garden tips | Gardening

Popular garden lecturer to offer holiday tips at Marblehead library

Cottage Gardeners of Marblehead and Swampscott, in collaboration with Abbot Public Library, will be presenting a “Welcome Yule” holiday program Tuesday, Dec. 10 at the library, 235 Pleasant St., Marblehead.

The evening’s program begins at 6:30 p.m. with festive refreshments to be followed by a presentation and demonstration by the well-known and popular garden lecturer, author and teacher Betsy Williams. Admission is free, and a raffle for Williams’ creations will be part of the evening’s plan.

Williams will show how to decorate your home for the sparkling month of December with fresh greens and fragrant herbs, combined with fruits and vegetables, berries, cones, nuts and lots of candles. Using boxwood, ivies, junipers, rosemary, berries, fruits and other seasonal plant material, the demonstration will emphasize the simple how-tos and mechanics of creating glowing candle rings, woodsy boxwood and berry arrangements, charming Williamsburg fruit cones, classic topiaries and fresh potpourri.

Williams’ gardens, floral work and retail shop have been featured in many books, national magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times, The American Gardener, Victoria, Better Homes and Gardens, Country Living Gardener, Colonial Homes, the Herb Companion and Traditional Home. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows.

Cottage Gardeners meet monthly, September through June, and new members are always welcome. Venues and meeting times vary to accommodate membership. Extensive gardening experience is not necessary to join, only an interest in gardening and related subjects.

For additional information about this event, call 781-631-1481 or visit abbotlibrary.org.

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Tips to avoid spreading noxious weeds

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Last week I talked about two noxious weeds that gardeners share some responsibility for introducing and spreading throughout the U.S. This week, I will discuss our duty as gardeners to avoid spreading potential noxious weeds.

More than five years ago, I noticed a new plant being sold at local plant sales. It was called “donkey tail” or “burro tail.” More officially, it’s known as myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites). It is a low-growing perennial with trailing fleshy stems and looks similar to noninvasive garden spurges.

The waxy, fleshy leaves of myrtle spurge are blue-green and arranged alternately along the stem, giving the plant an interesting spiraled appearance. The yellow flowers at the tips of each stem are not showy, but bring some color to the plant in the spring.

Myrtle spurge was introduced for use in rock gardens and xeriscapes because it is easy to grow and drought tolerant. However, it has many things that shout “don’t plant me.” As a noxious weed, it is invasive and displaces native vegetation. In addition, all parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, even though animals usually avoid eating it. Gardeners should note that as a member of the Euphorbia family, its milky sap causes severe skin irritation and blistering.

While myrtle spurge is not a problem in agricultural crops, it has escaped cultivation in parts of Washington and moved into sensitive ecosystems. It can be controlled easily in agricultural land and gardens with frequent cultivation. If you find a patch, rogue out. Because of the caustic sap, wear safety goggles, gloves and long sleeves.

When I saw myrtle spurge being sold, I wondered why this plant is so plentiful that gardeners had lots to share. That can be a clue to a plant’s tendencies to be invasive, even if it isn’t on a noxious weed list. Remember, the Washington Noxious Weed Board estimates that at least half the weeds on its list are escapees from gardens, problems that could be avoided if gardeners and the horticulture industry were better informed.

So what can we do? Adhere to a voluntary gardening code of conduct.

1. Don’t sell or trade plants with other gardeners that you know to be invasive, aggressive or hard to control. Not all of these are noxious weeds, but sharing plants with bad behavior is not an honorable practice.

2. Talk to your local garden center or nurseries, and encourage them not to promote or sell invasive plants.

3. Occasionally, check state (www.nwcb.wa.gov) and local noxious weed lists for plants on the watch list. Share the information you know about noxious weeds, aggressive or invasive plants, and poisonous plants with neighbors and friends.

4. Do your research before you plant. Make sure a plant is friendly to our region’s ecosystem and not invasive. If you discover you have already planted a problem plant, remove it and replace with a similar plant that won’t cause problems.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

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Lantana can be brought indoors in winter

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Can I bring a lantana indoors? If so, can I prune it so it takes up less room?

