Planting Bulbs and Garlic

A special friend of mine gave a talk this past Sunday on bulb and garlic planting. As he shared some of his favorite bulbs, he reminded me of how much they can remind us of our past. He always plants yellow crocuses because they remind him of his old homestead and his mother.

I too remember my grandfather's bulbs blooming each spring. He had one area of his yard that was more of a naturalized area where he would plant crocuses, tulips, grape hyacinth and the annual hyacinth plant we would always give him each Easter. We would walk down there each spring to see if the crocuses were blooming yet because it was a sure sign that spring had finally arrived. Those bulbs are still there today, some 100 years later.

My father still lives on a piece of that property and owns that parcel of land where my grandfather always gardened. He gave up a portion of his father's estate money so he could own that bit of land. He added a huge daffodil bed that contains thousands of bulbs. Last fall we dug up many of them to thin them out and I planted some of them at my new home.

My father also has hundreds of tulip bulbs along his sidewalk and driveway. What a sensational site to see each year. The few tulips that I have planted in my garden must be encased in deer netting to help them survive any attacks from these voracious visitors. But seeing my father's daffodils bloom in my yard last spring made me feel like I had a little part of him with me.

My friend told the guests at his lecture that he tells his own sons that some day they will come back to their homestead and remember planting all the daffodil bulbs and be amazed at how they have colonized throughout their woodlands.

All his stories made me think of my own wonderful memories. Not only did I leave with the ten daffodil bulbs that were given to each attendee, but I also purchased another fifty. There was only one small detail I that I did not really think about while taking my sentimental journey. I have to get out there and plant them all of them before the ground freezes. So much for memories.....back to reality.

Buckeye Barns are wonderful!

I have been searching for a good quality utility shed for over the past two years and have finally found and installed one that I am really happy with. First, most sheds that I have found consist of pressed wood, particle board or plywood. Secondly, most came prebuilt or prefabbed. And finally, the price was so high that I would have to go in debt to afford one.

I did find one company in eastern PA that will deliver these beautiful buildings but they would have cost a small fortune. My last shed was built by my dad and me. It was a salt box pattern that I found in one of my garden magazines. I was at the point of building my own shed again when I found Buckeye Barns out of Ohio.

These barns are absolutely beautiful and made from real natural solid wood. The floor is tongue and groove plank flooring that can hold an elephant or vehicles. The side walls are tongue and groove horizontal siding so that you never get water in the seams like those that are built vertically. The building is built on site from the ground up. There is nothing prefab about it. But best of all is the price is easy on the wallet. Most people have said that they could never afford a shed like this . When I priced several prefab buildings they ran several thousand dollars more than this shed cost me. So if you are near PA or Ohio, by all means consider a Buckeye Barn.

I have attached the pictures of one man constructing our 10 by 12 building with double lofts in one day.

Invincibelle Spirit Campaign

I received a blog entry from Tim Woods, The Plant Hunter this week about Proven Winner Color Choice pairing up with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to raise $1,ooo,ooo.oo for breast cancer research. They are calling it the Invincibelle Spirit Campaign and we’ll be donating $1.00 for each Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea sold towards the cause.

http://plant-quest.blogspot.com/2009/07/steal-this-widget-and-save-lives.html

At the end of June, one of the women that regularly participates in discussions on The Organic Gardeners Forum shared with us that she was about to undergo her third breast cancer surgery. Two of these surgeries were in May and now the third one was a little over two weeks ago. What was truly inspiring was how important her gardens have become in her recovery. Though I have never met her in person, her incredible spirit and love for live shows through in her entries.

A number of years ago, I lost a very dear friend to breast cancer. She unfortunately went through the struggles to get one of the trial drugs that are now commonly used drugs to help people survive this horiffic disease. Through the generous donations from the people at my workplace, I designed and planted a garden at my work place in memory of her. I asked her what was her favorite flower color and she of course said pink. The bed still thrives today with lovely pink tulips and bleeding hearts in the spring and lots of pink coneflowers and bee balm throughout the summer. Whenever I put time weeding, watering or dividing plants I think of her and her courageous fight against breast cancer. She loved gardening as much as I did and even more, she loved life.

