Tip: Save Your Wood Ashes

YOU CAN FIND, in your fireplace, a valuable soil amendment. Wood ashes are rich in Potash, the very substance that raises the pH of soil, and therefore "sweetens" it. Sweet soil is the delight of lilacs; I swear my own shrubs flower so well in May because of regular wood-ash applications made beneath them in fall, winter and early spring. If your lilacs produce too few flowers, Potash can be the panacea they require. And here are other plants that prefer sweet soil:

Ornamentals:
Clematis, Gypsophila, Iris (tall bearded hybrids only); Japanese anemones, Lilacs, Madonna Lily, Nasturtium, Passionflower, Peonies, Phlox, Sweet Peas, Virginia Creeper

Herbs:
Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme

Vegetables:
Beets, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Leeks, Melons, Onions, Parsnips, Spinach

How much wood ash to use? This depends largely upon intuition. If you apply the ashes in fall, winter and early spring, as I do, you can hardly use too much; rain and snow dilute the concentration of Potash considerably. Here, I empty my fireplace ashes into a standard coal scuttle; when this is full, I pour the entire amount in a wide circle beneath the drip line of my mature lilac shrubs. For small ornamental, herb and vegetable plants, I pour about a cupful beneath drip lines.

For more definitive quantities, you must, of course, have your soil tested. Your county agent will be happy to do this for you.

It is worth mentioning that Potash (and Lime, too) is a natural slug- and snail-deterrent. As I discovered last summer, these destructive mollusks abhor sweet earth.

Just take care when building a fire that you limit your burning material to hardwoods, and plain, not glossy, paper. Only these items are acceptable, after combustion, for garden use.

Want more gardening tips and hints? Sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter.

Related Posts:
Tip: How To Find Free Mulch
How To Make Your Own Potting Soil
May Is For Lilacs

Read more...

Signs of Life

WHAT'S POPPING UP IN YOUR GARDEN THESE LAST (WE HOPE) DAYS OF WINTER? Minor bulbs...like the intrepid snowdrop above? I'll confess this Gallanthus made my heart skip a beat when it was discovered in the Serpentine Garden yesterday. In fact, it prompted me to go on a "treasure hunt" for other signs of life amid the melting snow (click pictures to enlarge):


Above, next the front porch, a small patch of winter aconites is provoking unbelievable excitement. I hope you have this Eranthis hyemalis in your own garden. Mine are just now opening their green-ruffed, golden cups.


Hardly breathtaking, but a comfort nonetheless, is the collection of winter-sown seeds. Above, photographed through the opening of the milk-jug in which they are planted, seeds of the perennial Lupin 'Band of Nobles' are beginning to sprout. These were sown on January 11, and stratified naturally by the effects of winter snow and ice.


Here, the Chinese Witch Hazel, Hamamelis, opens its fragrant, red, spidery blooms next the steps in the Serpentine Garden. I have never met a more dependable winter-blooming shrub.


Spring-flowering bulbs are emerging here in sloping south and east locations where the snow has melted. Above, a hyacinth peaks through sun-warmed soil. Meanwhile, daffodils, more hyacinths, grape-hyacinths, Puschkinia, and Chiondoxa are showing their green tips at sheltered positions beneath shrubs and trees. Their blooms will appear in April.

I will have to wait for signs of life in the potager. This little garden, which I designed for the north side of the Music Room wing, is still very much enveloped in winter white!

Have you had a treasure hunt at your own planted place? If so, what signs of life have you discovered?

Don't miss a thing at A Garden for the House...sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter!

Related Posts:
The Intrepid Minor Bulbs
The Serpentine Garden in 2009
Winter-Sowing 101
Perennials Which Require Cold-Stratification


Read more...

