Kim's Weekly Garden Newsletter, October 8, 2013

October 8, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

These weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other individual, group or organizations opinions.

Hello Gardeners

We had some welcome rain and the hot muggy days are probably behind us.  I finished bringing in the houseplants, potting up the geraniums I wanted to save.  We have good chances for light frost this week.  I suspect that around the full moon this month, the 18^th, we will have a hard frost or freeze.  That’s the average time for a killing frost in this area and I always say that in spring and fall frosts and freezes occur around the full moons.

I am through covering anything.  The dahlias are still beautiful but I am ready for the season to end.  After frost kills the tops I’ll dig them, the cannas, and the glads.  I have had a wonderful garden season, one of the best in years.  We are still getting tomatoes too. 

Speaking of dahlias I have heard that dahlias are increasing in popularity again and there will be a short supply of some varieties, especially heritage ones, next year.  You can order the tubers now in many places such as Old House Gardens and you will be first in line in the spring.  Or you may want to remind yourself to order early in the spring to get a good selection.

I have been harvesting and processing lots of apples. I broke down and bought one of those hand cranked peeler, corer, slicers for apples and I love it.  (There are some apple recipes below under apple bites.)  I have seen apples falling on the roads from roadside trees all over.  There is one down the road with big, nice looking apples and I told my husband that I ought to go pick up those apples.  But that was before I started picking and processing our apples.  I think I will have plenty without going looking for them.

Tips for planting fall bulbs

My fall bulbs have been arriving and I have started the process of planting them.  (If you haven’t ordered yours you should do that today.)  My eyes in the catalog are always bigger than my desire to plant in the fall is, but I work up the energy to get it done by reminding myself how great they will look in the spring.

Here are some fall bulb and rhizome planting tips.  Always plant lily bulbs and the tubers or rhizomes of things like peonies as quickly after you get them as you can.  These do not store well and every day you wait decreases the chance you’ll have success with them.  Lily bulbs found in packages in stores usually don’t perform as well as those that were dug and shipped directly to you from a mail order source.

If you are prioritizing, next plant the smaller bulbs, like crocus and snowdrops.  They bloom early so they need to get started early.  They also have the tendency to dry out in storage.  Hyacinths, daffodils, and narcissus should be next, with tulips last.  Tulips actually like cooler soil.  While bulbs can be planted until the soil freezes they often do not do as well as those planted earlier.

If you cannot plant your bulbs promptly store them in a cool dark place.  The refrigerator crisper drawer is fine or even the refrigerator in a brown paper bag.  Moisten them occasionally in storage but don’t get them too wet.  If they develop mold put them on newspapers in a dry dark area for a day or two. 

If you look outside one morning and snow is on the ground don’t despair.  Plant the bulbs in a good potting soil mix in containers and keep the containers cool, back in the frig or on an unheated porch or garage.  The ideal temperature is between 30 and 40 degrees. Water lightly every couple weeks.  After 8-10 weeks of cold the pots can be brought into a warmer, sunny place and they will probably bloom for you.  Plant the bulbs outside in the early spring.  They may or may not bloom the next season but at least you had them this spring.

Choose the right spot to plant bulbs and rhizomes.  Almost all bulbs like well-drained soil.  Never plant bulbs where water stands in early spring.  Most bulbs also like to be planted in sunny locations.  However small bulbs that bloom early can often be planted where the shade of deciduous trees will be later in summer, as most of their growth will be done before the trees cast much shade.  A few bulbs and rhizomes do like partly shaded locations, Lily of the valley, trout lilies, trillium, some true lilies are examples, so do some research and make sure you are giving the plants the location they need.

Peonies are usually planted in the fall.

Most bulbs should be planted about three times as deep as their height, but there are exceptions to this rule.  Read package directions or look up the plant requirements if you are uncertain.  Peonies are planted very shallowly with the eye or bud on the root just below the soil level.  In general plants with rhizomes or tubers instead of bulbs will be planted less deeply.  ( Rhizomes look like stems with buds and have roots attached.)

If you aren’t good at estimating depth in inches use a trowel that’s marked with inches or mark a small piece of wood with inch measurements and use that to guide you.  Don’t add thick mulch after planting as this may impede the bulbs emergence.  A light mulch of 2 inches or less is ok and helps disguise the planting area from animals.  If thick layers of leaves blow over planted bulbs remove some of the matted leaves in spring so that bulbs don’t struggle to emerge.

Plant bulbs with the pointed end of the bulb up.  If you can’t find a pointed end, look for a round scar on the bulb.  This is where roots were last year and it goes down in the hole.  Rhizomes should have budded areas on top if you look closely. 

Try not to remove any papery covering bulbs have, but don’t worry if some of it falls off. Don’t separate the scales- or sections – that lily bulbs have and don’t try to divide daffodils with double or triple “noses”.  Yes, experts propagate bulbs that way but it isn’t as easy as it seems and your best bet is to plant the bulbs as they came.  A little mold on bulbs that still feel firm will not harm them.  Mushy or rotted looking bulbs should be discarded.

Don’t use fertilizer or bone meal in the bottom of your hole.  Bone meal should not be used at all.  Old books suggest it and some new references just copy that but in our times bone meal is steamed and processed for safety and little is left in the way of nutrients. It also attracts some animals, which dig up your bulbs looking for it.  Using a general purpose fertilizer is fine, but mix it with the soil you are back filling with or  sprinkle it on the soil surface, don’t dump it in the hole.  This can burn roots.

