Iris Total Recall: A Real Winner in the Garden!

The bearded iris Total Recall is an amazing iris. Not only is it a gorgeous explosion of yellow and white in the spring along with the other irises, but it also bloomed in August; and, now again in mid-September! Check it out!

On top of all this, it's proven to be a prolific grower in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. In a year or two, I should have plenty to share, so let me know if your would like some!

If you have a favorite iris, please let everyone know what it is by commenting below. I, for one, would love to add it to my iris collection!

Beets: A Super Healthy Food, But Tasty? Yes!

On a rainy day last spring I dutifully planted beets despite having had little previous success with them. This year was different--I had a bumper crop! They formed big round spheres that, now in September, continue to maintain their sweetness and ideal texture. Perhaps this was due to the variety, Red Cloud Beets (F1 Hybrid; 50 days; Pinetree Seeds), or maybe it was the cooler August temperatures. At any rate, a new problem emerged, how does one eat so many beets?  I came up with this recipe that I find delectable! Now I'm a beetaholic!

Beet, Apple, and Wild Greens Salad

1/3 beet (3" diameter), peeled and grated, grown or bought
1/3 apple, not peeled, grated
1/3 c wild greens: dandelion, lambsquarter, miner's lettuce (Claytonia), etc., chopped OR any green: arugula, kale, etc.
1/2 t ginger, fresh, diced (optional)
2 t  lime juice
2 t  olive oil
8    cashews, raw or toasted, chopped
dash salt

NOTES: Serving Size: 1. Expand by multiplying quantities. Use organic ingredients, if available. Using scissors makes quick work of "chopping" the greens. All quantities can be adjusted to what you have on hand.

I would love to hear if you like this salad in the comments below. 

Pokeberry: A Valuable Food Source for Wildlife

Pokeberry (Phytolacca americana), also commonly known as pokeweed, is considered by most gardeners to be a weed*--a very large one at that considering that it grows up to 12 feet tall! Yet, if you can find it a spot in your garden to allow it to grow in its full glory, you will be richly rewarded with its architecturally elegant branches adorned with clusters of berries that ripen to a rich purple. Reminiscent of grape clusters, the beauty of these berries is only half of the gardener's rewards. Pokeberries are a favorite food for songbirds, so much so that birds may even become intoxicated from this avian delicacy.

In my gardens in both Virginia and Pennsylvania I have encouraged pokeberries near screened windows where I often sit. In late summer and early fall I am treated to close-up views of phoebes, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, bluebirds, cardinals, gray catbirds, and cedar waxwings    Less common birds that I have only ever seen because of the pokeberry are the Eastern Wood-Pewee (VA & PA) and the Blackpoll warbler (or one very much like it! VA).  In the book, American Wildlife & Plants, Martin, Zim, & Nelson (1951) note that pokeberries also attract thrushes, vireos, woodpeckers, grosbeaks, and other treasurable characters of the bird world.

If your pokeweed berries are ripe, please comment below as to what birds you have spotted!

*Pokeweed shoots--not the berries!--are edible for humans; however, these greens must be processed properly to eliminate the toxins.

References

Martin, A. C., Zim, H. S., & Nelson, A. L., American Wildlife & Plants, 1951, p. 392. Now available as a Dover reprint, this in an invaluable resource for creating wildlife-friendly gardens!

Zinnia and Cleome vs. Rudbeckia--Clear Winners!

Freshly cut zinnias and cleome were a real hit with the residents at the assisted living community where I am a horticultural therapy intern. Conversely, the gorgeous rudbeckia were soundly rejected!  I am not entirely in disagreement. Although I allow all of the rudbeckia volunteers to take over my garden; like the members of this group, I prefer a palette of pinks, purples, whites, and greens. Oddly, the black-eyed Susans were welcomed, but we ended up gifting most of the rudbeckia to a staff member who was quite pleased with the bouquet.

A Tidy Solution: Mini-Dustpan & Brush

As a traveling nature and garden craft workshop teacher, I need compact tools that clean up the inevitable mess of potting soil and flower arranging clippings. The OXO Good Grips Compact Dustpan & Brush ($6.99) is perfect!The dustpan serves as a container for both the sweepings and the brush. Weighing less than 8 ounces and measuring 1.6 x 7.4 x 5.4 inches, it's easy to transport. And, its bristles are stiff enough to do the job of sweeping soil up from carpet.

Herbarium Label - HANDOUT

Key to the value of maintaining an herbarium are the records associated with each plant specimen. To maintain consistent information about the plants in your herbarium, a label can be affixed to the specimen plate to complete a permanent record of each plant. Feel free to copy and use the herbarium label shown here OR click here for a printable version with 4 per page: http://www.oldgarden.com/HerbariumLabels4.pdf.   For more information about creating herbariums: http://oldgardensolutions.blogspot.com/2013/07/creating-herbarium-for-your-garden.html.


NOTE: The "habitat" field is used to record the type of soil/climate the plants was found in; the "growth" field can be used to indicate the nature of the plant's growth, i.e., shrub, vine, etc.

 

Creating an Herbarium for Your Garden

Herbariums are collections of pressed plant specimens mounted on archival paper and labeled with the plant's identifying information and collection data. Typically, herbariums are maintained by botanical gardens, universities, and other such places; however, creating an herbarium for your own garden or surrounding environment is a nifty way to familiarize yourself and others with your surrounding plant world. An herbarium also serves as an inventory and history of the plants within your habitat.

The first step in creating an herbarium is collecting the plant and pressing it. Typically, if the plant's size permits, the entire plant is pressed. Obviously, it may be necessary to fold the stem, or remove some of the plant in order to fit it on the page of an old book or plant press. Allow about three weeks for the plant to dry. Thicker plants parts may require more time. Be sure to make a record of where and when the plant was collected. Once the plant is dry it can be mounted.

Creating an herbarium is a great nature or garden project that is suitable for all ages. It is also ideal for horticultural therapy sessions to familiarize and connect participants with the surrounding plant world. For a reproducible herbarium label see this related post: http://oldgardensolutions.blogspot.com/2013/07/herbarium-label-handout.html