Growing Herbs: Oregano

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Oregano is one of the more popular herbs grown in the garden. It's practically synonymous with Mediterranean cuisine including Italian, Greek and Spanish. This herb livens up a variety of dishes and is easy to grow. Oregano is often confused or used interchangeably with sweet marjoram since they are from the same botanical family of origanum. They do taste similar, however, oregano is more pungent while sweet marjoram is more delicate and well, sweeter. Each brings a unique flavor to dishes and deserves to be treated separately rather than interchangeably. When choosing plants, oregano will bear the name origanum vulgare while origanum majorana is sweet marjoram. 

Growing and Harvesting Oregano

Oregano is hardy to zone 5 which means that it's not hardy here in Minnesota. However, that means it's perfectly suited for container gardening to grow inside the house as well as out. My personal preference is definitely for  fresh oregano. Prior to trying this herb fresh, I just didn't care for it. This is something to keep in my mind when trying herbs. If you don't like it dried you may find fresh is a completely different experience. The opposite can be true as well. 

Oregano is easy to grow, preferring full sun and average, well-drained soil. It can be started from seed about 6 weeks before the last frost. It can also be propagated by cuttings or root divisions if you are growing as an indoor/outdoor perennial in a container. It's a low growing, mounding plant which makes it ideal for borders in the garden. It's mounding habit also makes it perfect for container combos as a filler plant. 

Oregano needs to be harvested before it flowers. Harvest throughout the season for fresh use once the plant is at least 4-5 inches tall. Stems can be cut back to the ground and will encourage a fuller plant and more oregano!

While oregano dries easily and preserves much of it's flavor, it's much better used fresh (in my opinion). The herb can be dried by hanging bunches of stems in a cool, well-ventilated space to dry. As always, oregano can be chopped and mixed with water to be frozen in ice cube trays for use throughout the winter. Oregano also preserves nicely in butter. Mix finely chopped leaves in softened butter for use on bread with Italian dishes. It will keep several weeks in the refrigerator. 

Using Oregano

Oregano is most commonly used in spaghetti sauces and on pizza. It's pungent flavor is perfect for these dishes. However, oregano can be used in any tomato-based dish as well as pasta and rice dishes, eggs, chili, salad dressings, vinegars, beans, chicken, mushrooms, peppers and zucchini. 

Easy recipes include baked chicken breasts seasoned with garlic and oregano or add fresh oregano to olive oil for bread dip. Check allrecipes.com for their collection of recipes featuring oregano.

Photo Friday: Winter Wonderland

 

I'm taking a break from my spring reminiscence to take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is winter. Certainly one of the most gorgeous winter sights is when trees and plants are covered in frost. I guess we all know where the idea for flocked Christmas trees came from!  I think days like this also highlight how important it is to vary shape and texture in the garden for winter interest. They might not look like much most days in the winter, but on days like this? Yeah, you'll be glad you took the time to think about it when planning your garden. 

Growing Herbs: Thyme

Not only is thyme a delicious and versatile herb in the kitchen, it's also a hardy, easy-to-grow perennial that is indispensable in the garden. Use creeping thyme in rock gardens, to edge pathways, under roses or any place you need a good ground cover. Taller, upright varieties work well in borders, herb gardens and containers. Beautiful and edible! That makes thyme a must have plant for the garden. 

Growing and Harvesting Thyme

Thyme is incredibly easy to grow so much so that it can be considered to grow itself. It prefers those hot, dry areas of the garden where other plants might suffer. Plant thyme in full sun and don't fertilize. This herb actually prefers poorer soils. 

With over 100 varieties of thyme to choose from there is bound to be a cultivar perfect for your garden. The most common types are creeping thyme, which makes an excellent ground cover, lemon thyme, which has a stronger lemon scent and common thyme, which is an upright variety. 

In addition to adding fantastic fragrance to the garden, thyme flowers in colors ranging from pink to purple and sometimes white. Once thyme has flowered, trim plants back by half to encourage new growth and to keep the plant from getting too woody. 
 
Because of our snow cover during the winter months, thyme planted in the garden is obviously unavailable for fresh use at that time. However, thyme propagates easily by cuttings. In the early summer, pot up cuttings to bring inside during the fall and to enjoy throughout the winter.

To harvest thyme, simply cut entire stems from the plant. If using as garnish or on the grill, leave stems intact. If using for seasoning, strip leaves from stems and add to dishes. 

Thyme can be dried by placing whole stems in paper bags. Once herb is dried, remove leaves and store in an air-tight container. Thyme can also be frozen by placing whole stems in zip top bags or frozen in ice cubes for use in soups and sauces. 

Using Thyme

There is almost no dish that can't be improved by thyme. It works well with any meat including wild game, vegetables, tomatoes, black, kidney or pinto beans, and potatoes. Lemon thyme works especially well with fish and vegetables while common thyme is perfect for beef and venison. Use it in soups, sauces or infuse vinegar and oil with thyme for use on salads. 

Check allrecipes.com for their collection of recipes featuring thyme. Food.com also has an enticing recipe for Oven-baked Pork Loin that looks delicious and easy. 

Next week: Oregano, you can't have Italian food--or pizza!--without it.

Gardening Around the Web: Better Paperwhites

Paperwhites are a bulb that is commonly grown indoors around Christmas time along with amaryllis and sometimes tulips and crocuses. You can often find kits to grow these flowers throughout the winter months, which given our snow cover can be a really nice treat. 

In the past, I've had some paperwhites from a kit. They grew easily and very well. So well, in fact, that the plant outgrew its container and constantly toppled over from the sheer height of the plant. 

I ran across this article the other day: Drunken Paperwhites. My first thought was that it had to do with the top-heaviness of the plant and its tendency to tip over after a certain point. And it was to a point, but it was so much more than that. The author sited a study that found watering paperwhites with an alcohol solution stunted the growth of the foliage without stunting flower production making them more suitable to indoor containers. Brilliant! The study used any hard spirit (vodka, gin, whiskey) but will also work with a solution of rubbing alcohol. Whew! 'Cause who wants to waste the good stuff on a plant!

Apparently, it works! The only difference was that bulbs in a shallower container weren't as stunted. Curious. Still, an easy solution to have manageable indoor bulbs that don't topple over every time you walk by and lots of blooms, too!

