Mike lives and gardens in a suburb of Portland, Oregon where he has resided since 1969.
He grew in up Tucson, Arizona where he worked at a small retail nursery during his high school and college years. He received his formal education at the University of Arizona where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture, and though he values his formal education, he values his field-experience more. It is hard to beat the ‘hands on’ experience of actually gardening, visiting gardens, and sharing information with other gardeners.
Mike has been involved with gardening communications throughout his adult life. In addition to garden writing, he has done television gardening shows in Portland, and for over 30 years he hosted a Saturday radio talk show in Portland. Now he writes, speaks, gardens and continues to share his love of gardening.
To be connected to the gardening industry is a bonus in life for Mike. He has found gardeners to be among the friendliest and most caring, generous people. Consequently, many of his friends he has met through gardening.
Anna’s hummingbird feeding on Salvia ‘Amistad’. (Photo by Doug Barragar)
For those of you that have read some of my previous Black Gold articles, you will know that one of my recurring themes is to enjoy your garden and consider it a haven to relax and relieve stress. While the original purpose of our computers and phones was to help us save time and accomplish more, I’m not sure that is the way it is working. We seem to be ‘tied’ to our devices and almost unable to function without them. I was recently at a dinner with some friends, and one person had forgotten her cell phone. The result was that she was distraught throughout the dinner and anxious for the evening to be over, so she could go home to her phone. We so often forget to take the time to slow down and unplug ourselves and as the old saying goes we forget to “stop and smell the roses”. Continue reading “Holistic, Healing Gardening”
“Oh, noooo!” Plants are a great way to add to the Halloween fun!
The gardening season we experienced this past summer and early fall has been one of the best that I can remember. Vegetable gardens performed beyond the expectation of most gardeners with tomatoes, especially some of the long-season and late-ripening varieties, benefiting from the warm summer and fall. However, this is October, and it is time to say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn and Halloween. Continue reading “Trick-or-Treat Gardening”
Staking dahlias at planting time will support plants all season and keep the tuberous roots from being pierced by stakes.
When visiting other gardens and with other gardeners, I find that people enjoy sharing their tips to make gardening easier. Even in my own garden, I often realize there is a better and quicker way to perform a particular task, and I cannot imagine why I had not thought of it before. Particularly on my radio program, when I ask listeners call in with tips, I almost always learn something new. Even though gardening is very enjoyable, I think gardeners are always on the lookout for a easier and quicker way to get something done. Continue reading “Tips to Make Flower Gardening Easier”
Despite the high heat here in the Pacific Northwest, the roses have done well. (photo by Jessie Keith)
Perhaps we have been through the “dog days of summer” here in the Pacific Northwest with our daytime temperatures reaching 90+ degrees. Not only have those of us without air conditioning suffered, but many of our plants did as well. Continue reading “Reviving Late-Summer Flowers”
The more you can do to make plants healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier they are to thrive.
In many of these web articles, I have often stressed the importance of soil health. Whenever we plant something in the ground it offers an opportunity to amend the soil around and below the root zone. At no other time can one easily add compost or fertilizer to the soil around and below the roots. The same thing is also true when we plant something in a container, except that in a container we have more control over the actual soil.
Health guidelines for people stress that maintaining a good diet and lifestyle will help keep our bodies healthy. This same principle is true for plants. The more we can do to make a plant healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier that plant will thrive. Of course there are some exceptions to this, and roses are a good example. Some roses will get black spot on their leaves regardless of overall plant health. Even in the case of roses, there are techniques we can do to lessen the effect of damaging diseases or insects. I have always had some rose bushes in my garden, and over the years I have removed those rose plants that are susceptible to black spot and replaced them with new varieties that are disease resistant.
When I look at my own garden, I have learned that by providing the best gardening practices will greatly reduce stressful conditions for plants. I continually add Black Gold amendments whenever I am planting something new. I mix fertilizer into the existing soil and add Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. In the many containers that I have on my deck and throughout the garden, I perform a similar treatment. I use either Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil or Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. At this time, I also add some quality all-purpose fertilizer, and then I know I am providing my plants with what they will need for an excellent beginning.
Choosing disease-resistant roses really pays off.
