Tuesday, August 29, 2017

August 29, 2017, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

Hi Gardeners

Yesterday around midday I was looking at the cloudy sky and grumbling about the lack of rain with the clouds as I drove to town to pick up a few things.  We’ve been getting a lot of clouds without any rain benefit lately. But by the time I was coming out of the store the rain and thunder was beginning.

As I drove up to the house I could see the plants turning their thirsty mouths up into the rain and stretching their arms up to greet the showers.  By 7 pm when I went out to feed the chickens and after 3 inches of hard rain, the plants were drooping, cold and soggy and trying to hide under each other, (metaphorically speaking of course.)   After a dry August we got most of our total rainfall for the month in a few hours.  (Nothing like Texas of course, but still a lot in a short time.)

We ended up with 3.5 inches as of this morning and light rain has been happening on and off today.  I won’t have to worry about watering plants for a few days.

For any gardener who is experiencing the hardships of hurricane Harvey and its flooding please don’t think I am equating my measly 3.5 inches of rain with your problems.  I can’t imagine the amounts of water you have gotten and how it would feel to be a gardener with a garden underwater or destroyed.  I’m hoping you, your loved ones and your garden will soon see brighter and better days.  Stay strong and have hope.

The toad lilies, (trycirtis) and sweet autumn clematis are beginning to bloom.  Although a little battered the dahlias, zinnias, tithonia, marigolds and other annuals are going strong.  Morning glories are taking over as my efforts to battle them have faded.  The autumn blooming sedums are also starting to bloom.  Ligularia, hosta, phlox, rudbeckia, buddleia, rose of Sharon, anemone, mums and lavender are still blooming.

I am harvesting so many tomatoes that I am donating bags full to a food bank in town.  I only have 4 plants but they are outdoing themselves.  I made some tomato sauce to freeze but decided not to can any this year.  The plants are starting to look bad from septoria blight but still churning out tomatoes.  My cucumbers may be getting downy mildew, I don’t like how they are looking.  If so, my cuke harvest is almost over.  I am getting lots of peppers, what we don’t eat, I chop and freeze.  More cabbage is ready to harvest.   I am still picking blackberries, making cobbler and freezing some.  

The birds are finally slowing down on the consumption of suet and jelly but I have to fill the hummingbird feeders every other day.  They won’t be here much longer so I enjoy watching them while I can. 

This weekend we got to watch a wagon train and large trail ride go by our house on Saturday and Sunday. The riders had a great weekend to show off their horses.  I miss the horses I used to have but I don’t miss the work and expense involved with keeping them.  It’s nice to have a horse farm right across the road so I can watch horses without worrying about them.

It’s so sad to think that summers almost over.  I’m still waiting for a few plants to bloom so I hope we have a few more warm weeks, but it’s starting to feel like fall.  Fall can be a nice season though, especially after the mosquitoes are gone.  I like it almost as well as spring.



Preparing to move the plants back inside

If you had your houseplants outside for a summer vacation and you are in zone 6 or lower it’s time to start thinking about preparing to bring them back inside.  I usually bring my houseplants back inside in late September, but there have been years when I have had to bring them inside much earlier.

Most houseplants need to be brought inside when nights are regularly falling into the 40’s or when frost is predicted.  Gardeners must watch weather reports carefully and try to look a little farther into the future to see when the weather will dictate that summer vacation is over for the plants.  It’s always a good thing to have a few days to plan the big move.  Some of you may be eager to move the plants back inside and for you weather won’t determine your decision.

There have been years when I have covered plants outside when frost is supposed to be a one night thing and temperatures are supposed to warm right back up.  (You can cover plants with old sheets or boxes or buckets but don’t use plastic that rests directly on foliage.)  But if an extended period of cold is predicted it’s time to start the exodus.  There’s always a blend of experience and some gambling involved when deciding when it’s the right time.  Erring on the side of caution is wise.  You can move the most delicate and/or expensive inside first and wait on others too.

Some half hardy perennial plants, like geraniums and rosemary, will be able to stand colder temperatures and even light frost.  Any plant that’s perennial and marginally hardy to your zone can usually be left a bit longer. Tender bulbs in pots can be left until frost kills the tops and then the pots moved inside for storage.  Moving some potted plants closer to the house may keep them warmer and outside longer.

Once you have a target date gather the saucers and plant stands.  Clean the windows and order the grow light bulbs.  And there are other chores that will need to be done in preparation.  Clean off dirty pots before moving them.  If pots are setting directly on the ground lift them to break any roots that may have grown out drainage holes into the ground.  If vines have climbed onto outside objects you’ll need to unwind them or cut them back. If plants have grown considerably or you’ve added a lot of new ones you’ll want to do some measuring and planning inside.  These things can be done days or weeks before the move.
Heading inside soon.

Some plants may have grown so big that you’ll want to re-pot them.  It’s easier to do outside but since plants probably won’t grow too much inside over winter you can wait until spring for re-potting most things.  But if the pot is cracked or you feel you must re-pot do it a few weeks before the move inside if possible.  That way the plant isn’t adjusting to too many changes at once.

Check plants carefully for insect pests before bringing them inside. Once inside pests can multiply and spread quickly. Often a few pests outside may not be very noticeable and pests also lay eggs that will hatch inside.  I use a systemic insecticide on most of my plants a few days before I plan to bring them in. Systemic pesticides move through plant tissues, protecting them for a long time. You may want to skip insecticide on plants that are still flowering and attracting bees or hummers. Treat them later inside.  But non-flowering plants should be fine to treat.  Don’t treat any plant you might consume, such as rosemary or other herbs you bring inside.

I know many people are against pesticides but houseplants that are treated in the fall won’t kill pollinators and spraying or drenching outside a few days before bringing plants inside keeps pesticides out of indoor air.  Your pets would need to eat a lot of treated plant matter to be affected by the pesticides that are used correctly.  You’ll have a much easier time keeping pests like scale and aphids controlled when you use pesticides. If you don’t use a pesticide examine plants frequently once inside so you can quickly remove pests by hand.

Check your pots for animal hitchhikers too.  Look for tree frogs and small snakes in foliage and frogs, toads, snakes and mice hidden in soil.  Be suspicious of any pot that looks like drainage holes have been enlarged by chewing or pots that have obvious tunnels in the soil.  You’ll want to dump the soil in those pots and repot those plants before you bring them inside.

Stop fertilizing most houseplants now.  An exception might be any flowering plant that will continue blooming through winter.  Examples of those are tropical hibiscus, abutilon, African violets, and streptocarpus.   Plants that normally bloom in late fall or winter, like Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti should continue to be fertilized until bloom has finished.

Once the plants are inside and cleaning your air, expect some of them to start dropping leaves. Many plants react to different light levels by shedding old leaves and growing new.  If limbs still seem springy and you can see new little buds the plant is probably ok.  You may need to water less often or more often than you did outside, so test soil before watering.  Don’t be afraid to prune plants that have grown too tall or wide either.

At my house moving the plants back inside is an undertaking that can take a whole day or several hours for several days, and a lot of juggling plants around to fit the available space.  It requires a hand cart to move big pots and leaves me with sore muscles for several days.  But I wouldn’t be without my winter jungle and neither should you.  Next week I’ll discuss saving some plants you didn’t suspect would make good houseplants or that could be wintered over for next year.

Eating acorns

There are a number of species of Oaks that are native to North America and there are species of oaks throughout much of the world.   The seeds of oaks, called acorns, have always been important to humans and animals as food.  Other parts of the oak from leaves to roots were also part of folk medicine and food.  Oaks are long lived, majestic trees and were often sacred trees to various indigenous people on this continent and others. 


Oaks may have some acorns every year but every other year or in some cases every few years, oaks will produce abundantly.  For our bur oak tree this is a heavy “mast” or acorn year.  Mast is a general term for nuts and acorns produced in a forest.  Often when acorns are produced heavily other trees like black walnuts, beech and hickories will also produce heavily.  This gives wildlife an abundant winter food supply and leads to a rise in survival rates and more young produced the following spring.

The reason that forest trees seem to synchronize their heavy years of production is probably due to weather when the trees are flowering.  Most nut producing trees are wind pollinated.  When the weather is warm and windy during flowering more flowers will be pollinated and produce nuts. 

Bur Oak acorns

As far as oaks go, each tree has a different tasting acorn. The white oak was the preferred species of oak to gather acorns from in the Eastern US and certain trees had better tasting acorns than others. These better trees were marked and remembered by native people from year to year.

Acorns are gathered when they fall and stored for winter use. Underground caches of acorns stored by Native Americans have been found that date back 3,000 years. To prepare acorns the outer shell is removed and the inner meat is first leached in several changes of water to remove tannins that would make the taste bitter.  The acorn meat is then dried and ground and pounded into flour. The work is labor intensive but this flour is quite nutritious, high in protein and fat.

Native Americans and the early colonists used acorn flour to make flat cakes cooked over the fire, in soups and stews and they mixed it with fat and dried berries to make the survival or travel food called pemmican.  Acorn flour was often used to extend wheat or corn flour.

Acorns are also an important feed for hogs. Colonists herded hogs into oak forests in the fall to fatten them and collected acorns for winter feeding.  Birds, squirrels, even deer and bears eat acorns avidly.  Our oak tree sheds acorns into the road, where they are cracked by passing cars.  Crows and other birds swarm to the roadside to eat the acorn meats. Crows and squirrels also bury whole acorns for storage, and then forget many of them, which helps trees reproduce.  After a heavy mast year there will be many tree seedlings in the spring.

Most humans in the US today do not need acorns to survive.  If you want to gather some acorns and try your hand at making flour and products from that flour just for the experience do try a small amount.  But natural food sources for birds and other wildlife are becoming less available and it would be an ecologically sound practice to leave most acorns for the wildlife.   It is especially important not to gather large quantities of acorns and then not use them.  This is a waste of valuable resources.  Not only will wildlife populations suffer but there will be fewer new trees produced.  Be a friend to nature and leave the acorns for wildlife.

Cleome

Cleome hassleriana, the common garden cleome, is native to southern South America.  It’s been grown in gardens for centuries and while it’s an annual plant, once you have it in your garden it generally re-seeds itself and returns year after year.  In my garden it comes up in pots of bulbs I store over winter because seed has fallen into them the previous summer.  I have even had the plants come up in houseplants that summered outside.  By late spring some of the plants were blooming inside.

Cleome is often called spider flower or spider plant.  This tall and graceful flower looks good in masses at the back of flower beds.  It lends an airy elegance to large pots also.  There are now dwarf varieties for pots and front of the border uses.  The foliage is attractive and a conversation starter because it’s often mistaken for marijuana.

Cleome leaves consist of 5-7 leaflets arranged palmately (like the fingers on your hand).  The leaves are sticky and there is a thorn at the base of each leaf stalk.  The foliage however interesting looking, has a pungent smell reminiscent of cat urine.  It’s only notable if you brush or crush the foliage and you won’t smell it if you are just admiring the tall, beautiful flowers. Stalks are sturdy and may reach 5 feet high.

