Notes from Helen's Container Vegetable Garden

In the Spring, we dug into container plantings (no pun intended!), and I wrote that I wanted to plant a container vegetable garden on my sunny deck.  Pots, containers, and my daughter’s small raised bed were filled with potting soil, planted with seeds and started plants, fitted with small trellises and  tomato cages, and we were ready to grow!  We have already enjoyed baby Salad bowl lettuce and Sungold cherry tomatoes, as well as herbs from our pizza garden:  oregano, basil, thyme, and flat leaf parsley.  So nice to walk out my kitchen door and pick fresh from the garden for salads and cooking.

The container veggie garden comes into its own. producing tasty lettue, tomatoes, peas and beans, with more veggies to come.

Ease of access for a container vegetable garden is important, as they require additional water and water-soluble fertilizer.  I am fertilizing my plants every 7-14 days now with Jack’s All Purpose Water Soluble Fertilizer (20-20-20), and watering almost daily during this dry spell. Terra cotta water spikes with plastic bottles help keep the soil damp.  Rain from my roof collected in a rain barrel eases the burden on my well.

My rain barrel is a converted compost tea container. Collecting rainwater eases the pressure on my well during this year’s dry, hot summer.

A container vegetable garden can be large or small, depending on your space.  One packet of seeds was more than sufficient for each container. All pots must have holes in the bottom for drainage to prevent root rot.  Some vegetables require fencing or supports, like peas, beans, and cucumbers, so trellises and a deck railing provide support.  The yield will be smaller as plants were thinned to one to three per very large pot.  Tomato plants were one plant per pot.    Seeds were planted in all-purpose planting soil.  A raised deck will keep unwanted animal thieves from your garden, but a patio container vegetable garden will need fencing or critter deterrent spray to keep deer, woodchucks, bears, and others from damaging your harvest.  I use Plantskydd animal deterrent, which is effective for all vegetables and ornamental plants, however, it is quite smelly.   

Cukes and Green Beans will utilize the deck railing as they grow.

The garden was an experiment for me as past vegetable gardens had been in-ground with fencing.  I don’t have to worry about animals or weeds in my container garden; however, the yield will be smaller.  The ease of care so far is wonderful; however, the success of the squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers, which need space to climb and spread, may take more space on the deck than  planned. To me, this is part of the charm of gardening!

This week we harvested peas, string beans and tomatoes. Cucumbers grow larger every day and will soon be ready for harvest. Our pizza continer garden contiues to provide delicious fresh herbs for my husband’s homemade pizzas. As summer progresses we savor the fresh flavors of our container grown veggies.

Mid-July: the container garden is already producing string beans, peas and tomatoes. Cucumbers and summer squash are ripening now. along with Mortgage Lifter heirloom tomatoes, Were looking forward to autumn, when the Jack be Nimble mini pumpkins will be ripe.

Why it is essential to prune apple and crab apple trees.

Prune apple trees every Spring for their good health and longevity.

Pruning apple and crab apple trees each Spring is essential to ensure a healthy, long lived tree.  Left unpruned, these beautiful trees quickly sprout sucker branches and lose their shape.  

We want to limit up-rights (slender branches growing perpendicular from a main limb) to encourage strong, healthy limbs.   Eliminating or reducing crossing limbs helps minimize damage from wind and severe weather. It promotes good air circulation among leaves and branches, essential for a healthy tree.  Dead wood is cut out. Dead, rotting limbs can harbor disease and harmful insects.  Last but not least, pruning creates or will help maintain a uniform, aesthetically pleasing shape.

Pruning an upright.

With both apples and crab apples, new growth is encouraged to spread outward, not upward. Even the smallest of apple and crabs need to be pruned early to ensure they grow in a strong and not crowded shape.  If you have an older apple or crab, only prune about twenty-five percent of the tree so as not to harm these iconic trees that are such a treasured part of our Upper Valley landscape.

Pruning should take place early March to about mid-April, before the trees come out of dormancy.

Gardening Calendar, Closing Out the Growing Season and Preparing for Next Spring

Autumn brings a unique set of critically important garden chores. Perfroming them now through November will give your flower and vegetable gardens a healthy start next Spring.

When a bluebird sky sets autumn foliage aglow it can be a tough choice between working in the garden and wandering along a country road enjoying the scenery and the delightful weather. Why not do a little of both?

There’s still plenty to do in the garden, but be sure to get outdoors and enjoy Fall foliage, too!

September - Act VI:  “ Harvesting & Dress Rehearsal for the Final Act”

Dividing Perennials: Prepare new gardens/garden holes with compost and Pro-Start fertilizer or a phosphate-based fertilizer that will aid in root development. Shoot development is not important in the fall. When dividing cut the plant to a third of it's height, dig the root ball and use an edger to divide in halves/quarters. Water daily after transplanting and mulch. Water is crucial for new plants preparing for winter. Continue watering until late October/early November when we have our significant frost.

Irrigation: Continue watering perennials & shrubs that were planted in the spring on an every other day schedule, and water new divisions and transplants every day. 

Fertilizing: Stop applying high nitrogen fertilizers to all perennials & shrubs but use a blossom booster for all annuals to keep them fresh and vibrant until late October.

Disease & Pest Prevention: Apply organic Milky Spore to lawns to attack Japanese Beetle that are migrating into the soil for winter. Remove diseased foliage to prevent loose leaf litter inoculating the soil.

Prepping the Vegetable Garden for Winter: Remove all plants that are no longer producing fruit and rake up all leaf litter. Rake soil and   seed area with winter rye. Winter rye germinates quickly and provides green manure for the spring plus reduces soil erosion. 

Remove weeds. Once potato tops have died back harvest potatoes. Likewise with onions, once the tops have died back and dried, pull from ground, brush dirt off, allow to dry on the ground without cover for a full day( should be sunny & hot), and then dry under cover for  a few more days before putting in storage. Squashes and pumpkins should be harvested mid-month to late September. In all cases, remove plants and leaf litter to compost. If diseased throw away in trash. 

October & November - Act VII: “ The Final Act “

Putting Beds to Sleep:

Vegetable Garden: Plant garlic bulbs in mid-October. Apply compost and Triple Phosphate fertilizer to base of trench before planting bulbs. Cover with soil and mulch. In late October as we approach a heavy frost, cover strawberry plants with straw. This acts as insulation during winter. 

Perennials: Cut back most perennials except for ornamental grasses and Itoh Peonies. Plant spring-flowering bulbs and use Bulb-Tone or Triple Phosphate fertilizer in the hole. Add oyster shells as a rodent deterrent. Apply thin layer of mulch.

Plant plenty of spring-flowering bulbs in October and November. Their bright blooms are a welcome sight after our long winters.

Shrubs: Apply Bobbex to all shrubs that deer browse in winter. Apply Wilt-Pruf to all evergreens to prevent leaves/needles drying out. Both products should not be applied under 32-degrees. Place frames over shrubs that are susceptible to heavy snow load, either from a roof or plow. Burlap barriers are also great shield from wind and deer. Rather than wrap around each plant create a “fence” of burlap a few inches away to avoid smothering the shrubs. Deer netting is also a great barrier to deer and is almost invisible. 

Fertilizing: Apply compost only.  

Shelters help protect your plantings from snow load and deer damage. Burlap may be effective where snow sliding off roofs or the risk of plow damage is minimal.

Gardening Calendar courtesy of Mill Gardens Farmstand, Orford, NH

www.millgardensfarmstand.com

Gardening Calendar, July & August: Housekeeping & Harvesting

Enjoy the fruits & vegetables of your labor!

July: Act IV

Continue your good work with routine garden housekeeping.

Fertilizing: Continue applying Pro-Gro to vegetables every two weeks. Continue applying Rose-Tone to roses and watering annuals once a week with water-soluble fertilizer.

Watering: Continue regular watering. Early summer has been exceptionally hot and dry. Additional watering may be needed. Water earl in the morning, directing the flow towards the soil and along the drip edge (outer perimeter) of the plants.

Deadheading: Deadhead spent blooms of perennials and shrubs. This will encourage bushy foliar growth and stronger roots.

Disease & Pest Prevention: Continue with the same protocol as June. Scout bug issues on potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and apply Bt or diatomaceous earth to combat beetles and worms.

Protecting Your Harvest: The first week of July, just as the first blueberry turns blue, cover blueberry shrubs with bird netting. This will prevent birds and other critters from browsing your harvest. Use staking support to keep netting from sitting on the plant. Flash tape on stakes among raspberries can deter some birds from feasting. To deter large pests like deer continue to spray Bobbex on the new growth of perennials and shrubs plus vegetables like beans.

Cover blueberry shrubs with netting if you don’t wish to share!

Harvesting: Now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. You probably have already enjoyed some fresh greens, peas, fruit and baby beets.  At this point it is important to pick/cut vegetables like squash and cukes on a daily basis. This triggers the plant to keep producing and put more energy into the next set of blossoms. Most vegetables can provide several harvests. Beans are limited to three or four that is why it is important to sow several rounds. Peppers hold well on the plant and if left unpicked at maturity they will turn red/yellow depending on the variety. Now is the time to eat good fresh food and experiment with canning/preserving your harvest.

Truly garden-fresh! Tending your garden pays off.

August: Act V

Routine housekeeping continues. Harvest, Harvest, Harvest!

August is a repeat of all the housekeeping details as far as irrigating, weeding and fertilizing for gardens and containers. In early August sow the last of greens like lettuce & kale for fall harvest. Disease like late blight in tomatoes and powdery mildew in cucumbers, squash and pumpkin starts rearing its ugly head. Use Serenade or Copper Fungicide and remove diseased foliage. By late August most insects are preparing for another month of feasting before transitioning to winter dormancy.  Continue to be diligent about manually removing them from plants. Remove any remaining weeds in your gardens before they go to seed. 

Use this time to examine your gardens and take notes about what needs to be moved or changed and then prepare new beds for perennials that will be divided this fall or moved next spring. 

Gaillardia is a pollinator favorite, especially with bees. You can expand your garden and increase poliinator habitat by dividing “pollinator-approved” perennials. In addition to gaillardia, try dividing black-eyed susan, bee balm and catmint (nepeta) All are easy to grow and divide. They’re loved by pollinators, too.

Harvest! Harvest! Harvest! Eat Fresh! Preserve Your Bounty!

If you planted garlic: If its tops have already dried, pull garlic and brush as much dirt off as possible and then spread out to let air dry, under cover, for a couple weeks before storing. Remove any remaining dirt before storing.  Canning and preserving freshly picked produce, especially if you have an overabundance, means you’ll enjoy your garden’s bounty into winter. Friends and neighbors will welcome a basket of fresh produce. Check with your local food bank. Donating your fresh produce can help stretch tight budgets and supplies.

Enjoy and share your garden’s bounty.

Gardening Calendar courtesy of Mill Gardens Farmstand, Orford, NH www.millgardensfarmstand.com

Attract Pollinators All Summer Long!

The pollinators are here! Bees hum in the flowers and flowering shrubs, hummingbirds have returned, and butterflies and moths flutter from blossom to blossom.  There are lots of wonderful perennials and annuals that attract pollinators and benefit your gardens as well as those of your neighbors and our mother earth.

Monarch butterfly on a coneflower. This pollinator-popular perennial is hardy and easy to grow.

Now is a great time to enhance your garden with pollinator perennials and annuals that you can enjoy all season long. You’ll find a good selection of pollinator plants at your local garden center.  Check that the perennials and annuals have not been treated with insecticides containing neonicotinoids, which can kill bees and linger in the soil for plants to systemically take up in roots, causing death and lasting harm to bees and other pollinators.

Gardens in open, sunny areas are attractive to pollinators.  Using native plants that are suited to our New England habitat will ensure that your plants will survive times of drought as they send down deep roots.  Plant a variety of perennials with bloom times from spring to fall, that attract different pollinators, with a diversity of flower shapes, and you will have a garden of beautiful flowers filled with happy bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.

