The Happy Garden Newsletter - June 1, 2006

Hello,

In this week's issue we have three photos, over 10 requests, 6 growing guides and lots of great advice offered by Ellen Brown.

Happy Gardening,

Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Today's Photos:

• Spring on the "Path Garden"
• Nature's Gift
• How to Grow Beautiful Plants

Today's Tips and Articles:

• Plant that Repels Gnats
• Aphids on My Roses
• Rooting a Gladiolus Stalk
• Keeping Pond Water Clear
• Pruning an Avocado Plant
• Nikko Blue Hydrangea Not Blooming
• Weed Killer for Flower Beds
• Using Plants to Build Garden Architecture
• Attracting Frogs and Toads to Your Pond
• Catnip, Cat Grass, and Greens For Your Cat
• Buying Deer and Rabbit Repellents
• Tulips Not Blooming
• Plants With First Rate Foliage
• Spider Deterrent

New Requests:

• Getting Rid of Fruit Flies
• Rooting Lilac Bushes
• Homemade Weed Killers
• Flowers That Will Bloom in October
• Homemade Lawn Fertilizer
• Getting Rid of Slugs
• Rooting a Geranium
• Worms Eating Leaves on My Crabapple Tree
• Growing Vanilla Beans In India
• Make Your Own Food for a Hummingbird Feeder
• Rooting Privet Hedge Branches
• Bug Repellent for Morning Glories

Growing Guides:

• Growing: Shasta Daisy
• Growing: Statice
• Growing: Foxtail Lily
• Growing: Dahlia
• Growing: Snow Trillium (Wake-Robin)
• Growing: Solomon's Seal

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Today's Photos

Spring on the "Path Garden" Yesterday two ladies came to my door thanking me for the garden. One told me her husband had died 4 weeks ago and would it be all right if she planted a rose bush in his memory in the garden. I told her yes, it is your garden, too. Before Planting in November 2004 By Great Granny Vi from Moorpark, Ca. Editor's Note: When preparing these photos for publishing I recognized the pathway. GGVi had sent me pictures before she planted and said she planned to work on it. It certainly is beautiful! And what a wonderful thing to do for your neighborhood. Post Feedback: Click Here

Nature's Gift Nature's Gift By Nancy from Cranston, RI Post Feedback: Click Here

How to Grow Beautiful Plants Always provide music and food for your plants. A balance of diluted 20-20-20 is the best mix for plant food. Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid and Soluable Potash in a 20-20-20 mixture is the best for indoor and outdoor root and leaf growth and if you combine that with gentle Mozart music played from a speaker in the back yard, you will be well rewarded. By Joseph Raglione from Laval West, Quebec Post Feedback: Click Here

