Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area
Mary, Mary... How does your garden grow?
ARCHIVE:
November, 2008
October, 2008
September, 2008
July/August, 2008
May, 2008
April, 2008
March, 2008
February, 2008
January, 2008
December, 2007
November, 2007
October, 2007
September, 2007
by Mary Crowell
November 2008
One of the fall outs of the economy mess is that more people are going back to the earth, eating at home, growing their own veggies and fruits, bicycling to the store, work or for just plain fun There is more walking and talking with neighbors and sharing. It has been many years since I made any preserves, but a friend gave me a whole bunch of pears and apples and I made apple-pear sauce and also chutney. Our tomatoes were sweet this year, so make tasty; salt-free salsa with lots of flavor. Gardeners are very generous with their harvest and plants from their gardens. Fall cleanup and weeding is important for a healthy garden, time spent now will pay off in the future.
Nov. is the time to plant cool season flowers, trying your hand at seeds, or buying the small six packs of primroses, primulas, pansies, violas, snapdragons, stock, cyclamen, iceland poppies, and hellebores, plus trees and shrubs. Camellias, especially the sasanquas, are in bloom and bud in the nurseries if you want to see their color. Remember snails and slugs are really active in the winter, so don’t forget the pet-safe Sluggo or the beer in shallow lids! Garden debris harbors snails, earwigs and many other pests and a host of plant diseases. By composting your leaves, you will eliminate the hiding places of many pests and open the sunlight to the plants below.
There is still time to plant bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and many more spring blooming bulbs. Plant early blooming smaller bulbs as ground cover, they will reward you early in the spring season. It is also the time to plant winter vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, sorrel,chard, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and garlic.
Roses don’t need too much right now but if you don’t want to keep cutting off the spent blooms, pull the spent petals now and let the hips form. This discourages the plant from creating new growth and forces it into dormancy. This resting period acts as rejuvenation to the rose plants. Continue watering until the fall and winter rains come. By keeping the debris clear around roses, it keeps the fungal spores and wintering insects at bay. For easier cleanup strip the roses of dried and withered leaves before they fall. Cut out any spindly or crossed growth now to save time when you do your major pruning later at the end of Dec. You can change location for roses now if you are careful, but be sure and prepare the hole ahead of time and check for drainage, a key to growing wonderful roses. They say the mood enhancing aroma of roses can lift the spirits like no other perfume, so consider having roses near windows or where you sit.
Speaking of fragrance, consider that fragrant plants add another dimension to your garden almost as strong as the visual beauty of flowers. Add fragrant plants near a door, under a window, on the patio, or along a walkway. Try some easy to grow scented geraniums, the smells of which can remind you of roses, nutmeg, apples, peppermint, chocolate mint, lemon and other citrus. Herbs along the pathway that one can brush against to release the aroma is also a great idea, try growing mint in a container as it will get very weedy and take over a garden plot. Try some of the following plants for fragrance: osmanthes, daphne, star jasmine, clematis, viburnum, pittosporum, azaleas, sage, gardenia, abelia, butterfly bush, chamomile, basil, catnip, phlox, lilies, sweet peas, and tuberose. I was recently at a friend’s house in Fairfax and he had plectranthus growing now in full bloom, a great perennial for the fall.
If you have container plants, remember to water some even though the rains might start. speaking of containers, many veggies can be grown in containers as well as fruits.
November is also a great time to check your tools to make sure they are sharp and ready to go when you need them. You may write to me c/o San Mateo Garden Center ore-mail me at macro6096@hotmail.com.
Mary, John and >^..^< >^..^<>^..^< in San Mateo, CA
Back to top.
I recently read an article that spoke about the hidden pleasure of yard work, yeah, yeah. yeah, I thought to myself, the pleasure part is when it is all done and you can kick back and sip that lemonade in the garden. The weather has been so hot this past month, and with water rationing everywhere, I have been neglecting my watering and trying to see how long I can stretch it ou without losing any plants, forget the lawn, of course, our lawn is now the size of a postage stamp as each year I take more and more of it to plant a perennial and veggie garden. I read author Gerri Larkin, in the AARP magazine to have a great garden you need to: want a great garden, do what needs doing, see what’s in front of you, share the abundance, give it your enthusiasm, keep the weeds at bay, have patience, harvest its joys.
In October, plant or sow fall blooming annuals. Use calendulas, pansies, Iceland poppies, snaps, sweet alyssum, ajuga, campanula, chrysanthemum, cineraria, nemesia, schizanthus, vincas, primrose, stock, viola, sweet peas and forget-me-not. Disbud fall-blooming mums if you want large, spectacular blooms instead of masses. Leave one or two buds per stem, feed regularly until they bloom. Cut back Perennials such as Coreopsis, Delphinium, Penstemon and Shasta daisies to 6 inches when flowers fade. You may get second flowering in the fall. Divide bearded iris. Trim fans to inverted "V" and replant one foot apart. "Aim" the leaf end towards the direction you wish the iris to grow. Sow seed for the following vegetables this month: carrots, chard, lettuce, peas, celery, radish, spinach, turnip, parsley, Chinese cabbage and mustard. You'll be harvesting them all winter-long. Remove seed pods on fuchsias to promote continued bloom. Fertilize summer annuals, begonias, fuchsias and container plantings. Train or tie any trellis-trained vegetable vines regularly. Tomatoes, cukes, melons and gourds are often trained vertically to conserve space and make for easy harvesting. For midwinter bloom, plant sweet peas this month. Sow seed of early flowering, bush, knee-high, early multi flora and vining types. Soak the seed for 24 hours before planting to ensure germination. Fertilize fruit trees this month. Use 1/2 pound of sulfate of ammonia per inch of trunk diameter. Scatter broadly under the tree and water deeply. Fertilizing now helps trees build up the starches needed for winter maintenance.