Plant native New England asters for late season pollinator food and garden color.

Annuals in pots and gardens are also attractive to pollinators.  If you don’t have or need more garden space you can plant pots full of annuals that pollinators will visit to feed on plants in pots your steps, walkway, deck, or patio.  Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees will visit. Pots of annual salvias, both purple and red are especially attractive to hummingbirds.  It is fun to watch them fly from pot to pot sipping nectar!

A pollinator container buffet: zinnias, bacopa and marigolds.

Perennials for pollinators:  Coneflower, milkweed, turtlehead, Joe Pye weed,  catmint, cranesbill geranium, Columbine,  Sedum, Yarrow,  Phlox, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, blazing star liatris, bee balm, New England aster, Echinacea, lupine,  Penstemon,  Sneezeweed, goldenrod, Baptisia (blue), Cardinal flower, Golden Alexanders.

Long – blooming Annuals for pollinators:  Allyssum, Bacopa, Calendula, Cosmos, Euporbias, Lantana, Laurentia, Marigolds (open types), annual Lobelia, Osteospermum, Portulaca, Salvia, Verbena (blue), annual sunflowers, Zinnia, herbs and Dusty Miller, if both are allowed to blossom.

A garden abloom with pollinator flowers: lobelia cardinalis, annual cosmos and cleome.

Learn more: eResources for pollinator plantings/information:                                 

Xerces Society www.xerces.org

United States Department of Agriculture www.nrcs.usda.gov/pollinators

New England Wildflower Society (NEWS) www.newenglandwild.org

UNH Cooperative Extension https://extension.unh.edu/resources

University of Vermont Extension Master Gardener:  www.uvm.edu/mastergardener

Hummingbird magnet lobelia cardinalis.

Gardening Calendar, April - June

Tips and to-do’s for healthy, beautiful gardens.

April: Preparing for the Growing Season

Building a Strong & Healthy Foundation: Apply thin layers of compost to perennial beds to improve nutrient uptake. Amend raised beds & traditional sized vegetable gardens to loosen clay soils and improve the moisture holding capacity of sandy soil. Topsoil should be used in the first year of a raised bed to provide adequate soil structure for root development.

Soil Amendment: Apply Slow Release Organic Fertilizer Pro-Gro (5-3-4 = N-P-K) or higher analysis Non-Organic Fertilizer ( 10-10-10, 10-0-10) to lawns & gardens. Other options exist but test soil to determine macronutrient levels and pH and then apply the appropriate fertilizer. Lime can be applied to soil to increase pH and Sulfur applied to lower pH. 

Fertilize acid loving plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, evergreens, blueberries and raspberries with Pro-Holly or Holly-Tone.

Vaccinating Your Plants: Prepare your shrubs & trees for disease and pests.Spray Horticultural Oil on fruit trees before they bud out & blossom. Oil smothers eggs that caterpillars lay in the crotches of the trees.

Spray spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia and lilacs with Copper Fungicide before they bloom and/leaf out, to prevent blight.

Spray Bobbex on tulips and other newly emerging perennials to deter deer from nibbling.

Apply Organic Milky Spore to lawns to combat Japanese Beetles. This should be done at least three times-spring, fall and then the following spring.

Pruning: In late March-early April prune dead canes out of raspberry/blackberry patches. Also prune grape vines before they start leafing out.

Prune roses before they leaf out.

Clean Up: Remove garden debris and pull early sprouting weeds. Remove plant and shrub protectors.

Sowing Seeds: Get a jump start on your vegetable garden by sowing  peppers, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and tomatoes in seed starting soil in small plug trays in early April.

In Late April sow lettuce, kale, spinach and peas directly in the ground. The frost should be out of the ground and dry, with hints of green in lawns.

Grass Seed: The ground is warm enough and ready once you see grass greening. Amend poor soils with compost  and/or fertilizer before seeding lawns. Plan around a rain event. Late April can be surprisingly dry. Without adequate moisture grass seed can take longer than a week/weeks to germinate.

Lettuce seedlings

Perennial Gardens: With lawns greening up and perennials poking up out of the ground, take the time to divide and transplant perennials before they become too large to manage. To prevent transplant shock choose a day to transplant when the nighttime temperature is above freezing. Water daily.

Take daily walks around beds to examine where there are gaps in the garden and take notes/photos to use as templates for garden design.

Dividing a sedum plant.

To Plant or not to Plant? If the grass is growing then the ground is ready for perennials and shrubs. The key to success: amend the hole with compost and water daily.

Annuals: Still too early, except for pansies. 

Herbs: Cold-hardy varieties like mint, oregano, thyme and parsley can be hardened off ( acclimated to cool outdoor temps) and potted up in a regular potting soil. Herbs do not require a lot of fertilizer so incorporate a low analysis organic fertilizer in the soil before adding the plants. Cut tips every few days to keep herbs from getting woody and to encourage new growth. Potted herbs on your porch/patio provides easy access to fresh herbs when creating your next meal.

Wait until late May for heat-loving basil and cilantro.

Vegetables: Lettuce, kale, spinach and peas can be directly sown in the ground in late April. Add compost if soil has too much sand/clay.

Use potted herbs in summer cuisine and as centerpieces for casual al fresco dining.

May - Act II: “ Ready, Set, Dig!”

Fertilizing: It is not too late to fertilize perennials or shrubs. Plan on spreading fertilizer before a rain event. In early May fertilize asparagus unless it is already poking up. If strawberry leaves are poking through straw then rake straw into aisles and fertilize strawberry plants. 

For the first sowing of greens, wait until at least 4” tall before fertilizing with Pro-Gro at the base of the plants.

Dividing & Planting:

Strawberry beds: Prepare new hills with compost. Cut runners and transplant young plants onto hills by laying out roots over the hills and then covering the root with soil. Place straw lightly over new roots, not the leaves, and water daily. 

Perennials: Dig holes twice the width of pots and the same depth of pots. Add compost. Tamp ground around plant and water daily.

