June 20, 2000

“Shrubs in the garden, perennials from seed and garden surprises”

Filed under: General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance, How to: Plant Care, Thoughts — Mala @ 7:38 pm

Final Thoughts:
“Shrubs in the garden, perennials from seed and garden surprises” by Mala Gunadasa-Rohling

A nice surprise greeted me one morning a couple of weeks ago - I looked out the window at the weeping willow that hangs over one corner of our garden from the neighbours (a very nice ‘borrowed’ plant) and saw that the lower branches were covered in beautiful pink blooms! During last summer, without anyone noticing, the clematis that grows along our fence had reached up and grown into the weeping willow, and was now in full bloom.

I have a beautiful forsythia bush in the garden, in direct view of the office window. It has lovely fresh green leaves and extremely graceful, tall arching branches. This bush wasn’t pruned last year, (unlike the chopped back one right next to it) and was left to grow into its natural shape and height - about 10 feet tall! This would be great if the weather cooperated: I expect annuals and some perennials to be affected by a heavy rainstorm and flop over, especially the topheavy ones like paeonies, delphiniums, and the delicate, wispy wildflowers I am so fond off. That is why there are always instructions to stake them…But shrubs? Shouldn’t woody shrubs stand up by themselves? I always thought so, but not in the case of this forsythia! On a rainy day, or even the damp, misty days of a Vancouver spring and summer, the days that seem like 200% humidity, the moisture collects on all the leaves and branches and folds them over. My lovely bush looks like a sad, overgrown mop turned upside down in the garden. Pathetic. Almost horizontal, it leans precariously over the other plants around it, threatening to knock over the lilies coming up beside it.

What happened to this bush? Why would it grow so tall? It was probably overfertilised, resulting in far too much fresh, lush growth last year that hasn’t developed any woody structure and so flops around badly. It would have better to grow half that height and have the strength to support itself properly. It is also growing in a rather shady spot - it probably needs more and stronger sunshine to prevent the lax habit, just like seedlings get leggy if they don’t get enough light.

The best thing to do for this plant is to give it a severe pruning right after flowering (oh, did I mention that these nice long stems barely had any flowers on them at all this spring? And I was so looking forward to a lovely show of bright yellow…it never materialised). Remember that forsythia roots from cuttings very easily, you could quickly have a whole hedge of it. It actually makes a very attractive informal flowering hedge - just keep it fairly low, no more than 4 feet tall.

The other shrubs in the garden are doing very well, except perhaps for the rhododendrons. These look a little sickly and sparse…seem to be losing a lot of the lower leaves, and the rest are a bit yellow. This is probably because of bad drainage, most of the garden is a bit of a bog, so much so that I can watch the corner of the patio sinking into the ground after a rainfall.

The ceonothus bushes are doing fine, as are the witch hazel, hebes, hydrangeas and skimmias. The Pacific dogwoods are not almost the size of small trees, very attractive in shape and form. They are a bit late in flowering this year, only now are the first pale, creamy blooms appearing.

Growing perennials from seed is particularly rewarding, as the results will last for many years. My Shasta daisies, lavender and lychnis will be blooming very shortly and I’m really looking forward to them! The daisy buds are numerous enough to risk cutting some and bringing them indoors, as they are supposed to last quite long in a vase. The lychnis, with its soft, hairy silver-green leaves should make a great contrast to the brilliant, magenta flowers. I love the bright colour of this flower, and there is a lovely white version also which I must get.

As for the lavender, who doesn’t like this plant? Easy care, will grow in poor soil, doesn’t need much water, and just a trim at the end of the season to tidy it up if you wish. The fragrance is unforgettable, as is the colour. Delicate yet hardy at the same time. As useful as you want to make it (you can make soap and cosmetics from it, use it for scent sachets or potpourri, even cook with it), it also looks lovely just sitting there in the border or in a pot on the patio. I have just finished reading a book where the author tells a story that takes place in the lavender fields that used to cover the hills of southwest London in the 1800’s. A particularly touching story of a young girl and her sick baby brother takes place in these fields…I will never be able to look at a lavender bush again without remembering Lucy and Horatio. It is truly amazing how your perception of plants changes with experiences like this - where a flower has a part in a good book or movie, or even more strongly, if it is part of a friend or relatives treasured garden…if you can possibly get a cutting or seeds from these plants, or resort to buying a similar plant from a nursery, even if it is the ordinary, everyday variety, it is guaranteed to produce more pleasure and memories for you than anything that doesn’t have this ‘background’ or ‘association’. Make sure your garden is filled with your own personal favourites to really get the most enjoyment from it.

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Wierd and Wonderful Uses for Vegetables.

Filed under: Garden Gossip, General Posts — Mala @ 7:27 pm

Horticulture News from Around the World:

Here are three stories from all around the world that focus on vegetables!

1. Mega-Artichokes to Power Homes?

(LONDON) - Reuters: Spanish farmers are growing three-meter high artichokes for burning in special power stations to produce electricity, the Independent newspaper reported on Thursday.

The genetically-modified monster vegetables, which boast seven meter roots, will be generating power for 60,000 people when operations in the northern towns of Villabilla de Burgos and Alcala de Gurrea begin in two years.

The newspaper said twin power stations will burn 105,000 tonnes of the dried and pulped Cynara Cardunculs each year. Farmers were persuaded to sow the prickly plant by EU subsidies and price guarantees from the electricity generator.

Burning plants for energy is not a new idea, but the biomass sector has seen a revival in recent years as environmental concerns rise. While there are already a number of biomass schemes in Europe they often struggle to compete commercially with other green energy schemes.

An Irish scheme to burn cannabis as a fuel foundered last year because of it was considered too expensive compared with wind power projects.

2. Scientists Champion Drought-Tolerant Crops in India
By John Chalmers

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An agricultural research group said on Tuesday it has pioneered two drought-tolerant chickpea crop varieties that have reversed the fortunes of poor farmers in one of five Indian states suffering from an acute water shortage.

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), based in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, said alternative crops and the application of community-managed watersheds are solutions for the 800 million people living in low rainfall areas around the globe.

“In the semi-arid tropics, drought occurs two out of every five years. And even when there is rainfall, it is erratic, varying from year to year, and within seasons,” the group said in a statement released at a news conference in New Delhi.

“Further, only 30-60 percent of this rainfall is used effectively for crop production; the remaining 40-70 percent of rainwater is lost as runoff, evaporation and deep drainage.”

ICRISAT said that in Andhra Pradesh, one of several Indian states currently reeling under severe drought conditions, it had introduced short-duration chickpea varieties which mature in 85-100 days and therefore escape end-of-season drought. For farmers near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, 1999 was particularly harsh: there were no rains at all after October 21. But those who grew the Swetha and Kranthi chickpea varieties harvested as much as 1.7 tonnes per hectare.

ICRISAT said Andhra Pradesh’s ’silent chickpea revolution’ — production of the pulse has grown sevenfold in the state over the past 10 years — has been a boon to farmers previously struggling to make a living from cotton crops.

The chickpea requires less investment, labor and fertilizer than cotton crops, which have long been dogged by pests. In recent years dozens of indebted cotton farmers in central and southern India have committed suicide.

ICRISAT said that in conjunction with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research it had also released five varieties of groundnut in India, three of which are tolerant to end-of-season drought and two are tolerant to mid-season drought.

The institute also promotes the conservation of rainfall through community-managed watersheds, which it says increase crop productivity and reduce soil loss.

“It’s a good approach to properly harvest the little rainfall we have,” said ICRISAT Director General William Dar, who said that of the 800 million people living in semi-arid tropics, 300 million are the ‘poorest of the poor’ and food-insecure.

Barry Shapiro, director of the group’s natural resource management program, said that expansion of deserts is affecting 40 percent of Asia’s land surface.

Advocating a long-term approach, he said scientists need to use remote sensing to identify areas of degradation, geographical information systems to locate ideal watershed areas and terrain modeling to capture rainwater efficiently.

3. ‘Super-broccoli’ to help fight cancer

BRITISH scientists have developed a “super-broccoli” that could help to combat colon cancer, it was disclosed yesterday. 

