Compost

A blizzard of leaves covered the yard like golden snow.

Our maple trees hold on to their leaves longer than any tree in our neighborhood. We had a cold night last Friday (27 degrees) and all the leaves seemed to drop at once. Well, most of them.

We ran over the leaves with the lawn mower. Then we raked and carried the chopped leaves to the compost bin. When the bin was full, we made a pile under an evergreen tree. The balance made a pile in the gutter to be picked up by the city to add to the community compost pile. I love recycling.

I can almost hear those leaves turning into black gold. And the price is right (if you don’t mind a little work).

Birds

Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds” is a great informational site http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/birding123

There are identifying keys, audio and video recordings. In the search feature of the Bird Guide (tab), type cardinal or robin or a bird of your choice. It will bring up sites where you can read a description of the bird, learn about its habitat or listen to its sound.

I used the site last May when cardinals built a nest in a holly outside our living room window - an exciting birds eye view, so to speak. The information on the site helped me follow the process from eggs to fledglings leaving the nest.

Diagnosing Plant Problems

"Diagnosing plant problems requires patience"

The above title was posted by Karen Bernhard, Entomologist, Lehigh Co. Cooperative Extension, on November 8th on The Morning Call web site http://blogs.mcall.com/master_gardeners/

Many times the folks at the County Extension office know what’s happening with your plant, lawn, vegetable, shrub or tree because they have received other calls or they are seeing the same problem in their own gardens. Sometimes the information will be posted on the blog.

Sometimes the question is extremely difficult to answer. These are the problems that take time and patience. Is it caused by a bug, a virus, bacteria? Or is it cultural – the weather, site problems, hardiness problems, problem with sprays, or a host of other reasons?

In the Master Gardener Blog, a helpful questionnaire is posted under “Garden Resources” in the right-hand column. Click “Send Questions to a Master Gardener.” Click again on “Submit your questions online”. The form will give you some idea of the information needed to accurately assess the problem.

If it is a really difficult problem, you may be asked to bring a sample. Take as much of the plant as you can. Often the answer is in the transition zone between the good growth and the problem zone. Sometimes it is even in the roots. The samples will need to be fresh. If you can’t get to the office right away, store the sample in a plastic bag, keep it cool and get it there as soon as possible. When you call, the people at the Extension Office will advise you how to handle the specimen.

A helpful guide for the do-it-yourself gardener “A Guide to Diagnosing Diseases of Landscape Plants” Virginia Cooperative Extension http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/plantdiseasefs/450-800/450-800.html

If you have a difficult problem, be prepared for a tough answer.

- Sometimes there is nothing you can do. The plant is toast.
- Treatment may be delayed until another season. A pesticide may only work at a certain stage of the insect’s life.
- Sometimes there’s nothing you need to do. It will eventually go away.

Hopefully, the people at the extension will be able to provide a plan of action and not a dire diagnosis.

Promise of Spring

Even though I’m in the “season of brown” mentally, there are signs everywhere of the promise of spring.

The PJM Rhododendron with its burgundy tinted leaves cradling buds waiting to explode next April.

Buds of the Dogwood trees pop straight up among the fall colored leaves.

Pussy Willow buds swell in anticipation of late winter sun.

Azaleas and Rhododendron buds wait for April.

Time to get over the brown mood. It’s time for a garden tour! The Coplay Garden Club’s Longwood Garden tour will be a treat. Then there are the house plants – the Christmas cacti are setting buds. The topiaries need a trim. The amaryllis will bloom. The cuttings are growing and will need to be cut and rooted. There are flower shows to look forward to. And all those flower and garden catalogues. I’ll need to asses this year’s garden and make a plan for next year. I have a few new garden books on my Christmas list that will keep me reading through the winter. It’s time to rake leaves. So, I guess I’m over the "season of brown" mood. There’s too much to do.

Color Before the Frost

Last week:

Even though the Mums fell over in a windy rain, the bright colors remained.

Snapdragons were not about to give in to a light frost.

Hydrangea color lingered among bright green leaves.

Even the Impatiens held their own while waiting for the compost pile.

The Sweet Peas were happy in cool weather.

