Shade Garden Design

Everblooming Perennial Garden Design

Perennials for Season Long Color - the Basics

Plastic Pots and Danger

Well, it's been awhile since I've been able to post.  First, the hard drive on my computer decided to crash and it took some time to get that up and working again.  That happened last week, which brings me to the next event that kept me too busy to write and led to the title of this post.

Last Monday, my husband and I arrived home from work at around the same time.  It was a beautiful spring evening, and we smelled wood smoke as we stood outside and visited for a few minutes.  I commented that the neighbors must be burning their brush piles and that maybe we should do the same, since it was the first period of calm winds that we'd experienced in what seemed like months.  He went off to take care of chores in the barn and I went into the house to change clothes before starting on my chores.

When I got in the house, I thought "Hmm.  We must have left the windows open - it's really smoky in here."  About that time, my husband threw open the front door and yelled "Get Out!  The south wall of the house is on fire."  He raced to get water hoses out of the garden shed while I grabbed the phone and called 911.  Fortunately, my husband used to volunteer on the rural fire department, so he knew just how to rip off the siding and get the water in between the walls where it could do the most good.  We had most of the fire out by the time the fire department arrived and had limited the damage to the exterior of the south wall, and inside, just some buckled and scorched sheetrock in one of the bedrooms.   Oh, and an awful smoke, charred wood, and burnt plastic smell throughout the house.  That left the fire department with just the job of trying to figure out what had started the fire.

It could have been so much worse!

The final determination was that the fire had started in a plastic flowerpot that sat beside the house.  After investigating, they are pretty sure that someone wandered into the yard while we were gone and used the flowerpot for an ashtray, igniting the organic matter and the dead foliage that I leave in the pots over the winter to discourage cats from using them as a litter box.  We live pretty close to one of the busiest highways in this state, both for vehicle traffic and hitchhikers, and have had strangers wander into the yard for a little rest before (one even helped himself to a jar of spaghetti sauce that I'd just finished canning), so that is a plausible explanation.

The scorched foundation plate and 2 x 6's

The other explanation is not very likely, but there have been documented cases of spontaneous combustion of the organic material in the plastic pots.  That's where the danger comes in.  According the assistant fire chief, the "perfect combination" of chemicals from the plastic, organic matter in the potting soil, moisture, and heat can cause a reaction that causes the organic matter to heat up, ignite, and smolder.  The organic matter will not burst into flame, but will smolder for hours.  In our case, the process of smoldering, whether from spontaneous combustion or a lit cigarette, caused the wood foundation plate, the 2 x 6 wall studs, the OSB plywood sheeting, insulation, and the Tyvek wrap to begin smoldering behind the steel siding.

Most potting soil mixes contain peat moss or wood products, both of which will burn when exposed to flames or heat. Some potting mixes also contain fertilizer, which acts as an oxidizer that can cause a fire to spread more quickly.  Spontaneous combustion occurs when chemical changes in the material creates heat. Organic material with moisture content between 26 to 46 percent moisture and a temperature that exceeds 200 degrees F may ignite on its own, according to the University of Minnesota Extension Service. 

Although temperatures this high generally only occur in very large piles with limited air flow, such as hay or silage piles, cases of spontaneous combustion in flower pots have been documented.  Thankfully, this is very rare.  It is a little more likely to occur in humid climates.

There are some things you can do to prevent this from happening, other than simply giving up container growing of plants.  While it is not impossible for potting mixes to spontaneously combust in clay, ceramic, or concrete containers, it is more likely in plastic.  If spontaneous combustion does occur in a non-flammable pot, it likely will smolder slowly without causing much damage.  In plastic or resin pots, the heat causes the container to melt, which spills the smoldering contents out into areas that are much more likely to catch fire.  So, I will be replacing all my outdoor plastic pots with some type of hard, non-flammable material.

Here is what is left of two of my plastic containers.  A third one just completely disappeared.

Another way to prevent fires is to keep the containers well-watered (remember, spontaneous combustion occurs when moisture content is 26 to 46 percent) and keep all dead foliage cleaned out of them.  I guess this Fall, I will clean all the dead foliage out and maybe even empty the potting mix into the garden before I put things to bed for the winter.  After all, it will be cheaper to replace potting soil every year than to replace the house and all its contents.

I'll move those containers a little further away from the house, rather than tucking them right up against the wall.  I'm also reconsidering the wisdom of covering my cedar deck with containers, although I switched to all ceramic containers there purely for aesthetic purposes a couple years ago.  Maybe a drip watering system so those containers don't get the opportunity to dry out quite so much on those hot, windy days?

Other than that, I am considering building a barricade or an alligator filled moat around our yard to keep out careless visitors.

Some New Perennials for 2014

I'm always anxious to see what new perennial beauties might be waiting for a spot at Wiese Acres.  Each year I hope to find at least a couple new plants to try.  In the past, I've tried to extend my options by "pushing the envelope" a little with plants that are a bit more tender than our zone 4 usually supports.  I've been pretty successful with some zone 5a plants (cold hardy to -20 to -15 degrees F) for a few years, but this year will be the true test. 

