golf in the garden?

golf tees can be quite useful in the garden.  in the spring, put tees in the gaps between bulbs so you can fill in the gaps in the fall.

when planting a new perennial, mark it with a tee so you know where it will emerge in the spring.

in the vegetable garden, mark the ends of rows with tees until your seedlings appear so you don’t overplant.

golf tees are inconspicuous to a casual garden admirer, but easy to see if you’re looking for them. they stay in place for several seasons if need be, and they’re easily color coded!

how to avoid staking plants

while gardening with perennials is a labor of love, most folks like to keep chores to a minimum.  weeding, watering, pruning, planting—these tasks can take a good bit of time, but for the most part, gardening is therapeutic.  and then there’s staking.  a tedious eyesore…there’s nothing worse than when the rhythm of a border’s color and texture is interrupted by obtrusive stakes.

rather than relying on supports to hold up slouches, depend on environmental tactics to keep your plants looking good and standing tall. things like soil, spacing, light, water, and pruning practices not only influence a plant’s leaf and flower production, but also have an impact on its overall stature. by being aware of how these elements play a role in your perennials’ growth and size, you’ll have a garden that can live virtually stake-free for years, and your plants will be happier for it because they will flourish in conditions that suit their needs.

a good balance of organic matter goes a long way

perennials generally thrive in well-drained soil with some organic matter. if your soil lacks these characteristics, it’s time to amend it.  this is sometimes easier said than done for gardeners with challenging soil like clay, but good soil goes a long way in the garden. clay soil is the kiss of death for many perennials because it is difficult for roots to pene­trate and holds too much water, causing roots to rot. likewise, sandy soil can lead to a peren­nial’s demise because it supplies few nutrients and holds little water.

plants grown in less-than-optimal soil often show signs of stress and are unable to support themselves. some perennials prefer clay or sandy soils, so as often as possible, match the right plant to your soil type. most perennials, however, like the good stuff, so amending your soil with organic matter, like composted cow manure, leaf mold, or compost, and a drainage-promoting component, like gravel or perlite, to a depth of at least 12 inches is the way to go. in extreme cases—if you’re gardening on rock or in hardpan, for instance—building a raised bed for perennial plantings is a good alternative. either way, top your plantings off with a thin layer of mulch at planting time to keep roots cool and moist and plants going strong.

unless a soil test tells you otherwise, take it easy on the fertilizer. overfeeding encourages leggy growth, and your plants will flop and require staking. if you do need to fertilize, choose a feed that is low in nitrogen (n) and potassium (k) because these elements are responsible for pushing lots of green growth and metabolizing the nutrients. higher phosphorus (p) is fine because it promotes desired blooms, fruit, and root growth.

precise placement equals peak performance

although it feeds our need for instant gratification, overplanting is another big no-no if you want your plants to perform and stay upright. planting perennials too close together leads to leggy growth as plants search for light, air, and room to grow. be sure to know your plants’ mature size at planting time and space them accordingly.

likewise, the wrong lighting conditions leave perennials out of whack. it may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many plants are grown in the wrong lighting. sun lovers mistakenly placed in too much shade become weak and elongated. before you site your perennials, take note of condition requirements on plant tags or in reference books. a little effort in research in the beginning will save you a lot of effort in staking later on.

finally, don’t forget to consider one of the most overlooked conditions in the garden: wind. this invisible force can wreak havoc on perennials, leaving them flat. avoid placing garden beds in the path of a wind alley. wind can also create microclimates, especially on slopes. if a slope faces south or west, summer winds will wring out the soil, leaving the location dry and hot. conversely, if the slope faces north or east, it will be sheltered from the summer winds, leaving it cool and moist for a longer period of time.

watering deeply and less frequently is best

how and when you water your plants is almost as important as watering them at all. it’s better to water plants deeply with greater spans between intervals rather than shallow and often. deep watering encourages healthy, far-reaching root growth  which stabilizes plants, gets them through dry spells, and promotes strong stems. it’s best to water in the morning hours so that plants have a chance to dry off before evening. wet leaves at night can lead to rampant disease problems.

avoid overwatering. in most cases, too much water causes more problems than lack of water, resulting in sloppy plants that can be top heavy, leggy, soft stemmed, or generally overgrown. plants are weakened and become more susceptible to problems like diseases and insects when they are stressed by factors such as too much water, sun, shade, or lack of air circulation. perennials generally need only an inch of water per week during the growing season.

seasonal pruning can also help get perennials back on their feet. late bloomers and historically floppy plants like asters, boltonias, and sedums can be maintained at a shorter height to avoid the need for staking. simply snip plants back by a third to a half in early summer for a shorter and bushier habit that will have little impact on the bloom. it’s also not a bad idea to stay on top of deadheading. this practice not only encourages more blooms but also promotes bushy growth, removes heavy, spent flowers, and redirects the plant’s energy back to healthy growth rather than to seed production.

occasionally dividing your perennials is another way to avoid the need for staking. if you notice halos (a hollowing out at the center of the perennial’s crown) or splaying, it’s time to divide your perennials. this common technique rejuvenates plants and straightens their posture. plants can be divided in early spring or early fall by lifting the crown with a garden fork, spade, or shovel. you then split the clump into two or three segments, replanting them with adequate spacing. depending on the species, perennials generally benefit from a division every three years or so.

following these strategies is a win-win situation!  your perennials will be happier and healthier, garden visitors get to enjoy a good show, and i you won’t have to spend your time staking.

when all else fails…

no matter what we do, some plants, such as big-flowering peonies or lilies, are going to need to be staked. thankfully, there are many staking options available. just remember—it is always better to put your staking system in place too early rather than too late, when your plant is already a gangly mess.

single stakes, such as bamboo, plastic-coated metal stakes, or even tall metal spirals, are a fairly inexpensive and easy option. often more functional than attractive, these stakes are best camouflaged behind your plants.

pea stakes can bring an attractive, rustic look to the garden. they’re simply forked twigs or branches stuck into the ground to prop up plants. this type of staking usually works best on plants that are no more than 2 feet tall.

cat’s cradles are a good way to stake clumping, multistemmed perennials, although they are time-consuming to build. a cat’s cradle is constructed by placing four or more stakes around the plant and then twine (green is less noticeable) is interwoven around the stakes several inches above the plant to create a grid. the string supports the stems as they grow through the grid.

grids are the modern-day cat’s cradles. these manufactured supports are often made of heavy-gauge wire that is coated with a green epoxy. like the cat’s cradle, plants are supported by this system as stems grow up through the grid. many gardeners like this method because mature plants disguise it well.

cages and tuteurs are a good choice for taller plants and vines. cages have a metal frame that supports the outside of the plant and is quite noticeable. tuteurs are used the same way only they are usually made of wood and have decorative appeal.

how to buy the best plants

walking into a nursery knowing you want to buy some ‘moonbeam’ coreopsis is easy. but do you want the short, full plant or the tall, thin one? another is loaded with flowers; it must be the one to take. but the one next to it has many more stems.  plant selection can be so confusing!

buying plants doesn’t have to be a daunting task!  before buying, evaluate the nursery or garden center; check the leaves, branches, trunks, and roots of plants; and ask questions!

evaluate the seller

not every enterprise selling plants is truly a nursery, which is a place where plants are grown. many garden centers, for example, are really merchandisers. they buy the plants from growers and resell them to you. both nurseries and garden centers can vary greatly in quality, so before evaluating the plants, consider evaluating the places selling them.

appearance is the first thing you notice about a garden center or nursery, and it is the first indication of quality. proprietors meticulous about their nursery are probably meticulous about their plants as well. are the blocks of plants neatly laid out? are the aisles clear of debris with few plants lying down or doing poorly? are the planting pots free of weeds? some disorder is inevitable, but an untidy appearance overall indicates inattention. when visiting a garden center or nursery, do judge, in part, by its appearance. it is telling.

after appearance, look at prices. but keep in mind that it is not necessarily low prices that you want to see. if prices are low across the board, buying practices may be based on cost alone. your evaluation of plants is then particularly important.

among the most valuable attributes of plant providers are their knowledge and experience, which you learn about only by asking questions. often, a nursery or garden center is run by a horticulturist and staffed by knowledgeable personnel. find out if anyone on staff is state-certified or has attended horticultural school, and find out what experience they have. if the nursery provides planting services, they most likely purchase quality material and care about the plants they sell.

most of us frequent the nursery or garden center nearest our homes, unaware of others not much farther away. yet they can differ so greatly that we owe it to ourselves to find those that have gone the distance to provide quality and variety. it is a wonderful thing to have a long-term relationship with a nursery you value and with the people who work there. it becomes part of the whole gardening experience, and really, an invaluable part.

start with the sturdiest specimens

even at the best nurseries and garden centers, plant quality will vary. plants of the same species may come from different growers, have been handled or cared for differently, and have individual characteristics…so careful evaluation is important.

first, look for full form and even development. check for insect damage and disease, avoiding those with infested, mottled, spotted, or otherwise damaged leaves. look for abundant foliage with good, rich color. with flowering plants, select those with plenty of well-distributed buds or blossoms. and if plants are already blooming, select those with the clearest, richest hues.

unless it’s late in the season, check for new growth—the surest indication of inner vitality. a plant out of proportion to its container may be root bound. feel the pot to see if roots are hard and compacted. all else being equal, select plants in containers free of weeds, as weeds compete with plants for nutrients in the soil.

roots count most in buying annuals

growers know that color sells, and often dose flats of annuals with high phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to bring out the bloom in immature plants. we tend to grab the flat showing the most color, but it’s best to look past the blooms and scan the plants for even size and good foliage color.

also, check how well each plant fills its allotted space. the best annuals are well developed and firmly, but lightly, rooted. pop a plant from its cell. ideally, you should see a mix of roots and soil. if you see a solid mass of white, fibrous roots, the plant is too heavily rooted. some of these roots will need to be cut away before planting, which could set the plant back a bit. if the plant doesn’t pop from the cell and soil spills out, or if the plant seems small in its cell and is completely surrounded by soil, it is probably not sufficiently rooted.

select shrubs with compact growth

when evaluating a group of shrubs, look for plants that are heavily branched on all sides. be sure you are comparing plants of the same genus. for instance, a viburnum will carry many more branches than, say, a mop-head hydrangea. generally, the shrub that is more compact is the better grown and has received the most light.

however, size is not always the best indicator of health. it’s important to ask how old the shrub is and where it was grown. a year-old rhododendron grown in the chilly northeast may be smaller than a year-old rhododendron grown in southern california.  a locally grown shrub will most likely be the best adapted for your area.

often shrubs are picked up by the branches and may show some leaf loss from handling. don’t worry about a few lost leaves as long as the branches are not also split and broken. some yellowing in the center of a shrub or on the larger leaves is normal. even broad-leaved evergreens, such as mountain laurel, rhododendron, and the like, do drop leaves. but if it is also close to bloom time and the buds seem very tight, there may be a problem with the plant.

look for evenly developed trees

in selecting trees, form is particularly important. the canopy should be attractive and evenly developed, indicating the tree was grown out in the open with ample room. trees grown too close together show one side with dead branches, fewer branches, or no branches at all. problems in the roots often show up as tip dieback, usually caused by a lack of watering.

if the tree is balled and burlapped, make sure roots have not been damaged by rough handling. if you pull gently on the trunk and the tree moves easily, but the root ball doesn’t, or if the root ball is broken, select another tree. avoid trees with oozing sap, broken branches, recent wounds to the trunk, dull foliage, and fissures in the bark. as with broadleaved plants, some browning and dropped foliage will occur in needled trees. as long as the dropped leaves are accompanied by new shoots, there is no problem.

perennials should show new growth

the most important quality to seek in perennials and grasses is an abundance of new growth, which is assurance of a robust plant. dieback in the center or around the edges of the plant indicates root loss, so look for a plant that’s growing evenly with fresh tips and new shoots.

perennials and grasses are priced by the container size, usually indicative of root growth. since perennials regrow each year from their roots, this is key. garden centers sell the plants they buy without repotting them. nurseries will repot a plant to a larger container when its roots have developed sufficiently and will raise the price accordingly. if the plant seems small for the container, ask the nursery owner if it was transplanted recently.

you might as well pay the smaller container price if you are getting a smaller root system!

quit stairing at me!

 

got an outdoor staircase that’s bare and in need of color?  dress it up and define it with a seasonal display of potted tulips! this is a great way to liven up a bare area of a garden in spring before perennials and shrubs begin to fill in, and in the fall…pansies or mums can serve the same purpose. 

color is where it’s at, folks!

tiny beach garden

if you yearn for the beach but live miles inland, you can recreate the look easily in a pot.

materials needed:

low, wide pot or bowl, approximately 14 inches in diameter

potting soil

three small, slow-growing plants in 4-inch nursery pots

horticultural-grade washed sand (a 1-qt. bag is enough for a 14-inch pot)

small pieces of driftwood or other found objects

 

 

how to:

step 1: partially fill bowl with potting soil.

step 2: set the plants (still in their nursery containers) atop the soil, adjusting their position as needed until you’re happy with the arrangement.

step 3: knock the plants out of their pots, gently tease apart any coiled roots, and plant; fill in around them with more potting soil up to within an inch or two of the pot rim. tamp the soil to firm it; water to thoroughly moisten.

step 4: carefully pour a mulch of washed sand atop the soil. finish with a piece of driftwood or other beachy treasures.

step 5: set the pot on a sunny patio (light afternoon shade in hot inland areas). irrigate once a week or so using a gentle stream of water from the hose or a watering can with a narrow spout.