Jackie Sledge
Big Country Master Gardener Association
I am so excited to see some progress in getting my landscape cleaned up and replanted, and I hope you have taken advantage of the great weather to do some of that in your yard too. I previously provided A through L spring tasks and tips, so now I want to add more tasks and tips to finish up our trip through the alphabet.
This week I’m providing the following M though Z information:
- Mulch. Mulch insulates the soil from temperature extremes, and it minimizes erosion, moisture loss, and weed growth. Materials that can be used as mulch include shredded bark, wood chips, cocoa or walnut shells, hay, straw, chopped leaves, or shredded paper. Do not use mulch that mats down or cakes together because it will prevent water, air, and nutrients from getting through to the soil. Mulch should be a minimum of at least 2 to 3 inches deep or up to 4 to 6 inches if you are dealing with erosion, weeds, or over-wintering plants. Do NOT pile mulch too close to trunks or stems because that can smother plants, promote rot, and attract pests. Remember – mulch should be a donut with space around the plant and not a volcano piled up around the trunk or stem.
- Native Plants. Native plants are ones that grow well in the same habitat in which they originated, and they can be native to a continent, state, or region. Be selective when choosing a native plant so you are sure it is “native” to your area. Also consider the plant’s growing requirements before adding it to your landscape to ensure the plant will be successful and you are happy with the appearance of the bed.
- Organic Gardening. It is important to know your soil, so you can get a soil test bag and information sheet from the County Extension Office to get the advice you need to make and keep your soil healthy. The keys to organic gardening are compost, compost, compost and mulch, mulch, mulch. Use companion planting to encourage growth of other plants as well as repel or attract insects. It is a lot of work, but you will need to hand pick, hoe, or smother weeds with mulch instead of using pesticides. With a little research, you can select plants that are more resistant to pests and diseases as well as more tolerant of the growing conditions in your landscape.
- Perennials. I want to start out by saying that I love perennials. These are herbaceous plants with soft, non-woody stems, and they live for more than one season. Even though the top growth may die back during the winter, the roots survive and send up new growth in the spring. Be sure to have a plan and plant perennials to show their flowers and foliage to the best advantage. It is important to provide proper care and maintenance since they will live from a few years up to decades.
- Quince. Flowering quince is a wonderful addition to the landscape since it is one of the first shrubs to bloom in the spring – even before the leaves bud out. This plant can be shaped into a tree by pruning to allow only one stem to grow from ground level so it becomes the trunk as it grows. To grow flowering quince as a bush, let all the stems grow freely. Feed them with compost and mulch around them, being careful to keep the mulch away from the stem or trunk.
- Repotting. Plants can be repotted at any time, but the best time is before growth begins in the spring. You know it’s time to repot if new stems or leaves grow slowly, if the soil dries out very quickly, if water doesn’t go through the soil easily, or if roots are coming out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. Move the plant into a pot slightly larger in diameter than the current pot. Remove the plant carefully from the original pot, and carefully free the roots from packed soil or separate them if they are circling. Put some soil in the bottom of the new pot and put the plant in the new pot at the same height as in the original pot. Add soil, using your fingers to firm the soil around the plant. Water the plant and put it in the shade for about a week before moving it back to its original spot. The plant should start growing again in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Stones. Stones have many uses in the landscape. They can be used as eye-catching ornaments because of their unique size, shape, or color when put among plants. Fieldstones make an attractive and effective edging around beds to mark the transition from the lawn and to keep mulch off the grass. Large stones can be used as sitting benches, and flat stones can be used for walkways or places to stand when watering, hoeing, or planting.
- Trees. One source I read said there are over 20,000 kinds of trees, and you need to select a tree from all of those with the size, shape, color, and growth habit that is right for your landscape. Things to consider: Do you want shade in the summer, color in the fall, a windbreak, an easy-care foundation planting, a tall tree, a shorter tree, an evergreen, etc.? Make sure you consider the tree’s needs for light, soil, and moisture as well as its tolerance of cold, heat, wind, pests, and diseases. A tree is an expensive, long-term addition to the landscape, so research and plans are important when purchasing a tree and seeking to plant it in the right location.
- Unusual Plants. There are so many plants with unusual colors of foliage or flowers. They can be wonderful additions to the landscape as long as they are used as accent plants to enhance the garden and not planted as the entire bed. You can find flowers in all colors, and you need to do your research and find what plant will add that unique pop of color in your garden.
- Vegetable Gardens. There are many things to think about when planning a vegetable garden. Consider the location of your garden, size of the garden, easy access to the plants, and water source. Vegetables can be planted in rows in a garden or in a bed, even in flower beds. You can also put flowers in the vegetable garden. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight, about an inch of water per week, and weekly weeding to encourage plant growth and production. It’s important to plant only vegetables you and your family like and will use, or you can give excess produce to neighbors or food banks.
- Water. Water deeply but infrequently to get moisture down to the plant root zone to encourage deeper roots that need less water. The exception to this is to water young plants lightly and more often because their roots are shallow. Water in the morning when there is less evaporation because the temperature is cooler. Plants need time to dry before nighttime and to lessen foliage diseases. Some plants will wilt under intense sun but may not need watering. When you see wilting, wait until the next morning to water if the plants are still drooping. There are many types of water hoses, soaker hoses, wands, sprayers, and irrigation systems to fit almost every watering need.
- Xeriscaping. A xeriscape garden thrives on normal rainfall so there is a saving of both time and money. Xeriscape gardens don’t have to be just cacti and rocks, but they can be beautiful and lush all year by selecting plants with low water needs and maintenance requirements, especially native plants. Perennials that are good choices include African Iris, Autumn Sage, Lantana, Rosemary, and Verbena.
- Yucca. This is a tough and resilient plant that can survive drought, heat, cold, and poor soil. When temperatures are high, you may need to give them a little water to keep them thriving.
- Zinnias. Zinnias are easy annuals that can be grown from seeds or purchased as plants ready to go in your garden. There are many varieties of zinnias ranging from small to tall. Small varieties should be planted 6 inches apart and grow to 6 inches in height; medium ones should be planted 10 inches apart and grow between 15 and 24 inches in height; and tall ones should be planted 18 inches apart and grow to over 3 feet in height. Look closely at the variety you purchase to be sure you get the size that you want in your landscape.
Well, we have now gone through the A through Z lists of tasks and tips for your landscape. There are many others that could have been included, but these give you a start on the things to consider for your landscape this year.
BCMGA offers several education programs each month. There is a program at 6:00 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday of the month at the South Library Branch in the Mall of Abilene, and the same program is offered again at 10:00 a.m. on the 2nd Friday of the month at the Downtown Library. There is a Saturday Seminar on the last Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at the Taylor County Extension Office Conference Room. Watch the BCMGA website and Facebook page for the topics and dates of these monthly programs.
If you have any questions, call the Taylor County Extension Office at 325-672-6048 or email us at mgardeners@yahoo.com. We hope you visit bcmgtx.org for information on all Big Country Master Gardener events, like us on BCMGA Facebook, and check out training presentations on BCMGA YouTube. We are here to help you.
