Rain Barrels

These steps off my basement now have a space for a rain barrel. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Rain Barrels: Rain at Your Finger Tips!

Living on the down side of a hill means coming up with creative ways to keep water from pooling around my basement. Having totes and nearby ponds collecting water from my house gutters was one of the solutions. Now that my house siding has been replaced, after 5 years and two contractors, a story for another time - my handyman is finishing house details such as installing missing lights, railings and steps out of doorways. He also re-installed parts of the house guttering system and added rain barrels close to areas where I can easily access and use them. Indoor plants as well as an herb garden that grows outside my basement door will now have rain water accessible during the growing season instead of my having to drag a hose from the other side of the house. 
If you haven't considered adding rain barrels to your property, here are some reasons to do so:

• Plant Health Rainwater is typically free of the chemicals and salts found in treated tap water, making it better for plants and gardens. I can tell the difference between watering my plant with rain water and city water. Plants are healthier getting rain water.

• Water Conservation Rain barrels help reduce the demand on municipal water supplies, particularly during dry seasons, by providing an alternative water source for gardening, lawn care, and other non-potable uses.

• Cost Savings By using rainwater for irrigation, you can lower your water bill, especially in areas where water is expensive or usage is metered.

• Emergency Water Supply In case of water shortages or restrictions, stored rainwater can serve as an emergency backup.

• Environmentally Friendly Harvesting rainwater reduces stormwater runoff, which can carry pollutants into local waterways. This helps reduce the environmental impact on local rivers and streams.

If this is a new idea, do a little advance planning. Think through first where you want to place them and what size you will need, then go shopping.

• Initial Cost. Setting up a rain barrel system will require an initial investment. There are complete systems available through garden centers. You can also find rain barrels on sale at garage sales, thrift stores and local home and garden centers at the end of the growing season.

• Maintenance. They will also require regular maintenance to prevent debris buildup. I rarely have a problem with algae growth and mosquitos because I use the water quickly and I welcome frogs for natural pest control.

• Limited Water. Most rain barrels hold 50-100 gallons so place them where you need small water amounts.

• Water Overflow. During heavy rain, rain barrels can overflow, leading to potential flooding. Have them hooked into and out of the house guttering system to reduce water puddling. And you cadd an overflow hose that guides the water overflow away from the house and into a nearby flower bed and rain garden.

• Do They Fit. Rain barrels can take up space and may not be visually appealing. Measure the available space and chose rain barrels that will fit the space and blend in. The rain barrels at the front of my house are green and nicely blend into the landscape.

Having rain barrels will be well worth the effort. Your plants, and frogs, will be happier and healthier!

For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Surprise Lilies

Surprise lilies at the front of my missouri home. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Surprise Lilies

Surprise lily season is almost a month early this year, which is another surprise in itself. Every morning I walk to try to spot the various places these stalks are raising buds. Oh, I planted them in spring; by now I don't remember where.

Surprise lilies, also known as magic lilies, naked ladies, and resurrection lilies, are native to Southeast China, Japan, and Korea. They have been available in the United States since 1880 and I think of them as the north American cousin to tropical Amaryllis. The big difference is that surprise lilies are perennials; once planted, they stay outside re-blooming from year to year.

The surprise lily is named for its habit of blooming in mid-summer, after its leaves have died back. The flowers appear suddenly on naked stems, hence the name "surprise lily" and, where I live, "naked ladies." Helps to raise an eyebrow a la Groucho Marx when you say it.

Surprise lilies are hardy in USDA zones 5-9. They prefer full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. They are drought-tolerant once established and one of the few plants that bloom through our hot Midwest weather.

To plant surprise lilies, dig a hole that is twice the width and depth of the bulb. Place the bulb in the hole, pointed side up. I add bone meal whenever I'm planting bulbs, a handful per bulb, to give them a good start. Cover bulb with soil. Water the soil well. Forget where you planted them. I am an expert at this step.

Green leaves will grow in spring, collecting sunlight and storing it in the bulbs. Surprise lily greenery will grow for about a month.
Mid-summer, surprise lily flowers will bloom for 2-4 weeks. After the flowers have faded, the stems will die back. The bulbs will go dormant until the following spring.

Surprise lilies make great cut flowers. Their sweet scent can easily fill a room in a few minutes, making them nice flowering gifts.

Cut them early morning when the flowers are still in bud form. I usually add one in bloom so it's clear what the buds will become.

I also have native pink phlox growing in my garden. They are still in bloom when surprise lilies show up so they make a nice combination.

Both Surprise lilies and native pink phlox are pollinator favorites. Bumblebees mine the Surprise lily nectar while getting covered in pollen; butterflies, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths keep the native pink phlox company.

Why Plant Surprise Lilies

If you are looking for a beautiful and unexpected addition to your garden, consider planting surprise lilies for beauty and pollinator food:

• The flowers are white or pink and have a sweet fragrance.

• The plants can reach a height of 2-3 feet.

• The bulbs can live for many years.

• Surprise lilies are a good choice for pollinator gardens; bumblebees and moth orchids love them.

• They are deer-resistant.

• They can be planted among other perennials that fill in around them.

