Ahhh - gardening at its best.

Now is the time that avid gardeners love best. The weather is nice, with lots of rain and 70 degree temperatures, and all those leaves are pushing out!

There is so much to do right now in the garden; but what's the most important? Enjoy it!

In my own yard, I have been experimenting and transplanting. Now is a great time for it! As a landscape designer, you would think I would have a plan in my own yard, but I don't. I truly like to try out new plants and combinations. In your own yard, I'm sure you feel like you don't have it planned either. But don't worry - that's normal! Its hard to see your own yard objectively!

The other great gardening activity to do now is CONTAINER GARDENING! I love it. Its like designing your own mini-landscape. Its so fun to work with colors, textures, and sizes - vertically and horizontally! I like to go to the nursery and design my containers on the spot. Its fun working with whats available rather than concentrating on specific plants and then be disappointed when you can't find them. So, go to the nursery, pull out a sample pot and get playful. The more textures, colors, sizes, and heights you have, the better!

Until next time and happy gardening,

Holly

Lawn Care in March

For those lawn nuts out there - what do you think you should be doing now in Virginia to have that green, lush lawn? Lucky for you - depending on the type of grass you have - there's not much!

If you have cool season grass, such as fescues, ryegrass, or kentucky bluegrass, the only thing you have to do now is put down pre-emergent weed preventer. When you see the Forsythias bloom, get to work. Corn gluten is a nice, organic alternative to traditional weed prevention, but it doesn't last that long, unfortunately. If you put corn gluten down too much, it will over-nitrogenize your lawn and possibly cause damage when the weather gets hot and dry. So, for longer lasting weed prevention, you can use the weed prevention chemicals you find at home and garden stores, BUT be smart about your application. Follow the directions explicitly and make sure to brush or blow granules back onto your lawn to prevent run-off into our water supply. Determine your lawn square footage by using good ol' geometry! Wait until fall to fertilize your lawn.

If you have warm season grass, such as zoysia or bermuda grass, you don't need to anything for another month or so, when the weather is warm and your grass starts to green-up. Late spring is a good time to fertilize warm season grasses.

As far as liming, make sure you need to lime first! I recommend that everyone get a soil test from their agricultural extension office every 3 - 4 years. A pH test will be performed to determine whether or not you even need lime. (Lime will make your soil more neutral if you have a highly acidic soil). If you do need lime, you can do it any time of the year. Your local garden center will have the pelletized lime you need (and the appropriate spreader).

In the fall, I will talk more about what else needs to be done for cool season grasses - its everything else - seeding, fertilizing, broad-leaf weed control, etc.

Good luck and happy gardening,

Holly

What should you be doing in the garden now?

Its cold, windy, possibly icy and snowy... it can't be time to get out in the yard! Oh, but it is!

Now is the right time to cut back all those perennials and grasses that died back in the fall! For those of you that haven't do so already, its time to get your garden shears, hedge trimmers, and pruners ready to work!

I personally enjoy the look of ornamental grasses and some perennials through the winter - the dried seed pods and flower heads create interesting textures and look great in the snow! So just last week, when I saw the first peek of daffodils coming up through the ground, I realized it was time to cut them down!

So what should you do - its simple - cut, cut, cut!

The first thing to cut are those ornamental grasses. Cut them 6" - 1' from the ground, depending on the size of the grass. Larger grasses don't need to be cut so close to the ground. Doing this will ensure that the nice, new growth in the spring will be showcased and you won't have dead grass peeking through.

Next, cut back all those dead perennials. New spring growth will be here any day now - let it shine. You can cut most perennials all the way to the ground or a few inches above.

Liriope (or monkey grass) - though it hasn't died back, it is looking a little limp. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground and it will come back this spring looking fresh and new.

Evergreen broadleaf or conifer shrubs - you can prune them now unless you see flower buds. Don't cut off all those flowers you've been waiting so long to see! Prune to your desired shape (pyrimidal is preferred for best sun exposure.)

DON'T prune anything with buds or prune deciduous shrubs. Wait until after they bloom to prune.

DON'T prune vines just yet - every vine is different; some grow on new wood and some grow on old. Until you are absolutely sure of its growing pattern in the spring, leave it alone. Rule of thumb: always prune AFTER blooming!

Hope this helps and happy gardening!

Holly

All the Rage - Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens!

Want to know what these two new trends are and how you can use them in your home?



Rain Barrels: Rain barrels are containers that are connected to your downspouts to capture runoff from the roof. Rain barrels come in various sizes, ranging from 30 gallons to 100 gallons, and can be made of plastic or wood. You can also use a larger container to capture rainwater, such as a cistern. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)

Rain Barrel Benefits

By installing a rain barrel or cistern at your home you will:

• Reduce flooding in yard or your basement, by collecting the water and using it for watering plants or slowly releasing it and allowing it to sink into the ground.
• Provide your plants with water they will love! Unlike treated water, which is "softened" with dissolved minerals, rain water is naturally soft. The water stored in your rain barrel is better than municipal water for washing your car and watering indoor or outdoor plants.
• Save money and water! Instead of water from the tap or faucet, you can use the water you've saved to keep your home landscape happy and growing. You'll also reduce your municipal water bill!
• Protect your watershed! Water stored in your rain barrel is water that won't rush off into our streams. Instead, as you use the stored rain water around the home and garden, it will absorb slowly into the ground replenishing groundwater supplies. By decreasing the volume of storm runoff, rain barrels also help moderate stream erosion and the resulting pollution that is impairing all of our local watersheds that lead to the ocean.

For guides and more information, visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/DEPARTMENTS/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoRainBarrel.aspx

Rain Garden: A "rain garden" is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality. The rain garden forms a "bioretention area" by collecting water runoff and storing it, permitting it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil. The bioretention concept is based on the hydrologic function of forest habitat, in which the forest produces a spongy litter layer that soaks up water and allows it to slowly penetrate the soil layer. The rain garden should be strategically located to intercept water runoff.

Benefits of Rain Garden

Rain gardens help filter nutrients from rain water running off your driveway or roof, improving water quality. The first flush of rain water is ponded in the depression of the rain garden, and contains the highest concentration of materials washed off impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads, and parking lots. The water-loving plants in the rain garden also take up and use the rain water, reducing problems with excess water or ponding in your yard.

Many people worry about rain gardens causing mosquitoes. This is not a problem because rain gardens do not retain water long enough for mosquito reproduction. Standing water almost always soaks away within a few hours and usually within a matter of minutes. Mosquitoes require a number of days in standing water for reproduction. If water does remain for a matter of days in your rain garden, then your soil is possibly very clayey and/or very compacted. You may be able to remedy this problem by loosening and adding humus or mulch in the upper 6 to 18 inches. (Courtesy of Arlington County, VA Environmental Services)

For guides and more information on installing a rain garden in your home, visit http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/epo/EnvironmentalServicesEpoRainGarden.aspx

Good luck and lets all do what we can to help our environment!

Until next time, Holly

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a break for a while, over the holidays, so...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Until next time, Holly

Going Green in Your Own Yard

Here are some easy tips to go "Green" in your own yard. Some may not be applicable in the cold weather, but you can use some of these tips year round! Remember to take a look at these tips when it gets warmer!

