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

GardenGuy: A New Year and a Change in the Air

Sunday, January 21, 2024

A frozen Ronald Bog
photo by Martin DeGrazia
A quick prologue to readers: Yes, this month’s column is, more than anything else, about climate change, aka Global Warming. To forestall the time some readers will feel they need to take to email me and note the ‘overly brisk’ temperatures we recently experienced versus the concept of a warmer winter, do realize that there is a difference between the meteorological terms of ‘climate’ and ‘weather.’ 

The very short answer for those readers is “Climate is what you expect and Weather is what you get.” In other words, ‘weather’ refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere; what’s the weather like today or next month and what’s discussed during the 6:00pm Evening News’ weather segment. 

‘Climate’ describes what that weekly weather is like (as described by some 11,000+ weather stations across the country) over the long-term, generally thirty years or more. What are the averages of precipitation, temperature, sunshine, etc. in a particular area? At the moment, there’s a chill in the air, however, long-term………. Now, on to the actual article.


Happy New Year all!
And, welcome to yet another year of the fun and challenges in the Pacific Northwest world of gardening. I’m still trying to decipher the post-Christmas instructions and ramifications for one of our newest presents from the federal government; the report about our part of the state now categorized as being in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a (!). 

My, how we have grown! I can remember back to the early 1980’s when I moved to Seattle and was in Zone 7b (average winter low between 5° and 10 degrees) and, in 2012, was raised to Zone 8b (an average low of between 15 and 20 degrees). How quickly they grow! 

So, what are the ramifications of this climatic news? What does it mean in our roles as home gardeners who may hold all horticultural titles on our respective pieces of earth as designer, landscape maintainer, pest controller, etc. The thirty-year warming trend, which meteorologists talk about during the evening news, continues as the related heat and horticulture issues, increasingly, evolve around us. Let’s take some time to consider where gardeners need to be more aware, more proactive. 

 Let’s start by looking at our current winter weather.

Across the continental USA, the lowest average winter temperature is predicted to be 2.5 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than when the last map was published some ten years ago. Winter and nighttime temperatures are rising faster than summer and daytime temperatures. Now, 2.5 degrees might not seem a great deal warmer in ten years, but, the effect has been cumulative over the past century, over the last thirty years and, certainly, over the past three record-breaking years. 

The trend is clear: Earth is warming because of our increasing populations and longstanding reliance on fossil fuels. According to the federal government's latest National Climate Assessment, as our cars, buildings, industries and power plants continue to burn more fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases, the planet will continue to warm. By 2050, Seattle is expected to average around 27 days per year over 85 degrees and an increasing frequency of heat waves. Start buying your supply of sunblock protection and wide brimmed hats now!

Bronze birch borer
The Pacific Northwest is already experiencing climate change (have you been here for the past few summers?) which will become even more evident in the decades ahead. 

With warmer minimum temperatures, certain insects that would usually die in winter will be able to survive year-round and multiply in greater numbers. 

And, as maximum temperatures rise in the summer, heat-stressed plants can become prime targets for destructive pests such as the bronze birch borer (pictured left) and western pine beetle

A warmer climate will also provide a better environment for mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Remember that Western Washington had its first case of West Nile Virus just last year. Look for more glaciers and polar ice caps to melt at faster rates, sea levels to rise and weather-related disasters like wildfires and floods to become more common. 

The warmer winter temperatures will also cause precipitation in the Cascades to fall as rain rather than creating the usual snowpack that slowly melts throughout the summer and keeps our region hydrated and green. Certainly, these changes won't happen overnight. You might not notice them every day, every month or even every year. But they are happening. We still may have time to shape our future, for better or for worse. A profit of doom, I’m not. However, the climate is what it is or what we help it to become.

Rock rose
Take a look at Washington’s state plant, the rhododendron. Did you notice some of their leaves drooping and turning brown around the edges these past few summers? 

How about our Acer macrophyllum (Large Leaf Maples) many of whose leaves have been shrinking in size for the past few years or the Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock) that are experiencing brown-out along their branches, all due to the increasingly hotter and drier summers? 

It may be time to think about landscape ‘editing’ which includes more native plants, but native to Zone 9. Plants like Cistus (Rock Rose – pictured right), Chamaecyparis (False Cypress), Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) and similar warmer zoned plants may be good candidates to fill the garden spaces of their heat-stressed predecessors. Also, start tracking the timing between when your current plants begin to flower earlier in the season and when their feeding pollinators are around. It’s one more cue to determine zone hardier plants and their fitness for changing landscapes.

Mentioning ‘pollinators’ raises another gardener’s issue: new insects and new diseases will become more common to challenge your fortitude and outdoor ingenuity. Watch for the scourge of roses, Japanese Beetles. They haven’t made it all the way from the east coast to western Washington as yet, but, they are closing-in with recent sightings in eastern Washington and south of Portland, OR. Also, watch for larger populations of the brown marmorated stink bugs to disturb your horticultural zen and bronze birch borers attempting to take down your White Himalayan Birch from the inside.

