Even the zinnias are standing taller

By Marta Gouger | Published: August 22, 2010 | 0 Comments

Whew. We finally got some rain.  And there’s more on the way.

It goes without saying that it’s been a long hot summer. If my plants could talk, they’d say, “Put out the fire. Get me some water.”

My plants are about two weeks behind schedule. Flowers have been coming slowly in dahlialand and the Russian sage is extremely dry. My petunias dried right up, but my husband says I never could grow them anyway. Exact quote: “You are the only person I know who can’t grow petunias. My mom always had nice petunias.”

 

There you have it.

It’s been a good year to be a marigold though. They are doing so well that they crowded into the miniature rose bush. One day it was there, the next day it was smothered. Note to self: You have control over where you plant your marigolds. Next year, do not plant them right next to the miniature rose. Or else.”

Anyway, I just took a stroll through the garden. So many buds are breaking open just since the rain this afternoon. Believe, I picked the plants clean Saturday to make my entries for the West End Fair.

Interesting, the zinnias are standing taller since the rain five hours ago. They truly seem two inches taller since yesterday. Yes, it’s a miracle.

No wonder nature has been so confused.

 You want to see confused?

 woodpecker_blog

Check out these two woodpeckers hanging out on the hummingbird feeder. Barbara Lewis of East Stroudsburg submitted this photo through reader photo submission form. She says the woodpeckers drink the syrup dry. The mother bird actually taught the babies to land on the feeder. Good thinking!

Hey, you can send your photos, too. You can brag about your garden or just send your best nature shot. I’m happy to include a few here. If you don’t send them, you’ll have to put up with my photos.

Posted in dahlias, flowers, gardening in hot weather | 0 Comments

The perils of summer

By Marta Gouger | Published: August 7, 2010 | 0 Comments

Even if you love gardening, this year we had the heat and the bugs. And the humidity…and the sun. Hasn’t been pleasant at all.

 

The Pocono Record is fortunate because we have a one of the best weather watchers around. Ben Gelber is a meteorologist in Ohio, but his roots are in East Stroudsburg, and his parents help him keep track of every degree day in the summer and every snowflake in the winter.

 

This is important because the National Weather Service only keeps tabs from the airport up in Mount Pocono. You guys on the higher plateau have been cooler than those of us in lower elevations.

 

Anyway, Ben told us Friday that East Stroudsburg hit 90 or higher 20 days this summer, including 15 in July. “The key to the record may be the exceptionally high humidity much of the month, based on some of the highest dew point temperatures (absolute moisture content of the air) I have seen on a consistent basis, at least since July 1995,” Gelber said.

 You know what that means? Misery for anybody spending time outside.

 Add to that a dose of poison ivy and you can quickly get knocked out of the game. Last Saturday I was poison_blogout in the garden almost all day and really made headway. By Sunday afternoon, my face burned. By Sunday night my face was puffy and my eyes were starting to close. I had a rash on my cheek, my chin and even into the hairline. So much for my homeopathic remedies. Off I went to the doctor.

 

My doctor said many people have been making trips to the doctor this year for allergic reactions to poison ivy. She recommended taking your clothes off by lifting your shirt carefully from the collar. That way you won’t be bringing ivy oils back against your face if they are indeed on your clothing. I say I don’t need to touch it all, but there certainly are basic preventions you can do.

 

One of my sources giggled a little because I did a whole prevention article in June. She asked if I knew what it looked like. Yes, I do.

Do you know it can take many forms? Yes, I do.

Do you wear gloves? Yes, I do.  Hate ‘em but I’m not stupid. 

Did you wash them? I will now.

 

Then Linda Wiles from the Penn State Cooperative Extension told me the heat and dryness is making poison ivy more toxic than ever. Yes, I know.

 

Heading back out tomorrow. Wonder what perils will await me this time.

Posted in gardening, gardening in hot weather, poison ivy | 0 Comments

Where does your food come from?

By Marta Gouger | Published: July 25, 2010 | 0 Comments

 

What a great rain shower we had today. My garden is happy. I’m happy.

But my brother wife and his wife Kim are really happy. They are maintain a 55 x 110-foot garden up in Whitney Point,  N.Y. Talk about watering challenges.

 

I don’t know how they manage it, but they have 78 tomato plants, beets and a bunch of other vegetables. They bought canning jars, a pressure cooker and are going to town. Mark said the tomatoes will give enough paste, sauce and salsa to last a year, and then some.

 

“I just don’t want to buy produce at the store,” he said this afternoon when he was taking a break because of the rain. “You don’t know what kind of chemicals you’re getting.”

 

I’m sure there are a lot of people who share that sentiment. Did you start a garden for the first time this year so you know what you’re getting with your food? How’s your garden growing? We want to hear from you. Send me an email at mgouger@poconorecord.com.

Posted in gardening | 0 Comments

Dreaming of container gardens

By Marta Gouger | Published: July 10, 2010 | 0 Comments

This was going to be the year that I had success with container gardens.

Oh how fools dream.containerblog

I planted more containers than ever because I simply have run out of room in the ground. We wanted to plant more dahlias in our former vegetable garden so I planted lettuce in a container and put petunias in three nice pots. My husband was surprised, very surprised at how the purple petunias were getting along with the parsley in the hanging basket on the deck.

 

Every year I lose them. Every year.

 

It happened again this week. You just miss one day of watering with a container and it’s bye bye.

 

For those of you who still have containers of beautiful plants, here are some suggestions from Gardenguides.com:

  • Use containers between 15 and 120 quarts capacity. Small pots restrict the root area and dry out very quickly. The size and number of plants to be grown will determine the size of the container used. Deep rooted vegetables require deep pots.
  • Make sure your pot has adequate drainage. Holes should be 1/2 inch across. Line the base of the pot with newspaper to prevent soil loss.
  • In hot climates use light-colored containers to lessen heat absorption and discourage uneven root growth.
  • Line hanging baskets with sphagnum moss for water retention. Keep baskets away from afternoon sun.
  • If you choose clay pots, remember that clay is porous and water is lost from the sides of the container. Plants in clay pots should be monitored closely for loss of moisture.

Modern ingenuity also comes into play. Our organic garden columnist Joe Lamp’l  talks about  self-watering containers and moisture-retentive gels.

Self-watering pots feature a water-holding reservoir, generally concealed in the base of the container. Through a wicking action, water is absorbed into the soil to hydrate your plants.

 

Sounds pretty good. A little late for me this year, but I never give up.

 

 

Experts say we’re not in a drought, but it sure feels like we’re getting there. Do you have tips for saving water? Share them by emailing me at mgouger@poconorecord.com. I scored some tickets to the Pocono Wurst Festival so everyone who sends a tip by noon Wednesday gets entered into a drawing for tickets.

Posted in gardening | Tagged | 0 Comments

That’s a rose bush?

By Marta Gouger | Published: June 21, 2010 | 0 Comments

Gardening is like a job. It’s something you really have to do every day.

If you do, you get big rewards. If you don’t you spend the rest of the summer playing catchup.

Some things are obvious. You know you have to pay attention to weeds if you ever want to find your plants. 21rose

But if you want to grow roses, they need to be on top of your list.

This photo should say it all. Yes, my hybrid tea got socked with  black spot – again.

Blackspot, “Diplocarpon rosae”, is a nasty fungus that manifests itself on rose bushes as black spots on leaves progressing to black spots fringed with yellow rings on both sides of the leaves. As they develop the spots enlarge. Eventually, as the disease spreads, the entire leaves will go from green to yellow and then drop to the ground. With time the entire rose bush may become defoliated. Leaves less than two weeks old are the most susceptible to this disease.

 

First the leaves get infected, then they all drop off.

To combat this, you need to do some prevention.

 While plants are dormant in spring, (too late for me) spray thoroughly with fungicidal soap or spray. Rose Magazine recommends chemical free wettable sulphur (both readily available at the local plant nursery). It definitely has a place in the chemical-free garden. Fungal spores cannot germinate in the sulphur film and thus cannot get a chance to attack the plant. To be effective the sulphur must be on the plant and leaves before the spores land on them. Sulphur washes off in rain and so must be reapplied repeatedly.

 

Here’s the tricky part. Remove all infected canes and get rid of them. Do not leave them on the ground. Do not compost them. These nasty spores can live forever.

Interesting to note. Right around the corner from my infected plant is a beautiful climbing white rose with no problems at all.

 

21tropicanaYes, it’s all about variety.  I used to think y0u had to forego hybrids if you wanted resistance to diseases. That’s not true.  The Ohio State Extension has a list of roses resistant to black spot.  Here’s one that’s definitely on my list. It’s an unusual orange one called Tropicana.  It sure doesn’t look anything like my rose bush.

 

There’s no question which one I’d rather have.

Tell me your favorites and your remedies for preventing black spot.  Send me an email at mgouger@poconorecord.com.

Posted in gardening, rose diseases, roses | 0 Comments

Nothing says “Happy Birthday” like a load of manure

By Marta Gouger | Published: June 13, 2010 | 0 Comments

blogrimbergAndrea Robbins Rimberg has just moved into her house in Smithfield Township when a red truck turned into her driveway with her birthday present. The truck was carrying a load of manure.

 

After she got over the shock of her family getting her a load of you-know-what, she laughed. Then she was truly grateful to her family for their thoughtful gift. That was 13 years ago and the artist in her knew the possibilities.

 

Her garden was totally undeveloped and that present brought her to the beautiful garden she has today.

 Yes, gardeners look at life through manure-covered glasses and the best present in the world can be a good pair of gardening gloves. We all know how quickly those get lost and wear out.

I always told my husband Ronnie not to buy me cut flowers when he can spend less money on a plant that will blossom in my garden.

 

So here are some other unlikely gifts that will make your gardener love you. Hint, these also double as Father’s Day gifts.

 blogaerator

A compost aerator is tops on my list.  I’ve never been any good on this composting thing. Why? Because I fail to add water frequently and I never ever stir. This will help and it only costs $21.95.

 

Solar lights. They are on sale in local stores right now and are as low as $2.50 apiece and go up to about $100 for a nice set. If nothing else, they keep visitors from trampling over your flowers.

 

Watering ball. Watering Balls are a beautiful and practical way to simplify plant watering. Just fill them with water and push the stem into your plant’s soil. Water will be released through the open end of the tube as needed. I’m not sure I get how these work, but they certainly look nice.

 

Speaking of water, you know it’s better to get to the roots than to water leaves. Check out tips on black spot. The best and most environmentally friendly way to do this is with a soaker hose.  

A gardening stool. O.K. I admit I’m a little out of shape. And older. I’d like to be able to sit when I work in the garden. This cool stool is on wheels and has storage for my little tools. And it comes in under $30.

 

blogswingA swing.  When I’m finished working in the garden I’m pooped, but I’d love to sit and look over the garden. I could be content with what I did that day and dream about what’s next. Problem? I don’t have a porch for my swing.  Solution? A beautiful frame.

 

And if all else fails, a load of manure would sure come in handy. It sure worked for Andrea Robbins-Rimberg.

Posted in flowers, gardening | Tagged , , | 0 Comments

Every plant should have a place

By Marta Gouger | Published: June 6, 2010 | 0 Comments

O.K. we did it again. We ended up with many more plants than we could possibly fit into any of our gardens.

 

We always order a few (really more than a few) new dahlias in case we lose some over the winter. That’s how we ended up with more than 120 to put in the ground.

 

Each year I have less and less room in the vegetable garden for vegetables. My husband Ronnie cares more about dahlias than vegetables so I am being squeezed out.

 

So this year, how many vegetables did we plant in our vegetable garden? Two rows of scallions.

 

Never give up, I say. Where there’s a will, there’s a new garden.

 

We created a garden just for tomatoes and cucumbers.  Actually, this wasn’t a bad thing to move tomatoes, considering every single plant was wiped out by blight last year. Moving the tomatoes decreases your chances of any remnants of the disease in the ground from attacking again.

 

Following  master gardener Pat O’Connor’s advice, I found places elsewhere for the plants I really wanted.

 

When you don’t have a lot of space, you need to look for containers of all shapes and sizes. And prioritize. Know it’s O.K. not to plant zucchini. Someone at the office or on your block will be more than willing to share.

 

 

So, we planted lettuce on a pot on the deck.

 And parsley in a hanging basket with petunias. Why spend a couple bucks for vines, when you have something edible like parsley cascading over the side of a basket?

And know when to say no. As soon as the weeds and grass were pulled and the new tomato garden was ready to go, Ronnie got that familiar gleam in his eye. The one that always emerges when he sees a bed of dirt. “Let’s plant some dahlias,” he said. Here we go again.

Posted in dahlias, flowers | Tagged , , , | 0 Comments

You can’t save flowers, silly

By Marta Gouger | Published: May 16, 2010 | 0 Comments

I always said flowers were for sharing but when the new neighbor kids came to call, I admit I was a little stingy.

The 5-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sister who is getting a cell phone for her birthday came over to say hello. Raymond came first, “Can I pick a flower for my mom?”shirleyblog

Who can resist that? He selected a purple one. I have the white Shirley Tulips that are tinged with purple but the solid one caught his eye. As he reached out to the flower, I quickly told him I would cut it so that it was nicer. Off he ran to show his mom.

Of course he intercepted his sister along the way. She came over and asked for a purple one. What could I say but yes? She ripped it off with her little hands. It had about a 3-inch stem, just long enough to hold and short enough to give me a heart attack.

Then she asked for another one. I have just one pink one in that patch. Used to have five but you know how that goes.

She wanted it.

This one I managed to cut and I sent her on her way.

She came back and wanted another one!

Now, images of her helping herself to my $5 dahlias suddenly flashed into my mind. I couldn’t have her coming over when my husband’s prized beauties are in bloom.

So, I said, “Gee, let’s save some for another day.”

Another day never came. That night we had a violent storm with gusts of wind.

By morning, all that was left were the stems.

The petals were scattered in the driveway.

That’s when the voice said, “You can’t save flowers, you silly.”

Especially when you have a chance to teach children to appreciate them.

Of course I’d rather teach them with orange marigolds than yellow dahlias, but I guess it’s not really my decision.

Posted in Uncategorized, dahlias, flowers | 0 Comments

Where did my butterfly go?

By Marta Gouger | Published: May 7, 2010 | 0 Comments

I have been on a weed-pulling mission. Every chance I get I go out and try to clear an area. After several exhausting sessions I finally made it to the perennials I planted last year.whirlingbutterflies

I planted monarda and they multiplied. Not as fast as the dandelions, but they did multiply. As I kept going, pulling with wild abandon, I found a rose bush and a perennial tag. You know, one of those plastic ones that come with the plants. This one said Whirling Butterflies. I had totally forgotten I bought that plant last year at 
the nursery across from my son David’s house. I bought several unusual plants last year when I was supposed to be helping him at the house.

Problem: I found no whirling butterfly plant in my garden. Where could it be?

At first I thought it was on a weed pile somewhere. Then I read that sometimes they don’t winter over. I thought I didn’t pull them out!

So what’s the moral here? A few words of advice for all you weeding fiends:

Think before you rip.

Or know what you plant.

Or stop weeds before they start.
No matter. I’m off to the gardening store for a replacement.

Posted in flowers, gardening, weeds | Tagged | 0 Comments

57 varieties of weeds

By Marta Gouger | Published: May 3, 2010 | 0 Comments

I spent the weekend following an age-old May tradition. Not talking about the Kentucky Derby, but the marathon process of pulling weeds from the garden.

 

Alas, they are everywhere. We have the  common dandelion, Canada thistle,  possibly lambsquarters  and many to be named if I ever really get bored. I know I’m not the only one with the problem because Penn State has a whole weed management section on its website.

 

Penn State agent Linda Wiles from Monroe County says a weed is something that grows where you don’t want it. I’ve got plenty of those.

 

I’ve heard if you have dense plantings you don’t have room for weeds. I totally disagree because I spent the weekend digging up dandelions between clusters of irises and daffodils.

 

Frankly it doesn’t matter what the weeds are. All I care about is preventing them from coming back. Some suggestions: wood mulch and lots of it, newspaper and landscaping fabric. I always put down mulch, but realized last year that even that wasn’t enough. So I started putting layers of newspaper and pieces of landscaping fabric under the mulch. It really did help. The problem is that you have to do this after your seedlings come up. And that takes a few more weeks.

 

In the meantime, I’ve been complaining that I don’t get enough exercise. I might as well get out there and get to work.

 

Want to learn more about gardening in the Poconos? Penn State Cooperative Extension is hosting a marathon of seminars next week. Check it out.

Posted in gardening, weed prevention, weeds | Tagged , | 0 Comments