Archive for Garden Tips – Page 32

Attention Blueberry Lovers: It’s time to plan ahead!

Posted by Carol 
· March 20, 2013 

Attention Blueberry Lovers: It’s time to plan ahead!

If you’re like me, you can’t get enough blueberries. If you are thinking, “Hey! I could grow blueberries, they’re easy,” you’d be right!

Blueberry cluster Portland Landscape Design

Purchasing a large blueberry plant means you are buying time.

So now’s the time to take a minute to plan ahead for next season’s blueberry goodness.

Spartan blueberries are my absolute favorite for flavor. In the old days (10 years ago), when my client Diane in NE Portland,  ordered a Spartan blueberry, she got a little stick with roots on the end. She is a plucky gardener, but this was very discouraging, especially when someone stepped on the poor Spartan before it was big enough to defend itself.

Making the Tradeoff: Price Versus Instant Gratification

Buying a big plant is buying time. It’s easy to buy blueberry plants that are at least 30 inches tall and wide. Using Spartan blueberries as an example, you can spend about 40 percent more  for a one-or-two-year-old plant, but you’ll get that fruity deliciousness three years sooner.

Choosing the Right Variety

From March through July, Portland’s full-service nurseries offer plenty of nice, big plants and many varieties. Try these tips for the ultimate blueberry experience:

  • Don’t rush your choice. I can’t say enough about taking your time when selecting an edible. There are so many varieties to choose from, that it’s just plain smart to take your time. You are buying more than food, more than an  ornamental plant. You are buying memories as well as pleasure at the moment of harvest. My criteria for selecting a blueberry variety: totally delicious taste, convenient harvest time, plant sizes and shapes that are right for my garden, and gorgeous fall leaf color. Are you ready to pick out your favorite blueberry variety? If not, maybe this year will be about sampling berries at farmers markets and then buying your plant in the early fall.  What fun that will be!
  • Protect your plants. You won’t be the only one wanting blueberries. Birds and your dog will steal as much fruit as they can get away with. Be sure to leave lower branches for your dog to nibble on. If you use nets, check them often, or you will find little bird corpses tangled in the netting.
  • Think about the timing of the harvest. If you are always gone in July, select varieties that ripen in August.
  •  Buy companion varieties to maximize your crop. Remember to buy two
    different varieties that ripen at the same time. They flower at the same time, and the bumble bees can cross-pollinate the bushes to give you a better crop. Bumble bees vibrate the pollen off their feet and bodies from one flower to another and that is how they cross pollinate.  It’s primarily bumble bees that cross-pollinate blueberry plants.

    Dragon Fly visits blueberry plant in Lori's garden

    Dragonfly on green blueberry cluster-another great reason to shun pesticides in your garden. Photo from my client Lori Aveling.

    Don’t use pesticides on any plants because they harm and kill the bees.  Blueberry plants don’t have many pest problems.

  • Consider the newer evergreen varieties for the front yard. For example, ‘Sunshine Blue is a variety that local edibles expert Vern Nelson and I really like. ‘Sunshine Blue’ is evergreen, so the leaves stay on the bush year round and it’s small, say 3 by 3 feet. This way, you can have edibles in the front yard without going totally  “Urban Homestead”. (Portland has many new landscapes that are  completely given over to growing edibles. It’s an exciting, fun idea but not for everyone.)

Next time: More about blueberries, specifically a chart of never-fail varieties.

Categories : Easy Edibles, Garden Tips
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Five Ways to Avoid Gardening Grief: Take Care of Your Tools

Posted by Carol 
· February 27, 2013 

Gardening wouldn’t be gardening without (at least) a few essential tools. My Felco bypass pruners and my Corona 6-inch folding pruning saw are my go-to tools.  But it’s part of human nature to ignore tools until the worst possible moment, when you can’t find them, or they don’t perform as needed.

The good news: this type of gardening grief is 100% preventable. The not-so-good news: my best advice is to protect your tools from… well…you.

Give yourself a gift. Take a few moments and learn five easy ways to take care of your tools.

  1. Choose and care for tools with the long term in mind.    What is the “optimum tool?” Whatever makes gardening chores easier and doesn’t have to be replaced due to overuse. Caring for your tools will make you feel like you can do something your grandfather knew how to do. Making tools last a lifetime is a skill that you can learn.

    Photo of Rain or Shine tools

    Pick the right tools!

