May 2010

Men's Garden Club of Wethersfield

May 2010
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NEXT MEETING - PLEASE NOTE SPECIAL DATE Monday May 10 - Pitkin Community Center - 7:00 p.m. Hear the preliminary results of the Plant Sale - buy some of the leftovers for your own home garden. If the sale is postponed to 5/15 then the meeting will be held on 5/17.

Today - Donate some perennials from your personal collection to the Plant Sale
Plants should be split and potted ASAP to look good for the sale. Please label all plants. Contact Chairman Tom Gibson (1-860-208-5195) for info or planting pots.

Plant Sale Saturday May 8th (Rain Date May 15th)
7:00 - 8:00 Set Up Deliver homegrowns, unload plants, price plants, set up tables
8:00 - 1:00 Sell Help customers, total up sales, answer questions
1:00 - 2:00 Close Clean up, break down tables, pack up leftover plants
Volunteer! Contribute your own "homegrowns"
Call Tom Gibson @ 1-860-208-5195

Weston Rose Garden
Weekly maintenance has begun - Saturdays 8:00 to 10:00 OR drop in on your own at your convenience any time of the week to dead-head, weed, etc. BYO tools. Your help is needed - this is our club's major community service project. We will mulch the garden in mid June. Questions - Call Anthony Moir (563-5476)

Mark Your Calendars
A special informal meeting of the club will be held on Monday July 26 at the home of Ed Goracy @ 30 Juniper Lane in Glastonbury. More details to follow.

Compostable Matter
by Jim Meehan

Dandelions are an "In Danger" species.

They are not "Endangered", ("a species present in such small numbers that it is at risk of extinction"), but rather "In Danger" (a species present in such large numbers and in so many unwanted places as to constantly be at risk of individual extinction at the hands of all those who are really, really annoyed by them.)

You would think if you were "in danger" you would go out of your way not to draw attention to yourself. You would try to blend in with your surroundings and match the colors and textures within which you like to hang out. You would never, ever be a jagged-edged plant snuggled in the midst of soft blades of grass, or a tall yellow flower looming above a solid green background.

And you definitely wouldn't hide out along the outer edges of your target territory with half of your body nestled in the thick grassy lawn, and the remainder blatantly hanging out over the sidewalk like a black spider on white shower tile - "I'll just crouch down really low. Yup. They can't see me now."

But if you are not endangered, that is to say you've got the numbers, then I guess that you just wouldn't care.

There was a time in my life when I would have mocked and ridiculed the very thought of anyone wandering the perimeter of their property - weeding tool in right hand, plastic bag in left - eyes peeled for the slightest hint of sharp leaf angularity or startling gold coloring - dropping to a combative squat at the first hint of "dent-de-lion" - plunging their snake-tongued blade in quest of the unseen, infinitely deep tap root - bagging the trophy - wearily forcing aching legs to straighten - and moving on in search of the next prey.

Now every day I patrol the border of my land doing exactly that - and I love it.

I think it's my residual hunter-gatherer heritage - a rekindling of the basic primal urges that fueled our prehistoric ancestors' survival.

Some modern weed stalkers use lawn fertilizers or herbicides as their weapon of choice. These hands-off methods sort of satisfy the predator portion of our genetic makeup - but not really. I prefer hand-to-root combat - seeking out and tracking down the dandelions, prying them out, and tossing their pelts into my plastic prey-pouch - hunting AND gathering - paying homage to my roots, and showing respect for my quarry.

And they are worthy of our admiration.

First, you just gotta love their ingenuity and tenacity

"The head of a dandelion is not actually a flower; it is a cluster of flowers ..... between 150 and 200 of them, each bursting with a type of nectar that is irresistible to bees, who swarm from plant to plant, pollinating each one with fanatic loyalty.

"And even if an individual dandelion is missed by the pollinating insects, it is equipped to pollinate itself.....

"The seeds, once they develop, have two parts, the actual seed, which is called an achene, and a fluffy, parachute-like tuft of hairs called a pappus, which catches the wind and can carry the seed as far as 25 miles in a stiff breeze. The achene is covered with little hooks that give it tremendous gripping ability; when the seed lands, it grabs the ground tightly and quickly works its way into the soil." (www.almostgruntled.com)

And secondly, in the right setting, they are aesthetically pleasing. An uncultivated field filled with bright golden dandelions is a thing of beauty - the more the merrier, the bigger the better - weed heads packed wall to wall, heads of jagged leaves larger than the unhealthiest "Fried Onion Blossom". It is a tribute to Nature's ability to decorate itself.

But lawns are not natural. Neither are gardens.

Dead branches are natural. Lifeless bushes are natural. Plant diseases are natural. Dehydrated plants are natural. One shrub crowding out another is natural. Ground covers running amok are natural. Dandelions with wide spreading skirts that prevent anything else from sharing their food and drink are natural.

It is the nature of Nature to achieve abundance by occasionally being unattractive and disorderly. It is the nature of gardeners to seek perfection by tinkering with Nature.

Most horticultural fine-tuning is background work - in many instances the problem and the solution are visible only to the plantsman himself. But some things that need fixing are smack in yo' face - like a single taunting dandelion on an otherwise green lawn. To be just one weed away from flawless is enough to turn even the most laid-back, Type-B gatherer into a ranting and raving, Type-A+ hunter.

