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Go Native!

2/7/2014

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With the Spring planting season quickly approaching, it's good to know that you can have a positive impact on the health and biodiversity of your local and regional ecosystem by selecting native plant species instead of exotic/invasive specimens.

Native plants provide beauty while promoting environmental stewardship, and also offer food and shelter for native wildlife. Plus, by being adapted to regional conditions, natives are hardy, disease-resistant, and typically require less maintenance and care than some exotic plants.

Visit the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council web site for more information. While you're there, you can download their Landscaping with Native Plants publications, with region-specific versions available for Middle, East, and West Tennessee.



Get 'yer native on... and garden on!




blog entry by Mark Murphy, CMG
image courtesy of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council





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oh, Christmas Tree!

12/11/2013

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I’ve got to tell you that I like White Pine trees… to be more correct, the Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus). I like the form, color, texture of needles and bark; there’s just something about that tree that speaks to me.




White pines are a popular choice for Christmas Trees, with many folks now choosing “ball and burlap” or “container” trees that can be planted outside following the holiday. For those that like the white pine, be aware that it can have some possible pitfalls in Middle Tennessee landscapes:
1. First, choose your planting location wisely, being careful not to underestimate the mature size of the tree. Once established, White pines can have rapid growth and will be a very large tree when mature. So, don’t spoil those holiday memories with a tree that you’re constantly attempting to prune to keep in check, or that you eventually have to remove because it’s busting out of the space you selected.
2. Tennessee is at the edge of the southern range for white pine. It prefers a higher elevation and cooler temperatures than the norm for Middle Tennessee. Because white pine is genetically diverse, you will find specimens that are doing well throughout this area. But, be aware that may not always be the case and some white pines will not survive here, especially following Summers with extreme heat and drought.


From his recent article, December Gardening Gift Ideas and Tips, Jason Reeves (UT Gardens Research Horticulturist and Curator) offered these tips on selecting living Christmas trees…
“The idea of a living Christmas tree that can be planted outdoors after the holidays often sounds appealing, but without proper selection and care, this can be a disappointing experience. First, you should carefully select one that is suited to your part of the state. While white pine, spruce and fir will work in the cooler parts of Tennessee, they should be avoided in the warmer areas. Virginia pine, Eastern red cedar, Japanese cedar and Arizona cypress are good choices for all parts of Tennessee. Hemlock and Leyland cypress should be avoided due to numerous problems with insects and disease once in the landscape. Any living tree brought indoors should not remain inside longer than five days. One option is to go ahead and put the lights on the tree and enjoy it outside before time to bring it indoors. Be sure to keep it well watered but not standing in water.”


Also, here are a few tips from the extension.org publication How do I go about caring for and then planting a live Christmas tree this holiday season?...
“
Plan to keep the tree in the house for no more than two weeks. While indoors, locate the tree in as cool a location as possible. Keep it out of drafts and away from heating vents. Provide as much natural light as possible. Place the root-ball or container in an attractive tub lined with heavy plastic to protect the floor from moisture. Water the tree only when the soil starts to dry out.”

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Planting your Christmas tree after the holidays can be a great family project, making memories that last for generations. So, select the tree that suits your personal preferences, landscape, and risk tolerance…
and Garden On!
happy holidays


blog entry by Mark Murphy, CMG
additional source: Trees to Reconsider Before Planting, UT Extension publication SP512
photos: Clemson Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech Ag Experiment Station



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Boxwood... a shrub with many uses

12/4/2013

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Boxwood (Buxus). This old-fashioned favorite is a shrub with many "uses".

Boxwood has been described as "Man's Oldest Garden Ornament". It was introduced to North America from Europe in the 17th century and has been an important part of many American gardens ever since. This elegant and long-lived evergreen shrub with its small leaves and fine texture has many different uses in the landscape. It is commonly used in formal hedges, as an edging plant, in foundation plantings, and even as an impressive accent plant. Boxwoods are also one of the best shrubs for use in creating magnificent topiaries.


