My Garden Online Blog

The trees are pretty bare this time of year so this owl wasn’t too difficult to see from a distance.  I got within 50 feet before snapping this photo.

What is the timeline for good lawn care in the fall?

September – seed in the early part of the month.  Core-aeration is recommended (when lawn isn’t wet).  Apply a 3-1-2 lawn fertilizer

October – fertilize if not done in September.  Mow at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches

November – Final application of a slow release fertilizer high in Nitrogen.  This will help keep lawns greener

Every fall, nursery shops are filled with fall planted bulbs such as tulips and daffodils but the term bulb applies to any plant with a swollen storage system.  4 types of bulbs – “true” bulbs such as Tulips; Corms such as Gladiolas; Tubers such as Dahlias and Rhizomes such as Canna. Here are a couple of general recommendations for bulbs:

• Spring-blooming bulbs shouldn’t be fertilized after they start flowering but summer and fall ones can be
• Watering should be with a soaker hose when possible so the water reaches the roots – not the bulb
• Make sure you plant bulbs with perennials/annuals that have same water requirements.
• Storing bulbs?  Make sure they are dry before storage; provide good air circulation and keep the temp between 35 – 65F depending on bulb type.  Use peat moss, sand and perlite or vermiculite for storage but don’t pile the bulbs too deep.

Stop by the Chicago Botanic garden next weekend for the annual plant festival (May 14-16). There will be vendors; gardening tips and presentations; live music and of course, excellent plants for sale. Visit the garden website for a catalog: www.chicagobotanic.org for a plant list.

I contacted them today to order flowers for my daughter’s birthday.  It was so nice to speak to someone who was pleasant, helpful and knew florals!  If you are shopping for an arrangement, please contact Edens Florist (508-748-0225):

http://www.edensflorist.net/

This perennial stands above the rest – no pun intended!  The long stems have large flowers that range in color from blue, purple, pink or white.  I bought mine from Northwind Farm in Wisconsin; they were so beautiful and stately.  Unfortunately, they didn’t come back.  Reading through some gardening tips, I was pleased to read that Delphinium’s aren’t easy.  You’ll need to prepare the soil before planting and cover them with 1-2 inches of organic matter in the spring.

Height = 4 to 6 feet; Blooms in early spring/summer

Spider Flower

Half hardy annual that grow tall and sturdy.  Planted in the back of a border, these will certainly catch your eye and attract the butterflies!  I saw a large grouping of them in front of a hotel in Wisconsin and was floored by their height and color.  The stem is topped by globe shaped flowers in colors of white; pink and rose.

Easy to start from seed in the spring.  Remove the plants after flowering but be careful of the thorny stems and the scent (wear gloves!)

Height = 2 to 3 feet; Blooms in summer

Living in Chicago, we spent a lot of time indoors during the winter months.  This morning I picked up an old copy of Garden Design magazine (April 2009 – www.gardendesign.com), and read the article on Sansevierias.  The Sansevieria was named one of the best plants for cleaning indoor air toxins by NASA and it’s low maintenance!  Mid-February indoor air – could it use a boost?  I thought I’d give it a try.

So I went shopping this afternoon to my local nursery and they had quite a variety of Sansevieria’s including those with gold edging or speckled foliage.  I settled for the trifasciata which is the most common but I liked the height and price!  They are also incredibly easy to grow – indirect light and little water (good drainage is critical) will keep them happy for a long time.

Do you create garden art?  Send me a photo and I’ll post it for you!

What is everyone planting this year?  Do you have a plant that you would like to see added to the plant list?  Please send me a photo and the plant info and I’ll add it to our database.  The photo needs to have a white background, if possible.  email:  mary@mygardenonline.com