Happy Mother's Day

Dear Friends, 

The month of May has finally arrived and as we get closer to the warm summer months, I'd like to invite  you to take some time to become aware of your surroundings and what you would like to see there.
Are there birds, bees, or butterflies you would like to attract and feed?  Maybe you would like to plant a few different herbs and vegetables. Whatever it may be, I hope you find peace.

Let us know how we can help.

Warm Regards,

Debbie

I remember my mother's prayers

and they have always followed me.   

They have clung to me all my life.

  ~Abraham Lincoln 

I love my mother  

as the trees love water and sunshine -  

she helps me grow, prosper,  

and reach great heights.   

~Terri Guillemets

Rose Care: Please pass the Salt.

When I heard about amending soil around rosebushes with Epsom salt, I was a little surprised. I have used many home remedies for roses. Banana peels, egg shells, coffee grounds and soapy water all can benefit your roses and banish pests and diseases. So began a brief exploration into Epsom salts.

If used as directed, Epsom salts are said to make plants stronger, produce lusher foliage, bigger blooms and encourage roses to send out new canes (branches) low on the bush. Caution: Salts in the wrong quantity can be lethal for many garden plants. Epsom salts are naturally occurring minerals known as magnesium sulfate which were first found in Epsom, France.  Cartons of Epsom salt are often located in drug stores and groceries in the same areas as laxatives or the sore muscle potions (a clue to some of their other uses).

There are probably as many ways to care for roses as there are recipes for Banana Bread. I have gathered a small selection of “recipes” your rosebushes. Please only select one method. The amounts of Epsom salt are intended for average to large sized plants. If your Roses are minis or small bushes, use just ¼ to 1/3 of the measurements. If you are unsure, it is recommended to test your soil before amended it.

• Simply mix a handful of Epsom salts at planting time; OR
  
• Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of Epsom Salt about 2 inches from the base of your rose bush; OR
  
  
• Two tablespoons dissolved in a gallon of water added next to the roots, being careful not to wet the foliage; OR 
  
  
• Just 3/4 cup of Epsom salts mixed in with the dirt around your roses each spring, then water in well; OR
  
  
• Martha Stewart recommends giving each rose bush 1 tsp. of Epsom salts for every foot of their height.
   
• Depending on the size of your plants, sprinkle anywhere from 1 to 4 tbls. around the drip line every spring.
  

• To apply to existing rose bushes, either mix ½ cup of Epsom salts into the soil around the rose bush and water well or dissolve ½ cup of the salts in water and use to water the rose bush. Do this in the spring, just as the bids are beginning to open.

• Jerry Baker's website, jerrybaker.com, has a recipe that uses cola, beer, molasses, vinegar, ammonia, dish detergent, and epsom salts. One blogger recounted that after feeding her roses this concoction from a watering can, her roses soon produced the biggest and best blooms ever.

A side note: I came across a note that planting parsley alongside your roses will increase their fragrance. I'd love to hear if anyone knows this to be true.

Once you have treated your roses to an Epsom salt treatment, fill a washtub with hot water and a handful of Epsom salts. It's time to treat your tootsies.

For a field trip: When roses are blooming, be sure to visit the Chet Clayton rose garden at URI or the Victorian Rose Garden at Roger Williams Park which is maintained by the Rhode Island Rose Society.

Rose Solutions is a website for Rhode Island Rose Gardeners

All things roses: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/roses/prune.html

Some of the many sources for the information in this article:

Homemade Remedies to Kill Rose Bush Diseases & Insects | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5576921_homemade-rose-bush-diseases-insects.html#ixzz1KoFi11v1

http://www.rosecare.com/faq.html

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/epsom-salts-for-roses

http://www.a-non-toxic-living.com/epsomsalts.htm

*If you have a special interest in roses, cultivate them, or have expertise growing roses, you are a “Rosarian”. As my friend, Leslie, responded when I referred to her as a Master Gardener, “I just like to play in the dirt.”

Renee C Brannigan

I miss thee, my Mother! 

Thy image is still
The deepest 

impressed on my heart.

~Eliza Cook

Reviving Forsythia

This plant available at Woodbridge Greenhouses.

When Forsythia come into bloom, it's amazing to see the variety of shapes and brilliance in just your daily travels. They range from masses of naturally cascading branches covered in thousands of bright yellow flowers, to long-neglected smattering of blossoms, and include painstakingly trimmed yellow forms..

:::sigh::: Time to start lopping.

I have but one Forsythia bush (right pic). Its wispy tendrils sprawl in undergrowth along our driveway. Its decades-long neglect is evident in its overgrown tangle of nearly-bare branches. Rather than taking drastic action, I've done a little research to develop a simple plan of action. 