Another of our forum members said that she has found so much strength from her garden and that she was going to plant a pink flowering plant in honor of breast cancer survivors. So I found it very fitting to share this information and encourage each of you that may read this to get involved in helping breast cancer research by purchasing an Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea. This plant is due out on the market in 2010. http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/inv_spirit.html

Do it for your mother, your sister, your daughter, your grandmother and for all the women in your life. Here is the link to donate if you should so also wish to do so.

https://support.bcrfcure.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=31

Holy Hot Peppers!

It is my usual daily walk through my vegetable area. The dog looks for me to take her with me. Ahh...I should put her eCollar on but figure we are only going to the backyard so she should be fine as long as I keep her near me. We walk out back to look at the plants and everything looks okay. Potatoes look great, onions need to be pulled, cucumbers are forming nicely, lettuce is going to seed and there is some garlic ready to pick. I head to my earthgrow boxes of tomatoes and cauliflower to put water in the storage well. I turn the water off and start back to the house. I take a look at the bell peppers and eggplant and reach down to touch an unidentified hot pepper just before going in. Some are about 2 to 3 inches long and are just about rip. I am tempted to sample one to see how hot it is but decide that I better not because I may regret it and head back to the house because it is starting to rain again. I get to the porch with the dog in front and I can't resist stopping to deadhead a flower on a geranium plant. My mistake.

My dog takes off ahead of me and makes a mad dash to the front street. When I round the corner I see the neighborhood bully dog walking up the street. I reach for the remote control and realize that my dog does not have her E. Collar on and my worst nightmare is coming true right in front of my very eyes. I brace for the bloodshed, fur flying and emergency room visit for the dog and for me. The woman starts screaming hysterically and is trying to drag her dog into my neighbors front yard. She is a petite feet tall, weighs all but 100 pounds and she has this massive German Shepherd in a death grip. It is taking all of her strength to hold him. I yell for my dog and she is still on the move and then one big yell to come and she suddenly turns and comes back. I give her an emergency down and she drops in the driveway. I breath a sigh of relief and thank God for attending dog obedience classes. The woman is pale white and probably thinking that she is never coming up this street again. I take my dog by the collar and haul her inside as I mumble under my breath, "Why did I not give her the dog pamphlet for our local dog training center". Unfortunately my dog has a good memory and does not forget that this dog goes on attack mode each time he walks by us when we are out walking.

In my haste I forget that I was going in to wash my hands. Now there is sweat rolling off my brow partly from the humidity, partly from the stress of the situation and most likely from the surge of hormones that leads to a hot flash. I wipe my forehead and mouth. Suddenly my skin lights up on fire. My lip and throat start burning, my temples are throbbing and my left nostril is stinging. I remember that I touched the hot pepper and never washed my hands.

Going back to the end of May, I went plant shopping for my annual vegetables. I came to the bell peppers and selected a nice three pack. I planted them and in a matter of a few weeks realized that I did not have bell peppers but that someone moved a hot pepper into the section of bells and I end up getting the wrong plant. I don't have the heart to throw them out and figure I will give them to this nice older gentleman in my church and my brother who love hot peppers.

Now I am basically thinking lots of nasty thoughts in my head. I am mad at the dog for taking off and now have her in a down stay. She does not move and she dare not look at me. I am splashing water on my face with no success. I get the Dawn dish detergent and put it on my hands. After all Dawn is boasted as the degreaser they used to clean wildlife in the Valdez oil spills. Everytime I think I am fine and touch another spot, the burn starts again. I go and scrub my face again and again. Three hours later and my lips are still tingling and my skin feels like I got into a batch of Stinging Neetle.

Do I rip the peppers out, ask my new neighbors from Brazil if they are in to hot peppers, or print a disclosure warning and make everyone sign a waiver that does not hold me personally responsible for their injury or death? I dare not give them to the older gentleman at church for fear he will need to call 911 after eating them.

There is one bright moment in all this pandemonium. I can not wait to go to dog obedience class this week and thank all the trainers for teaching me an emergency down and a good recall. And to boot, my dog never moved from her downstay for 20 minutes which is a new record time for her. Now what to do with those darn hot peppers?

You say Tomato and I say Tomahto. First it was Salmonella and now it is Late Blight..Now what do you do?

It wouldn't be summer without an annual vegetable scare. Last year it was the Salmonella scare. Was it tainted tomatoes or tainted onions? I wasn't worried because I grew my own. Now this summer it is Late Blight. It is the same strain that caused the Irish Potato famine. Read what the Pittsburgh Post Gazette had to say about Late Blight hitting the eastern US.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Late blight can also affect potatoes and eggplants. This one more reason why gardeners need to support their locally grown nurseries. Most of mine start their plants on site and sell them to their consumers. I also find that big box stores may sell them cheaply but they do not have the variety that can be found from the locals. In our area, we have a place that specializes in heirlooms. Heirlooms can often be found to have better durability to disease then some of the common hybrid that everyone seeks. Better yet,...there is no greater satisfaction then starting plants from seed. It is a fun process and a great learning experience for young and old alike.

There are some organic treatments that can help supress late blight spread such as copper sprays and compost tea foilage spraying. But proper planting, watering and mulching can make all the difference in growing a healthy plant.

So please Mr. Late Blight, don't come stocking my plants....because "No tomatoes!" is fightin' words. There is nothing better than the taste of fresh off the vine rippened tomatoes. Ask anyone and they will tell you there is no comparison.

I think that I shall never see.......

I am sure many of you have read the poem, "Trees" by Alfred Joyce Kilmer. 'But let me refresh those of you who may have forgotten or may never have had the opportunity to read it during your poetry portion of high school English class. It reads as follows:

I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed, Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.

As much as I love this poem I believe there should be another version that reads as follows.

I think the poem should really read like this....

I wish that I would never see volcano mulch around a tree.
A tree whose lovely trunk would sigh because it has mulch piled two feet high,
A tree that beseeches someone to please ; Remove the dirt or mulch below its knees:
A tree that in Summer wears this pile that only makes a landscaper smile,
Upon whose roots much dirt is lain; Who live is choked out before next season's rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, But most self proclaimed landscrapers can kill a tree.

Each year I have the deep desire to place tree planting instructions in the mailboxes of those homes that have newly planted trees. I know you have seen them. These are the trees that have lots of dirt or mulch piled up around the trunk. Sometimes they are the trees that are actually planted on a mound of dirt. I would love to know what idiot came up with this idea. And like the Pied Piper, everyone seems to follow suit.

When I moved into my home almost six years ago, every large species tree had about 20 inches of dirt piled up around its trunk. And to make it all better, pachysandra was planted on top to make it look oh so pretty. My husband and I spent weeks carefully removing the dirt around the tree and exposing the flare again.

A landscaper hired by the school district that I work for came in and started mounding mulch around every tree on the school campus where I work. I asked him why he was doing such a practice and he said that he has been landscaping for twenty years and he has been doing this procedure without any harm. I told him that he probably never came back twenty years later to see the damage. He basically told me were to go and it was not back to work. I figured the next best step was to educate the buildings and grounds people about the practice. Armed with lots of literature, I was able to get my point across. Several days later the landscapers were back cursing and kicking the piles off the trees.

A person in my neighborhood planted a large oak tree last summer after losing a big tree to a strong wind storm. He planted the tree about a foot above ground level and on a two by two foot mound. On that he loaded lots of mulch. This spring the tree had total die back and is now putting out epicormic branching or lower level sprouts in a last ditch effort to survive. This tree will most likely not be here next year.

A few years ago I watched a beautiful Japanese maple in the yard across the street from dad's home suddenly leaf out only to have all the leaves shrivel up and die. Upon further inspection I found dirt and ivy piled up around the base of the trunk. The bark was chewed off around the entire circumference of the trunk. The tree was done. No nutrients or water were being supplied to the upper parts of the tree. I told the homeowner to remove it. Later that day her sister came over and placed netting around the base to protect it from the future attach of critters. The tree sat the entire summer in hopes that it would revive. One day while visiting my dad I noticed the tree had been removed. His neighbor finally accepted the fact that the tree had died. Unfortunately neither of these trees should have died had the homeowner or landscaper followed correct planting and maintenance procedures.

Here are some tips to help your trees survive.
1. Be aware of the size and location. Quite often homeowners do not take in consideration the location, size or needs of a tree. Be aware of water requirements, planting too close to home foundations or overhead power lines. I have a beautiful white dogwood that was planted by a former owner about three feet from my house. Although it is surviving, it has to be carefully pruned each year and given proper watering and nutrients to help stay healthy. I am sure that it will eventually die because it is in a bad location.

2. Plant your tree's flare at ground level. The flare is where the roots meet the trunk of the tree. You should see the flare when planting. Planting above or below ground level can cause the tree to die.

3. Never add more than two or three inches of mulch around the perimeter of your tree annually. Tree roots are usually grow in the top foot or two of ground. Too much extra dirt or mulch can stress the tree and limit water to get to roots.

4. Never pile mulch against the trunk of a tree. This allows a place for insects and rodents to harbor and cause structural damage to the bark. Also excessive moisture against the bark can cause it to rot and decay.

Here are some additional sites about proper tree care:
http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/extension/documents/2006/volcanomulch.pdf
http://www.gdnctr.com/ads/volcano_mulch.pdf
http://forestry.georgetown.org/mulching-101/

Reduce, Reuse and Recyle in a Different Way.

After planting my new Pinky Winky hydrangea, I decided to come in out of the heat on the first day of August and write about something that is totally removed from gardening. So please bare with me while I share my recent recycling project.

Late in May, I started looking locally to adopt a dog from one of our local shelters. Chance, my beloved dog passed away mid May of 2007. (See my May 2007 tribute). He was a wonderful dog, with a love and zest for life. And through the cancer, diabetes, pneumonia, daily medicines and shots, he never gave up his will to live. For one year, my husband, father and I mourned his passing. The emptiness was overwhelming. For the first time in our lives, we were without a dog. I felt that it was now time to honor his memory and give another animal the kind of life he experienced. I started searching for a full pedigree Rhodesian Ridgeback because Chance was mostly Rhody and a superb dog. But after much rethinking, I decided that many of these dogs always get homes, while so many other dogs are in need of homes. I found that a good majority of the dogs are listed on http://petfinder.com/. Many are full pedigree dogs and many are mixed breeds. Thus began my hours upon hours of early morning and late night searching for my new dog.

My experience was an eye opener to the tragedy that is going on in America today. Pets being discarded as if they were nothing more than a piece of worn out furniture that is tossed to the curb for the local waste management vehicle to come along and haul it to the dump. I wish I could have adopted a dozen, but in reality I can only have one and hopefully two. The stories are basically the same. No time, moving and can’t take it with us;...too big, ....too loud, not good with kids, in foreclosure, etc. Some give no reason for surrendering the dog. The really sad cases aside from those that are dumped or abused, are the older pets. How heartbreaking to see an 11 or 12 year old dog being sent to a shelter after living out most of its life with one family. Their only fault is the fact that they are old.

During my search I attempted to adopt several dogs, three were under adoption agreements, three suffered some serious issues with separation and socialization, and the last one was kept by the foster because she became attached to her after having her in her care for a few weeks. One shelter almost seemed like it did not care if her dogs were adopted or not. But most of the rescue organizations were very helpful and caring. I understand now why they scrutinize their perspective owners. They want these already fragile creatures to go to a home that will no longer put them through more turmoil and stress.

Although I applied for adoption at several different rescue groups throughout Ohio and PA, I kept coming back to a group in central Ohio called “Stop the Suffering”. I found that they always went out of their way to help a person find the right pet. Lynn Aronson, a rescue worker that find homes for these animals, told me about a dog she was getting from another shelter. I kept hearing wonderful things about a sweet black fur ball.

Java landed up in the Fulton County Pound. She was picked up as a stray. When Nancy Wolfe a rescuer from Northwest Ohio Siberian Rescue went in to save a husky; the warden told her that he had a dog that he thought had a wonderful temperament. (Just the word "warden" sends shivers up my spine. It conjures up visions of a person overseeing a cell block of cats and dogs waiting on death row for their unknowing execution.) The warden went on and on about how he picked up this dog and that she rode all day in the front seat of his truck while he went around and picked up strays. He showed the dog to Nancy and said that if she did not take her, he was going to put her down at 3 PM because he did not want to come back in over the weekend to feed her. So Nancy, going on her instincts, pulled Java from the hands of death one short hour before her execution and took her and a husky back to her home.

Java spent the next few weeks living in a sled dog house with Nancy’s own Huskies and other rescue dogs. It was apparent to Nancy that this dog must have been someone’s house pet because of the characteristics and behaviors she exhibited. Did the owner fail to look in the right place for her or did they truly not care what happened to her? From there, Java went to Stop the Suffering, where she was placed in the care of Shelly, another volunteer. Shelly owns a farm and also shelters many dogs and cats. In fact she houses most of the cats that are rescued by Stop the Suffering, as well as some of the older dogs that no one seems to want. Shelly has a soft spot for the seniors. Java went to live on Shelly’s farm for a little over the week and she continued to display a wonderful disposition.

On Monday, July 28, Deb McDonald, another volunteer at S.T.S., picked up Java for us and drove her an hour from Columbus to Cambridge, Ohio so that my husband and I could cut our drive time down to two hours both ways. Java slept the entire ride back to Pittsburgh and had immediately settled into life at our home. One would never know that she has only been with a few days because she has adapted very well. Surprisely, resiliency is one of the attributes of rescue dogs.

Although Java was a very appropriate name for our dog because of her coffee colored coat, we decided that it was a more of a masculine name for a girl. After much consideration and debating, I attempted to come up with what I felt would be a good name for her. Java is now called “Merit” because she is one worthy of being saved. Her name suits her well because this is a dog that should never have ended up in a county pound waiting for her execution. She was someone’s pet, a house dog that was taught numerous commands, housebroken, obedient and apparently loved.

Merit has brought so much love to our home in the short while she has been with us. We are getting to know her quirks and she is getting the feel for her new home. She loves to ride in a car…no wonder she was good for the warden. She enjoys giving kisses and loves to be scratched or her belly rubbed. She can sit, lay down, sit up, give paw, stay, guess which hand has a hidden treat by tapping it with her paw and snatch a dog treat off of her nose. She does not beg food, jump up or get on the furniture. She loves going for her walks and she wants to be where her people are going to be. She is a gift from heaven…the perfect dog. She loves everyone she meets and she is the sparkle in my 84 year old dad’s eye. I watch how she makes him light up when she is in his presence. I shutter to think that such a sweet creature almost had her life taken from her. She is now in her fifth location in over two months and through it all she is a trusting and loving creature. I am so blessed to have her be a part of our family. She is currently dealing with separation anxiety. This is a common issue with rescue dogs…particularly those that have been abandoned, surrendered or lost. But with time, I am sure that Merit will realize that she is safe, and that she is now in her forever home. And after only a few days, we can not imagine life without her.

So forgive me as Iveer far left from my gardening thoughts and encourage each one that reads this story, to think carefully before taking on a pet. It is not one that should be taken lightly and it one that should be made with the intent of a life long commitment. Having your pet spayed or neutered is the second most important step you take when adopting a new dog or cat. Every single day, thousands of dogs, puppies, cats and kittens are being put to sleep. If you don't believe me, read the true story about Sam. Make sure you have a tissue or two before you start. http://www.lyonsdenrescue.com/id38.html

May I encourage you to find it in your heart to consider adopting a dog from a shelter. They are so deserving of a second, third or even fourth chance. By doing so, you reduce the chance of wonderful cat or dog like Merit being put to death. By doing so you are giving an animal new purpose and recycling it for better life. My thanks to all those that aided in the rescue of Merit and all those that have dedicated their lives to rescue work. They spend endless hours volunteering their time, services and money to seeing that these animals find forever homes.

One of the volunteer rescuers that I worked with at S.T.S., signs off on all her emails with the following quote. I think it says it all.

“If you save one dog, you won’t change the world;

but you will change the world for that one dog.”

Reduce, reuse and recycle....a rescue animal. The rewards are unmeasurable!

For more information about pets and the mentioned shelters, please visit these sites.
Petfinder http://petfinder.com/
Northwest Ohio Siberian Rescue http://members.petfinder.org/~OH94/
Stop the Suffering http://www.stopthesuffering.org/

Animal Friends of Pittsburgh www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org/