KEEP TROPICALS IN PLACE: Avoid transplanting tropical plants growing in the ground until next spring. Moving them now will reduce their vigor and lower their chances of surviving the winter.

TIMELY HERBS: Herbs to plant now include borage, celery, chervil, cilantro/coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, bay, scented geraniums, beebalm, burnet, catnip, chives, garlic chives, horseradish, lemon balm, Mexican tarragon, mints, oregano, pennyroyal, rosemary, sage, sorrel, marjoram, thyme, winter savory, French tarragon, feverfew, lavender and chamomile.

HOPE FOR MORE: Cut back chrysanthemums after they finish flowering to remove the faded flowers. Sometimes the plants will set a new crop of flower buds and produce more flowers during the winter.

SALAD DAYS: Leaf and semi-heading lettuce cultivars are easy to grow in vegetable gardens now. The heading lettuce varieties are less successful. Leaf or semi-heading lettuces to try include romaine, buttercrunch, bibb, oak leaf and others.

OUT WITH THE OLD: Don’t worry about those leaves turning yellow, orange or red and dropping from broad-leaved evergreens such as gardenia, hibiscus, magnolia, azalea, cherry laurel, Indian hawthorn and others. Many of these plants shed old leaves in the fall and many will lose some more this spring. The loss of old leaves is natural and no need for concern.

A new programme from the BBC is hoping to encourage people to get outdoors and save the nation’s rich garden heritage.

Starting in December, the new BBC 10-part series will feature advice and tips from 14 of the country’s most prolific gardeners, including Monty Don and Charlie Dimmock.

In each episode, two presenters will focus on an endangered aspect of gardens about which they feel passionately about and offer hands-on, practical advice to viewers on how they can restore and look after their gardens.

The series will feature episodes on cottage gardens, herbaceous borders, cut flowers, roof gardens, topiary, ornamental bedding, ponds and water features, fruit tress and kitchen gardens. 

Commissioning editor for BBC Daytime, Lindsay Bradbury, said: “Gardening is one of Britain’s boom areas – and this format fuses together top tips, nostalgia and an unparalleled team of passionate presenters.”

The Great British Garden Revival starts on Monday, December 9 at 7pm.

A crop of Auckland’s best-designed gardens will go on show for the Auckland Garden DesignFest on November 16 and 17. Reporter Emma Whittaker spoke to designer Trish Bartleet, whose work features, about what makes a stand-out garden.

Trish Bartleet is a garden guru.

She takes the overgrown, the under-planted, the uninviting and the awkwardly designed and turns them into an outdoor oasis.

“Everyone deserves a nice garden. You don’t actually have to have a big garden to have an amazing garden. I get just as excited by the small as I do about the big.”

The former teacher has been doing her green-fingered magic for 28 years.

She’s worked on sprawling country gardens and even an island, but it’s not just the extravagant that gets her going.

Many of her clients live in the suburbs and are only after some advice on planting.

One of the most common mistakes people make in their gardens is making spaces too small, she says.

“So often you go to people’s houses and you think this deck is too small, this courtyard is too small, this path is too narrow.

“The most important thing is getting a feel for the garden and getting the spaces right and making sure the areas are in proportion and relate to the house.

“Don’t make any space you want to sit in any smaller than three metres squared.”

Another of her top tips is to use a lot of the same thing.

“Buy groups of plants and love the plants you buy. Throughout the garden I try and use things that will look good most of the year, but also that when it does berry or leaf you love it.”

Vegetable gardens and fruit trees are in vogue.

“There’s an absolute trend towards them with my clients right across the board.”

Three gardens designed by Mrs Bartleet are featuring in the Auckland Garden DesignFest organised by the Garden Design Society of New Zealand and Rotary Club of Newmarket.

The biennial event is being held for the second time and is a chance for people to visit some of the city’s most beautifully designed gardens.

Money raised at the event will go to the Ronald McDonald House, KidsCan and Garden to Table charities.

One of Mrs Bartleet’s featuring works is at a historic home on the slopes of Mt Eden.

