Garden Articles - Morning News, Blackfoot, ID

March 27, 2018-October 2018.

Words of wisdom:

A few rules of thumb to consider whether soil testing is in your future or not.  These simple bits on knowledge shared by most gardeners hold true no matter where you garden or what soil you start with.

Rotate planting of heavy feeders like tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes from the Solanaceae family to the same location no more than every four years. While corn is not of the same family, it is a very heavy feeder which should be treated with the same rule.

Companion planting can be an effective method of mitigating nutrient loss, adding valuable organic material to the soil and help with pest control.  A lovely and popular companion trio would be The Three Sisters: usually consisting of Corn, Peas and a squash or pumpkin.  The corn acts a trellis to the peas.  The peas add valuable organic material for the corn.  The squash acts a ground cover pushing out weeds and shading the ground against the summer sun.

Some plants like wet feet.  Many do not.  Before planting observe the garden in the rain.  This will give you an idea of where water may settle or drain more quickly.  Use this information to either repair or alter the garden prior to planting, or aid in planning decisions.

Garden Week Three 4/10/2018

first spring flowers

Tulips are my favorite flower. To my delight the house I moved into has many bulb naturalized spring plants, including, you guessed it Tulips!

Unlike annuals, bulbs are perennial which can return year after year and can produce loads of color with little work. So, what do your bulb plants need to produce those flowers every year?

We think of planting flower and plants in the spring, however, bulb plants need to be overwintered. This means they should be planted before the ground freezes. Be sure and check the hardiness of your bulbs prior to planting. Bulbs, in general, have a top and a bottom. When planting, place the bulb pointed side up, roots side down, in a hole twice as deep as the bulb is long. For example, if the bulb is two inches long, place the bulb four inches deep; three inches long, place the bulb six inches deep. Bulbs can be placed in the same hole or planted individually. A rule of thumb for planting multiple bulbs in the same location; place bulbs no closer than eggs are in a carton. Be aware that some bulbs can cause skin irritation. You may consider wearing protective clothing when planting. Bulbs like an onion have a husk. Leave the husk intact when planting.

Most spring bulbs last days to about two weeks and come in early bloom, mid-season bloom and late bloom varieties. Consider planting some of each and enjoy spring flowers from early April through Mid to late May. Now that winter is over, we are can enjoy Spring’s colorful bounty.

To ensure next year’s bounty, we want to put the plants energy back into the bulb, rather than the seed pod. Once the flowers petals start to wilt, turn brown or drop off, the plant will start putting energy into seed production. At this time, we want to deadhead the flowers. Deadheading consists of cutting the flower head off below the nodule just beneath the seed pod. Do not cut anything else, yet. You can place the cuttings back into the ground adding biomass and nutrients for the bulbs.

Over the next six or so weeks, the green foliage of the plants will photosynthesize energy which will be directed into the bulbs. This energy will be apparent in next years blooms. Once the foliage begins to brown, go ahead and remove. Consider breaking foliage down a bit before composting to speed up the decomposition process.

About every 3-5 years your bulbs will need to be thinned. When you are cleaning up the foliage is a perfect time to thin your bulbs. Clear dirt and debris from the bulbs. Throw away any bulbs which are soft. The new smaller bulbs may not bloom the first year. Keep this in mind when replanting. Place the bulbs in the ground as described above.

Happy Gardening!

A little more about spring bulbs

Daffodils (Narcissus) of the Narcisseae family: A six-petal flower with a horn or trumpet, varies in color from the traditional yellow or orange.  I am surprised to learn that there are thousands of highbred varieties with configurations of yellow, orange, white and many shades of pink.  *note that wild daffodils can come in 5 or even 4 petals. 

Tulips (Tulipa) of the Liliaceae family: We often think of the flower which looks a cup on a stem, with soft rounded petals.  Most commonly found to be red, white, yellow and orange. But, there are many highbred variations with colors ranging from deep purple to light pink, some wilder colors have stripes or spots.  The flowers vary from a simple cup variation to frilled petal and can even resemble a small Peony, to more pointed petals resembling stars.   

Crocus (Crocus sativus), of the Iridaceae family: The small, vividly colored flower will be found close to the ground and can come in colors from bright orange, to purple or white.  Variations of the Crocus also flower in the fall.  The word Crocus is believed to derive from the Arabic word for saffron “Saffron Yellow”.  Keep an eye out for the bright yellow/orange crocus, and you will see how appropriate this name is. 

Puschkinia (Scilloideae) of the Asparagaceae family: These spears or spikes of tiny, 2 cm, mostly white flowers can be found with blues, purple and pink hints of color.  While the flower bundles can resemble Hyacinth prior to blooming, they are distinctly different and far more delicate in appearance.

Spinach:

What a lovely and versatile plant spinach is. From sandwiches, soups, salads, pasta dishes or just have it blanched as a side. Spinach can be added to most dishes for added flavor, color and nutrition. Yum!

Spinach is an edible flowering plant of the Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae) a branch of the Amaranthaceae family and is related to beets, chard and quinoa.

In china, spinach is referred to as “Persian Green” or “Persian Vegetable” as it is believed to have originated, like many plants, in ancient Persia. Possibly, being cultivated as far back as mid 200 AD. This delectable vegetable has established itself throughout the world and time.

But how do we cultivate in our chilly climate successfully?

One way is to start your seedlings inside. If you are a seasoned gardener, you may have already started your spinach seeds. These can be transplanted outside anytime after the first four leaves have developed and soil temperature has is reached 45-75ºF.

According to “Clyde’s Garden Planner”, you can direct seed spinach to the garden anytime in the next week. As with any spring planting, you may consider having some season extending Row cover available, for the last spring snow or freeze. While Spinach is a hardy vegetable it will still not tolerate temperatures below 20ºF.

Sweet, Sugar or Garden Peas:

The Princess and the Pea, by Hans Christian Anderson. Wherein a pea is placed under many mattresses to test a young lady’s sensitivity, proving that she was a princess.

In my mind, this is not the best use of a pea. If you are like me, you like to snap them right off the plant and eat them fresh, add them a green or cold salad, or steam them with a touch or olive oil, salt and pepper till bright green, then enjoy!

The Pea has a much longer history than the lovely spinach. According to Hirst, K. Kris. "Plant Domestication." ThoughtCo, Apr. 9, 2018, thoughtco.com/plant-domestication-table-dates-places-170638, the mighty Pea was domesticated somewhere in the Near East around 9000 BCE. That is a long time!

No matter the history, the mighty pea belongs to the Fabaceae family, commonly referred to as the Pea, Bean or Legume family, and are related to plants such as alfalfa and clover.

Unlike beans, which are warmer weather plants, we can start peas when our soil temperate get to 40-75ºF. While the plants can defend against mild frost, the seed pods and flowers will not.

To give your peas a good start, try starting germination by placing in an air tight container or zip lock between damp paper towels for about 24 - 72 hours, checking every 24 hours. Once you see the shell has softened or expanded and the first root is reaching out, you can plant the seeds to the garden, root down.

