Plants are the lens Jessie views the world through because they’re all-sustaining. (“They feed, clothe, house and heal us. They produce the air we breathe and even make us smell pretty.”) She’s a garden writer and photographer with degrees in both horticulture and plant biology from Purdue and Michigan State Universities. Her degrees were bolstered by internships at Longwood Gardens and the American Horticultural Society. She has since worked for many horticultural institutions and companies and now manages communications for Sun Gro Horticulture, the parent company of Black Gold. Her joy is sharing all things green and lovely with her two daughters.
“My strawberries were awesome until the neighbor’s chickens got into my bed and scratched them up. Since then the berries are really small and hardly worth picking. Do I need to buy new plants or will pumping up the soil be enough to bring them back to their formal glory? I am including a picture of the crop I used to get and now I can barely fill up a cereal bowl when I pick.” Question from Sylvia of Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Answer: It sounds like the chickens caused your strawberries a lot of stress, but plant age may also be an issue. Many gardeners don’t know that strawberries are a three-year crop. The parent plants only produce well for three years before declining. In the second year, it is often good to nurture one good runner from each parent plant as a replacement. Then in the third year, the parent plants should be removed. It is the cycle for keeping strawberry patches producing at no additional cost.
Nurturing the soil will certainly boost growth as will fertilization, but old strawberry plants are not revivable. To learn everything that you need to know about making the most of strawberry plants, please reach the articles below and watch the video. Oh, and some chicken wire will help keep feathered beasts from scratching them up!
“Can spring bulbs such as daffodils and tulips be planted in early spring in NJ?” Question from Glenn of Parsippany, New Jersey
Answer: You can only plant potted bulbs that have emerged and are flowering in spring. No bulbs should be dormant by spring. If you happen to have some live tulip or daffodil bulbs that have yet to fully grow and flower, you can try planting them in spring, but do not expect them to flower properly for at least a year. Be sure to plant them 6 inches down and feed them with a bulb fertilizer at planting time. The addition of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend also helps.
“My butterfly bush was so rangy last year. How can I get it to be fuller and to attract more butterflies?” Question from Diane of Newark, Ohio
Answer: Several things can cause butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii, USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9) can have flowering and vigor troubles. Here are the main culprets.
Age: If your butterfly bush is an older specimen, it may be petering out. They are not the longest-lived shrubs, and as they age they often show less vigor and flowering. Many may only thrive for 10 or 20 years, or less. If it’s time to replant, I recommend that you try Proven Winner’s Lo & Behold®‘Blue Chip’ butterfly bush. It’s sterile, so it does not become invasive, and it blooms nonstop all summer with wands of purplish-blue that draw lots of butterflies. It is also more compact, at 2.5 to 3 feet high. (Click here to discover more sterile varieties.)
Light: Make sure your plants get full sun. Less light puts a damper on flowering.
Soil: Well-drained average soil is best for butterfly bushes. If your soil has drainage issues or is heavy, then you may need to move or replace your plant.
Pests: Various pests can reduce the vigor and flowering of butterfly bush. Tackling them early will help your plants perform better. (Click here to learn more about common pests.) Fortunately, butterfly bushes have few disease problems.
Last year I experimented with salad pots with great results. This shows some of the pots just after planting. They contain mixed lettuce, bok choi, and beets. Another pot contained six large Romaine lettuce plants.
My first spring salad pots were grown in large, inexpensive plastic containers that I bought from the garden center. I filled them with some Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix and added a little fertilizer. They performed so well that I couldn’t believe it. Just a few pots provided delicious salads through spring, so this year I decided to redo this year’s salad containers with a little more flair.
I took it up a notch by creating suites of well-paired greens and herbs for custom-made salad containers–one with an Asian theme, another French, and the last for the Italian palate. Large (18″ or 24″) pots are ideal for these plantings. This will ensure that you can plant enough vegetables in each pot to make several spring salad bowls. As I said, I planted mine in Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix, but this year I plan to try Black Gold Raised Bed & Planting Mix. Both mixes are OMRI Listed for organic gardening. My plant food of choice is a slow-release fertilizer for vegetable growing, though I often hit my plants with some water-soluble fertilizer a week after planting to help them take off.
