the secrets to dividing
in summer

If you’re noticing fewer flowers, a dead center or a plant that is shrinking, it may be time to divide. Although there are some plants, such as bearded iris and Oriental poppies, that are better off being split in summer, spring and fall are traditionally the best time to divide. But many plants take summer division just fine as long as you follow a few tips:

WATER FIRST — Summer’s heat and lack of rainfall are hard on plants, so water the plant and its future home the day before you dig.

CUT OFF LEAVES — The next day, before you dig cut the foliage back by half on plants like lamb’s ear or the bearded iris here. This way a smaller root system won’t have to support lots of foliage in the heat later. Shear plants whose leaves go all the way to the base, such as daylilies. But if a plant’s leaves are mostly at the ends of the stems, you’ll need to trim individual leaves. Coral bells is one example. For vigorous perennials, such as catmint or coreopsis, cut the entire plant back by half.

PLANT QUICKLY — Get your new plant in the hole quickly so the roots don’t dry out. Once the plant is in place, fill the hole halfway with soil and water well. That way the water soaks in and doesn’t evaporate or roll off the soil’s surface. Adding an organic liquid fertilizer, such as Neptune’s Harvest, to the water helps get plants off to a good start. Fill the hole the rest of the way with soil, water it again and put down a layer of mulch.

CREATE SHADE — Full-sun plants will benefit from a shade shelter for a week or two. Insert a few bamboo stakes in the soil on the west side of the plant to protect it from the hottest sun of the day. Clothespin some landscape fabric or an old sheet to the stakes to make a screen.

KEEP MOIST — Finally, check your plant each day, and if it looks wilted in the morning or late evening, give it a drink. You may need to water daily for a few days after planting.

Even when summer heat is at its worst, make easy work of watering with the Dual-Flo nozzle!

Some common container plants, like the coleus here, are fantastic growers. But the flip side is that they can get a bit leggy and start taking over the entire container. Cutting or pinching back isn’t vital to the plants’ survival, but it leaves foliage and flowers looking, and growing, much better than they would without the attention.This technique is simple, takes just minutes and works really well on foliage plants that are growing out of bounds.

Snap off overgrown stems about a third or half the way back, just above a healthy set of leaves. Not only does this give the plant a neat and tidy “after” appearance, but it also encourages a less leggy, more bushy habit — perfect for containers!

Here are some plants that benefit from pinching:
• Browallia Browallia speciosa
• Coleus Solenostemon hybrids
• Dichondra Dichondra spp.
• Joseph’s coat Alternanthera hybrids
• Licorice plant Helichrysum petiolare
• Persian shield Strobilanthes dyeriana
• Sweet potato vine Ipomoea batatas

For more great container tips and recipes, check out Containers Made Easy! Volume 3 at right!

Click to see a larger illustration.

how to build a
retaining wall

If your front yard is built on a slope, leveling it out and adding a garden full of flowers creates a lot of curb appeal. Building a small retaining wall isn’t as complicated as you might think. Here are a few building basics.

Retaining walls under 3 ft. tall can be simple to build. While railroad ties used to be the material of choice, these days it’s landscape blocks. And installation is even easier with the small lip on the back of the blocks, which makes positioning them a no-brainer.

For a stable foundation, place the first row of block just below soil level on a base of crushed limestone as in the illustration. The limestone is small, and tamping it down compacts the stone, which prevents shifting. As you add each row of blocks, fill in behind it with larger 3/4-in. gravel. This helps water drain and prevents damage to the wall caused by freezing and thawing. Tamp each layer as you go to prevent settling. Then, to give your plants’ roots room to grow, top it off with 10 to 12 in. of soil.

For lots of other easy weekend projects, check out Easy Weekend, Volume 3 at right!

Click to see a larger image.

berm basics

Building a berm is a big project. Consider these basics while you’re planning, and you’re on your way to a stunning garden.

SIZE — As with any other large landscape element, make sure your berm is the right size for your needs. A small berm by the front door can add just as much “Wow!” as a bigger one by the street.

