Author Archives: Scott Vogt

What to Do with Those Leaves, Leaves, Leaves.

Posted on by Scott Vogt

The other day I was driving through town and really noticed the changing leaves for the first time this fall.  They are looking particularly colorful this year.  The Maple tree varieties like ‘John Pair’, ‘Autumn Splendor’, ‘Table Rock’ and Oaks like Red Oak and Shingle Oak put on quite a show.  My favorite tree at the arboretum is the Sugar Maple called ‘Table Rock’.  It has consistent orange-red fall color.

 

Table Rock Maple

Table Rock Maple

 

These leaves, no matter how beautiful, will eventually fall.  Then we need to decide what to do with them.  Here at the arboretum we compost them.  Leaf compost makes excellent plant food and humus that can be incorporated into your garden or flower bed.  Leaf compost is high in valuable minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and other trace elements.  Analysis shows that leaves from most trees can contain up to twice as many minerals as aged manure.

 

Gingko biloba

Gingko biloba, ‘Autumn Gold’

 

Why wouldn’t you want to make your own compost from leaves?  Good compost developed from leaves also adds organic matter to the soil.  This organic matter is great for aerating heavy clay soils or increasing water holding in sandy soils.  Take advantage of these free gifts.

Steps for composting leaves:

  1. Collect leaves. Shred them into small pieces to speed decomposition. Place leaves on the ground, which will make it easier to turn them and allow beneficial organisms such as worms to infiltrate the pile.
  2. To start your compost pile, your first layer should be several inches of leaves on the bare ground. This helps aerate the entire pile.
  3. Layer with alternating green (nitrogen rich) and brown (carbon rich) material. Green material can be grass clippings, food scraps, algae, tea bags or any nitrogen source.  These green ingredients speed the decomposition of the brown material.  Brown material can be leaves, newspaper, cardboard, sawdust, or straw.  These ingredients are generally slow to decompose and clump together.  They need time and moisture for optimum breakdown.  As a general rule, try to have one-third green and two-thirds brown.  The secret to a healthy compost pile is to maintain a working balance between these two elements.  Too much green makes a smelly, anaerobic mess.  More brown is better than too much green.
  4. Keep pile moist by either manually watering or allowing rain to infiltrate compost, but don’t go overboard.
  5. Turn the pile every few weeks. This incorporates and mixes all the elements together while aerating the pile.  If the pile is never turned, oxygen, which is an essential component in the process of decomposition, will be excluded.  Allow the compost pile to reach an internal temperature of 140-160 degrees to kill weed seeds.  If your compost pile is not reaching these temperatures, add more green material.
  6. In 4-6 months (next spring) the composting process will be complete.
Leaf House

Leaf house at the Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

 

If you don’t have need of fresh compost, the arboretum is willing to take your bagged leaves.  We are again filling our leaf house with our leaves, but we can take more.  Just drop your bags of leaves in the bus parking area at the arboretum.  We will take them back to the leaf house.  The leaf house is a great example of decomposition in action.

Three Iconic Prairie Grasses to Add to Your Landscape

Posted on by Scott Vogt

Native grasses are at their best right now.  They are in full plumage.  They are changing color from green to bold reds, yellows, and oranges.  They have reached their full height.  They are spectacular.

I can’t imagine the view atop a rise looking over the expanse of the Great Plains in its unbroken state – a “sea of grass” as far as you could see.  It must have been awe inspiring. Within these waves of gold and green, three grasses stood out from the rest.

Within these waves of gold and green, three grasses stood out from the rest.

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

This is the king of the prairie grasses, reaching to the skies and sending its roots deep.  It perseveres in tallgrass prairies.  The vertical stems stand firmly and sway with only a slight breeze and change vibrantly in the fall to shades of red and orange.  The three-pronged seed heads resemble a turkey’s foot, hence its other name “Turkey Foot Grass”.  Plant it in full sun in a medium to moist soil.

 

Big Bluestem3

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

The airy seed heads and upright habit make this a great landscape grass.  These forms make quite a statement in the fall and winter landscape.  They add structure, texture and movement.  For best results, plant them in a sunny spot in a medium to moist soil.  It is very drought tolerant.  Discover these varieties: ‘Northwind’-consistent upright form to four feet tall and golden yellow fall color, ‘Cheyenne Sky’-red leaves develop early in the summer and grows to three feet, and ‘Dallas Blues’-tall (to 8 feet), with blue foliage and purple seed heads.

