Shady Characters!

LIVING THE GOOD LIFE IN SHADE

The Garlic Mustard and Buckthorn Battle

 Since our home is located at the edge of the woods and we have a view of the woodland area from our family room window, it is my obsession to keep the area free of garlic mustard and buckthorn.  As a landscape designer and horticulturist at LAMMSCAPES!

it is my goal to keep the woodland edge as natural as possible, though I am not a purist with using native plantings.

Several future blogs will touch upon living in a naturally wooded and shaded yard.

 

We have lived in our home for thirteen years, and I began the battle with garlic mustard about eleven years ago.   All be-it naïve at the time we moved in, the “native” plant with the “pretty white spring flowers” seemed delightful.   Unfortunately, as I found out quickly, this plant became prolific and invasive.  See the photos below.

 

                                    Garlic Mustard

The buckthorn must not have been too bad when we moved in, because the kids could run freely in the woods, building their forts and getting around easily.   

Several years after living in our home, the kids became teenagers and chose organized sports over “playing in the woods”.   Suddenly, it seemed, the buckthorn became so thick it was difficult to get a few feet in to the woodland area. 

 

See photo below help to you ID buckthorn in your yard.

 

              

 

Stay tuned for future blogs topics on how to keep up with the never ending battle of keeping these two invasive plants at bay!

 

LoriAnne Haischer

LAMMSCAPES!  Horticulturist & Landscape Designer

Mommies & Babies :)

Mommies and Babies

Plant Biology class (or a middle school science teacher) likely introduced us to the concept of sexual reproduction between plants.  I know it’s difficult to believe that in middle school we are exposed to what some might consider “plant pornography,” but our scientific community understands there are males and females within plant species.  Often fruit trees require a male cultivar and separate female cultivar to encourage fertilization, enabling development of fertilized blossoms into fruits.  (i.e., Apricot ‘Sungold’ requires Apricot ‘Moongold’ as its mating pair, resulting in an abundant crop of lovely, delicious stone fruits.)

The mommies and babies for today’s blog post are not actually fruits, but are more like clones of the mother plant.  Some plants, like German Ivy shown here, are prolific at generating new leaves. Taking cuttings from the parent plant and rooting those cuttings in water for a few weeks will produce a new baby plant—a smaller version of its mother.  (The mother plant shown here was initially the same size as the small plant shown on my photo; the mother plant is a few years old, and I’ve done numerous cuttings, creating several new baby plants.)

Another mommy and baby are shown here… my “mother” Amaryllis bulb over the past few years has provided a few baby bulbs, which develop near the base of the mother bulb.  When the juvenile bulb has fully developed and separates from the primary bulb, it can be carefully severed and planted in its own pot. (NOTE: in its first year, abundant foliage should emerge from bulb— but no blossoms—it is still in its juvenile phase. The foliage creates sugars, which feed and nurture the baby bulb.  By the second year, it should be capable of producing its first bloom.)

Learning about the reproductive capabilities of various plant species provides us with a deeper understanding of our plant world… since gardeners and horticulturists are caregivers for much of our plant world, it becomes critical to gain knowledge and respect for our wondrous variety of plants.

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

Winter is the time to PLAN your perennial garden - then you're ready to PLANT in Spring!

Drought-tolerant perennials for YOUR space!

A successful plant-driven garden design requires planning before planting, and winter is the perfect time of year to consider which plants might succeed if Southeast Wisconsin is stricken with another drought like the summer of 2012.   Some perennials thrive in hot, dry conditions while others struggle, but survive.