  For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

  Charlotte

Worm Castings

Worm Castings

You’ve probably seen them advertised recently by home and garden centers. Where I live, we used to buy small bags from a local worm farm that catered to recreation outlets selling fishing worms. Regardless of where you buy them, worm castings are a secret garden weapon. If you don’t know what they are, they are worm poo, nutrient-rich waste produced by earthworms. It’s a mix of beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and nutrients that significantly enhance soil health and plant growth.

I consider worm castings my plant medicine. If I have ailing plants, I give them a dose of worm castings. Within a week or so they seem to improve.

How to Use Worm Castings in the Garden

1. Soil Amendment:

   • Mix worm castings into the soil before planting. Use about 1/4 cup of castings per square foot of garden space. For larger areas, use 10-20% worm castings by volume in the top 6-8 inches of soil.

2. Top Dressing:

   • Sprinkle a thin layer of worm castings (about 1/2 inch) around the base of existing plants. This will provide a slow-release of nutrients as you water.

3. Worm Casting Tea:

   • Ingredients:

     • 1 cup of worm castings

     • 1 gallon of water

     • Optional: 1 tablespoon of molasses (to feed beneficial microbes)

   • How to:

     • Place worm castings in a porous bag (e.g., a cloth bag or pantyhose).

     • Submerge bag in water and let it steep for 24-48 hours, occasionally stirring or aerating the water.

     • Use the tea to water plants or as a foliar spray. This provides a quick nutrient boost and helps ward off pests and diseases.

4. Seed Starting Mix:

   • Mix worm castings into your seed starting mix at a ratio of about 1 part worm castings to 3 parts seed starting mix. This enhances germination rates and early growth.

5. Compost Pile Enhancer:

   • Add worm castings to your compost pile to boost microbial activity and accelerate the composting process.

Once you start using worm castings in your garden you’ll want to raise your own. I have two worm farms in my utility room that consume kitchen scraps and keep me supplied with my plant medicine of choice.

 For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Fighting Japanese Beetles

japanese beetles dining on my white hardy hibiscus blooms. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Fighting Japanese Beetles

Darn it, I forgot to ask my brother who lives in Virginia if Japanese beetles were ravaging his lovely crape myrtles this year. Years ago about this time, he was filing up 5 gallon buckets with these iridescent invasives. For his birthday, I shipped him 250,000 nematodes to treat his soil. Those microscopic worms eat the Japanese beetle grubs and reduce next year’s population.

The 3/8th of an inch hard shell beetles are eating machines, devouring more than 200 plant species. Once they turn from grubs into beetles, they set off a scent that says "let's party" to other Japanese beetles, yet another reason why you shouldn’t crush the bugs, no matter how tempting.

If you don't see them, you'll know you have them when your plant leaves turn into lace.

Prior to the beetle's accidental introduction into the United States, the Japanese beetle was found only on the islands of Japan, isolated by water and kept in check by its natural enemies. The beetles entered the country as grubs in soil on Japanese iris roots. By 1920, eradication programs were dropped; the beetle proved to be too prolific of a breeder.

One of the popular options to eliminate these voracious bugs is Japanese beetle traps, which I don’t recommend. Those are basically pheromone-laced paper bags that attract Japanese beetles. The challenge is the bags don’t catch all of them so having more Japanese beetles in your garden means more potential grubs to hatch out next year.

If you insist on using Japanese beetle traps, make sure you place them at the edge of your property and down wind.

Another friend who has chickens uses Japanese beetle traps to collect Japanese beetles, then transfers them to plastic bags and freezes them. The frozen bugs are then fed to her chickens as treats.

What has worked very well for me over the years is dropping them in a can of soapy water early morning, while they are still sluggish. I pop the soapy water-filled coffee can underneath plant branches, then shake them. The bugs fall into the water without my touching them. I’ll confess I have squished a few, especially when I’ve suspected they’re hiding inside my hardy hibiscus flowers. Sometimes they won’t drop out when I shake them so I have to remove the flower head.

For a long term solution, my brother in Virginia has treated his lawn with milky spores. He has dozens of crepe myrtles, one of Japanese beetles favorite munchies. According to him, Japanese beetle grubs eat the spores; get sick; die and, in the process, release more milky spores. It can take several years to eliminate the Japanese beetles, not counting whether your neighbors have treated their lawns.

There are plants Japanese beetles avoid. The typical kind of plant that will help to drive away Japanese beetles will be strong smelling and may taste badly to the insect. Some plants that deter Japanese beetles include many herbs as garlic, rue, tansy, catnip and chives. Other Japanese beetle deterrent plants include white chrysanthemums, leeks, onions, marigolds, white geraniums and larkspur.

There are also plants that Japanese beetles skip or only munch on towards the end of their season. I assume these are just not tasty plants: begonias, caladiums, common lilacs, common pear, tulip tree, flowering dogwood, forsythia, hydrangea, hickory, magnolia, persimmon and most oak trees.

Ok, time to soap up and start picking off those pesky bugs!

