Extension Spring Gardening Packet I
Published: Feb. 22, 2008
NOTE TO EDITORS: This is the first installment of University of Illinois Extension's Spring Gardening Packet. The second installment will be sent on Feb. 27 and the third--and final--installment on Feb. 29. Thanks for your consideration. Bob Sampson, Extension Communications Specialist.
February 22, 2008
Source: David Robson (217) 782-6515 Contact: Bob Sampson (217) 244-0225 Extension Communications Specialist e-mail: rsampson@uiuc.edu
Avoid Early Spring Lawn Fertilizing
Fertilizing lawns in the early spring may not be the best for the grass in the long run, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"Unfortunately, advertising and chemical combinations in the spring make it next to impossible not to apply some form of plant food," said David Robson. "The concept of 'keeping up with the Joneses' and their nice, lush green lawns also drives us to the fertilizer bag and lawn spreader.
"Our spring lawn care goal should be aimed at developing a deeper and more extensive root system than encouraging green, thick shoot growth."
That's because most Illinois lawns are composed of cool season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, turf-type tall fescue, and perennial rye grass, he explained. Shady areas may contain creeping, red, or chewings fescue. These grasses remain actively growing as long as temperatures are lower than 85 degrees F.
"Studies indicate grass roots are actively growing when temperatures are between 55 and 65 degrees F," he said. "Grass shoots start developing when temperatures range between 60 and 75 degrees.
"Grass roots are the first to start thriving when spring temperatures warm. New and deeper roots are formed, creating a network of interlocking roots. The deeper the roots, the more likely the grass plant will be able to survive hot, dry summer conditions. The emphasis is on 'dry.'"
Nitrogen fertilizer, he noted, promotes shoot growth at the expense of the root system.
"Even with cool soil temperatures, the grass plant shifts its focus to encouraging green growth, using the nitrogen that was applied," he said. "The root system is penalized. Turf may be stressed come summer when temperatures climb and rainfall is less."
Robson said homeowners have been conditioned to expect a thick, green, lush lawn in the spring as soon as temperatures warm. Part of the problem can be traced back to the crabgrass-killer combination.
"Most crabgrass pre-emergence weed killers contain fertilizer to aid in the greening of the lawn," he said. "Pre-emergence weed killers must be applied before the weed emerges; since crabgrass germinates by mid-April in central Illinois, most chemical applications are applied by the first of April. Products are applied a couple weeks earlier in southern Illinois.
"The best bet is to search for a crabgrass or pre-emergence weed killer that doesn't contain fertilizer. They may be more difficult to find, but are available. Check with local garden centers, greenhouses, or nurseries."
He also recommended contacting lawn care services to limit early spring nitrogen applications. Lawns can be fertilized in the spring. However, wait until the roots have stopped growing.
"Fertilize with a pound of actual nitrogen fertilizer around the middle of May," he said. "Check the fertilizer package for proper application information. Remember, though, that spring fertilizing can lead to a higher potential for disease.
"Many homeowners use the late fall fertilizer applications, called 'winterizers,' to stimulate early greening the following spring. Since the nitrogen is absorbed throughout the late fall and early winter, there is no reduction in root growth come spring."
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February 22, 2008
Source: Martha Smith (309) 836-2363 Contact: Bob Sampson (217) 244-0225 Extension Communications Specialist e-mail: rsampson@uiuc.edu
Caring for Your Easter Lily
Caring for an Easter lily is easy both during the holiday season and after, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"The Easter season means many things to many people," said Martha Smith. "It is a time of joy both for the religious significance and the promise of spring. What better symbol for all this season means than the Easter lily? With its beautiful, clear, six to eight-inch long, bell-like white flowers and its wonderful fragrance, this plant offers a sense of peace and hope for the coming spring and summer seasons."
In the United States, over eight million Easter lilies are grown. Lilium longiflorum is the Latin name for the common Easter lily. Popular cultivars are "Ace," which grows to 18 inches, "Croft," which grows to 24 inches, and "Estate," which can reach three feet in height.
"Care for your Easter lily during the holiday is very easy," said Smith. "They do best in indirect, bright light or curtain-filtered sunlight when in flower. Cool, nighttime temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees F help extend the bloom period. Daytime temperatures no higher than 68 degrees F are ideal. Keep the soil moist while in flower, but don't fertilize at this time."
