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.”

Plant your Easter lily

QUESTION: Can I plant my potted Easter lilies outside? When? What is a good location?
Yes, you can plant Lilium longiforum (the botanical name for the Easter lily) outdoors for it to bloom again next year – and the next and the next. You shouldn’t put it in the ground until after the chance of frost has passed, but care of the bulb should begin while you still have it in the house.
Indoors, keep the plant in bright, indirect light and away from cold drafts and heat sources. Water it when the soil feels dry, but don’t overwater. The blooms will last longer if you remove the yellow anthers – the pollen pods – in the center of each flower. Remove the blooms as they wither.
When it’s time to plant, cut off any old flowers that remain but leave the stem and leaves. Select a sunny location with good drainage, plant the bulb (stem and leaves attached) at the same depth it grew in the pot and water it well. The stem and leaves will die back in the fall, and at that time you can cut it at soil level and cover with mulch. It should come back next year, so remove the mulch when it begins to grow next spring.
Remember, too, that the lilies available at Easter were forced into bloom at that time; the lily’s normal bloom time is not until summer, so don’t expect your lily in the garden to bloom before then.
By the way, some experts recommend not planting Lilium longiforum in the same bed with other lilies, as Easter lilies may be susceptible to a variety of diseases that may be transmitted to other varieties.
This lily, with it’s large trumpet-shaped flowers, is also known as Bermuda lily. The cultivar most commonly grown for markets in the U.S. is ‘Nellie White,’ named for a lily grower’s wife.
Spring is here, in full force!
Find a month-full of garden events, tasks and tips in the April Landscape & Garden Calendar in today’s Tennessean and at Tennessean.com.
Garden events in Middle Tennessee
April 6: Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee plant sale 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena Building. Hundreds of varieties of perennials, natives, grasses, vines, groundcovers, small shrubs and more. http://www.ppsmt.org.
April 12 – 14: Trails & Trilliums, guided hikes, wildflower walks, native plant sales, speakers, workshops and children’s events held at the historic Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Grounds in Monteagle, Tenn. and sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park. Keynote address by David Haskell, author of the award-winning book The Forest Unseen, April 13 during the Wine & Wildflowers event. General admission is $10, and a $20 donation provides entry to all hikes and workshops and the Gardens Gone Wild event. For a complete schedule, visit trailsandtrilliums.org.
April 13: Spring Beauty at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center: Learn to use flowers, garden herbs and other natural ingredients to make facials and other treatments for skin and hair. 2 – 3 p.m., for ages 13 and older. Call (862-8539) or email (shelbybottomsnature@nashville.gov) to register.
April 13: Williamson County Master Gardeners’ Bloom N Garden: One-day plant sale at Carnton Plantation in Franklin. Annuals, herbs, daylilies, trees, shrubs will be available, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Free admission; nominal fee for a guided tour of the garden at Carnton. Learn more at http://www.wcmga.net.
April 16: Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee meets at Cheekwood. Refreshments at 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m. Speaker is Barbara Wise, author of Container Gardening For All Seasons, on “Planting Beautiful Containers and More.” The meeting is open to the public. http://www.ppsmt.org.
April 16: Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee meets at 7 p.m. at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. Speaker is Barry Jones, topic is “Compact to Miniature Orchids.” Learn more about the Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee at http://www.tnorchid.com.
April 20: Herb Society of Nashville Herb Sale: Herb favorites and hard-to-find varieties of annual and perennial herbs and plants for companion planting. New this year: a square-foot gardening display and handmade pottery markers by Roy Overcast. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Tennessee State Fairground Sports Arena Building. Free admission; $5 parking fee at the Fairgrounds. To learn more: http://www.herbsocietynashville.org.
April 20 – 21: The Skillery Grow Down: A weekend of gardening classes and workshops presented in partnership with Hands On Nashville’s Urban Agriculture Program. Events are held at HON’s Urban Farm in South Nashville and at various locations throughout Nashville. For a complete schedule, registration and fee details, visit http://www.TheSkillery.com.
April 27: First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville Herb & Craft Fair: Herb plants, native and heirloom tomato plants; handmade soaps, pressed-flower cards, garden calendars, jewelry; homemade sweet and yeast breads, spice mixes, gourmet vinegars, mustards, chutneys, jams, jellies and more. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville, 1808 Woodmont Blvd. http://www.firstuunashville.org/herbfair for more details.s
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.

Cut winter-brown monkey grass before spring

QUESTION: The monkey grass that borders some of our beds has turned brown. If we cut it down, will it come back next spring?

One reason monkey grass is so popular in landscapes is because it’s tough. It begins to turn brown around the tips and edges this time of year and can look pretty bad by the end of winter, but it sprouts new growth in the spring.

You can mow the plants down, or clip them close to the ground. Best to do it in winter before new growth begins. If you wait too late to mow, you may clip off the tips of the new leaves. In a warm climate, you may begin seeing new growth as early as late February or early March.

Monkey grass (Liriope muscari is the botanical name; it’s also known as lily turf) can be divided in early spring. Dig it up and pull the roots apart, or cut through the clumps of roots with a sharp spade.

Something new for the library

One of the books I’ve consistently used as a reference for more than ten years is the Tennessee & Kentucky Gardener’s Guide by garden writer Judy Lowe. This fall, Cool Springs Press published a new version of the book with updated photos and more features. The subtitle is “The Best Plants for a Tennessee or KentuckyGarden,” and recommendations are based on the 2012 version of the USDA Hardiness Zone map (she says she could not have imagined recommending gardenias outdoors in our zones a few years ago, for example, but now, here they are!)

The plant-by-plant format covers annuals, bulbs, groundcovers and vines, lawngrass perennials, shrubs, trees and water gardens and still gives the when-where-how to plant information, growing tips and care, and how to use plants in the landscape. There’s also information on pruning, planting, pests and diseases, weeds, making compost, starting seeds and other gardening basics.

Keep it in mind if you’re still shopping for the gardeners on your list.

Give mums a trim now … or later

Question: In your opinion should chrysanthemums be cut back in the late fall or spring?

Different sources say different things about what to do with mums after they are browned by frost. One source advises to cut them back in the spring; another says to cut them back to about 8 inches after they finish blooming in the fall.

In my experience, either way seems to work. I usually leave them until spring in my garden beds, which tend to be informal (some might call them “messy”), and often the new leaves start to come up from the roots very early — as early as February, if we have a mild winter. At that time, I cut back all the dead stems and divide and move clumps where necessary, and they grow happily and vigorously through the spring and summer. I cut them back a couple of times during the summer to delay flowering, and they start to bloom in the fall.

If you prefer a tidier look throughout the winter, cut off the blooms after they turn brown. They will rest during winter and be ready to pop up again early next spring.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

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.

Jan. 15: Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee meets at Cheekwood with a program on Paphiopedilums. Refreshments at 6:30, and the program begins at 7 p.m. There is no admission, and the meeting is open to the public.

Feb. 20: Orchid Society of Middle Tennessee meets at CheekwoodBotanical Garden. The program is on Phalaenopsis orchids. Refreshments at 6:30, and the program begins at 7 p.m. There is no admission, and the meeting is open to the public. No admission to Cheekwood and the meeting is open to the public.

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

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.

 

Garden seeds: How old is too old?

QUESTION: How long do seeds last? If a seed packet says “purchase by 12/11,” would the seeds still be good for this year?  I’m looking at sunflowers, green beans, and other summer vegetables.

Packed for 2011. Still good? Probably, if they’ve been kept dry and cool.

It’s probably a common experience among gardeners to find packets of last year’s seeds – or seeds from two or more years ago (opened or unopened) stashed in a forgotten corner. They look too good to throw away, but is it worth wasting time and space in the garden to plant them if they may not germinate?

The good news is that many seeds last beyond the “sell-by” or “packaged for” date that’s printed on the packet, especially if they’ve been kept in favorable conditions – dry and reasonably cool. Seeds of parsnips, onions and leeks are among those that will only be good for a year, but seeds of most of the common garden vegetables can last two, three, or some, even five years. Here’s a short list from vegetable researchers atOregonStateUniversity:

Two years: sweet corn, lettuce, parsley, peppers, chard.

Three years: Bush and pole beans, carrots, cucumbers, melons, peas, squashes, tomatoes.

Four years: radishes, turnips.

Seeds of annual flowers are generally good for 1 – 3 years, the researchers say; seeds of perennials can last 2 – 4 years.

You can test the viability of a packet of seeds by placing a few in a moist paper towel in a warm room for a few days to see if they germinate. Seed Savers Exchange provides detailed instructions here.

If you have seeds left at the end of the season, the best way to store them is in a sealed jar with something to absorb moisture (rice or powdered milk are two suggestions). Store the jar in the refrigerator or a cool area in the house, such as a basement.

Garden events

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.

Coming in June

Seeds of Hope self-guided garden tour, June 2. Six gardens in Belle Meade, Green Hills and Oak Hill, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tickets $25; proceeds benefit Monroe Harding programs for children. www.monroeharding.org.

The Nashville African Violet Club meets June 3 at 1:45 at the Green Hill Women’s Center, 10905 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet. E-mail Julie.mavity@gmail.com to learn more.

Gardens in Rugby, Tenn. will be open to visitors on June 9.

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.

The Tennessee Gesneriad Society meets June 10 in Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall at2 p.m. Program is a Mini Show. Contact Julie at 615-364-8459 to learn more.

Perennial Plant Society monthly meeting at Cheekwood, June 19,7 p.m. in Botanic Hall. June meeting is potluck dinner and photos of members’ gardens.

Mulching trees; and a stack of new books

QUESTION: How should mulch be put around trees — piled high or spread even with the ground and good edging to keep water within?

Unfortunately, this is not the best way to mulch trees.

There are many good reasons to use mulch around trees in a landscape. It keeps the soil warmer in winter and cooler in summer; it helps the soil retain moisture; it helps control weeds, and improves soil fertility by adding organic matter. It keeps mowers and string trimmers at a safe distance from the tree trunk, plus, it looks nice.

There are a few “rules” for proper mulching, but none of them include piling mulch up high around the trunks of trees. In fact, it’s a bad idea. Here’s why:

Plants need oxygen in the soil, and mulch that is too thick – more than 4 inches – restricts the soil oxygen exchange, according to the UT Extension’s publication on mulching trees and shrubs. Roots will grow up to find more oxygen, instead of down and outward through the soil. Too much mulch also causes too much moisture in the root zone, making roots susceptible to rot, insects and diseases. Cracking in the bark creates an entry point for insects and fungal growth, and invites rodents to chew the bark and damage the trunk or even girdle the tree – destroying the bark all the way around, which is a quick cause of a tree’s demise.

Unfortunately, this so-called “volcano” mulching, with the mulch placed in a cone around and next to the trunk, is a common practice. Here’s the proper way to place mulch, according to UT Extension (and other good sources):

Apply mulch in a ring no more than 2 to 4 inches deep, at least 4 to 6 feet in diameter around the base of the tree. Place it so that it tapers out to the ground level at the edge of the ring. Do not pile the mulch around the trunk; pull it several inches away so that the base of the trunk is exposed and air moves freely.

Spring reading

There are several new gardening books out this spring. Here’s a roundup:

* I’m slowly making my way through Women and Their Gardens: A History from the Elizabethan Era to Today, by Catherine Horwood (published by Ball Publishing, an imprint of Chicago Review Press). Focusing on the fact of history that women have often been excluded from the serious study of plants, Horwood brings these women into their rightful place in the horticultural spotlight. At more than 400 pages, there is much to be discovered about these pioneering women. I have just learned, for instance, that in 1897, Beatrix Potter was snubbed in her attempt to present research on spore germination of a rare form of fungi. She went back to private research and to her other specialty, detailed watercolor illustrations. A hundred years later, the artist famous for her beautiful childrens’ book illustrations was honored by the Linnean Society with a distinguished lecture entitled “Beatrix Potter as Mycologist.” So there.

* You may remember Graham Kerr as a cookbook author, TV personality and chef who called himself The Galloping Gourmet. His new book is Growing At the Speed of Life: A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden (published by Perigee Trade Paperbacks). He acknowledges from the first page – from the cover, really – “As the Galloping Gourmet, I cooked just about everything that grows – but I’d never grown a thing I’d cooked.” He set out to change that, and the book outlines much of what he learned in that year, and what he expects to learn about growing food in the years ahead. It’s a charmingly personal account, and with a shout-out to “First Lady Michelle Obama putting spade to turf on the White House lawn.” His focus is on the basics, the favorite vegetables and most-used herbs, and with recipes, of course.

* Local gardener and garden blogger Barbara Wise, author of Container Gardening For All Seasons (published by Cool Springs Press) makes assembling gorgeous containers easy by providing, cookbook-style, “recipes” and shopping lists and assembly instructions for about 100 container combinations. (My thanks to Barbara, because I heard about the book just as I was compiling information on container planting for the “Grow a Green Thumb” class I’m leading right now for Lipscomb University’s Lifelong Learning series. What a great resource!)

* For the more ambitious gardeners who include fruit-growing in their garden and landscape plans, there is Grow Fruit Naturally: A Hands-On Guide to Luscious, Homegrown Fruit, by Lee Reich. In my semi-sunny garden, strawberries (apparently, to feed the rabbits) and blueberries (for the birds) are about as far as I’m willing to venture into fruit-growing territory, but if you’re serious about getting fruit from tree to table, this book is for you. It helps you plan, choose and maintain plants in the garden or in containers, and learn ways to control (or avoid) common pests and diseases without toxic sprays. I did just buy a ‘Meyer’ lemon shrub to add to our container collection of things that need to be pampered, so maybe this will help us keep it alive. The eye-candy photos make leafing through the book a pleasant distraction. It’s published by Taunton Press.

* Speaking of nice photos, Rodale Books has published The Photographic Garden: Mastering the Art of Digital Garden Photography, by Matthew Benson, a professional photographer and contributing editor to Organic Gardening magazine. Since part of the joy of gardening is taking pictures of what you grow and sharing them with other gardeners, it would be lovely to know how to do it beautifully. Read the book before the next time you take your camera out, and maybe your garden photos will jump to the next level right away.

* Finally, in the stack of new books: Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18^th Century Methods for Today’s Organic Gardeners by Wesley Green (also published by Rodale). Do you grow salsify? Have you ever heard of skirret? These may not be at the top of everyone’s list of favorite vegetables, but in the 18^th Century they were likely growing alongside the onions, garlic, melons, chives, sweet potatoes, beets, parsley and many other things that are familiar in our gardens, and they grow now at Colonial Williamsburg, one of the nation’s best historical preservation sites. The focus in this book is the traditional cultivation methods that are still good for today’s organic gardens. Green, the author, founded the Colonial Garden and Plant Nursery in the Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg and he and another gardener, Don McKelvey, study and interpret 18^th-Century plants, tools and techniques. This book is the beautiful record of that impressive work.

Events coming up

Garden author Barbara Wise (see above, with her new book Container Gardening For All Seasons) will be at Freeman Flowers in the Westhaven Town Center on April 26, 4 – 6 p.m. Barbara will show how to plant several container “recipes,” and will answer container-scaping questions. Light refreshments will be served.

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The Herb Society of Nashville’s annual plant sale is April 21 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. It’s 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., but get there early to browse through 15,000 herbs (including some of those hard-to-find varieties) and talk to the Answer Ladies and all the other herb fanciers who turn out for this annual event. Look for more info at the Society’s website, www.herbsocietynashville.org and Facebook page.

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Cheekwood is celebrating its gardens all through April with a series of Cheekwood in Bloom events.

The grand opening of the Howe Garden at Cheekwood (after a million-dollar renovation) will be April 21, with activities, live music, guided tours and refreshments,10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

In honor of national Arbor Day, April 28, there will be several drop-in activities and demonstrations. By the way, Cheekwood is now a certified Level IV arboretum, with more than 120 identified species of trees.

Every Sunday in April there will be guided greenhouse tours atnoon; guided museum tours at1 p.m.; and a drawing room concert series featuring Blair School of Music at 2 p.m.

Complete details on Cheekwood in Bloom are at Cheekwood’s web site.

* Coming in May: The Robertson County Master Gardeners annual plant sale is planned for May 12, 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. It will be held at the UT Extension office pavilion on the square in Springfield.

Iris time in Tennessee

QUESTION: When is the right time to divide irises?

Bearded irises can be divided after they finish blooming.

Bearded irises, the large, showy flowers that have fuzzy patches on the outer petals, are putting on a pretty nice show across the region right now, and they’ll continue to bloom for several weeks.

After they have finished blooming, the rhizomes can be thinned out and divided if needed. But if you don’t get to it right away, you can wait until later. Irises are resilient and can survive being moved as long as they are re-planted properly.

Garden expert Judy Lowe recommends this method in her book, Month by Month Gardening in Tennessee & Kentucky:

Cut the leaves into a 6-inch high fan shape, then lift the clump with a spading fork and gently wash the dirt from the tubers. Cut off any soft, mushy or damaged parts, then cut the rhizome into smaller pieces, each with an eye or bud, using a sharp knife.

Lowe recommends dipping each rhizome into a fungicide solution to reduce the chance of fungal problems; one part liquid bleach to nine parts water is one suggestion to use.

Replant the rhizome sections close to the soil surface and water them well. Rhizomes of bearded irises should be planted so that their tops are visible above the soil. Iris beds should not be mulched.

In general, you may need to think iris beds every three to five years.

What else can you do in the garden? Pull on your gardening gloves and check today’s Tennessean, where you’ll find information about upcoming garden events and the April Landscape & Gardening calendar.

News & Events

Nashville garden specialist Barbara Wise has a passion for pots – that is, planting and growing container gardens. She now has a new book out: Container Gardening For All Seasons.

“I wrote it for new gardeners and for those who like simple (easy) steps to follow that will help them succeed as gardeners,” she says.

The book features 101 container “recipes” that any novice gardener can follow – she tells what plants to buy, what size container to use, how to place the plants, and substitutions to consider if you can’t find (or don’t like) the suggested “ingredients.” But it’s also nice for experienced gardeners who are looking for new ideas. It’s published by Cool Springs Press; retails for $19.99 and you can order it through Parnassus Books and Amazon.

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Bloom ‘n’ Garden Expo is next weekend, April 13 – 15 at the Ag Expo Center in Franklin, Tenn. Plants, gardening products from hundreds of vendors, speakers and educational workshops are on the schedule throughout the weekend. Details, http://bloomngarden.com.

The Perennial Plant Society’s annual sale is coming back to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds April 14, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be thousands of perennials for sale for sun and shade, all from Tennessee growers, so they’re adapted to our growing conditions. Admission is free, but PPSMT notes that the Fairgrounds has a $5 parking fee. To learn more, visit the PPSMT’s website www.ppsmt.org.

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The Herb Society of Nashville’s annual plant sale is April 21 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. It’s 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., but get there early to browse through 15,000 herbs (including some of those hard-to-find varieties) and talk to the Answer Ladies and all the other herb fanciers who turn out for this annual event. Look for more info at the Society’s website, www.herbsocietynashville.org and Facebook page.

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Cheekwood is celebrating its gardens all through April with a series of Cheekwood in Bloom events.

The 20^th annual Spring Art Hop is today — April 7. More than 20,000 candy-filled eggs will be hidden throughout the gardens for egg hunts every half-hour. There will also be music, arts and crafts and live entertainment.

Ka-Bloom! on April 14 includes at family art activity and scavenger hunt,10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; flower arranging demonstration at 10:30 a.m.; guided tour of the Robertson Ellis Color Garden at 11 a.m. Howard Pink and his Musical Garden Hoses at noon; guided tour of the Carell Dogwood Garden at 1 p.m.; and container garden demonstration at 2 p.m.

The grand opening of the Howe Garden at Cheekwood (after a million-dollar renovation) will be April 21, with activities, live music, guided tours and refreshments,10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

In honor of national Arbor Day, April 28, there will be several drop-in activities and demonstrations. By the way, Cheekwood is now a certified Level IV arboretum, with more than 120 identified species of trees.

Every Sunday in April there will be guided greenhouse tours atnoon; guided museum tours at1 p.m.; and a drawing room concert series featuring Blair School of Music at 2 p.m.

Complete details on Cheekwood in Bloom are at Cheekwood’s web site.

Definitely not stars in your lawn

QUESTION: Every year, the small white flowers called star-of-Bethlehem pop up in our lawn. The flowers are cute, but they’re everywhere! It makes an ugly lawn. How can I get rid of it?

Star-of-Bethlehem: Get rid of it if you can.

This time of year, star-of-Bethlehem shoots up in lawns, on creek banks, in wild meadows. They are indeed everywhere – even in gardens, where unsuspecting gardeners may plant them because they are a pretty little wildflower. The bad news is that once they get a foothold in your lawn, they are tough to eradicate.

Star-of-Bethlehem is a cool-season perennial that grows from small bulbs. The foliage resembles wild garlic, and the small white flowers each have six petals. The bulbs multiply rapidly, and are spread easily. After it blooms, the plant dies down and remains dormant until next spring.

As you might expect, it’s considered an invasive exotic here. The plant is native to North Africa, parts of Eastern Europe and western Asia. UT’s Institute of Agriculture notes that it has become a weed problem on athletic fields and golf courses. Even more bad news: the flowers and bulbs of star-of-Bethlehem are poisonous.

You could try digging it up, but that would be a monstrous task because you need to get every little bulb. UT Extension has a list of control products (most of which are to be used only by professionals). There may be very little you can do except wait it out, and don’t spread them around. The USDA Forest Service is very clear about this: “Do not plant this species.”

EVENTS COMING UP

Big Old Tree: Tuesday April 3 is the deadline for entering this year’s Big Old Tree contest. Send in information about that big old tree in your yard, your neighbor’s yard, or anywhere in Nashville you see an awesome tree of any species. It (and you) could be awarded honors at the annual High Tree Party, which will be held April 27 – Arbor Day – at Sevier Park.

Entering is easy: Download an entry form from the Nashville Tree Foundation’s web site, or enter online. You can see past winners at the web site – a good idea to check it, to make sure the tree you enter hasn’t won in the past. There are also instructions on how to measure a big tree.

Whether you enter a tree or not, you are invited to enjoy the High Tree Party, where big tree winners will be announced, the Victor Johnson Award will be presented to the tree champion of the year, and you can enjoy tree-themed snacks.

Bloom ‘n’ Garden Expo is April 13 – 15 at the Ag Expo Center in Franklin, Tenn. Plants, gardening products from hundreds of vendors, speakers and educational workshops are on the schedule throughout the weekend. Details are at the web site.

The Perennial Plant Society’s annual sale is coming back to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds April 14, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be thousands of perennials for sale for sun and shade, all from Tennessee growers, so they’re adapted to our growing conditions. Admission is free, but PPSMT notes that the Fairgrounds has a $5 parking fee. To learn more, visit PPSMT’s web site.

The Herb Society of Nashville’s annual plant sale is April 21 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. It’s 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., but get there early to browse through 15,000 herbs (including some of those hard-to-find varieties) and talk to the Answer Ladies and all the other herb fanciers who turn out for this annual event. Look for more info at the Society’s website, www.herbsocietynashville.org and Facebook page.

Cheekwood is celebrating its gardens all through April with a series of Cheekwood in Bloom events.

The 20^th annual Spring Art Hop is April 7. More than 20,000 candy-filled eggs will be hidden throughout the gardens for egg hunts every half-hour. There will also be music, arts and crafts and live entertainment.

Ka-Bloom! on April 14 includes at family art activity and scavenger hunt,10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; flower arranging demonstration at10:30 a.m.; guided tour ofhte Robertson Ellis Color Garden at 11 a.m. Howard Pink and his Musical Garden Hoses at noon; guided tour of the Carell Dogwood Garden at 1 p.m.; and container garden demonstration at 2 p.m.

The grand opening of the Howe Garden at Cheekwood (after a million-dollar renovation) will be April 21, with activities, live music, guided tours and refreshments,10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

In honor of national Arbor Day, April 28, there will be several drop-in activities and demonstrations. By the way, Cheekwood is now a certified Level IV arboretum, with more than 120 identified species of trees.

Every Sunday in April there will be guided greenhouse tours atnoon; guided museum tours at1 p.m.; and a drawing room concert series featuring Blair School of Music at2 p.m.

Complete details on Cheekwood in Bloom are at Cheekwood’s web site.