good fences make good gardens

Fences work hard, keeping pets and kids in the yard or out of the street and letting visitors know where to go and not to go. But even though fences are a useful part of the landscape, you want them to look good. If your fence complements the look of the garden, your whole yard will be a traffic stopper.

For casual gardens, a wooden picket fence is perfect. Wood has an inviting, friendly look to it that, with proper care, ages gracefully. You can get ready-made panels from your local home improvement center in a variety of styles. Or for a truly original fence, make your own pickets.

KEEP IT LOOKING GOOD — You’ll need to apply a coat of paint or water sealant every few years. To keep rust stains from marring the appearance and joints from weakening, spend the extra money on specially treated wood screws for outdoor use.

SAME LOOK, DIFFERENT STUFF — Composite wood is made from a blend of recycled plastic and sawdust. It’s more expensive but usually needs less maintenance. You’ll still need to use pressure-treated wood for posts and crosspieces. And buy composite deck screws. Regular screws scar the composite’s surface.

problem solver

Chicory
Cichorium intybus

IDENTIFICATION — The line between wildflower and weed can be narrow. With chicory, or blue sailor weed as it’s sometimes called, what one person considers a lovely blue flower, a neighbor might consider a weed. This is one of those perennials that can go either way.

In summer, branched flower stems spring up from the center of a low rosette of leaves that looks very much like a dandelion. These tough stems can reach more than 7 ft. tall, but the average is usually less than 3 ft. The leaves along the tough stems are small and not very noticeable. Underground there’s a fleshy taproot that if broken, will “bleed” a milky white sap. But the daisylike flowers (usually blue, but sometimes pink or white) are what you’ll notice first.

Each morning the flowers open facing the rising sun. They last just one day, so by late afternoon they fade and wither. But rest assured there will be more tomorrow morning.

You can eat tender young chicory leaves in salads or as a cooked green. Roots are cooked and eaten or dried and ground to make a coffee substitute.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — This European native has naturalized across much of North America. You’ll spot it growing along roadsides or the edge of your garden. It does not like areas that are frequently cultivated or mowed to less than 2 in. tall.

CONTROL — Just like a dandelion, chicory spreads mainly by seeds, so you’ll want to keep it from setting seeds. However, pieces of root will also grow quite easily. Repeatedly mowing the plant short, or cutting it off at the soil line will eventually kill it. The taproot is hard to pull from the ground, even after soaking the area with water first. Broadleaf or non-selective herbicides are also effective at getting rid of chicory.

Check out these and other softcover books from the editors of Garden Gate magazine.

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!

Birds need a source of water for drinking and bathing all year round, including during the winter.

Heated Bird Bath

Keep the water ice-free for your fine feathered friends this winter with this nifty heated bird bath!

favorite feeder

Cardinal No/No Feeder

This great squirrel-proof feeder contains no wood or plastic and folds flat for easy storage.

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Plan
Simple and Elegant Entry
Chart
Our Favorite Plant Web Sites
Articles
Design Your Dream Garden,
Part 1
Our 12 Best Wildlife Tips From Readers

See all Web extras

Click to see a larger image.

problem solver

Rose slug sawfly
Endelomyia aethiops

IDENTIFICATION — Smooth, translucent pale-green larvae could attack the leaves of your roses next May and June.

DAMAGE — Feeding on the surface of the foliage between the veins, larvae create a window-pane look. Leaves turn brown and curl. Large infestations may stunt the plant’s growth.

CONTROL — Prune out or handpick small populations. On cloudy days (so you don’t burn the leaves) in early summer, spray all plant surfaces with Safer^® insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to smother younger larvae. These controls don’t work as well on older larvae, but most of the damage has already been done by then.

If there are so many larvae that the plants stop growing and blooming, dust the affected plants with an insecticide containing carbaryl, such as Sevin^®. Or dilute and spray spinosad on all leaf surfaces in early summer. And all season, pick up debris and leaves from around plants to remove any larvae that may be hiding there.

Click to see a close-up of the foliage.

plant pick

‘Golden Ring’ barberry
Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea

‘Golden Ring’ has burgundy leaves that don’t fade or bleach in hot summer sun and are not susceptible to rust, like other barberries. In fall, the leaves, especially in the center of the plant, turn bright orange-red, so the entire plant seems to glow. It may look like any red barberry from a distance, but it has a special touch — a thin, green-gold band on the edge of the leaves.

Speaking of color, that band around the leaf edge sometimes doesn’t show up at first on new leaves. As the weather warms up, you’ll start to see it. But make sure your ‘Golden Ring’ barberry gets at least 8 hours of sun per day for the best foliage color.

Barberries aren’t known for their flowers, but they do have small yellow spring blooms. Glossy red fall berries dangle under the branches even after the leaves drop. These berries often last into winter, as they’re not a favorite food for birds. One note of caution though, barberries can be invasive on the East Coast, so avoid them if they’re a problem in your area.

TYPE Shrub SIZE 4 to 5 ft. tall and wide BLOOM Small yellow in spring LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious, a rust-resistant cultivar HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1

Write + Erase Plant Tags

A pretty and durable way to identify your favorite plants.

from the
current issue

of Garden Gate magazine:

Plan
Simple and Elegant Entry
Chart
Our Favorite Plant Web Sites
Articles
Design Your Dream Garden,
Part 1
Our 12 Best Wildlife Tips From Readers

See all Web extras

problem solver

Fuller’s teasel
Pastinaca sativa

IDENTIFICATION — Originally introduced from Europe for use as a dried flower, Fuller’s teasel has naturalized in much of North America. The first year, this biennial forms a rosette of oblong leaves that may grow to nearly 12 in. long. During the second year, several flower stalks with spines shoot up nearly 6 ft. The spiny egg-shaped lavender flowers bloom from June to October. After flowering and producing seed, the plant dies.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Fuller’s teasel prefers open, sunny sites like roadsides and disturbed areas, although it may grow in your lawn or garden. It’s a particular pest for restored prairies and wildlife areas because each plant is capable of producing more than 2,000 seeds and most of them will germinate. Under favorable growing conditions, it can actually outcompete native prairie plants.

CONTROL — As with all biennial weeds, it’s easier to manage Fuller’s teasel in the rosette stage. Use a dandelion-puller to pull out the long tap root or slice it off, below the soil, with a sharp spade. And as with dandelions, be sure to get as much of the root as possible so it won’t resprout. You can cut off the flower head to prevent it from going to seed. Herbicides that contain triclopyr or glyphosate can also be used, but are most effective when applied while the plants are in the rosette stage before they flower.

Click on the photo for this container plan.

jack-o-planter

Nothing says “fall” like a pumpkin, so what could be more perfect to use for a fall container? If you’d like to make one of your own, here are a few things you need to do to make your pumpkin planter last.

To keep your pumpkin looking good for as long as possible, don’t plant directly into it. Instead, plant up a plastic nursery pot and slide it into the pumpkin. Take an 8-in. plastic pot along when you chose your pumpkin to be sure it will fit.

Once you’ve got your pumpkin, cut an opening in the top large enough for the pot to slip through. Scoop out the insides and cut a 1-in. drainage hole in the bottom. Then seal the pumpkin by spraying the inside with Wilt-Pruf^®, especially the area around the hole. This will help keep it from rotting. Now you’re ready to plant.

These kales, pansies and cape daisies all do well in cool fall temperatures. First, place a little potting mix in the bottom of the pot. Most pumpkins won’t hold a very big pot, so to fit in as many plants as possible, flatten each root ball before you tuck it in, then fill in any spaces with more mix. Once everything is planted, water the pot and let it drain completely before you place it in the pumpkin.

problem solver

Wild parsnip
Pastinaca sativa

IDENTIFICATION — This invasive biennial is related to the edible parsnips you may grow in your vegetable garden. Like its cultivated cousin, wild parsnip has a long, white-yellow taproot that is edible.

The first year, a rosette of leaves emerges and grows to about 1 ft. tall. Egg-shaped leaflets are in pairs along the stem and are deeply toothed or lobed. During the second year it sends up a thick, grooved flower stalk. Bright yellow flowers in flat clusters, like dill, appear from May to October. Flowering plants may grow as tall as 5 ft.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Wild parsnip spreads by seed and grows just about anywhere in North America in fields, ditches, prairies, bike paths, cultivated gardens and even your lawn. Although it prefers full sun and moist to wet soils, it will grow in shade and dry soils, too.

CONTROL — Hand digging wild parsnip is the most effective control method. But the deep taproot can make it difficult. If possible, identify and dig up plants when they’re in the rosette stage and the tap root is short and easier to dig. Cut or mow flower stalks on mature plants to prevent seeds from forming. Then dig up as much of the plant as you can. Herbicides that contain glyphosate, such as RoundUp^®, can be an effective control. Follow label directions. Wear long sleeves, pants and gloves when handling wild parsnip because it exudes a chemical that causes photodermatitis blisters when your skin is exposed to sunlight. These can become very painful and may require medical attention.

It’s a good idea to wrap the trunks of young trees in fall to protect the bark from frost crack.

white tree wrap

Protects trees by reflecting the sun’s heat and keeping the temperature even…

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.

Check out Garden Gate’s most popular multi-season garden plans…

problem solver

Pillbugs and sowbugs

IDENTIFICATION — Here are two bugs that look almost identical — pillbugs and sowbugs. The only difference seems to be that pillbugs roll into a ball when they’re frightened. Both go by many different names, such as roly-poly and wood lice. And they’re really not bugs at all — they’re crustaceans — they’re more closely related to crabs and lobsters. Adults can grow to 3/8 in. long.

DAMAGE — These bugs don’t really harm plants unless there are so many that the creatures need the food. Then they’ll feed on fine roots and stems of tender seedlings. Usually they’re scavengers, feeding on decaying plant material and hiding in dark, damp areas.

CONTROL — There’s no urgent need to control either one. But if you feel overrun, take away the critters’ hiding places. Remove dead plant material to the compost pile, get rid of boards and lift pots off the ground. These are some of their favorite spots.

No space is too small for a garden, even if it’s just a small grouping of containers on your deck. Check out our tips for turning little spots into beautiful gardens.

For even more help creating your own sumptuous small garden, see Great Gardens: Solutions for Small Spaces, Vol. 2 at right!

Great Gardens: Solutions for Small Spaces, Vol. 2

Check out this and other soft-cover books from the editors of Garden Gate magazine.

PHOTO: © Joseph G. Strauch, Jr.

problem solver

Rust

IDENTIFICATION — You’ll spot powdery rust, orange or brown spots, like these on a snapdragon, on either side of the leaf. It’s most common in summer and fall, but can appear at any time. 

DAMAGE — Rust spores are carried by wind and water to infect plants during humid conditions. Affected plants include geraniums, asters, mums, snapdragons and peonies and also surrounding plants. Not only is it unsightly, rust weakens the plant, reducing flower and fruit production.

CONTROL — Remove and destroy infected leaves. Try to keep the foliage dry when you water and improve air circulation around the plant by removing dense vegetation nearby. Also, read descriptions to find resistant cultivars for your garden. If you still want to grow a susceptible plant, check with your local garden center for a fungicide you can spray in early summer as a preventative measure.

Click to see the sprouting tuber.

plant pick

Cyclamen
Cyclamen hederifolium

It’s hard to say which is more appealing about cyclamen: The perky fall flowers or the charming round to heart-shaped leaves. Colorful blooms push up through the soil first. They’re followed by foliage that sports zones of silver or patterns of lighter or darker colors on the surface with red or purple undersides.

After a few seasons, a tuber the size that you can easily hold in your hand can grow into a clump in the garden that reaches 12 in. across. So even though they’re small, plant them in early fall with plenty of elbow room — 6 to 8 in. apart — just below the soil’s surface. Cyclamen tubers can sometimes take up to two to three years to start growing. (Both roots and stems sprout from the top side of the tuber.) Buy young plants for a quicker start.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 4 to 6 in. tall and wide BLOOM Pink or white in late summer to late fall LIGHT Filtered shade SOIL Well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1 SOURCE Digging Dog Nursery

If you want to know when this or other perennials flower, see When Perennials Bloom at right.

Click on the photo to see a larger image.

problem solver

Prostrate spurge
Euphorbia supina

IDENTIFICATION — The stems and undersides of the leaves of 2-in.-tall prostrate spurge have a red tint. If you break the somewhat hairy stems, they ooze a milky sap.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — This mat-forming annual weed is often found from summer to fall in dry, gravelly to sandy soil in full sun. It thrives in full hot sun, even coming up in cracks of concrete, and is a prolific seeder.

CONTROL — Despite having a central tap root, prostrate spurge is easy to pull or hoe.