treasure valley gardening - march 2013

TREASURE VALLEY

2 TREASUREVALLEYGARDENING • FRIDAY,MARCH22,2013 IDAHOSTATESMAN • IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM

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Fun and helpful local resources 3Tomatoes, irises, extensionofficesandmore

Mix edibleswith your landscaping 6Tips fromTobyMancini, horticulturemanagerat the IdahoBotanicalGarden

Tips for starting plants from seed 8fromAdvancedMasterGardenerElaineWalker

How to propagate shrubs and vines 10fromcolumnistMargaretLauterbach

Waterwise plants for your garden 12Ideas from IdahoBotanicalGardenbotanistAnnDeBolt

Deter cats and get a handle on pests 14Baffle thekitties; lookout forbadbugs

Pullout and save gardening calendar 15Events, plant salesandothernews

Monthly to-do list 16When toplant,what towatchout for

Picture-perfect gardens 19Nine local gardenersshare their stories

Inspiring photos fromSeattle 29TheNorthwestFlower&GardenShow

Best things for gardeners 30Tools,booksandothercoolstuff

WANTACALENDAR?ThismagazinefeaturesstoriesaboutninegardenerswhowerefeaturedinourTreasureValleyGardenscalendar(seestory,page19)—andit’snottoolatetogetaTreasureValleyGardenscal-endar filledwithgardeningtipsandin-formation.Buyoneforhalfprice($2.50

eachortwoormorefor$2each)at1200N.CurtisRoadinBoise.Findmoreinformationatwww.idahostatesman.com/promotions.Informationabouthowtoenteryourgardeninour2014calendarcontestwillbeincludedinStatesmanLifesections laterthisspring.

" SIGNUPFOROURONLINEGARDENINGNEWSLETTERIdahoStatesman.com/Gardening

You’ll getexpertadvice fromlocal gardenersMargaretLauterbach,ElaineWalkerandAmyMcIntyreeachThursday inyour inbox.There isalso informationabout local gardeningeventsandmore.

On the cover:DeandMikeZborowski’sBoiseBenchbackyard is full

ofcolorandwhimsy.Story, page22

Photo byCHARLIELITCHFIELDSpecial to the Idaho Statesman

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TREASURE VALLEY

29Gardening

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SPECIAL TO THE IDAHO STATESMAN

TOMATO INDEPENDENCEPROJECT

What if 20 percent of the food consumedin theTreasureValley came froma localsource?TheTreasureValley FoodCoalition,a nonprofit organization thatworks on rais-ing awareness about our local food systemand collaboratingwith other groups to in-crease the amount of food grownand con-sumed locally, hopes to reach that goal by

2020.Tonudge that along, it launched theTomato IndependenceProject this year.According to the coalition, research showsthat the averageAmerican eatsmore than90pounds of tomatoes each year.Gettingfolks to enjoy tomatoes grown locallymadesense, and encouraging them to grow theirownwas evenmore exciting.

Theproject kickedoff in January andFebruarywith a series of free seed startingclasses at local nurseries. Representativesfrom the coalition talked tomato growingbasics before giving participants the seedsfor four varieties of tomatoplants—Mort-gageLifter, EarlyGirl, SunGold andTum-blingTomRed.Around 300people attend-ed the classes at EdwardsGreenhouse, Far-

Satisfyyouryen forplants

Herearesomefunlocalresourcesforeveryonewholikesgardens

CONTINUEDON PAGE 4

Photo by JENNIFERMILLER/Provided by the TreasureValley FoodCoalition

ABOVE: JanieBurns, a local farmerandchairwomanof theTreasureValleyFoodCoalition, introduces theTomato Inde-pendenceProject toacrowdatEdwardsGreenhouse in Janu-ary.ATRIGHT:YoucanbuyTIP seedpacketsatFarWestLand-scapeandGardenCenter, EdwardsGreenhouse,NorthEndOrganicNurseryandFranzWitte.


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West, FranzWitte and theNorthEndOr-ganicNursery, according to JenniferMiller,a boardmemberwith the coalition.

Miller,whodescribes thecommunity’s re-sponse to theproject as “amazing,” says thereis already talkofdoing theproject again in2014.Thisyear’s focus is fresh tomatoes.Nextyearpeoplewill learnhowtomaketheir tomatoes last farbeyond the seasonthroughdifferentmethodsofpreservation.

“Wewantedpeople to discover howgreata tomato can tastewhen it is right off thevine,”Miller says.

Fresh tomatoes canbe enjoyed in thisarea during July,August, September andsometimes intoOctober (depending onweather). The coalitionwill post ongoingactivities such as tomato tastings on itsweb-site (treasurevalleyfoodcoalition.org) andFacebookpage.

Anda talk fromauthorBarryEstabrook isscheduled forOct. 2. Estabrook is the authorof “Tomatoland:HowModernAgricultureDestroyedOurMostAlluringFruit.”The lo-cationhasnot beendeterminedyet butwillbe announced in the comingmonths (alongwithotherdetails) on the coalition’swebsite.

Thosewhomissedout on the seed start-ing classes can still get involved in theTomato IndependenceProject.Here’s how:

ÆPurchase seed startsorplants fromlocalgrowersat areanurseriesor farmersmarkets.(Plant startsof the featuredvarietieswill beavailable atEdwardsGreenhouse,NorthEndOrganicNurseryandFranzWitte.)

ÆEncourage area businesses to sell local-ly grown tomatoes; ask for themat restau-rants and at grocery stores.

Æ If you already grow tomatoes, sharesomewith neighborswhohaven’t had thechance to taste a locally grown tomato.

ÆPurchase aTomato IndependenceProjectT-shirt at theNorthEndOrganicNursery or EdwardsGreenhouse.

In addition to theTomato IndependenceProject, theTreasureValleyFoodCoalitionoffersmanyopportunities forpeople tolearnmore about eating locally grown food,includingTaste 208, aThursdaynight seriesthat puts the spotlight onvariousfood/beer/winepairings, and theGrowYourOwnFoodseries that featuresdiscus-sionsonhowtoplant invarious climates andconditions. For information, visit http://treasurevalleyfoodcoalition.org/?cat=11

JOANN’S IRISGARDEN1325N.HesseLane,Eagle(betweenEagleandBallantyne roadsoffFloatingFeather)www.joannsirisgarden.org

JoAnnBurrell is an iris fan, and that state-ment stands on its ownonce you see her la-bor of love inEagle. There are nearly 400irises to admirewhenher garden is in fullswing, including tall bearded irises and re-bloomers. Look for newvarieties this yearin addition to those favorites.

Irises canbepurchased for $4.50 each,

and she also sells gift certificates.It’s easy to get excited as the days get

warmer in the early spring.AndBurrell un-derstands that excitement and anticipation.But she has stoppedposting anopeningdate onherwebsite because it depends onweather, and it can varywildly. In the past,she has countedonopening forMemorialDayweekend, but she doesn’tmakepromis-es anymore.

“I never know for sure because of theweather,” Burrell said, “so I always tell peo-plewhen they see irises blooming in theirneighborhood,wewill be opening.”

U-PICK FARM(HILL ROADGARDENS)5600HillRoad,Boisewww.hillroadgardens.com/Hill_Road_Gardens/Home.html

There is an acre of produce growingoffHill Road, and the community is invited topick vegetables duringU-Pick days startingin early June and continuing through theendof the growing season. Bring your ownbag andpay $5 to fill it upwith producefrom the farm; children can fill a bag for$2.50.U-Pick days begin June 1 and are of-feredweekly onSaturdays from 1:30 to 6p.m. until the endof themonth (note thatthe dates are subject to change).U-Pickdays andhours change in July,August andSeptember.Visitors are invited to have apicnic on the farmduringU-Pick days.Visitthe officialwebsite formore informationand anupdated schedule.

Want the experience of planting vegeta-bles but lack the space to do it at home?Visit the farm for aU-Plantworkshop,where participants learnhow toplant seedsand then get a voucher to return for aU-Pick day.Workshops are held at 5 p.m. onSundays throughout the spring and sum-mer; the firstworkshop isApril 7. SignupontheHill RoadGardenswebsite.

CONTINUED FROMPAGE 3

Provided by JoAnn’s IrisGardenJoAnn’s IrisGarden inEagle isa floraldelight.


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COMMUNITYGARDENS

No time (or space) to enjoy a garden athome?Noworries. There aremany commu-nity gardens around theValley that allowfolks to participate in the gardening experi-ence.Here are just a few to consider:

MERIDIANCOOPERATIVEGARDEN

JuliusKleinerMemorialPark, 1900RecordsAve.,Meridian;[email protected]

Free gardening space is available for any-one to use in this community garden.Usethe space thewayyouwould at your ownhome: Plan to doyour ownplanting andmaintenance.Themain restriction is thatyou can’t sell anything you growhere.Anyexcess crops are donated to theMeridianFoodBank.

BORAHCOMMUNITYGARDEN

BorahPark,6643W.CassiaSt.,[email protected]

This popular garden space, located inBorahPark, is utilized by a broadvariety ofpeople in the community.Although somelive in theBorahneighborhood, others trav-el across town tomaintain their gardenplothere. Space is occasionally available (for anannual fee). Email [email protected] inquire about space availability for 2013.

DOWNTOWNTEACHINGFARM

On thecornerof 12thandFort streets,[email protected]

Students and teachers fromBoiseHighSchoolmanage this urban farm, and com-munitymembers are encouraged to pitch into helpmaintain the space and learnmoreabout gardening.To see a list of current

needs and activities, visit http://downtown-teachingfarm.blogspot.com.

ÆVisit Let’sMoveBoise online for a listof other community gardens:www.letsmoveboise.com/?page_id=125.

ÆMany community gardens providefood to area pantries. Learnwhere to donatefreshproduce throughLet’sMoveBoise’spantry distribution list:www.letsmoveboise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120905133212598.pdf.

GROWAROW

www.letsmoveboise.comLet’sMoveBoise and theBoiseUrban

GardenSchool (BUGS)developedGrowaRow, now in its secondyear, to encouragefamilies to develophealthier eating habitsand to help fight community hunger bydo-nating someof the produce they grow to lo-cal foodbanks.Get started bypicking up apacket at one of the following locations:

ÆBoiseUrbanGardenSchool,731N. 15th St.

