March 14, 2017, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

Hi Gardeners

Morning Glories

Well it’s back to winter here.  The ground is lightly covered in snow today (about 2 inches) and it’s cold. Right now we have near white out conditions but it’s not supposed to last long.  Birds are mobbing the feeder again.  We had hurricane strength winds here last week for many hours and many trees are down all over.  I foolishly tried to make a trip to the store and had to dodge falling trees and make many detours around those down across the roads.  It was a mistake I will not be making again. We were fortunate not to lose power but have had phone and internet problems since the storm.  In fact I don’t know if I’ll get this posted on line today (Tuesday) or not.

I am feeling really bad for those of you who are getting blizzard conditions either yesterday or today.  I know in many places the spring flowers are already blooming and are now covered in snow.  Just before the snow I noticed color in the buds of crocus by the front deck.  They are now snow covered but the crocus will probably survive.  Some spring flowers survive a light covering of snow but if they are smashed down it’s a different story.

Things like magnolias and cherry trees in bloom will probably have the blooms wrecked but don’t worry, the trees should survive.  Unless you have hurricane strength winds.

We actually have two dead poplar trees I would have liked the wind to take down.  They are hard to reach with equipment because of where they are located and we old folk are no longer able to do the chainsaw thing.  One lost some large limbs but the trees are still standing.  Once they are on the ground we can cut them up and they won’t damage much if they fall down now.  But of course they withstood the wind.

Looking at my weather records for the last five years I see it’s not unusual for us to have snow storms this time in March.  However last year I had the earliest crocus in bloom at this date and the turkey vultures were back.  Turkey vultures are a sure sign of spring to me.  We have a large resident summer flock that roost in our woods.  For the last few years they have been back around March 12.  I hope it’s not a sign because I haven’t seen any yet.  Maybe they got blown off track.

On the bright side it’s supposed to be in the high 40’s in a few days and this will melt.  And I have an amaryllis in bloom inside.

What is the biggest mistake(s) people make when starting seeds? 

They start too many seeds too soon.  That’s two mistakes, I know, but commonly those two things are combined by enthusiastic beginners. And here’s another big mistake, people think they will always save money if they start plants from seed.  So there are 3 important things to consider before you buy those seeds.

When

When should you start seeds, indoors and out in the garden? This varies widely between plant species and the gardening zone you live in.  Seed packets and good garden catalogs will give you helpful advice.  All plant species have optimum conditions for seed germination and growth. So there’s no one answer fits all.   

Recycle to start seeds

You don’t want to start plants too early inside. Plants started inside too soon often get spindly and unhealthy. Stunted growth may affect plants permanently. If your seeds are germinated too early in less than ideal conditions they may never reach their full potential as plants and may actually take longer to mature or begin producing than plants planted later in the right conditions.  Some plants suffer more from transplant shock if they are too large when moved outside.

Even when planting seeds outside in the ground you need to be cautious. Seeds may not germinate if the soil is too cold or too warm and seedlings that emerge at the wrong time may be killed.  Hot, dry weather at planting time can prevent germination.  As with seeds started inside a bad start may affect plants all their life.

So how do you decide the time is right? One thing you should know is your last expected frost date.  Your County extension office can often give you this information or another experienced gardener in your planting area may know.  Knowing this estimated date can help you make a lot of important decisions.  Seed catalogs and references often use your last frost date in directions for starting seeds.  For example they may say: “start inside 8 weeks before your last frost.”

This last frost date is an average-it works well for planting inside early but you will need to consider the actual weather when getting ready to plant seeds outside or move plants outside.  Check the long range forecast for the period in which you are considering planting.  You may also want to observe how nature is progressing in your area.  This is called phenology and refers to the fact that soil temperatures, the amount of heat the area has received so far and day length are all corresponding to certain changes in plant growth and insect emergence.  Gardeners can use these indicators for helping to plan planting times. 

Lilacs are a good indicator plant.  In most years lilacs just beginning to show color means you are about 2 weeks from last frost.  When the lilacs are in full bloom frosts are generally over.  The size of oak leaves is another.  Generally when they are fully emerged but still small frosts are over.  Phenology is not exact, and nature can be fooled by unusual weather so check references and the weather report too.

Now you need to know more about what your plants prefer.  Some plants actually like cool soil.  Lettuce and peas are two such crops.  Peas can be started outside as soon as the soil has thawed. Lettuce and kale can be started outside a month before the last expected frost. Grass seed can also be sown when the soil has barely thawed.  You could sow seeds of violas and pansies as the soil was thawing but you wouldn’t have flowers before the end of spring.  Viola and pansy plants, even flowering plants, can be planted outside a month before last frost.

Root crops should be started where they are to grow. They don’t transplant well.  Beets, turnips and radishes can be planted earlier outside, a month before the last frost.  Carrots are best planted around the time of the last frost.  Onions are trickier.  Plant sets (small bulbs) when you plant radishes outside.  Onion seed should be started inside 10-12 weeks before the last frost to have decent sized transplants.  These are a “root” crop that can be transplanted fairly easily.  Transplants can go out a couple weeks before last frost.

Most warmth loving vegetable garden plants; tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, as examples, can’t be planted outside until after danger of frost have passed.  Most of these can be started inside 6-8 weeks before the last frost and will give you good results.  However if you have a heated greenhouse and plant them in generous sized pots they could be started a month sooner. It’s wise to get most vegetable plants in the ground before they start blooming unless they have large pots, and green house conditions.

Vining crops such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and so on should only be started inside a month before your last expected frost date. They do not transplant well when larger. Or start them in the ground when the soil is good and warm, a week or two after the last frost date.

Some seeds like corn and beans should be planted outside where they are to grow in warm soil, after the last frost.  If you start these inside they should be just barely sprouted before they are moved outside, so start them about 2 weeks before the last frost.  Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, should be started inside about 6 weeks before the last frost.

Flowers have various times for optimum inside starting.  Things like geraniums, impatiens and petunias that take a long time to begin blooming should be started inside 12-14 weeks before the last frost.  Annuals that grow quickly from seed like zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, nasturtiums, sunflowers and so on can be planted inside 6 weeks before last frost or planted outside after danger of frost has passed.  Or they can be planted in the place they are to grow after the last frost. 

Perennials and bi-annuals have various starting dates for inside and outside conditions.  Consult the seed package.  Remember these plants may not bloom the first year they are planted.  Sometimes these plants are best started in late summer and some will bloom the following year.

How many

Unless you have a big heated greenhouse or live in a warm tropic climate, how much space you have for starting seeds inside should be considered before you buy all those seeds.  All seedlings need bright light, warmth and enough space to grow without impeding good airflow around them.  South facing windowsills only give you so much space.  Other window sills don’t provide enough light for many species. Grow lights can help, but how many can you afford to buy and operate and where will you set these grow stations up?

Seed catalogs open gardeners to a wide realm of possibilities- so many things to try at what seems like reasonable prices.  New gardeners almost always buy more seeds than they need.  They can’t decide on what heirloom tomatoes to try so they buy 10 varieties of tomato seeds and then wow- look at all the different kinds of peppers- so they buy 6-7 varieties and 3 kinds of green beans and 4 kinds of carrots and okra- well we don’t like it but it will be fun to try growing it, and shouldn’t we plant some marigolds around the garden? Ok, 3 varieties of marigolds and what about sunflowers? Ok, 5 types of sunflowers and some herb seeds. 

If that person only started 2 or 3 seeds from each packet, for example, and stored the rest, that might work.  But that’s not how most new gardeners think.  They think why not start the whole package?  Maybe some won’t grow.  Maybe I can give some away.  Or I have plenty of space to make a garden so 100 tomato plants are no problem. 

