Beauty & The Beast

What's up with the drama in the title?

So maybe referring to potatoes as “The Beast” in this context is reaching a bit, but stand just about anything next to a passion flower and it’s going to look like a mud fence.

For me, there is nothing more beautiful that just about any member of the Passiflora family. Some of the common names for member of the Passiflora genus are Passion Flower, Maypop (my personal favorite) and Granadilla.

More practical information would be that they are hardy or semi-hardy perennial vines that can reach up to 30 feet. They carry stunning flowers, generally of white and purple (although many other varieties exist) that bloom from late summer to early autumn. Those members of Passiflora who fruit, will carry sweet and juicy egg shaped fruits in the autumn.

The Handbook of Herbal Formulas describes passion flower as having been used “as a sedative for treating insomnia and leaves no hangover. As an antispasmodic, it is helpful in Parkinson’s disease, asthma, seizures and hysteria. It relieves nerve pain in conditions like neuralgia and shingles.” It has been stated that American Indians used passion flower root as a poultice for boils, cuts, earache and inflammation.

I’ve read a lot about the difficulties of starting passion flower from seed. Some sources state that the seeds can take up to a year to germinate, if they ever do at all! Yikes. They say the easiest way to grow passion flower is from cuttings or from nursery plants. Passion flower is a perennial, hardy to Zone 6. While the USDA classifies our area as on the border of Zones 7 and 8, I can say with relative certainty that there are micro areas of Rogue River and Wimer that could be Zone 6.

Passion flower likes well-drained or sandy soil with full or partial sun. It will grow in relatively poor, sandy or acidic soils but reports indicate that it does best with a slow release fertilizer like cottonseed meal at the time of planting. Since this is a vine, choose a location where a permanent trellis can be constructed or installed. This plant produces for several years, so your trellis will need to last at least that long.

Johnny’s Selected Seed Co. of Winslow, Maine offered us the following guidelines for starting passion flower from seed:

Germination for passion flower from seed can be slow and erratic. Sow seeds in flats at a depth of about a half-inch. Keep the seeds moist and maintain a temperature of 85 to 90 degrees. Seedlings benefit from a heated seed mat. Nighttime temperatures should not go any lower than 70 degrees. Germination usually begins in 30 days and could take several months. When the true leaves appear, transplant the seedlings into larger cell trays. The United Kingdom Gardener’s Guild recommends soaking the seeds for a day or two before planting.

In the later spring, when dangers from frost have passed and seedlings are three to four inches tall, transplant outside in well-prepared locations, twelve to eighteen inches apart. Have your trellis in place at the time of planting, as passion flower will spread quickly through its runners once established.

Once your plants are established, you can make cuttings to share with your friends in the late summer or early fall. Gardeners experienced with passion flower pretty much agree that this is the preferred method. Provide bottom heat and mist your cuttings regularly. Use a rooting hormone powder when settling the cuttings into the rooting medium. Rooted cuttings are generally ready in three to six weeks.

Back in June, I wrote about growing potatoes. Someone said to me, “Why are you giving us this information when we can’t use it until next spring?” Soooo…without further adieu…let’s revisit the potato.

Potatoes are one of the easiest root crops there is to grow. They’re fun and a small area or container or trash can or even a trash bag (really!) can provide a nice yield of this popular veggie. Early spring is the best time to plant them, so here is some information on some of the best ways to grow them in the garden.

Choose the varieties that work best with what you cook most. We like new potatoes with peas and gravy (made with veggie broth, this is a nice, filling vegetarian dish).

Some popular varieties and their uses are:
White Rose: Good for boiling and salad, only fair for storing.
Russet: Good for baking and boiling, not so great for storing.
Netted Gem: Great for baking and stores well.
Red Pontiac: Very popular, versatile, stores well.

There are lots of other varieties that have excellent qualities as well. Of course, there’s the Yukon Golds (and other yellow fleshed varieties and the novelty potatoes. Purple ones leap immediately to mind, although the thought of blue food? I don’t know; there’s just something not quite right about blue food.

There are two schools of thought on selecting potatoes for planting. One is that you should only plant certified seed potatoes, which assures you that they are free of insects, disease and has not been treated with a growth retardant. Yes, store bought potatoes that are not certified organic are sometimes treated with a chemical to keep them from sprouting. Yum. Garden centers, nurseries, and the usual places generally feature seed potatoes early in the spring planting season.

