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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

November 10, 2020 succulents and pines

Hi gardeners

It may be abnormal, but I’ll take it. This beautiful warm sunny November weather that most of the country is experiencing is one of the few upsides to climate warming.

Don’t worry about your plants, they’ll be fine. I have a clematis blooming by my barn even though the leaves are rumpled and brown. Other people have told me about witch hazel and a few other shrubs blooming. Bulbs are coming up. But everything will compensate. Had this warmth happened in February we might be in trouble, but things still have time to enter normal dormancy.

The weather is expected to swing back to just slightly above normal November temperatures this week. But the weather service is projecting a warmer than normal winter through February. Don’t get too happy, because that could mean more ice storms instead of snow, or even more snow than normal, since warmer air holds more moisture.

Still I love checking off each day when we don’t get wintery weather.  It’s one day less of it. I love having the doors and windows open in November and sitting outside in the sun in shirtsleeves. It’s getting dark earlier and earlier, faster and faster, but that just means we’ll hit winter solstice soon and we’ll be back on the upward track.

All around me people are burning leaves. Don’t do that! It’s such a waste of nutrients. If you can’t stand the look of leaves on the lawn and in flower beds and have the ambition to rake them up, at least compost them. And the leaf blower has got to be the biggest environmental mistake any gardener could make. Using all that energy and polluting the air to blow leaves around is just stupid.

The inside plants are thriving. I had to water a little more this week because it’s warm. I never did get rid of my Hawaiian hibiscus and it has some huge white blooms this week. I have a Thanksgiving cactus in bloom this week too. All the regulars, the other hibiscus, fuchsia, streptocarpus, wax begonias, lemon, geraniums and the diascia I brought in are blooming too.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. My husband and brother are Viet Nam vets, as are many of my friends. I’d like to wish them and all vets a good day tomorrow and thank them for keeping our country free.

Of succulents and pine trees

One of the things that annoys me is when people talk about “pine” trees when they actually mean some other species of conifer plants. Pine tree is not the name for any tree with needles. Pines are one species of evergreen, cone bearing trees. But there are many other species, spruce and firs for example, and those species all have different needs, diseases and pests.

If you think calling all conifers pines annoys me, try talking to me about the Christmas trees in your yard. It’s not a Christmas tree unless you have lights and decorations on it. And the “Christmas” trees you buy for the holiday come from a variety of evergreen species.

If you have evergreens or conifer plants in your landscape at least know what plant family they belong to. I am putting an article under this one that will help you identify the evergreen trees in your yard. When you want to know something about a needled evergreen in your yard please use the correct name for it.

The newest plant fad is succulents. But what people don’t realize is that succulents is a name for a group of plant families/species that share similar characteristics, fleshy stems and leaves that store water. Many of those plant species do live in arid environments but some succulents actually live in rain forests.

Succulents is not a scientific name classification and there is some disagreement as to what plant species are succulents. Cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Sedums are succulents. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti are succulents, but their native homes are in rain forests/jungles. Then there is the term semi-succulent, which can refer to plants such as African violets.


Aeonium family

Here’s a list of plant families that can be considered succulents or that have some succulent species; Aeonium, Agave, Aloe, Bryophyllum, Ceropegia, Crassula, Cotyledons, Euphorbia, Echeveria, Faucaria, Gasteria, Haworthia, Hoya, Kalanchoe, Graptopetalum, Kleinia, Orostachys, Pachyphytum, Pedilanthus, Peperomia, Sansevieria, Sedum, Sempervivum, Senico. There are other families.  I am not including cacti and forest cacti here.

When most people buy a succulent plant, it is labeled just that- succulent. So that is how they speak of it- as a succulent. It’s unfortunate that nurseries don’t properly label plants but when you buy a plant labeled succulent do the homework and find out just what species of plant you have.

When your “succulent” isn’t looking good and you want to ask for advice or you want to know how to propagate the plant, knowing what actual species you have is very helpful. Even knowing a common name is better than just calling it a succulent. The Jade plant is Crassula argentea or sometimes Crassula arborescens, for example.

Crassula family

While succulents do come from arid regions for the most part, there are still differences in what the many species need in regard to light, temperatures and other things. Some are cold hardy, some are not.  Some are prone to certain diseases, some are not.  So no, all succulents cannot be treated the same way.

I wish I could give you a condensed guide to identifying succulents as I did with the evergreens below. But there are so many families and so many species in those families that it would probably take a book. There are a lot of new succulents of various species coming on the market for houseplants and even I have trouble keeping up with identifying new species.

Here’s some sites that can help you ID what succulents you have.

https://plantsam.com/cacti-succulents/

https://thesucculenteclectic.com/identifying-types-of-succulents-pictures/

https://www.succulentguide.com/

 

Kalanchoe 'SnowBunny'

Identifying evergreens in the landscape

In this article we’ll skip plants that are evergreen but have broad leaves, such as holly and euonymus and concentrate on the needle leaved, woody evergreens.  And we will also leave out the few species of trees with needle like leaves that lose those leaves in the winter, such as bald cypress. 

First some terminology, without being too technical. “Evergreens” is a broad term for many species of needle leaved woody plants.  Most of these are also conifers-that is they reproduce using a cone. Yews and junipers are both woody evergreens with needle like leaves, but they produce fleshy berry-like cones with seeds inside. (It's a cone but it looks like a berry.) These evergreens should not be called Christmas trees unless they are actually being used for that purpose.

Here are some general identifying characteristics of different woody evergreen plants.  The main plant families are pine (Pinus), spruce (Picea), firs (Abies), Yew (Taxus), Juniper (Juniperus), and cedars (Thuja).

It is easy to identify some species within a plant family but in other cases even experts have a hard time identifying individual species, especially if they are not common ones. And in addition some common names suggest a family that the tree doesn’t really belong in.  So, don’t worry too much if you can’t identify what species of fir you have, just whether you have a pine or a fir.

Pines are some of the most common evergreen woodies. Pines always have needles in bundles.  A little papery sheath binds together anywhere from 2 to 5 needles. Pines have cones of various shapes; the shape as well as the number and length of the needles can help identify the species. Many cones of pines have a prickly point on the end of each scale on the cone. 

The Eastern White pine has long, soft blue green needles in clusters of 5.  The cones are also long and narrow, with a slight curve and are often covered in resin.

The red pine has 4-6-inch needles in bundles of 2 and the cones are stubby and often connected in pairs opposite each other on the stem. The bark of a young red pine trunk has a reddish color. 

Scotch or Scots pines have needles in bundles of 2, they are 2-3 inches long, slightly twisted, blue green in summer fading to dull green or yellow green in winter. The cones are short and point back toward the trunk. 

Scotch pine- notice the sheath bundling needles together

Austrian pines are an imported species that are sometimes hard to distinguish from red pines. They have needles in clusters of 2, slightly shorter than red pine needles and a duller green. The cones are about 3 inches long. The trees are a bit fuller and more shapely than red pine which is why they are often used in landscapes. 

The jack pine also has needles in bundles of 2 that are relatively short, less than 2 inches, and spread in a V. The cones are small and generally have a distinct curve and point toward the tip of the branch. These are the cones that need the heat of a fire to open them.  Jack pines often have odd growth habits such as leaning or distorted branches.  There are many other species of pines.

Spruces have short needles attached singly to the branch with a little stub that remains after the needle falls off.  That makes the branch feel quite rough with its numerous protrusions. Spruce needles are generally 4 sided with a blunt tip, surround the entire branch and are square looking when crosscut.  When crushed spruce needles have a pungent odor that can remind you of cat pee.

The Black spruce has short needles to 3/8-inch-long and small cones with a purplish tint. The White Spruce has slightly longer, blue-green needles with a waxy sheen, the cones are longer and light brown.

Blue Spruce or Colorado Blue spruce are some of the most frequently planted ornamental evergreens. Some have a very silver blue tint, especially when young, but the color can vary widely. The needles are long and sharp, somewhat longer than White Spruce and the smell especially sharp also.  Cones are also long.

The Norway spruce is a widely planted non-native ornamental with dark green slightly flattened, 1 ½ inch needles and long narrow cones.  A mature tree has a graceful weeping form. There are many other spruces, native and non-native, planted in landscapes.

Firs have single needles attached to the branch with little suction cup like bases.  When they fall off, they leave a slight pit on the branch, but the branch will feel smooth.  Fir needles often have one or two white lines on the back of the flattened needle.  Fir cones stand upright on the top of a branch; the cone scales fall away and leave a “core” protruding from the branch for a while.

