Trees & Shrubs- Selectively prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azalea, forsythia, weigela and lilac.
- Make sure transplants have enough water.
- Train and tie, if necessary, new vines and climbing roses onto trellis or posts with twine.
Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs- Spray fruit trees and grapes early in the month with preventative fungicides; avoid the use of insecticides to protect pollinators.
- Pick strawberries early in the day for longer freshness. Fertilize after the harvestith2 w lbs of 10-10-10 per 100 sq. ft.
- Direct-seed summer vegetables (e.g., yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons).
- Start to succession-plant corn and beans every three weeks to extend the harvest.
- Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and herbs.
- Harvest spring vegetables (greens, radishes, spring onions, peas and herbs).
Blog by: Sabine Ehlers, CMG
Source: Friends of UT Gardens Organization | Perennials, Annuals & Bulbs- Continue to stake tall-growing perennials such as foxglove and true lilies.
- Deadhead or prune back spent flowers on your perennials to stimulate reblooming.
- Plant gladiolus at two-week intervals for extended bloom time.
- Wait to remove bulb foliage until it has completely died back.
- Begin to direct seed sunflowers and other fast-growing summer annuals; stagger their planting by two weeks through July.
- Pinch back annuals like zinnias, salvias and petunias to encourage bushier plants and greater flower production.
Miscellaneous- Keep birdbaths filled with fresh water and provide enough food for those with new hatchlings.
|
Trees & Shrubs- Prune spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia, weigela, Japanese quince and lilac within two to three weeks after the last petals have dropped.
- Fertilize and prune azaleas and camellias back into shape after they have finished blooming
Perennials, Annuals & Bulbs- Edge your garden beds.
- Prune any semi-woody perennials like lavender, sage, artemisia and careopteris.
- Clean your pond or water feature and remove winter and dead plant debris.
- Divide water garden and bog plants.
- Plant dahlias after the 15th.
- Begin staking tall perennials that tend to fall over.
- Add well-rotted manure, processed manure, peat moss or compost to your annual planting beds.
- Wait to plant annuals until after the 15th.
Blog by: Sabine Ehlers, CMG
Source: Friends of UT Gardens Organization | Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs- Transplant strawberries and perennial herbs.
- Harvest early greens, onions and herbs (cilantro, mints, thyme, sage, rosemary and oregano.
- Continue to plant cool-season vegetables.
Miscellaneous
Enjoy blooming wildflowers, bulbs, spring-flowering trees and shrubs (azalea, rhododendron, kalmia).
|
At this month’s meeting of our local Master Gardener Association, we were fortunate to have George Bennett, proprietor of Bennett’s Nursery in Huntsville, Alabama, as our guest speaker. Mr. Bennett kindly shared some of his extensive knowledge of gardening, landscaping, and plants with our members; telling some great stories and also taking questions during his presentation.  Of the many plants reviewed, it caught my attention when Mr. Bennett shared his personal experience with Catmint (Nepeta)
as an effective deer repellent. In one of his large landscape beds that featured many roses and other plants that were often “grazed to the ground” by deer, Mr. Bennett reported that the deer no longer visited that area after he established the Catmint at various locations in the planting. The University of Vermont Extension reports similar findings… “Deer rely on their fine sense of smell as an early warning system of approaching danger. Mess
with this, using aromatic plants, and deer tend to stay clear. Some such fragrant plants that generally deter deer include catmint, chives, lavender, mint, sage, and thyme. Some gardeners plant these among more favored deer plants.”
Catmint is a perennial herb that is hardy in zones 3 through 8. Nepeta X faassenii is a hybrid variety with sterile flowers, so it will not self-sow and invade garden spaces. Several cultivars are available, ranging in heights from 1 to 6 feet. Mr. Bennett grows Catmint ‘Walkers Low’, which typically reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and blooms with small “lavender purple” flowers in mid-summer. This plant was named the 2007 Perennial of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.
If you’ve been looking for a way to deter or repel deer from some of your prized garden or landscape areas, Catmint might be your herbal remedy.
Garden on!
blog entry by Mark Murphy, CMG
Photo courtesy of Colorado State University.
sources: Choosing Deer-resistant Landscape Plants, Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, University of Vermont. Catmint, National Gardening Association plant care guides. Catmint ‘Walker’s Low’ Named 2007 Perennial of the Year, Purdue University Yard & Garden News.
Herbs have been an important part of our history and are still to this day as important for their culinary and medicinal uses as well as their application in fragrances, dyes, repellants, or cosmetics. Herbs grown in the home garden can be used fresh or can be dried and stored for later use.
|
When and How to Harvest:
> For peak flavor it is usually best to harvest before the herb flowers
> Cut the stems in the morning just after the dew has dried
> Annuals can be cut at ground level
> For perennials, harvest about 1/3 of the stem
> Rinse the cuttings in cold water to remove any soil or bugs
| | | | How to Dry Herbs:
Loose Leaf Method:
Remove the leaves from the stem and place them on an absorbent towel or a screen. Flip regularly to make sure they dry evenly on all sides.
Bunch Method:
Long stems can also be tied into small bunches and hung upside down in a dark, dry area at a temperature of about 70-80 degrees. Hanging the herbs in the dark helps to preserve their green color.
| | Oven Method:
Although a less energy-efficient method, you can also dry herbs in the oven. Place a single layer of herbs in a flat shallow pan and dry in an open oven at temperatures no higher than 180 degrees for 2-3 hours.
Microwave Method:
Last but not least, another option is to place the clean leaves on a paper plate or paper towel in the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals for 1-3 minutes. Mix the leaves at each interval.
Note that herbs dried in the oven or microwave may lose some of their flavor, oils, or color.
Blog by: Sabine Ehlers, CMG
|
You will know your herbs are dried when they crumble easily. Now they are ready to be stored.
|
|
RSS Feed