Moving the Action Indoors: Amaryllis

Checked the calendar on Wednesday: just six weeks to Christmas! And that brings thoughts of one of my favorite indoor blooms...amaryllis. Of course, there are many parts of the world where amaryllis bloom naturally outdoors, and I do put my spent bulbs outside during the Spring and Summer months, but for us here in USDA Zone 7B, we have to force the bulbs to bloom "out of season" for those lovely blooms during the Holidays.

Here's a picture (right) of Red Lion blooming from last year...or, actually from earlier this year. I did not get the process going on time in the last weeks of Summer 2012, so they didn't bloom at Christmas...they bloomed at New Year's.

 

Process, you say? What process?

Many people who receive a blooming amaryllis for a gift simply toss the bulb when the blooms fade. Being the primal garbage gardener that I am, I cannot do that. I have to at least give reblooming a try. I found this great step-by-step approach from the US National Arboretum that outlines how to make it work: click here to go there.

As I said, I leave the potted (spent) bulbs, with the strappy leaves intact, outside during the warmer months. This year, I snipped off the leaves, dug them up, and brought the bulbs inside mid-September, in order to give them a good 8-week resting period. 

The bulbs spent this "time-out" in a divided box (originally made for Ball canning jars) in the guest bathroom tub (coolest place I could think of)...a room that stayed dark the entire period. There is no window in that room, and we did not turn on the light, or even enter it for the resting period.

I have been mulling over how to display them this year, wanting to do a little better than just individual plants in individual pots. I thumbed through one of my indoor gardening books, "Tabletop Gardens," by Rosemary McCreary (Storey Publishing, 2006) to get an inspiration, and then I revisited my Master Gardener Speakers Bureau binder on a presentation I gave on Containers for some ideas.

And then, during a retail therapy visit to Big Lots, I happened across these ginormous Christmas-themed wine glasses...clearly marked "FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES ONLY." Inspiration, ideas, and opportunity all collided...and two of those 'glasses' came home with me.

My vision was to create two mirror-image tabletop container gardens for the dining room table Holiday centerpiece with three amaryllis bulbs each (they would eventually grow up to be the Thrillers), a tuft of a soft-bladed houseplant each (they would be the Fillers), and several long stems of English ivy, pulled from the over-run bed in front of our house (these would be the Spillers). I chose the wine glasses with the red and black Santa suit theme because I wanted to use as the center of this centerpiece tableau a wicker pot "cover" that is black with red accents...looks like Frosty the Snowman's top hat turned over...to contain a plain pot holding the largest amaryllis bulbs variety I have called 'Sydney.' Oh yes, Big Daddy (Sidney Lunn) is with us for every Holiday meal!

First, I gathered my materials: aquarium charcoal (acts as a filtering agent for containers that don't have drainage holes), sphagnum peat moss (a lighter planting medium than potting soil...holds moisture better), some small river rock (serves as a good 'anchor' base between the charcoal on the bottom of the glasses and the peat moss as the nesting medium for the bulbs and the companion plants) to support the emerging roots. I also got a narrow-spaded trowel and a pair of latex gloves...easier for me to work in than outdoor garden gloves. As I was working inside (too cold to work at my potting bench outside), I covered my workspace in newspaper. Meanwhile, I removed the amaryllis bulbs from their resting box to a large bowl filled with lukewarm water; I wanted to give them a good soak before planting them and get them well-hydrated after their 8-week resting period.

Gathering materials for container gardens

Then, I hand-washed and dried the containers. I placed a layer of charcoal (purchased at Petsmart, in the Fish section), followed by a layer of small river rocks. Then I scooped in a layer of peat moss. 

Unique containers for the Holidays

I first placed the Fillers (to one side of one glass container, mirroring their placement in the other container), since they had the most-developed existing root structure and needed the greatest depth of planting medium (peat moss). I added the long stems of ivy (the Spillers), pushing the root-end deep into the peat moss, adding more as needed for support/anchorage. 

Finally, I arranged three (well-hydrated) bulbs in each of the glasses and one large bulb in the single clay container. I added a bit of peat moss to cover any stray roots...but not too much. Amaryllis bulbs grow best if most of the bulb is showing. I added some larger river rocks on the top. Then I misted everything thoroughly, washing any stray planting media off the sides of the containers. 

