CROSSVILLE —
My landscape is perennial–based. There are vines, trees, shrubs as well as herbaceous (soft-stemmed) vegetation in assorted categories-ornamentals, herbs and food crops like rhubarb. Annuals in containers are used to add splashes of color. At this time of year, I usually have a few recently purchased plants waiting to be transplanted (see the accompanying photo). 

Others with yards filled predominately with perennials know these plants are not maintenance-free. Winter hardy plants placed in the right sunlight situation and given the proper amount of moisture and fertilizer for their species tend to multiply by spreading and/or self-seeding. Digging up the overabundance is a necessary springtime task if garden beds are to look neat. I either relocate those plants on my property or send an email alert out to fellow Master gardeners asking them to stop by to get free plants for their yards.

Transplant Tips

Whether adding annuals which last one season or perennials expected to come back year after year, transplants require special care. The stress of too much cold (frosty nights), too much heat (sunlight) or drying out (wind) can send recent transplants into shock. Established landscape plants require from an inch to an inch and one half of water per week depending on the species. Transplants need more than the minimum amount of water because their roots don’t take in moisture efficiently, at first. Herbaceous plants adapt more quickly than woody ones to a new home. Relocated shrubs and trees need extra water for about two years during droughty periods.

Be gentle with tender, young plants. Don’t hold, pull or lift transplants by the stem, instead grab the root ball or leaves. If a stem is damaged, the transplant will probably be stunted or may die. On the other hand, a few damaged leaves will quickly be replaced as the plant grows. To remove a plant with the least damage to roots, hold the pot upside down then firmly tap the container’s bottom and sides. If the plant doesn’t slide out easily, squeeze the sides of the container or cut the container away from around the root ball.

Work quickly so plants do not remain out of their containers long before putting them in the ground. Tender young roots dry out and may begin to die within minutes of exposure to wind or direct sun. At mid-day and in early afternoon the sun is directly overhead. Sunshine then can be very harsh even on a cool day in May. Transplanting on a cloudy day or in the evening reduces the risk of transplant shock.  

I use a dilute mixture of water and high-phosphate fertilizer called “starter solution” for herbaceous (but not for woody) transplants. Soak the pot in the starter solution and water mix before planting. Also fill the hole with this liquid before setting the plant in it. High-phosphate fertilizers give a boost to root formation, a first step in establishing new plantings. Using starter solution seems to help retain soil around the roots making the root mass easier to handle, too. However, tree experts recommend trees and shrubs get no fertilizer in their planting hole. Nor should high nitrogen plant food be applied to woodies during their first year after transplant.

• • •

Plateau Gardening is written by Master Gardeners for gardeners in Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland Region.  Contact UT Extension Cumberland County at P.O. Box 483, Crossville, TN 38557 (484-6743) for answers to horticulture questions, free publications and how to become a Master Gardener. Send email comments or yard and garden inquiries to Master Gardener Rae, MGardenerRae@frontiernet.net. 

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CORVALLIS — The manure that chickens, horses, llamas and many other barnyard animals leave behind is rich in nutrients that make a great organic fertilizer for your garden, said Melissa Fery, an instructor with the Oregon State University Extension Service’s small farms program.

“Manure is a low-cost fertilizer and a wonderful way to utilize nutrients instead of creating a pile that is not getting used and could be harmful to water quality,” she said.

If you add animal manure to your soil, you’ll not only improve the quality of the soil but you also won’t need to water your garden as much.

All animal manures are good sources of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and other nutrients that plants need to thrive. But the amounts of each nutrient are highly variable depending on the animal’s diet, and the amount and type of bedding used, Fery said.

Fery recommended hot composting manure before applying it to your garden to kill parasites and reduce seeds from weeds. Composted manure is also easier to shovel and spread. Hot composting balances food, water and air in a compost pile to favor the growth of microorganisms that thrive in high temperatures.

“It takes one-half to one cubic yard of fresh organic matter for the pile to reach the recommended temperatures for hot composting,” said Nick Andrews, small farms specialist with the OSU Extension Service. “The pile should also have a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and good moisture and oxygen supplies.”

A simple way to start is by building two bins out of pallets or boards. The first bin is for making the compost and the second is for the final stage of decomposition, also known as curing. Curing stabilizes the compost and can take several months. Make the bins big enough to hold a pile that could get 4- to 6-feet high and 3- to 5-feet wide.

Mix or layer raw animal manure with brown leaves, straw, spoiled hay or shredded paper in the first bin. If using manure that is mixed with bedding, it will have a good carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and you don’t need to add anything else, Andrews said. Thick layers of one material might not decompose quickly if you don’t have a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, he added.

It’s important for the pile to have sufficient moisture, Andrews said. Wearing gloves, squeeze the organic matter firmly in your hand. You should be able to squeeze a few drops out of it. If you can’t, add water to the pile. If you can easily squeeze out a stream of water, mix in some dry organic matter. Turn the pile in the first bin with a pitchfork a few times during the first month as it heats up. The pile should heat to 130-140 degrees. When conditions are ideal, compost can heat up within one day, Andrews said.

After the pile cools down to an ambient temperature, transfer it to the second bin. It usually takes another two to six months to decompose or cure. Horse manure may take longer to break down if combined with sawdust or straw bedding used in the animal’s stall. Wear gloves when touching compost and wash your hands afterward.

Spread composted manure in your garden in small amounts, about one-fourth to one-half inches deep. Thicker applications up to 1 inch deep might be justified in poor soil with low organic matter. To prevent pollution, store compost away from water sources and cover the pile with plastic when you expect heavy rain. Don’t keep applying excessive amounts of compost year after year, Fery said.

If you have composting questions, call the Master Gardener Plant Clinic at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center at 541-776-7371.

If you can’t have a garden plot, a container garden is a nice alternative. You’ll need pots and containers, potting soil, seeds and seedlings.

You can plant almost any plant or vegetable in a container and place it on your patio to grow. Be sure you have allowed enough space for the roots and commit yourself to a daily watering schedule, said Anne Smith of the Grand Forks Horticultural Society, because the soil in pots can dry out very quickly, especially on hot, windy days.

Take care not overwater. Plants can drown when there isn’t a big enough hole or holes for water to leave the pot, according to about.com/containergardening. If the soil gets too wet, the roots of your plants will rot and the plant will die. Don’t be afraid to drill or punch more holes in your pots for drainage. Also, it is a myth that adding gravel, pot shards or stones to the bottom of your container will increase drainage.

Read and save your plant tags and seed packets. They will tell you how big your plant will get, how much light, water and food it needs.

For ideas about filling your containers, ask the staff of your local plant nursery or check online. Flowers, herbs and tomatoes can thrive in a container.

— Paulette Tobin

For more help with your garden

• Visit the Grand Forks Horticultural Society’s website, www.angelfire.com/nd/gfhort. It has tons of useful information and links to related sites.

• Society members also meet regularly and have gardening presentations at East Grand Forks Campbell Library. The meetings are open to the public.

• The Grand Forks Horticultural Society’s 29th annual Garden Tour will be July 20-21. Homeowners will open their private yards for viewing and questions. Admission to a special plant sale is included with the ticket. Proceeds go to enhancing area public park gardens and educational programs.

• You can read the Northern Gardener, published by the Minnesota Horticultural Society, at www.northerngardener.org. It’s full of information, advice and gorgeous garden pictures.

— Paulette Tobin

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