Having said all that, I personally know people who have grown a crop of potatoes from potatoes they bought at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Yep, they bought organic. You can cut up a potato for planting as long as each piece has two, but preferably three or more, growth eyes. After cutting, let that cut surface callus up a bit before planting.

Sprouting your potatoes – also known as “chitting” – is a way to give your potatoes a head start. To chit your potatoes – either whole potatoes or seed potatoes – stand them in a light, warm place. Don’t stick them in a dark cupboard; that’s not going to work. An egg container is an excellent container for this. You will want to look for fat, green shoots and plant them when the shoots are about an inch long. Leaving several shoots on your potato will give you numerous smaller potatoes, while leaving only one growing will give you fewer, but larger spuds.

I’m going to cover the non-traditional methods of growing, rather than sending you out with a spade to dig for hours.

In straw: In the Scandinavian countries, growing spuds in straw or other material has been the norm for ages. Lay your spuds out above the ground, cover them up, water as usual. As they grow taller, add more straw/material around the base of the plants. The result: super clean potatoes with no back breaking digging.

In plastic garbage bags: The best ones for this project are those construction clean up bags; they’re thicker. Fold down the top part of the bag and put in about 6 inches of soil – either garden soil or bagged soil. Plant your spuds. As they grow taller, add more soil until your bag is ½ to ¾ full. Punch some holes in the bottom for drainage. You can place your bag any place that’s convenient and this can actually be your first crop of the year. The black plastic will help warm things up and your spuds will grow like gang-busters.

In plastic garbage cans: Use the same method as above. I like this idea a lot, but the fact that they are very heavy when full of spuds would eliminate this process, in my opinion. Wouldn’t it be easier to use the garbage bags, where your only harvesting tool would be a scissors to cut the bag open?

If you have a number of old tires lying about, you can stack those up, plant some seed potatoes in the bottom and fill the stack as the plant grows. I’ve heard that the average yield from stack spuds is around 15 pounds per stack, with one reader reporting a whopping 38 pounds of red rose potatoes.

Wire cage method: Get yourself a length of wire fencing. Probably not field fencing, but orchard fence or larger hardware cloth would work well. You want your cage to be about three feet in diameter and around four feet tall. Fasten the ends together so that it forms a sturdy cage, but one that you can open up later, at harvest time. Prepare your soil by adding some compost to garden soil, or start out with bagged soil. Set your cage at its preferred location. Add some straw to the bottom, then about 6 inches of soil. Plant the potatoes as you normally would – about three inches deep. Plant five or six per cage. As the potatoes grow, keep filling the space inside the fence with more soil and compost. Don’t bury the plants; bring that soil level up around two to three inches at a time inside the cylinder. Soon, your cages will be filled with dirt, compost and potatoes.

You won’t want to water your potatoes too much or you’ll wind up with black or hollow centers. Watering sporadically will give you some really strange shaped potatoes. As a guideline, water weekly during warmer weather. If you’re growing in cages or other containers, these tend to dry out more quickly. Poke your finger a few inches in to test the soil.

To harvest new potatoes, watch for your plants to start blooming. Then harvest. To allow for mature, storage size potatoes, wait until the vines yellow and start to die back. If you’re using bags, cut them open with scissors. Wire cages simply require a wire cutter or gloves. With tire stacks, you can pretty much just tip them over as you would with garbage cans or containers. The straw method requires only rooting around to pick out the nice, clean potatoes that have grown there.

To store your spuds, keep them in the dark at around 40 degrees.

Not all ornaments are for Christmas trees...

Whether we realize it or not, grasses are a huge part of our daily lives. The first grass to be used as an ornamental was Job’s Tears. It was grown in monastery gardens during the 14th century and the seeds used for rosary beads. Members of the family Poaceae cover the earth in fields and rice paddies. Recently, there has been an increase in interest in prairie grasses as ornamentals and as part of prairie restoration projects. Much of the North American prairie has been converted to farmland. In order to preserve the native grass species, the conservation and restoration of prairies is important. Grasses come in a variety of color and textures and inhabit a wide range of growing conditions.

