Kerry Ann Mendez 7 Cambridge Court, Kennebunk, Maine 04043 (207) 502-7228 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.pyours.com
A Striking Sustainable Flower Garden by Design Sponsored by: Bluestone Perennials www.bluestoneperennials.com Brent and Becky’s Bulbs www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com Brushwood Nursery Clematis Specialists www.brushwoodnursery.com Espoma Organic www.espoma.com Garden Design magazine www.gardendesign.com Gardener’s Supply Company www.gardeners.com Proven Winners www.provenwinners.com
1. Right Plant - Right Place. Checklist for being a good ‘matchmaker’. The short list: *Sunlight *Hardiness zone *Soil properties. Perennial black-eyed susan, hyssop, culver’s root and pink phlox in northern Michigan
Sunlight. Full Sun: 6 or more hours of direct sun. Part Sun: 4 to 5 hours of direct sun. Part Shade: 3 to 4 hours of sun, but not the most intense afternoon sun. Full Shade: Less than three hours of sun, but not cave- like conditions. All plants require some sunlight for photosynthesis. Ephemerals can handle quite a bit of shade - as long as the shade is caused by deciduous trees
Regional adjustments. ‘Standard’ tags are manufactured for plants sold in a wide range of zones. A plant that thrives in full sun in Maine would scorch in similar conditions in hotter regions, i.e. Zone 8. A large bank on Mackinac Island (MI) planted with black-eyed susan, pink coneflower, Joe-Pye Weed, goldenrod, obedient plant, and Malva.
Don’t Zone Out. Zone 3: -30 to -40 Zone 4: -20 to -30 Zone 5: -10 to -20 Zone 6: 0 to -10 Zone 7: 10 to 0. Elevation and proximity to water can impact temperature. Bodies of water tend to moderate temperatures while higher elevations lower temperatures
A few tricks for creating a warmer microclimate when you stray out of your zone Site plants: - out of the path of winter winds. Sheltered locations - next to large rocks, stonework, foundations - protected by wind/sun screen (natural or makeshift) - anti-dessicant, i.e., Wilt-Pruf (a natural product derived from the resin of the pine tree) - for colder zones – not on the southern side of a building with reflected sun/heat. Especially spring flowering shrubs and trees
The Magic Ingredient: Healthy Soil. Texture: Combination of clay (smallest particle), silt, sand (largest particle). Loam considered ideal – approximately equal amounts of clay, silt and sand plus organic matter. Degree of drainage: Well drained, poorly drained Fertility: amount of minerals and organic matter pH: alkaline, neutral, acidic. There are plants for a wide range of soil types, but the healthier your soil, the more plant choices you have!
*Incorporate nutrient-rich organic matter when prepping new beds *Use regionally available material such as manure, compost, mushroom compost, leaf mold, rinsed seaweed. Bio-solids are also a choice but some choose not to use this where edibles are grown *Apply 2” to 3” of organic matter on top of soil that has been loosened to at least 8”. Mix into the soil *Organic matter helps mitigate drainage issues *One cubic yard covers ~100 square feet approx. 3” deep
The simplest way to amend soil in EXISTING GARDENS is to use a nutrient-rich material as mulch, once or twice a year
*If you have not done a soil pH test for several years, it is time! BETTER YET – have a complete soil test done, including nitrogen, phosphorous and potash, percentage of organic matter, etc. Use a test kit or have it done by a cooperative extension office or soil lab. Rapitest soil test kits. *Push back surface debris or mulch. Dig down 5” – 6”. Take ½ cup sample. *Take a sample from each garden. For larger gardens, take samples at different points, mix together for a representative sample *Raise pH by adding lime *Lower pH by adding sulfur
A few more notes for nurturing healthy soil. *don’t use chemicals in the garden. Kills soil life *don’t walk on soil or work wet soil – destroys soil structure *Think twice about using landscape fabric as a weed suppressant *periodically add organic matter to refresh soil fertility and aid in maintaining healthy soil structure. This can be accomplished with nutrient-rich mulch or allowing clippings to remain in garden (pruned, weed-whacked or mowed)
