Happy Garden - May 22, 2008

This week Ellen Brown has an article about Watering Your Lawn and has more answers to your questions. We also have more tips from readers.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Photos:

• Tomato "Fence" For Support
• Garden: Iris
• May Flowers: Rose Moss
• Craft Project: Flowers for an ICU Patient
• April Roses
• Blooming Lilac
• Recycle Jeans As A Planter
• Natural Garden Decor

Tips and Articles:

• Water Outdoor Plants While on Vacation
• Your Lawn: When, How Much and How Often To Water
• Kent Mango Leaves Are Browning
• Grow Potatoes For Patio Greenery
• Pests Eating Leaves of Hybiscus
• What Flowers and Vegetables Grow Well in Colorado?
• Keeping Algae from Growing in a Pond
• Plant A Row For The Hungry
• Benefits of Upside Down Garden
• Recycled Seedling Containers
• Easy Grow Potatoes In Boxes
• Starting a Pussy Willow Plant from a Branch
• Using Low Soil Mix For Vegetable Container Garden

New Requests:

• Prolonging Life Of Cut Hydrangea Blooms
• When Should We Trim Our Japanese Maple?
• Is This Larkspur?
• How Do You Like Your Upside Down Garden?
• Tomato Plant Leaves Turning Black
• Plant That Looks Similar To Cabbage
• Why Are My Green Beans Yellow?
• Getting Tree Trunk To Stop Seeping
• Purple Robe Locust Tree With a Split
• Growing Vegetables in Hanging Baskets
• What Will Grow Under Walnut Trees?
• What Will Grow Under Pine Trees?
• Making Row Covers To Protect Plants
• Can I Plant Different Colored Daylilies Close to Orange Ones?
• What is this flower?
• Companion Plant Ideas with Tomatoes
• What Vegetables Grow Well in Western Tennessee?
• Can This Split Tree Be Saved?

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Tomato "Fence" For Support

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Garden: Iris

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May Flowers: Rose Moss

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Craft Project: Flowers for an ICU Patient

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April Roses

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Blooming Lilac

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Recycle Jeans As A Planter

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Natural Garden Decor

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Water Outdoor Plants While on Vacation

To water outside plants while on vacation, simply bury a piece of yarn beside of plant and run the other end of yarn into a bucket of water. Presto! The plants will absorb water as needed. Happy gardening!

By Debra from Hampton

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Your Lawn: When, How Much and How Often To Water
By Ellen Brown

Your lawn requires more water to maintain than any other part of your garden. Its overall health depends on how much water it receives. So how do you know how much to water and how often? Here are the basics to watering your lawn.

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Kent Mango Leaves Are Browning

Question:

Thanks!

Hardiness Zone: 10a

Robert from South Texas

Answer:

I'm sorry that I can't tell you what the exact problem is from your pictures. What I can tell you is that mango trees tend to fall prey to certain fungal diseases. The most common is anthracnose. Unfortunately, Kent mangos happen to be a variety that is very susceptible to anthracnose. Young leaves are particularly susceptible, especially in wet conditions, but the disease also attacks flowers, twigs, and young fruit. Symptoms appear as black spots on the leaves, or sunken black lesions on the fruit.

Verticillium Wilt is another type of fungus that can attack mango trees, especially if they are planted on sites where vegetables were previously grown. This soil-borne fungus is capable of surviving in a dormant state in the soil for as long as 15 years before becoming active. The fungus blocks the vascular system in plants, which sends them into a slow decline. Symptoms include leaves wilting and dying, often only on one side of the tree. Because the dead leaves tend to remain attached, the tree develops a burnt or "fired" appearance.

Deficiencies in manganese and iron can also result in mango decline.

I hope this information gives you some place to start.

Good luck!
Ellen

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Grow Potatoes For Patio Greenery

To dress up my front porch inexpensively, I take a potato and cut out the sections where "eyes" start growing. (The shoot that forms when they are getting too old). I place these in just enough water to keep the bottom of the section wet. Soon it will root and I then plant them in terra cotta pots with potting soil. They are cheap "plants" and produce very pretty greenery. My children loved this project.

By Tanya D from Winchester, Tn

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Pests Eating Leaves of Hybiscus

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 9b

Pauus from Palm Harbor, Florida

Answer:

How to treat your hibiscus for pests really depends on what is eating them. Two common insects that attack hibiscus are aphids and Japanese beetles.