She has been working gradually on the project for about 13 years.

When she first visited it was a series of winding paths with a few original trees.

There were few features and the steepness made access difficult. One of the new features visitors will come across is a black and white chequerboard-style courtyard.

“It just gives a lovely sense of arrival and a sense of things to come.”

Mrs Bartleet has included some of the old details of the property including terracotta edgings and old bricks which have been used as risers on the stairways.

“The reason the clients live in an old house it that they love it so we wanted to keep the old.”

The hedges are creatively shaped and give a sense of movement as you walk through the garden.

A pool has been added which looks out over the city and the back of the garden has been converted into three large terraces to make the steep terrain useable.

“Things have changed quite a bit over time. It’s been a huge long-term project.

“The fact that it’s a very steep garden and it’s on Mt Eden and the attention to detail, make it special.”

GIVEAWAY

The Central Leader has a double pass to the Auckland Garden DesignFest on November 16 and 17 to give away.

To go in the draw email your name, address and a day time phone number to edcl@snl.co.nz with Central DesignFest in the subject line.

A winner will be drawn on November 13.

– © Fairfax NZ News

Sponsored links

Whilst most of nature is hibernating in the colder months, winter is the prime time to get new trees into the ground.

Trees are best planted in the late autumn, especially bare rooted varieties. Newly planted trees do best when exposed to moderate temperatures and rainfall and they need time to root and acclimatise before the onset of summer heat or the harsher temperatures of winter.

If you’re planning to plant trees in the garden then do it now before the ground gets too hard or frozen whilst you can still position them in wet and dry land. 

Trees can add structure to the landscape and garden and some make excellent hedges and screens.

Steve McCurdy, of Majestic Trees, has recommended the top trees to plant this autumn:

• Himalyan Birch
• Silver Birch
• Snowy Mespilus
• Christmas berry ‘Red Robin’
• Freeman’s Maple

By planting trees you can reduce or improve your carbon footprint and generally enhance the environment.

Trees can transform an area by introducing welcome shade, protective shelter and wildlife and are an investment for future generations.

Rocks, brush piles and tumbleweeds once covered the east Odessa property of Mary Ann Miles.

Now, after 10 years of planting and experimentation, her yard is full of flower and vegetable gardens — some shaped like circles with holes in the middle for compost.

These “keyhole gardens” save water, said Miles, who made a presentation about the method at a Saturday winter gardening workshop held by the Master Gardeners of the Permian Basin.

After creating the circular base with fencing and cardboard, Miles said to layer soil and manure with “green stuff” such as plants, leaves and flowers. Gardeners only have to water a composting basket in the middle, which stresses the plants and forces their roots down, she said.

“It’s glorified recycling. And the plants to do great,” Miles said.

The Master Gardener of 10 years welcomes anyone interested in gardening to visit her yard, located at 6828 Ector Ave. in Odessa. She also recommends joining Master Gardeners, an educational organization offered by the Texas AM’s AgriLife Extension Service.

“You learn the little things. You learn from other people,” Miles said.

 In addition to offering tips on growing and protecting winter vegetables, the Saturday workshop also showed gardeners how to make planters out of straw bales, which are gutted to hold soil and seeds.

Bales cost about $11, and absorb moisture and naturally make compose material, said Master Gardener trainee Debbie Roland.

“You get your crop, and you get your composting material, as well,” said Roland, noting the method is good for growing tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes.

But Roland said the bale has to be wheat hay — or bedding for animals — or else the garden will look like a chia pet.

Growing and protecting winter crops

A National Weather Service seasonal outlook predicts above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation levels in West Texas for the months of November, December and January.

Still, Master Gardener Bob Schuler said vegetables could benefit from frost protection.

“It’s hard to imagine sitting here … on a warm afternoon that we’re going to have frozen winter nights soon,” he said.

Temperatures below about 25 degrees are dangerous to plants, and frost cloths — which can be purchased in large rolls — can be draped over gardens, Schuler said.

