From Kim 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
 |
| Happy Thanksgiving |
So the Old Farmer’s
Almanac predicted November would be warmer and wetter than normal. Hmmn.
Don’t think so. So the prediction
for the rest of the winter is mild and wet- let’s just see. Last
year on Thanksgiving I had in my notes that it was 65 degrees, of course
Thanksgiving was a week earlier but still- this whole month has been pretty
cold. And gray- I hate that worse than
cold – no sun.
I am hoping
that Thanksgiving Day will have decent weather as I am bringing a cooked turkey
down to my mom’s for dinner and we need a safe and speedy trip. On Thanksgiving Day I will be keeping my eye
on the TV or radio station, not for any stupid game, but to see if the comet
ISON made it around the sun. This comet
has been streaking toward our solar system since men have been on Earth. Last year it came close enough to be seen by
telescopes, in the last few weeks if you got up just before dawn and the sky
was clear you could see it in the east with the naked eye.
Comet ISON
has a core of frozen dust and ice only about a mile wide. However it is trailing a cloud of vapor and
dust 500 million miles long and that’s why we can see it. Its orbit will pass
very close to the sun on Thursday. If it
passes by the sun intact it will be one of the most spectacular cosmic events
ever seen. In just a few days we will be
able to see a beautiful, large and bright comet streaking across the sky both
in the early evening and at sunrise. (If we ever get a clear sky.)
However there
is worry that the comet will explode and/or burn up, a spectacular fiery event we won’t be able to see much of
from earth, although satellites may catch it, as it is too close to the
sun. In fact there is some concern that
is happening today. Astronomy buffs don’t
know what will happen as this scenario has never occurred in our time. Coverage of the comets journey is supposed to
be at this site
https://plus.google.com/events/c8t7i5dbr1k50oq89giloiqe8rc on Thursday.
I am far more interested in this cosmic drama than any game involving
brain injured jocks. I just have to
convince the rest of the family.
Preparing roses for winter
Most shrub
roses that are grown on their own roots will survive winter without any special
attention. They may die back to the
ground but return in full glory in the spring. Tea roses and other grafted roses are another
thing entirely, they need some winter protection in cold winter areas.
Do not
fertilize roses after August. Stop
dead-heading, leaving flowers on the plant to produce hips will help the plant
stop blooming and prepare for winter.
Clean up all fallen leaves and flower petals around the plants so the
debris doesn’t harbor disease and pests for next year.
Wait until
the ground freezes before covering or mulching roses, unless a sudden severe
cold snap (temps in the teens) is
predicted. Note: this has already
happened this year but it’s still not too late to protect roses. You can buy Styrofoam rose cones or you can
devise your own protection. A large
tomato cage set around the rose and filled with mulch will work, as will stakes
and a ring of burlap. Use shredded
leaves, whole oak leaves, straw, or pine needles as mulch. Some people simply
mound soil around the plants. Don’t take
the soil from around the plants roots though. If you have a tender climbing
rose you may want to carefully remove it from its trellis and lay it on the
ground, and then cover the canes with mulch.
Never cover roses with plastic or other things that don’t provide
ventilation.
Wooly Bear caterpillars
Every
gardener has seen these fuzzy black and rust colored caterpillars, usually in
the fall. They are said to forecast the
type of winter we will have by the amount of rust color they wear but that is a
folk tale that doesn’t have merit. Each wooly
( or woolly depending on your regions spelling) caterpillar in the environment
will have slightly different coloration and there are several species of Tiger
Moths, the adult form of the caterpillar, in most areas and each species may
have slightly different caterpillar coloration. The Isabella Tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) is the most
common and is found all the way to the artic.
But the wooly
bear caterpillar does have a fascinating life cycle. The ones we see in the fall may be a second
or third generation of Tiger Moths that year but as the cold weather comes the
fall generation will prepare to hibernate overwinter- not as a cocoon or pupae
as many moths and butterflies do but as a caterpillar in suspended
animation. They are crawling around
looking for a layer of leaves or mulch to hide under in the fall. I had one in my home office for several days
so unless a dog ate him he probably found a crack somewhere to hide in.
Once they
have a winter home the wooly bear is prepared to freeze. Its heart almost stops pumping and its body
produces an anti-freeze like substance to protect the organs and brain. The caterpillar can freeze solid and still be
alive. In the spring the wooly
caterpillar will thaw and come to life.
He’ll eat leaves for a few days or weeks depending on his size, and then
he will turn into a pupae somewhere in litter on the ground. It will emerge about a month later as a
pretty, 2 inch yellow-tan moth with black spots on the wings. They are pretty indiscriminate feeders and
feed on a wide range of vegetation. The
caterpillars rarely do much damage and don’t need control.
The moth only
has a few days to mate and produce eggs.
She lays her eggs on a wide variety of trees and other plants including
maples, thistles and dandelions. The
tiny wooly caterpillars that hatch use a “balloon” made out of a strand of silk
to float from plant to plant at first.
Later they simply crawl from plant to plant. They go through six changes of skin as they
grow to about 2 inches long. With each
change of skin the color will also change. When they are large and full enough of leaves
they will turn into a pupae and start the process over, unless it is cold.
In the Artic
it can take several years of freezing and thawing before the wooly caterpillar
has enough resources to make a pupae and turn into a moth. In more southern areas there can be two or
three generations of the moth, with the last one surviving through winter. So when you find the wooly caterpillars as
you clean your garden in the spring you can marvel at how the little bugger
made it through the winter.
Beer and Brussels sprouts may contain
arsenic
A new study
looking at arsenic levels in human blood has confirmed that there are other
sources for high arsenic levels than arsenic in drinking water or accidental poisoning. Arsenic is a natural element and some ground
water is high in it. While humans
tolerate and may actually need some arsenic, high levels of arsenic can cause a
number of serious health problems and result in death. If you have a well you should have it tested
for arsenic but arsenic may also be coming from other areas of your diet.
Brussels
sprouts take up and concentrate arsenic in the soil and it binds to sulfur
compounds in the vegetables. People who
eat a lot of Brussels sprouts and related vegetables such as broccoli are more
likely to have higher than normal arsenic levels in the blood. (Rice is also the cause of some arsenic in
the diet because it concentrates arsenic.) The research also found that people who eat
dark meat fish such as mackerel, tuna and salmon also had higher arsenic
levels. These findings were reported in
November 2013 Nutrition Journal.
Recently it
was found that people who drink a lot of beer may also have higher arsenic
levels in their blood. It took a while
for researchers to figure out why but it was eventually traced to the
diatomaceous earth that is used in many breweries to filter beer. The diatomaceous earth leaches arsenic into
the beer. Breweries that used water which also contained arsenic have even
higher levels of arsenic in the beer as would be expected. These results were reported April 7, 2013, at
the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
So to stay healthy
which should you give up Brussels sprouts or beer?
Cranberries- can you grow them?
Cranberries
(Vaccinium macrocarpon) are a native plant that has had a big increase
in consumption in the last 20 years, taking them from a Thanksgiving treat to a
year round health food. There are
European varieties of cranberries but they have a different taste and somewhat
different nutritional profile and are called ligonberries.
Cranberries
have compounds in them that inhibit bacterial activity and have long been used
to fight urinary tract infections. These
same compounds also inhibit the bacteria that cause ulcers and gum
disease. Cranberries also have
antioxidants which reduce the formation of LDL or “bad” cholesterol and this is
thought to have a beneficial effect on the cardio-vascular system. They are also tasty and provide many
vitamins, including vitamin C. Raw
cranberries have no fat and only 47 calories per cup.
Cranberries
are grown commercially in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington,
Wisconsin, Delaware,
Maine, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island and many areas of Canada. They are also being grown commercially in
Chile. While they are not as easy to
grow as other small fruits gardeners in the above states can also grow
cranberries if they take some care to provide proper conditions.
Cranberries are
low trailing vines that produce daughter plants much like strawberries. The plants are evergreen and perennial. Cranberries need moist, peaty, acidic soil, a
good winter chill but a fairly long frost free growing period to thrive. They grow well in zones 2-5 and possibly zone
6. Contrary to what most ads and other
illustrations suggest cranberries do not need to be submerged in water to
grow. In fact the plants will die if
submerged for very long. They prefer layers of peat soil and sand that hold
some moisture but are not waterlogged.
The reason
the cranberries grow in water idea is common is because in some commercial
cranberry farms the fields are flooded to harvest the berries. Cranberries have pockets of air in them and
they float. Fields are submerged, the
vines raked and shook and the berries float on the surface. “Booms” swirl the berries into chutes that
drain off the water, leaving the berries behind. About 90% of the commercial cranberry harvest
is done this way and the cranberries are used for juice and canning, or making that
Thanksgiving treat, cranberry jelly.
The other 10%
of the commercial cranberry harvest is picked dry. Workers use hand rakes and small “combing”
machines to gather the berries. These
berries are used for fresh berries you pick up in the produce department or at
farm markets.
