Use Evergreens to Make an Impact

Add evergreens to your yard to create a year-round show. Get ideas for how to landscape with these plants.

• Use Them in Beds and Borders

  There are hundreds of varieties of evergreens. While many grow into massive specimens, dwarf selections -- such as this bird's nest spruce -- are perfect for planting in beds and borders. Try them between brightly colored plants to give your eyes a visual break.
• Hide Your Home's Foundation

  Because they keep their foliage all winter, low-growing evergreens are perfect for planting around your foundation to hide it all year.

  Test Garden Tip: Make a bold statement by selecting varieties that offer different shapes and colors, but stay compact so they don't outgrow their space. 'Blue Shag' white pine, 'Montgomery' blue spruce, and 'Silver Whispers' Swiss stone pine are smaller selections that combine beautifully with 'Profusion White' zinnia, for example.
• Create Privacy

  One of the most common ways to use evergreens is as a screen in the landscape. Tall, columnar varieties of arborvitae, yew, and juniper are great for small spaces. If you have room, be sure to include broadleaf evergreens, such as rhododendrons, as well.
• Make a Living Arbor

  Some evergreens (such as junipers and yews) have a tight growth habit that makes them perfect for shearing into fun shapes. Try growing two a few feet apart and wire them together to create a unique arbor.
• Enjoy a Soothing Backdrop

  Give your beds and borders a beautiful background with evergreens. Choose tall varieties that have dark green foliage to accentuate bright colors. Or select cultivars with colorful foliage (such as the blue spruce shown here) to add interest to your plantings.

  Test Garden Tip: Pay attention to plant shapes. Tall, upright evergreens (such as narrow 'Iseli Fastigiate' blue spruce and 'Medora' juniper) create wonderful contrasts with mounded perennials and grasses, for example.
• Add a Garden Room

  Plant four modest-size upright evergreens -- such as dwarf Alberta spruce -- in a square to create a gardenroom. Even if you don't enclose the area with shrubs or other plants as walls, it will feel more intimate and inviting.
• Cover the Ground

  Enjoy a beautiful carpet by letting spreading evergreens become a groundcover. A creeping blue spruce, junipers, or spreading pine is perfect for filling a space with year-round color and interest.
• Introduce Your Personality

  Boxwood, yew, and juniper take well to tight pruning. Take advantage of this and clip them into fun shapes to add a bit of whimsy to your yard. A low boxwood hedge becomes fun with a mounded corner. Or try spirals (as this variegated boxwood has been pruned) and other shapes.
• Make a Grand Entrance

  Plant artistically sheared evergreens (such as the junipers shown here) on both sides of your gate or along a path to give an entry a bolder, more formal feeling. They'll take yearly pruning to keep their swirly shape, but the effect is worth the effort.
• Accentuate Fall Color

  One sure way to highlight the fall colors in your yard is to pair them with evergreens. They can look smashing against bold reds and oranges. And bright yellows practically sing next to a dark green background.
• Unify Your Yard

  Make garden design easy by choosing a theme and repeating it. For example, this garden makes use of circles -- a rounded boxwood echoes stone spheres along a path and the shape of an arbor farther along. You can do the same thing with just about any shape or color.
• Fill Your Containers with Drama

  Big, bold evergreens can be perfect container garden plants if you have a large container. This Austrian pine, for example, adds a dash of color (and privacy) to a rooftop garden -- but you can get the same effect on a deck, patio, balcony, or even along a wide driveway.
• Just Add Flowers

  Embrace flowering evergreens to add landscape drama. Rhododendrons, mountain laurels, and pieris add color in Northern areas.
• Reduce Your Energy Bills

  Keep cold winter winds from pulling all the heat from your home with a windbreak. Plant evergreen trees on the north or east side of your home and watch your savings grow.
• Go Bold

  Choose a particularly stunning evergreen (such as Rainbow's End Golden Alberta Spruce) and treat it as a specimen plant in your landscape. Selections such as these are so eye-catching they don't need neighbors.
• Create Curb Appeal

  Your front yard will shine all year long if you fill it with a collection of evergreens. Choose varieties with different forms, colors, and textures and you'll put on a show without a single bloom.
• Stop Mowing that Slope

  Save yourself hours of effort every week by planting a collection of evergreens (such as this mass of 'Blue Rug' juniper) on a hard-to-mow slope. They'll keep it looking good all year long, stop erosion, and smother most weeds so you can just sit back and enjoy the view.

