Benefits of Mulch in the Garden

Learn how mulch benefits the health of your plants by retaining moisture and enriching the soil.  Mulch is an organic substance that is laid on top of the soil and around the plant tree or shrub. The mulch may be derived from leaves, pine needles hardwood chips, or bark. I have also used ground pine cones, corn cobs, and coconut husks. 

Added Cedar mulch here

Many people use grass clippings as it is a nutritious form of mulch.  The grass must be dried before it is applied to the garden and a thin layer will benefit your garden.  Heavy grass will prevent the water from getting to your plant's roots.  I use dried grass in my tomato garden.  It really is good for the soil.

Hosta Garden with mulch

Whenever I plant I always apply mulch directly after watering.  The best way to apply mulch is to layer it around the plant but not cover the stem region, leave that area mulch-free so the air and water can get to the plant.

Gardens Benefit from Mulch

Mulch is a protective layer that helps the soil to retain moisture.  It also will keep the roots of the plant cool and the mulch will deter weed growth.

When you apply two inches of mulch to your gardens then you will not have to water as often.

Another benefit of using mulch is that the natural substance will break down over time and the nutrients will enrich the soil.

Tips:

Mulch should not be heavy during the growing season as it will prevent the water from getting to the roots of the plants.  

Normally I will add one to two inches of mulch to my garden beds in June to keep my plants cooler in the summer and to help retain moisture.  

 In late fall when I am getting my gardens ready for winter I will apply up to three inches of mulch.  The winter application of mulch will protect the plants with roots that are close to the soil surface from being damaged from wind, ice, or snow.  

Get New Clients with Business Card

I never leave home without my business cards because a potential customer could approach me throughout the day and my business card could open doors for a new gardening or landscape contract.

A few weeks ago while walking my dog in the neighborhood I saw a neighbor approaching me and they greeted me with a friendly hello and stopped to chat.   They asked me if I was the gardener at the end of the block next to the nature sanctuary and I said yes. Then told me that a group of neighbors viewed my backyard and liked what they saw.  I took this comment as an opening statement for a possible new client and reached for my gardener’s business card.  

 

 

Grass Garden gets neighborhood attention and word-of-mouth clients.

The neighbor wanted to know about my skills as well as my brief work history.  I responded by mentioning a few clients that I did work for in the neighborhood and pointed out my skills and expertise as noted on my business card. I answered their questions and then ended the conversations by telling them to call me if they needed my garden services while they were on vacation or for general garden maintenance or specialty plantings.  

Update: Two days later while tending to my gardens I happened to glance at my driveway and saw the neighbor coming toward me.  They said that they were going on vacation and asked if I would look after their container gardens, and tomatoes, and water their yard as well as pick up their mail.  We agreed on fees for my services and my new client signed the contract. 

I have been tending to gardens for a long time and have not needed to advertise my services.  All new and repeat clients were due to word of mouth or from a casual conversation that ended with me handing them a business card.   

My business card may have been tossed in the drawer but when they needed a gardener they called me and for this, I am thankful because I have a new client and a new gardening contract.

Growing Tips for Morning Glory Vine

Grandpa Ott morning glory

Add some vertical interest to your garden by growing a morning glory vine.   

Morning Glory is an annual vine with heart-shaped leaves that are easy to train to grow up a trellis or they will cover a chain link fence with green leaves and a flower that is similar to a petunia.

There are a variety of flower colors; white purple, blue, pink, or red, and all trumpet-shaped flowers bloom in the early morning from early summer to frost. 

You can start this vine from seed and then plant it outdoors after the threat of spring frost has passed or you can grow it from a nursery-grown plant.  

I am new to growing the morning glory vine.  I was given “Grandpa Ott” heirloom seeds a few years ago and started them indoors and then transplanted them outdoors.  I used them to hide a six-foot chain link fence.  

You do not need to be an expert gardener to grow the morning glory vine.  It is very easy to grow.  Plant next to a trellis or next to your fence and wrap the vine around the link of the fence and it will quickly attach itself.

Planting tips:

You can start seeds indoors or you can sow the seeds directly into an outdoor garden.  Before you plant the seed it is best to soak them in a shallow pan of tepid water overnight.  The water soaking will help in germination.  

If you intend on sowing the seeds outdoors then plant them in full sun in an area with well-drained soil the back garden border is good as they make a nice background vine if they grow up a trellis or fence.  Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep.

Another way to grow morning glory is to plant in a container that has a supportive trellis.  Then set it close to your outdoor living place so you can admire this pretty flower. 

For a container, I like to plant with miracle grow.  When planting directly in the soil I will get the garden site ready by removing the grass and then work the topsoil with my shovel by turning over the soil.  I then will break up the clumps so that the soil is loose.  Work compost or manure into the soil as this nutritious soil will be good for the overall health of the plant. 

When planting at the base of a trellis or fence dig a trench that is the same depth as the nursery-grown container and plant the vines eight inches apart. 

Caring for Morning Glory

Mix a weak strength of water-soluble fertilizer for flowers and water the newly planted morning glories well.  

Water daily to keep the soil evenly moist but not wet.

Apply organic mulch around the morning glory vines; pine needles, leaf much, or tree bark.

Feed with a water-soluble fertilizer that is formulated for flowers twice a month throughout the growing season.

Morning Glory plants like it hot and humid.  

Tips for Growing Hydrangea

Hydrangea is an old-fashioned flowering shrub that is eye appealing when grown as a single accent plant or as a border hedge.  

The flowers are large and are made up of tiny clusters of flowers.  These flowers have no fragrance but the scent does not matter because the entire hydrangea plant is beautiful.   

There are many types of Hydrangea shrubs as well as flower colors; white, blue, pink, and a lavender color that is gorgeous.  Choose the hydrangea flower that will compliment your yard and garden color scheme and you will enjoy a long-lived flower from mid-summer through fall. 

Growing Tips

When it comes to determining the soil for a hydrangea you will need to test the PH.  The Nikko blue flower needs acidic soil and the pink flowering hydrangea needs alkaline soil.  Since it is imperative to provide these flowers with the right soil I think it is best to choose one variety of hydrangeas. 

The best time to plant a hydrangea is in the spring after the threat of frost has passed, but that is not to say that you cannot plant one during the growing season.  If you intend on planting in the summer then provide the hydrangea with tender loving care; keep the soil evenly moist and plant on the north side of your home or under a shade tree. Hydrangeas are sensitive to heat and drought and will show stress with wilted leaves and flowers. 

Plant the hydrangea in well-drained soil that is amended with organic matter.  Choose a growing site that has morning sun and afternoon shade followed by late in the day part sun. 

 

Water well after the hydrangea is planted; keep the soil around the hydrangea evenly moist but not wet from spring to fall frost.  

I water my hydrangeas twice a day with a weeper hose.  I set it up on a timer for 7am to 9am.  Deep watering will benefit the hydrangea.  

Caring for Hydrangea

Apply organic mulch; wood chips shredded bark or pine needles around the hydrangea to help keep the roots cool and to retain moisture. 

Fertilize annually in June for beautiful blooms.

Tips:

The hydrangea flowers are long-lived and they can be cut for a bouquet or to be used in a dried floral arrangement. 

Leave the dried hydrangea flowers throughout the winter months and they will add interest to your garden.  Here is one of my photographs:

Dried Hydrangea flowers in November

Hydrangeas are not drought tolerant the plant will become stressed if the soil is dry. Both leaves and flowers will wilt.