After the frost this week most of the colors are gone. A few Mums hang on but I see the beginning of what I call, “the season of brown.” Thank goodness for evergreens!

Canna

The Canna plants were beginning to look a little tired and showing burn from the frost on the edges of the leaves. Time to dig them out. It may be a little early according to some experts but I have to work in the garden when time and weather permit. Don't we all? (See October 15, 2006 post)

I cut off the large stalks about 3 to 4 inches from the ground. The stalks are waiting to be taken to the city compost center. I dug the rhizomes with a garden fork. Trying to keep as many roots as possible, I turned them upside down and let them dry for a few hours. I gently cleaned off most of the soil and put them in the wheel barrow and a plastic container to finish drying.

Once they are dry, I’ll store them in a cool (not freezing) area of the garage in a container and surround the rhizomes with peat moss. I’ll check them from time to time over the winter to make sure they are not too dry or too wet. If they are too dry, I’ll cover the container. If they are too wet, I’ll add more peat moss.

The rhizomes are huge masses again this year. Next spring I’ll separate the rhizomes, keeping at least 2 or 3 eyes per cutting, and re-plant. Hopefully, I can give some away to my friends this year because I know they will multiply again next summer. I hope I never run out of friends!

Cannas by Quality Gladiolus Gardens has some helpful tips on growing cannas http://www.qualitycannas.net/cannacare.html Old House Gardens also has some great tips for care of all kinds of spring planted rhizomes and tubers http://oldhousegardens.com/howToSpring.asp

Tree of Heaven

The Tree of Heaven is not a heavenly tree. This invasive tree was imported from China in 1784 and rapidly spread in the US. It was greeted as a great landscape tree because it grew fast and had no natural enemies. In China it is known as “stinking chun”. I hear the leaves and male flowers smell like rotten peanut butter.

Tree of Heaven resembles a Sumac. The leaves reveal the difference.

Tree of Heaven has one to three serrations at the base of the leaf.



The Sumac leaf is serrated throughout.



The Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is difficult to get rid of once it is established. It spreads by seeds and root suckers. It can grow 10 to 15 feet a year. Repeated and frequent cutting before it gets large is recommended. For larger trees, the stump may need to be painted with an herbicide immediately after cutting. Vigilance is required to eliminate suckers that pop up. It may take 2 or 3 years to totally eliminate it in the landscape.

More information from Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Forest Service: http://www.naturalresources.umd.edu/Pages/Tree_of_heaven.htm

Lawn Weeds

Two obnoxious weeds have invaded our lawn in the last few years. They are described in Penn State’s “Weed Management in Turf” publication as follows. http://turfgrassmanagement.psu.edu/weedmgmt.cfm

Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi)

Nimblewill is a blue-green perennial grass that is common in Pennsylvania lawns during summer. It spreads over existing turf by stolons and forms dense patches. Leaf blades have a medium texture (about ¼ inch wide) and are short (1½ to 2 inches) with leaf tips tapering to an abrupt point. The stems are long, slender, and wiry with prominent nodes. Ligules are short, membranous, and jagged. The leaf blades have long hairs at the margins but do not possess auricles. Seedheads are long, slender, and inconspicuous. Nimblewill grows rapidly during the warm summer months and turns brown or tan in winter.

Ground ivy (Glecoma hederacea)

Ground ivy is a low-growing, creeping, perennial broadleaf weed. Leaves are oppositely arranged on stems and are round or kidney-shaped with scalloped margins. The upper leaf surface has distinct veins and is sparsely hairy. Stems are square, creeping, and long. Ground ivy produces nodes that root at leaf and stem axils and that can form new stolons. Flowers are blue or purple and trumpet-shaped. This weed is most common in shaded areas, but it can also grow in full sun.

Penn State web sites contain information to help a homeowner deal responsibly with their lawn http://solutions.psu.edu/Horticulture_Gardening_Landscaping.htm and http://turfgrassmanagement.psu.edu/homelawns.cfm

Turfgrass serves many purposes - earth cooling, open space, a playground, an athletic field, a filter, to reduce soil erosion, to increase property value, a frame for your flower or vegetable garden - among others.

With good lawn care management, some patience, and a little common sense and we won’t end up polluting the earth with chemicals. Every expert recommends taking a soil sample (see September 29, 2007 post). That way you can be sure to add only the fertilizers or herbicides (either organic or chemical) that the lawn can use.

Frogs and Toads

I’ve been doing some research on how frogs and toads benefit the garden.

According to Frogs by Dan Greenberg – Benchmark Books 2001: “The American toad is indeed a voracious eater of garden pests. One study estimated that 88 percent of the toad’s diet consisted of insects that were harmful to garden plants, including mosquitoes, locusts, grasshoppers, snails, slugs and hairy caterpillars.”

I’m lucky because there are a lot of American toads in the neighbor’s pond. I love to listen to the trill on a warm spring evening. You can listen to the cacophony here: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/amphibian/toadvoc.htm About 100 feet of vegetative growth separates our deck from the pond reducing the toads love song to pleasant background music.

I plan to add a few toad houses to my garden next summer. You can find some ideas here:
http://www.wildlifehc.org/documents/hoptoad/toadabodeenirch.pdf or here http://entertainment.kaboose.com/gardening-plants-projects.html

Why are frogs so happy? Because they eat what bugs them.

Fall Garden Cleanup

A few days of badly needed rain has caused a temporary halt in garden cleanup.

In the last few weeks, I managed to get a few things done.

Even though we have not had a frost, I’ve been emptying pots and composting the potted annuals. The pots were cleaned and stored for the winter. The pot pictured is ready to roll toward the compost bin. I never do a great job of cleaning pots before I put them away. I dump the soil and brush out a little remaining soil. I use new soil mix in spring and I haven’t had any problems. I guess this is OK but I’m sure there are better methods.

I cut back a few of the black-eyed Susan and cone flowers. I leave some for the small birds to feed on. They like the little seed heads.

I cut back and cleaned the iris bed a few weeks ago. This is the first year I’ve done this. Most years I tend to ignore the mess altogether. The yellow iris blooms profusely every year with almost no care at all. I hope the iris like being neat and tidy for a change.

The peonies were cut off and discarded in the trash. They were a mildewed, unsightly mess.

I picked the last of the tomatoes and pulled the plant the other day before the rain. I harvested 8 green tomatoes and one almost ripe. Most of them will ripen off the vine – or become green fried tomatoes. Next year I want to try Brandyboy tomatoes if I can find them. It's large beefsteak that I’ve heard good things about from other gardeners.

If we get a frost this weekend, I’ll cut off canna stalks. I’ll dig up the canna tubers with a garden fork. They will be dried and stored in peat moss in a cool place for the winter. The rest of the annuals will need to be cleaned out of the garden.

Hopefully, I’ll have time to spread some compost and mulch before leaf raking starts in earnest.

Autumn

As I slowly work on garden cleanup (who could rush in such glorious weather), I continually stop to admire the plants.

The mums in bloom, the grasses against a blue sky, the annuals bright colors and even the obnoxious beans on the locust tree grab my attention.

It’s hard to get serious about cleanup with all that’s still happening in the garden. Even the resident bunny is lulled into a leisurely, relaxed life.

Cow Pots vs. Peat Pots

(See February 1 and May 9, 2007 posts.)

The cow pot versus peat pot experiment this summer showed no advantage to cow pots (at least in my garden).

I planted 4 cuttings of the same variety of coleus - 2 in cow pots and 2 in peat pots. I tried to keep the size of the plants similar - about 2” - and planted in the garden on May 14. I planted the peat pot on the left and the cow pot on the right. I tore the bottom out of the peat pot and put a few holes on the side with my thumb nail and broke off anything above soil level. The cow pot top was broken off to the soil line. Both plants received the same amount of water and fertilizer during the summer.

I did this in two areas. During the summer, all plants grew fairly well. But, by September, the peat-potted plant was slightly larger in both instances. (peat pot left – cow pot right)

When I dug out the plants last week, the peat pot was still more or less intact. The cow pot had completely degraded. Although the cow pots served the purpose well for cuttings and are a great recycling effort, there was no noticeable contribution to the growth of the plant. I would use them again if I can find them locally at a competitive price.

I reuse small plastic pots for most of my cuttings. I use peat pots for cuttings taken late in the winter so I don’t have to disturb the roots when planting the young plants in the garden. I have a friend who reuses empty yogurt containers for cuttings. Now that’s recycling.

