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The Garden Plot
Hosted by Adrienne Cook
Special to the Washington Post
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001; 11 a.m. EDT
Whether you remember her as the "Backyard Gardener" or know her as the "Gourmet Gardener," Post columnist Adrienne Cook is one of the area's authorities on organic horticulture. Cook was online to field questions, concerns and comments regarding gardening.
A self-proclaimed "practical gardener," Cook's love for horticulture stems from her roots, starting with a grandfather who bred day lilies and camellias. An organic gardener, Cook has been putting her heart and soul into the soil for 30 years. In her job as a Post columnist, Cook has been offering "real and simple solutions for basic problems" for the past 20 years. Practicing what she preaches, Cook balances her time between her numerous backyard projects, including a batch of perennials, fruit trees, a cut-flower garden and a burgeoning green house. Currently she is growing apples, cherries, apricots and various berries, but her favorites are the veggies: peas, tomatoes and herbs.
Over the years Cook has contributed her green-thumb knowledge to several publications, including Organic Gardening, Good Housekeeping, Southern Accents and Fine Gardening.
Home & Garden: The Washington Post Home staff will talk about ways to improve and decorate your home Oct. 25 on Home Front.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Arlington, Va.:
Submitting way early because I'll have to miss the chat. Can you tell me when to expect our first hard frost? My husband says we need to stop the daily watering of our new grass so it will develop a deeper root system before the first real frost. We planted it about a month ago and have cut it once. Now I'm worried that if a freeze comes early our grass will die over the winter. Should I be worried?
P.S. This is the first year I've ever taken an interest in lawn maintenance so this may be a dumb concern but the lawn reflects a LOT of work!
Adrienne Cook: The first hard frost hit out here and in much of N. VA already. I think the date was Oct. 1, which is way early. If your lawn is still growing well, which it should be (the hard frost won't kill a lawn), don't worry about the lawn dying from another hard frost. The normal date for the first frost is after Oct. 15; closer in, like in Arlington, you can often get away without a hard frost until mid-November. However, regardless of when it comes, it should not hurt your new lawn. The grass will go dormant and re-emerge next spring. Enjoy!
Annandale, Va.:
Submitting a bit early today. Question: when is a good time to plant tulips in our area? And should I go ahead and dig up last year's crop? I've heard tulips in most cases should practically be treated as annuals because they never come back to their first-year glory. Oh, and what if any tulips are known to naturalize well? Thanks for answering my barrage of tulip questions!
Adrienne Cook: Get your tulips in ASAP. All bulbs should be in by Thanksgiving since after that it's really difficult to get out into the garden and plant anything. Tulips actually can go in anytime before the end of the year, but all other bulbs really should be in by now (I have a few crocusses (crocii?) that I'm planting this weekend; don't tell anyone). It's almost impossible to dig up tulips now unless you know exactly where they are. You are right that tulips are often treated as annuals. Only a few species naturalize, pirmarily the short Kauffman types, in red and yellow. They are dazzling in the spring and uterly carefree, but a lot of people prefer the stately tall Darwinian tulips that come in so many colors; I can't blame them. If you have this type of tulip still in the ground form last year, leave them in for the time being; occasionally you get a second blooming, tho the flowers are much smaller the second year. If you decide to lift them in order to replace them next fall, do so in June after they have had a chance to bloom but before they shed their foliage and disappear undergound. One way to encourage even Darwin hybrids to rebloom is by planting tulips way deeper than recommended -- eight to 12 inches under the ground and then another couple of inches of mulch on top. Tulips planted thus almost always come back for at least a second season and sometimes a third before petering out. To preserve your tulip bulbs form year to year, clip the stem off as soon as the tulip is finished blooming. Leave plants in place until foliage turns yellow; lifte them as soon as possible after this and lay them in the sun to dry. Remove all small bulblets from the main large bulb and discard. Preserve the single largest bulb in sawdust for the summer, storing in a cool place. Plant in September.
Laurel, Md.:
Hi. I have a hard time growing anything in my garden area at the front of my home. I realized that it could be that there's not enough sunlight. Actually, is shaded quite thoroughly. My question is: what is the best flower to plant in this area. I love a lot of color, and I would prefer not having to plant and replant at the end or beginning of the seasons. Any suggestions?
Adrienne Cook: There's shade and then there's shade. If your garden gets any sunlight at all, the choices widen right there. You also can get more filtered sunlight into your garden by limbing up trees to about 15 or 20 feet, removing all lower branches from tall trees to that height. That will not only permit sun to penetrate but allow a much greater degree of air circulation and also permit shrubs to stretch and grow beneath. Your choice for perennial color in a shady garden that gets some sunlight, especially if there is any afternoon sun, is surprisingly broad. Tulips are stunning under desiduous trees that have not yet leafed out (you didn't mention if this garden is mostly evergreen or not; I'm assuming not.) Other bulbs that do beautifully in this setting are narcissus, corcus, scilla (bluebells). Spring lfowers that look lovely in a woodland setting include Virginia bluebells, native phlox, forget-me-nots and primroses; shrubs include rhododendrons and azaleas as well as laurel, spirea and viburnum. For summer color, try hostas and angelica, irsises and daylilies, though these last should go in the sunniest spot; pop in impatiens between these. Yes, these are annulas, but they are so carefree and reliable that they deserve a place in the shade garden. Another one I love is coleus. Your biggest challenge is going to be providing water for these plants; shade is notoriously dry, espcecially under big trees that are at the top of the pecking order for water. You may want to consider installing an irrigation system before you begin planting; also mulch heavily around herbaceous plants. Please check out a book from the library on shade gardening to really familiarize yourself with the challenges -- and joys -- of this wonderful hobby.
Alexandria, Va.:
Good morning Adrienne,
I have a bulb question for you. About 3-4 weeks ago, I planted several varieties of bulbs, one of which were anemones (sp? they look like poppies). Well they seem to be sprouting greenery already -- parsley like leaves are coming through my mulch. I thought they were spring flowers, is there any hope for these flowers or should I just dig them up and plant something else?
Adrienne Cook: Yes, these are anenomes and they do look like poppies. Dont't worry a bit about them; they'll be fine. It's not uncommon for newly planted spring bulbs to sprout before winter; they'll retreat into the ground soon enough and re-emerge in the spring.
Annandale, Va.:
Good morning Adrienne,
I hope you can help me out. My question is about crickets. My kitchen is being expanded right now. So a lot of crickets got inside the house. Do you know what they eat? I'm afraid, they will get in my closet and chew on my clothes. What is the best way to get rid of them?
Also, does anything still bloom by Thanksgiving? If so, is it too late to plant them now? I have to entertain some guests at Thanksgiving time.
Thank you so much for your help.
Adrienne Cook: Crickets won't bother your clothes. I get visitors every fall and they play happy tunes by the warmth of the stove for weeks on end. If anyone has figured out how to keep them out the of the hosue, they haven't told me about it. I've never found them to be a pest, tho. Do you want indoor or outdoor blooms for Thanksgiving? For indoor blooms, pick up some paperwhite narcisus and start them now; they'll be at their peak Thanksgiving. For outdoors, try nandina, a shrub with the prettiest red berries and attractive fall color, or any of the gorgeous chrysanthtmeums that are around everywehre right now. Try to find some that are just starting to bloom and they should be doing fine at Thanksgiving.
Gaithersburg, Md.:
Hi! I'm a big fan of your chats & articles. I grew a variety of tomatoes this year, one of which was the Brandywine. It was indeed delicious, as I'd heard, however, it was a not much of a producer. Can you make a recommendation for next year, that will still have the great taste, but produce at a higher level? Thanks!
Adrienne Cook: Oh dear! You have my deepest sympathy for I too am a Brandywine fan and would choose this one over any other for eating fresh! I've come to the conclusion that I must simply plant many more Brandywines to satisfy my voracious family who literally fought over the tomatoes this summer. Try German Giant, aka Blegium Giant, which is a heavy producer and akin (though, frankly, not equal to) Brandywine. I alos love Ponderosa Pink and Pineapple, two very sweet tomatoes.
Falls Church, Va.:
OK, I am a novice gardener (VERY). I had this idea to plant a whole bunch of tulips in my backyard (small townhouse plot) so that they bloomed next spring, in time for my wedding, and I would save a bunch of $$ for flowers. Couple of questions: when do I plant them, and how do I prevent squirrels from eating the bulbs? By the way, I know I can't time the blooms exactly, but are there any ways of knowing when a particular type would bloom?
Adrienne Cook: A lovely idea! Be prepared to work, though. First, prepare the soil with lots of organic compost. Dig down deep, becuase tulips should be placed with the top of the bulb fully six inches below the soil line. Next, you'll have to scout out varieties and choose ones that bloom near your wedding date. As you might guess there are early, mid-season and late-blooming varieties. Third, do all this this weekend, becuase if you don't get them in soon, the bloom times will be unreliable. They should be in already really, though if you are not particualr, you can plant tulips anytime before the end of the year (see above response). For your purposes, though, timing is everything, and now is the time to planting your tulips. Good luck and congratulations.
Annandale, Va.:
What exactly is a "local extension office" and how would I go about contacting mine in Fairfax county to perform a soil test as is so often recommended?
Thanks!
Adrienne Cook: Wow good question! And that's exactly what anyone who is planning a new garden for spring should be doing now! The "local extension office" is your County Cooperative Extension Service, a joint federal, state and county office that's funded in part by the Ag. Dept., originally to help local farmers with their crops and livestock, but increasingly, to help gardenrs. Typically, the Cooperative Extension Service is listed just like that under your county listings -- in Fairfax, that would be Fairfax County, not City. Maryland has brought the Cooperative Extension Service under a state umbrella, so there it is listed as under the state. They are a wonderful resource and I urge you to become familiar with their many services.
Takoma Park, Md.:
Since I'm gearing up for my association's annual conference at the end of the month, I do not have any time to deal with my yard right now. Will it be too late to plant bulbs the second weekend in November? Thanks!
Adrienne Cook: Nope.
Alexandria, Va.:
I had a strange response to the terrorist activities and on the afternoon of 9/11 took to weed-whacking most of my plants down to the ground. I think anger just took over before the grief had time to settle in. What is gone are my black-eyed susans, what was left of the lilies, a large morning glory, a rose bush and lots of perennial wildflowers. As all (?) of these are perennials, will they come back next year or have my actions destroyed my garden and I will have to start over in the spring? Thanks.
Adrienne Cook: Your garden will be fine. Perennials actually often benefit from being cut back, whether in anger or in love. I'd recommend you prune back much of this year's growth to get the garden looking neat for the winter and encourage new growth to come from the ground up in the spring. Enjoy.
Washington, D.C.:
Isn't now the best time to plant garlic? How do you do it?
Adrienne Cook: Now. Seperate a head into individual cloves and plant them as you would any bulb; space them four inches apart. They'll do best in compost-rich soil or pure compost.
Fairfax, Va.:
Hi Adrienne:
How critical is it to get those spring bulbs deep into the ground? I tried using a bulb planter but I'm not strong enough to dig out all that soil, I'm afraid. So I planted them maybe 3-4 inches deep.
Thoughts?
Adrienne Cook: Rule of thumb: Bulb should be three times its height below the ground. Thus, small bulbs can go a few inches down, larger ones, six to eight inches. I'm with you, I hate digging deep, especially since a lot of my bulbs go in a woodland setting where there are tons of tree roots. I compensate for shallow digging with deep mulching. It works.
Bristow, Va.:
I have noticed that a lot of folks are planting pansies this fall. While at the nursery, I noticed that a sign above the pansies stating that they will bloom from fall through July. Is this accurate? If so, what type of soil and fertilizer do pansies require and how often should they be fertilized? Any other special needs required during the cold months?
Adrienne Cook: Pansies are the happiest of flowers. They'll do fine in almsot any soil, though they are at their best in decent garden soil. They do indeed bloom from Fall through July, though in winter, they turn yellow and look quite expired -- they're not. They'll gorw in part shade, full sun, or a combiunation; they'll grow as wel in the ground as in pots. At about $3 per plant, pansies are one of the best investments you can make for fall and spring color with narry a worry.
Waldorf, Md.:
How big a problem is the presence of clay to planting bulbs? Is this something that can be corrected over time (improving the soil) or should I just forget about it and lay some annuals on top of it next spring?
