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Gardening with Charlie – Pruning Fruit Trees

February 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

While it’s easy this time of year to just daydream about next year’s garden, there are some chores to be done. Late winter is the perfect time for one of my favorite garden tasks: pruning fruit trees.

Most gardeners are nervous about making cuts to their precious trees, and, consequently, they prune only a little, and poorly, or not at all. However, pruning isn’t rocket science. You just need to follow some basic principles and get out there and start cutting.

Pruning New and Old Trees
When pruning young trees, the goal is to create a strong branch structure and proper angles for future growth. Prune to create three to five branches that have a 45- to 60-degree angle from the main trunk. These branches should ideally be evenly arranged around the trunk and at least 2 to 3 feet off the ground. You can spread the branches when they’re young to grow at the right angle. Hang fishing weights with nylon wire on the branches for one growing season, or use wooden “spreaders” to push the branches apart to create the optimal angle.

For established trees, always remove dead, diseased, broken and competing branches back to the trunk or a main branch first. For a neglected tree, try not to prune more than 25 percent of the tree in any given year. Too much pruning can cause lots of sucker growth that year. The exception would be a very old tree that needs to be stimulated to put out new growth. The goal is to have large diameter limbs near the bottom of the tree and smaller ones at the top. Don’t prune limbs flush to the trunk or main branches. Leave the branch collar (raised area near the trunk or main branch) intact so the branch can quickly heal and protect the wound.

Basic Pruning Cuts
Keep these basic tips in mind:

  • Use sharp pruning shears for any cuts on branches smaller than 1/2 inch in diameter. Use loppers or a pruning saw for larger diameter wood.
  • Cut thin diameter branches 1/4 inch above a bud that is facing in a direction you want the new branch to grow. Make the cut on an angle to shed water and promote faster healing.
  • Horizontal branches produce more fruit than vertical ones. Prune vertical branches back to a main stem or trunk.
  • Prune moderately every year to keep the tree healthy and fruiting consistently. The tendency of some fruit trees to bear in alternate years can be caused by insufficient pruning.

For more tips and garden information visit www.garden.org.



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Gardening with Charlie – Growing Food Indoors

February 5, 2011 By 1 Comment

While it might be cold and blustery outside, there are a number of edible plants you can grow indoors. Some of my favorites are herbs. Growing herbs indoors successfully is all about selecting the right varieties and having the right conditions to grow them.

Here are some tips for growing herbs inside in winter.

Bringing Herbs Indoors
Window boxes filled with rosemary and parsley can be moved inside before freezing weather. Some of my favorites to grow this way are parsley, rosemary, and chives. There are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Don’t worry about a few dropped leaves. Light levels in a house, even in a sunny window, are much lower than outside. Older, larger leaves will drop off and smaller, low-light-efficient leaves should form in their place.
  • Cut back on watering and fertilizing mature plants. They don’t need as much moisture or nutrients inside as they do outdoors.

Indoor herbs can be decorative as well as functional. Why not train a rosemary plant on a topiary frame for a whimsical look?

Starting New Herbs
Although a sunny window looks bright in winter, the available light can be only 1/10th of what’s needed for plants to grow properly. That’s why it’s best to grow herbs under grow lights. Select full-spectrum lights and leave them on for 12 to 14 hours a day. Keep the tops of the herbs close to the bulbs and the plants should thrive.

Grow seedlings in 3- to 4-inch-diameter pots and use only sterilized potting soil mixes that are light and airy. Many culinary herbs require well-draining soils, so the lighter the soil the better.

Supplement the potting soil with a liquid fertilizer when watering. Use a half-strength formulation to encourage new growth. Water plants less often but more thoroughly, and only when the soil is actually dry to the touch. Add water until it drains from the bottom of the pot. Keep the air temperature on the cool side (60° to 65° F) for the best growth.

Varieties to Try
These herb varieties have compact growing habits and pack a flavorful punch.

English mint (Mentha spicata) - Perhaps the best-behaved spearmint variety.

Spicy Globe basil (Ocimum basilicum minimum) - Dense, compact form of basil, 8- to 10-inches tall. The leaves are smaller than regular basil, but taste and smell great.

Blue Boy rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) - More compact and diminutive than standard rosemary, reaching a height of just 24 inches. Flowers freely and has excellent flavor.

Dwarf Garden sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Compacta’) - Smaller leaves and more compact than regular sage, growing only 10 inches high.

For more tips and garden information visit www.garden.org.



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Get Eco-Smart This Season

October 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Solar ButterfliesFuels such as coal, oil and natural gas currently provide more than 85 percent of all energy consumed in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and the dependency is likely to increase. As the country looks for new ways to use sustainable resources, take some time in to make your own impact on the environment.

“Reducing carbon usage is something that’s practical and not out of reach,” says Rebekah Hren, co-author of “The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil-Fuel Habit” (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2008). “You don’t have to be dependent on nonrenewable resources.” Here are a few simple ideas from Rebekah and her husband and co-author, Stephen, to reduce fossil fuel usage:

• Get rid of traditional fertilizers. “Use organic fertilizers instead,” Stephen says. “Going from chemical to organic actually builds up the soil, and the organic matter that slowly accumulates captures carbon.”

• Solar-powered path lights. “You can get these for really cheap now, and they work really well,” Rebekah says. “Then you don’t have to add to the electric bill to have garden lights.”

• Solar-powered water pumps. “These are good if you have any kind of water feature,” Rebekah says.

• Plant for the long-term. “Something like a blueberry bush, a cherry tree or a peach tree can save you a lot of money a couple years down the road,” Stephen says. “Not only is it much fresher and healthier, there is no shipping cost and no transportation energy issues. And you don’t have to go out and earn the money to buy produce.”

Create shade with a leafy plant or vines on a trellis. “It’s always good when you combine two ends out of one activity,” Stephen says. “One thing we did for cooling purposes in the summer is built a trellis over the windows that face west. We planted a deciduous grape vine so in the summer it’s shading the window and you also get the grapes. It helps to regulate the temperature of our house and attracts birds and butterflies, too.”

Reduce, Reuse,

Recycle

Plastic is made from petroleum, and gardeners – either because they aren’t aware, or don’t have access to a place that will accept gardening plastic – create a huge waste stream every growing season. In 2008, the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis collected and recycled 150,000 pounds of used plastic garden pots and polystyrene cell packs, trays and hanging baskets that otherwise might have ended up in landfills. The garden’s plastic pot recycling program, which was open May – Oct. and included satellite collection sites, is the largest program of its kind.

• See if it’s possible to return plastic pots to the nurseries where you purchased the plants. Check first to make sure they’ll recycle what you have. Typically, plastic garden pots will be marked on the bottom with #2 or #5. Separate these from cell packs and trays marked # 6.

• Check with the nearest botanical garden or call your local extension service to investigate your options for recycling garden plastic.

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Bridal Registry Tips for Outfitting the Garage

September 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Scene

“The garage is becoming more and more of a focal point of the house,” says Paul Ryan, host of the DIY Network’s “Weekend Handyman” and “Kitchen Renovations.” “It’s huge, from what I’m seeing – it’s much more than just a place to keep the car.”

Today’s two- and three-car garages now often offer more square footage than any other room in the house. So, in today’s difficult real-estate environment, homeowners are exploring ways to make use of this previously overlooked area as a way to expand living space in an existing home.

“People want to make that usable space,” says Larry Costello, director of public relations for Sears and its Craftsman line. “All the way to tricking out their garage into some sort of ‘man space,’ as a place to kick back and watch a ball game.”

The Essentials

Storage Solutions

So where do you begin when thinking about your garage registry? Well, the sky’s the limit. Today’s top-of-the-line garage upgrades can even include themed flooring styles and specially designed appliances. But storage is a good place to start, given the sheer quantity of tools and yard gear garages are called on to handle.

“I think everyone should be starting with a wall system,” says Lou Ann Schafer, senior marketing manager for Whirlpool’s Gladiator Garageworks line. “They will discover what a huge impact that makes, just being able to use all that vertical space.”

A number of companies now offer wall-mounted, track-style storage systems that allow homeowners to start small and add on, over time. Specialized accessories can help allow easy access to hoses, cords and athletic gear, as well as all those miscellaneous screwdrivers, wrench sockets and pliers.

Tool Time

With storage in place, you can start thinking about the tools you’ll need to handle all those chores around the house and yard. When it comes to small power tools, several manufacturers are offering products built around lithium-ion batteries. These batteries last longer than standard models, and the tools are interchangeable with the battery packs. One particularly cool offering is Craftsman’s new Nextec Auto Hammer, which features a magnetic head that holds the nail in position before driving it into place.

The DIY Network’s Ryan started working in construction in his teens, so it’s no surprise that his list of garage essentials is heavy on weekend-project practicality. Here are a few of his ideas for gifts that will keep your garage in working order:

- Let there be light, with portable illumination. “The first thing I’d recommend is an extension light with a spring-loaded cord; I love those things,” Ryan says. “Don’t skimp – I’d recommend at least a 25-foot cord, or even a 50-footer.”

- Keep it clean all over, with the right shop vac. “I recommend a wet/dry shop vac,” he suggests. “Don’t skimp on that, either. You want one that’s going to get in the crevices.”

- Stay on the move with a roller stool. Ryan’s favorite model features an adjustable seat, and a tray for nuts, bolds and any tools he might be using.

Indulge your inner motor-head, with accessories that make auto work easier. Ryan keeps roll-up ramps handy for raising his car up off the floor. He also recommends “creeper” rolling platforms, to enable ready access under the chassis.

But Keep In Mind

If you’re thinking about creating a serious man-cave, you may want to add one of the new flooring products to your list. New rollout and tile systems snap into place without adhesives and are similar to those used in temporary racetrack garages. You can hose them off in place, or detach them in sections for more thorough cleaning outdoors.

And, for storing all the beverages and snacks you’ll need for a season’s worth of football watching, you might want to think about Whirlpool’s Chillerator refrigerator, designed to handle the garage’s heat and humidity extremes. The company also offers a unique Freezerator refrigerator – the upper compartment converts from cooling space to a freezer with the turn of a dial, adding 21st-century convenience to even the manliest man-cave.

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