Mums and Asters

The colors of fall.

Mums and asters are in bloom everywhere. The colors in my garden are mostly yellow to orange, a few pinks and a purple. The size varies from a diminutive button mum to the 3 foot high and wide yellow mum that was an Easter gift. (Yes, I did pinch it back.)

Chrysanthemum rubellum 'Clara Curtis' has been a real winner. This pink daisy mum, purchased in 2004 from Wayside Gardens, grows and grows and bloomed all summer. I’ve given away a few pieces of this plant.

Another winner in the hardiness category is Chrysanthemum koreanum ‘Single Apricot’. This daisy-shaped mum spreads and needs to be propped up. I use 4 sections of 24” or 32” Gard’n Border green round folding fence to make a cage. The fall color is a sweet peachy-pink. I purchased it in 2004 from Hickory Grove Greenhouses in North Catasauqua.

A spectacular show this year is the orange mum transplanted from my Mom’s garden several years ago. I don’t know the name but it produces a great bloom every year. This one also gets pinched and propped and grows 2 to 3 feet tall.

Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’, planted in 2004, has a deep, rich purple color. I originally planted 2 but only one remains. I pinch the plant back lightly until the middle of June. I didn’t have much trouble with mildew this year – because it was so dry? It doesn’t spread (unfortunately) and is pretty care free if you can put up with the mildew. I would like to add a few more asters next year.

I try to plant mums in a wind-sheltered, sunny spot. They make good foundation plantings. In winter, I cover them with branches cut off when the plant dies back and some leaves or mulch. I try to shelter them from the winter freeze/thaw cycles. Sometimes I lose a mum but mostly they make it through the winter.

The hardiest of my mums: ‘Clara Curtis’ is planted in a sunny open spot and seems to do fine. I haven’t done anything to it – no fertilizer, no pinching, no cutting off dead branches. The ‘Single Apricot’ is under a dogwood tree but gets some sun. This one is pinched, propped, cut and covered. It spreads a lot so I end up with plants to share or plants for the compost. I just pull or cut them out when it gets too wide.

What a colorful way to end the summer.

Blumenplatz

It’s time to clean out Musikfest’s Blumenplatz. (see June 30, 2007 post) In the next week or two, we will be removing all the plants and taking them to the Bethlehem Compost Center.

It’s been a year with the usual ups and downs. Most plants thrived. Some areas looked anemic and had to be enhanced with plants from the Butterfly (plant holding) Garden in the Colonial Industrial Quarter. The chairman kept everything on track and tirelessly tended the garden. Many of the lights during the festival gave him fits. The dry summer never gave a break to watering. A lot of help at planting time came in the form of Art’s Quest interns. Dan Schatz Greenhouse again provided massive amounts of annuals. Deadheading. trimming and weeding continued all summer. The design was beautiful as usual.

It’s time to put the garden to bed. We’ll meet again next April to plan the garden in the city center. We hope it will be even better than this year. The best garden is always next year’s, isn’t it?

Invasive Plants

Two popular shrubs have become invasive in Pennsylvania dominating natural resources and depleting cover and food for wildlife – Japanese Barberry and Burning Bush.

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) has never been a favorite of mine because of its sharp edges. It has a burgundy color that adds interest to the landscape so it is has become an attractive addition to many gardens.

According to Invasive Organization http://www.invasive.org/eastern/midatlantic/beth.html

“In the United States, Japanese barberry occurs throughout much of New England and the Northeast, south to North Carolina and west to Michigan and Missouri. Barberry forms dense stands in a variety of habitats, including closed canopy forests and open woodlands, wetlands, pastures, meadows and wastelands. This highly shade-tolerant exotic shrub displaces a variety of native herb and shrub species in areas where it is well established.”

The Barberry variety ‘Concord’ can be substituted providing everything the invasive plant offers without the seeds that promote invasiveness.

I do have personal experience with Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus). Purchased in the early 90’s, I wanted a shrub that would add some color to the fall landscape. I got the color but I also got hundreds of seedlings after the shrub matured. I’ve removed the bush.

