Author: Lilac

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Planning for the Planting Season – A Problem with Some Gardening Catalogs

Fragrant Viburnum

It’s that time of year again. The time to be dreaming and planning for the planting season.

The first of the plant and seed catalogs arrived in my mailbox already and this GardenLady has been going over and over the plants in it deciding on what should be planted come spring. I would like to order plants from this first catalog. But Caveat emptor! This catalog leaves something to be desired: Latin names are missing. The catalog only has a common name for most plants; though they do have some trade-marked names. How can buyers be sure that they are getting what they want or if they are getting the newest plants without proper classification of plants? When purchasing any plant, there should be the genus, species,and at least the plant cultivar. This way a buyer can check out the plant he or she is buying to see if it is really what is wanted.

For example, I would like to buy a viburnum. There are more than 150 plants in this genus. The one this catalog sells is called White snowball viburnum. So Is the viburnum in the catalog I received a Viburnum macrocephalum -Chinese snowball viburnum or Viburnum x carlecephalum – the fragrant viburnum that I would love? Or is it some other kind of viburnum? The catalog says the viburnum it is selling is fragrant. But other descriptions in the catalog don’t match with what is written about Viburnum x carlecephalum.

DSC_0819 Abelia x grandiflora shrub by debsteinberg

Another shrub I would love to own is a fragrant abelia. This catalog lists one for sale. There are about 15 to 30 species of abelia, so how is a buyer to know which one is being sold in the catalog? Are they selling one of the recommended varieties?

If only the catalog would add the proper plant classification this GardenLady would feel more comfortable ordering. I think their sales would increase. Unless they are selling overstocked or outdated plants and don’t want people to know. Still, because they are offering a special coupon for the order so that you are basically paying just for shipping, people will buy. But customers still want to know what they are getting; even to just let their friends know what they have planted.

If you want to start receiving gardening catalogs in your mailbox, here is a site for you to contact to get the catalogs you want.

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To Eliminate Bad Insects You Must Attract Good Insects

Lady Bugs by Roger Lynn

TheGardenLady just attended an entomology lecture the other day. Insects are interesting and one has to learn how to deal with them both with indoor and outdoor plants. The safest way to get rid of the bad insect pests is to encourage good insects to your place. These beneficial insects do an amazing job keeping your garden pest free. By using pesticides or insecticides, you know that you will be killing off the good insects with the bad. So unless it is the last resort, you want to avoid poisons. You want to know how to encourage good insects by planting plants that will support the beneficial insects at all stages of their lives.

What are some of the good/beneficial insects? We all know about honey bees, butterflies and Lady bugs but here is a more complete list with photos of other beneficial insects.

Continue reading “To Eliminate Bad Insects You Must Attract Good Insects”

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Creative and Inexpensive Garden Gifts for Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanza

be gentle and nurture by janoid
be gentle and nurture by janoid

December is the holiday month with Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanza and numerous other festive gift giving days. In my family, December is also the birthday month for four members. In these hard economic times, TheGardenLady likes to come up with creative but inexpensive gift ideas so as not to break the bank.

You can give IOUs to friends. Make or buy a pretty card- preferably with a flower on it – and offer your friend your services in the friend’s garden. For example, write on the card that you owe your friend one day of weeding time or if your friend is going somewhere, offer to water the flowers – indoors and/or outdoors when your friend is away. Or if your friend is away from the college campus while you will be around, offer to care for any plants.

Or one can propagate plants from your own plants. This is a little late in the year to get started for the plant to really be showy in time for Christmas and is really not the time to propagate outdoor plants; but one can attempt to propagate some simple indoor plants even at this late time of the year. The easiest way of propagating indoor plants is by taking leaf cuttings. Not all plants will propagate by leaf cuttings. Some simple, pretty plants amenable to this type of propagation are coleus, begonias and African violets. Sometimes all that is needed to get a root to form is to just put a stem with leaf cutting in water.

Continue reading “Creative and Inexpensive Garden Gifts for Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanza”

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Transplanting a Marigold Plant in Brooklyn

Marigolds To Boot by bestfor / richard
Marigolds To Boot by bestfor / richard

TheGardenLady received this question from Courtney.

I have a marigold plant outstide in a large planter that is still flowering (I live in Brooklyn, NY and it’s been in the high 50s-60s degrees lately). But I would like to transplant this plant to a pot so I can keep in inside during the winter…will this work? How deep of a pot would I need? I don’t have a ton of sunlight in my apartment. Please advise.

If you want to save the marigold plant you should bring in your marigold before it freezes. Not knowing how many plants you want to save, when you dig the plants out of the planter,  get a pot large enough. Put them into soil that is at least twice as deep as the root mass but don’t plant the flowers lower than they were in the planter. The extra soil will be for both for the roots to grow down and the plant’s need of nutrition from the new soil. Give the plants some soil around the sides. Tamp the soil around the marigolds so that they are firmly in the soil and water them. Marigolds really do need a lot of sunlight- so find your sunniest location, a south window is best, or get grow lights. But don’t be discouraged if the marigolds die.

TheGardenLady thinks you might have more success by planting the seeds of the marigold plants in pots and bringing the pots indoors. The seeds will send up plants. Hopefully you will give the plants lots of sun to flower. Originally marigolds come from very sunny areas like Mexico and you want to try to duplicate the environment where the plants came from.

My recommendation would be to collect the seed and save the seeds in ziplock bags or envelopes labeled Marigold seeds. Then sow the seeds outdoors next spring when the soil is very warm. Let your marigolds be your summer flowers in the planters and for the winter get flowering plants that really thrive indoors. Plants like African violets are pretty.

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The Deciduous Burning Bush

Winged Spindle (Euonymus alatus) by Wez Smith
Winged Spindle (Euonymus alatus) by Wez Smith

TheGardenLady received this question from Mary.

I just planted a Burning Bush this summer. It did turn a beautiful red but I noticed this morning it looked a little limp. When I returned from work, most of the leaves were on the ground and the bush is almost bare. Is this supposed to happen? If not will it come back next year or did it die?

Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus, is a deciduous shrub.  Deciduous means that a shrub or tree sheds all its leaves in the fall. This happens every year. The leaves will return in the spring.  See here.

Send a photo of your burning bush when it’s a beautiful red.  TheGardenLady would love to show it on her site.

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Apple Tree Grafting

YELLOW TRANSPARENT APPLE TREE LOADED DOWN by MIKE QUICK
YELLOW TRANSPARENT APPLE TREE LOADED DOWN by MIKE QUICK

TheGardenLady received this question from Donna.

My dad has a yellow transparent apple tree he has had for 30 years and the last
few years it has started growing a differant kind of apple along with the
transparent apples .  He also has another yellow transparent that started
doing the same thing. What causes this?

TheGardenLady suspects that your father’s yellow transparent apple tree was grafted onto another apple rootstock and that it is sending up suckers with different apples.   Suckers are branches that grow from the base of the tree – up to 4 foot off the ground -and can come from the grafted root. But to do it after 30 years is unusual. You don’t want suckers so you should prune off any suckers.   See here.

However to be absolutely sure about what is happening to your father’s apple trees, send a photograph to Stark Bros. Nursery, a nursery that has been in business for 200 years and are authorities on the subject of fruit trees.  TheGardenLady wrote this post about the nursery.  You should send them a photo of the two different apples on the tree. Send the photo or photos by email to info@starkbros.com or to Stark Brothers P.O. Box 1800, Louisiana, Missouri 63353 and write a note about the problem you want solved. Or call them at 800.325.4180 to see what other information they need.

Let TheGardenLady readers know their comments.

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Is it an Anthurium or a Spathyphylum?

Anthurium – Arum by Stellas mom

TheGardenLady received this question from Ellen:

I have a peace lily that blooms red instead of white and I wondered how rare this is, as I have never seen anything but the white blooming peace lilies?

Could you possibly have an Anthurium plant that has a red spathe or flower bract? A spathe is a modified leaf that looks like a flower The long-lasting, showy flower bracts come in shades of red, rose, pink, white and some other colors with a protruding pale yellow, tail-like flower spadix.  See here.  The name Anthurium comes from antho- + Greek oura a tail.

Mums spathyphylum - Peace lily by frans schmit
Mum's spathyphylum - Peace lily by frans schmit

The white spathe plant that is generally referred to as the Peace Lily is a Spathyphylum.  See here.  The Latin name Spathyphylum comes from the Greek -spathe- meaning bract and phyllon meaning leaf because the flowers are leaf like in shape.

Scientists and herbalists understood the need for systematic, reliable plant and animal identification and classification. This is so everyone is sure to know exactly the kind of plant or animal you are talking about. Over 300 years ago a scientist by the name of Linneaeus created a system of writing the names of plants and animals in Latin. All scientist around the world have pretty much accepted these Latin names because common names can change depending on where you live. For example, there is a darling plant we grow in the garden that has a common name of Snapdragon because if you were to gently squeeze the flower it has what looks like a mouth. If you were to live in Iran, I was told you would not call it a snapdragon but would call it a monkey mouth.The Latin name for snapdragon is Antirrhinum majus. Thus when scientists in the US and scientists in Iran talk about the Antirrhinum, they know exactly the plant they are talking about. The Latin name Antirrhinum comes from the Greek antirrhinon, from anti- like (from anti against, equivalent to) + rhin-, rhis nose and used in Latin.   See here.

Does this mean one should start learning Latin? It might be fun. And it is a fun challenge to learn the proper name for each plant you have. Go on- impress your friends. Let them know if you have an Anthurium or a Spathyphylum.

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Chickens for the Garden

George the Brahma cockerel in front of the chicken shed by hardworkinghippy
George the Brahma cockerel in front of the chicken shed by hardworkinghippy

With the prevalence of the Lyme tick or any tick, I often wished I had some chickens in my yard. Chickens peck about in the grass for insects. I thought how darling they would look in my yard- a return to nature and a decoration for the yard as well as their cleaning the yard of bad insects. But it was just one of many dreams I have. I didn’t know if my township allowed chickens.

Then I attended a conference in Arkansas and heard P. Allen Smith give a talk about gardens. He said that in England famous gardeners always had chickens in their gardens. These chickens were housed in fancy chicken coops as added interest to the garden. So when P.Allen Smith built his summer home, he created a chicken coop that I think was built like a Greek Revival miniature house. It was charming. Again I wished…..

chicken garden by DrSlippers2007
chicken garden by DrSlippers2007

Later when a friend said she was putting in a few chickens in her garden, I was really envious. She wasn’t sure if her area allowed chickens, but the neighbors didn’t object so she bought them. She bought a funky brilliantly colored chicken coop that made me think of a tent. The chickens seemed to be backpacker chickens.

Then, in the September 28, 2009 issue of the New Yorker, there was an article about chickens being the newest craze. The article is “The It Bird – The return of the back-yard chicken” by Susan Orlean. This fun to read article talks about all the “online chicken groups and websites- such as Chickens 101, Housechicken, Yardpoultry, My Pet Chicken” etc. plus a BackyardChickens.com forum.

She writes that TreeHugger.com speaks of raising chickens in the back yard as being the new movement in North America with many magazines on chickens now available and guides that will advise you on how to “chanllenge anti-chicken ordinances” in your town. Readers in Hawaii where roosters run rampant and others who read this post, be careful that you don’t bring in roosters that will crow and wake you and the neighborhood up too early. Apparently “there is a petition currently circulating urging the Obamas to add a chicken flock to the White House Garden.”

ThisGardenLady would love to see chickens in her back yard. But until the chickens learn to completely care for themselves- and that includes fending off the fox or coyote in the neighborhood, she will leave this pretty addition to seeing it in someone else’s garden.

If you decide to decorate your garden with chickens, where can you buy them and other fowl? You don’t have to buy the common types that I grew up with. In the United states you can now buy rare-breed poultry at McMurray Hatchery that bills itself as the largest rare  – breed poultry hatchery in the world.

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The Master Gardeners of Michigan Need Help

ALERT

TheGardenLady just learned distressing news for people who live in the state of Michigan who love plants and love to garden but have questions about gardening or about insects in the garden or in the home. TheGardenLady has written about an organization called the Master Gardeners that offers free advice about gardening, plants, including trees and insects both indoors and outdoors. The Master Gardening program helps people across the country and in Canada and a few other countries with this free advice. Master Gardeners also help beautify parks and gardens in their states and/or teach about plants and gardening. Because the Master Gardeners are educated volunteers, this service has been free or perhaps there was a nominal cost- like for soil testing kits in NJ. It is offered through the county that you live in – through the agricultural extension, your state agricultural school.

The article TheGardenLady read that so upset her was in the Upper Michigan News by TV6 & FOX UP . The article wrote “For about 150 years MSU extension offices in every county have helped people get information about a wide variety of subjects. It was actually part of the deal when the state received federal money to create Michigan State University. Today MSU extension receives state federal and local money to cover their costs. ”

Now, after all these years, this wonderful service might be terminated because of the budget. Please read the entire article on this dire news for people in Michigan. The Master Gardeners are volunteers but they need an office to work out of, phone service and printed material, etc. If MSU won’t have any money in their budget, where will the Master Gardeners go to help the public?

TheGardenLady read this article about the problem and would like you to read the article to see what is happening. There is another article that you can read to learn how you can help prevent this from happening.  And there is a petition you can sign if you live in Michigan to tell your government how important the program is for you and why you wish it should be saved.

If any of TheGardenLady’s readership is in Michigan or if my readership knows people who live in Michigan, please contact them immediately and tell them about what is happening. Tell them to read the articles and see if people in Michigan will get involved and see what they can do to keep the extension service there to help. This has to be done immediately- two weeks time is all there is.

Good Luck.

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Red Plants at the Perennial Plant Conference

Helianthemum ‘Hartswood Ruby’
Helianthemum ‘Hartswood Ruby’

At the Perennial Plant Conference held at Swarthmore College TheGardenLady enjoyed seeing and learning about red plants

The nursery Green Leaf Plants have a Helianthemum ‘Hartswood Ruby’ that is new. It has a red flower with a yellow center and grows in zones 6,7 and 8. Check out the look of this flower on the Green Leaf Plants site and call them to find out where it can be bought.

Hibiscus Red Flyer
Hibiscus 'Red Flyer'

Beverly Fitts an instructor at Longwood Gardens recommended a Hibiscus called ‘Red Flyer.’ She said the flower is so spectacular that people stop to comment on it or to ask her what the plant is.  See here. This is a monster plant, towering to 12′ in height, so you need room to have it. It is resistant to insects and is a vigorous plant that starts flowering in mid-July and continues until frost. Plenty of nutrition and moisture will produce the best results. It won’t become invasive because it is a sterile plant.

Another red flowering plant that appealed to me was recommended by Carrie Wiles of North Creek Nurseries. This was a honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler.’

Lonicera sempervirens Major Wheeler Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler' Trumpet Honeysuckle

Many honeysuckles have become very invasive. They say that this lonicera will not become invasive because it is a native honeysuckle. And the reason the nursery recommends ‘Major Wheeler’ is because of its red flowers -the plant is COVERED in red trumpet flowers in late spring and keeps producing flowers all summer long, especially with a post-bloom trim. Carrie Wiles said that hummingbirds will find it from miles around.

These are some of the wonderful recommendations of plants for your garden from people in the know.