides. That’s more pesticides than all of our farmers use for their crops. Think about it. There are healthier alternatives—we just have to learn about them and change our gardening practices. Together, we gardeners can make a real impact!

Ready to get started? You guessed it, contact our Master Gardeners hort line at 610-690-2671 for all the information you need. Tell them Marion sent you. And be sure to ask for these publications: A Gardener’s Guide to a Healthier Environment, Neighborly Natural Landscaping: Creating Natural Environments in Residential Areas and Wild-life Friendly Alternatives to Lawns.

The lovely picture at the top of the page (from www.FreeFoto.com) is Foxglove (Digitalis), one of our native plants.

Visit this web site for water conservation tips: http://wateruseitwisely.com/index.shtml

Visit the Master Gardeners web site for information on our next composting class.
http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.html

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

It’s almost twilight and the sun is finally loosening its fiery grip. The garden exhales at the end of this hot steamy day, as a gentle hint of cooler air makes its appearance. Nature’s spacious stillness embraces me and I exhale too, as I survey my surroundings from the comfort of my patio lounge chair.

A soft glow is cast on tree trunks as the sun sinks lower in the hazy sky. Squirrel plays tightrope walker across the top of my deer fence. Jay soars gracefully through trees. A chipmunk rustles among dry leaves, searching for a late day snack. My resident catbird sips from the birdbath as a titmouse and cardinal share dinner at the feeder. I hear the soothing coo of a distant dove. Soon they’ll all be settling in for a restful night. They’re not active 24/7. Can we learn something from them?

Life would be so much easier if we’d just shut out the distractions and retreat to our gardens on a regular basis. Can we find a way to live more simply? I think the answer starts with the word no. No to the unending demands that are placed upon us, no to ceaseless activity, no to the siren call of all our electronic devices, no to the habitual accumulation of more and more “stuff” that brings with it another maintenance chore. And Yes to the enticing call and restorative power of the garden.

UPCOMING DELAWARE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

August 11, 2007: Vegetable & Fruit Sculpting

Registration required. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.html.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

This spring I planted five Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) because the hummingbirds love them. Yes, they’re water hogs, but I mulched heavily with shredded leaves to keep the soil cool and moist and installed a soaker hose for more efficient watering. Then to soothe my conscience, I planted lots of drought-resistant native plants—Aster (of unknown parentage), Salvia ‘Victoria Blue’ (Salvia farinacea), Beard-tongue (Penstemon ‘Husker Red’), Dwarf Russian Sage (Perovskia ‘Little Spire’), Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii), Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis), Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata), Stonecrop ‘Autumn Joy’ (Sedum 'Herbstfreude'), Meadow-rue (Thalictrum), Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’), and a gorgeous Ninebark ‘Summer Wine’ (Physocarpus opulifolious). The bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are as happy with my garden as I am. Actually, we’re more than happy—we’re thrilled!

Wondering why I included the Latin names of my plants? It’s essential information if you want to know the exact identification of a plant. (Remember that Aster I mentioned? There are so many different Aster species, varieties, cultivars and hybryds--if I wanted another one, it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack because I don’t know its full name.)

The Latin name is standard, precise and used worldwide. The common name can vary and is not used in all regions. To muddy the waters, the same common name may be used for several different plants. And the same plant may have two or three common names. On top of that, there are so many varieties, cultivars and hybrids that you really need the full name to accurately ID a plant.

So when you want to be sure you and your friend (or the local gardening center staff) are referring to the same plant, use the Latin name--or you may be in for a big surprise when the plant doesn’t do what you expect it to do. How would you feel if you planted an expensive plant in an established bed and found out after it grows and blooms that it's the wrong size, wrong shape, wrong color, and looks miserably out of place with the rest of your landscape? (kind of like gold and pink together—yuk!)

In my next blog entry, I'll explain genus, species and common names so you'll be able to read those plant tags like a pro.

UPCOMING DELAWARE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

August 11, 2007: Vegetable & Fruit Sculpting

Registration required. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.html.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

The name of a plant sold at a nursery should include the genus, species and common name on its tag. The first name you’ll see on the tag is the genus name. It’s always capitalized and italicized. The species name follows the genus name and is also italicized, but is not capitalized. In the example on the left, Pennisetum is the genus, setaceum is the species and Purple Fountain Grass is the common name.

A genus is a cluster of plants with common characteristics that are easily recognized. Aster, Crocus and Petunia are examples of genus names. A genus may contain a single species (as in Ginkgo) or more than 100 species (as in Rosa). The genus is always the first word of the two Latin names of a plant--for example, Ginkgo biloba or Rosa rugosa.

