Yard & Garden – Page 8 – Maryland Grows

Community Partnerships for Pollinators

September 9, 2024September 9, 2024Maryland GrowsLeave a comment

When we talk about pollinators and how to help them, we have often focused on what plants can support them, who the pollinators are and some traits of their natural histories, or how to create habitat for them. However, besides individual actions that people can take to help them, other options that are very impactful also exist. In today’s post, I want to present one that involves a combination of community and institutional collaboration: the Bee City and Bee Campus USA certification.

What are Bee City and Bee Campus USA?

The certifications called Bee City and Bee Campus USA are labels that cities and campuses, respectively, can receive from the Xerces Society if they commit and act to protect pollinators and their habitats.

For those who have never heard of it, the Xerces Society is an organization interested in the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. Over the years, it has not only become recognized as an important conservation organization but also has developed impactful and meaningful ways to support research on the topic and engage the population and institutions (and many other stakeholders!) in conservation actions that are within their reach. The Bee City and Bee Campus certification is one of those initiatives.

How does it work?

Once cities and campuses decide to receive the certification, they need to submit an application and pay an annual fee. By doing this, they commit to taking specific actions that will lead to the conservation of the thousands of species of bees and other pollinators that exist in the USA, as well as their habitats. The certification is revised every year, and if the institution or city is not performing following the set standards, the certification is not renewed. Today, many institutions and cities across the USA have joined the initiative and are actively following their commitments. If you are interested in knowing if your community is a part of the initiative, an online database exists where it is very easy to search for participating members using addresses or names.

*The Bee City and Bee Campus USA website has a neat tool to search for current members across the USA.*

The commitments that institutions and cities make when they join the initiative involve the establishment and promotion of specific actions. These actions combine institutional and community involvement, which requires the creation of an active committee that will be responsible for running programs that will help the institution reach its goals. Once this committee is created, the group is responsible for proposing and running actions within the reach of the institution. The actions need to be oriented towards promoting the protection of pollinators and their habitats through what can be generally categorized under education, direct action, community involvement, and potential revision of standard operating procedures or policies.

The Xerces Society doesn’t just provide a certification. In fact, it has over the years produced a massive number of tools that help cities or institutions understand how to run the programs. Regular webinars are organized, fact sheets distributed, general manuals and other documentation shared, and a network of participating cities established, allowing for a “hive mind” to develop.

What can some of these actions be?

Education programs involve the distribution of information among the population (for cities) or members of the campus (for campuses). This information can take many different forms but generally educates about the diversity of pollinators, the importance of promoting habitat, the key contributions of pollinators to the well-being of the community and the environment, ways to protect them through individual or joint actions, creating information guides and fact sheets, and more.

Direct actions often require involvement of the institution in establishing habitat for pollinators, distributing resources that will allow the community to protect pollinators (e.g., distributing plants, seeds, other habitat resources), actively reducing the use of pesticides, etc.

Community involvement is promoted by any program that the institution could build to allow its members to come together and engage in projects larger than any individual would be able to take on by themselves. There are many ways this can be done, but some examples are the creation of student-faculty groups that could run research projects that can then be used to inform policies and conservation actions. Others could be the establishment and promotion of institution-wide actions, such as the promotion of months with no or reduced mowing (e.g., “No-Mow Month” initiatives), the running of citizen science projects (e.g., through iNaturalist), establishing days centered around the celebration and recognition of pollinators and their services to humans and the environment (e.g., coordinating Pollinator Week activities), and others.

Finally, one of the unique reaches of this initiative is its ability to promote changes of policies and procedures regularly used by the institution/city. Under this program, the committee should propose and the city or campus implement at least some adjustments in the way the institution in question is run. For example, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans should be created and used if they are not already in practice, Code can be adjusted to facilitate the planting of native plants, monetary or other incentives can be offered for the creation of pollinator habitat, and more.

I would like to have my city/campus join; what do I do?

If you’re interested in having your campus or city join the initiative, first go to the Bee City/Campus website and check out the requirements and some of the how-to webinars. Along with this, for cities, you may want to get in touch with representatives and present this as a request. If you’re on a campus, get a diverse group of members together and propose this to leadership. If you still feel overwhelmed by this and feel you still have a lot of questions, reach out to Bee Cities or Bee Campuses in your area and ask them for help! They will be more than happy to explain what their path was and how they came to be, so you can also become part of the national initiative.