Caring for ornamental grasses – what some might call “weeds” – is relatively easy. You can start out with either ornamental grass seed or starter plants. Common ornamental grasses are quaking grass, bunny tails and switch grass.

Decide where to grow the ornamental grass. These grasses generally thrive in a garden spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. Till the area you’ve selected, but don’t over-cultivate. You won’t have to fertilize much since ornamental grasses don’t need much. A rule of thumb is to apply a good organic fertilizer a week or two before planting.

If you’re using starter plants, plant them as soon as possible after you’ve bought them. The quicker they get into the ground (or larger container), the better they will thrive. Make your hole for planting twice the size of the root ball. Water as needed. Most grasses like lots of water to remain healthy and to keep their color.

Mulch your ornamental grass to prevent weeds, moisture loss and to help over-winter the grasses. Fertilize once a year after the initial application. For the best results, plant in the spring. If you plant in the fall, you’ll need to mulch really well as winter arrives to protect tender grasses from freezing.

Be aware that all grass types spread and can easily take over a garden if you don’t keep an eye on it. Ornamental grasses do really well in containers and you may want to consider this to keep it from spreading to a manicured lawn or to your neighbor’s yard.

Growing ornamental grasses in containers is a great way to feature grasses without having them branch out and take over. And – if you plant them in the ground – they will. Container grown grasses are also easier to divide and they just LOOK so cool.

According to Marie Iannotti, ornamental grass specialist, the top ten picks for ornamental grasses in containers are:

Blue Lyme Grass – Imposing sword shaped leaves that bend as they grow tall and spiky flower heads.

Blue Oat Grass – Bring a cooling blue-gray to your garden, a lovely rustling sound in the breeze and a very nice texture.

Red Fountain Grass – Filling the pot with it’s arching habit, the rich burgundy colored “Rubrum” has made it a favorite even in those zones where it can only be grown as an annual.

Japanese Forest Grass (Hakone) – Once you see Hakone grass, you’re going to want it. Just about everyone does. If you don’t have the moist, partially shaded conditions it thrives in, definitely grow it in a pot.

Bamboo Muhly – This is a Southwest native. It gets its name from its notched stems and feathery foliage. It thrives in the sun and heat and can take a bit of neglect in a container.

Feather Reed Grass – Has tall flower plumes that are eye-catching as a focal point – perhaps on your patio – when grown in a container. Although feather reed grass needs a bit of protection from the hot sun, it does well in containers over winter.

Leather Leaf Sedge – Sedges don’t get the attention they deserve. Grown in containers, their bronze tinged leaves gleam in the sun while the blades pick up the slightest of breezes.

Japanese Silver Grass – This is one of the most popular ornamentals and does very well in containers. The airy growth habit of this grass has a softening effect and the white of the leaf edges really pops. It is also available in a variegated variety.

Japanese Sweet Flag – Sometimes a container calls for something short. At around a foot in height, Sweet flag adds color and it’s lovely sweet scent. Likes more water and some shade when it’s grown in a container.

New Zealand Flax – For spiky form and lots of colors, these are the most versatile container grass-like plant there is. Color range includes greens, reds, coppers and golds. Very attractive.

Holiday Plants

OK. So your friend has given you a gorgeous poinsettia plant for Christmas. Now what?

In Mexico, the poinsettia is pretty much a weed. Really. In the rest of the world, nearly 100 million of them are sold every year for the Holidays, in spite of the fact that 60% of the public incorrectly believes them to be poisonous! More on that later.

Poinsettias don’t really like temperatures below 50 degrees, so generally, if you’re comfortable, your poinsettia will be as well. They also don’t like drafts or cold winds. The brighter the room, the better – they like it light. Water them just when they go dry and use room temperature or slightly warm water. For poinsettia, it’s better than cold, right out of the tap.

Poinsettias will start to drop their leaves in February and will then go dormant for a period of time. You can reduce watering then and as soon as frost is not a threat, you can move the pot outdoors. Prune them back by about 50%, transplant to a larger pot and resume regular watering. When you see new growth starting, you can feed them with a good organic fertilizer or even Miracle-Gro.

