Make plans now to join Melinda on her famous Garden Walks at Boerner Botanical Gardens in 2013! Download the schedule here.
Nationally renowned garden expert Melinda Myers helps everyday gardeners find success and ease in the garden through her Melinda’s Garden Moments radio segments. Melinda shares “must have” tips that hold the key to gardening success, learned through her more than 30 years of horticulture experience. Listeners from across the country find her gardener friendly, practical approach to gardening both refreshing and informative! On this page, Melinda shares some more extensive garden tips, which expand on the information provided in her one-minute radio segments.
New tips are added throughout each month, providing timely step-by-step tips on what you need to do next in your garden! Visit Melinda’s website www.melindamyers.com for more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and answers to your questions.
Preserve the flavor and zest of herbs with proper storage and preservation.
Store thin leafy herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro in a jar of water inside the refrigerator. Loosely cover with a plastic bag.
Wrap thicker leafed herbs like sage and thyme in a paper towel set inside a plastic bag and place in a warmer section of the fridge.
Freeze herbs on a cookie sheet or in ice cube trays and store in an airtight container or baggie in the freezer.
Or bundle several stems together, secure with a rubber band and use a spring type clothespin to hang them in a warm dry place to dry.
Speed things up by drying herbs in the microwave. Place herbs on a paper towel-covered paper plate. Start with 1 to 2 minutes on high. Repeat for 30 seconds as needed until the herbs are brittle.
Store dried herbs in an airtight plastic or glass jar.
A bit more information: Harvest herbs as needed throughout the growing season. Just be sure to leave enough foliage to maintain plant growth. Fortunately you can remove up to 75% of foliage from an established plant. Clip off leaves and stems before the plant begins flowering to encourage more growth. You’ll get the greatest concentration of flavor when the plant has formed buds, but before they open. This is the perfect time to harvest herbs you plan to preserve.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Liven up your landscape by including a few of the lesser used perennials.
The blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis) produces beautiful flowers in summer followed by seedpods that split open to reveal blackberry-like seeds for additional interest in the garden or dried arrangements.
Stokes aster (Stokesia laevis) was a popular plant in the past, but not as common now. Grow this beauty in full sun and well-drained soil for best results. And include a few in your cut flower arrangements.
Heleniums, also known as Helen’s flower or sneezeweed, are adaptable to a variety of growing conditions. Many newer varieties with stronger or shorter stems are being introduced.
The fine airy flowers of Jupiter’s beard (Centranthus ruber) makes this a great filler in the garden. Allow this plant to grow and reseed throughout the garden.
And for hot dry areas consider one of the orange flowered penstemons (Penstemon pinifolius). They make a colorful focal point and attract beneficial insects to the garden.
A bit more information: Visit botanical gardens and attend local garden tours for more ideas on new and lesser used perennials for your garden. You’ll also be supporting a good cause. Most registration fees support the operation of the gardens, local beautification projects, garden education programs and charities.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Brown buds that fail to open on peonies and some roses, especially the white and pink flowered varieties is usually the result of Botrytis Blight also known as Gray mold.
This fungal disease is most common in cool and rainy as well as humid weather. The disease attacks a variety of ornamental and edible plants and often is specific to the plant part infected.
Botrytis bud blast and flower blights can also occur on mums, dahlias, dogwood, geraniums, hydrangea, marigolds, and sunflowers.
Look for the fuzzy gray growth and small black specks on the dead tissue.
Remove infected parts and place in a paper bag for disposal. Don’t compost it as this can spread the disease. And only clean up during dry weather as moisture helps spread the blight.
Ongoing sanitation, fall clean up and better weather is usually enough to keep this disease under control
A bit more information: Phytophthora blight is another common disease of peonies. Both blights cause purplish black spots on the leaves and stems of peonies. Fall clean up and drier spring weather is usually enough to keep both diseases under control.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Edible Flowers by Melinda Myers,posted Aug 13 2012 11:35AM
Pluck a few flower petals and add flavor and color to your favorite salad, beverage, or jelly. Start by making sure the flowers you select are edible and pesticide free. Remove the pistils and stamens to avoid the bitter flavor of pollen.
Nasturtium leaves and flowers can be used in salads to add color and a little zip. Or stuff these and daylily blooms with cream cheese for a fun garden appetizer.
Eat daylily buds fresh from the garden or boil them like snap beans, add a little butter, and serve. Or batter and fry daylily and squash flowers for a floral tempura.
Calendula gets its common name “pot marigold,” from the fact the flowers resemble a marigold and were used to season soups and stews that are typically cooked in pots.
Freeze a few pansy flowers in ice and add them to lemonade or sparkling water to add a gourmet touch to any meal.
A bit more information: As your garden comes alive with color try including a few blossoms in your salads, stir fries, and other dishes. Clary sage, Fuchsia, chives, gladiolus, hyssop, lemon, orange, peony, plum, redbud, rose of Sharon, spiderwort, strawberry, and yucca are just a few of the edible flowers to include. And don’t forget the weeds. The leaves of purslane and both the leaves and flowers of dandelions and chickweeds can be used.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
No matter where you live, being a water wise gardener makes environmental and economic sense. And it’s really easier than you think.
Use rain barrels to capture rain off your roof or directly from the sky. Decorate or mask the barrels with nearby plantings.
And connect your rain barrel to a soaker hose installed in a nearby garden. Just open the spigot and allow gravity to slowly empty the water throughout the day.
Using soaker hoses and drip irrigation will also save water by applying the water directly to the soil where it is needed.
Group moisture-loving plants together. You’ll save time and money spent watering by skipping those drought tolerant plants and lawns that can recover from drought induced dormancy.
Always water thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep drought- tolerant roots. And mulch the soil to conserve moisture, keep roots cool, and suppress weeds.
A bit more information: Use several linked rain barrels or a larger cistern to collect and store large quantities of water. You can collect 623 gallons of water from 1,000 square feet of roof in a one inch rainfall.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Layering by Melinda Myers,posted Aug 13 2012 11:30AM
Create a new plant from your favorite heirloom vine or shrub with layering. Try using this method with raspberries, climbing roses, forsythia, and jasmine.
Select a long pliable stem. Make a notch halfway through the stem about 9 to 12 inches below the end of the stem. Sprinkle a rooting hormone over the cut area to ward off rot and speed rooting.
Bury the notched portion of the stem in the surrounding garden soil or a pot filled with a well-drained potting mix.
Leave the top 6 to 9 inches of the stem above ground. Anchor the stem with a stone or wire wicket to keep the notched portion covered with soil.
Keep the soil moist to encourage rooting. The parent plant will continue to provide water and nutrients to this stem as the roots develop. In several months you can disconnect the newly rooted plant from its parent.
Plant and provide proper care.
A bit more information: Layering can work on a variety of indoor and outdoor plants. Look for plants with long pliable stems. Try starting in late spring or early summer to give your plants plenty of time to develop roots.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
It’s never too early to start preparing for winter. Start taking cuttings from annuals and herbs you want to over winter indoors. Your garden plants are healthier and will root faster now than they will later in the season.
Coleus, geraniums, wax begonia, impatiens, fuchsias, and herbs are just a few plants that can be saved this way.
Take a 4 to 6 inch cutting from the tip of a healthy stem. Remove any flowers or buds and the lowest set of leaves.
Place the cutting in moist vermiculite, perlite or a well-drained potting mix.
Set in a bright location out of direct light. Loosely cover with an open plastic bag to increase the humidity around your cutting. Water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy.
Plant rooted cuttings in a well-drained potting mix, move to a sunny window and care for them as you would your other houseplants.
A bit more information: Increase your success with a rooting compound. Dip the cut end in a rooting hormone to encourage rooting and discourage rot.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Enjoy your roses outdoors in the garden or indoors in a vase. Extend their vase life and insure your rose plant’s health with proper harvesting.
