How To: Make a Mini Bog Garden
by Leslie Cox; Thursday; August 17, 2017
This project is specifically for creating a small space in your garden bed to help a water-loving plant survive the current run of drought conditions we have been experiencing in our normally rainforest-like conditions here in the Pacific Northwest. If you want to group a few plants together in one spot which require more water than your local water restrictions allow, these instructions are easily expanded.
You will need:
- a shovel
- plastic bag from purchased soil or manure or suitable piece of plastic from another source
- compost and/or aged manure
- Organic Complete Fertilizer (click here for recipe)
Directions:
- Dig a hole 12 – 24 inches (30 – 60 cm) deep and wide, depending on the size of your plant. For a small- to medium-sized hosta, for instance, you only need a hole 12 to 18 inches (30 – 45 cm), depending on the hosta. For plants which have a tap root, such as lupins, hollyhocks, and some poppies, you will need to dig a deeper hole but can likely keep your hole narrow unless you are planting an acanthus (bear’s breeches).
- Line the hole with the plastic, keeping the edges above the surface of the soil. You want to use a plastic liner which does not have any holes where the water can leak out. This would defeat the purpose of making a mini bog. I know some, or most, DYI mini bog directions say to make several holes in the plastic about 4 inches (10 cm) below the soil surface to protect against crown rot. I do not recommend punching the holes as, again, it rather defeats the purpose of keeping your water-loving plants adequately hydrated. There is a way of protecting your plants from getting crown rot, which I will explain further on in the Directions.
- Fill the plastic-lined hole about two-thirds full with a 50/50 mix of garden soil and compost (or well-aged manure if you do not have any homemade compost).
- Thoroughly mix one to two cups of Organic Complete Fertilizer into the soil/compost mixture. Amount of fertilizer will depend on the size of your hole and size of your plant.
- Position your plant in the hole so the crown of the plant is slightly raised up from the surrounding soil surface by 2 – 3 inches (5 – 7.5 cm). This is important as this step is what will ensure your plant does not succumb to crown rot.
- Fill in the rest of the hole with your 50/50 mix of soil and compost, making sure the plant’s crown remains at least 2 inches (5 cm) above the soil’s surface.
- Trim the plastic and fold cut edge over so you can neatly bury all signs of plastic just below the soil surface.
And voilá! You have a neat little bog which will keep your plant well hydrated all through the worst of the drought. Believe me, the mini bogs I have installed in various spots in my landscape have definitely helped my plants weather fifty-five days of no rain this summer. I also have a couple of plants which have thrived in their bog spot for three years now.
In the back garden, we have two much larger bogs which we installed at least ten years ago to house about six different plant species in each. Both are roughly 24 inches (60 cm) deep and 36 – 40 inches (90 – 100 cm) in diameter. They have thrived beautifully…only needing some divisional attention once so far to combat over-crowding. Have not had any succumb to crown rot.
Garden Chores: May
This has certainly been a different year, weather-wise. But then, last year was too…in the reverse. The winter of 2016 was very mild so plants were roughly 2 – 3 weeks ahead of normal. This year, they are more like 3 weeks behind. Mind you, the plants do “go gang busters” whenever there is some sun and warmer temperatures.
However, the extended forecast for April is filled with slightly cooler temperatures than normal and more precipitation. Keep a weather eye because some outdoor chores may need tweaking this month.
In the garden:
- If you did not need to divide those spreading late-flowering perennials…phlox, crocosmia, shasta daisies, artemisia (mugwort)…this year, check to make sure they are not spreading into other perennial clumps nearby.
- Spread lime and fertilizer on your lawn this month.
- Rhodos and azaleas benefit from a sprinkling of nitrogen and magnesium around their drip line right now…especially those shrubs which are looking a little sickly. (Coffee grounds and Epsom salts are good sources of nitrogen and magnesium sulfate respectively.)
- Prune out the spent flowering shoots on those rhodos which have flowered early. Do this as soon as possible…before new leaf growth appears…to make the chore easier.
- Still time to plant fruit trees.
- Get those summer-flowering bulbs in the ground now.
- Time to plant up the hanging baskets and any window boxes or pots of annuals you wish to have around the house and garden. It is still dicey, weather-wise, for having them outside just yet so keep them under cover in an open garage, under an adequate overhang or in the greenhouse.
- Slugs and snails are still an issue. Keep a watchful eye! Deal with them in whatever manner works for you, but always be mindful your choice is not harmful to children, pets, or birds.
- Keep up with the weeding.
In the vegetable garden:
- Check out Seeds to start in May in Garden Info & Tips under In the Garden on the menu bar (or click here) to see what varieties you can sow this month and when.
- Thin lettuce, arugula, corn salad, mustard, and beet rows for baby greens.
- Hill potatoes and leeks as the plants grow to keep the light away from young spuds and to produce nice white stalks on leeks.
- Established asparagus plants will be ready to harvest soon. If you have just put in one year old plants, do not harvest anything this year. They need a whole year to set down good roots for a long productive life. (Up to 25 or 30 years for most varieties and cultivars.)
- First couple of weeks of May is still too early, in our region, to transplant out tender vegetables…tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squashes, and melons. Check the Air & Soil Temperature Chart for the preferred overnight temperatures for these vegetables. (Quick link to chart here.)
In the greenhouse:
- If you didn’t give the greenhouse a good cleaning from top to bottom last month, do it now! Before you start putting transplants in the ground.
- Amend all raised planting beds with fresh compost and well-aged manure.
In the compost pile:
- Keep turning that pile. The more air you can get into the pile, the faster it will break down into rich, humousy soil admendment. This is a wonderful mulch for your garden beds but screen it first.
- If April showers are in the monthly forecast, keep the pile covered so precious nutrients will not leach out.
In the tool shed:
- Be sure to clean your tools at the end of the day…especially your pruning tools. These should be disinfected with a 10% bleach solution to prevent any chance of spreading diseases from plant to plant. I keep a small spray bottle of diluted bleach in my tool basket to spray my secateurs blades regularly while pruning.
Indoors:
- Keep checking your over-wintered tender perennials. Remove any leaves that are decaying and inspect plants carefully for aphids or other pests or disease.
- Divide any which have grown too big for their pot, or move them up one size.
- Repot any which need to have their soil refreshed…or their roots pruned. Root pruning is one way of keeping a special plant, or a tender plant not suitable for your gardening zone in a pot indefinitely.
- Keep an eye on the weather. Some of the hardier of your tender perennials may be able to move outdoors towards the end of the month.
Posted on May 13, 2017
Chart: Herb – Vegetable Companion Plantings
by Leslie Cox; Saturday; May 13, 2017
| Herb | Companion Vegetable | Benefits |
| Basil (Ocimum basilicum) |
tomato | improves growth/flavour; repels flies |
| Beebalm (Monarda spp.) |
tomato | improves growth/flavour |
| Borage (Borago officinalis) |
tomato/squash/strawberry | improves growth/flavour; repels tomato worm |
| Caraway (Carum carvi) |
strawberry | attracts parasitic wasps/flies; loosens soil |
| Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) |
cabbage/onion | improves growth/flavour |
| Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) |
shade tolerant food plants | radishes taste spicier |
| Chives (Allium spp.) |
carrot; avoid bean/pea | improves growth/flavour |
| Dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) |
potato | improves growth/flavour; deters potato bug |
| Dill (Antheum graveolens) |
cabbage; avoid carrot/ tomato |
improves growth/flavour; beware: attracts tomato worm |
| Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) |
keep away from vegetables |
beware: inhibits growth of all plants |
| Flax (Linum ustatissimum) |
carrot/potato | improves growth/flavour; deters potato bug |
| Garlic (Allium spp.) |
raspberry | improves growth/flavour; deters Japanese beetle |
| Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) |
universal beneficial | general insect repellent |
| Horseradish (Amoracia rusticana) |
potato | planted at corners deters potato bug |
| Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) |
cabbage/grape; avoid radish | attracts pollinators; deters cabbage moth |
| Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) |
universal beneficial | pest deterrent properties |
| Lovage (Levisticum officinale) |
most vegetables | improves health |
| Marigold, French (Tagetes spp.) |
universal beneficial | strong pest deterrent |
| Marigold, pot (Calendula officinalis) |
tomato | deters asparagus beetle/tomato worm/ general pests |
| Marjoram (Origanum majorana) |
most vegetables | improves flavour |
| Mint, peppermint (Mentha x piperata) |
cabbage | deters white cabbage moth |
| Mint, spearmint (Mentha spicata) |
cabbage/tomato | repels aphids/ants |
| Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) |
cabbage/curcubit/radish/ fruit trees |
improves growth/flavour; repels aphids; squash bugs; pumpkin beetles; good trap crop |
| Rosemary (Rosmarianus officinalis) |
bean/cabbage/carrot | deters bean beetles/cabbage moth/carrot fly; avoid basil |
| Rue (Ruta graveolens) |
raspberry | deters Japanese beetle |
| Sage (Salvia officinalis) |
bean/cabbage/carrot; avoid cucumber | deters bean beetles/cabbage moth/carrot fly |
| Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) |
cabbage/many other plants | improves growth/flavour; deters cabbage moth |
| Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) |
green beans/onions | improves growth/flavour; deters bean beetle; delays germination of certain detrimental herbs |
| Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) |
raspberry/fruit trees | deters flying insects/Japanese beetle/striped cucumber beetle/squash bug/ants |
| Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) |
nurse plant properties | good in garden; repels most pests; improves growth/flavour |
| Thyme (Thymus spp.) |
universal beneficial | plant here & there; deters cabbage worm |
| Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) |
use as a border | repels animals from garden |
Celastrina echo echo (western spring azure butterfly)
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Celastrina echo echo Common name: western spring azure Family: Lycaenidae Subfamily: Polyommatinae Host plant: Flowers of shrubs & trees, such as chestnut, blackberry, Prunus (cherry), maple, oak, Cornus (dogwood), Lonicera (honeysuckle) Adult size: wingspan: 1 – 1¼ inches (2.5 – 3.2 cm) Type: Beneficial |
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Life cycle:
Not much is really known about the life cycle of the western spring azure butterfly, other than it overwinters in the chrysalis stage. The larvae probably go through four to five instar stages with the colouring of the latter stages being either white, cream, green, or pinkish with darker stripes on its back and sides and covered in very fine hairs. It will be slug-shaped and predominantly found on flowers or flower buds. Ants could be in the vicinity as they have a symbiotic relationship with the larvae of the western spring azure. They stimulate the larvae to produce a drop of honeydew from the seventh segment on their back. The ants, in turn, remain with the larvae to deter marauding parasitic wasps and flies from laying their eggs on the larvae.
Special Notes: Celastrina echo subsp. echo is a unique species of western spring azures to BC, including Vancouver Island. This subspecies varies in colouring slightly from the species, Celastrina echo. Western spring azure butterflies are often found in open deciduous woodlands and gardens filled with shrubs. Tend to avoid vast open areas. This is typically the first butterfly species to appear in early spring…anywhere from the middle of March into April, depending on weather. Males tend to congregate at puddles or edge of streams, sometimes in large numbers. Once mated, females lay their eggs singly in flowers or flower buds on a wide range of host plants. Both sexes die shortly after mating and egg laying. After eggs have hatched, the larvae will feed on the flowers of the host plant. They rarely eat the leaves. When larvae are ready to pupate, they drop to the ground and search for a concealed spot, or crevice. The smooth, oval-shaped chrysalis is a light brown or brownish-yellow colour with notable black markings. This is a common butterfly species with no conservation concerns.
Posted on April 28, 2017
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Violet Sugar
This is a delightful recipe for something sweet…and a little out of the ordinary. If you love sweet violets, you must try this recipe.
Ingredients:
24 – 30 freshly picked sweet violet flowers
1/2 – 2/3 c (125 – 165 ml) berry sugar
Note: Pick only organic sweet violet flowers. Do not pick where pesticides or herbicides have been sprayed.
Procedure:
- Layer one third of the sugar in bottom of a half-pint (205 ml) sterilized canning jar, or other suitable sterile container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Sprinkle 8 – 10 flowers over the sugar. Note: Be sure the flowers are not damp from early morning dew.
- Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until layers fill your jar or container.
- Put lid in place and screw tightly.
- Invert jar and shake vigorously to distribute violet flowers throughout the sugar.
- Place in cupboard or dark pantry for 1 – 2 weeks, depending on how strong a flavour you want.
- Sieve sugar before using.
Uses:
- Flavour cakes and cupcakes.
- Sprinkle over fresh fruit cups.
- Great gift for family and friends.
- Let your imagination dictate other uses.
Posted on April 18, 2017
