September 24, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly
Garden Newsletter
These weekly garden notes are
written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions
expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other
individual, group or organizations opinions.
Hello
Gardeners
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| Dahlia Mrs I. De ver Warner |
I was very
pleased to get an inch and ½ of rain this weekend. The plants around here were pleased too. I was not so pleased about the frosty
conditions on several nights although I don’t think we had more than a touch of
light frost here and there. I have been
covering a few plants still, the dahlias are so beautiful right now I hate to
lose them just yet- and I have been potting up some tender things and moving
them inside. I slowly take plants from
the porch into the rest of the house- it takes me a while to decide just what
window I can squeeze them into.
I have
decisions to make about indoor space. I still have to dig and pot all my
geraniums, they’ll occupy the porch after other things are moved out because
colder conditions don’t bother them. I
store the summer bulbs out there in bins.
My rosemary stays out there too.
But I still have a lot of things outside I need to decide if I want to
save. For example I have a huge bowl
filled with frilly purple and big leaved golden coleus that’s gorgeous but will
take up a huge amount of space indoors.
I have some nice New Guinea Impatiens baskets and I know they will bloom
indoors all winter but I don’t think I will have room for them. We need more windows! At least there is going to be a few nicer
days coming to give me a little more time to decide.
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| Our organic red delicious apples. |
I picked
about 50 really nice, big red delicious apples Sunday. No sprays at all and the apples look
beautiful and taste great. The tree is a
dwarf and still young so 50 or so apples is a good crop. I made an apple pie even though the red
delicious isn’t the best pie apple. I am
waiting for the better pie type apples on our other trees to get ripe.
I have a
theme for this week’s newsletter, the last week of September and its things
that start with S. Hope you enjoy.
Survey – help me please
People have
been talking to me about the lack of birds this fall at feeders and just
generally in the yards. I know that my
feeder hasn’t had to be filled in 2 weeks which is just really hard to
believe. Normally I would be filling it
every other day in the fall. Some birds
have migrated I suppose but I haven’t been seeing many birds since August and I
think something is wrong. Other people
are asking me why their feeders aren’t being emptied.
I suppose there
is a lot of natural food in the fields and yards right now but that hasn’t
stopped the birds in other years. And I
do have quite a few cats, but I am not seeing the red winged blackbirds around
the ponds and other types of birds which don’t come to feeders either. There have been some news reports about a
big drop in the numbers of House Sparrows in both India and Britain, and come
to think of it I don’t have any hanging around the barn eating chicken feed
this year. Usually the migrating robins
will be swarming over the Autumn Olives by the pond at this time of year to get
the berries but I am seeing only an occasional robin.
So what about
you? Are you seeing and hearing fewer
birds? Are you filling your feeders
less? I have talked to Seven Ponds and
they said they haven’t really noticed if there are fewer birds but that they
would be interested in knowing what other people are experiencing also. I’ll let them know what you have to say about
it. So help me take a survey. Drop me a
line and let me know about the birds around your house. You can just reply to the newsletter to let me know or email me at kimwillis151@gmail.com Please give me your general location when you
write.
Spider or Surprise lilies
Whether you
know them as Spider Lilies, Surprise Lilies, Magic Lilies, Hurricane Lilies,
Resurrection Lilies or Naked Ladies the interesting Lycoris species are
charming plants for fall color in the garden.
Spider Lilies are sometimes called Surprise Lilies because they send up
their flower shoot after the leaves have become dormant and died. They send up a long shoot, seemingly from
nowhere, that sports dainty flowers in the fall. Once established, they are carefree, pest
free plants that persist for many years.
The two best
known species are Lycoris radiata, which has red flowers, hardy to Zone 6, and
Naked Ladies or Lycoris squamigera, hardy to zone 5, with pale pink flowers
that tend to face more outward than other Surprise lilies.
Other species
are Lycoris sprengeri, which has glowing lavender pink flowers, hardy to zone
5, Lycoris sanquinea , with orange flowers, hardy to zone 6, and Lycoris
albiflora, white flowers and narrow foliage hardy to zone 5. A hybrid species Lycoris aurea Guizhow also
called Golden Hurricane lily, has tall spikes of golden flowers and is hardy to
zone 7. (A South American plant Nerine, commonly called Rain Lilies, has
similar flowers and also appears after a dormant period. Lycoris and Nerine are sometimes mislabeled or
confused by plant sellers.)
Spring is the
best time to plant the bulbs of Lycoris, although they are also sold in the
fall. Bulbs are not common in garden
stores; they usually have to be mail ordered.
Plant them as soon you get them as they do not store well. If a friend offers you some, dig them in
late spring to transplant.
When you
plant your bulb it may or may not begin growing leaves. Sometimes they flower the fall after
planting, but sometimes they will wait a year.