Asian Salad Pot
There are many varieties of Chinese cabbage, mizuna, scallions, and romaine to try.
About the blend – This is a two-pot salad mix because Chinese cabbages are bulky. I am confident that the outcome will be worthy of a very tasty sesame salad dressing. The crisp, flavorful Chinese cabbage will combine nicely with the mustardy kick of the mizuna, the mild green-onion flavor of the bunching scallions along with the crunchy, sweet taste and bright color of the red romaine.
Planting tips– I recommend filling one pot with three Chinese cabbage heads with a sprinkling of mizuna around the exterior. Another pot can contain the romaine with scallions planted along the side. Be sure to space the scallions 2-3 inches apart. I always start cabbage, scallions, and lettuce plants indoors several weeks before planting outdoors. I start the seeds in 4-inch pots under grow lights. (Click here for growing tips.) Then I acclimate my seedlings to cool spring temperatures in my enclosed back porch. Scallions are often tender and slender at planting time, so be gentle with them and don’t plant their bulbs too deeply. One-half inch is perfect. The mizuna is a mustard green that can directly be sown in the pots at the time when you plant your seedlings–generally in late March or early April in my USDA Hardiness Zone 7 garden.
This spacing is approximate, depending on the varieties you choose. Just be certain to thin your scallions properly.
French Salad Pot
Chervil, butterhead lettuce, French radishes, and crunchy snap peas are a taste of France in a bowl.
About the blend -The sweetness of the snap peas and butter lettuce blend well with the slight heat of the fresh French breakfast radishes. Chervil is added to provide a fresh, slightly anise flavor–much like the flavor of fennel. Together they taste very excellent with a classic French dijon vinegarette. If you are not partial to uncooked snap peas, try blanching them for a minute and then immersing them in an ice-water bath.
Planting tips– I recommend three large pots for this salad blend–one for the peas (a tomato cage makes an easy pea trellis), one for the radishes, and one for the butter lettuce with two chervil plants on the side. It is best to start the chervil and lettuce indoors under grow lights, as recommended for the greens above. The radishes and peas can be directly sown in the pots. Surface-sow the radish seeds and cover them with 1/8 inch of potting mix. Plant them in circular rows 6 inches apart and then thin them to 3 inches apart after they have sprouted. The peas should be planted in a circle at a distance of 3 inches apart and 1 inch below the soil surface. Time everything well, keeping in mind that the peas and greens need more time than the fast-growing radishes.
This spacing is approximate, depending on the varieties you choose. Just be certain to thin your radishes properly.
Italian Salad Pot
A salad of fresh chicory, romaine, and roasted Chioggia baby beets taste great with a fresh balsamic dressing and a touch of Parmesan cheese.
About the blend – The bitter bite of the chicory tastes nice with the sweet crunch of the romaine lettuce and sweetness of the baby beets. Chioggia beets are candy-striped with red and white bands inside, so they are as beautiful as they are delicious. The three taste very good with honey balsamic vinegarette and shaving of Parmesan cheese.
Planting tips– Two large pots are sufficient for this salad blend–one for the chicory and romaine lettuce, and one for the beets. The lettuce and chicory can be started as seedlings indoors, using the same recommendations for the two previous gardens. The beets should be directly sown in the pots. Keep in mind that the beets may germinate more slowly in cool weather, so you may want to plant them a week earlier than recommended on the packet.
This spacing is approximate, depending on the varieties you choose. Just be certain to thin your beets properly.
To learn more about great lettuce varieties, please watch this helpful video!
“Are hybrids better than the real thing?” Question from Dave of Springfield, Massachusetts
Answer: There is a simple and more complex answer to this question. The simple answer is that they often are better. Hybrids exist in the wild, as well as in the nurseries of plant breeders, and they often exhibit something called ‘hybrid vigor, outbreeding enhancement, or heterosis. Plants with hybrid vigor have an edge because they have inherited positive traits from both parents. It is equally important to understand that plant genetics are complex, and you do not automatically get hybrid vigor by crossing two species that are able to interbreed. Different plants genetically express themselves in distinct ways, and some show heterosis more than others. Those plants and crops that commonly show hybrid vigor, express increases in productivity, plant uniformity, and overall vigor. Hybrid breeding methods are particularly useful in these crops: beets, broccoli, corn, peppers, rice, spinach, sunflowers, tomatoes, and watermelon as well as many common flowers.