Peas grow in bush and vine varieties. Because of the wind, I would advise staking your bush varieties for support. As you can imagine, vining varieties will reach far and wide to climb. A trellis and regular direction will keep your peas where you want them.

You can be enjoying spinach by the end of May and peas by the middle of June.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Six 5/1/2018

Prepping the dirt for gardening!

Earlier this month we looked at testing our soil. Now, it is time clean the garden areas of weeds, to make amendments, based on the results of our soil tests, and prepare the dirt for planting.

Before clearing the weeds, I like to know what my soil structure looks like. Because plant roots require oxygen, water, nutrients and vertical area to grow, it is a good idea to check the soil for hardpan.

Hardpan is a compact layer of soil which prevents roots from penetrating into the deep soil, moisture and nutrients. When the plants roots cannot reach down to gather nutrients and water, the roots will grow horizontally, limitng the stability and resources of the roots. Signs of hardpan in your soil will include; rapid wilting, discoloration or yellowing, waterlogging, and ill formed roots. Knowing if you have hardpan will help you in determining how deep you should till or Broadfork the soil.

To determine if you have a hardpan which will interfere with your garden, dig a hole about 24-30 inches deep. Observe the layers of soil. If you find a thick, compact layer of soil, likely clay in this area, note the depth. You may consider doing this in multiple locations to determine the consistency of the hardpan. Once you have located your hardpan, if you have it, you can then determine how deep to till or Broadfork.

I like to fork my area when the soil is damp, but not wet. This loosens the soil and allows me to pull out the deep roots of unwanted plants and weeds. Because I fork, or Broadfork the soil with tines which are 10-20 inches long, I don’t often use a tiller in my garden. When using a tiller be sure the soil is not too wet, as wet soil will make the chore more difficult and limit aeration of the soil. You may find it easier to till over the garden area with a shallower setting first, the make additional passes with deeper settings, depending on the hardness of the soil and hardpan.

If tilling, remember that some plants and weeds spread through their root systems. These broken-down root systems can cause a lot of work later. Taking the time to thoroughly remove weeds prior to tilling, will help with weeding throughout the summer. Do not put weeds, invasive plants, or diseased plants into your compost pile. Dispose of or burn these plants to prevent recurring issues.

At this time, we also want to add our soil amendments. Here in the Rockies and Snake River Plain, we tend to have alkaline or basic soil PH, which means that our soil may test at 7.5 or high on the PH Scale. The higher the PH, the more nutrients are bound up, preventing plants from accessing valuable nutrients. In order to break up this binding, we want to bring our PH balance down. Adding organic matter like compost or peat moss can provide a longer lasting solution. Additional amendments like Elemental Sulfur, or sulfur combination, can provide long term results. Note, these amendments do not provide immediate results as they require time and oxygen to break down into accessible nutrients.

If looking for immediate results, you may consider using an all-around fertilizer found at most garden and hardware stores. These come in both dry and soluble forms. When choosing you fertilizer consider the N-P-K formula or Up-Down-All around formula. N or Up=Nitrogen, which encourages green growth; P or Down=Phosphorus, which promotes healthy root structures; and K or All around=Potassium, which contributes to healthy blooms, fruit and vegetable production. When choosing a fertilizer, it is a good idea to take the results of your soil test to your local garden supply store to help determine what fertilizer may work best for your needs.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week 7 5/8/2018

Sweet, Crisp, Colorful Lettuce!

One of the treasures grown in my garden is fresh lettuce. I prefer the loose-leaf varieties which range in color and textures, with many varieties being suitable sautéed or in soup, in salads or on a sandwich.

With the popularity of lettuce, we are seeing more and more varieties in the grocers and markets. Lettuce ranges in color, size and textures; from traditional Iceberg and Romain to Butterhead and Summercrisp varieties.

So, how did lettuce come to be a food staple? The common lettuce, Lactuca sativa, has a long history; being depicted in murals of Min, the Egyptian god of fertility, as far back as 2700 BCE. It is believed that Min consumed a plant similar to the Romain lettuce we find today, as an aphrodisiac. Layfolk used the oils of the seeds for cooking, medicine and as an aid in mummification.

The Greeks later learned the value of lettuce and considered it to aid in digestion and would use lettuce medicinally as a sedative. Lettuce is also mentioned in the death of Adonis, Aphrodite’s lover and came to be associated and presented at funerals; which may have some correlation to the Egyptian mummification uses.

When the Romans were introduced to lettuce, they carried it with them to the far reaches of the then known world. This distribution coupled with time has lent to the development of the many varieties we know and love today.

In the far east, specifically China, lettuce was cultivated to produce more stem than leaf, hardly resembling lettuce as we might find at the local market. The stalks are thick with shoots of leaves from the top. I have never tasted this interesting looking plant, but I am putting it on my to-do list, I hope you will too.

Europe contributed to cultivation of lettuces such as butterhead and crisphead varieties sometime in the 15th century. Until the passage to the America’s, where emigrants carried the seeds to the new world.

Of this we now have four main lettuce varieties:

Romain or Cos Lettuce derives its names from the gardens of Rome’s papal gardens and from the Greek isle of Kos, a major lettuce producing region.

The popular Bibb Lettuce, of the head variety owes its history to Major John “Jack” Bibb of Frankfort, KY on the late 1860’s-1970. Boston and Butter varieties so closely resemble Bibb lettuce, it is difficult to tell them apart.

The most recognizable Crisphead lettuce is probably the Iceberg lettuce. Cultivated by W. Atlee Burpee & Co., in 1894. This very cool-cold weather tolerant lettuce was great for packing and shipping, lending to its popularity. Fantastic on toast, with a tomato, mayo and bacon, Yum!

And, my favorite, the Silasia or loose-leaf varieties, developed in France. Near the end of the 19th Century, Mr. Eugene Davis of Grand-Rapids, Michigan, considered to be the father of forced lettuce, developed a loose-leaf variety, he named “Grand Rapid’s”, said to have put Grand Rapids on the map.

If you haven’t already planted your lettuce, it is not too late. Most lettuce prefer the cooler weather and can become bitter in the heat of summer. You may consider planting lettuce where it will get the afternoon shade. Lettuce that gets hot or thirsty will bolt and go to seed, reducing produce.

Happy Gardening!

We now know that water must get into the seed to start germination. We can see how small and fragile this structure is. And, we understand why we plant seeds in loose soil; to allow water and oxygen to access the inside of the plant and germinating the seed.

When planting seeds, we can consider placing the radicle or tap root in a downwards position. This cuts down on efforts to stabilize the future plant and allow energy to be used efficiently. Additionally, the stem structures will have the energy to force through the to the surface allowing the first leaves to start collecting sunlight for photosynthesis. For many seeds placing the tap root down is not possible, nor necessary as the plant seeds are too small.

As the seedling is pushing to the surface, keeping the top soil moist will allow the first leaves and stem structures to push through to the surface more easily, allowing more energy to grow the plant.

I have heard gardeners in the past say that sprouting in the dark is preferable. However, I think that the sooner the first leaves can get sunlight, the sooner they can create new energy for the growing seedling.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I am back in school after today’s article. I won’t be handing out any homework assignments, but maybe you will look at your seedlings a little differently this year.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Ten 6/4/2018

What’s all the hype about?

We’ve heard the terms, GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), Hybrid, and Heirloom.

But what does it mean to you and me? Let’s define each and look at some pros and cons.

GM foods: define by the WHO (World Health Organization); “are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.”

• Pros: May produce higher quantities, disease resistant, and be more draught resistant, See the history of corn in America and Rice in India.

• Cons: May loose flavor, cause illness, See Diabetes and other obesity related disease research, effect indigenous plant and animal life, and may be a factor in Colony Collapse Disorder a major problem for bees, will not reproduce.

• GMO plants include: Tomatoes, Squash, Potatoes, Soybeans, Corn, Rice, Sugar beets, Canola and more.

Hybrid: As the name indicates, hybrids are the product of cross breeding two plants, which may or may not be of the same variety. As long as there have been farmers, people have experimented with taking the best of two things to make a better one. Mother nature also does this and that is how we have plants today. This process produces features like seedless fruits and longer shelf life.

• Pros: Fun!

• Cons: will not reproduce.

• Common Hybrid Plants: Grapple (one of my daughter’s favorites), Mandarin Orange, Boysenberry, Grapefruit, Loganberry, Broccoflower.

Heirloom, Heritage, Open-pollinated or Standard: Basically, to me anyways, a plant must be able to reproduce itself. Some people treat heirlooms like it has to be historically documented between time A and time B. I do not. I believe that a plant that has developed the ability to reproduce itself is legit. People have been saving the seeds of the healthiest, tastiest, best producing plants for millennia. For that reason and through my own gardening experience, I know the value, strength, flavor and production I have gotten from heirlooms.

• Pros: Flavor, disease resistant, climate tolerant (when you buy seeds from your hardiness zone), abundance, color, texture, smells, they reproduce.

• Cons: Can cost more for rarer varietals.

• Common plants: Everything!

No matter what you choose, fresh vegetables make everything better!!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Inspiration!

When I was a little girl, my class went to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, located in Ft. Myers, Florida. I can still vividly recall Mr. Edison’s laboratory, with all the workbenches, tools, and experiments. The houses and buildings were of the old Florida style with big porches and high open ceilings. But what I remember the most were the gardens.

Either side of the paths were more plants than I could ever have imagined. The colors, textures and smells were nearly impossible to consume and made me feel small in the giant garden.

Living in Florida, walking through botanical gardens is a pretty regular experience, but there was something special about the gardens that day. Nearly every year; when I begin to ready the garden, as the season carries on and just about every time I find a new plant or flower, I recall that walk through the garden.

Since then I have made it a point to visit gardens, whether public or private. I love learning from other gardeners and seeing what they have growing and listening to their stories. If you have a special gardener or garden, plant you would like to share, please call, text, mail, or snail mail me. My info is listed below.

Garden Week 11 6/19/2018

Summertime Tomatoes!

For most people, the garden is green and growing. I think the most popular vegetable will be the Tomato. With all the different options in growing tomatoes, what are we growing? Let’s look at the size of the plant and the fruit.

How much plant will grow?

Determinate: Growing between 2 and 3-foot-tall and require little or no staking or pruning. These plants will produce fruit all at once, then decline in production. Flowers are produced at the end of the shoots, which stops growth determining their length.

Indeterminate: Whether you like it or not, these plants will grow all summer. Rather than producing flowers at the ends of the branches, these plants produce flowers along the vines making them indeterminate. Because these plants will continue to grow or vine, they will require support and pruning. Without maintenance, these plants can run wild. With pruning, these plants can be trained and trellised.

Pruning indeterminate tomato plants:

1. Maintain the first main branch, which will become the main vine. Some choose to leave a strong sucker branch in place which will become a second vine. Sucker branches which are not removed will become additional tomato-producing vines.

2. Remove sucker branches which are located in the crook or just above a branch coming off the main vine of the tomato plant.

Eating tomatoes like candy, apples or watermelon, let’s look closer and the types of tomatoes available.

Bite-sized tomatoes often referred to as cherry, grape or pear tomatoes mostly have shorter growing seasons, with production in 55-70 days and can be prolific producers. These tomatoes tend to be 1-2 inches or 1-2 oz in overall size.

Roma, plum and other egg-sized tomatoes tend to produce in 60-75 days ranging from 2-3 inches or 2-3 oz.

Slicer, salad or globe tomatoes are mid-season tomatoes maturing in 70-80 days ranging from 2-4 inches and from 3-8 oz.

Beefsteak tomatoes are your largest tomatoes with production in 70-90+ days. Unlike the globe varieties, Beefsteaks have ridges rather than being perfectly round and weights come in at 1-2lbs each.

All tomatoes come in a variety of colors and flavor profiles. My favorites, include:

Brandywine: a pink beefsteak variety, maturing in 80 days and up to 1-.5 lbs. I enjoy the season’s first green tomatoes breaded and deep fried with egg on the side. When they mature they can be messy, but I like slicing and eating with a sprinkle of salt, so juicy!

Amana Orange: an orange beefsteak, maturing in 80 days and up to 2 lb. With a hint of tropical flavor, these are a perfect summertime tomato. We roast with herbs and olive oil before canning and storing for winter use. You can also add some red wine vinegar for a more Italian-styled tomato.

The master chef of our house prefers to eat tomato like candy or apples: She is excited for:

Tommy Toe tomato: an old-fashioned red cherry tomato, producing perfect 1 oz. round cherries in 75 days. These are perfect in salads and just popping like candy, sweet and juicy!

Principe Borghese tomato: another perfectly red tomato, maturing in 70-75 days and producing 1-2 oz. cherries. Unlike most sweet cherry tomatoes these are drier making them perfect for drying and saucing. I have a feeling we will have plenty of sun-dried tomatoes and some experimenting with sauces once these start producing.

German Lunch Box: these egg-sized red tomatoes are produced in 70-80 days and are aptly named, because you want to through them in your lunch box and eat them like an apple.

Millionaire Tomato: a famous coral-pink beefsteak tomato, which was popular in grocers till the 1950’s, produces in 80 days and can weigh up to 1lb. Our chef is excited to taste the very tomatoey tomato of the Millionaire, which is great for slicing and canning.

White Tomesol Tomato: A unique white large slicer tomato, yes, white inside and out, which matures in 80 days. This is our first year growing these and she is excited to experiment with these beauties.

I’m going to make myself a ‘mater sandwich (classic summer sandwich in the south).

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twelve 6/26/2018

Common garden troubles this June:

The weather has warmed, the gardens are growing and so are the pests. According to the Pacific Northwest Pest Alert Network, the first summer pests and diseases are Potato Psyllid, Scale on Honeylocust, Spider Mites, and Powdery Mildew. Let’s take a closer look at Potato Psyllid and Spider mites this week.

Bactericera cockerelli, commonly referred to as the Tomato Psyllid or Potato Psyllid, this species can affect other members of the solanaceous family, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and other nightshade plants. First identified as a potentially invasive pest in the early 1900’s, it became a serious problem by the 1920-1930’s. The small winged pest lays individual yellow eggs along the edge and mostly on the underside of leaves. Pale green upon emergence, they begin turning dark grey to brown within 2-3 days, eventually becoming grey or black. Identifying features include: White markings on the head, thorax, first and last segments of the abdomen. Often confused with the nymphs of whiteflies, they remain sedentary, while whiteflies will move if disturbed. Diseases associated with this pest are Pysllid Yellow and Zebra Chip. It is believed a toxin associated within this insect may cause ‘psyllid yellow’ found both in potatoes and tomatoes. Pysllid Yellow presents as a yellowing of the plant, disrupts plant growth and damages fruit size. Zebra Chip presents with discolored and curled leaves. When fried, potatoes present with blotches, stripes or streaks. While the appearance may not be acceptable in the potato chips, I have found no information regarding the health risks to humans.

Spider Mites, a member of the arachnid family, bruise the cells of plants when feeding, causing lightening or bleaching spots where the cells have been damaged. Seen through a magnifying glass, spider mites come in various colors and produce masses of webbing. Plants which are not watered well provide more nutrients to the spider mite. Taking care of your plants will help them to stave off an infestation. Note that the use of pesticides will kill the spider mites’ predators, which include, the lady beetles (aka “spider mite destroyers”), trips, predatory mites, minute pirate bugs, and big-eyed bugs. Other than biological controls, it is best to cut and remove invested branches and leaves, as spider mites are resistant to chemical treatments. For more information on identifying and managing these pests, check out: http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/spider-mites-5-507/

Maybe next time we will take a closer look at Powdery Mildew or Scale on Honeylocust. In the mean time you can learn more at:

http://pnwpestalert.net/alerts/crops/

https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/sugar-beet-beta-vulgaris-powdery-mildew

http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Thirteen 7/3/2018

It’s summertime and the watering is easy! Or is it?

“My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.” – Mitch Hedberg.

With the summers heat coming on, it’s more important than ever to water the plants appropriately. Too much water can rot the root, too little can destress the plants. Understanding the soils and its relationship with water can help us to maintain a healthy water balance for the plants and the health of the soil.

At the beginning of the season, we determined what type of soil was in the garden. Because we know our soil type, we can determine how much and how often to water.

Clay – is a greedy soil, which has lots of room for water, but doesn’t necessarily share water with the plants and restricts airflow. This is because clay soils have lots of pores which are not well connected, making it difficult for the water to be released to plants and limits root access to oxygen. Therefore, heavy watering less often will fill the capillary and allow the water to release over time preventing waterlogged plants and benefiting respiration. Adding sand and organic matter will help to balance water and air flow and nutrients.

Loam – requires less water more frequently than clay soils, happily shares water with the plants and allows airflow. Loamy soils are comprised of nearly equal amounts of clay, sand and silt, varying by degree of sand, silt and clay in the soil. Here in SE Idaho we tend to have basic soil or a pH balance above 7 pH. The more organic matter in soil the more acidic the soil. If you are lucky enough to have loamy soil, adding organic matter will help to balance the soil.

Sandy – might be compared to a sieve, allowing the water to flow through so quickly plants may not get access to enough water. due to the sieve nature of sandy soil, more frequent, shorter watering’s are advised. Adding clay and organic matter will help to balance water retention, air flow and nutrients access.

If you think of soil as a sponge; the sponge which is dry must be briefly wetted to open the capillary, pores or spaces between particles of silt, clay and/or sand. The capillaries are then filled with water. The particles, space or connectedness between the capillary determine the release of the water. As the water releases, the soil becomes ridged and restricts root migration.

Knowing your soil and needs of the plants will help in deciding whether to use sprinklers, drip lines, or flood irrigation.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Fifteen 7/17/2018

Sweet, Crispy, Crunchy Carrots!

Whether you like orange, white, yellow, red, pink, or purple carrots, if you planted carrots this spring, you may be harvesting carrots now or soon. I myself harvested, some lovely St. Valery (orange), Parisienne (short, round, orange), Cosmic Purple (orange inside) and Pusa Rudhira Red (Coral red) carrots, so good!

You may have heard the story of King Orange and his love of all things orange. As I heard the story, carrots were cultivated through either a mistake or intention to satisfy this “King Orange”, an affectionate nickname giving to King William I, being the reason we know carrots to be orange today. Sounds more myth than truth. So, how much of this story is rumor and how much is true. Let’s find out.

Way back, an ancestor of the carrot has been identified through fossil records as far back as 55-34 million years ago. Shoo, that is a long time! Much later, as far back as 5,000 years ago, our ancestors were eating wild carrots throughout Europe and in now Afghanistan. Drawings, of what is believed to be a purple carrot, can found in ancient Egypt as far back as 2000 BC. Carrot seeds can be found in pharaoh crypts, but it not clear whether the carrot was cultivated as a food source. Romans, as with many foods, thought the carrot seeds had aphrodisiac properties. Parsnips, which are also white, appear to have easily been confused with carrots, due this it is difficult to trace the long history of the carrot.

As society developed, it was the seed, which was used first for medical purposes, as wild roots carrots may not have been as delectable as our current scrumptious carrots. History suggests that the bulbous nature of the carrot developed around the 9th century. The wild carrot doesn’t appear to have domesticated until the later Middle Ages. Additionally, it is not until the around the 11th century that Europeans begin to describe the carrot as being red or orange. This may have been due to hybridization.

The purple and yellow varieties appear to have been largely cultivated where the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountains meet the Middle East and Russia areas, later migrating to the Mediterranean and Western Europe in the 11-14th centuries. And eventually finding its way to China, India and beyond in the 14-17th centuries.

Prior to the 16th Century, carrots remained largely purple and yellow, with the yellow being prefer for its flavor, and appearance when cooked. It was Dutch growers who developed the denser orange carotene carrot we know today. Modern genetics confirms the orange carrot is derived from these early yellow varieties.

While orange, due to carotene, carrot varieties are most common in grocers today, we can still find purple, black, white, yellow and red varieties. It is anthocyanins, which pigment the lovely purple and black carrot varieties. Lycopene, a type of carotene causes us to have red carrots. Yellow carrots contain xanthophylls, a pigment similar to beta-carotene. White carrots, still often confused with the parsnip, comes in more of a cream, ivory or golden-brown color, and are pigment free. Additionally, white carrots contain lipophilic (a carotene) and hydrophilic (phenolic compounds). Each of these pigments, carotenes and compounds have specific health benefits.

As for the story of cultivators growing the orange carrot as tribute to King Orange, or as one story suggests, to give thanks to King William I as tribute for him leading the Dutch revolt against Spain, this appears to have been a fiction started by a creative, possibly ambitious scholar.

No matter which carrot you prefer, whether roasted, mashed, hashed, or straight out of the garden, you can’t go wrong with this sweet, crispy, garden treat!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Sixteen 7/24/2018

Wriggly, Slimy, Nature's plow and the Gardeners Best Friend!

Whether a compost worm, earthworker worm, or deep soil worm, earthworms are a major player in living soil. Yes, there are different worms for the job. Who knew?

"Organic garbage disposal" The compost worm eats rotting food waste, leaves, manure, your basic compost materials, but not dirt. The use of these worms in composting is called vermicomposting. While compost piles can smell pretty rotten, adding a balance of the proper worm(s) will elevate and eliminate that compost smell, leaving you with worm castings, a nutrient packed and natural fertilizer.

"Gardener's friend" The earth working worm or nightcrawler also called grunt worms, garden worms or leaf worms, are most commonly found in the garden or lawn and what you probably think of as an earthworm. These worms come to the surface at night to gather food, eating leaves, organic matter and soil. As they travel to the surface and back for food worms create tunnels causing aeration, benefiting root stability and access to water and oxygen.

"Deep soil worms" Live deep underground and may never see the light of day. They eat the decay of roots and fungi. Here in Idaho, we have the famous native "Giant Palouse Earthworm", which are white and said to grow several feet long. When frightened this worm spits a lily-scented saliva. Like their shallower relatives, deep soil worms contribute nutrients, aerate the soil, and help prevent soil erosion.

Many worms can be purchased online, but you can encourage earthworms to stay or move in! As with plants, earthworms enjoy a balanced pH, balanced moisture and a steady supply of organic matter. To provide earthworms with a healthy environment, try reducing the use of fertilizer and fungicides, limit deep ploughing or rototilling, limit compaction, and limit soggy or water-logged areas in the garden.

Should you decide to incorporate earthworms into your garden, you will reap the benefits of better moisture retention, more stable plants, less erosion and therefore nutrient retention, and needless to say, more productive plants. Sounds like a win, win, win!

I know in my garden; the friendly earthworm is a much-appreciated garden helper!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Seventeen 7/31/2018

Let’s Fall for the Garden again!

Garden Week Eighteen 8/7/2018

Yikes! Are those bad bugs in my garden?

Every day I walk through the garden. Daily inspections help to identify pests before they become a problem. Thursday, I found a gathering of aphids on several of my tomato plants. I watched them spread to several other plants over the weekend, now action is required! But what should I do?

As a mother, I have done my best to feed my children organic, non-GMO foods, where possible. In the garden, this is definitely something I can make happen. To that end, I use insecticidal soaps and old-school other tricks rather than chemical pest controls. One such method is insecticidal soap. But what is it? How does it work? When should it be used? What does it work on?

According to Marriam-Webster’s dictionary:

Soap: noun \ ˈsōp \

a: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids

b: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal

It is these fatty acids which are believed to disrupt the life cycle of the pest without damaging the plants we are caring for. It is not thoroughly understood how insecticidal soap affects bugs. However here are some possibilities as described by Larry Kelley:

Dehydration: by disrupting the body’s ability to retain water.

Cytolysis: Disrupting the cell membranes, causing the cells to break down.

Suffocation: by blocking the insect’s tracheal causing it to drown or suffocate.

Sounds unpleasant, but this method can used without harming children, animals and of course our plants.

With the move towards more organic methods of pest management, companies are now making insecticidal soaps available for sale. When you read the label of these products the main or active ingredient will likely be listed as “potassium salts of fatty acids" or "potassium laurate". However, when it is necessary, I like to make my own.

For my current pest, the aphid, I will use a Castile Soap based insecticidal soap.

Recipe:

½ gallon spray bottle

2-1/2 tablespoons Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap

½ gallon water (Tap water is fine)

Test spray on a small area. After 24 hours, if the plant shows signs of distress, wilting, browning, spotting, do not proceed. If all looks good, focus the solution on the affected area, avoiding beneficial bugs.

Why am I using it now? I don’t use insecticidal soaps until the beneficial insects are not keeping up with the problem. Once I have identified an area of infestation, I will watch the progress of the pest over a couple of days. If the problem moves beyond one or two plants, I will introduce additional beneficial bugs, like the Lady bug. While waiting for these to be delivered a dose of insecticidal soap will stave off the pest’s progress. Do not worry, the spray works on contact and will not hurt the newly introduced beneficial bugs.

This particular recipe is good for use on soft bodied pests like, aphids, mealybugs, and to a lesser degree, earwigs, mites, and thrips.

While I prefer to let things work themselves out in the garden, sometimes, we have to help out. There are many homemade and organic methods for pest management. Remember to do your homework and think outside the box when trying to limit chemical exposure of your garden. Some methods, while being time consuming, can be just as rewarding as planting or harvesting when you know what you’re putting on your plate!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Nineteen 8/14/2018

Can Flood Irrigation Coexist with Urban Development?

What is Flood Irrigation? Possibly the oldest form of irrigation wherein water is delivered by ditch or pipe through the means of gravity and water pressure to fill a parcel of land several inches deep with water. While this is not the most efficient form of irrigation, it is still often used today for both agricultural uses as well as in urban areas for lawns and gardens.

Back in the day, for many, this was the only way to get water to the crops. To facilitate access to water, companies were formed, and a person purchased a share or shares of the company, making them a shareholder and giving the shareholder “Water Rights”. These companies and shareholders worked together to build vast networks of the canals and ditches we live with today. As the old saying goes “never give up your water rights”, which we know can affect a property’s value. But how does the changing dynamics of Urban development impact the long-held tradition of flood irrigation?

I have thought about this question many times over the past year and half, when I moved into a house which has water rights. The water arrives via a ditch on the backside of the property once a week for a set number of hours. Unfortunately, the first year was not so smooth. We received the water at 9am, 12pm, 6pm, 2 am, or not at all. This simple method seemed unreliable and inadequate. We wondered if we could justify continuing to participate let alone paying for water shares every year.

Over the winter I became curious, why was this apparently simple method so complicated? To get some hands-on experience and hopefully get some answers I, possibly foolishly, took on the position of ditch rider for our local neighborhood ditch company. Which turned into a time-consuming challenge. A challenge I whole-heartedly took on. It was my goal to make sure everyone had an opportunity to receive water. I have not been able to guarantee how much water everyone gets, but at the very least it has been my intention to get everyone the time to try to get their water.

Sometimes the water pressure is so low a person only gets a trickle. Other times the same person may be flooded in half their allotted time. Why is this so unpredictable? Largely this is due to the condition of the gates and the ditch itself. At times, it is due to the pressure at the head gate. Other times, there is no apparent reason for the water flow to be more or less.

Speaking from a more urban experience, and prior to moving into this house, I had a sprinkler system. In the spring it had to be primed and turned on after the last freeze. The sprinklers and lines were tested and fixed where needed. My water was timed to my allotted watering days and by the end of the summer my yard was usually crispy. In the fall, the lines were purged and turned off in preparation of the freeze, just like most people in America.

Flood irrigation is a totally different experience. We use a pump to get water to the front corner of the yard, where the flood water does not reach, but I do not feel that I put any more effort into flood irrigation than I did into my sprinkler systems. In fact, I quite like the time I spend in yard with my fire hydrant-like hose. If you recall being a kid playing in the yard, you can relate to how I sometimes feel when watering the year.

On-the-whole, the water flows reliably allowing many of my neighbors and myself to enjoy plush green grass with little effort and a smaller utility bill. So long as the neighborhood continues to maintain our ditch and work together to take turns with the water; flood irrigation will remain a part our summer routine.

So long as neighborhoods continue to do the same, I see no reason why the continued urban development cannot coexist with some of the areas older traditions.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty 8/21/2018

The fruit or NO FRUIT? of our labor! 

As you can imagine, I enjoy reading and sharing stories of the garden. Recently, I have seen many posts on local FB groups, asking why plants are not producing? Common troubles in the garden include pests and diseases, but why would a healthy plant not be productive? Or simply, pollination.

Without going into a biology lesson, vegetables are pollinated by means of self or cross pollination.

Self-pollination: plants which produce flowers containing both male and female organs. These plants can be pollinated within the same flower or by the same plant.

*includes: lima, pole and bush beans, peas, tomatoes, lettuce and endive, etc.

Cross-pollination: plants which produce either male of female flowers, in which pollen from the male flower must be transferred to the female flower by either insect, wind or other means.

*wind pollination: spinach, chard, beets, and corn.

*Insect-pollination: Most plants: from melon, gourds, cucumbers, eggplants to kales, cabbages, kohlrabi, to peppers, herbs, radish, turnips and many more.

But what to do in a greenhouse or where pollinators are lacking? In a small garden, manual pollination methods are cheap and easy to do.

For those plants which are self-pollinators:

1. Gentle tapping or rustling of the plant can be enough to stimulate pollination.

2. A fan set to oscillate can replicate the wind and again stimulate pollination.

3. Using a paintbrush or Q-tip can move pollen around.

4. Tuning forks struck to sing, will cause a vibration similar to that of the bumble bee, which the bumble uses to coax the pollen free from many plants.

5. An electric toothbrush has been suggested to both replicate the bumble bee and manually move the pollen.

For those plants which are cross-pollinators:

1. Using a paintbrush or Q-tip can move pollen around.

2. Take a male flower, remove the petals, while holding the base of the flower or stem, place the male stamen or antler into the female flower. Move the stamen or antler around the pistil to cover with pollen.

But what if you have a ton of plants, or don’t have the time to hand pollinate? As we have discussed in a previous article, you can try to attract native bees to your garden. But that takes time and the season is running short. Bumblebees!

Unlike honey bees, bumble bees do not require a lot of work. They are solitary and happy to put keep their noses in the flowers, making them a great benefit to a greenhouse, or area lacking pollinators. Additionally, bumble bees are much cheaper and less maintenance than the lovely honey bee. However, don’t forget, bumble bees do not make honey.

A word of caution. If your outdoor garden is lacking in pollinators, you may have a bigger problem with chemicals or pests or disease. Before investing in such things as bees or beneficial bugs, you should look for your local cause of pollinator depopulation. I say this because, yesterday I saw at least 6 different kinds of bees in my garden. This means the bees are in the area. If you no find cause for the lack of pollinators, it is advisable to encourage local pollinators to move in as they are designed to live here in our areas. Do not introduce foreign bugs to the area as they may become invasive, causing you and your neighbors unexpected problems.

Hoping everyone has a bountiful harvest!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-One 8/28/2018

Outside the Fruit Box

I’ve always wanted fruit trees in my yard. This year, not only do we have fruit trees, but we have loads of fruit. In fact, everyone I speak to has an abundance of Apricots, Plum, Prunes, Apples, Peaches and Pears. How much jam, applesauce, pies and breads can a person can handle? I have decided to look outside the fruit box and experiment with some of recipe books I’ve been collecting all these years:

I’ve chosen this recipe for my daughter. This summer she was introduced to the Apricot Tart, an Italian pastry. The tart she ate was kind of like an apricot tart in a poach. Since I’m still learning to make tarts, I will go with this recipe from Sugar Rush, by Johnny Iuzzini

Apricot Custard Tart:

Softened butter, for greasing the pan

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

14 fresh apricots halved and pitted

¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)

2 large eggs

6 tbls. All-purpose flour (48 g)

½ cup heavy cream (120 g)

½ cup whole milk (120 g)

1 cup almond flour (95 g)

½ shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (70 g)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust in with confectioners’ sugar.

1. In a bowl, sprinkle ¼ cup granulated sugar over the prepped apricots; toss lightly and let stand for 10 minutes.

2. To prepare custard: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and remaining ½ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. One by one, whisk in the all-purpose flour, cream, milk, and almond flour, beating well after each addition.

3. Arrange the apricots in the prepared pan, cut side down, slightly leaning and overlapping each other, in two concentric circles. Gently push the out circle of apricot halves into the center so there is at least ½ inch of space between the outer edge of apricots and the pan.

4. Pour the custard mixture into the spaces in the pan, taking care not to pour directly on the fruit.

Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pan, sprinkle the pistachios evenly over the top, and return the tart to the oven. Continue baking for about 40 minutes more, until light golden. Cool the tart completely in the pan before running a thin spatula around the edge to release it and remove the outer ring.

Dust with Confectioners’ sugar before cutting and serving at room temperature.

I’m so excited to surprise my kiddo with this sweet treat!

In addition to trying my hand at a tart this year, I am also trying a Sauce Suedoise (Apple-horseradish mayonnaise) found in my all-time favorite book, Sauces, by James Peterson.

To prepare a sour apple puree; slice about 1 lb. or 2 of your favorite large sour appl. Sprinkle with just a few drops of lemon juice, to prevent browning and balance the acidity of the puree. Cook the apples down in a sauce pan. As the apples soften, add 1 tbls. white wine. Once soft, puree in a food processor, food mill, or drum sieve. Return to the pan and reduce until stiff and no liquid remains, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Mix approximately 1-part apple to 3-parts mayonnaise…to taste, flavor with grated horseradish, about 1 tbls. per cup.

I’m thinking this will go nicely on a pork sandwich or panini. So much fun! Wish me luck! And good luck to all the canner’s, preserver’s, and experimental home chef’s.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-Two 9/10/2018

The Garden Hunter

Last week, while repairing the mailbox, I thought a branch had fallen from the tree onto my hat. So, I swiped it to the ground only to find that it was a praying mantis. Wow, I thought, I hadn’t realized praying mantis lived in Idaho. In the past week, I have seen praying mantis in Mooreland, Chubbuck as well as here in Blackfoot. Far too many to be a coincidence. Spending summers as a child with family in Florida, I often saw praying mantis, but I do not recall them here in Idaho.

The curious me started asking questions: Are praying mantis native to Idaho? What kind of mantis are these? What do they eat? Are they good for the garden? Why am I seeing them now?

Turns out that mantes are not native to Idaho and have been documented migrating north into Idaho since the late 1980’s. According to an interview by Dianna Troyer of the Idaho State Journal, 8/29/1997, with Robert Anderson, an Idaho State University biology professor, who said of the migrating mantis; “Who knows when or how, but through a series of mutations, variant forms of this species have adapted to cold conditions." I think this is really interesting because the praying mantis is typically found in warmer areas, and most often in tropical regions.

The species he was referring to, and the we see here in Idaho, is the Stagmomantis Californica. This mantis is typically found in shrubland or desert environments, which is why they are also found from Mexico to Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Western Texas regions. Like most mantis species, they can adapt to their surroundings, allowing them to change from greens to browns and to mimic their surroundings.

Most mantes are ambush hunters and do not have a specific prey, eating everything from; flies to grasshoppers, moths, crickets, mosquitoes, other mantis, birds, frogs and other small amphibians. Of the birds preferred by Mantis, the hummingbird seems to be a favorite. Because they are not specific, they will eat beneficial creatures as well as pests. So, it is up to you if they are beneficial bugs, or not. If you want to see something amazing, try observing a praying mantis on the hunt. They are especially equipped with 3D vision allowing them to see even the slightest of movements. Coupled with their lightening face reflexes and grip, they are able capture the fastest of prey. Cool fact, praying mantis have exceptional hearing which allows them to hear the ultrasonic sound that bats make, helping them to avoid being eaten.

The mantis, unlike many bugs, has three stages to its life cycle; eggs, nymphs, and adult, skipping the larva stage completely. When the weather warms, the nymphs will climb out of the egg case. Fragile nymph survivors learn what they can hunt as they grow, leaving them vulnerable to predators. For those that survive, they will shed their exoskeletons many times before reaching maturity. Currently, female and male mantis are looking to mate, which why I am seeing them everywhere! Later this fall, the female mantis will lay its eggs. Whether male or female, the adult mantis will not live through the winter. While I am not sure if I have been seeing the male or female of the mantis, if you keep an eye out, you may just see one too!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-Three 9/18/2018

Sweet Winter Winds

As wind the picks up, the smell of winter is in the air. Time to pull out the sweaters, make sure the wood is cut, clean the yard, and put away the summer tools. The harvest is still in full swing, but we can start thinking and planning for the winter and spring garden activities. Yeah, you thought that once the harvest is done, the work is done. Well, there is much we can do to care for the Soil, Plants, and Beneficial’s throughout the fall, winter and early spring.

Caring for the soil:

The top layer of is the most nutrient and important layer to consider through the winter. Wind, rain, snow all can contribute to a loss of nutrients. As the harvest comes to a close, it is time to consider what has been planted and what will be planted in the beds next year. Remember crops rotations will help to prevent disease and pest troubles each year.

For those beds which had heavy feeders like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplants, onions and anything from the cabbage family, a cover crop like Winter pea or Hairy vetch can help to restore nitrogen and add organic matter to next year’s garden. If you would like more localized advice on what cover crops you should use, check our Grimm Growers Warehouse Corp. here in Blackfoot, ID. They have been very helpful and cost effective.

For those beds which had light feeders like carrots, salad greens, beans or peas; you can either clear and turn over the soil or mulch and work in the crop debris. Then cover the beds with an organic mulch, plastic cover or tarp to prevent the top layer of soil from blowing or washing away. Covering with a plastic cover or tarp will have the added benefit of keeping the soil dry and give you earlier spring access to these beds.

Garden Cleanup:

Annual weeds which have survived and gone to seed should be carefully disposed of. Cover the seed heads with a bag and snip the stem to limit seed dispersal. Always throw these into the garbage or burn them, do not put them in the compost pile.

For any beds where disease or pests became a problem, completely remove the plants, roots and all. Dispose of the entire plant in the garbage, never the compost pile. Where possible, it is recommended to burn these items.

Because heavy feeders, mentioned above are prone to diseases like blight, wilt, and fungal diseases, it is recommended to only compost the healthy plants debris into live compost piles. If you do not have a live compost pile, completely remove these plants as well and dispose of them in the garbage or burn them.

Tools can be cleaned, sharpened and stored for spring use. Hoses and other water features can be drained, cleaned and stored for winter.

Overwintering:

Many beneficial insects and animals will overwinter right in the garden. We can help them to succeed through the winter months by providing winter shelter, food and water. Birds migrating trough will stop and eat seeds of perennials, cover crops and weeds (should you be so kind). You may also consider leaving seeds available for birds which migrate through SE Idaho. Boards, rocks, cardboard or the like can give shelter to ground beetles, local bees and other bugs. Making water available in the garden, right up until it freezes, will benefit all the critters whether staying or passing through.

Cover or protect overwinter plants with mulch, row cover or cold frame to extend to growing season of cabbage, kales, carrots, spinach and so much more!

Thin and transplant bulbs, tubers, and corms. This is also the time to start planting pansies, early spring bulbs, hardy perennials and trees.

Seeds:

Many plants have proven to be good producers, sturdy and healthy. Consider saving a few of the seeds from these plants to use in next year’s garden. Seed storage saving techniques can vary, but in general, these simple steps will suffice. Cut a piece of terry cloth or similar material large enough to loosely cover the seed head allowing room for the pollen to move around and to not damage the seeds. At the stem and inside the cloth place cotton or gauze to catch the seeds. As the plant wither and dries, the seeds will fall loose into the bag. When the stem appears to be nearly dry, cut and either hang or set on an elevated screen to completely dry.

For seed storage techniques, check out “The Plant Propagator’s Bible” by Miranda Smith, where she delves into care, storage and disease prevention techniques. I really enjoying this book as she provides many pictures and illustrations along with detailed explanations and directions.

I know this seems like a lot, but a little bit of work in the fall can make life easier in the spring!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-Four 10/2/2018

 Garden’s Hidden Treasure

So, all these years, I have been referring to Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Ginger, Horseradish, Garlic and many other plants as bulbs and tubers. Turns out, there is more to the story.

Some bulbs are actually Corms. Some Tubers are actually Rhizomes. Now we have Bulbs, Corms, Tubers and Rhizomes, and they all fall under the general classification of Geophyte.

The term, Geophyte, appears to have derived from the Greek words for earth and plant and was christened in 1904 by Christen C. Raunbiaer, a Danish botanist. Geophyte is defined as a plants storage organ specifically modified for the storage of energy and water. This fall we are looking at underground storage organs, which will come to life in the spring and early summer.

Let’s take a look at these various hidden treasures!

BULBS: A modified stem in its resting stage, which usually consists of an underground bud with overlapping fleshy leaves arising from the resting stem. Bulbs can vary from pea sized to 15 lbs. and will have either a thin papery covering, like an onion, or a scaly bulb, which has no protective layer, causing a scale-like appearance.

Plants: Tunicate bulbs (papery covering) include: Daffodil, narcissus, tulips, amaryllis, and hyacinth.

Non-tunicate bulbs include: Lilies, snake’s head fritillary, chess flower, guinea-hen flower, frog-cup, drooping tulip, and many more.

Vegetables: Tunicate bulbs (papery covering) include: The Allium family of onion, garlic, scallion, shallots, leek and chives.

CORMS: Unlike a bulb, when a corm is cut in half, there are no rings or striations and they are covered in a fibrous tunic. Also, unlike a bulb, corms can reach sizes in excess of 150-200 lbs.

Plants: Crocus, gladiolus, and elephant ears.

Vegetables: Chinese water chestnut.

TUBERS: Usually short and thick storage stems comprised of starch-storing tissue with a leathery skin and eyes or growth nodes.

Plants: Dahlia, caladium cyclamen, peony, delphinium and daylily.

Vegetables: Potato, jerusalem artichoke, cassava, yams, and sweet potatoes.

RHIZOMES: Underground stems, which grow horizontally are capable of producing root and shoot structure of a new plant. Unlike tubers, Rhizomes store proteins as well as starches. Many invasive and aggressive plants have rhizomes allowing them to propagate asexually rather than with seed.

Plants: Bamboo, ground ivy, poplars, calla lily, canna, grass, bearded iris, lily of the valley, water lily.

Vegetables: Ginger, turmeric, asparagus, and horseradish.

What makes all of the plants similar is their ability to store energy for the winter. As we discussed this spring, the more energy saved by the bulb, and now we know corm, tuber and rhizome, the more color, flowers and fruit we will get in the spring. For all of these plants: leave the green leaves intact as long as possible. With the weather turning the leaves will start to die back. For those plants hardy to your zone, once the foliage is dead, cut it back and leave it. The plant will comeback in the spring.

For those plants, not hardy to your zone, they must be removed from the garden and stored in a dry location like the garage or basement for the winter, in sand or sawdust. Every plant has specific temperature and moisture needs, so do your research.

If your plants are declining in color or production, it may be time to thin them out. Next week, I’ll look closer at thinning each of these plant types. In the meantime, figure out what needs to come out of the garden and stored for the winter, and what needs to be thinned and stays in the garden.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-Five 10/2/2018

Garden’s Hidden Treasure – Storing Rhizomes.

Last time we learned about Bulbs, Corms, Tubers or Rhizomes. Today I want to talk about storing Iris Rhizomes for the winter. If you recall, Rhizomes are underground stems, which grow horizontally are capable of producing root and shoot structure of a new plant. Unlike tubers, Rhizomes store proteins as well as starches. Many invasive and aggressive plants have rhizomes allowing them to propagate asexually rather than just with seed.

Last week, I worked with Jessie Gerard of Mother Earth’s Natural Design, a local Landscape specialist. She had an Iris Garden Bed, which she plans to redesign. We worked together to gently remove the rhizomes from the ground so that the roots were not damaged. I collected them into buckets and took them home to work with later. (Where I could be warm.) Thanks for all the Iris rhizomes, Jessie!

As with any project, it’s important to clean and sanitize your tools. This will prevent the spread of disease and fungus. Prepare a comfortable working location. Because I am preparing a large volume of plants for storage, I set up at my kitchen table. First, I laid newspaper over the table, prepared a garbage bag for debris, and a clean dry location for the plants once cleaned. My garden scissors and knife are cleaned and sanitized. I am ready to get to work.

At this time, it is OK to cut back the last of the foliage. You can leave about 3 inches of the fan intact, they will dry. Remove any remaining dirt, and inspect for soft or rotted spots, porous, diseased or dead parts and remove. Don’t be afraid to cut or scrape these areas away. Make sure you throw these away. Do not keep or compost any Rhizomes which are diseased. A good Rhizomes for storage will have, roots as well as stem.

Not every Rhizome will flower next year. Keep the largest of these for next year’s flowers. If you keep the smaller of these, next year you may consider planting them where they can continue to grow for the following year

Once they are all clean, place on a rack or table, in a warm location with good air circulation, where they can dry for a couple of days. They will form a thick layer, kind of like leather. This will allow the plants to store without rotting over the winter and is known as curing.

Once dry, store in a box, or paper bag, by creating layers with straw, sand, newspaper, wood chips, or preferred medium. Be sure to label each container with the species and color so you don’t lose anything. Periodically, check on the rhizomes. Remove any which become soft, so that fungus does not spread.

Enjoy building your Iris Rhizome Treasure Chest!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Week Twenty-Six 10/23/2018

Garden’s Hidden Treasure – Storing Tubers.

Recently, I was visiting with a friend and local musician, Duane McIver. We were talking about the article and how I had recently learned that peonies need to be thinned every 3-5 years. Wouldn’t you know it, he had some peonies which hadn’t been thinned for many years. Thanks to Duane for letting me thin the peonies and get these great photos!

Several weeks ago, we learned about Bulbs, Corms, Tubers or Rhizomes. If you recall, we learned that peonies are among the Tuber Perennials. The tubers are usually short and thick storage stems comprised of starch-storing tissue with a leathery skin and eyes or growth nodes.

In the fall the Peony stems are cut back to a length of 3-4 inches. It is ok if this was weeks ago. When digging up the Peony tubers, watch for the Heart and follow out the stem to find the length of the tuber. Start 6-12 inches from the main stem area and work your way in. Once the ground is removed, you can life the heart, tubers and roots. Before setting up your work station, the Peony tubers should be sprayed free of dirt and debri and left to dry 12-24 hours.

One the tubers have had time to stiffen, this will limit accidental breakage. Before working on the tubers, it’s important to clean and sanitize your tools. This will prevent the spread of disease and fungus. Make sure your favorite working location it prepped. This may include a prepared a garbage bag for debris, and a clean dry location for the plants once cleaned.

Remove any remaining dirt, and inspect for soft or rotted spots, porous, diseased or dead parts and remove. Don’t be afraid to cut or scrape these areas away. Make sure you throw these away. Do not keep or compost any Rhizomes which are diseased. A good Rhizomes for storage will have, roots as well as stem.

Not every Rhizome will flower next year. Keep the largest of these for next year’s flowers. If you keep the smaller of these, next year you may consider planting them where they can continue to grow for the following year

Once they are all clean, place on a rack or table, in a warm location with good air circulation, where they can dry for a couple of days. They will form a thick layer, kind of like leather. This will allow the plants to store without rotting over the winter and is known as curing.

Once dry, store in a box, or paper bag, by creating layers with straw, sand, newspaper, wood chips, or preferred medium. Be sure to label each container with the species and color so you don’t lose anything. Periodically, check on the rhizomes. Remove any which become soft, so that fungus does not spread.

Enjoy building your Iris Rhizome Treasure Chest!

Happy Gardening!