Dear Friends,

Here is the fifth issue of our weekly gardening newsletter for Houston, the Gulf Coast and beyond. This a project of The Lazy Gardener, Brenda Beust Smith and John Ferguson and Mark Bowen of Nature's Way Resources. We also have a great cast of contributors writers who will chime in regularly. We would love to keep receiving your input on this newsletter . . . comments . . . suggestions . . . questions . . Email your thoughts to: lazygardenerandfriends@gmail.com. Thanks so much for your interest.

Please .

Enjoy!

                           

 

                             TOUGH LADIES, MORE HUSBAND

                          TALES AND BLOOMING TREASURES!

                                    By BRENDA BEUST SMITH

 

Bauhinia-combo

 

 

 

Bottlebrush & Fringe Tree

 

 

April 13: 10 - 11:30am. Go Organic with John Ferguson of Nature's Way Resources. Come hear John talk about how to improve your soil and make your garden grow better. Location: Maas Nursery, 5511 Todville Road, Seabrook, 281-474-2488, http://maasnursery.com/coming-events/future-events/

April 13:  Memorial Northwest Ladybugs Garden Club Annual Garage and Plant Sale: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at 17814 Shadow Valley Drive, Spring, TX  77379. Please assist   the Ladybugs Garden Club, a non-profit organization and help raise funds for many deserving community projects. 

 

April 28: American Hibiscus Society/Lone Star Chapter Show and Sale, 1-4 p.m. 

 

                      MULCHING PITFALLS

 

                      BY JOHN FERGUSON

 

 

This week we continue with gardening issues

associated with mulch.

 

Remember that many types of mulch develop various types of fungus on its surface as it decays. A few common types are artillery fungus, bird's nest fungus, slime molds, puff balls, toadstools, mushrooms and others. Visible signs of fungus are often the fruiting spores and are beneficial to the soil and plant health.

 

For example, fungi known as the Stinkhorn Fungus (Phallus impudicus) is often found growing on low quality mulches with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio (e.g. mulches that or dyed red or black and ashen mulches). It may start as an egg shaped mass to a stalk covered with slime coated head. This fungus deserves its name as it often has a strong odor similar to that of rotten meat. The fungi produce this strong odor to attract flies and other insects. As the insects crawl on the slime they pick up fungal spores that they carry and spread to other locations. This fungus is most often found during warm moist conditions in the summer and is actually hard at work breaking down the organic matter in the mulch into a form that plants and other microbes can use.

 

In rare cases large amounts of organic matter may actually increase disease rather than suppress it. The process in which this occurs is not fully understood. The soil environment is changed by the organic material, a rapid growth of the microbial population occurs using up all the available oxygen (O) and producing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the process. This happens when the material is compressed (compacted) or so saturated with water that air movement is restricted. Under these conditions disease organisms would have an advantage for a short while.

 

Pitfalls of Mulching

 

As the popularity and benefits of mulch have become better known, mulched landscapes are very common. However, using mulch is a science; not an automatic guarantee of successful gardening. Misuse of mulch, ranging from improper mulch choices to misapplication, may lead to problems. Problems using mulches may occur when recommended horticultural practices and procedures are not followed.

 

A question we often hear is, "What really happens if I use cheap or bad mulch?"  Another statement we often hear is, "I do not see any difference, why should I pay more?" or "I can get it cheaper down the street at your competitor." At the same time, we often here these same people complain about all the weeds they have and the excessive time they spent weeding, or how much money and time they spent at the doctor's office for illness or allergic reaction related to the herbicides they used to spray the weeds or other chemicals that may be present in the mulch.

 

The following guidelines will help to ensure success:

 

Mulch choices and practices vary depending on many factors like climate, plant species, age of plants, soil type, location, watering practices and others. These factors vary regionally (state to state) but can also vary in a single backyard.

 

Heavy mulch around certain plant species, during extreme wet conditions can hold too much moisture. This adverse condition typically occurs in plants adapted to dry conditions (cactus, mesquite, etc.).

 

If mulch is applied against the bark at the base of some woody plants it can lead to stem rot. Some people recommend that for Hosta's, mulch should be applied right up to the crowns but not over them or touching them (allow a small gap for air to circulate). Remember that in a forest, the leaf and twig litter (i.e. mulch) is thick under the leaf canopy but becomes very thin at the base of the trunk, hence this is how mulch is to be applied (i.e. copy nature).

 

Covering the soil with mulch too early in the season with certain vegetable species can hold them back by keeping the soil too cool (it helps other species grow faster and produce more). When using any soil amendment (compost, mulch, fertilizer, etc.) one must understand the cultural requirement of the species of plant being grown to get the best results.

 

If some types of mulches are applied deeper than 4", feeder roots often grow into the mulch layer. Later, a disturbance of the mulch or drying out of coarse mulch layers may injure or kill these feeder roots.

 

Always go look at mulch before you order. Sometimes people have a visual image in their mind about what they want, and very frequently they use terminology incorrectly. Also in different areas of the country words and terminology are used differently. As a result consumers will place an order, only to be disappointed in the results when it is delivered.

 

Also many dealers and producers will use incorrect or misleading terminology. Some suppliers/dirt yards sell products that use words like "Black" and "Humus" in their names. These products are often made from fresh pine bark fines, do not contain any humus, and are chemically burned to turn it black by adding very alkaline chemicals (i.e. it is mixed with boiler ash which is very alkaline and contains high levels of salts). Other dealers will grind up old pallets, scrap wood, trees, etc. and mix it with fly ash or bottom ash then sell it as a black hardwood mulch, humus mulch, etc. These type products are very poor mulch choices and are often toxic to many plants. People use them, but when the plants get sick and die, they think "I just do not have a green thumb." People buy them because they are often sold at bargain prices...but they are not very cost effective.