Modern Crops and Human Intervention
It is also important to understand that when it comes to common, coveted garden vegetables, crop plants, and flowers valued by humans, there is no “real thing” in the garden–meaning these plants have been changed by humans to the point where garden varieties do not exist in the wild. Here are four good examples.
Corn has been selected over thousands of years by man and has never existed in the wild as corn (click here to learn more).
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale are all the same species, Brassica oleracea, an edible leafy plant from Eurasia. The widely different garden forms are all a product of selection and hybridization by humans.
Wild apples, and those selected over thousands of years by humans, bear little resemblance to one another.
The same trends can be applied to popular garden flowers, ancient or new, such as roses (Rosa hybrids, selected for thousands of years), dahlias (Dahlia hybrids, selected since Aztec times), and the more recent coneflower (Echinacea hybrids).
Old and New Hybrids
Some garden varieties are old heirlooms selected over generations, while others are products of new hybridization and selection efforts. But consistently, where people have had a hand, you will find plants with bigger, tastier, more colorful fruits produced in higher quantities on plants that make harvesting easier, or you will find bigger, prettier flowers produced in greater quantities on well-branched plants.
The greatest hybridization efforts of this and the last century have worked to battle common diseases and pest susceptibilities in plants. These hybrid traits are especially important because they help to feed the world more efficiently without the need for harmful pesticides, fungicides, etc.
“Can I use black gold fertilizer on my houseplants? ( 5 5 5 ) Any plants I should feed like ferns, orchids, African violets, etc?” Question from Gayle of New York
Answer: Black Gold Fertilizers are only available in Canada. You can certainly use our granular, Black Gold All-Purpose Fertilizer on house plants if you can find it in the states. Otherwise, we recommend that you try Proven Winners Premium Continuous-Release Plant Food and Proven Winners Premium Water Soluble Plant Food as an all-purpose fertilizer for feeding house plants. They are particularly recommended for flowering house plants. Our parent company, Sun Gro Horticulture, makes these products, so we can vouch for its quality and performance. Follow the product directions for application rates. From there, here are further resources for house plant care.
“How do I calculate compost application rates to yards? I am trying to figure how much to order.” Question from Anne of Elmdale, Kansas
Answer: To determine how much compost, topsoil, or mulch to apply to beds, use the formula below along with a conversion table and links to other helpful sources–most notably, a great article for easily calculating the square footage of beds of various shapes.
Amendment Application Formula for Beds
For square or rectangular beds, multiply the bed’s length by its width to get square footage (L *W= ft2). If you wish to lay mulch 2-inches deep, then have a look at the table below to get the corresponding square footage covered by 1 cubic yard of compost, mulch, or peat moss. Then divide the square footage in the table that matches the 2-inch depth.
For example: If you had a 12-foot x 24-foot bed that required 2 inches of peat moss for tillage, calculate 12 feet x 24 feet = 288 square feet, then from the chart you can determine that 288 ft2/162 ft2 = 1.78 cubic yards of mulch.
Square Feet to Cubic Yards Conversion Table
1 cubic yard of an amendment or mulch will cover the following square footage to each depth.
Spring is the best time to liberally apply compost or mulch to gardens, but if you also plan to do significant fall planting, reapply in autumn. Organic matter breaks down over the course of the season and needs to be replenished. If you plan any winter or cold-frame gardening, apply compost as both an amendment and protective mulch.
“When is the best time to move Peony plants?” Question from Carin of Fall Creek, Wisconsin
Answer: Because peonies are extraordinarily hardy, I prefer moving them in the fall, but you can also moving them after they bloom in the spring. But, there are six things that you should know before moving peonies.
Six Things to Know Before Moving Peonies
Peonies have very large taproots, so you need to dig deep to capture them all.
I recommend digging around the clump to maintain as much soil around the roots as possible. The less you disturb the clump, the better.
Peony buds like to rest just an inch or two below the soil surface. If you cover them with too much soil, they may not bloom.
Peonies should be fed with an all-purpose 10-10-10 granular fertilizer once a year. Surprisingly, overfertilizing peonies can reduce flowering.
