A Story off the Internet

"Winterize your lawn," the big sign outside the garden store commanded. I've fed it, watered it, mowed it, raked it and watched a lot of it die anyway. Now I'm supposed to winterize it? I hope it's too late. Grass lawns have to be the stupidest thing we've come up with outside of thong swimsuits! We constantly battle dandelions, Queen Anne's lace, thistle, violets, chicory and clover that thrive naturally, so we can grow grass that must be nursed through an annual four step chemical dependency.

Imagine the conversation The Creator might have with St. Francis about this:

"Frank you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the Midwest? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no: maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long: lasting blossoms attracted butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles."

"It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great extent to kill them and replace them with grass."

"Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?"

"Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn."

"The spring rains and cool weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy."

"Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it. Sometimes twice a week."

"They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?"

"Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags."

"They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?"

"No, sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away."

"Now let me get this straight. They fertilize the grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?"

"Yes, sir."

"These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work."

"You aren't going believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it."

"What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life."

"You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and have them hauled away."

"No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and keep the soil moist and loose?"

"After throwing away your leaves, they go out and buy something they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves."

"And where do they get this mulch?"

"They cut down trees and grind them up."

"Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. Saint Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?"

"Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about..."

"Never mind I think I just heard the whole story."

Things to Do in November

Just a reminder from now until April is the best time to transplant perennial’s, trees and shrubs, also prepare new beds and revitalize tired gardens for next years growth. Spend any extra time removing debris and tiding up your landscape before adding mulch for winter protection.

Planting

Fall, Fall, Fall! Plant, Plant, Plant! November is a great time to plant large shade trees and any other plant that you want to have established for next year. Experience has proved that any landscape that we do, any single tree, shrub or perennial plant will do better when planted in the fall. That sunny, hot window can be shaded next summer by that tree you plant this month. Because the soil is cooler and has more moisture in it the roots system of plants grow more, gives the plants a better chance to get established before the next years growing season.

Winter Color

With Holidays coming up we are in a hurry to plant our fall color, so that our guest and neighbors will enjoy the bright colors of Pansies, Snap Dragons, Kale, Cabbage, Chard and other annuals that do well in your area. The word hurry was put into catch your attention.

If we put some thought into our plantings, we can come up with some original ideas.

Not all beds have to have the same variety of flower or the same color. Unless a specific color scheme is being used you can have more show and success by using a variety of plants. Snap Dragons are more upright and can bloom all winter long, if we have a mild winter. Pansies can be showy, but if we have another warm winter they can become leggy and unattractive. A combination of both will ensure some success.

Plant tall flowers in the middle of a bed or as a background. Lower flowers around the edges. I hate seeing a mono: culture, or a stand of a single color and variety of flowers. When you see a meadow of wildflowers there are usually several varieties, never ugly or repetitive. I have seen some professionally landscaped flower beds that look as natural as a brick wall.

Transplanting

We put off all of our transplant jobs until we have had a couple of freezes or the desired plant has started to show its fall colors. At Rohde’s we have a very good success rate for transplanting trees. One of the things we do that is different that other companies is that we root prune. By this, I mean that we do not dig all the way around the tree at one time. We do two opposite quarters of the tree digging far away from the tree to make sure that you dig a ball big enough to get as much of the root system as is possible. Apply a root stimulator like Green Sense Kelp or Super Thrive. Cover the hole back up, water and wait two weeks or more before repeating the process on the other two opposite sides. If the trees leaves do not wilt then it is ready to be moved to it’s new location. Put a ribbon on the North side of the tree as a marker. If the root ball is very large then use burlap and pinning nails to cover the exposed soil so that if the tree has to be rolled or falls during transport the root ball will not explode and separate the soil from the root ball making survival difficult. If the ball is bigger then you and your friends can handle call a wrecker service. Place a heavy layer of burlap around the trunk of the tree to protect it from harm. Place a chain snugly around the root ball, if possible use a second chain, but when lifting make sure that the hook has grabbed both chains so that they do not slip.

Measure the root ball, both width and length and pre dig your hole. The hole should be at least one half larger then the width of the root ball, but about two inches shallower then depth of the same. Make the sides of the hole uneven and rough by digging into the wall.

When placing the tree in the hole try to place the ribbon facing north. This is not as critical for evergreens or for trees that are being transplanted in the winter but can be critical in the early spring and summer where the bark can sun burn.

