Ask Donna questions about gardening, landscape design, lillies, daughters, etc. A little coffee, a little talk, no big whoop.
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* Digging a hole in hard ground for a tree or shrub? Dig a starter hole and fill it to the top with water - come back later and you will be amazed at how much easier it is to dig. After you dig fill it with water again, and wait for it to soak in before back filling and planting - the more stable soil moisture will give your tree a better start.
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* When planting trees don't mix a lot of organic matter into the soil or the tree might grow a compacted root ball in the improved soil without sending roots out into the surrounding ground. Just dig a hole and put the loosened dirt back in - then add compost or rotted manure as a mulch on top of the ground.
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* If you get your beds ready before time to plant, consider covering them with a plastic tunnel to both warm the soil, and to keep it dry so that when the right day for pea planting (or whatever) rolls around you won't be delayed by frozen mud.
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* Try starting lettuce in a length of plastic gutter and transplant out all in one piece.
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* When shopping for spring seeds buy some for the Fall garden while they are available.
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* When planting tiny fragile seeds cover with fine compost, potting soil, or peat moss so that the emerging plantlets don't have to fight through crusty soil.
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* When starting seeds indoors you will get much quicker and more reliable germination by keeping the soil warm - about 70 F. But, once plants emerge they can get leggy under artificial light if you keep them too warm.
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* When starting seeds under fluorescent lights you should keep the lights as close to the tops of the plants as possible - but even then the intensity is far less than real sunlight. Move your plant starts outside as soon as weather permits.
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* When starting seeds keep the soil moist and warm until the plants emerge, but then try to let the surface of the soil dry out a bit between waterings.
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* Check the germination rate of your seeds by putting 10 each between sheets of wet paper towels, keep moist and warm. In a week or so you will see how many you need to put in each spot.
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* One of the most important factors to successful gardening is to plant at the right time. Nothing else matters if you get this wrong.
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Donna, I have day lilies that I have been nurturing in the garden for a few years to multiply, now I’m ready to transplant them into the landscape. My question is this – 90% of the time they are foliage at best, and ratty foliage at worst so I Don’t really want them to be the dominant plants in a big area. How do I place them so that they can be seen when they are in bloom but not be unattractive the rest of the time?
Also, what companion plants (annuals for example) will be compatible with soil, water, and fertilizer requirements of the day lily plants?
Finally, any transplanting tips? Is now (September) the best time or should I wait until full dormancy?
Thanks in advance for your prompt and knowledgeable response
Hi, David.
Think about the height of the BLOOMS, not the height of the foliage. Many daylilies have quite tall scapes, so you can place them deeper into the bed where taller plants in front will hide the foliage when it looks ratty…
Donna’s response to this question was so useful that we turned it into an article “Using Day Lilies in the Landscape” which you can read by following the link.
This has turned into an article! But I hope it answers your questions. Happy digging!
I have a terrible problem with squirrels so this year I tried to plant upside down hanging tomato plants. They still got to my tomatoes. I was very upset. Do you have any suggestions? About the only thing they won’t eat are my jalapenos.
Thanks
Hi, Barb. Welcome to the Door Garden. As you are finding out, squirrels can be an enormous nuisance in the garden. I have not had a problem with squirrels in my vegetable garden, thank goodness.
To my knowledge, there are no sure fire ways to keep them away from something they want, but here are some suggestions.
First, since you grow your tomatoes in pots, put them closer to the house. If they are near a door where you are coming in and going out alot, this may discourage their visits. I have found this to work with birds in my blueberries. If we are walking by frequently, they leave them alone for the most part.
My second idea will be a nuisance, but I bet it will work. Chicken wire is commonly used to keep squirrels from digging up bulbs in the fall. You simply cut a square of it and place it over the bulb holes and anchor it to the ground. The critters can’t get through it, but the bulb foliage can get out.
So, using this basic idea, I would suggest you double cage your vegetable plants. Use a cage with openings that are large enough for you to get your hands in and out for harvesting as an inner cage. This will support your plant, keep the fruit clean, and protect the branches from breakage from the second cage.
Then add a second cage that is hopefully a bit larger in diameter than the eventual size of your tomatoes. Use a wire that is too small for squirrels, but which will still allow pollinators to get to the blooms. Cover the top too. Then lift the outer cages off when you are harvesting, but leave them over the plant the rest of the time. You may need to do a bit of pruning on the plant to keep it inside the cage, but if the cages are large enough, that shouldn’t be a big deal.
I hope this will help you!