Ready to add the amaryllis bulbs

Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers added to containers

To finish up for the time being, I moved all containers to the warmest, sunniest window in the house...and set a light on a timer to make sure they are receiving plenty of light to stimulate bloom-growth. I will keep daily tabs and will mist as often as needed, keeping the media moist but NOT soggy. Remember, there are no drainage holes in the glass containers, and the last thing I want is to develop root-rot.

And hopefully, I'll be posting pictures soon of beautiful blooms!

Blueberries...Beautiful Blueberries!

First harvest of blueberries,
2013

Growing up, I thought the only place one could grow blueberries was Maine. You know, blueberry syrup and all. Am I ever thankful to have learned the truth! Blueberries can be grown in North Carolina (and other parts of the South)...easily, and with great results.

I totally understand how Fats Domino found his thrill on Blueberry Hill. Our blueberry bushes may not be on a hill...actually, they are in raised beds on flat ground...but it has been thrilling to be picking this year.

To recap...

We have 9 rabbiteye blueberry bushes planted in 3 raised beds in the Berry Patch (northeast)quadrant of the Way Back Garden. We purchased our bushes from the Guilford County 4-H in two "batches:" 2 Climax and 1 Premier varieties in the Spring of 2011; 3 Climax and 3 Premier in the Fall of '11.


According to our Soil Test, performed in March of 2011, the soil in this area of the Way Back had a pH of 5.1 (can you say ACID soil?). Fortunately, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension/NC State publication, Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden, blueberries are happiest growing in acid soil, with rabbiteyes preferring a pH of less than 5.3. No lime needed here! We were good to go...after adding the recommended 2 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer. (The actual recommendation on the Soil Test Report says 20 lbs per 1000 sq. ft.; as we have three 32 sq. ft. boxes = 96 sq. ft. total...I rounded that up to 100 sq. ft. to make the math easier...we needed 1/10 of the recommended application = 20/10 = 2 lbs.).

Why rabbiteyes, you may ask? Or, even...what are the different species of blueberries? There are 3 main species that are cultivated for the home garden: high bush, rabbiteye, and southern high bush.

"The rabbiteye (Vaccinium ashei) is more drought and heat resistant and will tolerate a wider range of soil types than the highbush. For these reasons, rabbiteye is easier to establish and grow successfully in the Piedmont..." according to NC State.

The BackyardGardener.com site says the following:

"Vaccinium ashei is a Southeastern U.S. species, well adapted to hot, humid summers with mild winters. They tolerate conditions that other blueberries will not. They generally grow 6 to 8 feet tall, and the blueberries ripen in late spring or early summer."

Both sites recommend planting more than one rabbiteye variety to provide the cross-pollination needed for maximum yields. NC State lists recommended varieties for the Piedmont, including Climax and Premier, which were developed by NC State. And that is just what the (NC) county 4-H was selling. Funny how that worked out, eh?

Mr. T built the raised beds, 8" deep, 8x4 in size. We simply tilled up the native soil, amended only with compost and leaf mold (mainly to help improve the tilth of our native CLAY soil) at planting time.  He also added metal fence posts, one at the end of each box, with a wire strung between them, to provide support for the netting used to protect the harvest from our ever-present bird friends. Here's a shot of the Berry Patch, taken from the Rondel in early 2012:

View of Berry Patch from Rondel,
looking NE, at the blueberry boxes
Spring - 2012

Last Fall (2012), we mulched the beds with leaves (mostly oak), and this Spring prior to bloom, I fertilized them with 10-10-10. As the bushes began to flower, I added Milorganite, which is chiefly a nitrogen fertilizer (5-2-0), based on the Soil Test report's recommendations for Maintenance/When Plants are Mature (after Year 2) :

"After another four to six weeks...nitrogen alone may be applied at this time."

After harvest (and prior to July 20), I will apply another topdressing of Milorganite. Then, we will have the soil tested next Spring per recommendation.

So, that's what we did...now let's see some results! As I have said before, we missed last year's (2012)harvest, due to our extended stay in KY. We didn't know what to expect from this year...but I was basing my expectations on what I wanted to eat.

I wanted a blueberry pie!

Check that goal off the list.! The blueberries have performed in the OUTSTANDING category, if you ask me. I picked an initial 1-2 cups (see picture above) (oh, I can't tell you the exact amount, as I ate so many when I was picking [ducking my head with a sheepish grin]), which were washed, lightly sugared, and eaten on cereal and for dessert.



