Showing posts with label garden guy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden guy. Show all posts

The Garden Guy: October in the Garden

Monday, October 17, 2022

The garden in autumn
By Bruce Bennett

It is difficult to believe that, as of September 22, autumn will have, all too quickly, arrived in the Pacific Northwest. There are still too many tasks in the house and around the landscape that need to be accomplished! 

Still, autumn does have its own set of enticements. There are those sweet, late-ripening tomatoes; the greens and purples of your various basils, the reds, oranges and burgundies of the changing leaf colors on your street; and, of course, the cooler days when sitting outdoors doesn’t feel like it is a grueling rite of passage. 

Normally, this column is not involved with ‘the tasks of the season.’ Too many such columns share theses perennial tasks with readers. Yet, this year, these are the questions being received through my virtual In-box. So, in trying to give the readers what they ask for, here is the requested information for the calm after our hottest summer on record.

When it comes to adding new plants to the landscape, yes, October is, arguably, a better month than April. This holds true whether for trees, conifer, shrubs, hardy perennials and, certainly, bulbs. The soil is still warm, roots are still active and wanting to investigate the territory around them. 

If you have timed it right, once the new members of the garden have been planted and thoroughly watered-in, the seasonal rains will take on the task for the next several months. The other positive aspect of planting in October is the end-of-season sales which many nurseries and garden centers sponsor. 

This month’s worse-for-wear-looking perennials will come back next year looking just fine. Shrubs may need a bit of pruning (after they have gone dormant), but, they also will come back fuller than when purchased. And, depending on the garden center, you could potentially save 25% - 70% over regular retail costs.

Photo courtesy offset.com
It’s also time to start cleaning the garden, protecting fall vegetables and preparing for frosts, but we’ll get into all that a little more below!

A traditional task of the season is the raking of the leaves (Leaf-raking and snow-shoveling paid for most of my freshman year fees for college. Do high school students even do that anymore?). 

Rather than raking and sending your leaves to the recycling center, repurpose and use these multi-hued beauties to save you money in the garden. 

Whole-leaf mulch is a bit too slug friendly of an environment. Use your lawn mower or the leaf vacuum capability on your leaf blower to shred the leaves. 

Add three inches of the shredded material to your beds as a mulch to insulate in the winter weather, hold in moisture in summer heat, add nutrients while decomposing into the soil and save yourself the price of many bags of bark mulch you may need to accomplish the same ends. 

If you add leaves as a top dressing and cover for your vegetable beds, simply till them in spring to improve the soil’s tilth. Any type of mulch should cover just the root areas and should never be piled up around stems or tree trunks. This situation could cause rot of the bark and underlying tissues.

With temperatures moderate again, it is an excellent time for planting any hardy trees and shrubs. Your soil should be workable if it is moderately moist. Generally, planting now versus next spring will result in better root development before next summer, which is often the toughest season on new plantings for about three years, until the roots become established

Transplanting. Photo courtesy extension.uga.edu
October and November are usually the best time adding new shrubs or moving established shrubs, if you feel you need to. Because of transplant shock, this will still be a difficult time for the plants -- even this time of year. It is not quite pruning season yet. So, sit back and enjoy the results of your labors.

Enjoy the changing autumn colors, and, once the trees and shrubs have gone dormant and dropped their leaves, then consider which of them may need pruning

October is one of the best months to plant hardy perennials and herbs. Many are still looking great right now, including hardy cyclamen, Japanese anemones and mints as well as evergreen perennials like Heuchera, rosemary and lavender. Almost any hardy perennial can be planted now, and most established ones that have been growing for more than four years, can be divided and moved with little risk of loss. 

If you are thinking about moving Iris or peonies, it’s time for that too! Keep in mind that moving plants can sometimes mean sacrificing next year’s flowers..

Bulbs. Courtesy of iastate.extension.edu
It must be bulb-planting season. The box stores have multiple bins of bulbs set-up and on sale right now. 

The short response to the several questions received is, Yes, this is prime bulb planting season for planting tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and most other spring-blooming bulbs. 

To those of you who find a forgotten a bag of bulbs in December; plant them then. And, yes, if it is March, still get them in the ground. 

There’s always hope. That’s why you garden, the hope of a prettier garden?

Harvest. Courtesy of hgic.clemson.edu
Finish harvesting warm season veggies like green beans, herbs, tomatoes and potatoes. Apples, pears, fall raspberries and kiwi are potentially ready for harvest as well. 

Having mentioned apples, let’s digress for a second. Questions have come in about the scarcity of apples on Seattle-area trees (Mine included). 

Blame this state of affairs primarily on the unusually cool spring weather. The low temperatures caused flowers to die and pollinators to wait to do their tasks after bloom times. And, don’t think you are alone. 

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association on Monday projected the 2022 apple crop will see a decrease of more than 10% this year. Many crops can be stored for winter consumption, most notably potatoes, squash, apples and pears. Root crops like carrots and beets can be stored in the ground or in another cool location.

