Gardening in the Zone

Birds in the Garden

2012-01-04T14:23:00.000-05:00

For me, gardening and birding go hand-in-hand.

One activity enriches the other.

In my gardens, I grow flowers and vegetables, deciduous trees, evergreens and fruit-bearing bushes like service berry, blackberry and bittersweet to attracts birds. The perennials produce nesting material and seeds. The blue spruce and maple trees are poplar roosting spots. Catnip seeds are a favorite of the goldfinch and the purple thistle's down is used to line their nests. After the vegetable garden is put to bed, the resulting compost becomes a favorite spot for birds. Spent perennial beds become niches to explore for seeds and dirt for dry bathing.

Visiting birds, in turn eat harmful insects like cabbage worms, larvae and moths. They assist in pollination. Birds bring beauty and inspiration as they travel between cone flower, cosmos and bee balm, or perch in the trees singing their songs. Through the years, birds have also brought "volunteers" to my garden. An oak tree and a swamp willow are two of the trees they have planted. It's as if they too want a say in what should grow in their backyard!

This summer, a squash plant of unknown origin (possibly from a cross-pollinated seed), flourished in the spot chosen by some enterprising bird. Dropped adjacent to a graveled spot under the bay window, in a year when growing pumpkins was difficult (a wet spring, followed by a long, hot and dry summer) this one plant produced close to a dozen fruit. Shaped like spaghetti squash and bright orange like a pumpkin, I decorated for fall with these complimentary "Jack-o-lanterns."

In my gardening journal, I note the migration of birds, and birds that stay near us year-round. On a cold winter day like today, I like to read my entries:

March 19, 2005: Outside the kitchen window, I saw the first red-winged blackbird of the season, feeding alongside some grackles.

March 4, 2000: Sighted male and female bluebirds at end of property, near the bluebird house.

March 8, 2011: Spotted two buzzards (turkey vultures) overhead, near the Olentangy River.

February 28, 2010: A mockingbird is at the suet feeder. The snow is melting. Grass can be seen. Birds are bathing in the puddles that have formed.

January 29, 2000: One chickadee, several juncos and sparrows visited the feeders. Cold weather today. Snow expected tonight.

And sometimes, an unexpected bird, like a chukar or cock pheasant (escapees from a nearby hunting farm) makes it way into our backyard. For over a week now, a beautifully plumbed male pheasant has taken up residency near the purple plum and its many feeders. It finds refuge under the tall grasses along the fence and in the spent perennial beds, and low pine branches. This morning, as he ate the cracked corn I bought specially for him, I watched as he fed alongside the sparrows, finches and cardinals. The American crow, one of three that hangs around our property, flew in for his breakfast; then quickly flew out. He wasn't expecting a giant amongst the familiar flock of underlings:

I hope the pheasant decides to stay. And, if he decides to plant something, I promise I will tend to it :)

A Soggy Spring

2011-05-31T21:01:00.000-04:00

April showers continued for much of May.

Consequently, gardening tasks were structured around small breaks in the weather. On the plus side, the spring flowers and flowering trees were gorgeous this year. I've been following the La Nina weather pattern and there's a good possibility Zone 5 will see hot, dry weather this summer. That pattern might have already started. Over the past few days, we have had unseasonably hot weather with temperatures in the 90s.
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2011 marks my first year for raised bed gardening. The three raised beds were assembled, placed and filled with compost, peat moss and potting soil in early May. The first bed was planted with green bush snap beans (Burpee's Tenderpick, 54 day maturity) and Black Beauty eggplant. The beans sprouted two weeks ago. A small number of sprouts have died due to root rot (from the wet soil condition). These spots were replanted. Beans are smooth, straight, 5 1/2" long, and excellent for freezing. The eggplant plants came from a local garden center. Maturity is 80 days. Already, the black flea beetles - the size of a pinhead but very voracious - have found the eggplants. Considered a bane to eggplant, the beetles makes lattice work out of the leaves. Unfortunately, the damage is not just cosmetic, it can affect yield. For now, I am picking the beetles off as I see them.
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The second bed contains herbs: sage, dill, chives and basil as well as sweet onion bulbs and two rows of Burpee's Short 'n Sweet carrots. This carrot variety produces sweet roots approximately 4" long. In a few days, I will be thinning the carrots. Carrots mature 68 days after sowing.
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The third bed contains three kinds of peppers - red, yellow and green - that I started from seeds. I also planted two kinds of Burpee loosehead type lettuce: Green Ice (45 days) and Red Salad Bowl (50 days). Lettuce grows best in cool weather but I was not able to get the seeds planted as early as I should have. I am using an umbrella to help shade the tender plants from the hot sun. Fire 'n Ice radishes round out the third bed. This Burpee radish is a French Breakfast-type radish. Its roots are 3-4" long, mild and delicate, colored red and white. The radish is ready to eat in approximately 25 days.
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Getting the Burpee Silver Queen corn - a white normal sugar hybrid variety - into the potting shed garden took some patience. Again, the rain. I prepped the ground (weeded and turned over the soil) and it started to rain just as I finished. When I had a two day window, I turned the soil to a depth of 4 inches to expose and dry it out. This made the soil workable. On the second day, the seeds went in late in the day. It rained that evening. As of this writing, roughly 70 percent of the kernels have sprouted.
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I finally finished planting all of the tomato starts over the Memorial weekend. Still to get in: some remaining cabbage and melon starts, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini and squash seeds.

Dill and Chives

Another Gardening Season Opens

2011-03-19T20:37:00.002-04:00

The 2011 planting season is open!

After what seemed like the longest winter ever, I planted five rows of sugar snap peas in the kitchen garden: Burpee variety Super Snappy with an edible pod. 65 days to harvest. This seed is tolerant to powdery mildew and needs no support. Around here, the date to get peas in is St. Patrick's Day. I have never managed to get the peas in that early for one reason or another. Today, everything was perfect for working the ground and sowing. The soil was cool and slightly damp, not clumpy. The weather mild and sunny. After sowing, I sprinkled some inoculation granules next to the rows to boost production. What with an early start, and a booster, these just might be super Super Snappy peas!

The three 3'x6' raised planter beds I ordered from Gardener's Supply arrived late last week. I'll be putting them together in the next day or so. Once together and in place, soil will need to be mixed and added to the beds. The mixture is part potting soil, compost, peat moss, and vermiculite. The plants that will go into these beds are being grown as starts. Before planting the peas, I made up two trays of seeds containing Burpee's Super Beefsteak Tomato, Sugar Snack Hybrid (a red cherry) Tomato, Great Stuff Green Pepper, Red Delicious Hybrid Pepper, Sweet Banana (yellow) Pepper, Gold Standard Hybrid (yellow) Pepper, Earliana Cabbage, Breakfast Longkeeper Cantaloupe, Crimson Sweet Watermelon, Sweet Basil, Sage and Alyssum.

Once the tomato and pepper seed starts get bigger, they will be transferred to larger pots. Uncle Keaks will be losing his bottom rung in a couple of weeks.

Uncle Keaks relaxes on the bottom shelf....for now :)

The southern exposure is a kitty-cat favorite

which they reluctantly have to share

with the seed starts!

Peat pots retain moisture and decompose when planted.

A clear plastic greenhouse dome goes over top of each tray,

creating a humid environment for germination.

On the Naming of Gnomes

2011-03-06T10:44:00.000-05:00

Winter is a time for reflection.

Time to create gardens in the mind.

I have created a new garden, one of raised beds, a stone path, a half circle of roses and a place for a fire pit. The space was readied in the fall. Once the weather breaks, the installation of plants and design begins. In the meantime, I plan. Three 3' x 6' black raised beds have been ordered. My seed cache inventoried. In mid-March, I will start the tomato, pepper and cabbage seeds indoors.

The expansive vegetable garden I have had since 1995 was retired at the end of last year. The tiller was sold. Call it aging-in-place, downsizing or conserving human energy, the reality is, it was time for a change. Spring of 2011, there will be a kitchen garden, the potting shed garden, some containers and a new raised bed garden.

And, there will be a gnome to watch over it.

My girlfriend gave me a gnome for my birthday. I have always wanted one. I decided mine needed a name. I wanted to make it unique so I Googled gnome names. Apparently, I was not just being quirky. As one site noted, without a proper "gname," a gnome will lead an unhappy life. Meaning and purpose for a gnome, who would have thought?

So, I poured over some name generators and found the "gname." It was European and ancient enough for such a special creature. Because his shanks are short, I believe his surname must be Shortshanks! I decreed his duties and they are, as such, an extension of his given name.

So, may I introduce to you

"Turrick Shortshanks"

The Slug-Slayer and Herb Minder of Township Troy.

He has much work to do!

You may call him Turrick for short ;)

Sweet on Sweet Basil

2010-11-10T20:09:00.000-05:00

My kitchen garden contains a small variety of vegetables and herbs. I typically grow four or five different herbs each season. There's nothing as nice as snipping homegrown, fresh herbs!

Most herbs are easy to grow and require minimal care. Parsley and chives are hardy and reliable herbs which will grow year after year if the root remains. When left to form seed heads, dill reseeds itself. Basil, an annual herb from the mint family, should be sown from seeds in the spring after the frost free date. It is great as a container plant or as part of an herb garden.

This year, I grew Stokes' sweet basil. I sowed the seeds by sprinkling them a few inches apart and covering them with a light soil mixture of peat moss and potting soil.

Basil likes slightly moist soil and needs at least six hours of sun. Seeds usually germinate in seven days. To harvest throughout the season, pinch off the leaves. Or, cut the plant at the base, tie in a bunch and hang upside down to dry. Basil is aromatic and wonderful fresh or dried; fresh in tomato and mozzarella salads or dried in tomato sauce and soups. And of course, finely chopped and mixed with olive oil and garlic, it makes the delightful pesto.

My Potting Shed

2010-10-24T19:52:00.001-04:00

Located by the old apple tree, my potting shed is as utilitarian as it is backyard sanctuary.

With a horseshoe over its doors for gardening luck, everything I need is here: shovels, hoes, tools, plant cages, trays, stakes, pots, fertilizer, and wheelbarrow. Everything, except the tiller. The tiller was sold a few weeks ago after deciding to retire the main vegetable garden in favor of raised beds.

The small garden adjacent to the shed has been used to grow corn, pumpkins, watermelon, black raspberries, tomatoes, sunflowers, dill and annual flowers.

Previously used as an outbuilding, my potting shed owes its inspiration to my sister's cozy potting shed and my brother-in-law's carpentry work. Inside, the shed has a bohemian feel: with its birdhouses, cat prints, baskets, fabric flowers, seashells, a blue and pink floral area rug, a stain glass landscape in an antique frame, and a color scheme of red, azure blue and vibrant green.

My daughter said she would help paint the shed if she could select the colors, so I happily turned that decision over to her. We painted a couple of particle board storage shelves and the circa 1960's wood kitchen cabinet the original owners had removed from the house. The cabinet's red formica countertop makes for easy cleanup.

On the outside, my brother-in-law added siding and new shingles about 10 years ago. The renovations have helped preserve the structure (there was some rotting). The window he cut in gives the shed charm and a view.

My brother-in-law also created a place to organize and hang my tools. It was a thoughtful surprise that has helped keep the shed neat and the tools handy.

My little potting shed is sometimes my home away from home.

I keep a blue rocking chair inside the shed. Once, I placed it under the apple tree and rocked for a few indulgent minutes...daydreaming about my next project ;)

Composting 101

2010-10-17T20:43:00.000-04:00

Gardening and composting go hand in hand.

Not long after we moved to our three acres in the country, I took up composting on a grand scale.

At the property line in between the trees, there are several large piles of organic debris: tree limbs, leaves, corn stalks and other plant material, including weeds, that are too big for the compost bin. These piles I let decay naturally. I do nothing but add additional plant material to the piles. Rabbits and other small animals make homes out of some of the piles. Despite the piling on of material, the piles never get higher than two feet. Nature takes care of the compacting and composting for me.

At the back of the potting shed, the "Earth Machine" as it is called, takes care of our organic kitchen scraps.

As part of the county's mission to reduce waste,

these compost bins were given away to encourage composting.

This bin has been producing compost for almost 15 years.

Composting in this vented bin is almost as carefree as the other compost piles. Scraps (no meat or dairy) like potato skins, coffee grounds, vegetable and fruit peels, etc. are collected and kept in a closed gallon bucket in the garage. At least once a week, the bucket is emptied into the Earth Machine.

As of late, mom and I have been picking and peeling apples. The bad apples and peels went into the bin followed by a carbon layer of dried small sticks and leaves. It is important to alternate layers of organic matter (green = nitrogen & brown = carbon). Green grass clippings are a good source of nitrogen. Occasionally, I add one or two shovels of dirt. Dirt contains microbes and insects which help break down organic matter. Periodically, I mix and tamp down the organic mixture adding a couple gallons of water if the mixture gets dry. Moisture is needed to keep the organic material "hot" and decomposing.

This carbon layer went on top of the apple & peel layer.

At the bottom of the Earth Machine there is a sliding door. The bottom is where the "black gold," or compost falls and compresses. This is the good stuff: organic matter ready to be shoveled out and used around plants or to amend the vegetable garden.

This compost was used to fertilize the new mums planted this fall.

Predicting Winter

2010-10-14T14:26:00.000-04:00

As gardening in zone five begins to wind down, I keep an eye out for the first woolly worm. I usually find them among the fallen leaves or crossing the road. The hairy caterpillar of the Isabelle Tiger Moth is part of weather-predicting folklore. Native Americans believed the size of the black and brown "bands" predicted what kind of winter lay ahead. More brown means a fair winter. More black than brown means a harsh winter. Studies have shown this method of predicting winter is 85% accurate.

This year, I have seen several woolly worms with smaller black bands on both ends.

Not being a fan of winter, I hope this means a cold start to winter, followed by a long, mostly mild period, ending with more cold.

Only spring will tell!

Extending the Garden's Colors

2010-10-11T15:41:00.000-04:00

In late summer, early fall, most of the annuals and perennials have faded or stopped blooming.

Chrysanthemums, or hardy mums are the perfect plant to extend color in the landscape. In zone 5, mums are an iconic symbol of fall.

This magenta mum located on a west-facing bed in the front yard was planted five years ago as a single potted plant. It continues to grow via the stolons (shoots that bend to the ground producing roots at the nodes). I fertilize using Miracle Gro during the summer. I also amend the surrounding soil with homemade compost.

Mums come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, gold, purple and red. Mums are cultivated to grow in zones 3-9. Cultivars vary in hardiness so it is best to buy mums from your local nursery. The plants grow 2 to 3 feet high and prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Mums can withstand light frosts.

When planting potted mums (versus root cuttings), plant in late summer in order to establish the roots. In the spring, pinch off the tips of the plant to produce and promote side growth. This will cause the plant to fill out (become bushy). During hot, dry weather, mums need extra watering. With care, mums can be long-lasting perennials. The golden mum shown above looks a little worse for wear because my cat, Noll likes to roll around in the adjacent catnip. Sometimes he accidentally flops on the mum.

In late summer, I removed some of the spent annuals and wild phlox from the perennial bed and planted four yellow mums. The cheery yellow brightens up the outer edges of the bittersweet. In late fall, a protective mulching (leaves/grass) will help protect the plantings from the winter cold. In a few years, they should be as full and spreading as the magenta. Mums are a great value: low in price, nominal care and long-lived.

Fall wouldn't be the same without them.

Perennial Heuchera

2010-10-11T14:15:00.001-04:00

The cultivar Heuchera, also known as 'coral bells' or 'alum root,' is native to North America. It is available in hundreds of foliage colors - yellow, silver, red, black and purple. Heuchera's palmately-lobed and glossy leaves make it a highly desired and striking border plant. Plants grow 7" high (not counting the spiked flowers). I prefer to grow heuchera as an accent plant in the shaded parts of my perennial bed.

Heuchera's flowers are not showy, but they are extensive, on thin stems, varying in color - white, pink, red. The heuchera I grow have green and purple-edged foliage and tiny, airy-white flowers. In summer, I pinch back the spent flowers to encourage a fall bloom.

Thriving in shade to full sun, this perennial prefers moist and well-drained soil. Fertilize occasionally with Miracle Gro. In a prolonged drought, water heuchera one inch. once a week. Mulch around the plants in the fall and divide the plants every few years to keep it happy and robust. This plant has shallow crowns. Mulching helps to keep the plants from heaving in the winter. Relatively disease and pest free, heuchera is an easy-breezy addition to any zone 5 perennial or garden bed.

On Growing Horseradish

2010-08-29T19:18:00.000-04:00

Three years ago, my gardening friend and neighbor handed me a little brown bag. Inside that bag were two shriveled up horseradish roots. Not much to look at.

I had never grown horseradish before. Caryn assured me it was easy. Her only advise: grow it in a pot unless you want it to spread.

So I did.

In early spring, in a large pot filled with Miracle Grow potting soil, I placed the two 4" and 5" roots. The pot was placed in a area that received morning and early afternoon sun. I kept the soil moist. When the leaves started to die back, I dug out the roots. And THAT, is how you grow horseradish!

Gardening does not get any easier!

Be sure to save a couple of the smaller roots for planting next season. Remove the leaves and dirt. Store the roots in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry area.

Preparing the horseradish: Scrub and peel the outer root layer. Grate finely using a grater. Fresh horseradish is pungent so be prepared to tear up. Mix the grated root with white vinegar and a pinch of salt. For every 3 tablespoons of root, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Put mixture in a clean, sterile jar and store it in the refrigerator. I love horseradish on bratwurst. You can also add horseradish to mash potatoes. When added to mayonnaise, it makes a snappy condiment for roast beef sandwiches.

A Garden Update

2010-08-19T21:36:00.000-04:00

Extreme best describes the 2010 growing season in Zone 5. Challenging is another good word to describe it!

The ground was tilled, and the seeds and plant starts - tomatoes, peppers, cabbage - went in the third week in May. Everything appeared to be on track.

Until June. It was an extremely wet June. Too wet. Water ponded at either end of the main garden. Tomatoes don't like soggy feet. Neither do beans. The heavy rains came at such frequent and hard intervals that the plants never had a chance to dry out. Fortunately, I had held back some tomato starts. I planted these in the kitchen garden after harvesting the leaf lettuce, radishes and peas in mid-June. As of this writing, the plants look healthy and fruit is setting. The kitchen garden should produce a good, though much smaller crop of tomatoes in mid to late September.

The tomatoes in the main garden struggled but managed to fruit. Then came July and August.

Both months saw hot, unrelenting temps in the high 80's and 90's. Too hot for the fruit. Most of the large tomato varieties sucumbed to yellow shoulder, a ripening disorder. The tops of the tomato stayed yellow and hard no matter how long they remained on the vine. The tops had to be cut off and that meant nearly half of each fruit was inedible. Such a disappointment. 2009 was a bumper crop year for tomatoes and I was able to freeze over 20 pints. Nothing will be frozen this year.

Because of better drainage and partial shade, the potted cherry tomatoes weren't affected by the wet or heat. Surprisingly, the yellow cherry tomatoes in the main garden, didn't mind either and produced plump, sweet-tasting fruit.

In July, half of the beans had to be replanted. The wet conditions caused stunting and rotting. I replanted both the Mellow Yellow and Blue Lake 47 green bush snap beans. Since then, two successive pickings have been made and young beans continue to grow. I fertilized the beans with Miracle Gro at the end of July.

The Ichiban eggplant has not produced anything but there is one purple flower. So, maybe I'll get one eggplant.

The green, red and orange peppers are finally coming around. In another week or so, the first peppers should be ready.

Because the pickling cucumbers were mounded, the plants were not bothered by the wet conditions, but the heat stunted the fruit set. Fruit was shorter, but thankfully, not bitter. Overall, yields were moderately good and several jars of pickles were put up.