Cleome flowers are arranged in circular clusters at the top of the plants and sometimes on side branches. The flowers have 4 oval petals attached to a center disk by a stem, giving them a fluttery, airy look.   Each flower has a long slender stamens sticking out like cat whiskers which accounts for the spider name for some reason. Personally I never saw the resemblance to a spider. Cleome comes in white, lavender, purple and pink shades.  Plants will grow taller and continue to bloom from mid- summer to frost. 

Cleome flowers are attractive to bees and hummingbirds.  Some say the flowers have a sweet scent; others describe it as musky, although I think if it’s there it’s very subtle. The flowers turn into long, narrow pods filled with tiny black seeds. When the pod is ripe the seeds are scattered widely.  If you don’t want cleome all over the garden you’ll want to keep the flowers cut off as they fade.  Birds are said to eat the seeds, although I don’t think they would be a preferred food.

There are numerous varieties of cleome on the marketplace.  You can now get seed of one color, which years ago wasn’t possible.  The ‘Queen’ series has several separate color forms.  ‘Senorita Rosalita’ is a variety said to have scentless foliage and no thorns. It goes not produce seeds.  The ‘Sparkler’ series are cleomes that are compact and only 2-3 feet tall.

Growing cleome

Cleome prefers full sun but will survive and even bloom a little in partial shade.  It’s not fussy about soil and will grow in just about any soil as long as it’s well drained. Light fertilization will produce more blooms but isn’t necessary.  Cleome does appreciate regular watering, but can survive short dry periods.



Sow cleome seeds where they are to grow after the soil has warmed – about 2 weeks before your last predicted frost. Or start plants inside 4-6 weeks before the last frost.   You can fall sow the seeds also, that’s what nature does.  Simply sprinkle the seeds where you want them to grow and let winter rain and snow plant them for you. Most garden centers also carry started plants.  Cleome shoots up quickly and in good soil can get 5 feet high.  The plants begin blooming about 6 weeks after they sprout and will bloom continuously until frost. 

Cleome plants are prolific seeders and from one planting of cleome you may have plants for many years, without having to plant them again!  Plants that come up from seed shed the previous year may not have the same flower color as the parent plants but diversity is good.  If you don’t want them to re-seed themselves you can cut the narrow seed pods off as they form.  Don’t cut the bloom stalk as the plant keeps getting taller and putting out more flowers at the top.

Deer and rabbits generally leave cleome alone.  The plant rarely has problems with insects. Aphids occasionally attack plants, usually stressed ones.  Plants will occasionally get powdery mildew, but it’s not as noticeable or disfiguring as in other types of plants.  Rust fungus is sometimes observed on cleome. In some warmer climates the plant could become invasive and even some northern gardeners complain about the prolific reseeding the plant does.

Other uses of cleome

Cleome hassleriana is considered to be non-toxic to people and animals.  It is not considered to be an edible plant or despite its resemblance to one, a smoking plant.  It has no known herbal uses, when you see a reference to cleome in certain herbals it refers to other species of the plant, some native to North America and some to Africa.

Despite having no edible or herbal uses cleome is an excellent garden subject with uses in formal and informal gardens.  Some plants are meant to be admired for their beauty and usefulness to other species like bees and butterflies, rather than as food and medicine for humans. Consider some cleome for your garden and enjoy its graceful beauty.


Emergency preparedness- for plants and you

Yes, I know this is an odd topic for a garden blog but the events of the last week with hurricane Harvey and flooding hitting Texas and so many once again unprepared makes me want to offer advice.  I’ve written about emergency preparedness on other sites and in my book- Complete Idiots Guide to Country Living- so the topic isn’t new to me.

Every area of the country is different and has different emergencies to plan for but all emergencies are best handled by being prepared.  You should know what emergencies are more likely in your area but plan for anything.  I’m talking about natural disasters mainly, although most emergency preparedness tips are helpful when man made calamities happen also.

People should realize that in disaster situations you are likely to be on your own for several days before help will reach you. This is especially true in rural areas.  If you decide not to evacuate when an evacuation is recommended don’t be complaining about the lack of immediate help after a disaster because you misjudged the severity of the event and now need help.  I understand that people want to stay and protect what they own, but you put the lives of rescuers in jeopardy as well as your own. 

If you are told to shelter in place, take shelter; don’t go driving around to look, party, or to gather emergency supplies.  Your supplies should be in place already. You should stay off the roads unless it’s absolutely an emergency.  And do not drive into water unless you know the depth of it and know your car can pass through it.

Since Katrina each county is supposed to have emergency plans that include pets and livestock, so staying to care for them is less of an issue. If you have pets and livestock know here your county’s emergency shelters for animals are and plan on what you’ll do to get pets and livestock to safety before an emergency happens.

If you must leave livestock and pets behind in emergencies like floods and fires at least turn them loose.   They may be able to save themselves that way.  It’s horrible when pets are left in cages to drown or animals are trapped in barns to burn up.

Emergency preparedness supplies for people and pets

Each family member should have an emergency evacuation kit, sometimes called a “go bag” and each family should have a sheltering in place emergency kit.  The emergency evacuation kit should have a change of clothes that are lightweight and comfortable, a pair of socks, 1 gallon of water,(add more if you can carry it),  enough food for 3 days that doesn’t require water or cooking to prepare, a flashlight, hand sanitizer, a lighter or matches, a 3 day supply of any vital medications, a small amount of toilet paper, a plastic rain poncho or small plastic tarp, and several zip close plastic bags in various sizes ( many uses for these)  and a small amount of cash.  

