Mastergardeners

A Purple Delight

2006-03-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Do you have a wisteria? If not, you should really try to find a place in your landscape for one. I have three in my yard, and I just discovered today that their bloom buds are swelling to fingertip size and are so numerous, I wonder if the plant can hold them all up. Barring another hard freeze, they are going to be quite showy in a week or two. And the aroma of all those blooms is so sweet, it is almost overpowering if you get too close.

Dont' think you have to let a wisteria vine all over the place. They are much more attractive when kept trimmed into a tree form. To do this, you will need to keep the plant staked for several years or until it forms a strong enough trunk to support a tree top. You will need to prune all of the sprouts off the trunk of the tree leaving only a bushy tree top. Every time it grows a runner in the tree top, cut it back leaving only 18 to 24 inches. You will have to cut these runners every two to three weeks during the growing season depending on how much rain there is. Don't be afraid to trim as much as you want off the tree top to get the shape you want. Believe me, it will grow back. Of course, the profuse spring blooms are produced on the old growth, so leave enough in late summer and fall to give you a nice show of flowers in the spring.

When shopping for a wisteria, always buy one that has blooms on it. That way you won't be left with a large plant in 3 or 4 years that has never bloomed. I have been there and done that, and it is very disappointing. Often, a non-blooming wisteria is the result of plants that were grown from seeds rather than propagated from cuttings. If you want a good blooming wisteria plant, it should be a cutting from a good blooming plant.

Once established, the wisteria require very little care. Keeping it trimmed into shape is the main chore. It needs no fertlizer and only a standard amount of water. Just plant it, stake it, and be ready with the trimmers and the camera. Ken Luper

February Cold Spell

2006-02-23T11:57:00.000-08:00

Just as my gardens were beginning to show signs of spring, old man winter had to rear his ugly head again with three days of temperatures below freezing. I decided to do an inspection to see what damage I could find.

The forsythia which was already full of bright yellow blooms was now black in appearance, but it seems to always be in a hurry to bloom and ofter gets nipped by the really cold snaps. The saucer magnolias, which sported more flower buds this year than ever before, now have numerous black buds that had progressed to far to withstand the 10 degrees temperature. Maybe some of the small flower buds will be undamaged and will bloom later. I certainly hope so because it is one of my favorite spring flowering trees. The red maple trees which had already sprouted those attractive early red blooms were likewise black and dreary looking.

Pansies and daffodils which were covered with snow and sleet seem to have survived the 10 degrees temperature quite well. The blossoms on the pansies were somewhat damaged, but in a few days they will put on new ones. The daffodil buds were still young enough that I believe they will yet produce their showy trumpets. The crocus are already blooming again so the cold temperatures appear to have had no effect on them.

Overall, I am surprised that there was'nt more damage from the cold spell, but I had watered everything well and the snow and sleet provided some insulation. Let's hope that we have seen the last of those 10 degree temperature. Ken Luper

Surprise in the Kitchen

2005-04-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Another mouth to feed in the Kitchen

by Schroeder

Just returned from my early morning walk in the garden, flowers blooming, perennials breaking ground, peach blossoms falling, birds singing, and there is a frog in my kitchen. There he stood, eye to eye with my trusting hound. But that lasted only a second. Soon there was a big chaos amid by morning paper and diet coke. The Scottie try to surround the tiny frog creature, wondering what frog would taste like for breakfast. The frog had other ideas! The scottie was quick but the frog could move too. But the pot with the lid scooped up the green amphibian before any blood hit the floor.

Ahh, the hand and pot is faster than nature's creatures. Prey and predator must try another time for their competition. The frog is outside and the dog is still hunting for that pot with the delicious live food. He was a cute little frog, but where did he come from? Every spring it happens, you would think I would get use to it. All the creatures that hibernate over winter in my big plant pots wake up when the weather gets warm. I get quite a few snails, and usually one frog every other spring.

I like the frogs (tree frogs) but the snails meet the heel of my shoes. Yuck!

What's new?

2005-04-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

This morning I had a little surprise waiting for me in the garden. As usual I was taking my early garden tour when I happen upon a new arrival. At first I couldn't see it because it was hiding underneath the hosta shoots. But there it was all purple and shining in the morning light. My new plant was only two inches high, but it's unusual leaf shape was a dead give away. It was the first born of my Japanese Maple (Bloodgood) and kind of a shy little fellow.

I have never seen a Japanese Maple seedling before, so I don't know anything about it's genetic package. Do they reproduce Japanese maples by cloning? Or do the producers use the old methods of planting seeds? I guess what I'm asking will the little maple grow to look like its mother or some variation of an ancestor. It doesn't really matter, I've got the time to watch him develop into anything it wants to be. But I do feel some kind of pride, like I should pass out cigars or something.

compost for Mother's day

2005-03-30T01:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how hard work in the garden makes you feel better? Or I’m not talking the aches and common pains that go with getting your joints and muscles working again after a long winter’s nap. I’m talking about the mental well being of making weeds into a beautiful garden. Every winter the weeds invade my meadow garden and literally take over. So every spring I have to conquer what was once mine again.

But after five trips to Norman’s compost factory, I think the garden is starting to look like its mine again. This is the real subject of my blog entry today. The compost factory has become my first defense and my best friend. The only problem is that they don’t release compost every day. The next release day is May 7th. That is a Saturday just before Mother’s day. I couldn’t think of a better Mother’s day present for me than a big truckload of compost. Better yet, a truckload of compost unloaded on my blank canvas of a beginning garden. So mark your calendars and think of your mother this May, compost is a gardener’s best friend.

peony trees

2005-03-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

Peony trees, good or bad

By Schroeder

It’s strange how things work out! Yesterday I was out counting the number of buds on my Peony tree and my sister went shopping and brought her a red peony tree. Now I have had mine for many years and quite frankly it hasn’t done much. Yes, I have kept it alive but blooming has been dismal to say the least. I only had five buds this year. Not much of a harvest for all the care I nurture that plant with. I was so upset, that I went inside and wrote an article on my failure with Peony trees for the “Blooming News”.

Now my sister had asked about my success with the peony tree and I told her not to mess with them. Again my logic if they were so prolific wouldn’t you see more of them in Oklahoma landscapes like you do their relatives the herbaceous peonies. I have my great grandmother’s white peonies budding in my front flowerbeds. These plants last for ages and bloom their hearts out. I have them right by my front entry so I can smell them as I enter and leave. Their flowers grow huge and the smell must be from heaven.

But the point is “Why doesn’t my sister ever listen to my advice?” I work very diligently in being educated with most plant families, take great pride in knowing what plants do well and which won’t. I must consider the source, when was the last time she ever listen to me. Relatives never listen to good advice. So I will just keep my eye on sister’s peony tree, the telescope is out.

crinums are ready

2005-03-13T19:11:00.000-08:00

Quietly they sit, year after year blooming their heads off in the warm summer days. The common names are angel lily, apostle lily, candystick lily, confederate lily and the common milk and wine lily. My best friend, Martha, always called them the 12 apostles lily. People know them by many names but in the South they are heirloom plants. I know a place in Midwest City where a clump sits by a horse corral. There must have been a home there once but now there is just rubble. The crinums have been ignored, trampled and mowed for years, but they still have the potential to bloom those large clusters of fragrant flowers. Crinums can thrive under the worse conditions and neglect, and they still survive.

This evening one of my Master Gardener students and I went on an adventure of capturing the crinum. This isn’t an easy task! Crinum bulbs work their way deep into the soil and grow huge bulbs that are crowed together into a tight knot. We dug around the huge group, digging deeper and deeper into the garden soil. My sister wanted her crinums separated; she thought they were too crowed. Steve Bender and Felder Rushing’s book the “Passalong Plants” states that crinums resent disturbance and may not bloom several years after being divided. They seen to bloom best when ignored and allowed to become crowded. After about one hour of digging, pulling, heaving, and bending shovel handles we finally had that crinum bunch surrounded and out of the ground.