A species is a group of similar plants that live together in nature and cross breed among themselves. They have common characteristics and reproduce baby plants that are consistently like the parent plant, although there can be slight differences in appearance. The next time you walk through the woods, notice the variation in plants of a single species. For example, a Trillium will have three leaves and three petals, but the color and markings may vary slightly from plant to plant.

Plant characteristics include:

1. height and width
2. length and season of bloom
3. flower type, size, shape and color
4. leaf size, shape and color
5. bud shape and color
6. stem shape and color
7. seasonal foliage color

All of these characteristics can vary depending on the genus, species, cultivar, hybrid and variety. Lucky for us, plants have Latin names! And who do we have to thank for having to learn all these Latin names? A Swedish naturalist named Linnaeus (a.k.a. Carl von Linne), who published his work in a book called Species Plantarum in 1753.

Linnaeus came up with the binomial nomenclature (two name) system, a scientific method of classifying plants. In this system, a plant name has a genus, a species, and sometimes a sub-species and cultivar. Linnaeus simplified naming immensely (can you believe it!) by designating one Latin name to indicate the genus, and one as a "shorthand" name for the species.

That’s enough to absorb in one reading, don’t you think? I don't know about you, but the first time I heard all this, my eyes glazed over and it went flying right over my head. So I'm calling time out. Next time I’ll blog about varieties, cultivars, and hybrids.

But if you can't wait and you’d like more horticulture definitions now, here’s the perfect web site to visit: http://dodge.unl.edu/HPGlossary/GlossaryA.htm

If you find Linnaeus fascinating and want to know more about him, try this website: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/linnaeus.html

UPCOMING DELAWARE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

September 8, 2007: Gourds & Birdhouses
Learn how to make birdhouses and other useful items from gourds you can grow in your garden. This is a hands-on workshop.

Registration required. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.html.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

To continue our discussion about plant tags, did you know that var means variety and cv means cultivar? And an x between the first and second Latin name means the plant is a hybrid.

A variety is a subdivision of a species or a plant group within a species that has its own special characteristics. Many new varieties of plants with variegated foliage, new colors or double flowers are cultivars. That’s a really good thing for those of us addicted to plants. It means there will always be a new little gem to try in our gardens.

A cultivar isn’t grown by Mother Nature—it’s developed and produced by humans. Cultivars keep their characteristics (bloom color, size, light preferences, etc) only when reproduced by plant breeders. If left to their own devices, cultivated plants revert back to their original characteristics.

The cultivar name is capitalized (but not italicized) and written in single quotes, as in Saliva ‘Victoria Blue’. A cultivar may also be designated by the letters cv. before the name with no quotes. According to the rule of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, cultivars named after 1959 cannot be given Latin names. They must have modern language names (to the relief of those who hate learning Latin names).

A hybrid is a cross between two different species of the same genus. Hybrids can occur in the wild or in cultivation. The hybrid plant will have combined characteristics of both parent species. For example Magnolia x loebner, is a cross between Magnolia kobus and Magnolia stellata

Now you can read those plant tags and make sense of them, right?

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING DELAWARE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

MASTER GARDENERS NEWS FLASH: Eleanor Tickner, one of our Delaware County Master Gardeners, is mentioned on page A4 of the August/September issue of Horticulture magazine. She’s our peony specialist. Check it out!

Bumblebees are so much fun to watch. And they don’t mind if I practically stick my nose into the flowers with them. So I’m guessing they must be friendly and tolerant. And speaking of industrious--they keep their proboscises to the grindstone from 6 AM till 8 PM (and maybe even longer, but I can’t be out there 24/7 to observe them.)

I planted an Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’) this spring as a gift for the bumblebees. I didn’t have to tell them, they just knew--and claimed it for their own as soon as it started to flower. They spend the entire day drifting through the golden green foliage and foraging for pollen on those fuzzy lavender blossoms. I even found one sleeping upside down underneath a leaf one evening. I guess he wanted to get a head start for tomorrow’s pollen collection. Talk about dedication!

And it’s lucky for us that they’re so dedicated. Those little workaholics do the pollinating for our flower gardens and crops, not to mention all the wildflowers that keep biodiversity going on this planet. (Bumblebees pollinate many wild flowers that birds and small mammals rely on for food.)

But here’s the bad news—did you know that all of our bees are in trouble? It’s true! Honey bees have been dying in unprecedented numbers. Meanwhile, the natural habitats of bumblebees and other native bees are being destroyed or polluted. Where does a homeless bee find food and shelter?

Home gardeners can help! And if we don’t help those little guys, who's going to pollinate our fruits, vegetables and flowers? Think about it. We can give bumblebees a place to live by leaving a small portion of our land untouched. They like to build nests under old tree trunks and in abandoned rodent nests. We can supply them with food by planting the flowers they love. Every little bit helps, even if it’s just a window box filled with their favorite flowers. A small bumblebee garden may not seem like much, but think about how many gardeners there are in America. Together, we can play a vital role in feeding and protecting our bees.

