Newsletter - April 2008

April seems to be starting with the classic showers, but I don't think they'll last long do you? We have such optimism here for sunny weather even though the rain has been know to interrupt the Dixon May Fair.. Of course the daily winds will begin soon to dry everything out including us. I love the garden right now. The crabapple looked like a floating pink cloud for nearly two weeks, the onions are already 10" high, the strawberries are full of flowers, and tiny almonds and nectarines are emerging from their flower sepals. Then there are wallflowers, callas and iris, lilacs, Indian hawthorn, and snowballs, spring salvia, lavender and cranesbill, pink jasmine, wisteria and yellow Lady Banks' rose vines, all very exciting to a gardener.

I planted gladiolas, dahlias, and lilies this week. If you need these flowers for your summer cutting beds, the selection is best right now. All three are known for their long-lasting vase time and gorgeous garden display. Fortunately, if you miss plant time, you can go to "Ericson's Produce Farm" in July and August and buy them there along with their beautiful zinnias (and produce).

Another spring chore is to check your irrigation lines. You may have already turned the timers back on for their regular cycles, but my timer comes on at three am. I'm not outside then to see blocked, or broken emitters, or spray heads that have twisted to the wrong position. Last weekend, my husband and I turned on each station manually to see where repairs and changes were needed. There were a few spots. New gardeners often don't realize that drip emitters need to be moved yearly away from the trunk of a shrub as the root system expands outward through the soil. Keep the emitters in line with the foliage edge, or the plant's canopy drip line. Be certain that every shrub has at least two emitters serving its needs. Most established garden shrubs require irrigation once a week. Native gardens can probably go for ten days and tropical plants may need irrigating every four days. Always check the soil at least one inch down before deciding to apply more water.

People often over-water their lawns and then wonder why these lawns are weak. Grass roots should be at least six inches long. The only way they can grow to this depth is if you let the roots chase the water table down into the soil. If water is applied daily, the grass roots stay at the top of the soil. Water lawns twice a week in applications of one half hour. Trees are different too. The rule of thumb for a tree is to irrigate deeply once a week the first year, once every two weeks for the second and third year, once every four weeks the fourth and fifth year, and after that don't bother. By then the tree roots have found the water table and are probably in someone else's garden. If your plants are in containers, forget all these rules and water as needed - daily if the weather's really hot.

There is still plenty of time to plant more vegetable and annual summer flowers. Our last planting date is July 4th. Truthfully this is a bit late for me, but if you're doing a two-week succession planting with beans, corn, squash, basil, onions, or cilantro, this is a good guide. Annual flowers that go in now will bloom all summer.

Last week I visited the Berkley Horticulture Nursery and was properly awed by all the plants I have never grown. There were many old favorites too, but how I wish I had more room to play. There was a camellia called "Tulipiana" that resembled large deep pink tulips, a privet with tiny variegated leaves, a cranesbill with burgundy leaves and pink flowers, and so many others. I didn't take my notebook this trip, but I plan to return soon with pencil in hand. If you get the opportunity go for a visit. Roses will be out soon!