Orchids for Your Valentine

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont
 
Orchids are exotic, elegant, and romantic. That’s what makes them the perfect gift for your special someone on Valentine’s Day.

Orchids come in all colors except black (although there are orchids that are almost black), in all sorts of beautiful and bizarre shapes, and in a wide range of sizes. Although most garden centers carry reasonably priced, easy-to-grow varieties (mostly tropical species), in the natural world there are more than 20,000 species of orchids, growing in every type of habitat from tropical rain forests to the tundra and semi-arid desert, and on every continent except Antarctica. Orchids grow in all 50 states, even Alaska!

Since many homes are quite dry in winter, particularly those with forced-air heat, you’ll want to choose species that tolerate such conditions.  Not all orchids grow in rain forests; some grow in areas with seasonal dry periods.  Some of the more common are found among dendrobiums, oncidiums, and the corsage orchid (Cattleya).  More uncommon for dry climates are Brassavola and some Aerangis orchids.  Generally those that grow best in dry, indoor air include ones with seasonal growth, hard leaves, and “pseudobulbs” (a swollen stem area the plant uses for storage).   Using a humidifier near plants, or placing them on a tray of pebbles, kept moist, will help most any orchid in dry indoors. 

When buying an orchid, the plant should be securely rooted in the pot and have lustrous flowers and firm, succulent leaves and pseudobulbs.  For those “epiphytes”— that grow naturally on the sides of trees, that get their nutrients and moisture from rain and air, which are the ones you’ll find growing in bark — fresh, white roots with green root tips also are a sign of a healthy plant.  As with other flowering plants, buy orchids with some buds still left to open.  Make sure flowers and leaves don’t have spots, which could be from poor culture or even disease.

Orchids are commonly grouped as cool, intermediate, and warm, based on the plant’s optimum night requirements (45 to 50 degrees F, 55 to 65 degrees F, and above 65 degrees F, respectively).  For warm homes, consider the Dendrobium, moth orchid (Phalaenopsis), or Vanda orchids.  The moth orchids grow under similar conditions to African violets, making them one of the best choices for growing indoors.

Those for intermediate temperatures, such as Cattleya and its hybrids, may need more humidity to grow well than is usually possible indoors.  Cymbidum and Oncidium, while taking cooler temperatures in winter, also need high humidity and high light to grow best.

Some orchids may not bloom if the nighttime and daytime temperatures are the same. Consistently warm temperatures are good for leaf growth, but may suppress flower development.

Most orchids require relatively high light intensities and should be grown in an east or south window. However, a few will grow well under low intensity fluorescent lights. Insufficient light is the most common reason orchids don’t flower. If there is too little light, the leaves become a deep, lush green. With too much light, the leaves turn yellow-green.

Orchids vary in their water requirements.  The tropical orchids, which mainly are epiphytes, should be grown in a very porous potting medium such as coarse fir bark or lava rock. Place these pots in the sink and run lukewarm water through them for about 15 seconds, then allow to drain for about 15 minutes. Terrestrial types, rooted in soil, require a well-drained  growth medium.  One of my favorite orchids, which is easy to grow in soil indoors in the north and lasts for many years, is the Jewel orchid (Ludisia). Another popular terrestrial orchid, easy to grow indoors, is the lady slipper (Paphiopedilum).

Watering and fertilizer frequency depends on orchid, and the medium in which they are potted. Most orchids growing in bark cannot survive prolonged drought and should be watered often. However, some require a “dry season” of six to eight weeks during which watering is reduced but not stopped. This “dry season” must occur immediately after the current growth matures and is often necessary to initiate future flowering. Some Dendrobium and Oncidium orchid species are in this group.

Orchids are affected by many of the same pests and diseases as other houseplants. Insects such as mealybugs and aphids can be controlled with water rinses and insecticidal soaps.

If you want to buy a potted orchid for yourself or for a gift, check online for local orchid growers or societies, or visit your local florist, greenhouse, or garden store.  These can be great sources of information, as is the American Orchid Society (www.aos.org).

If all this culture sounds too much for you or your Valentine recipient, consider a cut-flower orchid you can find at florists.  Protect it from cold on the way home, and from cold drafts once home.  Keep away from direct sun and heat sources.  Cut Cattleya should last for one week.  Phalaenopsis, Oncidium, and Paphipedilum should last one to two weeks as cut flowers.  Longest lasting orchids as cut flowers, often from 4 to 6 weeks, are Cymbidium orchids.

