The Citrus Guy

Attacked by the Natives!!

2012-01-22T13:23:00.000-08:00

I am NOT a fan of Native Plants! There I said it. I think for the most part they are ugly and look like weeds. Now, before my friends from the Native Plant Society hang me from the nearest Betula nigra (River Birch), let me say this....I understand their point of view, kind of.
Yes, I will admit that Native Plants have a use in the landscape. They tolerate our up and down temperatures. They know how to handle the droughts we sometimes have. They also provide shelter and in some cases food for the local indigenous critters. There are even a few decent looking plants. I like the majority of the trees, Oaks, Maples and such.
However, What does this look like to you?

To me it looks like a yard that has been unattended to for years. I know, there are some people that find this pretty. There are also people that think Justin Beiber is talented, but I digress.
How is this for pretty?

Looks like somebody needs to mow. This is Eupatorium fistulosum, also known as Joe-Pye Weed. With a name like that, who wouldn't want it in their yard!?
There are entire neighborhoods that are planting almost strictly native plants.
While I admit, this is a little formal for my taste, isn't this much prettier?

Okay, you want some reasons why you should plant natives? When used intelligently, native plants require less maintenance, are less expensive, and save energy. Did you know that lawnmowers are a significant source of air pollution? Lets, just for the sake of argument say this is true. Well then,lets just all stop mowing our yards. Problem solved!
Used properly, native plants require little to no extra water or fertilizer compared to most exotics. This is sounding like the lazy mans landscape solution.
Native plants have been exposed to most pests as long as they have existed, and continue to display their resistance to insects and disease in our own yards. So what do the bugs eat, each other? They need to survive too.
This is an excerpt from a Native Plant Societies newsletter down in Florida:
With historical perspective, this is an amazing development. In past centuries, when corners of this planet were yet unexplored, botanists brought horticultural oddities from hither and yon to beautify the gardens of the elite. To adorn one's garden with plant species that were foreign, rare and unusual was a mark of wealth and status. Only the leisure class who studied botany and horticulture could identify and appreciate these collections. Today, by contrast, exotic plants are no longer the exception but the rule; everyone has them, regardless of their socioeconomic standing. It is the inclusion of native species in one's garden that is now distinctive and unusual, and ironically, only those with a special interest in native plants can identify and appreciate these native collections.
If you want something really strange and unusual in your garden, go native!
I would like to disagree with that last sentence. I have growing in my yard some very unusual plants that NOBODY else in this area is growing. My variegated Chinaberry is very unusual and it is definitely NOT native....Chinaberry? Hello.
If it were not for the exotics coming into this country, we would be in some financial hardships....okay, even more than we are now. How much do you think it would cost to import Orange Juice from China instead of Florida? Citrus is native to our Asian friends.
Another example would be that PB&J you gave your kids for lunch. Do you think Peanuts are native to North America? Nope! The peanut is native to South America.
So leave my exotic plants alone and I will try and tolerate your Native Plant fetish.
For those of you that don't quite get this article, it is mostly tongue in cheek.
On a serious note, look into some native plants for your area. Everything is native to somewhere. While I admit, I do not like most native plants for my area, they can and do have their place in the landscape. Besides, I have a lot of Master Gardener friends that love their natives and will probably want to boil me in Witch Hazel after they read this. It is a native you know!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Jump Start on Spring

2012-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over, it is time to start thinking Spring!!
So far the Winter here in my zone 8 has actually not been too terribly bad, of course with that being said, I will be buried in 8 feet of snow next week. Knock on wood.
So, I was actually trying to come up with a idea for a good blog this week and was not having the best of luck. Yesterday, one of my best friends, Paul called me. He wanted to know if I had ever heard of a "Hotbed". I asked how he meant it, because I knew of a couple of meanings. He then told me that he had two glass shower doors and his mother wanted to build a hotbed to start some vegetable seeds. He offered one of them to me, but with my greenhouse and limited space, I declined the offer.
After that conversation I got wondering just how many people have even thought of doing something like this. There are so many benefits. You can recycle the doors and possibly other materials. You get a jump start on Spring and veggie growing. It can be a fun family activity. I really saw no downside. I also wondered how many people even knew what a "Hotbed" or "Cold Frame" even was and if they knew how to build one.
Success, a blog article!
Cold frames (or hotbeds) are simple structures that have two main purposes. They act like miniature greenhouses to trap radiant heat and to provide protection and insulation from the elements.
They can be very elaborate or very simple, depending on the expertise of the builder and what you have on hand or are willing to pay for materials. You can even purchase a pre-made one. This is an excellent example of the basics we are striving for.

Even though they can be simple or elaborate, there are a few certain basics that need to be observed.
First thing to consider is the location. Ideally it should be South facing to collect the warmth of the sun. A West facing direction would be second best. When I say facing a certain direction, the sloped front should face South or West. The sloping will of course give you better sun exposure, but it is not so critical that all is lost if you don't have it.
Most cold frames are a simple rectangular wooden box, about 2-3 ft high that sits on the soil surface. If you have access to straw bales, maybe something left over from the Fall holidays, you can use them too. That would look something like this.

Other materials to consider are brick, masonry, cinder, and concrete blocks. Use your imagination. If you really want to get fancy, foamboard insulation panels can be used inside the frame on the above-ground, North-facing side for even more insulation.
Good drainage is essential for the plants, especially if you are planting directly in the ground and plan on moving the cold frame later. If you are using this to harden off or start seedlings in containers, just make sure that the containers can drain. An accessible water supply is also very important. The top covering will prevent rain from watering your plants, so that must be done manually.
Okay, you have decided what you want to build the walls out of. Before you begin building, you need to decide what the top will be made out of. Follow me for a second here.
Many different materials, both recycled and new can be used for the frames lid. These include such options as glass, fiberglass, or poly (plastic) film.
Double glazed windows are a good choice. They are durable and are heavier than other materials. Glass is generally looked upon as the best material to cover a cold frame. Other materials include discarded storm windows from screen doors or no longer needed patio doors or the above mentioned bathroom shower doors like my friend has.
If polyethylene plastic is used, the film should be clear and at least 6 mil thick. Consider using a double layer for extra insulation. The poly is not very durable and will probably have to be replaced each year.
Now, why did I say that you need to decide on the top covering before building the box? If you have a shower door that is 7 feet long and you build a box 8 feet long, how effective do you think the whole thing will be?
Get the measurements of your top first, then build your box.
There are some pros and cons to the different materials used for the top.
If you use glass:
PROS:
*Recycled windows can be used.
*Good light transmission.
*Good insulation value.
*More hail-proof (weatherproof) than polyethylene.
CONS:
*Glass is heavy. The extra weight means the frame must be able to withstand the extra weight.
*Opening and closing involves additional weight.
*Broken glass is more difficult to replace and repair.
*Expensive to purchase new.
If you use plastic:
PROS:
*Inexpensive to purchase.
*Easy to install and lightweight to handle.
CONS:
*Probably will need to be replaced each year
*Won’t withstand large hail stones, heavy snow, ice loads or errant twigs.
*Must be secured so that it doesn’t take off in a strong wind.
There are other materials that can be used, again each one will have its pros and cons.

I am by no means a carpenter, that is my brothers gig. That sucker could put McGyver to shame. So, I am not going to give you building tips or dimensions or anything like that. Besides, I have no idea what size shower door or glass windows you are going to use.
I will give you some ideas on how to use your new built toy.
You can start the Spring cool weather vegetables — Lettuce, Onions, Spinach, Radishes, etc. — up to 45 days before you experience your last frost. While excellent for starting your Spring vegetables, a cold frame is NOT the best place to start warm-weather vegetables such as Tomato or Pepper plants. The average temperature may not be consistently warm enough to germinate those seeds. What you can do is, long before Spring arrives, start the plants indoors under grow lights and then move them out to the cold frame to help harden them off. This eliminates a lot of the transplant shock.
And lastly, don’t forget that you can use a deep cold frame in the Fall if you wish to extend the growing season of the same vegetables.
There is one more very important factor that I should tell you about. Even in the middle of Winter, there will be very sunny days. The temperature in your box, under glass could get very hot. If you are doing the cool season crops, Lettuce, Cabbage and such, they will not be happy. Whatever type of covering you decide on needs to be hinged in some fashion. This way when the temperature gets too hot, you can prop it open, like this.

Remember to take into account wind speed and direction. You don't want the lid flying off or the interior temperature to cool down too fast. This prop job is extreme, sometimes only a couple of inches will suffice.
I really appreciated my friend thinking of me and offering the shower door. Like I mentioned above, I have my greenhouse and just not enough room to do something cool like this. I wish him and all of you the best of luck this growing season, may your lettuce produce large leaves and your zucchini produce an abundant crop. Beware that last wish, I have heard evil stories of such bountiful crops of zucchini that people were locking their car doors at church in fear that a fellow gardener would leave a present of their "OVER BOUNTIFUL" zucchini on the driver seat!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Little Rusty

2011-12-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago now I got a phone call from the Master Gardener office asking me about a citrus problem. It is very hard to try and diagnose an issue over the phone. It was described to me as being brown all over the skin. I immediately thought of some kind of rot, but the peel was not soft or mushy. I was going to try and run by the office the next day and see if I could figure it out. In the meantime I got Maggie, the Master Gardener on duty at the time, to look up a few things online that it could be and call me if she found anything that looked like it. Well, that advice saved me a trip downtown. She figured out that it was indeed Citrus Rust Mites. Since this happened, I have actually had a couple of other people mention this same issue to me so once is a coincidence, twice or more is a problem.
Phyllocoptruta oleivora or Citrus Rust Mites are long, wedge-shaped and light yellow, measuring about 0.1 to 0.2 mm long, generally they are not visible to the naked eye.
The rust mite feeds on the outside exposed surface of the fruit. Feeding destroys the rind cells and the surface of the fruit becomes silvery on lemons, rust brown on mature oranges and grapefruits.
It looks like this:

Visible characteristics of injury differ according to variety and fruit maturity. While the primary effect of fruit damage caused by Rust Mites mainly is cosmetic, which causes there to be a reduction in grade of the fruit in the fresh market, there has been other conditions which have been associated with severe fruit injury, including reduced size, increased water loss, and increased drop.
Leaf injury caused by feeding of these mites can exhibit many symptoms on the upper or lower leaf surfaces. When injury is severe, the upper surface can lose its glossy character, taking on a dull, bronze-like color. Lower leaf surfaces often show yellow degreened patches. Complete defoliation is rarely an issue. Very high populations can reduce tree vigor.

I mentioned that these things are very tiny. The mite has an elongated, wedge-shaped body about three times longer than wide and under magnification they look like this:

Rust mites tend to seek out high humidity areas away from direct sunlight but also avoid areas where dew forms. Rust mites overwinter on foliage and in bark crevasses. On foliage, mites are most likely to be found on undersides of dry, inner canopy leaves. They reproduce very quickly also, a generation may be completed in 1 to 2 weeks in Summer, but development slows or stops in Winter, depending on temperature.
A variety of predators and diseases attack citrus rust mites. Several fungal diseases, including Hirsutella thompsonii, occur naturally and, during periods of moist weather, cause tremendous rust mite population crashes. Predators of these mites include thrips mites, coccinellid beetles, dusty wings and other insects.
If you happen to have a severe infestation, or they seem to return year after year, you can use any good miticide. Please make sure you read the label and it has listed both Citrus Rust Mite and that it can be sprayed on Citrus.
The good news is, if you do end up with fruit like the picture above, it is still very much edible. Other than the possibility of loss of tree vigor, this critter only really affects the fresh fruit market. Processed fruit, that is a whole other story. You never see the peel, so what is the difference?
Chances are you will never have a problem with the Citrus Rust Mite, and I hope you never do. I wanted to present the case, just in case you go out to your tree and find the fruit looks like it has a case of the creeping crud!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Shielded

2011-12-11T10:20:00.001-08:00

This time of year, everybody gets busy, it goes with the season. For me, my Master Gardener duties tend to drop off significantly, though I am teaching the Citrus and fruit classes this week to the new class. Where I get really busy now is musically. I am the director of a local brass group and the Christmas season is probably our busiest time. The group does find time to have a Christmas party however, and that is where today's blog begins.
I have a dear couple that I have been friends with for many years, he plays French Horn in my group. I met them both at church back in the 80's. Mary has been asking me to come by and identify a plant in her yard for weeks, time just never seemed to be on my side. She sent me some pictures, but I couldn't make a positive ID that way. Well, the group was discussing the idea of having a Christmas party, but we had no idea of where to have it. Mary graciously offered to have it at their house. Perfect!
I could finally get over to ID this mystery plant. I figured it would be easy because the nursery I work at delivered many of the plants used in that sub-division. Then I got worried, what if I couldn't figure out what it was?!
Well, luckily, I knew the name. It was Strobilanthes dyerianus or better known as Persian Shield.

Persian shield is native to Myanmar (formerly called Burma). It is considered an evergreen in Zones 9-11, here in my Zone 8 the frost will get it, but it does come back, especially if planted in a protected area or mulched well. The plant has soft (not woody) stems which are square in cross section.
It lists as getting 3-4 feet tall with a 2-3 foot spread. I have seen the spread, but not the height, probably because of the cold.
The leaves are variegated dark green and silvery-metallic purplish-pink on top and all purple underneath. If this wasn't pretty enough, as a side note it also flowers. They are funnel-shaped, pale violet, and arranged on short spikes.

This plant thrives in humid climates. It prefers rich, well drained soil, but can adapt to a wide variety of conditions. I mentioned that it can get to be 4 feet tall. When it does, it has a tendency to fall over. To avoid toppling over, pinch it back a few times in the first half of the growing season. This will induce branching and create a thicker, bushier foliage. Maybe THAT is why I have never seen any that tall, people pinching back their plants.
You will want to keep your Persian Shield out of direct mid-day sun in the Summer. It does best with direct sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. It will do well in partial shade, but will have better color as long as it gets lots of bright indirect light. It can be kept as a houseplant, but it is difficult to maintain since it needs bright light, high humidity, and warm temperatures. It will do well as a container plant outside, just remember, it will need more water. Persian Shield is not at all drought tolerant and should be watered before the soil dries out. Feed about every two to three weeks with a water soluble fertilizer.
When it comes to pests, they are prone to Mealy Bug problems. If you are lucky the natural enemies of mealies will assist you in their eradication. If not, an insecticidal soap will work just fine. Please make sure to follow the label directions.
Okay, lets just say you have fallen in love with this plant, not hard to do so far huh? You have one or know of somebody that has one and you want more. Never fear, more plants are as close as a pair of clippers. Persian Shield can be started from stem cuttings taken in Spring or Summer. If you have a place to do it, you can also take cuttings before the first frost gets it.
There are a couple of ways to do it. You will want to start with a cutting about 4 to 6 inches in length. Use sharp scissors, clippers or shears and make the cut 1/4 inch below a leaf node. A leaf node is the small swelling that is the part of the plant stem from which one or more leaves emerge.
The first way is to place the cuttings in some plain old water. With this method, you take a container such as a plastic cup. Fill it three quarters of the way with water. Cover with cling film and make a hole in the middle. Stick the cutting through the hole until it is in the water. In 3-4 weeks, you should have some pretty decent roots. I do not recommend this method. The roots that are formed are water roots and will have a harder time adapting to growing in soil. It will work and can be done, but you could have a higher percentage of failure however.
The preferred method is to take your cuttings as described above, dip them in a little root hormone and stick them in a mixture of one half peat and one half sand. Keep them in a warm, humid environment by placing them in a large plastic bag. Bright indirect light is everything else you need. The cutting should root within two to three weeks.
Persian Shield makes a wonderful contrast when planted in mass with a bunch of other plants such as Hosta and Coleus.

I hope you give this plant a chance, it might just be the "shield" you are looking for in that hard to grow anything shaded area.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Pomegranate

2011-11-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

With the holiday season in full swing now, I thought it might be nice to write an article on something that you don't see but during this time of year....Pomegranates.
I have actually been reading a lot on these things lately. The California Rare Fruit Growers Association has proclaimed this year "The year of the Pomegranate".
Down in Florida, they recently had a Pomegranate Field Day. There is some excitement down there for this fruit. It is said that this has the potential to be the next cash crop in the Sunshine State.
I also just finished reading a book by Dr. Gregory M. Levin titled "Pomegranate Roads", A Soviet Botanist's Exile from Eden. It is about Dr. Levin and his 40+ years traveling in search of wild and endangered pomegranates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, he found himself exiled from his collection of 1,117 pomegranates.
I remember as a child getting pomegranates every year in our stockings, What great memories!
So, with all this reading I have been doing, I figured it must be fairly easy to grow them. Let's see if I am right?!
The botanical name is Punica granatum. It basically is a large shrub or small tree. The mature height can get to 15 or 25 feet high, the pomegranate is multi-branched, more or less spiny, and extremely long lived, some specimens at Versailles are known to have survived two centuries.
The pomegranate tree is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe.

They do best in well-drained ordinary soil, but can pretty much handle anything you can throw at it, calcareous or acidic loam as well as rock strewn gravel. The tree adapts well to container culture and will sometimes fruit in a greenhouse.
Pomegranates should be placed in the sunniest, warmest part of the yard. This is a good plant for those really hot spots in your yard. There are very few, if any, places that are too hot for pomegranates. As for their cold hardiness, the pomegranate can be grown outdoors as far north as Washington County, Utah, and Washington, D.C., though it doesn't fruit in our nations capital. They actually prefer a semi-arid mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers.
Once established, pomegranates can take considerable drought, but if you want good fruit production they must be watered regularly. Especially during flowering and fruit set.
When it comes to feeding,very little fertilizer is needed, although the plants respond to an annual mulch of rotted manure or other compost. If the tree is not growing well, a little 10-10-10 at the beginning of Spring and again in Early Summer will not hurt.

Photo courtesy of Flowers.VG

There are lots of places online to purchase pomegranate trees, a Google search will reveal many. The grocery store can supply you with some too. The pomegranate can be raised from seed but may not come true. The seeds germinate readily even when merely thrown onto the surface of loose soil and the seedlings spring up with vigor, usually within 45-60 days.
To avoid the possibility of having a "mystery" pomegranate, it will bare edible fruit, just the quality will be unknown, it is better to find a friend with an established tree. Cuttings root easily and plants from them bare fruit after about 3 years. Cuttings, 12-20 inches long should be taken in Winter from mature, one-year old wood. The leaves should be removed and the cuttings treated with rooting hormone and inserted about two-thirds their length into the soil or into some other warm rooting medium. One other point here to make, as seedlings, pomegranates may undergo severe fruit drop during its first couple of years of production, but this will change as the plant emerges from its seedling juvenility. Severe fruit drop should not occur with vegetatively propagated pomegranates.
If all goes well, you will have flowers. They look like this.

Usually, the fruits ripen 6 to 7 months after flowering. Of course, this will depend on the cultivar and the growing conditions. The fruit cannot be ripened off the tree. Growers generally consider the fruit ready for harvest if it makes a metallic sound when tapped. The fruit must be picked before it becomes over mature, when it tends to crack open. This can happen if rained upon or other conditions, such as too much humidity, dehydration by winds, or insufficient irrigation.
Pomegranates are relatively free of most pests and diseases. Minor problems are leaf and fruit spot and foliar damage by white flies, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects. A good insecticidal soap or horticultural oil will take care of most of these. Deer have been known to nibble on the foliage.
So, growing these things seems pretty easy huh?
The tricky part is actually eating them!
The interior is separated by membranous walls and white spongy tissue into compartments packed with transparent sacs filled with tart, flavorful, fleshy, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp (technically the aril).

As a child, I remember ripping into a pomegranate, scooping out a bunch of the tiny red dots, and plopping them into my mouth. I would then suck all the juicy goodness from around the hard seeds and spit them out. Gross, but tasty.
There really is a more civilized way to eat them.
Something to keep in mind, pomegranate juice can easily stain your hands, clothing and countertops, if you aren’t careful.
Remember, there is no right way or wrong way, to get at the juicy insides of a pomegranate. An easy way to do it is to quarter the pomegranate and then place it into a large bowl of water. Pomegranate arils sink and everything else, skin, membranes, etc, float. Brush the arils free from the skin and membrane and they'll sink right to the bottom. The seeds inside the arils may be eaten. There are even some soft seeded varieties out there. Pomegranate seeds can be safely stored in the refrigerator or even frozen, for later use.
Pomegranate fruits are also often consumed as juice and can be juiced in several ways. The sacs can be removed and put through a basket press or the juice can be extracted by reaming the halved fruits on an ordinary orange juice squeezer. Another approach starts with warming the fruit slightly and rolling it between the hands to soften the interior. A hole is then cut in the stem end which is placed on a glass to let the juice run out, squeezing the fruit from time to time to get all the juice.
The juice is widely made into grenadine for use in mixed drinks. It can also be made into wine.
Health wise, Pomegranates are listed as high-fiber in some charts of nutritional value. That fiber, however, is entirely contained in the actual seeds which also supply unsaturated oils. The juice contains Vitamin C and B5.
Sadly, consumer demand in this country is not great. More pomegranate fruits probably wind up as decorations in fruit bowls than are consumed.
The history behind these fruits is extensive, it has been around for so long, the amount of religious symbolism is unbelievable. I will give you just a couple of examples and I encourage you to research the vast amount of information available.
Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. I knew there was a reason why I wanted to grow more of them.
Pomegranates were known in Ancient Israel as the fruits which the scouts brought to Moses to demonstrate the fertility of the "promised land".
It is traditional to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the pomegranate, with its numerous seeds, symbolizes fruitfulness.
And lastly, in China, the pomegranate was considered an emblem of fertility and numerous progeny. Pictures of the ripe fruit with the seeds bursting forth were often hung in homes to bestow fertility and bless the dwelling with numerous offspring.

So if you have a pregnant friend and want to really mess with their head, go out and get a picture of some open pomegranates and give it to them, then send them to this blog to explain why you did it!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Mini Attack

2011-11-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends and family consider me "odd". I just heard many of them say "Amen". That is okay, I wear that badge with honor. However,I am like many of my fellow gardeners and plant freaks. We all go through phases of different favorite plants. For me I will always hold Citrus as my most favorite, however, there comes times when other plant families grab our attention. Don't deny it, you know it is true.
Along with my Citrus, I am heavy into Camellias. This helps soothe my competitive side. I enjoy showing and competing in different flower shows.
I also have a very extensive collection of different exotic fruits, many of which I am sure you have never heard of, Pacay, Jabotica and Mamey, just to name a few. These all live next to some of my more normal fruits, Strawberries, Blueberries, Figs, etc.
The past year or so, I have kind of gone back to my roots. Pun intended.
I really cut my horticultural teeth on Cactus' or Cacti if you prefer and Succulents. Though this time, I have aimed at the Mini Succulents.

To begin with succulents and cacti are very easy to grow. Mini succulents are even better! They hardly take up any room and if you are lucky, many will flower for you!
To start, you need to buy from a reputable nursery. there are many online. Just type in mini succulents and a slew of them will pop up. The hardest part is going to be choosing just one plant.
A succulent is any plant with thick, fleshy water storage parts. Succulents store water in their leaves, their stems or their roots. These plants have adapted to survive in very hot, dry conditions throughout the world, from Africa to the deserts of North America.
After you have chosen one or two of them or maybe fifty of them!! I am telling you, it will be tough just to pick a few! You will need to start them off right.
Find yourself a nice pot, make sure it has drainage holes. You can use clay or plastic, it is completely a personal choice, the plants don't care. Many cacti and succulents have shallow fibrous roots and do not require or use the full depth of a standard pot, half pots or pans can be a great choice. Putting a shallow rooted plant in a deep pot can be counter-productive as the soil below the reach of the roots will stay wet for prolonged periods of time after watering and may become stagnant.
Buy a commercially packaged soil mix that is made especially for cacti/succulents or, make your own using equal parts of both coarse sand and potting mix. The biggest thing to remember is, LOTS of drainage. Succulents will develop root rot very easy and they do not like constantly wet feet.

SENECIO SCAPOSUS

Most succulents need as much light as you can give them. The more they get, the happier they are. Let me give you a word of caution here. You may want to bring them in during the Winter, especially if you live somewhere that gets very cold. More on their cold tolerance in a minute. Even if you put them in the sunniest window you have in your house, they will not be getting as much sun as they do being outside. When you bring them back out the following Spring, be careful not to sunburn them.

SUNBURNED CACTUS

To avoid this, bring your plants out gradually. Place them under some taller plants or trees and move them out farther and farther into the full sun every couple of days.
I mentioned earlier that they are easy to grow, unless you have a heavy watering hand. I have literally gone weeks, almost months not watering some of my succulents. I don't suggest this, but it is nice to know that they will survive such harsh treatment. There is no hard and fast rule as to when they should be watered. There are many variables to consider, like, type of pot used. Clay will dry out faster than plastic. The type of soil medium used. If you use more sand, it will naturally dry out faster. Weather plays a big role. Lots of sun and heat will dry the soil out faster than if you have had a week of clouds and cooler temperatures. The bottom line is, the potting mixture should dry out between waterings.

LITHOPS SPP.

Succulents are much more cold tolerant than many people think. In the desert, where there is sometimes a large fluctuation between day and night time temperatures, succulents can live through cold nights. I am sure you have seen pictures of snow covered cacti. NO!!?? Okay, here was some of mine a couple of years ago.

I only lost one and it was not healthy before the storm anyway. In my greenhouse, it has dropped to 30 degrees with no ill effect on any of my other cactus or succulents.
They do like to be fed. If you feed your succulents every 4-6 weeks with your favorite liquid fertilizer, that will be plenty.
Other than the dreaded root rot from too much watering, succulents are pretty much problem free. The only real pests that they encounter will be the occasional Mealy Bug or Aphid. The best thing I have found to use on these is a strong spray of water. Oils and soaps can actually damage the plant more than the insect. You can also pick them off if the infestation is not too severe. If you must use a chemical, please follow the directions...It Is The Law! I would also suggest trying a small spot on an inconspicuous location on the plant and wait and see if it hurts it.

ECHEVERIA HYBRID

No matter what kind of succulent or cacti you're growing, the rules are pretty similar between the different species. They are all easy to grow and will give you years of happiness. I will admit, I had one other reason for writing about these cute little plants other than informing you how to grow them. It is called a little bit of bragging.
I mentioned my competitive side earlier. If you are as bad as I am, you might want to look into your local or state fair. There might just be a category for your little guys.....Like a small container grown plants category. At our local fair, this category was for small growing or classified as dwarf or miniature plants. I went one step farther and entered into the Collectors Showcase Award.
This was the one I won this year!

Happy Growing!
Darren

Good Nutrition is for your Plants too!

2011-10-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Everyday we are bombarded by news reports and TV commercials stressing good nutrition. Eat right, stay away from fat and sugars, blah, blah, blah.
The past week or so I have been extremely busy as a Master Gardener. I have been working the Home and Garden Show, doing a lecture or two, and working our information booth out at the Coastal Carolina Fair. At every single event I got asked "What is wrong with my plant?"
I think we need to start having those nutrition commercials for plants also. It is absolutely amazing to me the amount of people that think they know how to grow plants, but have no idea that they need to be fed!
Okay, to be fair, I was asked by one nice lady....Why do I need to feed my plants? Nobody is feeding the plants in the forest.
I told her she was partially right. Mother Nature was feeding them. She had a very perplexed look on her face after that.
We have basically screwed with the natural order of things. In the forest, leaves drop off every Autumn. They fall to the ground and decompose. Nobody rakes them up into a nice neat pile and hauls them away. That is food for the plants for next year. Along with animal droppings, worm castings, other plants that die, and all kinds of other micro-organisms. That is how Mother Nature feeds her plants. In short, she has a HUGE compost bin. In our yards we clean, primp, rake, and remove all of that food. It is even worst in our container plants. THAT is why we must feed our plants. She walked away with a brand new look on feeding.
If you look at a bag of plant food, you will see three numbers. There are all kinds of combinations, I will use 5-1-3. The 5 is the amount of Nitrogen in this product.
Nitrogen is the primary component of proteins and is a part of every living cell. This nutrient is usually more responsible for increasing plant growth than any other nutrient, as long as it is used within reason and in conjunction with other nutrients. Shortages can cause slow growth, reduced leaf size, yellowing, short branches, premature Fall color and leaf drop, and increases the likelihood of some diseases. An over abundance can cause excessive shoot and foliage growth, reduced root growth, and increased susceptibility to environmental stresses and some other plant diseases.
This what a Nitrogen deficiency can look like:

Notice the yellow leaves compared to everything around it? This is a Citrus tree that some how or another kept getting missed when it came to feeding time. Everything else around it looks fine. Nitrogen is a nutrient that moves very freely through the soil and is literally washed out every time you water or it rains, especially in a container such as this one. Even in the ground, Nitrogen can be depleted and needs to be replaced.
The second number (1 in my example) is Phosphorus. This nutrient plays a role in photosynthesis, respiration, energy storage and transfer, cell division, and cell enlargement.
Though less common than Nitrogen deficiency, Phosphorus shortages can look like this:

Purple veins may appear on the leaves or the leaves may take on a purplish color. It will also produce stunted growth and small thin stems. Like I mentioned, it is much less common a problem. If you have ever applied any fertilizer, the chances are good that the Phosphorus is still there. It does not move through the soil hardly at all.
The third number, (3 in my example) is Potassium. I should pause here a second and give you a tiny memory trick. Do you have trouble trying to figure out what order the numbers are in on the bag? As long as you can remember the three nutrients, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the three numbers listed on a fertilizer bag, it is always listed in alphabetical order.
Now, back to Potassium deficiency. It too is involved in many of the plants growth processes. It is also vital to photosynthesis and helps regulate water in plants. Potassium fertilization helps plants overcome drought stress, increases disease resistance, and improves Winter hardiness.
It can look like this:

Typical symptoms of Potassium deficiency in plants include brown scorching and curling of leaf tips. The symptoms generally first appear on older leaves. Potassium can move through the soil fairly quickly, faster than Phosphorus, but not as fast as Nitrogen.
That is a very quick idea of what are called the Macro-Nutrients. These are what a plant needs the most of.
There is also a list of Micro-Nutrients. These are needed by the plant, but in much lesser amounts.
This list includes:
Boron. Believed to be involved in carbohydrate transport in plants; it also assists in metabolic regulation. Boron deficiency will often result in bud dieback.
Chlorine. Necessary for osmosis and ionic balance; it also plays a role in photosynthesis.
Copper. A component of some enzymes and of vitamin A. Symptoms of copper deficiency include browning of leaf tips and chlorosis (leaf yellowing).
Iron. Essential for chlorophyll synthesis, which is often why an iron deficiency also results in chlorosis.
Manganese. Activates some important enzymes involved in chlorophyll formation. Manganese deficient plants can develop chlorosis between the veins of its leaves. The availability of manganese is partially dependent on soil pH.
Molybdenum. Essential to plant health. Molybdenum is used by plants to reduce nitrates into usable forms. Some plants use it for nitrogen fixation, thus it may need to be added to some soils before seeding legumes (Beans and Peas).
Zinc. This also participates in chlorophyll formation, and activates many enzymes. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include chlorosis and stunted growth.
So, as you can see, many nutrients rely on each other, or deficiencies can mimic each other.
There is not much need to worry about the Micro-nutrients, most good fertilizers already have them.
Which brings me to my next point. Types of fertilizers.
You should ALWAYS get your soil tested by your local extension office before applying any fertilizer. It could actually save you some money, time, and headaches in the end.
With that being said, the shear number of fertilizers on the market can be overwhelming! There are granules, water soluable, slow release, quick release, natural, and on and on. In a way I can see why people don't feed their plants, they have no idea what to use!!
Let me break down a few of the more common ones.
Slow release fertilizer. It is exactly what it sounds like. They release nutrients at a rate that makes them available to plants over a long period. They are applied less often and many believe they are better for the environment because they have less chance of leaching into the water supply. While I am on this topic, please do not use fertilizer spikes. If you want the whole story as to why not, I can give it to you. Suffice to say, they are just bad news.
Water Soluable. Again, exactly what it sounds like. This fertilizer is mixed with water at a specified rate. This type of fertilizer needs to be applied more often, but it is available to the plant much more quickly.
Natural Fertilizers. When it comes to the naturals, there is often a lot of quess work involved. Most natural materials are far less predictable in nutrient content, nutrient release, and nutrient efficiency than commercial grade fertilizers. Before most natural fertilizers can be absorbed by plants, they have to be broken down to an inorganic form by soil microorganisms through a decaying process called mineralization. This process is affected by moisture, temperature, and the microbial species and populations in the soil. Some examples of Natural fertilizers include, Blood Meal, Sewer Sludge, Animal Manures, Fish Emulsion and Cottonseed Meal.
The advantages and disadvantages of natural and synthetic fertilizers relate to the consumer, not to the plant. Use what you feel comfortable with, or have had success with.
This whole article just barely scratches the surface of fertilizers. I did not even get into the effect soil pH has on fertilizers. Or "when" to fertilize the plant if it is in the ground or in a container, especially if you will be protecting the containerized plants over the Winter or anything else like that. If you have a specific question in that regard, please feel free to contact me.....TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com.
There is so much information out there and new studies are being done almost on a weekly schedule. I wanted to bring your attention to the fact that plants DO need to be fed, whether it be naturally or artificially.
I will leave you with this story, completely true!
A woman came to me with a Citrus problem. She had a Meyer Lemon that she bought two years ago. It was a nice little tree already bearing fruit. She was growing it in a pot. When she came to me, the tree had not produced any fruit the prior year and was turning yellow. After a few questions I found out she did not know it needed to be fed, and had not given it anything to eat in the two years she had owned it!! I asked her how she would feel if she had not eaten in two years!?
Please remember to feed your plants!!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Good, Bad Bug?

2011-10-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

I was alerted to today's topic by one of my followers,
(Thank You Alicia..a.k.a. lpyrbby )
I figured this was a problem that is starting to reach many parts of the Southeast, so I might want to get a handle on it. This is one of those situations, are you a good bug or a bad bug? Think Wizard of Oz here.
It's scientific name is Megacopta cribraria. It is better known as Bean Plataspid, Lablab Bug, Globular Stink Bug, or Kudzu Bug. It is pea-sized and brownish with a wide back end, kind of like a boxy ladybug.

It was first discovered, I use discovered because it had not been found anywhere on this continent, until Halloween weekend 2009 in Northeast Georgia. Gives a whole new meaning to "Trick or Treat" doesn't it? Let me give you the evidence for good versus bad.
I will start here. The Kudzu Bug eats, what else? Kudzu.
Kudzu is itself an invasive plant. Some of its nicknames include, "Mile a Minute Plant" and "The Vine that Ate the South".

Photo courtesy of Insectsinthecity

The Kudzu plant was introduced to the United States in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, then was introduced into the Southeastern United States in 1883 at the New Orleans Exposition. The vine was widely marketed as an ornamental plant to be used to shade porches. In the first half of the 20th century, Kudzu was distributed as a high protein cattle fodder. It was also used as a cover plant to help prevent soil erosion. The Soil Erosion Service recommended its use to control the erosion of slopes, which led to the government aided distribution of 85 million seedlings and government funded plantings. Since then it has been spreading in the Southern U.S. at the rate of 150,000 acres annually. Its quick growth wreaks havoc on the ecosystem, it smothers and strangles other plants, uproots trees and breaks branches with its weight. It tops the nation's invasive species list.
Now, along comes the Kudzu Bug. Its favorite delicacy, Kudzu. The good news here is, it may slow down the spread of this rapidly growing vine, though not significantly. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Sounds like all good news huh?
Well, hold on a second. Did I mention this thing is a type of stinkbug? The smell has been described as "not an awful smell, more of a bittersweet, pungent, unpleasant odor". Some people have reported being able to smell the stench from their cars while crews are cutting Kudzu overgrowth along highways.
Okay fine, get a heavy duty air freshener for your car.
Well, there is more. As Fall approaches and the Kudzu begins to lose its leaves, the bug needs somewhere to go. Apparently they have been seen congregating on light colored surfaces, especially the white parts of houses.

They can invade your attic or crawl space, looking for a place to hunker down for the Winter. A basic insecticide for household pests will temporarily control them around your home, but the best defense is to have good screening up on all of your openings. You will want to gently remove these guys from your home, should they get inside. Squishing them will leave a stain and stink up the joint. Use a vacuum to suck them up, then remove the bag immediately to an outside trash can or place the bugs in a container of soapy water.
Have you decided yet? Good Bug or Bad Bug?
It may help alleviate our Kudzu problem here in the Southeast. The bug can now be found in 143 Georgia counties, all South Carolina counties, 42 North Carolina counties and 5 Alabama counties. As long as we have a good air freshener and some bug spray, we can kind of control him and his stench.
HOWEVER, you knew there was one more caveat didn't you?
The folks in the agriculture world are a little nervous. See, this thing has an appetite for more than just Kudzu. Apparently, it has discovered it likes Wisteria, which again may not be a bad thing here in the South, but also Soybeans, Green Beans and it possibly could be heading for a famous legume, Peanuts. There is also concern that its tastes could broaden even wider. There is no known natural enemy to the Kudzu Bug here in the United States.
How the bug got here remains a mystery. So you decide, Good Bug or Bad Bug? Either way, this is one wicked "Trick or Treat" bestowed upon the United States!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Rash of Radishes

2011-10-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here in the South, we are lucky enough to have almost a 365 day growing season. The cool season crops are just going in. As I was talking to my mother the other day, we were comparing what we had planted so far and what we were planning on planting.
The topic of radishes came up. The California Rare Fruit Growers Association has made this the year of the Pomegranate, I disagree, I think it should be the year of the radish. Apparently my brother has decided to plant LOTS of them and as far as I know, the consumption of radishes in my family is not exactly brisk. Though, for some apparent reason, I even planted some this year. A radish conspiracy?
I had the seeds, so why not?
The radish, Raphanus sativus, is thought to have originated in East Asia or more than likely China, but the exact location is unknown. Egyptian writing reports that radishes were a common food in ancient Egypt before the pyramids were built. In Greece, radishes were so highly valued that imitations of them were made of gold. The radish did not make its way to England until approximately 1548. By 1629 they were being cultivated in Massachusetts.
The earliest radishes to be cultivated were the black varieties.

This variety is turnip-like in size and shape, approximately eight
inches long. Black radishes have a dull black or dark brown skin. When
peeled, their flesh is white, quite pungent, and drier than their other color counterparts.
Black radishes have a longer shelf-life than most other varieties, so they are
available year-round.
Red Globe is the radish most people know. It is the most popular variety in the United States. This is the familiar looking red and white "button".

One other radish I would like to mention is the Daikons. They are very large, carrot-shaped radishes that are up to 18 inches long and weigh one to two pounds. Daikons have a white flesh that is juicy and a bit hotter than a red radish, but milder than black.

I mentioned that here in the South we have an almost year round growing season. Radishes are considered a cool season crop, preferring temperatures between 40-70 degrees. Optimum temperature range is 60-65 degrees. The nice thing about radishes is, they are a very quick crop to turn around from seed to table. Most requiring only 20-35 days to mature. Even some of my friends up North may still have time to plant some. If nothing else, they work great in a container and can be brought into a garage if the temperature starts to go below freezing. There are some varieties that require 40-50 days.
Because radishes grow so rapidly, a rich, fertile soil is essential. Sandy or sandy-loam soils are preferred. The soil should be free of stones, clods, lumps, and undecayed organic matter. To be mild, tender, and attractive, the radishes must be grown rapidly. Slow growth or checked growth results in roots that are tough, woody, pithy, and pungent. The "hotness" of radishes results from the length of time they have grown rather than from their size.
To plant, sow seeds one quarter to a half inch deep in rows spaced 3 inches apart. After the seedlings appear, you will want to thin them out so they have room to grow. Usually you will want about 2-3 inches apart on all side. Seeds typically sprout in three to seven days when sown in 60 degree soil.
Keep an even moisture level. Sometimes radishes simply split open as they mature and get older, this is the result of uneven watering. Trying to make up for a period of drought with a lot of water all at once will cause the radish to grow too rapidly and split open.
Diseases are not usually a problem when growing radishes, probably due to their quick growth. There are a few pests that you may need to look out for. Flea beetles make numerous small holes in radish leaves.

Flea Beetle

Cabbage root maggots and cutworms sometimes rasp holes or channels into radish skins. Aphids and various caterpillars, such as cabbage loopers and diamondback moths will also eat the leaves. All of these pests are easily prevented by covering the plants with lightweight floating rowcovers.
There are many, many different named radishes on the market, it might take a little research to uncover many of them. Some to look for include: Cherry Belle, Easter Egg, Round Black Spanish,Icicle and the unusual sounding French Breakfast.
Radishes are most often eaten raw. Use a stiff vegetable brush and scrub them under cold running water. Do not peel radishes, unless there is some kind of problem with the skin. Pare away the top and root end then slice, dice, shred, or serve whole.
I have discovered some other interesting ways to eat and use these tasty little treats.
In China and Japan, most of the radish crop is pickled in brine, in much the same way that we pickle cucumbers.
How about an Open-Faced Radish Sandwich

4 bagels cut in half or 8 slices bread
8 ounces cream cheese
6 small globe radishes
salt and pepper

1. Spread bagels or bread slices with 1/4 inch cream cheese.
2. Using s sharp knife or mandolin, slice radishes very thin. Overlap the radish slices on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle each sandwich with salt and pepper.
Maybe my brother has already seen these recipes and that is why he planted so many. If any of these recipes pan out to be good, maybe I will be planting a Rash Of Radishes myself!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Popcorn Anybody?

2011-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday was the Fall version of the annual North Charleston Plant Swap. It was a smashing success with 90 participants and over 2000 plants swapped. During the setup phase, all was well....until.
The Clemson Extension Agent, who was there to participate, came up to me and said, "We have a problem".
She went on to say that somebody had brought a VERY invasive plant, and as Master Gardeners we really can not let them be propagated. I was not aware that somebody had brought it, at first I was not even aware of how invasive it was. I had heard of it, but was not totally familiar with it.
I am now.
The plant was Sapium sebiferum, also know as the Chinese Tallow Tree, and the Popcorn Tree. You will also find it still listed as Triadica sebifera, but the Sapium sebiferum is the proper name.
The Popcorn tree is native to China and Japan where it has been cultivated for its useful seeds and as an ornamental for more than a thousand years. It is said that Benjamin Franklin introduced it into the United States in 1776 for use of its waxy tallow in soaps and candles.
It is a deciduous tree (loses its leaves) that may reach 60 feet in height. The bark is a light gray. It has heart-shaped leaves with a pointed tip.

Slender, drooping spikes up to 8 inches long appear from April to June. In Fall the leaves turn brilliant shades of scarlet, orange, yellow and maroon.

Popcorn Trees can invade a variety of habitats ranging from swampy to saline waters, and from full sun to shade situations. It is often found growing along roadsides, coastal areas, and streams. Larger specimens can produce up to 100,000 seeds that may be eaten and dispersed by birds, facilitating the spread. Native species are crowded out once the Chinese Tallow becomes established. The leaves and fruit are toxic to cattle and cause nausea and vomiting in humans.
It tolerates almost any soil and can grow 5 feet tall in its first year. They are considered moderately drought tolerant. However, It was planted as a street tree in California where it apparently has not yet become invasive, perhaps because of insufficient rainfall.
They have become so invasive, first off, being that they are a native of Eastern Asia, which is the same latitudes as the Southeastern U.S. they love the growing conditions here, but primarily because of the seeds that are readily eaten and dispersed by birds. The seeds also float and can be carried easily by rivers, streams, and stormwater runoff to new destinations and virtually all of them germinate somewhere. The seeds are in a fruit that are 3 lobed, brown capsules, 1/2 inch in diameter, when mature the outer part splits revealing 3 white waxy seeds that resemble popcorn, hence its common name. They mature in late Summer to early Fall.

Photo Courtesy of University of Georgia

If all of this is not bad enough, The leaves produce allelopathic chemicals that change soil content and therefore makes the area uninhabitable to native species.
It has gotten so bad that, the State of Florida lists the Popcorn Tree or Chinese Tallow as a noxious weed and prohibits its introduction, movement or release.
To kill these things, cut the tree down and immediately paint the stump with a triclopyr herbicide such as Brush-B-Gon, Garlon, Pathfinder, Chopper or something like Round-up brush killer. Make sure you follow the label directions or get a certified professional to apply these. Results also can be obtained by spraying the bark in a 6 inch wide band all around the base of the trunk with one of the triclopyr herbicides. I don't usually suggest such harsh treatment because of the danger it can pose to the homeowner and the landscape, BUT, tests of simply cutting down the trees resulted in extensive root and stump sprouting. Before applying any herbicide, read the label!! I can not emphasize this enough.
This is nasty tree. Yes, it has pretty Fall foliage and can be used for some good shade. Tree species recommended that are similar in size to Chinese Tallow include Maples (Acer spp.) and Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.). Might I also suggest to use an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), or a Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) instead. At least the Red Mulberry will give you something good to eat!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Mosquito be gone

2011-09-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

I was actually searching for a good blog article today when I got a couple of very nice e-mails from a woman who just found my blog. She lives very close by and was wondering about growing Lemon Eucalyptus to rid her yard of mosquitoes.
I am going to use this as an opportunity to help her and others with this biting problem.
I will start with the Corymbia citriodora, or Lemon Eucalyptus, also known as Lemon Scented Gum, and Blue Spotted Gum. There are some sites that still refer to it as Eucalyptus citriodora.

Corymbia citriodora

The U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control has now approved oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, also known as p-menthane 3,8-diol or PMD, as an effective mosquito repellent.
This evergreen tree is native to Queensland, Australia. In nature the trees will reach anywhere from 75-100 ft. Even though it gets very big in nature, it's size is easily controlled with selective pruning. It will even flourish in a large container this way. The trees are hardy in USDA zones 9-11, so a greenhouse will be needed for colder climates.
Citriodora needs full sun with a well-drained soil. These trees grow in very nutrient poor soils and fertilizer is not needed. They are propagated by seed in the Spring.
The oil of the lemon eucalyptus is a natural, plant-based repellent oil that is prepared from the leaves. It is commercially compared to Citronella.
You would think that Citronella would be made from the Citronella Tree (Citronella mucronata) which is native to Chile.

Citronella mucronata

It is an evergreen tree, which can grow up to about 30 feet tall with a diameter of about 3 feet. The bark is dark gray and rough.
In its native habitat, It grows in areas of high humidity and constant rain. It is mostly found on steep slopes, and usually in shaded places where there is protection from direct sunlight. The Citronella Tree can tolerate low temperatures down to about 18 degrees and can even survive an occasional snow.
Well, this is not the source of "true" Citronella oil either.
There is another plant that has a deceptive name of Citronella Plant. It is a geranium plant marketed as "Pelargonium citrosum".

Pelargonium citrosum

The marketing suggests that if you plant this around your yard, it will chase away mosquitoes. Not only is the plant ineffective in repelling mosquitoes, the mosquitoes were seen landing and resting on the plant on a regular basis. It does have a very nice lemony scent.
Okay, I have held you in suspense long enough.....if you want to grow the "true" Citronella oil plant, look for Cymbopogon nardus.

Cymbopogon nardus

It is a coarse, clump-forming tropical grass that can grow 5-6 ft tall. Citronella grass is native to southeast Asia and grown commercially in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Indonesia and Java. It is widely naturalized in tropical Asia and grown as an ornamental in South Florida and southern California.
It does best in full sun. It is a perennial (comes back every year) in USDA zones 10-12. It needs a long, warm growing season, and may not survive cool, damp Winters. Being that it does not spread by runners, as some grasses do, but is a clumping grass, growing it in a container is an option. Propagation is by dividing the clumps. It is not picky about its soil, it will grow pretty much in anything you give it.
As I mentioned, Citronella grass is the source of the commercial Citronella oil. The oil from this grass can be mixed with other vegetable oils and used in massages or rubbed on the skin for an insect repellent. If you are one of those that like to burn Citronella candles or incense, I have bad news for you. Studies have shown that to keep mosquitoes away, you would have to burn so many candles that the smoke would be almost intolerable.
It is also been reported that Citronella oil repels cats.
I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion about the different Citronella plants out there. Some will disagree with what I have said, they will swear up and down that the geranium works or that they burn a Citronella candle and they never see a mosquito. This may be true. It is also possible that there wasn't any mosquitoes around or that they found somebody better tasting!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Rose by any other name.....

2011-09-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

...may not even be a Rose!
This is where the common names of plants can really get you in trouble. The past couple of weeks, I have been asked about some of the tall bushes that have all kinds of flowers on them. What are they? Is the most common question, followed by: Are they hard to grow? and Where do you get them?
The plant in question here is the Rose of Sharon, If you lived in Britain or Australia they would think you are talking about Hypericum calycinum, which is an evergreen flowering shrub native to Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia. We know it here as St. John's Wort.
It looks like this:

I know there are a bunch of people that just had a cow! That is NOT a Rose of Sharon!! It is if you live in Australia or Britain.
Here in the good old USA, the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) looks like this:

THIS is the plant everybody has been asking me about.
See how common names can get very confusing? Depending on who you ask, or where they are from may determine what kind of plant you get. That is why I try to talk in botanical names whenever possible. It also goes by other common names such as: Althea Rose, Syrian Rose, and Shrubby Althea. There are many other plants out there with an identity crisis, but I digress.
The Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a deciduous (loses its leaves) flowering shrub native to East Asia. It is the national flower of South Korea and was mentioned in an article produced 1,400 years ago. So this flower has been around for quite sometime.
It is an upright plant that produces colorful, cup-shaped flowers in Summer and Fall. They can range from 2-4 inches across.
The colors are almost infinite in number, including blue, pink, red, lavender, purple, white, and many of these in combinations depending on the variety.

Some have flowers that strongly resemble the familiar hibiscus; as you can see above. There are others that have small double petals that appear rose-like or are almost like a peony.

The Rose of Sharon grows well in USDA hardiness zones 5B through 9A. It will attain a pretty decent size. Averaging from 8-10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. It is best to grow Rose of Sharon in full sun, it can tolerate up to part shade. It prefers moist, well drained soil that contains lots of organic matter, though, it is able to tolerate a wide variety of soil and drought conditions. The plant may survive extreme conditions, but the buds may drop off if the plant is watered too much or too little, or if too much fertilizer is applied. When it comes to feeding, fertilize your Rose of Sharon just before the flowering period. Apply a balanced granular fertilizer according to the package directions.
If you want bigger blooms, in the Winter or early Spring, prune off last seasons growth. It will flower on the new growth. This is also a good time to be propagating them. It is easily propagated by hardwood cuttings that are 4 - 6 inches long taken in the Winter and planted about 1-1.5 inches deep in a mixture of coarse sand and peat moss. Stick the cut ends in some rooting hormone and keep these warm, moist and humid. You can also use softwood cuttings in the Spring, using the same method as above.
Aphids and Spider Mites can be a real nuisance, However, one of the biggest problems that Rose of Sharon faces is the Japanese Beetle.

If you have leaves that look like this, then you have a Japanese Beetle problem.

My mother just cringed when she saw these pictures, she is very accustomed to this problem. Her favorite way to deal with it, walk around the yard with a bucket of soapy water and drown the little varmints.
You can also use a product called Milky Spore. It is an organic approach to ridding your yard of the grubs that turn into the beetles. One word of caution, you will need to get pretty much your entire neighborhood involved in this. Just because your yard is protected, they live next door, and the pupating beetles will fly over for a feast.
Diseases that you need to be aware of include leaf spot, blight, and cankers. These can be controlled with fungicides or proper placement of plants. Make sure that there is good air circulation between them and they are planted in the proper place.
As you can imagine, with a history as long as this beautiful flower, there are some interesting tidbits surrounding it, especially in the world of music.
"Rose of Sharon" is a song by Robert Hunter (From the Grateful Dead) which he released on his solo album Tiger Rose.
"Rose of Sharon" is a song sung by Joan Baez on the album Day After Tomorrow.
Judah Robertson has an album entitled "Rose of Sharon".
The Rose of Sharon is referenced in the Bob Dylan song "Caribbean Wind."
Rose of Sharon is also the official flower of Phi Beta Chi, a national Lutheran-based Greek social letter sorority.
There are many, many other references to the Rose of Sharon from Biblical mentions to Novels and Poetry. I just find the flower very pretty and I hope you do too.
Just remember, a Rose by any other name...might just be something completely different!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Let's go to Bahia!

2011-08-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have a very interesting thing going to happen in the next two weeks that I will talk about in a future Blog. Suffice it to say, it involves my Citrus and my yard. So, I have to really get to work and clean up a few things, you know...weed, prune, hide the dead stuff....the normal type of things to do if there was major company coming over...hint, hint.
I am trying to shift my grass mowing schedule off, by a couple of days, so it will look nice for a specific date. As I was glancing over it, I realized I don't really have a "normal" grass. Most people have heard of Zoysia, Centipede or Bermuda. I mostly have Bahia.
Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) was introduced from Brazil in 1914. It was originally used as a pasture grass on the sandy soils of the Southeastern United States. It is also known as Highway Grass. It is an aggressive, warm season perennial (comes back every year) grass. Bahiagrass is primarily planted in the deep South and coastal areas as shown in this map.

Bahiagrass spreads by seeds and rhizomes (a horizontal, modified stem found at or just below ground level) and forms an extensive, deep root system. It sustains better than other grasses in infertile, sandy soils and does not require high inputs of water or fertilizer. It is very drought tolerant. The aggressive nature and drought tolerance of Bahiagrass makes it ideal for erosion control along roadsides and highway rights of way. Hence it's other name of Highway Grass. This does come at a cost though, it also makes it difficult to control as a weed in the landscape. Or in my case, the entire lawn. Although Bahiagrass does not produce a carpet like, dense lawn like some other warm season lawn grasses, it does provide a good, low maintenance lawn where slightly reduced visual quality is acceptable. That is me all over!
Bahiagrass is easily identified by its distinctive “Y-shaped” seed head. You have probably seen it a million times if you have spent anytime in the South. It looks like this:

There are some disadvantages to having this grass take over the yard. Many people find the tall, unsightly seed heads that show up throughout the Summer, and Fall months objectionable. So to this end, it needs to be cut every 5-7 days. Those seed stems are also very tough and can wear out mower blades, requiring them to be sharpened frequently. It is recommended that it be cut to a height of 3-4 inches.
Bahiagrass will go dormant and turn brown during drought situations and in the Winter after the first good frost. It also responds quickly to rainfall after a severe drought, greening up fast.
It prefers an acidic soil,or low pH. A high pH tends to cause yellowing of the leaf tissue due to its inability to absorb iron, causing an iron deficiency. In the research I have seen, this grass does not have good tolerance for shade, traffic, or saltwater. I can agree with the shade and traffic, it definitely does not like to grow under trees or be stepped upon a lot. I do not have any salt issues, so I can only go by the research here, but it would not surprise me to see it flounder at the beach. Some pun intended.
Bahiagrass has very few to any insect problems, but it is susceptible to mole crickets. There are only a few disease problems, none of which are severe, and for the most part are rare.
Many people out there that want a golf course perfect looking lawn. Bahiagrass will screw that up in a heartbeat. It grows in an open growth habit, which can result in weed encroachment into sparse areas. It has a coarse leaf texture and it provides less cushioning for recreational activities than some of the other grass' might. I am not going to go into the ins and outs of ridding your grass of this weed. There are many products out there, all with different ways and times of application, for control. Before starting a weed control program homeowners should realize that complete eradication of Bahiagrass (or any weed for that matter) from the landscape is not practical. A better approach is to control (not eradicate) the weed by limiting the infestation to a tolerable level.
The way I look at it, if it is green and it is growing, I have a lawn!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Oh Gee, an Ogeechee Lime

2011-08-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have just recently gotten reconnected with an old friend of mine. Probably been two years or so since we last spoke. He runs a nursery in the upper part of South Carolina. He is one of my Citrus mentors and I have learned a great deal from him. I was asking how business has been and how all of his Citrus trees (he has a grove up there) have fared. I didn't know it, but he has branched out from just Citrus and vegetables. He was telling me all the cool new fruits he has started selling and one of them REALLY caught my eye.....The Ogeechee Lime. Of course being the Citrus Guy I had to find out more about this "Lime," I had never heard of. Well, it's not Citrus folks!
The Ogeechee Lime (Nyssa ogeche) is in the Tupelo Family. It is also known as Ogeechee tupelo, sour tupelo gum, white tupelo, and bee tupelo.
This tree is native to the Southeast and was first discovered by William Bartram along the Ogeechee River in Georgia. Ogeechee tupelo requires a very moist site and is distributed along the borders of rivers, swamps, and ponds. So if you have a really wet spot in your yard that nothing seems to grow in, this might just be the plant you are looking for.
At maturity it will average between 30 and 40 feet tall with a 25-30 foot spread. It is deciduous, so you will be raking leaves up in the Fall from it. Full sun to partial shade. The bark is even rather attractive.

There is some discrepancy as to how wide of a growing range these things have. The consensus seems to be Zones 7-9 with the Ogeechee river in Georgia being the center point.
There are two wonderful by products of this tree. I mentioned that it is in the Tupelo family, I am sure many of you have heard of Tupelo Honey. Pure Tupelo honey has a light amber golden color with a slight greenish cast. This honey is a choice table grade honey with a delicious flavor and a delicate distinctive taste. Honey produced from the White Tupelo is the only honey that will not granulate.
The other thing this tree produces is fruit.

In the Spring, white flowers appear. The tree is then a striking figure when it is laden with its red fruits, kind of looking like dates, but they are about the size and shape of pecan nuts. They hang in profuse clusters from August till late Fall, long after they are ripe and the leaves have fallen. Some people consider the fruit to be of only marginal quality, it is used as a substitute for limes and other sour citrus. It is also used as an ingredient in drinks, marmalades, and sauces.
Each fruit contains one, rarely two seeds that have a papery seedcoat. You will want to plant the seeds as soon as possible, they have a relatively short life span. There is not much research on when a seedling tree will produce fruit, however, seedlings planted on a lake shore in Florida grew to a height of almost 8 feet in 3 years and matured a good crop of fruit at that time.
There are a number of Wildlife issues that are associated with the Ogeechee Lime, The dense foliage provides excellent nesting and escape cover for birds. Fruits are eaten by opossums, otters, raccoons, deer, bear, and squirrels. It is a favorite food among ducks and you can watch them congregate around the tree to pick up the fruit as it falls.
There apparently are not many problems associated with this tree, no pests or diseases are of major concern but it is occasionally bothered by Tupelo leaf miner, scale, rust, and leaf spot.
If I have gotten you excited about growing one of these, you might encounter a couple of problems. Unfortunately, it is usually not grown by many nurseries.
But there is hope!
Remember I started this blog out by saying that friend of mine is growing them?
He has a nice website of all the Citrus trees he sells, you can see that here: Website
Or if you just want to send Stan an E-Mail and ask about the Ogeechee Lime, his e-mail is: citrusman99@hotmail.com
Either way, I hope I have opened your eyes to a new native tree, my friends at the Native Plant Society will be so proud!
Happy Growing!
Darren

What Fun, Gus.

2011-08-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

I have been bouncing e-mails back and forth with a friend of mine about his Kaffir Lime. It is strictly an indoor tree due to the weather conditions he has, apparently it is always windy and rips the leaves off of the Citrus trees. He has experienced an array of different problems, Spider Mites, Mealies, pruning issues, but the latest e-mail had to do with a new problem. He wrote: "I am also noticing what appears to be some tiny flies...almost like fruit flies that are hanging around the soil level.
I love answering all kinds of questions, but it is nice to get an easy one occasionally. I sent a message back letting him know he has Fungus gnats (Bradysia species).
If you could see one under a microscope, they look like this:

These things are small, mosquito-like insects, often found in homes and offices, usually in the vicinity of houseplants. Adults are 1/8 inch long, delicate, black flies with long legs and antennae. There is a distinct “Y-shaped” pattern on the forewings. A great way to monitor and see them for yourself is to use yellow sticky cards. The adults are attracted to yellow and will be captured on them. This may be helpful in mass trapping adult females, which will also help in reducing the number of larvae in the next generation.
Fungus gnats are prevalent during most of the year, but they develop significant populations in Winter and Spring or when the weather has been cloudy and overcast for a number of days. In a home setting they can appear at pretty much anytime.
Fungus gnats are typically harmless to healthy plants and people. The adults are insects that do not bite, but can inflict extensive damage to seedlings,cuttings and young plants. The larvae also feed on the developing callus of directly stuck cuttings, delaying rooting. Fungus gnat larvae usually are located in the top 2 to 3 inches of the growing medium, depending on moisture level. The larvae are wormlike and translucent, with a black head.

They can often be found under decaying plant material on the soil surface. Their presence can be readily detected by placing a small piece of potato or carrot on the surface for a couple days and then observe it with the aid of a hand lens. Larvae also produce thin "webs" on the soil surface which can become obvious when droplets of moisture collect on them. Spraying a fine mist of water on the soil surface can aid in this.
The fungus gnat's life cycle from egg to adult may be completed in as little as three to four weeks depending on temperature. Eggs are laid in cracks and crevices in the media surface and mature in four to six days. During their seven to ten day life span, adult females may lay up to 200 eggs.
Control of fungus gnats can be difficult but not impossible. Proper water management is crucial. The most important strategy is to allow the growing medium to dry between waterings, especially the top 1 to 2 inches. The theory is, the dryness of the growing medium will decrease survival of any eggs laid and/or larvae that hatch from the eggs.
Insecticides may be necessary if fungus gnat problems persist several weeks after watering practices have been adjusted. The most effective treatments are those that are persistent; killing the adults for up to three days. A number of pyrethroid based insecticides, with extended persistence, are available for use on houseplants. Please make sure you read the label and it has listed the pest and the plant that you are using it on, this is the law!
The use of short persisting contact insecticides such as those containing soaps, oils, and neem oil, do not provide sufficient long term control of fungus gnat adults and require repeat applications at short intervals (usually every couple of days) to work.
I mentioned earlier about the use of the yellow sticky cards helping to reduce female populations. And for something else to remember, the larvae in the growing medium will not be directly affected by any insecticides applied to kill adults.
Unless you have a really bad infestation, these creatures will not cause enough noticeable harm. Just watch your watering, allow the medium to dry out. Some things to watch out for are; plants with succulent stems, such as geraniums, sedum, coleus and poinsettias, these are especially prone to injury and can suffer serious losses. As the young feeder roots and stems are damaged, the affected plants wilt. Leaves may turn yellow and drop.
Hopefully you will not ever have a major infestation, Though, I am pretty sure at some time or another you will have some of these guys come for a visit. If the soil is moving like an earthquake or the plant starts to fly around, you may want to consider losing that particular plant.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Damsels and Dragons

2011-08-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

You read all the time about attracting beneficial insects to your garden. This list may include such things at Ladybugs, Assassin Bugs, Bees and so on. There are a couple of beneficials that come around every year that I just love to watch. I often wonder just how many insects I would have if it weren't for these friends,they are the Damsels and Dragons of the yard....better known as Damselflies and Dragonflies.
Both of these creatures belong to the order Odonata, which translated means "Toothed Ones"

Damselfly

Dragonfly

Currently about 5000 species of Dragonflies and Damselflies are known; experts guess that there are probably between 5500 and 6500 species in total.
While both Dragonflies and Damselflies belong to the same group, there are many noticeable differences.
We will start with their eyes. They both have very large compound eyes relative to the rest of their body. Each compound eye is composed of nearly 28,000 individual units. More than 80% of their brain is devoted to analyzing visual information. The Dragonflies have eyes that touch, or nearly touch, at the top of the head. The Damselflies eyes are clearly separated, usually appearing on each side of the head.
While it might be a little difficult to tell the difference in their eyes, their bodies are pretty much a dead giveaway. The Dragonfly body is usually very stocky. We have one here that kind of looks like a flying marijuana cigarette, unfortunately I have not been able to snap a picture of it. The Damselfly on the other hand, is very slender and fragile looking. You can see this in the pictures above.
When they are resting, they hold their wings differently. Again, as you can see in the pictures above, the Dragonfly hold its wings out open, while the Damselfly holds them closed above the body.
Dragonflies are some of the fastest insects in the world. They can fly forward at about 100 body lengths per second,to put that in terms we can relate to, about 38 MPH. They can also fly backwards at about 3 body lengths per second, plus are capable of hovering in the air for sixty seconds or so. Damselflies are much weaker fliers in comparison.
The odonata order are known to be among the oldest of insects. The oldest recognizable fossils of the group are 325 million years old. They must be doing something right to be hanging around for that long.
I enjoy having them around because, one, they are fun to watch fly around and two, because they are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, and on the rare occasion, butterflies. A grown dragonfly can eat more than 50 mosquitoes a day or it can eat food equal to its own weight in about 30 minutes. Think about how much food you would have to eat at that rate?!
Here are some more scary facts, today's Damsels and Dragons have an average wingspan of just under 2 to just over 3 inches. There are fossils belonging to some species of these carnivorous insects with wings spreading to spans in the range of two and a half feet and made their food out of other insects and even small amphibians. If some of these were alive today, I have visions of my Chihuahua being carried away by some big old Dragonfly as lunch!
Most of a Dragonflies life is spent in the larval stage where it molts from six to fifteen times. Depending on altitude and latitude, larval development varies from the common one or two years to as many as six years. At that time, the nymph crawls up out of the water and molts one last time, emerging from its old skin as an adult with functional wings. After this final molt, the life span is anywhere from one month to six months, depending on the species.
Both Damsels and Dragons start their life in water, therefore they are often found near water: ponds, lakes, canals, streams, rivers and swamps. They are found on every continent except for Antarctica.
As beneficial as these things are, they have gotten a bum wrap in some cultures.
In Europe, Dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "devil's darning needle" and "ear cutter", link them with evil or injury.
The Norwegian name for Dragonflies is "Øyenstikker", which literally means Eye Poker and in Portugal they are sometimes called "Tira-olhos" meaning, Eye snatcher.
I must admit, I had not heard this one: In the Southern United States the term "snake doctor" refers to a folk belief that Dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured.
There are other interesting things associated with them. For some Native American tribes they represent swiftness and activity, and for the Navajo they symbolize pure water. The part about the water makes sense, Dragonflies are fairly sensitive to pollution.
In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae; in Indonesia, for example, they are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime,(a sticky substance made from the bark of a holly bush, usually Ilex aquifolium) then fried in oil as a delicacy.
I was asked this question one day, do Dragonflies or Damselflies bite? No, though large dragonflies will sometimes try to bite, they fail to break the skin.
I don't recommend this one, but, Japanese children catch large Dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The Dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight. I guess its better than running the streets or playing X-Box all day!
I will leave you today with a look at some of the beautiful colors that these creatures come in. I urge you to go out into the field or even your backyard and look for your own Damsels and Dragons. You might also want to thank them for the hard work they do eating all of those nasty bugs!

Happy Growing!
Darren

OH, Ziziphus!

2011-07-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

There is a fruit that I am have been in search of for some time now. I have planted seeds and they never germinated. I have finally located a tree and it is on its way to me. This is probably a fruit that many of you have never heard of, it has a common name of Jujube or Chinese Date.....but it is more fun to call it by its botanical name....Ziziphus. The full name is Ziziphus jujuba.
This uncommon fruit has a long history. It may of originated in China where they have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and where there are over 400 cultivars. Though its precise natural distribution is uncertain due to extensive cultivation, it is thought to be in southern Asia, between Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan, northern India, Bangladesh, the Korean peninsula, as well as southern and central China. It is also seen a great deal in southeastern Europe though more than likely it was introduced there.

Photo courtesy of Papaya Tree Nursery.

I do not for the life of me understand why this fruit is not a commercial crop in more of the country. Let's see what makes them tick.
First off, there are not too many parts of the country they will not grow. Jujubes can put up with extremes at both ends of the thermometer, from 120 degrees in Summer to -22 degree cold snaps in Winter, without slowing down. Just to give you an idea of how wide this range really is, Jujubes have fruited in the Puget Sound and low Cascade regions of Washington State as well as in Pennsylvania, then going all the way down to northern Florida.
Jujubes should be given a warm, sunny location, but are otherwise relatively undemanding. Given adequate heat and sun, the trees will thrive without any special care.
It is a deciduous tree, meaning it drops its leaves in the Fall. It is considered a small tree to medium size tree, growing from about 15 feet to 30 feet depending on the cultivar. Though it has attained a height of 40 feet in some places in Florida.
The small, oval shaped leaves are 1-2 inches long and a shiny bright green. In the Fall, the leaves turn bright yellow before falling. There are usually two spines at the base of each leaf. Some spines may be hooked while others are long and dagger like. There are some thornless cultivars though.

The flowers are small and not very noticeable, as you can see above. They are white to greenish yellow and are somewhat fragrant. The flowering period extends over several months from late Spring into Summer. You need only one tree to produce fruit, cross pollination is not required.
Jujubes tolerate many types of soils, but prefer a sandy, well drained soil. They do less well in heavy, poorly drained soil. They are also able to grow in soils with high salt content or high alkalinity. A high pH.
Fertilizing is a snap. They appear to do well with little or no fertilization. A light application of a balanced 10-10-10 every two months during the growing season seems to speed growth along slightly, but if you happen to forget, this tree is very understanding.
Another one of the outstanding qualities of the Jujube tree is its tolerance of drought conditions. Regular watering, though, is important to assure a quality fruit crop.

The fruit is the real treat here. It is a drupe,(A fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed) varying from round to elongate and from cherry size to plum size depending on the cultivar. Though they can be eaten raw, which is the form preferred by the Chinese, they are better candied or dried, very much like our dates. Fresh and raw, they taste somewhat like small, tart apples. They can even be left on the tree to dry, tree dried fruit stores indefinitely.

If picked green, Jujubes will not ripen. If you are interested in trying some of the fruit yourself, find a local Asian Supermarket, I can almost guarantee they will either have some fresh or at least some dried and candied.
The fruit is packed with all kinds of vitamins. Fresh, the amount of Vitamin C is higher than dried, but almost all other vitamins and nutrients will remain the same.
There are many cultural and culinary uses for Jujubes.
Substitute the dried Jujube whenever recipes call for raisins or dates. Dried Jujubes are a wonderful snack that can be prepared without the use of any preservative as is so commonly needed for other dried fruits.
In China, a wine is made from the fruit and is called Hong Zao Jiu.
The candied fruit can be made into syrup and used over pancakes and waffles.
In the traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, the jujube was often placed in the newlyweds' bedroom as a good luck charm for fertility.

I will even give you a recipe for a Jujube Cake I found.
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups dried, minced jujube
* 1 cup water
Bring these to a boil then set aside to cool
* 2 cups wheat flour
* 1 teaspoonful soda
* 1/2 teaspoonful salt
Sift these together then add to the above mixture. Bake at 325°

Okay, if this hasn't been enough information for you to run right out and get yourself a tree then I don't......what? They don't seem to have any at your local big box store?
Hmm, that could be a problem.
I know!
Go to Jujube Fruit Tree They have some nice ones for sale. I am sure there are other places online, but I know and trust these folks.
So, at last, I will leave you with this little tidbit, Jujubes appear to have no serious disease, insect, or nematode pests, except for the Pocket Gopher, which appears to have a liking for the roots. I don't know about you, but I have neither seen nor heard of a Pocket Gopher, I guess they tend to stay hidden in their pockets!
In case you do more research and decide to get yourself a tree or three, I am getting the Cultivar "Li". This is suppose to be the easiest of the many cultivars to grow.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Beware the Resistance

2011-07-24T12:11:00.001-07:00

WARNING: THIS WILL BE AN INTENSE DEEP READ
I was reading an article the other day from the University of Florida about Citrus Greening and the insect that spreads it, the Asian Citrus Psyllid. The article was more about the worry that these critters are starting to show resistance to the insecticides. The levels that have been documented to date are not high enough to cause product failures. Yet.
This got me to thinking about the insecticides that the average homeowner is using. In Florida and anywhere else commercial crops are grown, the farmers have a vast array of insecticides at their disposal. The homeowner, not so much.
Let me start with a couple of definitions.
Insecticide: a substance used for killing insects.
Insecticide resistance: an increase over time in the ability of an insect population to survive an insecticide application.
Some insects are going to naturally have a resistant gene to certain chemicals. Think of the situation that some people are allergic to peanuts and others are not. The ones that are not, have a resistance to the peanut chemical. This is a weak example, but gets my point across.
Insects with a resistance gene survive an application of insecticide and pass the resistance trait on to their offspring. If you continue using the same kind of insecticide that has the same Mode of Action,(more on that in a minute)the resistant individuals will continue to breed and the proportion of resistant insects in the population increases, while susceptible, or ones that don't have the gene are eliminated by the insecticide.
I know, what the heck did he just say?!
Pesticides are seldom 100% effective, so there are always a few individuals that can survive and reproduce. Survivors may have been able to detoxify the pesticide or are immune to the effect of the pesticide or can avoid the pesticide application altogether. If survivors mate and past on this resistance to their offspring, future generations will have fewer susceptible individuals. As time progresses, the entire population may become resistant.
This brings me back to the MoA or Mode of Action. Insecticides all work in different ways. I am not going to get major geek on you here, but some of the ways that they work and on what part of the insects body are,
The Nervous System: Most traditional insecticides attack the nervous system of insects. It interferes with their nerve fibers or the gap between the fibers.
Energy Production: These chemicals significantly slow the production of energy that an insect needs to survive. It basically starves them. The insects “run out of gas” and can even die standing on their feet.
Cuticle Production: Insects wear their skeleton on the outside of their body. Chitin is a major component of their skeleton. Chemicals called chitin synthesis inhibitors,slow or stop the production of chitin. Without chitin, the insect cannot molt,(shed it’s exoskeleton and re-grow a new one) and will soon die.
Endocrine System: Insect growth regulators,act on the hormone or endocrine system of insects. Juvenile hormones keep insects from molting (shedding their exoskeleton) until the insect reaches the proper state of maturity. They don’t allow the insect to molt at the proper time, keeping the insect from maturing and reproducing.
Water Balance: Insects have a thin waxy coating over their exoskeleton to prevent water loss. Some chemicals absorb the waxy coating, resulting in rapid water loss and eventual death.
There are many more, but you get the idea.
So now, you are wondering, how does this affect me? The chemicals are broken down into groups, 25 or so to be exact. You need to alternate between groups, NOT just name brands.
Here is an example of what I mean. Group one is Carbamates and Organophosphates, it is broken down into sub-groups A&B. Stay with me here. Sevin, a common insecticide, is in this category. A good product. It interrupts the transmission of nerve impulses. So, to avoid a resistance problem, you want to switch to something else....Good Idea!
You grab some Malathion...Bad Idea! This is in the same group and is the same way of killing the bugs. Ideally, an effective insecticide should be applied at a concentration high enough (following the label directions) to kill all the individuals in a population. However, it should only be applied twice before switching to another group.
Maybe going to the Insecticidal soaps, which will dry the insect out. You can also go to the Horticultural oils, which will suffocate the insect. Okay, so now you are asking, how do they become resistant to the soaps and oils? They will develop a sense of the danger and will move away from the chemical. If you do not hit them directly they may move to the under side of the leaf or a part of the plant that was not sprayed.
I know this may sound a little confusing, and yes it probably is WAY too detailed.
My point today is this, try to attract beneficial bugs to your yard first. Flowers and plants that they like are a good step forward. If that doesn't help, start with the most gentle of insecticides, soaps and oils. If you must go to the nuclear option of chemicals, keep in mind that you might be contributing to the evolution of a Super Bug. Then a nuclear bomb might be the only way to rid yourself of them!
Your best bet is to get to know a little bit more about the different classes and how the Modes of Action work. A good website is: MOA's
Oh, and just as a side note....Fungicides can also have resistance issues, but that is fodder for another blog.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Serious Cereus

2011-07-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Everybody needs a helping hand at times, right? What if you do all of your important stuff at night and there are very few people around? That is kind of the boat that today's topic finds itself in.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum also known as Dutchman's Pipe Cactus, Orchid Cactus and Night Blooming Cereus is an epiphyte. This is a plant that grows on another plant which it depends on for mechanical support but not for nutrients. A helping hand type of thing. And of course it's other common name,night blooming cereus, kind of gives it away as to what time of the day it flowers.

This plants native range runs from Mexico to Brazil. It can be a very large grower, getting up to 20 feet tall, or long depending on how you look at it. It prefers to grow in the upper story of tropical jungles by clinging to trees by means of aerial roots. It produces dark green branches and fragrant white flowers, no wonder it is also known as Queen of the Night.

Just look at this flower:

Unfortunately, the flower, which can be 6" or more across, only lasts for 1-3 days (nights). It opens in the evening around dusk and closes at the first sign of sunrise in the morning. If you are lucky, this will repeat for a couple of more nights. Flowering times range from late Spring through most of the Summer.

As you can imagine being from that far South, it can only grow in USDA zones 10b to 12. They will tolerate temperatures less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit for a few hours, but will be damaged if exposed to freezing temperatures for any length of time. Most of the time it is grown as a house plant. Don't let the length possibility scare you though, this plant can be cut back to whatever size you want it to be and it will be happy.

If you are blessed with ample room, yours could look like this picture I found online:

The Queen needs partial shade, remember, she is used to growing in the tree tops of the jungle. She also needs a well draining potting soil with compost and plenty of humus along with sufficient moisture, especially in the Summer. A cactus potting mix works well.

As your soil mix breaks down, the roots of the plant can suffer from too much water and lack of air around the root mass. It is a very good idea to repot every 2 years or so to keep the plants healthy.

After a long Winter indoors, be very careful when bringing it back outside, it can get sunburned very easy. The leaves are broad and do not resemble the usual fleshy leaves of other succulents.

This is your official geek alert!
The leaf-like structures are actually flattened stems,generally called cladophylls.
You will want to fertilize the plants on a monthly basis with a balanced fertilizer diluted to 1/2 the strength recommended on the label. Do not use a fertilizer too high in nitrogen, the first number should not be over 10. It can cause the growth to be mushy. Do not fertilize during the Winter.
The Epiphyllum oxypetalum is an easy and fast growing epiphyte. They can be propagated from cuttings. Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone before planting in moist, but not soggy, soil mix.
This would be a good candidate for a cutting:

The smaller leaf off to the right is the one I am talking about. They can also be propagated by dividing large plants. It generally takes 2–3 years to raise a blooming size plant from a rooted cutting.
As for pests, there are a few. Scale and mealybugs start the list, they can be controlled with insecticidal soap. Snails and slugs love epiphyllums! They can skeletonize the leaves in a short time and will do lots of damage. That is why these plants should never be allowed to grow on the ground. Snail bait should be put out on a regular basis. Please read the label regarding these products.
This plant can definitely bring a huge WOW factor to any house or yard. It is one of the easiest to grow. There is one more nice bonus to this plant, SHOULD you be lucky enough to have it happen. Once the Queen flowers and IF she happens to get pollinated, usually by moths and sometimes bats, it will produce fruit and it IS edible!
Kinda looks like this:

Happy Growing!
Darren

Boring

2011-07-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

Here in my part of the world, gardens have kind of slowed down a touch, due to the extreme hot weather. In other parts of the country, gardens are pretty much in full swing. I decided to take a chance and planted a third crop of Cucumbers, along with some Hubbard Squash, Zucchini and Dills Atlantic Pumpkins.
As a side bar, if you are unfamiliar with the Dills Atlantic Pumpkin, this is the one that regularly produces world record size pumpkins. The current world record was grown in Wisconsin and weighed 1810.5 pounds. The current South Carolina record is 1164 pounds. If you are curious as to your state record, you can find them all here: State Pumpkin Records
In order to grow large pumpkins or any other type of squash and cucumber, you need to be aware of a really boring critter....Melittia cucurbitae or Squash Vine Borer.
This pest ranges from Canada to Argentina, with the possibility of southern states having two broods a year, and is the most serious enemy of squashes,(Summer and Winter) as well as pumpkins and gourds. Cucumbers and melons are less frequently affected. Though they will hit these if hungry enough.
The adult borer resembles a wasp, even though it is a moth. It is about 1/2 inch long with an orange abdomen and black dots. The hind legs are fringed with black and orange hairs.

Eggs are flat, brown, and about 1/25 inch long. The larvae are white or cream colored with brown heads, growing to almost an inch in length.

Beginning in late June or early July, late May in the South, Squash Vine Borer adults emerge from cocoons in the ground. They are an unusual moth because they are a diurnal species, which means they fly during the day, unlike most moths that fly at night.
The female will lays eggs on any and all parts of the plant, except the upper leaf surface. The majority of eggs are laid on the basal stem (plant base). Hatching larvae usually bore directly into the stem and feed internally for about 4-6 weeks, though some may feed externally prior to entering the stem.
The damage they do is caused by the larvae feeding through the center of the stems, blocking the flow of water to the rest of the plant. Plants wilt and usually rot and die beyond the point of attack. The first indication of an attack will be the sudden wilting of a long runner or of the entire plant. Closer observation of a wilting plant often reveals holes near the base of the plant filled with moist greenish or orange sawdust like material called frass, basically, bug excrement.

Once this pest invades your plant, pesticides are ineffective. There are those out there that have had some success when an infestation occurs. You can slit the infested vine lengthwise and remove borers or kill them with a long pin or needle. The slitting operation does not always work because you can miss one or two borers, and the plant is usually too weak to save at that point anyway.
The use of row covers before flower bloom can be effective, unless borers from previous seasons have entered your soil and pupated.
One method that I have heard about, and will try this year, is this,as soon as your vine starts to lay down from the weight of the plant, place aluminum foil on the ground underneath the stem at the base to disorient the arriving moths. This sounds somewhat reasonable, again, as long as the larvae from last year have not entered the vine yet. You can till the soil in late Winter to expose overwintering insects if you have had previous experiences. Rotating squash to another location in the garden each season is another good option.
Insecticides can be also be useful in killing the moths before they lay eggs. Caution should be used however, it will also kill your pollinators. Remember to follow the label directions! Ideally, you will want to monitor for the moths and apply the insecticide after the plant stops flowering. Observation is the key here. Adults make a very noticeable buzzing sound when flying. You can also use yellow trap pans to detect Squash Vine Borer adults. This can be any container (pan, pail, bowl) colored yellow and filled with water. Because Squash Vine Borer adults are attracted to yellow, they will fly to the container and be trapped when they fall into the water.
There are certain squash varieties that offer an apparent resistance to and tolerance of borer attack. Some of these include, Summer Crookneck and Butternut. Some of their favorites include, Hubbard type squash, Connecticut Field Pumpkin, Small Sugar Pumpkin, and Zucchini.
Hopefully you will not have to deal with this pest and can either compete for the worlds largest pumpkin or have enough Zucchini to supply the neighborhood.
Happy Growing!
Darren

House AND Garden?

2011-06-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

I am a lucky person in some aspects. I still get to have weekly conversations with my mother, every Saturday she calls me. We talk for hours on all kinds of things, politics, family stuff, work, weather, but mostly we talk gardening and what is going on in our respective yards. This past weekend the topic of houseplants came up. I remember growing up, my mother and grandmother had, what seemed like to a young boy, thousands of houseplants. I even dabbled with a few back then.
We mentioned a couple that you just don't see very much anymore, Pocketbook plant (Calceolaria herbeohybrida) and Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus pulcher). I am sure that I will get letters from people saying that they see them all the time. My mother and I each live in one of the Carolinas and peruse the garden and nursery areas on a regular basis, we just don't see them anywhere.
Anyway, after having this conversation, I got thinking about other plants that we grew as houseplants up in New Jersey. Yup, I am an original Yankee.....Don't hold that against me!! LOL
One of the plants that came to mind was Coleus (Solenostemon spp.)
These plants are natives of Tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the East Indies, the Malay Archipelago, and the Philippines. As members of the Mint family of plants (Lamiaceae), Coleuses are close relatives of peppermint, spearmint, salvia, basil, thyme, oregano, and Swedish ivy.
Coleuses are grown for their colorful variegated leaves, typically with sharp contrast between the colors; the leaves may be green, pink, yellow, black (a very dark purple), maroon, and red.
There are many known species and many, many cultivars. There are new ones being introduced constantly with an array of color combinations.

Coleuses are considered one of those plants that practically anybody can grow. It was first introduced to the horticultural world in 1825, it has always been popular, and was especially prized as a garden plant in the Victorian era.
Most coleus will grow best in part shade or dappled light. There are several sun tolerant cultivars available that will thrive in full, hot sun. The colors of the plant are typically more intense in shaded areas however.
Treated as annuals, they will grow in Zones 1-11. In mild areas (no snow in Winter), plants can usually be kept as perennials if well taken care of. They are notoriously susceptible to cold weather and just a prediction of frost will kill them. Because I am sure there are people out there that will believe it, that last sentence was a joke.
Coleus prefer a rich, moist, well-drained soil. As long as there are no extremes in pH or soil moisture (too wet or dry) they should adapt to pretty much anything.
Fertilize in June, July and August with a liquid fertilizer at half the usual dilution.

This is one of my favorite cultivars. It is called 'Kong Red'.

Coleuses are usually pretty easy to find in any garden center or nursery. If you have a friend that already grows some, you are in luck. Coleuses are very easy to propagate.
These plants have a tendency to become leggy, unless you cut them back occasionally. Cutting them back will cause them to become fuller and more dense. It is these cuttings that you are after to produce more plants. Three or four inch long cuttings will readily produce roots, even in a glass of water. The better way to do it is to use some rooting hormone and stick them in an equal mixture of sand and peat. These roots will be better adapted to growing in soil as apposed to water. Seeds are also a cheap and easy way to propagate Coleuses. While you can completely reproduce your favorite ones from cuttings, the benefit of buying a package of seeds is you will get an array of colors. Coleus seeds are very tiny. The trick to getting them to germinate is, not to bury them. Sprinkle the seeds on the top of the soil and just pat them down to gain contact with the soil. Water in thoroughly.
In the late Summer, spikes with blue to lilac flowers will appear. The foliage is the show here, not the flowers.

Many people dislike their appearance, and if allowed to go to seed the plant will decline. To alleviate this problem, it is as easy as pinching off the flower bud as soon as it appears.
Coleuses are pretty much problem free. Some pests to watch for include mealy bug, aphids and whitefies. Insecticidal soap will take care of these. Some disease problems to watch for include stem rot and root rot. As long as you water correctly, these should not be an issue.
This whole conversation started today with houseplants. I don't know when it happened, but, like I stated at the beginning, I only ever knew of Coleuses as houseplants. Here in the South, and maybe elsewhere, they have turned into this huge multi-million dollar annual yard plant. Flats and flats of them are sold every year, yet, you never see them sold as houseplants. They do still work for this purpose.
To grow them this way, your Coleuses should be planted in a light, quick draining, commercial potting soil. Place it where it will receive several hours of bright light, such as a South or East window. You can also provide artificial lighting with plant lights for best leaf color, and fullest plant. One other thing to remember if growing them as houseplants, Coleus vary from smaller types that will reach only 1 foot in height to tall bushy types of 3 feet. There are some sprawling types suitable for hanging baskets, these can still reach 3 feet in length.
Please don't forget to feed them inside too, probably once a month or so, with a dilution of half strength, water soluable houseplant fertilizer.
I hope you go out and try to find yourself some of these extremely beautiful plants. There really are many, many cultivars to choose from, with awesome sounding names like: 'Plum Parfait', 'Solar Eclipse', 'Fishnet Stockings' and 'Freckles'.
I knew somebody would ask, here is what Fishnet Stockings looks like:

Courtesy of Clemson Extension

As a final note, I stumbled across a cultivar I have never seen in real life, only a picture. If anybody ever sees this or knows where I can get one.....Please let me know!

Happy Growing!
Darren

Respect the Elders

2011-06-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

No, today's article is not about respecting your elders, as in your parents, grandparents and such, though you should! They can impart a GREAT deal of knowledge and wisdom from their vast experiences.
No, today we are venturing into the world of an underrated fruiting plant, Sambucus canadensis, or Elderberry.
The Elderberry is one of the most common fruit-bearing, native shrubs of North America. In fact, Elderberries were once so common, people considered them a "ditch weed". Native Americans ate them and used various parts of the plant for medicinal purposes. All parts of the Elderberry have long enjoyed a strong medicinal reputation on their own merits, however, ONLY the berries and flowers are recommended for internal use today.

Flowers

Fruit

The two most common types of Elderberries available are the European Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and the American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis). The American Elderberry is the wild species often found growing in old fields and meadows. It grows 10 to 12 feet tall and wide and is hardy in zones 3 to 9. The European Elderberry grows up to 20 feet tall and wide depending on the variety, it blooms earlier than the American species, it is hardy in zones 4 to 8, and some have pink flowers.
Elderberries grow best in moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5, but will tolerate a wide range of soil textures, fertility, and acidity. They do not like constantly wet feet, it is a myth that they prefer swampy areas, though they love moisture, so make sure the area is well-drained. They are shallow rooted, so keep an eye on the moisture level.
Best grown in full sun, though they can be grown in shaded locations with good air circulation around the plants to reduce leaf and disease problems.
Elderberries are considered partially self-fruitful. Two or more cultivars should be planted near each other to provide for cross-pollination. This is for a heavier fruit crop. I do not know if I have a freak plant or there are some somewhere in the neighborhood, but I have one plant and it fruits pretty heavy. I am thinking of getting another cultivar just to see if I get more fruit.
There are 10-inch clusters of tiny fragrant cream-colored flowers that cover the shrub in Summer and the dark purple fruit appears in the later part of Summer. I grow mine in a container. The flowers started in Early to Mid-Spring and I am harvesting fruit by middle June. I am assuming this is because the soil is much warmer in a container. The wild Elderberries in the area are still in heavy flower while I am picking fruit.
Elderberries respond well to fertilization. In addition to incorporating manure or compost before planting, apply additional fertilizer annually in early Spring. A balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer is adequate.
Pruning is relatively simple. Elderberries send up many new canes each year. The canes usually reach full height in one season and develop lateral branches in the second. Flowers and fruit develop on the tips of the current season's growth. In late Winter to early Spring while the plants are dormant, remove all dead, broken or weak canes, plus all canes more than three years old.
Elderberries make nice landscape plants. They perform well as a tall, deciduous hedge or windscreen. If growing the shrub for its fruit however, look for the cultivars "Adams" "Nova" or "York." These produce heavy crops.
Harvest elderberry fruit when they turn to a dark purple color. When ripe, the entire cluster should be removed and the berries stripped from the cluster. The berries are rarely eaten raw, primarily because of their astringent flavor, which is greatly improved by cooking. They can be used like blueberries in pies, muffins, pancakes, teas and a wealth of other things. If pectin and plenty of sugar are added, they make good jam and jelly. The berries can also be dried and added to oatmeal as it cooks. Most people know the Elderberry for the wine it makes.
There are a few disease and pest problems associated with Elderberries.
Tomato ringspot virus is spread by nematodes and by pollen transfer. Infected plants may seem weakened and have reduced productivity. A soil test for the presence of Xiphinema nematodes before establishing a large planting of elderberry should be done to guard against this disease.
Fungal stem cankers are caused by many different fungi. A canker can girdle a stem, causing the tissue above the canker to die. Stressful conditions such as Winter injury, drought, and flooding, are causes that lead to infection. The infected shoots should be removed and properly disposed of to prevent the spread.
Powdery mildew fungi may attack certain years, though it is not a serious problem.
Certain species of aphids feed on Elderberry. Usually only a few branch tips are involved, but the feeding may result in distorted leaves. If aphids become problematic, wash them from the plants with a strong spray of water, or prune out and destroy the infested areas. Horticultural oil and Insecticidal Soaps are another option.
The larval stage of the Elder Shoot Borer is a worm that bores into the stems and shoots. The adult moth lays eggs in canes at least one year old around Mid-Summer. Eggs hatch the following Spring. An effective control method is to prune out infested shoots and canes. Destroy all pruned material.
I won't even mention Birds....you are better to just go ahead and put a net over the plant...you won't win otherwise.
To me, it is amazing that this fruit is not utilized more. A half of a cup of Elderberries has only 73 calories, but is loaded with vitamin C and A, Potassium and Viburnic acid which is beneficial for asthma, bronchitis and nasal congestion. Some people add elderberries to their diet when they feel a cold or flu coming on and swear that it shortens the duration and lessens the symptoms. See if you can find some in your area and plant some. It might be difficult, due to lack of demand. If you find some wild Elderberries, they can be rooted. Root cuttings of pencil diameter size, four to six inches long, they may be dug in late Winter before growth begins. Place cuttings horizontally in a pot and cover with one inch of light soil or soilless medium and keep warm and moist. You can expect yields of 12 to 15 pounds of fruit per mature (3 to 4 year old) shrub, if grown properly. That is sure a lot of healthy!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Glorious Morning

2011-06-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

I have this fence line along the front of the house that, for the past few years, has been used for growing Grapes. The Concord Grapes that I grew were wonderful! Sadly, Pierce Disease finally reared its ugly head and the plants died. This wasn't a shock, I knew it was coming, that is the problem with growing that type of Grape in South Carolina. But I digress.
I had grandiose plans of growing Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis) up there this year.
At the rate the seedlings are growing, the new millennium will be here before they are even up to the first rail. So, what to do?
I had a friend of mine give me some Morning Glory seeds at one of the last plant swaps, they are of some beautiful colors, so why not!?

The Morning Glory, which is in the family Convolvulaceae contains at least 50 genera and more than 1000 species. Wild morning glories have been traced back to ancient China where they were used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. It was introduced to the Japanese in the 9th century, and they were the first to cultivate it as an ornamental flower. Aztec civilizations used the juice of some morning glory species native to Central America to create rubber-like substances, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Most Morning Glory flowers curl up and close during the warm parts of the day, and are fully open in the morning, thus their name. On a cloudy day, the flower may last until night.
In cultivation, most are treated as perennial plants in frost-free areas and as annual plants in colder climates, but some species tolerate winter cold. They are very easy to grow no matter where you live.
Morning Glories should be planted in full sun. They are a vine, and can reach 10 feet in length, so unless you want them sprawling across your yard, you will want to grow them against a fence or trellis. Because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils, some Morning Glories are excellent vines for creating Summer shade on building walls when trellised, thus keeping the building cooler and reducing cooling costs.

You should sow the seeds 1/2 inch deep, and 8 to 12 inches apart. Once planted, you can almost forget that they are there, practically thriving on neglect. Do not over water either.

Morning Glories have leaves that are heart-shaped, 4 - 5 inches long. The flowers which can be as much as 8 inches across, though most are around 4 inches, come in an array of colors. Blue, White, Pink, Red, Purple, Speckled and all combinations of these. The seeds that I planted are of a really unusual coloring.
This is what my cultivar 'Fujishibori' will look like:

According to the seed packets that I planted on the fence, I should have about 10 different color flowers, including the 'Fujishibori' listed above. Of course, this will greet my wife and I every morning when we leave for work. By the time we come home in the evening they will be gone. I have a solution for this. In the same area that I planted the Morning Glories, I also planted something else. Moonflower (Ipomea alba) which is a popular fragrant variety of Morning Glory. It opens in the evening with a sweet fragrance and lasts throughout the night until the morning sun comes along.

Then of course, the whole thing starts all over again.
Morning Glories produce round seed pods in clusters hanging from their vines.

The pods turn papery brown and become hard. The seeds themselves are dark-brown to matte-black, wedge shaped, and are sized between 1/8" and 1/4" long. I mention the seeds because, once you plant Morning Glories in your yard, you will find them reproducing themselves for YEARS!! This is actually the first time in eight years that I have actually "planted" them myself. I am still pulling volunteer plants from my garden. They NEVER seem to come back up where I want them. So I am offering this advice, be very careful when deciding whether to plant these beauties in your yard. Morning Glories can reproduce so much that, in the states of Arizona and Arkansas it is considered a Federal Noxious Weed, and technically it's illegal to grow, import, possess, or sell seeds.
I am not sure what the penalty is or if it is heavily enforced, but I wanted you to know that was out there. If you want to plant them, but are worried about the reseeding issues, there is a fairly easy solution. Immediately after the flowers fade and fall, or just as the seed pod is forming, pull it off before the pod turns brown and hard.
There are some significances associated with Morning Glory flowers. They represent the month of September as one of the official birth flowers (Asters being the other). Some couples like to give traditional flowers on their wedding anniversary or use the traditional flower in the decorations of an anniversary celebration. Morning Glories are used for the 11th wedding anniversary.
I hope you have enjoyed this adventure through a "Glorious Day"?
I will conclude this blog today with a picture of how the Morning Glory ends its day.

Happy Growing!
Darren

I Can Canna

2011-06-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

The vast majority of my yard and garden consists of edibles. Be it either, veggies, herbs, Citrus trees or some other kind of fruit. I figure if I am going to bust my butt in the garden working so hard, I want something tangible from it. Now, before you flower people out there start busting my chops, I do have some appreciation for the brightly colored beauties. I have a pretty nice collection of Camellias and I understand the importance of the flowers for my bee friends. With that last statement in mind, I do try to grow some flowers for them. My wife also seems to enjoy them, who knew!?
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some flowers as well as the next person. I also like the more unusual, be it flower or foliage. Today's topic might not be all that unusual, but it can look that way.
Canna or Canna lily, (though not a true lily) is a genus of nineteen species of flowering plants. These plants are close relatives to Gingers and Bananas.
There has been so much hybridization of these plants that most experts just classify them as Canna X generalis. In case you don't read Botaneese (not a real word) that means General Canna. There are hundreds of named cultivars, ranging from less than 30 inches to more than 8 feet in height. If you want color, then these plants are for you. They come in colors from creams and yellows, to oranges and reds, and with a colorful diversity of leaf patterns as well. Cannas bloom from early Summer until frost, if you remove old blossoms regularly so that they do not set seed.

This is what greeted me the other morning. Both of these pictures are from my Bengal Tiger Canna.

Pretty huh?

Cannas are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from the Southern United States (Southern South Carolina on West to Southern Texas) and South to Northern Argentina.
They grow from a special modified root structure called a rhizome. A rhizome is the underground part of a horizontal stem of the plant that sends out roots from its nodes, kind of like a tuber, but not exactly.
They are very easy to grow.
They prefer full sun, 6-8 hours. They will however grow in part shade, an area which only receives 4-5 hours of sun. The flowers and foliage may not be as dramatic though.
You will want to feed them every 4 to 6 weeks throughout the growing season with a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 or a flower booster.
If you have a boggy area of your yard, this might be a plant to consider. Cannas like moist soil and will even thrive in boggy conditions. They can be grown in ordinary garden soils, but will need regular watering.
Listed as growing in Zones 8-12, they can be grown in colder areas, but where the ground freezes, either dig the rhizomes up for the Winter, or protect them with a thick layer of mulch. In cold climates, the rhizomes may be susceptible to rot.
They can be grown in containers, but will need to be divided at least every other year to avoid overcrowding. This is also how they are propagated. Dig up the rhizome, cut it up into a few pieces, making sure there is at least one "eye", kind of like a potato and plant them back again. Plant the rhizomes pieces 2-4 inches deep. Cannas do produce seed, but it is rather difficult to grow them from this means.

Chocolate Cherry Canna

There are many named cultivars out there, way too many to mention here, but I am sure there is a color just for you.
'Ace of Spades' - red flowers
'Annjee' - mottled pink and gold flowers
'Camille Bernardin' - salmon over apricot flowers with blue green foliage
'Cleopatra' - orange over yellow flowers, sometimes producing a red petal or complete stem of red flowers
'Garton Baudie' - bright, orange red flowers
'Pfitzer's Confetti' - pale lemon flowers streaked with pink
'Una' - bright lolly pink flowers with gold edging
'Zebra' - red mottled flower
That is just a brief sampling of what you might be able to find.
I mentioned that they are easy to grow. They are also relatively pest free. They do sometimes however, fall victim to the Canna Leaf Roller and the resultant leaf damage. While not fatal to the plant, it does make for a nasty looking one.

To control, or if there is extensive damage, get some Bacillus thuringiensis or BT.
Any good garden center or nursery will know what it is. Please follow label directions.
Other pests: Slugs and snails are fond of Cannas and can leave large holes in the leaves, preferring the tender young leaves that have not yet unfurled.
Red Spider Mites can also be a problem during a very hot, long Summer.
Japanese beetles can also ravage the leaves if left uncontrolled.
Each of these pests have there own method of control, look on the label for each one specified.
Cannas are remarkably free of disease, compared to many other flowers. However, they can fall victim to Canna Rust, which is a fungal disease caused by Puccinia thaliae. Symptoms include orange spots on the plant's leaves and stems. In advanced stages of infection, the upper leaf surface spots come together, turn dark brown to black and finally, the infected leaves become dry and fall off.

Canna Rust

When Canna rust first appears, the affected foliage should be removed and discarded, otherwise the fungi will propagate and destroy the whole plant. The affected foliage should not be composted, because most home compost bins do not get hot enough to kill off the fungus, and it will simply spread it further.
Cannas are also susceptible to certain plant viruses, some of which are Canna specific, meaning they only affect Cannas. These may result in spotted or streaked leaves, if it is a mild case, but it can result in stunted growth, twisted and distorted blooms and foliage if left untreated.
The flowers are sometimes affected by a grey, fuzzy mold called Botrytis. Under humid conditions it is often found growing on the older flowers. Treatment is to simply remove the old flowers, so the mold does not spread to the new flowers.

As you can see they make a very elegant presentation. If you want a tropical look to your yard, plant Cannas with Bananas, Gingers and some cold hardy Palms.
While I was doing some of the research for this article, I came across some rather interesting and unusual uses for Canna lilies and some of the parts of the plant.
For instance:
The seeds are used as the mobile elements of the kayamb, a musical instrument from Reunion, as well as the hosho, a gourd rattle from Zimbabwe, where the seeds are known as "hota" seeds.
Cannas are used to extract many undesirable pollutants in a wetland environment as they have a high tolerance to contaminants.
Smoke from the burning leaves is said to be insecticidal.
And finally, Father's Day is fast approaching....have a gift yet?
In Thailand, Cannas are a traditional gift for Father's Day, just tell your Father you are observing an international celebration this year!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Take a Powder

2011-05-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

One of my good friends called me the other day with a problem. It looked like somebody had taken baby powder and sprinkled it on one of his Citrus trees. After a little discussion, I concluded it was Powdery Mildew. This is somewhat unusual, not completely out of the question, but not one of your ordinary Citrus problems either.
Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease that does affect a wide range of plants. It is actually caused by many different species of fungi in the order Erysiphales. It is one of the most widespread and luckily, easily recognized plant diseases.
As many of you know, I am NOT a fan of Crepe Myrtles. There are many other reason, but one of them is their susceptibility to Powdery Mildew. Here we are at the end of May and I already have a wicked case of it:

A LITTLE CLOSER UP VIEW

Even though there are several types of Powdery Mildew fungi, they all produce similar symptoms on plant parts. Powdery Mildews are characterized by spots or patches of white to grayish, baby powder like growth, however leaf curling and twisting may be seen before the fungus is noticed. While it is not usually considered fatal, plant damage can occur when the infestation is severe, and if left untreated, it can eventually kill the plant. On vegetable plants, Powdery Mildew will weaken the taste and quality of the produce. It can also stunt plant growth and distort the shape of buds, blooms and fruit. It can cause leaves to turn yellow and drop prematurely.

Powdery Mildew on Squash

The fungus survives the Winter attached to plant parts and plant debris such as fallen leaves. This is one reason why I stress sanitation in the yard and garden. Clean up any leaves, dropped fruit, or dead plant matter as soon as the crop is done. When the weather warms in Spring, the process begins.
As the daytime temperatures rise above 60 degrees the fungi responsible for Powdery Mildew begin to produce spores which are dispersed into the air. Infections occur when they contact a suitable host and environmental conditions are favorable. The severity of the disease depends on many factors, such as variety of the host plant, age and condition of the plant, and weather conditions during the growing season.
Powdery Mildews are severe in warm, dry climates. This is because the fungus does not need the presence of water on the leaf surface for infection to occur. However, the relative humidity of the air does need to be high for spore germination. While high relative humidity favors spore formation, low relative humidity favors spore dispersal, which explains why Powdery Mildew tends to be a problem when the days are cooler and the nights are humid. Temperature can also be a factor. Although Powdery Mildew can occur all season long, it is less common during the heat of the Summer.

Early Stages of growth

If there is one good thing about the Powdery Mildews, it is this, they are host specific. This means they cannot survive without the proper host plant. For example, the species Uncinula necator, which causes Powdery Mildew on grapes does not attack lilac. Similarly, Microsphaea alni which affects elm, lilac and oak, does not affect turfgrass.
How does one go about to control this pest? As with all diseases, optimum plant health is the first line of defense. Make sure your plant is well watered, fed, and growing in the correct place. Avoid planting sun loving plants in shady areas, especially very susceptible plants.
Purchase only top quality, disease-free plants of resistant cultivars and species from a reputable nursery, greenhouse or garden center.
If the disease has already become an issue in your yard:
Avoid late Summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer. When you apply high levels of nitrogen late in the season it produces new tender growth which is more susceptible to infection.
Do not compost infected plant debris. Temperatures often are not hot enough to kill the fungus in the average homeowners compost bin. Burn it or dispose of it in the trash.
Selectively prune overcrowded plant material, or space the plants for good air circulation. This helps reduce relative humidity.
Remember to sanitize garden tools to prevent them from carrying the spores elsewhere.
If you have attempted the above cultural controls and are still having a problem, there are many fungicides out there to help. Please follow the instructions on the fungicide label for use on specific plant species, varieties, rates to be used, timing of applications, and waiting periods before harvest. This is the law!
For best results with fungicides, spray programs must begin as soon as mildews are detected. When ranges are given, use the shorter interval during cool, damp weather. Be sure to cover both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves.
Something else to consider, is a late season spray of fungicide worthwhile if the plant is deciduous? The leaves have already produced food for the plant and are going to fall off soon anyway. Just be sure to rake and dispose of them as they fall. Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation!
There are some homemade remedies out there. I don't or won't recommend them, they can be useless or dangerous, but thought you should at least know about some of them. I have heard of people using one part milk with 2 parts of water and spraying every 3 to 4 days at the first sign of mildew.
How about the use of mixing 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one gallon of water and spraying every few days.
Then there is this, researchers at the University of Rhode Island have confirmed that a combination of 1 tablespoon baking soda plus 2.5 tablespoons light horticultural oil in 1 gallon of water is effective against Powdery Mildew on roses.
I would like to say again, the use of homemade remedies can be useless or in some extreme cases, dangerous to you or the plant. Please use caution if you decide to go that route.
One last thing, for all you plant geeks out there, and I count myself as one of you.....the Powdery Mildew that is attacking my Crepe Myrtle is Erysiphe lagerstroemiae.....luckily, that is it's only host.
Happy Growing!
Darren

They Mite..... If You Let Them!

2011-05-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

This past week I did a program on growing fruit in the Lowcountry. I basically did a ten minute presentation, which was WAY too short to do anything of substance, then the other two on the panel did the same. After that it was almost an hour of "Stump the Chump" style questions. The one gentleman was a small fruit farmer from the Edisto area and the other was the host of the TV show "Making it Grow", Rowland Alston. I only bring that up because you would figure that he would get the majority of the questions, being a big star and all.....Nope, probably 70% of the questions were directed at me and Citrus.
There was one question however that the three of us kind of teamed up on, and that was about Spider Mites.
Spider mites belong to the family, Tetranychidae. They are classed as a type of arachnid, which are relatives of insects that also includes, spiders, ticks, and scorpions.
These microscopic creatures are pests to over 180 species of plants including many fruit trees, vines, berries, vegetables,and ornamental plants.
Spider mites are less than 1 millimeter in size and vary in color. They are difficult to see with the naked eye.
Under a very good microscope, they look like this:

Creepy little things, aren't they?
Spider Mites, as you can see, have a simple, oval‑shaped body and no wings or antennae. All species pass through an egg stage, a six‑legged larval stage, and two eight‑legged nymph stage before transforming into an eight‑legged adult. Immature stages resemble the adults except in size. They reproduce rapidly in hot weather and commonly become numerous in June through September. An adult female may live for several weeks and lay many dozens of eggs during her lifetime.
The damage they do is caused as they feed, bruising the cells with their small, whiplike mouthparts and ingesting the sap. Injury can lead to leaf loss and even plant death. Damaged areas typically appear marked with many small, light flecks, giving the plant a somewhat speckled appearance.

Photo courtesy of Clemson University

They can also cause a bronzing effect of the leaves,similar to this:

One last sign that you might have Spider Mites is the webbing on heavily infested plants:

If you are unsure whether you have Mites or not, there is an easy test. Place a white piece of paper or paper plate under your plant and give it a decent shake. If you see tiny little specks wandering around, you have them. The size of the Spider Mite "specks" on the paper is about the same size as the period at the end of this sentence.
How do you control them? Irrigation and moisture management can be important cultural controls for spider mites. Adequate irrigation is important because water stressed plants are most likely to be damaged. Keeping the plants in a high humidity environment encourages pathogenic fungi that attack the mites.
Various insects and predatory mites also feed on spider mites and can provide some level of natural control. One group of small, dark-colored lady beetles known as the "Spider Mite Destroyers" (Stethorus species) are specialized predators of Spider Mites.

Courtesy of UC Davis

Then you have the Minute pirate bugs (family Anthocoridae)

Courtesy Bug Guide.net

Big-Eyed bugs (Geocoris species)

and Predatory Thrips

Courtesy Bug Guide.net

Which can all be important natural enemies.
Chemical control of spider mites generally involves pesticides that are specifically developed for spider mite control (miticides or acaricides). Few insecticides are effective for spider mites and many even aggravate problems because they kill the beneficial insects. Plus, most miticides do not affect eggs, so a repeat application approximately every 10 to 14 days is usually needed for control. Then to top it all off, spider mites can become resistant to certain pesticides.
Some control can be obtained with horticultural oils, like Neem oil, and insecticidal soaps. These materials have no residual activity and must come in direct contact with the mites. House plants can be tricky. There is no biological control. You can use the oils and soaps, but one easier method is to periodically hose small plants in the sink or shower.
Some of the mites that you may encounter are:
The Twospotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae)
This is the most common and destructive mite on deciduous ornamentals. It has an extremely wide host range and will feed on many varieties of trees, shrubs, flowers, weeds, fruits, greenhouse and field crops. Immature mites and adults are yellowish to greenish with two dark spots on either side of the body.
European Red Mite (Panonychus ulmi)
This mite attacks deciduous trees and shrubs and is especially common on flowering fruit trees such as Apple and Crabapple, Cherry, Pear, Plum, Hawthorn, and Serviceberry.
Southern Red Mite (Oligonychus ilicis)
This is the most common and destructive spider mite on broad‑leaved evergreens, especially Japanese and American hollies, Azaleas, Viburnum, and Roses.
This is just a brief discussion of these pests, there are many more out there and much more that can be said about them. Your best defense is to just keep a good eye out. When scouting for Spider Mites, pay particular attention to plants having a history of mite problems. Spider Mites often re‑infest the same plants year after year. The good news, plants will often recover after the Mites have left as long as there was not too much damage....like death!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Quarantine Explained

2011-05-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have been getting a lot of questions lately, pertaining to the quarantine here in Charleston on Citrus. It is Springtime and the desire to plant things is obvious. With the push to grow your own veggies and fruit, it is no wonder people want to grow their own Citrus.
The questions I keep getting are, "I want to grow some Citrus, but can't get any because of the quarantine". Unfortunately, there has been a lot of confusion as to how the quarantine works. I wanted to set the record straight.
Let me start at the beginning.
The reason for the quarantine is because of Citrus Greening. A couple of years ago a Grapefruit tree was discovered to have the disease in downtown Charleston. I have done a couple of blogs on the topic, you can read them here:
http://thecitrusguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/citrus-greening-hope.html
http://thecitrusguy.blogspot.com/2010/07/greening-update-good-news-bad-news.html
So I won't bore you with the details here.
Charleston County, the county I live in, and Beaufort County is under quarantine for both the Asian Citrus Psyllid and Citrus Greening. This means that Citrus can not LEAVE these counties. You can bring it in however.
So, if you live in neighboring Dorchester County and have a Citrus tree, you can bring it to Charleston County. Just be ready to leave the tree here. This also goes for the example of, if you live in Dorchester County and come to a big box store that happens to be selling Citrus trees in Charleston County, you LEGALLY can not buy that tree and take it home. Sure you can do it, the police and store employees are not checking drivers licenses, but it is still illegal. I can not even give a gift of a Citrus tree to anybody outside of my quarantine area.
Hopefully this clears that up a little. I know what you are thinking, then WHY are the big box stores selling Citrus trees if there is a chance of illegal exportation? The best answer I can come up with is, they don't know! I have asked many store managers that very question, I basically get the, "We sell what they ship us". So somewhere along the line there is a disconnect. I am trying to fix this in my small part of the world.
If you really want to know where the quarantines exist and learn more about this situation, check out this excellent website by the USDA:
http://saveourcitrus.org/
The reason behind this blog today is to help clarify the quarantine of Citrus. Now, I am going to muddy the waters a little. Yes, you can basically bring Citrus from anywhere, other than from a quarantine area, into another area, unless you are a Citrus producing state. These states are, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona. You can not legally ship anything Citrus into these states. I had a person in Texas ask me how to get some Citrus seeds into her state, I told her THAT is even illegal. I sent her this from the Texas Department of Agriculture:

TITLE 4. AGRICULTURE
Part I. Texas Department of Agriculture
Chapter 5. Quarantines
Citrus Seed, Citrus Budwood, and Citrus Nursery Stock Quarantine
4 TAC sec.5.152, sec.5.153
The Texas Department of Agriculture proposes amendments to sec.5.152 and
sec.5.153, concerning restricted shipments of Citrus Seed, Citrus Budwood, and
Citrus Nursery Stock. The department proposes amendments sec.5.152 and sec.5.153
to include the State of California. Currently, citrus seeds, citrus budded
nursery stock or seedlings, citrus budwood, or any part of any citrus tree or
seedling may not be shipped, carried, or in any way transported by any means
into the State of Texas. Florida is the only state allowed to ship into this
state under certain conditions. It is necessary to amend the restricted shipment
section and the restrictions on citrus seed shipment section to include
California as a state from which citrus products may be imported because
California is a disease-free source of certified citrus budwood and citrus seed
for Texas producers.

Sorry about the legalize, but I wanted to show the information in its truest form. I would imagine that all of the Quarantine areas have similar statements.
There are some places that are authorized to ship into these Citrus producing states, but be careful, if you are shopping online they should state where they can ship to......make sure you ask. They have special authorization because of the way they grow their trees, either under screening or greenhouses. I have heard of Citrus tree shipments being confiscated because of illegal exportation.
Along these same lines, Yes, you can purchase a Citrus tree in Florida almost anywhere along I-95 and bring them back to your hometown. Again it is illegal! I have seen the federal order and it states that no leaves, twigs, stems, plants, trees, scions or cuttings can be moved from a quarantine area. This includes county and state lines.
If you have any doubts whether you live in a quarantine area or not, I urge you to please check out the Save our Citrus website. Just in case here it is again:
http://saveourcitrus.org/
I hope this sets the record straight and more or less makes sense. I want everybody to have happy, healthy Citrus trees! Please, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Mothers Day 2011

2011-05-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

A little change of pace. Today is Mothers Day in the United States, I don't know if any other country observes this, if they don't, they should. Everybody out there will tell you that Mothers are "superwomen" or that their Mother is the best. Well, let me tell you, if you REALLY want a Super Mom, mine wins hands down!
Most people that know me don't know that my Father passed away when I was in 2nd grade, making me all of 7 or 8 years old. At the time, I had only 1 younger brother and 1 younger sister...My littlest brother came from another marriage. So, at the ripe old age of 27, my Mother was now alone with three very young children...ages 8-5-3.
To this day, I have NO IDEA how she managed to raise us. Yes, her parents helped some, we saw my grandparents on the weekends, but that was about all. We lived in an old farmhouse, when I say old, it was 100+ years old then. This was up in New Jersey. The house was basically in the woods, we had a few neighbors across the street, but they were much older. There were no kids around to play with, other than each other.
Thinking back, we always had food on the table. Christmas and Birthdays were amazing. Every year just before school started we went shopping for new clothes, remember this was LONG before Wal-Mart came on the scene, we went to Sears, that was the only place that had clothes to fit my skinny brother and my fat bleep.
This was also back when they had classroom Mothers. These Mothers would come in and assist with classroom birthday parties, arts and crafts, and who knows what else behind the scenes. My Mother was at every function I can think of!
Abraham Lincoln once said: “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother”. No truer words have ever been spoken. My mother taught us about friendship, safety, kindness, nature and gardening....now you know where I got THAT part of my life from. She also taught us about laughter. I mentioned above some of the things she taught me, let me demonstrate:
My sense of clothes:

Safety, it was dangerous to ride wild animals:

And of course, cleanliness:

I mentioned laughter, I got her sense of humor too, warped!
But seriously, there is a part of Mothers Day that I hate. Every jewelry store, department store, and any other store you can think of, tell you to buy your Mother this, that or the other thing to show her how much you love her. I would love to if I could afford it, I would buy her everything under the sun, but it wouldn't mean anything. Abraham Lincoln also said one other great thing: “No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you - life”.
Mother because of you, I am what I am...I had an absolute wonderful childhood, and I would not change it for anything......There is also no way in the world I can ever Thank You enough!!!
I LOVE YOU!!
Darren
p.s. She will kill me for this picture, but I had to end today with my two favorite flowers:

Wife on the left, Mother on the right

The Glove of the Fox

2011-04-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

I had a good friend of mine the other day send me a message and asked if I had ever heard of Digitalis. She also said it might be a good topic for a blog article, I figured she might be right. The more I researched it, the more "right" she became.
Digitalis purpurea, the common Foxglove, belongs to a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and biennials.
Folklore suggests several origins of the name "foxglove". The plant may have originally been called 'folk's glove' with 'folk' referring to woodland fairies or little people. One interesting story suggests that woodland elves and fairies distributed the plant to foxes to wear as gloves during raids on chicken coops. The different spots on the flowers helped farmers identify the guilty fox when the chickens disappeared.
The earliest known form of the word is the Anglo-Saxon 'foxes glofa' (the glove of the fox).
It actually derives its common name from the shape of the flowers resembling the finger of a glove.

As you can see, the flowers are produced on a tall spike, are tubular, and vary in color with species, from purple to pink, white, and even yellow. Foxgloves thrive in Zones 4-10 except in Florida and along the Gulf Coast. They are easily grown in average, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Preferring moist, organically rich, acidic soils, which must not be allowed to dry out.
They are native to Western and South Western Europe, Western and central Asia, and Northwestern Africa. Growing 4 to 5 feet tall, Foxgloves are considered biennials, which means the normal life of a Foxglove plant is two seasons, but sometimes the roots, which are formed of numerous, long, thick fibers, persist and throw up flowers for several seasons. However, after flowering, plants can become somewhat scraggly by late Summer, you may want to consider removing them from the garden as soon as they release their seed. An incredible number of seeds are produced, a single Foxglove plant can produce from one to two million seeds to ensure its propagation. Who wants to talk about the possibility of an invasive plant now!?

The flower is a favorite with bees and is visited by other smaller insects, who may be seen taking refuge from cold and wet weather in the drooping blossoms on chilly evenings, that, I guess, is why the invasiveness is overlooked.
The major problems these plants have are Powdery mildew and leaf spot, if it is left untreated, it will damage foliage considerably by late Summer. Dense crowns may rot in soggy, poorly-drained Winter soils. Potential insect pests include aphids, mealy bugs, slugs and Japanese beetles.
I mentioned how the flowers resemble the fingers of a glove, each individual flower fits the human finger almost perfectly. A child can hardly resist poking their fingers into the blossoms that seem almost designed for that purpose. The flowers, leaves and seeds are highly toxic however, and care should be taken when growing this plant to prevent accidental poisonings. Even with this being said, Foxglove is grown commercially as a source of the heart drugs digoxin and digitoxin.
The man credited with the introduction of Foxglove (digitalis) into the practice of medicine was William Withering. He was born in Shropshire, England in 1741.
Digitalis purpurea in Witherings 18th century was a blessing for people with dropsy (An old term for the swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of excess water, better known as Edema today). At the same time, Foxglove concoctions began to appear in an attempt to cure, albeit unsuccessfully, illnesses such as asthma, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, insanity and others. The 18th century brought Foxglove into medical light, but it would take several hundred years before its true healing powers could be harnessed completely.

This is a beautiful plant and I had briefly thought about bringing some into my yard as a bee magnet. After doing this research, I am very weary of introducing it here now. The way my luck runs and with as many edibles that I have in my yard, somebody would come along along and figure that these can be eaten too. I really am not in the mood to be put in jail because of the stupidity of somebody else.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Another Alien Invasion??

2011-04-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

My phone rang the other day and it was my good friend Dennis. He said he needed to pick my brain.
Okay, whatcha got?
An alien is growing in my yard.
I wasn't sure I completely understood what he said. So I asked him to describe it.
It is red, slimy and has tentacles coming out of it. It also has an egg shaped body and it is growing in my yard.
I had NO idea of what in the world it was. It was coming out of some mulch, that he had made out of some pine trees from his yard. I figured it was some kind of fungus, but had never heard of anything that looked like what he was describing. I asked him to send me some pictures and I would research it and maybe touch base with some of my fellow garden folks.
Well, a little while later he sent me a text telling me what it was, he found it online.
It is a Starfish Fungus, also known as Anemone Stinkhorn and Sea Anemone Fungus. Botanically it is known as Aseroe rubra, meaning (literally) ‘disgusting red’.
Here are the pictures he ended up sending me:

In the United States it is common in Hawaii and occasionally in South Carolina and North Carolina. It is also widely distributed in Australia from southeastern Queensland through New South Wales and eastern Victoria. Apparently there have also been reports of it in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, so it is unknown whether it has actually been introduced or is native to certain areas.
This type of fungus is Saprobic, meaning it survives on decomposing dead or decaying organic material.
The Aseroe rubra was the first species of fungus to be collected and described from Australia. Jacques Labillardière (1755-1834), a member of the D'Entrecasteaux expedition, collected the specimen on May 1st,1792 at Recherche Bay in southern Tasmania and published an account of it in 1800.
It Starts out as a partly buried whitish egg-shaped structure 1.25 inches in diameter, it bursts open as a hollow white stalk with reddish arms that erupt and grow to a height of 4 inches. There are some species that start out as pinkish to purplish or brownish egg. It then matures into the reddish star-shaped structure with 6 to 10 arms up to 1.5 inches. If this wasn't creepy enough, the 6 to 10 arms then divide, kind of like this:

The top of the fungus is covered with dark olive-brown slime, which smells of rotting meat, which attracts flies and other insects, who then disperse the mushroom's spores.

It apparently likes acidic soil, hence why my friend found it growing on Pine mulch. Through they smell terrible they are not considered poisonous, in fact I have read that they are edible when in their egg stage of development. On many other websites it is considered inedible, why somebody would want to even consider eating one, I don't know.
If the smell bothers you, try digging up the eggs (immature fruiting bodies) and disposing of them before it becomes a problem. This is quick, but temporary. Hardwood mulch could be a longer term solution. I kind of like the looks of them, I have thought about pretending to be a fly and propagating one in my yard.

There is much argument as to where this thing actually came from. My friend had never seen one before nor had I. We figure that a fly from some exotic land must have come by ship and left a present in his yard.
The last thing that Dennis said to me was, we really need to close and protect our borders!
Amen Dennis, Amen
Happy Growing!
Darren

Getting Downy on the Mildew

2011-04-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Here we are, the middle of April already. Spring is not even a full month old yet, my apologies to anybody reading this where there may still be snow on the ground, but we already have our first confirmed problem in the garden or at least potential problem.
Cucurbit downy mildew has been found on yellow Summer squash and zucchini plants at a Home Depot store here in Charleston, SC. Some plants were likely sold between the dates it was first discovered on Wednesday, April 6th and confirmation of the disease on Sunday, April 10th. The remaining plants were pulled off of the shelves on the day of confirmation. The plants were at bloom stage and being sold in one-gallon pots. The disease was on about 25% of the leaves. Some of the spots were even beginning to produce spores which would lead to further spread. The plants were grown in Miami, Florida which is the only area in which cucurbit downy mildew has been reported so far this season.
Downy mildew is one of the most important leaf diseases of cucurbits and is caused by the fungus Pseudoperonospora cubensis. The Cucurbitaceae or cucurbit family includes such economically important food plants as pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon, muskmelon, Summer squash, Winter squash, and gourd.
Typically, symptoms begin as small yellow areas on the upper leaf surface. As lesions expand, they may become brown with irregular margins.
They will look like this:

A fine white-to-grayish downy growth soon appears on the lower leaf surface.
This growth will look similar to this:

This is the sporulation of the pathogen or how it reproduces.
In most years the disease is an annual, late-season problem on squash and pumpkin in the Eastern and Central US, however, since 2004 it has become one of the most important diseases in cucumber production. The pathogen must overwinter in an area that doesn’t experience a hard frost, such as Southern Florida. That is why discovering it on transplants this early in the season can cause great headaches. It will probably visit soon enough without it getting a toe hold now.
The fungus is easily carried by wind currents, rain or irrigation splash, tools, or the hands and clothes of gardeners. It is favored by cool to moderately warm temperatures, but tolerates hot days, even though long periods of dry hot weather can stifle the spread of the disease. Unlike powdery mildew, it requires humidity to flourish. Therefore, downy mildew is most aggressive when heavy dews, fog, and frequent rains occur. Spores are blown northward each season as favorable seasonal conditions advance. As a result, the disease is most common on late Summer plantings and is infrequently seen on Spring cucurbits. Remember, basically only the leaves are infected. However diseased leaves results in two major effects:
1) Reduced yields and a greater number of mishapen fruit (especially in cucumber)
2) Sunscalded fruit due to increased exposure to direct sunlight (especially in watermelon and Winter squash as the leaves die off).
Controlling downy mildew requires use of resistant cultivars. There have been some developed for cucumber and cantaloupe and to a lesser extent for squash and pumpkin.
Here is a partial list of some of the resistant, or in some cases tolerant of, downy mildew:
Cantaloupe- Mission (tolerant)
Cucumber- Ashley, Burpless, Poinsett 76 and Supersett (resistant)
There may be others out there, it may take a little diligence on your part to find them.
Fungicides are available for the home vegetable garden if the disease becomes severe enough to warrant chemical control, just please make sure that it is labeled for the crop you are wanting to spray and you follow the label directions, it is the law!
There are a few cultural controls that will assist you in preventing or at least delaying the onset of this disease. Choose planting sites with good air movement and without shading. Avoid overhead irrigation in early morning when leaves are wet from dew or late in the day when leaves will not have an opportunity to dry before dew forms.
The disease is sometimes called “wildfire” because of how rapidly it progresses, as if the plants have been burned by fire.

Photo courtesy of NC State University, Department of Plant Pathology
There is a website out there that will assist you when downy mildew is present in your area. It will tell you when to start spraying a preventive fungicide and give you all kinds of other information. It can be found here: Downy Mildew Tracking
It is free to sign up and only takes a couple of seconds.
If nothing else, this whole episode should serve as a reminder to always inspect your plants that you are purchasing. Make sure there are no weird spots or splotches on the plants. Always look for insects, eggs, or insect damage. You should also be aware of diseases that are prone to a particular plant or a particular part of the country.
Luckily, this one was caught early enough and hopefully there were not too many sold.
Here's to a long, happy, healthy gardening season for everybody!
Happy Growing!
Darren

A Cheap Way to Start

2011-04-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another very successful plant swap! There were lots of plants and lots of people. Other than the fun these things are, I have a feeling that plant swaps are gaining momentum because of the current economic situation. Plants, Gardening and Landscaping can be expensive. If you divide your plants or plant seeds (which are relatively inexpensive) you have a lot of bartering power. Hence the power of the plant swap.
I noticed yesterday also that there were a good many vegetable seedlings. This too can be caused be the economy. Many people are trying to grow their own food, again, trying to save money.
If you are cheap like me, (read also poor), I am always trying to find ways to do things cheaper. I love to swap plants, find deals and propagate cuttings from friends plants. I also make my own cheap, easy, permanent plant tags from trash. Check out that blog here: http://thecitrusguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/tag-youre-it.html

Seeds, like I mentioned above, are a cheap source of plants. You can get them just about anywhere for a couple of dollars and in theory you can get many, many plants. Sure, you can start them in any container with some good potting mix. You can go out and buy the pricey peat pots or peat pellets. I am here to show you that you can go into your kitchen or bathroom and have some of the materials needed to start high quality plants from your trash!
Basically you only need a few things to start any seed. The seed is a good start. After that, you need, soil, water, humidity/heat and something to put all that in. We will start there, what to put them in?
Go into your bathroom or kitchen and find those cardboard tubes that the toilet paper or paper towels come on. You know, like these:

Yes, we are going to grow seeds in your trash.
After you have saved up a few of these, it will depend on how many seeds you want to start as to how many you will need.
The next step is to cut them up:

About 2.5-3 inches wide is good. You should get 3 out of a toilet paper roll and 6 or 7 out of a paper towel roll.
Pretty easy so far, right?
Then you need to locate some kind of tray. I usually have a dozen or so of the old black trays laying around. Anything that will hold the little seed pots in will work.
For instructional purposes, I have used an old bowl and one seed pot here:

If you only want to start a couple of seeds, this is the easiest way to do it.
Fill the "pot" with some kind of potting mix. Just as a side note, this is actually going to be the most expensive part. Get a good bag of potting mix, the best you can afford. The better the mix, the better the plants will be, it will pay for itself in the long run.
After you fill the "pot", plant two seeds. The reason for two? Just in case one of them is bad, you are hedging your bets that at least one will germinate. If both do, you can either just let both grow, or cut one of them off at the soil line. You can try to separate them, but I advise against this because you can tear too many of the roots and you might lose both seedlings.
Next, you want to water gently so you do not displace the seed or wash the soil out.
A mister or spray bottle is great for this step.
I mentioned heat/humidity earlier. My next trick for you is to create a greenhouse, again, out of your trash.
Take a 2 liter soda bottle, cut it about half way up. The cap end is the side you want. Place it over the bowl like this:

There you go, instant greenhouse. You want the cap end so that you can mist the seeds occasionally. Just unscrew the cap, mist, replace. Again, this is great for only starting a couple of seeds. If you want to start a flat of them, there are plastic seeds trays available. I am a cheap person remember? Use an old plastic tray as the base. Use some uncut toilet paper rolls for the columns and cover the whole thing in Saran Wrap. If you happen to dry clean your clothes, the plastic bag they come home in will work also.
Place the whole kit and kaboodle in a bright warm place. I have seen people use the top of the refrigerator for the warmth. When they see the seeds pop out, they move them into a sunny spot. Be careful of the greenhouse effect though, it can get very hot under there and will cook your seedlings.
After the plant has gotten a few inches tall and a couple of its first true leaves, it is time to plant them in the ground or container.
This is where it gets easy. Gently pick the whole thing up and plant as is, pot and all can go into the soil. The paper pot will disappear and become compost for your plant. The roots will grow right out through the moist cardboard. Why go through all this? When plants are young, they are very fragile. The less you have to handle or expose the roots the better. Being that pot and all get planted, you accomplish not exposing the roots or disturbing them. There is also the thought out there that peat is eventually going to disappear. Whether you believe that or not is up to you, but the thought is out there.
So, there you go, you have gotten rid of some of your trash, saved a couple of dollars, handled the roots almost nil, possibly saved a peat bog, and have some of the healthiest plants on the block. What more can you ask for?
Happy Growing!
Darren

2011 Charleston, SC Spring Plant Swap...How to guide

2011-04-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

This coming weekend is the date that has been on a lot of peoples calendars, I hope!
My annual Spring plant swap.
With the economy the way it is, finding ways to save some money is very high on every body's list. Gardeners are no exception. There has been a lot of talk about plant swaps and seed swaps lately, I have been doing mine for 8 years now! Apparently, it's the new IN thing.
Organizing a plant swap is actually very easy. For all you folks in the North, right now would be a great time to start organizing one. You can still do one here in the South, but you better hurry if you want to include some veggies. This also works well in the Fall, I will be doing my Fall swap later this year.
How do you get started?
First off, locate a good place to have one. A city park, somebody that has a really large yard or even a vacant parking lot. The key elements here are, easy parking, lots of room for plants, bathrooms, tables for food (more on that later) and if possible something for the kids to do.
Okay, you have the perfect spot, let's say a city park. Call the city and see if you need any kind of paperwork, most of the time you won't but better to check anyway. Find out if you need to have someone open the bathrooms or if they are always accessible. You might want to check on the parking situation. Somewhere in here you also need to pick a date and time. That way when you call the city you can ask if there is going to be any conflict. When considering the time, figure on set up, the actual swap and clean up. I have people start coming at 10am. They can bring their plants, mill around a little and look at the other plants and ask questions. The swap then starts at 11am. The way I do it, the whole swap is over in about 30 minutes (if that long). You can usually tell the city you will be long gone by 1pm.
Okay, you have the place, date and time. The next step is the big one. PUBLICITY!
I spend a total of about $2 on publicity. LOTS of time, but very little cash.
HOW you say?
First, start with websites. Gardenweb has places for swaps. Blossomswap.com and Plantswap.net are also two very good places to post. There might be others that I haven't heard about.
You can go to your local extension office. Every state has a Master Gardener program, touch base with them. Ask them to post it on their website or news bulletins. The local newspaper might have a Gardening Calendar that will post for free. Check to see if you have any small neighborhood newspapers, they might even do a story on it for you. Check with your friends and see if they belong to any Garden Clubs or Horticultural Societies, that is a great way to get the word passed around. Facebook, Myspace and any other Social Networking website is a good source for advertisement. Fliers, this is where I spend my $2. I create a flier, go to Staples and print out 25 or so. Post these at Libraries or any place that you see Yard Sale Signs. Make sure you have all the pertinent information on it, Date, Time, Place, What it is, how it works and a contact e-mail or phone number. You can also put directions on it if it is hard to find.

This is what mine looks like:

PLANT SWAP
Come swap all those extra plants you have
April 9th 2011, 10am setup
Park Circle, by the Gazebo

More Information:
TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com

The Specifics
10am set-up and browse....11am swap...immediately afterwards...LUNCH!
Bring ALL your extra plants, if it grows, it will go!
Including Houseplants! Also any garden related items, Hoses, Garden Art, Containers, Etc.
We are having it at Park Circle in North Charleston, by the Gazebo. There are picnic tables, bathrooms and LOTS of room for kids to play and even more room for plants, parking and food.
Pretty much everybody in Charleston is familiar with Park Circle....there are numerous ways to get to it, depending on which way you are coming. If you want or need directions, e-mail me, I will get it and respond ASAP.
The way we swap will be the basic Free For All. I will say go, everybody will grab ONE (1) plant and take it to their hiding area. After everybody has a plant, we repeat the process. Nice and Simple!
We will have plates and napkins and such, Please bring your own drinks and a covered dish for as many as you can. We like to do a Pot Luck style picnic and encourage everybody to stick around and participate. The socializing afterwards is as much fun as the swap itself, please try to give yourself enough time to stay and enjoy yourself!

Very straight forward. I couldn't get the clip art to show here, but, I have a picture of a woman handing over a plant.
You can also contact your local radio and TV stations, sometimes they are looking for local fun news. I actually did an interview with our local radio this year, the more the word gets out the better.
Okay, the place, date, time and publicity is done. How exactly does the swap work?
I am sure there are numerous ways to do these things. I do mine quick and easy. The general free for all. This will sound chaotic, but I promise it works, remember I have been doing this for 8 years.
As the plants start arriving, put them all spread out...no order, no groupings. Kind of like this:

This was just the beginning. Make sure you leave room in between plants for walking around room. Just keep spreading them around until everybody is there, right up to designated start time. Let folks wander around and look at all the goodies. Just before start time, ask if there are any questions about a specific plant. The person that brought it can probably tell you anything that is needed to know. You might be able to label some of the more exotic or lesser known plants. Having Master Gardeners around can be very useful here. I bring a magic marker and some extra labels to mark the plants that I bring home so I know what to Google when I get home.
Then, if there are no more questions, have everybody step back a pace or two. Give them ready, set, GO! Have everybody take ONE plant. That is what the milling around is for, to find the first plant they want. Have them take it to a safe place, by their vehicle or just someplace away from all the action.
After everybody has grabbed a plant, do it again. After three or four rounds, have them grab two plants. Keep on going until all the plants are gone.
Sound like Chaos? It is to some degree, but it is also a lot of fun.

You will probably get some of the following questions:
How many plants should I bring?
A) As many as you want. I always bring lots of extras and usually take home very few. I have strange tastes and there usually isn't much that I want or need.
What should I bring?
A) If it grows it goes! You will see everything from showroom plants to stuff people just pulled out of the ditch. Houseplants, Bulbs, Perennials, Shrubs, Etc. I have seen some of the most dreadful looking plants be the first to go. It all depends on what they are, ugly rare will go before gorgeous usual.
I don't have very many plants, what else can I bring?
A) Garden Art, extra hoses, pots and containers, Garden Tools, anything Garden related. I have seen Chicken wire show up and be one of the first things snatched. They were going to make a compost bin out of it.

I also have anybody that wants to stick around afterwards and eat to bring food. Think Sunday social or picnic. Covered dishes. Tell them to bring enough food for themselves and a couple of other people. We have never run out of food. Have somebody bring plates and silverware. That's usually my mothers job. Also have them bring their own drinks, though we usually bring extra bottled water. The socializing after is as much fun as the swap itself.
Another tip is to get everybody's e-mail address.....use this for next year in the publicity department.
This what you are striving for:

I know this sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but the benefits and the appreciation from all the attendees will be worth it. Mine has been steadily growing every year, word of mouth is your best publicity you can get...and it's FREE!
What might be some of the benefits? It will be amazing what your neighbor down the street is growing that you had no idea would grow where you are and the friendships that can develop because of a plant swap. Plus, you might just pick up that plant that you didn't even know you couldn't live without!
If you have any question, go ahead and ask....I am more than willing to help.....besides, if you are close enough to me, I might just show up to your swap!!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Back in Black....Berry

2011-03-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend I participated in the Carolina Yard Gardening School, put on by the Tri-County Master Gardeners here in Charleston. Other than working with the Coastal Carolina Camellia Society, Projects and Outreach Committee and being a general floater, I was one of the instructors for the day. My subject, Growing Fruit in the Lowcountry. I spoke on growing some twelve different kinds of fruit, from Citrus to Figs and Loquats to Grapes. One of the fruits that I actually got many questions about though, was Blackberries. So I thought maybe there was something going on and it might be a good idea to discuss them here today.
The Blackberry is considered a herbaceous (characteristic of a herb) to woody perennial and belongs to the Rose family.
They are divided into classes by their growth habit and are described as trailing (where canes are not erect and require a trellis for support), semi-trailing or semi-erect (canes are partially erect but require a trellis for support) or erect (which produce self-supporting canes).

The trailing varieties (sometimes called dewberries) are thorny, the semi-trailing (semi-erect) varieties are thornless, and the erect varieties may be thorny or thornless.
As a rule, the erect varieties are more cold-hardy than the trailing or semi-trailing varieties. Erect varieties also fruit about one month earlier than other varieties.
Blackberries prefer full sun and a well-drained soil. Typically, they grow best in temperate climates and are listed as growing in Zones 5 through 10. However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), some type of Blackberry species can be found in every one of the 50 states.
Plants should be set out at least 2 feet apart in rows 7 feet apart. Unless you do like I do and grow them in containers. Don't believe me?

I use a teepee type of support, there are many different types of trellis systems available. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, and most can be modified to suit your needs and growing space.
You will need to prune these very fast growing plants as they will take over a garden if not done. The first step in pruning Blackberries is to understand their growth cycle. Blackberries have crowns that produce biennial shoots (live for 2 years, then die). In the Spring, after the new flush of leaves start, I prune the spent canes all the way to ground level. I wait until the leaves come out so I can tell what is dead and what is alive.
A very important thing to remember is that a lack of water while setting fruit or during harvest can seriously reduce productivity. Water is the most critical factor for optimal fruit growth. It is also very important because it can negatively impact both the current seasons and the following years crops. They require about 1 inch of water per week, whether it be from the sky or from a hose. Nearly all of the moisture used by Blackberries comes from the top 6 inches of the soil, which is the primary rooting zone. That does not mean there are not deeper roots than that, so you still need to water thoroughly. Mulches can be used to conserve some moisture.

To get the pretty flowers as seen above and the soon to follow fruit, most Blackberries respond well to an early Spring fertilization with an all-purpose fertilizer such as a 10-10-10, or a 16-16-8. After they are done producing fruit for the season, add a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer, such as good dose of Fish Emulsion, to stimulate growth.
As long as I am talking about flowers, it is good to know that, nearly all Blackberry cultivars are self-fruitful, meaning that you only need one to get fruit.
The fruit is ripe and at peak flavor when they begin to turn a very dark, deep red/purple (black in appearance) lose their glossy shine and turn slightly dull.

You will want to pick your berries about every two to three days once they start to ripen, this will also help keep the birds from stealing your harvest.
As a general rule, insect problems on Blackberries are minimal. Pests like aphids, Japanese beetles and spider mites can be controlled on an as-needed basis with general pesticides.
Diseases include rusts, fruit rot and "double blossom." You can control fruit rots with a fungicide approved for Blackberries. Rosette, or "double blossom," is a disease that causes the shoots to have a bushy, broom-shaped appearance on the tips. These shoots produce abnormal blossoms that will not mature to fruit but will produce spores that infect the new growing canes. Again, fungicides can be used as a preventive spray.
Please follow all label instructions, it is the law!
There are many varieties of blackberries available out there, you will just have to check and see what is available in your area.
I mentioned earlier that there seemed to be a lot of buzz about Blackberries lately and maybe it is because of their health benefits. One serving of Blackberries (about one cup) provides 50 percent of your vitamin C, and 22 percent of your required daily fiber. Blackberries are also a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron. In addition, the compound ellagic acid, identified as an anticarcinogen, is found in Blackberries. I just like Blackberries because they are easy to grow, will produce berries for 15 to 20 years if you take care of them, make a fantastic jam, and just happen to have my favorite color in their name!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Hosta La Vista

2011-03-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

There are many undeniable truths about gardening, they need water (even Cactus), they need some kind of medium to grow in or on, and they get bigger, just to name a few. The problem with the last one is, when they get bigger, they produce more shade, which can be a good thing in 95 degree weather, but not when you want to have a garden. So, what do you do when there is more shade? Grow shade loving plants!
Hostas,(a.k.a Plantain Lily) are native to China, Japan and Korea, they were introduced into the United States in the early 1800's. The name Hosta is in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host (1771-1834).
These shade loving plants are one of the most popular perennials. They are very easy, adaptable, and relatively fool-proof. They have a very wide growing range, Zone 3 to Zone 9. Hostas do need a brief period of cold weather to go dormant. Insufficient Winter chill and dry air, such as in western deserts, are chief limiting factors for folks out there.

A Hosta plant can reach maturity in 4-8 years, and its size depends on the cultivar. Cultivars are "cultivated varieties" or "played with by man", that have been developed for some desirable or improved feature such as plant form, size, flower, leaf color, variegation, pest resistance, etc. The largest measures 4 feet in height with 20-inch-long leaves. The smallest miniatures may be only a few inches across. Most Hostas range between 1 and 2.5 feet tall.
Like I said earlier, Hostas are considered shade-tolerant plants, but most do not thrive if grown in deep shade. Hostas grow best in an exposure with morning sun and afternoon shade and will change color or fade if they are in too much sun. They grow by underground stems called rhizomes. They prefer well-drained,slightly acidic soils,and will not tolerate soggy conditions, especially during the Winter months. They do like to be kept moist however, their native habitat is as an understory plant. A good layer of mulch will keep them happy and some supplemental irrigation in dry weather, especially if growing under trees which take up so much of the soil moisture.

Hostas respond to light fertilization. It is best to get a soil test from your local extension office to find out what is lacking in your soil. Slow release fertilizers, 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 can be applied early in the Spring followed by another application six weeks later. Be careful not to apply slow release or granular fertilizer on top of or touching the new growth, eyes, or leaves of the plant, it can burn or kill the plant. For those of you that prefer, Liquid fertilizer is used for both soil and foliar application. It is applied every 10 to 14 days or according to the fertilizer label instructions.

Planting, transplanting and dividing should be done in early Spring when the leaves begin to emerge. Dividing Hosta plants is very easy. Basically, you dig up the clump and cut it into as many pieces as you want, as long as there are roots and an "eye" or leaf shoot, it will produce a new plant. This is why it is easier to do it in the Spring, just as the shoots are beginning to emerge. Unlike many perennials, Hostas do not need regular dividing to keep them growing strong. Established Hosta plantings have been in place for 30 years and longer with no need for dividing. Matter of fact, Hostas may outlive their gardeners if given a good spot to grow.
These little beauties are mainly grown for their beautiful foliage. Hosta leaves come in many shapes, colors, sizes and textures. The leaves grow as clump-like mounds in colors ranging from yellow-green to dark green to blue-green. Variegated varieties are also very common. The variegation can come in white, cream, or yellow and can occur on the edges of the leaves, in the centers, or streaked throughout the leaf. Even with all this great color,there is another side to growing Hostas, their flowers.

