Roots

REMEMBER THE ROOT SYSTEMS

When we purchase a plant in a garden center we try to choose the healthiest leaves we can find and ponder its potential without considering its most essential component, the root system.

As it begins its life cycle the first part of the plant to sprout is the root
to soak up nutrients and give the plant stability.  

  

When a seed germinates and begins its life journey, the first part to sprout is a tiny root.  

Unlike in nature where the roots have plenty of space to spread out, plants in containers have little area for the roots to grow.

This forces the roots to become entwined together.  

This problem is known as 'root-bound'. The root-ball will not be able to grow outward in search of water and nutrients and will slowly choke itself. 

BREAK THE ROOT BALL

Plants grown in pots quickly become root bound which hampers their
ability to transfer moister and nutrients up the the leaves.

The solution to this problem is simple, break open the root ball. This technique can be intimidating to people who don't want to harm the plants they just purchased.  You will do far more damage by leaving the roots as they are.

Many trees and shrubs become so entangled that a knife is needed to
break it open. Planting a root ball like this will doom the plant to an early death.

The bound roots will stunt the growth of vegetables and flowers. Less water means lower productivity or simply put smaller tomatoes. Trees, shrubs and bushes will eventually show damage of dying twigs and branches. 

Annual vegetables and flowers easily become root bound in the small space available.
If you don't open the root system it will greatly reduce the plants vitality and production. 

Breaking the root ball can be done quickly, especially in smaller plants such as annuals, vegetables or flowers grown in cell packs.  When you lift the plant out of the pack pull the lower roots apart with your fingers, actually breaking them so they will spread out when they are planted.

This kale is a perfect example of a root bound vegetable. Simply
use your fingers to open the bottom of the roots before planting. 

This general idea is the same for larger potted shrubs and trees.  Larger root systems might need to be hit with a shovel or cut with a knife to get the thick roots to break apart.

The day before planting water plants well. Soaking will prepare them for the process about to take place.

         

Before planting, research and follow all special instructions for your plants. Follow recommendations including correct depth for that species. Some shrubs need to be dug deeper while others need to be a few inches above the soil line. This will ensure that your new plant will settle in for years of healthy growth.

           

Proper mulching helps preserve moisture, maintains ground temperature,
suppresses weeds and keeps lawn mowers from damaging the tree trunk.
Lawn mower damage is a major factor in the decline of Dogwoods and other trees.

After you have planted, water the plant well. This process is called 'mudding in'. It is difficult for newly planted shrubs to get water and nutrients from the root system in the ground up to the plant leaves and branches.

         

When plants show problems we call it 'transplant shock'.  The first year of growth takes place underground. Don't worry if you notice slow growth or smaller plants. They will show great improvement the next year.

'Volcano mulching' does more harm to the tree then good. Most importantly it blocks oxygen from the
roots which will suffocate the tree and most likely kill it in a few years,*    

  

Water well the first year and avoid drying out. At least one inch of water every week for most plants. Perhaps a little more for new transplants during dry spells.

Happy Gardening,  

James

Goldfinches - Winter bird feeding

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

(Part One) WINTER BIRD FEEDING

Easy to recognize, The American Goldfinch is a small bird in the finch family. 

impossible to miss, a male goldfinch is stunning in his summer mating colors. 

During the summer the male is bright yellow with black wings, a tail with white markings, and a black forehead. The female is olive green with black wings, a tail with white feathers and she has no marking on her forehead. She can been identified from other yellow birds by her short bill. In winter both sexes look like the summer female and the male loses his forehead patch.

The female, although duller than the male is a beautiful finch with olive green plumage and
her black and white wings and tail.

The Goldfinch has a large range from Southern Canada to Mexico. Although some migrate south, many Goldfinches overwinter in our area where they flock together with Pine Siskin and  Common Redpols.

In winter Pine Siskens (top)
and Common Redpolls  (bottom)
often join flocks of goldfinch competing for the same food.

Goldfinches are almost totally vegetarian only occasionally eating a few insects. Their diet consist mainly of sunflower seeds, asters, composite plants such as coneflowers, and "thistle" seeds.

In this illustration by James Audubon, goldfinch feed on thistle seed.
Thistle plays a major role in the life of goldfinches, most importantly are diet to nesting materials
during mating season..    

  

During the winter months Goldfinch frequently visit backyard feeders, especially when the ground is covered with snow. Goldfinches are attracted to black-oil, grey stripped  sunflower seeds, and are most attracted to 'nyjer' (niger) 

seeds.

Thistle feeders like the one above are a good long term investment.

Nyjer seeds is commonly called thistle but it is actually from a different plant grown in Africa, India and southeast Asia. It is highly nutritional and is grown mainly for human consumption. 

Although commonly called "thistle" the seeds of the 'Nyjer" plants from Africa
look similar, are easier to harvest and supply a high protein source of food
attractive to the American Goldfinch.  

Because of it size and shape there are many specialized thistle feeders on the market. The tiny holes on these feeders prevent waste and stop other larger birds from gobbling it up and scaring your Goldfinches away. 

Goldfinches shown here with their winter feathers
will also come to less expensive fabric seeders.
This feeders work well but have less durability over time. 

Well worth a onetime investment, these feeders will last many years. There are also inexpensive cloth feeders that can be purchased.  During the depths of winter these cautious birds will come to a thistle feeder attached to a window.

Window feeders give a close up view of goldfinches but be careful
not to scare them away. These shy and timed birds may not come back.
Place them in a window your cats cannot reach.

Place you feeders in an area easy to view from a window but close enough to evergreens for protection, and if need be a quick escape.  Sit back, stay warm and enjoy your garden all long year.

                       Enjoy your garden all year long,                                James   

Houseplant winter watering

HOUSEPLANTS WINTER WATERING

Using a proper watering can will help you water the soil
and avoid wetting the leaves. 

As daylight hours shorten, houseplants slow their growth and requirements for watering lessen. This enables plants to adapt and survive the long winter months.  Stop fertilizing until active growth resumes in the spring.

To make houseplant care easier, group plants together which require the similar light
and watering requirements.

During the summertime we can usually water all our houseplants at the same time, but now each plant must be watered for their individual water requirement. 

African Violets do not tolerate wet leaves which
 can cause spotting and disease. 

To make this easier group like plants together and refresh your memory of the water suggestions for each plant. 

The gift foil on plants do not have drainage holes and should be removed during
the watering process.

Proper watering will help your Poinsettia survive though the entire
holiday season. 

The most common problem related to houseplants is 'root rot' due to over watering. When plants aren't growing they don't absorb as much water.  The excess water sits in the soil and on the root system. This situation allows the roots to 'rot' and leads to the death of the plant.

The root system on the left has root rot and can no longer transfer water
and nutrients to the leaves and flowers. The root system on the right is healthy.

The easiest way to avoid this problem is a simple watering technique, touching the soil. Simply stick your finger in the top inch of soil and if it is moist don't water it. Let the soil dry out between watering. Many gardeners use this horticultural practice all year long.

Touch the top inch of soil. If it feels moist or sticks to your finger
hold off watering until it dries out.

   Another result of wet soil is 'fungus gnats', tiny flying insects that are an annoying houseplant pest. These insects lay eggs on moist soil and hatch quickly increasing the number of gnats throughout the winter. 

Fungus gnats are visible to the naked eye. Cut down water immediately
to control their reproduction. 

These pests can be controlled by lessening the amount of water. Once again let the top inch of soil totally dry out between watering. You should replace the top inch with fresh soil. 

For annoying but controllable pests, remove the top inch of soil and replace it with
clean fresh potting soil and adjust watering practices.  

You can also put a few small pieces of potato in the top of the soil. The newly hatched gnats crawl into the potato for food and can be easily removed before becoming adults. 
Remember to dispose and replace these chucks of potatoes once or twice a week and your problem will be solved within a few weeks. If you have a treasured houseplant this procedure is worth the time and effort to save it.