Carry a clean bucket of fresh water out to the garden. This will help keep your cut flowers fresh while harvesting other flowers.
Use sharp bypass pruners when cutting roses for your indoor enjoyment. Cut rose flowers early in the morning just as the top of the bud is starting to open. This will maximize its vase life.
Make the cut on a slight angle above an outward facing bud above a 5-leaflet leaf. The new stems that sprout from this bigger cut will be thicker and sturdier. For younger plants you may only be able to prune back to a 3-leaflet leaf.
Remove lower leaves and recut the stem to the desired length on a slight angle. This prevents the stem from sealing to the bottom of the vase, preventing water uptake.
A bit more information: Add a few other garden fresh flowers to your arrangements. Baby’s breath, yarrow, phlox, Helenium, salvia, veronica, lilies, lady’s mantle leaves and flowers, and hosta leaves are a few perennials to include in your garden and flower arrangements.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
A few yellow spots, browning or wilted leaves on cucumber, squash, pumpkins or melons should send you on a search for squash bugs.
These ¾ inch long brown elongated bugs suck plant juices, but the real problem is the toxin they inject into the plant when feeding.
Keep your plants healthy and growing vigorously so they are better able to tolerate the damage. Try knocking small populations of the adult and immature squash bugs into a can of soapy water. Be sure to check under the leaves and stems. And you must be quick since they move fast when disturbed. Look for and crush the small (1/16th inch) yellowish-bronze eggs found on the underside of the leaves and stems.
Try trapping the adults with wet newspaper or boards laid on the soil around the plants. The squash bugs will gather under these at night and can be collected and destroyed in the morning.
A bit more information: Be sure to clean up debris surrounding the garden. This creates a great hiding place for this pest. In fall remove all plant debris, especially vine crops, where the squash bug may overwinter.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
“Leaves of three let ‘em be” is an old warning hikers and gardeners have been heeding for years.
Poison ivy is the threat this chant describes and for allergic persons exposure means rash, oozing blisters, itching and swelling. Always covers legs, arms and hands when hiking through or gardening in areas suspected of containing poison ivy.
Wear protective clothing and waterproof gloves when managing poison ivy. Continually cutting plants back to the ground will take several years, but will eventually kill this weed. Leave the poison ivy stems and leaves in place or in an out of the way location to decompose.
Never burn poison ivy debris as the toxic oils can be carried in the smoke, inhaled, and damage your throat and lungs.
And always wash exposed clothing separately from other items and yourself right after exposure.
A bit more information: Control isolated patches of poison ivy with black plastic. Edge the poison ivy infested area and cover with black plastic for several months or clear plastic for 6 to 8 weeks during the hottest months of the growing season.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
You waited all season for that first red ripe tomato only to discover less-than-perfect fruit. But don’t worry, you can still have a great harvest and improve things for next season.
Blossom end rot is a common problem on the first set of fruit and often seen on container grown tomatoes. The black spot on the blossom end is due to a calcium deficiency. In most cases the soil has plenty of calcium, but the plants are unable to absorb it due to fluctuations in soil moisture.
Cracked fruit are also common in the garden. Fluctuating temperatures, moisture and improper fertilization result in irregular development of the fruit. The outer skin doesn’t grow and stretch with the changes and so it cracks.
Control both these disorders with proper care. Water thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep roots. Mulch the soil to keep it evenly moist and reduce watering needs. Avoid root damage when staking and cultivating around plants.
A bit more information: Septoria leaf spot is a common fungal disease on tomatoes. It causes leaves to yellow and develop brown spots. The disease starts at the bottom of the plant with leaves dropping throughout the season. The fruit will be fine and edible, but the plant will look pretty ugly.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
An old fashioned favorite, hollyhock, is easy to grow, but the leaves are often riddled with orange spots and holes.
Rust is the cause of orange spots on leaves. Though it looks bad, your plant will survive. A thorough cleanup in fall will help reduce the source of disease next season.
The hollyhock weevil eats small irregular holes in the leaves, while Japanese beetles can riddle the leaves with holes eventually skeletonizing them. Knock these pests into a bucket of soapy water to reduce their population and feeding damage. Remove weevil infested seedpods to reduce future infestations.
Caterpillars and sawflies can also eat irregular shaped holes in the leaves. Look for them at dusk on the underside of leaves and along the stems and remove any you find.
Healthy plants will survive these pests. Consider masking the damaged leaves with shorter nearby plants, while allowing the flowers to shine through.
A bit more information: Increase your success controlling rust on hollyhocks by removing rust susceptible weeds like mallow and velvetleaf near the garden. Or replace susceptible plants with the rust resistant Fig-leaved (Alcea ficifolia) or Russian (Alcea rugosa) hollyhocks.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Get the best flavor and longest storage life from your homegrown garlic with proper harvesting and curing.
Harvest garlic when about 1/3, but less than ½ of the leaves turn brown. Start by digging one plant to check the garlic for maturity. Cloves should be plump and fill the skin. Immature garlic does not store well, while over-mature bulbs are more subject to disease.
Cure garlic for 3 to 4 weeks in a warm well-ventilated location before storing. Once dried, remove soil, long roots and only the damaged outermost layer of the papery skin with a brush of your gloved hand. Cut off the tops being careful not to damage the papery covering that protects the cloves.
Store the garlic in a cool, moderately humid location with good air circulation and out of direct sunlight. Properly harvested and cured garlic will last for up to 8 months.
A bit more information: Use immature and damaged garlic as soon as possible. Save the plumpest cloves for replanting the next crop. Store the garlic in a cool dark location to prevent sprouting.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Tired of trying to read faded plastic labels or having them turn brittle and break into pieces? Try creating something new and longer lasting.
My friend Walter Reeves shared this idea in his Month-by-Month Gardening in Georgia book. He recommends purchasing a package of thin aluminum cookie sheets at the grocery store. Cut the sheets into small 1 x 3 inch rectangular tags. Then etch the name of the plant on the tag with a ballpoint pen.
Or tap into the artist within. Gather small rocks, seashells, broken clay pots or anything that can be painted. Use permanent marker or plant friendly exterior paint to label your plants. Try painting a picture of the plant, flower, or vegetable to make your plant labels both functional and attractive.
And gather discarded or old silverware purchased at yard sales. Etch the name of the plant on the handle, blade or other flat surface.
A bit more information: And, if you are looking for an eco-friendly plant label, check out the BioMarkers by Cobrahead. These are made from recycled plastic and include weatherproof labels.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
How To Help Tornado Victims
The tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma, as well the twisters as Kansas and Texas, have killed dozens and left thousands homeless. Officials expect the death toll to rise.
Relief efforts are underway. Right now, the best way to help the victims is a donation to major relief organizations.
Here is a list of organizations that are accepting donations:
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund: Click HERE to donate online. You can also text REDCROSS to 909999 to immediately donate $10 to the Red Cross Disaster Fund.
Phone: 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767); for Spanish speakers, 1-800-257-7575; for TDD, 1-800-220-4095.
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief: The Oklahoma Baptist Convention says says donations will "go straight to help those in need providing tree removal services, laundry services and meals to victims of disasters." For more information, and to donate, visit Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief's website by clicking HERE.
You can send checks to:
BGCO
Attn: Disaster Relief
3800 N. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK. 73112.
Salvation Army - The Salvation Army is deploying mobile kitchens that can serve to 2,500 people a day. Click HERE to donate via their website. You can also text the word STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation from your mobile phone.
You can also donate to the Salvation Army via check: Put the words "Oklahoma Tornado Relief" on the check, and mail to:
The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 12600
Oklahoma City, OK. 73157.
Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
Feeding America - Feeding America says it utilize its 200 foodbanks to deliver food and supplies. Click HERE for their website.
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma - Text the word FOOD to 32333 to donate $10 to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
How To Help Tornado Victims
The tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma, as well the twisters as Kansas and Texas, have killed dozens and left thousands homeless. Officials expect the death toll to rise.
Relief efforts are underway. Right now, the best way to help the victims is a donation to major relief organizations.
Here is a list of organizations that are accepting donations:
American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund: Click HERE to donate online. You can also text REDCROSS to 909999 to immediately donate $10 to the Red Cross Disaster Fund.
Phone: 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767); for Spanish speakers, 1-800-257-7575; for TDD, 1-800-220-4095.
Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief: The Oklahoma Baptist Convention says says donations will "go straight to help those in need providing tree removal services, laundry services and meals to victims of disasters." For more information, and to donate, visit Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief's website by clicking HERE.
You can send checks to:
BGCO
Attn: Disaster Relief
3800 N. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK. 73112.
Salvation Army - The Salvation Army is deploying mobile kitchens that can serve to 2,500 people a day. Click HERE to donate via their website. You can also text the word STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation from your mobile phone.
You can also donate to the Salvation Army via check: Put the words "Oklahoma Tornado Relief" on the check, and mail to:
The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 12600
Oklahoma City, OK. 73157.
Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
Feeding America - Feeding America says it utilize its 200 foodbanks to deliver food and supplies. Click HERE for their website.
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma - Text the word FOOD to 32333 to donate $10 to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
Grow Your Own Pickles & Celebrate National Pickle Week
Celebrate National Pickle Week by growing a few of your own cucumbers for pickling.
All you need are a few seeds, a sunny location and a bit of garden space or a large container. Train these large vining plants up a fence, trellis or decorative obelisk to save space.
Consider planting National Pickling Cucumber Seeds developed by the National Pickle Packers Association and Michigan Agriculture Experiment station. These were bred for their versatility and perfect pickle shape. You'll be harvesting cucumbers in about 52 days after planting.
Or save some space with Bush pickle. This cucumber forms a 3 to 4 foot wide mound and produces an abundance of 4-inch fruit. It's a perfect size for containers. And save even more space and grow straighter fruit by training these smaller plants up a cage or trellis. Cucumbers are ready to pick in about 45 days.
A bit more information: Cucumbers are generally ready to harvest in 45 to 60 days after planting. This makes them a great option for mid and late season plantings. Just calculate the number of frost-free days left in the growing season to see how late you can plant. And further extend the season by using floating row covers like ReeMay, Harvest Guard, and Frost Covers to protect plants from frosty weather.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Celebrate Clean Air Month – Grow Some Air-Purifying Houseplants
Celebrate National Clean Air Month by growing a few houseplants to improve your indoor air quality.
NASA teamed up with PLANET (Professional Landcare Network, formerly ALCA) and found adding 15 to 18, 6 to 8 inch diameter container houseplants will improve the air quality in an 1800 square foot house. Keeping them healthy will increase their beauty and ability to cleanse the air.
Consider adding a bamboo palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii). Use this large houseplant to create a warm welcome for guests, dress up a blank wall or mix in with other houseplants for an impressive indoor garden.
This palm is an understory plant in Central America. It is hardy in zones 10 to 11 and adapted to the lower light conditions indoors. Grow it in a brightly lit location and keep the soil slightly moist.
Cut off fronds as they die, leaving the leafy stem covering intact. Once it is fully dried, remove to expose the attractive stems.
A bit more information: Start new plants by division. Remove suckers and offshoots that form at the base of the plant. Slide the bamboo palm out of its pot. Use a sharp knife or drywall saw to separate the offshoots from the main plant. Repot the parent plant and offshoots in a container slightly larger than the remaining root ball.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
We get your letters...
What an amazing weekend!
First of all, a very big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to Grafton and Mukwonago and waited in line amid cold, windy and rainy conditions for those Wisconsin Dells Season Opener Cards.
For me, it is a chance to meet / hang out with YOU the listener and give you goodies!
Second, got this letter from our 99.1 The Mix Contact Us forum, from the Dawson family of Port Washington and was truly surprised that my "simple gesture" warranted the following...
Question: Your Name:
Answer: Michelle
Question: Your City:
Answer: Port Washington
Comments:
Yesterday I took my parents to Grafton to wait for season opener cards. It was quite a cold morning. We arrived at 10 because in the past there have been huge lines. My mother is recovering from a recent open-heart surgery. She is a very petite older woman.
Van McNeil was interacting with people people in line and I asked him if it would be possible for my mom to going to the bank to warm up. He unexpectedly took my mom's hand and escorted her into the building. He was so kind to her and gave her a hug. He made sure she was warm and dry and took very good care of her.
My mom and dad are thrilled to be going to the Dells. Unknown to Van my dad just got out of The hospital last Friday after 4 1/2 weeks of being in. It's been a very rough couple of months for my parents and their health. My mother was just beaming about how nice Van was.
I wanted to thank you for the season opener cards which will allow my parents and my family to enjoy a vacation in Wisconsin this summer, and send a special thank you to Van for being so wonderful to my parents.
You're welcome and THANK YOU Michelle!
Just doing what I do because that's how my mama raised me!
Enjoy the Dells!
-Van
#everylistenermatters
Perennial Garden Renovations
Give your tired perennial garden a boost without a total renovation. Topdressing your garden with compost every year or two provides most if not all the nutrients your perennials need.
Pull back the mulch if needed. Then spread an inch of compost over the soil surface. You can buy a quality compost or make your own.
Leave the compost on the surface or lightly mix it into the soil. The earthworms, ground beetles, and other organisms will take it from there – moving the compost into the soil and around the plant roots where it is needed.
Or, do a bit of vertical mulching. Use an auger bit on your cordless drill. Simply drill holes into the soil between plants. Then fill the holes with compost. This gets the compost closer to the plant roots and soil organisms that will help mix it into and improve the soil.
Soil preparation and repair will help transform your garden.
A bit more information: Apply a plant strengthener such as JAZ spray to increase plant vigor and their natural ability to tolerate environmental stresses, insect attacks, and disease problems. These natural products aren't fertilizers or pesticides. They can be applied to established plants at the beginning of the season to boost their ability to deal with stress or as soon as problems arise.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Growing Banana Plants Indoors or Out
Add a bit of the tropics indoors or out with a banana plant.
The large leaves are great for screening views and creating a bit of privacy on a balcony, patio or in the yard. Add a wicker planter or chair and you have your own tropical get-away.
The fiber banana (Musa basjoo) is hardy in zones 5 to 11. It grows in full sun. It will die back to the ground and benefit from winter mulch in northern areas of its hardiness zone.
Less hardy and smaller, the blood banana (Musa acuminata 'Zebrina'), has large leaves with red markings on 6 to 8 foot plants. It's only hardy in zones 10 to 11, but can be overwintered as a houseplant or allowed to go dormant in other areas.
Combine these tropical beauties with palms, ginger and bird-of-paradise. Or add some hardy tropical look-alikes such as Japanese forest grass, large leaf hostas and trumpet vines.
A bit more information: Push the limits of your growing region with special wintering techniques developed by Dr. David Francko, author of Palms Won't Grow Here and Other Myths: Warm-Climate Plants for Cooler Areas. And for those in warmer regions check out Creating the Tropical Look.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Preserving the Asparagus Harvest
Preserve the flavor and nutrition of asparagus to enjoy year round.
This flavorful vegetable is low in calories and high in Vitamins A and C as well as fiber. Unfortunately, it is most readily available and at the best price in the spring.
Insure the best flavor with proper harvesting. Select young tender spears 8 to 10 inches tall. Wash, remove the ends, and then cut to fit the freezer bag or container.
Blanch the asparagus before freezing to lock in flavor, color and texture. Dip the asparagus into boiling water. You'll need a large pan with a lid. Blanch small spears for 2 minutes, medium spears for 3 minutes and large spears for 4 minutes.
