Author: Zidack, Heather

It’s Spring! Time to Feed the Plants!

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By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Plants need nutrients to grow and develop just like we need vitamins and minerals. They get most of their nutrients dissolved in the water they take up with their roots. When we add fertilizer to the soil around our garden plants, we are adding vital plant nutrients.

Native Connecticut soils are typically low in pH and low in nutrients. Our native plants have adapted to our native soils but most of our garden plants are not from around here. Zinnias and tomatoes are from South America, bluegrass lawns and lilacs hail from Europe and rhododendrons from Asia. Our native soils may not supply the nutrients they need so it is up to us to do so.

Of course, the best way to know which nutrients and how much to add is with a soil test. April is a very busy month at the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab (www.soiltesting.cahnr.uconn.edu) but there is still time to get your soil tested before planting.

Without soil test recommendations, always follow the directions on the fertilizer package. Applying too much can injure your plants plus excessive nitrogen and phosphorus can wind up in our waterways. Before fertilizing, calculate out the square footage of your garden or lawn. You don’t need to measure exactly; you can measure a pace and then walk down the length and across the width of your gardens to get a rough estimate of area. For odd-shaped beds or lawns, break them down into more square, oval or rectangular areas and add them up.

All fertilizers come with 3 numbers on the package denoting the percent, on a dry weight basis, of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitogen promotes green, leafy growth, phosphorus encourages fruits and roots, and potassium is for all round health and tolerance to stresses like drought, cold and disease. So, fertilizers with a higher nitrogen number would be most appropriate for turf grasses, trees and shrubs, while ones higher in phosphorus are generally used in vegetable and flower gardens.

Adding fertilizer to perennials with a watering can and a hand rake.
Fertilizer spread around a perennial. Photo by dmp2024

Whether you select a synthetic or natural organic fertilizer is a matter of personal choice. Both are beneficial to plants. For annual plantings, whether vegetable or flowers, it would be ideal to mix the fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil. That’s where most of the roots will be so it makes sense that the nutrients they need are there too. Put down the fertilizer, as well as any limestone or other amendments shortly before planting. Long season annuals, like tomatoes, pumpkins and marigolds would appreciate a second application of fertilizer, referred to as side dressing, about 2 months after the first one.

As you are cleaning up your perennial beds and see the new shoots popping through the soil, add some fertilizer around plants and carefully scratch it in. Do the same for bulbs. It is harder to fertilize if the beds are heavily mulched. Not much fertilizer spread on top of mulch will make it to the plant roots. Rake or pull away the mulch, sprinkle some fertilizer directly to the soil around your plants and replace the mulch.

For trees and shrubs, fertilizer should be spread under the whole canopy as a healthy root system will grow at least as wide as the branches and perhaps even more so. Do your best to remove the mulch before fertilizing. Typically trees and shrubs are fertilized once a year in the spring. Once they have reached their mature size, often the fertilizer is cut down to half rate as woody plants can recycle many of the nutrients they need.

Lawns can be fertilized now but pay attention to the moisture level of the soil. With all the rain that we have been experiencing, the soil is pretty soggy in spots. Stay off wet soils as they will become compacted. Most lawns do well with just a spring and fall application of fertilizer. If the clippings are left down, they supply nutrients plus add organic matter to the soil. Be sure to set your spreader on the proper setting.

If you have questions about fertilizing or if you have any other gardening questions, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education at (877) 486-6271 or www.homegarden.cahnr,uconn.edu or your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Watch for Bulb Diseases

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Dr. Nick Goltz, UConn Home & Garden Education Center; UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab

Gardens in New England come to life in spring thanks, in large part, to bulbs! Spring bulbs are reliable, perennial color-bringers and seem equally at home in landscapes and containers. Daffodils (Narcissus spp.), grape hyacinth (Muscari spp.), and tulips (Tulipa spp.), are just some of the bulb plants that grace our gardens this time of year, and they remind us that the blooms of summer alliums aren’t far behind. While these plants might seem effortless to grow, they are not without their fair share of disease issues!

Purple streaking and weak root systems associated with Fusarium rot.
Purple streaking and weak root systems are symptoms associated with Fusarium rot. Ed Kurtz, budwood.org

One common disease of bulbs we see here in Connecticut is Fusarium wilt and bulb rot.

Bulbs generally prefer average to loamy soil with good drainage. When planted in clay soils or following long periods of rain in early spring, however, they are susceptible to rot diseases caused by fungal pathogens such as those in the genus Fusarium. The various wilt and rot diseases caused by Fusarium species can be destructive and sometimes difficult to control. Symptoms include wilting, brown lesions at and below the soil line, vascular discoloration, bulbs that are soft or spongey, and, especially with garlic (Allium sativum) and relatives, a purple-red discoloration of bulb tissue. Plants affected by this soil-borne fungal disease do not recover, so it is wise to be proactive with management and prevention.

If your bulb plants do not emerge properly in the spring or emerge but wilt soon after, fail to flower, or display other symptoms associated with root rot diseases, pull them up and throw them away! Fusarium and similar fungal pathogens often survive the winter in the soil on diseased plant tissue from the year before, so it is important to keep your garden clean and to not compost diseased plant tissue, as most home compost bins do not reach temperatures necessary to kill pathogens. Fungi like Fusarium thrive in soggy soils, so do your best to prevent flooding and standing water where bulbs are planted. There are no fungicides that will completely control or eradicate Fusarium in a landscape, but some are helpful with preventing infection of healthy plants. Remember to always wear protective equipment and follow label rates and instructions if you choose to apply fungicides.

Symptoms of tulip fire, Botrytis tulipae, on tulip flower and leaves.
Symptoms of tulip fire, Botrytis tulipae, include leaf spots on leaves and flowers, often with dark boarders resembling burn injury, lending the common name. Sandra Jensen, Cornell University, Bugwood.org

Another common fungal disease of bulbs grown here in the Northeast is Botrytis gray mold or tulip fire. Fungi in the genus Botrytis cause disease symptoms on many different host plants. Though it is often called “gray mold” when associated with other plants, for tulips, the disease is usually called “tulip fire” due to the spots it causes on leaves and flowers, often with dark borders resembling a burn.

Botrytis fungi are very common and are capable saprophytes, meaning they feed on dead or decaying tissue and contribute to nutrient cycling in the environment, but can be problematic in managed landscapes. To cause disease, Botrytis fungi must first colonize and get nutrients from dead or declining plant tissue, such as fading flower petals, over-ripened fruit. Once the fungus is established in its host plant, it becomes more aggressive and invades healthy plant parts, causing brown lesions and decay.

To prevent Botrytis gray mold and tulip fire, try to encourage good airflow around your plants. Many people plant their bulbs closely together, like eggs in a carton, but this can make bulbs susceptible to tulip fire over time when treated as perennials. Dig up your tulips when they appear crowded, and each year when dealing with a potential disease issue. Inspect bulbs before you plant them again, and discard bulbs that are not firm, discolored, or otherwise do not appear healthy. Rotate to new locations and avoid planting consecutively in the same spot if there has been a history of disease there.

If you have questions about growing bulb plants, are dealing with a plant health issue, or regarding other gardening topics, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center by emailing ladybug@uconn.edu. You can also call us at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or contact your local Cooperative Extension center.

Grow Vegetables – Save Money

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By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Lettuce planted in a container.
This lettuce was planted in a container. Photo by dmp2024

Anyone who grocery shops on a regular basis has likely noticed a higher tally at the checkout counter. The latest consumer pricing analysis from the USDA is predicting a 1.3 percent increase in food prices. While we can’t do much to lower the prices, one thing we can do is grow some of our own vegetables and herbs.

The investment in a small 100 square foot or so garden is not large, and one can be assured of healthy, high quality fresh produce. Vegetable gardeners can also control what, if any, types of pesticides are used on the plants. One source suggested that a $70 investment in plants and seeds could produce a harvest worth $600 or more over the growing season. Already having basic garden tools was probably taken for granted.

If yard space is limited or too shaded, consider renting a plot in a community garden, maybe teaming up with a friend trading garden chores for produce, or consider growing in window boxes and other containers. Even small areas provide opportunities to grow your own food. While a head of lettuce can cost $2-3 dollars at the grocery store, for that same amount one can often pick up a cell-pack of 6 lettuce plants and grow them out in a large container, or 6 square feet or so of garden bed.

Starting plants directly in the garden by direct seeding can also offer considerable savings. I picked up a package of mixed lettuce variety seeds for $3.25 that contains 500 seeds. This would enable one to grow multiple succession plantings for at least 2 or 3 years. If stored in a dark, cool, dry spot, many seeds last for at least 2 years if not longer.

