Garden Club Tips of the Month
December: Another benefit of a blazing log fire
We knew that wood ash was a beneficial fertilizer -- in measured amounts! (Too much potassium-- which wood ash provides -- encourages the growth of leaves, but not of flowers.) Still, a certain amount of ash mixed into the compost is a useful addition.
It can also be spread pure in circles around those plants that are most attractive to slugs and snails. Apparently they do not like to drag themselves across it and pick up a coating on their feet! (foot?)
And here is another use for ash that we have just learned: it can be mixed into a paste with water and painted onto the bark of fruit trees to protect them from insects and diseases. Winter is a good time to do this -- and of course a good time to have a supply of ashes.
So, enjoy sitting in front of the fireplace with a clear conscience....even the ashes can be recycled!
Naturally, you use them once they are cold......!
November:
Our nursery visit in September yielded lots of interesting tips. Here is one for you: did you know that plants with grayish or silvery leaves are very often dry-climate plants? Apparently something in the pigmentation helps them withstand heat and dryness. A good thing to know in our area!
And, even though we are a dry area, some of us still have lots of shade. Shade-loving plants are often said to require “terre de bruyère”. Well, our nurseryman told us that commercial “terre de bruyère” contains no nutrients. He suggests, instead, planting shade-loving plants in a mix of ordinary soil and a lot of compost. “It’s logical,” he says – “plants that love the shade are used to growing on forest floors – where there are great amounts of fallen leaves and other plant matter.” So, make them feel at home – give them compost!
And, don’t forget that we are right in the middle of bulb-planting season. So, while you are enjoying the colors of autumn leaves….think too, of the flowers of spring!
October:
If you are afraid of losing a plant or flowering bush to frost over the winter, here's a tip.
Take a terra cotta roof tile, such as many of us have on our roofs, and "plant" it upright in the soil at the base of your bush or plant. It must be stuck halfway into the soil. The sun will warm the tile and consequently warm the soil near the base of the plant and hopefully prevent freezing.
SOLAR ENERGY, n'est-ce pas?
September:
Tip for the month: With September, our gardens should be reawakening and ready for a second flush of flowers. Enjoy! And don’t forget that August hardened up the stems of many plants – so that you can make cuttings to increase your holdings!
