Asparagus
Asparagus by Diane Sidebottom
Perennial vegetables, don’t you wish all vegetable were perennial. Image: no tilling every year, no seeds to purchase, no freezing out in the garden in January and February. Just fertilize, mulch, water, harvest. Well after doing some research I found there are approximately eight perennial vegetables that might grow in this climate zone. Artichokes, Horseradish, Bamboo Shoots, Radicchio, Jerusalem Artichokes, fall planted bunching onions, Rhubarb, and Asparagus. By far the most cherished in this area is Asparagus, so we will start there.
This is a hardy crop that lasts for decades. I have three raised beds which were planted over twenty years ago. With a little extra work in bed preparation and some annual maintenance, you will be rewarded with fresh tender Asparagus which usually starts to appear in late January early February and is produced until April/May. Remember, you will be eating this crop for years so it is worth doing some research to determine the variety you will prefer. Asparagus is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants. Male hybrids varieties, (Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight and Jersey Supreme) are more productive and resistant to disease than the female cultivars, (Martha Washington and Mary Washington). Twenty crowns (one 20 foot row) will supply approximately 10 pounds of harvested asparagus per season which for most home gardeners is adequate for a family of four. You may purchase 1 to 2 year old crowns from nurseries, garden centers or online.
Asparagus does best in full sun and deep, well drained sandy or loose soil. Before planting make sure your site is free of perennial weeds (Johnsongrass, Bermudagrass), soil insects etc. Asparagus likes high pH soils (6.5 to 7.5); so test your soil and amend as necessary correct the pH and any other soil inadequacies.
If the idea of growing Asparagus seems like a lot of work, there is a very easy method of bed preparation. It’s not the text book method, but all you really want is to be able supply your family with Asparagus and not have to pay $4.00/lb at the grocery store…right. Trust me the Asparagus police are not coming to your garden. In January/February spread approximately 6 inches of organic compost onto your bed and till to a depth of 10 to 12 inches. Dig a six inch furrow 4 to 12 inches in depth and spread super phosphate fertilizer (0-46-0) into the furrow at a rate of 0.75 ounces per 20 foot row. Place the crowns 12 to 14 inches apart and 6 to 12 inches deep, cover crowns with amended soil to the original level, water in.
Told you it was easy. Add 4 to 6 inch layer of organic mulch to prevent weeds and decrease the necessity for frequent watering. When required, water your bed deeply.
Now for the hard part: do not harvest for the first two years. After that, harvest spears when they are 6 to 10 inches long, every other day, by snapping off the spear at ground level. However, if you miss some, those tiny asparagus from the opened heads make wonderful additions to salads!
Annually, scatter 2 pounds of 10-20-10 fertilizer per 20 foot row before growth begins in the spring. After the harvest apply 1 to 2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer (21-0-0). After the first hard frost, cut off the fernlike tops at ground level. Add a layer of manure and reapply a layer of mulch. Repeat for the next 20 years or so.
So, within a few years, you can eat Asparagus to your heart’s content. Happy harvesting.
Cole Crops
Cole Crops by June Morgan
“Cole” refers to the Cruciferae or mustard family which includes cool season crops such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, broccoli, kale and turnips. They are very desirable foods due to their high nutritional values of vitamins C and A, in addition to having antioxidant properties. These vegetables grow best at a monthly mean temperature of 60—70- degrees F or less during the night. This means a possibility of two planting seasons, transplants in early February to March, and seeding in early Fall. For the best quality of the slower maturing crops, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli plantings should be February 10-March 10 and August 1-15. This group can withstand frost down to 20 degrees F dependent upon their maturity.
Cole crops grow well in soil that is well-drained, moisture retentive and fertile. While many vegetables require eight hours of sunlight, the leafy ones can survive on only four hours daily. They are heavy feeders and enjoy compost, well-rotted manure and a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10. The optimum pH range is between 6 and 6.5. Use a soil test to find what is needed. Heavy clay soils should be tilled with added organic matter and possibly expanded shale to increase drainage. Plant Brussels sprouts seeds ½” deep and cabbage seeds(started indoors) ¼” and 2” apart. Thin to 2” apart. Set transplants 2”-3” deeper than they grew in pots or flats.