The amount of seeds you start indoors should always depend on how much space you have that fits the seedlings needs.  You also need to consider the space you will have for adult plants in the garden. There is no sense starting many more plants than you’ll need, and no sense in growing seedlings in conditions that will make them weak and spindly or die early.

And just because a seed packet has 100 seeds doesn’t mean you need to plant all the seeds. That’s an important thing to remember even when you are planting seeds directly in the ground.  You don’t need to use them all up!  Most seeds can be saved for another year or you can share them with someone.

I have seen so many new gardeners get in way over their heads the first gardening season.  This often leads to discouragement because the work is far more than they planned. It can lead to big messy weedy gardens with rotting produce on the ground.  It’s better to start small and enlarge the garden each year as you gain experience.  You can always try more new varieties next year. 

See this chart for ideas of how much to plant- at the right side of the blog or click https://gardeninggrannysgardenpages.blogspot.com/p/chart-of-how-many-vegetablefruits.html

So decide in advance how many plants you want and how many you have space to grow before you start those seeds.  Consult references on how many plants you’ll need for specific purposes, like how many tomato plants your family might need for fresh eating or how many zinnia plants should be planted in a 10 foot row.  And look at those indoor spaces where you’ll start seeds and see what you actually can grow.

Start a few more seeds indoors than you think you’ll need to account for early deaths but don’t feel you have to grow the 30 seeds in the packet if you need 5 plants.  Instead plant 8-10 seeds and choose the healthiest 5 seedlings that develop.  When planting outside, space seeds in rows according to the directions on the packet, or look up how to space that species.  If you find you have a half packet of seeds left don’t go back and add them to the row, “just in case”.

For small, fine seeds directly sown in the garden or even inside, you are probably going to get more seedlings growing in the space that you need or that is good for the seedlings.  You can transplant the extras in some cases or pull or cut off excess seedlings. Transplanting tiny seedlings is tedious and delicate work. You can try it, but cutting all seedlings but one off at the ground in a cell compartment or pot is easiest.  If you don’t give plants the room they need to grow you’ll have unhealthy plants and you won’t get the results or harvest you want.

Is growing from seed always cheaper?

Sometimes the amount of plants you want/need in the garden will exceed your space limits for starting them from seed.  Then you’ll need to make the decision of which plants to start from seed and which to buy as plants.

It’s fun to think you can grow all kinds of plants from seed, but it might not be as economical as you think.  After purchasing the seeds you’ll need to buy seed starting soil, (always recommended), and if you don’t re-cycle things for seed starting you’ll need to purchase some kind of containers for growing seeds.  Then you may need grow lights and fixtures, shelfing and so on to complete the project.  It can get pretty expensive.  If expense isn’t a problem don’t worry, have fun.

However if you do have a budget here are some things to consider.  Comparison shop for seeds, different places sell the same seed for different prices.  Buy smaller packages if you don’t need many plants.  Combine seed orders with other gardeners to save money on seeds and shipping costs. 

Sometimes buying plants actually can save you money and time.  Consider the gardener who decides they want 6 tomato plants, each a different variety. They can buy 6 packets of seed for about $2 each and a bag of seed starting soil at around $8.  We have a total, without buying planting containers or grow lights of $20.  If that gardener went to a good nursery and bought 6 different tomato varieties, each one in a 4 inch pot, at around $2 each they would spend $12.  If they bought cell packs of each tomato variety (a cell pack has 4-6 smaller plants) they would probably spend less for more plants.  The plants could be shared- and you could split the cost with other gardeners.  When I do this I generally use the plants at a plant swap meet.

Of course you can’t always find the variety of a plant that you want in a nursery, so you’ll need to start seeds or cuttings.  You control the growing conditions, pesticide use and fertilizer used on your seedlings. And if you want a hundred marigolds you might be better off starting them from seed.  But consider that flats of some plants – somewhere between 48-72 plants- can cost less than $15 and factor in the time spent in growing the plants and paying for things like grow lights and a higher electric bill and it still may make more sense moneywise to buy plants.

And let’s just face the fact.  Nursery grown plants are often stockier and healthier than home grown plants babied along on a south window sill or under grow lights.  They’ve been planted at the proper time, thinned if needed, watered correctly and grown in a greenhouse environment with all the light they need.  Sometimes homegrown plants, especially of experienced gardeners with greenhouses, will be the equal of those plants, but many times they are not.

When you only want a small vegetable garden or just a single geranium for the porch or a few pansies for a porch box it’s sensible to just go to a nursery and purchase plants.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from growing seeds.  It’s a fun thing to do and everyone should try their hand at it.  But do your homework, know what the seedlings need, when to plant them and how many to plant.

There is more about seeds and seed starting on the page called Seeds to the right of this blog. http://gardeninggrannysgardenpages.blogspot.com/p/seeds-germination.html

Clove Currant- Ribes odoratum alternately  Ribes aureum var. villosum.

Clove Currant

When I moved into my house in Pontiac there was a rangy shrub by the back door growing in a very narrow spot between the sidewalk and the foundation.  It was a shrub I was unfamiliar with and I cut it back severely, I probably would have removed it but much of the root system was under cement.  Come the next spring I was glad I hadn’t.  (See, give new landscapes a year to surprise you.)  In April when the forsythia bloomed the shrub bloomed too, rich golden flowers that filled the air with a spicy, clove-vanilla scent for weeks.  I was charmed by it but it took several months to find a name for the plant.  (There was no internet then and I had to rely on local experts.)  I was pretty sure it was in the Ribes family but no one knew what species.  I eventually found the plants species name in a “wildflower” guide.

We transplanted a sucker from it to my mom’s yard, where it still is today.  I brought a piece of it to my new garden here although it didn’t “take” and I had to get another start of it some years later from my mother.  My plant is now well established.

Clove currants are shrubs native to North Eastern North America and south and west to Missouri.  Despite the craze for native plants, this one somehow doesn’t get planted as often as it should.  It may be because it is thought to be an alternative host for White Pine Blister Rust, a serious pine disease.  I have read alternate ideas about this, with some experts believing it is unlikely or less likely to transfer White Pine Blister Rust to pines, unlike some other currants.  It does occur naturally in the same habitats as White Pine.

Our farm has white pine and there are many white pines in the area but White Pine Blister Rust doesn’t seem to be a problem here.  I have decided that because the plant is native and the disease is not prevalent here I will continue to grow Clove Currant.  You may want to check with local tree experts or your County Extension before you plant Clove Currants on your property.

About the plant

Clove currants are hardy in planting zones 2-8.  They will grow in almost any soil, and in sun or in light or partial shade.  The clove currant is slightly more drought tolerant than other currants but does best with regular moisture.  Other common names include Golden Currant and Buffalo Currant.

The clove currant is covered in tiny golden yellow, trumpet shaped flowers in spring about the time forsythia blooms. Unlike forsythia the clove currant flowers smell delightful, with that spicy clove-vanilla scent and they perfume the spring air far from the plant.  They are attractive to spring butterflies and bees.

If Clove Currant flowers get pollinated they turn into round black berries that ripen in the fall.  They can be eaten fresh or turned into jams and jellies.  They have a sweet pleasant flavor, similar to other currants. Native Americans used them in pemmican.  Birds love them.

There is controversy as to whether Clove currant is self-pollenating or not.  My bush in Pontiac was loaded with berries each fall.  However I have never had berries develop on my plant here on the farm.  My mother has berries in some years and none in others.   I would suggest that those who want fruit plant several plants.  Other types of currants may be able to pollinate the plant also.

The leaves of clove currant are medium green to sometimes blue green.  They have three lobes, which in turn have several scallops, or lobes of their own.  The stems are thorn-less, the plant is multi-stemmed and gets 8-10 feet high in good conditions.  When left to grow naturally it’s an open, rather rangy plant but it responds well to pruning, which can make it denser and more compact and will control height.  Plants turn golden yellow in fall.

Pruning yearly in the fall is said to improve the next year’s fruit production.  If fruit production is the goal keep the oldest, heaviest stems pruned out- probably 3^rd or 4^th year stems and leave the younger stems.

Clove Currant will sucker, but it’s not as invasive as some suckering plants.  Suckers can be dug up and planted elsewhere or cut down.  The plant will start fairly easily from cuttings or seeds also.  There is one cultivar or domesticated variety that I know of, and that’s ‘Crandall’ which dates to 1888.  It can be sometimes be found in garden catalogs.  Usually unnamed plants are for sale by native plant nurseries.

If you like native plants the Clove Currant would be excellent in the back of native gardens or at the edges of woodlands.  It can make a nice informal hedge if pruned regularly.  It has edible berries, which many people find attractive and is a good plant for pollinators and birds.  I think the plant deserves more attention than it gets.

Growing carrots

I consider carrots an intermediate gardening crop because while not difficult to grow many new gardeners fail miserably with them.  There are two reasons for that, failure to thin them enough and letting them get overgrown with weeds.  That said, carrots can be grown by nearly anyone and your soil is not a big factor.  There are carrot varieties that can grow in heavy soils.  Carrots are nutritious, tasty, and they store well.  They can be canned or frozen for preservation too.

Carrots are an old European crop but they haven’t always been orange.  The orange color turned up only a few hundred years ago.  Originally domestic carrot roots were white, like their wild ancestors.  Now carrots also come in yellow, red and purple varieties.

Carrots are a biannual plant.  The first year they develop a good tap root and a feathery mass of bright green leaves.  We generally harvest them at this point, but if we left them to grow the second year they would develop a flower stalk with a lacy white flower.  The flower is similar to carrot’s wild cousin, Queen Anne’s Lace.  The flowers would soon curl up into a bird’s nest form with masses of tiny tan, striped seeds.  The seeds smell delightfully like carrots.

Carrot varieties

There are hundreds of carrot varieties.  Here are some suggested ones. For orange table carrots, long and slender roots: ‘Sugarsnax’, ‘Napa’, ‘Kuroda Appelsina’, ‘Tendersweet’, ‘Scarlet Nantes’.  If you have clay soil try these short or round varieties ‘Danvers Half Long’, ‘Fire Wedge’, ‘Oxheart’, ‘Atlas’ and ‘Rondo’.  For purple carrots try ‘Purple Haze’, Purplesnax’  or ‘Deep Purple’.  For red carrots try ‘Red Samurai’ or ‘Nutri-Red’.  For yellow carrots try ‘Yellowstone’ or ‘Yellowbunch’.  For a new hybrid white carrot try ‘White Satin’.  Many places carry a blend of seeds of various colors often called ‘Rainbow’.

Baby carrots can be any carrots pulled when they are still young and small.  The commercial baby carrots are actually odd shaped or broken carrots that are put into a machine that grinds them into fairly uniform, small pieces.  You’ll notice they don’t have any “peel”.   But there is some carrot varieties sold as baby carrot types.  They stay small and tender even at maturity.  ‘Mokum’, ‘Mignon’ and ‘Adelaide are some varieties.

Planting carrots

Carrots prefer loose sandy but richly organic soil.  Best soil pH is 6.0 -7.0. They will grow in heavier clay soils with good drainage but they will often have forked roots or have other odd root shapes.  Gardeners with heavy soil should choose carrot varieties that have short stocky roots or ball shaped roots instead of the long, cylindrical roots of commercial carrots.  They taste the same.

Carrots can be planted soil temperature reaches about 45 degrees.  This will usually be a few weeks before your last expected frost date. Optimum soil temps for germination are around 60 degrees, so consider waiting just a bit later into spring.  When soil temperatures get too hot – above 85 degrees germination will be poor.

Carrots should be planted where they are to grow.  They can be transplanted when very small, but this is impractical.  The seeds are very small and it’s hard to get them spaced evenly in a row.  You can buy seed tapes or carrot seed in pelleted form to make spacing easier.

Make sure the soil in the carrot bed has been well loosened by digging or tilling, to at least 8 inches deep.  Rake smooth and make sure it has no big clumps or rocks.  Work in an application of slow release fertilizer for vegetable gardens according to label directions.  Make a furrow about an inch deep and space the seeds along it.  Try to get them about a ½ inch apart.  Rows should be 12-18 inches apart.  If you are square foot planting without rows simply make a bunch of holes an inch apart and an inch deep.

Cover the carrot seed lightly only about half the depth of the furrow/hole.  Many people use sifted compost or soil or vermiculite for this covering so the seedlings can break through easily.  Moisten the soil gently so as not to wash the seeds around.  Expect germination in 6-21 days depending on soil and air temperature.  If it’s dry water the rows to keep the soil moist. 

If you decide to use seed tape lay it in the furrow and then drench it well with water.  Cover all of the tape ¼ to ½ inch deep and make sure it stays covered until the carrots germinate.  Exposed seed tape can wick water away from seeds and could result in poor germination.  If exposed pieces are caught by the wind the whole tape could be dislodged.

When the carrots have several leaves and are 2-3 inches high fill in the furrow or holes if they are still visible.  After the carrots have several more leaves and are 4-6 inches high you can hill up soil from the space between rows around them.  In square foot beds you could add an inch or so of sifted compost.

If you did a good job of spacing you can thin out every other carrot while they are tiny but big enough to give you a couple of sweet bites.  If you didn’t do a great job of spacing you may have to do several thinning operations until the carrots are about 2 inches apart.  Simply grasp the fronds and pull out the seedlings, the root should come out.  I have seen some people try and transplant these pulled plants but it’s usually not very successful.

If carrots are not thinned you won’t get a healthy crop. The roots won’t develop properly and you will get mostly top growth.

The other important thing to insure a good crop is to keep carrots weeded.  Carrots don’t compete well with weeds.  I like row planting with carrots because it’s easier to run a hoe or trowel down the rows and then follow up with a little hand weeding between plants.  You can mulch carrots to control weeds but wait until they are at least 3-4 inches high.

Carrots like consistent, even watering and don’t do well in drought unless watered.  If conditions are hot and dry and you don’t get rain for a week, give the carrot patch a good soaking.  It’s also good to water the day before you harvest a lot of carrots you want to preserve or store.  They will then be firm and crisp and last longer in storage without wilting.

If you worked some fertilizer into the soil or you have had a soil test and  your soil is pretty fertile you won’t need to fertilize the carrot crop.  Do rotate the place you plant carrots after 2 years.  Too much fertilizer can cause more top growth than root development.  Manure applied too close to planting is said to cause hairy roots.

Carrots are fairly easy to grow organically for home gardeners. Usually home gardeners have few problems with pests or diseases of carrots.  In some areas of the country carrot flies will lay eggs on the soil near carrots that will hatch into tiny maggots that feed on carrot roots.  If you have had this problem cover your carrot rows with floating row cover, anchored at the sides to prevent fly entry.

Harvesting Carrots

Depending on variety carrots will be mature anywhere from 65-90 days after you plant them.  Of course carrots can be pulled and eaten anytime they are big enough for your taste.   I suggest home gardeners actually harvest carrots frequently when they are big enough to eat, pulling just enough for your current needs.  Near the first hard freeze you can pull any remaining carrots for canning, freezing or storage.

Although you hear of people simply mulching carrots heavily and then leaving them in the ground through winter, to harvest as needed, this method leaves much to be desired.  First it may be hard to harvest any of them if you get lots of snow.  Animals may find them before you do, mice and voles eat them underground and deer dig them up.  And it’s inconvenient and you will probably harvest and eat less of them than if you had stored them inside or preserved them.

