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Tuesday, September 15, 2020

September 15, 2020 Harvesting the Garden for Houseplants

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.

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.

 

                                                              Fuchsia are good houseplants

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.

                                                                 Gerbera daisies do well inside

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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