Tip of the Week: Drying Hydrangeas

It's late summer, the lawn is looking a little tired and ready for the fall rains. The hot sun beats down but there's a smile on your face, knowing the 93 degree day holds no sting. By 8:30 the sun will be setting and it will cool off oh so nicely. You'll sleep well and dream of what's in store as the seasons change.

Now is the time to check on the progress of your hydrangea bushes. They make lovely dried floral decorations that last all year. But how do you do it?

One trick I learned was to take a sampling of the blossoms.

Pick a couple that have been fully open for awhile and may even have a few brown spots on them. Shake off any insects. You may pull off the leaves or allow them to stay. Make a small bundle, lightly wrap stems with twine and hang upside down, away from sun and moisture. Inside your garage might work. A quiet bedroom or office will too.

Or, try setting them in an empty vase and allow them to air dry there. If they slowly dry without shriveling up you know that they are ready to harvest. If they shrivel, wait a week or so and try again.

I have had good luck hanging them directly on the walls I wish to adorn. I have also had good luck completely filling an empty basket with blooms. If they are not bumped while drying, you will have a beautiful arrangement to keep or share with friends. Just top off with a pretty ribbon and you're set.

These photos feature White PeeGee Hydrangeas. They turn pinkish green when they dry. Any color will do. The pinks and blues are beautiful when dried. The key is to have very mature blooms and dry them away from direct sun.

It Takes Eight Chickens to Grow a Garden

What began as a fun project for the kids, soon became great fun in the garden. We got baby chicks from the local feed store and raised them for the nice fresh eggs they would provide. I was convinced that "the girls" could be trained to eat slugs and help me keep those trouble-makers at bay. I had noticed them darting after bugs and worms so I introduced them to the pearly little slug eggs I found under rocks and along the moist edges of the gardens. Then I went on to introduce them to baby slugs. As the chickens grew, I showed them larger and larger slugs. They were good enough to oblige me by eating them by the score.

The lovely old girl in the photo here, Henny Penny, was my faithful companion for 8 years. This is a long life for a laying hen. She followed me everywhere and obliged me by eating whatever I pointed to! She scratched her feet into the dirt and made this low, cooing bock-bock-bocking noise to show her appreciation.

I found that a family of four could use about 8 laying hens---for eggs and then for the wonderful function as makers of compost. Their droppings, combined with yard debris, seemed to balance out just about right. Things like weeds, foliage from cutting back my flowers, the cucumber and bean vines, the carrot tops and any other organic thing I had too much of, went onto the floor of their pen. Vegetable scraps from the kitchen were favorites for the girls ! When it got wet and yucky in there, I added clean straw and of course kept their laying boxes filled with clean straw. A couple of times a year I would dig down to the bottom of the pen and find the most beautiful compost!!!

Our chickens were more like pets to us. Although they had a nice little coop, we let them out to wander around the yard everyday. A little shooing away from the young veggie plants was in order but they patrolled the whole yard, eating numerous insects and keeping things in order. A few droppings on the paths were easy to hose off. Their sweet cackling and charming little antics were our reward.

The compost went back on the veggie garden and the cycle continued. The heavy clay soil devoured the organic materials and gave me some lovely gardens. For years, I relied only on the hens for fertilizer.

When I gave up my hens, I discovered how much good they had been doing my garden. My clay soil quickly reverted to being hard and difficult to manage. The garden suffered. Chickens were a very easy and inexpensive way to accomplish organic gardening. Eight chickens were enough to supply the needs of a small family garden. Mine was about 10x15 or 20 feet. I miss those hens, especially when I have to purchase chicken manure. They were a great family project and such a boon to the garden!!!! If you have ever considered raising chickens, I would highly recommend it. The delicious eggs, the compost, the entertainment, the gentle beauty and harmony......

Later on, I'll tell you all about our "ChickaTiller."

Gardening with Pets: Dogs

Can I still have a nice garden if I have a dog?

Families with pets often ask that question. They'd love to start a vegetable garden or flower bed but are unsure of what to do about the dog. While it is a balancing act, there are some key principles to consider before proceeding.

Start by evaluating your dog. As the yard is right now, what are the dog's habits? Is it a digger, a chewer, extremely energetic, curious or is it more mellow and loves to find a cool spot to plop down in?

If the dog currently has problem behaviors for your family, a garden will not see them improve (of course!) Diggers are usually bored, chewers need something safe to chew on, energetic dogs need to be given interactive play time, curious dogs need stimulation. Without first addressing those needs, the garden could become a a point for conflict. Once you have addressed the problem behaviors, there are some normal behaviors to consider. These are fairly simple to address.

#1 Territory

Your dog has already staked out his territory. You will see it by the little path he has worn in your yard somewhere. If you have a fenced property, it will most likely be along the fenceline. Wherever the most activity is, he'll be patrolling. He has a need to protect his property and that needs to be respected. Accomodate him. When you lay out your garden, allow for that little path to remain. With a little imagination, you can come up with a nice compromise.

Our urban lot has a fully fenced back yard, for example. When we first introduced our rescued Min Pin/Chihuahua to the yard, I carefully plugged up every hole to prevent an invitation to try to escape. Good sized rocks along the lower edge of the wooden fence worked well. I used what I had on hand, the thrifty garden side of me once again. We watched him to sure he was safe and gradually allowed him to be outside by himself. In a few days, his path was made. Very energetic, I knew that in the rainy season, that path would be turned to mud so I decided to "pave" it for him with some old lumber left over from a demolition project. I laid the 2x6's out along the edge of the fence and it served two purposes: a clean gardening edge for weed control and a nice doggy highway. The compromise I made with my dog was that he could have full access to look out and I would refrain from planting right up to that fence line.

As plants were emerging in early spring, I placed grapefruit sized rocks by the little plants near the doggy path. It was fun to see him hop over the rocks and soon my tender shoots were big and healthy and could handle a little bumping now and then. Don't sweat a few tattered leaves. And of course, keep the prized plants well away from high traffic areas.

#2 Elimination Issues

Again, start with your pet's established routine. When female dogs urinate in the lawn, a bright green spot will show up in a few days (uric acid is high in nitrogen=feritilizer!) and possibly turn brown later on due to the burning effect of too much nitrogen at once. This can be managed by noting the elimination area and immediately diluting it with a bucket of water. Males lift their legs at will and the same bucket method can be used if you see problems emerge. Fecal matter should be removed as a matter of sanitation.

#3 Teaching Respect for Boundaries

Now that you have addressed your pet's basic needs, it's fair to teach him to respect your boundaries. An indoor/outdoor dog can be trained to stay off your couch and also to stay out of your veggie patch. Whatever method worked indoors can be used outdoors. That, of course means that you will have to spend time outside together. It will be a training process. There will be a few slips but it is attainable. For some families, that means placing a reminder barrier around the garden. A few stakes and some string or yellow caution ribbon works too. Others resort to a simple chicken wire fence. Do as little as needed. The goal is not to recreate Fort Knox but to clearly establish the rules. And remember to play with your dog and not just spend time working in your garden whenever you are outside. If left out, your dog could become resentful and find ways of letting you know how he feels about it!

Don't invite your dog into the garden unless you plan to always let him in. Don't teach him to nibble, say lettuce, if you don't want to him to help himself to all of your lettuce when no one is looking. Some dogs truly love fruits and vegetables. Our little dog discovered he liked ripe strawberries and kept beating me to the fruit. It took me several days to figure out what was happening to the nearly ripe berries! My friend's Springer Spaniel mix begs for lettuce, another friend's Terrier mix loved fresh carrots, a Retriever I knew loved any berry he could find!

A Final Caution: Fertilizer

Fertilizing a garden can be tricky. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. I like to use Alaska fish fertilizer, granules, on the veggies, and liquid on my flowers. It takes several days for the fishy smell to dissipate. I water in the fertilizer and keep a closer eye on the dog until the smell is gone. A dog will dig in the garden trying to find the hidden treasure of the dead fish! Be careful about storage of the fertilizer as well. I left the garden shed door open one day and found my curious little dog sniffing around the shelf where I had set the laid the fertilizer bag. We need to protect our pets from the danger of being poisoned by garden chemicals. Organic or otherwise, fertilizers are potentially harmful.

So to answer your question---

I have found that with a few accommodations, that "Yes, you can have a nice garden even with a dog!" Our little dog seems to thrive in our yard now. As the plants have grown, he has found them to be almost a jungle. Every day he is out there exploring, leaping over plants, chasing birds, becoming mesmerized by bees----and patrolling his property lines. Ahh.... all is well in our little garden paradise.

Happy Gardening!

Scale and Proportion

Proportions and Scale---

Ever wonder why some gardens look good from a distance but when you get right up close they really aren't that spectacular? Or why the great plants you added to your garden just seem to disappear amongst the crowd?

What we are talking about here is scale and proportion. The closer you plan to be when viewing your garden, the more detail and precision that will be needed for you to enjoy what you see. My little row of impatiens along my shady front sidewalk need to be perky and at their best to greet visitors. They need to really fit the space and not overpower it. And they will need to be deadheaded and kept free from slugs and slug bites. Small, close, tight: need close attention.

My back yard garden is another story altogether. Big clumps of plants that take their turns blooming---often the foliage is as pleasant as the flowering stage. But because they are big and the viewer gazes upon them from across the yard or out of the window, I don't need to be as meticulous with their care. Big clumps, big masses, color on a big scale. The flower heads can even get pretty ratty looking before I cut them back. Having that impact of mass color is what I'm looking for in the large border.

In large borders, you can use either big blooms or a huge clump of smaller blooms to get that colorful impact. Tall white phlox is elegant and very showy in late summer. Tiny, low asters really need to be massively planted at the very front of the border to make an impact. I like to take that even a bit further, I use the asters to line my curved pathway. All summer long they look like a tiny green shrub row and then burst forth with pale lavender flowers in late August. If I were to place a few here and there, the dramatic effect would be lost.

To answer the scale and proportion question, the key is deciding how close your viewer will be to the garden when it blooms.

Note: If I were speaking strictly from a landscaping point of view, the need to "get it right" the first time would be pretty important. Trees and shrubs do need plenty of consideration before planting. Height, width, root spread and depth, shade-casting, and many other factors need to be taken into consideration. My suggestions are NOT for landscaping. My suggestions are for GARDENING and I see a big distinction. Gardeners can have a lot of fun, easily move plants that don't quite work out and just gain more confidence with time. If we, as young gardeners, over-challenge ourselves, much of the fun can be lost. Therefore, we'll keep it fun and keep it as gardening!!! Happy digging!!!!

Fifteen minutes to get back to fun

Fifteen Minutes----

Getting back to having fun in the garden....... with all the weeds, all the dead plants to cut back or pull out, how can my garden ever be fun again?

If you are feeling overwhelmed or burned out by your garden, try spending just 15 minutes out there everyday for the next week. Take time to just look---there are amazing things to see that we often are just too busy to notice. Snip off a flower head and cut into it---you'll be amazed at the complexity of the little seed factory inside. Watch the bees buzzing by and finding food. Sit still for a moment and you might hear a humming bird whiz by. Listen for birds, frogs, squirrels, crickets and other living creatures who are out there everyday enjoying your garden. Or listen for the other sounds that surround your garden----your neighbors working in their yards, children laughing, summer radios softly playing in the distance.....

Meander a little bit, allow yourself to just enjoy it as it is. But get out there everyday, just for fun, just for 15 minutes. The joy will come back as you remember why you started to garden in the first place.

The One Third Rule---cutting back

When to cut back perennials?

We wait all year for our perennials to bloom and so enjoy them that it's hard to know when to cut them back. The rule of thumb that I go by is "One Third." When a stand of flowers is down to one third or less being in good condition, I cut them down, usually to about knee height, and they regain vigor----some rebloom too.

Isn't that a waste of flowers?

Well, I don't think so. I "Vase Up" the best of what's left and enjoy a bouquet or better yet, bring a bouquet to a friend.

My gladioulus bed was near it's productive end for the summer. Glads will NOT rebloom but the entire bed looks better after picking the last few flowers. It's essential to allow the leaves on the plant until they turn brown. The bulbs are nourished and strengthened during this period of time. If you cut back the leaves too soon, you risk having weak blooms the next year.

Annuals or Perennials---which are best?

Ahhh.....the age old question. Annuals only last for one summer and then they die. That's their down side. But then the produce lots of color all summer long and fairly cheap to buy at at nursery in the early spring. Some gardeners have great luck in starting from seed and save even more money.

Perennials, on the other hand, bloom for anywhere from two to maybe 6 weeks. Variety of plant and weather conditions control that. Perennials die back in the fall but return in the spring. They also cost a lot more at the nursery, and take more care to start from seed.

My answer has been to use both annuals and perennials. The blue and white bed in the photo is my tulip bed that I planted up with trailing Blue Lobelia, Sweet Alyssum and Love-in-a-mist.

In order to keep costs down, I only use annuals in a few favorite spots. That way I can keep color going all summer and really enjoy the performance of the majestic perennials as the show goes on......

Tip of the Week: tired garden help

By the first week of August, many gardens are starting to look "tired." Like the red Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) first photo, and the Shasta Daisies (Chrysanthemum maximum) second photo, parts of the blooms are turning brown and looking droopy. The Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) third photo is turning a bit yellow and there aren't many flowers left. Now is the time to cut back these rugged perennials.

Daisies can be hand selected and the worst removed or the entire clump can be sheared back to about knee high.

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) can be cut back to a lower joint where you see growth. In a few weeks you will see more blooms. A smaller flush than the first round, but worth the effort.

Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) is such a busy self-sower, I pull out any plants that are looking ratty and brittle. If the basal leaves look silvery green and healthy, I leave that plant to grow for the next year. The seed pods will broadcast plenty of starts as well.

After a nice clean up, water your garden deeply, as much as one inch in a single slow watering. This will ensure the vigor of the late summer growth. And be sure to keep watering if you hope for a second round of blooms!

Foliage care: If leaves and branches on a few plants are unsightly, remove them now. Keep only healthy green stems and leaves around for the robust look in your garden.