SIR’s BRANCH #1 GARDENING GROUP
JULY IN YOUR GARDEN
I trust the Table of Contents for July in Your Garden will save you considerable time by allowing you to review only those subjects that interest you. I maintain copies of the last 12-18 Months in Your Garden in a 3-ring binder. With a Table of Contents for each month, I find it much easier to locate information in previous issues of Month in Your Garden. Also on pages 9 and 10, I have reviewed discussions we had at our meeting.
July in Your Garden 6/24/10 6/24/10
Page #
Table of Contents
1 Table of Contents
2 1. Plant: Summer-into-fall. In light shade, vegetables
2 2. Perennials to plant
2 3. Propagation Fall perennials, Sow seeds in containers
2 4. Maintenance general, lawns
2 5. Irrigation-auto: A. adjust rates and time, B. check shallow rooted azaleas, camellias, and
Rhododendrons, C. temperature and humidity, D. deep water, E. June drop (non pollinated
blooms) and nitrogen needs,
3 6. Mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds
3 7. Fertilize most plants
3 8. Deadhead flowers
3 9. Divide irises
3 10. Care for fruit trees
3 11. Cut back cane berries
3 12. Stake floppy plants
3 13. Protect against fire
3 14. Pest control
3 15. Newer pesticides-Bayer Advanced Products see page 8 for label information, which should I use?
4 16. Pest Control: A. Aphids, B. Scale and aphids,
5 C. Control Budworms, D. Slugs and Snails, E. Coddling moth sprays for apples and pears,
F. Earwigs, G. Fuchsia mites, H. Mites (spider mites), I. Powdery mildews, J. Rust and black spot
on roses, K. Fireblight-pears & apples, L. Weed control.
5 17. Potpourri
6 18. Survival guide for vacationers
19. Potting soil to use
20. Irrigation-pots outside
21. Watering plants inside
22. Watering house plants general
23. Irrigation-root rots
7 24. Irrigation of drought tolerant plants
25. Self-watering flowerpots
26. Double saucer’ method for watering houseplants
27. Light requirements
28. Containers -indoors
29. Containers-outdoors
30. Saucers for plants indoors.
31. Expanded line of pesticides for the home and garden
Are your plants getting enough water
8 Black plastic containers for roses, etc.
SIR’S BRANCH #1 GARDENING GROUP
July in Your Garden 6/24/10 6/24/10
For maximum use of the following information that might be of interest to you, review the Table of Contents. Many probably don’t have time to study this in detail, so just review those sections of interest listed in the Table of Contents and most useful to you. Highlight those plants you wish to plant and other chores that need to be done. You may notice several sections that were covered last month, but are still somewhat applicable for July. Also, your own experience should always be considered in your choices of early what and how you do things
.
1. Plant: July is generally a slow month as far as planting. Summer-into-fall color is generally the basic consideration. Some such flowers are ageratum, asters, celosia, chrysanthemums, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, dwarf Unwin dahlias, gloriosa daisies known as (black-eyed Susan) or Rudbeckia hirta), irises, marigolds, morning glory, petunia, phlox, portulaca, salvia, scarlet sage, Shasta daisies, sweet alyssum, Vinca rosea and zinnias. In light shade- begonias and impatiens. Vegetables-beans, beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, bush beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, corn, eggplant, green onions, melons, peas, peppers, spinach, tomatoes and turnips.
2. Perennials to plant: consider geraniums (actually Pelargonium spp.). Plant Bougainvillea brasiliensis, B. spectabilis and Hibiscus rosea-sinensis, in as frost-free sunny exposure area as available.
Plant olive trees, Sunset, July 2010, p38 suggests Little Ollie for hedge or fruit, and try a sweet smelling gardenia, G.augusta “Veitchii. However, in the cooler areas of the SF Peninsula, you will need to plant them in a black plastic container. See p8
3. Propagation (fall perennials): To get ready for fall planting, make cuttings of dianthus, geraniums, salvia, scabiosa, Shasta daisies, verbena and other herbaceous perennials. Sow seeds in containers of campanula, columbine, coreopsis, delphinium, forger-me-not, foxglove, rudbeckia and purple coneflower.
4. Maintenance: This is probably your major garden project for July. One thing to consider when checking your plants, every year that it is usually slightly too drastically different from the previous year. As most of you know this late fall and early spring plant growth in our area has been reported as better than any year since the early 1900’s. Also, this was possibly the best year on record for roses in the bay area with outstanding growth, beautiful blooms and minimal disease. However, don’t count on a repeat next year. Rose varieties have a wide range of susceptibility to diseases, and insect preferences. In the case of lawns, if you haven’t aerated your lawn and it is being watered, but it still looks poor, you likely need to both fertilize and perforate it. Incidentally, the Washington State University, Extension Specialist responsible for lawns recommends that you have your lawn aerated in 2 directions. The second at right angle to the first. Usually it doesn’t cost any more. In the rest of your yard you may want to cultivate those compacted areas to break through the surface compaction, wherever it is practical. On page 3, 14 below, I will share with you examples of the effect of weather on insect populations and diseases, which should give you some idea of the complexity of why differences can occur.
5. Irrigation: If you haven’t started irrigating, start now. For those with automatic systems, A. adjust your automatic controller, increase rates and frequency as needed when it starts to warm up to summer temperatures. Check all systems to be certain they are functioning properly and that the soil is moist in depth. I prefer to use a moisture meter (available at Orchard Supply, and most nursery suppliers, for about $8 or less) to check the depth to which the irrigation water has reached. B. Watch shallow rooted azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons for adequate soil moisture in the upper 6 inches of soil. Inadequate moisture now results in flower buds failing to develop properly, and turning brown when other buds are in bloom during the winter-spring, C. when temperatures exceed 80°Fand the humidity is low (dry), it is usually well to do an extra irrigation that day, especially for shallow rooted plants, tender plants like fuchsias, and watch potted plants. Better yet if you can anticipate it, water at least once the day before it occurs, or the morning of that day. D. Deep water trees if they have deep roots, E. In June, it is normal to have a 'June drop" of apples, pears, citrus and other fruit. This is usually due to lack of pollination of those particular blossoms, or it may be due to inadequate nitrogen N supply. In the case of pollination, I have observed that 1 or 2 busy bees have effectively pollinated our entire apricot and Navel orange trees. Perhaps this is the basis for the term “busy as a bee”. Also, the new vegetative growth usually has a priority over fruit set at this time. I know while working on citrus for nematode control with Dr.Baines, Nematologist, UC Riverside, he always emphasized applying N nitrogen, before the citrus bloomed. Also, it is general practice that 100 lbs/ acre of N be applied to tree crops at the beginning of the season, and that is about 1 lb per tree, which equates to 5 lbs of ammonium sulfate.
6. Mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds. Spread a 1-3 inch layer of organic matter (compost, bark or other such organic matter) under plants. The deeper the mulch, the better the moisture retention, and weed suppression.
7. Fertilize most plants: Those actively growing require a high nitrogen fertilizer, if nothing else, use straight ammonium sulfate. The winter rains should have leached out much of it may have moved down below much of the plant's effective root system. Any nitrogen supplied by the rains has been pretty well used up. Those plants developing fruit require additional amounts of P & K in the latter stages of growth, and it is probably applied with the N. To conserve some of your precious time, you may want to apply Osmocote, Aspen, delayed release fertilizers or their equivalent where practical, which should last the rest of the year.
8. Deadhead flowers: Always pick off old flowers as soon as they fade, to promote additional flowering. Better yet, wherever practical select plant varieties that don't need deadheading or minimal at most.
9. Divide irises: After blooming, dig up old clumps with a spading fork, then cut the rhizomes apart with a sharp knife; be sure that each division includes at least one leaf. Replant the younger, vigorous sections of rhizomes. If your irises have been in for 2 or more years and they stop blooming, digging and replanting as above usually corrects the problem.
10. Care for fruit trees: To prevent limb breakage of apple, peach, pear, plum trees, etc, use wooden supports to brace limbs that are sagging with fruit. Also, thin fruit clusters to no more than 2 fruit per cluster. Clean up and discard fallen fruits (worms, diseases, and other pests may be living in them).
11. Cut back cane berries from June bearing varieties and all varieties when they finish bearing. Cut old canes to the ground and tie up new canes.
12. Stake floppy plants, particularly beans, delphiniums, gladiolus, peonies and tomatoes. Pinch back the tips of chrysanthemums to increase flowering.
13. Protect against fire: In many areas and particularly fire-prone areas on the peninsula, now's the time to protect your home and garden from wildfires that can ignite when days are hot and dry and vegetation on adjacent wild-lands is drought stressed. Also,your neighbors may have neglected to remove dead weeds. In some communities, there are regulations existing that can and should be enforced. If you are adjacent to wild-lands, mow weeds and thin out shrubs for at least 30 feet around your house (or to within the property line, whichever is closer). Prune off tree limbs that hang over the roof. Remove fuel ladders- bushy shrubs that touch low-hanging tree branches. Clear your roof of debris such as fallen leaves.
