The easiest orchid

I received a moth orchid as a gift a couple of years ago. It was blooming at the time, but nothing since then. How do I get it to bloom again? – Sarah M.

Phalaenopsis, commonly knows as the moth orchid.

Orchid experts say that the moth orchid – phalaenopsis – is the easiest and best for non-experts and beginners, since they tend to do well in average home temperatures and conditions. At the Web site of the American Orchid Society the experts say that insufficient light is the most common reason an orchid fails to re-bloom. That’s general information about all orchids, but here are more specifics about phalaenopsis:

They grow well in a bright window – an east window is ideal, south or west window if you provide a little shade. The main blooming season for moth orchids is late winter into spring.

Moth orchids like it warm. Temperatures should usually be above 60 at night, and between 75 and 85 or warmer during the day. High humidity is good, too. Lower night temperatures for several weeks in the fall, around 55 degrees, can help flower stalks get started. If temperatures fluctuate, buds that are ready to open can drop.

Phalaenopsis doesn’t have a way to store water, so it shouldn’t be allowed to dry out completely. But they shouldn’t sit in water, either. Water thoroughly, then don’t water again until the plant is nearly dry. To keep it from rotting, water in the morning so the leaves are completely dry by nightfall. Humidity is also key, and the recommendation is between 50 and 80 percent.

American Orchid Society suggests fertilizing on a regular schedule, especially during warm weather when moth orchid is growing. If the plant is in a bark-based medium, use a high-nitrogen fertilizer (30-10-10). A high-phosphorus product (10-30-20) can promote blooming.

If you need to re-pot a moth orchid (and that should happen when the potting medium starts to decompose, or every one to three years), do the job in the spring, immediately after the orchid finishes flowering. Remove the old medium, trim soft or rotted roots, and spread the remaining roots over a handful of medium in the bottom of a new pot. Fill the rest of the pot with medium, working it in among the roots. The junction of the roots and the stem should be at the top of the medium.

One final thing about moth orchid: of the orchids commonly available, it’s the only one that will re-bloom from its old flower spike. When the last flower fades, don’t cut the spike, or cut off the stem leaving two nodes – the lines on the stem below the flowers. One of the nodes may initiate flowers within eight to 12 weeks. It might not work, but it’s worth a try.

If you really get into growing orchids, check out the regular meetings and events of the Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee. I’ve added a link to their site in the Local Garden Organizations listings in the column on the right.

You can never have too many peonies

Peonies bloomed beautifully this spring.

I have some peonies that I inherited but they are under a big tree. Just this year they have bloomed and I love them. I know from experience that they don’t like to be moved so I am going to leave these where they are. I would, however, like to plant more. Any advice on light, soil, position in garden, and any problems they are prone to? – Patty O.

This was apparently a good year for peonies. Everyone who has them says they bloomed beautifully, and many who don’t have them say they’d like to add them to the garden. Now that their season in the sun has come and gone and their lovely flowers are just a fragrant memory, it’s no wonder a gardener might want to plant more. Here, again, are the basics:

Light: Full sun, but they can manage with a little shade in the afternoon. Soil: Work in plenty of organic material, because they must have good drainage. Position in the garden: Try not to make them compete with the roots of nearby trees and large shrubs.

Problems? Watch for botrytis, a common fungal disease that causes plants to wilt, leaves to develop black splotches and buds to dry up or turn brown and mushy. It doesn’t kill the plant, but it’s best to clean up around it as soon as you can. Remove and destroy infected leaves, and in the fall, cut the stalks down to the ground and dispose of them to prevent the disease from overwintering in the bed. To prevent the problem, The Southern Living Garden Book suggests spraying with a copper fungicide as new growth emerges in spring. (Always, always follow directions on the label of any chemical you use in the garden.)

Planting: Dig the soil deeply and work in plenty of organic matter, but plant the roots so that the eyes are only 1 inch below the surface; peonies that are planted too deep may not flower as well.

Waiting: Peonies are finicky, and often – usually – don’t bloom the first year. Be patient. 

**

Dividing daffodils

Daffodils that don’t bloom well may be suffering from overcrowding. Perhaps it’s time to divide. Check out Saturday’s Garden Club column in The Tennessean to find out how.

Bay was chilled to the bone

Question: I bought a bay tree more than 10 years ago. It was about 6 inches tall, and it grew well in a pot. I’ve repotted it several times, set it outdoors after frost and brought it indoors in winter. Last winter, I forgot to bring it in until after a freeze. The leaves got crispy, so I picked them off and cut back to almost about 3 – 5 inches. Some of the branches are brittle, but some are not. The roots and the base of the plant are still alive. I’ve kept it watered but haven’t seen any growth – not a bud. I don’t want to throw it away. Will it live? – Shirley R.

Bay laurel. Photo by Leo Michels.

It’s hard to say whether a bay that suffered through a freeze will come back. Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), the source of bay leaves used in cooking, is native to the Mediterranean area, where it generally doesn’t get cold enough to freeze. It is not at all hardy here, so of course you’re doing the right thing when you bring it indoors before it gets cold. In this climate, it’s best treated as a houseplant in winter.

This one little slip-up last year may have cost you your tree – but maybe not. Information at the Herb Society of America’s Web site  suggests that in some circumstances, given the perfect spot, some varieties of bay laurel may survive the winter outdoors in the ground. The plant will die back above the ground, but may send up shoots from the roots in the spring.

So try this: Now that it’s warm, set the plant outdoors, don’t let it dry out, watch to see if new shoots begin to form at the base, and hope for the best. As it grows (if it grows!), an occasional light dose of balanced fertilizer might not be a bad idea. Be sure to bring it in before it gets cold again, and give it a sunny window and a moderate amount of moisture. Good luck!

Reminder: Day Camp for little gardeners

Each year the Davidson County Master Gardeners offers a Junior Master Gardeners Day Camp for ages 9 – 14. The campers learn about planting and growing, design basics, bugs, birds and the joy of nurturing a garden.

This year’s camp is June 13 – 17, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., at Ellington Agricultural Center. To register or get more information, call the U.T. Davidson County Extension Office, 862-5995. Twenty campers, max, so call soon.

Gardening events coming up

May 15- Tennessee Gesneriad Society meets at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall,2 p.m. Speaker is Michael Wenzel from theAtlantaBotanical Garden.

 May 17 - Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee meets at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. Speaker is Mitch Hampton; topic is “Creating aTennesseeNativePlantGarden.”

 May 21 & 22 –  Down the Garden Path, a tour of eight distinctive gardens, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. May 21, noon – 6 p.m. May 22. Headquarters is at the corner of Belle Meade Blvd. and Honeywood. Tickets $15 purchased by May 20, $20 on tour days; proceeds benefit the Lupus Foundation Mid-South chapter. www.lupusmidsouth.org.

 Coming in June: Make plans to tour several gardens in the Belle Meade, Green Hills, and Oak Hill areas at the Seeds of Hope Garden Tour June 4, benefiting Monroe Harding residential facility for at-risk youth. www.monroeharding.org

–

Turning Toward the Sun is the online journal of my own gardening endeavors. Today I talk about Garden No. 3, a new flower bed I’m planning in Mom’s back yard.

For asparagus, a good bed is the best way to begin

Question: I want to start an asparagus bed in my garden. Where can I get some plants? – James W.

Before we talk about plants, let’s talk about where to put them. I’ve pulled out my copy of the Guide to Tennessee Vegetable Gardening by Walter Reeves & Felder Rushing and turned to the “Asparagus” page. The first thing the authors say here is, “Planning is essential for these plants because a well-prepared asparagus bed can last many years before needing reworking.” After that, Rushing and Reeves instruct to “Plant asparagus as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring.” Asparagus is a cool-climate plant, and we are about to slide into the hot season, so maybe now is not the time to rush out to buy plants, especially if you haven’t already prepared a place to put them.

But maybe you have. Here are the details: The bed should be in full sun, away from trees or shrubs whose roots would complete with the asparagus. It has to be well-drained, because if it’s boggy or soggy the plants will rot and die out. The recommend planting in sandy soil, but any well-drained soil will do.

In this bed, dig a 6-inch deep trench, about 15 inches wide. Asparagus plants are sold as crowns, clusters of roots. Set the crowns in the trench about 1 foot apart, spread the roots out and cover with soil. Water and wait.

Growth in the first year will be spindly, and you shouldn’t harvest any the first year. Keep the soil moist throughout the first year, and pull weeds as they appear. Mulch will help keep weeds under control. Cut the ferns back in the spring before new growth begins. In the second year, harvest a few spears in mid-spring. The third year is the time for a bigger harvest – 4 to 6 weeks, and every year thereafter harvest asparagus for 6 to 8 weeks in the spring.

Now, the plants. Local nurseries that offer vegetable starts are likely to have asparagus crowns for sale. There are several different types, and you may find different varieties at different locations. Or check garden catalogs/Web sites. Several 2011 mail-order companies offer asparagus crowns. The variety called ‘Jersey Knight’ seems to be a popular favorite. Check Seeds of Change, The Cook’s Garden, Burpee Gardening, Territorial Seed Company or any others for asparagus crowns. 

Plants, gifts & goodies at the Herb Fair

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville is hosting an Herb Fair today (May 7), offering herbs, heirloom tomatoes and native plants, and a variety of goodies and gifts – herb vinegars, pressed flower cards and calendars (including a month-by-month gardening calendar that my friend Lisa Pasto-Crosby and I have put together) homemade breads, handpainted silk eye pillows, handmade soaps and more.

The fair is 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. today (Saturday, May 7). First UU Nashville is at 1808 Woodmont Blvd. in Green Hills.

May in the garden

This month is a beautiful time to be in the garden. Check out the May landscape & gardening calendar in today’s Tennessean and at Tennessean.com.