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Hello,
Two great articles this week: November's Gardening To-Do List and Preparing Your Roses For Winter. We also have some more answers to reader's questions.
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Today's Tips and Articles
| November's Gardening To-Do List
By Ellen Brown As the calendar marches toward late fall and early winter, differences in regional growing conditions become much more pronounced. Some zones are covered in snow, while others are just starting to harvest. In all but the warmest zones, the list of seasonal gardening chores is starting to get short for most gardeners. That's welcome relief for most of us, because with Halloween just behind us, another busy holiday season is just around the corner. Before you find yourself knee-deep in cold, snow or holiday preparations, here is a helpful list of gardening tasks for the month of November. View This Article: Click Here |
Coffee Ground for Roses
Question:How much and how often do I use coffee grounds for my roses?Hardiness Zone: 10a Takisha from Pittsburg, CA Answer:Takisha,It isn't necessary to use coffee grounds more than 1 or 2 times per year on your roses. Any more and you can start to alter the pH too much. To be safe, I would recommend purchasing a simple pH test. These test kits are easy to use, inexpensive and readily available at lawn and garden stores. Performing your own test will not give you the same accurate results you would get from a certified soil-testing lab, but it will give you a good general idea of where your soil lies on the pH scale. Roses (and azaleas and rhododendrons) do prefer acidic soil, but too much acid will kill microorganisms and harm your plants. A few grounds once or twice a year is safe, but unless you have really alkaline soil, I wouldn't apply any more than that without performing a soil test first. Incidentally, I would say the same about applying wood ashes to your soil to make it more alkaline. Use one cup of grounds per bush for each application to give your roses a nice boost. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Growing a Trumpet Vine
Question:How do you grow a trumpet vine?Hardiness Zone: 5a Jan from big Rapids, Michigan Answer:Jan,These are wonderful vines for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds (and nectar loving insects of all sorts), but you should be aware that they can be quite invasive in some gardens. Trumpet Vines can be started from seed, suckers or by purchasing young plants. They will tolerate poor soil, but for the best show of flowers plant them in full sun in soil that is nutrient-rich and drains well. There really isn't much to growing them, with the exception of the need for constant pruning to keep them in check. They require moderate amounts of water and don't require any extra fertilizer to grow well. The first two or three years of growth they will be putting all of their energy into getting established so don't expect to see any flowers. To keep growth in check, you can prune the vine in the late fall or early spring. Trumpet vines also send forth lots and lots of suckers. These can be managed with a shears (or a lawn mower), but don't dig them out or you'll end up with twice as many as you started with. Gathering seedpods before they pop and regular pruning will also help keep these vines in bounds and prevent them from taking over your garden. You'll need to provide it with a sturdy support almost immediately after planting. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
How do you grow mint in a pot?
Question:How do you grow mint in a pot? Jordy from South Hedland, WAAnswer:Jordy,Choose a fairly large container (1 to 5 gallons). You can purchase mint seedlings at a nursery and transplant them to larger pots when you get them home, acquire plants from through division from friends and relatives or start them from seed. Personally, unless you know someone who can give you a plant, I would recommend purchasing young plants at a nursery. More often than not, starting mint from seed proves to be a frustrating task for many people. Mint plants are not that fussy about soil and sun, but they'll give you their absolute best if you give them at least partial sun (full is best) and you grow them in fertile, well-drained soil. You didn't say whether or not you plan on growing them indoors or outside. They'll do well in either case. You can drop the pot right into the ground in your garden or set it in a bright area of your kitchen where it will be handy for cooking. Try and keep them consistently moist. Mint is quite drought tolerant, but they prefer to be kept consistently moist. When growing them in pots you'll need to monitor their moisture carefully and because soil nutrients will get washed away by frequent watering, feed them a 1/2 strength water soluble fertilizer every few weeks (fish emulsion or seaweed works well). Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Harvesting Horseradish
Question:When and how do I harvest horseradish? How do I prepare the root? I have searched for this for two years, and can't seem to find any information. Any input would be appreciated.Hardiness Zone: 7a Mary from Langhorne, PA Answer:Mary,Horseradish is ready to harvest when roots reach a length of 12 to 18 inches long. Depending on a person's gardening zone, roots are harvested in either the early spring or late fall while the plant is still actively growing. Many gardeners prefer to harvest only as much as they need at any one time because the intensity of the root's flavor tends to fade with storage. After digging out the roots, cut off the crown and remove any of the smaller side roots. Before you process the roots, mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of vinegar and set it aside. To process the roots, scrub them thoroughly and use a potato peeler or small knife to pare off the outer skin. Cut out any hollow or dark spots and slice the root into small chunks. Use a food processor or hand grinder to grind down the chunks into a smaller size. This is strong stuff. If cutting onions makes you tear up slightly, horseradish roots will make you weep! The more coarsely you grind the roots the milder the end product will be. And here's where the vinegar comes in. As you grind down the roots you'll want to add some of the vinegar/water mixture to the ground horseradish. The enzymatic action of the vinegar stabilizes the horseradish and determines the final degree of heat. If you like less heat, add some vinegar right away. If you like a lot of heat, wait three minutes before adding it. You can vary the ratio of vinegar to water or substitute lemon juice for vinegar to vary the taste. Add mayo to create creamy horseradish. Pack in small jars and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks. Roots can also be frozen, but will lose a bit of their flavor this way. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Preparing Your Roses For Winter
By Ellen Brown One question that comes up for many gardeners this time of year, is how to prepare their roses for winter. The harsh winter weather found colder zones (zones 6 and below) can easily claim the lives of hybrid tea roses, floribunda and grandiflora roses, unless they are offered at least some level of winter protection. There are several ways to prepare your roses for winter and which method works best continues to cause heated debates among rosarians. In my opinion, it doesn't matter which method you choose, just as long as it carries your roses through until next spring. View This Article: Click Here |
Rose Bushes With Brown Leaves
Question:I have 4 rose bushes and I'm having trouble with brown leaves. Most of the leaves are green but, then I find on every bush some brown with white power looking stuff. The new growth the leaves are a yellow/green color. I live in AZ. Could it also be the heat? Also, every summer my front yard has 1 brown spot, what is this from?Hardiness Zone: 9b Gepe from Queen Creek, AZ Answer:Gepe,The powdery white coating on your roses' leaves sounds like powdery mildew. This is a common disease of roses that attacks the buds, causing deformed blooms and eventually weakening the plant. The mildew initially forms on young leaves and then spreads to older leaves and buds. You'll need to remove the affected leaves immediately and start a program consisting of weekly sprayings of sulfur or a 50/50 mix of milk and water. The brown spot in your yard could be something similar to Spring Dead Spot. This is a crown, root and stolen rot of dormant grass caused by a fungus. Affected lawns recover slowly over the course of the summer, but if left untreated, the disease will develop the following spring in the same spot, growing slightly larger every year. A fungus moving in means that area in your lawn is unhealthy. Aerate the area to encourage the growth of healthy bacteria, followed by reseeding the area. If you use fertilizer, you may be using too much. If the problem persists, try applying a fungicide made especially for Brown Patch or Spring Dead Spot in the late summer or early fall when the fungus is most active. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Have I Waited Too Long To Harvest My Herbs?
Question:All of my herbs have gone to seed. I was wanting to bring some inside for the winter. Have I waited too long?Hardiness Zone: 8a Becky from Charlotte, NC Answer:Becky,It depends on what you're growing. I'm not sure if you're talking about harvesting the leaves, stems and seeds, or bringing the entire plant in for the winter. Some herbs, like basil for example, tend to taste bitter if harvested after the plant sets seeds. The same is true for most herbs that are harvested for their foliage. Once they bolt (set seed) their flavor is altered. As a general rule, herbs that will be used for their foliage should be harvested before they bolt. Herbs grown for seed should be harvested as their seedpods change from green to brown, but before the seeds drop or shatter. Herbs that will be harvested for their flowers should be harvested just before the flowers are fully open, and herbs that will be harvested for their roots can be harvested in the fall as soon as the foliage dies back. If your herbs still have foliage, try harvesting a few and drying them or adding them to dishes to test their flavor. If they taste fine to you, there is no harm in harvesting them this late. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Growing Vegetables From Seeds
When slicing tomatoes or peppers, I always slice them on a paper towel. Any and all seeds that fall onto the paper towel, I set aside for a couple of weeks and let dry out and then bury the entire paper towel in my flower bed and water as I water other plants in existing bed. Within a few days, seeds will sprout and voila! you have vegetable plants. Post Feedback: Click Here |
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| Willow Trees Growing Near Sewer Drains
I have a neighbor that lives directly behind me who planted three weeping willow trees at the bottom of his yard. The trees are about 20 feet apart from each other. One in each corner and one in the middle forming a row. There is sewer drain for the septic tanks and drainage from rain within 10 feet of the trees that runs in between the yards. Our average lot size in the neighborhood is less than a half acre. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Growing a Citrus Tree Indoors
How do you take care of a multi-citrus tree indoors? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Sticky Substance on Leaves
I brought my bay plants in for the winter. They have developed a sticky, shiny substance all over the leaves. I don't see any insects but did spray them when I noticed this substance. Today I notice that it has even dropped onto the window sill close to the plant. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Chrysanthemum Cuttings?
I seem to have good luck with mums. Do you think I should take cuttings from existing bushes (need season suggestion and ideas) or just buy a new and improved variety at the nursery (need variety suggestions). Rain is irregular. I use a sprinkler and hand water. We have hot summers (low 100's) and it gets to below freezing during part of the winter. Sometimes it doesn't snow, but we get a lot of ice storms. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| When do you bring a Poinsettia inside for the winter?
My Mom inherited a poinsettia when her Aunt passed away this summer. It's huge and in a big pot. Aunt Doris kept it on a screened porch year 'round. My Mom has had it sitting on her deck that is on the southwest side of her home. Post Feedback: Click Here |
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By Scrappinfairy (Guest Post)
11/02/2006
I am confused about "zones" I am new to gardening ( i just moved from and apt. to a home) and had never heard of zones until recently. How do I know what zone I am in etc?
Editor's Notes: It is based on where you live and the temperature extremes. Here's is a link that has a link to help you find your zone:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf11804694.tip.html
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