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Tuesday, March 7, 2017

March 7, 2017, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter


Hi Gardeners
Windflowers ( anemone)

March weather is notoriously unstable here in Michigan. I was standing in the barn this morning feeding chickens when I became aware of a roaring that was coming closer.  At first I thought it was jets, lots of them.  I then realized it was going on longer than the noise of jets usually does and not fading in the distance.  It suddenly came to me that maybe it was a tornado- so I rushed to the front of the barn to look out- which probably wasn’t the best move- and I saw a line of dark clouds passing by just to the south very swiftly.  I saw nothing that looked like a funnel and the winds on the ground were high, but not tornadic.  But it was the source of the noise; a rumbling black freight train of wind. When the tail end of that line of clouds passed the noise began to recede. I have never seen anything like that.  If that wind had been on the ground there would have been terrible damage.

On my Monday walk with Gizzy it was 62 degrees and partly sunny with a strong breeze from the south.  That’s amazing because Sunday the temperature was only 38 for the high and the wind was so strong it felt like 0 out there.   Monday morning we had some light rain but then it cleared off.  We had a nice walk around the pond and spring is certainly progressing.  There was no ice on the pond and birds were singing all over.  Redwing blackbirds are everywhere, although I haven’t seen a robin here yet.

I have crocus and winter aconite that will be blooming in a few days.  The snowdrops are still blooming. Most of the spring bulbs are peeking through the soil.  Pussy willows at the pond were in bloom.  Both amur honeysuckle and trumpet honeysuckle are actually getting leaves.  There was leaf bud break on apricot, lilac, black willow, forsythia and multiflora rose.  Daylilies are sprouting, as well as beebalm, lemon balm, golden globe, mums, and chives.

There are big buds on the flowering quince and I found a rotting quince on the bush- one I hadn’t noticed in the fall.  It’s the first time I have known the plant to set fruit.  The apricot branch I brought inside to force is blooming, and I added some fuzzy pussy tail catkins to the vase.  On a walk last week I found some small bulbs that had been heaved out of the ground so I brought them inside and put them in a flower pot on the porch.  Even though it’s not heated out there they have jumped in size and are 3-4 inches high.  Two are crocus and the other is a mystery.

Pussy willows
Inside my little fuchsia plants are blooming like crazy.   The streptocarpus have lots of buds. The hibiscus are in a lull in bloom but have lots of buds.  Kalanchoe and abutilon are in bloom.  Oddly enough the Christmas cacti keep putting out new flushes of bloom this year.  And I have an amaryllis getting ready to bloom.  This will be its 4th year of bloom. Many of my house plants are taking a growth spurt now. 

March almanac

The full moon in March (March 12th) is called the Worm moon, because earthworms once more make worm casts on the soil surface, or Sap moon because the trees begin to produce sap again. (That was in earlier years, now they produce sap in February in some places.) The moon perigee was the 3rd and will occur again this month on the 30th – a good day to expect a storm around.  Moon apogee is the 18th.

The most important date for all gardeners in March is, of course the first day of spring.  It’s March 20th.  That’s the date when the length of the day and the night are about the same, the spring equinox. Actually in Michigan the length of the day will be 12 hours and 10 minutes.  The length of the day will be 12 hours, 42 minutes on March 31st.  March 12th begins daylight savings time. Spring those clocks ahead 1 hour.

Other important dates and holidays in March are: 7th – Employee Appreciation Day, 8th International Women’s day, 12th – Girl Scout Day and Plant a flower Day, the 13th is National popcorn day and the 14th National Potato chip day.  The 14th is also Learn about Butterflies day.

The 15th is the Ides of March.  In ancient Rome this was the beginning of the New Year and also of spring. The 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and the 18th is the Goddess of Fertility day.  The 19th is poultry day, the 20th is Earth Day although beware-it’s also Alien Abduction day.  The 25th is National Agriculture day as well as National Pecan day and National Waffle day. The 30th is National Doctors day.

March is Irish American month as well as National Women’s History month, National Nutrition month, National Peanut month, National Craft Month and National Frozen Foods month. 

March’s birth flower is the daffodil or jonquil, the birthstone is aqua marine.

What can be pruned now

With an early spring across much of the country what you can prune is going to vary a lot from area to area, even among the same growing zone.  Normally March is a good month for zones 5-6 to do pruning. Pruning fruit trees and grape vines can still be done as long as trees and vines are dormant. Dormant means that the buds are tight and not showing signs of green.   Get a good pruning manual and follow the directions.  You can get pruning information at your County Extension office also.  Pruning your fruit trees and grape vines makes your plants healthier and more productive. 

Apricot blooms
It’s a good time to prune oaks, yews, poplars, willows, honey locust, katsura, sycamore and some other trees.  Take out all winter damaged limbs, crossing and rubbing branches, and thin and shape if needed.  The trees are best pruned when dormant too, especially oaks.  Trees can be pruned once sap starts flowing and buds expand but it’s messier and trees like oaks may attract insects if sap is leaking.  The insects carry many tree diseases such as oak wilt between trees.

What not to prune

Don’t prune fruit trees that are kept just for spring flowers, such as ornamental cherries and crabapples, if they haven’t flowered, at this time.  If you do you won’t get flowers.  Once they have flowered go ahead and prune away.

Do not prune pines until new growth has expanded at the branch tips. The proper way to prune pines is to let the new growth fully expand and then remove only a third to a half of that new growth. Of course you can remove dead branches at any time.  Do not prune trees or shrubs you want spring flowers from, like redbuds, dogwood, magnolias, forsythia, lilacs, azalea, rhododendron, witch hazel, weigelia, spirea, flowering quince, and daphne, if they haven’t flowered yet.  If your shrubs have already flowered it’s a good time to prune them.

Woody and semi-woody perennials should not be pruned even if they have started to leaf out.  This includes roses. The ends of stems have hardened over the winter, or died back, and are protecting buds farther down the stem. If you cut them back in March a cold snap may kill buds down much farther than you want. Instead wait for mid to late April (zones 5-6) (early April zone 7) or when the weather seems to be settled in your area.

Check for and repair winter damage (if possible) from rodents and deer.  Look at the bottoms of tree and shrub to see if the bark has been chewed.  If a tree or shrub is totally girdled, (the bark is eaten off all around the tree) it may die.  Some shrubs and even trees may return from the roots.  You’ll want to give damaged shrubs and trees extra water and fertilizer as new growth begins to help them recover.  Grafted trees such as most fruit trees, will not respond with growth like the old tree, they come back from rootstock that is generally undesirable for fruiting.  You’ll want to remove those trees.

Girdled trees

March clean up

If your spring flowering bulbs were heavily mulched and you can see growth through it, you need to gently remove most of the mulch from around them.  Once they are growing leaving the mulch won’t stop the growth. If the mulch is leaves, like in my garden, the leaves may deform flower buds as the stems grow up right through leaves.  If you see this gently pull the leaves off. I use a small rake, called a shrub rake, to remove leaves around and between the plants.  Mulch can be left around sturdy perennials that will grow up through it before blooming.

Don’t be in a hurry to remove any protective mulch you put over strawberries.  If the weather gets quite warm you can remove some of the mulch but leave it close by and be prepared to re-cover plants if a cold snap is coming. You may want some floating row cover or old sheets handy if strawberries progress to the point of bloom and then a cold snap is predicted.  Covering plants could protect the bloom and allow you to get fruit.  Do not use plastic unless it is held away from the plants on a frame.  Make sure to remove covers promptly if it’s sunny in the morning and will be above freezing.

If you didn’t cut down your herbaceous perennials, plants whose upper parts died over winter, you can do that cleanup now.  Remove old stems and seed stalks.  Use caution when cutting back mums.  Leave the stems several inches above ground to avoid damaging buds on the lower stems.  Work with all plants carefully so as not to damage emerging sprouts or pull them from wet ground.

Cut back ornamental grasses to the ground.  Some people burn the old foliage but be aware that these dried clumps can go up in flames like a torch and be ready to keep flames from spreading.

If the vegetable garden wasn’t cleaned up in the fall you can do that now.  Remove all old debris to avoid insect and disease problems in the coming year.  It’s a good time to add aged manure or compost to the beds.  If you used a cover crop it’s time to mow it down.  If you still till your garden you can till in compost or the cover crop.  Do not till if the soil is still wet.  You’ll compact the soil and cause numerous problems.

