Tag: Gardening & Landscaping

You can amend your soil to improve its drainage by adding organic material, such as compost, manure, or shredded leaves. This technique will work whether your soil has poor drainage or very good drainage. It works by increasing the number of soil aggregates, which are groups of soil particles with lots of space between them for oxygen or water. Organic materials will work better and add more nutrition than other substances, like sand or perlite.

To amend your soil with compost, start by spreading a layer of compost two to four inches thick. Work the compost into the soil down to the top six inches to one foot by hand with a garden fork or a spade, or you can use a tiller. (Using a tiller too often will actually impair soil drainage by breaking up soil aggregates.)

Organic materials like compost are recommended for amending clay soils. You will often see references to amending clay soil with sand, but we do not recommend it. Amending clay soil with sand only works at a ratio much higher than is practical for most gardeners; otherwise, it creates a mixture similar to concrete.

• An alternative to soil amendment is the use of green manures or cover crops. These crops are planted in the fall and killed in early spring before they go to seed, either by mowing or by glyphosate. The green manure provides nutrition and aeration to the soil.
• If you’re growing just a couple of different types of plants in areas where soil drainage is a problem, try adding more diversity with new plants. As a result, you’ll have a more diverse range of microbes in the soil, which contributes to soil health.
• Break up soil manually using spading, trenching, or aeration techniques. Although tilling too frequently can cause soil to become compacted, you can till once to improve aeration, though it will disturb your earthworm population. Major problems with tilling come when people overtill their soil.
• To keep soil healthy, you should have plants growing there when the weather is cool as well as when it is warm. The roots of dormant plants are part of an ecosystem that contributes to the health of beneficial microbes in the soil.
• Soil particles are pressed together if compacted, impairing the healthy movement of oxygen and water through the soil. Avoid activities that cause soil compaction, including walking or driving on the soil or working in it while it is wet. Tilling your soil too frequently can also cause soil compaction. In general, you want to avoid interfering with the soil in any way so that natural processes like earthworm burrows and the spaces between soil aggregates can remain untouched. Disturb the soil as infrequently as you can.
• Redirecting water away from your garden can reduce the amount of water that comes into contact with your plants’ root zone. Different techniques can change the elevation in your garden to prevent it being a low-lying area. If your property is at a downspout or in a depression, redirecting water may be the solution for you.
• Hilling is traditionally used with potato plants, but you can apply it in areas with poor drainage no matter what you’re growing. Hilling involves creating a small hill (also called a berm) around each plant in the area with poor drainage. Hilling is really a method of redirecting water away from your plants, as some of it will soak into the hill and the rest will run off the sides away from the plants’ root zones.
• Installing a drain is another way to redirect water to improve soil drainage. You can use a French drain, the most common type of underground drain. A French drain is basically a ditch filled with gravel and covered with soil. You can also use subsurface tile drains, which are sections of perforated pipe laid 12 to 18 inches deep. Vertical drains can be used where you are planting trees or shrubs. They consist of three-foot to five-foot holes that have a diameter between 4 inches and 6 inches, dug next to the roots with an auger or post hole digger. These holes are filled with gravel, which maintains the structure of the soil while still allowing water to filter down and away from the root zone of your plants.

You don’t have to implement all of the tips we’ve provided here. Just choose a few that fit into your garden and your lifestyle. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing the signs of healthy soil, including flourishing plant life, a busy population of ants, worms, and beetles in the top six inches of soil, and a loose, deep soil texture that crumbles when moist. Your plants will look their best when they’re growing in healthy soil that offers plenty of drainage.

By Erin Marissa Russell for Gardening Channel©

There’s more to fall gardening than just raking leaves. It’s also the perfect time to prepare for a gorgeous spring by planting bulbs. For the most part growing bulbs is super simple. But if you’ve ever been disappointed in your bulbs’ performance or haven’t planted them because you weren’t sure where to start, help is here.

The word “bulb” is often used to describe a plant, even when it technically grows from a corm or a tuber. To keep things simple, I’ll call them all bulbs as I share a few tips for planting bulbs this fall that will ensure success next spring. Let’s get started!

How to choose a healthy flower bulb

There are lots of bulbs at the garden center in fall but you have to be careful about which ones you bring home. A good bulb grows into a strong, healthy plant while a poor-quality one produces a spindly plant, if it grows at all. Here’s how to choose the best:

First choice bulb

• Big — it’ll give you more and bigger flowers
• Heavy — it has more stored energy
• Unblemished — it’s healthiest

Second choice bulb

• No damage, but the papery tunic may be missing
• Just a few small blemishes
• A little bit of fuzzy mold that wipes off easily

Don’t Buy!

• A dry, shriveled or lightweight bulb — it’s lost moisture and won’t recover
• Soft spots — these mean rot

Bulb planting basics

Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms grew up around the mail-order bulb business her dad started in the 1950s; now she’s the CEO of both John Scheepers and Van Engelen mail-order bulb companies and has plenty of experience and advice to share:

Best place to plant bulbs

A spot with full sun that doesn’t get a lot of additional water in summer is best for most spring-blooming bulbs if you want them to return year after year. Tulips are probably the most finicky and don’t do well planted in annual beds or with thirsty perennials. Choosing the right varieties helps, though.

Soil

The best soil for bulbs is well-drained with a neutral pH — sandy loam is ideal. It allows for strong root growth and water drainage, so the bulbs don’t rot. By the way, don’t bother adding bone meal to the hole at planting time. It isn’t very nutritious, can burn or kill newly emerging roots and may even attract animals that might dig up the bulbs. Instead, apply a granular organic plant food with a 5-10-5 formula to the soil’s surface after refilling the planting hole.

Which side of the bulb is up?

Planting a bulb with the growing tip up and the flat basal plate down helps conserve energy since it doesn’t have to correct course. But sometimes it’s hard to tell which end to put where. If you’re not sure, just plant the bulb on its side and it will grow the right direction.

Best time to plant bulbs

Buy your bulbs as early as you find them in stores. But that may be too soon to plant, so keep the bulbs in a cool spot, such as a basement that stays at 55 to 65 degrees. Get bulbs in the ground in fall once soil temperatures are 55 degrees F — Jo-Anne knows the time is right when nighttime temperatures have been in the 40s for a couple of weeks. These cooler temperatures trigger a biochemical response, called “vernalization,” in the bulb that tells them to stop growing roots and settle in for the winter.

See more bulb information by clicking on the link below.

Source: Garden Gate (gardengatemagazine.com)

Spring showers, summer thunderstorms, a winter dusting of snow; these are familiar weather events for Midwesterners, but as climate changes so do weather events. Extreme weather is increasing.

Over the past 120 years, significant changes have occurred that are causing more extreme weather events, according to a recently published report from The Nature Conservancy in Illinois “An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Illinois.” Heat waves have increased, and as a result, summer storm intensity has increased. The number of extremely cold days, with temperatures less than 32°F, will decrease and the freeze-free season will be extended. Warmer winter temperatures result in heavy rain and snow events.

The impact of climate change is not limited to humans. Plants, especially long-lived plants such as trees, are affected by these changes too.

So many of us love the trees in our lives and it can be devastating to see one fail because of a weather event. Taking actions before and after a storm can help promote tree resilience and longevity.

Regardless of the type of storm, healthy trees are better able to withstand severe weather. Healthy trees are well balanced in form, free from disease and injury, and have adequate root systems.

Proper, regular care of young trees contributes to the development of healthy mature trees. Planting the right tree in the right place is the first step to having resilient trees.

Tree species vary in site condition preferences and tolerances so matching tree requirements to site conditions will promote its establishment and overall health. Assessing a tree’s form and making proper pruning cuts when necessary, can create a canopy that is well balanced, encourages a single leader, and has strong branch attachment angles. Providing supplemental water to young trees during times of drought encourages root system development. Strong root systems support healthy canopies by providing adequate amounts of water and nutrients and help anchor the tree.

During a severe weather event, extra stress is put on the tree. Snow and ice storms add extra weight to the branches and cause breaking or failure. High winds can ‘push’ trees over in an event known as wind throw when root systems are not capable of resisting the extra force put on the canopy. Winds may also cause tree trunks to fail at weak points or trunks may sustain damage due to twisting of the canopy.

Drought stress can cause short- and long-term damage to trees. Extreme heat can contribute to canopy dieback and health decline. Extreme cold can cause twig and branch die back or destroy flower and leaf buds.

After a storm or weather-related event, your safety is the priority. Stay away from any fallen powerline or tree interacting with a powerline.

Utility lines should always be considered live and dangerous. Call the utility provider before damage assessment and site clean-up.

After a weather-related event, many factors contribute to determining which trees require maintenance to restore health or have sustained fatal injuries. A certified arborist is a trained professional who can assist with assessment and tree removal if necessary. It is recommended that routine inspections be conducted on trees remaining on a site to monitor for decline or disease.