14. PEST CONTROL: A. Weather can play an important role in what are our predominant pests and diseases of our plants. The amount of rain, its frequency, temperatures, microclimates and specific plants in your yard, etc .all can have a direct effect on the problem pests and organisms as well as affecting the populations of their predators, parasites, competitors, etc. The following article was taken from the California Cotton Review, June 2004 and is an example how many factors can effect insect populations and insect migration. “Cotton insects are influenced by rainfall and temperature. Rainfall and its pattern of distribution across the San Joaquin Valley as well as the timing of occurrence determine plant composition and duration of plants in the landscape. Temperature regulates the rate at which insects develop and reproduce as well as the duration of plant hosts. The more heat, the faster generations turn over, but also the faster host plants utilize available moisture. Insect population densities that threaten cotton depend on the optimal balance between these two factors. Enough rainfall must fall to allow good development and distribution of weedy hosts and enough heat must be available to allow insects to turn over generations in the shortest possible time. Since the San Joaquin Valley is located in a Mediterranean climate, the probability of rainfall is almost nonexistent after May. Thus, any insects found on weed hosts outside cultivated areas will be required to move into crops or face starvation. This movement is determined by the factors mentioned before, rainfall and temperature. In years when hosts are available and temperatures are adequate, multiple generations can develop and higher densities of pests can move into cultivated areas later in the season. In years when rainfall is limiting, plant hosts may dry up and force movement within the first generation and before cotton is susceptible to damage. Predicting pest pressure caused by a complex of insect pests is a fool’s errand. However, experience gained over several decades and collaboration with many seasoned pest control advisors and growers allow us to interpret and extrapolate a rational estimate of insect pressure.”
15. Newer systemic pesticides--I have found that there is some confusion about systemic pesticides. Systemic means the material is absorbed by either the roots (using granular or drench formulations) or through the leaves by foliar sprays. However, a systemic may be either an insecticide or a fungicide and there maybe one or both types in a formulation. The systemic pesticides are distributed throughout the plant, but especially within the leaves. Subsequent plant growth will dilute (reduce) the concentrations, as well as with time, varying degrees of degradation of the toxicant. Most of Bayer’s products containing systemic pesticides ae priced about the same in the 1 to 1½ price range, whether it has 2 systemics or 1. When you need to treat, usually you have either an insect of disease problem that you want to control. I recommend that you select the product that has only the systemic pesticide recommended for its control. As such you should get more of the specific systemic needed for your money. As an example, one of our garden group members (Bob Way) called me regarding control of a severe black spot disease that he had on one of his new Jackson Perkins roses. I recommended E. below, Bayer’s Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs. It contains 2.9% Tebuconazole, their systemic fungicide. Instead of All in One for Roses and Flowers which contains only 0.8% of the same systemic. The following A-E Bayer products containing systemics are A. Bayer’s, 2-in-1 Systemic Rose & Flower Care. A ready to use systemic insecticide (disulfoton) incorporated into fertilizer granules (12-18-6). Disulfoton controls not only sucking insects but some other insects and spider mites. B. Bayer’s--All-in-One Rose & Flower Care is a liquid drench concentrate formulation with 3 Systemic Products in One. It protects up to 6 weeks. It has both the systemic insecticide (Imidacloprid} and the systemic fungicide (Tebuconazole). It also contains a fertilizer (you don’t think of fertilizer as being systemic, but of course it is), The formulation is added to water and applied as a soil drench around the plant. Both of these systemics are relatively new chemicals for the home gardener. The insecticide appears to be a rather wide spectrum systemic insecticide, controlling not only sucking insects which is expected of systemic insecticides, but also others (non-sucking insects). This systemic product applied as a soil drench is absorbed by the roots and distributed throughout the plant. It also contains a systemic fungicide, which is a new type of pesticide for the home gardener. I would expect it to be a good systemic fungicide, because Bayer for the most part only markets top performing products. C. Bayer’s--3-in-1, Insect, Disease & Mite Control, a spray formulation for use on Trees. Shrubs, Roses & Flowers, which was introduced into the home garden market this year (2007). It has both the systemic insecticide and systemic fungicide that All-in-One Rose & Flower Care contains, plus Tau-Fluvalinate which is the miticide. The fact that the label does not include the word systemics, suggest that the miticide is not a systemic. Both the insecticide and fungicide in the product are systemic. D. Bayer’s--Tree & Shrub Insect Control. A liquid drench concentrate formulation of Imidacloprid systemic insecticide, The material is added to water and applied as a drench around the plant. There are several use aspects of this product that prompts their use consideration. 1). It is registered for use on apples and pears. This is the first systemic insecticide that I am aware of being registered for edible produce, and I hope this just the start of many fruit and vegetable crops they will ultimately register. Also its hazard use rating is only –warning- suggesting that it is relatively safe to handle. 2). Again, the product is recommended for sucking insects like aphids and scale, but also for many insects that are not sucking insects. Earlier systemic insecticides were considered only effective against sucking insects and similar feeding insects. With these including other insects suggest that the material is a very active insecticide. 3). One application protects up to 12 months E. Bayer’s--Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs-contains tebuconazole, as in B. above. It is a systemic fungicide in a liquid formulation that you add to water and spray on the foliage. Systemically it kills the fungus and systemically redistributes itself into new foliage. Should you try A, B, C, D and E. above? I have applied Bayer’s 2-in-1 Rose & Flower Care every year for the past 4 years for aphid control on my roses with excellent results. However, never once have I seen it recommended in a publication like Sunset or the SF Chronicle. Proprietary products are seldom if ever recommended in such publications. As such, I personally believe it would be very valuable if members of our garden group started evaluating some of these 5 materials whenever they have a problem that justifies control and is listed for control on one of their labels. Another example of the above is some things to consider relative to use of B. & C. above. They are used as soil drenches and depend upon their uptake by the roots. A single application of these systemic gives control equal to or better than 2 or 3 sprays of a non-systemic material. Most non-systemic insecticides and fungicides applied to the foliage dissipate from the leaves rather rapidly, whereas systemics within the plant last much longer and continue to kill insects and reduce foliar disease infections. Once absorbed by the plant through leaves or roots, rain or overhead irrigation doesn’t wash them away. To maximize the value of these systemics, you might want to consider drenching only the ‘drip line’ area around the plant, which is the area where most of the roots are and a maximum systemic uptake should occur. In the case of their systemic fungicide, I would suggest Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs. Fungicidal sprays, contact or systemics can kill the fungi invading the leaves, but residues on or in the new non-infected leaves protect against invasion by the fungi. The systemic fungicide within the plant continues to redistribute itself into the new leaves as they are formed. Their concentrations within the leaves and retention are a function of rate of degradation and dilution as the total mass of the plant increases as it grows. Here are some of the insects controlled and listed on the All-in-One Rose & Flower Care: adelgids, aphids, black vine weevil larvae, Japanese beetles (adults), lace bugs, leaf beetles, leafhoppers, mealybugs, psyllids, thrips, whiteflies and other listed insects. Disease controlled: black spot, powdery mildew, rust and Southern blight. Their Tree & Shrub Insect Control is for use on apple, crabapple, loquat, mayhaw, oriental pear, pear, pecan and quince, for the control of adelgids, aphids, black vine weevil larvae, roundheaded borers (including eucalyptus longhorned borers) flatheaded borers (including bronze birch and alder borers), Japanese beetles (adult), lacebugs, leaf beetles (including elm leaf beetles and viburnum leaf beetles, leafhoppers leafminers (including birch leafminers), mealybugs, pine tip moth larvae, psyllids, royal palm bugs, sawfly larvae, scales (including armored scale (suppression) and soft scale, thrips and whiteflies. The underlined are not sucking insects. You may have one or more of these on your plants.
16. Pest Control: A. Aphids- As the temperatures warm-up aphids on some plants generally disappear, yet there are other plants and aphid species that are most damaging during the summer. The damage usually appears as distorted new growth, but can also produce the usual honeydew which can mess up the appearance of your car if parked under it, as well damage the paint (non-baked enamel) of some new and some repainted cars. Bayer’s Tree & Shrub Insect Control soil drench should be a natural for this. B. Scale and aphids, etc. Remember the presence of ants moving up and down your plants usually indicates aphids, scale or other sucking insects. Ants can usually be found feeding on the honeydew that most of these insects produce. When you see high populations of ants on plants that should be a red flag that a problem may exist. .The presence of honeydew usually results in the development of a black sooty-mold fungus on the leaves, which at its worst, reduces photosynthesis, and looks bad. The ants themselves do not damage the plant and whenever they are present just consider them red flags, indicating a plant probably has a sucking insect problem, and needs attention. Whenever the insect population gets too intensive in spots, the ants move the young to new foliage so they can produce more honeydew on which they feed. Some ant control may be a good practice to reduce the spread of the insect population, but their presence is a red flag and indicates that you should treat. Rather than treat the ants, treat the problem.
