Reflections on the Past Season, and Future Dreams

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in Thoughts

Final Thoughts November 1999:
Reflections on the Past Season, and Future Dreams
by Mala Gunadasa-Rohling

Another year over in the gardening world, and many lessons learnt and pleasures had. One of the treats right now is being able to breathe a little easier since most of the work for the year is completed, not that you’d know that if you read our list of things to do this month! As our “mystery author” pointed out, don’t get stressed out over these or any garden jobs, just enjoy your garden, do what you can and want to – leave the rest until next year or whenever you get to it.

This is one of the true joys of gardening is that there is always next year. Another spring will follow this winter despite all our fears over the over-hyped Y2K problems, and everyone will have another chance to plant those hot new plants you craved this year but just didn’t have time for, another chance to try some exotic new (or old heirloom) vegetable, another chance for a lovely autumn colouring shrub or tree.

Harvest fruits and vegetables

The seasonality is most evident during Harvest time, when the fruits of all your labour are rewarded. This is a special event that means a lot to children and they should be encouraged to participate. This year, at my parents house, I took my little four-year old girl over to help Pa dig up the last of his potatoes, carrots, onions and beets. The sheer joy (on both their faces) as grandfather and grandchild dug around in the mud for buried treasures, then carefully picked them out and lay them out for washing was definately worth all the work – truly stuff that memories are made of. Potatoes especially seem to appeal to kids, followed by the lovely bright carrots with their fresh green tops. No matter how good or bad the growing season is, there is almost always a worthwhile crop of one type or another. This year, due to the cold, wet spring and summer, his tomatoes and peppers were not very good (they were great last year), but the root and leaf crops did very well. I wonder what will work next year?

One thing I’d really like to do when I have my own permanent garden space is plant an apple tree – no garden is really complete without one. They are such a simple, basic pleasure for the whole family. I definately do not want one of these new hybrid types that gets a few feet tall (or even less!), and always looks like it is about to fall over if you take out the stake. I want a BIG, old-fashioned apple tree, current wisdom and convention be damned!

Walking around the University of British Columbia Apple Festival last month really reinforced that wish…here, as at Apple Festivals all around the world, hundreds of beautiful apple varieties are displayed to tempt the senses. Some quite rare and unusual, others commonplace and well-loved. The one that caught my eye this year was the simple old Bramley that used to be quite commonly grown but now seems to have become a rarity, especially among home gardeners. This is probably simply because of its size – a “full-size” tree, says the label, like some kind of stern warning…”not recommended for most gardens due to its vigour and spread” it continues. Nonsense! Plant a nice big tree in your garden, whatever species and variety you choose. The large branches provide beauty and shade in the summer, and when the leaves drop off in the autumn, plenty of light and sun still gets into the garden and house. Plant it right smack dab in the middle of the lawn, put a bench underneath and sit and watch the garden grow, have a picnic underneath it, just enjoy it’s presence in your life. What are you saving the space for anyway – don’t be afraid of the neighbours or the utility company! Enjoy the beauty of a decent sized tree, with its seasonal changes, wildlife and family pleasures (just try hanging a swing from a dwarf tree) and you’ll never be without one again.

Watch later issues of the Garden Tapestry Journal for an indepth look at the Bramley apple, and why it is regarded as one of the world’s best apple varieties.

A Revolutionary Seawater Greenhouse Offers Hope in the Desert

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in Garden Gossip

Horticulture News from Around the World:
A Revolutionary Seawater Greenhouse Offers Hope in the Desert
by Nick Nuttal, Environmental Correspondent, The Times, UK

PEOPLE living in the world’s arid regions could enjoy fresh water courtesy of a British architect and his revolutionary seawater greenhouse.

The pioneering building, which won an architectural award at the Design Museum last night, uses sunlight to turn salt water into fresh water for growing vegetables and for drinking water.

Increasing areas of the globe are becoming “water-stressed”, according to a United Nations report published last month, and there are fears that areas in Africa, the Middle East and Asia are running dangerously short.

The ingenious building, designed by Charlie Paton, 49, operates at a fraction of the cost of traditional desalination plants, costing 21p to make 1,000 litres of distilled water.

The first seawater greenhouse has been built on Tenerife, partly with European Commission funds. A second is under development in Oman and there are plans for others.