It looks and tastes the same as ordinary broccoli but holds 100 times more of the chemical sulphoraphane, which helps to kill cancer-causing substances in food. The chemical is in Brussels sprouts and cauliflower but strongest in broccoli. 

Scientists at the government-funded John Innes Centre in Norwich bred the broccoli, which could be in the shops in 2002, by crossing an ordinary variety with a wild Sicilian relative. Tests on people could start next year, New Scientist magazine said. Dr Richard Mithen, a plant biologist at the John Innes Centre, said it was acknowledged that a third of cancers were probably caused by bad diet. Colon cancer kills about 25,000 people a year in Britain.

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Increase your vegetable production with Succession Planting

Filed under: General Posts, How to: Garden Maintenance, How to: Plant Care, Month 06: June — Mala @ 7:06 pm

June In-Depth How-To:
Increase your vegetable production with Succession Planting

Many beginner gardeners plant their crops in the spring, harvest the vegetables, then clean up the garden and wait till next year to start all over again. It is very easy to get more enjoyment, not to mention more production out of your garden. Try succession planting for a constant supply of fresh produce all summer (and into autumn) long. No matter where you live, you can harvest at least two crops from the same area of the garden during the growing season.

Divide the crops you will be growing into two different categories : cool weather and warm weather crops. Crops that do well in cool weather include: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsnips, peas, radish, spinach, mustard greens, kale, turnips and swiss chard. Plant these varieties as early in the growing season as possible for your area of the country. After you have harvested these varieties from the garden, follow up by planting your warm weather vegetables. 

Warm weather vegetables include: beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, okra, peppers, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes and watermelons. In a few areas of the country, a third planting of the cool weather crops can be planted again in the fall. Below are some examples of succession planting.

 

 

In many areas of the southern US, the growing season can be over 230 days.

Start by planting lettuce, spinach or other cool weather crops that can be harvested in 60 to 75 days. Follow that with a planting of beans or cucumbers (these also mature in about 60 to 75 days). This will still leave you with about 70 days for a late planting of root crops, cole crops or greens. Or as a second crop, you can plant corn, tomatoes, melons etc. and still have these mature by the end of the season.

In the northern areas of the country, you also can get two crops out of the same section of the garden. With as little as 150 days in the season, you can plant an early maturing lettuce or radish and follow with a crop of beans. In northern states with a longer growing season, tomatoes, melons, corn, etc. can all be planted after you have harvested the earlier crops of lettuce, spinach and cole crops.

Just remember, in order to plan succession planting, you have to know how many days each variety takes to mature and how long your growing season is. Also, do not plant members of the same family in succession, as this could put a strain on your soil’s resources. More on this aspect of vegetable gardening, known as ‘Crop Rotation’ in a future issue of the Journal.

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Book Review:”Perennials for British Columbia” by Alison Beck & Marianne Binetti

Filed under: Book Reviews, General Posts, How to: Plant Care — Mala @ 6:56 pm

Summer Book Review:
“Perennials for British Columbia” 
by Alison Beck & Marianne Binetti.

Lone Pine Publishing
ISBN 1-55105-258-X
Softcover. 352 pages.
$21.95 CAD Suggested Retail Price

This new book from Lone Pine Publishing is the Canadian (British Columbia to be precise) edition of the gardening guide ‘Perennials for Washington and Oregon’, launched at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, February 2000. The small, soft cover book (a handy size to take with you to the local nursery) describes 95 species, with several varieties, hybrids and cultivars of each, bringing the total number of plants covered to 434. With over 500 colour photographs for illustration, and the basic facts about each species clearly listed (flower colour, bloom season, height, hardiness, light requirements, soil conditions), this is an excellent beginner to intermediate gardeners guide to a wide selection of appropriate plants for this particular area.