First-Aid for Snow-Damaged Shrubs

MEA CULPA. Prior to this morning's repair work, my arborvitaes (above), which form a row before the fenced-in swimming pool, looked like they had sprouted wings. Who can blame them? Perhaps they wished to fly away from the gardener who, ignoring his own advice, neglected to shake February's heavy, wet snow from their evergreen branches. That frosty white burden caused stems to bend, and at least one branch to break. If your multi-leader shrubs are winter-battered too, don't despair...repair! A pruning-saw and a spool of twine are all you need to set matters upright again:

Split or Broken Limbs
A pruning saw is the only cure for a severed limb. Once cut, do not apply a wound-dressing of any kind, for it will invite moisture and decay. Let the shrub produce its own, natural seal.

Bent Branches
To encourage bent or drooping branches to grow upright again, loosely tie them with twine to the sturdy, central leader. I used green, 3-ply "jute" twine to repair all of my arborvitaes, including the horribly damaged one above. Jute twine is a soft, pliable, and biodegradable material that doesn't harm stems.

The same shrub, after tying (click to enlarge). The green twine is completely inconspicuous.

Leashed into position, arborvitaes soon give up their aviary dreams and resume an attractive, upright habit. And incidentally, future snow-damage can be avoided entirely. An acquaintance in Minnesota told me that gardeners there routinely truss -- from bottom to top -- their arborvitaes in November. This certainly sounds like a good plan. But what a job when you have dozens of shrubs to truss, and nary a helper in sight!

For more gardening tips and hints, sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter.

Related Posts:
Evergreens for Privacy Screens
Boxwood Beauty the Easy Way
Pachysandra: Exploding the "Shade-Only" Myth

Read more...

Prima Donnas in March

PROBABLY I ENJOY MY WINDOW GARDENS MOST IN MARCH, when the last of the colorful, winter-forced Dutch tulips, scented daffodils and graceful Muscari bloom. Here is an intimate look at these Prima donnas of the indoor landscape:

Above, Tulipa 'Burning Love' (the name reminds me of the Elvis Presley song) receives center-stage on the broad sill in the Music Room. The flowers are redder-than-red, and they really sparkle when sunlight strikes them. Sturdy, 10-inch stems hold the flowers attractively upright. Do consider this one for planting indoors or out next autumn.

A nice companion for 'Burning Love' is the regal Tulipa 'Queen of the Night' (above), with deep purple, almost black blossoms. My only complaint with her majesty is the too-long stems. Without staking, the flowers tend to sway, and not too gracefully, either.

Adding fragrance to the window garden is Narcissus 'Avalanche.' This one flaunts gold-cupped, white-petaled burdens on towering 16-inch stems. Just a few open blossoms perfume the whole room. I used two pots of Avalanche to frame the red and purple tulips there.

Not fragrant at all, but a Victorian delight, is Narcissus 'Thalia.' I have it on the top shelf in the Music Room window. This popular old daffodil features ghostly-white trumpets of bloom on sturdy, 12-inch stems.

Scenting my parlor is Muscari, the common grape-hyacinth. Here, the clusters of soft-blue flowers display well in a shallow, blue and white china bowl filled with pebbles and water. The bowl is set on a round mahogany table in a west window. If you have any left-over muscari bulbs in your cold garage, try forcing them now in a pot of soil or a bowl of pebbles. You'd be surprised how quickly the flowers emerge.

Want more gardening fun? Be sure to sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter.

Related Posts:
How to Force Hardy Bulbs
Waiter! There's a Hyacinth in My Glass!
Tip-Toe Through the (Species) Tulips
Scented Snowballs: Narcissus 'Erlicheer'
How To Design A Window Garden
Seven Ways to Beautiful Houseplants


Read more...

Thinking About Lily Today

Our beloved beagle, Lily, is not well. She had to spend the night in a crate at the veterinary clinic, hooked up to an IV-drip. Because I'm awaiting a call from the vet, and feeling very anxious, I thought I'd take a moment to tell you how this little bundle of joy entered our lives.

