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| Giant swallowtail on lilies. |
Hi Gardeners
We got some rain yesterday 3/10 of an inch, and I didn’t have to
water yesterday, nor will I have to water today. We have small chances of more rain throughout
the week- bring it on. We are still 2
inches short of our average rainfall total.
So, it’s August now, the depth of summer-mature summer. If you are going to enjoy your garden now is
the time to do it. Soon the mellow sun
and the languid heat, so perfect for a lounge in the shade, will begin to fade
and the frenzied preparations for school and harvest will begin. Steamy, lazy summer days are on us, the
garden requires less of us, time to idle the hands a bit and let your eyes do
the work.
Let your eyes wander with the flight of the butterfly, visiting
the vivid reds and yellows of late season blooms. Watch a leafy canopy overhead sparkle and
dance in the sun while you sit hidden in its shade. Look for the cicada
trilling in the tree and the squirrel sprawled on a limb cooling itself.
Sit on the porch and watch the summer storm roll across the
fields, flashing and booming until a pounding rain, the smell preceding it,
drives you to cover. Then watch the sun
peek through and the rainbow spread, and the drops left on the leaves turn to
points of light.
The leaves of plants, washed clean of dust, seem to smile and wave
you closer. The scars and wounds of a
summer almost behind them, they proudly flaunt their maturity. A season of growth now slowed, they put their
energy to storing the sun’s bounty, fattening the buds and roots. The fruit ripens, the seeds soon to be
scattered. Treasure August.
August almanac
The Great Lakes Native Americans called this month’s
full moon (August 26th) Sturgeon moon, because that was when these
large tasty fish were easily caught in the Great Lakes. In other places this month’s full moon is
known as the Green Corn moon or the blueberry moon. The moon perigee is the 10th and
the apogee is the 23rd .
If you want to see or catch a falling star this is
the month to do it. The Perseid Meteor showers peak will be the nights of
August 11-12th and the 12-13th. At the peak you should be able to see 60-75 “falling
stars” an hour, about one a minute. The
meteors are the dust and debris in the tail of the comet
Swift-Tuttle. You won’t see the comet, but
you may see Mars and Saturn. The crescent moon will be
setting before midnight, so viewing should be good, weather permitting. The meteor
showers continue to be visible until August 26th. Go out after midnight, look straight up and
give your eyes a chance to adjust to the dark when watching for meteors.
The August birth flower is the gladiolus. When glads are given to someone they signify
remembrance and integrity, perhaps that is why gladiolus are frequently found
in funeral arrangements. The August
birthstone is the peridot- a beautiful green gem.
August is National Peach month, National Picnic
month, Family Fun month and National Catfish month. The 9th is National Book Lovers
day and the 10th is National
Lazy Day. The 13th is Left Handers day, the 14th is
Creamsicle day the 21st is national Seniors day, and the 26th
is National Dog day. The 29th
is More Herbs day. August 31st is International Bacon day.
Question for the readers of this blog
If you are a
regular reader of this blog you know I do things a bit differently than most
bloggers. I post once a week, but the
post is more like a newsletter with a lot of different articles. I am considering a more conventional blog
experience with single articles published multiple times a week. My question to you is this- would you rather
read a single article on one topic and my ruminations on the gardening life, several
times a week or should I continue publishing once a week with many topics in
each post?
You can tell me
what you think by commenting on this blog or you can email me at kimwillis151@gmail.com If you have other suggestions I’d love to
hear them too. Right now, I post links
to my blog each week through an email of those who’ve asked to be on the list and
through posting on Facebook group pages. I’m undecided as to how I will notify
readers moving forward. But I will continue
my blog so please keep reading.
Please let’s not call this plant spider plant, maybe
spiderwort, or dayflower but there are way too many plants with the common name
of spider plant. There are several
closely related species of Tradescantia native to North America and there are
several common tropical species that we use as houseplants (purple heart, inch
plant, Moses in the cradle). In this article I will be talking about the hardy
spiderworts.
Most garden spiderworts are cultivars of Tradescantia virginiana and hybrids of
it with other species of Tradescantia.
