Gardening with Granny- Redneck Recycling for the Gardener
Ranked #6,923 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #84,194 overall
Let Granny Guide Your Gardening
I want to help you have the best garden ever- and without a lot of money. I've had a lot of experience with gardening and with answering gardening questions. Let me entertain and thrill you with my zany gardening tips. This lens is for the tongue in cheek, but still valuable, advice I give on gardening. I'll say things here I wouldn't dare say anywhere else about gardening. >Want to read Granny's blog? Go to www.gardeninggranny.blogspot.com
Now that Squidoo has added a contents module to this site I am going to add my serious gardening articles here- since they can no longer be accessed well at the old site. Stay tuned as it will take me a while to list them all!
Spring 2009
New Table of Contents
- Spring 2009
- My second book has been published!
- My book has been published!
- Recycle the old grill
- How to Grow Coreopsis
- Starting Vegetable Gardens
- Red Neck Re-cycled Tomato Bed
- the tomato bed
- Tomato bed when "made' for frost protection
- tomato bed July 1 2009
- How Do Rednecks Make Compost?
- Making a rain barrel
- Daylily - Canadien Border Patrol
- Growing Daylilies
- Catalpa flowers
- How to grow Caryopteris
- Catalpa Trees
- An Introduction to Annuals
- Granny I Got a Question.What Can I Do With Those Darn Box Elder Bugs?
- The Farm Store is a Gardeners Friend
- Organic Lawn Care
- Introduction to Perennials
- Growing Bearded Iris
- How to grow Coleus
- Getting Started with an Herb Garden
- Basil
- Hey Gardening Granny- I have a question
- Tire Taters-( potatoes)
- Granny- What's a good way to keep weeds out of my garden?
- Gardening With Trees and Shrubs
- Lovely Lavender
- Granny's Tips on Seed and Nursery Catalogs
- Clean up your nuts
- Use That Old Car
- And If You Can't Use the Whole Car
- What Can I do About Squirrels Eating My Flowers?
- What country bumpkins do with pumpkins
- Gardening Granny, I Got a Skunk Problem
- You might be a redneck gardener if.......
- Citronella
- Preparing Roses for Winter
- Dogs are Just So Darn Cute
- Creative Container Gardens
- Favorite sites for, redneck, blue collar, cheap, recycling, gardeners
- Fast Growing Trees
- Holly
- Apples
- Mistletoe
- Christmas Cactus
My second book has been published!
Raising Chickens for Dummies
I'd like to announce the publication of my newest book, Raising Chickens for Dummies.I know it's not a gardening book but chickens will sure help you re-cycle some of that household and gardening waste. Just don't let them into your garden until you are through with it for the year. Then let them in to tear it up and fertilize it. They'll eat a lot of weed seeds and insects trying to overwinter.
You can buy the book at/www.amazon.com/Raising-Chickens-DummiesMathScience/dp/0470465441/ref=sr_1_1ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247332732&sr=8-1">click here. And if you are a chicken lover you may want to go to this great website www.backyardchickens.com. There are a whole lot of good chicken folk there for you to meet.
My book has been published!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Country Living
My new book is now available. It's a book for those wanting to move to the country or for those that have recently moved and need some help. In this book I cover a wide range of topics, from shopping for country property, learning local customs, your well, heating with wood, chickens and horses, country recreation and much more.You'll enjoy this book if you like country living. You can get it by contacting Amazon or your local bookstore and asking for
The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Country Living
ISBN: 9781592578016, Price: $18.95, November 2008
Recycle the old grill
How to Grow Coreopsis
Carefree, colorful Tickseed
For long lasting color in the garden there are few perennial plants easier to grow than coreopsis. Coreopsis loves sunny, hot conditions and will bloom its heart out through the middle of the hottest summers. The bright gold of native species of coreopsis has been altered by plant breeders into several muted and pastel shades that make coreopsis fit into any garden color scheme.There are several native American species of coreopsis and many hybrids of the species. All are members of the daisy family and the flowers have the familiar daisy look. Some coreopsis flowers are single and some are double, ranging from 1-2 inches wide. Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis lanceolata have long, lance shaped leaves and Coreopsis verticillata has fine fern-like leaves. Most coreopsis colors are shades of yellow, although there are pink shades and at least one white coreopsis available. Some varieties have a contrasting color in the center.
The common name of Tickseed refers to the tiny seeds the flowers produce, which resemble ticks. Most varieties of coreopsis are perennials that are hardy from zones 3-9. C. grandiflora and some of the hybrids using this species are only reliably hardy to zone 7 and behave like bi-annuals instead of true perennials. Birds love the seeds, but if allowed to go to seed coreopsis may spread through the garden.
Growing Coreopsis
There are many varieties of coreopsis seed available to gardeners. Start the seeds indoors about 8 -10 weeks before your last frost in a cool, [60 degrees], and bright place. Coreopsis seed needs light to germinate so just press it lightly down on the seed-starting medium. The seed may germinate in as little as 5 days. Coreopsis seeds can also be sown outside where you want the plants to grow in the fall or spring. Plants grown indoors can be hardened off and set outside while the ground is still cool and will withstand light frost. If started early or the fall before, coreopsis may bloom the first summer. Coreopsis plants are available in most nurseries for those gardeners who don't care to grow their own.
Coreopsis needs full sun. They are not fussy about soil and will grow well where the soil is relatively poor. Although coreopsis is drought tolerant when established, new plants should be watered frequently. Don't over fertilize coreopsis or you will get lots of foliage and few blooms. If your soil is sandy or very poor an application of slow release fertilizer in early spring is all that's needed. Healthy coreopsis plants are seldom bothered by insects and have few disease problems.
Some coreopsis varieties get lanky and floppy as the season progresses and benefit from being sheared back to about half. This will encourage stronger stems and a flush of new blooms. While deadheading is a chore with the small flowers of coreopsis, it will help them continue blooming through the summer and make the plants look nicer. Some new varieties are self-cleaning; the dead flowers just drop off. If you do deadhead the plants plan to leave some of the seed heads alone near the end of the season for the birds to eat. Coreopsis plants range from about 10 inches to 6 foot high although most varieties are between 18 and 24 inches high.
Choosing Varieties.
There are many varieties of coreopsis on the market. Check the zone hardiness, as some varieties are only hardy to zone 7. Varieties that have C. grandiflora in their background may last only a season or two in the garden and tend to be less hardy, but most varieties of coreopsis are reliable perennials. Sterntaler is a hardy variety with golden flowers, marked with a reddish center band. Moonbeam is a fern leaved, hardy coreopsis of pale, soft yellow. Zagreb is another fern leaved coreopsis; it has bright golden flowers on a compact plant. American Dream is a rosy pink; fern leaved coreopsis with a yellow center. Alba is a fern leaved coreopsis with white flowers and a yellow eye. Although one red flowered coreopsis produced a few years ago proved to be a one season dud instead of perennial, a new rosy red coreopsis with a darker center, Heaven's Gate, is winter hardy to at least zone 5 and reliably perennial in zones 5-8.
Coreopsis Rising Sun has golden yellow semi-double flowers flecked with red. Sunfire has large golden flowers with frilly edges and a red center. Early Sunrise has golden yellow double flowers. Presto is a very early, golden, double flowered coreopsis only 10 inches high. Jethro Tull is a golden coreopsis with fluted or trumpet shaped petals. Coreopsis tripteris is a native coreopsis with bamboo-like stalks up to 6 foot high and 2 inch butter yellow flowers.
Using Coreopsis
Coreopsis are excellent bed and border plants. They attract butterflies and birds to the garden. Coreopsis is also an excellent cut flower.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
Starting Vegetable Gardens
Starting Vegetable Gardens
Starting a vegetable garden is a way to save on food costs while providing your family with food that not only tastes better, but is much more nutritious than food that is shipped long distances. This article will cover the basics of starting a vegetable garden.
The site
For starting vegetable gardens, you need a place that gets at least six hours of full sun each day. The site should be close to water and to the house. A vegetable garden close to the house receives better care, is harvested more frequently and is less likely to suffer animal damage.
Don't choose a low spot or one that doesn't drain well for a vegetable garden. Low spots collect cold air which gives a shorter season and most vegetables will not grow in wet areas.
When starting a vegetable garden for the first time think small. A vegetable garden that is twenty by thirty is a good start for a family of four. Big gardens may overwhelm beginners and you can always expand next year.
The soil
Choose your area and then get a soil test. A soil test gives you an idea of what your vegetable garden will need for optimum plant growth. Submit the soil sample at least six weeks before you want to begin planting. This gives you time to get the results back and amend the soil if needed.
Contact your County Extension office, they will explain how to collect the soil sample and when the results come back they can help you interpret them. The service costs a small amount. Don't add anything to the soil, such as lime, until you have had a soil test.
Don't worry too much about the type of soil you have. Both clay and sandy soil can be turned into good vegetable gardens. The key to improving both types of soil is to add lots of organic material. Your soil test will tell you if you need to add lime or fertilizer.
Tools and supplies
You will need a good spade, a garden rake and a hoe. You will need a hose and nozzles or watering cans for a small garden. Get a good pair of gloves, your seeds and plants and you are ready to start. Tillers are not necessary.
Some other things nice to have are stakes and string, mulch, and row covers.
Your soil test may reveal that you need to amend the soil or fertilize. For small gardens these supplies are not very expensive.
All those colorful pictures of yummy vegetables can make you spend much more on seeds than you need to. Read the back to see what size row the package will plant. Don't order six types of bean seeds if you only have room for one row of beans. It seems obvious, but only buy vegetables that your family likes to eat.
Should you go organic?
Part of the value of starting vegetable gardens at home instead of purchasing produce is so that you can control what is put on the vegetables you eat. Home gardeners should strive to use the least amount of pesticides possible. There are many ways to deal with problems other than using pesticides.
Some people also choose to buy organic seeds and use only organic fertilizers. Both are slightly more expensive than conventional seed and fertilizer. You can have safe healthy vegetables while using non-organic seeds and fertilizers as long as you don't use pesticides.
Choosing a method
When starting vegetable gardens you can choose to lay out traditional rows in the soil, you can form mounded rows, or you can build raised beds. If your soil drains poorly, mounded or raised beds will work best. Mounded rows simply take soil from the paths and pile it on the rows. Raised beds can be built from many materials to hold soil. If you have very little soil over a rock layer in your yard this may be the best way to garden. Raised beds allow you to concentrate your soil amendments and water in the actual planting area.
In the beginning
Starting vegetable gardens where there is grass can be hard. If you can start the year before and smother the grass it's easier. Just lay an old piece of carpet or some heavy black plastic down on the proposed garden site and let the grass die. You can also till or dig the area in the fall. Most people however, will start their first vegetable garden in the spring.
The soil must be ready for you to work it before you start. Pick up a handful of soil and make a fist. If the soil stays clumped in your hand when you open it, it is too wet to work. Your soil may take longer than the guy across the streets soil to become ready. If you work the ground when it is too wet you compact the soil and destroy soil structure and your garden will suffer.
When the soil is ready remove as much grass as you can, then dig up or till the soil. Form your beds by raking the clumps out and shaping the beds. You may want to measure and lay out the rows with stakes and string.
Planting
Ask your county Extension office or an experienced gardener when the last frost in your area normally occurs. Cool weather crops can go out a few weeks before the last frost, if the soil is ready to work. Warm weather crops must be planted after the last frost.
Cool weather crops include peas, lettuce, cabbage, kale, radishes, beets, and potatoes.
Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and onions can be planted around the last frost. Tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and corn should be planted after the last frost and when the soil is warm.
Follow the directions on the seed packet or consult a good vegetable garden reference for how deep to plant and how to space plants in the rows.
copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
may not be re-printed without permission
Starting a vegetable garden is a way to save on food costs while providing your family with food that not only tastes better, but is much more nutritious than food that is shipped long distances. This article will cover the basics of starting a vegetable garden.
The site
For starting vegetable gardens, you need a place that gets at least six hours of full sun each day. The site should be close to water and to the house. A vegetable garden close to the house receives better care, is harvested more frequently and is less likely to suffer animal damage.
Don't choose a low spot or one that doesn't drain well for a vegetable garden. Low spots collect cold air which gives a shorter season and most vegetables will not grow in wet areas.
When starting a vegetable garden for the first time think small. A vegetable garden that is twenty by thirty is a good start for a family of four. Big gardens may overwhelm beginners and you can always expand next year.
The soil
Choose your area and then get a soil test. A soil test gives you an idea of what your vegetable garden will need for optimum plant growth. Submit the soil sample at least six weeks before you want to begin planting. This gives you time to get the results back and amend the soil if needed.
Contact your County Extension office, they will explain how to collect the soil sample and when the results come back they can help you interpret them. The service costs a small amount. Don't add anything to the soil, such as lime, until you have had a soil test.
Don't worry too much about the type of soil you have. Both clay and sandy soil can be turned into good vegetable gardens. The key to improving both types of soil is to add lots of organic material. Your soil test will tell you if you need to add lime or fertilizer.
Tools and supplies
You will need a good spade, a garden rake and a hoe. You will need a hose and nozzles or watering cans for a small garden. Get a good pair of gloves, your seeds and plants and you are ready to start. Tillers are not necessary.
Some other things nice to have are stakes and string, mulch, and row covers.
Your soil test may reveal that you need to amend the soil or fertilize. For small gardens these supplies are not very expensive.
All those colorful pictures of yummy vegetables can make you spend much more on seeds than you need to. Read the back to see what size row the package will plant. Don't order six types of bean seeds if you only have room for one row of beans. It seems obvious, but only buy vegetables that your family likes to eat.
Should you go organic?
Part of the value of starting vegetable gardens at home instead of purchasing produce is so that you can control what is put on the vegetables you eat. Home gardeners should strive to use the least amount of pesticides possible. There are many ways to deal with problems other than using pesticides.
Some people also choose to buy organic seeds and use only organic fertilizers. Both are slightly more expensive than conventional seed and fertilizer. You can have safe healthy vegetables while using non-organic seeds and fertilizers as long as you don't use pesticides.
Choosing a method
When starting vegetable gardens you can choose to lay out traditional rows in the soil, you can form mounded rows, or you can build raised beds. If your soil drains poorly, mounded or raised beds will work best. Mounded rows simply take soil from the paths and pile it on the rows. Raised beds can be built from many materials to hold soil. If you have very little soil over a rock layer in your yard this may be the best way to garden. Raised beds allow you to concentrate your soil amendments and water in the actual planting area.
In the beginning
Starting vegetable gardens where there is grass can be hard. If you can start the year before and smother the grass it's easier. Just lay an old piece of carpet or some heavy black plastic down on the proposed garden site and let the grass die. You can also till or dig the area in the fall. Most people however, will start their first vegetable garden in the spring.
The soil must be ready for you to work it before you start. Pick up a handful of soil and make a fist. If the soil stays clumped in your hand when you open it, it is too wet to work. Your soil may take longer than the guy across the streets soil to become ready. If you work the ground when it is too wet you compact the soil and destroy soil structure and your garden will suffer.
When the soil is ready remove as much grass as you can, then dig up or till the soil. Form your beds by raking the clumps out and shaping the beds. You may want to measure and lay out the rows with stakes and string.
Planting
Ask your county Extension office or an experienced gardener when the last frost in your area normally occurs. Cool weather crops can go out a few weeks before the last frost, if the soil is ready to work. Warm weather crops must be planted after the last frost.
Cool weather crops include peas, lettuce, cabbage, kale, radishes, beets, and potatoes.
Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and onions can be planted around the last frost. Tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and corn should be planted after the last frost and when the soil is warm.
Follow the directions on the seed packet or consult a good vegetable garden reference for how deep to plant and how to space plants in the rows.
copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
may not be re-printed without permission
Red Neck Re-cycled Tomato Bed
pictures below
Here's what I decided to do with my tomatoes this year. Keeping tomatoes off the ground is an important part of keeping them from getting fungal diseases. We had the box springs from an old double bed that we were going to throw out. I had a "flash" of insight- maybe my grandpa talking to me from heaven- that said that thing could be useful. So I towed it out to the garden and stripped off the top which consisted of some fabric, a layer of batting and a layer of excelser. I then decided the excelser and batting might make good mulch and laid them on the ground inside my raised bed where I was going to plant them tomatoes.
I put old plastic nursery pots at the four corners and in the middle of the now covered bed and put the box springs on top of them. The wood slats are facing up and there are some metal springs and wire underneath. The whole thing is about 18" off the ground.
I planted the tomatoes by poking holes through the batting and excelser layer on the ground - which wasn't easy. The box springs are about 6 foot long by 4 foot wide and I put 7 tomato plants under it - which may be too many. Each one was a different variety. My soil is 10 inches deep in the raised bed and is very well supplied with compost and aged horse manure. I then soaked the ground throughly under the batting layer by sticking the hose under there.
When frost threatened a few nights later it was easy to throw a tarp over the whole bed and "make" it safe for the tomatoes. I plan to train them up through the springs and slats and let them spread out over the top. You can see the first photos below. I'll report on the progress of the plants and post more pictures as they grow.
I put old plastic nursery pots at the four corners and in the middle of the now covered bed and put the box springs on top of them. The wood slats are facing up and there are some metal springs and wire underneath. The whole thing is about 18" off the ground.
I planted the tomatoes by poking holes through the batting and excelser layer on the ground - which wasn't easy. The box springs are about 6 foot long by 4 foot wide and I put 7 tomato plants under it - which may be too many. Each one was a different variety. My soil is 10 inches deep in the raised bed and is very well supplied with compost and aged horse manure. I then soaked the ground throughly under the batting layer by sticking the hose under there.
When frost threatened a few nights later it was easy to throw a tarp over the whole bed and "make" it safe for the tomatoes. I plan to train them up through the springs and slats and let them spread out over the top. You can see the first photos below. I'll report on the progress of the plants and post more pictures as they grow.
the tomato bed
Tomato bed when "made' for frost protection
tomato bed July 1 2009
How Do Rednecks Make Compost?
and don't buy a tiller either.
How do rednecks make compost? They take the garbage out to the pigs. And there ain't no better place to have a garden than where the pig pen was last year. Pigs are about the best tilling machines you ever saw. They will work that soil up for you real fine. It's tilled, fertilized and composted all in one swoop. Plus you get bacon!
Making a rain barrel
re-cycle and save water
Making a Rain Barrel
Making a rain barrel to save and use rainwater for your garden and lawn is a quick and easy green project. It will take just a few hours and won't cost much if you have a few basic tools. Except for the barrel, you can get the supplies below at any hardware or building supply store. If you have difficulty understanding what these supplies are or finding them, print the list and ask a clerk to help you.
Some building supply places may actually sell empty barrels but you may have to ask at places that buy food in bulk, such as schools, jails, hospitals and large restaurants. You may find barrels for sale at flea markets or through newspaper and internet ads. Don't use barrels that held strong chemicals like pesticides; some residue may remain and contaminate your stored water. Most barrels are made of heavy plastic but you may find metal or wooden barrels also. Don't substitute plastic trash cans, the plastic is too thin.
The rain barrel described below has a faucet near the bottom to attach a hose and an overflow hole at the top to attach another hose to direct excess water away from the house.
Supplies Needed for Making a Rain Barrel:
1- 45-55 gallon drum - previously used for food products or new. Try to get one with a removable lid. (If the barrel does not have a lid you will need a square of ½ inch plywood that will completely cover the top of the barrel.)
4 cinder blocks to raise drum off the ground, (necessary to use faucet).
Outdoor type faucet, (spigot), with one male threaded end and a threaded faucet end that will accept a hose. The best size is probably ¾ inch, if you change the size adjust all the other supplies listed to your preferred size. The faucet can be brass, stainless steel or plastic, metal faucets last longer, plastic are cheaper.
2- ¾ inch locknuts
¾ inch hose adapter, plastic or metal with 2 male threaded ends.
2- large rubber washers that will fit snugly over the threaded end of the faucet and the adapter.
1- metal kitchen strainer with fine mesh, 6 inches in diameter.
Teflon pipe tape
Silicone bath caulk
Tools Needed
Drill with ¾ inch hole cutter attachment or ¾ inch spade bit
Jig saw or saber saw with metal cutting blade
Utility knife
3/4 inch wrench
Tape measure
Marker
3/4 inch hose
Directions for Making a Rain Barrel
1. First prepare the lid. Lay the strainer upside down on the lid 3 inches from one side and trace around it. Draw another circle inside the traced circle ½ inch smaller. Cut a hole with the hole cutter, (or spade bit) inside the circle, then insert jig saw or saber saw blade and cut on your inner circle lines. Cut off any handle on the strainer. Insert strainer in hole with bottom facing the bottom of the barrel. The lip of the strainer should keep it from falling through.
2. As close to the bottom of the barrel as you can reach, on the opposite side from the strainer hole in the top, drill a ¾ inch hole. Directly above it, 3 inches from the top of the barrel, drill another ¾ inch hole. With the knife smooth the holes and trim off any jagged edges. Now take the spigot and screw the male threaded end into the bottom hole. It should cut tiny shavings as it goes in. Then unscrew and remove.
3. Wrap the threaded end of the spigot with 3-4 turns of Teflon tape. Put a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of the bottom hole. Screw the threaded end of the faucet back through the hole. Reach inside the barrel and work the washer over the threaded spigot end. Place a lock nut on the end of the threads and tighten it down. Hold the nut with your wrench and turn the spigot by hand until it fits tightly.
4. At the top,(overflow), hole, screw in the hose adaptor and then remove. Wrap one male threaded end with 3-4 turns of Teflon tape, place a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of the top hole in the barrel. Screw the wrapped end of the adapter through the top hole, put the remaining washer over the end of the adapter inside the barrel, put on the lock nut and tighten as you did the faucet.
5. Now go to the downspout where you will be placing the rain barrel. Remove the downspout. Beneath the downspout, level the ground and place the 4 cinder blocks there flat side up. Put the barrel on the blocks with top off. Measure from the ground to about two inches from the top of the barrel. Now measure and mark this same distance from the bottom of the downspout and cut it off at the mark with the hacksaw. Put the top on your barrel with the strainer in the hole. Put the downspout back up with the end of the downspout fitting inside the strainer, it should not touch the strainer.
6. Adaptations for closed top barrels. A better seal is achieved if you can reach into the barrel and put a locknut on the spigot and adaptor threads. However you can just screw the adaptor and spigot into the barrel with extra silicone sealer around the hole. Or you can make another hole in the top of the barrel above the spigot and overflow holes which is big enough for your arm and a wrench to go through. Glue a piece of wood over that hole when finished.
Let the glue dry and caulk set for 24 hours before filling the barrel. Attach a hose to the overflow outlet and run it to the place of your choosing. To use collected water attach a hose to the faucet or put a bucket under it and turn on.
Rain barrels can be linked for additional storage by attaching additional hose adaptors near the bottom and attaching short lengths of hose between barrels.
Copyright 2009- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Making a rain barrel to save and use rainwater for your garden and lawn is a quick and easy green project. It will take just a few hours and won't cost much if you have a few basic tools. Except for the barrel, you can get the supplies below at any hardware or building supply store. If you have difficulty understanding what these supplies are or finding them, print the list and ask a clerk to help you.
Some building supply places may actually sell empty barrels but you may have to ask at places that buy food in bulk, such as schools, jails, hospitals and large restaurants. You may find barrels for sale at flea markets or through newspaper and internet ads. Don't use barrels that held strong chemicals like pesticides; some residue may remain and contaminate your stored water. Most barrels are made of heavy plastic but you may find metal or wooden barrels also. Don't substitute plastic trash cans, the plastic is too thin.
The rain barrel described below has a faucet near the bottom to attach a hose and an overflow hole at the top to attach another hose to direct excess water away from the house.
Supplies Needed for Making a Rain Barrel:
1- 45-55 gallon drum - previously used for food products or new. Try to get one with a removable lid. (If the barrel does not have a lid you will need a square of ½ inch plywood that will completely cover the top of the barrel.)
4 cinder blocks to raise drum off the ground, (necessary to use faucet).
Outdoor type faucet, (spigot), with one male threaded end and a threaded faucet end that will accept a hose. The best size is probably ¾ inch, if you change the size adjust all the other supplies listed to your preferred size. The faucet can be brass, stainless steel or plastic, metal faucets last longer, plastic are cheaper.
2- ¾ inch locknuts
¾ inch hose adapter, plastic or metal with 2 male threaded ends.
2- large rubber washers that will fit snugly over the threaded end of the faucet and the adapter.
1- metal kitchen strainer with fine mesh, 6 inches in diameter.
Teflon pipe tape
Silicone bath caulk
Tools Needed
Drill with ¾ inch hole cutter attachment or ¾ inch spade bit
Jig saw or saber saw with metal cutting blade
Utility knife
3/4 inch wrench
Tape measure
Marker
3/4 inch hose
Directions for Making a Rain Barrel
1. First prepare the lid. Lay the strainer upside down on the lid 3 inches from one side and trace around it. Draw another circle inside the traced circle ½ inch smaller. Cut a hole with the hole cutter, (or spade bit) inside the circle, then insert jig saw or saber saw blade and cut on your inner circle lines. Cut off any handle on the strainer. Insert strainer in hole with bottom facing the bottom of the barrel. The lip of the strainer should keep it from falling through.
2. As close to the bottom of the barrel as you can reach, on the opposite side from the strainer hole in the top, drill a ¾ inch hole. Directly above it, 3 inches from the top of the barrel, drill another ¾ inch hole. With the knife smooth the holes and trim off any jagged edges. Now take the spigot and screw the male threaded end into the bottom hole. It should cut tiny shavings as it goes in. Then unscrew and remove.
3. Wrap the threaded end of the spigot with 3-4 turns of Teflon tape. Put a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of the bottom hole. Screw the threaded end of the faucet back through the hole. Reach inside the barrel and work the washer over the threaded spigot end. Place a lock nut on the end of the threads and tighten it down. Hold the nut with your wrench and turn the spigot by hand until it fits tightly.
4. At the top,(overflow), hole, screw in the hose adaptor and then remove. Wrap one male threaded end with 3-4 turns of Teflon tape, place a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of the top hole in the barrel. Screw the wrapped end of the adapter through the top hole, put the remaining washer over the end of the adapter inside the barrel, put on the lock nut and tighten as you did the faucet.