At the heart of the design is a steel-framed greenhouse with “evaporators” at each end made from corrugated cardboard. This creates a huge surface area, allowing fresh water to evaporate, leaving salts behind. These strengthen the cardboard, so that it will last indefinitely.

The roof lets in light in the red and blue spectrums, which is needed for photosynthesis. Infra-red and ultraviolet are used to heat air in a roof cavity to help to drive the evaporation processes.

Mr Paton, whose Light Works company is based in Hackney, East London, said that in hot countries the crops would wilt and die if the greenhouse becomes too warm. The first evaporation unit not only produces humid air, but helps to cool it, too, to create optimum growing conditions.

After the air has blown through the building, it arrives at a second cardboard evaporation unit, which is close to cold salt water being pumped by. The fresh water in the air condenses out and is collected for irrigating the crops.

Dr Chicarelli-Robinson said that eight of the the 20 bestselling drugs in the world, representing sales of £7 billion a year, were derived directly from plants. At least 50 per cent of the top 100 drugs are derived directly or indirectly from plants, she said.

These include aspirin, originally from willow, morphine from poppies, atropine from deadly nightshade for treating asthma, and Diosgenin, a contraceptive from the Mexican wild yam. It is claimed that oats are useful against colds, depression, muscular sclerosis and shingles, and the researchers hope to isolate the chemicals concerned.

Dr Chicarelli-Robinson said the work could help hard pressed farmers by offering new cash crops.

Gardener Falls Down Judge’s Well

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in Garden Gossip

 

A GARDENER was almost buried alive yesterday when the ground opened up beneath him and he fell 6ft down a hole while mowing a judge’s lawn.

David Lonsdale, 41, is thought to have lain unconscious in the hole for an hour before recovering and remembering that he had his mobile telephone in his pocket. He dialled 999 and fire officers found the hole, thought to be a disused well, still collapsing when they arrived.

Mr Lonsdale, who had been working in the garden of Judge Rolf Hammerton in the village of Falmer, near Brighton, said: “One minute I was standing there the next minute I was gone.

“When I came to the mower was balanced on the hole above my head and I could see the blades still going around. I was terrified that it was going to come down on me as it is very heavy and the blades could have killed me.

“I was also petrified that the hole was going to get deeper and suck me down. I was so lucky to have my mobile phone on me and I just called for help. The doctors say I’m lucky to be alive.”

From: September 23, 1999 issue of The Times newspaper, London England.

Just say NO and just say YES!

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in Thoughts

Feature Article November 1999:
Just say NO and just say YES!  

Well, the rain is-a-coming but there’s still more to do in the garden.. Just like there’s a continuous stream of work to do at the office, there’s always more to do in the garden. A garden is a process just like anything else and there shouldn’t be this panic to get everything done. This past spring I was at the garden centre, waiting my turn at the cash, looking at all the goodies everybody else had picked up, when I overheard one woman telling her friend how anxious this time of year made her feel. “I can’t relax until all my beds are amended (compost and other nutrient rich elements worked in) and everything is pruned and weeded and…..” Just listening to her made ME stressed out. True, I get carried away some days out in the garden and notice 4 hours have gone by and I’m dying of thirst and nowhere near finished what I’d set out to do. BUT, I do it because it’s fun, physical and the results are inspirational and breathtaking. There is enough in life to get stressed out over – gardening should be the cure, not part of the problem. With the recent boom and downright frenzy over gardening, people think this is just one more thing they need to have……NOW. Not so. Enough said. Just had to get that out of the way.

Let’s talk plants.

Now, this is the time of year when people are dying for a bit of real colour. How about yellow, red, purple and green? That’s colour for you. There’s the Ginkgo (Gingko biloba, Zones 4-9). Before the leaves drop in the fall, they turn a gorgeous bright yellow. This together with their unique fan shaped leaves makes an awesome specimen tree. Try your darndest to get a male tree as the mature female has the plum-like seeds that drop to the ground which, when decomposing, are most stinky. It is very difficult to tell the females and males apart when they are young, but some varieties are strictly male. ‘Autumn Gold,’ broad and spreading in habit is male as is ‘Princeton Sentry,’ an upright and columnar form. Did you know that the Ginkgo is classified as a conifer? This is due to the presence of resin ducts in it’s cellular structure. The Ginkgo is also one of the oldest trees around – it’s the same as it was 150 million years ago.

For intense red colour, Winged Euonymus (Euonymus alatus, zone 4-8) is a great pick. In Michael Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs, he suggests to lighten-up on the pruning and allow the shrub to grow to it’s maximum height and spread for a better effect. Also of interest are the red fruits with the orange seed in the center and of course the winged stems from which it’s name is derived. Pruning increases wing size on the stems, but is really not necessary.

Another intense red in the fall is from the Red Maple (Acer rubrum, zones 3-9). You can see these trees literally a mile away. Many varieties to choose from, but choose your site carefully, they can grow up to 60′ tall.

For all these colours and more in just one tree, try the Fullmoon Maple (Acer japonicum, Zones 5-7). ‘Vitifolium’, named as such because of it’s grapelike leaves, turns brilliant yellow, orange, red and purple in the fall. Watching each colour appear is like witnessing an artist adding paint to a canvas. It grows 20-25′ tall and wide.

Then there’s green……I am starting to realize how important the evergreens (broad-leaved and conifers) really are. I would say to anybody starting a garden from scratch to include as many from this group as possible. Use them as your backdrop for other plants and for colour in the dead of winter. But this is December’s topic so we won’t get into that just yet.

No matter what though, only plant what you are comfortable to maintain. Do not think the more the better. Think simple and low maintenance and add to your garden after you see how your plants evolve and work in the space. Most of all, enjoy your time with nature and the wonderful world of plants.

Monthly Garden Jobs: November

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in Month 11: November, Monthly Garden Jobs

leaves - collect and compost 

Here are a few things to do during November for gardeners in the Canada, Northern US, England and European areas, basically anywhere where a winter season is right around the corner…

1. Plant the last of the spring-flowering bulbs:

You still have a few days left to squeeze this chore in before the long, heavy rains of the Pacific Northwest or the freezing temperatures across the Prairies and central Canada/US. Make it an annual event to add a few dozen new bulbs to your garden every year, and very soon you will have an absolutely spectacular spring display that makes this late autumn chore worthwhile.

2. Dig up the dahlias:

Once their leaves have been touched by the first hard frost, dig up the dahlia tubers carefully (try not to spear them with the fork or slice them up with the spade!). Shake of the dirt, there is no need to wash them, and let them dry indoors in a garage for a couple of days. Store them in between hay or crumpled newspaper in a cool, dry place over winter.

3. Plant new evergreen shrubs and hedging:

This is the ideal time to plant new specimen trees or a row of hedging – the cool weather ahead allows the plants to settle in and get established over the next few months with some root growth. Then, next season as the weather warms up, they are already to go ahead quickly with fresh new growth. Planting at this time of year also avoids having to regularly water the new additions to the garden during the first few critical months.

4. Take cuttings from currants, raspberries, blackberries, roses, dogwoods, willows, and many other shrubs:

November is the ideal time to take hardwood cuttings of your favourite shrubs, either to replace the older specimens or to increase your stock. Simply cut strong healthy shoots about 12-18 inches long from the plant, and stick them straight into the ground (bury at least one third of the cutting) in a nursery bed that is in a protected area of the garden, prefereably under a cold frame. Alternatively, they can be put into large gallon plastic pots and kept in a cool greenhouse or sheltered corner. After they have rooted (usually takes a couple of months), they can be moved to their permanent postitions in the garden, or left in the nursery bed to form larger, more mature shrubs before planting out.

5. Collect fallen leaves for the compost:

All those beautiful leaves falling into your garden should not be considered a nuisance but a treasure! Collect them into large piles and put them into large plastic bags to rot down into wonderful leaf mould over the winter. There are special “composting” bags designed for this purpose, but any strong, thick plastic bag will do, just make a few small holes (1/2 inch or so) around the bag for ventilation purposes. Alternatively, they can be thrown directly onto the compost heap, mixing with the last of the green lawn clippings. By running over the leaves with a lawnmower before composting them, you will speed up the process. Please, please don’t use one of those infernal leaf blowers to collect your leaves!! Use a rake – this is supposed to be one of the most wonderful jobs of the autumn season, so get the whole family out and enjoy!

