Organic Gardening vs. Conventional Gardening

 

Sorry that I didn’t post yesterday…my son had a birthday party to go to and we didn’t make it home until late. I thought that I would make it up by posting today instead.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about organic gardening versus the conventional way of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. My personal philosophy revolves around working with the natural cycles that Ma Nature has laid down well before my existence on this planet. I am an environmentalist with a little e, not an Environmentalist with a big E. To me, the difference between the two is that the big E folks tend to treat the earth almost like a religion. I prefer to put my belief system in God and his Son Jesus Christ. If you’re thinking that perhaps I’ve gone off on a tangent, you’re right…the more you get to know me, the more you’ll understand that’s a tendency of mine. My environmental stance is that we should leave the world a better place than we found it for our children and grandchildren. That means that we shouldn’t carelessly apply fertilizers and chemicals without realizing their repercussions.

Many gardeners will apply nitrogen based fertilizer in the spring and then wonder why they have aphids literally sucking the life out of their plants. Or they’ll treat their plants with imidacloprid and then wonder why they have an explosion of spider mites. The answer to both of these problems is that there is an imbalance. In the fertilizer example, the plants are growing at such a fast rate that they invite aphids to take them over. Aphids love fresh new succulent growth and by applying high nitrogen fertilizer, you have pushed the plants past their normal level of growth which triggers the aphid infestation. With the imidacloprid, you have successfully killed off the insects (six legs) that were troublesome but you have opened Pandora’s box for spider mites (eight legs) because there are no longer any natural predators to keep the mite population in check.

What would have happened if you wouldn’t have put down any more nitrogen in the spring? Unless you have very poor soil, the plants would have flushed out from their winter dormancy and probably done very well. If there was a nutritional deficiency, there’s a magic soil amendment that would have taken care of it…COMPOST! If we as gardeners would focus more on feeding the soil instead of feeding the plants, our results would be amazing. But instead, we see that the plant looks a little yellow so we put down fertilizer on everything. Or worse, we fertilize every spring because that’s what we’ve always done. Another thing that we could do instead of fertilizing is take a soil sample and determine the pH of the soil. Many nutrients, including iron, are unavailable at certain pHs and that can make your plants look chlorotic.

What would have happened if you didn’t apply imidacloprid to your willow oaks to treat for scale? If you noticed the problem before the temperatures were above 80 degrees, you could have applied dormant horticultural oil which would have smothered the scale. One of the attractive features of imidacloprid is that it has residual activity since it is taken up by the tree into the phloem. If an insect feeds on it after the chemical has been applied, then the insect is also consuming the insecticide. But on the flip side of things, can you see the problem that this presents? All of the predatory insects are also killed and as a result, you have an explosion of spider mites that you now have to contend with.

Now I have to admit, I spray glyposhate based products such as RoundUp or RazorPro to deal with weeds and I’ll use MiracleGro on plants that are showing nitrogen deficiencies. But I only do these things after I have determined that the real problem isn’t something else that is manifesting itself as a deficiency. And I’ll add compost to the soil to try to fix the real problem…soil fertility. Again, it’s not a plant fertility problem, it’s a soil fertility problem.

I’ve been learning a lot about permaculture lately and Jack Spirko from The Survival Podcast has been my primary source of education. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a daily podcast that he produces on a wide array of topics from gardening to food storage to prepping. The founder of permaculture, Bill Mollison has described permaculture as “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system”. I think that’s a pretty accurate description of how we should see any gardening that we do. Whether you enjoy vegetable gardening, woody plants, herbaceous perennials or annuals, we need to see the system as a whole, instead of just its parts. By doing this, we can ensure that our children and grandchildren are left with a planet that can sustain them and many generations to come.

I’d love to hear how you’ve incorporated organic gardening principles into your landscapes. Or perhaps you haven’t and can’t see a reason to start doing so…I love a good debate and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave them in the comment section below or e-mail me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy gardening!