It’s time to clean up finished veggie and fruit beds. Much of the debris left in the garden after summer can be added to a compost pile or bin. However, the plants succumbed to a disease or insect infestation, be cautious and dispose of this end-of-season in a yard waste container and not your home compost bin. This is also a great time to prune (down to the ground) your raspberry canes that produced fruit this year.

Harvest. Courtesy of hgic.clemson.edu
Now that your planting beds are clean, they may look a bit forlorn and abandoned. If so and the gardeners’ power still burns within you, now is the ideal time to add some late season and overwintering vegetables. Bok Choi, Kale and Swiss chard can be grown and harvested all winter long. 

Cabbage, garlic, shallots and onion sets can be overwintered for an early harvest next spring. This late in the season, use starts as it is beyond the time for the successful planting of seeds.

Frosts can occur in October, but November is more likely in the Seattle-area. Still, having season extenders like row cover, cloches or cold frames close at hand will help to keep frost off of leaves and create a warmer environment under the cover. As always, watch for slug damage on your greens.

It is not quite pruning season yet. So, sit back and enjoy the tastes and visual displays offered to you through your seasonal labors and success in the garden. Enjoy the changing autumn colors and, once the trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves and gone dormant for the winter months, then consider which of them may need pruning (a gardener’s work is never done). Happy gardening all!

Bruce Bennett, The Garden Guy
Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, lecturer, garden designer and consultant.  

If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your home or simply want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com  



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Garden Guy: Adding late-season color to the landscape

Monday, September 5, 2022

By Bruce Bennett

After a full season of flowering and surviving yet another sort of record heat wave, how have the flowering plants in your garden beds held up? If your annuals peaked too soon and now have one foot in the compost pile or your perennials have bloomed-out and left you with a mass of nice greenery, but no color, it might be time to think about adding some late-blooming perennials to your current plant mix. 


September is a good time to begin evaluating your flower beds and determining if and where color spots are most needed. It is also a good time to start looking for those plants at end-of-season garden center sales. Don’t worry if these leftovers look a little ragged and long in the tooth. Next spring, they will arise fresh and new. Perennials are good like that.

courtesy of rojgar aur nirman
When editing your garden beds, consider adding some perennials with longer bloom times than what you currently have. While most perennials bloom for about a month, several do their best to keep the color turned on for two, even, three months. 

A handful will continue to bloom from springtime until a heavy frost hits them. 

As an added benefit, most of these plants will do well planted in containers and can be moved around when out of bloom in your public spaces. There are fewer perennials that blossom in fall rather than spring, but there are enough to keep your garden blooming until the first frost. Many fall flowers, especially herbaceous perennials, are in fact late bloomers.

If you want to make the best of these flowers on your plants in the autumnal season, you will find that they often lack the “right setting”. This is especially true for informal borders and flower beds. Remember those green foliage plants mentioned a minute ago? They can become a great backdrop for your new late-season blooms. This will also keep your floral composition fresh and lively, even as the first frost approaches. 

Fall flower gardens, with eye-catching combinations of jewel-toned colors, including purple, rust, scarlet, and gold will enliven your yard for the rest of the season. From among my many favorites, I can recommend several possibilities to you:

Asters. Courtesy of GreatPlantPicks.org
Asters will always provide a pop of color and add a sweet softness to the landscape. In addition to the tried-and-true favorites such as ‘Purple Dome’ and bright pink ‘Alma Potschke’, consider the softer-looking Aster Frikarti ‘Monch’ (Shown)

Catmint (Nepeta) delivers clouds of tiny blue flowers from mid-spring to fall above mounds of aromatic foliage. These flowers will attract pollinators of all sorts and hummingbirds to your yard all season long. 

You will find two sizes with this plant. ‘Six Hills Giant’ and ‘Walker’s Low’ give you an idea of the height differences. The cost of a plant is a pretty inexpensive price for a show outside your windows all season long.

Tickseed Coreopsis. Courtesy of lichtenelke.de
Tickseed (Coreopsis verticulata) has delicate foliage with flowers in shades of yellow, pink daisies, peach and even bi-colors that bloom from midsummer to autumn. 

These plants are native to the American prairie and are popular because of their colors and tough constitutions. Watering during the hot parts of summer is a twice a month proposition. 

If you prune back your plants after the initial flush of flowers, they will continue their spectacular fall floral display until the end of the season. 

I particularly like the soft yellow ‘Moonbeam’, the brighter yellow ‘Zagreb’ and the scarlet ‘Red Satin. (Shown)

Gaura / Wandflower (Gaura lindheimer) 
Gaura/Wandflower (Gaura lindheimer)i is one of my all-time favorites, delivering tall wands of dainty blossoms from June to October in shades of pink (dwarf) and white. 

Its butterfly-like blooms move in the slightest breeze, giving motion and a delightful airy texture. 

The most common white cultivar is actually called "Whirling Butterflies" (Shown).

Cone Flowers (Echinacea purpurea) 
Courtesy of iscapeit.com
Cone Flowers (Echinacea purpurea) come in a myriad of colors these days. 

