Hi Gardeners
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| Chive flowers |
After some very mild weather our weather is due to slide into
colder winter temperatures tonight. By
the end of the week our highs are predicted to be below freezing. In fact, a great deal of the eastern half of
the country is going to get very cold. December
1 is the beginning of meteorological winter, so this shouldn’t be a surprise.
It was nice this weekend though and I was feeling well enough to
take a stroll around the yard. Almost
everything is brown and dried up except the grass, but I was struck by how
vibrant green and vigorous the Arum italicum
is. This plant produces new leaves in
the fall, glossy green arrow shaped leaves sometime mottled with white.
In mild winters the Arum will stay green all winter, although here
they are usually brown after being covered with snow. The leaves go dormant in the summer and here
the plants are pretty well buried in ferns and hosta in summer. But after the hosta and ferns have drooped
and died the arum shines on.
Besides the arum I notice snapdragons are coming up from seed shed
this summer. I think they will survive
the winter and bring me early flowers next year. The older snapdragons are still green too.
I rescued a tiny Venus Fly Trap from the clearance rack at the
grocery store. After I got it home I had
second thoughts. What was I thinking? Now I must go around the house looking
for a fly or something for it to eat. I
see a little spider above my desk right now- maybe I should catch it to feed
the flytrap. The little plant may go to
live with a grandchild or probably a great grandchild who enjoys catching
bugs. I have a lot of things to feed
around here and I don’t need to add plants to the list.
I have many houseplants in bloom right now. The bouvardia, fuchsia, Christmas cactus,
streptocarpus, and hibiscus are all blooming.
If you want a beautiful, abundantly blooming hibiscus try the variety ‘Kona’. This double pink beauty blooms frequently and
is a vigorous grower.
Do you have your bird feeders full? It’s time to get out that suet and sunflower
seed. That’s really all you need to
attract a wide variety of birds. If you
can afford thistle seed add that too.
Most cheap birdseed mixes are full of things birds only reluctantly eat
if nothing else is available. Things
like cracked corn, milo, wheat, oats, even millet are generally just wasted and
help attract animals like mice, rats and squirrels. Those critters will eat sunflower seed too,
but the birds beat them to it most of the time.
You are getting this newsletter a day early. I have some family business to take care of
on Tuesday.
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| Hibiscus 'Kona' |
December Almanac
This
month’s full moon is called the Full Cold or Long Nights moon and it occurred
on December 3rd. This was the
final supermoon of the year. There are
two meteor displays that may be visible in December. On the 13th and 14th there is the peak of the
best regular meteor event, the Geminids meteor shower. Some meteors may be
visible from the 4th through the 17th.
But on the peak days around 120 meteors or shooting stars may be seen
per hour. The best viewing is after
midnight. On December 21st – 23rd will
be the peak of a lesser meteor shower, the Ursids meteor shower, which
typically produces about 10 meteors per hour at its peak.
Wednesday,
December 21, 2017 is the winter solstice. It marks the longest night of the
year and the beginning of winter. At
this time the sun is at its farthest point in the southern sky and lowest point
on the horizon. (For an interesting site
that will show you where the sun and moon are in the sky at the exact time you
access the site go to this site and choose your closest city) http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/
You’ll
notice that the earliest sunset and the shortest day are not the same. The earliest sunset occurs December 5th
(today) when the sun sets at 5 pm (in the Flint, MI. area). And the sun will set at that time until
December 14th – when it gains a minute. It’s the time of sunrise that makes the
difference in day length. On the
solstice the sun rises at 8:03 am and sets at 5:03pm in the Flint, Mi. area. Your area may have slightly different sunrise
and sunset times.
Many
people including myself consider the Winter Solstice to be the end of the old
year. The sun turns or changes direction.
Now the days will be getting longer, if only by seconds at first.
Re-birth, renewal, the conquering of death, the return of the sun is symbolized
in the solstice. It’s a time for celebration as it was for our early
ancestors. Christmas is celebrated near
the solstice because people already celebrated re-birth and promise at this
time and early Christians frequently borrowed old rituals.
The
time around the solstice, the 21st-24th, is when the
ancients believed that man’s mind was most open to spiritual enlightenment and
positive life changes. It was a time of meditation and reflection. You were
supposed to wish for self- improvement, knowledge, healing of spiritual wounds
and the ability to meet personal goals.
It was not a time to wish for material things and if gifts were given it
was to the very poor or the gifts were symbolic in nature. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone spent three
days in meditation and reflection before the great orgy of material things that
Christmas has become?
