November 19, 2013 Kim's Weekly Garden Newsletter

November 19, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

From Kim Willis

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.

Hi Gardeners

Zinna seed can be planted in the fall.

I am hoping that all of you have your power back on today.  The gales of November were really harsh Sunday.  The air pressure dropped to one of the lowest readings recorded in this area and that’s never a good sign. It was like we were in a hurricane.   I would hate to have been a hunter in a tent Sunday night.  There is some really cold weather ahead this week so be prepared. 

We didn’t lose any large trees but I know some people did.  I’ve included an article from MSU on tree damage at the bottom of the newsletter.  If you need to trim oaks, because of storm damage or because they need pruning now is the time to do it.

The typhoon in the Philippines and our recent storm are reminders to always have emergency supplies and plans.   When there is a natural disaster it can be days or weeks before help can reach you.  Make sure you store water and food, have flashlights and batteries and perhaps a source of heat that doesn’t require electricity.  Talk with your family about what to do in various emergency situations that might affect you.   If you commute long distances make sure you have emergency supplies in your car including warm clothes as Michigan emergencies often involve snow and cold weather.

Keep an ear on the radio for weather related announcements.  If high winds or storms are predicted and you have a well you’ll want to run some water for you and pets and livestock in case power goes out.  Charge up your cell phones and other battery powered devices you may need.  Make sure the car has gas in case you need it for warmth or charging things. 

Here are some tips.  Solar lights outside can be brought inside for light and put back out to re-charge if needed.  Your hot water heater tank can be used as a source of emergency water if needed.  There is a drain valve that will let you run off water by gravity.  Make sure to turn it off before draining water off.  If power returns and it doesn’t fill up quickly it could burn out.  If you have a propane or gas stove the oven typically doesn’t work in a power outage but the burners do if lit by a match.   You can boil water to help heat a room, put some marbles or rocks at the bottom of pots to alert you when the pot is almost empty so you don’t ruin the pot or start a fire.

If you have a land line phone keep a cheap corded phone on hand to plug in a wall jack because cordless phones don’t work without electricity.  Cell phone service goes out in some emergencies also.  When there is an emergency turn off your cell phone and limit its use so unnecessary calls don’t run the battery down.

Let’s switch to happier topics. 

Sowing flower seeds in the fall

You may think the planting season is over but there are some common garden flowers that drop their seeds in the fall.  Those seeds need a period of cold to germinate and may need the freezing and thawing cycle to crack a hard seed coat and allow moisture in for germination.  You may have some of the garden plants that require these conditions in your garden and they will self- seed for you if left alone.  If you don’t have the plants and want them in your garden now may be the time, before the ground freezes solid, to sow some of those seeds.

Seeds that can be sown in the fall include: Bachelor's Button, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Echinacea, Flax, Larkspur, Moss Rose, Marigolds, Morning glory, Nasturtium, Pansy, Poppy, Strawflower, Sweet pea, Verbena and Zinnia.  Buy the seeds or collect dry seeds from friend’s plants.  Some of these may also be planted in early spring.  Some wildflower and grass seed may also be suggested for fall planting.  Check the label, plant description or a reference.  Chances are if nature drops the seed in late fall it likes fall planting.

Clear a spot in the garden of vegetation and loosen the soil.  Sprinkle the seeds over the area. You may want to sprinkle them thickly as some will not germinate.  You can thin in the spring.  Very small seeds like poppy seed should not be covered but press them against the soil.  Larger seeds like morning glory seed should have a loose layer of soil about a half inch thick placed over them.  Don’t water the seeds.  Nature should take care of that for you. 

You can apply a very thin layer of mulch such as pine needles or chopped straw but don’t use leaves or anything that mats over the seeds and don’t make the mulch deeper than a half inch.  Make sure to mark the spots where you sow the seeds.  Some may wait until warmer weather to emerge so don’t be in a big hurry in the spring to plant over them, thinking they didn’t sprout.  If you have trouble with birds pecking at your seeds cover the area with netting.

It’s not too late to plant the seeds until the ground freezes solid.  After all nature will still be dropping them, even after the snow falls in some cases. 

Dandelion rubber

The extremely helpful dandelion.

Most of you have seen the white milky sap that oozes from a dandelion stem when you break it.  That sap contains latex. The roots have even more sap.   Since WWII researchers have known that rubber can be made from dandelion sap collected from dandelion roots and it was even manufactured in small quantities during the war when it was hard to get traditional rubber. 

After the war when rubber was available again and when a synthetic rubber was developed, making rubber from dandelions and other native plants seemed to be less important.  But recent developments in the rubber trade have turned researchers back to other sources of natural rubber and dandelions have become the top choice for that research.   

Natural rubber has many advantages over synthetic rubber and is preferred for things like car tires.  Traditionally it has been harvested from rubber trees on plantations in South America and South East Asia.  The trees take several years to grow to a size where they can be tapped, and they require care and attention throughout their lifespan.  To get rubber you tap trees and let the sap flow, then collect it, a labor intensive project.  A fungal disease threatens rubber trees and has decreased production in many parts of the world where rubber is grown.  And rubber tree farmers are turning rubber tree farms into palm oil production or other less labor intensive and more profitable agricultural enterprises.