How to Read Seed Catalogs

Dr. Leonard Perry

Extension Professor
University of Vermont

On one of those particularly cold and blustery wintry days, I like to gather up all the seed catalogs that have arrived in my mailbox and settle down for a good read.  Even if you don’t plan to buy from them but buy locally this spring, you can learn much from catalogs if you understand a few key terms and all that may be packed into the descriptions.

Of course it helps to have a pen and paper, or perhaps a laptop, handy to note all your choices and plans.  If you have a laptop computer or other internet access handy, you might want to check out the seed catalogs online too.  Many offer web-only specials.

Ordering from seed catalogs is both convenient, and a good way to get a wider selection than usually is available locally, especially if you are looking for quite new or unusual varieties. Yet most catalogs offer a lot more than just an order list for seeds and plants.  I like to compare several catalogs, as they usually emphasize different points.

The first item that should catch your eye in catalogs, other than photos, is the name of the flower or vegetable.  The words “New” or “Improved” aren’t just selling points, they often mean the variety has been changed in some trait, perhaps substantially.

Icons are used to highlight key traits, such as a sun for heat tolerance, a snowflake for cold tolerance, or a pot meaning good in containers.  Look for the key to these icons, which vary among catalogs, at the beginning or often on the bottom of each page.  One icon used for most is the red, white and blue All-America Selections shield, indicating this variety won this award, being judged by professionals nationwide as superior (www.all-americaselections.org).

Letters you may see by some crops are F1 and OP.  These refer, respectively, to F1 hybrids (first generation, compared to F2 which is second generation) and Open Pollinated.  The former are crosses between two parents, to produce a variety with hybrid traits and vigor.  If you collect seeds of these F1 hybrids, they wont give you the same variety.  Open pollinated plants, on the other hand, will come “true” from their seeds when sown.

Other code letters you will see with some plants, in particular some vegetables such as vine crops and tomatoes, are ones referring to disease resistance.   Choose these varieties, and you may have fewer diseases in the garden to deal with.  In one catalog I saw over 50 listed—not all of course for one crop.  Some of the main ones to watch for on tomatoes for instance are TMV (tobacco  mosaic virus), TSWV (tomato spotted wilt virus), V (verticillium wilt), and F (fusarium wilt).  If there has been late blight in your area in recent years, wiping out tomatoes, look for the few with resistance to this (LB).

The other key point in seed catalog descriptions is days to maturity.  This could mean from sowing, or in the case of slow crops the days from setting out plants.  Check the catalog to make sure what is meant.  This is particularly important in northern areas with short growing seasons (days between frosts), in order to get flowers or in the case of vegetables their fruits.  Even with this, if a summer is particularly cool and the crop likes warmth, it may mature more slowly.

Descriptions are useful for specifics such as fruit or flower color, particular flavors of vegetables, heights and spreads.  Even these may vary greatly among catalogs, so compare several, and they may vary from your own garden.  Beware of general and glowing adjectives such as “good”, “popular”, or “large”, as these are relative and may have little meaning in your own garden.  Just as the photos are often “enhanced” (don’t get disappointed if your flowers and vegetables don’t look as luscious), so are many descriptions.

To avoid ending up with too many seeds, roughly map out your garden to scale, then “fit in” the varieties you want grow.  A good catalog will give the approximate seeds per packet, and spacing when planting seedlings or sowing seeds.  So, for instance, for sweet corn you may see 150 seeds per packet.  If the recommendation is to plant 3 seeds per foot, this packet would sow 50 feet of row.

You should also see growing tips for each crop, as in the case of corn it’s best to plant several rows close together for best pollination.  So rather than one long row, five 10-foot rows, three feet apart would be better.  So the simple math means you need an area 10 by 3 feet, or 30 square feet just for this packet of corn seeds.

The good news is, if you end up with too many seeds, most store well for a year or more in a jar in the refrigerator.  Or, order with a friend and share the seeds.

If you don’t have any catalogs, and aren’t on their mail lists already, search online for some.  You can invariably order up a printed copy to be mailed from their websites, as well as see the range of plants they offer and any specialties.  Especially in the case of vegetables, if you like a crop in particular, such as lettuce or tomatoes or peppers, you may be surprised how many selections you can find.  Just remember, don’t get carried away with more than you and your garden space can handle—something I continually seem to neglect!

