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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

March 15, 2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

March 15, 2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter    © Kim Willis


Hi Gardeners

It’s a dreary day but spring like.  The frogs are singing with the birds.  I saw a turkey vulture- way early for them.  I have seen robins, red winged blackbirds, killdeer and other migrants.  Bees were on the crocus and mosquitoes were trying to get on me.  I have crocus, snowdrops, winter aconite and volunteer pansies in bloom.  The crocus is about 2 weeks ahead of last year.  The pussy willows around the pond are blooming. I have an article on pussy willows below.  Only 5 days to spring!

One thing I don’t like about spring is the mud, and its prime mud season this week. Gizmo loves mud, he hits every puddle.  I gave him a bath Sunday and he’s already a dirty mess.  A mostly white long haired pup who loves mud and dirt is not a pretty sight.  But mud is better than snow at least.

I couldn’t stand it any longer and went to Campbell’s greenhouse last week.  They didn’t have a lot of plants out but it was still nice and I did find some to buy.  I bought some creeping phlox in colors I didn’t have and I bought two houseplants, a beautiful bromeliad and a kalanchoe called Snow Bunny that has fuzzy gray leaves. 

This weekend I also succumbed to temptation and bought one of those cheap little greenhouses that consist of 4 shelves and a vinyl tent like covering.  I am going to set it up on the deck soon and start some more seeds, maybe a tray of lettuce.  I worry about wind the most, I am going to anchor it to a deck post, and I worry about getting it all filled then having a deep freeze come along and having to move everything inside.  But it should help with acclimating some plants and starting some perennial seeds.

We are supposed to have thunderstorms tonight and a few more days of mild weather, then cooler weather returns but days will still be above freezing.  I just wish more sun was in the forecast.  I will miss going without a coat.  But we don’t want too quick of a warm up, get the fruit trees blooming and then have a hard freeze.  Better a slow mild start to spring.


Should we have daylight savings time all year round?

By now you should have realized that we set our clocks ahead by 1 hour last Sunday.  There has been a lot of discussion lately among researchers and in the media about whether we should be moving the time back and forth as we do.  There is research that points to an increase in strokes and heart attacks for a few days after a time switch and most people suffer from tiredness similar to jet lag for a few days until our bodies adjust.

Some are proposing we choose one set of clock to daylight time match and keep it all year round.  For me, I like more daylight in the evening; others want to wake up to daylight.  I have always been a night owl, and working night shifts when I was younger didn’t help.  If we choose not to go back to “regular” time this fall we would actually gain more daylight hours between the hours of 7 am and 7 pm, which are considered peak human activity hours, through the total year.  It’s complicated.

Some people are also proposing universal time, where around the world everyone’s clocks would read the same time.  People would just adjust work hours and outside hours to when the sun was shining.  For example you might leave for work at 11 pm clock time where you once called that daylight period 9 am.  Now this would be really hard for some of us old timers to get used to.  How did people dream up this time measurement thing anyway?


Crops from Mars and the moon?

Did you watch the movie the Martian where the abandoned human planted potatoes to eat?  Did you wonder if that could be done?  Well thanks to a study done last year by the Wageningen University & Research center in the Netherlands we now know it’s possible.  Last year scientists grew 10 different crops in soil collected from both Mars and the moon.  Pure “dirt” from either place did not sustain crops but when grass clippings and manure were added crops grew almost as well as a control crop grown in earth soil.

The crops were grown indoors in an environmentally controlled situation as they would be if they were grown on Mars or the moon.  One problem emerged and that was the uptake of heavy metals from the space soils.  Researchers are working on ways to control that and hope to harvest a crop that can be safely eaten this year.  The crops grown were tomato, rye, radish, pea, leek, spinach, garden rocket, cress, quinoa and chives.  This year potatoes and beans will be added to the crop mixture.

Tomato terminology

Last week we defined terms like hybrid and heritage in the seed starting articles but when it comes to individual crop and or flower species there are often many other terms in use that can be confusing.  Since tomatoes are the number one vegetable that people grow let’s start with tomato terminology.

Determinate and indeterminate – An indeterminate tomato keeps growing and setting fruit until frost kills it.  A determinate tomato tends to set and ripen its fruit all at one time.  Most garden varieties of tomatoes are indeterminate but if you can tomatoes you may want to choose a determinate variety so you have a concentrated harvest.  Determinate tomatoes are shorter and bushier and can be better for container growing too.

