Garden Planning: How to Determine Sun Exposure

I get a lot of questions from friends and readers asking for advice on what types of plants they should plant in their gardens.

Full sun garden area

One of the first questions I always ask is "What is the sun exposure of the area?".

Many people are unsure how to answer this question and ask me how they can figure it out.

An easy way to figure it out is to chart out the area on a sunny day.

This is definitely something you should do before you buy any new plants for a garden area.

If you haven't done this before, or you haven't done it in a while, it's a good exercise. You might be surprised to realize that your "full sun" garden isn't getting enough sun… or your "shade garden" gets more sun than you thought.

To chart out your garden area, start early in the morning after the sun comes up. Take note of whether your garden area is fully or partially in the sun or shade at this time. Then every hour, check the garden area again and write down the sun exposure. Keep tracking the sun exposure every hour until the sun goes down.

Chart for a few of my gardens (click to enlarge)

If it's a large area, you might want to note the different sections of the garden as they come into the sun, or move into shade. You could even take this on a larger scale and do your entire backyard, front yard or the whole property in one chart.

Now you know how many hours of sunlight your garden gets, and at which hours during the day. You can take that information and buy plants accordingly...


• Full Sun: This is an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
• Partial Sun / Partial Shade: These terms are similar and generally mean an area that gets 3 to 6 hours of sun.  Partial sun would be an area that gets closer to 6 hours of sun; and partial shade is an area that gets closer to 3 hours of sun that is also protected from the intense afternoon sun.  Another term in this category is Dappled Sun, this means the sun is filtered through tree or bush branches, fences slats, pergolas… etc.   
• Shade / Full Shade: Shade refers to an area that receives less than 3 hours of direct sunlight each day, with the bulk of the sun exposure occurring during either early morning, late afternoon or dappled throughout the day. Full shade is an area that doesn't get any direct sun exposure, but may receive bright, indirect light.

Plant labels show sun exposure

Read the tag of every plant before you purchase it.

The tag should tell you the sun exposure requirements for the plant.




Remember that the sun changes position in the sky throughout the year, so an area that is mostly shade in spring and fall may get more intense sun during the summer.

Another sunny garden area

This could lead to your sensitive shade plants being burned by the sun in July and August.

You don't want that so be sure to take this into consideration when planning a garden area.

Also think about how any tree leaf out will affect your garden areas. A full sun area in the spring and fall could become pretty shady during the summer once the trees get their leaves.

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Garden Ants: Friends or Foes?

This time of year, there seem to be ants everywhere. Ants are generally considered one of the good bugs, but the verdict is still out for some gardeners.

Ants don't normally cause problems in the garden on their own and they won't eat or harm your plants.

Ants can be beneficial pollinators and they eat the bad bugs that do damage to your plants.


They can also be beneficial to the soil.


They help aerate the soil with their tunneling, and break down organic matter.

But there are a few things they can do to cause problems in the garden.

Ants can carry mealybugs, aphids and other sap sucking insects to plants, and protect these pests from predators. The ants will feed off of the sweet bi-product produced when sap sucking insects feed on plants. If you have ants, check to make sure the plants they frequent aren't infested with sap sucking bugs.

When ant populations get very large, their tunneling can harm or weaken a plants root system. I've heard that fire ants are a major nuisance to gardeners too, but luckily we don't have those here in Minnesota.

The biggest issue I have with the ants in my gardens are the ant hills that pop up between my decorative pavers.

But those are only annoying to look at and aren't causing damage.

I don't kill ants in my gardens, so far they haven't proven to be a nuisance (knock on wood).

If you have a major infestation, you may find yourself reaching for the pesticide. But if you can, stay away from using pesticides because the poison will kill all bugs - good and bad.

You definitely want to keep the good bugs in your garden!

Instead try pouring vinegar, soapy water or boiling water on the ant hill to kill the ants. You might also try drowning the nest with water, which will probably encourage them to move.

So what do you think, are ants friends or foes in your garden ?

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June What's Blooming

I've been busy snapping pictures in the gardens. There are so many blooms in June, this would be a really long post if I included them all. Here are some of my favorite early June blooms, I'm sure I'll post more pictures in a few weeks with more June blooms.

Bellflower

Loosestrife

Columbine

Ajuga

Siberian Iris

Iris (was marked 'Clarence', but I think that's wrong)

Iris

Iris

Centaurea 'Gold Bullion'

Poppy

Snow in Summer

Peonies

Iris 'Before the Storm'

Sweet William

Rose

Honeysuckle

What's blooming in your gardens?

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Product Review: All-In-One Garden

Last fall while shopping for spring blooming bulbs, I found a product called the All-In-One Garden. It looked like an easy and inexpensive way to add several bulbs to the garden. So I thought what the heck and decided to give it a try.