Although gardeners have differing techniques, most agree that the key to rejuvenating Forsythia blooms is to cut the plant back. They also agree that pruning in the spring allows buds to form on the new growth, creating a brighter display next year.

The debate is over how much to cut. Some advocate “rejuvenation pruning” by cutting entire the shrub back to ankle height and amending the soil (hoping it will come back within a year or two). Other gardeners advise removing either a quarter or a third of the oldest stems each year. Some believe that Forsythia should only be pruned back after their blossoms are dry, others want you to wait until the blooms drop off.

Snapped while driving down Rt. 102 last week.

And the consensus is...to lightly prune forsythia without forcing it to conform to a specific shape. Called “renewal pruning”, it is a great way to breath new life into forlorn forsythia (and other flowering shrubs that produce their best blooms on new wood).

Shaping a forsythia bush into a tight, geometric shape defies its naturally graceful, fireworks-like tendency. Whether you are trimming an unkempt bush or reviving an overly trimmed plant, follow these steps each year.

1. Cut down the outer ring (perimeter) by 2/3.
2. Prune the rest of the branches by taking 1/3 off their height.This will encourage new growth that will cascade in all directions.

Pruning Tips:

• Be sure to take a moment to step back often, and look at the overall effect. 
• To conceal the cut, trim just above a set of green leaves, and angle your cut slightly away from view.

Forsythia Facts:

• Deer resistant! (caveat: when deer are hungry enough, they'll eat most anything.)
• Native to Asia, but non-invasive.
• No major insects or diseases.
• Some forsythia may grow 1-2 feet per year before maturing around 8 to 10 feet tall.
• Plant in full sun for the best and brightest blooms, but will flower lightly in partial shade.
• Forsythias grow well in a wide range of soils, other than wet, poorly drained soil.
• Amend the soil in the fall for better blooms and growth.
• The first freeze forces Forsythia's foliage to fall.
• Forsythia can spread from underground roots and when lower branches touch rich dirt and develop roots (ground layering). If you wish, you can separate it from the mother plant by cutting it at the roots and transplanting the new plant.

By carefully pruning overgrown forsythia by thirds each year, you will not shock the bush, but you will improve its blooms as you gradually restore its natural shape and splendor.

TLC needed.

Not pleasing to the eye, is it?

How NOT to treat your Forsythia.

Information gathered by Renee C. Brannigan

Mothers' Love Gifts from Woodbridge Greenhouses...

Spring Garden Party, Saturday 4/30 from 2-4 pm

Please join Debbie and I as we Celebrate Spring with

a Garden Party for the girls!

What better way to celebrate the season than

with spring flowers and spring jewelry

and

an afternoon for you and your girlfriends!

Date:   Saturday, April 30th

Time:  2-4 pm, Open House

Place:  Woodbridge Greenhouses, 1046 Hartford Pike

(Rt. 101), N. Scituate, RI

Phone: 401-647-0630

Debbie's greenhouses and her beautiful selection of flowers

and greenery are a must see!

They are only to be complimented by

a gorgeous selection of the newest Jewelry!

Pick up the perfect Mother's Day, First Holy Communion, Confirmation or Graduation gift, and

the perfect special accessory for your spring wardrobe, too.

Give your home a spring boost with flowers, bushes and trees from Woodbridge.

Set aside a little time for you!

 We hope to see you!

Spring regards,

Debbie Pierson Luchka

Woodbridge Greenhouses.com

and

Mareen O'Brien

Rain Garden

Thinking of adding a new garden bed? Consider a few slight changes to your design to make it a Rain Garden. They are pretty simple to design and install, and will benefit your property and the environment, plus they are pretty low maintenance. 
 
Gardeners prepare our garden beds to protect our plants by mulching them to retain moisture and keep down weeds. Our careful tending helps to moderate Mother Nature's whims. Last year, though, there was little to prepare for when she transformed “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” into “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Swamps”.

Nationwide, storm water runoff is a leading cause of water pollution. Though your own rain garden may seem insignificant in the entire ecosystem, just a 10x10 rain garden (100-square-foot) reclaims 4,000 gallons of water every year. Wow!


Rain gardens help moderate Mother Nature's erratic behavior. They lessen the impact of heavy rains by collecting water that can't be absorbed by hard and compacted surfaces like a your roof, driveway, patio, walkway and lawn. Because the soil and plant roots naturally absorb and treat pollutants over time through natural chemical processes in the soil, this type of garden is a natural biofiltration system and a temporary reservoir. Each rain garden significantly reduces the amount of contaminated storm water (sediment, lawn chemicals and fertilizers) that finds its way into our lakes, streams, and ponds and can cause algae blooms that kill fish and wildlife.



Similar to those unsightly catch basins installed in many commercial and industrial developments, plant your rain garden lower than the surrounding landscape. The top of your mulch should be between 6 and 10 inches below the surrounding landscape to create a slightly bowl-shaped area that naturally gathers excess rainwater.

Rain Garden Facts:

• Unlike water gardens, there is no need for a liner.
  
• No concerns about mosquitoes breeding since the water drains after two or three days. It takes mosquito larvae seven to eight days to mature.
  

• Work even during winter when the ground is frozen since snow melt can be absorbed by porous garden soil and organic matter.
  

What's Wrong With my Lawn?

• Rain Gardens collect roughly 30% more water than lawns.
• Less Lawn, Less Watering: Depending upon the plants you choose, other than perhaps during dry periods for the first year, garden plants need less water than lawns. Native plants are hardier than most lawns, so they will need watering only during drought.
  
• Less lawn, fewer cares: Rather than weekly lawn mowing and watering.
  
• Less Lawn, More Butterflies and Birds.
  
• When you are selling your home, garden increase the value of your home more than a larger lawn.
  

Can I do it myself? Yes, there are just a few considerations:

• The location is key. Strategically locate it to capture runoff from your home, driveway, patio, walkways, etc.
  
• Then be sure to dig down deep enough (at least 6 to 12 inches) to aid in drainage.
  

• If your soil is heavy clay, you can line the bottom of your garden with a layer of sandy gravel to aid drainage.

• Fill the garden with a deep layer of soil (ideal soil mix is 50-60% sand, 30-40% loamy topsoil and 5-10% compost).
  
• For a neat and attractive look, keep the edges well defined and incorporate shorter plants with a single larger tree for a focal point. A variety of taller plants may look unkempt if they are not pruned.
  
• Choose native plants that aren't likely to become stressed if their roots get too wet for a spell. You don't need to completely fill the garden right away. What you have done so far is already going to improve drainage.
  Choosing Plants for your Rain Garden: Woodbridge Greenhouses' staff recommends native, non-invasive species that are deer and pest resistant. Most can handle brief periods of excess water as well as dry periods. For best appearance, select a variety of plants of varying heights, shapes and textures and with blooms throughout the growing season. A variety of plants with large root structures (trees and shrubs) will make your rain garden more effective and less susceptible to disease. The URI Extension has a list of native plants on their Rain Garden page: http://www.uri.edu/ce/healthylandscapes/raingarden.htm
  
• Top your garden with mulch to allow water to penetrate and prevent weed growth.
• Maintenance: Water your rain garden until the plants are established. Then just water during drought for the first year or so.
  

So How Expensive is a Rain Garden? The cost will vary depending on who does the work, what you choose to plant and use for mulch.. A landscaper may cost around $12 per square foot, again depending on the plants and materials you select.
There's Got to Be More to it than that. Just a few pointers:

• If you have underground pipes, sewers or electrical lines, call Dig Safe first for a free visit to mark your utilities.
  
• Don't locate it over a septic system or pipes, your well or underground utilities.
  
• Position it at least 10 feet from your home to prevent the water from reaching your basement.
  
• In full or partial sun with open sky (not under the tree canopy).
  
• The place where water naturally gathers in your yard has poor drainage, and isn't suitable. Your rain garden should divert water away from this area.
  
• Drainage pipes can deliver water to rain gardens directly from your downspout. The possibilities are endless for ways to capture, channel, divert, and make the most of your properties precipitation.
  
• You can use the dug-up soil to create a berm, or low wall, around the three “downhill” sides of the garden to hold in water during storms.
  

A rain garden is the perfect garden project to improve your little piece of the environment and the ecology around you, maybe this is the year to build one. A rain garden can solve many drainage problems, protect wells, septic systems and other flood-prone areas from the sudden rush of storm water that can wash away tender plants and mulch, erode soil, and lead to flooded basements.

Please visit some of the wonderful webpages from which I gathered this information:
A local treasure trove of gardening knowledge: http://www.uri.edu/ce/healthylandscapes/raingarden.htm
The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, www.riwps.org is an excellent resource for native plant species.

s
http://www.uri.edu/ce/healthylandscapes/raingarden.htm
http://www.raingardennetwork.com/
http://www.rainscaping.org/http://www.nricd.org/startingownproject.htm

Rain Gardens in Connecticut: A Design Guide for Homeowners, UConn Cooperative Extension System
Haddom, CT research/demonstration rain garden, University of Connecticut NEMO Program
Rain Garden Information Center, Rutgers - State University of New Jersey
Rain Gardens: A How-to Manual for Homeowners. Wisconsin
Instructional Flyer - Center for Watershed Protection
The Haddom, CT research/demonstration rain garden, University of Connecticut
http://www.waukeshacounty.gov/defaultwc.aspx?id=39386
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/la/la_005.cfm