“It’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s effective, and it will last the whole growing season,” said Schuler, noting that frost cloth can be added to fencing for more structure.

Broccoli, cauliflower and lettuces grow best during the winter months, and herbs such as basil, mint and chives also do well, said Manny Sandico, Master Gardener trainee.

Sandico recommends growing plants in small, portable gardens instead of large outside ones.

“Don’t plant anything you don’t need,” he said. “I only grow what I eat.”

Sandico also warned to be mindful of watering. Gardeners can test the moisture of the soil with their fingers; plants look “sleepy” if they need water, he said.

 “The water is very precious in Midland and Odessa. It’s good not to overwater,” he said.

Steve Kaplan
Email | Web

Follow naturalgarden:

Posted: Friday, November 1, 2013 11:41 am

Gardening Tips: Bring fall color to your landscape

By Matthew Stevens

The Daily Herald, Roanoke Rapids, NC

|
0 comments

Last week I wrote about the changes plants undergo in fall that cause their leaves to change color. Usually when we think about fall color we think about large trees and the foliage display of the forest. However, the same changes happen to many smaller trees and shrubs. Therefore, we can incorporate plants into our landscape that have exceptional fall color in order to create an interesting fall landscape. Let’s talk about a few of the plants that will give you the best show.

Subscription Required

An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety.

You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.

Have an online subscription?

Login Now

Need an online subscription?

Subscribe

Login

Or, use your
linked account:

Current print subscribers

• 
  1
  
  Print Subscription AccessNo additional cost.
  

  This digital subscription is included in the print delivery subscription. You will
  need to locate your account number to validate your account.

Need an account? Create one now.

You must login to view the full content on this page.

Or, use your
linked account:

© 2013 The Daily Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thank you for reading 10 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at 252-537-2505.

You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.

Have an online subscription?

Login Now

Need an online subscription?

Subscribe

Login

Or, use your
linked account:

Current print subscribers

• 
  1
  
  Print Subscription AccessNo additional cost.
  

  This digital subscription is included in the print delivery subscription. You will
  need to locate your account number to validate your account.

Need an account? Create one now.

• 
  Discuss

• Print
  
  

Posted in
Columns

on

Friday, November 1, 2013 11:41 am.

Posted on: 5:18 pm, November 2, 2013, by Staff Writer

Experts from Earl May said that just because it is November does not mean you can’t still be planting.  The gardening experts recommend that if you want to plant a tree, do it now.  Autumn is the ideal time to plant a tree or perennial plant as it lets the plants establish roots for the spring but be sure to plant these new additions before the ground freezes for the winter.

November is also the perfect time to permanently eradicate those pesky weeds from your yard.   The cooler temperatures before the freeze is the best time to kill stronger weeds like Creeping Charlie.  Be sure to use a weed killer on these as they are very resilient.

In November at Cedar Creek Lake we start to experience colder temperatures and usually our first frost of the season. The average first frost day for our area is November 15th. While many plants above ground are moving into a dormant state for winter, there are still many important gardening tasks to be completed in and around the garden.

If you lost plants this summer due to the excessive heat and are looking to replace them, fall is the best times of year to replant. All horticultural professions are in agreement on this point – FALL IS FOR PLANTING. Trees and shrubs planted this time of year get their root systems established for better spring growth and blooming. Plus, it greatly improves their chances of surviving our hot Texas summers.

Preparing your plant and vegetable beds in the fall ready for spring is recommended. Using compost, manure and dried molasses to improve the quality of your soil will give your plants a big head start in the new year. At Cedar Creek Lake there are several different soil types. If you have heavy clay, use expanded shale or lava sand to break up the soil and improve drainage. For sandy soils, amending with compost will improve the soil structure and help hold moisture.

If you are looking to have bright vibrant colors in your home for the holidays or in your landscape in spring, think bulbs. Daffodils, tulips, paperwhites, amaryllis and hyacinths are all available now for planting. Bulbs, especially daffodils, look spectacular in the landscape when planted in clumps or groups rather than standing alone.

