GETTING READY FOR HUMMERS & OTHERS from the May 2015 Garden Path Newsletter

GARDENING FOR THE BIRDS & THE BEES PLUS BUTTERFLIES & ME

 By Edna Gaston, May 2105

It’s spring so now it’s time to plan for our summer feathered friends. One of my favorites is the hummingbird. In my yard they are especially fond of my hanging baskets and containers. Hanging baskets easily brighten any space and if they will attract birds then so much the better.
So here are a few suggestions.
1. FLOWERS – red is the color usually associated with hummers. This is a color that can be seen from a distance but mine also go to white, yellow and other pale colors. But select plants with tubular flowers. Also hummers seem to like floppy, open form plants that produce numerous flowers. I’ve

Spring 2019 Symposium coming soon.

Annual Gardening Symposium Scheduled for March 23

— Written By Paul McKenzie

The theme for the 2019 Vance County gardening symposium is “Gardening for a Sustainable Future.” This event, hosted by the Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Vance and Warren Counties, will take place at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.

Our presenters this year include Dr. Ashley Troth, Extension Agent in Durham County, Mark Weathington, Director of NC State University’s JC Raulston Arboretum, and Kit Flynn, Master Gardener volunteer emeritus and garden writer. Register by February 28 to receive the early bird registration rate of $30. Lunch and snacks are included in the registration cost.

Visit http://go.ncsu.edu/vancegarden for complete details. Questions may be directed to 252-438-8188 or paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

Late Winter In The Tyro's Corner

THE TYRO’S CORNER

By Eileen Novak

Previously published on Blogger.com.  Reprinted with permission of the author.

I enjoy the winter here in North Carolina.  Of course, much of that has to do with the fact that I grew up north of Buffalo, New York. I can remember when we would get Halloween costumes, and needing to be sure that it would fit over a snowsuit.

And the snow.  It is rumored that the Eskimos have many words for snow, referring to the texture, the weight, whether or not it’s good for igloos or just snowballs. In Buffalo, we have lots of words for it too, none of which are suitable to print in this publication.

Sizing Your Rain Garden

How to Build a Rain Garden  

Part 2  Planning My Rain Garden – Does Size Matter?

By Joy Smith

I am excited about the idea of building a rain garden to capture some of the runoff from our road, our driveway and our roof.  I am energized by what I am reading, but of course the labor part of the project doesn’t thrill me as much. I will recruit help for that.  I will use the Tom Sawyer method if possible. Remember how much fun fence painting is?

Right now I am thinking about where to locate my rain garden and figuring out how big it needs to be. To state the obvious, it needs to be between the source of our runoff and the lake. It needs to be located on our property because the Army Corp of Engineers does not look kindly on anything on their property, unless you have a permit.  

Spring Gardening Task List

SPRING CHECKLIST  of Things to do in the Garden  

By Mary Jane Bosworth

March, April and May are my favorite times in the garden.  Everything is new and fresh and I am still full of energy and determined to do better than the previous year.

March

• It's time to plant cool season vegetables, such as peas, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce,   spinach and root crops.  
• Vegetables and flowers that you want to plant outdoors next month may be started from seed indoors at this time.  These include tomatoes, eggplant and peppers as well as zinnias and cosmos.
• Before woody plants break dormancy, prune and apply dormant oil if needed.
• Prepare beds where vegetables will be grown when the soil is dry enough to crumble.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicides by the time dogwoods are in bloom.
• Deadhead spring flowering bulbs but leave the foliage until it is dry.
• After early flowering shrubs such as forsythia have blossomed, cut 1/3 of the oldest canes to the ground.

Amaryllis Annoyances

WHAT’S BUGGING ME?

Amaryllis Annoyances, by Juel Duke

The amaryllis is a plant that most everyone has had in their home, even if only for one bloom season.  They are popular gifts and dramatic decorations for the winter holidays. Most people know that the bulbs can be kept  and encouraged to bloom again. The bulbs can even be planted outside in most areas of Vance and Warren County, NC. Frankly, I’ve never been that brave, though I do keep them outside in the summer.

I have, over the years, kept bulbs from year to year with success though I don’t work at having them bloom for the holidays.  The bulb I bought a few years ago didn’t bloom last year despite having bloomed the previous two years.

That’s what bugs me about growing them. I just can’t seem to get it right.  

Tent Caterpillars Bugging You?

WHAT’S BUGGING YOU?  by Eileen Novak

It’s spring… no, it’s winter… no, it feels like summer… no, it’s almost spring… maybe.

Whatever the weather, you must know that the calendar says that spring is on its way.  So let’s learn about another of the pesky things in the garden and what you can and/or should do about them.

Tent Caterpillars.  Eastern tent caterpillars are somewhat hairy and black with gold, white and blue markings. They mostly like to invade wild cherry trees, but they will settle for apples and crabapples too.  They are easy to identify when they leave the tent that they spin for their protection in the crotch of trees. There is a white stripe down the back. The caterpillars grow up to almost 2 inches long.  When they are that long, you will find them crawling everywhere: up the screens and window, in the garage, just everywhere.