MARCH GARDEN TIPS

Here are tips from the Guilford Garden Journal by Karen Neill.

Ornamentals

°  Be on the lookout for the return of insects such as aphids and mites.
°  Hand-pull winter weeds such as henbit and common chickweed from landscape beds.
°  Prune your hybrid tea roses severely this month to force healthy new growth. Also begin your fungicide spray program to keep the black spot disease down.
°  Start seedlings for tender annual bedding plants such as marigolds, petunias, zinnia, celosia, impatiens, even that of flowering tobacco.
°  Buy geraniums this month. These cold tolerant annuals like the warm days and cold nights. The extra carbohydrates are stored and used for flower production right now.
°  Later this month, provided soil has dried out enough, you can set summer bulbs like dahlia, canna and gladiolas.
°  Caladium tubers should be started inside during March. This allows them time to be- gin growth which can be slowed with the cold soil. In the early spring pot them shallowly.
°  Plant peonies where they will receive the morning sun. Set them so that the pink buds are just above the soil. Peonies will not bloom if set too deeply.
°  Do not prune birch, maple, elm or walnut until after they have leafed out.
°  Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs such as forsythia until after it has finished blooming.
°  Apply a fresh layer of mulch 2-4 inches deep to landscape plantings.
°   Clean up and destroy debris from the perennial bed. Divide those perennials that have spread and are encroaching on other plants.
°  Fertilize spring flowering bulbs as the foliage emerges with an all purpose fertilizer.
°  Plant cool season annuals to set outside this month including alyssum, calendula, pansy, snapdragon and viola – hardy seed such as alyssum, larkspur, poppies and sweet William can be direct seeded.

Edibles

°  Prepare soil for spring planting but wait until soil is dry enough to be worked.
°  Plant potatoes, peas, onion, lettuce and other salad crops along with broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
°  Start seeds inside for tomatoes peppers and other warm season vegetables.
°  Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees to kill any overwintering insects.
°  Finish pruning young fruit trees this month along with figs and grapes if they need it.
°  March is the ideal time to plant any bare root or container grown fruit trees.
°   Fertilize fruit trees using an all purpose fertilizer like 10-10-10. Be careful when feeding blueberries as they can be damaged by over fertilization.
°  Pay particular attention to pears. These need to be sprayed with an agricultural strep- tomyocin for fire blight, a very common disease problem.    .

Lawns

°  Spray lawns for winter annual weeds such as chickweed and henbit with a liquid broadleaf spray. Read label thoroughly as you must not apply these if planning on applying seed in spring.
°  Apply a pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control this month.
°  Feed cool season lawns early this month with slow release nitrogen products. Do not apply fertilizer after March 15th.
°  Have lawn mower blade sharpened if not previously done and service engine i.e. new spark plugs and oil.
°  Begin mowing fescue at a 2 1⁄2 to 3 inch height leaving the clippings.

Miscellaneous

°  Repot any potbound houseplants before finding location outside for them this summer.

Karen Neill, Extension Agent
Agriculture – Urban Horticulture
Guilford County Cooperative Extension 336-375-5876

Provided by the North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension.

Photo Credit: wordcat57 on Flickr
http://flic.kr/p/4BP2qx

Wyatt Quarles Vegetable Planting Guide

This is an extremely helpful vegetable planting guide from Wyatt Quarles, a company that supplies A.B. Seed with countless veggies and plants.  In order to enlarge the chart, click on the image.

FEBRUARY GARDEN TIPS

Excerpts from the Guilford County Extension Community Garden Outreach, News, and Information GardenWise Newsletter

It’s time to plant ASPARAGUS and PEAS this month!  They can withstand the cold, and this short list will give you time to prepare for beet, brussel sprout, cabbage, kale, potato, and other plantings for March.

When planting asparagus, remember that you can seed 66 plants for every 100 feet of row, with 3 to 4 feet of space in between rows.  Place seeds 18 inches apart.

When planting peas, you can plant 1 to 2 pounds of seed for every 100 feet of row.  Allow 2 to 3 feet of space in between rows, and 1 to 3 inches in between plants.

Selecting Seed Varieties

As we shop for seeds it’s often frustrating to know what variety of seeds to plant. The Chatham County Extension Service has done extensive research in this area. Their website has a good local planting guide, gives varieties of seeds for different crops and provides catalog resources for the seeds. Once you reach their home page, you can click on “Production” on the left sidebar. Then click on planting guide and Vegetable for details. You will now have accessed a wealth of information on seed varieties and the success of growing them in this area.
Their website is: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAG/indes.html