Bring it on dan-de-lion! Booyah!!!

Succulents: Ideal Plants for Summer
By Jeanne Huber (www.thisoldhouse.com)

With plants, as with people, there are savers and there are spenders. Where _water is the currency, succulents are the thriftiest of their kind, their fleshy leaves hoarding water for times of drought. This built-in resiliency makes them a _perfect choice for problem places in the yard: patio containers set in blazing sun, windy spots that make roses wither, rocky slopes where grass won't grow. _Gardeners in the arid West have been using succulents in water-thrifty xeriscapes for years. Now more nurseries across the country are carrying these intriguing plants, some of which grow well even in damp or cold climates.

John Spain, a Connecticut-based gardening expert who pioneered ways of growing succulents outdoors in the frozen north, discovered their advantages years ago, when he often traveled for business. "The only plants that survived without any care in my makeshift greenhouse were the succulents and cacti," he says. "I would leave for a month, and they'd be fine." That sent him searching for more cold-hardy succulents. He found enough to fill a 20-foot-long berm with a carpetlike tapestry of leaves in green, chartreuse, rose, purple, and even nearly black. Today he also tucks succulents among alpine plants in his 2,000-square-foot rock garden.

A Size And Shape For Every Situation: At least 60 plant families have some succulent species. The adaptations that these plants have made to hold on to moisture make them especially interesting garden specimens. Ground-hugging rosettes pack water into thick, pointed leaves that hybridizers have edged with ribbons of color or rose-petal-like frills. Some species have a swollen stem known as a caudex that serves as a water storage tank. Others resemble cacti, complete with ridged stems and spiky thorns.

Among the most familiar succulents are sedums, including that perennial _favorite Sedum spectabile 'Autumn Joy,' which grows 18 to 24 inches tall and bears dramatic rosy-red flower heads in late summer. Another sedum, two-row stonecrop (Sedum spurium) is a low-maintenance groundcover with fine _foliage and white, pink, or purple flowers in summer. Low-growing Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' has yellow blooms.

Another groundcover, ice plant (Delosperma spp.) has tiny, fingerlike fleshy leaves and blooms in full sun with masses of daisylike flowers all summer. Delosperma nubigenum is a noninvasive type that bears yellow blooms.

Hens and chicks-the common name for the similar-looking but unrelated Echeveria x imbricata and the more cold-hardy Sempervivum tectorum-is a longtime favorite for contain__ers, rock gardens, and growing in the crevices of stone walls. Sempervivum's ground-hugging rosettes can be green, red, chartreuse, or purple to silvery blue in color. Echeverias come in rose, green, gray, and mauve, often with a contrasting edge color or a stripe. Both multiply without much effort, sending out shoots with their progeny attached; these may root on their own if they are in contact with soil. Otherwise, they can easily be detached and rooted.

Desert-loving yuccas, agaves, and aloes, with their swordlike and strappy leaves with sharp tips, add a sculptural element to any garden. Though these large-scale specimen plants have long been associated with the dry Southwest, there are hardy varieties that withstand below-freezing temperatures.

That indoor classic, the treelike jade plant (Crassula ovata), is another favorite for outdoor containers-though it is not hardy in cold climates. In the same family, baby necklace (Crassula rupestris x perforata) looks like a string of beads or buttons.

The lesser-known, multistemmed Aeoniums bear striking rosettes, sometimes variegated, in shades of green, red, and blackish purple, at the ends of their branches. Equally good as container and garden specimens, these generally grow 18 inches to 3 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. They don't tolerate freezing temperatures, however, so they need to winter indoors in cold climates.

Planting and Care: Although succulents generally require minimal care, most have one need that is absolute: good drainage. Many have shallow roots that spread out so they can take advantage of even brief rainstorms. But the roots succumb to disease if they stay damp.
The right soil depends on rainfall where you live. In desert areas, some succulents grow even in clay. In wetter climates, though, mix sand and airy lava rock into the planting area. Dig holes only as big as the nursery containers or even a little less deep, so that the plant crowns don't settle below the surface. Mulch with pea gravel to keep surface moisture to a minimum. For containers, mix two-thirds gravel or lava rock and one-third loam if you live where there is a lot of rain. In a dry climate, reverse the proportions.

Most important, don't overwater. Though container plantings need more water than those settled into the ground, probe the soil to be sure it is thoroughly dried out before watering. And always empty any standing water from saucers. In garden areas, feel the soil 3 to 4 inches below the surface to make sure it's thoroughly dry before giving plants a good dousing.

Occasional rainfall may mean you'll only need to water succulent plantings now and then, even during the sultriest weeks of the year. That's when you may really appreciate the savings bonus these plants offer-not just the lower water bill, but the extra hours freed up from coddling your summer garden.

Book Review: The Truth About Organic Gardening
(www.gardenrant.com)

In his straightforward introduction, Jeff Gillman outlines a personal history with pesticide use that he probably shares with most of us: chemicals were an accepted element of his family's horticultural practice. He then makes a distinction that will be important to anyone reading this book. Growers may be producing food for market while gardeners tend to be working a small plot of land primarily for their own personal use. In much of the book, Gillman aims his discourse first at those who grow food, and it's something to keep in mind.

Here's something else to keep in mind. Just as Gillman boils his discussion of each type of pesticide, herbicide, disease control, and fertilizer down into 3 conclusive summaries-benefits, drawbacks, and the bottom line-much of his advice could be summed up in a similar fashion: use common sense, read the labels, and follow the directions. And don't assume. Unfortunately, we can't depend on people doing all of that, so this book is needed.

The Truth About Organic Gardening does not sensationally debunk organic gardening principles; instead, it continues the discussion of the various chemical strategies (organic or otherwise) we use in our gardens that Gillman started in his excellent The Truth About Garden Remedies. As with the earlier book, chapters are organized by type of problem (pests, poor soil, weeds, disease, etc.) and each type of chemical is discussed-its benefits, its weaknesses, its dangers.

Any surprises here? Well, yes. I would have expected Gillman to come down hard on pesticide use, organic or otherwise, but I was a bit taken aback by his "respectful disagreement" with those who consider glyphosphate (Round-Up) a dangerous chemical. (He doesn't feel that the studies about its dangers are convincing, though he notes them.) I did enjoy this statement in the same chapter:

"The beauty of hand weeding is to thoroughly annihilate, in a very personal way, those evil plants that thought they could park themselves right next to my carrots."

I also liked this one in another: "One of my favorite ways to deal with pests is by ignoring them."

You'd have to be a professional horticulturalist yourself not to learn something from Gillman's wide-ranging descriptions of the more arcane chemical and mechanical garden methodologies that are out there. Like Reemay, a clear polyester covering to kill (edit) bugs, or minute pirate bugs, a beneficial insect you can buy that will voraciously consume thrips, mites, and aphids. I'd also never considered flaming my weeds, and I can hardly wait for good weather, so I can take my new propane torch (purchased for crème brulée) out there and light up some of those babies.

Just for fun. I must confess that's what I got from this book, for the most part: fun. I'm not a grower; I have a small urban courtyard and I just don't have enough land or plants for any garden problem to be a huge worry-i.e., where I'd be considering hurling an arsenal of chemicals at it. Like Gillman, I think it's fine to use synthetic fertilizer for containers, but that's become the extent of what I buy, these days. However, for those of you who tend larger domestic landscapes or are growing a good quantity of food crops, this book is useful. It discusses most of the strategies that exist, including many I'd never heard of, and debunks the overreactions on both sides of the equation, explaining that chemicals exist on both sides of the aisle-organic and synthetic-and it's important to know their properties and effects, either way. It's also fascinating to learn exactly how the nitrogen and phosphorous in synthetic fertilizers are produced.

If I had to distill Gillman's thoughts on this issue, I'd say that he, like many of us here, believes that a healthy plant in a healthy soil (well amended with compost) will withstand just about any threat. But I'd add that he's a scientist, fascinated by how chemicals work for good or ill in the garden, and in his book he shares his knowledge and experience in a way that entertains, enlightens, and sometimes surprises.

Horti-Culture Corner

There was a young lady of Leeds
Who swallowed six packets of seeds
In a month, silly lass
She was covered in grass
And she couldn't sit down for the weeds!

The truth about Organic Fertilizers
By Susan Harris
(www.organicgardener.com)

There's lots of confusion nowadays about "chemical" versus "organic" fertilizers but really, they're all chemicals, so the correct distinction is between organic and synthetic. Organic fertilizers break down slowly, so they last longer in the soil than synthetics and their effect isn't an instant "greening up" effect. They also require much larger quantities than synthetics to yield the same amount of each nutrient, and they're more expensive. It's those quick and cheap qualities of synthetic fertilizers - plus large advertising budgets on their behalf - that account for their popularity. That popularity will diminish if current trends towards organics continue, as expected.

Professor Jeff Gillman wrote The Truth about Organic Gardening to help steer environmentally concerned gardeners through the minefield of misinformation about organics. He warns readers that some organic fertilizers - like rock phosphate - are mined from nonrenewable sources and do considerable damage to the land. (The same harmful effects result from the mining of potassium used in synthetic fertilizers.) Nonmined organic fertilizers include compost, bonemeal, blood meal, seaweed extracts, alfalfa meal, and fish emulsions.

A common criticism of the excessive use of fertilizers is that they leach into groundwater, but the notion that only synthetic fertilizers do this is wrong, says Gillman. If organic fertilizers are overapplied, they're just as likely to pollute our waters as synthetic ones.

But probably the biggest misconception about fertilizers as a group is that they're even necessary! Usually it's far better to just feed the soil so it'll support healthy plants, and not just by providing the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in most packaged fertilizers. Healthy soils also need organic matter, plus beneficial bacteria and fungi, and the best source of all of that is compost. For growing food, Gillman recommends mixing a half-inch of aged composted manure into the soils

I asked Gillman about growing shrubs, trees, and perennials and his good-news answer was that they don't even need compost! He simply gives his a yearly 2-inch layer of a good organic mulch, which has been my own practice for 30 years, with good results. (I use leafmold, which is chopped and aged leaves, supplied free of charge by my local public works department.)
One small exception is that to maximize blooms on roses, many growers recommend applying an organic rose fertilizer like Rosetone in mid-April and again in mid-May, and Gillman himself applies alfalfa meal to his roses. The other exception among ornamental plants is container plants. They're watered SO frequently, their nutrients leach right out the drain hole, and most are planted in sterile "soil-less media" anyway. For pots, Gillman recommends fertilizers based on fish seaweed.