Good candidates for direct sowing would be bush or pole beans, lettuce and other green leafy vegetables, radishes, peas, carrots, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, and corn. If they tickle your tastebuds, you can toss in turnips and parsnips.

Some vegetable varieties have greater cold tolerance than others so your peas, radishes, and many green leafy vegetables can usually be planted by the end of this month depending on the weather. In northern parts of Connecticut, it would be good if the soil warms and dries up a bit more.

Other types of vegetables are better to set in the garden as transplants, whether you grow them yourself or purchase them in cell-packs. The main reason for this is twofold. Certain plants, particularly in the brassica family, like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower germinate fine in warm household temperatures but like to be grown cooler than many of us keep our houses and if left in those warm temperatures grow long and leggy instead of short and stocky. So, it’s just easier to purchase healthy, stocky plants grown in a greenhouse to set in the garden or container, although the leggy ones usually catch up.

The second reason why some plants are better purchased as transplants is because vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and leeks have a long growing season – often 80 to 100 days from transplant until they produce harvestable crops. It makes more sense to plant 3- or 4-week-old transplants around Memorial Day so harvesting can start in late July or August. Contrarily, even though some winter squash and pumpkins might take 100 days or so to mature, I typically just direct seed them around Memorial Day because they seem to catch up with transplants, that usually experience a bit of transplant shock, pretty quickly so I don’t feel like I am gaining much by purchasing transplants and more importantly, the particular varieties I prefer are not always available as plants.

Fresh picked roma style tomatoes
This fabulous roma style tomato is an heirloom variety a friend brought from Italy. It makes a fantastic sauce! Photo by dmp2024

Regardless of whether you have a few containers to fill or a large garden, do some research before purchasing seeds or transplants. There are so many different cultivars available so look up variables like days to harvest, disease resistance, cold tolerance, productivity and more. Make notes on how they taste and any problems during the growing season.

When planning your edible plantings, also think about succession sowings, finding out what pest problems to be on the lookout for, last and first frost dates, mature size and space requirements, and days to harvest.

Feel free to contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center with questions on growing vegetables, herbs and other plants or if you have any other gardening questions, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education at (877) 486-6271 or www.homegarden.cahnr,uconn.edu or your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Smart Shopping, Healthy Seedlings and Other April News

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April is for smart shopping at the garden center, Keeping your seedlings healthy & Cleaning your hummingbird feeders!

"Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy plants, and that's the same thing."

- Unknown

Smart Shopping At The Garden Center!

Hanging baskets in a greenhouse
Photo by H.Zidack

This time of year is when the trucks start filling the garden centers with fresh plant material and new varieties! Growers who have been growing their new stock will start to

release their products both in retail and wholesale spaces. We're starting to look closer at what's coming for the new season and dreaming on gardens to come! Here's a few smart shopping tips for going into the garden center this spring!

  • New Varieties are "released" into the grower markets before they hit the retail market. It may still take a couple seasons to make it to your patio! When looking at new material, grower catalogs display what they plan on providing to their customers (garden centers) and therefore are more reliable.
  • Many garden centers order their plants in the fall of the previous year, so availability, especially for new varieties, can be very tight!
  • New introductions usually have been through years of display gardens, trials and other testing conditions to make sure that they will perform well in our zone and climate.
  • Not every garden center will carry every variety available. Many will choose to focus on a select few they've selected for their client base.
  • When substitutions are necessary, select a substitute that will meet your target size, growing conditions and maintenance expectations. Avoid decisions based on physical features alone.
  • Some perennials and flowering shrubs may have been forced to flower early in order to sell this spring. These plants will correct themselves to their "normal" schedule once they complete a season in the ground.
  • Planting your garden in "stages" will help you extend your budget, but it will also give you a chance to see how plants grow into the area.
  • When considering plant size, ask yourself the following questions:
    • Can I handle digging and planting this by myself?
    • How quickly do these plants grow in one season?
    • Am I willing to wait multiple weeks/months/seasons for it to grow in, or do I want instant gratification?

Monrovia New Plants 2024

Prides Corner New Plants 2024

Griffin: New Varities For 2024

Proven Winners 2024 Flipbook

Keeping Your Seedlings Healthy

Seedlings under a grow light
Photo by H.Zidack

In February, March, or even April we're starting seeds. Gardeners spend a lot of time and energy in picking out the right lights, creating the ideal conditions, and helping those seedlings get the right start. We're here to tell you keep up the enthusiasm! Here are few tips to keep your seedlings in good shape until you're ready to plant.

  • Maintain a consistent moisture across all cells.
  • Don't be afraid to thin or transplant seedlings into slightly larger cups or containers once true leaves are showing.
  • Maintain light! The height of your grow lights may need to be adjusted after germination to keep seedlings reaching for sunlight.
  • Air circulation is crucial! Consider using a fan on a low setting to keep air moving and to help strengthen young stems.

Read More Tips for Keeping Your Seedlings Healthy

Clean Hummingbird Feeders for Healthy Hummingbirds

Red-Throated Hummingbird
Photo by allaboutbirds.org

Each spring, ruby-throated hummingbirds embark on their annual migration north to Connecticut from Mexico. These migratory journeys, which can span hundreds or thousands of miles, require immense preparation and a shocking amount of energy from these small birds - the smallest in the world. Their spring migration north is a solitary journey with the goal of getting to their breeding grounds early enough to claim the best feeding territories. They will be very hungry and in need of nourishment when they arrive. Putting out feeders in anticipation of their arrival- early April- will help with their transition until the flowers are in bloom. Proper care of the feeders will ensure these little birds stay happy and healthy during their stay until they begin their migration south in the fall.

Care & Maintenance of Hummingbird Feeders

Hummingbird Central: Spring Migration Map 2024

Native Plant Highlight: Red Trillium

Red Trillium
Photo by Pamm Cooper

Also known as red wakerobin, Trillium erectum is a native plant that blooms in late April. The rather putrid-smelling flowers are pollinated by flies. Found in open deciduous woodlands, it is often found among bloodroot, ramps and violets. Flowers vary in color, sometimes being green, white or pale red. Moths may also visit the flowers.

Learn More About Red Trillium

Be On the Lookout: Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Photo by Pamm Cooper

Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) is a large brush foot butterfly that overwinters in its mature form. It is one of the first butterflies seen in late winter- early spring and are sometimes seen flying on warm winter days. Seldom visitors to flowers, these butterflies lap tree sap, dung, mud and ripe fruit. Caterpillars are found mostly on willows and elms living in communal groups in silken shelters. Look for them when willows begin leafing out. These butterflies may be the longest living ones in North America.

Learn More about the Mourning Cloak Butterfly

The CT Native Tree & Shrub List Has Been Updated for 2024!

UConn Extension and CT DEEP Wildlife Division have released an updated list of CT native plant selections and businesses that grow and/or sell these plants! We shared the 2023 list last month. See below for the updated list for 2024. One of the biggest updates is that the list now also includes native perennials!

2024 Connecticut Native Perennial, Tree & Shrub Availability List

Blueberry Growers: Prevent Mummy Berry This Spring

UConn Extension's Fruit Expert, Evan Lentz, has advice for people that had blueberry mummy berry problems last year: " I’ve seen Forsythia beginning to bloom already. This means that we need to make sure to get down a 2-4” layer of mulch on our blueberries if you haven’t done so already. Forsythia bloom times coincide with the maturity of the overwintering spores that are currently on the ground under your bushes. We are a bit away from having the conditions required for infection (50-62°F) which makes this the perfect time to apply that mulch."

Mummy Berry of Blueberry

April 2024 Weather Outlook

A seasoned gardener always keeps their eye to the sky at any time of year! NOAA's National Weather Service released their discussion about how weather patterns in April will continue to lead us into spring! 

April Temperature Outlook Precipitation Outlook Map

 

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

Picking Daffodils in a field

  • Connecticut Audubon Walks- there are many walks scheduled around Connecticut for the month of April. The website also has Audubon centers and Ct. sanctuary sites. Late April is also the start of the spring bird census.
  • Sky's the Limit Hiking Challenge - Hosted by CT Parks & CT DEEP. March 22, 2024 - December 6, 2024
  • Pick your own Daffodils or Tulips!
    • Halfinger Farms- pick your own daffodils at this historic 1790 property on Candlewood Hill Road in Higganum. They recommend calling first for picking status- 860-345-4609.
    • Wicked Tulips, Multiple locations.  Check out their bloom reports for details of each location.
  • Total Solar Eclipse -  April 8th, 2024 - View details about where, when, and how much coverage we will see! 
  • Colorblends Spring Bulb Garden display - Bridgeport, CT. April 1- May 12. Features spring bulbs like snowdrops, crocus, daffodils, tulips, alliums and others that bloom in sequence. Located in Bridgeport. 
  • Visit Historic Homes and Gardens in Connecticut- Visit gardens and homes like the Henry Whitfield Museum in Guilford, Leffingwell House and Norwich, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme and the Rosewood Cottage in Woodstock, among many others.

