THE OLD SIGN PHILOSOPHER
SPRING IS IN THE AIR
AND GRADY IS IN THE GARDEN!
SPRING IS IN THE AIR
AND GRADY IS IN THE GARDEN!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Edible of the Month: Asparagus
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a member of the lily family and has been grown and eaten since 1000AD. It’s thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean region as a wild plant and modern varieties have been selected for larger and tastier spears. Asparagus is unique, because, unlike most home garden vegetables, it is a perennial, coming back year after year. A well-maintained asparagus bed can produce spears for 20 years.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a member of the lily family and has been grown and eaten since 1000AD. It’s thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean region as a wild plant and modern varieties have been selected for larger and tastier spears. Asparagus is unique, because, unlike most home garden vegetables, it is a perennial, coming back year after year. A well-maintained asparagus bed can produce spears for 20 years.
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Therefore, it’s important to spend extra time and energy preparing the soil in the bed and planting it correctly. The young shoots (spears) are what we eat. The spears are only available in spring for a 6- to 8-week period. (There has been some experimenting with forcing asparagus to send up new spears in summer and fall, too.
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Once the asparagus spears are allowed to grow into ferns, they can top 6-feet tall, making a beautiful barrier or wall of green in your garden. Asparagus can be used as an edible hedge, backdrop to flowers or shrubs, or a visual barrier. The ferns turn yellow in fall and should be cut back to the ground in winter.
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Asparagus is a great spring treat steamed, roasted, or sautéed in butter and garlic, or served along with other spring vegetables such as peas, spinach, and spring potatoes. It’s high in fiber, vitamins A and C, and minerals, such as iron.
Planning
Asparagus is a hardy (USDA zone 4), cool- loving crop that sends spears out of the ground when soil temperatures are above 50 degrees F. Since asparagus evolved around a salty sea, it likes a well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. One key to selecting the right variety of asparagus is making sure you get one adapted to your soil and climate conditions. The other is to choose a variety that is predominately male. Asparagus plants are either male or female, that is, male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. The females produce red berries in summer. The flowering and fruiting reduces the amount and size of spear production. Another problem with female asparagus plants is the berries drop and germinate in the row creating many small asparagus plants. These can overcrowd an asparagus bed and become weeds.
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Planning
Asparagus is a hardy (USDA zone 4), cool- loving crop that sends spears out of the ground when soil temperatures are above 50 degrees F. Since asparagus evolved around a salty sea, it likes a well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. One key to selecting the right variety of asparagus is making sure you get one adapted to your soil and climate conditions. The other is to choose a variety that is predominately male. Asparagus plants are either male or female, that is, male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. The females produce red berries in summer. The flowering and fruiting reduces the amount and size of spear production. Another problem with female asparagus plants is the berries drop and germinate in the row creating many small asparagus plants. These can overcrowd an asparagus bed and become weeds.
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Breeders have created “all-male” hybrid varieties which are mostly male. They produce up to 3 times more asparagus spears and fewer berries than older, open pollinated varieties that are a mix of males and females. Many of these all-male hybrid varieties come from research done at Rutgers University so they often have “Jersey” in their name.
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Here are some of the best asparagus varieties to try. They are best purchased as 1-year old crowns for spring planting. Asparagus seed is not widely available and takes longer to produce mature plants.
'Jersey Knight’ – One of the best performing Jersey hybrid varieties, it’s a vigorous plant that’s resistant to rust, crown rot, and fusarium wilt. It is especially adapted to growing in clay soils and in warmer climates.
'Jersey Giant’ – One of the first in varieties the Jersey series, this hybrid is best adapted to colder climates and produces spears 7 to 10 days before ‘Jersey Knight’.
'Jersey Supreme’ - The latest variety in the series this variety produces more uniform-sized spears and is earlier than previous Jersey hybrids. The plants are disease- resistant and best adapted to lighter, sandier soils.
'Purple Passion’ - This uniquely-colored asparagus is widely adapted and produces purple colored spears that fade in color when cooked.
‘UC 157’- This California hybrid is adapted to warmer climates with mild winters and produces high yields of uniform spears. It does have some female plants.
‘Viking KB3’ – An open pollinated variety that has a mix of male and female plants. It is a better producer than the traditional ‘Martha Washington’ open- pollinated variety.
Preparation
Choose a sunny, well-drained site with neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Since this is a perennial it’s important to remove weeds and amend the soil well. It’s easier to amend the soil now than trying to do it after the asparagus is growing. Till the soil and dig a trench 1-foot deep and as long as you desire. Each crown can produce 1/2 pound of spears when mature. For most families, you can estimate planting 15 to 20 crowns per person with crowns spaced 18 inches apart.