Arrange your bulbs in a staggered way, not in straight lines for a more natural look.  Small groups of the same color or type of bulb look better than single bulbs.  Once again package directions will tell you how far apart to space bulbs.  Generally large bulbs should be about 6 inches apart, small bulbs 2-3 inches.  Plants that will be large as adults, such as peonies need considerably more room.  Peonies need to be at least 6 feet apart.

Mark the spots where you planted bulbs with labels so you know where they are.  Some fall planted bulbs and rhizomes are slow to emerge in the spring and you don’t want to damage them or plant over them.

If you have trouble with animals digging up bulbs you can lay a piece of wire over the planted area until the ground is frozen.  Make sure you remove it early in the spring if you don’t remove it in the fall.  A piece of wood lattice, with 2 inch holes can be placed on the ground and the bulbs planted through the holes.  This discourages widespread digging, such as from pets, which really aren’t after the bulb to eat. 

Moles do not eat bulbs, but their tunnels attract other animals which do and their tunneling can sink bulbs too deep to emerge.  If you have lots of moles you can plant bulbs in pots, which you sink in the ground to their rim. Narcissus, daffodil, and allium bulbs are not eaten by animals, although they can be dug out of the ground and left to die. 

When bulbs just begin to emerge in the spring a small amount of slow release granular fertilizer sprinkled on the soil around them, especially if you can do it just before a spring rain, will improve their vigor and size.  And if spring is dry make sure to water your bulbs.

Remember that you will need to leave bulb foliage to dry up before you remove it if you want the bulbs to return well the next year.  Planting bulbs where later emerging perennial foliage will hide the dying bulb foliage is a good plan.  I like to plant bulbs among hosta, ferns and daylilies.  Oriental and other tall lilies do well planted with ferns or daylilies as an understory; they won’t bloom until later in the season but they like their feet in the shade. Just leave a small clear area over each bulb, don’t plant directly on top of the bulb.

African tree found to be an effective pain killer

Imagine the researchers surprise when they found that a native remedy plant they were testing had the exact same chemical make up as a synthetic painkiller- Tramadol- already on the market.  The small African shrub Nauclea latifolia (also known as the pin cushion tree) has the power to relieve pain and fever.  The medicinal part is the root bark, which has a 0.4% to 3.9% concentration of the active chemicals, which is high for a natural substance.  This is the first time researchers have ever found a natural chemical compound that was identical to a previously known synthetized one.

African people have long used the roots from the shrubs for many medicinal uses.  Three different research labs have confirmed the chemical properties of the shrub to make sure the first research wasn’t contaminated.  There are 10 species of the shrub and researchers are now busy testing all the species to see if there are differences in the potency of the active chemicals.  The discovery may open up a new crop for Africa and it underscores how little we know about natural remedies.

What’s at the farm markets

Most farmers markets continue operations at least through this month.  Apples of course should be abundant and pears and grapes are also on the market.  Pumpkins and gourds of all types will be filling displays.  Cabbage and kale, carrots, onions, potatoes, rutabaga and turnips should be available.  Fall crops of leaf and romaine lettuce are on sale.  Some farmers may be offering popcorn.  Bananas are not a Michigan crop and when you see someone selling them or citrus they may be selling other crops that weren’t grown locally too.

Apple Bites

Two new varieties of apples may be on the market in limited quantities this year, look for them to be more abundant in 2015 or so.  Farmers began planting “SnapDragon” and “RubyFrost” in 2011.  These are both similar to HoneyCrisp in that they are crisp and juicy with just the right amount of sweetness.  They are both mid to late season apples.

Grand Gala apples are huge-some of the biggest apples on the market.  They were discovered and developed from a branch of a regular Gala apple tree.  Scientists have recently discovered that while they have the same number of cells as regular apples, each apple cell is larger and the cells don’t split in cell replication.  They do add more copies of their DNA but it all stays in the same cell making the cells larger.  The core size remains the same as other Gala’s, so all the enlargement is edible.

There are few Grand Galas in stores because they have an irregular shape, but orchards that cater to roadside stands and you-picks are growing them.  If you like impressing people with large fruit this variety may be for you.

When schools offer whole apples at lunch counters kids often take them, but there will be a lot of them thrown in the trash uneaten.  Researchers found that when the apples were sliced though, more students choose the apples and 70% more of the apples were eaten.  Many schools have added an apple slicer at the counter that splits fresh apples into 6 pieces.  (Pre-sliced and treated apples are much more expensive.)

Students told researchers they didn’t like whole apples because they had braces or missing teeth that made biting them hard or because they thought they looked funny biting into whole apples. 

Here’s a good fall recipe for apples.  Peel, core, and slice apples thinly.  Spray a cooking sheet with pan spray, I like butter flavored, and lay the slices on the pan, then lightly spray the apples with the pan spray.  Dust the sprayed slices with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned and crispy- maybe 10 minutes- keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.

ARS-USDA Photo

Easy crock pot apple butter.  Before peanut butter came on the scene almost every home had apple butter.  Here’s how to make some that you can flavor as you wish.  Peel, core and slice apples.  Fill a crockpot to the top with slices, (they cook down a lot).  Do not add any water!  

