| The Garden Plot
Hosted by Adrian Higgins
Washington Post Garden Editor
Thursday, May 8, 2003; 11 a.m. ET Got a chronic case of green thumb? Like getting your hands dirty? Adrian Higgins, garden editor for The Post's Home section, is here to help. Higgins is a firm believer in "tough plants for tough times" -- the varieties that combine good looks with stiff resistance to disease and pests. He currently rules over a garden filled with spring bulbs, daffodils, ornamental onions, perennials, asters, yarrows, hostas and day lilies. Higgins, an avid organic gardener who believes chemicals are a last resort, also tends his own herb and vegetable gardens where he grows peas, garlic onions, lettuce, rhubarbs, radishes, carrots and more. Higgins is the author of two books, "The Secret Gardens of Georgetown: Behind the Walls of Washington's Most Historic Neighborhood" and "The Washington Post Garden Book: The Ultimate Guide to Gardening in Greater Washington and the Mid-Atlantic Region." The transcript follows Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Novice Northern Virginia Gardener: Two quick questions that I'm sure other novices have asked: When should I put in my tomato plants -- is it still too early? Also, I recently planted grass seed to fill in the patchy area of my lawn and it is coming up (slowly). How long should I keep the area corded off? How long should I wait before I use a mower over that area. Adrian Higgins: Tomato plants can go out now, safely. It will take three of four weeks of heat before you will see the seedlings "take off." Your grass seed can be cut as soon as it is three to four inches long. Because it is young and has little root run, it will probably perish this high summer. This September, try again. The results will be more permanent.
Frederick, Md. I just moved into a new house and I've got a gorgeous tree in my back yard -- I believe it's a Sugar Gum Tree(?). It's the kind that drops those spikey balls. What is the best way to get their feathery seeds out of my flower beds!? I have a feeling this might become quite a chore! Adrian Higgins: It is a beautiful native tree. I use a narrow leaf rake, almost like a toy rake, to clean out tight areas between perennials and ground covers. You may not have to rake them at all, just let them fall and rot.
Alexandria, Va.: Adrian,
In mid-March I put down some crabgrass blocker/fertilizer on my lawn. Since then, I'm been using a mulching blade and just leaving the clippings on the lawn. Is it safe to bag the clippings and put them in the compost pile? Or do I have to wait a few more weeks? I must admit, that I don't miss hauling a full bag of grass to the compost pile 4 or 5 times per mowing session! Is there any downsize to using the mulching blade all season long? Thanks! Adrian Higgins: It is safe to use in the compost pile. The lifespan of preemergents is pretty small, and the amount taken up in leaf cuttings would be very small.
As for mulching, mulching mowers are successful as long as you don't mow any more than an inch off the top. The object is for the mower to finely chop the leaves, and it cannot do that if it has to cope with two to three inches of grass blades. The difficulty in wet springs such as this one is that the grass grows at about two to three inches a week. If you wait until the weekend to mow, the lawn will have gotten away from a mulching mower. You should mow at least twice a week until the summer abruptly halts the lovely green grass and things become stunted.
Washington, D.C.: I have a small, southern-exposed garden in Georgetown. Because of the fencing and the trees overhead, however, the garden is mostly shaded. I was considering planting a camellia, but was wondering which particular type of camellia would do best with little sun? I was also thinking of doing a clematis vine on a trellis that faces east and gets the morning light. Is there a particular sort of clematis vine that is better suited than others to shady spots? Thanks in advance for your advice. Adrian Higgins: Camellias love partial shade. Georgetown has a great microclimate that permits you to grow the classic Camellia japonica, though one winter in 20 can still be counted on to kill it back to the ground. Look for Winter series hybrids, which bloom in the late fall and are completely hardy. Or get a japonica variety and plan to move in 19 years.
Arlington, Va.: Dear Adrian: My neighbor just told me yesterday that he is planning on ripping out all the azaleas in his front yard and "starting from scratch." I would love to salvage some of his plants for our back yard, but recall reading that transplanting azaleas is problematic, if not impossible. Am I crazy? His plants range in size and age from smallish (1-2 feet diameter) to large (4-5 feet). If I am not crazy, when would be the best time to offer to help dig up his yard? Go for the small ones? Try to save the big ones? Thanks! Adrian Higgins: Azaleas are shallow rooted and quite easily moved. I would take a tarpaulin, dig a root ball at least as wide as the shrub, and drag it on the tarpaulin over to your lot. Have a hole ready to go. Azaleas like rich, acidic well drained soil with a little leaf litter mulch, as well as partial shade. Don't plant them too deeply and don't forget to water them frequently until they are established. I would wait until after blooming before moving them.
Jacksonville, Fla.: Hi!
What pesticide free methods would you recommend for eliminating mole crickets in our St. Augustine lawn? I've searched on the Web and located a couple of sites that recommend the use of nematodes -– is this a feasible solution? Thanks! Adrian Higgins: I have not used heat seeking nematodes myself but I hear they are effective as long as they are not allowed to dry out or killed inadvertently by pesticides. I would make sure that the ones you get are fresh and have not been sitting around for a while. One catalogue specializing in bio control is called Gardens Alive, you may want to look them up on the Internet.
Maryland: Well, I'm trying again. I've got the seeds germinated in my spiffy new mini greenhouse from Park's. They've come up and now they are starting to get leggy and floppy. Do I take the top off the greenhouse or keep it on as long as possible? It gets watered from the bottom. The plants only have two leaves and the stems are barely wider than a few strands of hair. Thanks. I really want these tomatoes! Adrian Higgins: Take the top off and set them outside, first in shade and then to a sunnier location about a week later. If they get too lanky, you can re-plant them and set them lower in the pot. Don't do this until they move beyond the two leaf stage.
Shenandoah Valley, Va: My rhubarb started to send up a flower stalk, I cut it off (as I usually do). I wanted to move earlier, is it too late? Adrian Higgins: I assume your rhubarb is of harvestable age. If so, I wouldn't worry about the flower stalk, which you seemed to have nipped in the bud. The stalks should be OK. The leaves are toxic and shouldn't be eaten.
Washington, D.C.: In a recent column, I saw you were going to be talking about putting a pond in a garden. When was that conversation -- and how can I find out about D.C. regulations about ponds. For example, does the backyard have to be completely fenced? Thank you. Adrian Higgins: Don't take this as gospel because each building code is different. Typically, a pond must be 24 inches deep or deeper before fencing requirements set in. You may be constrained too by fence height restrictions.
If you feel your pond does not need to be fenced, you may be able to avoid the requirement by having it no deeper than 24 inches. Check with your local planning and building office.
Ballston, Va.: What kind of composting do you do, and how elaborate is your compost bin? We are trying to design one for our needs (moderate yard and kitchen waste), which seems to be more that a prefab can handle, and not as much as a three-bin wood-and-wire design. Adrian Higgins: Well, I had the three bin wood and wire set up but it had to go because I landscaped the area. I am going to put in a simple chicken wire arrangement elsewhere, and I am also working on a mega compost project in the country that would entail much horse manure, grass clippings and shredded leaves.
I have not used plastic compost containers but only because I wonder why anyone would pay $100 for something that is so easy to rig with cheap poultry wire. The containers are (arguably) more attractive and do a better job of keeping our vermin, if that is a problem. But they are small, as you fear, and I wonder if one would be big enough for your needs. One option would be to buy a container and get an electric chipper/shredder, which would seriously reduce the bulk of the stuff going in and produce much better compost much quicker.
Maryland: My office building just dug up its tulips and gave away the bulbs (with the stems) for free (don't know why they dig them up each year). I got about 3 dozen -- what should I do with them? Leave them in the garage until fall? Adrian Higgins: Oh dear. They give them away because they cannot be counted on to bloom again. They may do so, but you may have to wait two years for the bulbs to flower again. If you are trying to get tulips to rebloom, they should be left in the ground until the leaves wither and then dug and stored. Two new bulbs form within the old one, or should. You may want to slice a few of these bulbs to see if they have produced these offspring before going any further. Yours will have wilted by now and cannot be replanted. You could lay the bulbs out to cure and then store them over the summer before planting. Even with this effort, they are not guaranteed to bloom again (different varieties are more prone to reflower than others). I would buy fresh bulbs in the autumn, they are certainly cheap enough.
Forest Glen, Md.: I purchased a house last October and have been anxious to see what it looks like in spring. Turns out all the bushes in front -- azalea, boxwood -- are pretty much dead. Mostly all brown sticks with a few green leaves on the end. I'd like to take them all out and start over. Anything specific I need to know with taking them out. I'm new to this houseowning/landscaping thing and was just going to cut the branches down and dig up the stump. Is there something different I should do? Any recommendations for bushes in front? I was thinking a few azaleas, but if there's something else with as little maintenance necessary, I'm game! Adrian Higgins: Both azaleas and boxwoods have small root systems and can be dug easily. Both plants do best in partial shade. Yours may have been done in by being in too sunny a position and neglected during two years of severe drought. If the site is hot and sunny, pick other shrubs or ornamental grasses.
Vienna, Va.: Help! New neighbors building a huge house next to us. Any large, fast growing evergreens other than the over used Leyland cyprus you would recommend? If not, how close together should one plant leylands to get coverage, but not have them brown out in areas where they overlap? Adrian Higgins: Try arbor vitae Green Giant, dawn redwoods, or cryptomeria Yoshino.
Arlington, Va.: My mother has a bush she calls "Crock of Gold," which is robust, fast-growing, and blooms nearly all summer. The blooms resemble small roses. Are you familiar with this bush? I would like to try establishing a cutting for our yard, but thought I should at least try to find out what it is! Thanks. Adrian Higgins: I don't, maybe other folks know the plant.
