Bottle tree at Oklahoma
State University. |
Let These
Be
After
frost many of the perennials in your garden are begging for a cleanup.
However, there are a few best left alone until spring. Some of the most
widely planted least-hardy, (sometimes called half-hardy) plants grown
in North and Central Alabama include lantana, Mexican petunia (Ruellia)
and most salvias. Cutting them back exposes the crowns to severe cold,
if it should come along. Perhaps you’ve lost these plants in winters
before. Another killer is poor winter drainage, so now would be a good
time to move any in a bad spot and hope we get rain.
How
Healthy is Your
Prized Tree?
City
trees seem to get most of the attention of the garden press, which left
me wondering about the prized old shade trees on country homesteads that
might need some expert care. If you have a tree you are concerned about,
read on. There are a few certified arborists in the state who are
especially trained and equipped to provide proper tree care. This could
mean anything from proper pruning, shaping, fertilizing, pest control,
bracing, lighting protection, opening the canopy to minimize wind damage
and more. You can find out more about certified arborists and collect
lots of helpful tree care information (like why topping hurts trees) at
the website of the International Society of Arboriculture, www.treesaregood.com.
Got Peat?
Some
folks consider Canadian sphagnum peat moss the Cadillac of soil
amendments. Garden beds containing peat need less watering since peat
holds up to 20 times its weight in water. It also improves sandy soil by
adding body and helps to retain moisture and nutrients. Peat also
aerates heavy clay and protects the soil from forming a hard crust. So,
if you want to splurge and add some to idle beds, especially for flowers
and vegetables, now is a good time. Use a layer about 2 inches thick
worked into the top 6 inches of soil; at this rate a 3.8 cubic foot bale
covers about 45 square feet.
Also
take advantage of this time to add lime and other soil amendments when
the ground is still workable. Use a pH meter and soil test kit in a few
weeks to check pH and fertility. Remember, peat is very acid. There have
been a lot of write-ups in the media about peat harvesting and the
question of sustainability. If you want to read about this issue from
the producer’s point of view, visit the website of the Canadian
Sphagnum Peat Moss Association at www.peatmoss.com.
A
Different Kind of
Tree at Christmas
Last
October I visited the Oklahoma State University Demonstration Garden in
Stillwater |