Hosta flowers, are produced from early Summer to Fall depending on the species and cultivar. They are lily-like flowers which may be white, lavender or purple. Some Hostas are even fragrant. There are some newer hybrids that can produce 50-75 blooms per spike. You will want to remove flower stalks after bloom to encourage vigorous growth, rather than seed production.
There are a few pests of Hostas, but for the most part, they can be controlled.
Slugs and snails are night time foragers and are the most common pest of Hostas. They eat small round holes in the leaves. Look for silvery slime trails in garden beds to determine if these pests are present. Thin-leafed hostas and those with leaves growing close to the ground are most susceptible to injury. Chemical slug and snail pellets and baits that contain metaldehyde are widely available commercially, however label directions must be followed carefully. I've heard of several cases where these poisoned and almost killed family pets. Beer traps are widely used, albeit with only moderate success. Place a small shallow container, such as a deep jar lid, level with the soil and fill with beer. Slugs are attracted to it, crawl in, and drown. I don't know if they have a preference of beer, I would start with a cheap one and work your way up until you find one they really like.
Other controls include handpicking, Copper plates and deterrents like a layer of diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells spread underneath the plants. Though these last few are also only moderately successful.
Deer can also eat all your Hosta plants in one evening, leaving just the stalks standing.

Ten-foot tall fencing, electric fences and trained guard dogs are about the only reliable method to keep them out of the garden. Deer repellants may give temporary control, but these need to be re-applied after a couple of waterings or rain showers.
As far as diseases are concerned, Hosta anthracnose can cause large whitish spots with brown edges to form on leaves and stalks. Remove the damaged leaves and discard in the trash, not your compost bin.
When it comes to what to choose from, there is not near enough room on this blog to list them all. There are some estimates that list 7,400 cultivars and more being introduced every year.
They all have names too. Some are very formal sounding like: ‘Regal Splendor’, 'Royal Standard' and 'Elegans'.
Some give you an idea of their color: 'Gold Standard','Blue Cadet', 'Sun Power' and 'Guacamole'.
Then there are the ones that, well, I will let you decide what they were named for: 'Love Pat', 'All That Jazz', 'Blazing Saddles' 'Captain Kirk' and 'Striptease'.
Interestingly enough, and I DON'T recommend this, unless you know what you are doing, Hostas are edible by humans. They are called "urui" in Japan where they are commonly consumed. The parts eaten and the manner of preparation differ depending on the species; in some cases it is the shoots, others the leaf petiole, others the whole leaf. Younger parts are generally preferred as being more tender than older parts. The flowers are also edible.
Just like almost all other plants, Hostas have their own society. The American Hosta Society can be found at this link: The American Hosta Society
I will leave you with this bit of wisdom from a man that calls himself "The Hosta Guy" (catchy name). One final word of caution: Many "casual" Hosta users thought they could stop whenever they wanted. What begins as an innocent interest can quickly develop into a full-blown addiction. If you routinely tell your spouse you paid less than you really did for a new Hosta introduction, or brag about how many Hosta cultivars you have growing in your garden, you may need help.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Why So Blue, Berry

2011-03-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to do a blog on Blueberries for quite some time. They are fairly easy to grow, if you have the right soil. They are good for so many things, pies, jams, syrup. They are full of antioxidants, for those of you that know me, this one probably does not really fall onto my radar. And of course, they are just down right tasty eaten right off the bush. There is one more good reason why I needed to write about Blueberries, I found out this past weekend that my little niece (almost two) can not get enough Blueberries to eat......for her to shovel them into her mouth is probably an understatement. So Sarah, when you are old enough to read this, probably next year at the rate she is going, you can grow all the blueberries your little heart desires!

There are three main types of cultivated blueberries that can be grown, Rabbiteye, Northern Highbush and Southern Highbush. Here in South Carolina, Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush are the recommended varieties. The Northern Highbush is more suited for major areas of production in the upper South(Arkansas), Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
The Southern Highbush Blueberry is a relatively new type of Blueberry and is a hybrid of the Northern Highbush and native Southern species, mainly Darrow's evergreen Blueberry.
Depending on where you live will determine which is the best for you to grow. Check with your local extension agent to find out.
However, for the most part, they all require the same general cultivation.
To start, this is a great time to stress one of the Master Gardeners all time mantras...Have your soil tested! Especially if you are going to plant Blueberries.
They must have a very acidic soil, with a pH of 4.8 to 5.5. To give you a point of reference, 7.0 is considered neutral. The soil pH scale commonly in use ranges from 0 to 14. As examples of either end, Lemon Juice and Vinegar are on the acid side, Baking soda and Milk of Magnesia is on the alkaline side. I won't get into the really technical data here, just remember, that Blueberries like it on the acidic side. If you have any doubts about your soil, you can always add a heap of peat moss and mix it into your back fill.
Blueberry plants require excellent soil drainage. Not sure if your spot has good drainage? Here is an easy little trick. Dig a hole or holes, 6 to 8 inches deep and fill them with water. The water should not remain in the hole for more than 24 hrs, if it does, select another site or plant them on raised beds. Just as a side note, Blueberries can be grown in large containers, this is a VERY easy way to control the soil pH. After creating the raised beds, check for drainage again. With this type of planting, you are still going to need to water thoroughly two to three times per week during dry spells in the Summer and early Fall. The soil should be moist to damp at all times, just not wet...that is an invitation to root rot.
Full sun is best. This is usually anywhere from 8-10 hours, or more. Blueberries can be grown in areas that do not receive this much light, but the harvest will suffer dramatically.
When it comes to feeding your Blueberries, they are easily damaged by excess fertilizer. Apply the recommended amount from your soil test report and allow 4 inches of rain or an equivalent amount of irrigation between applications. A balanced fertilizer of 10-10-10 or something labeled for acidic plants is best.
Blueberries are produced from buds on 1-year-old wood, pruning should be severe enough to encourage the production of vigorous new growth each year. With this being said however, during the first five years little pruning will be required. You will want to remove lower twiggy growth, dead or damaged shoots, and weak, spindly growth during this time.
With good care, mature plants should produce more than 10 lbs each year. That much fruit production is a good thing, because you will have competition for the berries. Birds love Blueberries too. They can consume the entire crop from a small planting. Plastic or cloth netting draped over the bushes or supported on a framework, while the fruit is ripening, is the only practical control. Please don't use the old CD or pie plate on strings as a deterrent, they only laugh at those. And scarecrows? They usually end up being given pet names by the birds and then mocked. Netting really is the only good deterrent.
Something else to consider is mulching. This is the best form of weed control.
Blueberries may also be troubled by fungal leaf spots, fruit rots, root rot and gray mold. The primary insect problems are cranberry fruitworm (which ties the berry clusters together with silk), Japanese beetles and the Oberea stem borer.
Fungicides labeled for Bluberries will take care of the fungal problems, and insecticidal soaps or insecticides labeled for Blueberries will handle the bugs. ALWAYS read the label, I have said it before and I will say it again, IT IS THE LAW!
You will get the best quality of fruit when it is picked every 5 to 7 days, depending upon temperature, the warmer the temps, the more often you need to pick.
This has been a very brief description of growing Blueberries. I hope I have spurred you on to read more about these tasty treats. I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. If you have any questions or would like more in depth information, please feel free to e-mail me, TheCitrusGuy@netzero.com.
As for my niece, Sarah, I hope to have a little surprise for her in a couple of years. Yes, she loves her Blueberries and as a loving uncle I want to give her all she wants. What she doesn't know is, I have a variety that I am growing that, while they are called Blueberries, and they are suppose to taste like them, they sure don't LOOK like them. Introducing, Pink Lemonade Blueberries.

Look for them online or at a good nursery near you.
Happy Growing!
Darren

Having to Contain Myself

2011-02-19T19:34:00.000-08:00

I did a lecture this past week for a local civic organization. They are wanting to bring back the old victory gardens. I am not old enough to remember them, but I have read about them. Preparedness was the overall theme for the evening. I asked them, and they were very receptive, to me adding a little twist on all of this.....Growing everything in containers.
Why grow everything in containers?
Let me give you a few reasons:
1) You have a small space or no yard. Even people that live in apartments and have a balcony can grow a tomato plant and some herbs.
2) You rent. This is one of my big reasons. I rent and if I want to take my plants with me in the case of wanting or having to move, they can be picked up and thrown in a truck. My lease, as I suspect many others, states that anything planted in the ground must stay in the event of moving.
3) You get bored with the way your yard looks. I know many people that like to re-arrange their living room furniture often. My brother comes to mind. If you are the same with your yard, growing everything in containers makes that a whole lot easier to accomplish.
4) Lengthen your growing season. Even in my Zone 8, Winter is a fact of life. I enjoy seeing things grow, but in 28 degree weather, there is not much of that going on. I can pick up my containers and put them in my greenhouse or if you don't have one of those, a garage, unused bedroom or any place else that can stay warm and well lit. Even if you have to use grow lights.
This can also give you a jump start on the other end of the season. The soil in containers warms up faster than the ground. Seeds and plants grow faster in warmer soil.
What can you use for a plant container?
The easiest answer is, Anything that can hold soil and has good drainage.
It needs to be big enough to house the mature plant. It also needs to be strong enough, or made of something, that will last at least a full season of growing. Cardboard boxes do NOT make a good plant container.
Here is a good example of what I am talking about.

It might be a little difficult to see, but behind the containers of Onion and Garlic is an old bathtub. Yes, you read that right, a bathtub. It actually has Asparagus growing in it. We had our bathtub replaced and instead of throwing it away, instant plant container. It has everything a good container needs, it holds soil, will not fall apart in a single growing season, will hold the mature plant and has drainage. I have toyed with using a toilet for something right next to it, but haven't gotten that far yet.
I have seen old crates used, pickle buckets, laundry hampers, giant tires, just use your imagination and remember the keys, drainage, soil holding, stability and size.
I even found this online:

This could definitely be a conversation starter. Please insert your own jokes here.
There is also the conventional horticulture trade size plastic containers. Here is a little hint as to where you can get some of these, possibly for free. The next time you see a landscaping crew working in your neighborhood, stop and ask them if they have any containers they are wanting to get rid of. Many times they will point to a pile and tell you take what you want, they don't want to haul them back to their shop. What is the worst they can say, "No".
What can be grown in containers?
Again, easy answer: Pretty much anything!

CORN

TOMATOES AND PEPPERS

CITRUS (I AM the Citrus Guy after all!)

If you are saying, what about vines and climbing plants?

RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, BOYSENBERRIES

Trellis' also are used for things like Cucumbers and such.
If you like it, more than likely it can be grown in a container. Sometimes a very LARGE container might be needed, I don't think a 100 foot Coconut palm will do very well in a pot, but hey, I am always willing to try anything.
How to get started?
I will assume you have secured some kind of container, and have decided what you want to grow by now. What kind of soil should you use?
This is definitely a personal choice. There are many, many different kinds of potting mixes available on the market these days. Each one being better suited for one thing than another.
If you want to make your own, here is a simple recipe. This is not rocket science, nor are you baking a cake, these ingredients can be mixed and matched to suit your taste.
2 parts compost
2-4 parts peat
1 part each sand, vermiculite, or perlite
Most of these can be found at any of the big box stores or local nurseries.
Feed me and I will feed you!
Fertilizers are a little trickier in a container than they are for in ground growing plants.
Nitrogen, the first number on any fertilizer package, is probably the most used by your plant. It is also the one that leaches out of the soil the fastest. Every time you water, Nitrogen is leaching out of the soil. There are a number of ways to counteract this problem. Water soluable, i.e. Miracle Grow, should be used on all your annual plants. Things like tomatoes, herbs, carrots, etc. The reason is, a slow release fertilizer, like Osmacote, does not break down fast enough for the plants to use it. The slow release is fine for Citrus, Blueberries and any other perennial plant, but not for the annuals. You can either apply the water soluable every 3-4 weeks or use a 1/4 strength solution every time you water.
Points to keep in mind.
There are a couple of other things that you should keep in mind when growing plants in containers. Plants in pots will dry out much faster than their in ground counter parts. When the soil is dry up to your first knuckle, it is probably time to water. Make sure it is a good, deep watering. You want to see water coming out of the drainage holes. Make sure the soil is being saturated and NOT just running down between the soil and the container side.
The root zone can also get very hot in the Summer time. It is not uncommon for the temperature to reach 120 degrees around the roots. To alleviate this, either paint the pot white using a paint for plastic, or, plant other plants around the base of the container.
This may not be the way our parents or grandparents had their Victory Gardens, but I find it much easier to be in control this way. Soil, water, placement, and lots of soil borne illnesses can be controlled and fixed much faster than if everything was planted in the ground. I will leave you with one last picture of some of MY container Victory Garden. This is two kinds of Okra, some Beans and the corn you saw earlier.

Happy Growing!
Darren

Don't Pick on the Pear!

2011-02-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

I often have conversations with many of my fellow Master Gardeners and other gardeners about planting native species, or don't plant this or that, due to certain conditions. One of the big ones I get fussed at is my defense of the poor Bradford Pear. I know they have their problems, but I think they are also getting a bad rap.
Bradford Pears are a variety of a pear native to Korea and China, Pyrus calleryana, which was first introduced to Western horticulture in 1908. The actual cultivar 'Bradford' dates back to 1963, when the USDA introduced it commercially. It was first brought here in 1919.
The tree was supposed to be the perfect street tree, with profuse early bloom, a restricted pyramidal shape, and good fall color.
If you have never seen them in bloom, look at this:

Pretty nice huh?
I will admit, there is some objection to the odor all those flowers put out, but I don't find it that bad.
Fall Color? Check this out:

Many landscapers, and homeowners agreed with this thinking and today it can be found almost everywhere.

So why then do so many people have a problem with this tree?
A combination of plant physiology and physics makes the Bradford very susceptible to wind and ice damage. The angle of the Bradford's branches is generally too narrow, and as the tightly-crowded branches grow in girth, the tree begins to push itself apart. At the first strong wind or heavy ice storm, the tree self-destructs.
Average lifespan is about 20-25 years.
Fully grown the Bradford Pear grows 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. It is a very fast grower, averaging 1.5 feet per year. This is part of the problem with it having weak wood. They grow best in full sun but will tolerate part shade. It can handle all kinds of soil types and will tolerate drought and very wet conditions for a short period of time.
Bradford Pear is fairly resistant, although not immune, to most diseases, including fire blight. Fire blight is a common problem of ornamental and edible pears. This is where the ends of twigs and leaves become blackened as the disease progresses further down the branches. The Bradford pear is relatively free of insect problems.
One reason I have these discussions and get fussed at with people is because Pyrus calleryana and other varieties of ornamental pears are on the Invasive Plant Pest Species of South Carolina list. Although the ‘Bradford’ pear was originally bred as sterile and thorn-less, they readily cross-pollinate with other varieties of callery pears, and subsequently produce fruit. The ripened fruit are eaten and spread around by birds, which supposedly results in very thorny thickets of wild pear trees. I personally have not seen these thickets.
Yes, they do produce fruit:

And the birds do love them! Check out this Cardinal enjoying lunch in one of my trees:

They also love to nest in them. A female Dove made her home in mine this past April:

Aren't we suppose to help our fellow creatures? That is always my argument. You feed birds sunflower seeds, those things pop up EVERYWHERE, but nobody argues about that! I know, they are annuals and will die in the Winter, unless they go to seed?!
Back to the Bradfords. I have seen old ones and they look great! One of the keys is to pick one out with a strong central trunk, kind of like these:

These are my trees also.
I am sure I will get arguments opposed to my blog. There are many more trees out there that can and will give you the same effect. Yes, there are. There is also many more ways to feed the birds and yet people insist on feeding them millet. THAT stuff is invasive and messy! So to each their own.
I will give you a few substitutes however. Flowering Crab Apples (Malus spp.) and Japanese Cherries,(Prunus serrulata) such as 'Kwanzan', are good alternatives. For smaller trees, Dogwoods (Cornus florida) and Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are excellent.
As for me, the Bradford Pears I planted are now large, provide much needed shade, food for the birds, and places for me to put many of my hanging potted plants. So, they are staying!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Winter vs. Summer

2011-02-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

No, this is not going to be a Battle Royale between the seasons, besides, Summer would win hands down anyway. Nope, with planting season just around the corner, I am starting to get some rather interesting questions.
The other day I got asked about the planting times for Squash. I sent them a link that explained when and all that kind of stuff. They then came back and asked why Summer Squash and Winter Squash have the same planting dates, that being March here in Zone 8, what is the difference between the two?
I thought this was a GREAT question! What really got me to thinking about it was, this came from a good friend of mine who knows A LOT about gardening. If he was wondering, I am sure there are plenty of others.
Squash is native to North and South America and many of the types are believed to have originated in Mexico and Central America where they were eaten 7,500 years ago. American Indians shared many varieties of squash with the European settlers, who took the seeds back to their countries. Today, squash and pumpkins are grown all over the world, and are wildly popular in many Eastern European countries.
Both Summer squash and Winter squash are fruits of vines that belong to the cucumber family (Cucurbitacaea). These plants include cucumbers, melons, and gourds. Squashes are members of the gourd group.
The difference between Summer and Winter is actually very easy. Summer squashes are those types eaten when the fruit is immature and the skin tender. Winter squashes are those types which are allowed to mature before being harvested.
Lets start with Winter Squash. Only because I am tired of Winter and want it to be gone. Ha-Ha.

Some varieties Winter Squash

Winter squash typically need a long growing season, as most take 70 to 120 days from planting to harvest. Winter squash and pumpkins can be planted either in late Spring or in midsummer. Pumpkins (usually grouped with Winter Squash) which are being used for ornamental use should be planted in mid to late Summer depending on the time needed for the variety selected. Some of the more common types of Winter squash are: Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup, and Spaghetti.
Winter squash will keep from two to six months or more depending on the variety and storage conditions. They are usually stored over the Winter months, hence their name. Mature Winter squash have very hard skins that cannot be punctured with your thumbnail. They typically have very hard seeds also. In addition, the fresh, bright, juvenile surface sheen will change to a dull, dry-appearing surface. Being that they have such hard shells,the skin of Winter squash is inedible. It must be peeled before cooking/eating, or the flesh should be scooped out of it after cooking.
Many people will tell you there is only one way to prepare Winter Squash, and that is to cut it up into chunks or slices and cook. There really are two easier ways to cook Winter squashes of any size. The fast way is to prick a squash with a sharp knife, place it in a microwave and allow it to cook on high for at least ten minutes. Many will require more time, depending on size of squash and power of your microwave. You’ll have to keep checking until the squash is soft and pliable. This will steam the squash. Cut it in half, discard the seeds and scoop out the interior. Now it’s ready for freezing, turning it into a casserole, pie,or mixing with mashed potatoes.
The other way is in the oven, Prick the skin and roast at 350 degrees for about one hour.

Some varieties of Summer Squash

Summer squash grows quickly and can be harvested about 55 days after planting. They are generally divided into four groups, crookneck, zucchini (green and yellow), straightneck, and scallop (pattypan). They have thin, edible skins and soft seeds. The seeds can be scooped out or left in. The Summer squash will spoil rapidly after picking and you should cook it and eat it as soon as possible. Because of their high water content, they do best when cooked with dry-heat methods such as stir frying, grilling or sauteing to avoid turning them into mush, unless you like that. Of course, cooking by steaming, simmering in a sauce, baking or deep-frying are also fine.
Having them grow in your garden is relatively easy.
All types of squash and pumpkins are highly susceptible to frost and should be planted in the garden after all danger of frost is over. Squash seeds do not germinate well in cold soil. Plant squash in full sun. They can be planted in rows spaced 3 feet apart or they can also be planted in hills. Rows should be spaced 4 to 6 feet apart, with hills 3 to 4 feet apart within the row. Place two or three seeds in each hill.
Watering should be done to provide uniform moisture, extremes between wet and dry will affect your crop. Water sufficiently to moisten the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Light sprinklings will encourage shallow rooting of the plants. The critical period for moisture is during fruit set and fruit development.
A problem with Summer squash is the rotting of the blossom end of the fruit, called blossom-end rot. The main symptom is a dark-colored dry rot of the blossom end of the fruit. Blossom-end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the developing fruit. It may be an indication that calcium is lacking in the soil or that the plant does not have the ability to take up adequate amounts of calcium from the soil.
The most common diseases of squash and pumpkins are bacterial wilt (spread by cucumber beetles), powdery mildew, downy mildew, fruit rot, and anthracnose. Powdery mildew can be a particular problem on late-planted squash. It is the most common and damaging disease of pumpkins.
Insect problems include spotted cucumber beetles, striped cucumber beetles, pickleworms, squash vine borers, aphids and squash bugs. Aphids are a major problem because they can also transmit viruses to the plants. Squash vine borers can cause total collapse of the plant. Plant early because squash vine borers and pickleworms are problems later in the season.
Please, don't let these diseases and pests deter you from growing Squash. If you want another reason to grow them. One of my mothers favorite foods does not even come from the squash itself. She likes the flowers.

The blossoms from Summer and Winter squash are edible. Choose blossoms that have closed buds. They will be somewhat limp, but this is normal. Store them, refrigerated, for no more than one day. They can be eaten raw as garnish, in salads, battered and fried or stuffed and baked.

Ricotta Stuffed Blossoms

Fried

I know what some of you are saying, I would LOVE to grow some Squash, but I can't. I have limited space. I have the answer for you! There are some varieties that have a bush-type of growth instead of the vining habit, which is useful if your garden is small. Some of these varieties that you can look for include: Gold Bar (a yellow zucchini), Starburst (a yellow patty-pan), Bush Crookneck, Bushkin Pumpkin and Burpee's Bush Table Queen, just to name a few. Make sure you look in your seed catalog, they should tell you whether they are bush or vining.
One last suggestion would be to grow them on a trellis.

Well, I hope this has given you some inspiration to try something new this year in your garden or to revisit an old friend that you haven't grown in years. I also hope that I have explained the difference between Summer and Winter squashes so when you get put on Jeopardy, you will can win it all! I'll bet Alex Trebek can't tell you the difference!?
Happy Growing!
Darren

Cut out the Cutting!

2011-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

Do you have something that looks like this in your yard?

Then CUT OUT THE CUTTING!!
You are going to be accused of committing Crape-acide!
Lagerstroemia indica or Crape Myrtle is so named because of its flower petals that resemble crepe paper. This large shrub or small tree was introduced to Europe from China and India in 1759 and made its way to the Americas in the late 18th century. While it is commonly called a Myrtle, it is not a true member of the Myrtle family. Cultivars now range in size from dwarfs (about 10 feet) that can be grown in containers, to the full size ones that can grow to heights of 25 to 30 feet with a spread of 15 to 25 feet. Usually it is sold as a multi-stemmed trunk, but it can be trained as a single stem.
I mentioned the flowers resembling Crape (or Crepe) paper.

The flower colors differ greatly depending on variety, but the common colors are lavender, pink, purple, red, and white. They are also very long lasting, often called the "plant of the 100 day bloom". Many people also enjoy they exfoliating bark.
Crape Myrtles are low-maintenance and easy to grow if provided with sunny locations and soil with moderate moisture and fertility. They are very drought tolerant however, once they are established. This is one reason why they have gotten such a toe hold on the landscape of the South.
Choosing the right Crape Myrtle for your landscape requires evaluating where it will be planted, not just what color its flowers are. The smaller the space available, the smaller the Crape Myrtle (at maturity) should be, so be sure to choose a cultivar that will not require pruning to make it "fit" into the landscape.
Which brings me to the main topic of today's blog, pruning. Do you or someone you know do this to a Crape Myrtle?:

The practice of chopping off the tops of Crape Myrtle has become very commonplace. Many people believe that it is required to promote flowering; others prune because the plant is too large for the space provided.
One of the reasons that they are pruned in Winter is to get more flowers in Summer. Crape Myrtles produce flowers on new wood, so the idea is that the more you cut, the more new growth and flowers you'll get. This is actually semi wrong. The first thing it will do is actually reduce the amount of the blooms that will appear. Secondly, if the branches are cut back too far, it will cause the new branches to grow much too long and they will not be able to support the weight of the heavy blooms, especially during any kind of strong winds or after a nice heavy Spring rain. It will cause the branches to sag and many times they will break or snap. If this is not bad enough, research has shown that stem decay significantly increases when topping cuts are made, and that more dead branches also occur within the canopy. Just one more thing to think about, plants stressed by severe pruning are more prone to pests and diseases.
Why does this happen then? Many people see their neighbors doing it and feel the need to follow suit. If Joe down the street is doing it, then it must be the thing to do. I guess I should do it too. Another reason is topping these trees way back is easier and quicker than pruning them carefully. This is lazy and old school way of thinking.
How and why WOULD you need to prune a Crape Myrtle? The best time to prune the Crape Myrtle is actually in late Winter around February or even in early Spring, just before the Crape Myrtle goes on a growing spree. Cut branches selectively to encourage nice branching when the tree is young. If you remove a branch, make sure there is a reason. Almost all Arborists recommend removing crossing branches and branches growing toward the center of the tree. Side branches can be removed gradually up to a height of 4 or 5 feet to expose more of the trunk and give it more of a tree form. Small twigs or branches in the center can be trimmed out to create more open space for sun and air movement while the plant is dormant. You should also take out water sprouts in the canopy or suckers at the base of the tree. These are the leggy little things that seem to sprout out overnight.
Or, the easiest thing to do would be to just let Mother Nature do her thing and let them grow naturally, kind of like this:

Happy Growing!
Darren
Blog writers side note: As many of you that know me, know that Crape Myrtles are NOT one of my favorite plants. I think of them as messy and just not attractive. I do, however, hate them even more when they are turned into a hat rack and think that they should just be left alone.

WAIT!

2011-01-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

Wait, probably one of the words I have used the most often the past couple of weeks. One of the hardest words to udder for a gardener, let alone for a gardener to hear. As any of you that follow me here or on my Facebook page know, I have been screaming to get outside and do something. I, of course, have been sneaking out on some of the nicer days to do a few things, repot my Blueberries, plant some Lettuce and other cool season crops, planting some Onions, and started re-arranging some of the pots for the plants to soon go in them. I bring this up because I have gotten numerous phone calls and e-mails asking about a few things that people want to do in their yard.

First off, many want to start cleaning up their yards. WAIT! If your yard looks anything like the above picture, good for you. This isn't the best picture for my point, but it will do. I encourage people not to rake up their leaves in the Fall and let the dead plants stay there. This is Mother Natures blanket. It is protecting the roots from the nasty cold weather. So many people are worried that the neighbors will talk about how untidy the yard next door looks. Who Cares!?
How many neighborhoods have a "Yard of the Month" during the Winter? I would be willing to bet, none! Plus, as a bonus, that debris is feeding your plants. Think about the woods for a minute. I am not talking about the little patch of 50 trees at the end of the sub-division, I am talking the WOODS! Mountains, streams, lakes, you know....the place that so many like to go hike in? Does anybody rake up that plant litter? How well do the plants grow there? There is also nobody throwing any Miracle Gro around up there either. The food is provided by the decaying plant material.
Okay, fine, I won't rake up the leaves and clean up the yard. Can I trim the tall dead looking plants in my containers? WAIT!

These are containers of, Mexican Petunia, Bananas and Miscanthus in my yard. Basically the same principal applies here. We are coming to the end of January, still plenty more freezing temperatures coming. In 2010 we had a pretty significant snowfall in February. If I had cut this all back the snow and freezing temperatures might have done more damage than what it did do. The dead foliage is acting kind of like a mini greenhouse. It absorbs the heat during the day and keeps it bottled up through the night, thus protecting the roots. I usually wait until I either see new growth peeking out of the soil or the night time temperatures stay constantly in the 40's.
Makes sense so far?
What about going ahead and pruning some of my trees and bushes? WAIT!

This sad looking specimen is a Citrus tree. Republic of Texas Orange to be exact. Believe it or not, it is still alive. Makes you want to take the pruners to it and cut off all that dead growth, huh?
Nope, not a good idea. First off, I am not sure of the extent of the damage. I may not cut enough off and will have to come back a second time, OR, I may cut off too much and take away some live wood.
Second, there is the chance I will initiate a premature flush of new growth which could be killed if/when we get another hard freeze. The best thing to do here is wait until the tree tells you it is time to prune. How? Again, when the temperatures are constantly staying in the 40's and there is a new flush of growth. And here again, the hanging leaves are giving it a little bit of protection from the cold and frost.
Even just leaving a layer of leaves in a container like this is beneficial:

This is a container of Salvia that comes back every year. I know it reseeds itself, but I have taken the leaves out of the pot in previous years and the plant didn't come back as well. I am convinced the leaves either fed or protected the seeds. Either way, the leaves stay until I see new growth.
Is there ANYTHING I can do in the yard right now? WAIT, I do have something.
Dormant oil.
Dormant oil kills garden pests on woody plants like trees and shrubs just when damaging insects are waking up from their Winter's nap. These are highly refined oils (Not motor oils!) which spread uniformly on the bark of trees and shrubs to which it is applied and coat non-mobile, dormant insects on the tree smothering them to death. Gardeners usually use dormant oil on trees and shrubs in the Winter because there is no growth. The use of a dormant oil mixture will not only kill, but annihilate, annual flowers such as Pansies, Bluebonnets, Snapdragons or any other annual you may have growing under or near plants to be treated. To insure their well being, completely cover such tender vegetation BEFORE spraying nearby trees and shrubs with the dormant oil. Fruit trees and shrubs especially benefit from an annual dormant oil application because of their susceptibility to pests. Here is a good candidate for a Dormant Oil treatment:

Blueberry bushes.
Just make sure you follow any and all directions on the package, not only is it the law, it could spare your plants life.
So, let's review. If your yard is a leaf litter disaster, wait, to clean it up.
If the plant is all tall and dead looking, wait, to cut it down.
The trees look like they need a haircut, wait, to prune them.
If the neighbors are complaining that your yard looks like a disaster, tell them just WAIT, until Spring.....my yard will look better and healthier than yours....nanny, nanny, boo,boo!
Happy Growing!
Darren

On Gard!

2011-01-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

No, the title is not a typo, I meant it that way. Just before going to the Green and Growin trade show this past week, one of my followers and I were discussing Gardenias.....yup professor it was you. Then at the trade show I had two more separate discussions about Gardenias and the trouble with growing them. I though this would be a good time to help some folks with this interesting, sometimes hard, fragrant plant.
Gardenia is a group of about 200 species of flowering plants that are in the Coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia,and Oceania.
Gardenias were named by Carl Linnaeus after Dr. Alexander Garden (1730-1791), a Scottish-born American naturalist.
The common Gardenia that the majority of us know is Gardenia jasminoides also known as Cape Jasmine, Cape Jessamine and recently as Gardenia augusta. It attains a height of 2 to 6 feet and with its shiny green leaves and fragrant white Summer flowers, it is widely used in gardens in warm temperate and subtropical climates throughout the world.
The cultural requirements are acidic soil, having a PH of 5 to 6.5, ideally moist and high in organic matter, such as compost or ground bark, but make sure it is well drained. This is probably where most people go wrong, in their watering or soil media. The soil should be kept uniformly moist, but don’t overwater. High humidity is also essential to Gardenia care. Avoid misting the foliage, though, as leaf spot fungal problems will develop. I will discuss this later.
Their light requirements are going to depend on where you live and where you want to grow them. Plants prefer full sun if they are grown indoors; if grown outdoors for the Spring, Summer and early Fall, keep plants in partial shade. Partial shade being about 6 hours. They are listed for zones 8-10, if they are given a little bit of protection, I would say they could go to a 7.
When it comes to fertilizing, do it monthly between April and September with an acidic fertilizer, fish emulsion or blood meal. Do not fertilize Gardenias after September. Doing so will stimulate tender growth, which may be killed if/when the temperature drops below freezing. Gardenias are cold-sensitive and during severe Winters can be killed to the ground, often they regenerate in Spring. A very good layer of mulch can save the root zone if this should happen. Apply in Fall.
Prune shrubs after they have finished flowering to remove straggly branches and faded flowers. Pruning should be early enough to allow new growth to be at least 4 - 6 inches long by October 1. Pruning after October 1st decreases next year's blooms.
Occasionally there will be a problem with yellowing leaves. Yellowing of leaves may be due to a number of causes, such as insufficient light, over watering or poor drainage, soil temperature that is too low, nematode damage or disease. Some yellowing on older leaves is normal and may occur during the Fall and Winter months before new growth appears.
The biggest problem with Gardenias is their attractiveness to insects and other pests such as aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips and scales. These can all be controlled with Horticultural Oils and Insecticidal Soaps. Please read all directions and make sure that Gardenias or the insect that you are targeting is listed on the label. The label is the law!
Diseases that affect Gardenias can also be numerous.
Sooty Mold
Is an organism that looks like a disease, often occurring on Gardenia foliage, turning it black. This black, smut-like substance does not injure foliage, but prevents sunlight from reaching the leaf, thereby reducing photosynthesis. The organism is not parasitic,meaning it does not actually live off the plant, but lives on honeydew secreted by sucking insects, such as aphids, scales, mealybugs and whiteflies that I listed above. Sooty mold can be managed best by controlling these insects.
You can learn more about Sooty Mold by reading my blog posting HERE
Other diseases that can occur are:
Rhizoctonia Leaf Spot
Leaves infected with this fungal leaf spot disease have tan to brown spots up to 1/4 inch in diameter. Spots are circular. The disease begins on the older leaves and spreads upward when the plants are watered excessively or when air circulates poorly because of overcrowding. Avoid wetting foliage when watering or misting, even if you are trying to raise the humidity level.
Powdery Mildew
This disease is characterized by white, powdery spots on leaves. Use a preventive fungicide to control.
Canker
One of the most common Gardenia diseases, canker is identifiable by a main stem swollen near or below the soil line. The bark becomes corky and contains numerous cracks in the cankered area. The stem above the canker is bright yellow in contrast to normal greenish white. If the humidity is high, a yellowish substance may be seen on the surface. Affected plants are stunted and die slowly. Destroy all diseased plants to prevent spread of this disease.
Propagation is rather easy. The most used method is by cuttings in moist soil, especially in warm Summer months.
Here in my Zone 8 Charleston, Gardenias bloom in mid-Spring to mid-Summer. The flowers are white, turning to creamy yellow as they age, and have a waxy feel.

This was from my plant this past Spring. The smell was amazing, such a shame my wife hates it!
I should mention, another one of the most irritating problems encountered with Gardenias is "Bud Drop". This is when the flower buds abort just before blooming. Common causes include low humidity, over-watering, under-watering, insufficient light, high temperatures, rapid temperature fluctuations, cold drafts or change in plant locations. So basically, Gardenias can be temperamental!
There are many cultivars available. But, lets say you are rather limited on space, one of my favorites is Gardenia jasminoides 'Radicans'.
The flower looks like this:

It is a very slow growing plant that only attains a height of 1 to 2 feet. It blooms a little later than most of the other cultivars and the flower size is smaller. The smell is still fantastic.
I hope this has given you some inspiration to go out and get yourself a Gardenia. I personally love my mine. I may be originally from the North, but along with the Magnolia, the Gardenia is a traditional symbol of the American Deep South.
Happy Growing!
Darren

The Date HAS been set!

2011-01-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

I have been bombarded with the question, "When are you having the 2011 Spring Plant Swap?" Well, I finally found a few minutes and researched when everything else is going on here in Charleston....It wasn't easy...April is a VERY busy time here in the Lowcountry. Well, The Date HAS been set! It is April 9th, here in Charleston.
Plant Swaps are really a lot of fun. They are cheap, inexpensive ways to increase your garden. With the economy the way it is, finding ways to save some money is very high on every body's list. Gardeners are no exception. There has been a lot of talk about plant swaps and seed swaps lately, I have been doing mine for 8 years now! Apparently, it's the new IN thing.
WHAT!?!? You have never been to or have heard of a plant swap? If there is not one in your area, Organizing a plant swap is actually very easy.
How do you get started?
First off, locate a good place to have one. A city park, somebody that has a really large yard or even a vacant parking lot. The key elements here are, easy parking, lots of room for plants, bathrooms, tables for food (more on that later) and if possible something for the kids to do.
Okay, you have the perfect spot, let's say a city park. Call the city and see if you need any kind of paperwork, most of the time you won't but better to check anyway. Find out if you need to have someone open the bathrooms or if they are always accessible. You might want to check on the parking situation. Somewhere in here you also need to pick a date and time. That way when you call the city you can ask if there is going to be any conflict. When considering the time, figure on set up, the actual swap and clean up. I have people start coming at 10am, (some actually start showing up earlier just to chit chat). They can bring their plants, mill around a little and look at the other plants and ask questions. The swap then starts at 11am. The way I do it, the whole swap is over in about 30 minutes (if that long). You can usually tell the city you will be long gone by 1pm.
Okay, you have the place, date and time. The next step is the big one. PUBLICITY!
I spend a total of about $2 on publicity. LOTS of time, but very little cash.
HOW you say?
First, start with websites. Gardenweb has places for swaps. Blossomswap.com and Plantswap.net are also two very good places to post. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter any of the social networks are good. There might be others that I haven't heard about.
You can go to your local extension office. Every state has a Master Gardener program, touch base with them. Ask them to post it on their website or news bulletins. The local newspaper might have a Gardening Calendar that will post for free. Check to see if you have any small neighborhood newspapers, they might even do a story on it for you. Check with your friends and see if they belong to any Garden Clubs or Horticultural Societies, that is a great way to get the word passed around. Fliers, this is where I spend my $2. I create a flier, go to Staples and print out 25 or so. Post these at Libraries or any place that you see Yard Sale Signs. Make sure you have all the pertinent information on it, Date, Time, Place, What it is, how it works and a contact e-mail or phone number. You can also put directions on it if it is hard to find.

This is what mine looks like:

PLANT SWAP
Come swap all those extra plants you have
April 9th 2011, 10am setup
Park Circle, by the Gazebo

More Information:
Cactusmusic@netzero.com

The Specifics
10am set-up and browse....11am swap...immediately afterwards...LUNCH!
Bring ALL your extra plants, if it grows, it will go!
Including Houseplants!
Also any garden related items, Hoses, Garden Art, Containers, Etc.
We are having it at Park Circle in North Charleston, by the Gazebo. There are picnic tables, bathrooms and LOTS of room for kids to play and even more room for plants, parking and food.
Pretty much everybody in Charleston is familiar with Park Circle....there are numerous ways to get to it, depending on which way you are coming. If you want or need directions, e-mail me, I will get it and respond ASAP.
The way we swap will be the basic Free For All. I will say go, everybody will grab ONE (1) plant and take it to their hiding area. After everybody has a plant, we repeat the process. Nice and Simple!
We will have plates and napkins and such, Please bring your own drinks and a covered dish for as many as you can. We like to do a Pot Luck style picnic and encourage everybody to stick around and participate. The socializing afterwards is as much fun as the swap itself, please try to give yourself enough time to stay and enjoy yourself!

Very straight forward. I couldn't get the clip art to show here, but, I have a picture of a woman handing over a plant.
Okay, the place, date, time and publicity is done. How exactly does the swap work?
I am sure there are numerous ways to do these things. I do mine quick and easy. The general free for all. This will sound chaotic, but I promise it works, remember I have been doing this for 8 years.
As the plants start arriving, put them all spread out...no order, no groupings. Kind of like this:

This was just the beginning. Make sure you leave room in between plants for walking around room. Just keep spreading them around until everybody is there, right up to designated start time. Let folks wander around and look at all the goodies. Just before start time, ask if there are any questions about a specific plant. The person that brought it can probably tell you anything that is needed to know. You might be able to label some of the more exotic or lesser known plants. Having Master Gardeners around can be very useful here. I bring a magic marker and some extra labels to mark the plants that I grab so I know what to Google when I get home.
Then, if there are no more questions, have everybody step back a pace or two. Give them ready, set, GO! Have everybody take ONE plant. That is what the milling around is for, to find the first plant they want. Have them take it to a safe place, by their vehicle or just someplace away from all the action.
After everybody has grabbed a plant, and is back in position, do it again. After three or four rounds, have them grab two plants. Keep on going until all the plants are gone.
Sound like Chaos? It is to some degree, but it is also a lot of fun.

You will probably get some of the following questions:
How many plants should I bring?
A) As many as you want. I always bring lots of extras and usually take home very few. I have strange tastes and there usually isn't much that I want or need.
What should I bring?
A) If it grows it goes! You will see everything from showroom plants to stuff people just pulled out of the ditch. Houseplants, Bulbs, Perennials, Shrubs, Etc. I have seen some of the most dreadful looking plants be the first to go. It all depends on what they are, ugly rare will go before gorgeous usual.
I don't have very many plants, what else can I bring?
A) Garden Art, extra hoses, pots and containers, Garden Tools, anything Garden related. I have seen Chicken wire show up and be one of the first things snatched. They were going to make a compost bin out of it.

I also have anybody that wants to stick around afterwards and eat to bring food. Think Sunday social or picnic. Covered dishes. Tell them to bring enough food for themselves and a couple of other people. We have never run out of food. Have somebody bring plates and silverware. That's usually my mothers job. Also have them bring their own drinks, though we usually bring extra bottled water. The socializing after is as much fun as the swap itself.
Another tip is to get everybody's e-mail address.....use this for next year in the publicity department.
This what you are striving for:

I know this sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but the benefits and the appreciation from all the attendees will be worth it. Mine has been steadily growing every year, remember, word of mouth is a FANTASTIC,(free) publicity weapon. If you build it and they have fun, the word will get spread around.
What might be some of the benefits? It will be amazing what your neighbor down the street is growing that you had no idea would even grow where you live. Then there are the friendships that can develop because of a plant swap. Plus, you might just pick up that plant that you didn't even know you couldn't live without!
If you have any question, go ahead and ask....I am more than willing to help.....besides, if you are close enough to me, I might just show up to your swap!!
Happy Growing!
Darren

The Show Must Go On

2011-01-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

On January 22nd, 2011 there is going to be a show in Charleston, South Carolina that all you Camellia lovers should not miss! The Coastal Carolina Camellia Society will be having their 61st Annual Camellia Show at Citadel Mall. The times will be from noon to 8pm for the public to view the prize winning entries.
You say YOU want to enter some blooms but don't belong to the society? No Problem!
Entries will be accepted from 7:00am until 9:30am at the Food Court at Citadel Mall.
ANY interested grower may exhibit.
Judging will begin approximately at 10:00am.

The Coastal Carolina Camellia show is the premier showcase when it comes to amount of awards that can be won. There are over 50 awards available including Novice and Local Awards.
Blooms will be grouped according to variety name and will be judged against other blooms of the same variety. Where a variety that produces different formations and variegation is shown, each formation will be judged against similar formations and variegations of the variety. A white spot, however small, shall indicate a variegated flower.
If only one bloom of a variety is entered, it will be judged against the standard of perfection of that variety and it may be awarded a blue, red, or yellow award at the discretion of the judges. The judges may withold any award, if in their opinion, a flower is not of sufficient excellence to warrant an award. Scale of points of the American Camellia Society will be used in judging. The decision of the judges shall be final in every instance.
The Coastal Carolina Camellia Society will furnish containers to all exhibitors.

There is a slew of trophies to be won. They will be awarded for each of the following:
CLASS A
Best in Open (Not protected)
Large-Vary Large
Medium
Small
RUNNER-UP
Large-Very Large
Medium
Small

CLASS B
Best Protected (Grown under cover, greenhouse, etc.)
Large-Very Large
Medium
Small
RUNNER-UP
Large-Very Large
Medium
Small

CLASS C
Best Seedling

CLASS D
Best Hybrid -Open

CLASS E
Best Reticulata -Open

CLASS F
Best Hybrid -Protected

CLASS G
Best Reticulata -Protected

CLASS H
Miss Charleston Variety
Best Open
Best Protected

CLASS I
Best Novice Bloom

CLASS J
Best White Variety
Best Open
Best Protected

CLASS K
Miniature
Best Open
Best Protected

CLASS L
Best Formal Double

CLASS M
Local Blooms
Best Large
Best Medium
Best Small

CLASS N
Best Species

BEST PRE-1900 BLOOM

If these classes don't make much sense to you, don't panic! There will be friendly folks there to help you with categories. It will be of great assistance, because there is so much going on, that you have at least an idea of what class you may be in. Already knowing the name of your bloom will also be a tremendous help. If time allows, the folks there can help you identify your bloom, but PLEASE, it is very busy and kaotic, if you can know the name before you come to the mall, things will go much smoother.

Of course, there are the obligatory rules:
I already mentioned that entries will be accepted from 7:00am until 9:30am. The Mall actually requires all blooms be placed by 9:30am.
Wiring of blooms to wood of parent plant is permissible and adviseable.
Only one bloom per stem is allowed.
Each bloom shall have one but not more than two leaves.
The Citadel Mall and the Coastal Carolina Camellia Society, its officers and members, are not under any circumstances responsible for the loss or damage to flowers or other property or for the injury to persons. Care will be exercised for the protection of all property used, but this shall not be interpreted as an assumption of liability.
Show Chairman or representative reserves the right to reject or discard flowers that are obviously inferior in quality.
All Camellias entered should be labeled with variety name.
All blooms exhibited must be from plants owned and in the possession of the exhibitor for at least 30 days.
Camellias grown under protection shall not compete with those grown in the open.
To prevent the spreading of disease, blooms become the property of the Coastal Carolina Camellia Society and will be disposed of immediately following the show.
Standard entry cards will be used.
To enter blooms in the Novice class a person must have never won a Blue Ribbon in any Camellia show.
Blooms must be classified as miniature, not miniature to small to compete in the Miniature Class.
And Finally, No bloom can compete in more than one class.

If you have ANY questions that have not been answered here, please feel free to contact me at Cactusmusic@netzero.com or my good friend Tony Smith at 1800helpme@gmail.com
Okay, You may not have any pretty blooms that are open that day. There is always next year. I would still encourage you to come and pay a visit to the show and see what did win. Ask questions. Learn as much as you can about what won and why something didn't. If NOTHING else, come on out because there will also be Camellia Plants for SALE!!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Please, I need to work in the garden!!!

2011-01-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

It is only the first week of January and I am about to go stark raving mad! I want/NEED to work out in my garden. The weather the past couple of days has actually been in the 70's (it won't last) and I am getting bombarded with seed and plant catalogs. How much more can I take?!
I did order some really nice tomato seeds, that helped a little bit. I even did get outside a couple of times and started to clean up a little. I didn't do anything major, just a few pots that needed to be emptied, some limbs that had fallen, stuff like that. I still want to really get down and dirty!
Then....I got our monthly Master Gardener newsletter. There is some sign of relief.
What I am about to tell you is mainly for South Carolina or probably at least Zone 8 and higher, but it could relate to some others of you.
January is a time to start planting! Things like Beets, Carrots, Spinach, and the like.
According to Clemson Extension, I can and should have been planting Lettuce since December 20th. In my neck of the woods, this can go on all the way to February 5th. The optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 60 to 80 degrees. I am assuming they mean in a raised bed. I think my soil temperature right now is right around 58, but I am not sure how accurate my soil thermometer is.
Plant leaf lettuce in rows 1 to 2 feet apart with seed about one quarter inch deep and 6 to 10 inches apart in the row. It is impossible to space seed this small exactly at this spacing, you will have to thin the seedlings. Lettuce should be thinned when the plants are about 1 to 2 inches tall. Lettuce can also be planted in 12-inch-wide beds with the seed broadcast over the bed. On extremely cold nights it may be necessary to cover the plantings with a supported sheet or plastic covering, though it can handle light frosts. Lettuce should be ready to harvest about 75 days after planting.
Spinach can be planted all the way until February 25th. Plant spinach seed in rows 1 to 3 feet apart, spacing seed 2 inches apart in the row. Plant seed 1/2 inch deep and firm the soil over the seed to help ensure germination. Seed can also be broadcast on the 12 inch wide bed system. Make sure you are using fresh seed, older spinach seed does not germinate well. Again, you may need to cover on very cold nights. Spinach should be ready to harvest in about 37 to 45 days after planting.
Carrots are another one that I should have been planting last month. The dates for it are December 15th through January 30th for a Spring crop. Plant carrots in rows 12 to 18 inches apart with a quarter inch between the seeds. Being that carrot seeds are very tiny, try mixing the seed with dry sand to get even distribution. Ideally you will want to just pat the seeds down to make sure they have contact with the soil. You can cover, but you don't want it to be more than 1/8 of an inch down or the seeds will not be able to push themselves through to the sunlight. Thin the carrots to 2 inches between plants when they are 1 to 2 inches tall. Harvest carrots about 65 to 75 days after planting.
What would a garden be without beets? December 15th through June 30th is the recommended planting dates here. Plant beets in rows 10 to 30 inches apart and place the seed 1/2 inch deep with about 2 inches between the seeds. When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall, thin them to 2 to 3 inches between plants. Harvest beets about 50 to 70 days after planting.
Radishes, Turnips, Rutabagas, Mustard, and Collards are some more things that can be planted now.
They all need as much sun as you can give them now. Remember, what is full sun in the Summer may not be full sun in the Winter.....plan accordingly.
Keep your seeds moist, but not soaking wet. They need some warmth and moisture to germinate. If you let them dry out, they are goners.
There are few things that are nice about having this kind of garden growing now.
1) There are not near as many insect problems, it's too cold for them. Yes, you may and will probably have some, but it won't be near as bad as say in July.
2) Weeds, there are fewer weeds growing this time of year. Again, you will get some, but they are much less a nuisance.
3) Disease pathogens are minimal. They will begin to multiply as the weather warms however.
4) Just having fresh veggies and digging in the dirt is a bonus for me.
This is also a good time of year to be planting and transplanting Roses, Trees and other Shrubs. The plants are basically dormant so there is no transplant shock or at least it is a lesser problem. They will have a chance to grow more roots because the ground is still "warm" compared to the air. All of the energy can go into the roots before it has to expel it for leaf growth. Besides, if you are looking for a great deal on trees, shrubs, and such, now is the time to be looking before the Spring rush hits.
Speaking of shrubs and trees you can and should also be spraying with a dormant oil right now if you have had insect problems in the past. What is dormant oil you ask? Most commercial dormant oil sprays are refined from petroleum oil. A few are made from cottonseed oil. These are highly refined oils (not motor oils!) which spread uniformly on the bark of trees and shrubs to which it is applied and coat non-mobile, dormant insects on the tree smothering them to death. It is best to spray before buds begin to swell. If buds of trees and shrubs have begun to swell slightly, go ahead and spray. Although some of the buds may be damaged, the benefits of spraying dormant oil far outweigh the possible infestation you may get. Spraying of dormant oil should occur on a clear day when the temperatures are expected to remain over 50 degrees for at least twenty-four hours. The ideal temperatures for application is between 40 and 70 degrees. Try to avoid using the dormant oil if a sever freeze is expected in 3-4 days. A word of caution however, if you have flowers growing under or around the tree or shrub you are spraying, cover them prior to application, it can and will kill them. Make sure you follow all label directions, this is the law!
One last thing you should think about. If you have never had your soil tested or it has been sometime since you last tested it, contact your local extension office and find out how, you will be glad you did.
Well, I hope this has given you something to smile about. The days are getting longer and Spring will eventually come. If you are as eager to get out and do SOMETHING in the yard, here are some possibilities. Now please forgive me, I have some lettuce to go plant!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Citrus Greening Hope

2010-12-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

One of the nice things about the holidays is, you get to take time off from work, catch up on a few things and relax. Okay, strike the last part, who really gets to relax during the holidays?
I have been able to catch up on a few things though, namely a little bit of my reading. The stack of magazines and books I currently have would be a speed readers nightmare.
A couple of articles really grabbed my attention and they both pertained to Citrus Greening disease.
I was talking to somebody today from here in Charleston County (we are under quarantine for Greening) and she did not have any idea about it. I am doing a Citrus lecture for her garden club on the 11th, I think I am going to scare some of these folks.
Just to give some of you that may not know what Citrus Greening is, here is a Readers Digest version.
Huanglongbing (pronounced Hung-Long-Bing) or Yellow Dragon Disease is one of the most serious Citrus diseases. It is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system. Once infected, the tree will produce inedible bitter fruit, the fruit will not be able to ripen and the tree will ultimately die in a few years. There is currently no cure for the disease.
It is spread by a tiny insect known as the Asian Citrus Psyllid.

This is their feeding posture. 45 degrees to the stem. The adults are 3 to 4 mm (or 0.15748031496 inches) long with a mottled brown body. They are really very small. It only takes an infected Psyllid about 15 minutes to infect a tree.
It can also be transmitted by grafting.
The diseased leaves look like this.

This disease can be tricky to detect because it mimics many nutritional deficiencies. On the above picture, notice the non-mirrored yellowing. If this was nutritional the two sides of the leaves would be identical.
Like I said, this is an EXTREMELY short version of what Greening disease is. To find out if you are under quarantine here in the United States go to this link HERE It will tell you all you need to know.
Okay, that was your Citrus Greening mini lecture. I mentioned the two articles that grabbed my attention. The first one dealt with feeding the crap out of Greening infected trees to rejuvenate them. I guess the old cliche "Starve a cold and feed a fever" would be a good analogy here. Maury Boyd, a Citrus producer near Immokalee, Florida has successfully been applying a cocktail of nutrients to his ravaged trees. I won't go into the long list of what he is applying, but it is done three times a year just after each new flush of growth.
There is still many tests being performed on this treatment. The article goes on to say that Mr. Boyd is pleased with the overall health of his grove, he would have plowed them under before trying this method, and the fruit yields have met or exceeded industry average. Fruit quality has also improved.
I am not telling you to go out and start pouring all kinds of fertilizers on your trees, like I said, there is still MUCH research to do here.
The other article I mentioned will undoubtedly cause controversy. The title is "Genetic Engineering Tackles Citrus Greening". There was a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo, but I got the gist of it. Basically, to save the 9.3 billion dollar annual economic benefit to Florida, there may have to be some playing around with the genes of Citrus. The article also states that groups that are opposed to genetically modified foods of any kind may try to dissuade the public from turning to genetically engineered Orange Juice. It's not like they are trying to create a Frankenstein Orange, they have discovered that there are some genes in Spinach that may provide some resistance. They don't have a complete handle on all this yet, but it is in research. I, for one, have no problem with Genetically Modified Food or GMO's, though I am not sure if my Orange Juice had the aftertaste of Spinach, it would be all that great! Ha-Ha
This has been a VERY brief overview of what these articles said, both were 3+ pages long. I just wanted to show you that there is research going on to fix this horrible disease to Citrus. I remember just a couple of years ago there was a notion going around Florida that if something wasn't done soon the whole Citrus industry could be wiped out in 5-10 years! A very sobering thought.
One last thing I would like to mention. I know they have a huge stake in the Orange Juice industry, but if their OJ sales stopped they would not go bankrupt. I would like to THANK Coca-Cola for their 1.5 million dollar donation to research for finding a cure for HLB (Huanglongbing). Hopefully someday they will find one!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Cold Damage Identification and What to DO about it

2010-12-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

The past month or so, I have made numerous blog postings about bringing in your plants and protecting them from the Winter weather. If you missed either of these postings, you can read it HERE and HERE .
Today I am going to talk to the people that, for one reason or another, didn't bring their plants in or try to protect them. They may have missed the weather report, forgot about their plants, or didn't want to take the time to do it and now their significant other is upset because the plant looks dead. There may be hope!
You will need to ask and answer a couple of questions: How cold was the temperature? How long was the plant exposed? What was the health of the plant before the damage?
First, let's take a quick look at what cold weather is and how it can affect plants. I know, duh, it's cold, they freeze! Well, just follow me for a minute.
The sun warms the soil surface during the day; the heat is then radiated into the cool atmosphere during the night. The coldest temperatures occur about daybreak.
Clouds at night can absorb and reflect heat back to the earth.
Calm, clear nights pose the greatest danger of frost since there is no wind to mix the ascending warm air with the descending cold air, and no clouds to radiate heat back to the soil.
Cold air settles downward, flowing like water,to the lowest point. Hot air rises.
The effects of temperature vary with plant species, stage of growth, age, general health and water content. Young, actively growing, flowering, and/or dehydrated plants tend to be most vulnerable.
Freezing temperatures damage plants by rupturing plant cells as ice crystals form and rapid changes in temperatures occur. Evergreen plants can suffer damage from blowing Winter winds and dry out when water is unavailable from ground that is frozen. Chilling injury can occur to many tropical plants although temperatures do not drop below 32 degrees.
The signs of cold damage can be confusing, since some damage may not be evident until months later. Leaves and tender shoots subjected to freezing temperatures or chilling damage appear water soaked and wilted. These tissues will usually turn black within a few hours or days. The tips of narrow-leaved evergreens, such as junipers, may turn uniformly brown. Broad-leaved evergreens, such as hollies, often have leaf burn along their edges. Less flowering is common during the following season.
One of the main things to remember is Do NOT prune frost-damaged, woody growth until the plant begins growing in the Spring. Pruning might stimulate new growth which would be vulnerable to late frosts. The frost damaged leaves and stems will continue to help trap warm air within the canopy. This is especially true in very large leaf type plants, such as Bananas. In addition, the damage is often not nearly as bad as it initially looked, new growth may come out of tissue that you thought was dead. Once the new growth starts in the Spring, you can prune out the dead wood.
A large, deep, crack running up and down the trunk of a tree or large shrub is known as a frost crack. The crack is usually on the South or Southwest side of the trunk, but can occur on any side. Young trees or older trees with smooth bark are the most susceptible.
Frost cracks occur when the sun warms the trunk in the Winter, causing tissues to rapidly expand or when clouds or buildings block the sun. At sunset the temperature of the trunk drops quickly to that of the surrounding air, and the trunk contracts. The outer part of the trunk cools and contracts faster than the inner tissues. This difference in contraction rates can cause the outer trunk to crack. You can usually eliminate this problem by wrapping the trunks with burlap or some other type of protection, not plastic, it needs to breathe. Start at the ground and work your way up to the first branch. Prevention is important, once the crack occurs, there is not much that can be done. Such frost cracks often close and callus over during the Summer, only to reopen in following Winters. This callusing and recracking may lead to the formation of large "frost ribs" on the side of affected trees. Something else to keep in mind, insects like to find places to hide and a large split open trunk is basically a "We'll keep the light on for you" sign. You could be looking at a major infestation. Frost cracks in trees are also ideal sites for the entrance of wood decaying organisms.
Desiccation, or drying out, is a particular problem on evergreen plants. This occurs when water is leaving the plant faster than it is being taken into the plant. During the Winter months desiccation can occur if the ground is frozen beyond the depth of the root system. If the Fall has been dry, there may not be enough ground moisture available for the plant. Water loss is greatest during windy, sunny conditions. This type of injury appears as discolored or burned evergreen needles or leaves.
After a killing cold some plants may be frozen back to the ground but lower buds and roots often survive. It can take these plants months to begin growth. Give them at least the Spring months to show signs of growth. I had a Clethera that did not regrow until Summer. I had just about given up on it but it showed me how persistent plants can be.
Okay, you have this plant that has lost all its leaves, looks naked and you are figuring it is a goner. Take a look at the bark or stem, is it black, shriveled or separated from the trunk? It’s most likely beyond help if it is. Don’t look just at the top but down at the base.
Next start high and scrape a small section of the bark. If you find brown at all keep moving lower until you find green, believe me you’ll know when you find it.
When you find an area of green, cut off everything above it, on that stem or branch. When you get done going over this you may have a plant that stands a chance of coming back. This really needs to wait until Spring though.
Remember, not only was the foliage, branches and stems exposed to the cold, so were the roots. No matter how hard you try the plant may not survive. The root damage may be so severe that you’ll be fighting an uphill battle.
As much as you may love your plant, you must be realistic, It may be too far gone!
I get teased all the time about my infatuation with what the weather is doing, what it is going to do and what it has done in the past. The best remedy is to keep your eyes on the weather, bring your plants in before the cold hits, and to grow things that are suited for your climate zone.
I hope everybody has a Very Merry Christmas!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Holy Hothouse Plantman

2010-12-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

As any of you that have been following my blog, or have at least read some of the past postings, know, I have a greenhouse. I would be lost and in a constant state of depression without it. Where else can I go when the wind is whipping, the temperature is right around freezing, and sit around a bunch of tropical plants at 65 degrees and not leave my zip code?
I am not telling you all this to brag, but to maybe give you some ideas on what to ask for, for Christmas.
There are ALL kinds of greenhouse kits online, for all kinds of budgets. You can ask for one of those, OR, you can ask for a giftcard to a home improvement store to buy the needed supplies. I built my own from the ground up. Trust me it is not the prettiest thing in the world, actually it borders on grotesque looking, but it is functional. I promise it is not that difficult. I am nothing like my brother who is a cross between Bob Villa and McGyver, he can build anything out of anything and it be strong enough to hold a tank. Nope, I am lucky I know which end of a hammer to use.
Basically, you are building a big box with a roof and a door. As long as it is enclosed, you have a greenhouse. I am not going to get into the specifics here on how to build one, like I said there are kits online and plenty of floor plans out there. Many books with designs have also been written.
I am going to instead tell you what you need to do with that greenhouse after you unwrap it Christmas morning.
You have all heard the motto of a good business, The three things you need to succeed is location, location, location. The same holds true here. The greenhouse should be located where it gets maximum sunlight. The first choice of location is the South or the Southeast side of a building or shade tree. Sunlight all day is the best, but morning sunlight on the East side is the next best thing. I use my greenhouse primarily in the Winter, but it can be used all year round if placed in the correct spot. Deciduous trees,(trees that lose their leaves) such as Maple, can effectively shade the greenhouse from the intense late afternoon Summer sun. Deciduous trees also allow maximum exposure to the Winter sun because they do shed their leaves in the Fall. You do not want to use an evergreen tree, such as a Pine, because they will shield the greenhouse from the less intense Winter sun. Trust me, you want to capture as much of the sun at this time of year as you can. Remember that the sun is lower in the sky this time of year.
Good drainage is another requirement for the site. Yes, most of your plants will probably be on shelves, but some will not. Plus, you will not be on a shelf. If going out to the greenhouse after a heavy rain is a miserable experience, standing in the mud and muck, you are just setting yourself and your plants up for disaster.
One of the most asked questions I get when somebody is asking about my greenhouse is, "Do you heat it in the Winter"? Yes. They then proceed to ask how, how much heat is enough, what is a good source, etc, etc. These questions will depend on many things.
First, what kind of plants are you wanting to grow? You need to know the minimum temperature your "crop" can handle. The majority of things in my greenhouse can handle down into the mid 30's pretty much with no trouble. I am testing the limit this year with Theobroma cacao (chocolate), they don't like it below 40, but we will wait and see.
The next question would be: What is the greenhouse made of? My first year I had mine made out of 8 mil plastic. For those of you that are not sure what this is, think very heavy painters drop cloth, almost tarp like. It kept the heat in okay, nothing to write home about, but had to be replaced within two years. Plexiglass works very well, as does corrugated plastic and of course, glass.
Here, size does matter! If your greenhouse is 6 feet by 6 feet, you will not need as big a heater as you would if you had a greenhouse the size of a tractor trailer. Mine is 8 feet by 16 feet and I use a mid sized electric heater. Now remember, mine is not hermetically sealed, but in 18 degree weather in the middle of the night, I can maintain 33 degrees, cold, but not life threatening to the majority of plants.
Installing fans in your greenhouse is a good investment. Any kind will work, ceiling, box, oscillating, whatever you can afford and will fit. During the Winter when the greenhouse is heated, you need to maintain air circulation so that the temperatures remain uniform throughout. Without air-mixing fans, the warm air rises to the top and cool air settles around the lower part, where the plants are.
Watering can be very time consuming, especially if you have lots of plants. I almost have it down to a science. I drag the garden hose in there about once a week and just hose everything down. You need to be careful of any electrical cords, appliances(fans, heaters) or outlets you may have. As for the plants that don't need as much water as others, I put them where the taller, bigger plants block them. Higher shelves, corners, under over hanging shelves all work as water blockers. I have even stacked smaller plants on the soil of larger plants, the smaller ones need more and only after they have had enough, give some to the bigger ones.
A couple of other minor things to think about would be, Do I need additional lighting? Again, this will depend on the crop. If you are trying to grow Tomatoes, I would add more light. If you are just trying to keep something alive that may have lost it leaves or needs to go dormant, probably not.
Should I have a potting area? Only if you plan on spending lots of time and have lots of room in there. Again, mine is basically Winter storage for my plants. I do use some of the shelving in the Summer to repot or seed when I want to be out of the sun.
In the past, greenhouses were a luxury, today there are nearly 3 million hobby greenhouses in the U.S. and the number is expected to grow.
I hope this has sparked an interest in starting a greenhouse. Christmas is almost here and if you want to get a few hints out....cut out some pictures of greenhouses and leave them lying around. Send e-mails with greenhouse design websites to your significant other. If all else fails, send a letter to Santa! Whatever you do, get yourself a greenhouse.....you will be glad you did!
Happy Growing!
Darren

Plant Cold Protection

2010-12-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

I posted last week about bringing your houseplants in for the Winter. Hopefully you all did. What about the plants that are just way to big to move or are in the ground? Again, I am lucky in the aspect that I have a greenhouse and a fairly decent, healthy back, so I can move my 30 gallon pots. What if you don't have either of the above and want to protect that plant that is marginal in your neck of the woods?
Lets see if I can give you a few ideas.
Although I live in the Southern part of the United States, Winter sometimes brings cold temperatures that can cause severe damage to many of our landscape plants. Early frosts in the Fall can cause damage on plants that are normally adapted to our area. Plants need adequate time to harden off (adjust to outdoor conditions) before freezing temperatures occur. A plant’s ability to withstand cold temperatures will depend on the plant species, but also on how low and how fast temperatures decrease. When temperatures gradually decrease, a plant can acclimate, or adjust itself, to withstand colder temperatures better. Sudden decreases in temperature cause more damage in Fall or early Winter than similar low temperatures well into Winter. New growth that has been stimulated by late Summer pruning or fertilization is very susceptible. Hopefully you weren't outside in the past month or two feeding your plants or giving them a haircut. If you weren't, then you are already ahead of the game.
Ideally, The best way to prevent cold injury to plants is to choose ones that tolerate the cold temperatures in your area. We all know though, that pushing the envelope is sometimes more exciting and offers a wider range of plants.
So, in addition to right plant selection, you want to put the plant in the right place. During the Winter, the coldest spots are often found on the North and Northwest part of the property and in low areas where cold air settles. The warmest spots are usually on the Southern part of the property. Placing plants under non-leaf dropping trees will add some protection, as will using a fence, building, wall or temporary shelter made of plastic. Placing plants near a sidewalk or street can even add a few degrees of protection. These things absorb the heat and give it back off at night. For container grown plants, their roots are more exposed because they are above ground. Push together container plants that are left outside and mulch or cover them to decrease heat loss from the sides of the containers. Wrap the base of the containers in plastic, burlap, or blankets to reduce heat loss. Remember also, that plants that grow close to the ground are usually protected by heat radiating from the soil. Plants that are tall and more open do not receive this radiating heat and are not protected from the cold.
Covering your plants helps protect them from frost as well as from extremely cold temperatures. Covers that reach the ground and do not come in contact with foliage form a layer of insulation from the cold temperature. To prevent foliage breakage, avoid having the covers (sheets, blankets, painters drop cloth, etc) touch the foliage. This can be accomplished by using tomato cages for smaller plants and lumber teepees for larger ones. Don't forget to weigh down the sides so a gust of wind will not blow it off. When extremely cold temperatures are predicted, place a light bulb (60 watts or higher) or other heat source (spotlight) under the cover to provide heat. You can also use some of the old Christmas lights that we all had as children, you know, the ones that would melt your toy if it came in contact with? Check the lights before relying on them, the newer ones do not produce any heat. Be very careful when using a bulb or other heat source, which can be a potential fire hazard. Do not let the bulb or heat source come in contact with the plant (Christmas lights being a kind of exception) or the cover. Remove the cover and provide ventilation during the day, the sun can very easily burn the plant or at the very least, the extra warmth could possibly cause the plant to break dormancy. This precaution is critical when using plastic covers.
Watering plants before a freeze can help protect them from cold injury. Soil that is well watered absorbs more heat and gives it back to the plants at night. I don't have this problem here, but, Cold weather can also cause the ground to freeze. When this occurs, water is unavailable to roots; plants continue to transpire (lose water from their leaves) and dry out. Watering the soil to thaw the ground makes water available to roots.
Mulch will act as an insulator, so it too can protect plants, especially from wide swings in temperature. Sometimes the cold temperature is not what damages the plant, it's the freeze/thaw cycle affecting the soil and causing it to "heave" the plant. The roots basically get thrown out of the soil and break contact with it. Something to keep in mind about mulch, this "insulation" works both ways. It can prevent the soil from drastic swings,and getting too cold, but it can also prevent it from warming up when the time comes. You may wish to rake it back away from the plants as it starts to warm up in Spring.
Now occasionally, Mother Nature actually provides the best blanket of protection in the form of a light snow. Up to two or three inches of snow not only insulates the ground around your plants, but it also provides a blanket of protection over the leaves. If you have a situation in your area (I don't, usually) that this could happen, you need to think way in advance.

This is a picture of some Wax Myrtles, before the wet, heavy snow, hit us in February of this year. They were about 10 feet tall prior. If the homeowner knew this was coming, if ANY of us had known this was coming, they would have been pruned back in the middle of the Summer. This event caused considerable damage. Of the limbs that broke, some were as big as six inches in diameter. This picture was taken too late to do anything about it. What should have been done, other than the preemptive pruning? Someone should have gone out there and lightly shaken as much of the snow off as they could. The plants are fine and rebounded, but the shape of them is not one of beauty, Mother Nature is definitely not a landscape designer.
To sum this all up, healthy plants are more resistant to cold injury than plants that are weakened by disease, by insect damage, or by improper care. Plants that are being grown in their proper growing zone will do better than one that is 3 zones off. With an ounce of prevention, and a little work, you too will produce a plant that can wear a tag that states "I survived the Winter of 2010/2011".
Happy Growing!
Darren

Please Take Me In

2010-11-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

In most parts of the country, Fall is almost over and old man Winter has started taking his icy grip. Here in Charleston, we have had some frost on the vehicles, but have not had that real killer frost yet. So around here, there is still time to bring in your houseplants. You know, that Spider Plant that has been hanging on the back porch all Summer. The Snake Plant that is sitting in the corner over there by your BBQ grill. There are a few things you probably should do before you bring them back into the comfort of your home, unless you like creepy, crawly visitors.
To start off with, almost all houseplants are considered Tropical or at least Sub-Tropical, which means areas adjacent to Tropical areas.....Think of it as the tropical suburbs.
Ideally, the plants will want to be moved when the inside and outside temperatures are about the same. That means 70's during the day and mid 60's or so at night. I don't know about you, but that seems like a very short window of opportunity to me. I usually wait until the night time temperatures are forecast to be in the upper 30's. Now to be fair, I have a greenhouse and it is easier to move them in there on the spur of the moment than it would be to bring them into the house. So, you can decide for yourself when would be a good time to get started.
First off, it is important to get rid of pests on the plant or in the soil. This is especially important for those plants that have been sitting on the ground. You first want to look all around the leaves, on top, underneath, and in the leaf crevices. Pay special attention to where the leaf or stem is attached to the trunk. Then, if at all possible, take them out of their pots to see if anything has crawled in through the drainage holes. You would be amazed at what you might find down there. I am not trying to scare you, but, I did see a plant taken out of a three gallon pot to be planted and in the bottom was a baby snake. Probably would have been a bad thing if he/she made it indoors.
If there are any insects on the leaves, you can do one of a couple of things. Spray the plant with the hose and knock the little guys off, being careful not to remove too much of the soil or knocking the leaves off themselves. The other possibility is to use an insecticidal soap, it is safe for pets and humans. Some plants tend to hold the soap solution on their leaf surfaces. This may cause burning. Before using any insecticide, check the label to see if the plant is listed. If not, test a small area on your plant for sensitivity. It may take anywhere from seven to ten days for symptoms to appear.
Okay, you have the critters taken care of. You noticed when you took the pot out of its container, it was a tad rootbound. Again, there are a couple of options here. First, you could just leave it until Spring. The plant is not going to grow much during the Winter months indoors. The problem with this is, the plant, if it is too terribly rootbound, will not be able to take up any water. The roots will basically repel it and there is not enough soil to absorb any water for later use. There is also the possibility that it will grow some during the Winter and just make matters worse. So, as long as it is already out of the pot, why not repot now?
You will want to use a good potting mix. What is a good potting mix? Well, it will have these basic elements: Dense enough to support the plant, Good nutrient-holding capacity, Allows water and air to pass through readily, yet retains adequate moisture, Free of insects, diseases and weed seeds. I will start with the last item because I seem to get the question "Why can't I just use dirt from my yard?"
Garden soils contain too many bacteria and are generally not recommended for plants grown in containers. Unlike artificial mixes, which can be used right from the bag, native soil mixes must first be sterilized to kill disease organisms, insects and weed seeds. An artificial mix which includes commercially prepared mixes are "soilless" or "artificial," which means they contain no soil. Most contain a combination of organic matter, such as peat moss or ground pine bark, and an inorganic material, such as washed sand, perlite or vermiculite. Yes, you can make your own artificial potting mix, no you can not use sand from the beach....it will contain too much salt. Any decent combination of the above ingredients will make a good potting mix, the best one out there is in your imagination. Experiment and find one that works for you. Just remember the above basic elements that I mentioned which are required and you will be fine. I should also mention that many commercial potting mixes contain a slow release fertilizer. Most of the time during the Winter, the plants go into a resting or dormant phase and will not need the food. You do not have to go out of your way to find one with a certain amount of food in it. The rules change come Spring, so with it in there you will have somewhat of a head start to an early feeding should you forget.
Okay,I am going to assume you have the plant out of its pot. Gently disturb the root system so that roots are not in a tight rootball or as we like to say "Tickle the roots a little". If the roots are too tight to loosen, slice through the rootball slightly with a knife to loosen them. The next item I am going to mention has been discussed to great lengths by many gardeners. I have actually been in some of these "discussions". The general rule of thumb is: Select a pot that is 1 or 2 inches larger in diameter than the current pot. For a houseplant this is fine, because many times there is not room for anything much larger. I am under the belief that what ever size pot you can manage and will fit in the space is fine. Of course, this can also be taken with a grain of salt. I am not expecting to put a four inch plant into a 30 gallon container, there are some things that common sense should be applied to. I AM suggesting that if you take a plant out of a six inch pot and you have room for a ten inch pot, go for it! You will not, or should not, have to repot anytime soon.
You can put some wire mesh or broken shards of clay pot in the bottom to help retard soil from coming out of the drainage holes. You will want to plant the plant in the pot at the same level or even slightly higher than the original pot. This will help prevent foot rot.
The main cause of death of potted indoor plants is over-watering. Roots need both water and oxygen, and when surrounded by water, they cannot take up any oxygen. These roots will rot and eventually the whole plant may die. The symptoms of over watering and under watering are very similar. The plant will appear wilted.
When I am doing my Citrus lectures, I get asked a question that is relevant to this topic: "How often should I water my plant?" While there are a couple of minor differences, basically the answer will be the same...When it needs it! Okay, after the laughter dies down, I usually go into the variables that apply to this question.
What kind of plant is it? A cactus is not going to need as much as a philodendron.
What kind of soil are you using? One with lots of sand will need more than one that has lots of peat in it.
What kind of pot is it in? A clay pot will dry out much faster than a plastic pot.
How much sun is it getting/how close to a heat vent is it? This one is kind of self explanatory.
The best rule of thumb is, stick your finger in the soil. If it is dry to the first knuckle, water.....unless it is a Cactus. Then all bets are off and unless you only water it every six months or so, I doubt you will be able to under water any kind of Cactus. You will eventually get the feel for when your plants need a drink. Another good way to tell is by the weight of the pot, if it is very light, it probably needs a drink. I mentioned earlier that over and under watering have the same symptoms. If you have been watering every other day and it is wilted, stop! If you haven't watered in three weeks and it is wilted, water! See, simple as that. Remember to have some kind of dish under the plant to catch runoff and empty it when it is done draning to prevent root rot.
The amount of light inside can be a difficult hurdle to cross. If you have the time, over a period of about a week, gradually reduce light levels by moving plants from sun to light shade to heavy shade, and finally indoors. Once indoors, the plant may develop leaf yellowing or drop as it adjusts to lower light. Most of the time this is not a major problem, unless you just HATE leaf litter on your new carpet. Here again, I will give you a couple of options. You can put the plant in a different window. The ideal side is a southern exposure, followed by East then West. North just absolutely is the worst, unless of course you are reading this in Australia, then reverse the whole North/South thing. Another option is grow lights. They are relatively inexpensive and can be placed on a timer. Do some research on how much light the particular plant you are growing requires and set the timer for that amount. There are many plants that require less Winter light than they do in the Summer for their dormant stage, again, research will tell you if your plant falls under this category.
Most people prefer a tidy house and think their plants should be also. Indoor plants may collect dust or greasy films that dull their appearance, making them less attractive. Clean leaves are also favorable for healthy growth. There are products on the market to clean and shine leaves, they are generally not recommended because the waxy coating residue may interfere with air exchange. Basically, they prohibit your plant from breathing. Never, NEVER use these products on plants that have hairy leaves, such as African Violets, you are really asking for problems here. The best way to clean leaves that are not hairy is to dampen a soft cloth with water and wipe the lower and upper surfaces of each leaf. An alternative is to place the entire plant in the shower to rinse it off. Plants with hairy leaves should not be dusted with a wet cloth but with a soft cosmetic brush. I remember either my mother or grandmother using mayonnaise to clean the plants leaves, I don't recommend this either because it too can clog the plants breathing.
I didn't mention types of containers because they are a personal choice. Many types of containers can be used for growing plants. Most pots with bottom drainage holes are made of plastic, ceramic or clay. Decorative containers without drainage holes can be made of clay, ceramic, plastic, wood, copper, brass and various other materials and should only be used as the outside vessel of a pot in a pot system. This way you can drain the water out and not remove the soil.
Well, I hope that helps you in bringing your beloved plant friends indoors. I read an interesting saying about indoor plants once, it goes something like this: They (plants) help us stay in touch with nature and, in a sense, "bring the outside indoors." I like that, Spring is way too far away right now.
Happy Growing!
Darren

How Sweet, or is it?

2010-11-14T15:07:00.001-08:00

If you have ever been to the Lowcountry of South Carolina around this time of year, you will recognize what I am about to describe.
You are driving down the interstate or pretty much anywhere around the area and up ahead you see a purple haze in the median. Kind of looks like a fog or sometimes even smoke. You wonder if there is a problem. Should I slow down? Will it spread across the road?
As you get closer you begin to realize it is nothing of the sort.

It is just some Muhlenbergia capillaris, also known as Sweetgrass and Gulf Muhly Grass. Muhlenbergia, one of the largest genera in this family, is named in honor of Giotthilf H.E. Muhlengerg (1753-1815), a minister, as well a a pioneer American botanist of German extraction whose family brought the Lutheran religion to Pennsylvania in the early part of the 18th century.
Sweet Grass is a showy clump forming type of grass that can get to 3 feet tall and just as wide. It does not produce runners, as it originates from the base clump.
That purplish or sometimes pink haze that you see is the flower or inflorescence. That flower can be 18 inches long and as much as 10 inches wide. It stands well above the wiry leaves. Appearing in late Summer, it will persist for 6-8 weeks.
Muhlenbergia capillaris is a variety of Muhlenbergia filipes, which is used in the making of Sweet Grass Baskets. Both of these grasses are native to South Carolina and they grow on the barrier islands along the coast, such as, Kiawah, Seabrook, Fripp, and Hilton Head. All together there are some 60 species of Mulenbergia.
Their growing range extends from Zone 5 all the way down to Zone 10. Full sun to light shade is the light requirement. This is an excellent plant for just about any type of soil you might have, it tolerates conditions from moist to dry, acidic to alkaline, and sandy to clay. It even tolerates salt spray. Being that it is tolerant of such poor conditions, it makes a good groundcover for those hard to fill areas. If you have a friend that is growing it or if you have had it a long time and want to have more in another part of the yard, the clumps can be dug up and hacked apart easily. This is best done in the Fall or early Spring. There is little to no problem with pests or diseases.
I am not a big fan of grasses, but I can tolerate Sweet Grass. It does have a pretty showing in the Fall, especially if you can find the rare white form (Muhlenbergia capillaris 'White Cloud') and mix the two together.

Happy Growing!
Darren

Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter?

2010-11-07T16:15:00.000-08:00

The holidays are fast approaching, as if you needed me to remind you of that!!
With the holidays come the ever present "Holiday Cactus". This is one of those questions that have been plaguing mankind for years, Do I have a Thanksgiving Cactus or an Easter Cactus or is the darn thing a Christmas Cactus?
Let's see if we can answer this.
The main difference between the Christmas, the Thanksgiving, and the Easter Cactus is the time of bloom. As their common names suggest, a Thanksgiving cactus can bloom in late Fall, one month before the Christmas cactus. The Easter cactus starts producing flower buds in February.
Now, what if your Cacti can't read a calendar? I know, they should have learned that at an early age. But if they never did learn, they are probably relying on the Day/Night length and Temperatures. Let's say that you are keeping them as houseplants and they can't see outside through the drapes?
There is another way to tell the different Cacti apart.
CHRISTMAS CACTUS

photo courtesy of Paul J. Brunelle
The true Christmas Cactus does not have the points on the sides, but are still bumpy. The "Christmas Cactus" is Schlumbergera x buckleyi, a hybrid produced in the late 1840s by William Buckley at the Rollisson Nurseries in England.

THANKSGIVING CACTUS
The actual Thanksgiving Cactus, the plants most often sold as "Christmas Cacti" (by which name they sell best) are Schlumbergera truncata cultivars. These are clones selected for their colors, growth habit and given cultivar names. They bloom about a full month or more before the true Christmas cactus, given the same treatment, and so are more easily made to bloom at the best time for Christmas sales. The flowers might not last until Christmas though. They are also known by many popular names such as "Link Cactus", and "Grandmother's Cactus". Like I mentioned, these clones have been selected and bred for their many colors. They can come in Lavender, White, Fuschia, Red, Orange, and all shades in between.

photo courtesy of Paul J. Brunelle
As you can see, there are a little bit more defined "points" on the sides.

EASTER CACTUS
The Easter Cactus is Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri . In some respects it is very similar to the Schlumbergera. However, it blooms in April (about Easter) and its flower is very different. It is not nearly as popular as the Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus because it is a little bit more difficult to grow well, and it has the nasty habit of shedding its phylloclades (stem segments) at the slightest drought, or whenever over watered. It may also refuse to bloom for no apparent reason.

photo courtesy of Paul J. Brunelle
As you can see, the edges are almost smooth and the flowers are very different.

Flower bud initiation in Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti start in response to cool temperatures and shortened day length so they should be left outdoors, away from artificial light until night temperatures dip into the 40s. At this time, they do best at temperatures between 50 and 65 degrees.
The Easter Cactus requires a dry period. From October to November, very little water is required for flower bud initiation. Easter cactus can be placed in the same cool area as the Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus. In December, raise the temperature to about 65 degrees and water sparingly.
All three Holiday cacti can be propagated quite easily by removing a single segment and planting it a quarter of its length deep in a pot filled with slightly sandy soil. It helps to put some kind of rooting hormone on the base of the cutting. Place the pot in a well lit area (but not in direct sunlight) and keep the soil moist. The cutting should begin showing signs of growth after two or three weeks.
When it comes to overall care, they all have the same basic needs.
The soil should be evenly moist for best growth, but they are intolerant to constantly wet soil. They will do best in bright indirect light. Long term direct sunlight can burn the leaves and stunt growth. A well balanced general fertilizer applied once or twice a year is usually all that is needed.
Unless the plants outgrow their containers, you can usually get away with repotting every 2-3 years. The flowering can actually be encouraged by the plant being somewhat pot bound. If soil quality deteriorates rapidly, you might consider repotting more often. One of the best soil mediums to use is African Violet soil.
There are not many pests that bother Holiday cacti, other than Mealy Bugs. One easy solution is to touch each insect with an artist's brush or Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. Heavier infestations can be treated with a strong spray of water or Insecticidal Soap, repeated at about weekly intervals. If this doesn't work, a Malathion spray should do the trick. Be careful with the strong spray of water however, the joints of the plants are quite fragile and can break apart if the plant is handled too roughly.
My Mother and Grandmother always had the most beautiful "Christmas Cactus" when I was growing up. I remember marveling at the pretty flowers. Well, I think I learned a little bit about growing them.
Take a look:

I hope you all receive a Thanksgiving or Christmas Cactus as a hostess gift, if not, go out and buy yourself one. You deserve it!
Happy Growing!
Darren

The Tag Does NOT Always Speak the Truth

2010-10-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

This past week I was out at the fairgrounds, helping to identify some plants that were being placed in the flower shows. It never fails, there are LOTS of people out there that have no clue what they are growing. Yet, they want to enter their prized plants. We get the, it has pretty pink flowers, or, it changes color in the Fall.
To enter a flower show, you need to know the botanical names, as well as the common names.
As any of you that know me, I am a stickler for tags. Just ask my Mother. I like to know what the plant is. That way I know if I need to grow it in the sun, or shade, without taking a chance of cooking it.
However, with that being said, Tags are NOT the be all, to end all. I refer back to the helping identify plants for the flower show. I am the Citrus Guy, just look at the name on the blog you are reading!! I know a little something about Citrus.
We had a woman bring in a monster of a Lemon. It was a very nice specimen. She put it in as a Meyer Lemon. I said, "No, it's not a Meyer, it is a Ponderosa Lemon". She said, "The label that came with the tree says it is a Meyer Lemon". I pulled out my books and showed everybody the difference between a Meyer and a Ponderosa. Meyers have more of a nipple. Ponderosa more flat on the bottom. This was not even discussing the size. Meyers DO NOT get that big. I tried to explain that tags can be wrong. Liners can and do get mixed up at nurseries. Tags can get switched on plants. She insisted that the tag is right and that I didn't know what I was talking about.
So, I just walked away from the situation. The fruit was beautiful, made me envious. Well, apparently one of the judges also knows a little bit about Citrus. She ended up getting only an honorable mention because points were taken off for being misnamed.
I tell you this story to get you to do a little homework when buying plants. I, nor anybody else, will ever be able to identify every plant put in front of them. Tags are a very useful tool, but they can be wrong. If you are buying a plant you are familiar with, but lets say it is a different cultivar, research it online. Flower colors, fruit, what have you. I have a friend that really wanted an Orange tree. He went to a place to get said Orange tree. The salesman said, "YES, we have Orange trees, let me run in back and get one". The tree was beautiful. No flowers, fruit or tag, but very healthy. Well, you know where this is going. The next year it flowered and fruited. The fruit never turned Orange. He contacted me to see what was wrong with it. We talked for a while and I went over to his house. It was a Lime. How did I find out? I tasted one of the green fruit, definitely a Lime. The place he bought it from was now out of business, can't imagine why?! He now has a very nice healthy Lime tree and still wants an Orange tree. People can and will say anything!!
So please, while I sing the praises of tags, they are not always right.
Nurseries and Garden Centers have gone to a more efficient tagging system. They are using tags that are more efficient in tracking inventory. There is more information on them. They know there are more people out there that want to know more about the growing conditions of plant they are buying. In the past you would pick up a Cactus and it would read succulent. While all Cacti are succulents, not all succulents are Cacti. Still, there is a long way to go in the world of plant tags.
I know this posting is a little different from the posts I usually make. I just kind of felt bad for the woman with her Lemon and my friend. I really don't want this kind of thing to happen to anybody else. In today's world, there is too much information available out there and sadly too much dishonesty. You should be able to know exactly what you are getting. Hopefully, this will help at least one person.
On a closing note. Tuesday is election day here in the United States. Those close to me know which way I lean politically and I am not going to bring it up now, it does not belong in a gardening blog. But, I will say this....I don't care if you like Donkeys or Elephants. I don't care if you drink Tea. It doesn't matter if you are Conservative or Liberal. PLEASE, get your fannies out there and VOTE!!
Happy Growing!
Darren