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Edition 10.18 H&H Gardening Newsletter May 6, 2010

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3 day forecast

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May

Planting Nursery Plants: Continue to plant warm-season annual flowers and vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, marigolds, petunias, and the like) as long as you have enough time for them to beat the summer heat.



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"Where flowers bloom, so does hope."
- Lady Bird Johnson, from Public Roads: Where Flowers Bloom


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Things to do in May

1. Plant irises, canned roses, tropicals and tuberoses.
2. Transplant potted bulbs into the ground.
3. Replace cool-season bedding flowers with summer-season flowers.
4. Plant zinnias and other heat loving flowers.
5. Plant morning glories.
6. Plant warm-season lawns.
7. Continue to plant summer vegetables.
8. Replace parsley if you haven't already done so.
9. Plant a giant pumpkin for Halloween.
10. Purchase, plant, and transplant succulents.
11. Stop pinching fuchsias if you did not do so last month.
12. Thin out fruit on deciduous fruit trees.
13. Pinch dahlias back when the plant has three sets of leaves; tie the plant up as it grows.
14. Continue to pick and deadhead roses.
15. Divide and repot cymbidiums that have outgrown their containers.
16. Cut off bloom spikes from cymbidiums after flowers fade.
17. Prune camellias if you have not already done so.
18. Clean and prune azaleas.
19. Divide and mount staghorn ferns.
20. Prune winter- and spring-flowering vines, shrubs, trees and ground covers after they finish blooming.
21. Continue to tie up and sucker tomatoes.
22. Remove berries (seed pods) from fuchsias after flowers fall.
23. Pinch back petunias when you plant them.
24. Continue to prune and train espaliers.
25. Feed citrus trees, avocado trees.
26. Feed fuchsias, azaleas, tuberous begonias, water lilies.
27. Feed roses, ferns, flower beds, camellias after they bloom.
28. Fertilize lawns.
29. Side-dress vegetable rows with fertilizer.
30. Feed all container-grown succulents with a well-diluted complete liquid fertilizer.
31. Fertilize peppers when flowers first show.
32. As the weather becomes drier, be sure to water most garden plants regularly.
32a. Do not water succulents.
32b. Taper off watering those California native plants that don't accept summer water.
33. Control rose pests and diseases.
34. Spray junipers and Italian cypress for juniper moths.
35. Control mildew.
36. Control pests on vegetables.
37. Control weeds among permanent plants by mulching or cultivating.
38. Control weeds among vegetables and flowers by hand-pulling.
39. Keep bamboo from running into your neighbor's garden.
40. Harvest vegetables regularly.

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One of the most misunderstood plant species is the Cranesbill (geranium). That is because the botanical name for them is often confused with common geraniums whose botanical name is actually Pelargonium. Got all that? What isn’t confusing is how valuable and versatile cranesbill are in the garden.

Most species are hardy down to climate zone 4, and perform well in full sun to partial shade locations. They require very little attention maintenance-wise (a light trim each spring) but they will gain your constant attention for how pretty they look in the garden. Most of the varieties listed below bloom from early spring through the end of summer.

The taller varieties mix well with other perennials in a flower bed while the lower growing varieties look great in borders or in between larger plants. They prefer regular watering as long as they have good drainage and only require an occasional feeding.

We have many different varieties of Cranesbill Geraniums in stock now.  Come down and visit us to take a look.

Million Bells

Calibrachoas are tender annuals that produce profuse 1" flowers on a sturdy petunia-like plant. The compact, mounded plants grow 3-9” tall on mostly trailing stems. They are ideal for hanging baskets and also wonderful in containers or as a small area ground cover.

They tolerate light shade but flowering will decrease as shade increases. They prefer a rich, moist (not wet), well-drained soil. They are drought tolerant and low-maintenance. Deadheading is not required. Feed every two weeks if they are in containers, monthly if they are in the ground.

Million Bells

Plant Profile: Yarrow

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by Tamara Galbraith

Herbalists could write — and probably have written — volumes about the medicinal uses of the herb yarrow. In fact, it goes so far back as a healing plant that its Latin name, Achillea millefolium, is derived from the Greek god Achilles, who was said to carry it with his army to treat battle wounds. Since then, the steamed flowers have been used to curb allergy symptoms, the young leaves eaten as a vegetable and the essential oil made into a chest rub.

As a garden plant, achillea is nearly as tough and attractive as it is useful. It is a fantastic rock garden plant, due to its near-legendary drought resistance, and can therefore also help to battle soil erosion on a sloped landscape. Dry, poor soil and excellent drainage are musts for this plant.

Appearance-wise, yarrow is semi-woody and upright, with feathery, fernlike foliage and umbrella-shaped flower clusters that appear in early summer and come in colors ranging from pure white to fiery red. These flower heads can get floppy, however, so be prepared to either stake the stem or just trim the plant from time to time to promote a bushier growth habit. The flat heads provide great visual accompaniment to mounding or spiky plants. Most yarrow tops out at around 24", although some do get taller.

Yarrow flowers dry nicely for arrangements if cut before the sun bleaches out the color. To dry the flowers, cut them at their peak and hang them upside-down in clusters of a half dozen in a dry, airy place out of the sun.

Fungal disease can be a problem in humid areas; keep it away from plants that need a lot of water and make sure you give it plenty of space to promote good air circulation, and lots of sunlight. Pests — including the four-legged kind — are usually not a problem when growing this pungent plant. Butterflies love it, however, and so will you.

Garden Primer

What is the best way to get rid of slugs and snails?

Answer:

First, make sure you have slugs and snails, not earwigs (pincher bugs). The best way to tell is if you see shiny snail trails around the garden.

Sprinkle pet-safe snail bait such as Monterey Sluggo Plus around the plants you want to protect, or create a barrier between where they hide during the day (under decks, dark places, and leaf matter) and where they feed at night.

You can also place a bowl of beer out to attract them (stale beer works best). This way they'll have quite a party before they fall in and drown. (Probably won't feel anything either.) Just remove the bowl in the morning so the neighbor's pets don't get drunk.

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The Ultimate Pasta Salad

What You'll Need:

  • 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked tri-colored spiral pasta
  • 1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 head fresh cauliflower, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 8 ounces pepperoni slices, cut into quarters
  • 1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 (6 ounce) can large pitted black olives, drained and sliced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (or to taste)
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (or to taste)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Italian seasoning to taste

Step by Step:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  • Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
  • Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  • Toss chilled pasta with the broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, garlic, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, olives, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  • Chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Yield: 12 servings

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