You carefully planted those trees and shrubs. You fed them, watered them, watched them grow, slowly but surely. Then one morning, they didn’t look right. When you got closer, you saw why. Uninvited guests – the four-legged kind – have feasted on that succulent, tender greenery!

However much you enjoy the sight of backyard wildlife, finding deer and other critters chomping on your plants is something you’d probably rather avoid. The solution is twofold: Repel the critters so they move on and forage elsewhere, and create a landscape filled with plants that deer do not find attractive.

If your landscape is already established and you don’t relish starting over, your best bet will be the use of an effective repellent.

From my point of view, an effective repellent must fulfill these criteria: It has to be humane, safe around kids and pets and environmentally friendly. Ideally, it should be fairly simple to use, and of course it should keep the critters away from your plants.

A product that Cheryl and I have been using seems to meet all those requirements. It’s called Liquid Fence Deer and Rabbit Repellent. It consists of a funky-looking 48-ounce pressure sprayer that comes with a 6-ounce bottle of concentrate that you dilute with water.

You create the pressure by pumping the handle a few times. Incidentally, it doesn’t require a lot of effort so it would probably be ideal for garden enthusiasts who suffer from arthritis or muscle fatigue. One 6-ounce bottle of concentrate will treat about 1,500 square feet.

We’ve also used an all-natural product named Deer Stopper that you might want to investigate. It actually smells quite pleasant, to humans if not to deer.

If your plant predators are attacking from underground, the Liquid Fence people make a product called Liquid Fence Mole & Vole Repellent. Again, it is not a poison and is harmless to pets and children. Moles, voles and gophers find that it makes plant roots taste unpleasant and they move on to feed elsewhere.

They also make products to repel cats, dogs and squirrels from invading your landscape. So far as I know, there isn’t one called Neighbor’s Kids Repellent. Unfortunately.

If you can’t find the products I’ve mentioned, or if you have questions about them, you are welcome to contact me at steve@landsteward.org

If you are just now planning your landscape, or if you are ready to start over and you anticipate problems with deer, it makes sense to select plants that deer don’t want to eat. Here are a few you could look for.

Cedar Green Giant Regular readers know that this is one of my favorite trees for so many reasons. It’s fast growing, adding 3 to 5 feet per year, and makes an excellent, dense hedge if kept trimmed to a height of maybe 6 or 8 feet. It resists drought and disease and is highly resistant to deer.

Other trees that are rarely deer-damaged: Japanese Cedar, Japanese Falsecypress, Scotch Pine and Douglas Fir.

Cypress, Dwarf Japanese Sungold A good choice when you need a deer-resistant evergreen shrub. It has a mop-like form with creamy golden new foliage on semi-weeping branches.

For more deer-resistant shrubs, try bamboo, barberry, boxwood, buddleia, Rose of Sharon and European privet.

Pachysandra Green Sheen When you first see this groundcover, you might think it’s artificial because of the remarkable glossiness of its foliage. It does very well in shady areas and under the canopies of older trees where nothing much else wants to grow.

Some other groundcovers that deer don’t care for: Creeping Myrtle, periwinkle and wooly thyme.

There’s a useful resource available online, hosted by the Extension unit of the University of West Virginia, titled “Resistance of ornamentals to deer damage.” The Web address is http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/treeshru/resistan.htm and you can click on a direct link from this column archived at my Web site, www.landsteward.org The article provides a lot of information and includes extensive lists of plants that are frequently damaged and rarely damaged by deer.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

In some locations, it seems the soil is of such poor quality that most plants look permanently sickly, and those that do thrive get nibbled away by deer and rabbits. If that is a dilemma that you have to deal with, today’s column should offer you some hope.

A recent column about plants that do well in poor soil brought quite a lot of mail from readers. If you missed that column, send me a message at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll send you a link to the archived version at my Web site. Some of the comments were from readers who would rather improve poor soil than cater to it.

What can you do if you have sorry soil that needs to be brought up to snuff? First of all, it makes sense to find out if your soil really is of poor quality. The best way to find an answer is with a soil test. You can purchase your own soil test kit, but if you prefer to leave it to the experts, you can contact the nearest Ag Extension Service, usually associated with a university. If you’re not sure where your nearest Extension service is located, you can find a state-by-state list at this Web site http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/netlinks/ces.html

So, exactly what IS a soil test? It’s a process by which elements, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, manganese, copper and zinc, are chemically removed from the soil and measured for their “plant available” content within the sample. The quantity of available nutrients in the sample determines the amount of fertilizer that is recommended. A soil test also measures pH, humic matter and exchangeable acidity. These analyses indicate whether lime is needed and, if so, how much to apply, according to a description from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Web site.

Why test your soil? Here’s a good answer from the Extension Web site of Rutgers University: “To apply optimum levels of nutrients or lime to your soil, it is necessary to know the existing pH and the availability of essential plant nutrients in the soil. Remember: Excess nutrients or limestone can be as detrimental to plant growth as deficiencies of these nutrients.”

Adding too much lime can cause the soil pH to rise above the needed level, which in turn prevents much-needed nutrients such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc from reaching the plants’ root systems.

