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Black-Eyed Daisies Black-eyed daisies (Rudbeckia) also may be called Black-eyed Susans or coneflowers, but shouldn’t be confused with another perennial coneflower (Echinacea). Other common names are gloriosa daisy and rudbeckia. This native to the U.S. is popular as a wildflower and in gardens for its colorful flowers in yellows, golds, and oranges. Deer Resistant Perennials Just as most of us have certain likes and dislikes when it comes to food, so do the deer. Planting perennials deer don't like to eat is one solution if you have this kind of damage. Many repellents are currently available to prevent deer from feeding on prized landscape plants. Cabbagge and Kale Not Looking Right? Cabbage and kale were named as vegetables of the year in 2007 by the National Garden Bureau to give them wider recognition. Their many good qualities often may be overlooked, such as their excellent growth in cool, northern climates; their hardiness even after frosts; their ornamental value, even mixed in flower gardens; and their high nutritional value. Controlling Slugs Got holes in your leaves of vegetables, flowers, and perennials such as hostas? Then you may well have slugs eating them. A slimy trail on leaves is proof the chewing is from slugs and not other chewing insects. There are several methods to control slugs with little or no adverse effect on the environment. Supporting Plants and Other June Gardening Tips Staking plants, watering deeply, and harvesting strawberries often are some of the gardening tips for this month. Blossom end rot shows up as dark, sunken spots on the blossom end of tomatoes, peppers, and squash. It's caused by a calcium imbalance in the plant -- the soil may have adequate calcium, but the plant isn't able to take up enough to supply the rapidly developing fruit. Feeding Hummingbirds and Other May Gardening Tips Feeding hummingbirds, handling large containers, and using row covers are some of the gardening tips for this month. If you have a very large container, such as a half barrel, you don't need to fill it totally with soil. A depth of one foot is enough for most container plants. Set plastic pots upside-down in the bottom of the barrel, then cover them with a false bottom of thin plywood or another sturdy material. The Environmental Value of Landscaping In addition to economic benefits, and benefits to the well being of individuals and society, landscaping and plants benefit the environment. This can be indoors as well as outside. Spring Bulbs After Bloom Once spring flowering bulbs finish bloom, proper handling and care of perennial ones will help them to bloom again next year. The first question to answer is, which of your bulbs are perennial? This may be difficult with some tulips, most of which are treated as annuals. Recyled Garden Products Increasingly there are products made from recycled materials that you can find for your garden and landscape. Knowing some of these products, and facts about them, may inspire you and help you to shop “environmentally responsibly”. Avoid Lyme Disease While Gardening Lyme disease is a potentially disabling disease of joints and the nervous system, spread by deer ticks. It is important to know about this disease, how it is spread, and steps to avoid it, as gardeners may come into contact with these ticks. Proper Pruning and Other July Gardening Tips Proper cutting of roses, pruning strawberry runners, and washing produce are some of the gardening tips for this month. Any fertilizer you've applied to annuals in containers has probably washed out of the soil in rain, so give them another dose. Clip off spent blooms and cut some stems way back to encourage lots of new growth. Rozanne Perennial Geranium Each year the Perennial Plant Association, the professional organization of growers and designers, names a plant of the year. This is either a new plant, or one they feel deserves wider use, and grows well in most areas of the country. For 2008, the perennial geranium Rozanne has been voted as the Perennial Plant of the Year. Choosing Perennials, Ecologically The sustainable way to choose perennials for your garden, that will result in the least maintenance and best success for the plants, is to do so "ecologically" or by habitat. Another way to say this is, "put the right plant in the right place" as far as its cultural needs are concerned. Coneflowers Have Changed Coneflowers (/Echinacea/) shouldn’t be called purple coneflowers anymore, as there are many new cultivars (cultivated varieties) with various flower colors and shapes. This genus of perennials, native to the central and eastern U.S., has been one of the most popular in recent years. Harvesting Summer Vegetables Knowing when to harvest vegetables is just as important as knowing how to grow them. Some have a long time over which you can harvest, others must be harvested at just the proper stage of ripening. Harvest at the wrong time, and your vegetables may not ripen properly if too young, or be tough and bitter if too old. Testing Your Soil & Other April Gardening Tips Testing your soil, potting summer bulbs, and planting peas are some of the gardening activities for this month. Dahlias, cannas, and gladiolus are available now and you can get a head start by potting them up indoors. Plant them in large containers and keep them in a cool room, if possible, in a sunny window until planting time outside. Dahlias may need to be pinched back while still indoors to keep the plants from getting leggy. Growing Egg Plants The National Garden Bureau has picked eggplant as the vegetable to showcase for 2008. It is easy to grow from seed, is widely adaptable, and is genetically diverse with several types to choose from that you may not be familiar with. Although eggplant can often be found for sale in garden outlets, many more varieties are available from seeds you can start yourself. The Story Buds Can Tell Watching when buds and then flowers appear on specific plants from year to year now is being used to watch for changes in climate. Knowing these dates also can be related to the appearance of certain pests and diseases, so can tell you the best times for control. The study of such biological events is known as “phenology.” It is easy, once you know a few tips, and now you can join a national network of gardeners and naturalists all sharing this interest. The Social Benefits of Gardening In addition to economic and environmental benefits, landscaping provides social and health benefits. These are often referred to as “human services”—physical health, mental health and functioning, and community health and safety. Many of these will then translate into economic benefits as well. Recycling Plastics in the Garden Although some plastics, such as many containers, can be recycled at many waste centers, many plastics can’t. Here are 25 ideas for recycling plastic and foam from your home and garden into your gardening activities, through reuse, as well as for reducing your use of new plastic. Perennials For Shade Whether you have a mainly wooded landscape, or live in a neighborhood where the trees have matured into a dense canopy, there are some hardy herbaceous perennials you can grow under them successfully. Allegheny spurge, Cinnamon fern, barrenwort, foamflower, astilbe, hostas, bigroot geranium, and Japanese forest grass all are adapted to a shady habitat. These all need a well-drained soil, and are hardy to at least USDA zone 4 (average annual minimum temperature of –20 to –30 degrees F). The Economic Value of Landscaping Economically, landscaping can increase property and resale values, lower energy costs, improve business and sales, and create positive perceptions for areas. Landscaping can add up to 14 percent to the resale value of a building, and speed up its sale by up to 6 weeks. Another source of information has a similar increase of 15 percent in resale value, by spending 5 percent of your home value on landscaping, resulting in a 150 percent or more return on your investment. Recycling in the Garden The average American in 2006 generated 4.6 pounds of solid waste per day, or 251 million tons total according to the EPA. Here are 20 ideas on how you might lessen your own waste generation by recycling waste from your home and garden, back into the garden . Vegetables Like Coffee Stocking up on coffee grounds for your vegetables, sowing peas, and planting asparagus are some of the spring activities for this year’s vegetable garden. Coffee grounds contain some major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) as well as some micronutrients, so put them to work in your garden. Watching For Mites and Other December Gardening Tips Sowing perennial seeds, cutting back indoor geraniums, and watching for spider mites are some of the gardening tips for this month. If you have any clay or ceramic pots that you keep outside or in a cold location during the winter, empty them of soil which will freeze and expand and, most likely, crack the pot. Alternatives To The Norway Maple Norway maple is an invasive plant you should not put in landscapes, and for which there are several good alternatives. This maple tolerates heavy shade, so establishes well in woodlands where birds drop their seeds. There, with their own heavy canopies, they shade out native wildflowers. Their shallow roots compete in forests with other less vigorous native vegetation. Plants of the Winter Solstice The winter solstice, which occurs on or around Dec. 21, is the first day of winter. It's also the shortest day and the longest night of the year. While most of us barely acknowledge its passing, to earlier cultures this was a day of both trepidation and celebration. Choosing A Christmas Tree According to the National Christmas Tree Association (www.christmastree.org), 29 million households bought Christmas trees in 2006 compared to just over 9 million households with artificial trees. Of those with real trees, most (84%) bought them at retail outlets, the others cutting their own. If you get a tree either way Choice New Perennials A hellebore, lungwort, perennial geranium, sedum, and joe-pye weed are among my favorite new or underutilized hardy perennials. All have proven hardy in my USDA zone 4 (-20 to -30 F) garden for several years. Ivory Prince hellebore (‘Walhelivor’ as it is known by its patent cultivar name) is one of my favorite perennials in recent years, with its creamy white flowers emerging from red buds in early spring. Winterizing Roses and November Gardening Tips Forcing indoor bulbs, protecting tree trunks, and getting roses ready for winter are some of the gardening tips for this month. Some woody perennials -- technically called subshrubs -- such as butterfly bush, lavender, thyme, and heather, can be damaged or killed if you prune in fall. Leave the stems as is, protect them with mulch over the winter, and prune in spring. Alternatives To Bush Honeysuckle You should avoid planting honeysuckle shrubs in landscapes as birds spread their seeds to natural areas where they become invasive. For this reason, some states now prohibit their sale. There are many good alternatives to plant instead of honeysuckles, or to replace existing ones in landscapes. These include spicebush, inkberry, shrub dogwoods, red chokecherry, winterberry, serviceberry, and viburnums. Protecting Landscape Plants From Salt Most people are only too aware of the damage and corrosive effects of winter road salt on automobiles. On heavily traveled highways, between 40 to 80 tons of salt per lane mile per year may be applied. Landowners along these roads also are aware of the damage to plants that such salt can cause. Several steps can be taken to protect landscape plants from winter salt damage. Preparing Gardens For Winter Fall reminders for both the indoor and outdoor garden are featured in the new 2008 North Country Garden Calendar from the Extension systems of Maine and Vermont. To store tender perennials for the winter, dig gladiolus corms after a few hard frosts; air-dry for a few days and store in a cool (above freezing), dark place. Dig dahlia roots after a killing frost; pack in peat moss and store just above freezing. Lady In Black One of my favorite fall perennials is the calico, or horizontal, aster and cultivar (cultivated variety) ‘Lady in Black’. This short perennial is hardy, with no serious problems, is deer resistant, and its many small flowers are a rare late-season treat for butterflies. Dividing Iris & Other September Gardening Tips Lifting and dividing iris and daylilies, rooting cuttings of tender plants, and burying bean vines are some of the gardening tips for this month. Root cuttings of coleus, geranium, and herbs to bring indoors over the winter. Cut a three-inch section of stem, remove the bottom half or two thirds of the leaves, and place in moist soilless mix, vermiculite, or sand. (Some gardeners dip the cut ends in rooting hormone; others find this unnecessary.) Fall Planting of Trees Fall is the ideal time to plant a tree--both for the gardener and the tree! The weather is cooler, so it is more enjoyable working outdoors. The tree also benefits because the soil is better able to retain moisture now than during the hot days of summer, so it becomes established easily.Here are some tips from the American Nursery and Landscape Association for successful fall planting of trees. Cool Catmints There are many colorful catmints to choose for gardens, some more attractive to cats than others. These plants provide easy culture, many flowers in cool blue and lavender colors, a long season of bloom, and attractive leaves. As the name indicates, this genus of perennials (Nepeta) is in the mint family along with such relatives as the giant hyssop (Agastache), bee balm (Monarda), and lamb’s ears (Stachys). Growing Cabbage and Kale Most think of cabbage and kale merely as vegetables, but they make great garden annuals as well for their fall foliage. For these various uses, the National Garden Bureau has named them vegetables of the year for 2007, and has provided some interesting information and cultural tips. Cabbage and kale grow best in cooler weather, so usually are seen in gardens early or late in the season. For fall harvest, sow seeds in July or buy seedlings in August. Controlling Invasive Plants Invasive species, and in this case plants, seem to be gaining wider recognition yearly from an increasing number of publications, websites, and organizations. These plants are ones not native to a particular site, and gain a rapid foothold once there to the detriment of the native plants and fauna. Since it is humans for the most part that introduced invasive plants, we can control them as well through various strategies. Meadow Rues Meadow rues are a group of easy-care perennials, growing in various habitats from sun to shade. With a diversity of flowers, leaves, and growth habits, they offer lots of options in many gardens. Although there are at least 130 species of this perennial known in the world, only about a dozen and a half and their cultivars are more commonly found for sale. Saving Seeds End of summer is when many plants produce seeds, if they haven’t begun already. You may want to collect and save seeds of favorite flowers and vegetables to have for future years. To have success saving seeds, there are a few facts you should know and tips you should follow. The first key fact to success is to avoid collecting seeds from hybrids. Proper Mowing & Other July Gardening Tips Fertilizing blueberries, proper watering, and proper mowing are some of the garden tips for this month. Blueberries benefit from an acidic fertilizer each year. Apply one half pound of ammonium sulfate when the bushes start blooming, and another half pound four to six weeks later. If the leaves turn yellow with green veins, they may have an iron deficiency. Applying two to three ounces of ferrous sulfate or iron chelate around the base of the plants will help correct this. Preserving Summer Flowers Have you ever wished you could enjoy the beauty of summer flowers year-round? You can, if you preserve garden flowers now while they're in their peak of bloom. Here's how. Some flowers that are easy to preserve include baby's breath, celosia, yarrow, statice, globe amaranth, strawflowers, xeranthemum, and artemisia. But because flowers and plant parts respond differently to drying and preserving methods, you may need to