Question:
I am a new community gardener in New York City. I will be planting vegetables , and I wanted to know are there any companion plants I could include in my garden plot in order to keep pest(insects) away from my vegetables?
Answer:
That is an excellent question! For those of you that do not know, companion planting is a proper horticultural practice that can be a natural preventative step to fend off various pest and disease issues that can affect a vegetable garden. With the right diversity of plants and proper care you can grow a large and healthy crop without having to rely on using strong chemicals. Of course weeding and scouting for pests is still something you have to do in a garden through summer, but knowing a few reliable combinations can be really invaluable. At this moment I must admit that we do not have an updated companion planting list on hand but here at the HSNY Library we have a tremendous selection of books that would be of great assistance for your vegetable gardening efforts. In particular, Katherine Powis, HSNY Librarian, found these titles for you:
A-Z of companion planting / Pamela Allardice ; illustrations by Sue Ninham. Pymble NSW : Angus & Robertson ; New York NY : Distributed in the U.S. of America by HarperCollins Call Number: SB453.6 .A43 1993
Bob Flowerdew's complete book of companion gardening / photographs by Jacqui Hurst. London : Kyle Cathie Call Number: SB453.6 .F64 1993
Carrots love tomatoes : secrets of companion planting for successful gardening / Louise Riotte. Pownal Vt. : Storey Pub. Call Number: S603.5 .R56 1998
Companion planting : successful gardening the organic way / by Gertrud Franck : Distributed by Sterling Pub. Co. Call Number: 635 Fra
Great garden companions : a companion planting system for a beautiful, chemical-free vegetable garden / Sally Jean Cunningham. Emmaus Pa. : Rodale Press ; [New York] Call Number: SB321 .C9 1998
Planting companions / Jill Billington ; with photography by Clive Nichols. New York : Stewart Tabori & Chang. Call Number: SB453.6 .B54 1997
prepared by Katherine Powis, Librarian
The Horticultural Society of New York
148 West 37th St., 13 floor
New York, NY 10018
212 757-0915 x 109
The top two books I have used a lot and really enjoy. The others I do not know so well but I am sure they will have things to add. You are always welcome to come to the HSNY Library to read through any of these titles and discuss your vegetable garden with me if I am around. We are open 10-6 Monday through Friday and Katherine is typically here Monday through Thursday. Anyone is invited in to read and research in the library, and to borrow the books we just have to sign you up as an HSNY Member, but that takes no time. Hope this helps. Also, if you have specific pest issues or questions as the season progresses you can feel free to ask me those as well as entomology was part of my horticultural training.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Moving to NYC, a Balcony Question
Question:
I'm planning to move to New York from Seattle and have been lucky enough to get an apartment with a balcony. Sadly it is a North-facing balcony which means that it probably gets very little sun. I'm going to be moving to it in November and I was wondering what I could do to transform it into a green space. Specifically, what container plants would do well and is there anything I can put there in November or must I wait until the spring? I would like it to be as colorful as possible as well! Thanks for any advice that you might have for me. I can't wait to get started!
Answer:
Thanks for writing. We can definitely help you green up your balcony once you get out here. What you should definitely do is once you get settled come and visit us here at The Horticultural Society. I will show you around the library and point out a number of books specific to container gardening and gardening in NYC. We can also discuss the aspects of plants that you love and how to best incorporate them into your planting scheme. With the part sun or dappled shade you get there is no question that you will have plenty of options of things to grow. You can even hire me for a private consultation at your home if you would prefer to design on-site. Of course, first you will have to approach your building and ask if they have a policy about containers and/or weight restrictions for the balcony. I'd hate for you to install a whole bunch of beautiful things to then have the building super come and tell you you have to remove them. (Sounds absurd, I know, but I've definitely seen it happen before). We can work with you to plan through the winter and by spring your home should be good and green. And yes, I imagine that you could begin to acquire a few containers and plants to start yourself off in the fall, but let's cross that bridge when we get to it. Have a safe and successful move and we will look forward to meeting you this fall.
I'm planning to move to New York from Seattle and have been lucky enough to get an apartment with a balcony. Sadly it is a North-facing balcony which means that it probably gets very little sun. I'm going to be moving to it in November and I was wondering what I could do to transform it into a green space. Specifically, what container plants would do well and is there anything I can put there in November or must I wait until the spring? I would like it to be as colorful as possible as well! Thanks for any advice that you might have for me. I can't wait to get started!