Potato leaf tomato- many species of tomato went into producing today’s varieties of tomatoes.  Some of those had a leaf shaped more like a potato leaf and some of the new varieties of tomato retain that shape.  It does not affect the plants growth qualities or taste of the fruit.

Paste tomatoes have thicker “meat” portions of the fruit and tend to be less juicy.  They are usually cooking tomatoes, used for sauces and paste.  Many are oblong or teardrop shaped.  They are good for eating too. Oxheart tomatoes are larger meaty tomatoes, usually of European origin.

Cherry, grape, and currant tomatoes are all types of small tomatoes that grow in clusters.  Currant tomatoes are the smallest, very tiny 1 bite tomatoes.

Salad tomatoes usually refer to smaller smooth round tomatoes.  Beefsteak can be a variety name or refer to tomatoes which are very large often with an oblong, flattened shape.

Tomatoes come in a variety of shapes, depending on variety.  Some are smooth and round; others have ridges or what appear to be segments joined together.  There are also hollow tomatoes, which look like a pepper inside.  There are pear shaped tomatoes and very flattened oval shaped tomatoes.


Tomatoes also come in many colors, even though red remains the favorite.  Colors can be white, yellow, pink, orange, green, purple, brown, and striped.  Tomatoes also vary in taste, a tomato ripened in the sun always tastes better than one ripened in the store but the taste of tomatoes can range from sweet, non-acidic to very acidic and “robust”.  Taste is subjective and growing conditions can affect how a tomato tastes also.  Heirloom tomatoes don’t always taste better than modern hybrids, try many varieties of tomatoes to see what you like.

The letters behind the variety name of some tomatoes indicates they have resistance (not immunity) to certain diseases.  Not all tomatoes will have these letters.  V=verticillium wilt, F = fusarium wilt- there can be 3 F’s indicating the 3 strains of fusarium wilt that infect tomatoes, N=nematodes, T = tobacco mosaic virus, A = alternaria stem canker, St= stemphylium gray leaf spot, TSWV=tomato spotted wilt virus.  There are a few tomatoes that are resistant to late or early blight.  If so that information is generally provided in the description.  If you have lots of disease problems look for the varieties with the most letters after their name.

Indigo series tomatoes are a strain of tomatoes developed to have more anthocyanin, the blue pigment that is supposed to be so healthy for us.  Indigo tomatoes are a deep purple almost black with red highlights.  There are several varieties and sizes.  These are a bit different from older varieties of “black” or chocolate tomatoes.  They were developed with conventional breeding and are not GMO.

Grafted tomatoes are becoming popular.  These combine a disease resistant, hardy root stock (bottom portion) with a fruiting or top portion that may lack those traits.  Many times a heritage tomato is the top part.  One note on grafted tomatoes, don’t buy a tomato grafted on a potato unless you just want a novelty.  Despite the promises of both a tomato and potato crop, in reality neither crop grows well like this.

When choosing your tomato varieties you may want to look into what part of the country the variety is said to do best in.  Some perform better in the north, others have a very long maturation rate and do better in the south. Check the tag or description for days to maturity.  In tomatoes that starts when you transplant them into the garden. You should see such information offered in the catalog or tag description. Early varieties ripen in 55-70 days, medium varieties 70-90 days and late varieties more than 90 days.  Many modern hybrids are bred to do well all over the country, whereas many heirlooms tend to do better in specific areas where they originated.

I suggest asking other gardeners in your area what tomatoes grow well for them.  Grow several varieties and keep records on whether you liked the taste of each and how each produced for you.  Each year try something new, but make sure to plant some of your tried and true favorites. I always have Early Girl and Better Boy in my garden.  I like to add Kellogg’s Breakfast, a orange-yellow fruited tomato when I can find it.  Other tomatoes that have done well for me include Goliath, Big Beef, Bonnie Best, Rutgers and Delicious.  Yellow pear does way too well and I no longer grow it.  If you do you will probably have them returning for several years.

Pussy willows

Did you know that pussy willows were once used in place of palm branches on Palm Sunday?  In Europe and North America “pussy willows” are usually out around Palm Sunday. Pussy willows are also important plants to the Chinese around Chinese New Year, where they signify coming prosperity.  The plant called pussy willow is actually several species of willow around the world.  They are only called pussy willow when the gray pussies are present.