Use a long, sharp shade to dig them up and divide the clump, if needed.
Small peony divisions may not have enough energy to bloom for a few years.
Peony Moving Steps
Dig around the clump.
Wrap the rootball with burlap to keep it intact.
Place the peony in a wheelbarrow or Tubtrug to transport it to its new location.
Dig a hole a bit larger than the rootball, place the backfill on a tarp or in a wheelbarrow, and mix the backfill with Black Gold Garden Compost Blend.
Sprinkle some bulb fertilizer into the hole and backfill.
Place the peony in the hole, and make sure the top of the plant is flush with the soil surface.
Fill in the sides with backfill, and make sure that there are no air holes.
“We have a small fenced-in backyard with a dog. Due to sloping, and poor drainage, we have little topsoil left, but a lot of mud that gets tracked in the house. Are there any inexpensive suggestions for easy-to-grow hardy ground coverings or grass that will alleviate these issues? Our back yard has a mixture of sun and shade and is primarily red mud, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!!!” –Cathy of Mooresville, North Carolina
Answer: Whatever you plant, you will need to allow it to become established before you let your dogs back in the yard. It sounds like this is a problem that will take several steps, even if you choose the least expensive approaches. Here are my recommendations.
Steps for Establishing a Lawn and Groundcover on Sloped, Clay Ground
Taller, denser groundcovers will keep your dogs away from tree and bed areas. Curvaceous groundcover bed areas look tidy and attractive.
Here are my recommendations for managing your erosion and muddy yard troubles.
Identify and attempt to stop the source of erosion. If you can identify the water source (a bad gutter or washout from a driveway or a patio), you can often divert the water away from your yard by creating dry-wells. The method of diversion will depend on the source. (Click here for some more ideas and here.)
Define sunny lawn areas and shaded groundcover areas around the base of trees. Athletic Field Fluorescent Orange Striping Spray Paint works well for drawing out bed areas on the soil. Be sure that you create appealing lines for tree beds or gardens.
Scratch up lawn areas with a hard rake, top-dress the soil with approximately 1 inch of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend or Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, then lay down a cost-effective biofabric with grass seed, like Grotrax Burmuda Rye Mix, which can be purchased by the roll. Products like these stop erosion while encouraging lawn establishment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for care (click here for more information), and keep pets and people off of the area until it has fully sprouted and started to become lush.
In shaded bed areas around trees, I recommending working up the soil and adding lots of compost amendment. If your yard is large, consider buying it by the yard from a landscape company because it costs less. Finally, cover the beds with quality, all-natural bark mulch, which is also cheaper when purchased in bulk by the yard.
Plant plugs of groundcover for dry shade in the beds then water them in. A good groundcover layer will hold the soil in place as it becomes established (list below).
Keep the plugs watered and cared for until they begin to really grow and spread–around two to three months.
There are lots of good groundcovers for a difficult, dry shade that reduce or stop erosion. Buy these by the flat at your favorite local garden center to get the best deal. Good choices include creeping wire vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris ‘Nana’, light shade, Zones 6-10), sweet box (Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, Zones 6-9), evergreen vinca (Vinca minor, shade, Zones 4-9), dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’, shade, Zones 6-11), and the evergreen creeping plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Prostrata’, Zones 6-9).
If you like native groundcovers, consider evergreen arrowleaf ginger (Asarum arifolium, shade, Zones 3-9) or wild ginger (Asarum canadense, Zones 3-8), Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens, shade, Zones 4-9), and the pretty green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum, part sun to shade, Zones 5-8). Any of these plants can be mixed.
“In seed starting, which plant benefits the most by having a grow mat under it?” Question from Tim of Burton, Ohio
Answer: Some seeds need supplemental heat for germination, and these are almost always seeds for warm-season crops that naturally sprout when the outdoor temperatures heat up. Summer flowers, like cleome, cosmos, coreopsis, gomphrena, marigolds, salvias, and sunflowers, sprout better and grow faster with added heat. When it comes to herbs and vegetables, think of anything that thrives during the warmest times of the season–basil, corn, eggplant, okra, peppers, rosemary, and tomatoes all germinate and grow best with bottom heat.