When you harvest carrots you simply pull or dig them from the ground.  You can sometimes see from the top of the root sticking slightly above ground how big a carrot is; otherwise you pull a few test carrots.  When I harvest carrots I bring a small hand trowel with me and loosen the soil in the row next to them.  That way I get fewer carrots broken off or pulling the tops off without the root.  If you need lots of carrots for canning or freezing or want one harvest use a shovel and dig down on both sides before lifting the carrots. 

Try to get all the carrots out of the ground in the fall.  Carrots left over winter will sprout again in the spring, but once they do the carrot root will be woody and not very edible.  The plant will shortly go to flower and produce seeds, after which it will die.  Of course if you want carrot seeds this is what you will need to do.  Remember that seeds from hybrid plants will rarely produce any plants like the parent.

After they are dug or pulled shake off the dirt.  Leave the tops on if you are going to eat them in a few days.  Tops are also left on carrots that are sold at farmers markets. Carrots stored in “root cellar” conditions usually have the tops left on.  Trim the leaves back to a few inches if you are going to refrigerate the carrots for a few weeks. You can wash any carrots going into the refrigerator and of course before you eat them you’ll wash them. 

Carrots store best just above freezing- 34 degrees F and in high humidity (95%).  If held in these conditions carrots will store at least a couple of months.  In the refrigerator crisper it helps to wrap carrots loosely in plastic.  They’ll store for a couple weeks.

Carrots can be canned or frozen for longer preservation.  See the page at the right side of the blog called Fruit and Vegetable Canning for directions.

People sometimes plant the tops you cut off carrots before preparing them to eat.  The tops will grow but you will not get another carrot type root.  It makes a pretty plant for a bit then it tries to go to flower and set seed, after which it will die. 

Carrots are a good crop to interest small children in gardening and eating vegetables. They are also a nutritious and versatile crop. Beginning gardeners can get a good harvest if they just remember to thin them out and keep them weeded and watered.  If you are an experienced gardener and haven’t tried growing carrots why not give it a shot?

Shamrocks, four leaved clovers and oxalis

If you are traveling through the stores just before St. Patrick’s Day you are almost certain to find potted plants of “shamrocks” for sale.  Some may have 3 leaflets others four.  Many are purple with pretty pink flowers. These are actually Oxalis and while they make pretty houseplants they are not the true shamrock of Irish legend.  See how to care for them at the end of this article.

In Irish culture true shamrocks are worn in the labels of coats or on the hat on St Paddy’s Day through the drinking and parades. Then they are put into the last drink of the day, there is a toast,  the drink is downed and the shamrock thrown over the left shoulder for luck.  This is called drowning the shamrock.  Others believe that the shamrocks three leaves were taught by St. Patrick to be symbols of the Holy Trinity although there is no proof that he ever used them to illustrate a sermon.

An ornamental clover 4-Luck Red-Green

Since 1952 it has been a tradition for the Irish Prime minister to present the President of the United States with a bowl of shamrocks in a fancy Waterford crystal bowl on St. Patrick’s Day. (It’s unclear whether that custom will be performed this year.) Unfortunately security protocol demands that the shamrocks immediately be destroyed after the ceremony and photo taking. The crystal bowls have various fates- President Reagan used one for jelly beans.

The shamrock also appears on Montreal, Canada’s flag as a symbol of one of the four major ethic groups which made up the city’s population when it was founded.  It’s hard to think of Montreal as being part Irish, but it’s nice that all immigrants were honored.  Almost everywhere the shamrock is seen as a symbol of good luck.  Shamrocks usually have 3 leaflets, although they are sometimes portrayed with 4 leaflets.

But what plant family do true shamrocks belong to?  In the late 1800’s a debate raged among botanists in Europe and America over this very important question.  Some believed firmly that shamrocks were wood sorrel or Oxalis and others that they were of the clover or Trifolium family.  Both plants grow well in Ireland.  A clever botanist by the name of Nathaniel Colgan carried out a survey in 1893 by asking residents of Ireland to send him pressed samples of the plant they considered a shamrock.  The survey found that the Irish overwhelmingly chose a clover, either Trifolium dubium (Lesser or Hops clover) or Trifolium repens (White Clover) although a few wood sorrel leaves arrived also.

So what about 4-leaf clovers being a symbol of good luck? (Actually we should say 4 lobed clover leaf as the 4 parts are actually leaflets or sections of one leaf.)  If you ever need to keep a bunch of kids occupied for a while tell them a 4 leaf clover is good luck and send them to look for one on the nearest patch of ground.  If there is any clover nearby- either white or red clover- they may actually find one, although the odds are about 1 in 10,000 leaves.  Some adults search diligently for four leaved clovers too, and some make a hobby of collecting them.  The largest collection of 4 leaf clovers as of 2007 was that of Edward Martin Sr. from Cooper Landing, Alaska, with 111,060 four-leaf clovers.  Clover can also have more than 4 leaflets.  The largest number of leaflets ever found on a clover leaf was 56.

The clover leaf with 4 leaflets instead of 3 is a rather common mutation and it can be inherited.  In fact there are varieties of white clover that have been developed that will have a high proportion of leaves with 4 or more leaflets. These are grown to make those lucky charms with a real 4 leafed clover inside. There is a purple leaved variety, T. repens 'Purpurascens Quadrifolium' and a green-leaved variety called T. repens 'Quadrifolium'.

Several white clovers have actually been developed as ornamental groundcovers, although they don’t seem to have caught on well, probably because clover has a tendency to become invasive.   Four white clover cultivars, ‘Frosty Morning’, ‘Patchwork Quilt’, ‘Irish Mist’ and ‘Pistachio Ice Cream’ were developed at The University of Georgia and released in 2008.  The clovers ‘Dragons Blood’, (a spot of crimson on each leaf) and ‘Dark Dancer’ (dark purple) have been on the market for a while.  White clover is considered to be an annual or short lived perennial but it reseeds itself easily.  The above varieties are all clovers with 3 leaflets in majority.

Another clover that’s been adapted for ornamental use is being widely featured in garden catalogs.  It is Trifolium rubens, variety ‘Red Feather’.  The familiar clover leaves are fuzzy silvery green and the plant puts out flowers on tall stems about a foot high that begin as silver buds and end as long lasting crimson flowers.  The flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees as well as to the eye.  Grow in full sun to partial shade. The plant is hardy to at least zone 5.

What about caring for that Shamrock houseplant?

Those pretty oxalis purchased in stores for Saint Patrick’s Day can make a great houseplant.  Usually they are purple with pink flowers although there are other colors. ‘Iron Cross’ (Oxalis tetraphylla) is a four leaved oxalis, green with purple cross markings and pink flowers.  Oxalis vulcanicola- ‘Molten Lava’ has orange foliage with yellow flowers.  Oxalis adenophylla ‘Silver Shamrock’ has silver gray foliage with  light pink flowers.  It’s said to be hardy to zone 6.   There are other varieties for plant collectors too.

 

Oxalis

While wood sorrel species are common throughout most of the world the species used as “shamrocks” are usually tender perennials, and won’t survive outside in a cold winter.  Keep them in a bright window and keep them moist but not over watered to the soggy point.  A light fertilization once a month with a fertilizer for flowering plants will keep oxalis blooming for long periods of time, although they will take occasional breaks from blooming.  Well cared for plants will become larger and live for several years. The tender Oxalis can make great container plants outside during the frost free months.

Amish Onion Fry Patties

I like these for something different to serve with a meal.  They taste a lot like an onion ring and are easier to make. Use them instead of French fries with a burger or with a fish fry.  They are also excellent with a nice steak or pork chops. If you are making corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day maybe you could add these.