Answer:
Thanks for writing. We can definitely help you green up your balcony once you get out here. What you should definitely do is once you get settled come and visit us here at The Horticultural Society. I will show you around the library and point out a number of books specific to container gardening and gardening in NYC. We can also discuss the aspects of plants that you love and how to best incorporate them into your planting scheme. With the part sun or dappled shade you get there is no question that you will have plenty of options of things to grow. You can even hire me for a private consultation at your home if you would prefer to design on-site. Of course, first you will have to approach your building and ask if they have a policy about containers and/or weight restrictions for the balcony. I'd hate for you to install a whole bunch of beautiful things to then have the building super come and tell you you have to remove them. (Sounds absurd, I know, but I've definitely seen it happen before). We can work with you to plan through the winter and by spring your home should be good and green. And yes, I imagine that you could begin to acquire a few containers and plants to start yourself off in the fall, but let's cross that bridge when we get to it. Have a safe and successful move and we will look forward to meeting you this fall.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Japanese Holly in Distress in Eastern Massachusetts
Question:
I planted a japanese holly about a month ago in the northeast corner of my house. I was watering it pretty regularly but went away for a week. When I watered it today, almost all of the leaves fell of. All I had to do was touch a leaf and it would drop although the leaves were still green and not browned. There are some tiny bud/flowers and the plant looks green. Has it been underwatered? overwatered? underfertilized? not enough sun? I would appreciate any advice.
Oh, and it might help if I told you I live in eastern massachusetts.
Answer:
A little transplant shock is typical, but this sounds much more severe. If your Japanese holly does not get quite enough sun then it will thin its lower, interior leaves. This interior thinning will also happen as plenty of new growth emerges from the tips of the stems and the plant grows larger. However, all that usually happens over a longer period of time, so I’m a little unsure as to why you are having so much leaf drop so quickly. I guess my mind then goes to other planting or cultural issues. I hope the rootball didn’t suffer too much damage when planted. Whether containerized or balled and burlapped it is important to keep the rootball as in-tact and protected through the planting as possible. You can and want to rough up the roots around the edges a bit to encourage them to grow out and down but never want to put too much pressure on the rest of the root mass. You should have planted the shrub so that it is level with the soil around it. Many used to advise to prep the hole twice as wide and twice as deep as the rootball, but now the consensus is that you do not want to dig too deep because you do not want the plant to settle and then have the crown of the plant below the soil line. If the shrub is planted too deep then you can run the risk of rot and the roots not getting the fresh air that they require. After planting I would “water in” the shrub by putting the hose on a slow trickle and letting it sit and soak the roots for an hour or so. Following that I would water a newly planted Japanese holly two or three times a week early in the day for an hour or two each time. For this, using soaker hoses with a battery operated timer can be a great help and make it easy on you. Regular and evenly spaced watering is a proper horticultural practice I can't talk up enough. If the shrub goes a week without water then obviously water it when you return, but do not then over-compensate and flood the plant. I always make the analogy that if you are dehydrated you do not then try and drink a gallon of water in one sitting, you sip, slowly and over a period of time, and then you will begin to feel normal again. In this respect plants are not all that different from humans. The dehydrated roots will not know what to do with such an excessive watering and you can do harm when you are trying to do good. Again, I might expect some leaf drop, but not like what you have described. And being away for a week should not send a woody shrub like that downhill so fast. On the remaining leaves, examine the undersides of the leaves and the nodes, the junctions where leaves and stems meet, and tell me if you see any sign of insects. Look at the base of the plant and make sure it is not too deep. If so, you might have to pull it out and replant it raised up a bit. For trees and shrubs people will tell you to err on the side of planting too high instead of planting too deep. Also, since this occurred so fast, call the nursery and explain the situation and ask if other people’s new hollies have been suffering too. There might have been something affecting the whole batch that no one had noticed before a bunch of them were sold. As far as winter hardiness, I believe that the holly should hold up where you are living. (Otherwise why would a nursery have sold it to you?). Some references say that they are only hardy to Zone 6 and I bet you might be a bit colder up there, but I am sure I have seen these broadleaf evergreens up that far.
Hmm, very interesting. Of course, if you have a digital camera you can take and email me some pictures and we can see if that helps me diagnose the situation any better. Think through the planting process you underwent and let me know if any other factors may have come into play. I’ll keep thinking too.
I planted a japanese holly about a month ago in the northeast corner of my house. I was watering it pretty regularly but went away for a week. When I watered it today, almost all of the leaves fell of. All I had to do was touch a leaf and it would drop although the leaves were still green and not browned. There are some tiny bud/flowers and the plant looks green. Has it been underwatered? overwatered? underfertilized? not enough sun? I would appreciate any advice.
Oh, and it might help if I told you I live in eastern massachusetts.
Answer:
A little transplant shock is typical, but this sounds much more severe. If your Japanese holly does not get quite enough sun then it will thin its lower, interior leaves. This interior thinning will also happen as plenty of new growth emerges from the tips of the stems and the plant grows larger. However, all that usually happens over a longer period of time, so I’m a little unsure as to why you are having so much leaf drop so quickly. I guess my mind then goes to other planting or cultural issues. I hope the rootball didn’t suffer too much damage when planted. Whether containerized or balled and burlapped it is important to keep the rootball as in-tact and protected through the planting as possible. You can and want to rough up the roots around the edges a bit to encourage them to grow out and down but never want to put too much pressure on the rest of the root mass. You should have planted the shrub so that it is level with the soil around it. Many used to advise to prep the hole twice as wide and twice as deep as the rootball, but now the consensus is that you do not want to dig too deep because you do not want the plant to settle and then have the crown of the plant below the soil line. If the shrub is planted too deep then you can run the risk of rot and the roots not getting the fresh air that they require. After planting I would “water in” the shrub by putting the hose on a slow trickle and letting it sit and soak the roots for an hour or so. Following that I would water a newly planted Japanese holly two or three times a week early in the day for an hour or two each time. For this, using soaker hoses with a battery operated timer can be a great help and make it easy on you. Regular and evenly spaced watering is a proper horticultural practice I can't talk up enough. If the shrub goes a week without water then obviously water it when you return, but do not then over-compensate and flood the plant. I always make the analogy that if you are dehydrated you do not then try and drink a gallon of water in one sitting, you sip, slowly and over a period of time, and then you will begin to feel normal again. In this respect plants are not all that different from humans. The dehydrated roots will not know what to do with such an excessive watering and you can do harm when you are trying to do good. Again, I might expect some leaf drop, but not like what you have described. And being away for a week should not send a woody shrub like that downhill so fast. On the remaining leaves, examine the undersides of the leaves and the nodes, the junctions where leaves and stems meet, and tell me if you see any sign of insects. Look at the base of the plant and make sure it is not too deep. If so, you might have to pull it out and replant it raised up a bit. For trees and shrubs people will tell you to err on the side of planting too high instead of planting too deep. Also, since this occurred so fast, call the nursery and explain the situation and ask if other people’s new hollies have been suffering too. There might have been something affecting the whole batch that no one had noticed before a bunch of them were sold. As far as winter hardiness, I believe that the holly should hold up where you are living. (Otherwise why would a nursery have sold it to you?). Some references say that they are only hardy to Zone 6 and I bet you might be a bit colder up there, but I am sure I have seen these broadleaf evergreens up that far.
Hmm, very interesting. Of course, if you have a digital camera you can take and email me some pictures and we can see if that helps me diagnose the situation any better. Think through the planting process you underwent and let me know if any other factors may have come into play. I’ll keep thinking too.
Starting a Kitchen Garden Indoors
Question:
I'm hoping to start an indoor kitchen garden, but of course my options -- like my space -- are limited. I'm thinking of growing a range of herbs in a pebble garden, as well as a Meyer lemon tree, and maybe a fig tree, though I've heard those aren't fruit-bearing when grown indoors. Any other suggestions for hardy indoor plants that can be put to use in the kitchen?
The room only has one window, in a corner, facing West. Not the best situation, but I was thinking of supplementing the natural light with a fluorescent bulb. The living room has better light, but there's a cat out there that'll apparently eat herbs, so unless I can figure out a way to build a shelf halfway up the window frame, it looks like I'm going to be gardening in my bedroom.
Answer (for now):
Given your limited space and light I would suggest starting your indoor kitchen garden in stages. This way you can begin with a few options that are typically easy and reliable, see how those plants fare, and then move on and branch out from there. Quickly before I forget, large fruit bearing trees can be a real challenge to grow indoors and yes, getting them to fruit properly can be extremely difficult. They need greater variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures, some seasonal temperature fluctuation as well, good airflow and circulation, and much more sunlight. I am sorry to say, but a few windows in an apartment that stays a constant 70-something degrees throughout the year is not going to be the easiest or best environment.
So, let’s talk about things that work. I have a close friend and coworker who grows a ton of herbs in her apartment in Brooklyn, specifically in an East-facing window. Every year she enjoys growing from seed or propagating from cuttings basil, cilantro, parsley and dill. When I asked her opinion she also mentioned that she enjoyed growing sweet marjoram a few times, and can keep rosemary going pretty if it is already a decent size. Depending on your level of patience you can try starting seed or you will be able to find all of these in small pots for cheap at the Farmer’s Market in Union Square (open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays). If you opt for starting the seeds yourself, sow them as the packets suggest, water the seeds and soil well, and then cover your pots with Saran Wrap, or some such equivalent. This will seal in moisture and humidity for the period of time it takes for the seeds to germinate – essentially creating a mini greenhouse in each pot. After a few days or a week you can poke some holes in the Saran Wrap to slowly begin acclimating the seedlings to your much drier apartment. When the seedlings reach the Saran Wrap you can remove it, keep the seedlings moist on a regular basis, and perhaps the occasional misting with a fine spray bottle. Avoid direct exposure to A/C or any other strong wind source that might dry out the fragile new foliage before it matures and hardens off.
Let me know if this is helpful and any other questions you may have. Fruits and veggies will be harder to do in your conditions, but if and when you feel like taking on that challenge we can definitely help with both library references and personal testimonials.
I'm hoping to start an indoor kitchen garden, but of course my options -- like my space -- are limited. I'm thinking of growing a range of herbs in a pebble garden, as well as a Meyer lemon tree, and maybe a fig tree, though I've heard those aren't fruit-bearing when grown indoors. Any other suggestions for hardy indoor plants that can be put to use in the kitchen?
The room only has one window, in a corner, facing West. Not the best situation, but I was thinking of supplementing the natural light with a fluorescent bulb. The living room has better light, but there's a cat out there that'll apparently eat herbs, so unless I can figure out a way to build a shelf halfway up the window frame, it looks like I'm going to be gardening in my bedroom.
Answer (for now):
Given your limited space and light I would suggest starting your indoor kitchen garden in stages. This way you can begin with a few options that are typically easy and reliable, see how those plants fare, and then move on and branch out from there. Quickly before I forget, large fruit bearing trees can be a real challenge to grow indoors and yes, getting them to fruit properly can be extremely difficult. They need greater variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures, some seasonal temperature fluctuation as well, good airflow and circulation, and much more sunlight. I am sorry to say, but a few windows in an apartment that stays a constant 70-something degrees throughout the year is not going to be the easiest or best environment.
So, let’s talk about things that work. I have a close friend and coworker who grows a ton of herbs in her apartment in Brooklyn, specifically in an East-facing window. Every year she enjoys growing from seed or propagating from cuttings basil, cilantro, parsley and dill. When I asked her opinion she also mentioned that she enjoyed growing sweet marjoram a few times, and can keep rosemary going pretty if it is already a decent size. Depending on your level of patience you can try starting seed or you will be able to find all of these in small pots for cheap at the Farmer’s Market in Union Square (open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays). If you opt for starting the seeds yourself, sow them as the packets suggest, water the seeds and soil well, and then cover your pots with Saran Wrap, or some such equivalent. This will seal in moisture and humidity for the period of time it takes for the seeds to germinate – essentially creating a mini greenhouse in each pot. After a few days or a week you can poke some holes in the Saran Wrap to slowly begin acclimating the seedlings to your much drier apartment. When the seedlings reach the Saran Wrap you can remove it, keep the seedlings moist on a regular basis, and perhaps the occasional misting with a fine spray bottle. Avoid direct exposure to A/C or any other strong wind source that might dry out the fragile new foliage before it matures and hardens off.
Let me know if this is helpful and any other questions you may have. Fruits and veggies will be harder to do in your conditions, but if and when you feel like taking on that challenge we can definitely help with both library references and personal testimonials.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)