Author Archives: Maureen Haseley-Jones

Gardening Tips for September from ‘The English Lady’, a Month of ‘Peace and the Crackling Sound of Leaves’

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The  leaves are beginning to turn and soon we will be enjoying the full glory of fall. Photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash.

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

Rain through August has been extremely sparse, that said, our gardens need rain as do our reservoirs.   

In the meantime, if you are planting evergreens, this month of September is the best time to plant evergreens in our zone. Evergreens planted now can begin to establish strong roots before winter and giving them adequate water is essential.

I suggest making a hole in the soil with an iron stake or other piercing instrument and feeding the hose into the hole and allowing water to reach the roots in a slow manner for at least a half hour on planting and a few times a week until the ground freezes in November. Cover the earth around the plants with a light layer of composted manure and mulch, but do not mulch right up to the bark of the plants as this encourages rodents to nest and gnaw on the bark of the plants. 

HYDRANGEAS

How should you prune to achieve hydrangeas that flower like this? Maureen has the answers. hydrangeas. Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash.

I often get questions on pruning of Hydrangeas, with fellow gardeners asking me ‘Maureen, why did my Hydrangeas not bloom this year’? The reason that Hydrangeas do not bloom is that gardeners prune them at the wrong time.  If you feel that your Hydrangea macrophylla has become too large and require pruning; 

  • Prune them by the first two weeks of September. The reason being is that Hydrangeas set their buds for next season by late September; pruning any later will cut off those buds, which will negate any chance of bloom for next season or even the following season.  
  • Prune any old woody stems that have not bloomed well and any weak new shoots.
  • After pruning, apply a few inches of composted manure, and some peat, followed by a top dressing of natural brown bark mulch. The peat aids acidity in the soil, which is necessary as Hydrangeas may become chlorotic if the soil is too alkaline. By the way, chlorotic means abnormal reduction or loss of normal green coloration of the leaves of plants.

On another note, Hydrangeas do not like to be transplanted; transplanting them can result in little to no bloom for many seasons. For that reason, I suggest when planting new Hydrangeas, make sure they are at least 5 ft. apart, so they have room to grow, receive adequate ventilation and will never need to be transplanted. 

This fall, as you contemplate your landscape, think on the past season as to what worked for you and what you will never try again. 

Unfortunately, mint has taken over the border beneath my Franklinia tree. Many years ago, my friend Roz, was kindly lending a hand in the garden and planted mint in the garden instead of a large container that I placed for that very purpose.  I was busy with other garden chores at that moment, so by the time I noticed the error six months later, the mint was running rampant among the blue myrtle edging the borders. So folks, please take note that mint is extremely invasive and should only be planted in containers where its wayward habits can be controlled.

‘It is said that ‘a gardener’s work is never done’, but now with the season’s hard labor behind you, take a break. Sit outside and inhale the late garden fragrances and allow Mother Nature to anchor and relax you. 

In the early morning I enjoy sitting on my patio near the herb garden, inhaling the fragrance of the sage, which I will  snip later to take indoors for drying and use in my recipes. I will also gather extra sage and lavender, which I will tie with string into small bunches to hang in my closets, which is a natural moth repellent.  Some of the Lavender bunches I tuck into my drawers to keep moths from devouring my woolens; this works so well as insects do not like fragrance. 

In your vegetable garden, sow spinach for spring harvest and sow a cover crop like winter rye, which can be dug in next spring together with composted manure as green manure. Green manure produces a rich growing environment for next year’s vegetables. 

Now is the time to get your fall compost pile cooking with the last of the grass clippings, spent perennials, leaves and small woody twigs.  

Now is also the time to dig up, divide and replant overgrown perennials. Follow this method every three to four years to ensure vibrant bloom from these plants. Never plant or transplant any division deeper in the soil than it is now or any deeper than the plant sits in the pot.

In the less hectic pace of fall, early autumn is the time to re-think your gardens. The garden’s pre-winter grooming will wait for a few weeks. Or you may feel that you would like to have a professional design as you have noticed that your borders are not up to your expectations. 

If that is so, then contact someone that you trust to create a plan in the fall and winter, which can be phased in beginning next spring. Engage someone who will listen to your thoughts and stay within your budget. I am giving you a suggestion for a plantsman, who is my son Ian whose company and website is LandscapesbyIan.com. I know you would enjoy speaking with him and the saying goes ’the apple does not fall far from the tree’ and I feel that Ian’s creative talents are well worth checking out.

PEONIES

Peonies need careful attention at this time of year to create a stunning display like this next year.

September is the month to plant and transplant Peonies.  Do not plant them deeply or they will not bloom, that means have just enough soil to hold them erect with the ‘pink eyes’ on the roots barely covered. Plant them with a light application of composted manure around the plant. Then in November, following the first hard frost, cut down the Peony foliage to about four inches from the ground. 

In a few weeks, the bright vibrancy of autumn color will appear on the maples. Fall’s brilliant autumn finery is the last hurrah, before winter sets in. Climbing up the red milk shed near the barn, the buds on the autumn clematis are beginning to unfurl and in the herb garden, autumn crocus, asters and sedum will take their curtain calls. 

For your soil to remain healthy, add a light layer of composted manure to all the borders now or in early October, together with a two-inch layer of fine bark mulch around to all newly-planted and transplanted perennials and shrubs.  With the application of the manure and mulch, you are continuing to build the humus component, which will ensure a rich growing environment for spring and protect the plants from winter’s harsh conditions.  

I do not cut down my spent perennials but leave them up for the birds; the ripened seed heads are a delicious treat for them to peck at. Following the vibrancy of summer bloom, I enjoy the softer, subtle colors of gray, brown and yellow of spent perennials and ornamental grasses blending naturally with the muted winter landscape, which to me offer a resting of the senses. 