Turn the crockpot on high and let the apples cook for an hour or so, until you can see some juice has built up.  Then add brown sugar- the amount will vary – but about 1 cup of brown sugar for 4-6 cups of apple slices.  Also add spices, traditionally apple butter uses cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice but you can vary this as to what you like.  Go light on the spices, you can adjust it later. 

Stir the sugar and spices in with a spoon and cover the crockpot back up and let it cook.  Check every so often, giving it a stir and mashing up the fruit.    After 2 hours prop the lid of the crockpot with a couple toothpicks so steam can escape and help the apple butter thicken. As the apple butter thickens, stir more frequently so it doesn’t scorch, this may be as often as every 5 minutes. As the butter gets thicker taste it and adjust the sugar and spices as needed, stirring in each addition well.  When the butter will mound on a spoon it’s done.   The time will vary but I usually have a good batch in about 4 hours.

Store the apple butter in the refrigerator or you can freeze part of it.  You can also can apple butter in a water bath canner for storage.

Make your house smell great and cook some apples this week

Kim

Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent

More Information

How to Grow Apples- an overview

By Kim Willis

ARS-USDA Photo

While apple trees will grow happily across the United States, it is not quite as easy to get good fruit in all areas.  Apple trees need a certain number of chilling days, days where the temperature is below 45 degrees, to set flowers, and a long enough season to ripen the fruit.  In Michigan we have hundreds of varieties to choose from but those in warmer and colder regions have a much more limited selection.

Apples have another trait that makes fruit production tricky.  They do not pollinate themselves and even two trees of the same type, such as two Red Delicious apples, will not pollinate each other. If apple flowers don’t get pollinated you don’t get fruit.  Apple trees depend on bees to move pollen from a tree not closely related to them and that blooms at the same time, to their flowers.  

Sometimes a crabapple or wild apple tree nearby can furnish the necessary pollen but homeowners should expect to plant at least two different varieties of apple trees if they want fruit. Most catalogs will suggest compatible pollinators. The fruit of the apple is not affected by the tree that pollinates it.  Granny Smith apples will look and taste like Granny Smith apples, even though they are pollinated by a Red Delicious.

Selecting varieties

In Michigan zones 4-6, there are hundreds of apples varieties to choose from. McIntosh. Jonathan, Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, HoneyCrisp, Ida Red, Gala, Paula Red, Cortland, Rome, and Gingergold are some popular ones.  If you are a homeowner who would like to avoid the use of chemical sprays some pest and disease resistant apples include Enterprise, GoldRush, JonaFree, Liberty and Pristine.  There are also hundreds of heritage or antique varieties but some of them are not very disease resistant and they can be hard to find. 

Don’t choose two varieties that are closely related.  For example Jonafree is a disease resistant form of Jonathan and they won’t pollinate each other.  You should also sample different types of apples and see what flavors and textures you like before selecting trees.  Here’s a tip.  Golden Delicious apples will pollinate most other types of apples.

Gardeners should start with grafted apple trees that are a year or two old.  Apples can be started from seed but because of their pollination habits they do not come true from seed.  Seed grown plants take a long time to produce their first set of fruit- up to ten years- and then the fruit may not be very good. 

In a grafted tree, pieces of desirable apple trees are grafted onto apple root stocks, which are specially grown for hardiness and vigor.  They also control the size of the tree.  A healthy one or two year old tree is preferable for planting.  These will bear fruit in 2-3 years if they are a semi-dwarf variety.  They may look like a slender twig but will transplant better than older, heavier plants.

Homeowners can get apple trees in three sizes, standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf.   Unless your space is very limited homeowners should choose semi-dwarf trees.   Semi-dwarf trees are still small enough to take care of easily and still produce a decent fruit crop.  Semi-dwarf trees grow to about 12-15 feet high and need to be spaced about 10 foot apart. They bear fruit faster than standard trees which grow 20 feet or more and need to be spaced 15-20 foot apart.  

Standard trees may be cheaper to purchase but they are harder to prune and harvest and will require a longer wait before you get fruit.

Dwarf trees usually grow to about 8 feet, but are fragile when loaded with fruit and often need to be staked.   The amount of fruit they give is less than other trees.  They can be trained to grow on a trellis or along a wall or fence where space is very limited, but fruit production will be low.

Apple tree care

Apple trees transplant well when they are dormant and are often sold bare-root in the spring.  They can be planted as soon as the ground is unfrozen.  Potted apple trees are also sold.  They can be planted at any time as long as you keep them well watered.

Apple trees need to be planted in full sun, in a well-drained area.  If water stands in an area after a rain it is not a good place for apple trees.  They will grow in a wide range of soil types but of course loose fertile soil with lots of organic matter would suit them best. 

Do not plant apple trees in low areas, where a late frost is more likely to injure flowers.  You don’t want the trees too close to the house because they will need to be sprayed and fallen apples can be quite messy at times and attract insects.  But if you live in areas where deer are a problem you will want to keep your apple trees fairly close to the house and away from natural hiding places such as tree lines.

Apple trees will need to be watered in dry climates or during droughts. Fertilize your apple tree each spring as the leaf buds green up by using a fruit tree fertilizer as the label directs or sprinkling a half pound of 5-10-10 around the tree. Protect the trunks of apple trees with a ring of small mesh wire to keep animals from gnawing on the trunks in winter.

