Studies Show Antidessicant Sprays Not Effective

“Anti-desiccant and anti-transpirant sprays are often recommended to prevent winter burn. Most studies, however, have shown them to be ineffective,” say University of Minnesota researchers Bert T Swanson and Richard Rideout in their article Protecting Trees and Shrubs Against Winter Damage.

One of the main reasons they fail is that they must be reapplied regularly, like sunscreen reapplication, to even have a chance of protecting shrubs.  That’s a lot of spraying and a lot of chemicals, so make sure you know all your options before risking your favorite plants.

Just thought you should know…

Should I prune now?

photo courtesy of apps.rhs.org.uk

NO!!  With a few exceptions.  To remember what and when to prune, ask yourself these questions first:

Will the plant have time to put out new growth before winter arrives?  If you answered yes to this question then No, don’t prune.

Is there something that looks like a bud on this plant?  If yes, then don’t prune, it’s probably a flower bud.

Is this new growth?  If yes, then don’t prune it in early spring.  The plant may have used a lot of energy making that growth and it needs the leaves and stems it just made to produce some energy before you whack it off.  Early spring growth is important to plants for this reason.  Unlike the rest of us, they don’t spent the winter kicking back ice cream, chips and dip, and soda (yes, you did-remember that great Super Bowl party?).

At the very least, not pruning is the better option if you’re still not sure.  Watch out for overeager “tidy-ers”, I’ve lost several shrubs to my overeager tidy-ers (who shall remain nameless)!!

Wrapping a trellis for winter

As you can see in the photo, trellises covered in vines are easy to wrap, provided you have the right tools.  I’m using a handy ShrubJacket custom sheet ( www.plumstone.com), which is long and wide enough to protect this lovely copper structure and the roses climbing on it.  A climber that is exposed to the wind on all sides is especially vulnerable to wind damage, dessication and freezes.  Use rakings and clippings of leaves and other “junk” to cover the soil inside the ShrubJacket.  This layer of green garbage will lessen heaving and cracking of the soil (and plants’ roots) during periods of rapidly freezing and thawing weather cycles.

Wrapping a rosebush vine before winter will keep it looking amazing all year.

Ah, now that that’s done go inside, make yourself a cup of tea and dream of spring blossoms.

What to Wrap in Winter?

Wondering what’s worth the effort?

Anything that gets chewed on by d*#! (yes, that stands for deer, what else?)

Boxwoods, hydrangea, lilac, rosebushes, Arborvitae, any broad leafed evergreen like rhododendrons and azaleas, fig trees, camellia, larch, and many more

Anything that has turned brown and ugly in previous the winters, or failed to bloom as usual.

Anything you don’t want to replace in the spring!

Yikes! Count your garden off the tour with those ugly brown leaves.

Here’s an excellent link for those of you who would like more info…

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-604.html

To keep roses healthy, protect them from Winter

Roses in summer

The rose has long been considered the most beautiful flower in the world.  According to myth, the lovely Rhodanth was so pursued by suitors that she fled to the temple of Diana, the huntress, who turned her into a rose and her pursuers into thorns.  To keep your roses legend-worthy, I’ve distilled the vast amount of information down to some key points:

Wait until several days of good, hard freeze before covering them.  The cold temps will help ward off bacteria, fungus, and other nasties, so they don’t attack your plant.

One can wait until spring to prune all but the longest and most unwieldy stems (to prevent wind whipping).

Cover the base of the plant with about 10 inches of mulch to promote even freezing and thawing.  It is constant freeze and thaw that does the damage (this is why potholes form on the road) to plants’ roots and stems.

Wrap the plant to protect it from wind, hungry animals, and to help stabilize the temperature around the mulch/plant area.

Here’s an informative link from the U of IL with more information.

Good luck!

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/roses/winter.cfm

Fuschias!

Wow, I thought peonies were pretty great until I checked out the new varieties of fuschias

at my local lawn and garden center.  These shade plants are so pretty up close that each bloom is a work of art.  They look like cupcakes with a swirl of thick frosting made by a master chef.  No, I didn’t taste them, but it’s tempting.  The blooms in the photo below had fallen off my plants while in transport from the nursery and I couldn’t bear to throw them away.  I tucked them in a little glass and they’re still perfect a week later…

fuschias float!

So I bought more….

And now that I’m besotted with them, you should be too.  Here’s more info:

Fuschias like a bit of sun, preferably in the morning, but don’t put them in hot afternoon sun.  Watering is very important-but do not drown them.  Fuschias will revive if wilting and then watered, but not if they are consistently overwatered, so wait until the soil feels dry before dousing.

They will also overwinter if brought inside, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Peony Perfection

What is a garden for, if not for breathtaking plants like these? This is my favorite flower, as it is many peoples', with no exceptions or close seconds. If you think the word flower should come with a picture of a peony next to it in the dictionary, let me know and we'll start a club. They can't be matched in fragrance, beauty or foliage, by even the noble rose. Now that I have that off my chest lets talk about these hard and fast rules-These are genteel ladies, like grandma, so don't bounce them around your yard like Katy Perry's cha-chas. Once grandma is seated you don't ask her to try out every other chair, so don't ask your peonies to try every spot in your yard. It could take years before you see blooms if you do. Here's what to check first to be sure they're in the best spot --Sun. They need at least 6 hours a day. Get out your SunStick and measure please, unless you have solar superpowers that tell you where the sun is at all times in your yard. And don't even believe the hype on the tag-they don't bloom in shade no matter what the grower says to the contrary. Next, you might want to check your pH, as the best growth occurs within a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5, with a deep layer of rich organic matter. Peonies will tolerate a large range of soil types, but not wet feet, tree roots or sand. Resist the temptation to tuck them lower in the soil than they are already planted in their pot-they like to be covered with no more than 2 inches soil. If you see brown spots on the leaves in midsummer you probably have a fungus. Buy a spray from your local nursery center, after taking in a leaf for them to confirm the diagnosis. Don't bother asking for a diagnosis at a big box store-or you could end up treating your squirrels for memory loss. And that's just a waste of time. Remember to stake peonies with hoops early in spring or they'll land in the dirt during a rainstorm and this is very sad. We will have to call the plant police on you. Once you get them started though, they will bloom for generations, reliably and regally.