Pussy Willow - credit wikimedia commons
The soft gray “pussies” we usually look for are actually the male flowers, called catkins, which open in early spring before the leaves appear.  When the pollen is ready to be shed the gray pussies turn yellow.  Female flowers are produced separately on pussy willows, they too look gray and hairy, but they are smaller, not as prominent and produced later.  They don’t turn yellow. The gray hairs help trap heat and keep the plant reproductive parts warm.

The native North American willow called pussy willow (Salix discolor), is usually a bushy shrub that grows in wet areas, but you don’t have to go out searching for them in a ditch full of cold water- you can grow pussy willow in almost any garden.  The pussy willow is often used in spring floral arrangements, both dried and fresh and is loved by children. 

Some varieties

The native North American shrub willows all produce furry catkins to some extent, but for impressive large catkins plant French Pussy Willow, Salix caprea.  Pussy willow flowers also come in black, Salix melanostachys , and pink, Salix chaenomeloides , ‘Mt. Also’.  Salix apoda from Eurasia has a ground-hugging habit with showy large catkins of orange and pink in early spring.  Garden catalogs may have other varieties of “pussy willow”. 

There is a wonderful small Weeping Pussy Willow tree, Salix caprea  ‘Pendula‘, that has huge, furry gray catkins cascading down it’s stems in the early spring. After the catkins are gone, its graceful weeping form still creates interest.  It makes an excellent specimen plant or the focal point of a perennial bed.

Planting and Care

Willows are, for the most part, one of the easiest of woody ornamentals to grow.  Plant your pussy willow in full sun for best results, although they will tolerate some shade.  Keep young plants well-watered until they are established, but after that they will do just fine in average garden conditions. Of course if you have a wet area in your landscape, pussy willows may be the perfect plant to use in that location.   Fertilizer is rarely needed for willows.  Do not plant pussy willows, or any other willow, too close to septic fields or water lines.  Their roots will go a long way in search of water and when they find it they invade- often clogging pipes and septic fields.

In the garden you will want to keep the pussy willow shrub pruned to a compact, manageable shape. You can prune them after the catkins have dropped, taking out about 1/3 of the older stems each year and cutting the whole plant back to the height you want it to remain.   Pussy willows spread quickly through suckers coming up from the root system, so you will want to control the spread before they take over the garden.

You can have early pussy willows in the house by cutting branches in the early spring, just as the buds begin to swell, and putting them in water inside the house.  Left in water after the catkins have dropped, some of these cuttings may actually root.  You can even take pussy willow branches out of floral displays and root them in potting soil or damp sand.

If you see an impressive pussy willow ask for a cutting of it and you may be able to start your own plant.  The best cuttings come from the ends of young branches and are about as big as a pencil.   They should be about 6-12 inches long.   Early spring is the best time to try this, but willows root so readily that it doesn’t hurt to try it at other times.  Insert your cutting in damp sand or potting soil and cover the container with a plastic bag to raise the humidity.  Keep the cutting in a well-lighted area, but out of direct sun.  If you see new growth, your pussy willow has rooted.

Willows have so much of the plant hormones that promote rooting that they can be used to help root other plants.  Pinch off the buds and ends of small, actively growing willow stems and crush them or chop them coarsely.  Put a couple cups of willow pieces in a gallon of warm water and let it steep in the sun as you would do with sun tea.  Then dip the ends of cuttings you want to grow in the solution before inserting the cutting in potting medium in a container.   Use the remaining mix to water the containers as they become dry.

To dry pussy willow catkins for floral arrangements you can just cut them when they have expanded to the size you prefer, and place them in a jar without water in a dark, cool area.  Or you can place them in any mixture used for drying other flowers, such as silica or borax.  If you use fresh cut pussy willows in arrangements you’ll probably want to discard them when they turn yellow and begin to shed pollen.

Shamrocks- St Patrick's Day is Thursday

If it’s shamrocks that you are thinking about here are two of my previous articles you may want to read.

Growing hyacinths for a sweet smelling spring

Hyacinths are being overlooked by modern gardeners, maybe because they have a formal look about them and modern gardens seem to tend toward informal.  But hyacinths can find a place in any garden and they are well worth planting.  The lovely smell alone, a smell that says spring is here, makes them worthy of a spot in your flower beds.


Hyacinths now come in many colors and several forms.  They can be tucked into rock gardens, planted in swirling masses in the border, planted in large containers, or lined up in formal rows and blocks along a path.  They can even be forced to bloom inside.

Hyacinths are native to the eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.  The species commonly found in cultivation is Hyacinthus orientalis and originates in SE Asia.  Another species of plant with the common name of grape hyacinth belongs to the genus Muscari and there are several species of Muscari in cultivation.  Muscari have smaller leaves and flowers than the garden hyacinth and are often used in naturalized areas.  In this article the common garden hyacinth, Hyacinthus orientalis, and the care of them  in a garden setting, will be discussed.

Hyacinths have been in cultivation a long time, they were grown by the Greeks and Romans in their gardens.  In early European gardens hyacinths were very popular, at one point there were over 2000 varieties being sold in the Dutch bulb markets. Today there are still a hundred or so named varieties being sold.  They are considered to be – as many spring blooming plants are- a symbol of re-birth and renewal and are popular Easter plants.

Hyacinths begin growth in spring with 4-6 green strap-like leaves. The flower stalk will emerge soon after from the center of the plant.  The leaves will yellow and die about a month after flowering and the plant will go into dormancy until the next spring.

Hyacinths bloom in spring, from mid to late spring, depending on variety.  In zones 5-6 that’s generally mid-April to mid-May.  The flowers are composed of 6 petals fused together to form a tube that flares open at the end, but there are many garden varieties with doubled flowers.  They are crowded together on a spike about 8 inches long in the center of the plant.  Most hyacinths have a strong, pleasing fragrance.

Flower color ranges from the beautiful blues associated with the name hyacinth to purple, red, orange, pink, white and yellow.  Hyacinths are a wonderful way to bring vibrant color, especially blues, to the flower border.

Care and planting of hyacinths

Hyacinths are generally purchased as bulbs, which are planted in the fall. Look for large, plump, firm bulbs.  Plant the bulbs in full sun in a well-drained location.  Bulbs can be planted under trees that leaf out slowly in the spring, as they will get enough sun before going dormant. Bulbs may do all right for a year or two in partial shade, but won’t last as long or multiply a well as those in sunnier locations.

Hyacinth bulbs are poisonous so they should be kept away from children and pets.  Hyacinths are seldom touched by mice, rabbits or deer, both bulbs and flowers. Some gardeners may experience skin irritation when the bulbs are handled so using gloves is advised at planting time. 

The hyacinth bulbs color can give you an idea of the flower color, with purplish bulbs producing blue or purple flowers, reddish bulbs producing pink or red flowers, yellow bulbs yellow or white flowers.  Plant the bulbs with the pointed side up and about twice as deep as the bulb is long.  Hyacinths look best when planted in groups; you can plant them as close as 6 inches.  They will last for several years in the garden and bulbs will slowly multiply.

Do not add bone meal to the holes when planting nor put fertilizer in the bottom of holes.  You can mix some slow release fertilizer in the soil as you refill in around the bulbs.  If fall is very dry a watering will help get the bulbs producing a root system, but fall watering is seldom needed.
Hyacinths credit en.wikipedia.org

In spring when bulbs begin emerging a slow release fertilizer for flowers can be used around the plants.  This can help make bigger flowers the next year and help the bulbs multiply.  In zones 5-6 watering usually isn’t needed in spring but if it gets dry, water the plants. 

Let the bulbs foliage die down naturally, as it is producing food for the bulb to make next year’s flowers.  Planting hyacinths among plants like daylilies, ferns, hosta and other perennials can hide the dying foliage.  When the leaves are limp and yellow they can be removed.

If you have forced some hyacinth bulbs to bloom inside or have bulbs grown in pots for Easter decorations you can plant these bulbs in the ground after they finish blooming but not all the bulbs handled this way will survive.  Bulbs grown in soil do better than those forced in water.  If they survive they may bloom again the next spring.

Plant plenty of hyacinths in the garden so you can cut some for bouquets and bring the lovely smell inside.  Every gardener should grow some hyacinths even if they are just a patch by the back door, so that you can truly smell spring.


