Peonies may suffer in wet weather

QUESTION: Some years our peonies bloom beautifully for several weeks, but sometimes the buds die before they open, or black spots develop on some of the plants and the leaves curl and die. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong?

Peonies may develop botrytis, a fungal blight, in cool, wet weather.

Sometimes it’s not anything you’re doing wrong. You may be able to blame the peony’s problem on the weather. Wet, cool weather provides perfect conditions for a fungal disease called botrytis, or gray mold.
Extension agents note that botrytis flourishes on a lot of plants this time of year if there is not enough sunshine and a lot of wet weather. There is a specific fungus, Botrytis paeoniae, that infects only peonies.
The blight can infect the young shoots as they emerge early in spring, and can infect buds or flowers at any stage. On plants that are in bud, the buds may swell but will die before they open. The infection can move into the stem and cause spots and discoloration. If the infection is severe, the leaves will turn brown and die back prematurely.
Good garden practices can help keep Botrytis from damaging the peonies. Inspect the plants and remove any parts covered in gray mold; place them in a bag to be discarded (don’t put them in the compost). Do this on a day when the weather is dry to avoid spreading the fungus. In the fall, clean up dead foliage and debris, cut the peony stalks at ground level and discard the debris to reduce the chance of the fungus spores returning the following spring.

May Garden  Calendar

May is planting time in Middle Tennessee. Food or flowers? Why not both? See the May Landscape & Garden Calendar in The  Tennessean for five ornamental and edible plants for your landscape.
Garden events in Middle Tennessee
May 4
Carmen Johnston, a Garden Lifestyle Expert for Southern Living Plant Collection, will host a session on spring-inspired ideas using the Southern Living Plant Collection Designer Series container gardens. The event starts at 10:30 a.m. at Home Depot on Moore’s Lane in Brentwood.
May 10
National Public Gardens Day at Cheekwood, celebrating public gardens and Cheekwood’s role in promoting environmental stewardship, plant conservation and community education. Live music in the Herb Garden 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; guided garden tours on the hour. Special presentation with Cheekwood president Jane Offenbach at 1 p.m. Learn how to receive free admission at http://www.nationalpublicgardensday.org. More info at http://www.cheekwood.org.
May 11: Spring Festival & Plant Sale presented by the Wilson County Master Gardener Association. Guest speakers, demonstrations, food and concessions, gift baskets, crafts, gifts; flower garden and arboretum tours by tram. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center at Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn. Free admission and free parking.
May 11
Middle Tennessee Hosta Society sale, dozens of hosta varieties available. Sale opens at 8 a.m. at the Maryland Farms YMCA in Brentwood.
May 11
Robertson County Master Gardeners plant sale, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (rain or shine), County Extension Plaza, 408 North Main St. (corner of North Main & 5th Ave.), Springfield, Tenn. For information: http://www.rcmga.org.
May 11: Wilson County Master Gardeners Spring Festival & Plant Sale, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center, Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn. Speakers, demonstrations, food and concessions, crafts, gifts; garden and arboretum tram tours. Free admission and parking. http://wcmastergardener.org.
May 21: Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee meets at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. Speaker is Jimmy Williams from Paris, Tenn, on “The Perennial Border from February through December.” Refreshments at 6:30, meeting at 7 p.m.
May 23: Middle Tennessee Hosta Society meets at Cheekwood’s Potter Room, 7 p.m. Featured speaker is Jason Rives, owner of Petals From the Past in Jemison. Ala.; topic is “Incorporating Antique Roses into the Hosta garden.”

When daffodils don’t bloom

QUESTION: I have a lot of daffodils that shoot up nice and green, but some varieties don’t bloom as well as they once did. What do they need? Some of these have not been in the ground very long.

We’re coming into prime-time for daffodils. The early varieties have bloomed and sailed gracefully through Middle Tennessee’s March cold snap. Of course you’d like to continue to enjoy as many blooms as you can.

The web site of the American Daffodil Society has a long list of reason daffodils may not bloom. See if any of these conditions may affect your flowers:

Too much shade: Daffodils should be planted in an area that gets at least a half-day of full sun, or more, if they are planted in partial sun.

Crowded conditions: After bulbs have been growing in the same place for many years, they may need to be dug up and divided. They divide themselves every year or two, and the clumps of bulbs compete for food and space. They respond by ceasing to bloom. After the foliage turns yellow later this spring, dig the bulbs, separate them, and replant them about 6 inches apart, 6 inches deep.

Fighting for food: Bulbs that are planted under evergreen trees or with other fast-growing plants may be competing against those plants for the available nutrients in the soil – and losing. The result would be weak plants and no flowers.

Impatient gardener: If you were too quick to cut down the foliage the previous year, the bulbs may not have had time to replenish themselves enough to flower. The ADS explains that daffodils replenish their bulb for about six weeks after they bloom, and the leaves should not be cut off or tied up (which blocks the sun) until they turn yellow.

In general, daffodils need well-drained, slightly acidic soil in a sunny location, and plenty of water while they are growing. They benefit from a top-dressing of 0-10-10 or 0-0-50 fertilizer, but avoid high nitrogen fertilizer, which promotes foliage growth at the expense of blooms. The right growing conditions result in a beautiful, daffodil-filled spring.

Get back out in the garden! The gardening season is back, which means the return of the monthly Landscape & Garden Calendar in The Tennessean. Check it out here.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

March 14:Nashville’s annual Arbor Day event will be held in Centennial Park. Festivities  begin at 11 a.m. Memorial trees will be planted to honor several Nashville citizens, and Metro 5th graders will read their winning “My Favorite Tree” Essay Contest entries.

March 16: Backyard Sustainable Gardening workshops sponsored by Hands On Nashville and led by Cliff Davis of Spiral Ridge Permaculture. Day-long mini-course introduces the theory behind permaculture and offers hands-on training. Learn the basics of permaculture. Workshops will take place at the Hands On Nashville Urban Farm, 361 Wimpole Drive. Learn more and register here.

March 23 – 24: Middle Tennessee Daffodil Society’s Spring Daffodil Show is at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall in Massey Auditorium. Daffodil entries are accepted between 8 and 10 a.m. March 23, and the show is open to the public 1:30 – 4:30 on March 23, and 11:30 – 4 on March 24. Learn more about the Daffodil Society here.

April 6: Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee Plant Sale, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the TennesseeState Fairgrounds in the Sports Arena Building. This is the largest perennial plant sale in Tennessee, and offers hundreds of varieties including natives, grasses, groundcovers, small shrubs and select annuals along with the perennial favorites. For details, visit the PPS web site.

April 20: Herb Society of Nashville Herb Sale, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena Building. Hard-to-find varieties of annual and perennial herbs, shopping assistance, The Compost Man. New this year: a square-foot gardening display, and handmade pottery by Roy Overcast. Admission is free; $5 parking fee at the Fairgrounds. Visit the Herb Society of Nashville’s web site to learn more, and on Facebook at The Herb Society of Nashville.

Give porch ferns a place indoors

QUESTION: Is there a way to save Boston ferns over the winter without bringing them into the house? The ferns I had on my porch this year were large and beautiful. Indoors, they drop leaves and make a mess. Can I keep them in the garage?

Most experts suggest the best way to keep Boston ferns over the winter is to bring them in and treat them like house plants. Unless your garage has a window that allows bright light to enter, it’s probably not the best option.

Southern Living Garden Book provides a method that may minimize leaf drop: “In fall, use sharp scissors to cut back all side fronds to the rim of the pot, leaving the top growth about 10 inches high. Place the pot indoors next to your brightest window and keep the soil fairly moist. By spring, your plant should be bushy again and ready for its return to the porch.”

Houseplant expert Barbara Pleasant (The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual) adds that Boston ferns need high humidity in addition to bright, filtered light, so daily misting is helpful. A light dose of balanced houseplant fertilizer every couple of weeks keeps them healthy.

It’s normal for them to shed leaves, she says, so keep scissors handy for clipping broken or brown fronds.

*

Fall is here and winter is on the way, but there’s still gardening to be done. Check out the Winter edition of the Garden Calendar in Saturday’s Tennessean.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

Nov. 11: The Tennessee Gesneriad Society will meet at 2 p.m. in Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. The program will be an African violet workshop. For more information contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com or 615-364-8459.

Nov. 17: The Nashville Tree Foundation hosts ReLeafing Day. Volunteers meet at 8 a.m. at Coleman Park, near Thompson Lane and Nolensville Road, to plant trees in the Woodbine area. Find more details and sign up to volunteer at www.nashvilletreefoundation.org or call 292-5175.

Nov. 20: The Perennial Plant Society meets at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall, with the program “Winter Landscape Maintenance for Woody Ornamentals” presented by UT Extension agent David Cook. Refreshments and plant swap at 6:30 p.m., meeting and program at 7 p.m. Open to the public.

Dec. 14: All About Gardening, 9 – 10:30 am. at Warner Park Nature Center. Learn when and how to grow an organic garden from naturalist Deb Beazley. Class is limited to 15 adults; call to register, 352-6299.

Jan. 6: The Nashville African Violet Club meets at the Green Hill meets at the Green Hill Women’s Center, 10905 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet. For more information, contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com or 615-364-8459.

Slugs feel at home in the hostas

QUESTION: I have hostas in my yard that were beautiful all summer, but they are now riddled with holes. What could have happened to them?

The broad leaves of hostas lure slugs to the shade, where they also find a tasty meal.

When you find holes in your hostas, the problem most likely is snails and slugs say the experts at U.T. Extension. Hostas are shade plants, and slugs and snails are right at home in a shady, moist environment. The large, wide leaves create a shady spot, so they stay in that cozy spot all day and come out at night, climbing up on the leaves to dine.

If you want to see how active they are, try this: place a small board, about six inches wide, beside the hostas where you’ve noticed damage. In the morning, turn the board over and see how many have collected on the underside (and dispose of them as you wish). A gardening friend told me recently that she had set out an old tuna can filled with beer beside the hostas in her garden. The next morning, the can was full of slugs, and she dumped the whole thing into the trash.

The American Hosta Society suggests several solutions for protecting plants from slug dining damage, one of which is to provide something else to eat that might be just as tasty, such as lettuce. A different strategy focuses on placing a barrier around vulnerable plants. Strips of copper on the ground can be effective because slugs don’t like to cross it. Maybe that’s a way to use all those pennies that collect around the house. Table salt sprinkled around the plants also may keep them away, but you probably don’t want to add all that salt to the soil. My friend who lured slugs into a tuna can also said she has tried sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the hostas as a barrier they won’t cross.

The American Hosta Society mentions a couple of poison baits, but also suggests that a 10% solution of vinegar, sprayed on the slugs, stops them in their tracks – but you have to be out there with the spray when they are out, which is usually at night. And finally, a trap: place two boards together with a small stick between them, where the slugs can crawl in and hide in the cool shade. Then, when the slugs are between the boards, remove the stick and stomp. Ewww.

October in the garden: Early-fall tasks in the October Garden Calendar in The Tennessean.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

Oct. 4 – 5: Tennessee Urban Forestry Conference spotlights “Urban Forestry for Healthy Living” at Ellington Agricultural Center. Landscape designer Tara Armistead leads a tour and workshop on Oct. 4 and delivers the keynote address on Oct. 5. Open to the public; details at http://tufc.com/conference_2012.html

October 6-7: The Tenarky District Convention and Rose Show is at BelmontUniversity. Events open to the public on Oct. 6 include the rose show, 1 – 5 p.m., and a lecture on rose growing basics by Ron Daniels at 2 p.m. On Aug. 7, the rose show is open 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Cecil Ward lectures on “Loving and Growing Roses in Tennessee” at 2:30 p.m. Here to learn more.

Oct. 16: Perennial Plant Society’s monthly meeting at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall begins with refreshments and plant swap at 6:30 p.m.; program at 7 p.m. Speaker is landscaper Tina Ramsey on the topic, “Winter Gardening.” Open to the public.

Oct. 19: All About Trees at Warner Park Nature Center. Enjoy a walk in the park while you learn the different species of trees from expert Deb Beazley. 9 – 11 a.m. Call to register (adults only), 352-6299. www.nashville.gov/parks/nature/wpnc

Oct. 27: Pumpkin carving at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center’s Back Porch Picking Party, 1 – 3 p.m. Bring a pumpkin, bring a string instrument, or just plan to relax and enjoy nature while listening to music. Registration required; call 862-8539 or email shelbybottomsnature@nashville.gov. www.nashville.gov/parks/nature/sbnc

Bring bay indoors

I bought a bay laurel seedling this past spring that was about six inches tall and set it out in a pot in the herb garden because I heard you may have to bring it indoors in the winter. It’s now about a foot tall. Could it survive outdoors? How do you harvest and use the leaves?

Bay laurel, or sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) is generally considered hardy to Zone 8 (well to the south of us here in Middle Tennessee), so it will need to come indoors before it gets too cold.

Place the plant where it gets as much sun as you can give it, in a south or west-facing window, if possible, and don’t let it get too dry (keep the soil evenly moist but not overly wet, the experts at the Herb Society of America suggest). It may also appreciate occasional misting if the air in your house is very dry. Take it back outdoors when the weather is consistently above freezing in the spring.

Bay leaves can be used dried or fresh; they’re usually added to long-cooking soups and stews. Snip them from the plant and use them as needed, or dry them to save for later. Use them whole (crumbled leaves have very sharp edges, which could be an unpleasant surprise to diners), and be sure to remove them before you serve. A bay leaf is a key ingredient in a bouquet garni (tied in a bundle along with thyme, parsley and other herbs), which would be added to a dish while it’s cooking and removed before serving.

By the way, there have been reports of bay laurel surviving the winter in colder climates, provided it is in a protected area. But to be on the safe side, find a sunny spot for it indoors.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

Sept. 18:  Perennial Plant Society’s monthly meeting at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall begins with refreshments at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m. Speaker is Terry White.

Sept. 22 & 23: Many rare and unusual houseplants will be available at the Tennessee Gesneriad Society’s annual Flower Show and plant sale, which will be held at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. The event is open to the public 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sunday. To learn more contact Julie Mavity-Hudson at Julie.mavity@gmail.com.

Sept. 27: Middle Tennessee Hosta Society meets at 6:30 p.m. at Cheekwood. Speaker is Susan Webb of Hurricane Valley Ornamentals in Gurley, Ala. Topic is “Growing Miniature Hostas in Hypertufa Containers.”

Sept. 29: Herb Society of Nashville’s Herb Day at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall: “Cooking & Gardening with Native Plants.” 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; admission is $40 plus Cheekwood gate fee. To register: www.herbsocietynashville.org.

October 6: The Nashville Rose Society and Chattanooga Tri-State Rose Society host the annual Tenarky District Fall Convention and Rose Show Oct. 5 – 7. Events open to the public on Oct. 6 include Rose Garden Tours, 9 – 11 a.m.; a rose show, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; and a public seminar: Basics of Growing Roses,” 2:30 p.m. Learn more here.

Oct. 16: Perennial Plant Society’s monthly meeting at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall begins with refreshments and plant swap at 6:30 p.m.; program at 7 p.m. Speaker is landscaper Tina Ramsey  on the topic, “Winter Gardening.” Open to the public.

Grow the best blueberry bushes

QUESTION: I have had blueberry bushes for 2 years and they still look awful. I’ve been told to put coffee grounds around them but they don’t grow or produce fruit.  We have them in a bed with some calla lilies which are doing very well. The plants were healthy plants from the co-op.  I have a friend in Clarksville that has lush bushes with lots of fruit.  I asked if they did anything special and she said “no”.  Any tips to help us would be appreciated. — Karen in Donelson

Blueberries need sun, water and the proper soil pH to produce a good crop.

Blueberries are pretty finicky about what they need to grow well and produce, so I’ll let you know what those needs are, and you can decide if they’re getting what they require.

Do you know what the variety of your plants? Different types are adapted for different regions, and in Middle Tennessee, the varieties called rabbiteye and southern highbush blueberries are the most reliable choices.

Furthermore, they are not always self-fertile, which means you need more than one variety for cross-pollination to take place (and the insects buzzing around to pollinate them at the right time).

Now, the soil. Blueberries require acid soil, with a pH level of 4.5 to 5.6, so if you don’t have that information, have the soil tested. Coffee grounds are acidic, and that’s why the addition of coffee grounds may have been suggested. The fact that the calla lilies are doing well suggests that the pH might be part of the problem; they grow better in soil that is more alkaline. Blueberries also require soil that is well-drained, so make sure they’re planted in a place that doesn’t stay wet.

They need full sun, and they don’t like to compete with grass and weeds, so mulch around them with shredded bark or compost to keep weeds under control. They also suffer during times of drought because of their shallow roots, so make sure they get sufficient water (about once a week in dry weather, suggests garden expert Felder Rushing in his book, Guide to Tennessee Vegetable Gardening).

Blueberry bushes benefit from the same type of fertilizer as azaleas (which also need acid soil to grow well). Apply fertilizer, following label directions, in the spring.

Your friend who has lush bushes and lots of fruit may not be doing anything special, but it sounds like her plants are the right type for the area, in soil they like, and are getting plenty of sun and enough water. With a little more care and attention, yours may also re-gain their health.

Events

Aug. 4 (and every Saturday this month): Guided garden tours at Cheekwood, 11 a.m. – noon.Tours are free with Cheekwood admission, and no reservation is required. Garden Tours meet at Botanic Hall.

Aug. 5: The Nashville African Violet Club will meet at 1:45 at the Green Hill Women’s Center, 10905 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet. To learn more, contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com

Aug. 11: Celebrate the tomato at the annual Tomato Art Fest in East Nashville’s Five Points area, hosted by Art and Invention Gallery. Events include a Tomato 5K, a Fun Run, costumes, parades, games, art, entertainment, contests, competitions and more family fun. Look here to learn more.

Aug. 12: The Tennessee Gesneriad Society will meet at Cheekwood at the Frist Learning Center at 2 p.m. The program will be a pollinaton/hybridization workshop. For more info contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com (or 615-364-8459).

Aug. 16: Lunch and Lecture: New & Unique Plants for your Garden, noon – 1 p.m. at Cheekwood. Learn how to add color throughout the season and other helpful tips from Cheekwood’s garden staff. $15 for members, $25 for non-members (includes lunch). Call 615-353-9827 to register.

Aug. 21: Two meetings at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall:

- The Perennial Plant Society meets at 6:30, beginning with refreshments and plant swap. Program begins at 7 p.m., and the speaker is Audubon naturalist Sherra Owens, presenting “Gardenening On The Wild Side With Nature’s Most Important Plant.”

- The Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee meets at 7 p.m. Michael Wenzel of the AtlanticBotanical Garden will speak on Phalaenopsis species. Both meetings are open to the public.

Aug. 23: The Middle Tennessee Hosta Society meets at Cheekwood, 6:30 p.m., in the Potter Room. Guest speaker is landscape designer, photographer and writer Troy Marden; his topic: In a Southern Garden: Lessons from 20 Years of Gardening in the South.” To learn more about MTHS, visit http://www.mths-hosta.com.

The squash and the bees

I planted squash plants among my flowers. They look great and are blooming, but they’re not setting any squash. The blossom falls off before the squash begins to grow. Any help?

Squash grows after it has been pollinated by insects or by hand.

When squash plants bloom without producing squash, it probably means they need help with pollination. Squash plants produce male flowers at first, followed by female flowers a few days later. (You can tell the difference this way: male flowers have a single stamen in the center; female flowers have a four-part pistil, and appear swollen just beneath the blossom.)

According to information at GardenGuides.com, if the female flowers drop off without growing a squash, it means that it didn’t get pollinated by the bees or other pollinators that visit the garden.

Squash flowers are big, so if the bees aren’t doing an adequate job, you can do it yourself.  Use a cotton swab or a small, soft brush to gather the pollen from inside the male flower, and transfer it to the female flower. Or pick a male flower, remove the petals and swirl it around inside the female flower. (Look here for pictures of how this is done). With luck, a squash is born!

Hot news! The August Garden Calendar in Saturday’s Tennessean and at Tennessean.com.

Events

Aug. 4 (and every Saturday this month): Guided garden tours at Cheekwood, 11 a.m. – noon.Tours are free with Cheekwood admission, and no reservation is required. Garden Tours meet at Botanic Hall.

Aug. 5: The Nashville African Violet Club will meet at 1:45 at the Green Hill Women’s Center, 10905 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet. To learn more, contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com

Aug. 11: Celebrate the tomato at the annual Tomato Art Fest in East Nashville’s Five Points area, hosted by Art and Invention Gallery. Events include a Tomato 5K, a Fun Run, costumes, parades, games, art, entertainment, contests, competitions and more family fun. Look here to learn more.

Aug. 12: The Tennessee Gesneriad Society will meet at Cheekwood at the Frist Learning Center at 2 p.m. The program will be a pollinaton/hybridization workshop. For more info contact Julie at Julie.mavity@gmail.com (or 615-364-8459).

Aug. 16: Lunch and Lecture: New & Unique Plants for your Garden, noon – 1 p.m. at Cheekwood. Learn how to add color throughout the season and other helpful tips from Cheekwood’s garden staff. $15 for members, $25 for non-members (includes lunch). Call 615-353-9827 to register.

Aug. 21: Two meetings at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall:

- The Perennial Plant Society meets at 6:30, beginning with refreshments and plant swap. Program begins at 7 p.m., and the speaker is Audubon naturalist Sherra Owens, presenting “Gardenening On The Wild Side With Nature’s Most Important Plant.”

- The Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee meets at 7 p.m. Michael Wenzel of the AtlanticBotanical Garden will speak on Phalaenopsis species.

Both meetings are open to the public.

Aug. 23: The Middle Tennessee Hosta Society meets at Cheekwood, 6:30 p.m., in the Potter Room. Guest speaker is landscape designer, photographer and writer Troy Marden; his topic: In a Southern Garden: Lessons from 20 Years of Gardening in the South.” To learn more about MTHS, visit http://www.mths-hosta.com.

Spider mites like it hot. Watch your roses

QUESTION: What could be stripping the leaves off the branches of my roses? I spray with a product that is supposed to protect roses from insects and diseases, but it hasn’t helped.

Keep an eye on roses when it’s hot and dry. Spider mites can turn a lovely rosebush into an ugly mess.

This time of year, with this kind of weather, suspect spider mites, which thrive when the weather is hot and dry, say rosarians at the Nashville Rose Society. The tiny creatures get on the undersides of leaves and feed on the plant’s juices. The damaged leaves look speckled, turn yellow and fall off.

Spider mites are not insects; they are more closely related to spiders, so insecticides won’t have any effect. You can use a miticide, but it can be expensive. The best and cheapest way to control them is with a blast of water directed at the undersides of the leaves, rosarians say. If you do this every three days for a week or so, you break the mites’ gestation cycle.

Here’s a little more information about the tiny arachnids: Adult mites are less than 1/50 inch long. They use their mouthparts to pierce individual plant cells and remove the liquid. They produce webs that can coat the foliage with a fine silk that collects dust, making the leaves look dirty.

You can’t see them, but you can certainly see the damage. Heavily infested plants will be discolored, and if they are not controlled, the rose can be stunted, or even killed.

Record heat is trouble for trees

Meteorologist Bobby Boyd sends me email from time to time about extreme weather conditions. The latest concerns the large dome of high pressure building eastward out of the plains and across the Tennessee Valley that has put Middle Tennessee, as he says, “in the pressure cooker.” We’re breaking records this weekend. No rain in sight, and gardens are suffering.

Young trees and shrubs are especially vulnerable. The Nashville Tree Foundation has sent an alert with watering guidelines and new tips that you can read here to help trees survive.

Keep these tips handy. It’s still only June, and we’ve got a long way to go.

Coming up in July

July 14:  Middle Tennessee Iris Society rhizome sale, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Ellington Agricultural Center. All types of irises available in a variety of colors, priced from $1 – $6. A great chance to add to your collection! To learn more: For additional information see our web site www.middletnirisociety.org.

July 17: Middle Tennessee Orchid Society meets at 7 p.m at Cheekwood. On the agenda: an orchid auction and discussion on Cattleya Orchids. To learn more, visit www.tnorchid.com.

July 17: Perennial Plant Society meets at Cheekwood in Botanic Hall. Refreshments and plant swap at6:30; meeting and program at 7. Guest is Kelly Norris, horticulturist, plant breeder and manager of Rainbow Iris Farm inBedford,Iowa will present “The Modern Plant Explorer.” The meeting is open to the public.

July 26: Farmer Jason performs at Family Night Out at Cheekwood, 6:30 p.m. The event is free with regular Cheekwood admission. www.cheekwood.org.

July garden calendar

Does this heat make you wish for a shade garden? Find tips on plants that have it made in the shade, plus things to keep you busy in the garden in July, in Saturday’s Landscape & Garden calendar in The Tennessean.

Yarrow: too much of a good thing?

QUESTION: I’ve heard that yarrow is a great drought-resistant perennial, but don’t know anything about growing it. Is this a good time of year to plant it? Is it planted from seeds, or is it better to buy transplants?

It’s true. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a tough and persistent perennial plant that tolerates drought. In fact, it needs well-drained soil to grow well, and if it stays too wet (if it’s planted in heavy clay, for instance) it can rot. Yarrow has fragrant, fern-like leaves and large clusters of tiny flowers. In full sun it grows 2 to 3 feet tall; it will bloom if it’s planted in light shade, but it won’t be as showy. Pests usually leave it alone, and it’s not affected by diseases.

Back to it being a tough and persistent plant: More than one source I checked calls yarrow “invasive.” “Most yarrows spread aggressively into every nook and cranny possible, to the point where one begins to wonder if a mistake has been made in choosing the plant to begin with,” says Felder Rushing in his book, Tough Plants for Southern Gardens.

For that reason, those in the know don’t recommend it for direct-sowing into the garden. Plant transplants, and let the seed-sowing take care of itself later. Better still, cut back the flowers before they go to seed. It will still spread, because yarrow produces lots of creeping rootstock while it’s growing. When you have a big patch of yarrow and decide it’s time to share, divide it by digging up a clump and passing it along or replanting it in another location.

Other names, by the way, include millefoil, woundwort, carpenter’s weed, devil’s nettle and nosebleed, after the old wives’ tale that if a young girl tickles her nose with yarrow and it starts to bleed, it proves her lover has been faithful.

The June Garden Calendar is in Saturday’s Tennessean: Find it here.

Picture perfect

Photographer and author Matthew Benson is passionate about gardens, and equally passionate about photographing them. His new book, The PhotoGraphic Garden (Mastering the Art of Digital Garden Photography) focuses on the two fundamentals, photo (light) and graph (form). It’s a how-to book, with suggested “assignments” to put lessons into practice, but also a book full of beautiful garden photography that makes you want to sharpen your own photographic skills.

I talked with Matthew by phone a couple of weeks ago. Here’s what he had to say:

From the Garden Bench: What’s the most important thing to think about when you’re photographing a garden?

Matthew Benson: It all begins with light. My advice to anyone thinking about photographing is to really be disciplined about shooting in the right light. Early in the morning is best. Later in the day the light is also nice, but the plants are not as nice. The interesting thing about that early time of day is to witness a quality of light that most people don’t usually see, and certainly not in the garden. Colors are most radiant. That beautiful morning light streaking through a garden and waking things up is just beautiful.

GB: What are the best ways to “use” that light in the garden?

MB: Backlight everything – shoot into the sun, not with the sun on your shoulder behind you. And think about using it in different ways. Follow the light through the garden. Allow the light to direct you through the garden as you photograph. Use a scrim to filter light. Bounce light into things using reflectors, to get a certain quality.

Try to resist shooting in bad light. There is no Photoshop tool to mimic the quality of light.

GB: What about the “graphic” part of taking photographs?

MB: The graphic part is the marvel of some of the plant forms, not only their colors but their shape. Learn how to really “see” botanical form. A big part of it is learning how to see like a camera. Don’t come into the garden and stand there and point your camera and shoot away. Seeing like a camera means understanding that the camera sees the world more interesting. It allows you to edit out things, adjust exposure, to drop focus. You are using the tool to create something original and intriguing for the mind. And it makes us look at the garden differently. When we see something we don’t see all the time, we look at it more.

GB: What recommendations do you have when it comes to choosing a camera?

MB: That’s the technical side of the book. Learn your camera, understand how to use it. Having a good macro lens is important. The camera sensor is more important than megapixels. The bigger the senor, the better the quality of the image. Newer cameras are really focusing on image quality. Also consider the speed of the lens. A camera with 1.4 lens speed, when you’re shooting in the garden, means you can shoot in very low light without a tripod. A fast lens is important. 2.8 is as high as I would go. Lenses that are 2 and under are great. But really, the best camera to have is the one you have with you.

Matthew is a contributing editor to Organic Gardening magazine. The PhotoGraphic Garden is published by Rodale, $24.99.

 

Boxwood pruning, and May fairs, sales & tours

If boxwoods need trimming, try to get the job done in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.

QUESTION: Our boxwoods have a few limbs at the bottom that have lost their leaves and appear dead. Is it safe to trim boxwoods at this time of year?

If the limbs are dead, cut them off. No matter what time of year it is, dead limbs serve no useful purpose. If the rest of the shrub seems healthy, those lower limbs may have died because they haven’t received enough sun, or from mower damage. “But boxwoods are pretty good about repairing themselves,” says Randall Lantz, a horticulturist who has a lot of experience with these popular landscape shrubs.

The ideal time to trim boxwood is late winter or early spring, before new growth begins. It’s not a good idea to trim late in the summer. New growth that may follow the trim will not have a chance to harden before winter, and tender new leaves could be killed. Pruning out dead limbs now shouldn’t be a problem, thought. “They’re very forgiving shrubs,” Lantz says.

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Garden events

Take a break from digging to enjoy these garden-related events this month:

May 12

* First Unitarian Universalist Churchof Nashville’s Herb & Craft Fair. Shop for herb seedlings, heirloom tomatoes, native wildflowers, handmade aprons, sachets, soaps and totes, pressed flower cards, homemade breads, spice mixes, vinegars and more. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.1808 Woodmont Blvd. www.firstuunashville.org.

* Robertson County Master Gardeners plant sale. Locally grown perennials, herbs, annuals, shrubs and small trees, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.at the UT Extension Office pavilion on the square inSpringfield.

* The Middle Tennessee Hosta Society sale. More than 200 varieties of hostas for sale at the parking lot of Maryland Farms YMCA in Brentwood, 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.For a list of plants, visit www.mths-hosta.com.

May 19

* Gardening A to Z, a gardening workshop presented by the Davidson County Master Gardeners. The day includes four gardening lectures (including Jeff Poppen, the Barefoot Gardener), question-and-answer booth, plant sale, and Jr. Master Gardener White Elephant Sale, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.at the DCMG Demonstration Garden at Ellington Agricultural Center. Admission is free; lectures are $2 each or all four for $5. Information: http://dcmggardeningatoz.weebly.com.

*The Mid-South Chapter of the Lupus Foundation’s Down the Garden Path garden tour and plant sale May 19 and 20. Visit nine gardens in Belle Meade, Green Hills and Franklin. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday, noon– 6 p.m.Sunday. Tickets are $20 prior to the event, $25 on tour days, and proceeds benefit the Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South chapter. www.lupusmidsouth.org.

Looking ahead

Plan a road trip on June 9 to Rugby, Tenn., for an all-day event at Historic Rugby Cumberland   Plateau Gardens. The day begins at 9 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) with “Rugby Landscape Gardening From 1880 to 2012” by Rick Murphy, followed by “Garden Design Sun to Shade” a workshop by Bob Washburn of Wolf River Valley Growers. Lunch, garden tours and a British Cream Tea round out the schedule. The cost is $40, and advance reservations are required. Proceeds benefit Historic Rugby. Information, 888-214-3400.

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It was a roller-coaster spring, weather-wise. But now it’s suddenly summer, and time for serious gardening. Check out the May Landscape & Garden Calendar in today’s Tennessean and at Tennessean.com here and here.