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

    April Gardening Tips

    1. Apply pre-emergent crabgrass weed control when soil temperatures reach 50°F. Use a tool like this soil temperature map to track your timing. Do not use a pre-emergent weed control if you are trying to germinate grass seed.

    2. Place peony supports.

    3. Freezing temperatures don’t harm pansies, but if they have been grown in a greenhouse they should be gradually exposed to outdoor temperatures before planting. Frosts and freezing temperatures can damage delicate flowers. 

    4. A new generation of spongy moth and eastern tent caterpillars will hatch in late April and begin feeding on the leaves of many tree species. Remove and destroy any egg masses you find on your trees.

    5. Cut ornamental grasses back to a height of 6 inches before new growth appears.

    6. Set up a bat house early in the month to encourage them to roost. Visit the DEEP’s Bats fact sheet for information and bat house plans.

    7. When filling large containers for the deck or patio, use less soil by creating a false bottom. Most smaller container plants don't need more than about a foot of soil depth for their roots. Keep the plant in a smaller pot that is supported by an inverted pot or rocks.

    8. Start dahlia tubers in pots indoors in a cool, bright spot. Cover tuberous roots with 2 to 3 inches of potting mix. Pinch back tips when they reach 6 inches and transplant outdoors when the ground temperature reaches 60° F.

    9. Inspect houseplants for pests and use low-toxicity insecticidal controls as needed. Transplant houseplants that need repotting.

    10. Place seedlings in cold frames around April 25 or later to harden off.

     

    Did You Know...

    This year, a company called Light Bio received approval to produce and sell glow in the dark petunias! Scientists were able to genetically engineer a petunia with the genes of a bioluminescent mushroom to create this fascinating plant!

    Flowers are white in daylight, and in the dark the fastest growing parts of the plants will give off a soft glow. 

    Bioluminescent petunias show their daytime white color and their nighttime "glow" in this potted example.

    Photo by Light Bio

    This Month’s Newsletter Contributors: 
    Pamm Cooper, Dr. Nick Goltz, Dawn Pettinelli, Marie Woodward, Heather Zidack 

     

    Sensational Sansevieria

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    By Dr. Matthew Lisy, UConn Adjunct Faculty

    A group of different kinds of Sansevieria in front of a window.
    A small portion of the author’s Sansevieria collection enjoying some sun (photo by M. Lisy).

    The Sansevieria group make up some of my favorite houseplants. Scientists recently placed them in the genus Dracaena, but its former scientific name seems to be also one of its common names.  This plant has many common names including “snake plant” and my personal favorite “mother-in-law’s tongue”. Like many varieties of houseplant, there are some staples that have been around for decades, some newer species that have come to market, and some really interesting cultivars.

    These plants have a rhizome, and the leaves grow from the base of your pot. They are very prolific when they like their environment. In fact, they tend to break the pots they are in, so I would recommend using plastic pots, which their growth will eventually deform. If you want to use a clay or ceramic pot, I suggest putting them in a slightly smaller plastic pot, then putting that in the clay pot. You can hide the gap between the two pots with Spanish moss. Being native to Africa, they cannot tolerate cold temperatures. Typical household temperatures work well, but avoid anything below 55 degrees F.
    Their upright growth habit allows the grower to have many varieties in a small area.

    Overwatering is the quickest way to kill any houseplant, but especially so with these. In the winter, you probably only want to water once a month, and sparingly at that. Do not let them get soggy or this otherwise hardy plant will rot. In the warmer months when the plant is actively growing, allow the soil to dry between waterings, but then water more liberally. These plants have the reputation of being a low light plant, which they certainly can handle. Sometimes people place them in the darkest corner where they hang on for a few months, but then eventually run out of stored resources and die. Remember they do need some light to photosynthesize so bright indirect light is best. The other problem I have seen is their unique, flat leaves can become covered in dust. Either dust them manually, use a blower, or take them outside in warm weather and hose them off.

    Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hi Color’
    Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hi Color’ is a highly variable hybrid variety with a lot of yellow (photo by M. Lisy).

    The Sansevieria group can be divided into two types, those with flat leaves and those with cylindrical leaves. Of those groups, there are species that grow tall and some that grow short.

    The tall ones make great floor plants while the shorter ones do well when placed on a table. All varieties are fairly easy to propagate. My favorite way is to let the plant grow, and then divide them during repotting; this looks the best in my opinion. If you want more plants quicker, you can take leaf cuttings. Either dip in rooting hormone and replant, or you can place the cuttings in water to take root (change the water daily for best results).

    Most of us are familiar with the green and dark green snake plant, as well as the gold edged version. There are some absolutely stunning new varieties on the market today that have selected for any of those colors. For example, there is one called “Moonshine,’ which has no pattern in the leaf at all, instead being pale green. Another interesting one is called ‘Hi Color,’ which has more yellow than green in the leaves. There are others that are selected for their rather dark green hue that approaches black in color. One of my new favorites is a different species called Sansevieria masoniana, commonly referred to as “whale tail”, “shark fin”, or some combination thereof.  No matter which one you choose, you really cannot go wrong with these plants. They are readily available at most garden and home centers, so why not pick one up and brighten up your home?

    For your gardening questions, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension center.

    Spring Gardening & Houseplants on CRIS Radio

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    CRIS Radio: Focal Point 3/22/2024

    Heather Zidack from the UConn Home & Garden Education Center talks to host, Stephen Thal, about spring gardening, UConn services, and houseplants.

    Transcript

    00:00:00 Stephen Thal 

    Hi, welcome to another segment on Focal point. This is Stephen Thal and I'm going to be your host for today's program. 

    00:00:09 Stephen Thal 

    But before we get into it, I just want to remind if any of our listeners have any suggestions for future programming. Please call CRIS Radio at 860-527-8000 and leave your suggestions here and they'll pass them on to me and we'll try to get them for future programs. 

    00:00:28 Stephen Thal 

    So today we're going to be getting some great information on horticulture plants that have done a lot for people and here to help us out is Heather Zidack and she's the horticulture consultant for the UConn Program at the University of Connecticut and it's the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture. So welcome, Heather. 

    00:01:03 Heather Zidack 

    Thank you so much for having me today. 

    00:01:06 Stephen Thal 

    Yeah. Today I'm going to learn as much as most of our listeners cause this is a program I used to use many years ago when I had a garden, but it's been so long, I'm sure there's been a lot of new changes going on right now. 

    00:01:20 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah, there's been a lot of new trends in gardening and the Home and Garden Education Center here at UConn has done a lot to help Connecticut gardeners with all sorts of problems that they've had, you know, plant identification, bug identification and also just we get pictures of plants all the time that say what's going on to help people kind of troubleshoot their issues as well as a lot of the things that we put out to help gardeners. 

    00:01:45 Heather Zidack 

    So. Everybody in our office loves gardening and we're here to help. 

    00:01:50 Stephen Thal 

    Yeah, that's great. It sounds like we're going through one of the health programs to viral. 

    00:01:55 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. Yeah. We really enjoy what we do here and there's a few of us in the office. We work with the UConn Soil Lab, the UConn Plant Diagnostic lab and the extension program with Master Gardeners. So we have all the - all the resources to help people figure out what they want for plants if they're trying to figure out finding the right plant for them and also what to do once they have them. So I think it will be a good thing to talk about today what we like about gardening. 

    00:02:24 Stephen Thal 

    Ok. Because I think that you're making plants sound like people with the individual personalities.

    00:02:31 Heather Zidack 

    Sometimes they are a lot of times people you know, they say gardening has so many benefits. They say plants are the new pets, right? That's one of the things that I've been hearing. And with that it's something that a lot of people have found to be very beneficial though. 

    00:02:46 Heather Zidack 

    Through there's actually programs of horticultural therapy out there. They found that it improved physical and mental health. It can reduce stress, improve your mood, it can even help with blood pressure and muscle tension. Not to mention it's great exercise to be outside with your plants. 