If you want perfect fruit you’ll need to follow a fruit tree spray schedule.  There are many new organic products on the market that may be safer than conventional pesticides.  You can also opt for no sprays and in some years you will get decent apples but in other years your apples may be wormy or otherwise impaired. 

Apples also need to be pruned correctly to maintain optimum tree health and a good crop of apples. This is done in late winter when the trees are dormant.  You’ll need to study some good pruning diagrams or take a class to learn how to correctly prune apple trees. Basically though you want to open up the tree center, space branches at least 18 inches apart, shorten very long lateral branches and keep the height of the tree to a good workable height for you.  Remove branches that cross each other, grow straight upward, are damaged or are too low on the trunk.  Suckers that come out of the ground should be promptly cut off, as soon as you notice them.

October 1, 2013 Weekly Garden Newsletter

October 1, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

From Kim Willis

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

These weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other individual, group or organizations opinions.

Hello Gardeners

The weather is gorgeous, I hope you have had time to get out and enjoy it.  I am tearing apart my large perennial bed on the east side of my yard to make room for some bulbs I have arriving soon.  There is a huge euonymus bush that is taking over, it has buried a peony and some daylilies and I need to dig them out and find a new spot for them as well as dig out tons of phlox.

Woody nightshade berries at sunset.

I cut down all the cornstalks and my son carried them home to decorate with.  It’s funny how city folk take compost material or animal fodder and make decorations out of it.  We also harvested a bunch of huge pumpkins although we have some that are still changing color that we left.  In fact the vines are still blooming.  Everyone around here seems to have tons of pumpkins around here so I can’t imagine why the prices are so high at the stores for them. 

The dahlias, marigolds and Maximilian sunflowers are lighting up the yard, their colors seem so intense in the October light. The Maximilian sunflowers are attracting lots of bees too.   The hummingbirds seem to have left.  I have seen huge flocks of turkey vultures soaring around, which generally means they are getting ready to migrate.

Speaking of birds, my survey of bird numbers revealed that most people who emailed me thought there were fewer birds this year, one person said her bird feeder population seemed normal.  One MG wrote to the Michigan Audubon Society and here’s what they said:

“Thank you for calling Michigan Audubon.

There is no sudden decline in birds that we are aware of in our area. Every year, about this time, we receive this same observation. It may be due to the fact that many birds are in molt, shifted to different areas for foraging, etc. I encourage your friends to document their bird observations over time using eBird so they can compare year to year. Otherwise, it is just an anecdotal observation.

eBird www.ebird.org is very user friendly and you can track your own observations while seeing what others are seeing on the landscape. You can even generate graphs to help tell the story of bird populations over time.

Other sources include the Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey.”

I’m not sure if I quite agree with this but there it is.

I wrote a large article below about epigenetics, it’s a topic I became interested in when I was doing some research on recent genetic information I learned about our family.  It’s not exactly gardening but I hope you enjoy it.  I promise to write more about gardening next week.

One more off –garden topic.  Today marks the start of the new health care market place, an important step in bringing the US up to the health care levels of other modern countries.  If you do not have good, affordable healthcare please give the marketplace a look and see if it can help you.  As a person who has struggled with finding healthcare, and often went without healthcare because I couldn’t afford it, I know how this will be a great help to many people.  If you have an existing health condition you will now be able to get health care at the same rate as other people your age and there is no additional waiting period for you to get treatment for your pre-existing condition.

I know many people are skeptical and scared and there will be problems that will need to be worked out.  But please give the new system a chance.  I think in a few years we will be glad that we adopted this so that all people in our country have affordable access to healthcare.  If you don’t understand the marketplace and what it does there are all kinds of non-profit organizations offering help in getting your insurance started.  Take your time and don’t rush to get it done, understand the options and choose which is best for you - you do have until December 15 – or beyond if you don’t need healthcare beginning January 1.  And the website is struggling today to keep up with the people who are eagerly signing up for affordable care so you may want to wait a day or two.

October almanac

In October the full moon is called the Hunters Moon, Dying Grass moon or Traveling moon as Native Americans often moved to winter grounds during this time. It occurs October 18.  October is full of holidays, (some of which I disagree should be holidays).  We have Columbus Day October 14, Sweetest Day the 19^th, United Nations Day the 24^th and of course Halloween the 31^st .

It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness month although that seems to occur year round anymore. It’s also Adopt a Shelter Dog month, Cookie month, Eat Country Ham month, Pizza Month, National Popcorn Popping month, the 21^st  is Pumpkin Cheesecake day and the 24^th is Bologna Day.  October is also Diabetes Awareness month (great choice with all the yummy foods being honored.  

Garden at Suncrest, September 2013.

The October flower is calendula or Marigold.  In older days calendula was called marigold.  Octobers original birthstone is the opal and a secondary birthstone was appointed in 1952, the tourmaline, which comes in a variety of colors.

Good days for harvesting above ground crops are the 10^th and 11^th and for harvesting below ground crops you should go for the 2^nd , 3^rd, 29^th and 30^th .  And there will be a lot of harvesting this month, soybeans and corn harvest will begin soon.

Swallowwort, a threat to Monarchs

Monarchs are very scarce this year and we need to help their numbers increase in any way we can if we want to continue to see them in the future. An invasive plant that might be found in a meadow near you poses a threat to Monarch reproduction and Monarch butterfly lovers should seek it out and destroy it.  