5. Now go to the downspout where you will be placing the rain barrel. Remove the downspout. Beneath the downspout, level the ground and place the 4 cinder blocks there flat side up. Put the barrel on the blocks with top off. Measure from the ground to about two inches from the top of the barrel. Now measure and mark this same distance from the bottom of the downspout and cut it off at the mark with the hacksaw. Put the top on your barrel with the strainer in the hole. Put the downspout back up with the end of the downspout fitting inside the strainer, it should not touch the strainer.
6. Adaptations for closed top barrels. A better seal is achieved if you can reach into the barrel and put a locknut on the spigot and adaptor threads. However you can just screw the adaptor and spigot into the barrel with extra silicone sealer around the hole. Or you can make another hole in the top of the barrel above the spigot and overflow holes which is big enough for your arm and a wrench to go through. Glue a piece of wood over that hole when finished.
Let the glue dry and caulk set for 24 hours before filling the barrel. Attach a hose to the overflow outlet and run it to the place of your choosing. To use collected water attach a hose to the faucet or put a bucket under it and turn on.
Rain barrels can be linked for additional storage by attaching additional hose adaptors near the bottom and attaching short lengths of hose between barrels.
Copyright 2009- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Daylily - Canadien Border Patrol
Growing Daylilies
- not just in ditches!
How to Grow Daylilies- Hemerocallis for Every Garden
What is easy to grow all over the Untied States, and has an unbelievably large selection of flower colors and shapes? There are few home or commercial landscapes that are without daylilies, one of the top garden perennials. Daylilies are suited to beginning gardeners and to avid plant collectors and breeders.
Throughout much of the Untied States the common Ditch Lily, with its bright orange flowers, thrives along roadsides and in fields. Most people don't realize that it was an early escape from colonial gardens because it has naturalized so well.
If orange isn't your color, there are thousands of daylily varieties on the market. There are several species of Hemerocallis native to temperate Asia and these have been turned into an unbelievable range of flower colors, types and sizes in the last 100 years. Daylilies are easy to hybridize and people all over the country are breeding daylilies in the backyard as a hobby.
Daylily foliage is grass-like, with a single deep rib running along the underside. The leaf blades can be narrow or broad, depending on the variety. The roots are fibrous and some may form white tubers, which store water and sugars. From the clump of leaves long flower stalks arise. The best daylilies have many flower stalks, or scapes, with branches that hold a lot of buds. The size of a daylily plant with flower scapes may range from 18 inches to more than 3 foot.
Each daylily flower consists of three petals and three sepals that look like petals. Each flower is only open for a day, usually opening in the morning and closing by early evening. Breeders have developed daylilies that open in the evening and flowers that stay open about 16 hours. Since each plant normally carries many buds, the plants actually bloom for quite some time. Some daylily varieties will bloom continuously all summer. Daylily flowers are roughly trumpet shaped with the flowers facing upward. Breeders have created all sorts of flower shapes from narrow twisted petals, to double flowers, to huge petals with ruffled edges. Daylily colors range from the palest yellows and creams to reds, purples and mixtures of colors. Despite catalog pictures and misleading names, there are no true white or blue daylilies yet. There are smooth petals, glistening petals, diamond-dusted petals, creped petals and more. Diamond dusted and glistening daylily flowers have small crystals in the flower cells that reflect light and look like a drop of dew on the petal.
Growing Daylilies
Although you can find varieties of daylilies that are hardy from zone 3 to zone 11, individual varieties might not be right for your zone. Check zone hardiness before purchasing. The terms "evergreen" or "dormant" do not indicate hardiness. They just refer to how the foliage responds to cool weather.
Daylilies are purchased as plants and the larger the plant the more flowers you will have the first year after planting. In the north daylilies should be planted in the spring. In the south daylilies should be planted in early spring or late fall. Avoid planting or transplanting daylilies in hot, humid weather. They tend to rot before rooting.
Plant daylilies so that the crown, the area where the roots and leaf bases meet, is just at ground level. Flare the roots out in the hole and keep well watered as they establish.
Daylilies will grow in almost any soil as long as it is not waterlogged. They prefer full sun, although some will bloom in light shade, particularly in the far south. A light application of slow release fertilizer in early spring may aid blooming. Keep daylilies well watered, especially as they make buds and bloom. Mulching cools the roots and keeps out weeds. Daylilies have few insect or disease problems.
Older varieties of daylilies tend to get yellowed leaves with browned edges soon after blooming and are not very attractive. Newer varieties tend to stay green until cold weather. If leaves do yellow and look bad gently pull them off; it will not effect next years blooms. Cut off any seedpods that start to form and remove the old stem back to its base. Many people remove each flower as it dies, as the mushy remains are not very attractive.
Daylilies will form large clumps after several years. Unlike other plants they don't need to be divided to keep them blooming well. However, they may out grow their area or you may want to share the wealth. In early spring as new foliage starts to grow, lift and divide the clump, making sure that each piece has at least one good set of leaves, or "fan". Some varieties of daylilies also make little baby plants on the flower stalk, where a branch joins the main stem. These can be taken off and planted although it may take a year or two before they bloom.
Choosing varieties
I am not going to try to recommend any of the thousands of varieties of daylilies on the market. Daylilies sell for a few dollars up to hundreds of dollars for new varieties. If your budget can't afford a daylily you see in a catalog, keep looking. Chances are that there is an older variety that is very similar and a whole lot cheaper. Many people will be happy with an unnamed assortment of color and bloom types. Sometimes these are color selected, such as pink shades, or hot colors etc. Try to choose an assortment of daylilies that bloom early, midseason and late or that are continuous bloomers to have flowers for a long period.
Using daylilies
Daylilies make excellent plants for mixed borders and beds. Small varieties can be used in containers. Daylilies can be used as cut flowers if a stem with many full buds is cut. Each flower only lasts a day and must be removed, but the buds will continue to open in the vase. Daylily flowers are edible. They can be added to salads, stuffed or battered and fried. Chinese cooking uses daylily flowers in soups and other dishes.
Copyright 2007- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
What is easy to grow all over the Untied States, and has an unbelievably large selection of flower colors and shapes? There are few home or commercial landscapes that are without daylilies, one of the top garden perennials. Daylilies are suited to beginning gardeners and to avid plant collectors and breeders.
Throughout much of the Untied States the common Ditch Lily, with its bright orange flowers, thrives along roadsides and in fields. Most people don't realize that it was an early escape from colonial gardens because it has naturalized so well.
If orange isn't your color, there are thousands of daylily varieties on the market. There are several species of Hemerocallis native to temperate Asia and these have been turned into an unbelievable range of flower colors, types and sizes in the last 100 years. Daylilies are easy to hybridize and people all over the country are breeding daylilies in the backyard as a hobby.
Daylily foliage is grass-like, with a single deep rib running along the underside. The leaf blades can be narrow or broad, depending on the variety. The roots are fibrous and some may form white tubers, which store water and sugars. From the clump of leaves long flower stalks arise. The best daylilies have many flower stalks, or scapes, with branches that hold a lot of buds. The size of a daylily plant with flower scapes may range from 18 inches to more than 3 foot.
Each daylily flower consists of three petals and three sepals that look like petals. Each flower is only open for a day, usually opening in the morning and closing by early evening. Breeders have developed daylilies that open in the evening and flowers that stay open about 16 hours. Since each plant normally carries many buds, the plants actually bloom for quite some time. Some daylily varieties will bloom continuously all summer. Daylily flowers are roughly trumpet shaped with the flowers facing upward. Breeders have created all sorts of flower shapes from narrow twisted petals, to double flowers, to huge petals with ruffled edges. Daylily colors range from the palest yellows and creams to reds, purples and mixtures of colors. Despite catalog pictures and misleading names, there are no true white or blue daylilies yet. There are smooth petals, glistening petals, diamond-dusted petals, creped petals and more. Diamond dusted and glistening daylily flowers have small crystals in the flower cells that reflect light and look like a drop of dew on the petal.
Growing Daylilies
Although you can find varieties of daylilies that are hardy from zone 3 to zone 11, individual varieties might not be right for your zone. Check zone hardiness before purchasing. The terms "evergreen" or "dormant" do not indicate hardiness. They just refer to how the foliage responds to cool weather.
Daylilies are purchased as plants and the larger the plant the more flowers you will have the first year after planting. In the north daylilies should be planted in the spring. In the south daylilies should be planted in early spring or late fall. Avoid planting or transplanting daylilies in hot, humid weather. They tend to rot before rooting.
Plant daylilies so that the crown, the area where the roots and leaf bases meet, is just at ground level. Flare the roots out in the hole and keep well watered as they establish.
Daylilies will grow in almost any soil as long as it is not waterlogged. They prefer full sun, although some will bloom in light shade, particularly in the far south. A light application of slow release fertilizer in early spring may aid blooming. Keep daylilies well watered, especially as they make buds and bloom. Mulching cools the roots and keeps out weeds. Daylilies have few insect or disease problems.
Older varieties of daylilies tend to get yellowed leaves with browned edges soon after blooming and are not very attractive. Newer varieties tend to stay green until cold weather. If leaves do yellow and look bad gently pull them off; it will not effect next years blooms. Cut off any seedpods that start to form and remove the old stem back to its base. Many people remove each flower as it dies, as the mushy remains are not very attractive.
Daylilies will form large clumps after several years. Unlike other plants they don't need to be divided to keep them blooming well. However, they may out grow their area or you may want to share the wealth. In early spring as new foliage starts to grow, lift and divide the clump, making sure that each piece has at least one good set of leaves, or "fan". Some varieties of daylilies also make little baby plants on the flower stalk, where a branch joins the main stem. These can be taken off and planted although it may take a year or two before they bloom.
Choosing varieties
I am not going to try to recommend any of the thousands of varieties of daylilies on the market. Daylilies sell for a few dollars up to hundreds of dollars for new varieties. If your budget can't afford a daylily you see in a catalog, keep looking. Chances are that there is an older variety that is very similar and a whole lot cheaper. Many people will be happy with an unnamed assortment of color and bloom types. Sometimes these are color selected, such as pink shades, or hot colors etc. Try to choose an assortment of daylilies that bloom early, midseason and late or that are continuous bloomers to have flowers for a long period.
Using daylilies
Daylilies make excellent plants for mixed borders and beds. Small varieties can be used in containers. Daylilies can be used as cut flowers if a stem with many full buds is cut. Each flower only lasts a day and must be removed, but the buds will continue to open in the vase. Daylily flowers are edible. They can be added to salads, stuffed or battered and fried. Chinese cooking uses daylily flowers in soups and other dishes.
Copyright 2007- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
Catalpa flowers
How to grow Caryopteris
Beautiful in blue- blue mist shrub, blue spirea
Blue Mist, Bluebeard, Blue Spirea, or Caryopteris, what ever you want to call it, this delightful late summer bloomer is a magnet for butterflies and a big asset in the late summer border. Caryopteris has true blue flowers and is hardy, tough and easy to grow.The Caryopteris in our gardens are hybrids of several Asian species. They are generally referred to as Caryopteris x clandenensis although there are some other species on the market. Caryopteris is a sub- shrub - it can die back to the ground each winter like a herbaceous plant or in warmer climates it can grow as a woody shrub. Caryopteris leaves are generally silvery green, although variegated and golden leaved varieties exist. The leaves are small and narrow, reminding one of willow leaves. In some varieties they are serrated at the edges, on others the edges are smooth and the leaf may be slightly lobed. The flowers are carried on whorled spikes at the end of stems. The long stamens stick out of each flower and the petals of the flowers have tiny extensions, which give the flower clusters a feathery appearance. Caryopteris flowers are generally blue, although pink forms exist. Butterflies and bees are very attracted to Caryopteris flowers. The flowers are said to have a slight scent, although I have never noticed it.
Growing Caryopteris
Although it will sometimes re-seed itself in the garden, seed for Caryopteris is seldom offered to gardeners. Caryopteris is generally purchased as a plant. Try to buy a named variety rather than one just labeled Caryopteris or Blue Mist Shrub, as named varieties usually have better shape and more flowers. Size of mature Caryopteris plants is about 3 foot by 3 foot.
Caryopteris is one of the few shrubs that will bloom in light or part shade. They also do well in full sun. They are hardy from zone 9 to at least zone 5. In zone 5 Caryopteris may die back to the ground but will make substantial growth and will bloom by late summer. Caryopteris blooms on new wood, so all winter-damaged wood can be safely pruned off in early spring without losing the flowers. In fact, Caryopteris often has a better shape and looks fuller if it is cut back to about half it's size each spring, regardless of winter damage. Be a little patient with them in the spring as they are often slow to leaf out.
Caryopteris should be watered regularly but don't fertilize unless your soil is quite poor. Too much fertilizer makes more leafy growth than flowers. They begin blooming in late summer and continue blooming until a hard frost. Keeping dead flowers trimmed off on Caryopteris prolongs the bloom.
Choosing Varieties
'Longwood Blue' is one of the best sky blue flowered varieties. It also has nice silvery gray foliage. 'First Choice' is a deep blue with a dense, compact growth habit. 'Sunshine Blue' has golden leaves and deep blue flowers. It is a good choice for warmer zones. 'Summer Sorbet' has green leaves edged in gold and deep blue flowers. 'Pink Chablis' is a Caryopteris with pink flowers. Caryopteris divaricata, 'Snowflake' is a species of Caryopteris from the Himalayan Mountains. It is a compact shrub, with slightly fuzzy green leaves edged in white. The flowers are blue, but shaped a bit differently from other Caryopteris. The leaves of this plant have an unpleasant smell.
Using Caryopteris
Caryopteris makes a nice low shrub bordering walks and is excellent in larger mixed borders for late summer color. It is a good plant for butterfly gardens, especially mixed with pink buddleia and goldenrod. It can also be used as airy blue filler in floral arrangements.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
Catalpa Trees
Flowers and fish bait!
How to Grow a Catalpa or Catawba tree
You may know it as catalpa, Catawba, Indian Bean, Cigar tree, or Fish Bait tree but chances are if you live in the Untied States, you have seen this unique tree. Catalpa is a true tree of the people, surviving in all kinds of conditions from polluted cities to windswept prairies. Native Americans utilized the Catawba long before settlers arrived in the New World. But the settlers soon recognized the value of the catalpa and carried it with them across the country. With catalpa's ability to survive most conditions and grow rapidly, and it's bonus of beautiful, fragrant flowers, it was the pioneers choice of trees to plant on a new homestead.
There are two recognized species of catalpa or Catawba tree in North America, Southern Catalpa, C. bignonioides, and Northern Catalpa, C. speciosa. There are only subtle differences in the two and they have both been planted far outside their natural ranges. Both catalpas are hardy from zone 4- 8, both have large, heart-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers splashed with yellow and purple, and long skinny seed pods resembling bean pods. The Southern Catalpa is said to be a slightly smaller tree, with the leaves growing in a whorled pattern rather than opposite each other as in the Northern Catalpa.
The leaves of some Northern Catalpas may be lobed.
The flowers of the Catalpa tree are large, frilly and orchid-like. They are marked with purple dots and yellow patches, no two seemed to be marked quite alike. When catalpa trees bloom in June or July the sweet scent of the flowers can be almost over powering. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds flock to the flowers. It's quite a show for a week or two, then all of the flowers are shed, making the ground under them look like a summer snowfall has occurred. The flowers turn into purple, then green, then brown narrow pods, up to a foot long. They may hang in the trees all winter. In the fall or following spring the pods release hundred of flat seeds. If birds do not eat them they turn into more catalpa trees in every corner of the yard.
The catalpa tree is slow to leaf out in the spring, but when it does, it produces a deep shade. The leaves of catalpa are large, up to a foot long in some cases. Usually they are medium green, slightly lighter and downy on the underside. Purple and golden leaved varieties exist.
Growing Catalpa
While catalpas seem to pop up everywhere when you have a tree in the yard, the seeds seem to be a little tricky to germinate indoors. If you cannot find a small catalpa tree to purchase and have access to seeds, my advice would be to sow them in an outside bed of well prepared soil in late fall or very early spring, cover lightly, and let nature do the work. Catalpas transplant fairly easily when small. Catalpas will grow almost anywhere, in any kind of soil, but they need full sun and fairly regular moisture. They will not grow in poorly drained areas. They grow quite rapidly when young. A catalpa tree in a good spot may add 2 foot of growth a year, and trees bloom young, as early as six years of age.
Catalpa trees provide shade fast, and wood that is strong and straight, good for fence posts or woodworking, with an interesting grain. Catalpa trees do have some disadvantages in the home landscape however. The trees are messy, shedding flowers, large leaves, and seed pods abundantly. Some people are allergic to the pollen of catalpa flowers and the scent really bothers some sensitive people. In the south catalpas are also host to large green and yellow caterpillars in great numbers, the larvae of the Catalpa Sphinx moth. To some people this is actually an advantage; the caterpillars are excellent fish bait, the reason for one of catalpas folk names. Many a southern fisherperson has planted Catawba trees just to get the bait worms. But for other folk these caterpillars are a big disadvantage, raining down green droppings and defoliating the trees. They can be controlled with insect sprays when they first hatch.
Catalpa trees often become infected with verticillium wilt, a fungal disease that causes large parts of the tree to die. Catalpas tend to shoot up suckers from the roots, and side shoots from the trunk, and few ever totally die, but they look unsightly and need constant trimming of dead areas. There is no real cure, but fertilizing with a high nitrogen fertilizer helps the tree keep growing. If you remove the tree, don't replace it with another catalpa tree in the same area as the disease remains in the soil.
Choosing Varieties
Both the Northern and Southern Catalpa are sometimes offered in nurseries. A purple leaved and a golden leaved variety are occasionally seen. Catalpa ovata, Chinese Catalpa, is a smaller size tree, with lobed leaves. The creamy yellow flowers are also a bit smaller, and produced later in the summer.
Using Catalpa
For fast shade in rough conditions, catalpa is a good choice. Farmers plant catalpa for the wood, which makes strong, lightweight, rot-resistant fence posts. It makes a nice specimen tree with showy flowers at a time few other trees are blooming. Fisherpersons plant Catawba because it attracts caterpillars used for bait.
Cautions
If people in the household frequently suffer from seasonal allergies, a catalpa tree might not be a good landscape choice, as the flower pollen is quite allergenic. The roots of catalpa are poisonous. The sawdust from working with catalpa wood can cause inhalant and skin allergy symptoms. For that reason it would probably not be good to use catalpa wood chips or shavings as animal bedding. The seedpods and seeds of catalpa contain a mild narcotic and sedative and should not be put in the mouth or consumed.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
You may know it as catalpa, Catawba, Indian Bean, Cigar tree, or Fish Bait tree but chances are if you live in the Untied States, you have seen this unique tree. Catalpa is a true tree of the people, surviving in all kinds of conditions from polluted cities to windswept prairies. Native Americans utilized the Catawba long before settlers arrived in the New World. But the settlers soon recognized the value of the catalpa and carried it with them across the country. With catalpa's ability to survive most conditions and grow rapidly, and it's bonus of beautiful, fragrant flowers, it was the pioneers choice of trees to plant on a new homestead.
There are two recognized species of catalpa or Catawba tree in North America, Southern Catalpa, C. bignonioides, and Northern Catalpa, C. speciosa. There are only subtle differences in the two and they have both been planted far outside their natural ranges. Both catalpas are hardy from zone 4- 8, both have large, heart-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers splashed with yellow and purple, and long skinny seed pods resembling bean pods. The Southern Catalpa is said to be a slightly smaller tree, with the leaves growing in a whorled pattern rather than opposite each other as in the Northern Catalpa.
The leaves of some Northern Catalpas may be lobed.
The flowers of the Catalpa tree are large, frilly and orchid-like. They are marked with purple dots and yellow patches, no two seemed to be marked quite alike. When catalpa trees bloom in June or July the sweet scent of the flowers can be almost over powering. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds flock to the flowers. It's quite a show for a week or two, then all of the flowers are shed, making the ground under them look like a summer snowfall has occurred. The flowers turn into purple, then green, then brown narrow pods, up to a foot long. They may hang in the trees all winter. In the fall or following spring the pods release hundred of flat seeds. If birds do not eat them they turn into more catalpa trees in every corner of the yard.
The catalpa tree is slow to leaf out in the spring, but when it does, it produces a deep shade. The leaves of catalpa are large, up to a foot long in some cases. Usually they are medium green, slightly lighter and downy on the underside. Purple and golden leaved varieties exist.
Growing Catalpa
While catalpas seem to pop up everywhere when you have a tree in the yard, the seeds seem to be a little tricky to germinate indoors. If you cannot find a small catalpa tree to purchase and have access to seeds, my advice would be to sow them in an outside bed of well prepared soil in late fall or very early spring, cover lightly, and let nature do the work. Catalpas transplant fairly easily when small. Catalpas will grow almost anywhere, in any kind of soil, but they need full sun and fairly regular moisture. They will not grow in poorly drained areas. They grow quite rapidly when young. A catalpa tree in a good spot may add 2 foot of growth a year, and trees bloom young, as early as six years of age.
Catalpa trees provide shade fast, and wood that is strong and straight, good for fence posts or woodworking, with an interesting grain. Catalpa trees do have some disadvantages in the home landscape however. The trees are messy, shedding flowers, large leaves, and seed pods abundantly. Some people are allergic to the pollen of catalpa flowers and the scent really bothers some sensitive people. In the south catalpas are also host to large green and yellow caterpillars in great numbers, the larvae of the Catalpa Sphinx moth. To some people this is actually an advantage; the caterpillars are excellent fish bait, the reason for one of catalpas folk names. Many a southern fisherperson has planted Catawba trees just to get the bait worms. But for other folk these caterpillars are a big disadvantage, raining down green droppings and defoliating the trees. They can be controlled with insect sprays when they first hatch.
Catalpa trees often become infected with verticillium wilt, a fungal disease that causes large parts of the tree to die. Catalpas tend to shoot up suckers from the roots, and side shoots from the trunk, and few ever totally die, but they look unsightly and need constant trimming of dead areas. There is no real cure, but fertilizing with a high nitrogen fertilizer helps the tree keep growing. If you remove the tree, don't replace it with another catalpa tree in the same area as the disease remains in the soil.
Choosing Varieties
Both the Northern and Southern Catalpa are sometimes offered in nurseries. A purple leaved and a golden leaved variety are occasionally seen. Catalpa ovata, Chinese Catalpa, is a smaller size tree, with lobed leaves. The creamy yellow flowers are also a bit smaller, and produced later in the summer.
Using Catalpa
For fast shade in rough conditions, catalpa is a good choice. Farmers plant catalpa for the wood, which makes strong, lightweight, rot-resistant fence posts. It makes a nice specimen tree with showy flowers at a time few other trees are blooming. Fisherpersons plant Catawba because it attracts caterpillars used for bait.
Cautions
If people in the household frequently suffer from seasonal allergies, a catalpa tree might not be a good landscape choice, as the flower pollen is quite allergenic. The roots of catalpa are poisonous. The sawdust from working with catalpa wood can cause inhalant and skin allergy symptoms. For that reason it would probably not be good to use catalpa wood chips or shavings as animal bedding. The seedpods and seeds of catalpa contain a mild narcotic and sedative and should not be put in the mouth or consumed.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
An Introduction to Annuals
An Introduction to Annuals
Annuals are flowers that complete their growing cycle, from seed to seed in one year. Gardeners use annuals for a splash of summer color in flower beds, for cutting flowers and in container gardens. Annuals are inexpensive and easy to grow, and if you don't like the color combination, you can change it next year.
True annuals or treated as annuals?
Many of the flowers we know and love are true annual flowers, including marigolds, zinnias and sunflowers. Others are actually tender perennials that would continue growing if they weren't killed by frost. These tender perennials are usually treated as annuals; although some can be over wintered inside.
Tender perennials that we treat as annuals include geraniums, ( pelargonium), petunias, impatiens, begonias, and coleus. In this article, we'll refer to tender perennials generally grown for one season as annuals also.
Many new annuals and tender perennials are coming on the market so you don't have to stick to the same old boring petunias. And some old fashioned cottage garden annuals are getting a make over by plant breeders to introduce more disease resistant and longer flowering plants. The beauty of annuals is they are generally inexpensive, you can try new things and if you don't like them, you replace them with something else next year.
Growing annuals from seed
Many annuals can be grown by directly sowing the seed in the ground. They grow so quickly that you will have blooms in a few weeks. You can get a great range of annual plants this way for very little money. Some of the annuals need to be started inside a few weeks before your last frost for earlier flowers.
Each variety of seed needs different conditions to get growing and off to a good start. Follow the package instructions for sowing seed. When annual seeds are sown inside you should always use a sterile seed starting mix and clean containers. This helps prevent dampening off, a fungal disease that kills seedlings.
Choosing annuals at the garden store
Many gardeners choose to buy annual plants from a garden center. Annuals are now available for a much longer period of time, so you can buy them to replace plants that have finished blooming, or to make a new container garden later in the summer.
In the spring many annuals are sold in cell packs, in groups of four or six. These are the plants most likely to become stressed by their confined conditions. The best annuals in cell packs will be short and stocky, with dark green foliage. We all like instant color, but avoid annuals in cell packs that are already in full bloom. These are often stressed and don't adjust well to garden conditions.
Slide one of the annuals in the cell pack out of its pot to look at the root system. Healthy roots are white or pale yellow. The roots will generally fill the cell pot but if they are coming out of the bottom the annual has sat there a while and may be stressed.
Annuals planted in larger square or round pots have more room for their root system and are the best plants to buy later in the garden season. They may be blooming but if they have been well cared for, will be less stressed than plants in cell packs.
Planting and caring for annuals in the garden
If you simply had to buy annuals blooming in cell packs pinch off the flowers before you plant them. They will set new flowers soon enough and will have time to get their roots established before using energy to flower. Many annual flowers are sensitive to frost. If you plant them too early, you'll need to cover them if a frost threatens.
Have you ever cleaned up the garden in the fall and pulled those annual flowers out of the ground complete with little square root ball that they came out of the cell pack with? Those plants never rooted properly and couldn't reach their full potential. Prepare your planting spot by loosening the soil and removing any weeds or rocks. Work a little slow release flower fertilizer into the planting area according to label directions.
As you take each annual plant out of the cell pack or pot look at the root system. If there is a wad of roots wound up at the bottom gently pinch off the very bottom of the root ball. Then lightly squeeze the root ball in your hand to loosen the sides and slightly flare out the roots as you plant the annual. This gets the roots moving out into the soil, instead of continuing to wrap around in the hole.
Water your annuals well after planting. Annuals in containers may have to be watered twice a day in hot sunny weather. Most types of annuals need regular watering to bloom well. Annuals use a lot of energy producing all those flowers and benefit from a dose of slow release fertilizer every six weeks or other regular fertilization.
Annuals bloom so they can reproduce. When flowers get pollinated and set seeds it sends a signal to the plant that its job is done and it can die. That is why it's important to remove flowers as they wilt, before the seed they are trying to make gets very big. This is called dead heading. Some newer varieties of annuals are bred to ignore this signal and dead heading isn't as important. But it still makes the plants look better to remove dead flowers when you can.
If annuals stop blooming and get lanky and straggly looking later in the season, try something drastic. Chop them off about six inches from the ground. Water well and in a couple weeks they will usually be blooming again. You may want to do this every other plant or randomly so all the plants don't rest at the same time.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be reprinted without permission
Annuals are flowers that complete their growing cycle, from seed to seed in one year. Gardeners use annuals for a splash of summer color in flower beds, for cutting flowers and in container gardens. Annuals are inexpensive and easy to grow, and if you don't like the color combination, you can change it next year.
True annuals or treated as annuals?
Many of the flowers we know and love are true annual flowers, including marigolds, zinnias and sunflowers. Others are actually tender perennials that would continue growing if they weren't killed by frost. These tender perennials are usually treated as annuals; although some can be over wintered inside.
Tender perennials that we treat as annuals include geraniums, ( pelargonium), petunias, impatiens, begonias, and coleus. In this article, we'll refer to tender perennials generally grown for one season as annuals also.
Many new annuals and tender perennials are coming on the market so you don't have to stick to the same old boring petunias. And some old fashioned cottage garden annuals are getting a make over by plant breeders to introduce more disease resistant and longer flowering plants. The beauty of annuals is they are generally inexpensive, you can try new things and if you don't like them, you replace them with something else next year.
Growing annuals from seed
Many annuals can be grown by directly sowing the seed in the ground. They grow so quickly that you will have blooms in a few weeks. You can get a great range of annual plants this way for very little money. Some of the annuals need to be started inside a few weeks before your last frost for earlier flowers.
Each variety of seed needs different conditions to get growing and off to a good start. Follow the package instructions for sowing seed. When annual seeds are sown inside you should always use a sterile seed starting mix and clean containers. This helps prevent dampening off, a fungal disease that kills seedlings.
Choosing annuals at the garden store
Many gardeners choose to buy annual plants from a garden center. Annuals are now available for a much longer period of time, so you can buy them to replace plants that have finished blooming, or to make a new container garden later in the summer.
In the spring many annuals are sold in cell packs, in groups of four or six. These are the plants most likely to become stressed by their confined conditions. The best annuals in cell packs will be short and stocky, with dark green foliage. We all like instant color, but avoid annuals in cell packs that are already in full bloom. These are often stressed and don't adjust well to garden conditions.
Slide one of the annuals in the cell pack out of its pot to look at the root system. Healthy roots are white or pale yellow. The roots will generally fill the cell pot but if they are coming out of the bottom the annual has sat there a while and may be stressed.
Annuals planted in larger square or round pots have more room for their root system and are the best plants to buy later in the garden season. They may be blooming but if they have been well cared for, will be less stressed than plants in cell packs.
Planting and caring for annuals in the garden
If you simply had to buy annuals blooming in cell packs pinch off the flowers before you plant them. They will set new flowers soon enough and will have time to get their roots established before using energy to flower. Many annual flowers are sensitive to frost. If you plant them too early, you'll need to cover them if a frost threatens.
Have you ever cleaned up the garden in the fall and pulled those annual flowers out of the ground complete with little square root ball that they came out of the cell pack with? Those plants never rooted properly and couldn't reach their full potential. Prepare your planting spot by loosening the soil and removing any weeds or rocks. Work a little slow release flower fertilizer into the planting area according to label directions.
As you take each annual plant out of the cell pack or pot look at the root system. If there is a wad of roots wound up at the bottom gently pinch off the very bottom of the root ball. Then lightly squeeze the root ball in your hand to loosen the sides and slightly flare out the roots as you plant the annual. This gets the roots moving out into the soil, instead of continuing to wrap around in the hole.
Water your annuals well after planting. Annuals in containers may have to be watered twice a day in hot sunny weather. Most types of annuals need regular watering to bloom well. Annuals use a lot of energy producing all those flowers and benefit from a dose of slow release fertilizer every six weeks or other regular fertilization.
Annuals bloom so they can reproduce. When flowers get pollinated and set seeds it sends a signal to the plant that its job is done and it can die. That is why it's important to remove flowers as they wilt, before the seed they are trying to make gets very big. This is called dead heading. Some newer varieties of annuals are bred to ignore this signal and dead heading isn't as important. But it still makes the plants look better to remove dead flowers when you can.
If annuals stop blooming and get lanky and straggly looking later in the season, try something drastic. Chop them off about six inches from the ground. Water well and in a couple weeks they will usually be blooming again. You may want to do this every other plant or randomly so all the plants don't rest at the same time.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be reprinted without permission
Granny I Got a Question.What Can I Do With Those Darn Box Elder Bugs?
by Lorie Lee from West Virginia
Heat up your skillet Lorie. There's nothing better than free meat. Heat up a good skillet greased with a little lard until a drop of water pops and sizzles. Then swoop up them little red and black bugs, put them in the pan and pop them like corn. An excellent snack for hungry kids after school- then you can eat the pork rinds.
The Farm Store is a Gardeners Friend
Even city slickers need to pay attention here
Farm stores are just filled with neat stuff every gardener can use Take cattle panels. Hog or cattle panels are very handy in the garden. These are large panels, 16 foot long by about 40 inches high, of heavy-duty wire. They can be cut in half with bolt cutters to make them easier to transport or store. With a metal post at each end they can form a trellis for tomatoes, cucumbers,grapes, gourds, etc that is sturdy yet easy to take down and store. They can be bent in an arch and used as a trellis also, or covered with plastic and used as a large row cover or small greenhouse.
And talk about posts! There are usually many choices. For easy flower stakes buy step in posts for electric fences. And buy an electric fence to keep the deer out of the garden while you are there.
They are using metal horse troughs in all the fancy magazines to make water gardens. I prefer using plastic ones, that come in dark colors and are less toxic to fish. These are also excellent for mixing soil, storing soil and keeping baby chickens safe too. A really big tank makes a good hot tub for rednecks.
Farm stores usually have farm toys, like miniature John Deer tractors that look really cool in container gardens. And chicken feeders and flat sided buckets make good container gardens.
Farm stores also have good prices on gloves and heavy duty aprons and they often sell garden seed in bulk, letting you buy just what you need. They can order parts for your mower and sell you oil for your chain saw.
And talk about posts! There are usually many choices. For easy flower stakes buy step in posts for electric fences. And buy an electric fence to keep the deer out of the garden while you are there.
They are using metal horse troughs in all the fancy magazines to make water gardens. I prefer using plastic ones, that come in dark colors and are less toxic to fish. These are also excellent for mixing soil, storing soil and keeping baby chickens safe too. A really big tank makes a good hot tub for rednecks.
Farm stores usually have farm toys, like miniature John Deer tractors that look really cool in container gardens. And chicken feeders and flat sided buckets make good container gardens.
Farm stores also have good prices on gloves and heavy duty aprons and they often sell garden seed in bulk, letting you buy just what you need. They can order parts for your mower and sell you oil for your chain saw.
Organic Lawn Care
go green-in a green way
Lawns are an important part of our landscapes but they are also of great concern to environmentalists. There are ways to care for a lawn that lessen its impact on the environment. In this article we will discuss organic or natural methods of lawn care.
What is an organic lawn?
If you want a lawn that looks like a golf course you can skip this article. Those types of lawns require lots of water, fertilizer and pesticides not to mention labor to look that way. You can, however, have a nice green lawn with safe, organic lawn care practices. You may need to be a bit more tolerant of a dandelion here or there, and you may need to change certain lawn care techniques that you are used to.
Organic lawns use no synthetic fertilizers, weed killers or insecticides. They can be irrigated, but in the spirit of saving the environment, they could be left to survive with natural rainfall. Those that want a healthy lawn where children and pets can safely play but that doesn't require loads of time and money to care for are perfect for organic lawn care practices. There are even a few lawn care companies that now specialize in organic lawn care.
Grass selection
Having a good looking lawn with minimal care starts with selecting the right grass species for your conditions. Your planting zone, the type of soil and the amount of light and moisture your lawn site gets are important factors. How you use the lawn area will also determine the right grass varieties to use. Your County Extension office or a good local landscape professional can be asked for recommendations. Make sure to mention that you want to care for the lawn organically.
If you currently have a lawn in place and want to start caring for it organically, you need to consider several things. If it is growing well now, will the grass species in the lawn do well when converted to organic methods? In most cases it will, but if it is a species like bentgrass it may not. If the lawn has bare spots, reseed in those areas with a grass species that's right for your site.
If the grass is not doing well now should you remove it and plant other grass species or is a lawn even a good idea at this site? Grass doesn't grow well in hot dry areas without supplemental water, it doesn't do well in dense shade and or where the soil is waterlogged. Organic practices won't change that. You may want to consider a ground cover instead.
Fertilizing organic lawns
The more organic matter you can get into the soil under your lawn the better your grass will grow and the less supplemental fertilization it will need. You do this by leaving the grass clippings on the lawn when you mow, by mulching tree leaves into the lawn instead of raking them and by applying light layers of compost whenever you can.
There are natural fertilizers you can use on lawns, including manure. Dried, powdered manure is easier to spread on lawns than fresh manure. There are organic sources of nitrogen, the most important element for grass, and for other key elements. Remember that these natural fertilizers can also pollute the environment and be just as careful using them as you would be with synthetic fertilizers.
Fertilize in the spring as the grass starts growing, and then again in the early fall. The fall fertilization helps develop a good root system.
Mowing organic lawns
If you mow correctly your grass will be healthier. Never take off more than one third of the grass leaf blade at one time. If the grass is growing rapidly you may need to cut more than once a week. Use a sharp blade, which makes a clean cut that heals quickly to keep out disease organisms. Don't mow when the grass leaves are wet.
Use a mulching blade or mower and return the clippings to the soil surface. Those grass leaves are full of nitrogen and other nutrients. They degrade and disappear quickly.
Weed, disease, and insect control
In an organic lawn you will need to tolerate the occasional weed. Weeds can be hand pulled if they offend you. Consider paying the kids to dig them. Corn gluten has shown promise in controlling weed seed germination. It won't stop perennial weeds that come back from the roots however. Grass that is thick and healthy will keep weed problems to a minimum.
Insect and disease control for organic lawns are based on prevention and natural enemies. Healthy lawns will survive most disease and insect challenges. The larvae of the Japanese beetle, which feeds on grass roots, can be controlled by the application of a disease organism called Milky Spore disease. This will take several seasons to build up in the soil.
Watering organic lawns
In natural settings grass goes dormant when it gets hot and dry and you can let your lawn do that too. It will green up again when wet weather arrives. If you want to water your lawn it needs about one inch of water a week to do well. Grass in deep organic soil will have a good root system that can survive drought better.
Hiring a lawn care company for organic lawns
Organic lawn care by professional lawn services is in its infancy. Make sure if you hire a company that your idea of organic and theirs are compatible. Ask if equipment, other than mowers, is used for both organic and conventional lawn care. If so, some residual pesticides may be present in the equipment.
Make sure that the lawn care company is licensed and the employees are insured. Get a contract that spells out what is expected and what types of fertilizer and pesticides will be used. Organic lawn care may leave a lawn that is not as picture perfect as conventional lawn care, even when professionals do the work.
This article was first published in Garden and Hearth. Kim Willis - copyright 2007
What is an organic lawn?
If you want a lawn that looks like a golf course you can skip this article. Those types of lawns require lots of water, fertilizer and pesticides not to mention labor to look that way. You can, however, have a nice green lawn with safe, organic lawn care practices. You may need to be a bit more tolerant of a dandelion here or there, and you may need to change certain lawn care techniques that you are used to.
Organic lawns use no synthetic fertilizers, weed killers or insecticides. They can be irrigated, but in the spirit of saving the environment, they could be left to survive with natural rainfall. Those that want a healthy lawn where children and pets can safely play but that doesn't require loads of time and money to care for are perfect for organic lawn care practices. There are even a few lawn care companies that now specialize in organic lawn care.
Grass selection
Having a good looking lawn with minimal care starts with selecting the right grass species for your conditions. Your planting zone, the type of soil and the amount of light and moisture your lawn site gets are important factors. How you use the lawn area will also determine the right grass varieties to use. Your County Extension office or a good local landscape professional can be asked for recommendations. Make sure to mention that you want to care for the lawn organically.
If you currently have a lawn in place and want to start caring for it organically, you need to consider several things. If it is growing well now, will the grass species in the lawn do well when converted to organic methods? In most cases it will, but if it is a species like bentgrass it may not. If the lawn has bare spots, reseed in those areas with a grass species that's right for your site.
If the grass is not doing well now should you remove it and plant other grass species or is a lawn even a good idea at this site? Grass doesn't grow well in hot dry areas without supplemental water, it doesn't do well in dense shade and or where the soil is waterlogged. Organic practices won't change that. You may want to consider a ground cover instead.
Fertilizing organic lawns
The more organic matter you can get into the soil under your lawn the better your grass will grow and the less supplemental fertilization it will need. You do this by leaving the grass clippings on the lawn when you mow, by mulching tree leaves into the lawn instead of raking them and by applying light layers of compost whenever you can.
There are natural fertilizers you can use on lawns, including manure. Dried, powdered manure is easier to spread on lawns than fresh manure. There are organic sources of nitrogen, the most important element for grass, and for other key elements. Remember that these natural fertilizers can also pollute the environment and be just as careful using them as you would be with synthetic fertilizers.
Fertilize in the spring as the grass starts growing, and then again in the early fall. The fall fertilization helps develop a good root system.
Mowing organic lawns
If you mow correctly your grass will be healthier. Never take off more than one third of the grass leaf blade at one time. If the grass is growing rapidly you may need to cut more than once a week. Use a sharp blade, which makes a clean cut that heals quickly to keep out disease organisms. Don't mow when the grass leaves are wet.
Use a mulching blade or mower and return the clippings to the soil surface. Those grass leaves are full of nitrogen and other nutrients. They degrade and disappear quickly.
Weed, disease, and insect control
In an organic lawn you will need to tolerate the occasional weed. Weeds can be hand pulled if they offend you. Consider paying the kids to dig them. Corn gluten has shown promise in controlling weed seed germination. It won't stop perennial weeds that come back from the roots however. Grass that is thick and healthy will keep weed problems to a minimum.
Insect and disease control for organic lawns are based on prevention and natural enemies. Healthy lawns will survive most disease and insect challenges. The larvae of the Japanese beetle, which feeds on grass roots, can be controlled by the application of a disease organism called Milky Spore disease. This will take several seasons to build up in the soil.
Watering organic lawns
In natural settings grass goes dormant when it gets hot and dry and you can let your lawn do that too. It will green up again when wet weather arrives. If you want to water your lawn it needs about one inch of water a week to do well. Grass in deep organic soil will have a good root system that can survive drought better.
Hiring a lawn care company for organic lawns
Organic lawn care by professional lawn services is in its infancy. Make sure if you hire a company that your idea of organic and theirs are compatible. Ask if equipment, other than mowers, is used for both organic and conventional lawn care. If so, some residual pesticides may be present in the equipment.
Make sure that the lawn care company is licensed and the employees are insured. Get a contract that spells out what is expected and what types of fertilizer and pesticides will be used. Organic lawn care may leave a lawn that is not as picture perfect as conventional lawn care, even when professionals do the work.
This article was first published in Garden and Hearth. Kim Willis - copyright 2007
Introduction to Perennials
Introduction to Perennials
Perennial flowers are those that remain alive for more than one year, if the gardener has planted them in the right zone. Gardeners like perennials because you get many years enjoyment from them and if they are chosen for the site correctly they will require little care.
Some perennials are flowers that will persist for many years, even if the home they were planted by is abandoned. Other perennials are flowers that return for just a few years. And of course there are perennials that have no showy flowers at all.
Some perennials die to the ground each year and return from the roots. These are called herbaceous perennials and are usually the perennials we think of as flowers. Others have a woody stem that drops its leaves and still others remain green all winter. It is sometimes difficult to draw the line between a woody perennial and a shrub or tree, some plants become a shrub in warmer zones but die to the ground in colder climates.
In this article we will discuss perennial plants that are not trees or shrubs in most areas.
Facts about perennials
Perennial flowers usually have a set blooming period. Unlike annuals that begin blooming and then continue until killed by frost, perennial flowers bloom for a while then rest. Some may re-bloom later in the season and a few perennials behave like annuals and bloom for a long period. Within any species of perennial flower there may be cultivars that bloom at various times. You have daylilies that bloom early, midseason and late for example.
Because of the bloom time, most people mix different types of perennial flowers in a bed so that something is in bloom at all times. They choose perennial flowers that bloom at various times and try to blend them in a pleasing group. Check plant tags and descriptions to see when they bloom.
Some perennials are not grown for their flowers, but rather their foliage, such as hosta and heuchera. Others have both interesting foliage and flowers or seeds. These plants make for a garden that looks nice across the seasons.
Some perennials bloom for a short time and then the whole plant disappears. Bloodroot is an example. Many disappearing plants are woodland plants that bloom before trees leaf out then go dormant when it becomes shady and warm.
Plant breeders have worked with perennial flowers of some species until they have plants that bloom at their regular time then re-bloom at a later time. An example of this is bearded iris, some now re-bloom in fall. Roses are considered to be perennials and many new roses will bloom all summer. Originally however, roses bloomed for a short period in early summer.
While some species of perennial flowers will last for a hundred years, for example peonies, most have shorter life spans. Some may only live two or three years, many will make the ten year mark. So even though your flowers are perennials, they may need to be replaced from time to time.
Should you go native?
There is a movement in this country to plant only native plants in gardens. Those that believe in this think that perennial flowers that grow in your area are adapted to the conditions and will require less watering, fertilizing and spraying to be healthy. If they escape the garden for a nearby field there generally isn't a problem.
In most areas there is a wide variety of native perennial flowers that could be used in your gardening plans. Breeders are working to change some native plants, like the Echinacea, to produce flowers in different colors and with garden friendly traits like compact growth, larger flowers and longer bloom times.
On the other hand there have been many introduced perennial flowers that have existed in gardens around the country for centuries that adapt very well and haven't become a nuisance in the wild. If you like to choose from a wide variety of plants don't feel too guilty as long as you choose non-natives that are suitable for your climate and that aren't invasive.
Caring for Perennials.
The beauty of perennial flowers is that most of them require less care than annual plants. They have larger root systems and require less watering and most require less fertilizer too. There are some exceptions to this, such as roses, which are little gluttons.
Some perennial flowers do require regular dividing to remain healthy and blooming. Consult a good plant reference book to see which of your perennials need dividing and how often. Daylilies, phlox, iris, mums, and hosta are a few which benefit from regular dividing.
Many perennial flowers require little or no fertilization. Many herbs like lavender and rosemary and other plants of Mediterranean origin thrive in marginally fertile soil. Many perennial flowers will benefit from one early spring application of a slow release fertilizer. Others may need additional fertilization, especially if they are long blooming or you want them to re-bloom. Consult a good reference book for your plants needs.
Water conservation is a big issue and watering gardens may be prohibited in your area at some times. All types of perennial flowers will need regular watering to get established the first season. After that many will survive without additional water in most years. If you live in a drought prone area choose perennials that do well in dry conditions. Water your plants if they look wilted or they may die.
There are some perennial plants that simply must have well drained soil, especially in winter. If your soil is too wet they will die. If you have wet areas, look for perennial plants that enjoy wet spots.
Unless you are saving seeds, or want the seed pod for winter interest, remove the flowers of perennials as they die, before they set seeds. This concentrates the plants energy into producing more foliage or larger root systems and makes a healthier plant.
Copyright 2008- Kimberely Willis
May not be printed or used without permission
Perennial flowers are those that remain alive for more than one year, if the gardener has planted them in the right zone. Gardeners like perennials because you get many years enjoyment from them and if they are chosen for the site correctly they will require little care.
Some perennials are flowers that will persist for many years, even if the home they were planted by is abandoned. Other perennials are flowers that return for just a few years. And of course there are perennials that have no showy flowers at all.
Some perennials die to the ground each year and return from the roots. These are called herbaceous perennials and are usually the perennials we think of as flowers. Others have a woody stem that drops its leaves and still others remain green all winter. It is sometimes difficult to draw the line between a woody perennial and a shrub or tree, some plants become a shrub in warmer zones but die to the ground in colder climates.
In this article we will discuss perennial plants that are not trees or shrubs in most areas.
Facts about perennials
Perennial flowers usually have a set blooming period. Unlike annuals that begin blooming and then continue until killed by frost, perennial flowers bloom for a while then rest. Some may re-bloom later in the season and a few perennials behave like annuals and bloom for a long period. Within any species of perennial flower there may be cultivars that bloom at various times. You have daylilies that bloom early, midseason and late for example.
Because of the bloom time, most people mix different types of perennial flowers in a bed so that something is in bloom at all times. They choose perennial flowers that bloom at various times and try to blend them in a pleasing group. Check plant tags and descriptions to see when they bloom.
Some perennials are not grown for their flowers, but rather their foliage, such as hosta and heuchera. Others have both interesting foliage and flowers or seeds. These plants make for a garden that looks nice across the seasons.
Some perennials bloom for a short time and then the whole plant disappears. Bloodroot is an example. Many disappearing plants are woodland plants that bloom before trees leaf out then go dormant when it becomes shady and warm.
Plant breeders have worked with perennial flowers of some species until they have plants that bloom at their regular time then re-bloom at a later time. An example of this is bearded iris, some now re-bloom in fall. Roses are considered to be perennials and many new roses will bloom all summer. Originally however, roses bloomed for a short period in early summer.
While some species of perennial flowers will last for a hundred years, for example peonies, most have shorter life spans. Some may only live two or three years, many will make the ten year mark. So even though your flowers are perennials, they may need to be replaced from time to time.
Should you go native?
There is a movement in this country to plant only native plants in gardens. Those that believe in this think that perennial flowers that grow in your area are adapted to the conditions and will require less watering, fertilizing and spraying to be healthy. If they escape the garden for a nearby field there generally isn't a problem.
In most areas there is a wide variety of native perennial flowers that could be used in your gardening plans. Breeders are working to change some native plants, like the Echinacea, to produce flowers in different colors and with garden friendly traits like compact growth, larger flowers and longer bloom times.
On the other hand there have been many introduced perennial flowers that have existed in gardens around the country for centuries that adapt very well and haven't become a nuisance in the wild. If you like to choose from a wide variety of plants don't feel too guilty as long as you choose non-natives that are suitable for your climate and that aren't invasive.
Caring for Perennials.
The beauty of perennial flowers is that most of them require less care than annual plants. They have larger root systems and require less watering and most require less fertilizer too. There are some exceptions to this, such as roses, which are little gluttons.
Some perennial flowers do require regular dividing to remain healthy and blooming. Consult a good plant reference book to see which of your perennials need dividing and how often. Daylilies, phlox, iris, mums, and hosta are a few which benefit from regular dividing.
Many perennial flowers require little or no fertilization. Many herbs like lavender and rosemary and other plants of Mediterranean origin thrive in marginally fertile soil. Many perennial flowers will benefit from one early spring application of a slow release fertilizer. Others may need additional fertilization, especially if they are long blooming or you want them to re-bloom. Consult a good reference book for your plants needs.
Water conservation is a big issue and watering gardens may be prohibited in your area at some times. All types of perennial flowers will need regular watering to get established the first season. After that many will survive without additional water in most years. If you live in a drought prone area choose perennials that do well in dry conditions. Water your plants if they look wilted or they may die.
There are some perennial plants that simply must have well drained soil, especially in winter. If your soil is too wet they will die. If you have wet areas, look for perennial plants that enjoy wet spots.
Unless you are saving seeds, or want the seed pod for winter interest, remove the flowers of perennials as they die, before they set seeds. This concentrates the plants energy into producing more foliage or larger root systems and makes a healthier plant.
Copyright 2008- Kimberely Willis
May not be printed or used without permission
Growing Bearded Iris
beautiful and easy
Bearded Iris- Bold and Beautiful
Bearded Iris, sometimes referred to as German iris, have some of the most colorful flowers, [as well as colorful names], in the garden. Bearded Iris are hardy and easy to grow and good for beginning gardeners. Bearded Iris are also a collectors delight, with hundreds of varieties on the market. For a splash of color in late spring and early summer, plant some Bearded Iris in your garden.
Bearded Iris have thick, "sword- like" leaves. The Bearded Iris flower has six petals. Three petals stand upright and these are called the "standards." The other three petals droop downward and are called the "falls." Each "fall" has a group of hair-like growths near its base called the "beard." Each Bearded Iris can be all one color- beard, falls and standards, or each part can be a different color. The flowers appear at the end of long stalks in clusters. Some varieties are fragrant. Bearded Iris begins blooming in mid spring with the dwarf and intermediate varieties, and continues into early summer with the border and tall varieties. Some new varieties may re-bloom in fall when the season is long and mild.
Growing Bearded Iris
Bearded Iris are hardy from zone 3-9. The best time to plant Bearded Iris is late summer or early fall. Bearded Iris may be sold in pots or more commonly, as bare rhizomes. A rhizome is a long, fleshy looking thing with roots coming out of the bottom. It will generally have a few leaves, called a fan, that have been cut to 3-4 inches. Don't worry if the fan is dry and yellow, as long as the rhizome is firm and plump. Mushy, soft, or shriveled, dry rhizomes, or those with holes in them should not be bought. Long, branching iris rhizomes with two or more fans will give you bigger plants and are more likely to bloom the first year. About 60-70% of Bearded Iris bloom the first year after they are planted.
Bearded Iris need full sun. They need well drained soil, and do well with little water after they are established. Iris benefits from a small amount of low nitrogen fertilizer in early spring as growth starts. For the best chance of getting re-blooming varieties to actually re-bloom, fertilize them again after the first bloom has finished, and give them a little water if the summer is dry.
To plant Bearded Iris rhizomes dig a trench a few inches deep and make a little mound of soil in it. Place the rhizome on the center of the mound and fan any roots out along the sides of the mound. Then re-fill the trench. The top of the rhizome should be just barely covered in soil. In heavy clay soil the top of the rhizome can even be left exposed. Bearded Iris will not bloom if they are planted too deeply. Plant the rhizomes 18-24" apart. The first year after planting the Bearded Iris rhizomes should be mulched with straw, oak leaves or other material that doesn't mat down. This is to prevent them from being heaved out of the ground before the roots are established. Remove the mulch as soon as the weather begins to warm. Bearded Iris should be kept weed free and they are one plant that should not be mulched. The tops of the rhizomes need air and sun for the plants to do well.
To keep your Bearded Iris plants looking their best remove each flower as it dies. When all the flowers on a stalk are finished blooming cut the stalk down as close to the base of the plant as possible. Remove any leaves that yellow or have spots and streaks on them, and cut all the leaves off close to the ground after frost in the fall. This helps keep disease and pests from over-wintering.
Bearded Iris needs to be divided every 3-4 years for best bloom. Over time the center of the clump stops blooming and if the plants are too crowded, all may stop blooming. Dig up the clumps after they have bloomed, wash off the rhizomes and cut apart the clumps. Leave a nice section of firm rhizome with a "fan" or two. Cut the leaves on the fan back to a couple of inches. Discard the old, woody and dry looking pieces of rhizomes from the center of the clump and also discard any soft, black mushy pieces or rhizomes with holes bored in them. Then re-plant your divided rhizomes and share the excess with other gardeners.
In some areas Bearded Iris may get Iris Borer. A night feeding moth lays eggs on the plants near the leaf base. These hatch into caterpillars which first feed on the leaves, then move into the rhizomes. They are big, fat pink things that eat the inside of the rhizome. This leaves the rhizomes more susceptible to bacterial rot, which turns the rhizomes black and mushy. To keep Iris plants healthy remove damaged and diseased rhizomes, cut back and remove leaves before winter, and don't over water.
Choosing Varieties.
The iris family contains many species, the Bearded Iris we grow in our gardens are hybrids of some of those species. There are hundreds of varieties of Bearded Iris with names as colorful as their flowers. In catalogs they are generally grouped by height, flower size and bloom time. There are varieties of Bearded Iris that grow only 6" tall and others that grow 3' or higher. I am not going to list specific names, as there are so many.
Using Bearded Iris
Bearded Iris are usually grown as part of mixed borders. Small varieties can be grown in rock gardens or even in pots. Pots should be sunk into the ground to over winter in cold areas.
The rhizomes of iris are dried and powdered to form orris root and dried rhizomes are also used to make perfumes.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Bearded Iris, sometimes referred to as German iris, have some of the most colorful flowers, [as well as colorful names], in the garden. Bearded Iris are hardy and easy to grow and good for beginning gardeners. Bearded Iris are also a collectors delight, with hundreds of varieties on the market. For a splash of color in late spring and early summer, plant some Bearded Iris in your garden.
Bearded Iris have thick, "sword- like" leaves. The Bearded Iris flower has six petals. Three petals stand upright and these are called the "standards." The other three petals droop downward and are called the "falls." Each "fall" has a group of hair-like growths near its base called the "beard." Each Bearded Iris can be all one color- beard, falls and standards, or each part can be a different color. The flowers appear at the end of long stalks in clusters. Some varieties are fragrant. Bearded Iris begins blooming in mid spring with the dwarf and intermediate varieties, and continues into early summer with the border and tall varieties. Some new varieties may re-bloom in fall when the season is long and mild.
Growing Bearded Iris
Bearded Iris are hardy from zone 3-9. The best time to plant Bearded Iris is late summer or early fall. Bearded Iris may be sold in pots or more commonly, as bare rhizomes. A rhizome is a long, fleshy looking thing with roots coming out of the bottom. It will generally have a few leaves, called a fan, that have been cut to 3-4 inches. Don't worry if the fan is dry and yellow, as long as the rhizome is firm and plump. Mushy, soft, or shriveled, dry rhizomes, or those with holes in them should not be bought. Long, branching iris rhizomes with two or more fans will give you bigger plants and are more likely to bloom the first year. About 60-70% of Bearded Iris bloom the first year after they are planted.
Bearded Iris need full sun. They need well drained soil, and do well with little water after they are established. Iris benefits from a small amount of low nitrogen fertilizer in early spring as growth starts. For the best chance of getting re-blooming varieties to actually re-bloom, fertilize them again after the first bloom has finished, and give them a little water if the summer is dry.
To plant Bearded Iris rhizomes dig a trench a few inches deep and make a little mound of soil in it. Place the rhizome on the center of the mound and fan any roots out along the sides of the mound. Then re-fill the trench. The top of the rhizome should be just barely covered in soil. In heavy clay soil the top of the rhizome can even be left exposed. Bearded Iris will not bloom if they are planted too deeply. Plant the rhizomes 18-24" apart. The first year after planting the Bearded Iris rhizomes should be mulched with straw, oak leaves or other material that doesn't mat down. This is to prevent them from being heaved out of the ground before the roots are established. Remove the mulch as soon as the weather begins to warm. Bearded Iris should be kept weed free and they are one plant that should not be mulched. The tops of the rhizomes need air and sun for the plants to do well.
To keep your Bearded Iris plants looking their best remove each flower as it dies. When all the flowers on a stalk are finished blooming cut the stalk down as close to the base of the plant as possible. Remove any leaves that yellow or have spots and streaks on them, and cut all the leaves off close to the ground after frost in the fall. This helps keep disease and pests from over-wintering.
Bearded Iris needs to be divided every 3-4 years for best bloom. Over time the center of the clump stops blooming and if the plants are too crowded, all may stop blooming. Dig up the clumps after they have bloomed, wash off the rhizomes and cut apart the clumps. Leave a nice section of firm rhizome with a "fan" or two. Cut the leaves on the fan back to a couple of inches. Discard the old, woody and dry looking pieces of rhizomes from the center of the clump and also discard any soft, black mushy pieces or rhizomes with holes bored in them. Then re-plant your divided rhizomes and share the excess with other gardeners.
In some areas Bearded Iris may get Iris Borer. A night feeding moth lays eggs on the plants near the leaf base. These hatch into caterpillars which first feed on the leaves, then move into the rhizomes. They are big, fat pink things that eat the inside of the rhizome. This leaves the rhizomes more susceptible to bacterial rot, which turns the rhizomes black and mushy. To keep Iris plants healthy remove damaged and diseased rhizomes, cut back and remove leaves before winter, and don't over water.
Choosing Varieties.
The iris family contains many species, the Bearded Iris we grow in our gardens are hybrids of some of those species. There are hundreds of varieties of Bearded Iris with names as colorful as their flowers. In catalogs they are generally grouped by height, flower size and bloom time. There are varieties of Bearded Iris that grow only 6" tall and others that grow 3' or higher. I am not going to list specific names, as there are so many.
Using Bearded Iris
Bearded Iris are usually grown as part of mixed borders. Small varieties can be grown in rock gardens or even in pots. Pots should be sunk into the ground to over winter in cold areas.
The rhizomes of iris are dried and powdered to form orris root and dried rhizomes are also used to make perfumes.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
How to grow Coleus
Continuous color for shady places
Coleus, Continuous Color for Shady PlacesFor continuous color in the shade nothing beats coleus. This easy to care for plant with a wide range of colors and leaf forms is a must for every shade gardener. And coleus color doesn't have to end when cold weather comes because coleus makes an excellent houseplant. Coleus are fine plants for collectors, since there are hundreds of varieties on the market.
In Victorian times coleus was known as Painted Nettles or Flame Nettles. Coleus has suffered in this century from a confusion of name changes and misnamed plants. You may see the Latin name of coleus listed as Coleus blumei in older texts, but the correct Latin name for most ornamental coleus is now Solenostemon scutellarioides, although some other species of Solenostemon have been used to produce newer varieties. To add to this, coleus is a plant that produces new color variations constantly and different nurseries may have plants with different names that are virtually indistinguishable.
The leaves of coleus come in every color except blue, and just about any combination of colors. Originally coleus leaves were broadly oval with toothed edges, however there are now tiny, oval leaves, huge, broad leaves, frilly scalloped leaves, lobed leaves and a number of other leaf variations. A common color pattern is for coleus leaves to have a band or row of dots of a contrasting color along the edges of the leaves, but some leaves are solid colors or randomly splashed with color. The stems of coleus are square and coleus plants do produce spikes of tiny flowers, usually lavender, from time to time.
Growing Coleus
Coleus is easy to grow from seed or cuttings. Sow coleus seeds in a warm spot about 6 -8 weeks before the last frost in your area. Coleus seed needs light to germinate so don't cover the seeds, just press them lightly into the seed-starting medium. The seeds usually germinate in about 10 days. Give the baby coleus plants time to develop before you decide if they are colorful enough for you, as the color changes with age. Seed grown coleus is somewhat variable, and if you want a coleus plant looks exactly like one you admire, you can always take a cutting. Coleus roots easily from tip cuttings, either in soil or water.
Coleus is very cold sensitive, so don't plant it outside until after your last frost. If you want to bring plants inside for the winter bring them in before temperatures go below 40 degrees. Inside, coleus needs a warm room and plenty of sunlight. Outside coleus prefers shade, or partial shade. I have found the in the north, zone 5 and lower, coleus are more vigorous and colorful in partial shade, rather than deep shade. Morning or late evening sun, or bright, indirect light would be preferable to midday sun but some sunlight will make the plants more colorful. Coleus will sometimes adapt to sunnier conditions if the plant is kept continuously moist, but the colors of the leaves may look different than a shade grown plant. Plant breeders are working on varieties that will stand heat and sun. Coleus needs to be regularly watered and it prefers a rich, loose soil that is neutral or slightly alkaline.
For healthy, vigorous plants with good color, fertilize coleus with a slow release fertilizer when you plant it and about every two months. Coleus in the house for winter doesn't need fertilizer from November to March, when growth slows down. Provide good air circulation around indoor plants and while the soil should be kept moist, don't over water.
Coleus plants range in size from miniature varieties of about 6 inches to huge plants 4 foot high. You can prune and pinch back coleus to keep it within bounds. Many newer varieties don't need pinching or pruning to stay full looking, but if your coleus plant is looking lanky, don't be afraid to pinch it back. Unless you are trying to produce seed, keep the flowering spikes of coleus pruned off. This allows the plant to put more energy into foliage. When the plant is allowed to set seed it may decline and die.
Coleus plants are short lived and won't be around forever. If you have a variety you adore, take cuttings from it on a regular basis and discard older plants when they become woody. The biggest problem that coleus plants have is with insects chewing holes in the leaves. You can ignore the problem in a garden setting as it is seldom fatal, but if you are growing coleus for show you may want to treat them with a systemic insecticide. Inside coleus may suffer from whitefly, spider mites and mealy bugs, and will need to be treated with insecticides, as there are no natural predators inside. If spider mites are a problem try increasing the humidity around the plants.
Choosing varieties
There are hundreds of named varieties of coleus. Some common mixtures include the Wizard series, which has a variety of bright colors on compact plants, and the Carefree series, which has a variety of colors with deeply lobed leaves. The Solar series are plants that tolerate heat and sun. 'Kong Mosiacs' have huge leaves mottled with colors, each leaf is different. 'Alabama Sunset' is a sun tolerant variety in red and orange shades. 'Black Dragon' has velvety, heavily crimped, almost black leaves marked with scarlet. 'Pineapple' has pineapple yellow leaves and burgundy leaf veins and stems. 'Darth Vader' is tall, with long, narrow leaves of purple with a lime edge. 'Tigerlily' is a ruffled blend of apricot and peach 'Duckfoot' has tiny, deeply lobed purple leaves on a 6-inch plant. 'India Frills' is a tiny, purple-pink blend with a trailing habit.
Using Coleus
Coleus is excellent for shady borders and beds. It creates colorful containers and baskets for shady area. The new baby leaved varieties are especially nice in containers. Coleus also makes a good houseplant.
Getting Started with an Herb Garden
Herbs are for all rednecks!
Herbs bring exciting tastes to our meals and can also bring comfort and healing to our bodies. Fresh herbs are the best tasting and most nutritious. Anyone with a small patch of sun can have an herb garden. In this article we will discuss getting started with an herb garden of your own.
Choosing a site
Most herbs require a sunny spot to do well. Even a small sunny spot on a deck or porch can be a spot for herbs in containers. In general herbs are not fussy about soil type. In fact many prefer soil that is not too rich. The majority of herbs do require soil that drains well. If you have heavy clay soil you may want to grow herbs in raised beds of amended soil.
Just like a vegetable garden, you will be more likely to use your herbs if you can dash out the door and pick some as you cook. A spot close to the house will tend to keep the herb bed better cared for and harvested more frequently. If space is limited, herbs can be tucked into flower beds. Some are actually quite ornamental. Just make sure they are in locations where they will not be sprayed with pesticides.
Herbs can also be planted in the vegetable garden. Many herbs either attract beneficial insects or repel pest insects. Perennial herbs should be planted where they will not need to be disturbed each year as you prepare the garden.
If you live in zone five or lower, you may want to place your herb garden where it is protected from the wind and in a spot that collects heat, such as near a stone patio or wall. This will give you a better chance for success with some of the heat loving, slightly tender herbs.
Some herbs can become invasive in a favorable site. Mints, lemon balm, comfrey, and oregano are examples. You may want to place these herbs where they are surrounded by a paved area or an area that is frequently mowed rather than in the flower or vegetable garden.
Choosing varieties
When getting started with an herb garden you should learn something about the herb plants you would like to grow. Do you want familiar culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, or herbs for crafts and dye making? Plant catalogs and good reference books will help you learn about the requirements of each herb. Look for my articles on individual herbs also.
If space is limited grow only the herbs you will use the most. If you like rosemary and use it frequently in cooking then you will want rosemary. If space is not a problem you can experiment with other herbs. One herb plant is usually enough for most households. Plants used for tea, such as chamomile, may require a few plants. If you use them a lot you can add more plants later.
Some herbs are annual plants and must be planted each year. Others are perennials or bi-annual. Not all perennial and bi-annual herbs will grow in all areas. There may be some varieties of an herb that will survive better in your area than others.
Most annual herbs can be planted after the danger of frost has passed. Some perennial herbs that won't survive winter in your area might survive if you plant them in a pot and bring them inside for the winter. Check the zone hardiness of each variety of the herb. Some thymes will survive zone five for example, and some won't.
Many of our common herbs are of Mediterranean origin and don't like wet soil or to be too wet in winter. If you have clay soil you may have to build a raised bed where the soil is amended with gravel for drainage. These herbs may not appreciate daily soakings from irrigation sprinklers either. Mulch them with stones instead of bark chips. Mediterranean herbs include lavender and rosemary.
There are some herbs that have varieties that have been selected to be more ornamental than edible. Some sages with variegated leaves are quite attractive in the garden but do not have that true sage flavor in cooking. Some basils have been bred to have frilly, colorful leaves but do not have much flavor when used in cooking. There are basils, sages, oregano, thymes and mints that have different flavors, some good for cooking and others just for potpourri or scenting the garden.
If you are interested in medicinal herbs be aware that there are some varieties and species that have more of an active ingredient than others. Medicinal herbs should be purchased from a nursery that specializes in them, rather than the local garden store. The herbs will be more likely to be identified correctly and varieties that are high in medicinal qualities will be offered.
Caring for and harvesting herbs
Herbs usually are fairly pest and disease free if grown in suitable conditions. Most herbs where the foliage is used for cooking benefit if any flowers produced are removed. Regular pruning and pinching will keep herb plants from getting lanky and will encourage new fresh growth.
In plants where the flowers are used or appreciated, you must be careful about what time plants are pruned. Lavender needs to be pruned in early spring; if you trim later you may lose all the flowers. For some herbs you want flowers to develop. If you want dill seed or caraway or coriander you must let flowers develop.
To prevent powdery mildew and other fungal disease, don't crowd your herb garden. Leave space between plants for good airflow. Water herbs at the base of the plants and don't work among them or harvest when the foliage is wet from rain or dew.
Herbs generally don't require much fertilization. Check your references for recommendations for each type of herb before applying fertilizer. Too much fertilizer may actually harm them.
Copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
May not be reproduced without permission
First published in Life123
Choosing a site
Most herbs require a sunny spot to do well. Even a small sunny spot on a deck or porch can be a spot for herbs in containers. In general herbs are not fussy about soil type. In fact many prefer soil that is not too rich. The majority of herbs do require soil that drains well. If you have heavy clay soil you may want to grow herbs in raised beds of amended soil.
Just like a vegetable garden, you will be more likely to use your herbs if you can dash out the door and pick some as you cook. A spot close to the house will tend to keep the herb bed better cared for and harvested more frequently. If space is limited, herbs can be tucked into flower beds. Some are actually quite ornamental. Just make sure they are in locations where they will not be sprayed with pesticides.
Herbs can also be planted in the vegetable garden. Many herbs either attract beneficial insects or repel pest insects. Perennial herbs should be planted where they will not need to be disturbed each year as you prepare the garden.
If you live in zone five or lower, you may want to place your herb garden where it is protected from the wind and in a spot that collects heat, such as near a stone patio or wall. This will give you a better chance for success with some of the heat loving, slightly tender herbs.
Some herbs can become invasive in a favorable site. Mints, lemon balm, comfrey, and oregano are examples. You may want to place these herbs where they are surrounded by a paved area or an area that is frequently mowed rather than in the flower or vegetable garden.
Choosing varieties
When getting started with an herb garden you should learn something about the herb plants you would like to grow. Do you want familiar culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, or herbs for crafts and dye making? Plant catalogs and good reference books will help you learn about the requirements of each herb. Look for my articles on individual herbs also.
If space is limited grow only the herbs you will use the most. If you like rosemary and use it frequently in cooking then you will want rosemary. If space is not a problem you can experiment with other herbs. One herb plant is usually enough for most households. Plants used for tea, such as chamomile, may require a few plants. If you use them a lot you can add more plants later.
Some herbs are annual plants and must be planted each year. Others are perennials or bi-annual. Not all perennial and bi-annual herbs will grow in all areas. There may be some varieties of an herb that will survive better in your area than others.
Most annual herbs can be planted after the danger of frost has passed. Some perennial herbs that won't survive winter in your area might survive if you plant them in a pot and bring them inside for the winter. Check the zone hardiness of each variety of the herb. Some thymes will survive zone five for example, and some won't.
Many of our common herbs are of Mediterranean origin and don't like wet soil or to be too wet in winter. If you have clay soil you may have to build a raised bed where the soil is amended with gravel for drainage. These herbs may not appreciate daily soakings from irrigation sprinklers either. Mulch them with stones instead of bark chips. Mediterranean herbs include lavender and rosemary.
There are some herbs that have varieties that have been selected to be more ornamental than edible. Some sages with variegated leaves are quite attractive in the garden but do not have that true sage flavor in cooking. Some basils have been bred to have frilly, colorful leaves but do not have much flavor when used in cooking. There are basils, sages, oregano, thymes and mints that have different flavors, some good for cooking and others just for potpourri or scenting the garden.
If you are interested in medicinal herbs be aware that there are some varieties and species that have more of an active ingredient than others. Medicinal herbs should be purchased from a nursery that specializes in them, rather than the local garden store. The herbs will be more likely to be identified correctly and varieties that are high in medicinal qualities will be offered.
Caring for and harvesting herbs
Herbs usually are fairly pest and disease free if grown in suitable conditions. Most herbs where the foliage is used for cooking benefit if any flowers produced are removed. Regular pruning and pinching will keep herb plants from getting lanky and will encourage new fresh growth.
In plants where the flowers are used or appreciated, you must be careful about what time plants are pruned. Lavender needs to be pruned in early spring; if you trim later you may lose all the flowers. For some herbs you want flowers to develop. If you want dill seed or caraway or coriander you must let flowers develop.
To prevent powdery mildew and other fungal disease, don't crowd your herb garden. Leave space between plants for good airflow. Water herbs at the base of the plants and don't work among them or harvest when the foliage is wet from rain or dew.
Herbs generally don't require much fertilization. Check your references for recommendations for each type of herb before applying fertilizer. Too much fertilizer may actually harm them.
Copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
May not be reproduced without permission
First published in Life123
Basil
Beautiful Enough to Eat
Basil- Beautiful Enough to Eat.
If there is one herb that every gardener should grow it is basil. Not only is basil an important flavoring for many popular dishes, it's also beautiful enough to fit in any ornamental garden. It's used in the cuisine of many nations, as a part of sacred rituals, and as a medicinal herb. Basil is easy to grow and can even be grown on a window sill.
Basil is one of the oldest cultivated herbs. It is said that basil symbolizes "love washed with tears" and it was often used in burial rituals. Basil is a sacred herb in the Hindu and Greek Orthodox religions. In Greek, basil means "king" and this plant is indeed a king in the garden.
There are over 50 species of basil and many more varieties and hybrids of species. Each species has its own chemical components that give it a unique smell and taste. Most are edible, but some fit different types of cooking better than others. Basil plants are also quite ornamental and plant breeders are working to produce even nicer selections for the flower garden.
Growing basil
Basil can be started from seed in the area it is to grow in zones 8 and above, but for more northern areas it is best to start the seeds inside 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. The soil temperature for germinating seeds should be 70 degrees. Basil doesn't always come true from seed, with wide variation in the way it looks and smells. You may want to purchase plants so you can see and smell the basil before you put it in the garden. Basil also starts easily from cuttings. Almost all basils are annuals and need to be replanted each year.
Basil is extremely vulnerable to damage from cold, so wait until a week or so after the last frost before planting basil outside. Day temperatures should be above 70 and nights above 50 degrees for best results. Basil should be planted in full sun. Basil will grow in a wide variety of soils but it must be a well drained site. You can mix a slow release garden fertilizer in the soil when you are planting, but basil will grow well in most areas without fertilization. The plants like to dry out between watering but should not be allowed to wilt. If you are growing basil for its ornamental appeal you can allow it to flower freely. If you are growing basil only for cooking, keep the flowers pinched off.
Small varieties of basil will grow very well in a sunny, warm window sill. Make sure the container has good drainage. If you are not using enough of the plant in cooking to keep it compact, pinch off the tips of stems to keep it from growing lanky.
Choosing Varieties
Sweet Basil is the kind most people use for pesto and Italian cooking, These green, large leaved varieties are often listed as Italian or Genovese basil. 'Purple Ruffles', [purple frilly leaves, pink flowers], is also a sweet basil as is 'Rubin',[ bronze-red leaves, purple flowers], but they are both very ornamental. 'Pistou' is an excellent basil for pots, it is a dwarf plant with small leaves. Lemon basil 'Sweet Dani' has large green leaves, white flowers, and a strong lemon flavor. 'Thai Magic' has shining dark green leaves and large magenta flowers. It has a spicy anise-clove flavor and is used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Cinnamon basil has pretty violet colored leaf stems, touches of purple in the leaves, and lovely pink flowers. 'Blue Spice' basil has a slight vanilla undertone to the typical spicy basil flavor, and is very pretty with purple tinged leaves and lavender flowers. Holy basil 'Red and Green' has purple-red and green leaves on the same plant, purple flowers, and smells like a mixture of mint and cloves. 'Oriental Breeze' basil is an ornamental with large, showy purple flowers. There are many other varieties of basil on the market, you may have to buy from a catalog to get the more unusual types.
Harvesting Basil
Just pinch or snip off basil leaves to use fresh. Basil loses much of its taste when dried. You can freeze sprigs of basil in cubes of ice, which taste almost the same as fresh in cooking. Basil leaves can be put in olive oil or vinegar and after several weeks will lend their distinctive taste to the product.
Using Basil
Basil has many culinary uses from flavoring turtle soup to pesto. Basil usually pairs well with tomato dishes. Basil leaves are a spicy addition to salads. In India a milkshake is made from basil seeds. Basil tea is said to help with stomach cramps and gas. The ornamental basils are attractive in mixed borders and in container plantings. The compact basils make a nice border for vegetable or flower beds. In sensory gardens, where scent and taste are featured, basils are perfect choices. Dwarf basils make excellent edible houseplants.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
If there is one herb that every gardener should grow it is basil. Not only is basil an important flavoring for many popular dishes, it's also beautiful enough to fit in any ornamental garden. It's used in the cuisine of many nations, as a part of sacred rituals, and as a medicinal herb. Basil is easy to grow and can even be grown on a window sill.
Basil is one of the oldest cultivated herbs. It is said that basil symbolizes "love washed with tears" and it was often used in burial rituals. Basil is a sacred herb in the Hindu and Greek Orthodox religions. In Greek, basil means "king" and this plant is indeed a king in the garden.
There are over 50 species of basil and many more varieties and hybrids of species. Each species has its own chemical components that give it a unique smell and taste. Most are edible, but some fit different types of cooking better than others. Basil plants are also quite ornamental and plant breeders are working to produce even nicer selections for the flower garden.
Growing basil
Basil can be started from seed in the area it is to grow in zones 8 and above, but for more northern areas it is best to start the seeds inside 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. The soil temperature for germinating seeds should be 70 degrees. Basil doesn't always come true from seed, with wide variation in the way it looks and smells. You may want to purchase plants so you can see and smell the basil before you put it in the garden. Basil also starts easily from cuttings. Almost all basils are annuals and need to be replanted each year.
Basil is extremely vulnerable to damage from cold, so wait until a week or so after the last frost before planting basil outside. Day temperatures should be above 70 and nights above 50 degrees for best results. Basil should be planted in full sun. Basil will grow in a wide variety of soils but it must be a well drained site. You can mix a slow release garden fertilizer in the soil when you are planting, but basil will grow well in most areas without fertilization. The plants like to dry out between watering but should not be allowed to wilt. If you are growing basil for its ornamental appeal you can allow it to flower freely. If you are growing basil only for cooking, keep the flowers pinched off.
Small varieties of basil will grow very well in a sunny, warm window sill. Make sure the container has good drainage. If you are not using enough of the plant in cooking to keep it compact, pinch off the tips of stems to keep it from growing lanky.
Choosing Varieties
Sweet Basil is the kind most people use for pesto and Italian cooking, These green, large leaved varieties are often listed as Italian or Genovese basil. 'Purple Ruffles', [purple frilly leaves, pink flowers], is also a sweet basil as is 'Rubin',[ bronze-red leaves, purple flowers], but they are both very ornamental. 'Pistou' is an excellent basil for pots, it is a dwarf plant with small leaves. Lemon basil 'Sweet Dani' has large green leaves, white flowers, and a strong lemon flavor. 'Thai Magic' has shining dark green leaves and large magenta flowers. It has a spicy anise-clove flavor and is used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Cinnamon basil has pretty violet colored leaf stems, touches of purple in the leaves, and lovely pink flowers. 'Blue Spice' basil has a slight vanilla undertone to the typical spicy basil flavor, and is very pretty with purple tinged leaves and lavender flowers. Holy basil 'Red and Green' has purple-red and green leaves on the same plant, purple flowers, and smells like a mixture of mint and cloves. 'Oriental Breeze' basil is an ornamental with large, showy purple flowers. There are many other varieties of basil on the market, you may have to buy from a catalog to get the more unusual types.
Harvesting Basil
Just pinch or snip off basil leaves to use fresh. Basil loses much of its taste when dried. You can freeze sprigs of basil in cubes of ice, which taste almost the same as fresh in cooking. Basil leaves can be put in olive oil or vinegar and after several weeks will lend their distinctive taste to the product.
Using Basil
Basil has many culinary uses from flavoring turtle soup to pesto. Basil usually pairs well with tomato dishes. Basil leaves are a spicy addition to salads. In India a milkshake is made from basil seeds. Basil tea is said to help with stomach cramps and gas. The ornamental basils are attractive in mixed borders and in container plantings. The compact basils make a nice border for vegetable or flower beds. In sensory gardens, where scent and taste are featured, basils are perfect choices. Dwarf basils make excellent edible houseplants.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
Hey Gardening Granny- I have a question
Should I pee on my plants?
Hey Gardening Granny
A buddy of mine said that if I go out and pee around my garden the smell will keep the raccoons and deer out of my sweet corn? Is that true?
Tommy Joe from West Virginia
Well Tommy, remind me not to eat at your house. Let me ask you this. Did you ever go deer hunting with that buddy? Did you pee in the woods when you were hunting? Did you ever see any deer?
Pee doesn't keep animals out of the garden very long, even if you get fancy and buy that bottled stuff from Mountain lions. And if you are going to pee all over your garden you may as well buy your food from China.
A buddy of mine said that if I go out and pee around my garden the smell will keep the raccoons and deer out of my sweet corn? Is that true?
Tommy Joe from West Virginia
Well Tommy, remind me not to eat at your house. Let me ask you this. Did you ever go deer hunting with that buddy? Did you pee in the woods when you were hunting? Did you ever see any deer?
Pee doesn't keep animals out of the garden very long, even if you get fancy and buy that bottled stuff from Mountain lions. And if you are going to pee all over your garden you may as well buy your food from China.
Tire Taters-( potatoes)
tater tricks that will amaze you
Home grown taters are about as good as it gets. Little baby redskins steamed in a little butter and garlic- yum yum and you can grow them too.
Sprouted potatoes from the store will work or you can buy seed potatoes. If you use large potatoes that have sprouted cut them in several pieces, each piece with a sprout or two and let them dry for a day.
Now here's the fun part. Get some of those old tires found laying in every country ditch. Place several layers of newspaper on the ground in a sunny spot. (The grass should be cut real short or removed first.) Put a tire on them. Place a potato piece inside. Throw a couple inches of soil over the potato piece. Water well.
Some of you may think - gee - tires in the yard are just ugly. Well, get creative and paint them. Bright colors, white, fantastic scenes, cute flowers or maybe green to look like grass.
As the potato piece grows continue to add a little soil, compost, chopped leaves, old straw or other material so that you keep the only the first two sets of leaves above the covering material. Chuck in a handful of slow release garden fertilizer when the tire is half filled.
When you fill up the tire let the potato grow a few inches then add a second tire, stacked on top. Keep filling that tire as the plant grows too. When you see the potato flower it's time to stop adding fill.
Around this time you can look for "preemies", teensy tiny spuds down in your tire fill. Feel around carefully so you don't disturb the roots too much and gently remove a few. The plant will keep growing. Just remove a couple babies from each plant. These are sooo good you probably won't want anything else with supper.
Keep the tire taters well watered. A few weeks after they bloom they will look like they are dying and thats ok. When they are totally dead looking you can knock the tires apart and pick up your taters. Not hard at all!
If you are a really lazy gardener you can just buy several 20 pound or larger bags of potting soil and do this. Lay them on the ground, run the pitch fork through the bag a bunch of times for drainage, flip the bag over and cut a hole in it on top to insert a potato piece or two. Just let them grow and dump out the bag at the end of the season to collect the spuds.
Be careful when using bags that the soil inside doesn't get too wet if you have rainy weather. If it stays soggy for a few days you may have to open the top of the bag more or poke more holes in it.
If the soil in the bags doesn't have plant food added you may want to add a handful of slow release garden fertilizer when you plant.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
Sprouted potatoes from the store will work or you can buy seed potatoes. If you use large potatoes that have sprouted cut them in several pieces, each piece with a sprout or two and let them dry for a day.
Now here's the fun part. Get some of those old tires found laying in every country ditch. Place several layers of newspaper on the ground in a sunny spot. (The grass should be cut real short or removed first.) Put a tire on them. Place a potato piece inside. Throw a couple inches of soil over the potato piece. Water well.
Some of you may think - gee - tires in the yard are just ugly. Well, get creative and paint them. Bright colors, white, fantastic scenes, cute flowers or maybe green to look like grass.
As the potato piece grows continue to add a little soil, compost, chopped leaves, old straw or other material so that you keep the only the first two sets of leaves above the covering material. Chuck in a handful of slow release garden fertilizer when the tire is half filled.
When you fill up the tire let the potato grow a few inches then add a second tire, stacked on top. Keep filling that tire as the plant grows too. When you see the potato flower it's time to stop adding fill.
Around this time you can look for "preemies", teensy tiny spuds down in your tire fill. Feel around carefully so you don't disturb the roots too much and gently remove a few. The plant will keep growing. Just remove a couple babies from each plant. These are sooo good you probably won't want anything else with supper.
Keep the tire taters well watered. A few weeks after they bloom they will look like they are dying and thats ok. When they are totally dead looking you can knock the tires apart and pick up your taters. Not hard at all!
If you are a really lazy gardener you can just buy several 20 pound or larger bags of potting soil and do this. Lay them on the ground, run the pitch fork through the bag a bunch of times for drainage, flip the bag over and cut a hole in it on top to insert a potato piece or two. Just let them grow and dump out the bag at the end of the season to collect the spuds.
Be careful when using bags that the soil inside doesn't get too wet if you have rainy weather. If it stays soggy for a few days you may have to open the top of the bag more or poke more holes in it.
If the soil in the bags doesn't have plant food added you may want to add a handful of slow release garden fertilizer when you plant.
copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
Granny- What's a good way to keep weeds out of my garden?
from Bobby Joe in Linden Mi.
I have one word for you Bobby. Carpet. Yep. Carpet. Now Bobby, you don't go out and buy carpet for the garden. Hardly a day goes by I don't see some carpet thrown out by the road. Pick it up and bring it home. Cut that carpet up and lay it in the rows. If you happened to pick up some pink stuff or some other unholy color just turn it upside down. Carpet smothers weeds and holds moisture in. Keeps your boots clean too. If you want to start a new garden just lay some pieces of carpet down in the area the summer or early fall before you want to plant. You can also make circles of carpet around trees and shrubs so you don't have to weed whack there. If you or your significant other is real fussy you can put a little wood chips or straw on top the carpet. If you take the kind with jute backing and turn it upside down it don't look half bad.
Gardening With Trees and Shrubs
an Introduction
Gardening with Trees and Shrubs
When some people think of gardening they picture billowing flower beds, or tidy rows of vegetables. Experienced gardeners know that trees and shrubs are also part of gardening, and for some people they may be the only plants in the landscape, other than a bit of lawn.
Trees and shrubs are generally easy to care for and they lend architectural strength to garden design. In temperate climates they remain in the garden for winter interest when frost has killed the herbaceous plants. Even trees that shed their leaves have a skeleton that remains, defining the garden.
Value and uses of trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs can provide color from flowers or foliage, fruit and nuts, shade and wind protection. When gardening with trees and shrubs it's possible to have blooms for most of the spring and summer and fruits or colorful fall foliage later in the season, without using any perennial or annual flowers. Evergreen trees provide winter color and even the bark of some trees provides winter interest.
Properly placed and cared for trees and shrubs add value to a home. Home builders always landscape their model homes because they know that a well landscaped home is attractive to buyers. And true gardeners judge other gardens by how well they incorporate trees and shrubs into their design.
Trees that shade the home can save the homeowner a considerable amount of money in cooling bills. The area shaded by large trees is often ten degrees or more cooler than surrounding sunny areas. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide and remove other pollutants from the air. In the winter trees that break the wind reduce heating bills and protect other plants in the landscape.
Choosing trees and shrubs
There are trees and shrubs native to every area of the country, from desert to the artic. A good gardening reference book can describe those trees and shrubs and suggest others that may grow in your gardening zone. Since trees and shrubs are more expensive than perennials, choose them carefully according to your site conditions.
Make sure you consider the adult size of trees and shrubs when making your gardening plans. Most references and plant tags will give you the mature size. There is nothing sadder than trees whose tops have been lopped off because they were planted under power lines or shrubbery which has grown to cover the windows and doors of a home. Trees and shrubs should be planted far enough from a home or other building so that they do not touch it when mature.
Other things to consider when choosing trees and shrubs is whether the plant will have fruit or nuts that will be messy on walks and lawns, or become a problem because they attract insects or birds. No trees or shrubs should be planted over septic tanks or fields or close to water lines, but some trees are more likely to invade water and sewer lines if planted close to them.
The time you have to spend on gardening can also affect the choice of trees and shrubs for your landscape. Some trees and shrubs require frequent trimming and pruning to look their best. Some people enjoy trimming shrubs into exotic designs, and if you like the idea, make sure you choose plants that won't suffer from your efforts.
The most important thing to remember about gardening with trees and shrubs is to choose diversity. A variety of trees and shrubs keeps you from losing your total landscape should an exotic disease or insect invade. And diversity attracts more wildlife to your grounds than just planting one or two species.
Planting trees and shrubs
If you are landscaping a bare lot, start with the trees and shrubs. They are the most expensive, but they also need time to grow. Your other plantings can then be built around these structural points. Use your gardening reference books to get a feel for how fast a plant will grow.
Let's talk about that hole. Dig your planting holes wide, but only as deep as the plants root system so the tree or shrubs sits at the same level it was planted previously. Gardening centers will try to sell you soil amendments such as peat to put in the hole but resist the sale. Current research says it is better to backfill with what you took out of the hole, no matter what type of soil you have. You can fertilize, but mix it with the soil, don't dump it on the bottom.
Trees and shrubs are sold in a variety of ways. Bare root plants have no soil on the roots or are wrapped in damp wood shavings. These are dormant plants and they should be planted in the spring, as soon as you can work the soil and while it is still cool and wet. Plant them as soon as you get them.
Ball and burlapped trees and shrubs have the root systems wrapped in a ball of soil. Some larger plants have a wire cage around the root ball also. These plants can be dormant or growing. They are best planted in the spring or in the fall when it is cooler.
You must remove as much of the burlap and wire as you can after setting the tree or shrub in the planting hole. Modern burlap does not rot fast enough to get a good root system established quickly. It will wick moisture away from the roots, especially if any becomes exposed above ground. Wires may girdle roots or trunks as the plant grows and kill it.
Trees and shrubs that are potted can be planted any time of the year, but make sure they are kept well watered if it is hot. Remove all pots before planting, including those so called degradable pots. They don't break down quickly enough to let the root system support the top growth.
When some people think of gardening they picture billowing flower beds, or tidy rows of vegetables. Experienced gardeners know that trees and shrubs are also part of gardening, and for some people they may be the only plants in the landscape, other than a bit of lawn.
Trees and shrubs are generally easy to care for and they lend architectural strength to garden design. In temperate climates they remain in the garden for winter interest when frost has killed the herbaceous plants. Even trees that shed their leaves have a skeleton that remains, defining the garden.
Value and uses of trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs can provide color from flowers or foliage, fruit and nuts, shade and wind protection. When gardening with trees and shrubs it's possible to have blooms for most of the spring and summer and fruits or colorful fall foliage later in the season, without using any perennial or annual flowers. Evergreen trees provide winter color and even the bark of some trees provides winter interest.
Properly placed and cared for trees and shrubs add value to a home. Home builders always landscape their model homes because they know that a well landscaped home is attractive to buyers. And true gardeners judge other gardens by how well they incorporate trees and shrubs into their design.
Trees that shade the home can save the homeowner a considerable amount of money in cooling bills. The area shaded by large trees is often ten degrees or more cooler than surrounding sunny areas. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide and remove other pollutants from the air. In the winter trees that break the wind reduce heating bills and protect other plants in the landscape.
Choosing trees and shrubs
There are trees and shrubs native to every area of the country, from desert to the artic. A good gardening reference book can describe those trees and shrubs and suggest others that may grow in your gardening zone. Since trees and shrubs are more expensive than perennials, choose them carefully according to your site conditions.
Make sure you consider the adult size of trees and shrubs when making your gardening plans. Most references and plant tags will give you the mature size. There is nothing sadder than trees whose tops have been lopped off because they were planted under power lines or shrubbery which has grown to cover the windows and doors of a home. Trees and shrubs should be planted far enough from a home or other building so that they do not touch it when mature.
Other things to consider when choosing trees and shrubs is whether the plant will have fruit or nuts that will be messy on walks and lawns, or become a problem because they attract insects or birds. No trees or shrubs should be planted over septic tanks or fields or close to water lines, but some trees are more likely to invade water and sewer lines if planted close to them.
The time you have to spend on gardening can also affect the choice of trees and shrubs for your landscape. Some trees and shrubs require frequent trimming and pruning to look their best. Some people enjoy trimming shrubs into exotic designs, and if you like the idea, make sure you choose plants that won't suffer from your efforts.
The most important thing to remember about gardening with trees and shrubs is to choose diversity. A variety of trees and shrubs keeps you from losing your total landscape should an exotic disease or insect invade. And diversity attracts more wildlife to your grounds than just planting one or two species.
Planting trees and shrubs
If you are landscaping a bare lot, start with the trees and shrubs. They are the most expensive, but they also need time to grow. Your other plantings can then be built around these structural points. Use your gardening reference books to get a feel for how fast a plant will grow.
Let's talk about that hole. Dig your planting holes wide, but only as deep as the plants root system so the tree or shrubs sits at the same level it was planted previously. Gardening centers will try to sell you soil amendments such as peat to put in the hole but resist the sale. Current research says it is better to backfill with what you took out of the hole, no matter what type of soil you have. You can fertilize, but mix it with the soil, don't dump it on the bottom.
Trees and shrubs are sold in a variety of ways. Bare root plants have no soil on the roots or are wrapped in damp wood shavings. These are dormant plants and they should be planted in the spring, as soon as you can work the soil and while it is still cool and wet. Plant them as soon as you get them.
Ball and burlapped trees and shrubs have the root systems wrapped in a ball of soil. Some larger plants have a wire cage around the root ball also. These plants can be dormant or growing. They are best planted in the spring or in the fall when it is cooler.
You must remove as much of the burlap and wire as you can after setting the tree or shrub in the planting hole. Modern burlap does not rot fast enough to get a good root system established quickly. It will wick moisture away from the roots, especially if any becomes exposed above ground. Wires may girdle roots or trunks as the plant grows and kill it.
Trees and shrubs that are potted can be planted any time of the year, but make sure they are kept well watered if it is hot. Remove all pots before planting, including those so called degradable pots. They don't break down quickly enough to let the root system support the top growth.
Lovely Lavender
Smells nice!
Lavender is a wonderful plant; its lovely purple flowers and crisp, clean aroma soothe the eye, delight the nose, and calm the spirit. Lavender thrives in hot, dry places where other plants droop and requires little care when established. The silver foliage of most lavenders blends well in the mixed border. No garden should be without lavender.
The Romans used lavender in their bath water and to wash clothing and linins. The Latin name Lavandula means "to wash." In the Middle ages washing ones body with anything was pretty much abandoned, but the use of lavender to scent perfumes and strew about rooms to cover up odors was continued. Even today the use of lavender in perfumes, soaps and other cosmetics continues to be popular. When asked to describe the scent of lavender most people use words like clean, fresh, or pine- like. The different species of Lavender also have a slight difference in smell. The scent of lavender is most heavy from the flowers but the leaves of lavender are also aromatic.
Most lavenders have small, narrow leaves, of a gray green color. Some varieties have wider, toothed leaves and some have feathery, fern-like leaves. There are varieties of lavender that have variegated foliage. The flowers of lavender arise on long stems and consist of whorls of tiny flowers. Spanish Lavender has the typical wand of tiny flowers topped by a wild hairdo of longer flower petals. Flower colors range from deep purple to paler blues and shades of violet, pink and white. The flowers have many scent and nectar glands and are very attractive to bees and butterflies.
Growing Lavender
Lavender is usually propagated by cuttings or layering and gardeners will want to start with plants for most varieties. Determined gardeners can start lavender seed although the germination rate for seeds is low and slow. 'Lady' is the best lavender variety to try growing from seed as it's germination rate is higher and it will bloom the first year from seed.
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean areas, and likes sunny, dry conditions. Wet winters and high summer humidity can cause problems for the plant. Lavender prefers loose, well-drained soil. It does well in soils with low fertility; a soil on the "lean" side produces more flowers and a stronger fragrance. Fertilizing lavender is generally unnecessary. But don't be afraid to try lavender in your garden even if your conditions seem less than ideal. Lavender is tough and adapts to many sites. The site must be well drained, however, as lavender will not grow in soggy soil. You may need to experiment with different varieties of lavender as some do better in some sites than others. There are lavenders that are hardy from zones 5-9 or [zone 10 where it is not too humid]. In zone 5 lavender survives best when it is protected from winter winds, by fences, buildings or other plants. Do not cover Lavender with mulch in winter however, as it tends to rot the plant. Leave plenty of room around lavender plants to increase airflow in the summer.
Although lavender requires little water when established, new plants should receive regular watering. Lavender rarely suffers from disease and has no important insect pests.
Lavender can make a large shrubby bush in ideal climates. It is semi-evergreen, with the leaves persisting through winter. It is hard to tell in the spring what parts were winter killed and pruning should be delayed until new leaves begin sprouting on the branches. Once you can tell what has survived you can make decisions on what needs to be pruned. Prune off dead wood and if you want to shape or shorten lavender, late spring is the time to do it. If your lavender plant has became very dense and woody you may wish to shear off about half of the plant to promote fresh growth. After about 5 years many lavender plants look very straggly and need to be replaced.
You can harvest lavender flowers at any stage, but flowers that are left on the plant should be removed when they have finished blooming. These are still very fragrant and can be used to scent potpourri.
Choosing Varieties
There are three main species of lavender from which most garden varieties were bred.
The species also cross freely, producing many hybrids. Check the zone hardiness of any variety you plan to purchase. Also, if you want fragrance be aware that some varieties produce very little scent. The hardiest varieties are produced from Lavandula angustifolia and include 'Hidcote'- silver foliage, deep purple flowers, 'Hidcote Pink'- a light pink flower, 'Munstead'- blue flowers, very fragrant, 'Provence'- larger leaves, extremely fragrant, 'Twickel Purple'- rosy purple, 'Grosso'- deep purple and heavy in perfume oils, 'Blue Cushion'- blue flowers on a dwarf, rounded plant, 'Goldberg'- leaves edged with gold and deep blue flowers. Other varieties include 'Dusky Maiden'- magenta with purple topknot, 'Snowball'%uF0E4- a compact silver plant covered with white flowers, 'With Love'%uF0E4- a true clear pink, and 'Anouk'- ferny foliage topped with cones of dark purple flowers with lighter topknots.
Using Lavender
In the garden lavender is often used as an edging to walks and patios where brushing against it releases the heavenly scent. It is also good for sunny mixed borders. The dried flowers of lavender are placed in drawers and closets to repel insects and scent the material. The scent of lavender is said to repel flies. Lavender is used in aromatherapy, the scent is calming. Lavender is used to make lemonade and flavor ice cream and sometimes used to flavor pastry and sweets. Lavender oil is used in a wide variety of perfumes, soaps and cosmetic preparations.
This article was first published in Garden and Hearth. Kim Willis - copyright 2007
The Romans used lavender in their bath water and to wash clothing and linins. The Latin name Lavandula means "to wash." In the Middle ages washing ones body with anything was pretty much abandoned, but the use of lavender to scent perfumes and strew about rooms to cover up odors was continued. Even today the use of lavender in perfumes, soaps and other cosmetics continues to be popular. When asked to describe the scent of lavender most people use words like clean, fresh, or pine- like. The different species of Lavender also have a slight difference in smell. The scent of lavender is most heavy from the flowers but the leaves of lavender are also aromatic.
Most lavenders have small, narrow leaves, of a gray green color. Some varieties have wider, toothed leaves and some have feathery, fern-like leaves. There are varieties of lavender that have variegated foliage. The flowers of lavender arise on long stems and consist of whorls of tiny flowers. Spanish Lavender has the typical wand of tiny flowers topped by a wild hairdo of longer flower petals. Flower colors range from deep purple to paler blues and shades of violet, pink and white. The flowers have many scent and nectar glands and are very attractive to bees and butterflies.
Growing Lavender
Lavender is usually propagated by cuttings or layering and gardeners will want to start with plants for most varieties. Determined gardeners can start lavender seed although the germination rate for seeds is low and slow. 'Lady' is the best lavender variety to try growing from seed as it's germination rate is higher and it will bloom the first year from seed.
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean areas, and likes sunny, dry conditions. Wet winters and high summer humidity can cause problems for the plant. Lavender prefers loose, well-drained soil. It does well in soils with low fertility; a soil on the "lean" side produces more flowers and a stronger fragrance. Fertilizing lavender is generally unnecessary. But don't be afraid to try lavender in your garden even if your conditions seem less than ideal. Lavender is tough and adapts to many sites. The site must be well drained, however, as lavender will not grow in soggy soil. You may need to experiment with different varieties of lavender as some do better in some sites than others. There are lavenders that are hardy from zones 5-9 or [zone 10 where it is not too humid]. In zone 5 lavender survives best when it is protected from winter winds, by fences, buildings or other plants. Do not cover Lavender with mulch in winter however, as it tends to rot the plant. Leave plenty of room around lavender plants to increase airflow in the summer.
Although lavender requires little water when established, new plants should receive regular watering. Lavender rarely suffers from disease and has no important insect pests.
Lavender can make a large shrubby bush in ideal climates. It is semi-evergreen, with the leaves persisting through winter. It is hard to tell in the spring what parts were winter killed and pruning should be delayed until new leaves begin sprouting on the branches. Once you can tell what has survived you can make decisions on what needs to be pruned. Prune off dead wood and if you want to shape or shorten lavender, late spring is the time to do it. If your lavender plant has became very dense and woody you may wish to shear off about half of the plant to promote fresh growth. After about 5 years many lavender plants look very straggly and need to be replaced.
You can harvest lavender flowers at any stage, but flowers that are left on the plant should be removed when they have finished blooming. These are still very fragrant and can be used to scent potpourri.
Choosing Varieties
There are three main species of lavender from which most garden varieties were bred.
The species also cross freely, producing many hybrids. Check the zone hardiness of any variety you plan to purchase. Also, if you want fragrance be aware that some varieties produce very little scent. The hardiest varieties are produced from Lavandula angustifolia and include 'Hidcote'- silver foliage, deep purple flowers, 'Hidcote Pink'- a light pink flower, 'Munstead'- blue flowers, very fragrant, 'Provence'- larger leaves, extremely fragrant, 'Twickel Purple'- rosy purple, 'Grosso'- deep purple and heavy in perfume oils, 'Blue Cushion'- blue flowers on a dwarf, rounded plant, 'Goldberg'- leaves edged with gold and deep blue flowers. Other varieties include 'Dusky Maiden'- magenta with purple topknot, 'Snowball'%uF0E4- a compact silver plant covered with white flowers, 'With Love'%uF0E4- a true clear pink, and 'Anouk'- ferny foliage topped with cones of dark purple flowers with lighter topknots.
Using Lavender
In the garden lavender is often used as an edging to walks and patios where brushing against it releases the heavenly scent. It is also good for sunny mixed borders. The dried flowers of lavender are placed in drawers and closets to repel insects and scent the material. The scent of lavender is said to repel flies. Lavender is used in aromatherapy, the scent is calming. Lavender is used to make lemonade and flavor ice cream and sometimes used to flavor pastry and sweets. Lavender oil is used in a wide variety of perfumes, soaps and cosmetic preparations.
This article was first published in Garden and Hearth. Kim Willis - copyright 2007
Granny's Tips on Seed and Nursery Catalogs
Be a wise shopper
Seed and Nursery Catalogs
Good seed and nursery catalogs furnish the Latin name of the plants they sell and also give cultural tips. They also list plant height and width and bloom color and time.
Some catalogs make excellent reference material. For best results, try to order from catalogs that are growing their plants in the same growing zone you are in. Look for catalogs that provide some sort of guarantee, at least a safe shipping guarantee.
Cost Comparison -Seed And Nursery Catalogs
Compare prices in catalogs but make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Check to see if the plant you are comparing is being offered bare root or potted. Bare root plants are generally cheaper than potted ones, but some plants survive shipping better in pots. If potted, what size pot is offered? If the plant offered is sold as a bulb, how big in circumference is it? How many years old are trees and shrubs? Larger, older and better branched plants usually sell for more. Saying a plant is number one size or grade is not very helpful if that nursery determines the grade.
Don't forget to add shipping and handling costs to your price comparison. This can vary widely from nursery to nursery. Don't use the number of free gifts to base your decision on. Most free gifts are junk and not worth very much.
Catalog terms that deceive
Don't think that the term new means that the plant you are looking at in a catalog is actually new in the plant trade. It could be, but usually that term means it is new to that catalog and is often sprinkled liberally throughout the catalog.
Color terms and especially color pictures are often deceptive. There are no true blue roses or daylilies. Many other colors described as blue are also shades of lavender or purple. Peach is often really orange and some white flowers are actually pale yellow.
Fragrant is also a misused term. It can be fragrant and not smell very good!
When looking at close-ups of flowers, check the plant description to see if the size of the flower is mentioned. Some very tiny flowers are shown enlarged in catalogs but in the garden are barely visible.
Ways to Save Money Ordering Plants from Catalogs
The newer the plant is on the market the more it generally costs. If you can wait a few years the price will come down and there will be more information available on the plant's hardiness and growth pattern.
Copyright 2009- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permisssion
Good seed and nursery catalogs furnish the Latin name of the plants they sell and also give cultural tips. They also list plant height and width and bloom color and time.
Some catalogs make excellent reference material. For best results, try to order from catalogs that are growing their plants in the same growing zone you are in. Look for catalogs that provide some sort of guarantee, at least a safe shipping guarantee.
Cost Comparison -Seed And Nursery Catalogs
Compare prices in catalogs but make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Check to see if the plant you are comparing is being offered bare root or potted. Bare root plants are generally cheaper than potted ones, but some plants survive shipping better in pots. If potted, what size pot is offered? If the plant offered is sold as a bulb, how big in circumference is it? How many years old are trees and shrubs? Larger, older and better branched plants usually sell for more. Saying a plant is number one size or grade is not very helpful if that nursery determines the grade.
Don't forget to add shipping and handling costs to your price comparison. This can vary widely from nursery to nursery. Don't use the number of free gifts to base your decision on. Most free gifts are junk and not worth very much.
Catalog terms that deceive
Don't think that the term new means that the plant you are looking at in a catalog is actually new in the plant trade. It could be, but usually that term means it is new to that catalog and is often sprinkled liberally throughout the catalog.
Color terms and especially color pictures are often deceptive. There are no true blue roses or daylilies. Many other colors described as blue are also shades of lavender or purple. Peach is often really orange and some white flowers are actually pale yellow.
Fragrant is also a misused term. It can be fragrant and not smell very good!
When looking at close-ups of flowers, check the plant description to see if the size of the flower is mentioned. Some very tiny flowers are shown enlarged in catalogs but in the garden are barely visible.
Ways to Save Money Ordering Plants from Catalogs
The newer the plant is on the market the more it generally costs. If you can wait a few years the price will come down and there will be more information available on the plant's hardiness and growth pattern.
Copyright 2009- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permisssion
Clean up your nuts
Protect your truck!
Cleaning Up Black Walnuts
Black walnuts leave a huge mess on the lawn when they drop in the fall. They can damage mowers and twist an ankle. You can rake them up but a golf ball collector makes the job more fun. Put your collected nuts in a pail and dump them far from the house for the squirrels. Don't dump them around plants you want as they can inhibit the growth of or kill certain plants. Use gloves when handling black walnuts or your hands will turn a lovely shade of brown. Immediately remove walnuts from cement areas and pickup beds as they can stain those items for good. Make sure you clean the nuts out of your gutters so they don't clog them. Remove nuts and walnut leaves from horse pastures and watering tanks as they leach a substance that can cause horses to colic.
Black walnuts leave a huge mess on the lawn when they drop in the fall. They can damage mowers and twist an ankle. You can rake them up but a golf ball collector makes the job more fun. Put your collected nuts in a pail and dump them far from the house for the squirrels. Don't dump them around plants you want as they can inhibit the growth of or kill certain plants. Use gloves when handling black walnuts or your hands will turn a lovely shade of brown. Immediately remove walnuts from cement areas and pickup beds as they can stain those items for good. Make sure you clean the nuts out of your gutters so they don't clog them. Remove nuts and walnut leaves from horse pastures and watering tanks as they leach a substance that can cause horses to colic.
Use That Old Car
What a way to Recycle
Here's a redneck tip from Gardening Granny. If you have an old car around the place, maybe one your spouse was planning to fix once he got down to the scrap yard and found the right parts, you are in luck. Go out and mow a path to it and see if it still has good windows and could keep the critters out. It should be a car that's sitting in the sun, if there are choices on the property. This old car will dry your herbs and flowers real quick. Just place what you want to dry in brown paper bags and put them inside the car. [If you are messing with an old car make sure the kids can't get in it and lock themselves in. You don't want to dry them.] Check on them every day or so,[the plants], and turn them over or rearrange bundles if needed. If you are real sure the car is still critter proof you can even dry things like sliced apples and other fruits. Now if your spouse sees there is a path to that old car he may remember why he parked it there and get to working on it so you better warn him it may smell a little better than what he's used to.
And hey if the path is still open maybe you can hide those Christmas presents there later!
And hey if the path is still open maybe you can hide those Christmas presents there later!
And If You Can't Use the Whole Car
At Least Use the Tires!
A wonderful way to use old tires. Cut the tire in half. Use a few pieces of wood in an L shape near the top of each cut end to hold soil up higher for planting. You can use screws to hold it in. Then attach eyebolts and chain to hang it. You could also screw the tire to a rail or wall. What Can I do About Squirrels Eating My Flowers?
from Sue Ann in Sparks, Missouri
Squirrels are just nasty little rats with furry tails. They are extemely destructive. But there is one thing squirrels are good for. If you bury one under each tomato plant you will get a bumper crop. It works good for roses too. And the good news is that if you keep fertilizing your plants this way you won't have to worry about squirrels eating your flowers.
What country bumpkins do with pumpkins
Neat tips!
Fall Floral Arrangement with a Pumpkin
A cute and clever fall arrangement can be made by cutting the top off a small pumpkin and hollowing out the center. Find a small container that will fit inside the hollow and hold water. Cutting the tops off two-liter or smaller pop bottles will make a cheap and disposable water holder. Arrange your flowers in the container inside the pumpkin. A gourd can be used for small arrangements, and if orange is wrong for your color scheme you can hollow out a tan or blue squash. Even an apple can be used for a small bouquet. If your pumpkin doesn't sit flat you may need to carve off a small piece on the bottom.
If you want to arrange dry flowers in a pumpkin, simply cut and clean the pumpkin as above. Let the inside air dry for a few hours, then line with a paper bag and fill with dry rice, beans or dried corn. This will hold the stems of your arrangement. After you are tired of it or the pumpkin container begins to mold, the whole arrangement can go into the compost pile.
Roasting Pumpkin Seeds to Eat- Yummy!
Pumpkin seeds make an excellent snack that is tasty and nutritious. Clean the seeds out of one or more pumpkins and try to remove as much of the orange "goop" as possible. Place the seeds in a colander and wash with cold water. Drain and spread the seeds on a foil covered cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly spray the seeds with cooking spray and salt to your taste. Put the cookie sheets in an oven set at 325 degrees and roast for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep checking on them, don't let them get too brown. After roasting they can be stored in sealed containers.
For spicy pumpkin seeds try this recipe. Mix 1 1/2-tablespoon butter, 1/2- teaspoon seasoned salt 1/8-teaspoon garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Worchester sauce in a bowl and toss the seeds in it before roasting. It will coat 2-3 cups of seeds.
Preparing Pumpkin for Pie and Baked Goods.
The best pumpkins for pies and other cooking are the small pie pumpkins sometimes called sugar pumpkins, but any pumpkin will do. Winter squash can also be used for all or part of a recipe. Clean the pumpkins and remove the seeds and pulp. Cut the remaining rind into several chunks. Place the chunks on an oiled cookie sheet, skin side down, and put in a 350-degree oven. Bake for about an hour, until the flesh is tender.
After they have cooled a bit, scrape the flesh off the chunks and discard the skin. The flesh can be hand mashed or run through a blender or mixer to smooth it. Drain off any excess juice. Season to your liking with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. You can use this immediately or freeze in small portions. [Remember that pie filling usually contains milk and eggs also.] A medium sized pumpkin should make enough filling for about two pies.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
A cute and clever fall arrangement can be made by cutting the top off a small pumpkin and hollowing out the center. Find a small container that will fit inside the hollow and hold water. Cutting the tops off two-liter or smaller pop bottles will make a cheap and disposable water holder. Arrange your flowers in the container inside the pumpkin. A gourd can be used for small arrangements, and if orange is wrong for your color scheme you can hollow out a tan or blue squash. Even an apple can be used for a small bouquet. If your pumpkin doesn't sit flat you may need to carve off a small piece on the bottom.
If you want to arrange dry flowers in a pumpkin, simply cut and clean the pumpkin as above. Let the inside air dry for a few hours, then line with a paper bag and fill with dry rice, beans or dried corn. This will hold the stems of your arrangement. After you are tired of it or the pumpkin container begins to mold, the whole arrangement can go into the compost pile.
Roasting Pumpkin Seeds to Eat- Yummy!
Pumpkin seeds make an excellent snack that is tasty and nutritious. Clean the seeds out of one or more pumpkins and try to remove as much of the orange "goop" as possible. Place the seeds in a colander and wash with cold water. Drain and spread the seeds on a foil covered cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly spray the seeds with cooking spray and salt to your taste. Put the cookie sheets in an oven set at 325 degrees and roast for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep checking on them, don't let them get too brown. After roasting they can be stored in sealed containers.
For spicy pumpkin seeds try this recipe. Mix 1 1/2-tablespoon butter, 1/2- teaspoon seasoned salt 1/8-teaspoon garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Worchester sauce in a bowl and toss the seeds in it before roasting. It will coat 2-3 cups of seeds.
Preparing Pumpkin for Pie and Baked Goods.
The best pumpkins for pies and other cooking are the small pie pumpkins sometimes called sugar pumpkins, but any pumpkin will do. Winter squash can also be used for all or part of a recipe. Clean the pumpkins and remove the seeds and pulp. Cut the remaining rind into several chunks. Place the chunks on an oiled cookie sheet, skin side down, and put in a 350-degree oven. Bake for about an hour, until the flesh is tender.
After they have cooled a bit, scrape the flesh off the chunks and discard the skin. The flesh can be hand mashed or run through a blender or mixer to smooth it. Drain off any excess juice. Season to your liking with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. You can use this immediately or freeze in small portions. [Remember that pie filling usually contains milk and eggs also.] A medium sized pumpkin should make enough filling for about two pies.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Gardening Granny, I Got a Skunk Problem
from Jeffrey in Utica, Michigan
Hey Gardening Granny.
This is a true story. There was a skunk under our porch. It smelled a lot. Mom said not to bother it but I thought I could scare it away. So I got my paint gun and I crawled under there and I shot it. And then it shot me. Mom won't let me in the house. What can I do?
Dear Jeffery
HAHa Ha ha ha ha Mom always knows best! If she will let you use the tub half fill it with warm water and add 2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide, 2 large cans of tomato juice and some bubble bath, take your clothes off and get in. Wash your hair with this stuff too. When you are done soak your clothes in the water a couple hours, then rinse them and wash in the washer. Good Luck Stupid Boy.
This is a true story. There was a skunk under our porch. It smelled a lot. Mom said not to bother it but I thought I could scare it away. So I got my paint gun and I crawled under there and I shot it. And then it shot me. Mom won't let me in the house. What can I do?
Dear Jeffery
HAHa Ha ha ha ha Mom always knows best! If she will let you use the tub half fill it with warm water and add 2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide, 2 large cans of tomato juice and some bubble bath, take your clothes off and get in. Wash your hair with this stuff too. When you are done soak your clothes in the water a couple hours, then rinse them and wash in the washer. Good Luck Stupid Boy.
You might be a redneck gardener if.......
or a recycling gardener if redneck offends you
Let's have some fun. Leave your favorite you might be a redneck gardener or recycling gardener quote. Gardening type sayings only please.
No fair leaving redneck comments about marrying your cousin- unless it's in the garden!
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dfroray
Nov 17, 2011 @ 11:17 am | delete
- Hey I have reviewed your squidoo lens and I really liked it. Because of this I went ahead and ?like? you on squidoo. Giving your lens another like.
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Papier Sep 13, 2011 @ 8:46 pm | delete
- Well, now I know where to find all the gardening information I will need when I begin gardening again.
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hysongdesigns
Jun 4, 2011 @ 2:33 pm | delete
- LoL! I happen to be a Redneck Recycling Gardener! Lots of recycled stuff around here; flowers in cooking pots that got holes in the bottom, glass bottles edge my garden beds, etc.! Spent 10 years in east TX, miss the little feed store there; your story reminded me of it. family had about a dozen kids; I could buy 5 gallon buckets of molasses, scoops of seeds, hay, straw, animal medicine, what ever I needed. My current one mostly caters to horse owners, but they are getting better! thanks for a walk down memory lane.
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onlinemba
May 16, 2011 @ 11:54 pm | delete
- Thanks for sharing such useful information to us
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Nov 9, 2010 @ 8:26 pm | delete
- Nice lens! Great information. Your readers might also be interested in smokeless cigarettes and smokeless cigarettes reviews information. Feel free to visit and leave a feedback!
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Citronella
Grow Your Own Mosquito Repellant
The true citronella plant is a perennial grass similar to Lemon Grass, to which it is closely related. It is not the little scented geranium you find in some stores labeled as a "mosquito" plant. They may smell like citronella but are about as close to citronella as the lime scented geranium is to a lime tree. Citronella is a clumping grass that grows 5-6 foot tall, the coarse, grass-like leaves are gray-green and aromatic, and are borne on cane-like stems. Other names for citronella are Nardus or Nard grass.
Growing Citronella
Citronella is generally purchased as a small plant. Make sure you are getting true citronella, [Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus], and not one of the other plants that are sold in catalogs that use terms like citronella scented. If you live in zone 10 and above you can probably grow citronella in the garden. It can be used as you would use other ornamental grasses in mixed borders, or placed in the herb bed. It does not spread by runners . Propagation is done by splitting large clumps into several smaller ones. It is quite tall when mature, and rather coarse looking, so place it in the back of the garden. In the north, citronella can be grown in a large tub and moved inside to a cool, but frost proof place for the winter. Citronella is undemanding in its care. It should be grown in full sun and watered when it gets dry. It does not like to be too wet, so use care when watering potted plants. A little fertilizer high in nitrogen twice a year in the south, and when you move it back outside in the north, will keep citronella growing vigorously.
Using Citronella
The dried or fresh leaves of the citronella plant are treated by steam distillation and yield yellow oil with a pleasant, fresh lemony-green smell. The oil is used in perfume, cosmetics and in herbal preparations. It is used as a stimulant and massage oil. Citronella oil is said to repel cats as well as insects. The oil also has antiseptic properties and is sometimes used to clean countertops and sinks.
You could plant citronella in areas where you sit to repel insects or scatter leaves from the plant around you, but there is no scientific research that shows this works. If you want to use citronella for repelling insects buy pure citronella essential oil from a health food store, green pharmacy or herbalist. Citronella works best as a mosquito repellant when citronella essential oil is mixed with some other carrier oil such as baby oil, olive oil, etc and applied to the skin. You may need to experiment to find the right mix that works for you, but start with a few drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil.
The citronella you find in department stores in big bottles for burning as lamp oil is useless, as are most candles and other scented citronella devices, for repelling mosquitoes. Some of them have little or no actual citronella oil. Research has shown that burning even pure essential oil in candles or lamps does little good as an insect repellant.
Caution
Never apply pure essential citronella oil directly to the skin. It will cause skin irritation. Even diluted oil may irritate sensitive skin. Try it on a small area first. Some people may have allergic reactions when treated skin is exposed to the sun. Citronella plants may also cause skin irritation when handled. Pregnant women should not use citronella oil; there are some reports that it may harm the unborn child. Some people experience an increased heart rate when using citronella oil and should not use it. Do not take citronella oil internally.
Copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
May not be reproduced without permission
Growing Citronella
Citronella is generally purchased as a small plant. Make sure you are getting true citronella, [Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus], and not one of the other plants that are sold in catalogs that use terms like citronella scented. If you live in zone 10 and above you can probably grow citronella in the garden. It can be used as you would use other ornamental grasses in mixed borders, or placed in the herb bed. It does not spread by runners . Propagation is done by splitting large clumps into several smaller ones. It is quite tall when mature, and rather coarse looking, so place it in the back of the garden. In the north, citronella can be grown in a large tub and moved inside to a cool, but frost proof place for the winter. Citronella is undemanding in its care. It should be grown in full sun and watered when it gets dry. It does not like to be too wet, so use care when watering potted plants. A little fertilizer high in nitrogen twice a year in the south, and when you move it back outside in the north, will keep citronella growing vigorously.
Using Citronella
The dried or fresh leaves of the citronella plant are treated by steam distillation and yield yellow oil with a pleasant, fresh lemony-green smell. The oil is used in perfume, cosmetics and in herbal preparations. It is used as a stimulant and massage oil. Citronella oil is said to repel cats as well as insects. The oil also has antiseptic properties and is sometimes used to clean countertops and sinks.
You could plant citronella in areas where you sit to repel insects or scatter leaves from the plant around you, but there is no scientific research that shows this works. If you want to use citronella for repelling insects buy pure citronella essential oil from a health food store, green pharmacy or herbalist. Citronella works best as a mosquito repellant when citronella essential oil is mixed with some other carrier oil such as baby oil, olive oil, etc and applied to the skin. You may need to experiment to find the right mix that works for you, but start with a few drops of essential oil to an ounce of carrier oil.
The citronella you find in department stores in big bottles for burning as lamp oil is useless, as are most candles and other scented citronella devices, for repelling mosquitoes. Some of them have little or no actual citronella oil. Research has shown that burning even pure essential oil in candles or lamps does little good as an insect repellant.
Caution
Never apply pure essential citronella oil directly to the skin. It will cause skin irritation. Even diluted oil may irritate sensitive skin. Try it on a small area first. Some people may have allergic reactions when treated skin is exposed to the sun. Citronella plants may also cause skin irritation when handled. Pregnant women should not use citronella oil; there are some reports that it may harm the unborn child. Some people experience an increased heart rate when using citronella oil and should not use it. Do not take citronella oil internally.
Copyright 2008 - Kim Willis
May not be reproduced without permission
Preparing Roses for Winter
Granny's Tips
Preparing Roses for Winter
Most shrub roses that are grown on their own roots will survive winter without any special attention. They may die back to the ground but return in full glory in the spring.
Tea roses and other grafted roses are another thing entirely, they need some winter protection in cold winter areas.
Do not fertilize roses after August. Stop dead-heading, leaving flowers on the plant to produce hips will help the plant stop blooming and prepare for winter. Clean up all fallen leaves and flower petals around the plants so the debris doesn't harbor disease and pests for next year.
Wait until the ground freezes before covering or mulching roses, unless a sudden severe cold snap[ temps in the teens] is predicted. You can buy Styrofoam rose cones or you can devise your own protection. A large tomato cage set around the rose and filled with mulch will work, as will stakes and a ring of burlap. Use shredded leaves, whole oak leaves, straw, or pine needles as mulch. Some people simply mound soil around the plants. Don't take the soil from around the plants roots though. If you have a tender climbing rose you may want to carefully remove it from it's trellis and lay it on the ground, and then cover the canes with mulch. Never cover roses with plastic or other things that don't provide ventilation.
Winter kill starts at the tip of a branch and works its way down. Don't cut roses back too far in the fall, just enough so that they fit under your cones or other protection. Remove the protection gradually in the spring and be ready to cover quickly if cold weather returns. But don't leave the protection on too long. If the plant is leafing out or temps are in the 70's for more then a day or two it's time to uncover.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Most shrub roses that are grown on their own roots will survive winter without any special attention. They may die back to the ground but return in full glory in the spring.
Tea roses and other grafted roses are another thing entirely, they need some winter protection in cold winter areas.
Do not fertilize roses after August. Stop dead-heading, leaving flowers on the plant to produce hips will help the plant stop blooming and prepare for winter. Clean up all fallen leaves and flower petals around the plants so the debris doesn't harbor disease and pests for next year.
Wait until the ground freezes before covering or mulching roses, unless a sudden severe cold snap[ temps in the teens] is predicted. You can buy Styrofoam rose cones or you can devise your own protection. A large tomato cage set around the rose and filled with mulch will work, as will stakes and a ring of burlap. Use shredded leaves, whole oak leaves, straw, or pine needles as mulch. Some people simply mound soil around the plants. Don't take the soil from around the plants roots though. If you have a tender climbing rose you may want to carefully remove it from it's trellis and lay it on the ground, and then cover the canes with mulch. Never cover roses with plastic or other things that don't provide ventilation.
Winter kill starts at the tip of a branch and works its way down. Don't cut roses back too far in the fall, just enough so that they fit under your cones or other protection. Remove the protection gradually in the spring and be ready to cover quickly if cold weather returns. But don't leave the protection on too long. If the plant is leafing out or temps are in the 70's for more then a day or two it's time to uncover.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Dogs are Just So Darn Cute
My Dogs love cats, they think they taste just like chicken. This cats name is Sex. Hey, I just thought it might increase the site ratings. No cats were hurt in making this module. Creative Container Gardens
Get growing anywhere
Container gardens are extremely popular. Although traditional container gardens have many advantages, creative container gardens spice up your landscape. The containers themselves can be unique or the plants or plant combinations that you put in them can be unusual. In this article we are going to discuss some creative container gardens and container garden supplies.
Advantages of gardening in containers
Some people don't have open ground to grow plants. They are forced to use decks or balconies for gardening. Flowers, vegetables and even fruit can be grown in containers.
Container gardens can be moved from spot to spot to add color or to make the most of seasonal garden conditions. Container gardens can spotlight expensive plants that would be lost in larger gardens. They soften bare expanses of paving or wood.
Some gardeners take container gardens to another level. Container gardens can make a personal statement or they can become beautiful pieces of art to highlight the garden.
Container garden supplies
There are a few container garden supplies that most people will need. First is a good non- soil, planting mixture. Garden soil is just too heavy and full of weeds for containers. A good container garden soil is light weight and holds water. Light weight is good when you are placing many containers on a balcony or trying to move containers.
Most garden shops now sell planting mixtures for containers. They are made of peat, vermiculite and other products but they have no actual soil. If your mixture does not contain fertilizer, (check the label), you will need some slow release fertilizer to add to the planting mix. You will probably want some fertilizer anyway for later in the season.
Some container planting mixes contain a substance that absorbs water and slowly releases it. You can also buy moisture retentive granules to add to container mixes or a variety of devices that hold water and slowly release it.
Other container garden supplies you may want to consider are wheeled trays for large pots, pulleys that can raise and lower hanging pots and watering wands to reach into pots.
Inserts are sold to take up some of the space in large pots so that you don't need as much planting mix and the pots will not be as heavy. You can devise your own lightweight bottom filler with pieces of Styrofoam, empty pop bottles, or crushed aluminum cans.
Creative containers
Beautiful containers for plants are on the market. But the gardener should be on the look out for items that can be turned into beautiful, creative container gardens. Anything you choose, however, should have some way to provide drainage for the plants. If you are unsure of adding soil and plants to a fragile antique item or something that may rot from water, consider using a plain container inside that one as a liner.
An old toilet full of petunias is not very original or attractive. But how about an old pedestal sink with pansies and trailing ivy? Or an old square granite farm sink full of sedums and alpine plants? Old hope chests, old suitcases, and other items in the attic can become original containers.
Line the inside of an old gas grill and fill with hot colored plants. An old wringer washer can be turned into a water garden, water cascading down from the wringers or into a colorful planter with ivy trained up the wringer. Paint it a color that suits your garden.
How about painting old tires vivid colors and stacking them? Or cut them in half, attach the halves to a wall and let plants cascade out of them. How about old rubber boots or cowboy boots for small gardens?
Old farm items can provide a variety of unique containers. An old chicken feeder, wooden pails, buckets, crates, and baskets can all be used as well as the traditional milk cans. Old kettles for boiling syrup or scalding hogs are excellent containers.
Take a walk through the local farm store for ideas. Galvanized animal water troughs are being featured as creative container gardens around the country. They come in many sizes and shapes. They can be used as water gardens or have drainage holes drilled in them for other plants. Large tanks can be used to plant fruit trees or vegetables. If you don't like the metal look, stock tanks now come in several colors of heavy duty plastic.
There are a variety of farm items like flat sided buckets, and chicken or hog feeders, that could be painted or decorated in clever ways. Square clay drain tiles also make good planters.
The plants
Part of a creative container garden is the plants used in it. Make sure that all of the plants you choose for one container have the same needs for water and light. Other than that, use your imagination. The old recipe for a spike, filler and trailer still holds true in most cases, but don't be afraid to experiment. Move the plants around in the container first, before planting them to get the right look. Tropical plants and houseplants can be added to creative container gardens as well as decorative vegetable plants and herbs.
Container plants need to be watered regularly and the plants will need to have fertilizer as they cannot get nutrients they need in a pot. Use slow release fertilizer or weak liquid solutions of fertilizer so roots aren't burnt and salt buildup is minimized. The roots of plants in dark pots sitting on hard surfaces in the sun can get too hot. Use light colored pots to reflect heat and elevate pots a bit off the surface.
In container gardens some plants will need to be pruned or replaced before the season ends. Perennial plants should be removed and planted in the ground or a pot can be sunk in the ground about six weeks before the ground freezes. Few will survive a hard winter in a pot above ground.
The bottom line
Container gardens are fun and help you make the most of available space. Creative container gardens can also be an artistic statement in the garden.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Advantages of gardening in containers
Some people don't have open ground to grow plants. They are forced to use decks or balconies for gardening. Flowers, vegetables and even fruit can be grown in containers.
Container gardens can be moved from spot to spot to add color or to make the most of seasonal garden conditions. Container gardens can spotlight expensive plants that would be lost in larger gardens. They soften bare expanses of paving or wood.
Some gardeners take container gardens to another level. Container gardens can make a personal statement or they can become beautiful pieces of art to highlight the garden.
Container garden supplies
There are a few container garden supplies that most people will need. First is a good non- soil, planting mixture. Garden soil is just too heavy and full of weeds for containers. A good container garden soil is light weight and holds water. Light weight is good when you are placing many containers on a balcony or trying to move containers.
Most garden shops now sell planting mixtures for containers. They are made of peat, vermiculite and other products but they have no actual soil. If your mixture does not contain fertilizer, (check the label), you will need some slow release fertilizer to add to the planting mix. You will probably want some fertilizer anyway for later in the season.
Some container planting mixes contain a substance that absorbs water and slowly releases it. You can also buy moisture retentive granules to add to container mixes or a variety of devices that hold water and slowly release it.
Other container garden supplies you may want to consider are wheeled trays for large pots, pulleys that can raise and lower hanging pots and watering wands to reach into pots.
Inserts are sold to take up some of the space in large pots so that you don't need as much planting mix and the pots will not be as heavy. You can devise your own lightweight bottom filler with pieces of Styrofoam, empty pop bottles, or crushed aluminum cans.
Creative containers
Beautiful containers for plants are on the market. But the gardener should be on the look out for items that can be turned into beautiful, creative container gardens. Anything you choose, however, should have some way to provide drainage for the plants. If you are unsure of adding soil and plants to a fragile antique item or something that may rot from water, consider using a plain container inside that one as a liner.
An old toilet full of petunias is not very original or attractive. But how about an old pedestal sink with pansies and trailing ivy? Or an old square granite farm sink full of sedums and alpine plants? Old hope chests, old suitcases, and other items in the attic can become original containers.
Line the inside of an old gas grill and fill with hot colored plants. An old wringer washer can be turned into a water garden, water cascading down from the wringers or into a colorful planter with ivy trained up the wringer. Paint it a color that suits your garden.
How about painting old tires vivid colors and stacking them? Or cut them in half, attach the halves to a wall and let plants cascade out of them. How about old rubber boots or cowboy boots for small gardens?
Old farm items can provide a variety of unique containers. An old chicken feeder, wooden pails, buckets, crates, and baskets can all be used as well as the traditional milk cans. Old kettles for boiling syrup or scalding hogs are excellent containers.
Take a walk through the local farm store for ideas. Galvanized animal water troughs are being featured as creative container gardens around the country. They come in many sizes and shapes. They can be used as water gardens or have drainage holes drilled in them for other plants. Large tanks can be used to plant fruit trees or vegetables. If you don't like the metal look, stock tanks now come in several colors of heavy duty plastic.
There are a variety of farm items like flat sided buckets, and chicken or hog feeders, that could be painted or decorated in clever ways. Square clay drain tiles also make good planters.
The plants
Part of a creative container garden is the plants used in it. Make sure that all of the plants you choose for one container have the same needs for water and light. Other than that, use your imagination. The old recipe for a spike, filler and trailer still holds true in most cases, but don't be afraid to experiment. Move the plants around in the container first, before planting them to get the right look. Tropical plants and houseplants can be added to creative container gardens as well as decorative vegetable plants and herbs.
Container plants need to be watered regularly and the plants will need to have fertilizer as they cannot get nutrients they need in a pot. Use slow release fertilizer or weak liquid solutions of fertilizer so roots aren't burnt and salt buildup is minimized. The roots of plants in dark pots sitting on hard surfaces in the sun can get too hot. Use light colored pots to reflect heat and elevate pots a bit off the surface.
In container gardens some plants will need to be pruned or replaced before the season ends. Perennial plants should be removed and planted in the ground or a pot can be sunk in the ground about six weeks before the ground freezes. Few will survive a hard winter in a pot above ground.
The bottom line
Container gardens are fun and help you make the most of available space. Creative container gardens can also be an artistic statement in the garden.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Favorite sites for, redneck, blue collar, cheap, recycling, gardeners
and all gardeners who want it all but can't afford it.
Forget about those garden magazines featuring pots that cost $3,000.00 and garden makeovers that only cost 2 million. Let's share sites where practical advice, affordable supplies and garden art, and re-cycling tips are found.
Where Does All That Recycling Stuff Go? - Datepad Internet Dating
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Play free cooking games and online cooking games.w more...1 point
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Play Barbie Cooking Games at Dora Games!Barbie Coo more...1 point
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Essential Coat for men : Trench Coat Men.1 point
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Website that gives tips and tricks on dating older more...1 point
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Fine Gardening
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Good for the birds. Poly lumber feeders are easy t more...0 points
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Poly Tanks, ♣ Buy a Rainwater Tank in Ad more...0 points
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The Indoor-Outdoor Gardener is a Special Article Z more...0 points
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Our roasted pecans are lightly salted and make gre more...0 points
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Start a Lawn Care Business? I would not start a la more...0 points
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Dallas TX lawn care and landscaping services. When more...0 points
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Lawn care marketing, lawn care business marketing, more...0 points
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installingdripirrigation.net this site is all abou more...0 points
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landscaping-business.com includes all information more...0 points
|Sprinkler Repair Las Vegas Nevada
Las Vegas sprinkler repair, lawn irrigation, and s more...0 points
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Panama City landscaping, lawn care service and spr more...0 points
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Sprinkler system repair and irrigation information more...0 points
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lawncarebusinessplan.info includes Lawn care busin more...0 points
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Sprinkler repair Georgetown Texas. Serving Georget more...0 points
Orlando Lawn Service Companies
orlando-lawn-service.com that includes all techniq more...0 points
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Natural Home Mosquito Control Natural and Organic. more...0 points
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Starting a lawn service. Get all the tips and tric more...0 points
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Need an Orlando tree service? Trimming and Cutting more...0 points
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sprinklerrepairdallas.com is all about Dallas spri more...0 points
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Natural mosquito control resources, guides, inform more...0 points
Lawn Mowing Business Success - Proven Lawn Care Business Strategies That Lead To More Profits
Lawn Mowing Business - Get your free lawn mowing b more...0 points
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Let triple AAA game art and design director Mark S more...0 points
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Seagrass is one of the most popular materials to b more...0 points
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Since Burlap Sack is widely used because of flexib more...0 points
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Carpet is one of the most charming furniture of yo more...0 points
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The website provide information about Jute Bags. I more...0 points
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Since the Seagrass products are now very popular, more...0 points
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Fast Growing Trees
Fast Growing Trees
Gardeners are often impatient people. When they think of adding trees to the landscape they want results fast. Some gardeners may choose to plant the largest trees a tree spade can move. This is expensive and the trees may suffer from transplanting when they are large. Other gardeners look for trees that grow fast so they can start with smaller and less expensive trees.
This article discusses trees that grow relatively fast. Remember that different conditions will effect the growth of each tree.
Reasons for planting trees
Trees are highly desirable in most types of landscapes. Some of us want trees just for their majestic beauty and that's reason enough to plant them. Others want trees for shade, for windbreaks or to screen a view. Trees are also a good way to draw and keep wildlife in the yard. Having an idea of what we want from a tree will help us make good choices from all of the species of trees available.
One thing to remember when choosing trees for the home landscape is diversity. Don't plant all of the same type of tree in your yard, even as a hedge or windbreak. If an insect or disease comes along which effects that type of tree you will lose all of your trees. Diversity is also preferred by wildlife.
The right tree in the right place
A fast growing tree in one planting zone or one type of soil may wither and die in another. Even on your own property there may be differences which will make a tree thrive in one spot and languish in another. Examine the area where you want to plant trees for the soil texture, is it clay or sandy? How is the drainage? Is the area sunny or shaded?
You may want to have a soil test done to see what your soil pH is. Some trees prefer acidic soil and others neutral or alkaline soil. Knowing your climate or planting zone will also help you make proper choices.
All trees will grow faster if they were correctly chosen for the area they are planted in and if they are given what they need to grow well. This means watering to get the tree established and in times of drought and the proper fertilization.
Trees need to be protected from damage to their trunks from animals and lawn equipment. Repairing damage uses energy that could go to growth. Don't plant trees too close to homes or fences or under wires which will necessitate frequent pruning, which to the tree is damage.
Fast Growing in most areas
Poplars, including Lombardy poplars, willows, Silver Maples, Red Maples such as 'Autumn Blaze' and 'Summer Red', Thuga Arborvitae, 'Cleveland' or 'Bradford' Pear and Box Elders will adapt to growing in most areas. Some willows and poplars prefer wet areas but many will grow in ordinary garden conditions. Most of these make large trees quickly.
For the East and Midwest
In addition to the trees above Black Walnut, Sycamore, Red Oak, River Birch, Tulip Tree, Zelkova, Ohio Buckeye, Silver Linden, Eastern Cottonwood, Eastern White Pine, Hemlock, and Dawn Redwood could be used.
For the South
Some of the trees above are good and add Water Oak, Leyland or Italian Cypress, Bald Cypress, Sweet Gum, Slash Pine, Catalpa, Paulownia,( Royal Empress tree), Lobolly Pine, Mulberry to the choices.
For the west coast and southwest
Many of the trees listed above will grow and you can add Crepe Myrtle, Cyptomeria, Southern Live Oak, Coastal Redwood, Palestine Live Oak, Fishtail Palm, King Palm and Mimosa.
Cautions
Fast growth in trees often comes with other characteristics that may not be so desirable. Many fast growing trees have short natural lives, (poplars, cottonwoods), have more wind and ice damage, (Box Elder, willows), have messy fruit or nuts or spread rapidly.
Some fast growing trees may even be banned from your state as they are considered invasive pests. If at all possible choose native trees over other varieties. Think about where you are placing each tree. It may be okay to plant a Black Walnut along the property line or in informal areas, but not close to the house with all its mess.
Some fast growing trees have cultivated varieties that are more desirable than the native form. Lombardy Poplars are sturdier and less inclined to wind damage. There are variegated and golden forms of Box Elder. Other trees have added disease resistance or better form in selected varieties.
I have avoided mentioning one species of tree that has many desirable features and is fast growing. That is the Ash tree, in all its species and cultivars. The Emerald Ash Borer, a pest imported from China is rapidly killing Ash trees in Michigan and has spread to many nearby states. It will probably wipe out Ash trees across the country eventually, much like Dutch Elm disease wiped out Elms.
You can treat Ash trees to prevent infestation but it must be done every year. It might be better to spend your time and money on another type of tree.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Gardeners are often impatient people. When they think of adding trees to the landscape they want results fast. Some gardeners may choose to plant the largest trees a tree spade can move. This is expensive and the trees may suffer from transplanting when they are large. Other gardeners look for trees that grow fast so they can start with smaller and less expensive trees.
This article discusses trees that grow relatively fast. Remember that different conditions will effect the growth of each tree.
Reasons for planting trees
Trees are highly desirable in most types of landscapes. Some of us want trees just for their majestic beauty and that's reason enough to plant them. Others want trees for shade, for windbreaks or to screen a view. Trees are also a good way to draw and keep wildlife in the yard. Having an idea of what we want from a tree will help us make good choices from all of the species of trees available.
One thing to remember when choosing trees for the home landscape is diversity. Don't plant all of the same type of tree in your yard, even as a hedge or windbreak. If an insect or disease comes along which effects that type of tree you will lose all of your trees. Diversity is also preferred by wildlife.
The right tree in the right place
A fast growing tree in one planting zone or one type of soil may wither and die in another. Even on your own property there may be differences which will make a tree thrive in one spot and languish in another. Examine the area where you want to plant trees for the soil texture, is it clay or sandy? How is the drainage? Is the area sunny or shaded?
You may want to have a soil test done to see what your soil pH is. Some trees prefer acidic soil and others neutral or alkaline soil. Knowing your climate or planting zone will also help you make proper choices.
All trees will grow faster if they were correctly chosen for the area they are planted in and if they are given what they need to grow well. This means watering to get the tree established and in times of drought and the proper fertilization.
Trees need to be protected from damage to their trunks from animals and lawn equipment. Repairing damage uses energy that could go to growth. Don't plant trees too close to homes or fences or under wires which will necessitate frequent pruning, which to the tree is damage.
Fast Growing in most areas
Poplars, including Lombardy poplars, willows, Silver Maples, Red Maples such as 'Autumn Blaze' and 'Summer Red', Thuga Arborvitae, 'Cleveland' or 'Bradford' Pear and Box Elders will adapt to growing in most areas. Some willows and poplars prefer wet areas but many will grow in ordinary garden conditions. Most of these make large trees quickly.
For the East and Midwest
In addition to the trees above Black Walnut, Sycamore, Red Oak, River Birch, Tulip Tree, Zelkova, Ohio Buckeye, Silver Linden, Eastern Cottonwood, Eastern White Pine, Hemlock, and Dawn Redwood could be used.
For the South
Some of the trees above are good and add Water Oak, Leyland or Italian Cypress, Bald Cypress, Sweet Gum, Slash Pine, Catalpa, Paulownia,( Royal Empress tree), Lobolly Pine, Mulberry to the choices.
For the west coast and southwest
Many of the trees listed above will grow and you can add Crepe Myrtle, Cyptomeria, Southern Live Oak, Coastal Redwood, Palestine Live Oak, Fishtail Palm, King Palm and Mimosa.
Cautions
Fast growth in trees often comes with other characteristics that may not be so desirable. Many fast growing trees have short natural lives, (poplars, cottonwoods), have more wind and ice damage, (Box Elder, willows), have messy fruit or nuts or spread rapidly.
Some fast growing trees may even be banned from your state as they are considered invasive pests. If at all possible choose native trees over other varieties. Think about where you are placing each tree. It may be okay to plant a Black Walnut along the property line or in informal areas, but not close to the house with all its mess.
Some fast growing trees have cultivated varieties that are more desirable than the native form. Lombardy Poplars are sturdier and less inclined to wind damage. There are variegated and golden forms of Box Elder. Other trees have added disease resistance or better form in selected varieties.
I have avoided mentioning one species of tree that has many desirable features and is fast growing. That is the Ash tree, in all its species and cultivars. The Emerald Ash Borer, a pest imported from China is rapidly killing Ash trees in Michigan and has spread to many nearby states. It will probably wipe out Ash trees across the country eventually, much like Dutch Elm disease wiped out Elms.
You can treat Ash trees to prevent infestation but it must be done every year. It might be better to spend your time and money on another type of tree.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Holly
Brighten Your Holiday Landscape
Holly- Brighten Your Holiday Landscape with Holly
One of the plants long associated with winter holidays is Holly. Whether in it's evergreen forms with thick, glossy green leaves or in it's deciduous form with branches outlined in glowing red berries, hollies are wonderful winter accent plants. No matter where you live you can probably grow some form of holly.
There are over 600 species of holly, from many parts of the world. Several species have been widely grown in gardens for hundreds of years. You may think of holly as having thick, dark green, glossy leaves that remain green all winter. Others of you may know a holly that you call Possumhaw or Winterberry, which lose their leaves in the winter to display branches lined with beautiful berries all winter.
Hollies may be widely divided into groups, English Hollies, Ilex aquifolium, American Hollies Ilex opaca, Blue holly, Ilex meservae, Chinese Holly, Ilex cornuta, Japanese Holly, Ilex crenata, PossumHaw, Ilex decidua and Winterberry Holly, Ilex verticillata.
There are other species grown for ornamental use and each of the above species has numerous named varieties. Hollies species are also crossed to provide some ornamental hybrids.
Hollies vary in size from small shrubs to large trees. The shape of the leaves also varies. Many evergreen species have toothed leaves, with a spine at the end of each tooth. Some however, have smooth, nearly oval leaves. Most evergreen Holly leaves are thick and glossy green. There are some variegated varieties. Hollies that drop their leaves in winter generally have long, oval leaves with smooth margins.
All hollies have one interesting feature. Male and female flowers are born on separate plants. To get those beautiful berries you will need at least one male plant for every 10 or so females. Only female plants have berries. Pay attention to catalog descriptions or label information, which tells you what type of male plant you need for each female you buy. Blue hollies are needed to pollinate Blue Hollies and Possumhaws are needed to pollinate Possumhaws and so on. Even within a group some plants will be better mates for each other.
The holly flowers are small and whitish. They have a sweet scent that attracts bees and other insects to do the pollinating. You can tell male flowers if you look inside the flower and see yellow pollen. Female flowers already have a round, green swelling at the base of the pistil that becomes the berry. Holly plants may not flower for several years after planting so it's important to label the males so you will know if a male dies and you need to replace it.
Most holly berries will be red or black, but there are orange, yellow, coral, pink, blue and white berried varieties on the market. Some people are not interested in the berries, only the evergreen foliage and for them there is no need to worry about male and female plants. There are a few varieties of hollies that will produce berries without a male.
Birds like holly berries later in the winter, after they have been frozen several times. This allows you to get a good winter show and still feed the birds. Birds also like to shelter in evergreen hollies during the winter.
Growing Holly
Both deciduous and evergreen hollies prefer slightly acidic soil but can be grown in more alkaline soils with the right fertilizers. They like rich well, drained soil in full sun, although in the south light shade is fine. The Winterberry group will stand damp areas, although it will also do well in average garden conditions. Evergreen hollies like some protection from winter winds, at least while they are young.
The evergreen hollies are slow growing, the deciduous much faster. In the spring both benefit from some acidic fertilizer. Cottonseed meal, pine needle and other acidic organic mulches are good. Keep holly watered during dry spells.
Hollies vary as to hardiness; the Winterberries and American Holly are probably the cold hardiest. Check the zone hardiness of any variety that you buy. Some forms of holly are considered to be invasive, spreading by the berries.
Choosing Varieties
This list will highlight some varieties of each group. In the Winterberry group, [deciduous], 'Berry Heavy' has tons of orange-red berries. 'Winter Red' has bright red berries. 'Red Sprite' is a smaller size with red fruit. 'Winter Gold' has yellow-orange fruit. 'Jim Dandy' is a good male pollinator. In the Possumhaw group, [deciduous], 'Sentry' has a columnar shape and red berries, 'Council Fire' has orange red berries, 'Red Escort' is a good pollinator. In the blue holly group, [evergreen], 'Blue Girl' is well known, 'Blue Princess' has red berries, blue-green foliage, "Castle Spire' is a narrow upright, 'Blue Stallion' is a good pollinator.
In the American hollies [evergreen] 'Canary' has bright yellow berries, 'Carnival' has orange-red fruit and is faster growing, 'David Leach' is a male pollinator. English Hollies, [evergreen], include 'Moonlight' whose evergreen leaves are variegated with golden yellow, 'Pinto' which has leaves splashed with white, 'Pixie' which has small leaves giving it a fine texture, 'Beautyspra'has bright red berries and good foliage for cutting and 'Big Bull' is a good pollinator.
Japanese hollies, [evergreen], are best known for 'Sky Pencil' which has small leaves and a narrow, columnar shape 'Golden Gem' has small golden leaves in a mounding form. Chinese hollies, [evergreen], include 'Berries Jubilee' abundant bright red berries, dome shaped shrub and 'O.Spring' which is a compact bush with gray-green foliage that has yellow margins.
Using Holly
Holly is used as a traditional decoration for Christmas, said to bring good luck to the household. American and English holly make excellent landscape trees. Blue hollies and others are used as landscape shrubs and specimen plants. English Hollies are often trimmed into hedges. The deciduous hollies are excellent as shrubs for winter color and for naturalizing. Winterberries will grow in wetter areas such as rain gardens and pond side plantings. Hollies are deer resistant.
Cautions-
All parts of holly are mildly poisonous and will cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
One of the plants long associated with winter holidays is Holly. Whether in it's evergreen forms with thick, glossy green leaves or in it's deciduous form with branches outlined in glowing red berries, hollies are wonderful winter accent plants. No matter where you live you can probably grow some form of holly.
There are over 600 species of holly, from many parts of the world. Several species have been widely grown in gardens for hundreds of years. You may think of holly as having thick, dark green, glossy leaves that remain green all winter. Others of you may know a holly that you call Possumhaw or Winterberry, which lose their leaves in the winter to display branches lined with beautiful berries all winter.
Hollies may be widely divided into groups, English Hollies, Ilex aquifolium, American Hollies Ilex opaca, Blue holly, Ilex meservae, Chinese Holly, Ilex cornuta, Japanese Holly, Ilex crenata, PossumHaw, Ilex decidua and Winterberry Holly, Ilex verticillata.
There are other species grown for ornamental use and each of the above species has numerous named varieties. Hollies species are also crossed to provide some ornamental hybrids.
Hollies vary in size from small shrubs to large trees. The shape of the leaves also varies. Many evergreen species have toothed leaves, with a spine at the end of each tooth. Some however, have smooth, nearly oval leaves. Most evergreen Holly leaves are thick and glossy green. There are some variegated varieties. Hollies that drop their leaves in winter generally have long, oval leaves with smooth margins.
All hollies have one interesting feature. Male and female flowers are born on separate plants. To get those beautiful berries you will need at least one male plant for every 10 or so females. Only female plants have berries. Pay attention to catalog descriptions or label information, which tells you what type of male plant you need for each female you buy. Blue hollies are needed to pollinate Blue Hollies and Possumhaws are needed to pollinate Possumhaws and so on. Even within a group some plants will be better mates for each other.
The holly flowers are small and whitish. They have a sweet scent that attracts bees and other insects to do the pollinating. You can tell male flowers if you look inside the flower and see yellow pollen. Female flowers already have a round, green swelling at the base of the pistil that becomes the berry. Holly plants may not flower for several years after planting so it's important to label the males so you will know if a male dies and you need to replace it.
Most holly berries will be red or black, but there are orange, yellow, coral, pink, blue and white berried varieties on the market. Some people are not interested in the berries, only the evergreen foliage and for them there is no need to worry about male and female plants. There are a few varieties of hollies that will produce berries without a male.
Birds like holly berries later in the winter, after they have been frozen several times. This allows you to get a good winter show and still feed the birds. Birds also like to shelter in evergreen hollies during the winter.
Growing Holly
Both deciduous and evergreen hollies prefer slightly acidic soil but can be grown in more alkaline soils with the right fertilizers. They like rich well, drained soil in full sun, although in the south light shade is fine. The Winterberry group will stand damp areas, although it will also do well in average garden conditions. Evergreen hollies like some protection from winter winds, at least while they are young.
The evergreen hollies are slow growing, the deciduous much faster. In the spring both benefit from some acidic fertilizer. Cottonseed meal, pine needle and other acidic organic mulches are good. Keep holly watered during dry spells.
Hollies vary as to hardiness; the Winterberries and American Holly are probably the cold hardiest. Check the zone hardiness of any variety that you buy. Some forms of holly are considered to be invasive, spreading by the berries.
Choosing Varieties
This list will highlight some varieties of each group. In the Winterberry group, [deciduous], 'Berry Heavy' has tons of orange-red berries. 'Winter Red' has bright red berries. 'Red Sprite' is a smaller size with red fruit. 'Winter Gold' has yellow-orange fruit. 'Jim Dandy' is a good male pollinator. In the Possumhaw group, [deciduous], 'Sentry' has a columnar shape and red berries, 'Council Fire' has orange red berries, 'Red Escort' is a good pollinator. In the blue holly group, [evergreen], 'Blue Girl' is well known, 'Blue Princess' has red berries, blue-green foliage, "Castle Spire' is a narrow upright, 'Blue Stallion' is a good pollinator.
In the American hollies [evergreen] 'Canary' has bright yellow berries, 'Carnival' has orange-red fruit and is faster growing, 'David Leach' is a male pollinator. English Hollies, [evergreen], include 'Moonlight' whose evergreen leaves are variegated with golden yellow, 'Pinto' which has leaves splashed with white, 'Pixie' which has small leaves giving it a fine texture, 'Beautyspra'has bright red berries and good foliage for cutting and 'Big Bull' is a good pollinator.
Japanese hollies, [evergreen], are best known for 'Sky Pencil' which has small leaves and a narrow, columnar shape 'Golden Gem' has small golden leaves in a mounding form. Chinese hollies, [evergreen], include 'Berries Jubilee' abundant bright red berries, dome shaped shrub and 'O.Spring' which is a compact bush with gray-green foliage that has yellow margins.
Using Holly
Holly is used as a traditional decoration for Christmas, said to bring good luck to the household. American and English holly make excellent landscape trees. Blue hollies and others are used as landscape shrubs and specimen plants. English Hollies are often trimmed into hedges. The deciduous hollies are excellent as shrubs for winter color and for naturalizing. Winterberries will grow in wetter areas such as rain gardens and pond side plantings. Hollies are deer resistant.
Cautions-
All parts of holly are mildly poisonous and will cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
may not be used without permission
Apples
Growing Apples in the Home Garden
Growing Apples in the Home Garden
Apples are one of Americans favorite fruits. Many homeowners would like to grow their own supply of apples. New apple varieties on the market make it possible for almost any homeowner to grow delicious apples.
While apple trees will grow happily across the United States, it is not quite as easy to get good fruit. Apple trees need a certain number of chilling days, days where the temperature is below 45 degrees, to set flowers, and a long enough season to ripen the fruit. Those in planting zones 4-8 have thousands of varieties to choose from but those in warmer and colder regions have a much more limited selection.
Apples have another trait that makes fruit production tricky. They do not pollinate themselves and even a tree of the same type, such as two Red Delicious apples, will not pollinate each other. If they don't get pollinated you don't get fruit. Apple trees depend on bees to move pollen from a tree not closely related to them and that blooms at the same time, to their flowers. All types of apples do not make good matches for each other.
Sometimes a crabapple or wild apple tree nearby can furnish the necessary pollen but homeowners should expect to plant at least two apple trees if they want fruit. The fruit of the apple is not affected by the tree that pollinates it. Granny Smith apples will look and taste like Granny Smith apples, even though they are pollinated by a Red Delicious.
Selecting Varieties
So how do you select apple varieties that can pollinate each other and that will fruit in your climate? Nurseries that sell apple trees in your area will probably sell ones that will grow well in your area. A better selection and more information can be found in good mail order catalogs. Your county Extension office can also advise you on varieties that are right for your area.
In zones 4-8 the Golden Delicious apple is usually a good pollinator for most other types of trees. They are also somewhat self-pollinating, they may set some fruit if no other apple trees are close. In very cold regions Honeycrisp%u2122 and Honeygold will grow and pollinate each other. Zestar® and UltraMac%u2122 are two other choices.
In climate zones 8 and above, some good apple varieties are Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet. In zones 4-8 there are hundreds of apples varieties to choose from. If you are a homeowner who would like to avoid the use of chemical sprays some pest and disease resistant include Enterprise, GoldRush, JonaFree, Liberty and Pristine.
Tree Size
Homeowners can get apple trees in three sizes, standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf. Unless your space is very limited homeowners should choose semi-dwarf trees. Semi-dwarf trees are still small enough to take care of easily and still produce a decent fruit crop. Semi-dwarf trees grow to about 12-15 feet high and need to be spaced about 10 foot apart.
They bear fruit faster than standard trees which grow 20 feet or more and need to be spaced 15-20 foot apart.
Dwarf trees usually grow to about 8 feet, but are fragile when loaded with fruit and often need to be staked. The amount of fruit they give is less than other trees. They can be trained to grow on a trellis or along a wall or fence where space is very limited, but fruit production will be low.
Starting Your Orchard
Apples can be started from seed but because of their pollination habits they do not come true from seed. Seed grown plants take a long time to produce their first set of fruit- up to ten years- and then the fruit may not be very good. Gardeners should start with grafted trees that are a year or two old.
Pieces of desirable apple trees are grafted onto apple root stocks, which are specially grown for hardiness and vigor. They also control the size of the tree. A healthy one or two year old tree is preferable for planting. These will bear fruit in 2-3 years if they are a semi-dwarf variety. They may look like a slender twig but will transplant better than older, heavier plants.
Apple trees transplant well when they are dormant and are often sold bare-root in the spring. They can be planted as soon as the ground is unfrozen. Potted apple trees are also sold. They can be planted at any time as long as you keep them well watered.
Apple trees need to be planted in full sun, in a well drained area. If water stands in an area after a rain it is not a good place for apple trees. They will grow in a wide range of soil types but of course loose fertile soil with lots of organic matter would suit them best.
Apple trees will need to be watered in dry climates or during droughts.
Do not plant apple trees in low areas, where a late frost is more likely to injure flowers. You don't want the trees too close to the house because they will need to be sprayed and fallen apples can be quite messy at times and attract insects. But if you live in areas where deer are a problem you will want to keep your apple trees fairly close to the house and away from natural hiding places such as tree lines.
The Actual Planting
Dig the hole for your tree wide, but just deep enough to set the roots at the level they were growing before. The graft union, which appears like a small scar on the trunk should be above ground. Back fill the hole with the soil you took out of it, do not add peat or other things. Do not add fertilizer to the hole.
After you have backfilled the hole, water well to settle the soil. Take off any strings or wires that are left on the tree. Do not stake it unless it is a dwarf tree. Don't prune it or cut it back as older books may suggest, but trim off any broken branches. You may sprinkle about a half pound of fertilizer for fruit trees or a general slow release 5-10-10 fertilizer around the trunk in a circle and water it in.
All newly planted fruit trees should have the trunks protected with a ring of small mesh wire or plastic spiral trunk protectors. Remove a two foot area of grass from around the tree and mulch with 2-3 inches of organic mulch, but do not let the mulch touch the tree trunk.
Continued Care of Apple Trees
If you want fruit like you get in a store you will need to follow a fruit tree spray schedule. Different areas have slightly different pest and disease problems so consult with your county Extension agent for the best spray schedule for your area. At the minimum you will need a dormant oil spray in late winter and several insecticide and fungicide sprays during the summer months spaced a few weeks apart. Begin the spray schedule in the second year after planting.
There are organic ways to deal with apple pests. Start with disease resistant trees. Dormant oil sprays are used in late winter and then after the fruit begins to develop there are spray-on clay products that can form a barrier around the fruit. You must also keep all fallen fruit and leaves picked up and disposed of far away from the trees. There are sticky traps that you can hang in the trees for some pests. These will not prevent all disease and insect damages and you should be willing to eat less than perfect fruit.
Fertilize your apple tree each spring as the leaf buds green up by using a fruit tree fertilizer as the label directs or sprinkling a half pound of 5-10-10 around the tree. Water trees if there are long periods of drought, especially the first few years after they are planted.
Apple trees need to be pruned and shaped for best fruit production but that will be covered in another article.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Apples are one of Americans favorite fruits. Many homeowners would like to grow their own supply of apples. New apple varieties on the market make it possible for almost any homeowner to grow delicious apples.
While apple trees will grow happily across the United States, it is not quite as easy to get good fruit. Apple trees need a certain number of chilling days, days where the temperature is below 45 degrees, to set flowers, and a long enough season to ripen the fruit. Those in planting zones 4-8 have thousands of varieties to choose from but those in warmer and colder regions have a much more limited selection.
Apples have another trait that makes fruit production tricky. They do not pollinate themselves and even a tree of the same type, such as two Red Delicious apples, will not pollinate each other. If they don't get pollinated you don't get fruit. Apple trees depend on bees to move pollen from a tree not closely related to them and that blooms at the same time, to their flowers. All types of apples do not make good matches for each other.
Sometimes a crabapple or wild apple tree nearby can furnish the necessary pollen but homeowners should expect to plant at least two apple trees if they want fruit. The fruit of the apple is not affected by the tree that pollinates it. Granny Smith apples will look and taste like Granny Smith apples, even though they are pollinated by a Red Delicious.
Selecting Varieties
So how do you select apple varieties that can pollinate each other and that will fruit in your climate? Nurseries that sell apple trees in your area will probably sell ones that will grow well in your area. A better selection and more information can be found in good mail order catalogs. Your county Extension office can also advise you on varieties that are right for your area.
In zones 4-8 the Golden Delicious apple is usually a good pollinator for most other types of trees. They are also somewhat self-pollinating, they may set some fruit if no other apple trees are close. In very cold regions Honeycrisp%u2122 and Honeygold will grow and pollinate each other. Zestar® and UltraMac%u2122 are two other choices.
In climate zones 8 and above, some good apple varieties are Anna, Dorsett Golden and Tropic Sweet. In zones 4-8 there are hundreds of apples varieties to choose from. If you are a homeowner who would like to avoid the use of chemical sprays some pest and disease resistant include Enterprise, GoldRush, JonaFree, Liberty and Pristine.
Tree Size
Homeowners can get apple trees in three sizes, standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf. Unless your space is very limited homeowners should choose semi-dwarf trees. Semi-dwarf trees are still small enough to take care of easily and still produce a decent fruit crop. Semi-dwarf trees grow to about 12-15 feet high and need to be spaced about 10 foot apart.
They bear fruit faster than standard trees which grow 20 feet or more and need to be spaced 15-20 foot apart.
Dwarf trees usually grow to about 8 feet, but are fragile when loaded with fruit and often need to be staked. The amount of fruit they give is less than other trees. They can be trained to grow on a trellis or along a wall or fence where space is very limited, but fruit production will be low.
Starting Your Orchard
Apples can be started from seed but because of their pollination habits they do not come true from seed. Seed grown plants take a long time to produce their first set of fruit- up to ten years- and then the fruit may not be very good. Gardeners should start with grafted trees that are a year or two old.
Pieces of desirable apple trees are grafted onto apple root stocks, which are specially grown for hardiness and vigor. They also control the size of the tree. A healthy one or two year old tree is preferable for planting. These will bear fruit in 2-3 years if they are a semi-dwarf variety. They may look like a slender twig but will transplant better than older, heavier plants.
Apple trees transplant well when they are dormant and are often sold bare-root in the spring. They can be planted as soon as the ground is unfrozen. Potted apple trees are also sold. They can be planted at any time as long as you keep them well watered.
Apple trees need to be planted in full sun, in a well drained area. If water stands in an area after a rain it is not a good place for apple trees. They will grow in a wide range of soil types but of course loose fertile soil with lots of organic matter would suit them best.
Apple trees will need to be watered in dry climates or during droughts.
Do not plant apple trees in low areas, where a late frost is more likely to injure flowers. You don't want the trees too close to the house because they will need to be sprayed and fallen apples can be quite messy at times and attract insects. But if you live in areas where deer are a problem you will want to keep your apple trees fairly close to the house and away from natural hiding places such as tree lines.
The Actual Planting
Dig the hole for your tree wide, but just deep enough to set the roots at the level they were growing before. The graft union, which appears like a small scar on the trunk should be above ground. Back fill the hole with the soil you took out of it, do not add peat or other things. Do not add fertilizer to the hole.
After you have backfilled the hole, water well to settle the soil. Take off any strings or wires that are left on the tree. Do not stake it unless it is a dwarf tree. Don't prune it or cut it back as older books may suggest, but trim off any broken branches. You may sprinkle about a half pound of fertilizer for fruit trees or a general slow release 5-10-10 fertilizer around the trunk in a circle and water it in.
All newly planted fruit trees should have the trunks protected with a ring of small mesh wire or plastic spiral trunk protectors. Remove a two foot area of grass from around the tree and mulch with 2-3 inches of organic mulch, but do not let the mulch touch the tree trunk.
Continued Care of Apple Trees
If you want fruit like you get in a store you will need to follow a fruit tree spray schedule. Different areas have slightly different pest and disease problems so consult with your county Extension agent for the best spray schedule for your area. At the minimum you will need a dormant oil spray in late winter and several insecticide and fungicide sprays during the summer months spaced a few weeks apart. Begin the spray schedule in the second year after planting.
There are organic ways to deal with apple pests. Start with disease resistant trees. Dormant oil sprays are used in late winter and then after the fruit begins to develop there are spray-on clay products that can form a barrier around the fruit. You must also keep all fallen fruit and leaves picked up and disposed of far away from the trees. There are sticky traps that you can hang in the trees for some pests. These will not prevent all disease and insect damages and you should be willing to eat less than perfect fruit.
Fertilize your apple tree each spring as the leaf buds green up by using a fruit tree fertilizer as the label directs or sprinkling a half pound of 5-10-10 around the tree. Water trees if there are long periods of drought, especially the first few years after they are planted.
Apple trees need to be pruned and shaped for best fruit production but that will be covered in another article.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Mistletoe
Stael a Kiss, Strangle a Tree
Mistletoe - Steal a Kiss, Strangle a Tree
Mistletoe is not a plant most gardeners would want to grow. However it figures prominently in American and European holiday decorating and has some fascinating history. Mistletoe is presently either collected from the wild or semi-cultivated for seasonal use. Mistletoe is best known today for the Christmas tradition of allowing lovers and strangers to kiss without censor if they are standing under a clump of it.
The common Mistletoe of Christmas decorations grows wild throughout Europe and parts of North America. There are related species that grow in South Africa and Australia. Most mistletoes prefer deciduous trees, [those that lose their leaves in the winter], but a few species such as Dwarf Mistletoe, will grow on pines and other conifers.
Mistletoe is a true parasitic plant. When a seed from a mistletoe plant, usually deposited in a bit of fertilizer from a bird, or wiped off a bird's beak, lands on the trunk of a tree it begins to grow. The seeds germinate best on soft barked trees; they are quite sticky even when birds don't deposit them. A wide range of host species is used. Some trees such as apple and ash trees seem to be attacked more frequently and others, like Bradford Pear and Ginko are seldom attacked.
Mistletoe sticks a root into the cambium layer of a tree and gets its water and minerals from the tree. The plants thick, shiny green leaves are oval shaped and they do provide some food for the plant, particularly in winter, when the host tree goes dormant. Mistletoe eventually makes a bushy plant, 3-5 foot in diameter hanging from the host tree.
Mistletoe has small whitish flowers that turn into waxy white berries in early winter. The berries hang in clusters at the branch ends. These fruited branch ends are what is collected for Christmas decorations. Mistletoe branches become thick and woody over time and place a considerable burden on the host tree.
The evergreen mistletoe is quite obvious when the trees have lost their leaves in winter.
It greatly weakens its host and often kills it. If a gardener finds mistletoe in a landscape tree it should be cut out. Remove the whole limb if possible. If not, cut the mistletoe stems back to the host trunk and cover the cut area with black plastic. Mistletoe may grow back from the root for several years after being cut out.
Still, mistletoe has it's place in nature, many birds feed on the berries and take shelter or build nests in it's bushy mass. Northern Spotted Owls often roost in clumps of mistletoe.
Hairstreak butterfly larvae feed on mistletoe. Mistletoe was the state flower of Oklahoma until 2004.
Mistletoe has a long association with magical or religious rites and herbal medicines.
The druids were said to cut mistletoe from oak trees and bring it inside to bring good luck to the New Year. Mistletoe is never supposed to touch the ground or it will bring bad luck.
Medicinal uses of mistletoe centered on curing nervous disorders, it is often cited as a cure for epilepsy. In Europe mistletoe is currently being studied and used as a cure for some cancers and for respiratory problems.
Another old use for mistletoe was to cure sterility and perhaps that is where the custom of kissing under the mistletoe came about. Good luck and fertility are associated with it. Mistletoe ripens its berries at the time of the winter solstice, when most other things are barren. If a man and woman meet under a hanging clump of mistletoe they are supposed to kiss and then pluck a berry from the cluster. When the berries are gone, the mistletoe is no longer of value.
Be careful with those plucked berries and any mistletoe you bring into the house. Mistletoe berries are poisonous and can cause convulsions in children and pets. Even the foliage is toxic and should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Mistletoe is not a plant most gardeners would want to grow. However it figures prominently in American and European holiday decorating and has some fascinating history. Mistletoe is presently either collected from the wild or semi-cultivated for seasonal use. Mistletoe is best known today for the Christmas tradition of allowing lovers and strangers to kiss without censor if they are standing under a clump of it.
The common Mistletoe of Christmas decorations grows wild throughout Europe and parts of North America. There are related species that grow in South Africa and Australia. Most mistletoes prefer deciduous trees, [those that lose their leaves in the winter], but a few species such as Dwarf Mistletoe, will grow on pines and other conifers.
Mistletoe is a true parasitic plant. When a seed from a mistletoe plant, usually deposited in a bit of fertilizer from a bird, or wiped off a bird's beak, lands on the trunk of a tree it begins to grow. The seeds germinate best on soft barked trees; they are quite sticky even when birds don't deposit them. A wide range of host species is used. Some trees such as apple and ash trees seem to be attacked more frequently and others, like Bradford Pear and Ginko are seldom attacked.
Mistletoe sticks a root into the cambium layer of a tree and gets its water and minerals from the tree. The plants thick, shiny green leaves are oval shaped and they do provide some food for the plant, particularly in winter, when the host tree goes dormant. Mistletoe eventually makes a bushy plant, 3-5 foot in diameter hanging from the host tree.
Mistletoe has small whitish flowers that turn into waxy white berries in early winter. The berries hang in clusters at the branch ends. These fruited branch ends are what is collected for Christmas decorations. Mistletoe branches become thick and woody over time and place a considerable burden on the host tree.
The evergreen mistletoe is quite obvious when the trees have lost their leaves in winter.
It greatly weakens its host and often kills it. If a gardener finds mistletoe in a landscape tree it should be cut out. Remove the whole limb if possible. If not, cut the mistletoe stems back to the host trunk and cover the cut area with black plastic. Mistletoe may grow back from the root for several years after being cut out.
Still, mistletoe has it's place in nature, many birds feed on the berries and take shelter or build nests in it's bushy mass. Northern Spotted Owls often roost in clumps of mistletoe.
Hairstreak butterfly larvae feed on mistletoe. Mistletoe was the state flower of Oklahoma until 2004.
Mistletoe has a long association with magical or religious rites and herbal medicines.
The druids were said to cut mistletoe from oak trees and bring it inside to bring good luck to the New Year. Mistletoe is never supposed to touch the ground or it will bring bad luck.
Medicinal uses of mistletoe centered on curing nervous disorders, it is often cited as a cure for epilepsy. In Europe mistletoe is currently being studied and used as a cure for some cancers and for respiratory problems.
Another old use for mistletoe was to cure sterility and perhaps that is where the custom of kissing under the mistletoe came about. Good luck and fertility are associated with it. Mistletoe ripens its berries at the time of the winter solstice, when most other things are barren. If a man and woman meet under a hanging clump of mistletoe they are supposed to kiss and then pluck a berry from the cluster. When the berries are gone, the mistletoe is no longer of value.
Be careful with those plucked berries and any mistletoe you bring into the house. Mistletoe berries are poisonous and can cause convulsions in children and pets. Even the foliage is toxic and should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
Christmas Cactus
and Other Confusing Holiday Cactus
Christmas Cactus and Other Confusing Holiday Cactus
The Christmas Cactus is a plant with a long life, even if sometimes neglected. They brighten the winter with their cheerful blossoms and give plant lovers something to mull over- is it a Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter Cactus?
This family of cacti doesn't come from the hot desert. They come from the cool mountain rainforests in Brazil. They don't grow in soil but in pockets of humus rich debris in the crotches of trees and cracks of rocks. They usually have a spreading, drooping habit.
Christmas cacti have been in cultivation a long time. The plants being sold today are clones of several crosses of two species, Schlumbergera bridgesii, [or Schlumbergera russelliana], and Schlumbergera truncate that were developed in the 1800's. Typically they are given the names Thanksgiving cactus or Christmas cactus by the time of year they bloom. There are some slight differences in leaf shape in the different clones.
To add to the confusion Christmas Cacti bloom can be manipulated fairly easily by growers and the different varieties may be in bloom at the same time or even delayed until later in the spring, when they can be sold in place of the true Easter Cacti. Some varieties also bloom sporadically all winter.
The Easter Cactus belongs to another species entirely, Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri. It comes from the same general area as the other Holiday Cacti and requires just about the same care. It usually blooms in April.
The holiday cacti all have leaves that are thick and fleshy and occur in segments linked together. They are dark green. The base of the plant may turn woody as it ages. The earliest blooming Cacti have segments that have points at the top and a jagged side; the later blooming cacti tend to have more rounded tops and smoother sides, although this is very variable. Easter Cacti have more rounded segments.
The Christmas- Thanksgiving Cacti produce buds at the end of a segmented stem. The buds take several weeks to grow from tiny bumps to long, beautiful flowers. Each flower is tubular, with satin-like petals folded back along the tube in layers. These varieties now come in traditional red along with pink, white, orange, yellow and lavender.
The Easter Cactus produces buds at the ends of stems and along the stem at other segments. The flowers of the Easter cactus are rounder, and more like a daisy than a tube. There are several shades of red, pink and mauve.
Growing Holiday Cacti.
The rainforest cacti are grown by rooting one of the leaf segments. The leaf segments will root easily when stuck in damp vermiculite or gravel. Most gardeners will buy or be given potted plants, usually in bloom. Take the foil off the pot and place it in a bright, sunny window. Make sure the pot has drainage holes. There is no need to rush to re-pot the plant as most Holiday cacti actually prefer to be root bound.
Plants found in stores are usually only labeled by color not by variety name. It is possible to find named varieties in catalogs and at better garden stores.
Your Christmas Cactus will bloom longer if your house is on the cool side, especially at night. Temperatures below 50 degrees or drafts may cause the plant to drop its buds. These plants need to be watered when the top of the soil feels dry, but don't over water.
Constantly wet soil will cause root rot. When not blooming, the cacti will survive longer without water, but if the stems feel limp and flat you need to water.
To get your Christmas or other holiday plant to bloom again it needs a summer vacation. After all danger of frost has passed put it outside in its pot in a shady location in the south, partly or lightly shaded in the North. If the light is too bright the cacti will either turn reddish or bleach out. Make sure the plant will not sit in water when it rains. Bring the plant back in before frost.
The Thanksgiving or Christmas cacti need lengthening nights and cool temperatures at night to form buds. Keep the plant in a cool room with bright light and no drafts for best results. The trip outside will generally have allowed enough naturally shortening daylight to start buds forming. Easter Cacti begin blooming as the days start to get longer.
If you cannot put your plant outside for the summer, move it to a window where the sunlight is not too hot and strong in the summer. By late summer it should be getting cooler nights, about 55 degrees, and the same amount of light that is outside. You may want to cover it when it is dark outside or move it to a closet. Sometimes just the cooler nights will start buds forming. Once the buds have formed they usually continue to develop despite getting light at night.
When the cacti have buds try not to move them to another location. This will sometimes result in dropped buds. Easter Cacti are a little harder to get to re-bloom and a little more sensitive to drafts and improper watering, but worth the extra trouble.
In the early spring it doesn't hurt to give these cacti a little liquid house plant fertilizer, just once and not too much. You can also pinch the plant back to promote more branching. The segments you pinch off can be rooted to start more plants. Stop pinching after June 1st or you will not have buds in the fall.
Christmas and other holiday cacti can live for decades; many people have plants 30 or more years old, passed from generation to generation. Every three or four years you may want to re-pot the plant. Use a mixture designed for cacti or mix peat, sand and vermiculite in equal amounts. These rainforest cacti like slightly acidic conditions. If you use hard, alkaline water to water them you may want to add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each gallon of water to increase the acidity.
If you care for it well that small plant you got this Christmas may become a large beautiful plant you pass to your grandchildren in 30 or 40 years.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
The Christmas Cactus is a plant with a long life, even if sometimes neglected. They brighten the winter with their cheerful blossoms and give plant lovers something to mull over- is it a Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter Cactus?
This family of cacti doesn't come from the hot desert. They come from the cool mountain rainforests in Brazil. They don't grow in soil but in pockets of humus rich debris in the crotches of trees and cracks of rocks. They usually have a spreading, drooping habit.
Christmas cacti have been in cultivation a long time. The plants being sold today are clones of several crosses of two species, Schlumbergera bridgesii, [or Schlumbergera russelliana], and Schlumbergera truncate that were developed in the 1800's. Typically they are given the names Thanksgiving cactus or Christmas cactus by the time of year they bloom. There are some slight differences in leaf shape in the different clones.
To add to the confusion Christmas Cacti bloom can be manipulated fairly easily by growers and the different varieties may be in bloom at the same time or even delayed until later in the spring, when they can be sold in place of the true Easter Cacti. Some varieties also bloom sporadically all winter.
The Easter Cactus belongs to another species entirely, Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri. It comes from the same general area as the other Holiday Cacti and requires just about the same care. It usually blooms in April.
The holiday cacti all have leaves that are thick and fleshy and occur in segments linked together. They are dark green. The base of the plant may turn woody as it ages. The earliest blooming Cacti have segments that have points at the top and a jagged side; the later blooming cacti tend to have more rounded tops and smoother sides, although this is very variable. Easter Cacti have more rounded segments.
The Christmas- Thanksgiving Cacti produce buds at the end of a segmented stem. The buds take several weeks to grow from tiny bumps to long, beautiful flowers. Each flower is tubular, with satin-like petals folded back along the tube in layers. These varieties now come in traditional red along with pink, white, orange, yellow and lavender.
The Easter Cactus produces buds at the ends of stems and along the stem at other segments. The flowers of the Easter cactus are rounder, and more like a daisy than a tube. There are several shades of red, pink and mauve.
Growing Holiday Cacti.
The rainforest cacti are grown by rooting one of the leaf segments. The leaf segments will root easily when stuck in damp vermiculite or gravel. Most gardeners will buy or be given potted plants, usually in bloom. Take the foil off the pot and place it in a bright, sunny window. Make sure the pot has drainage holes. There is no need to rush to re-pot the plant as most Holiday cacti actually prefer to be root bound.
Plants found in stores are usually only labeled by color not by variety name. It is possible to find named varieties in catalogs and at better garden stores.
Your Christmas Cactus will bloom longer if your house is on the cool side, especially at night. Temperatures below 50 degrees or drafts may cause the plant to drop its buds. These plants need to be watered when the top of the soil feels dry, but don't over water.
Constantly wet soil will cause root rot. When not blooming, the cacti will survive longer without water, but if the stems feel limp and flat you need to water.
To get your Christmas or other holiday plant to bloom again it needs a summer vacation. After all danger of frost has passed put it outside in its pot in a shady location in the south, partly or lightly shaded in the North. If the light is too bright the cacti will either turn reddish or bleach out. Make sure the plant will not sit in water when it rains. Bring the plant back in before frost.
The Thanksgiving or Christmas cacti need lengthening nights and cool temperatures at night to form buds. Keep the plant in a cool room with bright light and no drafts for best results. The trip outside will generally have allowed enough naturally shortening daylight to start buds forming. Easter Cacti begin blooming as the days start to get longer.
If you cannot put your plant outside for the summer, move it to a window where the sunlight is not too hot and strong in the summer. By late summer it should be getting cooler nights, about 55 degrees, and the same amount of light that is outside. You may want to cover it when it is dark outside or move it to a closet. Sometimes just the cooler nights will start buds forming. Once the buds have formed they usually continue to develop despite getting light at night.
When the cacti have buds try not to move them to another location. This will sometimes result in dropped buds. Easter Cacti are a little harder to get to re-bloom and a little more sensitive to drafts and improper watering, but worth the extra trouble.
In the early spring it doesn't hurt to give these cacti a little liquid house plant fertilizer, just once and not too much. You can also pinch the plant back to promote more branching. The segments you pinch off can be rooted to start more plants. Stop pinching after June 1st or you will not have buds in the fall.
Christmas and other holiday cacti can live for decades; many people have plants 30 or more years old, passed from generation to generation. Every three or four years you may want to re-pot the plant. Use a mixture designed for cacti or mix peat, sand and vermiculite in equal amounts. These rainforest cacti like slightly acidic conditions. If you use hard, alkaline water to water them you may want to add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each gallon of water to increase the acidity.
If you care for it well that small plant you got this Christmas may become a large beautiful plant you pass to your grandchildren in 30 or 40 years.
Copyright 2008- Kimberley Willis
May not be used without permission
by gardeninggranny
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I'm a gardening granny from zone 5- Michigan. I live on a small farm with my husband and I teach gardening classes and answer homeowner question...
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