Hi Gardeners
It’s a wonderfully mild day
here for late November, 65 degrees and partly sunny with a strong southern
breeze. That will change soon of course,
this time of year the weather changes dramatically from day to day and a cold
front is predicted late tomorrow. For
those of you in the eastern half of the country be aware that the national
weather service long range forecast is predicting a polar vortex air flow in
the first week of December although where it will be exactly and how strong it
will be, is still unknown. But many of
us could get some real winter weather soon.
There’s not much to say about the
garden. Everything is pretty much
gone. I have let the chickens have free
roaming rights through the front gardens as there’s not much they can hurt
now. I have the solar lights strung
around the evergreens to deter the deer.
I am removing the squishy pumpkin and gourd decorations from the deck to
the compost pile. The grass is still
green though.
Inside I still have a lot in
bloom. Nothing makes a dreary winter day
nicer than a window lit by bright sun lamps and full of flowering plants. You should try it.
I’m supposed to get my new
computer today. I hope by next week it
will all be set up and things will be running smoothly again.
What I’m learning -again- about healthy eating
I am learning a new way to eat
again. A couple of years ago my husband and I decided that we would follow a
low carb diet and it suited us fine, we both lost weight on it and I was doing
well controlling my blood sugar on it.
But during my recent hospitalization my blood was tested for almost
everything and according to the hematologist I am deficient in B12, folate and
iron. (I was already taking supplements for potassium and magnesium because
those were low.) That surprised me because our low carb diet is heavy on
protein from meat, which is a source of both B12 and iron.
But as the doctor explained,
people over 60 often lose the ability to absorb some vitamins efficiently and
my diabetes medicines also contributed to the loss of some vitamins. Our diet also included dark leafy greens and
vegetables and fruits, sources of folate, but it obviously wasn’t enough.
It's always better to eat
foods that supply all your nutrients instead of taking supplements if you can. I
am supposed to eat less dark leafy greens and things like broccoli because they
promote blood clotting. I found out that
2 eggs a day, if I was processing folate normally, would only account for about
15% of normal folate requirements. If I
ate 6 ounces of liver everyday I might meet my folate requirements and maybe my
iron requirements but that isn’t going to happen since I can’t stand liver.
So how are people like me
supposed to get all their nutrients from their diet? In
1998 the US government recognized that many people were not getting enough
folic acid and B12 in a normal diet, especially since the trend is away from
eating lots of meat and eggs. And then there are people like me. The USDA
required grain products, such as flour, cornmeal, bread, cereal, pasta and rice
be fortified with these nutrients. Iron is also added to many fortified
foods. In the US deficiencies of folate
and B12 are now rare, unless you are like me and don’t eat carbs and have
nutrient processing problems. (Labels
don’t always mention folate and B12 levels but if the product uses enriched
flour, cornmeal or rice, it’s there).
It’s much easier for me to add
some fortified food products in carb form than to try and devise a low carb
diet high in the nutrients I am deficient in. I’ll be back to eating carbs- I am
still trying for whole grain products but they have to be fortified. And for a
while at least I’ll be on supplements. People may knock the USDA and moan about
what’s in our country’s food supply, but we still have one of the safest and
best food supply systems in the world.
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| Clematis seed heads |
Should
you start cuttings in water?
The answer to the question above is maybe. There are many plants, especially many
tropical plants we use as houseplants, that can be easily rooted in water. But is this the best way to start new
plants? If you intend to keep the new
plant you start in water for most of it’s life and it’s a plant that will root
in water go for it. There are many
plants that can live in water indefinitely. Some people have collections of
pretty bottles, each with a plant in them.
If, however, you want to move the new plant you are
starting into a pot with potting medium eventually, you may want to re-consider
starting it in water. When roots are
growing in water they are more delicate, “crisper” and more easily broken or
damaged than roots grown in soil. They
haven’t had to push through soil to seek water and nutrients. Plants that prefer to have a symbiotic
relationship with fungi in the soil won’t be able to develop that fungi
collaboration growing in water.
Many plants root easily in water but then suffer and
decline when moved to soil or potting medium.
Many people try to add soil to the water cuttings are growing in
gradually, thinking the plant roots will adjust to it. However this doesn’t do much good and may
even set the plant back or kill it. A little
soil in the water isn’t harmful, it’s when the soil added to the cutting
container becomes like saturated, over watered pots in the house or garden that
problems occur. The plant can’t use its
water roots effectively to absorb oxygen anymore and the soil is too saturated
for oxygen to be present in the pore spaces of the soil.
Some plants manage to persevere and as many gardeners
will tell you, they overcome the difficulties of adjusting from growing in
water to growing in soil. But if you
intend for a plant to grow in a pot with potting medium or in the garden it’s
better to start cuttings directly in potting medium of some type. And if you did start a cutting in water and
want to transplant it to a pot don’t add soil gradually to the water, simply
pot the rooted cutting in moist but not saturated soil and hope for the best.
Plants that root easily in water often root quickly in
soil or potting medium also if cared for properly. It’s easier to just plunk those broken pieces
of plant into water (and it’s a good way to keep cuttings alive until you have
time to pot them), but rooting cuttings in potting medium is generally better
for the plant.
Here’s how to optimize your success in rooting “soft”
cuttings. First begin with plants that
will grow from cuttings. There is
probably a way to grow most plants from cuttings but some plants require
extensive care and time to root from cuttings and they certainly won’t grow if
a piece is plopped in water. Take hosta
for example. They rarely start from
cuttings, rather they are divided at the root system or started from tissue
culture. Many plants with a “crown”
(leaves growing from a central point near the ground), type of growth pattern,
don’t grow well from cuttings. This
incudes plants like daylilies, hosta, Chinese evergeen (Aglaonema), alocasia,
amaryllis, anthriums, Cast iron plant (Aspidistra), ferns, prayer plant (Maranta tricolor) and palms.
Other plants with a single woody or semi-woody trunk
might start from a cutting off that trunk but it would probably destroy the
look of the plant. In houseplants I’m thinking of plants like dracaena and some
ficus, such as rubber plants. If these
plants get too lanky the top is often cut off and rooted, although that procedure
is tricky.
Some woody and semi-woody garden plants and some woody
houseplants can be started from branch cuttings or tip cuttings. This generally requires researching what time
of year is best to take the cutting and what rooting procedures to follow. Roses and many landscape plants can be
started from cuttings. For landscape
type plants consult a reference or experienced nursery for rooting procedures.
The best plants to start from simple soft tissue cuttings
include many plants with a vining habit, or those with multiple fleshy stems. Sedums and succulents usually start well from
soft cuttings. Plants that produce pups,
small plants at the base, (like aloe) or aerial plantlets (think spider plants)
can be started easily from those plant parts.
Some will even root in water.
Most plants need at least 2 nodes on a cutting to start a
new plant. Nodes are points on a plant
stem where there are cells that can start new plant parts. They are where leaves grow out of the stem and
may be seen as scars or raised areas on a stem.
You need one node to form the new plant’s roots and one to form the
above ground parts, so each cutting must have at least 2 nodes. You can have more than 1 node above the
potting medium and more than 1 in the medium but don’t make cuttings too
large. Cuttings with 4-5 nodes usually
root the fastest and easiest.
There
are some plants that can form adventitious roots from plant parts other than
nodes. That’s why rex begonias and African violets may be started from a single
leaf and no nodes. I’ll discuss them
another time.
Some plants root better if the cutting is kept orientated
in the direction the plant was growing, that is the nodes closest to the bottom
of the original plant should be inserted into the potting medium or water. To remind yourself which way is up cut the
stem cutting on an angle for the bottom- or down, and straight across for the
top or up. Do not cut into the node
though, or damage it.
Trim cuttings so that there’s a little bit of stem left
above the top node, as a kind of handle, and trim on an angle as close as
possible to the bottom node without damaging the node. Remove all leaves that
will be below the water or in the potting medium. If there are many large leaves on the part
of the cutting that will be above ground, remove some of them or cut them in
half. Remove all flowers or buds on a
cutting. This makes it easier for new
roots to support the plant. Here’s a
tip- succulents root better if the bottom node dries out a bit and forms a
callus. Let the cutting sit in a warm
dry place for a day or two before planting it.
Succulent cuttings will often still root a week or more after being
removed from the plant.
Should you use rooting hormone on cuttings? Many plants don’t really need it but if you
have a rare or unusual plant, or something that balks at rooting from a
cutting, you may want to use it. You can
buy it in many garden stores or on line.
Cinnamon is not a rooting hormone, nor will it aid rooting success. Aspirin and other home concocted formulas are
also useless. If you don’t use rooting
hormone, don’t use anything else on cuttings.
When you have a cutting from a plant ready to go you can
plop it in water or take the more professional way and place it in a potting
medium. You can start numerous cuttings
in one pot or use separate containers. They must have good drainage. For the best results use a well-draining
potting medium, not garden soil or compost. Moisten the soil before filling the
containers. Use something like a spoon
handle or pencil to make a hole for the cutting, don’t push it into the
soil. Try to handle the cutting by that
top little handle so you don’t damage the nodes.
After inserting at least one node into the potting medium
push the soil back around the cutting.
Place the container in a plastic bag unless you are trying to root
sedums or succulents. Place the
container in good light, but not direct sunlight. If too much moisture builds up on the inside
of the bag, open it and let it dry out a bit.
Keep the potting medium moist but not soggy.
Not all cuttings will root and begin growing, no matter
what you do. That’s the nature of the game.
But as you gain experience you’ll have better success at getting plants
to root. You won’t need to put them in
water to grow healthy vigorous plants unless you want to keep them in water.
Jade
Plants
I have more Jade plants than I need, and that’s because
this plant is incredibly easy to start from a cutting. Every time I move a larger plant the stems
snap and I stick the piece in a pot of soil and soon I have another plant. Jade plants, (Crassula
ovata), also called Dollar or Money Plants, are in the stonecrop family,
which also has many hardy species. Jade
plants, which are native to South Africa, are usually kept as houseplants,
although in plant hardiness zones 10 and above they can be planted outside.
 |
| Young jade plant |
Jade
plants are readily available on the market and are one of the easier houseplants
to grow. There are some closely related species of crassula that can also be
purchased from greenhouses on occasion and these are cared for in a similar
manner. Jade plants are long lived – they can live for at least fifty years in
good conditions.
Jade
plants are succulents with thick, shiny, rounded dark green leaves arranged
opposite each other on thick stems which, with age, become woody looking. In many Jade plants the leaves are edged in
red. In the variety ‘Hummels Sunset’ the leaves are orange
and yellow with a touch of red. In the
variety ‘Tricolor’ the leaves are
marked with cream and pink.
In the
home Jade plants can grow to 3’ tall and wide.
In a greenhouse or heated sunroom they may grow even larger. There are some cultivars that don’t develop a
strong main stem and tend to sprawl or weep.
In the
right conditions Jade plants will bloom in late winter- early spring. The blooms are clusters of tiny, star shaped
pinkish flowers with a darker center.
Jade
plant care
As a
succulent Jade plants need to be planted in a well-drained planting
medium. Use a cactus mix or mix 1part
clean sand with 2 parts of a good houseplant potting medium. All pots must have good drainage.
Jade
plants tend to have shallow root systems and often become top heavy. The plant may need to be staked so that it
doesn’t topple and pull itself out of the pot.
Heavy clay pots may help anchor the Jade plant and keep the pot from
tipping over. If the plant does topple over simply replace it in the pot and
firm the soil back around the roots. You
can also prune the Jade plant with pruning shears to help balance the plant.
The
leaves and stems of Jade plants are brittle and break easily. They need to be placed in locations where
they don’t get bumped or handled often.
Also make sure the Jade plant is not in a draft or directly above
heating or air conditioning vents.
Jade
plants prefer full sun such as a south or west window indoors but do fairly
well in bright indirect light. They can
be moved outside after all danger of frost has passed but place them in the
shade first and gradually move them into more sun. I have found that full sun is often too much
for them outside and will result in scorched leaves. Morning or evening light or filtered sun is probably
best. Turn the pot every time you water so the plant doesn’t lean toward the
light.
Let the
Jade plant dry out between watering, but don’t let the leaves shrivel. When you water, add water until it drains
from the pot bottom. Be sure to empty
saucers under the plants after watering.