I like this with sweet onion such as Vidalia but any onions will do. You can use a food processor to finely chop them. When I don’t have stored onions to use up I buy frozen chopped onion. Thaw and drain well before using.  If you use sweet onions you can skip the sugar, you can skip it even if you use regular cooking onions although in this case I think it improves the taste.

Many people spice these up with paprika, hot sauce, horse radish or other things.  I like to add a little garlic powder.  But if you add too much heat you’ll lose the onion flavor.  A little bit of chopped green onion or chives adds a bit of color.

If you don’t have cornmeal, don’t worry about skipping it.  It just adds a bit of texture.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

¾ cup half and half or milk

2 ½ cups finely chopped onions (about 2 medium onions). Thaw frozen onions.

oil for frying (no soy oil please)

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together well.  The batter  should be thick, if it runs off a spoon, add a little more flour. 

Heat about a half inch of oil in a pan to about 350 degrees.  (If you drop a bit of the batter in the oil it should sizzle immediately.)

Use only about a tablespoon of batter for each cake.  Place it in the hot oil carefully, so you don’t get spattered.

Fry the patty until its brown on one side, flip it and flatten the patty with the spatula.  Then fry until the other side is golden brown.  If you make pancakes this is quite similar.

Fry only a few patties at a time.  You may need to add a bit more oil toward the end of frying process.

Place patties on a paper towel lined dish to absorb excess grease as you remove them from the pan and serve warm.

You can freeze these and heat them up with the microwave too.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, don’t drink too much green beer!

Kim Willis

 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.

And So On….

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March 7, 2017, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter

Hi Gardeners

Windflowers ( anemone)

March weather is notoriously unstable here in Michigan. I was standing in the barn this morning feeding chickens when I became aware of a roaring that was coming closer.  At first I thought it was jets, lots of them.  I then realized it was going on longer than the noise of jets usually does and not fading in the distance.  It suddenly came to me that maybe it was a tornado- so I rushed to the front of the barn to look out- which probably wasn’t the best move- and I saw a line of dark clouds passing by just to the south very swiftly.  I saw nothing that looked like a funnel and the winds on the ground were high, but not tornadic.  But it was the source of the noise; a rumbling black freight train of wind. When the tail end of that line of clouds passed the noise began to recede. I have never seen anything like that.  If that wind had been on the ground there would have been terrible damage.

On my Monday walk with Gizzy it was 62 degrees and partly sunny with a strong breeze from the south.  That’s amazing because Sunday the temperature was only 38 for the high and the wind was so strong it felt like 0 out there.   Monday morning we had some light rain but then it cleared off.  We had a nice walk around the pond and spring is certainly progressing.  There was no ice on the pond and birds were singing all over.  Redwing blackbirds are everywhere, although I haven’t seen a robin here yet.

I have crocus and winter aconite that will be blooming in a few days.  The snowdrops are still blooming. Most of the spring bulbs are peeking through the soil.  Pussy willows at the pond were in bloom.  Both amur honeysuckle and trumpet honeysuckle are actually getting leaves.  There was leaf bud break on apricot, lilac, black willow, forsythia and multiflora rose.  Daylilies are sprouting, as well as beebalm, lemon balm, golden globe, mums, and chives.

There are big buds on the flowering quince and I found a rotting quince on the bush- one I hadn’t noticed in the fall.  It’s the first time I have known the plant to set fruit.  The apricot branch I brought inside to force is blooming, and I added some fuzzy pussy tail catkins to the vase.  On a walk last week I found some small bulbs that had been heaved out of the ground so I brought them inside and put them in a flower pot on the porch.  Even though it’s not heated out there they have jumped in size and are 3-4 inches high.  Two are crocus and the other is a mystery.

Pussy willows

Inside my little fuchsia plants are blooming like crazy.   The streptocarpus have lots of buds. The hibiscus are in a lull in bloom but have lots of buds.  Kalanchoe and abutilon are in bloom.  Oddly enough the Christmas cacti keep putting out new flushes of bloom this year.  And I have an amaryllis getting ready to bloom.  This will be its 4^th year of bloom. Many of my house plants are taking a growth spurt now. 

March almanac

The full moon in March (March 12^th) is called the Worm moon, because earthworms once more make worm casts on the soil surface, or Sap moon because the trees begin to produce sap again. (That was in earlier years, now they produce sap in February in some places.) The moon perigee was the 3^rd and will occur again this month on the 30^th – a good day to expect a storm around.  Moon apogee is the 18^th.

The most important date for all gardeners in March is, of course the first day of spring.  It’s March 20^th.  That’s the date when the length of the day and the night are about the same, the spring equinox. Actually in Michigan the length of the day will be 12 hours and 10 minutes.  The length of the day will be 12 hours, 42 minutes on March 31^st.  March 12^th begins daylight savings time. Spring those clocks ahead 1 hour.

Other important dates and holidays in March are: 7th – Employee Appreciation Day, 8th International Women’s day, 12th – Girl Scout Day and Plant a flower Day, the 13th is National popcorn day and the 14th National Potato chip day.  The 14th is also Learn about Butterflies day.

The 15th is the Ides of March.  In ancient Rome this was the beginning of the New Year and also of spring. The 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and the 18th is the Goddess of Fertility day.  The 19th is poultry day, the 20th is Earth Day although beware-it’s also Alien Abduction day.  The 25th is National Agriculture day as well as National Pecan day and National Waffle day. The 30th is National Doctors day.

March is Irish American month as well as National Women’s History month, National Nutrition month, National Peanut month, National Craft Month and National Frozen Foods month. 

March’s birth flower is the daffodil or jonquil, the birthstone is aqua marine.

What can be pruned now

With an early spring across much of the country what you can prune is going to vary a lot from area to area, even among the same growing zone.  Normally March is a good month for zones 5-6 to do pruning. Pruning fruit trees and grape vines can still be done as long as trees and vines are dormant. Dormant means that the buds are tight and not showing signs of green.   Get a good pruning manual and follow the directions.  You can get pruning information at your County Extension office also.  Pruning your fruit trees and grape vines makes your plants healthier and more productive. 

Apricot blooms

It’s a good time to prune oaks, yews, poplars, willows, honey locust, katsura, sycamore and some other trees.  Take out all winter damaged limbs, crossing and rubbing branches, and thin and shape if needed.  The trees are best pruned when dormant too, especially oaks.  Trees can be pruned once sap starts flowing and buds expand but it’s messier and trees like oaks may attract insects if sap is leaking.  The insects carry many tree diseases such as oak wilt between trees.

What not to prune

Don’t prune fruit trees that are kept just for spring flowers, such as ornamental cherries and crabapples, if they haven’t flowered, at this time.  If you do you won’t get flowers.  Once they have flowered go ahead and prune away.

Do not prune pines until new growth has expanded at the branch tips. The proper way to prune pines is to let the new growth fully expand and then remove only a third to a half of that new growth. Of course you can remove dead branches at any time.  Do not prune trees or shrubs you want spring flowers from, like redbuds, dogwood, magnolias, forsythia, lilacs, azalea, rhododendron, witch hazel, weigelia, spirea, flowering quince, and daphne, if they haven’t flowered yet.  If your shrubs have already flowered it’s a good time to prune them.

Woody and semi-woody perennials should not be pruned even if they have started to leaf out.  This includes roses. The ends of stems have hardened over the winter, or died back, and are protecting buds farther down the stem. If you cut them back in March a cold snap may kill buds down much farther than you want. Instead wait for mid to late April (zones 5-6) (early April zone 7) or when the weather seems to be settled in your area.

