On a slightly different topic...

The downside of owning your own small business is being responsible for the tasks you don’t like to do, for me that is the bookkeeping. But it must be done, so I sat down this morning with a fresh cup of coffee ready to barrel through it. But my brand new computer was running really, really, really slowly. Making what I hate to do, take 10 times longer than it should, anyone sense my frustration yet?

So I immediately saved what I was working on, shut everything down and restarted my computer. My first answer to everything electronic is reboot and try again. Hey, I play with plants for a living my technical knowledge is VERY limited. After shutdown, I noticed that my start up was taking longer than usual, especially for my brand new speedy mac and I immediately thought “Oh no, what did my kids download onto my computer”. This prompted my search, I won’t take you through my lengthy steps, remember my business is landscape design not technology. After this long process I found an application called Growl, BTW this only showed up under System Preferences under ‘Other’. I tried looking for it with finder and other searches, it doesn’t show up. I never installed anything called Growl so my first thought was spyware. I tried to uninstall it, but it wouldn't let me. I couldn’t drag it to the trash either.

Google Time. Turns out, Growl installed itself when I downloaded an application called Dropbox (which a colleague suggested I use to share work documents). Not only that, but Growl set itself to automatically start up with my computer (although it doesn’t show up on my start up list), and it is always running (although it doesn’t show itself as a running application). So what does this sneaky application do? I haven’t the foggiest. One blogger described it as an annoying guy following you around the house telling you “your phone is ringing”, “your dishwasher is done” and so on. Thanks, but not something I need.

So my next google search was “How do you uninstall Growl?”. The software developers of Growl want you to download an uninstall software from their website. Excuse me? That sounds wrong. I’ve accidentally deleted lots of things before, but in this case, I need a special application to delete another application? There must be another way. Growl showed up uninvited on my computer, remains hidden (from most of my search methods) and I am supposed to trust the developers to remove it by voluntarily installing another application. Does anyone else find this odd?

Ok, so more searching finds forums filled with other queries similar to mine “How did Growl get on my computer?”, “Is Growl a Virus?”, “How do I get rid of Growl?” and so on... at least I am not alone. But I can’t find a complete answer. I found out how to stop it from running, how to disable it from Dropbox, and how to stop it from opening at start up. But I still can’t get RID of it. Apparently neither can others, most forum responses follow this line “It isn’t doing anything just leave it.” or “You may want it in the future” but this isn’t enough for me. If someone walked into my house, uninvited, I would want them to leave. Even if they were not eating my food or using my hot water, I would want them OUT of my house.

The good news is that my computer is running MUCH faster now that I turned this application off, and therefore I can get back to my bookkeeping (maybe not so good). But I still want to delete this application from my computer, and I don’t want to install another application to do it. So, thoughts anyone?

Finally, the Application of my dreams!

Truly the Bible of the plant industry, Michael Dirr's "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants", is finally in an App form for your iPhone or iPad called "Dirr's Tree and Shrub Finder". Complete with pictures, cultural characteristics, identification tips, propagation notes and all the other info you have come to expect, nay rely on! This nifty app also allows you to search based on a multitude of criteria.

No longer will I have to schlep around the 20lb hardcover "Hardy Trees and Shrubs" book to show clients pictures! Now what do I do with the well worn text book I've had since college? Yes, it is almost 20 years old and so full of notes, highlights, arrows, paperclips, sketches and so on it is almost a scrapbook of my career. From my initial loathing of Hydrangea macrophylla to my current love affair with the plant (now that new cultivars have made it a reliable

bloomer for 3 full months) all the way to updating the genus on certain plants (Sophora japonica now Styphnolobium japonicum) or crossing them out entirely because they are now prohibited in Massachusetts or a failure like the genetically flawed Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana "Bradford").

My only comment is that like my textbook from ages past, I'd like a comment area. A place to add pictures, notes, or comments. I am confident that the app will be updated with all the critical industry updates, great new cultivars, breakthroughs in breeding and hybridizing but I still want to reference and record my own observations. Maybe I'll keep my textbook around a little while longer...

October in the Garden

The recent rain has made it hard to get into the garden, but plants are so happy with the recent turn of weather. You can see it in lawn grass, which is greening up all over town and in the renewed vigor of some of our late bloomers like Anemones, Hydrangeas and the lesser known Franklinia alatamaha.

So, when the opportunity presents itself, preparing for next spring is the focus of our garden tasks this month. This means raking leaves, planting garlic, mowing the lawn and planting your spring flowering bulbs! October is still a great time to plant trees and shrubs, the ground typically wont freeze until mid December so plants should have several weeks of root growth before going completely dormant.

Spring Flowering Bulbs, if you haven’t made your selections yet, there are lots of good deals and places to get bulbs. The key to selecting healthy bulbs is to pick ones that have weight to them. Pick your bulbs as you would an onion or clove of garlic – meaty, not mushy or dry. And remember to augment your selection of Daffodils, Crocus and Tulips with other beauties. For easy April blooms try: Chionodoxa, Scilla and Muscari. For May to June blooms try: Alliums, Hyacinthoides, Leucojum and Eremurus.

And if you buy more bulbs than you can finish planting, remember to store them in a cold (not freezing!), dry location for the winter, like an unheated basement or garage. Then in the early spring you can pot them up and force them for indoor bloom.

Pot up Amaryllis bulbs for Holiday blooms. Many species of Amaryllis take 8 weeks or so to bloom, and be careful not to over water those bulbs while waiting for growth to start!

Keep an eye out for the Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB), not to be confused with the Western Conifer Seedbug who may be trying to over winter in your attic (like Ladybugs). The Asian Longhorn Beetle is about 1” long, a black body with white spots and long antennae. This pest attacks and kills healthy trees such as Maple, Birch, Poplar, Horse Chestnut and others. For more information on how to identify this pest or how to report a sighting go to : http://massnrc.org/pests/alb/

Mildew has been a big problem this year, especially on Monarda, Lilacs, Paeonias, and Phlox treat those infected plants with a fungicide to prevent its return next year.

Lawns are bouncing back from the heat and lack of rain this summer, an application of fertilizer now will help your existing lawn grass to rebuild its stores before the onset of winter. It is still mild enough to seed bare spots in your lawn, especially now that the crabgrass is dying back. Keep mowing your lawn until it stops growing, which can be well into November. Rake leaves early and often before they get matted and moldy, this can save a lot of lawn related headaches.

Clean, repot and bring in your houseplants. Keep an eye out for freezing temperatures, but I leave my Christmas cactus out as long as possible to try to get it to bloom at Christmas (rather than Thanksgiving). The Christmas Cactus needs 12 to 14 hours of dark each day to trigger the set of blooms, and there is some evidence to show that bright outdoor lights may upset this process so be sure your plants are shaded from artificial light to ensure good bud set.

Thank you to everyone who has sent in ‘Questions for Cory’, keep those great questions coming.

Q. There are some very pretty pink flowers growing out of a stand of Pachysandra (see attached), what are they?

A. They are a beautiful cultivar of Colchicum autumanale, probably “Waterlily”. This bulb, often called Fall Crocus, is best planted among ground cover as this bulb has an unusual growth cycle where by the foliage appears in the spring, without the blooms; and the blooms appear in the fall, without the foliage. A good ground cover companion masks this seasonal inconsistency. They tend to perform best in areas of rich, well-drained soil where they don’t get disturbed.

August Gardening Chores

It may be hard to think of gardening in this heat and humidity, especially when looking across dried lawns and crispy perennials. But as the cooler weather promises to roll in here are some things to keep your garden growing through August.

Weeding is a perennial chore (pun intended) and this year is no exception, so keep at it. Although in some situations it may seem as though weeds are “Shading your perennials or veggies,” remember they are stealing the water and nutrients from them as well, so weed, weed, weed.

Deadhead perennials and Annuals to encourage re-blooming. By pinching off the forming seed heads and seed pods you trick the plant into thinking it has not done its job yet (reproduction) and the plant will channel its energy into putting out more blooms.

Bleeding heart (Dicentra) and Oriental poppies (Papaver) – now is a good time to dig up and divide these plant roots while they are dormant. Cut the root into sections about 2” long, and then plant each section as if it were a new plant, or pot some up to give to friends.

If your lawn is crunchy don’t despair it may just be dormant and with the cooler fall temps (and a little rain) you should see it rebound. Keep on top of the crabgrass, it may look nice and green right now, but if you let it go to seed – you will regret it. Remember the old adage “One year of weed equals seven of seed” Reminding us that those weed seeds can remain viable for years to come.

And if patches of your lawn do not rebound, September is a wonderful time to reseed.

Q. My shrubs all look dead or wilted! Do I dig them up and throw them out? Anonymous, Dedham

A. This is a great question, but hard to answer as it will vary from one plant to the next. In general, newer plantings are much more susceptible to death from this heat and low rainfall because they have fewer and shallower roots to support them. That said, healthy plants growing in areas closest to their “Cultural criteria” (soil type, amount of sunlight, level of acidity, etc.) are more likely to pull though. For instance, if you planted a Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), which wants moist, rich humosy soil into your rock garden, which has dry, sandy, infertile soil, the plant may not bounce back. If instead you planted a Potentilla fruiticosa, which thrives in that rock garden environment: dry, sandy, infertile soil, that shrub may bounce back quite vigorously.

Pink Lady-Slippers (Cypripedium acaule)

Walking the dog this morning, I was thrilled to discover that our native Pink Lady-Slippers (Cypripedium acaule) are up and in full bloom all along our woodland walking trails. This delicate beauty is often found in uncultivated woodland areas, preferring the dry, acidic soil and dappled light of a successional forest canopy. And I refer to these perennials as delicate, because they DO NOT transplant easily and their cultural requirements are specific.

When they are not in flower, they are often overlooked,

their basal leaves looking unremarkable before going dormant in September. Because if this, they are often at risk of getting bulldozed or weeded! This danger would be the acceptable time to try digging up and transplanting these beauties, so if you know of such a situation: William Cullina has put together a very comprehensive "Transplanting Guide" http://www.williamcullina.com/files/Download/Transplanting%20Pink%20lady.pdf

"The Right Plant for The Right Place" = Green Gardening

Come and stop by the Dedham- Westwood Green Fair today at the Dedham Middle School. I'll be there all day, talking about Green Gardening. So, stop by and say Hello!
The best way to have a healthy, sustainable, glorious garden is to keep the following in mind:

1) Site Analysis – Before you plant anything you should assess the garden area. How big is the area (height and width)? How much and what kind of sunlight does it get? Do existing mature trees or a building filter the sunlight? Is it a steep slope or a flat area? Is it exposed to drying winds and pollution? Or is it nestled between a stonewall and larger plants? Is the soil sandy and infertile, or is it moist and boggy? It is better to gather too much data than too little.

2) Right Plant for the Right Place – or choosing sustainable plants. How big and wide will the plant grow? How much sunlight does the plant need? Does it require acid or more neutral soil? Does it want Moist, well-drained, sandy or infertile soils? What diseases and pests is it subject to getting? Is it hardy to zone 5? If you can’t find an exact match, pick the closest you can and understand what you will need to supplement to care for your plant.

3) Correct Planting Procedures – New planting procedures described by UMass of Amherst Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Department: Dig hole 3 times as wide as root ball and no deeper. Cut away burlap, rope and wire from root ball. Backfill with un-amended topsoil from hole. Trunk flare should be level with existing grade. Mulch from organic materials should be 2” deep, applied over the planting area and should be kept away from the trunk (NO VOLCANO MULCHING!).

4) Effective and Efficient Watering – Typically shadier spots retain moisture better than sunny ones, but a slope will drastically effect where the water penetrates the soil. On average, established trees and shrubs need only 1” of water a week so supplemental watering is most effective applied with a slow drip, allowing the water to soak in deeply rather than watering a little bit every day. The exceptions are new plantings, annuals, some perennials, some lawns and vegetable gardens, which typically require more water.

5) Eradicate Invasive Plants – Check out the list of “Prohibited Plants” in Massachusetts as put out by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. www.mass.gov/agr/farmproducts/proposed_prohibited-plant-list-sciname.htm

May Gardening Chores

The blooms of Crabapple Trees (Malus sp) and Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) have been particularly glorious this year, and we have so many beautiful specimen all around Dedham, congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to keep them looking healthy. Mother’s Day is Sunday, remember Mom with a lovely blooming shrub or tree. Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum is May 9th, call or visit their website www.arboretum.harvard.edu for more information.

Our early spring may have thrown your gardening calendar out of whack, so here is a list of May gardening chores and tips to help you out:
Fertilize bulbs blooming right now with 5-10-5 or similar fertilizer if you are planning to perennialize them (get them to bloom next year). Work about a teaspoon into the top of the soil around each clump. And leave the leaves; they are still gathering energy for next year’s blooms. Some bulbs like Tulips are often treated as annuals because of the pests, diseases and level of care needed to effectively perennialize them.
Also I have started to see signs of Winter moth caterpillar this spring, this is the little green insect which looks very much like an inchworm and they may be eating the leaves of your Maple, Oak, Crabapple, Cherry and other trees. If you suspect your trees are infested or you had trouble last year contact your arborist or landscape professional for assistance. There are organic treatments to control this non-native pest.
If you haven’t fertilized your lawn yet, now is a great time (May, September and November are the best times). Use a spring fertilizer or one with a ratio of 4-1-2 or 3-1-2 (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium). And leaving the lawn clippings on the grass after you mow also helps to return nitrogen to the soil.
Now is also the time to sow your annual flower seeds and vegetable seeds such as eggplants, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. Plant these seeds directly in the soil. It is also very easy to grow many herbs and veggies in pots on a Deck or in a Patio space. This close proximity to the house can make it easier to monitor their watering and possible attack from bunnies and other pests.
Move your houseplants outside when evenings become reliably warmer. Remember they need to be acclimated; if you move a plant from the house to a full sun area chances are it will burn. Try moving them first to a shady spot in your yard and bring them out gradually. I put my houseplants under a big old Rhododendron, and I leave my Christmas cacti there until October.
And last but not least - Weed, weed, weed your garden. ‘One year of weed equals seven of seed’ if you let those annual weeds grow and set seeds you will be haunted by their offspring for years to come. Many annual weed seeds can remain dormant for years just waiting for the right time to come back and haunt you.

Q. I recall lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) blooming around here about first or second week of May each year. I wonder if late April is unusually early, and if so what could be the cause?
A. Good question, and yes many plants are blooming “earlier” this year, and you may see some non-typical crossovers (plants blooming simultaneously which don’t normally bloom simultaneously). Bloom times are not clock work, estimated bloom times are based on averages, but this spring is “early”. As for “the cause” I won’t speculate on climate change as that is not my area of expertise, but I will say that soil temperature triggers many plants to start growing. More precisely described it is the accumulated warm soil temperature days, commonly referred to as Growing-Degree-Days (GDD), this year we have had 138 GDD since the first of the year. This is very high. UMass Amherst tracks GDD for most of Massachusetts, and I checked their archives and found that at this time last year we had 87 GDD but in 2008 we had 111 GDD. So, what does this mean for your Common Lilacs? They are fine with the variation in bloom schedule, as long as the winters don’t go below -25’ F and the summers don’t turn into southern Florida.