Planting in March

In planting zones 6 and below most of your planting should be done inside, or in tunnels or greenhouses.  If the weather has been fairly warm and the soil is dry enough to work and frost free you could plant the very earliest outside crops.  That includes peas, lettuce, and radishes. Pansies and violas can be planted outside for early color.  Grass seed can be planted and can even be sowed on top of snow, although birds may eat it.

In planting zones 7 and 8 how your weather is this year will determine what you can plant.  Cold resistant crops like cabbage, onions, and beets can be planted.  If temperatures have been high and lilacs have bloomed your warm weather crops are probably safe.  That includes tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beans and sweet corn.  Bedding flowers like petunias and geraniums are also safe.  You may have missed the best time for grass seeding, but if it’s still relatively cool and moist you could try it.  I would wait until next month to put your tender tropical outside.

In all zones bare root, dormant plants; trees, shrubs and perennials and dormant potted hardy plants can be planted if the ground is thawed.  If plants have begun to sprout or have leaves a little more caution is needed.  In zones 7 and above I’d get them in the ground unless they are considered borderline hardy for your zone.  If you are worried hold them in a cool, bright place until the weather is a bit warmer.

Below zone 7 planting trees, shrubs and perennials that have begun to leaf out or are in bloom should be tied to the current growth stage of similar plants already in the ground.  For example if apple trees in the ground in your area are leafing out you could plant a new potted apple tree that is leafing out.  If hosta plants are showing above ground then a new hosta plant that is at a similar growth stage can be planted.  If you are worried about the new plants being damaged keep them in a cool, sunny place indoors until they can go outside.  An unheated greenhouse or tunnel would be fine.

Patience is a virtue in gardening as it is in many aspects of life.  Generally waiting a bit longer is safer than planting at the first signs of spring.  Sometimes though, it doesn’t hurt to take a chance.  For example seeds are fairly cheap.  If you plant your beans too early and a late frost kills them you can just plant them again.  But you may want to practice patience if you are thinking about planting a $50.00 perennial.

Brewing chocolate

I was reading some nutrition research and found a study that said brewed chocolate helps improve memory, concentration and mood and increases your metabolism and energy level.  Brewed chocolate is a new trend, one I hadn’t heard about but I am going to try.  Brewed chocolate is made like coffee and is not like cocoa.  The cacao beans are roasted and ground like coffee beans, which you then use in a coffee maker.  I haven’t seen the roasted beans in regular stores yet but they are available on line, even on Amazon, and I guess in some gourmet food shops.  On Amazon 10 oz. of roasted cacao sold for a little over $10.

Unlike cocoa powder the ground, roasted beans do not have the cocoa fat removed and include the husk of the bean.  This increases the antioxidant and vitamin level in the brewed product. Reportedly an 8 oz. cup of brewed cacao has more antioxidants than 2 servings of blueberries.  It also has little caffeine but lots of theobromine, which boosts your energy level without the jitters.  If you drink black coffee you’ll probably like brewed cacao straight.  Other people add sugar and cream.

Brewed cacao might be hard to come by if the experts are right and a cacao shortage is in the near future.  To ease the shortage researchers have been looking for a plant substitute.  They found that Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds might make a passable substitute when fermented and treated like cacao.  However the research I read says they smell like chocolate, and doesn’t say anything about the taste.  The fruit of the Jackfruit is widely eaten in South America and Southeast Asia but the seeds are generally discarded.

How to Grow Rhubarb

Rhubarb sprouting
I was out walking in early March and noticed that my rhubarb was already sprouting in the garden.  Rhubarb is a crop gardeners from zone 3 – 7 can easily grow, so if you like rhubarb and strawberry pie, find room for a plant or two in your yard.  Rhubarb needs a long cold dormant period, so gardeners in the south won’t have great luck with this plant.

Rhubarb is not just for pie, the plants are ornamental, if you like large, impressive leaves and it has pretty, tall spikes of fragrant, tiny white flowers in early summer.  Plants can be tucked in the back of a perennial bed and will fit right in. It will even do well in light shade, although your crop will be bigger and plants more robust in full sun.

Rhubarb is a perennial crop; once you plant it you can harvest it for many years.  Make sure you choose a location for it in your garden where it won’t be disturbed.  As plants mature they can easily fill a 5-6 foot square area, so keep that in mind when looking for a planting location.  Rhubarb isn’t fussy about soil type or soil pH as well as it is in a well-drained area.  It does appreciate a soil with lots of organic matter.

Rhubarb has large, “crinkled” or “rumpled” dark green leaves with bright red stalks. The stalks are redder in the early spring and some varieties have redder stalks than others.  Rhubarb plants slowly get larger over the years and a clump of rhubarb can be 3 feet high and 5-6 feet wide. In early summer rhubarb puts up tall flower stalks with clusters of white, airy flowers.  These will turn to flat brown seed pods if flower heads are not trimmed off.

Planting rhubarb

Gardeners usually start with rhubarb “roots”, dormant divisions of a rhubarb plant.  It can be grown from seeds fairly easily but you must wait several years for a harvest from seed grown plants. There are several good varieties of rhubarb.  Victoria is an old variety that grows well in the garden.  Canada Red and Valentine are two other good varieties.  Rhubarb is generally planted in early spring.   One or two well grown plants are usually enough for a small family.

Rhubarb likes rich, fertile soil.  Work in compost and well-aged manure where you are going to plant it.   Plant rhubarb so the sprouts are about 2 inches below the soil.  Plants should be spaced at least 3 feet apart.   About 3 weeks after planting, as growth starts, use a slow release garden fertilizer around the plants.  If spring is dry, water rhubarb to keep it succulent and growing.

Yearly care of rhubarb

Fertilize rhubarb each year as you see growth begin. Keep it weeded, especially the first year as it establishes itself.  Deer or rabbits rarely touch rhubarb.  Rhubarb has few pests other than kids; make sure you keep an eye on those so they don’t over harvest

Rhubarb may need to be divided if clumps seem to be producing fewer stalks or thin weak stalks.  Simply dig up the whole clump in early spring and pull apart the roots and stem buds into separate clumps with several stem buds on each.  Replant as soon as possible.  Most rhubarb benefits from dividing every 3-5 years.  However many people have had clumps for 20 years without dividing the plants if there is plenty of room for the plants to spread.

Young Rhubarb 
Some garden books recommend trimming off the flower stalks before they get very large.  This does concentrate plant energy to leaf and root growth and for the first year or two after you plant rhubarb this is probably a good idea.  After that you can allow the flowers to develop without any harm.  The flowers develop after the spring rhubarb stalk harvest and the plant has time to replace removed stalks before fall.  Do remove the flower stalks after the flowers die, you don’t need the plant using energy to produce seeds and the seed pods aren’t that attractive.

In the fall, after rhubarb leaves are killed by frost, trim them off.  I personally pile the cut leaves over the growing location.  Or after the ground freezes throw a layer of straw or oak leaves over the rhubarb crown.   Remove the mulch in early spring.  It’s a good idea to mark the location of rhubarb clumps with a stake if early garden work could damage them.

Harvesting rhubarb

Unfortunately you’ll need to skip a harvest the first year you plant rhubarb.   The plant needs to establish a good root system and needs all its leaves.  In the second year and every year after, you can harvest up to a third of the leaf stalks.  To harvest rhubarb simply snap or cut the stalks off the plant.   Wash well before eating. Never eat rhubarb leaves.  Stop harvesting rhubarb as the days get hot and if you see flower stalks forming, as it tends to get bitter then.

Rhubarb can be eaten raw as most country kids know, or sweetened and cooked into pies, preserves or jelly.  A common name for rhubarb is pie plant. It is often combined with strawberries for some delectable treats.  Rhubarb can be washed, cut into small pieces and frozen.  Frozen rhubarb will be soft when thawed but can be turned into pies and other treats.   It can also be cooked and frozen.
Rhubarb in bloom

Caution- and medicinal use

Never consume any part of the rhubarb plant except the stalks and stalks only in the spring.   Rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which can be poisonous.  In the spring, before the flower stalks start, the stems of rhubarb have little oxalic acid and are safe to eat, unless you consume huge quantities.  If there has been a heavy frost or freeze after stalks are well developed the stalks may be high in oxalic acid and not safe to eat.  Wait 7-10 days after weather has warmed before resuming harvest.

Rhubarb has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  And you may have guessed its primary use- as a laxative. Powdered root was used for this purpose.  Consuming large amounts of rhubarb stalks can also lead to a tummy ache and lots of bathroom trips even in the spring.  It was also prescribed as a diet aid- but I can think of better ways to lose weight.   Modern medicine has isolated a pigment in rhubarb that is being studied for leukemia treatment. Rhubarb root can produce a brown dye.

Michigan is also home to a thriving commercial rhubarb crop, most of it grown under glass or in tunnels to provide early rhubarb for those who craving the sweet -sour treat before it is ready in the garden.  Rhubarb is a good crop for early sales at Farmer’s markets.

If you love rhubarb, you can tuck a clump into all but the tiniest garden and enjoy it for many years.  The best tasting rhubarb is right from your own garden.

Planning the woodland garden

Hodgeson garden
If you have property that has lots of mature trees you may be considering a garden that features shade loving or woodland plants.  Woodland gardens are gardens where humans manipulate the understory plants- the plants which tolerate conditions of shade and competition from larger plants and fill in the space under them.  For some that may be a wooded glen full of native wildflowers or for others a place to showcase hosta, heuchera and other shade plants.  There are many plants that will grow in the shade of other plants but not every shade loving plant will grow in any shaded area.

Degrees of shade

When you are considering developing a garden in a wooded or shaded area there are several considerations.  One is of course the light available for a garden.  There are very densely shaded areas under trees that won’t be suitable for most types of understory plants.  The best areas for woodland gardens are where there is filtered light, with a light tree canopy and shifting patterns of sunlit spots.  In nature this occurs at the edges of woodlands and around areas where trees have fallen or died.  A path or road through your woodlands may provide these conditions on either side of it.

The shade from deciduous trees (trees which lose their leaves in the winter) is different from the shade under evergreen trees.  Deciduous wooded areas offer the chance for many understory plants to grow and bloom in the early spring to early summer period, before the trees have heavy leaf coverage.  Many native wildflowers fall into this category and are called ephemeral flowers.  They grow and bloom early in the season then die back and go dormant until the next spring.   There are also a few plants that bloom in autumn, after the leaves begin to fall.

In contrast when shade is from evergreen trees plants have to adapt to a continuous level of low light.  These areas can support good woodland gardens if they are thinned and “limbed up” to allow some light to penetrate.  This is generally easier to achieve under pines, which tend to lose their lower branches as they grow anyway and still maintain a pleasing look when lower limbs are removed.  In contrast spruce and firs tend to look a bit odd when lower limbs are pruned to allow more light to penetrate under them.  

Very densely planted stands of evergreens such as those in windbreaks and abandoned Christmas tree farms will need a lot of thinning and pruning, including the removal of whole trees, if you want to plant a woodland garden under them.   Some deciduous stands of trees may also need thinning and pruning before a garden under them is attempted.  If you have property like this and want to put in a woodland garden you may want to consult with and or use the services of a registered arborist or forester.  They can advise you how to correctly thin and remove trees.
Dappled shade under an oak in spring.

Competition for water and food

Moisture levels under trees can be a limiting factor as to what plants will grow there.  The area under trees often has drier soil than other areas.  While shade helps keep moisture from evaporating from soil as quickly as in a sunny area the trees also prevent some rain from ever hitting the ground under them.  And when rain does hit the soil beneath the trees it is quickly soaked up by the trees roots.  Some areas turn out to be quite dry. Areas under deciduous trees may have more moisture in the soil because at times of the year rain and snow can reach the ground readily. If you have the ability to water under the tree canopy then you may be able to use a wider range of plants there.

Tree roots also grab soil nutrients. The soil characteristics such as soil fertility and soil pH under trees can vary just as it does anywhere else but it is harder to amend these things than in an area not under trees.  It’s a good idea to get a soil test done before beginning a woodland garden. Then you may have a better idea of what plants will do well there. Some trees will also have many surface roots that make planting understory plants under them difficult.  

Usually soil under wooded areas has a lot of organic matter in it from rotting leaves and/or needles.  Most woodland plants really appreciate this.  But in some cases the property owner has removed leaves or needles every year and the soil is low in organic matter.  While some organic matter can be worked into soil at planting time no more than 3 inches of soil or organic matter such as compost or wood chips should be put on top of tree roots.  Adding more may cause stress or death to the trees.

