Hi gardeners
It was quite chilly this morning, 43 degrees when I got up. We have smoggy sunshine today, slightly less thick than yesterday. The smoke from the western wildfires has reached us. It’s making things a bit cooler as it keeps some of that sunlight from warming things up. But I’m not complaining. We have it so much better than those poor people on the west coast. It’s green and lush here now, we had lots of rain last week. No raging fires- or hurricanes- to worry about.
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| Sweet autumn clematis and rose of Sharon |
I worked all weekend on repotting plants and setting up for
them inside. Some have been brought
inside, and the rest soon will be inside. Then I won’t have to worry as the
nights get colder. This weekend frost isn’t predicted,yet, but a look at the
temps make me worry about a last-minute frost warning.
I move the larger and more the more valuable plants inside first, small pots are easy to rush inside if needed. Some plants like geraniums withstand the light frosts pretty well, although it’s better they move inside before it. The potted bulbs I want to store dormant are fine to sit through a light frost.
If you want to preserve the annuals or tomatoes, for a bit longer you can cover them with old sheets, row cover fabric, or paper when frost threatens. Remove the coverings as soon as the sun is up, and temps are above freezing. Don’t use plastic for covering plants unless it is suspended so that it doesn’t touch the plant leaves.
I hate taking a lot of the color out of the garden but that’s
life. Seasons come and go. There are still hardy plants blooming in the garden
though. My quilled yellow mammoth mum is living up to its name, it’s been
blooming since August and it’s huge. It’s sprawling a bit now but it’s still
pretty. Some of the smaller mums I have around here are beginning to bloom too.
If you want garden mums that return and bloom every fall don’t
buy the potted mums you see outside every store right now. Those are good for color
and decorating but they rarely do well in the garden. Buy garden mums in the
spring, varieties selected for garden growing and you’ll be much happier with
them. When you get these, they are usually small plants, quart sized or smaller
pots and not in bloom. Give them a year or two and you’ll have huge plants that
reliably return.
The sweet autumn clematis is in bloom and attracting bees. I
still have rose of Sharon in bloom and the black eyed Susans still have some
bloom. Phlox and roses, lobelia, snakeroot, ligularia and hosta are blooming. I
spotted some tiny violas that came up from seed beginning to bloom.
The asters and goldenrod are filling the fields with bloom
for the migrating butterflies and last hurrah of the bees. The bumble bees I
see have their legs covered in big wads of golden yellow pollen, I think it
must be from goldenrod.
I saw a hummer last week, but I haven’t seen him in a few
days, and I think the hummingbirds have left. I took the feeders down. The
orioles are gone but the turkey vultures are still here.
Keep an eye on your local weather this week and be prepared
to cover or move plants inside if frost threatens.
Protecting
annuals/vegetables from the first frost
If you want to preserve the annuals or tomatoes, for a bit
longer you can cover them with old sheets, row cover fabric, or paper when
frost threatens. Remove the coverings as
soon as the sun is up, and temps are above freezing. Don’t use plastic for
covering plants unless it is suspended so that it doesn’t touch the plant
leaves.
You can also move plants into a shelter temporarily or cover
them with buckets, bushel baskets or large pots. In a pinch you can even pluck
large leaves of burdock, comfrey or even hosta and place over smaller plants. I’ve
done that a time or two. But everything must be removed promptly the next day.
You can get away with this for a few days, especially if
they are just once and a while. When frost starts happening every night – or hard
freezes are predicted it is time to give up.
If your tomatoes are mature size, and starting to lighten a
bit, they can be picked and brought inside, where they will continue to ripen.
You can put them on a windowsill or just anywhere you have room. Do not
refrigerate. Some people wrap each
tomato in newspaper or a paper towel. The tomatoes should be spaced a bit in storage,
so they don’t touch. Throw out any that start to rot.
Root vegetables can be left in the ground until you have
time to harvest, as long as you get to them before the ground freezes.
Turning
garden plants into houseplants
I love a patio and yard filled with colorful plants and if I
can get plants that I can use for more than one year so much the better. There
are many plants that gardeners grow in their gardens and outdoor containers as
annual plants that are actually perennial plants in warmer climates. Some of our most common bedding plants that
we treat as annuals fall into this category.
If gardeners rescue these plants before a frost, they can become
attractive houseplants for the winter.
It’s also economical to keep a few tender perennials over
the winter so you don’t have to buy them again in the spring. Many of these
tender perennials can be multiplied by cuttings to produce a whole new
selection to use outdoors next spring or to share with friends. Some tender
perennials that are over-wintered become large, attractive plants that would be
impossible to obtain with one summer’s growth.
There is a list of these tender perennials that can winter
indoors given below. If these plants are growing in the ground, they should be
dug up and carefully potted. If they are crammed into a container that is
pretty full and lush it would be wise to separate the different plants and pot
them separately. Check the plants and the pots carefully so you don’t bring in
small surprise guests like frogs and mice.
Use a good, lightweight potting soil if you need to re-pot
tender perennials you are bringing inside. Garden soil can bring in pests. You
can use potting medium with fertilizer included but it isn’t necessary for most
plants at this time of the year. Blooming plants do appreciate fertilization,
however.
Some of these plants go semi-dormant in winter, even when
brought inside. They will begin growing
again in the spring however, as the days lengthen. The plants that do go into a resting stage
can often be kept in a room that is well lit but has cool temperatures that
stay just above freezing, such as a sunny porch. Other tender perennials need room
temperatures that don’t go below 55 degrees F. to do well over the winter.
Instead of bringing whole plants inside you can sometimes
take cuttings of plants and over winter small plants you start from them. It is better to start these plants outside in
late summer, and then bring in the small pots before frost. However, if frost threatens and it seems to
be too much work to bring a large plant inside, take a few cuttings and try
your luck.
List of tender perennials that can be brought inside for
winter
Abutilon, often sold as container plants, make good
houseplants.
Aloes, agaves, most are not hardy below zone 8, but
can be overwintered inside.
Banana plants, will grow well in a sunny area inside.
Begonias, wax, tuberous, Rieger, angel wing, cane-
all types of begonias will bloom all winter in the right conditions. Tuberous
begonias and even cane types can be allowed to go dormant and the tubers
stored. I always leave the tubers right in the pots and store them in a cool,
above freezing place. Take the pots somewhere warmer and bright in February-
March and let them start growing again.
Wax (fibrous rooted) begonias can make a pretty blooming plant
all winter in bright light. Rieger types also do well inside as
houseplants. Rex types are great
houseplants.
Brugmansia, most people bring these inside to a cool
place just above freezing and let them go dormant in the pot. You can keep them
growing and blooming in a warm, very sunny spot indoors.
Calla- you can bring inside and let them grow- or let
them go dormant and store the bulbs in the pot until spring in an above
freezing place.
Canna- canna will grow inside as foliage plants in
bright light all winter or let them die back and save the rhizomes.
Coleus- bring the whole plant inside or take
cuttings. If stems get woody and straggly looking cut them back. Bright light is needed inside for good
growth.
Colocasia, elephant’s ears- you can let them die back
and store the bulbs or let them continue to grow as a houseplant if you have
room.
Dipladenia and Mandeville can be overwintered but are
a bit tricky. They need bright light and
warm conditions.
Eucalyptus, sometimes used in containers, grows well
inside.
Fuchsia- plants will grow and bloom all winter in
bright light. The smaller flowered varieties make better houseplants.
Gardenias- if you are below zone 7 bring these inside
to save. They need cool, humid, sunny conditions inside.
Geraniums- you can store them in a semi-dormant phase
in a cool, dark place or just pot them and let them bloom all winter in a
warmer, brighter place. They will get quite large inside.
Gerbera daisies- will bloom off and on all winter if
they are in bright light inside. I actually think gerbera do better inside than
outside.
Hibiscus-Tropical or Chinese - bring inside, in
bright light they will bloom most of the winter. They’ll live many, many years
and get very large.
Joseph’s coat (Alternathera
ficoidea), good foliage plant.
Lantana, yep- it will grow and bloom all winter.
Lemon cypress needs the same conditions as rosemary,
see below.
Lemon grass, needs bright light in winter.
Lemon verbena needs warmer, sunny conditions. It
makes a small tree.
Lifesaver plant (Huernia
zebrina), good houseplant.
Lipstick plant and goldfish plant, both make good
houseplants.
Ornamental peppers- the smaller varieties with pretty
foliage make the best houseplants.
Polka dot plants – keep pinched back so they don’t
get leggy.
Rosemary- in zones 7 and lower rosemary should be
overwintered inside. It needs cool, not above 65 degrees, sunny conditions for
best survival. Most other herbs, including lavender, do not survive well inside
over winter.
Setcreasea, the purple passion plant, grows well
inside.
“Spikes” – dracaena – make good houseplants.
Sweet Bay- bring inside to overwinter.
Sweet potatoes will keep growing all winter in bright
light and warm conditions.
