It’s Monday as I write this and, my goodness, I am sore from head to toe. This past weekend was a classic full-court fall cleanup, with wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes and the rototiller running from morning to night.
It felt good to go to bed Sunday night after accomplishing much of our To-Do list, but a few items remained. We still have about half of our 30 yards of compost waiting to be spread, a few shrubs yet to plant, and we still have hundreds of spring-blooming bulbs waiting to go into the ground.
I’m not panicking, not yet anyway. In southern Maine, where the soil is showing no sign of freezing anytime soon, I’m guessing that I’ll be able to plant bulbs until early to mid December. In northern areas, you may be in more of a rush, but chances are you still have time left, too.
Bulbs are gardening’s slam dunk. Stick them in the ground, ideally at least twice as deep as the bulbs’ diameter, and you’ll almost certainly be rewarded with a blossom next spring. Deer, squirrels, chipmunks and skunks are usually the only things that keep bulbs from blooming. If critters have historically been a problem, you can either spray the bulbs with a deer and squirrel deterrent available at your local garden center, or plant the bulbs under a layer of wire mesh. You can also plant daffodils in close proximity to the bulbs and they will act as nature’s own deterrent, since nothing — not even a hungry deer — will eat a daffodil bulb or blossom.
This is also a good time to prepare bulbs for indoor bloom in February and March. In the technique known as “forcing,” you can trick bulbs into thinking it’s spring several weeks ahead of time.
Here are the steps:
1) Pot the bulbs in a container with a drainage hole and fill it about halfway with potting soil. At least a couple of inches of soil below most bulbs would be ideal;
2) add some bone meal as fertilizer;
3) check the position; bulbs can be tightly packed, but shouldn’t be touching;
4) add water, enough to moisten all of the potting soil;
5) place the container in a cool, dark spot such as a protected porch, garage, unheated basement or the refrigerator shelf;
6) check the container regularly for about three months;
7) when shoots begin to emerge a couple of inches high, move the container into the full light and warmth and you should get blossoms within two to three weeks.
Plan ahead. If you start now, you can have blooming tulips by March, just about the time the flower shows are in full gear. You’ll have a flower show of your own on your kitchen table.
Paul Tukey - November 8, 2005.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Healthy Soil
Thanks to all of you who responded to last week’s Tip of the Week with comments and questions. It’s nice to know you’re reading! Some of you asked about the bulk compost deliveries, and others asked when my book will come out. So, yes, Winterwood Farms will deliver bulk compost to your home, too. And, I don’t know exactly when the lawn book will be out on the street, but right now the goal is October or November of 2006. That’s if I get the book written by Feb. 1 . . . and that’s not all that far away.
It was also interesting to me that some of you questioned why I’d be traveling to South Carolina to research gardening information. How could our Northeast readers possibly benefit, you asked?
I always think of a classic George Harrison line from a Beatles song when someone asks a question like that. In the “Inner Light,” he wrote, “The farther one travels, the less one knows.” Every time I travel, or Dr. Rick travels for that matter, we inevitably learn things that we can bring back home for the benefit of our readers.
I was in South Carolina to learn about Southern or “warm-season” turfgrass varieties, since that’s not my area of expertise in the book. Granted, most of what I learned isn’t applicable up here — since Bermudagrass, centipedegrass and bahiagrass won’t make it north of North Carolina — but I found it amazing how soil dynamics are fairly universal. For at least 50 years or so, most of us really have had it somewhat wrong in the way we have gardened and cared for our lawns. We look at things like NPK — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — when we really should be examining soil bacteria, protozoa, fungi, mycorrhize, enzymes and endophytes.
It’s too bad, really, that the microscopic components of healthy soil have such seemingly complicated names that remind us of a high school biology test gone wrong. The chemical industry has fed us simplicity and we have devoured the meal, to the tune of more than 80 million pounds of pesticides on home lawns each year.
So what’s the tip of this week after all this? Begin this fall by learning about your soil and what will make it healthy. Go on-line to find information. Go on your email and ask questions. Visit organicare.com, sustainablegrowth.com or soilfoodweb.com, three sites that celebrate the work of Dr. Elaine Ingham, who has proven beyond doubt that natural gardening provides a better solution for the planet.