Panicum Northwind.resize

Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

The yellow/tan plumes and vase-shaped habit make this grass easy to recognize in prairies.  I use them in naturalistic plantings or formal plantings.  Give them space, because mature plants can be five feet across the top.   It grows best in a medium to dry soil and all-day sun.  Heavy clay soils make it robust, but it thrives in many different soil types.

Indian Grass

 

These native grasses are the backbone of the tallgrass prairie.  They are resilient because their roots go deep making them drought tolerant and tough.  They are garden-worthy and deserve a place in the landscape.  Give them a try.  You will be rewarded for many years to come.

Check out this article in Fine Gardening that I wrote several years ago for more information on other native grasses.

Five Things You Should Do Now to Prepare for Winter

Posted on by Scott Vogt

This is my favorite time of the year.  I love autumn.  You can see and feel the changes of the seasons.  Prairies turn from green to brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.  Trees light up the landscape with vibrant fall color.  Asters dot the landscape as pollinators search for the last remaining nectar in the garden.  There is so much to enjoy this time of the year.  We don’t want to think about the real big change coming when winter arrives, but that change is coming all too soon.

I like to spend some time in the fall preparing our landscapes for winter.  By dedicating some time now to your landscape, you will be rewarded with healthier, more beautiful plants next spring.

Here are some things on my checklist for the fall:

#1 Mulch

Fall is a great time to mulch all your plants.  Mulching now will help protect roots from extreme temperatures while also helping the soils to retain moisture in a typically cold, dry winter.  We apply 2-3 inches of new mulch around perennials, trees and shrubs.  Be careful!  Don’t allow mulch to contact the stem or trunk.  We leave a halo around the plants to aid in air exchange and drying.  Too much mulch can cause more harm than good.

Table Rock Maple

Table Rock Maple

#2 Lawn Care

This is the best time of the year to plant a new fescue lawn or overseed an existing fescue lawn.  I overseeded my back yard last week.  It is just starting to germinate.  I used clean, weed free seed and watered it daily.  I applied 3-5 lbs. per 1000 square feet.  If you are planting a new lawn, apply 5-10 lbs. per 1000 square feet.  You have until October 15 to get your seeding finished.  It is usually too late to seed after October 31.  The cool nights, warm days, beneficial rains and less weed competition make this time of year ideal for seeding grass.

Seeded Grass

It is also the best time to fertilize your fescue lawn.  We apply one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.  Fall fertilization promotes root growth.  The roots of the fescue absorb and store the nutrients for the winter.  This stored energy will make for a thicker, healthier lawn next spring.

Remove leaves from lawn and place in compost pile.  Falling leaves block sunlight to the grass inhibiting growth.  Leaves can be shredded and composted into the lawn, but often this causes more problems.  It is usually best to completely remove them.

#3 Fall Clean-up

Remove Annuals and Cut Perennials: After the first frost, annuals can be removed from the landscape.  Prior to the first hard freeze, tender annuals need to be dug up and stored for the winter (i.e. cannas and elephant ears).

Coneflower Seedhead

In certain gardens, we deadhead spent blooms on plants such as gray-headed coneflower and coneflowers to prevent seeding.  Other seedheads are left through the winter as food sources for birds.  We leave ornamental grasses through the winter.  They provide texture and movement in the winter landscape.  These beds will be cleaned up in the spring.

Keep in mind that fall is NOT the best time to prune trees and shrubs.  It encourages new growth that will not get hardened off before winter, making it susceptible to damage.  Prune trees in the winter after they have gone dormant.  Shrubs can be pruned in the winter as well but only if they bloom on new growth.  Pruning spring blooming shrubs in the winter will remove next year’s blooms.  Prune these after they have finished blooming in the spring.

#4 Water

It is vital that perennials, trees and shrubs are adequately watered throughout the fall.  Newly installed plants don’t have a fully established root system and would benefit from periodic watering.  If the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry, the plants need water.  Evergreen trees continue to need moisture in winter, so irrigate thoroughly before the ground freezes.

