Web Resource Guide March April 2009

SuperUser Account — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:04:41 GMT

Web Resource Guide March/April 2009Garden Talk, page 6For information on volunteering:New Orleans Botanical Garden, 504-482-4888, www.neworleanscitypark.com/volind.com.Garden Variety, page 10Green Thumb Award winners:www.mailordergardening.com/pdf/2009gtawinnerslr.pdf.Site Specific, page 22Resources for Pacific Northwest:For information on encouraging butterflies in your garden:The Xerces Society, Portland, OR, 503-232-6639, www.xerces.org.For snowberry and elderberry cultivars:Forestfarm, Williams, OR, 541-846-7269,www.forestfarm.com. Resource for Midwest/Mountain:Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN, 866-417-8156, www.prairiemoon.com. Resources for Northeast:Bluestone Perennials, Madison, OH, 800-852-5243, www.bluestoneperennials.com.Digging Dog Nursery, Albion, CA, 707-937-1130, www.diggingdog.com. Resources for Southeast:W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Warminster, PA, 800-333-5808, www.burpee.com.Henry Field’s Seed & Nursery, Aurora, IN, 513-354-1494, www.henryfields.com.Seedman, Gautier, MS, www.seedman.com. Resources for Southwest:White Flower Farm, Litchfield, CT, 800-503-9624, www.whiteflowerfarm.com.Prairie Nursery, Westfield, WI, 800-476-9453, www.prairienursery.com.Backyard Wildlife, page 56For build-it-yourself nest box plans:Cornell Lab of Ornithology, www.birds.cornell.edu/nestinginfo.

2009 Green Thumb Award Winners

SuperUser Account — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:05:48 GMT

In our March/April 2009 issue, we featured one of the 2009 winners of the Green Thumb Awards, sponsored by the Mailorder Gardening Association. Here are the other winners: Click on photos to enlarge.Plant Cottage from Gardener’s Supply Co, Burlington, VT, 800-955-3370, www.gardeners.com. Rudbeckia x hirta ‘Cherry Brandy’ from Thompson and Morgan, Jackson, NJ, 800-274-7333, www.tmseeds.com. Begonia x tuberhybrida ‘Scentsation Mixed’ from Thompson and Morgan, Jackson, NJ, 800-274-7333, www.tmseeds.com Bonbini lily from Dutch Gardens, Burlington, VT, 800-944-2250, www.dutchgardens.com. Brugmansia ‘Angel’s Dream’ from Logee’s Tropical Plants, Danielson, CT, 888-330-8038, www.logees.com. Honey Bear winter squash from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Winslow, ME, 877-564-6697, www.johnnyseeds.com. Prairie Blush certified organic potato from Wood Prairie Farm, Bridgewater, ME, 800-829-9765, www.woodprairie.com. Liquid Net for Pets and Liquid Fence Mole Repellent Worms from Liquid Fence Company, Brodheadsville, PA, 800-923-3623, www.liquidfence.com. Golden Delicious Apple Collection for Children from Stark Bro’s Nurseries and Orchards, Louisiana, MO, 800-325-4180, www.starkbros.com. Optimum Deep Plug Starter Kit from Charley’s Greenhouse and Garden, Mt. Vernon, WA, 800-322-4707, www.charleysgreenhouse.com.

Member Tips on Growing Roses

SuperUser Account — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:57:55 GMT