In my travels, recently, I was able to look at soil under a microscope, just as Dr. Ingham has done for the past several years at Oregon State University. In lay terms, organic soil is alive! Microscopic organisms are crawling everywhere. Under that same microscope, chemically treated soil often appears as if it’s on life support, with little activity.
I came away thinking about soil the same way I think about my own body, as if it’s a balance between red blood cells and white blood cells. Too many white blood cells and we’re in trouble. Too much bad stuff in the soil and it can’t sustain other life.
This fall, look around your garage and assess your chemical usage as it relates to gardening. Either use up what you have left or take it to a dumping station for toxic chemicals and be done with it. Order yourself a load of compost — the more local the better — or bring in some manure from a local farmer.
Vow to make some changes in your own yard and you’ll be doing your part to help the world. Get educated and you can make a difference.
Here’s how Dr. Ingham recently made a difference. You probably never read about this anywhere, and yet this story has the most profound of implications.
Presenting at the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification in New Zealand, Dr. Ingham told the story of a genetically modified bacterium called Klebsiella planticola, which had passed many governmental assessment processes and was nearing final approval for introduction into the marketplace. Proponents of this genetically modified organism said it had the potential to replace fossil fuel as an energy source because it could aid in the production of a cheaper alcohol alternative. As the bacterium processes dead plants, it causes the alcohol to be released.
No one talked about any side effects, however. Byproducts from the residue of the dead plants, which still contained the genetically modified bacterium, would be used as organic fertilizer on crops.
That all seemed great . . . except that no one tested this fertilizer on LIVING plants.
That’s where Dr. Ingham came in. Her research team found that the bacterium, in the presence of live plants, produced a lethal dose of alcohol — five times more than any plant could handle. Within seven days, the plants exposed to the bacterium died and turned to rotten, slimy residue. If this bacterium had been released in a wide geographic area, it would have wiped out life as we know it.
Imagine if this product had been released to the world at large. Know that it almost was.
As a backyard gardener, it is difficult for us to understand all of this and most of us won’t even try. It is easy, however, to garden safely and organically. If we all do, then companies may eventually stop trying to find us better chemicals and genetically modified super products that have untold consequences.
As the soil food web tells us, everything is connected. The smallest of bacteria to the largest of animals. The burning of fossil fuels and the changing of weather patterns. A negative action causes another negative action we might not even consider.
Paul Tukey - November 1, 2005.
It was also interesting to me that some of you questioned why I’d be traveling to South Carolina to research gardening information. How could our Northeast readers possibly benefit, you asked?
I always think of a classic George Harrison line from a Beatles song when someone asks a question like that. In the “Inner Light,” he wrote, “The farther one travels, the less one knows.” Every time I travel, or Dr. Rick travels for that matter, we inevitably learn things that we can bring back home for the benefit of our readers.
I was in South Carolina to learn about Southern or “warm-season” turfgrass varieties, since that’s not my area of expertise in the book. Granted, most of what I learned isn’t applicable up here — since Bermudagrass, centipedegrass and bahiagrass won’t make it north of North Carolina — but I found it amazing how soil dynamics are fairly universal. For at least 50 years or so, most of us really have had it somewhat wrong in the way we have gardened and cared for our lawns. We look at things like NPK — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — when we really should be examining soil bacteria, protozoa, fungi, mycorrhize, enzymes and endophytes.
It’s too bad, really, that the microscopic components of healthy soil have such seemingly complicated names that remind us of a high school biology test gone wrong. The chemical industry has fed us simplicity and we have devoured the meal, to the tune of more than 80 million pounds of pesticides on home lawns each year.
So what’s the tip of this week after all this? Begin this fall by learning about your soil and what will make it healthy. Go on-line to find information. Go on your email and ask questions. Visit organicare.com, sustainablegrowth.com or soilfoodweb.com, three sites that celebrate the work of Dr. Elaine Ingham, who has proven beyond doubt that natural gardening provides a better solution for the planet.