Source: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/trees/use-evergreens-to-make-an-impact/

“Rollie pollies” Remove Heavy Metals from Soil, Stabilizing Growing Conditions, Protecting Groundwater

Turn over a brick or a board that has been lying in the yard for a while and underneath you may find a collection of pill bugs scurrying about. Also known as “rollie pollies” or woodlice, these grey-colored creatures can be found in many dark, moist environments feeding on decaying matter. What’s interesting about these critters is that they are not bugs at all. They are crustaceans and more closely resemble crabs and shrimp, not insects. They are characterized by their ability to roll up into a ball when they feel threatened. Another unique feature is that they have seven pairs of legs. They also act like kangaroos, toting their eggs around with them in a special pouch called a marsupium, located on the pillbug’s underside. Even stranger, they don’t urinate. Instead, they exchange gases through gill-like structures. 

Pill bugs are great for gardening and composting.

Breeding or collecting pill bugs may be an important practice for homesteading and gardening. The guts of these pill bugs contain a number of microbes that help the critter feed on dead, organic matter. By releasing mass quantities of pill bugs into a mature garden, one can be assured that dead plant matter is being properly broken down and returned to healthy soil. Pill bugs literally speed up the process of decomposition. They circulate the soil. This can be very useful in composting. Treats for pill bugs include fungus and monocotyledonous leaves.

Pillbugs play an important role in the cycle of healthy plant life. They return organic matter to the soil so it can be digested further by fungi, protozoans and bacteria. This process produces a natural supply of nitrates, phosphates and other vital nutrients that plants need to thrive now and in future growing seasons. It is important not to introduce pill bugs into the garden too early, as they tend to munch on emerging plants. The grey soil workers often live up to three years.

Pill bugs clean up soil and protect ground water from heavy metal contamination.

One very unique quality that these crustaceans possess is their ability to safely remove heavy metals from soil. For this reason, they are an important tool for cleaning up soil contaminated with pollutants like lead, cadmium and arsenic. In coal spoils and slag heaps, pill bugs come in handy. They take in heavy metals like lead and cadmium and crystallize these ions in their guts. The heavy metal toxins are then made into spherical deposits in the mid gut. With this special cleanup property, pill bugs survive where most creatures can’t, in the most contaminated sites.

The magic of the pill bugs helps reestablish healthy soil and prevents toxic metal ions from leaching into the groundwater. This means pill bugs are also protecting well water from becoming contaminated while stabilizing soils.

Source: https://www.intellihub.com/rollie-pollies-remove-heavy-metals-soil-stabilizing-growing-conditions-protecting-groundwater/

Planting Hardy Bulbs in Containers for Indoor Blooms

Choose a pot of the desired size for planting your bulbs. Although most sizes will work, a 6– to 8–inch pot will give your bulbs enough growing room. If the pot has no drainage hole, place a one-inch drainage layer in the bottom of the pot. Use gravel, stones or perlite. Add sufficient potting mix so the tips of the bulbs will be even with the top of the pot. Arrange the bulbs on top with the pointed ends facing up.

Cover the bulbs with more potting mix to with- in 1/4” of the pot lip. The tips of the bulbs should be visible. Water the bulbs and move the container to a cool area such as a shed or unheated garage, or the refrigerator. The bulbs require 13 weeks at 35–48 degrees Fahrenheit. Water as needed. In a few months, you’ll begin to see signs of growth. At this point, bring the container indoors and water regularly. Place in bright light until flowers show color (3–4 weeks). Once color is visible, move to bright indirect light. Soon you’ll be rewarded with beautiful blooms.

If you’re preparing a container of flowering bulbs to place on your deck or patio, keep the container in a garage or a basement where the temperature stays around 35–40 degrees Fahrenheit. A cold frame can also be used. If kept outside, the bulbs will be subjected to a damaging freeze/thaw cycle. In March you can safely place your container of bulbs in their outdoor location and enjoy the emerging spring color.

November Garden Tasks

Vegetable Garden 

• Clean out old plants and compost including Asparagus beds as the fronds fade. Harvest Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli, radishes, peas, parsnips, lettuce, leeks, potatoes, kale, collards, celery, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
• Prepare beds for early plantings of peas this allows for an earlier planting in the spring before the soil dries out enough to be worked.
• Plant Fava beans (cover crops can double as a source of beans for the table), garlic, onions, rhubarb and artichokes.
• Prune the fruiting top sections of evergreen raspberries once they finish producing fruit and leave the lower section of branch for next years early crop. Other raspberries can be topped off at 5 feet and staked.
• Store your bounty by freezing canning or hanging in a cool garage.

Flower Garden

• Plant pansies outdoors now and enjoy the flowers until late spring. Mound soil or leaves around the base of hybrid teas and other grafted roses to protect the graft union from frost.
• Prune rampant suckers from the base of lilacs which will take away from next years bloom.
• Prepare and plant wildflower bed and broadcast seeds. This can be done in the spring as well but you can get a head start now and focus on other tasks come spring.

General Landscaping 

• Prepare open beds in the flower and vegetable garden with organic matter and organic fertilizers. Chopped leaves, peat moss or compost can be added now to improve the soil’s humus levels. This improves the structure, drainage and nutrient holding capacity of your soil. For established beds work in organic matter and fertilizers around the plants and cultivate them into the to few inches of soil.
• Mow lawn to 1.5 to 2 inches for the winter This keeps the lawn healthy and prevents the lawn from matting down.
• Keep leaves and compost or make a dedicated leaf mold pile for future mulch unless they are from allelopathic trees (producing chemicals that inhibit other species growth) like the genera Juglans (e.g. Black Walnut or Aesculus (e.g. Horse Chestnut).
• Drain and clean man made pools and ponds. Remove tropical plants and store hardy lilies.
• Very last call for planting trees and shrubs including woody fruiting plants.

Source: http://www.horticultureguy.com/garden-calendar-planner/november-garden-tasks/

Building a Compost Pile

First, pick a spot.

To start composting, pick the right spot for your compost pile. Look for a convenient section of your backyard that has good drainage and that complies with any applicable codes or regulations.

In some cities, for example, fire regulations prohibit locating a compost area within three feet of any structure. Consult your town or village official for any restrictions.

Select a method.

The easiest way to compost is the pile method. It costs nothing, requires little maintenance, and is useful for large quantities of yard waste (such as autumn leaves).

Just put your yard waste in a pile up to five feet high. In 12 to 18 months, the pile will have reduced in size to about one foot, and the bottom will have turned to compost.

If you prefer, you can use a bin. Compost bins can be purchased at many garden supply and hardware stores, or they can be constructed easily and inexpensively from a variety of materials.

In general, a bin can be any shape, but should be approximately three to four feet in diameter, and of similar height. Leaving the fourth side open or adding a gate permits easy access for adding and removing materials and turning the compost.

Although bins are good for ongoing composting, they’re usually not big enough for large amounts of leaves or grass clippings. To increase your composting capacity, you can put up to three bins, side by side.

The most inexpensive composting bins are made from recycled materials: wooden pallets or leftover snow fencing, for example. But if materials aren’t readily available, they can usually be purchased for less than $25. A pre-made bin can be purchased for as little as $25 to $50.

You’re ready to compost.

Depending on the method you’ve chosen, you can start composting by placing any compostable material (see list under Compost) in a pile, or placing it in your compost bin.

Be sure yard waste other than grass (such as brush or twigs) is less than 4” long and no more than 1/8” thick. Also, it’s best to mix grass clippings with leaves or other garden materials. This hastens the decomposition process.

Once you’ve started a compost pile, all it requires is moisture and oxygen. Turning the materials with a pitchfork once or twice a month increases aeration and moves materials from the outside of the pile to the center, where it can decompose faster and more completely.

As the weeks pass, you can continue adding waste material to your bin or pile. There’s no need to worry when winter comes, the composting process continues, but much more slowly. The, when temperatures rise in the spring, the process picks up speed again.

When your compost is ready, use it as a soil additive in your flower bed or as mulch around the trees or shrubs. If you like a finer compost, use an old metal screen to sift out any waste that hasn’t completely decomposed.

One word of caution: If you use weed killers or insecticides on your lawn, don’t use the resulting compost in your vegetable garden. It’s fine, however, for the rest of your yard.

Compost

Many types of yard waste can be composted, including:

• Leaves 

• Grass clippings (as long as they’re mixed with other yard waste) 

• Plant cuttings (unless they’re diseased) 

Other organic materials can be composted too, such as: 

• Sawdust and wood shavings 

• Small amounts of fireplace ash If you desire, you can also compost certain types

of kitchen waste, although we recommend using a closed bin to prevent compost from attracting animals. 

Add:

• Fruit and vegetable peels and leftovers 

• Coffee grounds and filters 

• Tea bags 

• Empty egg shells

Do not add: eggs, dairy products, meat scraps, bones, grease, fish, kitty litter or barbecue briquets.

This information is provided from OCRRA Pamphlet “Earth Friendly Ways to Manage Yard Waste”

Basics of Vegetable Gardening

Preparing the Soil

• Fertile, well-drained soil is necessary for a successful vegetable garden. The exact type of soil is not as important as:

• Good drainage 
• Well-supplied organic matter 
• Reasonably free of stones 
• Moisture retentive

• If your garden has been used in past years, simply dig in additional organic material and fertilizers (compost or manure and any good commercial complete plant food — follow the label directions to apply).

• If using an unused plot, prepare soil the pre- ceding fall. Work in some organic material. Different types of vegetables require varying degrees of soil acidity. The pH requirements of different garden vegetables will determine what steps must be taken to amend the soil. Be sure the garden will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day.

