Poison Ivy Identification

'Leaves of three, let it be'

 

 

Poison ivy is a toxic vine which brings misery to millions of people that come in contact with it every year. Although we are most concerned during the summer, every part of this plant is toxic at all times of the year. Even bare stalks are poisonous in the dead of winter. Therefore if you have poison ivy in your area it is important to safely eradicate it.

Native to the eastern United States the vines can be found everywhere in local parks and forest, rambling though bushes and shrubs or climbing trees in the best of gardens. It grows at the seashore where the salt water spray kills most other plants.

 

In the spring small bright red to reddish purple leaflets appear first. These leaflets turn a glossy green by mid-summer. Each leaf consists of three leaflets that are two to four inches long.

 As summer turns to autumn this vine is often the first plant to change color. Bright orange, red and yellow leaves make poison ivy easy to spot.  These bright colors makes September a perfect time to scan your property and area for Poison Ivy. 

 

 

A mature vine is easy to ID at any time of the year. Often as thick as a mans wrist, the vines are covered with thousands of tiny hairs with allows it to cling to trees, growing as high as 50 to 75 feet. Look but don't touch as this will also cause a nasty rash. 

 

 

Poison ivy has both male and female plants. The females produce clusters of white berries that hold on the vine throughout winter and are spread by birds who ingest the fruit.  

 

Do not burn poison ivy to control it. The fumes are very toxic when inhaled into your lungs.  This is a danger to firemen who might breath the fumes in heavily infested areas like beach towns.

 If you believe you do have poison ivy keep a safe distance. Contact your local County Cooperative Extension for information on control and eradication. See Rutgers fact sheet  (#1019)
'Poison Ivy and Its Control'* for additional information. 

 *Whenever using chemical control take proper precautions. Wear protection, cover your nose and eyes and follow the directions on the label.

 

Proper Watering for Healthy Plants

ALL PLANTS DEPEND ON WATER

 

 

 

"Nothing of any consequence to a living plant happens in dry soil. Roots don't grow there. No nutrients pass from dry soil to plant. None of the symbiotic soil dwellers the plants need live there. Dry soil isn't part of the plant's vital ecology. It just doesn't count." -Edward C. Smith, The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible.

Even Cactus which like it dry, flower and sets seed after seasonal rainfalls. This is the ultimate goal for all life on Earth, to reproduce and flourish.

 

Unfortunately many plant disease and problems are caused by poor watering practices. As a general rule in our area of New Jersey most plants, including lawns, require one inch of water per week. An inexpensive or homemade rain meter can save time and help keep your water bills down.

 

This is especially true for lawns. 'Damp feet' at night is a major cause for many lawn diseases. An ideal water practice for lawns is one inch of water once a week, or a half inch twice a week, early in the morning. This encourages the roots to grow down deep and gives the lawn hours of sun to dry off before nightfall.

Containers dry out faster than plants in the ground, so they need more attention. There are a few things you can do to make sure your potted plants are getting the best watering you can give them. First water the soil, with few exceptions, plants don't like wet leaves. Water your pots twice, five minutes apart. The first watering will dampen the top layer of soil. Five minutes later give them a second watering. This second watering will work its way deep into the pot where the root system can absorb it.

A handy watering tool is the 'Water-wand', a soaker nozzle at the end of a long metal tube. A stream of water is easily released where the plants need it most; soil level and close to the roots. These can be found at your local garden center.

 

Remember water wands are designed to reach the soil while keeping the leaves dry, so simply holding it over the plants defeats the propose.

 

One of he most common complaints I hear is I worked hard on my garden but never got to enjoy it.
Try to make time to sit and enjoy your garden as often as possible. Enjoying a morning cup of coffee there is only a few steps away.

 

Happy Gardening ,
Jamie

 

Pansies / Princess of the Spring Garden

 

PANSIES & VIOLETS

 

 

After a long and brutal winter,  garden centers and stores are once again full of brightly colored pansies.  These delightful small spring plants come in a wide range of colors, blends and 'faces' on the same flower.  White, yellow, blue, purple, orange and mixed. Choosing your pansies can be a great deal of fun.  A pot of pansies by your door is a wonderful welcome to family, friends and yourself arriving at your home. Pansies also make a wonderful hostess gift.

 

 

The very popular 'Johnny Jump Up' has a small yellow and purple flower and reseeds itself successfully in our area.

Pansies are members of the large family named 'VIOLA'.  The state flower of New Jersey, the tiny 'Common Blue Violet' can be seen blooming in our local parks and lawns in mid-spring.  
Here it is drawn the with our state bird, The American Goldfinch.

 

For us, pansies are a spring flower which will bloom for three months until the heat of summer forces them to fade away. In warmer climates,  pansies can be planted in the autumn and they will bloom though the winter and spring, then fade when the summer heat is too much for them. When pansies wilt in early June, I replant the pot with summer annuals. Remember that potted plants do need more watering than flowers planted in the ground. Also match your plants with the amount of sunlight it will receive. In the garden plant violets in ordinary well drained soil, out of direct afternoon sun and keep the soil slightly moist.

To keep pansies blooming well, 'DEADHEAD' the spent blooms.  Once or twice a week pick off wilted flowers with your fingertips. This prevents the plants using energy to produce seeds and diverts it to create many more flowers. Pansies react great to this process, often blooming twice as many flowers.

 

Often pansies are sold root bound. This means the roots are overgrown in a tight knot at the bottom. When you take the pansy out of the cell pack you will find a white mass of tangled roots. This will prevent the plants from absorbing water and will stunt them.  Break the bottom of the root ball with your fingers or a knife before repotting to promote healthy growth. The plants will respond to this process better than you might think.  The basic practice should followed with all root bound plants.   

Please support our  local garden centers. They depend on our seasonal business and sell  the largest selections of plants, flowers and vegetables.    

                                                                                       

Happy Gardening,    James