Gardening Question of the Day for Friday, June 27, 2008
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from The Old Farmer's Almanac))
I think I had tomato canker hit me last year. I really cant move my garden to another spot, as the land isnt ours. (We rent this house.) Is there any way that I can ensure that it wont hit again? Only my tomatoes were affected. I had a bumper crop of green peppers, and I know the two are related. Any ideas on cleaning up my soil? My garden is roughly 13x16 feet. (answer).
I think I had tomato canker hit me last year. I really cant move my garden to another spot, as the land isnt ours. (We rent this house.) Is there any way that I can ensure that it wont hit again? Only my tomatoes were affected. I had a bumper crop of green peppers, and I know the two are related. Any ideas on cleaning up my soil? My garden is roughly 13x16 feet. (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Right Hand, Left Hand
(Via Heronswood Voice )
I’m extremely fortunate to live at Fordhook Farm, the Burpee family redoubt, where we carry on all of our basic ornamental and vegetable research, and put on our summer open houses, the next one being Saturday, July 12th.
A 19th century success story, the Burpees were a diverse clan including illustrious fathers, moms, daughters and wives. The name is originally Beaupre, of French Protestant origin. Pushed out of France, they emigrated to Canada and then Pennsylvania, where they became several generations of physicians.
The company’s founder, W. Atlee Burpee or just “Atlee”, hobnobbed with both Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford and was a distant cousin of the great plant breeder, Luther Burbank. His son, David, traveled in high social circles in Philadelphia. At his city men’s club, The Pennsylvania Society, he was titled “Brother Seed”. Yet he founded the war gardens movement during WWI, which later became known as victory gardens. During the Second World War, he sent over a million pounds of vegetable seeds to the Aallied governments of Europe.
David’s wife, Lois Burpee, followed her own missionary father’s footsteps into philanthropy, both with the Nobel Laureate Pearl Buck at the orphanage they founded together for Amerasian children, Welcome House, and with the Burpee Company supplying vegetable seeds to church missions of every stripe worldwide. She also wrote a remarkable out-of-print cookbook. (For a complete history, click here.)
As the Burpees met the philanthropic challenges of the late 19th century and carried forward their contributions through the late 20th, so we have confronted the famines of the 1990s in Somalia and Haiti, as well as humanitarian crises in Rwanda, Afghanistan and Iraq. The air cargo carrier DHL helped us out in the Middle East, and CARE has been a steadfast partner. My friend John Agresto, now at The American University of Iraq—Sulaymaniyah, was a rock in support of our efforts in Iraq. An old fly-fishing buddy, and an avid vegetable gardener, John will be a visiting professor at Princeton University this fall. For ten years he was President of St. John’s College of Santa Fe. His book, Mugged By Reality, is the best account of the reconstruction in Iraq.
Now, as religious education becomes increasingly vital to the recovery of degraded and depleted urban neighborhoods and among the virtual refugee camps along the US-Mexico border, the Burpee Company and its affiliates continue to meet the challenge. Our foundation has given support to community development programs from southern California to post-Katrina areas of Louisiana and Florida. We continue to support both secular and religious activities, as the Burpee family did a hundred years ago.
Our diverse, non-horticultural interests extend to the world of art and aesthetics. Over the last twenty years we have accumulated a large collection of monumental sculpture at Fordhook Farm by the artists Steve Tobin, Daisuke Shintani, Densaburo Oku and Eric Finnerty. Viewing the collection is possible by appointment for small groups and by the public on our Garden Conservancy Open Days.
Finally, our education activities include primary, secondary, college and university levels. We support both agricultural and general academic programs with an emphasis on studies of constitutional democracies. While we support public schools, we also provide limited assistance to private education reform organizations and religious schools. However, our areas of concentration continue to be horticultural education, particularly to programs addressing poor neighborhoods, minority problems and children’s gardens.
Decisive Gardening: Tips to Empower You in the Garden
(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
Honestly, I'm pathetic when it comes to making decisions about plants in the garden. I justify my hesitation - and it is hesitation, please don't confuse this with mercy - on a deep-seated desire to believe in miracles. That somehow my plants will receive a generous dose of divine intervention and be fine by the morning. Kind of like taking paracetamol and resting for a while - when all you needed was the rest.
Honestly, I'm pathetic when it comes to making decisions about plants in the garden. I justify my hesitation - and it is hesitation, please don't confuse this with mercy - on a deep-seated desire to believe in miracles. That somehow my plants will receive a generous dose of divine intervention and be fine by the morning. Kind of like taking paracetamol and resting for a while - when all you needed was the rest.
Fortunately I have a wife who's a little more realistic than I am. She seems to know when a plant isn't going to make it - the brown receding leaves appear to offer her some valuable clues - while I just ignore it hoping that time will heal all wounds. The only clue I seem to get is when she's carting it by the root ball over to the compost heap - and even then I'm looking for ways to try and save it.
It's tragic, isn't it? A grown man frozen by indecision and emasculated by plants that don't want to grow.
So, I thought I would come up with a quick Ready Reckoner that might empower me to be more decisive in the garden.
If it's dead - rip it out
If it's dead - it's dead. Unless you have faith in your own resurrective powers this plant will never grow another leaf nor sport another bud. It's kaput! Fini! Dead! The only reason you might want to keep it is because it hides another vista far uglier. Apart from that, remove it and plant something that will grow.
If it's dying - fertilise and give it another chance
Okay, I will do this for only one season though. If it doesn't improve after I've applied some TLC then it's coming out - possibly! But it makes sense doesn't it? If a plant isn't growing well in a particular location then why persevere with it? There are possibly hundreds of other plants that would love to 'get a guernsey' in our gardens
If it takes too much time - rip it out
This is a hard one, isn't it? You know the type of plant that seems to snooker you every time you walk around your garden. It obviously suffers from A.D.D. whining that it needs something else done to it or it won't perform to your expectations. Oh, I hate these type of plants. My decision from now on will be to rip it out rather than avoid that section of the garden. There are much nicer plants out there...
If it hasn't flowered for 2 seasons or more - rip it out
Oh, yes. The non-flowering plant. Fine if it's a foliage plant and you bought it just for the texture and colour of its leaves. But if it refuses to bloom regardless of the love and attention I lavish upon it, then it's coming out.
If it didn't grow the first time - don't buy another one
My weakness, when visiting nurseries, is purchasing plants that fail time and time again in my garden. It's as if I think that these new ones will finally achieve what none of it predecessors could. No matter what the hurdles were that sealed the fate of the last ones, these new ones will finally succeed. Realistically, they probably won't!
If pests devour it - then find ways to protect it while it grows OR don't grow it
And finally, the one decision that makes profit for chemical companies is finding ways to make your plants grow no matter what. It seldom occurs to me that possibly these plants weren't supposed to grow in my climate or location. So rather than give up, I'd prefer to coax them to success with a little "whatever-it-takes".
I feel empowered already. Suddenly my garden looks richer and healthier - apart from those brown conifers which I might decorate with tinsel (they're a little off-colour at the moment, but they'll come good - you'll see!).
Hydroponic Gardening in Small Spaces
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
Do you think that hydroponic gardening would suit your situation? For answers to the benefits of growing hydroponically read this article.
Do you think that hydroponic gardening would suit your situation? For answers to the benefits of growing hydroponically read this article.
Perennial Flower Gardening - 5 Steps For a Wonderful Garden
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
There is a wide variety of reasons why gardeners prefer perennial gardening. Some say it is because perennial flowers are easier to maintain. Some think that perennials are more colorful and pleasing to the eyes.
There is a wide variety of reasons why gardeners prefer perennial gardening. Some say it is because perennial flowers are easier to maintain. Some think that perennials are more colorful and pleasing to the eyes.
Keeping Your Driveways and Paths Free of Weeds
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
Weeds don't just grow in flowerbeds, they also force their way into cracks in your driveway and paths. Here are a few tips for keeping them under control.
Weeds don't just grow in flowerbeds, they also force their way into cracks in your driveway and paths. Here are a few tips for keeping them under control.
Jim’s Notebook June 26, 2008
(Via EnjoyGardening)
Hits & Misses: Late bloomers & veiny growth
Question of the Week: Is this Mother Nature?
The Business: Collaborative book launch
The Path to Enjoy: Excite
I was reading about a species of butterfly where some individuals exhibited a rather strange phenomena called ‘gynandromorphism.’ What this rather long scientific name describes is an organism that is male on one half of its body and female on the other. The most noticeable result, at least from our human perspective, is a butterfly with different wing patterns on each side of its body. Very cool, but when it comes to the reproductive parts…I don’t even want to speculate.
Hits & Misses
Hit: Late Bloomers
Just as most of the lilac flowers are fading into oblivion, the ‘Royalty’ lilac is coming on strong. The large, single, fragrant deep-purple flowers on this late-blooming hybrid are so abundant that they conceal much of the shrub’s dark, leathery foliage. The non-suckering upright form makes it great choice for a small yard. Height: 3 m; width: 3 m.
Miss: Veiny Growth
A few of the ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas that we received this past week had foliage that was looking a little “veiny,” particularly the new growth. Whenever I see veiny plants, I know that the likely problem is either a lack of iron in the soil or a soil that won’t give up its iron because it is too alkaline. The solution? It’s fairly simple. Perform a soil test and add some chelated iron if it’s required.
The long-lasting, billowing mounds of flowers on ‘Endless Summer’ turn pink in alkaline soil and blue in acidic conditions.
Question of the Week
Is this Mother Nature?
This week we received a really nice e-mail that gave us all quite a little chuckle. It was from a woman in Cranbrook, B.C. who’s been reading the Lois Hole’s books to help her plan her perennial garden. Well, as the story goes, it seems her five-year-old daughter has also taken quite an interest in gardening and had a question of her own that she thought the books could clear up. Was it “Will roses grow in our garden?” Was it “What kind of flower is that?” Nope. She pointed at one of the books with a picture of Mom on it and asked: “Is this Mother Nature?” The little girl was assured that even though the lady on the book shared her love of nature with millions of garden lovers, she was not in fact the mother in question
The Business
Collaborative book launch
This Monday, students from Grant MacEwan College’s professional writing program and design studies program gathered at Audrey’s Books to launch an anthology of their work titled the ROUGH. There was a great show of support for this unique work of art and its talented creators, and by the end of the evening, roughly half the books had been purchased. All proceed from the book will be donated to the Lois Hole Care & Nurture Fund.
The Path to Enjoy
Excite
My mother always said that problems often solve themselves with a little time. A few days ago we met with Ernst and Paul, our architects, about their new site concept for our relocation. It has been over two months since we saw the first concept and since that presentation, Paul’s had meetings with our staff and Ernst’s toured several greenhouses in Holland. As they collected information, it became clear to them both that their original site concept needed some major changes. After they talked about what each had learned, they realized that the new concept would be very different than the first. Well, we finally saw those changes at this week’s meeting and I must say we were very impressed. Many of the problems in the first design have been solved, and the new concept is even more impressive. Not only were we able to reduce our footprint by 2000 square metres, we were also able to gain a third level. The result is an even more functional building that has managed to do the magnificent location even more justice. You can’t ask for much more. In fact, I know what my dad would have said if he saw this new concept: “It has class.”
Did You Know?
The ingredient guar gum that you see listed on a lot of food labels is derived from the guar plant (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), which is a large annual. It originated in West Africa and is now cultivated in the southwest U.S. It is also used as a thickening agent.
“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.”
–Russel Baker
Chemical Fertilizers Linked to Brain Cancer
(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)
Recent concern has been brought to the attention of farmers, gardeners and the general public in the probable link between chemical fertilizers and cancer. Because cancer has become prevalent amongst our communities, we've seen a popular trend to return to organic living. But as the popularity of organic living soars, so too does the concern of what's being used on the produce we find in our local supermarkets.
Recent concern has been brought to the attention of farmers, gardeners and the general public in the probable link between chemical fertilizers and cancer. Because cancer has become prevalent amongst our communities, we've seen a popular trend to return to organic living. But as the popularity of organic living soars, so too does the concern of what's being used on the produce we find in our local supermarkets.