Prolific as usual, the Saffron Squash and Sweet Zuke Hybrid did not disappoint. I made a second planting of zucchini in mid-July after harvesting the onions.

The spaghetti squash did so-so and were smaller than in year's past. Like the eggplants, the butternut squash plants produced just one medium sized squash which is still ripening on the vine. I am watching that one like a mother hen!

The watermelon continues to grow. No problems - knock on wood :)

I harvested the first firm and bright red cabbage head this week. It was wonderful cooked in vinegar with a couple of fresh picked apples, a small, peeled onion left whole and pierced with four cloves, some bacon fat; and sugared to taste. This was the first year for red cabbage and all of the plants have done well. I have been harvesting the Earliana (green) cabbage since July. The heads are compact and crisp. Some plants are behind in growth but this is actually extending the harvest. Early in the season, the cabbage worms were a pest on both varieties, but between hand picking and applying insecticidal soap, the pest was brought under control.

Now that I think about pests, I realize I did not see one tomato horn worm this year. Which is great because they kind of freak me out. Guess they didn't care for the wet and heat either!

Variegated Cat Grass

2010-08-10T11:58:00.000-04:00

Variegated Cat Grass is a pretty little plant.

I won’t lie. I did not buy these annual seeds purely for my cats' enjoyment. Rather, I bought them because the catalog's photograph also appealed to me.

My cats have always liked, especially in winter, the green variety of cat grass. My cats can actually smell the sprouts as they bursts open from the seeds. On many occasions, I have come into the kitchen to see a cat, head tilted upwards to the top of the plant shelf, drinking in the smell of sprouts coming from where the emerging seedlings are; waiting patiently for the day the pot is brought down to their level.

This particular cat grass has either solid green or translucent white blades. I think the juxtaposition of the two colors is striking.
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I planted the Burpee brand seeds, evenly and thinly, in regular potting soil in an outdoor clay planter. Firmed lightly and moistened, the seeds germinated within five days. The seeds can also be planted directly in the ground in rows or patches. I prefer to keep my plantings portable. The pot came inside as soon as the grass was around 3 inches. Noll, Tiggy and Uncle Keaks descended upon the tender, young grass blades, like a swarm of locust.

If you look closely, you'll see, the jagged edges of the blades prove it’s not just a pretty little thing; it’s also mighty tasty.

Peaches & Cream Corn

2010-07-28T11:53:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this year I planted Burpee's Peaches & Cream bicolor sweet corn.

The kernels were true to their name - peach and cream colored, plump and sweet. The corn was ready for harvest approximately 70 days after planting. The corn stalks were six feet high by the Fourth of July. In Ohio we have the saying, "Knee high by the Fourth of July"; which is the benchmark for corn to attain to be on target for summer harvest.

I did not double plant this variety - putting in two seeds per 4" - as I do for Silver Queen. It did not disappoint with a germination rate of near 100%. The seedlings emerged around the 8th day and grew better than expected.

I pulled the first of two 8 1/2" ears a day after my husband went to Florida. My husband lives for my sweet corn. He missed the first sweet pickings. It was truly unfortunate because this corn was THE best tasting bi-colored sweet corn I have ever tasted. The kernels were almost full set with two distinct crispy-sweet flavors.

He was gone for two weeks,

approximately the time this sugary enhancer hybrid

stays sweet and tender.

Tasting is believing. The homegrown corn he ate on day 14 tasted much like the supermarket corn that is trucked in from parts unknown. I can't convince him otherwise.

Since his disappointment, all the corn has since been harvested, blanched and frozen.

There's an amazing little Corn Pudding Recipe from the Frugal Gormet that uses fresh or frozen corn. I had it recently using my fresh-from-the-garden corn. Heavenly!

I'm hoping his disappointment in this year's bicolor will be forgotten when it returns in this dish:

1 3/4 cups milk

1 stick butter, melted

4 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups corn kernels

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

dash Tabasco

In a saucepan, heat the milk and gently melt the butter. Allow to cool. Beat the eggs. Chop the kernels a bit in a food processor or by hand. Keep the texture rough. (Frozen corn should be melted first in a colander.) Mix together all ingredients. Place in a buttered 2 qt. baking dish Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. The top should be lightly browned.

On Volunteer Sunflowers

2010-07-23T22:10:00.000-04:00

I love a volunteer plant: always unexpected, willing to grow anywhere, slowly unfolding its mysteries.

Some of my fondest volunteers have included the pin oak sapling growing in the perennial bed, poke weed with its deep aubergine berry clusters, and yellow sunflowers.

Each year, the area beneath and adjacent to the purple plum tree is filled with volunteer sunflowers; sprouting from seeds which have spilled from the various birdfeeders.

I do not know the varieties growing therein, flowing like musical notes within a stanza, reaching toward the sun as it passes along the imaginary line that is east to west. Yet, I enjoy their unfolding beauty, bright morning faces and the interwoven relationship between flower and pollen-ladened pollinator. Golden flower and golden finch; clinging upside down, cracking the oil-rich, black-shelled seeds with their snubbed, orange beaks.

A Home-Grown Lunch

2010-07-05T14:36:00.000-04:00

This is the reason why I get dirty; bend and beat up my middle age body, endure cold and heat:

The harvest is sweetest when it is seasoned with one's own labor.

Today, I enjoyed Arapaho blackberries sprinkled with table sugar and a crisp, green leaf lettuce salad with slices of "Fire n Ice" radishes* and "Super Snappy" peas*.

The Arapaho berries grow on the east side of the potting shed. This year, there is an abundance of berries. The branches hang heavy and low. Two years ago, the canes were fertilized with chicken manure. They are showing me their thanks!

The early kitchen garden of radishes, peas and lettuce is coming to an end. This season's lettuce actually self-seeded so I am allowing a few plants to bolt and go to seed again this year. In early August, I will replant leaf lettuce for harvesting in September.

I'll also replant some peas and radishes for fall harvest.

This afternoon, I will put in some herbs - dill and basil - and, the last of the tomato plants. I've held back some plants to put in the kitchen garden. The protected southern exposure will allow the tomatoes to produce some time after the tomatoes in the main vegetable garden have stopped.

Bon Appetite!

* Seeds are from Burpee

A Trip to the Greenhouse

2010-05-19T21:08:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, I visited my local greenhouse. Like me, it appeared the owners were a little late getting started - there were fewer flowers; or, more likely, I missed the rush and came in at the end of it ;)

Still, smaller selection aside, a trip to the greenhouse is almost as delicious as a trip to the candy store.

For the flower beds, I purchased Bonanza Spry Marigold, a larged crested, orange flower with maroon edges. They prefer full sun and grow up to 12". I will tuck them in, here and there, among the perennials and at the edges of the kitchen garden where I am growing Peas (Burpeeana Early), French Breakfast Radishes - an elongated and white tipped variety - and Leaf Lettuce, to ward off insects. For the mulch bed by the front porch, I chose Pinto Red and Pinto White Geranium. Geranium are drought tolerant. This area gets the full midday through evening sun and is next to the sidewalk and driveway, so it is typically drier than the other flower beds.

I bought a flat of annual Easy Wave Blue Petunias, a deep blue almost purple spreading petunia with a sweet fragrance. To get me in the 'gardening zone,' I made up a couple of planters combining the Pansy, Coleus, Petunias and Marigolds before heading to the main vegetable garden; because the stars of Saturday's visit were the three vegetable starts.

I chose the creamy skinned Butternut Squash, which I have never grown; Ichiban Eggplant - which promises long, slender and heavy yields all season long - and Red Cabbage.

Along with the red cabbage, I planted over twenty of the green Earliana Cabbage starts I had started indoors at the end of March. In order to space out the harvest, another twenty smaller green cabbage starts will go in two weeks from now.

Needless to say, I was finally on a roll. I also planted three rows of Bush Lake 47 Green Beans (a compact, bush variety which harvests in 58 days), and one row of Mellow Yellow Beans (a bush bean maturing in 60 days). Both varieties are very productive and freeze well.

One row of yellow Saffron Squash - a straightneck summer type, one row of the prolific Sweet Zuke Hybrid Zucchini, and a half row of Vegetable Spaghetti Squash also went in.

In the main vegetable garden, the yellow, white and red onion bulbs are sprouting shoots. In the potting shed garden, the corn, a sweet Burpee variety called Peaches & Cream, is up and growing thanks to the past few days of rain. This is my first time growing this variety. I typically plant either the Silver Queen or yellow and white bicolor, so I am eager to see how it does.

Progress has definitely been made :)

Anticipation

2010-04-23T15:56:00.001-04:00

For some reason, I am getting a slow start this year. It's not that the weather has been soggy....it's more like I am stuck in anticipation mode and cannot shift into action.

The yellow, purple and white onion sets are chilling downstairs.

The peas and leaf lettuce seeds are still in the metal seed box. All three should have been in the dirt weeks ago....

At least the kitchen seed starts, facing the warm southern exposure, are growing: Big Boy tomato, red, green and orange bell peppers, cabbage, portulaca, watermelon and two kinds of cherry tomato.

This Spring has been wonderful - the trees heavy with bloom and the flowers more vibrant than in year's past, especially the redbuds. Maybe it's because of our prolonged, snowy and cold winter. February broke the 1910 record for snow - 29.8 inches. The long winter fed my anticipation and now, seemingly it was too well fed because I am ladened and immobilized.

The show, however, goes on outside even if I am still waiting in the wing.

Orange and purple viola

Perennial primrose

Tulips planted in the Fall, 2009

Daffodils

Kaga plum blossoms

Creeping phlox in the rock garden

Growing Impatient

2010-03-14T19:57:00.000-04:00

Spring is coming; although, my impatience is already here, matured and ready for the harvest.

This time of year, just as spring begins to unfold, I read the poem, Ode to a Nightingale, by John Keats. It is a ritual I have kept for over thirty years.

A hauntingly beautiful poem written by a dying poet; who embraces his mortality and finds joy in the immortality of nature, and of the nightingale as it fills his soul with song and peace. This is why I read his poem....as a reminder that nature, goes ever on and on even when my impatience wants to tell me otherwise.

Ode to a Nightingale

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,

But being too happy in thine happiness,
That thou, light-wingèd Dryad of the trees,
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.

O for a draught of vintage! that hath been
Cool'd a long age in the deep-delvèd earth,
Tasting of Flora and the country-green,
Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!
O for a beaker full of the warm South!

Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,
With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,
And purple-stainèd mouth;
That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,
And with thee fade away into the forest dim:

Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget
What thou among the leaves hast never known,
The weariness, the fever, and the fret
Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;
Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last grey hairs,

Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;
Where but to think is to be full of sorrow
And leaden-eyed despairs;
Where beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,
Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.

Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,
Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:
Already with thee! tender is the night,

And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,
Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays
But here there is no light,
Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown
Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.

I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,
But, in embalmèd darkness, guess each sweet
Wherewith the seasonable month endows

The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;
White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
Fast-fading violets cover'd up in leaves;
And mid-May's eldest child,
The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,

The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call'd him soft names in many a musèd rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,

To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!
Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—
To thy high requiem become a sod.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard
In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path

Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn;
The same that ofttimes hath
Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.

Forlorn! the very word is like a bell
To toll me back from thee to my sole self!
Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well
As she is famed to do, deceiving elf.
Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades

Past the near meadows, over the still stream,
Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep
In the next valley-glades:
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?
Fled is that music:—do I wake or sleep?

A Winter Ritual

2010-02-14T18:42:00.002-05:00

February marks the time of year when, under the constant barrage of cold, sunless days and endless snow, winter's newness and beauty begins to fade.

Now that the last of the blizzard's snow has been shoveled and the icicles have been knocked down from the gutter and down spouts, and there's nothing to be done about the ice dam that has formed over the front porch overhang, it's time to indulge.

The Gurney's and Dutch Garden colored catalogs need attention. My gardening journal beckons to be opened. It is a good ritual, this perusing and dreaming, of planning the yearly gardens.

Prompted by news of a possible seed shortage - I had earlier dashed to get the Burpee order form in the mail, then hedged my bets and bought Picklebush Cucumber, Early Sweet Sugar Pie Pumpkin, Vegetable Spaghetti Squash, and Fordhook Zucchini seeds on Saturday from a local big box store. Call it mild panic and overreaction, but I cannot imagine a garden without these vegetables nor would I take even the slightest risk of not having these seeds to plant.

I can't however, breathe a sigh of relief until I score red, white and yellow onion sets. These too are rumored to be in short supply this year.

In the meantime, I compiled my Gurney's order (a dwarf grapefruit tree, asparagus food, garden soil inoculant for peas and beans, two more square tomato cages); then, I visited with my journal reviewing the garden layouts from year's past, the yields, the purchases and some short journal entries:

There seems to be a common theme in my journal entries

- one of birds as harbingers -

and of evidence that, even in the dead of winter,

the rythmn of nature carries us forward into spring.

January 9, 1999
Birds sighted:

a flock of larks, cardinals, a red-bellied woodpecker,
bluejays, grackles, sparrows, titmouse, juncos,
a red tail hawk and Canada geese.

-----

March 19, 2005:

First red-winged blackbird of the season feeding

alongside some grackles outside the kitchen window.

Started my yellow and green peppers, cabbage

and 3 kinds of tomatoes (yellow pear, sweet cherry and Big Boy).

-----

May 2, 2004

Barn swallows are back!

My Photo Entry

2010-01-14T20:19:00.001-05:00

My sister told me about this great site, http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/, which combines photography and gardening. Two of my passions. I have entered the old apple tree in this month's winter photo contest.

It's a Winter Wonderland Out There!

2010-01-10T12:45:00.001-05:00

Zone 5 gets its share of cold and snow. Soon, Zone 5 should have its January thaw. This is when the weather warms up enough to melt the snow. Almost everyone gets excited to see the snow retreat by this time of winter....if only for a few days. In the meantime, I was up early on Sunday and was rewarded with a spectacular sunrise and a landscape completely frosted over. Winter does have its pluses. Enjoy.

The old apple tree silhouette against the rising sun.

Sunrise casts long shadows across the untrodden landscape.

Spent Coneflowers stand firm against the frosty onslaught.

The sun rises over the distant Mugo Pines.

The frosty canopies of the Maple Trees

glow pink in the early morning sun.

Frost and a dollop of snow lend a sense of whimsy to this Maple.

The sun beams raise upward in a joyous Hallelujah.

The weak sunlight casts a white and yellow glow

across the neighbor's backyard.

Frost covers every needle on this White Pine.

These Coneflowes have a toppings of snow

making them resemble cotton ripening in a field.

The volunteer Oak sapling's frosty leaves still cling

tightly to its little branches.

The morning sun lights up the recent snowfall

reflecting back like a million tiny mirrors.

Knock Out Roses with Black-eyed Susans

2009-11-19T20:41:00.001-05:00

While driving to and from the grocery store on Saturdays, I listen to 610's weekend call-in gardening program. A couple years ago, I liked what I heard about Knock Out Roses. They came so highly recommended. I couldn't resist! They were also reasonably priced. I bought mine from Wal-Mart.

For me, hybrid roses have always been a challenge. Although there is nothing quite like the grace, fragrance and beauty of a cultivated rose, I have had limited success with this flower.

In recent years, if the leaf spot didn't make make them unsightly, then the Japanese beetles did.

Sometimes, both disease and insect rendered my two hybrid rose bushes looking like something that had survived a war zone.

The Knock Out roses have had no leaf spot and the beetles don't go after them the way they do the hybrids.

Virtually carefree, this variety is compact, blooms continuously well into Fall and is fragrant. A perfect plant to grow around a deck.

Fall Has Come

2009-10-24T19:03:00.004-04:00

I wish the maples would always be this color - a rich yellow

with twinges of orange.

The green berries of the bittersweet

have turned yellow with cherry-red centers

The sweetgum with its star shaped leaves

glows in shades of yellow, red and orange.

The pink "Knock-Out" roses continue to bloom

despite a hard frost.

I like to stand beneath the towering maples

and look up into their golden expanse.

As a child,

I used to collect and press the colorful fall leaves

in the leaves of heavy books; to visit them

in the winter or whenever my heart

wished to return to that moment in time.

On Bringing in the Seeds

2009-09-29T11:56:00.002-04:00

Frugality. It is the buzzword of the day.

It seems everyone has embraced this lifestyle.

I learned frugality from our parents. World War II as imputes: frugality in all things, even gardening.

My father collected seeds. He showed us how. Father also wintered geraniums and other plants. One of his prize geraniums, of Hungarian origin, was almost three feet tall. We referred to it as the “geranium tree:” deep red, a prolific bloomer even in winter.

A few years ago, seeing that my sister was doing what our father had done, I too started wintering geraniums. This year, some bright pinks will be added to the salmon and magentas. One day, maybe, just maybe, one or both of us will have a “geranium tree” to rival that of our father.

As for seeds, dill, forget-me-nots, yellow & orange marigolds, sugar pie pumpkin, purple phlox, orange cosmos, columbine and portulaca have been, once again, collected, dried, sealed and placed in a cool, dry place.

I, the frugal gardener. Like father, like daughters.

Or, perhaps it is habit. Tradition. An unwavering rite of summer's passage. Perhaps it is simply a pleasing thing to do this wintering and ‘bringing in the seed.’

Or maybe, it is an act of preserving something more: not just seeds or a favorite flower, but of preserving that invisible connection to our father, from whom we gleaned the knowledge and joy of gardening.

Time to Reflect on 2009

2009-09-15T11:44:00.003-04:00

Sedum colors the late summer perennial bed

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Another growing season is almost at an end. 2009 will go down as one of those weird years: Too cold, too wet and sometimes, too dry.

I heard from several gardeners in Ohio and Pennsylvania that it was a challenging year. So, when I hear some people didn't even get one ear of corn or someone else says their tomatoes rotted, I remind myself not to be a perfectionist. My garden was good. I was hoping for "over abundance," but "good" is good ;)

Cabbage, peppers, eggplant, beans are still producing. A few tomato plants by the patio deck are rippening. I started four tomato plants for indoors for the winter. One already has blossoms.

The apple tree took a holiday this year and didn't produce much fruit. The two pear trees, on the other hand, took up the slack. Mom & I have been peeling, coring and freezing pint after pint of pears to use in making pear butter and bread over the winter.

I cleaned up the potting shed garden and hauled the corn stalks to the back compost pile. There were 14 pie pumpkins in this garden. In the next few days, they will be cooked down and made into pumpkin pie filling.

Lots to do as gardening in Zone 5 wraps up.

Zucchini the Prolific!

2009-08-24T09:25:00.001-04:00

In historical Ohio, corn, beans and squash were called the “three sisters” because they were staple crops that were planted together. The Indians and later, settlers, planted them this way so the beans had a strong support to climb and the squash could grow in the shade of the corn.

Today, all three vegetables thrive in Zone 5; although they are most often planted separately.

Zucchini is one of those prolific, easy-to-grow vegetables. Even in growing seasons that are not favorable, zucchini manages to be a top producer. What we can't eat fresh, we freeze or make into bread.

Here is one of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy zucchini. This recipe is from my sister Dar. She is an excellent cook. She also has a sweet little blog - RusticRanch.blogspot.com.

Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini with skin (if using large zucchini, cut in half and scoop out the seeds before grating).

In large bowl, beat eggs well. Blend in sugar. Mix together baking soda, powder, salt cinnamon and flour. Add oil and mixed dry ingredients into egg/sugar mixture. Blend well but do not over beat. Add zucchini, nuts, raisins. Divide mixture into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350. Let cool 10 minutes on rack before removing bread from pan.

For a bread that is more moist, increase zucchini by another 1/2 cup.

This bread freezers well.

some of.....The Fruits of my Labor

2009-08-06T09:15:00.011-04:00

"Sweet banana peppers,"

long and tapered, await picking....

Should picking be delayed,

their yellow flesh will turn from yellow to orange to red.

"Great Stuff Hybrid" peppers are big and flavorful -

perfect for making stuffed peppers with rice,

tomato juice and ground beef.

This Burpee variety is also resistant to mosaic virus,

a virus which can be a problem in Ohio.

Pick a peck of PICKLES :)

"Little Dillicious" medium green cukes, 3 1/2" to 5"

long with blunt tips.

Great for pickling. These beauties are soaking.

Tomorrow, they will begin their pickle transformation.

"Fast Ball" cabbage has smaller, softball-sized heads.

The nibble holes are from the cabbage web worm.

I try not to spray, so if the pest is faster than me,

they get a meal before I get to them.

Eggplants - I love the color of this vegetable:

they shimmer like deep opals.

This is an unknown variety I bought from a local greenhouse.

One of the few starts I purchased this year.

The pears are starting to fall from the trees.

A little early, but no matter.

They were gathered and will ripen in the cool basement.

These make for a wonderful pear bread.

"Small Sugar" pumpkins grow to 5-8 lb.
They are a perfect pie pumpkin: fine grain, stringless and sweet.
One pumpkin has already started to ripen.
"Silver Queen" sweet corn.
We've been waiting and waiting on you my lovely!
This variety is very sweet & white. Ears grow to 8-9".
Variety freezes well too.

Tomatoes!
We had our first tomatoes yesterday - a lovely onion/tomato/parsley salad.
This is the "Super Beefsteak."
Fruit is smooth, meaty and averages 1 lb. each.
Tomatoes were started from seeds, indoors in late March.

In the Middle of Summer

2009-07-24T12:58:00.003-04:00

A mid-summer, volunteer sunflower is poised to bloom.

It has been an odd summer. I have heard some people describe what we, in zone 5, are going through as the "year of no summer."

While we have had a few days in the high 80's. We haven't had our typical hot, soupy Ohio weather. The tomatoes for one are lagging behind because the days have been mild and the evenings cool. I have over 30 plants filled with small, green tomatoes.

On the other hand, the zucchini and yellow squash are producing. We're making/freezing zucchini bread as fast as we can for the long winter ahead. For now, we're enjoying fresh, sauteed zucchini with frozen tomatoes (from last year's garden), onion and yellow squash.

The green beans are finally picking size. The yellow are almost ready.

We've had several yummy meals of stuffed green peppers too. The leaf lettuce is still growing nicely as are the green onions.

We're just really, really anxious for some sweet, juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes. Ditto for the sweet corn!

Orange Cone Flowers Begin to Thrive

2009-07-13T13:12:00.002-04:00

Last summer, I moved my orange cone flowers from the small deck garden to the perennial bed.

It appears to have been a good move.

The orange variety is beginning to do better after a couple of years struggling.

I also like that there are purple cone flowers on the other side of the fence. The purple accentuates the orange very nicely.

Portulaca - Moss Rose

2009-07-03T17:27:00.007-04:00

One of my dad's favorite flowers was the portulaca. He grew it in rock gardens and planter beds. Until this past spring, I had forgotten how beautiful this flower is.

After I had dug out a large, winter-damaged barberry bush from my full sun rock garden, I went to my favorite local greenhouse. And, there they were...flats of portulaca, the Sundial Mix. I knew I had found my rock garden replacement.

The only amending I did to the relatively good soil was peat moss.

The drought-tolerant portulaca took off, creating a blanket of low growing, succulent green leaves and bright, almost translucent, cup-shaped flowers.

When I was a child, my dad showed me how to collect the seeds by breaking open the dried seed heads. Since it is an annual, I'll be collecting seeds for next year, to grow my own starts to increase the amount of moss rose in the rock garden...YES, it IS that pretty!

Asiatic & Day Lilies on Parade

2009-06-29T13:42:00.011-04:00

It's blooming time for the lilies.

And, they are as pretty as floats in a parade.....

Rubdeckia Marks the End of June

2009-06-27T13:28:00.006-04:00

It's the end of June. The vegetable garden is growing well. A few weeks ago, a friend told me about epsom salt. It must be one of those old time gardening tricks. She heard about it from a co-worker and it worked for her so she was happy to share the secret.

Always one to try a garden trick at least once, I sprinkled epsom salt around the watermelon, beans, peppers, cucumbers and a couple of potted cherry tomatoes a day before it rained. Seriously, it made the plants double in size overnight. It's the magnesium sulfate.

So, my secret out, nothing else is new except a few cabbage worms; some of the corn was knocked over by a recent thunderstorm, and weeds. The usual things to contend with in Zone 5.

The cabbage worms were removed by hand. The corn should right itself. As for the weeds, I will be pulling them out as soon as I finish this post. Because of that soaking rain, the ground is soft. I like to pull weeds a day or so after a good rain because they come out easily, root and all.

The daylilies, tiger lilies, shasta daisies, rubdeckia, bee balm, yarrow and cone flowers, are dominating the perennial beds right now.

Hot days ahead now that the rubdeckia is blooming. Good swimming weather. Which is where I will be when the weeding gets to me!

They Follow the Sun

2009-06-22T13:02:00.004-04:00

I love sunflowers simply because I love flowers and the color yellow.
---
When I was a child, the yellow crayon in my box of Crayolas was always a nub. I used to trade my blue or red for yellow. My suns were always big and the crayon on the paper was heavy to the point of being tacky. I just couldn't get enough of the color.
---
So of course, big, yellow sunflowers are planted in my garden. Some flowers, like the one pictured above, are volunteers from the bird feeders.
---
Sunflowers come in an assortment of colors and sizes. They are easy to grow and require no care. When the flower is spent, I dry out the seed heads, trim them down and hang them off the fence for the birds to peck at. Finches especially love the seed heads.
--

That their cheery yellow faces

follow the yellow sun as it travels

through the sky is, for me,

double the magic.

Yarrow the Color of Wine

2009-06-22T12:52:00.006-04:00

Like the golden yellow and white,

the wine-colored yarrow is now in bloom.

----

For more on yarrow in zone 5,

see http://gardeninginthezone.blogspot.com/2009/01/achillea-yarrows.html.

A Field of My Own

2009-06-15T13:02:00.003-04:00

A large portion of the perennial bed bordering the backyard fence
resembles a wild field. The effect is intentional.
The 'unkempt' appearance reminds me of the fields that grew
behind my childhood home near Lake Erie.

Ironically, it takes work to keep
the bed looking like a carefree field!
If left untended, the daisies and yarrow overtake everything else.

A Garden Climber

2009-06-15T12:34:00.002-04:00

Clematis, also known as virgin's bower, is a climbing plant with an extremely diverse genus. Clematis comes in white, purple, pink, red and variations of these colors.

The clematis which grows in my garden is deciduous. Some clematis are evergreen. For the cool temperate species, the blooming starts in June. Its leaves drop in the fall. To keep the plant tidy, prune after blooming.

Hardy to Zone 5, my clematis grows in full sun and moist soil. It is doing even better this year now that the bittersweet has been pruned back to half its size.

One note of caution: All parts of the clematis are poisonous.

Sweet Peas & Early Spring Veggies

2009-06-09T12:43:00.003-04:00

The sweet peas I planted in late March are almost ready for picking. I tried a pod over the weekend while planting some marigold starts around the edges of this small spring vegetable garden. The peas aren't full size yet but the pod and peas are very sweet. Also in this garden are loose leaf lettuce, parsley, green onions, and carrots all planted with the peas. I've been harvesting the lettuce for almost two weeks. I'm hoping the weather does not get hot and stay hot because then the lettuce will keep producing instead of bolting. The red bomb radishes have all been harvested and small green pepper starts went in their place.

All of the seeds in this garden are from Burpee and all are from older seed lots. Knock on wood, I've had mostly success with these older seeds. This year, I was looking to save money where ever possible, so I used up what I had on hand.

Iris is Greek for Rainbow

2009-06-08T13:01:00.003-04:00

The bearded iris in my rock garden are showy and easy care. A very happy combination!

Here's a closeup of one of the pinks (missing is its bottom petal which I broke off in trying to photograph the inner beard - my bad!).

Iris like full sun and well-drained soil. Iris should be separated every four or five years. I have never separated the cluster of purple and pink irises at the center of the rock garden. The rhizomes and blooms are healthy and not in need of thinning.

The only drawback to the cultivated bearded iris is that it blooms for around two weeks and then you have to wait another 50 for the show to return!

Pansies & a Touch of Whimsy

2009-06-05T12:47:00.004-04:00

This is one of the three pots I filled with pansies for my smaller deck. I like to sit out in the early morning on the weekends or after work during the week.

Placing a piece of whimsy here and there is sheer indulgence. I get pleasure from looking at my creations, deadheading the flowers, giving them a drink.

All within an arms reach of my chair where I can keep an eye on the cats - especially Noll - as they too enjoy the gardens and catnip standing within their reach.

A Rainbow in the Orchard

2009-06-05T11:57:00.003-04:00

Monday, I came home from work just in time. A strong storm blew in from the southwest - heavy rains came down in angled sheets, high winds blew, leaves flew everywhere. It would have made for some treacherous driving.

My husband wasn't so lucky...or was he?

By the time he came home 20 minutes later, this is what greeted him in our backyard:

---

A perfect calm and a low rainbow.

As if nothing had happened.

Chives

2009-05-26T12:20:00.003-04:00

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the smallest member of the onion family. An herbaceous perennial herb, chive is easy to grow. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. From mid-May to June, chives have pretty, little cluster-like purple flowers.

The hollow, tubular leaves grow 30-50 cm in height. Cuttings can be made 3 times a year (cut close to the ground). My patch of chives is over 10 years old and requires minimal care. The mild, onion-flavored leaves can be used fresh or dried.

My favorite way to use chives is freshly snipped and added to scrambled eggs. I also like fresh chives on baked potatoes with sour cream and in vegetable soup.

Punctuating the Garden

2009-05-26T11:58:00.004-04:00

Gardening is a pursuit of both the physical and the aesthetic. I enjoy a good workout in the garden especially at planting time. I also enjoy weeding and watering as it puts me in a Zen-like state. Pausing to take in the sweet fragrance of my flowers and gaze upon their form feeds my need for beauty.

Here and there, I try to punctuate my gardens with tiny vignettes. Sometimes, the vignette is whimsical, sometimes practical. Here is a practical piece made for me by my sister, an avid and accomplished gardener. See more of her gardening delights at http://rusticranch.blogspot.com/

Pansey Faces

2009-05-22T15:07:00.003-04:00

Pansies are a hybrid annual which will reseed. A cold hardy viola species, pansies come in a variety of colors. This year, I bought a cheery yellow - my favorite color - to compliment the purple plants already in the bed. I also made up 3 pots for my small deck.
-----

What I like best about pansies is that they have 'little faces.' For me, these faces give pansies a charm and English cottage garden feel.

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Easy to grow in sun or partial shade, pansies prefer well drained soil and can even survive freezing. Pansies are an economical and pretty flower for zone 5.

The Young Apple Maiden

2009-05-22T14:37:00.004-04:00

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Young compared to the multi-trunked old apple tree, the "young apple maiden" leans over at a severe angle. The strong west winds that sweep through the back acreage have bent her more than any of the other trees on our property.

---

She produces very small, red apples. Too small to be used. In early fall, yellow jackets feast on her fallen and hanging apples. Migrating birds, thankful for rest and a little nourishment, peck at the ripe, soft fruit.

---

Though my husband derides her unproductive state, I defend her. I am after all, the grounds keeper!

---

For me, the pretty little flowers in spring are her glory. I am content with that.

The Old Apple Tree in Spring

2009-05-22T14:01:00.004-04:00

Beautiful in winter. Beautiful in spring.

Here is the old apple tree decked out in her floral splendor in April of this year. Lots of fragrant white-pink blooms. Hoping for a bumper crop this fall!

The old apple tree produces small, sweet apples. I do not know the variety and I think there actually might be two different kinds of apples. Mom and I collect the apples and with our paring knives, we prepare the apples for freezing, drying into apple slices, canning apple butter, and making fresh pies and strudel. Mom is German. She makes the most amazing strudel from a recipe she learned from her landlord back in the 1950's.

Candytuft

2009-05-01T15:27:00.005-04:00

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is an evergreen perennial ground cover that grows well in poor soil as long as the soil is well-drained. Candytuft is a member of the mustard family.

One large, low growing mound is at the sunny front leading border of the narrow bed between the foundation and the deck. The candytuft is in the same bed as the grape hyacinths.

Hardy to Zone 5, candytuft is slow spreading and grows from 8 to 12" tall. In mid-spring, its small, bright white blooms open up and last for weeks.

In many ways, Candytuft reminds me Edelweiss. It is one of my favorite plants.

Shades of Lilac

2009-05-01T14:37:00.007-04:00

Lilacs are a fragrant, easy care deciduous shrub in the olive family.

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I have three shrubs and each is a different shade: pale pink, light violet and a dark Byzantium violet. The shrubs were planted by the previous owner, so I do not know how old they are - they are at least 20 years old. All of the bushes are in the front yard and in direct line with the westerly winds. They are very hardy to Zone 5.
---

The only care I have given my lilacs is some watering during the hot summer months and pruning to cut back the spent blossoms.

---

The shrubs bloom in mid-spring to early summer. I like to bring in sprigs of the lilac to enjoy their beauty and gorgeous scent - it is a heavy fragrance that can fill a room.

Grape Hyacinths

2009-04-26T15:08:00.005-04:00

In the narrow space between the patio deck and the house, grape hyacinths grow. It is a moist and and shaded area. The soil is not as good here. It has more clay because of it's proximity to the foundation. The soil has never been amended nor has the bed been fertilized.

Despite these conditions, the grape hyacinth has thrived. And, it is a pretty flower.

Grape hyacinths are small, spiked flowers resembling a bunch of grapes. Early spring bloomers, their fragrance is delicate and most welcomed after a long winter. Bees, especially the bumble bee, love it.

When in bloom, Muscari armeniacam is a gorgeous, deep cobalt blue. Another positive characteristic of this bulb is that it spreads. The plantings in this narrow space have increased over the years, and, after 15 years, have taken on the appearance of a a blue carpet.

Hardy, no care. Grape hyacinths do well in Zone 5.

Spring Nesting Time

2009-04-24T11:38:00.009-04:00

The house runneth over

We need more feathers!

Although it's always sad to see trees and plants, flower bulbs, that didn't survive the winter or that have been damaged, spring also is a time to assess some of the quiet positives.

While strolling with Noll, I chuckled at the sight of the bluebird house that has been claimed by a house sparrow. Only once did a family of bluebirds fledge in this house. That was one of those magical moments. I don't know if I imagined it or not, but I think the outer edges of the hole were stained blue from the birds' comings and goings. Too bad bluebirds are not want to fight for their territory. I miss them. But, the house sparrows have got a good things going on now.

Winter's Damage

2009-04-24T10:56:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, April 23, while strolling around with Noll, I took stock of this winter's damage.

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Zone 5 had an atypical winter - colder and longer with extended freezing. There's signs of animal and salt damage and dessication on some of the established landscape.

The old apple tree has peeling bark and a patch that looks shredded - as if something with claws or a beak has been working away at the soft wood. It's a main branch, so I'm concerned about the integrity of the tree's health. Don't want anything to happen to the old gal. She's glorious in spring and breathtaking in winter (see blog title photo).

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One large limb of the Noll's favorit tree - the purple plum - is dead.

I'll leave it for the flickers and woodpeckers to peck at.

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Salt and wind damage to the evergreens bordering the front entrance. Noll's piddling is an added assault. The nearby boxwoods are an ugly, dessicated, yellow-brown. They'll get a trim and some Miracle Gro.

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The newer landscape was also impacted: Two of the three small cherry trees I planted last fall show struggling signs of life. They will need extra TLC if they are to make it.

The little plug of a buckeye tree I have been nursing for the past three years was munched down to a nub....again! My dream of having my own buckeye tree is fast fading. The three year old oak sapling - planted by a squirrel - was chewed a bit too. It should recover nicely though.

Peonies in May

2009-04-16T20:30:00.009-04:00

The perennial peonies growing in my garden are of the herbaceous cultivar variety. There is also a tree variety; which I've never had the pleasure of seeing in a nursery or yard.

Hardy to Zone 5, my peonies grow in the rock garden (full sun) and in a garden on the north side (partial sun) of the garage. Both peonies are over 15 years old, in well-drained soil with delicate pink petals. Sweetly fragrant, the plants grow to a little over two feet.

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Peonies are easy care. I cut them back in the spring when the new growth starts. Most people cut them back in the fall after the plant has died back.

I remember peonies grew in the yard next to my childhood home. Two things come to mind when I think about them - first, how the blossoms drooped or lay flat on the ground and second, the icky ants crawling over the buds and up and down the stems.

After a couple of years of having the blooms fall flat, I found a fix for the first thing.

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I installed a green circular, wire plant support secured by four stakes (from Gardener Supply). The stems grow up through the holes in the circular form. The green color of the support blends in with the foliage. The stems are supported by the form at mid-level. Even when wet, the blooms remain erect. With that main distraction solved, I almost don't notice the ants.

Spring Jewels

2009-04-06T09:15:00.009-04:00

Blue and White Primrose

Tulip

Bi-color Daffodil

French Hyacinth

Springtime Reflections

2009-04-06T09:00:00.008-04:00

Large Cup Daffodil

In early spring, there seems to be no end to last year's leaves, dried stems and twigs. The strong west wind, keeps blowing stuff in. This weekend was one endless loop to the compost piles.

However, progress has been made on the veggie front.

After edging and working peat moss into the soil, the cold crop patio vegetable garden was ready for planting. Peas, short & sweet carrots, green onions, and firecracker radishes are in. Last night there was a nice, soaking rain. Might have a trace of snow tonight, but things will be warming up again mid-week.

Meanwhile, the jewels of spring are all around. Here and there, the bulbs are up and shining and sending up a delicate fragrance. It's a lovely prelude to late April when the fruit trees will be in bloom.

Enjoy the show!

Time to Make the Beds

2009-04-03T08:31:00.002-04:00

Outside: For the past two weeks, it's been flower and landscape bed cleanup time.

At this stage, it's simply raking up the remaining leaves and cutting back the old growth of the perennials. The leaves and cuttings are hauled to the compost piles at the treeline at the back acreage. Edging will come in another couple weeks. Last night I tidied up the catnip bed. Noll helped but seemed a little disconcerted that I removed some perfectly good catnip stalks ;)

At the end of March, the potting shed garden was extended by another 2 x 4 feet. Pumpkins will go in here. The compost bin was moved to the east side of the shed. One inch of compost was added to the garden to prep the soil for the corn that will go in early May.

This weekend, peat moss will be added to the patio garden, the soil tilled and peas and leaf lettuce planted.

Inside: Some of the starter seeds have sprouted - cabbage, cosmos, alyssum, a few tomatoes. I love to check the progress every day.

The cherry tomatoes I have been growing indoors all year are nearing an end. About 3 dozen fruit remain on the vines in various stages of ripening. The three plants have produced since December. It's been nice to have fresh tomatoes to garish our salads.

The green onions I started in a window sill box are thriving too. Pretty soon, they'll go outside to finish growing. Before the onions, loose leaf lettuce grew in this container. We had fresh lettuce last October/November.

I don't know why I didn't think to extend my "gardening" season sooner. So long as the plants don't require pollination and have a sunny southern exposure, tomatoes, loose leaf lettuce, herbs, green onions, can do quite well indoors during the dead of winter.

Starting Seeds Indoors

2009-03-28T19:32:00.002-04:00

It is now 6 to 8 weeks out until planting time! In Zone 5, the frost free date is typically around Mother's Day. I usually wait a couple days after that date to plant just to be safe.