Æ IdahoBotanicalGarden,2355OldPenitentiaryRoad

ÆHealthwise, 2601 BogusBasinRoadÆBoise Parks&RecreationAdministra-

tionOffice, 1104Royal Blvd.GrowaRowparticipants get six packets

of seeds, planting and gardening tips, a seedplanting guide and adistribution list for lo-cal foodpantries and community centers.

Partners for theGrowaRowprojectinclude theBoiseUrbanGardenSchool, Ida-hoBotanicalGarden,Healthwise,The IdahoFoodbank,BoiseParks&Recreationand theBlueCrossof IdahoFoundation forHealth.

Ifyouneedanswers togardeningandfoodpreparationquestionsorpestandpesticidequestionsorwant to takeamastergardenerclassorother food-andfamily-relatedclasses,youshouldcheckouta localUniversityofIdahoExtensionOffice forhelp.

Visitanextensionoffice:Open8a.m.-5p.m.MondaythroughFriday, exceptholidays.

ÆAdaCounty: 5880GlenwoodSt.,Boise,287-5900, email:[email protected]

ÆCanyonCounty: 501MainSt.,Caldwell,459-6003, email:[email protected]

Visit themonlineatwww.uidaho.edu/extension/adaandwww.uidaho.edu.exten-sion/canyonor tryweb.cals.uidaho.edu/idahogardens andwww.extension.uidaho.edu/youthfamilyhealth.asp.

Thecountyextensionofficesprovideawealthof information through theirwebsites.Thereisa lotof Idaho-specific informationforlandscapingandgardeningaswellas linkstoinformationfromacrossthenation.Forexam-ple, linktoasitewhereyoucandownload theUSDAcompleteguide tohomecanningfor free.

Takeaclass:Therearecourses inmastergardening, foodsafety,canningandother foodpreparationandmore.For instance, theMasterFoodSafetyAdvisorprogramstartsApril23.Learnabout foodpreservationso thatyoucanthen teachandhelpothers.Theclass is from9a.m. to3p.m.onTuesdays for sevenweeksfromApril23through June4.CallSueSchultzeat287-5900 foranapplicationorinformation.Keepaneyeon thewebsites formore informationandclassoptions.

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Edible gardens are a fascinating and funway to landscape your home.Theyper-formdouble duty, not only providing a bountiful harvest, but also creating a dis-tinctive andbeautiful aesthetic. These gardens canbenarrow in focus or broad

anddiversewith lots of color, texture, shape and size.Although edible landscapinghas recently increased in popularity, these gardens have been around for some time.Historically, they have been referred to asVictoryGardens or Frenchpotager. Today,there are countless sensational plant varieties thatmake it even easier to blur thelines between traditional landscapes andproductive gardens.Here are some ideas toenhance or completely renovate your current landscape.

FOUNDATIONSFOR

SUCCESS

1.Tostart,shifttheparadigmbyrejectingthatvegetablesandotherediblesneedtobeinrows.Edible flowers, herbsandveg-giescanminglewith shrubsand trees in the landscape.Letthemblend together in freeflowing, yet thoughtfulpairingstocreatean interestingdesign.Flowersencouragepollinators(imperative for fruitproduc-tion)andaddcolorand texture.Visualizeflowing forms, texturesandcolors thatbeginlowat thebed’s edgeandriseupandaway.

2.Developaplan.Determineyourobjec-tives forbothproductionandaesthetics. Italsohelps to thinkofdifferent areasaroundyourhome landscapeas “rooms,”both intermsofentertainingorplaying, aswell asthe “crops”youwant.Asyouplan,don’t for-get toallowspace forplants as theygrow.

3.Lookdown.Everygardener, researcher,educatorandhorticultureprofessionalwillagree that agreatgardenstartswithhealthy,living soil.This is especially true forediblesthatprovideuswithnutrients. Poor soil?Noproblem—goup!Usecontainersandraisedbeds toprovidegoodsoil foryouredibles tothrive.Alsobesureyouhaveaccess tocleanwaterand that the sunexposurematchesyourplants’ needs.

WHATTOPLANT

Belowaresomeofmyfavoriteplants foranattractiveandproductiveedible land-scape.

Annuals:Twotypesof amaranth,RedLeafGiant andLoveLiesBleeding, are stunningplants remarkable in their size, foliageandflower.Theyprovidea large focalpoint,cascading flowersandedible leavesandseed.Parsleygivesa ferny, soft texture tobeds, bor-

dersandmixedcontainers.Fragrantbasil lovesourheatand is available inahugevari-etyof flavors, colors, texturesandsizes. Lemonverbena,versatile incookingandsalads,is amust-grow. It canbegrowninapotandoverwintered in-side.And then there is theex-ceptionalvarietyof colorfuland tasty tomatoes, peppers,lettuces, cabbagesandsquashthatmakeupour seasonal gar-

dens.Toaddwhimsey, incorporatepurplebroccoli orchartreusecauliflower.

Perennials:Manyherbscomefromthis cat-egoryandcanprovide foundationandstruc-ture inourotherwise seasonal gardens.Lavenderandsage (Salviaofficinalis) comeinsilvergray, goldenvariegated, tricolor andpurple. Lemonbalm,oregano, chives, straw-berries andmints arealso strongperformers.

Shrubs:Theseprovide structureandhelpdefineonespace fromanotherbyscreeningorcreatingbarriers. For somethingunique,incorporatecurrantsorgooseberries.Cur-rantsnotonlyprovide fruit, but areattractiveanddrought-tolerant.Raspberries, blackber-ries andgrapesarealsogreatperformers formultiseason interest.Acid-lovingblueberriestypically struggle in theTreasureValley’s al-kaline soils; trygrowing themincontainerswhere thesoil chemistrycanbecontrolled.

Fruittrees:Apples, plumsandother fruitsoffer shade, structureandanabundanceofflowersand fruit. If space is limited, growthree-wayespalieredapples,whicharegraft-edwithcomplementarypollinatingvarietiesof three typesof apples. For improvedpro-ductionand fruit quality, prunepeachesandcherrieswithopencenters.Notableperform-ersareMountRainier, abeautiful self-fertile“white”cherry, andAsianpears,whichareprolific inour climate.

Lushgardenscanincludeherbs,vegetables, fruits

Landscapes you cansink your teeth into

Creative landscapingTOBYMANCINIHorticulturemanager at

the IdahoBotanicalGarden


By latesummer, youcansee tomatoes, squashandothervegetablesmaturing in thesameraisedbed.TOBYMANCINI/ Special to the Statesman

Amaranthoffers lovelybloomsaswell asa tinybut

tastyhigh-proteingrain.MCT file

TOBYMANCINI/ Special to the StatesmanIn thespring,colorful flowersdominatethisbed inMancini’sgarden,but italso includesherbsandvegetabletransplants.Lookbelowfora laterview.

TOBYMANCINI/ Special to the StatesmanTocontainprolific spreaders likechives,Mancini growstheminplanters.Alsopicturedhere isoneofhis fiveblueberrybushesgrowinginahalfwinebarrel.

Asalways, the IdahoBotanicalGarden ishere toanswerquestionsandprovideyouwith ideasand inspiration.Visitusat2355OldPenitentiaryRoad inEastBoise(idahobotanicalgarden.org) toseehowweincorporateedibles intoourgardens.Herearesomeadditional resources tobeginyourown landscaping journey:

Design ideasÆwww.pinterest.com:searchgardening,gardens, edible landscapingÆRosalindCreasy,www.rosalindcreasy.comÆOrganicGardening,www.organicgardening.com

Expertise of local greenhousesTherearemany inourarea, includingEdwardsGreenhouse(www.edwardsgreenhouse.com),FranzWitteNursery(www.franzwitte.com),FarWestLandscapeandGardenCenter(www.farwestgardencenter.net)andNorthEndOrganicNursery(www.northendnursery.com).

Soil andpest issues, tips onplants forour areaÆAdaCountyCooperativeExtensionService,www.uidaho.edu/extension/adaÆCanyonCountyCooperativeExtensionService,www.uidaho.edu/extension/canyon(Seepage5 tolearnmoreaboutExtensionOffices)

Other resources:ÆTheAmericanGardener January/February2013, “ANewEra forCurrants”Æ “EdibleLandscaping”byRosalindCreasy,SierraClubBooks,2010ÆOrganicGardeningmagazineÆMotherEarthLivingmagazineÆZone4Magazine

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The tomatoes I grew lastsummerwere eaten longago. So I turned to the

grocery store formore.The tomatopicturedon

this page is one that I bought. That “blem-ish”wasn’t therewhen I chose it at the store.It appeareddays later, and Iwatched it growas it sat on the countertop.

Doyouknowwhat’s causing the blemish?Since the tomato sat in thewarmkitchen

near a south-facingwindow, filledwith itsown juice, the seeds had the perfectmedi-um to sprout. Andoneof themdid just that!It’s been funwatching it growunder its par-ent’s skin. In the photo on the left, you cansee the root at the top and the twogreenleaves.You can see the emergingplant inthe photo on the right.

The seedswebuydon’t have that advan-tage.They’ve been extracted from their per-fect growingmedium, dried andkept in coolconditions untilwehumansdecidewhen tolet themgrow.

Whydowe start seeds indoors, anyway?TheNo. 1 reason is length of growing sea-son.Most of the vegetableswegroware na-

tive towarmer parts of theworldwithmuch longergrowing seasons.TheTreas-ureValley has thewarmth inthe summer to grow these

plants, but not in the spring. Even the plantswegrow for flowersmayneed ahead startby germinating indoors.

Starting seeds indoors also givesseedlings protection from things like hun-gry slugs, snails, bunnies, etc. Indoor germi-nation also keeps seedlings safe fromspringfloods, late frosts, hail andmore.

GETTINGSTARTED

To start plants indoors, you’ll need aplantingmedium(sterile potting soil, butnever garden soil), enough light,warmthandmoisture.You’ll also needpots.

A lot of things canbeused for pots, butsome things shouldn’t be used.Goodpotsare anyplastic containers that are deeperthan they arewide, like yogurt cups or somesour cream tubs.Awider container is hard-er to keepwarm in the centerwhere theseed is. A shallowcontainer doesn’t allowroots to growdeep.

Somepeople like to use old egg cartons,containers labeled as “peat” pots or newspa-per formed into cups.With these types ofcontainers, the roots tend to grow into thesides. To keep from tearing off tender roottipswhen removing the plants from thosecontainers, insteadplant the container,seedling and all. Just be sure to tear off anypart of the rimof the pot that sticks out ofthe ground, or itwill act as awick and cause

the soil around the transplant to dry out.

READTHESEEDPACKET

Most seedpacketswill have informationon the back regarding seedplanting depth,days to germination, spacing the plants inthe garden, sun andmoisture requirementsand the eventual size of the plant.Vegetableseedpacketsmay indicatewhenyou canex-pect a harvest.

Some tips to get plants started from seedGardening

ELAINEWALKERAdvancedMasterGardener

Provided by ElaineWalkerSometimes, youdon’tevenhave toplantaseed toget it tosprout.That’swhathappenedtoaseedin thisgrocery-store tomato.


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Look at the size of the seeds in the packetandnote howdeep they should beplanted.You’ll find thatmost seeds should beplant-ed three to four times thewidth of the seed.Large seeds such asmelons or gourdsshould beplanted 1-inch to 1 1/4-inchdeepand small seeds like lettuce or carrotsshould be about 1/4-inchdeep.

Knowing thenumber of days to germina-tion is helpful because if a seeddoesn’t ger-minate—sprout—by the last day of therange, it’s unlikely to do so at all.

Often that’s because the plantingmediumwas kept either toowet or too cool;mostvegetable seedswon’t germinate unless thesoil is at least 65 degrees. You can try re-planting or use that space for a differentvariety of seeds.

Room temperature is good enough formost seeds to germinate, but using a heatingpad and light bulbs that generate heatwillgive extrawarmth. Be extra careful to keephot light bulbs far enough above theseedlings that the leaves don’t get burned.

PLANTANDROWSPACINGOUTSIDE INYOURGARDEN

I have a packet of carrot seeds in front ofme. It says to plant the seeds 2 inches apartin the rowand the rows should be 12 inchesapart.Whycan’t the seeds beplanted2 inches apart in all directions?

Theycan.Thepackets say toplant therows 12 inches apart forharvestingpurposes.If you’re going toplant carrots in long rows,you’ll need to leave space toget in there andharvest them. If youplant in a4-foot-wideraisedbedas I do, youcanplant rowsof car-rot seeds 2 inches apart.That’s thebasicprinciple of “square-foot” gardening.

LIGHT IS CRUCIALFor best resultswith your seedlings in-

doors, you’ll need a light source that canbelowered to sit right above the pots andraised as the seedlings grow. Putting them inawindow isOKbutwon’t give youoptimalresults.Using a light source that is tooweak

or too far from the seedlingswill causethem to grow too tall too fast. Theseseedlingswill soon fall over because theirstems are too stretchedout andweak.Theseedlingswill never reach their optimumgrowing andproducing capacity.

Most of the vegetableswegrowneed tobe in full sunoutdoors.Will a 12-inch-tallplant get enough sun if it’s planted on thenorth side of corn or other tall plants?Theheight of themature plant is important forgardenplanningpurposes. Place tallerplants to the north of short ones.

‘HARDENINGOFF,’ TRANSPLANTINGIn yearswhenwehave cool tempera-

tures into early June, youmayneed to trans-plant seedlings into larger pots to keep themgrowing andhealthy until they canbehard-enedoff andplantedoutdoors.

Theprocess of hardening off gets theplants used to the outdoors after havingbeen coddled in perfect indoor conditionsfromDayOne. Start the process on awarm,not toowindyday. Put the seedlings in ashady, protected area outdoors for abouttwohours. Thenbring themback inside un-der lights. Eachday, increase the timeout-doors in the shade.

After a fewdays, put the seedlings in fullsun for twohours. Thenput themback inthe shade so the tender leaves don’t getburned. Eachday, increase the hours in fullsun. Soonyou’ll leave themout overnight,but bring them in if theweather turns frosty.

When theweather finallywarmsup forgood, the plants can go in the garden.That’susually aroundMemorialDay, butwatch theweather. If frost is forecast after youhaveset transplants out, youmayneed to coverthemwithHot-Kaps, rowcover or plasticmilk jugswith their bottoms removed.

Questions? Email Elaine at highprairielandscape

[email protected]. And read her column online

every other Thursday at the Statesman’s website,

www.IdahoStatesman.com/gardening.

GENIEARCANO/ [email protected] seedlingsgetplentyof light inagreenhouse,whichalsooffersprotection fromfrostyspringweather. If youaregrowingseedlings indoors, youmayneedsupplemental lighting.Grow-lightsaresold locallyandonline, and the InternetalsooffersavarietyofDIYsolutions.


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Most of us think ofplanting seeds togrowplants, but

there are otherways, andspring is the best time tostart.

Oneof themost satisfy-ingmethods of getting newplants is fromcuttings.Spring is the best time toroot herbaceous cuttings—lengths of pliable newstemgrowth.You can easily growanew tree,vine or shrub fromsuch a start, and itwillbe identical to the “parent.”

Say, for instance, youhave one shrub andyouwant twoof that exact kind.Afterspring growth starts, you’ll notice that at theendof awoodybranch, part of the branch isgreen and flexible. Cut, pinchor break offthat greenpart, use a single-edge razorblade to trim it so the cut isn’t ragged, dip itin rooting hormone, thenplace it in damp

plantingmix, out of directsunlight for a dayor two.Thenyoumay tent the potcontaining the newcuttingwith clear plasticwrap thatdoesn’t touch the cutting.

I’ve hadbest luckwithcuttings nomore than twoor three inches long,withat least a couple of smallleaves at the upper end. It’stempting to take a longer

cutting, but remember there are no roots yetto feed the plant, so long cuttings easily fail.

I use a powdered rooting hormone calledRootone and flick off excess before putting acutting into a hole created by a large chop-stick or pencil.

There’s no expirationdate onRootoneandperhaps other brands of rooting hor-mones, but I’ve been told the hormone isonly viable for about sixmonths.

Some folks don’t use a rooting hormone,

Propagating shrubsis fun and economical

GardeningMARGARET

LAUTERBACH

GENIEARCANO/ [email protected] thecutend in rootinghormone,place thestemcutting invermiculiteoranothersterileplantingmedium.

but insteadusewater thatwillowor forsythia cuttings haverecently soaked in, since they contain a natural hormone forpropagation. I’ve had the best luck usingRootone, however.

I don’t use the plasticwrap tent, butmanypeople do.Watch closely formold to develop andgive the planting airand sun if that happens.

I give a newcutting dappled light or indirect sunlight fora fewweeks until a gentle upward tug on the cutting indi-cates it has started to form roots.Don’t let the plantingmixdry out completely, but don’t drown it either. It needs a littlemoisture to remain viable, but you shouldn’t create an envi-ronment formold.

If someonehas a shruborvine you’d like a cuttingfrom, goodmanners (and le-gality) require you ask forand receive permission toobtain a cutting. Someplants are patented, so tak-ing a cutting for anyonebutthe ownerwould be illegal,or the plant ownermayhavealreadypromised toomanycuttings to others.

WOODYCUTTINGS

Propagation is also possi-blewithwoody cuttings, butthat’s usually best donedur-ing the dormant season,when cuttingsmaybeplant-ed in a boxof sand to root,or in the site youwant thatwoodyplant to grow.

Folks usually use a hori-zontal cut for the bottomofthe cutting and a slanted cutfor the top end for both thehardwood and softwoodcuttings.

It’s very easy to confuse“up” and “down”on a cutting, and it’s a fatal (to the cutting)mistake.

Somemultiply grape vines using cuttings obtained inFebruarywhen theyprune.All cuttings should be at leastthe diameter of a pencil, and contain twoor three nodesshorter than about seven inches thatwill develop leaves orbranches.

A former extension agent from theUniversity of Idaho,TonyHorn, advocated rooting grapeprunings byburyingthemvertically upside down for a fewweeks before settingthemupright in pots of plantingmix. Byputting themup-side down tobeginwith, growthhormoneswouldmove tothe upper end in a couple ofmonths.Those cuttingswouldthenhave the active hormone at the true bottom to stimu-late rooting.

Whenwehadour back fence replaced,wehad to severe-ly cut back a grapevine given tomebymy late friend, RossHadfield. It hadbeen lightly pruned in February andhadn’tyet leafed out, but Imade cuttings and thrust them intomygarden soil in full sun.All four cuttings rooted and grew.

LAYERING

Another propagationmethod for shrubs is layering.Takea pliable branch that’s near ground level and slice into it(but not completely through) on an angle on the bottomofthe branch.Thenpeg the branch tightly to the ground sothe cut partmakes contactwith soil.

Better yet, put the branch into a small trench and cover itwith soil. Itmay take a fewweeks or even a couple of

months, but the sitewhere you cut into the branch shouldgrow roots. After rooting begins, you can cut the branchloose from themother shrub, andplant the new little shrubor vine in a new location.

LEAFCUTTINGS

Someplants, such as begonias, peperomia andAfricanviolets,maybepropagatedusing just a leaf andpart of thestem thrust into a sifted grit andpeatmix at a shallowangle.Grit alone alsoworks.

A computer friend in theEast babied seeds and cuttings

of plants shewanted to reproduce, failing to get growth.Then at the edge of her gravel driveway, she spotted volun-teer seedlings of the plant she’d been trying to grow fromseed in rich potting soil.

I think grit is sold by farmsupply stores as “chicken grit”or “turkey grit.”

Margaret Lauterbach’s gardening column appears every Friday in

the Statesman’s Life section. To contactMargaret, email her at

[email protected] or write to Gardening, The Idaho

Statesman, P.O. Box 40, Boise, ID 83707.


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Margaret,whohasbeentheStatesman’sgardeningcolumnistsince1993, isworkingonabook thatwillhelpTreasureValleygardenerswitheverythingfromcomposting tochoosingplantsright forourarea todealingwiththoseharmfulbugsandothergardenpests.Muchof thebookiscomposedofMargaret’sbestcolumnsfromover theyears,buttherewillalsobenew in-formationaswellas listsofvegetablesandotherplantsthatgrowwell inourValley.Beon thelookoutformoreinformationaboutthebookinMar-garet’sweeklycolumn.

MARGARET

LAUTERBACH’S

UPCOMINGBOOK


WATERWISEPLANTSthatwillworkinyourgarden

There aremanywonderful drought-tolerant plants available for our south-ern Idahogardens. Someof theplantsincludedhere arenative to Idaho,while others arenot.All are commer-cially available, sun-loving andeasilygrown. Formore suggestionsonwaterwise landscaping choices,visit the IdahoBotanicalGardenat2355OldPenitentiaryRoad inBoiseorthe IdahoNativePlant Societyonlineatwww.idahonativeplants.org.

Sulfurbuckwheat (Eriogonumumbel-latum)grows ineveryWesternstate.It is tremendouslyvariable in termsofflowercolor, leaf shapeandsize.

RockyMountainpenstemon(Penstemonstrictus) isnativetoavarietyofhabitatsin themiddleandsouthernRockyMountains.PlantsbloominJuneandJulyon2-foot-tall stalksandgrowbest in full sunwith lowtomoderateamountsofwater.

ThisSouthwestnative,Coloradofouro’clock(Mirabilismultiflora),growsbest in full sunonwell-drainedsoils. It flowersprolifically fromJuly throughSeptember.

All photos byAnnDeBolt

Believe itornot, thisTexasnativeknownasTexas redyucca(Hesper-aloeparviflora) iseasy togrow inBoise, as longassoilsare reason-ablywell-drained. It thrives insunnydry locations inourarea.

Therearemany typesofpenstemontochoosefrom.RockyMountainpenstemon(Penstemonstrictus),pineleafpen-stemon(P.pinifolius),Venuspen-stemon(P. venustus)andsulfurbuckwheat(Eriogonumumbellatum)addcolor tothis sunnylandscape inBoise’sNorthEnd.

Lewis’mock-orange(Philadelphus lewisii),sometimesknownassyringa, is Idaho’sstate flowerandacommonlyavailableshrub forour region. Flowersperfumetheairwith theirorangeblossom-likescent inearly tomid-June.

TheWaterConservationLandscapealongOldPenitentiaryRoadontheapproachtotheIdahoBotanicalGardeniswateredbydripemitters.Thistypeof irrigationconserveswaterandminimizesweeds.UnitedWaterpro-videdgrantfundsforthisdemonstrationgarden,whichincludescatmint(Nepetafaassenii ‘Walker’sLow’), lavendercotton(Santolinasp.),sunsethyssop(Agastacherupestris)andsumac(Rhusaromatica ‘GrowLow’).

Desertwillow(Chilopsis linearis) isaSouthwestnativeshruborsmall treethatflowersfromJulyuntil first frost. IntheTreasureValley, theremaybesomewinterdie-back,whichcanbeprunedawayinJuneastheplantsbegintogrow.

XericgardensANNDEBOLT

Botanist at theIdahoBotanicalGarden


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BYGENIEARCANO

[email protected]©2013 IdahoStatesman

Nothing ismore attractive to kitties thansoft, fine soil, and it’s super annoyingwhentheydisrupt a carefully planted rowof car-rots or upend thepansies I have just stuck inthe ground.This is not tomention thesmellymess that’s left behind.

Over the years I havediscovered a fewofwhat I like to call “cat baffles.”

ÆLay rowcover over newlyplanted seedbeds (this also deters insects).Or use chick-enwire or cheap lightweight plastic fencing(about 3-4 feet high orwide) sold at big boxgarden centers. Securewith rocks or gardenstaples.When the sprouts are big enough todefend themselves, remove the rowcoveror fencing.Usually by then, the soil aroundtheplants is firmenough to be less of atemptation to cats.

ÆUse inexpensive foldingwire edging—the kind about a foot high—placing it overthe rowof seedlings or newlyplanted seedsin a tight zigzag pattern.This also offers

some support to the plants as they grow.ÆPutupatemporarychickenwireorplas-

tic fenceabout3or4 feethigharound just-seededpatches. I’ve foundmostcatswon’tbother trying to jumpevenaflimsybarrier.

ÆUseplasticmilk jugswith the bottomscut off to cover transplants. Removewhentheplants arewell established.You can alsouse plastic orwaxpaper cups.Moundenough soil around the base of the cover toprevent it fromblowing away.These alsoprotect the plants fromhot sun andwind.

Æ If these inexpensive solutions don’twork for you,many garden supply catalogssellmotion-activated “scarecrow”devicesthat hookup to a hose and spray a strong jetofwater at invading critters. They’re a bitpricey, but you canmove themaround theyard and train cats (anddogs, deer andoth-er animals) to stay away.

ÆFinally, ifyouryardisbigenough, lookforanout-of-the-wayplacethatdoesn’tgetregularwaterwhereyoucanloosenthesoilandjustleaveit tothecats.Andremember, firmwell-mulchedgroundisnotthatattractivetothem.

Cats digging in your garden?

©2013 Idaho StatesmanHere are a fewof the critters that com-

monly plague our gardens.Borers kill black locust, ash,mountain ash,

white-barkedbirchandstone fruit trees suchas peach. Scale insects are also destructive.Both are mainly controlled with systemicpoisons, obviously inappropriate for fruittrees. Scale insects can be smothered by oil-based sprays, but borers cannot.

Box-elder bugs gather in hordes in thespringonsouthsidesofbuildingsand fences.They suck nutrients from box elder andmaple treesbutdo littledamage to them.Youcanvacuumthemandempty thebag intohotsoapywater or spray themwith insecticidalsoap.

Earwigsare startling and annoying, and al-though they’re partly beneficial, feeding onaphidsandevenflies, they’realsodestructive,chewingonplantsand jumpingoutof flowersinto gardeners’ sinks. Trap them in corruga-tions of cardboard and shake them into abucket of hot soapywater eachmorning.

Aphidsareanother springpest,whichmayreproduce rapidly until stems of plants arethickly covered. The worst thing aboutaphids is that they can and do transmit dis-eases. Some folks plant chives among rosesto repel aphids, others blast them off with ajet of water from the hose.Most aphids can-not fly and die before walking back onto aplant.Wasps devour them, and then the oth-erbeneficial insects suchas lacewingand la-dy beetle larvae arrive to feast on aphids.

Cabbage loopers, the green larvae of smallwhite butterflies, dine on broccoli and other

cole crops.Youcankeep thebutterflies fromlaying eggs by covering the plants with agri-cultural fleece; organically approved sprayscontainingBacillus thuringiensis kill the lar-vae but not other insects.

Slugs are amajor pest especially of foliageplants such as hosta, acanthus and, yes, let-tuce. Iron phosphate baits are effective andallegedly pet safe. Diatomaceous earth killsthem but has to be reapplied after watering.Slugs feed at night, when they can be hand-picked or sprayed with a mixture of halfhousehold ammonia andhalfwater.

Margaret Lauterbach andGenie Arcano

Valleyhas itsshareofplantpests

This isonepestIdahohasnothad toworryabout—up tillnow.Late lastsum-mer,astateDepart-mentofAgriculturesurveydetecteda total of56 Japanesebee-tles in Idaho,51of theminAdaCounty.Thestate immediatelyset traps todeterminetheextentof the infestationandplans fur-ther trappingandpesticide treatmentsasneeded thisseason.

Atboth thelarvalandadultstages,Popil-lia japonica isahighlydestructivepestoflawns, foliage, flowersandfruits. It isawide-spreadproblemeastof theMississippi.

Formoreinformation,contact the ISDADivisionofPlant Industriesat332-8627.

JAPANESEBEETLES

BOISEFLOWER&GARDENSHOWWhen:Friday throughSunday,March22-24Where:BoiseCentreHours: 10a.m. to9p.m.March22, 10a.m. to8p.m.March23, 11a.m. to5p.m.March24Admission:Adults$8 foradults, $3 forages 12 to17and free for childrenyounger than 12Information:www.gardenshowboise.comBreathtakingdisplays, seminars, foodandmusicandplentyof informationwillbepartof the 17than-nualBoise Flower&GardenShow.A fewhighlights:ÆCheckout the lobbygardendesignedbySterlingLandscape.ÆDon’tmiss theorchid saleanddisplay to learnmoreabout careandmaintenance.ÆVisit theBuy IdahoPavilion to samplemade-in-Idahoproducts.ÆBid onacontainergardenat the silentPotLuckAuction (benefiting the IdahoBotanicalGarden’sLunariaGrantProgram).

NATIONALPUBLICGARDENSDAYWhen:9a.m. toduskFriday,May 10

Where: IdahoBotanicalGarden,2355OldPeniten-tiaryRoad,BoiseInformation:www.idahobotanicalgarden.orgCelebrateNationalPublicGardensDaywith freeadmission to theBotanicalGarden.

2013GARDENTOURWhen: 10a.m. to5p.m.Sunday, June23Cost:$20 for IdahoBotanicalGardenmembers;$25 fornon-members.Ticketsanddetailswillbeavailable onlineatwww.idahobotanicalgarden.orgorfrom the IdahoBotanicalGarden.Thisyear’s tourwill focusongardensin theEastEndofBoise, includinghomesonWarmSpringsAvenueandtheTableRockarea.Therewillbe sixprivategardensanda tourof the fire-wisegardenat theBotanicalGarden. Inaddition, thetour featuresa special guest:CiscoeMorris,apopu-larSeattle-areagardeningexpert,whohostsaweekly radio showandappearsoncable’sNorth-westNewsChannel.Morriswillvisit the tour stopsthroughout theday.

THEGARDENTABLE

Where: IdahoBotanicalGarden,2355OldPeniten-tiaryRoad,Boise(www.idahobotanicalgarden.org)When: IdahoBotanicalGardenhascombined twoevents (UncorkedandTheGardenPlate) intoonemonthlyseries thatbegins June25.TheGardenTablecombineswine tastingandcookingdemon-strations,and the focus ison items thatcanbepre-paredwithfooddirectly from thegarden.Theevent

isheld from5:30to8p.m.on the lastTuesdayofeachmonth in June, July,AugustandSeptember.Nosignup isneeded.Cost:Free for IdahoBotanicalGardenmembers;non-memberspaygeneraladmissionprices (gener-aladmission is$5 foradults, $3 for seniorsandages5 through 12and free forchildrenages4andyounger).


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ffodils

bloo

m, p

lant

parsnip

seed

s.❏

Prun

ebu

ddleias,sh

rubdo

gwoo

dsan

dca

ryop

teris

.❏

Prun

elave

nder

tosh

apeas

itsh

ows

sign

sof

new

grow

th.

❏Be

ginha

rden

ingoff ind

oor s

eedlings

toac

clim

ateth

emto

outd

oor life

. She

l-ter t

ende

r see

dlings

from

wind.

