Embrace the Forgotten Season

Lime Glow Barberry

Think about it: Which season do you most anticipate? For many gardeners, spring can’t come soon enough after a dreary, cold winter. How about summer? You bet—who doesn’t gladly welcome longer days and warmer temperatures? Winter is great, too—and we don’t get too much say in the matter as retailers seem to start promoting Christmas earlier and earlier each year. Autumn, though, seems to be increasingly overlooked.

It’s not entirely the fault of retailers that fall gets passed by. Around here, summer seems to run from July through September, so with a late start to nicer weather, nobody is eager to welcome autumn. We take a couple weeks in October to celebrate the harvest and then it’s on to Christmas. As a gardener, what can you do to make the most of fall?

First, step outside and reassess your yard. With summer vacations over and kids back in school, you likely have a little bit more time to dedicate to gardening. Maybe you’ve noticed that weeds are popping up again after our recent rains. Grab your gloves and Hula Ho and get to work! There is plenty of time left in the season for weeds to grow, so don’t let them get a foothold.

Second, take a look at what could use pruning. Now before you go crazy with the hedge trimmer, hold on—I’m not talking about serious, “Will-it-grow-back?” pruning like you might do in the spring. But do you have some shrubs that could use a light haircut? Don’t be afraid to trim back unsightly branches—and certainly you should continue to prune back suckers. Remember, most plants are very forgiving; if looking at a misshapen shrub all winter will make you miserable, prune it!

Third, fertilize. For your lawn, it’s still too early to use a “winterizing” fertilizer, which is designed to prepare grass for spring. In September, your best option is to fertilize with Scotts Super Turf Builder. Later in the fall, after grass has gone dormant (usually in November), plan to apply a winterizing fertilizer. Also, now is a great time to apply a fast-acting lime like Super Sweet to help utilize the nitrogen in your fertilizer. At Vander Giessen’s, we prefer Lilly Miller Super Sweet to the more commonly used dolomite lime because it’s cheaper, faster-acting and overall, more effective.

Next, take stock of what plants could stand to be replaced or take another look at those unfinished landscaping projects around the house. Historically, September is the best month of the year to plant shrubs, trees and perennials. Though spring is often thought best for planting, in reality, early- to mid-autumn is even better. Cooler temperatures and regular rainfall make care easier and most plants will soon go dormant anyway, suffering less transplant stress. Plus, many nurseries currently have great fall sales going on! Planting now will allow your new plants to establish their roots this fall so come next spring they can dedicate all their energy to above-ground growth.

Obviously, autumn is just beginning, but as you look forward to the season, make room in your yard for some beautiful fall color. Vine maples offer a kaleidoscope of gold, orange and red tones. The fiery crimson hues of the burning bush will be sure to turn heads, and most Japanese maples exhibit their most striking beauty in autumn—‘Orido Nishiki’ is one of my favorites with its distinctive shades of gold and red.

Whether you’re looking to redo a flowerbed, plant a hedge or fill a hole in your garden, enjoy the beauty of summer’s final bow and embrace the “forgotten season” of autumn by getting back outside and visiting your local independent nursery to find the plants you need to brighten up your yard.

Get the Most Out of Your Investment!

I know I’m being repetitive when I say that I love this time of year. Look back at any column I’ve written in the past and you’d probably find some reference to how much I love the current season. The truth is, we live in a beautiful corner of the world and with our moderate climate we really can enjoy four seasons of garden interest.

At the peak of summer, however, we reach a tipping point. Gardens can easily go one of two ways: toward continued color and productivity well into autumn or spiraling down into unkempt and under-nourished plants…and overzealous weeds. If you’re a gardener, you’ve undoubtedly been down that road of wondering how much longer you can keep things looking good or how much time you really care to invest in doing so.

Mini Hula Ho

Believe me, I know what it’s like to be there—nurseries and garden centers reach that same tipping point each summer too. As a gardening enthusiast, you’d like to make your flowering investments last as long as possible, so what can you do to keep things looking good in your yard for the last few months of the growing season?

First things first: tackle the weeds! Many gardeners are familiar with the “Hula-Ho”—its unique design allows it to eliminate weeds without the effort of dragging dirt like a traditional hoe. If you’re working in smaller, raised beds and need a hand tool for killing weeds, try the Mini Hula-Ho! I’ve started using one this year in a couple flower beds where it’s difficult to maneuver the full-size version and I love it.

