“With Memorial Weekend approaching, is it too late to plant the garden? We’re running behind this year.” -NO WAY, JOSE! (Next time you’re at the Outlet, ask to meet my little brother Jose Tomas – he was mom’s favorite.) Timing is great! I’m just getting started myself! Way back when, Memorial Weekend was THE Weekend for planting flowers and finishing up the garden planting. Over the years, it just keeps creeping earlier and earlier in the spring. So get out this week and weekend and plant that garden – or next weekend or the next. I’ve planted tomatoes and peppers on July 4th for a late crop! Ps – Our selection of vegetable plants (and pretty much everything) is still very, very good! Our goal is to keep fresh plants coming from our greenhouses into the Outlet longer into the spring season for extended planting times.

“I’m seeing these red pointy growths coming out of my helicopter tree (maple). What are they and what do I do to save the tree?” -Those are maple leaf galls, caused by an insect, and that gall is the house for the insect’s eggs. No sprays and no harm to the tree. Just looks weird and when the eggs hatch, the gall dries and falls out of the leaf leaving a small hole. Some years can be worse than others – but no harm to the tree.

“Can I trim my roses now? They are about to bloom but are way too big – I like them bushy.” -Yes, but why not let them flower first, enjoy that first round, then cut them back, feed them, and let them re-grow and set back up for the next round of flowers.

“Do you grow the Broccoli that you eat the leaves?” – No we don’t, but it’s easily grown from seed. It’s called Broccoli Raab (Rapini) and prefers cool weather, so do a spring and fall planting (fall tastes better!). It also tolerates a less than sunny location.

“When do I prune my lilacs?” -If they need to be pruned, do it within 3 weeks or so after the flowering has finished. They actually set new flower buds for the following year with the new growth. In many cases, deadheading is all you need to do. By the way, on the Bloomerang Lilacs (re-bloomers), same thing applies in the spring. Then they re-grow for 10-12 weeks, and re-flower late summer / early fall. After that flowering, deadhead only.

“My maple leaves have suddenly developed black areas all over them! Is it dying? What should I do?” -Bring in a leaf sample for us to identify what it is, but I can pretty much assure you its Anthracnose on maple leaves. We’re seeing it quite a bit right now, as the weather conditions have been perfect for this leaf disease. You will get some leaf drop, so don’t panic. Nothing you can do now as the fungus is already there. And usually doesn’t harm the tree, unless the tree would get this back to back to back each season, which rarely happens. Fungicidal sprayings being at bud break thru early leaf development will protect them, but rarely done as who knows that the weather will be? But can be done. Fungicides include Mancozeb and Bonide’s Fungonil, but again, NOT this year. Too late to spray.

“How do I control grass growing in my Liriope?” -Spray the weedy grass with Fertilome’s Over the Top – kills the grass but not the Liriope. Some folks have hesitated doing this, as ‘Over the Top’ kills weedy grasses growing in desirable plants without harming the plants, but afraid it will kill their Liriope as it is sold along with the grasses. Liriope, common name ‘Lily Turf’ (sometimes called Monkey Grass) is not actually a grass. Always read the label before use. It lists plants ‘Over the Top’ has been cleared to spray over.

“I can’t seem to grow gardenias very well, but love the fragrance. Any suggestions for me?” -Yep. Try growing Jasmine Sambac. For me, it is much easier to grow, flower, and that fragrance is simply ma-a-a-velous! Tolerates full sun to partial shade, flowers on new growth so not much (if any) flowering over the winter. Bring inside for the winter / outside for the summer.

“Do you know of a way to kill mushrooms that keep growing in the moist spots in our mulch in one of our beds, preferably a natural way if possible?” -Yes I do. Kick them, stomp them, hand pick them, mow them (in the lawn), or get out your 9 iron and practice your golf swings. Hey, they’re already teed up for you! All ‘natural’ controls. Sorry, but no actual ‘controls’ for mushrooms besides physical removal. They’re all a part of the decomposing process, and that’s just a natural thing.