    00:03:02 Stephen Thal 

    And I'm sure the same is similar somewhat with plants inside the home. 

    00:03:07 Heather Zidack 

    Absolutely. People that have plants inside their home. Found benefits of, you know, cleaning air quality and things like that, but also it's great to just have your plants there, a lot of people, myself included talk to their plants every Sunday when they water or whatever it is and it's just nice to have a little bit of green especially in these cold winter months. 

    00:03:29 Stephen Thal 

    Oh yeah, and I'm sure by doing that you end up benefiting in the long run. 

    00:03:34 Heather Zidack 

    Absolutely, it's a great thing to have. You know, if sometimes it is kind of like having someone to talk to. As silly as that is, we have a plant here in the office. Named Harry and it's a Fern. And we take care of it all the time. And we're always seeing how he's doing and if he's gotten any bigger, it is kind of like having a pet. 

    00:03:54 Stephen Thal 

    Well, let's learn a little bit about the home and garden program, the Education Center. 

    00:03:58 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. So at the at the home and Garden Education Center, one of the big things that we do is not only answer questions with horticultural advice, but we also do kind of put out fact sheets. We have a blog, we have social media where people can learn tips and tricks throughout the week about gardening. 

    00:04:18 Heather Zidack 

    And with all of the questions that we've had come in, I thought it would be a great chance for me to share with you some of the common questions we're getting right now, especially about house plants.

    00:04:29 Stephen Thal 

    OK.

    00:04:37 Heather Zidack 

    So one of the first questions that that comes along at this time of year is common signs of stress and what to do? 

    00:04:38 Heather Zidack 

    So sometimes at this point in the year, your plants not looking so well maybe and I've done this before, you've forgotten to water it for a couple of weeks over the winter or even over the summer. And the initial response is to love it and give it more water and give it attention. And when we start to baby them sometimes we can actually over water. And then it doesn't look like it's getting better because what often happens is plants can only communicate in one way, and that way is through wilting. So when it wilts, it could be that it needs more water, or it could be that it's getting too much water. So the best way to learn which one it is is to know the species of your plant. And you also need to take a look at the soil itself and feel it if it feels like it's too wet. If it feels like something, you wouldn't want to stick your hand in. It's probably too wet for the plant, and so that's some ways that you can kind of work through that issue. And try to make sure that you're not over watering, especially when something's dried out for too long. 

    00:05:43 Stephen Thal 

    So in terms of the soil lab, when do you send the soil up to you people to evaluate? 

    00:05:50 Heather Zidack 

    So our soil lab, they take samples for a lot of outdoor things instead of the house plants. But the best time to do it is either in the spring or in fall. If you do it in the fall. Sometimes there can be a little bit quicker of a turn around time because it's not on as many people's minds. 

    00:06:06 Heather Zidack 

    So that's the pro tip right there. If you send it in now, you do get a response and they give you all sorts of information about nutrition as well as how much you might need to put onto the soil to help it get back to that optimal level. So it's a good way to find out what you need and what you have. 

    00:06:25 Stephen Thal 

    We'll be giving the address and everything towards the end of the program as to where they can send it. 

    00:06:30 Heather Zidack 

    Yes, I can do that absolutely. 

    00:06:32 Stephen Thal 

    How do you do plant diagnostics? 

    00:06:35 Heather Zidack 

    So plant diagnostics is a is a fascinating thing that not everybody knows that we have here the way that it really works out well is people send in their plant samples. And sometimes something will look sick or it will be caused by something other than the environment. And it's hard for us to see that with our eyes. And sometimes we need to send in that sample to see what it is going on inside the plant. So our plant diagnostic lab does all sorts of microscope work. They do a lot of chemical tests and strip tests for different diseases of the plants, and they also they know what to look for with symptoms and location and are able to advise. Kind of. The next steps to take if you do have something that's diseased, we help out both commercially and homeowners themselves to learn what's going on with the tree, what's going on with the shrub, what's going on with crops that are being grown, and how to how to manage them. So it's a really cool thing that we have here as well and I can give you their contact information too. 

    00:07:42 Stephen Thal 

    How about the UConn extension Master Gardeners program? 

    00:07:47 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. The UConn Master Gardener program is also a really good resource. One of the benefits that they have is that there is an extension office in every county of Connecticut and you're able to connect with a master gardener. They are a group of individuals who every year there's a new class. They go through a training program and learn how to become a master gardener. And they learn a lot of the things that we talk about here in home and garden as well, where it's soil conditions and plant selection and how plants grow. They learn all of those different things. 

    00:08:26 Heather Zidack 

    And they actually work with the public to help them understand them as well as part of a community outreach project that they each have to do. So it's a great program for people in Connecticut to either, if they love gardening, to pursue it further and get that master gardening title for themselves. Or to go to as a resource. And like I said, it's great that there's one in every county in the state. 

    00:08:52 Stephen Thal 

    Well, that's good. So how do you find their number? 

    00:08:56 Heather Zidack 

    So they actually go through UConn Extension Master gardener. You can find their website and you can find it through that or I can give you their number as well. 

    00:09:08 Stephen Thal

    Ok. Why don't we take a break and let's give out some of the phone numbers for these programs we just talked about?

    00:09:15 Heather Zidack 

    Fantastic. 

    00:09:16 Stephen Thal 

    OK, so the first program would be soil samples. 

    00:09:21 Heather Zidack 

    Yes. So our soil lab can be reached at 860-486-4274, 860-486-4274. That's for the soil nutrient analysis laboratory. 

    00:09:40 Stephen Thal 

    Right. And how about the plant diagnostics lab? 

    00:09:44 Heather Zidack 

    So the plant diagnostics lab works with our office as well, and you can call for plant diagnostics or for the Home and Garden Education Center at 860-486-6271, 860-486-6271. 

    00:10:05 Stephen Thal 

    And how about the UConn extension and master gardener? 

    00:10:09 Heather Zidack 

    The Master Gardener program can be reached at 860-486-7178. Again, that's 860-486-7178. 

    00:10:23 Stephen Thal 

    So there you have some phone numbers to call and educate yourself. How to help make your plants stay healthy and to really give you some benefits. I know my wife has found some plants in in the garbage and she's taken them and replenished them. And then now growing great. 

    00:10:44 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah, a lot of people are able to revive plants after they've they've taken a little bit of a hit. It's amazing how forgiving plants can be. Sometimes we see them and they haven't been watered for too long or they're they've been in the wrong condition and it's just a matter of taking care of something. And again, that leads into one of the benefits where there's a sense of pride of I brought this back. Or I've really accomplished something with what I've done, sorry. 

    00:11:12 Stephen Thal 

    Now with plants, I'm just curious, do you have to have good vision to have a plant so you know it's getting in bad shape? 

    00:11:20 Heather Zidack 

    Not necessarily. There are a lot of things that you can learn through feel when you're working with plants. Sometimes if you feel the leaves especially. If you're feeling if you have succulents, for example, there are very popular house plant that people will have on windowsills and in their offices and things like that. And with succulents you can actually tell if they need water by the feel of the leaf. If you pinch a succulent leaf and feel the leaf between your fingers. It's actually, it should feel firm and a little bit smooth to the touch. 

    00:11:58 Heather Zidack 

    If it needs water. They get a little bit squishy and a little bit rubbery, and so that's how, you know, maybe it needs some water. At this point. The other thing that you can do is you can feel the soil to tell if something needs water or not. The other thing that you can do to assess health of a plant is feel the leaves of themselves and if there's ever a crunch, you know that's a bad sign and that there's something going on. Either disease or possibly just watering. And you also can tell the differences you're feeling. If there's been any issues with like chewing marks you can feel a lot of times. Insects will leave a sticky residue so you can tell what's there. So there's a lot of senses other than vision that are involved when it comes to looking at your plants and their health. 

    00:12:45 Stephen Thal 

    Yeah, that's good to know. Because uh, some of our people may not be able to see the plants, but they really enjoy having them around in the house. 

    00:12:56 Heather Zidack 

    Absolutely. It's one of those things that the plants are multi sensory and so we're able to kind of understand them through more than just vision. 

    00:13:06 Stephen Thal

    And you mentioned the word succulent. What are some examples of succulent plants?

    00:13:12 Heather Zidack 

    So a succulent plant is kind of an overarching group. They are all of the ones that love to be in dry conditions a lot of times they are. They are not cactuses but they end up being lumped into that group where they like those drier conditions. They tend to be the ones that look like little rosettes. Or little mounds on the soil that will grow from there. They're very I. I talked about the rubbery texture. They some of them almost don't seem real when you feel or see them because they have this this very strange look to them. So they're a very popular plant because they're so easy to take care of and they're also very unique in their appearance. 

    00:13:57 Stephen Thal 

    This is Stephen Thal and another focal point program and we're interviewing Heather Zidack and she's from the UConn Extension program and we're learning about what that program is all about. There are several programs and we've shared some phone numbers earlier and she's educating us on more and more and how we. And be with the plants, enjoy them and have fun with them. What are some of the other benefits of the plants? 

    00:14:30 Heather Zidack 

    So another great thing with having your plants is like I said, that sense of pride and accomplishment and what you've done or what you've been growing and producing. So it's something that it gets you outside. If you have an outdoor garden or even if you're inside it has you proud of what you've accomplished, some people grow vegetable gardens. And they are so proud of all the produce that they grow and what they're able to do with that. So there is a sense of pride and joy that comes with gardening. There is exercise benefits, there's all sorts of great things that come with working with plants and being part of that. You're connecting with nature. So it's always a great thing to be able to connect back to nature. 

    00:15:14 Stephen Thal 

    And also they have found that it helps people reduce stress. 

    00:15:19 Heather Zidack 

    Yes it can. It can reduce stress. It can reduce blood pressure. It can help with your pulse and help bringing your heart rate down and muscle tension. It's a great way to take a break from everything else you know, being even from personal experience, when I'm able to go out into my own garden or transplant my house plants or plant my seedlings, it's a break from everything else that's going on. We get very busy with our lives and being able to take that break and go garden. 

    00:15:53 Heather Zidack 

    Or go, you know, take 5 minutes to just take a breath and trim some plants. It's a great way to de-stress. 

    00:16:02 Stephen Thal 

    In terms of fertilizers, how do you know which one to use for different plants? 

    00:16:10 Heather Zidack 

    Usually picking a fertilizer can be a little tricky. You have to know what species of plant that you're working with, and then you're able to figure out from there. And that's something that we would be able to help with for sure. 

    00:16:23 Heather Zidack 

    In general terms, plants need three big things to be able to grow. They need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. And so when you're looking at fertilizers, a lot of times you'll see that there are three numbers there and they're always like in increments of five or ten, like it says 5-5-5, 10-10-10, 20-10-20 those are all ratios and a balance of those three main nutrients. Your first number is nitrogen and then phosphorus and then potassium. And in general terms of balanced fertilizer is always the best way to go. 

    00:17:01 Heather Zidack 

    Those different elements can encourage flowering versus root growth versus leaf growth. But when you're trying to take care of the plants that you have, that balanced fertilizer makes sure that you're getting enough fertilizer and enough nutrients to the plant in a balanced way. 

    00:17:21 Heather Zidack 

    Our clients that go through our soil lab, they get specific recommendations based on what they have for soil and what they're looking to grow. 

    00:17:31 Stephen Thal 

    Let's take a look at some of the common questions you get from your constituents. So what are some of the common signs of stress and what to do? 

    00:17:41 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. So with stress, with plants, it's one of those things where like I said they have-They only have one way to communicate, and that's through wilting. They can change color as well, but wilting is really that big flag of communication and so they can wilt if they're overwatered, they can wilt If they're underwatered. They will also change colors at times and so that makes it difficult for us sometimes to know what's going on. 

    00:18:09 Heather Zidack 

    When you're looking at stress, if you have a plant that is wilting, or if you have a plant that is feeling spongy like I had mentioned before, it doesn't feel like it's firm. And the way that it should be, the first thing you want to look at is watering, so make sure that you have enough water in the soil. It's not too dry, it's not too wet. That's a good thing to start with. Additionally, you can start looking at the conditions around it. So one of the things is sometimes you. 

    00:18:40 Heather Zidack 

    Look at it and you think would I be happy sitting in this spot? So is it getting enough light? Is it getting a draft from the window near it because it's getting a little bit colder than it should be. A lot of house plants that we have come from tropical regions and so they want to be warm. They want to be they want to have a little bit of humidity and they want to have the right amount of water so. Taking a look at them and saying is this the spot for this plant is a way to kind of look at the stress and manage it. 

    00:19:13 Stephen Thal 

    What are some of the other questions that people are asking in terms of the plant itself? 

    00:19:19 Heather Zidack 

    Another question that we get a lot of the time is the question of “is it dead?” We get pictures of plants and people are worried that they have killed their house, plant or even sometimes plants outside. And one of the things with plants that you need to be aware of is that some of them can go through a process called dormancy. It's a lot like hibernating in the winter, and when they go through dormancy. You notice this with trees outside. They drop their leaves, they get kind of gray looking. They don't look like there's a lot of life in them. And so in that dormant state, one of the ways that we can see if they still have life in them is to go ahead and scratch the surface of the stem. 

    00:20:07 Heather Zidack 

    And if you are able to see it, you'll see that there's some green or whitish tissue in there, and that that means that there's life in the stem. Still, if you struggle to see it, you should feel a difference and that it will catch on your fingernail instead of just being a dry break. And so if you feel that where it's catching. Then it's actually there is some life there and it means that it's going to come back from dormancy now, that's where things with woody stems. If there's plants that are dying back all the way to the ground, it's really hard to tell. Is it dormant or is it not? And a lot of times, we recommend just giving it time.  

    00:20:46 Heather Zidack 

    Sometimes plants nap a little bit longer than others, and so it's really important to give them their time to make sure that they've come out of dormancy. This goes for both house plants as well as plants in the ground. There are some perennials here in Connecticut that don't even start waking up until after Memorial Day in May and so give it time. Have a little patience. There might be some life there. It's just a matter of waiting for it to come back. 

    00:21:14 Stephen Thal 

    I think another question is do you have recommendations of house plants? 

    00:21:18 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah, another. That's another question that we get a lot and it's different recommendations of what to grow for varieties. And so I actually have a list here for you of house plants that have varieties and texture, scent, color and movement because who wants to have just green plants around, right? We have so much selection now in the plant world that it's really awesome that we can bring some interest into our plants. One of the first ones that I always love to recommend is it's called a prayer plant or a calathea. What they do is they will either curl their leaves or bend them up and down depending on what time of day it is. So. 

    00:22:02 Heather Zidack 

    It adds a little movement. They tend to have a lot of bright colors to them. My personal favorite is called rattlesnake calathea. And it has some really big spots on it. Purple underside to the leaf, and it'll actually fold its leaves straight up in the air at night, and then during the day those leaves will come down to get the sunlight. So it's really cool to add some movement. Another thing that people like to do is they have some scent in their house plants, so adding scented geraniums, those are a type of geranium. 

    00:22:39 Heather Zidack 

    It's related to the ones that we see all year in the summer. However, it's different in its flower and also in its scent. When you touch it and move the leaves you get a really nice scent out of them. Some are peppermint, they have apple, they have lemon, they have all sorts of different geranium scents, so if you start looking for scented geraniums, that's a really cool way to add some fragrance into your house plant garden. Another really good plant to have is the sensitive plant. It's as its name says, it's a little sensitive and that whenever you touch it, it will recoil and those leaves will drop right down. And it takes maybe 10-15 minutes for them to recover and open, back up and then they will do it again. 

    00:23:28 Heather Zidack 

    The sensitive plant is a really cool thing that I used when I was working in the garden center. We would use it in fairy gardens and children absolutely loved to be able to touch it and have it actually move. It brought more life to that little garden that they created. Another one is called the Chenille plant. 

    00:23:48 Heather Zidack 

    Where it has fuzzy fuzzy flowers, they feel like little rabbit feet and they are bright red so you can grow it as a hanging basket. You can grow it in a little pot as a house plant where you can put it outside during the summer. So it's a really versatile plant that adds some texture and brightness and like I said, they're very fuzzy. It's one of the wildest ones that I've seen. There's another called a Tricolor Stromanthe that is green, cream, and pink and the leaves have different colors all year long. So it's another nice way to get away from just green house plants. And then lastly, the other one that is a good conversation starter at the very least. 

    00:24:29 Heather Zidack 

    Is the carnivorous plants or the cacti that can add interest and they can add texture and it's just like I said, a conversation piece of “Wow, what is that?” And it's a Venus Flytrap that will close up when touched by flies. Or there are some pitcher plants out there that also attract insects that are carnivorous as well. So it's just a cool way to add something to your collection that's not just green and it adds texture and scents and really involves all the. 

    00:25:00 Stephen Thal 

    And we have a few minutes left in our program and I was wondering if you could make suggestions on where people can buy plants and how they can tell they're making sure they're getting a good plant without disease, without flies or whatever else. 

    00:25:14 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. 

    00:25:17 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. So we always recommend shopping local when possible. And so there are independent garden centers in the state that offer a wide selection of plants. However, there's also a lot of hardware stores and box stores that you can get good material at as well. 

    00:25:35 Heather Zidack 

    When you're looking for your plants, it's the plant itself that you want to make sure it's healthy, more so than where you're shopping. So taking a look, feeling that soil, like I said, if it's bone dry, chances are it hasn't been watered in a minute. And maybe that could affect the plant itself. 

    00:25:55 Heather Zidack 

    Use some of those senses that I've talked about previously where you're feeling the leaves and feeling for some crunch. Or really if they're succulents, getting a feel of that leaf to make sure that you're aware of what it feels like. Some people will bring home plants to rescue. But if you want a nice lush plant, start with that. Don't look at something and feel like oh man, this is a little bit rough and I could save it if you want to start strong, start with a plant that is healthy. There's no spots, there's no tears. 

    00:26:27 Heather Zidack 

    If you feel any chew marks, if you're able to see the roots, sometimes you see roots growing out of the pot. Check that they're not black and mushy. Make sure that they're white and firm. 

    00:26:41 Heather Zidack 

    And really, most plants from from garden centers are going to be in pretty good shape and they'll thrive with care. So really it's about the plant and make sure it's healthy when you start and then just do your best to take care of it once you get it home. 

    00:26:56 Stephen Thal 

    And I noticed that there are a couple of areas that we didn't mention quickly, like herbs are good to do. 

    00:27:02 Heather Zidack 

    Yes, yeah, herbs are great. 

    00:27:06 Heather Zidack 

    If you're doing, especially if you're doing a container garden or raised bed gardens, herbs are really great to mix with your flowers. The nice thing is that herbs will add a little bit of scent and use. You can actually harvest them and use them in your cooking in addition to the container plants that you have. So we recommend that with a lot of outdoor containers, more so than indoor. However, if you're growing herbs indoor, just grow them separately from your other house plants. 

    00:27:37 Stephen Thal 

    And also the sunlight is important too, because some plants don't like sunlight all the time. Some do. 

    00:27:44 Heather Zidack 

    Right. Yes. So sunlight is one that can be tricky too, and I explained that if you think about if you've had a cat and you understand how cats behave, plants can kind of feel the same way. So anything that requires direct sun or full sun. 

    00:28:00 Heather Zidack 

    If you think about a cat laying in the sun on a on a nice warm day and it's right in the window where it can get that sun. That's what direct sun is. It has to be in contact with the leaves for six hours a day or more. If anything asks for indirect sun, that means that the sunlight doesn't directly contact the leaves but it likes to be able to be somewhere that it can see that light for six hours or so a day. That's kind of like your cat that sits near the window and watches, but maybe that spot in the direct sun is a little too warm for him. So he shifts over a little bit. 

    00:28:37 Heather Zidack 

    And then you have shade and with shade. The sun does not make contact with the leaves at all. That's kind of your cat that's going to hang out on the couch and doesn't care too much about being near the window at all. So that's a really good way to remember direct sun, indirect sun and shade is kind of where does that cat like to hang out? 

    00:28:56 Heather Zidack 

    It's kind of funny, but it works. 

    00:28:58 Stephen Thal

    Do you have any final recommendations for our listeners?

    00:29:02 Heather Zidack 

    My biggest recommendation is to just get out there and garden. You know, we talked today about some of the best benefits of gardening and working with plants. And don't be afraid. It's one of those things that's really great to do. And don't say I don't have a green thumb. You can do it. You just need to maybe get a little bit of advice and we can offer that here at the garden Home and Garden Education Center, but maybe you just need to do it and say I did it, so get out there and garden. 

    00:29:35 Stephen Thal

    Heather, why don't you leave your phone number in case people want to talk to you directly.

    00:29:41 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. So I can be reached at the Home and Garden Education Center and my number here is 860-486-6271, 860-486-6271. 

    00:29:57 Stephen Thal 

    It has been very interesting. We've given out a lot of information and we hope that our listeners will take you up on it, call you and if they need more information. Ohh. One other thing I forgot to ask, is there a cost involved for the soil samples and all this sort of thing? 

    00:30:14 Heather Zidack 

    So for soil samples there is a cost. 

    00:30:17 Heather Zidack 

    For our plant diagnostic lab, if a sample needs to be submitted, there is a cost. However, working with the UConn and home and Garden Education Center, our advice is free and we will also if you if clients e-mail us pictures, we can kind of take a look and get the ball rolling and sometimes we can we can make a determination from a picture, so advice that comes out of the office that I'm in is free. 

    00:30:41 Stephen Thal

    We appreciate your coming on and we'd love to get you back in the fall. So give us a call, call me like in August.

    00:30:49 Heather Zidack 

    Yeah. Thank you for having me. 

    00:30:50 Stephen Thal 

    And let's see if we can get you back in, whether you come in September or October, you let me know and we'll work it out with the studio in terms of, yeah, having you get involved. 

    00:31:00 Heather Zidack 

    That would be great. Thank you for having me. 

    00:31:02 Stephen Thal 

    Yeah, it's a pleasure. You know, we try to cover a wide range of things for our listeners and we know that some of our programs really move the people forward and get some things done that they like. 

    00:31:14 Heather Zidack 

    That's fantastic. Yeah. 

    00:31:16 Stephen Thal 

    So we want to thank you. This is Stephen Thall with another segment on focal point. We want to thank everyone for allowing us into your homes. Couple of last minute comments first. 

    00:31:25 Stephen Thal 

    Please wear your sunglasses and a hat during these days when you're outside with the sun because it's protects your eyes and the second thing is develop an emergency plan at home and practice it. And when you're traveling, make sure that you go to places where there's at least two exits. So in case one is blocked, you can get out the other door. 

    00:31:48 Stephen Thal 

    So again, thank you all for listening. Stay safe, stay healthy. 

    A Beginner’s Guide to Orchids

    Posted on by

    By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

    Cymbidium Orchids
    Cymbidium Orchids. Photo by dmp2024

    Orchids, with their captivating beauty and elegance, have long held a revered status among plant enthusiasts. If you’re tempted to dive into orchids, this is the perfect time to explore what’s available as it is orchid show season. Those looking for a day trip might want to explore Florals in Fashion at the New York Botanic Garden until April 21. Closer to home, the CT Orchid Society holds its show April 20-21 at the Bristol Senior Center.

    Often associated with exotic locales and intricate care routines, these plants are surprisingly adaptable and many can thrive in the comfort of your own home. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a novice looking to add a touch of sophistication to your indoor space, cultivating orchids can be a rewarding endeavor.

    Orchids belong to one of the largest and most diverse plant families, Orchidaceae, comprised of over 25,000 species. They come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, but broadly speaking, orchids can be categorized into two main groups based on their growing habits: epiphytic and terrestrial. Epiphytic orchids grow on trees and absorb their moisture and nutrients mostly from rain. They are usually found in tropical rainforests and need a specialized bark based growing medium. Terrestrial orchids grow in soil and while the most spectacularly colored ones come from the tropics, we are fortunate to have native terrestrial orchids such as lady slippers.

    Another important distinction among orchids is their growth pattern, which can be classified as sympodial or monopodial. Sympodial orchids grow horizontally sending out new shoots or pseudobulbs from a rhizome or creeping stems. Cymbidiums and dendrobiums are species that exhibit this behavior. Monopodial orchids grow vertically, with a single stem that continues to elongate as the plant matures. Paphiopedilum and vanda species have this growth habit. Understanding these distinctions can help you tailor your plant care routine to suit the needs of your orchids.

    The key to growing orchids successfully in the home is understanding the conditions they need to grow and thrive. These will vary according to the species but in general orchids need bright, indirect light. East and south windows usually supply ample light, but a sheer curtain may be needed to keep orchids out of hot sun from south windows during the summer. Direct sunlight may burn their leaves. Orchids also do well under artificial light.

    Next to light, temperature is critical as some like it hot and others thrive in a cooler environment. It makes the most sense to select the orchid species that would do well in the temperature range you prefer. Most species, however, are happiest if there is a 5 to 10 degrees drop in night temperatures.

    Orchids also tend to do best in more humid environments and our homes are mostly on the dry side. Consider using a humidifier, using pebble filled trays under plants or even growing plants in ornamental glass cases.

    Making sure your orchids are receiving the proper amount of watering can be challenging to beginners. Terrestrial orchids are usually grown in an orchid bark & enriched potting soil mix and need to be kept moist but not overly wet. Epiphytic orchids in orchid pots with bark or attached to slabs of tree ferns can be drenched or dunked and then drained. The roots should not sit in water very long. Some experimentation will be needed to determine frequency of waterings.

    Phalaenopsis Jungo Magenta
    Phalaenopsis Jungo Magenta. Photo by dmp2024

    There are so many species of orchids to choose from but beginning orchid enthusiasts might start off with dendrobium species. Dendrobiums are one of the largest and most diverse orchid genera made up of numerous species as well as hybrids. They are even sold at my local grocery store. Dendrobiums are known for their brightly colored flowers that usually bloom in clusters along long stems. They are relatively easy to care for and tolerate typical household conditions.

    Phalaenopsis orchids are another large genus that are tolerant of a range of household conditions so are ideal for beginners. Plants can tolerate a little less light than many other species so east windows work well. Nighttime drops in temperature are important to initiate new flower stalks.

    Those with cooler growing spaces might want to try Cymbidiums. These plants are just gorgeous in bloom with their long-lasting sprays of colorful flowers. Cool temperatures and bright light are keys to healthy, floriferous plants.

    Lady slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum) have distinctive pouch-shaped blooms, similar to our native lady slippers. They are terrestrial orchids preferring a very well-draining potting mix and indirect light.

    If orchids are just too alluring, try to attend an orchid show or two, visit local garden centers that sell orchids and can answer your questions about them, or even check out the resources at the American Orchid Society (https://www.aos.org/) to find out information about caring for these beautiful, mysterious and addictive plants. For basic orchid information or if you have any other gardening questions, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education at (877) 486-6271 or www.homegarden.cahnr,uconn.edu or your local Cooperative Extension Center.

    The Do’s and Don’ts of Early Spring Gardening

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    By Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center 

    There’s a well-known scene in the movie “Braveheart” where Mel Gibson’s character, commands his men to “Hold!” as the enemy is rushing upon them. It’s a scene that I often reference as an analogy for this part of the year. Daylight savings time has changed our clocks, the sunshine is warm, temperatures are reaching the “light jacket” level of comfortable, and we all feel spring rushing towards us with the promise of seedlings, flower buds, and fresh green leaves. With this, there are certainly plenty of chores that we can do right now to prepare, but there are others that we really should be waiting for a few weeks longer.  

    Houseplants may enjoy a short afternoon in the outdoor sunlight on these warmer days but resist the urge to put them outside full time until night temperatures consistently reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The occasional day trip is an effective way to help them transition from the protection of your indoor environment to full sun outdoors. More importantly, consider giving your houseplants a good spring cleaning. Repot or divide root bound plants, remove the winter dust from leaves with a damp rag, and trim out any dead or unsightly growth. Now they’re ready for their spring debut! 

    Fertilizing is another task that many gardeners feel may be a chore to check off their lists early. This is a project that should wait a little bit longer. Often, fertilizer will push new growth in your plants. Pushing them too early can leave tender leaves and buds at risk of exposure to frost and freezing temperatures, actively slowing or stunting growth that you intended to give a boost to. In the same vein, grub control, pre-emergent, and many other synthetic materials used in the landscape require specific soil temperatures to be effective and it’s still just too cold. Always read the label of any garden product to learn the best timing of any application. At this point in the year, consider doing a soil test. If you haven’t done so before, it's great to have a baseline for planting and caring for your garden. If you’ve done it a few years ago – check it again! Things change and you may be surprised by what nutrients you need (or don’t) since you last checked in. 

    It may still be a little early for mulch as well. Adding fresh mulch too early in the season can trap moisture and slow the soil from warming up to optimum growing temperature. Take this time to pull out grass and weeds that may have taken root in mulched beds and put this time into your hardscape. Look for tripping hazards to address like cracked, sinking, or heaved pavers. Check structures like pergolas, sheds, and even raised beds for rotting boards, warping, or structural damage. Repair as needed. Building new garden spaces is always an option! Create your punch list of projects that will need fresh paint or sealant. If the weather is going to be warm and sunny – consider power washing hardscapes and structures now. 

    Newly constructed raised beds
    Newly constructed raised beds ready for spring! Photo by HZidack

    Late winter/early spring is a fantastic time for pruning trees and shrubs in the landscape. It’s ideal because there is great visibility, and the cooler temperatures prevent disease and insects from taking advantage of fresh wounds. You want to make sure you’re pruning correctly, for the species and purpose of the trees and shrubs in your landscape – so do your homework! As a rule of thumb, roses, hydrangeas, and some hardy perennials tend to appreciate a later pruning and can vary between types within the species, so stay aware of what you have on your property to ensure success!  

    “But when do I get to play in the dirt?” That's next! For our outside plants, think about dividing perennials. Divisions at this point in the year make the plants much easier to handle for the gardener. Moving your plants now gives them a chance to “wake up in place” this spring. You will reduce concerns with transplant shock when you move plants ahead of their spring flush and our summer heat. 

    Indoors, stepping your seedlings up into larger containers gives them a little more breathing room as we wait for the season to start. Only transplant seeds when they’ve started to show 2-3 sets of true leaves and keep in mind that different species can have different needs. If you excitedly started your tomatoes too early, and now notice leggy stems, try transplanting them in plastic cups and burying them all the way up to their first couple sets of true leaves. They will put out even more roots along that covered stem and be even better prepared when you put them in the garden this season!  

    Seedlings transplanted into plastic cups.
    Seedlings that are leggy can be moved into plastic cups with holes in them and buried. Photo by H.Zidack 

    There are still plenty of projects that can be done while we wait for spring to come! If you have questions on spring garden projects or any other gardening topic, feel free to contact us, toll-free at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6247, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension Center. 

    Celebrate the Year of the Squash – 2024

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    Celebrate the Year of the Squash – 2024
    By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

    Tomatoes and peppers certainly have a wide and varied selection of species, cultivars and varieties but I think squash beats them both out when it comes to sizes, shapes, colors and uses. Perhaps that’s one reason why the National Gardening Bureau decided to make 2024 the year of the squash.

    Squash is an ancient crop possibly grown as long as 10,000 years ago in Central and South America. The name ‘squash’ was derived from a Narragansett word, ‘askutasquash’ meaning eaten uncooked or raw. All squash – summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins and gourds – belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. Vining types were included as one of the three sisters (corn, beans & squash) in indigenous plantings as each provides a benefit for the other two plants.

    Not only are squash easy to grow but many types are a great source of vitamins, minerals and carotenes. Three main groups of squash are commonly found in home gardens. Cucurbita pepo includes zucchini, summer squash and spaghetti squash varieties all with a soft, edible shell and seeds. These do not store well and are typically consumed within a few days of picking.

    'Butta' yellow zucchini squash.
    'Butta' yellow zucchini squash. Photo by dmp2024

    C. maxima is a large group with pumpkins and easily recognized winter squashes like buttercup, Hubbard, and turban varieties. Mature fruits have tough skins that would be peeled, their seeds are hard but could be enjoyed roasted, and they can store for months.

    C. moschata includes butternut, a favorite of many, as well as futsu and a tetsukabuto hybrid. A great feature of this species is that they are resistant to squash vine borer, a pesky moth that lays eggs at the base of plants. Larvae that hatch from the eggs burrow into stems usually to the demise of the plant. I’ve been excited about growing ‘Autumn Frost’ as it has that classic butternut taste, but fruits are only 5 to 6 inches wide and high making it perfect for small families or stuffing.

    While you can purchase transplants of both summer and winter squash at many places selling seedlings come spring, there are so many fine, exciting varieties to choose from, I suggest starting with seeds. All varieties of squashes are warm season plants so wait until the soil temperature warms up to at least 65 F. Usually this is around Memorial Day but some years, it might be a week or so earlier. Seeds are planted one-half to 1 inch deep.

    Like most vegetables, squash prefer a sunny site, well-drained soil fortified with organic matter, a soil pH in the mid 6s and adequate amounts of water during the growing season.

    Depending on how large your garden is you may want to plant squash in rows or in hills. A hill is just a planting of 3 to 5 seeds. It does not need to be mounded. Many gardeners prefer the hill approach as some squash plants can get quite large and this saves some room. Personally, I like to plant one seed each of a green, a yellow, and a white cultivar of zucchini in a single hill for good looks and good eats. Another reason for planting in a hill is that the squash varieties that are susceptible to the squash vine borer could be kept under row cover until the borer season is over, usually around July 4th.