Over watered Jade plants will shrivel just like a dry Jade as the root system
rots so make sure to feel the surface before watering. In the winter Jade plants will need less
water. Outside in the summer make sure
to check frequently so that the plants don’t get too dry.
To
promote blooming fertilize with a houseplant fertilizer for blooming plants
once a week in late winter through spring.
Jade plants are more likely to bloom when they are in full sun
conditions in warm, moderately humid rooms.
Gently wipe the leaves of Jade plants from time to time to remove dust. Do
not use leaf shine products or home shine concoctions on them.
Jade
plants occasionally get mealy bugs, small white fluffy looking clusters at leaf
joints, or scale- brown bumps on the leaves or stems. These can be wiped off
with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or you can use a systemic pesticide
labeled for houseplants. Do not use
insecticidal soap or dish soap concoctions on Jade plants as it will damage or
kill the plants.
Propagating
Jade plants
Jade
plants are usually started from cuttings and the plant will look just like its
parent. Jades are easy to start from
cuttings and a single leaf can start a new plant. If leaves break off the plant or you need to
prune it to keep it from toppling over, the removed pieces can be used to start
new plants. Some jades will actually
start growing clusters of tiny roots at some nodes along the stem while the
stem is attached to the plant. This may
happen at a bend in the stem or if a stem is touching soil. These pieces can be removed and will root
easily.
 |
| Crassula 'Hobbit" |
If you
don’t have a piece broken off the plant remove a side stem with two or more
sets of leaves just below the second leaf section. Or remove a single leaf to start a new plant.
A large stem section of the plant that
has broken off may be divided into several cuttings. Jade plants are one of the
few plants that will root pretty easily even if a large section with many nodes
is used, so you don’t need to cut up the piece if you don’t want to.
If you
are cutting up a larger stem keep the orientation the same as the parent plant by
making the bottom cut (point closest to the main stem or soil level) on a slant
just below a leaf node. (Nodes are where leaves attach to the stem.) Remove the
leaves at the bottom node. This goes into the potting medium to form the roots.
The top cut should go straight across the stem just above a leaf node. Let the cutting sit on a counter for 2 days to
make a callus at the cut. This
encourages rooting.
Use an
appropriate sized pot for the cutting size filled with moistened cactus mixture
or a vermiculite and potting soil mixture.
Large, older stems you are attempting to root should have larger pots. Make a small indentation in the soil mix and
either insert the base of a leaf or remove the lower set of leaves from your
stem cutting and insert the stem in the potting medium to just below the old
leaf site (node). Larger stems should
have at least 2 nodes inserted into the potting mix. Firm the soil around the
cutting. You may need to stake the
cutting to keep it from falling out of the pot.
Do not
enclose the cutting in plastic or glass.
Let the soil dry slightly between watering. When you see new leaves on the Jade plant it
means it has rooted. You can share the
plant with a friend or fill another window spot.
A Jade
plant is a beautiful, classy addition to the home or office yet it’s easy to
care for. Like all houseplants it makes
a room more inviting and calming. Every
room needs a plant and a Jade plant is an excellent choice for sunny rooms.
Protecting
trees for winter
Before
another winter hits it’s time to check your trees and shrubs and protect them
from winter winds and hungry animals.
Here are some tips to help your woody ornamentals make it safely through
winter.
First
if you haven’t had much rain this fall in your area and the soil seems dry,
it’s a good idea to deeply water trees and shrubs before the ground
freezes. Trees and shrubs that go into
winter dormancy with good reserves of water are more likely to survive the
winter with minimal damage. Lay a hose
near the tree and let it slowly run for a few hours. Or place large garbage
bags or large buckets full of water with a few small holes near the bottom that
allows water to seep out near them.
After the ground freezes plants can no longer absorb water.
Broad
leaved evergreen plants like rhododendrons especially suffer because the broad
leaf surfaces still evaporate off moisture on sunny winter days. If we have a brief thaw in winter it’s
helpful to pour a bucket of lukewarm water around the base of broadleaved
evergreens, especially if the leaves have rolled up.
