Welcome
to Hamlen's
Helping Hand!
__________________________________
This
is our Summer newsletter, the 2nd
newsletter of 2004. We look forward to
seeing you at the garden center.
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In this issue...
| The
Big, the Bold, and the Beautiful! |
 Foliage
plants play a large role in the perennial garden. They add
a variety of shapes, texture and form to help create drama
and atmosphere. Big perennials are used as accent and strong
focal points. The large leaves convey a tropical climate.
Exotic- looking plants seem to have the effect of making
it seem hotter then it really is.
Water features
The following plants will tolerate partial shade if the
plants have good composted soil and sufficient moisture
through the dry times of the year: ornamental rhubarb, ligularia,
gunnera, featherleaf rogersflower. These giants are especially
beautiful beside a stream or pond in part shade. Planted
on the margin of water they give a luxurious, lush feeling
and their reflections create further interest.
Some like it hot, some like it cool
The following plants should be used in the background of
borders as specimen plants, and all like it hot: adams needle,
colewort, Scotch thistle, spiny bear's breeches.
The
following prefer a rich humus soil with plenty of moisture
and shade: meadowsweet, goatsbeard, bleeding heart, and
hostas. Angelica gigas, (purple parsnip) prefers moisture
and shade. This giant is a biennial, so it needs to be planted
every year for 2-3 years to establish. Allow flowers to
set seed and encourage to self sow.
Think BIG!
Big annuals are always rewarding and fun. They put all their
growth on in one year and you see the plant in its full
glory. Canna lilies, elephant ears and Ricinus communis(Castor
bean) can create a tropical affect. Amaranthus tricolor(Fountain
plant) and Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' (Purple-leaved fountain
grass) provide texture, color and interest.
Some of the most attractive features in the garden are usually
associated with large leaved perennials and water, two very
strong elements that work well together.
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| Woodland
Gardening in Dry Shade |
 The
biggest challenge in woodland settings is to provide enough
nutrients to the flowers and shrubs that you are planting.
The tree roots will remove most of the nutrients from the
soil. Improving the soil and if possible, thinning out dense
canopies will allow better air circulation and rainfall
to penetrate.
Soil amendments
-
Build up your soil base by layering leaf mold, well rotted
manure, compost and topsoil.
-
Do not bury the tree trunk or put too much soil around
the base of the tree. This will damage the existing trees
by placing their feeder roots too deep. The maximum depth
of soil amendments around the base of a tree should be
4 inches or less. You can go 8-10” deep if only
burying 1or 2 sides of the tree.
- Organic
matter should be added every spring after the garden has
been cleaned up. Add 2” and lightly fork into the
garden soil.
-
Mulching with organic material can help retain moisture.
Leaf mold, wood chips or shredded bark would work well.
(If you are mulching the area, fork in the mulch with
compost added every 2 years, then re-mulch.)
 Selection
of plant material
Many woodland plants die back or are slow to emerge. For
this reason, you can companion plant different types in
the same area to replace each other. One plant will die
back while another will replace it. Adding dimension to
a shade garden can be achieved by multi-layering plants.
Ferns,
bleeding hearts, corydalis, trillium, leopard's bane and
woodland bulbs will die back in the heat of the summer.
Using ground covers like lamium, periwinkle, hosta, sweet
woodruff and ajuga will fill in the empty spaces. Hosta,
solomon seal, anemone, and dwarf astilbe emerge later in
the spring. Perennial geraniums are beautiful fillers along
with coralbells and windflower.
To plant or not to plant
The best time of the year to plant is spring or fall. There
is adequate rainfall to help the plants establish their
roots. Water regularly during the first growing season.
If you must plant during the summer, use a soaker hose and
keep moist.
Treasures in the shade.
Seeing a patch of trillium or wild ginger is so refreshing
after a long winter here in Vermont. There are a few hardy
bell shaped clematis that respond quite well to dry shade
and produce an abundance of flowers with a long bloom time
(C. alpina and C. macropetala).Helebore's have soft colored
flowers and beautiful glossy foliage.Yellow foxglove and
red barrenwort add interest as well as lungwort and viola
labradorica.
There are many challenges for dry shade, but if care is
used in the selection of the plants and proper soil has
been added, a shade garden can be a beautiful addition to
your garden experience.
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| Natural
Insect Repellents |
Organic plant protection can help create and maintain a
balance of nature on your piece of land. Trying to live
in a poison free world is getting harder, but you can make
a difference in your own back yard. Using natural organic
treatments before using a stronger treatment, is a good
way to start.