In my travels, recently, I was able to look at soil under a microscope, just as Dr. Ingham has done for the past several years at Oregon State University. In lay terms, organic soil is alive! Microscopic organisms are crawling everywhere. Under that same microscope, chemically treated soil often appears as if it’s on life support, with little activity.
I came away thinking about soil the same way I think about my own body, as if it’s a balance between red blood cells and white blood cells. Too many white blood cells and we’re in trouble. Too much bad stuff in the soil and it can’t sustain other life.
This fall, look around your garage and assess your chemical usage as it relates to gardening. Either use up what you have left or take it to a dumping station for toxic chemicals and be done with it. Order yourself a load of compost — the more local the better — or bring in some manure from a local farmer.
Vow to make some changes in your own yard and you’ll be doing your part to help the world. Get educated and you can make a difference.
Here’s how Dr. Ingham recently made a difference. You probably never read about this anywhere, and yet this story has the most profound of implications.
Presenting at the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification in New Zealand, Dr. Ingham told the story of a genetically modified bacterium called Klebsiella planticola, which had passed many governmental assessment processes and was nearing final approval for introduction into the marketplace. Proponents of this genetically modified organism said it had the potential to replace fossil fuel as an energy source because it could aid in the production of a cheaper alcohol alternative. As the bacterium processes dead plants, it causes the alcohol to be released.
No one talked about any side effects, however. Byproducts from the residue of the dead plants, which still contained the genetically modified bacterium, would be used as organic fertilizer on crops.
That all seemed great . . . except that no one tested this fertilizer on LIVING plants.
That’s where Dr. Ingham came in. Her research team found that the bacterium, in the presence of live plants, produced a lethal dose of alcohol — five times more than any plant could handle. Within seven days, the plants exposed to the bacterium died and turned to rotten, slimy residue. If this bacterium had been released in a wide geographic area, it would have wiped out life as we know it.
Imagine if this product had been released to the world at large. Know that it almost was.
As a backyard gardener, it is difficult for us to understand all of this and most of us won’t even try. It is easy, however, to garden safely and organically. If we all do, then companies may eventually stop trying to find us better chemicals and genetically modified super products that have untold consequences.
As the soil food web tells us, everything is connected. The smallest of bacteria to the largest of animals. The burning of fossil fuels and the changing of weather patterns. A negative action causes another negative action we might not even consider.
Paul Tukey - November 1, 2005.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
From Warmth to Frost
I had the opportunity to travel to South Carolina this past weekend to observe some southern lawns. The trip was part of a nationwide research project I'm conducting as background information for a book I'm writing on organic lawn care.
I'm happy to report that organic gardening techniques work every bit as well in the South as they do up here in the Northeast . . . and I must admit I enjoyed the warmer weather, a range of daytime temperatures from 64 to 88.
When I returned home Monday the change in my garden was startling. The season's first frost finally hit southern Maine on Oct. 20, making this the latest frost date in history for this area.
Annual flowers and vegetables that normally would have been pulled out of the ground a few weeks ago were able to persist, but now the yard is covered in blackened foliage. The compost pile will fill up in a hurry this week.
As I sit down to create my to-do list for the month ahead, I figured I'd share it with all of you.
1) I'll rake up the leaves of all my healthy roses and shrubs and add them to the compost pile — but if you have any diseased plants such as peonies with botrytis blight (black areas at the time of blossom), or roses with blackspot, or hollyhocks with rust, don't add these to the compost pile. Take them to a far corner of the property or dispose of them in the trash instead.
2) I'll mow the lawn lower, about two and a half inches, in preparation for the final mowing of the year at about two inches.
3) I'll rake leaves from the lawn as they fall and shread them with my mower before adding them to the compost pile. Shredded leaves also make good mulch.
4) I'll inspect all my trees and shrubs for fall tent caterpillars and remove any of the webs. You can often simply prune out affected areas without damaging the plant overall.
5) I'll harvest the remainder of the apples and pears. One note, though: Be sure not to store apples or pears with vegetables. The fruits give off ethylene gas, which will cause the vegetables to taste funny and quickly spoil.
6) I'll continue to harvest and eat my strawberries. Yes, the everbearing 'Tristar' berries that I planted last spring are still blossoming and providing a daily handful of berries even as we approach November.
7) I'll bring in hoses that can freeze and crack and I'll begin to winterize and clean summer gardening tools.
8) Plants are at their lowest prices of the year now at garden centers, especially trees and shrubs. I'll be looking for deals. My trees and shrubs went in the ground last year on Nov. 15 and they all made it through their first winter just fine.
9) I'll be spreading the bulk load of compost I had delivered from Winterwood Farm here in Maine. Since my gardens are new, I'm using compost as my primary mulch this winter. It will build up the soil for future seasons.
10) Birds are eating feverishly in preparation for winter. I'll stock up on seed and put out a few more feeders in my front windows.
Paul Tukey - October 25, 2005.
I'm happy to report that organic gardening techniques work every bit as well in the South as they do up here in the Northeast . . . and I must admit I enjoyed the warmer weather, a range of daytime temperatures from 64 to 88.
When I returned home Monday the change in my garden was startling. The season's first frost finally hit southern Maine on Oct. 20, making this the latest frost date in history for this area.
Annual flowers and vegetables that normally would have been pulled out of the ground a few weeks ago were able to persist, but now the yard is covered in blackened foliage. The compost pile will fill up in a hurry this week.
As I sit down to create my to-do list for the month ahead, I figured I'd share it with all of you.
1) I'll rake up the leaves of all my healthy roses and shrubs and add them to the compost pile — but if you have any diseased plants such as peonies with botrytis blight (black areas at the time of blossom), or roses with blackspot, or hollyhocks with rust, don't add these to the compost pile. Take them to a far corner of the property or dispose of them in the trash instead.
2) I'll mow the lawn lower, about two and a half inches, in preparation for the final mowing of the year at about two inches.
3) I'll rake leaves from the lawn as they fall and shread them with my mower before adding them to the compost pile. Shredded leaves also make good mulch.
4) I'll inspect all my trees and shrubs for fall tent caterpillars and remove any of the webs. You can often simply prune out affected areas without damaging the plant overall.
5) I'll harvest the remainder of the apples and pears. One note, though: Be sure not to store apples or pears with vegetables. The fruits give off ethylene gas, which will cause the vegetables to taste funny and quickly spoil.
6) I'll continue to harvest and eat my strawberries. Yes, the everbearing 'Tristar' berries that I planted last spring are still blossoming and providing a daily handful of berries even as we approach November.
7) I'll bring in hoses that can freeze and crack and I'll begin to winterize and clean summer gardening tools.
8) Plants are at their lowest prices of the year now at garden centers, especially trees and shrubs. I'll be looking for deals. My trees and shrubs went in the ground last year on Nov. 15 and they all made it through their first winter just fine.
9) I'll be spreading the bulk load of compost I had delivered from Winterwood Farm here in Maine. Since my gardens are new, I'm using compost as my primary mulch this winter. It will build up the soil for future seasons.
10) Birds are eating feverishly in preparation for winter. I'll stock up on seed and put out a few more feeders in my front windows.
Paul Tukey - October 25, 2005.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Vermont's Mr. Gardeningrom
For this week’s pointer, I have a name for you: Dr. Leonard Perry. Our November edition of the magazine just went to the printer last Friday with a full-length feature story about Vermont’s Mr. Gardening, so I wanted to take this week to give you a primer.
He’s a Cooperative Extension agent, a researcher, teacher, television and radio host, garden train aficionado and still finds time to put together one of the most useful web sites for Northeast gardeners. He’s also an incredibly nice guy who sincerely feels as if he has the best job on the planet.
Several members of our staff are heading off to a trade show in Providence this week and I’ll be in Connecticut after that to research the latest techniques on organic lawn care. I’ll report back next week with a far more in depth pointer, but until then spend some time with Perry’s Perennial Pages. I guarantee you’ll laugh and learn.