Many Different Forms
Although there are more than 150 different boxwood cultivars, two types, American Boxwood, Buxus sempervirens and English boxwood, Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', are the most commonly grown boxwood in American gardens. English boxwood is considered the "true edging" boxwood and this low-growing form is often used in more formal landscape designs. Buxus sempervirens also includes many of the taller cultivars that are seen around many older homes, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region. Newer cultivars have been selected for a variety of different growth forms and also for increased winter hardiness. Buxus microphylla (Littleleaf boxwood) is a lower growing species that includes the very slow growing Japanese boxwood which grows from 3 to 6 feet tall. This species also includes the smallest cultivar, 'Compacta' which grows only to about 12" tall!

Culture
Boxwood is considered a fairly low-maintenance shrub. Most cultivars prefer full sun or part shade, however, in colder regions, they perform better if they are planted in a less exposed area where they are protected from winter winds and full sun exposure. Spraying with an anti-desiccant like Bonide Wilt Stop in the late fall and again in mid-winter can help prevent winter burn and sun scald.

Well-drained soil is essential to avoid problems with root rot.  If you are planting in heavy clay soil, add gypsum or Espoma Soil Perfector and good organic matter to improve drainage. Be very careful if you have an automatic sprinkling system as this often keeps the soil too wet for boxwood.

Fertilizing Boxwood 
At planting time, amend the soil with an organic fertilizer like Espoma Plant-tone or Holly-tone, rock phosphate, and Espoma Greensand according to the Viette recommendations. After the first year, fertilize with Plant-tone or Holly-tone in the early spring and again in the fall. Avoid fertilizing with chemical or quick release fertilizers late in the summer or fall as this can lead to a burst of tender new growth that will be subject to winter injury


blog entry by Carol Reese, CMG
photo by Allen Owings, LSUagcenter.com, Boxwood homepage photo by Garden Delights Online Plant Nursery








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Repel Deer with Catmint

11/23/2012

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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.
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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.

 

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Finish your Fall Pruning soon

8/10/2012

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It’s time to give your landscaping shrubs one last light cut.  Pruning should end 10-12 weeks before the last frost date to allow new growth to harden off.  The last frost date in Middle Tennessee is generally October 15th, so counting back 10 weeks puts us right at August 6th.
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Pruning too late will stimulate plant growth and an early freeze, while that growth is still tender, will kill the young tips.  This could lead to more die-back, and set the plant up to be more susceptible to disease.

Stimulating growth by pruning can also interfere with the plant going into winter dormancy which can make it more likely to be damaged by cold.    Cold damage can cause branch die-back, basal cankers and even death.

Don’t prune spring flowering shrubs (azaleas, dogwoods, forsythia, etc) in the fall.  These plants have already set buds so you would be cutting off next springs flowers.  As a general rule, plants that flower BEFORE July 1 should be pruned AFTER flowering.  Plant that bloom AFTER July 1 should be pruned in late winter or early spring.

Trees and other herbaceous plants may be best pruned in late winter or early spring while the plants are dormant and before buds begin to swell and open.  Do not prune when temperatures are below 20 F.

For more information see the UT Publication “Best Management Practices for Pruning Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Ground Covers" here:  UTPB1619.

Blog by: Linda Lindquist, CMG

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Volcanoes sighted in Middle Tennessee!

8/3/2012

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When observing commercial and residential landscapes, it usually doesn’t take much exploration to find trees with large piles of mulch centered at the trunk and cascading outward. Those mountains of mulch are so common that they’ve earned the uncomplimentary label of mulch volcano!

When properly applied, mulch offers many benefits, such as conserving soil moisture, regulating soil temperature, suppressing weeds, and even enriching the soil when an organic mulch decays.

For trees and shrubs, the mulch layer should be between 2 to 4 inches deep, and extend to a diameter of at least 3 feet. However, the
mulch should not be allowed to contact the trunk of the tree (or the stems of
shrubs).

When mulch is allowed to accumulate [or is purposely piled] around the trunk, it prevents natural air-flow around that section of the bark, keeping the mulch-covered portion of the tree damp. That creates an open invitation to disease organisms and insects that can do damage; sometimes to the point of girdling or killing the tree. Also, voles and other bark-chewing animals may be encouraged by a thick layer of mulch.

So, take advantage of the positive attributes of mulching, but
avoid the volcano!
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<----- Bad. A "volcano" of mulch piled around the tree trunk invites potential damage and decay.

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<----- Better. Mulch is kept away from the trunk of the tree, allowing the bark to "breathe".



blog entry and photos by Mark Murphy, CMG

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