By Anahí Espíndola, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park. See more posts by Anahí.

Anahí also writes an Extension Blog in Spanish! Check it out here, extensionesp.umd.edu, and please share and spread the word to your Spanish-speaking friends and colleagues in Maryland. ¡Bienvenidos a Extensión en Español!

How to Make a Rain Barrel System for Your Yard and Garden

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024Maryland GrowsLeave a comment

rain barrels are tucked into landscape shrubs next to a building — *An example of a home rain barrel system. Photo: Adobe Stock*

The extreme heat and lack of precipitation this season have forced many people to get creative with finding a way to water their gardens. Rain barrels are a great addition to your outdoor space!

Rain barrels can be sophisticated with features like valves, hoses, etc., or they can be any type of container that holds water. Please remember that the container should be food-grade so that nothing toxic will leach out of the container and there should be a mesh screen/net over the top so that mosquitoes cannot enter to lay their eggs.

green rain barrels — *Example of a rain barrel system with a screened lid.*

Stormwater runoff

Anytime precipitation flows across the land, it becomes runoff. Precipitation may infiltrate into the soil or run off into streams, bodies of water, drains, or evaporate back into the atmosphere. In nature, most precipitation is absorbed by trees and other plants, or it may permeate or “soak” into the ground, which results in recharging groundwater supplies and bodies of water. However, when there are impervious surfaces (pavement, buildings/roofs, and other structures and materials covering the soil), this precipitation can no longer soak into the soil and has to go somewhere else. When stormwater is not managed correctly, it can result in catastrophic consequences such as stream bank erosion, flooding, pollution, threats to human health, and tainted water supplies. The University of Maryland Extension provides more information on stormwater management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Environmental Site Design practices from the Maryland Department of the Environment have changed the way residential stormwater is managed and recommend that homeowners address stormwater discharge at the individual level. Individuals can make a difference by reducing the quantity and improving the quality of any stormwater that is leaving their specific property. It is important to realize that activities on your property can adversely affect neighboring landscapes, as water does not follow property boundaries. Penn State’s Homeowners Guide to Stormwater Management is an awesome resource to help you investigate your property and see what changes you can make. With stormwater, you want to slow it down and let it soak into the soil and one of the ways that you can do this is by utilizing a container for rainwater collection.

a row of green rain barrels — *A rain barrel distribution in Garrett County was sponsored by Deep Creek Watershed Foundation in 2024. It has shared 190 free rain barrels with the community!*

Rainwater harvesting is when a device such as a barrel or cistern is used to catch natural precipitation. These containers are often positioned at the edge of a building drainage system, above or below the ground, and are examples of micro-scale stormwater management techniques to slow down a small amount of water and use it later when there is no precipitation. This allows the capture and re-use of rainwater to promote water conservation, reduce runoff volumes, and the discharge of pollutants downstream.

Using stored rainwater can decrease municipal water usage (allowing this potable water for vital drinking) and provide a source of water that is free from chlorine, fluoride, etc. Water that is caught in a rain barrel is considered non-potable and not safe for human consumption— no bathing, no drinking, and no cooking. It can be used for watering plants and lawns, rinsing tools, adding to a compost pile, filling ornamental ponds and bird baths, washing vehicles, or even flushing toilets during a power outage. Please note that there is some special guidance for using rain barrel water to water a vegetable garden. The Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station has a great fact sheet that outlines some of the cautions and best practices and recommendations that include using bleach to reduce contaminants, using the water on the soil only, and not harvesting vegetables at the same time that you are watering.

