dailypress.com/features/family/home-garden/dp-fea-diggin-0202-20120201,0,3304260.story

dailypress.com

Learn why birds need plants, not just feeders, in your yard

By Kathy Van Mullekom

4:48 PM EST, February 1, 2012

Copyright © 2012, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

Find The Perfect Christmas Tree

Fresh Cut Trees

Permanent Trees

Permanent trees now outnumber natural Christmas trees, according to national statistics. Their ease, convenience and economy make them an attractive alternative. And, as technology continues to improve, they’re very easy to assemble and realistic in appearance.

http://www.smartgardener.com/

Great website for planning your veggie garden - from plot to plate!

All fertilizers have three numbers on the package.  These numbers represent the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash in the product.  These three components are the primary nutrients that plants need.  The ingredients are always listed in the same order and consequently this fertilizer analysis is often referred to as the NPK (the chemical symbols of each element).  Each of these elements serves a different purpose in the development of the plant:

Nitrogen (N) encourages green growth.

Phosphorus (P) promotes root growth, stimulates blooming and aids in fruiting.

Potash (K) is key to fruit formation, as well as branching and blooming.

Mulch.  A noun from the French word melch, meaning soft or mild.  Not to be confused with mulct which is a fine or penalty one must pay for wrong doing.  Mulch by definition is a protective covering used on the ground to reduce evaporation control weeds and as it decomposes, to enrich the soil.  Today we use mulch in garden beds for those reasons and also because it makes plants and flowers look so much better.  Its eye candy for a well kept yard.

The most common of Mulches used the York County/Poquoson areas are shredded hardwood, pine straw, and pine bark hardwood mulch being, by far, the most popular.  That’s because hardwood mulch looks so fresh in your beds and stays where you put it – has much less tendency to wash away.

The best hardwood mulch is course textured – has some long stringy pieces, sort of like pulled BBQ, if you will.  Course textured mulch lasts longer in the garden because it decomposes better.  So, be alert.  Check the consistency of what you buy.  If mulch is ground too fine, needs to be replaced more often.

Hardwood mulch at Ken Matthews Garden Center has its beginning at various log saw mills throughout Virginia.  The rough, large piece raw material is trucked to our supplier in Richmond where it is processed through a hammer mill.  Eighteen 50 pound “shredders” reduce the bark to size. The mulch is then piled up into huge mountains where it ages for 4 to 8 months.  That is when the magic happens.  It is then trucked to us and ready for you. In 2008, our company bought 3520 yards of mulch for our customers. Bacteria break down the “fresh” mulch and give it that rich chestnut color.  The temperature in the pile can reach 130°F. 

Mulch can be mulct!  Misuse of mulch can do more harm than good to your plants.  Using too much mulch in your garden beds is the main culprit.  Here are some important dos and don’ts about applying hardwood mulch:

Do mulch lightly and often.  On bare ground, a 3” layer of mulch is ideal since decomposing begins right away.  However, subsequent mulching should be only 1-1 ½” deep.  In other words, two 1” mulch applications six months apart are far better than one annual 2-3” layer.  This prevents a mulch build up that can prevent water to reach the plant roots.

Do turn your mulch with a garden rake at least once during the growing season.  This action breaks up the compacted, sun-bleached mulch and allows air and water to roots.  And, turned mulch gives your garden beds that “fresh mulched” look again!

Do not use plastic or weed barrier fabric under your mulch.  These materials prevent proper plant root aeration, are unsightly when exposed, prevent water, last too long and bad for the environment and a real pain to remove.  It is much better to cover the ground with a couple pages of the Yorktown Crier before mulching.  Newspaper prevents weeds as well as fabric, costs less, is a recycle process and it decomposes!  What a great garden item you’re holding in your hand right now?!

Do not “pyramid” mulch around tree trunks.  This causes tree bark rot, which invites disease and insects to invade your trees.  Besides, it looks dumb!

Do not mulch heavily under shrubs.  Use only enough to barely cover the ground, about ½ inch.  That way air, water and fertilizer can get down to the plant roots.

Do not worry about termites or other insects in the mulch.  At 130°F in the aging process, no such pests could survive.

Attract Birds to Your Garden
Berries They Love!

Feeding birds comes naturally when you grow trees and shrubs with nutritious berries. The plants you'll read about do double duty: They attract birds and create a beautiful display with their flowers, fall colors, and fruits adding sparkle to your landscape. 

American Cranberry Viburnum (Viburnum trilobum) is a handsome shrub that has white springtime flowers, maple-shape leaves that turn bright colors in autumn, and red fall berries. Brown Thrashers, Cedar Waxwings, and other birds feast on the long-lasting fruits, which serve birds well in tough winters. It grows 8-12 feet tall and wide but can be kept smaller with pruning.

Brown Thrashers are fond of chokeberries (Aronia arbutifolia) and so are Cedar Waxwings and other songbirds. It grows 6-10 feet tall in sun or part shade and tolerates moist and dry sites. It spreads by suckering and is a good choice for a hedge. This shrub is indigenous to areas of North America. Zones 4-9

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) often go unnoticed in a summer garden, but they stop traffic when the leaves drop in autumn and the berries ripen. Branches laden with bright red fruit attract mockingbirds, robins, and other birds. This North American native holly needs a pollinator to produce berries, so buy both a male and female plant. Zones 3-9

Showy clusters of purple fruit make beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) attractive to both birds and flower arrangers. The arching wands of berries last a long time in the garden or a vase and provide nutrition and moisture for birds in winter. Beautyberry thrives in light shade but produces more berries in a sunny spot. It can grow 4 feet tall. Zones 6-8 

A landscape favorite for its feathery foliage and clusters of white flowers that turn into bright red fruits, heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is also a good bet for attracting birds. The berries stay on the plants well into winter, providing food for birds during the cold months. Zones 6-9

A Beautiful Winter Yard

Take a look out the window at your winter landscaping.  Does it look bleak and drab?  Are there no points of interest to entice you to walk outside and take a peek at your yard?  Winter exposes a completely new look to many trees and shrubs.  Branches and trunks, free from leaves, make us want to take a second look.

When a Contorted Filbert, also known as Harry Lauder’s Walkingstick, sheds its leaves in the fall, to reveal very artistic, knarled branches adorned with small green catkins.  By late February, the catkins become larger and finally turn fuzzy yellow, heralding the arrival of spring.  A perfect specimen or accent plant for a pot on your deck or planted in front of evergreens to show its very appealing character!

If something different is what you are looking for, be sure to check out the Mahonia Bealei and Curl Leaf Ligustrum.  Mahonia Bealei has fabulous foliage and beautiful yellow flowers in February and the contorted dark green leaves of the Curl Leaf Ligustrum are very cool all year round.

The Baldcypress after a beautiful rusty orange show in fall, defoliates to reveal a shaggy bark and a twiggy Christmas tree shape.  It’s a huge tree, so be sure to give it plenty of room to grow..

Some Fall Camellias continue to bloom well into Winter.  Yuletide is a great example. Camellias allow that dull corner of your shaded lot to glow with color!

Don’t forget the reliable favorites, Foster’s, Nellie Stevens, Savanna and Youpon Hollies.  Their bright red fruit provide food for the birds and add a bright spot to your yard.

Nandina Heavenly Bamboo turns burgundy red with clusters of red berries.  Don’t have room for a six foot shrub? Use ‘Fire Power’ Nandina.  Although it doesn’t berry, the name says it all.  It glows with a fluorescent red color all winter long.  The Threadbranch Cypress is highly textural and with a great yellow color pairs great with the Nandina!

Finally, we must mention the ‘Pansy’.  Yes, they are annuals, but think about it, what other plant gives you blooms from October to May braving cold weather to bring winter cheer to your yard?

And you thought your winter yard had to be boring!

Fall is for Planting!

Check out this month's Oyster Pointer magazine by clicking here.

Thank you Oyster Pointer!

Separate No More: Flowers and Vegetables

We've been watching ornamentals and vegetables blur together for some time now, and I'm seeing more and more signs of it these days, from frontyard vegetable gardens serving as eye-catching ornamental displays, to the mixed planting of flowers and vegetables, to the fringe category of edible flowers.

Lately, everywhere I turn, something reminds me of the beauty of these categories melding together. (For one thing, I have some squash blossoms that I'm getting ready to pan fry.)

Then my sister sent me picture of her impressive garden that combines ornamentals and vegetables. She worked hard to find "companion plants" this year, and you can view the results HERE.

To help you out, The National Garden Bureau (NGB) recently listed resources for edible flowers in their newsletter. Check out:

* North Carolina State University's table of edible flowers HERE.

*Colorado State University's table on edibles and garden plants with toxic flowers HERE.

It never hurts to remind consumers that it's okay to integrate the food and the flowers (just as long as they watch out in terms of their pest control materials near the edibles). And with so many new gardeners testing the ground with vegetable gardening, it's the perfect way to help them transition to flowers, too.

Sustainable Sites: In Action
Here's a quick update on the Sustainable Site Initiative. You may recall that the Sustainable Sites Initiative developed a set of guidelines and benchmarks for what they're calling "sustainable sites," or landscaped environments. The goal, they hope, is to have a way to rate outdoor landscapes as sustainable, to coincide with the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification for buildings. Back in November, they published their guidelines, and beginning in June 2010, more than 150 pilot projects in 34 states began the process of applying those guidelines. These projects cover a diverse cross-section of sizes and geographic locations in various stages of development, from design to construction and maintenance. The guidelines include a four-star rating system, which works on a 250-point scale. Based on achieving all 15 of the prerequisites and at least 100 credit points, a pilot project will become Pilot Certified. Feedback from the pilot program will assist in revising the final rating system, which is slated for release in 2013.

You can now view all of the projects online, state by state, at: www.sustainablesites.org/pilot/.

Jennifer Duffield White
jwhite@ballpublishing.com

Pictures from June 30th Kid's Summer Series - Rainbow Butterflies!

E-Clippings - May 2010

Selecting Colors for Your Garden

Do you gravitate towards oranges and reds or do you find blues and greens more soothing?  Colors give us a feeling of either warmth or coolness.  Blues, violets, and greens are known as cool colors, while reds, yellows, and oranges are known as warm colors.  You can use the feelings created by colors when selecting flowers to plants.

Cool colored flowers will be calming and create a serene setting.  Warm colored flowers will create excitement and draw attention.

From a distance, warm colored flowers appear closer while cool colored flowers appear farther away.  If you want your yard to seem larger, plant cool colored flowers at the rear of your yard.  Alternatively, plant warm colored flowers at the back of a space you want to feel smaller.  Cool colored flowers are best viewed from a short distance and are very effective near a patio or next to a sidewalk.  When combining cool and warm colors in one display, put the cool colors in the front and the warm in the back for the greatest impact.  If you garden will be viewed from a distance, to make it “easier on the eye,” do not totally mix the colors rather cluster the colors in masses.

Here are some examples to help get the creative juices flowing:

4921 George Washington Hwy.

Yorktown, VA 23692

757-898-7799

www.kenmatthewsgardencenter.com

May E-Clippings Article

Companion Plants

Just like people often perform better in good company, there are some plants that help other plants thrive.  Companion planting is the concept of planting different plants near each other because of the benefits they provide.

Experience shows us that using companion planting throughout the landscape is an important part of integrated pest management. In essence companion planting helps bring a balanced eco-system to your landscape, allowing nature to do its job! 

There are many varieties of herbs and flowers. that can be used for companion plants. Be open to experimenting and find what works for you.

Companion planting can combine beauty and purpose to give you an enjoyable, healthy environment. Have fun, let your imagination soar. There are many ways you can find to incorporate these useful plants in your garden, flower beds and outdoor living space.

Marigolds are one of the most friendly plant companions.  Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.

Nasturtium is an excellent companion for many plants. It is a companion to radishes, cabbage family plants, deterring aphids, squash bugs, striped pumpkin beetles, and improving growth and flavor. Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees.   It likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer.  The leaves, flowers and seeds of nasturtiums are all edible and wonderful in salads!

Petunias repel the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain aphids, tomato worms, Mexican bean beetles and general garden pests. A good companion to tomatoes, but plant everywhere. The leaves can be used in a tea to make a potent bug spray.

Pretty zinnias attract hummingbirds which eat whiteflies. Alternately the pastel varieties of zinnias can be used as a trap crop for Japanese beetles. All zinnias attract bees and other insect pollinators.

Basil does well when planted with tomatoes to improve growth and flavor. Basil also does well with peppers, oregano, asparagus and petunias. It is said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Do not plant near rue or sage.

Dahlias are beautiful, tuberous annuals that can have up to dinner plate size flowers and repels nematodes!

Some plants help each other by giving off chemicals and micronutrients that their friend needs.  Here’s some vegetable garden combinations that work well:

Tomatoes with cabbage, carrots, celery, parsley and onions.

Peas with beans, corn, carrots, cucumbers, radishes and turnips.

Spinach with celery, eggplant, and cauliflower.

Lettuce with carrots, cucumbers, onions and radishes.

Poison Ivy

E-Clippings - April 2010

Planning a Garden

Here are six easy tips for planning a new flower garden area or refreshing an existing one.  

1. Use perennials to form the structure of your garden, accounting for at least 80% of the area.  Then use annuals to add bursts of color.  Using annuals allows you to change the look of your garden from year to year with minimum effect.  

2. Know how much sunlight falls on the area you are going to plant – and don’t guess.  Look at your chosen spot at least six different times throughout the day.  It is amazing how frequently we discover that what we thought was in shade all day actually gets several hours of intense sunlight.

3. Determine how tall you want the tallest plants.  Select and plant those first, then add plants of varying height and textures to give the garden good form. Be sure to allow for growth of plants (read the tags).  A cute little perennial out of a grower’s pot can get 3-5 times larger!

4. Select plants with similar water needs, otherwise you’ll over or under water your garden.

5. Play with color.  Let your personality shine through.  Experiment!

6. If your goal is to landscape a large area and you’re not an experienced gardener, consider having Ken Matthews Garden Center to create a garden design for you.  There is no charge.  All we ask is that you buy your plants from us.  More information on this?  Click here.

Click here to see pictures with examples of these tips throughout the Garden Center.

Storm Alert

Your Yard Has Snow Issues

Snow Damage

Snow can put extra weight on branches causing them to break.
    Knock snow off (gentlly, now) with a broom.
    Any plants that are split open from the weight need to be tied together.
    Use tape, light-rope, anything that will hold the tow sides together.

Salt Damage

Sodium chloride (table salt) on walks/driveways can causing burning of your plants roots/leaves.
    Use calcium chloride products which you can find at your local hardware store.