Against these prognosticated weather changes, can gardeners do anything to lessen the intensity of the problem? 

The task may seem akin to one person removing a cup of water from the ocean and expecting to see the water level fall a bit. Unfortunately, it will take more effort than that. It will take a concerted, global effort. 

In response to this challenge, as part of the individual efforts in your own yards, there are plenty of eco-friendly, cost-saving design tasks you can consider to help Seattle, the State and, of course, the world (not a bad result from all of us making simple changes to our landscapes. 

Adding more drought-tolerant plants to the landscape and switching from gas-powered lawn mowers and weed whackers are the first actions that come to mind. How about removing some or even all of that front lawn and adding water-efficient perennials, shrubs, etc.? I’m anticipating having an article and, perhaps, a gardening talk on the topic later this year. Let me know if you are interested in attending such a program.

New growing possibilities for the edible garden
On the positive side of the coin, the revised plant hardiness map may present new growing possibilities for the region’s gardeners, such as winegrape growing in Puget Sound. 

Edible gardens could experience improved harvests of eggplant, melons and other hot weather vegetables. New varieties of flowers may do better than they have any right to in the warmer weather. 

While warmer temperatures are projected to shorten the snow season by half in portions of the Cascades, thus cutting into winter sports, there is also the chance the change might expand access for activities like hiking and camping. 

The demand for warm-weather activities like cycling and boating might also increase. Things are going to change. There are going to be winners and losers in the region’s landscapes. As gardeners, we need to be pro-active and willing to change the way ‘things have always been done.”

When you use plants appropriate for your growing zone, it is not an absolute guarantee that they will be successful, but it is an excellent place to start. Experienced gardeners know there are other factors at play when deciding on which plants to use, including soil type, humidity and the effect of microclimates. 

Start with plants that are recommended for our changing hardiness zones, then research other factors that may have an influence on your plants as well. Local nurseries and garden centers carry native species that are suitable for our changing regions. 

In addition to choosing the right plants which will survive both our winters and summers, be sure to check and follow the planting and care instructions to ensure a healthy garden. Use some of this winter’s wet days to do the research needed to replace longtime familiar but suffering plants and be willing to try new candidates which will make life easier on your parcel of land in this green paradise called the great Pacific Northwest. 

Happy Gardening all!

Further Reading:

Crimmins, A.R., et. al. (eds.) 2023. Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment Federal Report. U.S. Global Change Research Program. Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH1

Dalton, M.M., et. al. (eds). 2013. Climate Change in the Northwest: Implications for our Landscapes, Waters and Communities. Island Press: Washington, DC.

Moore, Darryl. 2023. Gardening in a Changing World: Plants, People and the Climate Crisis. Pimpernel Press Ltd: London, UK.

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, garden designer and lecturer. 

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

See Bruce's previous columns here


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Garden Guy: Suggestions for After-Christmas gifts

Monday, December 25, 2023

Somehow this letter to Santa got lost in the mail - but it's not too late to help the gardener in your life get a wonderful gift with these suggestions.

Dear Santa,

I know you’re heading into your busy time of the year. So, seeing as your part of the world is challenged to grow any type of greenery, I’m thinking you and the elves may have a bit of a problem coming up with gift ideas for those good folk who happen to enjoy the experience of gardening in their lives. 


With that being the case, let me make your life a little easier by offering a few suggestions for gardener’s toys which would be appreciated in western Washington. In many cases, all that is wanted for Christmas this year is rain. I know that’s hard to believe, but the summer was dry and the poor gardens took the brunt of the summer weather. And, we still haven’t caught up on our usual annual average of rain.

In the event you can’t put that particular request under the tree (it would be a bit messy, wouldn’t it?), here’s a short list of some other items any gardeners, like me, would enjoy next spring and for years to come. And, which won’t break the gift-giving bank.

Felco F2 pruners
In the world of gardening tools, some of the most helpful items would include: a Japanese Hori-Hori knife/soil knife. They are great little tools for dividing perennials, rooting out weeds from the soil and in between pavers, etc. 

Hand pruners, like a set of Felco F2 (shown), are indispensable to just about any time a gardener steps outdoors. 

If the elves have the time, turn the pruners into a gift a set by including a whetstone and can of honing or mineral oil for blade sharpening. All gardeners will thank you next spring when their pruners cut through branches like butter. 

Finally, I know a garden kneel pad and seat or just a simple rectangular kneeling pad don’t scream ‘Christmas’, but they will keep many a set of knees comfortable during planting, weeding, and all the other low-to-the-ground tasks that are part of gardening.

Sun hats, visors, and apparel at Sky Nursery
Gardeners are not clothes horses by any stretch of the imagination, but there are some apparel items that are more for protection, rather than style. 

For instance, how about gifting a broad brimmed, UV-resistant hat to that fair skinned horticulturist with chlorophyll in their blood. Roll it up, stick it in an empty gift wrap cardboard tube and you have the makings of a fine stocking stuffer. 

