Iris Information

You have some Iris and you are confused about when to cut them back.

In the winter, once the weather has cooled down and the sun is not out as long, you can trim the fans to about 5 inches.

If you do it too soon, the plant will not get as much nutrition from photosynthesis to promote the next years growth.

At any other time you can remove leaves when they become damaged, brown, or diseased.

When thinning them, try to dig them up for transplanting in the late fall or early winter about the time that you normally would cut them back for winter.

When transplanting iris, you can dig them up, then trim back the greens to about 3-4 inches.

This will help give the plant more energy to root once they make it back into the ground.

When you replant, plant them at least 8 inches apart. Lay the rhizome horizontally in the shallow hole that you dug.

Barely cover with soil and mulch well for the first couple of winters.

Lilac Lowdown

You just love your lilacs but you are not sure how to take care of them.

Here are a few basic tips for keeping them blooming beautifully.

Lilacs need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight each day. If they do not receive the direct sun, they will not bloom as well.

Lilacs like to be watered. Make sure to water them well when there has not been much rain. You can add mulch to help preserve moisture.

Only prune your lilacs after they have bloomed in the spring. If you prune them at any other time, you chance trimming off buds that will appear next year.

You do not need to fertilize lilacs. If you feel that you must, you can use a balanced fertilizer once every 2-3 years.

If your plant is not blooming, don't forget that they can take anywhere from 2-5 years to bloom depending on the species.

Clematis Care

Clematis are beautiful climbing vines, but if you don't take care of them correctly they can either take over or dwindle into nothing.

Check your plant and see when it blooms. This is very important for care. Start a notebook with a map of your yard and where each plant is to keep it straight.

Right after you plant a new Clematis and for the first year, keep the plant trimmed to no more than 24 inches. This will help develop a great base and excellent framework of branches.

Your Clematis is blooming on last years growth if it blooms before June. These vines need to be trimmed just after they bloom. If you trim in the late summer or fall you will not have as many blooms.

Summer and Fall varieties can be trimmed in the spring. You can be more aggressive with these varieties and prune them down to 10"-12" from the ground.

There is a third kind that blooms with both old and new growth, so these should be trimmed with a light hand.

If you are not sure which kind you have, take a bloom into your local nursery and they can help you with the care.

Winterizing Garden Beds

Winter is knocking on the door and your garden needs just a little bit of tending to before it will be ready.

Now is the time to make sure that you have pulled out all of the annuals that have died off. Trim back any perennials and bushes.

Take one more look around at your beds and pull any weeds that you see.

Grab some compost from your local garden center and spread over the beds to give them some protection from the harsh weather.

Last but by no means least do not forget to disconnect your garden hose from the faucet. Wrap up the hose and store it in the garage. If you have an insulated cover place it over the faucet to help prevent the pipes from freezing.

Storing Bulbs

You have some bulbs that you can't get into the ground right away, but you are not sure how to store them.

Most bulbs can be left in the ground unless you live in an area where it does not freeze. You can look up each bulb that you have on the internet to see if you need to dig them up each year. (some bulbs require freezing to bloom the next year)

If you do find that you need to dig up the bulbs do so only after most of the green has died off. The bulb still gets nutrients from the stem well into the fall.

Be careful not to damage the bulb with the shovel when you are digging them up.

Take some time to gently brush the dirt off the bulb. Pull off any loose skin from around the bulb and trim off any foliage that might be attached.

Place the bulbs in a cool dry location for a few days to make sure that no extra moisture is on them. If they are still moist, let them sit a few more days. If they are moist when you store them, there is a good chance that they will rot before you get a chance to plant them again in the spring.

Once they are clean and dry place them into an old mesh onion bag or a paper bag. Use a bag with easy access so that you can check frequently throughout the winter and pull out any that appear to be rotting so that it does not spread.

Hang the bag in a cool dry location. If the bulbs need to freeze, place them into an open box and then into a freezer for the amount of time required just before planting them in the spring.