A Gardener’s Night Before Christmas

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont
 
             
T’was the night before Christmas and under the snow,
Perennials now dormant were waiting to grow.

The roses were mulched, the soil piled high,
To protect the graft union so the plants wouldn’t die.

The strawberries were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of fertilizer (organic or not) danced in their heads.

The orchard was clean, the fruit trees at rest,
No diseases were living much less any pest.

The evergreen branches, all coated with ice,
Provide shelter for birds that they would entice.

Shrubs were all sprayed with repellents this year,
To protect them from feeding by mice and by deer.

Inside the house are poinsettias galore,
While wreaths, boughs and holly adorn the front door.

While enjoying my garden this quiet, cold night,
What my eyes then spied was a gardener’s delight!

A jolly old man in suit red and white,
Pulled up in a sleigh and began to alight.

He laughed as he said, “I’m a gardener myself,”
And began to leave gifts packed by his elf.

Practical gifts like tools and a mower,
Along with some labels, pots, and a sower.

To protect our hands were hand cream and gloves,
For my spouse a sun hat in a color she loves.

A hoe will be useful for pulling up weeds,
New flats and soil media for sowing spring seeds.

Next came a trellis for the clematis vine,
Stakes for new trees, and to hold them some twine.

For the patio a planter and large flower pot,
Both were in colors bold, bright, and red hot.

To help all our veggies grow sweet and grow strong,
There were large bags of compost to help them along.

Our cats will be happy with their new catnip mouse,
Our birds will enjoy their heated bath and bird house.

For fun was a rain gauge and new garden book,
A train for the garden, homemade jam for the cook. 

As jolly St. Nick finished he winked and stood tall,
And I heard him exclaim “Merry Christmas,” and Happy Gardening to all.

Garden and Design Ideas

from the Montreal Botanic Gardens Sept. 2011

UVM Extension/Greenworks tour

 

The following were recorded and submitted by participants in this tour during their visit. Comments in   [ ] and some scientific names added in addition.

 

Plants

Sugar beet as an ornamental in a flower border

Lantana ‘Dallas Red’

Solidago (goldenrod) ‘Solar Cascada’

Hydrangea (paniculata) ‘Ruby’ and (serrata) ‘Tiara’—muted fall coral colors

Dawn redwood ‘Spring Cream’

Anemone ‘Splendens’

Pennisetum (foxtail grass) ‘White Lancer’—nice texture

Miscanthus (eulalia grass) ‘Sirene’—tall flower scapes, low foliage

Toadlily

Pagoda dogwood

Sweet September, Autumn Violet, April Gem rhododendrons

Dick Clark rose

Giant ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) ‘Purple Pillar’

Red-horned poppy

Rose altissima—climbing, red flowers

Japanese Umbrella Pine [marginally hardy into zone 5 but not colder]

Autumn crocus (marginal in colder areas, good into zone  5)

Pumpkins-on-a-stick eggplants

Bloody dock

Russian sage (Perovskia) [marginally hardy in zone 4]

Snail flower

Tiny Goldflake (Mecardonia) groundcover, yellow flowers (Chinese garden)

Red Cauli sedum

Deep purple/black kale

 

Design

Dry Zen garden with stones and gravel

Planter boxes on faux window panes to create focal points and garden “rooms”

“converge garden” integrating natives into a landscape

Trumpet vine tree resembled upside-down lilies

Fuchsia trees/standards

Rivers of Chelone (turtlehead)

Variety planting of ornamental grasses

More use of dahlias as fillers in border

Using massed plants eg. hosta on corners of borders

 

Plant Combinations

Dark purple ornamental peppers interplanted with silver licorice plant (Helichrysum)

Coralbells (Heuchera) ‘Beaujolais’ and Hibiscus ‘Peppermint Schnapps’

Foxtail asparagus fern interplanted with darker ground cover [red thread, Alternanthera]

Salvia ‘Black and Blue’ (guaranitica) with Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea)

 

 

Inspirations

Chinese and Japanese gardens, want to learn more on their history and traditions

Chinese lanterns—time to have a party in the garden!

The many shade plants in the shade garden

Exhibition gardens

Gallery of botanical art—nice new surprise

New color combinations

Wooden toilet at Tree House

Moby Dick at Japanese Garden

Signs telling about plants, their history and uses

Metal arbors with vines, provide cool areas in gardens to sit

Most (95%) of plants live in symbiosis with mycorrhiza fungi in the soil

 

Other ideas

Using vegetables (eggplant, peppers, sweet potato vine) in a large container, perhaps with Canna or ornamental grass in the middle

Fertilize and trim houseplants more often

Improve the soil with compost

 

Homemade Holiday Garden Gifts

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont
 

Do you know a gardener, either friend or family member?  If so, consider making at least some holiday garden gifts this season.  Making gifts yourself is a good way to slow down during the hectic holidays, to have some quality time if making them with others (especially with children), and often to save some money.  These are in addition to the usual holiday trimmings such as evergreen roping, swags, and arrangements with berries and other natural materials.

Although many decorate evergreen wreaths for the holidays, consider decorating a grapevine wreath with natural materials for the rest of winter.  You can either collect grapevines and make the base wreath, or buy one at a florist or craft store.  Then collect cones which can be sprayed with glue and rolled in glitter, or spray paint seed pods as from milkweed.  If collecting cones, rather than buying them, make sure they are dried and open first.  Hop vines and Virginia creeper are a couple other vines, if you have access to them, that make good wreaths either by themselves or to serve as bases.

If using dried flower clusters, as from some wildflowers, spray first with a shellac to help hold them intact, and then use naturally or spray paint.  Some dried berries may be collected too, just make sure that they aren’t poisonous if children are around.  Hydrangeas are common shrubs in many landscapes, and their dried flowers can be collected
           
Some of the easiest gifts to make are to decorate clay flower pots.  This is something I did with my daughter when she was still quite young, but can be done even more elaborately by adults.  Gardener’s invariably need more flower pots!  It can be as simple as painting designs, such as flowers, on the pot with waterproof paints from a craft store.  I like to paint the pot with a light background color first.

For an aged look, paint clay pots a solid color such as dark green or black.  Then brush or wipe with an acrylic gold or copper paint, diluted half with water.  When dry, the undiluted gold or copper can be used for small designs, highlights, or trim.

Another pot decorating option, still quite simple, is decoupage.  If using a clay pot, first seal with a polyurethane or similar paint, so moisture doesn’t wick through to ruin your final work.  Next, cut out paper designs, shapes, photos from seed catalogs, or seed packets, to affix to the sides.  Using either decoupage material, or a white glue thinned with equal parts water,lightly coat the pot sides.  Put the cutouts on the pot, then finish with a final coating over all.  Other clay pot decorations, easily attached with a glue gun, are an endless variety of items from craft stores such as small silk flowers, buttons, reflective shapes, and ribbon.

If you use clay pots already in gardening, you likely have some broken pieces.  The flatter pieces, perhaps 2 to 4 inches wide, can be painted with the names of flowers and designs, then glued onto painted wooden dowels.  If for use outside, protect with a clear sealant.

If using green plastic pots, decorate with simple flower designs using acrylic paint markers.  Practice first on paper, even with colored pencils.  Using small dots, or simple lines, in contrasting colors is often quite effective and easy.

Metal cans can be turned into holders for dried flowers indoors, or candle holders outdoors for the patio.  For luminaries along walks, use larger cans (I got mine from a local pizza parlor).  Remove the labels, rinse well, then fill with water and freeze if making a candle holder.  The reason to freeze is so you can then punch a design in the side with many holes made by hammer and nail.  It helps to draw the design on the side first.  Then paint the cans.

Stepping stones are a popular and easy gift to make, either using purchased molds in various shapes (even flowers), or old cake pans.  Spray the mold with cooking spray, so the dried mold can be removed.  Cut a piece of plastic or wire window screen the shape of the mold.  This is added to help prevent the cement from cracking.  Mix the cement, pour half in the mold, add the screen, then fill.  Don’t move the mold until the cement hardens, or it will crack.  The finished stone can be painted, or designs such as from leaves pressed into the cement before it is completely dry.

For the birds, an easy gift is to drill inch or wider holes part way through a piece of log, such as from a birch, about a foot or so long.  Then pack with suet, or a homemade mix of peanut butter and nuts. You can build birdhouses using plans in books and online, or simply buy an unfinished one and paint it.