If
broad leaved evergreen plants are exposed to wind they may winter burn. It helps to wrap a shield of burlap around
these exposed trees and shrubs. The
proper way is to put some stakes in the ground a few inches away from the
branch ends and then wrap the burlap around the stakes. The burlap should extend a few inches above
the top of the plant, but the top should be left open. Even young evergreens with needle-like leaves
can benefit from a wind break if they are in an exposed area.
Don’t
wrap trees and shrubs like a mummy and don’t use plastic around plants to
shield them. It creates a greenhouse effect
in the sun, warming the plant and causing condensation which quickly freezes
when the sun goes down. Landscape fabric
can be used in place of burlap.
Products
are sold in garden shops to spray on trees and shrubs which slow the loss of
water from leaves. They may need to be
re-applied in mid-winter for best results.
Newly
planted evergreens may not have re-grown enough of a root system to keep the
tree from pulling out of the ground when strong winter winds blow. It’s a good
idea to stake evergreens in exposed areas if they were planted this fall. Ideally the stakes should be installed when
the tree is planted and should be on three sides of the tree. Where the wire touches the tree it should be
covered in plastic, foam, or old pieces of garden hose slid over the wire. This
is so wind moving the wire doesn’t cut the tree trunk. Tighten the wires enough that the tree
doesn’t move much. Remove the stakes and
wires in late spring.
In
the winter animals like rabbits and voles often feed on the bark of thin barked
young trees like apples and maples. If
they chew the bark off around the whole stem the stem will die above the
girdled area. This damage often goes
unnoticed until spring when the owner notices the trees aren’t leafing out or
that they leaf out and then quickly die.
 |
| Girdling by rabbits or voles |
To
protect trees and shrubs from animals eating the bark in winter you need to
enclose the trunks in a cage of small mesh wire. The wire should go right to the ground and
extend 3 feet or more from the ground.
Snow often allows rabbits to nibble high on the trees. Plastic spiral tree wrap doesn’t always stop
hungry animals, use wire to be safe.
Keep the wire a few inches away from the trunk.
If
the snow gets deep it can be helpful to shovel a circle around prized woody
plants even with wire mesh protection.
Voles, a relative of field mice, often burrow under deep snow to nibble
tree trunks. They dislike crossing a
bare area where owls and hawks can pick them off. Lowering the snow around the tree, especially
if it drifted against the tree, can keep rabbits from reaching over the top of
your wire protection to damage the tree or shrub.
Deer
can also be a problem when snow is deep and food is hard to find. They can reach quite high to nibble off the
ends of branches and can mow some shrubs right to the ground. You’ll need higher fence to protect trees
from deer or use electric fence. There
are products that you can spray on trees that repel deer but they often aren’t
effective in the deep of winter when deer are very hungry. To help protect trees from winter damage
don’t feed the deer near your home and discourage them from hanging around your
property.
Another
problem that can occur on any tree with thin bark that has a side exposed to
the southern or western winter sun is frost crack. On sunny days the trunk absorbs the suns heat
and expands then cools quickly and contracts after sun-down. This causes the trunk to crack vertically,
which in the spring can leak sap and may attract insects, which in turn can
carry diseases. White spiral tree wrap
can be used to reflect the sun or the trunks can even be painted with white
latex paint.
Adding
a thick mulch of wood chips or even leaves around trees and shrubs after the
ground is frozen can keep them from being heaved out of the ground when soil
freezes and thaws. Try to keep the mulch
from touching the trunk of the tree or shrub and make sure your wire cage
extends under the mulch. Critters can
burrow through the mulch to reach the trunk.
We
often forget about the larger plants in our environment when preparing for
winter. Taking some time in the fall to prepare your trees and shrubs for
winter can make the difference between survival and death.
Do I need to heat the chicken coop to
get eggs this winter?
Yes, this isn’t gardening but hey, lots
of gardeners have chickens and after all I wrote a book on chicken keeping so
here’s some information you might be interested in.
If
you have production type hens, those bred for egg laying, such as Isa Browns,
Shaver Blacks, Leghorns, Cherry Eggers and others, they do not need heat in the
average winter in order to keep laying.
Some other breeds of hens, the dual purpose and fancy breeds have
varying degrees of winter egg laying success but it rarely has to do with how
cold it is.