Unlike root crops, the saying for cole crops (with the exception of double duty turnips) is “what you see is what you get.” To harvest cabbage or cauliflower, cut the heads off above the lowest leaves. Harvest broccoli by cutting off the heads before the yellow flowers open and Brussels sprouts by picking the lowest heads from the plant each time. In cold weather, cabbages can be stored uprooted in an outdoor pit for several weeks stacked upside down surrounded with straw or hay and a final covering of soil.
Pests include mainly weeds, cabbage worms and cabbage loopers. Unless one is in a commercial business, hand weeding is the method of choice as herbicides will kill the crop. Handpicking worms, floating row covers for seedlings and BTK are recommended. A heavy mulch helps in preventing pests as well as using cardboard collars as a barrier against cabbage maggots and cutworms.
For vegetable gardeners the reward is in the cooking and eating. Kale has become prominently featured of late by chefs and nutritionists and can be served both raw or cooked. Chard is easier to grow than spinach and is a favorite in Italian cooking. Chopped Brussels sprouts can be sautéed in light cream with black pepper for something different. German recipes abound in recipes for cabbage with ingredients such as apple, caraway seeds, cinnamon, brown sugar, etc. not to mention sauerkraut and cole slaw. Cruciferous vegetables can be tasty parts of otherwise boring winter meals.
Pruning Trees
Pruning Trees by Byron Chitwood
There are three reasons for pruning landscape trees. The first is for the health of the tree. Both diseases and insects contribute to the decline of a tree. If damage by one or both of these, the prudent thing to do is remove the diseased or insect infested limbs. Also as we found out in the most recent ice storm, nature does a lot of trimming of trees with results that are not exactly what we would plan. Some of the fallen or hanging limbs have split the remainder of the limb that is still attached to the tree. These limbs need to be cut back below the split or peeled bark.
Another reason for pruning trees is to prevent hazard to people, buildings or other trees, shrubs and plants. Some trees such as Bradford pears grow very rapidly under good growing conditions. The limbs growing from the trunk area become long and heavy and can eventually break under their own weight. Use your own judgment on when to prune trees with large and long overhangs. There was a Bradford pear tree in our yard that shed a large limb for no other reason than it was too heavy to support itself. This one crashed on a bench that some friends and we had been sitting on a few hours before. The fallen limb was large enough to have severely injured someone had they been there at that time. Several days later, another limb from the same tree came crashing down on our roof which resulted in several thousand dollars damage. The Bradford pear tree had many more limbs about the same size so the prudent thing to do was permanently prune the entire tree at ground level.
One more reason to prune trees is to achieve a more pleasant form. For instance if a tree is growing in with an unbalanced posture, some trimming might be in order to give it a better shape. Some trees will have limbs that are too close to the ground. These limbs can cut off a certain amount of light to the turf and also will sweep and sway in the wind wiping out the plants growing directly under. Cut limbs like this close to the trunk. There will be a collar tissue around the base of the limb. Make the final cut just above the collar and paint the freshly cut area with a pruning paint or one with a latex base.
There are plenty of good arborists who will gladly give you a quote and suggestions on your tree pruning needs. Most of them are very organized and professional in their work. Some of your neighbors might have used their services and will be glad to give a recommendation. Come to think of it, that might be the least expensive way to prune trees, especially if you have to stand on your tiptoes on top of a wobbly 12 foot step ladder with a pole chainsaw that is six inches short of being able to reach and saw off a branch that is destined to fall on your head. Good luck on your way down and happy landing.
Growing Onions
Growing Onions by Byron Chitwood
Onions are one of the world’s universal food crops. They are grown in over 170 countries. Approximately 80 million tons are produced annually compared to about 400 million tons of potatoes. There are almost an infinite variety of onions throughout the world varying from region to region or even village to village. Here in the U.S. there are a number of varieties but most home gardeners usually have a selection of several varieties each of yellow, red or white.
One of the more popular varieties is the Texas 1015. It is a yellow variety although it looks browner to me. This particular onion was developed at Texas A&M and is noted for having a very mild flavor. Onions sets in our zone should be planted 4-10 weeks before FFD (final frost date). If seeds are to be planted, use 6-8 weeks before FFD. Most home gardeners prefer to buy of onion sets that are tied in bunches of about 100 sets for planting. These sets usually become available in our area shortly after the first of the New Year.
Onions thrive best in loose, well drained soil that has maximum sun exposure. This is true of most vegetables. If your garden retains a lot of water after a rain, raised beds are the solution to the well drained side of the occasion. With this in mind, build up your soil to a height of 2-4 inches above the surrounding area in a bed that is about 4 feet wide at the crest. Use a triangle hoe to dig ditches that are about 1 ½ inches deep in the raised bed. The first trench should be six inches from the edge of the four foot crest. Plant the sets in the 1 ½ inch deep every 2-3 inches. Then move over 12 inches and plant another row. Repeat the same process every 12 inches and you should end up with 5 rows of onions. Fertilize very lightly with a 3:1:2 ratio of slow release fertilizer and fertilize as need throughout the growing season.
When the onions get about ½ inch in diameter, pull every other one as needed for table fare or for cooking purposes. Bulbing of the onions will begin to occur when there is approximately 12-13 hours of sunlight. Keep utilizing ever other onion in the rows throughout the growing season until the onion plants are 6-8 inches apart. This will give the remaining plants room to grow and mature.
About midsummer, the bulbs will reach full maturity and the tops will begin to fall over. At this point, harvest the onions and place them in a dry place to harden up. Onions don’t have a very long shelf life, about 2-4 month at the most, so use them for cooking, salads and eating before they begin to mold and spoil.
Winter onions can be planted form seeds or sets if available if they put in the ground 8-10 weeks before the average autumn freeze date. Just follow the above directions for spring planting with the exception that the seeds should be planted no deeper than ½ inch.
To freshen one’s mouth after eating raw onions or garlic, munch on some sweet basil leaves. My grandmother made a cold medicine for us kids from boiled onion juice, sugar and whiskey. It didn’t do much for the cold but we really didn’t care after drinking a tablespoon of the elixir.
Art of Gardening January Program
Growing Potatoes
Growing Potatoes by Byron Chitwood
Potatoes and onions are the first thing that you plant in your early fall garden. Well, not really because if you grow your own garlic, that should have been planted in October and the asparagus patch was planted as long as fifteen or twenty five years ago and nurtured all these years.
When seed potatoes become available at your favorite garden supply store, buy them and be ready to plant them when you think the time is right. Regular white potatoes usually can be purchased rather inexpensively in the super market so unless you have a very large garden, just plant the high dollar grocery store varieties such as red potatoes and Yukon Gold. I have had good luck with Lakota reds, although I have planted some other varieties of reds and had about equally good yields. As mentioned above, I wasn’t into white potatoes although I have grown them in past years. However, I planted some Yukon gold potatoes last year and had a super yield. They are not exactly white potatoes since the flesh is slightly gold. The amazing thing about them was that they kept over the summer real well compared to the red potatoes. They didn’t dehydrate and shrivel like the reds did.
Soil temperature is a good indicator when potatoes should be planted. Optimum temperature for planting is 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of about five inches. Ideally, potatoes should be planted on a date that will allow them to sprout just after the last killing frost in the spring. So, calculate 4-6 weeks backwards from when you are going to have the last killing frost of the season and use this date for planting potatoes. If you did the arithmetic right, this date for planting should be about February 10-25. A heavy frost will certainly kill back the top growth of potato plants but is not necessarily fatal.
To plant potatoes, begin by cutting the certified seed potatoes in pieces that will have two or three “eyes” per piece. Some folks like to do this several days ahead of planting and let the pieces “scab” over on the freshly cut surfaces. I don’t ever remember my grandmas and grandpas doing this so I don’t do it either. Dig ditches about five inches deep and lay the cut pieces of potatoes about 12-18 inches apart in the bottom of the ditch. Do this with the eyes up so that they can see where they are growing. Cover the potatoes with a layer of leaves and then the soil that has been removed to form the trenches. After covering the planted potatoes, mulch the potato bed with several inches of leaves. When the potatoes have sprouted, keep mulch around the plants throughout their growing season to conserve water and minimize weed growth. Fertilize with about 1 cup of 15:5:10 fertilizer per 10 feet of row.
Some “new potatoes” can be harvested soon after the potato plants bloom. Probably my all time favorite dish was the creamed new potatoes and fresh English peas that my mom and grandmothers cooked.
Potatoes are ready for the final harvesting when the plants begin to turn yellow and die. Immediately after harvesting potatoes, plant southern peas in the same area for a summer ground cover and a crop of delicious southern peas.
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak by June Morgan
It happens every spring. An enthusiastic gardener bent on cleaning out weeds and vines overtaking the shrubbery and fences ends up with a noxious itching and blistering rash which makes him miserable for days, even weeks. The likely culprit is one or both of the plant pests, poison ivy and poison oak which deliver the stick-to-the-skin resin urushiol.
The best defenses are identification and prevention. The appearances of poison oak and ivy have several things in common, one being the tell-tale three leaves on a woody stalk. However, leaves of the oak vine occasionally have 5, 7, or even 9 leaflets. They strongly resemble oak leaves with toothed or deeply lobed edges. In the fall, they will turn red/orange and in the Spring white-green flowers appear which turn to round fruits in summer. The fruits of the ivy vine are grapelike clusters of tiny white seeds with an off-white or pale yellow rind and the leaf edges are smooth or slightly toothed. Needless to say, birds eat these fruits and seeds, compounding the problem of control. Leaves of the same variety often present differing appearances according to their geographical area, so it is wise to find pictures of the poison vines and their non-poisonous relatives.
A hiker roaming through the woods can easily walk through a knee deep patch of these pests as well as brushing against a large tree hosting an ivy vine as thick as one’s arm. Hand removal of the vines must be done very carefully with lots of skin protection and deep digging. In addition to plastic gloves and cloth coverings, a protective cream(Ivy Block) and a skin oil remover (Tecnu) is available at many drug stores. Once exposure is known, within 5 minutes pour a mild solvent such as rubbing alcohol over the area, then wash with plenty of cold water. Dogs, shoes, and tools must also be decontaminated to keep from spreading the oil. Both the stumps and leaves can be sprayed with one or a combination of several chemicals: glysophate (Roundup, etc.), triclopyr(Spectracide], or 2-4-D and dicamba. Read the directions carefully in order to apply at the correct times and amounts.
The dermatitis caused by the oleoresins of the vines can be quite serious. The misery can cause loss of work, sleeplessness and in some cases, hospitalization. Besides an anaphalactic shock reaction, extreme pain and possible fatality can occur when inhaling the smoke of burning vines. DO NOT EVER BURN THE POISON VINES!
Old and standard treatments for uroshiol dermatitis usually consist of calamine lotion and oatmeal baths, but the victim often wants something stronger. Steroids by injection or cream, or an OTC preparation designated for poison ivy and oak will probably give faster relief. The fluid from the blisters will not cause a spread of the rash, but any remaining resin on the skin or involved objects can do so.
REMINDER: Identify, protect, remove, and never burn!
Mistletoe
Mistletoe by Madeline Sullivan.
Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. These plants grow attached to the branches of a tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium. Through this structure, they absorb nutrients from the host plant.
European mistletoe is easily recognized by its smooth-edged oval evergreen leaves seen in pairs along a woody stem with waxy white berries in dense clusters of 2 to 6. In America, while the genus Viscum does not grow wild, the eastern mistletoe is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries.
Mistletoe is a poisonous plant. However, both European mistletoe and the North American species are commercially harvested for Christmas decorations. When Christianity became widespread in Europe after the 3rd century AD, religious or mystical respect for the mistletoe plant was integrated to an extent into the new religion. In a way that is not presently understood, this may have led to the widespread custom of kissing under the mistletoe plant during the Christmas season. The earliest documented case of this custom, which apparently became very popular at the time, dates from 16th century England. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas (the ancient Christian festival of lights on February 2); it may remain hanging through the year, however, to preserve the house from lighting or fire until replaced the following Christmas Eve.
The American author, Washington Irving, in 1820, said “The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases.”
Oklahoma uses mistletoe as its state floral emblem, and until 2004 the plant was presumed to be the official state flower. In 2004, though, the Oklahoma Rose was designated as such.
Mistletoe was often considered a pest that killed trees and devalued natural habitats. However, it has recently been recognized as an ecological keystone species, which is an organism that has a disproportionately pervasive influence over its community. A broad array of animals depends on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants, and dispersing the sticky seeds.
In western North America, the juicy berries are eaten and spread by birds. When eaten, some seeds pass unharmed through their digestive systems, and if the birds’ droppings happen to land on a suitable branch, the seeds may stick long enough to germinate. This manner of propagation is reflected in its name–mistel is the Anglo-Saxon word for dung, and tan is the word for twig; it becomes dung-on-a-twig. Another popular name is “witches’ brooms,” and the Navajo name for mistletoe is “basket on high.”
A study of mistletoe in junipers concluded that more juniper berries sprout in stands where mistletoe is present, as the mistletoe attracts berry-eating birds that also eat juniper berries. Such interactions lead to dramatic influences on diversity, as areas with greater mistletoe densities support higher diversities of animals. Rather than being a pest, mistletoe can have a positive effect on biodiversity, providing high quality food and habitat for a broad range of animals in forest and woodlands worldwide.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas Cactus by Shanna Threndyle
Schulembergera…say that three times! They are the beautiful seasonal plant fondly called Christmas Cactus. Chances are that you have either given one as a gift, received one, or stole a few cuttings from someone who would have just given them to you! You plant thieves know who you are… The blooms are vivid eye catching displays of color, ranging from cool fuchsias to warm orange-yellows. Scarlet red is always a staple color for Christmas Cactus during the holidays.
Believe it or not, Christmas Cactus or Schulembergera, is not a real cactus at all, having no spines and the stems have no leaves. The stems are flat, jointed and arching, some more rounded on the edges, others, jagged. They are members of the succulent family in which cacti also belong. They grow naturally in the trees and rocks in the coastal mountains of South-eastern Brazil. They can grow up to 12” tall and 18” wide, although I have seen some very happy plants that I would call giants! Because it is a stem plant, it stores water and can survive long periods without water. Christmas Cactus depend on the shortening of daylight to perform a spectacular display of blooms.
Growing Christmas Cactus is not difficult, but can be frustrating as a house plant if you miss your window of opportunity for the seasonal show of blooms. The key to keep from missing the bloom cycle is to figure out which cultivar is actually a true Christmas bloomer. At first glance in a retail setting, every plant labeled Christmas Cactus may appear to look the same. There are differences between the cultivars. Schulembergera, is recognized as the Holiday Cactus, so they are broadly marketed that way. But, Thanksgiving Cactus has jagged, pointed looking edges, and will bloom before the Christmas cultivar. The Christmas Cactus, having more rounded edge stem joints, needs even shorter daylight. It waits to bloom, about a month later, than the Thanksgiving type, and blooms around Christmas. There is also a similar Easter Cactus that will give a good spring display of color. Knowing the differences between each type will solve your frustration when “expecting” your Christmas Cactus to bloom during the holidays. If you are purchasing one for Christmas, make sure a bud is beginning to form.
Holiday Cactus prefers a bright indirect light, but will not protest filtered light or even some shade. Too much sun tends to cause sunburn on your plant. But, as mentioned above, the shorter days will stimulate the bloom cycle. Some growers give two extra hours of darkness before sunset, then allow it to have regular light again in the morning. Others suggest to put your Christmas Cactus in a completely dark closet, starting in October, and take it out of the closet ( all joking aside) once you can see the bloom buds forming. Either way, the extra work and given attention, may mean the difference between no blooms, poor blooms or super terrific blooms! Good to remember for next year, right?
When in bloom, Christmas Cactus will appreciate an increase of water. Increase water to keep the soil moist, never soggy. Drainage is a must, and you must use potting soil labeled for cactus when repotting. Watering from the bottom is preferred. When the blooms begin to fade, scale your watering back to the normal recommendation of allowing the first two inches of soil to dry and never let your plant dry out completely before watering again. This usually means lightly watering every two weeks, but, there are exceptions to every plant environment. If you notice insects on your plant, a safe remedy is to use soapy water in a spray bottle two times a day. Mealy bugs love the sap and are usually the most common pest for your cactus and succulents. Christmas Cactus, have a natural rest cycle, or dormancy in June and July. During the rest cycle, you will see no growth, so do not fertilize. It is also wise to back off of watering a bit, just enough to keep it alive. Like any other succulent, use a weak, but balanced fertilizer, like 20-20-20, only when you see new growth begin.
With ongoing water concerns today, succulents such as the Christmas Cactus, are practical, as well as beautiful. They are very easy to care for and make great gifts during the holidays!