It took another hour to get each bulb separated from the major mass of roots. We harvested about two bushels of crinum bulbs. It reminded me of paleontology, you carefully bush the particles of dirt off and gently one by one separated each bulb. You couldn’t keep all the roots; they were one big horrendous mass going in every direction. Robert, my sister and I took two big bulbs for our new crinum batch and I plan to plant the rest in garden pots for the Mater Garden Plant Sale. My sister asks what I was going to charge for each bulb. If you count the amount of sweat, work and hours of just dissecting the bulbs, the price would be stiff.

seeds and water

2005-02-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

This morning I worked the MG Desks. There were the usual calls on spraying fruit trees, crabgrass preemergence, even identification on insects swarming, but then there was Chris. Chris was a Tech. student who was during a project on germination of pepper seeds on a moist sponge. He had more questions than words in an Encyclopedia. I finally asked to speak to his teacher/instructor; he was delighted to give the responsibility/phone to her. This was a mistake; she declared that she had no experience with seeds or plants. His project was all his responsibility, and his alone.

After a while I thought the telephone had been permanently grafted to my cheek. Every once in a while I would rub my check to see if it was numb. But Chris was still digging for answers. His pepper seeds had been in the juice for three months, he wanted to know the germination period for them. He was giving them plenty of fertilizer 7-7-7 and water but no sprouts had occurred. I simply asked how old were his seeds to begin with? He returned with “Does the package age matter to the degree of germination of the seeds?”

We play question ping-pong back and forth, until I got some uniform answers. He didn’t know how old the seeds were; they were left over from last year’s class. He didn’t use a heat source for germination he use a light source which would help some. He thought he might have put too much water on the seeds for the first few months or so. Three months those little seeds have been swimming as fast as they could just to stay above the water level. But three months of water has got to be a new record for swimming.

This young man was one of the many phone calls my MG student got this morning, she was slightly confused, bewildered, and totally blocked for an answer. Since Chris was so determined to make his experiment work, I was given the opportunity to help him. Give the questionnaire caller to the old Grand Master Counselor; she would know what to do. But after some time, I think we have a winner. If Chris gets a trophy for his project-I want half.

Oh yes, the insect that the caller wanted identified was ¾ inch long, looked like a cock roach, had a underbelly that look red also had a splotchy line abdomen and was swarming by the hundreds on her house. Got any ideas?

In a Jiffy!

2005-02-07T13:14:00.000-08:00

In a Jiffy!

Just got home from the store with some needed groceries, and ran into the house to see how my mix was doing. Early this morning I made up a big old batch of Jiffy-plus mix straight from the bag with a little water for just the right consistency. Of course I’m not talking about cornbread. I’m talking about my soil-less potting mixture to grow my seeds in this spring. My tip of the day is to work your potting mix with water to a moist consistency but not too wet. I let that mixture set until the water is totally absorbed. Then I transfer the right amount of potting mix to my individual pans and plant my seeds.

This is the first of February, so it’s not too early to plant those little seeds. I want my tomatoes to be extra early. The person with the first ripe tomatoes gets all the bragging rights.

I have my colors flying today, orange and black.

Is it Marigolds or Calendula?

2005-02-03T15:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I returned home with an extra package of seeds from the Master Gardeners seed exchange. I hadn’t even seen this little package during the entire morning, so I don’t know who brought it Wednesday. It was from D.V. Burrell Seed Growers Co, a free sample of Calendula “Pacific Beauty”.

The knowledge I had of Calendula could be held in a baby teaspoon, so goggle gave me a lot more information. Now I knew it was called a ‘Pot Marigold’ but that was about it. The flower is considered an old English cottage garden flower. The history of Calendula is that Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) dedicated Calendula officinalis to the Virgin Mary and gave the flowers the name of Mary’s gold, or Marigold. Most gardeners think of the popular Mexican “Tagetes” as the true Marigolds. But they are the African or French marigold, totally unrelated to Pot Marigolds or Calendula.

This plant in the middle ages was use for all sorts of illnesses, ranging from Smallpox, indigestion and evil humors of the head. I definitely could use a dose of this plant, some days the evil humors in my mind are too much! My humor can get pretty dark! But that is another story. Today this plant is still popular among the herbalists; my favorite is Calendula moisturizing soaps.

This plant is not a fancy annual, but it is easy to grow in any kind of soil. Calendula tolerates a range of moisture conditions, from too much to not enough. Prefers full sun and blooms from early summer to fall. It grows to a height from 12 inches to 24 inches and makes a long lasting cut flower.

After all this research I think this little seed packet has found a home.

Hardy Amaryllis

2005-02-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hardy Amaryllis

Last December in the “Blooming News” I wrote about planting tropical Amaryllis in a protected area permanently. Several Master Gardeners have asked me about planting Hardy Amaryllis instead of the Tropical Amaryllis. Well that’s even better, the chance of loosing any hardy bulbs is rare not like with the tropical. Rita Sandlin asked where she could purchase hardy Amaryllis bulbs and I think my reply was ‘Wal Mart’.

‘Wal Mart’ is selling several colors of hardy Amaryllis bulbs right now. I received one ‘garden red and white’ bulb for my birthday this January. But one bulb is like waving a red flag in my face, I had to have more. So yesterday I returned to the scene of the crime, and brought three more bulbs of different colors, red, white and pink. All these bulbs are selling for a cheap price of $2.92 a piece. Given good garden conditions and the right location these bulbs should bloom and reproduce more blooming bulbs.

The instructions on the package are simple. Plant your bulbs after last frost with noses six inches deep and eight inches apart. Best performance in deep, fertile, well drained soil with a sunny location. They recommend a location protected from wind, that’s not easy to do in the state of Oklahoma. As with any bulb, a little fertilizer (bone meal) will also help with bigger blooms. They say the bulbs would be great planted in a pot also, but that defeats the purpose of never digging them up again.

I have had great success with hardy Amaryllis in my garden. I remember I got my first bulb from my mother-in-law. Her bulbs bloom every spring with no attention or care from her fingertips. So if she could get such beautiful blooms, it should be a sure winner for me. I planted them in a western exposure with some protection from the wind, and every year they put on a great show. Schroeder wishes you successful gardening!

christmas greetings

2004-12-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday evening in December, the Crystal Bridge in downtown OKC is open to the public, free admission so you don't have to pay.
I was doing my best to make hot drinks for the thousands of Christmas sightseers at the Botanical Gardens light display.
The exact number of people who witness the magical twinkling lights was around 2600 and that was including me.
About the same number were in line to get the complimentary refreshments, hot chocolate, coffee or spice tea.

There I stood planted ready for the hordes of Christmas folk, who all were just looking for a little hot refreshment and a Christmas tree.
I had the whole vat of hot water in control just waiting for the Styrofoam cups to be handed to me.
With a flip of the switch, the hot water would flow.
And then I would spring into action and stir; I don't want to be too slow.
Hot coffee, hot chocolate or would you care for some nice hot spice tea?

But the time flew by with so many anxious hands reaching, finally an end to my intense stirring labor station.
But then too quickly, much too rapidly, I got pushed up to the Styrofoam filling position.
This realized is what Santa's Christmas elves must feel like when the Christmas Eve is near.
Too busy to notice the large chocolate stain on my fingers, what a mess I must appear.
But onward, I had no time to reflect upon my co-worker's comments.
There were still hundreds of hands reaching for liquid refreshments.
So I filled and refilled cups and more cups with crystals of their choice, it was all free.
Hot chocolate, coffee or spiced tea, what would it be?

My co-helper was not as quick with the spoon as I had been.
The cups of crystals were soon stacked to the brim.
What to do?
With a wink of an eye, I grabbed a spoon and away I flew.
I stirred chocolate, coffee, or tea, never glancing up or down.
I filled more cups and more cups as quick as a wink, never expecting a sound.
The spirit of Christmas was all over the room; thank you was heard from lips all around.

Then the clock stuck nine, my time was up.
My job of making hot drinks was finished and I could finally stop filling the cup.
But what sounds of joy did I hear?
My co-worker was mad and quite severe!
I hadn't measured the ingredients right.
I had worked too fast.
Oh, what a sight!
I was a total mess.
My fingers were sticky with chocolate stuff of brown.
I had failed the clean test.
No compliments for a job well done, just a grimace and a frown.

No Santa's elf would have been treated in such a matter.
So I did the Christmas thing and I smiled and I chatter.
I wished her a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
In fact, I laughed and I cheered.
I wasn't going to let another person dim my Christmas spirit or turn a good deed into bad.
All two thousand and six hundred people had given me a warm smile; not an angry word spoken, not a single eye sad.
Some said thank you in Spanish, German, or English, but every single one had said something nice.
I had returned each and every reply with a Merry Christmas, and I didn't have to say it twice.

