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Pruning At The Proper Time

Timely pruning can allow for bloom.

Motorized hedge shears are the most overused home garden power tools. They are very useful for hedges and similarly shorn shrubbery. The problem is that they too often shear vegetation that needs different types of pruning. Also, they often perform proper shearing at improper times. The efficiency is a distraction from seasonality and proper horticulture.

Dormant pruning happens during winter while subjects are most dormant. It is the proper technique for deciduous fruit trees, roses and many deciduous species. However, winter may not be the best time to prune certain evergreen species. Dormancy may not be such an advantage for them. It limits the ability to outgrow the evidence of pruning or shearing.

For example, an English laurel hedge appears quite tattered immediately after shearing. As it resumes growth at this time of year, it recovers very efficiently. Therefore, it does not appear to be tattered for very long. However, recovery would have been quite slow while growth was slower during winter. Autumn and winter are not good times for such pruning.

Actually, this is a good time to prune or shear all sorts of evergreen hedges. Pittosporum, privet, xylosma and boxwood all recover efficiently from such techniques. They will likely need pruning again, and perhaps a few times, through summer. Then, their growth slows sometime during autumn. Hopefully, they will not need pruning until the following spring.

Some evergreen shrubbery blooms for spring, though. Premature pruning would deprive them of such bloom. Laurustinus is likely already finished blooming, so may be ready for pruning now. Lemon bottlebrush, though, blooms somewhat later. If possible, its pruning should occur after its primary late spring bloom. It will hopefully not grow too big by then.

Photinia is now generating appealingly coppery red new foliage. Pruning would remove much of such foliage, so should be a bit later if possible. Then, shearing as foliage turns green would promote another phase of red new foliage. Of course, photinia trees are too large for such shearing. Also, trees bloom more than regularly pruned hedges or shrubs. Some find the floral fragrance of photinia bloom to be objectionable.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 14 Comments

Six on Saturday: Return Home

These are some of the flowers that I observed in bloom when Rhody and I returned from vacation in Washington. (Most bloomed last week.)

1. Rubus parviflorus, thimbleberry is actually not much to brag about. It just looks more impressive in a closeup picture. This flower is not much bigger than a blackberry flower.

2. Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’ flowering cherry is sort of still blooming. Well, the bloom is really beginning to deteriorate. It is the last of all flowering cherry trees here to bloom.

3. Iris series Californicae, Pacific Coast iris blooms in various shades of blue, purple, red and yellow, and of course, white. A variety of this iris series might bloom apricot orange.

4. Clivia miniata, Kaffir lily got to bloom this year. The same specimen produced a floral stalk which got broken off last year. This particular cultivar has yellow foliar variegation.

5. Cymbidium spp., orchid is blooming even after some aggressive division. At least one of its seven pups also bloomed well. Prior to division, it bloomed with eight floral stalks!

6. Rosa spp. ‘Double Delight’ rose bloomed before the other roses in its garden, although other roses are blooming concurrently in another of our gardens about half a mile away.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo

Western Sword Fern

Western sword fern is a native.

Of the native ferns, Western sword fern, Polystichum munitum, is the most common. Yet, it can be difficult to cultivate outside of its native range. Regional symbiotic soil microbes might be what limit its adaptability beyond its range. Locally in the wild, it prefers riparian situations. Within home gardens, established specimens are impressively undemanding.

As an understory species, Western sword fern should probably prefer partial shade. Yet, it can perform as well with full sun exposure. Although it appreciates organically rich soil, it can be satisfied with soil of inferior quality. New or relocated specimens need frequent irrigation as they disperse roots. Monthly irrigation can suffice for established specimens.

Western sword fern grows about two or three feet tall, but can get taller in partial shade. It might be twice as wide. The evergreen foliage is dark forest green. Individual leaves are pinnately compound and arching. New leaves mostly obscure old leaves that deteriorate after their first or second year. Shabby specimens regenerate well after getting cut back.

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Ferns Are Splendid Foliar Perennials

Ferns exhibit distinctive form and texture.

Ferns are an odd bunch within home gardens. They lack floral color and fragrance. They produce no fruit or vegetables. The few that are deciduous lack autumn foliar color here. With very few exceptions, they provide no shade. There is quite a bit that they do not do. Yet, they are notably popular for their lush foliage, intricate textures and distinctive forms.

Almost all ferns are a rich deep green. Some are vibrantly lighter green. A few are silvery gray or exhibit intricate silvery patterns. Most exhibit lacy textures. Several are finer than most. Several develop relatively coarse textures. Bird’s nest fern has large but undivided and glossy fronds. Holly fern exhibits coarse texture of fronds that resemble holly foliage.

Most ferns that are popular here are evergreen foliar perennials. They are therefore tidier with occasional grooming to remove deteriorating old foliage. Some extend new foliage above old foliage as the old foliage lies down. Some regenerate lushly after the removal of all their foliage prior to their growing seasons. Deciduous ferns are uncommon locally.

Ferns do not develop stems or trunks like some other vegetation does. They sprawl over the ground with fleshy rhizomes. Tree ferns grow upward only by extending roots into the deteriorating rhizomes below. Such roots are quite strong and wiry, and form what seem to be trunks. Fern roots are rather fibrous. Fern rhizomes grow in length but not diameter.

Because of their fibrous roots, ferns are complaisant to confinement within pots. Several are splendid houseplants. Boston fern is an old fashioned but familiar example. Rabbit’s foot fern, maidenhair fern and bird’s nest fern are also popular as houseplants. Staghorn ferns are weirdly epiphytic. They can grow outside on vertical boards rather than in pots.

Most popular ferns are understory species. That means that, within their natural habitats, they live in the shade of larger vegetation. It also means that, within home gardens, most tolerate partial shade. A few actually prefer it. Most ferns also prefer systematic irrigation. Although, native Western sword fern tolerates both partial shade and lapses of irrigation.

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Six on Saturday: Return to Tangly Cottage Gardening

Skyler of Tangly Cottage Gardening invited Rhody and me back to tour her garden while Rhody and I were already vacationing in Washington. As usual, I left with a few goodies from the garden. Skooter was still confined to his home as he recovers from an earlier injury.

1. Euphorbia mellifera, honey spurge is my best guess for the identity of this perennial. I could have asked but did not think of it at the time. I am quite certain that it is a spurge.

2. Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’ lesser celandine is a relatively docile garden cultivar of a potentially weedy species. I can remember when it was popular in the 1990s and 2000s.

3. Tulipa spp., tulip was blooming next to the Canoe Garden. It seems to have a red edge or picotee. I took a picture of small cat tails in the Canoe Garden, but it was out of focus.

4. Muscari armeniacum, grape hyacinth is one of my favorite perennials. It is so reliable and resilient. Apparently, dwarf cat tails were not the only subject that was out of focus.

5. Narcissus spp., daffodil were probably the most prominent flowers while Rhody and I were here. I believe that this was the most abundant sort. Some bloomed in broad drifts.

6. Pulmonaria officinalis, lungwort of various cultivars was also abundant. I had already acquired blue, white and pink cultivars. Now I acquired this purple and pinkish cultivar.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo · 2 Comments

Transvaal Daisy

Transvaal daisies are popular cut flowers.

Though a popular cut flower, Transvaal daisy, Gerbera hybrida, is rare in home gardens. When it does appear in home gardens, it is typically within pots or planters as an annual. As a perennial, it gets shabby during winter, and is very popular among slugs and snails. It performs best with partial shade, but can tolerate full sun exposure if it is not too warm.

Coarse basal foliage of Transvaal daisy can grow a foot high and a foot and a half wide. Its solitary floral stems stand a few inches higher. Bloom is two to four inches wide. Most garden varieties bloom with simple single blooms. Most florist varieties are semi-double. The floral color range includes cartoonish pastels of yellow, orange, red, pink and white.

Floral structure of Transvaal daisy is more variable than it seems to be. Several varieties produce blooms with brown or black centers. A few varieties with fuller double bloom are uncommon but increasingly popular. Fewer varieties that resemble spider mums are rare but could become more available. Transvaal daisy becomes available in nurseries now. They are seasonable in spring and autumn.

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Watering Resumes With Drier Weather

Irrigation becomes necessary without winter rain.

Even before the last day of winter on March 20, the weather went summery fast. Not only has there been no rain in quite a while, but it has become rather warm also. This climate here can be tricky like that sometimes. While moisture becomes less available from rain, it also becomes more necessary. Watering, or irrigation, needs to resume to compensate.

Watering had not been much of a concern during rainy weather through winter. Only pots and planters that are sheltered by eaves still needed it. Between rainy weather, cool and humid weather inhibited evaporation. Therefore, watering was rarely if ever necessary to compensate for a lack of rain. Even sheltered planters needed less than during summer.

Lack of rain and warmer weather are not the only reasons for the need for watering. Day length is slowly but steadily increasing. Sunlight intensity increases as the sun becomes higher in the sky. Lengthening days of intensifying sunlight accelerate the desiccation of soil. It also accelerates evapotranspiration, which is the evaporation from foliar surfaces.

Furthermore, warming weather accelerates growth of vegetation. This increases its need for moisture that rain no longer provides. Formerly dormant deciduous species will soon develop foliage. They did not lose moisture to evapotranspiration while dormant, but will when foliated. Of course, different types of vegetation demand different types of watering.

Soil texture and composition is also relevant to this increasing need for watering. Sandy soil drains well, but consequently needs more watering than denser soil. Organically rich soil retains moisture more effectively. Potted plants need frequent watering because their roots can not disperse very far. Hanging potted plants want even more frequent watering.

With so many variables, there are no simple formulas for determining watering rates. The process ultimately relies on diligent observation of the soil and vegetation involved. Soil, for many plants, should not remain too dry for too long. However, it should not remain too saturated either. Whether irrigation is automated or manual, it must adapt to the weather.