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April 2020
Theme: "Spring into Planting"
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Feature Article:
Wildlife Loves Layered Landscapes!
By: Margy Pearl, Johnston County EMGV
Want a landscape that looks beautiful and natural while attracting a variety of wildlife, especially birds, butterflies and other pollinators? After we moved from upstate NY to Clayton, a timely lecture in 2015 by Dr. Chris Moorman, NCSU Professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, totally changed the way we planned and planted our woodsy property. Using the practical, pollinator friendly, and maintenance lowering concept of landscape layering or vertical structuring, our yard is now literally alive with wildlife!
Graduated levels of plantings placed on property borders to add screening or in other garden areas; on the ground, in low to high shrubs, the mid-story, and in the canopy can be created by staggering plant heights from small to tall. Wildlife, especially birds, feed on fruit, seeds, nectar, insects and/or pollen, roost, seek shelter and nest at different levels of the landscape. For example, woodpeckers and jays use the canopy while cardinals, thrushes and warblers prefer the mid-level. The goal is to provide a diversity of plants with food and other value at all those layered levels to attract a variety of wildlife, particularly a wide range of birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Planting low-growing foreground to tall background perennials, annuals, and grasses in front of and under taller shrubs and trees adds more layering. These plants not only supplement the wildlife as food, host plants, shelter and nesting opportunities, but also add beauty in color and texture. Groundcovers and smaller plants in masses under shrubs and trees provide a "living" mulch which naturally protects against drought and also suppresses weeds.
Layering from side to side, as well as in height, creates a smoothly undulating design from low to high and avoids large gaps. Planting odd numbers of plants, usually 3-7 in loose triangles, repeating that pattern in other areas, rounding border edges, and varying textures are also pleasing design elements. (See diagram below!)
So, let's take it from the top!
Native Canopy or Background Trees:
Birch,
Betula
(butterfly & moth host, owls, seeds)
Mulberry,
Morus
(fruit)
Oaks,
Quercus
(host for many butterflies, supports 280 insect species for birds to eat)
Tulip,
Liriodendron tulipifera
(bees)
Willows,
Salix
(butterfly host, bees)
Native Midstory or Midground Trees:
Crabapples,
Malus
Dogwoods,
Cornus
(Summer Azure butterfly host)
Paw Paw,
Asimina Triloba
(Zebra Swallowtail butterfly host)
Redbuds,
Cercis
NOT chinensis!
Serviceberries,
Amelanchier
Wild Plum or Cherry,
Prunus
Native Vines
: Canopy or the midstory level (nectar and more)
Climbing Aster,
Ampelaster carolinianus
Crossvine,
Bignonia
(hummers)
Passionflower (host for 6 butterfly species)
Native Shrubs
: (nectar, fruit, shelter, butterfly hosts)
Elderberry,
Sambucus canadensis
Hollies,
Ilex
New Jersey-tea,
Ceanothus americanus
Spicebush,
Lindera benzoin
(Spicebush butterfly host)
Viburnums
Wax Myrtle,
Morella
Native Perennials and Grasses
: (nectar, seeds, butterfly hosts, shelter)
Aster,
Symphyotrichum spp.
Baptisia spp.
Big Bluestem Grass,
Andropogon gerardii
Butterfly Milkweed,
Asclepias tuberosa
(Monarch butterfly host)
Coneflower,
Echinacea spp.
Goldenrod,
Solidago spp.
Rudbeckia spp
Pink Muhly grass,
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Photo Credit: Gail Hansen, UF/IFAS
Other Resources:
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Grow Native:
Viburnums
By: Katherine Maynard, EMGV
Historic natives to state-of-the-art hybrids -
so many choices to meet your landscaping needs.
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2020 hybrid
Viburnum 'Moonlit Lace' |
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NC Native Viburnums
Viburnum nudum, Viburnum dentatum |
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Viburnums are beautiful and popular shrubs, long celebrated for their white, often fragrant spring flowers and their fall color. Moonlit Lace® is a compact hybrid showcasing dark green foliage with burgundy stems. It is perfect for small gardens growing to an average height of 3-4' high with a 4-5' spread. Moonlit Lace® thrives in full sun to part sun and is drought tolerant and deer resistant. This new hybrid is a 'must see', but Viburnums have been thriving in NC for centuries.
Perhaps the most widely appreciated viburnums are the Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii), and the Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii), both of which fill the air with an enchanting clove like aroma in mid-spring. Also popular is the double-file viburnum (V. plicatum f. tomentosum), valued for its layered habit, fall foliage, and clusters of red fruits.
The native viburnums are less well-known but are quite garden worthy. While they may not provide the enticing flower fragrance of their Asian cousins, they compete easily in their wonderful fall foliage color and copious fruit displays, which attract wildlife in the fall and winter months. Generally, they are drought tolerant and urban tough, require only corrective pruning, and seldom suffer from pests or diseases. While naturally moist woodland beauties, the natives adapt easily to many soil types and perform well in full sun to partial shade.
The swamp-haw viburnum, Viburnum nudum, has lustrous, shiny green leaves and a dense, uniform, domed shape. Growing up to seven feet high it offers white flowers in late June. These flowers are followed by clusters of round berries that progress through a series of color changes as they ripen. By late summer, it is decorated with clusters of multicolored fruits which look particularly attractive with the plant's red to reddish-purple fall foliage.
'Winterthur' has brighter red leaves and more abundant fruit.
The arrowwood viburnum, Viburnum dentatum, is a fast-growing native viburnum with long, straight stems once used by Native Americans to make arrows. Attractive through the seasons, it features creamy spring blossoms, light green coarsely toothed leaves, and deep blue fall fruits. The fall foliage is yellow to red to reddish purple. Six - 12 feet high, this tough shrub can be used as the backbone of a screen or unclipped hedge against which more ornamental shrubs can be featured. The arrowwood viburnum offers many ecological benefits. It is a larval food plant for the spring azure butterfly and several moths. Its fruit is eaten by the phoebe, mockingbird, robin, brown thrasher, northern flicker, cardinal, cedar waxwing, vireo, bluebird, and grosbeak. The plant is also used by several bird species for cover and nesting. Cultivars include 'Morton', which has a broad, upright, rounded form and burgundy foliage in fall. 'Blue Muffin' has rich blue fruit and is very compact, growing from three to five feet tall; it's a good choice for a low hedge, foundation, or container planting.
For more information on viburnums, please check out the links below:
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Ask an Expert:
"Give us a new lease on life" . . .
Repotting Container Plants
By: Bryce Lane, Lecturer
Emeritus
, NCSU Horticulture Science
Dr. Bryce Lane, NCSU Lecturer Emeritus in Horticultural Science, is an avid gardener and host of UNC TV public television show "In the Garden With Bryce Lane." Herein he provides step-by-step tips for 'spring cleaning' your houseplants.
1. March is a great time to refurbish houseplants.
2. Remove plants from existing containers and clean as much soil off the roots as possible.
3. Prune roots back at least one third to a half.
4. Re-pot in the same container using new potting soil.
5. Don't put gravel in the bottom of the pots to improve drainage. It actually makes things worse.
6. Always water to saturate and empty the saucer with excess water. If the pot is too big to move then use a turkey baster to remove the water from the saucer.
7. Prune back the houseplant stems by one third, removing dead, dying and damaged growth first.
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Quick Tip:
Tips for Purchasing Plants
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Veggie Tale:
The Foodscape Revolution - just plant the edge!
By:
Brie Arthur, landscape horticulturalist, local gardener, and
author of 2 books: "Foodscape Revolution" and "Gardening with Grains"
https://www.briegrows.com
"
Garden to Table
" is the best way to describe my passion of Foodscaping. The idea is simple: add purpose to landscapes in developed areas such as residential neighborhoods, office parks, municipalities, school campuses and retirement communities. With an education in design, an enthusiasm for ornamental horticulture, and a hunger for local, organically raised produce I see potential to grow food in every cultivated space.
