In The Garden

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     As we move into a new year, seed and nursery catalogues start to arrive.  They are the equivalent to the Sears wishbook for gardeners.  However, like the Sears catalogue, seed catalogues are not what they used to be.  In this digital age, some companies have ceased printing catalogues.  Others send catalogues only on request, with some actually charging for the books.  Of course, the seed and nursery companies all have websites, and one can sit at a computer and search for seeds and plants.  However, it does not have the feel of sitting in a recliner on a cold, snowy January day, thumbing through the pages of seed catalogues and marking the pages on which must-have plants are featured.

     Whether using the electronic forms or printed books, seed and nursery catalogues should come with a warning label—“Perusing these pages may be hazardous to your bank account!”  Be sure to check out the shipping costs.  Costs vary greatly from company to company, but these added costs may add a lot to the final bill.  Also look at the warranty being offered.  Some companies will replace plants that do not thrive in your garden; others do not offer warranties on their products.

     Also beware of the pictures and “new and improved” labels.  Breeders are constantly working to get larger blooms, better disease resistance and expanding planting zones of plants, but catalogues may exaggerate the improvements, and most certainly the colors you see in the books are not the exact colors you can expect to see in the garden.  Be especially wary of blue plants.  Blue is rare in the plant world, and there are few true blue flowers.  The catalogue may have a flower that is royal blue, but do not be disappointed if the blooms are blue violet or some other shade of purple.  Also watch for a “substitution” statement, giving the company the right to substitute another plant or seed packet if the one you order is out of stock.  It is disappointing to have ordered a special item and receive something unexpected.

     Despite the drawbacks, I love looking through the seed catalogues.  I will mark plants I find interesting and I enjoy reading the descriptions for new offerings.  I have a healthy level of skepticism, so I am not taken in by the descriptions of perfect plants.

     After hours and even days of looking through catalogues, comparing the offerings and prices of various companies, I will make a decision on my seed order for the up-coming season.  I prefer to buy plants and seeds at local garden centers, but I know that some new plants and specialty seeds are not likely to be available locally.  I usually order several varieties of greens, especially my favorite oriental greens.  I will order Malabar spinach, more for its vigorous growth and blooms than its value as a food crop.  I will also order red okra for both eating and using in flower arrangements.  It is hard to find red okra locally.

     I rarely order plants.  I have been disappointed too many times when I have received tiny specimens that will take years to reach the size of the plant image in the catalogue.  I prefer to see the plant before buying it, and I will stop at every greenhouse and garden center I pass when they open in March.  I may have to wait a year or two to get the new plants, but if the plant is truly an improvement on the old plants, it will eventually show up locally, and likely in a larger size.  If it does not become available locally, it may be because the plant has not performed well in our climate.

     The first day when the roads are slick with snow or ice, I will heed the recommendation to stay at home.  I will have a fire in the fireplace and a stack of seed catalogues next to my chair.  It is the perfect way to spend a winter day. 

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

It is Christmas week, and like everyone, I have been busy. Still, I take a little time to walk through the gardens. If for no other reason, it reminds me that there is still a lot going on and the garden can change in a day.

I noticed that some of the spring bulbs have already sprouted. One patch of scilla is nearly three inches tall. That foliage will likely be subject to some freeze burning, but these are tough plants, and I am sure the blooms will come in the spring. One possibility is to spread some mulch over the top of the erupted foliage. The purpose of the mulch is to keep the ground frozen, thus retarding further growth.

It is also a good time to apply mulch around the perennials, trees and shrubs that were planted in the fall. Again, this is to keep the ground cold and reduce the chance of heaving when temperatures fluctuate. Before applying the mulch, press firmly around the root system to ensure there is good contact with the soil. Be sure to leave the crown sticking out to keep from smothering the plant. Do not let the mulch touch the bark of woody plants. The mulch should be about two inches away from the base of a tree or shrub.

Wintery garden walks are also a good time to observe the bones of the garden and make plans for improvements. Take some photographs and spend some winter evenings playing with them. You may use some landscaping software to create the changes you envision, or keep it simple and use paper cutouts to add pergolas, arches and trellises. Place a few boulders in garden beds and add some new pathways. Go ahead and make those pathways with expensive marble slabs, even if you will have to settle for gravel in the final installation. Dreams do not cost much.

Right now, the best time to view the garden is at night. I love the holidays, and although I did not get everything decorated as I had planned, my yard is aglow. The center of things is the true reason for our celebration—my nativity scene. The old blow-mold figurines are beginning to show that they are over thirty years old, and some of the lights do not work, but it still conveys the message of “Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men.” Drive by some evening. Just start out Sandhill Road and you will know when you have reached Sandhill Gardens. It is glowing. I hope you enjoy the show.

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     This is In the Garden column number 900!  I can hardly believe I have been doing this so long, but all of those old columns still reside in my computer, so it must be so.  I look back at old columns occasionally, and I can see changes in my garden style over the years.

     Years ago, the vast majority of my garden space and time was consumed with raising food.  My family had always planted a large vegetable garden and sold a lot of produce.  Now, I raise most of my vegetables in several raised beds.  I have not sold produce for many years, but I raise enough vegetables for myself and some for friends and family.  I used to use chemicals in the garden, but, while I am still not one hundred percent organic, I definitely use more organic methods.  I am a great proponent of composting and using the resulting “black gold” in my garden.  I have researched and tried various composting methods, and have often written about those methods in this column.  Still, most of my composting is done in an informal compost pile, which gets turned occasionally.  It works for me.