Luckily in the bay area we are able to do garden projects almost all year long due to the mild Mediterranean climate. Planting bulbs now such as tulips, muscari, crocus, freesias, daffodils, hyacinths, gallanthus, ixia, Dutch iris, sparaxia, anemones, and ranunculus will brighten your garden in the early spring and late winter. Plant them at weekly intervals for several weeks to extend your flowering season. remember to refrigerate the tulips, hyacinths, and crocus. Growing bulbs is especially foolproof if you improve the soil by adding amendment, compost, and humus which naturally improves the drainage, especially important for bulbs. At the same time add bulb fertilizer to provide slow release nutrients. Most bulbs need at least 1/2 day of full sun or partial sunlight under deciduous trees before they fully leaf out. A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2-3 X as deep as the height of the bulb, or easier yet, use one of the charts available at any nursery. Plant bulbs with pointed ends up, corms, tubers and rhizomes with the withered roots at the bottom. Plant rhizomes of bearded iris now to enjoy the beautiful flowers in the spring both in the garden and in the house. The selection of iris color is amazing and they grow easily in full sun or partial shade. Plant the rhizomes just below the soil line, making sure you have great drainage. Water immediately after planting and when the rains come the drainage is very important. If you plant flowers now between the bulbs, one can enjoy an abundance of color during the winter days. Color is the key when planting bulbs, grouping bulbs together for masses of color, planting low growing bulbs in front of tall growing ones. If you want to create a spectacular spring garden, try setting a mass display of one color against another mass display of another, some in a geometric display, some random. Plant some in interesting containers mixing bulbs with spring flowering shrubs and perennials for a continuous display of color, keeping in mind color, texture and shape. Some great web sites for bulb purchase: http://www.johnscheepers.com, 860-567-0838, http://www.brecks.com,800-622-9997,http://www.dutchgardens.com,513-354-1511, http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com,877-661-2852, http://www. dutchbulbs.com, 888-821-0448. Actually my father swore by Brecks and used them for many years growing many exotic tulips including some of the spectacular parrot ones, none of those yellow King Alfred’s for my dad.
Oct. is a great time to choose narcissus and amaryllis for planting in Nov. for holiday gifts. A container of narcissus given to me by a friend a few years back still blooms each year. What better gift than something alive and growing, lasting such a long time in flower.
For lawn care this month, lower the mower blades for the winter, use pre-emergent feed and weed killer and fertilize. Be sure to order your bare roses and fruit trees now for the best selection to plant late winter and early spring. Did you know the average home owner enjoys 8.5 hours per month in his/her garden (garden clubbers spend much, much more), during peak garden months for relaxation, exercise and enjoying and being in the outdoors. Prune hollies and late growth on camellias, divide perennials and also cut them back drastically. Be sure to keep using Sluggo to keep those pesky snails and slugs away.
Ask questions by writing me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, SM, CA or email:macro6096@hotmail.com
Mary, John and >^..^< >^..^<>^..^< in San Mateo, CA
September, 2008
Recently I found this Chinese saying in a magazine and it spoke to me: “Pleasure for an hour, a bottle of wine; pleasure for years, a marriage; pleasure for a lifetime, a garden”. Speaking of pleasure, my epiphytic cacti gave me such joy this season with about 75% of my large hanging plants blooming with no duplicates. For those unfamiliar with epis, as they are called, do a Google search with image for epiphyllum hybrids and you will see why they make me smile.
Hope everyone was able to make it to the San Mateo County Fair this year, unfortunately I was in Alaska at a cousin’s reunion so missed all the fun of entering designs and specimens. I heard though, that there were beautiful cut flowers and potted plants along with some innovative balcony gardens. The amateur and professional gardens outside Redwood Hall were especially gorgeous along with the artful and creative floral designs. There were some huge challenges this year as floral arts had a new venue.
September is also the month many garden clubs resume their meetings after a summer hiatus. There are many advantages to joining a garden club. You learn about horticulture and floral design and you widen your circle of friends and your plant population. I think gardeners, on the whole, are very generous and very friendly. All the bay area garden clubs and societies welcome new members with open arms, cuttings, plants, bulbs, divisions, diverse programs, tours and great eating treats at the meetings. Check with the San Mateo Garden Center or with me for a society or club that might interest you. The Peninsula Succulent Club, of which I am the President, meets at the San Mateo Garden Center and is very active especially at the fair. There will be a wonderful day at the center Sept 27th where many clubs will be selling items and our Peninsula Succulent Club will have their annual plant sale. Come by and say hello.
Prune boxwood, laurels, pittosporums and other formal hedges. This is a great time to reshape those plants growing crowded far too long. We had to prune the wisteria as it was climbing in our front window and crawling on our roof, generally making a nuisance of itself, but oh so rewarding whne it blooms in the spring. Also now is a great time to divide perennials and give some to your neighbors and friends. Deadhead all things in the garden, especially the roses. Take out any dead or crossed canes. Mulch now as our days are still hot and it keeps the moisture in the ground and the weeds out. Container pots dry out quickly so always keep an eye on them. Perennials such as hostas, bleeding hearts, fountain grasses, lamiums, and coral bells are great in containers. I just saw a beautiful flax called creme delight which is an arching one and stays small. So my tomatoes did well in those chimney flues I found on the street though I did have to stake them as they wanted to fall over, also I planted sorrel seeds to make a great soup I just love. Plant other vegetables such as brussel sprouts (yuk), cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, carrots, radishes, and cauliflower. Take advantage of the warmth to get roots on your plants established before the winter. Plant annuals such as pansies, Iceland poppies, snapdragon, violas, and cineraria. Perennials such as chrysanthemums, cyclamen, coneflower, primula, primrose, yarrow, penstemon, candytuft, and my favorite, salvia (mine bloom 10 months of the year and I have several varieties) can be planted now. Fertilize trees, shrubs, lawns and groundcovers that love all-purpose (16-16-16) fertilizer helping with not only the fall growth but the spring too! Feed roses with rose food. Camellias, azaleas and rhodies love the 0-10-10 until they finish blooming in the spring. Look through catalogues and choose bulbs to plant in Oct and Nov like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Dutch iris, freesias, anemones, crocus, sparaxis, ixia and ranunculus. Some great places to plant bulbs are clustered in a border, in entryway containers, in front of shrubs, containers for decks and balconies, or in a rock garden. Refrigerate tulips, hyacinths and crocus. The best selection is now. Stake tall perennials and trim iris foliage to 6 inch fans. Control snails by putting down non-toxic snail bait, such as "Sluggo". Ask questions by writing me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, SM, CA or email:macro6096@hotmail.com
July/Aug. is the perfect time to spend in the garden as the weather and the evenings are normally very pleasant. I find a lot of peace and solace just shaping up my garden. Holding an open house to show off my cacti epiphyllum blooms did it for me, got going and off I went, weeding, pruning and repotting. Part of the pleasure of gardening for me is sharing it with friends and neighbors. Making your own garden a sanctuary and refuge can be a pleasing and inviting project for the summer. Deadheading always brings great satisfaction as it is an easy and quick way to enhance the health and the look of your garden in a hurry.Now is the time to take cuttings of geraniums (pelargoniums), planting them directly into the ground, watering daily until they are rooted. Pinching the established geraniums, dahlias and mums keeps them in shape. Plant fall vegetables, fertilize citrus, roses, azaleas, gardenias, lawns. Cut any last spikes of cymbidium orchids at their base. This is also the last month (July) to repot cymbidiums, as any later will hamper their root growth and then the winter rains may cause root rot or cause lack of blooms for next year. If you don't know alstromeria (Peruvian lilies), do plant some, they give you months of great bloom and cut flowers. By the way, when you gather alstromerias, don't cut them, you are supposed to pull them up and then cut them the length you need, it stimulates the root growth. Mine have been blooming for over three months.