“Have the bagworms started to hatch yet?” -Not that I’ve seen but it won’t be long – timing is right about now. Keep watching your evergreens. Once you see them active on the plant, spray with Bt or Captain Jacks Deadbug Brew.

“Hey Buggy Joe (Joe Boggs / OSU Extension), what ‘cha reporting this week in the world of weeds, bugs and diseases?” -Yellow poplar weevils have appeared and look very similar to ‘flying ticks’ (feed on poplar, sassafras, and magnolia leaves), beech blight aphids on beech tree branches, thistle tortoise beetles trying to consume all the thistle plants (“go beetles, go beetles, go beetles”), Black locust in bloom which also signals the emergence of adult Emerald Ash borers, anthracnose showing on Beech and Maple leaves, Eastern tent caterpillars slowing down, moles and skunks digging in lawns looking for food, and continued reports of wild onions popping up everywhere possible! (Just remember when it comes to dealing with wild onions – 99cents a bunch at the grocery, free in your yard!)

What is your favorite plant?
My favorite plant would be Coral Bells.

What makes Coral Bells your favorite?
They are low maintenance plants that work well in sun or shade. The color and texture of the foliage looks great in the landscape. There are so many colors.

Do you have Coral Bells in your landscape?
Absolutely, we use them in our landscape and containers.

If you need landscape design help, Craig leads our wonderful award winning landscape designers. He can be contacted at (513) 398-4769.

Growing:

Be forewarned about mint’s invasive habits. It makes a good container herb, since anywhere in the soil the stem touches, it will root. Mint grows well in sun or shade. Once it’s established, Mother Nature takes care of watering. No need to fertilize once the plant is up and growing.

Spearmint and peppermint are the most common, but we have many kinds of mint, including Thai, pineapple, chocolate, apple and Mojito mints.

Health benefits:

Mint invigorates the senses, and both peppermint and spearmint aid digestion and reduce nausea. Peppermint is especially helpful after a high fat meal.

Cooking:

Chop mint into your dishes right before you serve it. That way, you’ll get flavor, aroma and the most nutrition. Mint contains vitamin C, destroyed by high heat, so remember when making drinks with mint (steep in water that’s about 140 degrees – warm enough to infuse gently).

Easy Mint Jelly

2 generous cups fresh mint leaves, chopped and packed into cup
4 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin
4 cups sugar
Green food coloring (opt)

Combine mint and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and let steep 15 minutes. Strain and measure out 3 cups infusion. Pour into large pan. Add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a rapid boil. Add sugar all at once. On high heat, cook and stir constantly until it reaches a boil that cannot be stirred down with a spoon. Add food coloring. Cook for 1 minute. Remove any foam. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal with 2 piece lids which you have kept in boiling water. I like to process mine in a water bath for 5 minutes. Store in pantry up to a year. You can also skip the water bath process, turn the jars upside down after sealing for 5 minutes and that should kill any bacteria on the inside of the lid.

Tips from Rita’s garden:
Natorp’s carries 12 varieties of mint.

Natorp’s carries over 150 varieties of herbs!

Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP, Certified Herbalist
Website: Abouteating.com
Blog: Cooking with Rita at Cincinnati.com

“Last year we got those holes in the rose leaves and it made them look awful. Any ideas how to prevent this?” – I’m assuming the damages are from rose slugs (green caterpillar- like critter on the bottom sides of the leaves and eats holes into the leaves), which can be treated with applications of imidacloprid (soil drench) as well as foliar sprays of insecticidal soaps, hort oils, etc on the undersides of the leaves, as well as the search, find and squash method of control. They can have multiple generations, so stick with it.

“Looking everywhere for the world’s hottest pepper plants. Any suggestions where to find them?” -Uh, let me think. Uh, oh yeah, right here at Natorp’s Nursery Outlet! We have all 4 plus the newest to the group, Carolina Reaper! All of these range in Scoville units from 1 to 2 million units, and baby, that’s HOT!

“Is there something to kill the grass growing in my juniper beds? It comes up in my other groundcovers, too.” -Yes! Fertilome’s ‘Over the Top’, or Bonide’s ‘Grass Beater’. These weedy grass controls can be sprayed over the top of desirable plants without harming them, and kills the weedy grasses. Read the label (as always) for restrictions.