Second, you’ll need to assess your fertilizing program. When was the last time you fertilized your flowers? Your shrubs and perennials? Your lawn? I know, it’s easy to forget—and even if you remembered, you might have run short on time or decided a picnic sounded better that day. That’s alright—there is more to life than just gardening!

Deciding on what fertilizer is right for your garden can be like picking out toothpaste—how many different kinds can there be? While there are some redundancies in what’s available on store shelves, many fertilizers can offer specific solutions for the gardening problems you might be facing right now. For example, do you have petunias, million bells or bacopa in your planters or hanging baskets? If so, they would benefit from a high-iron “petunia feed,” as they are likely becoming iron-starved at this point in the season.

Jack's Classic All Purpose 20-20-20

Annuals other than those just mentioned will benefit from a “blossom booster” fertilizer for continued blooming through the late summer months. For either of these more specialized fertilizers, I recommend alternating every other week with an all-purpose 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer. With any of the aforementioned types of fertilizer, we use and recommend the Jack's Classic (R) line of water-soluble fertilizers.

For perennials or shrubs, mid-summer is a good time to fertilize with a balanced slow-release like Osmocote so your plants will have sufficient nutrients going into autumn and preparing for winter. Consult your local independent nursery for the best formulation for your plants. And don’t forget to fertilize your lawn! If you haven’t fertilized since spring, you’re past due for another application. For that, now is a great time to apply Scotts Super Turf Builder.

Finally, I can’t stress enough how important it is to maintain a regular watering schedule. Although we’ve recently had some cooler, wetter weather, you need to continue daily watering of annuals to keep your plants looking their best.

As a gardener, you’ve dedicated time and money to make your yard look nice, and with a little extra knowledge and commitment, you can extend the beauty of your flowers well into autumn. Now get out and enjoy the beauty that summer has to offer!

Gardening Success: It Starts With Planting

Last month, I wrote about roses and some common mistakes gardeners make when planting a rose garden. I received several responses from customers who all echoed the same thing: “When it came to planting, I realized I was doing it all wrong.”

Hearing those comments, I got to thinking about how important a step planting is—not just for roses, but all shrubs, trees, annuals and perennials. Young or old, experienced or brand new to the world of gardening, customers regularly ask me what to do with their plants once they get them home. Here are a few pointers.

First, the most basic step: dig the hole. Like I said—basic! However, many people have learned that you need to dig the hole twice as deep and wide as the root ball of the plant. While it is good to dig the hole twice as wide, you only really need to dig it as deep as the level of the soil in the pot or the height of the burlapped root ball; it’s simply unnecessary to remove so much extra soil. What is important, though, is that you loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole to give the roots of your plant something to easily grow into.

Next, carefully slide the plant out of its pot (I’ll explain burlapped plants in a minute). If it’s root-bound—that is, if there are a lot of roots circling around the outside of the soil—use a garden knife to make a few vertical cuts in the roots around the perimeter to stimulate new growth. Do not tear the root ball apart as you can cause serious injury to the plant.

If the plant was not in a pot but rather wrapped in a burlap sack, set the rootball—burlap and all—in the hole you’ve dug. If the rootball also came wrapped in a metal cage, leave that on as well. Once you’re satisfied with the positioning of the shrub or tree, carefully cut the twine that’s wrapped around the base of the trunk or stem and remove it from around the top of the rootball. Loosen the burlap from the stem and open up the top of the sack to expose the soil.

Whether your plant came potted or in burlap, position it in the hole so that the place where the stem meets the roots—called the crown—sits slightly above the existing grade of the surrounding soil. One of the most common mistakes gardeners make in planting is setting a plant too low. Many plants can tolerate soil above the crown, but very few will ever thrive if planted too low. There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “Plant it too high, it will not die; plant it too low, it will not grow.” Look at it this way: a plant can always grow longer roots to reach water, but it can never dig itself out of a hole too deep.

Once you’ve ensured that your plant sits slightly above grade, backfill with a well-drained topsoil. To reduce transplant stress, soak the area with a liquid vitamin B1 or tuck prepackaged pouches of starter fertilizer around the roots of your new plant.

Many people worry that summer is a bad time to plant, yet if you take the proper steps in planting and keep your new additions well-watered, summer can be as good as any other season. Visit a local independent nursery, browse the many summer-blooming perennials and enjoy the beauty that summer’s longer days and warmer temperatures have to offer!

Rose Gardening: Supplemental Information

The following information is supplemental to my "In Bloom" in the Lynden Tribune. If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to pick up a copy of the Tribune or read my column here. --David

Every time you visit a nursery, you marvel at the beautiful roses; the gorgeous blooms in every shade of the rainbow, the glossy leaves--and don't forget the amazing fragrances! But you've tried before...and failed. Or maybe you've just heard it's too much work. You're not alone--many gardeners feel the same way.

As with beginning any worthwhile hobby, you need to know where to start. If you've read this week's "In Bloom" column in the Lynden Tribune, you've been given some mistakes to avoid. Below you'll find some additional information to take into consideration as you start a rose garden.

• When choosing roses for your garden, it's important to pick healthy plants. However, you also need to know what class of roses you want. If you like long-stem roses suited for cutting and making bouquets, look for hybrid tea varieties. If you prefer large clusters of roses that you can enjoy looking at in the garden, select floribunda varieties. These types have plentiful flowers but rarely bloom all at once, so a cluster of flowers doesn't work well for cutting--you'll end up with too many spent flowers and buds. A third class of roses--and a combination of the two aforementioned types--is grandiflora. Typically, these roses have long stems and are well-suited for cutting, but they may have two or three buds per stem. 
• Planting roses isn't a difficult task, but you need to make sure that your soil is well-drained. Before you plant, dig a hole a foot deep and wide and fill it with water. Check it in an hour; if it's not completely drained, you must amend your soil. Dig out an area at least twice as large as the pot the rose came in (or, if bareroot, no less than 18 inches across and deep). Refill the hole with equal parts topsoil and a mild compost--at the nursery we recommend a yard waste compost by Green Earth Technology. Use this as the planting medium for your roses. 
• Once your roses are planted, build a small berm (2 inches should be sufficient) of mulch or soil at a radius of 12 inches around each plant. This will make watering much easier as any water you give the plants will stay focused at the roots. 
• Pruning is often one of the biggest concerns potential rose gardeners have, and with good reason--a poorly-pruned plant can quickly get out of control and begin to suffer. This time of year isn't good for doing major pruning on your roses, so I'll save the topic for this fall; however, you should be aware of the best way to prune back spent flowers. After a bloom is finished, follow the stem down to where you find the first cluster of five leaves facing away from the plant. Prune at a slight angle 1/2 inch above that junction to encourage new growth (and more flowers!). Be sure to always use a sharp, clean pruner--and it's always a good idea to sterilize your pruner after cutting through diseased or dead wood!
• Left untreated, roses are great host plants for many forms of insects and disease. Don't, however, let this scare you away--it's easy enough to keep your plants healthy with today's products! Around here, the most common insects you'll find on your roses are aphids. They're often light green when you first notice them and they'll most often feed on buds and areas of new growth. As far as diseases go, two are particularly prevalent in our cool, often-wet climate: black spot and powdery mildew. Thankfully for the average gardener, these are true to their names. Black spot will show up as small round patches of black on leaves and branches, especially in the bottom third of a rose bush. Leaves will turn yellow and fall off as the fungus progresses. Powdery mildew can show up just about anywhere on a plant and has a dusty white appearance. Both are commonly brought on by high humidity or outright wet foliage and any affected leaves should be immediately removed and disposed of. At Vander Giessen's, we recommend treating every six weeks with Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose and Flower Care during the growing season to prevent any insect and disease problems. This product is a liquid systemic, meaning no more spraying--just mix it in a quart of water and pour at the base of your rose bushes. It's also a fertilizer, so it's the only product you'll ever have to use to treat your roses. 

I'm sure that there are plenty of additional questions you may have, especially if rose gardening is a hobby you've never dared try. I've tried to present a thorough "beginner's guide" as you get started, but no doubt there are topics you'd like addressed. Or, if you're an experienced rose gardener, you might have tips and tricks you'd like to share with other gardeners. Either way, please feel free to leave comments below or e-mail them to me at info@vandergiessennursery.com. I'll try to post answers as soon as possible!

If you'd like more information in print, please stop by Vander Giessen Nursery to pick up some free literature on growing roses. Now, have fun and enjoy getting started with your rose garden!

Roses: Easier Than You Think!

June is National Rose Month, so today I’d like to address one of America’s most-loved and commonly misunderstood flowering plants. For decades, roses have had a bad reputation as being difficult to grow. In the past, it was true—being a “rose gardener” meant that you had plenteous time to dedicate to spraying, fertilizing and pruning. Today, however, you can have a beautiful rose garden with minimal effort. Really, it’s true!

Whether you’re a newcomer to rose gardening or are looking for suggestions on how to make it easier, consider these common mistakes many gardeners make and tips for success.

First, many gardeners plant roses where there’s an empty space, not where there are necessarily good growing conditions. Many plants (for example, azaleas) can easily be grown in sun or shade. For roses, find a spot in your garden that’s sunny, hot and dry. Roses love heat and hate sitting in wet soil, so pick a spot where you can ensure they’ll be well-drained and get at least half a day of full sun. Any less than 4-6 hours of sunlight and your roses will undoubtedly suffer.

Second, many people plant roses too close together. Doing so makes getting around your shrubs difficult, and more importantly, restricts airflow around the plants. Stagnant air promotes fungus problems such as black spot and powdery mildew. For best results, space your roses 3 feet apart or 2 feet from other plants in your garden—the more room for air circulation, the better.

Third, beginning rose gardeners too often choose plants based on the blossoms, not the plant. Remember, flowers come and go, but if you start out with a poorly shaped or weak plant, you’ll likely struggle with it for years to come. When shopping, visit your local independent garden center and only select Grade 1 roses. All roses are graded based on the number and size of the main canes (or branches), so Grade 1 will give you the healthiest, strongest plants. Look for roses to have at least 2-4 strong canes that branch out away from each other—avoid plants that are too crowded in the center. If you’re unsure of what to look for, a nursery professional will be happy to help you pick the best plants.

A fourth mistake many gardeners make comes at the time of planting. If you have poorly drained soil, replace or amend it with good, well-drained soil or compost. Plant the rose at the same grade as the soil in the pot it came in, or if bareroot, a couple of inches below the graft.

Probably the biggest mistake I hear of gardeners making with roses is watering. After planting, roses should be kept lightly and consistently moist until they’re adapted to the location. Once your roses are established, switch to watering a couple times a week (or less in cool weather) with a soaker hose. Doing so promotes strong root growth. Never water overhead—like stagnant air, water on the foliage encourages fungus growth.

Finally, many gardeners believe that the only way to keep roses healthy is with complicated, dangerous sprays, dusting powders and granular fertilizers. This is my favorite mistake to correct. Today, the best product on the market does it all—insect protection, disease control and fertilizing—in one easy application, and it’s not a spray! Use it three or four times during the growing season and your roses will be more beautiful than ever.

For more information on selecting and growing beautiful roses with fewer headaches or to have your questions answered, visit www.VanderGiessenNursery.com and join the conversation. Happy gardening!

Fresh ideas in container gardening

I apologize for being so delinquent in posting information, tips and articles lately--if I may, I'd like to blame it on a busy spring! But on this rainy Saturday, I'm getting caught up on e-mails and "desk work" and thought it would be good to post this month's "In Bloom" column from the Lynden Tribune in case you haven't read it. Enjoy!
-David 

In the garden industry, a major trend over the last several years has been toward container gardening. We’ve all seen the pots of flowers sitting next to a neighbor’s front door or large planters overflowing with color in front of businesses or churches. If you’re like a good percentage of gardeners today, you have “patio pots” or other similar planters you use around your house, too.

This spring, as you figure out what to plant in the pots around your house, try something new that can bring joy all summer in addition to the happiness you get from the colors: welcome hummingbirds to your home!

For young and old alike, hummingbirds are fun to watch, and with container gardening you can bring the wildlife right up to your window. For hummingbirds, the key is to have the right plants, and thankfully, there are plenty of options suitable for containers.

If you wish to attract hummingbirds to a sunny location, petunias and calibrachoa are great options as they produce plenty of nectar and their funnel-shaped flowers are well-suited for hummingbirds to access. Traditional mounding petunias work well in the center of containers while trailing Wave petunias and calibrachoa are best placed around the perimeter of a planter or in a hanging basket.

When planting container gardens close to a house, many people have limited sun exposure to work with—if any at all. If you need shade-loving flowers, try planting a pot with impatiens. Colorful and showy, New Guinea impatiens work well in sun or shade and make great container plants. For your best chances at attracting hummingbirds, choose a color palette of bright colors—reds, pinks and orange work best.

