KRAUTTER’S KORNER NEWSLETTER – JULY 2016
GARDEN CALENDAR
Continue to beautify your property by adding flowering plants. A little bit of color can make a big difference to your landscaping. Our greenhouses are filled with beautiful plants. Make 2016 a colorful year. Diversity is the key to sustainability. The greater the mix, the greater the attraction of beneficial insects to your garden. Adding color and variety to your property will enhance it. Take advantage of our fantastic summer bargains listed below. Westchester is an incredible county to live in. The variety of plant material and the large number of trees make it one of the greenest counties in the country. We take it for granted because we live here, but people who come to visit are impressed. Many of our gardens are exceptional and rate among the best in the country.
June has been a dry month and I have had a lot of customers bring in plant samples that show symptoms of inadequate water. July is the month to water, water, and water. Check hanging baskets and containers daily. Stressed plants curtail flowering and are prone to insect and disease infestation. Heavy watering causes leaching and requires weekly applications of Nature’s Source Liquid Fertilizer to replenish lost nutrients. Follow this regimen and you will keep your plants healthy, strong and stress free. All in-ground plants should be mulched two inches deep and kept moist. Start thinking drip irrigation to reduce watering needs. Drip irrigation is a simple system that can be set up by any homeowner and can be fully automated with timers.
Annuals give the summer color that makes your yard beautiful. It is never too late to add more. New varieties keep blooming into late fall. Annuals planted in-ground should be mulched and watered thoroughly, avoiding overhead watering particularly in the evening. When you go on vacation, arrange to have someone take care of your plants’ water needs. Again don’t forget to mulch. Mulching conserves moisture in the soil, allowing it to be absorbed by the plant rather than evaporating into the air. Mulching prevents run-off, allowing the water to be absorbed into the soil, whether it is applied mechanically or by natural rain fall. Mulching reduces the amount of water needed and water has become expensive. Good watering practices are critical to beautiful plants. Each person must determine which method works best for them. Many people find hand watering to be the most pleasurable part of the day. To be in the fresh air among the flowers in the quiet of one’s back yard can be both relaxing and refreshing. Hand watering, if done properly, is an excellent method but time consuming. It is best done early in the morning; but if done at night, particular care should be given to watering the soil and the root ball, not the flowers and the foliage. If the foliage is wet over-night, poor flower quality and disease will result. Make sure you have the right tools to work with: a high quality Flexogen hose which is both flexible and durable, a Dramm nozzle which allows water at high volume to flow out gently, and a long extension to bring that water to the base of the plant. If you are watering container plants, make sure you fill the container to the rim with water. On a hot summer day hanging baskets may need double and triple watering. When watering plants in the ground, make sure you soak the root system. When watering newly installed plants, the root system is confined close to the stem; so water close to the stem. It takes newly planted trees and shrubs at least 3 years to become established and during this time they especially need to be pampered. Double and triple watering may be necessary on hilly dry locations or on scorching summer days. If time becomes a problem, start automating some of your watering chores. We endorse drip irrigation. Half inch poly pipe has built-in emitters every 18 inches and quarter inch poly pipe has built-in emitters every 12 inches. Any formation can be built with easy slip-on tees, L’s and connectors; and both ½ and 1/4 inch can be mixed on the same system. The system can be fine-tuned to give larger plants more water and can be fully automated by incorporating a timer. The system is so flexible that any time you feel a certain area or plant needs more water, you can punch in additional drippers.
ANNUALS
Hanging baskets and containers, depending on their size, need to be checked for water daily and double or tripled watered on a hot summer day. Plants in full sun require more water than those in shade. Heavily watered plants need additional organic liquid food on a weekly basis. Feed with Nature’s Source Organic Liquid Fertilizer. Remove spent flowers, keep your plants vigorous so that they do not heat stall. Prune back lightly if they do. Annuals planted in the ground and mulched don’t need to be watered as frequently. Water thoroughly when you do water and keep the water off the flowers and the foliage, particularly when watering in the evening. It is never too late to plant annuals and add more color to your garden. When mulched, they require a minimum amount of care.
At this time of the year there are 3 chapters in my book that I feel are important for you to review. They will help get you through these next two difficult months and will help you maintain a beautiful garden. Read Step 3 WATERING page 29. Water is essential to a plant’s survival and I cover what you need to do to water and maintain your plants successfully. Step 10 GROOMING page 99. GROOMING keeps your plants looking good by following a few simple steps that will make a big difference in enduring plant quality and flower profusion. Step 11 OBSERVING is on page 105. You can’t solve a problem unless you recognize a problem. This is one of the most important steps in my book and is rarely covered in others.
ROSES
Spray Foliar Ecolizer IB2 every three weeks. Beneficial insects can be released for insect control at this time of the year. Keep a vigilant eye out for insect damage and if present, spray early with an organic control. Keep Roses well watered. Water to a depth of at least 8 inches. Keep the water off the foliage and the flowers. It is more important to water thoroughly and less frequently. Make sure your plants are mulched. With the first flush of bloom over, summer pruning is important to ensure continuous bloom. Spent flowers should be cut back on the stem to the first five-leaflet leaf. Hybrid Teas, English and Antique Roses should be cut back individually stem by stem. Floribundas should constantly have old blooms deadheaded. On Shrub Roses, Meidilands and Miniatures use a hedge shear and cut back 1/3. Knock Out Roses are self cleaning and need pruning only when you want to shape them. With Climbers, remove shoots going in the wrong direction but you need to develop new shoots for next year’s flowering. A light deadheading of flowers is beneficial. Feed roses with one tablespoon of Nature’s Source fertilizer and one ounce of Feedback in a gallon of water and water Roses thoroughly. This provides micro nutrients and microbial food for the beneficial microbes and mycorrihizal fungi to enhance plant growth. Keep your beds weed free.
PERENNIALS
Water in your plants with Feedback and Nature’s Source liquid organic fertilizer. Top dress your Perennial beds with Fundy Blend. Make sure your plants are mulched and keep them well watered. Keep the water off the flowers and the foliage. Water thoroughly and deeply rather than too frequently. Ground covers can be overhead watered but leaves should be dry by nightfall. Asters should be cut back 1/3 in early July and Mums should be pinched until mid July. Keep deadheading spent flowers to ensure more flowering. Stake plants if needed. Keep your beds weed free and watch carefully for insect or disease problems. If you find them, work for quick control.
EVERGREENS, TREES AND SHRUBS
Remember when it gets dry; the big guys need a lot of water. When you water, water thoroughly. Newly installed plants need particular care. Make sure their root ball gets soaked close to the trunk. Make sure your beds are mulched to a depth of 2 inches and keep a vigilant eye on plants for any insect or disease problems. Most non-flowering evergreens can receive a light shearing after new growth starts hardening. This leads to fuller, more compact growth. Height needs to be controlled in foundation plantings. Selectively cut back tall branches but allow full shorter branches to remain for next year’s flowering. Review my chapter on Pruning, page 65. Adding kelp to the soil is always a good idea as it adds nutrients and microbes to the soil. kelp is also available as Neptune Harvest Seaweed fertilizer.
LAWNS
July is a tough month on lawns. Keep your grass well watered, saturating to a depth of 6 inches. Cut your lawn to a height of 3 1/2 inches. To reduce fungus problems, avoid watering late in the evening. If you do not have an underground sprinkling system, simple timers attached to the end of your hose allow you to water on your way out to work. I find the best portable lawn sprinkler is a model made by Dramm called Dramm Premium Oscillating Sprinkler. It is made in the US using strong American steel. Milky Spore Grub Control and nematodes can still be added for grub control. Beetles lay eggs in your turf during July and August re-infesting lawns with a new crop of grubs. Grubs eat the roots of your grass. Chinch bug is prevalent when temperatures are above 70 degrees. If brown irregular areas keep enlarging, do the chinch bug test. Take a coffee can, cut out at both ends, place into the ground to cover 2/3 brown, 1/3 green grass. Fill with water forcing the chinch bug to the surface. If they are present, apply Neem or use Eco Smart Insect Granules (a plant oil based insecticide) for control. Review my diagnostic sheet for insects and diseases on lawns page 144 in my book. Keeping your lawns well watered during high temperatures will reduce chinch bug infestation. Chinch bugs love to invade hot dry locations. Lawns that are heavily watered will benefit with a feeding of an organic fertilizer. We are recommending that you feed with Ringer Lawn Restore. It is completely organic containing all of the essential nutrients and is safe to use in the heat. Stay away from applying inorganic fertilizers and weed controls during the hot days of summer as they could burn your lawn. Be on the lookout for diseases. Spots on your blades of grass are an indication that fungus problems exist. I have excellent illustrations to help you identify these problems in my book on pages 144 – 148.
PLANT FEATURE
Begonia Red Dragon Wing or its counterpart the Big Guy Begonias are my favorite plant to add to a garden. They will thrive in full sun or shade and perform with a spectacular show of color all summer long with little or no maintenance other than the usual watering and feeding that we recommend for all plants. They are good for containers or bedding. We have grown a lot of them this year and they are spectacular plants looking for a home. Take advantage of the summer bargain.
MOST ASKED QUESTION
Questions about insect and disease problems are the most prevalent. Use organic controls that are safe for us, our children, our pets and the environment. We carry a very large selection.
MYKE
I have received great reviews from customers who have been using it for many years. One customer reported she used Myke and has never grown such lush healthy vegetables. Another injected Myke into the soil surrounding dying trees and said they have rebounded beautifully. Gaining in popularity, this product is the best thing that has hit gardening. . Myke builds a strong root system that penetrates deeply into the soil. Deep roots can pick up moisture deep within. The strength of any plant is in its roots and Myke produces roots. Use it every time you plant or transplant. The product needs to come in contact with the roots. It can be injected into the soil by poking holes into the ground and pouring some Myke into the hole. It is not effective as a top dressing.
KRAUTTER’S YEAR ROUND ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDEN
At this time of the year it is an enclosed animal proof raised bed filled with organic vegetables. I have found that an enclosed organic garden is on a different planting schedule than an outdoor spring garden. Harvesting has just come to an end and a new planting and reconditioning of our soil just took place. I have produced 4 crops a year. This is a lot of production. Our deer proof annual flower garden is spectacular and attracts many beneficial insects to the area. It also makes this structure an attraction to your property. No one will complain about you growing vegetables in your yard when you have a beautiful flower bed which enhances the look of the whole neighborhood. No animal will penetrate your organic raised beds. Your brick walk is always neat and clean and your working environment is pleasant. It is a pleasure to work and harvest your organic vegetables from here. A mother came in with her very young daughter and she told me her daughter will not eat any vegetables that come from the super market. She will only eat organic vegetables from her garden. There is hope for our young generation.
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BEST VALUE
Fantastic Summer Savings
Buy a flat of annuals and get a flat free.
Buy a dozen 4 ½” annuals and get a dozen free.
Buy a annual hanging basket and get one free.
Twenty percent off on all other annual plants or plant combinations (including all herbs, vegetables and perennials).
With Sprainbrook’s fantastic summer bargains make your summer twice as beautiful.