GRADE — Asymmetrical is the way to go. Natural-looking berms have the highest point closer to one side. The illustration above shows how gradually one side rises out of the ground, while the other side rounds off quickly. And change the height along the berm, especially if it’s a long one. It’ll be more interesting and more natural this way.

SLOPE — Don’t make it too steep! The 10-ft.-wide berm in the illustration is only 2 ft. tall at its highest point. This shallow slope allows you to mow the berm safely if you decide to grow grass. Plus, it won’t have erosion problems and you’ll find it more comfortable to work on.

SUBSTANCE — It would be expensive to buy enough topsoil to build an entire berm, and you don’t really need to anyway. Instead, use poor-quality soil or sod flipped upside down to build up the shape. Then top it off with a foot or more of good topsoil. Build the berm a little taller than you want the final height, as it will settle a bit. If you compact the sod or poor-quality soil, you’ll cut down on the amount of settling.

Click image to see a larger image.

plant a hanging basket

Planting a hanging basket isn’t so different from planting a regular container. But here are a few tips to help you plant them up.

LINE UP — First, you need a frame and a liner. Two popular lining options are coconut-fiber liners or long-fiber sphagnum moss. Coconut-fiber liners are preshaped and come in different sizes. They’re quick and easy, and can be reused for several years. Sphagnum moss gives a softer, more rustic look. You can buy it loose in bags, or as preformed liners. If you use loose moss, you’ll have to dampen it and pack it into place. (Check out our Web extra for tips on how to do this.) Preformed liners just need to be moistened to plump up (they’re available from the Garden Gate Store, www.GardenGateStore.com).

Hanging baskets dry out quickly. To slow this down, punch holes in a piece of plastic, like the white garbage can liner in the photo. Use it to line the basket before you add potting mix. The plastic will prevent the basket’s liner from leaching water from the potting mix too quickly. Another idea is to tuck a plastic hanging basket inside a moss-lined one, and use mulch to hide the edge of the plastic pot.

TIME TO PLANT — Once your plastic liner is in place, fill the basket. Add potting mix, with a layer of water-absorbing crystals and slow-release fertilizer. Be sure to keep the crystals a few inches below the potting mix’s surface — if they’re too close to the top, they can expand right out of the container. You can also stir the crystals through the potting mix, if you prefer. Another option is to mix a few scoops of compost into the lightweight potting mix. That helps it absorb and hold moisture better, and it adds nutrients to the soil, too. It does make baskets a little heavier, so if weight is a concern, just stick to the moisture crystals.

Even with these precautions, you’ll still need to water your baskets often, especially during hot weather. Don’t fill the baskets to the top with soil — leave an inch or two of space to allow water to soak in, instead of running off the surface.

Finally, finish off your hanging basket with a layer of mulch, to help retain more moisture and prevent precious water from splashing out and all over you. Your container will stay moist and look tidy.

And for an easy way to keep your hanging basket growing evenly on all sides, check out the Gardman Swivel Hooks at right!

PHOTO: Courtesy of Lenore Erickson

whimsical frame planter

Some paintings look so real they seem to burst from the frame. Here’s something that really does! This project looks tough but it isn’t. First you screw 1x4s together to make a box (This one’s pine, but you could also use treated wood). Then you staple 16-gauge wire onto it in a grid pattern and attach an old picture frame. Click on the photo to see how to assemble the pieces.

Once you have the planting box assembled and the wire grid stapled in place, lay the box face down and pack a layer of moistened long-fiber sphagnum moss over the grid. Fill the box with potting mix and nail or screw the plywood back on. Flip it over and attach the frame to the box with L-brackets. Then plant a flat of Wizard™ mix coleus through the grid.

Water with a gentle spray from the hose. Or use drip irrigation by drilling two 1/4-in. holes in the top of the box and inserting an emitter into each one. Display your artwork on a sturdy easel or lean it against a wall for a colorful show all summer.

For step-by-step instructions and more container designs, see our Web extra.

For dozens of beautiful container recipes and in-depth information, check out Garden Gate‘s Containers Made Easy! Volume 3 at right.

PHOTO: Craig Anderson

how to buy a foxglove

When you’re shopping for a foxglove at the garden center, how do you know which plants are a good buy and which plants to pass by? Well, there are a few things to look for:

First off, foxglove is a biennial, meaning the first year there’s just a rosette of foliage. The plant flowers the second year, sets seed and then dies. So pass by plants already in bloom because they probably won’t bloom again. And those spindly and stunted blooms you see at upper right aren’t why you’re buying foxglove anyway.

The nice, healthy clump of foliage in the pot at lower right is what you should look for. Peer down into the leaves to see if you can see any buds forming. Buds let you know that if you get the plant home and in the ground, it should have decent blooms this year. If that foliage has no buds, you know that it’ll either bloom later in the year or next year.

five tips for a
weed-free path

A good way to make a garden more easy-care is to grow plants close together. This tends to shade out weeds, and any that do take hold are spindly and easy to pull. Bricks set tightly together in a path or patio make it hard for weed seeds to grow there, too. But no matter how tightly bricks are packed together, weeds seem to find their way between the crevices. Here are five tips to keep them from taking over.

SKIP THE FABRIC — When installing a path, save yourself the cost of landscape fabric. Most of the weeds that grow between bricks are the result of seeds taking root at the surface, not roots coming up from below.

PUT DOWN A BARRIER — Keep seeds from germinating with a corn gluten meal pre-emergent herbicide. Follow label directions and sprinkle it on the pavers. Work it into the crevices with a broom because corn gluten needs to be in contact with soil to work. Then water it in. Corn gluten can stain some surfaces if you let it sit, so test a small area first before putting it down.

USE THE RIGHT TOOL — You don’t need to buy any special tools. Use what you already have around the house to make weeding easier. A pair of needlenose pliers and an old paring knife are great for getting weeds out of tight places. See how the pliers in the photo keep your knuckles from getting skinned up on the rough brick? Use the knife to loosen stubborn weeds in narrow spaces. (The Soil Knife at right is one of our favorite weeding tools.)

SPRAY SOME VINEGAR — Did you ever think that weeding could be as easy as a few squirts of vinegar? It’s true. The USDA has studied various concentrations of vinegar for use in organic farming, and found that even the stuff you have in your cupboard works to kill small weeds. Be careful using it around ornamental plants, though, as it will burn the foliage. If the weed happens to pop up again, get out your spray bottle. Another application should do the trick.

GET OUT THE TARP — To avoid spreading seeds as you weed the garden, lay a tarp down on the bricks first. Then pull it along with you as you get rid of unwanted plants.

time to cut the grass

Ornamental grasses add interest to a garden through winter, but in spring they need to be cut back to make way for new growth. That’s a lot of work added to the list of spring cleanup chores.

But Sonia Sugarman of New York has found a simple and tidy way to do this. She wraps a length of duct tape (or two, depending on how tall the grass is) around the clump of grass before cutting. Make sure to overlap the ends of the tape since the adhesive doesn’t actually stick to the grass. With the tape wrapped around the middle, Sonia had an instant bundle that’s easy to carry to the compost pile or stick in a yard waste bag. And since the tape doesn’t stick to the grass, it’s easy to cut it off. Make things even easier on yourself and use electric hedge trimmers to cut the grass down near the base.

Whether you’re new to tree pruning or have been doing it for years, you’ll find that one of the best times to start is when plants are dormant in winter or early spring. You can see the branches that need to be removed without all of those leaves in the way. And it’s good for the tree, too: The rising sap in spring will stimulate new growth to make the wounds heal over faster.

With a couple of exceptions, you can prune almost any deciduous tree this time of year. Maples and birches bleed sap if their bark is injured in the spring. Losing sap won’t kill the tree, but it is messy as it runs down the trunk or drips from branches. It’s better to wait until midsummer to prune these two trees.

Here are a few problems to watch for: Water sprouts are shoots that grow strictly upright from along the main branches. Stubs are blunt-ended branches left on the tree that detract from its natural or graceful shape. Crossed or rubbing branches create opportunities for disease or pests to enter. And finally, high up in the tree, too many small branches block sunlight, so the tree might need a little thinning. Once you’ve spotted some of these problems in your tree, the next step is to gather the right pruning tools.

HANDHELD PRUNERS — Carry your pruners with you whenever you’re in the garden so you can snip small water sprouts, suckers and twigs as you spot them. Most pruners will cut branches with a 3/4-in. diameter with no problem. Some prefer bypass or scissor-cut pruners like these because they cut close to a branch and won’t leave a stub. Unlike anvil pruners, they’re less likely to crush the bark at the edge of the wound.

These Felco pruners are our favorite — buy our Pruning Gift Set, which includes a #2 or #6 pair of Felco pruners, a sheath and The Pruner’s Bible, and we’ll throw in a free sharpener.

PRUNING SAW — If you’re removing branches smaller than 3 in. in diameter, a pruning saw works fine. The curved blade allows you to get into tight places. Or try a double-edged pruning saw. One edge has coarse teeth for rough cutting and the other has smaller teeth for making finer finish cuts.

POLE SAW — With this tool, you won’t need to climb into the tree or drag a ladder out of the shed to reach branches 15 ft. up. This pole saw has a curved blade so you can hook onto and easily cut a 2-in.-diameter branch. On the opposite side of the saw is a hook with a lopper blade that cuts when you pull on a rope. It comes in handy when you’re snipping small branches or twigs as you thin the crown.

Click to see what fertilizer you need.

which fertilizer
do you need?

Ever wonder if you’re feeding your garden right? What plants need fertilizer? What type and how much should you apply? It can all seem pretty confusing. Here are some fertilizer facts to take the guesswork out of feeding your garden next year:

SHOULD I FERTILIZE EVERYTHING? — The quick answer is no. If you’ve worked lots of organic matter into your soil before planting, then added more every year or two, it may not need extra fertilizers. Some plants actually prefer lean, infertile soil. For example, feeding a tall sedum can make the stems weak and floppy so the plant falls open in the center. And applying the wrong fertilizer won’t help your plants much, either. If you give lawn fertilizer to a lilac, for instance, you’ll get lush foliage but few flowers.

HOW CAN I KNOW I’M BUYING THE RIGHT STUFF? — Just as you do when you buy food for your family, start by reading the label. There are three main ingredients in every fertilizer:

N=nitrogen, feeds foliage

P=phosphorus, produces flowers and fruit

K=potassium, keeps plants healthy and strong

You’ll find them listed in that order on every package. It’s the combinations of these ingredients that determine the best fertilizer for your plants. If you’re not sure what a particular plant needs, try feeding it at a quarter to half the recommended rate and see what happens. A water-soluble fertilizer works well for this because it gives a quick result. If the plant improves, feed a bit more the next time. Or switch to a granulated fertilizer with a similar analysis for long-term feeding. Take a look at the table to see what fertilizer analysis different types of plants need. (The actual numbers will vary from brand to brand, but the proportions will be similar.)

Click for larger image.

make your own pot feet

Designer pot feet look great but they can get expensive if you have a lot of containers. Now, while the garden is resting, is a good time to get a head start on making your own. Diane Johnson of Minnesota makes her own and saves that extra money for more plants. How? With soap molds from the craft store. You’ll also need mortar mix, vegetable oil or spray, water, a container and a stir-stick for mixing. If you want a specific color, get some concrete dye, too.

To make a set of pot feet like the one in the photo above, add water slowly to the mortar mix until it’s the consistency of a thick cake batter. Now’s the time to stir in the dye if you want colorful pot feet. Spray the mold lightly with vegetable spray and pour in the mix. Then tap it gently to get rid of air bubbles. Let the mold dry for 24 hours. If the mortar is dry to the touch, go ahead and pop the feet out of the mold. Let them cure another day or two to harden. After that, your new pot feet are ready to hold up containers.

Do you have a gardening tip? Submit it here!

dress up black
nursery pots

Do you have a stack of plastic nursery pots in your garage? Well, start now and by next spring you can make them into a stack of attractive pots. Here’s an idea for making them look good enough for the garden without spending a lot of time or a small fortune. You’ll make rolled-edge, stone-look containers from nursery pots that have been dressed up, for about $10 each in materials and a trip to the hardware store.