After you have properly placed the tree and soaked the root ball with a root stimulator, use the existing soil to backfill. When finished place a one inch layer of compost and then three inches of a mulch over the entire root ball. Do not stake trees unless the new location is very windy. Remove stakes as soon as possible. About four or five months.

Keep soil moist. Do not over water. Check soil for moisture by probing the area around the edges of the root ball with a stick, as if you were checking the moisture of a cake.

Lawns

As the leaves fall from trees and insects and small creatures get caught in the cold they become natures fertilizer. If mother nature fertilizes in the fall, and she knows best, then why don’t you? Apply an organic fertilizer at a rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet. The organic fertilizers applied in the fall will help to encourages good root development and improve the overall health of your soil.

At this time you can also apply an amendment like Humate, Rock Phosphate Colloidal Clay, Microbes, Lava Sand and Green Sand. This amendments will help enrich the soil and improve, percolation, tilth, microbial activity and root structure.

Weeding

Before you start weeding put plant markers by your perennials, specially does that start late in the spring, we tend to forget what perennials look like after they go dormant. Just ask the guys on our maintenance crews. Many weed seeds will germinate at this time of the year. A lot of this can be avoided by pulling weeds before they actually go to seed and produce another flower. I actually tried using my Dust Buster on some dandelions the other day. I wonder how many seeds it actually sucked up. If you are to embarrassed to try something new in your neighborhood get out the hoe and whack the weeds to death or pull the weeds and cover all bare spots with mulch. Weeds can be host to insects so keep them under control.

Leaf Removal

A lot of people leave the leaves on the lawn all winter long. Take some time to clean up the garden this month. Dead leaves can be cut off perennials and the debris from summer plants can be collected and added to the compost pile. This clean up should include old fruit and pecans from the ground, this will help control plant disease and insect pests that live in this debris. Time spent now on grooming the yard will improve the health and looks of the garden for next year. Clean fallen leaves from gutters and downspouts. Put these leaves with other debris in your compost pile. Do not forget to turn the compost pile regularly.

Trees

If you have dead branches that might be hard to detect once the leaves have fallen you can do two things one is to go ahead and remove those branches now or draw a diagram that will help you find the branches later. It is better for the tree if you wait until the colder temperatures have forced the sap back down into the tree and it is easier for you because the branches will actually be lighter. Do not prune fruit trees until January or early February. Now is a good time to fertilize. More about that later.

Bulbs

Pick out your bulbs now, but do not plant tulips until the soil temperature is in the 40 to 50 degree range. This will keep them from rotting Refrigerate your bulbs until they are ready to be planted. Always soak bulbs in a Kelp Solution and add Bone Meal or Soft Rock Phosphate Colloidal Clay in the whole at the time of planting. It is nice if you know which part of the bulb should be the top, but the flowering part of the bulbs will find there way up.

Getting Ready for Winter

Be prepared to move your cold tender plants into the house as soon as you have been warned about frost or freezes. Have an area in the house that recives good sunlight cleared out. Make sure that there is no vent that will blow out hot air towards these plants.

Protect planted tender plants with mulch or a Row Cover to minimize the damage caused by cold weather. Apply Kelp or Seaweed once a week to help protect the plant from stress caused by the cold weather. Always water the plants before a freeze, this will keep the plant from desiccating. For those of you who were not in Dallas in 1985, we had a hard try freeze that kept the temperatures below freezing for over 30 days. The really bad part was that nobody watered their plants during this freeze. This caused injury or death to many plants in our area. After watering make sure to disconnect the hoses from the faucet and drain the hose.

Early Fall Fertilizing of Daylilies

by Ron Cohea

This is the article I sent to local Daylilly Growers of Dallas.

I checked Neil Sperry's recommendation in his "Texas Gardening."

Yes, he recommends "high nitrogen lawn fertilizer" in very early fall. Sperry's rationale is: "to stimulate quicker fall clumping of daylilies".

The new AHS "Illustrated Guide to Daylilies," page 67 also recommends early fall fertilizing. But, with "a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 3:12:12 or 4:8:12 should be used in the late summer or early fall period." "Following the rest period (after bloom), a new surge of growth begins as the plants begin to prepare for the next year's bloom. This rest period is a good time for fertilizing since the fertilizer will help increase the size and number of plants and will help produce a maximum number of flowers for the next season.

Notice, the rationale for early fall fertilizing is the same. They only differ on high vs. low nitrogen.

Keep in mind. Sperry always recommends high nitrogen on green leafy things like grass, trees, and perennials.

The "Daylily Guide" says:

"In the 90's several large daylily growers have experimented with heavier fertilization particularly higher nitrogen, than has been previously recommended." "But, that is in the sandy soils of Florida. In the absence of more controlled testing that includes more soil types and wider climatic ranges to determine Long Range effects on daylilies, we can not recommend any new formula."

If you want a compromise: mix equal amounts of 15:5:10 lawn fertilizer with 5:15:10 garden fertilizer. That will give you the equivalent of 10:10:10 a complete and balanced fertilizer that is neither high nor low in nitrogen.

It has been suggested that if I wanted to give my daylilies a "shot in the arm" to clumps for the October Plant Sale: Apply Miracle Gro 15:30:15 every two weeks in September. Otherwise, go "slow" and "low" on nitrogen.

I went ahead and applied the Miracle Gro to all garden plants and veggies, since the extreme heat has temporarily broken. Otherwise, I will use a mix of organic lawn fertilizer and composted cow manure from Rohde's Green Sense line after I am sure we are within one week of highs below 90.

Besides, organic fertilizer is naturally "slow release" and low in soluble nitrogen. Although Howard Garrett says organic fertilizer can be applied any time of the year, I believe that Heat, Nitrogen, and Water are conducive to crown rot in some plants. So, I have not fertilized since May. I do spray Green Sense Foliar Juice plus an extra tablespoon of kelp every week or two in June before the 100's hit.

Now, I need to get back to gardening. My seedlings from this years crosses look really good, so far. But, they are in full to mostly shade in four inch pots on a table.

Ron Cohea

Note: Of course at Rohde’s we do not recommend some of the products used, but we did not want to change the article.

Terms of the Garden: A-F

On a daily basis we receive many calls from customers who are having problems in their gardens. Even though we would prefer not to answer questions concerning disease problems over the phone it would be easier for us if proper terms were used in explaining the related problems. I have compiled a list of the more common terms of the garden.

A

Absorb: When a plant sucks up water or nourishment through the roots.

Acid Rain: Pollution has caused rain to become acidic due to the presence of sulfur or nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere. Acid rain can harm and even kill plants and wildlife.

Antique Rose: Unlike the new patented roses an Antique Rose has been cultivated before 1900. Antique Roses normally require less care and are more resistant to disease and insect attacks.

Annual: In one year or growing season a plant that grows, flowers, produces seed and then dies. Pansies, begonias, and petunias are examples in our climate.

Anal: A customer that cannot understand the concept of organics and refuses to listen to reason, arguing over the benefits of chemicals in the lawn and home.

Aphids: These insects come in a variety of colors, they often do not have wings and love to suck the sap from tender new growth.

Arbor: Since perennial gardens becoming more popular, covered structures with open sides are being used to train vines and roses. Many people are opting for the Rustic look.

B

Bacillus Thuringiensis: A bacteria that produces crystals and spores which are lethal to specific insect larvae by paralyzing the digestive tract . Non toxic to mammals.

Baking Soda: Sodium Bicarbonate : Prevents fungal spores from establishing themselves on plants and halt the further development of established fungi. Potassium Bicarbonate is more efficient.

Balled and Burlapped Plants: Plants that have been taken out of the ground with a ball of soil around the roots and wrapped in burlap to be transported. Digging the root ball does some damage to the root structure and can cause shock to the tree.

Bacteria: A substance that slows the growth or multiplication of, or kills, a living organism is a bacteria.

Bare-root: A plant that has all the soil around its roots removed, many fruit trees and roses are sold bare-root in the winter.

Beneficial Insects: Predator insects used to control other insects that damage plants. Lady Bugs, Green Lace Wings, Praying Mantis.

Beneficial Nematodes: Predator insects that seek out and destroy underground dwelling insects and their larvae. If an insect has one stage of its life where it lives underground it can become prey for the BN. In Howard Garret’s "Texas Bug Book" there is a great photo of a cockroach being attacked by BN’s.

Biodiversity: The existence of a wide range of different plants and animals simultaneously in a particular place. A forest, my garden, hopefully yours, too! Biodiversity helps keep things in check.

Biological Controls: A bacterium which is lethal to some insects and is used as a biological control.

Blight: A disease that attacks plants resulting in wilting and death of parts or the entire plant. Caused many times by improper uses of tools and planting techniques. This is one case where you wished you had used Biodiversity!

Biblical Garden: A botanical area consisting of plants mentioned in the Bible. St. Matthais Episcopal church of Dallas has a beautiful Biblical garden.

Biennial: During the first year a plant grows, the second year the plant flowers and produces seed. Most biennials will re-seed and start the process over and over. Dianthus, Snapdragons.

Bog: A wet spongy, poorly drained ground usually acid and rich in accumulated plant material.

Bog Plant: A plant that does well in wet spongy, poorly drained soil.

Bonsai: To grow plants where one trains it to stay dwarfed for aesthetic reasons.

Bolting: People always have a hard time explaining the causes of bolting, temperature changes, or to much fertilizer will make a plant develop the flower before it develops its crop. Lettuce, radishes, garlic and cabbage, can bolt.

Broadcast: To apply fertilizer or seed over a large area rather than in a row. Commonly done with a spreader.

Bud: Almost like the fetus before it is born. First the bud, then the flower.

Budget: Budgets? You don’t need no stinkin budget! Design the best landscape you can. Dream up or design the ultimate landscape and do your project in stages.

Bud Union: If you look at certain rose bushes that have been grafted there is a scab, a ring or a bump that goes all the way around the trunk at the point where the a plant has been grafted. That is the bud union.

C

Cambium Layer: When a customer calls up to say that a tree is dead we ask them to lightly scratch the bark of a branch with their fingernail or a pocket knife. The green layer that should appear between the inner bark and the sapwood where growth takes place.

Candles: One of the coolest signs of new growth on any plant is the candle on a Pine Tree. The light colored candle grows upright until it opens up displaying more needles.

Cane Berries: Not all berries are cane berries. These berries grow on stocks or canes, rather than vines. Blackberries, raspberries.

Canker: A patch of dead on trunks or branches of plants that cause oozing and sunken areas.

Canopy: The uppermost layer of branches.

Chemical Damage: Air pollutants, and herbicide drift can weaken plants and leave them open to disease.

Citrus Oil: A natural tool derived from d’limonene, used for killing insects, and household cleaning.

Chlorophyll: The green coloring within the cells of plants.

Climber: A plant that can climb given support, ie Roses, Trumpet Vine, Wisteria.

Common Names: Identifying terms which often reflect appearance, legend or use of a plant species; may vary greatly by region, increasing the need for standard binomial nomenclature.

Companion Plants: Two or more plants that when planted together are benefited by the other. Garlic and Roses, Marigolds and other flowers. The garlic helps repel insects from the roses. The marigolds attract spider mites and are used as monitoring plants.

Compost: Garden gold. You can save a lot of money and time by recycling kitchen and garden waste, grass clippings, leaves, vegetables, fruits and other organic matter. After they break down this organic matter, it will help enrich your soil.

Compost Tea: Nutrient rich water made from soaking manure or compost and can be blended with other ingredients to be used on plants or soil.

Container Gardening: Growing vegetables, herbs and flowers in pots, whiskey barrels when planting in the soil is not possible.

Container Grown Plants: Plants that have been grown at nurseries in a container ensuring proper root growth.

Crotch: Not, where most customers want to kick me after a smart alec answer. In landscape terms it is the angle formed between two joining branches.

Crown: When you transplant a rose you are always told to plant it at the crown: the area on the plant where the roots meet the stem.

Cross Pollination: The transfer of pollen from one plant to the flowers of a different plant. Fruit trees and hollies are examples.

Cultivar: A unvarying variety of plants produced by selective hybridization and maintained by vegetative propagation or by inbred seed. Japanese’s Maples, Fruit Trees.

Cut Flower Garden: A bed that is used strictly for growing plants that produce flowers to be used for flower arranging in the house. .

Cultivate: A chore most people do not perform enough. Usually done with a four prong tool called oddly enough a "cultivator" one loosens the top crust of soil to allow air and water into the soil. Also a way to remove weeds.

Cultivated: Planted and maintained by humans.

Cutworms: Shy worms that come out at night to feed on stems of herbaceous plants severing the stems.

D

Deadhead: To remove spent blooms after flowering to encourage development of new flowers.

Deciduous: If a plant is not evergreen, then it looses its leaves during the winter, it is deciduous.