Inside the white, bell-like flowers are pollen-bearing golden anthers, or the male part of the flower. Most people prefer to remove these because by removing the pollen, the flower doesn't become pollinated, so the theory is the blossoms last longer.
"Another more practical reason is that the golden yellow pollen stains clothing very easily if someone brushes up against them," said Smith. "The pollen also stains the white flowers. The anthers are easily removed as soon as the flower opens, which is usually before the pollen is freed. Just reach in and gently twist and pull, or you can use a pair of scissors."
Post-holiday care is also easy. After the flowers fade, remove the lily flowers and clip any browning leaves. Place the plants in a sunny area and water as the foliage matures. As soon as the danger of frost is past, plant the lily in a sunny, well-drained garden spot.
"Their real bloom time is mid- to late-summer and have been artificially forced for Easter bloom," she said. "Place the bulbs a few inches deeper than they were in the pot. Fertilize with an all-purpose garden fertilizer at this time. The old top will wither and die, but soon afterwards, new shoots should emerge and the plant will bloom again in July or August."
The Easter lily is not 100 percent hardy in Illinois, she added. Many people report good results with them with winter protection, but do realize you may lose them in a very cold winter.
"Forcing them indoors for Easter bloom is tricky," Smith said. "Professional growers are always challenged due to the fact that Easter is never at the same time from year to year. With Christmas poinsettias, growers can follow a traditional calendar method--but not so with Easter lilies.
"A technique known as leaf counting is often the most reliable for scheduling Easter lilies. If you want to try forcing your Easter lily, it is recommended that you do not let it flower in July or August. You will have to dis-bud the plant at this time. Allowing the bulb to flower outdoors weakens the bulbs for indoor forcing."
The plant must be dug up before the chance of fall frost. Plant the bulb in a pot about the same size as the original pot. Place the bulb as low in the pot as possible and add potting soil only to the top of the bulb. Water thoroughly and keep as near to 45 to 50 degrees F as possible through January 1.
"During this time, only water to prevent drying out," Smith said. "After January 1, put the plant in a sunny window, water and fertilize as with any houseplant. Add the remainder of the soil needed to fill the pot to near the rim after the stem has grown to three to four inches in height.
"If staking is necessary, be careful and place the stake near the pot wall instead of through the bulb. After the first buds turn white, keep the plant out of direct sunlight."
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February 22, 2008
Source: Greg Stack (708) 720-7520 Contact: Bob Sampson Extension Communications Specialist Phone (217) 244-0225; rsampson@uiuc.edu
Vegetable Gardening 101
If you are a beginning vegetable gardener, the best advice to take is to start small, a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator recommends.
"A small garden is often a wise choice, especially if you may not have a lot of time to devote to planting and maintenance," said Greg Stack. "A small garden is often a friendlier and less intimidating place for the new gardener. It will also allow you to become more comfortable with your gardening skills.
"Large gardens may make you look like you are the gardening guru, but if it becomes overwhelming and too much work you soon lose your enthusiasm for gardening, resulting in your finding a different hobby."
Start out small, Stack added, and make your small space work for you. A well-planned and planted small space garden can be planted in such a way as to produce yields that can sometimes be better than a large, poorly managed garden.
"In order to achieve bumper crops in small spaces, here are the keys to success: wide rows; intercropping; succession planting; vertical gardening," he said.
Intercropping is a technique where two crops are planted in the same row at the same time. The difference between the crops is that one matures before the other and when harvested leaves room for the second crop to grow to maturity.
"Intercropping techniques help you take advantage of the 'vacant space' between crops and puts it to use," Stack said. "Some intercropping suggestions include planting beans, radish, green onions, spinach or lettuce in the space between things like tomato, pepper or cabbage plants. The earlier maturing crops will be harvested before the latter ones start to grow together.
"Another intercropping technique is to plant seed of two different crops in the same row at the same time. An example would be to plant both radish and carrot seed in the same row at the same time. The radish will germinate and be harvested in about 20-25 days, leaving room behind for the later-maturing carrots."
Wide-row planting is a departure from single-row planting. Single-row planting leaves a lot of unused space in the garden that has the potential to produce a crop.
