PLANTING SPRING BULBS
Dahlias illustration by karen blackerby logan
THIS FALL THINK SPRING!
FALL IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT SPRING BULBS!
Perennial Plant Association : Virtual National Symposium
WATER WATER WATER!
A DRY SPRING
We have had one of the driest springs I can remember which is very unusual for the Vineyard and the Northeast. Our landscaping team has been incredibly busy trying to keep our client’s gardens hydrated.
All the newly planted or transplanted plants need to be watered deeply1 to 2 times a week depending on whether or not we get rain. Thankfully a few nights ago we finally got a fairly good rain.
The best rule of thumb is water once a day for the first week to get the soil good and moist around the root system. Then once a week for the first year if there is not a good rain. July and August are usually the most important months to water.
A “deep water” depends on the precipitation rate, ie holding a hose full flow on a shrub would only need a few minutes while a sprinkler that covers a large area should run an hour as long as there is not run off.
Morning is a good time to water because there will not be as much evaporation as when it is sunny and hot. It is a myth that watering in the heat of the day the water drops will be magnified by the sun and burn the leaves. If that were so it would happen every time there is a shower and then the sun comes out.
A 1 to 3 inch layer of mulch helps slow down evaporation and is very beneficial for plants. The mulch also breaks down over time and becomes organic matter which helps hold moisture and nutrients.
Vineyard Gardens can help you out with your watering needs, from a basic watering service to installing an irrigation system. We’d be happy to evaluate your needs and give a quote. We do hand water especially newly planted beds or trees and shrubs.
contact our landscape team
NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO PLANT
We are still in the midst of our planting season and this is a great time for planting! All the warm season vegetables can go in now: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, corn and squash. A second crop of most of the spring plants can also go in now: lettuce, arugula, carrots and beets.
check our vegetable selection
photo credit: keith kurman
photo credit: keith kurman
WHY TO TEST SOIL & THE IMPORTANCE OF A PH TEST
Hydrangea illustration by karen blackerby logan
“It is always a good idea to test the soil for your lawns, flowers, vegetable gardens and almost anything you’re trying to grow!” Chuck Wiley, co-owner of Vineyard Gardens
Soil samples can be sent to the University of Massachusetts. The test will tell you what is in your soil, the amount and then what to add. This can save you money and most importantly protect our environment by not overusing fertilizer.
Fertilizer bags have three numbers showing the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the bag. A bag labeled 5-10-5 is 5% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 5% potassium.
Nitrogen is the element usually most needed to be added for plant health, as it is either used up by plants or can be leached out of the soil with rain and irrigation.
Phosphorous and potassium once added are more stable in the soil and usually only need to be added every two or three years.
These three nutrients are in most of the garden and lawn fertilizers we sell. We sell several lawn fertilizers with a 0 middle number, meaning no phosphorus, because that nutrient can cause problems with our ponds by encouraging algae blooms.
05-10-05
Step 1: Lawn Fertilizer 20-0-3 (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium).
Step 2: Lawn Fertilizer 21-0-3 (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium).
Vegetable Fertilizer 3-4-4 (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium)
Organic fertilizers are slow release and also add some organic matter to the soil. Lawn fertilizers, like Jonathan Green Green-up 20-0-3, often have a higher first number as nitrogen is what causes them to be darker green, faster growing and healthier. Most vegetables like a lower first number Espoma Organic Garden-tone 3-4-4 to encourage fruiting like tomatoes and squash.
** Now is the last chance this season to apply Jonathan Green Green-Up Crabgrass Preventer before moving onto step 2 Jonathan Green Green-Up Weed and Feed!
photo credit: keith kurman
landscape work
schedule us for your next project!
THE IMPORTANCE OF A pH TEST
A pH test tells us how acidic or alkaline our soils are
Numbers under 7 are acidic
Numbers over 7 are basic or alkaline
When soils are at or near neutral most nutrients are more easily taken up by plants and at the high range of acid or basic some nutrients are unavailable to plants even if they are in the soil. Our soils tend to be acidic which is good for blueberries, most evergreens , potatoes and Blue Mop head Hydrangeas, which are our traditional August flowering hydrangeas and Nikko Blue and Endless summer being the most popular. The reason for wanting low pH for the hydrangeas is this causes the flowers to be bluer. High pH turns them pinker and neutral pH gives them a color between the two. This is the only plant I know that the flower color is affected by the pH which allows aluminum in the soil to be more readily taken up at lower ph.
If you want bluer flowers add sulfur or aluminum sulfate, ideally mixed into the soil when planting. You can add these materials to existing plants but it will take longer for them to have an effect on the color. If you want pink flowers, add lime to the soil. Most vegetables like a neutral soil, with the exception of potatoes which are more prone to a particular disease at higher pH. I like to keep a special area in the garden for them that I don't lime. Lawns like the pH to be close to neutral so light yearly liming is recommend here.
ORGANIC COMPOST, MULCH & LOAM IN BULK
We get many questions about our bulk materials at Vineyard Gardens and thought it would be pertinent to bring all the information together in one place.