experiment for best results. Landscape Plant Pests Birch leafminer and borer, eastern tent caterpillars, and fall webworms are some of the common pests on trees and shrubs in landscapes. Knowing these, and their least toxic controls, will help you have healthier plants with the least harm to the environment. A New England website of Extension services provides some photos, information, and further resources on these and other garden problems. Compost Happens - Or Does It? A compost pile only makes desirable compost for the garden if conditions are proper. There are certain signs to watch for that your compost bin may need some help. If your compost has a rotten smell, this may mean your compost is too wet or too compacted. In either case, sufficient air isn’t getting to the microorganisms that are what make materials decompose into the final compost. To add more air, turn the pile with a garden fork or similar tool. Gardening and Lightning As much as you may want to remain outside gardening with thunderstorms in the distance, don’t! Thunderstorms often mean lightning, and lightning can kill. There are some important facts to know about lightning if you work outside in order to remain safe. There are about 25 million lightning flashes in a year. About 66 people are killed in an average year from lightning, about the same as killed from tornadoes. Summer Tips For The Fruit Garden If you planted new fruit trees this spring, make sure they are well-watered the first season, especially during the first few weeks after planting. The amount will vary with size of tree, but a rule of thumb is five gallons around the base of each tree each week that there is not an inch of rain. Newly planted trees should be staked as well, resulting in a straighter tree with more growth and fruiting. Summer Tips For The Vegetable Garden Mulching, pest control, and proper harvest are some of the tips for this season’s vegetable garden. There's evidence that fruiting of tomatoes and peppers is improved by applying Epsom salts, which contains sulfur and magnesium. Apply one tablespoon of granules around each transplant, or spray a solution of one tablespoon Epsom salts per gallon of water at transplanting, first flowering, and fruit set. You can find it at drug and grocery stores. Hardening Seedlings & Other May Gardening Tips Hardening off seedlings, planting container gardens, and clearing around tree trunks are some of the gardening tips for this month. Be sure to harden off indoor-grown seedlings before setting them into the garden. Skipping or rushing this process can result in chill damage to tender growth. Acclimate plants to outdoor conditions over the course of at least a week, and preferably two, by gradually increasing the amount of time you leave them outdoors. Invasive Pest Threats Japanese beetle, gypsy moth, and European corn borer are some of our more commonly known plant pests that have come from abroad. Viburnum leaf beetle, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, hemlock wooly adelgid, and the winter moth are some of our more recent introduced plant pests. Dan Gilrein, entomologist for Cornell University on Long Island, provides some interesting facts about these insects and their damage. Spring Tips For The Vegetable Garden Starting seeds indoors, making coldframes, and planning the garden layout are some of the spring activities for this year’s vegetable garden. If you start seeds under grow lights or fluorescent shop lights indoors, check the tubes for signs of age. Versatile Violas Each year the National Garden Bureau promotes a flower they feel deserves recognition and wider use. The flower of the year for 2007 is the viola, very similar to pansies only with smaller flowers. This organization has provided some interesting information about this flower. Beneficial Insects and Spiders Although we focus on the insects that destroy our landscape plants and crops, these bad insects give a bad name to virtually all insect species which are actually good. They either do no harm, provide food for desirable species such as birds, or attack and kill the pests we don’t want. Common Fruit Tree Pests Codling moth, plum curculio, and trunk borers are common pests on tree fruits in New England. Being ready for these if you have crabapples, flowering cherries, and fruit trees, and knowing cultural controls, will help you have better fruit with the least harm to the environment. Checking Viburnums and Other April Gardening Tips Checking viburnum shrubs for leaf beetle eggs, preparing flower planters, and potting dahlia tubers are some of the garden tips for this month. If your viburnums had problems with viburnum leaf beetles last summer, now is the time to inspect your plants closely for egg-laying sites on the bark. Sowing Cole Crops & Other March Gardening Tips Sowing cole crops, forcing pussy willow twigs indoors, and fertilizing houseplants are some of the gardening tips for this month. Cole crops, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, can be started over the next couple of weeks indoors under lights. These cool-loving crops will grow six weeks indoors before being transplanted outdoors two weeks before your last frost date. White Oaks for the North White oaks are majestic trees for larger formal landscapes, as well as for natural landscapes. Many species are native to our country, with the main one recognized by several states. Spring Tips for the Fruit Garden Pruning, removing mulch from strawberries, and fertilizing blueberries are some of the activities in the fruit garden during spring. Late winter and early spring is the time to order bare-root fruiting trees and shrubs if you haven’t done so already. They will be shipped before they start to grow, in time for planting in your area. Good Bugs in the Garden Most may not realize that over 97 percent of insects, spiders, and similar bugs (better known as “arthropods”) in home gardens and landscapes are beneficial. That is, they either do no harm, provide food for desirable species such as birds, or prey upon insects we consider bad and destructive to our crops. Indoor Lighting For Plants Artificial lighting from light bulbs indoors can be used to start seedlings in spring, provide supplemental light for sunlight to many plants, and to provide the sole source of light for low to medium light plants. Sowing Leeks and Other February Gardening Tips Checking potted bulbs for forcing, sowing leeks and onions, and choosing fragrant flowers for Valentine’s are some of the gardening tips for this month. Red Oaks For The North If you have a medium to large landscape, well-drained soil, and full sun, then you might consider planting one of these stately trees for shade or as a specimen. If you are building a home, try and save them if they exist on your property. Plants at Work, Indoors Plants at Work is a national information program of the green industry to inform businesses and the public of the benefits of using plants indoors. Studies have shown that plants in homes and workplaces help reduce stress, increase productivity, enhance employee attitudes, lower operating costs, help in “green building” design, and improve air quality. All-American Selections - 2007 Winners Each year the best new flower and vegetable selections that bloom or fruit the first year from seeds are judged in the All-America Selections program. Those that are proven best across the country in trials as new, or an improvement over existing varieties, are given the coveted All-America Selections award. A Sweet Plant Chocolate has to be one of the all-time favorite foods, especially on holidays such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and anniversaries. Of course it is widely used from flavorings for cakes to hot cocoa. As with many of our foods, chocolate has a direct origin from plants. Proper Snowblowing and Other January Gardening Tips Proper snowblowing to avoid damage to landscape plants, taking inventory of seed supplies, and checking stored root crops for decay, are some of the gardening tips for this month. When you are clearing your driveway with a snowblower this winter, direct the snow away from plants. Otherwise, the blowing ice crystals may damage the tender bark of young trees and shrubs. This isn't as much of a concern for plants wrapped with burlap. Stately Oaks Even if you do not have a medium to large landscape conducive to these trees, you should be aware of oaks as most are native to this country, and they make some of our most stately trees on public landscapes. They are so popular that they have been named the official tree of six states and one Canadian province, and the national tree of the U.S. in 2004. Long lived, they symbolize strength and long life in many cultures. THE 2007 Perennial Plant Of The Year Each year the Perennial Plant Association, the national industry group of growers and landscapers, votes on a perennial of the year. This is a plant most feel deserves wider use and recognition nationwide. The winner for this year is ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint. Gardening Trends In 2007 Whether you’re just getting into gardening, trying to streamline your gardening activities, or wanting to have a landscape and plants reflective of the times, being aware of the latest gardening trends can help. Indoor Winter Gardening Questions How to treat unplanted spring-flowering bulbs, an amaryllis when through flowering, and houseplants dropping leaves, are some of the common indoor gardening questions this time of year. Autumn Perennial Garden Questions Throughout the year I get gardening questions on my Perry’s Perennial Pages website. Here are a few gardening questions you too may have for this season. How can I maintain a smaller rounded habit of Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'? They are 4-5 years old. Often plants too tall or floppy are a sign of too little light. Both of these plants in particular grow best in full sun. Useful Facts About Insecticides If you garden you invariably will have pests, insects you don’t want and that may damage your indoor plants, ornamentals outside, or crops. Knowing some basic facts about the many types of insecticides now available, even organic ones, should help you garden safer and with better pest control. An extension leaflet on “How Insecticides Work” from the University of New Hampshire provides a summary of details on the most common types of products. Chipmunks In The Garden One form of wildlife some like to watch outdoors, but many would rather not have in our gardens, are chipmunks. Knowing a few facts about chipmunks may help prevent them from eating bulbs, damaging young plants, or causing more serious structural damage. Saving Dahlias and Other October Gardening Tips Enriching the soil for next year’s garden, planting garlic, and saving dahlia tubers are some of the gardening tips for this month.

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