If you’d like to befriend bumblebees, there are plenty of good plant choices. For a list of plants, go to this website (scroll down to the Bumblebee Blossoms section): Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

If you’d like to learn more about pollinators, come to our Master Gardeners Fall Fest on September 29. Jim Bobb will be presenting a mini-workshop on pollinators. Jim is the owner of Worchester Honey Farm, President of the PA State Beekeeper Association, a Montgomery County Master Gardener, a Barnes Foundation Instructor, and a Longwood Gardens lab instructor.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events (except plant sale). Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.

The picture on the left demonstrates why I plant phlox in my garden. This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was completely still for a very long time as it happily sipped nectar from my flower. I was able to take six pictures without it moving anything other than its proboscis.

Let’s not forget butterflies when we’re thinking about helping our wildlife to survive in an increasingly shrinking habitat that is laced with pesticides and pollution. Those winged wonders need our help too. And they give back so much pleasure. I can’t imagine a summer in my garden without these graceful creatures.

A small butterfly garden would be an exciting treat for your children or grandchildren. What a wildlife teaching opportunity! Butterflies are fascinating and fun to watch in all stages of their lives. And you can start a butterfly garden with just a few pots of carefully chosen sun loving plants. Single blooms are better than double blooms, because their nectar is more accessible and easier to extract. Try easy annuals like zinnia, marigold, pentas, lantana and globe amaranth.

Butterflies can’t drink from bird baths or ponds. They need a special little “water hole” of their very own. You can take care of a butterfly’s water needs by placing a shallow saucer filled with moist salty sand near your plants. To make your butterflies really happy, place a flat rock in your garden so they can sunbathe on it to warm up on those cool mornings.

Remember not to use pesticides in or near your butterfly garden. A certain amount of chewing will occur, but how else can caterpillars get the fuel to turn into those lovely winged beauties?

For more information about butterflies and the plants they love, go to How to Make Butterfly Gardens and Butterfly Gardening or call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON and ask for PA Wildlife Publication # 8, Gardening for Butterflies.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events (except plant sale). Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.

Invasive plants are an ecological disaster. They take over the countryside, leaving the death and destruction of our native plants in their wake--which means that they’re also destroying wildlife habitat. Invasives are difficult to eradicate because they’re so prolific. They spread like wildfire as they jump from yard to yard, so we need the combined efforts of all home gardeners to help control these interlopers on our properties.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live in a world made up exclusively of Japanese stiltgrass (pictured on the right) and multifolora rose. So I’ve taken a stand on my little corner of planet Earth. NO INVASIVES ALLOWED! Prevention is the best way to control invasives. Get to know the invasives in your area. Check your property on a regular basis and remove invasives as soon as you see them. Share this information with your friends and neighbors.

Purple Loosestrife and Garlic Mustard are two more of the ten "least wanted" invasives we’re dealing with right now. Take a good look so you’ll be able to recognize them.

To read what Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences is doing to prevent and control invasives in our state, go to Battle With Invasive Plants.

For information about Pennsylvania's top ten invasive plants, go to Top Ten Invasives.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events (except plant sale). Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.

Want to make a Master Gardener shudder in horror? Mention mulch volcanos—those cone-shapedl mounds of mulch applied to the base of trees. They’re everywhere. And where there are mulch volcanos, tree death can follow.

But mulch isn’t bad, it’s good—right? I’ll give a conditional yes to that question. Mulch is a great help to trees, if it’s applied correctly. Mulch helps control weeds, reduces erosion, helps water penetrate to the roots and conserves soil moisture. It looks nice, too.

However, mulch that’s too thick will suffocate plant roots and cause the soil to become water-logged, resulting in root rot or fungus disease. And mulch applied directly against the tree trunk can create constantly moist conditions that allow disease to develop.

And there's another reason to place mulch away from tree trunks. Rodents love nesting in thick mulch. It gives them secret access to gnawing on your tree bark. Did you know that tree death can be caused by rodents gnawing all the way around the trunk of a tree? You won’t realize what’s happening till it’s too late because the destruction of the bark is hidden by the mulch.

Here’s the correct way to mulch around a tree:

Apply to a depth of 2 to 3” only
Apply at least 3-4 inches away from tree trunks
Extend mulch out to the drip line.

Ok, now that you know the proper way to mulch, please help keep our precious trees alive. Join us in stamping out mulch vlocanos!

Need more information? Go to Why Volcano Mulches Are Bad or call our Master Gardeners Hortline at 610-690-2671.

Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events (except plant sale). Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website at http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.