IMPERIAL — While some in the Imperial Valley are making plans for Mothers Day, Linda Cooke has spent the past week trying to round up 1300 silk flowers for the gravesites at Memorial Gardens Cemetery off Highway 86 near here. FULL STORY: www.ivpressonline.com
While it is in general terms a good thing to try to improve soil conditions, it is possible to live with existing conditions by choosing your plants carefully. Many plants have adapted their demands so that they are able to live with drought, particularly plants that come originally from Mediterranean climates.
It is very important to choose plants that will tolerate such dry soils. If you try to get ordinary plants to grow in them, you will be disappointed because they will not be able get enough moisture or food from the soil and will not grow very well. If, however, you choose plants that have adapted to these conditions, you should have few problems in creating an interesting garden.
There are a few plants for dry conditions. Few gardens have desert conditions, so you do not have to go to extremes and grow only succulents, such as cacti, that tolerate such places. However, there are a lot of plants that come from parts of the world where, for example, dry summers are followed by wet autumns and winters. Many annuals come from these areas, so do bulbs and many silver leaved plants, try combining these to create an unusual but beautiful garden where their subtle colors are well set off by a gravel background. Weed these areas well, or the effect will be ruined.
How do we create a gravel garden? Many gardeners specifically set out to create dry conditions by adding great quantities of gravel to the ordinary soils. This increases its drainage ability and makes it suitable for plants that you may not have been able to grow before.
Examples of plants for dry gardens are Allium hollandicum, Argemone, Artemesia, Bergenia, Canna, Crambe, Elymus, Lavatera, Salvia, Sedum, Verbascum, Yucca, Pennisetum, Glaucium flavum, Onopordon acanthium, and Ophiopogon planiscapus.
A surprisingly large number of plants like dry conditions and a very attractive garden can be built around them. Grasses are excellent for dry gardens. Annuals, such as Marigold (calendula) and vipers bugloss (echium vulgure) will self sow to provide next year’s plants.
All the information you need to know on how to plant Container Gardens. This article will show you how to plant successful and healthy Container Gardens.
When you are ready to mix ingredients, be sure the soil is damp and workable. To determine this, take a handful, squeeze it and allow it to drop. If water comes out, it is too wet; if it breaks apart, it is too dry. But if the lump of soil retains its shape or cracks just a little when it is dropped, it is in good condition to work.
Be certain gardening containers are clean when you start. Soak used or new clay pots overnight so they will not draw moisture from soil after planting. This is a very important step when you are beginning your plants life. If the pot draws off the moisture the new plant will be deprived.
Though redwood, cedar, and cypress s may be left natural, they may also be stained or painted. First clean the surfaces then apply one or two coats of stain or paint. Let dry completely before planting.
Consider the shape of each, its color, and texture in relation to the color of flowers and foliage and the present as well as ultimate size of each plant. Don’t choose material that is too small, and if you want a group of plants for a large, select one tall specimen for the center to give height and scale.
Keep in mind the form of plants, particularly the evergreens which stand out boldly in winter. Rounded types, as clipped yews or globe arborvitae, look well in angulars. Hollies or yews, sheared into squares or pyramids, look better in circular tubs. This contrast of the curving with the straight always gives interest to the garden and those guests that visit.
The first step in potting a container garden is to place sufficient drainage material in the bottom of each so that water can pass through freely, but not so much as to interfere with the roots. An inch or two of flower pot pieces (rounded sides up), or chips of brick or flagstone, pebbles, gravel, small stones, or cinders can be used. The larger the, the larger the pieces should be. Some gardeners spread a piece of coarse burlap and a layer of sand over large drainage pieces. A layer of Vermiculite or sphagnum moss over the drainage material is also fine to keep soil from clogging holes. If the holes clog the roots will drown.
Above the drainage, spread a layer of soil, the amount depending on the size of the root ball of the plant. Place the plant in position so that the surface of the soil will be an inch (more for big plants) below the rim of the pot. This space is needed to hold water.
Fill soil in around the roots, firming gently with your fingers or a piece of wood so as to eliminate air pockets. Do not make the soil too tight for fine feeding roots must be able to penetrate it with ease.
Finally, water plants well, let them drain. If water passes through the pot very rapidly, press soil again to firm it, that means there are air pockets. If the soil holds water too long, loosen it a little.
Place the plants in a sheltered spot out of sun and wind for the first week or so while they make new root growth and adjust to new conditions.
When your permanent trees, shrubs or perennials grow too large for their pots, shift them to bigger ones. Water them the night before so the soil will be moist for transplanting and won’t cause you to tug hard to get them out. Dry soil tends to break apart, except on root-bound specimens.
Planting large specimens purchased in temporary s is a more involved process. If they are in baskets or boxes, these can be broken or torn apart, but be careful not to disturb the roots. Tins must be opened with tin cutters. To remove plants, put the cut s on their sides and pry steadily at the ball of soil gently in order not to break it. The less root damage the better the odds that the plant will be healthy.
All plants benefit from a mulch spread evenly over the surface of the soil. This will keep the soil cool and moist while keeping the weeds under control. Use peat moss, sand, gravel, stones, pebbles, buckwheat hulls, or Vermiculite. One of these will also give an attractive appearance but since the mulch conceals the soil, it is more difficult to determine when to water. Test by poking a finger through the material to touch the soil.
In the case of planters, again make certain drainage facilities are good. Usually there are holes at the base or sides. For best results, every four square feet should have a two-inch drainage outlet to keep those roots healthy.
Planters require day-by-day care to keep plants at their best. This means pruning, staking, spraying, feeding, and more particularly watering. Often planters are located under overhanging roofs or broad eaves. Wherever they are, do not depend on rain, but apply the hose as often as needed, which is usually daily and sometimes more often.
Many people are rediscovering the joys of staying home and taking ‘staycations’. Your garden can become the perfect place to provide a peaceful sanctuary to escape from the world and unwind. Screen plants can provide privacy in your garden, hide an unsightly area and provide shade. Hopseed Bush, Brush Cherry and Italian Cypress are three shrubs or small trees that are useful for screens, grow fast or are drought tolerant. Some plants have all three qualities!When creating your backyard paradise these screening shrubs can also help create ‘walls’ to establish separate sections in a garden, so you can create different ‘garden rooms’ in your yard. Two of these are also good for planting in narrow spaces between houses to help block out the world. Try these versatile plants in your Patch of Heaven:HOPSEED BUSH (Dodonaea viscosa)USDA Zone: 9-11Sunset Zone: 7-24Sun: Full sun to part shadeWater: Moderate to low, drought tolerantHop Seed bushes come with leaves in either bright, lime green or dark purple. Both versions have leaves about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and are very shiny on multiple shrubby branches. These drought tolerant shrubs are fast growers to about 10 feet tall and almost as wide. They take full sun to part shade. Once established in the garden (1-2 years) they can survive on rainfall alone.Hopseed bushes have a growth habit that is a bit airy, with lots of small branches and the long leaves add to the lacy feel. They can be trimmed as hedges or espaliers for a slightly denser effect. These are good for layering to create a full, lush feel in the border. They are perfect for the back of the bed (where the sprinkler won’t reach), along fences or as border screens. In late spring they develop large, papery seed pods, usually light brown, which hang on for weeks and provide a dramatic effect. Although the seed pods break down quickly in the soil, I do not recommend planting these bushes near pools.BRUSH CHERRY, CAROLINA LAUREL CHERRY (Prunus caroliniana)USDA Zone: 7 – 9Sunset Zone: 5 – 24Sun: Full sun to part shadeWater: Moderate to lowBrush Cherry is another dependable, versatile garden shrub for quick screens and hedges. These shrubs can grow up to 30 feet tall and 10 – 12 feet wide. Although I have seen mature stands of Carolina Laurel grow even taller. They can grow in full sun to part shade. Once established they can survive drought conditions. However, in desert areas they prefer less sun and will appreciate more water during the hottest summer weather.Brush Cherries have a dense growth habit with lots of branches so they take well to heaving shearing as a hedge and can even be used for topiaries. Left untrimmed, they will still maintain their neat, shrubby shape, but the interior growth will not have leaves. They can also be trained as small multi-trunk trees. New growth is a pretty reddish rusty color in the spring. They get sprays of white flowers followed by clusters of small, bright red cherries. The cherries can stain concrete and make a mess. If you don’t have enough birds in your area to take care of the cherries for you, just trim off the flowers before they set. This will also relieve the plant of the stress of producing seeds.ITALIAN CYPRESS (Cupressus sempervirens)USDA Zone: 7 – 9Sunset Zone: 4 – 24Sun: Full sun to part shadeWater: Moderate to low, drought tolerantItalian Cypress trees are a familiar staple in the city, growing along border lines as tall screens. They grow up to 60 feet high on single trunks and are generally 1-2 feet wide but mature plants can be much wider. All cypresses prefer full sun, but will tolerate part shade and can survive on little water once they are established in a year or two. Italian cypress are perfect shrubs for problem areas. They grow tall but they’re thin, so you can tuck them into narrow spaces. Their trunks will eventually reach about 12 inches around, so your narrow bed should at least be that wide. Their growth habit is sleek and cylindrical, with most of their leaves pointing up. They lose a small amount of needles during they year, but litter is not a big problem with these trees. They do not grow very fast the first year, but they will make up for their lack of growth in the second year. Continually trimming the tops will result in a slightly fatter shrub, but they are fairly care free, needing no trimming. When you are planning on having your shrubs survive on rainfall, it is best to encourage deep root development early on by soaking your plants every few days instead of sprinkling the topsoil every night. Even established plants appreciate a deep soak during a heat wave, when the weather has been over 100 degrees, or when it has been especially dry and windy.All three of these plants are growing happily in my heavy clay, alkaline soil in hot and sunny Southern California. Drop by http://www.theGardenPages.com for more drought tolerant plants and photos. Good luck and happy gardening!
The Transvaal daisy, also known as gerbera jamesonii, or gerber daisy, grows natively in South Africa and comes in yellows, oranges, reds and pinks. Plant Transvaal daisies in temperate climates, as they are not very hearty, with advice from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Duration : 0:1:20
Drying out gourds, squash and pumpkin is simple by cutting the vegetable from the vine when it is mature, storing it in a paper bag or hanging it from a hook, and keeping it in a warm, dry place until they are completely dried out. Cut a hole in the bottom of larger gourds to dry them out more efficiently with advice from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Expert: Yolanda Vanveen
Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com
Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash.
Filmmaker: Daron Stetner
Duration : 0:2:14
To dry bamboo, always set it vertically in a dry area where it will not be affected by moisture, or soak it in salt water for 90 days to cure it. Use dried bamboo for a variety of purposes with gardening advice from a sustainable flower grower in this free video on plant care.
Expert: Yolanda Vanveen
Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com
Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash.
Filmmaker: Daron Stetner
Duration : 0:2:2
Repelling flies with herbs is possible by sprinkling dried herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cayenne, curry or oregano, around an area or by keeping fresh sprigs of strong-smelling herbs in arrangements on the table. Keep flies away instead of killing them with advice from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Expert: Yolanda Vanveen
Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com
Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash.
Filmmaker: Daron Stetner
Duration : 0:2:39
When arranging silk flowers, use at least three of each type or color of flower to create balance, to add interest and to develop a focal point for the bouquet. Use any combination of silk flowers, which are available for any species of flower, with information from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Duration : 0:2:12
