Si Pak Tani

I’m nearing the end of my second summer in a passive solar house with an 80-foot expanse of south-facing windows.   At 7,000 feet, where the outdoor gardening season can be fickle and short lived, the idea of stuffing our large window planters with vegetables and enjoying vine fresh tomatoes at Christmas held huge appeal.    Little did I know that I was starting a whole new gardening adventure. Late fall and my solar palace was bursting with green.   Tomatoes crowded four window bays, cucumbers hung from the ceiling between the kitchen and the window planters, the odor of herbs filled the air in the late afternoon; this was a gardener’s dream!   Or so I thought.   First I noticed the peppers.   Transplanted starts from a reputable grower, they were anemic and the fruit wasn’t developing properly – especially for the amount of warmth and sun they were getting.    Then, the cucumbers between the kitchen and the solar hall declined; I expect so...

Q. My daylilies are two years old and have never flowered. What is the problem? A. Since your daylilies they are relatively young, it is unlikely they need to be divided. Usually, after five or six years, daylilies do become large enough to be divided. A couple of more likely reasons are they are not getting enough sun or water in their current location. Daylilies will tolerate partial shade, but prefer full sun to provide a profusion of blossoms. And while they can tolerate poor soils, they are happier in well-drained soils that have been amended with organic matter. Early next spring, apply a complete fertilizer once, such as 10-10-10. Daylilies like to be watered at least once a week to a depth of eight to ten inches and need even more water during periods of minimal rain. Mulching can be very helpful in maintaining moisture, and is necessary to help newly fall-transplanted daylilies survive their first winter. Q. Where can I get information on how to adjust my sprinkler system? ...

My husband and I recently decided to install a rock garden.   Or rather, I decided and he foolishly agreed.   A local nursery was giving away some landscaping rocks so we went by and picked up a load for a patio for our outdoor firepit.   This led to the rock garden idea.   We have a west facing slope that gets full sun and grass will not grow there.   “Let’s dig it up and plant rocks!”   I said. Okay, so now I will tell you how to install a rock garden.   I will not tell you how we did it because we did it wrong!   My first piece of advice…don’t do it! Well, if you must…here’s how: Gather the rocks.   It took us three loads…we thought it would only take one.   We, or rather, my husband has developed some new muscles from carrying all the rocks.   Use a wheelbarrow and/or a dolly.   We didn’t…that was dumb of us. Dig down 18 inches.   Hopefully your soil isn’t solid clay like ours.   At our age slinging a pickax and ...