Annuals: Start hardening off in the third week of May and prepare to plant or pot up in the last week of May closer to the first of June to avoid frost. When planting annuals directly in the ground amend holes with compost and slow release granular fertilizer. When planting annuals in pots add slow release fertilizer and soil moist (optional) to the soil. Annuals are heavy feeders so in addition to granular fertilizer plan on watering containers once a week with a water soluble fertilizer. Make sure containers have drain holes in the bottom, otherwise the soil can become saturated and roots could rot.

When designing your planters make sure you plant groupings of plants that grow at similar rates. Design Reminder: Thriller ( tall plant), Filler ( medium height, bushy/mounding) and Spiller ( trailing). Don't be afraid to mix foliage & texture w/blooms.

Just planted “thrillers, chillers and spillers” in a tall container. (Photo: Mill Gardens)

Thrillers, chillers and spillers In a window box. (Photo: Mill Gardens)

Seeding: Continue with a regular schedule of sowing vegetable seeds through May. Mid-May sow more lettuce and other greens, as well as carrots, beets and dill. Do another round of cool crops in late May.

Last week of May sow heat-loving veggies like cukes, summer & winter squash, pumpkins, beans plus annuals like sunflowers, cosmos and zinnias.

Companion Planting: Remember that without bees most vegetable plants do not fruit. Bees and other pollinators will not visit gardens of green leaves only; they require blooms and lots of them for food.  Make sure you have a wide variety of annuals (best choice for planting around vegetable plants) as well as heavy pollen producers in your perennial gardens. Pollinators are drawn to flowers and between feedings they will investigate vegetable blossoms and pollinate.

Also plant annuals to draw beneficial insects that feed on undesirable insects that destroy plants. Scented annuals like alyssum are magnets for beneficial insects.

Top annual pollinators: Salvia, Lantana; Snapdragon and Hyssop plus Angelonia, Torenia and Fuchsia.  

Monarch butterflies love annual Salvia ' Playin' the Blues'. This is a super hardy, vigorous, pollinator plant that will fill your garden with color all season long. (Photo: Mill Gardens)

June - Act III: Garden Housekeeping

This is the time to nurture your gardens and start reaping your rewards.

Sowing Seeds: Continue to sow lettuce, kale,spinach, beets and carrots every other week through the month. Alternate every other week with sowings of beans ( string beans, beans for drying and soybeans) through the month. 

Fertilizing: Apply slow release fertilizer like Pro-Gro or Espoma Garden tone to existing vegetable plants. Broadcast at the base of the plant. Apply every two weeks. 

Shrubs: Apply Espoma Rose-Tone/Pro-Gro around roses once a month through summer. For all other shrubs apply Pro-Gro at the end of the month. For evergreens that appear yellow/lighter green in appearance apply Iron-tone.

Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Landscape

There is much interest in creating habitat for pollinators.  Pollinators are animals, birds, and insects, who through their feeding and grazing habits, move pollen from plant to plant.  If you want to landscape to attract a diversity of pollinators, look around your yard and garden to see what you may be doing, or not doing, to help these beneficial critters.  You might be able to make a few changes, creating a pollinator–friendly habitat that will reap benefits beyond your own corner of the world.

Dogwood: a good source of food for early pollinators.

Pollinators need plenty of food, water, and places to live and lay their eggs within your pollinator-friendly property.  Provide generous patches of pollinator–friendly plants and flowers with a variety of color, shape and scent to increase pollinator foraging efficiency.   Pollinators need a source of clean water, such as a birdbath or hollowed out rock with a shallow indention to catch rainwater (keep it clean to discourage mold and mosquito larvae).

Lupine (Lupinus perennis). A beautiful bloomer that works well in garden, meadow or along the road.

Your landscape plan needs to include plants and flowers that provide nectar and pollen spring through fall.  Spring flowering plants are especially important when pollinators are just starting their jobs.  A habitat blooming with crocus, narcissus, violets, dandelions (yes, dandelions, one of the best early sources of food for bees), and clover will feed hungry pollinators.  Shrubs like dogwood, blueberry, serviceberry, willow and cherry also provide nectar and pollen in spring when food is scarce. Early garden bloomers like Indigo (Baptisia australis, blue), Milkweed, and Lupine (Lupinus perennis) are great spring food sources.

Enhance your pollinator-friendly landscape with these steps:

• Eliminate pesticide use, especially those with neonicotinoids, which are particularly harmful to bees and other beneficial insects.

• Be open to some plant damage where butterflies and moths may lay their larvae.

• Leave dead tree trunks for wood-nesting bees.

• Accept that 70 percent of bees nest in the ground, so eliminate landscape cloth and use only a light covering of mulch, if any at all.

• Allow natural green spaces, such as meadows, at the edge of your property which will be rich in native wildflower food for pollinators.

• Plant a variety of Spring blooming bulbs in the Fall.

Pansies! Hardy bloomers to brighten our spirits and gardens. Right now.

It’s Spring! In our gardens, early blooming snowdrops and crocus herald the new season, while daffodils and tulips emerge from the soil, promising colorful blossoms in a few weeks. For the impatient gardener the wait for these eagerly anticipated blossoms seems endless.

Pansies and violas are abloom and garden ready right now at your local garden shop. These cold hardy spring plants will immediately add lots of colorful blossoms to your garden.

Garden ready pansies and violas fill a greenhouse at Mill Gardens, Orford NH. www.millgardensfarmstand.com

Local garden shop and trusted partner Mill Gardens says, “To combat the mud season woes we have pansies outside and ready to plant in late April. Don’t let the name fool you. These are tough plants that can handle cool temperatures as well as sleet and snow.

Pansies in Your Garden

At just 7 to 9 inches tall, pansies and their smaller flowered cousins, violas, make ideal edging plants. Plant them in groups throughout the garden, too.  They’ll fill your garden with colorful flowers right though early summer when both weather and soil warm up and perennials and heat-loving annuals hit their stride.

Pansies prefer humus rich soil and about 6 hours of sun a day. Morning sun is best. They can be planted as soon as the soil becomes workable (it should be around 45F to 65F). Plants should be spaced 7-12 inches apart. Water regularly. Pinching back spent blooms will keep them in bloom and from getting “leggy”.   

Pansies and violas edging a garden.

Pansies in containers

Pansies and violas are excellent container plants.  Place pansy-filled containers along walkways as well as on porches and decks. Fill deck railing planters with pansies. “Accessorize” your gardens with planters full of pansies to add height while taller plants get up to speed. Clay pots, baskets and standard containers work well, but why not add a touch of whimsy? Plant pansies in old sap buckets a pair of old garden boots or other containers your imagine may suggest! 

Plant using a good quality potting soil mix optimized for containers. Pansies need good drainage. Quality potting soil mix will facilitate drainage and nutrient distribution. Place containers where the plants will get about six hours of sunlight a day. Water when needed. The soil should be moist but not soggy. Generally, water if the top inch of soil feels dry. Pinch off spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering. This helps keep the plants nice and full.

Above: Freshly planted pansies in a variety of containers.

Pansies in the house

Potted pansies make charming house plants.  Use them to make an instant centerpiece, brighten a mantel or kitchen windowsill.  If you are planning to plant them outside fairly soon you don’t need to repot, though you may wish to place the plant (nursery pot and all) into a decorative container.

Cut pansies in a vase will bring Spring into every room in the house.  Choose flowers just approaching the peak of bloom.  Arrange a few stems in a vase or even a glass and savor the simple pleasure brought by these delightful harbingers of Spring.

Enjoy the simple charm of pansies indoors. Cut pansies mix beautifully with other shorter-stemmed early bloomers like lily of the valley and Siberian squill.

Treat yourself to some of these versatile, easy to grow Spring charmers today! They will instantly brighten your spirits, garden and even inside your home. Many of our local garden shops are open for business and offering curbside/contactless pick up. Call ahead to confirm. Their experts will select plants for you, and even containers and potting soil as well as other garden supplies should you need them.

The Pollinator Friendly Lawn

Your lawn provides food, moisture and shelter for pollinators. A healthy, biodiverse and well-maintained lawn is a welcome food source and haven for insect and avian pollinators from Spring through Fall. Simply by letting pollinator favorites thrive in your lawn, plus incorporating early and late season pollinator plants, your lawn will become a thriving pollinator destination.

Clover and dandelions (which grow in most of our Upper Valley lawns) are a valuable three-season food source for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Goldfinches and sparrows feed on dandelion seeds. Wild strawberries and violets (which occur naturally in many or our lawns) are welcome early season food sources.

Clover: a favorite food for bees and a beneficial nitrogen fixing plant for your lawn.

Increase the pollinator value and beauty of your lawn in Spring. Plant drifts of flowering bulbs such as crocus, Siberian squill and daffodils. Add a pop of bright color with crocus. You’ll create a feast for hungry early season pollinators and your winter-weary eyes!

Drifts of Siberian squill and daffodils naturalized in a local lawn. To keep them coming back year after year, delay mowing them down until the leaves have yellowed. This allows next springs flowers to develop and the bulbs to multiply.

Add low growing, summer blooming perennials and self seeding plants to your lawn’s “pollinator buffet” such as Creeping Thyme or native prunella vulgaris . Creeping Thyme is especially well suited for use along the edge of walkways and driveways, where it will provide a fragrant, blooming transition to your lawn. Consult with your local garden shop and your landscaper to select plants that are right for your lawn’s microclimate and provide good forage for pollinators.

Prunella vulgaris naturalized in a lawn.

Pollinator friendly lawn maintenance will keep your lawn abuzz with life and your property looking good. Incorporating bee-friendly grass varieties such as fescues into your lawn will utilize fewer resources (including water) than a bluegrass lawn. Allowing the grass to grow longer between mowings and adjusting mowing height to 3 to 4 inches helps preserve pollinator habitat as well as a healthy lawn.

How a Fall Property Cleanup and Winter Plant Protectors Benefit Your Property

A Fall Cleanup does far more for your property than make it look tidy. It prepares your property for, and protects it from, damaging winter weather.  Recent winters have come earlier and lasted longer, accompanied by bitter subzero cold and unprecedented warmer temperatures. The swings between these extremes and the prolonged season leave plantings, gardens and lawns vulnerable to harm.

Removing heavy accumulations of leaves from your lawn improves air flow. Deep drifts of of wet, dead leaves can cause your lawn to suffer moisture damage or grow mold.

Landscape stress is increased by bitter winds, fluctuating temperatures and, what seems to be the new winter normal of freeze/thaw cycles. Lawns, though dormant, can also suffer.  A lack of consistent, insulating snow cover increases the risk of freeze damage and depletes nutrients needed for spring growth or could lead to lawn-killing thatch.

Landscape plantings and garden perennials are also more vulnerable to damage from the new winter “normal”. Protect them from harm by performing a through garden cleanup. Remove spent annuals and cut perennials back to the ground (unless you are leaving some standing for winter interest or bird food.). Healthy garden debris can be composted. Over the winter it will break down into nutrient dense compost to feed your garden in the Spring. Lay down a layer of insulating mulch to protect roots from temperature extremes and fluctuations.

Deer view your hedges and shrubs as a reliable food supply. Wrapping deer browse favorites in burlap or using A-frames will protect tasty plants from those hungry hedge trimmers! A-frames protect shrubs located along the driveway from plow damage and shields them from being crushed in snowbanks. A-frames also protect your foundation plantings from being damaged by snow sliding off the roof.

Leaves look pretty when they fall, but if not removed can cause problems for your lawn.

Fall Gardening Tip: Think Spring!

Plant Spring bulbs before the ground freezes. There is still plenty of time to plant although the soil is cooling along with the weather. Colorful, early and cheerful bulbs like crocus, Glory of the Snow and Snowdrops bloom before  the snow is melted. Later, favorites such as hyacinths, grape hyacinth, narcissus (daffodils), and tulips will bloom until spring perennials start to blossom, letting us know that warm weather is here to stay for another season.

Plant daffodils and narcissus bulbs in groups in the garden or plant en masse in areas where you would like them to naturalize. They will bloom for many years to come.