December 10, 2011Permalink 2 Comments

Reader Question: Free Plant Catalogs

 

A reader sent me a question wondering if I had a list of free plant catalogs that I could pass along. It just so happens that I do so that is what we’ll talk about today. Just click on the link and you too can have a mailbox full of free plant information in a couple of weeks! You may think that it’s awfully early to be thinking of starting seeds but in 6 to 8 weeks in Zone 7, it will be time to start tomatoes and peppers! Yeah!

 

I will be updating this list as I think of other resources. If you know a free catalog that I missed, please leave a comment in the comment section below or e-mail me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy planning!

December 8, 2011Permalink 3 Comments

Plant Profile: Hollywood Juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’)

 

Today’s plant profile is on the Hollywood Juniper, otherwise known as Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’. While we’re on names, it also goes by Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuka’ so don’t be confused if you see it listed as this at your local nursery.

The Hollywood Juniper is a fast growing large shrub or small tree that tops out around 15′ tall and 10′ wide. With selective pruning, you can keep it smaller to fit a particular area such as a corner of a house. Its bluish-green color lends itself to many backgrounds, including brick walls and houses as well as fences and siding. It has an interesting twisting habit with two to three leaders. If you like your garden to be perfectly symmetrical, this is not the plant for you. But if you enjoy a more whimsical, natural landscape, this plant can fit into almost any garden.

Hollywood Juniper derives its common name from its popularity in Los Angeles area gardens but it is perfectly at home in the Mid-Atlantic gardening region as well. Thriving in full sun, it is content with minimal water once established. Its boastful branches maintain their bluish-green color throughout the winter and don’t turn purple in cold weather as some junipers do. Hollywood Juniper is cold hardy through Zone 5 (-20°F) so it comes through the other side of Mid-Atlantic winters unscathed.

When siting it in the landscape, care should be taken to not locate it under eaves where snow falling from the roof in sheets could land. Some snow here and there falling isn’t a problem but if you have a particularly steep roof slope that sheets of snow descend from, pick another area of the garden to display this beauty. The Hollywood Juniper makes a beautiful specimen in the landscape but it can also be used as a privacy hedge or windbreak as well. It is salt tolerant so for all of you coastal folks, this makes a particularly adaptable shrub. And it’s deer resistant as well. The only real cultural requirement that this plant has is its need for well-drained soil. Don’t place it in a low or consistently wet area or you’ll end up with an Addams Family juniper.

Birds enjoy the evergreen foliage and can often be found nesting in the protective branches during the winter. It sports small blue berries in the winter months that add to its attractiveness to birds. Hollywood Juniper is practically bulletproof when it comes to pests and diseases. If planted in well-drained soil, you shouldn’t have any issues with root rot or other scourges.

Now I must confess that I generally despise junipers as a whole. There are only two that I can tolerate and they are the Hollywood Juniper and the Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Perhaps it is due to the volume of junipers I have encountered in my professional career or the vast quantities of bermudagrass that tend to rear their ugly heads through patches of juniper…either way, I am not a fan of junipers with these two exceptions. The Hollywood Juniper is truly a gem that stands out in a sea of otherwise overused species and cultivars. I’d love to hear how you’ve used Hollywood Juniper in your landscape…leave me a comment in the section below or send me an e-mail at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy gardening!

 

December 7, 2011Permalink 1 Comment

Pests and Diseases: Rose Rosette Disease

 

It is with great sadness that I discuss our topic today: Rose Rosette Disease. You see I fear that the glorious Knockout series of roses may follow the same doomed fate as that of the ubiquitous red tips (Photinia). As I’m sure that you’re aware, red tips have been planted ad nauseum in millions of landscapes around the country; when one particular species is planted in such quantity it is referred to as monoculture. When monoculture occurs, it is very easy for a pest or disease to come in and decimate the overplanted plant. In the case of red tips, a fungal leaf spot known as Entomosporium is the culprit. In the case of my beloved Knockout roses, the causal agent is a virus known as Rose Rosette Disease.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ROSE ROSETTE DISEASE (RRD)?