     Of course, with so much former vegetable-production acreage out of service, I had to make a decision on what to do with that space.  One fairly large area has become my meadow.  Once again, I have not followed all of the rules on making a meadow or prairie, but I have created a place where wildflowers thrive and bees, butterflies and other creatures make their home and find food.  Once again, I have not been a purist.  Some say a true prairie should contain only native plants, but I have witnessed that the native fauna have adapted to feed on many of the plants that escaped from the cultivated gardens of our European immigrant ancestors.  I welcome plants like dandelion, chickory, and Queen Anne’s lace into my meadow.  I have heard many say that these are invasive, but, while I realize they are naturalized non-native plants, I have not seen them crowd out the native species.  Instead, they seem to co-exist with other wildflowers and they add beauty and wildlife food.  I doubt I could eradicate them if I tried, especially without using chemicals, which I consider more dangerous than these plants.  Still, my favorite flower is the native purple coneflower, and I still believe it should replace the non-native peony as the Indiana state flower.

     Ornamentals have also been given a much larger share of the space at Sandhill Gardens.  Again, I have a mixture of native and exotic species.  I am aware of the dangers of invasive species and have been weeding out true invasives, but I cannot bring myself to limit myself to native plants only.  I love the peonies my grandmother planted a century ago, and the daffodils that have grown here for decades and the new ones I have added.

     I have also added many more shrubs of various sizes.  As I age, I find that shrubs can cover a lot more space than perennials and take a lot less work.  I have also added several trees, some of which have matured to large specimens.  That means a lot more shade.  I have come to love the shade gardens the most of all.  Gardening in the shade is a lot more comfortable than spending hours weeding row crops.

     I have also changed many of my gardening methods.  Some of the changes have been forced upon me because of age and physical limitations.  I have found ergonomic tools that make many jobs easier.  I no longer own a roto-tiller.  I have found more success just top-dressing beds with compost and allowing the worms to work that organic matter into the soil.  I use raised beds of various heights, both for food production and in ornamental areas.

      The way readers see my column has also changed.  Many of the publications that carried the column years ago no longer exist, or have changed considerably.  More readers now see the column in on-line publications.  Still, I receive enough feedback to know that the column makes a difference for gardeners in southern Indiana, so I continue to write.  It is, however, still true that the column is written as a way to generate volunteer hours needed for the Purdue Master Gardener program, and I thank you for helping me climb the program ladder.  I do not know what the future holds, but, for now, I continue to garden and write.

In the Garden

Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     We previously discussed the importance of keeping cut trees well hydrated, but what about the other formerly live plant materials that make it into our holiday decorations?  The basic truth is that everything that once grew from a root needs moisture to remain safe and attractive.  If you are using cut greens for only a couple of days, you may be able to keep them just by spraying them a couple of times a day with water.  However, if your decorations are meant to remain through the holidays, further steps are necessary.

     You could place each individual stem in a vial of water, much the way florists do for some special arrangements.  However, the water in these small vials is not enough to last long, and they will need to be refilled frequently.  Another option, is to put the greenery in vases, and change the water about every three days.  Probably the safest option is to use artificial greenery inside the house.  I am usually not a big fan of artificial plant material, but safety is the most important part of decorating.

     As the carol states, “The prettiest sight you’ll see is the holly that will be on your own front door.”  That is a good place for a holly wreath.  Outside, cut greens may be misted and should be fine for a few weeks.  You may also spray them with an anti-transpirant, which will help the material retain its natural moisture.

     We do not really know where the custom of placing a wreath on the door originated, but we do know that wreaths of laurel leaves were given to returning warriors in ancient Persia.  They wore them on their heads.  This custom later was passed to the Greeks, who gave laurel wreaths to champions in athletic events.  Wreaths were the original Olympic medals!  It is plausible to believe that those champions would later display the wreaths on the doors of their homes.

     Whatever the origin, by the Middle Ages, wreaths had become a part of Christmas decorating.  People had embraced the symbolism of the circular form as God’s unending love, and the evergreen boughs used in the construction symbolized eternal life. 

     As with trees, knowing the source of your wreath is important.  Buying a pre-made wreath at a big box store means that the material in the wreath has probably been cut several weeks ago.  If you want to keep your wreath around for a while longer, buy from a local craftsman who uses fresh-cut material.

     The freshest wreaths are the ones you make yourself.  It is not a terribly hard process.  All you need is some sort of round or oval base, floral wire and access to plant material.  The forms are generally available at craft stores.  You will find forms made of wire, plastic, Styrofoam and vines.  Personally, I prefer to make wreaths from grapevines that I braid into circles.  I then begin placing greens and other decorative plant material into the form.

     Use your imagination and what you have available.  Laurel and holly are the traditional materials, but any evergreen tree or shrub may yield materials for a wreath.  I even use the invasive Japanese honeysuckle vines to help form the wreath base.  While most commercially-available wreaths are made of a single plant, I like to mix it up.  I may use the evergreen leaves of hellebores as an accent on a wreath.  I like conifer foliage and the cones, but I also use broad-leaf evergreens, such as magnolia and rhododendron foliage.  Dried grass seed heads and flowers may also be used.  Spray paint is your friend.  I like to spray dried hydrangea blooms with silver, gold or metallic blue spray paint.  With such an accent, you may decide you do not even need to add a bow.

     Have fun.  Make your wreath unique.  No one else will have one exactly like yours.