September 18, 2018 Kim’s Weekly Garden Blog

Common morning glory

Hello gardeners

It’s the fickle time of the year, one day its brisk and fall like, the next warm and humid summer weather.  Today it’s summer weather, we are waiting for storms.  This weekend however we had chilly but beautiful fall weather, right on schedule for the start of fall.

We have had no frost yet and I’m hoping it holds off a bit, so I can prepare to bring the houseplants in. I need to clean windows and arrange shelves and decide just where everything that’s gotten so much bigger will go. I am telling myself to just leave some of the tender perennials and summer bulbs out there but when it comes to freezing weather I will probably be squeezing some of what I first left outside to the inside.

The dahlias are putting on a marvelous show right now and the anemone is going great in the front where it mixes perfectly with some peachy colored dahlias.  I have blooms forming on the Japanese aralia that I use in the front for its gold foliage.  It’s never bloomed before so that will be something different.  I am pleased to see that the first-year perennials I put into the new front bed have made nice healthy large plants.

My poor potted hibiscus keep getting blown over in the wind.  They may be the first thing I move back inside, although they are doing so well out there and full of flowers. The Norfolk pines are top heavy too and keep blowing over.  It’s so much work to move them back inside, but I firmly believe that plants are happiest with a summer vacation outside. 

It’s amazing how tenacious and determined some plants are.  We have an old house and our large front window is an odd size.  We couldn’t find a new storm window to fit it without ordering an expensive specially made one.  We made a frame and added a plexiglass sheet for a storm window but it’s not easy to remove.  This year a piece of trumpet vine- that stuff is aggressive- found a way to squeeze between the storm and the inside window.

I didn’t notice at first that the vine was between the windows, I thought it was on the outside and I would just go outside and pull it down one day.  I have to wade through a flower bed to get to the window, so I thought I’d wait until fall. Now I see it’s inside and it’s loving its personal greenhouse.

It is interesting to see the little fleshy pads it’s using to stick itself to the window.  But it’s also fogging up the windows when it’s sunny as it transpires.  It’s got to go but I keep wondering how long into winter it would stay green sandwiched between the windows with it’s roots outside in the cold.  It could be an interesting experiment.

Trumpet vine in the window

Another experiment I’m conducting is to see what type of plant is growing in a pot my mom gave me.  She wanted me to take a pot home that had came from my father’s funeral this spring and had been sitting outside. There was an asparagus fern in it but also 3 woody stems with fine but sparse leaves on them. I didn’t recognize the plants.

Mom said there was some lily bulbs down in the basket, so I emptied it to get them to plant.  When I did that I noticed the woody twigs were just that- they were something stuck in the pot that rooted.  I’m thinking maybe corkscrew willow, because the stems are twisted a bit.  The leaves do look willow like. I’m going to let them grow a bit and see what I have.  Another example of a plants quest to survive.

Outdoor plants that can make good houseplants

Fall is here and for many gardeners that means gardening moves inside.  If you bought plants for tubs and baskets in the summer, you may be surprised to learn that some of them can make good houseplants.  While many tender perennial plants can be overwintered inside in a dormant or semi-dormant state there are other plants, both hardy perennials and tender ones, that will actually make good foliage and flowering houseplants.

For those of you who don’t think you have enough houseplants some of the plants growing in the garden in summer can make inexpensive houseplants.  If you didn’t grow them maybe a friend or neighbor did, and if they aren’t interested in bringing them inside maybe they’ll give them to you.  You could also scour garden stores before they close for the winter to see if you can pick these plants up at bargain prices.

I have chosen some varieties to talk about that are fairly easy to grow and reliable as houseplants.  However, if you have some tender perennials in the garden you can’t bear to see disappear in the snow that aren’t mentioned here you could try to turn them into houseplants too.  Some hardy plants however, require a winter rest period in very cool conditions and won’t make good houseplants in the average home.

Fuchsias are tender perennial plants and can be grown inside through the winter or all year round. The small flowered ones make the best houseplants. They will bloom throughout the winter if conditions are right.  They need very bright light, consistent moisture and cooler night than day temperatures to do their best.

Geraniums (Pelargoniums) of all types do very well inside in winter and will bloom all winter with a few rest periods. They need very bright light, allowed to get a bit dry between watering and cooler night than day temps. They survive cooler homes kept below 70 degrees very well and bloom between 40-to about 80 degrees.  You may have to prune them back a bit if they like their growing spot because many will get quite large.

There are geraniums with scented leaves and variegated foliage, upright types and vining types, all colors of flowers and double flowers that look like tiny roses. There's a geranium for everyone.

When I was young I often visited a feed store that had huge, 6 feet tall, or more scarlet red geraniums that filled a large sunny picture window. They had been there for many, many years and had thick, almost trunk like stems. They made a big impression on me. You too, can grow a geranium tree, LOL.

If you don’t want to keep them blooming inside, or don’t have room for all of them on a window sill, you can still store geraniums in a cool spot in a semi-dormant condition.  I store mine in pots on an unheated porch that never gets below freezing.  They stop blooming in late November and I let them dry out quite a bit.  Then in February I water more often and in a month they are beginning to bloom in the windows on the porch and can go outside again after the last frost.

Sedums-there are quite a few sedums that will also do well inside.  Many sedums aren’t winter hardy in zone 6 and lower so if you bought them for summer displays why not rescue them for houseplants?  You can even try a few of the hardier sedums inside.  The groundcover and dwarf sized sedums make the best subjects for experimentation. 

I had a small golden sedum inside all winter last year.  It lost its bright gold tint but still did well inside.  This year I’ll be bringing in a white variegated variety as well.  Sedums inside like very bright light, cooler temperatures and to dry between watering.

Golden sedum

Sempervivum tectorum- are often called hens and chicks but another common name is house leeks and they do well inside.  There are a number of varieties on the market now, some are quite beautifully colored.  Like sedums they like bright light, cooler temperatures and to dry between watering.  Once in a while they will flower inside also.

Abutilon- are usually sold as upright bedding plants now but there are trailing basket types too.  They will tolerate lower light conditions like a north window and like cooler temperatures.  They need to be kept evenly moist. They have dangling flowers in various colors and shapes. Fertilize monthly for best bloom.

Wax begonias, B. semperflorens, and Angel wing begonias  B. coccinea are common bedding and container plants that will transfer nicely to indoor growing.  In bright light they will bloom all winter inside. Temperatures between 55 and 80 degrees are fine.  Keep them a bit on the dry side to minimize stem rot inside. Fertilize once a month for best bloom.

Boxwood - Buxus sempervirens- yes, this broad-leaved evergreen will do well indoors.  The dwarf varieties are best for inside, variegated leaved cultivars are very attractive foliage plants.  They can be kept pruned to a manageable size.  Grow in bright light and night temperatures cooler than day are preferred.

Canna- this common garden plant will grow inside all winter although they don’t flower well inside. The ones with pretty foliage are the best houseplants for this reason and dwarf types are easier to keep inside. I have a narrow leaved, maroon foliaged canna that looks nice all winter.  This winter I will be bringing in a Tropicana canna, (striped foliage) since it hasn’t gotten too large this summer.  As houseplants canna require bright light, consistent moisture and prefer cooler homes, below 70 degrees. They can go back outside in summer to bloom.   Cannas can also be overwintered inside as dormant tubers in colder zones.

Carex, sedges- these plants are often used as fillers in containers.  They have arching grass like leaves in a variety of colors.  Many also do well inside as foliage houseplants, although they are not flashy.  Moderate to bright light, cooler temperatures and a little on the dry side are the best growing conditions for them.

Ornamental peppers- there are a number of ornamental peppers on the market with pretty foliage as well as colorful fruit.  Smaller, sturdy trunk varieties are best as houseplants.  Unless you have grow lights (or a greenhouse) these peppers will quit blooming for a while in winter. They need the highest light possible and long daylight periods. Peppers prefer warmer homes, temperatures above 70 degrees, although it can be cooler at night.  Moderate watering and occasional fertilization will keep them pretty.

Cupressus and Chamaecyparis species, are often sold for containers and patio plants but are not hardy in zone 7 and lower. They are often sold as false cypress or lemon cypress. They are needled evergreens and dwarf, or compact varieties are the most often sold types.   If they are in bright light but not direct sunlight, and in cool conditions they can be grown inside, although they are trickier to keep alive than some of the other plants I have mentioned. They should be on the dry side in winter, but not allowed to dry out too much.

Lemon cypress, fuchsia overhead

Eucalyptus globulus is often sold for containers.  It has blue-gray, round fragrant leaves. There are trailing and upright types.  They grow well inside if they have bright light, warm temperatures and are kept on the dry side in winter. They can be pinched back to keep them compact and full looking.

Glechoma hederacea – a hardy plant also known as ground ivy, will surprisingly enough, make a decent hanging basket indoors in the right conditions. You might find it growing wild in your yard.  In spring it has pretty purple flowers. There are variegated foliage cultivars but those are hard to find. Ground ivy grown indoors needs cooler temperatures, below 70 degrees, especially at night.  It should be in bright light but not direct sunlight indoors, water when dry or before it wilts. To keep it full and nice-looking start with several small plants in a basket and keep them pinched back to promote bushiness.

English Ivy- Hedera helix- is another hardy plant that will grow indoors.  There are dozens of varieties, many sold as houseplants, but if it’s growing in your yard you can dig up plants or start cuttings for houseplants.  Inside it likes moderate light and tolerates most temperature ranges.  Let dry slightly between watering.  Pinch to promote fullness in baskets or provide something for it to climb up.

Polka dot plant

Hypoestes sanguinolenta- polka dot plants are often sold for summer bedding or container plants. Polka dot plants have pink, red or green foliage speckled with white.  They make good houseplants although their lifespan is only a few years. If you are bringing in plants in the fall cut them back if they are straggly or tired looking to about 3 inches.  Put several plants in a pot for the best show.  Inside polka dot plants like bright indirect light and to be kept evenly moist.  Keep the insignificant flowers trimmed off.

Impatiens- both I.wallerans and New Guinea hybrid types- yes these can also be grown inside.  Don’t wait too long in the fall to dig them and bring them inside though, they like warm conditions and if they get too cold may not grow well after that.  Preferably bring younger plants inside- they are easy to grow from cuttings in late summer or you may find seedlings coming up around larger plants.  If you want to bring older plants inside check them carefully for downy mildew.  Then cut them back if they are large and floppy to about 6 inches.

While shade plants outside, impatiens need bright light inside to bloom. There are some New Guinea hybrids with colorful foliage but for most impatiens it’s the flowers that make the plant pretty. They may slow blooming in early to mid-winter.  You’ll need to fertilize once a month inside, every other week in late spring and summer if kept inside.  Let them dry a bit between watering and don’t crowd plants.

Ophiopogon japonicus or lily turf is another perennial landscape plant that can be grown inside. It has spiky, grass-like leaves. Some have gold striped or purplish foliage.  Lily turf has small flowers of white or lavender in summer.  Inside it’s an undemanding houseplant, preferring cooler homes and bright indirect light.  Keep it evenly moist.

Pentas lanceolate- Pentas are sold in garden stores as annuals, they have  clusters of bell shaped flowers in various colors.  However, the pentas will also grow well indoors and will bloom in late winter through summer.  The plants need regular pruning to keep them to a compact and full looking 12-18 inches.  They like warmer conditions and a sunny window and need evenly moist planting medium with good drainage.

Setcreasea purpurea- this is a common filler plant in containers, sometimes called purple queen or purple heart plant. Outside its hardy to zone 8. It’s a trailing plant with purple and pink variegated leaves that can make a nice indoor basket. It’s sometimes mistaken for the related Tradescantia species, which include the species known as wandering jew and this politically incorrect name is sometimes applied to it too.  Purple heart also has tiny pinkish lavender flowers from time to time. The stems are a bit brittle but if they break they can be quickly rooted for new plants.  Purple heart likes bright indirect light.  Let it dry slightly between watering to avoid stem rot.  This is one of those plants that is hard to kill.

Viburnum tinus- Laurustinus is a small viburnum that is a late winter bloomer in mild climates, hardy in zones 7 and higher. The fragrant flowers are produced in rounded clusters and have pink buds opening to white flowers.  Small blue berries form after the flowers which are mildly poisonous, so inside you may wish to remove them. It has small, dark green leaves and a bush form that make it a nice houseplant even when out of bloom.  This viburnum has several cultivars and if one wants it for a houseplant seek out one of the compact selections like ‘Spring Bouquet’ . There are variegated leave cultivars too. Even then you’ll want to keep it pruned (after flowering) and shaped to a manageable size.

V. tinus needs bright light, moderate humidity and cooler conditions, 45-70 degrees, indoors.  Let it dry slightly between watering. Fertilize once a month from January until it blooms. They appreciate a summer outside.

There are other tender perennial plants you can experiment with growing indoors.  Look for ones that don’t need a winter chill period, that would probably be plants only hardy to zone 8 or higher. But occasionally as you see from the list above, even some hardy perennials may grow inside, in this case they should be described as evergreen.  You may even want to look at common weeds, like the ground ivy.  I have a woody nightshade plant that came up in a pot on its own inside last winter and it has made a pretty trailing plant.  Its outside now and I’ll be bringing it back inside as an experiment this winter.

Grasshoppers Schistocerca species.

When you walk in the fields or even your garden in late summer and fall you are likely to notice grasshoppers flying or hopping around. They’ve been there all summer, but in early summer they are smaller and less conspicuous.  By fall they are large and easy to spot.  Almost every kid who’s been outside in the fall has captured a grasshopper.  And when they grabbed it they may have experienced what I as a kid called tobacco spit.  The grasshopper vomited a brown smelly substance that stains the hands and usually causes the child to quickly release it.  This is composed of acidic stomach acids and digested plants.

As the oldest plant eating insects on the planet, here for at least 250 million years, grasshoppers have had a lot of time to develop strategies to evade predators and to ensure survival of the species. They can hop or fly away. Some species are poisonous, some can scratch you with the “hooks” on their powerful hind legs.  Some grasshoppers can change their color to match the plants they are feeding on.

There are about 8,000 species of grasshoppers and probably some that haven’t been discovered yet.  Grasshoppers are closely related to crickets and katydids. One obvious difference is the huge powerful hind legs of most grasshopper species.  These legs can propel a mature grasshopper 20 times its own length. And grasshoppers can turn into locusts- more about that later.

Besides powerful hind legs grasshoppers have 2 other pairs of smaller legs. The legs have claws on the end of them for grabbing plants. They have three body segments, with a hard, shell-like exoskeleton covering the upper body, the abdomen area is soft.  Female grasshoppers have a short extension on the “butt” area called an ovipositor and in most species, they are slightly larger than males.

Some grasshoppers have protrusions on the hind legs and when the insects rub their legs together these produce a sound to attract mates, like crickets chirping.  Other species rub their wings together to make a noise and some are noiseless.

Grasshoppers have 5 eyes, 2 large eyes with thousands of lenses, a small eye on the side of each antenna and another between the antennae. They have 2 pair of wings, one leathery, narrow upper set and a lower set of wide tough membranous wings with prominent veins.

Female grasshoppers lay their eggs in clusters called pods near the base of plants and then they cover the eggs with soil and debris. The eggs overwinter and hatch into tiny grasshoppers in early summer.  They look just like adult grasshoppers but smaller and with less developed wings.  They will molt their skin 5 times until they reach mature size, which varies from a couple inches to 5 inches or more depending on species.  Grasshoppers generally live one warm season, 2-3 months, and die when a hard frost hits.

What harm do grasshoppers do to gardens?

Grasshoppers have powerful jaws to munch through plant tissues.  Most species will feed on all types of vegetation, but they do seem to prefer grass species.  They can become a problem for farmers growing wheat and corn. In some years grasshopper populations can build up and major damage to gardens can occur.  But most of the time the damage to gardens is done in late summer and not really significant. It consists of chewed areas on leaves and flowers.

Grasshoppers can be a hard pest to control and many pesticides aren’t effective. It’s probably not a wise investment of time and money to use chemical pesticides to control grasshoppers. Some states are allowing bio-pesticides- viruses and parasites, to be released to control grasshoppers. Hand picking them or allowing chickens into the garden can help, but beware, chickens also love veggies and flowers.  Fine netting can exclude them from prized plants. They rarely bother mowed lawns. Grasshoppers do more damage to grass pasture land and can also transmit viruses to livestock when feeding. See Link https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090830091156.htm

What eats grasshoppers?

Grasshoppers have many natural predators.  Toads and frogs, snakes, birds and mice, even cats and foxes feed on them. One North American species of grasshopper, the Eastern Lubber, is poisonous enough to kill small animals and birds.  It’s a large 3-inch fat grasshopper that’s brightly colored in reds and green. The wings are reduced to bumps and it doesn’t fly, or even move quickly. 

A human who ate a Lubber won’t die, although he might get pretty sick, but people do eat other grasshoppers regularly.  In some areas of Mexico grasshoppers are fried in a spicy sauce and rolled in tortillas.  They are regularly stir fried and roasted in Asian countries. Native Americans set grasslands on fire to drive out grasshoppers for collection and eating.  Grasshoppers are often touted as a survival food.  They should be cooked before being eaten because they can carry parasites.  (You’d have to be pretty desperate to eat a raw grasshopper).

When grasshoppers become locusts

Until the early 1900’s it was thought that the ravaging hordes of locusts that are the stuff of sad novels and biblical lore were a separate species from grasshoppers.  We now know that about 10 species of grasshoppers can change into locusts when conditions are right.  Here’s how it works.

After several mild winters and lush summer’s, a huge population of young grasshoppers builds up one year.  Then a drought strikes, and the grasshoppers accumulate wherever there is good vegetation left.  As they feed closely together- which in itself can be considered a plague- huge groups of tiny grasshoppers, they rub legs.  This somehow triggers a release of the hormone serotonin.

Serotonin causes the young grasshoppers wings to become stronger and larger and the body smaller.  They are darker, more active, breed more often than other grasshoppers and actively seek other locusts. As well as changing the body shape the hormone causes changes to the brain causing swarm behavior. When the food supply is exhausted they rise in huge swarms sometimes miles across and fly to other food sources.  These swarms devour all vegetation in their path.

A swarm of locusts is very hard to stop. Like swarming bees, they almost become one insect, flying in clouds that darken the sky and send shivers down peoples spines from the deafening rustling of their wings. Cold weather, the oceans or deserts or running out of food are often the only thing that can stop them, although sometimes we hear of flocks of birds helping block their passage by feasting on them.

Grasshoppers and hairworms

Another fascinating or gross fact about grasshoppers depending on your viewpoint, is the fact that they harbor a parasitic roundworm called the hairworm.  These worms are sometimes seen floating in water in wiggling clusters, in puddles, livestock tanks, and even toilets and sinks. They have been found on cabbage plants but are not the common worm seen on cabbage. The adult hairworms live and breed in water where they deposit their eggs.  The eggs are ingested by grasshoppers and crickets, (and a few other insects) and hatch inside them.

Inside the grasshopper or cricket the baby worms grow to a large size- 2-3 times the length of their host when extended and they are big enough to be seen with the naked eye.  When they are mature and ready to leave their poor host, they secrete some kind of hormonal signal to the hosts brain, causing it to look for water. When it finds water the host insect dives in and drowns itself and the worms emerge to mate and live in the water.  The worm effectively directs the host to commit suicide, so it can be called a natural control for grasshoppers.

There are various answers to the question of whether hairworms can affect humans and larger animals.  Most references say they can’t parasitize humans.  But I have included a link to a scientific study that says they can as well as another link on hairworms. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428576/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7927-parasites-brainwash-grasshoppers-into-death-dive/

So, go out and look for the tobacco spitters and appreciate their oddities.  It’s amazing what the garden can hold.

Growing Catnip

Want a bee and butterfly friendly plant that’s also a helpful herb?  Bees love catnip flowers and it can be used to attract bees and butterflies to any garden. You may already have catnip growing around your home as it is a common weed in many areas.

Catnip is an easy herb to grow.  If you have trouble growing catnip you truly have a brown thumb.  Catnip grows just about anywhere, in any type of soil, in full sun and partial shade.  It grows in dry or wet areas.  For herbal use plant it in full sun and keep it on the dry side, to concentrate the medicinal oils.  Most people will buy plants if they can’t find a place to pull up a seedling. Don’t fertilize it.  It doesn’t need it and the medicinal qualities may suffer.

Young catnip plants

The common catnip, Nepeta cataria is native to the Mediterranean area of Europe but has spread throughout Europe and North America and many other places, where it grows freely as a weed.  The genus Nepeta has many species, some of which are called catmints and are grown as ornamental plants. The names are often used interchangeably but catnip and catmint are all members of the mint family.  The weedy medicinal type plant is generally referred to as catnip and ornamental varieties and other Nepeta species are called catmints. 

Like most mints, catnip, has a square stem.  The catnip stem is covered with fine hairs and grows woody near the base as it ages.  The leaves of common catnip are heart-shaped, gray green and have a scalloped edge.  They are covered with soft hairs and appear downy.    

The catnip flowers are small spikes of white flowers with tiny purple dots on the throat, and not very showy.  In good conditions catnip can grow to 5 feet high and 3 feet wide. The plant is tough and spreads rapidly by seed through the garden, popping up everywhere.  

Catnip is a perennial that dies down to the roots each winter and then returns quite vigorously in the spring.  It is hardy to at least zone 4 and probably further.

Using Catnip Medicinally

Long before true tea found its way to Europe people were brewing catnip tea.  It was used medicinally and just as a soothing warm drink.  It was often given to children to calm them and help them sleep.  Catnip tea is used to calm the digestive system and relieve gas pains and soothed the colic pains that were keeping crabby children awake.  It still makes a safe and soothing tea.

Catnip induces perspiration and is used as a fever remedy and as a headache remedy.   Warm bruised leaves are also used as a poultice on wounds and boils.  Catnip has also been used in strong concentrations to bring on menstruation. Catnip oil is being tested as a mosquito repellent.

The active chemical ingredient in catnip is nepetalactone.  The flower buds have the highest concentration of this chemical, but leaves are also used to make tea.  Never bring catnip leaves and buds to a boil as this destroys the medicinal action. Instead gently steep it as one does green tea.  Fresh leaves and buds can be used for tea or you can use dried leaves. About a half cup of bruised leaves and buds or a couple teaspoons of dried herb are used to a cup of water. 

Catnip tea is available in most stores now, but it is easy to dry your own leaves.  Cut the tender top of the stems with young leaves and preferably some flower buds in the early morning after the dew has dried.  Hand upside down in small bunches to dry in a warm dark place or use a dehydrator.  You can also enclose the cut stems in a brown paper bag and place it in your car in the sun for a few days.  Beware that drying catnip isn’t the most pleasant car deodorizer.  When catnip is crumbly dry store it in clean containers with tight lids.

Catnip is fairly safe as far as dosage is concerned.  You would have to drink large quantities before it became toxic and you would vomit long before that. If you are taking prescription medications check with your doctor before taking herbal remedies.

Cats and Catnip

Not all cats are affected by catnip.  About 15% of cats lack a gene that makes them respond to catnip.  Cats must be sexually mature to be interested also. The smell of catnip affects them like a hormone.  Some eat it, some roll on it, some go crazy and wild on it, and others are barely affected.  It does not hurt them, but it can hurt your house if the cat goes on a drugged rampage.   

Some wild cat species are attracted to catnip and some are not.  Bobcats and cougars appear to be interested but tigers and possibly lions are not.  A catnip “trip” will last about 15 minutes and after that it will take a while before the cat will react again.  Cats may pass right by catnip plants in the garden but will go nuts for it when a plant is bruised or pulled. 

Carrot and apple bread

It’s harvest season and carrots and apples are both abundant.  Why not make a treat that’s healthy and delicious?  This will make two average sized loaves.

Ingredients

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup melted butter or oil

3 cups of finely chopped, peeled apple

1 cup of finely grated, peeled carrot

1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans

Blend the flour with the spices, baking soda and salt.

Blend the butter, sugars, and eggs together until creamy.

Beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until smooth.

Fold in the apple, carrot and nuts, blending until well distributed in batter.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F about 1 hr., a toothpick inserted should come out clean and the sides will shrink a bit from the sides of the pan, and the top will be lightly golden when done.

Cool before cutting.

 Apples and crisp fall air, enjoy them

Kim Willis

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September 18, 2018 Kim’s Weekly Garden Blog

Hi Gardeners

Red bed
Spring peeper on dahlia

Let me start by saying to those gardeners who have struggled this week with floods, winds, and explosions that I feel for you and wish I could help.  Gardens and gardeners are resilient, and things will get better. Think of it as a chance to get new plants, although that may be a bit light hearted while the disaster is still fresh.

After natural disasters your environment may be drastically changed. You may need to rebuild your home. Trees that provided shade fall.  Soil washes away or is polluted by flood water. Litter is everywhere. But nature will help you restore your environment. Take a deep breath and go slowly.  You’ll need to make decisions and maybe change some things.

I saw people on line talking about how to evacuate their plants, particularly houseplants.  I hope I never have to do that.  But don’t ever put the safety of your plants above your safety. 

So, on a lighter note, my garden has a few new plants blooming this week.  The colchicum’s popped up and are in full bloom.  They look like large crocus.  Jerusalem artichokes are blooming like crazy.  I keep trying to get rid of them, but they pop up everywhere.  Yes, I know they are good to eat but there can be too much of a good thing.

The trees are starting to color, the sugar maples are maybe at 10%.  Oak leaves are already starting to fall.  Fall color seems a little behind this year.  We had a late spring so that’s ok.

The hosta leaves are starting to tatter and brown.  Many things are looking tired.  I will soon be out and about gathering seeds of some things and picking things to dry.  I have a bunch of Japanese lanterns drying out in a vase on the table now.

Our apples are almost ready to eat. The crop is light and the apples small, but we will get a few.  Maybe enough for a batch of apple butter. The grapes are gone now, what we didn’t pick the birds and deer have gobbled down.

I think the hummingbirds may have left.  I refilled 2 of my feeders last night, battling away the yellow jackets, but I think they may be gone. The orioles and red winged blackbirds left early this year.  I still see a few robins, they usually stick around until the autumn olive berries are gone.

Have you bought those spring flowering bulbs yet?  Better hurry.  Every garden needs spring flowering bulbs and the time to plant them is near.  In cooler weather you can transplant things and plant new trees and shrubs.

While you are out in the garden take some pictures of your beds while everything is mature.  In the winter you can look at the pictures and it will help you decide where you need new plants, or where you can jam some more in.

I have a very long article on salvias this week.  I get interested in a subject and sometimes there is just too much information for one article, but I tried.  Salvias are some of my favorite plants and there are always some in my gardens.

A Granny Smith apple a day may help you lose weight

It’s the beginning of apple season, is there a type of apple you like best? You might want to get some fresh Granny Smith apples. There’s some interesting research that says they may help you lose weight.  A study done at Washington State University and published in the journal Food Chemistry, found that Granny Smith apples had a beneficial effect on weight loss.

The Granny Smith apple was discovered in Australia in 1868 as a chance seedling in Maria Anne Smiths orchard. I guess she was a granny.  Granny Smith apples are a greenish yellow when ripe, sometimes with a faint red blush.  They are tart and sweet at the same time, used in cooking and salads as well as for fresh eating.  They are one of Americas favorite apples and available at most stores.

Apples contain non-digestible fiber and polyphenols.  When these apple fibers reach the human colon they are fermented by bacteria and benefit the good bacteria that regulate healthy metabolism.  We now know that humans who are overweight have a different bacterial colony in their colon than those who remain lean. Those with diabetes and other metabolic disease also had different bacterial colonies than healthy people.  Eating apples, particularly Granny Smith apples, can change the gut colony to bacteria that favor a healthy metabolism and weight loss.

Granny Smith apples were found to be far better at normalizing gut bacteria than other types of apples. Granny Smith apples have less sugar and more indigestible fiber than other apple varieties.  Granny Smith apples are high in antioxidants and they have the highest concentration of phenols among the apple varieties. There may also be other genetic factors that favor good gut colonies.

Research done on mice found that the Granny Smith apples rapidly changed gut bacteria in a beneficial way. Researchers suggest that people eating one Granny Smith apple a day could help change gut bacteria and normalize metabolism so that it would be easier to lose weight. 

Yes, I know, sounds too good to be true. It sure wouldn’t hurt to try though.  Here’s some additional reading on the subject.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140929181156.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093779/

Burdock

If you have farm animals or pets you have probably encountered the annoying “burrs” in their coats, which are the seed pods of the common burdock, (Arctium minus). And if you have ever walked in the woods or fields and brushed against these plants you’ve probably had the unfortunate experience of trying to pull these sticky balls off your clothing. The round seed clusters of burdocks will stick to almost anything.  This is an extremely proficient way for the burdock plant to spread its seeds near and far. 

Burdock first year

Burdock is a bi-annual plant.  In the first year it puts down a thick, long taproot and a rosette of large broad leaves.  In the late summer of the second year burdock sends up long flowering stems. The stems may be streaked with purplish red and they have a grooved, rough surface. Burdock has purple tuft-like flowers at the top of a rounded mass of green, hooked bracts.  The bracts turn brown and form the familiar round burr as the seeds ripen and dry.

Left alone in good soil burdock leaves can grow huge - 2 foot long and wide. The leaves have a grayish looking underside because they are covered with fine white hairs.  The hollow flowering stems can reach 5 feet into the air and are thick and tough. 

Burdock usually grows in full sun and prefers rich soil although it can pop up in other places.  You must be vigilant and remove young plants from pastures and other areas as soon as you see them as the older they get the harder they are to remove and letting them go to seed compounds the problem.  Even when kept mowed, burdock will struggle along and produce its burrs on plants a few inches from the ground.  The flowers will continue to ripen and become burrs if cut from the plant while still green and are often found in hay.

Burdock 

Asian species of burdock are cultivated for their roots and American species also have edible roots.  The young leaves of burdock can be eaten as a salad green. The stems can be peeled and cooked also.  Burdock has many medicinal uses, the roots, seeds and dried leaves are used in a variety of home remedies.

If pets, livestock or even you get burdocks in your hair cover the burdocks with gobs of cheap hair conditioner and let it soak in for a few minutes. In a pinch peanut butter will do. The burrs will then easily comb out.  Don’t pick off burrs from your socks and gloves and toss them on the ground near your house unless you want burdock to sprout up there in the spring.

Sorting the Salvias

If you are thinking salvia is those red spiky annual plants you stick in the annual bed you are missing out on a variety of salvias, annuals, perennials and tender perennials that can be wonderful additions to your gardens. There are many species and hybrids of salvia species now available to gardeners.  Salvias come in many colors and sizes, one that will fit in any garden.  They provide a graceful vertical accent to plantings and hummingbirds and bees are very fond of them.

Some of the salvias can provide color in the late summer and early fall when color can be lacking in the garden. Salvia is great in garden beds or even in containers.  There are salvias that grow in sun or partial shade and most gardeners will find salvia easy to grow. They are also deer and rabbit resistant.

Salvia hybrid Wendy's Wish

As members of the mint family salvia has square, ridged stems, often with hairs. The stems may be colored near the tops similar to the flower color.  Salvia leaves vary a bit among species, but most are long ovals with a pointed tip, and a serrated edge.  They range from medium green to gray-green and are sometimes hairy.  Many salvias have a pleasant scent to the leaves and stems when handled.  

The typical salvia flower is hard to describe.  It’s a long tube composed of fused petals splitting near the end into a “hood” on top which is usually longer than the “lip” on the bottom.  The lip can be one large lobe or have two smaller lobes on either side of a large lobe.  The sexual parts of the flower usually are at the top, under the hood.  Flowers may be covered in tiny hairs.

An important part of the flower in salvias is the bract. This is papery, ridged tube that surrounds the base of the flower, split in two so the flower sticks out of it.  It is large and colorful, with the same or a deeper color of the flower. It may be hairy like the flower. Long after the flower drops the bracts retain their color and remain on the plant.  The bract will also hold the seeds after the flower drops, deep inside at it’s base.

Salvia flower

Flowers are produced on long stems in clusters. Species vary as to how large the flowers are and when they are produced.  The salvias have many man- made cultivars that have changed the size, color, and number of flowers produced. Some cultivars have slightly altered flower shape also.  Most salvia flowers aren’t fragrant like the leaves and stems but are still loved by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies for their nectar.

Some gardeners collect salvias and I can see the reason.  There are so many great plants in this family. There are also sages that have culinary uses or are used as religious psychotropics, but I will not be covering them in this article. 

The species

What’s confusing about salvias is that your idea of salvia may not be what I consider salvia.  There are many species of salvia in cultivation and lots of hybrids between species also.  I’ll start with the perennial varieties that are hardy from planting zone 5 south.

Salvia nemorosa is a species of salvia that is common in northern gardens.  Bloom time is normally early summer but there are cultivars that bloom in bursts throughout the summer if kept well-watered and dead headed.  It’s native to Europe and western Asia and hardy in zones 5-9.  The species has flowers of blue and purple shades, but cultivars have been developed in pink, white and various shades of blue.

Salvia nemorosa is a clump forming, slowly increasing plant about 36 inches high, although there are more compact species.  The leaves are rough, wrinkled, oval shaped and toothed.  When leaves and stems are cut or crushed there is an herbal smell.  I don’t like the smell, but many don’t mind it.

This salvia likes full sun in the north and partial shade further south.  It likes moist but well drained gravely soil. It will tolerate other types of soil but doesn’t do well in heavy clay soils.  It can tolerate drought after establishment but will not bloom well if too dry. 

Dead head it after bloom and keep it watered and you may get repeat bloom.  If the plants get floppy after flowering cut them back to about half their height. Salvia nemorosa sometimes get the fungal diseases of rust and powdery mildew, particularly if grown in shade. Deer don’t like the plant.

One of the most common cultivars is ‘East Friesland’ which is blue-purple. ‘Caradonna’- is another favorite with dark purple stems and violet flowers.  Other cultivars include 'Sensation Rose'(pink) 'Plumosa', which is purple pink with dense clusters of bloom, ‘Blue Marvel’ which is blue with larger flowers, ‘Bumbleberry’ a wine color, ‘New Dimension Rose’, Crystal Blue, which is pale blue, and Pink Dawn.  Many other cultivars exist.

Salvia x sylvestris is a hybrid salvia very similar to S. nemorosa resulting from crosses between S. nemorosa and S. pratensis.  It’s hardy in zones 5-9. They have a somewhat longer blooming period, through most of the summer, than S.nemorosa. Other than that, care and appearance are similar to S. nemorosa.  'Mainacht' or ‘May Night’ is a purple flowered cultivar very common in gardens.  ‘Tanzerin’ (violet), ‘Snow Hill’ (white), ‘Blue Hill’ (pale blue) are other cultivars.

Salvia microphylla, also called baby sage, Graham's sage, or blackcurrant sage.  It is native to the southern US and Mexico and is hardy in zones 7-9.  It has tiny leaves and small flowers and forms a mound like bush 1-3 feet tall.  It’s sometimes used as a ground cover. The leaves are oval and sometimes covered with fine hairs.  They have a mint like scent when bruised.

Flowers of this species are ¼ inch to an inch long and come in all shades of red, pink, rose and magenta. They are arranged in whorls on the stem.  The plants bloom heavily in spring and fall, with occasional blooms in summer.  This salvia was found to hybridize easily with other salvias and since the 1990’s a number of salvia hybrids using it have been produced.

Some common cultivars of Salvia microphylla include 'Hot Lips’, which has a white hood with bright red bottom petals, ‘Red Velvet’, 'Rosita', a good repeat bloomer with candy-pink flowers, ‘La Foux' which has deep crimson flowers with almost black calyces and ‘Wild Watermelon' which has large pink flowers with dark calyces.

Salvia greggii is very similar to Salvia microphylla and hybrids between the species occur in the wild. It’s native range is narrow, from southwest Texas, through the Chihuahuan desert and to the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi.  Part of this range is in the mountains, so some cultivars of the plant are hardy to zone 5.  There are dozens of cultivars, some hardy only to zone 7, so check the description before planting.  It’s often sold as an annual in colder zones.

S. greggii is an evergreen semi-shrub (deciduous in colder zones) with a mounding or sprawling habit.  In its native range it can get to 4 feet high, but most cultivars are more compact ranging from 1-2 feet high and wide.  The leaves are small, an inch or less, medium green and have a spicy scent when crushed.

This salvia blooms best in spring and fall with some odd blooms in summer.  Some cultivars bloom for a longer period.  In the wild flowers are small, less than an inch long, and shades of red on short stems.  Larger flowers and a great many color variations have been bred into the plant.  Cultivars have a neat, mounded look with flashy flowers perfect for the garden.

S. greggii likes sandy or gravely, well-drained soil. It does not do well in clay soils. Full sun in the north below zone 7 and partial shade in the south are preferred. It likes a moderate amount of water but can withstand some drought. Do not fertilize this plant for best growth and bloom. Lightly pruning after the spring flowering burst will encourage summer and fall blooms.

This salvia species has the only variegated foliage cultivar that I know of, 'Desert Blaze' has gold edged leaves and scarlet flowers. 'Wild Thing' is a popular variety that produces hot pink flowers. 'Furman's Red' is another well-known variety. 'Big Pink' has a large lower lip and is a lavender pink. 'Purple Pastel' is a light purple, small flowered variety. 'Desert Pastel' has pale apricot flowers with yellow streaks. 'Alba' is a white flowered variety. 'Strawberries and Cream' has yellow and pink tinted flowers.

Salvia sclarea is better known as Clary sage, an old herbal plant that’s also attractive in the flower garden and as a dried flower. In this plant the “flower” color comes from the flower bract, the papery tube at the back of the flower, which in this species is insignificant.

Clary sage is native to the Mediterranean region and central Asia.  It’s been grown for centuries for its essential oil and medicinal uses.  It’s a short-lived perennial, often grown as a bi-annual and hardy to zone 5.  One common cultivar of clary sage is ‘Vatican White’.

In the first year clary sage produces a basal rosette of broad, gray-green leaves.  In the second summer it produces long bloom spikes 3-4 feet tall with flower bracts in white or pink and purple shades.  The tiny flowers inside the bract are white or pale lavender.  The stems are square and feel rough and hairy. The leaves, stems and flowers have a pleasant scent.

Clary sage likes sandy well-drained but moist soil but will tolerate dry conditions.  It is best in full sun. Prune off the flower stalks before the seed is set if you wish to coax more years of bloom from the plant. It doesn’t grow well in hot, humid areas and humid conditions may lead to powdery mildew problems.

Clary sage is considered an invasive plant in some areas and may self-seed abundantly, spreading through the garden and into nearby fields.

Herbal uses include as a flavoring for wines, liquors and other drinks, and as a scent in soaps, perfume and cosmetics. Essential oil is distilled from flowers and leaves of the plant.  A tea of the flowers or seeds is used as an eye wash and is sometimes taken for digestive and menstrual problems, muscle pain and insomnia.  The flower stalks are cut and dried for dry flower arrangements.

Salvia jurisicii is also called Serbian sage. Unlike most salvias it has fine, feathery foliage.  In spring it also has stalks of purple-pink small flowers.  It’s hardy to zone 6 but may be hard to find.

Salvia azurea- or Blue sage is a native of the North American prairies and hardy to zone 4. You may have to look in native plant catalogs to find it.

Salvia pachyphylla is a native sage from California with purple-red clusters of flowers. Its hardy in zones 6-9 but can be hard to find.

Salvia argentea is grown not for its tiny flowers but for its large rounded fuzzy silver leaves.   Its hardy in planting zones 5-8 but is short lived, a couple years in the garden at best. It likes dry, well drained areas in full sun.

Tender perennial or tropical salvias

Salvia farinacea is fairly common in gardens but only hardy to zone 8 and native to Mexico and south Texas. It’s also called mealycup sage because the upper stems and calyx may have a wooly white covering.  It has lance shaped, 3-inch-long irregularly serrated leaves, and has a shrubby habit, growing 1-3 feet tall.

The flowers of S. farinacea are violet blue in the species but many other colors have been developed.  It blooms throughout summer and will bloom in sun or partial shade.  It will grow in almost any soil type but needs evenly moist, well drained planting areas.

There are many cultivars of this salvia on the market.  'Victoria Blue' is an old one that’s still great, ‘Cirrus' is a delicate blue with white, ‘Mystic Spires Blue', Evolution, deep blue, ‘Fairy Queen’, a pink color, ‘Sallyfun Blue Emotion’ is true blue with a touch of white in throat.

Salvia guaranitica is also called blue anise sage. It’s native to South America and hardy only to planting zone 8. The leaves are dark green, lighter underneath, pointed ovals that have a wrinkled appearance and are up to 5 inches long. The plant smells faintly like anise. Plants are considered semi-shrubs and can get up to 6 feet high in warmer areas.

The flowers of S. guaranitica are true blue with a darker calyx produced on long wands that float above the plant. Blooming time is mid-summer until frost in the north where it’s treated as an annual.  It will grow in sun or partial shade and likes rich, loamy well drained soil.

This salvia has produced some of my favorite cultivars, ‘Black and Blue’ has deep blue flowers with an almost black calyx. 'Argentine Skies' has pale blue flowers, 'Purple Splendor' has light purple flowers.^[

Salvia coccinea is also called scarlet sage, Texas sage, or tropical sage. It’s native to Mexico and hardy only to zone 8.  It has oval to triangular deep green leaves about 2 inches long that are lightly hairy. The species has long wands of scarlet red flowers, loved by hummingbirds, in summer. Cultivars have been developed with other colors.

This salvia likes well drained, moist soil such as a sandy loam.  It prefers full sun in the north, partial shade in the south.  It may self-seed, even in colder climates.