Garden design for a more beautiful, healthier planet. *Incorporate more natives *Plant larger groupings of pollinator-friendly plants - easier for pollinators to locate; efficient food collection *Include a diverse combination of plants for year-round food sources for pollinators *Enhance winter landscapes with specimens valued for striking beauty as well as valuable bird feed (i.e., berries, seeds, nuts)
Some early Spring, Fall and Winter food sources. Pulmonaria r. ‘Redstart’ Part Shade – Shade 10”-12” tall Spring Z3 – 9 Peonia obovata Woodland Peony Spring 18” tall Z4-8
-Convallaria m. ‘Fernwood Golden Slippers’ Lily-of-the-Valley Part Shade – Shade 6” tall Z 2 – 7 -Spring Blooming Bulbs for Pollinators. Fritillaria meleagris (left, sun-part shade, 12”-18”, Z4-8), Crocus tommasimanus (lilac, sun, 2”-6”, Z3-8) and Crocus ‘Orange Monarch’ (Sun, 2”-6” Z3-8). available from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs -Fall. Sanguisorba canadensis Canadian Burnett Sun 2’ – 5’ tall Fall Zones 3 – 7 Native - Callicarpa ‘Pearl Glam’ Beautyberry Sun 4’-5’ tall white flowers Zones 5-8 - Panicum v. ‘Northwind’ Switch Grass Sun – Part Sun 4’ – 5’ tall Zones 3 – 9 -Winter-Early Spring. Ilex verticillata Winterberry Sun – Part Shade early summer bloom, fall berries 3’ – 12’ tall Z3 - 9 Helleborus niger Christmas Rose Part Shade-Shade 8”-12” tall late winter-early Spring Z3-8 - Echinacea Coneflowers Sun – Part Sun range of heights Zones 3 - 9 - I recommend these books for more on planet-friendly garden design and plants: Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West. Garden Revolution: How our Landscapes can be a source of environmental change by Thomas Christopher and Larry Weaner. The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblik
Winning the war against weeds naturally. *A weed in time, saves nine *It’s easier to weed after it rains *Try to disturb the soil as little as possible! For larger weeds, cut them off at the base – eventually starve them to death! I have used this on Bishop’s Weed and other ‘nightmares’ with success - *Mulch can help reduce soil-born weeds. Living mulches can reduce soil-born and air-born weed seeds *Weeding tools include the Stirrup Hoe, the Cobra, the Weed Hound, and the Hori-Hori -Pre-emergent weed killers – Corn gluten. Approx. 10% nitrogen by weight. Effective 4 – 6 weeks. Must be dry several days after application to be effective. *Post emergent weed killers i.e., Phydura, Burnout II, Avenger Weed (all OMRI) Killer boiling water. Stop using Round-up!
Living Mulch: Enlist Workhorse Groundcovers. Some of the many benefits: *weed suppressant *modifies soil & temperature swings *reduces erosion *attractive backdrop *beneficial to pollinators *Eliminates cost and labor of applying mulch *‘quilt’ varieties for a colorful tapestry - Delosperma cooperi Sun 3”-4” Summer Zones 5-11 Deer resistant *Mazus reptans Cupflower Sun – Part Shade 3”-4” Late Spring Zones 5 – 8 -Blue Star Creeper Laurentia fluviatilis 'Blue' 3” tall Late Spring–Summer Zone 5/6–10 * Goldenstar or Green and Gold Chrysogonum virginianum ‘Pierre’ Sun – Part Shade 4”-6” Spring – Summer Z5 – 8 - Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry Native Sun – Part Shade Spring flowers followed by berries 4”-7” Z5-9 *Veronica prostata ‘Aztec Gold’ Creeping Speedwell Sun – Part Sun Early Summer 6” Z4 – 8 Flowers similar to ‘Georgia Blue’ -Try ‘quilting’ a tapestry of drought-tolerant, sun-loving groundcovers. Clockwise from top left: Sedum ‘Angelina’; Thymus ‘Coccineus’; Phlox g. ‘Triple Play’; Delosperma ‘Firespinner’; Hens & Chicks ‘Cobweb’; Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood. -A Shade Quilt. Clockwise from top left: Phlox ‘Home Fires’; Leptinella; Epimedium ‘Bandit’; Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’ and ‘Lysimachia n. ‘Aurea’ - Annuals as ground covers. Clockwise from top left: Dicondra, coleus, Supertunia ‘Honey’ & yellow potato vine