Today, I gathered four trays and plastic cells from the potting shed. I cleaned the trays/cells and filled them with seed starter soil. In these trays/cells, I planted yellow and green peppers, beefsteak, cherry and pear tomatoes, cabbage, basil and eggplant. In one premade tray of peat pots, I planted yellow marigolds. In another premade tray I did a combination of alyssum, orange coneflowers and purple cosmos. The marigold and coneflower seeds were collected last year from my garden.

I covered each of the trays with a clear plastic dome to keep the soil moist. Light and warmth is provided free of charge courtesy of the sun that comes through the south facing French doors in the kitchen. Seeds should start germinating in 7 to 10 days.

The cats were very curious about today's activity. I had a few noses and paws in the soil and cats on the table watching me work. It was an interesting and fun day for them too. They like to "garden" as much as I do ;)

2009-03-16T09:29:00.003-04:00

Orange cosmos, catnip and agastache (lavender hyssop) line the fence near the main vegetable garden.

Agastache is an easy to grow perennial herb. Agastache has all of the qualities I look for in a perennial: low maintenance, drought tolerant and loved by butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinaters like the bumble bee. It's especially pretty to see the orange sulfur butterfly feeding on the purple flowers.

A prolific bloomer: agastache's tubular, spikey flower heads bloom from July to September. Height is between 1' to 3'.

Zone 5 Rating: Superb!

The Potting Shed's Garden History

2009-03-12T15:14:00.011-04:00

The first year I dug out a garden for the potting shed, I filled it mostly with annuals: marigolds - yellow and orange - and zinnias - red and multi-colored. In the fall, I collected the marigold seeds and later used them in the vegetable garden. Marigolds are great companion plants for tomatoes and peppers. Their pungent smell keeps insects away.

Over the years, the potting shed garden has been a raspberry patch and a plot for sunflowers. Currently, it is a vegetable (corn, tomatoes) and dill garden.

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A large compost bin is located to the right of the garden. Every spring, I enrich the soil with compost. Last year, I did a top dressing of chicken manure also because I had grown popcorn the previous year and was putting in a crop of sweet corn. In the main garden, I would rotate between beans and corn. But I like this location for the corn. It is protected on the north side and the west by a large apple tree. Out in the main garden, I can usually count on the corn being knocked down during one of our many Ohio thunderstorms. I might be committing a garden sin, but the potting shed garden will be seeing corn again this year.

My Petite Columbine

2009-03-12T15:13:00.004-04:00

(Aquilegia vulgaris)
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As a gardener, I tend to favor easy to grow and utilitarian plants. Hybrid roses are too fussy for me. Impatiens try my patience constantly demanding water. My laziness no doubt keeps me from growing as a gardener, but until I retire, my time is limited, so I eschew the needy.

Columbine is both easy and utilitarian. It is also hardy. It's also everywhere.

Columbine's large flower clusters bloom in the late spring, early summer and attract hummingbirds and bees. The bees volley between the rock and vegetable gardens where they pollinate the cucumbers.

A native plant, Columbine is insect and disease resistant. It can be directly seeded (I collect the seeds when the seed pods are dry) or the plant can be divided. I grow the purple, blue and pink varieties. Columbine also comes in red, white and yellow.

Dreaming of Spring

2009-02-22T15:16:00.006-05:00

Test Results: Beet and yellow bean seed germination rate 0%. Will need to buy some. Lucky for me, Oakland Nursery is having a seed sale beginning March 7.

It's the last week in February. Still way too early to start seedlings indoors. But the bitter cold and dreary day drove me to lift my spirits the only way I know how....dreaming of spring.

I spent a nice hour visiting with my vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Back in January, by a quick, unscientific inspection and count, I determined I had enough seed for the gardens. The only seeds I ordered from Burpee this year were peas, basil, zucchini and loose leaf lettuce. I had none of these standards.

Leisurely looking through my seeds today, I found lots going back to 2004. Some packs had not been opened and some were still in vacuum-packed pouches. I'm fairly hopeful my penny-pinching decision not to purchase more of what I already have will not backfire.

As of today though, I'm hedging my bet by scientifically testing the viability of the older seeds (lots '04 through '06). In a southern exposure, between two damp paper towels, I placed 10 each of yellow bean, carrot, lettuce, tomato, beet, cucumber, radish, cabbage and radish seeds. The tray is covered with cling wrap to keep in the moisture. I'll check the tray over the next 5-10 days and count how many seeds of each variety sprout. If less than 3, then, I'll be buying new; around 5, I'll have to double plant. Here's hoping the seeds germinate at a high rate!

American Bittersweet

2009-02-16T18:37:00.005-05:00

American Bittersweet (Celastraceae) during the summer with ripening fruit.

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The first fall after moving to our rural home, I made friends with a woman from church. She designed and created gorgeous dried arrangements and wreaths.

I had this enormous vine of a plant growing up a light pole in my backyard. I had no idea what it was. It did have pretty little clusters of red and orange berries with ariles. So, I snipped a branch and took it over to show her.

Her eyes lit up as she gasped, "Where did you get that?" Turns out, I had bittersweet. Bittersweet is highly prized for its use in dry flower arranging. It's also pricey.

Broadly twining, bittersweet is native dioecious and is not always welcome by farmers. As my friend put it, "There's a Round-up mentality about bittersweet in these parts." She was very happy to take as much of the berried branches that I could reach. The rest were left for the birds to eat.

Spike Speedwell

2009-02-14T19:04:00.005-05:00

Spike speedwell (Veronica spicata) is an herbaceous perennial with spiked, tubular flowers. The flowers are a cool blue. The blue pops against the plant's dark green leaves. Speedwell also comes in pink.

Suited to sun as well as partial shade, my speedwell grows happily under a volunteer scrub willow. Low maintenance and low growing (it reaches 1.5 to 2 ft.), speedwell is a wonderful perennial to plant at the front edge of the flowerbed.

Pluses: Speedwell is deer resistant and attracts pollinators for the nearby vegetable garden. Rating: Excellent and easy care for Zone 5 growing.

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance."

2009-02-08T13:49:00.007-05:00

So wrote Shakespeare in Hamlet. For me, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), also embodies remembrance.

Although this perennial herb is used to flavor meats, poultry and potatoes, I rarely use mine for this purpose. I'm slightly more romantic and cerebral about rosemary.

Several years ago, I placed a small plant* in a pot and there it remains. As a potted plant, I take rosemary outside when the weather warms, inside when it cools. Rosemary's woody and evergreen-like needles are suited to the arid and sunny conditions of the wood deck. Unlike other potted plants that require daily watering during the summer months, rosemary is forgiving of a little neglect.

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During these long winter months, there is nothing like the pungent, earthy-pine fragrance emitted from even the slightest brush of rosemary's leaves. The scent reminds me of times in the garden. It's a reminder of why I garden.

*Grows in zones 7 -10. In zone 5, it must be either dug up or grown in pots and brought inside.

Orange Cosmos (C.sulphureaus)

2009-01-31T15:16:00.005-05:00

Life is a series of rituals.

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One of my favorite rituals is the gathering of orange cosmos seeds in mid-September. Every year, I collect enough (about three pickle jars full) to reseed the annual beds and give away to family and friends. Cosmos seeds, like marigolds or forget-me-nots, are easy to collect and store. I save money on annuals by collecting the seeds or, as is the case of geraniums, digging them up before the first frost. I plant the seeds after Mother's Day, typically the frost-free date in Zone 5.
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Although orange cosmos is a wildflower native to the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico, it does extremely well in our hot Ohio summers. Cosmos love full sun and arid soil. The majority are planted along the foundation in the backyard. Its brilliantly tangerine color and daisy-like flowers bloom from mid to late summer or until the first fall frost. Year after year, praying mantis have used the cosmos as their niche. Mantis are a curious and beneficial insect; and most welcome in the garden.

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I have been cultivating orange cosmos for fourteen years. And to think, this ritual began with one pack of seeds!

Oriental Lily

2009-01-28T10:56:00.005-05:00

Tucked into my perennial bed are a few Oriental lilies. For rose-like fragrance and that 'wow-factor', Orientals can't be beat. I also have a couple Asiatic lilies (these are not fragrant). Asiatics are pretty in their own right - speckled like bird eggs - though not quite as showy.

Unlike day lilies, Orientals, are true lilies (genus lilium). Orientals are grown from bulbs. The bulbs do not have to be dug up in the fall like gladioli. I planted the lilies 3 years ago in full sun and well-drained soil. Orientals prefer slightly acid soil which I do not have. However, mine don't seem to mind. The plant grows on strong stems and range from 3 to 6 feet. Most of the blooms are eye level. Needless to say during mid to late summer, I can't pass by my Orientals without bending my head and taking in a long whiff of sweetness.

Zone 5 performance: Great, requiring occasional watering

A Pair of Pear Trees

2009-01-24T15:11:00.004-05:00

In the mid 1930s, our property was part of a large pig farm. The property also sits on a hundred-year flood plain. Consequently, there's an excellent top soil (12" +) over the Ohio clay. Sometime back in the 1980's, someone planted a pair of pear trees in the small orchard.

What the exact varieties are is not known. We've never done much more than harvest and enjoy the pears. One is definitely a winter pear. I suspect it is a Bosc. The fruit is ready for picking in mid to late September. After picking and storing in the basement at a temperature around 55 degrees, the winter pear begins to ripen after 6 weeks. The other most likely is a green Bartlet. It ripens in late August and is sweet and juicy. *Note: two varieties are required for cross-pollination.

Both trees put out an abundance of fruit (as in hundreds of pounds each). We eat them fresh, dried, made into apple/pear butter or, our favorite - pear bread.

Our pear bread recipe:
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 3 eggs lightly beaten, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups of pear peeled and chopped into small pieces, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and pears in small bowl. Add to the dry mixture. Stir until moistened. Add nuts.

Pour into pans, bake for one hour. Insert a knife into center to check if done. If knife does not come out clean, bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow bread to cool before removing from pan. Bread keeps well in the freezer double-wrapped in foil.

P.S. It's mid-January, and we're still pulling pear bread out of the freezer.

Achillea - Yarrows

2009-01-18T14:00:00.005-05:00

Back in 1995, I arrived at a friend's house just as she was ripping out the white yarrow that grew along her foundation. Never one to see a plant be tossed, I gladly accepted a brown bag full of this aromatic yarrow.

Fourteen years later, I think I've finally gotten it under control!

Like Achilles the Trojan war hero it is named after, yarrow marched on like a soldier: conquering and occupying almost every corner of the perennial bed. Prodigiously spreading underground through the rhizomatoms, it dawned on me one summer that my beds were becoming overwhelminly filled with green, fern-like leaves.
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While I was wrestling to get the white yarrow under control, I wondered if my yellow and wine varieties would follow suit. Thankfully, both yellow and wine do not invade. All three varieties tolerate dry soil and drought and grow in full sun.

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Today, I still have a couple of the white yarrow. These I manage vigorously. The yellow and wine, I simply enjoy.

Sedum and Solidago

2009-01-16T09:24:00.003-05:00

Sun loving Sedum and Solidago provide a one – two punch of color at the beginning of fall. In my perennial garden, placed on opposite sides of a fence, their contrasting colors bring a soft pink and a vibrant yellow to the waning flower bed.

Sedum, a succulent, is drought tolerant and deer resistant. The only drawback to this tall plant (it grows to 15”) is the strong westward winds can knock it down. Conversely, the companion Solidago grows on tall, sturdy stems. Tall (36") Solidago sends a yellow canopy cascading over the top of the fence. Color-wise, Solidago rivals the wild goldenrod that grows in Ohio fields. Solidago is one of those ‘happy accidents.’ I bought it to attract beneficial insects. I got a standout beauty in the bargain. I got even luckier when I put these two perennials side by side.

Rating: Easy to grow, requiring minimal care. Great plants for Zone 5

Airy Astilbe

2009-01-15T12:22:00.009-05:00

If you've ever seen mushrooms and curious dark green circles in the grass, it's fanciful to imagine fairies danced where the rings sprouted overnight.

It's also whimsical to place fairy figurines or little houses in shady garden areas to attract this fabled creature.

But, it's transcendent to plant the airy Astilbe. For this herbaceous perennial embodies the qualities of fairies. If ever a flower came from fairyland, Astilbe with its feathery plumes, fern-like leaves and a preference for the partially shaded undergrowth, would be it.

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Another easy to grow flower with long lasting blooms, Astilbe adds a romantic charm to any perennial bed. I grow the pink variety. Astilbe also comes in white and a darker shade of pink.

English Lavender

2009-01-14T18:33:00.004-05:00

My rock garden has flowers which bloom in the spring (creeping phlox, peonies, columbine, iris), summer (lavender, hostas, marigolds) and fall (sedum). In the winter, some low lying evergreen gives the garden its interest.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is beautifully fragrant; think English country garden aromatic. Both flowers and spikey leaves have essential oils. I frequently use the lavender in potpourri.

A perennial, lavender prefers dry conditions. It is a very compact plant. I have two clumps which have remain fairly static in size for 12 years.

Grade: A+ Lavender does well in Ohio's hot Zone 5 summers.

Shasta Daisies

2009-01-09T19:30:00.004-05:00

As a child, I loved picking the wild daisies that grew in the field behind our house.

Back then, daisies made wonderful chains, fit neatly behind the ear, and amused little girls with "He loves me, He loves me not."

My childhood reverence for the simple daisy is why it has a prominent place in my perennial beds. As a gardener, I also appreciate how easy they are to grow.

My Shasta daisies have multiplied over the years. Good in both full and partial shade, they bloom for months. They are proficient reseeders. If left unchecked, however, they can become invasive.

Understated, but cheery, with their bright yellow hearts, the white daisy pops against the green landscape. Funny though, I no longer have the urge to pick them. I like them better in the garden.

Zone 5 Vegetable Garden

2009-01-08T18:24:00.008-05:00

It is January. The nicest part about winter are the colorful seed catalogs that arrive in the mail. They are a glimmer of things to come. As of this writing, my order is already somewhere at W. Atlee Burpee & Co. being processed.

On our three acre property, I have a large vegetable garden, a small potting shed garden and a patio herb garden.

The vegetables I've had the most success with are: corn, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, cabbage, peas, radishes, loose leaf lettuce, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, cucumbers, onions and peas.

Vegetables that, for one reason or another, struggled to produce are: sweet potatoes, broccoli, eggplant, melon and lima beans. Moles nibbled at the sweet potatoes (every last one!). Broccoli had little green worms. Eggplant and melons were small, albeit tasty. Lima beans produced very little bean for the amount of work.

For a couple of years, I used to have trouble with my corn. For some unknown reason, I had to replant because either nothing came up, or germinaion was spotty. An experienced gardener told me her strategy. Now, instead of one seed, I plant two at a time. I don't know why, but this seems to do the trick.

My two favorite sweet corn varieties are Silver Queen (white) and Sun & Stars (bicolor). This past sumer, I did a top dressing of chicken manure in the potting shed garden. The Silver Queen went in here and took off like gang busters. The planting was prolific and with high sugar content.

Other recommended Burpee favorites: Big Boy Tomatoes, Sugar Snack Hybrid Cherry Tomatoes, Salad Bowl Looseleaf (cutting) Lettuce, and Hybrid Zucchini. They never disappoint!

P.S., that's Noll checking out the potting shed garden.

Monarda

2009-01-01T19:54:00.003-05:00

One bushy bunch of monarda grows next to the bitter sweet vine. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Monarda is a tall bee balm. It is a perennial that blooms midsummer and likes full sun.

I planted this balm as a single plant five years ago. It is slowly spreading to the other side of the fence.

The monarda is the only red flower I have growing in the perennial bed, so when it blooms, the contrast in color from the yellows, oranges, whites, pinks, and blues is very striking.

Performance in Zone 5 - Excellent

My Bleeding Hearts

2009-01-01T15:26:00.005-05:00

My sister gave me my first and only bleeding heart as an anniversary present three years ago.

Bleeding heart (Dicentra) is a woodland plant with late-spring blooms. Its flowers are pendant-shaped, like a string of little hearts. The blooms are long-lasting.

Since I planted it, the plant has doubled in size. It is happy within its perfect micro environment of shade, seclusion and well-drained soil.

Rating: Excellent in Zone 5, requiring very little attention.

Creeping Phlox

2009-01-01T13:42:00.003-05:00

Creeping phlox is also known as "moss pink." As you can see from this picture of my rock garden, it is a very appropriate and descriptive name. Phlox makes for a striking burst of color in May.

A herbaceous perennial, phlox enjoys full sun and is evergreen once the flowers have stopped blooming. The only work phlox requires of me is an annual trim to keep it from "creeping" out of the bed.

Phlox comes in several different colors: variegated, purple, pink and white. Last year I added two clumps of variegated (white with pink stripes) to this rock garden. Judging from the "moss pink," they should do just fine in Zone 5.

Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susans)

2008-12-30T14:54:00.000-05:00

I have been growing Black-Eyed Susans for almost thirty years.

In my first home, the few plants I started with reseeded and flourished so well I gave some to my neighbor. She in turn gave some to her neighbor. A year later, I was quite pleased to look out from my backyard into hers and her neighbor's to see a continuous sea of yellow daisies.

When I moved, I took three young plants with me. Thirteen years later, every July, I am in the midst of a new yellow sea. Hardy, heat tolerant and cheery, Black-Eyed Susans are one of my favorite perennials.

A couple years ago to mix things up, I planted some bicolor Rudbeckia (annuals from seed). They have exploded. Their blooms are larger with red radiating from the cone. Bicolor also self-seeds. Unlike the Black-Eyed Susans, the bicolor spreads out so I have to transplant the new plants to keep them together. Otherwise, they start to crowd out the smaller perennials. But hey, it gives me an excuse to spend more time digging in the dirt.

Rating: Excellent choice for zone 5

Echinacea (Cone flowers)

2008-12-30T12:04:00.000-05:00

I have always liked cone flowers because they have large, showy blooms. The light purple color is pretty and the flower attracts butterflies and birds - always a plus in my book. Being a native perennial, Echinacea is extremely hardy in zone 5. It is also drought-tolerant. The blooms last a long time and the coned centers are unique on each bloom making this plant all the more interesting.

Naturally, when I learned Burpee was offering an orange Echinacea, I bit, I bought. I received a live plant that produced two blooms (more salmon than orange imo). Not bad for the first year. However, the second year, I dug it up and moved it closer to the purple variety. Results in year two, one bloom.

A friend clued me in to a great place to buy inexpensive perennials this past spring. I bit, I bought.....six white Echinacea. I'm keeping my fingers crossed hoping the whites take hold. She explained to me why my orange Echinacea wasn't as productive as my many purple plants. It's too technical for me to recall here. Suffice it to say it involves roots and grafting.

My sister, who color-coordinates her zone 5 gardens in purple and orange, also noted the orange Echinacea she bought from a local nursery failed to thrive. It's looking like this specimen, while stunning in glossy catalogs, probably isn't going to rival the purple any time soon.

Catnip - the magic herb

2008-12-28T16:24:00.000-05:00

I have four cats, so catnip (Nepeta cataria) is an essential plant.

Easy to grow, self-seeding and highly prized by my cats, catnip is a perennial herb that is well established in the gardens around my home. Sometimes, too established. But this isn't really a problem since I pull and dry any wayward plant.

Catnip, a member of the mint family, grows in sun or partial-shade. It grows in any type soil and doesn't require much tending. Catnip grows up to 18". The herb has tiny whitish-purple flowers that attract bees and, when seed heads form, goldfinches.

The cats love the nip fresh or dried. The buds are the most potent part. When fresh, catnip has a strong, I think almost skunky, smell. In the winter, I sprinkle dry catnip on the kitchen carpet for the cats to eat and roll in. The oil works its magic slowly; then BAM! the cats are crazed for the next 15 minutes.

I started my nip patches in 1995 with one packet of seeds; a very good investment. So far, Zone 5 and catnip are a perfect match.