Other native spiderworts include Ohio spiderwort-Tradescantia ohiensis, Zigzag Spiderwort (T. subaspera), Hairy-stemmed Spiderwort (T. hirsuticaulis), and the endangered Western
spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis).
Tradescantia get the name spiderwort because when you
break a stem a thick “sap” is released that when dry, is white and silky,
resembling spider webbing. The common
name dayflower comes from the flowers lasting a single day.
Description
Tradescantias are herbaceous perennials, hardy from
southern Canada to Florida. They prefer moist, partly shaded open woodlands but
have been known to become crop weeds also as they spread readily by seed. In the garden they prefer partial shade. They are adaptable to all soil types.
Spiderworts form clumps of plants with long, arching,
narrow blade like leaves often bent down near the middle. They have a slight
fold at the center vein and the leaf base clasps the stem. Normally leaves are deep green, but some
cultivars have golden leaves. Ohio spiderwort may have bluish gray leaves. Ohio spiderwort also has hairs on the stems
near the flowers.
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| Ohio spiderwort |
Tradescantia forms clumps of flowers on terminal stems
from May through July. The flowers have
3 petals and a cluster of hairy yellow stamens in the center. The hairs on the
stamens are the subject of much research.
Each flower opens in the morning and lasts only one day, hence the name
dayflower. The flowers are pollinated by
bumblebees and flies.
Flower color is blue to violet normally but rose, pink
and white flowers occasionally occur in the wild and cultivars with those
colors have been developed. At the end of the day the Tradescantia flower melts
into a jelly like blob.
The hairs on the stamens are often used under a
microscope to show students the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant cells. The cells are colored blue normally but when
exposed to radiation they turn pink, making them a biological radiation
detector. Spiderworts also have unusual
genetic qualities that make them interesting subjects for plant researchers.
Each spiderwort flower that is fertilized turns into a
3-part seed capsule, about three weeks after the flower fades, it turns papery
when ripe, and splits to distribute the tiny seeds. Seeds can be collected and stored in the
refrigerator for later planting.
Growing
spiderwort
Spiderwort is a good plant for native gardens, for low maintenance
perennial beds and partial shade gardens.
It’s attractive in bloom but in late summer, particularly in hot
climates the leaves can begin to die back and fade away.
Gardeners can start spiderworts from purchased plants, divisions
from friends or from seed. Plants are best divided in fall or very early
spring. Fresh seed will germinate
quickly when sown right after collecting but if you are storing seed it needs
to be moist and cold (cold stratification) for a period of a few weeks or more
before planting.
Before collecting spiderwort from the wild remember T. occidentalis is
an endangered or protected species in some places and should not be collected.
Plant spiderwort in partial shade and keep them well
watered for optimum bloom. They can
spread aggressively if they like the location so be prepared to thin them out
if necessary. Fertilization is rarely needed.
Spiderwort has no serious disease or insect
problems. Snails and slugs occasionally feed
on the plants. However, many larger things also like to eat them, including
deer and rabbits. They are non-toxic
when eaten but some pets and people get a rash from handling the plants.
Some common cultivars include ‘Sweet Kate Blue & Gold
Spiderwort’- which has gold leaves and blue flowers, ‘Charlotte's Web' another gold leaved
variety, Tradescantia × andersoniana var. caerulea plena is a
double-flowered variety with dark blue flowers, and Tradescantia cv. ‘Red Grape’ has purple-red
flowers.
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| Spiderwort with gold foliage |
Other
uses of Tradescantia
The spiderworts are considered edible, both leaves and
flowers. However, they are not very
tasty according to most who try them.
First Americans are said to have roasted the tiny seeds and ground them
into a bitter flour which was used with other seed flours.
Teas are made from various parts of the plant, dried
roots, leaves and flowers. Dried flowers
were used to stop nose bleeds. The dried roots and leaves were used as a wormer,
to stop diarrhea, or cause vomiting.
They are said to help start late menstruation and to increase the flow
of breast milk. Plant parts are mildly sedative.
Externally plant parts were used to heal wounds, relieve
minor pain and soothe hemorrhoids.
