April 2014

Planters Punchlines

Men’s Garden Club of Wethersfield

April 2014

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monthly Meeting - Monday April 28 @ 7:00 p.m.

@ Wethersfield Community Center.

Final planning for the Plant Sale.  “Official” pots and labels for donated plants will be available.  Stuff envelopes for mailings.

Annual Plant Sale - May 10 (Rain Date May 17)

This is our major fundraiser. CRITICAL NEED - Club members are asked to contribute “home grown” perennials to the sale.  If you do not have your own plants to donate – seek them out from friends, neighbors or relatives.

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 Fred Odell (860.529.6064) for official pots, potting soil, and plant labels.

Uncover the Weston Rose Garden

Saturday April 19 @ 8:00 a.m.

Weed, spread manure, and prune.  BYO tools & thorn-proof gloves.  Regular maintenance will begin at a date t/b/d. Anyone interested in joining this elite group of gardeners and learning more about rose gardening while contributing to our town is welcome – regulars, part-timers, or drop-ins. 

Compostable Matter

By Jim Meehan

You may remember Marsha’s and my intention to “New Mexico-ize” our perennial beds (February Planters Punchlines).  Well, it is not going to happen.  I am just too spineless a plantsman to deal with all the spines on cactus.  “No pain, no gain” may be true in the gym, but not in my garden.

       

Botanically, "spines" are different than "thorns": the former being leaves that have strayed from the path of righteousness, whereas thorns are modified branches that have gone over to the dark side. 

      

Initially I was hoping for a crowded, overflowing, “Monet Garden” of various cacti varieties mixed in with the more conventional New England perennials that already are in place (asters, bee balm, lilacs, and various bird-attracting berry bushes) plus some other t/b/d stuff.  Then Marsha reminded me of the need for access to these other garden bedmates, and what my arms and legs looked like after even a brief workout at the Weston Rose Garden – as if I had been subjected to involuntary acupuncture by the Spanish inquisition.

      

I Googled “spineless” cactus and discovered that between 1907 and 1925, Luther Burbank (remember him from elementary school biology) introduced more than 60 spike-free varieties– all of which are on display at his historic “Home and Gardens” in hot ad dry Santa Rosa, California.  Not quite the climate within which we were planning to cultivate them.

      

So we went to Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society’s 31st Annual Show and Sale in Waterbury hoping to find some examples of the disarmed succulents suitable for the Connecticut climate.

       

And we happened upon the lecture “Hardy Cacti for the CT Garden” delivered by John Spain, a founder of the Cactus Society, and the man who literally wrote the book on the subject – “Growing Winter Hardy Cacti In Cold Wet Climatic Conditions”.

      

 John Spain, it turns out, is to hardy cacti what Alan Lomax was to folk music.  “During the New Deal, with his father, famed folklorist and collector John A. Lomax and later alone and with others, Lomax recorded thousands of songs and interviews for the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress on aluminum and acetate discs.” (Wikipedia)  Without Alan Lomax, there would be no American songbook, no Bob Dylan or Joan Baez – and definitely no “Polk Salad Annie”. 

       

Forty years ago John Spain saw his first non-southwest cactus growing in Detroit Michigan.  (Actually it was in a nearby suburb, but the idea of a desert plant growing in the motor city is just too cool an image to ignore.)  When he moved to New Jersey and then Connecticut he gathered and  grew similar cacti in his new home environments – lots and lots of them.  There is, Spain says, at least one cactus variety native to (or suited for) every state east of the Mississippi River other than Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.  With one small exception – almost too small to be visible in the garden we were contemplating – none of these cacti are spineless.

       

Thus ends the grand scheme to convert our property to a mini New Mexico.  It hurts, but not as much as the alternative.

     

10 Tips on Dividing Perennial Plants

by Janet Macunovich (http://www.finegardening.com)

When dividing perennials, timing and technique are important. Perennial plants are healthiest and most productive when they are young and have room to spread. How wonderful that we can rejuvenate even the oldest residents of a garden by occasionally dividing them. Read on to learn how to divide plants.

