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Story by Joanne K., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Oh, my aching back! My creaky knees! This tool hurts my hand! The litany of gardening aches is universal, and with the arrival of spring and planting season, the pain chorus sings loudly.
The following suggestions are from the University of California, Davis. Certainly envisioning a simpler garden is one step to take. Instead of planting annual beds, replace them with perennials and shrubs that, once established, will require minimal care. Select shrubs that require little or no pruning. Plant tough perennials that can withstand our summer heat and occasional droughts without missing a beat.
Don't be afraid to ask for help from younger family members, or perhaps look into getting some paid help for the heavier tasks.
More suggestions for adapting your garden can be found at UC Davis at https://ucanr.edu/sites/cetrinityucdavisedu/files/280231.pdf and at https://cetrinity.ucanr.edu/files/280232.pdf. Once you start implementing these suggestions into your gardening routine, you'll never look back. And your body will thank you!
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Story and photos by Joanne K., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Although our grass does not actively grow in winter and early spring, the weeds certainly do! They seem to pop up everywhere in the lawn, causing headaches for grass lovers. Weeds are defined as plants growing where you don't want them. Most of the same weed species will return in the same areas every year. Weeds compete with the grass for light, water, nutrients, and space.
These include calculating the square footage, measuring the herbicide amount accordingly, and correctly calibrating the spreader.
An excellent resource is the turf grass file at NC State University: https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/weeds-in-turf/ The NC State University website describes the various weeds that occur at different times of the year and includes pictures for identification. It describes cultural and chemical controls listing the pre- and post-emergent herbicides that can be used, along with explanations on their usage. Lawn maintenance calendars can be requested from the Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers by calling the Info Line at 252-902-1709. By Joanne K., Pitt County EMGV
But if you can't resist the allure of an early harvest and decide you must transplant your tomatoes now, be prepared to cover them if a frost warning is issued. It’s best to buy and plant your tomato and pepper transplants after March 30, Eastern NC's last average frost date. If you want to grow your own pepper and tomato transplants, start the seeds 6 to 8 weeks before their recommended transplant date, which is April 15 for both plants. While all of these vegetables and herbs can be planted directly in the ground, you may prefer to grow them in a container garden if you have limited space or prefer the ease of maintaining a container garden. When planting in pots, be sure to use potting soil rather than garden soil, which will compact and drain poorly. Potting soil also reduces the chances of weeds and soil-borne diseases. Most potting soils incorporate fertilizers, which will get your plants or seeds off to a great start.
Photos: J. Kollar
By Joanne K., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
But a word of caution: be careful to prune at the right time. Otherwise, you will lose or reduce that year's blossoms.
healthier in the long run. Shrubs responding well to such pruning include azaleas (Rhododendron spp.), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), forsythia (Forsythia spp.), hollies (Ilex spp.), mock orange (Pittosporum tobira), spirea (Spirea spp.), and weigela (Weigela florida). There is no need to treat pruning cuts with sealers, as doing so may slow healing. Avoid pruning after July 4 because the new growth may not mature before cold weather sets in and this could damage the plant. The exception is dead, diseased, damaged, or crossing limbs, which can be removed at any time. Pruning shrubs is both an art and a science. Your shrubs will thank you when you do it right by following the above practices at the right time. All photos: J. Kollar
1. Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope 2. Chaenomeles Flowering Quince 3. Lagerstroemia indica Crape Myrtle by Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer During these dreary winter days, gardeners yearn for some sign of color to bring indoors to promise that spring is on its way. However, the garden has little to offer in the way of colorful cut flowers for indoor bouquets in January and February. But there is a way to bring color inside by forcing the stems of winter – and spring-flowering trees and shrubs to bloom.
For the best results, look for branches with many enlarged buds that are starting to show some color. The closer the buds are to actual bloom time, the more successful the flowering will be.
Successful forcing requires both warm indoor temperatures and a good uptake of water into the stems. Before placing the stems in a vase with warm water, remove any buds, twigs, or leaves that will be under water.
If your cuttings have not opened after about four weeks, they were cut too early. Try again with new cuttings.
Through trial and error, you'll discover the flowering trees and shrubs that work best for you and when is the best time to bring them indoors. While waiting for the beginning of the spring planting season, bringing some woody branches inside to flower is a fun way to enjoy some winter gardening.
Some wreaths were many tones of green, while others included pine cones and berries for ornamentation. Others were lush creations befitting a royal palace.
Thanks to the Master Gardener volunteers who organized the workshop, wrapped the Styrofoam forms, gathered greenery and berries from the gardens, provided assistance at the workshop, and took photos of the completed wreaths for everyone to admire on the website. Special thanks to Teresa Surratt, the Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer who led the workshop.
