Planting with Idaho Natives

So you've just moved to Idaho, and have purchased a new home. But with a job transfer and a toddler in tow, you're looking to landscape utilizing garden plants that give you the most ease of care. I have a solution! Why not consider natives? There are many benefits to landscaping with them, some of which include:

- They are low maintenance once established
- They require less water
- They require a minimal use of pesticides
- They are easy to grow
- They're adapted to our dry environment
- Many are beneficial to pollinators like birds, bees and butterflies

What is a native plant? Basically, they're those plants that grew before the land was cultivated or worked over for construction. Plants that reside in our region. For us that means plants found within the Intermountain West.

Many are drought tolerant, but do remember you must give them time to establish first. This can take up to two - three years. So do prepare to invest time in a regular watering schedule.

Wondering which ones to choose? Look at your local surroundings. What do you see growing on the hillsides? Need some suggestions? Here are some great ones. I have placed an asterisk by those that are recommended for encouraging wildlife:

Acer Glabrum 

Trees: 

• Pinus Ponderosa
• Betula Occidentalis 

Philadelphus Lewisii. It's our state flower!

Shrubs:

• Ribes Aureum
• Mahonia Aquifolium

*Penstemon Strictus

Perennials:

• Achillea Millefolium
• Aquilegia Coerulea
• Asclepias 
• Erysimum Capitatum
• Monarda 

Grasses:

• Festuca Idahoensis
• Deschampsia Cespitosa

So now you're getting excited! And you see that planting natives in your new yard is a wonderful idea for lots of reasons (and lots of seasons). Where can you find them? Here is an excellent local resource:

Draggin' Wing High Desert  Nursery 
Diane Jones
208-345-4199
Waterthriftyplants.com

What are you waiting for? Let's plant some natives!

Sources:

Cals.uidaho.edu
Plantnative.org
Idahonativeplants.org

The Joy of Creating Succulent Gardens

Succulent Gardening can give you hours of enjoyment with little effort! The rewards can be beauty at your fingertips. As a break from our long winter,  we hosted a succulent garden party where friends created their own indoor garden to take  home. We purchased cactus soil, a variety of succulents and found used glass ceiling light shades with holes in the bottom for the bowls. Our creations were bright spots in our lives, as we were surrounded outside by knee deep snow.

The one thing in common with succulents is that they are drought tolerant. 

This group of plants store water in their leaves in preparation for the next time of low water.  Thus they don’t mind if you forget to water them.  Most of them want to be watered well, then forgotten for a week or two.

Whether they are planted indoors or outside; whether planted in a container such as an old boot, or as an accent flower bed near you patio; succulent plants offer variety in texture, color and size.  Today there are many interesting plants from various parts of the world. You can explore the world of succulents by wondering through your local nursery or online garden shops, along with Face book groups and You Tube videos.

The key to succulent gardening is providing good drainage with a drain hole in the container and proper soil, a prepared mix for cacti or mixing potting soil with perlite and vermiculite.  Remember, succulents like to dry out, watering, as needed, once a week or less.

Some succulents are winter hardy in Idaho while others are not. Know what your plants can tolerate and their water needs, when mixing plants to create your garden. For fun, top dressing can include sea shells, rocks, sand or drift wood.

                                                  

I was introduced to succulents many years ago when I gathered “Hens and Chicks”, from a friend in Portland.  I brought them to Idaho in a shoe box and forgot about them in the garage for a year. When I found them I put them out in the yard, just in case there was life left in them.  They grew and reproduced and they are still with me, three moves later. “Hen’s and Chicks” are in the Echeveria family and today I realize that there are many varieties.  It is a whole new world to explore.  Pictured here are just four different varieties.

Many succulents are very easy to propagate. Simply remove a healthy leaf from the stem. Let the end dry for a couple of days then let it lay on lightly damp soil for a while, could be a couple of weeks or months.  Roots will form and new growth will appear on top of the leaf at the cut. This is another fun part of succulent gardening.  

Enjoy the fun of creating beauty.

Sources for information are:

http://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.edu/Elkus/Planting_a_succulent_garden/

http://extension.illinois.edu/gardenerscorner/issue_02/winter_03_06.cfm

http://www.csssj.org/welcome_visitors/basic_culture.html

Books:

By Debra Lee Baldwin

-Succulent Container Gardens

-Succulents                                                     

Lawn watering and fertilization.

To produce top quality lawns you need to care for the grass so that its growth is not limited by nutritional needs, insects, or weed pests and water.

Water is usually the biggest problem that needs to be solved to develop the best looking lawns. Lawns need from one inch to one and a half inches a week. If the soil is good and of adequate depth it is best to apply water twice a week. More water than 1.5 inches will weaken the root system because it slows the movement of oxygen in to the soil and the root require oxygen to survive. When less than an inch of water is applied the soil will dry out between water and the top of the grass will start to go dormant.

