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Tiptoeing through tulips, and more
It began innocently enough with a question. How do you save a family tree – of the literal kind? From there, author James Dodson spent a year living “botanically,” traipsing around the world, snooping in people’s gardens. A humorous style and eccentric characters and events help make “Beautiful Madness: One Man’s Journey Through Other People’s Gardens” (Dutton, $24.95) a book you’ll want to read after putting down the garden shears. It’s a reminder, says Dodson, that the “journey is vastly more important than the arrival.”
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Growing out from underneath
These terra-cotta pots, invented in Australia, turn gardening upside down. When planted properly, flowers and herbs will naturally grow toward the light – upward around the sides of the pots. Annuals such as lobelias or begonias; perennials such as geraniums, fuchsias and succulents; or herbs such as chives, mint and sage grow well in Down Under Pots. They come in two sizes (medium, $23.95; small, $19.95) and a variety of colors. For information, visit earthlygoods.com or call 812-944-3283.
THIS WEEK IN THE GARDEN
Start seeds indoorsfor a head start on garden plants. Check seed packages for special directions, such as refrigerating the seeds for 24-48 hours before planting, soaking in water overnight or lightly sanding hard-coated seeds to make germination easier. Those that can be started in April include, beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, summer squash and Swiss chard.
Consider applying horticultural oils (highly refined petroleum or vegetable oils diluted with water and applied as a spray) on fruit or shade trees and woody ornamental plants. Applications made before trees leaf out will control over-wintering aphids, eggs of leaf roller and tent caterpillars, mites and scale insects. Apply when the temperature is above freezing. The oil blocks the insects’ air holes and they suffocate.
Bare-root plants are available at nurseries. You’ll find dormant trees, shrubs, roses and small fruits such as raspberries, grapes and strawberries plus dormant asparagus crowns. This is a great time to find less-expensive plant material for a hedge. Keep the packing material moist and the plants away from direct sunlight until you are ready to plant.
Cool-weather crops, such as onion sets, peas, shallot sets, spinach, radish and potatoes, can be planted now. In April, plant asparagus, beets, carrots, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce and parsnips.
These vegetables can be transplanted in your garden in April if you use Wall o’ Water protection: eggplant, peppers, tomatoes.
For information, visit ext.colostate.edu and click on horticulture.