       

1. Divide when a plant looks good - Don’t wait until a plant has become decrepit or monstrous to divide it. My rule of thumb is when it looks its best, divide it at the end of that year. Watch for the early signs of trouble: when the center of the plant has smaller leaves, fewer flowers, and weaker blooming stalks than the outer edges …, or when the plant runs out of growing room on its edges and has nowhere to go but into neighboring plants.

       

2. Start at the drip line - To lift a perennial with minimal root damage, begin digging at its drip line. The roots will generally extend that far, so digging there lets you lift the plant with most of its roots intact. Dig a trench around the clump, cleanly severing any roots, then cut at an angle down and under the clump from various points around the outer edge until you can lever the plant out of the hole. For large, heavy plants, you may have to first dig the trench, then slice straight down through the center of the plant as if it was a pie, halving or quartering the clump before under?cutting and lifting it.

       

In early spring, I divide while the new growth is still low to the ground, so the handling of stems is not usually an issue. In sum?mer, I might tie stems together before lifting the plant to avoid damaging them during the digging. In fall, I usually cut plants back before digging them for division.

       

3. Divide in cool weather - Perennials can be divided at any time of the year if you give the plant appro?priate care afterward, and I do just that. But for the best return on my time and the quickest reestablishment of the perennials, I divide when the soil is warmer than the air for at least part of every 24-hour period. That’s just before peak daffodil season in spring and in early fall right after the nights become cool. These con?ditions will allow the roots of the division to grow while the tops stay low, out of the sun and wind.

      

 I prefer to divide in the fall rather than in the spring because the plants have more time to set new roots before growing up into the heat. I will divide fall bloomers in Sep?tember if it’s expedient, but I usually leave them to bloom undisturbed and divide them in the spring.

       

4. Keep roots cool and moist - Fifty percent humidity and 50°F are the ideal conditions for holding divisions until you can get them back into the ground. Put them into a bucket or box in a cool shaded place, such as a garage, and cover them with newspaper to retard moisture loss. Sprinkle water to dampen the newspaper if the roots seem to be drying during their “hold” time. If, despite your best efforts, the divisions dry out while on hold, don’t despair. Soak them in a bucket of water for about an hour before replanting.

      

 5. Replenish soil with organic matter - If you remove a wheelbarrow full of perennials, then you should put a wheel?barrow full of compost back into that site before replanting to renew the soil, stay ahead of pest problems, and maintain fertility. Without additions, the plants will not have the advantage of renewed, fertile soil and the bed will settle after planting, putting the plants at a disadvantage in terms of drainage and air circulation.

       

6. Use vigorous sections first – After dividing, replant pieces that are, at most, 20 to 25 percent of the original clump. Smaller sections grow more vigorously and tend to produce stronger, longer-lasting blooms. Dividing a hosta, for example, into pieces with about seven growing points will yield the best results. Perennials multiply exponentially—one stem is likely to triple or quadruple itself each year. So if all you do is halve an overgrown clump this year, it will more than double in a season and need dividing again the next year.

       

7. Take extra care when a plant’s in bloom – Although I have often read that I shouldn’t, I sometimes divide plants when they’re blooming. I understand, how?ever, that plants in bloom may not be capable of growing as many new roots as quickly as nonblooming plants. I’ve done this in September when Japanese anemones (Anemone ? hybrida cvs.) and asters (Aster spp. and cvs.) are in bloom and in April when the pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) and lungworts (Pul?monaria spp. and cvs.) are at their peak. I haven’t lost any divisions yet. I have also divided late-spring and summer bloomers while they were flowering. Given the extra care that common sense dictates (such as more attentive watering or shade at midday), these plants will fare well, too.

       

8. Keep only the healthiest pieces – If you wait until a perennial is declining, has a dead center, or has succumbed to pest problems because it has become crowded and weak, be sure to replant only the healthiest pieces. Usually these are the outside sections. Watch for discolored stems and eroded crowns and roots.

      

 9. Spread out your divisions – Place a division into a hole that is at least as wide as its roots when spread out. Don’t turn a root tip up rather than down or curl it back around on itself to fit it into an undersize hole because you’ll defeat the plant’s natural regrowth mechanisms.