July/Aug. is pruning time for the shrubs that flower on the wood they made the previous year, such as weigelia, spirea, wisteria, azaleas, and philadelphus. Prune annuals such as pansies, marigolds, and bedding dahlias. If you really want annuals, (I don't plant them), some choices are bedding begonias, impatiens, petunias, zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos. Plant chrysanthemums in Aug. for fall color. Plant herbs such as rosemary, basil, fennel, oregano, tarragon, and harvest often because the frequent pruning creates more attractive compact plants that are less woody and leggy. Plant summer perennials like lavender (I now have 3 different kinds in my garden), asters, coreopsis, rudbeckia, yarrow, verbena, artemisia, lantana, and salvia. Stake tall perennials. It is a good time to mulch, as our days are hot and it helps keep the moisture in and the weeds out. Lift and divide iris, oriental poppies, and gerberas in Aug.
Remember that container pots dry out quickly and need more attention in the summer months because of the heat and wind. Adding top dressing to containers such as compost, bark, lava rock or gravel to add a fresh look and keeps them moist.
Grouping your containers helps to keep the humidity high around them and adds a design quality. Deep-water tomatoes, peppers and eggplant about every 5-6 days when they are setting fruit instead of small amounts daily. Raise your cutting blade on the lawn mower as mowing higher prevents the soil from drying out or tell the mow and blow guys if that is the direction you go. Also, water deeply less times rather than shallow watering more often as it makes for better root growth. Best to water trees at the drip line (where the shade ends), rather than at the trunk.
Having a shade garden creates a respite from the heat and some of the most beautiful plants need shade to perform their best. Try some of the variegated hostas, heuchera (coral-bells), abutilon (Vine maple), camellias, fuchsia, bergenia, helleborus, campanula, cuphea, and digitalis (foxglove). Remember to control those pesky slugs and snails with SLUGGO. The San Mateo County Fair is Aug. 8-17
Mary, John and >^..^< >^..^<>^..^< in San Mateo, CA
June is the month that one notices how well and showy the roses are the great weather we have been having. Mine bloomed like crazy and just now have been deadheaded so that new growth can occur. Contrary to popular myth, roses are not as fussy as some would lead you to believe. Following are some easy steps for the care of roses: Make sure they have good air circulation and lots of sun by pruning out the inner branches and removing lower leaves at the bottom foot of the plant. If you deadhead (remove the spent blooms) regularly, water on a regular basis, and feed every 4 weeks with a balanced rose food, you will see marvelous blooms all summer long. To prevent powdery mildew and hit a few aphids, it might be necessary to spray every few weeks with a mix of 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp hort oil, 2 tsp of dishwashing soap in a gallon of water. A few spoonfuls of epsom salts at the base of the plant seems to help along with a product called Pay Dirt.
Now is the time to feed camellias, feed and water summer flowering bulbs, and water citrus well, as it is essential for great tasting and juicy fruit. Pinch your mums back to have many more blooms in the fall. Cut grass longer than usual, water more often, deeply and fertilize every 6 weeks. Finish pruning late blooming shrubs such as weigelia, spirea, forsythia, philadelphus and cut back vines such as wisteria, honeysuckle and passion vine. Trim hedges. Lift and divide iris after blooming. Stake tall plants and order fall bulbs. This is also a good time to take cuttings of geraniums, plant herbs and summer perennials, such as coreopsis, scabiosa, feverfew, lantana, verbena and my personal favorite salvia. Last year I planted a new salvia for me, called "hot lips", a red and white one, very cute and it is doing well. This is also the last month I usually repot and split cymbidiums, usually every 3 years, so that the new root growth is in place before the winter. Correct watering year round is so very important but especially critical in the summer, especially if it is hot! Remember to give your lawn, trees, shrubs and flowers, deep watering rather than sprinkling the top. Don't over water natives and remember to check container plants for moisture. as they dry out much more quickly than plants in the ground. Use water saving devices such as soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and mulches to cut down on evaporation.
It is not too late to plant June veggies such as beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, parsley, peppers, squash and tomatoes. Get seedlings rather than seeds at this stage of the game. Plant some herbs in baskets and containers right outside your kitchen door to make for easy access. I have those five chimney flues planted with tomatoes, basil, lots of other herbs and a pink lemonade lemon tree in one of them.
Over Step-Mother’s day weekend, John and I went to the Garden Conservancy’s Open Garden days in Sebastopol and Occidental, visiting the newly reopened Western Hills Rare Plant Nursery bought by two friends of mine, a must for any plant enthusiast. Also we went to a Heritage Rose Garden that had about 10,000 heritage and antique roses, it was so beautiful, and overwhelming, miles and miles of roses with wonderful fragrance. Then we went to a garden designer Maille Arnold’s personal garden and saw an old farm turned into a perennial paradise with her husband’s very modern marble sculptures tucked into every corner. It was a heavenly day capped by a marvelous meal in a small town called Graton at the Willow Wood Cafe!! My, my, my! I couldn’t have ordered a more heavenly day.Mary Crowell
macro6096@rcn.com
May, 2008
Hasn’t the weather been superb? We can now finally enjoy the color, beauty, being out in our gardens more than a few hours at a time without the winds, rain and cold of the last few months. Finally we are able to weed and prune our garden to where we are no longer embarrassed to have someone stop by. BBQ season is upon us and last evening I managed to spend a few quiet hours in a comfy chair staring at the moon and stars. It is simply amazing the transformation of the garden by deadheading, pruning judiciously and cleaning out debris. There is nothing quite as cathartic as a peaceful sunny day working in the dirt and gathering those pots that are crying for help. What do you have in bloom at the moment? Those roses are something else, they really loved the rain this early spring. I love taking different routes to and fro in my local area, looking at what is in bloom. Today (mid-april), I have cala lilies, both green and white, bromeliads, cacti, succulents, wisteria (oh wow!), birds of paradise, bearded iris, leucodendron, watsonia, ranunculus, loropetalum, alstomeria, camellia, lots of cymbidiums (still), viburnum (snowball tree), geraniums (actually pelargoniums), lavender, and roses (we only have two large rosebushes, a space crunch problem in our yard, one variety called ‘Betty Boop’ and a beautiful single petaled red ‘Altissimo’, but we do have many miniatures, as they take up little space).
Little by little, we have been making our postage size water guzzling lawn even smaller, by the addition last year of chimney flues in the middle of the lawn into which I just planted yesterday 5 tomato plants, along with herbs, especially basil. It is also time to feed the citrus and the roses again. Attracting beneficial insects and birds such as bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden is both an art and a science. Some thoughts for creating a butterfly garden are choosing a sunny location, shelter from the wind, rocks to absorb the sun’s heat, include a pool of water, do not spray insecticides, include plants that have both nectar and host plants and leave a corner natural for habitat, yeah right.
Time to repot all those overgrown cymbidiums that have finished blooming, and are jumping out of the pot. If you need help with that project, please feel free to borrow and hire my husband for that chore, or any other handiwork project, he even comes with a machete for those cyms you have left way too long! Try a combination of fine bark, perlite, terrestrial orchid mix for your cymbidiums and do remember to feed them each month, 6 months with high bloom (lo Nitrogen) to set the buds July-Dec and 6 months with high growth (hi Nitrogen) Jan-June. Some hardy perennials to consider planting are geraniums, pelargoniums, campanulas, iberis, penstemon, phlox, delphinium, hellebores, aster, coreopsis, armeria, aquilegia, achillea, bergenias, geum, althaea, chrysanthemum, artemisia, and salvias. This is also a great time to pinch out shrubs and herbs to make them lush and full. Recently, I read an article in Fine Gardening that gave a few top performers for 2008 including Lantana camara Rose Glow Improved, Pentstemon Phoenix Red, Clematis integrifolia Mongolian Bells, Torenia Golden Moon, Calibrachoa Superbells Dreamsycle, Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’, Cyperus papyrus King Tut, Lobelia Techno Blue, Cuphea llavea Totally Tempted, Petunia Sweetunia Soft Pink, Osteospermum Crescendo Primrose, Salvia Mystic Spires Blue, Catharanthus roseus, Phlox paniculata ‘John Fanick’ and a Basil hybrid called Pesto Perpetuo.
There are some great sales this month, watch the local papers, starting with the San Francisco Botanic Gardens 41st Annual Spring Plant sale, May 2, members only 5-8 PM, May 3rd, public sale, 10-2, at 9th and Lincoln, cty fair bldg., in Golden Gate Park. The San Mateo County Rose Society will have their annual show Sunday May 18th, 1:30-4 PM at the San Mateo Garden Center 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo. The Peninsula Rose Society will have its show and sale on Sun. May 4th from 1-5PM at Community Activites Building, 1400 Roosevelt Ave. Redwood City. Also the San Mateo Garden Center will have its annual plant sale May 10th, 10-3 PM, volunteer propagated plants very reasonably priced at the same address.
You may ask me questions at macro6096@hotmail.com, write to me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center News, 605 Parkside Way San Mateo, 94403, or call 341-6963.
Back to top.
April, 2008
Today as I am writing this column, it is 70 here in my yard and the weather, though a bit chilly at night, has really been gorgeous. Sometimes I think it is quite unfair to live in such a yummy gardening climate, when other states have horrible weather problems, aahhh, no I don’t!! It might get cold again. So watch the weather report. Hope some of you made it to the SF Flower and Garden Show at the Cow Palace, what spectacular gardens, garden jewelry, along with great free lectures and some wonderful floral designs from California Garden Clubs right there in the entrance, including two of yours truly. One of my favorite booths was California Horticultural Society’s “Hot Plant Picks for 2008”, see photos and info about them at http://www.calhortsociety.org.
Some of you may want to know where I get my information for the garden column. Along with my own 40+ years experience of many different gardens in Sacramento (3 years), Brazil (2 years), SF (12 years), SSF (14 years), and currently San Mateo (13 years), and growing up with my father’s gardening experience, I get ideas everywhere. I receive the local nursery and garden center’s monthly handouts, have saved all of the past gardening columns from the SMTimes, go to lectures whenever possible, read Sunset, Garden Gate, Fine Gardening and love searching the web. I have my father’s gardening log where he kept track month to month what to do, believe me, I am not that organized. I no longer run a plant hospital and nurse those sick ones back to health, or try to save my friend’s castaways; what lives with us better not like a lot of water or babying. Also, since I am a flower show judge, judging horticulture, cut flowers and floral designs, I do get to see well-grown plants for our bay area. Belonging to local and state garden clubs also gets you in touch with fellow gardeners and they generously give away cuts and starts of unusual plant material.
April is a great planting time, especially geraniums and pelargoniums (try some of the scented ones), campanulas, iberis (candytuft), penstemon, phlox, delphinium, hellebores (I saw some gorgeous ones at the garden show), asters, including Michaelmas Daisy, coreopsis, armeria, aquilegia, (columbine), achillea (yarrow), geum, althaea (hollyhocks), chrysanthemum (marguerites), artemisia (Dusty Miller), bergenias, and salvias (Mexican sage and other sages), my personal favorites. Now is the time to plant those summer bulbs such as gladioli, watsonias (if you have the room), agapanthus (Queen of the Nile), anemones, cannas, callas (try the green goddess variety), dahlias (tubers), and ranunculus (rhizomes). Divide the older perennials already in your garden. It is surprising how quickly your garden can be transformed simply by deadheading and getting rid of the dead branches, plants, leaves and twigs. I have managed to work a few days for a few hours each time and it is amazing the difference it can make in the garden and also in my disposition. This is also a great time to pinch out tips of shrubs and plants to make them more shapely and bushy. Many things do bloom on their end tips, so know your plants before pruning. Plant frost tender tropicals including strelizias (bird of paradise), citrus, hibiscus, lantana, hydrangea, and protea; try leucodendrons for beautiful rewarding plants as they are drought tolerant.
Some of my favorite plants in my garden right now are succulents (in bloom), green goddess callas, bird of paradise, leucodendrons, alstromerias (just getting ready to flower), pelargoniums, both scented and zonals, citrus (I recently bought a Rangapour lime), New Zealand flax, salvias, hebe, gardenias, iris, daffodils, kangaroo paws, black bamboo, cymbidiums, loropetalum and lavender.
If you are short on space in your garden as I am, and love roses, try some of the miniature rose introductions mentioned in the San Mateo County Rose Society’s newsletter, The Rose Digest. Some names to look for are Amber Sunset, Carolina Lady, Best Friends, Gala, Halo Sweetie, Hilde, Michael Cholet, Mini Tango, Montana, Orange Parfait, Petite Perfection, Ruby Ruby Baby, Sweet Caroline, Sweet Diana, Y2K, Merlot, Jilly Jewel and Ralph Moore.
