AuthorLyn Chimera is a Master Gardener, consultant and lecturer. Archives
May 2023
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May 2021 Gardening Tips4/29/2021 Dear Gardening Friends,
We’ve had a year’s worth of weather during April. We had winter, then spring then summer and back to winter again. As I write this it’s a lovely, sunny fall temperature day. Hopefully spring is here for good now. If nothing else April has taught us how resilient nature is. Most plants will be just fine. This type of weather is also a good reason to grow native plants. They are used to this changeable weather and will survive. You may notice frost damage on the tips of some plants, trees & shrubs. The leaves or tips of leaves turn black and crunchy. They can be pruned out or just left to drop off if it’s just a leaf or two. It looks like the only plant I have that was severely damaged was a rare hydrangea from Japan. Am hoping the roots will be fine and send up new shoots. Don’t give up on a frost damaged plant. Cut back the damage and hope for the best. The following are a few tips. - Patience is still the best approach. The soil is quite cold and it’s way too soon to even think about planting annuals. Many greenhouses have perennials and annuals out for sale. If you by an annual keep it in a sheltered place until it’s time to plant. - If you leave a footprint on the soil that’s a sign the soil is too wet to work in. It’s easy to compact the soil with every footfall so stay off until things dry out. - It’s helpful to have paths or steppingstones in gardens so you can navigate without harming the soil. If a path isn’t appropriate a few rocks or steppingstones placed appropriately are practical and attractive. - If you left the leaves down in the fall lightly rake them away from the crowns of plants so the plants don’t get smothered. The leaves can be left on the ground and will make an excellent mulch as well as weed suppressant and habitat for beneficials. - Weeding should be a priority. Perennial weeds are up now and will be much easier to remove when small. If removed now you also prevent the weed from developing seeds and spreading even more. - The soil is still much too cold to plant greenhouse grown perennials, annuals and vegetables. Wait until the soil is above 50 degrees. As an example, tomatoes planted too soon don’t do as well as those planted at the end of May. Remember Patience! The final average frost isn’t until late May so don’t get fooled by a few warm days. - Perennials currently coming up in your garden that need to be moved or divided can be moved since they are used to the current soil temperature. However, don’t move them until the soil is “workable” which means the soil will break apart easily after you make a ball of it in your hand. Clumpy soil won’t settle around the roots well and cause air pockets which can dry out the roots. - If you have problems with deer, rabbits and other critters start your spraying, fencing, caging or whatever you do. I’ve already had damage and quickly put up some caging. Will spray on a non-rainy day. Since the plants are growing fast now I spray susceptible plants every week until they reach full size then cut back to every 3-4 weeks. RECYCLE pots, treys & blinds here. I can use pots 4 inches and up and flat carrying treys. No 6 packs. Also, if you are discarding any Venetian blinds or see some in the garbage, please save them for me. I use the blinds for price tags for the plant sale and won’t have many left after this year. Just drop them off in front of the garage. The address is below. NOTE: For those of you in Amherst who are used to dropping things off at 37 N. Union, The property has been sold so please don’t drop pots off there. THANKS!!!! Now is the time to make changes and improvements in your garden. I can help improve your garden and gardening practices and guarante to save you time and money. Also check out my website for past Garden Tips and articles: lessonsfromnature.biz. Upcoming Plant Sales & Events: Put them on your calendar now! Lessons from Nature and Amanda’s Garden Native and Perennial Plant Sale. Saturday, May 22th, 9:00 – 2:00. 170 Pine St., E Aurora, corner of Pine & Lawrence. Clients and those of you who get my tips can come at 8:00 and beat the rush. We will have a larger variety of native plants on that one day than anywhere in WNY. All my plants are dug fresh from my garden and those from Amanda’s Garden are started from seed by Ellen. Fultz, the owner. I will also have a selection of hypertufa containers, draped concrete planters and birdbaths. A partial list of what plants is at the end of these tips. Since it’s been so cold and rainy, I’ve only started potting up and some plants haven’t even come up yet. So, in addition to the list there will be more surprises. Note: all my plants will be potted in soilless potting mix due to the threat of the Asian jumping worm. If you’re not aware of this threat you can get information at: http://ulster.cce.cornell.edu/environment/invasive-pests/jumping-worm Master Gardener Plant Sale, Friday May 228, 8:30 – 3:00, Saturday May 29, 8:30 – 2:00, First Presbyterian Church, 1 Symphony Circle, across from Kleinman’s. Perennials for sun and shade, natives, annuals, succulents, hypertufa and draped concrete pots, vegetable starts, herbs, shrubs and garden art. Plants are from MG gardens and donated by local nurseries. East Aurora Garden Club Perennial Sale, Saturday, May 29th 8:30 – till sold out. In the Village plaza on Grey Street where Tops is. The sale is located under the roof overhang between TJ Max and Pet Smart. Plants from Garden Club member’s gardens, great selection. Happy Gardening! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St. E. Aurora, NY 14052 [email protected] 652-2432 Partial Plant List for Perennial Sale 2021 Some varieties there are only 1 or 2 of, others quite a few. A few items aren’t even up yet so additional plants will be added during the weeks to come. First come first served. Shrubs: Purple leaf sandcherry Potentilla, Gold Drop Lynwood Gold Forsythia Hydrangea – Anabelle Viburnum alnifolium Sun: Monkshood Siberian iris (white & blue) Perennial geranium Shasta daisy Sundrops Zig-zag goldenrod Variety of asters Tansy Phlox Obedient plant Black-Eyed-Susan Coreopsis Filipendula Graceful sedge Part Sun: Forget-Me-Not Anemone – white, pink, & ruffled Dwarf Solomon’s seal variegated Candelabra primrose Ladies Mantle Kirengeshoma Astilbe (dwarf) Corydalis –Yellow & white Astilbe – Ostrich Blue lobelia Astilbe – variety of colors Sundrops Golden ragwort Bouncing Bet Bachelor buttons Shade: Dwarf Comfrey Hosta – a few varieties, minis Persicaria Primrose Toad Lily – 2 varieties Pulmonaria – a few varieties European Ginger Lenten Rose, white, pink & deep purple Curley Ginger Native ginger Epimedium – pink & yellow Primula kisoana – rare variety Twinleaf Ajuga Corydalis Astilboides tabularis Candelabra primrose Soloman’s Seal - 3 varieties Natives: Evening Primrose Tall Meadow Rue Solomon’s Seal Twinleaf Ginger Golden Ragwort Gold Star Amsonia Viola - purple Big leaf aster Wood anemone Early Meadow Rue Jack-in-the-pulpit Ostrich fern White Wood Aster Wood Poppy Snakeroot Creeping phlox Tickseed Bloodroot Filapendula White violet Flowering raspberry Lobelia – blue Northern Sea Oats White wood anemone Waterleaf Zig-zag goldenrod Carolina Phlox Field goldenrod Asters – many varieties Monkshood Waterleaf Graceful sedge Broad-leaf sedge Shrub – viburnum alnifolium
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