One thing that I find many beginning gardeners (and experienced gardeners too!) tend to overlook is the right environment for their particular plant. By environment, I mean determining whether it is a plant that needs sun, partial sun or full sun. If a shade-loving plant is placed in a very sunny location, there is no amount of fertilizer, water or proper soil that is going to keep that plant from getting stressed. Always check the plant label and ask your local garden center personnel about the proper planting location for the plant you are selecting.
Another major factor is watering. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have recently had some very hot weather. Even plants that thrive in the sun may wilt because they are losing more water than they can absorb. On particularly hot days, after an early morning soil drench, I like to actually spray wilted plants with water as I have found that this will usually revive them. Of course this is a temporary course of action, but it does work. Another solution is to add a mulch around the root base using Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend as this is excellent water retentive material for plants both in the ground and in containers.
Plant potted plants in the best mix and caring for them well will keep them healthy and thriving.
There are many plants in containers in my garden that are in the sun, and I find that sometimes I may need to water them twice a day, especially later in the season as the plant roots fill the container. As a plant grows, the roots may soon fill the container, and this will make the pot become drier much faster than it would have earlier in the summer when the new roots are just beginning to grow.
I do not think many people like to use chemical sprays and in their gardens; I have not used any insecticides or fungicides for many years. I have many birds and encourage them as I find that they can keep many insects under control. There are times when spraying is necessary, but do some research before you do. A good rule to follow is to check with your extension service or local garden center to learn what is the least toxic chemical option available.
Gardening should be fun and relaxing, and you can help make it that way by providing your plants with the best possible materials for them to grow and thrive. Yes, there will always be some failures, but that is how we learn. We don’t give up. We try again!
Look closely and you’ll see a delicate hummingbird enjoying the fresh water of this fountain.
In addition to enjoying summer color from my plants, I always have an assortment of plants that will attract hummingbirds. With the many containers that are on my deck and the surrounding garden area, I always select some plants that are known to be hummingbird magnets.
My neighbor Ron removed a large section of his front lawn and created an attractive series of raised beds for vegetable gardening.
It was not very many years ago when gardeners had distinct areas for vegetables and flowers. There was a vegetable garden and a flower garden and the two did not mix. In addition to those two distinct areas for vegetables and flowers, if a gardener grew roses they had another bed that was exclusively for roses. But this is changing. Now edible gardening can be everywhere!
This vertical garden from an old window frame has landscape fabric pockets in which herbs were planted.
Mixing Ornamentals and Edibles
The times have changed in many ways regarding how people garden, and now it is often more of a mix with vegetables and ornamentals planted together. With home lots becoming smaller, plant breeders have realized they need to change the scope of the plants they release to home gardeners. New edible plants have even been developed especially for container gardening and small space areas. This is exactly what many homeowners need.
When I talk to other gardeners and visit other gardens, I notice a huge increase in the growing of vegetables. People are concerned about pesticides on what they eat and there is also a heightened interest in environmental issues, such as where something was grown and how transportation enters into the picture. Growing local has certainly been a phrase that has new meaning and is now in everyday vocabulary.
In my own neighborhood, gardeners have reduced or even eliminated the space devoted to lawns and have often converted it into vegetable gardens with ornamental plantings as well. My neighbor Ron removed a large section of his front lawn and created a series of raised beds for vegetable gardening.
Brazelberries Raspberry Shortcake grows beautifully in ample containers.
Raised Beds
Raised beds can create an environment in which the homeowner can control the soil for optimum harvest results. Many of us have spaces where the soil is not conducive to vegetable gardening but by amending it in a raised bed, the right growing conditions can be obtained. This can be an easy fix with buying good topsoil and adding Black Gold Garden Compost Blend along with a good fertilizer formulated for vegetables. A new gardening space is thus instantly created. In neighbor Ron’s garden, due to an ever present deer problem, he also built a fence around the raised beds and then espaliered apple trees on the fence wires.
