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Tuesday, August 7, 2018

August 7, 2018 Kim’s Weekly Garden Blog

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.


Spiderwort ( Tradescantia virginiana plus other species)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
Kim Willis
And So On….

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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 anyone who would like to receive a notification by email when a new blog is published have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com

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