Foodscaping isn't new - in fact the strategy of planting food crops in convenient locations goes back centuries! From cottage gardens and French potage to the edible landscapes described by Rosalind Creasy, Foodscaping is just a modern term for a logical and easy way to grow meaningful amounts of food.
Start by thinking "outside the box." Lumber encased beds are NOT the only way to grow food. In fact, raised beds are generally the cause for the "no food in the front yard" mantra of suburban HOA restrictive covenants. Boxed beds can also cause decreased production due to over planting. This also can lead to insect and disease problems. Additionally, this method of containing edibles limits available square footage and creates monocultures. Did you know that only four plant families make up the lion's share of the edibles grown by home gardeners?
Top 4 plant families for grown edibles:
Amaranthaceae -
beets, quinoa, spinach, and Swiss chard
Brassicaeae -
cool season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale
Fabaceae -
beans, peas, and peanuts
Solanaceae - warm season crops like eggplant, peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes
By incorporating popular annual crops like tomatoes, peppers, kale and chard into the landscape you will add brilliant colors and textures that blend beauty and abundant harvest. The ornamental plants offer the biological diversity to attract beneficial insects. Focus on developing the sunniest areas of your landscape, as most edibles prefer bright exposure.
You can start Foodscaping by planting bed edges - you will be amazed by how much square footage is available. Bed edges are a great place to grow low maintenance plants such as garlic, arugula, lettuce, basil and peanuts. This location is easy to access for watering and harvesting and really makes a visual impact. I had a professor in college explain that any combination of plants could make sense with a tidy edge. That advice continues to inspire me as I look for strategies to increase local food production.
My top picks for bed edge plantings include traditional southern agricultural crops like peanuts to hardy greens that self-sow such as Arugula. Many edibles are effective at deterring grazing mammals so consider plants like Garlic which will help ward off moles and voles or 'Micrette' Basil which has a strong, bitter flavor that bunnies hate! Most importantly, be creative in your plantings and change them seasonally so they look beautiful year-round.
*I never say any plant is mammal resistant, but here are a few plants that can help reduce browsing damage from deer, rabbits, moles and voles.
Cool season edge: Arugula, Garlic, Lettuce, Onions, Potatoes
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Arugula - bitter flavor deters rabbits
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Garlic - smelly bulb deters moles, voles, and deer
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Lettuce - easy to harvest
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Onion - smelly bulb deters voles
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Potatoes - Solanaceae plant foliage is poisonous which helps deter deer and rabbits.
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You can plant bed edges any season of the year, including through the heat of the summer. My favorite warm season bed edge plants include a variety of flowering ornamentals such as trailing Vinca, Marigolds and Coleus along with edibles that help deter browsing mammals.
Warm season edge: Basil, Peanuts, Peppers
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Basil: bitter flavor deters rabbits and deer
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Peanuts: naturally fixes nitrogen back
into the garden
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Dwarf Peppers:
Solanaceae
plant foliage is poisonous which helps deter deer and rabbits
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Got Gardening Questions?
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Our Johnston County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (EMGV) can help with various horticulture questions.
Email the EMGV at jcemastergardener@gmail.com
or call (919) 989-5380
to speak with one of our
Master Gardener volunteers.
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- The best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn. Learn how to care for your lawn throughout the year. Visit TurfFile and click on Turf Tips to learn more about your lawn type. Keep it happy, healthy, and weed free.
- Grass clippings are a great source of nitrogen. Practice grasscycling, a recycling practice where you leave the grass clippings on the lawn to return nutrients to the soil. This could reduce the amount of nitrogen needed in fertilizer for the year by 25%. Clippings may also be composted or sprinkled onto flowerbeds as long as they're not allowed to mat together.
- Warm season lawn seed may be planted toward the end of the month. Call us for a copy of 'Carolina Lawns' which tells you exactly when and how much seed to plant.
- Sharpen mower blades! A sharp blade cuts. A dull blade tears, making grass susceptible to diseases.
- Check out the various turfgrasses for your area and learn how best to care for your lawn.
Click on each type of grass for individual maintenance calendar:
TREES, SHRUBS, & ORNAMENTALS
- Renew mulch around trees, shrubs, and in garden beds. Make sure mulch does not touch the bark of trees or shrubs and extends to the drip line of young trees.
- If rambunctious perennials have reproduced too freely, pot up the excess plants and pass them along to friends and family. New gardeners will be
thrilled to receive free plants.
- Don't overfeed azaleas and camellias. These shallow-rooted plants are not heavy feeders and can be damaged by over-fertilizing. Submit a soil sample to determine if fertilizer is needed. (Routine Soil Samples cannot be submitted now. See announcement below)
- Use a slow-release, balanced fertilizer immediately after blooming. Apply it around the drip line of the shrub according to label directions.
- Special fertilizers for 'acid-loving plants' are not necessary as our soils are sufficiently naturally acidic.
- Watch for black spot and powdery mildew on roses - common problems in our humid climate. Although these diseases make the foliage look bad, the plants generally do well anyway.
- Watch for lace bugs, the most common pest for azaleas. Look for whitish, stippled leaves with shiny dark flecks on the undersides. If found, treat with horticultural oil (an insecticide). Be sure the spray reaches all parts of the leaves and stems, including the undersides of leaves.
- Annual flowers such as zinnas, moonflowers, cleome, gloriosa daisies and sunflowers can be seeded in mid-April.
- Let spring bulbs die down naturally. Remove flower heads after the petals fade, but do not cut down the foliage. Do not fold, twist or braid foliage. Once the foliage falls over, it can be removed. Leafy companion plants can hide yellowing bulb foliage.
- Tender bulbs such as ranunculus and anemone can be dug and stored when their foliage begins to yellow.
- At the end of the month, plant summer bulbs like caladiums, lilies, gladioli, dahlias, and elephant ears.
- Prepare new flower beds by loosening and amending the soil. All plants perform better when their roots can spread in loose, organic soil. Till the soil and incorporate organic matter, lime and fertilizer - according to soil test results. Plant perennials now so they can become established before hot weather sets in.
VEGETABLES & FRUITS
- Check tender shoots of vegetables and emerging perennials for aphids. If found, spray off with water.
- Watch out for and control fireblight on apple, blackberries and pear trees (including ornamental varieties). Affected branches look like they've been burned with a blowtorch. Control this bacterial disease by pruning diseased limbs back to 1 foot beyond the diseased area. Be careful not to let infected foliage touch healthy foliage (yes, it's that contagious), and disinfect tools between cuts to avoid spreading the disease. Discard rather than compost the infected limbs.
- Plant turnips before April 15. Plant pole beans, carrots, and winter squash after April 15. Cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, snap beans, watermelon, and cantaloupe may be safely planted at the end of the month.
- Thin cool weather crops that were seeded last month.
- Pick off blossoms of strawberries planted this season. Let plants mature a year before they bear fruit.
- Keep tomatoes well-watered to avoid blossom end rot.
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Helpful Links from Johnston County Cooperative Extension
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Announcements:
The Spring Master Gardener Annual Plant Sale
Will be postponed until October 10th
Updated Soil Testing Info.
The NCDA&CS Soil Sampling Facility, until further notice will
be operating on a limited basis, accepting only samples deemed essential. Regular predictive soil samples will not be taken. The samples being accepted include the following: soil diagnostic (agricultural samples only), nematode diagnostic, nematode pinewood, nematode molecular diagnostic, plant tissue, solution, soilless media and waste samples not covered by the NCDEQ waiver on liquid animal waste.
See website link for more information.
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For more information visit:
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