A small first aid kit with band aids, the type of over the counter pain reliever you prefer, anti-diarrhea medication and allergy medication you use should be included.  Nice things to add are, non-breakable cup, spoon and fork,  sample size toothpaste and brush, shampoo, a small hairbrush or comb and writing materials.  Sample or travel sizes of items work best.


For an infant evacuation you need to add additional clothes, diapers, and formula plus cleaning supplies like wet wipes to the kit.  You could leave out flashlights and fire starters.  A small blanket is nice to add.

When you evacuate your home bring or wear clothing suitable for any weather you may encounter in the next few days.  Remember weather can change dramatically and is often much cooler at night. If each family member can bring a blanket or sleeping bag as they leave it would be ideal.  Some people wrap the evacuation kit inside a rolled sleeping bag.

When you evacuate always bring personal ID with you and such things as passports, green cards etc.  Make sure they are in waterproof containers and secured on your person.  You may want to have ID bracelets or “dog tags” made for small children to wear.  Pets and livestock you are taking with you should also have ID.  Bring important phone numbers with you- they may not be accessible on your phone if cell service is disrupted.

Since everyone depends on their phones now you may want to have a solar power battery charger, or a charger that runs on your car battery or one of the special back up batteries that are sold and put them in your emergency kits.  Start rationing your use of the phone as soon as an emergency is declared as back up chargers may take a lot of time to charge a phone.  Remember that in many emergencies cell phones may not be in service. Don’t make unnecessary calls because lines will be jammed.  If water is involved in your emergency, such as a flood, try to put your phone into something waterproof, such as zip lock plastic bags.

Family members should all agree beforehand where they will leave a message if you get separated during an emergency. Don’t count on cell phones working.  Plan to call a certain relative or friend some distance away on land lines or devise some other system.  If you have a working cell phone or computer a social media site may work as a message site.  Another suggestion is to pick a business some distance away

You may also want to have a small battery powered radio and extra batteries in your emergency bags.  There are also radios that work by hand cranking them.  This is for hearing emergency information not listening to your favorite tunes.

Your “sheltering in place” kits need one gallon of water per person per day for 14 gays preferably.  Add 1/2 gallon per average sized pet per day, more if the pet is large.  Food for sheltering in place should cover the family’s needs for 2 weeks.  It should be dry, canned or packaged food that doesn’t require refrigeration. The best stored foods don’t require much water to prepare or cook.   If you keep a full freezer you can store less of other foods since in an emergency you can eat that food in the freezer. Soap, toilet paper, toothpaste and other personal needs should be provided for a 2 week period.  Don’t forget diapers and formula or baby food if you have infants.  

A good first aid kit should be in the home.  Always try to keep a 2 week supply of vital medications on hand if you can.  If you need a medical device/supply such as oxygen or a cpap machine plan for what you will do if power goes out or if you need to evacuate suddenly.  There are portable oxygen tanks that don’t use electricity but they carry a limited amount and can be dangerous in some emergencies. 

Homes with handicapped people and people dependent on electricity for powering medical devices have a special need to plan carefully for all types of emergencies.  You should plan to evacuate as soon as a disaster is imminent and have some ideas of where you will go when you leave.  The best plan may be to go to a hospital out of the immediate area.  Know in advance where hospital facilities in other areas you would be likely to travel to are located.

Also remember to store emergency pet food and livestock feed, about a two week supply. For those with large animals, if you don’t have a pond or other water source on the property, keep one or more back up stock tanks on hand to fill with water when an emergency is imminent for any livestock you have and fill up any tanks that are in use.

Rotate your emergency food supplies and water.  Replace water every six months and use and replace food every 6 months to a year, depending on the product. Store the evacuation and sheltering in place kits where everyone knows where they are, but where young children won’t get in and open and eat, or play with stored items.

Emergency preparedness for plants

However much we love our plants the safety of people and pets should always come before any concerns for plants.  But depending on the type of emergency there may be things you can do to save outside plants in pots and houseplants.  Landscape plants are pretty much at the mercy of nature.  In some cases you can take some plants with you if you evacuate but remember not to leave them closed up in a car or truck sitting in the sun when you reach your destination.

If wind, heavy rain and hail will be the concern moving any outside plants in containers inside a building or even your car should be helpful.  Small rooms and closets may provide the best shelter inside. Even putting plants under sturdy tables inside could save them.

Tornadoes and hurricanes may require basement shelter for plants from wind but remember basements are most prone to flood damage. Plants can survive flooding if they don’t get swept away or covered in water more than a day or two.  If a flood threatens you can move plants to the highest spot possible. That may be inside, in an attic.  You may be able to suspend things from sturdy trees or rafters.  (In floods some trees will be washed away.)

If that won’t do the trick put plants in netting, cages, or anything that can be tethered to something so they at least won’t float away.  Put them inside a closet or inside a closed shower stall.  Small plants could be put inside sealed plastic bags or containers and tethered in some manner.

If you are evacuating because of fire move outside plants inside, place them in the bathtub full of water or in sinks, garbage cans, or tubs of water. Small rooms that can be closed up or basements are safest.  Smoke and carbon dioxide won’t kill plants, but heat and direct fire might.  If you are near a pond or other body of water plants could be put in a boat or raft and floated on the water.