“I noticed that snapdragons are not available as much any more. Suggest anything similar?” You can’t beat Angelonia for that sunny hot spot, and the flowers are similar to the snaps. All summer bloomer, tough and durable.

“I saw the signs saying “Frost Free Date May 15”. What does that mean?” -It means that based on the averages in our area, our chances of having a frost after May 15 is 50% or less, and gets less and less each day forward. So we use that date as a planting point for many annuals, but still keeping an eye on the weather, as it has frosted after May 15th!

“Unfortunately, my shade Impatiens were hit by the Downey mildew last summer. What are my options for replacing them?” -Well, we all know that nothing flowers in solid shade like shade Impatiens. And for those who didn’t get it last year, I say keep planting. For those who did, don’t plan them. Look at Coleus, Torenia, Caladiums, Wax begonias, Whopper begonias, Non stop begonias, New Guinea and Sunpatiens (best in filtered shade), Perilla, Nicotiana, Lobelia, Hypoestes, and don’t forget shade loving perennials.

“Is there a systemic insecticide that helps against leaf eating caterpillars?” Yes, Bayer now has a new systemic that covers your usual list of insects and well as having a second insecticide to help against leaf eaters, too. If just using a systemic (especially for Emerald Ash Borer), look at OPTROL (21% imidacloprid).

“My azaleas have gotten very leggy and not attractive. What can I do to get them fuller looking?” -Prune them! And the best time is right after they finish flowering. Cut them back, give them a good feeding of HollyTone, and watch them re-grow. Azaleas respond to this quite nicely.

“Hey Buggy Joe (Joe Boggs / OSU Extension), what ‘cha reporting this week in the world of bugs and diseases?” – First, which has nothing to do with bugs, is to let folks know April thru May is coyotes have their pups (in underground dens) and can be very protective, so if walking your dog in the woods, do be aware – if encountered, back away slowly and leave the area (easier said than done!), Yellow-bellied sapsucker damages showing on landscape trees and some larger shrubs, corrugated birch leaves are the results of the witchhazel gall aphid, holes in rose leaves typically are the works of the roseslug sawfly (caterpillar-like feeding on the undersides of the leaves), four-lined plant bugs now causing small round black sunken spots on perennials and some woody shrub leaves, Eastern tent caterpillars in full swing right now, pine needle and euonymus scale crawler are active (good time to spray), and Elm flea beetles have begun feeding on Elm leaves, and a reminder that both tall fescue and bluegrass will try to produce seed heads this time of the year, which can cause the blades to lighten in color, so keep mowing on a regular basis to mow them off.

What is your favorite edible to grow in the garden?
The World’s Hottest Peppers! I really enjoy spicy food and they definitely deliver heat to dishes and have a great taste.

What are your favorite hot peppers?
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper, it’s the hottest, 2 million *Scoville Units. It actually has challenged the current Guiness Book World Record Holder the Trinad Scorpion Butch T Pepper (1.63 Million Scoville Units). There are two other great hot peppers the Naga Viper (1.382 Million Scoville Units) and of course the popular Bhut Jolokia (1 Million Scoville Units).

What’s your favorite way to use the World’s Hottest Peppers?
I really enjoy using them to make an extremely hot pepper jelly.

* Scoville Units indicated the amount of capsacin present that creates the heat in chili peppers. Jalapeno pepper’s scoville level is 5,000-8,000.

Growing:

Lavender makes a lovely container herb. Like rosemary, lavender doesn’t like wet feet but this perennial member of the mint family does love lots of sun and good drainage. Harvest the flowers just as they start to open and pluck leaves anytime.

Health benefits:

Aroma therapists use lavender essential oil to relieve mild cases of anxiety and depression and to create a peaceful state of mind. It’s also one of the few essential oils I know that can be directly applied to the skin for cuts, bites, and blemishes. A few sprigs of lavender into a steaming bath immediately make me calmer.

Cooking:
Lavender leaves and flowers are delicious added to lemonade and teas. Let infuse and strain before using. Herbes de Provence is a famous blend with lavender.

HERBES DE PROVENCE

Typically used in regional French cooking, this herb blend is difficult to find in stores. Seafood, tomato, pork dishes, lamb and vegetables all benefit from this blend.

Use dry herbs. Mix together:

2 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon marjoram
2 teaspoons each rosemary and savory
1 teaspoon lavender flowers or leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds.

Store in cool, dark place.
Tips from Rita’s garden:
Natorp’s carries 6 varieties of lavender.

Natorp’s carries over 150 varieties of herbs!

Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP, Certified Herbalist
Website: Abouteating.com
Blog: Cooking with Rita at Cincinnati.com
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“I have some well established rhubarb plants that have already started to seed. Why, and what should I do?” -Cut those seed stalks out as soon as they appear (unless you’re growing rhubarb for ornamental reasons only). Rhubarb goes to seed at varying times due to many different reasons – genetics, variety, temperatures (extreme heat or cold or both), age (older plants, 6-8 years plus – dividing and rejuvenating the clump will help), stress, drought, infertile soils, and even long days! Try to feed your rhubarb with an all purpose garden food just as it begins to pop up in the spring, or by applying good rotted cow manure around the clump after it starts growing, supplemented with a little super phosphate.

“Ron, we covered our ‘tenders’ with black plastic pots, and this morning when I uncovered them, I found garter snakes also enjoying the warmth! But, that’s okay, even though I was startled. I just wish they had some signaling device so I wouldn’t be so surprised!” -I’m with ya! I hate being startled by snakes. Good guys for the garden, but bad guys for my heart!

“I’m having a terrible time with deer in my yard this spring. What do you suggest?” -Liquid Fence, DeerScram, and nylon netting to lie over plants. Good luck!

“I purchased ‘Sucker Stopper’ but not sure how to use it. Can you help?” -Certainly! It’s ready to use, and you have 2 options. Either cut off the existing suckers and then spray the cut areas, or spray the suckers and watch them die back. I cut them off and then spray the cuts. This stuff is a growth inhibitor that lasts all season long! Sure saves you time cutting back suckers all summer long!

“I have ants all over my peonies. Someone told me they help the peonies to bloom. Some say they’re hurting my plants. What do I do?” -Nothing. The ants are there mostly due to the sweet nectar like substance secreted by the peony around those bloom buds. The ants don’t help the flowering process, but don’t harm the peonies either, so just let them be ants and enjoy the sweet spring flavors of peony buds, that only an ant can enjoy.

“HELP! Neighborhood cats have invaded my mulch beds and now they stink. What can I do?” -Fluff up the mulch, turn it over, and the smells will eventually disappear. To keep cats out of the mulch, try throwing sliced citrus peels in the area (they hate the smells of citrus). You can also lay nylon netting over the areas as a temporary barrier for the cats to keep them from digging. And my favorite is to shoot them with a stream of water from one of those high powered water guns. Cats hate that, they remember it, it doesn’t hurt them, and you get a really big kick out of it!

“I have a low growing small leafed weed in my landscape beds that’s taking over. It seemed to start growing in the winter. Any idea what it is and how I get rid of it?” -It sounds like chickweed, which is a winter annual. It’s very shallow rooted, so pull it out with a rake, and throw it away, BEFORE it flowers and goes to seed (that’s how it comes back every year).

“Can I plant herbs outside now?” -Absolutely! I wouldn’t hesitate to plant them, especially in containers. The only one I may wait on is basil, as it is very cold and damp intolerant.

“I had an ornamental grass last year that was beautiful deep Purple, almost burgundy. It did not come back this year. Why, and do you still sell them?” -“Deep Purple”, one of my favorite bands! Sounds like a Dwarf Purple Fountain Grass, and unfortunately, it’s not hardy here and only planted as an annual. Great in containers, great in the landscape, but it is an annual. And yes, we sell a lot of it! Nice plant.

“Is using a soaker hose good, and how will I know if I watered 1 inch?” -They’re a great way to water, as the soil drips right into the soil with little to no evaporation. Next time you use it, turn it on, and let it soak. Take a hand trowel and dig down to see how far down the soil has been soaked. Keep it going until the soil is soaked about 5-6 inches deep. That’s about 1 inch of rainfall. Time how long that took, and that’s a great guesstimate for how long to keep the soaker hose running!

“What’s the name of the product you keep mentioning that helps cut down on watering container plants?” -Soil Moist, and be sure to follow the instructions. More is not always better! (I also like adding coir to the mix.)

“Hey Buggy Joe (Joe Boggs / OSU Extension), what ‘cha seeing this week?” – Leafminer damages on Ohio buckeye leaves, carpenter bees buzzing about with the male scaring the bajeebers out of you (has no stinger so can’t sting you / female does the hole drilling – great pollinators!), six spotted tiger beetles out and about (often mistaken for Emerald Ash Borers, May/June beetles have begun buzz-bombing porch lights, outbreaks of grasshoppers along the Little Miami bike trail ( near Morgan’s Canoe), Viburnum leaf beetles now hatching, Buckeye petiole borer causing droopy leaves on Buckeyes, pine needle and euonymus scale close to hatching, Spruce spider mites have hatched, and gypsy moths have begun to hatch across the state.

Her love for texture, color and composition is apparent when viewing her creations. Her genuine passion for gardening and creating beautiful designs has been validated by a loyal and impressive following of clients that adoringly visit her bringing home a design that often becomes the centerpiece of their outdoor spaces.

What is your favorite plant?
It would have to be Coleus.

What makes this plant your favorite?
Coleus brings so much color and texture into a container garden design and of course the landscape. It instantly becomes a focal point and is low maintenance.

What would you plant with coleus in one of your designs?
There are so many plants that look great with Coleus however I really love dragon wing begonia and licorice plant.
(Sharon was kind enough to give us an example)

Need help with your container designs? Make sure to visit Sharon!

Growing:
This sun loving annual or biennial (depending upon the climate) grows so vigorously that, at maturity, it may need staking. Its star shaped blue flowers are sometimes candied and bees love borage. I like to harvest borage leaves fairly quickly, even before flowering, when the leaves are young and tender. Make successive plantings to carry you through fall.

Health benefits:
Borage contains vitamins A, C, iron and copper. It is anti-inflammatory, as well.

Cooking:
I add tender, new borage leaves to salads and drinks. The leaves, as they mature, are sometimes too bristly and coarse to eat raw, but they can be cooked. Try including borage with fish, such as salmon.

The flowers, as mentioned above, can be candied or sprinkled on salads or added to herbal vinegars.

Tips from Rita’s garden:
Natorp’s carries beautiful borage plants, along with a “sister” herb, salad burnet, which is another cucumber flavored herb.

Natorp’s carries over 150 varieties of herbs!

Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP, Certified Herbalist
Website: Abouteating.com
Blog: Cooking with Rita at Cincinnati.com
.

“We want to try the upside down tomato. What type of tomato do you suggest we use?” -Actually you can grow any of them, as I have seen many different types used. But I think the best success has been with the smaller tomatoes such as Sweet 100 (any of the cherry tomatoes), Fourth of July, grape tomatoes, yellow pear, etc.

“Is it too late to grow potatoes in containers? We also wanted to try the straw bales for our tomatoes, but think it may be too late.” -Nope on both! Get those straw bales in place and start soaking the bajeebers out of them, while getting that nitrogen inside to get them started cooking inside (see our tip sheet on bale gardening – www.natorp.com). Takes 2-3 weeks if you stick with it. And still plenty of time to plant potatoes in containers, but get your seed potatoes soon as they will disappear from the shelves soon!

“My azaleas have gotten really leggy over the years. Can they be pruned, and if so, when is the best time?” -Yes they can be pruned, and pruning just after flowering has finished is perfect! Feel free to cut them back as needed – many folks will take out the top area (just below the flowering) every 2-3 years to help keep them fuller. But they can be cut back even further if needed. Takes a few weeks, and then next thing you know, they’re popping out new growth. This would also a great time to feed azaleas and rhododendrons using Espoma’s Hollytone.