Can you have a perennial garden without coneflowers? Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. 

These prairie perennials are a staple of the autumn garden and will bloom from June to frost. 

Remember not to deadhead the seed heads the spent flowers on these plants until spring as they will feed the birds and add more visual interest to your winter landscape.

Goldenrod. Courtesy garden.org
Goldenrod (Solidago)
is one of the last flowers to bloom in the fall, with its bloom period generally stretching from August to October. These are NOT the ragweed of old. 

The plants typically reach around five feet tall and display clusters of tiny yellow flowers at the tops of their stems when they are in bloom. Bees and butterflies love these flowers. 

Like the Catmint and Gaura, you can find two sizes of this plant. My favorites of the two-foot tall ‘Golden Fleece’ or the four-foot tall ‘Fireworks’ (Shown).

Russian sage. Courtesy thespruce.com
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is another autumn overachiever. It has aromatic silver foliage and pale blue flower spikes that add color and drama to an autumn garden for 10 – 15 weeks with the plant typically blooming at the end of the summer to early fall. 

The bloom begins slowly, with the color increasing as the small blooms fully open. . My first choice here would be ‘Blue Spire’ (Shown). The combination of this sage with the yellow Goldenrod , Coreopsis and most of the Cone Flowers make for long-term visual interest.

As you may have guessed, all of the above plants prefer it hot and sunny. But, shade gardeners can rejoice as there are, indeed, long-blooming perennials for shadier spots in the garden as well. If you are interested in having a future column dedicated to this shade perennials topic, let me know and an article will be written. 

Whether sun- or shade-loving, all perennial gardens can be spectacular. By showcasing long-blooming perennials and late season performers, you can have great color, texture and fragrance right up to the first crystalline touch of late autumn’s frost.

Garden Guy Bruce Bennett will be at
the Woodinville Library Sept 17
Final Note:
If you have an interest in growing herbs suited to our part of country that are culinary staples in the worlds of Asian, Mexican and Mediterranean cooking, think about joining me for a talk on Herbs for the Pacific Northwest, sponsored by the King County Library System and being held at the Woodinville Library, 17105 Avondale Road NE, on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at 10:30am. 

Feel free to bring your other gardening questions as well. We should have time after this free program to answer many of them. Seating is limited, so, contact the library, at (425) 788-0733, concerning pre-registration for this talk.

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a garden designer, consultant and lecturer. Send your gardening questions and suggestions for future column topics to him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com



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Garden Guy: Southwest Plants for the Northwest Summers

Friday, August 12, 2022

Bruce will have a booth at this year’s CHOMP! Festival on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Redmond’s Marymoor Park. Look for him at the Master Gardener Booths.
By Bruce Bennett

This gardening columnist has been hearing many tales from friends about their recent vacations and thought a ‘What I Did On My Vacation’ presentation was in order. 

Zion NP photo courtesy usdi.gov
For the past several years, springtime has found the Garden Guy and his wife volunteering for a month or two at various western state and national parks.

It’s a chance to see other parts of the country without damaging one’s bank account (too badly). 

This year followed suit with the RV heading south and two experienced interpretive park rangers working at Zion National Park for two months.

Southwestern Utah is the location of a chain of five stunning national parks (Arches, Canyonland, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion). 

Arches National Park photo courtesy nps.gov
All are just above the northern rim of Grand Canyon. 

These parks are part and parcel of the same geological formations. Yet, with similar geological history, the five Utah parks couldn’t be more different. 

This is due, in part, to the varying elevation of the land.

The easternmost park, Arches, is the lowest at an average elevation of 4,000’ – 5,000’ and a temperature of 84 degrees when we happy campers were there on an sunny April afternoon.

Bryce Canyon photo Courtesy behance
Contrast this to, two days later, when the morning found us at the highest park, Bryce Canyon, at 9,500 ‘ with a 25 degree temperature and 8” of new snow.

If packing for a trip to Utah, definitely think about layering your clothing. The shoulder seasons of late spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit and hike these areas.

The wide range in weather (and as much as a 40 degree change in one day), coupled with an annual rainfall of 9” makes for a challenging environment for plants to grow. 

Many of the area’s plants wouldn’t survive the northwest weather, not because of its mild temperatures, but, because of its dampness. roots would simply rot. There are several dozen native floral candidates which could, however, make the 1,200 mile northward transition and be prime specimens in our northwest yards.

What do you want with desert plants in your green spaces? Think about the western and southern exposures of your property, especially in summer, or general climate change, for that matter. Among the adaptable desert native perennials and shrubs your Garden Guy can recommend for consideration are:

Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) This sun-lover is a member of the daisy family and is a native perennial we encountered across most of the country while making a coast-to-coast trip three years ago. While native yarrows are usually white or a light pink, garden center cultivars now offer a variety of different colors, including red, white, pink, yellow and several pastel colors. 

As with most of this plant list, after they are established, little care is required and they can survive just on rainwater and minimal summer irrigation.

Asclepias photo courtesy
nrcs.usda.gov
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) is a herbaceous perennial which is a tuberous rooted native. It typically grows in a clump to 1-3' tall and features clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers from late spring through autumn. Flowers morph into the typical spindle-shaped seed pods. 

For the artsy-craftsy folk amongst us, the seed pods are valued in dried flower arrangements. 

The flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae/caterpillars.

Berberis photo courtesy
plants.oregonstate.edu
Berberis fremontii (Fremont Mahonia) may, at a natural 10’ tall, be a bit large for some urban landscapes, although it can be trimmed. 

But, this evergreen shrub can form a good hedge or privacy screen. It is another fine pollinator plant with clusters of yellow flowers and purple berries in late autumn.

Docatheon photo courtesy nps.gov
Dodecatheon pulchellum (Shooting Star) is member of the primula family. For such a delicate looking herbaceous perennial, it is often found growing in xeric (extremely dry) and desert habitats

It can found in the Great Basin Deserts. We happened to see them in the Mojave Desert! No supplemental watering there.

Erigeron photo courtesy nps.gov
Erigeron peregrinus (Mountain Daisy) is a member of the Aster family and is often called ‘daisies’ or ‘fleabanes.’ 

These perennial herbs spread by means of underground rhizomes and can grow in semi-desert to alpine environments. 

In the ‘Four Corners’ region of the country, there are some 30 species of this hardy little plant and you can find natives with blue, purple, pink, or white flowers. 

Erigeron is another top pollinator which will attract bees, butterflies and moths.

Dichelostemma photo courtesy fs.fed.us
Dichelostemma capitatum (Wild Hyacinth) is a herbaceous perennial and the only corm on this list. 

Depending on its age the corm will have 2 to 15 flowers, in shades of blue, blue-purple, pink-purple, or white. 

In the wild, these plants thrive in open disturbed environments and are a common post-fire succession species.

Lonicera photo courtesy mnfi.anr.msu.edu
Lonicera involucrata (Black Twinberry) is a deciduous shrub that grows to about 6’. So, it is not the typical vine-producing, powdery mildew- ridden, honeysuckle you may be used to. 

It is probably best known for its yellow flowers and paired red fruits. This is another low-care shrub for the natives-centric garden. It is also good for pollinator gardens. 

Check out the shrubs at Woodland Park Zoo’s Pollinator Patio this summer.

Penstemon photo
courtesy americansouthwest.net
Penstemon utahensis (Beardtongue) is a large genus of roughly 250 species of flowering plants, with 20 species for in the Four Corners region. 

While this specific native species can produce a dozen or more stems loaded with red flowers and grey-green leaves, other natives will have pink, purple and white coloration.

Potentilla photo courtesy
gardening.wsu.edu
Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil) is member of the rose family. It is a three foot branchy shrub with yellow flowers, although newer cultivars can also show red, orange or mango-colored blooms. 

Although it is a southwest native, this potentilla appears to grow even better in our part of the world and you can expect blooms from June through September. Butterflies and bees love this little shrub and it is all but maintenance-free!

Consider adding one or two plants from beyond our northwestern environs to your home landscape. While bringing in plants from the southwest which you will enjoy because of their good looks and low care, these new additions will stump your neighbors while adding to a growing smorgasbord of new greenery which will be enjoyed by the ever-working pollinators in your garden. Happy Gardening all!

Bruce Bennett
Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Seattle-area garden designer, consultant and lecturer. 

Send your gardening questions and suggestions for future columns to him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com

You can also speak with Bruce at this year’s CHOMP! Festival being held on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Redmond’s Marymoor Park. Look for him at the Master Gardener Booths. Go to www.chomplocal.org for more information about this annual county-wide event.




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The Garden Guy: Managing Heat Stress in Your Summer Garden

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

By Bruce Bennett

Climate Prediction Center - Coming off last summer’s record-setting temperatures in western Washington, the Summer of 2022 is not predicted to be quite as hot. Still, it could be hot enough to repeat some of the plant damage from last year and continue the problems with most types of needle- and broad-leaf evergreens through next summer. 

Now that our gardening neighborhood is forewarned, what actions can be taken to stop, or at least reduce, this summer’s heat-initiated damage to our favorite garden pollinators and people?

Overwatering – Heat is not the same as drought. When temperatures reach the 90’s, some plants will begin to wilt or burn regardless of how well the soil is already irrigated. Avoid the temptation to over water. Too much water can lead to fungal diseases. Also, refresh mulch if needed. A 2” – 4” layer is ideal. A well-cared-for plant will perk back up as the cooler temperatures of evening come on.

Leaf and Fruit Drop – Some plants, like peppers and tomatoes, may stop flowering and fruiting in really hot weather. They may simply drop their leaves, flowers and baby fruit because the plants can’t take up enough water fast enough to support itself until the weather cools down a bit. 