Burn
some oak wood at midnight and make a wish for what you desire as you look into
the fire. Take some time to reflect on
what you could have done better last year and decide your path for the new
year.
December’s
birthstone is turquoise. The December birth flower is oddly enough the
narcissus. This may be because it was
associated with death, (its poisonous) by the ancient Romans and Greeks but now
it is often used as a symbol of hope. We
are entering the time of the death of the old year but still, it seems
odd. In flower “language” narcissus is
said to mean “you are the only one” or alternatively faithfulness, respect and
modesty.
Recently
holly has been favored to replace narcissus as the December birth flower and to
me seems more appropriate. Holly is a
symbol of domestic happiness in flower language. Orchids are also listed as the
December flower in some places.
Things
to celebrate in December besides the solstice and Christmas include National
Mutt day the 2nd , Pearl Harbor Day- the
7th and Poinsettia day on the 12th, also
on the 12th its Gingerbread house day and National cocoa day, National Bake
Cookies day, the 18th , Look for Evergreens day the 19th Besides being Christmas Eve the 24th is
National Chocolate day and National Egg Nog day. December 31st is World Peace
Meditation Day as well as New Years eve.
December
is National Bingo month, National AIDS awareness month, National Buckwheat
month and Universal Human Rights month.
How to water houseplants
Everyone loves homes and offices filled with the restful, cheerful
green of houseplants. But some people
just can’t seem to keep houseplants thriving in the home or office and a great
deal of the problems can be traced to improper watering. Learning to water your
houseplants correctly can turn brown thumbs into green ones.
First- don’t water on a schedule.
Don’t say that every Wednesday you will water the plants. You might schedule a day to check the plants
to see if they need water but don’t just automatically go around and water each
pot. Some plants won’t need water on the
same day each week, and some may need it more often to remain healthy.
The need for water can vary tremendously from house to house and
week to week. On a gray, gloomy winter
day when the house is cool plants may need less water. Or they may need more water if the furnace
has been running constantly and the outside humidity is low. They may need more water in a week when its
been sunny and cold- since sun dries out pots and the furnace dries out the
air. They may need less water if its
been warmer but very humid.
Plants may need less water in the winter when plants slow down
their growth. When warm weather arrives,
and the light is strong and growth vigorous they will need additional
water. Plants in plastic or metal pots
usually need less water than those in porous clay or ceramic pots. A single
isolated plant dries out more quickly than plants in large groups.
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| Kalanchoe synsepala 'Gremlin' is a plant that likes to dry out between watering. |
Symptoms of watering problems
The symptoms of over watering and under watering are often the
same – wilting. Wilting can happen
because the soil is dry and the top parts of the plant don’t get enough
water. Or it can mean that the soil in
the pot is saturated with water, the plants roots have rotted, and the top of
the plant isn’t getting any water through those rotted roots. When a plant looks wilted you should
immediately feel the planting soil to see if it feels dry. Don’t just touch the
top- push your finger in the soil about an inch- or more for deep pots. If you
touch the soil and it feels very wet, then the pot needs draining and drying,
not more water, even if the plant is wilted.
Experienced plant owners can often look at a plant and know when
it needs water. I can look at my lemon
tree and if I see the slightest roll of the leaves, exposing the lighter
underside, I check to see if it needs water. Some plants wilt dramatically,
collapsing in a heap, but others are more subtle. Don’t let the plant wilt on a regular basis
just so you know when it needs water. Some plants recover pretty well each time
but it takes a toll on the plants health and disease and insect resistance will
be reduced.
Signs that the plant is suffering from dry soil other than wilting
include yellowing and dropping leaves, dry leaf tips and poor flowering. The soil may look hard and crusty and be
drawn away from the sides of the pot. This creates a small gap between the soil
and the pot and when you water the water goes right through the pot without
soaking the soil. If you notice water
pouring out the drainage holes as soon as you pour water on the plant that is
usually what is happening.
To fix this super dry condition place the pot in a larger
container of water and let it soak or put it in the tub and let water drip on
it for a couple of hours. The soil
should saturate and expand. Make sure
the pot drains well after a couple of hours.
Then try not to let the pot get that dry again.
If you notice a swampy smell from your flower pots you are
probably keeping them too wet. As
mentioned before the signs of over watering, or too wet soil are often the same
as those plants which are too dry. Plants
wilt, turn yellow, brown or black and leaves and flowers fall off.
If you suspect overwatering immediately check to see if the pot
can drain. Dump the saucer if it has
water in it. Sometimes that’s all that’s
needed- just don’t water the pot again until it feels dry. If the pot is
extremely wet slide the rootball out of the pot unto a piece of newspaper in
the sink or in a bucket and let it air dry for a day. Then re-pot it in fresh,
only moderately moist potting medium.
People often swing too far the other way after over watering and let the
pot dry out too much, make sure to water when the potting medium feels dry to
the touch.
If you don’t trust your sense of touch to let you know if a plant
needs water, there are many inexpensive tools on the market that will tell you
if the soil is too dry. And remember
that each species of plant has a different requirement for water. Some like to dry out between watering or even
prefer to remain on the dry side. And
there are plants who won’t do well unless the potting medium is always
moist. You need to do your homework to
see what your plant prefers.
If a plant needs water use room temperature water. Rain water and distilled water are best for
house plants but either city water or well water can be used. Both softened city water and well water have
“salts” in them that can build up in the planting soil. More about that in a minute. A few
plant species are sensitive to chlorine and fluoride added to city water. For those plants you should use rain water or
distilled water.
The type of pot that you use for houseplants is crucial to their
health. It must have good drainage. Do not
use a pot without drainage holes even if you add gravel or broken pot
pieces to the bottom. What this does is create what is known as a “perched” water
level. Water builds up in the spaces
around your gravel and it doesn’t have much chance to evaporate. A saturated soil layer develops just above
the gravel. And soon your plant roots
are rotting.
Pots with reservoirs, those known as self-watering pots, are a
little better but they also come with problems.
The soil is generally separated from direct contact with water, a
wicking system is used to draw water out of the reservoir. You don’t get the perched water table
effect. But people often can’t tell when
the reservoir needs water or they count on the water lasting longer than it
does.
If you have a pretty pot without drain holes that you want to use
find a slightly smaller pot with good drainage that will fit inside the pretty
pot. Then put your plant into the smaller pot. You’ll have to remember to empty
the outer pot soon after you water the inner pot. You can’t just let the water
sit there. Or you can make it simple and
drill holes in the pot without drainage.
Pots should neither be too small or large for the plant. Large pots are hard to water correctly, the
water moves down out of the reach of the plants roots or the top layer remains
dry and the bottom is saturated and damaging plant roots. Pots that are too small and are filled with
roots will need watering much more often than people realize and may be
impossible to keep them watered as often as they need it. They will need to be re-potted.
Reducing salt build up
Both hard and soft water have chemical salts that get into the
potting soil when we water plants.
Fertilizers also contain chemical salts.
Outdoors excess salts usually move through the soil and out of the range
of plant roots, but in a pot they have nowhere to go. They end up burning the plants roots and
stunting its growth or even killing it.
Often a whitish- yellow crusty build up on top of the soil or even on
the outside of the pot will be noticed.
Signs of excess salt damage include stunted growth, sometimes
reddish or yellow discoloration of foliage, dry, browned leaf tips and loss of
lower leaves and wilting from burned root tips.
To keep salts from building up use distilled water or rainwater to
water plants if possible. If not water
the plants and then empty the saucers that collect the excess water after an
hour or so. Salt that is washed through
the pot when you water won’t then be absorbed back into the pot as the soil
dries out again. This is usually not
enough to totally stop salt build up, especially if you regularly fertilize
your houseplants.
Every few months pots watered with soft city water or hard well
water should be leached. The pot needs
to be placed in tub or sink with drainage and flooded with water continuously
for a couple hours. Let the water run
slowly through the pot so soil doesn’t get washed away too. In some cases of heavy salt build up it may
be better to repot the plant with fresh potting soil.
Limit caretakers
In cases where more than one person is interested in the indoor
plants it is a good idea to agree to let one person be responsible for watering
plants in the home or office. At the
least everyone should care for the plants in their personal space and let one
person water the plants in common spaces.
Too many people watering isn’t always great for the plants and one
regular caretaker gets a better feel for when a plant needs water.
Properly watering your houseplants along with choosing the right
plants for the conditions will result in beautiful lush plants you will be
proud to display.
Choosing a real Christmas tree
Fewer people choose real trees for Christmas anymore and there are
good reasons both for using a real tree and using a fake one. But if you choose to get a real tree don’t
feel guilty about a tree being sacrificed.
Most Christmas trees sold were grown for that purpose and are a crop
like corn or tomatoes. Even if you
choose a tree from a National Forest or private land the chances are good that
removing the tree will not adversely affect the environment.
Early December is not too early to cut or pick a Christmas tree if
you can store it outside or somewhere cool.
Most trees sold in stores or corner lots are cut down by now. Cutting or choosing your tree early not only
gives you a better selection but may keep you from picking the tree in worse
winter weather.
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| Last year we needed to cull some red pines so this scrawny tree became our Christmas tree. |
A real tree can be recycled and returns nutrients to the
soil. It doesn’t require fossil fuel to
make it, as artificial trees do. The
problem with getting a real tree is that many people have never had one and
don’t know what species to choose or what to look for in a good Christmas
tree. Here’s a few tips that may help
you choose the right tree.
The most common evergreen tree species sold for Christmas trees are
Balsam, Fraiser and Concolor firs, Douglas Fir, Scotch Pine, Blue Spruce, White
spruce and White pine. Some species are
more common in some states than others.
The firs all smell nice but have a more open shape and don’t take
heavy ornaments that well. The needles
aren’t scratchy but drop fairly quickly inside.
Don’t put these up early.
Scotch pines are dense and pleasing in shape, hold heavy ornaments
and smell pretty good. They are prickly
but hold their needles a long time inside.
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| A Scotch pine Christmas tree from my childhood. |
Blue spruce and other spruces have good shapes, are dense and
strong but their smell is not pleasant. They are also scratchy when
decorating. Most spruce hold their
needles a long time. They are generally
more expensive than other trees.
White pines that have been pruned for a denser shape make pretty
good Christmas trees but are more open than pines or spruce and don’t take
heavy ornaments well. They smell nice, but not strongly. They retain needles well and are said to be
the least allergenic of the Christmas tree species.
Look for a full, symmetrical tree at a Christmas tree farm or sales
stand. Forest trees are not pruned into
shape the way trees on commercial Christmas tree farms are pruned so trees you have
to choose from in a National forest or on unmanaged private property won’t be
as symmetrical or full.
Bring a tape measure! Measure the tree to make sure you can get it
through your doors, that it will stand upright in your room and won’t take more
space than you have for it. If you are
at a commercial tree farm you may have to pay for the tree by the foot so take
that in consideration also.
Look at the tree trunk to make sure it’s straight and not oddly
shaped. A tree may appear to be straight
but the trunk may have an odd angle that will make inserting it in a stand and
keeping it upright hard. Make sure the
diameter of the trunk will fit your stand.
If you are cutting the tree leave a long “stem” on the tree
because you need to do a second cut across the stump before you put it in the
stand. This makes sure the tree can take
up water. And make your cut as straight
across the trunk as possible.
After the tree is cut give it a few quick bounces on the ground to
dislodge loose needles. You may want to
check for bird nests. Some people think
they are lucky and leave them in the tree.
But bird nests may contain pests like lice or even mice and probably
should be removed.
The easiest way to carry the tree back to the car is to wrap it in
a tarp. Some tree sellers will wrap the
tree in netting. This protects the tree
and makes it easier to handle. If the
tree is to ride home on top of the car it should be wrapped in a tarp or
blanket and the bottom of the tree should point to the front of the car. Secure it tightly with ropes or bungee cords.
Once you have the tree home store it outside in a cool, shady
place in a bucket of water until you are ready to put it up inside. You’ll want it where dogs and cats can’t
“anoint” it for you or where deer or other animals could nibble it. Trees store well outside in cool weather for
several weeks. Live trees should not go up inside the house until 7-10 days
before Christmas and should be removed within a few days after Christmas. Have a great holiday!
Growing chives, inside and outside
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
are one of the easiest herbs or vegetables to grow outside and they are also
one of the herbs that will do well growing on a windowsill indoors. Both the green round leaves and the flowers of
chives are edible and the plants can be woven into the flower beds where the
flowers will provide attractive spring blooms. Not only are the flowers pretty but
they also attract bees and butterflies with their nectar.
Chives are perennial members of the onion family and native to
China, Eastern Europe and North America.
They have naturalized in many other temperate areas of the world. Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are
related but have distinct differences.
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| Chives in the garden |
Chives have round, hollow leaves that when broken have that
distinctive oniony smell. When they
begin growing in spring they can be mistaken for clumps of grass. You just need to examine and smell a leaf to
make the right identification. Garlic
chives smell similar, but their leaves are flat and not hollow.
Chives grows best in the cooler times of the year such as spring
and fall but remains green and growing throughout summer, and in milder areas
may stay green all winter. It can be continually
harvested during growing season as long as no more than half the plant is
removed at a time.
The flowers of chives are a rosy purple. The 6 petaled tubes flare
to a star shape, and grow in clusters of 10-30 flowers in a rounded ball. The flowers are at the end of “scapes”, stiff
stems that hold them above the foliage.
The flowers have a nectar that is quite attractive to bees and some
butterflies. Chives flowers in late spring to early summer. The flowers turn into 3 sectioned seed pods
filled with tiny black seeds. Chive
flowers can be dried for dried flower arrangements.
Chives prefers full sun outside but will survive in partial
shade. It will grow in any well drained
soil. Gardeners will generally start
with plants although chives are fairly easy to grow from seeds. Be aware that chives often spread rapidly
both by increasing the clump diameter and by seed. Once a gardener has chives
in the garden they rarely are without them.
To start chives from seed simply sprinkle the seeds on moist
planting medium and press them lightly into the soil. The tiny seedlings look like a blade of grass. Let them get several leaves before
transplanting into the garden or into a windowsill pot.
Outside chives are moderately drought tolerant and will only need
to be watered when it’s really dry.
Watering in the summer heat will keep them tender and tasty though. If you frequently clip the leaves to use in
cooking the chives plant will appreciate some slow release fertilizer once a
month.
The root system of chives forms small bulbs just like other members
of the onion family. You can divide a
clump of chives in the spring leaving 2-3 bulbs per new plant. Even if you don’t want more plants your clump
of chives should be divided every 3 years to keep it vigorous. If you don’t use the flowers in cooking clip
them off as they start to fade so they don’t put energy into producing seeds-
unless you want seeds.
If you are growing chives on the windowsill inside pick the
sunniest window you have, preferably a south or west window. Chives will also do well under a grow light. Make sure the pot the chives are in drains
well and let the pot dry out slightly between watering. Chives grown inside rarely flower but will
provide you with tasty greens. If you
clip them frequently they will need fertilization about once a month.
Both inside and outside chives rarely suffer from insects or disease
problems.
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| chives sprouting |
Using chives
Chives have been used in cooking for thousands of years. You simply cut off a few leaves ands mince
them into tiny pieces. I like chives in
scrambled eggs, in cheese dishes, in salads, and even in breads and
biscuits. Chives blended with cream
cheese is a favorite dip of many people.
They are also used to flavor meats.
Chive flowers make a pretty, edible garnish for salads and other
foods. Both the leaves and flowers can
be dried and stored or frozen and stored.
Dried chives have less flavor than fresh but are still good. Frozen chives seem to lose little flavor and
are my favorite way to preserve them.
Chives are rich in calcium, iron, vitamin A and C. Medicinally they are used as a mild diuretic
and have antiseptic properties. Chives
help stimulate the appetite and some studies have shown that all members of the
onion family may have a beneficial connection to preventing gastric and
intestinal cancers.
Chives were used in earlier times to treat depression and at least
one study found that chives improved dopamine functioning in animals. Dopamine is a brain chemical linked to
mood. If you are feeling sad munch on
some chives.
Gardeners often claim a border of chive plants helps repel Japanese
beetles although no studies have been done to test this idea.
If you can have only one herb type plant, chives should probably
be your choice. They are easy to grow
and have a pleasant mild flavor most people like. Chives also have pretty flowers and attract
pollinators. What’s not to like?
Cheese and herb holiday scones
These herb and onion scones will go well with almost any meal. Make several batches as your contribution to a
holiday buffet. I find rosemary the
perfect herb to use with chives for these scones but you can use other herbs
such as thyme or sage. The red pepper
and green chives add a touch of holiday color.
If you don’t have buttermilk add 1 tablespoon melted butter to a ½ cup
of cream for almost the same taste.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 egg lightly beaten
1 egg white lightly beaten
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup finely grated cheddar cheese (or your choice of cheese)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons of finely diced green chives
¼ cup finely diced red sweet pepper
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
12 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking
spray.
Mix together flour, baking powder and soda, pepper, salt.
In another bowl mix together the buttermilk, whole egg, cheese,
red pepper and onions.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk
mixture. Mix together just until
ingredients are blended and moist.
Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead lightly, folding dough over several
times. Dough should look smooth when
kneaded enough.
Divide dough in half. Roll
each half into a circle about 5 inches across.
Cut each circle into 6 wedges.
Place wedges 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
Mix together the remaining egg white with the water. Brush the tops of each wedge then add a sprig
of rosemary to the top of each. Brush
with egg white mixture again, coating the rosemary.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.
Warm buttered scones, now that’s a
winter treat.
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….
Find Michigan garden events/classes
here:
(This
is the Lapeer County Gardeners facebook page)
An interesting Plant Id page you can
join on Facebook
Here’s a seed/plant sharing group you
can join on Facebook
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I write this because I
love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my
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