A project I saw at a country gift shop, then came home and made, consists of simple wooden tulips.  Out of an inch thick board, you’ll need a jig saw to cut a simple tulip design—basically a U-shape with W-shape on top, or flaring V-shape.  Drill a small hole in the base, into which you can insert a sturdy dowel for the stake.  You can vary the dowel length from one to two feet for various heights.  Sand all surfaces, then paint the dowel green, and flowers in bright “tulip” colors.  I love adding these around outdoors in early spring, before the real bulbs emerge, and even intersperse with daffodils in large pots.

Another “saw” project is a flower press.  Using wood one-quarter to one-half inch thick, cut two squares or rectangles, anywhere from 6 to 12 inches on a side.  Corners can be angled for a better appearance.  Sand cut edges, then shellac, stencil, or paint as desired.  The boards are held together with bolt and wing nut on each corner.  Inside, place cardboard and white paper layers, cut to the same shape and size. 
           
Saw small rectangles out of thin wood, to attach to wooden dowels or craft sticks with a glue gun, to use as plant markers.  Paint or stencil the plant name, add designs from stencils or rub-on transfers, then seal all for outdoor use with a clear sealant or varnish.  You can use names instead, such as “mom’s garden”, or larger wood pieces for short garden sayings.

Short on time for making gifts?  Then buy wooden tool totes or fruit baskets, and paint these.  Seed packets, and a piece of ribbon, can be used to adorn a straw hat.  If you collect seeds from your garden plants, consider making and decorating your own seed packets for gifts.  Add some fresh herbs such as lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, or thyme to sugar to use in cooking and beverages.  Gently crush the herbs, add a few leaves or sprigs to a cup or two of sugar, and let stand in an airtight jar (stir every couple days) for a couple weeks before using, herbs and all.  .

Another easy project is to press various leaves and flat plant parts into wide candles.  Simply dip the candle, using tongs, into boiling water for a couple minutes then lay on wax paper.  Press the leaves or plant parts into the softened sides, then redip in the hot water for another minute to seal.  Being “homemade”, don’t worry if the candle ends up a bit uneven.

Hopefully these few ideas will help you come up with many more of your own. Make a note now to plan ahead for next season to collect your own seeds, supplies, containers to decorate, and flowers to dry for future projects.

Heirloom Tulips

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont

[hopefully you have your tulips planted now in the North as I post this late October. If not, do so soon. A question I often get is from whose who don't get them planted, can they be planted in spring? Not really. Best is to get them in the ground in fall, or pot and force.]

You may be surprised to learn that many of the same elegant heirloom flowers that inspired “Tulipmania” in the 1600s, and appeared in paintings of the Dutch Masters at that time, are still available to plant in gardens today.

You can purchase many of these “time-traveling” tulips from garden centers and mail-order catalogs for fall planting to enjoy spring blooms. While some are identical to their ancestors, some are “look-a-likes” that replicate the historical varieties. The following list was compiled by the International Flower Bulb Center (bulb.com). It includes cultivars (cultivated varieties) that were introduced in the years between 1593 (when tulips first arrived in Holland) and the year 1750, or their modern-day ancestors.

Tarda tulip, 1590s. This multi-flowering botanical tulip has chrome yellow petals edged in bright white. The stunning, star-shaped blossoms open late in the season on sturdy six-inch stems. The variety is native to Turkestan and can be used in formal or naturalized plantings.

Rembrandt tulips, 1610. These are the famous mottled or “broken”-color tulips that launched a frenzy of trading, culminating in the near collapse of the Dutch economy in 1637. The era became known as “Tulipmania.” The tulips were called “Rembrandts,” stemming from the abundance of tulips in famous Dutch Master paintings in this era, which was known as the Golden Age of Dutch Painting. Curiously, tulips were not a prominent theme in Rembrandt’s own work.

The broken colors in Rembrandt tulips–no two were ever alike–were caused by a plant virus. Today, actual Rembrandt tulips are no longer available (they’re illegal), but you can buy one of the Dutch “look-a-like” varieties, a light color tulip with deep red, purple, or oxblood colored stripes or “flames.” Some popular modern-day cultivars include the purple-streaked white Shirley, the red-streaked white Sorbet, and the red-streaked yellow Helmar and Mickey Mouse.

Viridiflora tulips, 1700. These tulips have feathered green markings and streaks on petals of various colors. Recent viridifloras include Greenland (pale pink with flames and blushes of rose and pale green) and Spring Green (creamy white with blush green). Some tulips fit into another category as well, such as the lily-flowered Virichic (narrow pink petals flared out at the tips, streaked green), or the parrot-type Madonna (white, green streaks in petal centers, petals ruffled on edges as typical of the parrot tulips).

