July 16 , 2009
From Linda: 9 February 2025
We all make garden mistakes ; that ’s how we learn . But to spare you some of the ace we ’ve made , this calendar week on CTG , Tom meet with interior designer and garden coachColleen Dieterabout the most common “ oopsies . ” Colleen has some great tips that had us saying , “ Oops ! ”
What are the lessons you ’ve learned the intemperate way ? I ’d love to know and pass along to fellow shit - huggers .
You ’ll also meet newfangled gardener Brent Henry . Well , he was a raw nurseryman when we taped this almost two years ago . Now , he ’s an experient and unfearing flora explorer . He ’s expand his garden a lot , especially with succulents and other interesting discoveries that can take low water and an industrious pup !
But his first garden is wonderful . I fall in love with Brent for his philosophy of exploration and learn about something young . A lot of first gardener think that it ’s over in one weekend or a yr . Actually , the first plant sets you on a journey that never ends . brent goose revolutionize us to take the first step and keep on lead .
I ’m for certain still on that journey , but to see what ’s flower in my garden , see to it out the Bloom Day post from yesterday ! Oh , forgot this one , the white - blooming form ofCenizo silveradoin former photinia - ville .
I ’m not sure if I ’ll have anything to show you the rest of the summer , since thing are getting low . Trees are seriously at risk . Every day , I get doubtfulness from viewers who are worried about their trees . If you ’ve get a serious problem , check out an tree surgeon , since I am definitely not ! But for many trees dropping leaves and yellowing , what ’s happening is drouth stress that ’s been going on for over three year .
Water . That ’s the key . No fertilizer . obviate compact the soil or causing further stress . Last weekend , I put out a tedious drip around our lacebark elm in front .
I move the hose from fourth dimension to time . After an hour , I stuck my digit in . Still dry out past 1/4″ inch . I kept it up for another two hour , then get frightened about the expense . Really , it should go for hours .
If you have a tree that you planted this year or even last , it ’s deserving it to give it a DEEP soaking . Ditto for any newly planted shrubs . If you reckon your overhead sprinkler or irrigation system is doing the caper , it is n’t . If you think a quick drink with the hose is doing it , it ’s not . You need a ho-hum trickle to really soak down for column inch . For novel trees and shrubs , let them dry out , but keep an eye on it and do the deep soaking when the soil is dry .
After years , we finally get a bang-up crop of fruit on the Mexican plum . Sadly , they ’re falling off by the hundreds . We gather them for the bird eater , but no one seems to want them . The wildlife is hungry , but I guess they require ripe yield .
The only good thing about the heat : it ’s a safe time to snip your oaks susceptible to oak wilt . For more data , check outthis land site .
It turned out that water was n’t the problem for our year - old star jasmine . I should have recognized this problem , but it ’s been eld since I ’ve seen it in our chiliad .
It ’s not a nourishing deficiency , either . Okay , it is , but the substantial culprit : fire ants . We learned this the hard way when we put a slow hosiery on it . As Greg checked out the soil wet , he nonplus such a raging ant attack that he jumped into the nearby kiddie consortium . They continued to sting him underwater . He raced back to the patio for a douse from an aloe vera plant . later on , in the side thou , they went after me .
At Buck Moore ’s , I got the Green Light spinosad product ( there are others ) .
I detest to circulate things around the K , but the products with spinosad are certified for organic gardens and wo n’t harm our good insects , the ducky , or us .
Until now , I was sure we just had native ants . Perhaps they are , but just really excited . I do n’t baffle around long enough to examine them ( and not certain if I could tell which is which anyway . ) My attitude about ants : if they do n’t put out me , I do n’t trouble them , because they do adept thing for the garden . But once they chomp us by the century , we take action .
I may have to do another dose in a week , and follow it up with an orange oil drench . control out this site for theTexas Two - stair fire ant control . I ’ve had luck with boiling weewee , too , but this is not good around flora , and the orange oil is n’t either ! For drenches of any variety , it has to be correct on the mound and cautiously applied if you do n’t need to harm the industrial plant nearby .
With all this strain , our viewer , Nan , made my twenty-four hour period with her picture of her Earth Box , with some somewhat good - face tomato plant plants !
She has a trouble with leaf curl on her tomatoes . A glasshouse recommended Epsom salt for the atomic number 12 , and I recommended fluid seaweed . She ’s not watch any disease or insect problem . Any ideas from you ?
By the style , CTG design to do a section on Earth Boxes or their kindred spirit this declivity . I thank Nan for her personal confirmation of their success .
Also , does anyone have a source of heirloom ‘ Zipper ’ emollient peas for a viewer?He take these are tops scrumptious producer in the heat .
Until next week , Linda
shred :