Good soil is critical to successful gardening. What we see above ground is really only half the picture. If a plant's leaves are turning yellow or if pests are suddenly present you can bet there’s a problem with the soil.
One of the most important ingredients in soil is its organic content. It is the organic matter that, in the process of breaking down, enable the roots to access moisture and nutrients. The organic matter acts like sticky spots for nutrients to stick to making them available to the roots instead of leaching away. Then every year it is wise to build up the organic content of the soil to keep plants growing and healthy.
For a finished look and to retain moisture we recommend mulches. They are larger chunks of shredded bark that help retain moisture in the soil and also prevent weed seeds from germinating. As the mulch slowly decomposes the micro organisms responsible for the decomposition rob the soil of essential nutrients as in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium . We recommend you fertilize before mulching.
We have two groups of bulk materials; organically rich soil amendments and mulches. The main ingredient in our soil amendments is compost.
Click on this LINK for a handy calculator to help figure out how much of these materials you’ll need for your project. We are loading bulk materials 8am-3pm Monday through Friday and 8am-12pm on Saturday. There is no need to pre order bulk materials unless you want a delivery.
Gardener’s Choice, $75/cu.yd.
Gardener’s Choice is an organic leaf and yard compost. It has been heat treated to render it relatively weed free. It is the best choice for vegetable gardens but it is also ideal for top-dressing flower beds.
Black Gold Compost, $65/cu.yd
Compost is a heat treated Bio Solid compost. The heat-treating kills off most of the weed seed. This is a commercially produced material that has been thoroughly checked and approved for sale by our local Board of Health. It is an excellent choice as a soil amendment to bring up the organic content of our sandier Vineyard soils and to lighten heavy clay soil.
Vineyard Gardens Loam, $50/cu.yd
Vineyard Gardens Loam is our own leaf and yard debris compost. It is very much like a compost you would make at home so it could have any number of weed seeds in it. It has been turned over several times a year and been thoroughly sifted to remove large sticks and rocks. Its benefits are that it is high in organic content and is relatively inexpensive.
Vineyard Gardens Planting Mix, $80/cu.yd.
Vineyard Gardens Planting Mix is our premium blend. It consists of:
3 parts Compost; 2 parts Peat Moss; 1 part Sand
This product is super versatile and useful. It can be used as an amendment when planting trees and shrubs. It can be used to top-dress gardens that have particularly difficult components, like clay or sand. It can be lightened with perlite to use as a potting mix.
Pine Bark Mulch, $65/cu.yd
We use our standard Pine Bark Mulch for most gardens, shrub boarders and tree wells. Dark, shredded pine bark mulch
Wood chips, $25/cu.yd.
We also provide Wood Chips which is perfect for suppressing weeds in uncultivated areas like paths, parking spaces, construction areas. It's best not to use wood chips in planted areas because the fibrous material has not broken down yet and in the process of breaking down it burns Nitrogen. Nitrogen is an important nutrient for plants and without it growth will be weak and lacking in chlorophyll turning the leaves yellow. It is useful for suppressing weeds when its freshly put down.
DELIVERY CHARGES
(includes only driver)
WE DELIVER BULK MATERIALS BY CUBIC YARD DUMPED ON SITE. WE ALSO DELIVER AND PLANT TREES AND SHURUBS!
1-4 yards to West Tisbury $65/trip
1-4 yards to other island towns $90/trip*
5-7 yards to West Tisbury $75/trip
5-7 yards to other island towns $100/trip*
*Trips to Chappy are billed hourly for labor, trucking, materials and ferry fees
*Tree/Shrub delivery and/or planting ask for fee schedule information page
SEED SWAP WITH MARTHA'S VINEYARD SEED LIBRARY
by Ashley Killian
These seeds of Calycanthus floridus were collected at the North Carolina Arboretum (with permission). Photo: Keith Kurman
This cone of Sciadopitys verticillata was collected at the perfect time. Cone-bearing plants are called Gymnosperm which means 'naked seed'. So when the seed is mature the cone opens and the seed just falls out. Here the cone was collected before it lost its 'payload'. Photo: Keith Kurman
January 2020, Vineyard Gardens attended the Martha’s Vineyard Seed Library’s seed talk at the MARTHA’S VINEYARD Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury.
We always take an opportunity to learn and play an active role in our community. The MV seed library is a resource for native seed. Island residents are welcome to collect seed and contribute to the library. It would be great to see native wild flower seed, perennial seed, and woody plant seed contributions. It is always recommended that when you collect seed you should label where you found the seed, when you found the seed, and any other information about the seed. Keep your seed somewhere that is cool and dry. If you did not get a chance to collect seed last fall, you may check out seed from the library as well. It was interesting to see what different seed strains look like. I discovered Garlic seed, Poppy seed, Hypericum seed, Asclepias seed, Turnip seed, and many others in the seed library last year.
Seed stratification on collected marigold seeds demonstrated by MV Seed Library. Photo: Ashley Killian
THIS YEARS Annual Seed Swap is Saturday March 6, 2021
At the seed talk they demonstrated a stratification process on marigold seed that was found after it had experienced a hard frost. Although the seeds did not have as high of a germination percentage as seed that would have been collected in the fall, some seed did sprout! The annual Seed Swap is set for this Saturday March 6th from 10am-12pm on the West Tisbury Library Porch. I am excited to see what seed has been collected on island since I attended last year. I feel lucky to have such a supportive community at my fingertips. Gardening with fedco or botanical interest seed is fun but it’s also really cool to experience the seed library and to check out seed that was grown locally on our beautiful island!
The Martha’s Vineyard seed library. The library is labeled with stickers so we know the difficulty of saving the seed strain. You can check seed into the library and check seed out. Photo: Ashley Killian
The perfect example of how to fill out your collected seed card. More Information is better than less. Photo: Ashley Killian
Organization and labeling is an important step in the process. Keeping track of dates along the way will follow the new plants all the way to to being planted out, and beyond. Photo: Keith Kurman
Here you see Magnolia grandiflora seeds nestled into their peat/pearlite medium, sealed in a ziplok bag. They will receive at least 6 weeks of cold treatment before we bring them out to sow. Photo: Keith Kurman
Seed talk with Vineyard Gardens
When starting plants from seed you must mimic nature’s perfect conditions. Seeds are alive, just not actively growing. They are in a state of dormancy until they can take in air, water and nutrients. Dormancy is a delayed period before sprouting. A chemical reaction within the seed, breaks this period and can be triggered by temperature and light. Germination begins a pants life cycle and without perfect conditions your seed will not grow!
Right plant, right place is a method used by gardeners to get the most out of their property. Gardening can be flexible, the more you learn, the easier it is to work gardening into our everyday schedule. We’ve learned that plants have a unique set of requirements individually and we respect that. These requirements start at the very beginning of their life. Some seeds need a series of freeze and thaw cycles to break dormancy. We could plant them in the fall or we could speed that process up and simulate our natural weather conditions. This act is known as practicing seed stratification. Every seed can be different and might need a different amount of time or method to reach germination. For example, the Purple Top Verbena perennial on the Fedco seed website that recommends a 3-5 week stratification process in order to germinate.
Stratification
If you have seed that you can try experimenting with, then start by dividing it into separate bags. If weather conditions are in your favor put one bag of seeds outside in a mixture of moist soil and peat. Let these seeds experience a freeze and thaw cycle outside. A mix we have had success with is half milled peat moss and half pearlight that is slightly dampened. With the other bag of seeds, slightly dampen some paper towel and place your seed in the moist paper towel. Put that paper towel inside the bag and put it in the back of your fridge. Keep a close eye on this seed. Often seed stratification can lead to fungus and mold because of the wet conditions. If you start to experience this, get a fungicide and start with a new piece of damp paper towel. Some native seed can have a dormancy for up to 2 years, and some seeds have a hard seed coat. Hard seed coats are broken down by the wet conditions of a freeze and thaw cycle. Another way a hard seed coat is broken down naturally is by birds or other wildlife eating and processing the seed. We can simulate natures conditions with the process of stratification. Stratification breaks down the seed coat to allow air and water to get in and allow the seed to grow out through the seed coat to take in light and grow into a plant.
This group of woody plant seeds were collected from various locations in the Fall of '19, cleaned, properly labeled and stored cool and dry wrapped in newspaper. Our medium for stratification is 1/2&1/2 milled peat-moss and pearlite just slightly dampened. Photo: Keith Kurman
Here at Vineyard Gardens we try to offer many plants that are relatively rare from commercial growers. It can take many years to bring them to saleable size but there's no time like the present to start! Here is the charming Stewartia rostrata. Photo: Keith Kurman
Scarification
To scarify a seed you can take a sharp knife and nick the outside shell, then by soaking the seed in room temperature water over night, you can help soften the seed shell and allow light to stimulate growth. Depending on the seed strain, scarification could be enough to plant the seed after soaking. For other seed strains, you may need to process seed stratification, as well, to break the seeds natural dormancy before planting. Often seed is carried over year to year. Germination rates decline each year that seed is stored. Vineyard Gardens always starts left over seed before we start new seed because of this. If your left over seed did not germinate last year it may mean you should try practicing seed stratification or scarification to promote germination rates. Practicing these methods before planting native collected seed can produce better germination results, saving you time and money.
The seeds of some plants can be as showy and ornamental as their flowers. The flowers of this Clematis 'Guernsey Cream' are really beautiful but so are its seeds. Photo: Keith Kurman
Seed collected is stored in bags and organized alphabetically. Photo: Ashley Killian
ON THE RETURN OF THE VICTORY GARDEN
written and photos by Keith D. Kurman
This garden has been growing steadily over many, many years. It’s seen many crop rotations…brilliant success and demoralizing failures. But each spring brings a renewed excitement, to begin again…“This year we’ll get it RIGHT!”
“To free ourselves, we must feed ourselves.”
The quaint “grow your own” aphorism presents us with a challenge regarding a change from our consumerist mindset of being dependent on ‘others’ to becoming more independent.
This recent NY Times article, Food Supply Anxiety Brings Back Victory Gardens, does a wonderful job addressing the need for growing our own garden today during the current pandemic in comparison to the War Garden of 1918 and Victory Garden of 1919.
A garden this size is quite an undertaking! Unless you've grown up on a farm or garden for a living you might want to start a little smaller and build over the years. But it is about the size of one generous front yard! Something to think about!
Times and conditions have changed remarkably since the mid-twentieth century. Now, a quarter of the way into the 21st century, when and how are we going to adapt to these changed conditions and adopt new paradigms for the mid-twenty-first century? Some of these changes and challenges include:
Climate Change. This is a new term for something we’ve been aware of and fighting to address since the 1960’s, corresponding with the “back to the land” movement, self-help books and anti-nuke protests. The idea of growing your own food has gone in and out of fashion throughout the ‘modern age’.
Sustainability. This was not a consideration or even a word generally used in the mid 20th century but it applies now to everything from product development to agricultural production.
Water. There are so many factors applying pressure on our water sources. Just as coronavirus is invisible, so is water and the threat to its availability. Unfortunately, it is not on the forefront of public concern.
The combination of climate change, sustainability and water shortage brings the priority closer to home.
Aesthetics. Aesthetics may seem like a frivolous or academic subject these days but it goes directly to our decisions about what we do to develop and maintain our own properties.
The Lawn. A pretense hung over from ‘between the wars’. They are wasteful of water and demand conditioning and fertilizers to keep them viable. They also occupy, usually, the sunniest part of the property. Would that area not be more beautiful providing sustenance for our families rather than exhausting our precious resources to satisfy our ‘aesthetics’? It is not that the philosophical perspective of ‘the lawn’ being beautiful is wrong, but if we were to change our philosophical perspective to value productivity more highly, then we may not feel the same way. If we find it necessary to supplement our food sources with what we grow ourselves wouldn’t the lawn be the first thing to go?
With all that in mind, and a lot of ‘alone time’ on our hands, let’s get to the question of Victory Gardens.
The NY Times article mentions how Victory Gardens started out as a big deal that quickly faded because ‘farming’ is hard work! True, but there are degrees to which we can go to supplement our nutritional needs without turning over our entire property to cultivation.
A Victory Garden can be anything from a potted rosemary on the windowsill to a window box with mixed greens to a raised bed by the kitchen door for growing your essentials. Of course beyond that you can go as far as your imagination and resources will allow.
Here's a small garden that's dedicated to mostly herbs (deer-proof!) a few Tomatoes and some flowers. There are no rules to break, its what works for you!
Let’s look at a few things we can grow that don’t require extensive time and materials to achieve.
I always go to the herbs first because they offer so much return for so little effort. Herbs as a rule don’t require a lot of fuss. They are generally from arid climates and grow under poor conditions. Plants like Thyme, Sage, Tarragon, Oregano and Chives are tough perennials that only require a patch of earth, some sun and occasional watering. But they provide a rich, fresh flavor to common dishes. Try adding them to the oil in your pan when you begin a sauté, it makes a big difference.
Annual herbs: Parsley, Cilantro, Arugula, Dill and Basil. These flavorful plants might require a little more attention to keep them productive but they can easily be grown in a pot as well as a cultivated garden plot. There becomes the question of quantity, if you use them a lot then you’ll need more space. It’s a good idea to stagger their planting so you have a continual crop. There are hundreds of plants that might fall under this category and you can certainly expand your collection as you become more adept at growing and harvesting, but these few selections are a good start and if you’ve checked the prices for fresh herbs at the grocery store you’ll see how this might really save some money.
Leafy greens are the next category of easily grown foods. We may be used to only a few lettuces but there is a dizzying range of possibilities, so again you can go as far as you’re inclined to labor. All are nutritious and most are flavorful! The lettuces, mustards, radicchio, endive, spinach, chard and kales are what we call ‘Early Season’ because they germinate and grow best in cool, lengthening days. They can be done in pots or window boxes or they can take up several rows in a vegetable garden.
Being limited in time and space shouldn’t stop you from growing some of the smaller root vegetables. Easily started from seed, and best when done so, are radishes, carrots and beets. These you would want to seed in succession so you have a continual supply ready for harvest. We may think of beets as just the red, bloody sweet beets but there are so many different varieties that make delicious eating, especially at the smaller size. Carrots don’t need to be the long ‘perfect’ carrots of agriculture, some of the best tasting are the smaller, heirloom selections that can only be gotten from a reputable source (like Vineyard Gardens!) The greens of these delicacies are all edible too and very nutritious.
Of course there are many food crops that require a little more space and attention to their cultivation; potatoes, cabbages, broccoli, the squashes, cucumbers and melons, and to some extent peas and beans. Peas are not that difficult but you do need quite a few plants to reap a meal-sized serving. With the proper tending they will produce a succession of crop but you need several plants to feed a family of two! Beans can be very gratifying, but again you need several plants to produce a family sized yield.
We can’t talk about vegetable gardening without talking about Tomatoes. Tomatoes are THE most popular plant by far of all vegetable crops. There will need to be a post dedicated solely to tomatoes to cover all the different varieties and the growing conditions. Suffice to say. Homegrown tomatoes are delicious and when well grown are a source of pride, but they can also be frustrating. They take a lot of space, time and resources to make them work but again, it’s up to you.
The last two categories of growing that one needs to consider are staples and fruits.
The Staples are mostly all grain plants, like corn, rice, wheat, and barley.. Although you CAN grow these in your back (or front) yard they generally require too much space to harvest a measurable yield.
The Fruits would certainly require a separate post but this will have to do as a placeholder. Growing the woody fruits, stones, pomes and berries (including Grapes) are some of the most frustrating endeavors of humankind! The space, time, materials and skill required to bring in a harvest is probably what doomed the whole Victory Garden Movement. It’s not impossible but it does require commitment, motivation and sophistication.
So there’s a start to it! All the details of ‘How To’ can easily be gleaned from books, online or questions you can ask our expert horticulturists at Vineyard Gardens nursery.
We may not be able to save the world or prevent pandemics by ‘growing our own’ but we might be able to supplement our diets with what we have grown ourselves and that has the added virtue of feeding our souls. It’s also a great way to spend part of a day in quarantine!
“We must cultivate our gardens.” (Voltaire-ish)
Gardening styles and techniques are as varied as there are gardeners. You live, you learn, that the Tao of growing. “What it takes!”
Nothing compares to the delight of discovering that your efforts have borne fruit! Even an acorn squash, sprung up out of the compost, makes all the labors worthwhile.
Raised beds are the most popular way to grow healthy veggies. They're easy to manage and plants seem to thrive in them and produce well. Great for Herbs and Leafy Greens... Tomatoes too!
A spectacular spot with a modest Herb Garden consisting of stepped raised beds and planted with herbs for kitchen use and plenty of leafy greens for salads.... and a few poppies too!
SPRINGTIME AT THE NURSERY
Our plants are growing beautifully! Greenhouse 4 is full at both locations. We are now working on filling Greenhouse 3. Geraniums were potted in House 3 along with the New Guinea impatiens. Debbie has been seeding in Greenhouse 1 at our Vineyard Gardens 2 location. She is done with the first run of cool weather lovers and just started 15 plus different varieties of tomatoes from seed. Come by and ask about the Heirloom varieties we are growing.
Our hard working team has been potting millions of bells, lobelia and passiflora baskets. We have forced bulbs in pots ready for sale, like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Check out this virtual tour of Keukenhof, the Netherlands national flower bulb park for inspiration.
We are also potting some more bare root plants that came in from Walters Gardens in Michigan. We decided to put them right outside and cover them with a double layer of Reemay. That way they develop nicely at the cooler temperature.
COOL WEATHER CROPS
Come check out our spring supply of vegetables in packs. Some of the lettuces, kales and mustards are ready. We also have collards and Asian vegetables like Pac Choi and Tatsoi. These cool weather lovers can go in the soil very soon.
Don’t forget to plant your peas. Soak before seeding, it speeds up germination. They imbibe and more easily split the seed coat so the radicle can anchor itself down to become the root system. The two cotyledons then emerge, sometimes the seed coat stays attached to one of the cotyledons. It’s so beautiful watching the birth of a plant. We have hundreds of plants being born every day at Vineyard Gardens.
VEGGIE SIX PACKS HAVE BEEN HARDENED OFF AND READY TO PLANT
IN THE TIME OF ISOLATION
Written by Keith Kurman
We will still be taking care of our gardens, getting ready for the growing season, a great thing to be doing while 'staying home'. "We must all cultivate our gardens." Photo credit: Keith Kurman
Welcome to shut-down
This COVID-19 quarantine is such a strange phenomenon, something I never really thought would happen in our lifetimes. It all seemed to happen so quickly, though it’s been rolling out over several months, kinda like a car crash, seemingly unfolding slowly, methodically and as if predetermined however over in a matter of seconds. Then there is the aftermath that IS long and arduous, where everything you hadn’t considered has to be dealt with systematically, periodically interrupted by flashbacks and questions as to how we got here and those things that will never be the same.
What do we do now? Here at Vineyard Gardens we are trying to stay calm and carry on.
Over in Landscape Division, just now in our busiest time of the year, we are forced to shut-down, pulling our trucks off jobs sites and laying off newly hired workers. This will be going on at this point for an undermined period of time. Going forward, all our landscape clients will need to understand that schedules are interrupted and when we are able to be back on the roads we will be scrambling to catch up. Please be patient.
At the Nursery/Garden Center we’re a bit “tail over tea kettle” because in nursery growing production “time waits for no one!” There is a very narrow window of time in which plants need to be ready to plant out. One thing we pride ourselves on is Island-Grown! We start most of our dazzling array of plants from seeds, plugs and divisions, to do so planning and timing are everything. Despite this unforeseen ‘cease and desist’ order ALL of our 15 greenhouses are FULL of young plants itching to get in the ground! We’ve had to quickly adapt to the new time frames and modified demand. We will be working to be sure that when the lock-down is over we will have plants ready to go for all your gardening needs.
At home, Nasturtiums are an easy plant to grow from seed and it's delicious and nutritious! Photo credit: Keith Kurman
You won't be seeing this familiar sight around for a while. Photo credit: Keith Kurman
Don't these look delicious! Mustard Greens, Tat-Soi, Red and Leafy Green Lettuces and Frisée we'll be making lots of these this year, ready to go salad garden. Photo credit: Keith Kurman
Luckily sound minds have prevailed and the Garden Center has set-up an on-line ordering and pick-up system that allows customers to place orders for materials and swing by to pick them up. You can find the order form here.
One amazing thing that may come of this is that government officials will come to realize that local nurseries must be classed as “essential services”! Yes,under the circumstances, with this shut down, which may continue for some time, our food delivery chain may be interrupted. We may be forced to “grow our own” where heretofore this was a quaint aphorism now becomes a question of necessity. To do that home farmers will need supplies and materials that can only be gotten at your local nursery. This would include in many cases, compost, tools, fertilizers, pest controls and not in the least, plants and seeds!
We will be following up with posts addressing the questions we will be needing to address as we are forced to shift our priorities and adopt new approaches to thinking and our way of life.
One thing is made clear, gardening may be essential to meeting our survival needs but it is also a living metaphor for our essential natures and our connection to our fragile and generous home, Earth. Gardening is one of the things we can do that completes us and infects no one.
Tools and fertilizers are some of the 'essential services' that your local nurseries provide. Write a letter to the town concil and let them know, thanks! Photo credit: Keith Kurman
Wildflowers are sprouting up all over the place, it's okay during the 'shut down' to walk in the woods, look up, look down, look all around... life is happening. Trillium grandiflorum and Mertensia virginica. Photo credit: Keith Kurman
THIS WEEK'S GARDENING TIPS and VINEYARD GARDENS TO GO SERVICE
Photo credit: Andrew Wiley
I hope this message finds you healthy and doing well in these crazy times. Here are some thoughts when you're stuck at home. I couldn't think of a better time to get outside and do a little gardening.
First off, rake the leaves off of the lawn, perennial beds. In areas that have bulbs in them use a gentle blower or rake them very carefully to not damage the flowers or leaves.
Once that's done apply a slow release fertilizer to the beds.but wait until April 15th to fertilize lawns.
Fruit trees and grapes should be pruned now. Also prune later flowering shrubs such as PG hydrangeas , Vitex , Crepe Myrtles, Caryopteris , Hypericum, . Do not prune spring flowering shrubs now as you will be removing their flower buds. Also do NOT prune Nikko Blue, Endless Summer or any of the mop head Hydrangeas, as they will fail to flower if pruned too heavily.
This is the best time to prune broken branches in trees and shrubs as you can see the damage best before they leaf out.
This is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs as the spring rain will almost always take care of any watering needs till summer.
VINEYARD GARDENS IS OFFERING A TO GO SERVICE
Cape Cod Landscape Association declares Garden Centers an essential business. In light of that, we are offering a TO GO service to our customers. Vineyard Gardens is a resource on Martha’s Vineyard for all things gardening!
The utmost importance is to keep our employees and our customers safe, while providing the products we all need. Mother natures clock is still turning and some tasks have a short window to be applied. We have implemented a plan of action to keep our customers and our employees safe while still providing the essentials for gardening! This is a PICK UP SERVICE, not delivery, unless set up on the work order at time of payment. All payments placed through the TO GO service will be taken over the phone with a Visa or Mastercard.
For all TO GO orders we recommend you email MV@vineyardgardens.net. Please provide:
Name
Telephone number
Products you would like to order
Once the email has been received we will call you about the availability of the products and to take payment over the phone. We will honor our weekly discount program! We are accepting Mastercard & Visa. A work order will be processed at the time of payment. Please expect up to 24 hours for pick up. Depending on the size of the order, the products may be available to pick up the same day of sale. A receipt of purchase will be provided with the products at the time of pick up.
Please understand that for the safety of our employees we will not be accepting returns.
Photo credit: Andrew Wiley
Photo credit: Andrew Wiley
A GARDENING REMINDER
We bring all of our containerized evergreens into an unheated greenhouse for the winter, a little added protection from potentially harsh winter weather.
With most everything you do there is a procedure, a bit of repetition that makes doing it again, easier and easier. Having a schedule for your gardening plans keeps your garden happy, healthy, & abundant. Often I refer back to checklists. Specifically having a checklist for each new season, keeps your gardening mistakes from snowballing. Missing one gardening procedure can cause you to fall behind on your next garden chore, and your next, creating a huge list that you have to pick away at to see just where you went wrong. That's all learning is, figuring out where you went wrong and fixing it. Everyone starts somewhere and keeping track of what you do year to year is the first step in learning whats working and whats falling through the cracks.
Gardening and landscaping are on mother natures clock. A lot of gardening chores depend on weather as well as a particular time of year that they are best practiced.
pruning (tree & shrub work)
planting, mulching
watering (irrigation)
liming, seeding (lawn maintenance)
Snow removal, salting (winter maintenance)
Tool repair
Vineyard Gardens nursery & Landscape is an excellent resource on island for any gardening questions or tasks.
Winter is a great time to clean and sharpen tools.
We like to top dress our garden beds with compost when they are cut back in the early winter. If you haven’t yet, this might be a good time, before bulbs start to emerge in another month or so.
VG Landscape can plow your driveway and deliver cord-wood as needed.
Today on the vineyard the weather is mild. We haven't seen much snow but most trees, shrubs and perennials are dormant. In the land of 7A the tropical plants have been pulled inside and most other annuals have been composted. We still have many other chores to do on our gardening checklist, spring is just around the corner! There's a few weeks in winter that you should dedicate to cleaning up your garden bed of leaves, twigs, passed blooms, dead plant materials, as well as cleaning out your gardening shed of old fertilizer and soil. Start with sharpening your favored tools, have them ready for spring pruning! (contact Jeremiah Brown at Vineyard Gardens Landscape office if tool repair is on your checklist!) It’s important to know when the right time to prune is. Spring blooming plants should be pruned after they have bloomed, to ensure you haven't cut off any new flower buds of the year. Once these plants are done blooming, they will take all their nutrients and put it toward setting new buds for the following spring. Summer blooming plants can be pruned and shaped in early spring because they often bloom on the new years growth. Every plant can be different so its important to learn about whats planted in your garden. Does your plant flower on new or old wood? Answering this question is a great start to figuring out when you should prune!
Winter is the best time to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs, removing dead wood and reducing their size. A couple of exceptions being Lilacs, Hydrangea and Macrophylla that hold their flower buds at the tips of branches.
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ needs to be cut back before they start to awaken in spring, now is a good time to do it if you haven’t already.
Often the best time for new plantings should happen in fall because the temperatures are cooler, less bugs, and plants aren't stressing in summer droughts. More rain, means less watering for us! Plants need time to mature their roots before hard frosts hit. If you have planted in late fall, and are afraid your plants roots are still tender, try laying down mulch. Apply at least 3 inches after the ground begins to freeze. Never apply mulch too close to the trunk or stems of your plant. Straw, finely chopped leaves, or shredded bark will make a good substitute for mulch if your local garden center has closed for the season. The hardy zone map is based on the average annual temperatures in a specific area across the globe, and knowing the hardy zone of whats planted in your garden can help you decide if the extra work is needed. Evergreens that are hardy to zone 7a should stand up just fine to our hard frosts. If anything, keep an eye on the amount of rain we are getting. Evergreens are more susceptible to winter burn and death if they didn't receive enough water before the ground freezes. On warm days, when the temperatures are fluctuating, you may need to water. Frigid temperatures are not the only thing fatal to young trees & shrubs. Protect plants from deer and other animals this winter too. Wrap them loosely with burlap from the bottom to the top of the plant. Remove burlap when the plant shows signs of any new growth.
Some plants we just can’t be without despite not being winter hardy, so we bring them into a cool but heated greenhouse for the winter. The fragrance of citrus blossom makes it all worth it!
Some plants just can’t be kept down by a little cold weather! Some of the first to emerge are the Heleborus. There are many different varieties with colors ranging from deep plum-black to ivory-green. Hardy and shade tolerant they always surprise the vigilant gardener.
On warm days through late winter little surprises can jump out at you. You’ll hardly notice the flowers on Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis but the delicious, exotic fragrance will find you as you pass.
Early flowering plants can be cut and brought inside to ‘force’ into flower. Forsythia, Pussywillow and Dogwood are some of the most common.
In colder temperatures deciduous shrubs will defoliate. Going dormant is their way of preparing for winter. Fallen leaves form a wet dense mat, preventing sunlight to reach your grass. Top that with winter snow and it becomes the perfect environment for disease and pests to grow. Then, when the grass begins to grow in early spring it could be suffocated by the leaves. Thus begins, another spring of seeding, germinating, and top dressing a new lawn. Save your lawn and schedule Vineyard gardens to come out to preform a lawn & yard maintenance. This is a leaf clean up, and a final cut of the lawn to prepare it for winters heavy snow. Vineyard Gardens Landscape is also a resource for snow removal! We are available to help with whatever winter has to throw at us. Harsh salt is used on slippery, icy, surfaces. Be careful using salt around plants and grass! Salt leaches moisture from the plants and causes the tissues to dry out. Lay sand down instead of salt around heavily planted areas and around the lawn that needs attention.