       

Root tip growth is regulated in part by chemicals flowing down from the tips of leafy stems to the roots. As in all flows, gravity is involved, so if you plant a root tip up when it was down, the normal flow is interrupted. At least temporarily, that root tip will not grow as vigorously as it could.

       

Replant divisions in a wide hole and over a wide area. Spread out the roots wide and down over a mound of soil. Replant divisions in a wide hole and over a wide area. Spread out the roots wide and down over a mound of soil.

       

In the next growing season, the top of the plant will be as wide as the roots are at the time of plant?ing. Ensure that when you spread out the roots they don’t overlap and compete with the other divisions. In the next growing season, the top of the plant will be as wide as the roots are at the time of plant?ing. Ensure that when you spread out the roots they don’t overlap and compete with the other divisions.

       

10. Let the roots be your guide – When you dig up a perennial, you will see that it fits into one of five basic root types: roots that form clumps or offsets, surface roots, underground running roots, taproots, or woody roots. How you proceed depends on what root type your plant has.

       

Offsets – To divide a plant whose roots form offsets (small plants growing at the base of a larger one), snap the connection between any of the sections to obtain a piece with ample roots and three or more growing points (or “eyes”). Some denser clumps may have to be cut apart.  Plants that form offsets include asters, coneflowers, hostas, tickseeds.

      

 Surface roots  Some perennials have roots that run on or just below the surface of the soil. They form new crowns and roots when they reach open spaces or make contact with the soil. If you cut between any of the stems as you would cut a piece of sod from a lawn, you will have a division with its own stems and roots.

       

Plants with surface roots include bee balms, black-eyed Susans, creeping sedums, creeping speedwells.

       

Taproots – Plants that have taproots can be divided by using a sharp knife to slice down the length of the root. Every piece that has at least one eye, some of the taproot, and a few side roots is a viable division. Plants that have taproots include balloon flowers, butterfly weeds, cushion spurges, Oriental poppies.

       

Underground running roots – Underground running roots can develop suckers as they grow beyond the shade of the mother clump. These suckers can be cut away from the main plant, or you can dig up the main plant and cut away any piece with an eye or sucker already forming. Plants with underground running roots include hardy geraniums, Japanese anemones, ostrich fern, plume poppies.

Woody roots – Woody perennials often form roots when stems rest on the ground or are buried by gradually accumulating mulch. Make a new plant by simply cutting between the rooted stem and the mother plant.  Plants that have woody roots include candytufts (), euonymus, lavenders, sages.

Horti-Cuture Corner

"I don't believe the half I hear,

Nor the quarter of what I see!

But I have one faith, sublime and true,

That nothing can shake or slay;

Each spring I firmly believe anew

All the seed catalogues say!"

- Carolyn Wells

Invasive Bugs in Connecticut 

May Be Adapting to Extreme Winters

By Patrick Skahill - http://wnpr.org

This winter's extreme cold has reduced population numbers statewide, but there is evidence that bugs in the northwest corner of the state are becoming more cold-weather resistant.

       

Scientists say this winter's extreme cold is having a limited impact on the state's invasive bugs, and it may even be making one insect stronger. It's called the hemlock woolly adelgid, and it was first identified in Connecticut in 1985. Infected Hemlock trees can die off within four to six years of the adelgid's arrival.

       

"In the period of less than ten years it was found throughout the whole state," said Carole Cheah from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. "It kind of settles on the twig, on the hemlock twig, and spins this wool around itself, which protects it from the cold and the rain. It doesn't move, so a lot of people will think it's a fungus."

       

But it's a bug -- and it's a dangerous one. Infected Hemlock trees can die off within four to six years of the adelgid's arrival. Each year,  entomologists collect data hoping that Connecticut's cold winter weather will knock those population numbers down. "This year's data was very interesting," Cheah said. "Because of all this interest around the polar vortex, I was able to go out and sample ten sites throughout the state ...to see what effect that brief period of cold temperatures had on the adelgid."

       

Cheah found that in really cold parts of the state, like the northwest corner, bugs aren't dying off at the rates they once did. "I'm seeing populations in that part of the state which, prior to this, had suffered high mortality," Cheah said. "They're suffering much less mortality, which suggests there's some sort of adaptation going on from the survivors of previous winters. Which is not really good news."

       

But there is some good news. While bugs in the northwest are proving themselves more resistant, overall, the temperatures this winter did kill off about 80 percent of the state's adelgids. That means fewer hemlocks needing insecticide this spring.

Vegetables That Don't Grow Well Together

by Casandra Maier, Demand Media (http://homeguides.sfgate.com)

Companion planting helps you achieve a healthy, pest-free garden.

       

When planning your garden layout, it is important to consider that some vegetables make good neighbors, while others do not get along. The premise for this is called companion planting. Although it is based largely on anecdotal evidence rather than actual science, companion planting recognizes that plants are living, active organisms that affect the environment around them. This means certain vegetable combination should be avoided because they do not grow well in the same space.

       

Companion planting wisdom tells us that some plants thrive when planted close to each other in the garden. These compatible plants work together to improve each other’s health, vigor and flavor. They are able to share nutrients to lessen competition. They also attract beneficial insects and repel harmful pests. Above all, adding diversity to your garden breaks up monoculture, which creates conditions for pests and diseases to thrive.

       

Understanding Bad Neighbors: Just as good combinations exist in companion planting, there are vegetables that make bad neighbors. These vegetables perform poorly when planted close to one another. For example, two heavy-feeding vegetables planted in the same space compete too fiercely for nutrients, leaving one plant without the nutrition it requires. Some plants produce and release chemical substances into the soil that noticeably impede or discourage the growth or germination of other plants. Unhealthy plants that lack vigor are more susceptible to invasion by pests and diseases.

       

Bad Perennial Neighbors: You should avoid certain vegetable combinations in your garden. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a partial-shade perennial that thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. It performs poorly when planted with onions (Allium cepa), which are popular garden annuals, or garlic (Allium sativum). As a perennial plant, garlic thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8.

       

Annual Bad Neighbors: Some annual vegetables do not make good neighbors, such as potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) with squashes (Cucurbita maxima varieties), cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) or celery (Apium graveolens). Celery also does not respond well when planted with carrots (Daucus carota) or parsnips (Pastinaca sativa). Avoid planting beetroot (Beta vulgaris) with members of the Brassicaceae family, such as broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). Beetroot also does poorly when planted with garlic or onions. These vegetable combinations perform badly because their roots release substances that inhibit one another's growth.

      

 Three Sisters: Perhaps the best example of good neighbors in companion planting is a combination also referred to as the three sisters. This annual combination of corn (Zea mays), climbing bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and squash varieties was developed by Native Americans. The latter two plants make good neighbors and companions because they do not compete with corn, which is a heavy feeder, for nutrients. The height of the corn provides structure for climbing beans, and thick squash plants shade the ground, preventing weeds from springing up and stealing nutrients from the corn and beans.

The Weirdest Farmer’s Market Veggies

http://www.takepart.com/photos/9-weirdest-farmers-market-veggies/the-weirdest-farmers-market-veggies

      

If you love food, you should be visiting farmer's markets. You're supporting farmers directly, shopping locally, and getting quality products. But there's an added bonus—the jaw-dropping array of unusual vegetables on display. Most of these veggies are heirloom varieties, and it's simply not cost-effective for supermarkets to stock them.

       

Purple Potatoe: These purple beauties are basically the same as red new potatoes, but with a vibrant violet interior. They keep their color when cooked and are a great addition to potato salads or as a colorful mash. Pro tip: Add some lemon juice to make the color even brighter.

       

Chioggia beets, often called "candy cane" beets because of their playful red and white stripes, are a touch sweeter than the red variety. They'll keep their color if roasted or steamed, but for maximum vibrancy, try slicing them thinly in a carpaccio-style salad. And these beauties aren't just eye candy—they're chock full of fiber, folate and potassium.

       

About 30 years ago, a farmer in Canada discovered orange cauliflower in his white cauliflower field. The cause? A genetic mutation allowed the plant to absorb more beta-carotene (the pigment found in carrots), turning the bulbous head a bright orange. It can be prepared in the the same way as the white variety—plus it's got a whopping 25 times more vitamin A.

