Easy to Love

Tatsoi: Easy to Love

Above is a photo of some of the last of my tatsoi (Brassica rapa or B. narinosa, common name spinach mustard), right from the garden. I sowed the seed in early March. Maybe it is just the season, but it has been incredibly easy to grow, the seed germinated quickly, it grew fast, and had few pests. I bought the seed on a whim, but will be looking for more for fall planting. As readers of this blog know, I have a love affair with greens. I love their tastes, they are versatile in the kitchen and are generally easy to grow. I will use this tonight in an Asian-inspired stir fry along with some garden broccoli.

Happy gardening!

Strawberries

They call them strawberries for a reason!

My strawberry bed was about 8-9 years old and the berry plants really failed this year. I do not know if it was due to the freezing and thawing this winter that pushed their crowns out of the ground (which did happen- lots of dry, dead crowns) or if it was vole damage, tired soil, or poor care on my part. But, whatever the cause, I (read "my husband") had to completely dig the two strawberry beds and replant them (I did the replanting, the easy part), so we will have few strawberries this year (except for scattered ones from the front flower beds). In the past, I planted them into holes in landscape fabric, but I am getting further away from landscape fabric as I garden more. It blocks the transfer of humus (large, organic particles) which the soil needs to thrive and encourages voles (they love to tunnel under it and use it to line their nests). So I planted strawberries the old-fashioned way, into the amended soil (added compost and organic fertilizer), mulched with straw (you know the difference between straw and hay, right? Straw is the second cutting of hay and therefore has no or few seed heads to sprout in your garden. So don't get hay, unless you want to grow it). Of course, my idiot dog, Bob, who is a master at getting into the garden, but often cannot figure out how to get out, immediately dug in one strawberry bed (no plants lost, I discovered to it soon enough). So, not too many strawberries this year... and, no, this is not the best time to transplant them, but hope springs eternal for next season.Happy gardening!

Nigella

"Love in the Mist"
How could ignore that cute common name for Nigella damascena? N. damascena is pretty little white, pink, lavender or blue-flowered annual with an interesting, feathery flower and leafy bracts that forms a cool seed pod (see above). Nigella self-sows easily, but is also easy to remove and eradicate if you decide you do not like it or want it where it has self-sowed. In fall, I take the dry seed heads and just tip them over and scatter the seeds where I want them to grow. The seed pod is also used in dried flower arrangements. So easy and pretty! (Another common name is "Devil in the Bush!"- but not for me!)(P.S. this is not the same Nigella with seeds used in cooking).
Happy Gardening!

upside down plants?

(Photo Erich Schlegel for the NY Times)

The New York Times has an article on growing tomatoes upside down. I tried it last year, but did have much luck, but may try it again this year. Go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/garden/20tomato.html?emc=eta1

Happy gardening!

Ancient Mulberry at Ginter Gardens

Those of you who have been to Ginter Gardens in Richmond, VA, know this tree. It is an old mulberry, at the Childrens Garden- go and pay your respects this venerable life form!

So, am I crazy????

OK, maybe this container gardening thing has gotten out of hand (and these pix aren't half of them). But I always have a rationale (or rationalization). Peppers seem to do best for me in pots. I had too many seed potatoes (yes, those are potatoes in pots, top photo). Some are non-hardy in my zone. Herbs are right at the back door when they are in pots. Some things look pretty in pots. I can control the soil better. I like pots?
Happy gardening!

Thank You, Neighbor!

Passalong Plants

Passalong plants

There is a fine, old tradition of passalong plants, that is, friends, family and neighbors giving you divisions or cutting of their plants. The iris pictured above was given to me by a neighbor with whom I often chat while on my daily walk. I had been admiring his light purple iris for years, and had never been able to find a good match for it. I asked him to save some for me if ever he divided them and, voila, he gave me three bags full that very year (and I shared some with friends)...and he threw in some dark purple iris as a bonus!
I have a few rules with passalong plants:
1. Look the plants over and discard any that show signs of disease or insect infestation (like iris borers, they leave an oozy trail in the rhizome-my neighbor's rhizomes were clean, but for extra insurance you can soak the rhizomes in a 10% bleach and water solution for an hour).
2. Know before you plant- I wish I had realized how invasive obedient plant can be before I planted a division from a friend- now it's rip it out all season long. Also, some plants should be certified disease-free, and your neighbor cannot do that for you (cane fruits, gooseberries/currants and potatoes come to mind)(and that brings up another related point-in some states certain plants are illegal, example, currants and gooseberries, because they harbor and transmit white pine disease- another reason to know before you plant).
3. And my own personal rule- accept everything you are offered (within reason)- if you reject it, people won't offer again. You can always give a (healthy, non-invasive) plant away or discard unhealthy, invasive ones!
(another lagniappe from my garden below)Happy gardening!