SHOULD I CHANGE MY "THEME" TO GREEN GARDENING?

I have been writing an article about "Green Gardening" that has me thinking that I should change my focus to "Green Gardening" rather than "Perennial Gardening". What do you, my followers think?

This morning there was an article in the NY Times about this very subject. Go to this link about Botanical Gardens and read what they have to say. It is rather interesting.

I never have been a "Garden Club Lady". I once joined a Garden Club and was not happy with the whole experience. I love gardening, but not necessarily the "tea and crumpets" portion of it, so when the opportunity to become a Master Gardener came up, I jumped at it and have NEVER regretted it!

I have generally dealt with perennials and flowers rather than the vegetables. I'm still not that inclined to get into veggies too wholeheartedly. BUT, I am VERY interested in Green Gardening. This is the ability to work real sustainability into your garden. It's about using less water and fewer chemicals; using native species; incorporating trees into the overall plan in order to cut down on wind in the winter and sun in the summer. It's about using the garden to HELP us in so many other ways than just looking pretty!

So, at this point look for a bit of a change in focus. I'll still be doing my normal "Master Gardener" things, but I'll try to focus more on the Green Gardening aspect. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or two!

LATE BLIGHT

I just received this note from our local NH Extension Educator. I thought all of my readers might just like to know about it. Keep your eyes open for symptoms. Check the website that is provided below for more information.

Two new cases of late blight were discovered this week. One in Waldoboro, ME and the other in Hadley, MA. So knock on wood, none in NH yet, but this does mean we need to be on the lookout. If you see any suspicious symptoms on your potatoes or tomatoes you can bring a sample to my office (please put it in a ziplock bag) or send me a digital photo. Samples can also be sent to our lab in Durham.

For the latest information including photos, please visit this website. http://extension.unh.edu/news/2010/06/late_blight_alert.html


*****************************************************************************************************************************
Heather Bryant
Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
UNH Cooperative Extension
3855 Dartmouth College Highway (DCH), Box 5
No. Haverhill, NH 03774-4909

Tel. 603-787-6944

Fax. 603-787-2009

http://extension.unh.edu/Counties/Grafton/Grafton.htm

SUMMER IN THE GARDEN

Joel is out in the garden this morning doing some relatively heavy gardening. We have a high-school boy helping with some of the gardening chores. He had cut the lawn (which is more of a field than a lawn!) Joel has been raking up some of the clippings and dumping them into the compost bin.

We all need to remember that when you put grass into the compost, it will settle into an impenetrable layer of felt-like substance. No air or water will penetrate it! At any rate, we need to remember to TURN that compost when a pile of grass goes into it. It needs to be mixed with soil and other compost-y matter. If you don't do that, aside from the layer of "felt", you will also have an anaerobic pile and it will SMELL! NOT A GOOD THING! (Check the link I provided.)

The other chore he has been tending to, is cutting some limbs off some low hanging branches. Trees GROW in case you hadn't noticed! When they begin to block sunlight and interfere with the growth of the plants below, it's time to trim them. So this morning, they were trimmed. What to do with the limbs? Fortunately, we live in a pretty woodsy area so it's rather easy to dispose of them. We have a number of "brush piles" around the property. Those brush piles create homes for little critters, birds and various reptiles. They are happy for the shelter, and it gives us something to do with the brush!

Advertising Post for Patio Sets

You know, on these hot evenings sitting out on that deck or patio is a pure joy!

If you haven't gotten yourselves a patio set yet, here's a place to visit for a "look see", and perhaps a purchase! It's called patioset.com. Check it out!

GARDENING CHORES FOR JULY

JULY

Order spring bulbs now for the best selection

Fertilize plants growing in containers

Direct seed kale seed for fall harvest

Sow a fall crop of peas

Pinch basil plants to promote bushiness

Side dress vegetables with nitrogen

If your vegetables are not yielding as much as you'd like, plant some high nectar flowers in the vegetable garden to attract more bees and other pollinators.

Pick the zucchini while it's young and tender.

Put nets over blueberries to protect them from birds. While you're there, give them a little fertilizer as well.

Remove fruiting raspberry canes after you've harvested the berries.

Control the growth of strawberry runners. If you don't trim them back to where you want them, they will be all leaves and no berries!

Dead-head (prune off) all your spent blossoms

It's a good time to sow seed of biennials and perennials

Cut back delphiniums when they are finished flowering. A complete
fertilizer at this time may encourage a second blooming.

Chrysanthemums will give a better fall display if fertilized a
bit now. You can continue pinching them back until mid-July for more blooms.

Try planting a clump of moisture loving Japanese iris where it can catch the water dripping from your air conditioner!

Madonna lilies should be divided as soon as the flowering period
is over.

Oriental poppies may be moved. Summer is the only time of the
year they can be divided successfully. Dig up the roots and cut them into 2 inch pieces and replant them in their new location.

Dahlias require little artificial watering in a normal season,
but should be soaked once a week during drought

Water your roses at least once a week

Floribunda roses will flower all summer if the old flower clusters
are snipped off regularly

This is the time for transplanting iris. Trim back foliage and only replant healthy, firm rhizomes. Set them quite close to the surface!

In fact, this is the best time to divide spring blooming perennials.

Start cuttings of coleus, geraniums, begonias and other plants
you want inside for the winter.

The snow-in-summer should be pruned hard as it makes such rapid
growth at this time

When you trim deciduous hedges(ie,privot)be sure the sides slope out toward the bottom to be sure that sunlight reaches the base of the plants.

Wisteria's may be pruned now

Be sure that you dead-head all your daylilies. They will attempt do make seeds if you don't do this. You want them to build stronger roots. Daylilies will bloom more profusely next time if you remove spent blooms. Dead heading will also give you the possibility of a "re-bloom"!

This is a good time to attack Poison Ivy! Using discardable plastic gloves, cut the stems and paint the open wound with an herbicide on a HOT, SUNNY day!

Have you got Hosta's? Are there slugs chewing them? Try this solution, if you haven't already.
Combine 9 parts water to 1 part common household ammonia and spray it on the hosta just before dark. When the slugs hit this, they will dissolve!

When you weed, grab the flowering ones first so they don't go to seed and spread! Then go after the tallest ones that are just taking over your other plants. Pick on the little guys last.

Watch for tomato hornworm and hand pick them.