Second harvest of blueberries,
2013

Then, four days (and three rains) later, I picked over 6 cupsful (left)! That was enough for blueberry pancakes for Sunday Brunch...and my blueberry pie.  [If you want to see those pictures and get the recipe, please visit the family blog The Adsit Adventure posting Found My Thrill here.]

It's Day 3...and as many rains...since I last picked berries, so I am mouth-wateringly looking forward to tomorrow. I'm hoping for another large haul, as I now want to "can" blueberry pie filling.

I found that recipe in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine. I'm adding this book to my favorite gardening books, for sure...since, once you harvest, you have to do something with all that produce, right?

I'm also thinking at trying my hand at making Blueberry Syrup. Never done that before. I found this recipe on the Ball FreshPreserving.com site:  Blueberry Syrup recipe.

So, let's do the math.  I will need 7 cups of blueberries for the Pie Filling recipe. And, I will need 8 cups of blueberries for the Blueberry Syrup recipe. That's 15 cups of blueberries I need!

Grow, blueberries, grow!

Happy hoeing!



Gardening from Inside Out

Even when you can't get outside into your garden, you can still increase your yield by taking stock of your situation and increasing your knowledge. It's review time!

Today, in addition to recapping and reviewing our garden situation, I'll share my comments of a recently-read book with you, Landscape Planning - Practical Techniques for the Home Gardener, by Judith Adam. As she advises on page 43 in the section entitled "Putting it Down on Paper," "you may appreciate seeing the broad picture," so I will take a brief detour...back to where it all began...and attempt to paint a picture with words.

A regular reader of these posts will know that we have been in the planning phase for the Way Back Garden for 3 years now. We took what was essentially a tabula rasa (literally a scraped slate) of a more-or-less square quarter acre on the rear of our suburban lot (the house, driveway, and front/back yards occupy approximately 1/2 acre) and designed four garden "rooms" in what we call the Way Back Garden or WBG.

You will also know that, while we own the property, we also have an easement on most of the WBG, to Duke Energy for their transmission lines. We count ourselves fortunate that it's just the lines that cross our Way Back...no towers...and that, as long as it is under 15 feet tall and not a water feature nor a permanent structure (as in a building), we are good to go!

The previous owners, who built the house and landscaped the front and a small portion of the back yards, just left the Way Back to nature. So when we bought the property in 5/2009, we set about polishing up this neglected jewel by first having it mowed and scraped of the tangle of weeds and brush.

While you might imagine that...with no trees on the Way Back itself (Duke Energy had just come through the easement and whacked down everything that was growing a few months prior to our purchase), that we would be talking about full sun, all day long. And you would be as wrong as I was!

There are giant trees on the north and south sides of this easement, creating what is essentially a huge alley-way, approximately 125 feet square. The Way Back is defined by 8-foot "privacy" wooden fences on both the east and west sides; by a 4-foot "picket" wooden fence with a center gate for access from our back yard on the south side; and by a fledgling ligustrum and forsythia hedge across the north property line. There is also currently a temporary "farm yard" wire fence immediately behind the hedge-row to protect the young bushes from the overly-enthusiastic children of the neighbors beyond.

It is probably good to note that we didn't "design" the fencing across the rear of the Way Back like this. Duke Energy gave their approval to construct the privacy fence down the east side of the property (the one on the west side was already in place, built by our neighbor several years ago), transecting the transmission line alley. But, for reasons that defy logic but conform to the letter of the law, they would NOT allow us to put a fence across the north side, or paralleling the transmission line alley.

Put you a nice hedge across there, said the Duke engineer with the thick NC accent, when we asked what we could do? Of course, hedges do not hinder hounds when they are on a scent, so we had to build the picket fence across the back yard to keep the Drool Gang from going off on routine walkabouts.

Hedges...especially young,growing bushes...do not keep rambunctious kids at bay either. So when we added the first fruit trees to the Orchard on the northwest side of the Way Back, we put up the "temporary" fencing to protect our investment. Two years later and it's still standing...and doing a good job of keeping "them" out and keeping the dogs in. But, I'm getting ahead of myself here...and planning is all about "order and method."*

Some of you will be starting out, much as we did, with a blank slate of certain dimensions. Some of you will already have a garden** in some state of completion, but not the Garden of Your Dreams. Either way, it all begins with your Master Plan. The Master Plan can be summed up as:

1. Define where you are today: Point A.
2. Decide where you want to be at some point in the Future: Point B.
3. Determine how you will get from Point A to Point B.

