LOOK UP! . . . PREPARE NOW FOR PLANT SALES . . .  

 SUCCEED IN "HELL STRIP GARDENING"  

BY BRENDA BEUST SMITH

So many great notes have come in from readers, this "Potpourri" column's a Tip o' the Trowel to all of you:

 

* IRA GERVAIS.  Followup to the  "Avocado" report last week: In the Galveston County Master Gardener's demonstration orchard, this year so far, their 6-year-old Mexicola avocado has produced 47.5 pounds of fruit, the largest harvest to date.

*  NANCY KUYKENDALL's gorgeous picture (left above) of golden raintrees in full yellow color reminds all of us to look up!

So often the striking yellow blooms atop these prolific trees are as ethereal and translucent as Rackman's fairies against the bright blue autumn skies. But, always, eyes start popping when the vibrant peachy-pink seed pods begin to appear . . . as they soon will.   

I've written about these often ("My Raintree Is Blooming!). But I need to add a PS to this particular column link.

This raintree died. I was afraid it would.  We planted it right over a spot where a huge oak tree had died.  I should have known better. Learn from my stupid mistake.

Tree trunks decay in unpredictable stages at unpredictable rates, depending on a multitude of conditions, most of which we can not possibly determine from above ground. These decaying processes pull more nitrogen out of the soil than others.  

Subsequent stages return it to the soil. However, for the period that the nitrogen is being used, other plants may suffer from a nitrogen deficiency, and this can spell major problems for new plants trying to establish strong root systems. This is why, for example, you should never use mulch that is still even partially fresh. 

The problem is, of course, we often have no way of knowing whether or not there is dead tree trunk under a particular section. Just remember, if a plant dies for no apparent reason at all, this may be a possible cause.

* JOLIE JONES wrote her neighborhood is planning a spring plant sale, and wondered which plants will do best if potted up now, which should be dug right before the sale, and which can be sold bare rooted. 

Ironically, I also just got an email from Alice Hurlburt, listing plants that will be sold by the Bolivar Peninsula Garden Club in their booth at the Jane Long Festival, Sat., Oct. 10, at Fort Travis Seashore Park. (www.janelongfestival.org). 

Since these all needed prep for a plant sale, they're good examples.  Taking a very jejune approach to what is in reality a broad range of propagating possibilities:

  Bolivar Peninsula Garden Club members picked good share-able varieties for their plant sale booth
at Saturday's 2015 Jane Long Festival -  l to r, giant white spider lilies (hymenocallis), cannas,
mother-in-law's tongue, kalanchoes and morning glory tree.

-- GIANT WHITE SPIDER LILIES (hymenocallis). These and other bulbs & bulb-like plants (amaryllis and other lily-like bulbs) can be dug right before the sale, washed off, dried, the greenery cut back and sold. 

-- CANNAS & PLAIN/VARIEGATED MOTHER-IN-LAW'S TONGUE (snake plant), . Dig and separate individual plants. You'll see a long thick root (rhizome/tuber) with individual plants spouting upward. Cut it up with scissors. Try to have already sprouted roots in each rhizome/tuber section. Can be planted or sold dried.

-- KALANCHOES.  Like DAYLILIES, these multiply with closely-growing "plantlets" with roots attached at the base of each new plantlet. Dig the clump and just divide the plantlets, making sure there are roots on all the separated sections. Since you have a lot of advance time, Jolie, you can also pop off kalanchoe leaves, stick them in soil and they'll sprout roots.  

It won't hurt daylilies, by the way, to stay out of soil for a while. I was once given some prize daylilies. Put them in the trunk of my car and literally forgot about them that whole blistering hot summer.  When I re-discovered them in the fall, I quickly planted them. They're still blooming and that was decades ago. These can be set out dried on your sale table.

-- GOURD &  ASSYRIAN CUCUMBER SEED. Well-dried seeds can be laid out in a bowl, but it's helpful to put them in individual zip plastic bags labelled as to type and planting conditions needed 

-- GIANT TURK'S CAPS . . . PENCIL PLANTS . . .  MORNING GLORY BUSH. Plants with leaves growing  up and down the branches are easily started from cuttings. You can charge more if you start them now so they have some new growth.

Everywhere a leaf comes out above ground, a root MIGHT come out below the soil.

Take cuttings with at least 5-7 leaf nodes. Treat with rooting hormone (dust or liquid). Plant some in soil, try others in water. Those you start in soil should have at least 3 nodes under the soil.