• Water in the morning. Not only is it cooler in the morning, but plants have a higher rate of photosynthesis in the morning, thus more water is absorbed. This can help to prevent run-off and drainage problems. When watering at night, you are increasing the risk of fungus and mold growth on your plants and lawn because they cannot absorb water as effectively over night. When watering mid-day on hot days, water is absorbed into the atmosphere before it reaches the plants.
• Water your yard and garden more efficiently. Drip irrigation using a drip hose is one way to save water. Another way is to use a programmable timer with a rain sensor – no more overwatering and you can water at the correct time – in the mornings.
• Use native plants – native plants will not only thrive in your garden, but will sometimes absorb toxic chemicals and excess water better than non-native plants. For a list of native plants go to http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/nativeplants.shtml.
• Use drought-tolerant plants. The amount of water we use is a growing concern in a lot of areas. To keep your water use down, grow plants that don’t mind long stretches without a drink. To find plants, ask your local garden center for suggestions, or
• Use organic pesticides and herbicides. You may have to search online for these. Though more and more are available in home improvement and hardware stores. Large garden centers may have more choices, too. Some examples include insecticidal soap, potassium bicarbonate, liquid kelp/fish fertilizer, and a compost tea kit. Tip: When you’re shopping, look for the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) certification label. OMRI is a nonprofit organization that determines which products are safe to use in organic farming. And if it’s okay for the food we eat, you don’t have to worry about using it on ornamentals, either.
• Use slow release or organic fertilizers. Slow release fertilizers not only lessen the amount of work you have to do on your yard, they also prevent excess fertilizer run-off from going into our watersheds. Plants and lawns cannot absorb all of the nutrients provided by immediate release fertilizers, such as Miracle-Gro. See “Composting” for one way to use organic fertilizer.
• Use fertilizers correctly. Make sure to read labels carefully and don’t use more than recommended. Be sure to sweep granules that fall on the sidewalk or driveway back into the lawn, not into the street. Also, don’t over fertilize! Many of the lawn companies over-fertilize. Lawns do not need as much fertilizer as they say. Many fescue lawns only need one application per year (in the fall).
• Rain gardens. A rain garden collects rain from a house’s downspout so the water doesn’t wash off into the street with pollution from the house and lawn. The rain is absorbed by the deep rooted plants in this shallow bowl-shaped garden, preventing runoff from getting into streams and rivers. Plantings in rain gardens are typically native plants that grow naturally in swamps and bogs.
• Build a rain barrel. Rain gardens aren’t the only solution to runoff. Save that water in a rain barrel and use it later to water thirsty plants. Find out how you can make your own with this plan www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/52droughttolerant.php.
• Plant for Pollinators. This means flowers, flowers, and more flowers. Providing a safe haven for birds, bees and other insects means that you are providing a safe haven so that they can take care of our agricultural plants elsewhere. Planting vegetables is another great way to provide them a safe haven, as they also have flowers for pollination. One caveat, however, is that if you plan to plant for the birds and the bees, you cannot use pesticides or other harsh chemicals in your yards – this will harm or even kill them.
• Composting: Composting recycles your leftover food and organic materials and provides natural fertilizer for your garden. Tip: compost piles that are at least 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide will heat up faster, thus breaking down more quickly. Also, adding a layer of small tree branches in the middle of the pile provides oxygen, an important ingredient for quick composting.
• Plant a shade tree: Plant a shade tree off the southwest corner of your house for the most shade on hot summer afternoons. A shade tree can help you save 15 to 50% on air conditioning.
• Indoor Plants can filter the air in your home. The more house plants you have, the better. Its takes 15-20 houseplants to clean a 1500 sq. ft. area. This may sound excessive, but even just a few in your house can help.
• Recycle the plastic pots from newly purchased plants. Check your local nursery to see if it accepts its own nursery pots back. Or re-use your pots when starting seedlings.
• Mulching: First and foremost, mulching preserves water in the soil and prevents weeds. But it also recycles organic materials. A tip: put down a two to four sheet layer of newspaper first, under the mulch. You won’t have to spread as much mulch this way, you are recycling, too! Make sure to use only black and white newspaper – colored newspaper may have heavy metals in the ink.
• Solar powered garden ornaments. Many more are being offered online these days. Obviously, these lower electricity bills and add great accents to the garden.

I will print this again in the Spring! But, keep these in mind. Until next time,

Holly

No Acorns from the Oaks this Year

Did you know? There were not any acorns this year in the DC metropolitan area! Weird! I didn't really notice until I saw this article in the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112902045.html?hpid=topnews

So what does it mean? Nobody really knows! Its just a weird year. Many naturalists and other experts say we shouldn't worry unless this continues for 2 - 4 more years. Who, or what, do we have to worry about, though? THE SQUIRRELS! They have been pretty aggressive this year. Now we now why!

Take care,

Holly