Think of it as a road map. Know that there may be several interim stops along the way from Point A to Point B. And, you may have to take detours and u-turns and breaks before you reach your final destination, the Garden of Your Dreams. But given time, resources, and determination to succeed...you will succeed!

One the resources you may want to tap is the wealth of information "out there" on designing and planning the Garden of Your Dreams.

Wikipedia says:

"Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise. Most professional garden designers are trained in principles of design and in horticulture, and have an expert knowledge and experience of using plants. Some professional garden designers are also landscape architects, a more formal level of training that usually requires an advanced degree and often a state license. Many amateur gardeners also attain a high level of experience from extensive hours working in their own gardens, through casual study, serious study in Master Gardener Programs, or by joining gardening clubs."

As a Master Gardener, I almost always begin with the written word, since we are trained to use research-based information. Of course, not everything you read is researched-based, but published works are a good place to start.

Judith Adam has written an excellent multi-purpose book for gardeners in Landscape Planning - Practical Techniques for the Home Gardener, Second Edition, published in 2008 by Firefly Publishing. "Practical" is the watchword. From her "Ten Point Property Assessment" to her many and varied "10 Best..." lists ("10 Best Drought Resistant Shrubs;" "10 Best Flowering Shrubs and When to Prune Them;" etc.), Adam has written a garden book that you will return to, long after you think you have achieved the Garden of Your Dreams.

As it relates to our current discussion about planning, though, I think she has outlined the definitive approach: create a multi-year plan. In her case (as well as my own), she has recommended a 4-Year plan, and has given an excellent example on page 46. There is also an exercise to help the reader write up a 4-Year Plan, beginning on page 48.
She made my practical and realistic self sing when she wrote: "Look carefully at what you want to accomplish and establish a logical sequence of events that maximizes all your resources." (p. 42) For instance, you will want to design and create the basic "bones" (hardscapes, such as paths, benches, fences, rock borders, etc.) of your garden before you start sticking pretty flowers here and there...unless you are willing to move those flowers or see them crushed by the wagon hauling the mulch for a new side path. (OK, lesson learned the hard way...:). Hardscapes, you ask? Adam's book not only helps you decide on what you need where and why, it gives you ideas of how to use specific plants to make the most of your investment.

The one weak spot is the paltry "Home Gardener's Reference Library," found on page 238...and it doesn't even fill the whole page. Please. While this book would be a valuable asset in any gardener's library, we trust there must be more than 16 in Ms. Adam's.

I checked today, but there is still no digital version (Kindle, Nook, iTunes, etc.) of this book available. Too bad. It is the perfect reference to be able to search and bookmark and highlight...and not have to heave it off your bookshelf. Still, I imagine lifting this hefty tome will help keep a gardener's arm muscles toned...in order to tackle items on the 4-Year Plan!

Happy hoeing...and reading!


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* "Order and method" is the way Agatha Christie's famous detective, Hercule Poirot solves all of life's mysteries. I'm certain he would approve of my using this approach to gardening.

** Although we in the USA usually use the word "garden" to describe the productive or Kitchen garden...and most often define the word further, i.e., rose garden, flower garden...as opposed to the "yard" or lawn-space, I am using the word to include all the outdoor areas of your property...vegetation as well as amenities.

Wrap Up for April; To Do's for Zone 7 Garden in May

Here's the wrap up on the Way Back Garden from April (look below for the May activities...:):

View of Kitchen Garden with new corner fences:
Lettuces, spinach, broccoli, and cabbage in foreground;
Early corn under cover in back. Taken 4/28/12

Things have been rolling right along, with lots of progress in all the gardens.  I eagerly tackled the planting checklist for the Kitchen Garden, following the average last frost date for our area (typically quoted as being April 15). Since we had experienced a later than usual frost, I had held off on getting many of the transplants and seeds in the ground (although I still had to make a mad dash 4/22/12 to cover some tender tomatoes and boxwood basil (in the photo, right) when I heard the weather forecast).