If you want
to try and grow cranberries you will probably have to grow them in beds
modified from your existing soil. Most
people do not have the acidic peat soil needed for good cranberry growth. You will need a sunny area with an abundant
supply of water nearby. You can make
raised beds or even better, sunken beds. Here’s the general idea.
Dig out
existing topsoil from your intended bed down to about 8-12 inches. The deeper range
is for heavy clay soils. (Or make raised beds about 12 inches deep.) Beds should be at least 4 feet wide by 8 feet
long for a modest harvest. You can move
the topsoil somewhere else or mound it along the sides of the excavated area (or
around your raised bed frame). This
makes a nice sunken area to hold water when you irrigate.
Add 2 inches of coarse sand to the bottom of
your bed. Then fill the bed with 6
inches or so of sphagnum peat, (not “Michigan” peat). You can also use a mixture of sphagnum peat
and shredded bark. Mix in some slow
release acidic fertilizer such as that sold for azaleas or blueberries. About a ½ pound per 4x8 foot bed will
work. Add about an inch of coarse sand
to the top of the bed.
Cranberries
can be grown from seed but germination is slow and difficult. It is better to start with plants. Cranberries begin fruiting at 3 years of age
so the older the plants the better.
Spring planting is best but they can also be fall planted. Space the plants about 18” apart for less
than 3 year old plants, 3 feet apart for mature 3 year old plants. The plants
will send out runners to fill in the bed.
Three year old plants will also start some upright growth and it’s on
the upright growth that berries will form.
Keep the bed
well watered from planting to harvest.
The soil should feel moist at all times but not have water pooled on
top. Peat holds a lot of water so don’t
add water until you feel the planting medium.
It should feel moist down to at least 6 inches. Keep your cranberry bed
well weeded as they do not tolerate weed competition well.
After the
ground freezes in the fall cranberry plants need heavy mulching. While they are
evergreen they tend to dry out and have a lot of winterkill unless covered by
deep snow or mulch. Use straw, shredded
leaves, shredded bark, or pine needles and bury the plants. Remove the mulch in early spring, usually
about the time daffodils are blooming.
The plants will be putting out new growth and this is cold sensitive for
several weeks. Keep the mulch nearby to
reapply or buy some floating row cover. If
temperatures are predicted to go to freezing or below cover the plants.
After the
first year reduce the fertilizer, adding only a small amount, ¼ pound or a cup
or so, to a 4 x 8 bed. Add a little
fresh sand to the top of the bed each spring also. If beds get too crowded with plants some of
them can be removed to form other beds or to give to friends.
Cranberries
are not self-fertile and they need insects to pollinate them. Bumblebees are the best pollinator. The flowers appear in early spring and can be
damaged by frost. Keep some row cover
material or old sheets around to cover the bed should frost threaten.
Home
gardeners will pick cranberries by hand in the fall. The berries are ripe when they are deep red
and the seeds inside are dark brown. A
hard frost will ruin the berries so pick them before it happens. The
berries will store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 2
months. You can also can them, turn them
into jellies and sauces or freeze them.
Live Christmas Trees
If you are
intending to buy a live tree for Christmas to plant outside after the holiday,
dig the hole outside before the ground freezes. If the ground appears to be frozen already,
look for a spot by the house or under a deep layer of leaves or some other spot
where you can find softer soil. The tree
can be left in a pot or burlap ball and be put in these spots even if you don’t
want to plant it there. Trees do better
outside than being held indoors. You can
remove the pot or burlap and move the tree to its planting spot in early spring.
If
you haven’t purchased the tree yet and don’t know how to size it, just make a
good sized hole and save all the soil you removed in buckets or on a tarp. Fill the hole with straw or leaves and cover
it with something to keep rain and snow out.
Hopefully you won’t have to
shovel snow away to plant the tree.
Choose
smaller trees for best results and don’t bring them inside until a few days
before Christmas. Keep them watered
while they wait. When inside keep them
in the coolest place possible and away from fireplaces and heating vents. Decorate lightly and if you must use lights,
use tiny, cool burning lights sparingly.
Keep the root
ball or pot moist and take the tree outside to plant immediately after
Christmas. Uncover your hole and remove
any straw or leaves. Remove the pot, any burlap or strings and wire before
planting (if you are planting the tree in its permanent spot). Settle the tree in the hole and fill with the
soil you removed. If you are leaving the
tree in a pot or burlap until spring, put it in the hole and cover the pot or
ball with some soil and a deep layer of straw or leaves. Water deeply with warm water and as long as
the soil remains unfrozen, water weekly.
In a windy location these new evergreens may need to be staked until
they establish new roots.
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Have a Happy,
healthy Thanksgiving
Kim
Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent
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