SPRING & Tulip Time have arrived!

Gardeners and homeowners in Southeastern Wisconsin hunger for spring flowering bulbs to appear during April; this hunger can be appeased only when sunny days in April warm the soil and air, creating an ideal environment for tulips (and other bulbs we planted last autumn) to emerge. 

Initially the tulips’ strap-like leaves emerge.  Next, we watch patiently awaiting some pointed buds to appear; we wait… and we wait.

The deer and rabbits are also waiting for tulips to emerge; the genus Tulipa is a crowd favorite for deer and rabbits, who will unmercifully munch on foliage and buds, even before blooms have opened.  Commercially produced deer and rabbit repellants are available at garden centers, with mixed reviews on their effectiveness.  

Some gardeners sprinkle bits of human hair (from a recent haircut) around tulip clusters; sprinkling bottled hot sauce around the foliage also can serve as a deterrent.

As you can see from the park-bench-tulip-patch photo I snapped at a botanical garden, tulips planted in large masses create a dramatic splash of color in the spring garden.   

This small cluster of tulip buds shows the status of tulips growing in my yard—still tightly closed due to our cold days and nights during April. 

Although a few April days provided spectacular weather, most days were snowy, cold, damp, misty, windy or cloudy.   In addition, during the evening of April 25 this area experienced a WWP (Weird Weather Phenomenon!)  All occurred within a five minute time frame:  wind, heavy rainfall, sunshine, an intense rainbow AND hailstones which measured 1-1/2” in diameter!    (I even took pictures of the hailstones, since I never before witnessed such large hail—it was a bizarre April day in Wisconsin!) 

Thankfully, most tulips were still closed during this storm so none were damaged.  The next time I am impatiently awaiting the opening of our tulip blossoms, I might look to the skies to see if another WWP is headed our way! 

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

Grape Gum in the Garden??!?

Although our “Goodness in the Garden” blog primarily addresses growing conditions in Southeast Wisconsin, outdoor plants aren’t yet blooming in SE Wisconsin!  For a change, let’s feature a plant which thrives AND blooms during March in the Southwestern part of our country (sadly, it only grows in USDA  Zone 9-11 but it surely is a delightful plant to see and smell.)

This plant is known by various names:  

Texas mountain laurel or mescal bean

The genus of this woody evergreen was changed some time ago—currently it’s known as Calia secundiflora (formerly Sophora secundiflora).  This heat-hardy plant is classified in the Fabaceae family; it forms brownish gray pods, but its seeds are poisonous.   

Texas mountain laurel captures attention when it blooms in spring and emits an intoxicating aroma, which reminds me of grape chewing gum; others claim it smells like grape soda!

Texas mountain laurel is a total sun lover and adapts to modest amounts of moisture.  Its blue violet blooms are a deep hue, fading to light purple and white as they age.   The plant appears in botanical gardens in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, but also thrives on rocky ledges where only the most tenacious plants survive.  (I saw several specimens growing in the wild, on steep, rocky slopes in New Mexico.   It seemed happy there!  Since this plant does NOT handle severe pruning, it might be happier on the side of a mountain than in a formal garden.)

Much like the lilac bushes we grow in Wisconsin, the flower buds begin to develop around August, but those beautiful, aromatic purple blooms emerge in spring.   Although I’ll have to be content with growing lilacs in Southeast Wisconsin,   I have never smelled a lilac that compared to the unique, grape-gum aroma of the amazing Texas mountain laurel!

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

Hot Peppers, Ornamental Peppers... a New Adventure for your Garden!

A special note to our loyal readers… You have helped us achieve more than 8,000 views during past four years (FEB 2012 – FEB 2016).  Thanks for allowing us to share our passion for gardening with you every month!      Keep on planting, “Goodness in the Garden” Staff

HOT Peppers, Ornamental peppers… a new adventure for your garden!

In February 2012, when our “Goodness in the Garden Blog” was created, I wrote a blog entry about cayenne peppers.  This blog reminded readers that the capsaicin component of a pepper can be beneficial to heart health; pepper plants are also a striking addition to the garden, especially late in the season when each cayenne begins to turn from green to a vivid shade of red.  With varied culinary uses, as well as potential health benefits, the cayenne pepper is a WIN-WIN for home gardeners in Wisconsin and throughout the USA.

In February 2016, I was fortunate to spend an afternoon with a Specialist at New Mexico State University on the Las Cruces campus.  The Chile Pepper Institute staff informed me “The Chile Pepper Institute is the only international, non-profit organization devoted to education and research related to Capsicum, or chile peppers.”   Their passion is “Educating the World” about peppers, as stated on each seed packet.   (www.chilepepperinstitute.org)

We discussed the Chile Pepper Institute’s methods for seed propagation to ensure each variety remains pure and “true to seed” each year.  

Since the genus Capsicum is open pollinated, it is challenging to keep each cultivar from cross pollinating with others, so precise techniques are utilized by the staff.   I purchased four varieties of Capsicum annuum that will be new to my garden in Southeast Wisconsin.  Some will be ornamental, but also edible (… and all quite HOT!) 

For those who don’t wish to eat these hot little beauties, remember peppers can also add a delightful dash of color to autumn floral arrangements.   In Southeast Wisconsin, the peppers planted in late spring should be turning vivid colors just in time for autumn décor.  

Try some new varieties of peppers in YOUR garden this season… let them take you on a new adventure!

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

Lamm Gardens - Wedding Venue & Floral Display

A New Year ... A New Garden!

January of each year provides motivation to improve our lives in some manner by altering our lifestyle, or redirecting our energy to a new cause.   Although many New Year’s resolutions are already discarded and forgotten by late January, we are still energized by the concept of making changes in our lives.  Some of this energy might be directed toward planning a new garden for spring.  Garden designs should never seem tired or stale—they might simply need a new design element, or some unique new cultivars to continue looking fresh and intriguing.

You might wake up your garden space with any of the following design elements:

Ornamental vegetable garden:   Veggies are usually grown in rows when produced commercially, but YOUR garden can exhibit a more interesting layout.  Try your hand at planting assorted veggies in clusters within your garden; create pathways around these clusters made of stepping stones or straw (not hay, which contains seeds).   Include some new cultivars so your veggie ornamental garden has something colorful at every turn.  Even green beans aren’t ordinary anymore—some are deep purple when raw (but turn green when cooked.) 

Salad garden:  This section of your garden could include new varieties of leaf lettuce—some tasty and tender varieties are now red or bronze toned— and make an interesting addition to any tossed salad.   You could include radishes, carrots, spinach and kale in this section also, but I would dedicate a separate space to your tomato plants.  (Some indeterminate varieties of tomatoes can grow over six feet tall and will shade neighboring crops.)

Culinary herb garden:   Herbs… always a favorite, even for a novice gardener.  Herbs are suitable for small-space gardens, since you need only one or two plants of each variety.  Choose a sunny location with fertile soil enriched with organic matter and compost; your herbs will be happy there!   HINT #1:  some herbs, like certain oregano and mint plants, are perennials and might overtake your designated space; grow those herbs in large terra cotta pots.  HINT #2: don’t forget to USE the herbs you grow!  They taste best before plants produce flowers.

Fairy garden:   This would not require a large portion of your garden… fairies are tiny, right?  The mantra for a fairy garden design is “THINK SMALL!”   Some figurines and accessories can be purchased, but often household items can be cleverly incorporated into a fairy garden to add charm.  Flowering annuals like alyssum work nicely, as well as creeping thyme and other plants with dainty features.  NOTE: If you wish to introduce the joy of gardening to young children, a fairy garden might be the answer!  You will want to assemble your plant selections and small rocks and accessories in advance.  Then enjoy the sparkle in their eyes as your children see their fairy garden come to life!

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

Happy Halloween! Great day for a hot tea

Warm Wicked Witch Tea… just for you!

A perfect beverage for your Halloween holiday:  WWW tea… made BY you… FOR you!  A few simple, natural ingredients plus boiling water and you can experience this hot and spicy treat, which may offer health benefits as well. 

This concoction utilizes both GINGER powder (genus: Zingiber) as well as CAYENNE (genus: Capsicum) pepper.  Although I learned of ginger tea from an herbal publication, I’ve altered to make it more palatable. I think my tea would make a witch proud!

Warm Wicked Witch Tea

ONE quart boiling water (bring to a boil; turn down to simmer; then add ginger and cayenne)

TWO teaspoons ground GINGER powder

1/8 teaspoon ground CAYENNE pepper

Simmer five minutes and turn off heat; then add 1/3 cup HONEY plus juice from ONE LEMON.

OPTIONAL: If you prefer an ORANGE appearance for this witch’s brew, add TWO drops red food coloring plus TEN drops yellow food coloring.     

NOTE:  If you have candied bits of ginger on hand, I like to add a few to each mug for extra sweetness.    YIELD:  4 – 5 servings

Possible health benefits:  Cayenne can assist with chest congestion and reduce inflammation.  Ginger also has anti-inflammatory qualities. This tea can have stimulant properties and encourage healing.  Brew a quart of WWW tea… it will warm you up—right down to your toes—at Halloween time or during the cold weather months ahead.  Serve warm and enjoy!

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

Back to school - back to your Garden!

Plays Well With Others!

By late September local school children have returned to their classrooms and are adapting to new teachers, new challenges, new friends.  Parents share concerns for their children, hoping they perform well academically, as well as socially.  Socialization and cooperation are valuable attributes to develop, both inside and outside the classroom.  Each child must learn to be compatible with their peers and teachers and, hopefully, learn to play well with others! 

In a home garden environment, certain plants also exhibit desirable characteristics, like compatibility.  While some plants have aggressive tendencies and encroach on the space occupied by neighboring plants, other plants remain “close to their roots.”  A favorite of mine… a polite little plant… is ornamental oregano ‘Kent Beauty’ (Origanum rotundifolium).   ‘Kent Beauty’ has delicate, fragrant foliage and drooping pastel pink-lavender flowers, and it always plays well with others!

Although ‘Kent Beauty’ is considered an herb, it is not intended for culinary purposes; there are several other oreganos for use in cooking.  ‘KB’ can be grown in a pot and tucked in with sedum plants; it loves a sunny location and will also thrive if grown directly in the ground (prefers well drained soil).

At Chicago Botanic Garden, I noticed a large vertical garden display that included several ‘Kent Beauty’ plants, which were quite lovely with their trailing, drooping flower heads. The vertical display contained a variety of other annuals, which combined nicely for an attractive design.   ‘Kent Beauty’ might also be used in beds and borders… a versatile, compatible little plant that usually flowers June through September.    If you haven’t yet enjoyed ‘KB’ in your backyard, try it next season, and you will observe that it plays well with others!

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