I'm happy to report that I got eight tomato transplants in, along with seven pepper plants. In the tomato row, I planted a German Johnson, a Marglobe, a Bush Goliath, two Early Girls, a Lemon Boy, a Bonnie Select, and a Rutgers. In the pepper row, I planted four sweet green bell peppers, a yellow bell, an early bell (which matures to red), and a Cubanelle. I still have seedlings of Better Boys, Jet Stars, Romas, and Juliets under grow lamps, along with Fish Peppers. These will all be ready to go into the garden in a couple of weeks, about the same time I plant the next four rows of corn.

I also got seeds planted for pole beans, bush beans, okra, yellow and zucchini squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, and cucumbers. Following a re-read of Louise Riotte's Carrots Love Tomatoes: The Secrets of Companion Planting (a new copy of which I downloaded to my iPad's Nook ap...:), I've interplanted herbs and flowers, such as basil and marigolds in the tomato row and nasturtiums with the squash...attempting to add some natural pest control. (I already have sage and onions planted with the cabbages and the broccoli.)

The blueberries and the blackberries have already flowered and are fruiting up nicely in the Berry Patch.  We knew if we wanted to have any fruit this year, we'd better get the bird nets up, so we did.  We also are seeing lots of strawberries, even though we probably should have removed all the flowers this year (per usual instructions for a new bed) to let them take root...as this is a new bed from the runners of the old bed (formerly in the space now occupied by the Rose Garden)...but I ask you, who can remove the pretty flowers?  Not I.

And I'm proud to report Mr. T put the last three trees in the Orchard, and got the last order of the English roses planted in the Rose Garden. We have three more hybrid teas on order, and that should do it for planting for this year...except for the perennials and annuals for accents, of course. There is ALWAYS an "except for...," isn't there?

So, here's what's on our 'To Do' List for May*:

Kitchen Garden:

·         May 1^st is the beginning of the recommended planting time for bush lima beans (through July 1^st), okra (through May 31^st), and both sweet and hot peppers (through May 31^st ).  May 15^th marks the date to begin planting sweet potatoes (through June 15^th).  I've got a good start on this one.

·         Continue planting pole beans (through July 1^st), cantaloupe/muskmelons (through June 1^st), sweet corn (through June 1^st), cucumbers (through May 15^th), pumpkins (through June 15^th), summer and winter squash (through May 15^th), tomato plants (through July 15^th), and watermelons (through June 1^st).

·         When setting out tomato plants, set up stakes or cages so you won’t disturb the roots later.  Be sure to remove any suckers to encourage the plant’s energy be used for larger fruit rather than side shoots. (I always attempt to root the suckers; many times I'm lucky and get a freebie tomato!)

·         When planting beans (pole and/or bush) and corn, make successive plantings every two weeks to ensure a longer harvest.

·         Plant basil and dill directly in your garden this month.

Orchard and Berry Patch:

·         Fertilize blueberries, blackberries, and grapes this month.  Read more about it in the NC Cooperative Extension publication Grapes and Berries for the Garden.

Rose Garden (and perennials and annuals):

·         To prevent black spot on roses, continue a weekly fungicidal spray regimen, if you don't use the 6-week systemic variety.   The latest research says NOT to remove black spot infected leaves UNTIL you don't see anymore green...thereby giving your rose bush all the help it needs in continuing to produce chlorophyll.

·         Prepare beds for summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds, and zinnias; a location with 6 or more hours of sun each day is ideal.

• Additionally, on our list is to finish the Rose Garden Patio I wrote about in an earlier post.  We are installing three lattices that will support beautiful red mandevillas.   

Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees in the Front and Back yard gardens:

·         It’s time to plant summer-flowering bulbs, especially caladiums and gladioli. I already have some glads coming up that seem to have made it through the mild winter we had.  We shall see...

Our rhodo in full bloom in April.
Time to fertilize and prune in May.

·         Prune and fertilize Spring-flowering shrubs such as azalea and rhododendron (photo, right) after they have bloomed.

·         Remove broadleaf weeds from all landscape planting areas. If left to grow, they will rob water and nutrients from your plants.

Lawns and Grasses

·         According to the Home Lawn Calendar for May from the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education at NC State, mow tall fescue lawns at 3 to 3 ½”, and at least once each week.  This article also encourages grasscycling, which is the practice of leaving grass clippings on the lawn.  “Grass clippings decompose quickly and can provide up to 25 percent of the lawn's fertilizer needs.”  We actually use the clippings from the Way Back (around the Orchard and the Berry Patch) to "feed" the compost piles.  Good as gold!