Preparing your site for rain barrel installation

Identify where you will be placing your rain barrel. Be sure to think about how you will use your rainwater and if you need to raise the barrel to get a watering can, bucket, etc., under the nozzle to empty the barrel. The site should be clean of debris and level. If it’s not level, build a platform out of rocks, pavers, stones, blocks, or even wood. You do not want the water barrel to tip over or fill up unevenly. Remember that a standard-size rain barrel is 55 gallons, which means it weighs more than 400 pounds when full of water!

a rain barrel raised on wood blocks — *Examples of how to raise the barrel up higher to make the lower spigot more accessible for a watering can or bucket.*

a rain barrel raised on bricks — *Examples of how to raise the barrel up higher to make the lower spigot more accessible for a watering can or bucket.*

Installing the rain barrel

Most 55-gallon rain barrels will get full in a matter of minutes if a roof downspout is routed to fill the container, so it is very important to plan for the overflow once the barrel is full. Rain barrel or downspout diverters can be installed so that once the barrel is full, the water will then go back to following the original drainage path. There must be a plan in place to capture the excess water so that no damage is done to building foundations. Also, know that until the barrel catches water for the first time, it can be caught and blown by the wind, so it’s important to have something to weigh it down, either a brick, rock, or block. Do not add rain barrels or disconnect downspouts near septic systems or drinking wells or springs and be sure to avoid utilities such as electric, cable, internet, sewer, or gas lines. Always call Miss Utility before any digging or construction of any kind.

Internet search results for rain barrel diverter — Search results for “rain barrel diverter.” These allow for cutting the downspout one time and installing a diverter. Once the rain barrel is filled from natural rainfall, the diverter routes the excess water back into the original drainage system. Photo: A. Bodkins

Maintaining your rain barrel

You want to be sure that you are emptying and using the water that is stored in your rain barrel as soon as possible (at least every 5-7 days) to ensure that the water stays as fresh as possible. If you have extra water in the barrel and rain is in the forecast, just let it trickle into a nearby flowerbed or hook up a drip irrigation hose so that the stored water can slowly soak into the ground. Again, one benefit of the rain barrel is to slow down water during a precipitation event and allow it to sink into the soil later on. Having a darker-colored rain barrel can help slow algae growth; however, you might need to occasionally clean your barrel with a mild bleach solution. It is also very important to keep the screen free of debris/leaves/etc. and in good condition and the lid securely in place. In climates where snow and freezing temperatures occur, rain barrels will have to be drained, and downspouts reconnected to original drainage pathways in late fall. Barrels should be stored in an outbuilding/garage or simply turned upside down so that the barrel does not freeze solid and bust. In Spring, barrels can then be reconnected and used again.

a rain barrel with a bird painted on it — Example of a painted rain barrel.

a rain barrel with a hose draining into a watering can — Example of a painted rain barrel.

Resources for building a rain barrel

Rain Barrels: How to Build Your Own, Part 1 | Rutgers New Jersey Extension

Rain Barrels: Why, When, & How| University of Maryland Extension, Garrett County, archived webinar

Consider adding a rain barrel to your landscape today!

By Ashley Bodkins, Senior Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Garrett County, Maryland. Read more posts by Ashley.

All photos in this article, unless otherwise noted, were shared by participants in the rain barrel program supported by the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation.

How to Protect Pollinators in the Fall

August 23, 2024August 19, 2024Maryland Grows2 Comments

Did you know that how and when you cut back your perennials and tidy your landscape matters to pollinators?

I just read a fact sheet from the Xerces Society that opened my eyes to more ways to help pollinators year-round, especially in the fall.

I already make sure I have something blooming from April to frost, so pollen and nectar are always available. And I emphasize native plants that coevolved with pollinators to support them best.

But beyond flowers, there are many things we can do to provide shelter for nesting and overwintering pollinators. And we can start some of them in the fall.

Pollinators and other insects shelter in stems and branches of trees, shrubs, and flowers. They also shelter in leaf litter, undisturbed or bare ground, dead wood, brush piles, and rock piles.

Incorporating these features in your landscape – rather than cleaning them away – supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

So how can you make your garden more welcoming to pollinators this fall?

Start with the stems. Don’t cut back your perennials until late spring. Bees and other pollinators hibernate in the stems in winter. Only remove unhealthy plant stems to manage disease.

But doesn’t that look a little unkempt? Yes, but messy is beautiful – and necessary for pollinators to survive and thrive.

*Master Gardener sign explaining why a messy garden is good for pollinators*. *Source: A. Cormany*

The Master Gardeners and I believe this so strongly that signs in our teaching gardens say, “Excuse our mess, pollinators at rest,” to explain why we don’t cut back plants in the fall.