C. Control budworms: If your geraniums, nicotiana, penstemons, and petunias appear healthy but have straggly looking flowers, suspect budworms. Look for holes in buds and leaves, and black droppings on the leaves. Spray affected plants every 7 to 10 days with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), available at most nurseries. D. Slugs. and Snails- Apply baits as needed, or Gordon Lavering's recommendations, or hand-pick them at night, to keep them from getting out of hand. Whenever you plant new seedlings, it is usually a good idea to put out a slug and snail bait, and also an earwig bait, because they can devour your transplants overnight. I usually loose transplants if I don’t apply baits around each transplant closest to their protected daytime habitat.(cooler shaded retreats), I have found as many as 25 dead snails in the same area. E. Earwigs- Earwig baits are probably the best means of control and may be needed when planting seedlings. their damage to leaves is similar to snails feeding, but slightly different. F Codling moth sprays for apples & pears:-Sunset,July 2010.p38, Hazel White-Watch for coddling moth larvae: look for red-brown droppings on pears and apples. Remove and destroy affected fruit, and pick up fallen fruit promptly. Visit ipm.ucdavis.edu for information on controlling an infestation
G. Fuchsia mites: (an eriophyid mite, not a spider mite) if present should start damaging the growing tips about now. This is expressed as a thick, distorted, off-color new growth. Eriophyid mites are sometimes referred to as bud mites, because they feed only on the newly developing buds. This accounts for the distorted bud growth. First try cutting or pinching back about 1/2 inches beyond the conspicuous damage. After that if they reappear, spray with some of the new oils like ‘Tween’. H. Mites (spider mites): These usually start appearing during warm, dry weather. They may require control with a spray oil or a miticide. In addition to a contact miticide, Bayer’s 2-in-1 Systemic Rose and Flower Care should be effective. I. Powdery mildews (there are at least 30 or more different species, with large differences in which plants they prefer and temperatures at which they operate): In my 2 yards, our roses are free of mildew, because I selected disease resistant species. I would suggest that you may want to replace them with disease resistant varieties. I can help you select roses to replace them. I have catalogues from Regan’s Nursery in Fremont of Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras and others listing characteristics color, fragrance, height, etc of about 1000 rose varieties. Powdery mildews do not require a moist environment, but do require cool nights for their growth. The cooling effect of irrigating in the evening is why such watering should be avoided at that time. Powdery mildews appear grayish white on the foliage. Many of the older varieties of roses were particularly susceptible to powdery mildew, whereas most of the new varieties have good or reasonable resistance. Bayer’s Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs can be sprayed on the foliage and systemically distributes itself. The new foliage should be free of the disease. On apples, winter pruning to include pruning of all of last year's tip growth should have taken care of the powdery mildew, as infected tips of last year’s growth are the primary location for the fungus to over-winter. There are a few apple varieties, like Jonathan, that are extremely susceptible to powdery mildew. J. Rust and black spot on roses: shouldn’t be much of a problem this year. K Fire blight (pears, [apples]): any Infections on my pear tree have usually occurred on the late bloom. I usually prune back at least 6 inches beyond the discolored infected bark. The infection results from bees pollinating the blossoms after they have pollinated a neighbor's infected blossoms. If you have fire blight, cut back 6-12" below the blackened tissue. Dip your pruners in a water diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach and 10 water) between cuttings. When finished, rinse and dry the pruners carefully and oil them to prevent corrosion of the pruners. Failure to stop the infection has in some cases resulted in the loss of major limbs and in some cases the tree dying. Fire blight can affect apples, but it is less common on apples. However, there are many different populations of the fire blight fungus with differing host ranges, and differing degrees of severity. My Granny Smith apple, immediately adjacent to my infected Bartlett pear has never been affected. L. Weed control: Always an ongoing chore. Remove annual weeds before they go to seed. Use a pre-emergent seedicide such as Preen. It can be scratched into bare soil areas to stop weed seed germination. It doesn't affect plant roots, only germinating seeds. As such, avoid areas in which you expect wild flowers from last years seed drop, or where you have spread seed. However, where practical a fine organic mulch about 3 inches deep should depress weed seed germination rather extensively, as well as improve soil moisture retention.
17. Potpourri: an old article in Dear Abby indicated the addition of a red dye (probably certain red dyes) in your humming bird sugar solution can result in the development of a throat cancer of humming birds. You can make your own humming bird liquid food. I use a glass measuring cup. I add 1 part sugar and add 4 parts water, stir until all of the sugar is in solution. As an example I fill a 2 cup measuring glass (16 ounces) of sugar up to the 3 ounce level and then add hot water up to the 15 ounce level. This equates to 1 part sugar and 4 parts water. Also, all that is needed to attract humming birds is a red feeder base with red looking blossoms. Never use honey as a replacement for sugar, it can carry a bacteria that affects humming birds. Also, for the same reason clean the feeder before refilling. Remember the easiest and most effective cleaning of your feeder is the use of a shot of Clorox in water in a small plastic dish pan. All that you need to do is immerse the various parts in the water, and let stand for a few hours or more, and then rinse. The black mold will usually turn white, and slough off when rinsed. .
18. Survival Guide for Vacationers: What to do outside- A. if you have an automatic irrigation system, check every outlet to be certain each is operating correctly. B. If you don't have one, be certain you have a reliable person to water for you. C. The addition of a 3 inch layer of organic mulch will reduce water loss from the soil surface, and also suppress weed seeds from germinating. D. Move all potted plants out of direct sun, unless you have an automatic system, which you have checked out. You may even want to program watering to come on twice a day, early and about 3 PM. Without an automatic system, group the plants in the shade and out of the wind. Remember blooming plants usually require more water. E. Before leaving, do a general clean up of your yard, picking up any dead leafy material or debris. F. What not to do outside-Don't fertilize your garden right before your big trip. G. Don't plant anything a few weeks before you leave town. H. What to do inside- you may use the 'double saucer' watering technique (see 20 below), but use a much larger inner saucers, as they are able to supply water longer. I. You might take a plastic mortar box, place rocks in the bottom, place the pots on the rocks, and add water to cover about ½ inch of the bottoms of each pot. This will both supply water and maintain a high humidity around the plants. The increase in humidity around the plants will also reduce the amount of leaf transpiration. J, You may want to check The Weather Channel (TWC) (channel 61 on TV in our area) for the upcoming 7 days. They usually report every 10 minutes on the eight (08.18.28….). They usually give such a report for your immediate area for the next 7 days. Also, on most of the regular news channels you can obtain their predictions, and in the Bay Area, they generally give coastal, intermediate and inland information but not for your specific area.
19. Potting soil to use: There are many new products available, most claiming superior results, that it may be hard to make a choice. Most have added a controlled release fertilizer, and some have also added a polymer that will hold water and release it over a period of time. I have had limited experience with these new products.
Prior to this, Supersoil used to be considered the best, and they have added a controlled release fertilizer. Miracle-Gro, and others have entered the market, and expanded their line to include both a controlled release fertilizer and also one with a water release polymer. . You may want to evaluate some of them. Also, when in your nursery, don’t confuse Planting Mix or Potting soil with Planting soil. Planting soil is usually regular soil with various things added and usually doesn’t work too well in small pots and shallow planter boxes. It is usually used in large pots or large planter boxes. It can be purchased by the cubic yard(s) from such companies as Lyngso (Redwood City), and delivered to your home as a modified top soil. I order their Nurserymen’s mix.
20. Irrigation of pots outside: The frequency and amounts will depend upon the size of pots; plants you grow, the soil type and mix, whether hanging baskets, location, the weather, etc. Small pots outside usually require daily watering, and frequently twice a day. Again an automatic system should be best. A. Hanging baskets, during the warmer months, may need to be watered twice a day, and especially twice a day when it is hot. In some cases even more frequently. B. Container/potted plants if in shallow containers in the sun require much the same scheduling. C. Larger containers and plants with deeper roots can be watered less frequently. Again in every case, use enough water to have about 5-10% of it drain out the bottom of the pot or container to moisten the entire container, to leach out salts, and avoid their accumulation.
21. Irrigation-inside: The frequency and amounts will depend upon the size of pots, plants used, soil mix, location relative to room temperature, and light. Irrigation-house plants general: Over-irrigation is one of the more common causes for the death of house plants, Saturated soil drastically reduces the oxygen supply, resulting in dead root tips in the saturated soil layers, and with certain soil fungi present (primarily water molds) the plants can die. However, if the pot is in a saucer and water added to the saucer, water will sub-up from saucer and establish the soil at 'field capacity' above the water level in the saucer. A soil at field capacity generally has an adequate supply of oxygen for active root growth. Houseplants should always have saucers or their equivalent to catch water that percolates through the soil. Also be certain the bottoms of pottery saucers are smooth, or they can scratch wood finishes. When watering house plants, the use of a small watering 'can' is very useful, because you have a better chance of getting the spout in under the leaves and spread the water over the soil surface. This method is very valuable to continually 'leach-out' any concentration of fertilizer salts that have subbed-up to the surface. These salts can be toxic to those root tips near the surface. However, I have observed that many of the potted plants you buy today have the potting mix right up to the brim, and watering from the bottom is necessary. Also, soil that has been allowed to dry-out, and then watered, will usually allow much of the water to pass right through the soil, without properly wetting it, and won’t establish the desired 'field capacity'. It will usually require the addition of more water into the saucer to allow the added water to sub-up and bring the soil up to ‘field capacity'. Fertilizers applied in excess of the plants ability to use them can accumulate, and may require leaching out by placing the pots in the sink, and slowly running tap water over the surface for as long as 15-30 minutes.
