It seems like New York City as well as the whole eastern half of the country shared a shiver. Well its time for you to shake off the cold and get started on your garden indoors. So, get a jump on the growing season by starting your garden indoors. It's a fun project that kids will love, too. All you need are some seeds, sun and water ( potting soil, and starter trays are available at Creative Blossoms ). It's also pruning time so we'll help you get started on your trees and shrubs. We'll help you figure out where to place the right cut so you do not harm it or to control the direction of its growth.  And as we informed you last spring before you plant things, and we know you're itching to do it, but you should know what your soil needs first. A simple free soil test from us at Creative Blossoms can save you all kinds of trouble later. Find out how easy it is with a phone to us or leaving a message on this forum page.

Our Plant of the Month: Daffodils

This flower is a spring favorite for many people and gardeners. The weather can be grey and cold, but when the daffodils are out, smiles start flashing all around.

One nice thing about container gardens is that the containers themselves become part of the landscape. So you can really personalize your space with unique shapes, colors, and sizes before you even put any plants in. Let the containers reflect your style, your region, your sense of humor, or whatever you like. For a more natural look, use a variety of shapes and sizes of containers, and contrast your plants for color and interest.

And my all time favorite thing about a container garden is that they can be taken inside the home or apartment!

1- Make them itch by placing some sawdust, diatomaceous earth or shavings from pumice around plants or an area to act as a barrier - since they move by sliding along, they are irritated by rough surfaces and the particles cut into them - be sure to reapply after it rains heavy.

2- Trap them by placing orange and lemon rinds, or even upturned clay flowerpots in their favorite area - do it in the evening and you find them trapped in the morning - drown all captives in a pail of salty water.

3- Bait them by filling cat food cans or aluminum pie pans with a mixture from beer (1 can), sugar (1tbsp), and yeast (1tsp) - let the mixture set 24hrs in a bowl then pour into cans/pans set them in various areas of your garden with the rims just at ground level.

Pro: New garden beds will take off

Pro: Less watering needed - if at all

Pro: Hibiscus, Cosmos, Coleus, and Dusty Miller all love it!

Pro: Loads of free mulch from downed limbs and even trees

Con:To much rain can saturate the soil and suffocate the roots

Con: Weeds and lots of mosquitoes - they both LOVE the rain

Con: Spores

I have been convinced that I should share some of my writings with those at the Forum - so here is my first attempt.

Hardware = anything that you can hit with a hammer

Software = anything that you step in and it squishes all around your boots

Modem = what you do to lawns

Keyboard = where you hang the truck keys

Windows = what you shut when when its below 40 degrees or open when its above 60 degrees

Log On = what one says to put wood in a fire that's made to keep area heated

Hard Drive = Getting home or to a job when traffic is backed up

Micro-chips = what are left in mulch bag after big chips are gone

Download = the unloading of tools or plants off the truck

Megahertz = what you get when you're not careful unloading truck

Memory = what a client looses when its time to pay

RAM = a Dodge truck

REM = what you put tires around

Upgrading = what you do to the soil

Please let me know if you found this enjoyable, my friends were saying that I was to serious at this Forum so this was a form of loosening up, let me know!

Perennially,

These notes are for everyone, but, mainly Colin who attended my Soil Workshop Saturday and expressed a great interest in Roses and wanting to expand his Rose garden.

Colin, when shopping for roses buy bare-root stock and newer is better, that is, stick with roses introduced in the last 5yrs. The newest varieties not only fight disease better but deliver attractive plants that bloom all summer long. Avoid cheap ($5) rosebushes from Home Depot or the local stores, more expensive roses ($15-$25) are best - you get what you pay for...and its okay to purchase from mail order growers.

I have worked with the following varieties over the past 5 years and recently and recommend them,  and please visit The American Rose Society at http://www.ars.org or call them at 800-637-6534 and ask for rose society in your area.

Check these roses in the meantime -

 'Carefree Beauty', 'Knock Out', 'The Fairy', 'William Baffin' the 'New Dawn' (climbs 15-20 feet), and 'Flower Carpet' which blooms all season.

Perennially,

It's late Spring a lot of your weeds are up and growing but not yet fully mature - apply a good broad leaf weed killer - soon the ones you missed when they were young is strong and big now and hard to pull, especially if the soil is dry; the best time to pull weeds are after the rain or just water them then pull. You can use My Weed Treatment  (see Forum - Killer Weeds) or the next best thing is to lop off their heads with a sharp hoe or string trimmer - mower will do if space allow. Whatever you do, don't let them shed their seeds in your garden - one weed equals many years of seeds.

Eventually, Creative Blossoms will have a weed workshop; but, until then if you have any questions just ask or leave a cutting at the shop for inspection or send pictures via email to creativeblossoms@nycreativeblossoms.com .

And here is a little secret of mine for those who have a weed problem with weeds that have long roots locate and expose the root tail cut it and gently pull up the entire part that leads to the leaves and discard without shaking...the lower end, having expose the undersides take some rolled up newspaper and insert the root into newspaper, and cover it with soil or mulch. It will prevent weeds coming from that area of the cutting and prevent weeds from jumping below end of newspaper. You will be using what I call 'Recycling Roundup' it works everytime and last through the summer unless you get large amounts of rain.