Photo Friday: Jack Frost Brunnera

 

I can't say enough about this shade plant! What's not to like? This Jack Frost brunnera is one of my first plants to bloom in the spring and lasts well into June. Perfect little blue flowers! Once the flowers are done the silvery foliage adds sparkle to the shadiest area of the garden. And because it's a spring bloomer, it's a perfect companion plant to the later blooming hostas. 

Growing Herbs: Sage

In addition to smelling and tasting great, sage has gorgeous foliage that works well in planter combos along with flowers. Foliage colors rage from gray-green to chartreuse to purple as well as several multicolored varieties. Sage is easy to grow and combines perfectly with rosemary and thyme (thusly, the song, I guess). 

The botanical name for sage is salvia and you will notice if you grow salvia varieties such as 'Black and Blue' or 'Hot Lips' that they, too, have that wonderful sage smell. However, these salvias we grow for their ornamental use don't have quite the flavor of salvia officinalis or common sage. 

Growing and Harvesting Sage

I've found conflicting information regarding the hardiness of this perennial herb. Some sources say zone 4, some say zone 5. I think it's safe to say that it's marginally hardy in this area. However, if you want fresh sage year round, it's best to plant it in a container that can be brought in for the winter. Sage will do very well in containers either alone or with companion plants. It's a woody perennial that is best replaced every 3 to 4 years whether overwintered in a container or in the garden (similar to rosemary). 

Sage can be grown from seed but you won't be able to harvest it the first year. A better solution is to purchase a plant from a reputable nursery or propagate from cuttings. Sage is a good companion plant for most other plants. Because it has similar water, sun and soil needs, it grows well with rosemary. Sage helps to repel the dreaded cabbage butterfly so plant or place near broccoli, kale and cabbage. 

Sage prefers full sun although can take a light shade. A good rule of thumb for our area where we don't have a lot of trouble with heat is to ensure this plant gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Soil should be average fertility and well drained. This herb, similar to rosemary, will suffer if over-watered. The good news is, once established, it's drought tolerant. 

As with all herbs, fresh leaves are best. Pinch off flowers throughout the growing season to preserve flavor. Older leaves will have a stronger flavor than younger ones. When cutting leaves for use, never take more than a quarter of the foliage at one time. Because sage has such a strong flavor, a little goes a long way. 

Sage can be dried by hanging bunches of leaves in a cool, dark place. Once dried, strip leaves from stems and store in an airtight container. Fresh sage can also be frozen by removing stems, washing and drying leaves and putting in freezer bags. Alternately, sage can be chopped and mixed with water to be frozen in ice cube trays. 

Using Sage

Sage is almost synonymous with poultry, and more specifically, with stuffing. It also goes well with soups, stews, sausages, pork, ravioli, bean, cheese and tomato dishes. Sage is a great addition to turkey burgers along with apple sauce, savory, thyme and celery salt. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, form into patties and throw on the grill. Delish! Amounts are based on your tastes but I've found about a cup of apple sauce per pound of meat and more seasoning is better.

Check allrecipes.com for their collection of sage recipes. My favorites to try are the Turkey Scallopini and Squash Ravioli or the Parmesan Sage Pork Chops from Food.com


Next week: Thyme...to finish the song and also because it's a great looking perennial that tastes great, too!

Photo Friday: Spring Tulip

 

Since winter is indeed in full effect, it's time to review last season in pictures!  What better way to counteract our snow than with pictures of flowers that will soon be here again? 

I love this tulip! It's a variety my daughter picked out to plant in front of her bedroom window. It's a late season type which means it usually blooms in May and sometimes into June. And the way it looks with the lysimachia is gorgeous. And it detracts from the ever present weeds as well...

Growing Herbs: Parsley

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Most people are familiar with the curly parsley many restaurants use as decorative garnish on dishes. Perhaps for this reason, it has become one of the most under-appreciated herbs. I know for myself, until I started actually cooking with fresh parsley, I didn't really see the value of it. While the curly variety is pretty and has a fresh, crisp flavor that complements many salads and sauces, Italian flat leaf parsley is more fragrant and less bitter. It also holds up to cooking better and is therefore well-suited to hot dishes. 

Parsley is the perfect complement to many dishes. It's mild flavor also blends well with other herbs such as chives, tarragon, rosemary, thyme and coriander. In addition, parsley is rich in vitamins A and C and is known to reduce inflammation, inhibit histamines and lower blood pressure among other nutritional and health benefits. 

Growing and Harvesting Parsley

Parsley can be grown in either full sun or partial shade. Soil should be well drained and have average to rich fertility. Parsley grows readily from seed yet prefers not to be transplanted. Plant seeds where you intend to grow them or if you plan to plant seeds earlier indoors, use peat pots that can be planted directly into soil to prevent transplant shock. 

As with most herbs, parsley grows well in containers and can be kept handy by the kitchen for easy use throughout the summer season. In the fall, the container can be brought in (parsley, while a biennial, is better treated as an annual due to bolting the second year. Also, it's not wholly hardy in our zone) for use through the winter months. With its compact foliage, parsley is an attractive addition to container combos and mixes easily and beautifully with flowering plants. Parsley is a good companion plant to many plants including tomatoes and roses.
 
Parsley is most flavorful when used fresh. Cut stems as needed throughout the growing season. Most often the leaves of the plant are used but the stems can be used as well in the same way. Stems are most useful in soups and sauces. 

Parsley can dried although it does not have nearly the flavor of fresh. Dried parsley should be used within a few months of drying while the leaves are still green. It can also be finely chopped, mixed with water and frozen in ice cube trays for use in cooking throughout the winter. Parsley can be frozen simply by storing clean, chopped parsley in zip top freezer bags. 

Uses for Parsley

Parsley is the perfect herb for egg dishes and also complements potatoes, salads, soups, vegetables, pasta, chicken and fish. Pesto is easy to make by blending 2 cups of Italian flat leaf parsley, 2/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and 2 cloves of garlic in a blender. Pesto can be frozen and is delicious on pasta and breads. 

One of my favorite parsley recipes is asparagus gremolata. This simple dish bursts with flavor without over powering the asparagus. It's quickly become very popular in my family. See allrecipes.com for the their collection of parsley recipes for more ideas. 