Today's Tips and Articles

Plant that Repels Gnats Q: Does anyone know of a plant that will repel biting gnats and other annoying insects? Brenda from Central Arkansas A: Brenda, When you read the labels on "natural" gnat and mosquito repellent products, the ingredients always seem to contain combinations of lemon grass, mint and garlic. Their effectiveness is probably due to the fact that an insects sense of smell is thousands of times greater than that of a human being and these are all highly aromatic plants. In theory, planting these plants should help repel gnats. At the very least, you will be left with the ingredients you need to harvest and make your own bug spray. Studies have suggested that garlic sprays made primarily from garlic juice or garlic extract are effective at repelling both gnats and mosquitoes. An interesting experiment would be to plant all three of these plants (garlic, lemon grass and mint) in containers and place them around your patio. As you pass by, you could crush a few leaves on each plant to release some of their aromatic oils. I have also read that dabbing a few drops of vanilla on your skin repels gnats. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Aphids on My Roses Q: Aphids are invading my roses, anything organic that I can use? Hardiness Zone: 9a Sheri from Central Valley, California A: Sheri, Try washing them off with the garden hose first. A few high-pressure bursts of water will dislodge most of them. You can support the stems with your hand while spraying if you're worried about them breaking. You may need to spray them every other day for awhile to eliminate them. Otherwise, use a safe, commercial insecticidal soap or make your own with 1 tbsp liquid dish soap and two cups of water. Strong smelling roots and spices such as garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger, rhubarb leaves, cayenne and other hot peppers, are all known to repel insects. To add any one (or all) of these to your spray, chop them finely and put them into a glass jar. Add 2 cups of boiling water, cover tightly and let everything stand over night. The next day, strain off the liquid and add your dish soap. Freeze any leftover mix to use the next time. Good Luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Rooting a Gladiolus Stalk Q: I cut a Gladiolus from the stalk trying to dig it up. If I stick the stalk in the ground without the bulb, will it root? Hardiness Zone: 8a Joanne from Abbeville, GA A: Joanne, Gladioli cannot be propagated by rooting the stalk. They are commonly grown from corms, which are enlarged, bulb-like underground stems. After planting corms in the spring, as the leaves of the stalk emerge, a new corm forms on the top of the original corm, which if left alone, would eventually shrivel up and fade away. Smaller corms may also form around this new corm. These can be taken off in the fall when the main corms are dug up for winter storage. These smaller corms can be planted the following spring and dug up again in the fall the same way you would larger corms. They will usually bloom when planted again the second year. You can also propagate gladioli by sectioning-cutting each corm into sections. Each section you cut should contain a bud and be allowed to "cure" for several days in order to form a protective skin. They can then be planted in potting mix (as deep as they are large), watered and kept in a humid, warm room (70 degrees F)until shoots emerge. Gladioli can be started from seed, but you may not end up with offspring similar to the parent plant. It also usually takes a couple of years of planting, digging up and replanting corms until you see flowers. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Keeping Pond Water Clear Q: I have a small fish pond in my front flower bed. It is under some tress so it gets lots of shade. In the past I tried electric pumps to filter the water but they would constantly get stopped up. I finally took the pump out and now just have the pond without any filter. Is there any product that will keep the water clear? I have cleaned the pond and put fresh water in it. I waited 3 days to put the fish back in so the water would not kill them. What is the best way to keep the pond clean at this point? I really don't get algae in the water but it is hard to keep it from turning dark. The liner is heavy plastic and the pond holds about 50 gallons of water. TIA Cookiepom from Owensboro, KY A: Cookiepom, All ponds need some cleaning and maintenance to keep the water clear, but once your pond reaches a state of balance, cleaning and maintenance should stay at a minimal. In new ponds, water is seldom clear for very long and changing the water frequently only delays balancing the ecosystem. The keys to a balanced system are 1) a pond of the proper depth, 2) combined with a good filtration system (biological or otherwise), 3) adding the appropriate amount of plants and fish, and 4) a little bit of patience. Several things could be causing your water to look dark and murky, including algae, bottom silt, and excess waste and decaying debris (falling from the trees overhead). Make sure the soil on the bottom of your pond is covered with large pieces of slate, sand or gravel to prevent the fish from digging up the plants and stirring up silt. Encourage the growth of submerged plants like Anacharis, Cabomba or Vallisneria (good in shade), which will not only oxygenate the water, but filter out suspended particles. If you haven't added them already, snails, tadpoles and bottom feeding fish are also important partners in eating algae. You may not think you have an algae problem, but algae can't always be seen with the naked eye. It's usually the single-celled algae (suspended in the water) that are responsible for turning it that murky green color. Light, warm temperatures and calm water are really all most algae need to "bloom." Adding surface plants, like water lilies, will keep the pond cooler and block out light to the algae as they grow. These plants, along with the submerged plants, will eventually kill off the algae by taking up the CO2 and nutrients they need to survive. In a small pond, you'll want to shoot for having at least 50-60% of the surface covered with floating plants. Also, most pond suppliers recommend that a pond with 50 gallons of water or less should contain no more than 2-3 gold fish to keep from overloading the waste cycle. Koi fish are not recommended for smaller ponds because they grow to large. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Pruning an Avocado Plant Q: I have an indoor avocado plant that is about 5 feet tall. The leaves are only on the top 12 inches. Can I trim it down to about 2 feet and still have it leaf out? Hardiness Zone: 8b Janell from Aloha Oregon A: Janell, Avocados are self thinning and if not pruned regularly, they can grow tall and spindly as house plants. If your plant is still losing leaves, too much water or not enough sun are the two most common culprits. I've never grown an avocado plant, but theoretically, pruning a mature avocado plant should encourage branches to sprout from below the cut. This should create a stronger, bushier, more compact plant. If you don't want to cut back the main stem, partially cut back a few branches higher up to encourage new growth further down the trunk. Keep in mind that by cutting back main branches, you will stimulate growth all over and can expect to see several new stems emerge below the cuts. You may want to let these emerging stems grow out a bit and then periodically pinch or prune some of them back in order to reshape your plant. Avoid pruning in late summer or early fall. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Nikko Blue Hydrangea Not Blooming Q: I planted a nikko blue hydrangea 2 years ago but it has never bloomed. I fertilize it and it is in a sunny location (6 hours of sun). It is healthy looking and green but no flowers. What can be wrong? Hardiness Zone: 4b Maureen From Nova Scotia Canada A: Maureen, Your hydrangea sounds like it's getting the right amount of shade/sun, so as long as you're not using a fertilizer that is too high in nitrogen, the problem is probably your Nova Scotia winters. Cold damage is the most common reason this type of hydrangea fails to bloom. You didn't mention whether or not you cover your Nikko in the winter. Although they are usually rated to zone 4 or 5, Nikkos (especially when young) should be given winter protection. You can do this by surrounding the shrub with a cage made from chicken wire and filling it up with leaves or straw. The Nikko Blue blooms on old wood so pruning it can also be tricky. Flower buds usually form on the stems sometime between August and October, so most gardeners prune them by the end of July. Later pruning puts you at risk for cutting off next year's buds. Fortunately, if Nikkos are located in a fairly protected area, pruning usually isn't necessary for this type of hydrangea unless you need to rein them in or revitalize them. Dead stems can be removed anytime. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Weed Killer for Flower Beds Q: Can I use the vinegar weed killer in a flower bed being careful not to spray the existing plants and if so how long before I can plant new plants or seeds? Hardiness Zone: 5b Darlene ORuairc from Clawson, MI A: Darlene, Vinegar shouldn't be used in any soil that you want to plant someday. It breaks down the soil's structure, leaving it unable to support growth. It's best just to hoe or hand pull the weeds and then mulch with an organic material to prevent weeds from re-emerging. Leaves, compost, cardboard, newspaper, grass clippings, straw, sawdust, pine needles and bark chips are some examples of effective mulching materials. Newspaper, straw, and grass clippings are my favorites, because they don't change the soil's pH and they contribute nutrients as they decompose. You might also consider planting a live mulch or groundcover to help control weeds. This trend is one that finally seems to be catching on. Most groundcovers have small, inconspicuous flowers and when used as a live mulch, provide gardeners with another way to add color and interest to the garden. Thyme is one example. It establishes quickly from seed, helps control insects, locks in moisture around plants and it smells nice. There are also several varieties with different colored foliage. Laurentia, WinterCreeper, Ivy, Trailing Periwinkle, Creeping Phlox and Sedum are examples of other great live mulch choices. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Using Plants to Build Garden Architecture By Ellen Brown Every plant in the garden performs a function. Some support the overall look of the garden, while others make a bold statement when standing on their own. Using architectural plants in your garden's design helps to anchor it and give it compelling structure. Plants with strong architecture will also continue to add interest to the garden long after the flowers fade. View This Article: Click Here

Attracting Frogs and Toads to Your Pond If you want to attract frogs and toads to your pond then make sure it has a sizeable shallow area that is not any deeper than six inches deep. Fill this area with lots of rocks for them to hide under so they feel camouflaged and safe. Tip By Hope Mason http://www.lulu.com/spiritbooks Post Feedback: Click Here

Catnip, Cat Grass, and Greens For Your Cat By Catherine Forman Cats are carnivores. That means the bulk of their dietary needs are satisfied by eating meat. View This Article: Click Here

Buying Deer and Rabbit Repellents Q: Rabbits and deer are eating my 2005 forestry planted trees and perennials. Research online shows me repellents that use stinky odors and coyote and fox urine. What is the best value in repellents that work? Hardiness Zone: 7a Many thanks, Mille Woodsi from Alto, N.M. A: Mille, Sorry to hear about your trees and perennials. If either deer or rabbits are really hungry due to stress from overpopulation or drought, your only defense is a VERY tall fence (at least 8 ft tall for deer) or a fence buried into the ground (at least 6 inches down for rabbits). Because no one method will continue to work forever, an arsenal of inexpensive home remedies is probably your best value. Most gardeners have found home remedies to be at least as effective (if not more effective) than expensive commercial remedies. As others have noted here, deer detest certain odors. The scent of predators (e.g. human hair, dog hair or fox/coyote urine), and animal proteins (e.g. rotten eggs or bloodmeal) are their two biggest dislikes. There is nothing fancy about animal urine, so if you buy it, buy the most inexpensive product you can find. Some people have also had luck with hanging bars of soap from tree branches or placing soap chips around the base of favored plants. Any strong smelling remedy that repels deer should also work on rabbits. Some gardeners also swear that placing Mason jars 3 feet apart all around their garden repels rabbits. I have no idea why this would work, but anything is worth a try. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Tulips Not Blooming Q: The leaves on my tulips under my lavender bush appear every year but not the flowers. Can anyone tell me why and what I can do? Should I dig them up and plant new ones? Hardiness Zone: 6a Thanks! Kathy from Bloomington, IN A: Kathy, Since your tulips are coming up year after year but are failing to bloom, they are either not getting enough sun, or you're removing last season's foliage before it is naturally dieing back. Is your lavender bush providing them with too much shade? Tulips prefer full sun, so I would recommend moving them to a sunnier location in the fall or after the foliage has fully died back. When you plant them in a new site, make sure you plant them at the correct depth in nutrient-rich soil with plenty of drainage. I would also recommend adding a little liquid fish emulsion to the site early next spring. Most tulips come to the end of their productive cycle after a few years, so if after you move them and fertilize them this year, you find them repeating this flowerless scenario next year, I would try your luck with some different bulbs. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Plants With First Rate Foliage By Ellen Brown Try to imagine what your garden would look like if you took away all of the foliage and you really start to understand and appreciate its value. Usually, it plays the subtle, yet important role of providing a backdrop that showcases the colors of your flowers. Many gardeners are discovering that there are hundreds of plants worth growing just for their foliage. Plants that provide foliage give the garden color, shape and texture when nothing is in bloom. View This Article: Click Here

Spider Deterrent Q: I am looking for a spider deterrent for my patio area. I have pets and so do not want to use chemicals or toxic products. I do not want to kill the spiders, I would prefer a homemade solution that I could spray or apply around the "people" areas of my garden. Any ideas? Hardiness Zone: 5b Danamango From Montreal, Canada A: Danamango, If you get rid of the insects they eat, you will eventually get rid of the spiders. I have seen the following home remedies for repelling spiders. I've never tried any of these myself, but they certainly sound interesting. If you (or anyone on this site) try one of these methods, let me know if it works! Chestnuts: place them around patio doors and around the perimeter of the balcony or deck to repel spiders. Strong Essential Oils: (Canola, cedarwood, citronella, garlic, lavender, cinnamon, peppermint, tea tree oil, etc.) Combine 5 drops of any of these oils to 1 quart of water and a bit of dish detergent. Spray around desired areas. Chewing Tobacco: Add 1 package of chewing tobacco to 1 gallon of boiling water and let cool. Strain and save liquid. Add 1 cup of the liquid to a 1/2 cup of lemon scented dish detergent. Pour into a spray bottle and treat the desired area. (Recipe by Jerry Baker, America's Master Gardener). Lemons: Spiders taste with their feet and are repelled by lemon oil, and even lemon-scented pledge. (This advice is supposed to be straight from the folks at Arachnophobia-the movie). Osage Orange (Horse Apples): Quarter them and place them around the perimeter of affected areas. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

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New Requests

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies Does anyone know how to get rid of those pesky small flies or fruit flies? Becky L. from West Palm Beach, FL Post Feedback: Click Here

Rooting Lilac Bushes Can you get a lilac branch to root in water? I have a 6 foot branch in a 5 gallon pail with rocks and water. Will this work? Hardiness Zone: 5a Rose from Clinton, Maine Post Feedback: Click Here

Homemade Weed Killers How can I make my own weed killer? Salmonfly from Rochester Post Feedback: Click Here

Flowers That Will Bloom in October My son is getting married in October. While we are thrilled about the upcoming events, I may have the rehersal dinner in our backyard. I sure would appreciate any suggestions for plants that would be blooming that month so that it would look as pretty as possible. By the way - the mums I got last year in Oct as potted plants I planted and they are about to bloom - is this right? Will they bloom again in October? Thanks to everyone for the input! Hardiness Zone: 8a BBB from Greenville, AL Post Feedback: Click Here

Homemade Lawn Fertilizer Does anyone have a homemade lawn fertilizer? Hardiness Zone: 6a Jamish from Ransom, Kansas Post Feedback: Click Here

Getting Rid of Slugs I have been finding a lot of slugs in my flower grarden and on my flowers and they ar distroying my plants. Can anyone suggest something I can put on them that will kill the slugs but not my flowers? I know there are products (chemicals) in the stores I can use but I would like to use something natural that I might have around the house. Thanks, Michelle from New York Post Feedback: Click Here

Rooting a Geranium I have a geranium that is three years old, I keep it inside. It is very large! One of the branches broke off when I was watering it and I was wondering if ther was anyway of getting it to root. I put it in a vase of water as soon as it happened, this was 2 weeks ago and it is still doing very well. The buds have opened and no leaves have died. Should I leave it in the water or should I use a rooting compound and put it in dirt? Any suggestions? The pink one is the plant it broke off of. Hardiness Zone: 5b Thanks, Michelle from New York Post Feedback: Click Here

Worms Eating Leaves on My Crabapple Tree I have worms eating the leaves on my crabapple tree. How can I stop them? Hardiness Zone: 6a jt_luves_dn from Syracuse, NY Post Feedback: Click Here

