Rocks at the bottom of your container is ineffective and doesn't improve drainage

To save you time, money and perhaps your plants, I want to share what I learned from perusing The Truth About Garden Remedies by Jeff Gilman. One chapter examines watering and which products and old time ideas make the task easier for gardeners. Antitranspirants, gravel, hydrogels, and sponges in the soil proved ineffective.

An antitranspirant is a wax coating sprayed onto leaves/needles to clog its pores. Oftentimes, it's recommended to apply an antitranspirant to evergreens before winter to reduce its risk of drying out. Gilman reports that the antitranspirant worked for a couple of days and by the end of the week was ineffective. However, applying an antitranspirant to large trees prior to transplanting has shown some benefits.

Hydrogels is a synthetic granule that can be used in containers or directly in the soil. The product can hold over 600 times their weight in water, but what Gilman discovered is that the water isn't necessarily released to the plants. Some hydrogels were somewhat useful, but didn't work on a consistent basis. 

Placing gravel or rocks at the bottom of a pot also doesn't help with drainage. It's best to fill the entire pot with potting soil.  Using sponges in the soil, like hydrogels, didn't increase the amount of water available to the plants either.

A proper watering technique helps ensure plant health and less watering.  For all things green, these tidbits apply:

• Plant correctly.  Don't plant too deep or to shallow. The root crown should be even to just slightly above the soil level.
• Water less frequently and deeply. Shallow watering results in shallow roots which equals more watering.
• Water in the morning. Avoid getting the leaves wet, if you must water in the evening. Wet leaves at night invite fungal infections.
• Do not water with a sprinkler during the heat of the day or on a windy day. Much of that water evaporates before hitting the soil.
• Apply an organic mulch to retain water in the soil.

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 Order Info on The Truth About Garden Remedies: What Works, What Doesn't and Why

A chartreuse or deep green colored plant, like 'Garden Glow' dogwood or clethera contrasts nicely with the color of Little Devil.

New to the market is a compact, deep burgundy colored ninebark named Little Devil TM. 

Scientifically known as Physocarpus opulifolius 'Donna May', Little Devil will grow to 3-4' wide and tall, making it smaller than 'Summer Wine'. The smaller size than its parent, Diablo, makes it a great choice for smaller gardens and front foundation plantings.

The red-purple foliage is offset by white-pink flowers in June. This ninebark requires full sun and is hardy to zone 3.

To Do List for June

1. Raise your mower height to encourage deeper, longer grass roots. Grass should be longer than 2 ½ inches.
2. Prune lilacs after they are done blooming this month.
3. Apply nitrogen to lawn grasses. The cooler than normal temperatures and adequate to abundant rainfall for parts of Minnesota means vigorous lawn growth which depleted at least some of the available nitrogen in the soil. Most lawns will benefit from an additional ½ pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet applied in early to mid-June. 

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