Shades of Green
Gardening FAQ
If you have gardening questions that are not in our FAQ, please use the info below to contact our professional staff. We will be happy to assist you with your gardening needs.
Gardening Tips
Get a Jump on Spring:
Bring colour into your home for spring, by forcing flowering shrubs. Once they have completed their winter dormancy, cut off a few branches and bring them indoors--if you are planning to do arrangements, make sure to cut the branches long enough--smash the cut ends and place the branches in a pail of room temperature water.
Place the cut branches in a cool slightly dark location and change the water twice a week--it is important to keep the water clean. As the buds start to open, you can move the branches into sunlight.
Forced spring branches look beautiful in glass vases filled with coloured stones.
Examples of shrubs that can be forced: azalea, flowering quince, forsythia, magnolia, pussy willow, rhododendron, spirea and serviceberry.
Sharp Garden Edges:
For well defined garden beds, just cut away a couple of inches of your lawn/garden edge with a sod cutter. Once in the spring and once in mid summer, will do the trick, and you can also re-define the shape of your beds when you trim back the sod.
Shades of Green Ltd
2483 Westfield Rd
Saint John, NB, E2M 6L4
Phone:
(506) 738-8319
Email:
shadesofgreen@rogers.com
Answers to Some Common Gardening Questions
Q: What shrubs can be pruned in the spring?
A: Shrubs benefit by annual pruning, especially before the leaves appear, so you can shape them if necessary. Because the following shrubs bloom later in the season, they can be pruned dormant: dogwood, honeysuckle, hydrangea (peegee), potentilla, spirea, and wisteria.
Spring and certain summer blooming shrubs set their buds in the fall and should be pruned after flowering. The common ones are azalea, beautybush, forsythia, lilac, mockorange, rhododendron,serviceberry, weigela, magnolia,deutzia, bridal wreath spirea and daphne. With these varieties one should wait till after flowering--however you can decide to lose a few blooms if the shape is incorrect.
Q: When should horticultural oil be used on fruit trees?
A: Fruit trees are prone to problems with aphids, mites and scale. Because they produce an edible product you can’t spray with any insecticides--also you don’t want to harm natural pollinators. The best application is the dormant oil which is applied, as the name states, when the tree is dormant. When used, it suffocates the insects and disturbs their life cycle.
Timing is important--apply horticultural oil when the buds are starting to swell, but before opening and not in freezing temperatures.
Horticultural oil is also effective against powdery mildew, but summer application is tricky as one must watch for problems with high temperatures, humidity and wetness. It is important to read the label on any product for correct procedures.
Baking Soda Recipe for Powdery Mildew
First, check plant for signs of powdery mildew, then remove the dead leaves, if the problem persists, you can start a weekly application of the recipe.
Ingredients:
4 litres of water
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid
Mix and apply with a spray bottle.
Q: When is the best time to plant seeds?
A: Growing seeds is fun as long as you follow a few rules. Buy good quality seed, and you will have a better germination. Decide what area you want to cover, so that you get the correct amount of seeds--packages give weight, size or quantity. Not all seeds germinate the same: some are placed on, or in, the soil, or need soaking. Make sure you purchase the correct soil as seeds need good drainage.
Timing is important, so check germination days and conditions necessary for planting outdoors.
Lighting is important and, as March approaches, the days are getting longer, but you don’t want stretched plants. To prevent stretching, you can purchase growing lights to enhance lighting, and/or warming pads to keep your seedlings roots warm.
There are a variety of containers that can be used for starting seeds--if using recycled pots, make sure they are sterilized. Some seeds should be planted in peat or cocoa pots so they can be planted directly into the ground without disturbing their roots. If you plant in germination trays, make sure you open or lift the vents during the day.
There are a variety of great seeds available this year for patio gardening, which is easy and convenient.
Q: When should Epsom salt be used?
A: Epsom salt is made up of magnesium and sulphur. The former helps plants absorb phosphorous and the latter keeps plants from rotting. You can apply Epsom salt when plants like roses or tomatoes have yellow and droopy leaves. Epsom salt also lowers soil ph, so watch your soil composition. How much to apply depends on the height of your plant--1 teaspoon for every foot of height--just sprinkle in a circle around the root zone.