Arizona Cypress

Arizona Cypress

#5 Take inventory and Think Spring

In the fall, I analyze the landscape.  This is the best time to determine what your needs will be next spring.  What plants did well in the landscape?  What plants need help or need to be moved next spring?  Are there any plants that would benefit from dividing such as grasses?  What areas need to be filled next spring?  Does the canopy of the trees need to be thinned to allow more light into the landscape?  Install spring blooming bulbs before the ground freezes.

This is a great season of the year.  Take some time to appreciate the beauty of fall.  There is so much to enjoy, but set aside some time to prepare for the winter.  A little work now on your landscape will pay big dividends in the spring.

Kansas is the Sunflower State

Posted on by Scott Vogt

Excerpt from Kansas legislation:

Whereas, This flower has to all Kansans a historic symbolism which speaks of frontier days, winding trails, pathless prairies, and is full of the life and glory of the past, the pride of the present, and richly emblematic of the majesty of a golden future, and is a flower which has given Kansas the world-wide name, “the sunflower state”…

Be it enacted … that the helianthus or wild native sunflower is … designated … the state flower and floral emblem of the state of Kansas.

This past weekend, I traveled to Marion to watch my daughter’s volleyball game.  On the way, I could not help but notice sunflowers blooming.   It was amazing to see the many different varieties and forms scattered throughout the prairies and ravines.  I tried my best at 65 miles per hour to identify them.  They were everywhere and in their full glory.  The yellow flowers stood out amongst the changing prairie grasses.  They brighten up the prairie landscape and signal the changing seasons.  If you are out and about in the coming weeks, here are some of the gorgeous sunflowers you will see.

 

Willow-leaf Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius) – This is one of the most common sunflowers and is easily identified because it has many long, narrow, drooping leaves swirled around the stem.  The leaves are not more than a quarter inch wide and make a soft umbrella at the top of the stem as they grow.  The bright yellow clusters of blooms are attractive, but the foliage is equally interesting.

Willowleaf Sunflower

 

Maximillian Sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii) – This is a very showy sunflower with tall stems that rise above surrounding grasses.  The blooms are vibrant and large.  It is a beautiful sunflower, but beware.  It is rhizomatous and spreads vigorously.  I would not plant this sunflower in a formal landscape.  I would plant it in a prairie or area of the yard that allows it to go wild.  It will quickly take over any garden when it is happy.  We have some along the pond where we can manage its spread with a mower.

Maximilian Sunflower

 

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) –  You can find these sunflowers along woodlands and in moist prairies.  It has larger leaves that are thick and rough.  Stems are topped with large golden-yellow flower heads. I have never tasted the tuberous roots but those who have considered them a delicacy.  The roots can be eaten raw or boiled like a potato.

Jerusalem Artichocke

 

Other sunflowers worth noting: Sawtooth Sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) – Similar to Maximillian Sunflower; Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) – Shorter with gray foliage; and Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – Tall with flowers at the ends of the branched stems.

 

Oh sunflower! The queen of all flowers,

No other with you can compare,

The roadside and fields are made golden

Because of your bright presence there.

“An Ode to the Kansas Sunflower,” Ed Blair, 1901

 

Four Reasons You Should Plant in the Fall

Posted on by Scott Vogt

We just finished our fall plant sale last weekend and I had many people ask if this is a good time to plant.  My answer was “No. It is a GREAT time to plant!”  In fact, it’s a perfect time to plant just about anything (other than annuals).

I don’t know why this fall planting message is not resonating with all gardeners.  We may be worn out from managing the plants we installed in the spring or we are busy with other things and not focused on what our gardens will need next spring.  Whatever the justifications, here are my reasons why you will be rewarded for working on your native landscape this fall:

ArbinJune_0001

A wildflower display at our front entrance, the first spring after a fall planting.

#1 Warm Soils

Because the soil is still warm from the summer, the roots will continue to develop until the first frost.  In our area, this occurs around mid-October.  However, trees and shrubs will root until the grounds freezes.  In the spring, these plants will have developed root systems that are actively growing and ready to produce flowers and survive the hot summer months.  Last fall, we planted twenty-five butterfly milkweed and twenty-three survived the winter.  Most of these plants bloomed this summer.

