Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Saturday September 26, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Saturday September 26, 2009

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Q&A: Squirrels Eating Bulbs

Question: How do I keep the squirrels from digging up and eating my newly planted bulbs ?

Answer: Squirrels consider tulip bulbs to be the equivalent of candy. There are several things you can try, but if there are a lot of squirrels where you live it may be better to plant daffodils instead. You can try: dipping the bulbs in a mole and rodent repellent just prior to planting; applying a repellent spray to the mulch over the planting area; watering the area repeatedly immediately after planting to settle the soil well; covering the area with wire mesh or old window screens to cage them out; or encase the bulbs in wire mesh cages before burying them.

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Q&A: Herbs Die after Harvest

Question: I have a container herb garden. Twice now I have had thriving plants die shortly after I harvested them. What am I doing wrong?

Answer: You may be removing too much foliage when you harvest. It's always best to harvest sparingly the first year, to give the plant time to become established. Here are some general guidelines to harvesting herbs:

Begin harvesting the herb when the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. Up to 75% of the current season's growth can be harvested at one time. Harvest early in the morning, after the dew dries, but before the heat of the day. Harvest herbs before flowering, otherwise, leaf production declines. Herb leaves have their most intense oil concentration and flavor when harvested after flower buds appear but before they open. Herb flowers harvested to dry for craft purposes should be picked just before they are fully opened. Annual herbs can be harvested until frost. Perennial herbs can be clipped until late August. Stop harvesting about one month before the frost date. Late pruning could encourage tender growth that cannot harden-off before winter. Harvest tarragon or lavender flowers in early summer and then shear the plants to half their height to encourage a second flowering period in the fall.

Hope your next attempt is more successful!

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Tip: Prevent Gopher Damage

Pocket gophers can devastate a planting of spring flowering bulbs. Before you plant deeply till to disrupt the gophers' tunnel system. Also, make a 3-sided gopher-proof cage using hardware cloth and place it and bulbs in a 1-foot deep hole.

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors