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A FEW GARDENING TIPS

May 2022 by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

*Sometimes gardening tools just seem to disappear.  To solve this, cover the handles with bright colored masking tape.

*Did you know that Miracle Whip can be used to clean sap off of garden tools as well as you hands.

*Sowing small seeds: Put the seeds in an old salt shaker with a small amount of sand and gently sprinkle them on the soil.  Run a strip of toilet paper down the furrow and plant the seeds on top.   You can see  where each seed is and the TP will break down in the soil.

*Marigolds are said to deter some types of garden insects.  Try mixing some in with your veggies.

* Extend your harvest season of fast growing vegetable by making several small planting every few weeks.

*Double cropping:  Sow radishes with carrots.  The radishes will sprout quickly and prevent weed. After the radishes are harvested the slower growing carrots will take over.

*Beets and broccoli are another good combination as beets grow fast while it takes awhile for the broccoli to fill in.

*If your veggie garden only gets 6 hours of sunshine or less try growing these shade tolerant plants: lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, endive, cabbage, sorrel and arugula.

*The dried stems of harvested grains (wheat, barley, oats) are called straw.  Straw is preferred over hay as a mulch because it is usually weed free.

*Pine needles also make a good mulch and they are usually readily available with our abundance of white pine trees.

*Best herbs for a shady garden include angelica, chervil, chives, lemon balm, lovage, mint, parsley, mint, sweet cicely, sweet woodruff, and tarragon.

*Weeding is much easier done when the soil is damp and the weeds are small, then mulch the area to prevent new weed seeds from sprouting.

*Get rid of weeds in your sidewalk before they set seed.  Use a vinegar with a high concentration of acetic acid 15-20%.  Liberally spray on sidewalk weeds, being careful along the edges so you don't destroy wanted plants. Vinegar destroys a plants ability to retain water.

*Room to Grow: remember when planting new perennials that most won't reach their full size for about 3 years so space accordingly.

*If you find keeping up with a perennial garden is becoming stressful due to age, lack of time or energy start replacing with flowering shrubs, which need less care.

*When cutting flowers for bouquets cut them early  to mid morning.  Carry a bucket of water to plunge then into then bring inside to a cool area before arranging.

*Saving peonies:  cut stem when in bud stage with a bit of color showing and they feel like a marshmallow.  Immediately wrap completely  with newspaper or carefully place in a large zip lock bag.  Store in refrigerator until ready to use days, weeks or even months later.  Recut stem place in water and watch the blooms open. Avoid having fruit in the refrigerator as they release a gas which will prompt the flowers to open.

Put a mailbox near the edge of your garden to keep a few hand tools, a magazine, a beverage and a bug proof snack.  Nearby have a comfortable chair where you can relax and watch the butterflies flutter through your garden. Sit back and enjoy your garden.

   

PHENOLOGY

April 2022  by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

When should you plant outside?  Some seed packets say plant when the soil is warm.  A few old time farmers would drop their pants and literally sit in the soil to test the temperature.  I don't recommend this method as your neighbors may be calling the police on you.

“Hardiness zones were developed by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to determine the plants that grow best in the climate were you live.  Each zone represents the last frost in the spring and the first frost in the autumn.  We live in Zone 6a  where  the last spring frost is approximately April 15 and first autumn frost is Oct, 15.  As our planet warms the zones are updated, the last two  updates were in 1990 and 2012.

Since these average frost dates are just approximate, observing natures signs can be helpful. PHENOLOGY (fi-na-le-je) is the study of the seasonal timing of life cycle events such as when certain animals reproduce, or migrate and when different plants leaf out and bloom. This timing is directly affected by day length, temperature and rainfall.  Weather can be different each year so let the plants and animals  signs indicate when to plant. 

Phenology not only helps you decide when to plant various crops or flowers but is also helpful in knowing when certain DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS become active.  For instance when foxglove flowers open watch for Mexican bean beetle larvae.  When crab apples start to bloom watch for Eastern tent caterpillars to hatch.  When morning glory vines start to climb Japanese beetles arrive.

There are many sites in computer land about phenology.  One which has a long list of what to look for before planting vegetables  is harvesttotable-phenology.com.  You also might want to look at The Old Farmer's Almanac both on line or the magazine itself.  Become an educated gardener and learn when to plant in the spring.

   

FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY

February 2022  by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

      To raise your spirits during these cold, drab, late winter days go outside when the temp is above freezing and prune some of  your flowering  shrubs and trees.  How is that going to help?  It will, if you bring some of those smaller branches inside and make them bloom.  This process of getting blooms earlier is called FORCING.

     Most spring blooming ornamental trees and shrubs set their flowers buds during the previous growing season.  By February these buds have experienced the minimum dormancy period of about 6-8  weeks so they can usually be forced to open early.  Also late winter is the best time to prune deciduous trees and large shrubs to improve the shape of the plant, remove crossing branches  & old or diseased wood.

     The branches to be forced should have a diameter no larger than 1/2 inch.  Look carefully at the branches you choose.  Leaf buds are smaller and pointed while flower buds are round and fat. 

    Inside prepare a bucket of hot tap water (not scalding - the temp you would use for hand washing dishes.  Hot water has the least amount of oxygen.  If oxygen gets into the stems, it can block water from being taken up causing dehydration. Add floral preservative which will promote hydration and retard bacterial growth, keeping the water clear for up to a week.    You can make your own preservative with 1 Tablespoon of Listerine or 1 teaspoon of a lemon-lime soda per quart of water.  Hold the stems underwater, recut at a sharp angle an inch or so above the original cut.  The stems will quickly absorb the water.  For branches larger than 1/2 inch  you can also cut an X in the base of the stem to allow more water to be absorbed.

Now you have a choice to make.  !. You can set the bucket of branches in a cool area of 50 - 60 degrees and wait for 1 - 3 weeks for the buds to open. OR 2. immediately arrange the branches and put them  where you can watch the buds slowly open up.  Which ever method you use, make sure you change the water and add new preservative as needed.  Misting also helps.

Keep the branches out of direct sunlight and away from any direct heat sources.  Flowering branches should last about a week while those forced for their leaves will last much longer.  Some of them may even put out roots for planting outdoors later in the spring.    

Now WHAT TO FORCE!  Forsythia with its warm yellow flowers are probably the easiest shrubs to force.  Witch Hazel, cherries, peaches, pears, apples, red -bud, Bradford pear, quince, crab-apples, lilacs, magnolias, spirea, mock orange, beech and willows are among the branches that force well in our area.  If after 2 – 3 weeks nothing seems to be happening to the branch go out and cut new samples  OR try other varieties you are growing that are not mentioned here.

      Pussy willows are another shrub easily forced.  When the buds on the pussy willows develop and open the fuzzy, soft,  wooly  catkins you have a choice to make.   1.  Remove the branches from water and let them dry and the stems may be kept for  several years.  OR  2.  Keep in water until eventually the catkins will fall off and the stem will develop roots.  These stems may then be potted up and kept inside until April when they may be planted out to form another pussy willow bush/tree.  Because  their roots are aggressive plant away from under ground water sources as well as underground utilities.

          Pussy willows are  (Dioecious) meaning the female and male parts are found on separate plants.  The female catkins are smaller and greenish while the male catkins are are larger and more spectacular with a yellowish hue.  Humming birds have been known to use the fuzz to line their nests.  As the pussy willow is not pollinated by wind it attracts insects , butterflies and birds to do the pollination.  When blooming in the spring the whole plant is alive with these pollinators.

       Force branches in February & March to have an early sample of the spring to come.  To extend the bloom time in your home, cut some new branches each week to enjoy early spring  flowers indoors.

IT’S DAY DREAMING TIME

January 2022   by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

     Today it is 10 degrees outside with the prediction of more snow on its way.  I am staying inside by the wood stove and daydreaming about next summer’s garden.  The seed and plant catalogs are already arriving in the mailbox as well as on line.  I’ve seen a few interesting purple colored veggies featured so I decided to do a bit of research on purple. 

      Purple clothing and fabrics have been associated with power, wealth and royalty for centuries.  Why – because of the extreme cost of the dye originally used to produce it.  Way back when, the only source of purple dye came from a small mollusk that was found in an area of modern day Lebanon.  It takes 9,000 mollusks to make just one gram of purple dye.  Queen Elizabeth I forbad anyone but close relatives of the royal family to wear purple.  In 1856 a young English chemist William Henry Perkin, accidently created s synthetic purple compound that he patented and soon purple clothing was more available for all.

     What about purple in the plant kingdom?  The water-soluble plant pigment that causes purple, blue and some red tones in fruits, vegetables and flowers is called anthocyanins.  This pigment protects plants from sunlight damage and cold temperatures and other stresses as well as attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. 

      Eating purple veggies also helps us, as they are an anti-inflammatory, warding off cardiovascular problems, cancer and helping in memory and other age related problems.  Purple veggies are higher in antioxidants that play a role in preserving human health.

     One of my favorite purple veggies is a bean that comes in both bush and pole varieties.  As the beans cook in water they turn a dark green while the water becomes purple.  Kids are fascinated by this change.  When cut in diagonal slices they can be quite attractive served raw in a tossed salad as the outside of the bean is purple and the inside is green.   If you want to try a bean that is a bit more exotic try the Chinese Red Noodle Bean (Vigna unguiculata).  The beans grow to about 18 inches long in clusters of up to 4.   Only 1 or 2 beans are enough for a serving.  These beans plants definitely need something tall to climb on and may cause curious neighbors to want to see what you are growing!   

      Who doesn’t like sugar snap peas?  A fairly new one on the market is purple and called Sugar Magnolia Tendril Pea.  It grows on vigorous vines that can reach up to 8 feet long with lots of curly tendrils that attach to whatever they can grab.  The flowers as well as the pea pods are shades of purple while the peas inside are green, which makes them decorative as well as a kitchen favorite. Mine never make it to the kitchen, as they are my favorite gardening snack along with Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes.

    Purple/red cabbage is low in calories and still a good source of fiber, anti-oxidants and vitamins A, C, K & B6 as well as small amounts of other vitamins and minerals.  It can be eaten raw as in coleslaw, cooked or fermented.  Plant cabbage seeds in April, as they prefer cool temperatures. Adding compost to the soil is helpful too.

     Going back in time, say 5,000 years or so, wild carrots were white, cream colored or purple.  It is believed tat they were first cultivated in Afghanistan and Iran.  So where did orange carrots come from? About 400 years ago Dutch growers crossbred carrots until they got an orange variety.  This was supposedly done as a political feat to honor William of Orange who was a prominent person in the struggle for Dutch independence.  Now purple carrots as well as cream-colored and yellow carrots are becoming fashionable.  Some purple carrots have orange centers; others like Pusa Asita, from India, are purple throughout.   Carrot seeds are very tiny so only plant them 1/4 inch deep.  As they can take up to 3 plus weeks to germinate I plant a few radish seeds with them.  As the radishes grow they loosen up the soil making it easier for the carrots to break ground.  By the time the carrots start growing the radishes are almost ready to harvest.  The soil needs to be kept moist until the carrots germinate so very light mulch is helpful.

     Tomatoes are one of the favorite home grown vegetables.  Names ranging from Purple Bumble Bee, Blue Beauty, Black Beauty, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, True Black Brandywine, Moon Shadow, to Indigo Apple Tomato all have shades of purple in them. These are tomato varieties from just two of my favorite seed companies: Baker Creek’s website is http://www.rareseeds.com that carries heirloom seeds from around the world.    Also https://www.highmowingseeds.com  a company located in northern Vermont that carries organic seeds.  Their seeds are available locally at Aubuchon Hardware in Kingston and Morrison’s in Plymouth.

        Cherokee Purple tomato

   The list of purple veggies goes on and on from eggplant, lettuce, potatoes, onions, kohlrabi, peppers to sorrel.  I don’t want this to become a book so will close with a purple flower.

      Echinacea Green Twister a coneflower that was recently hybridized in Germany.  This is a drought tolerant perennial that blooms in the mid to late summer. The outer rim of the petals are light green merging to a violet pink color on the inner petals.  The flowers are quite striking in the garden as well as in floral arrangements.  These plants are drought, deer, heat, humidity and poor soil tolerant.  Birds will eat the seeds from the cone heads if plants are not pruned in the fall.  The blooms attract butterflies and humming birds. The seeds for planting are available from many sources.

     When planning your garden consider adding some colorful vegetables in with the flowers.

PLANTING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

December  2021     by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

      Is there a spot on your property that calls out to have an evergreen tree but you just haven’t gotten around to planting one? Dec. isn’t the time one usually thinks about doing such things but it is doable.   Why not combine two projects at one time?  Getting a Christmas tree and later planting it outside.  It’s not too late.  Our soil has not yet frozen and digging a hole for your new tree is relatively easy. 

     Consider carefully the location on the property.  Find out the eventual height and spread of the tree branches you choose.  In a few years you don’t want branches covering your front door, growing into other shrubs, trees or under power-phone lines.  Also consider the amount of sunlight that the tree will get.

      Find a nursery that has either balled & burlapped evergreens (commonly called B & B) or those in pots or decorative containers.  Hopefully you can find a variety of evergreen or holly that you want.  Most likely these trees will be on the shorter side and costlier than a cut Christmas tree.

               As soon as you know the size of your tree, dig a hole for its future planting.  It should be just as deep but twice as wide as the root-ball.  Save the excavated soil in a container or pile onto a tarp to put somewhere it won’t freeze.  Temporarily fill the hole with leaves, evergreen needles, hay, etc. and cover with a tarp to try to keep the hole from freezing.      

       .  Keep your tree in an unheated garage or porch until it is time to move it inside and decorate it for Christmas. Locate the tree away from heat sources keeping it as cool as possible as well as well watered. Your tree should only be inside for about a week or so.  Then transition the tree by letting it spend about a week getting used to the cold again by putting it back in an unheated garage or porch before planting outside.  Remove the temporary material from the hole.  If the soil in the hole has frozen, pour boiling water around the edges.  Take the tree out of container and plant making sure it is at the same depth it was growing in.   Make sure that the (trunk flare) where the trunk meets the root-ball is not buried, as it may lead to later fungal rot. .  If the tree is B&B remove any wires and fold down the burlap before planting.  The burlap will eventually decompose.  Use the dug up soil to fill in around the edges of the tree and water deeply.  Apply mulch around the tree   

      An option for a living Christmas tree is a Norfolk Island pine.  This plant (Araucaria heterophylla) is endemic to Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia.  This is a conifer although botanically it is not a true pine.  In most of North America and Europe it is only grown as a houseplant.  When young the tree has a symmetrical triangle shape which resembles many of our conifer trees we decorate for the holidays.   If you have or get a Norfolk Island pine, give it bright indirect light, routine watering and lots of humidity.  The best way to do this is place the plant pot in a tray of pebbles/gravel filled with water. 

      These trees seem to be most available in the larger grocery stores that have florist departments.  They run from 1 – 5 feet and are usually reasonably priced.  Lowes and Home Depot sometimes carry the smaller ones.  These slow growing trees don’t like the cold so make sure they are wrapped when getting them to your vehicle and into your home. 

Happy tree shopping, decorating and possibly planting

WHITE PINES IN AMERICAN HISTORY

by Jeanette Mac Kenzie    November 2021

In general plants that are quite common where we live we tend to not consider very special, while in other parts of the country they could be prize specimens.   That’s why I have chosen today’s topic Pinus strobus also known as: white pine, Eastern white pine, Northern white pine, soft pine and Weymouth pine. Those of the Iroquois Nation call it the “Tree of Peace”.

 The needles of white pine are attached to the stem in bundles of 5, which is an easy way to identify it.  Needles on red pine are in bundles of 2, while the ponderosa pines out west have 3 needles per bundle.  The story of white pine in this country has helped to determine our countries history.

By the 1600’s England had few forests left that could provide suitable trees for the giant masts, support timbers and lumber for their growing Royal Navy & merchant ships. For a while until 1652, masts were gotten from Sweden & Denmark until their tall trees were diminished.  Then masts were made using several trees fastened together with wooden pegs, which had a tendency to snap in rough weather.   Meanwhile the colonies in the New England area were surrounded by virgin stands of huge white pines, perfect for making singlestick masts.  The wood of white pine is light in color, soft and easily worked.

In 1691, under King William of England, the Broad Arrow Policy began.  Any white pine with a diameter of 24” or larger was given the “Mark of the Broad Arrow.  Surveyors of Pines were appointed by the King to mark all such trees.  With 3 swings of an ax an upward pointing arrow was put on the King’s Pine trees.

As time marched on the biggest and tallest white pines in this country were harvested for England and became few and far between.  King George 1 made a new law in 1772, claiming any white pines with a diameter of 12” or more belonged to the King.

  The colonists were not happy with this added restriction, which meant that even though the trees were on their own property they couldn’t legally cut them for their own use or sell the lumber.  If caught doing so, they had to pay heavy fines to the King.  Saw mills that illegally cut up any of the King’s Pines were also in deep trouble.  To avoid being caught they would make an extra vertical cut on a board to make it narrower than 12”.  They would also dispose of the Broad Arrow mark on the lumber.

Have you heard about the Pine Tree Riot in New Hampshire?  In the winter of 1772 sheriff Benjamin Whiting and his deputy John Quigley attempting to enforce the law about the king’s pines at sawmills were awoken by disguised men.  They were severely beaten with tree switches getting one lash for each tree for which they were attempting to collect fines. Then they were forced to ride out of town through a gauntlet of jeering townspeople.

 It wasn’t just the taxation of tea and stamps that led to the American Revolution, the King’s white pines had a lot to do with it also.

There are still some stands of virgin white pines, protected in various state parks and on several Indian Reservations in the New England as well as a few other states. 

This past summer I was traveling in northern Minnesota with my sister and her husband, a forester who had once worked in the area.  All of a sudden we pulled off the main road onto a narrow winding road into deep woods, which opened up into a clearing.  Several huge ancient white pines were on the ground.  Trails led through several acres of still standing virgin white pine trees that for some reason lumberjacks hadn’t cut down 2 – 3 hundred years ago.  Of course before leaving the area I had to hug one of those mammoth ancient white pines.

 If you live in one of the older homes in Duxbury, or surrounding towns, you might want to measure the width of any wide pine floorboards.  Maybe you have some of the King’s pines in your home!  Don’t worry, you won’t be fined or arrested for it these days.

YEAR END GARDEN PLANNING

Jeanette Mac Kenzie  October 2021

       Before the cold weather really kicks in, stop to survey your garden and consider how the plants did this season.  If you are a super organizer and planner you may have taken notes as time went by or even taken photos of your gardens as the seasons progressed.  For the rest of us it is not too late.

     Start thinking on how to improve your observations and record keeping for next year.  Plant markers with variety names etc. seem to eventually get lost or disappear.   Try keeping record book to note the name of a plant, a brief description such as color, height, bloom time, where purchased and of course the location in the garden and even a photo. 

Some may even draw out a rough map where every plant is located.  If you tend to move plants around or constantly make new additions do this map in pencil.

     When adding a new plant it will help to prevent adding bright orange flowers next to maroon ones that may not compliment each other.  Of course if one blooms in the spring and the other not until autumn there is no problem being next to each other. 

     As you go through the growing season note which plants need to be divided or seem to be in the wrong location due to how they sprawl, the color of bloom or too much sun or shade.  Spring or fall are the best times to move or divide most plants.

     For perennial flower gardens you aim for a succession of varying plants in bloom at all times. To fill in, add a few annuals that will bloom most of the summer.  Don’t forget small shrubs and/or evergreens as part of you garden planning.  A mix of varying types of leaf shapes and sizes add interest. 

     Color in the garden can have many different effects. You could have a “cottage” garden with every color of the rainbow mixed together or separate various plants so each has center stage when blooming.  Have a succession of color themes with pastels in the spring followed by yellow and blue in the summer ending with autumn colors in the fall.  Some gardeners have favorite colors and stick with one or two throughout the whole season.  I always like to have something blooming in white throughout the season, as it tends to emphasize the colors around it.  Maybe it is just personal taste but I like to include white flowers in most of my bouquets.

     Garden tours are a good place to get ideas of plant combinations.  Many of us have enjoyed the club's Garden Gatherings during the summer when we visit each other’s gardens.  We get to see first hand the plants that do well in our area.  Stopping by garden nurseries throughout the summer can give you new ideas about what is blooming at a particular time.  Nurseries appear to be giving more information about whether a plant is native or not.

      For vegetable gardeners make notations about where the different vegetables are located.  Rotation of various vegetable families is recommended.  For instance corn is a heavy feeder so don’t plant it in the same space year after year as it will deplete the soil too much.  Did the tomatoes this year really taste super or just mediocre?  If you know the variety you can repeat it or avoid it in the future.  With tomatoes there are literally 100’s of varieties to choose from especially if you start your own from seed.  Consider mixing in some flowers with the vegetables to attract pollinators.

     Get your notebook – clipboards – or whatever out and amble around your garden and make notations for next years garden planning on one of these nice autumn days.

SURPRISE

September 2021   by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

         It is always of interest when an unknown plant appears in the garden.  How it got there I will never know for sure.  It probably arrived in some farm loan brought in years ago.  Most times these plants are unfamiliar weeds that I let grow until they bloom which makes identification much easier.    Then they head to the compost pile minus flowers and any forming seeds.

       In the spring this particular surprise plant had strap like leaves similar to day lilies.   I waited and waited but no flowers appeared and eventually the leaves died back to the ground by early summer.    Well so much for that plant so I forgot all about it.  Then in early August peaking out from under a peony plant were 2-foot bare stems were some absolutely gorgeous baby pink lily like flowers.   Some of the stems had 5 to 6 flowers on them.  Both butterflies and humming birds were delighted.

      With a bit of detective work, a very knowledgeable gardening friend and some computer research my mystery plant now had a label.  Its botanical name is Lycoris sqamigera.  There are numerous common names including: Resurrection Lily, Naked Ladies (no leaves on the stem), Magic Lily, Mystery Lily and Surprise Lily. 

      The Surprise Lily is fragrant, does well in full sun to partial shade, is deer resistant, and is a good cut flower.  This plant isn’t found in nature, as it is a hybrid of 2 different Lycoris species.  It is native to Japan.  The best time to plant these bulbs is in the early autumn.

      If you want to try growing these beauties I found several places that carry the bulbs:  Amazon, Heritage Flower Farm in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, Terra Ceia Farm in Patego, North Carolina and Holland Bulb Farm. 

       If you tend to forget where plants are located in your garden you might want to mark the spot where the Surprise Lilies are planted with an unusual rock, a brick or some other type of marker.  Enjoy the beautiful Surprise Lilies in August.

HUSBAND  & WIFE  TREES

July 2021   by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

      On my daily trip from the kitchen with food scraps to the compost pile I pass an interesting sight.  A young 6 foot deciduous trees roots look like they have pinned down a much larger root of a white pine tree.  That got me to thinking about trees I have seen in the past where the parts that are near together eventually join to make one tree. 

    Conjoined trees are a natural rarity that occurs when branches, trunks or roots of trees grown together.  The outer layer of the trees eventually touch and over time are rubbed off exposing the cambium layer due to wind movement or just the growing expansion of the tree. Then the trees eventually self graft to each other. The scientific term is inosculation.  A similar process can occur in fruits, vegetables and flowers.

     This process can happen in both conifers and deciduous trees especially those with a thinner bark layer.  Usually this type of grafting is between two trees of the same or closely related species or genera but it can happen between any trees that are physically touching, rubbing, intertwined or entangled.  I guess time will tell if the tree roots along my compost path will join eventually in a few years.

oak and pine conjoined roots conjoined

             Next time you travel south on Route 53 in Duxbury notice the conjoined tree at the left side of the parking area of Bongi’s Turkey Roost business.  Be on the look out for such trees if walking through any wooded areas.

Bongi's

ORCHID TREE

Jeanette Mac Kenzie   June 2021

     Have you see them?  Trees covered in thousands of white orchid like blooms on tall upright stalks.  The flowers are white with yellow-orange markings inside and a few purple spots and are somewhat fragrant.  Soon the ground will be covered as the blossoms fall.  I call it the orchid tree but actually it is a Northern Catalpa (Cataipa speciosa).   Other common names include the Cigar tree, Indian bean tree, Catawba and Caterpillar tree.

     Their heart -shaped leaves are huge measuring up to 12 inches long and 8 inches across.    When identifying plants it is a common practice to notice how the leaves are attached to the stem.   Most common are either Alternate or Opposite.  However the Catalpa tree leaves have a Whorled attachment with 3 leaves attached at each node.

     The nick- name of caterpillar tree comes from the fact that this tree is the sole food source for the Catalpa sphinx moth (Ceratomia catalpae).  If there are a lot of them they can defoliate the whole tree but new leaves readily grow back.   Avid fishermen have been know to plant this tree in order to harvest the caterpillars which are used for fish bate.

    Catalpa wood has been used for fence posts as well as railroad ties as it is very resistant to rot.  Although somewhat unusual, the catalpa is sometimes used as tone wood when constructing guitars and other string instruments.  The flowers attract bees, butterflies as well as humming birds.  The branches are a favorite nest habitat for many species of birds.  It makes a great shade tree as it can grow 60 feet tall with a spread of 40 feet.  It often times has interesting twists to its trunk and branches.

     Catalpa trees bring back pleasant memories.  As a child, I looked forward to going with my grandparents on their yearly excursion to Nerstrand woods on the edge of the great prairie in southern Minnesota.  A few plants would be brought back to Grandma’s wild flower garden each spring.  Once while meandering in the woods I came across an area where both the trees and the ground were covered with beautiful orchid like white blossoms.  As a 4 year old it was like being in a wonderland once seen in a movie.

     Eventually the blossoms will turn into long 8-12 inches bean like structures full of seeds.  This is where the nickname Cigar tree ties in.  As these drop in the autumn it creates lots of litter, which can be a nuisance to clean up each fall. 

      When you travel north on route 3A just before St. Christine’s church in Marshfield there is a large spectacular Catalpa tree.  Another good-sized tree is on Temple Street just north of where Franklin Street crosses it.  They are not that common but there are a few others in Duxbury.  See how many you can find.

BLACK GOLD

March 26, 2021    by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

     Crocuses are in full bloom, daffodil buds are visible, Japanese andromeda shrubs are in full bloom, pussy willows are opening and earthworms are squiggling in freshly turned soil.  Spring has sprung and gardeners are looking forward to warmer weather.

     It’s not too early to begin spring clean up of our yards and gardens.  Start by cutting back dead perennial stems of flowers and decorative grasses and raking up the fall leaves.  But then, what to do with all of it? Don’t take it to the transfer station ….USE IT.  Start this organic material on its way to becoming “Black Gold” commonly called COMPOST.  My dictionary describes compost as “a mixture of various decaying organic substances used for fertilizing land”.

    The ingredients for your compost pile are any readily available organic materials such as leaves, weeds, grass clippings, seaweed, hedge trimmings and in the late fall annual plants.  Daily contributions from the kitchen could include vegetable and fruit peelings, eggshells, citrus rinds, and coffee grounds.  Other ingredients include shredded newspaper, sawdust, lobster-clam and oyster shells, wood chips, cardboard and wood ashes in moderate amounts.  Don’t include dairy products, meat, fat or bones as they will attract animals and don’t readily breakdown.  

     To make compost 4 types of components are needed: carbon, nitrogen, water, and oxygen.  The brown-dry items such as leaves and wood chips supply the carbon.  The green plant items such as weeds and grass & kitchen scraps supply the nitrogen.    As you add layers of brown and then green material add water so the pile is slightly damp.  Eventually you will want to start turning the compost pile which will incorporate air.

      Manure from herbivore animals such as chickens, rabbits, sheep, cows and horses will also supply nitrogen needed for the bacteria that work in the decomposition process to do their job better.  Don’t use cat or dog droppings. 

      Years ago when the circus came to town they set up in the field surrounded by the library, pool and school building.  On the last evening they were in town, I went to see what animal manures might be there for the taking.  After much shoveling I came home with a truckload of steaming elephant manure! I placed a few compacted bowling ball sized elephant contributions of ‘you know what’ around the property, mostly on the steps so family members would be sure to see them on the way to school and work.   Families of gardeners soon learn to have a sense of humor.  Later I was surprised to see oats growing out of the compost where the elephant manure was concentrated.  Adding manure to the compost isn’t essential but it helps speed up the breakdown process.

     There is more than one way to contain compost.  Some will build bins made of wire or pallets.  As the compost breaks down it is turned from one bin into the next.  There are also various types of commercial compost containers.  On a very small scale an old basket or a bucket with the bottom cut out can be used.  Easier methods are just a big pile or a long row if you have lots of ingredients.  For the long row method the compost is turned from side to side or the row moves forward and back a couple of yards with each turning of the compost. 

     Why bother to turn the compost?  The composting process is aerobic meaning it needs oxygen for the aerobic bacteria to do their job of breaking down all the ingredients.  Oxygen is incorporated into the pile by turning it with a garden fork.  The turning process will also expose all the material to eventually be in the center of the pile where decomposition is most rapid.  As you turn the compost you know it is really cooking when the exposed center is streaming or you can feel the heat it makes from the decomposition process.  If you have a really big pile don’t attempt to turn it all at once.  Instead of going to the gym turn compost for a set amount of time each day.

    The compost is ready to enrich the garden when it has changed into black, fresh, earthy smelling soil often full of earthworms that have aided in the decomposition process.  Compost will enhance any soil it is added to.  When planting or transplanting vegetables, flowers, shrubs or trees, first put a shovel full of compost in the bottom of the hole.  Compost can also be used as summer mulch for both veggies and flowers.  There is no such thing as too much compost.  If you don’t already have a compost pile now is the time to start when you are cleaning up your garden areas for another season of gardening.

Jut follow William Shakespeare’s advise:

“DO NOT SPREAD THE COMPOST ON THE WEEDS”

GLOBAL SEED VAULT

Here's a great article about the seed vault:

treehugger.com

GARDEN  CATALOGS

January 2021     by Jeanette Mac Kenzie

Seed, plant and gardening paraphernalia catalogs arriving in the mailbox are welcome in these cold days of winter with the quiet isolation due to Covid-19.  The enticing pictures and vivid descriptions of what this year’s garden could look like set our minds to daydreaming.  Keep in mind before you order one of everything, what your time, energy, available space and budget restraints might be.

     You want to order from a catalog that tells you the information needed to grow particular plants:  maturity date, disease resistance, hybrid or open pollinated, are seeds treated with a fungicide, height & width at maturity, light needed, # of seeds in a packet, spacing when planted.  Some of these criteria are more important to know when planting vegetables.  To order a particular flower, shrub or tree it is important that the botanical name is stated not just a common name that could refer to any number of different plants.  Many catalogs have excellent information about how to grow & when to harvest particular food plants.  For heirloom plants it is more interesting to find out about their history.

     As each catalog arrives, I go through it and make notations of particular varieties I am interested in with page number, ordering code, price and number of seeds per packet.  This list is attached to the outside of the catalog along with the shipping price and shipping costs.  Then I can narrow down my choices to fit my garden space and the amount of time I plan on tending my garden.  If you have been ordering seeds via catalogs for a few years, you probably have already narrowed down which catalogs you prefer.  Of course in recent years many seed catalog are available to order on line.   

     A few things to pay close attention to:

1.     Be wary of descriptive terms like vigorous grower or slightly intrusive.  These plants might take over your garden.

2.     When buying mail order plants try to get them from nurseries close to your growing zone.  Duxbury is in Zone 6b.  Plants grown in Texas or the Carolinas may not do well here in New England.

3.     The latest spectacular hybrid may be on the cover or in first few pages.  Unless it is really important to you, wait a year or two for the price to drop and the plants/seeds to be more readily available.

4.       Avoid buying seeds/plants just because you want them with no idea where they might be squeezed into the garden landscape plan appropriately.  I must admit I am guilty of this one.   A woman whose garden was on a tour years ago in Hanover had a similar situation.  Her whole property was covered with assorted size and shaped garden islands tied together with rambling pathways just big enough for a lawn mower to get through.

5.       Enjoy your catalog browsing but get you orders in early if possible. Apparently many more people have taken up gardening since last spring possibly due to the Covid epidemic. Some of the seed companies have been swamped with orders, run out of a few varieties and even closed down for a time to catch up with shipping orders. 

Happy Garden Planning

Out of the Past

January 2021   Jeanette Mac Kenzie

     Fifty years ago Celia Houghton, known by her nickname Kiki, was president of our garden club.  To educate the club’s members about gardening, several ways were discussed.  It was decided to write a book.  The horticulture expert of the group was Rozmond Truden. “She spent hours in research and study preparing each article, and it shows - - not only in the written word, but in the improved gardening methods and achievements of her readers.” 

       Years later Roz Truden gave me an autographed copy of GARDEN GLEANINGS, the book she and the club created. 50 years ago.   The following is what Roz wrote in the late winter chapter. 

“ SUGGESTIONS FOR GROWING PLANTS FROM SEED.

      “In order to get a head start on the growing season hereabouts annual flower seeds may be sown indoors beginning in late February and continuing through March and April.  Biennials and perennials are more successfully started in late summer to become mature and well established before winter.  Successfully producing your own seedlings cannot only be extremely rewarding, but the horticultural knowledge gained from trying, whether successful or not can be invaluable.  The seed catalogues begin to arrive in January and early February so as you peruse them let yourself be tempted to send for a packet or two of your favorites.  Choose varieties that will grow in whatever garden exposure you have to offer, as a plant needing plenty of sun cannot do its best in the shade.

     Germination is most successful in a sterile medium as the warm moist conditions favorable to seed germination are also favorable to a fungus commonly referred to as “damping off”.  The sterile media suitable are vermiculite, perlite, milled sphagnum moss and sterile sand.  A mixture of these in equal parts is highly recommended by many seed growers.  Some have success with packaged soil mixes.

     Containers should also be sterile and at least two and a half to three inches deep.  Makeshift containers such as soup cans, aluminum foil pans and coffee cans (shallow size) should be perforated with a can opener or screwdriver so that they may be watered from the bottom before sowing the seeds. 

Large seeds may be poked into the medium.  Smaller seeds should be sprinkled over the medium, then the container tapped lightly and the seeds will be sufficiently covered.  Water again from the bottom and cover with a plastic bag or piece of glass.  Place in a warm seventy to seventy-five degree location.  OUT OF THE SUN, as sun through plastic or glass is burning and drying.  Check your container from time to time to be sure the medium stays moist.  When germination has started, remove covering, place in sunlight and be sure to keep seedlings moist.  The sunny location chosen for the growing seedlings should be a cool one, as in a cooler location the seedlings will grow stronger, not spindly and weak.  Keep turning the container to prevent the seedlings from leaning toward the sun.

     The containers of seeds may be set on a heating cable, covered with gravel, or on any other device supplying bottom heat.  This will hasten seed germination.  The seedlings can benefit from bottom heat also but should be in a cool room to prevent weak, stingy growth as stated above.

     Among the slower geminating seed to be started in late February or early March, or eight to ten weeks from sowing to planting and outdoors, are the seeds of the petunia, verbena snapdragon, ageratum.  Quicker germinating seeds or six to eight weeks from sowing to planting outdoors, are the seeds of marigold, zinnia, cosmos, aster and calendula, which may be started after the middle of April.  Whatever seeds you choose read the back of the seed packet carefully.”