Get your bulb orders in early! What will you order this year? Judith has ideas.
Greetings fellow gardeners,
The heat of the summer appears to have lessened and the sporadic showers means less watering to do. I still monitor the pots each day and they seem to be doing well.
Every year I like to try something different in my garden. One of the things that I tried this year was to grow snapdragons from seed. Snapdragons are a fun little annual that attracts pollinators and adds colour. With the pandemic it and a number of other annuals were in short supply at the nurseries, so I was glad that I tried them from seed. This weekend the little plants started to bloom! I am very happy. I learned a few things from this experiment, the main thing being that I need to start snapdragon seeds much earlier if I am going to have any hope of June flowers.
Snapdragon
If you are planning to order any spring bulbs, I recommend that you get on that right away. I was listening to one of my favourite gardening podcasts and they noted that the bulbs are starting to get scarce just as seeds did this year. I already have a bulb order in but of course I can never say no to more of any kind of plant. You want to be sure you have your garlic ordered and perhaps some bulbs for early colour and food for early pollinators.
I am often asked what bulbs to buy for a happy spring garden and my answer is always daffodils (narcissus). These bulbs are poisonous so be aware of that if you have digging dogs. The squirrels rarely bother daffodils and the deer leave them alone. Daffodils come in a variety of sizes and colours and they will spread so that eventually you will have lovely drifts of colour. I love the King Alfred daffodils that make a huge yellow statement along with the many new tiny cultivars. Many daffodils have a beautiful scent and in addition to feeding those early pollinators they make great cut flowers.
Daffodils
We all love tulips. They have glorious colours and are stunning in a group. However, they are much more work than daffodils. Tulips are tasty to all manner of rodents and deer love them. I plant them deep, add bloodmeal and cover with chicken wire. While daffodils will spread and retain their beauty, tulips get smaller as the years go by. They are at their best the first year of planting. I think a better choice in tulips is the species tulips like Tulipa Tarda. These little beauties are what tulips used to look like. I find they are easy care and slowly spread throughout the area. Many garden catalogues have a section for species tulips, and I think you will find them interesting.
When your vegetable garden is starting in early spring you will have food for those early pollinators and beneficial insects that work with you in your garden. A few bulbs planted this fall will help with that. Next week I will expand on what other bulbs are available and give some planting tips.
If you have dahlias and cosmos be sure to keep deadheading to encourage bloom. Leave one or two old blooms on your cosmos to get seeds. Stop deadheading your roses and let the hips form. The roses want to concentrate on their roots now. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the cooler weather.
Judith (Email: lapisdragonarts@gmail.com)
All Veggie Bites are available at the SGHS website: https://sites.google.com/site/sghortsoc/. This week we have another installment from S.R. Bicket.
New Gardeners, Part 4
S.R.Bicket
Nature Abhors a vacuum
Plants grow in all but the most inhospitable environments, and as gardeners we are trying hard to make plant life welcome. This means any spaces are quickly filled with volunteer plants, often referred to as weeds. By filling these spaces with plants of our choosing, little space is left for weeds. For example, a lawn where the grass is dense has very few weeds compared to a lawn where the grass is sparse. When you pull a weed in grass you leave a gap open to all comers; add some grass seed to express your preference as to occupant.
Trees and shrubs are planted with space allowed for the mature size. By underplanting, with smaller shrubs, herbaceous plants including ground covers the spaces are filled with desirable plants and the space for weeds reduced.
Perennials will change size over the growing season. In the spring they are shoots just poking up above the ground. By mid-summer they have filled out and occupy more space. By planting densely, so in midsummer the plants overlap, it is only necessary to weed in the spring. Annuals can be used to fill spaces before a young perennial matures to its full size. Covering the bare ground with mulch also inhibits weed seed ability to germinate successfully. Notice that gardens featured in magazines and books are often densely planted with no gaps in the borders.
Right plant, right place
As you garden you will notice conditions in the garden are not the same. Under the big tree there is dry shade, at the side of the house wet shade, there is a sunny spot dry spot next to the path, and so on. In each of these places a different set plants will thrive. There are very few places where a plant of some kind will not grow. Over time plants have evolved to fill the various ecological niches and adapt to a variety of habitats.
There are two ways to approach the right plant in the right place:
One is to change the place to match the plant. To some extent gardeners do this all the time. We remove weeds that compete for resources such as water, nutrients, or light. We add extra nutrients and water.
The other, and usually more successful approach, is to match the plant to the place.
Here is a list to consider when matching place to plant:
Space
How much space is there for the plant? When considering the amount of space a plant will take up, you must look at the mature size above ground and also below ground. Consider:
The height—are there any overhead cables it might touch? Will it block a view? Will it be seen? Will it fit in with existing plants?
The spread—is the space large enough? How close will it be to a path or road? How close will it grow to a building? If you are continually cutting a plant back because it is impinging on a path, road, building or another plant, it is in the wrong place!
The shape—a plant’s shape will determine how it fits a space. E.g. a tree has a trunk that branches out high above the ground leaving space underneath, but a shrub branches out near the ground. Is the plant rounded, upright, mounding, branching, conical, vase shaped, clumped, twining? Some plants are compact and stay in place; others spread via roots.
The roots—are the roots deep or shallow? Deep roots need deep soil. How far will they spread? This is especially important with trees, as some trees can interfere with pipes, foundations, and paths. As a rule of thumb tree roots spread two and a half to three times further than the canopy. Is there space for the roots?
Note: Most plant labels carry the expected mature height and spread above ground.
Light
Plants often have specific light requirements: full sun, partial shade, shade. If they get more sun than they like the leaves will develop sun scorch, shrivel, or even die. Sometimes a moist location can offset a too sunny location to some extent. If a plant gets too little light it often flowers sparsely or not at all. It will often look spindly and elongated.
Does the location receive sun all day? Full sun is more than 6 hours per day.
Is it shady for part of the day? Partial shade is 6 to 4 hours of sun per day.
What time of day does the location get sun? Afternoon sun is hotter and harsher than morning sun.
No direct sun is shade less than 4 hours per day. The shade can be light or deep depending on what is casting the shade.
Note: Most plant labels indicate the amount of sun a plant requires.
Moisture
Plants require different amounts of water ranging from those that require submersion in water, such as water lilies, to those that like dry desert conditions—for example cactus. All plants require some moisture to survive. In the garden low lying areas will be moister than the top of a slope or under the eaves of a house.
Plant labels will often indicate the amount of moisture needed using these visual symbols:
3 drops—constantly moist, perhaps even a marginal or stream side plant,
2 drops—moist but not overly wet
1 drop—a dryish location.
The term “well-drained” is used quite frequently in moisture requirement descriptions. This means that water will drain through the soil at a moderate rate without puddling. Soils that drain quickly are dry: sand or gravel. Soils that puddle are wet—usually clay.
A plant will indicate lack of water by wilting, and eventually dying, but it may also exhibit symptoms of nutrient deficiency as it is unable to take up sufficient nutrients such as calcium. The roots of a plant in too wet a location will rot and cause symptoms similar to those caused by too dry conditions.
Soil
Plants often express a preference for a soil type. Soil type indicates its ability to hold water, air, nutrients, or even pH. A few simple observations will tell you if you have clay, sand, or something between. It is harder to determine fertility, but that can always be improved by the addition of compost. Plants may be heavy feeders requiring rich fertile soils, other plants like leaner soils. Some grow well in clay, others in sand. Finding out a plant’s soil preference may require some research in books or on the internet or by asking an experienced gardener.
pH
The pH describes the acidity or alkalinity of soil. On the pH scale 7 is neutral. Most plants are happy with a pH of 5.5 to 7 on the acid side of neutral. Acid (sour) loving plants like a pH lower than 5.5. Examples include rhododendrons and blueberries. Alkaline (sweet) loving plants like a pH higher than 7. Examples include clematis and dianthus. In most of Ottawa, acid loving plants do not tend to do well, and the soil needs regular amendments to grow them.
Climate
This is usually indicated on the plant label by zone. Now things can be confusing as there are zones as defined by the US and zones as defined by Canada. Unfortunately, labels do not always specify which system is in use. The USDA zone gives an indication of the minimum winter temperature a plant can withstand or the hardiness of a plant. In Ottawa zone 4 (-34°C) and below is usually very safe. The city is classed as zone 5 (-29°C). Canadian zones include minimum temperature, frost free days and rainfall, and other variables. Ottawa is zone 5b. Rural areas outside Ottawa centre to the west, east and north are 4b or 4a.
There are some plants that can survive our winters but prefer cooler less humid summers. Reading a label carefully may give you a clue, but not always.
Other factors that can affect hardiness are:
Exposure to winds—windy sites decrease the hardiness and increase the need for water.
Frost pockets—areas usually at the bottom of a slope that trap cold air decrease hardiness.
Sheltered sites, which trap warmth, can increase hardiness. Plants at the limit of their hardiness may survive longer in a sheltered place.
Places where snow accumulates may provide added winter protection, improving hardiness.
Places near walls may be hot and dry.
Surrounding plants
Is the plant compatible with the plants that will surround it? Some plants do not like to grow in proximity to each other. A classic example is the walnut tree which exudes juglone to discourage other plants from growing around it. Other plants can compete for the same resources or attract the wrong kind of insects or fungi. Another classic example is White Pine Blister Rust which needs both pine trees and members of the Ribes family (currants, raspberries, gooseberries…) to complete its life cycle.
Do the surrounding plants like similar growing conditions?
Is it competing for resources? Plants with roots that occupy different depths can be planted more densely i.e. a plant with a deep root is taking water and nutrients from lower in the soil than with a plant with a shallow root.
Root disturbance—every time you plant around trees or shrubs the roots are disturbed, so choose an underplanting that can be left in place for many years or one with shallow roots that requires little digging.
Will the plant be overshadowed by its neighbours? Is the plant of equal vigour? A more delicate plant is easily swamped by a more vigorous neighbour.
Will the plant look good with the other plants throughout the year? Consider the plant form, leaf colour and shape, flowers, seed heads, fruit, bark colour and pattern.
Wildlife
Deer, rabbits, mice, voles, chipmunks, squirrels, and other creatures will eat plants including bulbs. Choosing plants that are repellant to your pests will cut down on their predations and increase plant survival. A hungry animal, though, will eat anything. Some plant labels will indicate if a plant is resistant to an animal.
Pollution
Salt—Locations near roads or paths may by polluted by salt. Choose plants that are salt tolerant.
Air Pollution—because of population density city air is often more polluted than rural areas. Some plants tolerate this better than others.
Soil—may be polluted in industrial or former industrial areas or around older houses where lead paint was once used, making growing food inadvisable.
Water pollution—can affect plant growth.
This is a lot to consider. Observe the place and make note of the existing conditions. When shopping for plants, we must rely on plant labels, or on descriptions on seed packets or in catalogues which are often incomplete. Fortunately, there are many books and websites that will supply more information about a plant. Do some research first before shopping. Many garden centres will have at least one horticulturist on staff to help.
The plant will let you know if it is in the wrong place; it will not thrive and may even die. I like to give plants a year after planting—if it is not doing well after that I try moving it. Sometimes ½ a metre is just enough to change conditions: more light, a moister spot, a better drainage, and so on. Plants in the right spot require less coddling, less cutting back, do not pose a danger to buildings or people, are healthier and more resistant to diseases and insects.
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