6. Cover the crowns of potentially sensitive plants such as roses and hardy fuchsias:

Bury the crowns (the part of the plant where the main shoots leave the grafted rootstock, or just the central lower core of the plant) with a thick mulch of bark chips, straw or compost. For this to be effective, it needs to be at least 4 inches thick. The nice thing about using compost is in the spring, just spread it around a little more and leave in place. Other materials may need to be be actually removed if they haven’t compacted down enough during the winter. Extra protection can be had by not pruning the canes down to the ground in the fall, leave them in place until early spring, then prune. They will serve as extra protection for the tender crown from heavy frost and cold winds.

7. Clean and sharpen tools before storing away for the winter:

Remove all the encrusted dirt and grime from your hand pruners, shears, lawnmower blades, spade and fork tines. Use a wire brush for this job, then rinse in a bucket or under a hose to clean thoroughly. Sharpen edges for a quick start next season. Be sure to completely wipe all metal surfaces with an oily rag to protect them from rust during storage. Hardwood handles can be wiped clean and buffed with a wax polish to protect them from splitting and drying out. Remember to buy the best quality tools you can afford, they will last much longer and serve you better in the long run.

8. Protect your berry bearing branches:

If your garden only has a few shrubs with berries on them, and if you wish to save them for Christmas decorations, it might be a wise move to protect a few branches with some netting to keep the hungry birds and squirrels from stripping them clean! Migrating birds can quickly eat all the berries from a single area within a day, as they stock up for their long flights. Rodents also need food to tide them over the winter, so please make sure you only lock away as much as you need, and let the others provide food for wildlife.

9. Prune and shape your evergreens:

The final hedge trimmings and tree shaping duties should be completed early this month. If you can remember, keep some branches of pine trees, holly, laurel and ivy long and unpruned so you have a supply for Christmas decorations that won’t ruin the final shape of your plants.

10. Plant cuttings of herbs to grow on indoors:

All tender herbs should be either potted up and brought indoors or used for cuttings as they will not survive a North American winter. Mint, rosemary, parsley, sage, thyme, and many others, all grow well on small pots on a kitchen windowsill, where they add beauty and fragrance to the room while providing a handy source of fresh herbs throughout the winter months.

Seed storing and planting, and houseplant TLC

Posted on  November 3, 1999  in How to: Plant Care

Seed storing and planting, and houseplant TLC
by David Tarrant

Winter time for gardeners is dream time – having put the garden to bed we turn to our gardening magazines and all the wonderful gardening books available to make great plans for the season ahead. One good hands-on activity coupled with this planning would be to review your seed collection. Many of us have seeds left over from last spring, or may have some freshly collected from the fall. Hopefully they are all labelled well and safely stored in a sealed container in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Take them out on one of these gray, wintry mornings and make an inventory list so that you will know what not to re-order when the seed catalogues come in January or you check your eseeds list.

If you have some shrub or tree seeds and you are chomping at the bit to play in the soil, fill a few pots with potting soil and sow the hard dry seeds of maples, roses and oaks, to name a few. Bury the seeds about half an inch deep covering them with some coarse sand which will prevent mosses and liverworts from growing on the surface. Label the pots and place them out in your cold frame where they can freeze a bit over the winter months, which will trigger them into sprouting come spring.

With houseplants, one of the most difficult elements they have to deal with indoors is the lack of humidity in the air. So brown tips on leaves become even more pronounced during the low light months of winter. Try standing your pots on saucers of clean pea gravel keeping them topped up with water just below the surface of the gravel. If you are worried about the water going sour, add a little crushed charcoal to the gravel. As the water evaporates it will add humidity to the plants immediate growing area twenty-four hours per day. For the best results the saucer should be one and a half sizes larger than the diameter of the pot. In Europe, it is possible to purchase plant trays to custom fit indoor window ledges. Daily misting from a spritzer also helps. Try to turn your pots around at least every two weeks to prevent them from becoming lopsided growing towards a light source.

Some of us go away for winter vacations and have to leave plants unattended for a week or two. To keep them happy, water each one well, then place them close together inside a big clear plastic bag (the type you get when you bring clothes home from the dry cleaners). When full of plants, seal the top and leave them near a window. The bag works like a giant terrarium and sometimes the plants do better in there than with your regular care!