One other note: Our Massachusetts editor, Laura Eisener, will give a talk on perennial gardens this Tuesday, Oct. 18. Here are the details:
Location:
Unitarian Universalist Church
309 Washington Street (rear of bldg.)
Junction of Rts. 9 & 16
Wellesley Hills , MA
Sponsor: Gardeners and Florists Club of Boston
Time(s): 7:00 PM
Cost: Free admission
Phone: 508-881-8751
I will be giving a general talk about organic gardening and horticulture in general this Thursday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 to the American Association of University Women. The talk will be on held in Brunswick, Maine. Email Marlise Swartz for directions if you’d like to attend.
Paul Tukey - October 18, 2005.
He’s a Cooperative Extension agent, a researcher, teacher, television and radio host, garden train aficionado and still finds time to put together one of the most useful web sites for Northeast gardeners. He’s also an incredibly nice guy who sincerely feels as if he has the best job on the planet.
Several members of our staff are heading off to a trade show in Providence this week and I’ll be in Connecticut after that to research the latest techniques on organic lawn care. I’ll report back next week with a far more in depth pointer, but until then spend some time with Perry’s Perennial Pages. I guarantee you’ll laugh and learn.
One other note: Our Massachusetts editor, Laura Eisener, will give a talk on perennial gardens this Tuesday, Oct. 18. Here are the details:
Location:
Unitarian Universalist Church
309 Washington Street (rear of bldg.)
Junction of Rts. 9 & 16
Wellesley Hills , MA
Sponsor: Gardeners and Florists Club of Boston
Time(s): 7:00 PM
Cost: Free admission
Phone: 508-881-8751
I will be giving a general talk about organic gardening and horticulture in general this Thursday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 to the American Association of University Women. The talk will be on held in Brunswick, Maine. Email Marlise Swartz for directions if you’d like to attend.
Paul Tukey - October 18, 2005.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
To Mulch or Not To Mulch...
What a fall. We’re more than a quarter of the way through October and we still have not had a frost in many areas of northern New England. Dr. Rick reported only one frost so far at his home at the base of Sunday River in the mountains of Newry, Maine. The warmth isn’t doing much for the intensity of foliage color this year, but it’s a rare treat to be able to enjoy the fresh vegetables and other annuals this long into autumn.
Winter is coming, though, and with it come the questions about fall cleanup and winter mulch. I’m from the school that a) it’s best to clean up and cut back everything in the fall (except your roses; see last week’s tip), and b) I’m not a big fan of running around and mulching everything. If you have a lot of first-year plantings like I do, however, it is necessary to mulch them in the late fall when the ground freezes solidly. Once plants are established for a full season, I prefer to let them fend for themselves in winter just like plants do in nature.
The biggest reason to clean up leaves, twigs, grass clippings etc. in the autumn is that every minute is precious in the spring and you won’t want to waste your time with a rake in your hands. Besides, all those materials will be great additions to the compost pile, which will have a head start on the breakdown process if you gather them now. Be wary of any diseased leaves, but otherwise you can add just about anything to the compost pile. The rule of thumb is: if it used to be living in plant or animal form, it is fair game as compost.
As for mulch materials, my favorite is that compost itself. Because I’m starting a new garden at my new home, I’m having a 45-yard bulk load of compost delivered this fall from Winterwood Farm. This follows the 30-yard load we brought in last fall. I’ll have another load delivered next fall, and the one after that.
The soil here is all marine clay. In areas where we amended with compost last fall, plants did fairly well this year. In other areas, plants simply languished. Adding all the compost we can afford will be part of our regimen for years to come.
If you have good soil already, any number of mulching materials will work, and you’ll find many of them around your home.
Grass clippings — These are ideal provided they don’t contain too many weed seeds and you haven’t applied any synthetic herbicides on your lawn. These toxic chemicals linger on the plants and in the soil and will negatively impact your plants if you use them as mulch.
Hay — In areas where weeds are a problem, or weeding is necessary, it’s best to avoid using hay as mulch. Hay generally contains millions of weed seeds of its own. Straw is a better material, but you might need a second mortgage to buy a few bales at your local garden center or farm store.