Finally, trees provide a wide variety of services in our communities – from cooling homes to creating habitat for wildlife. If trees are lost, after clean-up has occurred, replanting is the final step in recovery. Planting and caring for trees ensures that the landscape will continue to have these life supporting species for years to come.

By Horticulture Educator Emily Swihart for Gardeners Corner Fall 2022: University of Illinois Extension

You may have heard of a technique in gardening called “sheet mulching” or “lasagna gardening.” This technique has been touted as a great way to wipe out weeds and build rich, organic soil. There are a few methods you can use when sheet mulching, depending mostly on whether you want to do shallow sheet mulching or deep sheet mulching. Shallow sheet mulching consists of a single layer of cardboard, or a few sheets of newspaper, and one layer of mulch. Deep sheet mulching consists of multiple layers of paper, brown mulch, and green mulch. 

To decide which method is best for you, consider your goal for the area you intend to sheet mulch.

• Shallow sheet mulching. If you want to suppress weeds immediately around an existing garden or vegetable bed, shallow sheet mulching is probably the right choice.
• Deep sheet mulching. If you want both to suppress weeds and to prepare an area for a new garden bed, then deep sheet mulching is probably the better choice. Keep in mind that the intention of deep sheet mulching is for the materials to compost in place, which can take a year or more.

Once you’ve decided what method you would like to try, you’ll need to collect a few items.

Materials for sheet mulching

• Hose
• Supply of untreated cardboard or several stacks of newspapers. (If you use newspapers, make sure they are paper only—no plastic content.)
• You will also need a bunch of mulch to lay over the entire area at least 2 to 4 inches thick. Amounts will depend on the size of the area you want to cover.

Sheet mulching step by step

STEP 1: Soak the site

The day before you put down your layers, deeply water the area you’re going to sheet mulch (if it is not already wet from rain).

STEP 2: Chop down the vegetation

Cut the grass or existing vegetation down to the ground, leaving the clippings or debris in place.

STEP 3: Put down a paper layer

Cover the area with newspaper (we typically go 5 or 6 sheets thick) or a single layer of cardboard, overlapping the edges of the paper material. Some gardeners like to wet the paper material next, but we have equal success when we skip this practice.

STEP 4: Cover with mulch

Top the paper layer with 2 to 4 inches of an organic brown mulch. This mulch can take many forms, but we often use dried leaves, shredded bark, or wood chips.

STEP 5: Add more layers

If you’re going to do deep sheet mulching, continue to add alternating layers of green materials, such as grass clippings, and brown materials, such as dried leaves or wood mulch.

STEP 6: Keep the area moist

During dry periods, give the area a thorough weekly watering while the sheet mulch is decomposing.

Source: How to Build Soil and Suppress Weeds with Sheet Mulching – FineGardening

Blue Danube wild hyacinth is a stunning naturalizer

Blue Danube wild hyacinth (Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii ‘Blauwe Donau’, Zones 4–9) blooms in late May into June with large spikes of prominent, numerous blue florets that feature yellow stamens. Blooming above clumps of narrow leaves, these many flowers are supported on stout 30- to 36-inch-tall stems and open from the bottom to the top of the stem. Also commonly called great camas, this species prefers fertile, humus-rich, moist, and well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. Ample moisture is vital for this easy, naturalizing bulb, which provides the perfect shade of blue in spring gardens. There are many other Camassia selections available that are also worth exploring.

Corn leaf iris delivers long-lasting blooms above unique foliage in early spring

Corn leaf iris (Iris bucharica and cvs., Zones 4–8) is a bulbous species with a lot of charm in early spring when its lightly scented, long-lasting yellow and white flowers unfurl. Flowering begins at the end of the stem and continues downward. The V-notched leaves of this plant are in an interesting, stacked format, which looks similar to corn foliage—hence the common name. The top of the foliage (later going dormant) is quite glossy, and this species, native to Central Asia, is both deer and drought tolerant. Corn leaf iris grows to 16 to 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide and prefers full sun to partial shade. Note that it is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Time is of the essence as planting season is quickly ending.

Photo and article by Mark Dwyer for finegardening.com©

Roses are red, violets are blue and they have also earned top honors being named Plant of the Year by the International Herb Association. Every year, the association selects plants that are considered outstanding for decorative, culinary, or medicinal use. This year, they have selected Viola, a genus of flowering plants.

With their brightly-colored blooms that resemble cheerful faces peeking out of the foliage, Violas make a great addition to any early-season container or garden plantings. Blooms can be found in a variety of colors, including solids, bicolor, and mixes.

In the language of flowers, a common practice in the Victorian era that allowed messages and emotions to be shared with others, Violas symbolize thoughts filled with love. It is also the birth flower of those born in February.

Members of the genus Viola – including pansies, violets, and Johnny jump ups – are cool-season plants that grow best in spring and fall. They should be planted in areas with morning sun and moist, well-drained soils. As the weather warms in late May and June, many cool-season plants will fade out and stop blooming but can be moved to a cool, shady place in the garden to extend their growing season.

Violas are also great for pollinators. These cool-season annuals supply early spring pollinators with much-needed nectar.

In early March, pollinators emerge looking for food sources to survive. There are very few flowering plants at that time, except spring-blooming bulbs like grape hyacinth and crocus. Planting cool-season annuals provide an important addition to their spring diet. Johnny jump up flowers even have thin dark stripes that serve as guides for the pollinators to find nectar as they visit the flowers and pollinate other flowering plants by transferring pollen.

When planting Violas in spring or fall containers, add interesting twigs, like birch, contorted filbert, or curly willow to the center of containers. These elements add height and interest to the arrangement of low-growing flowers. If planting these annuals in-ground, group them in large masses to create waves of color amongst shrubs, ornamental grasses, or perennials.

An added bonus to including pansies or violets in the garden is that the flowers can be harvested and added as a colorful edible garnish to soups, salads, and desserts. They can also be candied for a sweet treat. If you plan on eating the flowers, raise them without chemical treatment.

Past International Herb Association Plants of the Year to also consider planting in your garden are parsley (Petroselinum), anise hyssop (Agastache ssp.), coriander/cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), and savory (Saturea ssp.).

By Horticulture Educator Brittnay Haag 

Source: Gardeners Corner Summer 2022: University of Illinois Extension

Whether you started your first garden this year or are a veteran grower, we’re coming up on the heart of harvest season. One of the advantages of homegrown vegetables is that you can harvest produce at its peak quality and flavor.

But knowing when to harvest a crop can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time growing it.

General Harvest Tips

• Harvest in the morning: Almost all vegetables are best when harvested early in the morning. If you can’t harvest in the morning, keep produce out of direct sunlight and cool as soon as possible.
• Harvest when plants are dry: When it comes time to harvest your vegetables, make sure plants are dry. If you harvest while plants are wet, you risk spreading diseases. It’s also important to handle plants with care and avoid damaging them.
• Use pruners: Damaged areas can provide openings for diseases to enter. If the vegetables you are trying to harvest don’t easily come off, cut them off with a knife or pruners to avoid damaging the plant.

Snap or green beans should be picked when the pods are fully grown but before the seeds have started to get large. The beans should be crisp and snap easily. When picking, break off the stem above the cap and harvest frequently.

Cucumbers should be harvested before their skin turns yellow and the seeds become hard. The size of the cucumber will vary depending on the type. Pickling cucumbers are usually picked when they are between 2 and 6 inches long. Slicing pickles should be picked at 6 to 8 inches long and burpless should be 1 to 1½ inches in diameter and up to 10 inches long. Cucumbers develop quickly, so plants may need to be checked every other day.

Peppers can be harvested at any size. Green bell peppers are typically picked when they are mature and about 3 to 4 inches long, firm, and green. If you are growing colored bell peppers, wait until the fruits change color. One way to tell if the fruit is mature is that they will easily break off of plants when picked. Hot peppers can also be picked at any stage but are typically picked when fully ripe. The mature color of the fruit will be different depending on the variety.

Summer squash (straightneck, crookneck, or zucchini) should be harvested when they are small and tender. Pick when the fruits are 2 inches or less in diameter and 6 to 8 inches long. “When growing conditions are favorable, you may need to harvest every other day or daily,” Johnson says.

Winter squash (acorn, butternut, pumpkins) can be harvested when the fruits have turned a deep, solid color, no longer have a glossy appearance, and the rind is hard. Leave at least 2 inches of stem attached and harvest all squash before heavy frosts arrive.

Tomatoes are at their best quality when allowed to ripen on the vine. Tomatoes should be firm and fully colored. During hot conditions, 90°F, tomatoes will quickly soften, and color development is reduced. During these conditions, pick tomatoes when they begin to develop color and ripen them indoors. If plants still have fruit on them in fall, you can harvest mature green fruit before the first frost and ripen them indoors.  

Source: By Horticulture Educator Ken Johnson Gardeners Corner Summer 2022: University of Illinois Extension