Listen for thunder tonight- its a sound of spring
Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that you would like to share with other gardeners.  These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.

Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share?  Post them here by emailing me. You can also ask me to post garden related events. Kimwillis151@gmail.com

An interesting Plant Id page you can join on Facebook

Here’s a seed/plant sharing group you can join on Facebook

Invitation
If you are a gardener in Michigan close to Lapeer we invite you to join the Lapeer Area Horticultural Society. The club meets once a month, 6:30 pm, on the third Monday at various places for a short educational talk, snacks and socializing with fellow gardeners. (Monday, March 21, meet at Campbell’s Greenhouse, North Branch, for a tour.) No educational or volunteer requirements for membership, all are welcome. Membership dues are $20 per year. Come and visit us, sit in on a meeting for free. Contact Julie Schröder, LAHS Secretary, 810-728-2269 - Julie.Schroder@brose.com

New- Fine-Pruning the Landscape: Spring Cuts- Fri, March 25, 9:15am, Meadow Brook Hall, 480 S Adams Rd, Rochester, MI
         
Janet Macunovich will be giving pruning tips for trees and shrubs. Cost $5.  Sponsored by Meadow Brook GC For more info -2483646210, MBHGCMembers@gmail.com.

New- African Violet Display & Sale Sat, April 2, 10am-4pm Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI
Sponsored by MSU AV Society at Matthaei Gardens. There will be a FREE workshop at 10:30 am on growing violets, streptocarpus & other gesneriads. For more info LynnAllen0413@comcast.net.

 “Spring Ephemerals” Mon, March 21, 6:30-7:30 pm Mt Clemens Library, Mount Clemens, MI,
Cheryl English presents Native Wildflowers for the Woodland Garden. $10.  More info call 586-954-9998.

Basic Vegetable Gardening- Two free seminars- Tue, March 22, 6:30 -8 pm, MSU Extension,-21885 Dunham Rd, Charter Twp. of Clinton, MI  OR Wed, March 23, 1-2:30pm, Thompson Community Ctr, 11370 Hupp Ave, Warren, MI
         
This program covers everything from planning to planting. To register for either session call 586-469-6440.

MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring Program: The Garden Professors April 9, 2016, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Plant and Soil Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue Street East Lansing, MI

Looking to bust through gardening myths and dig down to the truth? Join the creators of The Garden Professors, a blog where expert professors from around the country use science-based information to provide you with the facts about gardening from every aspect. We will host two of these professors and they will be joined by organic farming expert, Adam Montri. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance, many of which will be answered by these experts during a final Q & A session! Early registration (on or before March 31) for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $70, Early registration (on or before March 31) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $80 Registrations received after March 31 $90

Contact: Jennifer Sweet at 517-353-0443 or hgardens@msu.edu

Great Lakes Hosta College, March 18-19, 2016, Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua, Ohio.

Students attend 5 classes they have chosen from a program of over 70 classes taught by a faculty of approximately 50 volunteers. Mid-day each student has lunch from a delicious buffet included in the registration fee. At the end of the day students take a brief break and then return for a banquet and talk that concludes the Hosta College experience.

The vending area offers a large selection of plants (even though it may be snowing outside!), garden accessories, tools, and other garden-related merchandise for shoppers. The Bookstore features gardening books at fantastic discounts, stationery, society clothing items, and other Hosta College souvenirs. Persons who belong to one of the local societies with membership in the Great Lakes Region receive preferential registration and a reduced registration fee.  $42 registration fee for members, $55 registration fee for non-members.

To register or get class list go to http://www.ihostohio.org/portal/glhc/college.asp

Here’s a facebook page link for gardeners in the Lapeer area.  This link has a lot of events listed on it.

Here’s a link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/

Here’s a link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road, North Branch. 

Here’s a link to classes and events at Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor
Here’s a link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in Michigan.

Here’s a link to classes at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Twsp. MI, and now combined with Goldner Walsh in Pontiac MI.

Here’s a link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston and Brighton locations

Here’s a link to events at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road Ann Arbor, Michigan  | Phone 734-997-1553 |
http://www.lesliesnc.org/

Here’s a link to events at Hidden Lake Gardens, 6214 Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI

Here’s a link to events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580


Newsletter information
If you would like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes. You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do reserve the right to publish what I want.
I write this because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com



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