Use room temperature water. After you empty your watering can refill it and let it sit for the next time. This also lets the chlorine drop to the bottom before you water your plants again.

If you use ice cubes to increase humidity put them
in the tray rather than on top of the plants.

The modern day 'trick' of using ice cubes and letting them melt on top of the soil does more harm than good for your plant.

Many plants can react poorly to ice cubes melting
on top of the soil and the root system.

Remember most of our houseplants are from hot tropical or desert climates. Orchids are one plant that suffers greatly from this practice of using ice cubes.

Enjoy gardening all year long,

James

Giving Houseplants as gifts

HOUSEPLANTS AS GIFTS*

If you are searching for a houseplant to give as a gift this season you can't go wrong with a 'croton'.

Crotons (Codiaeum) have very colorful leaves which can brighten any winter day. With basic care these colorful  houseplants will easily survive for years in a sunny window.  A few hours of sunlight is the key to maintaining the best color on the leaves.  Red, yellow, pink and green are often on the same leaf with no two leaves identical.

When giving a houseplant as a gift it is important to consider its new home.  If the recipient often says "I kill every plant I get" give them a plant that is easy to care for such as a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera).  Blooming during the holiday season these tropical plants are very easy to keep alive. The key to bringing this plant into flower every year is natural sunlight. As the days get shorter it triggers these plants to develop their flowers.

Proper care and natural sunlight are all  the Christmas cactus require to trigger its annual bloom cycle.

Orchids and Poinsettia, both popular gifts are very sensitive to drafts and temperature fluctuations.



The decorative foil on this poinsettia will not permit water to drain away. Sadly this is a major cause of  death of this popular flowering plant. Remove the foil and put the pot in the sink while watering. After it has drained, it is safe to put the foil back on. Let the soil slightly dry out before watering again.

It is important to get your plant home from the shop without damaging it. Cover the plant with plastic or a paper bag, then move it from the store to a warm spot in your car, not the cold car trunk. Once home remove it immediately from the wrapping (which will now hold the cold)  and check the soil for moisture. When taking your gifts to their new home repeat the process.



Orchids make wonderful gifts. Now with modern propagation techniques they are more affordable

and popular than ever.

 This care will prevent your orchids from dropping unopened blooms or your poinsettia from wilting away in just a few days.  If the cashier is busy, step to the side and properly  cover the plants before leaving the store.

After being hit by a blast of cold air these orchids blossoms are wilting
and will drop off before opening.

Finally find the care instructions for your plant in a book or on the internet, make a copy and give this with the plant.  It will help answer any questions, ensure proper care and give the plant a better chance for survival.

Merry Holidays,

James

*First posted December 2014

Apples

APPLES

"As American as apple pie", dunking for apples and Little Johnny Appleseed, apples hold a treasured place in our history.

The story of apples goes back to the
beginning of written history.

The story of modern day apples started in the region of Kazakhstan in Eastern Asia.

The ancestors of the apple were too sour to eat. Luckily for us the pip, or seed, of the apple does not produce a fruit identical to the parent. This made it easy to create hybrids with sweeter fruit.  

The bitter taste of apple seeds is nature's warning not to eat them.
In small dozes they can cause an upset stomach and in large amounts are toxic.  

Once the fruit was acceptable, early people found ways to graft the tree to root stock and maintain the flavor. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Celts in Britain all had mastered this horticultural skill.  

Grafting root stock is an ancient horticultural  practice
commonly used today. Modern day roses wouldn't existence without it.    

Johnny Appleseed, named John Chapman (1774-1845) a nurseryman, believed the only way to a good apple was by seeding.  He condemned grafting as "wicked".  He collected apple seeds from cider mills in Pennsylvania and carried them west, planting orchards in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He also gave them freely to settlers. 

Johnny Apple seed claimed grafting "wicked".
His trees produced fruit too bitter to eat.

These mouth puckering apples were used mainly for making apple cider and apple jack.

Johnny Appleseed's trees were mainly used to make 'cider' and Applejack ,
a popular alcohol  beverage of colonial settlers. 

Even Thomas Jefferson planted apple trees and is partly credited for our modern day fuji apples.

Thomas Jefferson was a true "Renasissance Man' who
introduced hundreds of plants to America as well as pasta from Italy.
In his library was a copy of the Koran.

Today the 'USDA's Plant Genetics Resources Unit in Geneva, NY has 2,500 different varieties of apples from all over the world. These apples are prey to a host of pest and diseases. The Unit is reintroducing genes from the original ancestor to see if they can not only prevent problems but also create a better flavor which new varieties often lack.

Research continues to make apples hardier, healthier and more delicious.

The famous old Welsh saying, "An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away", has a great deal of wisdom in it.  Apples are considered a power fruit and eating one every day or at least five days a week can have a tremendous impact on our health.

Apples were ranked #1 in Medical News Today's top ten healthy foods.  Apples are rich in important antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber with vitamins C & A.

As easy as putting one in your pocket or purse apples are made for travel. 

With only 50 to 80 calories each, apples are an-all-time perfect snack food.

In poetry, legend, song, stories and film, apples
are so much a part of our culture we take them for granted.

Happy Autumn,                                                                                                           James

Garlic

GARLIC (AlliumSativum)

Over it's 5,000 year history garlic has garlic has been embraced for its many great
qualities and rejected because its potent affect on our breath.

Growing garlic can yield great rewards with a considerably low amount of work. Planted now before the ground freezes, garlic will grow over winter and be ready to harvest the following June.

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated herbs in the world, but there is still debate if its origin is from Central Asia, South Asia or Siberia. From there it was carried into Egypt, Pakistan, India and China. Garlic was found in the pyramids and is mentioned in the Bible (Numbers11:5).

In ancient Egypt garlic was commonly used for many things from
 an offering to the gods as well as food for the slaves

Over garlic's five thousand year recorded history it has been used as an offering to the gods, medicine, an aphrodisiac, money and magic. Garlic was believed to ward off the evil eye, protect maidens and deter local witches and vampires.*

Before the age of antibiotics garlic was used to prevent and
treat infections including Word World 1 

To grow garlic start with good stock.  For best results buy your garlic from a garden center or catalog. In general the larger the clove you plant, the larger the bulb you will harvest. Do not plant supermarket garlic because they are often treated to prevent sprouting.

Removing the papery skin  eliminates the possibility it can  get
a fungus that will infect the healthy clove 

In my vegetable boxes I grow garlic a few inches from the edges so the center is free for spring planting.

When planting, separate the cloves and plant pointy side up one inch deep. Then water to help them adjust. Adding dehydrated cow manure or compost will get your garlic off to a good start. Mulch with grass or hay for winter protection.

After over-wintering in the ground your garlic will sprout its green leaves
in early.  

In early spring the greens will break the ground. When plants are six to eight inches high fertilize your plants with nitrogen and supply one inch of water a week. Add more mulch for weed control.

We the flowerheads or "scapes" curl it is time to remove them to force growth
to the maturing bulb.

When the "scapes' (flower heads) begin to curl, cut them off. This will force energy into the bulbs to ripen. The scapes can be eaten and have a mild onion flavor similar to scallions.

Scapes are commonly used in salads, cooking or pickled 

When the leaves begin to turn yellow stop watering for one month. Now your garlic is ready to harvest. It is better dig out your garlic rather than pulling it out of the ground.

After harvesting your garlic do not wash it. Cure it and brush off the
soil before long turn storage 

Curing your garlic will help preserve it for the coming months. Tie it together and hang it in a shady, dry, cool and well ventilated space for 4-8 weeks. Once dry brush off loose soil, trim stalks and roots and store in a refrigerator storage bin to prevent sprouting and promote freshness.

 Curing garlic in the right place can give a room
a nice 'American Homestead' feel

For more information see Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet # 1233, Growing Garlic In The Home Garden. You can find it online or call The Garden Helpline (908-654-9852) and ask them to send you a copy.

*Although garlic wards off vampires and witches, it has no known affect on modern day zombies.

Happy Autumn, James