I don’t know if emergency shelters would take plants but one could ask- in advance if possible.  If you have a valuable plant collection you might contact nurseries or greenhouses some distance from you and ask if you could rent space there if there was a need and time to evacuate your plants.  You want them some distance away because they would be less likely to be affected by the same emergency.  A friend or relative’s home could also be a safe haven for your plants if it’s out of the emergency zone.  This should be done before an emergency threatens.

Gardens can be rebuilt, plants can be purchased again.  Don’t risk your life to save plants.

Simple blackberry cobbler

We’ve been eating blackberries most of the month.  One of my husband’s favorite ways to eat them is in a simple blackberry cobbler.  If you have blackberries or can get them at the farmers market here’s a way to enjoy them.  Remember you can freeze blackberries for treats in the winter.

You’ll need a 9” square or round pan for this recipe and a bowl for mixing.  It will make at least 6 servings unless you really like cobbler.  I like to serve it with vanilla ice cream on top.

Ingredients

4 cups blackberries, washed
1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups flour
½ cup butter melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 -3 tablespoons cream, milk or water (I use cream)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the blackberries in your 9” pan.  Add 1 cup of sugar and toss with a spoon until sugar is mixed into berries well.

Put the flour, remaining sugar, salt and melted butter into a bowl and mix with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms.

Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time and mix until you get what looks like pie dough.  You may not need all of the cream. 

Drop small spoons of dough on the top of the blackberries in the pan.  Try to spread it evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees F until the berries are bubbling and the top of the dough is lightly browned, 25 -30 minutes.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Wishing comfort, healing and better times for those gardeners affected by hurricane Harvey.

Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.


And So On….
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

August 22, 2017, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter


Hi Gardeners

Dahlia from the Karma collection
The solar eclipse was a big disappointment here.  Here in the thumb of Michigan it didn’t even get very dark and it sure didn’t cool down much.  Steve and I watched through a pair of old binoculars by holding the large end toward the sun and projecting the image onto paper.  Since that didn’t mean I wanted to sit through the whole 2 hours or so holding binoculars up I was flitting around taking pictures.  In one picture I accidently captured the image of the sun in the background.  It didn’t damage the camera lens but you don’t see any evidence of the eclipse, except maybe the odd reddish ring around the sun.

We had some much needed rain this morning, but not enough; I’m hoping more comes through this afternoon.  It’s been a dry month.  In the garden ligularia is blooming now, as are peacock orchids, crocosemia and coral drops.  The thunbergia vine I grew from seed is blooming.  I have a red penta plant that I have over wintered inside for 3 years in bloom.  It was looking pretty bad when I put it outside this spring but it perked up and now is attracting hummers to its red flowers.

My brugmansia is finally in bloom.  Its trumpet flowers are more greenish than they were last year.  Usually they start white and age to pink.  It will be interesting to see the color as they age.  Now if some of my stubborn tropical hibiscus will just start blooming I’ll be happy. I think my deck is getting more shade than it did last year.  I’ll either need to do some tree trimming or move some plants other places next year.

The dahlias are all blooming and the colors I got in the “Karma” mixture are all great.  Don’t you love the colors in the dahlia in the top photo?  But I don’t know its variety name, since the collection was unlabeled.  The new cutting garden is really attracting the bees and butterflies, I have seen a couple monarchs even.   

All around the yard woodland nicotiana has started to bloom.  I was worried none would come back from seed and started a few this spring in the little greenhouse but I shouldn’t have worried.  Those little seeds went everywhere and while they take a long time to sprout and start growing, once they do they grow by leaps and bounds.  They are in pots and beds and just everywhere.  I love the look and smell of them although the leaves take up lots of room.

The garden is at peak harvest.  We have tons of tomatoes.  I’ll be taking some to the senior center tomorrow.  I picked the first cabbage this week and processed it into slaw.  Fresh cabbage is really tasty.  The blackberries are also abundant this year.  We have had cobbler and coffee cake and preserves over ice cream but you can’t eat blackberries every day so I am freezing some for winter.
 
One day's harvest
Time to order spring bulbs

It may not seem like it but it’s time to pick up those bulb catalogs and get your orders in.  If you want tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus and other early spring blooming flowers now is the time to order them.  Lilies and some wildflowers like trillium and trout lilies are also ordered and planted in the fall. (For new gardeners there are also some bulbs you plant in the spring, like gladiolus, dahlias and canna.)

I prefer ordering bulbs through the mail/on line rather than buying them in the store.  The selection is better, the quality of the bulbs is usually better and they’ve been stored correctly.  Order early and you’ll get better prices and a much better selection.  The bulbs are sent when conditions are right for you to plant them.
Tulips are planted in the fall

I always compare several catalogs because prices can vary.  (There’s a list with links to many catalogs to the right of this blog.)  Be sure to check the size of the bulb when comparing prices though.  For best bloom you want top quality, large bulbs.  Also check the hardiness zone of some of the specialty bulbs before you buy them so you know they will grow in your zone.  Some of you in warmer zones, 8 and higher, will need to buy bulbs that have been chilled for you or chose warm climate bulbs.

A gardener can’t have too many spring blooming bulbs.  Every year some things won’t make it through the winter so make sure to plant some every year.  There’s nothing better than flowers in the early spring.  Right now your beds may look full but in the spring there will probably be many spots bare until the foliage of perennials fills in.  It’s your mission to find and fill those bare spots with early blooming bulbs.  You can choose bulbs that will have bloomed and died back before your perennials fill in.