Early to mid-October is a great time to be planting. The benefits of fall planting for trees, shrubs and perennials gives them a head start with root development over those planted in the spring. This is especially so when we experience a late spring when planting cannot begin until late April. In New England’s fall, the cooler temperatures and still warm soil encourages the plants to direct their energy into producing strong roots.   

The following trees are not good candidates for fall planting: 

  • Birches, Larches, Gingko, Oaks, Magnolia, and all flowering fruit and flowering trees as well as the Eastern Red Cedar. 

These trees have fleshy roots and their feeder roots are not large when young and take time to establish and are susceptible to frost heave.

Some perennials that do not like to be planted in fall are Artemisia, Lambs Ears, Foxglove, Penstemon, Anemone, Campanula, Kniphofia, Lupines, Scabiosa, Ferns and Grasses. 

Now is the time to plant garlic. Photo by Lobo Studio on Unsplash.

Plant garlic this month for harvest next June – garlic is the antibiotic of the garden. Plant it under fruit trees to avoid scab and root disease, near to ponds or standing water to control mosquito larvae or pour garlic water into ponds, bird baths and fountains to deter adult mosquitoes. 

BARGAINS

This is a good time to pick up end-of-season plant bargains. Most nurseries and garden centers have lowered their prices so they do not have to winter plants over in the nursery. However, with the low reservoirs you may decide to hold off until spring. But if you do purchase a few plants, keep your eyes open for the following problems:

  • POTBOUND PLANTS – check the bottom of the pot to see if the roots are growing through the holes.  If not, gently tap the plant out of the container to see if it has a network of overlapping roots that wrap around the root ball. It is possible to salvage a root bound plant, which is suffering from water and nutrient deficiencies over the summer, but it will be slow to root. Before you plant this one in your garden, cut the encircling roots – the roots will now be shorter but will take root easier. 
  • DISEASED PLANTS – plants that have been in containers all summer and have been fed high nitrogen fertilizers are easy targets for pests and diseases. Check for spots on the foliage, wilted or curling leaves and discolored roots. As well as visible signs of pest damage and infestation such as webbing or sticky residue on foliage. Not only would these plants do poorly in the garden but could infect your other plants and the soil.  Soil-borne diseases are the most difficult to deal with.
  • BADLY-SHAPED PLANTS – Badly shaped plants are the ‘Charlie Brown’ Christmas trees of the plant world, the unwanted orphans that have been passed over year after year; these are the runts of the litter!  Do not set yourself up for disappointment looking at an ugly tree or shrub just to save a few dollars.
  • MISLABLED PLANTS – At the end of the season many plant tags have been lost or mixed up, which means you are likely to get a perennial with flowers that are not the color you expected. Or you may buy a deciduous tree or shrub when you were looking for an evergreen variety.  Stick to the plants that are part of large displays of identically-labeled plants or with labels so firmly attached that look like they have been there for a while.

With all the above-mentioned plants – always add composted manure around the plant and do not plant any deeper than it is in its pot or burlap wrapping. Always wear gloves when working with manure; there is bacteria in the manure – great for the soil but not healthy for you. 

Above all, note that the bargain you get is often not worth the discount price. 

NEW LAWN OR PATCH SEEDING

September is an excellent time to plant new grass, the young grass plants will have the advantage over weeds. Do not buy cheap seed, you reap what you sow …

Gently de-thatch the areas that you wish to overseed or patch. Do not use the large thatching machines, which can damage existing grass. Add some composted manure to the area, broadcast the seed and cover the newly-seeded grass area with salt hay (free from weed seed). Do not allow the soil surface to dry out, keep it moist. Water gently, and do not saturate the area or the seed will wash away. 

When the grass appears, stay off it, do not mow and leave the salt hay to rot. Next spring, a healthy lawn will emerge and if there are a few bare patches in April, you can fill in the bare spots. 

I hope your spring bulb orders are in by now. Be adventurous this year and go for masses of a single color for the greatest impact. No matter how small your planting area, it is the intensity that counts, with two or three dozen red Tulips or a hundred Daffodils planted on your woodland edge. 

Buying daffodils in large numbers is less expensive, the bulbs are usually smaller – this is not a problem as daffodil bulbs grow larger each year. Even though many say the spacing between these larger bulbs should be six inches, there is no reason they cannot touch.  

Put some composted manure or bulb food on the soil where the bulbs are planted. Make sure you plant the Daffodils eight inches below the frost line, with the pointed end up. Wear gloves when you plant bulbs as they have a skin irritant, which may cause a rash.

If you cannot plant your bulbs when you receive them, store them in a cool, dry place in paper bags.  The best time to plant spring bulbs in the Northeast is the end of October to the middle of November.

Lily of the Valley can be transplanted this month but wear gloves because there is toxicity in this plant.  

Dig up your gladioli corms, Calla bulbs, Elephant ear bulbs and Dahlia tubers when the foliage turns yellow. Lay them in the sun to “cure” and store them in a cool, dry dark place. When you dig the Dahlia tubers, do not pull them, pulling can break the tubers. 

In early September after their summer sojourn outdoors, take your houseplants indoors and wash the foliage gently and repot with new potting soil into a clean container. Repot those plants that have outgrown their pots to a clean container that is only one size larger. 

Fall and early winter is a great time to do stonework – dry-laid paths, walls and patios. As well as repairing fences, arbors and pergolas and build decks. Paint wooden outdoor furniture with eco conscious paint before putting them undercover for winter.    

September is a gardener’s paradise; the air is cooler, the soil easy to work and you will not overheat with the effort.  Stay awhile in your garden; enjoy the comforting fragrance of fall.       

I’ll see you in your garden next time. 

Email me with gardening questions at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com.

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.

Gardening Tips for August from ‘The English Lady:’ “The Border Between Summer and Autumn”

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This beautiful border at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Conn. includes a plethora of plants and flowers.

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

August has always been one of my least favorite months in the garden, but this year plentiful spring rain has resulted in bountiful fragrance, bloom and foliage.