❏W

atch

for a

phidsan

dkn

ockth

emfrom

plan

tswith

ablas

t ofw

ater. B

enefi-

cial

inse

ctswill

take

over

soon

.❏

Set u

psu

ppor

tsfor p

eonies

, delph

ini-

umsan

dot

her “

flopp

ers.”

MAY

❏Dea

dhea

d(rem

ovesp

ent b

loss

oms

from

) tulips,da

ffodils

andcroc

uses

.Don

’trem

ovefolia

geun

tilit’sye

llow

orbr

own.

❏Con

tinue

prun

ingsp

ring-

flowering

shru

bsim

med

iately

after t

heyha

vebloo

med

.❏

Loca

l lor

esa

ysth

atwhe

nth

esn

owis

meltedoff S

hafer B

utte

northof

Boise,

it’ssa

feto

plan

tmos

t ann

uals

outside.

May

9is

theav

erag

elast

date

offros

t in

theTrea

sure

Valley.

❏Ifyo

uha

ven’t fed

your

rose

s,do

itno

w.

❏In

mid-M

ay, d

irect

seed

corn

; inlate

May

, cuc

umbe

rs, b

eans

, squ

ash,

othe

rwarm

-wea

ther

vege

tables

andm

elon

s.❏

Feed

your

lawnwith

1/4of

itsan

nual

fertilize

r allo

tmen

t,un

less

you’re

usinga

mulch

ingm

ower.

❏Plan

t ann

uals

tofill inpe

renn

ial b

eds

andco

ncea

l yellowingfolia

geof

sprin

g-flo

weringbu

lbs.

JULY

❏Plan

t sho

rt-sea

sonbe

ans,be

ets,

carrot

s,co

llard

s,radish

es, c

abba

ge,

broc

colian

dsim

ilar p

lant

sfor s

econ

dha

rves

t infall.Plan

t spina

chlater.

❏M

akesu

reyo

uarewateringtree

sde

eply.

❏Th

infruit a

nddo

sum

mer

prun

ingto

correc

t sha

peof

shru

bsan

dtree

s.Pr

uningno

wwill

enco

urag

eth

eleas

tun

wan

tedgrow

th.

❏W

atch

for d

estruc

tiveinse

cts,an

dha

nd-p

ickor

blas

t offwith

water, if p

os-

sible.

❏Ifto

matoe

sge

t brownpa

pery

bot-

tom

sor

pepp

ersge

t brownpa

pery

sec-

tions

onth

eside

, it’s

usua

llybe

caus

eof

aca

lcium

defic

ienc

yca

used

byun

even

watering.

Aslong

astem

peratu

resare

pred

ominan

tlyun

der 1

00de

gree

s,de

eply

water

in-g

roun

dto

matoe

son

ceawee

k.Highe

r day

timetem

peratu

res

mea

nyo

une

edto

water

everyfour

orfiv

eda

ys.C

ontainer

plan

tsne

edm

ore

freq

uent

—ev

enda

ilyor

twice-

daily

—wateringin

very

hotw

eath

er.

❏Harve

stsh

allots

andon

ions

whe

nto

psdieba

ck.H

arve

stga

rlic.

SEPT

EMBE

R❏

Plan

t fas

t-grow

inglettuc

ean

dAsian

vege

tables

early

inth

em

onth

for h

ar-

vest

before

winter.

❏Plan

t spina

chan

dm

ache

for e

arly

sprin

gcrop

s.❏

Pot u

pfros

t-tend

erhe

rbsan

dpe

p-pe

rsforw

interin

gindo

ors.

❏Dividepe

onies,ifyo

ufeel

youm

ust.

They

cangrow

form

anyye

arswith

out

beingdivide

d.❏

Feed

lawn1/4of

itsan

nual

fertilize

rrequ

irem

ent.

❏Harve

stwinter s

quas

hwhe

na

thum

bnailw

on’tpe

netrateth

esk

in; c

an-

taloup

ewhe

nitdislod

gesea

sily

from

thevine

,whe

nan

tsap

pear, o

rwhe

nyo

urca

t/do

gtake

sabite; a

ndwater-

melon

whe

nth

ebe

llyis

yello

wan

dth

evine

tend

rilne

ares

t the

melon

isbr

own

anddr

y(o

rwhe

nitso

unds

hollo

wwhe

nyo

uth

umpit)

.❏

Harve

stba

sil if tem

peratu

resarepr

e-dicted

tofallbe

low

38de

gree

s.

OCTO

BER

❏Ave

rage

killing

fros

t isab

outO

ct. 9

.❏

Plan

twild

flower

seed

sth

atne

edstratif

ication(freez

ingan

dth

awing)

.❏

Later inth

em

onth

, plant

garlican

dsh

allot c

love

s.❏

Rem

ovelong

cane

sof

rose

sth

atco

uldda

mag

eot

her c

anes

bywind

whipp

ing.

Givetree

sde

epdr

inks

ofwa-

ter.

❏St

art c

lean

ingga

rden

.Disco

nnec

tho

ses.Hav

esp

rinkler

system

blow

nou

tin

early

Octob

er.

NOVEM

BER

❏Sp

read

last

halfof

lawn’san

nual

fer-

tilizer

allotm

ent intw

ose

ssions

, awee

kor

twoap

art.

❏Use

power

mow

erto

vacu

uman

dsh

redleav

esfor u

seas

winterm

ulch

oras

additio

nsto

com

post.

❏Plan

t spr

ingflo

weringbu

lbsafter s

oil

tem

peratu

redr

opsbe

low

60de

gree

s.(B

uyyo

urbu

lbsea

rlier

inth

ese

a-so

nifyo

uwan

t abe

tter

selec-

tion.

Keep

inaco

ol, d

ryplac

eor

refrigerate.) F

orwinter

chee

r,bu

ybu

lbsfor for

c-ingindo

ors.

DEC

EMBE

R❏

Harve

stpa

rsnips

, kale,

beets,

turn

ips,leek

san

dca

rrot

safter a

mod

eratefros

t or light

snow

. Flavo

rwill

besw

eeter t

hen.

❏Che

cktree

san

dsh

rubs

forw

eak

orbr

oken

bran

ches

that

may

befelle

dby

snow

later.Yo

uca

nre-

mov

eth

eseno

w, spa

ringyo

urtree

orsh

rubda

mag

eth

atm

ight

adm

itdise

ase.

❏Onc

eth

egrou

ndfree

zes,m

ulch

perenn

ials, tak

ingca

reno

t topu

llm

ulch

tight

lyarou

ndth

em

ainstem

ortrun

k.Le

avean

inch

ortw

orin

gop

enarou

ndstem

ortrun

k,lest

you

crea

teidea

l con

ditio

nsfor c

rown

rot.

❏Ra

keleav

esfrom

flower

beds

toke

epth

emfrom

mattin

gan

ddirect-

ingm

oistur

eaw

ayfrom

plan

ts.

❏Cov

erstrawbe

rrieswith

pine

need

lestraw

orot

her s

traw

not

cont

aminated

byhe

rbicides

.❏

Mak

eho

liday

wreaths

orho

liday

deco

ratio

nsof

conifers

orot

her

evergree

ns.

JANUARY

❏Re

adca

talogs

anddr

eam

.Ord

erse

edsea

rly, tak

ingca

reno

t toor

der if

youstill

have

viab

lese

edsfrom

last

year.

❏Che

ckstor

edve

getables

freq

uent

ly,

rem

ovingth

oseth

atha

vero

t or o

ther

spoilage

indica

tors.

❏Ifyo

uha

ven’t a

lread

y,co

ver c

ompo

stpile

with

tarp

topr

even

t rainan

dsn

owfrom

leac

hing

nutrient

sou

t of the

pile.

❏Plan

t onion

andsh

allot s

eeds

in-

door

s.

FEBR

UARY

❏Inve

ntor

yho

ldings

infree

zer s

oyo

uca

nplan

wha

t toinclud

ean

dho

wm

uch

toplan

t inyo

urve

ggie

gard

enth

isye

ar.

❏Insp

ect g

arde

nto

ols.Re

mov

ean

yru

st. S

harp

ensp

ades

.❏

Che

ckth

e“b

ones

” of y

our lan

dsca

p-ingfor v

isua

l app

eal,an

dm

akeplan

sto

impr

oveitwith

adde

dsh

rubs

orha

rd-

scap

ing.

❏Plan

t see

dsof

broc

coli,ca

bbag

ean

dot

her c

olecrop

sindo

ors;pr

une

tree

s/sh

rubs

, exc

ept for

sprin

gbloo

merssu

chas

forsythiaan

dlilac

s.

TREA

SUREVALLEY

GARDEN

ING16-17

•FR

IDAY,

MARC

H22

, 2013 Gardening summer

YO

UR

HA

NDY,PU

LLO

UT

AN

DSAV

E

“Toeverything

thereisa

season

...”

ECCLESIAST

ES3:1

“The

diffe

rencebetween

gardeningandhousew

ork

isthatwhenyoudu

st, the

furnitu

redo

esn’t grow

andthekitchenfloor

doesn’tbloom

.”CASSANDRA

“MRS

.GRE

ENTH

UMBS

” DANZ

“Beforetherewards

theremust b

elabo

r.

Youplantbeforeyouharvest.

Yousowintearsbeforeyoureap

joy.”

RALPHRA

NSO

M“If you

have

a

garden

andalibrary,

youhave

everything

youneed.”

CICER

O

JUNE

❏Plan

t out

seed

lings

ofpe

ppers,to

ma-

toes

, egg

plan

tsan

dba

sil.W

atch

for late

fros

ts.

❏St

opfeed

ingtree

sby

June

15, toal-

low

them

topr

ogress

towardwinter d

or-

man

cy.

❏Ta

ckle

wee

dsregu

larly

andfreq

uent-

lyso

youke

epaha

ndle

onth

esitu

ation.

Rem

embe

r,m

ulch

also

keep

swee

dse

edsfrom

germ

inating.

❏Fe

edro

sesab

out e

very

threewee

ks.

❏M

onito

r law

n.W

henitge

tsabluish

cast

andfoot

prints

don’t b

ounc

eba

ckread

ily,w

ater

deep

ly.

❏Ke

epyo

urey

eou

t for

destru

ctivein-

sects;ifne

cess

ary,us

eth

eleas

t tox

icco

ntro

lsfir

st.

AUGUST

❏Fe

rtilize

rose

sfor las

t tim

eth

isse

a-so

n.M

ost g

arde

ners

stop

fertilizing

ros-

esby

Aug

. 15.

❏Pr

unem

aple

andbirchtree

s,rem

ov-

ingcros

sing

andwea

kbr

anch

es.

❏Harve

stpe

ppersto

stim

ulatefurthe

rpr

oduc

tion.

Harve

stan

ddr

yor

free

zehe

rbs.

❏Dividecrow

dedan

dno

nbloom

ing

bearde

diris.Ifyo

u’re

goingto

divide

Ori-

ental p

oppies

, doitdu

ringsu

mm

erdo

r-m

ancy

.❏

Collect, d

ryan

dlabe

l see

dsfrom

nonh

ybrid

plan

ts.

❏W

henco

rnsilkstu

rnbr

ownan

ddr

y,star

t che

ckingfor r

ipen

ess(e

aren

dsin-

side

husk

ssh

ould

bero

unde

dinstea

dof

pointed)

.

winter

Aseasonalto-dolist tokeep

youon

track fall


5-DAY SPECIAL EVENT:MARCH 18TH –MARCH 22ND

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OFFER GOOD THROUGHMARCH 31ST

TREASUREVALLEYLAVENDERFESTIVALSWhen:SaturdayandSunday, July 13and 14Where:LakesideLavender in theNampaarea,TheLavenderMerchant inKuna,RiverRidgeFarmandSilverFoxFarmin theEmmettareaInformation:Check thewebsitesathttp://thelaven-dermerchant.net;www.lakesidelavender.com;http://silverfoxlavender.com;http://riverridgelavender.blogspot.com.TherewillbeU-pick lavenderopportunities,lavenderproducts, food,craftsandmore.

20THANNUALKOI&GOLDFISHSHOWWhen: 10a.m. to4p.m.Saturday,Sept. 14Where: IdahoBotanicalGarden,2355OldPenitentiaryRoad,BoiseCost:Therewillbemore than24display tanksandmore than100koiandgoldfishat theshow, plusotherexhibits, familyactivitiesandentertainment.Freeadmission to theshowandbotanical garden.

Someother IdahoWaterGarden&KoiSocietyevents:Æ 1:30p.m.Saturday,March23,OverlandRoadZa-mzows. “KoiPondsandWaterGardens 101.” Free.ÆThe society isholdingaTreasureValleyPondTour from10a.m. to2p.m.Saturday, July20,andSunday, July21.Information:Formoredetailson theseeventsor tofindwatergardenandkoi pond resources,visitwww.iwgks.org.

PLANTSALESSaturday,April27:9a.m.-noonHildaPackard,1917N.9thSt.,Boise(betweenBrumbackandRidenbaugh)Saturday,April27: 10a.m.-1 p.m. IdahoNativePlantSociety,MKNatureCenter,601S.Walnut,Boise. For information, visit idahonativeplants.org.Friday,May3andSaturday,May4: IdahoBotanicalGardenPlantSale.Membersonly from4 to8p.m.Friday (freewithmembership),and thenopen to thepublic from9a.m. to2p.m.Saturday (generalad-missionpricing). IdahoBotanicalGarden,2355OldPenitentiaryRoad,Boise. Information:www.idahobotanicalgarden.org/index.cfmThisevent featuresplantsgrownbyhorticulture studentsand IdahoBotanicalGarden staffmembers.Saturday,May4:8a.m.-noonAdaGardeners,10608CruserDr.,Boise (southwest cornerof FiveMileand Franklin).May9and10 (8a.m. to3:30p.m.)andMay 13and14(11a.m to3:30p.m.):EagleHighSchoolbotanyclass sale, 574N. Park Lane,Eagle. (Greenhousesbehind the school.Park in the facultyparking lot.The first turn into the school offStateStreet.Followthe signs to theback.)FridayandSaturday,May10and11:9a.m.-4p.m.IdahoHorticultureSociety, 1211S.OwyheeSt.,BoiseSaturday,May 11: 10a.m.-3p.m.HiddenSpringsMemorialGarden,HiddenSpringsSaturday,May18:9a.m.-plus,LongValleyGarden-ers,ValleyCountyFairgrounds,Cascade(southside)Saturday,May18:9a.m. to2p.m.,WackyWeedersGardenClub,624LosLucerosCircle inEagle;also

sellingothergardening resourcesandmaterialsSaturdayandSunday,May 18and19:9a.m.-plus,GoldenGardenClub, 10305HarvesterDr.,BoiseSaturdayandSunday,May 18and19:9a.m.-2p.m.OwyheeGardenClub,Homedale (hardware storeparking lot,U.S.95)SaturdayandSunday,May25and26:9a.m.-2p.m.OwyheeGardenClub,MarsingHighSchoolAgriculturalGreenhouse,Marsing

GARDENINGCLUBS&PROGRAMSManyof theaboveclubs in theplant sale listwel-comenewmembers.Google “Idahogardenclubs”formore informationand to findclubsandorganiza-tions.The IdahoHorticultureSociety (idhort.com)and IdahoNativePlantSociety (idahonativeplants.org)alsowelcomenewmembers.LearnaboutbeingaMasterGardeneratwww.extension.uidaho.edu/mg.

VALLEYGARDENINGCLASSESPublic libraries, the IdahoBotanicalGarden, theFoothills LearningCenter,mostareagardening/landscaping stores, theAdaandCanyonExtensionOffices (related information,page7)andothershave classes forevery level.For instance, theFoothillsLearningCenterandFar-WestNurseryarepresentingaseriesof threeclass-es to teachadultsaboutorganicgardening.Al-though the firstclasshasalreadyoccurred, there isstillanopportunity toattend theother twoclasses.9a.m. tonoon,Saturday,June1:Howtoprepareasummergarden.The focuswillbe selectionofheat-

lovingcrops,companionplanting, transplantingandprotection,anddealingwithpestsanddiseasesor-ganically,and9a.m. tonoon,Sept.21:Gardenman-agement in the fall.Thisclasswill focusonharvest-ingand storage of summercrops, introduction toseed savingmethods, fallcrop selection,coldpro-tectionandpreparing thegarden forwinter.

The classesareat the Foothills LearningCenter,3188SunsetPeakRoad. Cost is$16 forBoise resi-dent;$24.25 fornon-resident.To registeronline,seeparks.cityofboise.orgor call608-7680.

See theStatesmangardening calendars in Friday’sLife sectionand in theonline gardeningnewsletterand store/organizationwebsites formoreinformation.Manygardening storewebsitesarealso full of goodplant information.

MORERESOURCESSomeotherwebsite resources thathaven’tbeenmentionedelsewhere in this special section:

UnitedWaterCo.:conservation resourcesonline;toura low-waterdemonstration gardenat itsheadquartersat8248W.VictoryRoad inBoise.www.unitedwater.com

BoiseUrbanGardenSchool:gardeningprogramsfor kidsandmore.www.boiseurbangardenschool.org

IdahoCapitolgrounds:goodplace toget xeriscapeideas.www.capitolcommission.idaho.gov

Compiledby freelancewriterChereenLangrilland IdahoStatesman staff

CONTINUED FROMPAGE 15


gardensPassion. Patience.Adaptability.Gardening comes inmany forms,

but for these nineValley gardeners those three principles are at the

root of it all. As Idaho slowly awakens from its longwinter slumber,

area gardenerswait for the snow todisappear fromShaferButte,

signaling the unofficial start to the 2013 gardening season. In the

meantime, these gardeners share their secrets to success.

And if these gardens look familiar, you aren’tmistaken.They

were featured in the 2013TreasureValleyGardens calendar pub-

lishedby the IdahoStatesman. CONTINUED,PAGE20 ››

WANTACALENDAR?

It’snot too late togeta2013TreasureValleyGardenscalendar.Buyoneforhalfprice($2.50)at 1200N.CurtisRoadinBoise.More informationatwww.idahostatesman.com/promotions.Andbeon thelookout for informationabouthowtoenteryourgarden inour2014calendarcontest.

PHOTOSFORTHE2013GARDENSCALENDARBYCHARLIELITCHFIELD/ Special to the Idaho StatesmanPurpleconeflowerblossoms in theyardofDianaandCharlesParenteauontheBoiseBench. Readmoreabout theParenteaus’gardenonpage23.

BYCHEREENLANGRILL SPECIAL TO THE IDAHO STATESMAN

Make themost of it. That’s the idea be-hind the gardenof Joanne andMikeLechn-er. Their homeon theWarmSpringsMesaincludes large, old trees that provide heavyshade in parts of the yard.A shade gardenhas becomea serene spacewith pathwaysand contrasts of color, texture, shapes andsizes. But the sun still beats downon someareas.A xeriscape gardenmakes the best ofits dry surroundingswith a lovely slab stonepath borderedwith lavender and a raisedbox containing amassive rhubarbplant.

JoanneLechner’s gardening skills comefromher father,whowas considered thefamily gardener at their LosAngeles home.Hewould line one side of their longdrive-waywith calla lilies and the otherwithdahlias.

“My introduction to gardeningwas dead-heading those callas,” she says.

Each year hewouldplant a 10-foot-longwall of sweet peas, andhewould let hisdaughter cut asmany as shewanted.Thatexperiencewas an early lesson in the joygardening canbring to others.

“Theolderwomen in the neighborhoodallwelcomedmy frequent gift bouquets andcorsages,” Lechner says. “Sometimes I gothomemade cookies.”

Lechner nowwatches her granddaughterenjoy the garden theway shedid as a younggirl. Because of a change in elevation intheir yard, a set ofwinding stairs leads to anupper garden. It’s an ideal place to view therest of the garden fromadifferent perspec-tivewhile sitting on themeditation bench.“It’s a call to be still, listen to the birds andexperience the swayof the plants nearby,tuning into one’s own reflective inspira-tions,” she says. “Lookingdown there is apatch of groundwith a basket of small rocksthat canbeused to design or build.Our8 1/2-year-old granddaughter prefers to cre-ate spirals.”

Shewonders if those playful spirals couldeventually becomeaminiature labyrinth forwhoever owns the home someday.