Roses are among the most popular garden flowers in the world. And despite their finicky reputations, they’re relatively easy to grow if you give them the right location, six hours of sun a day, and regular water.Here’s the catch: Rose care is regional. The right techniques for roses in the arid Southwest might not be best for roses in New England. So we’ve gathered tips from across the country to help you with your roses, wherever they may grow. Pacific Northwest Planting time: January through April*“Wet” is the signature of this region. Abundant water produces blooms from late spring through November, but diseases also thrive in this moist environment. Hybrid teas and floribundas need a lot of coddling in this cool environment, so select the most disease-resistant roses available. Plant in full sun in well-amended, compost-rich soil. Give plants lots of room for good air circulation. Drench soil and spray canes with compost tea. Watch foliage closely throughout the growing season; spot-treat fungi like black spot or powdery mildew with an organic fungicide. Prune in late winter or early spring when the buds begin to swell. Make sure tools are sharp. Dull, ragged cuts open the rose to diseases and insects.Best roses for the region: About Face (Zones 6 to 9) Carefree Wonder (Zones 4 to 9) Cherry Parfait (Zones 6 to 9) Crimson Bouquet (Zones 5 to 9) Day Breaker (Zones 6 to 10) Fourth of July (Zones 5 to 9) Gemini (Zones 6 to 9)Southwest Planting Time: December through February*This region is famous for endless sunshine and sparse rain. Roses bloom April through December on the cooler Pacific coast. In mountain and desert areas away from the ocean, searing temperatures change little between day and night, causing roses go dormant during the height of summer. In these areas, they bloom in April and again in October. If you live in a consistently hot climate, look for heat-tolerant roses that have with thicker, darker leaves and intensely colored blooms. In all areas, regular irrigation is vital, but sandy soils can dry out quickly. Amend with plenty of organic matter and test the pH periodically. Add an iron and sulfur compound if the soil is alkaline or the plants start to turn yellow. Mulch with 3 to 4 inches of compost, bark, or gravel.Best roses for the region:Cherry Parfait (Zones 6 to 9) Elle (Zones 7 to 10) Fourth of July (Zones 5 to 9) Gemini (Zones 6 to 9) Hot Cocoa (Zones 6 to 10) Julia Child (Zones 5 to 10) Opening Night (Zones 7 to 10)Midwest/Mountain Planting time: April through June, October and November*Old-fashioned shrub roses are best for this region’s cold winter, blustery spring, brutal summer heat, and challenging soils. Roses have to be hardy with tough, thick leaves to survive the extremes of temperature and resist drying out. Plant in a sheltered location, away from winds, in heavily amended soil. Mulch with 3 to 4 inches of pine needles, shredded cedar bark, or other rough organic mulch to resist wind scattering. Irrigate regularly to keep soil moist. In the coldest winter climates, protect hybrid tea roses with the Minnesota tip method: Dig a trench long enough to accommodate the canes, loosen the roots on the side opposite the trench, lay the rose down, and cover with soil. Water and mulch when the soil freezes.Best roses for the region:Carefree Delight (Zones 4 to 9) Carefree Wonder (Zones 4 to 9) Crimson Bouquet (Zones 5 to 9) Eureka (Zones 4 to 10) Scentimental (Zones 6 to 9) Peaches ‘n’ Cream (Zones 4 to 10) White Dawn (Zones 5 to 9)Northeast Planting time: April through June, October and November*Winter and spring temperatures can fluctuate over 50°F in a single day. The new hardy, disease-resistant landscape roses and floribundas do best here. Wrap them with burlap in winter to protect from cold and drying winds. When temperatures go below 20°F, mound the base of grafted roses with 12 to 18 inches of soil, compost, or finely shredded bark. Remove the mulch and burlap in spring. Roses will be in full bloom by June, then slow down or go dormant in intense July and August heat. They will come back in September when the weather cools.Best roses for the region: America (Zones 5 to 9) ‘New Dawn’ (Zones 5 to 9) Charisma (Zones 6 to 10) Evening Star (Zones 6 to 9 ) Buff Beauty (Zones 6 to 10) Peaches ‘n’ Cream (Zones 4 to 10) ‘Sir Thomas Lipton’ (Zones 4 to 9)Southeast Planting time: March through June, October and November*The region is hot and humid most of the year, so disease is a big problem. Most rain comes in winter and early spring, but violent thunderstorms can occur in summer through late fall. Roses start to bloom by Mother’s Day and continue through December. If soil is acidic and sandy, amend with compost and balance pH with lime. Cooler autumn temperatures can cause outbreaks of powdery mildew. Don’t waste time spraying fungicides late in the season; instead, collect infected leaves and put them in the garbage to interrupt the fungus’ life cycle. The best roses for this region are the new heat-tolerant and black-spot resistant varieties, which also offer improved repeat blooming.Best roses for the region: Altissimo (Zones 4 to 9) Knock Out (Zones 5 to 9) ‘New Dawn’ (Zones 5 to 9) ‘Queen Elizabeth’ (Zones 5 to 9) ‘Mister Lincoln’ (Zones 5 to 9) ‘Cécile Brunner’ (Zones 5 to 9) Memorial Day (Zones 7 to 10)*Don’t plant roses in any region in July, August, or September.

Design Tips for Decks, Porches and Patios

SuperUser Account — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:20:59 GMT

