Is Gardening Really Worth it?

By Dennis on May 17, 2010

That seems like an odd question to be asking here on a gardening and plant blog.  But I am an accidental gardener and a full-time marketing and communications person. So, ultimately, every question in my career comes down to an ROI, or return on investment, question.  You know, the stuff they teach in Business 101 classes; things like state your goals, make sure they are measurable, blah blah blah.  So, with that as my filter and with summer produce starting to appear in the grocery store at sale prices, I started wondering, “Is all this really worth it?”

First, as a primer, I recommend you check out these web stories.  The first from Purdue University then there is this one from our friends over at MSN.  Both come to this conclusion, it depends.

I must say that I would agree.  Some vegetables, from a purely economic standpoint, just are not worth the time and investment.  Once you account for your time, the equipment necessary, the land that could be used for something else (opportunity cost, thank you Adam Smith), etc., it can be hard to break-even on a modest size garden.  As you move to a larger garden and if you have family members to help you, then you can get some economies of scale but the costs can still be rather high for some fixed inputs like seed.

Here are some things to consider:

  • A good tool is worth it’s cost.  Don’t settle for cheap tools.  Buy quality, Buy Once.  I, myself, have opted to only add to my tool collection a little at a time.  My first year I only bought what I absolutely had to have.  A shovel, hoe, rake, two hand tools, and two garden hoses (later that fall after learning the need for one, I splurged for a wheel-barrow after an unexpected windfall left me with an extra $75 in my pocket.  It was ‘found money’ and i would have used it on Dr. Peppers, or i-tunes anyway…I figured this was a better use.)  By buying nicer tools, I am relatively assured that they will be here for several seasons and will perform as desired, hold their edge, and not break down. Y0u can get some really good heirloom quality hand tools here. (after three seasons, I have zero complaints).  I am still hoping to be able to splurge for a tiller in the near future from craigslist but so far I have not found what I am looking for at a cost that seems reasonable for a tool I would use a handful of times throughout the year.
  • When figuring your costs, some things can be spread over several seasons.  Garden hoses for example (each of mine were contractor grade and cost between $25 and $30) will not be used up after one season.  If taken care of, they should last for at least 5 seasons so my real cost is only $5-6 per year.  My wheel barrow was almost $75 dollars but I expect to use it more than a decade so again my costs will avg less than $10 per season.
  • Your consumable inputs – things you use, use up, then have to replace – are the real budget busters so look to save wherever you can.  If possible buy seeds rather than plants, buy seeds in bulk rather than pre-packaged, shop on-line or from catalogue centers.  I also highly recommend one in particular, Berlin Seeds in Berlin, Ohio.  They are Amish, so don’t expect to e-mail them an order or have online shopping capabilities.  But their catalogues are wonderful and their quality is very high.  Plus their integrity above impeachment.  Call and ask to be put on their mailing list @ 1-877-464-0892. The catalogues are not only full of seeds, bulbs, etc., but also have loads of gardening tips passed down from generations of Amish families and farmers. Finally, look for natural remedies with household products for controlling weeds and insects.
  • Improving your soil should be looked at as a process, not a quick fix.  Sure, you can do the quick fix thing, but it will be VERY expensive.  Compost and manures are availble for free if you are willing to do your homework. Monty’s Liquid Carbon can also help expedite the process.  Work with your county extension agent to do a soil test, and to find out what plants perform well in your area.  Some plants, or some varieties of plants, just won’t grow in your climate/soil.  Start by working with what nature gives you and amend your garden to your needs a section at a time.

Here are the break-outs of some costs  I have incurred while getting my gardening lifestyle up and going.

  • Hoses (3)                           $  25.00 ea
  • Seed packets                    $    1.29 each
  • Seed (bulk)                       $     1-3 per pound  1/4 to 1/2 pound has been more than enough for anything I have grown.
  • Hoe                                     $  19.00  Local Hardware store
  • Rake                                   $  22.00 Local Hardware store
  • Hand-tools                      $ 7-21.00 plus shipping from Wilcox All Pro Tools
  • Wheel Barrow                $ 72.00    From Local farmer’s Co-op
  • Compost and manure $ FREE     worked with county gov. and some local farmers. All it cost me was time.
  • Chemicals                        $ 24.00 qt.   I use these very sparingly, and mainly for weed control in spring or fall. Once I have crops in the garden I hand weed.  Insect control,  I use household products, hand remove slugs, beetles and eggs and pray alot.
  • Water                                 $   3.00 per month – This is about the difference in my water bill once my garden is in.  I make sure my garden receives at least 1 inch of moisture per week.  I would rather pay for a little bit of water and make sure I get to harvest a crop.  For example, last season, my neighbor who is an old-timer and firmly believes that God will send all the water that the plants need and he “ain’t about to waste money watering no plants” got about 1/3rd – 1/2 less produce last summer than I did, even though his garden, by all rights, looks better than mine.
  • Fertilizer              $  75.00 per season.  I use Monty’s three formulas exclusively and the quart bottles are more than enough to get me through the season. Even though I spoon feed them at least twice a week.
  • Pump Sprayers  $10-25   I own two.  The first one cost me almost $25  last season and nothing goes in it but herbicides.  I strongly believe in segregating between ‘death chemicals’ – herbicides etc… and ‘life chemicals’ – my liquid fertilizers and soil conditioners.  This season, though, when I bought my second sprayer the price had fallen dramatically to only $10.00 for the same size/same brand/same store.

In season, it may be hard to feel like it makes financial sense to garden, after all produce is coming in from producers who have economies of scale and can sale things more cheaply than you can raise them.  BUT, keep an eye on the savings in the fall and winter because that is when you savings will really add up.  For example, this year at Christmas all of our side dishes came from our own garden.  Tomatoes and onions that were near two dollars a pound and kinda mealy at the store were fresh, ‘free,’ and as close as my pantry and freezer.  Ditto that for my daughter’s recent birthday.  Plus, there is a sense of pride that overwhelms you when you sit down to fresh frozen okra at supper while the snow is piling up outside.

Now, I realize that this has reduced things to a mere economic question and there are myriad other reasons like health, quality, accessibility, exercise, and sheer enjoyment that are hard to quantify.  But if you garden smart, and grow slowly, you can make gardening worth it, not only for the food you receive but for the pleasure and the satisfaction of a job well done.

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Uh-Oh Oregano!

By Dennis on May 13, 2010

Okay, so my first failure of the season.  I transplanted some oregano and now, it is dead.  Everything I had heard about this plant was that it was easy to transplant, easy to grow.  So, I didn’t put much thought into it; I just planted it.  Now, it’s dead.  I have planted some German Thyme in it’s place and will try again this weekend.  After I did my research.

Here is what I learned.  First, the main species of oregano that most people are familiar with is Greek Oregeno, the other more pungent variety is Mexican Oregano.  However, the names should tell us something.  They are used to growing in poor soils, in full sun, and in fairly dry conditions.

I over-watered mine apparently.

A few more tips about oregano. 

  • Pinch off any flowers to allow the plant to ‘bush out’ more and to keep it from bolting. 
  • Harvesting before flowers have a chance to develop will also provide a more ‘oregano-y tasting plant (is that a word..probably not, but you get the idea). 
  • Also, the stems can get very woody, so strip the leaves by running your fingers from the top of the stem down toward the base and removing them from the main stem.  Discard the stem.  Not a lot of flavor there.
  • Since you are looking to produce moderate growth, and you do not want to encourage flowering, a bi-weekly feeding of Monty’s 4-15-12 should be enough to sustain these plants.

If you want to know more, check out this site.

Btw, if you have some success tips for growing oregano or other herbs, please reply back/comment and let us know.  I would enjoy learning from you and I am sure it would be a help to others in our blogging community.

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Monty’s Rose Care Calender – Month of May

By Dennis on May 5, 2010

May:  When the purplish-red leaves have turned green and the buds are pea sized, mix your pesticide of choice according to label directions.  

Add the following ingredients to each gallon of insecticide solution:  

  • (1) one tablespoon epsom salts
  • (1) one tablespoon apple cider vinegar,
  • 1/2 teaspoon (.08 ounces or 3ml) Monty’s  orange label (2-15-15)

 Make sure leaves are sprayed from the underneath side as well as the top.  Always add Monty’s when water is applied to your roses.  

 As temperatures warm into the mid 80 degrees watch for spider mites.  These critters crawl from the ground up the stems of roses onto the underside of leaves and suck the chlorophyll out of the leaves.  It is essential for the vigor of your roses to have healthy green leaves.  Mites do not like water.  So using a hose and sprayer nozzle wash through the leaves, particularly from the bottom up of your rose plants twice weekly.  This is another good time to feed your roses through the leaves by adding Monty’s Liquid Plant Food.

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More Uses for Grass Clippings

By Dennis on May 1, 2010

Short entry today.  Storms are moving in this evening and I have a lot of work to do.  Weather man says we are expecting 4+ inches of rain.  We’ll see.

Anyway, mowing season is in full swing and I have found another use for grass clippings.  My son and I are using them to create paths so we can walk through our garden, even after a rain, without bogging down in this god-forsaken E. Tennessee clay.  Additionally we are using it around the tomatoes to help suppress weeds.

One word of caution that I learned the hard way last season.  DO NOT try this if you have a Bermuda grass lawn and your grass has formed seed heads.  The seeds will germinate and you will spend the rest of the summer fighting to keep Bermuda grass out of your garden.

The benefit of using the grass clippings like this is that it does give us the paths and the weed barriers that I am looking for with the added benefits that I can till it in in the fall to add organic structure into the soil, plus unlike using bark mulch, which is expensive and semi-permanent, I can reconfigure the layout of my garden each season so that I can easily rotate my crops to keep disease and insects in check.

Happy gardening.  I’m back to work.

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Reduce, Reuse, Retire

By Dennis on April 30, 2010

I am undertaking three experiments this year in an effort to not only garden well, but garden sustainably, easily and in a way that helps out the environment.

I have long been intrigued by the concept of square foot gardening ever since I first heard about it while doing a news story in my former position as a Farm Broadcaster (agricultural journalist for radio…you know those guys who wake you up in the morning with pork belly prices and news about farm conditions). 

The benefits of square foot gardening are manifold.  You can produce more with less space, weeding in the raised beds is easier, if even necessary, and you have more control over the environment in which your plants are growing.

My problems with the system number exactly 2.  Number one, philosophically I am a cheapskate.  One of the reasons I garden is to save money on produce.  So spending money on the lumber or railroad ties to build the frames ran my cost per plot up and lowered my ROI.  Number 2, I am a REALLY bad carpenter.  I did not trust myself to build the frames to begin with and the thoughts of piles of mis-cut, mis-measured, mis-constructed piles of lumber and the awkward looking, almost-square frames did not thrill me.

So I have created my own concept for square foot gardening made easy and cheap.  The local tire dealer in my small East TN town had piles of old worn out tires just sitting around.  I knew these were bound for the local dump at some point and would add to the environmental problem.  So, I called him up and asked how much he would charge for some of the ‘junk’ tires.  He told me I could have all I was willing to haul away, for free! 

Never one to shirk at anything that is free, I loaded up two dozen tires (I am getting more this weekend) and returned home.  Once home, I mixed compost and top soil 50/50 in a wheel barrow then misted the mixture with Monty’s Liquid Carbon to improve its organic structure further.

I arranged my tires in three locations for three distinct experiments, the first is my “tire-farm” on the edge of my traditional garden, the second is a ‘kitchen garden’ just outside my back door so my wife can have ready access to them, and the third is my “Tater Towers” out in the garden area.  I will show pictures of each and describe the process below.

First, let me say that each wheel barrow took about 7 shovel-fulls of dirt and 7 of compost to fill.  Once filled, mixed and treated, each barrow-full of my created dirt is enough to fill two tires.  I fill the tires, including the area inside each tire till it is just about flush with the rim.  This new soil mixture is far richer and looser than my native East TN clay and makes a better growing medium without having to overhaul my entire garden. 

One benefit of using these tire gardens is that the black of the tire attracts early spring sun and acts as a heat sink, warming the soil quickly.  The plants in my tires are germinating much faster than those in the actual garden. The soil also drains better than the heavy clay in the garden.  The two factors are a benefit, but also a cause for caution; you will need to water more frequently.

“Tater Towers”

I have planted my potatoes in tires (four seed potatoes per tire) and I may thin them later as needed. As I planted them, I soaked them overnight in Monty’s Liquid Carbon and Monty’s 4-15-12. They have emerged and are looking good.  My next step will be to place another tire on top of the existing one and filling it again with the soil/compost mixture.  Each time the plant is covered, it will send it through a stress which will cause it to send out more lateral roots, each one of these laterals will start producing more potatoes.  The plant then, in an efort to reach the sunlight, will continue growing toward the top of the new tire in the stack. By the time I am done layering the tires, I will have four feet tall towers that should be full of potatoes at each level.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  So far, things are looking good.

The Kitchen Garden

My wife and I both love to cook.  I prefer to use as many fresh ingredients as I can and having them at the ready will be convenient throughout the summer.  In order to accomplish this, I have arranged a row of tires just off of our back porch and have filled them with my soil mixture as described above, then planted onions, tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley and other goodies bound for sauces, spice racks, and fresh salads. 

The tomatoes, because they are heavy feeders, and due their mature size  have been planted one plant per tire.

The onions are planted intentionally too thick, so that I can thin them for green onions while letting some of the bulbs mature to full size.  As this planting plays out, I will plant more throughout the season.

The herbs are planted two varieties per tire to make the most of my space.  Again, I will keep you posted, but the ‘crops’  have been planted for one-two weeks and are all looking good.

The Tire Farm

One section of my garden , toward the back and out of the way in case it fails miserably :-), I have dubbed my “Tire Farm”  I have groups of four tires arranged by crop.  Again, these are filled with my dirt mixture as described above.  Although I am not, I suppose you could use just a straight potting mix or regular top soil. So far I have planted broccoli, lettuce (leaf), spinach, carrots, and watermelon with others to be seeded as time and weather permit. 

This was my first year to plant carrots and I had no idea those little seeds were so small.  I eventually gave up trying to separate out the little buggers and just scattered seeded them then covered them with a layer of compost.  They have germinated well, but I am going to have to thin them heavily.  The other crops have all starting germinating this week after being in the ground about 7 days.

As with all of my seeds, I soak them in a solution of Monty’s seed starter and Monty’s Liquid Carbon.

Again, with words and pictures I will let you know how my experiments work throughout this season.

Enjoy, and write/post back any stories you may have or recommendations for successfully gardening in square foot style.  I would enjoy hearing your stories of success and difficulty. Plus, the other readers might benefit as well.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to the results, knowing that I have taken something bound for the dump, that will not break down in my lifetime, and found a useful new purpose for it; one that will benefit my family and the environment (and save me some money.)  Who knows, if all goes well, I may expand.  I have already threatened my wife with an entire garden full of tires next season.

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New way of planting onions, They are up and looking good.

By Dennis on April 30, 2010

After only marginal success with my onions last year, I decided to try something different this year.  So far, so good. 

For those of you following this blog, you know I harvested some free compost this winter. My soil here is extremely heavy clay (more on that in another post), but my onions just would not develop fully in the tight soil.  So this season I (okay, honest moment, mainly my protesting son) scraped up some of the better top soil from unused corners of the garden and mixed this 50/50 in a wheel barrow to create a lighter, more organically rich type of soil.

Once this was accomplished I (another honest moment, my daughter, pulled back the soil about 1 foot wide by 75 feet long on the south facing side of my garden.  I put this strip on the south so that my corn, okra, beans, and tomatoes would not block the sun from my ground dwellers.  This strip is serving as the home to my onions and cucumbers this year.

As the dirt work was being done, I soaked my onions sets in a mixture of 1 tsp of Monty’s 4-15-12 and 1 TBSP Monty’s Liquid Carbon in 16 ounces of water. (I did this for both my white and yellow onions. 

Once the soil was pulled back, I (okay, this time it was me) dug one inch deep holes in the earth spaced 1 inch apart in all directions in a grid about 1 foot by one foot.  Then I placed my onion sets in the indentations.  Once they were in place, I covered them with 3-4 inches of my newly created soil/compost mix.  Two weeks later they are up and looking good.

Without having to fight through the hard East Tennesee clay, the onions are emerging early.

For those of you who grow onion regularly, you will know that onions spaced only 1 inch apart will not develop fully as the bulbs will crowd each other.  However, my plans are to make my first harvest in about two weeks.  This will give us some good, early spring onions, or green onions, and leave those remaining with the space they will need to develop into good sized bulbs.

If you are doing the math, you know that my 2 onions patches must look awfully lonely in a 72 foot row.  Indeed, they do.  But my plans are to plant similar subsequent patches every three weeks into early/mid June so that I will have a continuous harvest of fresh onions this season.

Keep checking back and I will keep you posted on how this experiment is working, but so far, so good.

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Rose Tips for March

By Dennis on March 12, 2010

Recently, our name-sake, wrote a nice article on what we should be doing with roses this time of year.  Bear in mind that he lives in north central KY and adjust his advice for your particular growth zone you could be a month or two either way on his timing, but the advice is still valid. When it comes to rose information, there is none better.  Monty, thanks for the great read.

            Are you ready to get started for a new rose season?  Well it’s going to be here when the yellow forsythia blooms signal the growing temperatures are just right for rose roots to wake up and new growth to appear on your roses.

            Last month I wrote about pruning the stems of large roses (Hybrid, Grandiflora, Floribunda) by removing winter damaged stems (those that have a tan or dark pith) instead of a healthy cream color, even if you cut-back into the mulch or ground.  You should want the stored vigor and new growth to emerge from healthy tissue.  If the weather prediction for the next week or so is favorable (no freezes), pull back the mulch, feed with your favorite dry fertilizer (20-20-20) within the rose bed area but as far from the center of the rose bush as is possible.  Plants are like we humans; first of all they want to survive and secondly they want to propagate and produce seed.  If your roses are planted close together then the roots don’t have to reach out very far at all and all other things being equal they will tend to have fewer stems and blooms.
           
           This fact was presented to me by a farmer, Roy, who lives just outside Louisville.  He did most everything different or wrong from what I had learned that one should do to have good roses. He had 300 rose plants planted in three rows of 100 each.  Each rose within the beds were in a straight line 6’ apart.  Each bed was 12’ wide. The ground was bare of grass, weeds and mulch because he tilled the soil monthly adding the rose clippings and 20-20-20 dry fertilizer before doing so. The beds were intentionally lower than the surrounding ground area and he had no watering systems but natural rain.  The soil beneath the rose was heavy clay.  The roses flourished because the ground held the moisture really well. Because the porous fertilized soil was 3 to 6 feet on either side of the line of roses, the roots reached out three to six feet.  In doing so, each rose plant was humongous with twenty or more large stems and with 50 or more blooms.  I have not seen so many huge rose bushes.  Most of the plants were hybrid teas and grandifloras but the floribundas were spectacular covered with hundreds of blooms.  This was an experience I’ll never forget.
           
            Getting back now to your rose bed that is starting to grow.  Pull back the mulch on a cloudy day to prevent damage from the sun. A stream of water can help disengage the new growth from the mulch with less chance of breaking the tender new growth.  Should a frost or freeze be predicted, lightly recover with mulch.  Taller stems may be covered with cardboard boxes.  Do not use plastic covers.  They will do more harm than good.  If you do not cut back the old stems of roses before they leaf out in the early spring, just fertilize and let them grow.  The time to prune will be at the end of the first bloom cycle. Remove the leaves and stems of all growth that did not produce a bloom, appear damaged or are smaller than a pencil.  Removing up to 50 per cent of these non productive stems will cause significant new growth at the base of the plant.  The timing for this pruning will create new vigor and more stems and blooms for the rest of the year.

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Pine Bark Beetle Control with Monty’s Plant Food Products

By Dennis on February 24, 2010

The Pine Beetle continues to be a problem for residents across a broad swath of the country. Below is a control method that one ID arborist has used for the past several years for help controlling the pest for his customers.

Those who are now also dealing with the Emerald Ash Borer may also consider a similar treatment for their trees.  Though we have no evidence that this program will provide definitive results for the Ash Borer our experience with the Pine Beetle lead us to believe it may be worth a try in your area.

Monty’s Protocol for Treating Infested Trees
 
The following is a protocol which Drew Andrew developed in his business as an Arborist in Idaho over the past four years. This is the sole treatment he uses on his customers trees and woodlands. He does not use insecticides which require strict licensing requirements and can further harm the environment. While this treatment has not been validated by replicated academic trials, anecdotal evidence would support his success in a variety of settings.
Again, this treatment will not treat nor destroy the insects themselves but has shown promise in preventing attack and saving trees already infested with pine beetles. For complete treatment, we advise that you consult with an arborist, your local county extension or other professional for insecticides approved for use in your area for treatment of pine beetles.
 
As a rescue treatment follow the below guidelines two to three times per year. As a preventative, or to discourage re-infestation of previously affected trees apply annually in the spring as the trees break dormancy.
  • Prepare 18-24 ounces of Monty’s 2-15-15 Formula in 25 gallons of water in a spray tank suitable for spraying trees.  
  • Set PSI to 35 lbs of pressure on spray tank.  
  • Thoroughly saturate the trunk of the tree from the base to as high as you can reach. 
  • Spray mixture into any visible holes where possible. 
  • Combine bark treatment with a foliar application to the needles, or crown, of the tree when possible.

 For heavy infestations and if the tree is already showing significant signs of browning at the crown,combine all above steps with the following:

  • Root drench the above mixture with a deep feeder from the base of the tree to the edge of the drip line. 
  • Additionally, drill small ¼ inch holes into the trunk of the tree just past the outer bark layer and inject 1-2 ounces of solution per hole.

 Additional results may be noticed by adding 16 ounces of Monty’s Liquid Carbon or by using this as a tank-mix with your insecticide of choice.  Always read and follow label directions on any insecticide you may use.

A PDF of our full program and tech bulletin on pine beetle control is available by contacting Monty’s Plant Food Company.

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Spring is coming; time to prepare for the emerald ash borer

By Dennis on February 24, 2010

Below is an article released by the cooperative extension service of the University of KY.  The information is new for KY residents and maybe helpful to other states where the Emerald Ash Borer already exists, or for places where it may migrate this season.

If you suspect EAB infestation, you might consider using Monty’s products as part of a treatment program.   You can see a description of that treatment program here.   While we have no definitive evidence that this program will help with EAB control, our program has shown success in ID in control of Pine Bark Beetles and would tend to indicate at least some help may be available in preventing outbreaks on your property. 

LEXINGTON, Ky., (Feb. 24, 2010) – In 2009, the emerald ash borer

Macro image of Kentucky's newest resident, the Emerald Ash Borer

turned up in Kentucky. Bluegrass state residents knew they probably couldn’t dodge the bullet forever but still hoped to keep the devastating insect pest at bay for as long as possible.

“Now that the EAB is in Kentucky, it’s likely here to stay,” said Amy Fulcher, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture extension associate for nursery crops. “Entomologists anticipate that seedling ash trees in unmaintained areas in and near infested urban areas will sustain EAB populations.”

So with the emerald ash borer a seemingly permanent resident, Kentuckians must decide how to care for ash trees in home landscapes and municipalities. Fulcher and UK Consumer Horticulture Specialist Rick Durham believe that residents and city planners can help maintain healthy urban forests by removing ash trees and replacing them with other species or treating their existing trees to control the insect.

“It’s not too early to begin considering which strategy to pursue,” Durham said.

Durham said that landscape contractors and arborists often provide ash removal and replacement as well as emerald ash borer treatment services for preserving ash trees.

“You have to consider many factors before choosing an EAB management strategy,” he said. “The health, location and size of the ash tree will have an impact on the value of the tree.  A tree with mower or trimmer damage, existing pest damage, poor location (under power lines or too close to a structure), poor planting (too deep, nylon twine intact), previous topping, or dieback or other defects would be less valued than a tree with proper placement and healthy roots, trunk and branches.”

Fulcher added that a tree in poor health would be less able to take up the pesticide and thus, tree health will impact treatment success.

“Sentimental value, tree size, presence of other tree species and significance of an ash tree can also impact the value of the tree and will vary from person to person,” she said.

Ash Borer chambers just under the bark of an infected tree

Fulcher said trees larger than 22 inches in diameter often cannot take up sufficient quantities of pesticide to adequately protect the tree, although future products may make that possible.

“Large trees are expensive to remove and replace but also the most costly to protect,” she said. “Small ash trees are less expensive than larger trees to remove and replace but also the least expensive to treat. Because a small tree can be removed and replaced relatively inexpensively and eliminate the need for protracted EAB treatments, small trees are ideal candidates for removal and replacement.”

Durham said homeowners and landscapers can purchase replacement trees relatively inexpensively.

“The weak housing market and generally poor economy have led to decreased trees sales and, as a consequence, prices have substantially dropped,” he said. “These savings at the wholesale price level are often passed down to the consumer, which means homeowners are having an unprecedented opportunity to purchase trees inexpensively.”

Once a homeowner or landscaper makes the decision to replace an ash tree, it’s often difficult to choose what species will take its place. Fulcher emphasized that while it may seem easy to suggest a list of trees for possible replacement, landscapers should take care to ensure the replacement tree is right for the individual site.

“A local arborist or nursery professional can help you make this decision,” Fulcher said.  “Some things to consider include the potential mature height of the tree being planted, particular soil conditions (wet, dry, alkaline, heavy clay), whether or not you hope to grow grass under the tree, desired fall foliage color, or desired spring flowers.”

Fulcher recommended landscapers also consider whether the selected replacement has resistance to particular pests and keep in mind that the selection must be adapted for Kentucky’s climate. 

If the tree produces fruit, such as crabapples, consider whether it is a good match for the site. Crabapples planted near sidewalks and driveways may result in slippery surfaces once fruit begin to fall, she said. A brochure that lists acceptable street trees for Lexington can be found by entering the term “street tree” at http://www.lexingtonky.gov. City or county governments may have similar information available.

“When considering management strategies, be sure to ask for a Certified Arborist or a Kentucky Certified Nurseryman,” Durham added. “Ask about how the treatment will be applied, by drenching or injecting the tree; the consequences of each application technique and how long the pesticide application is expected to last. And, if your new replacement tree was grown in Kentucky, ask for the Kentucky Proud logo.”

Fulcher and Durham stressed that people need to remember not to move firewood that comes from ash trees. The Kentucky Nursery Inspectors emerald ash borer Web site http://www.pest.ca.uky.edu/ext/EAB/welcome.htmland UK Department of Entomology’s publication, Entfact 453, viewable at http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef453.asp, are excellent resources that address quarantine and other issues. Additional information prepared by a university-based consortium of states affected by emerald ash borer is available at http://www.emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm. Find information on native Kentucky trees that can be used as ash replacements at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/kytreewebsite/.  

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Pruning Roses for Winter Dormancy

By Dennis on February 3, 2010

Monty Justice Applies Liquid Carbon to his Roses

Want to know when to Prune your Roses?  Well me, too.  And when I need to know ANYTHING about roses, I check with Monty Justice.    He is one of the co-founders of Monty’s Plant Food Company, a frequent rose judge, columnist, and owner of his own rose care company. Oh, and did I mention that he is an octogenarian?!  So, when he speaks…I listen.

Here is his advice on pruning roses.  (note:  He lives in Kentucky.  You may need to modify your schedule slightly to accomodate your particular growth zone)  Just bear in mind that pruning should be done between the FIRST blooom cycle and before NEW SPRING growth appears.

In the fall, crowns and bud unions should be just below ground.  You can do what I call “pre-pruning” after a frost or temperatures in the 30 degree F. range before the plants are dormant.  Remove damaged, twiggy, crossover stems and foliage, a foot or more from the ground.  Also open up the congested middle by taking out one cane to the ground.  You can do this when temperatures are moderate.  Do nothing to the length of remaining stems or leaves.  Continue to add Monty’s 2-15-15 every time you spray.

 Before the soil warms and new growth begins, (March) do a final pruning – remaining leaves and buds, and tiny laterals at the top of each rose plant.  Seek a uniform height by shortening stems above five feet.

 Begin spraying with your accustomed fungicide and insecticide when the buds are pea size and or the “purplish-red” leaves are turning green.  Disease and insects will not attack until this change takes place.  Add one tablespoon of both vinegar and epsom salts plus one half teaspoon Monty’s 2-15-15 to each gallon of spray material.  No need to add a spreader sticker if Monty’s is added.  The humics in Monty’s takes the pesticides and nutrients into the plant effectively through the leaves and buffers the potential for burn or other damage. The vinegar acidifies the solution making the pesticides retain their viability for an extra day or two.

            Magnesium is significantly important and provides three specific benefits.  

  • It boosts the efficiency of photosynthesis and makes the process of turning sunshine into energy more effective. 
  • It also keeps the lower leaves darker green at least until they are shaded by the foliage above
  • It helps the plant metabolize other nutrients.

 Using the spray nozzle apply Monty’s Liquid Carbon soil conditioner on the rose bed four times at a rate of 2 ounces per 1,000 square feet.  Allow one month between each application for any source of water to take the humic material into the soil.  This treatment is most effective on clay soils.  Do not use if soil has already been conditioned more than six inches deep with compost etc.

 At the end of the first bloom cycle, (May-June) remove all lateral stems that did not bloom and cut back all canes to a desired thickness (one quarter inch).

             In summary, your larger plant size will have increased roots.  The abundance of leaves will increase the energy and vigor of the plant.  Removing a goodly percentage (25 to 40 percent) of the stem and foliage creates an imbalance between roots and the top growth.  This will result in increased vigor, new larger canes, and more blooms for the remaining season.

             Although I’ve not done this with Fortuniana rooted roses, I can see no reason it will not do as well as other root stock.

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