Once you have the results of your test, you can take it to your local garden center and ask to see their products that will adjust the soil’s quality as needed.

Once your soil is back on track, keeping it healthy is as important to your landscape as a good diet and nutritional supplements are to your own health.

There are several products that I use on my own landscape in order to maintain optimum quality soil. As you know, I opt for organic solutions to garden problems wherever possible, and those are the ones I generally recommend.

A soil conditioner named Prosper was originally intended for farmers who had problems with standing water caused by compacted soil. Then owners of newly-constructed homes began to find it useful where heavy equipment had packed down the soil, making it almost unmanageable. Prosper increases the downward movement of water to, and through, the root zone, making it and oxygen more available to plants. It can also increase drainage and reduce erosion.

Another useful organic product is called Global EarthTek, and is one of those products that seems to do a whole bunch of things at once. It’s an effective fungicide, it increases the soil’s water-holding capacity (so you spend less time out there with the hose) and it helps to fight disease and virus by fortifying plants’ immune system.

As for fending off those unwanted garden visitors, licking their lips at the sight of your newly robust plants, I’ll have some tips in the next column!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

QUESTION: I live in the heart of Amish country. I was wondering if I could use the sawdust from one of the many local sawmills as a mulch around my trees in the yard rather than use the conventional cypress chips? The sawdust is plentiful and would be much cheaper than the chips. Do you foresee any problems with my using it?” – Hank Wolgast

ANSWER: On the surface it would appear to be a great substitute. However, fresh sawdust right off the saw can be very acidic depending on the type of wood being used. A good rule of thumb, if you decide to purchase the sawdust, is to pile it where it will be undisturbed and let it sit one year. The rains and natural decomposition will leach out most of the acid and then it can be used for mulch the next few years. Or of course, simply use “regular” mulch!

QUESTION: “What can you tell me about setting up drip watering cans or buckets? “ – Mike Samolinski

ANSWER: If you are going to set these up to water trees or shrubs in hard to reach places, here’s something that you might want to try, using five gallon buckets. Drill approximately five or six 1/8 inch holes at the base of the bucket, about one inch apart. Fill the bucket with water and it should take about an hour for the water to run out. This allows most of the water to go down to the root system where it is needed.

QUESTION: “I planted several gallon-size rhododendron shrubs last summer and they seemed to be doing well. Now that winter has passed they have tiny black spots on the leaves and some leaves that are yellowish or brown and dead looking. What would you suggest I do to help them along this spring?” – Karen Pirino

ANSWER: There is a product that you can use that comes in powder form to spread around the base of the plants and then wet it in. The product is called Subdue and is a fungicide made by Scott’s. It sounds like your plants are suffering from a fungus that often afflicts rhododendrons.

QUESTION: “I have a variegated hibiscus plant that, for the past two years, has gotten tons of buds, but never bloomed. The buds just dry up and stay on until they fall off. What would cause this? It is planted in full sun from about 12 noon to 3 p.m. and we have a sprinkler system so it gets watered periodically throughout the day.” – Darlene Melvin

ANSWER: One possible reason could be that your plants are getting too much water which might result in the buds not having time to develop fully. In a plant’s life cycle, buds form, become flowers then extend to seed. It’s a theory of mine that if a plant has everything it needs (or too much) there is no incentive for it to reproduce. As I say, just a theory of mine!

Firstly, try cutting back on the water. Another thing that you may try next season before the plant begins to bud is to put one tablespoon of Epsom salts in one gallon of water to dissolve then douse the roots of the plant. This is a way to shock it without harming it. I do it with wisteria and get beautiful flowering every year.

QUESTION: I have a border in front of my patio lined with dwarf nandinas. The soil stays very wet all the time. My nandinas drop their leaves and die. Could you recommend a small shrub I could replace them with that likes a wet soil?” – Alice

ANSWER: Although I don’t recommend planting any type of plant in wet soil, I recently wrote a column titled “Damp soil? Here are seven plants with wet feet.” If you missed it, here is a link: http://www.landsteward.org/page.cfm/44166 What I would recommend is raising the soil level around your patio (a process known as berming) and diverting the water so you can plants the plants you desire.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Poor soil and occasional drought conditions… Does that mean a dull, scrappy or even non-existent landscape? That’s a problem that worries many readers, judging by my e-mailbag.

But the answer is No. Even if you have poor soil and a potential drought from time to time, you can still enjoy an attractive and colorful landscape.

Here are a couple of potential solutions if these are issues you are dealing with in your garden.

Sedum Black Jack PP16736

This variety of Sedum is quite new and really is spectacular. It has the deepest, dark purple foliage imaginable. In fact at times it can look almost black as the color deepens towards the end of summer.

Black Jack is easy to grow and is hardy in most parts of the country. It has thick, succulent leaves that can store water, and because of this it is drought tolerant. It actually prefers poor soil, as long as it is well-drained and located in full sun to partial shade. In fact, if planted in rich soil, it tends to become lanky and open.