Some tree roots may actually give off chemicals that interfere with the growth of plants near them.  Black walnut trees and Tree of Heaven, (Ailanthus altissima), for example, stunt the growth or kill plants growing near their roots.  Other trees which may have allopathic (suppressant)  factors include Sugar maple, Black Locust, Eucalyptus, Sassafrass, Red oak, Black Cherry, and Sycamore.  There are plants which will grow near these species but your selection will be more limited. (Note: alleopathy is now controversial, with some experts believing that these trees do not give off chemical suppressants, but may alter soil conditions.)

If you are willing and able to use some irrigation and supplemental feeding you can grow many species of woodland plants that might not grow in your woodland area naturally.  If you want your woodland garden to be completely self-sustaining you’ll have to use care to select plant species that suit your conditions.


Deciding what to plant

After you have determined light, soil, moisture and nutrient conditions of your woodland area you’ll need to decide just what type of plants you want to grow- and can grow- in those conditions.  You can choose to grow only plants native to your area.  You can use plants that are native to your area with a few “wild flowers” from other places with similar climates and conditions.  You can use only cultivated shade species such as heuchera, hosta and similar plants.  Or you use in your woodland garden any kind of plant that will grow well in your shade conditions, including annual plants and tropical plants during the summer.

Make sure that you research the zone hardiness and specific cultural requirements of plants that you select for your woodland garden just as you would for other gardens. Some woodland plants such as violets and sweet woodruff can spread quickly so keep the invasive qualities in mind as you choose plants too. Some species of plants have varieties that have different levels of light requirements.  Certain hosta varieties, for example, need more light than others to do well, so pay attention to specific variety requirements.

In any garden it’s important to plan on plants whose foliage, form or texture, are as important as the flowers.  In woodland gardens it is even more important because most woodland plants only have a short blooming period, which tends to be concentrated in the spring, and when they do bloom the blooms may not be very conspicuous.  Some woodland plants may disappear altogether once summer arrives.  

Plants with gold or white variegated foliage, blue or red foliage can add color without flowers.  Light colored foliage, especially in the golden range, brightens dark areas and is very effective in small amounts. Don’t overdo such color spots though- it will not look natural in a woodland setting.  Varying the texture; ferns, broad leaved hosta, Japanese Forest grass, and form; ground covers, upright, arching spreading and so forth of plants is also more pleasing than plants that are all of one size and shape.

If you observe your wooded area carefully you may notice areas where “spotlights” of sun fall at least part of the day.  These areas may support plants that more evenly shaded areas won’t.  These areas are also great for a “focus point” perhaps an exuberant basket of tuberous begonias or a cluster of fuchsia. They are also good areas to locate a water feature in the shade garden as the light is reflected off the water.
Partial shade garden

Bulbs and small spring plants for woodland gardens

Crocus, snowdrops, wood hyacinth, cyclamen(spring blooming), anemone, Shooting Stars(Dodecatheon species) Helleborus species, Lily of the Valley, Blood root, Hepatica species, Erythronium (Trout Lilies), Trilliums, Arisaema species (Jack in The Pulpit), Corydalis, Arum, primula, violas and violets, Bleeding hearts, Epimedium, Tiarella, Uvularia, Chionodoxa ,Hyacinthoides( English Bluebells), Scilla, Eranthis, Fritillaria.  At the edges of deciduous trees tulips and narcissus often do well.

Summer and fall blooming plants
Astilbe, Aralia, Aconitum, Kirengeshoma, cyclamen (fall blooming), Evening primrose, Trycyrtis (Toad Lilies), Cranesbill geraniums, Hypericum, Siberian Iris, Lobelia, (some species), Polemonium (Jacobs Ladder), Cypripedium (lady Slipper orchids), Autumn Crocus.

Ground cover type plants
Sweet Woodruff, Bunchberry, Pachysandra, Ajuga, Lamium, Chrysogonum, Liriope, Phlox stolonifera, Phlox divaricate, Asarum (Wild Ginger), violets.

Larger Foliage  (some also bloom)
Hosta, heuchera, heucherella, Brunnera, Aruncus, Cimicifuga(Snakeroot), Mukdenia, Rodgersia, Ferns(various), Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass), Solomon’s Seal, Pulmonaria, Goldenseal, Paris Polyphylla, May apple

Shrubs and trees

Japanese Maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, Calycanthus, Dogwoods (some species) Clethra, Fothergilla, Daphne, Itea, Hydrangea (some), Schizophragma (vine) Viburnum,(some).

Annuals/ tender tropical/ houseplants for shade

Tuberous begonias, rex begonias, coleus, fuchsia, impatiens, Norfolk Pines, staghorn ferns, Snake plant, spider plant, streptocarpus, peace lily and many other houseplants.  Many houseplants that like sun inside do better in partial shade or light shade outside.

Your woodland garden will probably evolve a bit through the years as you discover what species do well and where you need more color, form or interest.  Being open to adding non-native plants or supplementing with annuals and tropical plants will often provide the most pleasing and interesting woodland garden.  Many woodland native plants are now available through garden stores. New shade plants are being discovered and new varieties being developed from older ones each year. 

March Maple Biscuits

A good cook knows how to make good biscuits.  Here’s a biscuit recipe for maple syrup time.  These are very rich and satisfying.  Make this a yearly treat; don’t sub “healthy” ingredients.  That said if you can’t find real maple syrup use the grocery store “flavored” kind.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into tiny pieces
¾ cup cream
¼ cup real maple syrup

Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
Melt these together and set aside.

Biscuit directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put the flour, salt and baking powder in the blender (or bowl)

Add the butter pieces, pulse blend until the mix resembles coarse cornmeal (or use a fork to cut in the flour)

Pour the cream and maple syrup into the blender, blend just a few seconds until a dough forms.  (Or blend the ingredients in a bowl)

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead several times.

Roll the dough out into a ¾ inch thick rectangle.

Using a biscuit cutter or glass cut out biscuits and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  (About 12 biscuits)

Brush each biscuit with the reserved butter and maple syrup mixture.

Bake about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm with butter or maple syrup.

This week’s garden question: I have clay soil and I want to plant some trees. Should I use a bag of peat in each hole?
Janelle, from Ohio

This is a very common question and the answer that real plant experts will give you is no.   However people at garden shops and nurseries will often try and sell you some amendment for your soil when they sell you a tree or shrub.  Can you guess why that might be so?  Some people are well meaning, because that’s what they have been taught.  Others just see an additional sale. Landscapers, particularly at new home sites often do this, but that doesn’t mean they are right. It just seems like that if you have heavy clay soil or sandy rocky soil that those new roots a tree puts out would like some light fluffy peat around them, or compost, or topsoil.  But that’s not so.

Real plant experts will tell you that you should always refill holes you dig to plant trees or shrubs with the soil you removed.  That’s true even if you believe your soil is terrible.  First you should select trees and shrubs that are going to be able to survive in the soil conditions you have.  Second, as that new plant begins to grow new roots they will immediately adapt to the native soil conditions.  Third, research studies have proven that not amending the soil in the planting hole is the best approach to tree planting. 

If you place a bag of peat in a hole dug in heavy clay soil you are basically putting a sponge in a bathtub with the plant roots.  That’s not a great idea.  Sometimes tree roots will circle around and around in amended soil rather than going bravely out into the native soil.  This may cause the roots to girdle and “choke” the young tree.  It can also cause the tree to be more easily blown over in a storm. 

Trees may seem to take off and grow faster in an amended planting situation but in the long run their health and stability is better if holes are re-filled with the native soil.  An early growth spurt is often followed by die-back or poor growth as the tree tries to adjust to the new conditions the roots are experiencing outside the original planting area.
Make your planting holes twice as wide as the plant root ball, loose soil is always helpful. But if you add anything, make it a little slow release granular fertilizer that you mix into the soil before re-filling the hole. I prefer not to fertilize until I see new growth start on the tree.  Mulching new trees is always a good idea.  If you feel you must do something else, add mulch to the soil surface after planting, just don’t let it actually touch the tree trunk.

In short: refill planting holes with the soil you removed and do not be tempted to mess with nature.

Just 12 days to spring!

Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

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And So On….
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