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read the complete issue.
In this issue:
Vines might make or break a fence, pp.
1-2
Fluffy, white specks on beech and pine, pg. 3
Sweetness that's bad: Ashes on a garden, pg.
4
Saving a terminally weedy lawn, pp. 4-5
Our mentors live on as we pass along, pg. 5
Wave a magic wand, not a water wand, pg. 6
Soak up spring showers, duck out of lightning, pp. 6-7
Aphids, borers crowd a garden's beauty, pp.
7-9
Butterflies as collateral damage, pp. 10, 12
Plants a butterfly gardener will want, pg. 11
Wary of Franklinia tree's late start,
pg. 12-13
Whack the weeds but spare the tree, pg. 13
Hi, boxwood bugs! Bye, bulb foliage! Pp. 14-15
Native plants nice for many reasons, pg. 15
Grins to kids' with cutters, grow-ans to kiwi, pg. 16
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for the complete issue.
This issue Sponsored by:
Above: Our cat Fraxinus approves a
native spicebush (Lindera benzoin) for planting. Even she
is impressed by its spicy smell. The plant came from Wildtype
Plants in Mason, Michigan, where just about any native
Michigan tree or shrub you might want is ready to buy in small pots
and large.
Vines on fence
Below: All that the vine does to the lattice-covered fence
behind this perennial garden is to change its color (upper right).
Yet as a green, medium texture surface, this fence would not work
as well as a backdrop for the flowers.
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pdf to read the complete issue.
Ashes over ashes is not the way
to go in a garden
The question came in: What do we need to know
aboutspreading ashes from the fireplace out in the yard? My friend
has been doing this every couple of weeks during winters and asked
me to ask you if it'll hurt anything. - Kurt -
Wood ash spread thin and in different places count asa
fertilizer, Kurt. Applied too heavily in one place theycan make the
soil too sweet (alkaline) which despite the sound is not a good
thing for most of what we like to grow.
Here's an excerpt from our 5th ("E") Q&A book, Evergreen
Entries. It's one of six books on our CD Asking About
Asters. On the CD you'll find this in the A-Z index by
searching for ashes.
Wood ash is a source of potassium and phosphorus, and usually
some trace elements. It can be sprinkled on a garden or in a
compost to return those nutrients to the soil.
Avoid any heavy concentration of wood ash, especially where
water may also puddle, since a concentrated solution of wood ash
can burn roots and kill soil microorganisms -- it's caustic, just
like the old lye soaps that were made from wood ash.
In quantity and over time, wood ash can also raise soil pH
levels. Gardeners who have spread wood ash in an area for several
years may find that neutral, pH 7.0 soil has risen to a very
alkaline 7.6 or higher. High pH can slow growth or cause nutrient
deficiencies in many plants, so if you make a regular use of wood
ash you should keep a close eye on your plants' performance and
test your soil annually for pH and nutrient content.
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read the complete issue.
Weeds are the main green in this
lawn
Above: A gardener will see less ground ivy (Glechoma), a
tough lawn weed, after beefing up the grass.
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read the complete issue.
Iris borer trouble, try
resistant cultivars
Above: One reason to
divide irises often, and in July, is to eliminate iris borers which
are in the rhizomes at that time of year. Where the borers gnaw,
rot fungus follows. Fewer borers means less rot.
Below: Once in a while plants with chronic trouble are shown
the door and replaced with pest resistant cultivars. Such as
zebra iris, I. pallida argenteo variegata, resistant to the soft
rot that can ruin other irises.
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the complete issue.
Tree's late start can
be result of trouble or trimming
Above: Franklinia (F. alatamaha) presents big, camellia-like
flowers (right) in August and September. The leaves may turn fall
maroon while it's yet in bloom. I wanted the tree in a
client's garden but didn't have the room (it's 15-20' in zone 5b).
Realizing that it blooms on new wood I opted to treat it
as a cut-back shrub (left). Uncut trees of its type are nearly
leafed out by May 20 when this photo was taken. Mine,
forced to start from low- and dormant buds, is slower.
This issue is sponsored by:
Finlandia Gardeners of the Finnish Center Association
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