GARDENING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

As you are making your list of good intentions before the possum drops (or not) tonight, check out this list of gardening resolutions you may want to add:

GARDENING RESOLUTIONS

DISCLAIMER:  We are not promoting or receiving any benefit

 from this company, they just happen to have a very thoughtful list .

RECYCLE CHRISTMAS TREES

Wonder what to do with your tree?  Check out the National Christmas Tree Association's list of ideas by clicking HERE.  We recently heard that goats love Christmas Trees, so maybe you can find some goats and treat them to lunch.

How about setting  up the tree in your backyard to feed the birds for the winter?  Here are some easy instructions:  HOW TO MAKE BIRDSEED ORNAMENTS

Gardening tasks will resume soon enough.

P.S.  A few tickets remain for the January 31st Speaker Event at the Arboretum.  Click here for all the details: PETER HATCH FLYER

FIR FUN FOR US

A group of Master Gardeners recently attended a wreath making class at the Estuarium in Washington.  Individually and collectively, some very pretty wreaths/centerpieces were created.

Photos by RD just fir you

THINGS TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR SANTA

The Master Gardeners recently had a work day at the Arboretum.  Weeding, raking leaves, and planting bulbs were a few of the tasks tackled.  In some areas perennials were cut back and in others they were left standing for winter interest and for the birds to feast on.

Black-eyed Susan seed heads in Wildflower Garden

Here are some gardening jobs you can do now:

WINTER GARDENING

GIFTS FOR GARDENERS WHO HAVE EVERYTHING

We might be able to help you cross some people off your list:

1)  Give a gift membership for 'Friends of the Pitt County Arboretum'.
Yearly Memberships start at $20 for students and seniors, $25 for individuals,
and $40 for family.
Benefits include early entrance to our annual plant sale, reduced ticket prices for
speaker events, and discounts at some local gardening businesses.  
Click here for an APPLICATION and the full list of benefits.

2)  Purchase tickets for our January 31, 2015 Speaker Event:  Peter Hatch,
former director of the gardens of Monticello.  Ticket prices are $15 for Friends,
$20 for General Public.
Click here for PETER HATCH FLYER

DECORATING FROM NATURE

Come to the Arboretum this Thursday, December 4th starting at 10:00 AM where Master Gardeners will demonstrate some ways to decorate for the winter holidays using cuttings from shrubs and trees, berries, pinecones and other things gathered from the gardens.

Meet under the Shelter in front of the

Ag Center

Click here for Map to 403 Government Circle

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~Theodore Roosevelt

FALLING LEAVES

The leaves are falling and covering the grounds around the Arboretum.  What do we do with all the leaves?  COMPOST!!!!  Why rake and have them hauled away to the landfill?  You can put them in a pile as they are, run over them with the lawn mower to chop them up, or feed them through a leaf shredder.  All methods will result in a free soil amendment.

Click below for helpful tips

 

COMPOSTING FOR THE HOME GARDEN

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

The Pitt County Master Gardeners are hosting a speaker event January 31, 2015.  Peter Hatch will be at the Arboretum to talk about Thomas Jefferson's Garden at Monticello.

For all the details click here for the FLYER 

Photo from monticello.org

Tickets may be purchased at the Pitt County Extension Center at 403 Government Circle (MAP) or at Wild Birds Unlimited (MAP). 

Doors open at 9:00 AM to give you a chance to visit our sponsors' booths and enjoy some morning refreshments.

EVERGREEN SHRUBS IN CONTAINERS

Master Gardeners recently changed out most of the 10 containers that are planted around the Arboretum.  They are now ready to go through the winter months looking fabulous.   When filling the containers, they use a variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs, groundcovers, and annuals.  Anything you plant in the ground can be planted in a container.  The trees and shrubs are eventually moved to the ground after a year or two.  The perennials, herbs, and groundcovers are usually potted up to sell at the May Plant Sale (The next one is May 16, 2015).  The annuals go to the compost bin.  Here is a sample of one of the newly planted containers:

 

Back left, then clockwise: Chamaecyparis pisifera 'King's Gold' (King's Gold False Cypress),  Picea glauca (Dwarf Alberta Spruce),  Lorepetulam chinense rubrum 'Crimson Fire', Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' (Blue Star Juniper)

Click below for container planting tips:

SUCCESSFUL CONTAINER GARDENING

Photo by K.Whitehead

NARCISSUS 'ICE FOLLIES' DAFFODILS

The Master Gardeners will soon be planting hundreds of these daffodils around the Arboretum.  It will be welcoming spring site for you to see.  When is the best time to plant bulbs for spring blooms?  Now through November will do.  Click below for some more bulb planting tips:

HINTS FOR FALL - PLANTED BULBS

An interesting fact from the book 'Narcissus and Daffodil: The Genus Narcissus' -

"Narcissus 'Ice Follies' is a fast growing and popular cultivar, ranking third in flower bulb sales according to the International Bulb Society, Pasadena, California."

MASTER GARDENER DAY TRIP

Once in a while the Master Gardener Volunteers enjoy visiting other Arboretums and Botanical Gardens to see what other counties are doing.  Last week a a group went to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville.  It was a gorgeous fall day to gather lots of laughs and lots of learning.