If you have had this problem more than a couple of times over the past few years, it is time to spend part of your winter seed catalog reading and choosing new varieties which are better adapted at handling hot weather. Remember that this is a good time to make the most of this summer’s problem by planning for next summer’s garden. Start looking for next year’s crop now.

Sunburn/Sun scorch - Yes, plants and fruit, even the dark leaved ones, can get sunburned. We discussed this problem in greater depth after last summer’s heat waves. Sun scorch can happen to newly installed plants or established ones that experience more sun exposure or heat than they can accommodate. With smaller plants, temporary shading, with sun sails, shade cloth, or taller, sun-loving plants, could be provided. For larger shrubs and trees, all you can do is keep up with irrigation. Your evergreens may not show any sun damage until next spring.

Blossom End Rot – Plants like cucumbers, peppers, squash and tomatoes are more likely to develop black spots on their bottoms in hot weather. This is more the result of a calcium deficiency in the soil than it is by heat and is usually caused by inconsistent watering. 

The best response is to water less often but more deeply. This will break the wet/dry cycle that is the leading cause of blossom end rot. It would probably be a good idea to do a soil test on your veggie beds if you haven’t done one in a few years. 

King Conservation District can offer you good, free, soil tests. Go to: kingcd.org for information concerning the testing process.

While the gardener has the luxury of moving throughout the landscape, there are still physical needs which should be addressed while being in the garden; actions you can take to protect yourself……..

Avoid gardening during the hottest part of the day. Work outdoors during first or last few hours of the day without the hot sun. Think about morning with a cup of coffee and afternoon with a glass of iced tea. Speaking of which ……

Stay hydrated – Your body can’t perspire and cool you if you are short on fluids. Start by drinking a tall glass of water before you go out and ‘top-up’ with a glass or so every hour.

Clothing is a good thing
– Growing-up a natural redhead, my later years have seen my share of bits and pieces removed from my body because of carcinomas and melanomas. 

So, from the horse’s mouth, long sleeve shirts, long pants and a broad-brimmed hats to protect ears and neck should be the go-to clothing-of-the-day. 

If you can’t stand clothes, use an SPF 30+ (and tall fences). You’ll thank me in 20 years (and your neighbors will thank you now).

Take breaks. Remember those glasses of iced tea I mentioned earlier? Continue to enjoy them every hour or so with, at least, a ten-minute break in the shade each hour. Allow your body to cool down a bit and allow your muscles to recover their energy and your joints to stop complaining of over-abuse. These breaks are more important as you sneak-up on and then surpass the age of 50.

Know the signs - of heat stress (dizziness, headache, muscle cramps, nausea, profuse sweating) and Heat Stroke (throbbing headache, dizziness, hot, dry skin, confusion and disorientation). If you are showing such symptoms, it’s time to call 911, your neighbor and move to a cool, shady location.

The key to working in a summer garden is managing heat issues to minimize heat stress on both your plants and yourself. Keep both well-watered according to their respective norms. Use mulch or SPF 30+ to protect the tender parts of both. And, every now and again, relax in the shade. In the words of Hill Street Blues’ Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, “Let’s be careful out there.” 

Happy gardening all!

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, lecturer and garden designer. If you have questions concerning this column, have a question to ask or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com

You can also talk to Bruce when he volunteers for the Master Garden Clinic at Lake Forest Park’s Western Ace Hardware on Sundays, June 12, July 10, August 14 and September 25, 10:00am – 2:00pm. 

You may also find him walking the aisles of the LFP Farmers Market and chatting with shoppers. Stop by, say “Hi!” and ask a question or two. Then, enjoy yourself at the Market!



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The Garden Guy: Living with Lavender

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Garden Guy Bruce Bennett
By Bruce Bennett

Last summer was a prime growing season for lavender in the Greater Seattle area and several questions concerning this versatile sub-shrub did hit my email in-box. Consequently, in preparation for this summer, let’s talk about several forms of this great Mediterranean perennial which might fit well in your landscape. 

We’ll also figure out why one person’s lavender thrives and their neighbor’s is good for only the compost pile. The reasons are fairly simple; lavender type, drainage and good intentions. Let’s talk details...

Western Washington is considered to have a moderate Mediterranean Climate or, more precisely, a Summer-Dry Climate. Virtually all types of lavender (botanical name: Lavandula) will enjoy our summers. But, we also want plants that can survive our damp, cold winters. In this case, not all varieties make the cut.

Lavender fields. Photos courtesy pixers.uk
There are more than four hundred varieties of lavender. 

Depending on parentage, the one-gallon little guy you crave from the nursery could be classified as tender, half-hardy or hardy in our USDA Zone 8 region. 

Each of the three groups have their own pros and cons. These distinct differences will determine where you can successfully grow them. 

When you are shopping at your favorite garden center, you will probably see Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender), L. x intermedia (aka, lavandins), L. stoechas (Spanish Lavender) and L. dentata (French Lavender). 

And, there are certainly other varieties and cultivars out there as well. This will be the time for your first major decision – where do you want to grow your plant, indoors or outside. Your second question is do you have the proper spot to plant it. Finally, just how much of an attentive gardener are you?