Mygardenmusthave:Time. Lechner in-sists onhaving enough time to spend in hergardenbecause of how itmakes her feel.“I need time in the gardenbecause it re-freshesmy soul,” she says. “Concerns of lifeseem tobe left in the house as I venture outto discoverwhat is new, changedor surpris-ingly present.”Whenpeople visit theirhome (itwas featuredon the 2012BoiseGardenTour), they often say the gardengives thema sense of peace, Lechner says.She considers it an outdoor chapel.“Whether I amplanting, pruning, harvest-ing, resting I can find the spirit of lifewhichdrawsme to reflect andpray,” she says.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:“Anythingand everything,” she says. She often turns tobooks to learnmore, and in 2012 she readabout how to integrate vegetableswithflowers and shrubs. But at the endof theseason theyhadnearly 40 spaghetti squashplants, so this year theyplan to havemorewatermelonplants instead.

Inspiration also comes fromcolor. Lastyear she decided to incorporate one colorthroughout the garden. She introduced a redpatio umbrella andpops of redwith blos-soms and strawberries aswell as on somepots andbamboo style arbors and even afewbirdhouses. Itwas such a success sheplans to do it again this year.

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:For Lechner, time is rarely an issue.“At age 72, I amusually blessedwith unlim-ited time, so I doprioritizemywork, not ac-cording to time, but need,” she says. “I amthankful that I need the experience of ourgarden chapel.”

Joanneand

MikeLechnerWarmSpringsMesa


“Whimsy” is the firstwordBrent Stewartthinks ofwhenhedescribes his garden. It’san eclecticmix of foundor repurposedob-jects (like the toilet that nowserves as aplanter), chickens, flowers and serenity.However, usually Stewart lacks the time toenjoy the serenity heworks so hard to cre-ate for others.

“If IhadthetimeI’d liketo justsitbackandenjoyit,”hesays.“Thatwouldbetheultimate.”

Stewart admitshisownenjoyment (andserenity)comeswhileworking in thegarden.It’s acollaborationwith friendRobynYraguen thatbeganyearsagoafterYraguenpurchasedagreenhouse fromCostco.Stew-arthadmorespace thanshedid, soheofferedtoput thestructureonhisproperty.Nowtheywork together—alongwithRobyn’sdaughterKatie—tokeep thegarden thriving.

The garden is also in the same space asthe family business: Stewart’sGemShop.Stewart grewup in the business and is stilldeeply involved. Butwhenhe isn’tworking,he is tending to his garden.His love of gar-dening is an extensionof the joy he feels as aresult of eight years of sobriety (he is a for-mermethamphetamine addict). “My lifewent fromdark anddull to one filledwithcolor andbeauty,” he says.

Mygardenmusthave:Good soil. Stewartgoes to great lengths to have quality soil inhis garden.He recently drove toPayette topurchase high-quality compost and alsohauled in three yards of topsoil to preparethe garden for the 2013 planting season.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:Nature.“I findbeauty everywhere, but being aroundrocks andnature all the time ... that givesmeinspiration.”

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Water is the first priority. Stewartwaters twice a day inwarmermonths. “Ifyoumiss onewater, it really shows,” he says.

BrentStewartNorthBoise



Their combined interests seem like a nat-ural fit for gardening:MikeZborowski lovesbuilding,whileDe is a floral designer andhas always loved flowers andplants. Theyhave lived in their Benchhome since 1973,and their first outdoor projectwas a gazebowith a built-in barbecue, followedby threesmall buildings on adeck they call the “Har-bor.” It has developed into amagical oasisover the years:Ahugemaple tree (plantedin 1955) features a tree house (itwas evenequippedwith electricity) and a large deckwith a greenhouse andbar.And theyhostcrab and lobster boils near the deck at theirbackyard “crab shack.”

Thebackyard is filledwith shade, andDeZborowski has adaptedby seeking shade-loving plants. “I love pottedplants and flow-ers. I have around 20 to 30potted contain-ers,” she says.

Those pottedplants need extra attention,andZborowski has a solid system tomanagethem. “Mybest hint for container gardeningiswash your clay pots, use systemic pesti-cide and a time-release fertilizer,” she says.

She also believes in quality potting soil(don’t use soil fromyour gardenwhenpot-ting plants). And shewaters in themorningrather than at night.

She gets creativewith resources to giveher garden interest andpersonality:Win-dowboxes have awaterfall effect (using ivyto cascade over the edge) and get added col-orwith alyssum.Charmcomes fromold ob-jects she repurposes around the garden, in-cluding old doors, bikes, garden tools, cratesandbenches.

“We love texture and contrast in decking,concrete, andbrick, and lots of ivy,” she says.

Mike focuses on adding lots of detail intohis buildings for the garden (right down tomoldings) andDe’s specialty is adding ele-ments of color.

Mygardenmusthave:Dragonwingbego-nias.Her color of choice?Red.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration:Greenhous-es, gardenmagazines, Pinterest andmore.“Our inspiration comes from traveling, vis-iting greenhouses and gardenparties,” shesays. “Disneyhas always been an inspiration(because of) their grouping andnonstopperforming flowers.”

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Water, deadheador fertilize. Be-causeZborowski is often limited for time,she has learned tomake themost of it.

Mikeand

DeZborowskiBoiseBench

IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM • IDAHOSTATESMAN FRIDAY,MARCH22, 2013 • TREASUREVALLEYGARDENING 23

DianaParenteaudescribes her garden as“awork in progress.”Theymoved toBoisein 1992 andhad a blank canvas of a backyard:Concrete sidewalks, concrete patios, un-healthy grass and twodying locust trees.Their first challengewas to tame their con-crete jungle.

“We started getting serious about devel-oping the yard 12 years agowhenwehad theconcrete removed,” Parenteau says.

Year after year since, theyhavemade ad-ditional changes: removing sod, addingnewplantings, incorporating hardscaping fea-tures andmore.Theyhired contractors forheavierwork like adding landscaping boul-ders, retainingwalls and awater feature.TheParenteaus do the rest themselves, a lit-tle at a time.Thebig picture?Developingthe yard into sections she refers to as“rooms.”

Parenteau grewupwatching her father inthe garden, but even thoughhewas an avidgardener shedidn’t pick up the interest untillater in life.

“Now it ismy recreation, exercise andtherapy,” she says.

Ourgardenmusthave:Color and texture.“Wealso strive for year-round interest; thegoal is to have something bloomingor ‘mak-ing a spectacle’ almost everyweekof theyear. Conifers (blue, green, andyellow) areanchor plants for every seasonbut especial-ly important in thewinter,” Parenteau says.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:“Every-thing!” she sayswith enthusiasm. Someoftheir favorites include local nurseries, localhomeandgarden shows, friends’ yards,magazines anddavesgarden.com, awebsitethat features gardening tutorials, advice, fo-rums and resources.

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Parenteaumakes themost of her

timebydoing a little bit of everything. “En-joywalking the pathways, pinching a dead-head, tossing a ball for the dogs, assessingwater and fertilizer needs, listening to birdssing, talking to the plants, smelling flowers,scolding anyweeds Imight see andpullingthem,watching insects, laughing at squir-rels and feedingmy soul,” Parenteau says.Her self-described “workouts” are typicallydone in 30 to 60minutes, and something sheenjoys frequently.

“I can easily tidy a room in 30 to 60min-utes (water,weed, deadhead, trim),whichimprovesmanageability and givesme a feel-ing of accomplishment,” Parenteau says.

DianaandCharlesParenteauBoiseBench

Manyof thephotoson thesepageswere takenby freelancephotographerCharlie Litchfield asheworkedon the

2013TreasureValleyGardenscalendar. Thesepagesalso include

manyphotosprovidedby thegardenowners aswell as their

friendsand family.

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When it comes to gardening, SallyThomas is all about color.

Thomashas lived in her home for 20years andhas redone the yard three times.Hermain focus?Hundreds of colorful flow-ers ranging frombulbs to perennials and an-nuals. There are also tomatoes, zucchini,radishes andherbs.And she enjoys a koipond and turtles. In thewinter,when the koiand the turtles are dormant, her yard re-mains vibrant because of the colorful artifi-cial flowers she “plants.”As shedevelopsher garden in the spring,Thomas continuesto use artificial flowers to fill in bare areas.She had artificial turf installed in 2012 to re-

ducemaintenance and continue the themeof year-round color.

As a nature lover andoutdoor enthusiast,Thomas viewsher garden as a sanctuary. “Ithink it’s a placewhere you can feel closertoGod,” she says.

Thomas grewup in SouthernCalifornia,where shedevelopedher interest in garden-ing. She remembers helping her grand-motherwork in her garden in her home inHollywood as a child. She credits gardeningfor her youthful energy.

“I am74years old and I could easily passfor someone inmy60s,”Thomas says.“I feel like I have the energy of a 55-year-old,and I really believe it’s fromgardening. Ican’t stop. I’m ahigh-energyperson.”

Mygardenmusthave:Trees.AlthoughThomasadmits she lovesbursts of color, shealso loves theway treesmakeheryard looklush andalive, even in thewintermonths.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:Magazinesand theButchartGardens inCanada.The fa-mousgardens,which are loadedwith color-ful flowers,wereoncepart of a favorite vaca-tion. She continues todrawupon its breath-taking images as a sourceof inspiration.

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Weeding comes first. Thomas be-lieves in the importance of basicmainte-nance and turns toweeding as the first andmost critical step in keeping her garden gor-geous.

SallyThomasWestBoise


TheForreysmoved into a brand-newhome 12 years ago, and that gave them thechance tomake the garden their own fromthe very beginning.The centerpiece is afountainwith heavy rocks that allowwaterto cascadedown. Planters are filledwithflowers andvegetables because it’s an effi-cient use of space and also createsmore in-terest, Forrey says. “If youpunch in some-thingwith a different shape or texture, that’swhat draws your attention,” she says.

Their former homewas on ahalf-acre,and theymoved to downsize. Because thenewbackyardwas around 1,200 square feet,they set out tomake themost of it. OvertimeForrey has learned that a smaller yarddoesn’t have to limit a garden’s potential.She takes advantage of vertical space forvegetables like cucumbers and squash (it’s amethod common in Japanwhere gardenspace is limited, she says). It’s all aboutmak-ing themost ofwhatever space is available.Grapes and raspberries growalong the sideof the yard, and sheplants herbs amongherflowers to help fight off insects.

Forrey grewup inTwinFalls andwaspart of a family that loved to garden (hergrandmother had a front yard filledwithroses), andher own interests have grownasan adult. She is an advancedmaster garden-er, butmanyof her principles stem fromcommon sense.Don’tmake it too labor-intensive or youwon’t enjoy it, for example.And remember that nothing has to beper-manent.

“As a gardener, it’s important to know thatyou can always tear something out and startover,” she says.

Mygardenmusthave:Good soil. “Your gar-den canhave anything, butwithout goodsoil itwon’t grow,” she says. Forreymakesher owncompost and adds that a goodwa-tering system is also key.

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:Books andmagazines. Forrey still uses books thatwerehandeddown fromher grandmother andmother, andoneof her longtime favorites is

the Sunset “WesternGardenBook.” “Thatwasmybiblewhen I started gardening,” shesays.While she appreciateswebsites dedi-cated to gardening, she findsmore value inprintedmaterial becausewhen she finds anidea she likes, she can take itwith her to anursery.

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Take inventory. Forreywill dead-head flowers, cultivate soil or inspect for in-sects. “Sometimes I just standback and lookto seewhat Imight need to add,” she says.

KarenandWayneForreySouthwestBoise


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Knowyourself. It’s the basic truth behindthe gardenofKathy andRobertYoshida.While they admit to enjoying timeout-doors, theYoshidas also know theydon’twant to be burdenedwith hours ofmainte-nance.AndKathyYoshida isn’t a big fan ofgrass or flowers. Several years ago theyturned to the expert advice of landscape ar-chitectKeciaCarlson, owner ofMadelineGeorgeGardenDesign, to develop a betterplan for their outdoor living space.Carlsonput together a plan basedon their interestsandhow theyplanned to use that space, andtoday theyhave a gardenworthyof admira-tion (it has been featuredon the annualBoiseGardenTour). It includes lush bam-boo, awater feature and a tea housewherethe couple can enjoywarmeveningswith aglass ofwine.

Yoshida knows that patience isn’t herstrength. ButCarlsonhas persuadedher tochoose smaller plants thatwill grow intoher space rather thanpurchasing fully de-velopedplants that satisfy her immediately.Thebambooplants that now threaten totower above their fence and tea housewerejust a couple of feet highwhen theywere in-troduced into the yard in 2006. Bamboogrows fast and can easily spread.Carlsonknew thatmature plantswould be tooun-rulywithin a fewyears, even if itwasn’t evi-dent toYoshida. “She sees the bigger pic-ture,”Yoshida says.

Mygardenmusthave:Water. Thewaterfeature in theYoshidas’ yard is a source oftranquility aswell as a favorite hardscapingelement. “It really does drownout a lot of

noise,” she says. “It gets rid the outside noiseand just helps you relax.”

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:KeciaCarlson.Yoshida turns toCarlson for adviceand loves to visit Carlson’s nursery to takein the beauty and get new ideas (MadelineGeorgeGardenDesignNursery is located at10550W.Hill RoadParkway). Carlson alsoprovides amuch-needed reality checkwhenYoshida feels the urge tomake an impulsivedecision about her garden. “The easy thingis to jump in there. Iwant the quick fix,” shesays. “Her solution ismore green,morethoughtful andusually less expensive. It’s afix that is common sense.”

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Yoshida goes for the clean sweep:raking. “It’s like if you’re having company,youvacuum,” she says. Running the rakethrough the yardhelps cleanupdebris andgives it a clean, neat look.When theYoshi-das’ daughter, Kelly, gotmarried in their gar-den in September 2011, awindstormsweptthrough theValley the night before the cere-mony.Yoshida had about onehour to cleanupdebris from the storm, so she grabbed arake andwhen shewas done, itwas good asnew.

KathyandRobertYoshidaSoutheastBoise


28 TREASUREVALLEYGARDENING • FRIDAY,MARCH22,2013 IDAHOSTATESMAN • IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM63

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WhenTonyMontes purchasedhis homein 2008, itwas a plain Janewith grass andone tree.

Since thenhehas brought it to life byaddingpaths,waterfalls, ponds, numeroustrees and flowers, andother elements likerocks, a bridge, an arbor, fountains, benchesand a fire-pit. Andhe continues to addnewfeatures.

“I enjoy flowers and try to plant themsothat I have a successionof color fromearlyspring through fall,”Montes says. “It is trulya labor of love forme.”

Montes,who is inhis 50s, hasbeen inter-ested in landscaping andgardening sincehis20s.He is a self-describednature lover andhe strives todemonstrate that passion inhisgarden. “I constantly observe howrocks be-comearrangedbynature andhowrocks en-hance the beauty of plantswhen they sharethe samecanvas,” he says. “I try tomimicnature inmyown landscapes and seem tohave a knack for placing rocks so that theybecome interesting andnot just a rock.”

Mygardenmusthave:ForMontes, it is adifficult choice betweenwater and rocks. “Ilove both and always try to have them inmylandscapes,” he says. “I love the soothing

soundofwater and love theway it captureslight. Rocks are necessary to define bound-aries aswell as create backdrops, focalpoints, and even create soundswhenyouaddwater.”

Mygo-tosourcefor inspiration is:Nature.“Inmygarden I alwayswant rocks andplants to look as though theymight have oc-curred thatwaynaturally,” he says.

If Ionlyhave30to60minutestoworkinmygarden:Get rid of thoseweeds. “This is notmuch funbut very necessary if youwantyour garden to lookhealthy and to give yourrocks andplants the ability to standout,”Montes says.

TonyMontesSouthwestBoise


Great ideasfromSeattle’sbig garden show

PHOTOSBYGENIEARCANO [email protected]

“TheSilver ScreenTakesRoot:Gardens goHollywood”was the theme for the 2013NorthwestFlower andGardenShow inFebruary.While few

people reallywant aTinseltownvibe in their yards,details of the displays created bySeattle-area

professionalswere as inspiring as ever.

A6-foot fountain,oneof threein thisdisplaygarden, ismadeofconcretepipeanddripswaterontoapebblepool.Having threeadds impact,asdoesgroupingsevenglasslollipops,below.Sometimes,more ismore.

Youprobablydon’twant theTinWoodmanorDorothyGale inyourgarden—buthowaboutamassplantingof fragrantspringbulbs?

Lettucegrows inshallowplasticplantershungfromtheeavesofashed in thisgardenshow-ingways tomixediblesandornamentals.

Awaterfall thatmakesthis decklookasif it’sstraddlingabrookshowshowtohavefallingwater inaflatyard.(Getmoreinspirationatthisweekend’sBoiseFlowerandGardenShow,DETAILS,PAGE15)

Thechildren’s “SwissFamilyRobinson”garden featured threeground-level “treehouses”: small logpergolasconnectedbyramps thatcreateanairy, shadyplace toplay.

Nice lighting foraneveningparty:A lightweightchandelierholdingvotivecandleshangs fromacloth-coveredpergola.

OK, I’d lovemygardenshedto look like thisHobbitdwelling, completewithaplant-coveredroofandrounddoor.Therepetitionof largepots tiledwith roundedstones looksgreat, too.

Thisgarden inspiredby“Zorba theGreek”featuresapebblemosaic “stream”andweathered logsnestledamongsucculents—twonice touches foraxericgarden.


Takingacue fromtheStatesman’sLife section’s ‘BestThing’ feature,wewanted tosharea fewofour favorites

When towater?Checkyoursoil’smoisturewithawatermeter.This three-waymeterbyBondwillalsocheckph levelsand light.We foundthisonefor$13.99atFarWest.Moisturemeterscanbe foundinmanystylesandpricepoints.

‘TheDrunkenBotanist’“Given the role theyplay increating theworld’sgreatdrinks,”writesAmyStewart,“it’sawonder thereareanysoberbotanistsatall.”Whetheryou’re interested inhorticulture,drinking,orcul-tural history—orall three—you’ll finda lot to likehere:Stewart’s research is impec-cable,her style isbreezyandsheevenoffers recipes forcocktailsandhomemadecocktail ingredientsusingplantsyoucangrowyourself.AlgonquinBooksofChapelHill, retail price$19.95.

GardengarbKeepallyour toolshandywithanapron.ThisonebyDrammis$29.99atFarWestLandscapeandGardenCenteronStateStreet inBoise.

SeedsNorthwestseedcompanies—suchasEdHumefromWashingtonstate—selltheirproducts inmanyareastores.Thepollinatormixand thegourmet-blendbasilare twoofourfavorites.

Paperpot-makerUse thiswoodmold,available inmanygardencentersandcatalogs forabout$15, tomake freeseedlingpots fromstripsofnewspaper.At transplanttime,put thepotandall into theground.Wantbiggerpots?Youcanalsouse15-ounce foodcansasamold.

NutrientboostZamzows’Thriveall-natural fertilizerdeliversapunchofgrowingpower toanything inyourgarden.$24.99atTreasureValleylocations.Formoreinformation,visitzamzows.com.

Local knowledgeBoiseanMaryAnnNewcomerco-au-thored the “RockyMountainGarden-er’sHandbook”with JohnCretti.(ColdSpringsPress, retail price$24.99).

HaulingEverybodyneedsagood tub.This7-gallonTuffTote is$16.99atFarWest.

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Self-watering claypotsTheseareperfect for finickyplants(likeAfricanviolets)or forgetfulwaterers.Thewater isheld in thepoton the right,and theplant sitsinaporousclay insert.Avarietyofsizesavailable locallyandonline.

Animal deterrentTheScareCrowsprinkler— triggeredbyamotiondetector—will keepcrittersatbay.We foundours for$87.99atFarWestLandscapeandGardenCenter.VisitContech-inc.comfor more information.

Zone4magazineThisquarter’s issueof theRockyMountain region’sgar-deningandfoodpublicationfeaturesastoryaboutEd-wardsGreenhouseand itsflorist, JohnCarpenter.Zone4 isanexhibitorat theBoiseFlower&GardenShowfromMarch22-24atBoiseCentre.Themagazine issponsoringaminiaturegar-dencontest,whichwill beondisplayduring theshow.(Zone4magazine.com,$6.95atareanewsstands).

Slimand lightweight hoseWaterRight Inc.’spolyurethanehosedeliv-

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treasure valley gardening - march 2013

Documents

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idahostatesman idahostatesman

local gardenersshare

feeling of history

simple life3175e

helpful local resources

ne collection of colonial

ne collection ofcolonial