Advance planning may help to avoid costly mistakes when selecting plants for your garden space, and plant knowledge is key to your success… which perennials can handle drought and still remain attractive throughout the growing season?  My “short list” appears below… perennials which add color and charm to your garden, even when rainfall and irrigation are limited.  NOTE: New plantings need additional water to become well established and fully drought tolerant.
Yarrow (genus Achillea) commonly available in shades of yellow and some pastels

Tickseed (genus Coreopsis) a daisy-like yellow flower on tall, slender stems

Coneflower (genus Echinacea) now available in several pastel and bold colors

Catmint (genus Nepeta) an aggressive plant with a striking aroma; cultivar ‘Walker’s Low’ is utilized in landscape designs and provides silvery blue foliage

Lavender (genus Lavandula) several cultivars available, each with its own charm, but all offer the intensely scented foliage and flowers we know and love!

Stonecrop/sedum (genus Sedum) nearly 400 species of flowering ground covers and tall flowering varieties available 

Russian Sage (genus Perovskia) silvery grey foliage with bluish purple blossoms

Peony (genus Paeonia) several cultivars and colors available; can handle drought conditions and may bloom earlier when moisture is lacking, but plant can survive

I suggest you Google® on the genus names provided above to help you become acquainted with each drought lover listed. When it’s time to buy, choose wisely!

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture
 

Merry Christmas! Enjoy :)

Sipping Tea and Perusing Seed Catalogs

With our first rockin’ snowstorm of the season behind us, in Southeast Wisconsin we are quite confident we’ll enjoy a sparkly, bright, white Christmas this year.  In the days ahead, each of us will celebrate the season in our own personal ways… enjoying family traditions, celebrating with friends and coworkers, cooking and baking family specialties, observing the sparkle in the eyes of our children and grandchildren.

Although the Christmas season lends itself to religious and secular celebrations, the hectic pace that consumes us during December usually slips away as we ease into January.  (I have learned to appreciate the slower pace of January… more time to reorganize, redesign our landscape, and review the newest seed catalogs.)

I once read the nicest activity in January (for a gardener) is sipping tea, while perusing seed catalogs. Whether you preferring calming chamomile tea, green tea, peppermint or the Earl Grey variety, TEA is a quiet celebration for one.Tea is the ideal beverage to sip while you leaf through catalogs displaying photos of vibrant flowers and scrumptious veggies.  Each delightful photo and description brings closer the promise of a new growing season.   As you read, tiny sparks of sunlight peek through an ice encrusted window pane, but the flower photos draw you in, reminding you that starting in late December, each day offers a bit more daylight, and warmer days are coming soon.

So brew another cup of hot tea, sit in a comfy chair, and page through your new seed catalogs. Seize the moment AND the month… January can be a special time!

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

 

Go Green ~ with a living Christmas tree!

A Living Christmas Tree… a very good thing

Decorating at holiday time using a living Christmas tree is both special and “green.”  A living tree is not the same as a cut tree, which was once living but has been severed from its root system.  A living tree still has its root system attached and is growing in soil in a small container.  When the Christmas season has passed, you still have a lovely tree to plant in your yard as a reminder of your Christmas memories.

Since living Christmas trees are typically small specimens (2.5’ to 3’ tall), you won’t need many ornaments to decorate it.  If you prefer tiny lights, one string of 50 – 100 lights should be sufficient.  If you plan to display your tree on an outdoor deck, you can place a few ornaments on it that are visible from inside your home.  If you prefer a “green” décor instead, simply make bird-attracting ornaments like pinecones tied with string and rolled in peanut butter and birdseed.

Some people select a living Christmas tree in memory of a loved one… the tree can be placed in your yard and, if you wish, you might decorate it with ornaments reminiscent of the favorite color of your loved one.  (In spring, you will remove all ornaments from your tree before placing it in your chosen location.)

Colorado blue spruce and Serbian spruce are examples of trees that work nicely for Christmas decor; later they are “repurposed” as an element of your landscape. Many of our Lammscapes’ customers have successfully planted living Christmas trees during the past decade.   A few hints to ensure success:  
If kept indoors during Christmas season, a maximum of 10 days to two weeks! Keep away from heat vents and fireplaces or heaters.  Then tree must be taken outside to re-acclimate to colder temps; can keep in garage , but please WATER!