The same practical value holds true for an UV-resistant long sleeve shirt as spring turns into summer. Depending on garden conditions, a pair of muck boots will keep feet warm and regular shoes clean (and, perhaps, a boot/shoe tray to keep dirt and compost from being tracked throughout the hose. You know how Mrs. Claus feels about that.).

Speaking of compost, I know it’s an unusual and unexpected sort of present, but, how about leaving a few bags of compost, fertilizer or potting soil at the front door? Putting them under the tree might be a tad too much for your back and the home’s ‘fragrance’. But, they are long-lasting gifts, won’t go stale and you can be assured they will be used during the year.

Bistro table and chairs
If someone has been outstandingly good, maybe a larger item is called for. I’m thinking about a bistro set of a table and two chairs. They can fit just about anywhere in the yard or on a balcony. 

The great thing about bistro furniture is many of them fold into easily storable pieces or could be used as an art display hanging the wall. Function, long life and color? – Santa, they’ll think you nailed this one. 

Getting back to wallet-saving gifts, a bird feeder or hummingbird feeder helps keep over-wintering birds in our yards, keeps them fed and provides the homeowner with smiles-a-plenty from the avian aerobatic antics throughout the year. 

And, if the home has cats, you’ll always know where to find them. A cat seat in front of the window might be totally appropriate as well.

Then, there are topical publications, Santa. I’m pretty sure you don’t run a printing press up at the North Pole, but I’m confident you can make some deals with publishers. Gardeners are lifelong learners and always trying to improve their skills, knowledge and acumen. 

Consequently, a year’s subscription to some type of gardening magazine will extend the thrill of your gift throughout the year. 

Taking about printed matter, let’s not forget books as gifts. They don’t even need to come from full-price bookstores. Places like Amazon and Half-Price Books can provide quality products without costing a small fortune. 

For example, publications I’m eyeing for myself in the very near future include ‘The Whole Seed Catalog,’ which is a catalog of catalogs. For those interested in developing a vegetable garden, think about putting a copy of ‘Square Foot Gardening’ or ‘Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades’ under the tree. For garden design, give them a copy of ‘The Well-Designed Mixed Garden’ or ‘Gardening in Summer-Dry Climates.’ 

For those fairly new to gardening, let me recommend that your elves pick-up copies of ‘Maritime Northwest Garden Guide’ and the ‘Sunset Western Garden Book.’ 

They are all-round excellent information to have on the reference bookshelf. Any of these publications will provide a gardener with a pleasurable way to spend the impending wet and gray wet which will besieging the Northwest for the next six months. 

Make an impact, Santa! Give gardeners knowledge and something to dream about. I’ll do my part by reminding my neighbors that the Elizabeth Miller Library at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture will have books on all types of gardening that may interest the gardener in someone’s life. Those books can, then, be ordered online by one of the elves and be received in time to be put under the Christmas Tree.

Finally, I won’t mention gift cards from a favorite nursery, but, in the same vein, how about a year’s membership to a garden organization like the Northwest Perennial Alliance or the Northwest Horticultural Society or a subscription to a lecture series like the Master Gardeners’ Growing Groceries Program or the Bellevue Botanical Garden’s lecture series? 

That’s really telling the gift recipient that their priorities and interests have been taken into consideration. Santa don’t believe in that old saw that one-size-fits-all. In this case, it’s personal.

So, you see, Santa, there are many different, green-related items you can put under (or near) gardeners’ Christmas trees as you make your rounds on the 25th. Here’s wishing you safe faster-than-sound travels that evening and, of course, my regards to Mrs. Claus. Happy Holidays one and all!

Contributing garden columnist and part-time Christmas Elf, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Certified Master Gardener, WA Certified Professional Horticulturist, consultant and public speaker. 

If you have questions concerning this article, have a question about your own garden area or care to suggest topics of interest for future columns, please contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@hotmail.com.

Previous articles by Garden Guy and part-time Christmas elf can be seen here


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Garden Guy: Autumn: A Second Chance To Improve Next Year

Monday, November 13, 2023

By Bruce Bennett

Don’t look now, but Autumn is waiting just around the corner to leap out at us. Sun lovers and beachgoers might greet this news with dismay. However, many might extend open arms to the cooler, more settled weather that autumn brings, especially after this summer’s dry and record-breaking (again) hot weather.

Fire Power
Photo by landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu
A growing number of gardeners are looking toward the autumn months as a second chance to bring vibrant colors back into their flower gardens. 

Changing out tired looking flower containers with plants that withstand cooler temperatures and occasional frosts can provide just what’s needed. 

Autumn is a great time to look to leaf foliage or berries for color without the need for flowers. 

Many foliage plants even develop better color when temperatures drop. 

For example, Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) ‘Fire Power’ (above) never looked better as its fire engine red color develops during the cool autumn temperatures.

Unfortunately, many plants used to renovate autumn garden containers are annuals, plants that do not overwinter in our area (Zone 8). While they sometimes continue growing well into November, they are not frost tolerant. These plants need to be protected when there is some in the frost weather forecast. 

Planting in containers makes this job a little easier. An old sheet, burlap or even bubble-wrap can do a great job of keeping light frost from harming the plants. However, all bets are off if a hard freeze is predicted. At that point, start humming a hymn to the glory of compost.