It is a perennial with an upright growing habit (unlike some “sprawling”
sedums) and develops sturdy stems that support the 8 inch flower heads.
Expect it to reach around 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

If you want to maintain its compact growing habit, I suggest you divide your Black Jacks every three to four years. You’ll find that older plants tend to split in the center if they haven’t been divided. If you want to know how to divide plants like this, you are welcome to send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll reply with a brief “how to.”

If you are “blessed” with poor soil but would like a rich-looking easy-care perennial, Sedum Black Jack could be worth a look.

Gaillardia Fanfare PP15892

It’s hard to believe that this flamboyant and colorful perennial prefers poor soil but that’s the case. It is heat-tolerant and will do best in full sun. In fact, given too much shade it will tend to flop over.

I particularly like the unique look of the blooms, with their dark centers surrounded by a ring of yellow-tipped red tubular petals. The grower who introduced me to this variety called Fanfare a “blooming machine,” putting forth its unusual flowers from early spring right through into the fall.

Fanfare is ideal for borders or mass plantings, and its compact shape – one to two feet high with an 18-inch spread – makes it an ideal container plant.
A container or two of Fanfare near the kitchen door could provide you with some nice displays of cut flowers, too.

I should point out that “poor soil” for Fanfare doesn’t mean heavy clay.
Fanfare prefers well-drained moist soil but is very tolerant of drought conditions and requires very little care beyond deadheading spent blooms to prolong blooming time.

Grass Miscanthus Allegro

If you are somewhat inexperienced as a gardener, or even an absolute beginner, this could be a good plant to develop your green thumb with a very good chance of success.

Music lovers will recognize the word allegro which means “a quick lively tempo” so you would guess correctly that this plant has a fast growth rate.

Allegro is a perennial ornamental grass that is robust and sturdy as well as fast-growing, making it a good choice for a hedge or an ornamental border.
It has a distinctive, feathery look that sways in the breeze and sports red blooms in August and September. If you’re a little more adventurous, you can use it as a backdrop for plants with darker shades of color and foliage in a large mixed border.

Best of all for newbie gardeners, Allegro can grow in virtually any soil from loose sand to heavy clay and doesn’t even require particularly good drainage. The only maintenance required would be an annual haircut about 8 inches from the ground.

Great gardens don’t always need great soil!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

Just when we thought that spring was definitely here and settled in… Wham! Winter came back with a vengeance across many parts of the country.

A few weeks ago, many of us woke up to find frost on the lawn and our plants looking decidedly cold and miserable. Now spring is back, for real this time, and the threat of frost should be behind us until next winter.

If you were caught in this year’s cold snap, it can be hard to tell which of your plants are goners and which will live to fight another day. I have some tips and pointers that should be helpful if you are still anxious about some of your plants.

Even if you escaped the worst of the late frost this time, you might not be so lucky in the future. Keep some of these points in mind and it might help you save some plants next spring!

I received a lot of e-mails from worried readers such as this one:

QUESTION: “I was wondering if we can expect all the damage from the recent freeze to trees, shrubs and perennials to be permanent. I mean do you think some of them will survive? At this point they look like they are dying.

”The Winter Gem boxwoods, azaleas, and day lilies all have extensive damage. I thought I would trim off the damage when the weather warms a little. Would fertilizing to start new growth help to save them?

”I also had Magnolia trees, Flowering Cherry trees and Flowering Crabapple trees and Lilac, Mock Orange, and Flowering Quince Shrubs. Just about all of them look really bad. I would appreciate any suggestions.” – M. Railey

One of the horticulturist’s rules to live by: Do NOT fertilize any plant with freeze damage until it has put on at least some new growth. In fact many plant experts will tell you not to fertilize frostbitten plants until next winter. Why? Because the nitrogen in fertilizer can cause the plant to leaf out too quickly, adding even more stress to the trauma it is already trying to resist.

In most cases, trees and shrubs will begin to put on new growth within two to four weeks after frost damage. This is where Nature really needs our patience. There is a powerful temptation to start pruning as soon as we see frost damaged plants. Do not succumb to the temptation!

In fact, it is better to avoid any major pruning on frostbitten plants as they can take up to a year to return to their normal growth pattern, and pruning, like fertilizing, can add to the stress.

That doesn’t mean you cannot trim away small areas of dried up and obviously dead foliage once the threat of frost is past and new growth is beginning to come back. Just say no to any major surgery.

However, perennials such as hostas and other delicate plants may show signs of severe burn. You can go ahead and clip them back now as they will be putting on new growth. Decayed leaves and branches left on them will only attract annoying insects.

Remember to water your plants. After a frost attack has passed, many plants will need water to help them re-leaf after the first tender leaves were lost to frost.

Again, be patient. Nature can take a while to help plants recover so fight the urge to do anything too drastic.

QUESTION: “I planted several Mallow Marvel hibiscus last summer. I am a novice with these plants. Do they die each year and come back full, or have my plants died? The rest of my plants are budding except these. The limbs seem to be all dead. Please give me direction.” – Krista

ANSWER: Yes, Mallow Marvel is a perennial that will return each spring, reaching 8 to 10 feet eventually. Don’t dig them up. Be patient and they’ll be back

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org