 By Joanne K., Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum
Mistletoe has a long history in folklore. In a Norse legend, Balder, the son of Frigga, the goddess of love, is killed by an arrow fashioned from a mistletoe sprig. Frigga's tears fell on the mistletoe, turning her tears into white berries. Frigga decreed that mistletoe should never cause harm again and should only be used to promote love and peace. This led to the practice where enemies meeting under mistletoe had to disarm, exchange a kiss of peace, and call a truce for the day. Ancient Greeks thought the mistletoe had healing properties, using it as a remedy for various disorders, as well as an aphrodisiac. The Druids thought mistletoe was a sacred plant because it doesn't grow from roots in the ground. The Druids wore mistletoe for good luck and protection from evil spirits. Mistletoe over a doorway allowed only happiness to enter the house. In the 1700s in northern Europe, kissing balls with mistletoe hung in doorways. A single lady giving a kiss under the mistletoe increased her chances of marriage. In England, young girls placed a mistletoe leaf under their pillows to dream about the man they wanted to marry.
If you want to rid your tree of mistletoe, you must prune the infected branches in winter. Cutting off the plant does not destroy the parasite that is the harmful pest.
When hanging mistletoe over the holidays, be careful to keep the plant and its poisonous berries out of the reach of children and pets. Also avoid hanging it above any heat-producing source, which will cause it to dry out much faster and become a fire hazard. Google 'mistletoe lore' for more of the legends about this fascinating ancient plant. Photos are from the NCSU plant toolbox. 1. mistletoe_031110_LIT_j2u5NyxjcdwH Fall Tree Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 2. Phoradendron_leucarp_SnCegNDnRhzu.jpeg Leaves and Flower Mary Keim CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 3. Phoradendron_leucarp_ukWXqjzH3XLU Leaves Loadmaster (David R. Tribble) CC BY-SA 3.0 By Joanne K, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum
Although called a cactus, the Christmas cactus does need water, but not too much. It's time to water it when the top couple of inches feel dry to the touch. Don't overwater, as that can lead to stem and root rot. Too little water can cause wilting. A native of shady, humid South American rain forests, this cactus also needs humidity. Place it on a tray with pebbles and water just below the top of the pebbles. Continue this until the cactus stops blooming.
The Christmas cactus likes to be pot-bound. Keep it in a small container as long as possible, and only then transplant it to a slightly larger pot using a mix of half potting soil and half sand or perlite. Late winter or spring is the ideal time to transplant the cactus after the blooms have dropped. Never transplant it while it is blooming.
If needed, prune a cactus just after it has bloomed. This is when it starts to grow. Pruning forces it to branch out and grow more stems. After the danger of frost is over, move your plant outside to an area with bright, indirect light. Too much sun can cause wilting or stem burn. To encourage budding in the fall, 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness, 8 hours of daylight, and cooler temperatures are required. To stimulate bud formation, don't fertilize or overwater at this time. Avoid moving the plant because doing so can make the buds may fall off. Once buds form, the light/dark regiment ends. Continue watering but don't fertilize. Move indoors when temperatures below 50° F are predicted. However, spray with water before moving the plant to dislodge any insects that may have taken up residence. According to the Old Farmers Alamanac, Christmas cacti can live up to 20 to 30 years. By following the simple guidelines described above, you will enjoy your Christmas cactus for years to come! Pictures: From NCSU Plant Toolbox Christmas Cactus, Schlumbergera russelliana (Also known as Schlumbergera bridgesii) Flowers and stems Wayne Rae Public Domain Mark 1.0 Thanksgiving Cactus, Schlumbergera truncata J. Kollar Bloom: Schlumbergera x buckleyi Tracy from North Brookfield, Massachusetts, usa CC BY 2.0 By Robert C, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum A terrarium is a beautiful miniature jungle for your home contained in a bottle. It makes a great conversation piece and requires minimal care. It needs watering once a month, once a year or even longer periods, depending on its design. It likes a little sun but too much as it gets hot inside the bottle.  Here is an example of an established terrarium. It was easy to build and this blog is going to describe how to make it. We’ll list some suitable plant choices at the end. Materials: 5 or 10 gallon bottle Cork or stopper (optional) Paper - make a wide mouth funnel from the paper Spoon taped to a bamboo stick Gravel Activated charcoal Screen material Worm castings (optional) Potting or terrarium soil 4 or 5 plants The bottle can be glass or plastic and should have a neck large enough to drop 2 inch plants through. This example used a 5 gallon plastic brewing carboy.  This can get a little messy, so you may want to do this at an outdoor table or have lots of newspaper lining your worktable. Make a funnel from a newspaper or construction paper. The narrow end of the funnel should be slightly smaller than the bottle neck. Materials will be dropped into the bottle with the funnel and the funnel can clog if the neck of the funnel is too small. The bamboo stick can be used to coax material in.  Drop in a layer of pebbles that is about ½ to 1 inch thick. Aquarium pebbles come in a variety of pretty colors. The purpose of this layer is to act as a drainage water reservoir. Use the paper funnel to guide the pebbles in. If your bottle is glass, be careful not to add pebbles too rapidly as the repeated “drip” of rocks can shatter the glass. Use the spoon taped on the end of the bamboo stick to level the pebble layer. Next add a layer of activated charcoal. This acts as filtration for the water.  We want to stop the dirt from working its way in to the pebble basin and we can do this by cutting a window screen to size. It will act as a barrier between the water reservoir and the dirt. The screen can be rolled up and dropped through the bottle neck and then use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to open up the screen and position it on top of the charcoal.  Mix the worm castings (optional) and potting soil and drop the dirt. Follow the packaging instructions for the ratio of castings to soil, but a rule of thumb is about 10 parts soil to 1 part worm droppings. Use your paper funnel to drop the soil mixture in to the bottle. It will pile up in the center and you can use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to spread the soil evenly. You want about 2 to 3 inches soil layer. It will be very loosely packed, but over time the plants’ roots will firm up this layer.  You are now ready to plant your plants. These are in 2 inch pots because you need to drop the plant through the bottle neck and larger plants will not fit. A 5 gallon bottle can comfortably have 4 to 5 plants. You want to plant on the outside edges of the bottle first because dropping a plant in falls in the center. The last plant can be planted in the center of the bottle. Decide on your plant arrangement and then using your spoon-on-a-stick tool, dig a shallow hole where you want the plant to go.  Drop your plant in to the bottle. Be gentle with it fitting it through the bottle neck. The root ball in a 2 inch pot can be coaxed to slip through the neck. It will fall to the center. Use your spoon-on-a-stick tool to push the plant into the shallow hole you dug and manipulate the plant in to an upright stance. Gently push dirt over the roots to cover them. Repeat the process for the next plant – dig a hole, drop it in, maneuver in to place and cover the roots. If there is room, the last plant will be planted in the center of the bottle.  With all the plants in place, you are ready to water the terrarium. Depending on the size of the bottle, ½ to 1 cup of water will suffice. Carefully tilt the bottle and pour the water so that it flows down the side of the bottle. That will add the water without hurting the plants. You can aim the water flow to rinse the side of the bottle where some dirt may have stuck to. Alternately you can wrap your spoon-on-a-stick tool with a damp paper towel to wipe down the sides. The cork/stopper is optional and will change how often you need to water. With no cork, the water evaporates out of the bottle and you will require to water about once a month. If you put a stopper in then the water is retained and you may not have to water for a year or more.  Care for your terrarium is simple. A little sun is ok but not too much. It gets very hot and humid in the bottle, which some plants may like and others not. Turn the bottle to change the facing towards the light. This helps the plants to not lean too much in any direction. Watering is infrequent and you can control the humidity level by putting the stopper in or not. Ideally you should see condensation in the morning and evening. If there is none, you need to water. If there is condensation throughout the day, then there is probably a bit too much water. It is easy to reduce the water in the reservoir by removing the cork. This will over the course of a couple of weeks drop the water level. When it is less humid you can replace the cork.  Your plants will start to grow and over time, some of the leaves may die off and decay. There may be algae. There may be mold. You need a cleanup crew. Once the terrarium is established you can add spring tails Folsomia candida to the bottle. These small (1 to 2 mm) moisture loving insects are harmless to people and feed on the decaying roots and fungi and rarely damage plants. They will help control mold issues in the bottle. Folsomia candida Plant Choices for Your Terrarium:
By Joanne K, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum  Sansevieria trifasci As the temperatures drop, we spend more time indoors missing the natural beauty of the great outdoors. One way to remedy that is to bring plants into our homes. Indoor plants have many benefits. They connect us with nature. They add color and beauty to indoor spaces, creating a warm, inviting, and calming environment. However, that's not the only reason to grow plants inside. According to NASA, houseplants have been shown to improve indoor air quality by reducing pollution from formaldehyde, benzene, and other harmful chemicals. Other research has shown less dust and mold in rooms with plants since leaves and other plant parts are natural filters. By following a few guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of plants while successfully growing them indoors
Plants such as succulents and cacti rarely need water. If they appear wrinkled, that's the time to water. Other houseplants' water needs are determined by the temperature in your home, the type of plant, and the type of pot. Plastic pots hold moisture longer than porous terra cotta pots. Light intensity changes seasonally with the more intense summer sun encouraging peak plant growth. Plants receive less light during the rest of the year, and this reduces or stops plant growth. At these times, plants need less water and fertilizer. When fertilizing, use a balanced 10-10-10 houseplant fertilizer, carefully following package directions. Fertilizing encourages healthy growth and blooms. Be on the lookout for pests such as mealybugs, scale insects, and spider mites that can invade your plants. Check periodically for insects, holes in leaves, and sticky excretions on the leaves from the pests.
Some plants native to dry climates such as cacti, succulents, and bromeliads prefer low humidity since their thick, fleshy, waxy, or hairy leaves hold water. To keep your plants looking good, use pruning shears to remove spent flowers and diseased or dead foliage and stems. If needed, shape the plant with pruning shears. As your plants grow, check for roots coming out of the drainage hole or above the soil line. These are signs it is time to repot. However, just go up one pot size each time. Even if you don't have a green thumb, following these guidelines will help you to create a beautiful indoor garden. Photos courtesy of NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Anthurium— Anthurium— KENPEI CC-BY-SA 3.0 Croton— Codiaeum variegated var. pictum— Kathleen Moore CC BY 2.0 Snake Plant— Dracaena trifasciata— Form Mokkie CC-BY-Sa 3.0 |