Swallowwort is a European relative of milkweed, but unlike milkweed it is toxic to the larvae of Monarchs, who lay their eggs on it by mistake. It’s also toxic to livestock. Swallowwort forms a mutually beneficial association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the soil. The soil where swallowwort grows builds up a high population of the fungi and this discourages the growth of plants which cannot form associations with the fungi.  This results in huge patches of nothing but swallowwort. There are two species, Black and Pale Swallowwort.

Swallowwort is a very invasive perennial plant that will survive in the same habitats favored by native milkweeds.  It’s a vining plant that will climb trees or simply scramble up over grasses or brush. It has oval shiny dark green leaves, with a sharp point and a smooth margin arranged opposite each on the stems. Unlike milkweeds, swallowwort has a clear, watery sap.  

Clusters of reddish purple to pink star shaped flowers arise out of leaf joints and the flowers turn into narrow pods similar to milkweeds pods.  Inside the pods are seeds attached to a bit of fluff like a milkweed seed.  Plants turn a bright yellow in fall, which can help identify them.

Swallowwort has been found in many places in Michigan including Oxford, Romeo, Waterford, Milford, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Petoskey.  You can see a map and report sightings here  http://www.misin.msu.edu/facts/detail.php?id=36

Canada is going to release a moth that feeds on swallowwort, (Hypena opulenta) and the US is now considering the same thing.  In Europe swallowwort has many pests that keep it in check but there are no natural controls here.  Currently control involves pulling and chemicals.  Mowing may increase sprouting and make thicker stands.  For complete control suggestions see this fact sheet http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasive-species/Swallow-wortBCP.pdf

Why what you eat, where you live, and what you breathe can affect your genes

Can getting too much folic acid, (found in dark leafy greens, beans and grains) or too little Vitamin D and selenium in your diet affect your children and grandchildren’s health?  Research suggests it does.

As we learn more and more about genetics and how to interpret the genetic code we are also discovering that our environment and what we eat can affect our genes and in turn determine the health and fitness of our children and grandchildren.

We all have thousands of genes arranged on 23 chromosomes that determine everything about us, including the fact that we are human.  However 2 people can have the same gene or set of genes and yet be vastly different.  That’s because other factors are at work, chemical signals that tell some genes to shut off or turn on or behave in unusual ways.  The study of these signals or “markers” is called epigenetics.  It’s only been recently that we have found that these markers can be inherited along with our basic DNA.

Chemicals in your environment, things you eat, exposure to radiation, any number of things we are finding out now can cause the genes in your body to be modified. (The process is called methylation.)  We sometimes refer to this as a mutation. This may affect you, causing cancer and other diseases, but we now know that these changes can also be passed along with your DNA and affect your children and grandchildren.  Sometimes changes to genes don’t even show up in the person in whom the gene change occurred, but become apparent in children or grandchildren.  When you hear people talking about the BRCA gene increasing your chances of getting breast cancer, they are actually talking about a marker, or breast gene mutation that is inherited.  Everyone has the same breast gene.

Getting too much folic acid (also called folate) doesn’t usually come from a normal diet, (although it’s possible), it comes from taking supplements but it can cause problems. Too little folic acid also has risks; most notably a deficiency during early pregnancy can cause spinal bifida and other fetal deformities.  When we discovered the relationship between a folic acid deficiency and fetal health the government decided to fortify cereals and other products with folic acid.  It’s become standard procedure to give pregnant women folic acid supplements during pregnancy.

While there is no doubt that correcting a folic acid deficiency during early pregnancy will lower the risk of spinal bifida, other nervous system irregularities and some heart problems in a baby there is now troubling evidence to show that getting too much folic acid can have profound effects on human health also.  Some of these effects don’t show up until the second or third generation, in other words the person taking in the excess folic acid won’t show the changes although there can be effects to the person who consumed excess folic acid too.

Recent research studies have linked excess folic acid to breast cancer in children and grandchildren of people who consumed the excess and to bowel and prostate cancer both in the original consumer and their descendants.  In fact in animal studies the rate of breast cancer was twice as high for daughters of those who had excess folic acid during pregnancy and breast feeding as those who did not use supplements.  (On the other hand a deficiency of folic acid can lead to heart problems in the descendants of those who had the deficiency.)  Research has also linked the increase in childhood asthma to dietary supplements of folic acid during pregnancy.

Recent research has also shown that people who have high levels of Vitamin D and selenium have lower rates of methylation or gene changes.  They also have less chance of developing bowel cancer, particularly men.  The rate of methylation in your genes is what determines how fast you “age” and some of the methylation changes are inherited. (So high Vitamin D and selenium are good, high folic acid level bad, at least for now.)

Some countries are no longer allowing the supplementation of foods with folic acid.  And some doctors are now prescribing folic acid supplements only in the first trimester of pregnancy, as research is suggesting that it doesn’t help much after that.  No one should take folic acid supplementation without first determining whether you have a deficiency.  And the avoidance of restricted diets that focus on certain foods, even if those foods seem to be healthy, should be avoided.

What’s important about the new research in epigenetics is that it also suggests that events in a person’s life, such as starvation or exposure to a toxic chemical may make changes to that persons genes and those changes may affect the lives of children and grandchildren, even if they are not exposed to the same conditions, through gene marker inheritance.  For example a person who goes through a long period of malnutrition may end up with changes to his or her genes that affect how fat is stored or metabolized. That change could have saved that person under those conditions but leads to problems in future generations. 

The sins of our fathers takes on a new meaning and should lead to serious thought about our diets and about the environment we choose to live in, so that we don’t pass our “sins” down to our children.  

Some studies that I read that lead to the above information The Journal Cell, September 26, 2013, February 2011 issue of the journal Cancer Research, research published by Ulrika Ericson of Lund University, Sweden,2010, 2009 study results published by University of Southern California, A University of Adelaide, Australia study, 2009.

Zombie steroids

This bit of information fits right in with the epigenetic information I presented above.  We all know that things we eat and things we feed animals sometimes end up in our water supply.  There is evidence now that a common steroid (Trenbolone acetate), that is implanted in beef animals to make them gain weight faster and that is used illegally by body builders and other athletes is  excreted and ends up in the water system. 

Originally it was thought that this steroid was fairly safe since research showed that it broke down quickly in sunlight.  However new research shows that this steroid has “zombie-like” properties in that it comes back from the “dead” at night and actually replicates itself.  Warmer and more acidic water can increase the process.

Research also indicated that dienogest, a hormone used in a birth-control pill for humans called Natazia, and dienedone, a banned anabolic steroid, react in the same way as Trenbolen acetate.  More hormones and steroids need to be studied.

Steroids don’t get removed in water treatment processes and you can drink them right from your tap.  We know that steroids can result in fish and other water organism’s deaths and may be responsible for genetic deformities in fish and amphibians.  As larger organisms we don’t suffer immediate effects like smaller things, but what are these chemicals doing to our genes?

This study was done by the University of Iowa and published online in the journal Science.

Some of out pumpkin harvest.

A sad note;

For those of you who know Bev Kobylas please send her your condolences and prayers as her mother passed away Sunday. 

Get outside today – this weather won’t last!

Kim

Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent

Kim's weekly garden newsletter September 24, 2013

September 24, 2013 - Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

http://www.examiner.com/country-living-in-detroit/kimberley-willis

These weekly garden notes are written by Kim Willis, unless another author is noted, and the opinions expressed in these notes are her opinions and do not represent any other individual, group or organizations opinions.

Hello Gardeners

Dahlia Mrs I. De ver Warner

I was very pleased to get an inch and ½ of rain this weekend.  The plants around here were pleased too.  I was not so pleased about the frosty conditions on several nights although I don’t think we had more than a touch of light frost here and there.  I have been covering a few plants still, the dahlias are so beautiful right now I hate to lose them just yet- and I have been potting up some tender things and moving them inside.   I slowly take plants from the porch into the rest of the house- it takes me a while to decide just what window I can squeeze them into. 

I have decisions to make about indoor space. I still have to dig and pot all my geraniums, they’ll occupy the porch after other things are moved out because colder conditions don’t bother them.  I store the summer bulbs out there in bins.  My rosemary stays out there too.  But I still have a lot of things outside I need to decide if I want to save.  For example I have a huge bowl filled with frilly purple and big leaved golden coleus that’s gorgeous but will take up a huge amount of space indoors.  I have some nice New Guinea Impatiens baskets and I know they will bloom indoors all winter but I don’t think I will have room for them.  We need more windows!  At least there is going to be a few nicer days coming to give me a little more time to decide.

Our organic red delicious apples.

I picked about 50 really nice, big red delicious apples Sunday.  No sprays at all and the apples look beautiful and taste great.  The tree is a dwarf and still young so 50 or so apples is a good crop.  I made an apple pie even though the red delicious isn’t the best pie apple.  I am waiting for the better pie type apples on our other trees to get ripe.

I have a theme for this week’s newsletter, the last week of September and its things that start with S.  Hope you enjoy.

Survey – help me please

People have been talking to me about the lack of birds this fall at feeders and just generally in the yards.  I know that my feeder hasn’t had to be filled in 2 weeks which is just really hard to believe.  Normally I would be filling it every other day in the fall.  Some birds have migrated I suppose but I haven’t been seeing many birds since August and I think something is wrong.  Other people are asking me why their feeders aren’t being emptied. 

I suppose there is a lot of natural food in the fields and yards right now but that hasn’t stopped the birds in other years.  And I do have quite a few cats, but I am not seeing the red winged blackbirds around the ponds and other types of birds which don’t come to feeders either.    There have been some news reports about a big drop in the numbers of House Sparrows in both India and Britain, and come to think of it I don’t have any hanging around the barn eating chicken feed this year.   Usually the migrating robins will be swarming over the Autumn Olives by the pond at this time of year to get the berries but I am seeing only an occasional robin.

So what about you?  Are you seeing and hearing fewer birds?  Are you filling your feeders less?  I have talked to Seven Ponds and they said they haven’t really noticed if there are fewer birds but that they would be interested in knowing what other people are experiencing also.  I’ll let them know what you have to say about it.  So help me take a survey. Drop me a line and let me know about the birds around your house.  You can just reply to the  newsletter to let me know or email me at kimwillis151@gmail.com  Please give me your general location when you write. 

Spider or Surprise lilies

Whether you know them as Spider Lilies, Surprise Lilies, Magic Lilies, Hurricane Lilies, Resurrection Lilies or Naked Ladies the interesting Lycoris species are charming plants for fall color in the garden.  Spider Lilies are sometimes called Surprise Lilies because they send up their flower shoot after the leaves have become dormant and died.  They send up a long shoot, seemingly from nowhere, that sports dainty flowers in the fall.  Once established, they are carefree, pest free plants that persist for many years.