Most spring blooming bulbs like full sun and you may have more of that than you think.  If your trees are deciduous, that is they drop their leaves in the fall, many bulbs will have all the sun they need before the trees fully leaf out.  Fill in around them with quick blooming bulbs like crocus, snowdrops, early tulips and daffodils. 

In the fall I brush back the foliage of hosta and other shade plants and plant bulbs under them.  This also helps keep squirrels and other critters from finding the bulbs.  If you stay out toward the end of the hosta leaves when planting you won’t damage the roots of the hosta. 

I occasionally dig up bulbs from the last season when planting new bulbs because my beds are full of bulbs.  But I quickly return the bulbs to the ground and no damage is done.  I do use pictures of last year’s blooms to help me decide where I need to plant additional bulbs.

If tulips and daffodils aren’t your thing there are literally hundreds of other bulbs and corms out there to choose from.  I try to get something new to me every year to plant.  Last year it was corydalis and I was very happy with them.  So get out those catalogs or go on line and get that bulb shopping done.  Spring will be back before you know it.

Crocosemia or Montbretia (Crocosemia Aurea x)

Crocosemia, also known as copper tips or falling stars, are beautiful flowering plants that are worth a spot in your garden.  These flaming African beauties can be perennial in zones 6 and higher when planted in the garden but in colder zones they can be planted in pots or the corms can be dug and stored over winter like glad corms.

Crocosemia leaves look a lot like gladiolus leaves, they are narrow and sword like.  Plants grow about 2 feet high, with flower spikes adding to the height. The plants grow from corms, which form interesting chains of corm upon corm with the oldest and largest on the bottom.  These corms can be carefully separated to start new plants.

The flowers of crocosemia are a long tubular shape that flares open into 6 turned back petals. They are produced on arched spikes.  Generally the flowers are a flaming orange red, but softer oranges and yellows do exist. There are actually hundreds of cultivars.  I find they have a longer bloom period than gladiolus, beginning in mid-summer here in zone 5 and proceeding to frost. In zone 7 and above they may begin bloom in May or June.  Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. The flowers can be used as cut flowers similar to glads.

Crocosemia are generally purchased as corms and planted in the spring after danger of frost has passed.  In zones 6 and higher you can plant the corms of crocosemia directly in the ground.  If you live in zone 5 or below you’ll need to dig the corms in the fall before the ground freezes and store them inside for the winter.  Or you can do as I do and plant them in pots and bring the whole pot inside to store after plants go dormant.  I find this results in better storage conditions and it’s easier than finding the corms in the ground.

Outside plant crocosemia 3-4 inches deep and 6 inches apart.  I think they look best in clumps rather than in straight lines or scattered widely in beds.  If you are planting in containers plant 6 corms in a 10-12 inch pot.  Crocosemia prefers full sun in northern areas but will bloom in partial shade in the south.  They like a light, well- drained soil and even, consistent watering.

Crocosemia have few insect or disease problems and are not considered prime deer or rabbit food.   Cut bloom spikes off the plants after all the flowers have opened unless you want seed pods to form.  Do not cut the foliage down until it has yellowed and died back.  In zones 7 and higher crocosemia can spread into large clumps and in more tropical areas it could become invasive.

Crocosemia can be reproduced from seeds if flowers are pollinated and form seed pods. When pods are brown and look ripe, gather the seeds and plant immediately.   Plant 2-3 seeds in a pot; you want the pot to be 4 inches or more so that they can be left there without disturbance for a while.  The pots will need to be inside through the first winter if you live in zone 6 or lower.   The seedlings will probably germinate in a few weeks. When a large healthy clump has formed the clump can be transplanted into the ground or into a bigger pot.  It can take 2 years for the plants to bloom. 

Medicinal, edible and other uses of crocosemia

I can find little information on the toxicity or edibility of crocosemia.  The flowers are crushed and used as a yellow dye in foods in Africa so they can’t be too toxic.  The dried flowers are said to smell like saffron when placed in boiling water and can be used as a substitute for saffron.

In Africa a tea is made from sap of crocosemia leaves to treat malaria.  The plant is also used to treat diarrhea.


Coral drops (Bessera elegans)

Do you like the odd and unusual?  The tiny Coral Drops is a plant for those of you who like to have something different in the garden.   I like bulbs and I’m always trying a new type of bulb just to see how it grows.  For most of you in the US below zone 8 this will be a plant you grow in pots since the plants are not hardy and their small size requires the ability to keep them in view and not lost in the garden border.  They could possibly be grown in rock gardens and treated as annuals as the corms are inexpensive. 

Coral Drops are related to the onions and their narrow round leaves will remind you of the alliums or a clump of chives.  The plants are only about 10 inches tall but the flower spikes will rise to about 18 inches. Clusters of flowers are produced on those spikes well above the leaves.

The buds are showy coral red drops dangling from the flower spikes and probably the reason for the common name.  When they open the dainty, ‘flying” flowers have 6 red orange petals, each with a stripe down the center.  In some flowers the stripe is white, in others a darker red than the petals. The center of the flower is lighter in color, almost white. There are 6 very long anthers, they remind me of birds legs sticking out of the flower.  The one female part, the pistil in the center of the flower, is deep purple.

The flowers dangle downward and you may have to tip them up to examine them closely.  I could see placing the pots so you looked up at the flowers, which would be quite interesting.

Coral drops are native to Mexico and grow where the winters are dry with temperatures in the 50’s.   In the summer the natural habitat is flooded with rains and the plants bloom in response to the rains.  In pots the plants will bloom from mid-summer until frost. 