“Do you know if the Nursery Outlet will be selling the world’s hottest pepper you kept talking about last year?” -Yes, and they’re ready now! We have Bjut Jolokia, Naga Viper, Butch T, and Moruga! And a new rival – Carolina Reaper.

“Is it really necessary to pinch the blooms off new strawberry plants for the first year?”
-Not if you’re growing ever-bearing (or day neutral) strawberries, which are perfect for growing in containers! They will produce the first year / all season long. But my good friend, Mr. Gary Gao (OSU Extension) does recommend removing flowers from June bearing plants for the first year. It gives them time to grow roots, crowns and develop themselves for next year’s strawberry crop.

“Is it too late to core aerate? My husband says it is.” -Don’t tell you husband that I said this, but NO, it’s not too late to core aerate! Do it now, and do it again in the fall if you want! I don’t want to start anything, but maybe he just doesn’t want to do it!
“I have some summer and late summer blooming perennials that seem to just flop over when they bloom. Anything I can do to help them or prevent them from flopping?” -You can use grow supports or peony rings now to help support them later, or many can be cut back 1/3 or more in early June. This delays flowering by a week or so, but keeps the plants shorter, stockier, sometimes more flowering, and less floppy.
“What is the best advice you have to get rid of thistle in my beds?” -Be persistent. Spraying with Roundup will eventually kill them, but do remember they have an extensive root system. So every time you spray, you will kill the plant you see and some of the roots. If it pops back up, kill it again with some more of the roots. Persistence, and eventually you should get it under control. Nuke ‘em, nuke ‘em, nuke ‘em, and nuke ‘em. It may take all season.
“What are the orange jelly-like balls on those wild cedars?” -Those ‘cedars’ are actually the host plant for cedar-apple rust, and that’s part of the rust life cycle living on the juniper (or cedars). The other part of their life is spent on your apples, crabapples, hawthorns, etc.
“Why am I seeing ants on my peony buds? I don’t see any aphids.” -The existing ants that naturally live in the garden are enjoying the sweet nectar like stuff the buds secrete. That’s all. No aphids, no help in pollinating, doesn’t help them bloom, just a bunch of ants enjoying the sweets of the garden!
“What is it about catnip that makes cats go crazy?” -There is a substance called ‘nepetalactone’ which seems to have a hallucinogenic effect on cats. From what I’ve read, it’s similar to something in a female cats urine, and may explain why unneutered males may react more than neutered and females (although both of ours go nuts-oh!). Looks like lions, pumas and leopards like it too, but not every cat “gets off” on it. Kittens usually don’t react to it until they’re older, and there is a percentage of cats that never react to it. Giving your cat a buzz from this stuff is harmless, and non-addictive, so you’re not creating a drug addict cat.
“Something is eating holes in my spinach! What is it, and can I still eat it (not the bug, the spinach)?” -Slugs, maybe? You need to monitor the plants and find the culprits before we can recommend controls. Never spray for bugs you can’t see. In the meantime, wash the holey spinach and enjoy. If it is slugs, go to our website and find the slug control tip sheet.
“When should I prune my ‘Ms. Kim’ lilac?” -I’m liking this lilac more and more! If needed, and I say again, if needed, prune within 3-4 weeks after flowering is finished. Minimal pruning and you should have usual flowering next year. Heavy pruning and you may see a year’s delay on usual flowering.

“Hey Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension), what are you reporting this week?” – Get rid of those winter annuals (henbit, chickweed, purple nettle, hairy bittercress) before they flower and seed, spring turkey season is underway in Ohio, hummingbirds are in the area so get those feeders out, feed the birds and many are moving back into our area, boxwood leafminer midge flies are appearing (apply systemic insecticides), sawfly leafminers out on elm, birch, alder, and hawthorn, elm flea weevil chewing on elm leaves, cedar rust gall masses now showing on junipers (still time to spray for protection against the rust), still time for pre emergent herbicides in the lawn and landscape, and for those thinking about planting shade impatiens, learn more about Downey Mildew on shade Imps before you plant. If you had it last year, do not plant shade impatiens this year.