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Over the years from various sources, we have compiled a lot of helpful
information. Here are the weekly tips first found in our newsletters,
along with plants and products that we have spotlighted. We include
practices developed here at The Natural Gardener and by other gardening
experts.
February
2005
Rose Pruning - by Natasha "The Rose Queen"
Pruning is hard to sum up in a nutshell, but here goes: Use a clean, sharp
pair of bypass pruners, and you might want to invest in a pair of leather
gauntlet gloves. Thus equipped, remove any dead canes. Remove any canes
that are growing back into the bush, rather than out of it. Cut them all
the way back to quick or they will branch and return two-fold. Once you've
done that, trim all the healthy outward facing canes back about a third (or
maybe a little more) by cutting about 1/2 inch above an outward facing bud
(make sure it's not a thorn!) at a 45 degree angle. (That's to keep moisture
from settling on the cut and causing stem dieback.) Blooms will appear on
the new growth in 6 to 7 weeks.
If you have a once-blooming rose like Lady Banks, wait until after it has
bloomed to prune it, if pruning is absolutely necessary.
For climbing roses, don't cut them back. Just tidy up the canes, take off
any dead wood or unmanagable canes, and secure any errant or new branches
with a yielding garden tie (no wire or staples).
Remember that it's not rocket science, and if you screw it up, it will grow
back. Have fun. For more information attend my class & ask lots of
questions.
Don't rush the garden
When we get a couple of nice spring days, we are
often tempted to plant things when it is just a little too early for that
plant. Our average last frost date in the area is mid-March, so
frost-tender plants should not be put out before then. The actual
temperature is not the only thing to consider. Cold winds and very wet soil
can also hurt plants that really want the drier, sunnier weather. There are
still many plants that can be planted now and enjoyed in the next couple of
months, such as cool-weather vegetables, cilantro, dill, larkspur and many
others. So be patient and the time to plant tomatoes, basil, marigolds,
etc. will be here before you know it.
2004
Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) for weed control
Now is the beginning of the window to put down CGM for control of weed
seeds that germinate in the spring. The use of CGM came from Iowa State
University researcher Nick Christians by accident when he was trying
to use CGM to grow a pathogen found on golf course turf. The experiment
did not work but he found that the CGM could inhibit root growth. It
will work best on seeds that germinate on or near the surface of the
soil. Weeds controlled by CGM include crabgrass, dandelions, pigweed,
purslane and others. Corn gluten will prevent successful germination
of seeds, but it will not kill weeds that are already established. It
is applied at the rate of 20# per 1000 square feet. Corn Gluten has
a 9-0-0 nutrient analysis so it will act as an early non-toxic "Weed
& Feed". Come April or May, if your grass is not as green and
healthy as you would like, feed it again with Lady Bug 8-2-4. Remember,
CGM prevents seeds from germinating so it needs at least 60 days to
break down before you seed the area with grass, vegetable, flower, or
any other seed. CGM should also be applied in September/October for
fall germinating weed seeds.
Prune you Roses
Prune shrub roses gently in mid February. Remove dead or diseased canes,
thin out any growth headed into the shrub rather than out, and trim
outward facing branches back about one-third, cutting above an outward
facing bud at an angle. Thin unwanted or unruly canes on climbers by
removing them at ground level. Bind up any loose canes with any soft
elastic material (Miracle tie, old panty hose, or jute.) Remember, a
rose trained horizontally will bloom more profusely than one trained
vertically.
Now is the time to put compost around the roses. Turkey compost is a
good one to chose for this time of year - nice and rich. Then sit back
and prepare to be dazzled!
