gardenchatter

Garden adventures, thoughts and ideas…

Category Archives: Gardening


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Spring….and baby robins

Every so often when you least expect it, nature provides you with amazing gifts.

I came home a couple of weeks ago to this new little guy just sunning himself on one of my garden decorations.

Mom was on the roof of the barn-shed next door, holding a worm, chirping with determination, probably yapping at me to get out of the way so she could feed junior.

And feed junior she did – the shot’s a tad blurry, but you’ll get the idea.

Here’s a few Robin Facts:

Baby robins are helpless at birth but reach the size of their parents after just two weeks! They’re also fuzzy and rather than the orange/red breast of the adult, have a spotted, mottled look to them.

Robins fly at 17 to 32 mph

Robins have about 2,900 feathers

The best way to see a robin in your garden is to dig or water the lawn.  Within minutes one may perch on a fence or branch nearby waiting to inspect the newly-turned soil for earthworms.

Once the female has laid her eggs, she stays in the nest for up to two weeks, staying low over them, well concealed with only her back visible.  The male brings her food, sometimes as often as three times in an hour.

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Blooming Lilacs!

The lilacs are fabulous this year. The past couple of springs we’ve been hit with a late frost that completely nips the buds – and as a result, no blooms. This year we got lucky!

Remember, if you’re going to prune lilacs, prune them right after the blooms are finished. They’ll soon start producing next year’s buds, and if you prune them too late in the season, or early next year, you’ll lose a spring full of (hopefully) glorious color. 

Deadheading does help build strong buds for next year’s show, and a light pruning of twigs that are getting out of hand doesn’t hurt. Overall though, just keep it to a minimum. Of course, any dead or damaged or diseased looking branches should be removed at any time during the year. 

Branches that cross and rub on each other should be pruned also as the rubbing may create raw spots that opens the area to infection or disease. 

Here’s one of my favorites that’s out in our garden.

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The Apple Tree is Back

We have an apple tree. Not sure what kind it is, but the apples are small, green and sweet.

Oh…and  overnight the raccoon’s enjoy taking one bite out of as many as they can and leaving the rest behind for us to clean up.

The past few years we’ve had limited or no blooms and no apples. Reasons – two years of apple/cedar rust, a couple of late frosts that killed the blooms, bizarre winters – but this year, Mother Nature did what she should, and the blossoms have been incredible – and  for the first year, in the 8 that we’ve been at this property – unbelievably fragrant.

Here’s a few shots:

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Spring Pruning

So, now we’ve cleaned up the garden and here’s hoping the weather is improving in your part of the world. Next comes spring pruning.

Here’s the basic rules…

Prune out dead wood and diseased or injured limbs any time throughout the year as needed. Removing the damaged wood will only help the rest of the plant to develop new, strong shoots.

Prune spring flowering shrubs after flowering. Plants that bloom in early spring usually produce their flower buds the year before. The buds over-winter on the previous year’s growth and open in spring. If you prune these spring bloomers in fall or winter you’ll remove the flower buds and won’t have flowers that year. The plants will be ok, but you’ll miss a year of blooms. (Lilacs are a classic – as soon as the flowering is finished – prune!)

Prune summer flowering shrubs in late winter or early spring. Many summer flowering shrubs bloom on the current year’s growth. Pruning them back in later winter encourages them to produce plenty ‘O new growth that summer and will result in more flowers. 

However, there are two exceptions to the rule………

Hydrangeas- Some bloom on ‘old wood’ while others bloom on ‘new wood’ – know your plant type before pruning.  Pruning at the wrong time won’t hurt the plant, but you may miss out on a year of spectacular blooms.

Clematis (Yikes!)

Clematis are on a whole different planet when it comes to pruning. There are three different bloom and prune times. But remember this – If it blooms before June – Don’t Prune!

Know your clematis before you prune…

Group 1/A – flowers in spring on old wood. Prune after flowering (summer) – light pruning only to remove dead or damaged wood only.

Group 2/B – flowers early summer and has repeat blooms later in the season – flowers on both old and new wood. Prune after flowering in late fall or winter. Remove dead wood adn cut to 12″ or so every couple of years – that’s all it needs.

Group 3/C – flowers late summer on new wood. Prune after flowering in late winter or early spring. Hard prune this one to 12″, ensuring a few strong buds remain – will give you plenty of strong, new wood for spectacular blooms!

 

 


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Spring Garden Chores!

Yes, it’s that time again. Spring clean up. And we all know we need to clean up the winter debris, rake the leaves, clean out the pond, get the compost going again and clean and sharpen the tools….

But there’s a few other things we should do in spring to make sure the garden looks it’s best all summer long.

Apply slow-release fertilizer to flowering shrubs and vines, including roses, rhododendrons   clematis. Many vines and climbers are heavy feeders and a little extra boost right now will help them remain strong and colorful.

Give summer-flowering bulbs, such as cannas and dahlias, a  head start by potting indoors   under lights until after the last frost date. Then there’s no more waiting until July for blooms – you’ll see some in May and June.

