March

I was looking at some old photos and realized that around the middle of March last year I was pulling weeds. That’s just a little over two weeks away. I know February is a short month but it seems to have whizzed away.

The crocus is still snow covered but by March 16 last year, purple crocus was in full bloom in the back garden.

By March 14, 2008, the bunnies were already chewing on the new growth of tulips.

A load of mulch arrived by the end of March that year.

I have a lot to finish before I start the wicked weed battle.

But first it has to stop snowing.

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Good Bugs

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(Monster-sized lady beetle models from Master Gardener display “Good Bugs/Bad Bugs” at Adventures in Agriculture at Palmer Mall, Easton, PA 2/14/10.)

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If we need another reason to limit our use of insecticides, the risk of killing all the good bugs as well as the bad bugs makes a strong argument. As my grandmother used to say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

One of my favorite references “The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control” provides a list of good bugs (as well as pests). It includes a description, locale, life cycle and how to attract. The illustrations are outstanding. I’m sorry I can’t publish the pictures. How many do you recognize by name? My total was 7.

Aphid Midge (Aphidoletes aphidimyza) – larvae feed on aphids
Assassin Bug (Family Reduviidae)– helps suppress flies and caterpillars
Bigeyed Bugs (Geocoris spp.) – valuable predators of aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, spider mites and small caterpillars
Braconid Wasps (Family Braconidae) – parasites of elm bark beetles, cabbage worms, hornworms, corn borers, aphids and others.
Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) - pollinators
Damsel Bugs (Family Nabidae) – predator of aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, thrips and small caterpillars
Ground Beetles – prey on slugs, snails, cutworms, cabbage root maggots, and other pests that have a soil-dwelling stage
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) - polinators
Hover Flies/Flower Flies (Family Syrphidae) – larvae feed on aphids
Ichneumon Wasps (Family Ichneumonidae) – larva parasites of caterpillars, sawfly, and beetle larvae, and other insects
Lacewings (Chrysoperla (= Chrysopa) spp.) – general predator
Lady Beetles (Family Coccinellidae) – feed on aphids and soft bodied pests
Mealybug Destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) – prey on aboveground species of mealybugs
Minute Pirate Bug (Orius tristicolor) – predators of thrips, mites, small caterpillars, leafhopper nymphs, other small insects and insect eggs
Mites, Predatory (Family Phytoseiidae) – attack spider mites
Praying Mantid (Mantis religiosa) – catch and devour both pests and beneficial insects
Rove Beetles (Family Staphylinidae) – control aphids, springtails, mites, nematodes, flies, cabbage maggots
Soldier Beetles (Family Cantharidae) – larvae and adults prey on cucumber beetles, corn rootworms, aphids, grasshopper eggs, caterpillars and beetle larvae
Spined Soldier Bug (Podisus maculiventris) – attacks caterpillars and grubs, including tent caterpillars, fall armyworms, sawfly larvae and Mexican been beetle larvae
Tachinid Flies (Family Tachinidae) – predators of cutworms, armyworms. cabbage loopers, gypsy moth larvae and others
Tiger Beetles (Family Cicindelidae) – feed on a variety of insects
Yellow Jackets (Limonius spp.) – predators of flies, caterpillars and other pests. Can be a pest at picnics.

I could go on and on about this book. It’s a good reference for anyone interested in organic gardening. I think the short, illustrated section on “Insect Impostors” is worth the price since I can’t tell a soldier bug from a stink bug.


(University of Delaware Cooperative Extension publication “Beneficial Insects”.)

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I had to post a picture of the Krekk Alpacas hanging out at Adventures in Agriculture. Always a big hit. .

Amaryllis

January 18, 2010

ANTICIPATION!

January 28, 2010 (2 plus inches)

February 1, 2010 (about 11 inches)

February 7, 2010 (20 inches)
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February 16, 2010 – (19 days to the jackpot at 24 inches)

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(This plant missed Garden Bloggers Bloom Day but you can see other beautiful blooms (and more amaryllis) at May Dreams Gardens. Thanks to Carol for hosting this fun event on the 15th of every month.)

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Snow Day

10 AM

Two feet of snow fell on Wednesday. It came down fast.

For a day, the world was quiet – covered in downy whiteness.

2 PM

4 PM



10 AM

2 pm


4 PM

A bright Thursday dawned to nature’s whimsy. Garland on the deck rail and -

Upholstered furniture on the patio.

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Bats

(Picture published by Northeast Cave Conservancy.)

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Most of us agree that bats are not pretty. We also agree that they are extremely useful devouring mosquitoes and other pests at a rate of up to 3,000 per night. What will happen to the mosquito population without bats?