Winter can bring devastating storms with lots of damage especially with trees. These trees don’t stand a chance of coming back.
VG Landscape division may slow down in the winter but they never really stop altogether. Have a branch down in your driveway? Call the office and arrange to have it cleared away.
As temperatures warm up and early spring bulbs or annuals begin to bloom, our nursery will open as your island resource for hard goods, soils, & plants. Our nursery has a wide variety of blooming plants all year long. In the meantime, don't hesitate to contact Vineyard Gardens Landscape office for any questions, concerns, or work needed done to your property. We are available and able to check off that seasonal list for you! We send out two lists a year, call our landscape office at 508-693-8512 to get your spring checklist sent.
Vineyard Gardens mission is to provide the best plants, installations and care on Martha’s Vineyard!
Here in mid-Winter we can enjoy the brilliant flowers of Amaryllis in many shades of red, pink and white. So easy to grow too!
Paperwhites bring delicious fragrance to the stale, indoor winter air. Any sunny window will do.
On warm days from here on out the Witchhazels will be unfurling their ribbon-like petals creating brilliant splashes of color in the stark winter landscape.
Winter hikes on the Island will always find unexpected beauty. Here the Heather garden at Mytoi, managed by the Trustees of Reservations on Chappaquiddick.
During mid-winter mild spells we are encouraged to get out and accomplish some neglected garden chores.
Don’t miss the chance to play in the snow!
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT SEASON! SEE YOU IN THE SPRING!
TREES FOR WIND BREAK AND SCREENING
FALL SPECIAL : TREES FOR WIND BREAK AND SCREENING
NOVEMBER 18TH - 24TH
Picea Abies, also known as Norway Spruce, is a fast growing evergreen. Growing on average of 13 inches per year! This is ideal for planting on the island, because it grows in acidic, loamy, sandy, well drained & clay soils.
Cupressocyparis Leylandii, also known as Leyland Cypress, grows at least 24" per year. Also ideal for island growing conditions!
Pinus Strobus, also known as Eastern White Pine, prefers acidic, moist, well drained soil. This evergreen grows at least 24" each year.
GARDENIAS & MANDEVILLAS
GARDENIAS & MANDEVILLAS
GARDENIAS
Gardenias grown indoors should receive 6-8 hours of direct sunlight through a sunny window.
Gardenia
MANDEVILLA
Tropicals also make for a great house plant, Their bright colors cheer up any room.
Mandevillas
DAHLIA BULB STORAGE
It’s about time to start winterizing plants that are not hardy to our zone like Dahlias.
Dahlia Tubers are referred to as bulbs but are not true bulbs because of their growth function and appearance.
Tubers can be a variety of shapes, and form in a cluster, where tubers (like potatoes) grow out of the "eyes."
Bulbs are round and consist of one swollen root. Also, bulbs grow from one fixed point.
Dahlias are our end of summer bounty. Their brilliant color and flashy forms make for the perfect bouquet to brighten any room. They carry through the fall often, but they will only survive as far north as USDA plant hardiness zone 9. Cold climate gardeners must dig the tubers up and store them each year.
Our zone 7A consistently has winter temps of 0-10 degrees F. When we get a light frost the leaves will turn brown, but underground the tubers are still alive. The first frost stimulates the tubers to set eyes for next year. We must uproot our dahlias before any hard freeze to prevent damage.
Start by cutting back the foliage and lifting the bulb. If you are using a tool, avoid coming in contact with the tuberous roots. they can be easily damaged. Brush off any dirt and let the tubers dry for a few days. Cover dahlias in peat and store in a cool place. Store away from environmental changes like humidity or fluctuating temperatures. Plant them again after all dangers of frost has passed.
RHODODENDRONS & AZALEAS
Rhododendron
RHODODENDRONS & AZALEAS
Rhododendrons and Azaleas abundant blooms are welcomed first thing in spring. Rhododendrons dark green leaves, & their mature height and width will make great screening!
Azaleas
ARBORVITAE
We have a number of American and Emerald Green Arborvitae in stock that are ready to be planted. They are a fast growing, shade tolerant evergreen, perfect for screening and hedging.
In Edgartown a row of Arborvitae planted in the spring are already creating a wonderful screening for this property.
Harvest Festival 2019
Another fantastic Harvest Festival in the books! It was an idyllic day at Vineyard Gardens. Fall in all it’s glory! We had an incredible turnout on this beautiful day! Thank you for all your support!
WHAT'S BLOOMING AROUND THE ISLAND
The island is blooming with abundantly beautiful gardens this time of year. A stroll down the streets of Edgartown or Vineyard Haven you will see many of these plants in their full glory. Stop by Vineyard Gardens nursery to learn which plants will work best in your garden!
Phlox
miniature roses
Zinnias
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
Echinacea
Dahlias
Flower gardens by Vineyard Gardens
Begonia maculata
Hydrangea p.g. ‘Quickfire’
St. John’s Wort - Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
St. John’s Wort - Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Rudbeckia
Vitex agnus-castus and Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora ‘Limelight’
mixed planters