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Universal Gardener

Melinda Myers, known for her gardener friendly and practical approach to gardening, has more than 25 years of horticulture experience in both hands-on and instructional settings. She has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in horticulture from University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a certified arborist and the author of 19 books, and was a horticulture instructor with tenure at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Click here to see her video tips.

Balcony vegetables

Question: I am an apartment dweller and would like to grow a few herbs and vegetables in containers on my balcony. Is it possible? What would you recommend?

Answer: Herbs and vegetables do great in containers. The many new planters and decorative trellises and stakes allow you to grow almost any plant in a pot. Plus many of the new varieties have colorful stems, fruits and leaves making them a beautiful addition to your limited outdoor space.

Match the plants to the light conditions on your balcony. Most herbs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons, cucumber, and broccoli do best in full sun. Train vine crops and tomatoes on stakes or trellis to save space. Root crops like beets, radishes and onions and a few herbs like sweet bay, chives, dill, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, parsley and mints will tolerate some shade. Leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce will grow and produce with as little as four hours of sun.

Add a few flowers to brighten up the display. Edible flowers like pansies, calendula, fuchsia and nasturtium flowers can be also be used to brighten and flavor your fresh-from-the-balcony garden meal.

Controlling pests without chemicals

Question: The leaves of several different plants in my yard are turning yellow and curling. Are my plants going to die? Should I spray them with something to keep them safe?

Answer: Do a bit of detective work before you break out the chemicals. Uncurl the leaves and look for signs of aphids. These small teardrop shaped insects can be green, peach, black, or covered with white thread-like appendages. As they suck plant juices they cause leaves to yellow, sometimes curl and turn brown. Aphids also excrete a clear sticky substance called honeydew.

Use a strong blast of water to dislodge many of these pests. If this doesn’t provide adequate control, try insecticidal soap. This soap was formulated to control soft bodies insects like aphids while being gentle on our plants, bees and the environment. Or wait for nature to take care of the problem. Predaceous insects like the lady beetle and the immature stage of the lacewing, known as an aphid lion, will devour hundreds of aphids in a day. In fact, these predators often take care of aphids and other troublesome insects before we even notice the damage.

Lessening the workload

Question: I am a working mother and have trouble finding time to tend my garden. Do you have any suggestions for reducing the workload but maintaining the beauty of my yard?

Answer: It always seems there is more to do than time allows. And when your garden feels like a burden it is definitely time to look at what can be done to lighten the load and bring back the joy our gardens provide.

Try enlisting some friends to help. Taking turns weeding each others gardens while the children play may make tending your garden less overwhelming and more of a social event. Or hire an extra set of hands. Inexperienced gardeners or apartment dwellers may be willing to lend a hand in exchange for your expertise, time in a garden or an affordable wage.

Or change some of your garden practices. Only use plants suited to the space and growing conditions. Healthy plants will need less care and if they fit the space you will need to do less pruning. Keep your designs simple. Use fewer types of plants and more of each for greater impact and less maintenance. Use small trees and shrubs to provide year round beauty with minimal care. Look for perennials that provide a long season of bloom without deadheading, staking, regular division or pest problems. Then apply a layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles or other organic mulch to reduce weeds, conserve moisture and continually improve the soil.

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UNIVERSAL GARDENER
by Melinda Meyers