Succulents-many of the new succulents are not winter
hardy in zones 7 and lower. Bring them inside and they grow all winter. Check
the hardiness zones of all succulents and sedums. If they are hardy in your
zone it’s best to leave them outside.
Taro- let it grow through winter or let the leaves
die back and save the tubers.
Bulbs that are tender for your zone can be allowed to
die back and stored above freezing in net bags buried in shavings or just bring
pots inside after potted bulbs have died back. All bulbs must be brought inside
before a hard freeze. Bulbs include glads, dahlias, peacock lilies, rain lilies,
crocosmia, pineapple lilies, (Eucomis) and other tender bulbs.
Don’t try to save too many tender perennials unless you have a big greenhouse. (Even I close my eyes and leave some behind.) Just save the most expensive, rarest or your personal favorites. You can propagate cuttings from one or two plants for a new border of impatiens rather than trying to save the whole border. All plants need room and good light and the more you have, the more time you will spend caring for them. Trust me, I know.
Treating Vacationing
plants for insects
If your houseplants have been outside for a summer vacation
(the vacation was for you) or if you have decided to move some tender perennials
inside, as described above, then you may want to treat the plants for insects
before you bring them inside. Pests like aphids, scale and mealy bugs are
usually kept in check when outside by natural predators. But if they hitch a
ride inside there can be major problems.
It is a good idea to spray plants with an insecticide or use
a systemic insecticide on them the day before you bring them inside. If you do
it outside you won’t pollute your indoor air and surfaces. You don’t need to
worry about harming pollinators or beneficial insects when you treat plants
going inside. Most systemic pesticides won’t harm your pets if they munch them.
And the benefits of not having to fight aphids, scale, mealy
bugs and so on are great. Often these pests don’t show up until later, you look
at the plant outside and don’t see them, but when you do see them, it can be very
hard to eradicate them. Plants can be treated inside if they develop problems,
it’s just easier if you prevent them.
I don’t treat every plant I bring inside, that would be very
expensive for me. But many plants are
more susceptible to pests. I treat the
hibiscus, citrus, fuchsia, spider plants that were outside, amaryllis, ficus, and
any plant that has ever had a pest problem inside. If these plants are treated
the other plants around them seldom have a problem.
My favorite indoor treatment is Bonide systemic houseplant insect
control. There are other brands of systemic houseplant insect control too. Bonide
comes in several formulas, and it lasts at least 2 months. This year I am using
little spikes you push into the soil, and they also fertilize the plant. I find
that treating plants once, before they come inside usually controls pests the
entire season inside because plants aren’t getting re-infested. Don’t use systemic
products for outside plants on potted plants.
Of course, you can use other methods of controlling insects
such as a horticultural soap spray. Don’t
use dish soap sprays, they harm plants. There are neem oil sprays for
houseplants that are moderately effective. Make sure your plant isn’t one that’s
sensitive to neem. The problem with these is that they require multiple
applications, but the systemic products are once and forget it, at least for a
couple of months. Once again don’t use products for outside plants on plants
going inside.
If you take steps to control insects early, before it gets
warm and dry inside and insects start making their ugly presence known, your
plants will be healthier and you will be happier.
Ardisia- or
coral berry
Coralberry, or Ardisia crenata is a tropical plant from eastern Asia that makes a good houseplant. Other common names include Australian holly, Christmas berry and spiceberry. Ardisia produces bright red berries in winter that last on the plant and is sometimes sold in stores around Christmas. It is also used in floral arrangements of living plants because the glossy green upright plants often have new leaves of bronzy red that are attractive.
This plant is considered invasive in climates where it is
hardy outside, as in Florida. But northern gardeners don’t have anything to
fear from it, it’s only hardy to zone 8. There are other species of ardisia,
but they aren’t often seen for sale.
Ardisia plants aren’t easy to find anymore, I got mine from
one of those floral “dish” garden arrangements. Ardisia has strong upright
stems and forms a small tree when mature. It can have one or multiple stems and
is up to 6 feet tall when mature grown outside, inside plants in pots are about
3 feet high. The leaves are long, broadly oval, thick and glossy green. New
growth is, as mentioned above, can be bronze-red.
There is one cultivar of ardisia crenata called 'Beni
Kajaku' that has beautiful pink-red variegated foliage as well as red
berries. It is quite hard to find in the US though. Another variety ‘Spring
Frost’ has a white edged leaf and white flowers and is also hard to
find.
In late summer and fall plants produce clusters of pale pink
or white fragrant flowers. Flowers often have tiny black spots on the petals. The
flowers turn into bright red berries, each with one seed. The berry clusters
hang down below the foliage for a bright show. Berries can last on the plant
for many weeks. The seeds inside berries can be planted to produce new plants.
Inside the ardisia should have bright light, without being
in direct sun, avoid south facing windows. They like to be kept evenly moist
without being soggy and appreciate moderate to high humidity. They don’t mind
cooler winter temperatures down in the 50’s but reduce watering where it’s
cooler. This plant loves being outside in summer in a lightly shaded location
where it will put on a spurt of growth. Summer outside helps the plant develop
flower buds.
Ardisia or Christmas berry needs fertilization about once a
month from spring to fall. In winter reduce fertilization to every other month.
Use a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer. You can prune the plant to keep it
within the size you can handle but top pruning does not make the plant overly “bushy”.
It is normally upright and fairly narrow in growth pattern.
Mealy bugs can be a problem inside for ardisia. Use a
systemic pesticide on inside plants. Flowers may drop if the plant is too dry,
or there are cold drafts. Flowers won’t form if temperatures get too high in
summer, but summers here (zone 5) seem to be just fine.
To propagate you can root cuttings or plant the seeds in
spring. Bottom heat helps seed germination. Cuttings are generally made from
young side branches with a bit of “heel” (stem) attached in late spring. Insert
cutting in damp sterile medium and use bottom heat and misting if possible.
Otherwise enclose cutting in a plastic bag and place in a warm, softly lit
place. It takes 6-8 weeks for rooting.
Birds and raccoons love the berries, but it is thought that
berries and plants may be poisonous to livestock, people and pets. There is no
hard evidence that the plant or berries are toxic, but I would keep kids and
pets from eating the berries or other parts. The roots of ardisia are used in
Asia for reducing fever and promoting blood circulation.
Ardisia is illegal in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. It was
once used as a shrub in yards because it is so pretty, but it spread into nearby
wooded areas and became worrisome to naturalists. It does not survive freezing
so northern gardeners don’t need to worry. It has naturalized in Australia and Hawaii
among other warm places.
If you are looking for a different houseplant ardisia or
Christmas berry may be just the plant for you.
Plant sources
https://www.pernellgerver.com/coralberry.htm
https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Ardisia_crenata.htm
Easy
Kicking hot sauce
Like things hot? Want to create your own signature hot sauce? Start with this recipe and make it your own.
Just remember to keep the ratio of vegetables to vinegar the same for food
safety and use spices to vary the recipe.
For this recipe you need a blender or food processor, a
spice bag or tea ball or some clean cheesecloth, 4 half pint canning jars with
new lids, a good-sized pot, and a water bath canner. You will probably want
some rubber clothes to handle the peppers too.
Ingredients
1½ cups of chopped hot peppers of your choice. Jalapeno, tobasco,
cayenne, serrano- any type of hot pepper is good, and you can mix them up.
3 cups of diced canned tomatoes—either home canned or
purchased, do not drain juice.
4 cups vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons pickling spice without dill- purchase this
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder- don’t use fresh onions in this
recipe
Directions
Use gloves to chop the peppers unless you are very brave and
discard the pepper seeds. Chop them finely. Keep your fingers away from your
face, hot peppers can cause burns and misery.
Measure the peppers and tomatoes. It’s important to get the right ratio of
vegetable matter to vinegar.
Put peppers, tomatoes, vinegar, salt, garlic, and onion
powders in your pot.
The pickling spices are large and hard seeds generally, and
you need to put them in the spice bag, or tea ball or tie them in a piece of
cheese cloth and drop that in the pot.
If you want to use other spices – powdered spices can go
right in the pot, large seeds in the tea ball or spice bag. Some suggested spices are cinnamon, red
pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cloves, cumin, mustard
seed, celery seed, and horse radish. You probably don’t want to add all of
them! Use them lightly at first. You can add more, even after cooking.
Bring your pot to a boil and then turn down to simmer and
simmer 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and remove the spice bag or tea ball or
cheesecloth bundle.
Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Be
careful about splashing.
Return to the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes,
stirring frequently. During this time, you can taste and adjust spices.
Pour or ladle the sauce into clean jars to within ¼ of the
rim. Wipe rims and put lids on.
Process in a water bath canner 10 minutes for under 1,000
feet altitude, 15 minutes for 1,000 to 6,000 feet altitude and 20 minutes over
6,000 feet.
Let jars cool and label them.
“Wine is the divine juice of September.”
— Voltaire
Kim Willis
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permission.
And So On….
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