Easter lilies|Clippings newsletter

News-April

"Clippings"

Hi,

Spring finally has arrived here in New Jersey. Still a little early to plant vegetables, but in the past two weeks we have cleaned up the garden, pruned roses, and put a truckload of aged horse manure/compost down, and dragged all the houseplants out to the shed.

What's next? Plant perennials, biennials/ sow seeds marked "As early in the spring as the ground can be worked." Set my spent Easter lilies in the garden. Check out "Starting Your Seeds" if you missed last months newsletter.

Happy Gardening!
Barbara

Flower of the Month- Easter Lily

Easter Lily - (Lillum longifolium)

The Easter lily when planted outdoors should survive and bloom year after year in early to midsummer.

Tips-

As the flowers as they fade on the potted plant.

When all the flowers are gone, keep the stem and leaves intact until they turn yellow. The reason for this is to replenish the bulb for next year's flowers.

When ready to transplant the bulb outdoors, be sure it is in a well-drained and sunny spot. Lilies do not like to have wet feet. They will rot if they do.

Since lily flowers cluster at the top of a tall stem. Plant them in the middle or in the back of the flower bed so nearby plants can soften the bare stalk and keep the lily roots cool. Easter lilies are about 3 feet tall. Last year I had one that grew almost 6 foot tall. It must be all that compost and horse manure.

Have a Great Spring Garden Even In Drought

In many parts of the country, consumers are desperate for plants that will make their gardens shine, in spite of water restrictions. The secret is selecting plants that are naturally not thirsty.

Many of our own native plants, water-storing cactus and succulents for example, have evolved over time to tolerate dry conditions. Typically such plants are found in areas with strong light, good air circulation, and poor soil such as parts of the Southwest. Often they display one or more adaptations, including deep taproots or shallow but wide-reaching root systems to maximize the chance of finding water, gray green waxy or hairy leaf coverings, or reduced leaf surface to cut down on water loss through transpiration.

Prudent gardeners select companion plants with similar water needs, both in the landscape and in containers. In either location, avoid rich soil and fertilizer that encourages soft, water-thirsty growth. The trick is to keep young plants watered during the first two to four weeks while they become established, and after that they will be fine. After planting, spreading a layer of gravel or organic mulch on top of the soil will help reduce surface water loss through evaporation.

To try low-water planting in your own garden, here are a few suggestions:

* Top your list with “Diamond Frost” euphorbia, an easy-care, deer-resistant plant from Proven Winners. Its 10- to 12-inch-tall, mounded plants can reach up to 2 feet across. Even in extreme heat they sparkle with clouds of airy self-cleaning flowers all season long; in frost-free climes they are evergreen. In containers water “Diamond Frost” as little as once a week, but when planted in the ground it seldom needs additional water, even during very dry spells.

* Self-cleaning Cuphea llavea “Totally Tempted” displays a profusion of 1-inch wide, lavender-throated, fiery red blooms that attract hummingbirds throughout the season.

* Chrysocephalum apiculatum, “Flambe Yellow” and “Flambe Orange” are Australian shrubs that sport clusters of brilliant yellow or orange knobs of flowers at the end of silver-hairy trailing stems.

Try a large container with shrubby shiny-leaved ”Petit Bleu” Caryopteris as the "thriller," surrounded with ”Diamond Frost” and ”Flambe Yellow” or ”Flambe Orange” spilling over the edges.

* Another good trailer for containers or as a ground cover is Lantana, “Luscious Grape.” The new low-water, heat tolerant selection with heads of large bright purple flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. The leaves have a strong fragrance or odor, depending on your nose. Their rough-to-the-touch surface cuts water evaporation. Pair this with 2- to 4-inch tall lavender pink Cleome “Senorita Rosalita” and ”Diamond Frost” for a long-blooming designer-look.

While periods of dry weather are nothing new, the frequency and degree of drought that certain regions are experiencing are critical. We may need to confine our old favorite annuals to containers where they can be babied, possibly with recycled household water. Change is always unsettling, but gardeners must adapt their mindset and search for plants that laugh at the sun. The palette is broader than we think.
Written by ARAcontent

Columbine from the garden of Sue Fischer, TN.

Fact - Just plain vinegar applied with a spray bottle can kill many common leafy weeds. Try to get a high percent acidity. If it is around 5 percent acidity you may have to do a few times. Be careful that you do not spray your good flowers.

Have a tip, picture, or article to share??
Send to bchick@myorganicflowers.com