Next, leave some leaves. Most butterflies and moths use leaf litter to protect eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, or adults over the winter.

Wooly bear caterpillars tuck into leaf piles. Luna moths wrap their cocoons in leaves. Some butterflies lay eggs on fallen leaves. Queen bumble bees burrow into soil under leaves.

A luna moth cocoon wrapped in leaves to wait out the winter.
Photo: M. Raupp

So pile some leaves around trees, shrubs, and perennials as a natural mulch. They will suppress weeds, hold moisture, and feed the soil. I chip some leaves but leave some whole.

I often use leaf mulch in my vegetable garden, too. And when I had a larger landscape, I kept a 3-foot border of leaves against a stone wall to provide more shelter.

Leaves aren’t litter: they’re habitat. Ideally, some leaves will become a permanent part of your landscape. Pick a corner, an edge, or a garden. I let leaves lie in a small woodland garden.

But if you need to remove some of the leaves, try to leave them in place until mid-spring to give overwintering pollinators a chance to emerge.

This is really a glimpse of the many ways you can invite and support pollinators year-round. Learn more about Pollinator Gardens on the Home and Garden Information Center website.

Thanks for all you are doing to protect pollinators. It matters.

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

Q&A: What Causes Patchy Wilting?

August 15, 2024August 13, 2024Maryland Grows1 Comment

*Sometimes individual stems wilt on otherwise healthy perennials. Photo: C. Carignan, University of Maryland Extension*

Q: Why would my perennial Lobelia be only partially wilting? I keep an eye on watering so it doesn’t get too dry.

A: This can often be the work of an infection or, less commonly, stem-boring insects. Since stem-boring insects in perennials are rarely a cause for concern, I’ll focus on the pathogens.

Sometimes it’s hard to diagnose the cause of wilting with certainty since distinctive symptoms identifying the culprit aren’t always visible; there’s a lot of symptom overlap. During summer, heat-loving fungi like Southern Blight can cause wilting because the pathogen kills the stem tissue close to the soil line, cutting the top growth off from its water supply and causing it to collapse. A wide variety of fungi and fungus-like “water molds” can cause above- or below-ground infections throughout the year, with some prospering in cool conditions while others need heat. Wilting when the soil isn’t dry can be a telltale sign of infection or physical stem or root damage.

To reduce vulnerability to diseases like Southern Blight, plant crowns need to get good airflow. (The crown is where stems emerge from the root system.) Avoid over-mulching, which covers up or crowds the crown and stem bases; nudge it a few inches away so it’s not piled against the stems. High humidity and dew are sometimes enough moisture for fungi to survive and begin infections, but over-watering plants by irrigating too often can make fungal outbreaks more likely. (This includes lawn grasses, if sprinklers are run frequently.)

Mycelium, which is the “body” of a fungus, is sometimes visible as white webbing or threads covering the infected part of the plant, but it’s not always prominent. (It is usually noticeable with Southern Blight.) Any wilting or collapsed stems need to be removed, since they will not recover. Prune them off and dispose of the debris; don’t compost it.

One or two wilted stems doesn’t necessarily doom the entire plant patch or garden bed, but keep an eye out for worsening symptoms like more rampant dieback. No fungicides can reverse this damage or eliminate spores from the soil permanently. Nor would you want to attempt chemical soil sterilization, as plenty of beneficial fungi, bacteria, and other organisms inhabit the soil. Many of them can out-compete, directly kill or consume, or otherwise stifle the development of pathogens like these. Fungicide impacts are not limited to the pathogens, and some could even have harmful consequences for pollinators.

If Southern Blight is responsible, you can dig out and dispose of the affected plant, plus remove a few inches of the surface soil with it. This is not because the plant’s roots are going to also be infected, but because plant regrowth could be infected again by the spores remaining on the soil surface, and you don’t want to give the fungus more fuel for expansion. If you dig out soil but don’t want to throw it out (soil is a precious resource, after all), just bury the layers with potential spore contamination to a depth of 6 inches or so, where the spores should not survive.

Southern Blight, as with many similar blight and rot diseases, have an extensive range of plants they are capable of infecting. Why, then, don’t we see rampant die-offs in cultivated and wild plants for such common and destructive fungi? Interactions between organisms are complex, and as with insect diversity, there are microbe species which are beneficial, especially in healthy soil that is not too compacted, oxygen-deprived, wet or poorly drained, or low in organic matter (all conditions that favor common pathogens).

By Miri Talabac, Horticulturist, University of Maryland Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Miri writes the Garden Q&A for The Baltimore Sun and Washington Gardener Magazine. Read more by Miri.

Have a plant or insect question? The University of Maryland Extension has answers! Send your questions and photos to Ask Extension. Our horticulturists are available to answer your questions online, year-round.

Heat Waves Affect Pollination Too

August 5, 2024March 7, 2025Maryland Grows2 Comments

Having grown up in the plains of Argentina, surrounded by large rivers, swamps, hot summers and humidity, I can attest that I am pretty “heat tolerant.” While others complain of the heat, I just enjoy the “embrace” that a hot day gives me. The heat in the last few weeks, however, was even too hot for me! And while I was trying to cool down, I was also worrying about what I was seeing outside: the plants, the insects, the soil… all suffering like me. And because I happen to work on some of these topics, I also knew that it wasn’t just that some plants were drying out; this heat wave (and drought) is also affecting the whole network of interactions that happen around us. So, today let me tell you a bit about how these extreme heat waves affect one of those interactions – pollination – and how what we do in our green spaces can help reduce some of those effects to the benefit of all.

Pollination is affected by heat in more ways than we usually think

Extreme heat waves and droughts such as those we have been experiencing recently affect not only us but also the ecosystems that are exposed to the heat. One of the most evident effects we may see is how much plants suffer. Just look outside and you will see hanging leaves, tiny flowers (if any), and a lot of dry material. As with all organisms, plants also have optimal temperatures at which they can survive; if the temperatures and water availability change, important body functions will not be able to be performed, and even some central parts of their bodies will fail.

In plants, one of those functions is photosynthesis, the process by which plants can make sugar using the energy of the sun, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and water. This process is the way the vast majority of plants make their food. If the process is disturbed, the plant will have less energy available to survive, grow, and reproduce. It turns out that extreme heat and water needs affect the ability of plants to photosynthesize. The consequence of this is that, suddenly, the plant has less energy available, needing to enter a sort of “survival mode.” Along with this, the heat affects several protection systems that the plant has, especially those that protect the DNA (the genetic material), as well as the functioning of the machinery that literally “builds” the different parts of the plant. This inefficient protection leads to the DNA being damaged and the plant being poorly “built”, making that part or the whole plant start malforming.

plants with browing stems due to drought — *During the heat waves, these beebalm plants had a rough time, with almost no flowers produced and a lot of the plant material simply drying out. Photo: A. Espíndola*

In relation to pollination, we know that these changes explain why, under heat and water stress, plants become smaller in size, have tiny or no flowers, lose a lot of leaves and biomass in general, and have parts that start to look “funky.” The changes in the energy availability make the composition of some secretions change as well, such as with nectar, which tends to be less rich in sugars and less abundant (especially when drought is experienced).

a plant with smaller than usual yellow flowers — *These black-eyed Susans were able to make flowers this year, but they are significantly smaller than usual! Photo: A. Espíndola*

As said before, flowers tend to be small or absent, but even when they are present, the petals and reproductive organs are often misshapen, with the plant becoming unable to produce seeds and fruits. Finally, and super importantly for pollination, a major effect of this is that heat affects pollen quality, reducing the amount that is produced and often making the pollen inviable… meaning that even if the pollen was to land on a stigma, it would likely not germinate, and fertilization would not take place. This latter point is worrisome because it means that even plants that are not animal-pollinated (e.g., plants pollinated by wind or water) will be unable to produce seeds and fruits.

Pollinators suffer the heat, and that affects their survival and pollination

Pollinating insects are also affected by the heat, and some of these effects are related to the same facts we mentioned for plants. On the one hand, like plants, pollinators also have their own DNA and “body-building” machinery that is disturbed by heat. Some of the major consequences of this are that their development can be either interrupted (the larvae or pupae die off) or interfered with. If the development is interfered with, we see malformations in different organs, such as the wings, legs and mouth parts, and particularly in males, of reproductive organs and sperm. Further, extreme heat appears to affect bee neurological abilities, with their behaviors and memory affected, as well as changes in the way they visit and manipulate flowers, which in turn makes pollination more difficult.

Along with these issues, because of the changes in nectar quality and quantity associated with plant heat stress that we mentioned earlier, the pollinators’ nutrition is also negatively impacted, which further amplifies the developmental, behavioral, and neurological problems mentioned above. Although all insects experience these types of effects when they are exposed to excessive heat, some of them are a bit better at protecting themselves from it. For example, it seems that social bees suffer less from excessive heat than solitary bees, while bees that nest in the ground or in stems tolerate it better than those that nest in cavities.

Here’s what you can do to help mitigate the effects of heat and drought

Although we can’t instantaneously reduce the heat, we can assist plants and insects to better tolerate these conditions. A very effective strategy is diversifying our green spaces, which can lead to local reductions of heat, either through the shade created by the plants and/or the reduction of the excessive presence of bare soil. In particular, this same plant diversification can also increase the amount and quality of foods available to pollinators during these heat events: more diverse plants mean more different types of possible nectar sources available to pollinators, which in turn would increase their chances of survival and boost their health.

If possible, one can also water plants in our green spaces. By doing this, the water stress will be reduced and at least part of the symptoms displayed by plants will also be mitigated. If one were to do this, it is important to water with a slow flow and for a longer period of time, so the water can properly enter the soil. Along with this, using mulch or letting the fallen leaves cover the ground will also help retain some of the soil humidity, all while also providing shelter to insects.

And besides diversifying and supporting our green spaces, it is thoroughly accepted that the current extreme heat and drought events we are seeing are a consequence of climate change. Starting to reduce our and our communities’ emissions is another way to help plants and pollinators, pollination, and at the end of the day, the production of many of the foods we depend on. You can check out this awesome website by Dr. Sara Via and learn about what we can all do, and even sign up for super informative seminars that help you become familiar with and start acting on some of these topics.

Smart Watering Helps Plants Beat the Heat

July 26, 2024March 7, 2025Maryland Grows4 Comments

Cole Porter was right. It’s too darn hot.

As we watch the high temps stubbornly refuse to budge, it’s tempting to hunker down indoors and let our gardens go. Don’t. Those plants really need us now.

The best thing you can do to help is to water well. That means watering deeply less often.

a show of water from a hose - watering a garde plant — Water at the base of plants to soak the roots.
Photo: Miri Talabac, UME

Daily sprinkles do more harm than good, stimulating shallow roots, which have a harder time drawing up the water plants need.

Light watering also encourages tomatoes and peppers to develop black, leathery blossom end rot.

So water vegetable plants deeply twice a week. Dial it back to once a week when things cool down.

Watering in the morning is best as is directing water to the base of plants.

If you planted new trees or shrubs this year, water them slowly and deeply at least once a week to soak the root ball. Use a soaker hose, a 5-gallon bucket with a few nail holes, or a hose on a slow trickle.

a green tree bag placed around the trunk of a tree — Tree bags help to keep trees and shrubs well watered.
Photo: Joe Murray, Bugwood.org

And no, rain is not enough. Here are a few more tips on watering trees and shrubs.

If you’re growing anything in containers, check those pots daily. Most need to be watered every day. And do some supplemental watering in your perennial beds. Everything is dry, dry, dry.

Smart tools make watering easier and use less water.

Soaker hoses – made from recycled tires – water plants slowly at the base of plants so you don’t lose water to evaporation.

Drip irrigation does the same and lets you customize water zones. I can’t say enough good things about the drip irrigation system on a timer in my vegetable beds.

a drip irrigation system set up in a raised bed garden — Drip irrigation saves time and money.
Photo: Robert Cook

Rain barrels are a godsend. An eighth of an inch of rain on the average roof fills a 50-gallon barrel. That’s free water, folks. I have four rain barrels and plan to add two more.

a rain barrel next to a garden — Rain barrels capture rain from roofs to reduce water bills.
Photo: Rutgers University

Avoid watering with sprinklers. Overhead watering can promote disease and cause the loss of up to 80 percent of water to evaporation.

Here are some more tips on conserving water and using smart tools.

In addition to boosting plants’ water needs, heat zaps plants in other ways.

Have you noticed flowers falling off your tomato plants? Sustained high temps prevent pollination, causing plants to jettison their blooms. Don’t worry. Flowering and fruiting will restart when it cools.

Trees react to high heat, too. Many are raining down leaves. This is a natural stress reaction. In fact, trees don’t need all their leaves. They’re just shedding some to cut down on maintenance.

Unless the leaf loss is dramatic, those trees will be just fine.

Lawns are feeling the heat as well, browning here, there, and everywhere. They are not – I repeat not – dead. Lawns naturally go dormant in high heat and will spring back with rains. Only new lawns need to be watered.

If you’d like to boost your landscape’s resistance to heat and drought – and the need for supplemental watering – add some water-wise plants.

Deep-rooted, well-adapted native plants are a great choice. So are plants with fleshy leaves or roots, blue leaves, skinny or fuzzy leaves – all natural adaptations that mean these plants need less water. Think sedum, iris, lavender, threadleaf coreopsis, and lamb’s ear.

Here are some tips for creating a more climate-resilient landscape.

Watering wisely and picking the right plants will help you build a more heat-resilient landscape that can not only beat the heat but look good doing it.

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

Q&A: Reduce the Height of an Arborvitae?

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024Maryland GrowsLeave a comment

Arborvitae (*Thuja* sp.). Photo: Jason Sharman, Vitalitree, Bugwood.org

Q: I need to reduce the height of an arborvitae…. I might take around 5 feet off the top because it’s too big. When should I prune?

A: While late winter or early spring is generally a good time to prune conifers (needled evergreens), in this case timing won’t matter much, because the amount you want to remove is more than the plant can handle. Instead, it may be better to replace the plant with a smaller-growing option.

Most conifers, including arborvitae, do not regrow foliage when it’s lost due to heavy pruning, deer browsing, or crowding from being planted too close together or too close to a wall or fence. Unlike broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, holly, euonymus, etc.), they don’t have dormant buds along the older stems, lying in wait to grow if the branch or foliage beyond them is removed.

Once the foliage is gone and bare wood is visible, it’s not coming back on that part of the plant. This is the reason why deer-browsed arborvitae are easy to spot, developing a shape sort of like a stemmed flute glass, because the parts the deer can reach become stripped of foliage and never fill back in again, even as the out-of-reach tops get wider.

As conifers age, it’s perfectly normal for the innermost branches to become quite bare, as those older leaves shed over time. They are deliberately jettisoned by the plant because they are being progressively shaded by the outer shell of live growth, so they cost the plant more to keep alive than the meager photosynthesis energy they get back. This will be exacerbated if the plant is sheared, where the foliage tips are lightly trimmed to give the plant a more manicured look, because that makes the layer of foliage casting shade on the plant’s interior even denser.

Pruning cuts that take off that outer layer or shell of younger growth on the branch tips will result in permanent bare areas. Once the foliage is gone from that inner wood, it will not regrow, even if sunlight now reaches the interior due to pruning cuts. This also applies to the main leaders. Reducing the height of a tall arborvitae will stunt the top growth and give it a permanent gap or flat-looking top. If this isn’t really visible from where you typically view the plant, then it’s not necessarily a problem (assuming the pruning cuts seal-over well and don’t develop wood decay). Otherwise, nothing will give the plant its former shape back.

Fortunately, there are lots of compact and dwarf conifer varieties on the market these days. A couple conifer types, like yews, will be able to rejuvenate after heavy pruning. Even so, it’s still best practice to select a plant that should fit in a given space in the yard without relying on pruning to make it fit.

I acknowledge that there are many gardeners that inherit poorly-chosen plants in their new yards, but if or when it comes time to replace them, research your options to make sure you won’t run into the same problem down the road. Plants never really stop growing, though older specimens can slow down. Due to a reduced growth rate, dwarf and miniature cultivars will stay much smaller over the same amount of time as their full-size counterparts, even though some dwarf cultivars can also get larger than you’d expect a few decades after planting.