Edibles in Containers
There has been a noticeable increase in vegetables and berries for containers. It was not long ago that I had never or rarely seen vegetables or berries growing in containers. Containers were meant for growing flowers! In 2012, with the introduction of BrazelBerries®, all of a sudden there was a series of different berries that were bred specifically for growing in containers. Container gardening reached a new level with the blending of berries and flowers. Raspberry Shortcake™ is a dwarf and thornless raspberry that is ideal for growing in containers. For those with a deck or balcony, they could now grow their own raspberries. Jelly Bean™ is a super dwarf and hardy
blueberry that is also easily grown in a container. It provides almost year round color with the typical white blueberry flowers in spring and the bright green leaves in early spring that become darker shades of greens and reds as the season progresses. The berries are large-sized and appear in mid-summer. Both of these berries would benefit from using Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil in the container.
Gardeners are very innovative and my neighbor, Janet, attached a wooden planter to the railing on her deck and planted lettuce. She said it was a delight to be able to walk out from her kitchen onto the deck and cut lettuce for salad. In another garden that I visited, a vertical garden from an old window frame had been created with landscape fabric used to create pockets in which herbs were planted. Black Gold Natural & Organics Potting Soil would be ideal for both of these conditions.
There are no rules to mixing up berries, vegetables and flowers. Be aware of the environmental conditions as most vegetables need full sun or at least six hours per day. Also, remember that since these plants are in containers, they will tend to dry out on sunny and windy days so be aware of moisture needs.
Check out your local garden center and you might be pleasantly surprised at what is available for even small spaces. You can not only enjoy your plants but in many cases can reap the harvest.
My neighbor Janet attached a wooden planter to the railing on her deck and planted beautiful, fresh lettuce.
Amendments help garden and container plants perform better all season.
In a perfect world, we might be able to dig into the soil at any place in our garden and have it be like reaching into a bag of rich potting mix. This is, of course, wishful thinking. Unfortunately, for many of the plants we grow, whether ornamental or edible, some amending of the soil is probably required for optimum results.
Know Your Soil pH
When discussing soil amendments, it is a good idea to begin at a basic level, and the first thing a homeowner needs to know is the pH of the soil and what nutrients are missing. Most longtime gardeners will know of a soil testing laboratory where they can send small bags of their soil for a complete analysis. If you are unsure of how to find a reputable lab, check with your local garden center or state extension service as they will probably have several to recommend. Usually about one cup of soil collected from
Tulips with grape hyacinths make wonderful spring color containers.
various parts of your garden is needed for a good analysis. Check with the lab to see how many different soil samples they recommend you send. Once you have the results from the soil test, you can begin to amend the soil with what it is lacking. Also, be sure to take into consideration the plants you will be using as different plants may require different soil types and different nutrients.
Amend Before Planting
I like to remind readers that you have one chance to amend the soil around the root system of a plant when you are planting it. That is why I consider the proper preparation of the planting hole a crucial element necessary for your plant to thrive. This is not quite as important when planting annuals, but for permanent shrubs and trees, it is your opportunity to get it right.
In my own garden, the one item most lacking is compost or some type of organic matter in the soil. Whenever I am planting, my first choice for amending the soil is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend, and I always try to have some on hand. If I am planting a 1-5 gallon size plant, I try to dig a hole twice the size of the container. Then I mix the conditioner with some of the existing soil and use this mix both under and around the new plant. In areas where my soil tends to dry out quickly in the summer, if I have plants that like to have their roots moist, I add Black Gold Just Coir in the top several inches of soil as I have found this has excellent water holding retention qualities.
Amending Clay Soils
When I have sections of my garden that have heavy or clay soil, I not only add the compost but also pumice. I also use pumice in areas of my garden where the drainage is poor and I use it in some of my containers as a safety net to help insure excellent drainage and
The brilliant red new emerging leaves of the Japanese maple ‘Hana Matoi’ are helped along by a little spring amendment.
increase aeration. For some of my containers, especially those where soil will be visible for most of the season, I add Black Gold Earthworm Castings. Visually this enhances the soil when used as a top dressing and it helps enrich it as well.
Spring fertilization is something I do every year. Recently I have been fertilizing some of my established plantings with a quality all-purpose fertilizer. I like to lightly cultivate it into the soil and then either water or let the rain carry it down to the plant roots.
We have been having some glorious weather here in the Pacific Northwest, and it has provided us with some great ‘windows’ for gardening. Take some time to relax and enjoy the beauty we are surrounded with. When I walk in my neighborhood, I see the flowers of tulips, daffodils, magnolias, flowering cherry and the many colors of Japanese Maples as their new spring leaves appear. The list could go on. Enjoy the peace and serenity of your own surroundings and beauty nature provides.