STEP ONE — This technique works best on sturdy pots with rims. First wash the pot well and dry it completely so the paint will stick to the plastic. Also, sand the pot lightly with fine sandpaper to scuff up the surface. The pipe insulation comes with a lengthwise slit in it. Pull the insulation apart along this slit and slide it onto the rim of the pot to see how long a piece you need to fit around the top edge. With scissors, cut the insulation to the right length, then remove it.

STEP TWO — Apply a bead of construction adhesive, such as Liquid Nails^®, to the top edge of the lip of the pot. Replace the insulation on the lip and place a piece of duct tape over the insulation where the two ends meet. The tape will hold it onto the pot and hide the gap, as well. You’ll be painting over the tape, so smooth it down to make it blend into the rim.

STEP THREE — Place the pot on a couple bricks or a piece of scrap wood outdoors so you can paint all the way to the bottom edge. Spray the outside of the pot and the insulation with paint, as well as the top 2 in. of the inside. The number of coats you’ll need depends on the color of your plastic pot. I liked the look of the black plastic showing through the paint, so I used a single coat. If you want to completely hide the underlying color, wait the time recommended on the can and apply a second coat.

After the paint is dry, spray or brush on a clear coat of sealer to protect the finish and give the pot a nice glazed look. A water-based urethane, like Varathane^® Outdoor Spar Urethane, is good to use because it won’t yellow when exposed to sunlight.

That’s all there is to creating a pot like this. Check out our Web extra for more tips and creative effects you can get with paint — the possibilities are almost endless!

There are two types of amaryllis bulbs; both have the same beautiful flowers. The bulbs you usually get during the holidays, called “Christmas bulbs,” take four to six weeks to bloom. “Dutch bulbs” usually have the largest flowers and bloom in eight to 12 weeks. Would you like that holiday amaryllis you’re growing right now to bloom again next summer? And did you know spring-started amaryllis can bloom all summer and then again indoors in winter? It takes a little planning, but no matter when you start, the process is the same. Here’s how to make it happen.

GET BLOOMING — Plant the largest bulb you can buy in all-purpose potting mix in a container that’s 1 1/2 to 2 in. wider than the diameter of the bulb. Let the top quarter of the bulb poke above the soil line. Water thoroughly and set in a sunny south-facing window. Once you see green, start watering every time the soil gets dry. You can also start fertilizing — Miracle-Gro^® Bloom Buster ^® 15-30-15 works well. You’ll get several bloom stalks, each lasting a week or two.

QUIET TIME — As flowers fade, pinch off spent blossoms and cut the flower stalks back at the base of the plant. Let the foliage continue to grow for eight weeks and keep watering and fertilizing normally. At this time, stop watering and move the pot to a cool, dark place (40 to 45 degrees) for another eight weeks and tip it on its side as a reminder not to water.

MORE BLOOMS — After the rest period, bring your amaryllis out and start over. Pull off the dead foliage and water. You may need to set the pot in a tub of water to rehydrate the dry soil. In several weeks you’ll get another flush of blooms. Though the flowers will probably be smaller than the first time, you can get several flushes of blooms over a couple of years from one bulb.

]]> http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/12/15/twice-is-nice/feed/ 0 http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/11/24/get-perennials-ready-for-spring/ http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/11/24/get-perennials-ready-for-spring/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:01:17 +0000 dgruca http://www.gardengatenotes.com/?p=3547 get perennials ready for spring

As the season dwindles down, garden tasks often seem to increase. But your work doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few things you can still tackle late this fall to make sure your garden is in shape and ready for spring.

REPAIR AND REPLACE TAGS —?Sure, you think you’ll remember the name of that new perennial next spring. But a tag is a big help. Now is the time to check old tags to make sure you can still read them, or put out new tags.

CUT OR LEAVE STANDING? — Research shows that perennials are more likely to survive winter if you don’t cut them off until spring cleanup time. The exceptions are plants that harbor pests, such as peonies with botrytis or iris with borers. Cut the foliage down, and if possible, burn it. Can’t burn in your municipality? Bury the material in the trench with the weeds.

TUCK ‘EM IN FOR THE WINTER — If you live where the ground freezes, a thick blanket of mulch over your perennials is good as an insurance policy. Your objective is not to keep the soil warmer, but to keep it at an even temperature. Wide temperature fluctuations between cold and warm damage roots and often cause winter kill. Once the plants are completely dormant and the ground is beginning to freeze, 4 to 6 in. of straw or crisp oak leaves (don’t chop them up first or they pack down too tightly) will do the trick. Leave this winter mulch in place until the weather warms up in spring. You’ll know it’s about time to remove it when the forsythia starts to bloom.

Read more about this and other stories in the current issue of Garden Gate magazine!

]]> http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/11/24/get-perennials-ready-for-spring/feed/ 0 http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/11/10/tips-to-bring-in-the-birds/ http://www.gardengatenotes.com/2009/11/10/tips-to-bring-in-the-birds/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:01:42 +0000 dgruca http://www.gardengatenotes.com/?p=3614

Click to see a larger image.

tips to bring in the birds

Have you ever watched a robin splashing enthusiastically in a birdbath? Or witnessed a young bird step from a branch for its very first flight? If you have, you know what a joy watching our feathered neighbors can be. What you might not realize is that there are some simple things you can do to make your yard a more enticing place to all kinds of birds. Here are some tips to make your back yard into an enticing haven for lots of these feathered treasures.

PROVIDE BERRIES OR SEEDS ALL YEAR —?Because they fruit at different times, grow a couple different varieties of plants like serviceberry, hawthorn and dogwood to extend the berry season. And if you grow berry plants, double the number of your favorite ones. You’ll insure that there’s enough for both you and the birds. Plant fruit-bearing plants away from sidewalks, driveways and patio areas to reduce the mess. And be sure to feed seed and suet, as well. Different birds have different tastes.

KEEP FOUR-LEGGED VISITORS OUT OF FEEDERS — Use baffles below feeders or wrap posts in aluminum flashing to thwart furry looters. And don’t grow plants close to feeders. (They can hide predators like cats!)

DON’T LET THE WATER RUN DRY — Keep birdbaths and ponds filled all season. Reliable sources of water, especially moving water, will attract more birds. Remember to rinse and refill birdbaths often to help prevent disease and mosquitoes. In winter, keep it ice free with a heater, or empty ice and refill the birdbath every day. Also buy a birdbath with a rough or textured floor or add small stones to the bottom to prevent injury to birds.

PLACE YOUR POND IN THE OPEN — Avoid chemical runoff from surrounding lawn areas by building on level ground. Make an area of the pond 2 in. deep or less so birds won’t drown.

PLANT EVERGREENS FOR SHELTER — Spruce, hemlock, cedar and pine are great for nesting for cardinals, sparrows, towhees and other birds. They’ll also give birds a little relief from nasty winter storms that can sap their strength, thus helping them survive cold temperatures.

VARY HEIGHTS OF TREES, SHRUBS AND OTHER PLANTS — You’ll fill the needs of different birds who prefer to nest and feed in tree tops, shrubs or on the ground. And because it’s hard to fly with wet feathers, grow shrubs within 10 ft. of ponds or birdbaths for safe places to dry off a bit before flying away.

Check out a couple of ways to pamper your feathered visitors at right!

caging hyacinth bulbs

Rabbits and deer rarely munch on the bulbs, flowers or foliage of hyacinth. However, underground critters tunnel around the bulbs and leave air pockets that can stunt the growth. Or out of curiosity, squirrels may dig up bulbs shortly after they’re planted.

To help prevent both of these problems, plant hyacinth bulbs in a mesh cage like this one made with 1/2-in. hardware cloth. The sides are 6 in. high and the bottom is 12 in. across. Hya­cinths have a thick growing point that’s too large to push through the small holes in hardware cloth. So refill the hole and cage with soil and lay a chicken wire lid on top of the cage before refilling the hole the rest of the way. When you’re ready to dig and replace spent bulbs, the basket makes the clump easy to lift.

storing calla tubers

If you overwinter your callas, they’ll get bigger and bigger, producing a better show every year.

A light frost (30 to 32 degrees F) will kill the foliage without hurting the tubers. Let the foliage dry for a day or two. If a hard freeze (28 degrees F or colder) is in the forecast, dig the tubers as soon as possible or they may be damaged by the cold.

Lift the clump and snip off the foliage a couple of inches above the tuber as I’m doing in the top photo. Crumble off big clods of soil. Set the clump in a shady spot where it won’t freeze. Allow the soil to dry completely — this could take a few days. At this point, the roots and stem should be dry enough to come off easily. It’s critical that the tubers are completely dry before you store them because they’re prone to rotting during the winter.

I like to bury my tubers in dry peat moss in a plastic-lined cardboard box as I’m doing in the lower photo. (Wood shavings are also good storage material.) Make sure the tubers aren’t touching each other. If one rots, the rest may rot, too. Poke holes through the plastic and the side of the box, then loosely close the tops. It’s OK to stack boxes on top of one another.

Check your boxes a few times over the winter and remove any mushy tubers. Keep your callas in a cool, dry place that stays about 50 to 55 degrees F during the winter — an unheated basement or attached garage works well.

Click on the photo to see a larger image.

light up your garden

Remember how you hated to go when your mom called you inside as it got dark? With landscape lighting, you can stay outside and “play” in your garden a lot longer!

Garden lighting can illuminate a patio for entertaining, showcase a dramatic plant or highlight a path for safe walking. With lights, you get a completely different look in your garden after dark — and they make your home safer, too.

But before you go out and plop a bunch of lights into your flower beds, take time to decide what you need. Too many lights, or the wrong kind, might make your garden look like a carnival instead of a peaceful retreat. And poorly placed ones can annoy the neighbors or keep you awake at night. So let’s walk through your garden and figure out a lighting plan like the pros do.

DESIGN FIRST, INSTALL SECOND — Start by sketching out your yard on graph paper. This will make it easier to see where you need lights, without being distracted by whatever’s blooming at the time. When your sketch is done, here are three important things to consider as you decide where lights should go:

   Think about how you use your yard. Do you entertain outside? Do you sit on your deck in the evening? Are you worried about safety? On your sketch, mark where you like to sit, or dark areas that could use illumination.

   Pick one to three focal points to highlight. Too many focal points will be distracting. You might choose a specimen tree, an arbor or a special statue or sculpture.

   Figure out where you walk. What are your most traveled paths through the garden? Make sure those areas will be well-lighted.

Once you’ve marked all these points on your sketch, try out different looks in the garden with a flashlight. Get someone to hold the light while you see how it looks from different angles. Keep in mind you usually want to see the effect of the light, not the fixture or the light source itself.

Looking for attractive garden lighting? Check out the new Soji Modern Solar Lanterns at right!

easy bulb planting

Not many flowers rival the welcome splash of color that spring bulbs can give you. But if you’ve ever planted them in fall, you can appreciate the effort that goes into planting. When you have a lot of bulbs to plant, make it easier on yourself by using your drill and a bulb auger.

You can drill a lot of holes without much effort in lawns and even tough garden soil (but stay away from tree roots and hard-packed clay). Just make sure you’re using a 12-in. or shorter length auger (this one is 7 in.). The longer ones are more likely to bend when the going gets tough. However, the long-shafted augers are more comfortable to work with (you don’t have to bend as much) and they’re fine if you’re working in prepared soil.

If you have a small yard, run an extension cord and use an electric ½-in. drill with your auger. A powerful battery-operated drill also works, but you may have to recharge or switch battery packs frequently. Run it both as you push down and pull up to get the cleanest hole. (And wear eye protection.) Need a bigger hole for giant daffodil bulbs? Drill two holes side by side.

When you’re planting bulbs close together — 6 in. or so apart — the holes tend to cave in on one another. Enlist a friend and use a drill-and-drop planting technique: One person drills, the other drops the bulb into each hole and refills it. This means you won’t have to drill a hole, put down the drill, drop a bulb in, refill the hole, drill another hole, etc.

Read about other bulb-planting tools in the current issue of Garden Gate magazine.