It was the morning of July 6, 2008, that my partner and I heard the incessant, gut-wrenching yelps of a dog. We ran out to the street, only to discover a little beagle had been struck by a car. Blood was everywhere. A small crowd had gathered, and the beagle, who was obviously in shock, bit anyone who tried to touch her. This included the careless motorist who had hit her. While my partner crossed the street to investigate, I ran to call my dog-loving friend DeGuerre. DeGuerre, I sensed, would know what to do. My partner, a gentle soul, managed to calm the little dog. She even allowed him to caress her back.

Because it was a Sunday morning, all veterinary clinics were closed. That is, except an "emergency" one a great distance away. Thus DeGuerre, my partner and I drove the beagle to the clinic. There, we were told euthanasia was in order, for the dog had no ID, and would require at the minimum very expensive surgeries, including a leg-amputation. We said "No!" to the idea of ending the dog's life, and agreed to incur all expenses. The vet carried the dog into another room for examination.

After a long, anxious wait, the vet reappeared. She told us the dog had a microchip, which, when scanned, revealed her history at shelters, and the current owner's name, address, and telephone number. The beagle, we learned, had been adopted just 30 days prior to the accident, and had been spayed two weeks before. The stitches from the spaying were still in place. The vet called the owner, who, according to the vet, sounded annoyed at being awaken at 12 noon on a Sunday. She told him that his dog had been hit by a car, and that a few "good Samaritans" offered to give it the care it required, but legally could not do so without his permission. The owner said he didn't want the dog anymore. When I asked the vet for the owner's name, she refused to give it to me.

Since this clinic was an emergency-only one, we had to pick the dog up at 7 the following morning. The receptionist handed us the helpless patient, and also gave us a file that included information from the microchip scan. Among other stats in the file was the abominable owner's name and address. But more about this character later. DeGuerre and I brought the poor dog to the amazing Dr. Cane in Hillsdale, New York.

Dr. Cane took one look at the beagle, now named "Lilybelle," and said she was in shock, had a fever, and was close to death. Cane, like the previous vet, felt Lily's hind leg would have to be removed. But after countless surgeries and thousands of stitches, he saved not only Lily's life, but her hind leg, too.

Lily stayed at Cane's clinic for two weeks. During this time I spoke with the previous owner's neighbors. They told me he kept the dog on a rope in his tiny, fenced yard all day and all night. When he tired of her (perhaps she refused to fetch his slippers), he removed her collar, opened the gate, and just "let her go."

Lily made a remarkable recovery. Two months after leaving Cane's care, we watched with joy as she out-ran pit-bulls, golden retrievers, and other dogs three times her size at a local dog-run. She also started sleeping in our bed, contentedly cuddled by my partner and I all night long. Does your dog sleep with you, too? It's a wonderful feeling.

I'm telling you this Lilybelle story because I'm very concerned for her now. I have no idea what the nature of her injury might be. Dr. Cane said it could be a dislocated joint, or maybe Lyme-disease or some other serious issue. But we will do whatever we can to make her well again. Prior to finding us, she had a very rough life. But she is our little child now, and we love her to pieces.

Update 3/05/10: Dr. Cane called and said Lily is up and "perky." He said, "Kevin, I know I'll have to release this dog tonight, or endure your wrath. And frankly I'm not that strong." Thus, after two nights in hospital, our girl is on her way home!!!

Read more...

When to Start Annuals Indoors

FLOWERING ANNUALS -- like the pink petunias above -- grow so readily from seed it is really extravagant to obtain them any other way. Most can be winter-sown outdoors; for extra-early bloom, however, I like to start at least some of the seeds indoors, under fluorescent lights. Here is a handy schedule for indoor-sowing:

INDOOR SEED-STARTING SCHEDULE FOR FLOWERING ANNUALS (Listed by weeks before average last spring frost)
Transplant seedlings to outdoor garden after the last spring frost; plants marked (*) can be transplanted after the last heavy frost

12 Weeks. Pansy*

10 Weeks. Snapdragon*; Sweet William; Zonal Pelargonium (Geranium); Lobelia; Impatiens; Ageratum

8 Weeks. Alyssum; Aster*; Bells of Ireland*; Calendula*; Celosia; Coleus; Cornflower (Bachelor Button); Dahlia; Marigold; Nicotiana; Petunia; Portulaca; Salvia; Stock; Sweet Pea*; Zinnia

6 Weeks. Cleome (Spider Flower); Four O'Clocks; Morning Glory; Nasturtium*; Sunflower

4 Weeks. Cosmos*

The National Climatic Data Center will tell you the average last frost date for your area. Here, in my Hudson Valley zone 5-b garden, that date is May 17.