Keizerskroon, 1750. This is a single early tulip that grows to 13 inches tall. It is a distinctive red-edged-in-yellow flower with a nice scent. The single early tulips were the first, dating to the late 1500’s. A couple popular ones from this last century are Apricot Beauty and Purple Prince.

Clusiana tulip, 1802. The original red-and-white striped tulip species is no longer commercially available, but a similar one is Peppermint Stick, only 8 to 10 inches high. Then there is Cynthia (from 1959), light yellow with red on the petal backsides, or Tubergen’s Gem (from 1969) with gold instead of yellow.

To learn more about these “heirloom” tulips, and to find many more, Old House Gardens in Michigan has a resourceful catalog, newsletter, and website (www.oldhousegardens.com). They also carry heirloom summer bulbs for spring planting.

Time Travelling Tulips

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont

You may be surprised to learn that many of the same elegant heirloom flowers that inspired “Tulipmania” in the 1600s, and appeared in paintings of the Dutch Masters at that time, are still available to plant in gardens today.

You can purchase many of these “time-traveling” tulips from garden centers and mail-order catalogs for fall planting to enjoy spring blooms. While some are identical to their ancestors, some are “look-a-likes” that replicate the historical varieties. The following list was compiled by the International Flower Bulb Center (bulb.com). It includes cultivars (cultivated varieties) that were introduced in the years between 1593 (when tulips first arrived in Holland) and the year 1750, or their modern-day ancestors.

Tarda tulip, 1590s. This multi-flowering botanical tulip has chrome yellow petals edged in bright white. The stunning, star-shaped blossoms open late in the season on sturdy six-inch stems. The variety is native to Turkestan and can be used in formal or naturalized plantings.

Rembrandt tulips, 1610. These are the famous mottled or “broken”-color tulips that launched a frenzy of trading, culminating in the near collapse of the Dutch economy in 1637. The era became known as “Tulipmania.” The tulips were called “Rembrandts,” stemming from the abundance of tulips in famous Dutch Master paintings in this era, which was known as the Golden Age of Dutch Painting. Curiously, tulips were not a prominent theme in Rembrandt’s own work.

The broken colors in Rembrandt tulips–no two were ever alike–were caused by a plant virus. Today, actual Rembrandt tulips are no longer available (they’re illegal), but you can buy one of the Dutch “look-a-like” varieties, a light color tulip with deep red, purple, or oxblood colored stripes or “flames.” Some popular modern-day cultivars include the purple-streaked white Shirley, the red-streaked white Sorbet, and the red-streaked yellow Helmar and Mickey Mouse.

Viridiflora tulips, 1700. These tulips have feathered green markings and streaks on petals of various colors. Recent viridifloras include Greenland (pale pink with flames and blushes of rose and pale green) and Spring Green (creamy white with blush green). Some tulips fit into another category as well, such as the lily-flowered Virichic (narrow pink petals flared out at the tips, streaked green), or the parrot-type Madonna (white, green streaks in petal centers, petals ruffled on edges as typical of the parrot tulips).

Keizerskroon, 1750. This is a single early tulip that grows to 13 inches tall. It is a distinctive red-edged-in-yellow flower with a nice scent. The single early tulips were the first, dating to the late 1500’s. A couple popular ones from this last century are Apricot Beauty and Purple Prince.

Clusiana tulip, 1802. The original red-and-white striped tulip species is no longer commercially available, but a similar one is Peppermint Stick, only 8 to 10 inches high. Then there is Cynthia (from 1959), light yellow with red on the petal backsides, or Tubergen’s Gem (from 1969) with gold instead of yellow.

To learn more about these “heirloom” tulips, and to find many more, Old House Gardens in Michigan has a resourceful catalog, newsletter, and website (www.oldhousegardens.com).

Phlox, new book

Phlox, A Natural History and Gardener’s Guide (book review by Leonard Perry, Extension Professor)

James Locklear.  2011.  Timber Press.  316pp.

If you are interested in this genus as a whole, then this reference should be of interest to you.  Rather than focus on the more popular garden species and cultivars, instead it gives equal treatment to 61 species—many of which are more known to botanists than to gardeners, and some of which are rare even in the wild.  Most of the discussion of each is taxonomic and ecological, describing native habitats and plant associations, with brief mention too of cultivation for those appropriate.

