Don’t forget the Mistletoe

Last year, as I was taking down my Christmas decorations, I realized I had forgotten to hang mistletoe over my doorway. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember seeing mistletoe in any of the homes I visited during the Christmas season.

If you do some research, you’ll find that since ancient times mistletoe has been considered to be a magical plant with mystical powers. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe has been around since the 16th century. Through the years, the reason for the kiss has changed. Some felt it was an important ritual that would bring fertility to a newly married couple. It was also thought to bring peace between a feuding husband and wife. At one point, the idea was that if an unmarried couple kissed under the mistletoe, it would be considered a promise to marry.

I guess in the year 2011 we no longer believe that kissing under a piece of greenery is going to bring any kind of change to our lives. But, it does seem like a shame to let such a lovely tradition disappear. So, while you’re out shopping for your Christmas tree, holly, ivy, and poinsettias…don’t forget the mistletoe.

Can I Prune a Knock Out Rose In The Fall?

Yesterday, I stopped by my neighbor’s house. As soon as she saw me she said “I know I’m not supposed to prune this Knock Out Rose in the fall, but it looks so bushy that I just have to neaten it up for the winter”. When I got home, I opened my GardenScribe to see what I had written about pruning. Sure enough, my notes said to prune in late winter or early spring. But admittedly, I also had been thinking about pruning my two Knock Outs so they wouldn’t be damaged by snow during the winter.

I decided to see what the experts have to say about fall pruning, and this is what I found. The vast majority of advice agrees that you should prune your Knock Out in late winter when the plant is still dormant. You can remove dead or diseased branches anytime. Additional pruning in late spring and early summer to encourage blooms is fine too.

But, I still wondered if I would do my Knock Out's harm with a fall pruning.

The answer is that it’s ok to remove tall large canes that may snap during a winter storm. But keep pruning to a minimum since pruned canes may dieback during the winter.

It’s Time to Combat Lawn Grubs

September is a great time to take care of lawn maintenance. If your lawn has been showing signs of severe grub damage, now is the time to take action.

Beetles lay their eggs in late June and early July. Those eggs hatch about 2 weeks later into grubs which feed on the roots of your grass throughout August. It's now, in September, that the grubs are closest to the top of the soil, which is why this is the best time to eliminate them.

Look for products like "Bayer Advanced 24 Hour Grub Killer Plus" in your local garden center and follow the manufacturer instructions.

To learn more about the life cycle of grubs, check out this Cornell University article at  http://nysipm.cornell.edu/PUBLICATIONS/grubs/life.asp

GardenScribe Plant Organizer Video

Check out our new GardenScribe Plant Organizer video.

Top Rated Sustainable Roses

Due to New York City pesticide laws, the staff at the New York Botanical Garden made the decision to replace hundreds of high maintenance roses with earth friendly varieties. Since 2007, NYBG’s garden curator, Peter Kukielski, has eliminated hundreds of roses and replaced them with hardier varieties, transforming the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden into a “sustainable” rose garden. Using a rating system created by Kukielski, staff and volunteers rate each new rose. To see a list of the top performers, visit the NYBG website at http://www.nybg.org/. Click on “Gardens & Plants”, then “The Collection”, and then “Rose Garden”.

Unfortunately, many of the new roses planted at the NYBG may be difficult, if not impossible, to find at your local nursery. So your next question will be “Then why did you bother to tell us about them if we can’t buy them?”. Well, if we tell our nursery retailers that we love roses, but don’t want to fill our gardens with plants that require pesticides, they will hopefully see the light and start to carry some of the roses mentioned on the NYBG list.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in adding hardy roses to your garden, look for varieties that have received the Earth-Kind® designation.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Offers Garden Grants

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has launched a program called GRO1000 which awards each community recipient $1500 to create gardens and green spaces in their local area. The company’s goal is to plant 1,000 gardens and green spaces across the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2018.

Communities interested in pursuing “2011 GRO1000” grassroots grants can apply online by March 31, 2011 at http://thescottsmiraclegrocompany.com/GRO1000 . Projects should include the involvement of neighborhood residents and foster a sense of community spirit.

Martha Stewart’s Great Finds

We're pleased to announce that the GardenScribe Plant Organizer has been included in the "Great Finds" section of the March 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living. Look for us on page 38. Martha's chosen 50 great gardening products to showcase in this Special Gardening Issue, and we're proud to be among them. Thank you Martha!

While you're enjoying the issue, be sure to take a peek at the Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake recipe on page 78. Yum !!!

Birdbaths That Birds Really Love!

For many years I had a terra cotta bird bath in my yard. It looked very pretty as far as garden structures go. Unfortunately, the birds didn’t seem interested in using it. The only attention it got was from wandering cats that would frequently knock the top off in their attempts to drink the water. I was never really sure why the birds didn’t use it, but I assumed that they were just afraid of the cats. Eventually the bird bath broke beyond repair and my husband took me out east (that’s eastern Long Island, NY) to shop for a new one.

I chose the heavy two piece granite bird bath that you see pictured above. My thought at the time was to get something heavy enough to prevent the cats from knocking it over. I placed it in exactly the same spot as the previous birdbath and within a few days the birds were all over it! I’ve counted as many as 10 birds in the bath with many more perched in the branches of my Rhododendron waiting for a turn. We still have stray cats, but the birds don’t seem to mind. I can only guess that they are attracted the natural look and feel of granite.

So, if you’re not having any luck with your birdbath, try one made of natural stone.

Plant Profile: Japanese Painted Fern

Botanical Name: Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
Common Name: Japanese Painted Fern
Plant Type: Perennial
Light Requirements: Full or Part Shade
Special Attributes: Deer resistant
Zone: 5-8
Growth Rate: Moderate
Height X Spread: 15" H x 18" W
Bloom Time: Does not bloom
Bloom Description: Does not bloom
Foliage Description: Grayish-green silvery leaves with burgundy stems
Soil: Neutral to acidic, moist, well-drained, sandy
Water: Regular
Prune: None
Tidy: None
Fertilizer: Shredded leaves and rich compost
Fertilizing cycle: Spring
Special Maintenance: Cut back old fronds after spring growth begins
Propagation: Spring or Fall division or from spores
Pests & Diseases: Slugs and snails

Notes: This low maintenance perennial is happy in the shade, but requires a little bit of sunlight for the most vibrant frond color. Morning sun is best. Regular watering is fine provided the location is naturally moist. Otherwise, more frequent watering would be required. It’s an excellent choice as either an accent or border plant near ponds or streams and contrasts nicely with hostas.