You may ask me questions at macro6096@hotmail.com. in the subject line, Q. mary, mary, just so you don’t get deleted!
Back to top.
March is such a fabulous time to sit in the garden, after all those Feb. rains, I cannot remember a winter and early spring like we have had this year. Complaining about the rain makes me remember how much we really need the water, as our climate is changing. It is in spring when the garden is at its peak, the time when one can get absorbed in the sights and smells of the greenery and flowers to come. It is also the time to reflect and watch the birds and butterflies as you weed and look at the lush new growth.MARCH 12-16 will be the fantastic SF Flower and Garden Show at the Cow Palace. Anyone interested in any aspect of gardening shouldn't miss this spectacular event. The theme this year is "Live Beautifully. Live Outdoor". It is 5 acres of extraordinary gardens, free presentations and seminars on three different stages, with vendors galore. My state garden club, CGCI will be represented in the lobby this year, look for my designs, one a mobile. Check out the schedule at http://www.gardenshow.com.
March in your garden is a time of activity, it is not hard to resist getting out on those sunny and balmy days, paper work goes by the wayside in our house even though tax time is approaching fast. Hopefully you have already applied acid fertilizer for those citrus trees, camellias and azaleas along with an all-purpose one for the rest of the garden. If you planted the fall bulbs, you should be getting an array of color right about now, my daffodils and grape hyacinths were up in Feb.! Now you may safely prune those plants that badly needed a haircut last month. Keep those trees healthy by raking the leaves and pulling any grass beneath them as the grass takes away the nutrients from the trees. Some hardy perennials to consider might be campanulas, penstemon, phlox, mimulus, hellebores, delphiniums, salvias, and geraniums, especially the scented ones. I love to plant the summer bulbs in Mar to get the blooms of glads, watsonias, agapanthus, anemones, cannas, begonias, ranunculus and dahlias (tubers). When you read gardening books such as Sunset Western Gardening Book find your appropriate zone. Put out snail bait such as Sluggo as we seem to be overrun with them right about now or you can make the midnight run with the flashlight or put out beer in small lids to drown those lushes!
To get rid of aphids on roses, dig in systemic rose care products around the base every 6 weeks and get rid of the ants!!Container plants seem to be my personal favorites and it is fun to find odd artifacts that can be made into interesting dish gardens, by creating drainage. There are some metal baskets and kitchen strainers that have natural drainage and make lovely containers for hanging baskets. Containers can provide colorful impact for the garden, a small balcony or patio and are portable. Staging containers around your garden is a way to spotlight them to best advantage and are an easy way to have an instant vegetable garden using a trellis to grow beans or peas. Using containers on your front porch is a great welcoming feature.Perennials have long lasting appeal even when they are no longer in bloom as many have interesting structure and seed heads. Try some of the following that provide structure: Phlomis, Veronicastum, Thalictrum, Eryngium, Filipendula, Salvia, Limonium. Plants that provide interesting seed heads: Aster, Monarda, Sanguisorba, Rudbeckia, Solidago, Persicaria, Sedum telephium, Echinacea, Helenium, Kirengeshoma.
-Mary Crowell
February, 2008
Now that it is February and still difficult to do full-time gardening, it’s is a super time to read those great gardening magazines. I love the “Garden Gate”, “Fine Gardening” and “Sunset” and recently in the GG there was a nice article on Going Green! Environmental issues are something that we all have to understand for the world to succeed in the future. What can an individual do on the home front? Tending a garden brings you closer to the earth and “how” you garden can make a difference. Avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides by switching to natural resources such as lady bugs, insecticidal soaps, Sluggo, compost teas and keeping your plants healthy. Ever try layers of newspaper under your mulch? It ends up using less mulch and the newspaper does eventually break down, but keep colored papers in the recycle bin. What about a drip irrigation system? It uses less water and can be very efficient especially if you get one of the new timers with a rain sensor. How about recycling plastic pots? Our own San Mateo Garden Center can always use your castoffs, along with local nurseries who may take back their own pots, check with them.
It is now time to continue doing pruning, fertilizing, applying the organic dormant spray, looking at catalogues, reading about your plants and planting spring flowers and shrubs. Going to the Peninsula Home and Garden show this month, Feb. 22, 23, 24 at the San Mateo Fairgrounds is a grand place to see a lot of plant societies and vendors all in one place. Jan and Feb. is the right time for planting bare-root roses, shade trees, fruit trees, flowering shrubs, grapes, and strawberries. Choose those plants that have strong stems and a healthy root structure. Always plant as soon as possible, I am not sure how many of you lose plants waiting to get them into the ground or into a pot, but I have been known to send more than a few to plant heaven! In fact, I have learned not to even go near a nursery unless I have the time, energy and plans to plant ASAP or put it on the honey-do-list. Those without a honey, can always hire mine to help out, it keeps him out of mischief, and he is excellent on irrigation systems. Pruning any frost burned leaves and branches exposes the new tender undergrowth that can then be damaged, it is best to wait until the weather report gives the green light before pruning, as in “no frost”! If you failed to prune your roses in Jan, do so right now before new growth is damaged. Be thinking about mulching, adding humus, compost and preparing any planting beds this month when the ground is easy to dig and weed. Remember to watch for slugs and snails using Sluggo, nontoxic to kids and animals and also adds phosphates to the ground.
Now is a great time to sharpen and inventory your tools, clean your shed or garage, Here is a list of my favorite local nurseries that are fun to visit: Half Moon Bay Nursery, Hwy. 92, on the left side before you get to HMB, 650-726-5392, Wegman’s, 492 Woodside Rd, RWC, 650-368-5908, Roger Reynolds, 133 Encinal Ave., Menlo Park, 650-323-5612, Central Garden Center, 408 Ninth Ave, San Mateo, 650-340-8850, Golden Nursery, 1122 Second Ave (at Amplett), San Mateo, 650-348-5525, Carlmont Nursery, 2029 Ralston Ave., Belmont, 650-591-6845, The San Mateo Arboretum Society, 101 Ninth Ave, San Mateo in Central Park, 650-579-1536, and our own San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo, 650-574-1506. The SF Botanical Gardens at 9th and Lincoln in SF have monthly plant sales and is a fantastic and world class garden.
Cymbidiums should be spiking, some flowering already, we should have changed to the hi nitrogen fertilizer in Jan and use that through June, switching to the lo nitrogen (hi bloom) in July through December. Remember cymbidiums are heavy feeders and need more sunlight than one expects (4-6 hours of direct sunlight for best flowering). Stake any spikes with figure 8 ties and stakes, so the heavily laden ones don’t break off. Watering needs are low this time of year, but don’t forget under the eaves, patios, or trees.