If you’re like me, when I check Web M.D. or another medical website, I like to skip right to the symptoms to see if they fit my particular ailment so that’s what we’ll do here. By far and away the most tell-tale sign is a witches broom appearance on the new growth. If you’re not familiar with what a witches broom is, the best way I can describe it is it’s like a really compact, version of the plant itself. Here is a picture that is on the Virginia Cooperative Extension website in case my words didn’t do the description justice. Often times the witches broom is bright red in color on the Knockouts and resembles a bouquet of flowers. Another give away symptom is that of excessive thorniness and extremely flexible new growth…so flexible that you can tie a knot in the stem. If you see either or both of these symptoms, you can rest assured that you have the dreaded Rose Rosette Disease.

 

SO WHAT CAUSES ROSE ROSETTE DISEASE?

There is a tiny, microscopic mite that is 1/100 inch long that is known as the eriophyid mite. It is this rinky dinky little arthropod that threatens to remove the Knockout roses from my gardening palette. Notice I said my garden palette, not the garden palette. These mites transmit the virus that cause RRD…now take a guess how they get from one area to another. They blow along in the wind or hop a ride on an unknowing bird or insect. The frustrated part of me thinks “how am I supposed to fight that? Should I put a bubble around the roses or stick them in a vacuum chamber?” Realistically, all you can do is hope that this miserable little mite doesn’t find his way into your garden.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO LESSEN THE CHANCES OF RRD AFFECTING YOUR ROSES?

  1.  Buy clean stock. Even if you see a killer deal at the end of the season in your garden center, don’t buy it if you see any of the above mentioned symptoms.
  2. Work cleanly. When pruning your roses, sterilize your pruners often and certainly between shrubs. RRD can also be spread by pruning cuts so make sure that you take care not to inoculate your own shrubs with this lethal disease.
  3. Avoid planting cultivated roses near areas that contain the wild multiflora roses. Your approach could be to remove the wild roses as they serve as inoculum for the disease. Or if you know that wild multiflora are in the area, you could avoid planting the Knockouts at all (that thought makes me sad).
  4. If you observe RRD on your plants, you must remove and bag the infected roses. Don’t try to compost them or let them ride in the back of your truck on the way to the landfill…you’ll just be spreading your misery to other gardeners who live along the path to the landfill.
  5. There’s always chemical control but that’s not a philosophy that I really buy into. My theory with plants is that they will either live or die trying. To me, it’s easier to just remove the roses and count your losses.

 

I should note that RRD affects other types of roses but I’m most concerned about the Knockout roses. They are an absolutely delightful plant to cultivate and they reward you many times over what you invest in them. I am as guilty as the 1990′s landscaper who installed red tips at every job. I use them in almost every landscape I design and I realize that I need to curb my enthusiasm so that I don’t add to the monoculture of Knockouts. But it’s a really hard plant to replace…what other shrub blooms from April to December, doesn’t require spraying, and is as beautiful as a rose? If you have any ideas, please e-mail me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com or leave me a comment below. Happy rose gardening!

December 6, 2011Permalink 9 Comments

Did You Know? Mulch Calculator

 

Today’s “Did You Know” post will be about figuring out the amount of mulch you need for a given area…it’s a mulch calculator, if you will. Since the leaves have fallen, a lot of people will be applying their winter layer of mulch and putting their gardens to bed for the winter. There seems to be confusion about how much mulch it takes to cover a given area so I thought that I would give you some helpful conversions.

FIRST THINGS FIRST…DETERMINING YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE

The first thing you’ll need to do is measure the area. If the bed is a square or rectangle, multiply the length times the width to come up with the square footage (ft2). Example: your bed measures 20′ long by 6.5′ wide. 20 × 6.5 = 130 ft2.