·         Lawns need 1 to 1 ¼ inches of water per week.

Other             

• Take some time to enjoy the butterflies, honeybees, and hummingbirds!  Remember to use low toxicity pesticides to protect these beautiful and beneficial creatures.  And, even though Neem Oil is marketed as an Organic spray, it is still toxic to bees...so don't spray when in the morning when bees are most active.
• Move houseplants out-of-doors when the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.  
• After incorporating finished compost into your garden, begin a new compost pile. Or, make this the year that you start composting.  Learn everything you ever wanted to know about the subject from the NC Cooperative Extension publication:  Composting: A Guide to Managing Organic Yard Wastes.

Remember, May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Awareness Month.  Before you dash outside to your May gardening activities, put on a hat, sunglasses, and adequate sunscreen protection.

Happy hoeing!


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* This May To Do List is updated and revised from an article I had published on GoGreenTriad.com in 2011.

Everything Will Soon Be Coming Up Roses

As I have said in earlier posts, we have tinkered with our Master Plan for the Way Back Garden...consolidating the Kitchen Garden to the First Quadrant (left of the main path, as you enter through the gate), and creating a Rose Garden to the right in the Second Quadrant.

Easier planned than done.  Have I mentioned that we have clay soil?  Rocky, clay soil.  Rock-hard, rocky clay soil.  Still, we can dream...

No, we can turn that dream into a reality!  And, we've come a long way toward that goal since I last posted.  We now have planted 28 David Austin so-called English (shrub) rose bushes and 6 hybrid teas in the space that once grew corn and purple-hull peas.  Plus, we have completed an 8x10 patio of 24" concrete pavers (yes, they weigh every last ounce as much as you might think they would...:) and a new birding area we are calling the Bluebird Bistro in honor of its proximity to the fence with two active bluebird houses.

It's been a busy week indeed!

First, here's the skinny on our new Rose Garden:

1.  We first decided on where the "hardscapes" would be.  We added cottage corner fences to outline the edges of the Rose Garden (see photo). We wanted a paver-patio, sized large enough to place our new teak glider and a couple of side tables on...with plenty of "floor" space for rugs for the dogs to enjoy.  We sited its location angled across the southeast corner of the garden (the main "boundary" path runs south to north, on the west side of the Rose Garden, with the other "boundary" path running east to west on the north side of the Rose Garden; there is a fence and fence-row marking the east boundary of the Rose Garden.)  We also wanted a birdbath and bird feeders, sited opposite the patio...across the winding path through the Rose Garden.  In addition to roses, I wanted to use perennials (in the ground) and annuals (in containers) for color and interest.

2.  We made our rose selections using several sources, including the David Austin catalog and website (http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/advanced.asp.  We had read an excellent book on the subject, entitled 100 English Roses for the American Garden, by Clair G. Martin (the curator of roses at the prestigious Huntington Botanical Gardens)...and we were hooked!  We had never grown English roses before, but were encouraged after reading about the successful trials of several of the varieties.  We decided on:

Rose Garden taking shape

• Abraham Darby (pink) - 3
• Brother Cadfael (pink) - 3
• Gertrude Jekyll (pink) - 2
• Golden Celebrations (yellow) - 3
• Huntington Rose (pink) - 2
• Molineux (yellow) - 3
• Pat Austin (copper/apricot - 3
• William Shakespeare 2000 (red) - 6
• Winchester Cathedral (white) - 3
• Susan Williams-Ellis (white) - 6

3.  We also ordered three each of some "special" hybrid teas:  the All America Rose Selections winners from each of our birth years:  Sutter's Gold (for Mr. T), Chrysler Imperial (for me), and Friendship (for Missy M).  I located a reliable source for these in Roses Unlimited, which is "almost" local in Laurens, South Carolina. (Their website won't win any awards, but we have been quite pleased with the roses we have received so far.) We already had the AARS winner from the year of our wedding (America, a climbing rose) on a trellis, and a Chrysler Imperial in the back yard, but I was concerned about moving it.


4.  We placed our orders online and received our shipments without a hitch.  Although we have one more shipment from Roses Unlimited due to arrive in May, I have no doubt it will arrive without a problem.

5.  We planned where the roses would go in the garden....first on paper, then Mr. T transferred this to an Excel spreadsheet.  He then made markers for the roses, using metal coat hangers that he fashioned into stakes.  I snipped pictures of the roses from one of the two David Austin catalogs we had ordered and put them inside plastic sleeves (like you find at Office Depot).  He sealed up the sleeves with heavy packing tape so they would have some weather resistance.

You may wonder why we took this step...until you realize how easy it is to forget what color/height/growth pattern, etc. a Gertrude Jekyl rose has compared to a Winchester Cathedral.  We used these neat markers to go out into the freshly tilled and raked...but completely empty...Rose Garden and "place' the roses for effect.  Should we put the Pat Austin next to the Golden Celebration...or across the path?  Believe me, it's much easier to move a marker than it is to dig up a rose bush and replant it!

Bare root roses in the bath before going in the ground

6.  We followed the directions we gleaned from our research and from both rose growers.  As the David Austin roses were all bare-root, we soaked them in a large, galvanized tub for at least 6 hours prior to planting.  Mr. T used this time to get the holes ready in the spots we had previously identified as the permanent homes for the named roses.

7.  He dug the hole with the shovel, lifting out some of the heavy clay soil.  Then he used the Mantis tiller to turn that hole into a receptive location for tender roots.  He added about 1/2 bag of shredded, composted leaves we had collected last Fall and about 1/4 bag of an organic compost called Moo nure to each hole, tilling as he went.  I then added 1/2 cup bone meal and a scant 1/3 cup Epson salts (remember, it's not a salt at all; it's magnesium sulfate...and noted for helping build a strong stem structure in roses), and he gave it one more whirr.

8.  Once the holes were ready, we brought the bare root roses out of the tub, into the garden.  DO NOT ALLOW THE ROOTS TO GET DRY!  We build little mounds of amended soil in the middle of each hole to correspond to the root structure of each bush...making sure that we were NOT burying the graft.  We live in an area of hot, humid summers and usually mild winters, so we do not cover the graft with soil, as other parts of the country might need to. We covered the roots, made sure we tamped the soil down to eliminate air pockets, and then created "berms" or moats around each rose with more of the soil.  This will help in the watering process later on this summer.  We also added another layer of leaves as mulch as a "topping" to the moated areas.  Then, we watered well.

9.  We will make sure the new roses receive at least 1" of water every week, with more if this summer is particularly hot and dry (as last year was).  We will not fertilize until we see a good deal of new green growth or for another 4 weeks, until the roots begin to take hold. And we will follow all the good advice on pruning to help establish the "bushy" structure of shrub-type roses.

Whew! A lot of work...and we have high hopes for reaping great rewards.  We'll keep you posted.

In my next post, I'll update you on all the gardens in the Way Back, as April is an exciting time for the Kitchen Garden, the Orchard, the Berry Patch, and the Rose Garden!

Until then, happy hoeing!

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What To Do in Your Garden in February

Let's face it.  Here in Zone 7, the month of February can be such a tease.  One day (like today) it's 48 degrees.  Another day (like last weekend), it's 68 degrees.  And yet another (like our forecast for tomorrow sounds), "38 with possible snow flurries."  What's a gardener to do?

Create a checklist of things that you can do, including some indoor activities for those bitterly cold days you know are standing between you and Spring.  Before we get to the checklist for February, be sure you've done the following first:





Soil testing in the veggie garden - 2011


1. Create your plan, if you didn't do this in January, including your kitchen garden (veggies, herbs, and edible flowers), your orchard, your berry patch, your flower and speciality gardens (such as a rose bed, bog or wetland garden, and containers), and your lawn and natural areas.  Get some graph paper to make it easier to draw your plan to scale, or invest in a software application that will do this for you, if so inclined.
2. Do your soil testing (photo, right) to determine what your soil needs for optimal conditions for what you plan to plant there, if you didn't do this in January.  Here in North Carolina, soil testing is free (as of today...:); you can obtain the soil test boxes and instructions from your county extension office.  Be aware that the longer you wait to submit your soil test(s), the longer it will take to receive the results.  This is the same time of the year that farmers are submitting their tests, too, so the line will be substantially longer than if you did your soil testing in December or January.  You will need to re-test every 3-5 years.
3. Contribute to your Garden Journal on a regular basis.  Keeping a record may sound like a time-consuming chore, but it is actually a time-saving tool.  You will be able to review what you did in the past, what worked, what you would change or do differently.  You will also have access to what your garden looked like two, three, or ten years ago...without having to rely on memory alone.  Consider creating a spreadsheet to keep track of monthly chores and planting activities.  Or, use one of the one's found by an online search.  Here's a link to one by the Farmer's Almanac folks that you can adjust by entering your own zip code:  http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/NC/High%20Point