Next week: Sage, beautiful, fragrant and delicious!

Gardening Thankfully

The thankful reciever bears a plentiful harvest. - William Blake

With the wet and wacky weather we had this summer, it's easy to focus on the things that went wrong in the garden and overlook those things that actually went right. Despite all the things that died (and there were lots! It was a strange year), there were many things that continued to delight me in the garden. I am, as ever, thankful for all the beauty and bounty in my yard. How thankful? Let me count the ways.

1. I'm thankful for the blooming Black-eyed Susans that grew from the seeds my son and I planted a year ago. Black-eyed Susans really are gorgeous with Autumn Joy sedum.

2. I'm thankful for an incredible harvest of Carmen sweet red peppers. They are my favorite! I'm also thankful for the stores of them in my freezer that should last a couple of months at least. 

3. I'm thankful for the blanket flower that reseeded itself throughout my front garden because it's absolutely beautiful. 

4. I'm thankful for the Ornamental Kale I planted in the spring. It didn't look like much to begin with but the payoff was spectacular!

5. I'm thankful I discovered Swiss Chard this year. It's delicious, my kids love it and it's pretty.

6. I'm thankful for all the seeds my nasturtium plants produced. More for next year!

7. I'm thankful for the bumblebees who find my yard so endless fascinating because I, myself, find the bees endlessly fascinating as well. 

8. I'm thankful for the Soroptimist Garden tour for letting me peek into other gardener's landscapes to discover plants I absolutely must have. I'm also thankful they've chosen me to be on next year's tour. 

9. I'm thankful for my Henry Hudson rose bush because is just becomes more spectacular every year. 

10. Last, but not least, I'm thankful for my job which enables me to write about gardening, talk about gardening, teach others about gardening and most of all, to play in the dirt. I'm thankful for each and every person who spends their time to read this blog. Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Growing Herbs: Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the most deliciously pungent herbs there is. It is also one of the easiest to grow and harvest. This herb is not hardy to our area (zone 6 with protection) but it works wonderfully as a house plant, making it the perfect container herb. Where the dry air in our winter homes can make growing some plants difficult, this is not a problem for rosemary, so it's very easy to have fresh rosemary all winter long. In addition to being an attractive plant with leaves resembling pine needles, the herb has a unique and unforgettable flavor that is must for any kitchen. 

Growing and Harvesting Rosemary

Rosemary can be tricky to start from seed and because our season is so short, I recommend starting with a nursery grown plant. Planting this herb in a container will allow you to bring it in during the winter months. During this time, the plant will grow much slower than during the summer so either prune sparingly or plan to get a new plant every spring. At any rate, rosemary plants need to be replaced about every 3 years. This can be done by cuttings. 

Rosemary prefers poor to average soil with good drainage. Over-watering this beauty is the kiss of death! I found that out with all of our summer rains this year. My rosemary didn't like it one bit. When I moved the container out of the rain and let it dry out it fared much better. 

In the garden, rosemary will repel carrot fly which is a maggot that affects crops such as carrots, parsnips, celery, dill, parsley and fennel. Place near these crops to help with pest management. Indoors, rosemary will repel moths. 

Harvesting rosemary is as simple as trimming stems and stripping them of leaves. Leaves can either be used whole or chopped for use in your favorite dish. Because this plant is evergreen and does well indoors, it isn't as necessary to preserve rosemary as with other herbs. However, should you choose to, the leaves can be dried in paper bags and stored in airtight containers. Fresh rosemary can also be chopped and mixed with water to make ice cubes for use in soups and sauces.

Uses for Rosemary

Rosemary is one of those herbs that can take a dish from so-so to wow! It works wonderfully with chicken and other poultry, pork, lamb, fish, potatoes, breads, tomato sauces as well as many other foods. 

Fresh rosemary on chicken breasts is simple and delicious. My kids, picky eaters that they are, actually ask for rosemary chicken. New potatoes, butter and rosemary makes an excellent side dish. Finely chop rosemary and add to olive oil for a simple and flavorful dipping sauce for bread. Or add fresh rosemary to melted butter for use on breads and vegetables. 

For more recipes, check allrecipes.com for their Top 20 Rosemary Recipes. Just in time for Thanksgiving there's a recipe for Rosemary Roasted Turkey. Sounds divine!

Next week: Parsley--it's not just that stuff on the side of your plate!

Photo Friday: Ornamental Kale

 As you can see, I just took these pictures a couple of days ago. These plants are far and away the most showy plants in the garden now, even managing to detract from the weeds that got away from me this fall! I love the red variety with a doubt but the white really sparkles on these gloomy fall days. I also think the red and white a nice departure from the orange and yellow that dominates this season. So far these plants have endured several frosts and a layer of snow and they are still going strong. They've put on such a show that the mailman had to come up and ask what they were. 

Even though these plants aren't so much to look at throughout the summer they are so spectacular in the fall, I will definitely have more of these next year.

Growing Herbs: Basil

Arguably the most popular herb is basil. With over 40 varieties available, it's not hard to see why. Basil is part of the mint family (although it's not aggressive like mint) and has a strong flavor with hints of pepper, mint and clove. Some varieties such as lemon basil or cinnamon basil also have hints of their namesake flavors as well. Basil is useful in both savory and sweet dishes so is really indispensable in the kitchen. 

Notable Basil Varieties

With so many basil varieties, how does one choose? In my experience, any basil is a good basil, however, after trying several I do have my favorites. One is 'African Blue' basil. This is a large, vigorous growing basil with purple veined leaves. It also has gorgeous purple flowers which the bees love but once it flowers, it's inedible. I recommend getting one for ornamental use and one to eat. This basil has a fantastic aroma and amazing flavor--like sweet basil only more so. 

'Spicy Globe' basil is a bush basil which has a mounded habit and tiny leaves. The leaves can be plucked off and used whole. I love this variety with pizza with either tomato or alfredo sauce. As for it being spicy? Not any more than any other basil in this family. 

'Purple Ruffles' is a gorgeous deep purple color that looks great as an ornamental plant. Tuck this into your container gardens for contrast. You can still eat it! The taste is similar to other varieties of sweet basil although the way it looks in salads or with fresh tomatoes is stunning. 

Since the taste of sweet basil varieties is largely the same with minute differences and can be used all the same way, I suggest trying several varieties. Very quickly you will realize which ones you like. The best part? You really can't go wrong. 

Growing and Harvesting Basil

Basil is very frost sensitive so if you're starting from seed, you'll need to start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. Basil grows very well in containers and will easily grow in a sunny window. Outdoors grow basil in full sun and well-drained soil. Basil is a good companion plant to tomatoes and peppers as its aroma deters insects. It's also said to increase the vigor of asparagus. If you have these plants in your garden consider planting the basil along with them. 

Basil needs to be pinched off regularly so it doesn't "bolt'. To bolt means that the plant goes from mainly leaves to mainly flowers and seeds. Once a plant bolts, it's no longer edible.  The leaves will be tough and bitter. Pinch off flower buds as soon as they appear. This will also force the plant to grow fuller. 

Throughout the growing season, harvest basil as needed by pinching off the newest tips. In the fall, be sure to harvest all edible stems before the first frost. Basil can be air-dried by hanging bundles of 3 to 5 stems in a warm, dark place for 2 to 4 weeks. If it takes to long to dry, mold can occur. Basil can also be dried in the oven on the lowest temperature. Place leaves in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake until basil is completely dry. Store dried basil in an airtight container. 

Basil can also be finely chopped, mixed with a bit of water and frozen into ice cubes for use in soups and sauces. Whole basil leaves can be frozen by washing leaves, spinning them dry, placing them between layers of paper towels and packing them in plastic storage bags to store in the freezer. The leaves will turn black but the flavor will remain. 

An easy way to preserve basil is to pack basil leaves into a sterile jar to within 1 inch of the top. Fill the jar with olive oil, cover the jar and store in the refrigerator. Leaves will remain green and can be used whole or chopped. 

 Uses for Basil

The easiest use for basil is with fresh tomatoes. Simply slice tomatoes, add a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, chopped fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer, add sliced fresh mozzarella for a true caprese salad.

Basil also makes great pesto which can be used for pasta, sandwich spreads and breads. Pesto is easy to make in a blender and can be stored in the freezer until needed. 

Tomatoes and basil complement each other very well. Use basil in any dish that features tomatoes such as marinara, pizza or chili. Basil is often used in dressings and vinegars. It also goes well with butter, cheese and breads as well as chicken, pork and many other foods. 

One of the most surprising ways to use basil is in ice cream. Remember basil is part of the mint family and yes, it does go well with ice cream. I don't say this lightly, I love my ice cream! Soften one pint of vanilla just enough to stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil (it shouldn't be soupy, more like soft-serve). Cover and freeze until firm. Delicious!

Another easy recipe is to take Italian bread spread with garlic butter and place whole basil leaves on the bread (African Blue is awesome here) and top with mozzarella cheese. Cook under broiler until cheese melts. Yum! We were fighting over this bread at work and if you were late to lunch? You missed out. Also check allrecipes.com for some great basil specific recipes. I'm particularly intrigued by the butter!

Next week, in time for Thanksgiving: Rosemary.

Container Gardening with Herbs

Herbs are incredibly easy to grow which makes them ideal for container gardens. They can be grown in individual pots or used in combo with other herbs or even flowers. They are especially nice when used in combination with flowers because of the great fragrance they bring to container gardens. In addition to their great fragrance and flavors, many herbs have insecticidal properties which make them ideal for companion planting either in containers or in the garden. 

Regardless of how gardeners choose to grow herbs, either in containers or in the ground, either outside or in, the question I get asked the most is: What do I do with them? 

It's possible that our short growing season in the Midwest has something to do with it. I also think the readily available dried herbs in the grocery store plays a part as well. Either way, we've lost touch with how to use and cook with fresh herbs. And fresh herbs are nothing like the dried stuff you buy in the store! Fresh herbs can take a dish from so-so to fantastic in a way that all the sauces and dried herbs in the world can't do. Many people think that cooking with fresh herbs is complicated but nothing could be further from the truth. Once you try a few recipes with fresh herbs you'll know how to add them to the dishes you already make. 

Starting tomorrow, I'll be running a weekly series on growing your own herbs, how to harvest them and how to preserve them. I'll even throw in a few recipes. Just in time for Thanksgiving! I'll also talk about some flowering plants that you may already grow in your garden that you can add to salads and other dishes for both presentation and flavor. 

Check back tomorrow to learn all about my favorite herb: Basil!

Gardening Around the Web: Off-Season Garden Projects

Gardening season is all too short here in the Midwest which leaves us garden lovers with too much time not gardening! Aside from spending that time planning next year's garden, I've found some easy (very easy because I'm lazy) projects that can be done in the off-season to stave off the gardening blues. 

Aluminum Can Plant Markers 
Any project that involves recycling is a project for me! Not having to buy stuff and create even more stuff is a good thing. I like this project not only because it involves recycling but is really simply as well. Many people who commented on the project were concerned about sharp edges and while others who have done this project claim it's a non-issue, others offer easy solutions to combat that if it's a problem for you. The sizes, shapes and labels are only limited by your imagination. I do have to say that I don't quite agree with the author though in her statement that they aren't the most attractive. I love the minimalist industrial design!

Lighted Herb Bookcase 
When I first saw the headline for this project I wrongly assumed this was going to be some complicated woodworking project. Not so! What I love about this is how easy it is to turn something I already have into something functional. I have many prefab book cases I've gotten from various places that I could easily use as a light box. The project suggests using it for herbs which I think is an excellent idea, however, why limit yourself to that? It would also be a great way to add house plants in rooms that don't get much light like north side rooms or the basement. 

Potatoes in a Barrel
More nutritious than a barrel full of monkeys! This isn't exactly an off-season project but I included it because I think it's genius and it may take some planning, particularly if you choose to use a found item rather than purchasing something specific. The basic concept is you plant potatoes in a barrel or other container of proper size in shallow soil. As the foliage grows up, you add more soil and the plant puts down more tubers. When the season is ready, you dump out the container and harvest your potatoes. There is another version here if the barrel thing doesn't work for you. It's basically the same concept but seems more work than I would want to do. However, if you're handy with wood and have scraps laying around, this may be the way to go.

Photo Friday: Hawaiian Water Lily?

Obviously, this little beauty is NOT from Minnesota. We have nothing like this in November, or even October when I actually took the picture. I had to travel all the way to Kona, Hawaii to snap this. It was torture I tell you, pure torture! A cursory Google search turned up nothing specific on what exactly this plant is. I'm assuming this is some sort of water lily since it's growing in a fresh water pond. However, I found nothing matching this under water lily. No matter, it's gorgeous. I love it. I particularly like the coconut floating in amongst the plants. Perfection. 

Planning for Next Spring

Half of the fun of being a Midwest gardener is planning. It has to be! With such a short season, the rest of the year is best spent dreaming about how great our gardens will be NEXT spring. Whether this dream actually comes to fruition is another matter entirely, however, when the ground is frozen there is nothing better than pouring over catalogs and websites to plan for next year. 

With the exception of a few small surprises, I was relatively disappointed in my garden this year. The late start didn't help. The bulk of my tomatoes ripened while I was on vacation in mid-October and promptly froze during that same time period. Weather in Minnesota! The late start in addition to our overly wet weather pretty much did in my garden. At least in my eyes. It was good enough to get my garden selected for the Soroptimist Garden tour next summer however. Add all these things together, late start, bad weather, disappointing turnout AND garden tour yard, you know I've already begun to plan for next year. 

I was hoping to get more done this fall than I actually did but seriously, that whole idea was a complete fallacy because my allergies had something to say about that. Needless to say, I got nothing done. Not really. The weeds are taunting me even now. That's all right, snow's coming...

My first step for next year's garden was to stop at Renee's Garden Seeds for some flower seeds to cover the seemingly acres of bare ground I have in my flower beds. New introductions for 2011 are already available. Some of the seeds I got will go directly into the ground, others I will start indoors earlier to have them blooming by spring. 

In addition to my favorites of narturtiums, Sweet William and cornflowers, I've fallen in love with Zinnias. Yes, Zinnias. I admit, I was not AT ALL in on the Zinnia love fest prior to this summer. My neighbor down the street, however, had them all along the side of her house. Pulling onto my street, the side of her house is the first thing you see. And the zinnias! They were gorgeous! All summer long! I must have them. More exciting is that Renee's Garden has special mixes of zinnias. I chose one called Cool Crayon Colors which is a gorgeous mix of pinks, purples and white. I also plan to throw in some Green Envy Zinnias. Should be beautiful. 

After the garden tour last summer, I fell in love with poppies. The best part about poppies? They are frost hardy and bloom best when planted as early as possible in the spring. Anything I can direct seed and have blooming in June is a plant I want to have. 

Other plants I'm trying for the first time in my garden include Larkspur (my son's birth month flower), Painted Salpiglossis and miniature roses. I've also got seeds for Persian Violet (nigella damascena), White Nigella and Pride of Gilbraltar (cerinthe). The last three I had never heard of before and I'm excited to see what they look like. I'm also aware that many of these reseed although from what I've read, none of them are invasive. Reseeding I love, invasive I don't (you know I'm talking about you Veronica!). I'll see how it goes. 

Besides the seeds, I'm planning to have more ornamental kale, more petunias and better containers. The massive amounts of rain we had did my poor containers no good. I have a multi-tiered container I'm going to turn into a  hardy succulent container because I've given up trying to grow other things in it.  

This is more than I've planned in the past by this time and I'm sure I'll just have more as the winter goes on since I'll have people checking out my yard this spring. 

Have you starting planning for next spring yet? What changes are you making in your garden? What are you planting more of?

Photo Friday: Burgundy Gaillardia

This gorgeous plant has been blooming since June and is going strong into October. Originally, I planted 2 or 3 small plants that have since died out, but it's okay because this one readily re-seeds itself. It's not a problem, however, since some of the plants die out and I've rather like where it's reseeded itself. For the plants that are where I don't wish them to be they are easily pulled up. Not at all like the Evil Veronica. My favorite reseeded plant was the one that planted itself next to the Shasta Daisies. Red and white daisies? Gorgeous! Far and away the best fall (and spring and summer!) perennial in my garden.

Photo Friday: Limelight Hydrangea

I've fallen in love with hydrangeas! This one is the Limelight. I love so many things about this shrub and highly recommend it. It takes more sun than most hydrangeas which makes it perfect for the southeast corner of my house. It gets sun most of the day but is protected from the very hot western sun. It's doing very well. I also love the lime-green blooms that turn pink and then burgundy in the fall. It goes very well with the Tiger-eye Sumac growing next to it. Gorgeous fall color!

Gardening Around the Web: Research Sources

I used to volunteer at the University of Minnesota Extension on the Horticultural Line when I was an active Master Gardener (I'm lapsed! Just got my letter today...I'm going to have to remedy that). It was some of the best education I've ever had. My job was to answer the phone of course and  answer people's horticulture questions. Sounds daunting, right? 

I thought so, too. Fortunately, the first thing my supervisor told me was unless I knew the answer for sure, I needed to just get the information and call the person back. He then showed me how to research for the answers I needed because his view was, no one knows it all, not even himself. This was a man with a master's degree in horticulture so he knew way more than me. He was a good person to learn from. So in addition to learning lots more about horticulture I also learned how to do good research to get answers to my own gardening questions. 

University of Minnesota Extension
Obviously, as I worked for the U of M Extension, their site was one of the primary resources we turned to. One of my favorite tools they have available is "What's Wrong with My Plant".This is a diagnostic tool for identifying disease and insect damage. It breaks it down by type of plant, specific plant and then symptoms. It's complete with pictures which makes it easy to pinpoint problems. Also, I recommend the Yard & Garden News for Minnesota gardeners as it provides timely state specific gardening information. You can subscribe by email or rss feed.

Dave's Garden
I use this resource quite a bit in my work at the greenhouse. I've found very few plants that aren't in the plant files. What I like about this database is that it has all the scientific information I need about a plant such as zone, height, sun requirements as well as a gardener's forum for each plant. Members of the site can upload their pictures of the plant and give their comments about that specific plant. They also rate their experience with the plant as positive, negative or neutral. I find this invaluable because the scientific information is necessary but it never tells the whole story. Some plants are invasive in some areas, some don't do well although they should. To have gardeners with actual experience with the plant share their information is invaluable because sometimes what you really need to know about plant you won't learn from the scientific information or the retailer who's trying to sell it to you. The site also has insect and bird files as well as a tool for figuring out frost dates in a given zip code. 