We have a relatively short growing season here in New England and to have a healthy, colorful border is so enjoyable. Of course, by this time in the season, there are always a few gaps to fill in with annuals or some later blooming perennials.

Gardens are a constantly changing scene of beauty in motion and plantings that looked good last year may be oversized, and in need of division or transplant. However, this task can be tackled in September when the weather is cooler. Then you can venture into your borders, transplant some specimens so that every plant has its own space with good air circulation and is able to perform at their best.

Divide those plants that have been in the soil for four years or more, as you may have noticed that these plants are not blooming as profusely as they did in previous years. On that note, there are always fellow gardeners, who will be grateful to receive some of the divisions.

Keep up the deadheading; by doing so your garden will always appear fresh and perky.

After the hot, dry days we have had of late, watering is of major importance. In this regard, make sure your garden receives at least one inch of water a week and your containers are receiving a daily dose of water, in the early morning and early evening.

Another view of the stunning flower border in late summer at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Conn.

Soaker hoses in the borders are a much more efficient method of watering; with this method, the water goes straight to the roots where it is needed. By using soaker hoses you will not lose 40 percent of moisture to evaporation and you are also preventing water from landing on plant foliage, which can result in disease and mildew.

When you cut back tired-looking annuals, a new flush of bloom will appear in a few short weeks.

On closer inspection some of you may notice that the borders are looking somewhat weary and need a bright boost of new specimens to perk things up. And these specimens may be found right now as many garden centers are offering late season bargains.

When the perennial Coreopsis and Spirea have finished blooming, cut off the dead bloom with the garden shears and enjoy the appearance of vibrant bright bloom shortly.

Now is the time to stop feeding roses. Photo by Lena Albers on Unsplash.

ROSES:
It is of the utmost importance to stop feeding roses now in August. The reason being is that roses require at least nine weeks to gently relax into a slow, healthy dormancy before the first frost.

In my September tips, I will give you suggestions on partially pruning roses in early fall, followed by a second pruning the following April. This double pruning method produces the healthiest and most prolific bloom.

CONTAINERS:
Every couple of weeks give your containers a little extra, composted manure when watering, which will keep these miniature gardens bright and cheerful into early fall. Add the manure on top of the natural brown mulch as both manure and mulch help retain moisture and retard weeds. In the morning if you do not have time to water the containers before you go to work or run errands, simply empty your ice trays into the containers, this will provide slow-release watering until you are able to add more when you return home.

With the high heat and humidity that we have been experiencing recently, powdery mildew maybe appearing on certain species like Summer Phlox, Monarda and Hydrangeas.  If you notice this problem, I suggest spraying my remedy of one gallon of water in a spray container, adding one tablespoon of baking soda and a dash of vegetable oil.  Always spray in the morning before the temperature and humidity numbers combined together equal 160.

Continue adding more composted manure to vegetables each month, as vegetables — particularly annual vegetables — are heavy feeders. To prevent animals from munching on your precious bounty, place an old sneaker or a piece of carpet that your dog had lain on in among the vegetables; these odors help keep furry marauders away.

Peonies are always a pleasure to see in a garden. Photo by Jaroslava Petrášová on Unsplash.

PEONIES:
Place your orders for Peonies now so they can be delivered for September planting. September is the month to transplant, divide or plant new Peonies. Following the first hard frost in November cut any existing Peonies to six inches from the ground and add a little natural brown mulch around them to protect the pink-eyed roots, which are close to the soil surface. When planting Peonies or transplanting make sure that the ‘pink eyes’ on the roots are barely covered with soil, if the Peonies are planted any deeper, it is likely that you may not have bloom next year.

Begin compiling your list of spring bulbs now for the best choice of bulbs to be available for you.

Please feel free to email me with any gardening questions to MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com.

I look forward to seeing you in your garden in September — in the meantime enjoy being outdoors and remember to stretch, hydrate and take time to smell the bloom.

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.

Gardening Tips for July From ‘The English Lady’ … When the Sun Shines, a Breeze Blows and Birds Sing

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Hibiscus flowers make a stunning display throughout July.

“A perfect July day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing … and the lawnmower is broken!” – James Dent

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

Watering is so important during the heat of summer.

If you planted trees or shrubs this spring, particularly evergreens, these plants require extra moisture to establish a strong root system. We have had an abundant amount of rain this spring and into the summer, however it is always important to keep an eye on the weather.

WATER:

A sprinkler can be an effective watering method. Photo by Anthony Lee on Unsplash.

Here in New England, plants require at least an inch of water per week.  If you are using a regular hose, you lose 40% of moisture to evaporation. However, a hose is necessary for a deep first-watering when a plant goes into the ground and for containers.

Soaker hoses in your borders are the best method of watering, attached to a house spigot with a timer. By using this method of irrigation, moisture goes to the roots of plants where it is needed and not on the foliage, which can cause disease such as black spot and powdery mildew. Soaker hoses attached to a timer can be used efficiently not only in the borders of the garden but also in the vegetable garden, where annual vegetables, require a lot of water to produce a good crop.

In addition, composted manure added to the containers and copious amounts to the vegetable garden, helping to retain a good amount of moisture. Manure used as mulch for the vegetable garden adds more nutrition, manure as mulch  does not cap or form a hard crust, so water goes directly to the roots where it is needed.

LAWNS & HUMUS:

Photo by Chris Zhang on Unsplash.

Water the lawn only when the green glow begins to fade.  An established lawn will bounce back following dry hot spells.

I want to emphasize the importance of soil and soil health, which has been severely neglected and abused with poisonous chemicals for years. Soil is the most important element of plant growth; it is not an inert medium that merely holds the plants erect, it is a living organism that needs to be replenished with nutrients.

The nutrient is composted manure — manure builds soils structure and its bacteria partners with the millions of microbes below the surface to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants. If you have not already done so, I strongly suggest that you carefully discard all chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

The addition of composted manure to your soil in spring, early summer and in early fall, together with the addition of natural brown bark mulch, will build the carbon compound or humus component in the soil.  We are all carbon-based creatures, as is every living element, and so this is our lifeblood and the lifeblood of the soil in our gardens.

As we build the humus component by adding composted manure and fine-bark mulch we are producing the healthiest possible growing environment and the strongest disease resistant plants.  As we add the composted manure and natural fine bark mulch season after season, the humus component continues to build in the soil, continuously extracting carbon from the atmosphere into the soil.

ROSES:

Photo by Summer Quinn on Unsplash.

These flourish beautifully with the addition of composted manure and mulch applied on the soil about two feet away from the base of the plant. Roses also require deep watering at least once a week. Now, in July add another light layer of composted manure around the roses.

Manure is food for the roots of the roses and no other products are necessary for growth and bloom. Stop adding manure to the roses in mid-August, so that the roses can move into a slow dormancy through late summer and early fall, a natural part of their growth cycle.

If you are a first time rose-grower or adding to your rose collection,

David Austin English roses are my personal preference.  The David Austin nursery is only 21 miles from my hometown in Shropshire in England; it was a fragrant pleasure to visit the nursery in June.

David Austin roses are more trouble-free than many other roses and are repeat bloomers, with beautiful colors that enhance our senses with delicious fragrances.

Some of my favorite David Austin roses are:

A Shropshire Lad (my home country in England):- a peachy pink
Abraham Darby:- shades of apricot and yellow
Evelyn (my favorite):- with giant apricot hued flowers
Fair Bianca:- a pure white rose
Heritage:- a soft blush pink
Carding Mill Valley:- begins as a peachy orange double flower before becoming an apricot-pink

A lovely combination is climbing roses and clematis planted together as both enjoy the same planting environment with their heads in the sun and their feet (roots) cool, with manure and mulch. This combination looks great, climbing over a fence, wall or arbor.

MULCH:
Do not use the artificially-colored red mulch, rubber mulch or cocoa mulch; use only natural brown bark mulch.  Do not mulch right up to the base of the plants, as this invites rodents to nest and gnaw on the stems or trunks of the plants.

Note: Do not use Cocoa mulch, produced by Hershey, this mulch has a Thorazine compound and other poisons which are hazardous to pets who are attracted by the chocolate odor. Ingestion of this chocolate mulch can cause seizures and death within hours.

HYDRANGEAS:

Photo by Summer Quinn on Unsplash.

Plant Hydrangeas in a sunny area if you live near the coast for them to enjoy gentle seas breezes. Plant them in part-sun away from the coast on the west or east aspect of the garden. Plant them in organically rich soil with composted manure and add extra composted manure around the base now in July.

If you have the blue macrophylla Hydrangea add some peat or aged oak bark around the base, the acidity in the peat or oak bark encourages a deeper blue hue. Hydrangeas are a wetland plant and require plenty of water throughout the summer. We had a late spring and with all the spring and early summer rain and good sunshine, the foliage and bloom of the hydrangeas are performing well.

Watch out for powdery mildew and spray with the following powdery mildew recipe you can mix yourself:
Two tablespoons baking soda, one dessert spoon of vegetable oil, a squirt of dish soap with a gallon of water in a sprayer.

For any recipe spray you make at home, spray only in the morning when there is no wind and when the temperature and humidity added together do not go above 180.

PRUNING HYDRANGEAS:

Prune Hydrangeas immediately after they finish blooming in late August or early September but no later, as Hydrangeas set their buds for the next season by mid September.

If you prune after September, you will lose next season’s bloom. When you prune, cut out some of the old wood and the weakest of the new shoots.

In October put more composted manure and brown mulch around the base to nourish and protect the roots through the winter.

GARLIC:

Photo by Lobo Studio on Unsplash.

Did you know that garlic is the antibiotic of the garden? I just love garlic to use in my recipes and it is an important anti-fungal element to protect your plants. I always suggest in early fall, plant more garlic.

To avoid fungal diseases plant garlic around strawberries, tomatoes and raspberries to avoid fungal diseases.

Plant garlic:-

  • around mildew-prone plants to prevent mildew on such plants as summer phlox and bee balm.
  • under fruit trees to avoid scab and root disease.
  • next to ponds or standing water to control mosquito larvae or pour garlic water into the water to deter adult mosquitoes.

Where you notice marauders, where either insects or animals have been munching, make a garlic spray to apply on the plants including vegetables.

Garlic spray recipe
4 large, crushed garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 squirt of mild dish detergent

Put all ingredients in 2 cups of hot water in the blender, blend, then leave overnight, then put in a gallon sprayer with cold water and spray in the early morning when there is no wind, observing the rule of 180.  Observing the rule of 180 is when the temperature and humidity when added together do not go above 180.

Hot pepper spray:
To deter squirrels and chipmunks try a hot pepper spray using either 4 hot chilies or one cup of cayenne pepper in 2 cups of hot water, in the blender, blend and leave overnight, then put in a gallon sprayer with cold water and spray the problem areas in the early morning.

This pepper spray works well to deter squirrels, chipmunks, and deer as well as dogs and cats that may be leaving their deposits in the garden.

HANDS:
Gardener’s hands are their tools of the trade so it’s important to take care of them. My hands remain healthy by indulging in a hot cream treatment once a week before bed. 

Recipe: Combine Calendula cream with honey and essential oil of lavender heated in the microwave, apply generously and put on white cotton gloves for sleep. When I wake up my hands are soft and smooth as a baby’s bottom. Wear gloves, when working in soil that contains manure or when spreading manure. Manure is an organic product that contains bacteria; bacteria is great for the soil but like many bacteria not healthy for you. The garden gloves I prefer are the soft leather farmer’s gloves that are washable.  

FLAVORED OILS:
Many herbs are at their peak right now and are ideal for using in flavored oils.  The oil I use as a base is organic olive oil. I harvest basil, parsley, sage, tarragon and oregano in a morning, rinse them well, pat them dry with a paper towel and then make the recipe.

Chose an herb and add to two cups of oil.

For thyme and lavender, I use only the flowers with one cup of oil to a handful of blossoms.

Puree the herb mixture in a blender and store covered in a wide mouthed jar for three days, shake at least three times a day for the first two days and on the third day let the mixture settle to the bottom, then strain it through a paper coffee filter or cheese cloth into a clean jar.  You will now have a tinted but clear mixture.

Refrigerate each mixture and use within two to three weeks.  The herb oils I make are lavender, lemon, garlic, shallots and basil with olive oil as the base – these are my favorites and are great brushed on vegetables and meats for grilling.  The lavender oil is great with desserts. Rosemary and lemon oil taste excellent on salads.

MOLES:
I know I have given you a few mole remedies in the past; but I have not given you the exlax method for a while. I can attest to the fact that I have used this method as have many fellow gardeners for years, as it works.  Buy Exlax , in which the main ingredient is Senna, a natural herb. Insert Exlax into the mole holes, the moles and voles eat it then die of dehydration.

If you have dogs and cats do not use the chocolate Exlax, use only the plain Exlax as chocolate is dangerous to pets.

In early April of next year, apply organic grub control, which means less grubs for the moles to feed on, and without their supply of grubs, the moles will go elsewhere for food. In addition, the white grubs of Japanese beetles can be diminished with the grub control.

JAPANESE BEETLES:

These insects love our plants and here is a method to deal with them naturally. In the early morning, the Japanese beetles are drowsy and can be captured.  Lay a drop cloth under the plant or plants where you see them and gently shake the plant; the drowsy beetles will drop onto the cloth, which you gather up and drop them in a garbage bag and discard.

Many of us are committed to organic gardening without chemicals, which has enabled the earthworm population to once again increase; earthworms are a great boon to the garden soil as their castings add 50% nutrition to the soil together with eleven trace minerals.

SUMMER PHLOX

I just love my summer phlox and to keep the mildew problems at bay I use the natural baking soda mix I mentioned above.  I have found that white Phlox Miss Lingard or white Phlox David are more resistant to mildew that other summer phlox.  Monarda commonly known, as Bee Balm and Hydrangeas are also prone to be affected by powdery mildew, and this is where the baking soda recipe once again can be used.

For a second bloom on the Summer Phlox, prune off ten to twenty inches from the flower stems after the first bloom has gone by and within a few weeks you will experience new bloom.

KEEP YOUR GARDEN CLEAN – a healthy garden is a clean garden. Do not put any diseased items into your compost.

Deadhead all annuals and perennials for a second bloom and clean up all spend blossoms.

When Coreopsis and Spirea have bloomed, with garden shears, shear off dead flowers and they too will rebloom.

CONTAINERS:

Photo by LandscapesbyIanLLC.com.

Make sure you have composted manure and fine bark mulch applied on top of the soil in your containers and keep them watered as containers dry out quicker than garden soil. In hot weather the containers will need to be watered daily, morning and evening watering is the best. If you do not have time in a morning before you leave for work or errands, empty your ice cube trays on the containers; this provides slow -release watering until you can get to them later.

Enjoy being in the garden, stay hydrated, continue to stretch and take time to ‘smell the Roses’.

If you have any gardening questions, please email me at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com and I’ll see you in your garden in August.

Also if you would like a garden consult, contact my son Ian at LandscapesbyIan.com – he is a brilliant gardening mind and as one says ‘the apple does not fall far from the tree!’

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.

Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for June, ‘The Time of Perfect Young Summer’ (Gertrude Jekyll)

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June is, ‘The Time of Perfect, Young Summer’ (Gertrude Jekyll)

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

We have had a few cool nights recently, which are just wonderful and allow one to sleep with the windows open.  I cannot remember the last time we had a real spring such as we are experiencing this year, with plenty of gentle rain. This beneficial rain is wonderful for all the spring plant growth and such a pleasure to see.

I am so in awe of the miracle of Mother Nature; the symbiotic relationship between plants and all of God’s creatures.

As I looked out of my window from my old home a few years ago,  I could see the buds opening on my 30-foot-long stand of Peonies, which had been planted by the original homeowner in the early 1900s. That sight brought to mind one of the symbiotic relationships, the friendly partnership between ants and peonies.

I am often asked, “Maureen, should I worry about ants on my peonies?” The answer is, “That’s not a problem, lots of ants on the peonies just demonstrate that you have healthy plants with big buds producing more nectar, which therefore, in turn, attract the ants.”

Peonies:

A stand of peonies is always stunning.

Make sure Peonies get plenty of water and after blooming, apply a light application of composted manure and check the soils PH which should be between 6.5 and 7.0.  It is hard to ruin a good peony border but you can err in the fertilizing process, so go easy on the organic aged manure.

Following the bloom, do not cut the peonies down until November, after the first frost. Now, in early June, I pinched off the side buds on my large stand of peonies, this ensures big blooms on the rest of the plant.

Ants:

On the subject of ants; if you see them “let them live,” because often their presence indicates that we have aphids around and ants feed off aphids; very useful creatures.

Another useful creature in wars against pests is the lowly toad. I suggest putting some toad houses in and around your border.  You may purchase toad houses from the garden center if you so desire. Or you can do as I do which is to use an old clay pot that is cracked and make sure that the crack is two to three inches wide for the door so the toad can enter. Also put a small saucer as a floor under the pot with some rocks, which you keep damp, so that your friendly bad bug eater has his or her ideal home environment.

Mulch:

Mulch your gardens this month when the ground has warmed up to 55 degrees.  When mulching, take care mulching around trees. Apply the mulch at least six inches from the base of the trunk, any closer can promote rot and disease in the tree itself. Any trees that are mulched too deeply near the trunk invite mice and other rodents to come in order to nest and gnaw on the trunk.

Your garden can be mulched to a depth of between two and three inches.  I prefer fine dark brown hardwood mulch but please do not use dyed red mulch, keep the garden natural, not looking like a Disney theme park.

Roses:

June is the month when Roses begin to bloom.  I prefer David Austin roses, I find these roses are the most -trouble free Roses and offer so much reward being repeat bloomers with wonderful fragrances.

Some of my favorites are:

  • ‘A Shropshire Lad,’ a soft peachy pink
  • ‘Abraham Darby,’ with blooms showing a blend of apricot and yellow
  • ‘Fair Bianca,’ a pure white
  • ‘Heritage,’ a soft clear pink

And my favorite ‘Evelyn’, which has giant apricot flowers in a saucer shape and the fragrance is second to none with a luscious fruity tone, reminding me of fresh peaches and apricots.

Feed your roses with composted manure, keeping the manure and mulch about six inches away from the base of the rose, then adding a few more inches of manure once a month until mid-August, at that time stop feeding for the roses to gently move into a slow dormancy.

Japanese beetles are very attracted to roses therefore, any Japanese beetle traps should be placed far away from your borders on the perimeter of the property.

A tip for keeping cut roses fresh: cut the roses in the early morning and cut just above a five-leaf cluster and place stems in a container of lukewarm water. Inside the house, recut the stems to produce a one-and-a-half inch angular cut, under warm running water, then place cut roses in a vase filled with warm water.

Do not remove the thorns on cut roses. I have found that removing the thorns, reduces their indoor life by as much as three days.

Hydrangeas:

Blue hydrangeas. Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash.

These need plenty of water, (in the fields where they were found growing close to water and classified as a wetland plant before they were introduced into our gardens), also apply aged manure around the Hydrangeas, have them spaced at least four feet apart for good ventilation, which will help to prevent mildew and plant them in full sun. If you have blue Hydrangea macrophylla and want a more vibrant shade of blue, add some peat moss on top of the manure, the peat is acidic and will produce a lovely shade of blue.

Wisteria:

Regular pruning through spring and summer is the main factor to help this arrogant vine to flower; by that I mean prune several times during the season. Prune every two weeks at least six inches on each stem.

Clematis wilt:

If you have this problem with clematis, you will notice it early because the shoots wilt and die. This disease is impossible to cure, as it is soil borne, so it is not possible to plant another clematis of that species in that area of the garden.

However, you can plant the Viticella clematis selection; these are vigorous, free flowering blooms and are not susceptible to wilt.  Some good choices in this variety are Blue Belle, Etoile Violette, both are purple and Huldine, which is white,

Container Gardens:

Unexpected objects can make interesting plant containers. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

If you have room for one pot, you have room for a number; placed close together in different shapes and sizes, they can create your own miniature garden.

Apart from regular pots, the most unexpected objects make interesting containers. A friend, who cut down trees this past winter, left the stumps and hollowed them out to make containers, one large and two smaller stumps together, an interesting combo.

At the same time look in your basement, shed or barn to see if you have an old wheelbarrow, even if it has a wheel missing it will present an unusual angle as a planter.

Or you may come across a large, chipped ceramic jar (I, in fact, have an old two foot tall ceramic vinegar container, replete with a hole where the vinegar tap was inserted, ideal for drainage), which will look great on my newly-painted blue bench next to my red milk shed.

Lawn Care:

Do not forget to add organic grub control through July, so that you keep down the mole infestation; remember no grubs, less food for the moles.

Powdery Mildew:

Keep an eye open for powdery mildew, especially after a rain when humidity returns. In a sprayer, mix two tablespoons of baking soda, one tablespoon of vegetable or horticultural oil in a gallon of water and spray the mildew.

Hydrangeas and Summer phlox are particularly prone to be affected by this problem. I recommend Phlox Miss Lingard or Phlox David, white ones of the species, which are the most mildew resistant. Monarda, commonly known as Bee Balm, is also affected by the mildew; the one I have found to be the most resistant is “Cambridge Scarlet”.

Do be careful when introducing Monarda into the garden; this plant, like Purple Loosestrife and Evening Primrose, is extremely invasive and can take over your entire border.

Still with invasive plants, if you plant mint, plant it only in containers, otherwise mint will spread throughout your borders.

I hope these tips are useful to you in this busy time of year in the garden. Stretch, hydrate and enjoy the burgeoning promise of your garden and I’ll see you next month.

If you would like some more gardening advice, contact my son Ian at LandscapesbByIan.com. I am sure you would enjoy speaking with him as he is full of knowledge since, as the saying goes, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.

Gardening Tips for May from ‘The English Lady’, ‘One of the Most Enchanting Months’

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Color is bursting out all over in the Merry Month of May.

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

“The darling buds of May” is such an apt phrase for one of the most enchanting months, bloom on spring bulbs and flowering trees, the Amelanchier, the Dogwood and the Cherry to name a few and the new awakening foliage on trees winking in the sun.

By now, you have probably removed most of the winter debris, pruned broken branches and re-edged borders. However, do not apply the composted manure before the soil warms up to 60 degrees.

The soil needs to reach that temperature for the soil organisms to work with the bacteria of the manure which produces nutrients for the roots of the plants.  I suggest, when shopping for garden supplies, pick up a soil thermometer to check soil temperature as I am sure the soil temperature will reach 60 degrees in a few weeks.

As I walk around my garden, I am noticing our old nemesis — weeds — emerging everywhere.

Pull these up by hand, without breaking them together with the roots.  Using a tool breaks the weeds, and as a result, the broken weed pieces will take root and you will face hundreds more of these creatures to get rid of.

Follow on the weeding with an organic corn, gluten-based weed pre-emergent by Bradfield Organics; this product will keep weeds at bay for quite a few weeks.

When the soil warms to 60 degrees, apply composted manure around daffodils and other spring bulbs so that soil organisms will produce nutrients to feed the bulbs for next year’s bloom. Also, a reminder to not cut down the Daffodil foliage as the nutrition from the foliage is absorbed into the bulb for bloom next spring.

Also in a few weeks, when the soil has warmed up, apply composted manure and a light layer of fine bark mulch to all maintained areas of the garden, again in July, and before putting the garden to bed in October.  The manure and mulch will begin to build the humus component.

Regarding types of mulch … only use the natural brown wood mulch of natural, do not use the colored mulches, which contain chemicals, and do not use rubber mulch.

A word of caution on Cocoa Mulch. This product is highly toxic to dogs and cats.  It is manufactured by Hershey and sold in many large garden centers.  It is made from the residue of chocolate products and other ingredients and contains a lethal ingredient that has resulted in the reported deaths of cats and dogs that are attracted by the chocolate odor. This mulch contains Theobromine, which is a Xanthine compound, with similar effects to those of caffeine and theophylline.  The symptoms, which animals experience, are seizures and death within hours.

I wrote about the carbon component in my April tips, but wanted to emphasize its importance by stating it again to build the humus component in your soil .

All living things, including us, are all carbon-based creatures. Humus brings carbon from the air into the soil.

Humus acts like a sponge and holds 90 percent of its weight in water. Because of its negative charge, plant nutrients stick to humus bringing nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and other important elements to the plant, preventing these nutrients from washing away, acting like nature’s slow- release fertilizer.

Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plants to root in this environment with better access to nutrients, water and oxygen. Humus also helps to filter toxic chemicals from soil, much like carbon-based water filtration systems filter toxins from your water.

I also recommend that you go online to Scientific American.com/article/Weed-Whacking Herbicide to check out the dangers of Round-Up. This is the most dangerous herbicide not only because of Glyphosate, which is on the list by the WHO as a chelating agent that causes cancer, but also because of its inert ingredients. I ask that you are not swayed by the word ‘inert’ as the ingredients are anything but inert and those ingredients combined with Glyphosate are deadly to human cells.

A yellow burst of color is offered by Forsythia in May.

Forsythia is in bloom, lovely fresh yellow blossoms.  If the bloom on your shrub is not as prolific as in previous years, prune out the old sparse wood after bloom ends.

A favorite native tree of mine is the Amelanchier with its creamy panicle blooms, followed by small green leaves and within weeks, red fruit, which is a delicious treat for our feathered friends. Before the birds eat all the fruit, you may want to pick some of the fruit which makes a delicious jelly for your morning toast.

“The graceful Dogwood.” Photo by Tabitha Turner on Unsplash.

Here in my town of Old Lyme, the Magnolias, Cherries and Eastern Redbud are vying with one another to show their finery together with the graceful Dogwoods.  Following the recent rains many of these trees are blooming at the same time or within a few weeks of one another. Their bloom will soon be over then we can look forward to rhododendrons, azaleas and followed by mountain laurel in early June.

Another favorite of mine is the Carlesii viburnum (also known as Korean Spice) is showing pink buds, opening to white flowers and their delightful fragrance fills the air outside my kitchen door. This viburnum grows to about five feet and can be tucked into many a border particularly in an area where you walk by and can enjoy the fragrance.

Covering the barn wall and scrambling up to the barn roof is my climbing hydrangea – bright green leaves emerging with hundreds of buds indicating that this beautiful climber will be laden with blossoms in summer.

Tulips, creeping phlox, forget-me-nots, primroses and candytuft are bringing much needed color to borders and rock gardens.

If you have not had the opportunity yet, for another couple of weeks you can still prune your roses.  Pull back the old mulch from around the base of the roses and in two to three weeks apply manure about six inches from the trunk of the plant. Then a week later reapply a layer of the brown natural mulch on top of the composted manure.

As well as building the humus component, these layers keep the roots cool, keep weeds at bay and help retain moisture. Do not mulch right up against the base of any plants as this encourages rodents to nest and gnaw on the plants.

Beware of fungi that look like weird mushrooms in your mulch; this is a sign of Artillery fungus, which can adhere to the walls of your home and cause problems.  If you notice this fungus, you will need to remove all the mulch and get it off your property.

Apply lime and manure around the lilacs, they like sweeter alkaline soil, thus the lime. By now, you may have already applied lime to the grass, which also enjoys sweeter soil and organic grub control to kill the Japanese beetle larvae – less food for moles.

If you are making an organic vegetable garden this year; a garden measuring 16 x 24 ft. can feed a family of four for a year; but keep the size within your needs and capability.  Don’t work the soil if it is too wet or too dry.

Double-digging is the best way to go; it takes time and effort but its well worth it – dig down about one foot and remove the topsoil, put the soil to one side, then dig down and loosen the next six inches of soil and add about three inches of composted manure then put back the topsoil and add another three to four inches of manure.

Do not rototill the vegetable garden, as this will destroy soil structure. Gently loosened, aerated fertile soil will give an excellent yield of fruits and vegetables in the garden.

I prefer 6 x 4 ft. beds rather than rows; beds produce a larger yield of crops. In addition, beds make for ease of weeding and harvesting by having narrow compacted soil or grass paths (having removed lawn from the area) in-between the beds.

Vegetable gardens are hard work but bring great joy … and produce!

The vegetable garden should be situated on the south or southwest side of the property for maximum sun exposure.

Make sure you remove as many weeds as possible by hand, before you even begin digging.

You need a water source close by as vegetables require lots of water, particularly annual fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, which are hydroponics which means they are (mostly water).

Rotate crops, by that I mean, do not plant the same vegetables in the same place as the previous year.  With this method you are preventing any soil born diseases from occurring.

In the loosened soil, plant the vegetables plants so that they are touching, this forms a natural canopy, shading out weeds and helps retain moisture.