Easy Lawn Bagging

You picked up some of those great big bags from your local home improvement store, but you are having problems getting your leaves and debris into the bag.

You can make a quick and easy “funnel” for using with your bag. Locate an old plastic laundry basket or tall trash can.

Open up your bag and place the basket/can inside the bag to make sure that it fits.

Once you have confirmed this, simply cut off the bottom of the basket/can. Now place back in the bag and start filling.

Once your bag is full, remove your basket/can and place in the next bag for use.

Bulb Bandits

You love your perineal bulbs, and well, so do the squirrels and other critters running around.

There is a quick and easy way to protect an established bed is in the fall.

Just after you have cut back all the spring and summer growth in preparation for the winter, you can get some chicken wire.

Roll the chicken wire across your beds and weigh down the edges with bricks or rock.

Now in the spring when everything is starting to bud and bloom, remove the wire and store for next winter.

Yard Yearnings

You have a garden, but it is not exactly what you want. You see all these great shows on tv that have beautiful yards.

It will not happen over night unless you have oodles of money but you can get there if you make a plan.

I like shopping for end of the season sales. You can buy bushes, plants and bulbs. Some may not look like much, but remember that they are at the end of their season if they are spring or summer bloomers.

Plant them in the ground now and they will still have enough time to root a bit before they go dormant for the winter, and by next year you should have nice healthy plants.

Check the tag to make sure that you are not buying an annuals at the end of the season. These should be purchased fresh at the beginning of the season.

Tee Pee in the Garden

You love working in the yard and garden, and usually the kids are right out there with you. When you are setting up your garden, whether it be with flowers or vegetables, create some fun for your kids too.
Instead of planting your beans or climbing flowers in a straight line, create a tee pee.

Draw a large circle about 6 feet in diameter.

Get some 8-12 foot saplings or bamboo and lay out around your circle about 12 inches apart with one opening about 3 feet.

Bury each stick about 6 inches or so in the ground and tie off the top with strong twine or wire.

Now as your beans/flowers grow, wrap them around the poles.

As they grow they will enclose in the tee pee giving your kids a place to play!

Tomato Gardening

Tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to grown and very rewarding. Even if you have a small amount of space you can grow a substantial amount of fresh tomatoes.

First do your research, there are a lot of different varieties out there. You will need to decide what you are going to use the tomatoes for and how much room that you have.

Make sure that you read about how large the plants will get as well as the tomatoes themselves.

Find a location where the plants will get at least a half a day of sun or more each day.

Find a large pot (18 inches or so) and make sure that there is good drainage. Plant up to 3 plants in each pot.

Get a few wire tomato cages, or create some of your own for each pot. Tomatoes need this for support as they grow and start to produce.

Find a good fertilizer that is listed for tomatoes and use weekly.

When you water the tomatoes you want to make sure that all of the soil is kept moist all the time.

Watch the leaves as your plant grows. If you see any branches (suckers) starting where there is already a branch, remove the smaller branch.

As your tomato starts to grow you can use some twine or plant ties to hold the plant to your support.

As your tomatoes grow and you start to harvest you will never buy another tomato from the grocery store again.

Fall Cleanup

It is that time of year when you need to clean up the yard and get ready for winter.

Get Ready to De-Ice - Locate the snow shovel and any deicing supplies and move them to the front so that you can easily get to them when the snow starts flying!

Sprinkler Blowouts - If you have an automatic sprinkler system, don't forget to call and have them blown out.

Organize, Organize, Organize - Take a few minutes to clear out the shed and get rid of any outdated products. (Contact your local Waste Management office to find out how to dispose of chemicals)

Automotive - Get a full detail and drop a coat of wax on before the cold weather hits. Refill your window washing fluid with an antifreeze type. Take a look in your first aid kit and see if you need to replenish anything. Grab your ice scraper, and flashlight and a small bag of kitty litter to leave in your trunk in case you get stuck out in the weather. (I also grab a couple of Candy Bars and leave in the bag)

Clean and Dry - Don't forget to clean any outdoor furniture and cover or move into storage for the winter.