"Establish a wide row planting by using two lengths of string to mark off a row that is about 15-18 inches wide," he said. "Prepare the area between the strings by raking smooth. Using lettuce, carrots, beets, spinach, or radish seed, sprinkle the bed with the seed much as you would seeding a lawn. Spread the seed a little thinner though.
"After sowing the seed, rake it in lightly to cover and water. Seed will germinate randomly over the bed. You may want to drag a rake lightly through the bed to thin out the planting or just harvest some of the crop as 'baby vegetables.' This will open up the planting and the remaining vegetables will have a bit more space grow to maturity. Wide row planting increases the production per square foot dramatically."
Succession planting is a good way to ensure you will have a continuous supply of certain vegetables longer through the season. It is also a way to make use of space vacated by an earlier maturing crop.
"Two or three small plantings of leaf lettuce or radishes made a week to 10 days apart and again in the fall spread out the harvest over a longer time," he said. "Onion sets for green onions can be planted every 2 weeks until the sets are gone. This technique allows you to plant what you will be using in short intervals and avoids having a lot of any one thing coming into production and not being able to be used in a timely fashion. This avoids wasting a lot of potentially good produce."
Certain crops can be planted in the same location from which earlier ones have been harvested. Any early harvested crops such as leaf lettuce, radishes, onion sets, spinach or peas can be followed with beans, beets, carrots, cabbage, or turnips for late summer and fall harvest.
Vertical gardening helps you put "air space" to work for you. Using some type of wire fencing material on either the north or east side of the garden will allow you to grow vine crops even in small space gardens. Fencing should be strong enough to support plants and should be about 4 feet high. At the base of the fence sow vegetables such as cucumber, pole beans or melons. They will attach themselves to the fence and grow up and off the ground. The space in front that might have been taken up by the vine can now be planted to other crops.
"Small gardens don't have to be limited production gardens," Stack said. "By following these Gardening 101 tips you can be assured of maximum yields from small spaces."
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February 22, 2008
Source: Greg Stack (708) 720-7520 Contact: Bob Sampson Extension Communications Specialist Phone (217) 244-0225; rsampson@uiuc.edu
The New Look in Heucheras
Heucheras or coral bells are a group of plants that are native to New England up to western Canada and down into Mexico, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"In general, they tend to grow in tight mounds of foliage and produce small green to white flowers in summer," said Greg Stack. "Gardeners now know heucheras as plants that have incredibly colorful foliage. But when heucheras were first introduced to the gardening public you could get any color of heuchera you wanted so long as it had green leaves.
"How times have changed! With the help of dedicated plant breeders, this group of plants has come a long way."
The heuchera revolution started when new forms were introduced in the 1990s. Hybrids between the old standard 'Palace Purple' and 'Dale's Selection' provided the basis for the introduction of many strikingly beautiful cultivars that offered color and variegation not seen in the original species.
Heuchera were also plants that tended to prefer shaded, cooler gardens. Here is where the most dramatic work in heucheras has come with the introduction of heucheras that can withstand more sun, heat, and humidity and still look good.
"Enter Heuchera villosa," Stack said. "This heuchera is a native species found in the Southeast. Compared to other heuchera it is larger, with rounded leaves resembling maple foliage, later to bloom, tolerant of more heat and humidity, and does well in dappled shade to sun.
"By combining some of villosa's outstanding traits with other heuchera, breeders have been able to give the gardening world a whole new group of heucheras. These heuchera hold up well to heat and humidity and are often very large plants with very large leaves. These new villosa hybrids tolerate a wider range of soil conditions and tolerate heavier soils and root competition. They still won't tolerate poorly drained soils though."
Stack offered a few heucheras that have villosa blood in them along with a description to wet your appetite.
'Beaujolais' has huge burgundy leaves with a touch of silver and deep purple veins. It is an incredibly vigorous and large variety. It produces near-white flowers in summer.
'Georgia Peach' is a very heat and humidity tolerant variety. It has huge peach-colored leaves with silver blotches. It grows to about 24 inches wide.
'Pistache' is a robust grower with large lime green to chartreuse yellow foliage. 'Pistache' is one of the more stable yellow varieties as it does not tend to fade in the sun.
'Tiramisu' is a very compact grower. The foliage in both spring and fall is chartreuse with brick red coloration radiating out from the center of the leaf. In summer the leaves lighten to chartreuse with a silver tone.
'Sparking Burgundy' has giant six inch leaves that are a clear roseburgundy color. It produces white flowers in the summer, and as fall approaches the leaves turn a dark rich red wine color.
'Crème Brulee' is a very vigorous grower even in full sun locations. Peachy orange leaves are produced on 18 inch wide plants. In summer, creamy yellow flowers are produced.
"While the villosa hybrids bring a more vigorous, heat-tolerant plant to the garden that adapts to part to full sun, they still need some care if planted in sunnier locations," he noted. "Here they need a bit more moisture to look their best and maybe a little protection from midday sun."
Heucheras in general do best in soils that are well amended with organic matter and are well drained with an emphasis on well drained. Heuchera have a very fine fibrous root system that does not fare too well in wet soils, especially during the winter. Wet winter soils also lend to frost heaving.
"The alternate freezing and thawing cycles will literally push the plant out of the ground," he said. "To combat this, pick a well-drained site and in the fall put down a layer of compost around the plants. In the spring, if heaving has occurred, new roots will grow into the compost.
"Another way to be sure you don't lose your plants after a hard winter is to just 'reset' the plants. In the spring when the soil can be worked, dig the plant up and replant a bit deeper. This covers the roots and also allows the stem to produce additional roots."
In addition to offering color to the garden, heucheras are plants that can be planted in the vicinity of trees and shrubs and compete very well with the roots. They also will survive and grow under walnut trees and are remarkably salt tolerant making them useful along walkways where deicing salt is used.
"The heuchera revolution is on, much the same way hosta took the gardening world by storm and the villosa hybrids are making it happen," Stack said.
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February 22, 2008
Source: Martha Smith (309) 836-2363 Contact: Bob Sampson (217) 244-0225 Extension Communications Specialist e-mail: rsampson@uiuc.edu
Starting Annuals from Seed
If you are thinking about starting seeds indoors this spring, you need to ask two questions, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.
"First, are you willing to devote the time and energy necessary to ensure successful transplants?" said Martha Smith. "Second, do you have the proper space and adequate growing environment?"
Many annuals and vegetables require such a long growing season that they won't flower or fruit if they don't get a head start indoors, leading some gardeners to consider the indoor head start.
"Depending on what you are trying to grow, this project could be four weeks, six weeks, or as long as 12 weeks," she said. "All seeds have different requirements. Read the back of the seed packet in order to determine when you need to start your seeds.
"Don't wait until a beautiful spring day in May to start your seeds--you will be disappointed that you didn't read the instructions earlier. Once started, these plants will need regular maintenance such as watering, fertilizing, and transplanting to larger containers. This is the process greenhouse growers are going through this time of the year. When you buy your transplants in the spring, you are paying for materials and labor needed to produce the crop."
Gardeners often hate to throw away even the scrawniest plants. When starting seeds, you may end up with one hundred seedlings that will need to be transplanted to cell packs and placed in flats. 100 seedlings translate into approximately three flats of 36. Do you have a large enough space with the proper lighting and growing conditions to successfully grow these plants?
"Selecting the strongest and healthiest seedlings and discarding the rest is necessary if you have limited growing space," she said.
The growing environment requires light--natural or artificial. South-, southeast-, or southwest-facing windows will give sufficient direct sunlight in the early spring months. Turn the trays or pots each day to keep the seedlings straight. If you have insufficient natural light, you will need to provide artificial light.
"Fluorescent lights work well," she said. "Set up your grow lights so they can be kept one to two inches above the seedlings. You will have to suspend them on adjustable chains or pulleys to keep the light at the proper distance as your seedlings grow. Artificial lights should be set on timers to provide between 12 and 16 hours of light every day."
Smith noted that other items to keep in mind deal with sanitation and growing temperatures. The growing environment needs to be clean. Use only clean growing media and clean containers. To prevent soft, spindly growth, growing temperatures should be between 60 to 65 degrees F.
"If you feel you can manage the demands of growing seeds indoors, give it a try," she said. "Start with easy plants and start small. Marigolds are great for first-time seed starters. Many gardeners grow plants that are hard to find in the trade. Petunia, Impatiens, and Salvia plants are plentiful in the spring, so why not use up your growing space for something you know you will be able to find?
"You will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment every time you look at your plant, knowing you started them and nurtured them from seed."
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