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'Jersey Knight’ – One of the best performing Jersey hybrid varieties, it’s a vigorous plant that’s resistant to rust, crown rot, and fusarium wilt. It is especially adapted to growing in clay soils and in warmer climates.
'Jersey Giant’ – One of the first in varieties the Jersey series, this hybrid is best adapted to colder climates and produces spears 7 to 10 days before ‘Jersey Knight’.
'Jersey Supreme’ - The latest variety in the series this variety produces more uniform-sized spears and is earlier than previous Jersey hybrids. The plants are disease- resistant and best adapted to lighter, sandier soils.
'Purple Passion’ - This uniquely-colored asparagus is widely adapted and produces purple colored spears that fade in color when cooked.
‘UC 157’- This California hybrid is adapted to warmer climates with mild winters and produces high yields of uniform spears. It does have some female plants.
‘Viking KB3’ – An open pollinated variety that has a mix of male and female plants. It is a better producer than the traditional ‘Martha Washington’ open- pollinated variety.
Preparation
Choose a sunny, well-drained site with neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Since this is a perennial it’s important to remove weeds and amend the soil well. It’s easier to amend the soil now than trying to do it after the asparagus is growing. Till the soil and dig a trench 1-foot deep and as long as you desire. Each crown can produce 1/2 pound of spears when mature. For most families, you can estimate planting 15 to 20 crowns per person with crowns spaced 18 inches apart.
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Planting
Plant outdoors 2 weeks before all danger of frost has passed and soils have dried out. Backfill the trench with 4 to 6 inches of finished compost and soil mixed evenly together. Form 4- to 6-inch high, volcano-like mounds with the compost every 18 inches in the trench and lay the spider-like crowns and roots over the mounds. Drape the roots evenly on all sides of the mound with the crown sitting on the top. Cover the crowns with soil and backfill the trench as the spears grown with more soil until the trench is filled and crowns are buried 3 inches deep.
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Plant outdoors 2 weeks before all danger of frost has passed and soils have dried out. Backfill the trench with 4 to 6 inches of finished compost and soil mixed evenly together. Form 4- to 6-inch high, volcano-like mounds with the compost every 18 inches in the trench and lay the spider-like crowns and roots over the mounds. Drape the roots evenly on all sides of the mound with the crown sitting on the top. Cover the crowns with soil and backfill the trench as the spears grown with more soil until the trench is filled and crowns are buried 3 inches deep.
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Care
Another key to growing asparagus is keeping the bed well weeded. Be careful using a hoe when weeding since the crowns are not deeply planted below the soil surface. Some people have taken advantage of asparagus’ tolerance to salt and spread salt on the bed to kill weeds. However, this practice is not recommended because eventually the soil gets too salty for even the asparagus plants. Fertilize the bed every spring with compost or a balanced organic fertilizer, such as 12-12-12. Keep the bed well watered and mulched with a 2- to 4-inch thick layer of bark mulch.
Asparagus beetles will attack the spears and ferns. These small, bright red beetles emerge as asparagus spears start growing in spring. They feed on the spear tips and eventually lay eggs on the ferns. The eggs hatch into soft bodied gray grubs that continue to feed on the fern fronds. Their feeding can defoliate the ferns and reduce the energy sent back into the roots, weakening the crown and lowering production. Control the asparagus beetles by hand squishing the adults and spraying the grubs with neem oil or Spinosad organic sprays.
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Another key to growing asparagus is keeping the bed well weeded. Be careful using a hoe when weeding since the crowns are not deeply planted below the soil surface. Some people have taken advantage of asparagus’ tolerance to salt and spread salt on the bed to kill weeds. However, this practice is not recommended because eventually the soil gets too salty for even the asparagus plants. Fertilize the bed every spring with compost or a balanced organic fertilizer, such as 12-12-12. Keep the bed well watered and mulched with a 2- to 4-inch thick layer of bark mulch.
Asparagus beetles will attack the spears and ferns. These small, bright red beetles emerge as asparagus spears start growing in spring. They feed on the spear tips and eventually lay eggs on the ferns. The eggs hatch into soft bodied gray grubs that continue to feed on the fern fronds. Their feeding can defoliate the ferns and reduce the energy sent back into the roots, weakening the crown and lowering production. Control the asparagus beetles by hand squishing the adults and spraying the grubs with neem oil or Spinosad organic sprays.
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Let the ferns naturally yellow in fall. Cut them down and remove them in winter to reduce populations of overwintering insects and diseases.
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Harvest
It’s important not get over eager in harvesting your asparagus spears. The first year after planting don’t harvest any spears: let them all grow into ferns. This will strengthen the crown for higher future production. The second year after planting harvest only those spears that are larger than a pencil’s diameter for 2 weeks in spring. The third year you can begin harvesting all spears larger than a pencil’s diameter for 6 to 8 weeks in spring.
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It’s important not get over eager in harvesting your asparagus spears. The first year after planting don’t harvest any spears: let them all grow into ferns. This will strengthen the crown for higher future production. The second year after planting harvest only those spears that are larger than a pencil’s diameter for 2 weeks in spring. The third year you can begin harvesting all spears larger than a pencil’s diameter for 6 to 8 weeks in spring.
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Start harvesting as soon as large enough spears emerge from the soil by snapping off the spears with your hand at the soil line when they are 6 to 8 inches tall.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
GREENSCAPE GARDENS RAISED BEDS
How To Build A Raised Bed
Raised beds are a great way to garden without taking up too much space. They are perfect for urban small- space gardens, but also have advantages for gardeners with more room. Their benefits are numerous. The soil in raised beds drains water fast, a boon in our heavy clay soils, and warms up quickly in spring, making for earlier planting. If you don’t step into the beds, the soil structure stays loose, allowing roots to extend deeply into the soil, making them perfect for crops like carrots and beets. They allow you to concentrate your watering, weeding, and fertilizing into a smaller space. This means you can get more production from your garden with less weeding and care.
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Here’s how to build a raised bed
There are two general types of raised beds: permanent and temporary. Let’s look at each.
Permanent beds
Permanent raised beds are usually supported by a long lasting material. You can use rot-resistant wood such as cedar, bricks, plastic wood, rocks or cement blocks. Greenscape Gardens will also have recycled plastic planks available for raised gardens this year. Don’t use treated woods because of concern about harmful chemicals leaching into your soil.
Steps:
Locate the bed in a sunny spot on top of soil, grass, or even concrete.
This stone and concrete raised bed has been incorporated into the permanent landscape.
If building the bed on soil or grass, improve drainage by loosening the soil at the bottom of the bed with a shovel or spading fork. I like to kill the grass first by laying down 4 layers of black and white newspaper, then covering it with soil. The newspaper helps prevent grass and weeds from growing in the raised bed and decomposes over time.
If building on top of an impermeable surface, such as concrete or asphalt, consider making the beds a few inches taller to compensate for the lack of natural soil.
To create a bed, build the frame so that it’s at least 8- to 10-inches deep, no more than 3 to 4 feet wide, and as long as you like. While rectangles and square shapes are most common, you can get creative with ovals and other shapes. Just be sure the width isn't more than 3 to 4 feet wide. Anything wider means you’ll have to step in the bed to weed, water, and fertilize. Walking on the soil will compact it, reducing root growth.
If you use wood, attach the pieces together with wood screws instead of nails for better holding. Slow the rotting process by painting the wood with an earth-friendly preservative, such as linseed oil or borax-based treatment.
Fill the bed to the top with a 50:50 mixture of potting soil and seasoned compost. The soil may settle after a few days so you may have to add more.
Temporary beds
You can produce a bountiful harvest when growing in raised beds.
Steps:
Shovel garden soil into raised beds, or bring in a mixture of potting soil and compost. Beds can be any shape you desire: rectangular, curved, or even round.
Make the beds 8- to 10-inches deep and no more than 3 to 4 feet wide.
Remove sticks, rocks, and other debris, and rake the tops of the beds smooth and flat.
Steps:
You can build a cold frame or shelter to fit on top of a raised bed that will extend the growing season earlier and later. The frame pops off during the summer season.
Plant tall plants on the north side of the raised bed so they don’t shade lower plants.
Water regularly since raised beds will dry out faster than level gardens. Place shredded bark, straw or any organic mulch around established plants to conserve soil moisture and prevent weed growth.
Come by Greenscape and check out the raised beds by the chicken coop. Last year's raised beds produced a bumper crop of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and brocolli. The lettuce and beets were planted today. The chickens will love the extra lettuce that was planted for them.
Monday, March 08, 2010
GREENSCAPE GARDENS TREE
2010 Urban Tree of the Year
Eastern Redbud
Eastern Redbud (Ceris Canadensis) was selected as the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) Urban Tree of the Year. Cercis Canadensis is also commonly called Redbud or Judas Tree. This last name according to legend, is the result of the biblical Judas Iscariot hanging himself from a branch of the European species Cercis siliquastnum.
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Eastern Redbud is a moderate to rapid grower when young, often maturing 15 feet tall by 15 feet wide, but it can become 35 feet high on moist sites. The tree's rapid growth rate slows to a medium growth rate after 10 years of age. Eastern Redbuds are native to Eastern and Midwestern United States. Oklahoma call Eastern Redbud its state tree.
