Raised Beds Are Great for Flower Borders
Many gardeners think of raised beds as the answer to the problem of growing vegetables in poor soil.
While raised beds can certainly make excellent vegetable beds, they need not be used exclusively for either vegetables nor in poor soil. Raised beds are a great way to grow everything.
Hands down, the absolute number one advantage of raised beds is uncompacted soil. A well planned and well-maintained raised bed will never be walked upon. The soil remains light and fluffy, allowing the roots to grow deep into the earth.
When you think about raised beds this way, you may see that the idea of building a frame and then just dumping new soil on top of old, worn out, compacted, poor soil is really more of a recipe for a one season quick fix than a permanent new garden.
HEALTHY SOIL = HEALTHY PLANTS
Organic gardeners have a second secret they employ along with raised beds: double digging.
In a true double dig, the soil is loosened to a depth greater than 12″. The gardener first digs a trench a spade-head deep (approximately 12 inches) the entire length of the bed. The soil is removed and placed in a wheelbarrow or similar storage container. The gardener then works the trench with a digging fork, loosening and aerating the soil for another 12 inches. (Be sure to check for buried electrical cables before doing this!)
When the first trench is complete, dig a second trench right next to it. Fill in the first trench with the soil you remove from the second. Continue in this way until the entire bed has had the top 12 inches of soil turned and the second 12 inches loosened.
As you might imagine, this can be back breaking work, especially if you begin by removing sod.
However, putting light soil on top of compact, heavy soil is not too different than putting your new garden beds directly over concrete. It is very difficult for water, fertilizer, and roots to penetrate heavy, compact soil.
Fortunately for those of us without strong backs, there is a middle ground. You need not do a full double dig to prepare your raised bed. Even a short course of turning and improving the soil will yield improved results. Use a spade and garden fork to turn the soil and mix compost into the top three inches of the original soil. Wiggle your digging fork around to aerate and loosen the soil.
Once you’ve loosened the soil, build your frame(s) and add the new soil.
Be sure that you can reach to the center of the bed from either side. You never want to actually step into the bed or onto the soil once the garden is started. Leave garden paths between and around the beds. If your paths are grassy, be sure they are wide enough for a mower.
Photograph by psd Photo released under Creative Commons License
Plantscapes in having a pot and container sale on Thursday, May 6.
The sale will be going on all day in the Plantscapes South Warehouse.
Old containers, unused containers, pots returned from rentals and leases – all will be on sale at significant savings.
First come – first served!
This is a great opportunity to pick up large, hard to find pottery for your home or garden.
COD – cash only. All sales are final.
(Picture does not show the actual pots on sale)
Address: 1127 Poplar Place South, Seattle, WA 98144
Business Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Phone: (206) 623-7100
A balanced, multi-purpose fertilizer
Every gardener has seen the three big numbers on the front of a fertilizer bag or box.
Most know what the numbers stand for (in order): Nitrogen – Phosphorus – Potassium, also known as N-P-K.
These ingredients are always listed in this same order.
The higher the number, the higher the water-soluble percentage of that ingredient in the fertilizer. For instance, Sulphate of Ammonia, rated at 21-0-0, is 21% soluble nitrogen. It contains no potassium or phosphorus. On the other hand, something like SuperPhosphate, rated at 0-20-0 contains 20% phosphorus but no nitrogen or potassium.
Why should we care specifically about these three elements over all others? What exactly do they do?
- Nitrogen promotes green growth above the soil.
- Phosphorus promotes flowering, blooming, and root growth
- Potassium promotes general vigor with compact, robust growth.
These attributes are sometimes learned by the memory aid, “Up, Down, All-Around.”
DON’T GARDEN BY THE NUMBERS
So do higher numbers equal better fertilizers?
No!
Healthy plants grow in healthy soil.
Fertilizer Burn
Soil amendments and fertilizers certainly play a role – sometimes the crucial role – in promoting plant growth. But highly soluble, super-concentrated ferilizers can actually harm plants, the soil, soil microbes, and the environment.
Fast release nitrogen can burn seedlings. You’ve probably seen plants with brown edges on their leaves. That can be a sign of fertilizer burn.
Further, highly soluable fertilizers wash through the soil quickly, leaving little or no nutrients behind for continued growth.
And finally, high concentrations of phosphorus run-off can pollute water and kill fish.
FERTILIZE TO MEET PLANT NEEDS
While N-P-K gets all the glory on the label, other ingredients, such as minerals and trace elements are just as important to the health of your plants. Use the Big Three numbers on the front of the bag as a guide.
Then turn the bag or box over and look at the rest of the ingredients. A long list of nothing but unpronouncable chemicals is unlikely to promote a healthy environment. On the other hand, trace minerals and other insoluble elements will bind with the organic matter in your soil. They are unlikely to wash out as quickly, and so may slowly release nutrients to your plants throughout the growing season.
FEED THE WHOLE GARDEN, NOT JUST THE PLANTS
Nature's Perfect Gardeners
Soil rich in organic matter will also be rich in life – most clearly illustrated by the presence of earthworms. Burning, quick release fertilizers kill worms, leaving you with dead soil that demands constant re-fertilization. Compost and minerals, in contrast, provide food for the worms, who turn it into one of nature’s richest fertilizers: worm castings.
Organic fertilizers tend to have “lower numbers” than chemical fertilizers, in part because organics are less water soluble. And yet, that very fact gives them an edge in promoting sturdy, compact plants with deep roots – plants more able to resist insects and disease.
GOING ORGANIC
Do you have to be 100% organic to have a healthy garden? No, of course not.
But you’ll find that shifting your focus to organics will, over time, build healthier soil. As your soil improves, your plants will improve. You’ll be less tempted to reach for pesticides, and the beneficial insect population will be able to do its part in keeping insect damage down.
A Quiet Push Mower
You might not expect it – but lawns are rife with controversy.
For many, mowing the lawn is a tedious chore. For others, the smell of freshly cut grass is the very essence of summer.
Some people think watering the lawn is a waste of a precious resource. Others can’t image allowing their lush, green turf to go dormant and brown.
Some homeowners douse the grass with weed and feed and keep the blades of grass golf course short. Others swear by slow release organic fertilizers and won’t consider a cut shorter than three inches.
TAKE THE GRASS POP QUIZ
- True or false – lawns are so suburban; xeriscapes are hip and urban.
- What looks better – bluegrass or rye grass?
Did you think there would be a correct answer? Sorry.
Aside from the generally accepted belief that grass is green, almost anything you say about lawns will engender a passionate argument from someone.
LAWN LOVERS TAKE HEART
Whatever your outlook, here are a few facts about lawns that may surprise you:
Barefoot In the Grass
- A well-cared-for lawns can significantly increase property values.
- A 50-foot by 50-foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four
- Lawns cool the atmosphere.
- Eight healthy front lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning, which is enough for 16 average homes.
- Grass converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, a process that helps clear the air.
- Dense, healthy grass slows water runoff, removing contaminants, returning fresh, filtered water to the underground water supply
GREEN AND CLEAN
An organically maintained lawn is one of the best ways to care for the environment! You’ll trap greenhouse gases, remove contaminants from the water supply, and lower electricity consumption in the summer.
Here’s the secret to a healthy lawn: rich soil.
Really, there is no mystery to what keeps a lawn green – deep roots in soil rich in organic matter will produce healthy plants, whether those plants are thousands of blades of grass, a few tomato plants, or a dozen rose bushes.
Smothering your lawn in weed and feed kills the micro-organisms that build healthy soil. Dead, compact soil – without worms or other beneficial insects – must be forced, over and over, to push up new growth. The grass in such a lawn is always fragile and in danger of damage from rough use or disease.
A Young Girl Plays In A Field Of Grass
But a rich, aerated soil allows the roots to penetrate deeply.
The grass can take up nutrients slowly as minerals and organic matter break down. The soil holds water. The healthy top growth mirrors the vibrant life below the soil surface.
Healthy lawns invite us to kick off our shoes and walk barefoot through the grass. Kids can play, adults can just sit in the sun (or shade) and enjoy the day.
FIVE RULES FOR AN ORGANIC LAWN
1. The first rule of organic lawn care is the world is not divided into grass and weeds. Diversity is healthy. Monocultures are fragile. For instance, clover can be very beneficial when mixed with lawn seed. Clover returns nitrogen to the soil, and it can keep your lawn looking green and lush with minimal care. So don’t reach for the weed killer at the first hint of “weeds” in your grass.
2. The second rule is: pull the dandelions, don’t poison them. Dandelions are so persistent because their tap roots grow deep into the sub soil. If you dig the roots, instead of destroying the top growth, you’ll not only eventually get rid of your dandelions, you’ll aerate your soil.
3. The third rule of organics is the golden rule: add compost. Return nutrients and organic matter back to the soil. If you have a mulching mower, leave the grass clipping on the lawn to decompose. If you rake the clippings up, compost them and then spread the compost in the fall and spring.
4. The fourth rule is feed the roots, not just the tops. Don’t dump pounds and pounds of high nitrogen fertilizer on your grass. Yes, it may make it look greener, but it is a short-lived pleasure. The short top growth of a manicured lawn is mirrored below the soil, where the roots are shallow and thin. Use slow release minerals, like rock dust, greensand, bone meal, granite dust, and rock phosphate to feed the roots. These minerals will last many seasons, building strong roots and healthy soil. Look for slow release, organic sources of nitrogen as well. If you need some instant gratification, an organic tea can do wonders for a lawn in need of a quick pick me up.
5. The fifth rule of organic lawn care is water deeply. Turning on your sprinklers for 15 minutes every day just wastes water. The water thrown into the air will evaporate more quickly. The water on the ground will not have a chance to penetrate and may drift onto sidewalks and gutters. Instead, water early in the morning. Use low rise sprinklers. Monitor run off. Adjust your watering schedule according to the season. Use enough water to penetrate about 6 inches deep into the soil – but don’t water so much that the soil turns muddy and soft.
Barefoot in the Grass by saragoldsmith Photo released under Creative Commons License
Girl in Grass Field by Bill Liao Released under Creative Commons License
If you manage a commercial landscape, you know already know that spring is the time to renovate your turf.
You’ll soon see Plantscapes’ crews at work, aerating, reseeding, and fertilizing the grass around Puget Sound. (If you’d like a bid for your property, just contact Landscape Division Manager John Higgen at 206-623-7100)
However, many people do not realize that your home’s lawn will benefit from the same treatment – and you don’t need heavy equipment to do it.
As grass gets walked on, the soil underneath becomes compact. This makes it more difficult for the roots to take up nutrients and for water to soak deeply into the soil. Instead of burrowing down deeply, the grass’ roots stay shallow. Water runs off or evaporates.
Grass in this condition is more easily damaged and is more susceptible to disease. Fortunately, anyone can renovate their lawn over the course of a weekend.
A tool like this pulls plugs and aerates the lawn
You can buy a small, manual aerator for smaller lawns or rent a larger aerator for larger area.
The aerator will pull plugs from the soil, breaking up the compact, dense mass. You can leave the plugs on top of the lawn, where they will decompose and add organic matter back to your topsoil.
When the grass has been aerated, apply a good, organic fertilizer. You want to encourage root growth in the spring, so you don’t need a fertilizer high in nitrogen. Look for a well-balanced mix. If you have acidic soil (most people in Puget Sound do), add lime as well.
Overseed bare or thin patches with a good quality grass seed. Remeber, rye grass varieties do well in full sun. Fescues are better suited to shade. If your lawn doubles as a play area for kids, make sure your seed mix has grass that can stand up to foot traffic (i.e., more rye grass, less bluegrass).
Finally, add a topdressing of compost to your lawn to build the organic matter. Don’t lay this on so thickly that it smothers the grass. And do make sure that it is well rotted compost – you don’t want to burn tender shoots with a hot chicken manure!
If you follow this routine every spring and fall, you’ll have a lush green lawn that is thicker, requires less water, is resistant to disease – and yet requires less frequent mowing and watering.
They key is to always encourage strong root growth rather than to force weak top growth.
There is always too much to see and not enough time to take it all in at the annual northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Here are a few of the photos taken this year by Kathie Madsen. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo.
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The 2010 Flower and Garden Show is over.
If you had a chance to visit the show, you know how many amazing displays there were. The creativity is boundless. No one comes away without a thousand new ideas for their garden.
Now that you’ve seen the final product, we thought you might enjoy a behind the scenes look at how the WALP display came together this year.
BEFORE – BUILDING THE DISPLAY
THE WALP DISPLAY AT THE 2010 NORTHWEST FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW
Cheaper By the Yard
March signals the return of spring. Crocuses are blooming. Grass is growing. Trees are in bud. If you love nature, you can’t help but love spring.
Which is why we designated March as Customer Appreciation Month here at Plantscapes.
Even though we’ve had a very mild winter this year in the Puget Sound, your landscape is probably ready for a good, old fashioned “spring cleaning.” One of the most important steps you can take in getting your landscape ready for the new growing season is to renovate the mulch.
After a year of weathering, bark can get “worn out.” Some has been blown or tracked away. Weed seeds, litter, and insect egss may be lurking just below the surface. In short, the bark mulch can no longer do the job it is designed for.
A fresh layer of mulch not only re-invigorates the landscape, it adds a fresh, clean look to your beds and trees.
Until March 31, Plantscapes clients will receive 15% Off on any bark order.
This is a great way to kick off spring. If you are interested, just give us a call: 206-623-7100
Photo by jspatchwork Released under Creative Commons License.
An apple orchard in winter
Mid-winter, while your fruit trees are dormant, is the best time to start the fight against insects in the coming year.
Dormant Oil is one of natural gardening’s main weapons in the fight against insects and fungal disease on fruit trees. It works by smoothering spores and eggs in a coating of oil. Most commercial dormant oil sprays are made from mineral oil, a highly refined form of petroleum. A special emulsifier allows the spray to be mixed with water.
Lime -Sulfur spray, which is an anti-fungal sprayed for dormant trees, burns eggs and fungus spores hidden in the bark. It is quite caustic and should be sprayed only on calm, dry days. Wear goggles and gloves when using lime-sulfur, and be sure to cover nearby evergreens or other non-dormant plants and shrubs that may be hit by drifting spray.
There are also special year-round oil sprays, usually labelled as “horticultural oil,” rather than dormant oil. These lighter oils may be applied to leaves, fruit and buds without damage. You must follow the label instructions exactly when calculating dilution rates. Even a highly refined superior oil can cause damage if the mix is too heavy.
Dormant sprays are usually considered organic. However, you shouldn’t confuse “organic” with “harmless.” The mist can be dangerous to breathe in high concentrations, and lime-sulfur in the eyes or on the skin can be extremely corrosive and damaging. Be sure to read the label, follow directions, and only use the sprays when there is no chance of wind or rain.
While dormant sprays are a great first step, they are not a cure all.
Spores and insect eggs can over-winter in fallen leaves and mulch under the trees. If you’ve experienced problems with bugs or disease in the previous growing season, it is extremely important that you clean up all debris around your plants, even going so far as to remove the old mulch and add fresh.
The work you do now, in the winter, will pay off in the summer. Your trees will be healthier; they may even yield more fruit; and you won’t have to use dangerous chemicals when you, your children and your pets are relaxing in the shade of your trees.
Photo by Max Used under Creative Commons License
Get Your Tools Ready for Spring
Did you clean and oil your garden tools before you put them away for the winter?
Although most of us know we should do that, many of us don’t. The hand tools go onto their pegs, the spades and rakes are hung upon their hooks, and the shed door is closed before the final cleaning takes place.
Maybe you meant to do to it next weekend. Maybe you just forgot.
Or may be you were fooled by our on-again off-again on-again winter and never were sure if the gardening season was really over yet.
Don’t worry. There is still time to give your tools a thorough cleaning before spring.
Here’s a simple method recommended by lazy gardeners everywhere:
Take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with sand. Now mix in oil until the sand is damp. Knock any loose dirt off your tools, then plunge them into the bucket. The mixture of sand and oil should clean off loose debris while protecting your tools from rust.
If you are an organic gardener, you’ll want to replace the generic oil with a vegetable oil. Non-organic gardeners can try spraying the surface of the sand with WD-40.
If your tools are especially dirty or rusty, clean them with a wire brush before using the sand & oil mixture. You can use an old burlap sack to knock clods of earth and mud from the blades of spades and shovels.
And while you are cleaning your bladed tools, don’t forget to sharpen them.
For shovels, spades, trowels, etc, use a double-sided flat file. You can pick one up at any hardware store if you don’t already have one. Use the coarse side to file the outside edge of the blade to a sharp angle. Then use the fine side on the inside edge to remove nicks. Lastly, give a nice final polish to the cutting edge with the fine side of the file. Wipe the blade with an oily rag.
Before you call it done, be sure to rub wooden handles with a good coating of linseed oil to prevent cracking.
Sharpening pruners is a tricky task. Be sure to use a tool designed specifically for pruners and take extra care not to knick the thin cutting edges. Some pruners, such as Felcos, sport replaceable blades. If you do much pruning, it is a good practice to start every spring with a new cutting blade. While you are at it, check the spring and anvil blade as well. They may not need to be replaced as frequently, but they do eventually wear out.
Less delicate loppers and hedge shears can usually be sharpened with a small flat file. You’ll also find that some manufacturers, such as Sandvik, sell replacement blades for their loppers and shears.
If you want to keep your hand tools clean and sharp throughout the gardening season, try storing them between jobs in the oily sand bucket rather than hanging them from hooks or leaning them against walls.
Eventually, your sand bucket will be too contaminated with dirt to be an effective cleaner. However, before you throw away the sand, remember that oil is a serious pollutant. Check with the local Department of Ecology for approved disposal methods. Or save yourself the hassle, and use vegetable oil.
Photo by Andy Field (Hubmedia) Released under Creative Commons License