If it’s more of a triangular area, try to figure the area as if it’s a square or rectangle and then divide it in half. Remember, you’re not in geometry class, you’re just trying to come up with the square footage.

If you’re working with a circle, measure the radius (that’s from the center of the circle to the outside of the circle) and use this formula: Area = ∏ × r2. In case you forgot, ∏ (pi) = 3.14. If you have a 6′ wide circle then the radius is 3′. 3.14 x 32 = 28.26 ft2.

DETERMINING HOW MUCH MULCH YOU’LL NEED:

OK…you’ve determined your square footage so now how do you figure out how much mulch you’ll need? This is the simplest part…just remember these simple figures:

Assuming that you are using cubic yards (yd3) of mulch:

  • at 2″ thick, 1 yd3 of mulch will cover 180 ft2
  • at 3″ thick, it will cover 110 ft2
  • at 4″ thick, it will cover 80 ft2

 

So in the above example for the 130 ft2 bed, you would need 1.18 yd3 of mulch if you were applying the mulch at 3″ deep. See my mulch volcano article for some helpful hints on proper mulching depth.

If you are working with bagged mulch, it is often sold in 2 ft3 bags. For what it’s worth, there are 27 ft3 in a cubic yard of mulch. With that being said, here’s how much each 2 ft3 bag will cover:

  • at 2″ thick, each bag will cover 12 ft2
  • at 3″ thick, each bag will cover 8 ft2
  • at 4″ thick, each bag will cover 6 ft2

 

Knowing that there are 27 ft3 of mulch in a yard can also come in handy when comparing prices between bagged mulch and bulk mulch that is sold by the yard.

I hope this has been a helpful “Did You Know” post…let me know your thoughts or questions at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. I’m really enjoying the e-mails I’m receiving…please keep them coming! Happy mulching!

December 5, 2011Permalink Leave a comment

Gardening Calendar: December

 

So it’s finally December in the garden…the time of the year when you can reflect on what you really enjoyed about the garden this past year, look at what needs improving for the upcoming year and ponder any new gardening projects. But there are tasks that are perfect for accomplishing in December and that’s what we’ll look at today.

 

  • By now, most of your deciduous plants should have been taken down by the freezing temperatures. If your perennials have turned into brown clumps of mush, go ahead and remove the foliage and add it to your compost pile. If some of your deciduous perennials still have green leaves, it is best to leave them so that the plant can continue to photosynthesize and add to its stores for next year.
  • Depending on how meticulous you want your garden to be, you can remove any fallen leaves from the bases of shrubs to allow for good air circulation around the stems. If you have had fungal problems on your shrubs, it’s a pretty good bet that the spores are on the fallen leaves so removing them now can save you a ton of headaches in the spring. Unless your compost gets really hot, it’s wiser to bag the diseased leaves to avoid risking spreading the disease around.
  • If you’re like me, I tend to wait until the majority of the tree leaves have fallen before cleaning them up so now is the time to work on this project. I have woods behind me so I am able to blow them into the woods…it also serves as a sort of stockpile where I can go to obtain leaves when I need them for the compost pile or for mulching the veggie garden. If you have a bagging mower, chop them up and then use them as mulch…see my Healthy Soil article for more information.
  • The biggest chore for December is probably pruning. Now that the stems are bare, it is the perfect time to remove crossing branches on trees and shrubs. You can also remove wayward branches on evergreen shrubs such as hollies and osmanthus. If you are looking to shape your hedges, you’re best to wait until we get closer to spring. Severe pruning will often force new vegetative growth that is easily killed by freezes and late spring frosts.
  • The most exciting gardening chore for me in December is poring over seed catalogs that inundate my mailbox beginning in mid-November. My mind races as I read the descriptions of ‘Amish Paste’ tomatoes and ‘Mandurian Round’ cucumbers. While the sheer number of cultivars are overwhelming, I still make list after list of those I’d like to try. I try to pare it down to a reasonable number, but I am usually met with failure…last year I grew 13 different types of tomatoes.

 

The gardening calendar for December is relatively short but this is just the beginning of an ever-growing list of garden chores that need to be accomplished. By no means is it exhaustive…I’d love to hear what your plans are for your garden in December. Please share them in the comments section so that other gardeners can benefit. If you have any thoughts or concerns, please e-mail me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy gardening!

December 2, 2011Permalink Leave a comment

Reader Questions: Deer Problems

 

I have had several readers send in questions about their options for deer problems. While venison is delicious, I understand that it’s not a feasible option to kill all of the critters. And besides, they are absolutely beautiful to watch. Having grown up in a family of hunters, I still stop the car to watch them on the side of the road, provided that there’s no one behind me. While I am lucky enough to not have deer problems in my garden, I understand the frustration they bring to a gardener who has invested so much time and money in their garden.

So what can you do to prevent them from devouring your landscape?

The easiest option to discourage them is to plant poisonous plants. The perennial nursery that I used to work for had a saying in their catalog under “Deer Resistant Plants” that stated: “Only cacti and plastic plants are truly deer proof” and that is pretty much true. If deer are hungry enough, they will eat anything and so would you if you were put in that circumstance. However, during any given year, there should be enough vegetation in the woods to sustain the deer population without having them raid your garden. The folks that I truly feel sorry for are those that live in jurisdictions where the deer population isn’t thinned each year. Deer, as will most any mammal, will continue to procreate to the point that the population overwhelms the local ecosystem and then they die of horrible afflictions like disease and hunger. I’d rather them be harvested sustainably then have that be the outcome but I digress. Back to deer resistant plants.

There are many options that are available in the poisonous category. Some of my favorites include foxglove, Arum, Hellebores, daffodils and monkshood. There are many other perennials that are deer resistant as well just by their good virtue. These include ferns of all sorts, ornamental grasses, coreopsis, heucheras, sedum, hibiscus and veronicas.

When you are considering deer resistant plants, keep the following in mind: deer noses are much more sensitive than ours and any smelly plant is likely to be a turn-off. Smelly doesn’t just include truly oderiferous plants like Houtynnia; it also includes plants like herbs such as oregano, chives or any allium species, mints, (there’s another story for another day), lavender and rosemary. Other aromatic plants include artemisia, geranium (the perennial, not the hothouse type), catmint, yarrow, agastache and salvia. If you are looking to deter deer with your planting choices avoid the hot-ticket items such as daylilies, hostas, azaleas and tulips.

But what should you do if you want to protect your existing plants from the ravages of Bambi?

There are some options although their effectiveness varies.

  • Dogs – having a dog or dogs that are outside at night are your best deterrents. Unless you have a large area for them to run, there’s a good chance that Fido will lay/pee/poop in some of the gardens you are trying to protect.
  • Sprays - there are several on the market but the one that I’ve used succesfully in customers’ gardens is Liquid Fence. It is not the best smelling stuff but I suppose that is the point. The downside is that it has to be applied after a rain, whether that rain be provided by God or your irrigation system.
  • Homemade concoctions – there are many home remedies available and they include locks of human hair wrapped in panty hose, bars of soap hung in trees and urinating in the garden. Of the three I’d have to choose the latter since you are at least providing nitrogen to the garden if nothing else.
  • Fences -you have to have the dedication and ability to erect a fence that is tall enough to keep out deer. The minimum height that would be begin to keep out deer is 6′ but 8′ is even better. When translated into dollars and cents, that is a sizable amount of money.

 

To me, a better option is to put in a fence that you deem appropriate and then create another fence of fishing line around it. Let me explain…deer have very poor depth perception and they will not usually enter an area that they can’t determine is safe. The basic setup is to add 2′-3′ long angled sticks to the top of your existing fence and string fishing line or some other material along them. The sticks need to be angled towards the area that the deer would be entering from…the last thing you want to do is have them hop the fence and then be afraid to jump back out! The thought is that as the deer approaches your garden, it would first come into contact with the fishing line and not be able to determine how far away the next fence is. This design works particularly well with veggie gardens that may already have a 4′ high or so fence around them. I will try to take pictures and update this post so that it is more clearly explained.