While browsing through gardening sites today, I came across one with a headline that read "Buy Water Butts Online." Well, you know I had to check that out! Turns out that water butts are nothing more than these. I can't even fathom how they came up with that name but then again, I don't live in the UK. I do have to say that all of these are much nicer than my water butt!

Photo Friday: Autumn Joy!

I've traditionally disliked rudbeckia/Black-eyed Susans. In general, I don't like  yellow flowers and I've rejected these flowers as too traditional and "not my style". My son and I planted seeds 2 summers ago and they didn't decide to grow until this year. The first plants up were these rudbekcia. I left them only because they were in the back of the yard and I figured they were better than weeds. Imagine my surprise to discover how much I LOVE them with the Autumn Joy sedum back there. Sometimes Mother Nature really does know best.

Design Container Gardens for Multiple Seasons

With the upsurge in container gardening, I read much about seasonal containers. Spring containers, summer and fall containers. Even winter containers. Living in Minnesota with it's short growing season has not afforded me the luxury of more than one container garden season. I'm also stymied by seasonal allergies which makes fall gardening more than a little unpleasant. I suppose it can be done, but is there another way?

Here are the facts about frost dates here in western Minnesota: The risk of frost is from September 27-May 10. We have an average frost-free season of about 140 days. However, we are almost (note the almost) guaranteed not to have frost from May 21-September 16. That's actually only about 116 days (less than 4 months!) that we can generally count on.*

The advantage to container gardening is that we can plant earlier because containers can be moved into a protected area if there is a frost warning. This can extend our season by as much as 3 to 4 weeks as long as day time temps are warm enough. However, that's not always the case either. Yes, gardening in the Midwest is sometimes an exercise in frustration! I think that's part of why I love it. You just never know what you're going to get. 

I did do up some fall containers last year. They looked pretty good but the amount of time I got to enjoy them was fairly short. I wanted to enjoy them as long as possible because I had put the money into them and I ended up leaving them until the first snowfall and then had to drag those heavy things into the garage. As much as I love gardening, this is not ideal for me, nor is it money I care to spend for such a short period of time of enjoyment. 

The idea of planting up pots that would look good in the spring, summer and fall came to me last spring while working at the greenhouse. A friend of mine mentioned that she loved pansies but wasn't happy with them during the summer months. I said the trick was to plant them with other things that would do well in the summer so the pansies weren't the main show at that time. They look good in the spring, decline slightly during hot summer months and most times will spring back in the fall. 

That got me thinking about other plants that are less than spectacular in either the spring or summer but excellent in the fall. The first to come to mind was ornamental kale. I absolutely fell in love with it after my boss took this picture last fall.

Not that we need to see snow just yet but what Minnesota gardener doesn't love a plant that looks great through the snow?

However, kale isn't all that spectacular in the spring, and not all that much to look at through the summer either. It really isn't in it's full glory until the fall. This is not overly problematic when planting in the ground but for containers, it can be. My experiment this year was to plant the kale in a container with blue and carmine Picobella petunias in the front through the spring and summer. I loved the carmine and blue with the colors of the kale even though the kale wasn't full grown. I figured by the time the kale was gorgeous, the petunias would be played out. 

I was right and I was wrong. From the curbside the containers were eye-catching. The petunias were gorgeous all summer long, although towards the end of August they got a little played out. The kale didn't detract from the container, but didn't add much to it either until the end of August. Now, the kale is gorgeous AND the petunias have sprung back and look as good as they did in the spring! Turns out petunias can tolerate cool weather. From where I stand, I'd say they prefer it. 

Why I didn't know that before, I don't know. I now have a new found respect for petunias that I love anyway. This is one of the things I love about gardening. I always learn something new and I will never know it all ensuring that gardening will always provide challenges. 

The container today exceeds my expectations. Aside from some tweaking (there's always tweaking!) such as planting just one kale plant and getting something to keep the cabbage moths away from the kale, I will plant this container again next year.

Beside pansies, petunias and kale, other annuals that do well in the fall are dusty miller, calendula, bachelor's buttons. diascia, lobelia and nasturtium. Consider using these plants in your containers with other plants that do well in the heat of summer. Make sure to water containers well in the high temps so cool season plants won't die out. In the fall, you'll be pleasantly surprised when these cool season plants revive and take center stage again.


*Frost date stats from Dave's Garden.

Gardening Around the Web

So much great gardening information to be found around the web. Kind of makes me wonder how we gardened or did anything else for that matter before the Internet! Here's some garden links I found interesting this week:

You Grow Girl: Make Your Own Pop Bottle Irrigation System 

This is a post from 2001 but it seems more relevant today than ever. This combines two things I love: drip irrigation (I'm lazy, there's nothing more to it than that) and recycling. I have looked at commercial variations of this same thing. Of the commercial products I have looked at (and not purchased, I might add), one was simply a set of spikes to attach to recycled 2 liter bottles. The other was a more "scientific" and "highly engineered" system that included both the spike and bottle in addition to a special disc that was supposed to guarantee proper watering. Whatever. It didn't work. Sometimes things can be just too thought out. I like the idea of using things I already have and re-purposing them for something else. I think this could also work with smaller pop bottles for house plants as well. 

No Dig Vegetable Gardens

This site caught my eye precisely because I'm a lazy gardener. However, I'm also a marketing major and prone to skepticism when I see claims like this. Turns out this is just a really clever way to talk about raised bed gardens, which for many of us is an excellent idea. This site is not selling anything other than the idea of raised bed gardening and has wonderful information about vertical gardening, children's gardening and other general gardening information. Is a raised bed garden a no dig garden? Technically, but they are still work initially so the idea that this is less work will depend on interpretation. However, there is a wealth invaluable gardening information regardless if you use raise beds or not.

Overwintering Geraniums

Ok, yes, this is my own article so I didn't have to search very hard for it. I included it for it's seasonal timeliness. This article was written based on my own personal experience with overwintering geraniums. I don't have a sunny window in which to overwinter geraniums in pots and I don't have a cellar that is cool and dark. What I do have is a finished basement that is heated because my children's bedrooms are down there and, of course, the big TV. I had read about how you're supposed to overwinter geraniums by hanging them upside down in paper bags in a cool dark place. Since I don't have those requirements (not even a paper bag!), I decided to see what would happen if I put the plants in a cardboard box in the laundry room next to the dryer since it was the only out of the way space I had. What happened was that out of 15 plants, 11 survived. Talk about drastically cutting down on the spring flower bill! Of the 4 that did not survive, 3 were ivy geraniums. I will do the same this year to see if I get the same results from the ivies.

Photo Friday: Endless Summer Hydrangea

Endless Summer Hydrangea nestled among Purple Ruffles Basil. Looks great, smells heavenly. As most of us here in Zone 3-4 are aware, Endless Summer is not fully hardy here. Also, our soil won't hold blue blooms for long. I do baby this little beauty by covering it with leaves every fall. It's been slow going but bit by bit this shrub has been growing and blooming more. By no means a showstopper and a little extra work but seeing this beautiful bloom at the end of September? Yeah, I'll take it.

Photo Friday: Wildflower!

The people in the cabin at the end of the road at the lake we visit each summer have planted wildflowers to combat the inevitable weeds. Every year, the flowers get more prolific and the weeds get less and less. And the weeds that are there? Don't even know 'em. They're outnumbered. I fell in love with this little beauty. Of course, I have no idea what it is. Anyone have any ideas?

Beware! Crabby Gardener!

I can't think of anything worse for a gardener than to have allergies. And allergies I have. I have some difficulty in the spring but can usually control them with Claritin and Flonase. The fall is a different story. And believe me, I've tried everything.

I blame the ragweed. Stupid ragweed! And the harvesting. I live in an agricultural area and harvest is always bad for me. Dust, I suppose and who knows what else. I know I'm not the only gardener to be afflicted with a severe ragweed allergy. Karen over at The Garden Plot is experiencing the same thing. I feel the tiniest bit better about that. Company is good, right? But still, to miss out on gardening...

For whatever reason, no allergy medicine takes care of my allergies enough to be outside. Where I want to be. Sort of. See, years of allergies have taken a toll and I've developed a conditioned response to being outside in the fall. My mind wants to be there but my body refuses to go. It's more a wistful longing than anything because I know better. 

I have been standing in my living room staring at this scene. I want to go check it out. I'm rather diggin' the Black-eyed Susans with the sedum. And I don't generally like Black-eyed Susans. There also seems to be some burgundy flowers that look nice. My son and I planted these seeds a year ago but they only decided to germinate this year. Everything back there is a surprise.

But the fact is, 5 minutes is my absolute outside limit for time in the garden after about August 15th. After that, my throat starts to swell and I get a weird low grade headache that makes me CRABBY. That's me with brick on my head there by the swing set. The strange thing is, the only symptom I really recognize is the crabby. And the tired. And the extreme desire to go take a nap. It's only later when I'm not crabby that I realize that it's my sinuses and throat that are giving me trouble. So as much as I want to go check this out, I know once I get out there, I'm going to want to weed (just because it's there, not because I love it) and then I'm going to get a headache and crabby and it will ruin the whole thing. My feet simply won't take me there. 

I mention this because for years my allergies and my aversion to the outdoors in September and beyond has made me feel like a bad gardener. A fickle, lazy, amateur, fake gardener. I always have high hopes every year that I'm going to absolutely overcome my allergies! It hasn't happened yet. 

As much as it bothers me, I think it's time to let myself off the hook. The fact is, I have allergies. I love gardening and being outside in the fall makes me absolutely miserable. Why would I want to ruin something that I love by making myself miserable? The easy answer is, I wouldn't.

So my garden will always fall into weedy naturalism every fall and I will mourn its decline starting in September. Come spring, I will be back again, in full force, allergies at a minimum and loving every minute of it. Until then, I will write, I will plan and maybe I will try this!

Do you have seasonal allergies? How does it affect your gardening and how do you cope with it?

Munsinger and Clemens Gardens

The Perennial Garden
Originally uploaded by Pots and Pansies

I was recently traveling back from Minneapolis when my mother suggested we stop in St. Cloud to visit the Munsinger Gardens. Never having even heard of them, I was all for it! Gardens? Free? Heck, yeah!

The varieties of gardens at the site are amazing. There were masses of annuals, perennial beds, color theme gardens, shade gardens, forest gardens and rose gardens.

Originally in the 1880s, the site was a sawmill on the banks of the Mississippi River. It was purchased as park land by the city of St. Cloud in 1915.

The river walk is particularly beautiful and even if you're not a garden junkie like me, walking along the Mighty Mississippi (although it's not quite to mighty here) is more than worth the stop.

Check out more photos here.

Aphids and Fungus and Chlorosis, Oh My!

As always, our summer weather has proven to be the wild card in the success of my garden this year. For the past few years, it has been very dry making constant watering a must. However, I saw very little evidence of disease other than some common issues such a black spot on my roses and powdery mildew on my asters. While unsightly, neither has caused major problems for me. 

This year, however, our early unseasonably warm temperatures and high humidity have created a whole crop of issues that are proving problematic. Most of these problems have affected my container gardens in ways that I have not ever had. Most of my perennials are doing well but I am also having issues with some trees and shrubs. All in all, it's one of the more problematic summers I've had in the garden.

A couple of years ago I had a terrible problem with aphids. Mostly they infected several plantings of cosmos I had around the house and fortunately only one container. At the time, someone told me that it was our very hot AND DRY weather that was causing such a huge crop of aphids. This year, it seems aphids have been everywhere as well. I have pretty much had them on almost every container on my deck. Fortunately they've been easy to deal with. A little insecticidal soap usually does the trick for me.

However, since it's been so humid I had to wonder just how accurate my information about aphids was. Turns out it was half right. It's merely the high temperatures that create several generations of aphids in a season. Seems the humidity, or lack of it, isn't really the issue. 

After I got rid of the aphids my plants didn't seem to bounce back as well as they should and I have had several die. I should mention here that this is often the point where many gardeners blame themselves for their lack of gardening know-how. I, too, have done this and have assumed that I somehow have killed all these plants. Sometimes, yes, it is user error. Sometimes I forget to water. Some people water too much and literally drown their plants. But sometimes, you do all the right things and still, you have dead plants. 