Adrienne Cook: The problem with clay is that it is usually is accompanied by poor drainage, which will cause bulbs to rot. If your soil drains fiarly well, however, or is not waterlogged, clay itself is no deterrent to healthy bulbs. I would definetely drop a spoonful of bulb fertlizer in each ho;le when you plant your bulbs, and I'd stay away from fancy tulips and stick to the workhorses: Daffodils, crocus, grape hyacinth, snowdrops, windflower.
Falls Church, Va. (again):
Thanks so much for your response! But can you also give me some advice on keeping the bulbs from being eaten by the squirrels, etc., in the neighborhood? Thanks!
Adrienne Cook: Now that's harder! There are bulb cages available from garden centers. They are pricey, but last many, many years and are a good way to keep your bulbs together to pull up and replace. Another alternative is to lay chicken wire over the entire area that you plant and cover it with mulch. Plants will penetrate, but squirrels won't. You'll have to pull it up in the spring if you want to plant anyhting around your bulbs, which is a nuisance, but....
Ames, Iowa:
OK, plant garlic cloves 4 inches apart. But how deep?
Adrienne Cook: About the same. Two to three inches, anyway.
Bethesda, Md.:
My older lilacs have leaves that are dusty and some have dark spots. They made a poor showing this spring and I wonder what I can do to bring them back to health.
Thanks.
Ann Kelley
Adrienne Cook: Lilacs in our area get downey mildew. It does not hurt them, it just makes them look ugly. The berst place for lilacs is behind something that will grow up during the summer; that way, when they get mildew, you won't see it. Getting your lilacs to bloom better may take a couple of years, but it can be done. Remove any seed pods form last year. In the spring, when branches bloom, help yourself to bouquets from your trees. Any blooms that are left should be removed as soon as they die back and before they form seed pods. If you are happy with the size ofthe bushes, you can stop there, repeating this for several springs and you will notice quickly that your trees are much more prolific. If you'd like to see them smaller -- or you wouldn't mind anyway, at least for a while -- prune them back by about a third after they bloom. Thin them, too, especially removing dead clusters of limbs coming up form the ground, a prevalent situation with lilacs, which regenrate with new growth as old growth dies. Do not bother fertilizing or ammending, though if vines have invaded the center of bushes, do remove those and mulch to prevent reoccurence. Old lilacs are to be treasured and they bloom for many, many years with a little TLC. You are very fortunate to have them.
Annandale, Va.:
Good morning. A little chilly here! I have had eight to 10 plants (small and large) on my balcony all summer. It is now time to bring them in for the winter. I have no indoor plants for them to contaminate, but should I treat them for bugs or anything before bringing them in?
One Norfolk Island Pine has small spinder webs near the top of the plant that I can easily clean off. But the spider plants and ivys are practically shrubs! It is not practical to clean them leaf by leaf. No obvious critters in them. Any ideas?
Adrienne Cook: Sure. Give them all a shampoo with insecticidal soap. Let it dry in the sun today (if you have some handy) or another day when you can get to it in the morning. Be prepared for a bit of indoor shock when you move these happy plants inside. They'll drop leaves. Don't panic. Keep plants pruned back as portions succumb to hot, dry temps and reduced light. Also, spritz them with water whenever you think of it and if you can keep them in a room that has a humidfier; that always helsp. So, beleive it or not, does a fan, though not contiunuously. I wouldn't fertilize until February or March, just before you begin acclimating them to the outsdoors again. Use Peter's.
Arlington, Va.:
I planted Winter rye on October 8 as a cover crop for my garden. I watered it when it was dry.
Nothing has sprouted yet. How long before I hopefully see something? Thanks.
Adrienne Cook: Very soon, I'd think. Certainly by next week.
Arlington, Va.:
I want to start a new garden plot next year where I currently have grass. It is the only place in my yard where I get good sun for flowers and vegetables. How can I prepare the ground now? Should I block out the space now and cover with leaves and other organic matter and then turn over the land in Spring?
Adrienne Cook: Last question. Fall is the BEST time for preparing for the spring garden. Block out your space and add organic matter -- leaves, but, even more important, compost. If you do this and mound it up either inoisde a frame or just loosely on the ground, you won't need to turn it over in the spring. As long as plants have a base eight to 12 inches deep of loose, good soil, they'll be fine. It's a lot easier to just pile it up than to dig it under. Have fun.
Gotta go now. Thanks for the GREAT questions!!
See ya
Adrienne
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