  2. Never leave your pruning tools out in the rain. If you work in the rain or on wet plants, be sure to dry the blades carefully before putting them away. Having a towel handy is great, but drying tools on your wool sweater is not smart. So, just dry them on something. Yes, this is common sense, but I have to make these little rules for myself so that I am not supremely unhappy with myself later.
  3. Never try to cut a branch that is too big for your blade. Whatever you prune should be easy to cut. You shouldn’t have to open the blades super-wide to do the deed. For example, a half-inch branch should be the maximum diameter for your Felco clippers. Before you say, “Well, that’s no good,” hold on! The whole idea is to prune things before they get huge. But if they did, no worries. There’s a tool for that, too. For example, a one-inch branch pushes your Felco bypass clippers to the limit. Yes, I know what I said several sentences ago. Pretend I said half-inch until you and your Felcos are very, very good friends. Anything bigger should be cut with your handy, easy-to-use folding hand saw. I understand: you have a pruning itch, and it must be scratched. Fine. But, to help yourself resist the urge to use the wrong tool for larger branches, keep this must-have piece of equipment handy while you are working.
  4. Get a pruning saw and bypass pruning shears (not clippers). A pair of Felco #2 or #6 pruning shears and a folding pruning saw are the gotta-have tools for  all gardeners. Corona brand tools are good too.  Otherwise, Felco pruners are the industry standard.   Ahh… the pruning saw. This minor miracle of gardening tools makes hard work so easy! Believe me, you will love having one. In February 2012, I saw a Corona pruning saw and a pole pruner offered as a package for less than $50.00 at Costco. The pruning saw helps you make a beautiful, clean cut without tearing up your plant’s bark. Better yet, you can do it easily and do it right the first time, without much physical effort. This is very nice for those of us with little or no muscle to speak of.
    The pole pruner which I use only rarely, cannot make clean, flush cuts as easily as the saw. It takes skill that many of us don’t have. However, you use the pole pruner when you must remove a branch that you cannot reach and don’t have a proper ladder. (Or, perhaps your family has said “Sorry, no more ladders, lady.” Man, some folks get pushy about little things like ladders when we get a bit older.)
  5. Learn how to keep your pruning tools sharp. Whether a pair of clippers or a handsaw is right for the job, remember: if you go after branches that are too big for your blade, you will permanently damage the tool. Learning how to sharpen and oil your tools will not deliver optimum performance if you have already messed them up with misuse.
    These tools take you back to the days when you bought replacement parts, not a whole tool. You can learn how to clean and sharpen your tools from your garden coach or go online to learn how. My Felco bypass pruners to see how a professional does it.  Although the guy in the video uses orange oil he gives you practical alternatives such as WD40. I found it easy to follow.
Categories : Garden Tips
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Pick Dwarf Fruit Trees To Fit Your Yard

Posted by Carol 
· January 15, 2013 

This time I’m engaging in one of my favorite activities: Myth Busting!

It’s amazing how much flat-out misinformation is available online to gardeners of all levels of experience. The worst of it occurs when the misinformation makes gardeners reluctant to try something new or choose the wrong variety for their situation. The negative effect of misinformation is especially bad when the topic is fruit trees.

Just Give Me the Fruit, and Be Quick About It!

You want a few trees, and some homegrown fruit, not an orchard.

I bet that you just want a few fruit trees and home-grown fruit, not an orchard. And, that you don’t want to spend countless hours learning the whole Horticultural Science thing. If I’m right, here are three myths that can affect your fruit tree success:

§ Myth #1: Dwarf fruit trees won’t grow enough fruit. This is so wrong, I could start laughing and never stop. Please forgive me and then believe me: dwarf trees have been developed to put out a lot of fruit! How? They are grafted to a root stock of a compatible but different much smaller tree. This means your selected fruit tree is using the root system of the smaller tree.  This inhibits size and can also add many wonderful attributes to your tree and fruit.

§ Myth #2: The root stock name doesn’t matter. If you are at a nursery where the plant tags ONLY say mini or dwarf apple,  walk away.  Just as you would probably avoid buying a car that gets ten miles to the gallon of gas,  you want a high-performance fruit tree.  You don’t just want a dwarf fruit tree. You want one that is grafted to a new, super-cool, disease-resistant, clay soil-tolerant root stock, which can help you avoid or overcome serious obstacles to success. There are many to choose from, it can get a little overwhelming until you understand what the different root stocks do and can sort through the options by how you want your trees to grow. See the link in my next blog for the root stock list.

This drawing illustrates fruit bearing wood on a dwarf apple tree

§ Myth #3: We must endure making mistakes as an inevitable part of learning gardening skills. Wrong! You don’t have to make all the typical beginner mistakes, even if it does produce what our parents call character. Helping you avoid character-building pain is what people like Vern Nelson (and even me) are for. We are here to help you get satisfying results on your first try. Vern Nelson, The hungry gardener, is the edibles genius I turn to for straight talk and he also teaches hands on classes at his private garden.