The book gets off to a good start with an Introduction that explains the different gardening regions and zones within this vast province. Anyone who lives in B.C. clearly knows the difference between gardening on the wet, warm West Coast and the dry, desert-like interior with its extremes of temperatures. B.C. actually has areas that correspond to nine main temperature zones as defined by Agriculture Canada, and yes, a Zone map is presented (it stops at Prince Rupert, leaving the top 1/3 of the province blank, claiming no data available). It continues on to explain how different 5 degrees F (-15 degrees C) can be with or without reliable snow cover, an important point for people that worship zone maps!

The Introduction then proceeds to describe the basics of perennial gardening, with information on what a perennial is, how to design a space taking into consideration different plant textures and shapes as well as flowers and how to determine the different growing areas within your garden space. The section on preparing the garden briefly covers composting, how to choose a good specimen at a nursery and then how to plant it once you get it home. The information is simple, basic and to the point, and is nicely illustrated with photographs.

The book then discusses perennial care, covering weeding, mulching, deadheading, pruning, staking, watering and fertilizing. All the basics are explained in simple language that any beginner can easily understand and follow, to get great results. The section on propagation outlines seed preparation and sowing, taking cuttings, both root and shoot, and also plant division. Everyone should have a go at propagation for its challenges and rewards - lots of plants at no additional cost (or very little as in the case of seed packets - the book doesn’t cover seed saving) - and this section should give you the confidence needed to jump in and have fun and success.

Finally, still in the Introduction (it goes for 60 info-packed pages!), there is a section on common pests and problems, including identification and control.

With the basics covered, the bulk of the book is an alphabetical (by common name) description of 95 species. Common and latin names are listed which is nice, since this is the only way you can be sure you are talking about the same plant as someone else. Descriptions and a couple of photos illustrate the plants features, how and where it can be used, where it should be planted. There is a list of recommended varieties to look and ask for. A handy Quick Reference Chart (cross references common names with flower colour, height, bloom period, hardiness, light and soil conditions )at the end of the book will help plan and design your new perennial beds. A brief Glossary explains the terms used throughout the book.

The authors are experienced gardeners, as well as having wide knowledge of related fields. Marianne Binetti has a degree in Horticulture from Washington State University and extensive experience in the nursery and retail florist trade. She now lectures to garden groups, writes for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and other newspapers across the state as well as national magazines. Alison Beck has a diploma in Horticultural Technology as well as a degree in Creative Writing and Classical Studies, and has been gardening since childhood.

This book is an excellent starting point for anyone that doesn’t have much experience with perennials, or for more experienced gardeners that are looking for a good selection of plants for the particular growing conditions of British Columbia and similar climates (it would work well for most areas of England for example). The simple, straightforward text is helpful and covers the basics nicely. The full-colour photos are of good quality and illustrate the plants features very well. All in all, a great little book to expand your gardening repertoire. Look for it in local bookshops or order toll-free direct from Lone Pine Publishing at 800-661-9017.

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June Garden Action Items

Filed under: How to: Garden Maintenance, How to: Plant Care, Month 06: June — Mala @ 6:47 pm

It’s official - summer is here, although the rainy and cold weather that we’ve been having so far in Vancouver (and also in England if Chelsea coverage is anything to go by) wouldn’t let on to that fact…still, there is lots to do in the garden now, so out you go!

  1. Start to sow quick maturing vegetable seeds such as lettuce and radish on a regular two-week basis for the next couple of months. This will ensure a steady supply of fresh produce that is ready on a staggered time frame, and doesn’t mature all at the same time. Remember that these quick crops are a great starter plant for children, as their speedy germination and growth can be easily monitored and appreciated before they lose interest.
  2. Make sure that watering of newly emerging seedlings and freshly planted out flowers and vegetables is done very regularly! Don’t let them dry out too much at this delicate stage as they will not have the resources to recover, as will more established plants.
  3. Keep a close and vigilant eye out for garden pests. A small infection caught now will be much easier to control than a rampant infestation in a few weeks time. Aphids, blackfly, greenfly, slugs, etc can multiply at an alarming rate at this time of year. Try hand picking them, squashing them between your fingers (wear gloves if you are squeamish!). Some sources suggest a strong spray with a water jet to dislodge them - I don’t like this method personally as I’m sure they’ll be back within minutes? A mild soap solution seems a much better bet. Whichever method you choose, the trick is to catch the bad bugs early and regularly.
  4. By now almost all danger of severe frost has passed in even the coldest areas, and bedding plants can be safely put outside into the garden. Make sure they have been slowly acclimatised, though, or the sudden shock of moving them from a warm, sheltered indoor or greenhouse location straight outside can set them back quite a lot.
  5. It’s time to start the regular schedule of mowing the lawn, and if you haven’t done so already, the blades can now be lowered to their final desired position. If you cut regularly enough so that only a tiny bit is taken off each time, you won’t have to worry about the clippings, just let them fall back down. If you wait until you are removing an inch or two, it is often tidier to collect the clippings, either at the same time with the bag attached or raking up afterwards. Remember that these clippings are great for the compost heap, or used as a mulch (after they have been laid out to turn brown).
  6. All manner of vegetable crops can be sown outside throughout this month and will mature in time to produce a healthy harvest. Try beans, carrots, squash, peas, corn, lettuce, spinach and beets for a good assortment of fresh produce, guaranteed to taste better than anything you get from the supermarkets!
  7. With rows of vegetables planted earlier this year, it is now time to thin them to the correct spacing. This depends on the crop grown, and will be indicated on the seed packet. Firm the soil back around the row and water gently to settle the soil. A row of plants that is too close together will never reach its full potential, and the final produce load will be smaller than if you are brave and thin out now. This is a difficult job for some people (I definitely fall into this category!!) but remember that you can almost always use these little seedlings for fresh and trendy ‘baby vegetables’. Especially delicious are tiny carrots, beets and leeks which can be eaten whole, leaves and all in fresh salads or braised/grilled lightly in a pan.
  8. A little fertiliser sprinkled around rapidly growing shrubs and perennials will help them flower to their best. Scratch it in gently around the plants, not directly up against the stem but in a wide circle around the base. Water in if rain isn’t expected shortly.
  9. Now is a good time to divide those spring flowering perennials such as hellebores, primulas and pulmonarias. After the flowers have faded, dig up any old, established clumps and gently divide them into smaller pieces, each with its own section of leaves and roots. Replant these sections where desired or share them with friends.
  10. Early this month, cut back spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia. This will keep the bush in shape as it tends to get a bit loose and straggly otherwise, as well as quickly outgrowing it’s allotted space! Cutting back at this time of year rather than in late autumn will ensure a good crop of flowers next spring as the plant has time to grow the shoots which will bear blossoms next season.
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Flower Shows - ‘Tis the Season!

Filed under: Garden Gossip, General Posts, Thoughts — Mala @ 6:31 pm

Since 1913, the Chelsea Flower Show has been a showcase of the very best of English gardening and one of the leading events of gardening and horticultural season. Attended by royalty, celebrities and a very keen public, it is a treasured tradition each year at the end of May. The show actually started quite a few years earlier than this, in the late 1880’s, but was in a different location - it became the Chelsea Flower Show when it moved to the current premises at the Hospital.

There are many photographs and analyses of this most famous of all flower shows, each year seems to get more media coverage and promotion. This year there seems to be a glut of internet reviews, complete with pictures, video and pages of text, written by experts and laymen alike. You don’t even need to be there any more to have seen all the exhibits, enjoyed the scenery and even bought that special plant that caught our eye!! But what is this really all about? Why the big deal about Chelsea? Maybe because it is put on by the Royal Horticultural Society, that venerable institution that all serious gardeners are required to aspire to belong to someday. The RHS is revered around the world for its research, seedbanks, training facilities, demonstration gardens and library, and Chelsea is definitely the jewel in the crown of its horticultural year.

The exhibits are by much sought-after invitation only, so right there you know you are seeing a privileged selection of the best nursery and tradesmen showcasing their products and expertise. And tens of thousands of pounds are spent on each exhibit area, so this is not a cheap spectacle, not to mention the months and months of planning and meticulous preparation. This year showed an expanded selection of international exhibits which was a nice and very welcome change.