Because the writing was on the wall so to speak, and natural rubber shortages are becoming common, several research projects turned to developing other sources of natural rubber.   Two research centers collaborating with manufacturing partners have made great strides in producing rubber from dandelions.   One is the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology and Continental Manufacturing in Germany and the other is Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio, working with Bridgestone Corp. and Ford Motor Co.

In Germany a manufacturing facility began large scale production of rubber from dandelions in October of this year.  They hope to have dandelion rubber tires on the commercial market within five years.  Besides tires the rubber will be used in many other applications that traditional rubber and latex are used for, such as latex gloves.

The dandelions being used were bred from a Russian species of dandelion, (Taraxacum kok-saghyz).  It differs slightly in appearance from the common dandelion in that the leaves are smaller, narrower and more grayish in appearance than common dandelion s and there are tiny projections on the leaf bracts that cover a dandelion flower bud.  The roots of this species had more latex present naturally. 

Researchers used good old fashioned plant breeding by selection methods enhanced by being able to identify genes in selected plants that had desirable traits like more latex and thicker roots to produce new strains of dandelions.  They have now developed dandelion varieties that are highly productive but have not been “genetically modified”, which is important for European markets.  These varieties are being grown both in greenhouses and in huge fields outside for dandelion rubber production.

Dandelions can grow in temperate climates close to rubber manufacturing plants cutting down on transportation costs.  They can be grown and harvested in one year, using mechanical harvesting equipment and the plants don’t require care after the harvest.  Dandelions have few disease or insect pests and as most gardeners know, they grow quite well almost anywhere.   

Dandelion rubber used in things like latex gloves does not cause allergic reactions in people like traditional latex does.  And it is thought that by-products of dandelion rubber production can become another source of bio-fuel.  Replacing synthetic rubber and latex made from petroleum products with natural dandelion rubber also cuts down on fossil fuel use.  And farmers in America and Europe will have another profitable crop to grow, one that requires little fertilizer or pesticide use.  Dandelions, despite being hated by lawn lovers, have always been useful plants to have around.  Now it seems they have become even more valuable. 

Don’t cook your blueberries

Scientists recently released research results that suggest that eating 2 cups of wild blueberries every day for 8 weeks may improve blood pressure, enhance cardio-vascular health and reduce metabolic syndrome- which frequently becomes type 2 diabetes.  (The journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism Nov. 6, 2013)  But if you were thinking about consuming those blueberries in muffins or pie better think again.

Researchers have found that cooking blueberries removes a lot of their health benefits.  Blueberries contain the healthy polyphenols, anthocyanin, procyanidin, quercetin and phenolic acids.  Cooking blueberries decreases most of the healthy polyphenols with the exception of phenolic acids.  Blueberry foods made with yeast had less loss of polyphenols.  (ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry)  So if you are using blueberries for their health benefits eat them raw. 

Rosemary- and spearmint- for remembrance

There is an ancient saying- Rosemary for remembrance – and other research studies in the past have confirmed that even smelling rosemary aids in memory.  But a new study using concentrated rosemary extracts found that when consumed the extracts helped with memory loss and cognitive function in age related decline.  The studies were done in animals but human trials begin soon. 

Researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine found that both rosemary and spearmint extracts given to animals reduced changes in their brains linked to loss of memory and cognitive disorders.  They also tested animal’s memory and learning abilities and found animals given the extracts did better than a control group.  Rosemary had somewhat greater effects.   

Rosemary plant with flower.

Research still needs to be done to see if consuming rosemary and spearmint as we do now in cooking is beneficial but all signs seem to point to at least some benefit.  It can’t help to sprinkle a little rosemary on your bread as it bakes or on your roasting chicken.  And a mint julep might help the memory also, as long as you don’t over indulge.

Some vegetable oils may not be good for you

The news is all about reducing trans-fat in the diet and the recommendations on how to do that often include replacing it with vegetable oil.  But the Canadian Medical Association is citing a study done in February that found when saturated fat was replaced by corn or safflower oil the risk of death from coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular diseases rose significantly.

Both corn oil and safflower oil do not contain omega-3 α-linolenic acid, which is associated with cardiovascular health even though they do contain omega-6 linoleic acid.  Most other vegetable oils contain both.   That suggests that replacing trans-fat or saturated fat with some vegetable oils may not be better for you.  The Canadian Medical Association is asking the Canadian government not to allow a heart healthy label on corn oil and safflower oil.  If you are afraid of butter choose your vegetable oil carefully.

Can a Japanese pickle prevent the flu?

In Japanese folklore eating Suguki, a fermented turnip pickle, is said to prevent colds and flu.  Now researchers have found that there may be some truth to the claim and a bacteria produced by those pickles may become very important in modern medicine. 

Fermenting turnips produces bacteria called Lactobacillus brevis.  When this bacteria was isolated and fed to animals in a pro-biotic drink, it prevented them from catching a H1N1 flu virus and boosted their immune system response.  This bacteria is very resistant to stomach acid and produces a layer of sugars called exopolysaccharides.  Exopolysaccharides are also found in other things and are known to boost the immune system. 

Human trials are beginning in Japan with the pro-biotic drink made from the bacteria and there’s hope that it may be the answer to many of the deadly flu virus strains that keep emerging.  In the meantime if you don’t want a flu shot you may want to consider looking for some Suguki.

Throw a log on the fire and have some cocoa.

Kim

Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent