Archives for September 2008

Fall Garden Chores for Spring Flowering Bulbs

As the school busses begin to rumble down the road again we are
reminded that the gardening season is drawing to a close. For
the gardener with an eye toward next spring, however, the season
still promises plenty to be done in preparation of a showy
spring to come. Early fall is the time when we should be
planting our bulbs.

Good soil drainage is paramount for spring-blooming bulb
success. If you have a mostly clay soil be sure to mix in
organic material such as compost to lighten the soil. The soil
pH should be between 6 and 7. If you need assistance in
determining your soil pH or in discovering how to manage its
level refer to your local agricultural extension service for
help.

Spring flowering bulbs are great for beds, in borders, and in
rock gardens. These early risers prefer to be planted in areas
which will not receive direct sunlight during the midday,
especially once the hot summer months roll back around.

Wait until soil temperatures are below 60 F (16 C) before
planting. If you purchase your bulbs before the cold season sets
in you may keep them in your refrigerator until the soil has
cooled sufficiently. The fall planting ensures the bulbs will
have adequate opportunity to develop a strong root system before
they come up in the spring and early summer to greet you.

When you are ready to plant your bulbs, follow the directions
carefully for the depth and spacing requirements and be certain
to loosen the soil beneath the depth of planting. The easiest
fertilization method for your spring bulbs is a single
application of a sulfur-coated, slow-release fertilizer
incorporated into the bottom of your bulb hole at planting time.
After having placed the bulbs in their new home, begin to cover
them with the soil you removed to dig the hole. When you have
covered the bulbs halfway give them a thorough soaking before
covering them with the remaining soil.

With such wonderful options as corn lily, grape hyacinth and
tulips your work will be rewarded in the spring with the finest
of gardening pleasures. The joy can possibly only be compared to
the sound of the school busses rumbling down the road

The Organic Buffet

by Tricia

A new type of all you can eat buffet has emerged in the last decade, and it’s not the desert bar. The organic buffet is becoming a popular place for health minded people to gather for food, and company. Many top health food grocers like Whole Foods, and Earth Fare, are testing out the concept to warm results.

It seems that the mix of fresh organic foods in a casual setting has hit a chord with customers. Many customers seem to not only enjoy the organic buffet on occasion, but rather weekly, or even daily.

There is a growing number of people who come in for a light healthy meal at lunch instead of going to a fast food joint. Many feel this is also a better alternative than your normal “sit down” restaurant.

In many cases it is also faster if your time is limited. You can come in either sit down and have a light lunch or pick up several items and take back to your office. You can also do a little additional grocery shopping for your evening meal that evening.

Many people have started to focus on their bodies as a temple, and thus have adjusted their diets to help make their bodies more pure. The scope of organic style diets can be as small as enjoying organic fruits and vegetables every now, and then, to being a vegan who does not eat anything that isn’t organic.

With such a diverse pallet of taste that customers bring to the table, organic buffet restaurants have their hands filled trying to please everyone and still turn a profit in the process. The greatest organic buffets are those that are different than traditional buffets in food quality, but similar in diverse selection.

Many organic buffets will be skewed towards the vegan or non meat eating customers as those seem to be the most faithful followers of the trend. Therefore, you will usually see a very few meat offerings on an organic buffet with the majority of the foods being non meat based.

Many would believe the price of organic buffet foods would be higher than those of a traditional buffet, but this is not true. The prices seem to fall in line with that of a traditional buffet. The reasoning could be that organic buffets focus on higher quality vegetables, but offer less quantities of meats.

Traditional buffets offer more meats at a less standard of quality, thus lowering the food costs. These factors balance out for about the same price at both a traditional buffet and an organic one.

The Truth About Hosta Virus X

by Tricia

Hosta Virus X or HVX as it is known by its acronym is a dangerous, contagious virus that is killing hostas in both North America and Europe. It first started showing up in North America about five years ago when mutated looking plants with strange markings and mottled leaves started growing in nurseries and home gardens.

Hosta Virus X was not detected for a long time at first because at first it was thought to be a new sport of hosta. For those of you who are not hosta fiends, a hosta sport is simply a new variety of plant. Some of these infected plants were even named and sold in the U.S. and Britain. The virus also infected the large growing fields of Holland where most of the hostas sold in the world are grown. Examples of new plants that were actually named even though they were just infected are Leopard Frog, Breakdance and Lunacy varieties of hosta.

In North America there are two very popular varieties of hosta that are known to be widely infected with this virus. This includes the chartreuse variety Sum and Substance and the yellow variety that can tolerate sun called Gold Standard.

Why are people being sold infected hosta plants to this day even though growers and nurseries know that the Hosta Virus X exists? The problem is that the plant will not display any symptoms that it is a carrier of the virus for up to 3 or 4 years. The plant can be a carrier of the virus and still look normal during this time.

Symptoms of Hosta Virus X include dark blue or black veins that look like ink bleeding marks on Kleenex. Other symptoms are mottled and discolored leave. There may be bleached looking patches on green or blue leaves or dark green blotches on yellow leaved hostas.

This virus is also very hard to get rid of. It lurks in the sap of the plant affecting the roots, leaves and stems. If you think you have a plant infected with this contagious plant disease then uproot it immediately and throw it into your garbage or even better burn it. Do not throw it onto your compost heap as that is a place where the virus can be recycled back into your garden. As long as you are able to remove every single bit of dead tissue from the ground that belonged to the infected plant you should be okay. Make sure that you wash the tools you used to dig up diseased plants with bleach so you don’t infect other areas of the garden as well.

Yet another way to prevent Hosta Virus X from spreading is to not buy any plants that are displaying symptoms of the disease from a grocery store, nursery or garden center. Always be sure to buy your hosta plants from a reputable hosta dealer. Many of the commercial growers limit their sources to those who have very high standards of disease and pest control. This along with constant monitoring of their growing areas tends to keep Hosta Virus X limited to those who decide NOT to employ these higher growing standards.

Can a spider be the answer to my indoor organic garden bug problem? I refuse to use insecticides.?

by Tricia

I have an indoor garden where these tiny little gnats seem to spring forth like wild-flowers after a long rainy winter from the soil of my plants. I have a few yellow fly strips up, however, after about a week and a few hundred flies later, they stop having any space left for more flies!

I have tried nematodes and ladybugs, however those are very expensive require lots of work. My indoor garden, because of where I live, is going to be prone to these bugs no matter what I do.

I have a small outdoor garden where spiders have taken residence and seem to keep my bug problem at bay, and I have had MUCH experience with spiders and how beneficial they can be as predators. I always leave 2-3 in or around my house or garage that are out of reach to keep my bug problems at bay. (we all have flies, face it…)

Is there a "safe" species of spider that I can introduce into my very small indoor garden that will keep the bug problem at bay? Can a "safe" sepcies be kept under control?

Curious answers, I agree with some, not with others. (also a degreed horticulturist)

There is no one general pest control method. For example, the insecticidal soap works great on soft bodied insects, but not the hard shelled. Plus the soap can severely harm certain plants. Horticultural oil works by smothering insects, but once again, can harm certain plants. Neem is selective, diatomaceous earth is selective, pyrethrum isn't all that safe (even if it is from nature….so is tobacco/nicotine and nicotine is extremely toxic and no longer available for pest control. Get the idea? Same thing with predatory/beneficial insects; they are selective and with pray mantids, they eat all the other bugs including fellow family members.

The answer……….use a multiple approach, what we call integrated pest management. First know what your pest problems are, learn how to treat each (hopefully there will be something that will work on many, be prepared to have multiple pest control options running at the same time. For example, the yellow sticky traps, make your own out of bright yellow plastic, coat with a sticky substance and when filled with pest, scrape them off and put the boards back out. Release parasitic wasps, use beneficial nematodes if you have large container plantings, use insectidial soap where appropriate, oil elsewhere, Neem, etc. By alternating treatments you keep the pests from developing a resistance. Also…….have a look at your growing environment. Is it such that you have breeding areas for these pests and through good cleanliness and techniquest you can eliminate many of these pests before they reach your plants?

What are some good, natural, and organic insect repellents for the garden?

by Tricia

Preferably stuff that I can make at home.

For aphids, you can mix a tiny bit of dish soap in water and spray it on them. For many insects, a strong spray of water from your hose will knock them off as well.

I use white vinegar and water to kill ants, and I assume it would repel them if it didn't evaporate.

Search for "companion planting" on the web and you'll find other PLANTS you can plant nearby to repel insects, like marigolds. I also plant radishes nearby other veggies because some insects like them much better and will eat them and leave the other veggies alone. You can also plant beneficial plants to encourage a pest's predator to hang out near your plants (again, search "companion planting").

ex. –
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/vegetables/vcomp.asp

Archives for September 2008

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