Some species wait until spring to produce the leaves which grow for a
few weeks then die back. These are plants that require patience. They sometimes
lie dormant for a year or two if fall conditions aren’t right and then return
to surprise you. Once they are
established in a good spot though, the floral display will be quite abundant
and the plants long lived.
The leaves of
lycoris persist long enough to make food for the plant and set a new flower bud
in the bulb and the die back, disappearing from your sight and conscience. Then in late summer or fall, usually after a
good rain, hence the name Hurricane lily, a long stalk appears out of the
ground. The stalks are 12 to 24 inches
in height depending on species.
The stalk
will produce clusters of tubular flowers with 6 long, narrow petals. These flowers last a long time in the garden,
and also in the vase if used as cut flowers.
The petals on the flowers curve backward and the long stamens in the
center give it an airy appearance and contribute to the name Spider Lily. There are some varieties with wider petals
that look more like small lily flowers.
The flowers come in shades of red, pink, white, lavender and yellow.
Lycoris are
woodland edge plants. They like to be in
the light or dappled shade of deciduous trees in summer, in full sun during the
winter. Since tree canopies shed rain
and tree roots absorb what moisture falls in the summer, the plants go dormant
to survive. When plants go dormant make
sure you mark the spot so you won’t disturb them. Over time the bulbs produce
more bulbs and large clumps of plants will develop.
Then in the
fall when rains typically pick up, the plant flowers, springing up and coming
to bloom rapidly. You may have forgotten
it was there – surprise! It then forms
new leaves as the trees shed theirs and let more light in.
Lycoris
prefer a rich soil full of organic matter.
The soil must be well drained; the bulbs rot if they sit in waterlogged
soil over winter. If summer has been
very dry and fall rains are not coming, you may want to deep water the area
around your Lycoris bulbs to stimulate flowering.
Surprise
lilies are pretty disease and pest resistant.
Deer and other animals don’t eat the foliage or bulbs. The plants don’t need fertilization or much
care. Just make sure you don’t dig them
up or plant something on top of them when they are dormant. In areas where the
ground freezes mulch should be applied over the bulbs, after the ground is
frozen, and removed in the spring.
All Lycoris
parts are poisonous so keep them away from pets and children. Sources to buy Lycoris from (You may
have to wait until spring.)-
are Old House Gardens, http://www.oldhousegardens.com/ McClure and Zimmerman, http://www.mzbulb.com/
and Van Bourgondien http://www.dutchbulbs.com/
Sansevieria or Snake Plant
Sansevieria
are one of the oldest of houseplants, being kept by the ancient Chinese in
homes. If you need a houseplant that
will survive low light and benign neglect a Snake plant will fit the bill. These plants can survive for a very long time;
I have a plant that is at least 40 years old.
Sansevieria
trifasciata has broad strap-like, upright leaves that are dark green and marked
with a pattern of wavy cross stripes in a lighter color. The striping gives it
the common name of snake plant. It is also called mother-in-laws tongue,
perhaps because of the sharp point to the leaves. There are also sansevieria
that form a short rosette of leaves and these are often called birds nest
sansevieria. Sansevieria or snake plants come in several color variations. Some
have gold edges or cream stripes. Bird nest varieties can have some pink color
to them.
All
sansevieria are very adaptable and easy to care for. They will grow in almost any light
conditions, including bright artificial light and north windowsills. Pot them in a lightweight potting mix; allow
the mix to dry out between watering. If
the leaves appear thin, floppy and wrinkled there is probably a watering
problem. Check the pot, if it’s dry
water the plant. If the soil feels wet
drain the excess water from the pot and don’t water the plant until the soil
feels dry again.
Use a
houseplant fertilizer once on the plant around the end of March. Sanservieria don’t mind being root bound so
don’t re-pot the plant until its actually breaking the pot. The upright Snakeplants can get 3 feet high
or more and form a 2 foot clump if the conditions are good.
Sansevieria
or snake plants have sprays of tiny white and powerfully fragrant flowers in
the summer if they get enough light and proper watering. The sprays of flowers are sometimes hidden in
the plants center but you will know they are there by the sweet smell.
Sansevieria
are said to be poisonous to pets,(and probably kids) but little documentation
exists. I would advise you not to let
pets and children munch on them.
Sage
If you are growing culinary sage in your garden now is the
time to harvest it. The plants should
have about 6 weeks before a hard freeze to harden off after pruning and if we
are lucky you can still squeak in a good harvest without compromising plant
health. You’ll want some sage for that
Thanksgiving turkey so don’t delay. Sage
is also great when used fresh; it has lighter, more lemony notes.
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| Sage in flower. |
You can dry sage by harvesting fresh stems with leaves and
hanging them in a warm, dark place, or in a dehydrator, microwave or oven. Make sure the sage is completely dried, it
may take longer than thin leaved herbs, before storing, or it may mold and
taste musty. Store completely dried
leaves in a clean glass container in a cool place. Sage leaves can also be frozen in water and
will taste more like fresh sage when used than dried sage.