Diatomaceous earth
This product is a nonpoisonous powder. It comes from crushed
seashells and does not hurt warm blooded animals. Microscopically,
the crushed seashells are like a wall of jagged broken glass
that the insect has to get over. It can be used indoors
or outdoors safely. Place a ring of diatomaceous earth around
the base of the plant. It is a short lived product and should
be re- applied every week or two. It controls ants, earwigs,
centipedes, slugs and other insects and worms.
Pyrethrium
Is a well known botanical insecticide that has been used
for hundreds of years. Made from a type of chrysanthemum
flower, is also safe for warm blooded animals.Use to control
mealy bugs, aphids, spider mites and white flies on vegetables
and flowers. Can be used indoors or outdoors. For aphids
and mealybugs, you need to re-apply every 2-3 days for a
10 day period.
Sulphur
has been used as a fungicide for thousands of years. It
works well on shrubs and flowers to control mildews and
fungus. If using the dust form, use only on calm days. It
is known to harm some beneficial insects, so caution should
be used when using sulphur.
Rotenone
is another plant derived botanical insecticide. Rotenone
can be safely used on all vegetables and shrubs. Apply every
7-10 days and should be applied to both top and bottom sides
of foliage. Use to control potato beetle, japanese beetle,
cabbage worms, and other insects.
Milky spore
can be used to control japanese beetle in their young grub
stage. The milky disease spores are spread through the lawn
with a special dispenser. It can take up to one year to
be effective, but lives in the soil and enlarges its population.
Milky disease spores can live in the soil for up to ten
years. It infects the grub, changing its blood from a clear
color to a milky color, killing it before it emerges as
a beetle.
 Milky
Spore Questions and Answers
Q.
What is Milky Spore? Milky
Spore is naturally occuring bacterium that affects Japanese
Beetle, June Beetle and certain other common lawn grubs.
Q.
How fast does the Spore work? Milky Spore
begins working upon application wherever grubs are feeding.
Warm climates can achieve complete control in 1 to 3 years.
Colder areas may require 3-5 years.
Q.
How long does it last? Once established
in the lawn Milky Spore lasts 15 to 20 years!
Q.
Wil freezing ruin the Spore? What about
heavy rain? No. Once applied Milky Spore is not affected
by environmental conditions.
Q.
Will fertilizer affect the Spore? No.
Milky Spore is not affected by lawn chemicals. They may
all be applied at the same time.
Q.
Can I use Milky Spore in the vegetable garden? Yes!
Milky Spore is harmless to food crops. Milky Spore may
also be used on pasture land.
Q.
Should children and pets be kept off the treated lawn?
No.
Milky Spore is not a poison. It will not affect humans,
pets, birds, fish or other beneficial insects, ponds,
streams or well water.
Q.
Can I mix the Spore in water and spray it?
No. Milky Spore must be applied in its original dry state.
Q.
Can I cut my grass after applying the Spore?
No. Do not mow your grass until the Spore has been watered
into the soil by rain or hose for 15 minutes or longer.
 Garlic
has been recently introduced to the market as an insecticide
and as an effective control on powdery mildew. To take care
of most soft bodied insects use a mixture of fresh chopped
garlic, mineral oil and pure soap. Strain the mixture then
add 20 parts of water to 1 part solution and spray on the
plants.
All these products are considered organic insecticides because
they are derived from natural products. All are not harmful
except for rotenone which you have to wait 24 hours before
you can harvest and eat your vegetables. There is a large
selection of other repellents, see us at Hamlen's for other
ideas on how to keep pesky insects away.
Sometimes
organic methods of treatment can take more time, but it
is worth the effort in the long run for the health of you
and your family.
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We
don't think of a bird as a pest, but if they are eating
all of your beautiful fruit, the bird is definitely a problem.
The idea behind natural pest control is to hinder the animal
from damaging your crop, but not harming the animal at the
same time. There are many great ideas out there on how to
do this. I will list a few that have been known to work
well in our area.
Birds
They love to wait until the last moment then the night before
harvest, the entire tree has be picked clean of all its
wonderful fruit. For smaller fruit trees and bushes, a light
green nylon netting is draped over the plant. This minimizes
the amount of loss that they can do. Reflective iridescent
tape in long pieces can be strung throughout the tree. The
tape acts as a deterrent to keep the birds out.
If birds are a problem on buildings and ledges, you can
use “tacky foot”, which is putting a bead of
the product 3/8” thick on a double sided strip of
tape. Put the tape down where the birds like to hang out.
Gypsy
moth
The larvae and the caterpillar stage can be stopped by putting
a band of special double sided tape to trap the insects
before they can get up into the tree. This tape should be
used only on thick barked trees.
Squirrels
These little creatures can be a big pain for people who
like to feed the birds and not the squirrels. There is a
product called “squirrel away”. This is made
from very strong powdered HOT peppers.You mix the powder
in with the bird seed, being careful not to get any on yourself
or in your eyes. The birds have no taste buds and cannot
taste the peppers. The squirrels on the other hand are very
sensitive to the hot taste and will not want to go near
the seed again. If they are persistent squirrels, you may
have to repeat once a month.