Lavender Window Sill
Photo courtesy gardeningknowhow.com
For those who want an indoor plant which can bloom for a great part of year, L. dentata ‘Goodwin Creek Gray’ is a good choice.

This tender to half-hardy variety has light gray, fern-like leaves which contrast nicely with its dark purple flowers. 

It is one of the best lavenders to grow in a container on a south- or west-facing the window sill. It can be brought outdoors from late Spring to early Autumn.

Lavender Otto Quast
Photo courtesy ecgrowers.com
If you want to add a different style of flower to your lavender beds, Spanish Lavender will fill the bill. 

With their short, petal-topped blooms, they will add a nice bit of texture to your beds. 

As a half-hardy variety, they will do its best when planted on the south-side of the house.




Lavender of Provence
Photo courtesy natureandgarden.com
For the epicureans and scent seekers among you, take a look at the hybrids. L. x intermedia ‘Grosso’ is among the most fragrant of the varieties. 

Its dark purple blooms are used for making perfumes, sachets and filling a room with a pleasant aroma. One of the tallest of the group at, 36”, is L. x intermedia ‘Provence’ (pictured at left) and its light-lavender blue flowers are the quintessential lavender blooms you will see in the fields of southern France.

Finally, there are the other gray-foliaged, hardiest-of-their-kind lavenders, the English Lavender. 

The Old Guard stalwarts of this group are ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’. These vertically-challenged varieties will mature to 18” – 20” tall and slightly wider. 

Although shorter in stature than most of the others, they have an excellent fragrance and have a 2,000 year history in providing that quality to we discerning humans. They are also a top choice for low hedges and cut or dried flowers which come in shades of purple or white.
 
English lavender
By most reviews, they are also among the tastiest for cooking savories and sweets. The fact they rebloom in autumn is just another added benefit.

With their development history based in the Mediterranean basin, it makes sense that lavenders need as much Northwest sun as they can get. Coming from a rocky native stratum, lavenders are accustomed to a lean and slightly alkaline soil. (If you are uncertain about your soil’s pH, send a sample to the King Conservation District. The first five tests are free.) and good drainage.

Finally, while all of us try to be attentive gardeners with our plants, amending, irrigating, fertilizing, etc., most of these beneficial tasks are counter-intuitive to what lavender actual prefer. 

Being too good to your plant can be the kiss of death and reduce the scent of the blooms. Lavenders prefer lean soil, which means you don’t want to improve your clay soil with too much compost. Consider adding coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite to lighten the soil and improve the drainage. This one action can save your plants from water-logged root-rot in winter which is the primary cause of the untimely death of lavender. 

These plants are accustomed to a slightly alkaline soil of 6.5 – 7.0. If you have a low pH, add dolomite lime. (If you are uncertain about your soil’s pH, send a sample of the garden bed to the King Conservation District. The first five of your tests are free.)

Another water issue, first-year plants should be irrigated once a week to help their roots better establish. After that first year, other than irrigating once a month during the summer months, do not add water. The plants and your PUD water bill will thank you.

Lavender and Rocks
Photo courtesy backyardgardenlover.com
PIC-GRAVEL MULCH Finally, when it comes to adding a layer of mulch to suppress weeds and protect roots from undue heat or cold, consider your best mulch-of-choice to be a 2” layer of sand or white pebbles. 

These two materials improve drainage and will reflect the sun’s heat back up to the lavender.

Lavenders require little time and attention. Considering the year-round positive impacts they will have in your garden with their foliage, fragrant flowers and pollinator-friendly affinities, they will be welcomed new additions to your landscapes. 

Until next month, Happy Gardening all!

Clinics Alert - WSU Master Gardener Clinics across the county will be reopening again in May! Check the Master Gardener Foundation of King County website (mgfkc.org) for the days, times and locations. 

We’ll be happy to see you again! The email clinic (ask-a-mastergardener@live.com) which has been in operation during the pandemic service will also remain active during this time.

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, lecturer and garden designer. If you have questions concerning this column, have a question to ask or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com



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The Garden Guy: What's in a Name?

Sunday, April 17, 2022

By Bruce Bennett

The other week I worked a pre-season Master gardener Clinic (Yes! They are coming back in 2022) at my local hardware store. During the course of a very busy day, a number of questions arose concerning bare root and B / B plants. It is, after all the season for these issues. Consequently, this month’s column was changed to answer your questions.

The terms ‘B / B,’ ‘Bare Root’ and ‘Containerized’ all indicate how a plant is sold by the garden center, grocery store, etc. Each has its own positive and negative aspects. Let’s decide which is best for you.

Containerized plant
Photo courtesy Bruce Bennett
We are probably most accustomed to container-grown or sold plants. We can purchase all types of plants just this way just about any place, whether it's at your high-end garden center or the nearest Fred Meyer. 

That’s because there are a good many advantages to using containers. Plants of any size can be grown in containers. Just about any size, from starts to mature plants can be had in containers.

Many varieties of containerized plants can be purchased and planted year-round as long as the ground isn’t frozen and, in the Seattle-area, that isn’t too severe nor very often. Finally, all of the plant’s developing roots are in the container and make transporting, transplanting and clean-up easier. 

Containers equal convenience. 

On the downside, while all of the roots are enclosed, they grow in circles. This runs the risk of girdling, when roots wrap themselves around each other and have the potential to strangle themselves by crushing their own roots. 

With starts and small plants, a simple teasing of the root ball can cure this issue. If roots are not partially cut before planting, they will have the tendency to continue growing in a circle and will not grow into the native soil. This can also cause stability issues in taller plants. With larger plants, consider using a hori-hori (earth knife) or a box cutter to cut the roots on all four side of the root ball and across its bottom.
 
The ‘soil’ in containers is actually a soilless mix which is used to promote drainage. While these mixes can contain peat moss, bark, coir (coconut fiber), etc. and are natural products, they are not your native soil and can make the plant’s adaptation to its surroundings more difficult. 

Although counter-intuitive, it is actually good to remove most of the mix from around the plant roots prior to planting. The mix can be added as a mulch over the root ball. When digging a hole for the plant, the rule-of-thumb is still the old adage; the hole should be twice the width of the container but only as deep as the soil level in the container.

B/B plants. Photo courtesy Bruce Bennett
A ‘B / B’ plant indicates Balled and Burlapped. These plants are normally larger than the ones you will find in containers. They are grown in a nursery’s fields and are dug with a ball of soil to protect some of the root ball. The root balls are then covered with burlap and tied with twine. B / B is usually the way to go if a larger specimen of a plant is needed. The fact the soil around the roots is already native should make acclimation to the planting site easier on the plant.

The major downside of B / B is that the plants will be heavy and difficult to transport. That soil can weigh quite a bit. So, watch your back! When the plants are initially removed from the soil, many of the feeder and stabilizing roots are cut to accommodate the root ball. Try not to damage any more of them. 

After the plant is placed in the ground, remember that the burlap, twine, etc. need to be removed. These days, there is a decent amount of plastic woven into the cloth and twine and these materials and it will not easily decompose. Between them and possible wire baskets some nurseries use, healthy root growth can be inhibited or cause girdling as the roots mature. Remove all these foreign materials.

Bare root plants
Photo courtesy Bruce Bennett
Bare Root plants are sold when they are dormant and with no soil attached to the root system. You can find perennials, shrubs, trees, vegetables (i.e., asparagus and onions) and berries (i.e., strawberries and raspberries) sold this way. Without the addition of soil, bare root plants are relatively light weight and each to handle. 

Bare root are the least costly of these three categories. In fact, springtime plant sales can be 40% - 50% less expensive than the same containerized plant. 

Lastly, planting is a breeze. Dig a hole, build a soil mound, spread the roots over the mound and backfill. With these plants, you must remember to water deeply when planting and water weekly for the first two to three years. 

Their development will be slow for the first couple of years until the roots have developed. What you lose in initial size and time-to-maturity, you make up in cost savings.

Containerized plant
Photo courtesy Bruce Bennett
No matter which way you begin, after five years of growth, your plant will have the same appearance. Bare root plants of all types are still available this month. Get them in the ground now, before the season starts to warm up. 

With all transplanted plants, remember to water deeply when first putting them in the ground and then provide an inch of water a week to them for the first two years until they are established. 

For multiple plants, a soaker hose or drip feed lines can be used (as well as the less efficient oscillator sprinkler). 

For single shrubs and trees, I just use a 5-gallon bucket with holes punched along its lower edge. Fill the bucket and walk away until the next week. Now, where was that glass of sweet iced tea I just had?

Bruce Bennett
Contributing gardening columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University Master Gardener, WA Certified Professional Horticulturist and garden designer. 

He lectures on various aspects of horticulture in the western states. 

If you have questions concerning this article or care to suggest topics of interest for future columns, contact him at gardenguy4u@hotmail.com 
 


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The Garden Guy: (Re)Creating Your Own Jurassic World

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Garden Guy Bruce Bennett
By Bruce Bennett

This past year, a couple of mothers asked me how to create a dinosaur land for their children and, last month, another person enquired about a design for a jungle oasis (which is one of the ‘In’ things for 2022) in his Bellevue backyard.

The visions of certain Stephen Spielberg movies and concept of global warming seem to continue the insidious creep into the minds of people in yet another interesting and fun way – a backyard tropical forest. So, considering our warming summers, let’s make this month’s column about creating a piece of tropical, Jurassic World in your backyard.

Kid Garden. Photo courtesy OhBaby.com.nz.jpg
Yes, you can create a mini-Dinosaur Garden in a terrarium or adjacent to a sandbox, but, I prefer a scale that would be fun and comfortable outdoor living for children and the adults of the household. Perhaps, I’m over-thinking the matter (it’s something landscape designers tend to do), but, let’s spend a couple of minutes to discuss ‘Jurassic.’ 