I throw sprigs of sage in a plastic freezer bag and pop them
in the freezer without drying them. I
take a bit out when I need it and crumble it while it’s frozen. It tastes more like fresh sage than dried
when used like this.
Be careful that when purchasing sage you intend to use for
cooking that you are not getting a purely ornamental variety, such as Pineapple
sage or Honey Melon sage. These are
grown for their flowers and scented leaves but have little medicinal or cooking
value. Bergarten, Holt’s Mammoth,
Extrakta and White Dalmation are all good culinary sages.
Tri-color sage has variegated leaves of purple, pink and white. Purple sage has purplish- green leaves. These
two are hardy to zone 6. There is a Gold
sage whose leaves are solid gold and a Golden sage, whose leaves have gold
edges. The gold sages are not hardy in
Michigan, but may be over wintered in a cool, sunny room. The colored sages don’t have flavor as
strong as the silver-green sages, but can be used in cooking.
Like many herbs, sage is high in antioxidants, flavonoids
and other beneficial compounds. Research
has shown that sage is indeed helpful to the brain, improving memory in some
studies. Its anti-bacterial properties
have led to research using sage to improve the shelf life of cooking oils. Sage tea is sometimes used to treat colds and
bronchial infections and to lower fevers.
Sage tea is also used as a gargle for sore throat and to ease
indigestion.
A sage tea that is cooled is used as a rinse for gray hair,
darkening it while conditioning it. Sage
is also used to scent soap and perfumes.
Sage used to be a common ingredient in tooth powder, used to heal
bleeding gums. Sage is sometimes burned
in religious ceremonies.
In zone 5, some winter protection for sage is advised, especially
if the sage plant is in an exposed area.
You can mound soil around the base or use a large tomato cage around the
plant and wrap it in burlap. It is
normal for sage to retain its leaves well into winter, if not through it, but
the plants do get rather ratty looking before spring. In the spring, trim off any winter killed
branches and lightly fertilize. After 4
or 5 years you will probably need to replace your sage plant, as it is
considered a short lived perennial.
Salt and Sugar preservation
of herbs
Lay sprigs of herbs or herb leaves in a non- metallic
container that has an inch or so of non-iodized salt or kosher salt in it.
Cover the leaves or sprigs in salt. You can repeat for several layers. Crush
garlic cloves before placing them in salt and chopping herbs like parsley
finely before placing in the salt gives a better flavor to the salt. If the
salt clumps during drying, stir it and keep stirring every day until clumps no
longer form.
You can remove the herbs when they are dried and discard the
salt, or you can use the salt, which will have taken on some of the herb’s
flavors. Leaving finely chopped herbs in the salt gives you seasoned salt. Try
combining several herbs. You can use the seasoned salt as a meat rub or in
other cooking.
Certain herbs that are used in sweet cooking or teas can be
preserved in sugar. Lemon balm, mints, lavender, rose petals, etc. are some
examples. Chopping the herbs first works better when preserving them in
sugar. Put an inch or so of sugar down,
then herbs then a layer of sugar. You
can repeat for several layers. Stir if
clumps form until the sugar no longer clumps. Keep the container covered to
avoid attracting insects. It can also be
stored in the refrigerator.
Baking with the sugar will make most of the herb flavor disappear,
and only a light flavor remain. The
sugar can be added to tea and cold drinks, or used to top desserts. Adding a crushed or whole vanilla bean to
some of the herbs in sugar makes a nice touch. Please note- cane sugar or beet
sugar can be used but artificial sweeteners cannot be used to preserve herbs.
Seven-son Flower
(Heptacodium miconioides)
We tend to think of flowering trees as spring bloomers but a
rather uncommon small tree, Seven Son Flower, will bring fragrant white flowers
to the garden in fall. The flowers
appear in clusters of seven, hence the name. After the flowers fade the old
flower sepals turn a bright burgundy red and persist on the tree for additional
color.
The trees foliage is unremarkable; the leaves are oval with
a sharp point, dark green and have 3 prominent veins running down them. Fall color is yellow. However the tree has pleasing winter form
with light tan bark that peels in strips.
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| Fall in the Garden at Suncrest, Lapeer |
Seven-son flower can be kept as a multi-stemmed bush or
trained to a single trunk tree- which is often the most attractive form. They get 15-20 feet in height and are quite
fast growing. If you need something
hardier and less fussy than Japanese Maple for partly shaded locations, Seven-son
flower may fit the bill. It will thrive
in full sun or partial shade and in many types of soil although it prefers
moist but well drained loamy soil. It
should be kept well watered. It’s hardy through zone 5.
Seven-son flower is a relatively recent horticultural import
from China and may not be as easy to find as other flowering trees. There are few named cultivars. However if you are the gardener that likes
something different Seven-son flower may be a great plant to try.
Eat an apple
and listen for the birds!
Kim
Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent
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