23. Irrigation-root rots: Certain plants can be highly susceptible to root damaging fungi known as root-rots, most frequently ‘water molds’, which can cause the death of the plant. However, good commercial potting mixes should be free on these organisms and clean plants should not be affected.
24. Irrigation of drought tolerant plants: Drought tolerant plants will usually do better on reduced irrigation schedules. However, such plants usually require a certain minimum of soil moisture for good growth, and a normal rainfall or watering pattern will usually supply their needs after they are established, but they do require some water. Also, the moisture meters available at Orchard Supply, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target and others, will sometimes list the varying water requirements for different plants, both house and garden plants. The meters cost about $5-$8.
25. Self-watering flowerpots: These have been available in most nurseries and can be useful for many houseplants. However, the reservoir should be refilled on some rather rigid schedule to maintain an adequate supply of water. Actually, the use of 'double saucers' system functions in a similar manner.
26..'Double saucer' system for watering potted plants: Select a plastic saucer or equivalent about 1 " wider than the base of the pot. Place this saucer inside another, which is about 2" larger than the inner saucer. The outer saucer is only a ‘safety net’, such that when you water the potted plant, any excess water in the inner saucer will overflow into the outer saucer. Again, a pot whose soil is on the dry side when watered, will usually allow much of the water to flush right through the soil, and fill up the inner saucer. If this water subs back up into the pot in a relatively short time, refill the inner saucer with more water. Repeat until no further water subs up into the pot. If you are going on vacation, a larger inner saucer can hold more water, and extend the period of adequate watering. Indoor pots usually don't require as frequent watering, as outdoor pots. The above concern about root-tip kills and kill by water-molds is usually a function of saturated soil, not soil at field capacity. Using the double saucer method, only about ½ inch of the soil in the bottom of the pot would be saturated for 24 hours or more and shouldn't present much of a problem, if the pot is 6 or more inches tall. However, with very shallow pots the lower ½ inch of the pot may represent a fair portion of the plants root system, and as such might suggest repotting into a deeper pot.
27. Light requirements: Blooming plants, for the most part, require certain amounts of sunlight, or artificial sunlight for proper blooming. The length and amount of light needed varies with the plant species and when planted outdoors the ratio of light and darkness, coupled with temperature, usually determines when plants will bloom. Many seasonal nursery plants are 'forced' to bloom out of season by regulating the hours of light and darkness, They modify the greenhouse such that they can pull black plastic in the ceiling over the plants to produce darkness,
like night. They regulate the hours of darkness. The most common plants so regulated are Easter lilies and poinsettias. Plants that are used as 'foliage plants' will usually do well with a minimum amount of light.
For your own house plants you can determine the various light requirements of your plants using a light meter available at your nursery, a companion to your moisture meter. You can determine needs and keep records of indoor light intensity. It can affect the frequency of which your plant blooms. As an example, my Christmas cacti that are within 12-18 inches of a SE facing window, bloom multiple times a year, whereas a larger pot about 10 feet from the same window, usually blooms every other year.
28. Containers-indoors: You have a wide range of containers to choose from, but some are better than others. Plastic or 'glazed' pots are usually best, because unglazed clay results in greater loss of water, and the accumulation of unsightly white salts. However, if the pot is placed inside a glazed pot without a drain hole, water loss is reduced and the salts aren't visible. However, you need to be certain water doesn't accumulate in the outer pot.
29. Containers-outdoors: Again there is a wide range of containers to choose from. Here clay pots result in a greater water loss and deposit unsightly white salts. However, the evaporation from the outer surface of the clay pot will cool the soil and the roots of many if not most established plants. A few plants do better in a cooler soil. However
30. Saucers for plants indoors: In most cases, these should be a must. There are also a variety of complimentary items to protect the furniture and floors can be damaged by water. Even outdoor concrete and decking can be stained. Outdoors, saucers are usually desirable to minimize this.
31. Expanded lines of pesticides for the home and garden: Unfortunately the modern day publications and press are such promoters of everything organic and non-chemical that you seldom see much about the latest in pesticides. A few years back, Bayer entered the expanding home pesticide business, and now appear to have the broadest selection of such products for the home..
Are Your Plants Getting Enough Water?
