NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN FOR JUNE 4, 2016
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GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR JUNE 2016
BY GLADYS JEURINK 1.
ORNAMENTAL GRASS IS DYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLUMP. WHY?
The grass roots get so thick in the center of the clump that
they die off. Also the center is shaded by the outer stems so it does
not get the light it needs. Spring is the time to dig the entire clump,
chop it into pieces and replant. If you have too many pieces share some
with your friends. Or you can cut into the clump and leave a piece of
the roots and remove the rest. George uses a reciprocating saw with a
pruning blade to divide his grass. 2. MY
DAFFODILS HAD SMALLER BLOOMS AND FEWER FLOWERS THAN USUAL. WHY?
Daffodil bulbs are affected by crowding. Some may even be pushed
to the top of the soil. Wait
until the leaves turn brown and then dig and separate the bulbs.
Replant. 3. MY
PEONIES ARE FLOPPING OVER AND SOME HAVE EVEN BROKEN OFF. WHAT CAN I DO?
Some plants flop in a heavy rain or strong wind, especially when
they have heavy blooms . For them I try to have supports ahead of time.
You can plant sticks or branches among your tiny plants to give
them support. The Garden Centers have rings with “holes” for the plants
to grow through that work fine. Those rings have legs of various lengths
that you can adjust for different plants. They have one that is
specifically for Peonies.
If you have this problem each year, think about how much you
fertilize your plants and what kind of fertilize you use. Too much
nitrogen early in the season without sufficient light can make your
plants “leggy” or “spindly” and thus not able to support the blooms. 4. MY YOUNG
STEMS HAVE BEEN CHEWED THROUGH AT GROUND LEVEL. I ESPECIALLY HAVE THE
PROBLEM WITH MY TOMATOES. WHAT CAN I DO?
You probably have “Cutworms” and you need some kind of defense.
When you put out new seedlings in the spring or in the fall for a fall
garden, make a collar to push down in the soil around each plant. I like
cans with both ends cut out to place around each plant. Make sure they
are big enough for the stem to grow. Tubes from paper towels or toilet
paper will work for a short time until the stems get tougher. For his
tomatoes George uses #10 food cans he gets from a cafe. In fact they can
take care of most plants in a vegetable
garden that are bothered by “cutworms”. 5. I STARTED
MY SEEDS IN THE HOUSE AND HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT “HARDENING OFF THE NEW
SEEDLINGS”. WHAT IS THIS?
When taking new seedlings outside you need to treat them
gently. The change of temperature, intensity of light, and the stronger
winds can set them back. Put them outside for increasing lengths of time
during the day and then at night bring them in if the temperature goes
below 50 degrees F. Some of my plants I put on the North side of the
house to “harden off” or get used to the outside. I don’t plant them in
the ground until they have been “hardened off” and used to the changes. 6. I HAVE
SEEN MANY HOLES IN THE LEAVES OF MY CABBAGE PLANTS AND OTHER PLANTS IN
THE CABBAGE FAMILY. WHAT IS CAUSING THESE?
Little white Butterflies appear quite early in the spring and
love to lay their eggs on any plants in the Cabbage family and they can
lay quite a few! Suddenly we see many holes in those leaves from the
Caterpillars that hatch. Bacillus Thuringensis (Bt) and Spinosad
(Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew), are both registered for organic gardens
and safe to use on vegetables. When the Caterpillars eat the leaves they
also eat the insecticide.
When buying Bt read the label as there are several different species and
each has its favorite insect to destroy. Copyright 2016 |