Master Gardening Blog

by Teresa Odle

It’s rainy season and gardeners, farmers, ranchers and homeowners with all sorts of projects have to get out in the mud and muck to finish up summer and fall projects. I don’t know about you, but wet feet are among my pet peeves. Le Chameau Country Lady Wellington Boots kept my feet dry on a recent rainy day.

Try our new handmade garden boots

I think the handmade La Chameau boots may have kept my feet dry if I had wandered out into a moving stream to do a little fly fishing. In fact, I tried testing the seal on these nearly knee-high rubber boots to see just how waterproof they were. I turned on my garden hose and ran water around the outside of the boots, even above the knee. When I removed the boots several minutes later, my legs and feet were dry inside. That’s partly because of the 100 percent natural rubber outer, but also because of the boots’ 16.5 inch length. But what really worked was how well they sealed; I had to pull the lower part out and then pull them down to break the natural seal when it was time to take the boots off. They’re that good at sealing to the skin. You can tell that La Chameau boots are made of natural rubber; the company says it’s harvested from Heva trees.

These boots are worth the price of their handmade quality, with one caveat: be sure the pair you buy

Classic tartan lining and olive green color

fits. One reason the calf seal works so well is that it’s not adjustable like Hunter and other brands, so you need to be sure it fits your leg. The other reason the seal works so well is that it’s edged and reinforced.

I think what I liked best, however, is that I never felt like I was wearing clunky boots. The olive green color and tartan printed jersey interior make these boots stylish enough to run out for errands in the middle of a project. And no need to worry about slipping on wet pavement in the cross design rubber sole!

Share on Facebook

There’s something about going back to the charm and quiet of a reel mower that appealed to me. I remembered watching my dad and brothers pushing one around in my early childhood. When I pulled the NaturCut Ideal 40 reel mower out of the box, I saw those familiar blades but was surprised at how light it was — just under 20 pounds. It was easy to assemble; the wheels and blades already are together. You just add a few cotter pins and screw on wing nuts to

The NaturCut Ideal 40 Reel Mower is easy to assemble.

attach the three-part handle.

Even though it’s light to maneuver, a reel mower makes lawn care a little bit more of a workout. But that’s a good thing for those of us with sedentary jobs in the daytime. It’s also good for the grass. Reel mower blades spin vertically, or north to south, and use a scissor action to cut the grass. I’ll admit that the NaturCut missed a few seed-heads on my bermuda, but the grass was pretty high. And I learned after the fact that I should have cut north-south on my first bermuda pass each time, then east to west. The mower is recommended for fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, and can cut just about any grass but zoysia. Once high grass is under control, reel-action cutting beats rotary for lawn health.

Enjoy a quieter and cleaner cut with a reel mower

Speaking of health, I loved that the NaturCut used no gasoline and produced no noise or fumes. It makes the experience more relaxing and better for the environment, not to mention convenient. You can pull this 20-pound mower out on a whim after dinner or before breakfast and quickly cut the lawn. No worries about having gas in the tank or waking the neighbors. Many proponents of reel mowers don’t catch the clippings, preferring to let the short blades mulch their grass and serve as a natural compost. If you like a cleaner look to your lawn, the NaturCut is catcher-ready.

The mower’s cutting height was easy to adjust from 0.6 to 2.75 inches. The 16-inch cutting width made for quick mowing of our back lawn. This reel mower covers a lot of ground smoothly and quickly, partly because the new Ideal model has 10-inch wheels. If you’ve got a large lawn, you might not want to switch to a reel mower full-time; it’s best suited for small-to-medium areas of turf. At only $199 including shipping, it’s also perfect as a back-up for the inevitable power mower breakdown, to get lazy teenagers off the couch in the summer, and to pull out for quick jobs when you want a quiet, peaceful and natural workout that also results in a beautifully manicured lawn.

Share on Facebook

by Teresa Odle

If you’re like me, you prefer looking at a beautiful flowering vine to your neighbor’s garbage can. Even  when  you know and like your neighbors, you enjoy privacy in certain areas of your home and yard. A well-placed trellis can help provide privacy and it’s a practical tool for controlling growth of certain vines and plants.

