eGarden © 2005 Ed Mues

From The Garden of Ed. Submitted for publication in The Towne Crier on April 20, 2005

Nipping in the Bud Some Perennial Problems.

This is the time of year for gardeners to be as pro-active as possible. Now anticipate some of last years troubles and nip them in the bud.

If you have a pond that in the past has become green from algae, plan now to remedy that condition. Aeration increases the amount of oxygen which promotes the populations of aerobic bacteria which digest organic nutrients and waste (the algae food supply). Aeration also breaks up thermal layers, allowing oxygen to get to all parts of the pond, moving cooler bottom water to the surface. This moves surface algae to deeper levels where reduced light and cooler temps will slow growth. If you are certain the problem is mostly algae, add barley straw at a rate of one to three ounces per ten square feet, depending on the severity. Float the straw in nets or cages with something buoyant (styrofoam?) so water can pass freely through the straw near the surface of the water. Harmless to everything living in the pond except the algae, the barley straw produces a growth inhibitor that really works.

If other vegetation is clogging your pond, there are many mechanical means, often labor intensive but environmentally sound, that work. You might call the Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District for further advice. They often offer triploid grass carp that feed on soft-stemmed, submerged aquatic vegetation and will not reproduce or endanger anything else in the pond. Getting just a bit more scientific, plants like algae flourish in sunlight.

If the pond has an area or two that is three feet or more deep, it should support fish. Fish as well as snails and tadpoles feed on filamentous algae. In addition to mechanical aeration, many oxygenating plants that grow completely submerged use waste nutrients starving algae and keeping the water pure. Floating plants like water lilies also use up excess waste nutrients, shade the water and keep it cooler. For crystalline water, ideally, 60 to 70 percent of the pond surface would be covered with plants at maturity.

A clear water formula from award winner Matterhorn Nursery: For each square yard of surface area, 2 bunches of oxygenating plants, 1 medium to large water lily, 1 dozen snails, and 2 fish 4-5 inches.

If you hadn't the time to do a thorough cleanup of your garden area last fall, try to fit it in before you plant. Remove any rotten or decaying vegetation so slugs won't have a head start. Any flat material in the garden should be lifted as it's an ideal hiding place for slugs and snails during the day. Slugs will usually surface when it rains. This is an ideal time to sprinkle some kosher salt lightly over the soil surface. In preparation for war with these nocturnal feeders, I suggest some tried and proven methods.

If you're unable to allow several ducks into your garden, may I suggest the well known beer, milk and yeast traps and covering them so the material is protected from the weather. Simply invert a container (an empty margarine tub) with a couple of entrance slots cut out so they have access to the bait. You might weight the cover with a stone. Any flat material such as a shingle or board, as mentioned above, will serve as protection from the sun and serve as a trap to be checked frequently. An inverted grapefruit rind works great, too. If you prefer the commercial slug baits, spray with some water and cover. Other things reputed to work as a barrier include crushed egg shells, charcoal, dried coffee grounds and tea bags, sharp builders' sand, diatomaceous earth, bare copper wire, and horse chestnut spiny fruit capsules. For plants in pots, coat the base with petroleum jelly.

Staying as organic as possible will encourage natural predators, too, like ground beetles. Dig a small hole for a water tight container, invert another nearby with an opening, and you've created a frog and toad habitat. Keep his pool full and he'll gobble up lots of harmful garden critters, slugs, too! Mentioned previously, a pile of flat rocks or stones here and there will provide a good place for some beneficial predator garden snakes that also indulge in slugs as well as rodents like voles, moles and field mice. You've just begun to fight!

In your efforts to be a successful gardener, look to allies in the insect world to give you a helping hand. You can plant a border of wonderful plants to attract beneficial insects that will zero in on the pests and keep them well under control. The genus, Tanacetum, contains at least 70 species of annual and herbaceous perennial flowering plants, many with aromatic foliage, that include costmary, feverfew, and tansy. These attract the highest number of the greatest variety of beneficials.

Plant, also, Anthemis tinctoria, golden marguerite; Cosmos, especially the 'Sensation Series'; Marigold 'Lemon Gem'; Caraway; Dill; Fennel; Yarrow and Spearmint. If you have room nearby, put in a buckwheat patch but not as a border because if allowed to go to seed they can be invasive and some trouble. It is a great attractor of beneficials. Simply mow it or cut it down before it goes to seed.

If you are like a lot of home gardeners and don't have that ideal eight or more hours of sunshine in the right place, know that there is an assortment of cool season vegetables that will do just fine in partial shade; broccoli, kale, cabbage, chard, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce and spinach. If there are as many as five hours, you can also grow carrots, onions, parsnips, cucumbers, arugula, and celery. Several herbs will also do just fine: bee balm, borage, chervil, chives, parsley, sage, coriander and the mints including catnip. (Caution: These last two can be quite invasive.)

By next month, the "to do" list begins to grow exponentially. I know you're up to the challenges. Make weeding a daily meditation. Be methodical, keep a notebook or diary, think positively, and you will have positive results. And, best of all, at seasons end, you can review your notes and proudly be ready for the joys of autumn, a winter rest, and some new strategies for next year. Gardening is the greatest American pastime, notwithstanding baseball. Enjoy it. It's all part of the dance.

From The Garden of Ed. Submitted for publication in The Towne Crier on April 20, 2005

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