Corn stalks — If you have access to a spent cornfield, gather all the stalks you can. Use a few for decorations and chop up the remainder as mulch. Corn is full of nutrients and ideal to suppress weeds.
Leaves — Any foliage will work as mulch; leaves are, after all, nature’s own mulch. It’s best to shred leaves, however. Whole leaves can create a “shingling” effect when they’re wet and packed down. That means they’ll keep out air and moisture and smother the plants below.
Pine needles — For some reason, gardeners have been scared off from pine needles by the myth that they’ll make the soil acidic. It’s simply not true. Because they breathe naturally, allowing water and air down through, will protecting plants and soil, pine needles are ideal. Gather all you can.
Living mulches — Otherwise known as cover crops or green manures, living mulches work best on vegetable gardens that are replanted or tilled anew each spring. Clover is my favorite cover crop, but barley, annual rye and many others work well, too. These materials add nutrients back into the soil when they’re tilled in; as they grow, they keep weeds at bay and help stop any soil erosion. Here is a great web site that explains cover cropping in detail: www.attra.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html.
Paul Tukey - October 11, 2005.
Winter is coming, though, and with it come the questions about fall cleanup and winter mulch. I’m from the school that a) it’s best to clean up and cut back everything in the fall (except your roses; see last week’s tip), and b) I’m not a big fan of running around and mulching everything. If you have a lot of first-year plantings like I do, however, it is necessary to mulch them in the late fall when the ground freezes solidly. Once plants are established for a full season, I prefer to let them fend for themselves in winter just like plants do in nature.
The biggest reason to clean up leaves, twigs, grass clippings etc. in the autumn is that every minute is precious in the spring and you won’t want to waste your time with a rake in your hands. Besides, all those materials will be great additions to the compost pile, which will have a head start on the breakdown process if you gather them now. Be wary of any diseased leaves, but otherwise you can add just about anything to the compost pile. The rule of thumb is: if it used to be living in plant or animal form, it is fair game as compost.
As for mulch materials, my favorite is that compost itself. Because I’m starting a new garden at my new home, I’m having a 45-yard bulk load of compost delivered this fall from Winterwood Farm. This follows the 30-yard load we brought in last fall. I’ll have another load delivered next fall, and the one after that.
The soil here is all marine clay. In areas where we amended with compost last fall, plants did fairly well this year. In other areas, plants simply languished. Adding all the compost we can afford will be part of our regimen for years to come.
If you have good soil already, any number of mulching materials will work, and you’ll find many of them around your home.
Grass clippings — These are ideal provided they don’t contain too many weed seeds and you haven’t applied any synthetic herbicides on your lawn. These toxic chemicals linger on the plants and in the soil and will negatively impact your plants if you use them as mulch.
Hay — In areas where weeds are a problem, or weeding is necessary, it’s best to avoid using hay as mulch. Hay generally contains millions of weed seeds of its own. Straw is a better material, but you might need a second mortgage to buy a few bales at your local garden center or farm store.
Corn stalks — If you have access to a spent cornfield, gather all the stalks you can. Use a few for decorations and chop up the remainder as mulch. Corn is full of nutrients and ideal to suppress weeds.
Leaves — Any foliage will work as mulch; leaves are, after all, nature’s own mulch. It’s best to shred leaves, however. Whole leaves can create a “shingling” effect when they’re wet and packed down. That means they’ll keep out air and moisture and smother the plants below.
Pine needles — For some reason, gardeners have been scared off from pine needles by the myth that they’ll make the soil acidic. It’s simply not true. Because they breathe naturally, allowing water and air down through, will protecting plants and soil, pine needles are ideal. Gather all you can.
Living mulches — Otherwise known as cover crops or green manures, living mulches work best on vegetable gardens that are replanted or tilled anew each spring. Clover is my favorite cover crop, but barley, annual rye and many others work well, too. These materials add nutrients back into the soil when they’re tilled in; as they grow, they keep weeds at bay and help stop any soil erosion. Here is a great web site that explains cover cropping in detail: www.attra.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html.
Paul Tukey - October 11, 2005.
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