Comments on: soldier on, yucca ‘color guard’ http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99 Gardening information and inspiration from Margaret Roach Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:23:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Margaret http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-12768 Margaret Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:28:03 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=6842#comment-12768 Welcome, Jamie. I use one mulch only, a composted stable bedding (sort of small wood chip/shaving particles that animals used and then someone piled up to compost and age). I let it deteriorate into the soil, and replenish as needed -- always adding more each spring. This way the underlying soil gets more and more loaded with organic matter and more crumbly by just mulching and letting nature do the rest. I do not mulch in winter here, or at least nothing extra. So your shredded leaves are great...or some other mulch that can just decay right in place and feed the soil...but why remove them? Maybe you put on too much, but all I do is sort of push aside my mulch and plant, then move the mulch back or add more. It is best to do this with pre-composted mulch, though, so maybe pile up all the leaves, shred them, and let them rot a bit and apply next spring. Again, I don't use winter mulches except for things like marginally hardy roses (I used to grow a few and protect them), and newly planted things that might be extra vulnerable, but even then, not so much. Welcome, Jamie. I use one mulch only, a composted stable bedding (sort of small wood chip/shaving particles that animals used and then someone piled up to compost and age). I let it deteriorate into the soil, and replenish as needed — always adding more each spring. This way the underlying soil gets more and more loaded with organic matter and more crumbly by just mulching and letting nature do the rest.

I do not mulch in winter here, or at least nothing extra. So your shredded leaves are great…or some other mulch that can just decay right in place and feed the soil…but why remove them? Maybe you put on too much, but all I do is sort of push aside my mulch and plant, then move the mulch back or add more. It is best to do this with pre-composted mulch, though, so maybe pile up all the leaves, shred them, and let them rot a bit and apply next spring. Again, I don’t use winter mulches except for things like marginally hardy roses (I used to grow a few and protect them), and newly planted things that might be extra vulnerable, but even then, not so much.

]]> By: jamie http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-12759 jamie Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:37:41 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=6842#comment-12759 I have a large, bountiful garden of perennials, shrubs and trees in northwest connecticut that consumes inordinate amount of my psychic as well as physical energy -- but which gives so much back I can't stop. But I am looking for ways to be more efficient. so my question is about mulch: For years, in the fall I have chopped upleaves and spread them in depths of 4 inches or so over the gardens once the ground is frozen. Then in the early spring, I have raked off the mulch so I could plant, etc. Then I have reapplied mulch to keep moisutre in and suppress weeds during the summer... is there a simpler way to do this? I have a large, bountiful garden of perennials, shrubs and trees in northwest connecticut that consumes inordinate amount of my psychic as well as physical energy — but which gives so much back I can’t stop. But I am looking for ways to be more efficient. so my question is about mulch: For years, in the fall I have chopped upleaves and spread them in depths of 4 inches or so over the gardens once the ground is frozen. Then in the early spring, I have raked off the mulch so I could plant, etc. Then I have reapplied mulch to keep moisutre in and suppress weeds during the summer… is there a simpler way to do this?

]]> By: calgalinmichigan http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-12747 calgalinmichigan Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:56:12 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=6842#comment-12747 I have never particularly cared for yuccas, especially since the time when I was about 10 and was forced to go for an endless drive with my family out to "Yuck, a valley". But you know, as I look around in the gardens of my neighborhood here in Michigan, the absolutely only plant with any green on it (and it really still looks fabulous) is the yucca. Maybe its time has come. My boyfriend's 87 year old mother calls them "yooooccas". (Rhymes with hooka!) That sounds much more exotic than yuck-a. Think we could persuade the industry to change the pronunciation? I have never particularly cared for yuccas, especially since the time when I was about 10 and was forced to go for an endless drive with my family out to “Yuck, a valley”. But you know, as I look around in the gardens of my neighborhood here in Michigan, the absolutely only plant with any green on it (and it really still looks fabulous) is the yucca. Maybe its time has come. My boyfriend’s 87 year old mother calls them “yooooccas”. (Rhymes with hooka!) That sounds much more exotic than yuck-a. Think we could persuade the industry to change the pronunciation?

]]> By: Margaret http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-12710 Margaret Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:13:19 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=6842#comment-12710 Welcome, Laurie. Always glad to share a great plant, and this is one. Hope we see you here soon again. Welcome, Laurie. Always glad to share a great plant, and this is one. Hope we see you here soon again.

]]> By: Laurie http://awaytogarden.com/soldier-on-yucca-%e2%80%98color-guard%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-12708 Laurie Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:40:19 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=6842#comment-12708 Beautiful! I also have not been a lover of yuccas. This one I'm looking forward to trying out in my zone 7b/8a garden. Beautiful! I also have not been a lover of yuccas. This one I’m looking forward to trying out in my zone 7b/8a garden.

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