With all the excessive rain and humidity this summer, watering my container gardens has been a challenge, particularly on my deck. My deck gets the morning sun and is in shade for the afternoon and evening. It does tend to be windy as well. However, I have had trouble getting the containers to dry out. Or so it seemed. I stopped watering because of this and because I noticed that I was getting stem rot in my begonias. I've grown begonias successfully in pots for years and was getting really frustrated that the begonias were dying off. The containers finally dried out and the begonias continued to rot.

A little research revealed that what I have is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungus that can affect many different plants. Guess what the ideal conditions are? Yep, high humidity. The only good thing about powdery mildew (if there can even be such a thing) is that each strain is specific to its host. Which means if you have powdery mildew on your begonias, it won't spread to other plant species. Which is not to say that they won't have their own powdery mildew as well. 

So far, I have lost my trailing violas and some pansies (although whether that's powdery mildew, aphids or something else, I don't know) and all my tuberous begonias. I also have a fungus of some sort on the Ribbon Bush and my lysimachia is all curled. Seems like it's time to try a fungicide. A quick internet search shows two readily available retail products. One is a neem oil based product called Shield All II Broad Spectrum Fungicide. The other is a organic product called Seranade Garden Disease Control. 

The other problem our excessive rain has caused is chlorosis in several of my trees and shrubs. Clay soil plus alkaline ph plus heavy rain seems to equal iron chlorosis problems from what I can figure out. Iron chlorosis is when plants don't get enough iron from the soil. The most noticeable symptom is that the leaves turn yellow. Clay and alkaline soils are prone to this anyway. I think the rain just makes it worse. Probably because the tree is under further stress from overwatering. 

At any rate, I've applied Miracle Grow for Acid Loving Plants to my shrubs with good results. The acid in the fertilizer helps release the iron in the soil and also has chelated iron. My shrubs have noticeably greened up in the last coupe of weeks. My trees on the other hand have been slower to respond. I may not notice an improvement until next year.

How is your garden growing? What problems are you seeing? What's doing especially well for you?

Blooming 2010!

Baja Daylily
Originally uploaded by Pots and Pansies

So basically my yard has not been a priority the past couple of years. In my mind it was still the same blank slate it was 5 years ago when I moved in here. Imagine my surprise when all the perennials I forgot I had planted started blooming like crazy!

All I could do it sit back and say, thank you.

There is nothing like sitting on the deck and looking at full gorgeous blooming plants.

And despite some of the problems the wet, humid weather has caused (more on that later) most of my annuals are looking pretty good, too.

Check out the rest of the blooms!

Soroptimist Garden Tour 2010

I love the annual Soroptimist Garden Tour. What a perfect way to snoop through other people's gardens without having to worry about  homeowners catching you poking through their yards and chasing you off with a pointy hoe. Because while they might like that you admire their garden from the sidewalk, they can get testy when you wander around their backyard. Especially when there is a fence. 

But the Garden Tour takes care of my voyeuristic needs by letting me tour local homeowners' gardens without fearing I'll be arrested. I don't care what anyone tells you, the garden tour is all about snooping. And it's fun. I love to see what other gardener's are doing and what plants they have. Often time plants I've turned my nose up at in the nursery looks completely different in the garden and I have to have it. 

This year was no exception and I came away with some pretty severe flower-envy and some not-so-bad pictures. A couple of plants I couldn't identify and the homeowners weren't available for questioning. The first one is this little beauty. I love the foliage on this plant. Dark green, glossy, gorgeous. It appears that it had or will have small white flowers. It was a ground cover about 6 inches high and in a fairly shady area. If you know what this is, let me know. I feel like I should know but I don't for sure (pachysandra?). If Google wanted to be really cool we would be able to search by photos!

The next plant I was unable to identify was this unusual plant. I asked my friend-boss (it's only pertinent that my friend is also my boss in this context because she has more years in the greenhouse business that I do and knows a lot even though she says she doesn't) and she had no idea. The top part of this plant looks not unlike a hypoestes (polka dot plant) but the base of the plant is green and bushy. It also has little pink flowers. From a cursory search on hypoestes I guess it could be a leggy version but there were no pictures of such a condition so I don't know. Anyone know what this is?

This next plant I absolutely have to have. Gorgeous! It looked like a hibiscus, was HUGE and covered with blooms. Fortunately there was a sign by this plant that said "lavatera". Now some of you may know what that is but I did not. A quick Google search confirmed this is Rose Mallow and an annual. AN ANNUAL! That grows 3 to 5 in one season. In Minnesota! I love it. It was gorgeous beyond words. We do carry mallow at the greenhouse but not one as gorgeous as this. You can be sure I will be requesting this plant for next year. I have many spaces that would do well with a giant annual such as this. And yes, it is related to the hibiscus plant as well hollyhocks. If it reseeds, I will just love it all that much more. At least for now...

These dainty little beauties caught my eye at several houses. The blooms are exquisite.  My friend-boss said they were Lisianthus and that I couldn't have them. At the greenhouse, she means. Apparently, we would have to seed them NOW to have them next year. And since overwintering annuals here in the Northland is cost prohibitive, we won't be getting this plant. Apparently, these are a good cut flower so she told me to go to the florist and get myself some and leave it at that. Sigh. Fine. And while these have extraordinarily gorgeous blooms, the plants I saw were very spindly and weak. Every one of them was staked. And that goes against my own garden rules. If it can't grow by itself, it can't be in my garden. Too bad...


Other plants I realize I NEED to have (this is an addiction, you know. I am powerless...) are poppies of every color and variety I can get my hands on. I ordered some Oriental Poppies some years ago but they never grew and I haven't tried them again. We had them at the greenhouse this year and I didn't even get any. I know! What's wrong with me? That won't happen again. In addition to Oriental, I discovered that I also need California poppies. Strangely enough, my boy-child picked out these seeds for his own container garden. His aren't doing so well but I was assured by a fellow gardener that they need the cold to germinate and if I toss them in the ground next spring, I will have poppies. DONE! I also need more Bachelor's Buttons, both the perennial variety and the ever-reseeding annual variety. I love them so much. And last, I need more coneflowers. I have quite a few already but they are all the purple variety which I love. I also need white and red and pink....They just perform so great in the garden and then there is this:

 Enough said.