    A hill of squash with a row cover over it.
    A hill of squash with a row cover over it. Photo by dmp2024

    Usually, your zucchini and other summer squash start maturing about 50 days after they have germinated. Winter squash and pumpkins will take 80 to 105 days to mature. How quickly the summer squash grow is one of the wonders of nature. Be sure to check plants every 2 or 3 days and pick fruit when small and less seedy.

    Most squash are monoecious which means male and female flowers are produced on the same plant. The male flowers are produced first and held on long stems to attract pollinators. Female flowers are closer to the crown and have mini-fruits at their base. It takes several visits from bees for pollination to occur. Fruits that are incompletely pollinated will shrivel and die. One golden zucchini, ‘Easy Pick Gold II’ is parthenocarpic, which means fruits can develop without fertilization.

    Powdery mildew is a very common disease of cucurbits. Look for varieties labeled as resistant or plan on using low toxic control sprays such as neem oil, potassium bicarbonate or Serenade™.

    As you’re planning this year’s vegetable garden and purchasing seeds, give a few different squash a try. If you have questions on growing squash or on other gardening topics, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension center.

    Shamrocks, Pruning and other March News

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    March is for Shamrocks, Pruning & Building Raised Beds!

    "Gardening is the only unquestionably useful job." 

    - George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist

    Shamrocks, Clovers & Oxalis, Oh My!

    Green Oxalis and Red Oxalis plants
    Oxalis. Photo by dmp2024

    For every 10,000 three-leaf clover, you'll find one or two four-leaf clover. These odds explain the "luck" behind the tradition of finding one! While the popular St. Patrick's Day symbol is seen everywhere in the month of March, have you ever stopped to think about the botany behind the symbol?

    The beloved shamrock, four-leaf clover and the Oxalis houseplant all have their own identities, but when St. Patrick's Day hits, they all become interchangeable. So what's the real difference?

    The Botany Behind the Shamrock

    Prune your Fruit Trees

    Late Winter/Early spring is a great time to be pruning your fruit trees! By keeping your fruit trees properly maintained, you can encourage air flow, healthy branch growth, and productive yields each season. There are a lot of factors that go into pruning your trees "the right way," and different gardeners may have different needs to be met. One of the most important things you can do is remove any dead, dying, or weakened branches. To read about all the considerations that play into pruning decisions, check out the link  below.

    UMaine: Pruning Fruit Trees

    Building Raised Beds Safely

    Raised beds can be the pride and joy of many home gardeners. They come with many advantages:

    • Using raised beds can combat poor soil conditions
    • Less bending or kneeling for gardeners
    • Extend the growing season by combining methods like cold frames or plastic covers over the raised beds
    • They can be either a temporary or permanent fixture in your garden

    When it comes to building raised beds, there are many options out there. Prefabricated beds are on the market as a quick "pop up" option. Meanwhile, others like to construct their beds themselves using various materials like cinder blocks, pallets, or fence panels. Whenever you're building your raised beds, be sure to consider the safety of the material you're using. Avoid pressure treated wood materials and take caution when using concrete products. Look for pallets with the "HT" symbol on them, indicating they have been heat treated instead of chemically treated. 

    If you already have beds made with these materials, don't panic! There are options to help you "seal" your beds to keep your plants safe from chemicals that may leach into the soil. For example, latex paint will help minimize the contact of the material with the soil. Some wood stains and even plastic sheeting can also be used. 

    To learn more about raised bed material safety, read the fact sheet below.

    The Safety of Materials Used to Build Raised Beds

    Native Plants that Support Native Bees in Early Spring

    Cellophane bee on black willow flower in early springCellophane bees (Colletes inaequalis)are one the first of our native bees to be out and about on a warm day in very early spring, sometimes when there is still some snow on the ground. Their flight normally coincides with native willow blooms, which are one of only a few native plants that may be blooming in March. These ground- nesting solitary bees are active for a few weeks, and other native plants like bloodroot, red maple and Amelanchier are visited by these bees. They also can be seen on crocus and other early blooming spring bulbs.

    Where to find these and other native plants is a common question that we get here at the Home & Garden Education Center. As gardeners become more aware of native plant solutions, we are seeing more widespread availability. The Connecticut Native Tree and Shrub Availability List is a fantastic resource to help you find both plant recommendations and nurseries that may carry these plants! 

    Learn more about Colletes inaequalis

    Wildlife Highlight: Eastern Phoebe

    Eastern Phoebe on a branch

    Eastern phoebes are native tyrant flycatchers in the Tyrannidae family. Characterized by its large head and a habit of wagging their tail when perched. Phoebes are among the first of our migrating birds to return in early spring. People often mistake the similar chickadee call for the raspier “phoebe” call. They build their nest on sheltered ledges, often on buildings. While primarily insect eaters, phoebes occasionally eat ticks, spiders, fruits, and seeds.

    Learn More About the Eastern Phoebe

    UConn's Brewing Innovation Initiative Talks Hops

    Hops flowers sprinkled around beverages

    Hops farming in the northeast goes all the way back to the 16th century. Now, the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources at UConn is working with experts in the craft brewing industry and growers tohelp bring the brewing industry to the next level here in Connecticut!

    Read more about Hops and what UConn is doing to get involved at the link below! 

    Come on, Get Hoppy!

    March 2024 Weather Outlook

    A seasoned gardener always keeps their eye to the sky at any time of year! NOAA's National Weather Service released their discussion about how weather patterns will continue to shape this winter season. 

    Monthly Temperature Outlook March 2024

    Monthly Precipitation Outlook March 2024

    Upcoming Events and Things to Do

    Maple sugar house

    • March 16th & 17th is Maple Weekend here in Connecticut! Many local sugarhouses will be open or hosting events this weekend. Find your local sugar house on the Maple Syrup Producers Association webpage.
    • Check in with your favorite garden center! March & April are common opening months to start getting your plant fix!
    • The Scantic Spring Splash is March 30th. Spectate or join in this canoe & kayak race to kick off spring!
    • Visit Elizabeth Park's 2024 Spring Greenhouse Show March 1st-March 8th
    • March 2nd - Early Spring Garden Planning Event at the Waterford Public Library​​
    • March 30th - Vernal Pool Hike. Join DEEP Outreach Biologist Paul Benjunas and Naturalist Laura Rogers-Castro for a hike along the Beaver Marsh Trail to a vernal pool. ​​​​​​

    Educational Opportunities & Workshops

    • March 9th - Wildlife in Connecticut's Changing Landscape. Paul Colburn, a CT DEEP master wildlife conservationist, presents a natural history of Connecticut from the early 1600’s, when European colonists arrived, to the present. ​​​

    March Gardening Tips

    1. Using sterile growing mix for starting seeds reduces problems with damping-off fungi. Avoid overwatering, which encourages root rots.

    2. Seeds of cold weather vegetables like spinach, peas, lettuce and broccoli can be direct seeded as soon as soil is workable.

    3. Before new shoots emerge, cut back last year’s stalks on perennials and grasses.

    4. Move woody plants before they begin new spring growth; transplant as soon as the soil is workable.5. Begin fertilizing houseplants with a water-soluble fertilizer as they resume active growth.

    6. If you potted bulbs for forcing last fall, check their progress. Soil should be barely moist. If tips have sprouted and have a few inches of growth, bring the pot into a cool, bright room (50 to 60 degrees F). Gradually expose the plant to increasing warmth, indirect sunlight, and increased watering. Feed once a week with half-strength houseplant fertilizer. To help the stems grow straight, turn the pot every day. When buds and foliage are fully developed, bring into full sunlight, and enjoy!

    7. Once your garden beds thaw, remove old garden debris such as leaves, stalks, and seed heads to reduce the presence of any overwintering diseases and pests.

    8. Thin bramble plantings (raspberries, blackberries, etc.) to increase air circulation and reduce stem and leaf disease problems.

    9. Clean out bluebird houses! They start looking for nesting spots in early March.

    10. Start cleaning containers and pots so they are ready for planting. Inspect for chips and cracks.

    Did You Know...

    Nursery wholesalers and greenhouse growers may sometimes have different product lines for independent garden centers and big box stores. 

    As you start your garden shopping this spring, consider shopping at different locations to find new and unique plants for your projects! 

    Different varieties of Basil plants

    This Month’s Newsletter Contributors: 
    Pamm Cooper, Dr. Nick Goltz, Dawn Pettinelli, Marie Woodward, Heather Zidack