• Once soil structure, fertility and pH have been established, the soil should be tilled one last time and raked smooth.

Planting Tips

• Using your garden layout map, use stakes to mark out where different rows will be planted.

• Build trellises or use stout stakes for climbing plants.

• Create mounds for vining plants such as cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, etc.

• Establish pathways early. 

• Sow your seeds or bedding plants at the recommended planting depths and spacing requirements.

Sowing the Seeds

• Stretch a string between two stakes to mark the row or use a straight piece of lumber as a guide.

• Open a “V”-shaped furrow with the corner of a hoe.

• Set the depth to the requirement on the seed package.

• Tap the package lightly with your finger as you move down the row, distributing the seed evenly.

• Larger seeds may be placed individually. 

• Plant extra seeds in each row to allow for failed germination and for thinning. 

• Cover the seeds with fine soil. 

• Firm the soil over the seeds to insure good soil contact. 

• Water thoroughly using a gentle spray. 

• Keep the soil moist until seedlings are up. 

• Once seedlings have developed their second and third set of true leaves, thin as needed, keeping the strongest plants.

Started Plants

• Dig a small hole slightly wider and deeper that the root ball of the plant.

• Water the plant thoroughly prior to planting to lessen shock.

• Gently tap the pot or squeeze the cell to loos- en the roots and remove the new plant.

• Loosen outer roots. 

• Set the plant into the hole slightly deeper than what it was growing in the pot. 

• Firm the soil around the plant.

• Water well.

Other Tips

• Give plants extra water during dry periods. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

• Mulch between the rows to control weeds and to conserve moisture in the soil.

• Use a complete fertilizer, such as Plant Tone, Neptune’s Harvest, or Miracle Gro. Follow the label directions for the amount to use and the frequency of application. Be vigilant during the growing season against insects and disease. Discovering a bug or disease problem early makes it easier to take appropriate action and eliminate the pests. Follow all manufactures’ recommendations on pesticides.

• Weed regularly, as weeds rob the vegetables of water, light, food and root space, and can harbor disease and insects.

• Recycle spent plant and other vegetable matter into a compost pile once you have harvested your crop. Vegetable matter containing disease organisms should not be composted.

How to Start Your Own Home Orchard

Location, Location, Location

Choose a sunny area with well-drained, fertile soil. High-clay soils will benefit from an addition of compost at the time of planting; add 1/3 compost to 2/3 native soil.

Self-Pollinating or Not?

Fruit set is the end result of flower pollination, which is usually facilitated by bees. When deciding on trees for your yard, keep in mind some varieties need pollen from another variety. Self-pollinating varieties do not need a second variety for fruit to set.

Pollinator Requirements for W&W Fruit Trees:

Apple—In general all varieties need another variety for pollination.

Pear—All varieties need another variety for pollination.

Cherry—Most are self-pollinating Peach—All are self-pollinating

Making Room for Your Orchard

The trees offered at W&W are either dwarf (8–10’) or semi-dwarf (12–15’). In general, these trees should be planted around 12–14’ apart, keeping like varieties together (i.e., apples with apples). When planting additional rows, try to keep them separated by approximately 20’.

Pruning

Due to their small size, little is usually needed in the home orchard. When the tree is young:

1. Remove any branches crossing over another that touch or will create an injury.

2. Thin out inward growing branches 3. Remove anything broken. 4. Lightly trimming off the tips on larger branches will encourage branching. Shaping comes later. In the first years of growth, it is beneficial to remove most of the fruit set. This ensures energy is directed towards establishing a healthy, strong root system. As trees mature, careful pruning will help to shape them. Pear, apple and cherry trees are usually trained to one central leader in the home orchard. Peaches are trained into a broad vase shape without a central leader. At any time during your tree’s life you should repeat steps 1, 2 & 3 from above. Reduce suckers and water sprouts. Apple and pear trees can be pruned any time the tree is dormant. Peach, cherry and plum trees should be pruned when in blossom. (Perennial Canker, a fungus, infects open wounds in cool weather.)

Fertilization

A compost addition is beneficial when planting. Wait 30 days after planting to add fertilizer. A general fertilizer can then be worked into the top 1” of soil about 1 1/2–2” from the tree trunk.

Watering

During the first growing season, new trees will benefit from a deep soak once a week if there has been no rain. Established trees should be watered in times of drought.

Additional Care

Spraying: To provide disease and insect protection, you need several spray combinations that have been developed. Ask a Garden Center Professional for a program that works for you. Be sure to read labels for proper application directions.

Physical Barriers

Rabbits, voles, field mice and deer may dine on your trees in the winter. Possible protection in the form of tree wraps, fencing and bitter-tasting sprays may be an option.

*Tree Management Calendars are available upon request at our Garden Center.