Swiss Chard.
Photo by plantnebraska.org
Plants slow down as the weather cools and the day-lengths shorten. How full the container looks when planted is pretty much how it will look all season. 

These plants will not grow as vigorously as spring planted ones. Also, watch that you are watering properly. 

Water less in autumn especially as it deepens. Fertilizing in fall is likely unnecessary. Some colorful annuals to choose from include the familiar Mums, Flowering Kale, ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss Chard (at left), Marigolds, Sunflowers, Celosia, Mexican Sunflowers and Zinnias.

Fireworks- Photo by plants.ces.ncsu.edu
Another, more permanent way of adding touches of autumn to the landscape is by planting perennials, shrubs and trees with an eye for fall color and texture. 

Goldenrod/Solidago ‘Fireworks’ (at left), Asters, Black-eyed Susans, Pansies, Caryopteris, Upright Sedum, Coneflowers, Blanket Flowers, Coreopsis, Purple Beauty Berry, Anemones, and Paper-Bark Maple just begin a list of colorful possibilities.

Planting in autumn provides many advantages for gardeners. After the chaos of spring and summer gardening, weather cools and things slow down. Rainfall is more than adequate. 

Pests and disease problems tend to disappear. And, most important, the soil is still warm, allowing roots to grow until the ground freezes or gets as close as it can in the greater Seattle area. These conditions benefit both gardeners and plants.

One major obstacle gardeners face is the acquisition of new plants. Larkspur, Cleome, Bread Poppies and other annuals produce many seeds. Perhaps a friend grows them and would be willing to share some seeds. A friend may have a large drift of Black-eyed Susans and is willing to dig a clump for you to divide and plant. 

Gardeners tend to be a friendly group. So ask for seeds, starts and clumps! Also, check out your local garden clubs. Many are now ‘potting-up’ for autumn plant sales. Finally, don’t forget to check with you County Extension and Master gardener programs as well as community college and high school horticulture programs. You may be surprised at what’s out there.

Sale. Photo by lifehacker.com
Leftover plants found in greenhouses, nurseries and big box stores are looking pretty pathetic by this time of year. 

The upside is that ‘the price is right.’ This past weekend, I’ve seen sales of 25% - 75% off regular prices. 

Regardless of what the top growth looks like now, the root systems of perennials are still vigorous and can come back with a vengeance next spring. Take a chance on some of them.

Anemone. Photo by plants,ces.ncsu.edu.jpg
Last year, I picked-up a few Anemone japonica plants that looked so woeful the clerk didn’t even charge me for them. I planted them in October and one-year later, I can look out my office window and see the pink blossoms of Anemone ‘September Charm.’ 

If spending enough time in their growing beds, gardeners may come to the realization that planting a flower sometimes becomes an act of faith.

Have fun in the garden this autumn. As a former college literature instructor, I can recall that English poet, John Keats, called autumn the "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness". 

For me, it’s also a most excellent time to move outdoors, for possibly the final time this year, smell autumn in the air and do a bit of considered planting, pruning and dreaming of next year glories. Happy gardening all!

Bruce Bennett, Garden Guy
Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University WSU Certified Master Gardener, WA Certified Professional Horticulturist and public speaker. 

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

Q/A

Question: Hey Garden Guy – tell this new homeowner about dahlias. Do I leave them in the ground or take them out? Thanks!

Answer: Hello, grasshopper. I trust you are enjoying the late summer and autumn displays being put on by dahlias at the moment. In the Northwest, the tubers of these plants can be left in the soil for a years. 

Over-winter them by covering the dead plants with evergreen boughs, bark mulch, etc. If the dahlia variety is one that you really like, lift some of them, brush off any extra soil, dust with a bit of sulfur and store in a container of perlite, vermiculite or simple slightly damp sawdust. 

Check them once a month for rot, desiccation, and other problems. If you have more than one variety, write the name in magic marker on the tubers. Replant when the soil warms a bit, say, May. Protect the new shoots from slugs and snails. Best of luck! G.G.

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Garden Guy: Climate Ready landscape plants

Monday, October 16, 2023

By Bruce Bennett

Gardeners who have read this column for a while have seen me write about the proper watering of their gardens and landscapes. Yet, the right irrigation schedule can be a bit costly with the arrival of each public utility bill. The last three years have given us some of the increasingly hottest weather on record and forecasts for the next decade really don’t provide us much hope for the cooler, ‘normal’ weather cycles. 


There must be a better way, right? How about we take the next logical step in landscape development for a present and future that includes the issue of global warming in our part of the world? Let’s look at some existing plants that are being trialed as horticultural candidates which are up to the challenges of heat and drought.

For the past two years your Garden Guy has been part of an evaluation process of some fifteen different types of plants which may benefit our area’s gardens. 

The UW Botanical Gardens joined a multi-year endeavor initially begun by the University of California-Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

The expanded trials now include garden plots at the UC-Davis, the University of Washington Botanical Gardens, the South Coast Research and Extension Center, the University of Arizona, Utah State University, Oregon State University and the North Willamette Research and Extension Center.

