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Hi, guys—happy holiday weekend!
I finally see a few baby zucchini and tomatoes on my plants, but my summer perennials have been slow to flower. I see plenty of blooming daylilies and coneflowers around the neighborhood, but mine are taking their dear, sweet time.
It’s probably payback for my rhododendrons, which were pretty braggadocious in early April, a full 2-3 weeks before everyone else’s showed up around here.
We all have little microclimates in our gardens. The angle the sun hits—or hides behind a tree—whether a plant is up against the house or another structure or gets extra (or too much!) water from a nearby downspout all affect our gardening success or failure.
One fig tree I grew years ago (and I use the term “grew” loosely) never produced an edible fig. It was in full sun but out in the open in the middle of the backyard. I painstakingly wrapped it for winter, and still, no dice. But a friend who grows hers up against the garage gets enough figs to supply friends and family every year—and she never even covers her tree. Where is the justice?
The answer is there is none. But at least we can take solace in knowing that garden failures aren’t always our fault. They often aren’t.
📬 Ask Jessica
DEAR JESSICA: Is there really anything that can be done about black spot on roses? Neem oil and other remedies never seem to work. My roses get the black spots, the leaves drop off, new leaves regrow, and the blooms keep coming. —Ruth Trotman
DEAR RUTH: I’m glad to hear your blooms keep coming, but it’s disappointing when plants are unsightly, even if flowering. Black spot is a devastating disease of roses that often proves fatal.
Caused by a fungus, the disease destroys flowers and weakens plants, in turn making them more susceptible to other diseases and pests as well as too weak to withstand cold injury over winter. So it’s important that you act quickly when you notice plant symptoms.
Remove infected branches and clean up fallen leaves and plant debris from the soil surface (allowing litter to remain will lead to reinfection). Place removed plant parts in sealed bags and discard them in the trash.
On a dry day, remove infected leaves from plants (disturbing them in humid weather hastens the spread of fungal spores).
Next, apply a fungicide that targets black spot. The most environmentally friendly are Neem oil, which often offers some relief, and copper fungicides. Be sure to follow label directions and precautions carefully (even organic pesticides and herbicides can cause serious harm).
As a preventive measure against future infections, mix one tablespoon each of baking soda and fine horticultural oil in a gallon of water and spray all plant parts with the solution. Don’t mess with the ratios--too much baking soda, which has a high sodium content, will injure plants.
Consider planting onions or tomatoes near roses to discourage the fungus (get more companion planting tips here).
Observe good cultural practices: Prune crowded plants to allow for sufficient airflow between and around plants and space new ones appropriately. And avoid overhead watering, which results in trapped moisture between leaves and interior plant parts, encouraging the growth of black spot and other mold, mildew and fungal diseases. Instead, use a soaker hose or drip irrigation system.
Good luck!
💡 If you do one thing this week…
Shear creeping phlox, sweet alyssum and candytuft now for fuller plants with more flowers next spring.
🔥50 % OFF FIRE SALE!
Grab one of the remaining copies of my 2022 Day-by-Day Gardening Calendar at half price — just $12.50—while they last! That’s less than 25 cents a week for 365 garden tips and chores.
If you’re unfamiliar, hanging one of these babies on your wall is like having a complete gardening course in a wall calendar! I’ve included 365 tips and chores to ensure your garden stays on track every day of the year. You’ll never miss a sowing, planting, fertilizing, pest-control or other important gardening date again!
By the end of the year, I promise, you’ll have earned a green thumb! Plus, your wall will be adorned with award-winning photography provided by The Weekly Dirt readers.
Grab one today while it’s on your mind because when they’re gone, they’re gone (and I’m not going to publish a wall calendar for 2023). Take a look:
👏 Sunday shoutout
Tuty G., of Long Island, NY, shared this photo of her lettuce seedlings—and her growing strategy: “I direct sowed them in the pot and will start eating them as a method of thinning them out,” she said. Waste not, want not, Tuty!
Send in your photo, and you could be featured next!
📰This week in my Associated Press gardening column
I write a weekly gardening column for the AP, so you might have seen my byline in your local paper (or news website) — wherever in the world you happen to be. In case you miss it, I’ll post the most recent here every week.
Fertilizer prices are soaring! Here’s how to save money by making your own: Alternatives to store-bought soil amendments are all around you.
Embracing native plants doesn’t have to be all or nothing: Baby steps will go a long way toward helping pollinators and the environment. Learn how easy it is to get started (does one plant sound like too much?)
Pollinator-friendly pest control: Yes, you can protect your plants without killing pollinators. Just take care to follow these guidelines.
Preparing a garden for severe storms—and cleaning up after.
Not all shade is the same: Gardening where there's little sun: Gardening in the shade doesn't have to mean limited plant choices and lack of color. The first step is understanding which type of shade you have. Click in for guidance and plant suggestions.
Want more? You can read all my AP gardening columns here.
Let’s be friends! Follow me @JesDamiano on Instagram
📧 How’m I doing?
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Ask Jessica section.
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