The two best known species are Lycoris radiata, which has red flowers, hardy to Zone 6, and Naked Ladies or Lycoris squamigera, hardy to zone 5, with pale pink flowers that tend to face more outward than other Surprise lilies.  

Other species are Lycoris sprengeri, which has glowing lavender pink flowers, hardy to zone 5, Lycoris sanquinea , with orange flowers, hardy to zone 6, and Lycoris albiflora, white flowers and narrow foliage hardy to zone 5.  A hybrid species Lycoris aurea Guizhow also called Golden Hurricane lily, has tall spikes of golden flowers and is hardy to zone 7. (A South American plant Nerine, commonly called Rain Lilies, has similar flowers and also appears after a dormant period.  Lycoris and Nerine are sometimes mislabeled or confused by plant sellers.)

Spring is the best time to plant the bulbs of Lycoris, although they are also sold in the fall.  Bulbs are not common in garden stores; they usually have to be mail ordered.  Plant them as soon you get them as they do not store well.   If a friend offers you some, dig them in late spring to transplant.

When you plant your bulb it may or may not begin growing leaves.  Sometimes they flower the fall after planting, but sometimes they will wait a year.  Some species wait until spring to produce the leaves which grow for a few weeks then die back. These are plants that require patience. They sometimes lie dormant for a year or two if fall conditions aren’t right and then return to surprise you.  Once they are established in a good spot though, the floral display will be quite abundant and the plants long lived. 

The leaves of lycoris persist long enough to make food for the plant and set a new flower bud in the bulb and the die back, disappearing from your sight and conscience.   Then in late summer or fall, usually after a good rain, hence the name Hurricane lily, a long stalk appears out of the ground.  The stalks are 12 to 24 inches in height depending on species.

The stalk will produce clusters of tubular flowers with 6 long, narrow petals.  These flowers last a long time in the garden, and also in the vase if used as cut flowers.  The petals on the flowers curve backward and the long stamens in the center give it an airy appearance and contribute to the name Spider Lily.   There are some varieties with wider petals that look more like small lily flowers.  The flowers come in shades of red, pink, white, lavender and yellow.

Lycoris are woodland edge plants.  They like to be in the light or dappled shade of deciduous trees in summer, in full sun during the winter.  Since tree canopies shed rain and tree roots absorb what moisture falls in the summer, the plants go dormant to survive.  When plants go dormant make sure you mark the spot so you won’t disturb them. Over time the bulbs produce more bulbs and large clumps of plants will develop. 

Then in the fall when rains typically pick up, the plant flowers, springing up and coming to bloom rapidly.  You may have forgotten it was there – surprise!  It then forms new leaves as the trees shed theirs and let more light in.  

Lycoris prefer a rich soil full of organic matter.  The soil must be well drained; the bulbs rot if they sit in waterlogged soil over winter.  If summer has been very dry and fall rains are not coming, you may want to deep water the area around your Lycoris bulbs to stimulate flowering.

Surprise lilies are pretty disease and pest resistant.  Deer and other animals don’t eat the foliage or bulbs.  The plants don’t need fertilization or much care.  Just make sure you don’t dig them up or plant something on top of them when they are dormant. In areas where the ground freezes mulch should be applied over the bulbs, after the ground is frozen, and removed in the spring.

All Lycoris parts are poisonous so keep them away from pets and children.  Sources to buy Lycoris from (You may have to wait until spring.)- are Old House Gardens, http://www.oldhousegardens.com/  McClure and Zimmerman, http://www.mzbulb.com/  and Van Bourgondien http://www.dutchbulbs.com/  

Sansevieria or Snake Plant

Sansevieria are one of the oldest of houseplants, being kept by the ancient Chinese in homes.  If you need a houseplant that will survive low light and benign neglect a Snake plant will fit the bill.  These plants can survive for a very long time; I have a plant that is at least 40 years old.

Sansevieria trifasciata has broad strap-like, upright leaves that are dark green and marked with a pattern of wavy cross stripes in a lighter color. The striping gives it the common name of snake plant. It is also called mother-in-laws tongue, perhaps because of the sharp point to the leaves. There are also sansevieria that form a short rosette of leaves and these are often called birds nest sansevieria. Sansevieria or snake plants come in several color variations. Some have gold edges or cream stripes. Bird nest varieties can have some pink color to them. 

All sansevieria are very adaptable and easy to care for.  They will grow in almost any light conditions, including bright artificial light and north windowsills.  Pot them in a lightweight potting mix; allow the mix to dry out between watering.  If the leaves appear thin, floppy and wrinkled there is probably a watering problem.  Check the pot, if it’s dry water the plant.  If the soil feels wet drain the excess water from the pot and don’t water the plant until the soil feels dry again.

Use a houseplant fertilizer once on the plant around the end of March.  Sanservieria don’t mind being root bound so don’t re-pot the plant until its actually breaking the pot.  The upright Snakeplants can get 3 feet high or more and form a 2 foot clump if the conditions are good.

Sansevieria or snake plants have sprays of tiny white and powerfully fragrant flowers in the summer if they get enough light and proper watering.  The sprays of flowers are sometimes hidden in the plants center but you will know they are there by the sweet smell.