In the March/April 2009 issue, managing editor Glen O. Seibert showed how to transform your deck, porch, or patio into a beautiful transition zone between your home and garden. Need more inspiration? Try these ideas: Click on photos to enlarge.tiny space, big impactThe muted, complementary blue and brick red of the banister railing, French doors, and garden bench provide most of the color on this postage-stamp porch. The complex textures of the container coleus, grasses, and impatiens soften the structures’ hard lines and geometric forms. Icing on the cake comes from the black cast-iron “plant balcony” and pure white café chairs. This little landing would be right at home on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street.Photo by Glen O. Seibert. don't underestimate understatementIt’s all about texture with this intricate stone patio. Contrast comes from the precise structure and workmanship used on rough, native limestone. The simple mix of white and pink petunias in massive urns is mirrored in the small stone accent bowl, displayed between well-weathered silvery cedar chairs. Bordered with butterfly bush, Miscanthus grass, and old native oaks, this stony island enjoys total privacy.Photo by Glen O. Seibert. soften the edges This tiny porch has lots of straight lines and sharp angles. The unrelated sizes, colors, and shapes of the containers and their many different plants move the eye away from all that rigid geometry. Be careful, though: Eclectic mixes of materials and plants work well in smaller areas, but may be too much of a good thing in a larger garden.Photo by Glen O. Seibert. tree-house chicWho says outdoor living has to be primitive? A stainless steel grill, refrigerator, and loads of counter space create a gourmet kitchen in the trees. This outdoor bistro is ready to cater a lawn party or an intimate dinner for two. The super-shiny surfaces seem to disappear as they reflect the lush ferns, hostas, and other shade plants that surround them. The bright red café umbrellas give a pop of color to this shady glade and echo the warm hues of the rough-cut flagstone pavers. Photo by Tracy Walsh. the power of waterA stone patio virtually floats in this water garden, surrounded by a delightful combination of colors, textures, and sounds. There’s a whole world of aquatic plants to fill your garden. Water lilies and water hyacinth float lazily on the surface; papyrus, pickerel weed, and blue flag iris grow fully submerged but flower above the surface, along the water’s edge. All kinds of creatures are drawn to this lush habitat, turning the simple wicker chairs into front-row seats for an ever-changing parade of life.Photo by Tracy Walsh.

English Gardens: Favorite Vertical Plants

SuperUser Account — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:16:43 GMT

Formal English garden designs use bold lines. To achieve that same look in your garden, create straight paths and repeat the form in gates and plants. When a straight path is accented by vertical plants like the ones below, it gives the impression that the end is further away than it really is.• Buxus sempervirens ‘Graham Blandy’ (Zones 6 to 8) — a narrow boxwood that grows 10 feet tall. • Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ (Zones 2 to 8) — grows 20 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Another vertical cultivar, J. communis ‘Pencil Point’, grows 5 feet tall and 1 foot wide. • Picea omorika (Zones 4 to 8) — Serbian spruce is a large vertical tree that grows up to 60 feet tall and 25 feet wide. • Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’ (Zones 4 to 8) — Deciduous tree that grows 60 feet tall and 15 feet wide. • Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’ (Zones 4 to 8) — Has deep green foliage. Grows 20 feet tall and 3 feet wide; takes shearing. • Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ (also ‘Emerald’) (Zones 3 to 8) — A single arborvitae makes a good accent; this cultivar grows 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide.

Pea Perfection

SuperUser Account — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:03:32 GMT

In the March/April 2009 issue of Gardening How-To magazine, we shared some of our favorite peas for home gardens. Here are even more tasty peas to try:Shelling peas – early-season varieties: • ‘Knight’ (57 days) One of the earliest large-podded varieties. Resistant to powdery mildew, wilt, and mosaics. Grows 2 feet tall. • Maestro (60 days) Heavy-yielding with good disease tolerance. Resistant to enation and powdery mildew. Grows 30 inches tall. • Premium (51 days) Extra-early variety with medium-sized peas. Grows 30 inches tall.Shelling peas – mid-season varieties: • Green Arrow (63 days) High yields of very sweet peas, up to 12 peas per pod with two pods per node. Grows 28 inches tall. • Lincoln (60 days) Old favorite, with delicious, sweet, small peas. Not as disease-resistant as more recent varieties, but tolerates warm weather. Grows 28 inches tall. Shelling peas – late-season varieties: • Alderman (74 days) Developed by Thomas Laxton over a century ago. Tallest shelling pea, with large pods containing eight to ten peas. Excellent fall crop. Grows 6 feet tall. • Wando (70 days) This traditional warm-weather pea also tolerates cold weather; superb for fall plantings. Produces well in the far North and the deep South. Grows 30 inches tall.Snow peas – early • Little Sweetie (60 days) Crisp pods with high sugar content; produces over a long period. Grows 16 inches tall. • Snow Green (59 days) Produces medium-size, crisp pods. Grows 28 inches tall. Snow peas – mid-season • Mammoth Melting Sugar (68 days) One of the sweetest, largest snow peas, with stringless pods nearly 6 inches long; can be prepared like snap beans. Wilt tolerant. Grows 5 feet tall.

National Home Gardening Club

Web Resource Guide March April 2009

2009 Green Thumb Award Winners

Member Tips on Growing Roses

Design Tips for Decks, Porches and Patios

English Gardens: Favorite Vertical Plants

Pea Perfection