If kept outdoors on display, keep it wet, and wrap root zone in layers of burlap fabric.  Wind dessication is the enemy of conifers/evergreens, so storing tree out of the wind is most helpful.    When soil is workable in springtime, just dig hole, plant and fertilize the young tree, and enjoy watching it thrive and grow taller!
M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

Mini Pumpkins.... NOT mini plants!

Mini pumpkins grow nicely in a home garden and produce tiny orange bits of joy in late summer, early fall.  Though these pumpkins are just a few inches in diameter, they grow on large vines which require significant space in your garden.  In June 2012, I planted more than twenty mini pumpkin seeds (from the genus Cucurbita)  and anchored a substantial wooden trellis for their support .  Plants were watered (at the base) frequently due to prevalence of scorching summer days during this growing season, and the seedlings thrived.  Soon the tiny tendrils along each vine began to grab onto the trellis and moved onward and upward.

During drought, some plant species will abort their blossoms and fruit in order to preserve the primary plant, I wasn’t sure these vines would produce the tiny pumpkins I love.  Luckily, the vines produced a plethora of vivid yellow blossoms, and bees continuously worked among the pumpkin flowers.   I was pleased our hearty vines “gave birth” to four dozen delightful mini pumpkins in AUG/SEPT.

If you are thinking about growing mini pumpkins next season, consider the space required for a successful crop.  Even with a vertical support available, tenacious vines also traveled horizontally and encroached upon other plants in their vicinity.  Also, since pumpkins are open pollinated, you should not plant other varieties of pumpkin or squash nearby.  (Long ago I made this mistake and the unsightly “mutant” pumpkins produced were the result of cross pollination.) 

Growing mini pumpkins is especially fun for children since they watch the progression of growth, and one day they can harvest the tiny orange bits of joy.

NOTE:  If you do not have significant space available in your home garden, just stop in at Lammscapes in Jackson, WI to buy your decorative and delightful Jack-Be-Little mini pumpkins!  They are only $1 each and can be used in your autumn décor by themselves, or along with an assortment of winged gourds and funky pumpkins,  available for you during October.

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

Plant Fall Bulbs NOW - for Spring color!

Daffodils… plant now, enjoy later!

Cool nights in early September summon our attention, hinting that autumn is near.  The onset of autumn presents another gardening “to do” list: continue harvesting veggies, divide and cut back perennials, plant bulbs for spring bloom.

Daffodils, along with tulips and grape hyacinths, contribute to the early springtime kaleidoscope of colors present in our flower beds… a color explosion we eagerly anticipate as winter begins to release its grip on our gardens.  The planning and planting efforts we put forth in autumn will yield colorful rewards next spring… consider adding a variety of daffodils to your current design layout.  Daffodils (genus Narcissus) are available in creamy whites, saffron yellows, and two-tone varieties; some are miniatures, while others grow to a height of twelve inches or more.

If your garden is a luncheon buffet for deer and rabbits, daffodils are a great alternative to tulips (a.k.a. “deer candy”). Daffodils contain a natural substance which is a deterrent to deer and rabbits, so they should not bother the blooms.

Daffodil bulbs will multiply underground, so every few years, you will have an abundance of new bulbs begging to be planted in a new location in your garden, or shared with a friend.  Daffodils can thrive in fairly neutral pH soil (6.0 – 7.0) and aren’t particular about soil type.  However, if you have a heavy clay-based soil in your garden, you may wish to add organic matter (NOT sand) to provide a safe haven for your bulbs.   Ideal planting depth is 7” – 8” for daffodils and I like to plant in clusters of five to nine bulbs.  Cover with an inch of loose soil containing organic matter and a sprinkling of granular bulb food.  Fill in remaining soil and top with cedar mulch shavings (2” – 3” layer is desirable); finally, water.

With the arrival of spring, your newly planted daffodil bulbs will emerge as slender green leaves, followed by a bounty of blooms for your enjoyment!

M. Lynn Schmid,  Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture