Carole's Hints
When Carole Gura joined the Newburyport Horticultural Society in 1974, she was the organization's youngest member. If you know Carole at all, it will come as no surprise that by 1980 she was its President. She is a Certified Master Gardener and an accomplished floral designer who has exhibited in museums and flower shows including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Boston Flower Show. Carole has shared her monthly hints with the Newburyport Horticultural Society for years. We are happy to now publish them on our website. Thank you Carole for sharing your enthusiasm and expertise!
APRIL 2023
1. It’s finally time to start spring clean up. I GENTLY rake over flower beds to clear any debris that has fallen over the winter.
2. Once this is done I spread Hollytone fertilizer around everything except rhododendrons and azaleas. They are fertilized after they bloom later. I use a 4”or 5”plastic pot that has holes in the bottom shaking it around plants as I walk slowly spreading the Hollytone.
3. If you haven’t already cleaned your garden tools, now is the time. Wash them with bleach and water. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Rinse well.
4. Pruning can be done now too. Cutting off any broken or dead branches from tress and shrubs, roses included. With roses, I start at the tip of the cane and keep cutting at an angle back until I find green wood. With trees, you can scrape a branch to find live wood. If it’s brittle and brown under the bark, it’s usually dead. If it’s green under the bark, it’s alive.
5, Don’t forget our birds returning for spring by putting out clean bird houses and bird baths. They should be placed near shrubs or trees to give the birds security,. They like to preen on branches after a bath. Also don’t forget your bird feeders. They should be cleaned periodically too. If you establish a bird habitat, the birds will keep the bugs, especially mosquitoes at bay in your yards. Birds feed their chicks bugs for a long time after they hatch…All you need for a habitat is food, water, and shelter. We have had over 42 species each year. Our hummingbirds and orioles will return about May 1 st. I put out a sugar water feeder for the hummers and grape jam for the orioles.
6. A reminder for my class of seed starting members. Remember to turn the your tray and water from the bottom with warm water. Once you see roots coming out the bottom of each cell, and at least 2 or 3 sets of true leaves, it’s time to pot them up into 3” or 4” pots to be ready for the plant sale in May. Still keep them in a sunny window inside. It’s not time to put them out side yet !!! I’ll tell you more when it’s time to harden them off a week or so before the sale.. Hardening them off refers to getting them used to being out side slowly in the full sun and wind etc. It usually takes a few hours a day for about a week. Young seedlings have to form a waxy cuticle (tissue) that protects them from being over heated by the ultraviolet rays of the sun, pathogens and insects. This is very important. Plants that are put outside without this process usually fall over and die.
1. It’s finally time to start spring clean up. I GENTLY rake over flower beds to clear any debris that has fallen over the winter.
2. Once this is done I spread Hollytone fertilizer around everything except rhododendrons and azaleas. They are fertilized after they bloom later. I use a 4”or 5”plastic pot that has holes in the bottom shaking it around plants as I walk slowly spreading the Hollytone.
3. If you haven’t already cleaned your garden tools, now is the time. Wash them with bleach and water. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Rinse well.
4. Pruning can be done now too. Cutting off any broken or dead branches from tress and shrubs, roses included. With roses, I start at the tip of the cane and keep cutting at an angle back until I find green wood. With trees, you can scrape a branch to find live wood. If it’s brittle and brown under the bark, it’s usually dead. If it’s green under the bark, it’s alive.
5, Don’t forget our birds returning for spring by putting out clean bird houses and bird baths. They should be placed near shrubs or trees to give the birds security,. They like to preen on branches after a bath. Also don’t forget your bird feeders. They should be cleaned periodically too. If you establish a bird habitat, the birds will keep the bugs, especially mosquitoes at bay in your yards. Birds feed their chicks bugs for a long time after they hatch…All you need for a habitat is food, water, and shelter. We have had over 42 species each year. Our hummingbirds and orioles will return about May 1 st. I put out a sugar water feeder for the hummers and grape jam for the orioles.
6. A reminder for my class of seed starting members. Remember to turn the your tray and water from the bottom with warm water. Once you see roots coming out the bottom of each cell, and at least 2 or 3 sets of true leaves, it’s time to pot them up into 3” or 4” pots to be ready for the plant sale in May. Still keep them in a sunny window inside. It’s not time to put them out side yet !!! I’ll tell you more when it’s time to harden them off a week or so before the sale.. Hardening them off refers to getting them used to being out side slowly in the full sun and wind etc. It usually takes a few hours a day for about a week. Young seedlings have to form a waxy cuticle (tissue) that protects them from being over heated by the ultraviolet rays of the sun, pathogens and insects. This is very important. Plants that are put outside without this process usually fall over and die.
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MARCH 2023
So much for an early spring. Mother Nature always has her way. March, in like a lion !?!? There’s not much we can do outside now. How about inside?
1. This is a good time to think about your house plants. They are so good for us if we take care of them properly. Beside cleaning the air, releasing oxygen, they add a pleasing interest to our interior design. 99% of all house plants are tropical. When I buy a new house plant, I always look up its country of origin. This tells you what they like. When bringing them home in cold weather, you should make sure they are properly covered leaving the store. Never leave them in your car for long. I would avoid purchasing them in weather below 32*. Once home, check the label for care instructions carefully.
2. Over watering house plants is the biggest mistake made. Make sure your container has drainage holes in the bottom. I take smaller plants to my kitchen sink and use warm water sprayed softly on them until the water comes out of the bottom of the container. African violets don’t like their leaves wet, so placing them in a shallow bowl of warm water for a few minutes allows them to take up water from the bottom. Orchids don’t like their flowers wet. Orchids are mostly epiphytes. (Air plants that cling onto other vegetation like trees while growing in the wild.) The sink method works best for them. Also misting helps too. I never use ice cubes for a watering them. Think about it. They are tropical and like warmth and humidity.
3. Watering large plants, I use a saucer under the container to catch the excess water coming out. If not taken up by the plant in a few minutes, dump the water remaining in the saucer.
4. As the sun becomes stronger, you can use a VERY weak solution of water soluble fertilizer to encourage growth and bloom during the season. 20-20-20 is a good ratio, reducing the amount by 2/3. So if it calls for a tablespoon per gallon of water, use 1 teaspoon per gallon. A clean recycled 1 gallon milk jug is perfect. Jack’s fertilizer is a good one to use.
5. Once outside temperatures are at least 60* consistently, house plants can go outside. But never in direct sun. If you’ve been inside all winter and early spring, what happens to you if you sit in the sun for your first days out side? You sun burn and so do house plants. They love being outside but be very careful. I keep most of my house plants in the shade outside all summer. If they were inside in a sunny window during the winter, it’s like being out side in the shade in the summer.
So much for an early spring. Mother Nature always has her way. March, in like a lion !?!? There’s not much we can do outside now. How about inside?
1. This is a good time to think about your house plants. They are so good for us if we take care of them properly. Beside cleaning the air, releasing oxygen, they add a pleasing interest to our interior design. 99% of all house plants are tropical. When I buy a new house plant, I always look up its country of origin. This tells you what they like. When bringing them home in cold weather, you should make sure they are properly covered leaving the store. Never leave them in your car for long. I would avoid purchasing them in weather below 32*. Once home, check the label for care instructions carefully.
2. Over watering house plants is the biggest mistake made. Make sure your container has drainage holes in the bottom. I take smaller plants to my kitchen sink and use warm water sprayed softly on them until the water comes out of the bottom of the container. African violets don’t like their leaves wet, so placing them in a shallow bowl of warm water for a few minutes allows them to take up water from the bottom. Orchids don’t like their flowers wet. Orchids are mostly epiphytes. (Air plants that cling onto other vegetation like trees while growing in the wild.) The sink method works best for them. Also misting helps too. I never use ice cubes for a watering them. Think about it. They are tropical and like warmth and humidity.
3. Watering large plants, I use a saucer under the container to catch the excess water coming out. If not taken up by the plant in a few minutes, dump the water remaining in the saucer.
4. As the sun becomes stronger, you can use a VERY weak solution of water soluble fertilizer to encourage growth and bloom during the season. 20-20-20 is a good ratio, reducing the amount by 2/3. So if it calls for a tablespoon per gallon of water, use 1 teaspoon per gallon. A clean recycled 1 gallon milk jug is perfect. Jack’s fertilizer is a good one to use.
5. Once outside temperatures are at least 60* consistently, house plants can go outside. But never in direct sun. If you’ve been inside all winter and early spring, what happens to you if you sit in the sun for your first days out side? You sun burn and so do house plants. They love being outside but be very careful. I keep most of my house plants in the shade outside all summer. If they were inside in a sunny window during the winter, it’s like being out side in the shade in the summer.
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FEBRUARY 2023
The first month of the new year was unusual in many ways. Exceptional warmth and rain. It doesn’t look that way for February.
1. Please don’t worry about all the bulbs and perennials popping up. They will be ok. Will we have an early spring? Hard to tell. February and March can be very unpredictable.
2. A great diversion now is getting ready for starting seeds. My seed orders are coming in now. And seed packets at local retail stores are in too. Though it’s a little early to start seeds indoors. (Plants started to early get very leggy.) March is a better month. The sun is much stronger then. But you can start getting your supplies.
3. For my seeds started indoors, I use PRO- MIX. It’s a sterile soil like medium used for seedlings and other plantings, including containers. It’s available at any good garden center. Or Dodge’s Agway, Hampton Falls. I buy PRO-MIX in large bails. It’s also sold in smaller loose bags. I have had exceptional results with it. One other very important item is called DAMP OFF. It’s a sterile milled sphagnum moss, used as a topper for seeds to prevent a fungus growing that kills seedlings. For a hands on experience, I’ll will send around a sign up sheet at the February meeting for those who want a lesson on starting seeds indoors. This will also be helpful for those interested in starting plants for the May plant sale. Vegetable seedlings are a HOT item I’ve been told.
4. We must not forget our area birds now. We feed them with seed and suet. But the American robins and blue birds are especially vulnerable this time of year as they are NOT seed eaters. So many come north early, or don’t migrate at all. They eat berries, small fruits, worms and insects. If you had berries in your Christmas arrangements, put them out where the birds can see them. Or place some fruits like grapes, blueberries, cranberries, in a visible spot. When we get snow, these birds have a very difficult time finding food. If you have room in your garden, consider planting a small crab apple tree this spring, or any plant that has berries. You will be rewarded with colorful blooms in spring and the joy of feeding our feathered friends in the winter. There are many varieties to choose from.
5. Water for birds is very important this time of year too. There are small heating coils available for water sources when it freezes. They can be found at any bird supply shop.
The first month of the new year was unusual in many ways. Exceptional warmth and rain. It doesn’t look that way for February.
1. Please don’t worry about all the bulbs and perennials popping up. They will be ok. Will we have an early spring? Hard to tell. February and March can be very unpredictable.
2. A great diversion now is getting ready for starting seeds. My seed orders are coming in now. And seed packets at local retail stores are in too. Though it’s a little early to start seeds indoors. (Plants started to early get very leggy.) March is a better month. The sun is much stronger then. But you can start getting your supplies.
3. For my seeds started indoors, I use PRO- MIX. It’s a sterile soil like medium used for seedlings and other plantings, including containers. It’s available at any good garden center. Or Dodge’s Agway, Hampton Falls. I buy PRO-MIX in large bails. It’s also sold in smaller loose bags. I have had exceptional results with it. One other very important item is called DAMP OFF. It’s a sterile milled sphagnum moss, used as a topper for seeds to prevent a fungus growing that kills seedlings. For a hands on experience, I’ll will send around a sign up sheet at the February meeting for those who want a lesson on starting seeds indoors. This will also be helpful for those interested in starting plants for the May plant sale. Vegetable seedlings are a HOT item I’ve been told.
4. We must not forget our area birds now. We feed them with seed and suet. But the American robins and blue birds are especially vulnerable this time of year as they are NOT seed eaters. So many come north early, or don’t migrate at all. They eat berries, small fruits, worms and insects. If you had berries in your Christmas arrangements, put them out where the birds can see them. Or place some fruits like grapes, blueberries, cranberries, in a visible spot. When we get snow, these birds have a very difficult time finding food. If you have room in your garden, consider planting a small crab apple tree this spring, or any plant that has berries. You will be rewarded with colorful blooms in spring and the joy of feeding our feathered friends in the winter. There are many varieties to choose from.
