May
“The merry month of May”. Takes me back to when I was just a child and had the opportunity to dance around the May pole. Imagine my surprise when we were finished running around and all those ribbons had been braided into a beautiful pattern! That is how I look at gardening in the month of May. All that running around in frantic crazy chaos and in the end all that beauty created.
Where I come from in Alberta we don’t put our annuals out much before the 20th of May or the week after Mother’s Day weekend. However I am learning that in the Billings “banana belt” this deadline can be much different. Indeed in the year and a half I have been here I have seen many put annuals out in April! “Must not be from around these parts” is the answer when I ask Montanans about this. I am cautious though so I will not be putting mine out until maybe May 20th or so.
Annuals
Let’s talk about the wonderful annuals out there!
Annuals are just that, they last for one growing season. Typically they have numerous blooms for lots of seeds to produce a good supply of plants for next year. Annuals are good to fill holes, vacancies as I like to call them, in your gardens. If you are a perennial gardener and just starting out, annuals will fill in until your perennials are big enough to give you the full showing. This said I have some pure annual growers who put on a show that takes your breath away, then clean the whole bed up in the fall and start again with another design the next year.
Annuals are well suited for pots and containers for decks, patios, walkways and window boxes. I have loved to see how people use them and over the years it never ceases to amaze me that old toilets, bed frames and bathtubs can be transformed into rioting spills of annual colors. Indeed I have added my own spin on this and once tossed some annual seeds into the back of my truck bed that I had just unloaded soil from. After a spell, the back of my bed was full of color and being the type of gardener I am, I simply transplanted them into the yard. Sure had lots of horn beeps going down the road to work!
Annuals can be used to make a ‘ribbon’ in your gardens. I call it a ribbon because it whines its way along the edges, into the middle and out again in a colorful ‘ribbon’. I use this technique to tie a color pattern from one bed to another, creating a more connected look in yards with multiple garden beds. Annuals are great for creating theme gardens and balance.
Everything changes and this is very true with gardening and plant materials. Every year different colors, sizes and shapes of annuals come onto the market. We have managed to secure a new plant called Senetti. This is probably one of the most striking plants I have seen! Daisy flowers ranging in colors from a lustrous fuchsia to a deep blue purple, both solid and with a white inside ring and big black centers! Mainly a deck plant here it does not like the 104 degree heat in the summer and must have shade. As with most larger annuals, Senettis do not do well in high winds (something we are sure getting this May!) Come in and see these beauties, they are in our greenhouse. I know you will want to add these gorgeous plants to your gardening repertoire. I have created a fact sheet for this plant for you to take home. These sheets are available at the cashiers up front.
The Winds
I must add a note about these horrible winds we have been getting. High winds will damage leaves and buds by sucking the moisture out of the cellular structure. If you see the tips and edges of your leaves turning brown and withering do not be alarmed, in high winds this is referred to as wind burn or leaf burn. Try to shelter these new plants as best you can if you have already planted them in the ground. Once the winds stop, clean off the worst of these leaves, water and fertilize. To an annual these winds can spell death. Perennials will come back in great speed. Trees and shrubs will take a bit longer depending on the losses. Fertilizing helps the plant by lessening its stress because it will not have to work as hard to feed itself. Once the plant establishes new leaves and can feed itself you can lower your fertilizing rates.
Some Science
All living things live in a circular cycle. Humans tend to be more linear in their living these days, but in the big picture still live in a circular cycle. A plants’ cycle is basically birth, growing, sustaining, future needs and death. As you read the sections below, I want you to keep in mind that plants live in this cycle while closely relating to their environment. It is not like they can get up and move to a sunnier climate if they don’t like the climate they are in now.
Keeping this cycle in mind, I am going to add a bit of introductory science now. I tell my first year beginner students that there are 4 basic parts to a plant: Roots, the Crown, Stems/Branches and Leaves. (We get into more detailed break down later on in their studies) Trees, shrubs, grasses and annuals and perennials differ but the following is only a basic overall look.
Roots provide support and transportation of nutrients and water from the soil in an upwards movement, especially in the spring when the plant starts to grow. Roots do not start to grow immediately in the spring but they are up early. This is where the Crown comes in. I caution people to not overwater their established plants in the spring or they could cause the roots to rot. A good rule is that when the subsoil starts to warm up, water your plants. Subsoil remains colder longer than the surface soil and until it warms up down there roots will not become as active.
The Crown is the point basically at which the roots join to the main stem and it is clearly seen in roses as a ‘fist’. Never bury the Crown underground, it will rot and your plant will die. In the fall the plant receives a signal from the lessening daylight and The Crown jumps into action. The Crown acts as storage for nutrients, kind of like an egg yolk, so that in the spring these nutrients are readily released to form those first new leaves and shoots and get those roots going. Much the same way the yolk feeds the embryonic chick until it can hatch and begin to feed itself. Do not confuse burying the crown with winter protection. In the fall many of my rose lovers must cover that crown but in the spring it is important to once again uncover it. This covering protects the Crown and ensures that the nutrients stored will be ready when daylight lengthens and sends the signal to the plant that spring is here…let’s get growing.
The Leaves feed your plant through photosynthesis lessening the feeding duties of the roots and freeing them up to move moisture, grow bigger and build support. The leaves are also responsible for the ‘breathing’ of your plant. Releasing building gases and moisture much the same way you sweat and well other things. Those first new leaves are so important! The Crown can only hold so much storage and once this is gone the leaves must take over that duty. Most death in plants can be related back to the condition of its leaves. It is important to note here that pruning removes leaves and that no more than 1/3 of the total leave matter should be removed at one time, leaving 2/3 behind to ensure a healthy plant. The leaves also play a large role in the production of flowers and fruits. Flowers and fruits require all parts of the plant working in order and in good health.
The Stem/Branches grow to add more leaves to compensate for higher feeding requirements as the plant grows bigger. Stems/Branches also protect the main trunk by adding shade and over all stability. In low growing forbs and evergreens the stems and branches provide a ground cover that acts like a mulch for water retention and keeps the soil cool on those hot summer days. You have heard the saying ‘bend like a Willow in the wind”, this is yet another function the stems and branches do by breaking up the wind direction, reducing the forces of the wind on the main trunk and allowing the plant to ‘bend in the wind’.
The above is just a small overview of what a plant is made up of. Each Family and Species will have its own adaptations. I hope that I have helped you ‘see’ a bit more into your plants.
If you, my readers, want to have some classes on this be sure to write your ideas down and hand them in at our Garden and Events Center. This will help me when I design these classes to more specific wants and needs. I welcome your thoughts!
Planting in May
Many customers have asked me that million dollar question… “When can we plant outside?” Planting in the ground is associated with the soil temperature along with the temperament of the weather. Cold soil will shock your new plants roots and may even set them back far enough that they will not recover. I am going to put myself out on a limb here….I can only offer my best educated guess that mid May when the night time temperatures do not drop past 45 degrees F (not one night) and the soil temp reaches 41 degrees F, you can safely plant. Of course with ‘mother nature’ you just never can be sure but that is my best educated guess for this year. From what I see right now, I will not be planting out in my yard until maybe May 20. Mind you I am going to avoid the rush and will purchase my plants sooner than that date. Many of my gardeners are coming in now to avoid the rush and have more time to chat with me.
I will caution you that just because the plants already established in your gardens are looking good, new plants are not accustom to these conditions and require protection until the soil has warmed up and the spring winds subsided. Keep your new purchases safely out of the winds and extreme cold until this all ‘blows’ over so to speak. Then plant them out.
My Grandfather passed on to my Mother and I to look to the native plants for assistance. If they are not starting then don’t you start. If they are more than 1/3 leaved out then you can start. Indeed over the years this has held pretty true. Native grasses are getting going and so is your lawn so plant those grasses. Native trees are not out enough yet so hang tough on yours. Native forbs are just starting and so should you by acquiring what you need but not planting it yet. Of course factoring in the wind and frosts is a very hard call and even native plants take a hit from time to time
I always used to watch this long time gardener in my neighbourhood. When he started planting so did I, so did all of us. Unfortunately a few years ago he past away and now I am that neighbour to watch…we all miss him greatly. Look around your neighbourhood. Is there a gardener who stands out? That is who you watch.
Taking your purchases home
I must add, when you are taking your new trees and bushes home in the back of your open truckbed or an open trailer please do not stand them upright. I have witnessed many do this and it is so hard on those new leaves! Not only will they be blasted by the winds but also the increased wind speed of a moving vehicle. Having seen so many people do this that I am compelled to write that you not do this. Remember what the leaves do for the plant. Instead lay the trees down in the back of your truck or trailer bed with the pot end against the cab so that the winds will go with the ‘grain’ of the leaves and not against their natural lay. This will greatly reduce the wind burning of those new and tender leaves and give your tree a greater advantage to settle in to its new home. Loosing those leaves will cause great stress to your tree and diminish it’s survival as those leaves are what is ‘feeding’ the tree. If you have an enclosed trailer they can be loaded standing upright. If you have a tarp and straps, bring them along for covering. We are always there to help you out with loading and will do our best to help you get those plants home as safely as possible.
Perennials
I have had a lot of customers ask me about perennials. Tough plants that come back year after year, perennials are still a secret in many gardens. I intend to alleviate this. As I have mentioned before my mother and I designed the ‘English Garden’ look. My gardens are 90% perennials and every year I enjoy them more! Perennials take a couple of years to fully establish. That first year you will have ‘holes’ in your landscaping but remember that annuals can fill those in for you. Our perennials are on site now but only the ones that can stand this weather. I will be bringing in more of them as the weather becomes less nasty. I have brought in a few bleeding hearts for you but those are inside our greenhouse.
For those who have not considered adding perennials to your gardens I hope I can help you reconsider them. Adding a few at a time is the best way if you are new to them. They can become over whelming if you are not used to them. There is a wide variety of types from shade lovers to sun worshipers, tall and stately to ground covering mats and neat mounding growers to almost invasive spreaders. Bring your ideas in and I will walk you through our perennials and help you set up your additions.
For those who have used perennials and are familiar with them I have been searching out new ones for you. Along with the hardy faithful ones I have added a few new ones for trying out in our Billings gardens. Come and chat with me and let me know which ones worked out the best for you.
There is a secret to designing gardens with perennials and I will have to hold a class on this. It is not always tallest to the back and shortest to the front. English gardens tend to be a riot of chaos but they are designed to look that way, a technique that is surprisingly hard to achieve. Experiment with them. I have added a few stately lupins to the fronts of my beds and them placed some lower mounding ones behind them to create a peek-a-boo affect. This can give the illusion of having a bigger garden then what is there.
Soil
Remember that the condition of your soil is so important when growing your plants. It is what feeds them so keep your soil clean and as weed free as possible. Competition by weeds will reduce your plants produce. ‘Tired’ soil, soil whose nutrients are lacking, will soon reduce the vigor of your plants. There are many soil conditioners out there. I prefer the Glacier Gold compost product and I mix in some well composted manure. We have both sheep and cow manure products for you. The addition of some peat moss will help you with water retention and with soil compaction. A well tended soil will give a healthy looking garden.
Water
After this wind storm is over it is important to water your established plants. If you have ever been out in the wind for hours at a time and notice that your skin is tight and dry and your lips are chapped……….that is because the wind has ‘wicked’ the moisture out of those areas. Commonly we add a moisturizer to our skin and drink water……..so it is with plants. These winds we have been having are wicking the moisture out of plants just when they need it the most. Water them generously after this subsides. Better yet add some fertilizer to your care. They will reward you with a healthy comeback.
Seedlings
For those of you who started your seedlings inside I want to let you know that now is the time to ‘harden up’ those plants. The term ‘harden up’ refers to acclimatizing your new plants to your garden’s environment. If you took a greenhouse grown or in house grown plant and stuck it outside in your gardens, it will not do well. Most vegetables would die. Start to take your seedlings outside during the calmest time of day and back inside for the night. To start, if you can, let them spend a couple of hours per day outside (from noon to 3 pm) and gradually increase this time until they are spending most of the day outside. Remember to bring them inside at night.
My tomatoes are busy hardening up right now. My deck faces east and is covered. Making it a nice calm place to harden up my plants. A bit of wind is not a bad thing, it will strengthen up the stems of your plants. Do not put these new plants in direct contact with sun or winds, pick out a nice cozy place against your house, if you do not have a cozy deck.
Come in and chat with me if you have any questions. I hope I have covered all areas for May. If I have missed something that you want to know about please come and tell me. My name is Hope and I am almost always outside in the plants somewhere.
Dates to remember for May are:
May 9, Mother’s Day! There are so many ways to say “Thank-you” to our mothers. Nothing does it quite like a lovely flower attached to a plant that will give her months and years of enjoyment. Each Mother’s Day I take my mom out to the nursery and she picks out a tree to be planted in our yard back up north. For years I have done this and now there are several different trees happily reminding her that I love her dearly every day of the year. This Mother’s Day I have had to give that task to a friend, our neighbour, who lives across the street. I know that she knows that it is still me though.
Some other ways to use plants is to fill a patio container with her favorites be they herbs or annuals or even perennials. A great basket is the hanging one and I just love the Victorian Baskets. Made out of wire or iron work and lined with moss or a fiber, they have holes around the outside to hold plants that will eventually cover the entire basket and trail downwards. Why not use the Victorian style and create a hanging herb basket! There is a trick to planting these and I can help you out. Yet another class maybe.
I was talking with one of our inside staff and a customer, the other day about the strawberry pots we have. I told them, “They don’t have to be used for strawberries alone. Why not try planting your herbs in them!” That would be a great Mother’s Day gift too!
Of course there is our lovely Senetti, and maybe your mom would love to have this plant. Roses are always a great gift and we have many of them.
Maybe she would like to color coordinate all her garden equipment, tomato cages, supports, water sprayers and gloves…………we have brought in the most colorful groups of these. I know my mom would love this as a gift because it would be something that she would not get for herself.
There are so many ways to show just how much we appreciate our moms! We can help you!
The staff at Billings Hardware Garden and Events Centre would like to pass on our deepest Thank-you’s to all mothers!
May 14, 15 and 16 is our Grand Opening! Come and join us for the fun and to help us celebrate our new Garden and Events Center.
Remember that May is the month I like to call working chaos. With all that work though you will create beauty that will last all season long.