14 |
June 2011
|
15
Fellow Boomer
, Beuna Tomalino,
of Bountiful, is a Garden Coach, Landscape Consultant, Container Plant Designer and owner of Her-barium. She especially loves teaching others to grow vegetables, herbs, and edibles and tend their yards organical-ly. Beuna has tended her own yards organically for over 20 years.Utah Boomers Magazine asked Beuna for answers to the most frequently asked questions pertaining to gardening in Utah.
Note: Plants are identied by botanical name (in italics) and common name to help you more easily nd the correct plants.
For the few where only one name is listed, the botanical name and the common name are the same.
UBM:
What is Utah's growing season?
Beuna:
Utah’s growing season varies from the long season in St
George (about 200 frost-free days) and other parts of southern
Utah to the shorter seasons of the mountains. The town of Ran-dolph which sometimes has the coldest temperature in the U.S. has only 57 frost-free days.
UBM:
As you stated above, Utah has a variety of growing seasons. Does that mean we have as many climate zones?
Beuna:
Yes. Utah’s USDA Climate Zones vary from zone 2 to
zone 9 depending on the area of the state. To nd your climate
zone and/or growing season check with your County Extension Service http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html or the USDA map for climate zones http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html.
UBM:
Many Utahns seem to have trouble growing plants in shady areas, including under trees and the north side of homes. What do you recommend?
Beuna:
For a perennial garden, I recommend Hosta, Coral
Bells (
Heuchera
), Columbine (
Aquilegia
), Bellower (
Campanula
), Spiderwort (
Tradescantia
), Bleeding Heart (
Dicentra
), Lady’s Mantle (
Alchemilla
), Bergenia, Brunnera, Virginia Bluebells (
Mertensia
), Astilbe, Balloon Flower (
Platycodon
), Dead Nettle (
Lamuim
), Bugleweed (
Ajuga
), Vinca minor, Forget-Me-Not (
Myosotis
) and Violet and Pansy (
Viola
).
The best annuals for shady areas are Impatiens, Begonia, Fuch-
sia, Lobelia, Coleus, and Pansy (
Viola
). Pansies may be a peren
-nial if grown in shade or part shade.
XERISCAPING
xeri·scape noun, often capitalized \'zir--'
skāp: a
landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (as the use of drought-
tolerant plants, mulch, and efcient irrigation)•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
With the threat of oods looming over us, you might be wondering about the benets of xeriscaping. The
truth is most of our water years are not as abundant as this one should prove to be. Once a xeriscape is established less water is required for maintenance; saving water, money on your water bill, and the time it would take to water and maintain. According to www.redbuttegarden.com: by limit-ing landscape water needs, which often account for 30-50% of home water use, xeriscaping principles can
signicantly reduce water use and save money.
Xeriscapes also provide a somewhat maintenance free solution to landscaping. No more mowing lawns means more free time and less gasoline pollutants. There is the additional weeding to consider, but cover-ing the soil’s surface with some type of mulch inhibits weed growth. Mulch will also help with moisture reten-tion. A wide variety of grasses, cacti, succulents, many
owering plants can be used in a xeriscape. It is best
to choose plants native to the area or that require the same conditions as your garden area.
How does your garden grow?
We Asked an Expert
16 |
June 2011
|
17
If you are interested in planting shrubs in shady areas, I recom-mend evergreens: Wintercreeper and various other common
names (
Euonymus
), Boxwood (
Buxus
), Yew (
Taxus)
, Bird’s Nest
Spruce (
Picea
), False Cypress (
Chamaecyparis
), Oregon Grape (
Mahonia
). Decidous: Currants (
Ribes
), Elderberry (
Sambucus
), Ser
-
viceberry (
Amelanchier
), Ninebark (
Physocarpus
), Chokeberry (
Aronia
),Chokecherry and Sandcherry (
Prunus
).
UBM:
What owers attract butteries? Birds? Hummingbirds?
Beuna:
Some owers attract two or three of the above so you
will see repeats of plants in the following lists.
Butterfies:
Pin Cushion Flower (
Scabiosa
), Lavender (
Lavendula
), Ag
-
eratum, Cosmos, Bee Balm (
Monarda
), Phlox, Rudbeckia, Parsley (
Petroselinum
), Dill (
Anethum
), Fennel (
Foeniculum
), Marigold (
Tagetes
), Gaura, Aster, Verbena, Coreopsis, Thrift (
Armeria
), Bachelor Button (
Centaurea
), Rockcress (
Arabis
), Echinacea, Impatiens, Peony (
Paeonia
), Salvia, Zin
-
nia, Milkweed (
Asclepias
), Violet (
Viola
), Gallardia, Sedum, Veronica, Sunower (
Helianthus
), Penstemon, Yarrow (
Achillea
).
Birds:
Roses (
Rosa
), Aster, Pot Marigold (
Calendula
), Bellower (
Campanula
), Celosia, Bachelor Button (
Centaurea
), Core
-
opsis, Cosmos, Echinacea, Sunower (
Helianthus
), Phlox, Portulaca, Rudbeckia, Verbena, Zinnia
Hummingbirds:
Hollyhock (
Alcea
), Petunia, Evening Primrose (
Oenothera
), Coral Bells (
Heuchera
), Agastache, Asters, Four O’ Clock (Mirabilis), Phlox, Nasturtium, Impatiens, Zinnia, Sedum, Penstemon, Delphinium, Bleeding Heart (
Dicentra
), Million Bells (Calibrachoa), Morning Glory (
Ipomea
), Dianthus, Dahlia, Lamb’s Ear (
Stachys
), Savory (
Satureja
), Red Hot Poker (
Kniphofa
), Foxglove (
Digitalis
), Geranium (
Pelargo- nium
), Hibiscus, Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata), Bee Balm (
Monarda
), Fuchsia, Honeysuckle (
Lonicera
sempervi- rens
), Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans), Scarlet Runner Bean (
Phaseolus
coccineus
), Sweet Pea (
Lathyrus
odoratus
), Sage (
Salvia
).
UBM: What about seed planting (fowers). When should they be planted? Can they go directly in the ground?
Some of the easiest annual owers to grow from seed are Cosmos, Zinnia, Sweet Pea (Lathrys odoratus), Nasturtium, Calendula, Sunowers (Helianthus), Morning Glory (Ipomea), Love-In-A-Mist (Nigella), Marigold (Tagetes), Bachelor Button (Centaurea) and Cerinthe. These seeds can be planted directly
in the ground after frost danger is past.
Morning Glory is a beautiful vining ower which is often con
-fused with the nasty weed Bindweed. Morning Glory and Sweet Pea seeds should be soaked to speed germination. You may also
want to nick the seeds of Morning Glory using a ngernail le
to gently “sand” the edge of the seed prior to soaking. Calendula, Nigella, Cerinthe, and Bachelor Button commonly drop seeds which will usually sprout the next year so I just allow
the seed to drop and never need to replant it. Sunowers will do
this also, as anyone with a bird feeder knows. If reseeding is not
desirable, simply remove ower heads before they fade.
UBM:
Many boomers are empty nesters and don't want a huge vegetable garden, but would love some herbs, tomatoes, and a
few other veggies. How can they incorporate plants into their ower garden?
Beuna:
Many edibles including herbs are very attractive plants
that work well in a ower garden.
In most cases full sun is required. Peppers, tomatoes, oregano, thyme, sage, and lavender are a few examples. When growing
tomatoes in a ower bed a small variety of plant such as a patio
tomato type works best.
Coleus and Impatiens
For a less sunny area chives, parsley, lettuce, and chard are pos-sibilities. Lettuces, chard, sage, peppers and some other herbs and veg-etables come in a variety of colors which can add more color and
interest to your owerbed. When planting edibles in a owerbed be sure to use pesticides
and soil ammendments that are safe for edibles. It is also recom-mended that you avoid pressure treated wood and railroad ties
in the area where edibles are planted. Mixing owers, herbs, and vegetables can reduce pest problems because benecial insects
may be attracted to the garden while pests may be repelled. Edible plants can be used in addition to the usual plants grown or in place of some of those plants. Chives and garlic chives have a grassy look, dill has a ferny appearance, herbs for their colors,
scent, or owers, pole or runner beans in place of another vine.
For small areas a Square Foot Garden is another great solution
and can be all edibles or a mix of owers and edibles. http:// www.squarefootgardening.org)
UBM:
For those boomers who live in a condo, but love garden-
ing, what are the best owers for potting? (Assuming partial
shade)?
Beuna:
Annual owers include Impatiens, Lobelia, Begonia, Potato Vine (Ipomea), and Coleus. Some plants that are normally
sold as houseplants can add some greenery and color. These in-clude Croton, Ti Plant, Ferns, and Dracena. Perennials can also be incorporated in a potted arrange-ment and may or may not survive the winter in a pot. When creating pots I usually put something tall in the middle, or if the pot will be against a wall and only viewed from the front and sides, I will place something tall towards the back of the pot. Next 3, 5, or 7 shorter plants around the taller plant and 3 - 5 trailing plants of 1 or 2 varieties around the edge. The number depends on the size of the pot. I plant closer together in a pot than I would in the ground - almost right next to each other.
UBM:
What can I do to control slugs and snails?
Beuna:
Slugs and snails love this damp cool weather we have been having. Most slug and snail bait is deadly to pets, wildlife, and children. Look for bait that contains iron phosphate. This type of bait will kill slugs and snails without these dangers.
Crushed eggshells, bits of hair, sharp sand (not playbox sand),
and copper sheeting can all repel slugs and snails. Place these items around plants or around planter boxes to discourage slugs. When weather is warmer and less rainy be sure that you are not over watering since slugs and snails love damp ground.
Lavender and Asters