Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

As the story goes he was one of those young men who fell under one of three conscription acts beginning in 1862. The majority of draftees were facing conscription during “July 1863 and in Mar., July, and Dec 1864”. And most were from the ages “18 to 35”. However, later they were as young as 17 or as old as 50. He had just turned 18, a mere boy, barely in his manhood. Because the government was plagued with a shortage of manpower the draft was instituted so he went. He became a legend, as the story goes.

The story of the Confederate Rose that was at one time pure white. He was fatally wounded when he fell upon the rose laying there for two days. He bled for those two days until the beautiful flower was turned pink, really almost red. This is the story of how the flower turned from white to a deep pink.

So goes the legend of the Confederate Rose or Cotton Rose. The Confederate Rose is not a rose at all but in point of fact, a hibiscus. Like many flowers and plants that are found in the southern United States this one is a Chinese export, gaining popularity around the colonial period. It is from the “Mallow family of plants….the confederate rose is kin to cotton, okra, hollyhock and rose of Sharon”. You can almost see the resemblance to a cotton boll when it blooms.

The Confederate Rose gained wider popularity after the Civil War because it is hardy and easy to to grow. I got my mine from a friend. Propagated from just a couple of sticks I put it in the ground and now it is over 10 feet tall.It blooms in the fall and two days ago it began to show off its flowers.

Once it is done for the season it is easy to manage a winter pruning by cutting back the long cane-like branches to about 4-6 inches from the ground. No worries they will easily come back again next year with little to no care from you. Also, knowing that this plant absolutely loves high humidity it is easy to see how it found a perfect home in my growing zone!

Now that I have read the legend of the Confederate Rose I will be reminded of the Civil War story each year as it blooms. Stories that connect a planting to its history are wonderful to add to my gardening journal so that generations from now my family can enjoy where I planted and why.

Cited:

http://www.civilwarhome.com/conscription.htm

http://www.gardenstew.com/blog/e8170-2-the-legend-of-the-confederate-rose.html

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-confederate-rose-a71294

I was on Facebook today and saw a post that someone was getting a bounty of blueberries. Then I looked at another post and there was okra, peppers, cantaloupe, eggplant, squashes with a few other goodies. So it got me to thinking about where the people posting are doing their gardening because, frankly my gardening is different.

So I researched about gardening zones in United States and Canada. We are divided into eleven zones on a 10 degree Fahrenheit difference. The United States, where I live, takes in zones 2 through 10. So how does it work? Well, for example, the lowest average temp in Zone 2 is -50 to -40 degree Fahrenheit. But zip down south to zone 10 and the average is +3- to +40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Okay now I see why some of my social media friends are growing wonderful produce that I am not.

Another factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the moisture, soil, winds, and well, the hottest summer since the dust bowl era isn’t helping much either, is it? Other catastrophic issues can cause problems. Earthquakes uproot trees and other plantings that can take several seasons to overcome. Or tornadoes that have been at record high this year ripping vegetation up can also take years to overcome.

For me, a few years back I experienced drought that caused pine beetles to come in and eat and destroy my pine trees. That was a hard season. Or the year that hurricane Ivan ripped through pulling on the trees and vegetation, the effects being felt as high as middle of the state. That was another planting problem that I needed to adapt to.

But generally this time of year most gardeners are reaping from their vegetable gardens. Knowing the growing season in our own personal zone helps us to know what to plant and where it is best suited in the landscape.

Along with growing for the right season I always recommend that a soil sample be done.You can get a kit at your Cooperative County Extension, you can find them in the phone book or on the internet. I love doing the soil sample. It takes the guess work out of what to use on my garden and landscape for fertilizers, tells me what grows best and what my watering needs are.

So the next time I see wonderful bounty on social media I am going to have the chart above handy so I can see where everyone is growing their gardens.

Sources for Soil Sample:

http://al-labs-eastern.com/taking_soil_sample.html

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=How+to+do+a+soil+test&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

The show offs! Crepe Myrtles find the heat of the South the perfect place to show off their glory. It is known that many of the beautiful plantings in my area found their way first through Charleston. Like many plantings found in America they first came here through China and Korea with a detour to England. But these fickle girls hate the cold clime of the British Isles. Truly they enjoy a good bask in the hot, humid south. So when Crepe Myrtles found a home in Charleston they reacted as if freed from prison. No more struggling under the cold, dampness. And reward us they did! It did not take long to get those beauties to show off.

The blossoms are beautiful. Most of the trees in my yard are a true pink, but I do see some that are white, light pink and a soft lavender. And unlike other southern belles like azaleas or camillas they do not need acidic pine soil but can grow just about where ever we want to plant them. 

The bark has a beautiful satin finish. When I run my hand over it I think of good carpentry work that has been sanded and modified so the wood surface glistens and smoothly catches our eye. Not so with Crepe Myrtle they already have beautiful bark while the tree is growing.

But as Sherlock Holmes has said, “something is afoot”. A crime against these belles that shocks anyone. Some gardeners like to call it pruning. I call it Crepe Murder. For some reason unknown to me the trend has been to lop off their tops, destroying their natural form. Left in the place where spring growth will be is amputated knuckle that looks almost like a bad case of arthritis.

Don’t get me wrong, oh yes, Crepe Myrtles do need proper pruning. And like all pruning if done correctly goes virtually unnoticed. Crossed limbs, leggy limbs and new shoots off the trunk can make for a scraggly look. Which is one excuse that Crepe murderers use to cut them back. It is true the suckers are unsightly but it only takes a few minutes to clip them off and too many trunks shooting up gives an appearance of an unkempt tree. These southern belles deserved a good trim. 

Another reason that they have been cut back incorrectly is that they are too tall or too close together. Pruning can control some of this but here a few tips on growing a Crepe Myrtle that will make you happy. If your’s is too overwhelming replace it with a semi dwarf that reaches about 8-14 feet in a ten year period. Some choices could be: Acoma, Catawba, Cherokee, Comanche, Hopi and Sioux. If you are looking for a shrub here are some possibilities: Centennial, Victor, Prairie Lace or Hope. These can get to 3-4 feet tall. The species that are usually victims of Crepe murder are those that grow pretty tall, at least 20 feet. If you do want a tall beautiful belle like this in your landscape, which I do, you can choose from: Natchez, Muskogee, Fantasy, Dallas Red, Byers Wonderful White, Watermelon Red and Biloxi.

If you have a Crepe Myrtle that has been improperly pruned all is not lost. You can with patience fix pruning mistakes.

Here are a few tips for fixing pruning mistakes from Southern Living:

1. A stub left by an improper cut last year allowed two shoots to grow in place of the one that was removed.
2. To restore the proper form, remove one of the two shoots.
3. Then remove the stub.
4. The result should be a cut that will heal into a single branch.

Nothing says southern living like showy plantings and Crepe Myrtle are wonderful show offs!

References:

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1083/ANR-1083.pdf

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/crepe-murder-00400000005718/

http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/southern-gardening-crepe-myrtle-history-00400000064970/

A well planned landscape can be environmentally friendly and requires minimal care such as watering, pruning, fertilizing and pest control which is of interest to homeowners. In our busy lives low maintenance is desired. Few, if any, gardeners intend to install a garden that will take time and money. So what is a low maintenance landscape? Here are seven principles that I have found useful that have helped scale down on the work over the years.

Begin with the plan. I find low maintenance means look for what grows well in my area. Then I try to use those plantings.

• Start with inventory of the yard, the neighborhood and the purpose that we plan to use our landscape for.
• What will be the present and future needs IE. If you are a young family or are retirees the planning will be completely different.
• Low maintenance means a simple design. So scaling down is useful. Simple does not have been uninteresting.
• Grouping of plants is important. By getting a soil sample it takes all the guess work out of making decisions on what can grow and where.