Check for and repair winter damage (if possible) from rodents and deer.  Look at the bottoms of tree and shrub to see if the bark has been chewed.  If a tree or shrub is totally girdled, (the bark is eaten off all around the tree) it may die.  Some shrubs and even trees may return from the roots.  You’ll want to give damaged shrubs and trees extra water and fertilizer as new growth begins to help them recover.  Grafted trees such as most fruit trees, will not respond with growth like the old tree, they come back from rootstock that is generally undesirable for fruiting.  You’ll want to remove those trees.

Girdled trees

March clean up

If your spring flowering bulbs were heavily mulched and you can see growth through it, you need to gently remove most of the mulch from around them.  Once they are growing leaving the mulch won’t stop the growth. If the mulch is leaves, like in my garden, the leaves may deform flower buds as the stems grow up right through leaves.  If you see this gently pull the leaves off. I use a small rake, called a shrub rake, to remove leaves around and between the plants.  Mulch can be left around sturdy perennials that will grow up through it before blooming.

Don’t be in a hurry to remove any protective mulch you put over strawberries.  If the weather gets quite warm you can remove some of the mulch but leave it close by and be prepared to re-cover plants if a cold snap is coming. You may want some floating row cover or old sheets handy if strawberries progress to the point of bloom and then a cold snap is predicted.  Covering plants could protect the bloom and allow you to get fruit.  Do not use plastic unless it is held away from the plants on a frame.  Make sure to remove covers promptly if it’s sunny in the morning and will be above freezing.

If you didn’t cut down your herbaceous perennials, plants whose upper parts died over winter, you can do that cleanup now.  Remove old stems and seed stalks.  Use caution when cutting back mums.  Leave the stems several inches above ground to avoid damaging buds on the lower stems.  Work with all plants carefully so as not to damage emerging sprouts or pull them from wet ground.

Cut back ornamental grasses to the ground.  Some people burn the old foliage but be aware that these dried clumps can go up in flames like a torch and be ready to keep flames from spreading.

If the vegetable garden wasn’t cleaned up in the fall you can do that now.  Remove all old debris to avoid insect and disease problems in the coming year.  It’s a good time to add aged manure or compost to the beds.  If you used a cover crop it’s time to mow it down.  If you still till your garden you can till in compost or the cover crop.  Do not till if the soil is still wet.  You’ll compact the soil and cause numerous problems.

Planting in March

In planting zones 6 and below most of your planting should be done inside, or in tunnels or greenhouses.  If the weather has been fairly warm and the soil is dry enough to work and frost free you could plant the very earliest outside crops.  That includes peas, lettuce, and radishes. Pansies and violas can be planted outside for early color.  Grass seed can be planted and can even be sowed on top of snow, although birds may eat it.

In planting zones 7 and 8 how your weather is this year will determine what you can plant.  Cold resistant crops like cabbage, onions, and beets can be planted.  If temperatures have been high and lilacs have bloomed your warm weather crops are probably safe.  That includes tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beans and sweet corn.  Bedding flowers like petunias and geraniums are also safe.  You may have missed the best time for grass seeding, but if it’s still relatively cool and moist you could try it.  I would wait until next month to put your tender tropical outside.

In all zones bare root, dormant plants; trees, shrubs and perennials and dormant potted hardy plants can be planted if the ground is thawed.  If plants have begun to sprout or have leaves a little more caution is needed.  In zones 7 and above I’d get them in the ground unless they are considered borderline hardy for your zone.  If you are worried hold them in a cool, bright place until the weather is a bit warmer.

Below zone 7 planting trees, shrubs and perennials that have begun to leaf out or are in bloom should be tied to the current growth stage of similar plants already in the ground.  For example if apple trees in the ground in your area are leafing out you could plant a new potted apple tree that is leafing out.  If hosta plants are showing above ground then a new hosta plant that is at a similar growth stage can be planted.  If you are worried about the new plants being damaged keep them in a cool, sunny place indoors until they can go outside.  An unheated greenhouse or tunnel would be fine.

Patience is a virtue in gardening as it is in many aspects of life.  Generally waiting a bit longer is safer than planting at the first signs of spring.  Sometimes though, it doesn’t hurt to take a chance.  For example seeds are fairly cheap.  If you plant your beans too early and a late frost kills them you can just plant them again.  But you may want to practice patience if you are thinking about planting a $50.00 perennial.

Brewing chocolate

I was reading some nutrition research and found a study that said brewed chocolate helps improve memory, concentration and mood and increases your metabolism and energy level.  Brewed chocolate is a new trend, one I hadn’t heard about but I am going to try.  Brewed chocolate is made like coffee and is not like cocoa.  The cacao beans are roasted and ground like coffee beans, which you then use in a coffee maker.  I haven’t seen the roasted beans in regular stores yet but they are available on line, even on Amazon, and I guess in some gourmet food shops.  On Amazon 10 oz. of roasted cacao sold for a little over $10.

Unlike cocoa powder the ground, roasted beans do not have the cocoa fat removed and include the husk of the bean.  This increases the antioxidant and vitamin level in the brewed product. Reportedly an 8 oz. cup of brewed cacao has more antioxidants than 2 servings of blueberries.  It also has little caffeine but lots of theobromine, which boosts your energy level without the jitters.  If you drink black coffee you’ll probably like brewed cacao straight.  Other people add sugar and cream.

Brewed cacao might be hard to come by if the experts are right and a cacao shortage is in the near future.  To ease the shortage researchers have been looking for a plant substitute.  They found that Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds might make a passable substitute when fermented and treated like cacao.  However the research I read says they smell like chocolate, and doesn’t say anything about the taste.  The fruit of the Jackfruit is widely eaten in South America and Southeast Asia but the seeds are generally discarded.

How to Grow Rhubarb

Rhubarb sprouting

I was out walking in early March and noticed that my rhubarb was already sprouting in the garden.  Rhubarb is a crop gardeners from zone 3 – 7 can easily grow, so if you like rhubarb and strawberry pie, find room for a plant or two in your yard.  Rhubarb needs a long cold dormant period, so gardeners in the south won’t have great luck with this plant.

Rhubarb is not just for pie, the plants are ornamental, if you like large, impressive leaves and it has pretty, tall spikes of fragrant, tiny white flowers in early summer.  Plants can be tucked in the back of a perennial bed and will fit right in. It will even do well in light shade, although your crop will be bigger and plants more robust in full sun.

Rhubarb is a perennial crop; once you plant it you can harvest it for many years.  Make sure you choose a location for it in your garden where it won’t be disturbed.  As plants mature they can easily fill a 5-6 foot square area, so keep that in mind when looking for a planting location.  Rhubarb isn’t fussy about soil type or soil pH as well as it is in a well-drained area.  It does appreciate a soil with lots of organic matter.

Rhubarb has large, “crinkled” or “rumpled” dark green leaves with bright red stalks. The stalks are redder in the early spring and some varieties have redder stalks than others.  Rhubarb plants slowly get larger over the years and a clump of rhubarb can be 3 feet high and 5-6 feet wide. In early summer rhubarb puts up tall flower stalks with clusters of white, airy flowers.  These will turn to flat brown seed pods if flower heads are not trimmed off.

Planting rhubarb

Gardeners usually start with rhubarb “roots”, dormant divisions of a rhubarb plant.  It can be grown from seeds fairly easily but you must wait several years for a harvest from seed grown plants. There are several good varieties of rhubarb.  Victoria is an old variety that grows well in the garden.  Canada Red and Valentine are two other good varieties.  Rhubarb is generally planted in early spring.   One or two well grown plants are usually enough for a small family.

Rhubarb likes rich, fertile soil.  Work in compost and well-aged manure where you are going to plant it.   Plant rhubarb so the sprouts are about 2 inches below the soil.  Plants should be spaced at least 3 feet apart.   About 3 weeks after planting, as growth starts, use a slow release garden fertilizer around the plants.  If spring is dry, water rhubarb to keep it succulent and growing.

Yearly care of rhubarb

Fertilize rhubarb each year as you see growth begin. Keep it weeded, especially the first year as it establishes itself.  Deer or rabbits rarely touch rhubarb.  Rhubarb has few pests other than kids; make sure you keep an eye on those so they don’t over harvest

Rhubarb may need to be divided if clumps seem to be producing fewer stalks or thin weak stalks.  Simply dig up the whole clump in early spring and pull apart the roots and stem buds into separate clumps with several stem buds on each.  Replant as soon as possible.  Most rhubarb benefits from dividing every 3-5 years.  However many people have had clumps for 20 years without dividing the plants if there is plenty of room for the plants to spread.

Young Rhubarb 

Some garden books recommend trimming off the flower stalks before they get very large.  This does concentrate plant energy to leaf and root growth and for the first year or two after you plant rhubarb this is probably a good idea.  After that you can allow the flowers to develop without any harm.  The flowers develop after the spring rhubarb stalk harvest and the plant has time to replace removed stalks before fall.  Do remove the flower stalks after the flowers die, you don’t need the plant using energy to produce seeds and the seed pods aren’t that attractive.

In the fall, after rhubarb leaves are killed by frost, trim them off.  I personally pile the cut leaves over the growing location.  Or after the ground freezes throw a layer of straw or oak leaves over the rhubarb crown.   Remove the mulch in early spring.  It’s a good idea to mark the location of rhubarb clumps with a stake if early garden work could damage them.

Harvesting rhubarb

Unfortunately you’ll need to skip a harvest the first year you plant rhubarb.   The plant needs to establish a good root system and needs all its leaves.  In the second year and every year after, you can harvest up to a third of the leaf stalks.  To harvest rhubarb simply snap or cut the stalks off the plant.   Wash well before eating. Never eat rhubarb leaves.  Stop harvesting rhubarb as the days get hot and if you see flower stalks forming, as it tends to get bitter then.

Rhubarb can be eaten raw as most country kids know, or sweetened and cooked into pies, preserves or jelly.  A common name for rhubarb is pie plant. It is often combined with strawberries for some delectable treats.  Rhubarb can be washed, cut into small pieces and frozen.  Frozen rhubarb will be soft when thawed but can be turned into pies and other treats.   It can also be cooked and frozen.

Rhubarb in bloom

Caution- and medicinal use

Never consume any part of the rhubarb plant except the stalks and stalks only in the spring.   Rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which can be poisonous.  In the spring, before the flower stalks start, the stems of rhubarb have little oxalic acid and are safe to eat, unless you consume huge quantities.  If there has been a heavy frost or freeze after stalks are well developed the stalks may be high in oxalic acid and not safe to eat.  Wait 7-10 days after weather has warmed before resuming harvest.

Rhubarb has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  And you may have guessed its primary use- as a laxative. Powdered root was used for this purpose.  Consuming large amounts of rhubarb stalks can also lead to a tummy ache and lots of bathroom trips even in the spring.  It was also prescribed as a diet aid- but I can think of better ways to lose weight.   Modern medicine has isolated a pigment in rhubarb that is being studied for leukemia treatment. Rhubarb root can produce a brown dye.

Michigan is also home to a thriving commercial rhubarb crop, most of it grown under glass or in tunnels to provide early rhubarb for those who craving the sweet -sour treat before it is ready in the garden.  Rhubarb is a good crop for early sales at Farmer’s markets.

If you love rhubarb, you can tuck a clump into all but the tiniest garden and enjoy it for many years.  The best tasting rhubarb is right from your own garden.

Planning the woodland garden

Hodgeson garden

If you have property that has lots of mature trees you may be considering a garden that features shade loving or woodland plants.  Woodland gardens are gardens where humans manipulate the understory plants- the plants which tolerate conditions of shade and competition from larger plants and fill in the space under them.  For some that may be a wooded glen full of native wildflowers or for others a place to showcase hosta, heuchera and other shade plants.  There are many plants that will grow in the shade of other plants but not every shade loving plant will grow in any shaded area.

Degrees of shade

When you are considering developing a garden in a wooded or shaded area there are several considerations.  One is of course the light available for a garden.  There are very densely shaded areas under trees that won’t be suitable for most types of understory plants.  The best areas for woodland gardens are where there is filtered light, with a light tree canopy and shifting patterns of sunlit spots.  In nature this occurs at the edges of woodlands and around areas where trees have fallen or died.  A path or road through your woodlands may provide these conditions on either side of it.

The shade from deciduous trees (trees which lose their leaves in the winter) is different from the shade under evergreen trees.  Deciduous wooded areas offer the chance for many understory plants to grow and bloom in the early spring to early summer period, before the trees have heavy leaf coverage.  Many native wildflowers fall into this category and are called ephemeral flowers.  They grow and bloom early in the season then die back and go dormant until the next spring.   There are also a few plants that bloom in autumn, after the leaves begin to fall.

In contrast when shade is from evergreen trees plants have to adapt to a continuous level of low light.  These areas can support good woodland gardens if they are thinned and “limbed up” to allow some light to penetrate.  This is generally easier to achieve under pines, which tend to lose their lower branches as they grow anyway and still maintain a pleasing look when lower limbs are removed.  In contrast spruce and firs tend to look a bit odd when lower limbs are pruned to allow more light to penetrate under them.  

Very densely planted stands of evergreens such as those in windbreaks and abandoned Christmas tree farms will need a lot of thinning and pruning, including the removal of whole trees, if you want to plant a woodland garden under them.   Some deciduous stands of trees may also need thinning and pruning before a garden under them is attempted.  If you have property like this and want to put in a woodland garden you may want to consult with and or use the services of a registered arborist or forester.  They can advise you how to correctly thin and remove trees.

Dappled shade under an oak in spring.

Competition for water and food

Moisture levels under trees can be a limiting factor as to what plants will grow there.  The area under trees often has drier soil than other areas.  While shade helps keep moisture from evaporating from soil as quickly as in a sunny area the trees also prevent some rain from ever hitting the ground under them.  And when rain does hit the soil beneath the trees it is quickly soaked up by the trees roots.  Some areas turn out to be quite dry. Areas under deciduous trees may have more moisture in the soil because at times of the year rain and snow can reach the ground readily. If you have the ability to water under the tree canopy then you may be able to use a wider range of plants there.

Tree roots also grab soil nutrients. The soil characteristics such as soil fertility and soil pH under trees can vary just as it does anywhere else but it is harder to amend these things than in an area not under trees.  It’s a good idea to get a soil test done before beginning a woodland garden. Then you may have a better idea of what plants will do well there. Some trees will also have many surface roots that make planting understory plants under them difficult.  

Usually soil under wooded areas has a lot of organic matter in it from rotting leaves and/or needles.  Most woodland plants really appreciate this.  But in some cases the property owner has removed leaves or needles every year and the soil is low in organic matter.  While some organic matter can be worked into soil at planting time no more than 3 inches of soil or organic matter such as compost or wood chips should be put on top of tree roots.  Adding more may cause stress or death to the trees.

Some tree roots may actually give off chemicals that interfere with the growth of plants near them.  Black walnut trees and Tree of Heaven, (Ailanthus altissima), for example, stunt the growth or kill plants growing near their roots.  Other trees which may have allopathic (suppressant)  factors include Sugar maple, Black Locust, Eucalyptus, Sassafrass, Red oak, Black Cherry, and Sycamore.  There are plants which will grow near these species but your selection will be more limited. (Note: alleopathy is now controversial, with some experts believing that these trees do not give off chemical suppressants, but may alter soil conditions.)