Tulips planted in large groups create a colorful display. Mix up the varieties for an informal look. Tulips are wonderful cut flowers. Plant plenty, so you can enjoy them both in the garden and in your home.

Bulbs can be planted in raised beds. In the photo, bulbs are being planted in a natural style in a raised perennial bed, where they will add early spring color. If you grow vegetables in raised beds, consider planting a cutting garden composed of of spring bulbs.

Early blooming crocus are a welcome sight come Spring. Plant them in groups along the edge of the garden. These cheerful flowers blossom on short stems.

Choose bulbs at your favorite local garden store now. Plant following the directions on the bag as to planting depth for each type of bulb. Planting bulbs in groups will create a beautiful spring display or you can plant them in a woodland garden or lawn, letting them naturalize. Spring bulbs need lots of sun to thrive. As they go by, deadhead the flower stem, leaving the foliage to feed the bulb for next spring’s bloom. Cut the foliage back when it has yellowed. 

Stately Alliums with their large round globes are impressive in the back of the garden in a sunny spot.

As mornings and evenings grow darker and chill and we work to ready our gardens for the coming winter, our thoughts of  the beauty and promise of next year's spring garden, abloom with colorful bulbs to brighten the landscape after the long winter.

When Your Landscape Becomes Overgrown

It happens — a season or two of neglecting to weed, remove encroaching plants, plus not pruning shrubs or trimming trees can hide the best features of your landscape or gardens. Over time, plants may die from neglect, lack of light and nutrients. Views may disappear because overgrown foundation shrubs block windows. Overhanging trees drop branches and shed leaves/needles which can damage the roof and clog gutters.

A foundation garden and shrubs pre-edit. Pull or prune the overgrown shrubs? Prune!

A property whose landscape and gardens are out of control is not pleasant to come home to. It can become a magnet for rodents and unwanted insects. it irritates neighbors.

Before the edit takes place, your landscaper will evaluate your property to determine what needs to be done. Discuss what you’d like to see. For example, for windows hidden by too-tall shrubs, a ‘prune or pull’ decision must be made. Overhanging trees may require a tree expert to assess their health and trimming options.

In the garden, once weeds and overgrowth are dealt with, the remaining plants and garden layout can be assessed. If new plants or a new look is desired, this is the time to do it, or make plans for next year. The soil should be improved with organic matter to nourish existing plants while enriching the soil for future additions.

The edit revealed some roses, peonies and small shrubs which were left to provide interest while the soil improves.

Should you decide to undertake a landscape or garden edit yourself, recognize that it is a big task. Some overgrowth may require special equipment or training to handle. For safety reasons, overhanging trees should be handled by tree experts, Noxious weeds and invasive plants may require a specialist for removal and disposal.

A landscape edit creates a lot of debris. A dump trailer may be needed to properly dispose of material at a location that accepts landscape debris.

Overgrown ‘junk trees’ hide the house from the road.

Removing the trees and other overgrowth reveals a stand of pines underplanted with shade-loving, low growing wild and cultivated plants.

A landscape or garden edit can restore much of a landscape or garden’s appearance and improve its health. The extent of the edit depends on the severity, type and extent of the overgrowth.

A landscape professional can help with the decisions to be made regarding an edit along with providing the expertise, staff and equipment necessary to restore order to your landscape or give it a fresh new look.

Weeds overrun a garden path. Ferns crowd out the hillside ground cover.

Weeds removed from the path. The classic granite garden steps, now visible, anchor the path and lead the eye to to an intriguing woodland. Encroaching ferns were dug up from the ground cover. The path will be mulched and new ground cover planted to fill in bare spots.

Before undertaking a landscape or garden edit, be sure to think about who will maintain the resulting improvements. regular maintenance, i.e. fertilizing, mowing, regular pruning, weeding, etc. needs people-power and time. if you plan to undertake these duties yourself, be sure you have the time and equipment to keep your property’s “new look” the way you planned it after you have finished the work. If you want to have your landscaper maintain the property or garden, it is important to make a plan with them for regular maintenance, so needs are addressed on a scheduled basis along with the costs to keeping your property looking its best.

Show weeds no mercy!

Chickweed. As its name says, it is a weed, not a pretty groundcover. Pull it up by its roots!

Weeding Tips from Our Gardening Pros

Weeding is one of the most important garden maintenance tasks.  Weeds will rapidly take over your garden if not dealt with decisively and regularly. Weeds deprive treasured plants for nutrients and water, which may result in fewer blossoms and smaller vegetables.

Make weeding part of your daily garden routine. Chief Gardener Helen always carries her weed bucket. “I pull them when I see them,” she says. “I weed monthly at home, but it is less of a job as I always find some for the bucket every time I am in my gardens.” For gardening clients, Helen recommends a similar approach, with weeding done every visit. This prevents gardens becoming overrun with weeds. “If that doesn’t do it, or for areas that are especially weed prone, “ Helen says, “we schedule weeding intensives as part of the garden’s care.”

• Pull or dig them up by the roots. The entire weed should be pulled or it may re-grow. Some weeds will come easily out of the soil. Dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds require digging deep to get the entire root. Others, such as ferns and Horsetail, have extensive underground roots or a root network. These will be only eradicated with persistence and digging deeply enough and in a wide enough area to get all of the roots. It may take several attempts, over several seasons! Patience and persistence are the key to success.

• Weed when the weeding is good. Soft, wet/moist soil makes it easier to pull weeds. If it has not rained, weed after you water. Your flowers and vegetables appreciate not sharing their water with the weeds. You will appreciate this having critically important gardening task made easier.

• Keep weeds from sprouting. Mulch. One of the unsung benefits of mulch is its ability to keep weeds from sprouting. Mulch deprives weed seeds of the light they need to sprout. Those that do have weaker roots, making them easier to pull. Plus, mulch helps the soil to retain moisture and provides nutrients for your garden.