These Landscape Irrigation Trials are a longitudinal research project will help identify some of the best water-wise plants for our region. The findings will help the live-goods trade and gardeners in the Puget Sound make smart plant choices for the hotter, drier summers climate scientists predict for the years ahead. 

From the ranks of the wholesale nursery industry, garden centers, Certified Master Gardeners from King County, etc. evaluators will rate some 350 plants in terms of their foliage, flowering, pest tolerance/disease resistance, vigor and overall appearance (AKA, the “WOW factor”). 

The plants which thrive best with the lowest amount of irrigation will be classified as the “winners”, so to speak. And, those that do best under low-water conditions will be recommended to the green industry and northwest gardeners, similar to the suggestions from the Great Plant Picks program through the UW’s Center for Urban Horticulture.

As this is only the UW’s second year participating in these trials, there is not, as yet, a list of drought-tolerant plants for the Northwest to recommend. You can, however, visit the UC-Davis website 

Remember to select plants to research for your landscapes which grow well in our US Hardiness Zones (Zones 7 and 8). From these past two years of trials (and 20-years of hands-on experience), the Garden Guy has come away with a short list of his own favorites from the trials. Among these full-sun (6+ hours/day) loving candidates for your consideration are:

Chaste Tree
Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) ‘Blue Diddley’ is a dwarf (6’ x 5’) version of the straight species which can grow quite large (18’ x 15’). 

As a Mediterranean native, Vitex has proven to be extremely drought tolerant. This compact, intensely colored, freely blooming shrub could become a very popular landscape plant in many different spaces.

‘Blue Diddley’ could find a space in a mixed border or on a sunny condo deck. It would also be a great alternative to those who want the ‘look’ of the invasive Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) in their yards.

Crape Myrtle
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) ‘Center Stage Red’ is another great color counterpoint in the landscape. In late summer this 12’ x 10’ small tree/large shrub commands the spotlight with its deep burgundy -to-black leaves and red flowers.

It naturally grows with a narrow, space-saving habit and needs minimal pruning. 

If you find the leaves on your Redbud or Japanese Snowbell crisping during our increasing heat domes, a Crape Myrtle just might be the new urban setting tree for your yard. 

An added bonus these plants offer is their disease and deer resistance. They should be used more often.

Maiden grass
Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) ‘Bandwith’ is the new gold (banded) standard in a dwarf (3’ x 3’) Miscanthus. 

This compact Maiden Grass has green foliage with pronounced yellow banding. The habit is solidly upright like 'Zebrinus’ but stands half the height. Bandwidth flowers late in the season and adds extra interest to fading gardens. It makes a great landscape accent or a ‘thriller’ in containers. 

Miscanthus is versatile from a design standpoint; it can be used as a single specimen, for mass plantings or screening or in large containers. 

Even though it dies back in early winter, it will provide a buff-colored presence of winter interest which birds will enjoy for the seeds provided the homeowner for the vertical visual show.

Nine bark
Nine Bark (Physocarpus opulifolius) ‘Little Devil’, (4’ x 3’) with its upright spreading habit, fine-texture and really dark foliage sets it apart from the many greens of the landscape and provide a nice contrast and can replace thorny barberries in the yard. 

This less-than-thirsty shrub is definitely easy-care and requires little, if any, pruning. 

Additionally, it is virtually free from pest and disease issues and adapts well to wet or dry soil. Clusters of small purplish-white flowers bloom in June that contrast nicely with the burgundy foliage.

Rosa
Rose (Rosa x) ‘Oso Easy ‘Urban Legend’ is a true-red excellent carpet rose (2’ x 3’) that blooms from early summer until hard frost and without trimming and deadheading, no less. 

The glossy green leaves seem to be pretty resistant and usually have no need for fungicides. This plant’s size and rigor make it an excellent candidate as a ground cover, edging or sunny spot that could use a bit more summer color. 

As with all of the plants on my list, once established, they require far less water than others in their taxa. I’d recommend an application of a granular fertilizer in spring and pruning in early spring.

Nine Bark blooms
A few other trial recommendations for you to consider include Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensi), Buxus ‘Little Missy’, California Lilac (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus) ‘Victoria’, Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) ‘Summertime Blue’, Cotoneaster x suesicus ‘Emerald Beauty’, Nine Bark (Physocarpus opulifolius ) ‘Diablo’, Rose ‘Blushing Drift’ and Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) ‘Pink Chiffon’. 

Check out some of these drought-tolerant plants and win on several fronts; hold onto a bit more of your public utilities dollars, have a better looking yard and save some time watering your yards (I try to help out where I can). 

 Happy gardening all!

Bruce Bennett, Garden Guy
Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University Certified Master Gardener, public speaker and Seattle-area garden designer. 

If you have questions concerning this article, have questions concerning your garden or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.

See his previous columns here

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Garden Guy: Perennials for Beginners

Sunday, September 17, 2023

By Bruce Bennett

I have been reminded by several readers that not all home gardeners are experienced and that some would appreciate an occasional beginner-level gardening article. 

