Tips from the Masters - Anne Boulton

We asked and they told! The Master Gardeners of Sudbury sent us their most useful advice on everything from Lily Beetles (who love Asiatic Lilies, not daylilies) to goutweed.

I am critical of a plant’s performance mid-season. If the phlox plant looks terrible in August, do I really need to have it in my garden? Lily beetles were the bane of my existence before I dug up all the lilies. Once you have plants that behave, to keep your workload down, the answer is mulch — and lots of it. ~ Joanne

I hear so much negative talk about Goutweed, but I like it. I put it as a filler in my urn containers. It provides bright cream and green colour, and by the end of summer, it has filled out beautifully. Treat it as a filler — remember when assembling your containers: thrillers, fillers, and spillers! ~ Shelby

I don’t like cold showers and neither do plants. I have always used a 70-litre plastic garbage pail to let tap water warm up for use on individual plants. I use a pail to take water for plants that need more water than most, i.e., Ligularia “The Rocket.”

I also add a little Miracle Grow liquid fertilizer to give a little nourishment with the drink. Any NPK will do; but keep it under a recommended solution. ~ David

I only grow three or four cabbage plants. To keep cabbage butterflies off them, I use picnic food covers. They fit nicely over each cabbage. ~ Wendy

Elevate your potted plants. This helps to drain the pots and decrease the chance of fungal disease in the plants. It also decreases the number of earwigs and other bugs that usually accumulate under the pots.

Plant new plants on an overcast day, to reduce the wilting caused by the sun. If you must plant on a sunny day, place an over-turned pot on the plant to provide a bit of shade. ~ Cathy

Try folding a whole newspaper in the bottom of your outdoor pots. Soak it well then fill it up. The wet newspaper helps keep your pots moist and will soak up excess water for later use. ~ Jane

Use a damp coffee filter to cover the bottom and drainage hole in your planters. Although it is biodegradable, it will last all season. The soil stays in ... the excess water drains out. ~ Linda

Thanks to the Masters of the Gardens for their tips!

Anne Boulton is an avid gardener who lives in Sudbury. Visit her blog at greenboots.ca or contact her at [email protected].

Posted by Vivian Scinto