The amount of Fertilizer the grass needs depends on how is it used and what you want it to look like, here is a good article on the issue.

The article focused on nitrogen because it is the nutrient the grass needs us to supply the most, the other nutrients you may need to supply are phosphorus and potassium. A soil test will help you determine how much, if any, of these nutrients you need to apply.

Buying A Fruit Tree

How many times have you heard from your friends, “I want to be able to walk out to my back yard and pick my favorite fruit”. There are several things you need to consider before going to the nursery and buying a fruit tree.

·       Climate

·       Size and Spacing

·       Soil Testing

·       Selecting

·       Planting

·       Watering

·       Pollenating

·       Harvesting

Climate

Select fruit trees that will work well with Idaho’s zone 6 weather. Cold hardiness determines the minimum temperature that tree can tolerate. The United States Department of Agriculture has developed a system that gives information about the average minimum temperatures in a defined area. Microclimates may be warmer or colder and can impact tree survival and performance. Viewing such websites as Idaho Average Last Frost Date will help in planting.

Size and Spacing

Colorado State University Extension has a good chart on typical size of fruit trees.

There are three sizes available for fruit trees; dwarf (8 to 10 feet), semi-dwarf (10 to 20 feet), and full size (20 feet or over). Dwarf and semi-dwarf make harvesting easier. Fruit trees require good drainage, full sun, and soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Trees do not do as well when located within your lawn.

Soil Test

Soil test helps to determine what nutrients are in the soil and which ones are low.

·       Nutrient levels – i.e. nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca),

·       Soil pH

·       Organic matter

For more information on soil visit Idaho Master Gardener resources Chapter 5: Soils and Fertilizers.

Selecting Fruit Trees

You should always buy your trees from a reputable nursery. Tony McCammon of University of Idaho recommends the following fruit trees for home orchards. The links for the various fruit varieties are for information only and does not endorse any nursery. Each tree has its own characteristics. These websites will give you the general information to deciding which variety is for you.

o   “Apples: Earligold, State Fair, McIntosh, Haralred

o   Pears: Summercrisp, Moonglow, Gourmet, Luscious, Flemish Beauty

o   Cherries:

§  Tart: Meteor, Montmorency, NorthStar

§  Sweet: Stella, Rainier, Kristin

o   Peaches: Reliance, Elberta

o   Plums: Mount Royal, Stanley, Methley”

Planting a Fruit Tree

The best time to plant a tree is during the dormant season. What type of root system will your tree have; bare root, container, balled and burlapped? Each root system has a difference in the way it is planted. The Arbor Day Foundation has instructions for each root system.

·       Bare Root are not confined and they have a quicker start in growing.

·       Container limit root spread. Be careful not to buy root that circle the tree ball. The roots will need to be cut and will slow growth and stress the tree.

·       Balled and Burlapped it is important to remove the burlap before planting, otherwise the burlap can cause serious harm to the tree.

Figure 6 Planting Summary

Colorado State University Extension, CMG GardenNotes #636  

Watering Trees

Over watering can slow root growth, remove nitrogen and sulfur, and create an environment for crown and collar rots. Under water leads to slow root development. Soil test will indicate what soil type you have and how much water the soil can absorb at a time. When checking your tree moisture level, check not only the backfill, but the root-ball soil. It will take about 1 year for the tree roots to become established. Below is a chart from Colorado State University Extension, GardenNotes #635, table 1.

Click to enlarge.

What is a tree caliper?

“A tree’s caliper measurement refers to the diameter of the tree’s trunk. Therefore, a 3-inch caliper tree has a trunk that is 3 inches across. A tree caliper is commonly used to calculate this measurement, especially for trees that do not have very large diameters.” 
https://www.reference.com/science/caliper-measurement-tree-e54c2db310afa001

Pollinating

There are 3 ways that a fruit tree can be pollenated.

o   Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the male to the female flower. Some trees need another species pollen.

§  Example: Bartlett pears needs pollination with a Bosc or Anjou pear.

o   Pollinators are your insects that fly from flower to flower.

§  Example: Honey bees, Mason, Blue Orchard bees, etc…

o   Self-Pollinating tree does not need another to complete the pollination.

§  Example: Reliance Peach

Harvesting

Harvesting depends on several things. How old is your tree and it depends on the fruit tree? Do not expect fruit for the first 2 years and if any fruit does appear in the first year remove the fruit.  You want all the nutrition going to the roots.  The Idaho Preferred Products Calendar will give you approximate harvest month. Each fruit tree has a harvest time.  Check the characteristics of the fruit when buying your tree, for example, Reliance Peach ripens in early August.