Remove and immediately set the blanched spears in ice water for 5 minutes to cool. Drain and freeze.
And, if you don't have an asparagus patch, you may want to consider planting one this year.
A bit more information: May is National Asparagus Month. For tips on planting and harvesting asparagus listen to my audio tip. And check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation website for helpful tips and guidelines for preserving your harvest.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida)
Add a little color and flavor to your garden and salads with Mexican tarragon.
This subtle beauty is really a type of marigold, but the leaves and flowers have a tarragon fragrance and flavor.
Wait until after the danger of frost has passed to plant this zone 8 to 10 hardy plant. Grow it in full sun to part shade and well-drained soils. It is somewhat drought tolerant. Northern gardeners can treat it like an annual and those in the northern range of its hardiness zone may see it die back to the ground in a hard freeze. But don't worry its root hardy.
The yellow flowers appear in late summer and persist through fall. The 14 to 20 inch tall plants make a nice addition to herb gardens and flowerbeds.
Harvest the new growth to use fresh. Preserve the flavor by freezing the leaves or storing in vinegar. They tend to lose their flavor when dried.
A bit more information: You can find this plant listed under several common names including Mexican tarragon, Texas tarragon, pericon, and sweet mace. No matter the common name you can use the leaves and blossoms in soups, sauces and chicken dishes as well as salads. Some gardeners even seep it for tea. Visit Bonnie Plants for more information and gardeners ideas for growing and using this plant in the garden.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Year of the Watermelon
Year of the Watermelon
The National Garden Bureau has declared 2013 the Year of the Watermelon. Be part of the celebration and consider planting watermelon in this year's garden.
Don't let the sweet flavor deceive you – these are nutritious as well as delicious. High in Vitamin C, low in fat and calories - it is a great way to boost your energy. Plus, all parts are edible.
You can pickle the rind, eat the fleshy portion fresh or roast or grind the seeds for flavoring. In china they stir fry watermelon while the Russians often pickle it before eating. You may want to try some new ways of enjoying this tasty summer treat.
Grow watermelon in full sun and well-drained soils. Save space by growing these plants on a trellis or decorative obelisk. Just secure the heavy fruit to the support with a cloth or macramé sling. Or plant a few seeds in a container and let the vines wander over your balcony or trellis.
A bit more information: Try planting one of the large picnic-type watermelons that can weigh 15 to 50 pounds. These are sure to get everyone in the family excited about growing and eating this, the largest edible fruit in the United States. Or perhaps you want to try one of the icebox melons that is much smaller at 5 to 15 pounds and easier to squeeze into the fridge. And don't forget about those with unique colored rinds and flesh and of course those that lack seeds.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Clematis Stem Wilt
Clematis Stem Wilt
Your clematis looks beautiful until suddenly the stems and leaves start turning black. Though it looks bad your clematis will survive.
The fungus that causes this disease enters your plant through wounds and cracks in the stem near ground level. Fortunately new growth arising below this point will be disease free.
Reduce future problems by pruning out and destroying infested stems. Disinfect tools between cuts to reduce the risk of spreading this disease.
As new growth emerges from the soil carefully secure it to the support to reduce the risk of cracking and damage. Eliminating the entryways for the fungus will reduce the risk of disease.
In the future consider planting the crown of the clematis below the soil surface. This allows the plant to produce new shoots below the point of infection.
Try growing small flowered clematis that tend to resist this disease. Alpina, macropetala and the viticella types are a few to consider.
A bit more information: For a disease to occur you must have the causal organism (fungus, bacteria, virus) present, disease-promoting weather and susceptible plants. Remove one of these factors and you eliminate the disease. Keep this in mind when managing clematis stem wilt and other plant diseases in your garden.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
I'm a fan, are you?
Who doesn't LOVE a good Roller Coaster? Am I right?! I've been so very lucky to been have rasied in the Midwest, a stones throw away from Six Flags Great America, where I practicaly spent my summers as kid with my best bud Edgar!
Mom and dad would drop us off at open and pick us up at close. 10a-10p. Don't think I could handle that now. Heck, I could barley make it on one run of Batman The Ride Backwards!
Yes, that's right, for a limited time this season, (BTW... I tried to find out when from officials, they wouldn't budge, so get there soon!) Batman The Ride will be running BACKWARDS!!
MOBILE USERS: Click here to WATCH Van rides Batman: The Ride Backwards!
www.SixFlags.com
My Lucky Brewers Socks
I've been wearing these sock to the last few games I have attended at Miller Park and the crew always wins when I have them on. Do you think my socks lucky?
Matt Nathanson AND Plain White T's coming to Festa!
YES! That headline is correct...Matt Nathanson AND the Plain White T's will be performing at Festa Italiana, Saturday night, July 20th and I have the honor of being your ON STAGE HOST!!
I'm super stoked and looking forward to hanging with Platinum-selling singer-song writer Matt Nathanson, and Grammy-nominated Chicago-bred Plain White T's again!
Check out the videos from both groups last visit to The Mix Studios:
WATCH Matt Nathanson Interview and Performance.
WATCH Plain White T's Interview and Performance.
Watch for and Prevent Borers on Trees and Shrubs
Extreme heat and cold, droughts and floods can leave our plants stressed and more susceptible to damaging borers.
These insects are the immature stage of moths and beetles that feed under the bark and inside the stems of plants. Their feeding weakens and in some cases kills the plant.
Many borers are opportunists, attacking already stressed trees. We can't control the weather but we can help reduce stress on our plants. Start by growing plants suited to the climate and growing conditions in your landscape.
Mulch the area under and around the base of trees and shrubs. Organic mulches like wood chips keep the roots cool and moist and reduce competition from grass and weeds.
Be sure to water new plantings thoroughly and as needed the first few years. And do the same for established trees and shrubs during extended drought. This will keep them healthy and help ward off borers.
A bit more information: Incorporate trees and shrubs into perennial planting beds. You will create an attractive garden and better environment for the plants. Plus, planting beds as well as mulching will reduce the need for hand trimming and will keep weed whips and mowers away from the trunks of the trees. And don't pile soil or mulch over the stems of shrubs and the trunks of trees. These practices create entryways for pests and encourage disease problems.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
Lawn Revival
If sparse, bare spots or lots of weeds describe your lawn, it is time for a little lawn revival.
Start by evaluating the current state of your lawn. If more than 60% is bare or filled with weeds, it is time to start over. Look at this as an opportunity to properly prepare the soil, select a more drought tolerant lawn or convert it into a no mow or low maintenance lawn or planting bed.
Overseed thin sparse lawns. Core aerate first or use a slit seeder to insure good seed-to-soil contact. For small bare spots use a lawn patch kit or make your own. Mix a handful of quality grass seed into a bucket of topsoil. Remove any dead grass and roughen the soil surface. Then sprinkle the commercial or homemade lawn patch over the prepared bare spot.
Keep the soil moist until the grass seed begins to grow.
A bit more information: Larger areas will benefit from the addition of organic matter into the top 6 inches of soil before sowing the grass seed or laying sod. Keep the soil moist until the sod has rooted into the soil below and the grass seed begins to grow. Consider overseeding the lawn to help create a more uniform appearance in the lawn. For more information, click here.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
This fungal disease is most common in cool and rainy as well as humid weather. The disease attacks a variety of ornamental and edible plants and often is specific to the plant part infected.
Poison ivy is the threat this chant describes and for allergic persons exposure means rash, oozing blisters, itching and swelling. Always covers legs, arms and hands when hiking through or gardening in areas suspected of containing poison ivy.
Cure garlic for 3 to 4 weeks in a warm well-ventilated location before storing. Once dried, remove soil, long roots and only the damaged outermost layer of the papery skin with a brush of your gloved hand. Cut off the tops being careful not to damage the papery covering that protects the cloves. 