All-In-One Garden packaging

All-In-One Garden just before planting

This "pre-planted garden" came in a plantable pot with four different types of bulbs planted in soil.


All you have to do is dig a hole and drop it in.


There were a few different ones to choose from,
I chose the one that contained Dutch Crocus, Glory of the Snow, Daffodils and Tulips.


This spring, I was happy to see that all the bulbs actually bloomed.

Glory of the snow and Dutch Crocus

It started with the crocus and Glory of the Snow.

Then came the tulips, and last the daffodils.








The show lasted several weeks and it was nice they all bloomed at different times.

Tulips

The tulips were fantastic and definitely my favorite part!

The Daffodils were pretty nice too, but the other blooms were sparse.

The crocus didn't do much this year, I think there was one or two blooms... hopefully next year will be better.



One thing I didn't like is how crammed together the bulbs are. I feel like I'll need to divide them soon.

I also wasn't crazy about the plantable pot, but I'm not a huge fan of those in general. This one just seemed too bulky.

Overall, if I had a rating scale, I would give this product a 4 out of 5. I wouldn't seek it out, but if I see them again this fall, I might just pick up another one.

Daffodils

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Tomato Cages

One of the dilemmas many gardeners face is how to properly support their tomato plants. In the early spring, the plants are small and don't need any support. But soon they will grow into huge plants that will flop over at the first hint of wind or a heavy rain.

Metal tomato cage

Those flimsy metal tomato cages are no match for the weight of a full grown tomato plant.

Over the years, I have tried different sizes and weights of this type of tomato cage.

All have bowed under the weight of my full grown tomato plants.

I always found myself staking my tomato cages and trying to add additional support to hold up the plants. It was a constant battle through the summer.

During a visit to a family friend's cabin a few summers ago, I noticed they had the most durable looking tomato cages I've ever seen. Of course I had to ask about them and was told that this is a design that has been passed down a few generations. 

My friend's father vowed they are the best tomato cages on the planet. He happily wrote down the dimensions for me drew up a plan so we could make our own.

Plans for sturdy tomato cages

Sturdy tomato cage

The next weekend, my husband built four of these cages for me.

Boy was my friend's father right, these are the most durable tomato cages I've ever seen or used!

They look overpowering (and a little ridiculous) in the garden until the tomato plants get bigger.

Sturdy tomato cage in use

But that's ok because once the plants grow larger, these tomato cages look great.



Come wind, come rain, come hail, my tomato plants aren't going anywhere.

I haven't had a tomato plant yet that's been too large for my tomato cages to support.


How do you support your tomatoes? I would love to hear about your trials and tribulations.




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Downtown Minneapolis Farmers Market

One of my favorite things about working downtown Minneapolis is the Farmers Market in the summer. Every Thursday, vendors line the Nicollet Mall (the street that runs through the heart of downtown).
 

 

On nice days, the sidewalks are so packed you have a hard time walking through, especially during lunchtime. 

Everyone is busy buying beautiful cut flower bouquets, fresh vegetables, plants and tons of other stuff. It's unlike any Farmers Market I've ever been to.

 If you've never been, it's worth a trip downtown Minneapolis on a Thursday! In my experience, morning is the time to shop for the best selection and smaller crowds. They're open until 6 p.m. but I've noticed vendors will start to pack up sometime in the late afternoon.

There are tons of restaurants, food vendors and places to sit along the Nicollet Mall as well.


It's fun to sit outside and enjoy lunch during the hustle and bustle of the Farmers Market, or to simply sit and people watch.

I try to make it a point to walk down there every Thursday during my lunch hour when the weather is nice, I love the crowds. It's one of the best parts of working downtown Minneapolis.

Here is the website for more information, driving directions and a list of vendors... Minneapolis Nicollet Mall Farmers Market.

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My Attempt at Organic Gardening

Last fall I wrote a blog post, To Preen or Not to Preen, which is about using the weed inhibitor Preen in my vegetable garden. As I mentioned in that post, I've been kicking around the idea of switching to an organic method of weed control for a while now.

The reason I started using Preen in the first place is because I had a very bad experience with weeds taking over my vegetable garden one spring, and I've been using Preen ever since... I don't want that to ever happen again.

After doing some research and reading other garden blogs, I decided that making the switch to organic weed control doesn't sound as scary and I first thought. It seems there are many different types of organic mulches you can use on your garden.

Straw in my vegetable garden

I've heard mention of using leaves, pine needles, dried grass clippings, store bought organic mulches, compost, straw... I'm sure there are many other options.

Every year as a decoration for Halloween, I buy a straw bale for my front porch.

I used to throw it in the yard waste bin when I was done with it.

But this year, I threw it in the vegetable garden instead. Then after we tilled the garden this spring, I spread the straw over the top of my garden.

There are seed heads in the straw (which I never thought about until they started growing), but so far, it hasn't been a big problem. But I suppose any of the mulch options I mentioned could contain seeds.

Straw in vegetable garden, a few things planted

The straw bale I had doesn't cover my vegetable garden completely.

So I've been thinking about adding a layer of store bought mulch or arborvitae needles.

I'm leaning towards the arborvitae needles because they are free and readily available in my yard. The only concern I have for this is adding acidity to my vegetable garden. I don't know if a thin layer of arborvitae needles will have a great impact on the pH of the soil or not.

Another concern I have with using organic mulch rather than Preen is that I had to move the straw away from newly planted seedlings to give them space to grow. I am worried that this will invite weeds to overtake my seedlings and be a lot of work to keep in check. Other gardeners have stated that once the vegetable plants grow large, they will overtake the weeds. Let's hope this is the case. 

I really like the look of the straw in my garden. An added bonus is that it outlines the rows of seedlings so my husband knows where it's safe to step. :-)

Rows in straw after planting peppers

So far, it's been great... but I put Preen down in the fall and I'm sure that's why I haven't had an outbreak of weeks yet.

I think this year will be ok, because by the time the Preen wears off, my vegetables will be large enough to inhibit the growth of any new weeds.

But in all honesty, I am worried about what next spring will bring.

There's one thing I know for sure... I will continue to use Preen in all of my gardens except my vegetable garden (for now). I have a full time job and there's no way I could dedicate enough time to go organic in all my gardens.

I also know that if weeds start to take over and become a chore again, I will switch back to using an organic version of Preen in my vegetable garden. I want gardening to continue to be fun, not a huge chore.

I would love to hear about what you use as organic mulch to keep the weeds down in your garden! 

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Keeping Pond Water Clear the Natural Way

About this time last year, my little pond was overcome with a mossy, weedy growth. After doing some research, I discovered that it was string algae. Yuck!

Not only does it look terrible, algae buildup in a pond is bad because it can take over the pond quickly and eventually starve your fish and plants of oxygen and nutrients. String algae is a common problem in garden ponds and there is a ton of information on the internet about it.

Small front pond (no algae)

I was nervous when first started reading about algae growth in garden ponds.


I was worried that I would have to use a chemical that might kill my fish and plants... and possibly even have to start over from scratch with my pond.

But it turns out there is a natural solution to keeping pond water clear and getting rid of algae. 

Barley Straw

It sounds strange, but the answer is barley straw.

Not only is it natural, it won't harm your fish or plants and it's cheap.

In fact, I've read that barley straw works better than chemicals do!

Win, win, win, win!

You can find highly technical explanations for why barley straw works on the internet.

But basically, as the barley straw decomposes it releases something similar to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which will eventually choke out the algae.

Stuffing barley straw into mesh holder

You can buy barley straw at your local nursery or on the internet.

When I bought mine, it came packed in small bales that were much too large for my pond (pictured above).

So I made a smaller bundles out of the mesh packaging the bales came in when I bought them.

Making barley straw bundle

I used string to tie the opening in the mesh closed.

It's recommended you put your barley straw bundle near a fountain or waterfall where the water will flow through it. 


It takes a few weeks for the barley straw to start to decompose, so it will take a little longer to get results than it would with chemicals.

If you want to start seeing results faster, there are a few steps you can take now.

Barley straw bundle at bottom of waterfall (in my back pond)

Start by removing as much of the algae as you can manually.


A toilet brush works great for grabbing the string algae and scrubbing the sides of the pond.

Toilet brush used for cleaning pond

Ideally, you would buy a new toilet brush to use specifically for your pond.

(what would be more disgusting - using a previously used toilet brush in your pond, or using your pond brush in your toilet!?)

Rinsing pond filter

If you have a filter in your pond, rinsing it daily during this time will also help to remove the algae.



As a second step, you could add hydrogen peroxide to your pond water.

I don't know if there's a special formula of H2O2 per gallon of water, so I recommend doing some research for your size of pond.

My small pond is 90 gallons, and I added 1/2 cup of H2O2. Pour the H2O2 over a fountain or waterfall to disperse it.

Shortly after adding the H2O2 and barley straw to my pond, I started to see results. In no time, my pond water was crystal clear, and it stayed that way all summer.

Now I put in a new barley straw bundle in both of my ponds in the spring to avoid algae growth and keep the pond water clean. Once the barley straw starts to decompose, the bundle will sink so it's no longer visible on top of the water. It's nice to be able to watch my fish swimming around and feeding.