• Use the right tools for the job. For some weeds, your hands are all you need. For deep-rooted weeds, or to quickly and effectively weed large areas, as well as to dig weeds from between patio or paver stones try these helpful tools: a triangular bladed hoe or a Cape Cod Weeder (Helen’s favorite). Its angled blade makes short work of weeds, especially those growing close to plants. A ‘fishtail’ weeder is also useful. Always wear good quality gardening gloves.

Crabgrass. Reach into the soil and pull it just below the crown to minimize the plant breaking off and leaving its roots behind to grow again. Pulling it out using firm, steady pressure rather than yanking will help.

Horsetail. Its roots form a dense, often matted network that requires digging beneath and to the sides of the plants. It may take several tries (and possibly several seasons to eradicate completely.

Patience, patience - Don’t plant just yet! Garden and growing tips for a cold Spring.

  It is so hard to resist all the beautiful annuals and perennials on blooming, verdant display at our wonderful local garden shops.  Starved for blossoms and greenery, I find myself filling cart after cart with colorful annuals and have-to-have perennials.

It has been a cool and very wet Spring.  While the ground has thawed, and to some extent dried out, it is still too early to plant.  The soil remains cool. Shade gardens may yet be very cold and wet. Much of the Upper Valley is not reliably frost free until mid-May. 

Greenhouse nurtured plants which have not been hardened off can easily be damaged or killed by a late season freeze or frost.  Cold, damp soil does not promote healthy root development, essential for plants to thrive.

What is the impatient gardener to do?

Buy your plants.  

The widest choice is available over the next few weeks.  Should you stock up, be prepared to keep the plants going in their nursery pots and flats until temperatures and garden conditions are favorable for planting.  

Your plants will need care. Water as needed, especially plants sold in smaller pots, 4 and 6 packs. These have very little ability to retain moisture.  Protection from gusty Spring breezes will help to keep the plants from drying out. 

Help them adjust from garden shop to garden.

Harden off greenhouse-grown plants.  These plants need a period of adjustment from their former sheltered environment to your garden.  Put the plants outside during the day and bring them in or cover them at night.  This helps them adjust and protects tender leaves and roots from cold damage.   If you can, place the plants outside in the light conditions which they prefer — sun lovers in sunshine, shade lovers in shade.  

If you’re purchasing perennials and shrubs from a local, independent garden shop, these may have over wintered in holding beds, or been grown from “starts” at the shop.  These are generally already hardened off. If so, they may be planted sooner. Beware of the risk of frost damage and check that the soil is not too cold for planting. Knowledgeable local growers will be happy to give you some guidance.   

Always plant in the right size hole with properly prepared  soil. Your newly planted perennials will reward your efforts!

If you buy your plants from a big-box store with a garden shop, be aware that their plants may not be locally grown.  Many come from warmer regions. They’ve likely spent days on a truck.  At the store, their maintenance may be a bit erratic.  Expect to give these plants extra care to adjust and thrive. Check your choices carefully before you pay.  Avoid plants with any signs of wilt, freeze, mildew, insect infestation or other symptoms of inadequate care. 

Make use of the cooler weather to properly prep your garden.

Weed!  Weed! Weed!  Weeds grow early and fast in the garden.  Root them out now, before they become well-established. Spring’s soft, damp soil makes it much easier to pull weeds, especially those with extensive root systems, such as crabgrass.

Remove plant debris.  Last season’s early snowfall (Veteran’s Day!) meant many of us did not complete our garden cleanups.  Now is the time to get it done. Remove spent annuals, last season’s leaves and other garden debris. Tall perennials left in place for winter interest or bird food should now be cut back to the ground.

Enrich the soil.   Dig in some compost. It provides a feast of nutrients. This banquet will be appreciated by both established plants and newbies!

Plant!

You know your garden’s micro-climate best.  Get those plants in the ground as soon as you are confident your garden will be frost-free and the soil warmed and not too wet.

Pansies. Perfect for the impatient gardener

Can’t wait to plant? Pot up some containers of cool weather loving pansies.

Still a little early to plant perennials.

Plants held in nursery pots and flats need care. Keep them watered. Protect from frost and freeze, especially at night.

The Fleeting Beauty of Spring Ephemerals

Some of the first flowers to bloom in the spring are the spring ephemerals. These beautiful perennials are found in woodlands, forests, on rocky ledges, and in wetlands where the warmth of the sun is available to these short-lived flowering plants before the tree canopy further develops, blocking the sun these plants crave. These plants grow and flower at the first sign of warm sunny weather, often where there may be snow on the ground in places. When they finish blooming, they go dormant, and the foliage dies back, leaving no trace to be seen above the ground for the remainder of the growing season. The bulbs, rhizomes and roots rest undergound to awaken the following spring. Ephemerals provide the first nourishment to bees and insects before the bloom of perennial wildflowers and garden flowers.

Trillium. This native wildlfower is affectionately known as “Wakerobin”, as it may bloom about the time the first robins appear. Look for trillium growing in rich soil, in dappled shade at the border of woodland and meadow.

Spring ephemerals are most often wildflowers, however, some such as Marsh Marigold and Blue Flag Iris have been cultivated for us to plant and enjoy in our man-made gardens. If you add these to your gardens, don’t dig them from the wild. Some are endangered, others may not transplant well. Buy them from reputable local growers and garden centers and heed the advice of their knowledgeable staff. These plants can be slow to establish but will reward you (and hungry pollinators) with welcome, early spring blossoms.

As you take a walk in the woods, along an old stone wall or mountain trail, or around a marshy area, some ephemerals to look for are Bloodroot, Red and Painted Trillium, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Virginia bluebells, Dutchman’s breeches, Trout Lily, Squirrel Corn, Marsh Marigolds, Blue Flag iris, and Calypso Orchids (Lady Slipper). Watch your step, however, as some of these plants are quite small and delicate, so keeping a sharp eye along the trail or in the forest will allow you to enjoy these short-lived beauties.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit. A shade-loving native ephemeral. The flowers, often hidden beneath large leaves, can be hard to spot.

Take note of the spring ephemerals that grow naturally naturally on your property that you might not have noticed previously, and marvel in the way they seem to thrive, albeit for too short a time, in the changeable climate of our New England spring.

Lady Slipper or Calypso Orchid. Marshy, boggy areas are the best places to see these lovely flowers. Eshqua Bog, Woodstock/Hartland, VT, is an excellent place to view these and other native ephemerals.

Winter Garden Thoughts from Helen

There is a stark beauty to the winter landscape:  tree limbs outlined against a bluebird sky on a sub-zero morning, the full moon lighting up the snow as if the outside lights are on, the clear views of our beautiful hills and mountains, and a white canvas that invites our imagination of the promise of the green season to come.   My winter gardens host nature’s visitors to enjoy seed heads left on bee balm and Joe Pye weed. It is a delight to see the birds and squirrels looking for their meals amongst what I left standing for them in the gardens.  What a beautiful sight to see two young deer sunning themselves, curled up comfortably in the woods beyond my back border garden, on a warm January afternoon. The plants that did not get cut back before the early arrival of winter offer a wild sculpture garden that changes with each winter storm.

The days are beginning to lengthen, and thoughts of getting back to tending the soil start to stir as paper whites bloom in the kitchen.  The winter has been a challenge for many of our landscapes as ice storms, heavy snow, and high winds have torn limbs from pines, lilacs, and shrubs and left trees and shrubs in need of some attention to shape them into new and interesting features.   Winter is a wonderful time to prune shrubs and trees as they are dormant, and our landscapes are more visually open, allowing space to really see that shrub and tree within the context of our gardens and yards.

I love winter, with all its fierceness and gentle beauty, the quiet of a full moon evening and the whistling of the north wind, the smell of a wood stove and skiing down a trail surrounded by snow covered branches on a blanket of fresh snow.  Soon we will smell the scents of spring in a melting stream, the mud on our back roads, and the sweet steam rising from the sugarhouse.  These events and many more nature bring us; are the perennial reminders of the promise of the green season to come.  We are fortunate to live in the beautiful Upper Valley, where each season has a beauty and rhythm of its own.

Deer sunning themselves just past my back border. Nature has added a sculptural touch with the fallen pine bough.

Evergreens add color and texture to the winter landscape, even when covered with snow.

Birds (and squirrels, too!) find plenty of winter food at feeders and among the many seed heads left for them in the garden.

Extend your Garden Season - Plant Fall Containers!

Container gardening is a great way to add fall color as your flowers are winding down. Find some interesting containers to place in your garden, on the porch, near the mailbox or on either side of your garage. An old bird bath, bucket, beach pail, or flea market find is fun to use. Think beyond traditional fall color schemes and plants and use texture and even perennials to liven up a container! Use herbs such as rosemary and sage; vegetables like kale, swiss chard, spinach and hot peppers. Plant a container with red coral bells, ajuga, and sedge grass. You can plant the perennials in your garden before it gets too cold. Save yourself planting these twice by simply “planting” them in their nursery pots inside your decorative containers. Plant fall favorites such as mums, asters, pansies, flowering kales and tall colorful ornamental grasses in the traditional autumn colors of orange, gold and yellow or mix it up with pink, purple and light green plants. Have fun and enjoy something different as the gardening season draws to a close.

Autumn clematis, mums, perennial grasses, ivy and kale combine for a textural, colorful Fall Container grouping. Courtesy of Mill Gardens, Orford NH

Try interesting mixes of containers, textures and colors. Amp it up with gourds and pumpkins. Courtesy of Mill Gardens, Orford NH

Don’t be afraid to add height to your Fall Containers - grasses add an airy feel and lead the eye upward. Courtesy of Mill Gardens, Orford, NH

7 Tips to keep your summer garden looking beautiful

Black-eyed Susans: an Upper Valley garden favorite!

Not quite sure where to start? Here's some tips from Sean, Helen and the fine gardening team!

The gardens are bursting with color!  Our cool spring gave plants and flowers a great start to weather the dry, hot summer we have had so far.  Garden maintenance is is high gear right now to keep things looking their best.  Some of the things I am doing right now - in my own and in our clients' gardens.... 

1.  Weed, weed, weed! The weeds are growing fast and need to be removed regulary to keep from choking out perennials and annuals. 

2.  Deadhead and trim back!  Cut spent flowers on perennials and annuals to encourage repeat blooms. Trim back early bloomers such as delphinium, campanula and daisies by one-half to one-third.  Prune container plants to encourage repeat blooms. 

3.  Water!  Water during dry times, early morning is best, directing water at the base of the plants to avoid moisture on the foliage whicih may promote disease or rot. Deep watering to reach the roots is what the plants need.   If you cannot water in the early morning, water in the early evening to give the ground time to soak up the water.  Check your container plants daily as containers dry out quickly, and water when soil feels dry. 

Weed without mercy for a healthy, beautiful garden.

4.  Check and treat for diseases!  Powdery mildew is stating to show up Prune and thin plants to promote adequate airflow, and cut down diseased plants and dispose of away from your compost pile.  Black spot and rust on roses is also appearing, and spraying with Neem oil can help with disease control. 

5.  Check for and control garden pests!  Japanese beetles have made their arrival in my gardens. I pick them off my plants and drop them in a closed container of soapy water.  Japanese beetle traps actually encourage more beetles, so they are not recommended.  

To control many garden pests; I use a natural soapy spray on the underside of the plants.  Recipe:  One tablespoon or less of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Soap per quart of water in a spray bottle.  Keep it handy in your garden bag, or purchase an organic insecticidal spray at your local nursery or garden shop. 

6.  Add bursts of color!  Check out your favorite nursery for annuals to plant for a burst of color that will carry you through to early autumn.  Adding perennials such as Daylilies, Rudbeckia, and fall bloomers like asters and sedum brighten up your late summer gardens and highlight the show through fall. Don't forget to plan for the addition of spring bulbs, too. 

7.  Most important, take time to enjoy the natural beauty of your gardens!  Take a chair to your garden and sit and truly notice the fragrances, flowers, butterflies, and bees; wander through your gardens without a weed bucket and enjoy the delight, peace and serenity they bring to your life.