According to the Dallas Arboretum, single late tulips grow best in North Texas. They should know, they plant over 400,000 each year! Recommendations include Menton, Blushing Girl and Maureen. Tulips are best chilled in the refrigerator for 4 – 6 weeks before planting to ensure the best flowers.

If you have tropical plants like hibiscus, bougainvillea, palms or citrus fruits that are not winter hardy, remember to bring them inside before the night temperatures get too cold. When inside find a sunny location and continue to water but less often.

Pruning is recommended at this time of year. Pruning trees and shrubs serves two purposes – to remove dead branches that are an entry point for unwanted diseases and insects and to shape and beautify the look. Use sharp pruners and a pruning sealer to protect the cut. Perennials should be cut back to the ground after the first frost.

If your lawn is a warmer season grass like St Augustine or Bermuda it will start to go dormant this time of year. Cut back on watering to prevent fungus and disease from developing.

Happy Gardening

Ciscoe Morris shows us how to plant trees and shrubs, as this is a good time of year to do it.

Fall is a great time to plant a tree in your garden, but before you even buy it there’s a few things to consider.

1. Pick the right tree for the location you want to plant it in.
   
2. Make sure the tree you pick won’t grow to large for the spot your putting it, and don’t plant it too close to the house.
   
3. Choose a tree that is well adapted to the soil conditions in your garden.  If you have clay soil you’ll either have to grow a tree that can handle growing in heavy soil such as a red maple, a sweetgum. or a dawn redwood, or you’ll need to bring in topsoil and plant on top of a berm of good soil.  As long as you can raise the soil enough to keep 2/3rds of the tree’s roots above the clay soil when you plant it, you can grow almost any tree you desire in your garden.  Make sure the tree you buy can handle the amount of sunshine in the location you are planning to plant it in as well.
   
4. Choose a healthy attractive tree.  Take a good hard look at the tree before you buy it at the nursery.  Don’t buy it if it has lots of dieback, spots on the leaves, or a horrible looking branching structure.
   
5. Don’t plant too deep – when you plant the tree, dig a whole 2 times wider, but now deeper than the rootball.  It’s absolutely critical to plant the tree so that the roots begin just below the soil surface.  If you plant the tree even a half-inch deeper it could harm or even kill the tree.  Firm the bottom of the hole to keep the tree from sinking in the hole.  Digging a wide hole will get the roots off to a good start by allowing them to move into the softened soil.  Don’t add compost to the planting hole.  Studies have proven  that trees do better planted in native soil.
   
6. Add organic fertilizer.  Toss a handful of organic starter fertilizer in the hole.  It won’t burn the roots, but will provide nutrients to help with root growth.
   
7. Do a bit of formative pruning.  Don’t make the mistake of cutting back all of the side branches on the tree to give it a round canopy.  Heading cuts of this kind encourage major sprout growth, and you’ll spend an incredible amount of time removing unsightly twigs that will grow non-stop from the end of the branches for years to come.   Establish a sturdy, attractive branching structure and fix any minor problems that could cause trouble down the road.  Remove the three D’s: dead, diseased or damaged branches that could end up with disease problems if left on the tree.  Next remove any branches that are growing into the center of the tree, or any smaller branch that is crossing over a bigger one to keep possible rubbing from creating wounds in the bark.  Where two similarly sized branches are growing vertically, straight up from the same crotch in the tree, remove the weaker branch by cutting it back to its point of attachment in the tree.  If left in place, as the tree matures, co-dominant branches develop weak attachment and at sometime in the future one or both of the limbs are highly likely to break off in an ice or wind storms, ruining the health and appearance of the tree.  The last and most important step when pruning a newly planted tree is to obey the law of haircuts and eating hot fun Sundays.  Know when to stop! 
    

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”,”serif”;}

For more gardening tips watch Gardening with Ciscoe every Saturday morning on KING5.  You can also visit Ciscoe.com.

• Previous article
  Seahawks Monday Night Football preview
  

• Next article
  Spreading peace through photography