Getting them to bloom again can be a challenge. The Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, California advises us that from late September, poinsettias require 14 hours of complete darkness (not even light from a light bulb!) for several weeks to trigger blooming. Any deviation from that requirement will prevent reblooming. Rather a pain.

Are they poisonous? No. Not at all. Not even a little. Television gardeners have taken to eating leaves on their shows to prove it. No part of this plant is poisonous. No amount of leaves fed into lab animals was able to produce a toxic reaction. In short, the poinsettia – everyone’s favorite Holiday plant, has gotten a bum rap for years. No deaths from this plant have ever been reported.

Research studies at Ohio State University have proven that poinsettias present no health hazard. Do we still want to let little Billy munch on them or let Fluffy or Fido graze on them? Probably not.

Lewis Carroll, in his classic “Alice in Wonderland” made the correct statement, “If you drink enough from a bottle marked “Poison”, it’s bound to disagree with you sooner or later.” While poinsettia is not poisonous, best to keep pets and little people away from them anyway.

There are, however, a number of other Holiday plants that pose a greater risk factor.

Holly – Holly is an excellent garden plant that prefers protection from the hottest sun. Male and female plants of the English varieties are needed to get berries. Some varieties of other species set berries reliably without cross-pollination. Hollies generally do well if the soil is amended when they are planted and aren’t stressed by drought.

Holly is considered to be moderately to severely toxic, both to pets and to humans. Eating 1 or 2 berries won’t really hurt you, unless you’re a puppy, kitten or very small child. More than 2 berries can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Poison Control tells us that 20 berries can actually kill a child.

Ivy – Ivy is being used more and more for winter greenery and as filler in winter decorative arrangements. Ivy can be grown into wreaths, cones or other topiary shapes with relative ease. It makes a great indoor plant if it is washed off periodically to prevent spider mites. It is hardy in our climate and can be kept outside as well. Ivy can be very invasive in the garden, so keep yours in pots.

The leaves and berries of ivy are extremely toxic and the symptoms are very unpleasant.

Jequirity Bean (also known as Indian prayer bean or rosary peas) – You will find Jequirity Beans in many dry arrangements. They are quite striking in appearance, with their black tipped and scarlet coloration. Beware though, they can be deadly! They can be swallowed whole, but can be life threatening if they are chewed prior to swallowing. Vomiting and abdominal pain occurs within a few hours of swallowing, followed by some other exceedingly unpleasant symptoms.

Jerusalem Cherry – Every part of this plant contains toxic substances. Eating the fruit or foliage can adversely affect the heart as well as cause vomiting, skin redness, drowsiness or restlessness and hallucinations. Seizures are possible, but thankfully, rare.

Mistletoe – Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that grows entirely on other plants but also goes through photosynthesis to create food for itself on it’s own. The species of mistletoe we see most often in our region is of the genus Phoradendron, and it’s found on sycamore, oak, poplar, willow, ash, walnut, persimmon and birch trees. It can be quite a nuisance if you have livestock. It has been my experience that sheep or goats and mistletoe don’t make a good match. Birds, however, love the berries and spread them from tree to tree in their droppings.

Mistletoe is considered to be fairly toxic to both pets and humans alike, although the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences refutes this. “That doesn’t mean mistletoe berries are edible,” says J. Robert Nuss, professor of ornamental horticulture. Mistletoe should be hung out of reach of children and pets and berries that drop off should be removed from the floor immediately. A quick solution to that would be to place your mistletoe in a net bag or net wrap so that you don’t miss any.

Pyracantha – You could eat large numbers of these berries before getting a stomachache. Why anyone would want to is anybody’s guess. I’d avoid them. Like the poinsettia, experts consider this plant safe.

Amaryllis, Narcissus and other lily plants – When your amaryllis is done blooming in the house, you can plant that bulb in your garden in partial shade or early morning sun, in average soil. They will then bloom for years to come in the early summer. Watch out for slugs and snails, who love to devour amaryllis! It is possible to get them to bloom for future Christmases by forcing them into dormancy in the late summer by withholding water. This doesn’t always work, however.

The fragrance of narcissus and their related varieties is powerfully sweet. This bulb multiplies very freely outdoors. If yours came in a growing kit, keep watering the pot they are in until they finish blooming. The brighter the light you keep them in, the less floppy the leaves will be. After the Holidays, plant them in the ground. They’ll multiply freely in the sun or light shade and will increase for years.