5. Water for birds is very important this time of year too. There are small heating coils available for water sources when it freezes. They can be found at any bird supply shop.
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JANUARY 2023
Though there isn’t much going on in the gardening scene now, it’s a good time to reflect on the things we especially enjoyed and learned in our gardens last year. And it’s not to early to start thinking about what you would like to do in the spring.
1. May I encourage you to try starting something from seed. It’s very easy and you don’t need much, just the will to try. Seed catalogues are coming in the mail, and stores are showing their seed packets. If you don’t have much room, you can grow lots of plants in containers. There is nothing more delicious, more beautiful than picking a fresh head of lettuce, a cucumber or a beautiful floral bouquet you have grown yourself. Start by reading the instructions on the seed packets. It will say where to plant, if ideal for containers, how many days to maturity, if it can be started indoors, sun exposure, etc. I buy my seeds early because popular seeds run out quickly. What I can’t find in stores, I send for by mail. I will give you more information on this subject in my February hints.
2. Easy plants to start indoors are lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, Swiss chard, broccoli, parsley, sage, basil, and chive, just to name a few. Some annual flowers are marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, lobelia, dusty miller, and coleus. Marigolds may sound boring to most people, but there are some great new introductions that are beautiful and bloom all summer. A light yellow one called Alumia Vanilla Cream. Fire ball, a red, that turns orange. A mum like one called Mission Giant Yellow. A few of my favorite annual vines that I start are Spanish Flag, Purple Hyacinth Bean, and and Cardinal Climber. The humming birds and butterflies love them. Sending photos. Perennials like foxglove, echinacea, salvia, coreopsis, and feverfew, etc. are easy to grow from seed too. In some instances it’s more practical to buy plants already stated. Impatiens, begonias, and petunias for example.
3. I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but some spring bulbs are coming up because of the warm weather. I have daffodils doing just that. Not to worry. They will be fine. Their leaf tips may turn brown, but the flowers will still bloom in the spring. Enjoy this turn of warm weather, but beware of how quickly New England weather can change.
Though there isn’t much going on in the gardening scene now, it’s a good time to reflect on the things we especially enjoyed and learned in our gardens last year. And it’s not to early to start thinking about what you would like to do in the spring.
1. May I encourage you to try starting something from seed. It’s very easy and you don’t need much, just the will to try. Seed catalogues are coming in the mail, and stores are showing their seed packets. If you don’t have much room, you can grow lots of plants in containers. There is nothing more delicious, more beautiful than picking a fresh head of lettuce, a cucumber or a beautiful floral bouquet you have grown yourself. Start by reading the instructions on the seed packets. It will say where to plant, if ideal for containers, how many days to maturity, if it can be started indoors, sun exposure, etc. I buy my seeds early because popular seeds run out quickly. What I can’t find in stores, I send for by mail. I will give you more information on this subject in my February hints.
2. Easy plants to start indoors are lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, Swiss chard, broccoli, parsley, sage, basil, and chive, just to name a few. Some annual flowers are marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, lobelia, dusty miller, and coleus. Marigolds may sound boring to most people, but there are some great new introductions that are beautiful and bloom all summer. A light yellow one called Alumia Vanilla Cream. Fire ball, a red, that turns orange. A mum like one called Mission Giant Yellow. A few of my favorite annual vines that I start are Spanish Flag, Purple Hyacinth Bean, and and Cardinal Climber. The humming birds and butterflies love them. Sending photos. Perennials like foxglove, echinacea, salvia, coreopsis, and feverfew, etc. are easy to grow from seed too. In some instances it’s more practical to buy plants already stated. Impatiens, begonias, and petunias for example.
3. I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but some spring bulbs are coming up because of the warm weather. I have daffodils doing just that. Not to worry. They will be fine. Their leaf tips may turn brown, but the flowers will still bloom in the spring. Enjoy this turn of warm weather, but beware of how quickly New England weather can change.
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