Lawn & Garden Tips

February Lawn & Garden Tips

February is typically our rainiest month. After last month's deluge, we still need water to push harmful mineral salts down into the soil. There's still time to plant bare roots, including deciduous fruit trees, grapes and berries.

• Bare Roots - Nurseries still have bare root, potted or bagged roses and other plants and fruits. If they have broken their dormancy, gently snap it off new growth and plant. Secondary buds will quickly appear.
  
• Tackle Weeds Now - All that rain promote winter weeds. Remove them with a hoe before they get too big and can scatter seed. Don't put them in the compost pile as you'll spread weed seeds throughout your garden.
  
• Pop in Color - Fill in garden bare spots with spring color plants already in bloom in four-inch or quart pots. Pansies will last until summer and baby delphiniums can be planted, too. Many prefer to plant California natives and sow and water wildflower seeds this month.
  
• Begonia Beginnings - Start begonias from tubers by setting them in a flat filled with soil amendment like Agromin's PowerMix All Purpose Potting Soil. Leave the upper part of the tuber above soil and transplant when a few leaves appear.
  
• Shade Orchids - Move cymbidium blooms where they'll get a little extra shade to make flowers last longer. When finished, move them back to good light and fertilize every month until September. When plants grow close to pot sides, split and repot in Agromin's PowerMix All Purpose Potting Soil.
• Plant Tomatoes and Feed Fruit - In warmer inland areas it's okay to plant tomatoes at the end of the month. You'll see fruit by Memorial Day. And speaking of fruit, fertilize deciduous fruit trees evenly over the entire root area several weeks before blooming begins

Prevent Damping-Off Fungi

Author: Master Gardener Pat Green

The holidays are over and the seed catalogues are coming on a daily basis. Surely spring cannot be far behind. Those of us who enjoy starting our plants by seed are feeling the itch to get tarted.

One of the first problems of the season is a disease known as pre-emergence or post-emergence damping-off. Fungi in the soil attack seeds and seedlings as they begin to grow and germinate. Pre-emergence occurs when the seed or seedling dies before it reaches the surface. Post-emergence occurs when the seedling emerges and grows to a height of an inch or two, then wilts and dies. Occasionally, plants that are attacked by these fungi do not die but are stunted and may die later. Several fungi can cause this disease, including Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., Sclerotinia spp., and Botrytis spp. Most of these fungi can also cause cuttings to rot. These fungi are found in practically all soils. Older plants are seldom killed by damping off fungi mainly because the development of secondary stem tissue forms a protective barrier and limits fungal penetration.

With all that said the best control for this problem is prevention.

• Prevention starts with good sanitation. Use clean containers and tools. If necessary, disinfect with a 10% bleach solution.
  
• Use a soil less growing mixture containing perlite and vermiculite. A 50-50 mix works well.
  
• Use only clean non-recycled water on seeds.
  
• Place seed trays on clean, sterilized benches if growing in a greenhouse.
  
• Remove any trays with damping-off immediately.

Another way to help prevent this disease is to encourage the seeds to germinate and grow as fast as possible. Plants are only susceptible to damping-off as seedlings.

• Adequate light and heat to germinate and grow seedlings quickly.
  
• Bottom heat may speed germination.
  
• Avoid planting seeds too deeply.

Keep conditions in the seeding trays less favorable to the fungi. These fungi like wet conditions.

• Use well-drained planting media.
  
• Sow seeds thinly to allow air to circulate between seedlings.
  
• Promptly thin over crowded containers.
  
• Avoid excessive watering. Water from below. Keep soil on the dry side.

When considering any chemical measures be aware that many plants may be adversely affected by fungicides. Fungicide treated seeds are available. There is much current research on planting media that suppresses these fungi.
When seedlings emerge remove any plastic covering or lid that was used to increase humidity. Proper watering is important. Don't allow seed trays to stand in water. Allow soil surface to dry if using a potting soil. Do not over fertilize. A half strength water soluble fertilizer used when the second true set of leaves appear is sufficient.

If even one of your seedlings exhibits signs of damping-off, remove it and its immediate neighbors from the container at once.

Transplant your seedlings as soon as the first set of true leaves appear. A 50-50 mixture of potting soil and perlite will help keep your soil draining well and keep your plants healthy.

An excellent resource for all your seed starting is From Seed to Bloom by Eileen Powell available at your local book store or Amazon.com.

Wishing you a good gardening year in 2006.

It is time to Mulch for Weed Control, Erosion & Water Preservation

Many gardens are enjoying the wet weather. The plants are loving it, and so are the weeds.

Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices you can use in the garden. Mulch is simply a protective layer of a material that is spread on top of the soil. Mulches are typically chipped up or shredded organic matter--such as Agromin's ES2 which is made up of yard trimmings (grass clippings, leaves and branches). Another organic product that looks great are barks (walk-on-bark & nugget bark). Visit Agromin's Barks for more information.

Mulches have numerous benefits such as:

• protects the soil from erosion
• reduces compaction from the impact of heavy rains
• conserves moisture, reducing the need for frequent waterings
• maintains a more even soil temperature
• prevents weed growth
• keeps fruits and vegetables clean
• keeps feet clean, allowing access to garden even when damp
• provides a "finished" look to the garden

Organic mulches also improve the condition of the soil. As these mulches slowly decompose, they provide organic matter which helps keep the soil loose. This improves root growth, increases the infiltration of water, and also improves the water-holding capacity of the soil. Organic matter is a source of plant nutrients and provides an ideal environment for earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.

Lawn & Garden Tips

January Lawn & Garden Tips

January is a busy time for gardeners, even in the dead of winter. Traditional planting of bare root roses and deciduous fruit trees is done now before February rain. Plant California natives now, too.

• Plant Roses - Nurseries carry their best selection of roses, both bare root and potted or bagged. We recommend removing any soil and soaking roots overnight. Place in a hole wider than their spread, with a cone of soil amendment in the bottom. Pack soil around the roots up to the bud union and water. Mound soil over canes to protect them from hot sun and drying winds.
  
• Plant Fruit Trees - The selection of bare root fruit trees, grapes and berries is also at its best now. When buying, take care to choose varieties best suited to producing fruit in mild winters.
  
• Plant Natives - Many believe this is the best month to plant California natives and sow and water wildflower seeds. Others prefer to sow in February, when rains will let seeds sprout on their own.
  
• Prune Roses - After the middle of the month, prune roses, remove old canes and thin out branches. For best results, consult with your local nursery about the best way to prune, or check out one of many online resources, like http://www.garden.org/.
  
• Prune Fruit Trees - For healthy deciduous trees and good production, prune them now. This encourages new growth, especially if you leave the spurs which are the stubby branches that actually produce the fruit.
  
• Plant Early Birds - Garlic cloves, shallots and onion bulb sets can be planted for next summer's harvest. Remove just a scoop of soil with a hand trowel, set the clove or bulb in, and crumble the soil on top.

Garden Quote of the Month - January 2006

"'There's nowhere left to plant' is not an uncommon cry and, ironically, the larger the garden, the worse that problem can be.." Joy Larkcom, Creative Vegetable Gardening, Abbeville Press, 1997

ROSES - Bare-root vs. Container

Roses come ready to plant two different ways: Bare-root or Container.

These terms mean with or without soil around the roots. Bare-root roses are preferable because the roots can be arranged to grow outward and may establish more quickly for a good initial root system.

Container roses will be less-shocked by the planting process, so if planting at less-optimal times (spring or summer) plant container roses.

When planting in winter, plant bare-root roses in a semi-dormant state to give roots a better chance to establish.

5 Easy steps to planting Bare-root roses:

1. Dig a good hole - Deep, spacious planting holes are best for roses. Dig the hole at least 1 foot deep and 20 inches wide.
2. Soak before you plant - Hydrate rose roots by soaking them in water with vitamin B1 for a few hours or overnight.
3. Prune - Cut off any diseased or damaged roots before planting.
4. Plant the rose - Put the plant in the hole and gently arrange the roots so they radiate out in the soil.
5. Give it plenty of water - Form a basin around each rose plant to retain water.