What
the hens do need is a dry place out of the wind that has enough room, minimum 2
square feet per bird, to move around inside.
Hens don’t like being outside in winter weather and outside runs and
pens won’t be used a lot. And that
inside space has to be well lighted for 14 hours a day. Light is much more crucial to winter egg
laying success than heat.
Using
an inexpensive timer to turn the lights on at 5 am and off around 7
pm on a regular schedule is a wise investment. A nightlight left on all night is fine but
there should be a distinct difference in the lighting of the coop from day
period to night. If your schedule puts
you in the chicken coop later than 7
pm or earlier than 5 am
you can adjust the light to suit you as long as 14 hours of continuous bright
light is used.
Don’t
count on natural daylight to light the coop in northern winters, which are
notoriously dark and gloomy, for even part of the day. Use either incandescent bulbs, which do give
off some heat, or the screw in fluorescents (CFL) and leave them on for 14
hours.
Another
important factor in keeping hens laying through the winter is to make sure they
have enough water. Warm water brought to
the coop twice or more times a day will work as will a heated water dish that
keeps water from freezing. You can buy heated water dishes at feed stores.
Older
hens are more inclined to slow down laying in winter regardless of the
breed. This is normal and not related to
the cold. When the weather gets below
zero for a few days all hens may slow down egg laying but should resume when
the weather warms up.
Corn
and other carb rich grains do not make the chickens warmer as some people who
don’t understand biology believe. Neither does added fat, such as various oils
that are often recommended. If anything, it takes more energy – and hence
produces more heat – to burn additional protein. But changing the ration isn’t necessary. Keep
them on their laying feed except for occasional treats of green leafy
vegetables. If you start feeding a lot
of supplemental stuff you will get their diet off balance and that will affect
laying. You may need to feed a little
more than you do in the summer as the hens need more food in the winter for
maintaining body weight.
If
you do decide to warm the coop don’t warm it above 40 degrees and watch for
moisture and ammonia build up. Those
things harm the chickens more than the cold.
Good ventilation is a must, although the chickens should not be exposed
to strong drafts at floor or roost level.
One heat lamp over a part of the roost area may be enough to keep the
hens comfortable.
Be
very, very careful in using heat lamps or other sources of heat in your chicken
coop. Many disastrous fires are started
by these items in barns and coops. Use
heaters rated for dusty areas, make sure heat lamps are firmly tethered so they
can’t fall and that they aren’t where water can be splashed on them. Keep heat sources away from combustible items
like straw and wood shavings. If you
are using a propane, kerosene or gas heater you must have good ventilation, so
carbon dioxide doesn’t build up and kill your birds.
Keep
the floor of the coop dry and make sure the hens can perch up off the
ground. If you can, provide a box of
sand for winter dust baths. A pumpkin,
head of cabbage or lettuce, or large squash will provide a treat and help with
boredom. Your hens should continue to
provide you with eggs throughout the winter with good care and no added
heat. For more information on keeping
chickens laying please see this book Raising
Chickens for Dummies, which has all the latest chicken information.
Cranberry bread
Want
a way to use up some left over cranberry sauce?
The USDA says cranberry sauce or jelly will keep in the refrigerator
about 2 weeks after your Thanksgiving feast.
If you have some lurking in the frig now’s the time to use it up. This
recipe works best with cranberry sauce- chunks of cranberry – rather than
cranberry jelly. It makes one loaf.
Ingredients
2
cups flour
1
cup sugar
1
egg, well beaten
3
tablespoons melted butter or oil
1
½ cups cranberry sauce
½
cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1
tablespoon grated orange rind
1
½ teaspoons baking powder
½
teaspoon baking soda
1
teaspoon salt
Mix together the flour, sugar, orange rind, salt, baking
powder and soda.
Add the egg, butter, and cranberry sauce and stir just
until all ingredients are moist and blended.
Fold in nuts.
Grease the bottom of a loaf pan and pour the batter in
it.
Bake at 350 degrees about an hour. The top should be golden and sides will be
pulled away from the pan. A toothpick
inserted should come out clean.
Cool 10 minutes before cutting.
I
hope the weather is beautiful for you today and you had time to enjoy it.
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
©
Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.
And
So On….
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