What's in this Issue:

#2 Lynne's Backyard Gardening Tips

#3 New Gardening Product of-the-Month

#4 Odd & Strange Gardening News

#5 Great Plant of the Month

#6 Invasive Plant of-the-Month

#7 Garden Pest of-the-Month

#8 Feedback - Anonymous

Peat Moss

What the heck is peat moss? What does it do and where does it come from? Why is sphagnum peat moss the best thing you can possibly put into your garden soil?

Peat is lighter, softer, and more crumbly than ordinary garden soil. This texture allows it to trap air and water differently than regular soil and so becoming a natural organic soil conditioner. In a nutshell… Peat moss restructures your garden soil.

Peat moss does not contain nutrients but it absorbs nutrients both already existing in the soil and those added by you. The cell structure of sphagnum peat moss is large so it can absorb extra air and nutrients like a wick or sponge. By absorbing these important nutrients, peat moss then releases them over time as your plants need them. Otherwise, what happens is that important nutrients are lost through a leaching process and you’ll have to fertilize more or have plants that are not as healthy as they could be.

Another of the great benefits of sphagnum peat moss is that it is very light weight when you are working with it. Peat moss is a good value for the money because it is compressed into bales. After opening, it expands to about twice the amount as in the package. Once in your soil it can retain 20 times its weight in moisture and will release water slowly as plants need it. The following are benefits of Sphagnum Peat Moss:

• Aerates heavy soils like clay
• Binds soils that are sandy
• Protects soil from hardening
• Adds organic material to soil
• Saves water and ensures moisture
• Adds more oxygen to plant roots
• Releases nutrients as plants need them
• Decomposes slowly over several years
• Free of insects, weeds and chemicals
• Makes compost better

Creating New Garden Beds:

You will definitely want to include peat moss in your next gardening project. Following are steps to properly add sphagnum peat moss:

• Outline your planned area with a string, etc.
• Cut your sod & save for patches or compost
• Mix 2 inches of peat moss into the top 6 inches of soil
• Add organic matter like compost for nutrients
• Plant your seeds or plants
• Lightly water over the next 1-2 weeks

Amending Existing Garden Beds:

This is a great idea but you need to be as careful as possible not to disturb plant roots. Dig and add 1-2 inches of sphagnum peat moss into the top 6-8 inches of soil for both existing and transplanted plants.

Compost versus Peat Moss:

And the winner is… Both. Compost is incredibly important because of the nutrients jam packed into it. When you mix both peat moss and compost together you get a one-two punch that will knock the socks off your neighbors when they see your garden. Peat moss restructures the soil and compost provides the nutrients. By blending the two together you’ll reduce the compost’s tendency to compact the soil and thus allow more air, water and nutrients to reach plant roots.

Note: Peat Moss also extends the life of compost in the soil by 4-5 times.

Sphagnum peat moss improves the composting process by speeding up decomposition. Since peat moss has high acidity, it traps and saves valuable nitrogen sources that often escapes compost heaps as ammonia.

Healthy soils with plenty of organic matter will promote superior plant growth. You’ll get this with Sphagnum Peat Moss and have the best garden around.

Water Garden Plants

Water gardening is a fun way to grow unusual and attractive plants. There are many options to fill your pond or water garden plant wise and they fall into the following main categories:

• Floating Leafed Plants
• Submerged (Oxygenating) Plants
• Free Floating Plants
• Marginal / Bog Plants

Floating Leafed Plants (Water Lilies):

These are usually water lilies. Water Lilies are the most popular of all water garden plants. Their ability to spread a multitude of leaves across the surface of the water and flower throughout the season, make them a sought after addition to the pond. Lily pads also provide a great deal of shade from the heat of the summer sun, allowing fish to retreat underneath the shelter of their leaves. The two primary types of water lilies are Hardy ad Tropical.

Submerged (Oxygenating) Plants:

Oxygenating plants are often the most overlooked plants in the water garden. They are typically submersed, and don't grab the onlooker's attention like the lilies and marginal plants do. These submerged plants are an important ally in creating a well-balanced water garden.

Oxygenating plants help reduce algae by directly competing for the same food source. Think of them as nutrient sponges. They also provide protection and coverage for small fish and fry. They can be planted by simply pushing a bundle right into the gravel or simply sticking them around the edges of a lily pocket.

Free Floating Plants:

The floating aquatic plants are just that, they float on the water's surface while their roots hang down into the water below trapping sediment and utilizing many excess nutrients. Floating plants can be placed in the pond, but need to be situated out of reach of the skimmer. Tucking floaters into the edges of the pond or in and around lily pads can also help prevent the skimmer from drawing them in.

These plants also provide shade for the pond water, making summer algae control easier. Most are tropical, but a few are hardy perennials in climates with hard winter freezes. In more northern climates. The tropical floating aquatic plants should be treated as annuals, replanting them each year, or taking them into a warmer place for the winter.

Marginal / Bog Plants:

Marginal plants are typically found around the perimeter of the ponds, lakes, wetlands and streams. These plants are used to soften the boulder edges and help create a smooth transition from the water in the pond to the terrestrial planting area surrounding the pond. Most marginal plants like 1" - 8" of water, making the first shelf in the pond, as well as edges of streams and upper pools ideal planting areas.

NOTE: To see specific examples of Water Garden Plants go to the link to read the full article.

Squirrels can be a major source of frustration to wild bird lovers. You put up a nice bird feeder, spend a decent amount on bird food, and then those pesky squirrels help themselves to a large part of it. Sometimes it’s not even the cost that gets you mad but the time it takes to keep refilling the feeders.

There a many number of bird feeders on the market that claim to be able to stop squirrels from getting at the bird food. While many put forth a great effort and do provide an obstacle to hungry squirrels, they do not stop them over time. That’s because squirrels are crafty little creatures that soon learn to beat the system. Many people use the method of “If you can’t beat them, join them” by feeding the squirrels separately with designated squirrel feeders and food.

There may be other good systems out there, but the best I’ve ever seen is called the Squirrel Buster by a company called Brome Bird Care. It was designed by a wild bird lover and engineer and is 100% effective if installed (hung) out of grasping range of squirrels (16 inches). They thought of everything in the design except how to restock itself when you are out of town. This won’t be as big an issue however since the squirrels won’t be helping to empty it.

The squirrel buster works by allowing wild birds to feed on the perches, but when a red or gray squirrel hops on their weight closes the feeding doors. There are a few other systems out there that work this way but they are beaten by the squirrels in just a few days. Squirrels don’t give up!!! They eventually find a weakness in the design & beat those other bird feeders. But… squirrels do not beat the Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster.

Some of the exceptional feature of the Squirrel Buster include:

• Ventilation System for the Tube
• Inexpensive compared to competition
• Removable perches
• Negative grip (anti-squirrel) tube
• Seed level indicator
• GUARANTEED Squirrel proof
• Dismantles for easy cleaning
• Birds are fed, not squirrels

Note: You will be satisfied with this product, give it a try. You can find it at wild bird supply stores or gardening centers.

Resurrection Fern

The Resurrection Fern is properly named because it literally comes back from the brink of death. This fern can survive long periods of heavy drought by curling up and appearing dead. When just a tiny bit of water is present it will uncurl and reopen again.

NOTE: The Resurrection Fern was even taken on a space shuttle mission so the resurrection process could be observed in space under zero gravity.

This fern is an air plant (epiphyte). It attaches itself to other plants and trees to get its nutrients from the air and water that collect on the outer plant surface or tree bark. It is commonly found living in the branches of live oaks, cypress, & pecan trees and lives along side Spanish Moss.

Note: Other well known air plants (epiphytes) include:

• Orchids
• Spanish Moss
• Bromeliads

If desired, Resurrection Fern may be introduced to trees and dry, rocky settings. Rhizomes are the stem-like part of the plant that lies against the tree and from which the leaves arise. Gather about six inches of the rhizomes and place them securely into bark ridges of the new host tree or position.

Interesting Facts:

Resurrection Fern experiments have shown that they can lose almost all their free water and remain alive - up to 97%, though more typically they only lose around 76% in dry spells.

Most other plants would die after losing only 8-12%. The resurrection fern can lose almost all the water not hydrating the cells in its leaves and survive.

Yarrow

Common Yarrow is a drought tolerant ornamental with many cultivars / hybrids. It is native to Europe and has been naturalized throughout North America. Yarrow is a true perennial but takes a good two years to really get established. Not all yarrows are yellow… some of the other colors include:

• Yellow
• Red
• White
• Pink
• Purple

YARROW FACTS:

Perennial: Takes about 2 years to really get a foothold

Sun: Requires full sun

Soil: Can endure dry & impoverished soil conditions

Average planting success with this species: 70%

Height: 1-3 feet

Germination: 20-45 days

Optimum soil temperature for germination: 60-65F

Sowing depth: Surface Sow

Blooming period: May-November in North America

Seeding rate: 1 pound per acre

Suggested use: Slopes, hillsides, mixtures.

Miscellaneous:

Good garden plant for fresh or dry floral arrangements. Foliage is pleasantly fragrant when crushed. Can be mowed to form a highly competitive ground cover to control soil erosion.

To Grow / Establish Yarrow:

Seeds should be planted no deeper than ¼ inch due to the need of light for germination. Seeds also require a temperature of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Common yarrow responds best to soil that is poorly developed and well drained. The plant has a relatively short life. Divide the plant every other year to prolong its life and plant 12-18 inches apart. Common yarrow is a weedy species and can become invasive. It may suffer from mildew or root rot if not planted in well-drained soil.

Extra Yarrow Facts:

* Yarrow has also been used as a food, and was very popular as a vegetable in the 17th century. The younger leaves are said to be a pleasant leaf vegetable when cooked as spinach, or in a soup. Yarrow is sweet with a slight bitter taste.

* Yarrow is one of the most popular of herbs for use in herbal medicine.

* Many herbalists consider that if they were forced to choose only one native plant to use for multi purposes, it would be Yarrow.

* Yarrow contains the alkaloid achilleine; occasionally used in present times to stop a menstrual cycle.

* Crushed roots were put on teeth to help toothaches, a tea from the leaves and stems was used to bathe in for those suffering from rheumatism, an astringent or tonic was also made from the yarrow.

* To stop sore throats a concoction of all but the roots was gargled.

Old Folk Names for Yarrow:

Arrowroot, bad man's plaything, carpenter's weed, death flower, devil's nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight's milefoil, knyghten, milefolium, milfoil, millefoil, noble yarrow, nosebleed, old man's mustard, old man's pepper, sanguinary, seven year's love, snake's grass, soldier, soldier's woundwort, stanch weed, thousand seal, woundwort, yarroway, yerw.

Scotch Broom

Scotch Broom is an ornamental looking flowering plant that is very invasive. Scotch Broom is not hard to miss because it grows to heights of 6-12 feet and forms a very dense brush. This plant diminishes animal habitat, shades out and kills native plants, and is so dense that birds like quail cannot get into it for nesting. It takes over:

• Roadsides
• Pastures
• Streams & other Waterways
• Native Grasslands
• And most other disturbed areas

Note: A disturbed area can include anywhere where trees are removed or ground is shuffled around for any landscaping of building purposes.

Seeds

Scotch Broom produces an enormous amount of seeds that have a hard coating enabling them to survive from 60-80 years in the environment. In other words, they are very resistant and can wait for the right time (or generation) to begin their assault. A single bush can produce up to 60 pods with each pod containing 5-8 seeds.

Native to & Distribution:

Scotch Broom is native to all of Europe. It can now also be found in North America, Chile, India, Iran, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Widespread distribution into North America occurred because this flowering plant was originally brought over from Europe as an ornamental and as a soil binder along roadsides.

Scotch Broom is well suited to invasive dispersion into many environments. This plant tolerates a wide range of soils, and will grow most of the year if the temperatures are mild with adequate precipitation. Scotch broom seeds can be carried long distances by vehicles, by gravel hauled from rivers, transported by birds and animals, or even carried by the wind after the pods have exploded.

Controlling Scotch Broom:

Once established, Scotch Broom is hard to get rid of without great effort. You options are:

Physical Methods: When the plants are small (& the soil moist) you can pull out the entire plant by hand. Larger plants will have to be pulled using tools of somekind because they are just too large and dense. Note: If you leave the roots about half of them will re-sprout.

Thermal Control: This may sound dramatic but some people resort to flame throwers or other weed burners to kill Scotch Broom. The cleared area will still need to be finished off physically removing or by spraying herbicides.

Biological Control: The best one tried in North America is allowing goats to graze the land. Insects are effective in Native Europe but are still experimental in North America and other regions.

Chemical Control: Spot herbicides applied to the stems or cut stumps have proven effective. Various broadcast herbicides can be effective in controlled circumstances. Check with a local county extension agent or Master Gardener program to get advice first.

Scotch Broom is actually a very attractive flowering plant, but… Buyer beware! It can take over your property as well as surrounding properties.

Deer Pest

Deer are the most difficult of all pest to deter from your gardens. They eat a lot of vegetation and especially love flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, and fruits (what’s left?). Deer are a good definition of “Creatures of Habit”. Once they establish a pattern of arriving to your garden they keep coming no matter what unless you put up an 8 foot fence or kill them.

There are definitely less dramatic ways to control deer and keep them from destroying all your hard work. When taking action to control deer remember to vary your use of control options. When using repellent products and/or tools designed to scare wildlife, don't use any one method for too long, or the deer may catch on to your game. Mixing things up can keep them guessing for a longer while. Some of the key deer control methods include:

Plant Choices:

Food preferences of deer vary based on population pressures and available choices. Here is where information about local herds comes in handy. There is probably a list of plants that deer shun in your area. In general, deer tend to pass on ferns and ornamental grasses, plants with fuzzy foliage, and plants that taste of lemon, mint, or sage, and those that are bitter and pungent (hot and spicy). Examples are:

Annuals: Snapdragon, sweet alyssum, stock, nasturtium, nicotiana, wax begonias, zinnia.

Perennials: Yarrow, monkshood, foxglove, lavender, coneflower, peonies, iris.

Trees & Shrubs: Bottlebrush buckeye, shadblow, red osier dogwood, spruce, pine, northern red oak, rugosa rose, American holly, Sawara false cypress, Japanese pieris.

Repellents:

Repellents are best suited for high-value crops in orchards, nurseries, and gardens. There are quite a few products with flavors and odors offensive to deer that gardeners can spray on plants or spread on the soil. Some (fermented egg yolks) offend deer's sense of smell; others (predator urines) frighten them. More of these products are licensed for use on ornamental plants than on food plants; follow directions for application. Home remedies abound, as well, including cayenne, hot-pepper sauce, talcum powder, blood meal, dog hair, and deodorant soap.

Barriers:

Permanent boundary fencing requires many tools: the fencing, fence posts, post-hole digger, and a strong crew to put it together. You may also need a permit to erect a fence in your community. Plastic screen netting is cheaper and easier to install.

An electric fence is a good choice for garden beds. Bait the fence with peanut butter, and when the deer come in for their snack, they'll learn that your gardens are to be avoided. To avoid injuries, alert neighborhood children and owners of small pets about your electric fence.

Caging tree saplings and young shrubs is a good option where you have just a few to protect. Once trees are older, they'll be more resistant to browsing deer.

Fabric row covers supported with hoops can protect vegetable beds. "Invisible" mesh netting can be erected over ornamentals to allow viewing but not chewing.

A single strand of monofilament fish line strung across a deer path creates an invisible force that can confuse the creatures enough to detour them around your garden.

Scare Devices:

Strobe lights, sirens, fireworks and gunfire are some of the many ways people have scared deer off. You can spend hundreds of dollars on ultrasonic noisemakers, motion-sensitive light systems, and water cannons to drive deer away, or a few cents on aluminum pie tins that flash in the sun. Radios cranked up to all-night talk shows or loud music can work, but check with the neighbors first. A barking dog (real or recorded) behind an invisible fence can persuade deer to stay away, too.

Final Note on Controlling Deer:

The deer's learning ability causes many repellents to fail over time. A good way to counter such acclimation is to switch repellents periodically and to alter their positions near the crop. But as with planting unpalatable ornamentals, remember that hungry deer will ignore both taste and odor repellents.

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