You may ask me questions at macro6096@hotmail.com, write to me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center News, 605 Parkside Way San Mateo, 94403, or call 341-6963.
Back to top
January, 2008
Usually in January, I tell you a little about myself and how I learned about gardening. I live in the San Mateo Village, retired from the University of California, working as a Medical Technologist at San Francisco General Hospital, in the Hematology Department. As I am an amateur (and I stress this) gardener, who maintains a 12 year old garden that I started from grass when I moved from SSF. I have about 1000 container plants, the majority of which are cacti and succulents. Since retiring, I went to school and became a master floral designer and flower show judge, judging horticulture and floral design. Along with that I became a member of the San Mateo Garden Center, the Hilltop Gardeners of SSF, President of the Peninsula Succulent Club, member of the San Francisco Epiphyllum Society, the San Mateo Rose Society and two design guilds, to keep me out of mischief. I give programs on horticulture, floral design, table designs and crafts to garden clubs and design guilds usually with my friend Shane or my husband John, as I am too scared to do so by myself. I also have a state volunteer job with California Garden Clubs as the Flower Show Schedule Chairman.
My father was a great gardener who had a super flower and veggie garden wherever we lived all over the United States as I was an air force brat, and my mother took Ikebana classes for years. In our very small garden in San Mateo, we have a perennial border and a side cactus and succulent garden along with a wisteria, a gardenia, a citrus, some bulbs and glads, a rose bush called Betty Boop, and a hydrangea in the front flower bed. In the back yard, we have the container plants, about half cacti and succulents, the rest a conglomeration of cymbidiums, bromeliads and perennials. When my epiphytic cacti are in bloom in the spring, there is an open house in our garden along with a plant sale from my succulent club. Watch for that date.
January, usually the coldest month in our area, is the time to prune, clean up yard debris, plant spring flowers and, of course, look at catalogues. Wait until frost is over before doing some of the pruning, difficult as it might be, as it will be best for the plants to have some protection. Try using a product called Cloud Cover when frost does occur. Be sure to use Sluggo to control the slugs and snails at this time, nontoxic to pets and kids.
It is the right time to prune the roses and hydrangeas as they are cold hardy and appreciate going dormant. Also prune perennials, wisteria, grapevines, and last year’s bulbs. Most bulbs profit by allowing the stems to wither so the nutrients can go back down into the bulb to nourish next year’s growth. One can plant gladiolas this month and next. Roses can be pruned back to an outside 5-leafed node and all hips should be pruned off. Most garden centers, arboretums, rose societies and nurseries are having pruning demos for free. Shrubs benefit by pruning for shape before the new growth appears. I am not personally into annuals but now is a good time to plant primroses, pansies, snapdragons, stock, cyclamen, Iceland poppies, and flowering kale. Fertilize camellias, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Plant deciduous trees, grapes, berries, and wisteria. As for container planters, they need your attention to be weeded, repotted, or refreshing their soil. Don’t forget to water when they are under the eaves or in a protected area.
You may ask me questions at macro6096@hotmail.com, write to me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center News, 605 Parkside Way San Mateo, 94403 or 650-341-6963.
Back to top
December, 2007
During December garden work does slow down to give us more time for the holiday festivities. We have been pruning like mad, it seems the garden flourished this fall and the recycle bins are now full. Now is the time to get some added stimulation from gardening magazines, horticulture books (from the library), and catalogues. My personal favorite magazines are “Fine Gardening” , “Garden Gate”, and “Sunset”, all available at the library or Barnes and Noble if you have the nerve to drink coffee and read their mags. A great time to work in the shed, cleaning tools and sharpening the pruners, putting like pots together so it is easier to find things when you need them.
There is still some time left to do some winter perennial and annual planting such as salvias, carnations, coral bells, oriental poppies, azaleas, primroses, pansies, calendulas, cyclamen, camellia, and marguerites. Protect tender plants such as bougainvillea, citrus, fuchsia and succulents by covering them when frost is expected. Remove the coverings when the temp rises. Also keep the ground moist, use ground covers and consider a product called Cloud Cover, if long lasting frost is expected. Continue with routine maintenance chores such as weeding, raking, and deadheading. Consider buying some paper white narcissus and plant them now for holiday gift giving. Mine from a few years back are up and looking good. Watch for snails and slugs.
Time to prune all herbaceous plants and perennials as they can be whacked back rather severely at this time of year. Roses can be pruned back the end of this month through Jan, watch for pruning demos around the nurseries and also the San Mateo Rose Garden at the San Mateo Garden Center. Prune out the old wood in vines and camellias. This is a good time to take hard wood cuttings of anything you might like to start or give away. a pansy tip was given to me by a reader recently: When you plant pansies work in an organic starter fertilizer like Dr. Earth 2-4-2 into the soil. In January cut your pansies back by 1/3 and work some more of the fertilizer into the soil surrounding your pansies. “Voila” your pansies will explode into blossoms by February and continue until you are ready for spring planting. I was visiting a friend’s garden recently and he had a plant called plectranthus which blooms its full head off during the fall, a nice purple.
Plant any bulbs you forgot to do in November, it is not too late. You can also plant bare root roses. Fertilize those cymbidiums that should be making their flower spikes by now, remember they are heavy feeders, using the hi bloom (lo nitrogen) July through Dec and the high growth (high Nitrogen) Jan through June. One of the most common mistakes people make with cymbidiums is to put them in too much shade; they need 4-6 hours of sunlight. So if yours are a beautiful green and not many flowers try moving them to more sun where their leaves will be a more yellow green but should flower their hearts out! Fertilize the lawn this month also.
Stake any young trees or tall, floppy plants which you haven’t pruned as yet. Improve your soil by adding compost and humus now when your soil is moist, pulling weeds as you go. Protect your container plants by bringing them close to the house, under the eaves or under trees. Water needs are low this month, but be sure and pay attention, especially those under protection. You may contact me at macro6096@yahoo.com or write me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center News, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo, CA, 94403 or 650-341-6963Mary Crowell
macro6096@rcn.com
NOVEMBER, 2007
Fall cleanup is so important for a healthy garden, time spent now will pay off in future months. Weeding will also improve the look of your garden instantly. It is true we do not get the color changes so prevalent in other zones or back east, but we are also fortunate that we don’t get those awful winters and we can grow almost anything in our climate.
Now is the time to plant cool season flowers, such as primroses, primulas, pansies, violas, snapdragons, stock, cyclamen, iceland poppies, and hellebores, plus trees and shrubs. Camellias, another great shrub, especially the sasanquas, are in bloom and bud in the nurseries so you can pick the ones you want to plant now. Remember snails and slugs are really active in the winter, so don’t forget the pet-safe Sluggo or the beer in shallow lids! Garden debris harbors snails, earwigs and many other pests and a host of plant diseases. By composting your leaves, you will eliminate the hiding places of many pests and open the sunlight to the plants below.