According to an article in our local newspaper (The Morning Call), White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is continuing to spread in the northeast US. It has spread “500 miles in two years with a 96 percent mortality rate.”

First spotted in 2006 near Albany New York it has spread through neighboring states and into Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. “Reported in PA Late last month, Pennsylvania Game Commission officials discovered white-nose syndrome in caves in Carbon and Monroe counties. Before that, they found it in Durham Township, in upper Bucks County, and it's likely in Schuylkill County, too.”

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is caused by fungus Geomyces destructans which grows in cold temperatures when bats immune system is thought to be lowered. For some reason, bats wake from hibernation early using energy reserves before a food source is available - literally starving to death. Researchers continue to work on a solution.

If you see bats flying in the daytime or before the middle of April, report to your State Game Commission or wildlife service. A form to report sick bats from Pennsylvania Game Commission is here.

Bats help control mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Canine Heartworm and crop insects. I don’t find them attractive but I really don’t want to be without them.

(Another WNS post February 27, 2008.)

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Confederate Jasmine

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Trachelospermum jasminoides

The Confederate Jasmine lives in a south facing window. (See November 28, 2009 post.)

There was some leaf drop after I brought it home. It seems to have recovered very well. I cut off some of the wild growth about two weeks ago.

I would have waited to prune until after flowering since the vine blooms on old wood but it sends out shoots rapidly. You can see the return of wild growth at the top of the above picture.

And now there are blooms – delicate, white and lightly fragrant.

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Hellebores in February

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This is what my hellebores (Helleborus orientalis) look like at the beginning of February.

I probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to them but Susan from Maryland zone 7b asked fellow members of Doug Green’s Online Gardening Club, Perennial Flower Group, to share their experiences with hellebores.

The conversation was joined by Yvonne in Illinois (zone 5), Linda in Southwest Kentucky (zone 6) and Janet. Doug Green (who is always hovering in the background to keep everyone out of trouble) posted a link to his “gardening tips for perennials”.

The gardening club is a fun way to connect with fellow gardeners. Their personal experiences add so much to my gardening practices.

Even though my hellebores have taken a beating this winter the purple buds are beginning to form. By March and into April, I will enjoy their early blooms. (See post from April 2009.)

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(The groundhog has spoken – 6 more weeks of winter.)

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Variegated Ivy and Fern

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This was the scene from the window the other morning.

So, I continued to tend to the houseplants.

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The fern got a shower.

The variegated ivy got a trim. (It’s friend looks a little aslant.)

I watched Mr. Green Thumb e-How video about variegated ivy. (Stan DeFreitas, also known as Mr. Green Thumb, has experience as an urban horticulturist working for the Pinellas County Extension Service and has taught horticulture at the St. Petersburg College.)

I’ve got to get out more.

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Root Pruning

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I have had the red Christmas cactus for more years than I care to remember. I don’t remember how many new plants have been started from the original plant my aunt gave me when I was 16.

It’s been a long time since repotting and the plant looked tired. So I decided to do a root pruning and repot. I took 2 cuttings and put them in water to root. If I kill the plant with an inept root prune, I should have new plants to start – a little insurance so to speak.

I watered the plant thoroughly. I used a knife along the edges of the pot to loosen it. The root ball didn’t look too dense. I cut about ½ inch from 2 sides and the bottom. I put the plant back in the original pot filling in with new potting soil. After a thorough soak, the plant is back in the cool room that is its winter home. I’ll keep a close watch for the next few months and hope the plant is re-energized.

(More information on Christmas cactus care from Penn State Extension.)

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Philodendron or Pothos

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Pothos is the one with variegated leaves. But no one I know calls it Pothos. And the care is the same no matter what you call them.

Philodendrons and pothos are great houseplants. They tolerate low light, uneven watering and neglect. I have a great example of a neglected and out-of-control Pothos.

I picked off the yellow and dead leaves and untangled the stems. When I stretched it out, it reached about 8 feet long.

I took a cutting from one of the tips, removed the lower leaves and put it in a vase to root. I’ve done it before and the cuttings rooted easily from the node or base.

I also put a bit of stem with a few lumpy nodes in the soil. The stem should root at the nodes. I anchored the stem with a paper clip opened to a V pushed into the soil. I’ll add a little potting soil. I hope a new plant will arise.

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(More information from University of Nebraska, Lincoln Extension.)

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Resurrecting Fuchsia

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Last March I bought 2 fuchsia plants - ‘Lena’ and ‘Swingtime’ – at the Philadelphia Flower Show. They bloomed resentfully all summer hanging from a shepherd’s hook near our front walk. Seven foot tall American Dream lilies have grown up around the shepherd’s hook completely overpowering the little fuchsia.