Though typically grown as an annual in Maryland, lantana is actually a shrub and can either be grown as a houseplant or overwintered indoors. Place it where it gets at least three hours of direct sun daily and cut back on watering because it will be going through a rest period. You can prune it moderately now to make it more manageable. Young plants can be tip-pruned to encourage branching. Older plants can tolerate pruning down to 4-6 inches in early spring before new growth begins.

My newly seeded lawn is getting buried under a bumper crop of acorns. I’ve been picking them up by hand but I need my life back. Help!

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There are handy nut picker-uppers available. Several are designed for acorns and others pick up nuts such as walnuts. Most look like a bingo-ball cage and are rolled across the grass. They should not damage your new turf if it has gotten mature enough for you to walk on it.

University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information. Call 800-342-2507 or send a question to the website at extension.umd.edu/hgic.

Plant of the week

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium (Andropogon scoparius)

This native grass is coming on strong as gardeners switch to plants both ornamental and beneficial. In fall, its bluish blades give way to bright gold and reddish tones. Don’t cut back this ornamental grass before winter and it will reward you with wispy charm through the bleak cold months, especially when sunbeams shine through its silvery seed heads. Little bluestem is a Maryland native that puts up with lousy or dry soil, loam or sand. It needs full sun, growing to a clump 11/2 to 4 feet tall, flowering from August to October. During harsh winter weather, foliage provides good cover for wildlife. Cultivars are available, including Carousel, which offers colorful summer foliage. —Ellen Nibali

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Goulding: Tips for the cool season garden

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This year, add some holiday color to the garden. Buy several strings of multi-colored lights and wrap them around a deck banister, install them in an arbor or pergola, or high up crisscrossing a patio. Use bright LED lights.

Cover patio, pool and deck furniture. Remove cushions.

Now is the time to turn off all irrigation and winterize the system.

Tulips should be planted in the garden now. Plant tulips in outdoor containers, too!

Check your local garden center for great end of the season deals on plants, bulbs, lawn equipment and containers.

Now is the time to check gas-powered equipment. We are fast approaching the final days of cutting grass. Do maintenance work as required, and be sure to add a gas conditioner to the gas tank of all equipment after its last use for the year.

Its still not too late to plant Paper White narcissus bulbs for Christmas blooms.

Add some winter color to your landscape with camellias. These evergreen shrubs are blooming now through March. If you see variety that strikes your fancy, buy it. Some like shade, others do well with more sun, and some can grow very large, so check the labels. Prune camellias after they bloom.

Remove leaves that have fallen onto shrubs. Use a leaf rake and rake gently.

Contact Todd Goulding at

www.fernvalley.com, 478-345-0719 or on Facebook.

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The Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury offers tips on holiday plants

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If you’re like millions of Americans, there’s a flowering houseplant in your holiday future. Poinsettia heads the “Big Three” list of holiday plants, with over $250 million in annual sales, followed by Christmas cactus and amaryllis. All are relatively carefree, but unless you know what to shop for, you could end with a disappointing poinsettia, a fractious cactus, or the dreaded amaryllis “unfulfill-us.”

Poinsettia Pointers

By late November you can’t swing a giant plastic candy cane in any retail store without hitting a poinsettia display. To pick a lasting, healthy plant:

Check overall shape and size: plants should be no more than 2 1/2 times taller than their containers.

Avoid plants that have been spray-painted or sprinkled with suffocating glitter.

Look for a firm, stout stem and dark green foliage almost to the soil line.

Inspect the flower petals (actually modified leaves called bracts). They should be fully colored (no green around the edges) and larger than the lower leaves.

Inspect the small yellowish-green buttons (cyathia) in the middle of each group of petals; they should be tightly clustered, showing little or no pollen. Once pollen is released, the plant will drop its bracts!

Cover with plastic to keep your plant warm and head home. Choose a well-lit location: cool at night and away from heat sources and drafts. Water when the top of the soil is dry, mist occasionally, and don’t fertilize.

Remember, poinsettias are dangerous for pets if ingested, so keep them out of reach.

“Christmas” Cactus Checklist

Most of the Christmas cacti sold are actually Thanksgiving cacti, which bloom earlier. So, if you want abundant blooms on Dec. 25, delay your purchase until closer to the holiday (Retailers will re-stock through mid-December).

Choose a plant with both buds and blossoms. Plants can flower for 4-6 weeks, but individual blooms last only 7-9 days.

Avoid plants that are lopsided or have damaged stems or signs of bruising.

As with poinsettias, loosely wrap the cactus for the journey home.

Temperature, light and watering requirements are generally similar to poinsettias, except water from the bottom, and add a pebble tray for humidity.

Amaryllis Advice

From bulb to bloom, amaryllis takes about 6-8 weeks. If your heart’s set on flowers by December 25, run — don’t walk — to your nearest garden center. Bulbs are available loose or in kits including a container and soil. Here’s what to look for:

Avoid sealed, opaque boxes. You should be able to see (and preferably handle) the bulb.

Size matters: Bulbs can range from 2″ to 7″ across. The larger the bulb, the larger and more abundant the stems/flowers. Softball size should be relatively easy to find.

Bulbs should be firm, plump, and unbruised, with whitish, fleshy roots and some green starting to show at the top.

Planting the bulb:

Snip off withered roots and sit the bulb in a tray of tepid water for a few hours.

Amaryllises need to be pot-bound to bloom. Choose a heavy container with drainage holes, at least 6″ deep and only 2-3″ wider than the bulb.

Fill the bottom with potting soil. Fan the roots, and place the bulb on top. Fill around the bulb, making sure at least 1/2 of it remains above ground.

Water thoroughly (moist, not wet), keeping the top of the bulb dry.

Place in a cool, bright location; rotate pot 90 degrees daily so stalks grow straight.

Once stalks emerge, move to a warm, sunny location and feed with half-strength water-soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Once blooming starts, you should have a succession of flowers for 4-5 weeks. To prolong further, move the plant to a cooler, darker location.

As with poinsettias, amaryllis bulbs can be dangerous for pets, so keep them out of reach.

As if brilliant holiday flowers aren’t enough reward, remember: Poinsettias, Christmas cacti and amaryllises are all perennials. Come summer, you can move them to your garden. And — with a little TLC — they will re-bloom next holiday season. Check the Internet for “how-to” info.

Have fun with your new plants … and best wishes for the best bloomin’ holidays ever.

About the Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury

website: http://gcfm.org/eveninggcwestroxbury/Home.aspx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EveGardenClubOfWestRox

Founded in 1996, The Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts. A 501(c)(3) charity organization, the club maintains four community beautification sites. Club meetings – which are open to the public – are held the 2nd Wednesday of each month and feature presentations by experienced horticulturists.

Ann Morgan is vice president of The Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury and associate editor of Mayflower, the official publication of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc.

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Quick Tip: Preparing Your Potted Garden for a Hard Freeze

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When a hard freeze is in the forecast, it is time to pick the last of the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants and clean the plants from the garden!

All the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants should be harvested before the vine is killed. Green tomatoes can be made into fried green tomatoes (I love a spicy fish breading on mine), pickled, or stored in a dark place to ripen. You can bring your pepper plants indoors and they will flower and produce for weeks. They will survive the entire winter and get a one to two month head start on next year’s season.

You can compost any garden debris that is disease free, but dispose of any diseased plants in the garbage. Only high sustained temperatures will destroy the spores and it is not worth the risk of spreading into next year’s garden.

This is the time of year to put a coat on your potted plants that you are going to leave outdoors. The best place to locate your plants and greenhouse is close to protection and on the south side of the house in full sun. Putting the greenhouse against the house will help keep the temperatures warmer for your plants.

I have my portable greenhouse over my three Earthoxes that contain kale, celery, French dandelion, spinach, lettuce, blood veined sorrel, and garden purslane. It is also best to make sure the pots are sitting directly on the ground. I have my pots placed next to our outdoor kitchen and on the concrete patio. The outdoor kitchen wall and concrete patio absorbs heat during the day to release overnight, keeping the temperatures from dipping inside the greenhouse.

I put five 1 gallon jugs filled with water and spray painted black inside the greenhouse along the outside edge. I have 2 on each side and 1 in the end. The black will help heat up the water during the day. These will help moderate the temperature inside the greenhouse overnight. Make sure you have the edges of greenhouse secured to the ground (there is an internal flap all around the inside of my greenhouse that I placed the milk jugs on to hold the flaps down).

The biggest risk with a greenhouse? Overheating! The sun’s rays are quite hot on a cloudless day. I open the vent on my greenhouse when it is sunny and in the 30’s. I will unzip the front door flap when it gets into the 40’s. In the 50’s, the cold crops really don’t need any protection.

For more potted and small space gardening tips, see my blog at VictoryGardenOnTheGolfCourse.Blogspot.com.

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Ruth’s Tips: Senna artemisioides provides feathery fun for the garden

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Walnut Creek’s Ruth Bancroft is a national authority on drought-resistant gardening. Twice a month, she and her staff share their knowledge with readers.

While some plants have a fixed time of year when they invariably come into bloom, others are less precise. One such species is Senna artemisioides, a shrub native to Australia.

Although it generally flowers during the winter and spring months, the timing varies from plant to plant and from year to year. At the Ruth Bancroft Garden, we have had it begin as early as September and end as late as May.

Senna artemisioides is sometimes referred to as Feathery Cassia, in reference to its fine-textured feathery foliage. In older books, it is referred to as Cassia artemisioides, and the old genus name persists in its common name. In current taxonomy, most of the shrubs formerly included in Cassia have been transferred to the genus Senna, while the trees have kept the name Cassia.

The gray-green leaves of Senna artemisioides are up to 3 inches long; they are divided into very narrow leaflets that look like pine needles. On closer inspection, it can be seen that the leaf stalk and the undersides of the leaflets are silvery, contrasting with the green upper sides. The overall effect is gray-green, with the fineness of the foliage giving the plant an airy look.

This species normally attains a height of 5 to 6 feet, and sometimes a little more. At the Ruth Bancroft Garden, we value S. artemisioides for the way its feathery foliage contrasts with the solidity of large-leaved plants such as agaves and aloes.

The cupped flowers of Feathery Cassia are a half-inch to two-thirds of an inch across. They are bright yellow with a dark eye, due to the cluster of dark brown stamens nestled within the cup.

Although the flowers are not large, they are produced abundantly over a long period of time. The seed pods that follow are initially glossy green, then turn brown at maturity. They resemble narrow shiny snap peas, which is not surprising since Senna belongs to the pea family.

Sennas are found worldwide, mostly in tropical or subtropical regions. Fortunately, there are some kinds, such as S. artemisioides, with enough cold tolerance to endure the occasional dips into the 20s that we experience in Walnut Creek.

Email questions on drought-resistant plants to info@ruthbancroftgarden.org.

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Beautiful Garden winner Alice Menge’s tips

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Tips from Alice Menge:

• For spring, think small: “I love spring bulbs, but planting them under a large maple with a root system like a loofah is not a task I want to do each year. So I rely on Siberian squill, crocus and very early narcissus that will bloom before the maple fully leafs out.”

• Cut and mate: “If I’m looking for plants to fill a specific spot, I’ll sometimes take along cuttings or blossoms from neighboring plants so that I can see how the textures or blossom color will work with the new plants I purchase.”

• It’s not the heat, it’s … : “It seems to me that our climate has become more humid, and some plants that did well in my garden a decade or two ago no longer work. So I took out a dwarf blue spruce and Winnipeg Parks shrub rose because they don’t do well in high humidity.”

• Stay in your zone: “I like the Black Beauty elderberry because it gives me the texture of a Japanese maple without the concerns for hardiness.”

• Try alternatives to mulch in shady spaces: “Mulch doesn’t work well in the shade garden because it harbors slugs, and we have an overabundance of earthworms in that section that ingest the mulch almost as fast as I put it down. So I under-plant the hostas and shrubs with moneywort and violets.”

Bill ward

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Filed Under: garden tips

West Roxbury Evening Gardening Club offers tips on holiday plants