Deep Watering: To water an area for a long period of time to allow water to penetrate deep into the soil in hopes that the cooler soil will hold the water for longer periods of time, forcing roots to grow deeper becoming more drought resistant..

Defoliate: When a plant drops it’s leaves. If a tree or plant is in transplant shock and the leaves are wilting we ask customers to remove the leaves of the plant.

Denudate: A plant that had it’s leaves removed.

Diatomaceous Earth: Easier to pronounce by just saying D.E. Used as an insecticide for control of insects in food sources and in dry locations. This single cell diatom has sharp edges that cut the underbelly of soft bellied insects causing them to desiccate.

Dormancy: Usually occurs in the winter, however when it is very hot and plants will quit growing and go dormant.

Dormant Oil: An oily solution applied to trees and shrubs to control insects and fungi. Normally applied in the fall and winter while the plant is dormant, however new brands of horticultural oils can be applied at a lesser rate year around, with caution. Always read label directions.

Dressing: Fertilizing on site while plants are growing, as top dressing or side dressing, especially with organic compost or minerals.

Drip Irrigation: A method of irrigation where tubes or hoses, sometimes porous, are brought close to plants and water is allowed to trickle out at a very slow, but constant, rate. If you use this form of irrigation inspect frequently.

Drip Line: You are in a park and it starts to rain, so you move underneath a tree to stay dry. You notice that the water sheds off of the tree at edge of the leaves and drips to the ground. It is the area where roots congregate and the best point to place fertilizer, water, etc. This term is used as a reference point for feeding plants.

Drought: A period of dryness; especially one that causes extensive damage to plants. Droughts can occur during freezing temperatures and cause major damage to plants. Remember 1985? If this winter is extremely cold, remember to water the soil around the plants when temperatures rise above freezing.

Drought Tolerant: Plants that can withstand long periods between waterings. Always remember that the plants roots must be established before this can occur.

Dwarf: A plant that due to an inherited characteristic is shorter or slower growing than normal forms.

E

Ecosystem: My yard is my own ecosystem. An area consisting of plants, insects, birds and animals where I encourage them to interact and maintain it’s own environment. My choice is a chemical free ecosystem.

Espalier: A plant trained to grow flat against a wall or framework. Not a natural growth for the plant but works for tight areas between sidewalks and walls or as a backdrop to create another dimension.

Evergreens: Plants that maintain their leaves year around. This does not mean that they never change leaves and are not messy. Magnolia, Live Oak, Pine Trees, Hollies.

Extract: A product prepared by removing essential constituents of a plant, such as oils for flavorings. For example Citrus Oil, and Neem Oil.

F

Feeder Root: One of the numerous small roots of a plant, through which moisture and nutrients are absorbed from the soil.

Feng Shui: Becoming more popular recently this ancient Chinese belief combines interior and exterior architecture, time and space to increase, harmony and energy in your environment.

Fertilizer: Organic and Synthetic fertilizers have three numbers. The first is nitrogen, the second is phosphorus, and the third is potash. Organic fertilizer feeds the soil leaving organic matter that will help break down clay soils and improve moisture retention.

Foliar Feeding: Applying liquid solutions of fertilizer to the leaves of plants, where they are quickly absorbed. Foliar feeding helps supplement normal fertilizing of the soil and should not replace this method.

Foundation Planting: People normally do not want the foundation of their house showing so they plant shrubs and other vegetation near the house. Sometimes to near the house. Plan accordingly know the ultimate size of the plant and keep your distance for easy access to windows, faucets, etc.

Force: To bring a plant artificially to a useful state earlier than would normally happen; e.g., putting daffodil bulbs in moisture at higher temperatures to produce bloom during winter, or cutting winter pussy willow branches and bringing into dark cool area, then light and warmth to bring out the catkins.

Fragrance Garden: A garden consisting of flowering plants and herbs noted for pleasant odors. Often used in recreational/educational areas for the visually impaired, and for residential yards used at night.

French Drain: A channel leading from an overly wet area or to a dry area to transport water as needed. The deep narrow channel is filled with stone to allow water to pass but provide a firm surface.

Freeze Tolerant: To be able to withstand below freezing temperatures. Note this does not mean freezing and drought conditions.

Please remember to shop at Rohde’s for your Christmas gifts. You can buy gift certificates good for plants, organic products, fountains, books or garden art.