Aphids will generally cause the leaves to become wrinkled and discolored. These small, tear-shaped sap-sucking insects are easy to identify by the sticky honeydew they drop onto the leaves as they feed. Unfortunately, sooty mold fungus then often moves in to grow on the sugary honeydew and covers the leaves in a black coating. This coating prevents the leaves from receiving sun, which inhibits the plant's growth. Aphids are easy to remove by spraying the plants with a strong jet of water several times a day for a period of two to three days. For heavy infestations, use an insecticidal soap until the infestation is under control.

With their metallic blue-green bodies and bronze wing covers, adult Japanese beetles are easy to spot. They tend to feed heavily on the leaves (completely defoliate them), but they will also chew on the buds and flowers. Japanese beetle larvae are fat, white/gray grubs with brown heads, which burrow in the sod. Methods for controlling the adults include picking them off by hand (drop them into a pail of soapy water), and using pheromone traps (available at garden centers). You can also protect plants by covering them with floating row covers or, as a last resort, spraying them with neem. Applying milky spore disease or parasitic nematodes to your lawn will help disrupt their life cycle in the larvae stage.

Good luck!

Ellen

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What Flowers and Vegetables Grow Well in Colorado?

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 5b

Amanda from Lamar, CO

Answer:

Normally, gardening in Zone 5 means many plant choices. However, gardening in Colorado comes with some unique challenges. One is your climate. The other is you soil. Your higher average elevation means greater sun intensity, dry winds, low humidity, and weather that can change on a dime. Plant selection is definitely going to be a key factor to a successful garden.

So is amending your soil. Colorado soils tend to be heavy clay and higher on the pH scale than many plants prefer. Soils also tend to be high in calcium carbonate, which ties up the iron in a form that makes it unavailable to plants.

My advice for getting started in gardening is to explore the Colorado State University's Extension Agency website. Here you will find detailed information on growing vegetables and ornamentals in your climate at your altitude. Check out these links:

A Master list of helpful publications on the state site:

• http://www.ext.colostate.edu/menugard.html

Ask a Colorado Master Gardener:

• http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/

Prowers County Extension Site:

• http://www.extension.colostate.edu/SEA/

More good resources are your local libraries and bookstores. They are sure to have regional gardening guides full of information on which plants work best in your climate and how best to manipulate your soil and microclimate.

Have fun!
Ellen

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Keeping Algae from Growing in a Pond

Question:

Will it help if I have certain types of stones like lime and sandstone in the pond? What would happen if I used salt water rather than regular city water to fill the pond? Please help!

John

Answer:

First off, I applaud your intention to control algae without chemicals. It is not necessarily the easiest or most convenient fix, but most chemical solutions are only a temporary cure for the problem anyway.

There are several ways to keep algae under control in your pond without using chemicals. The key is finding which combinations of biological and physical components work best to keep your pond in balance. It may also take some time and patience to figure that out. It is not clear to me from your question whether your pond is stocked with fish, so disregard any of the following strategies that do not apply to your situation.

1. Assist your plants in keeping your pond clean. Use a vacuum to siphon the bottom of the pond regularly. Remove dead leaves and fallen debris with a skimmer or rake as quickly as possible.

2. Plant submergible aquatics. They take up nutrients in the water and release oxygen during the day to sustain fish and other aquatic life. They also remove excess nutrients from the water, which discourages algae growth. A rule of thumb is to plant one bunch of submerged plants per 1 square foot of surface area.

3. Add a barley straw bundle (1 bundle per 1000 gallons of water). As it breaks down, barley releases an enzyme that acts like an organic algaecide. Bundles need sunlight to decompose, so if you try this strategy, don't let the bundles sink to the bottom of the pond. Attach a cork or a plastic soda bottle to the bundle to keep it afloat. After 2-3 weeks, the bale will decompose and provide effective algae for control for up to 3-4 months.

4. Consider adding a biological filter and beneficial nitrifying bacteria (like Microbe-Lift or Bio-Pond) to your pond. These bacteria feed on the same nutrients as algae and will help keep algae bloom under control.

5. Algae thrive in full sunlight. Adding enough floating plants (like water lilies, water lettuce and water hyacinth) to cover 1/3 of the surface of your pond will help provide shade.