Whatever measures you take, just realize that deer are remarkably smart creatures that also like to eat. If you have the land, consider planting them an area that is rich in pasture crops such as alfalfa…chances are that they will hang out in those areas instead of your garden. I’d love to hear how you’ve kept deer from destroying your garden…please add your comments below or e-mail me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy gardening!

 

December 1, 2011Permalink Leave a comment

Plant Profile: Lords and Ladies or Arum italicum ‘Pictum’

 

The frost has killed off the foliage on my hostas and they resemble little more than pathetic blobs of brown mushiness. But a winter friend has reared its head and that friend is Arum italicum ‘Pictum’, otherwise known as Lord and Ladies.

Arum is a fascinating plant in that it is summer dormant and waits until cool weather to emerge. It is a perfect companion plant for shade loving perennials such as hostas, deciduous ferns and astilbes. When the cold weather has become too much for these spring and summer beauties, Arum decides to emerge to take over the show. Its beautiful arrow shaped leaves are mottled with white veins that seem to catch sunlight and reflect it back in the winter garden. It will emerge through fallen leaves so it can be naturalized in wooded areas, perhaps along a garden path or sitting area that is enjoyed on those warm winter days.

Arum is accented with light green to white spathes in spring that resemble those of a peace lily. As summer draws closer, the spathes transform into bright red seed heads that stand out in the shade garden. After this final performance, Arum goes into its summer dormancy and waits again for the cool weather. For this reason. it’s a good idea to mark or otherwise note where your Arum are so that they aren’t uprooted during the summer.

A bonus of growing this plant is that it is also deer and vole resistant. Reported to be poisonous, it’s no wonder why the four legged critters, both above and below ground, steer clear of it. Arum will form quaint colonies over time that are easily separated to either move to other areas of your garden or to share with friends. While they prefer moist but well drained, humusy soil, they will certainly tolerate much less, including the usual drought that the Mid-Atlantic summers offer. This is a must have plant for winter gardens…surely you can find a place in your garden for a plant otherwise known as Lords and Ladies! If you have experience with Arum italicum ‘Pictum’ in your garden, let me know by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. I’ve received some reader questions about deer resistant plants so I’ll be tackling that subject tomorrow. Happy gardening!

November 30, 2011Permalink 3 Comments

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree…

 

Well Thanksgiving is over and the next thought in many people’s mind is to decorate their Christmas tree. Are you one of the estimated 25 to 30 million people who will purchase a live Christmas tree this year to display in your home? If so, let’s look for a moment at the history of how we decided that it was a smart idea to put a tree in our house and what we can do to ensure that we don’t have a brown, needle-less Charlie Brown tree on Christmas morning.

There is much debate about whether the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, although most historians agree that it was. In order to not cause controversy, I’ll abstain from placing emphasis on this debate and instead focus on the history of the Christmas tree in the United States. It is believed that Hessian troops during the Revolutionary War were the first to introduce the idea of a Christmas tree to the colonies. The idea didn’t particulary catch on until Charles Minnegerode decorated an evergreen tree in Williamsburg, Virginia. The first Christmas tree lot was opened in New York in 1851 and the rest is history.