If starting early isn't possible, cut right before sale, wrap bottom of cuttings with a damped paper towel and seal (as much as possible) in a labeled zip plastic bag.  Be sure to label them "fresh-cut cuttings."  

Hope this helps and that both your sale, Jolie, and the Bolivar Peninsula Garden Club's Oct. 10 Jane Long Festival plant sale booth are big successes.  

If you'd like to ask about preparing any other plants for sales or just to share/spread, email me at lazygardener@sbcglobal.net.

* THANKS TO ALL OF YOU who wrote to say that my spring flowering amaryllis that rebloomed this this fall

is, yes, unusual but not unheard of.  I feel better . . . sort of.  Would have been fun to have had something really unusual. Sigh.

* Prairie Heritage Day is Sat., Nov., 7 and not November 8 as published last week.

*  *  *

IN OUR SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE BELOW, Gaye Hammond, one of the guest lecturers at the big upcoming Houston Rose Society's 2015 Rose-a-Palooza, gives a preview of her take on a problem almost every gardener faces - spots where plants just don't want to grow.

Gaye, a national rose lecturer and repeat LG&F Spotlight contributor, is a Past President of the Houston Rose Society and actively involved at this time in Rose Trials at the American Rose Center in Shreveport as well as here in Houston and other in-state "Earth-Kind" test sites.  

The Sat., Oct. 24 Rose-a-Palooza's at the Harris County AgriLife Extension Auditorium, 3033 Bear Creek Park Drive,  opens with an educational program featuring Dr. Brent Pemberton on the rose industry "Then, Now & The Future"; Donald Burger on "Chemical Safety in the Home Garden" and Paul Winski review "Rose & Plant Trials in Harris County."

Workshops will focus on rooting rose cuttings (Deanna Krause) and simple arrangements (Robin Hough). Oct.17 is registration deadline for lectures & workshops: houstonrose.org.   

Converting a 20-inch strip of weeds to a beautiful productive landscape added curb appeal to this residence.        

HELL STRIP GARDENING

GROWING PLANTS WHERE PLANTS DON'T WANT TO GROW

Let's face it.  All landscapes have at least one spot where plants just don't want to grow.  Whether that spot is the narrow strip of grass between the curb and the sidewalk, a utility easement at the back of your property, or a spot adjacent to a structure or fence where plants just don't thrive....it's a hell strip.

In my experience, ninety-nine percent of the time the factors creating a hell strip are environmental.  

This means geographical, physical or mechanical conditions are at play that negatively impact the physiology of plants.  These factors include an increased heat load, heated wind caused by passing vehicles, poor soils, ineffective irrigation, soil compaction, too much water or rainwater runoff, inadequate sized root zone, too much or not enough sunlight for the plants selected and poor drainage.   

And then there's the 'mystery' cause - lying underground where you can't see it that prevents any plant you try from growing in that specific spot.

 Identifying the factor(s) that cause your hell strip is the first step in solving your landscape woes. Many times the factors causing the hell strip can be identified using things you probably have in your kitchen, garage or even the closet.   

For example, an empty tuna fish can is perfect to gauge the amount of water being applied to a landscape planting.  A strip of butcher paper or parchment paper can help determine the amount of direct sunlight a spot in the landscape receives.

To test the amount of sunlight, lay a roll of butcher paper out across the yard (or a section of the yard) and draw lines across the shadows with a sharpie marker, noting the time when you drew the line, at the end of the day you will be able to calculate how much direct sunlight each section receives and what time of day that occurs.

Most people do not realize the impact that fences, eaves, trees and the house next door or trees along the perimeter of their property have on the amount of direct sunlight their plants really receive.  They think that because they look out in the back yard and it is sunny that means there is enough sunlight to grow plants anywhere in the yard.

This exercise would be most appropriate when landscape plans are being done, or when new beds are anticipated.  This helps the homeowner know where the best place for those planting beds might be.  

Unfortunately, most of the time we end up doing this exercise because a homeowner is having trouble with plants that should be full and lush be tall and whimpy and plagued with pests or disease because the plants chosen are not getting enough sunlight.

Once the cause is identified, corrective measures can be implemented to tame the hell strip and make it a productive part of the landscape.  According to Gaye, "As with any landscaping project the right plant for the right spot is a must and we will look at locally adapted plants that are perfect additions for these really tough growing conditions."

Send questions to Gaye at gayeh@LPM-triallaw.com