With that being the case, let’s start with a column on a basic unit of urban landscapes - the perennial. By definition, perennials are hardy plants that have a minimum lifespan of three years (although most of them are good for twenty years and longer). 

These plants are herbaceous and have flowers, leaves and stems that die back each fall and have new growth that arises from the roots each spring. Foundation plants of a garden, perennials can provide years of enjoyment and long-lasting beauty. However, before adding them to a garden, there are some guidelines for the new gardener…..

Photo by extension.osu.edu
Prepare and Test Your Soil
 

It is important to do some initial soil preparation. After you choose the spot you want to landscape, check the soil drainage by digging a ten-inch deep hole and filling it with water. 

The next day fill it with water again. If all the water has not drained out in eight hours, the drainage is poor and you should consider constructing a raised bed or adding perennials which are able to handle damp soils. 

Add three to four inches of compost or aged manure to planting area and dig int in to a depth of 8” – 12”. This process will build up or “raise” the bed. Next, test the pH of your soil. 

Test kits can be purchased at garden centers and free testing may be a service of your county’s Extension or conservation department. In the Seattle area, look to the King Conservation District. Once you have the test results, make the recommended amendments to the soil. The local Master Gardeners program can help to interpret your test results.

Right Perennials
 

Before buying do some researching. Decide what kind of garden you want; cottage garden, rock garden, mass planting of color, herb garden. Are you going to use bulbs or ornamental grasses? Is your flower bed in mostly sun or shade? 

It is important to have the right growing conditions for your perennials. A shade plant may not survive in the hot sun. A plant that likes direct sun may not flower properly in a shady spot. Make sure the plants are hardy for your area otherwise you are squandering your time and money.

Check the flowering times of different perennials. Pick plants and bulbs with different blooming periods so you have a succession of bloom during the spring, summer and fall. Look for ones that have longer blooming periods. 

Most plant catalogs (and, definitely, the Internet) have this information and will make it easy for the novice to select the right plants for a succession of blooms. You can also mix annuals (plants that live only one season) with your perennials. 

The annuals will help brighten the garden during the periods when some of the perennials stop blooming and will act as ‘fillers’ until the newly planted perennials mature and fill-out.

Purchase your perennials Here there are many choices: garden centers, garden club sales, herb farms, catalogs or better yet, get plant divisions for free from friends, neighbors and relatives who are dividing their plants. 

Perennials are more expensive than annuals, but you only have to buy a few plants of each variety because, over the years, perennials will grow and spread. 

Make sure the plants are healthy looking. You want plants that are dark green and compact—avoid plants with thin, yellowing stems and leaves or ones that may be harboring insects. Read the directions on the plant tags to see if they do best in sun or shade, how far apart to space them, and how tall they will get.

Start Planting
 

Plant in clumps or groups, spacing the plants as the directions recommend and keeping in mind the height of the plants. Plant according to heights starting with the tallest plants in the back of the bed down to the shorter, edging plants in the front. Of course, there are always exceptions. 

Tall plants that can easily be seen through (think Brazilian Verbenia, Verbenia bonariensis at left) can provide an aesthetic screen through which to view the planting bed behind them. Large plants like ornamental grasses do better planted as specimens by themselves since they will grow very large over the years. 

Begin planting by removing your plants from their growing containers leaving as much of the moist soil around their roots as possible. Dig a hole deep enough so that the top of the root ball is level with or just above the surface of the ground.

Before setting the plant in, drench the soil in the planting hole and then fill in with soil around the plant. Water on a regular basis until the plant is established and during dry spells. Water needs to reach the roots of perennials so use a soaker hose, drip irrigation or oscillator with water timers. Your goal is to provide all plants with 1” or water once a week (or more when the area experiences hot, dry spells.

Photo by gardening.wsu.edu
Mulch
 

This gardening aid will keep the soil moist and warm and cut down on weeding. Bark, pine needles or shredded leaves are good organic mulches. You can also use gravel or black plastic landscaping material. Definitely stay away from the inorganic shredded and dyed rubber mulches.

Deadhead 

Remove old flower heads or cut back plants to keep them neat looking after their blooming period is finished. With many perennials, deadheading will cause reblooming and extend the visual interest of the plant.

Fertilize
 

This should be done each spring as plants come to life and begin growing.

Divide 

Every three to five years your plants will probably need to be divided as they will get overcrowded with have bare centers. Divide them into clumps of three to five shoots. Do this when plants are dormant in the spring or fall.

Follow these steps and you are on your way to establishing a beautiful garden. When fall comes, your plants will die back, but what a thrill when they are viewed breaking the soil each spring. With perennials, a little investment in time and money now can give you virtually a lifetime of enjoyment. Happy gardening all!

Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University Certified Master Gardener, lecturer and Seattle-area garden designer. 

If you have questions concerning this article, want to read more beginner-gardener directed articles or, if you want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.



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Garden Guy and Friends: Care for Your Trees During the Dry Season

Monday, August 21, 2023

[Our Garden Guy has taken off August from his usual monthly writing duties. His guest columnist for this August issue is his long-time WSU Master Gardener colleague and fellow writer, Marty Byrne. Ed.]

How do we take care of our trees during this time of unpredictable, changeable weather? Trees need water, just like your flower and vegetable gardens and lawn. Proper watering and mulching will help your trees survive upcoming hot and dry spells.

Photo by JoeGardener.com
Correct Irrigation 

Water needs differ for newly planted trees and established trees. Newly planted trees need routine more frequent watering for the first three years. More established trees have put down deep roots and require less supplemental water. 

For all trees: Water deeply and infrequently rather than delivering more frequent shallow watering. Deep watering encourages deep root growth; shallow watering encourages roots closer to the surface with more negative impacts from summer heat and winter cold.

How do I know when to water? 

Check the soil around the base of the tree and at the drip line (the imaginary circle on the ground underneath the outermost branches of the tree’s crown). Gently dig 6 to 9 inches into the soil underneath the tree. Water if the soil is dry or barely moist. You can also use a water meter, available at most nurseries and garden centers.

Check newly planted trees every few days for the first three years; check established trees once or twice a month. Soil content may help determine frequency: Sandy soils will hold less water, requiring more frequent watering.

Water bag. Photo by mortonarb.org
How do I know how much to water? 

For newly planted trees, thoroughly soak the soil several inches down. One guideline suggests two gallons of water, delivered slowly, for each diameter inch of trunk for the first three years. 

A drip irrigation bag (seen left) around the base of the tree can also ensure the tree is getting enough water. Tree bags allow water to seep slowly to the roots.

Checking the soil around your established trees is the best way to determine if they need water. 

Here the general guideline is one inch of water per week during dry periods. Use a soaker hose at the tree’s drip line to deliver water right to the roots.

Over-watering can be as detrimental as insufficient water. Roots need oxygen, and too much water fills up the spaces between soil particles.

Mulch photo by pubs.nmsu.edu
Think mulch! 

The list of benefits that mulch provides is a long one. Here are a few to consider:
  • Reduces moisture loss around the base of the tree
  • Controls weeds
  • Provides insulation for the roots during high and low temperature extremes
  • Improves the soil over time: aeration, structure, drainage
  • Reduces the chance of damage to the tree bark caused by weed whackers and lawnmowers
  • Certain mulches decompose over time, improving soil fertility

What kind of mulch should I use? 

Wood and bark chips make the best mulch. They do not contain pesticides or dyes and because of the variety of material, decompose slowly, providing nutrients to the tree. Many tree services will give you the chips for free. You may get enough to spread on your other landscape areas and paths in addition to what you’ll need for your trees. Arborist chips may not be as pretty as bagged mulch, but they do a great job of protecting the tree roots.

Bagged mulches are also an option. The size of the pieces can range from fine to chunky. Choose a chunky mulch rather than one with very fine pieces. Chunky mulch allows air and water to pass through; fine mulches will become matted over time, impeding air and water flow. Avoid mulches with dyes, which will leach into the soil. You can also use an inorganic mulch like rock, pebbles or lava rock. Rubber mulches (ground or cut-up tires) are not a good choice as they can leach chemicals. They are also flammable, a genuine consideration now during our hot season.

Photo by sacramentotreefoundation.org
How should I spread the mulch? 

Keep mulch away from the tree trunk by eight to 12 inches. 

Mulch applied too close to the trunk may lead to root rot or allow rodents to burrow near the trunk and chew on the bark during the winter months. 

Spread it two to four inches deep out to the drip line for established trees, beyond the tree canopy for newly planted trees.

We value our trees in western Washington. Preparing for hot, dry weather will help our trees survive and be more resilient in our changing climate.
 For further reading:
Marty Byrne is a long-time WSU Master Gardener based in King County. 

In addition to her horticultural volunteer efforts at the Shoreline Farmers Market and the Lake Forest Park Master Gardeners Clinic, Marty is also a freelance writer, editor and gardening columnist for the Master Gardener Foundation newsletter.


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Garden Guy: Butterflies in Your Garden

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Butterfly Garden at Woodland Park Zoo
Photo courtesy WoodlandParkZoo.org
By Bruce Bennett

As a volunteer at the Woodland Park Zoo, I received word about the 2023 June reopening of Molbak’s Butterfly Garden after a two-year pandemic-related closure. 

But, “Why?” you may well ask, “would a zoo dedicate precious urban space to an exhibit which is open for only four months of the year? “ 

It’s because the twenty or so varieties butterflies who call western Washington home are choosy insects. Any gardener can have aphids, but Red Admirals, Painted Ladies and Tiger Swallowtails and all their kin insist upon certain environmental niceties, such as sunshine, shelter from wind and protection from the winter wet.

The chances of area readers/gardeners having such spaces in their yards are pretty good and would allow the ephemeral spots of color to float through neighborhood yards and display like so many flowers-on-the-breeze. The zoo also provides the space because butterflies as well as other pollinators are becoming even more endangered. And, for the zoo, the survival and preservation of ‘endangered species’ is what it’s all about.