Sometimes a stand-alone pot in the garden is like a work of art.
I knew that I had many containers around my garden, on the deck, on the patio, in the flower beds, at the entryway, along the driveway, but I never really thought about how many I actually had. Today, I walked around the garden and counted. My final count was 148. That is more than I ever dreamed of and so I made a second trip around the garden just to be sure and the number came up the same, 148.
Succulent gardening can break beyond the traditional rock garden model. Take, for example, gravel gardens. These unique garden spaces support most plants that would thrive in a rock garden, but instead of rocks they are bedded in attractive gravel and fast-draining mix.
Establishing Gravel Gardens
A general statement regarding plants for gravel gardens is that as a group they tend to like sunnier and dryer conditions. Once established, they generally require no supplemental water, if they exist in areas with average rainfall. When establishing these gardens, the most crucial element is the soil. Soil preparation to provide quick drainage is the key to healthy and successful gravel gardens and preparation must be done prior to planting.
This whimsical sedum garden is a delight!
An excellent soil amendment is Black Gold Cactus Mix. It provides the fast-draining requirements. In addition, pumice and washed gravel are both stone-based amendments perfect for these gardens. Both increase aeration and drainage, which is critical to successful gravel gardening.
There is a presumption that gravel gardens look dry and sparse and that is certainly not the case. In a recent garden I visited, the pathways were gravel, the beds were lined with rock and there was a wide assortment of colorful low-water plants to give color during the summer. This garden also had a small pond and there was even a rose bed in the background. While this is probably not the typical gravel garden, it provides a good example of the diversity of plants a gardener can incorporate.
Sedums cascade from this fallen wheelbarrow garden.
Plants for Gravel Gardens
One of my favorite gravel gardens incorporates a diversity of drought tolerant plants and has a focal point of a beautiful blue ceramic pot to match the blue wall in the background. There is a fountain in front of the blue wall with a Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in the background. To the right and left of the pond are two small olive trees, (Olea europaea ‘Arbequina’), and throughout the area are drought tolerant plants with a blooming Kniphofia in the foreground. This is a wonderful example of how individual gardeners can create their own special space and plant palette.
Succulent plants are familiar to many gardeners. These plants have thick fleshy leaves or stems able to store extra water. Cacti and sedums are two good examples. In many gardens that I visit, sedums are often used in sharply drained, gravelly gardens. The very popular Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is widely planted in gardens throughout the Pacific Northwest and is also a favorite for perennial flower beds. It is a very reliable late summer bloomer, and the flowers are a favorite of honey bees. Hens and chicks, hardy cacti and beautiful sedums, like the unique ‘Touchdown Teak’, are also ideal for these gardens.
Sedum ‘Touchdown Teak’ is a pretty sedum just perfect for gravel gardens.
I love visiting other gardens to see some of the things that gardeners do with succulents and sedums. I have often seen them used in a whimsical sort of way. I think that a garden reflects the gardener, and when I see something whimsical I think this reflects the sense of humor of the gardener. Two recent garden visits bring this to my mind. The first garden contained a miniature car garden with sedums in it. What a perfect centerpiece for a garden party and a low maintenance one too! The second had a wagon filled with sedums that were placed to look as though a child might have just left it. When planting succulents in containers, regardless of whether it is a miniature car or a wagon, I would suggest using Black Gold Cactus Mix exclusively and not mixing it with garden soil.
As I mentioned earlier, with gravel garden plants, drainage is the critical factor. Many plants can even survive colder temperatures than normal if they have good drainage. Experiment and create some new gravel beds with succulent plants, you might be pleasantly surprised at the end result.
Health guidelines for people stress that maintaining a good diet and lifestyle will help keep our bodies healthy. This same principle is true for plants. The more we can do to make a plant healthy and avoid stressful conditions, the likelier that plant will thrive. Of course there are some exceptions to this, and roses are a good example. Some roses will get black spot on their leaves regardless of overall plant health. Even in the case of roses, there are techniques we can do to lessen the effect of damaging diseases or insects. I have always had some rose bushes in my garden, and over the years I have removed those rose plants that are susceptible to black spot and replaced them with new varieties that are disease resistant.