Gardeners will want to start coral drops from corms, which are available in the spring from many bulb catalogs. Plant 6-8 corms in a 10” pot about 3 inch deep in a well-draining potting mixture.  Put the pot outside in full sun after danger of frost has passed.  I start mine a bit earlier inside to get blooms sooner.

In the summer when you expect them to bloom coral drops need to be kept well-watered, especially in pots.  A slow release fertilizer in the potting medium or watering weekly with a weak water soluble fertilizer helps blooming.  There are no known insect or disease pests and deer and rabbits do not like the plants.

In zones lower than zone 8 let a light frost kill the foliage and then remove the foliage.  Bring the pots inside and let them sit in a dry, dim area that stays above freezing, preferably between 40 and 55 degrees F for the winter. In late April in zones below 7 I would bring the pots into a bright warm area and water them deeply so you can get a jump start on spring.  Move them outside after danger of frost has passed.  In zone 7 you can probably put the pots outside in April and water them if it’s dry. 

Gardeners could also plant the corms right in the ground and dig the before a freeze and store them like glad bulbs.  In zone 8 coral drops may slowly spread when left in the ground.  Even in pots the corms may multiply and need to be divided every couple of years.  In warm zones coral drops may form seed pods but seed germination is said to be poor and erratic.


I like odd things and grow coral drops for that reason.  I have heard that some people have kept the plants inside as house plants and were able to get them to bloom.  They do need a dry resting period though.  I can see coral drops being used in fairy or other miniature gardens and as a rock garden plant.  They are inexpensive so why not try a few in your garden?

Herbal terms part 2

Last week I explained some herbal terminology as to what effects herbs have on the body. This week I explain some terms relating to the preparation of herbs.

Compress- is a cloth soaked in an herbal preparation and wrung out and then used on the body.  It can be applied with force, like compression on a wound or just laid across a body part, like the forehead.

Decoction – a decoction is somewhat like a tea except tougher parts of herbs, like roots or bark, are simmered in water for long periods of time.

Essential oil- an essential oil is distilled, it is oil collected when plant parts are boiled in water, evaporating plant chemicals, and the oil is collected from steam that rises and is cooled.  It’s doable at home- you can buy stills or make them, but it’s much easier to buy essential oils if you need them. It takes a lot of plant parts to make a little bit of oil for one thing, and a lot of time and effort.  In a few plants oil is obtained from pressing the plants with great force and collecting oil that leaks from the plant parts.

Infusion- an infusion is also like a tea except it is from leaves or flowers and gently simmered in water for varying times.

Infused oil- when herbs are soaked in any type of oil for a long period of time some of the medicinal qualities of the herb are absorbed by the oil.  Olive oil and any other vegetable oil are the preferred choices but if the oil won’t be eaten but used on the skin, mineral oil can be used. An infused oil is not the same as an essential oil.

Poultice- is a mashed and usually moist mass of herbs that is pressed against the body for a wound or maybe for chest congestion.  They can be either heated or cold. 

Salves and ointments- when infused or essential oil (really any oil) is added to fats or waxes it makes a salve or ointment.  This makes a spreadable product that can be smoothed onto skin.  Cocoa butter, lard, and beeswax are common ingredients in salves and ointments.  Usually a few drops of essential or infused oil is added to another “carrier oil” like jojoba oil, and slowly blended into fat or wax.

Syrup- a syrup is made when herbs are added to a liquefied sugar form, it can be honey, fruit juices or white sugar.  Usually the herb is simmered in the sugar until thickened.

Tea- teas are made from either fresh or dried herbs.  The herb is steeped, not boiled or simmered, in hot water.   

Tincture-a tincture is generally made by adding edible alcohol like gin to herbs and letting them sit in the alcohol for a while.  The alcohol releases chemicals from the plant and absorbs it.  The mixture is left to sit for several weeks then the herbs are strained off and the alcohol left or tincture is used in small quantities as a medicine.  Some tinctures can be made with vinegar or glycerin in the same manner.

Tisane- is another word for herbal tea; usually this means the tea is more medicinal than pleasurable.

Allergies and gardening

Seasonal allergies affect many gardeners.  Allergies can make your gardening chores miserable and often gardeners blame the plants they are tending for their problems.  The good news is that most common garden plants are not the cause of nasal allergies.  There are some plants, however, that you may want to avoid.  In this article we are talking about plants that cause nasal allergies, not skin rashes or food allergies.

Natures rule is that plants that have showy flowers, the types we like to plant in our flower beds, have large grains of pollen that need insects or other animals to carry them from plant to plant.  They are colorful or marked in various ways to attract those pollinating insects.  The pollen from these plants seldom floats in the wind and therefore shouldn’t drift into your nostrils and cause distress.  (If you stick your nose into them and suck up a whiff, you could have a reaction.) 
 
Ornamental grasses can cause allergies
The plants that do cause problems are those who have inconspicuous flowers.  These plants rely on the wind to carry pollen from plant to plant and these are the plants that produce pollen your nostrils may intercept, provoking your immune system and causing seasonal allergies.  Plants in the grass family, some trees and shrubs and a few common weeds are the biggest causes of allergies.

The earliest seasonal allergies are generally caused by trees.  Trees often pollinate before they leaf out -or when the leaves are still small.  In Michigan that can be as early as March.  Willow, birch, aspen, oak, poplar, ash, hickories, walnuts, elm, sweet gum, sycamore, maple, cottonwood, spruce, fir, boxwood, cedar can all cause pollen allergies.

Some ornamental maples have been developed that have no pollen.  The red maple ‘Autumn Glory’ is one.  Any tree or shrub that is a female will not have pollen.  Many trees and shrubs have separate male and female plants.  The female plant is the one that fruits.  Sometimes nurseries will label plants as male and female.  Remember you won’t get fruit or seeds if you don’t also plant a male- and deal with pollen- somewhere nearby.  But if fruit isn’t important look for female varieties of trees and shrubs if allergies bother you.

Pine pollen can cause allergies but as pollen goes it is very heavy and doesn’t drift far.  Keep pine trees away from the house 100 feet or so and you probably won’t have a problem.  Don’t stir up pine pollen that has fallen on cars or equipment either.

Trees and shrubs that don’t provoke allergies include those with showy flowers such as crabapples, cherries, horse chestnut, magnolias, black locust, redbud, catalpa, holly, lilacs, forsythia, dogwood, azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, and viburnums.  The female Ginko, (males are the sex most often sold) is also free of allergy causing pollen.

When we get to late spring and summer the most common allergy causing plants are grasses, a few weeds also begin to cause problems.  Gardeners who have seasonal allergies may want to avoid ornamental grasses, some of which can cause allergies.   Keep weedy grasses pulled out of flower beds before they go to seed.   Timothy and orchard grass are two prime allergy causing grasses.  These are often used for hay, which may be where the name hay fever, comes from.

In late summer and fall, before a hard freeze, the primary culprit for seasonal allergies is rag weed.  Goldenrod, a beautiful showy flower is not the cause of allergies.  Ragweed is a tall rangy plant with leaves similar to a marigolds, and greenish ball-like inconspicuous flowers. 

Pigweeds, of which there are several types, began flowering in late June and bloom on and off until a hard frost.  They can cause allergy symptoms when pollinating.  Pigweeds belong to the amaranth family.  This diverse family has some edible seeded varieties and some ornamental varieties such as Love Lies Bleeding, which allergy prone gardeners may want to avoid.  Lambsquarters, another common weed that blooms in late summer and fall can also cause allergy symptoms.
Red Root pigweed

Other than ornamental grasses and amaranths, most garden plants left in the garden do not cause any serious nasal allergy threat.  However when some flowers are cut and brought indoors, the pollen dries out and has a greater tendency to cause nasal allergies, especially if allergy sensitive people are close to the cut flowers. Lilies, members of the daisy family and goldenrod are frequent culprits here. 

Some people have allergic reactions to strong scents, which are different than a nasal allergy caused by pollen, but can also be quite annoying.  If you have a reaction to strong scents you may want to avoid all highly scented flowers.  Usually there are varieties of the plant which have a milder scent.  Roses, daffodils and lilies are examples of plants that have highly scented and milder scented varieties.

After a hard frost most pollen shedding will stop.  However another nasal allergen trigger may cause problems.  Mold often causes allergies and moldy tree leaves can trigger nasal allergies.  Plants that have heavy infestations of white fly, aphids or scale insects often develop sooty mold.  Sooty mold grows on sweet secretions or excrement from insects eating plant sap.   Houseplants often have these pests and then can indirectly cause nasal allergies.

While gardeners can avoid planting highly allergenic plants they usually can’t control what their neighbor’s plant and some pollen can drift a good distance.  However practicing good gardening techniques like planting pollen free varieties, keeping the garden weeded and working to control insect pests will do a lot to help nasal allergy sufferers continue to garden.  Consult with a doctor for medical controls for nasal allergies.


Simple Peach Preserves

It’s that time of the year when luscious juicy peaches are ready to be picked or appearing on farm market tables.  To capture the golden goodness of ripe peaches you can preserve them in various ways, from canning to preserves.
Preserves have larger pieces of fruit and are softer than jam.  One of my favorite ways to use peach preserves is to spoon them over ice cream, but they are excellent on cakes, or even on hot biscuits. 

You need a water bath canner for these preserves.  You could also skip the canning part and freeze the preserves in freezer containers.  This recipe will make about 7- ½ pint jars or 3 pints (or a couple of day’s desserts without bothering to can or freeze it).  It will take at least 14 hours to get the job done, but most of that time you will be doing nothing.


Ingredients

2 quarts of fresh, ripe peaches
6 cups of sugar

You’ll also need 7- ½ pint sterilized canning jars and lids and a water bath canner or freezer containers, a large bowl with a tight lid and a large pot.

What to do

Peel and slice the peaches, discard the pits. 

In the bowl layer the peaches and sugar.  Put a tight lid on the bowl.  Put the bowl in the refrigerator.  A tight lid ensures the peaches and sugar don’t pick up odors from other foods.

Leave the peaches in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.  The sugar draws juice out of the peaches and when you open the bowl you will have peaches in a syrup type fluid.
Place the peaches and syrup into a pot and bring the pot to a boil then turn down to a gentle boil.

Cook and stir frequently for about 45 minutes. Don’t let the mixture scorch! The mixture should look like peach pieces in thick clear syrup when done.  It won’t be as thick as jam, but peaches have enough pectin that you won’t need to add a thickener.

If foam develops during cooking scoop it off with a spoon.

To can the preserves ladle the peach mixture into hot sterile jars to ¼ inch from the rim.  Wipe the rims and put on the lids.

Process jars 5 minutes in the canner at altitudes below 1,000 feet, 10 minutes for 1001 to 6,000 feet and 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.

Foggy mornings, fall is near

Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.

And So On….
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