I prefer to mulch the vegetable garden with composted manure, the reason being that manure, as mulch, does not cap. Capping is when mulch forms a crust, which does not allow water or air to penetrate to the roots of the plants.

Fence in the vegetable garden with a tall fence to keep animals out. At the base of the fence, install eight inches of fine mesh chicken wire above ground and eight inches below ground to keep out the digging and burrowing animals.

Organic insect control

Insects do not like fragrance so plant fragrant plants like marigolds, nasturtium, lavender, nepeta and honeysuckle and roses to name a few.

Encourage lacewings, which feed on aphids, by planting marigolds and sunflowers,

Attract ground beetles by laying a log or a rock on the earth, under which the beetles can hide. These useful insects are nocturnal and eat slug and snail eggs, cabbage maggots, cutworms and even climb trees to feed on army-worms and tent caterpillars.

“A vibrant shade of green. Photo by Chris Zhang on Unsplash.

Grass is now a vibrant shade of green so when mowing keep the blades of grass at about three inches; the taller blades attracts sunlight, promoting a healthier lawn. The taller blades also shade out weeds and help to retain moisture in the grass.

When mowing, leave grass clippings on the lawn, the clippings are a natural source of nitrogen. If you have clover in the grass, clover is an added benefit as clover takes nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil, as additional nutrients for plant growth.

After flowering is over, prune flowering shrubs by 25 percent – do this task immediately before new buds set for next year.

On a rainy day, go shopping for any garden supplies that may be needed, then when the weather is dry, you can be outdoors doing what you love and not indoors shopping.  Buy good hoses, cheap ones will bend and crack.

Peonies need plenty of water to produce flower buds.  I had a 30-foot-long stand of Peonies in my field. The Peonies have been in the ground for over 40 years and are a sight to behold when in bloom.  I gave them lots of loving care with a light dressing of aged manure in early May.  In a few weeks, I  pinch off the side buds while they are still small, leaving the terminal flower bud on each stalk, which will develop into a large main bloom.

Hydrangeas are a wetland plant and require plenty of water during the season, also applying manure and mulch around the base. If you have blue Hydrangeas and want a deeper color of blue, add some peat around the base of the plant, the acidity in the peat produces the bright blue color.

If you need to prune a Hydrangea, which has become too large, then prune it immediately after flowering, in early September, prune by about 1/3 of the old wood and the weakest shoots. Do not wait, as Hydrangeas begin to develop bloom buds for next year later in September.  If you wait to prune it is likely that you will not have bloom for next year.

The beloved Lily of the Valley is such a sweet-scented flower,

My maternal grandmother’s favorite plant, the Lily of the Valley soon will bloom, these lovely flowers are tucked on the small hill on the west side of my apartment, and I am so looking forward to gathering a few fragrant blooms for indoors.

When the lilacs have finished blooming, pinch off the withered flower clusters, and do the same on the mountain laurel and rhododendrons in late June to ensure good blossoms next year.

In mid May, apply composted manure, a light application of peat and fine bark mulch around all evergreens and rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azaleas; these plants are shallow- rooted and the mulch will keep the roots nourished, protected, warm and moist.

Some annual seeds that may be planted outside in mid May are: Calendula, Coreopsis, Marigold, Nasturtium, Nicotiana and Zinnia.

If you purchased annuals on Mother’s Day weekend, place them in a sheltered spot on the south side of your home. Plant them no earlier than Memorial weekend as we can still get a late frost.

Tuberous-rooted begonias, caladiums, cannas and elephant ears can be moved from porch or cold frame to a part shade area as the weather becomes warmer and there is no sign of frost in the forecast.

If you staked trees, when they were planted last year, cut the stakes off at ground level do not pull them out of the roots as you could tear and therefore damage the root system.

Aphid tip: squish a few in your hand; dead aphids release a chemical that causes other aphids to drop off the plants.

Another ants and aphids tip – if you drink mint tea, any leftover tea sprinkle on the bugs, as they do not like the smell of mint.

A word of caution on mint – plant mint only in containers, mint is tremendously invasive and can take over your garden.

When planting annuals, perennials, vegetables, trees, shrubs or evergreen keep them watered.

Houseplants can be moved outdoors for their summer sojourn at the end of May.  However, do not put your African Violets outdoors as they will burn, move them to a porch that is covered and shaded, or keep them indoors in a window that does not receive direct rays from the sun.

Wait until the soil warms up at the end of May to set out Dahlia tubers.

Roses are not troublesome creatures after all! Photo by Bailey Chenevey on Unsplash.

Roses are not the troublesome creatures you have been led to believe.  I like to plant David Austin roses; these shrub roses are repeat bloomers with lovely fragrances.  Roses need at least four hours of sun per day, good air circulation, and excellent drainage.

During their growing period from the beginning of June to mid August; add a little extra composted manure each month; it may be applied over the mulch.  Stop adding the manure in August so that the roses can go into a slow dormancy.

Roses like the same growing conditions as Clematis and can be planted together in a companionship planting, growing well together, with feet in the shade and head in the sun. Before you top up the soil around the roses when planting, add water and check if the soil drains, roses need good drainage.  Deep watering is recommended at least once a week.

Plenty of stuff to keep you hopping, folks, and remember to keep your eye out for any pest trouble and when you spot it get on the ball immediately to avoid further problems. Carefully discard all herbicides and pesticides; these poisons have the same effect on your health as second-hand smoke.

Your garden offers an anchor for peace and quiet enjoyment.  Enjoy the warmth, the gentle breeze, the earth’s fragrance and bloom and please remember to breathe and stretch before any garden labor.

Enjoy and I will see you in your garden next month. If you would like, my son Ian of LlandscapesbyIan will be happy to talk to you and answer gardening questions or you may have him visit your home for a consult.  The apple does not fall far from the tree and in my humble opinion Ian is more talented and creative than me.

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.