Firs are the trees with the delightful smell associated with Christmas and are often sold for Christmas trees.  They are less frequent in the landscape than pines or spruces. 

The Balsam fir is probably the most common fir.  It has small purplish cones.  Also grown are White, Concolor, Grand, and Frasier firs.

The Douglas fir is not a true fir but is in a species of its own (Psuedotsuga menziesii).  It has flat, soft, single needles attached to the branch.  The needles narrow at the base and when they fall off they leave raised scar, but are not as prominent as the bumps on a spruce.  Douglas fir cones hang downward on the underside of branches and are unique because 3-pointed seed bracts protrude from each scale on the cone.  Douglas firs grow to be the second largest of our trees, second only to Sequoias.

The tree family Thuja is also called Cedar or Arborvitae and they are common landscape plants.  Northern White Cedar is our most common species.  However, what is confusing is that there is a southern tree family called White Cedar (Chamaecyparis) which looks very similar to  Thuja species.  Occasionally some species and cultivars of this family are sold as ornamentals although they aren’t very hardy in the north.

Northern White Cedar has flattened overlapping scale-like leaves.  On the underside of the leaves you can find tiny, raised spots called resin glands.  The trees have tiny cones in clusters near the branch tips.  Arborvitae comes in a variety of shapes, from the natural tree like form to upright dense windbreak forms and rounded globes that stay small.  It has a pleasant smell, reddish bark and wood that is hard and dense.

Arborvitae- Northern white cedar

Junipers are known for their prickliness.  Adding to the name confusion one species of Juniper has the common name of Eastern Redcedar.  It forms a tree shape and has overlapping rows of flattened scale like needles when mature but when the plant is young the needles are spiky and sharp.

Common juniper forms a more shrub-like sprawling form and the needles, arranged in whorls of 3, stay sharp and prickly.  The common identifying characteristic of Junipers besides their prickly needles is their blue, berry–like cones. These are used to flavor gin.

Yews have soft flat, dark green needles which are paler yellowish green on the bottom. Their identifying characteristic is that they have red berry-like cones. They are seldom found in the wild, but are common ornamentals here.  They tolerate shade and trimming.  However, yews are extremely poisonous to livestock and pets eating foliage or bark and children consuming the berries. Use care planting them in the landscape.

There you have it, a guide to the common landscape evergreens so you can identify what you have and have a better way to describe them to your gardening friends or look up their care and diagnose problems.

 Water gardens inside

If you are an enthusiastic pond gardener, you are probably sad when winter comes, and your water garden has to be shut down. But with a little imagination and work you can have a water feature indoors and continue to grow the water plants you love.

Wouldn’t you love to see tropical water lilies, calla lilies, water hyacinths, rushes and reeds, and numerous other water plants indoors all winter, maybe accompanied by the tinkle of a fountain? Most water plants you use outside in summer could be brought inside. You can over winter goldfish and koi inside too.

You can put the water feature in among other houseplants to make it look more natural. Many houseplants will be quite happy near a source of humidity like the water feature. Drift wood, or art objects might be used to disguise container edges and make it look more natural.

Size and location

You’ll want to make this inside water garden small, of course, since water is heavy and also very destructive if something like a leak should occur. Find a location to place your water feature where it won’t cause massive damage if it leaks. Even small amounts of water being splashed or dribbled constantly can ruin hardwood or carpeted floors. A place with a tile or cement floor would be ideal.

A 3 feet square water feature is on the large side for indoor water features. A small container or fountain 18 inches in diameter can be soothing and can support several small plants and even a few fish. Something that can sit on a sturdy table may be easier to care for than a floor-based water feature. If you are going for a larger surface area, consider making it a shallow water feature, to keep the weight and amount of water needed down.

You’ll need to fill the water garden and lugging buckets upstairs to fill it will probably call for a small container. Locating your water feature close to a water source is the easiest option. Also think about how you are going to drain this water feature should you need to. You may want a small pump that could pump water into a bucket or drain.

Also be sure your indoor water feature is safe from children and pets. They will be attracted to it. Dogs will drink from a water feature and may try to get into it. Cats will be attracted if fish are in the feature. Children could fall in and drown if the water feature is large enough, and children have drowned in 5-gallon mop buckets. This happens when they tip upside down into the bucket and can’t right themselves.