Site analysis is a real key to making a good landscape perform. For example, my soil is very acidic and mostly red clay. So these are the questions I ask:

• First I find out what acid loving plants will grow.
• Drainage and if there are low spots or changes in the grade that will effect what happens in rainy, sunny, shady or drought conditions.
• Consider your view, I love a natural privacy fence so it is important to determine balancing this with the vegetation.

Small Gardens Can Be Well Thought Out and Planned

Then I go for plant selection. I live in the humid south which means that a great many “old timey” plants grow well with minimal effort.

• It is crucial to keep plants spaced properly. Trees or bushes to close together vie for water and root expansion room. A tree dropped down on its side on the ground generally is an indicator of how far out the root system goes. And do not plant too close to the house or buildings. The roots can interfere with your water line or cause structural damage. Lesson learned.
• I like plants that require low maintenance and loads of flowers. In my area I start the blooming season at the end of February and go right through October.
• I do not like a “busy” look. It feels confusing and begs of high maintenance.

And the lawn area is important. While I love the garden and patio area there is a need to plan out the turf area. When I first moved into my house there were so many trees and bushes that made mowing a real effort to skirt around each one.

• Decide where the recreational areas will be.
• Decide the easiest mowing path and symmetry to the landscape.
• And consider ground coverings as alternative if you are not a big fan of mowing.

Watering or irrigation are a necessity. While I do live in the humid south this year we are suffering under a major heat wave. The plants are strained as well as the lawn. Watering is necessary to the landscape however, overwatering in this stress situation can harm the plantings too.

• Watering should operate efficiently and effectively. For example, overstressed and overheated plants thrive best if a early dawn watering is done.
• Avoid daily watering as it leads to shallow roots, long deep watering is the best.
• Drip irrigation has become popular and for good reason. It is an efficient use of water.

And I cannot say enough about mulching. It is like putting a light jacket on in the fall for humans or a layer of sun protection in the summer. And is it useful! You bet!

• It conserves soil moisture and regulates the soil temp as well as protects from soil erosion, reducing weeds and soil compaction. Nothing feels better than to dig into a well mulched area and soil slices like butter.
• It also keeps some soil-borne diseases at bay too.

And when you get all that going for you then just maintaing appropriate maintenance is all you need to do.

• Prune when appropriate and watch for branches that cross or old dead branches on the plant.
• Use the right tool. As I have gotten older I have needed to use the anvil pruners and it has made my life so much easier.
• Keep those tools sharpened. Dull pruners can cause accidents. Another lesson learned. Fall is a good time to get all the tools sharpened and oiled.
• Take a cuppa coffee and wander about just checking for pests or problems that can be managed easily. No one wants a job that reaches epic proportions.
• Avoid overwatering and over fertilization to ward of pests and disease. I volunteer for a garden helpline and these are two most common mistakes in the gardening.
• And mowing? Shorter is not always better. Check online for the proper height for the grass you.

Maintenance is and can be minimal depending on your needs. By spending regular time with these basic tips maybe like me, you will find that you are not spending all your time as a weekend warrior. Nothing feels worse than Monday morning warrior aches and pains. Makes any good gardener begin to avoid their landscape.

Gardening should be fun, the landscape is part of the personality of our life, of who we are just like the interior of our home. We hear more these days about how much curb appeal matters. Not just for the neighbors but for us. It is refreshing to pull up to your yard and feel good about it and find that home sweet home is pulling you in and beckoning to be the sanctuary from the stresses the day.

My neighbors and I have been sharing plants as of late. This spring I have added a few special treasures to my garden. Recently I had the opportunity of adding some Four O’Clocks that my neighbors, whom I affectionately call “the M&Ms” (for Margaret and Monty), shared.

Historically flowers have given their unique beauty to the landscape and because of that mankind has given significant meanings to them. For example, roses of different colors symbolize affection on varying levels. But Four O’Clocks have their significance as well which is, they represent timidity. And they are also known as the Marvel of Peru. Interestingly they are native to South America and were grown by the Aztecs whereby they traveled to Spain via the Conquistadors. Eventually they traveled to Texas and in the southern States of the United States. My specific Four O’Clocks have their history from Georgia then they moved to Montgomery, Alabama into three different neighborhoods before they found their home in “the M&Ms” yard. And now they are prospering quite happily in my yard!

Four O’Clock are an old southern favorite being tolerant of the heat as a perennial. If it is grown up north it generally is an annual. They got their name because they respond to heat opening their flowers during the brightest part of the day but as the day gets cooler they gently close their flower for the day. I suppose you can grow Four O’Clocks from seed but I am quite happy to get them as plants and they will spread!!!! So if you are do want flowers that an be invasive these are not for you. They do prefer sun, regular watering and tolerate drought well. However, living in the humid south the flowers do well with minimal effort. Another added bonus is the fragrance that draw hummingbirds to visit them as well as moths to enjoy their nectar.

Before I sat down to share with you about my traveling Four O’Clocks I checked on them as they have only been transplanted a couple of weeks. They are doing quite well and responding to the transplantation wonderfully. I do not know what color to expect yet as I know they can grow red, pink, magenta, yellow, white or multicolor flowers I impatiently wait to be surprised. I made sure I gave them lots of room as they grow 2 to 3 feet tall.

I think the thing that fascinates me most about this wonderful southern flower is that it traveled from South America to North America. And the Four O’Clocks that I have had traveling 4 or 5 places before they ended up in my yard. Plants are amazing, we as gardeners think nothing of sharing what we have. Sometimes not even knowing where they originated from. I am lucky my neighbors are interested in such things. As they knew I was too!

Or more directly Lizzie, my English Springer Spaniel, is obsessed with capturing every anole she can find in our yard.

This time of year the anole lizard is plentiful in the southern United States. And they are very territorial which runs smack into Lizzie’s territory. And so the season begins with the anoles trying to stake out their territory in our yard and Lizzie trying to control the takeover. But alas, the anoles are fighters and very aware. Bold to a fault coming closer, ever so closer to the huge brown and white furry specie trying to dominant the territory. And since the breeding season for these little critters is in the spring they can be seen in a mating dance. Oh, and if they are not careful the predator will win the day.

Lizzie wears herself out watching every flower, bush or tree. She can pace for hours up and down from the rain barrel along the gutter line looking up persistently in hopes to win the day. Only to come in for the evening exhausted from a day’s hunt.

I use to think that a Springer was a hunting dog. I mean a dog who hunted with their hunter for like say, ducks or pheasants. But in the absence of this they will use that hard wired drive to hunt something else. This time of year it is the anole; in the fall it is the squirrels jumping from tree to tree trying to wrestle a few pecans away for winter storage. This is when I hear her barking from tree to tree following them across the yard.

But she never barks at anoles. I think it is because they are quick and they change colors sometimes. They can go from a bright green to a dark brown coloration because their pigment cells or chromatophores are responsible. If they want to be turn yellow then xanthophores are responsible, or blue (my favorite) call on the cyanphores pigmentation, all the colors are pretty. I have never seen an anole turn black (melanophores also responsible for brown) but then I have not seen them cold or distressed. Mostly I just see them in their bright green presentation.

But Lizzie sees every one in our yard no matter what color they are. I know that mating season will be over when Lizzie isn’t spending every waking moment outside hunting anoles and trying to regain her territory. But for now she is like a small child who gets exhausted from too much play that needs to be told to come in to relax.

I would have asked Lizzie to explain this herself but she fell asleep and left it to me to share with you! She is too tired to even dream of her prey. It probably is for the best that I explain her hunt becuase her eyes would just glaze over in fixation mode to be on point!

This is how I see anoles most of the time but they have be very active for me to see them. Lizzie has a keen eye and see anoles even when they blend into the environment.