Leyhill prison’s award-winning garden at Chelsea yesterday. The design shows nature’s ability to heal scars on the landscape caused by industry

So why haven’t I been suitably impressed with all the pictures that I’ve seen so far of the show? I must acknowledge that there is no way that any media coverage can substitute for the real thing - a walk around the show - but it seems to me that all the exhibits are trying just a little too hard to be perfect, and every gardener knows that a real garden is far from perfect. These little glimpses into different worlds, loosely based on a theme which varies from year to year seem like still life paintings somehow, and not like someplace that I would ever feel like I would want for my own garden! Maybe my tastes and styles are just too simplistic to appreciate them, but any garden that requires so much explanation and reasoning isn’t my style. Far too much symbolism to figure out, who wants to work that hard? Especially after a long day working at a job, the last thing I want from my garden when I get home is more work (of the mental kind). Something basic and soothing to the soul where I can simply and mindlessly putter around and relax is my idea of a garden, and none of the fancy displays at Chelsea made me feel like I could do that. But it is always a great place to go for ideas and inspiration - just pick and choose the elements that do appeal to you and incorporate them into your own garden or plans.

Here are some examples from Chelsea this year:


The Gardens Illustrated entry called Evolutions is, along with many other of the more conspicuous gardens, brimming with post-millennial symbolism and novel interpretation
‘Evolution’ garden at the Chelsea Flower Show 

The Garden of the Night
A man models a defribulator in the Lifesavers garden

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Some of the best Chelsea coverage this year is by The Times newspaper of London - check their online special for reviews and photographs at:

http://www.the-times.co.uk/onlinespecials/britain/chelsea/

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There are other major flower and garden festivals held regularly all around the world, and they all have their own loyal following. Although it seems like it’s been around almost as long as Chelsea, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show first took place as late as 1990! 

Another new one that draws a national and loyal audience is the BBC Gardener’s World Live Show in Birmingham, only 6 years old.

The biggest local event in Vancouver is probably the VanDusen show, held in late May/early June. This outdoor extravaganza is based loosely on the same principles as Chelsea, but much less formal - anyone can buy themselves a booth and set up a display, no invitation needed. Many smaller companies band together and share the tiny cubicle-like spaces, usually creating more chaos than creative space management!

I decided at the last minute to attend the Gala Preview Night, and it was a great party, hosted this year by my good friend David Tarrant. Lots of delicious food and drink, every ‘gardening celebrity’ that this town can muster (plus a few from out of town as well), music, speeches, charity auctions and more. But what about the exhibits, the real reason for the show? The preview night is always a good night to have a snoop around since you can beat the crowds and everything is still at its finest and freshest. This year’s theme is ‘Evolution’ and there were a few vague attempts to portray the idea, but as was to be expected with such a loose and undefined theme, there was lots of room for interpretation and pretty much anything went! All this would have been just fine if anyone had actually shown any creativity and imagination. While Chelsea is renowned for innovation and creativity, these exhibits were, for the most part, rather boring and pedestrian. As I looked around, it seemed like everyone was using the same few plants placed around in very mundane ways. I’ve noticed this in the last few years also - one year it was the lovely Corydalis ‘Blue Panda’, I swear every booth had some of these beautiful blue flowering plants displayed! Last year it was Geranium ‘Pink Spice’, a sweet, dark foliaged hardy geranium with abundant small pink flowers. A couple of years ago, at the Victoria Flower & Garden Festival, it was the pretty pink version of the familiar white baby’s breath. While all of these are great plants, does everyone there need to show it at the same time, and in the same way? I suppose this is how ‘plant fashions’ are determined: someone decides arbitrarily that one particular plant is ‘it’ this year and everyone follows along blindly like sheep! One notable exception was a couple of nurseries that had a lovely display of native and unusual perennials, using dried grasses to make trellis-type screens was particularly inspired. I’ll patronise that creative and unusual display every time! You didn’t have to think very hard or interpret anything, it was just done beautifully, simply and with flair - excellent.

There is definitely a lot to be learned from attending one of these shows, and you’ll always get something out of a day walking around, observing. Take a notebook, wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers and hope for good weather. Enjoy the show!

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