Sansevieria are said to be poisonous to pets,(and probably kids) but little documentation exists.  I would advise you not to let pets and children munch on them.

Sage

If you are growing culinary sage in your garden now is the time to harvest it.  The plants should have about 6 weeks before a hard freeze to harden off after pruning and if we are lucky you can still squeak in a good harvest without compromising plant health.  You’ll want some sage for that Thanksgiving turkey so don’t delay.  Sage is also great when used fresh; it has lighter, more lemony notes.

Sage in flower.

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.

I throw sprigs of sage in a plastic freezer bag and pop them in the freezer without drying them.  I take a bit out when I need it and crumble it while it’s frozen.  It tastes more like fresh sage than dried when used like this.

Be careful that when purchasing sage you intend to use for cooking that you are not getting a purely ornamental variety, such as Pineapple sage or Honey Melon sage.  These are grown for their flowers and scented leaves but have little medicinal or cooking value.  Bergarten, Holt’s Mammoth, Extrakta and White Dalmation are all good culinary sages. 

Tri-color sage has variegated leaves of purple, pink and white.  Purple sage has purplish- green leaves. These two are hardy to zone 6.  There is a Gold sage whose leaves are solid gold and a Golden sage, whose leaves have gold edges.  The gold sages are not hardy in Michigan, but may be over wintered in a cool, sunny room.   The colored sages don’t have flavor as strong as the silver-green sages, but can be used in cooking. 

Like many herbs, sage is high in antioxidants, flavonoids and other beneficial compounds.  Research has shown that sage is indeed helpful to the brain, improving memory in some studies.  Its anti-bacterial properties have led to research using sage to improve the shelf life of cooking oils.  Sage tea is sometimes used to treat colds and bronchial infections and to lower fevers.   Sage tea is also used as a gargle for sore throat and to ease indigestion.

A sage tea that is cooled is used as a rinse for gray hair, darkening it while conditioning it.  Sage is also used to scent soap and perfumes.  Sage used to be a common ingredient in tooth powder, used to heal bleeding gums.  Sage is sometimes burned in religious ceremonies.

In zone 5, some winter protection for sage is advised, especially if the sage plant is in an exposed area.  You can mound soil around the base or use a large tomato cage around the plant and wrap it in burlap.  It is normal for sage to retain its leaves well into winter, if not through it, but the plants do get rather ratty looking before spring.  In the spring, trim off any winter killed branches and lightly fertilize.  After 4 or 5 years you will probably need to replace your sage plant, as it is considered a short lived perennial.

Salt and Sugar preservation of herbs

Lay sprigs of herbs or herb leaves in a non- metallic container that has an inch or so of non-iodized salt or kosher salt in it. Cover the leaves or sprigs in salt. You can repeat for several layers. Crush garlic cloves before placing them in salt and chopping herbs like parsley finely before placing in the salt gives a better flavor to the salt. If the salt clumps during drying, stir it and keep stirring every day until clumps no longer form.

You can remove the herbs when they are dried and discard the salt, or you can use the salt, which will have taken on some of the herb’s flavors. Leaving finely chopped herbs in the salt gives you seasoned salt. Try combining several herbs. You can use the seasoned salt as a meat rub or in other cooking.

Certain herbs that are used in sweet cooking or teas can be preserved in sugar. Lemon balm, mints, lavender, rose petals, etc. are some examples. Chopping the herbs first works better when preserving them in sugar.  Put an inch or so of sugar down, then herbs then a layer of sugar.  You can repeat for several layers.  Stir if clumps form until the sugar no longer clumps. Keep the container covered to avoid attracting insects.  It can also be stored in the refrigerator. 

Baking with the sugar will make most of the herb flavor disappear, and only a light flavor remain.  The sugar can be added to tea and cold drinks, or used to top desserts.  Adding a crushed or whole vanilla bean to some of the herbs in sugar makes a nice touch. Please note- cane sugar or beet sugar can be used but artificial sweeteners cannot be used to preserve herbs.

Seven-son Flower (Heptacodium miconioides)

We tend to think of flowering trees as spring bloomers but a rather uncommon small tree, Seven Son Flower, will bring fragrant white flowers to the garden in fall.  The flowers appear in clusters of seven, hence the name. After the flowers fade the old flower sepals turn a bright burgundy red and persist on the tree for additional color. 

The trees foliage is unremarkable; the leaves are oval with a sharp point, dark green and have 3 prominent veins running down them.  Fall color is yellow.  However the tree has pleasing winter form with light tan bark that peels in strips.

Fall in the Garden at Suncrest, Lapeer

Seven-son flower can be kept as a multi-stemmed bush or trained to a single trunk tree- which is often the most attractive form.  They get 15-20 feet in height and are quite fast growing.  If you need something hardier and less fussy than Japanese Maple for partly shaded locations, Seven-son flower may fit the bill.  It will thrive in full sun or partial shade and in many types of soil although it prefers moist but well drained loamy soil.  It should be kept well watered. It’s hardy through zone 5.

Seven-son flower is a relatively recent horticultural import from China and may not be as easy to find as other flowering trees.  There are few named cultivars.  However if you are the gardener that likes something different Seven-son flower may be a great plant to try.

Eat an apple and listen for the birds!

Kim

Garden as though you will live forever. William Kent