#2 Reduced stress

Transplanting causes stress on plants as they are introduced to a new environment.  This shock is reduced by planting in the fall because the plant is entering dormancy.  The growth is moving from above ground to below ground and root systems are storing energy reserves for next year.  Fall transplants have this vital time for root development before winter.  Transplanting in the spring, on the other hand, causes additional stress and plants may hardly recover from transplant shock before the demands of summer are realized.  The overall plant health is improved for next year by starting with transplanting this fall.

#3 Less weed competition

We have found that when planting in September there are fewer problems with weeds such as crabgrass and foxtail.  This allows plants to get a head start for next season without competing with problematic weeds.   Remember to mulch around the plants after the first freeze to help moderate soil temperatures, control winter annual weeds such as henbit, and hold soil moisture through the winter.  Keep mulch away from the base of plants to allow proper air exchange.

#4 Beneficial Rains

Warm days and cool nights provide an ideal environment for transplanting and growth.   Typically, fall brings several cool, cloudy days with frequent precipitation.  Warm sunny days can cause stress on new transplants.  Cooler nights and morning dew allow plants to recover each night.  Beneficial autumn rains eliminate some daily watering.

The arboretum parking lot median was planted in September.

Here at the arboretum, we prefer to plant in the fall because we have more time and have seen the benefits first hand.  We are usually very busy in the spring readying the gardens.  It is nice to see plants that were started in the fall jumping to life and even blooming.

Whenever you plant, whether spring or fall, the ultimate goal is to create a landscape you can enjoy.  Take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

 

Five Elegant Perennials for the Summer Landscape

Posted on by Scott Vogt

Lately, I have been watching old Western films.  John Wayne always looks so calm and collected.  He never sweats, even though he is wearing five layers of clothing.  Have you ever wondered why they wear so much when it is so hot?

Right now, I wish I had a sprinkler to run through or a bucket of ice water to dump on myself.  Those movie characters who ride through the desert unscathed remind me of some tough plants blooming right now in the arboretum.  It is a true testament to the toughness of some perennials that thrive in adverse conditions.

Try these sun-loving perennials – you will be rewarded year after year by these resilient plants:

Letterman’s Ironplant-Vernonia lettermanii ‘Iron Butterfly’

While walking through the gardens this morning, I noticed the vibrant purple blooms of this iron-clad wildflower.  We should be tooting the horn for more natives like these.  The plants were alive with activity-like a pollinator magnet!  Each stem has slender leaves radiating outward, similar to Amsonia hubrichtii.  This is a more refined ironweed, but just as tenacious as the pasture type.  I use them in groupings with switch grass and goldenrods but they would be a nice addition to any landscape.

Vernonia Iron Butterfly

Photo taken at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

 

Russian Sage-Perovskia atriplicifolia

On my recent trip to Denver, Russian Sage was ubiquitous.  That’s a fancy word for everywhere.  It was in the street medians, parks, store fronts, and in front of most homes, but for good reason.  The soft lavender blooms are eye-catching.  The cloud of colorful flowers above the finely textured aromatic foliage is a wonderful combination.  Did I mention that Russian Sage is tough?  It shines in any full to part sun location.  It can survive drought conditions, but appreciates weekly watering.  They are best displayed in mass plantings or with native grasses.

Russian Sage-Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens

 

Button Blazing Star-Liatris aspera

Blazing stars have put on quite a show this year and button blazing star is no exception.  It is in full bloom right now in 100 degree heat and loving it.  The entire plant matures to 3′ in height, but the real show is the purple button flowers that develop along the stem.  It is happiest in medium to dry soil conditions and will become unhappy with too much moisture.  Pollinators flock to it, including butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.  Plant them in mass, 8-12 inches apart for the ultimate display.  I like to integrate several grasses like Little Bluestem or switch grass to give interest later in the season.

Liatris aspera

Photo taken at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

 

Hummingbird Mint- Agastache ‘Blue Boa’

This plant has been one of my biggest surprises over the last several years.  It is almost always in bloom.  It loves the heat and humidity.  The deep violet-blue blooms lure many different pollinators and ‘Blue boa’ requires very little care once established in a medium to dry location.  If you want to help the pollinators, try a few in your landscape. You will be surprised by them, too.