Bethesda, Md.: Is it too late to plant summer lilies to enjoy them this year? Any guidance on building a bed exclusively for lilies? Adrian Higgins: I would think it is getting rather late. Lily bulbs never go fully dormant like daffodils (or shouldn't) so any bulbs you find now will be rather dehydrated and tired. Any display will be late and weak, though the bulbs may come back in future years.
You can certainly set aside areas for lilies, though most people these days stick them in perennial beds where other plants can hide the bare ankles. If you do create your own bed, raise it, enrich the soil, and work in a lot of organic amendments. This could be done this summer and fall. Some lily specialists ship in the fall, which is a great time to plant lily bulbs because it means the roots develop well before the first blooming season. I would seriously consider joining a lily society, which will guide you to sources of great, fat lily bulbs to be planted in the fall.
Arlington, Va: Hello Adrian. I just moved into a new home and would like to add some azaleas and perhaps a dogwood to my fairly-bare front yard. I know they have all just finished blooming...do I have to wait till early next spring to put them in or can I do it anytime? Adrian Higgins: You can put them in now. Just make sure that they are in rich soil, have space to grow, and that you soak the root zones weekly until they are established.
Silver Spring, Md.: I have a decent sized porch with good sun, and I'd like to plant some edibles. What can I start now? Also, do you have any suggestions for planting a "hanging cabbage" plant? I've heard of cabbage in a hanging planter, but I have no idea how to do this. Adrian Higgins: You may be referring to an ornamental cabbage or kale, which is grown in the winter months. It is a plant to be seen from above, so putting it in a hanging basket seems a little odd. Cabbages are much better in the vegetable garden, where they can be consumed fresh.
Washington DC -- Georgetown shady garden again!: Adrian -- Thanks SO much for answering my question re the camellia. Do you have an answer regarding the clematis vine? I appreciate so much your kind assistance. Adrian Higgins: Forgot the clematis, sorry. I would consider a sweet autumn clematis, which flowers freely in partial shade.
Washington, D.C.: Hello Adrian! I have a small backyard garden plot in Dupont Circle and would like to use it to grow culinary herbs this summer. However, I'm concerned about how clean the soil is and am thinking about getting the soil tested for metals contamination. If the soil is heavily contaminated, would growing the herbs in containers in potting soil be a good, clean option? Thanks! Adrian Higgins: Yes, you can plant in containers, just use big ones that won't dry out quickly and will handle a lot of herbs. Or build up your bed with iron edging and shovel in your own soil concoction from bags purchased at the garden center.
Rain in Alexandria!!: This is the coolest, wettest spring I can remember (after the coldest winter in years). Is it EVER going to get hot and sunny? My plants are starting to drown. Is there anything we should be doing. Adrian Higgins: Spring is lush and verdant. Soon it will be hot and dry and brown. Savor the moment.
Columbia, Md.: Hello Adrian,
I have heard that it is a good practice to screen compost before adding it to the garden. Could you please tell me what mesh size to use? Are these available commercially, or do you have to make your own? Adrian Higgins: Professional screens are called riddles, tend to be circular and are very difficult to find. I have made my own from 1 x 4 planks formed into a rectangular maybe four feet by three feet. I then staple a screen of hardware cloth with quarter inch gaps, though half inch would probably work too. I place the screen on my wheelbarrow, shovel compost on top, and then push it through with my gloved hands. Screened compost is much more soil like in quality and much easier to use than clumpy stuff from the pile.
Sterling, Va.: Help! I have a magnolia tree that looks like it has a light green fungus growing on the trunk. It is in my front yard and gets plenty of sunlight. What is it and what can I do? Adrian Higgins: It is a moss or algae and quite harmless, even attractive.
Tomato lover in distress: Last year, in spite of the small and somewhat shady townhouse backyard I have, we grew an abundant crop of tomatoes. The only problem we had was the -way- the plants grew. I suppose they were looking for more sun and grew tremendously tall (above our 8-foot fence) and leggy, not short and bushy. I’d like to control the problem by cutting the tops of the plants on a regular basis to encourage bushier growth (although I fear that this might mitigate the amount of fruit we get). My husband thinks we should let them grow like they did last year, but just train the leggy parts through some sort of wire arch to grow around. Please help us settle our dispute…we’ve got a lot of gazpacho riding on this. Adrian Higgins: This topic will be addressed shortly in the Home section.
Linden, Va.: A note of interest: I love this time of year in Virginia. The trilliums, wild geraniums and bluebells are in bloom, the garden has a good start, fruit trees show signs of a heavy harvest, winter -- thankfully -- is a long gone memory, and I just picked two pounds of morels! Life is grand. Adrian Higgins: What a wonderful way to finish this week's chat. We'll see you next week. Thanks.
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