A favorite of those plant bulb kits, these are popular gifts at this time of the year. Pet owners should be aware that these plants are toxic to pets, sometimes with severe symptoms. These would include gastrointestinal issues, heart problems, tremors and even convulsions. Poison Control classifies narcissus bulbs as “causing major toxicity.”

Azaleas (Rhododendron species) – Azaleas found in the nurseries and grocery stores at this time of the year are a little tender in our climate and might be damaged in freezing weather, unlike their hardier garden relatives. Typically, they are grown in soil with a large amount of peat moss, which makes it challenging to water them correctly. They are also usually incredibly root bound. It’s generally best to set them in a bowl to catch the water and help the plant keep itself hydrated. If you’re going to plant these in the garden, amend the soil heavily with a mix that is specifically for acid loving plants. Separate the roots well when planting to reduce that root bound condition. Water very carefully as you go into the warmer months and make sure to water the root ball very thoroughly about twice each week.

Azaleas are poisonous, no doubt about it. “Major toxicity,” were the words used by the representative at Poison Control. The foliage can also cause a rather unpleasant rash.

Yew – The leaves, seeds, bark and twigs of this evergreen can be toxic, causing breathing difficulties, uncontrollable trembling and vomiting.

Evergreen and/or Christmas trees – Evergreens are considered mildly toxic. Oils in evergreens can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing drooling or vomiting. Tree needles are not easily digested either and can cause vomiting, obstruction or puncture. Generally, the amount of trouble depends on how much is consumed. Many times, pets don’t consume mass quantities of tree materials. I have yet to witness a toddler gnawing on a Christmas tree, so I think we’re pretty safe in that area.

If a child or pet accidentally ingests these plants, consult a physician or veterinarian immediately. Do no induce vomiting without the advice of a doctor. If a plant containing corrosive juices has been eaten, vomiting can damage the digestive tract. The good folks at the Poison Control Center are there to help you if you need them at 1-800-222-1222.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Yikes! Christmas trees seem to fall from the heavens, before you’ve even had a chance to get your Thanksgiving turkey out of the oven! We were away for Thanksgiving and saw truckloads of them traveling around the Wednesday before!

Which type will grace your home this year? How do you choose? Fir and balsam and pine. Oh my. Here is some information to help you make that choice and to keep that fresh tree – and your home – safe during the Holidays.

The first thing I think about is how that tree looks. Aesthetics. Some evergreens hang out through the season better than others. Take a few minutes to consider your choice of tress before choosing the fattest or most fragrant.

What you’ll find out there as popular evergreens:

White Spruce – Similar to the Colorado Blue Spruce. These trees are pretty with a bluish green color. They are native to the Northern US. They hold their needles well but have a rather unpleasant odor when the needles are crushed. Not my first choice.

White Fir – You used to not be able to find White Fir as a Christmas tree, unless you cut your own. These are becoming more popular. They are a blue-green tree with needles around an inch and a half long. They smell great, hold their needles well and are very attractive.

White Pine – These are great trees if you have someone at home who may have an allergic reaction to the more strongly fragranced trees. White Pine has little to none on the fragrance scale. They’re getting harder to find since the tree farmers are having a time keeping them healthy. They are a very full tree.

Norway Spruce – A very pretty tree. Not so much in the area of needle retention.

Balsam or Canaan Fir – These are usually the most reasonable, cost wise and the most commonly found cut tree. They have a silvery cast to their dark green, short, flat needles. They are a long lasting tree and very fragrant, although that fades faster with this variety than with others.

Douglas Fir – Beautiful dark green-blue variety that holds it’s needles and is very fragrant.

Colorado Blue Spruce – The needles on this tree can be so stiff they scratch. If this is your choice, be careful when hauling that tree in from the car! They are beautiful, dark green to a powdery blue and hold their needles well. However, if you keep a warm house – look out! They’ll drop quicker from this type of tree than some of the others.

Scotch Pine – This is one of the most popular trees out there. The branches are stiff with dark green needles. These trees are sturdy, hold their needles for as long as four weeks and usually won’t even drop when they’re dry. Plus, they have a fabulous lasting fragrance.