I highlight butterflies in this column because they tend to be the most visually interesting and mind- stickering of our much-needed plant pollinators. If you have read a summer newspaper, magazine or blog in the past several years, you already know how important pollinators are to the overall health of the human ecosystem and how they help to keep us thriving and eating. 

If you want to read more information on the subject, simply type ‘butterflies’ or ‘pollinators’ in your Internet browser-of-choice. The care and promotion of butterflies would also make an excellent science research report for any kiddo in the house who attends school or is homeschooled.

Photo courtesy WoodlandParkZoo.org
You can increase your butterfly viewing opportunities by creating garden spaces which are attractive to them. 

To butterflies, the plants in the garden are more important than the design of the garden. They need flowers for nectar throughout the short season of their lives. Luckily, many annuals, perennials, shrub and tree flowers are great nectar producers throughout the year. 

While native plants can play an important role as host plants for butterfly caterpillars, most adult butterflies have more cosmopolitan tastes and are able to get their fill on the more exotic flowers that you grow in your landscapes. This one fact makes it much easier edit the design of your garden and still feel good about providing for the many pollinators who are under siege in our urban environments.

Butterflies seem to be especially attracted to gardens boasting generous patches of a given nectar flower. If you happen to plant the robust Jupiter's-Beard (Centranthus), don't settle for one or two plants. A drift of three to seven plants will provide an excellent meal for your colorful visitors and, at the same time, provide you with a garden color spot surrounded by the aerobatics of butterflies, moths and hummingbirds. It’s a value-added strategy, without any extra cost, for the landscape designer within you.

Tiger swallowtail
Photo courtesy WoodlandParkZoo.org
I am fairly successful at having flowers blooming in the yard for twelve months a year. 

This planning process certainly helps to visually enhance my window views and increases the smorgasbord menus that pollinators can enjoy, some more than others (think about our resident hummingbirds). 

Plants such as mahonia, azaleas, grape hyacinths, lilacs and pinks can start the menu in late-winter through mid-spring. 

Achilleas, asclepias, germander, perennial phlox and Jupiter’s Beard provide color and nectar in July and August. 

For September and October, abelia, caryopteris, purple asters, sneezeweed and coreopsis will help to fill-out the pollinator menu. The list of nectar-producing plants is long and varied and will change from one part of the state to another. 

Talk to volunteers at a local Master Gardener Clinic. Visit your local library and/or surf the Internet for specific information on your part of the world. To be a good gardener, you need to also be a good researcher!

Start a pollinator garden area in a location that gets at least six-hours of sunlight. Butterflies need the sun's warmth and most plants that attract butterflies grow best in full sun. Determine how much space you have and any items, other than plants, that you'd like to include. 

Consider adding a large flat rock or two. Butterflies enjoy basking on them, often with their wings spread out to catch more rays. Also allow room for a pot saucer filled with mud or moist sand as a water source to encourage butterflies to linger longer. Create this manufactured puddle in a low-profile container with to attract swallowtails and other butterflies that enjoy drinking at mud puddles. (They do so to obtain needed salts in their diet.) 

A sprinkling of table salt and the addition of some manure each year will increase the puddle's appeal, for pets and kiddos if not butterflies. After their first year, these pollinator gardens can become low-maintenance areas of the landscape.

Photo courtesy MissouriBotanicalGarden.org
After two years of a pandemic-related hiatus, the Woodland Park Zoo’s Molbak’s Butterfly Garden opened its doors with 300+ butterflies to welcome you. 

The garden will be open during regular zoo hours through the first week of September. 

Even after the Butterfly House closes for the season, the adjacent Microsoft Pollinator Garden is open year-round. On display will be more pollinator-friendly plants than would be useful for just butterflies (the Voodoo Lily, Dracunculus vulgaris, a fly attractor, immediately comes to mind. 

Strange? Well, yes and, yet, flies are pollinators). You may even find me wandering the two gardens and have the chance to ask your home gardening questions.

With proper planning, good plant selection and minimal maintenance, Western Washington gardeners can create a garden area that will not only attract butterflies and help to preserve these important and beautiful insects that are so vital to our ecosystem, but, also provide we homeowners with many garden-produced smiles throughout the year and I’m all for that. 

Happy Gardening all!

For More Information:

  • Burns, Deborah, ed. Attracting Native Pollinators, North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2011.
  • Fleming-Hayes, Rhonda. Pollinator Friendly Gardening: Gardening for Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators, McGregor, MN: Voyager Press, 2016.
  • Johnson, Lorraine and Colla, Sheila. A Northern Gardener's Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators, Washington, DC: Island Press, 2023.
  • Kruckeberg, Arthur and Chalker-Scott, Linda, Gardening With Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2019.
  • Lewis, Alcinda. Butterfly Gardens, Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, 2001.

Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a Washington State University Master Gardener, lecturer and Seattle-area garden designer. 

If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your landscape or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com or visit the Master Gardener Clinic at the Lake Forest Park Town Center in July and August.

Previous Garden Guy columns can be accessed HERE


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