The Group

A closer look at the plantings

 

 

 

The Heritage Garden (left corner, then clockwise:  Corn Crib, The Garden, General Store, Tobacco Barn and the 1886 Farmhouse)

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

CHANGING OUT THE VERTICAL GARDEN

SPRING/SUMMER TO FALL/WINTER

One last look at the spring/summer collection

We knew this was going to be a learning experience.  Plants that did well, did REAL well.  Their exuberance perhaps contributed to their neighbors demise.
A few standouts:

Fescue 'Elijah Blue', English Thyme, Ornamental Pepper 'Black Pearl' (a true crowd favorite also), Sedum 'Limelight', all of the sages, and the Zinnia 'Star White'.
Some of the disappointments:  Calibroachoa, Dianthus, Ice Plant, and the Yarrow.

The frost tender and the failed plants have been removed.  For the cooler months we have added some winter hardy vegetables (mustard, chard, pak choy), trailing violas, and euphorbia.  Plants should begin to take root with a little watering and a little more warm weather.  An update will be posted in February to see how it is holding up.

The new plantings have some room to grow.

Here is an article written by an extension agent for ideas on fall/winter plantings.
Plant Flowers and Veggies for Winter Color 

Photos by C. Taylor

FALL FLOWERS IN BLOOM

Here is a sample of what is blooming at the Arboretum this week:

1. Salvia guaranitica
     Black and Blue Sage
2.  Verbena bonariensis
     Verbena on a Stick
3.  Lantana Miss Huff

4.  Buddleia davidii
     Butterfly Bush
5.  Hydrangea macrophylla
     Mophead Hydrangea

6.  Salvia leucantha
     Mexican Bush Sage
7.  Helianthus augustifolius "Gold Lace"
      Narrowleaf Sunflower

8.  Pennisetum alopecurides "Hamlin"
     Dwarf Fountain Grass
9.  Miscanthus sinensis
     Zebra Grass
10. Ruellia brittonia
      Mexican Petunia

ARBORETUM WORK DAY

A crew of Master Gardeners and Trainees worked in the gardens at the Arboretum this week.  Early fall chores included weeding (as always), pulling out errant vines from shrubs, deadheading perennials, light pruning of wayward branches, and mulching.  Here are a few pictures of the happy workers.

Photos by K. Dawkins

ARBORETUM TOUR

GLORIOUS GRASSES

&

FABULOUS FALL FLOWERS

Pink Muhly Grass at Pitt County Arboretum

 

Join the Master Gardener Volunteers

for a FREE WALKING TOUR

of the

Pitt County Arboretum

403 Government Circle, Greenville

Click here for MAP

THURSDAY, October 2nd

Starting at 10:00 AM

Meet under the Shelter in Front of the Ag Center

October's tour will focus on

Ornamental Grasses & Fall Blooming Flowers

Tours last about 1 1/2 hours and are held

RAIN OR SHINE!

FALL VEGETABLES

With the help of the new Master Gardener Class, several rows of cabbage, broccoli, and onions were planted this week in the Vegetable Garden.  The remaining beds will be planted with a cover crop of crimson clover next month.

QR CODES

When you are doing a self-guided tour of the Arboretum, you will find educational signs along the way.  Each sign will give you a brief summary relating to the garden it is placed in.  For instance, the Butterfly Garden sign shows steps to create your own Butterfly Garden as well as pictures of common butterflies found in Pitt County.  The Herb Garden sign gives you tips on how to successfully grow herbs in our climate and displays examples of annual and perennial herbs to try.  Two new signs are being installed soon to bring the total number to 13.   Something new has been added to all of our educational signs at the Arboretum:  QR CODES.  Just scan the code with your smartphone for links to more gardening aids.  This code below is the link to the Pitt County Arboretum site.

FRUITS ARE RIPENING

In our Small Fruit Garden we are growing several fruit trees.  Picking fruit from your own garden can be rewarding.  However, fruit trees require more care than ornamental trees.  Proper pruning, fertilizing, pollination, knowing which insects and diseases to watch out for are some of the chores that need to be tending to.  A good start before planting would be to read:

 PRODUCING FRUIT TREES FOR HOME USE

'Fuyo' Japanese Persimmon

Pomegranate

Brown Turkey Fig

UPDATE ON VERTICAL PALLET GARDEN

Back in the spring the Master Gardeners presented a class to demonstrate how to recycle an old pallet into a vertical garden.   Here is an update photo.  As was emphasized in the class this was an experiment.  Some plants have done well (the herbs, ornamental pepper, grasses, sedums).  Other plants have either failed or just not done as well as hoped (dianthus, scutellaria, calibrachoa).  Some of the plant failures were due to other plant successes:  growing so big and shading out their neighbors.  The herbs were especially vigorous and needed regular shearing.  Fall into winter plantings are now being considered.

FALL VEGETABLES

Join the Extension Master Gardeners

for the next FREE WALKING TOUR

of the

PITT COUNTY ARBORETUM
and learn about planting a fall vegetable garden

Meet under the Shelter in front

of the Ag Center.
CLICK HERE FOR MAP 

SEPTEMBER 4th, THURSDAY

Starting at 10:00 AM