If you are willing and able to use some irrigation and supplemental feeding you can grow many species of woodland plants that might not grow in your woodland area naturally.  If you want your woodland garden to be completely self-sustaining you’ll have to use care to select plant species that suit your conditions.

Deciding what to plant

After you have determined light, soil, moisture and nutrient conditions of your woodland area you’ll need to decide just what type of plants you want to grow- and can grow- in those conditions.  You can choose to grow only plants native to your area.  You can use plants that are native to your area with a few “wild flowers” from other places with similar climates and conditions.  You can use only cultivated shade species such as heuchera, hosta and similar plants.  Or you use in your woodland garden any kind of plant that will grow well in your shade conditions, including annual plants and tropical plants during the summer.

Make sure that you research the zone hardiness and specific cultural requirements of plants that you select for your woodland garden just as you would for other gardens. Some woodland plants such as violets and sweet woodruff can spread quickly so keep the invasive qualities in mind as you choose plants too. Some species of plants have varieties that have different levels of light requirements.  Certain hosta varieties, for example, need more light than others to do well, so pay attention to specific variety requirements.

In any garden it’s important to plan on plants whose foliage, form or texture, are as important as the flowers.  In woodland gardens it is even more important because most woodland plants only have a short blooming period, which tends to be concentrated in the spring, and when they do bloom the blooms may not be very conspicuous.  Some woodland plants may disappear altogether once summer arrives.  

Plants with gold or white variegated foliage, blue or red foliage can add color without flowers.  Light colored foliage, especially in the golden range, brightens dark areas and is very effective in small amounts. Don’t overdo such color spots though- it will not look natural in a woodland setting.  Varying the texture; ferns, broad leaved hosta, Japanese Forest grass, and form; ground covers, upright, arching spreading and so forth of plants is also more pleasing than plants that are all of one size and shape.

If you observe your wooded area carefully you may notice areas where “spotlights” of sun fall at least part of the day.  These areas may support plants that more evenly shaded areas won’t.  These areas are also great for a “focus point” perhaps an exuberant basket of tuberous begonias or a cluster of fuchsia. They are also good areas to locate a water feature in the shade garden as the light is reflected off the water.

Partial shade garden

Bulbs and small spring plants for woodland gardens

Crocus, snowdrops, wood hyacinth, cyclamen(spring blooming), anemone, Shooting Stars(Dodecatheon species) Helleborus species, Lily of the Valley, Blood root, Hepatica species, Erythronium (Trout Lilies), Trilliums, Arisaema species (Jack in The Pulpit), Corydalis, Arum, primula, violas and violets, Bleeding hearts, Epimedium, Tiarella, Uvularia, Chionodoxa ,Hyacinthoides( English Bluebells), Scilla, Eranthis, Fritillaria.  At the edges of deciduous trees tulips and narcissus often do well.

Summer and fall blooming plants

Astilbe, Aralia, Aconitum, Kirengeshoma, cyclamen (fall blooming), Evening primrose, Trycyrtis (Toad Lilies), Cranesbill geraniums, Hypericum, Siberian Iris, Lobelia, (some species), Polemonium (Jacobs Ladder), Cypripedium (lady Slipper orchids), Autumn Crocus.

Ground cover type plants

Sweet Woodruff, Bunchberry, Pachysandra, Ajuga, Lamium, Chrysogonum, Liriope, Phlox stolonifera, Phlox divaricate, Asarum (Wild Ginger), violets.

Larger Foliage  (some also bloom)

Hosta, heuchera, heucherella, Brunnera, Aruncus, Cimicifuga(Snakeroot), Mukdenia, Rodgersia, Ferns(various), Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass), Solomon’s Seal, Pulmonaria, Goldenseal, Paris Polyphylla, May apple

Shrubs and trees

Japanese Maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, Calycanthus, Dogwoods (some species) Clethra, Fothergilla, Daphne, Itea, Hydrangea (some), Schizophragma (vine) Viburnum,(some).

Annuals/ tender tropical/ houseplants for shade

Tuberous begonias, rex begonias, coleus, fuchsia, impatiens, Norfolk Pines, staghorn ferns, Snake plant, spider plant, streptocarpus, peace lily and many other houseplants.  Many houseplants that like sun inside do better in partial shade or light shade outside.

Your woodland garden will probably evolve a bit through the years as you discover what species do well and where you need more color, form or interest.  Being open to adding non-native plants or supplementing with annuals and tropical plants will often provide the most pleasing and interesting woodland garden.  Many woodland native plants are now available through garden stores. New shade plants are being discovered and new varieties being developed from older ones each year. 

March Maple Biscuits

A good cook knows how to make good biscuits.  Here’s a biscuit recipe for maple syrup time.  These are very rich and satisfying.  Make this a yearly treat; don’t sub “healthy” ingredients.  That said if you can’t find real maple syrup use the grocery store “flavored” kind.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into tiny pieces

¾ cup cream

¼ cup real maple syrup

Glaze

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Melt these together and set aside.

Biscuit directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put the flour, salt and baking powder in the blender (or bowl)

Add the butter pieces, pulse blend until the mix resembles coarse cornmeal (or use a fork to cut in the flour)

Pour the cream and maple syrup into the blender, blend just a few seconds until a dough forms.  (Or blend the ingredients in a bowl)

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead several times.

Roll the dough out into a ¾ inch thick rectangle.

Using a biscuit cutter or glass cut out biscuits and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  (About 12 biscuits)

Brush each biscuit with the reserved butter and maple syrup mixture.

Bake about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm with butter or maple syrup.

This week’s garden question: I have clay soil and I want to plant some trees. Should I use a bag of peat in each hole?

Janelle, from Ohio

This is a very common question and the answer that real plant experts will give you is no.   However people at garden shops and nurseries will often try and sell you some amendment for your soil when they sell you a tree or shrub.  Can you guess why that might be so?  Some people are well meaning, because that’s what they have been taught.  Others just see an additional sale. Landscapers, particularly at new home sites often do this, but that doesn’t mean they are right. It just seems like that if you have heavy clay soil or sandy rocky soil that those new roots a tree puts out would like some light fluffy peat around them, or compost, or topsoil.  But that’s not so.

Real plant experts will tell you that you should always refill holes you dig to plant trees or shrubs with the soil you removed.  That’s true even if you believe your soil is terrible.  First you should select trees and shrubs that are going to be able to survive in the soil conditions you have.  Second, as that new plant begins to grow new roots they will immediately adapt to the native soil conditions.  Third, research studies have proven that not amending the soil in the planting hole is the best approach to tree planting. 

If you place a bag of peat in a hole dug in heavy clay soil you are basically putting a sponge in a bathtub with the plant roots.  That’s not a great idea.  Sometimes tree roots will circle around and around in amended soil rather than going bravely out into the native soil.  This may cause the roots to girdle and “choke” the young tree.  It can also cause the tree to be more easily blown over in a storm. 

Trees may seem to take off and grow faster in an amended planting situation but in the long run their health and stability is better if holes are re-filled with the native soil.  An early growth spurt is often followed by die-back or poor growth as the tree tries to adjust to the new conditions the roots are experiencing outside the original planting area.

Make your planting holes twice as wide as the plant root ball, loose soil is always helpful. But if you add anything, make it a little slow release granular fertilizer that you mix into the soil before re-filling the hole. I prefer not to fertilize until I see new growth start on the tree.  Mulching new trees is always a good idea.  If you feel you must do something else, add mulch to the soil surface after planting, just don’t let it actually touch the tree trunk.

In short: refill planting holes with the soil you removed and do not be tempted to mess with nature.

Just 12 days to spring!

Kim Willis

 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.

And So On….

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