Here is a brief listing of their better tested varieties:
Greens: Tyee
Lettuces: Merlot, Tango, Dano, Rave, Baronet, Wild Garden, Flashy Green Butter Oak, Aruba, Jericho, New Red Fire, Marin, Mikla, Emosa, Yukina Savoy, Kyona Mizuna, Arugula, Magma, Chinese Thickstem Mustard,
Kale: Toscano (Dinosaur), Lacinato Rainbow, Red Ursa, Wild Red, Wild Garden, Redbor,
Collards: Campion
Chard: Argentata, Bright Lights, Golden Chard,
Carrots: Scarlet Nantes
Beets: Early Wonder, Burpees Golden
Turnip: Hakurei F-1 Salad Turnip
Leeks: Imperial,
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield, Primax, Sugar Red 80
Peas: Sugar Ann, Sugar Snap
Tomatoes: Rosa de Berne, Eva Purple Belle, Cherokee Purple, Persimmon, Green Zebra, Speckled Roman Paste, Sun Sugar,
Peppers: Early Pimento, Doug’s Yankee Bell, Long Yankee Bell, Napoleon Sweet, Corno di Toro, Marconi, Chocolate Beauty, Quadrato D’Asti Giallo, Aji Dulce, Hot Paper Lantern,
Eggplant: Listada di Gandia, Swallow

The following is provided by the North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension, and is written by Karen Neill, Extension Agent, Agriculture – Urban Horticulture, Guilford County Cooperative Extension 336-375-5876

Ornamentals

°  Hardwood cuttings of many landscape plants like forsythia, hydrangea, spirea, and weigela can be taken now.
°  Application of lime sulfur spray on roses can be done now.
°  Prune roses. Thin to 3 – 5 good strong canes and shorten canes to 15 inches.
°  Plant bare root roses now in well drained soil. Look for a site with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight.
°   Cut back the old foliage of ornamental grasses – liriope and mondo grass can be mowed when mower is set on highest setting.
°  Sow seeds of larkspur, California and Shirley poppies.
°  Check your stored bulbs – if any are decaying, discard them. If dahlia tubers are shriveling they may be too dry, so slightly moisten the material they are stored in.
°  Branches of forsythia, quince, winter honeysuckle, and flowering cherry may be forced indoors. Place cut stems in a vase of water and change water every 4 days.
°   Watch for signs of frost heaving on fall plantings. Reset uprooted plants covering tender roots and apply mulch.
°  Divide perennials like daylily, shasta daisy and coreopsis when the ground is dry.

Edibles

°  Have soil test performed on garden plot to determine nutrient needs.
°  Don’t work soil if wet. Squeeze a handful of soil. If it stays in a ball, it’s too wet.
°  Start seed for tomato and pepper transplants.
°  Check fruit trees for egg masses of the eastern tent caterpillar. Eggs appear as dark brown or gray collars that encircle small twigs. Destroy by scratching off with fingernail.
°  Apply a dormant oil spray with lime sulfur mixed in to fruit trees. This will control overwintering insects and diseases.
°  Prune fruit trees – strive to keep the height down and the trees open for good light penetration.
°  Sterilize tools with 1 part bleach, 9 parts water solution in between cuts.
°  Prune and train grape vines.
°  Sow seeds for English peas directly in garden.
°  Make a cold frame or hot bed to start early vegetables and harden off trans- plants.
°  Make sure last year’s fallen fruit or mummies remaining on trees is removed be- fore spring arrives.
°  As catalogs start arriving look for plants with improved insect and disease resis- tance. Draw garden layout to assist with the planning process.

Lawns

°  Control wild garlic/wild onions with 2-4-D onion spray (add surfactant).
°  Apply broadleaf herbicides to winter weeds such as chickweed and henbit.  Follow label instructions.
°  Service power equipment like your lawn mower. Make sure to change the oil, replace filters and spark plugs. Also make sure the blade is sharp.
°  Avoid walking on frozen lawns as this may injure the grass.
°  Apply last application of fertilizer to cool season fescue. Applications should be based on 1 lb. of nitrogen per thousand sq. ft. The next fertilizer application will be made in September.

Miscellaneous

°  Clean and repair garden tools. Sand and seal tool handles to prevent splinters. Apply brightly colored paint to handles as this makes them easier to locate.
°  Keep bird feeders full – black oil sunflower is one of the best.
°  Save grape vine prunings for making into attractive wreaths.
°  Encourage birds to nest in your yard by providing water and putting up birdhouses. This is particularly true for bluebirds, which will be selecting nesting sites later this month.

Image from La Grand Farmers Market on Flickr

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JANUARY GARDEN TIPS

It may be cold outside, but there are plenty of things to do to get your garden in order.  Here are tips from the Guilford Garden Journal by Karen Neill.

Timely Tips
Guilford Garden Journal

ORNAMENTALS

• Grow your own annual transplants from seed to get a wider choice of variety.
• Direct sow annuals like sweet alyssum, larkspur and California Iceland and Shirley poppies when the soil can be worked.
• Wipe the dust off of your houseplants’ leaves. A damp cloth works well.
• Spray roses with a lime sulfur/dormant oil mix to help control insects and diseases that might be overwintering on the plants.
• Order bare root roses now, consider the all American rose selections chosen for their performance in vigor, growth hardiness, disease resistance, and of course flower production.
• Continue to provide protection from windburn by shading the south and southwest side of sensitive shrubs – temporary burlap screens work well.
• Tree planting heads the list of important gardening jobs in January. A wide planting hole ensures successful planting with most trees.
• Keep in mind that plants, especially newly set plants, need water even during the winter months.
• Check bulbs in storage – often dahlia tubers and gladiolas corms are attacked by rot. Throw away any that have rotted and spread the rest so they do not touch. Sulfur may be used to keep rot from occurring.

EDIBLES

• Sow seeds for herbs such as parsley, sage and basil.
• Begin pruning fruit trees. Proper pruning helps increase the quality and quantity of fruit.
• Prune grape vines and train on trellis.
• Start seedlings for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard, lettuce and onions to be transplanted outside in March.
• Soil test to make sure pH is adjusted before your spring planting.
• Mulch strawberry beds for the coldest part of the winter months.
• Plan to pull mulch back when blooms appear in spring.
• Lay out garden on paper to take advantage of all space available. Plan on a spring, summer and fall garden along with successive plantings.

LAWNS

• Take lawn mower blade to have sharpened this month. Sharp blades leave a clean cut that heals fast and ensures regrowth.
• Newly sodded areas should be moistened for the sod to take root.
• If we have a mild day, work on controlling those cool weather annuals such as chickweed with a broadleaf herbicide.
• Remember to water evergreen shrubs if they are calling for a hard freeze.
• Remove any broken or storm damaged limbs; don’t leave a jagged edge, make a clean cut.
• Apply dormant horticulture oil spray on shrubs and small trees to kill any overwintering insects.
• Make dormant cuttings of Burford Holly, Otto Luyken Laurel, Oakleaf, Hydrangea, Camellia, Japonica and Camellia Sasanqua, roses, forsythia and bunch grapes. For information on rooting cuttings to: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8700.pdf
• Heavy structural pruning can be done on large evergreens like hollies, boxwood and ligustrum.

Karen Neill, Extension Agent
Agriculture – Urban Horticulture
Guilford County Cooperative Extension 336-375-5876

Provided by the North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension.

Photo Credit: Vicky Brock (Flickr: brockvicky )

 

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And don’t forget:
The Piedmont Triad Farmer’s Market is selling Christmas trees and other greenery in the market!

MARKET HAPPENINGS: DECEMBER CRAFT SHOW

Come on out to the Piedmont Triad Farmer’s Market for the December Craft Show.  Craftsmen from throughout the region will fill the Market with quality handmade and homemade crafts.

Saturday, December 4 ::   9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday,  December 5 ::  11:00am – 5:00pm

For more information contact Tom & Lorrie Skiba at 336-993-7097(home) or 336-816-1553(cell).
e-mail: FarmMktSkiba@AOL.COM

DECEMBER GARDEN TIPS

Although you may be preparing for the holidays, make sure to prepare your garden for the winter with some of these handy tips!

ORNAMENTALS
– Store decorative ceramic terra cotta pots and containers inside to avoid cracks from freezing temperatures.
– Continue to plant spring bulbs until the ground is frozen, water and mulch.
– Hardwood cuttings of your landscape plants such as forsythia, flowering quince, weigela, crape myrtle and hydrangea can be taken this month. Place the cutting in a cold frame outside.
– Prune berry producing plants if berries are desirable in table arrangements over the holidays.
– Only female holly trees bear the colorful berries. There must be a male tree growing nearby for pollination if fruit is desired.
– Keep the poinsettia healthy by watering regularly and keeping the plant out of drafts.
– Cut back and clean up frost killed perennials.
– Watch for signs of insect activity on any houseplants that spent the summer outdoors.
– Drain the garden hose now and bring it in for the winter to avoid splitting by frozen water.
– Deciduous or leaf losing trees and shrubs can be transplanted after the leaves fall in the autumn.

EDIBLES
– Put pine needles or wheat straw over your strawberry plants in late December.
– Use wood ashes from your fireplace or wood burning stove on your vegetable garden.
– Continue to plant one-year old asparagus crowns in the garden.
– Order fruit trees adapted to your area and designate shipping dates that avoid hard, frozen ground problems when planting.
– Store leftover seeds in a cool dry location.
– Pick up fallen leaves, limbs and other debris from lawns to prevent suffocation of the turf during winter.
– Store any left over lawn fertilizer in dry location and out of reach of children and pets.

MISCELLANEOUS
– On cold nights move houseplants back from icy windows to prevent chilling injury.
– Holiday poinsettias need at least six hours of sunlight each day. Keep away from drafts and be sure to punch holes in decorative foil wraps to prevent root rot.
– Cut Christmas trees hold needles longer if a fresh cut is made at the base and this cut is always submerged in water.
– Clean and oil all garden tools before storing for the winter.
– Use sand, birdseed, sawdust, or vermiculite to gain traction on icy paths. Avoid salt or ice melters as these may injure plants.

This was an excerpt of tips written by Karen Neill, Extension Agent Agriculture – Urban Horticulture Guilford County Cooperative Extension
For more information visit http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/extgardener/

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