Smart Watering Practices. *Water less frequently, but for longer periods *Water in the morning *Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are typically the most efficient *General rule of them- apply 1”-2” of water a week (take into consideration natural rainfall) *use water collected in rain barrels or cisterns - For automatic irrigation systems. *Adjust schedule and watering time per zone depending on soil type, amount of sunlight, plant material *Use a rain gauge to shut off system if minimum amount of water is received by natural rainfall *Or better yet: install a rain sensor that shuts off the system the instant rain starts – saving water & money - Weather Responsive Watering. Use the weather for home automation and your sprinkler system. Controller Link™ connects to a network of weather stations, retrieving data every hour. Data is stored in the cloud and broadcasted directly to your Controller Link every hour, then makes the necessary adjustments to the irrigation schedule automatically. No more constant timer adjustments, just set it and forget it. For more on smart irrigation controllers visit www.postscapes.com/smart-irrigation-controllers/www.weatherreach.com - Soil Moisture Sensor Kit. Turns any irrigation system controller into a smart controller. When the sensor detects dry conditions around a plants root zone, the next scheduled watering cycle is allowed. If a site’s soil moisture level is above the threshold, the irrigation cycle is suspended. There are just two basic components – an in-ground sensor and a user interface at the controller. SMRT-Y Soil Moisture Sensor Kit by Rain Bird - High-tech self-watering systems. Crescent Tru-Drip Self-Watering Containers. Gardener’s Supply Company sells these containers. Red Stem Dogwood ‘Prairie Fire’, Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’, Hakone grass ‘Aureola’ and creeping yellow jenny. Only annual is Supertunia ‘Royal Velvet’
Natural Insect Control. IPM: Integrated Pest Management. The EPA’s definition: ‘environmentally friendly, common sense approach to controlling pests’. Based on prevention steps and pesticides only as needed *Hand picking *OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) approved insecticides like Neem *traps and barriers (not including Japanese beetle traps) *reduce the number of ‘stressed plants’ with right plant - right spot - right maintenance and soil care *Companion planting: pairing plants to control the insect balance in your garden. Check out The Foodscape Revolution; by my friend Brie Arthur. Hoverfly also called syrphid fly. Not available commercially but easily attracted. Oregano, sweet alyssum, lavender, Coreopsis
- A few beneficial insects: Lady Beetle (Ladybug) and Green Lace Wing. Best way to purchase these are in the larvae stage. Sources: Planet Natural, Gardens Alive - Lily Leaf Beetle. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are actively engaged in releasing parasitic wasps. The beetle is well under control in Europe, where at least six parasitoids attack it. Neem has been found to be somewhat effective. For more info Lily beetle, visit http://www.ladybug.uconn.edu/FactSheets/lilt-leaf-beetle.php - Win the battle against Japanese Beetles *GrubGONE is the first Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae (Btg) bio- insecticide to control turf grubs without the side effects or off-target damage to beneficial insects, such as pollinators *Neem oil and products that list spinosad as the active ingredient (spinosad is a natural substance made by a soil bacterium) *hand pick *Milky Spore (not as effective in Zones 5/6 or lower) and beneficial nematodes *Grow a healthier lawn, less watering *Attract beneficial Tiphia wasps that parasitize Japanese beetle grubs. The wasp is a small parasitic creature that attacks the older larvae or grubs of the Japanese beetle. Tulip Poplars are one of their preferred plants for feeding on honeydew produced by insects like aphids. To find out if grubs are a problem in your lawn, dig a 1 foot square about 3” deep and peel back grass layer. If there are 7 or more grubs in that area, than a control method is recommended - Consider Milky Spore and Beneficial Nematodes to control Japanese Beetles - Native versus Nativar. Annie White doing research in northern Vermont - Nativars are cultivated natives bred for specific characteristics – i.e., flower color, size, shape. Annie White, while a PhD student under Dr. Leonard Perry at the Univ. of Vermont (Zone 4), started studying 12 native species and 14 nativars in 2011 for their attractiveness to pollinators. The more variant the flower form (i.e. double) and/or flower color from the species, the less beneficial the plant to pollinators. In addition to some nativar’s reduced physical attractiveness, nativars also differed in the volume of nectar produced and/or sugar content. To read about Annie’s research visit https://pollinatorgardens.org/2013/02/08/my-research/ - Annie’s research showed these nativars were equally attractive to pollinators as to the species. * Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’ Sun Summer 18”-24” Zones 3-8 * Monarda fistulosa ‘Claire Grace’ Sun – Part Sun 3’-4’ Summer Zone 4 – 9 - Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavendelturm’ (also called ‘Lavender Towers’) turned out to be MORE attractive than the straight species. Sun – Part Sun 4’-5’ tall Summer Zones 3 -10 - Annie’s top ten native choices for the Northeast (https://pollinatorgardens.org/2013/02/06/plant-lists Lupinis perennis Sundial Lupine -Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium (formerly Eupatorium) There are many great plants in this genus. Chicago Botanic Garden did a plant evaluation trial on 26 varieties in 2014. E. maculatum i.e., ‘Gateway’ Z4-8. * E. fistulosum ‘Bartered Bride’ 6’-8’ Z4-8 - Echinacea tennesseensis Tennessee Coneflower Z4-9 *Echinacea paradoxa Ozark Coneflower Z4-7 * Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower Z4-8 * Echinacea pallida Pale Purple Coneflower Z3-8 - Allium ‘Millenium’ Sun – Part Sun Summer 15”-20” tall Zones 5 – 8 Deer resistant - Hydrangea arborescens Smooth Hydrangea Invincibelle ‘Wee White’ (12”-30”) and ‘Mini Mauvette’ (30”- 36”) Sun – Part Sun Summer Zones 3-9 Native - Hydrangea arborescens ‘Haas Halo’P art Sun – Part Shade 3’-5’ Summer Z3-9 14” lacecap flowers - Clematis virginiana Native Clematis Sun – Part Sun Late summer Fragrant 15’-22’ Zones 4 – 9 Group 3 good alternative to Sweet Autumn Clematis that is invasive in many parts of the country. Brushwood Nursery - Ampelaster carolinianus Climbing Aster Native Sun Fall 6’ – 10’ tall Z 6-10 drought tolerant Brushwood Nursery - Below are a few sources for native plant lists. The National Wildlife Federation: nwf.org/NativePlantFinder • Doug Tallamy’s research: BringingNatureHome.net/what-to-plant.html • Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: wildflower.org/plants-main (includes a resource to find businesses that sell native plants or seeds)
- Some sources for purchasing native plants, in addition to your local garden center: American Meadows, Bluestone Perennials, Nearly Native Nursery, Prairie Moon Nursery, Mail-Order Natives, Niche Gardens, High Country Gardens. Also gardenlist.com/natives has a list of mail order companies that deal primarily in North American natives - Neonicotinoid is a systemic insecticide that is applied to plants to kill many insects, especially sap-feeding ones like aphids. This poison can also be present in nectar and pollen - Sources for neonicotinoid-free plants and seeds. www.Beebetter.info lists neonic-free growers, as well as those that still use neonics Northcoastgardening.com http://northcoastgardening.com/2015/02/nurseries- neonicotinoid/ BeyondPesticides.org lists neonic-free seed sources and more. Friends of the Earth https://foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/beeaction/retailers * Eryngium yuccifolium Rattlesnake Master Sun Summer 4’-5’ Z3-8
THANK YOU!
Upcoming Webinars:
Tuesday, February 27 - Beauty and the Beast: Bold and Fine Foliaged Plants Make Wonderful Dance Partners Thursday, March 29 Exceptional Plants for Shade Thursday, April 26 - Twofer Perennials: Plants with Eye-Catching Flowers and Foliage for Months of Drama!
*Check out the special bundle offer on ALL FIVE 2016/2017 Webinars for only $32, including lecture notes. https://pyours.com/product/video-bundle-2017/
*Don’t miss the 14th Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium scheduled at the world-class Woodstock Inn and Resort in Woodstock, VT on Saturday, April 21, 2018. A full day of dynamic lectures, great food and amazing accommodations. Specially discounted symposium room rates https://pyours.com/symposium/
*Kerry Ann Mendez’s gardening books available at www.pyours.com *The Budget-Wise Gardener *The Right-Size Flower Garden *The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Top Ten Lists *Top Ten Lists for Beautiful Shade Gardens: Seeing Your Way Out of the Dark $18.50 any signed book plus free shipping. https://pyours.com/product-category/book/
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