I would just like to say, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy holiday.

New variety of Oxalis

2004-11-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

I was being lazy about my research for a Master Gardener article, just playing with google instead. My assigned subject was Amaryllis bulbs, and I had exhausted my research. But I didn't want to write the article, so I just kept playing with the different sites for plants. That's when I stumbled on 'Oxalis triangularis'. Compound leaves divided into three or more heart-shaped of deeply two-lobed leaflets in a palmate arrangement or in other words oxalis looks like clover. But hold the phone, this little plant didn't look like the usual oxalis. She just hadn't caught my eye but she had taken my breath away.

Oh sure, there is Oxalis purpurea with drop dead purple foliage. But Oxalis triangularis had much more than just colorful foliage. Her leaves were a stellar purple with deep rose patterning and a zippy geometric shape. I would describe the foliage as iridescence, shining to the eye. The plant wasn't just breath taking, she was also good for our growing zone. Oh, I was is love again! But where to find my love was the question?

It was getting late and my tactics had work, too late to write the article and still be at my nephew's house at 6:30 PM. I arrived on time, but what did my eyes see. On the northern side of the porch-doorstep, small clumps of plants were growing. It was dark outside but the porch light caught the iridescence of their leaves. Stellar purple with rose pink patterning leaves, and what beautiful markings the plants had. Oh, I had found my lost love! Destiny had brought us together, and I didn't bring a shovel. But there will be tomorrow.

Schroeder

2004-10-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day to be alive! The air was perfect and the soil was workable, what more can you ask for. Everyone knows that fall is the best time for planting shrubs and trees, but don't forget about your perennials. Sure they won't grow much with winter temperatures around the corner, but their roots will. And next summer when the temperatures are sapping the energy out of your plants, your fall planted perennials will have the advantage.

After the fall Master Gardener Plant Tour, I knew I had to have Beauty Berry (Callicarpa Americana). Betsy Jones had several beautiful Beauty Berries in her garden. These shrubs stopped everybody on the tour, the purple berries were a show stopper. So the first thing to do is find the source of Betsy's shrubs. "Cottage Supply" off of Waterloo road has several good specimens and cheap too. Cheap is the magic word.

The literature gave more insight about this deciduous low growing shrub. They can reach up to 6 feet tall, so give them plenty of room in the garden. They can be "untidy" in their growth behavior, but you can overlook that characteristic with their appealing flowers and fruit. Information on Callacarpa encourages pruning the older branches in late winter to encourage strong flowering canes. Full sun and fertile soil are highly recommended, but the berries shine in semi shade. Betsy had all her Beauty Berries in part shade and they were healthy and thriving.

I just planted my Beauty Berry shrub this evening and I can't wait for next fall's show of berries. These dense clusters of berries can persist into the winter on bare branches. These fruiting branches are great for indoor decoration. How to make more babies? Tip cuttings are the rule on this beauty of a bush. More on my new cheap supplier of plants for the home and garden. I just love new plants!

schroeder

2004-10-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce myself, my name is Schroeder and I'm a mastergardener. I'm not the shy type, but more of an extrovert. I categorize myself as a thriving wildflower or a blooming idiot, take your pick.

"Raindrops keep falling on my head.", and I'm loving every minute of this weather. Glorius liquid sunshine is falling from the clouds, what more could you ask for. Remember when you were a kid, and you would go dancing in the rain with nothing more than a big smile. Wet summer days were cause for dancing, they were so few of them to celebrate. Dancing was the means of celebration for me. Nature celebrated by sending vigrant colorful flowers for planting. What more could you ask for?

Schroeder

2004-10-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sunshine is so nice, but give some glorius rain to wet my roots. "Raindrops keep falling on my head", is a perfect tune for today. Remember when you were a kid and you would go dancing in the rain with nothing on but a big smile. That I believe is how the flowers and plants feel, nothing but a smile. And today they surely must be smiling at those big fat rain drops falling from the clouds, because I sure am!