There are many types of trees available but by far the most popular are the the Frasier fir and pine. Frasier fir have a deep green, stiff appearance whereas pines are lighter green and softer to the touch. It’s a matter of personal preference as to which you choose but keep these thoughts in mind as you select your tree:

  • Make sure you know the height of your ceiling before you head out…this may sound like common sense but if you have a vaulted ceiling, make sure you know the height first
  • If you are going to a Christmas tree lot, ask the attendant when the tree was cut because obviously, fresh is best
  • Look for any needle drop…it’s natural for the tree to lose some of its interior needles but you don’t want your tree losing any more needles than that
  • Pull a couple of branches through your hand…you shouldn’t end up with a handful of needles when you’re finished

 

Once you get the tree home, follow these simple tips:

  • Make a fresh cut 1/2″ thick at the base of the tree to ensure that the tree can take up water
  • Make sure that your tree stand can hold enough water to keep the tree alive…you’ll need at least a gallon for the average size tree
  • Keep your tree out of direct sunlight and away from sources of heat like fireplaces and heating vents
  • Check your tree stand daily to make sure that there is enough water to sustain the tree
  • Some experts say that all you need is water in your tree stand to keep your tree from browning out early but others believe that you can prolong the life of your tree by adding a few simple ingredients. Andre Viette, a renowned plantsman, uses a mix of Karo syrup, Epsom salt and Clorox to keep his trees alive longer. Check out his website for his recipe.

 

After the kids have unwrapped their presents and the yuletide joy is over, you have to think about what you are going to do with your tree. If you are fortunate enough to have a pond or know of someone who does, you can chuck your tree into the pond (undecorated of course!) as it makes a great area for fish to seek shelter. Another option is to dispose of it in your woods and allow it to compost naturally; the birds and other small game will appreciate the shelter from the winter weather. If you’re in a subdivision the above options are out of the question, but fortunately most localities have a Christmas tree recycling program. There’s no sense in cluttering up the landfills with leftover Christmas trees when they can be shredded and turned into mulch and compost.

Or, if you’re like me, you can put up an artificial tree and enjoy decorating it with the family. Whether you choose to buy a live Christmas tree or put up an artificial one, the real joy is the time you spend with your loved ones, recalling where each ornament came from or the significance of them. I’d love to hear your stories of decorating your tree…send them to stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. Happy decorating!

November 29, 2011Permalink Leave a comment

Did You Know? Mid-Atlantic Weather Facts

 

It’s Monday and that means it’s time for another “Did You Know?” post. Since the weather is finally changing here in central Virginia, I thought it would be fun to look at a few Mid-Atlantic weather facts for our region.

Did You Know that in Washington D.C.:

  • the earliest snowfall recorded fell on Oct. 5, 1892 as a trace? Or that .03 inches was recorded on October 10, 1979?
  • the latest snowfall recorded fell on May 10, 1906 as a trace? Or that 0.5 inches was recorded on  April 28, 1898?
  • the April Fools Day Storm dropped 5″ of snow on April 1, 1924?

 

Did You Know that in New Jersey:

  • the most snowfall ever recorded from a single event occurred in 1899 when the Great Blizzard of 1899 dropped 34″ at Cape May?
  • the Blizzard of 1996 dropped 32″ of snow at Edison, making it a close runner-up for the grand prize?

 

Did You Know these record low temperatures for the Mid-Atlantic region:

  • New York: -15°F on February 9, 1934 in Central Park
  • New Jersey: -34°F on January 5, 1904 in River Vale, NJ
  • Pennsylvania: -42°F on January 5, 1904 in Smethport, PA
  • Delaware: -17°F on January 17, 1893 in Millsboro, DE
  • Maryland: -40°F on January 13, 1912 in Oakland, MD
  • Washington DC: -15°F on February 11, 1999
  • West Virginia: -37°F on December 30, 1917 in Lewisburg, WV
  • Virginia: -30°F on January 25, 1985 in Giles County, VA

 

So when the temperatures start to drop and you start wondering just how much colder it can get, think back to these record lows…that should keep you warm for a while. Let me know how you and your plants have dealt with cold temperatures in the past. Perhaps you have a technique that you’ve used successfully in the past to overwinter tender perennials…if so, let me know at stacey@midatlanticgardening.com. I’d love to pass it along to our other gardening enthusiasts!

November 28, 2011Permalink Leave a comment