Next time: Four excellent ways that dwarf fruit trees grown on special root stock add pleasure and convenience to your gardening experience.

Categories : Easy Edibles, Garden Tips, Plants I Recommend, Tree Selection
Affordable Landscaping Portland

Garden Tip: Plant Your Trees in the Fall

Posted by Carol 
· October 2, 2012 

Before we forget how hot it was this summer and how precious shade was, let’s talk trees. Is it time to consider planting trees for shade or privacy? I love to plant trees, especially if I am starting out with a bigger specimen……….in the fall.

If you are looking to prioritize what plants to buy first in your design, consider planting one large specimen tree. A big sized tree planted first will make a big impact.  Protect your investment by planting in the fall when winters cooler temperatures and rains will establish the roots.  Have a professional  plant it.  The root ball of this tree at time of planting easily weighed 500 lbs.

Privacy landscape design in Woodstock neighborhood for side yardBig Tree Planted in Woodstock Neighborhood

Paul and Leah live in the Woodstock neighborhood of Portland, Oregon.  They hired Design in a Day 5 years ago. (2007)  We planted a 6″ caliper shade tree. (6 inches through the trunk at 4 inches above the ground).  We selected a big tree so we would have shade on the deck sooner rather than later for their growing family to enjoy.

Japanese Elm Zelkova serratta ‘Wireless’

One of my favorite shade trees is a Japanese elm tree- Zelkova serratta ‘Wireless’.  It’s called “Wireless” because it grows very wide (36′) but it fits under secondary power lines at 24 feet tall.  Because it has strong wood, it is the perfect shade tree for near the house because it’s less likely to suffer broken limbs that might damage your roof. It’s also a popular street tree for extra wide parking strips.

‘Wireless’ also has great fall color, early leaf drop and is a low water needs tree.  The leaf canopy is thick enough for shade but allows dappled sun through for the lawn.  What more could we ask for?

Other trees we selected were Carpinus betulus ‘Franz Fontaine’ (a columnar “skinny” hornbeam) and semi dwarf Magnolia Grandiflora ‘Little Gem’.  These trees were purchased at typical homeowner DIY sizes, 1.5 inch caliper and maybe 8′ tall for the hornbeam and a ten gallon pot for the evergreen magnolia which was about 5′ tall.

Big Tree Helps Re-sale

Paul and Leah sold their home two years later.  The internet sales photos showed a backyard ready for fun and a small  significant shade tree for their south facing deck.

I drove by this landscape 9 years later and took photos.  Check it out.

See these trees 9 years later.

Categories : Fall Gardening, Garden Tips, Parking Strips, Tree Selection
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Oregonian Home and Garden blog features Carol Lindsay, Design in a Day Video

Posted by Carol 
· September 28, 2012 

Hi, here is my recent exposure in the Oregonian’s Home and Garden blog by Kym Pokorny.  This blog gives me credit for starting the Design in a Day way of doing landscape design oh so many years ago and has an amazing photo of me with the amazing Barley Dog.

carol.jpg
Courtesy of Carol Lindsay
Designer Carol Lindsay and her late dog Barley.

Longtime Portland garden designer Carol Lindsay was one of the first to implement the idea of Landscape Design in a Day, which would be why she named her business that. The concept is a four-hour consultation with Carol, who will listen to your needs and wants and then come up with a do-it-yourself design. She also offers garden coaching and full-scale garden design.

In checking out her website recently, my eyes spied three topics, probably because Carol and I share a love of dogs. Her sweet, adorable cocker spaniel Barley sadly passed away this year. He will always be remembered.

Her dog-related posts include:

Dog-pee-proof plants.   Synthectic lawns and dogs: Do they go together?

Dog-friendly landscapes.

But the big news is a video Carol made for About.com about rocks walls.

(About.com has closed access to this video.)

Rock Garden Video

Videographer in Rock Garden designed by Design in a Day Carol Lindsay

As an example, she uses one that she designed 10 years ago with small plants such as heathers, ferns, dwarf ornamental grasses and ground covers.

“We started out with 10 or 20 little 4-inch specialty ferns,” Carol says on the video. Over a 10-year period of time, these little ferns crossed with each other and created all these little sporelings … Out of those 20 little ferns that we bought 10 years ago, there are 100 ferns here now, if not more than that.”

“It’s high interest, easy to care for and beautiful to look at.”

Sign up for Carol’s seasonal home and garden tips.

— Kym Pokorny

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2012/09/portland_garden_designer_recor.html

Categories : Dog and Cat Friendly Gardens, Garden Tips, Shade Garden Tips, Shade Plants
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