This was a time some 200- to 145-million years ago. It was characterized by a warm, wet climate with higher levels of oxygen (35% more!) and carbon dioxide than we now experience. Temperate zones, like present-day Western Washington, likely had climates that more closely resembled the present-day subtropical parts of the globe. Consequently, there existed forests of large, lush vegetation. With the way our weather continues to warm, we should be back to those temperatures within the next few decades or so.

Photo Courtesy Pixels.com
You might think gardeners would have loved this foliage-rich time period, but, probably not. You see, flowers had not developed by this epoch. Consequently, most gardens we design these days will have a ‘value added’ component – the color of flowers. 

Although, they can be kept to a minimum, the garden will still be visually interesting through the use of foliage, textures and leaf colors (and, with less deadheading for you). These color combinations may be more muted than most of us are used to and horticultural artistic license can come into play with the use of more flowering plants. 

Hardy geraniums, such as G. ‘Ann Folkard,’ G. ‘Diane’ or G. macrorrhizum would all be naturals for the venue as would the varying sizes and colors of hostas. Of course, there still exist some versions of the ancient flora and, in the company of other related or reasonably prehistoric looking plants from your favorite nurseries your own Jurassic Garden can be created. 

If you think it can’t be done in our USDA Zone 8, take a look at the background foliage of the Woodland Park Zoo. If native and zone-adaptive plants can change the look of the various biomes from tropical Malaysia to frosty Canadian tundra at the zoo, think what they could do in your own landscape.

Cycads Path. Photo from aboutorchids.com
Of the original 200-million year old Jurassic plants, some evolved and are still with us today. These include cycads (shown at left), cypress, ferns, ginkgoes, horsetails, metasequoias and pines. Many are relatively easy to find in the region’s better nurseries. Ferns and conifers were prolific and King of the Hill during this period.

Creating a prehistoric garden in the shade – part sun location is a great way to use a large variety of plants. Among the oldest plants found in fossil records, ferns, like the 200-million year old Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana) have adapted to climate changes and sprung up in new locations across the planet. 

Sword Ferns are evergreen northwest natives and readily available. Mosses should also be included when planning prehistoric garden designs in the shade. Elevate some containerized ferns and mosses on pedestals to provide additional visual dynamics.

Gunnera manicata Photo courtesy Pixabay.com
If you have a seasonally damp area or consistently boggy part of the yard or decide to divert the water from your rain gutters, Gunnera (shown at left) and Petasides are sure to please with a ‘WOW’ factor. 

And, if you already have horsetail (Equisetum) growing in the yard, you are, in some ways, already ahead of the game (and be thankful you have today’s version versus the ancient ones that grew to be 60’ tall and 2’ in diameter). 

Horsetails are an ancient variety that refuse to give up in an urban yard. If you like the looks of it, grow these green exclamation points in a container, either above ground or sunk in the soil. It is not a plant to be left to its own devices in your yard.

Cycads Path. Photo courtesy aboutorchids.com
During the time when the dinosaurs ruled, conifers also dominated the landscape. These included redwoods, yews, pines, cypress and monkey puzzle trees. But, if your urban space is limited, you could use any of the hundreds of types of dwarf conifers such as pine, spruce, fir, hemlock, and junipers. 

The only familiar flowering tree from those ancient days is the Magnolia - which was pollinated by beetles at the time (Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ shown at left). If you have more sun, ancient trees, such as the Maidenhair (Ginkgo biloba), Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana) and Sago Palms (Cycadmacrozamia) are other primitive plants that can thrive in more sun.

Kale acinto photo courtesy plantmore.com
Modern-day plants can certainly play their part in populating the jungle. Elephant Ears (Alocasia), Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortunei), Asparagus plants, Tree Ferns, Fennel, Hardy Bananas (Moosa Basjoo), Hostas, Junipers and Pines are among the plants you can use. 

Other possibilities, although they do flower, include Cone Flowers, Hardy Fuchsia, Ligularia, Mahonia ‘Charity.’ Oakleaf Hydrangea, Osmanthus, Rodgersia and Yucca. 

You could even use the very edible Kale ‘Toscano’ (aka, Dinosaur Kale – shown at left) in the design and be able to harvest it all winter long.


TRex Metal. Photo courtesy of Etsy.co
A primitive plant garden is easy to design when you’re working with an area that includes both sun and shade. It is fun to experience and let one’s imagination consider which beasties once traversed the ground where a home now sits. 

And, it is a great way to get the kid/grandkids involved in gardening. Just tell them they’re planting a dinosaur garden and these foliage plants are related to the ones dinosaurs ate all those millions of years ago. Of course, if your family is anything like mine, tossing in a five-dollar bill with the deal wouldn’t hurt either! Happy gardening all!

Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University Master Gardener, Certified Professional Horticulturist, garden designer and lecturer. If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or care to suggest topics of interest for future columns, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@hotmail.com.



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