Divide mature perennials such as phlox, showy stonecrop and bee balm as they begin to   sprout, before temperatures get too high. (And if you don’t have anywhere to plant   them, donate them to your horticultural society or garden club for their spring fundraising plant sale!)

Pull out weeds as they appear – will prevent them from seeding and multiplying. A little diligence now goes a long way with weed prevention.

Watch for any plants that have been pushed up by the frost and secure them back into the   ground. The sooner, the better – before the roots dry out and the plants begin to struggle.

Fix any mounds of dirt left by tunneling critters over the winter – with the soft soil of spring, the   area can become unsafe.

Happy Spring Clean Up!


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2013 Perennial Plant of the Year

The 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year was recently announced –

Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’, or more commonly known as Variegated (or Striped) Solomon’s Seal.

Solomon’s Seal is a stunning spring-to-fall, low maintenance tall foliage plant suited to areas with shade or partial shade. Sprouting small greenish-white flowers in late spring, the bright green foliage displays creamy white edges throughout the growing season, turning yellow into the fall months, and may develop small blue berries. 

Solomon’s Seal (both plain and variegated) grow to 24 inches tall and are spread by rhizomes to form colonies of bright color all summer long.

Solomon’s Seal nicely complements other shade plants like hostas, astilbe and fern to create a striking but serene woodland garden.

Requiring little care other than moist soil conditions and shade, Solomon’s Seal is hardy in  USDA Zones 3 to 8. 

Wonder if the garden centers are open yet……

 

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Christmas Decorating for Gardeners

A number of my gardening friends have been sharing their ideas for decorating and keeping the garden theme going all through the holidays – here’s a few thoughts…

Think about the garden when setting your Christmas table. For a simple centerpiece, add small ornaments to rosemary plants, or the miniature trees that are available this time of year. Or create an original arrangement using clippings from the garden – branches from different evergreens and holly bushes, dogwood, birch twigs, pinecones and acorns. Add sprigs of berries or greenery to the base of candleholders or tapers. Create garden themed place-card holders with small clay pots, wrapped in raffia or ribbon, complete with herb seed packs and a name card in the pot or purchase small herb plants from a garden centre for each dinner guest, inserting a card in the foliage. Wrap up cutlery and napkins with raffia or ribbon and tuck in a sprig of fresh greenery, thyme or rosemary.

Glass bowls or vases full of brightly decorated pine cones are easy and fun to create.  Roll the cones in glue, and then in coloured glitter flakes – the glitter will stick to the glue along the edges of the cone, giving the cone a frosty look. Spray paint the cones gold, silver or a metallic shade that compliments your own holiday décor. Or spray paint the cone white. When it dries, roll it in glue and then glitter, giving the cone a snowy look. Place metallic beads between the open scales of the cone, holding them in place with a spot of hot glue. Add sprigs of berries or greens for added colour and place the decorated cones in a variety of glass containers for an interesting table arrangement or centerpiece.

Brighten up your houseplants for Christmas. If your houseplants are already in decorative containers, add bows or ribbon to the plant for a festive look. Cover simple pots with bright Christmas wrap, foil or fabric to dress them up for the holidays. Taller, sturdier houseplants or small trees are strong enough to hold a small string of lights or small ornaments.

Use old garden tools to decorate the gardeners Christmas tree. Collect old hand tools from garage sales and thrift stores, and spray paint them with colours that compliment your own holiday décor and will stand out against the dark green foliage of the tree. Tie velvet bows around the handles and hang on the heavy branches of the tree or place them on branches within the foliage. Decorate small watering cans with holly sprigs and greens, and add ribbon, raffia, berries and holly sprouts to small clay pots to hang from the tree. Finish the gardener’s tree off with seed packets carefully saved from summer planting, or new ones – attached a loop of velvet ribbon and hang throughout the tree.

When creating your outside arrangement, consider using a potted tree that can be planted in the garden when the warm weather returns. Fill the tree with bright lights, and enjoy it right through the winter season.

Happy Holiday Decorating!

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Hummingbirds

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Hummingbirds amaze me.

Have you ever seen them dance and play through the light shower that the sprinkler provides? Every time we water, there they are – swiftly spinning and flying through the drops, sparkling in the sunlight and enjoying their quick bath. I guess bird baths are typically too deep for them so perhaps this is how they get around it??

The ruby-throated is what spends the summer in our yard each year, and they have remained close by again this summer. Three or four times a day they make their rounds from plant to plant and stop by the patio table to hover for a second or two, as if saying hello, before they fly off to the next bright flower.

A few interesting ruby-throated facts:

– They beat their wings roughly 55 times per minutes.

– It’s short legs prevent it from walking or hopping (answers the bird bath quandry!). The best they can do is shuffle along a perch. It scratches it’s head and neck by raising a foot up and over its wing.

– They prefer to feed on red or orange flowers. Like many birds, they have good color vision and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum, which we cannot (However, the one that came to visit pictured above seems to be quite happy with large, pink zinnias).

– They also catch insects in midair or pull them out of spider webs.

They’ll soon be heading south, to warmer climates for the winter season, so as the summer blooms begin to fade, remember to keep the hummingbird feeder full to give them plenty of food and energy for the long flight!

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