March 2017 Vol. 7 No. 3 Santa Fe Master Gardener Newsletter The Fragrant Garden By Chris Durlak “It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves.” Robert Louis Stevenson When thinking of plants, and especially fowering ones to plant for the garden, what better choices than those that provide scents that are pleasing not only to our noses, but also to those of other creatures who may “smell” them, such as pollinators? The plants described here, native to our region, are some of those that most certainly will enhance the “fragrant garden.” Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)—a member of the Aster family. This perennial is long-lived and its aroma of chocolate is not to be missed. It has clumps of lem- on-yellow fowers with brown centers, blooms in spring and summer, and requires little water. Mojave Sage (Salvia poachyphylla)— actually a member of the mint family, this plant’s blooms are larger than most other sages, and its lovely bluish-purple fowers last all summer long. A California native, it thrives in the Southwest and requires little wa- ter. Touching the silver-gray foliage elicits the pleasant sage aroma; burning sage was used in Native American ceremonies to cleanse or purify. Pollinators such as bees, butterfies and hummingbirds are also attracted to this showy plant’s blooms. Purple Hyssop (Agastache Purple Haze)—a hybrid Hyssop, also known as Hummingbird Mint. Tall purple and blue fower spikes adorn this sun-loving plant that has aromatic foliage and fowers that attract bees and butterfies. Fairly drought-resistant, its blooms are attractive in fower arrangements. cont. on page 2 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • Santa Fe County Extension Offce College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences 3229 Rodeo Road • Santa Fe, NM 87507 • Phone: 505.471.4711 • Fax: 505.471.6076 • www.sfmga.org The Fragant Garden—cont. from page 1 In This Issue The Fragant Garden 1 Western Wallfower (Erysimum asperum)— Message from the Board 3 grows in low elevation scrub- lands, mountain brush, and Pruning Trees and Shrubs 4 pinyon-juniper communities in a variety of soils. Its name SNaPP: Western Blue Flax 6 may come from a relative that grows against stone walls Mighty Milkweed 7 in Europe. It is a biennial or What Type of Soil short-lived perennial with tall Do I Have? 8 stems and dense clusters of yellow fowers at the top. The The Garden Journal fowers have an aroma that is Radio Show 9 slightly sweet with a touch of ammonia, and is attractive to Killing with Kindness: How We some species of bees. Enable Trees to Their Ultimate Demise 10 Using fragrant plants in our gardens is a pleasant aro- Get to Know your Fellow matic experience for us as Master Gardeners 12 gardeners as well an attrac- tive landscape feature that will defnitely encourage other visi- Help Your Neighbor 12 tors such as bees, butterfies and hummingbirds to “smell” and Tiger Moths—A Tent Caterpillar pollinate. For Your Pines 14 References: npsnm.unm.edu; plants.usda.gov; santafebotani- Let’s Grow Series 16 calgarden.org; www.desertusa.com. From the Membership Director 17 Photos: www.desertusa.com (Wildfower Field Guide); High Country Gardens catalogue (Purple Haze Hyssop); Calendar of Events 18 Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Linda Churchill (Mojave Sage). Editor-Cherry Payne Art Director-Jannine Cabossel SANTA FE MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER 2 Message from the Board By Pamela Wolfe Spring is just around the corner, 2017 interns are working hard and have settled in to their classes, and plans for the annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale are well underway; mark your calendar for the frst Saturday in May (May 6, 9 am to 1 pm). The demonstration gardens on campus will be staffed and volunteer opportunities will be offered on Sign Up Genius (SUG). Here are some highlights from the March calendar: 3rd Annual Project Expo & Ice Cream Social: On March 18, we will have our 3rd Annual Project Expo & Ice Cream Social from 1 - 3 pm. Keep an eye out for an eBlast announcing location details. This gives all of us a chance to explore the projects’ goals, activities, and Continuing Education events this year. There will also be a seed exchange: bring some, take some. Just make sure that what you bring is carefully labeled. This will also be an opportunity for veteran Master Gardeners to ask ques- tions about Sign Up Genius (SUG) and Track It Forward (TIF) — folks will be on hand to help you out. This event is limited to Master Gardeners and interns only. Project sign ups go “live” on Sign Up Genius (SUG) the evening of March 18th at 6 pm. (Master Gardeners and interns only.) Gardening 101: This year, we are once again offering our Vegetable Gardening 101 series. These classes are