Checklist for February, Zone 7, Piedmont of North Carolina --



First rows tilled in 2011
Peas planted

 Kitchen Garden:

• Select seeds from catalogs as early as possible.  Some varieties do sell out rapidly, especially some of the heirlooms.  Visit websites for the most up-to-date information.   Check out the extension service for your area to find suggested varieties that do well in your climate and soil, such as the one by the North Carolina Extension Service:  http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8103.pdf
• When the weather permits...and the soil is dry enough to work...till a few rows to prepare for planting early Spring crops (photo, right/above)
• According to the Wyatt-Quarles Seed Company's Seed Guide, you can plant the following, beginning February 1st:
• cabbage plants (Early Jersey Wakefield, Stonehead Hybrid, All Seasons);
• carrots (seeds of Danvers Half-Long or Imperator);
• endive (Green Curled)
• mustard (Southern Giant Curled, Tendergreen, Florida Broadleaf, Old Fashion);
• onion sets (Silver Skin, Yellow Danvers); garden ("English") peas (Super Sugar Snap for edible pods; Early Alaska, Wando);
• radish (Early Scarlet Globe, Cherry Belle, White Icicle);
• spinach (Dark Green Bloomsdale, Hybrid 7); and
• turnip (Purple Top White Globe, Seven Top for greens only, Just Right Hybrid)
• Beginning February 15th, you can plant:
• beets (Detroit Dark Red)
• broccoli plants (Italian Green Sprouting, Premium Crop)
• kale (Dwarf Curled Scotch, Early Siberian)
• kohlrabi (White Vienna)
• leaf lettuce (Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch, Black-seeded Simpson, Romaine)
• head lettuce (Great Lakes, Iceberg)
• As the end of the month approaches, you can start the following seeds indoors for transplanting later:
• tomatoes
• pepper plants
• some herbs
• If you have overwintered the plants, divide thyme and chives.

Orchard and Berry Patch:

• Plant fruit trees, blueberry and blackberry bushes, and grape vines.
• Prune established grape vines.
• Prune fruit trees.

Flowers, Scrubs, and Trees:

• Plant or transplant trees and scrubs.
• Plant bare-root roses.
• Divide perennials like day lilies and daisies.
• Prune trees and evergreen shrubs; however, wait until after blooming to prune forsythia and azaleas.
• Fertilize spring bulbs as soon as you see the leaves breaking through the ground; remember to leave the leaves on daffodils, even after the flowers bloom in order to feed the bulb for next year's growth.

Other:

• On those bitter cold days, tend to your indoor garden:  check all houseplants for pests or any signs of stress or disease; trim off any dead leaves; and make sure you are watering with room temperature water and diluted fertilizer solutions. 
• On milder days, clean up debris and downed limbs from the garden areas.
• Perform any required maintenance on mowers, tillers, and power tools to get them ready for the coming season.
• Clean and sharpen all garden tools, especially if not done at the end of the season last Fall.
• Check all garden furniture to see what needs painting or repairing.
• Check out garden catalogs, websites, and the library for new gardening titles to read on those indoor-only days.  On that note, I will be reviewing the book, "Garden Your Way to Health and Fitness," in a coming post. Watch for it!
• Be sure to keep up with your own off-season exercise program.  You do NOT want those muscles to go unused all Winter...and then feel every single one of them come the first warm day of Spring.  Let's be building our core strength in preparation of what lies ahead for us.  

See, we have plenty to do, even though we can't be in the garden every day of February.

Happy Hoeing!


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Sources for information for this post include:

• Piedmont Gardeners Almanac, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
• The Smithsonian Garden Journal, Galison Books, 1987
• Wyatt-Quarles Seed Company's Vegetable Planting Guide, available online at:  http://www.wqseeds.com/documents/WQVegPlantGuide-revised.pdf