Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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How Do I Keep Spreading Herbs in Bounds?

Keep Spreading Herbs in Bounds

“I know a lot of herbs spread on their own. Do I need to put barriers in the ground to keep them from taking over?” Question from Glenda of Sewell, New Jersey

Answer: Barriers are required to keep spreading herbs in bounds. The worst spreading perennial herbs are mints of all kinds and oregano, another member of the mint family. They spread by underground runners and some are so aggressive that they will take over a garden space in no time to noxious proportions. The runners can move their way around rocks and under stone edging to invade further garden spaces or lawns. Sometimes they can even escape from the bottom holes of pots!

Confining Mints

Confine mints in large pots on pavement or within deep collars in herb gardens. If you choose to grow your mints in pots, it is wise to place a piece of window screen across the bottom to keep the roots from escaping. (Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix is a great growing mix for potted herbs.) A collar can be created by cutting the bottom off of a large nursery pot and sinking it in the garden; be sure to keep 2 inches of the lip above ground. Plant the mint in the center. Most herbs grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. (Click here to learn more about growing herbs.)

Confined mints will outgrow pots and collars and need to be divided or thinned every couple of years to keep them happy and healthy.

Happy herb gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Black Gold, Growing Organically to Meet Demand

Black Gold, is growing organically to meet demand. We have added four new products to our already strong line of Black Gold that are OMRI Listed for organic gardening. These products include Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir, Black Gold® Natural & Organic Flower and Vegetable Soil, Black Gold® Natural & Organic Raised Bed & Potting Mix, and Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Outdoor Planting Mix. Let us help you garden better naturally and organically with Black Gold.

 

What Garden Plants Tolerate the High Mountain Winds of Colorado?

What Garden Plants Tolerate the High Mountain Winds of Colorado?

“Our biggest challenge up here in the mountains is the wind. Unless we build a sturdy greenhouse, there’s no way around it as it comes through and over fences as well. (10-35 mph on about 75% of days) Any plant suggestions?” Question from Wolf of Westcliffe, Colorado

Answer: When growing conditions are a problem for average garden-center plants, don’t complicate things. Go native. There are lots of beautiful native plants that grow well in Westcliffe’s warm summers, freezing winters, drought, and windy weather.

Dryland Native Plants for Colorado

When seeking the best garden plants for a region, I always turn to state extension services and universities for information about best-fit plants. They’re always the best resources for regional landscape plant recommendations. And, low and behold, when searching for your local flora, I found the document that you need. Colorado State and the Colorado Native Plant Society put together an outstanding piece about high-altitude, native garden plants for low-water regions in Colorado. (Click here to view it.) It lists some all-round garden favorites, like the Rocky Mountain bee plant (Cleome serrulata), beebalm (Monarda fistulosa), blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata), and even Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), but it also lists many other native flowers and shrubs just found in your area. Its plant suggestions and bed ideas are outstanding. They are also wind-tolerant.

Your region is blessed with some of the most beautiful native plants in the US. I hope that this information is helpful.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What Is Causing Spots on My Bromeliads?

What Is Causing Spots on My Bromeliads?

“I have several beautiful outdoor bromeliads that sit well under a large tree.  But about two months ago, they started developing white circle spots all over their leaves.  Like measles.  Not sure if you can help me identify what this is so that I can treat it.” Question from Jorleen Aguiles

Answer: From what I can determine, the fungal leaf spot disease that plagues your bromeliads is Helminthosporium (formerly Exserohilum) leaf spot. It can be managed with reduced watering, cleanup, and fungicide, but without management, the disease can invade the central plant and cause decline and eventually death.

Reduce Watering

Overwatering encourages the disease, so reduce any supplemental water you might give your plants. If it has been an unusually wet season, try to protect the plants from excess rain. Wet foliage encourages the movement and spread of fungal spot diseases. Keeping the leaves dry helps a lot.

Clean Up

Cut off badly damaged and infected leaves with clean, sharp shears. Dip the shears in a sterilizing 10% bleach and water solution between cuts to refrain from spreading the disease further. I also recommend removing the dead leaves below the plants and cleaning up the area, just in case they harbor fungal spores. Pebbles, rock, or pine straw do not encourage fungal growth and would look attractive at the base.