The Global Invasive Species Team http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/alert/alrteuon.html has this to say about Burning Bush:

“This new invader is becoming increasingly common in Connecticut, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. It has been observed making dense thickets in Pennsylvania. These thickets can shade out native herbs and crowd out native shrubs.”

Some native plant substitutes for Burning Bush worth checking include: maple-leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii), service berry (Amelanchier arborea), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) or red chokeberry 'Brilliantissima' (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima').

Even the much loved Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) has become invasive in some parts of the country. Since seeds of the Butterfly Bush don’t mature until spring, trimming spent flowers in the fall will greatly reduce the threat.

It may take a bit of research to make the right choice when buying shrubs or working with a landscaper. But, by staying away from the shrubs that can become invasive, at least I won't add to the problem.

Sweet Pea

I’ve tried for the last two or three years to grow sweet peas. Last year I got a few beautiful blooms from Ferry & Morse seeds Sweet Pea Early Mixed Colors. (See December 29, 2006 post.) I guessed that there were so few blooms because they didn’t get enough sun.

So this year I planted Burpee Sweat Dreams and Streamers Mix in the rose bed in full sun. I’m not sure it was good for the roses but I finally got more sweet pea blooms. Planted May 2, they are coming into full bloom now.

Burpee description of Sweet Dreams says, “Old-fashioned fragrance”. The fragrance is really not noticeable but the flower is large and bright.

The Streamers Mix is a really spectacular color although I have only seen lilac-colored striated flowers. According to Burpee, “The pure white flowers are infused with intense tones of purple, rose, pink, blue and orange.” Streamers is also supposed to be fragrant but I really can’t notice any aroma.

There are lots of buds. I hope to see many more flowers before frost.

Celtic Classic

A weekend of fun, food, entertainment and competition happened in Bethlehem September 28, 29, 30. The 20th annual Celtic Classic was organized by the Celtic Cultural Alliance. http://www.celticfest.org/

Celtic Classic Invitational Pipe Band and Drum Major Competitions included 10 bands from northeast US and Canada. Third Place Grade 3 MacMillan Pipe Band from Rockville, MD as well as the other competing pipe bands marched down Main Street. A few local bands also contributed to a musically colorful parade. Pipe band competitions were held behind Moravian South Campus soon to be used for a new dorm building for the college.

US National Highland Championships – according to the Celtic Classic publication:

“This is Celtic Classic’s third year of hosting the official U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships and our 20th year of witnessing many World Records being set on our Highland Fields!”

The history and rules of these competitions can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games#Heavy_Events As always, the Caber Championships drew a large crowd on Saturday. Local favorite Harrison Bailey III from Easton put on a great show to the delight of a cheering crowd.

Celtic education and culture were on display in the Ring of Celtic Heritage and included Celtic Quest –

“Celtic Quest is a journey to the Seven Celtic Nations. Upon arriving at the Celtic Classic, children (or the young at heart) can receive a free Celtic Quest passport at each Celtic Nation Station throughout the Celtic Classic grounds. The Quest takes the passport bearer to all seven of the Celtic Nation Stations, where demonstrations, craft projects and displays will be set up to entertain and educate children, and adults alike, about the seven Celtic Nations.”

Tom Slattery an Irish-experience storyteller charmed the crowd and passed out information on the CCC Celt Collection Library at Bucks County Community College http://www.ccccelt.org/ Several Clans presented history of their clan. Representing Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales, Celtic garb, jewelry, signs and memorabilia were on sale everywhere. Highland dancers, step dancers and traditional as well as modern musicians performed on every stage.

There were few complaints for such a large festival. The Celtic singing competition was held across the Monocacy Creek from the main Grand Pavilion. It was almost impossible to hear the singers as the music from the Pavilion stage overpowered the vocals. Due to the large crowd on Saturday, lines were long at ticket booths and at most food vendors. The fiddle competition at the Ice House was at capacity Saturday and Sunday and no one else could be admitted. And, the results of the competitions were not published until this morning and don’t include the results of the individual athletic events.

All in all, Celtic Classic is a wonderful and family-friendly festival. The weekend was a reminder of what a beautiful city we live in - from the quaint main street to the view near the Lehigh River photographed on the way to the volunteer parking area.