6. Use a pump to aerate water and keep it moving-especially near the side of the pond.

7. Koi eat algae, but they also create waste. Limit fish to one inch of fish for every square foot of water surface in your pond.

Also, don't be afraid to approach and compliment the successful pond owners you see. They'll probably be more than happy to share their secrets with you.

Good luck!
Ellen

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Plant A Row For The Hungry
By Ellen Brown

In 1995, the Garden Writers Association started a public service campaign called Plant a Row for the Hungry. The program's goal was to help stamp out hunger by establishing networks of gardeners in communities across the U.S. and Canada that were willing to grow a row for the hungry to donate to local food programs. Here is how you can be among the thousands of gardeners who are helping to feed the hungry each year by giving away a row of what you grow.

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Benefits of Upside Down Garden

I just purchased an Upside down Garden. This is a great product. I will no longer have to worry about groundhogs eating my tomato plants. I also will not have to worry about the roots rotting. I can't wait to plant.

By Gary from NJ

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Recycled Seedling Containers

When I am starting to grow plants indoors, I drill a couple of holes in an empty yogurt or juicy juice container (I cut the tops off) and use them as the pots.

By Abigail from Columbus, SC

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Easy Grow Potatoes In Boxes

Want to grow potatoes? Lacking the gumption to dig them up? Here's the answer: Boxes. Pick a spot in your yard where you'd like to improve the soil a bit and set out your boxes (at least the size of a 5 gallon bucket).

Fill the boxes with dirt and plant your potatoes, remember to water and weed. When it comes time, either break, tear, or dump the dirt from the boxes and pick up the 'taters!

By Sarah from Berrien Springs, MI

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Starting a Pussy Willow Plant from a Branch

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 6b

Rose from Malvern, PA

Answer:

You can easily start a pussy willow by rooting one of its branches in water. Pussy willows (like other trees in the willow family) produce a natural rooting hormone that encourages them to root quickly. In fact, if you put cutting from other plants in with the pussy willows that are rooting, the other plants are likely to root faster due to the presence of the rooting hormone.

To start a branch in water, select a 12 to 16 inch section that is from 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Remove any leaves that will fall before the water line, and stick the branch in a bucket of water. Store the branch in a cool place out of direct sunlight until some roots emerge. Then transplant the branch outdoors to moist soil.

Although pussy willow branches root easily in water, they will take off much faster if you root them directly in moist soil. This is because water roots (roots that have developed in water) are not the same as roots that have developed in soil. Water roots need time to adapt to their new growing conditions in soil, so branches that are rooted this way will take a bit longer to become established. Pussy willow branches can be rooted in pots indoors or directly in the garden as soon as weather permits (danger of frost is past).

Have fun!

Ellen

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Using Low Soil Mix For Vegetable Container Garden

Question:

Bigglesaquatics from Bolton, Great Britain

Answer:

An ideal growing medium for containers is usually referred to as soil-less, because it does not actually contain any soil. Regular soil is heavy. When used in containers, it can trap water and prevent air from reaching a plant's roots. It also makes containers hard to lift. A loose, porous growing medium allows water and food to move quickly to a plant's roots. It is also lighter, which makes it easier to move containers around the garden.

In North America, many soil-less mixes are sold in garden centers and nurseries as "container mix" or "premium potting mix". Many gardeners prefer to make their own container mix so they can customize it according to the needs of specific plants.

There are many container mix recipes floating around out there. Nearly all of them consist of a blend of peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, well-rotted manure or compost, and sand. Some mixes also contain sulfur (to lower the pH) or lime (to raise it). Others contain some type of slow release organic fertilizer.

Here is a basic recipe:

• 2-1/2 gallons peat moss
• 2-1/2 gallons vermiculite/perlite
• 1-1/4 gallons of screened compost or well-rotted manure
• 2 cups of fine sand

Container plants need to be fertilized regularly because nutrients leach out of the pots every time you water. Use a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks or add two cups of a pelleted slow-release organic fertilizer to your soil-less mixture.

Good luck with your new garden!

Ellen

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Prolonging Life Of Cut Hydrangea Blooms

Is there a special process needed to prolong the life of a hydrangea bloom as a cut flower? I cannot get them to stay attractive overnight?

Dianne from Augusta, GA

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When Should We Trim Our Japanese Maple?

We have a 30 year old beautiful Japanese Red Maple tree in our front yard that is getting way too tall and wide. It is getting near wires and hitting the house. When is the best time to cut it back and give it a good trim and shaping? Thanks.

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Jan from Long Island, NY

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Is This Larkspur?

I planted larkspur from seed last year, this year I have a carpet of what I think is larkspur near the original planting. The plant is about 4 inches tall and each has a cluster of 3 spiked leaves. Is this Larkspur?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Barbara from Pennsylvania

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How Do You Like Your Upside Down Garden?

Does anyone have an upside down garden? How do you like it?

Gary

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Tomato Plant Leaves Turning Black

I have a tomato plant in a large container, and it has 4 small tomatoes on it. Yesterday I noticed that the leaves were turning black as if the plant had been scorched on the edges. What could be causing this? The plant in the next container is fine.

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Peggy62 from Chillicothe

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Plant That Looks Similar To Cabbage

What are the plants called that look like cabbages?

Pat from Upper Michigan

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Why Are My Green Beans Yellow?

My green beans are yellowish. What are they lacking?

Hardiness Zone: 9b

Leslie from Las Vegas, NV

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Getting Tree Trunk To Stop Seeping

In March I cut down a River Birch tree because it was splitting. I left the trunk 10 feet high to make a wood carving. It is about 2 feet in diameter. My problem is that the tree will not stop seeping. Therefore on the south side of the tree, I have a orange gooish mess. The top is constantly dripping. What can I put on top of the tree to seal it? Thanks.

Dan from Hastings, MN

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Purple Robe Locust Tree With a Split

I have a purple robe locust tree that the main trunk has split, but a 1/4 of the trunk is still intact. Can my precious tree be saved! We live in high wind area and I was planning on wrapping the split and putting stronger supports around the tree. Should I put vitamin B-12 on the split or roots due to this injury? Help!

Hardiness Zone: 9b

Rose from Corona, CA

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Growing Vegetables in Hanging Baskets

I was just about to plant some flowers in a hanging basket I have when I remembered that I have several leftover starter plants that are zucchini, summer squash, lemon cukes, and pickling cukes. I got a crazy idea that if you can put those plants in the ground and trellis them upward, why couldn't you start with them in a basket and have them hang over the edge downward. I realize that once there are veggies on the vines, I might have to sling the veggies in some sort of way. Has anyone ever tried any of these in a hanging basket? If so, do you have any advice for me? Thanks.

Tina from Ashland, OR

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What Will Grow Under Walnut Trees?

What vegetables and flowers will survive under the drip line of walnut trees?

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Lorraine from Lone Rock, WI

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What Will Grow Under Pine Trees?

I would like to know what will and what will not grow under the drip line of pine trees.

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Lorraine from Lone Rock, WI

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Making Row Covers To Protect Plants

I've recently discovered that something is eating my sunflower plants in one flower bed, and a hibiscus bush/tree on my deck. You mentioned row covers as a deterrent to deer, rabbits, insects, etc staying out of flower beds.

What are row covers? Where can I buy the materials? How do I construct these? Do the row covers only work for plants in the ground? What about a bush/tree that is on the deck?

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Hardiness Zone: 7b

cp429 from Georgia

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Can I Plant Different Colored Daylilies Close to Orange Ones?

I've always heard that you shouldn't plant different color daylilies close to the orange ones because it will cause them all to be orange.Is this true? Orange ones seem to grow wild here.


Karen L. from West TN

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What is this flower?

Anybody know what this flower is? It is growing on a large, thorny bush. I thought at first it might be a rose bush but the buds are tiny, tiny and very fragrant! Hardiness Zone: 7a Charlene Woods from Stafford, VA

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Companion Plant Ideas with Tomatoes

I planted two Early Girl tomato plants in a large raised bed. I have room for something else but I know from experience not just anything will grow with tomatoes. Any suggestions?

Hardiness Zone: 8b


Judy from Yelm, WA

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What Vegetables Grow Well in Western Tennessee?

What grows very well in western TN? I'm thinking vegetables. Mostly sandy soil with some going toward clay. It rains a lot here.

Hardiness Zone: 6b

LJS from Lexington, TN

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Can This Split Tree Be Saved?

Can a split dogwood tree trunk be mended from tornado wind damage. It has a 2 inch trunk and is 6 feet tall. The trunk is split half way through. Can it be saved? Can it be bound in any way?

Hardiness Zone: 8a


Dianne G from Augusta, Ga.

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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