Why I Love Miracle-Gro Reflections of an Urban Gardener By Elizabeth Licata All gardening is about imposing the artifice of manmade systems upon nature. We make arbitrary decisions about which plants are weeds, which areas plants can occupy, how tall or wide they can be, and how each plant fits into a pre-planned landscape we have designed. Even when we are feeding plants “organically,” we are adding nutrients they are not receiving from nature, and the reason they need them is that—usually—they are non-native plants that require help to make it in Western New York conditions (heavy clay, sand, low or high moisture, or bad drainage, to name a few). The most beautiful flowers grow naturally on mountains and in forests, meadows, and swamps: we don’t have too many of those in Allentown, where I live. A compelling statement on the intrinsic irony of contemporary society's obsession with plants and gardening was provided by artist Carin Mincemoyer in a UB installation last May. Photo by Biff Henrich. So what’s my point? Just this: when faced with the triple whammy of a short growing season, humid summer conditions, and a difficult urban site, my gardening motto is “by any means necessary.” I’ll use slow-acting organic fertilizer and compost (although not a smelly heap of homemade compost in my tiny garden) where I know it will generate better results over the long run—with roses, perennials, shrubs, etc. I will also use fast-acting powdered fertilizer everywhere I can because I know that it will give me the overflowing, bushy containers that I must have in order for my patio-oriented garden to look good. I’ll spray it on everything else too, for good measure. As for plants, there just isn’t enough time to rely on seeds, as much as I respect those who do maintain indoor nurseries in their basements. Even their seedlings aren’t going to be sizable and flowering by the first week of June, which is when I insist that a presentable garden be in place. And I will often buy fully-grown plants over seedlings, even though one might argue that the seedlings will adjust to their environment better, lasting longer over time. But there are so many other variables. A tiny plant can succumb to a myriad of disease-, weather-, and pest-related terminations at any time, whereas at least a large one will give you your money’s worth before it, too, meets its maker. We all know life’s too short—in Western New York, summer is way too short. Drastic weather calls for drastic measures. Here’s my three-point plan for summer garden success: I. High impact; fast results When possible, I buy plants as large as I can, as long as they look healthy and not too root-bound. I then plant them as close together as I can manage. Those big areas of bare dirt with little spots of foliage and flowers at regular intervals? Not a fan. The plants can always be moved later if they get too crowded. Often, however, I find that this solves the problem of misplaced plants that never would have thrived in a given space (bad drainage, not enough sun, whatever). They can simply be removed and their neighbors will quickly fill the gap. I never start anything from seed, and try to pack all containers as full as they can hold. II. Marquee flowers There are certain flowers that seem absolutely necessary in order to have a decent show at every season (other than the always-essential annuals like geraniums, petunias, impatiens, and so on). These plants also give you flowers for cutting—after all, you’ve gotten a garden, so why are you still spending money for fresh flowers every week? In the spring, you must have tulips and daffodils (more on those in the fall). In the early summer, you must have roses and peonies. Big allium are interesting at this time, too. In mid-to-late-summer, you must have lilies—real lilies, not daylilies. Daylilies are good high-impact plants, too, though you can’t cut them. And in the later summer/early fall, you need dahlias, though early fall is always going to be a difficult season. Your annuals will really come to the rescue here. Other perennials (with the caveat that dahlias have to be saved or bought anew each year) will fill in and create a pleasing tapestry, but the six flowers I’ve mentioned—tulips, roses, peonies, lilies, and dahlias—provide the wow factor that every garden needs. With luck the waning season of each will correspond with the emergence of the next. Many roses now will bloom all season, but never, in my observation, with the fervency with which they bloom in June. I don’t understand why people take up space in a city or other small garden with vegetables—which aren’t all that attractive. There are plenty of fantastic farmers’ markets to go to, and god knows Western New York farmers—many of whom use organic methods—could use the business. I also don’t understand why people bother with grass—but that’s another column. III. Start fertilizing early and keep doing it With a purely organic regimen, it’s even more important to start the compost and mulch as early as possible, but I think the commercial hose-end sprays are helpful as well for ongoing boosts. I’ve also made manure tea (easier than compost) and like to spray on seaweed emulsion with a hose-end applicator. Some kind of feeding gets done every two weeks from May through August. I’ve been curious about alfalfa tea, which is supposed to be great for roses, but have heard that the stench is enough to make a grown man cry and run for cover. Finally, I think too many gardeners are afraid to try different or exotic plants. There are many uncommon perennials and annuals that can be gotten through nurseries or online. I have had great luck with astrantia, for example, which I’ve never seen in anyone else’s garden (strange little red flowers and sharply-cut foliage in a neat mound), and gallium verum, which is a tall, equally fragrant relative of sweet woodruff (gallium odoratum) which blooms all summer with little baby’s-breath-type flowers. Out-of-the-way plants will add even more wow factor to your garden. My latest experiment: Last August, I was touring gardens in England, and everywhere we went we saw Japanese Anemone growing like weeds. I’ve started six of these this summer and am keeping my fingers crossed. Elizabeth Licata is editor of Buffalo Spree. She does not claim to be a garden professional or to have any particular expertise but is on the planning committee for Garden Walk and admits to being a gardening addict. SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top