Younger children will want to play in the water feature, which could harm plants and things like fish if you include them. And if they tip it over or cause a leak a lot of damage to your home could occur. You may want to wait to have indoor water features until children are older.

Other things you may need

Almost all water features inside with plants will need to have grow lights suspended over them. Water plants usually need strong light to do well. You must do this very carefully as water and electricity do not mix. Cords should not touch water; water should not get in outlets. Lights should be suspended so that there is no way they can fall into the water. If you ever see a cord or bulb in the water DO NOT REACH INTO THE WATER to remove it, you could be electrocuted. Turn off the power first.

Water splashing on a hot bulb can cause it to explode. There are bulbs with “shields” if you think this may be a problem. Or just position bulbs so a splash is unlikely.

Indoor water gardens can raise the humidity in the home, which can be a good thing, since most homes are too dry in winter. But occasionally an indoor water feature can make an area too humid, causing mold to form and dank smells. Make sure to have a humidity meter near. Experts say a humidity level over 50% may cause mold to form. Using fans to disperse humidity over a larger area or a dehumidifier can correct this.

What kinds of containers can you use for inside water features?

You could use one of those preformed plastic ponds. But there are many things you could improvise with, including large pots (without drainage holes of course), small stock tanks and muck buckets, (check a farm store) and various heavy-duty plastic storage containers. Containers must have sturdy sides, or they will bow out when filled with water.

You could build a frame and use a pond liner. This is probably best done on a sturdy waterproof floor such as a cement basement floor. I once built a frame using bundles of newspaper in my basement. I covered it with a pond liner and used it to overwinter goldfish quite successfully. You could use an existing frame, such as a raised planting box, if you covered it with a liner.

If a frame has rough spots or gaps you are covering with a liner, make sure you add some cushioning between the frame and liner, like a foam pad or even layers of cardboard. This keeps the liner from being torn or worn away.

There are many clever things you can do with objects in your home to make them into water features. They could become funny conversation pieces or beautiful, inspiring décor. Use your imagination.


This water feature was made from a wringer washer 
for a display on recycling by Master Gardeners.

Putting fish in your water feature

Both koi and goldfish can be overwintered in your indoor water feature but make sure they have enough space for their size. Keeping fish inside will require an aerator and a filter. You won’t need heated water for koi or goldfish. If you decide to add a few tropical fish the water will need a heater.

It will require a lot more work to keep the water clean and smells down if you add fish to your water feature. You’ll have to feed very carefully and change the filter frequently. You may even have to change the water from time to time. But if you have fish in an outside pond already and are worried they might not make it through winter, bringing them inside could be the solution.

In short you can have a water garden inside during the winter, with a little imagination and care. Why not try something different this winter?

 Posting your land from hunting

If you live in the country or in a rural subdivision this is the time of year to consider posting your land against hunting. You may be fine with hunting but from a legal standpoint, it makes sense to post your land. If someone is hurt on your property- or hurts someone else or damages property- your legal rights are better protected if the land is posted against hunting and trespassing. If you want to hunt or give someone permission to hunt on your property you can still do so.

I’m not a lawyer and I’m not giving legal advice here. I’m most familiar with Michigan law but most states have similar laws on posting land and hunting regulations. While farmland and woods connected to farmland are automatically protected by law from trespassing, many hunters don’t know this. It’s best to post all property, even fenced property and crop land.

Legal no trespassing signs must be at least 50 square inches and have letters at least 1 inch high. The wording can vary from simply no trespassing to no hunting or trespassing. Be aware that is much harder to enforce and prosecute hunting violators if the sign doesn’t say no trespassing. There is no required color for the signs.

Your signs must be posted so that a person can see at least one sign as he or she approaches any point of entry into the property. That means that they will probably need to be every 15-20 feet apart on property boundaries. If access points have gates place no trespassing signs on the gates.  If you notice blinds, camps or other indications that people have been on your property post signs near that location too.

Signs should show above any tall weeds or crops, but not be above an average person’s standing eyesight. Be aware that nailing signs to trees can damage the trees, posts are better for holding signs.

It is illegal to post signs on other people’s property without their permission, no matter how tempted you are to add additional space to your buffer zone.  It is also illegal to remove posted signs unless they were wrongly posted on your land. You can legally remove blinds and camps from your property if you did not give permission for them to be there.

 

 I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

Kim Willis

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