Kim's weekly garden newsletter September 24, 2013

September 24, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

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

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.

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.

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.

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