       

Dragon Tongue Beans: These funky heirloom beans are best eaten raw or steamed (but they lose their magic color if cooked). The raw beans are crunchy and a bit spicy, while cooking makes them a little sweeter. Like other beans, they've got plenty of iron, potassium and vitamin B.

      

 Purple Carrots: Don't let the color throw you off—these purple carrots taste just the same as the orange variety and can be cooked in the same ways. Warning: The pigment can bleed a bit, so you may end up with a pink-hued salad. Worth it!

       

Though they're smaller than the traditional purple eggplant, these white aubergines can be prepared the same way (they're perhaps just a touch sweeter). Eggplant, which is known to be helpful in reducing high blood cholesterol, is also packed with fiber and B vitamins; try them roasted or sautéed in Thai or Italian dishes.

       

Green zebra tomatoes: OK, we're cheating by categorizing tomatoes as a vegetable, but these Green Zebras were too tasty to leave off our list. When fully ripe, they resemble tiny watermelons, and their flesh is pleasantly tart. They're lovely when breaded and fried, or use them raw in a salad.

       

Purple Spring Garlic: Good at warding off vampires, better at making your food delicious. This colorful garlic plant is a member of the allium family, and you're much more likely to find that it's grown locally. (Much of the white grocery store variety is grown overseas, and isn't nearly as fresh.) Garlic is well-known for its health powers, which range from preventing cancer to scurvy (it's packed with vitamin C).

Romanesco Broccoli: Misleadingly named a "broccoli," this veggie is actually a curious-looking, bright-green cauliflower studded with conical shapes (fun fact: the formations resemble a natural fractal). It keeps its green color when cooked (try roasting it), and can be prepared the same way as regular white cauliflower. The texture is relatively tender, with a milder and sweeter flavor than the white version. Bonus: It's bursting with vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids.

     

The Use of Stale Beer in Gardening

by Ruth de Jauregui, Demand Media (http://homeguides.sfgate.com)

A half bottle of stale beer has many uses in the garden.

       

The party is over, the guests have gone home and the leftover beer is losing its bubbles in the hot sun. Instead of throwing away all the half bottles of stale beer, why not use it in the garden? Beer has a number of uses, including trapping pests and greening up the landscape. In addition, once the bottles are emptied, you can take them down to the local recycling center and retrieve the bottle deposits.

       

Slugs, Snails and Earwigs: All you need to trap slugs, snails and earwigs is a shallow bowl, a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid and a can of stale beer. By scooping a hole in the soil and placing the bowl so the rim is at ground level, then gently mixing the dishwashing liquid and beer before placing it in the bowl, you have an irresistible brew that snails, slugs and earwigs will eagerly crawl into -- and drown in. A recycled glass or plastic jar set in the soil at a 45-degree angle with the rim at ground level and filled with stale beer serves the same purpose for earwigs.

       

Fruit Fly Trap: Catching fruit flies, flies and other flying pests is easy with a plastic soda bottle and some stale beer. By cutting the plastic bottle in half and inverting the top onto the bottom, you have a funnel leading into the trap. After taping the two parts together with duct tape, simply add 2 inches of beer and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid. When set in a bright window, outside on a picnic table or under a fruit tree, the fruit flies and other flying pests will swarm into the trap and drown in the beer.

       

Compost Starter: If your compost pile seems a little slow in heating up, get it going with a beer chaser. Mix a bottle of beer with a cup of ammonia in 4 gallons of water, then pour it over the compost pile to get the pile cooking. The yeast and sugar in the beer and the nitrogen provided by the ammonia feed the beneficial bacteria that facilitate decomposition, speeding up the process of breaking down the individual components of the compost pile.

       

Green-Up Tonic: According to Master Gardener Jerry Baker, a mixture of ammonia, dishwashing liquid, liquid lawn food and molasses combined with a can of beer and applied to your lawn and garden with a hose sprayer will quickly green up your landscape. The ammonia provides nitrogen while the dishwashing liquid is a surfactant, which helps the leaves and soil absorb the nutrients provided by the liquid lawn food. The molasses and beer add sugar and yeast to feed the beneficial microbes and bacteria in the soil, further nourishing the plants. Regular applications keep the garden thriving through the summer.