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The Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
January 13 - January 19, 2005 Edition
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GARDEN NOTES January 13, 2005 There is no new Garden Notes column this week. Clean up, cover up January 6, 2005 By Abigail Higgins New Year's frosting Photo by Tony Omer The snowstorm of December 26th gave us a winter wonderland, too late for Christmas though still lovely. It was also poorly forecast, catching any number of individuals and organizations off-guard. We had a round of heated, intense Scrabble games while we waited out the lamp-lit evening for the power to come back on. But some neighbors were without power for days, at which point the novelty wears off. The reason the snow seemed so heavy, therefore causing so much more damage than usual, was that the rain turned to ice before becoming snow: there was a layer of ice on every twig and limb beneath the coating of snow. It was almost impossible to knock and brush the snow off without causing additional, greater harm. (As always, the rule for doing this is to lift each branch separately and shake it from side to side. Never brush laden branches downward.) There is damage everywhere, some of it truly heartbreaking. As is usually the case, the broadleaf evergreens take a beating in such conditions. Deciduous trees unload all that additional surface area when they shed their leaves in autumn: not so the broadleafs. The huge catawbiense hybrid rhododendrons in our yard were both bent double and splayed open. We lost some good-sized branches outright; warm weather will undoubtedly reveal more damage — cracks and splits — that isn’t immediately apparent. Probably the only way to avoid snow damage under this type of storm is to wrap with burlap or build wooden shelters where practical. There is also considerable loss of individual leaves due to the weight of the ice tugging at the stems when the wind comes up. This is what causes the litter of leaves or needles you may have noticed around the base of a holly or red cedar. Then too, the deer had a great opportunity while limbs and branches were weighed down. To sum up, this was a strikingly beautiful and destructive storm for Island woods and gardens. The mild early January days are providing great conditions to clean up the storm damage. For broken branches that are still attached it is always good to make an undercut. You don’t want to add insult to injury by causing bark tears down the plant’s trunk. It may be necessary to use a chain saw or loppers to clear away an ugly tangle, but I find it is best to make the final trimming cuts with a sharp pruning saw. Remember to leave where possible the “branch collar,” the bump off the trunk where the branch originated (rather than trimming flush). The damage from this kind of storm also results in branches being torn out of the heart of the plant’s trunk; let the plant callus over or compartmentalize the damage by itself, after trimming off what rough edges you can. Winter wraps It is by no means too late to cover plants with burlap. Depending on the plant to be covered, first gather it in with baling twine or other sturdy cord. (Think of a Christmas tree still on the truck from Canada.) Tie the line around the trunk or a bottom branch, then walk it around the plant folding in the branches up to the top, and tie it off to a lower turn. Wrap with the burlap similarly. The fabric can be wired, sewn, or ring-stapled to the cord; an old-time garden book suggests using wire nails like pins to fasten the burlap. Or, it can be wrapped, poked through, and tied to itself if covering something like small boxwoods. Burlap strips or baling twine can be used to tie together a plant with a tendency to split apart, such as the Thuja orientalis forms of arborvitae. Other winter gardening chores consist of the sorts of activities I fear most people are too busy (i.e. Internet) to attend to nowadays. Was winter really longer and more restful once upon a time, and did we really have so much time on our hands? It often seems that I have just finished doing justice to the many catalogues that flood my mailbox and the wealth of Christmas books when it is time to leap up and start gardening again. Really though, an attempt to organize things should be made! Mulching for winter protection can be done now that the ground has cooled down. It used to be that we waited until the ground had frozen before applying mulch, but one could wait all winter for that to happen with current, crazy weather patterns. Rose bushes will appreciate a heaped up cone of manure or topsoil around the stem, to be gradually removed in late March-early April. Tools always need maintenance and repair. Handles can be oiled or revarnished. Blades need oiling and sharpening. Sprayers can be taken apart and cleaned. Every shed and cellar can be tidied. Mice love making nests from materials like garden twine and floating row covers, so pack these away safely. Make the lists for seeds and bulbs for next year. The catalogues are here and this is the discount period, which usually goes through the beginning of February. Pay attention to houseplants. Make sure there is good ventilation where they are kept. Wash the leaves frequently with the kitchen sink spray or hand-held shower to counter the dust and dryness of the indoor atmosphere. New reading treats Two Christmas books worthy of mention to interested gardeners ended up under my grandson Latham’s first tree, at whose house we spent Christmas morning. My daughter recognized a gap in my reference library, which she filled with “The Gardener’s Iris Book” by William Shear, (169 ppg. Taunton Press, 2002.) It is especially good on the members of the iris genus other than tall bearded iris. One of the surprising aspects of inter-species iris breeding that I realized from the photographs is that hybrids concocted of numerous species all appear quite similar, like extra-gorgeous Siberians. This book is thorough and contains separate chapters on the following: the iris genus and botany; bearded irises; Siberian irises; Louisiana irises; bulb irises; water-loving irises; drier-ground irises; irises for special situations; and growing your own irises. It is nicely illustrated with many color photographs but it is not the book to buy if one is looking for voluminous illustrations of specific clones and cultivars. The other Christmas book, which is mainly wonderful eye-candy, is a book of “Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement” by Judith Tankard (216 ppg. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York, 2004.) It is a beautifully produced book, with arts and crafts graphic designs used as end papers and chapter headings, and utilizing garden plans, oil and pastel artwork, as well as beautiful garden photography. It is an inspiration and a lovely gift from my husband. Working gardeners and landscapers are invited to attend a meeting at 4 pm. Jan. 13 at Agricultural Hall for the purpose of exploring/starting a landscapers’ association. This organizational meeting is under the joint sponsorship of the Polly Hill Arboretum and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, who will provide refreshments. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.
©The Martha's Vineyard Times 2004 - www.mvtimes.com