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On The Farm

Newsletter of the Bucks County Farm Bureau

Serving Bucks County and Eastern Philadelphia County

Affiliated with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau & American

Farm Bureau Federation www.pfb.com Summer 2019

What Is an Herbaceous Perennial?

A perennial plant will live for more than two growing

seasons; a true herbaceous perennial will completely die

back in the winter, while its roots remain persistent, with

clumps of stems or buds at or below ground level. Every

spring they send out new shoots from the ground. Some

perennials can be short-lived and may last only three years,

while others may last for decades.

The care and maintenance of your perennial garden need not be complicated or daunting. Much of good gardening

is a combination of some basic horticultural principles with common sense and a good eye. The following is a list of

some of these basic principles.

Site: Carefully study the existing site. Know the site conditions—light, temperature, soil slope, drainage, and air

circulation. This is the most important factor in growing healthy plants. Most perennials grow best in soil that is well

drained with good fertility, texture, and water-holding capacity. Apply a two to three inch layer of mulch to conserve

water, reduce the need to weed, and keep soil temperature cool. Applying a winter mulch of evergreen boughs

when the ground is frozen prevents plants from being pushed out of the ground by alternate freezing and thawing.

Winter mulch is used only on newly-planted or divided perennials and tender plants. This mulch must be removed

gradually in the spring.

Plants: Knowing the needs of each plant in the garden is essential. Does it need sun or shade? Should the soil be

dry or moist? Know the size of the plant when it reaches maturity so the plant can be properly placed. A garden that

is too densely planted is difficult to maintain. Plants whose mature height is 3’ or above should be planted 2’ to 3’

apart, and plants 2’ to 3’ tall should be spaced 1.5’ to 2’ apart. Below 2’ tall, spacing should be 1’.

Most perennials benefit from lifting and dividing every 3 to 4 years. However, some perennials resent being

disturbed and are better off being propagated by cuttings or seed. When dividing plants, rejuvenating the soil by

incorporating organic matter such as leaf mold or compost is important.

Watering: Soak the plants immediately after planting and check regularly to prevent drying out. The rule of

thumb is to add one inch of water per week for established plants. Less frequent, but deep watering encourages

perennials to root deeply. Perennials that are said to tolerate drought are drought tolerant only after they have

become established. The addition of mulch will help to reduce the need for frequent watering.

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Fertilization: Most perennials do not need much fertilizer. Many over fertilized perennials will produce excessive soft growth and produce very few flowers. A soil test will help to determine the amount of fertilizer needed. Fertilizers with a formulation of 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 are sufficient, unless a soil test indicates otherwise.

Staking: Some plants need staking to prevent flopping over in the garden. Plants with heavy flower heads or long thin stems tend to blow over or are beaten down by heavy rains. Staking should be done early in the spring to allow the plants to grow through and around the stakes, usually hiding the stake by midseason.

Seasonal Care of Perennial Beds

March: Cut back tall grasses, prune roses, test soil

April: Gradually remove winter protection; weed, mulch, & edge; thin & divide plants; plant bare root plants; prepare stakes & cages.

May: Weed; finish mulching not completed in April; water newly planted plants; fertilize as per soil test when establishing new beds or planting new plants; pinch back plants; stake; thin plants.

June: Weed & water as necessary; scout for pests; pinch & deadhead; cut back; stake.

July: Weed & water as necessary; fertilize heavy feeders such as ever-blooming daylilies & mums; deadhead (stop pinching mums in mid July).

August: Weed & water as necessary; deadhead.

September: Edge beds; water as necessary; move & divide plants; cut back.

October: Weed & water as necessary; mulch; winterize the garden after the ground is frozen (late November or December depending on your area).

Prepared by Shirley Wagner, Master Gardener Coordinator, Penn State Extension, Lancaster County and Connie Schmotzer, Consumer Horticulture, Penn State Extension, York County.

FARM-tastic Book Program 2019 Book: “The Tree Farmer”

$10.00

Previous books also available.

Please contact Glenda Wismer—215-766-0675 or pamperedchefglenda@gmail.com

Mobile Ag On the Go Teacher (Part Time) Mobile Ag on the Go Teacher: Conduct promotions & Administrative meetings with schools prior to “Ag on the Go” visits. Conduct instruction of “Ag on the Go” program according to established lesson

plans & procedures. Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab Teacher: Conduct instruction of mobile Ag Ed Science Lab program according to established lesson plans & procedures.

Please mail letters of introduction & resumes to:

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Personnel

PO Box 8736, Camp Hill, PA 17001-8736 or as an email attachment

MIDDLETOWN GRANGE FAIR—AUGUST 14-18, 2019

Middletown Grange Fairgrounds, 570 Penns Park Rd., Wrightstown

Enjoy great food & entertainment. Fun & Excitement for All!

grangefair@verizon.net Come visit the Mobile Ag Lab.

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PENN STATE AG PROGRESS DAYS—AUGUST 13-15, 2019

Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center

2710 West Pine Grove Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace, PA

agprogressdays@psu.edu

Agsci.psu.edu/apd/driving-directions

Member Benefit Spotlight

Put Your PFB Member Benefits to Work for You When Traveling This Summer

Be sure to keep your Pennsylvania Farm Bureau member benefits in mind as you’re planning a family vacation for this summer.

Whether you’re looking forward to a weekend getaway or a week-long road trip, your member benefits offer plenty of

opportunities to save.

For lodging, PFB members can save on stays at Choice and Wyndham brand hotels.

Save up to 20 percent on Choice hotels by using PFB’s Significant Organization Savings code (00209780) when booking.

Choice operates more than 6,800 hotels around the world including brands such as Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion

Hotel, Econo Lodge and more.

Members receive 10 percent off the best available rate at Wyndham hotels and Wyndham-owned brands such as Ramada,

Days Inn, Super 8 Motel, Howard Johnson and more. Use PFB’s savings code (8000002941) at booking.

Both Choice and Wyndham require advance reservations made either via their 800 numbers or online. Log in to the

Members Only section of pfb.com site for more details.

If you need a rental car, your PFB member benefits have your covered with discounts on rentals from Avis and Budget.

Save 5 to 25 percent off daily, weekend and weekly Avis car rentals by mentioning PFB’s Avis Worldwide Discount code

(A298838). Save up to 20 percent of rentals from Budget by using PFB’s Budget Customer Discount code (Y775738).

You can also turn to your member benefits for some fun trip ideas within the Keystone State.

Outdoors enthusiasts can save at Buttonwood Campground in Juniata County, which offers a variety of family activities and

amenities. PFB members can save 25 percent off stays Monday through Friday and 10 percent off stay during the weekend.

Just show your membership card.

For adventure seekers, Hersheypark® offers PFB members up to 33 percent off gate admission prices. You and your family can

enjoy family favorite coasters and rides, water attractions and an 11-acre walk-thru zoo for one low price. Tickets must be

purchased in advance online through PFB’s Members Only website. If you have not yet created an account to log into the

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