Now, maybe hummingbirds are the least of your concern when planting container gardens—perhaps you’re interested in growing something for you to eat, not some blur of a bird! If that sounds like you, try container gardening with herbs.

To be honest, I must admit that as far as herb gardening goes, I’m still pretty new to the scene—this is only my second year growing herbs and I still have a lot to learn in how to properly use them once they’re out of the garden and into the kitchen. But, for all you interested parties, a bit of encouragement: herbs are easy to grow!

Frankly, many herbs grow like weeds, so you don’t need a lot of garden expertise to have a healthy, burgeoning container herb garden—all you need is a watering can, proper fertilizer and an easily-accessible hand pruner or scissors. The latter is important—herbs need to be harvested regularly to keep them from growing too large for your containers.

While there are hundreds of plants classified as “herbs,” I recommend starting an adventure in herb gardening with a few of the basics: chives, oregano, basil and thyme. With the help of a nursery professional, choose plants that will complement each other and will thrive in the size pot you have as well as the lighting conditions you can provide. Then, put together your planter, add a well-balanced fertilizer and keep the container lightly moist—in no time you’ll have a beautiful, delicious herb garden!

Whether you wish to enjoy the entertainment hummingbirds can bring to your window or discover fresh new flavors to add to your cooking, patio planters can provide more than just color through the growing season. This spring, visit a local independent nursery and learn more about how you can expand your horizons with a container garden!

Flowers or Food--Make the Most of Your Garden!

In case you missed it, here is my column from the April 14 Lynden Tribune. Enjoy!
-David

In the world of gardening, this is the time of year I like most. Each morning I walk through the greenhouses at our nursery and marvel at how fast everything is growing. The longer days and warmer temperatures throw annuals into overdrive—one day, a greenhouse of Lynden baskets may be merely budded; the next, it’s full of color.

In the last couple weeks, cooler, wetter weather may have dampened your spirits as you made plans for your garden. But with a return to milder weather, now is the time to start planting annuals and preparing your soil for a vegetable garden—more on that shortly.

Choosing annuals can often be an overwhelming task—it’s not uncommon for me to encounter a customer in the greenhouse staring into space while mumbling something about “too many choices…” Before you head to a nursery to pick out flowers for your garden, take a look at the area you’ll be planting to see how much sun it gets and which direction it faces. Knowing the conditions in which you plan to put flowers can greatly help when it comes time to make decisions.

A second bit of advice to help you in planning your flowerbeds or pots is this: know your limits. Do you have time to deadhead more high-maintenance flowers or do you need “carefree” selections? Do you regularly forget to water? Be honest with yourself—there are plenty of options for all types of gardeners, so with a little guidance from a nursery professional, you can have a garden that pleases the eye without overextending your skills or experience. One example: if you like the look of trailing petunias but don’t have the time to keep them pruned or deadheaded, consider calibrachoa (commonly called “Million Bells”)—it gives the look of petunias without needing any additional care.

Of course, gardens full of flowers can provide months of color, but with the state of today’s economy and the desire for fresher, more healthful food choices, many gardeners are giving up some sunny space once dedicated to flowers or lawn for a vegetable garden. Before you start planting seeds and vegetable starts, however, take some time to properly prepare your garden.

After an initial rototilling or cultivation to loosen the soil, you should add a layer of compost to provide nutrients. Mushroom compost—essentially manure and organic matter that’s been composted and aged—is my recommendation for growing a lush, productive garden. A thin layer of half an inch of mushroom compost mixed evenly into the soil is all you need for a vegetable garden; more is not better in this case as you can actually kill vegetable seeds and starts with too high a nutrient level.

If you’re new to vegetable gardening, the next step is to choose what you want to grow—and how much. From experience, I know that planting six zucchini plants sounds like a good idea (I had the space!) but unless you plan to stock the kitchens of homeless shelters from here to Portland, try just one.

With that extra room in your garden, try planting some more unusual varieties of vegetables. How about white or red carrots? Purple beans? If you have kids interested in gardening, fun crops such as these can provide great learning opportunities.

This spring, make the most of your options for color and enjoy the lavish potential a well-planned vegetable garden can offer! With a little preparation and help from your local independent nursery, you can have a flower or vegetable garden that brings pleasure for months to come.