Cautions- pregnant
women should avoid spiderwort remedies.
Some people and animals get a painful rash from eating or handling
spiderwort. Use caution if you
experiment with the plant and start with a small amount to see if you are
allergic.
Identifying
ragweed
Ragweed season is upon us, and while ragweed is a
nondescript plant that often goes unnoticed it has the power to make people’s
lives miserable. It has two types of
greenish, almost unnoticeable flowers on each plant, male and female, and the
male flowers shed copious amounts of pollen into the air which drifts on the
wind. This pollen is a major cause of
“hayfever” in late summer and fall. Since ragweed blooms at the same time as
goldenrod, poor goldenrod with its showy yellow flowers often gets the blame
for allergic symptoms. Goldenrod pollen
is carried by insects and is not the cause of seasonal allergies.
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| Common ragweed |
If you could look at ragweed pollen under a microscope
you would be able to see the cruel hooks and barbs each grain of pollen
carries, which can get into human nasal passages and wreak havoc if they don’t
find their way to the female flower of another ragweed plant. Each large plant can release thousands of
pollen grains.
Common Ragweed, (Ambrosia
artemsiifolia) can get to 5 foot high easily in a season from seed the size
of dust and Giant Ragweed,(Ambrosia
trifida), has been known to grow 10 foot high. They prefer sun and will grow anywhere, often
thickly.
Ragweed is an annual plant that emerges when the soil
starts to warm up in the spring. Even
seasoned gardeners sometimes mistake the early plants for marigold or tomato
seedlings and let them grow. Take a
close look at the foliage. Common
ragweed foliage is fern-like, and the back of the leaf looks lighter, it’s
covered in fine hairs. The younger leaves are arranged opposite to each other
but older leaves will become alternately arranged.
Giant ragweed has broader leaf segments, especially as it
gets larger. There are usually 3 lobes
to a leaf with the middle lobe getting quite broad. The whole plant gets huge,
6 feet or more in some cases, with sturdy looking, woody stems. Some people
think it looks like a marijuana plant, others like a sunflower.
If you are in doubt whether you have ragweed or not, crush
a leaf of the plant. Both tomatoes and
marigolds have a distinctive odor to their leaves when they are crushed. Ragweed doesn’t.
Ragweed stems are covered in fine hairs. The roots are shallow, and the plants are
easily pulled, especially when young.
Ragweed is found in almost every state in the US now and causes misery
everywhere it goes. Pull it up and get
rid of it before it goes to seed.
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| Giant ragweed |
Gallup
poll on vegetarianism and veganism
The results from a Gallup poll taken last year reveal
that the rate of people claiming to be vegan or vegetarian hovers around 5 % of
the population, the same as the last poll taken in 2012. In the first Gallup poll on the subject taken
in 1999, the rate was 6%. Although it
may seem that more and more people are becoming vegan or vegetarian researchers
say the rate has remained pretty steady in modern times.
There are more foods in the market and more dishes in
restaurants tailored to vegetarians and vegans than in the past and people are
more likely to see recipes for vegetarians. Vegans and vegetarians have more
ways to connect with a group that feels the same way they do than in the past.
People who are not vegetarian or vegan are also eating
slightly less meat than in the recent past, and beef consumption has dropped
the most. Meatless meals are more common
now, even if people don’t avoid meat entirely.
(The Gallup poll found that people who identify as vegan
or vegetarian in the US and most modern countries are more likely to be under
50 and also more likely to identify as liberal politically than those who are
not. Lower income also was more
prevalent among vegetarians and vegans than those making more than $30,000 a
year, also a bit surprising.)
All these things can make it seem like vegetarian and
vegan diets are sky rocketing in popularity when in fact they are not. Polls
done by vegan and vegetarian groups are rather biased and even those polls don’t
really show the amazing growth in vegetarian diets that some groups celebrate.
Being vegan or vegetarian has also become a moral calling
rather than just a diet choice. Research has found that people want to identify
as vegetarian or vegan, when in truth they are not, because it is perceived as
a more moral and healthier life style. There’s evidence some people say they
are vegetarian/vegan to keep the approval of others, such as a spouse, when in
fact they still consume meat or animal products.
The USDA did a poll asking more than 13,000 people if
they were vegetarian or vegan. About 3%
said they were. Two weeks later those
who said yes were called and asked to list foods they had eaten in the day
before. Of those self-described vegetarian/vegans
66% admitted to eating meat the day before. Other similar polls have found the
same thing.
It’s possible that our genetic code helps us intuitively
pick a diet best suited for us. Genetic
research has discovered an allele, (an alternate for a normal gene), that allows
some people to more efficiently process vegetable-based foods for essential
fatty acids and nutrients. This allele is not present in our nearest relatives,
chimps and orangutans, who despite some people’s perceptions, love meat. It’s
also not present in the earliest modern humans. However, the allele has been
found in Neanderthal and Denisovan genetics.
The gene does pop up now in some modern human groups more
than others. The 1000 Genomes Project found only 17% of European ancestry
groups had the allele, but 70 % of South Asians, 53% of Africans, and 29% of
East Asians do have the vegetarian allele.
There’s another allele among the Inuit’s and some other groups of people
that favors a fish-based diet.
The allele for better processing of vegetables probably
evolved through selection- the people who were able to survive best on a mostly
vegetarian diet found in certain areas. We still don’t know enough to say that
the gene was introduced through Denisovan or Neanderthal and modern humans
interbreeding.
This discovery does not mean that you should base your
diet on genetics- yet. While there are
groups claiming they can analyze your genetics and give you the perfect diet
those claims are not totally substantiated by science. And we know that people who pay careful
attention to balancing their diets and getting needed supplements can be healthy
vegetarians or vegans despite their ancestry.
While all people would probably be healthier if they
reduced the amount of meat they ate, and if certain types of meat like corn fed
beef were eliminated from the diet, most humans are not going to give up meat entirely,
if there’s a choice. We aren’t likely to see a huge increase in vegetarianism or
vegan percentages in the population by choice.
More reading on the subject
Simple
salsa
Here’s a recipe for salsa for canning or freezing,
although it’s great right after you make it too. Just refrigerate any left overs and discard
after a few days if you don’t freeze or can it.
This makes 8 pints, which is a good batch of salsa.
You can vary the ingredients somewhat or divide the
recipe in half but the ratio of peppers and other veggies to tomatoes must
remain the same for food safety. That’s about
14 cups of peeled, chopped tomatoes to 4½ cups peppers, onions and other
vegetables combined or 7 cups tomatoes to 2 ¼ cup vegetables for a half batch. Spices can be adjusted to taste.
You’ll need 8 clean, hot pint canning jars with lids or 8
pint freezer containers and a water bath canner if you are going to preserve
the salsa.
To peel tomatoes easily dip them in boiling water for 1
minute then in ice water. The skins
should slide off.
Use gloves and keep your hands away from your face when
working with hot peppers.
Ingredients
14 cups of peeled, chopped tomatoes ( paste types work
best)
2 ½ cups of chopped onion
2 cups of seeded and chopped peppers of your choice, chilies
and jalapeno are usually used, green peppers can be subbed, mix and match is
fine.
1 cup of bottled lemon or lime juice (needed for food
safety)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (optional)
1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Combine all the vegetables in a large pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Simmer 10 minutes.
Add the spices and lemon or lime juice and stir
well.
Simmer an additional 20 minutes. Stir occaisionally
To can; pour hot salsa into clean hot jars to ½ inch from
jar rim. Stir to remove bubbles, wipe rim and put on lids. Process in water bath canner 15 minutes up to
1,000 feet altitude, 20 minutes for 1001 to 6,000 feet altitude and 25 minutes
for above that.
To freeze – pour in clean freezer containers, cool to
room temperature and then freeze.
To eat- let cool and grab some chips!
"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."
Sam Keen
Sam Keen
Kim Willis
And So On….
Find Michigan garden events/classes
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is the Lapeer County Gardeners facebook page)
Newsletter/blog information
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
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 people and horticulture. It’s a
hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If you are on my mailing list and at any
time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know
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open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine, but I do reserve the right to
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