Corn Gluten Meal
Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) for weed control. Yes this is the same hint (expanded)
as two weeks ago, but it is a very small window when the CGM is most
effective. That window is NOW! Put down CGM for control of weed seeds
that germinate in the spring. The use of CGM came from Iowa State University
researcher Nick Christians by accident when he was trying to use CGM
to grow a pathogen found on golf course turf. The experiment did not
work but he found that the CGM could inhibit root growth. It will work
best on seeds that germinate on or near the surface of the soil. Weeds
controlled by CGM include crabgrass, dandelions, pigweed, purslane and
others. Corn gluten will prevent successful germination of seeds, but
it will not kill weeds that are already established. It is applied at
the rate of 20# per 1000 square feet. Corn Gluten has a 9-0-0 nutrient
analysis so it will act as an early non-toxic "Weed & Feed."
Come April or May, if your grass is not as green and healthy as you
would like, feed it again with Lady Bug 8-2-4. Remember, CGM prevents
seeds from germinating so it needs at least 60 days to break down before
you seed the area with grass, vegetable, flower, or any other seed.
CGM should also be applied in September/October for fall germinating
weed seeds. The CGM that we carry and feel is most effective is in a
powder form. This makes application a little bit tricky. The easiest
way to get good coverage is to put the CGM in a drop or broadcast spreader
set on the smallest setting (smallest opening) and walk briskly or else
all your CGM will end up in one pile. Do not try to apply this on a
windy day as it will go all over.
Start seeds for summer flowers
Start seeds now for summer flowers. It is less than a month away from
the last frost date here in Central Texas so it is a great time to start
seeds indoors for summer color. Zinnias, cosmos, morning glories, and
many others can be started in flats inside the house with a bright light
source. A shop light will work if you keep it right over the plants
- only a couple of inches above the highest plant. You can move the
flat outside during nice days into full sun and protect them from the
wind and bring them in on cool evenings. When the last frost has past,
transplant the plants into your garden. You do not need to have a really
full plant to transplant like you get from a nursery. These have been
grown in very controlled situations. A smaller plant with several true
leafs is usually going to be fine when transplanted. Just be sure to
pay close attention to the water and potential bug problems for the
first couple of weeks. Come join our greenhouse manager - Kelly for
her propagation class here at the store on Saturday (Feb 28th) at 10
am.
2003
Corn Gluten for Weed Control
Corn Gluten for weed control. Now is the beginning of the window to
put down corn gluten for control of weed seeds that germinate in the
spring. Corn gluten will prevent successful germination of seeds, it
will not kill weeds that are already established. It is applied at the
rate of 20# per 1000 square feet. Corn Gluten has a 9-0-0 nutrient analysis
so it will act as an early "Weed & Feed." Remember - corn
gluten prevents seeds from germinating so it needs at least 60 days
to break down before you seed the area with grass, vegetable, flower,
or any other seed.
Rose Pruning
Valentine’s day, February 14th, is the time to prune roses in Central
Texas. If you are not familiar with pruning roses come to the talk about
roses on February 8th at 10:00am by Natasha, aka the Rose Queen. If
you can’t make the talk, ask our staff your questions or read a
good book on roses such as The Organic Rose Garden by Liz Druitt. Antique
roses are a wonderful and easy additions to any garden.
Get Ready to Garden
Cloudy weekends are still a good time to visit the nursery and buy compost
and garden soil and select plants, seeds, tools or whatever you need
to be ready to garden when the sun comes out.
Don’t Work Wet Soil
Don’t work your soil if it is too wet. With spring just around
the corner, it is tempting to go out and work in the garden whenever
there is a nice day. Think twice before working with soil if it is after
three days of rain. Creating a good soil structure is what gardeners
work so hard to achieve. Soil structure is crucial for providing the
plants with the proper amounts of air, water, and nutrients and to create
healthy root development. Tilling or digging can destroy the soil structure
very quickly when the soil is too wet. Wet soils will form large clumps
that will dry hard and solid without the many little pores needed to
hold the soil moisture and air. It takes a long time and a lot hard
work by the earthworms to repair the damage.
See our February To-Do List
See our February Articles:
Reflections on Life and Organic Gardening
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Old Bee Cave Road