Consider Fungicide

The only fungicides I would recommend for bromeliads are systemic products containing propiconazole. Avoid any copper-based foliar fungicides as these are not good for bromeliads and have even been known to kill them.

I hope that your bromeliads recover!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What is the Best Time of Day to Water a Garden?

What is the Best Time of Day to Water a Garden?

“What time of the day is best to water your garden?” Question from Joy of Delta, Ohio

Answer: Timing is everything when it comes to good irrigation. In areas with regular rain and higher humidity, the best summer watering time is in the cool early morning when soil-water retention is highest. Early moisture prepares plants for hot midday temperatures. In turn, watering at the hottest time of day—between 12 noon and 3:00 pm—is the least effective time to water because more evaporation occurs and plants take in less water in high heat and sun. Midday watering in high sun can also damage the leaves of some plants. Watering late in the day can encourage various diseases and other problems, unless you live in an arid climate where watering in the evening is preferable for soil-water retention.

Good Soil Amendments for Water Retention

To reduce the need to water, add good garden soil amendments, such as coconut coir, peat moss, and compost, improve soil porosity and moisture retention, which increases water uptake by roots. OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Just Coir is pure, organic, processed coconut coir that holds a lot of water to bring added moisture to garden beds and containers. Black Gold® Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss also has a high water-holding capacity, but it also has a low pH, so apply it to more alkaline soils or where acid-loving plants will be grown. Vegetable and flower gardeners rely on OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend to add needed water-holding organic matter to the soil. Compost also makes high-quality light mulch.

I hope that this information helps!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

My Yard Is Low and Wet. How Can I Garden?

My Yard Is Low and Wet. How Can I Garden?

“How do I plant a garden when most of my yard holds water after the rain?” Question from Kim of St. Clair, Michigan

Answer: You essentially have two options. Either build raised gardens (click here to learn more about raised bed gardening) or go with the flow and plant a wetland or rain garden. I have an area of my yard where an old stream used to flow, and it’s always wet in spring. Instead of trying to build it up, I created a wetland meadow garden complete with pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata, click here to learn more about milkweed), swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos, check out Summerific® ‘Evening Rose‘), ornamental rushes, Joy-Pye-weed, and other beautiful wetland bloomers. (Click here to learn more about rain gardening.)

There are also plenty of very pretty, very hardy shrubs that like moist soil or periodically wet soil. These include winterberries (Ilex verticillata, click here to read more about winterberry), redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea, click here to read more about redtwig dogwood), and Sugar Shack® buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis Sugar Shack®).

I hope that this information helps. Seasonally wet ground is plantable and can be beautiful if you plant the right things.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Much Cold Can Petunias Handle?

How Much Cold Can Petunias Handle?

“What is the coldest temperature petunias can handle?” Question from Barbara of Racine, Wisconsin

Answer: Petunias are true warm-season annuals that cannot withstand really chilly temperatures without damage. Ultimately, they grow best when nighttime temperatures are between 55 and 65 F. (14-16 C.) and daytime temperatures are between 61 and 80 F. (16 to 20 C.). Many newer cultivars are able to withstand hotter temperatures, but no petunias thrive in chilly temperatures. When spring temperatures dip below 40 degrees F, either cover your outdoor petunias with frost cloth or bring them indoors. Temperatures below freezing will kill them in a jiffy.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do You Plant Wildflower Seeds?

How Do You Plant Wildflower Seeds?

“What is the best way to plant wildflower seeds. I am preparing a spot on a sunny hill, taking the grass and roots out down to the dirt. I know I have to mix the seeds with sand. Are there any other tips on making them thrive? I appreciate the advice.  Thank you.” Question from Lexy of Weare, New Hampshire

Answer: There are some tricks to getting wildflower seed to become established when sown outdoors. For success, please follow these wildflower sowing tips from the western horticulturist, Maureen Gilmer.

  1. Use new seed from local sources. Wildflower seed can lose its viability quickly, so use seed packed for the current year.
  2. Apply the right amount of seed. Each seed mix will have its own designated application rate. A general rule of thumb is ¼ pound of wildflower seed will cover 500 to 1000 square feet. Make sure you get enough seed to produce the density of color you want.
  3. Scar the soil. Annual wildflowers love the disturbed ground, so make sure yours is freshly tilled or hand-worked with an iron rake prior to sowing. Seed gathers in these furrows. (The first spring after World War I ended, the battlefields of France bloomed solid red with corn poppies that thrived in soils churned up by trench warfare.)
  4. Cover seeds very lightly. Some wildflowers need light to germinate and remain dormant without it. Providing too much cover can spoil your efforts. Instead, sow the seed, then scatter Black Gold Garden Compost Blend in a thin layer over the top. It too will migrate into the furrows to keep seed lightly moist.
  5. Weed to prevent competition. Spring weeds can devastate your wildflowers. As they begin to develop, pick out the grasses so they don’t compete for the same soil moisture as the wildflower seedlings.

Provide water during dry periods. If rains are poor, use a sprinkler to create rain-like irrigation every couple of weeks during the winter and early spring.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Can I Grow Hydrangeas in Central Florida?

“I live in Central Florida, zone 9b, can I grow hydrangeas in this zone? I used to have them in Maryland as they are my favorite flower. Not sure about the sandy soil here.” Question from Eileen of Longwood, Florida

Answer: Many hydrangeas require cold winters to survive, but there are some truly beautiful hydrangeas that will grow well way down South. These are bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) varieties. (Click on this link to view many excellent bigleaf hydrangeas from Proven Winners.) Keep in mind, you are right on the most southerly edge of their heat tolerance. They are able to survive in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9, so you will want to give them extra good care at planting time and protect them from scorching heat.

To keep your hydrangeas protected from the high heat of the day, plant them in a partially shaded location on the north side of your home, and amend the soil heavily with organic matter. Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss and Black Gold Garden Compost Blend will really boost levels of water-holding organic matter. Follow up with a 2- to 3-inch layer of fine bark mulch or pine straw to reduce surface evaporation. If you experience any dry periods, be sure to irrigate your shrubs as needed. It also pays to feed them with a quality fertilizer formulated for flowering shrubs.

Happy hydrangea growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What are Good Fruits for Cold Climates?

Blueberries are good fruits for cold climates.

“What would be a good fruit to try and grow in a cold climate?” Question from Chelsea of Alpena, Michigan

Answer: Lots of classic garden berries are very hardy and grow beautifully up north. Blackberries, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, strawberries, and raspberries are among them. If you are new to berry planting, I would start with lowbush blueberries because they are quick to set fruit, easy to maintain, and very hardy.

Growing Blueberries

Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) grow particularly well up north and are able to withstand climates far into Canada. Choose compact lowbush varieties that are easy to maintain. Two classics that are short, heavy-bearing, and flavorful are ‘Northblue‘ and ‘Northcountry‘. These would look right at home along the edge of a sunny patio or even in containers. Speaking of container berries, the new designer lowbush blueberries in the Bushel and Berry® Series are also excellent varieties to try. (In fact, all of there berries are quite hardy and low-care). Of these, I think Blueberry Glaze® is especially beautiful because of its tidy, boxwood-like habit and tasty berries.

Alpena, Michigan is blueberry country, so you should not have trouble growing them, but you should still know the basics. Plant your berries in full to partial sun. The key to happy blueberries is getting their soil right; they like well-drained, acid soils with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. When soils are too alkaline (have a higher pH) blueberry plants cannot access necessary nutrients, and their leaves start to turn yellow. To keep this from happening, amend the soil with Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss at planting time and feed with a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving crops, like blueberries. Water your berries if rain has been infrequent and the soil starts to become dry. If you start with robust, good-sized plants this spring you will have berries by summer.

If you are interested in growing other berries on a small-scale, read our article about the best fruits for container gardening. If you are interested in growing strawberries, watch the video below.

Happy berry growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist