Hi Gardeners
It’s a wet,
sloppy gray day here but we did have two days of sun before today. We got about
2 inches of very wet snow last night. If you step on it turns to water type of
snow, very messy. Many farmers say snow is fertilizer and it actually does
contain some nitrogen. But I am ready to be done with snow.
I participated
in the Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend. In my 2 hours of observing my
feeders I saw 15 species of birds. They were mostly the common feeder birds
that frequent my feeder in winter. In summer the number of species that are on
my farm probably doubles or triples. I’ve noticed a huge increase in what is
called the house finch, the sparrow sized birds with purple red chests. They
seem to have replaced English sparrows, I saw none of those this year and no
starlings either.
The bird
count takes place all over the world. Thousands of people submit lists of birds
they see on selected weekends. The counts help researchers study birds and tell
what species are declining or expanding their range. If you want to see the
results of the count and learn some fascinating things about birds you can go
to this site https://www.allaboutbirds.org/
This time of
the year I get a lot of little surprise plants sprouting in my pots of indoor
plants. My plants vacation outside in summer and seeds fall into them. Some are
weeds, like the ground ivy coming up in a couple pots, others are from flowers
like the woodland nicotiana and cleome seedlings popping up. I’ve even had
petunias and impatiens come up in pots.
I usually
leave the seedlings; ground ivy actually makes a pretty trailing houseplant.
When it’s time to move the plants out again I either transplant the seedlings
to the garden or pull them out. Right now, I have some pretty large woodland
nicotiana seedlings and I’m thinking of putting them into their own pots and
maybe moving them under the grow lights.
It would be amazing if I could get them to bloom inside- although the
plants get huge. They will be ready to bloom much sooner than usual when I move
them outside anyway.
I’ve got some
seed and nursery plant orders coming soon- hopefully. I was able to find a white bat flower bulb
this year before they sold out. At least I’m hoping I won’t get the dreaded out
of stock message. I don’t like it when companies ship to customers in warmer
zones first, using up their stock even though customers in colder zones may
have ordered the plants long before the customers in the warmer zones.
If you say it’s
in stock when I order, then you should reserve that plant for me until it can
be shipped. Some companies don’t do that. I understand why they may want to
move plants out quickly rather than continue to care for them but it’s not fair
to customers in colder zones. If it happens to me more than once I tend to stop
ordering from that company.
What not to use to start seeds
Gardeners are
itching to get their hands back in the soil. I know some of you are already
starting seeds, although it may be too early for most types of common garden
plants to be started in planting zones 7 and lower. If you want to know the
right time to start seeds consult the seed package. Most will tell you how many
weeks before you plant outside to start the seeds.
But
regardless of when you sow them, there are things you should not use to start
those seeds. Many clickbait garden sites online have cute suggestions for
containers to start seeds and there are lots of social media posts promoting
these without ever trying them or thinking about what might be wrong with the
idea.
One of the
oldest of these is using eggshells for starting seeds. Egg shells do not have
enough room for root development of seedlings. They don’t provide any drainage
and are hard to balance in an upright position. And you cannot plant the shell
and all in the garden, even if you crack it a bit. It takes years for eggshell
to naturally break down in soil and plant roots are rarely able to break
through it in time for the plant to have a productive growth season. Do not use
eggshells for starting seedlings, put them in your compost pile.
Ice cream
cones are one of the silliest things I have ever seen recommended for starting
seeds. When you get them wet they turn to mush. They will mold and smell. They
will attract bugs and mice. If you managed to get them to stay together long
enough to plant them in the garden animals would dig them up to eat, destroying
your seedlings. Don’t use ice cream cones to start seeds.
For the same
reasons why you shouldn’t use ice cream cones to start seeds, don’t use
hollowed out orange halves, lemons, grapefruits or any fruits. Put those things
in the compost pile.
Glass jars
and ceramic coffee cups and bowls are not good for starting seeds unless you
can put drainage holes in the bottom in some way. By the way the cute pictures
of little houseplants in coffee mugs are also a recipe for disaster because they
have no drainage. Plastic bags are also not good to plant in, although you can
surround a container with a bag to make a mini greenhouse.
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| Things that can be recycled to start seeds |
There are
many good things you can recycle for seed starting, such as foam coffee cups,
paper cups, deli trays, (the ones with clear domes make great little
greenhouses) cottage cheese cartons, milk cartons, cardboard tubes and so on. Egg
cartons can be used although they don’t provide much space for roots. Just make
sure recycled items all have holes poked in them for drainage and that they
have been washed in hot soapy water before use.
You can
recycle nursery pots and cell packs if they are washed before use. You can also make pots from cardboard and
newspaper. For how to make pots from paper products and more seed starting
advice see this page.
No, you can’t get corona virus from potting medium (soil)
A rumor or
maybe it should be called false information, has been circulating on social
media that potting soil from China might infect you with corona virus. This is
not true of course, as most people who stop to think about it should know.
First, very
little if any, potting soil comes from China. It would have to be transported
by ship and the freight charge would make the cost prohibitive. It would also be a long trip, and including
time sitting on docks waiting to be loaded and unloaded would take far longer
than the 14-day incubation period of corona virus. Then there’s exposure to the
elements, heat, cold and so on. The virus would be long dead.
China does
sell potting soil, and some of it has the same brand names as potting mix sold
here. But the potting mix made in China is sold in China and maybe some
surrounding countries. I see that Alibaba sells potting mixes and ingredients
to make them to the US, but you have to purchase them by the metric ton. This
is bulk material, not bagged product. Since North America has an abundance of
materials to make potting medium I doubt many companies would source anything
from China.
Most potting
medium is produced regionally because of the cost to ship it any distance.
Different manufacturing regions may source different ingredients to make the
mix, even for the same brand name, but they tend to get them locally. Since we
do not have a current outbreak of corona virus potting soil will not be a source
of the virus. Even if we do have a widespread epidemic at some point, you would
be very unlikely to contract corona virus from potting medium.
So no, you
aren’t going to get corona virus from potting medium from China, because that
product is unlikely to even be here in the States. And if it was, it probably
wouldn’t be able to pass the virus to you. Now if you are reading this in China
and going to use some potting medium you bought in a store in China, then you
might have a tiny chance of getting corona virus.
Potting soil can carry some diseases,
primarily of bacterial origin. I have written about this before. You can read
the article about that in this blog;
Fuchsia Begonia Begonia fuchsioides-
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| Fuchsia Begonia Photo Select Seeds |
Last week I wrote about two other types
of begonias, this week I would like to mention two other unusual begonias you
may want to try growing this year. The first, Fuchsia begonia, has been in
cultivation since Victorian times, yet few modern gardeners know of it. It
makes an excellent houseplant for winter and a showy garden plant in warmer
times of the year.
Native to South America this begonia
looks like a small shrub, about 2 feet high. It has clumps of slender but
sturdy, gently arching stems that are covered with small oval glossy green
leaves about an inch long. The plant is attractive even when not in bloom, but
it is usually blooming.
Fuchsia begonia blooms look like wax
begonia flowers, but they occur in dangling clusters at the tips of the stems.
From a distance the plant looks much like a fuchsia plant, hence the name.
Flowers range in color from pale to rosy pink, with white centers. With the
right light the plant will bloom all summer and in bursts all winter inside.
This plant is a tender perennial, you
can treat it as an annual if you wish, planting it outside after all danger of
frost has passed and letting it die at first frost. But fuchsia begonia can
also be moved inside before frost and will continue to bloom for you. You can
then enjoy it for many years. In zone 9 and higher the plant will survive
outside all year.
You can start this begonia from seed,
but seed is very hard to find. Most gardeners will want to start with a small
plant. Plants are easily started from stem cuttings. Plants can be a bit hard
to source too, but there are some links below the article to buy them. They are
relatively inexpensive. Once you have a plant flowering seed pods may form. Let
them dry on the plant and then you can collect the seeds to start new plants.
Outside the fuchsia begonia likes light
shade or partial shade. Indoors it needs bright light to continue to bloom
well. They prefer rich, organic type soil that is kept evenly moist, but pots
should be well drained. Monthly fertilization will keep the blooms abundant.
To keep the plant full and compact
pinch back the tips in early spring. Outside the plants have few insect pests.
In humid wet climates they may suffer from stem rot. Make sure plants have good
airflow around them. If the plants get chilled, they may drop their leaves but
will recover if kept in warmer places. They prefer night temperatures above 60
degrees so bring them in early if you are keeping them as a houseplant.
You could use fuchsia begonia as a
potted plant on shady porches, as color for shady places in the garden and as a
blooming houseplant. In Victorian times they were often placed on pillars in
shady areas of the garden. If you like the unusual or heirloom plants the
fuchsia begonia may be the plant for you.
https://selectseeds.com (plants, not seed)
Polka dot begonia Begonia maculata
The second begonia I want to bring to
more gardeners’ attention is the Polka Dot begonia. Like the begonia above this
tender perennial also makes a great garden or houseplant. It’s beautiful and
showy, both in and out of bloom. This plant is also known and sold as Begonia
‘Wightii’.
Polka Dot Begonia is native to Central
and South America and Africa. It is hardy outside only in zones 10 and higher.
It can be put outside after all danger of frost has passed in spring and brought
in before the first fall frost and will give you many years of enjoyment.
Gardeners will want to start with plants.
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| Polka dot begonia foliage Photo White Flower Farm |
Polka dot begonia has long irregular
blade shaped leaves similar to the familiar angel wing begonias. However, the
leaves are green on top with silver white dots all over them and the reverse
side of the leaf is red. Leaf edges are ruffled. It has a cluster of cane like
stems that can get 30 inches tall and 18 inches wide in well grown specimens.
Canes may also have a reddish color.
The Polka Dot plant will flower all
year if kept warm and in the right light.
The flowers are in dangling clusters of white or pale pink. They look quite attractive in shady spots and
could be part of a moon garden with both the leaves and flowers showing up well
in the dusk.
Outside the polka dot begonia should be
in light or dappled shade, the north side of buildings or on covered porches
and decks. Leaves will scorch in too much sun. The area or container must be
well drained, and they prefer rich soil. Because they are prone to powdery
mildew outside, don’t crowd plants, make sure there is good airflow around
them.
Polka dot begonias can be a little
fussy as houseplants, but a well grown plant is worth the fuss. They like a
bright sunny spot inside, south windows in winter or east windows in summer.
They can be grown under grow lights also. They should be kept above 60 degrees
F.
Root rot is the biggest problem with
polka dot begonias indoors. Use a coarse, well-draining potting mix, you may
want to add a little extra perlite to regular potting soil. The pot must drain
well. Clay pots work well for polka dot begonias. The pot should not be too
large for the plant. Polka dot begonias like to be a little pot bound and
smaller pots mean the soil dries out faster.
Water the plants only when the top of
the soil feels dry, but don’t let them wilt either. Yellowing leaves usually
mean you are overwatering. As mentioned above, these plants are subject to root
rot if overwatered. You must pay attention to watering with this plant.
Humidity is also important when growing
polka dot begonia indoors. Low humidity will cause crispy leaf edges. However,
they should not be misted as wet leaves may get powdery mildew. Instead use a
humidifier in the growing area, place them in humid areas of the home or set
them over water filled trays. Do not let the bottom of the pot sit in water
however, or the soil will remain too wet.
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| Polka dot begonia flowers Photo Select seed |
To keep new foliage and flowers coming
fertilize outside containers and indoor potted polka dot begonias with granular
slow release fertilizers or use water soluble fertilizers twice a month
according to label directions.
Polka dot begonias should be
periodically pinched/cut back to encourage a full, compact look. Cut back canes
to just above a stem joint, taking a third or less of the length off. Old
straggly, beginning to look woody canes can be cut off at soil level. Don’t let
the plants get too lanky before cutting back and you will develop a nice,
beautifully full plant.
All those pieces you cut off can be
rooted to start new plants. This begonia can also be rooted by laying a leaf on
soil, slitting the veins and weighing or pinning the leaf to the soil like one
does with rex begonias. It can be started from seed too, if one can find the
seeds.
If you like plants that do double duty,
inside and out, or you like beautiful foliage plants the polka dot begonia may
be for you. You may have to search a bit
for plants, but some sources are below.
Buying imperfect food- is it a good idea or
marketing scam?
You’ve probably heard that about 1/3 of
the food we buy gets wasted, thrown away instead of eaten. You may also have
heard that a lot of that food is thrown away before it gets to the customer,
because it looks bad, has passed an expiration date, or is too ripe or green.
The media has been promoting the ugly
food movement, encouraging people to buy those normally discarded fruits and
vegetables and make good use of them. It’s become the socially conscious trend of
the year. But has it also become a scam? There are those out there always ready
to capitalize on people’s desire to do the right thing or to keep up with
popular movements.
Now in my household little food is
wasted. Between dogs, cats, cage birds, chickens and wildlife little food waste
from my house goes uneaten. I have always looked for food bargains in the
grocery, buying outdated greens and fruit for my birds, overripe bananas to
mash and freeze for baking, wrinkled oranges to set out for the orioles. I even
pick out stale bakery goods that are marked down to feed the chickens.
My grocery puts outdated canned and
packaged goods in a corner of the store marked down for quick sale and I will
go through the items and buy some if I have use for them. I also buy marked
down meat and freeze it. I consider myself thrifty.
What I will not do however, is pay more
for old, ugly, overripe or otherwise less desirable produce and other food. And
that’s what’s happening right now in many places. People with a knack for
making a buck are packaging up old and ugly produce and other items and
actually charging more than what a customer would pay for fresh, more
presentable produce and other foods, sometimes a lot more. And people are
buying it, I guess as a misguided effort to save the world.
When that old, or ugly produce has to
be shipped to you it isn’t helping the environment. Good or bad produce being
shipped has the same effect on the environment. If that food was already
shipped to your grocer, and then it came to a choice of you buying it or it
being thrown out, then maybe you are helping the environment when you buy it.
If you are buying imperfect produce at the farmers market for a reduced price,
good for you.
I remember working at food pantries
where farmers and stores donated that ugly produce and other surplus items to
be given out to those in need. And poor people often search for items they can
get reduced at the grocery to stretch their food budget. I wonder how much of
those former donations and price reductions have decreased so that well to do
people can buy boxes of imperfect food at jacked up prices to show they care
about the environment.
I also wonder how much of that
imperfect food actually gets used by the customer too. In many of these company
“plans” you get a box of whatever is plentiful at the time. How many people
actually cook a big bunch of fresh beets or use up those apples with big soft
spots? How many people give up trying to wash and peel crooked twisted carrots
and just toss them?
I’m also seeing “imperfect” eggs,
cheese and other dairy products being offered. I don’t know if I would want to
buy those things, at least until I inspected them. And I’m thinking some of those
things are actually normal products, being added to the mix for variety and
having the prices jacked up to boot.
Many people also believe that the
imperfect food is organically grown. That’s not always true, in fact
conventionally grown food is just as likely to have ugly or unwanted items as
that which is organically grown. Some places advertise their ugly produce as
organic, but that is very hard to prove unless you have expensive testing done.
And if you pay more for organic imperfect food than perfect organic food you
are only fooling yourself.
If you really want to be a good environmentalist,
and be thrifty, buy your food locally and seasonably. Do buy damaged, ugly and
outdated items if you source them locally and you know you will use them. Use
up the food, perfect or imperfect, that you do buy before it becomes too
spoiled to use. Plan carefully before buying fresh produce, so you know the
amount you will need and when you will use it. And donate food that’s still useable
to food pantries if you know you won’t use it.
But don’t buy “ugly or imperfect”
produce if it costs more than “average or good” produce, especially if it has
to be shipped from a distance. It may make you feel good, but it’s only
encouraging people to take advantage of environmental causes. Looking at photos
on company sites I’m thinking they bought some of the stuff that would be
offered in any grocery and just marked up the price and called it ugly.
Don’t buy foods you can’t chose and may
not want to eat when they arrive as surprise boxes. There are things that you
actually shouldn’t eat, like green potatoes or melons and things you don’t know
how to cook or don’t like in those boxes. If it doesn’t get used, it doesn’t
matter if you rescued it. If that ugly food you pay more for causes perfectly
good food to not be purchased at the grocery and that food is discarded, what
did you actually accomplish?
If you want to reduce food waste and
help the environment convince your local stores and farm markets to reduce and
sell ugly produce and outdated items at a discount and then buy them when you
can. And take the money you save from buying overpriced imperfect foods from
sly profiteers and donate it to a good cause.
“There
is always in February some one day, at least, when one smells the yet distant,
but surely coming, summer.”
Gertrude Jekyll
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
And So On….
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