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Charlotte

Mole Holes and Voles

Mole Holes and Voles

Mole Holes and Voles Go Away

Yes, I also have a few tunnels even in my soil-challenged Missouri hillside. That’s because I have wood-chipped lined paths that have been decomposing and turning into soil. The soil then is home to some of the vole’s favorite food. But wait, I am getting ahead of myself.
It is helpful to first confirm that you have moles and/or voles in your garden. Hard to do since we usually don’t see them but they do leave tell-tale signs:

• Moles leave those holes with raised piles of soil like tiny volcanos.

• Voles make those long skinny tunnels of soil.

Are they bad? Years ago my hillside soil was so rocky I appreciated the few voles I had. They helped loosen the little soil I had so I used their runs to plant but they didn’t stay long. I didn't have enough food sources for them. They didn’t eat the plants but apparently they didn’t want their lair decorated with plant roots.

Some of my gardening friends have tried some traditional vole and mole deterrents:

1. Vole and Mole-repellent plants such as marigolds, alliums and castor beans. Mixed results on how well those worked.

2. Soil repellents, which usually include castor bean oil. Again mixed results.

3. Vibrating stakes and wind-powered pinwheels; moles and voles are sensitive to vibrations. Again mixed results. I have always suspected those pinwheels produced electricity for mole and vole washer dryers so never used them myself.

4. Burying hardware cloth around a garden perimeter can be hard to do but can work as long as the wire underground can reach about 3 feet underground. Impossible to even try on my limestone hillside.

5. Dogs and cats can work well to keep out unwanted garden visitors. I prefer to see cats inside so they don't also prey on birds but dogs can be a good mole and vole deterrent.

6. Another friend has tried dropping coffee grounds and hot pepper flake mixtures into their holes. She said they’ve either left or developed a taste for a hot morning brew, she’s not sure which one.

What has worked is treating soil with cayenne powder poured into their hole making living conditions unappetizing. Other smelly items in the same vein include garlic or onion, fish, rotten food especially cheese and yogurt. Make sure it’s down south of your deck and open windows or you may be tempted to leave, too.

The best strategy to encourage moles and voles to leave is to take away their food source, grubs. Treating your soil with nematodes will remove the grubs. Grubs will eclose into Japanese beetles so they may be worth the investment to keep your garden free at both ends. It can take a season but once the food source is gone, the moles and voles should leave as well.

What is your favorite mole and vole deterrent?

For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Natural Pest Controls

Basil, left, ettagirl, middle, and marigolds, right, are three of some of my natural pest controls. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Natural Pest Controls

We all know using man-made chemicals in our gardens should be a last resort but sometimes we don’t know good alternatives. I haven’t used man made chemicals in my one acre garden for over 40 years so here are some of my effective alternatives:

Plant Buddies

• If you like it on your dish it most likely will get along in your garden. Basil around tomatoes, for example, will not only enhance tomato flavor but will protect tomato plants from bugs. Basil also repels mosquitos and flies.

• Check your local library for the most recent updated books on companion planting.

  Composting

• Keeping your soil healthy will eliminate the source of many of the issues gardeners develop during the growing season. Take the 40% of the food tossed out in this country and compost it; feed it back to the soil to keep it healthy and soil will keep bugs to a minimum.

  Dawn Detergent and Water in a Spray Bottle

• If you need help getting rid of insects, try Dawn detergent and water in a spray bottle. In most cases this will take care of most small bugs you don’t want on your plants: aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies.

• The soap breaks down the protective outer layer of insects, causing them to dehydrate.

  Neem Oil

• When you need something more try Neem oil. Neem oil is derived from the neem tree and acts as an insect repellent and growth disruptor. It's effective against a wide range of pests, including aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.

• It's biodegradable and non-toxic to humans and animals but not recommended for use around bees and other pollinators.

  Handpicking

• Ewww, right? Well, it works and it doesn’t harm the environment. Frankly it also helps bring us closer to nature so I highly recommend it. Don’t know where to start? Start with removing Japanese beetles early morning when it’s cool and they’re sluggish. Place a container with soapy water under a plant where they’re sitting and shake them in or hand-pick them and drop them in.

• You can also manually remove larger pests like caterpillars, beetles, and slugs from plants. Regular inspection and removal can prevent infestations from spreading.

  Garlic and Hot Pepper Spray

• Create a natural repellent by blending garlic and hot peppers with water and a few drops of dish soap. Strain and spray on plants. This mixture repels a variety of pests, including aphids, whiteflies, and beetles.

  Attract Birds and Other Wildlife

• Install birdhouses and birdbaths to attract birds and frogs as natural pest controls.

  My cat Ettagirl (in photo) is good at keeping cicadas under watch but that’s about it.

  For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

  Charlotte

Golden Dewdrop Trees

I look forward to seeing these flowers late summer in USDA Hardiness zone 5. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Golden Dewdrop Trees

It’s that time of year for my potted Golden Dewdrop trees to bloom. Late summer early fall is a tough time for pollinators to find food. These lovely blooms are a welcome food source for native bumblebees.

However, it has crossed my mind these are getting rather large compared to their size when I first bought them. I will trim these back before moving them inside for winter.

golden dewdrop trees gettng bigger growing in pots. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

I bought my first Golden Dewdrop potted bushes a good decade ago. They were small but they had these lovely bluish purple flowers that bloomed late summer. Since those are hard colors to find in most gardens, I kept those little shrubs growing inside through winter and then back outside in deck shade.

Several years ago they were finally big enough to trim into the tree shape I wanted. I have to confess it took me a couple of days to think through how I was going to do this. I didn’t want to take too much off or somehow cut the wrong branches.

After considering the shape, I trimmed these tropical plants into their tree shape and gave them a place of honor.

Golden Dewdrop trimmed trees blooming at my garage door. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These USDA Hardiness zone 9-11 plants do not like our hot Missouri USDA zone 5 summers. I keep them in shade through summer, including in their new spot by my garage door but they may like a little more sun.

In addition to their tiny flowers, Golden Dewdrop trees also have golden yellow berries, which add a very interesting texture to the plants.

Golden Dewdrop shrubs also have pretty yellow berries. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The Golden Dewdrop trees are excellent for garden decor. They offer a more bluish color to the garden, often a missing color.

Once inside, these purplish flowering plants make it quite well through winter. I trim them back before bringing them inside and make sure their roots get watered in dry winter house conditions.

After the danger of frost is over around May, outside they go to get ready for another blooming season. Be patient because in mid-Missouri these usually don’t put on a show until mid to late summer.

These are just so pretty, they are well worth the extra care to keep them going!

Charlotte

Do You Have Native Seeds?

missouri wildflowers nursery is looking for missouri native seeds. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Do You Have Native Seeds?

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery closer to Jefferson City than where I live in Rolla is one of my all-time favorite native plant sources. Not only do they have an excellent free catalog but their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. And don’t forget to drive state highway 54 mid-spring to see the purple coneflowers they’ve planted over the last few decades.

That’s not why we’re here, though. This company is looking for Missouri native seeds; it’s how they get stock for their native plant seedlings.

I’m a big fan of Missouri wildflowers nursery; they have a great free catalog you can download. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Their list of seeds they want is interesting. They have a list of what they would like to get but haven’t sold as well as seeds they want to restock.

use this list to determine if you have missouri native seeds to share. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

In case you missed it, they are flexible on payment either in cash or plants. Contact them directly.

Charlotte

Storm Water Ponds 2.0

storm water runs downhill and collects in these ponds before hitting my house. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Storm Water Ponds 2.0

Earlier this spring, I decided to remake my two storm water detention ponds at the front of my house.

These holes were made in 1995 when I removed my slolem-of a garage entrance concrete. Realizing storm water will run downhill into my garage, I set up storm water ponds to reduce the water runoff and capture rain.

The first ponds were made with black plastic. Although they lasted for a number of years, I had to replace them when something punctured them.

the old storm water ponds had a liner that had to be replaced. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Here’s a better view of the same space cleared of some of the overgrowth and ready to install pond forms.

pre-formed plastic liners will last longer and still collect rain water. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Pond forms are easy to work with as long as you level them and add support underneath. It also helps if you don’t get rain filing up the forms before you’re done. The resident frog population is well-established and didn’t go far during the construction.

rocks line the pond form side so water levels can fluctuate without showing the pond form. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

I didn’t buy anything new for this project besides the pond forms, sand, glue to hold in critical rocks and solar-powered metal lights. I had the rocks and pumps. Each of the three ponds have a pump to keep the water oxygenated.

Push the flat rocks farther over the pond form lip so they aren’t as visible. (charlotte Ekker wiggins photo)

In terms of cost estimate, the pond forms, sand, sealer and lights were around $1,000. If you have to buy rocks and pay labor that will depend on your local pricing.

I’ve made the previous storm water ponds and had my handyman and his crew develop this one. I’m glad I did because he knows me and added safe walking spaces in between the ponds I now use every day.

I’m still mulling over additional landscaping. I need some clear spaces to safely get around. Some plants were growing in those areas before this work was done so I’m waiting to see if they will return on their own.

In terms of mosquitos, the water is getting churned by pumps and resident goldfish. I also have a resident population of dragonflies that take out mosquitos and water plants that help keep the collected rain water clear.

Didn’t take my bees long to find the water source. They like to hang out on several moss-covered stones. I also added water lettuce so they have safe places to land as they gather water.

I could use the larger pond for water therapy but may have to explain that to resident frogs. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

This is the first spot I visit in the morning to feed the resident goldfish and count frogs as they dive in. It’s a small water feature that was designed to be practical but has added a lot of joy to my garden. If you have a chance to add one, I highly recommend it!

For more gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Charlotte

Monkey Grass

Monkey grass is an excellent border plant providing pollinators food mid-summer. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Monkey Grass

Liriope, also known as Lilyturf or Monkey Grass, is a popular ornamental plant often used in gardens for its attractive foliage and low maintenance requirements. I love Liriope to mark my paths and borders, and to help with soil erosion, a constant battle gardening on a hillside.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using Liriope in your garden:

Advantages:

1. Low Maintenance: Liriope is relatively low-maintenance. It requires minimal care once established, making it a great choice for busy gardeners or those new to gardening.

2. Ornamental Value: Liriope's grass-like leaves come in various shades of green and sometimes variegated patterns, adding visual interest to your garden. Some varieties also produce small spikes of lavender or white flowers, adding a touch of color.

3. Versatility: Liriope is versatile in terms of its uses. It can be used as ground cover, edging, or in mass plantings. It's also suitable for both sunny and partially shaded areas.

4. Erosion Control: Due to its spreading nature and dense root system, Liriope can help control soil erosion on slopes and banks.

5. Drought Tolerance: Once established, Liriope is generally drought-tolerant and can survive periods of dry weather without much trouble.

6. Deer Resistance: Many varieties of Liriope are relatively resistant to deer browsing, making it a good choice in areas with deer populations.

7. Pollinator Food: Liriope blooms mid-summer where I live and provides food for bees and other pollinators when not much else does.

Disadvantages:

1. Invasiveness: Liriope can sometimes become invasive in prime growing conditions. It spreads through underground rhizomes, and in some cases, it can outcompete other plants and become difficult to control.

2. Slow Establishment: Liriope can take a while to establish and fill in, especially when planted from small divisions.

3. Limited Flowering Period: While some Liriope varieties produce small spikes of flowers, the flowering period is relatively short, and the flowers may not be as showy as those of other plants.

4. Overcrowding: If not properly managed, Liriope can sometimes become overcrowded, leading to a less attractive appearance and reduced growth.

5. Spread into Unwanted Areas: The rhizomes of Liriope can spread beyond where you initially planted them. This can sometimes lead to the plant appearing in areas where you didn't intend it to grow.

6. Winter Appearance: In colder climates, Liriope's foliage can become brown and wilted during the winter months.

   Some recommend cutting Liriope back in spring but I don’t find that necessary. It can look a little bedraggled coming out of winter but the new growth soon turns green and lush again.

Charlotte

Rose of Sharon

my rose of sharon are trimmed into tree shapes and frame house and path corners. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon is a type of hibiscus (hibiscus syriacus) It is a member of the mallow family, Malvaceae. Other popular hibiscus varieties include Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos), and swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus laevis).

Rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 8 feet tall. It has large, showy flowers that come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red, blue, and purple. The blue and purple ones can be hard to distinguish. Some pink ones also start pink and fade to purple.

The flowers bloom from summer to fall. Rose of Sharon is a relatively easy plant to care for and is hardy in USDA zones 5-9.

rose of sharon flowers are 6-8 inches wide and bumblebee favorites. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

How to Plant Rose of Sharon

Here are some tips for growing rose of Sharon:

• Plant in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.

• Water regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.

• Fertilize every few months with a balanced fertilizer.

• Prune in late winter or early spring to shape the plant and remove dead or damaged branches.

Rose of Sharon is a beautiful and versatile plant that can be used in a variety of landscape settings. It can be planted as a stand-alone shrub, in a shrub border, or as a hedge.

Rose of Sharon is also a popular choice for cut flowers and is a pollinator favorite.

Charlotte

Planting Onions

my first batch of homegrown onions, ready for the crisper. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Planting Onions

I start the growing season in my USDA Hardiness Zone 6A by planting onions. It helps that I use a lot of onions in my home cooking from soups to salads.

Onions are also excellent companions to roses, keeping bugs off those edible flowers.

I look for bags of onion sets late January and early February. You can find them in home and garden centers and even grocery stores. Some farm centers offer onion sets by weight.

I focus on growing my favorites, red onions, and then yellow onions. Two pots of each so that I can enjoy the onion greens fresh; then dig up bulbs later in the season.

How to Plant Onion Sets

Onion sets are easy to plant. I wait for a good rain, then make holes in a circle around the pot. I don’t plant onions in the same pot two years in a row so I rotate my pot garden as well.

onion sets are easy to plant. make a hole and place one set up to the top. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Once I have the holes made, I plop in an onion set in each, then make sure they are covered with soil.

It takes a couple of weeks for the first onion greens to show up; and maybe three months for the greenery to die back, which is a sign its time to dig up the onion bulbs.

recycled clam shells work to store onions and onion sets. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

How to Store Onions

You can recycle the bags that held the original onion sets. If you’re like me, though, you will plant a few onion sets every couple of weeks so you’ll need those mesh bags for the onion sets.

I keep mine in recycled clear clam shells with the cardboard tag. When I run out of onion sets to plant, I then use the mesh bag for storing the onion bulbs in the crisper.

In the meantime, the recycled clam shells also work well for holding the finished onion bulbs in your refrigerator.

Onions are easy to grow and can add flavor to most dishes so give them a try!

Charlotte

Watering Options

This is the view of the space under my deck when it was under construction where I connected three water totes to the gutter system to collect rain water. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Water Options

We just headed into the severe drought category where I live. This is the third year of record hot temperatures, killing off even native Eastern Redbuds and Flowering Dogwood native trees growing on my hillside for decades.

small waterfall recycles rain water and keeps it hydrated for pollinator and bird access. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Besides storm water ponds, I use plastic bottles in pots to water roots and include small waterfalls to keep rain water hydrated.

Of all of the watering options, the water totes collecting rain water through the house gutter system is the most practical and efficient.

House Gutter Watering Totes

Several decades ago, I connected my house gutters to pipes that collect rain water into my back pond. These gutters run the rain water first into smaller totes, then the overflow collects in my ponds.

The water totes sit under my deck, all three connected so they evenly collect rain water and evenly empty the totes as the collected water is used. My handyman laughed when I said how could I possibly use this much saved rain water and he was right, the water comes in handy during Missouri’s now extended summer dearth.

The totes themselves are connected so water collection is spread across all three totes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The genius of this system is that I have a pump connected to the water totes that allows me to easily move water from the totes to the upstairs deck garden.

When I need water for my garden deck one story up, I activate the pump with a remote control. The pump is a bit noisy once it’s on but it then pumps the water from the totes one story up without my having to carry water.

Here’s the pump model information.

The pump has a remote control so that I can access stored rain water when I need it on the floor above where the water storage totes are located. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Here’s the pump remote. I press the “on” button then can control the water through the hose nozzle which has a lever for on and off as well. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You do have to disconnect the pump before winter moves in but, short of that, there is no maintenance required.

The water totes hold 275 gallons each and are sold where I live repurposed from other uses. When buying them, make sure they are food grade. You don’t want to kill your plans with any residual chemicals.

Each tote ran around $70 each about 8 years ago.

I fill sunk plastic bottles in pots with rain water from the house guttering system to keep soil hydrated. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Collecting rain water gives me the option to use it when I need it and the pump makes it easy to get the water to where I need it.

Charlotte

Storm Water Garden Ponds

the updated garden ponds are nicely settling in with water plants and a few goldfish. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Storm Water Garden Ponds

There are many reasons one may want to add small garden ponds. In my case these started as storm water ponds to derail water coming down a hill hitting my house.

The first ponds looked like an old well dumping water into a nearby pond. Two iterations later, plastic pond liners formed two natural-looking watering holes that were quite popular with native wildlife.

this was the original storm water garden ponds with a liner we upgraded. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

When I had to replace the liner earlier this spring, my handyman suggested using pond forms instead of pond liners. They will last longer and be easier to maintain, he said. We also could reuse existing rocks as well as a supply a friend donated last year.

I didn’t have any expectations of the results. This needed to be wildlife friendly, including safe spots in case turtles and rabbits fell in.

instead of liners, we used pond forms to make the storm water ponds oonger lasting. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Bees were also using the ponds as a water source, and native frogs had been residents for a number of decades.

By the way, the frogs waited it out. Every end of the day of construction I would find several frogs checking out the new digs.

we reused rocks donated from a friend’s garden and what I already had. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

There are now three small ponds, all capable of catching storm water if it ever rains again. We’re in a drought again this year and rain water is precious.

To help keep water clear, I am adding back some aquatic plants from previous ponds. About a dozen goldfish are also part of the ecosystem now, keeping algae and mosquito larvae in check.

When I think of all of the garden nice to haves and must haves, a small pond falls in the must have category. The number of insects and animals that depend on the water source is a reminder that our gardens are homes to other creatures.

Charlotte

2023 George O. White State Forestry Seedlings

The 2022-2023 George O. White State Nursery Seedling catalog. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

2023 George O. White State Forestry Seedlings

Big news this year for George O. White State Nursery fans. The ordering window now opens at 8 a.m. September 1 instead of midnight so we can all sleep in before we start to order. Oh, I’m not joking, ask around, many of us wanted to get our orders as soon as possible.

Why the big excitement? Because some of the seedlings sell out fast such as paw paw trees. If you want to get them for spring 2023 you have to be quick on the ordering.

Native seedlings are important to our local micro climates and ecosystems. Not only have those plants become adapted to the local growing conditions but they have critical interdependent relationships with local bugs, birds and other animals. In Missouri, the George O. White State Forestry Nursery in Licking, Missouri has been raising, and providing native trees and shrubs since it was started in the 1940s when Missouri’s forests were replanted.

If you are just starting to learn about Missouri native trees and shrubs — or even if you think you know — get a copy of their catalog for your reference files. The color catalog has good photos of each Missouri native tree and shrub species as well as a detailed, easy to read graph of the best uses of each. They also have a detailed guide on site preparation so don’t miss out on how to prepare for success.

Smallest bundles of 10 seedlings are $1 each. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Some of the noted species may be marked sold out. Order it anyway because of the people before you don’t pay for their order, they move on to the next person. For a number of years I have ordered sold out items only to be contacted early December and asked if I was still interested. So if you are contacted, make sure to pay at the time they contact you or they will move on to the next person who ordered.

Each seedling is $1 for a minimum of 10 seedlings. The price goes down for more seedlings in quantities of 25 and 100. There is a $9 handling charge and taxes, too.

This year they started charging a shipping fee but you can save yourself that fee by picking up the seedlings at the Licking site next spring. They usually have a very nice open house around the beginning of April where you can volunteer to help and get your seedlings at the same time.

If you have a Missouri Conservation card, you get 15% off up to $20 order.

False indigo bush has lovely flowers bees love. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Once I get my seedlings, I get them in pots and let their roots get established for at least a year. That way the tree and shrub species has a good start before I place it somewhere on my limestone hillside. Not all of them make it, growing on my hillside can be brutal for plants that can’t get their roots through the rock.

The one exception is flowering dogwoods. Those seedlings don’t like to be moved so I get them into the ground and get their holes full dry leaves. I also cover them in leaves, mark their location and make sure they get watered for the first couple of years. I’ve found the tops may die off but if the roots can make it, new growth may appear a few years later. By marking their location I don’t disturb them as they try to settle in.

Last year, I fell in love a new addition to my hillside; false indigo bushes. I pruned them into a tree form in some spots and was surprised that they made it through our record hot temperatures earlier this year. Guess what I will be ordering again.

What are you planning to order?

Charlotte

September Gardening Chores

All these plants will winter over behind the sliding glass doors. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

September Gardening Chores

It’s almost as if we’re going through a second spring. After record hot summer temperatures in the 100Fs, temperatures are settling in the 80s, prompting plants to focus on reproduction. By that I mean plants are producing nectar to attract pollinators and pollen for them to move from plant to plant. Roses, balloon flowers, Great Blue Lobelia, St. John’s Wort - are all blooming now, a good 2-3 months later than they have bloomed in the past.

I live in USDA Hardiness Zone 5. To make sure my plants have enough time to settle roots, it’s best to get any new plant additions in the ground by mid-September. Here are some other September gardening chores:

1. It is time to stop fertilizing. Plants need to start slowing down and get out of the growth they usually pursue through spring and summer, even without the boost of fertilizers. Add a last dollop of compost mixed in the soil and that should be it for this season.

2. Keep watering trees and shrubs from now through hard frost. Our first hard frost is usually end of October.

 3. If you plan to start a new garden next year, this is the time to cover it with cardboard to kill off any current growth. Anchor it with rocks or something to keep the cardboard from flying off.

4. Bring some of your herbs inside including parsley, chives, rosemary , catnip and stevia. Basil can also be brought inside; sow seeds now to get new plants started for later use. Dry the herbs and store in airtight container.

5. Move peonies. I have several I buried too deep so when replanting, remember to not bury any more than an inch or two beneath oil surface.

6. Daylilies and Iris can also be dug up and divided.

7. If you want a fall garden, this is the time to sow lettuce and spinach seeds. You may also be able to sneak in some beets.

Chrysanthemums will start to show blossoms as fall arrives. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

8. Make notes in your garden diary about jobs for next year. Note what plants worked well this year, what seeds you had meant to plant but didn’t get to – whatever you want to tackle next year.

9. Have favorite annuals? I do, too, and I trim them now before bringing them inside. You can also take root cuttings and start young plants if you have good indoor light. Geraniums, coleus, begonias, impatiens all will winter over inside if you keep them pinched and bushy.

10. Order spring bulbs. Daffodils are toxic to deer so they won’t get munched on. Tulips are edible so buy a few for color, then plant them in pots behind a solid wall with wire if you don’t want wildlife snacking on them in the meantime.

11. If you have planted Amaryllis bulbs, cut off the greenery and put them in a dry, dark place without water and let them rest for a couple of months. If you want to time when they bloom, pot and water them 6 weeks prior to when you want them in bloom.

12. Don’t bag and rake clippings; leave them on your lawn to return Nitrogen to the soil.

13. This is also a good time to stock up on mulch. Buy it in bulk or load up at your local recycling center before they close down for the season.

14. Start trimming plants you plan to bring inside to overwinter. Also repot to combine and take up less space.

Charlotte

July Gardening Chores

James A. Mess daily inspects his favorite pot of herbs. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

July Gardening Chores

Record heat. We’re having temps in the 100Fs, making me wonder what will happen in our typically hot months of July and August. Among the other chores for July, besides enjoying picking berries and daily checking your favorite herbs, will be rethinking garden plants that can handle heat. Other chores for USDA Hardiness zone 5:

1.     Deadhead flowering plants. Removing spent blooms will help keep plants healthy and may even give you a second and third wave of flowers. I use sewing and quilting thread snips to quickly remove spent blooms.

2.     Remove weeds/unwanted plants. Unwanted plants take up nutrients, moisture and space away from desired plants. In this context, competition is not a good thing.

3.     Know your weeds. If you weren’t sure what it was before, whatever was growing should be showing its true identity by now. Many plants casually labeled weeds are forgotten herbs; others, like goldenrod, are blamed for what a true weed, ragweed does, which is aggravate allergies. And ragweed is a good plant, it only grows in very poor soil and adds nutrients to improve it before it dies off. Did I say know your weeds already??

4.     Give your garden one inch of water a week. When you water, use a watering wand or place the hose into the ground, no sprinkling. In hot summer weather, using sprinklers is a waste, the water just evaporates before it even hits the ground.

5.     Touch up mulch. Mulch will help keep garden beds cool. Make sure it’s aged mulch. If the mulch is steaming, it’s too young to use on flower beds.

6.     Keep your early morning dates with Japanese beetles. Catch them in soap-filled buckets to help reduce the population. Don’t try to catch them later in the day, they will just fly off.

7.     No more compost for woody plants, time for them to start hardening off and getting ready for winter.

8.     Don’t forget to water trees deeply, especially newly-planted trees and the oldest ones.

Cocktail tomatoes start to produce fruit. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

9.     Rambler roses done blooming? Prune.

10. How are your vines? My blackberries and clematis need a little help so I gauge their possible growth for the rest of this season and add support. Oh, I’m often wrong, the idea is just to give them extra support or it’s a mess trying to untangle them later. I usually wait until next year then and start with fresh growth.

11. I am starting to make new flower beds so I am hauling cardboard boxes home to get a good start. Once I line the beds with cardboard, I add mulch to start making the foundation of the bed. After the next rain, soil will be added, then another layer of mulch.

12. Start thinking about what needs to be done early next spring. I keep a list, check it twice…

13. The nearby composter will also get cleaned out. Not entirely, leave a good bucket-full as compost starter for the next batch.

14. Mowing grass? Don’t bag or rake clippings, they return Nitrogen to the soil.

15. Plant buckwheat in open areas. It’s not only a fast-growing, Nitrogen-introducing cover crop for garden spots, it also gives bees a source of food during August, when little else is in bloom.

Charlotte

Coleus From Cut Tops

Coleus are favorite annuals in mid-Missouri for their colorful leaves. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Coleus From Cut Tops

I found these coleus cut tops when I was recycling some dead shrubs out of my garden at our local recycling center.

There are many plants that are easy to grow from cut tops and Coleus has to be one of the easiest. Coleus have a wide range of sizes and leaf colors, similar in my mind to the wide variety of hostas and irises.

These are different coleus a friend uses at the shady front of her house. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Coleus are sold as annuals for USDA Hardiness zone 5. Depending on where they are planted, they may reseed themselves from year to year. Most gardeners grow new ones from either seed or cuttings.

I brought these coleus pieces home, let them sit in water to rehydrate for an hour or so. I planted them in one of my empty deck pots. By planting I mean I made a hole in the watered soil; pushed the plant down to where leaves were attached to the stem and covered the stem.

The pot was watered every day with the rest of the deck plants and frankly looked pretty sorry for the first couple of weeks.

The plants now have rooted and are starting to put on some growth.

They will be wintered over inside and be ready for getting their tops cut late winter to grow more potted plants next spring.

When in bloom, coleus also offer beautiful blue spike flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now one of the often overlooked benefits of planting coleus in our gardens is the flowers. Several friends have told me they pinch off the flower buds to keep the plants bushy.

I let them flower so they can feed pollinators. And just think of the added beauty of blue flowers in your garden!

Charlotte

Cucumber Cages

One of my cucumbers growing over a traditional metal tomato cage. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Cucumber Cages

The end of the growing season is a good time to pick up supplies for next year. One of my favorite items to get on sale are “tomato cages,” something I use for a variety of crops.

This year, my tomato cages easily turned into cucumber cages. This is my first year to grow cucumbers in my edible deck garden and one plant in particular escaped my attention. I planted it in an empty pot late in the season. This is a 55-day variety so it still had enough time to deliver cucumbers before our first hard frost mid to late October.

One of my cats likes to play with the cucumber leaves from the catnip pot. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

By the time I found one of my cats entangled in the cucumber vine, the plant was not only well-established but needing support as it grows.

I was easily able to place a tomato cage close to the plant roots and then carefully wind the vines around each of the tomato cage sides. For next year I plan to use the larger tomato cage for cucumbers because of the weight of the ripe cucumbers.

And yes, I’ve harvested cucumbers from this pot and two other pots where I’ve been growing cucumbers. And the pot has been moved away from the catnip pot, where one of my young cats likes to nap.

Charlotte

Water Saving Totes

This is the view of the space under my deck when it was under construction where I connected three water totes to the gutter system to collect rain water. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Water Saving Totes

This is the latest addition to my rain-saving system, water totes saving rain water collected through my house gutter system.

Several decades ago, I connected my house gutters to pipes that collect rain water into my back pond. These totes collect rain water first and the overflow now continues into the pipes that guide the rain water into my pond.

I love the system. The water totes sit under my deck, all three connected so they evenly collect rain water and evenly empty the totes as the collected water is used. My handyman laughed when I said how could I possibly use this much saved rain water and he was right, the water comes in handy during Missouri’s August dearth.

The totes themselves are connected so water collection is spread across all three totes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now the genius of this system is that I have a pump connected to the water totes that allows me easy access to the stored water on the bottom level to water my nearby outside garden.

When I need water for my garden deck one story up, I activate the pump with a remote control. The pump is a bit noisy once it’s on but it then pumps the water from the totes one story up without my having to carry water.

Here’s the pump model information.

The pump has a remote control so that I can access stored rain water when I need it on the floor above where the water storage totes are located. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Here’s the pump remote. I press the “on” button then can control the water through the hose nozzle which has a lever for on and off as well. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You do have to disconnect the pump before winter moves in but, short of that ,there is no maintenance required.

The water totes hold 275 gallons each and are sold where I live repurposed from other uses. When buying them, make sure they are food grade. You don’t want to kill your plans with any residual chemicals.

Each tote ran around $70 each about 5 years ago.

My pond down the hill holds rain water collected through my gutter system and currently holds blooming Missouri Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera,) (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

We’re behind getting the pond repaired; it sprung a leak several years ago but the rain water has kept the pond plants alive all these years. And the deer and other wildlife don’t seem to mind that the rocks have fallen in.

Hopefully we will have the pond fixed next year.

Charlotte