Several years ago Fran was given several tree roses growing in large pots. Last year I watered them with a hose. This year I applied Apex and alfalfa pellets to the soil, as I do for all of our roses and I hooked up ¼ inch black tubing for their irrigation. With the winter rains this year, we had spectacular growth and blossoms. However, this week I discovered the rose buds and blossoms had started wilting, indicating the water output from the ¼ inch black tubing was very inadequate to maintain good growth.
I plan to install a ½ inch PVC line with a bubbler, such as I did for Fran’s navel orange tree below.
I should have suspected the above might happen because of a similar experience I had at Fran’s with a ¼ inch irrigation line she had to her Navel orange tree several years ago. I replaced the ¼ inch line with a ½ inch PVC line with a bubbler and the ability to introduce fertilizer into the irrigation water. The orange production changed from a few oranges to about 40-50 per year, and has increased a little each year.
BLACK PLASTIC CONTAINERS FOR ROSES, ETC.
About a year ago, John Chiapelone, a retired nurseryman, assisting me in my SIRS Garden group, said in one of our recent meetings that he had used black plastic containers in his nursery to display plants in shady spots. He did this because the warm daytime air increased the soil temperature within the black pot, and that the roots of plants in general do best in warm soil. The warmest soil is adjacent to the black plastic and diminishes as you move toward the center. If you take a plant out of a 1 gallon black plastic pot you will most likely find the roots had been growing right up against the black plastic and few if any in the center.
In January, 2009, I purchased 8 black plastic 5-gallon potted roses for Fran’s sunny backyard. I temporarily placed them in the least windy spot in the yard, which in June and July only receives about 2-3 hours of sun per day, and these were to be planted later in her sunny west facing backyard. I later planted 4 of them in the sunny area after removing 4 less desirable roses, and potted them also in 4 5 gallon black plastic pots and placed them with the remaining 4 new roses. At the time, I wasn’t aware of the value of the above aspect of heat on black plastic pots. However, it is now quite evident in the area where I had placed the roses. These rose bushes grew well and continued to grow and produce numerous new buds and beautiful full size blooms. They completed 3 series of extensive blooms. Initially, the roses that I planted in the soil with her other roses were considerably behind those in the black containers. As the warm weather warmed up, those in the soil caught up. The plastic pots don’t have to be black, but black absorbs the most heat.
Also, something we had not considered was that the roses in the 5 gallon black plastic containers were just opposite Fran’s kitchen sink and on the side that gets about 2-3 hours sun in June & July. Most roses require at least 6 hours of direct sun to bloom well. She then had 8 beautiful blooming roses that she enjoyed many times a day when she was standing at the kitchen sink. When I made the coffee in the morning, and I opened the blinds I was able see how the roses were doing.
Previously, I have had roses in black plastic 5-gallon containers as long as 4 years, before they were finally planted. In every case, when they were finally planted in the soil they took off and continued to bloom and grow very well.
Another example was that Fran had moved a blooming gardenia plant from her previous Millbrae home and planted it in the soil at her current home also in Millbrae, and next to a northeast facing wall of her home. The gardenia had never bloomed in 42 years, since it was moved. Following Chiapelone’s recommendation that gardenias require heat to bloom, I transplanted the gardenia plant into a black plastic 10 gallon container because the root system was extensive, and placed it about 3 feet from its previous location. It gets the same amount of sun. After 2 months, it had 50-60 flower buds.
All of these potted plants required that I expand my irrigation system and establish new water lines, with individual lines to each pot. This has taken a considerable amount of time. However, having plants on a good watering schedule is the most essential aspect of growing the best plants.
Plants vary as to their light, heat and other requirements but most that we plant in our gardens and yards prefer heat and light. Using a black plastic pot (1, 2, 5 gallons and larger) can potentially expand your selection of plants you choose for shady areas if planted in black plastic containers. I suspect that you have a few places in your yard where you might be able to evaluate this concept.
I asked John where he learned about this use of black plastic pots, but he didn’t recall. I know that in all of my various reviews of the literature and a variety of numerous searches of a wide selection of articles, I have never seen any mention of this concept. Of course, there is far more out there that I haven’t reviewed. However, what disturbs me is that none of the popular articles written in our newspapers, magazines, etc. to the best of my memory have never once mentioned this concept. This could be an extremely valuable tool for the home gardener.
What this suggests is that it takes about 6 hours of sunshine for the soil to heat up sufficiently for the roses to bloom properly, whereas in the black plastic container, it occurs in a relatively short time.
I challenge you to help me further evaluate this concept and keep me informed of your results. After all, my experience with this concept only started in February 2009 and things could change with time, but results to date are extremely encouraging and justify further evaluation.
Also, John Chiapelone and I have had extremely good tomato plant growth and production using this method.
Harold Lembright- draft 4/28/10