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I neglected them at the end of the summer. When I brought them in last fall, they were sticks with a few tiny leaves. I almost composted them but decided to put them with the other overwintering plants.

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They came back to life. I trimmed back the dead branches. I’ll take cuttings from the new growth.

If all goes well, I’ll have new plants for the little pots on the shepherd’s hook. Maybe they’ll do better this year. Or maybe I’ll find a better plant for those pots.


(Information on fuchsia care from Washington State University Spokane Extension.)

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Spring Shows

2012

Valley Flower and Garden Show

Ag Hall, Allenttown

•           New Dates: March 2, 3 and 4  -- Mark your calendars!!!

 

Adventures in Agriculture

Palmer Park Mall, Easton

Friday, February 10, 4pm – 9 pm

Saturday, February 11, 10am – 9 pm

Sunday, February 12, 11 am – 4 pm

Philacelphia International Flower Show

Marchh 4-11, 2012 =  Islands of Aloha

2011 UPDATE -

Adventures in Agriculture Feb 11-13, 2011  http://shoppalmerparkmall.com/calendar/event/11082
Philadelphia Flower Show “Springtime in Paris” March 6-13, 2011  http://www.theflowershow.com/home/index.html

Valley Flower, Garden and Patio Show - Ag Hall, Allentown Fairgrounds, March 11-13, 2011.
Lehigh Valley Green Builders Expo March 19-20, 2011  http://www.lvgreenbuilders.org/expo/

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February starts the round of local spring shows. It’s fun to see what’s new while waiting to get out in the garden. (Click on the headings for more information about each show.)

Adventures in Agriculture

Lots of farm, bug, garden, food, ecological and animal related displays. The alpacas are always a big hit - educational and interactive displays and fun for kids. (See February 20, 2008 post.)

Palmer Park Mall, Easton, PA

Friday evening, February 12: 5-9 pm; Saturday, February 13: 10 am-9 pm; Sunday, February 14: 11 am-5 pm. No admission fee.

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The 8th Annual Eastern Pennsylvania Spring Home Show
200 vendors fill Agricultural Hall with everything from gazebos to gardens.
WHEN: Feb 19th - 21st, 2010

WHERE: AG Hall, Allentown Fairgrounds,
SHOW HOURS: Friday, 5pm to 9pm; Saturday, 10am to 9pm; Sunday, 10am to 5pm

TICKETS: $8.00 adults, $7.00 seniors, children under 12 free.
PARKING: FREE

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Lehigh Valley Green Building Expo
An exciting gathering of green living experts will offer demonstrations and workshops on a wide variety of green topics. This is a new one for me. I intend to check out the rain barrels.

Northampton Community CollegeMain Campus - Gymnasium, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020

Saturday, March 20 – 9 am to 8 pm; Sunday, March 21 – 10 am to 5 pm
Admission $5

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The 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show “Passport to the World”

The over-the-top international flower show has a reputation for huge landscape displays, excellent horticulture and design and a great variety of shopping at “The Marketplace”. I always come home with a plant or two or more. (See blog post March 11, 2009.)
Sunday, February 29 through Sunday March 7

Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Hours: Sundays 8 am to 6 pm; Monday through Friday 10 am to 9:30 pm; Saturday 8 am to 9:30 pm.
Admission: Adult $23, Student with ID $18, Child 2 to 16 $13.

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In Search of Lost Roses

In Search of Lost Roses By Thomas Christopher (1989)

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I’m back in my Winter Gardener mode – time to read garden books.

This little book introduced me to the Rose Rustlers - a posse of Texas old rose enthusiasts that gather in November to scour the countryside in search of lost roses. (The term “old rose enthusiasts” does not refer the age of the rustler.)

They start out with buckets and shovels to find roses of Texas’s past. They search through cemeteries, abandoned towns, fields and private yards. Their sense of adventure and quest for discovery encompasses a passion that rivals Columbus. Texas hot, dry climate makes roses that have survived for decades truly a treasure. I would like to read more of their personal adventures.

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(Climbing Rose Blaze - 1932)

Lost Roses chronicles rose history from the wild roses of Greece and Rome through Napoleon’s Josephine’s 10,000 seedlings. Roses that crisscrossed continents with opium traders and settlers. China’s natural order to modern hybridization and genetic engineering. Damask, bourbon, gallca, cyrene, moss and many others are carefully indexed.

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(‘Madame Isaac Pereire’ - Bourbon 1881)

As I read I sometimes googled the rose mentioned to get an idea of what it looked like. With only a thimble of old rose understanding, I found tracing roses from France, Italy, Greece, England, China and America complicated. But, I came away with an appreciation of the depth of knowledge necessary to identify the old roses. The book illustrates the obsessive passion of old rose collectors.

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