                    

 

 

   

APRIL

This month, you really should . . .

* Move orchids outside in shady spots. Use in baskets, or hang from fences, limbs or walls.

* If necessary, prune spring-blooming shrubs, such as azaleas, quince, wisteria, forsythia

and climbing roses after flowers fade. Don't plant wisteria near trees!

* Keep grafted roses well watered, but make sure none of your water runs off into the sewers.

(Fertilizers & other lawn chemicals are damaging our bayous & Galveston Bay).

* Feed all container plants. Feed hibiscus with hibiscus food or a low phosphorus fertilizer.

* Plant caladiums in slightly acidic soil with good drainage.

* Plant new shrubs before it gets any hotter and keep newly set-out plants well watered.

* Cut flowers to extend blooming season.

* Pinch tips from coleus, copper plants to make them bushier.

If the spirit moves . . .

* Fertilize azaleas, magnolias, hydrangeas, irises with azalea food.

* Plant Easter lily bulbs in the garden after they finish blooming inside.

* Consider ornamental grasses in among your flowers. These add eye-interest by providing

varied leaf textures and shapes. Nurseries carry many new varieties now.

* Water, mow often to make St. Augustine fill in dead areas more quickly.

* Plant bush beans, cantaloupe, cucumbers, eggplants (plants), peas, peppers, pumpkins,

squash, watermelon. Put in large, well-established tomatoes so they bear fruit quickly.

* Seed bare sunny areas with fast growers such as cosmos, tithonia and other sunflowers.

* In the water garden, fertilize hardy lilies after they start to grow. If they aren't blooming

as well as they used to, they may need dividing and repotting.

If you're really feeling energetic . . .

* Start an herb garden with basil, chamomile, mints, thyme, sage. Plant basil and chives

around plants susceptible to whitefly. Plant squash on small hills to discourage problems.

* For larger caladium leaves, remove the largest "eye" or bud.

* Give tomatoes a light feeding of nitrogen when fruits are golf-ball size.

* Mulch tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. Newspaper under mulch slows weeds.

* Try shredded sandpaper, crushed egg shells and/or seaweed at base of plants

to discourage snails/slugs. (Better yet, get rid of plants eaten by snails/slugs.)

* Check with County Extension Agents about pecan grafting workshops this month.

Great Don't-Do tips for really Lazy Gardeners

* Don't panic over silky white webs on tree trunks. Bark lice - good bugs at work!

* Don't treat for problems before you see actual damage. (See Insect Removal, Page 29).

* Don't seed bluebonnets or most other wildflowers now. Put in plants. Plant seeds in fall.

* Don't remove spent foliage from amaryllis, daffodils, irises, lilies. Let it die naturally.

* Don't overfertilize. Leaf spots, dark areas on older plants may result.

* Don't overwater. Leaf drop can result. (Also is a sign of underwatering!)

* Don't plant larkspur, hollyhocks, stocks, delphiniums or snapdragons now. It's too hot.

                                     

The monthly gardening activities information above was excerpted from "The LAZY GARDENER'S GUIDE." See below to find out how to get the complete guide:

"THE LAZY GARDENER'S GUIDE ON CD" - Specifically for Houston Area gardens - WHAT TO DO EACH MONTH - when to fertilize, prune, plant what where, best plants for sun, shade, butterflies, hummingbirds,etc. Based on Brenda's quirky 40+ year Houston Chronicle Lazy Gardener column. PDF format, print out only the month you need.  $20 total, checks payable to Brenda B. Smith. Mail to: Lazy Gardener's Guide on CD, 14011 Greenranch Dr., Houston, TX 77039-2103.

How do I use compost to improve my lawn?

Answer: This is a great time of year to topdress lawns with finished compost. Good finished compost (from the backyard compost pile or a good commercial source) can work wonders when applied/sprinkled on top of your lawn at a 1/2-3/4" thickness level. It is important to keep the layer applied thin enough so the grass does not get smothered. Also, it is essential to use compost that is not too hot (hot rather than warm to the touch) or that has too high of a salt content (as is the case with mushroom compost and most composts that are poultry or cow manure based). 

By adding a compost topdressing this spring, you will be supplying essential macro and micro nutrients to your soil and grass. You will be providing a wide variety of microbes that will help improve the health of your soil, that will help make nutrients available to your plants and that will help fight off diseases and in some cases pests.

Additionally, the compost will help your soil maintain adequate moisture levels during droughts and will help your soil maintain adequate aeration levels so that excess moisture during heavy rain periods can be shed and that adequate oxygen levels can be maintained to avoid disease problems.

The one situation to avoid when composting would be applying a compost topdressing to low lying lawn areas with a history of brown patch disease problems. Compost does contain microbes that help fight brown patch. However, since compost is spongy by nature, it will hold more moisture than is ideal in low areas. For this reason, it is best to re-grade low lawn areas by raising them with sandy loam topsoil so that excess water can spread out rather than sitting in the low areas causing oxygen deficient conditions that are conducive to brown patch growth. Once the low areas have been raised so that they are level with the surrounding lawn areas, then you can go ahead and add a topdressing of compost about two to three weeks after re-grading to give your existing grass or new sod a chance to come out of shock and start actively growing. 

Keep in mind when re-grading low lawn areas, you can sprinkle sandy loam topsoil down at a thickness of up to 3/4 of an inch without smothering existing grass. For areas that need to be raised more than 3/4 of an inch, you are probably better off removing any existing grass and then raising the area with sandy loam topsoil, compacting the area and then re-sodding with the sod you removed or new sod. 

Yours in gardening,