‘Lady in Red’ and ‘Coral Nymph’ (coral colored) are two better known cultivars.

Salvia Lady in Red

Salvia patens is a true-blue flowered salvia from Mexico, only hardy to zone 8.  It can be grown as an annual in other places.  It prefers full sun.  It grows about 3 feet high and has a long summer bloom period.  This salvia is also known as spreading salvia because in warm areas it will spread by rhizomous roots.  These rhizomes may be dug and stored like dahlias in areas colder than zone 8.  It is also easy to start from seed.

One cultivar of S. patens is ‘Blue Angel’.

Salvia leucophylla is native to California and is often called purple sage.  Leaves are gray-green and look like the wrinkled leaves of culinary sage. It has purple-pink whorls of flowers in spring and summer.  The flowers are said to be very fragrant.  It likes dry sunny areas and is drought tolerant.  It grows as an evergreen shrub, up to 5 feet high and 10 feet wide.  There are several cultivars, 'Bee's Bliss’ is a common one.  Its hardy only to zone 8.

Salvia leucantha is native to Mexico and is often called Mexican bush sage. The foliage is interesting in this species, it’s gray green and velvety.  It’s a winter or fall bloomer in warm areas, putting out dense arching spikes of white flowers with purple-blue bracts all through the cooler season.  Plants are 2-3 feet tall and wide. It can be grown as an annual in cooler areas and looks good in containers.  It’s hardy to zone 8.

Salvia hybrids- from various crosses of the species exist. ‘Wendy’s Wishes’, (magenta pink and burgundy) and ‘Love and Wishes’ (red-purple and deep purple bract) are two popular cultivars developed in Australia.  I am quite fond of these two.  Even grown as an annual they make large 3’x 3’ plants loaded with graceful colorful flower spikes all summer long.  They are sterile and do not produce seeds.  They will bloom in partial shade or full sun and should be kept well-watered.  They are hardy only to Zone 9.

Salvia Black and Blue

The annual salvias

Salvia horminum or Salvia viridis are the blue annual sages.  They are native to the Mediterranean area.  They grow 1-2 feet tall and bloom all summer.  This salvia likes full sun to light shade and regular watering.  There are many cultivars, some now have pink and white flowers. ‘Blue Monday’, and ‘Pink Sunday’ are popular cultivars.

Salvia splendens are the most common salvias in the garden shops. They are native to Brazil.  Once mainly red and tall, this annual salvia now comes in almost every color, bi-colors, and in several sizes.  These are the bedding salvias your grandmother grew.  They are still excellent bedding plants for sunny areas and make excellent container plants.  You’ll find then in every color from white to crimson to orange to apricot to deep purple and more. If your color scheme is an odd one these salvias can probably help you out.

Sun and moderate watering are needed for good flowering.  They bloom from early summer until frost and new varieties don’t need deadheading.  The bracts in various colors make excellent dried flowers.  They aren’t as hummingbird and bee attractive as other salvias but still worth growing.  They grow easily from seed but saved seed will not come true to color or form.  They sometimes reseed themselves in the garden.

Most of these salvias will simply be marked salvia in the garden shop. If you are an older gardener you may remember 'Van Houttei', a tall red salvia, it’s still available.  Some popular cultivars are ‘Salsa’ (red), 'Issanchon', a small plant with white flowers striped with pink or red, ‘Ablazin'^® Purple, and ‘Saucy Wine’.

This article does not cover all salvia species.  There are dozens more that aren’t as common in gardens but still might make a good garden plant.  If you like collecting plants the salvia family will give you plenty to choose from.

Using fresh sage in cooking

Since I wrote about salvia this week I decided to write about cooking with it instead of the usual recipe.  There are a couple of types of cooking or culinary sage, white sage Salvia officinalis, is the best one for most recipes.  There are purple and golden leaf varieties.

For more about growing culinary sage go to my herb page at the link below.  The individual herbs are listed in alphabetical order at the end.

http://gardeninggrannysgardenpages.blogspot.com/p/herbs-growing-and-using.html

Sage can be dried for winter cooking or used fresh.  If you didn’t grow sage in the garden- why not? Well, you can always buy some at the farmers market.  Here are some ways to use sage just as it comes from the garden.

A new, trendy treat is fried sage leaves.  You can batter the leaves or fry them without batter.  Choose larger sage leaves and remove them from the stems.  Wash and dry the leaves. Heat some cooking oil to about 350 degrees.  If you want to batter the sage leaves make a thin batter of water and flour with seasonings like garlic powder, pepper and salt.  Dip the leaves and quickly add them to the hot oil.  To fry sage leaves without batter, add leaves to hot oil.  Let the leaves lightly brown on one side, then flip them and brown the other. This will only take a minute or so.  Work in small batches and don’t crowd the pan.  Remove them to paper towels to drain and eat them hot. You can sprinkle the hot fried leaves with powdered parmesan cheese or use them with a dip also.

Fresh sage leaves can be added to butter in a frying pan and heated just enough to lightly brown the butter.  The leaves are then strained out and the flavored butter is used in soups, sauces or to baste meat.

Here’s how to make an interesting orange sage marinade. Blend together 1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup Dijon mustard in a large bowl.  Marinade up to 3 pounds of boneless chicken or pork pieces in the mix for 1-3 hours (in the refrigerator) before grilling or broiling them.

You can use fresh sage to season baked chicken or other poultry.  Lightly coat a whole chicken or chicken pieces with oil or melted butter. Sprinkle on chopped fresh sage, rosemary and marjoram with salt and pepper to suit your taste before baking the chicken.

Here’s a recipe for a fresh sage dip.  Combine 1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped celery leaves in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place in a bowl and refrigerate 5-8 hours to blend flavors. Serve at room temperature.

You can dry sage by harvesting fresh stems with leaves and hanging them in a warm, dark place, or in a dehydrator, microwave or oven.  Make sure the sage is completely dried, it may take longer than thin leaved herbs, before storing, or it may mold and taste musty.  Store completely dried leaves in a clean glass container in a cool place.  Sage leaves can also be frozen in water and will taste more like fresh sage when used than dried sage.

Saturday is the first day of fall, enjoy the last bit of summer

Kim Willis

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