Watch for the Weed Workshop!

Perennially,

Saturday workshop was a huge success, the weather cooperated and everything went along as planned.

At the outset I would like to give Colin a big shout-out for all the samples ( soil / plant / compost ) and the great questions...and speaking about questions, here are a few from the workshop.

What does pH stand for?

Potential of Hydrogen, and the scale is from 1.0 to 14.0 with 7.0 being neutral anything below acid and above alkaline.

Why is pH important?

Proper plant ID would include the pH and with this knowledge you will give the plant a good start to absorbing nutrients and give it less of a chance of being malnourished and it being an easy prey to pest or getting a disease. You do not want the soil too sweet or too sour for its needs. To lower the pH add sulfur ( 20lbs per 1000 sq ft ) to rise the pH add lime ( 50lbs per 1000 sq ft ).

If you wish a free soil test, just drop a few labeled bags at Creative Blossoms from your property and pick them up the next day. If you want a detailed analysis of the nutrients in your soil you can request a private soil test ( for a small fee per area ) with a 3-5 day turn around or you can contact your local Cooperative Extension Service.

The next phase of the class was on soil texture and it must be said here that texture is relative to the plant with sandy soil being best for a cactus because it drains fast and if it was in a clay base dsoil it would get water logged and die from root rot; since, clay drains slower it resist drought better than any other texture but can stay wet way to long following heavy rains like we the one we have had lately. Loamy soil is best because of its semi-firm texture and stays wet evenly which aids in easy rooting, water and fertilizer being absorbed quickly. Most of the time when you hear the word soil its in reference to the topsoil - the first 4-5 inches; however, there is subsoil - below 5 inches - and if you are not able to shovel complete holes in it just half dig holes and run some water into them for a few hours, and the digging will become easier. If you want to make your subsoil lighter and looser, just add compost or other organic matter and it will break down and fluff up the subsoil.

It all starts with the soil pH and texture, plants grow from the bottom up, obviously, and suffer most when placed or began in the wrong soil medium. So the foundation for any good garden or lawn is good, reliable, soil.

Remember: Even if you get a plant for free, give it a $10 hole!

During the past (40?) years we have seen the worth of this Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in the 1972 film classic Deliverance, its breakout role as a piece of riverside foliage, and its best known (scene-stealing) role as a stately old-growth conifer in The Deer Hunter.

With well over 40 movies to its credit, the woody plant died in the blue ridge mountains of North Carolina, on the steep, north-facing slope it called home, of complications relating to adelgid beetles and a recent lightning strike - the tree was planted in 1722; it was 286 and 98ft tall.

Some of its most notable movies and roles were 1974 episode of Gunsmoke as a treacherous mountain-pass fir; 1985 thriller Runaway Train and Three Days of The Condor; 1992's The Last of the Mohicans  as an Adirondack black spruce.

In the 8o's the tree did a series of commercials for Honeycomb as the 'Hideout' and public service announcements for the Smokey Bear campaign.

In 1989, actress, Margot Kidder fell in love with the tree and traveled often to wrap her arms around it and meditate in its shade.

In 1993 the tree won widespread critical praise when it was leaned against by Harrison Ford during a wilderness escape scene in The Fugitive.

More recently it was in Monster's Ball (one of the trees glimpsed through the living room window), HBO miniseries John Adams and in Director M.Night Shyamalan, 2008, film The Happening (tree swaying in the wind #3).

According to its publicist the attorneys for the tree announced that, in accordance with its will, the tree will be carved into (25-30) canoes for underprivileged youths with Robert DeNiro (co-star of Deer Hunter) paying for the shipping of 5 canoes to be placed at various summer camps for the underprivileged in the New York State area.

I will surely miss this most critically acclaimed vegetation,

Perennially,

Plant Hero

Some days I just get so mad at all the junk mail that has accumulated in my mail basket (along with some over due bills) that I could just go off on a marketer!

I know that this is just that way that America does business, but unsolicited this way takes its toll on the environment in several ways and not to mention the mental anguish - losing my keys only to find them in the pile of junk mail, much later.

Well, here is a site that a few of my buds swear by, GreenDimes.com an Eco-friendly site that will stop 90% of your junk mail within 90 Days of signing up!

Contact information will be removed from marketing lists and catalog senders as well as monthly mail lists. Every time a new member signs up, Green Dimes will plant five (5) trees to help aid reforestation.

This is why I accept handbills - fliers - I have a choice to hold on to or discard immediately following reading.

So long for now, I am going to go hug a tree! LOL

Perennially,

Plant Hero

Here's an update on the emergency lawn job 2wks ago - “everything area has new shoots (light green) comming up andeveryone is happy!

Now for the book review -

I once read, somewhere:

          “A home without a library, is like a person without a soul…”

Thats when I began to first get books wherever I could the $1-books (some good stuff), borrow and not return books (better stuff and free), and of course the ones I previewed at the library or book store before actually paying for and taking them home (great stuff and at time costly) and will not lend out to NOBODY!

Book #1 - Silent Spring / Rachel Carson

This classic book gave birth to the modern environmental movement. Carson exposes the hazards of pesticides and other pollution, sounding both a warning and a call to action. I found it to be sad but enlightening and give it three (3) flower pots out of a possilble five (5).

Book #2 - Green Living / eMagazine

From the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine, this book offers a thorough, step-by-step plan to make informed, green choices for every aspect of your life. With advice on everything from planet-friendly cosmetics to home-based renewable energy, and straight talk on hemp, hybrids and of course gardening, Green Living is a great reference for any environmentalist.

I will have reviews next week on actual hands on gardening books. This past week I just wanted to give a foundation to the reviews that will come; why you/everyone should support the earth and not because of a fad. Both of the above books will make you concerned with building strong, healthy home and community.

If you would like to recommend a good or great gardening/environmental read, please leave your review or just the name of the book and author here at the forum.

Until the next review,

Perennialy,

Plan(e)t Hero! - LOL

PH

I am back after working the pass few days on a sod farm in RI - it was a great experience, and learned a lot.

The problem you have, cdepaor/Colin, is a common fungal disease called rose black spot, and here's what you do -

1 - You MUST pick up all of the fallen leaves as well as those about to, and put them into the garbage!

2 - If you have mulch under the plant(s) remove from area and place in garbage and replace with fresh straw - pine straw is best. 

3 - Prune all the plants so that sunshine and fresh air will reach every leaf.

4 - Remember when you water plants, especially roses, don't wet the leaves. 

I would like you, cdepaor/Colin, to really chase this problem away by painting every speckled leaf with my 'Black Spot Mix', thats if you really love roses - it's worth the trouble.

Black Spot Mix -

You'll need 15 tomato leaves, 2 small onions and 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol.

Chop the tomato leaves and onions into minced pieces, and steep in alcohol overnight. Use a small, sponge-type paintbrush to apply the mix to both the tops and bottoms of any infected rose leaves. This will end your problem for the entire summer - just check once a week and apply my 'KO' mixture below whenever it rains heavily.

The plants that are free from the disease should be given my Fungus 'Knock-Out' Mixture.

Knock-Out Mixture -

1/2 cup of molasses, 1/2 cup of powdered milk, 1tsp baking soda, and 1gal of warm water.

Mix molasses/milk/soda into a paste. Place mixture into the toe of  a nylon sock/stocking and let it steep into the 1gal of warm water for 3-4 hours. Strain and place into a sprayer - spray all over your roses and it can be used on your other perennials, too. Use on dry days between rains and repeat every two weeks if you want the best this mix has to offer.   

 I have these roses I've been trying ro rescue. . . They seem to be doing pretty well, but I'm concerned I haven't pruned them as well as I could have, which is one thing, but one of them, which is quite old seemingly, always gets this fungus. Leaves turn yellow with small brown spots. It doesn't pose a mortal threat to the plant, but takes all of the leaves off. While they grow back pretty quickly, I'd love to prevent it in the first place. . . any suggestions?

Thanks so much,

Colin

I have installed over 50 dog runs and involved in setting up numerous others, so when a young lady came to me on the advice of another concerning doggie damage on her landscape I wasn't caught off surprised. Her problem - holes in the lawn and flower beds - was an easy one and told her not to worry soon she will have a beautiful yard and be happy about her dog again!

I have found that a dog will naturally dig where he thinks a bone can be found... and often, as in this instance, I've been right; all due to the fact that most people/companies include bonemeal for use during planting holes in their fertilizer; although, not in large amounts dogs sense of smell is 300-400 times as sharp as ours. To stop them from digging you have use my 'Dog Disapearing Mix', which is made up of a chili powder mixed in fresh soil with some other items - list is available here, upon request or at Creative Blossoms - after a few tries your dog won't even try to dig in those areas he will associate with a burning nose.

So you have to be proactive and switch to another phosphorus-rich fertilizer - seaweed/fish emulsion/rock phosphate - if you have a dog. A  similar problem is when your dog  camps out in an area that you wish he wouldn't. Well, dogs find the scent of bananas disgusting so just divide your peeling between the compost pile and spots where you don't want him to lay around - oh yeah, the potassium richness of the peels feeds the plants/grass and especially roses. The peels can be introduced in various ways, just be creative or I will give you some ideas.

If he insists on sleeping atop of your flowers then get a little rough with him by placing the pruned branches from roses or other thorny plants over the area where you don't want him to sleep.

Doggie yellow spots (burns from the excess nitrogen and salts in urine)in the lawn can be repaired easily if you place some gypsum lighty over the area then oversprsy with 1 cup of baby shampoo to 20 gallons of water. Then a week later take 1/2 can of beer (cheapest), 1/2 can of any regular cola (not diet) and 1/2 cup of ammonia; mix together in your 20 gallon hose-end sprayer and spray the area(s) to the point of super soaking.

And remember to remove asap your dogs waste from the lawn/yard there are parasites in it that  can make you sick - even if dried up!

So long for now, and remember my gardening (?) books review will begin this week!