Do As I Say, Not As I Do (Confessions of a Garden Coach)

 
I love teaching about gardening, but I am ashamed to admit I do not always practice what I preach in my community-gardening programs or when coaching a home gardener. I feel it is time I fessed up. They say that confession is good for the soul, so here are seven of my gardening sins. I will first state what I teach, and then tell what I actually do. (I'm illustrating this post with pictures that I took in my garden this morning.)

1. Give each plant the conditions it needs to thrive. We often describe this as putting "the right plant in the right place." However, I seem convinced I can defy Mother Nature. When I planted two red twig dogwoods last year, I placed one in full sun and one in part shade, knowing the color depends on the amount of sun that the shrub receives. The one in full sun is the most beautiful bright crimson color. The other will survive, but it is not such a vivid red. The reason I bought them was for the color, duh! This is not as terrible a sin as trying to grow a climbing rose over a trellis that is located in too much shade. Yes, I did that when I first started my gardens here. Yes, it died. I replaced it with a honeysuckle that loves the spot. 

Arctic Fire™ Red Twig Dogwood Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow' loves this sunny spot. I'm too ashamed to show you a picture of the one that I planted in the Horseshoe Garden.

 

2. Rotate your crops. I am pleased to say I do this faithfully with my vegetables. I have a four-year rotation system that ensures diseases are not passed on from year to year. Unfortunately, I do not always remember this with my annual flowers. I planted zinnias around a wall fountain every year for several years, resulting in zinnia leaf spot disease each time. Now I try to find new places for them each season, although that is difficult in my small cutting garden. Choosing more disease-resistant varieties helps.

 

The cutting garden is the long bed on the right. I plant it intensely with zinnias and other annuals. Can you see the new wind spinner at the end? A birthday present from my daughter, Duane calls it The Whirligig. I have weeded and raked the kitchen-garden beds ready for composting. We had a large load of mushroom compost delivered this morning.

3. Label plants when you put them in the ground.  This is important for locations as well as names, but I don't always do it. When there is no marker, I sometimes forget in the spring and have been known to pull out new growth thinking it is a weed. In the summer, when someone is admiring the plant, I am saved embarrassment by having its name right there. The old memory is not what it was.

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  I have no idea what this hellebore is called.
  

 

4. Don't buy by impulse! The consequences can be great. It can also be a disaster, such as the obedient plant that spread profusely, taking over my world. 

 

But who could resist this beauty? ...

There is always room for one more hellebore

5. Clean and sharpen your gardening tools every year. I have this on the Fall Tasks list for my students, and I tell them if not accomplished then, it must be done in the spring. Oops! I just butchered a shrub with blunt cross-secateurs. Fortunately, Duane came to my rescue with a new pair. 

 
6. Put peony supports in place before the plant grows too tall. Hurray, I have not missed the window of opportunity for several years .... 

 

Of course, I didn't take this picture today.

7. Get a soil test. You can purchase a kit at your local Extension office and the resulting information is invaluable. So why don't I do this? I will quickly change the subject ... please call it "soil" not "dirt." This is an American foible that I am sometimes guilty of myself. Remember ... Soil is the substance you grow plants in; dirt is the substance behind my refrigerator.

 

Seriously, dear gardening friends, I am wondering what advice you would give new gardeners? 

 

More Blooms in my March Garden

As the snowdrops faded in the Serenity Garden, these sweet daffodils began to flower in front of Helleborus 'Ivory Prince'.

The hellebores that Jon and I planted last year in the stumpery are blooming.

A young Japanese Andromeda, Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire', sometimes called Lily-of-the-Valley plant, beginning to flower in the Woodland Walk.

The Bees are Back!

Glad to capture this picture before the deer ate all my crocuses!

I am linking with Sarah at Down by the Sea for her monthly 'Through the Garden Gate' meme. Thank you, Sarah, for hosting. I believe you have been getting some nice, warm weather in England, so I'm sure you have many more blooms than me this month. 

Stay safe and well.

Love, 

Pamela x

The first daffodil to bloom each year is in Abundance Garden.

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