specifcally for the public, not Master Gardeners or interns. Encourage friends and family to come learn the basics about vegetable gardening in our challenging Santa Fe environment. This introductory course was developed by Master Gardener Jannine Cabossel, the “Tomato Lady” from the Farmers Market, and will be assisted by Master Gardeners. Classes are March 12 and March 19, $25 for both Sundays; registration is at www.sfmga.org. Compost clinic: March 12 from 11-1 focused on harvesting and uses of compost. We’ll meet at the County Fairgrounds composting area. Open to all. Extension Offce Hot Line Assistant training will be March 17 from 10 am to noon in the classroom (large annex) at the county fairgrounds. For Master Gardeners and interns only. Let’s Grow: Our Let’s Grow series this year will again feature Continuing Education events at each of our projects. The clinics are open to the public as well as Master Gardeners and interns. This year we kicked off the series with a Soils Testing Workshop at the New Mexico Wildlife Center on February 25. This will be followed by workshops on Rose Pruning, Building a Native Bee House, Cactus Prop- agation, Basic Composting, Selecting Native Plants for Your Landscape, Historic Garden Restoration, Planning a Fall Vegetable Garden, and Herb Harvesting. Be sure to check our website (sfmga.org) for dates and times SANTA FE MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER 3 Pruning Trees and Shrubs By Marta Gyeviki Gardeners know that pruning is both a skill and an art. The skill: knowing when and how to make cuts. The art: making proper cuts. All trees and shrubs respond differently to cutting. Note, too, that with adequate water and nutrients, plants do not need continual pruning (excep- tions could be fruit trees and hedges). A plant that requires such treatment may be the wrong choice for its location. Reasons to Prune • To maintain plant health by removing dead, injured, crossing, competing or diseased branch- es. • To open the canopy to better light and air penetration. • To control or direct growth. • To increase fowering buds, fruit quality. • To reinvigorate and rejuvenate old trees. General Rules • Understand how growth occurs, including the different types of buds. Terminal buds at the end of a branch grow lengthwise. Lateral buds grow sideways. Under-bark dormant buds become active when the branch above is removed. cont. on page 5 SANTA FE MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER 4 Pruning Trees and Shrubs—cont. from page 4 • Note a tree’s natural shape and maintain it. • Wide-angled branch crotches are stronger. • Only cut when you have a reason. • Prune close to the trunk, a bud or branch. • Don’t top an established plant to reduce size. • Keep your pruning tools sharp and clean. Wipe the tools with 90% alcohol or 5% bleach and water. • Discard pruned materials. Types of Pruning • Thinning serves to open the canopy for sunlight, and sometimes to reduce plant size by re- moving or shortening a lateral branch. • Heading back is cutting branches back to a stub. A plant’s natural form will be ruined. Topping a tree leaves large wounds allowing entrance for insects and diseases and results in a mass of vigorous growth the following year. These branches are often weak and roots may be com- promised. Use this type of pruning only for fruit tree training, rose pruning or hedge shearing. • Pinching a terminal bud directs plant growth by generating new side branches instead of a central, lengthy branch. With pinching, you can make plants bushier. • Shearing, usually applied to hedges, maintains an even and dense foliage surface, Time of Pruning • Dormant season pruning (late fall to early spring) stimulates healthy spring growth. Cuts typ- ically heal faster during dormancy and disease-carrying insects are not as prevalent. It also makes shaping trees and shrubs easier—branching patterns are most visible at a leafess stage. Early winter pruning can interrupt dormancy prompting some species to break bud too soon. Heavy pruning after growth starts in spring can weaken a tree by forcing it to use stored food for re-growth instead of new growth. • Summer pruning, usually in July or early August can correct problems such as broken or damaged branches. It is also a good time to use pinching and discourage long, weak growth. Summer pruning reduces growth due to loss of leaf surface. It can control growth vigor and delay fruiting. If you merely want trim out dead, weak or diseased parts of the tree, you can prune at any time of the year without drastic effects on the tree. Resources: Tree pruning, www.tooleystrees.com Pruning Trees in Spring, David J. Robinson, Extension Specialist, www.extension.illinois.edu Sunset, Western Garden Book, 1997, Pruning Southwestern Landscaping with Native Plants, Judith Phillips, 1987.