Deer
One of the most popular and safest ways to repel deer is
to use scents that warn them to stay away. Urine is used
by animals to mark their territory. Different urine types
can be used to repel different animals. Coyote urine works
for keeping deer away. You can use urine scent tags, dispenser
bottles or foam darts. These are strategically placed on
or around the plants that you are trying to protect. There
is also a powdered form that can be sprinkled around the
base of the plant. This is a short lived treatment and should
be re-applied every week to 10 days for the first month.
Once a month there after.
Rabbit and other small animals
Bobcat and fox urine have the same effect as coyote urine,
only effecting different animals. Used in the same manner,
it can help keep rodents and rabbits from your garden.
Spiders
“Cobweb eliminator” is a natural and organic
way to stop spiders from making your house their home
[Back
to Top]
Mulching
can be beneficial to trees if properly done. One of the
biggest problems is that people are burying their trees
too deep with mulch. It would be like burying a plant
part way up the stem. Never pile up mulch against the
stems of your trees.
The
root collar flare is where the root meets the stem. This
flare should be at the soil surface.
Too
much mulch will create 2 main problems that will
injure and even kill the tree.
1.
The buildup of moisture deteriorates the tree bark.
Insects, disease and decay move in, damaging the sap
wood and limiting water and nutrients from going upwards
to the branches.
2.
Mulching too deep also encourages adventitious roots.
These are roots that grow from an unusual place, such
as on the trunk. These roots tend to encircle the tree,
choking or girdling it at the root collar flare.
Symptoms
of decline will uniformly affect leaf color,
size, rate of growth and reduce root growth. Premature
fall color and leaf dropping is associated with the decline
of the tree.
The
main use for mulch is to suppress weed growth from around
the tree base. Allow for 2-3" of mulch maximum, and
do not let it touch the bark. Different mulches can be
used for other reasons. Pine needles work well in a woodland
setting. Chopped up leaves or wood chips work and they
increase soil fertility. Mulches are also good at reducing
water evaporation. Stone chips can be used if there is
a cloth barrier to keep the stone from mixing in the soil.
Trees
may decline and prematurely die as a result of over mulching.
Be
kind, do not over-mulch!
[Back
to Top]
 A
wonderful plant that is easy to grow and will provide
you with fruit for 8-10 weeks a year. Highbush blueberries
are the most common for commercial growers and home gardeners.
They are relatively pest resistant and low maintenance.
There
are 3 major requirements
1.
Acidic soil. The soil should be tested before planting.
Optimum Ph level is 4.5 to 5.0. Adding organic matter
to the soil will keep the acidity up, but if you need
to lower the Ph, you can use aluminum sulfate or
sulphur. 150 pounds of sulphur per 1000 sq. ft. raises
the Ph by 1 Ph level.
2.
Organic material. It is important to build up organic
material. compost, peat moss, chopped up leaves, pine
needles, cottonseed meal and/or straw can be incorporated
into the soil. Amend the soil each year by adding more
organic matter.
Good
drainage. Planting on a slope helps ensure that the plants
have good drainage.
Location
-
If you live in a very
cold location, planting on a northern slope delays flowering
and reduces the chance of frost damaging the flower buds.
- Blueberries
need a minimum of 8 hours of full sunlight.
- Protect
from cold north winds in the winter by using a wind break.
Planting
Each
plant should be 4-6' apart, 1-2" deeper than in the
pot. Space rows 8-10' apart. Keep cultivars with similar
ripening seasons no more than 2 rows apart.
Fertilizing
Keeping your soil healthy with organic matter will reduce
the amount of fertilizer needed. Fertilize with 10-10-10
at 1/2 cup per plant at the end of May, then repeat 6 weeks
after.
Moisture
The berries should have constant moisture. When watering,
use a soaker hose to provide ample moisture. It is best
to remember when watering blueberries to water in the morning
and not get the fruit wet. This will prevent fruit from
splitting...
Early,
mid, and late season varieties should be planted together.
This helps cross pollination and extends your season of
harvest.
Two
caterpillars are sitting on a rock and a butterfly flies
overhead. One caterpillar says to the other "you will
never get me up in one of those things".
A
woman says to her husband, "please say something nice
to me to make me feel good. When I look in the mirror, my
legs look heavy, my arms look flabby, and my once hourglass
figure looks like all the sand is stuck in the middle".
The husband replies, "well there is certainly nothing
wrong with your eyesight".
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to Top]
"The goal of life is living in agreement with nature."
John Zeno, Greek philosopher (335-263 B.C.)
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