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Description
The flowers of the species open as small clusters of dark-brown buds that swell to purple-lavender buds in early spring. They slowly open to magenta or pink-lavender flowers, prominently displayed in April before the foliage emerges. The blooms persist for two or three weeks. The flowers can be found on the trunk or branches, but most are found on two year old twigs.
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In the spring, the leaves are bronze to medium green, slowly turning to dark green, and about 4 inches long by 4 inches wide in summer. The leaves are alternate, broadly ovate with distinctly cordate bases. The heart-shaped leaves have prominent palmate veination.
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Eastern Redbud twigs have a zigzag pattern and show cream colored lenticels. The color is dark brown with subtle shades of purple or red in the stem color. The vegetative lateral buds are slightly more plump and in clusters along stems, branches and trunks.
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The trunk is either single-trunked and low-branching,or multi-trunked and shrub form. The exterior bark is grown gray with thin exfoliating strips or thin fissured plates in youth that become crisscrossed and raised with age. The cinnamon-orange interior bark reveals itself with age. The trunks become twisted, leaning and decayed with age.
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The small black seeds are within flat light-green "pea shaped" pods that change to brown when the seeds are ripe. They are located in clusters on the twigs. The dried pods may persist for a year or more and provide some winter interest. Heavy seed crops do not occur every year.
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Habitat
When grown in an open area, Eastern Redbud develops an upright vase form in youth and with age, becomes spreading and rounded to develop and irregular shape, and often develops a lean. When grown at the edge of forests and woodlands, it is often found with an irregular shape because it stretches toward the limited sunlight.
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Eastern Redbud grows best in partial shade especially in the Midwest where summers are hot. Best growth occurs in a light, rich, moist soil but this tree adapts well to a variety of soils including sandy and alkaline. The trees look better when they receive some irrigation during summer dry spells. In very wet sites, it is prone to verticillium wilt.
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The species is propagated by seeds, while the cultivars are usually budded onto seedling rootstock or by Summer cuttings under mist. Ripe seed can be planted directly but stratification is necessary if seed has been stored. Trees are sold as single or multi-stemmed trees, B&B, or in containers. Young trees are easiest to transplant and survive best when planted in the spring or fall. Containerized trees can be planted anytime.
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Uses
The yellow fall color and tolerance to partial shade make this a suitable, attractive tree for understory or specimen planting. It is best if this tree is not used as a street tree due to its low disease resistance and short life span. It is nice in commercial and residential landscapes. The tree also does well in a shrub border for a spring and fall color display. It is often used as a foundation plant, a specimen at an entranceway, as a group planting, along a woodland edge, in a naturalization planting, or as a spring accent tree. The seeds provide food for some birds. Eastern Redbud is not a commercial timber species.
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Eastern Redbud works well in combination with Serviceberry (amelanchier), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Carolina Silverbell (Halesia Carolina), Crabapple (Malus), Chinese Dogwood (Cornus kousa), and Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulate). It is often the first of a floral sequence of ornamental trees.
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From a design standpoint, Eastern Redbud is medium to course in texture and has thick density in leaf. The tree is average in density when bare, such as during the winter months.
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Cultivars
Several cultivars of Eastern Redbud are available:
- 'Flame'--more erect branching, flowers double, blooms later, sterile.
- 'Forest Pansy'--purple-red leaves in spring, fades to green in the summer.
- 'Pink Charm'--pink flowers.
- 'Pinkbud'--pink flowers.
- 'Purple Leaf'--purple young foliage.
- 'Silver Cloud'--leaves have white variegation.
- Cercis canadensis var. alba--white flowers, blooms late.
- C. canadensis var. texensis 'Tesas White'--superior foliage.
- C. reniformis 'Oklahoma'--superior foliage, white buds/flowers.
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Unfortunately, Eastern Redbud is subject to many liabilities. Its functional life is 10 to 20 years in urban landscapes, due to a combination of urban stresses, diseases, and pests. The tree is prone to trunk canker, heartwood rot, verticillium wilt, and scales, any of which can be fatal. It is also prone to storm damage with advanced age due to leaning and heartwood rot.
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However, after a long hard winter, its beauty in spring provides a welcome that warms the heart of people everywhere.
ABOUT THE URBAN TREE OF THE YEAR SELECTION
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The Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) conducts the Urban Tree of the Year competition to illustrate the imprtance of selecting the right tree for a planting site. The intent of this annual selection process is not to indicate that this tree is the perfect tree that can grow anywhere, but is to make municipal arborists aware of this tree and they should use it if they have a site suitable for it. The Urban Tree of the Year competition also provides extra publicity for excellent trees that should be used more often.
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