Growing Vanilla Beans In India Can I grow vanilla from cured beans and is the south India climate okay for growing vanilla? Anuradha Sawant from Mumbai, India Post Feedback: Click Here

Make Your Own Food for a Hummingbird Feeder I would like to make my own mix for my hummingbird feeder. I used to know and have forgotten. Any ideas of sugar and water mixture? Thanks, barbo37 from Fairview, MI Post Feedback: Click Here

Rooting Privet Hedge Branches I want to grow roots on Privet Hedge branches that I have cut. Any ideas on how to do this? I cut some and put them in water but they did not root. Hardiness Zone: 5a Ricky from Lansing, MI Post Feedback: Click Here

Bug Repellent for Morning Glories What can I put on my morning glories to keep the bugs and insects from eating them. Some pesticides will burn them as they are so delicate. Hardiness Zone: 8a Thanks, Angelheart from Clyde, TX Post Feedback: Click Here

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Growing Guides

Growing: Shasta Daisy By Ellen Brown Growing Hints: Sow seeds directly into the garden in spring for flowers the following summer. Purchase plants from the nursery for first year blooms. Remove spent flowers to extend blooming period and divide clumps every 3 to 4 years after they finish flowering. Interesting Facts: Shasta Daisies are the result of plant breeder, Luther Burbank, who spent years interbreeding wild species of chrysanthemums from all over the world. More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Statice By Ellen Brown Growing Hints: Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to last frost date or sow directly outdoors in spring after danger of frost has passed. Plants may be divided in the spring or cuttings can be taken when dormant in mid-winter and grown in pots indoors or in a cold frame until transplanted in the spring. Statice is easy to grow and makes an excellent choice for use in fresh or dried flower arrangements. Interesting Facts: Statice is resistant to deer. More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Foxtail Lily By Ellen Brown Growing Hints: In the fall, plant tubers 6 inches deep and approximately 36 inches apart. Plants need regular watering during the growing season and should not be allowed to dry out. Care should be taken not to over water in the winter. After the plant flowers, the root stock can be divided, or simply discarded. Plants are slow to become established and dislike being divided, so many gardeners prefer to purchase new tubers annually. Applying fertilizer throughout the first few seasons will help plant establish roots. Well-established plants require very little maintenance and reseed themselves readily. Interesting Facts: Foxtail lilies are native to western and central Asia. More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Dahlia By Ellen Brown Suggested Use: beds, borders, edging, cut flowers and containers or Growing Hints: Start with bare-rooted plants in the spring or sow seed indoors from four to six weeks before your last frost date. Seedlings should be pinched off when they are 4 to 6 inches tall to encourage bushier growth. Move them into the garden when danger of frost has passed. In the fall, leave tubers in the ground in zones 8-10. In cooler zones, to save tubers for the next season, dig 8 to 10 inches down into the soil and lift them out before the first hard rain or freeze. Clean loose soil away from roots, leaving any moist soil attached until it dries and is safe to remove. Store cleaned clumps of tubers in a cool, well-ventilated area. They can be placed on newspaper or in sand with the tubers left exposed. Check them monthly and sprinkle them with water if necessary to prevent them from drying out. If they look shriveled they are either too warm or too dry. Remove any soft spots with a sharp knife and dust with a fungicide to prevent rot. More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Snow Trillium (Wake-Robin) By Ellen Brown Growing Hints: Plant rhizomes in the fall 2 to 4 inches deep and 5 to 8 inches apart. Apply mulch to protect plants from the cold. If you have patience, seeds are in the form of berries and can be separated from the pulp and planted in the fall when they become ripe. They take two years to germinate and another two years to flower. Plants will eventually spread by way of their underground stem systems and form a colony. Do not pick the flowers. In order to do so you need to pick the leaves, which are important for providing the plants with nourishment the following year. Interesting Facts: The name Trillium refers to the plants structure, which consists of three's-three petals, three sepals and three leaves. More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Solomon's Seal By Ellen Brown Growing Hints: Plant rhizomes in spring or fall 1 to 2 inches deep and spaced 1 to 2 inches apart. Plants produce blue berries and can also be sown from ripened seed in the fall (separate seed from pulp), but expect to wait between two and four years for them to flower. Divide plants in the spring, or let them spread and reseed themselves. Interesting Facts: Solomon's seal is native to North America and well-suited to growing in the coniferous forests of the Northeastern and Southeastern United States as well as deciduous woodland and prairie environments. Plants tend to be deer resistant. More Growing Information: Click Here

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