There is still time to plant bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and many more spring blooming bulbs. Plant early blooming smaller bulbs as ground cover, they will reward you early in the spring season. It is also the time to plant winter vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, chard, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and garlic.
Roses don’t need too much right now but if you don’t want to keep cutting off the spent blooms, pull the spent petals now and let the hips form. This discourages the plant from creating new growth and forces it into dormancy. This resting period acts as rejuvenation to the rose plants. Continue watering until the fall and winter rains come. By keeping the debris clear around roses, it keeps the fungal spores and wintering insects at bay.
Strip the roses of dried and withered leaves before they fall for easier cleanup. Cut out
any spindly or crossed growth now to save time when you do your major pruning later at the end of winter. You can change location for roses now if you are careful, but be sure and prepare the hole ahead of time and check for drainage, a key to growing wonderful roses. They say the mood enhancing aroma of roses can lift the spirits like no other perfume, so consider having roses near windows or where you sit.
Speaking of fragrance, consider that fragrant plants add another dimension to your garden almost as strong as the visual beauty of flowers. Add fragrant plants near a door, under a window, on the patio, or along a walkway. Try some easy to grow scented geraniums, the smells of which can remind you of roses, nutmeg, apples, peppermint, chocolate mint, lemon and other citrus. Herbs along the pathway that one can brush against to release the aroma is also a great idea, try growing mint in a container as it can get very weedy and take over a garden plot. Try some of the following plants for fragrance: osmanthes, daphne, star jasmine, clematis, viburnum, pittosporum, azaleas, sage, gardenia, abelia, butterfly bush, chamomile, basil, catnip, phlox, lilies, sweet peas, and tuberose. I was recently at a friend’s house in fairfax and he had plectranthus growing now in full bloom, a great perennial for the fall.
One of my most loyal readers has a predominantly shade garden, so some research netted the following plants to grow in the shade: ground covers such as epimedium, bergenia, moneywart, purple winter creeper, pachysandra, annuals such as browallia, foxglove, sweet alyssum, bulbs such as grape hyancinth, woodland lily, and lily of the valley, perennials such as bleeding heart, helleborus, corydallis, hosta and violets.
November is also a great time to check your tools to make sure they are sharp and ready to go when you need them. You may contact me at macro6096@hotmail.com.Mary, John and >^..^< >^..^<
October 2007
In the bay area, we are able to do many garden projects in Oct., due to our mild Mediterranean climate. Planting bulbs now such as tulips, muscari, crocus, freesias, daffodils, hyacinths, gallanthus, ixia, Dutch iris, sparaxia, anemones, and ranunculus will brighten your garden in the late winter and early spring. Plant them at weekly intervals for several weeks to extend your flowering season. I suggest planting them in drifts of color or types rather than like soldiers all in a row. Also plant the low growing bulbs in front of the taller ones. Remember to refrigerate tulips, hyacinths, and crocus, sometime before planting, around 6 weeks. Growing bulbs is especially foolproof if you improve the soil by adding amendment, compost, and humus which naturally improves the drainage, especially important for bulbs. At the same time add bulb fertilizer to provide slow release nutrients. Most bulbs need at least 1/2 day of full sun or partial sunlight under deciduous trees before they fully leaf out. A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2-3 X as deep as the height of the bulb, or easier yet, use one of the charts available at any nursery. Plant bulbs with pointed ends up, corms, tubers and rhizomes with the withered roots at the bottom. Plant some in interesting containers mixing bulbs with spring flowering shrubs and perennials for a continuous display of color, keeping in mind color, texture and shape. Plant rhizomes of bearded iris now to enjoy the beautiful flowers in the spring both in the garden and in pots. The selection of iris color is amazing and they grow easily in full sun or partial shade. Plant the rhizomes just below the soil line, making sure you have great drainage. Water immediately after planting and when the rains come, the drainage is very important. Plant flowers between the bulbs, and enjoy great color during the winter.
One of my most loyal readers sent me the following information regarding tulips from the San Mateo County Times article by Maureen Gilmer giving a list of web sites to buy great tulips from on-line catalogues. Some great web sites: http://www.johnscheepers.com, 860-567-0838, http://www.brecks.com,800-622-9997,http://www.dutchgardens.com,513-354-1511, http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com, 877-661-2852, http://www.dutchbulbs.com, 888-821-0448. Actually my father swore by Brecks and used them for many years growing many exotic tulips including some of the spectacular parrot ones, none of those yellow King Alfred’s for my dad.
Fall annuals and perennials to plant this month include alyssum, ajuga, calendula, campanula, chrysanthemum, cineraria, cyclamen, dianthus, erodium, forget-me-not, Iceland poppy, nemesia, pansies, primroses, primula, schizanthus, snapdragons, stock, ornamental cabbage and kale, vinca minor and violas. One can also plant lettuce, spinach, carrots, onions and garlic this month. My crop of tomatoes just won’t quit and it has been so delightful to go out and pick them still warm.
Oct. is a great time to choose narcissus and amaryllis for planting in Nov. for holiday gifts. A container of narcissus given to me by a friend a few years back still blooms each year. What better gift than something alive and growing, lasting such a long time in flower. Speaking of containers, I really like giving away plants I have cultivated for a length of time. What about a hand painted pot filled with geraniums? Or an unusual container such as galvanized tubs you find at Home Depot filled with perennials, drilling holes in the bottoms for great drainage. Of course, since I am a succulent collector, I like using them in combination dish gardens, finding low edged pots to grow them in a scene, along with rocks or driftwood. One can also plant in old shoes for a quaint look, maybe hang them on the fence by the laces! Get the kids or granddads involved!
