Orange and yellow gladiolus are in full flower during August. Photo by Amanda Jarrett
The Garden Website for October:
October's Introduction & Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog Blurb - Garden Chores - Lawn Care
Harvesting Veggies - Harvesting Fruit - Summer Pruning
Tomato Woes - Soil Solarization - Plant Police - Ask Amanda
My Garden August Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Persian Silk Tree
October's Introduction & Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog Blurb - Garden Chores - Lawn Care
Harvesting Veggies - Harvesting Fruit - Summer Pruning
Tomato Woes - Soil Solarization - Plant Police - Ask Amanda
My Garden August Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Persian Silk Tree
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Amanda's Garden BlogCheck out my blog on my gardening experiments, trials. tribulations and excursions.
To subscribe to my blog click here. Trees That Drip That Sticky Stuff Balcony Bliss One Huge Beetle! A Summer's Day Harvest The Dunbar Garden Club Private Tour Leaky Birdbaths and Slug Free Strawberries Easy Roses Oops... Wrong Plant, Wrong Place I Had An Ugly Lawn... October's garden chores
winter protectionAfter the snowy, cold winter we had last year, I’ve been thinking I should do more to protect my plants this fall. Our globe cypress was smashed after repeated dumps of heavy wet snow. Many evergreens suffered the same fate resulting in broken limbs and disfigurement. Some plants just didn’t make it due to fickle fluctuating temperature whilst for others, it was just too cold. There’s many ways to protect plants depending on what they are.
Tender Plants, Transplants, Roses & New Plants: Protect the crowns (where roots and stems meet) of any new plants, transplants, hybrid teas and other grafted roses, borderline hardy plants: New Zealand flax (Phormium sp.), pineapple lily (Eucomis autumnalis), freesias, palm trees, elephant ear (Colocasia spp.), bananas, as well as small shrubs such as rock rose (Cistus spp.), and lavenders. To protect the crowns, either pile up soil on top or use at least 3 inches of mulch or leaves on top of the crown. It is such a simple thing to do but it is an effective method to insulate the soil against temperature extremes and fluctuations.
For Added Protection: Wrap tender shrubs and trees in layers of breathable fabric from their tip, right down to the ground. Don’t leave a space between the wrap and the soil surface as the thermal heat from the earth is then lost to the air. Avoid using plastic. It suffocates plants and has little insulating value. Old sheets, carpets, blankets, tablecloths and other breathable fabric are excellent insulators and keep plants toasty over the winter months. Another alternative is caging plants by wrapping hardware cloth or chicken wire around the dripline (where their canopy of leaves ends). Gently place leaves inside the cage on top of the plant so it’s completely covered.
Protecting Cedars and other Evergreens: Wrap string around cedars and other evergreens to keep their branches together and to protect them from breakage from high winds and heavy snow. It’s too late to prune them so put that pruning gear away. If they are cut back now, the new tender growth will be injured by winter temperatures and cold winds. Container Plants Winter Protection: Trees, shrubs and perennials that are living outside in containers need extra care to protect them from freezing and thawing and prolonged icy snaps. If possible, move outside containers that contain plants under the eaves or another protected location so they don’t drown with the winter rains. It also helps to keep them a tad warmer. To insulate plant roots, wrap the containers with bubble wrap, Styrofoam, blankets, mats or whatever. Add at least 3 inches of an organic mulch on the soil surface if there is room. Another alternative is to bury the pots in the garden. The thermal heat from the earth will keep them much warmer than sitting on a deck or patio.
Bringing in Tender Plants
Some tender plants cannot be left outside even with winter protection so bring them inside as soon as possible. Fuchsias, geraniums (Pelargonium sp.), angel trumpets (Brugmansia spp., Datura spp.), bougainvilleas need a frost free location. Wipe down their pots with soapy water; remove weeds and debris from the soil surface and any free loading slugs and bugs. Wash the plants with dish washing liquid water if necessary. Be prepared and don’t freak out if plants decide to lose all their leaves and flowers when you bring them inside. It’s because their growing conditions have changed from outside to inside. With proper care, they will sport new growth in no time. Water plants when the top ½ inch of soil is dry to the touch. If they dry out too much they are prone to spider mites. Place them in front of south window or under grow lights. Leave the light on for 8 to 12 hours. Lifting Tender Summer Bulbs:
Lift gladiolus, dahlias, tuberous begonias and other tender bulbs after a frost or when the plant is obviously dying down for winter. Allow their leaves to turn yellow before lifting gladiolus or hang them upside down by their foliage on in a frost free location until the leaves yellow. You don't have to remove dahlias from the ground, as they usually (but not all the time!) survive our mild coastal winters of zone 8. It was a pretty brutal winter last year and I lost one of mine that had been in the same spot for years so I’m storing all of mine this year. Either wait for frost to kill their tops or cut back all stems to 6 inches to a foot. Wait a few days, then dig them up. Once bulbs, corms and tubers have been lifted, remove as much soil as possible by hand then place them in a dry area, away from frost and moisture for a week to cure. After curing, place the labelled tubers, corms etc. in cardboard boxes so they are not touching. Dust with nature’s fungicide: a healthy dose of cinnamon, then cover completely with dry vermiculite, perlite, peat moss or sterile potting soil. Store in a dry, frost free place 4 to 8 degrees Celsius. My Garden's August Flowers |
Plant of the Month
Persian silk tree/Mimosa
Albizia julibrissin
Common Name: silk tree, Persian silk tree, mimosa
Botanical Name: Albizia julibrissin
Family: Fabaceae
Growth rate: fast, but is short-lived
Form: a graceful small tree with a broad, horizontal canopy like a parasol
Genus: Albizia
Species: julbrissin
Plant Type: deciduous tree
Mature Size: 5–16 m (16–52 ft)
Origin: Iran, Republic of Azerbaijan, Korea, China
Hardiness Zone USDA zones 6 to 9
Leaves: feather-like, bright green foliage, bipinnate, up to 45 cm (18 in) long x 25 cm (10 in) broad, folds inwards at night and in the rain
Flowers: fragrant clusters of white or pink pompom-like blossoms
Fruit: brown, flattened pods 20 cm (8 in) long x 1 in wide, containing several seeds
Bark: dark green-grey with vertical stripes as it ages
Exposure: sun
Soil: soil tolerant but prefers dry conditions.
Pruning: In late winter to early spring remove branches that are too low, distorted, broken and too long. Since mimosas are prone to many diseases and insects, remove infested parts any time of year and disinfect tools after each cut.
Uses: provides dappled shade so use in mixed borders, as an accent and as a specimen
Cultivars: Pink Silk Tree (A. julibrissin f. rosea), 'Summer Chocolate' has dark bronze leaves with pale pink blossoms.
Mimosas are beautiful trees, but they are not reliable this far north. Albizias prefer dry, warm conditions, which means they struggle with diseases in British Columbia due to our wet weather. As tree matures, the trunk often divides into a V shape, where water collects, causing rot. They are invasive in areas where it is hot and dry, as their seeds are viable, however, it is too cold here for their seeds to become a problem. Roots are shallow but spread far so keep them away from driveways, patios and other hardscaping.
Botanical Name: Albizia julibrissin
Family: Fabaceae
Growth rate: fast, but is short-lived
Form: a graceful small tree with a broad, horizontal canopy like a parasol
Genus: Albizia
Species: julbrissin
Plant Type: deciduous tree
Mature Size: 5–16 m (16–52 ft)
Origin: Iran, Republic of Azerbaijan, Korea, China
Hardiness Zone USDA zones 6 to 9
Leaves: feather-like, bright green foliage, bipinnate, up to 45 cm (18 in) long x 25 cm (10 in) broad, folds inwards at night and in the rain
Flowers: fragrant clusters of white or pink pompom-like blossoms
Fruit: brown, flattened pods 20 cm (8 in) long x 1 in wide, containing several seeds
Bark: dark green-grey with vertical stripes as it ages
Exposure: sun
Soil: soil tolerant but prefers dry conditions.
Pruning: In late winter to early spring remove branches that are too low, distorted, broken and too long. Since mimosas are prone to many diseases and insects, remove infested parts any time of year and disinfect tools after each cut.
Uses: provides dappled shade so use in mixed borders, as an accent and as a specimen
Cultivars: Pink Silk Tree (A. julibrissin f. rosea), 'Summer Chocolate' has dark bronze leaves with pale pink blossoms.
Mimosas are beautiful trees, but they are not reliable this far north. Albizias prefer dry, warm conditions, which means they struggle with diseases in British Columbia due to our wet weather. As tree matures, the trunk often divides into a V shape, where water collects, causing rot. They are invasive in areas where it is hot and dry, as their seeds are viable, however, it is too cold here for their seeds to become a problem. Roots are shallow but spread far so keep them away from driveways, patios and other hardscaping.
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