The author has served in public horticulture in the Midwest, researched plants in peril, and introduced several Plains wildflowers.  In the relatively brief part I, he gives overviews of the botanical and horticultural history of this genus, and some keys.  The latter help sort out such species as to their native origin, or differences among 3 annual species for instance.  Most of the book in part II then treats the species alphabetically, with usually between 2 and 4 pages on each, although the popular garden phlox has 5 pages and the downy phlox and its subspecies has 9 pages.  There are a few color photos in the center of the book, primarily of species growing in native habitats. Not knowing many of the species, I would have enjoyed seeing a photo of each rather than just a botanical description.

What’s Wrong with my Plant?

(book review by Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, University of Vermont)

What’s Wrong with My Plant? (And How Do I Fix It?)

David Deardorff and Kathyryn Wadsworth.  2009.  Timber Press. softcover, 451pp.

This couple from Washington state, the former a PhD plant pathologist and the latter a naturalist, distil in an easy-to-use format a means to determine one of the most common gardening questions—what’s ailing a plant—and then solutions for making it better.  This handy references has three parts—the first is of charts of problems by plant part to determine the likely problem, the second on fixes, and the third on photos of common problems. In addition to the many crisp and clear photos in this last part, the rest of the book as simple and clear color drawings of problems.

The first part of the book has seven chapters on plant parts, from whole plant to leaves, flower, and even roots and seeds.  Each begins with a few pages discussing and illustrating the plant parts, and what they do so you know what to look at and for.  This is followed by a page of general starting points such as discoloration, holes, stunted and such.  These refer to more specific pages which with simple yes and no questions direct you further, or to the likely cause.

The second part in its chapters deals with specific problem areas such as fungi, insects, viruses, growing conditions and other.  It’s to these that you are referred from the specific problems in part one to learn more about the causal organisms and see some photo examples.  After discussing the organisms and how they act, solutions are given—both organic and cultural.  For the chemicals such as neem or pyrethrin, signal words are given (cautions) along with what the chemical is, how it works, any side effects, and how to use it properly.

Finally you can confirm your key diagnosis from part one in the last part with color photos, or just go there for the photos grouped under plant part and type of injury, such as flower distortion and stunting or whole plants wilted.  Obviously with all the possible problems such a book can’t cover them all so isn’t the last word (for instance anthracnose spots on tomato fruit aren’t shown), but this does cover many main problems and should at the least help you get to disease or insect or culture as the cause.

 

Saving Seeds

(book review by Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Horticulturist, Univ. Vermont)

The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds

Robert Gough and Cheryl-Moore Gough.  2011.  Storey Publ. softcover, 311pp.

This husband and wife team, authors of several gardening books and affiliated with the University of Montana, provide both the background on seeds (part I with seven chapters) and then most of the book is the specifics for various seeds (part II with four chapters including vegetables, herbs, flowers, and woody plants—ornamentals, fruits, and nuts).

In the first chapters, they begin with an overview of seed biology—how seeds are formed and factors influencing this.  Next are the tips for growing plants for their seeds, including pollination—both desirable and not.  Then they cover harvesting—knowing what you’re harvesting, timing, and cleaning the seeds from chaff and other floral and fruit parts.  Of course next is how to store—factors that influence this, where to store, and how long you can store seeds.

The fifth chapter then gets into germinating seeds, including the types of dormancy you may need to deal with and best conditions for germination in general.  General tips for sowing and then handling the transplants follow in the next chapter.  This part ends in basics of breeding, both to know how seed varieties are bred and if you want to try creating your own.

The second part of the book, over 2/3 of it, have plants listed alphabetically within four major groupings.  For each, lots of useful details are given including various species, family, plant type (perennial, annual, biennial), and how long seeds should live if stored properly.  Flowering type and pollination is given, such as by insects or wind.  A key point many gardeners may not appreciate is the need for some plants to be isolated by a certain distance from others (such as ¼ mile for hollyhocks) in order to prevent cross pollination, otherwise the seeds you harvest may not yield the same flowers on the plant they came from.  How to collect and clean seeds, any seed treatments needed prior to sowing, then time and tips for best germination and subsequent seedling growth are given for each genus.

If you’ve ever wondered about how all the seed varieties you buy are developed, how seeds develop in general, how to breed your own plants, or just how to harvest seeds of plants from your own garden and what to expect from them, then this book will help.