For lawn care this month, lower the mower blades for the winter, use pre-emergent feed and weed killer and fertilize. Be sure to order your bare root roses and fruit trees now for the best selection to plant late winter and early spring. Prune hollies and late growth on camellias, divide perennials and also cut them back drastically. Be sure to keep using Sluggo to keep those pesky snails and slugs away. You may ask me questions at macro6096@hotmail.com.Mary Crowell
macro6096@rcn.com
September 2007
This summer was so much cooler than last, hope you were able to go to the county fair this year, it was great in the floral arts department. Beautiful cut flowers and potted plants along with some innovative balcony gardens. The amateur and professional gardens outside Redwood Hall were especially gorgeous along with the artful and creative floral designs. The fair staff does a great job with staging and since I have had the opportunity to judge many of the surrounding fairs, I can pretty much say that our San Mateo County Fair is really the best!! What a difference tidying up makes in the total look of your garden. This last week, I dead-headed my front garden and it looks and feels so much nicer, filling up three green recycle cans. Course since I just had our house painted with a new southwest look (mango plus hot burnt orange trim), the plants are showcased against the new color. This is also the month many garden clubs resume their meetings again after a summer hiatus. There are many advantages for joining a garden club. You learn about horticulture and floral design and you widen your circle of friends and your plant population. I think gardeners, on the whole, are very generous and very friendly. All the bay area garden clubs and societies welcome new members with open arms, cuttings, plants, bulbs, divisions, diverse programs, tours and great eating treats at the meetings. Check with the San Mateo Garden Center or with me for a society or club that might interest you. Our local succulent club meets at the garden center and is very active especially in the fair.
September: Prune boxwood, laurels, pittosporums and other formal hedges. This is a great time to reshape those plants growing crowded far too long. We had to prune the wisteria as it was climbing in our front window and crawling on our roof, generally making a nuisance of itself. Also a great time to divide perennials and give some to your neighbors and friends. Deadhead all things in the garden, especially the roses. Take out any dead or crossed canes. Mulch now as our days are still hot and it keeps the moisture in the ground and the weeds out. Container pots dry out quickly so always keep an eye on them in this weather.
Perennials are great in containers such as hostas, bleeding hearts, fountain grasses, lamiums, and coral bells. So my tomatoes did well in those chimney flues I found on the street though I did have to stake them as they wanted to fall over, also I planted sorrel seeds to make a great soup I just love. Plant other vegetables such as brussel sprouts (yuk), cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, carrots, radishes, and cauliflower. Take advantage of the warmth to get roots on your plants established before the winter. Plant annuals such as pansies, Iceland poppies, snapdragon, violas, and cineraria. Perennials such as chrysanthemums, cyclamen, coneflower, primula, primrose, yarrow, penstemon, candytuft, and my favorite, salvia (mine bloom 10 months of the year and I have several varieties) can be planted now. Fertilize trees, shrubs, lawns and groundcovers that love all-purpose (16-16-16) fertilizer helping with not only the fall growth but the spring too! Feed roses with rose food. Camellias, azaleas and rhodies love the 0-10-10 until they finish blooming in the spring. Look through catalogues and choose bulbs to plant in Oct and Nov like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Dutch iris, freesias, anemones, crocus, sparaxis, ixia and ranunculus. Some great places to plant bulbs are clustered in a border, in entryway containers, in front of shrubs, containers for decks and balconies, or in a rock garden. Refrigerate tulips, hyacinths and crocus. The best selection is now. Stake tall perennials and trim iris foliage to 6 inch fans. Control snails by putting down non-toxic snail bait, such as "Sluggo". Ask questions by writing me c/o the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, SM, CAMary Crowell
macro6096@rcn.com
July/August, 2007
Having just returned from the 75th Jubilee of California State Garden Clubs at a Convention in Bakersfield, I am exhilarated to be around other garden club members. The enthusiasm for botanical gardens and one’s own garden is infectious. Just now I was out in my garden looking at my epiphyllum hybrids in bloom and a bumble bee was gleefully rolling around in the stamens soaking up the pollen and flitting from flower to flower, nature really is wonderful! July/Aug. is the perfect time to spend in the garden as it is most voluptuous and the evenings are pleasant. I find a lot of peace and solitude just messing with my plants. Making your own garden a sanctuary and refuge can be a pleasing and inviting project for the summer. Our lives are so hectic, that we all need a space that is tranquil and relaxing. Yesterday I wandered about our yard gathering a centerpiece for a luncheon tomorrow, amazed at the plant varieties collected in this small 12 year-old garden. Now is the time to take cuttings of geraniums (pelargoniums), planting them directly into the ground, watering daily until they are rooted. Pinching the established geraniums, dahlias and mums keeps them in shape. Plant fall vegetables, fertilize citrus, roses, azaleas, gardenias, lawns. Deadheading annuals, roses, perennials (isn’t that our favorite job?), enhances the health and appearance of your garden. Cut any last spikes of cymbidium orchids at their base. This is also the last month (July) to repot cymbidiums, as any later will hamper their root growth before the winter rains can cause root rot or cause lack of blooms for next year. If you don’t know alstromeria (Peruvian lilies), do plant some, they give you months of great bloom and cut flowers. By the way, when you gather alstromerias, don’t cut them, you are supposed to pull them up and then cut them the length you need, it stimulates the root growth. Mine have been blooming for over three months and are still going strong.
July/Aug. is pruning time for the shrubs that flower on the wood they made the previous year, such as weigelia, spirea, wisteria, azaleas, and philadelphus. Prune annuals such as pansies, marigolds, and bedding dahlias. If you really want annuals, (I don’t plant them), some choices are bedding begonias, impatiens, petunias, zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos. Plant chrysanthemums in Aug. for fall color. Plant herbs such as rosemary, basil, fennel, oregano, tarragon, and harvest often because the frequent pruning creates more attractive compact plants that are less woody and leggy. Plant summer perennials like lavender (I now have 3 different kinds in my garden), asters, coreopsis, rudbeckia, yarrow, verbena, artemisia, lantana, and salvia. Stake tall perennials. It is a good time to mulch, as our days are hot and it helps keep the moisture in and the weeds out. Lift and divide iris, oriental poppies, and gerberas in Aug. Remember that container pots dry out quickly and need more attention in the summer months because of the heat and wind. Adding top dressing to containers such as compost, bark, lava rock or gravel adds a fresh look and keeps them moist. Grouping your containers helps to keep the humidity high around them and adds a design quality. Deep-water tomatoes, peppers and eggplant about every 5-6 days when they are setting fruit instead of small amounts daily. Raise your cutting blade on the lawn mower as mowing higher prevents the soil from drying out or tell the mow and blow guys if that is the direction you go. Also, water deeply less times rather than shallow watering more often as it makes for better root growth. Best to water trees at the drip line (where the shade ends), rather than at the trunk.
Having a shade garden creates a respite from the heat and some of the most beautiful plants need shade to perform their best. Try some of the variegated hostas, heuchera (coral-bells), abutilon (Vine maple), camellias, fuchsia, bergenia, helleborus, campanula, cuphea, and digitalis (foxglove). Pest control is a problem these months, wash aphids with a strong spray of water and remember to control those pesky slugs and snails with SLUGGO. The San Mateo County Fair is Aug. 10-19; and a summer gardening fair at the SF Botanic Garden, Sat Aug. 4th, with free lectures.Mary Crowell
macro6096@rcn.com