Got tomatoes? How about metal cages to hold them up? Instead, you can use a trellis system with multiple sides. It’s much more attractive and still does the trick. Trellises also work for keeping cucumbers and grapes off the ground and look much better than cages, ropes, metal wire or chains and other homemade devices. And some ornamentals, such as Gelsemium sempervirens, or Carolina jessamine or jasmine, require a trellis or some sort of support.

The best feature of trellises, however, is that they serve an architectural and decorative purpose in the garden. You can use them as a sort of wall for privacy, to separate areas of the garden, cut wind or add height for effect. Whether

Trellises add character and privacy to your garden.

you add a trellis for looks or practical reasons, consider a few tips:

• Think about how you’ll anchor the trellis to the wall or structure or into the ground. Manufactured trellises should come with anchors.
• The strength of the trellis and anchor system depend on the plant you intend to train around it. Our neighbor had English ivy on an old wooden trellis and we knew it was going to collapse any day. It did about month ago, taking our privacy with it. Ivy is too heavy for the structure it was on, especially if not constantly trimmed.
• That leads to the next tip: You have to keep up with the plant. Just putting a trellis in doesn’t mean the plant automatically grows how and where you want it to go. You need to keep up with regular trimming and help direct the plant’s growth onto and around the trellis. It still beats letting a vine run amok on the ground, fence, roof or into other plants and should require less maintenance.
• Trimming also helps improve the look and use of your trellis, leaving some space for sun and breeze if you choose. You may not want shade (Aristolochia durior, or Dutchman’s Pipe, is a good choice), so keep that in mind when you choose the plant and as you trim. Or you may want quick coverage; if so, choose a fast grower such as Polygonum auberti, or Silver Lace vine.

Finally, check to see if the plant is evergreen if you want your trellis covered all year long.

Share on Facebook

by Teresa Odle

Each year, American gardeners face frustrating problems with their edible or ornamental gardens. Many of these are caused by likable critters and others by creepy crawlers. Controlling pests requires a little knowledge and attention. Here are MasterGardening.com’s Top 10 garden pests and a few control tips:

Deer can destroy an entire season of hard work in one night.

1.Deer- Sorry, but these lovely, peaceful animals were tabbed as causing the most widespread wildlife damage in a USDA national survey. Gardeners who live near them don’t help matters by inviting them near their gardens when they want to impress visitors. The first step in managing deer is to stop providing winter feed or salt. Clean up all unharvested fruits and vegetables, too; these steps make your property less attractive come spring. If you still see telltale signs of deer damage, jagged edges on torn leaves or bark scraped off trees,you can try deer repellents, scare devices or fencing. The type of fence depends on your needs, such as the size of the area that needs protecting.

2. Snails and slugs- Mollusks are unattractive and can do extensive damage. They’re hard to eradicate, and no fun to hand-pick and discard. Fertilizer salts can dehydrate snails, but be sure to use commercial products that have bands of fertilizer for your plants, not table salt, which can harm plants. Sprinkle in a protective border around the plant. Some snail and slug baits are organic, but others are extremely toxic to children, pets and wildlife, so be sure to check the labels and use with caution. And keep mollusks away by removing debris from shaded areas.

3. Aphids- Often hard to see, they show up on new shoots, blooms and the undersides of leaves. Aphids literally suck the sap out of the plant, which produces curled leaves, yellowish spots and a honeydew that ants love. Start by spraying the plant with a steady but soft stream of water every few days until they go away. You also can apply insecticidal soap. Home soap remedies can work but be sure to follow mixing directions and rinse the soap off sensitive plants after it’s had a chance to work on the aphids.

4. Moles and gophers- Depending on the region of the country, one of these critters may be active in the garden year-round. Moles and gophers dig underground tunnels, which can damage lawn and plant roots. Sometimes gardeners can deal with moles, knowing they eat insect larvae and eventually will move on. Most barriers won’t keep out gophers, but rodent fence or hardware cloth may keep a mole out of a flowerbed. Sonic devices are effective against moles and other burrowers.  Place the devices in the tunnels to drive them from your property. Smoke bombs and other repellents can also be an effective way of controlling moles and gophers.

5.Japanese beetles- These distinctively metallic green or copper beetles attack plants from the time they’re larvae in the ground, feeding on roots, until they’re adults ripping foliage from plants in the summer. Surveying for grubs in the ground can help a gardener know if the problem is serious enough to address chemically. Pyrethrum is a good defense for these pests, who love turf and nearly every vegetable and ornamental in the garden. If you use traps, be sure to place them away from the garden; the lures inside attract the beetles.

6.Caterpillars- These seemingly still and innocuous crawlers can do major damage to plants. Cutworms, which are the larvae of Miller moths, can chop off plant seedlings. Farmers dread the corn earworm; the tomato hornworm also plagues home gardeners. The large, creepy worm is hard to find on plants because of its leafy green color. It’s best detected at dawn and dusk. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the best biological control for caterpillars. Or you can pick the hornworms off and choose your own method of destruction.

7.Rabbits- Cottontails and jackrabbits do similar damage. They really love leafy green vegetables but also go after

Trapping and removing rabbits and raccoons is sometimes the only way to prevent damage.

ornamentals and strip bark in fall and winter. Raccoons do more damage to the house than the garden but love fruits, berries, nuts and grain. First, make your garden less attractive to critters by cleaning up wood piles, overgrown shrubs, dropped seeds from bird feeders and securing trash can lids. Try a protective repellent around the perimeter of your garden. Chicken wire fencing may keep them out, but rabbits can get around chain-link fences. To trap rabbits, try dried alfalfa or clover for bait in cold weather, apples, carrots or cabbage in warm weather. Trapping is about the only control for raccoons. Marshmallows, grapes, prunes and peanut butter will lure raccoons, but not cats, into the trap.

8.Lawn grubs- White grubs are immature larvae of June or May beetles. They feed on all types of grass roots and damage lawns. The grass eventually feels loose and can roll up. The problem is they’re down under, where the gardener can’t see them. But moles digging in the turf or flocks of birds feeding on the grass are possible signs of white grubs. Sampling by digging about three inches deep under edges of affected turf can confirm presence of and help identify lawn grubs. See product listings sure to control the grubs plaguing your turf.

9.Ants- They’re mostly a nuisance and fire ants have a painful sting. But contrary to popular belief, some ants can damage plants. Imported fire ants feed on plant seeds and other insects, which can offset the balance of beneficial insects in the garden. Ants also can tend aphids on ornamentals, protecting aphids from other insects and thus helping them destroy plants. Besides, they’re just annoying and destructive around children and structures. Direct mound applications of granules work best to control these pests.

10.The Gardener- That’s right, control of nearly every pest begins with the care,or neglect of the gardener. It starts with selecting plants appropriate for the climate and less attractive to your region’s pests. Regular and appropriate watering keeps plants healthy, which helps them fight off diseases and many pests. Careful monitoring, quick action and simply paying attention to what’s happening in and around the garden, then researching and purchasing the best products to fight off pests can help ensure that plants remain pest-free. Visit MasterGardening.com for all your deer fencing and garden pest control needs.

Share on Facebook

By Teresa Odle

It’s not just that I love pots, as I say every spring when I shop for herbs and ornamentals to fill the decorative containers that scatter our patios and lawn.  Container gardening has so many benefits that if I could, I’d grow just about everything in containers.  Here’s a partial list of the benefits of container gardening:

Flexibility. You can place and move containers anywhere. Our prized Japanese maple is in a large container that we move around the patio, depending on the season’s sun and wind exposure.

Earthbox planters make growing tomatoes and other plants a breeze.

Convenience. Along the same lines, you can place containers with herbs or vegetables closer to your kitchen that you cook with often. If an area looks like it needs something, place the perfectly sized container there and fill it with a plant that matches the sun or shade exposure. I like a decorative pot right by the front door and usually fill it with begonias and a coleus, both of which grow in shade and are low maintenance.

Ergonomics.  Planting a full bed of flowers or weeding a vegetable garden can be hard on the back and knees. Containers and raised beds ease some of the strain on your body. Of course, you might need help hauling the containers around once they’re full and surprisingly heavy. We’ve used wheeled stands, dollies and wheelbarrows to move them around.

Space. Containers are perfect for small spaces, especially decks and patios. Apartment

Save space on your deck by planting in a deck railing container

and condo dwellers can grow their own vegetables and herbs right outside their doors. Even homeowners can place containers in small spaces on patios or in window boxes.

Creativity. Why limit yourself to ceramic or plastic pots? A little junk shopping can produce great containers. Just be sure to create drainage (usually by drilling a hole in the bottom and placing the container on a tray or hanging it) and plant away. We’ve got morning glories in an old washtub from my in-laws and will grow peppers this summer in a claw-foot bathtub.

And each year when I arrange annuals in my containers, it’s like designing a living floral arrangement. I love to give them as gifts, mixing textures , heights and colors for full effect.

Share on Facebook

by Teresa Odle

I live in New Mexico, and our average annual rainfall is less than nine inches. The high desert air dries out plants quickly, especially when temperatures reach the 90s. Watering plants and lawns is essential, although also controversial.

So the first rule of watering in dry climates is to select xeric plants for certain areas of the landscape — a  topic for another time. And no matter your average rainfall, try to choose plants that are indigenous to your region. These plants grow well in your climate and soil and should require less watering and overall care.

A watering can makes it easy to care for plants in the farthest corners of your yard.

Container plants need more watering than bedded plants. A one-gallon watering can is perfect, because it holds enough to prevent repeated trips but isn’t too heavy.  I keep one in my front yard and one in the back yard. We fill them up from the faucets to water herbs and tomatoes growing in containers and use saved rain water from our roof to water some of the container ornamentals.

Soil type also determines how often to water. Naturally, water drains more quickly from

Reduce your water usage in dry months by collecting water in a rain barrel

sandy soil than from clay.  So you may be able to go four and a half days between irrigating vegetables in clay soils, but need to water your bushes in sandy soil every day during hotter months. Heat really pulls water out of plants.

Signs of water stress include wilting, leaf rolling, color changes, burnt leaves or leaf drop. But don’t assume just because a plant looks unhealthy, it needs water. Overwatering also damages plants by rotting roots. Dig your finger into the soil; if it’s damp, your plant probably has enough water for now.

It’s best to water containers and other plants in the early evening or very early in the morning, before they become stressed.

Share on Facebook

By Teresa Odle

If you’re not lucky enough to live next to a river, creek, waterfall or other natural water feature, you can add one to your landscape easily. The reason fountains are so popular is that they block out city sounds and add what I think is one of the most beautiful and calming sounds in nature — the sound of water.

Create tranquil water sounds with a multi-tiered fountain

Think about where you’d like to place your fountain. Aesthetics are important, but so are practicalities. You’ll want your fountain near where you normally sit and relax outside, such as close to the patio table, or place a bench or chair near the pond once you install it.  Consider how your fountain’s water pump is powered. You either have to place it near electricity or if it’s solar powered, in the sun.

And you need a water source for the fountain, so be sure your hose can reach the reservoir or if you choose to use gray

Bring Old World Style to your Backyard with a Lion Head Fountain

water or rain water, place the fountain where it can fill easily. Most commercially purchased fountains don’t waste a great deal of water, but your city may have water use rules. Water features with large waterfalls or long, shallow areas of standing water waste the most. If you set up your fountain to minimize splatter and ensure there are no leaks, you actually cool down the area around the fountain for you and the birds. Of course, you also provide a nice place for birds to drink.

