Tag: plants

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Pruning Workshop at Long Hill

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It was a chilly, overcast afternoon when our group of gardeners from the Driftwood Garden Club arrived at Long Hill Reservation in Beverly to participate in a pruning workshop. Dan and Melissa, who care for the Long Hill property year round, were our friendly and knowledgeable instructors for the afternoon. They greeted us outside at a work table laid out with various pruning tools.

After an introduction, Dan began his talk with why and when we prune our trees and shrubs. He said to follow the four D’s: if a branch is dead, diseased, damaged, or dysfunctional (a branch might cross over another branch or grow in an awkward position), it is time to be pruned. Then he and Melissa talked in length about appropriate tools and how to use them.

Beginning with an ordinary pair of pruning shears (the blade can be curved or straight), Dan said that gardeners often attempt to cut too large a branch with these small shears, and they can injure the tree by crushing the remaining edge of the branch. He said that trees heal themselves after pruning, but that a crushed edge can impede the healing and even invite bacteria into the tree. Their advice was to not cut anything larger than your pinky finger with the handheld pruner. In fact, he said, trimming flowers and stems of a rose bush is what these pruners should be used for.

The lopper, everyone’s favorite, is another misused pruning tool. Again, gardeners attempt to cut a branch that is either too high overhead (not allowing you to get a good clean cut) or by cutting something too big, thus damaging the remaining branch. Need to cut a larger branch? Use a small pruning saw which can be folded and stored in your garden tool bag. There is even a pocket-sized pruning saw which is very convenient and very sharp. Dan and Melissa also demonstrated how, with a small file, we could sharpen our own bladed tools if we wanted to. Just be careful, and slowly follow the edge of the blade with the file.

The group then followed Dan and Melissa to a large viburnum bush in need of some care. We looked for the four D’s and pointed out some of the branches that could be taken out. Several of our members demonstrated their pruning skills on the viburnum, and it looked much better after being pruned.

We made our way to the lower gardens, taking pruning shears with us, and spent the remainder of our time pruning roses and other small bushes in the gardens. We all learned some new things, refreshed our knowledge of others, and had a wonderful afternoon at Long Hill.

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A Begonia for Every Season

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Have you ever received a beautiful begonia plant as a gift, enjoyed its beautiful blooms, and then had difficulty keeping the plant alive and thriving? Was it in the wrong light? Did it get too much water? Was it in a room that was too hot, too cold, or too dry?

Well, all of these questions and more were answered at our February program, “A Begonia for Every Season.” Betsy Szymczak, our speaker, is a retired college professor of clinical microbiology, a past president of the Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society, and an ABS certified begonia judge. She is also an avid gardener, with a particular interest in growing and propagating begonias.

A warm thank you to our wonderful hostesses for the evening. They presented a beautiful table of sweet and savory treats, along with a gorgeous basket of red and white begonias as a centerpiece. It was a perfect tribute to our presentation on begonias, as well as Valentine’s Day, only a few days away.

Betsy’s presentation began with the biology of the begonia plant and its structure. We learned that male and female parts are on the same plant. The male makes the pollen, the female is where the seeds are produced. Begonias are pan tropical, meaning they are native to regions below the equator, although with the right conditions and care, they can be grown almost anywhere. We also learned that the French botanist, Charlies Plumier sailed on board an explorer ship to the West Indies in the early 1700s, discovered the plant genus “begonia,” and named it after Michel Begon, the governor of Haiti, as a tribute to Begon. 

We think of begonias as a summertime plant because we see so many wax begonias used in landscaping, perhaps at your local mall, or in a hanging basket. Their blooms are magnificent, but there are also many begonias used for their beautiful foliage in planters or borders. The light, water, temperature and moisture (humidity) are the keys to the success of growing begonias. Outdoors, begonias need shade, never direct sunlight, and not too much watering.

In the fall, begonias can be brought indoors. Again, the light they receive is important. East and west windows are best, and remember that overwatering can be a problem. Make sure the soil is dry before watering, or use a simple soil moisture meter (hygrometer) to help. Most begonias will tolerate temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees,  and some require more humidity than others. Betsy demonstrated how a delicate begonia could be placed under a plastic dome to retain the humidity. Fall is also the time you might try to propagate your begonia, and we learned several methods, including leaf cuttings, stem cuttings and division of tubers.

During the winter, with the right conditions, begonias can thrive inside. Begonia Kellermanii and Begonia Vitafolia are called “The Survivors” because they typically do well inside over the winter. Begonia Grandis, a tuber begonia, grows well in New England, and Rieger begonia blooms in winter with bright, indirect sunlight.

When spring comes, enjoy the flower shows in your area, while you wait for the weather to warm up, and you can bring your begonias outside again.

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Soil Preparation!

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The Driftwood Garden Club’s October 2024 educational meeting was presented by Gretel Anspach, a Lifetime Master Gardener and Member of the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. Gretel, a repeat presenter for DGC, is a retired engineer who knows the science of good soil.

Members learned the importance of soil that holds the right amount of water and has the right available nutrients. We learned plants like ‘fluffy’ soil and the steps to remediate soil compaction.

Our lecture included some ‘mulch math’ to determine the quantity of material to cover the square footage in compost. And we also learned about the Nitrogen – Phosphorus – Potassium (always listed in that order) ratio to amend soil.

Most of all, Ms. Anspach recommends soil testing in several areas of your yard to accurately determine the soil composition. UMass Extension Testing Laboratory forms and instructions are available online at 

https://ag.umass.edu/services/soil-plant-nutrient-testing-laboratory/ordering-information-forms

We were reminded to leave plant and leaf matter in the garden beds to decompose over the winter for organic nutrients to enhance our soil.  Your plants will thank you in the spring!