Sunrise Landscape Designs

Bark can be applied at any time now if you know where all of your plants are located. It is easier to put bark down before the perennials come up, however, you do not want to have the bark deep around the throat of the plants. You might want to go back later and pull some of the bark away from the plants if you can’t see where they will be coming up from yet. It is best to just feather the bark up to the trunk or stem of any plant to prevent rot.

I heard a talk last week on bark given by a professor from MSU. His favorite bark is Red Pine Bark. It costs a bit more but adds acidity to the soil which is usually needed to help lower the soil pH. Most plants grow best at 6.5-7.0 and our soils are usually around 8-8.5. If you need help applying bark to your landscape beds, give me a call!

Enjoy a preview of spring by forcing a few branches of Forsythia, Pussy Willow, Cherry, Plum, or Crabapple. Cut 1 to 2 ft stems, and submerge them in tepid water overnight. The next day, re-cut the stems on a diagonal, and also make some vertical cuts through the base, to encourage water uptake. Put the stems in a vase of tepid water in a bright room away from drafts or direct heat. It usually takes several weeks for the branches to bloom, although Pussy Willows usually force more quickly.

Here is a great gardening tip received from Dick J. in Rockford, Michigan. I am definitely going to try this and see how well it works.

I have been using the NEWSPAPER method of building planting beds over turf and field growth for years and it has worked beautifully. First, mow or cut closely the existing grass or vegetation you want to eliminate. Place four (4) layers of newsprint on the ground. Overlap the sheets of newsprint at least 4″ all around to keep new growth from poking through.
Place 2″ – 4″ of mulch (wood chips or bark mulch) over the paper and water thoroughly. If it is windy, two people works best, and keep a hose handy to wet the paper as you go. Be careful to not tear the paper, if you do get holes or tears, cover with more paper before mulching. Do a small manageable area and then spread the mulch and continue covering an area as large as you want. I only use the actual newsprint paper. I do not use glossy paper or those pages covered with colored inks.

It will take 4 – 6 weeks to effectively kill all the vegetation under the newspapers. I usually prepare beds in the spring, and then do my planting in the fall, at which time there is just good, moist soil under the mulch. Over the years I have used this to create over 1,500 square feet of gardens from lawn area.

What’s not to love about flowering plants? The bright, hot colors of red or yellow in the distance will catch your eye and bring attention to the area but can be overwhelming if placed too close. The softer, soothing colors of blue and pink can be lost if planted far away but are enjoyed better if placed close to where you walk or sit. When planning your spring garden, consider the importance of color placement to make your garden achieve the feeling you want.

Now is the time of the year when seed and garden catalogs start pouring in. Whether you’re working with a vegetable garden, a flowerbed, or a complete landscape, it’s always best to start with a plan. A plan can save you time, space, and money.

The first thing to plan is simple; what kind of garden do you want? You could grow a garden for vegetables, roses, a fragrance garden, cut flowers, aquatics, or start a children’s garden. There are so many fun choices!

Next, plan the location for the garden. Do you have sun or shade? This will influence your plant choices. Different plants have different sun requirements. A garden full of hostas, ferns, and impatiens would do quite well in moderate shade. A rose garden prefers the morning sun to dry the dew off the leaves before mildew sets in. For vegetables, the more sun the better.

The viewpoints are also important. Do you want to view (and smell) the rose garden from the bedroom window? Maybe you want to hide the view of the vegetable garden from the living room or place the herb garden just outside the kitchen door for quick clippings to add to your favorite recipes.

Keep these tips in mind when combing through the catalogs. I will offer more insight into “planning before planting” in your next Great Garden Tip.

Happy New Year! I hope you find time to get outside this week and enjoy the warm weather.
Since the ground is still warm, we have a great opportunity to plant any leftover or clearance bought spring bulbs. Those bulbs could also be planted in large pots with planting soil and set outside where the sun won’t reach them or in a very cold garage or storage building.

By layering different types of bulbs you can get a spectacular flower show. Just plant the bulbs about the same depth you would if in the ground; about 3x deeper than the size of the bulb.

Have fun with this and plant your pot 3 layers deep! The late bloomers will just push their way through the soil past the early bulbs. After blooming, discard the bulbs or plant in the ground.
Once the weather warms up a bit in the spring, these pots can be set outside your home entry or in front of a business for some early spring color.

We have potted up extra containers of spring bulbs for you! Purple Muscari and Tulips in colors of pink, yellow, red and deep purple are planted in each large pot. If you would like to reserve one or a matching pair of spring flowers, send me an email and I will tell you the shape and sizes of containers available.

Have you ever wondered about making good use of your Christmas tree after the holidays? Tom, a GGT reader, asked if he ground up his Christmas tree into mulch, would it make good mulch on his garden or around trees and plantings. I think that is a great idea!

As the mulch breaks down, it will add nutrients and help to lower the pH of the soil. It will work well around trees (esp. evergreens), Blueberries, Rhododendrons, Azalea, Hydrangea, Holly or any other plants that prefer a pH of less than 7. Another good use for discarded Christmas trees is to cut off branches and lay them on top of the perennials that are tenderer to over-winter. The tree boughs will help to insulate the ground.

Dress up your window boxes or containers with color and texture for the winter months! Walk through the landscape or through the woods and fields and take cuttings of anything that looks great this time of the year. Suggestions: Evergreen tree branches, Red or yellow twig Dogwood, Ornamental Grasses, Lavender, Sedum, Blue Holly, Boxwood, branches with bright berries attached, the list can go on and on! I like to lay the evergreens on the lower level as a base and work up from there.

Leave the old soil in the containers and stick your cuttings in far enough so the wind won’t blow them out. When the temperatures drop, the soil will freeze hard and the cuttings will stay put. These containers filled with assorted cuttings will look great with snow resting on them and they should hold up nicely until spring.

(There is still time to plant hardy spring flowering bulbs as long as the ground isnt frozen.)

Do you have shrubs that don’t survive the winter? When you buy plants at the garden center, if they were labeled as hardy to Zone 5, they should survive in our area (Zone 4 if you’re in Big Rapids or farther north). We also need to keep in mind the planting location. Some plants do not like the winter sun or wind.

Rhododendrons especially do not like that drying winter wind and would benefit from an anti-dessicant spray over the winter. This spray is available at most garden centers and needs to be reapplied throughout the season. Weeping Japanese Maples usually have a finely cut leaf and a windy location could kill the plant. If this is a concern, put wooden stakes in the ground circling the tree and wrap burlap around the entire tree. Even the top of the tree can be covered. The stakes should be as tall as the tree. Use a staple gun to attach the burlap to the stakes. This may not look the greatest but it will do the trick. Rhododendrons and other plants can also be wrapped in this way.

I am a firm believer in putting the right plant in the right place so if you are not fond of looking at a wrapped plant in your entry for the winter months, consider moving it to a more protected location in your yard and putting a hardier plant in its place.

This is such a fun way to add color to your winter, I’m re-sending this Tip because I want you all to try it!

Forcing spring flowering bulbs takes little effort or cost and it is very rewarding to have fresh flowers indoors in the winter. Forced bulbs do get bought up fast so don’t delay in buying them. Be sure to get a package labeled “bulbs for forcing .” These bulbs have been artificially put through their required cold period. Popular bulbs for forcing are Daffodils, Paper Whites, or Tulips. Have fun with it and put a variety in a container.

First, put small, clean stones in the bottom of a decorative pot. Place the bulbs in with the growing points facing up and the flat side of the bulb toward the outside of the pot. This will cause a more graceful look when the first slender leaves bend over the sides of the container. Put as many bulbs in the pot as can fit. Fill remaining gaps with more small stones. The bulbs need only be deep enough so that when water is added to the pot the bottom half of the bulbs are immersed in water.

Place container in bright light or a window and turn it daily so the bulbs don’t lean toward the light as they grow. It will take approx. 4 weeks for blooms to appear. Check water daily and be sure to always keep the bottom of the bulbs (or the roots when they start growing) touching the water or they will dry out. Too deep of water will rot the bulbs. When the bulbs are finished flowering, they can be disposed of or let dry and store them in a cold, dry place until spring planting. Be patient because they won’t flower well in the ground for the first 1-2 years.