You can further conserve water by placing your fountain in the shade. If you live in a warmer climate, the shade probably makes it more likely you’ll sit by fountain and enjoy the lovely sounds the water makes. Add drought-tolerant plants nearby. Just beware that certain trees and plants are messier than others and may drop lots of gunk into your fountain. Be sure to purchase a skimmer that’s the appropriate size. Then sit back and enjoy.

Share on Facebook

By Teresa Odle

Mothers who love to garden also love gifts related to gardening. From books to tools to potted plants, you can’t go wrong by giving the gift of earth and growth. For examples, think of a book specific to the mother in your life. Has she been having problems with bugs or diseases on her flowers? Then a problem solver might be a good choice. If she plans to go big with vegetables this year, she’ll need to know how to preserve her harvest.

A LiteStik provide your indoor plants with optimal light.

Garden tools and gadgets are fun and can complement a few fresh plants or a nice flower arrangement (note to family: I’d really love a power lopper). It only takes one stealth family member to go through mom’s current selection or spy her out there struggling with dull pruning shears to notice what she needs.  Maybe she just needs a belt for those shears because she keeps misplacing them (and no jokes about her advancing years or declining memory in the card — this is Mother’s Day!) Buckets and wheelbarrows also help her lug everything around. A folding wheelbarrow/garden cart can make her days outside more enjoyable.

Give Mom a place to sit and rest while taking on garden tasks.

Are you afraid your gift might suggest Mom should get to work? Here are a few more relaxing ideas: How about a hammock, some outdoor (unbreakable) glassware for her drinks, a new straw hat or a new lounge chair? Bird feeders and seed or garden statuary that she can enjoy any time of year also make nice gifts for many moms. And don’t forget to add the hug.

Share on Facebook

By Teresa Odle

There is no better material for your vegetables and ornamentals than compost. And it’s cheap, easy to produce and earth friendly. Like any gardening activity, it takes a little planning and work up front, but once you get going, it’s easy and productive. A helpful article on Composting 101 provides basic information. This post helps you decide the best composting situation for your garden and lifestyle and offers a few tips.

The Feelgood composter is ideal for beginners

First, you can start small or large.  Some homeowners build elaborate compost bins made of wood that take up a corner of the backyard. Others use small compost bins or tumblers on a patio. If you’re handy and short of funds, a plastic garbage bin will do the trick. The key to composting is warmth, air, moisture and variety.   

For best results, use an aerator to stir your compost.

We use a plastic tumbler for the final composting stages, but have kept our old garbage can with holes cut for drainage as the first stop for scraps and plant clippings. We move both in winter to get them more sun exposure. That’s the warmth part of the equation. Commercially available bins provide air circulation for passive composting, such as holding leaves nearly a year until they break down. If you want to compost using a hot method, which is faster, the plastic bins and tumblers work more quickly. But you need to provide air by stirring the material inside (or spinning the tumbler) regularly. Add water regularly to keep the material slightly moist. The moisture helps the materials break down, but add too much and they will start to smell.

Finally, throw a variety of materials into your compost. It gets way scientific, but basically some materials are higher in carbon (browns) and some are higher in nitrogen (greens). You want a balance of both. Examples of browns are dried leaves, sawdust, paper and wood chips. Greens include grass clippings and kitchen scraps. And about those kitchen scraps — avoid meat, fats, cheese products and onions. But throw in egg shells, coffee grounds and vegetable waste. For yard materials, stay away from perennial weeds, any plants with diseases, and pet waste. Chicken, rabbit and livestock manure are great.

With a little attention and time, you’ll have your own organic material for your garden. You’ll know your compost is ready is when you can no longer recognize the original materials.

Share on Facebook

Don’t forget to do something good for the earth today. Plant a tree, start a garden or just spend time communing with nature.

We would like to make your Earth Day a little greener. Today only, save 20% on all products at Mastergardening.com! Enter the coupon code EARTH at checkout to receive this discount. This is the perfect way to get everything you need to create a new garden or plant seeds. We also have a full line of organic fertilizers that you can use without fear of harming the environment.

If we all do a little bit more to help out the Earth, future generations will be able to reap the rewards.

Happy Earth Day!

Share on Facebook