But what about the primary recipient of overfertilizer in the garden - our lawns? Turfgrasses DO need nitrogen, so a yearly application of any prepared organic fertilizer or a half-inch of screened compost is recommended. Even better, though, is corn gluten. Applied at the right time (when the forsythia are blooming) corn gluten will prevent weeds in addition to providing all the nitrogen the lawn needs. What a deal!

Garden Q. & A.: Poppies and Dill
By Leslie Land (NY Times)

Q. Years ago, I saw a magnificent stand of plume poppies in Maine and have wanted some ever since. Now that I finally have a place to plant them (in New Hampshire) I have two questions: Are they really invasive? Are they really poppies?

A. The plume poppy, Macleaya cordata, is really a member of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). It is not one of the poppies (Papaver species).

Compared to the usual, plume poppies are huge, anywhere from 6 to 8 feet tall. Instead of round poppy blossoms, they have long sprays of tiny flowers.

And unlike garden poppies they have beautiful broad leaves, olive green on top and silvery underneath.

To reach magnificence, plume poppies need fertile, well-drained soil and consistent moisture. Full sun is best, though they will grow in light shade.

In the south, where they can ripen seed, they can be invasive. Up north they are simply aggressive.

The rhizomes creep outward persistently, sending up new shoots as they go. But they prefer to stay in the garden, and they are easy to rip out. So as long as you are willing to weed, you should have no problems.

If you know someone who grows plume poppies, plants can be yours; those ripped-up bits come with roots. Nursery suppliers include Big Dipper Farm, (360) 886-8133 or bigdipperfarm.com, and Perennial Pleasures Nursery, (802) 472-5104 or perennialpleasures.net.

Q. The dill that has self-sown in my garden for years has always tasted fine, but I wonder if I'm missing something. Is there any reason to buy varieties like Dukat and Fernleaf?

A. The reasons for Dukat are homemade gravlax, potato salad for 20 and other recipes that call for large amounts of green dill. Dukat makes a lot of fronds. The reason for Fernleaf is restricted space. Fernleaf is bushy and short.

Dill that seeds itself usually grows tall and thin and starts flowering early. There is nothing wrong with it; in fact it often has the best flavor. But even large dill plants do not need much room, so why not have an assortment? Sources include Territorial Seed Company, (800) 626-0866 or territorialseed.com, and Harris Seeds, (800) 544 7938 or harrisseeds.com.

We All Play a Part in the Dandelion's History (www.naturewatch.com)

Ask your relatives if they have any experiences with the Dandelion. Remember that it originally came from Asia where it played an important role in both food and medicine. Arabian physicians, even before the year 1000, used this plant as a medicine. The Dandelion has not established itself in the wild in the Southern Hemisphere. Dandelions made their recorded appearances in Canada with the French in the 1700's where it was used in salads and as a health remedy.

This plant also appeared in New Mexico, USA when Spanish people brought it over for a medicine and food source, they called it chicoria. Germans brought the plant to Pennsylvania in the 1850's and used it as an early spring infusion of nutrition and vitamins. The English also brought the plants over to cure liver problems and other illnesses. Native Americans soon started to see benefits from the plants and started to grow them for the same uses as others. The plant is grown in India and is used mainly for a remedy for liver problems. Most recently the dandelion root is being grown and exported to Russia for use in medical remedies.

Interesting Facts

The word Dandelion comes from the French name for the plant dents de lion. This means teeth of the lion and refers to the jagged edges of the leaf of the plant.

The other French name for this plant is pis-en-lit, in English this means wet the bed. Dandelions deserve this name because their greens, when eaten, remove water from the body. So eating the greens could cause someone to well... you can guess the rest. Not recommend for a bedtime snack.

The dandelion first came from Asia but it now calls the entire planet home!

Each year fifty-five tones of coffee substitutes made from roasted Dandelion roots are sold in England, Australia and Canada.

The Dandelion provides an important food source to bees. The pollen from this plant helps bees out in the spring because it flowers early and the flowers continue through to the fall providing constant food. In fact no less then 93 different kinds of insects use Dandelion pollen as food.

The Dandelion seeds are important food to many small birds.

Horti-Culture Corner Bonus By Emily Dickinson

The Dandelion's pallid tube
Astonishes the Grass,
And Winter instantly becomes
An infinite Alas -

The tube uplifts a signal Bud
And then a shouting Flower, --
The Proclamation of the Suns
That sepulture is o'er.

April 2010

Planters Punchlines
Men's Garden Club of Wethersfield
April 2010

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Uncover the Weston Rose Garden -
Saturday April 17 @ 8:00 a.m.

Weed, compost and prune back. BYO tools & thorn-proof gloves. Contact Anthony Moir (563-5476) for more information.

The Rose Garden is our organization's principal ongoing civic contribution, and the major source of good publicity for the club.

The Garden Maintenance Team, a.k.a Anthony's Anti-Aphid Army, will meet every Saturday morning at 8:00 beginning t/b/a to perform regular maintenance (deadheading, etc.) Anyone interested in joining this elite group of combat gardeners and learning more about rose gardening while contributing to our town is welcome - regulars, part-timers, or drop-ins.

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Monthly Meeting - Monday April 26 @ 7:00 p.m.@ Wethersfield Community Center

Final planning for the Plant Sale."Official" pots and labels for donated plants will be available.

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Annual Plant Sale - May 8 (Rain Date May 15)

This is our major fundraiser.

CRITICAL NEED - Club members are asked to contribute "home grown" perennials to the sale. Plants being donated should be split and potted as soon as possible in order to allow them time to develop in the pot and look good for the sale. Please label all plants.

Contact Chairman Tom Gibson (1-860-208-5195) for pots for your perennials or for more information.

Help will be needed for: early morning set-up (7-8:00); sales and service (8-1:00); end of business shutdown (1-2:00 approx.).

Compostable Matter
By Jim Meehan

"The last thing we need is a platform or manifesto. This party is about anger, blame and raging paranoia." ("Bunkerbuster" at taxdayteaparty.com)

"Bunkerbuster" is right on. We don't need no manifesto. We don't need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom. Teachers leave them kids alone.

Instead we should follow with fervor the standard for unreasonableness set on that cold winter morning when the founding members of the Mens Garden Club of Wethersfield filled the waters of the towne cove with thousands of small, green, spherical legumes - in the great Wethersfield Pea Party.

They were mad as hell and not going to take this anymore.

"This" was of course the selection of our official town emblem.

There were just two candidates - the "Wethersfield Red Onion" versus the "Mister Big" Large Pod Pea. Both vegetables had their own set of loyalists. And town members of all ages and genders aligned themselves fiercely with their favorite contender - berating and maligning the opposition crop and its supporters with even more fervor than they devoted to extolling the virtues of their own nominee.

The onion was the fave of the fawning Francophile followers of that effete French nobleman Jean-Baptiste-Donatien de Vimeur count de Rochambeau, who several years later, would visit our fair city to plot military strategy with General George Washington.

The Mens Garden Club threw their backing to "Mr. Big". There were several reasons for this choice, such as the pea's shorter germination time and innate disease resistance. But the main one was expressed perfectly by the organization's campaign slogan, "Mister Big - Because That's Just The Way We Are!"

The opposition countered with their own series of catchphrases, the most famous of which of course was: "Mister Big! Ha! In Your Dreams!"

The Mens Garden Club had published its first "Horticultural Hunks" calendar that year. Unfortunately for the plantsmen some of the un-retouched original illustrations, which had been posed for in unusually cold winter weather, found their way into the public market. They had nothing that could stand up to the belittling counter claim of the Onion supporters.

As a result, the pungent tasting edible bulb was victorious. And for almost three hundred years the anger over that bitter defeat has simmered just under the surface of the otherwise placid demeanor of the gentlemen of the club.

In addition to the original "Pea Party Revolt" held in 1772, just one year before the idea was stolen by a bunch of tea-sipping Bostonians, there have been several other efforts over the year to bring the issue before the public. With each failure - and each attempt was an utter failure - the decibel level of the whining has increased incrementally.

For example, in 1900 the club endowed the first Nobel Peas Prize. But, like the aforementioned act of water-based vegetative rebellion, this idea was also hijacked - this time by a horde of Norwegian peace mongers - before the membership could agree on its initial honoree.

And in the 1960's the club issued its professionally produced recording of "All we are saying is give peas a chance. All we are saying is give peas a chance." But, as usual, nobody did.

You people just don't seem to get it! So listen up! Here is the real story.

The word "onion" comes from the Middle English "unyun", which in turn comes (of course) from the French "oignon", ultimately deriving from the Latin "unio", meaning one or unity.

Does that sound like socialism or what? Is it just coincidence that the enemy is a "RED" onion? I don't think so. Plus it is French.

Would not a well-endowed green legume make a much more memorable souvenir of our all-American village?

Picture this. Roadside stands set up on all of the entrances into town, manned by loyal and patriotic volunteers. Colonial pottery bowls filled with handpicked and hand-polished exemplars of "Mister Big", free for the taking.

And our new town motto: "It is a long drive from New York to Boston. Why not stop in Wethersfield and take a pea!"

In the words of Revolutionary War hero Patrick Henry, "It is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of [Wethersfield]! The war is inevitable; and let it come! I repeat, Sir, let it come! Give me liberty. Or give me death!"

Wait a minute. Death? The end of life! Most importantly my life! All over some dumb little green legume. Maybe I am being a little overzealous.

Besides, all that planning, organizing, supervising and (worst of all) then actually doing something just really seems like an awful lot of work to me. And when it's all done you just know someone is going to complain about it.

Instead I'm going back to my own private bunker where I can hunker down with a cheap cigar and an ice-cold six-pack - and bitch with the impunity that is granted to irate ignorance.

"Viva le Pea Party!" (Oops, my bad.)

GARDENS IN THYME Paul Courchaine
An English Herbal Garden

In this, the second article to address the history of gardens and gardening through-out the centuries, we go "across the pond" . We will look at 18th century herb gardening in England. The styles and the botany of such gardens played an important role in early America, as England was considered the epitome of all fashion. Gardens as those described in our inspiration book were copied by the wealthy and aspiring throughout the Eastern seaboard of America.

The book, in fact really a pamphlet, was published by The Herb Growers Press, a now-defunct organization which was located in Falls Village CT. The pamphlet came out in 1954. It is a reprint of an 17th century work by Leonard Meager, originally published in 1688. The Meager title was The English Gardner. Its sub-title tells the whole purpose of the tract - A catalogue of divers Ordinary Herbs and Roots, by the View whereof, any Gardener may readily call to mind what Sorts of Herbs he is to provide for the Furnishings of his Garden; also briefly by what means increased. (The spelling and punctuation are Mr. Meager’s). Notice the interesting use of the word Furnishings in how he views the role of herbs in the garden.

Meager begins by giving us a list of herbs called sweet herbs. What to include or not in this category have been an item of dispute for many years, but in his list they include such common, and easily grown, herbs as balm (probably lemon), basil, costmary, hyssop, lavender, five types of mint, five of marjoram, pennyroyal and rosemary, sage, summer and winter savory , six varieties of thyme and tansy. These sweet herbs were intended for culinary use, and were chopped fresh or dried for seasoning soups, stews, and pottages.

The next section of the pamphlet discusses "Physick Herbs", those which were used for medicinal purposes.It is an extensive list, and while some may not be known to American gardeners (bears-foot, harts-tongue, pelletary), others are rather commonly found in gardens (garlic, horseradish, peonies, rhubarb). Included in this section is a recipe of sorts for a spring salad, which is worth stating in its fullest:

There is a sort of sallet commonly gathered in the spring, consisting of diverse young buds and Sprouts both of trees and herbs, the which being gathered discreetly, with nothing but what is Very Young and tender, and that no one thing do too much exceed another, but that there is fine Agreement in their relish, if so it will be very acceptable to many. Violets with some young leaves Primroses and some young leaves small sprouts of burnet, also of mints. Sorrel, and diverse other of the like also small buds of gooseberries, roses, barberries, etc. Also when they are to be had The flowers of borage, bugloss, cowpagles, archangel, with diverse others

Although a salad composed of just these items might not fit all modern tastes, the addition of flower buds to "gourmet" salads is becoming very common-place in American restaurants,

Also included is a list of sallet-herbs and roots, for kitchen-uses. It’s a typical list of vegetable plants. Comparing it to the Williamsburg list from our first article, one finds many of the same plants. Interestingly enough, the Williamsburg list had seven varieties of peas. This pamphlet has eight. But only two are the same - Hotspur and Reading. Included here are sandwich, sugar (white and gray) , tufted or rose, gray Windsor, maple, Bowlins and great blew. But knowing that Thomas Jefferson knew, and planted , over 100 varieties, it is not surprising that the lists vary. It does show how much of our agricultural heritage we’ve lost as fruits and vegetables have been "developed" for long-distance transportation.

After Meager describes some herbs suitable to pickling, he describes the various forms of herb gardens "with divers forms of knots and plots for the purpose". Attached are plans for some of the more common types seen in England (as would also be seen in the colonies).

Paths would have laid with stone, brick-work, gravel, sand, or cropped grass. Meager lists some plants “to edge Borders to keep them in fashion”. These include box, hyssop, thyme, germander, thrift, marjoram, pinks, violets, grass, periwinkle, lavender cotton (santolina), lavender, rosemary, sage, primroses and double daisies. All should be “oft cut”. (Neither rosemary or lavender would do that well in the harsher climate of the Northeast.. The pamphlet concludes with instructions on sowing seeds.

I hope some of you might take inspiration to try some of these planting options. The book is well-worth seeking out through used book dealers. As some of the lists in the book were rather long, they were not included. But send a note to us and we’ll see what we can get for you.

Natural Pest Control (Other Than Caller ID)
Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Garden by Eartheasy.com

A garden insectary is a small garden plot of flowering plants designed to attract and harbor beneficial insects. These "good insects" prey on many common garden insect pests and offer the gardener a safer, natural alternative to pesticides.

The garden insectary is a form of "companion planting," based on the positive attributes plants can share in deterring pests, acquiring nutrients, or attracting natural predators. By becoming more diverse with your plantings, you're providing habitat, picture of predatory wasp shelter, and alternative food sources (such as pollen and nectar, something many predators need as part of their diet.

Here's an example. You can control aphids with an aphid predator like aphidius, and you can encourage aphidius to set up shop by planting sunflowers or lupin. Of course, the aphid predators need the pests to be present in order to eat, thrive, and reproduce-that is, they need aphids to be found in and around the general area you're trying to protect from the aphids. But that's where stocking your insectary with the appropriate plants comes in.

The idea of inviting the pests in to munch on plants in your insectary may seem alarming, until you understand that you are doing so to encourage host-specific pests. The pests remain on the desired plant in your insectary yet provide an ideal breeding ground for the associated predators and parasites.

Your insectary plot does not have to be large, just big enough to hold six to seven varieties of plants that attract insects. Once the garden has matured, you can watch your personal security force of beneficial insects do the work for you.

Table A. - Natural Pest Control by Insect Species

Pest Insect / Predator Insect

Aphids / Aphidius
Aphids / Aphidoletes
Thrips, spidermites, fungus gnats / Beneficial mites
Eggs of many pest insects / Damsel bugs (Nabidae)
Whiteflies, aphids, thrip, spider mites / Dicyphus
Slugs, small caterpillars and grubs / Ground beetles
Grubs Spring / Tiphia wasp
Aphids, mealybugs and others / Hoverflies
Scale, aphids, mites, soft-bodied insects / Lacewings
Aphids, mites / Ladybugs
Thrips, aphids, mites, scales, whiteflies / Pirate bugs
Caterpillars; beetle and fly larvae / Tachinid flies
Whiteflies; moth, beetle and fly larvae / Parasitic wasps

Table B. - What to Plant to Attract Beneficial Insects (Predator Insects)

Predator Insect / What to Plant (Insectary Plant)
Lacewings, aphidius, ladybugs / Achillea filipendulina
Hoverflies / Alyssum
Ground beetles / Amaranthus
Spring Tiphia wasp / Peonies, firethorn, forsythia
Ichneumon wasp, ladybugs, lacewings / Anethum graveolens (dill)
Lacewings / Angelica gigas
Ladybugs, hoverflies / Convolvulus minor
Hoverflies, parasitic wasps, lacewings / Cosmos bipinnatus
Dicyphus / Digitalis
Lacewings, ladybugs, hoverflies / Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace)
Damsel bugs, ladybugs, lacewings / Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)
Pirate bugs, beneficial mites / Helianthus annulus
Hoverflies / Iberis umbellata
Hoverflies, parasitic wasps / Limonium latifolium (Statice)
Aphidius, aphidoletes, hoverflies / Lupin
Parasitic wasps, tachinid flies / Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)
Parasitic wasps, hoverflies, tachinid flies / Petroselinum crispum (parsley)
Pirate bugs, beneficial mites / Shasta daisy
Pirate bugs, aphidius / Sunflowers
Ladybugs, lacewings / Tanacetum vulgare (tansy)
Dicyphus / Verbascum thaspus

A garden insectary should be thought of as a long-term permanent component of your garden. Results are not instant and conclusive; rather, the benefits to your garden are cumulative. As your plantings mature and resident populations of beneficial insects are established, the need for chemical pesticides and other aggressive insect control techniques will diminish. Your garden will become a more natural and balanced environment for the healthy production of vegetables and flowers.

God on Lawns
richsoil.com

God: Hey St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the Midwest? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect "no maintenance" garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.

St. Francis: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

God: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

St. Francis: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. The begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

God: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it... sometimes twice a week.

God: They cut it? Do they then bail it like hay?

St. Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

St. Francis: No Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

God: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

St. Francis: Yes, Sir.

God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

St. Francis: You are not going to believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

God: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.

St. Francis: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

God: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?

St. Francis: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. The haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

God: And where do they get this mulch?

St. Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

God: Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore. Sister Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

Sister Catherine: "Dumb and Dumber", Lord. It's a real stupid movie about.....

God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Perennial Vegetables
perennialvegetables.org/

There are perennial vegetables for almost every climate in North America - and many are suited to the shady, dry, infertile, or wet parts of your garden where annual vegetables won't grow.

They include not only herbaceous plants, but trees shrubs, vines, cacti, bamboos, bulbs, groundcovers, and even water plants. These crops are for the most part easily grown, and return year after year for delicious harvests.

Perennial in all of the Cold Temperate zone: This is a large and highly populated region covering much the eastern and central United States, as well as much of the warmer parts of Canada. This region corresponds with USDA Zones 4-7, and Sunset Zones 2-4, 6, 11, and 32-43.

Allium fistulosum Welsh onion
Allium tricoccum ramps
Allium tuberosum garlic chives
Apios americana groundnut
Aralia cordata udo
Asparagus officinalis asparagus
Bunias orientalis Turkish rocket
Camassia cusickii Cusick's camass
Camassia leichtlinnii Leichtlin's camass
Camassia quamash camass
Camassia scillioides wild hyacinth
Chenopodium bonus-henricus good king Henry
Cicorium intybus chicory
Crambe maritima sea kale
Dioscorea japonica jinenjo
Dioscorea opposita Chinese yam
Helianthus tuberosa sunchoke
Hemerocallis daylily
Laportaea canadensis wood nettle
Levisticum officinale lovage
Malva moschata musk mallow
Matteuccia struthiopteris ostrich fern
Nasturtium officinale watercress
Oenanthe javanica water celery
Oxyria digyna mountain sorrel
Petasites japonicus fuki
Phytolacca americana pokeweed
Polygonatum biflorum canaliculatum giant Solomon's seal
Rheum rubarbarum rhubarb
Rumex acetosa French sorrel
Rumex acetosa 'Profusion' sorrel
Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel
Rumex scutatus silver shield sorrel
Sagittaria latifolia arrowhead
Scorzonera hispanica scorzonera
Sium sisarum skirret
Stachys sieboldii Chinese artichoke
Taraxacum officinale dandelion
Tilia spp. linden
Urtica dioica nettles

Horti-Culture Corner

The Praying Mantis
By Ogden Nash

From whence arrived the praying mantis?
From outer space, or lost Atlantis?
glimpse the grin, green metal mug
at masks the pseudo-saintly bug,
Orthopterous, also carnivorous,
And faintly whisper, Lord deliver us.

Organic Lawn Care For the Cheap and Lazy (Excerpts)
(http://www.richsoil.com/lawn-care.jsp)

A little knowledge makes it so damn near anything can qualify for the "cheap and lazy" label. Including lawn care. Organic is just a bonus.

This is a game of competition. You want to make things favorable for the grass and unfavorable for the weeds so the grass will choke out the weeds. Naturally.

Mow high: There is a fight for sun. If the grass doesn't shade the weed, the weed will shade the grass. Sun is food. Food is strength and life. Shade is weakness, disease and death. Grass will shade the weeds only if it is tall enough. The shade of tall, dense grass turf will prevent essential light from reaching most weeds and, will aid in the destruction of new baby weed seedlings (such as the notorius dandelion).

Water infrequently: This will force your grass roots to go deep into the soil. Deeper than most weed roots. As the top few inches of soil becomes bone dry, the weeds and weed seedlings up there die while the grass still enjoys moisture from a little deeper.

Shallow, frequent watering encourages "thatch" (the grass propogates with above-soil runners (like strawberry runners) rather than rhizomes under the soil - there gets to be so many runners that they weave a mat that chokes out water and air). Since the roots are in the top inch or two of soil, a hot day will quickly dry the soil and much of the grass will brown. Weeds and weed seedlings looooove a daily watering. It's just what they need for a good start.

Two methods to tell when it is time to water: (1) The grass will start to curl before it turns brown. When it starts to curl, that is the best time to water. Anything after that is time for "intensive care watering" (water half an inch, wait three hours and water an inch). (2) Take a shovel and stick it into the soil about six inches. Keep the sun to your left or to your right when you do this. Push the handle forward. If you can see any moisture, wait. If it's all dry, water. If you can't get your shovel to go into the soil this deep, you need more soil.

Fertilize: Grass is a nitrogen pig. Legumes (such as clover and black medic) can get their nitrogen from the air (remember that the air we breathe is 80% nitrogen!). So, when you see legumes taking over your lawn (clover, medic, etc.), you know that your soil is nitrogen poor.

If your lawn needs fertilizer, sprinkle a little Ringer lawn fertilizer in the spring and fall. Why this brand? Well, there is nothing scary in the ingredients list; the stuff looks like rabbit food; and it works great.

If your lawn is in serious need of fertilizer, use a third of what the package recommends every three weeks in the spring and fall. Otherwise, use half of what the package recommends at the beginning of spring and the beginning of fall.

Cool season grasses are semi-dormant in the summer. Fertilizing in the summer feeds the weeds, not the grass.

pH: Dandelions love a pH of about 7.5. Grass loves a pH of about 6.5. So if your pH is 7.5 or higher, your grass will probably never beat out the dandelion. Lower the pH to 6.5 and your grass has the advantage!

Soil depth: My soil was only half an inch deep. Even weeds had a tough time growing. Below my half inch of soil was huge river rocks separated by smaller rocks, separated by sand. It bore no resemblance to soil. I added four inches of topsoil. This was done with two dump truck loads at $100 a pop. It covered all of the weeds with enough soil that they could not work through - I could start from scratch with my grass seed of choice!

This is a good time to talk about soil quality too. There is a big difference between dirt and soil. Soil is rich in microbial life and has a lot of organic matter in it. Dirt comes in many forms and it's a challenge to get anything to grow in it. If you are getting "topsoil" delivered to your house, be prepared for it to bear more resemblance to "dirt". You may want to have compost also delivered to your house so that you can mix the two and have the beginnings for "soil". One part compost to two parts dirt is a good mix.

Weeds: The above lawn care advice will eliminate 95% to 99% of your weed problem. But there are some weeds that are almost impossible to get rid of, no matter what. Some of these are even resistant to the chemical army. The two to be careful of in my area are BINDWEED (looks like white or pink morning glory) and CANADIAN THISTLE. These two have HUGE root systems that might go as deep as thirty feet into the soil. They spread with rhizomes, just like your grass.

The above techniques will discourage them enough to go to your neighbor's instead. They don't like tall grass or mowing. They might try to pop up on fences or other lawn borders. Fifty outcroppings could all be part of the same plant, so you really have to get as much of them as you can. The key is to remove the green plant that provides it with sugar. It needs sun and sugar to support that massive root system. Repeated digging will weaken it to the point that bugs and bacteria can take over.

DANDELIONS are a sign of alkaline soil. Refer to the pH stuff above. The above methods will prevent dandelions from propogating. Since dandelions live about five years, the mature dandelions will struggle with the tall, thick turf and die off in two to three years. I now think that a few dandelions poking up once in a while are kinda nice and I leave them alone.

BLACK MEDIC is a sign of low nitrogen soil. Refer to fertilizing above. The above methods will keep black medic in check. You will occassionally see a little once in a while, but it is kinda pretty when it isn't taking over your lawn. This stuff is sometimes called "yellow clover". When it's taking over, it will choke out grass and make flat mats about a foot in diameter. I found a litte in my current lawn and it was a single tiny strand with little yellow flowers.

CLOVER is a sign of low nitrogen soil. Refer to fertilizing above. White and pink clover is often desired in a lawn. It contributes nitrogen to the soil and doesn't compete strongly with the grass. Yellow clover is actually "black medic" (see above).

KNAPWEED tries to poison plants around it with niacin. A little water washes the niacin away
and the plants around it can have a fighting chance. Especially if mowing is involved. Mow a little more frequently in late June and early July to wipe out knapweed.








Links

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-26/beneficial-insect-natural-pest-control-article.htm

perennialvegetables.org/

http://www.richsoil.com/lawn-care.jsp