A few things to consider before you drive off, single mindedly, to BRING HOME A TREE:

* Be sure you know how tall your ceiling is BEFORE you go shopping.
* Know WHERE you’re going to put that tree when you get it home. If one side is going to be against a wall, then – by all means – go for the one that looks incredible from over here, but not so much from over there.
* Be sure to bring a tape measure or yardstick with you.
* If you’re going to a tree farm, bring a few pieces of colored yarn with you to mark your possible choices while shopping the selection. Obviously, green is not a good choice and be sure to remove your markers when you leave.
* Make sure your green has a nice straight base, about 6 inches long, so you can make a fresh cut and still have room to put the tree in the stand.
* Make sure you bring something with you to tie your tree to your vehicle.

Once you get it home THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is to keep that tree watered. Seriously. Not watering it will cause it to dry out before it’s time and will make it a fire hazard. Cooler temperatures in your home will also cut back on needle loss. If your tree is going to stay outside for a bit, put it in a bucket of water.

I know this sounds silly, because we all want to put that tree right in our front windows for the whole world to see, but try to keep it away from direct sunlight and sources of heat. Don’t locate your tree over a heater vent if you can possibly avoid it. And putting it near the wood stove? Not a good idea.

If your tree is pre-cut, make a fresh cut at the bottom about one inch up. A nice, clean cut will help your tree absorb more water more readily. Fill the tree stand with lukewarm water after setting your tree in it.

In a heated room, a tree can absorb up to a quart of water a day. Check your tree AT LEAST daily and refill your tree stand often. If your tree loses 20% of it’s moisture content, it won’t recover.

Any tree will burn if it comes in contact with fire. Christmas trees become a fire hazard when their moisture content falls below 50%. That means your lights could set your tree on fire.

Don’t forget to recycle your cut tree. You could have it collected and converted to mulch. You could use it as a temporary bird refuge and feeder in your yard (be sure to take off the tinsel, if you used any). You could also cut off the branches and use them to protect perennials in your garden.
My personal preference in a Christmas tree: A LIVE one! You can plant that tree on your property after the Holidays are long gone.

Points to ponder:
What type of tree do you want on your property? Dwarf evergreens may be a better choice for a small yard. Maybe a yew, juniper or even a holly tree.
Mature size, color and texture.
Growth rate and mature height and width.
Firs are excellent cut trees, but might not like growing conditions in your yard.
Pines are good Christmas trees, but get really huge.
What grows well here? White and Scotch pines are nice, but White pines are currently suffering from decline. Norway Spruce might have issues with drying out while it’s in the house.
Don’t select the largest tree. Smaller trees should be in better proportion to the size of the root ball and stand a better chance of survival. Whatever variety you choose, consider trees recently dug, were container grown and they need to look healthy. A bargain leftover tree may be in a stressed condition and not recover.

Caring for your live tree:
* Store the tree in a cool area.
* Make sure the root ball does not dry out.
* Keep your live tree away from radiators, vents or fireplaces.
* Will do best at around 60 to 65 degrees.
* Keep your tree indoors for as brief a time as possible; generally not more than two weeks.

Digging the hole. The fun part, right? Riiiiight. Dig your hole ahead of time, if you can, otherwise you might be digging through snow and ice. The depth of the hole should be the measurement from the bottom of the root ball to the soil level. The width should be twice the size of the root ball. Place the soil you remove in a container or tarp and store it until you need it. Keep the hole mulched and covered so it doesn’t fill in or freeze. Do not add amendments only within the hole. This will not encourage the roots to reach out. If the soil in the area where you are planting is not fertile and well drained, amend an area about three times the size of the root ball in advance of planting. Plant the tree at the same depth of the container. Be sure to remove the burlap wrapping, if your tree has one. I know that sounds obvious; humor me. Try to gently loosen the outside roots and direct them outward. Refill the hole with the soil you removed and gently heel it in. Water thoroughly after planting and every month or so if the temperatures remain mild, if precipitation is light and especially if there is a thaw. Apply 3 to 6 inches of inches of mulch as a blanket for the rest of the winter season.

Remember the most important thing, the Spirit of the Season is not just for The Season.

And don’t forget to water that tree!