Agastache Blue Boa-Photo Courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries

Photo courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries

 

Aromatic Aster-Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’

We have been growing this great form of our native aromatic aster for several years.  It is not rambunctious in the landscape.  In fact, it develops into a nice bush that is covered with glowing lavender flowers.  When the whole plant is in bloom it looks like a mum on steroids.  Flowers begin to open in late September and last into October.  During the warm days of autumn, pollinators congregate on these beauties, seeking to collect the last pollen of the season.  We have used them in borders and native groupings with ornamental grasses.

Aster October Skies

Photo taken at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains

 

Notice the theme?  They all have lavender blooms.  These are a few plants that are doing well in the arboretum.  What plants have you had success with this year?

Five Grasses You Should Be Using In Your Landscape

Posted on by Scott Vogt

I am always in search of the tough, resilient plants that stand out in any challenging landscape.  Certainly, ornamental grasses fit into this category.

They are increasing in popularity because of their texture, form/structure and interesting seed heads.  Another reason their popularity continues to grow is that they require minimal care and provide year-round interest.

Ornamental grasses are a diverse group of perennials that expand the plant palette of any design, but many of them get too tall for a typical landscape application.

This week, I wanted to make note of some of the dwarf grasses in our gardens.  As you know, fall is the best time of the year for most grasses.  They are showing off their attractive plumage and the beautiful fall colors are beginning to develop.  These five grasses have worked for me, and can be found next week at our Fall FloraKansas Plant Sale:

 

Blue Grama-Bouteloua gracillis ‘Blonde Ambition’         

This Blue Grama Grass is apparently on steroids.  I cannot believe how vigorously it grew this year, ultimately reaching two feet tall. This taller form has bright blue-green leaves that are topped by a host of eyelash-like golden yellow flowers.  They wave in the wind and ambitiously last from summer into the fall and winter months.  I used it along a walkway but it is so attractive that it could stand on its own providing many months of ornamental interest.   This beautiful grass was discovered by David Salmon of High Country Gardens.

Blue Grama Blonde Ambition

 

Little Bluestem-Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’

At home in a formal planting or prairie garden, you don’t have to sacrifice anything by planting this Little Bluestem.  Carousel remains stiffly upright even through the winter.  The gentlest breeze puts the plant in motion.  The blue-green leaves are highlighted by pink that gradually turn to rich copper, pink, and mahogany tones in the fall.  It truly has a carousel of color.  It provides a beautiful backdrop to perennials like coneflowers or black-eyed susans. This graceful, low maintenance Little Bluestem will provide a form that can be used in any sunny landscape.   Other garden-worthy varieties of Little Bluestem are ‘Standing Ovation’, ‘Blaze’ and ‘Blue Heaven’

Carousel

 

Prairie Dropseed-Sporobolus heterolepis

At one time, this was the top selling native grass in the country.  To see a mass planting in full bloom, you can understand why it is so popular.  The narrow leaves form a perfect fountain of green.  In late summer, the fragrant airy seed heads develop.  Some liken the fragrance of the blooms to buttered popcorn.   With this plant, you can get your theater popcorn fix without all the calories.  It requires almost no maintenance once established.  Fall color is burnt orange and rivals Little Bluestem in mass plantings.  A shorter form of Prairie Dropseed worth trying is the variety ‘Tara’.

Prairie Dropseed

 

Switchgrass-Panicum virgatum ‘Cheyenne Sky’

WOW! This grass is spectacular this year.  They are totally saturated in reds and purples.  Most switchgrass varieties get four to five feet tall, but not ‘Cheyenne Sky’.  It forms an upright three foot clump.  The vibrant red color hues begin to develop in early summer followed by reddish flower clusters in August and September.  The leaves rustle with the slightest breeze and sway in the wind adding movement to the garden.  I use it in containers, groupings or as a specimen plant by itself.  It is a very versatile and beautiful grass.

Cheyenne Sky

 

Fountain Grass-Pennisetum ‘Little Bunny’

We have been thrilled with this miniature fountain grass.  It puts on a show during the summer when the tiny cream seed heads pop up over the cascading green leaves.  The seed heads resemble little bunny tails, hence the name.  We have found it to be a reliable performer in the perennial borders and  when planted in mass.  If you have limited with space, then this grass would be a great choice.

Little Bunny

Questions: Which of these grasses have you tried in your landscape?  What steps do you need to take to integrate more grasses into your garden?