Early bloom, endless variety, and tremendous cost-savings -- these are just three good reasons to start your summer annuals indoors. And, growing your own rather than buying plants from a local nursery really makes you feel like a gardener. Well, a self-sufficient gardener, anyway.

Want more gardening tips and hints? Sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter.

Related Posts:
Gardening Under Lights - Fluorescent Setups & Culture
When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors
Easy Kitchen-Garden Design

Read more...

What To Do In March

MARCH IS THE PROCEED-WITH-CAUTION MONTH, with warm days to tempt you to uncover everything, and winter days to wish you hadn't. The best plan is to make haste slowly these final weeks of winter. Around here, there will be plenty to do outdoors -- if and when the snow melts! Seed-sowing, of course, continues regardless of weather. Here is my list of chores:

Outdoors:
Seed-sowing. Early this month, sow spinach seeds in a make-shift greenhouse.

Raised Vegetable Beds. If soil has settled, top-off beds with shredded leaves and a source of nitrogen. Tackle this early in the month so beds will be ready for spring planting.

Lawns. Rake up the accumulation of twigs and branches when it's dry enough not to damage grass. On a windless day, scratch soil, then seed bare spots; apply fertilizer only after grass has begun to grow, using an organic, high-nitrogen formula, such as 10-6-4.

Arborvitae. If heavy, wet snow (such as we experienced here last week) has flattened branches, lash them back into place with twine. Stems should regain their upright habit over the course of spring and summer.

Roses. Wait until the end of the month to uncover bushes; prune them at your convenience but before the leaf buds break. Don't try to prepare new beds until the ground is well thawed and the soil is workable.

Pruning. Definitely relieve trees and shrubs of dead wood. Also, prune for shapeliness your peegee hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, and any other shrubs that bloom in late summer. Cut Buddlejah back to ground-level.

Iris. Examine these and other perennials for signs of heaving. Especially if your garden has not been mulched, you will need to go over plantings and firm back roots dislodged by frost.

Spring-Flowering Trees & Shrubs. Any time now you can cut stems of forsythia, pussy willow, and crab apple. Provide the stems with water, light, and warmth, and they will bloom for you in only a few week's time. Here is a more detailed list of what to force for early beauty, and when.

Indoors:
Annuals. Early this month sow pansies under fluorescent lights. Mid-month sow snapdragons, lobelia, impatiens, ageratum. Follow this schedule.

Vegetables. Begin seed-sowing this month beneath fluorescent lights. What to sow when? Check this schedule.

Tulips, etc. Continue to water and fertilize your forced hardy bulbs after flowers fade. Once the foliage withers, withhold all moisture. Then store the bulbs someplace cool and dry. In autumn you can give them permanent positions in the outdoor garden.

Lily of the Valley. Ask your florist now for cold-storage forcing pips. In twenty-one days they will bring a lovely fragrance to your rooms.

Random Thought. Want to find good-size plants at bargain prices? Visit your local garden-show. Mine, in the Hudson Valley, is March 26-28. On the final show-day, landscapers usually offer in-bloom rhododendrons, lilacs, and other flowering shrubs as well as evergreens for a fraction of the retail price. Why? Because these shrubs were obtained purely for design demonstrations. Landscapers have little interest in keeping them once showtime is over.

Want more gardening tips and hints? Sign up for Kevin's weekly newsletter!

Related Posts:
When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors
Tomato Talk: Your Garden Favorites
How to Force Hardy Bulbs


Read more...