The fickleness of April is well known. So much of spring, and gardening, seems to be holding one’s breath: frosts, varmints, what else could possibly go wrong? This year, ice appeared in the water pans mid-month, just when we were weighing turning on the outside water. How is it possible, after what seemed like too much wet and chilly weather – that now the winds are exerting a drying influence on soils and plants?
Magnificent Magnolias
Magnolias in prominent locations decorate the Easter season and our Island lives. They escaped being blasted by frost, just barely. The large furry flowerbuds’ two coverings, one inside the other, insure protection from most frosts, and litter the ground once the flowers open.
If a magnolia is in your plans: A number of recent magnolia introductions have been bred to flower later in spring. Choose a site that is not too protected, which can encourage early flowering, and greater risk of losing it. A slope is good, allowing the heavier cold air to flow and pool downhill.
Symposia for Gardeners
Attending talks given by serious and experienced gardeners helps to reverse the isolation that Island gardeners face. Here, it is the ever-growing demand that gardens and landscapes resemble golf courses or municipal parks that prevails; instead of domestic refuges that invoke individual, small paradises for their residents.
The recent Sakonnet Garden symposium in March featured two experienced British gardeners, Ed Flint and Troy Scott-Smith, and one much younger American one, Drew Schuyler. They shared photos of exciting plants and gardens, favorite plants, propagation, and observations about gardeners’ roles in habitat and plant preservation.
It’s being March, there was focus on hellebores. Ed Flint was long associated with Elizabeth Strangman at her nursery. Now retired, she is the breeder of many of today’s wonderful strains of hellebores.
Ed emphasized that Elizabeth always stoops to cup a hellebore’s down-facing flower, saying “they need to protect their pollen.” Many modern hellebore breeders have gone against this grain with their upward-facing introductions, but they all owe Elizabeth Strangman an enormous debt for her work with these fascinating winter bloomers.
Takeaways were too many to list individually. Personally, the importance of dividing primroses after blossoming, lest they ‘run out’ over time, was valuable information. Another was appreciation for meadow gardens, and the wildflowers that will appear, such as rare and endangered orchids, once meadows are incorporated into garden schemes. And, pollinators, pollinators, pollinators.
Chop and Drop
Overheard at the Sakonnet Garden symposium: a lot of lunchtime chatter about “chop and drop.” Different groups of attendees seemed to have this topic on their minds.
What is “chop and drop”? The term refers to one of the most recent, eco-aware trends in garden maintenance.
Quoting Rebecca McMackin: “Chop & Drop: Plants make their own mulch. We do not need to feed them woodchips. When cutting back taller perennials and grasses, use sheers to cut them into 6” segments from the top down. Those pieces can fall to the ground as mulch. Depending on the soil and ecosystem, I usually leave it ~3” thick.”
Anne Wareham, who long with her husband Charles Hawes is the creator of Veddw, an admired UK garden in Wales, is the editorial voice behind a web site I often visit, ThinkinGardens.com. Her most recent book is “The Bad Tempered Gardener.” She does not mince words.
Wareham too is an outspoken advocate of “Chop & Drop” gardening, where cutdowns are left to break down and/or mulch the garden beds. Quoting Wareham on the subject: “Chopping could be done in autumn and debris allowed to stay there over the winter. Or, stems could be left standing, as arthropod and larval housing, until spring and then chopped & dropped.”
As a sort of “I’ve got better things to do with my time and energy” approach, Wareham recommends letting debris compost in place, instead of transporting it to the compost pile and then, once composted, transporting it back again to the garden. How’s that for common sense?
Secure Your Load
We really must concentrate better on securing our loads. Island roads are becoming a real showcase for the Green Industry — the Green Industry’s role in roadside littering, that is.
In the Garden
Soil temps are warming; right on schedule for Easter, the asparagus spears appeared! It is gratifying to see the emergence of the baby spears too, from last year’s sowing of purple asparagus seed. Early tulips that evaded “chipmunking” have opened.
Garlic is up and growing strongly now. Garlic and onions both dislike weed competition. It is a good time to fertilize and weed them.
As noted above, the continuing windiness is still exerting a drying influence on soils and plants. Check recently transplanted seedlings; they are more vulnerable to drying than larger or established plants.
The change in season brings houseplants into bloom. It also causes explosions of insect pests: whitefly, scale, etc. Insecticidal soap and hort oil control outbreaks until plants go outside.
Too Important to Overlook
April 22nd, Earth Day, more important than ever, took place mid-week amid strong competition from the news cycle, Passover, and Easter.
The Earth and its gifts are our only true capital and riches, despite attempts to place colonizing Mars, or promoting cyper-currency, above and beyond our earthly existence. Practice Earth Day each and every day. Stand up for what you stand on!