After an unrelenting winter of extreme cold (even for North Dakota) and minimal snow cover (an official total of only 25 inches), plants have been tested well.  Each Fall, I leave the old foliage on the gardens so the snow is caught and creates an insulating blanket over the garden.  That served me well this year by keeping all 25 inches of that snow neatly covering the plants.  But, even with that, it was just doggone cold for those poor plants! 

Since it is too early yet to tell which plants might have met their demise with the long periods of below zero temperatures, I'm planning to take the safe route and look for new perennials that are cold hardy to at least zone 4a (-30 to -25 degrees), and maybe even zone 3b (-35 to -30 degrees) if they are more expensive plants.  So, I started my search for perennials hardy to zone 3.

I further refined my search for a zone 3 plant that has a long bloom period and works in hot, dry, sunny locations.  I found one called "Cat's Meow", a Nepeta faassenii, or catmint.  Cat's Meow grows in a nice, compact mound, about 18 to 20 inches tall and about two feet around.  Unlike many other forms of catmint, Cat's Meow stays in that nice, compact shape without trimming.  The blue-green foliage is covered with bluish-purple flowers that are very attractive to bees and hummingbirds.  Another plus for this catmint - deer and rabbits are likely to leave it alone - unless they are very hungry and nothing better is in sight.

Cat's Meow Nepeta (Proven Winners photo)

Another find is Helenium autumnale "Mariachi Siesta", also hardy to zone 3 and good for a hot, sunny location, as long as it gets adequate moisture.  Helenium is commonly known as sneezeweed, but don't let that less than elegant name scare you away from this wonderful garden dweller.  It grows to about 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide.  Introduced in 2012, but only now becoming readily available in garden centers, Mariachi Siesta shows off red petals that have just a hint of blue so it will coordinate nicely with the Cat's Meow Nepeta.  Those petals surround a maroon and gold cone for a striking effect in each flower.  This beauty also flowers from late June to September.  That's hard to beat in a perennial.


 
Mariachi Siesta (Plants Nouveau photo)

 I'm not done searching yet, so I'm sure I'll find more beauties to share.

Growing Carrots



Internet photo

Choosing the best variety of carrots for your growing conditions is a good start towards a successful carrot crop.  With all root crops, like carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips, proper soil preparation is another key factor for success.  Root crops require deep, loose, well-drained but moisture retentive soil, with a pH that tends more toward the alkaline side.  Adding well-rotted compost or manure will improve the soil condition.  Fresh manure should not be used as it causes forking of the carrot root and a poor quality crop results.  Once the compost or rotted manure is spread, the garden bed should be tilled deeply so that the soil is loose and clod free.

Internet photo

Seeds should be planted in loose soil, about 1/2 inch deep and 1/2 inch apart.   Rows should be spaced about 18 inches apart to allow for plenty of growing space.  Carrot seeds are very small and hard to plant at proper spacing.  I've found that the plunger type seeders are somewhat helpful in not sowing small seeds too closely.  You fill the tube of the seeder and then press the plunger each time you want to dispurse a seed (or two or three or ten) into the row.   

Internet photo

The type of seeder where you pour the seed into a chamber and then dial the appropriate size opening in the chamber through which to shake the seed can also provide a small measure of extra control.





Carrot seeds that are pelleted in a soluble mixture of powders and adhesive which cling to the seed, increasing the size of each seed and making them much easier to plant individually, are also available at a slightly higher cost than regular seed.  The pellet material dissolves once the seed is planted, allowing the seed to germinate.  

Another easy way to plant carrots at the proper spacing is with seed tape.  This is a soluble tape impregnated with the seeds at just the right spacing.  You lay the desired length of tape in your row, cover with 1/2 inch of soil and wait for the carrots to grow.

Carrots will germinate in soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees F, so they can be planted early in the spring, generally about two to three weeks before the average last frost date.  In soil temperatures around 75 degrees, carrot seeds will germinate in about 7 days; soil temps at 50 degrees or so will slow the germination down to as long as 3 weeks.  Germination can be spotty, with some seeds germinating quickly and others taking a couple weeks, so don't give up on the row too soon.

Once the carrots are planted, they need at least 1 inch of water each week during the growing season. Watering should be done deeply to promote the best root development.  Light watering can lead to shallow, low quality roots.

Carrots grow slowly for the first few weeks after planting and the plants are pretty wimpy.  They don't  compete well with weeds, so it's important to keep the bed as weed-free as possible. Shallow cultivation before the weeds become a problem is best.  The young roots are very close to the surface of the soil, so cultivatation should just cut the weeds off right below the surface, leaving the carrot roots undisturbed.

Once the carrots are a couple inches tall, thin the seedlings to one every 2 to 3 inches.  The more space you give each seedling, the larger carrot you are likely to grow.  Rather than pulling the extra seedlings, cut them off just below the surface of the ground, where it is possible to do so.  The root will decompose into the soil and cutting prevents disruption of the remaining carrots, so you don't lose more seedlings than you wish or end up with roots deformed from being disrupted in early growth.

Straw or grass mulch between the rows will help conserve moisture and keep the weed population down.  Mulch can also be used to cover the exposed shoulders of the carrots from sunburning, which will turn that part of the carrot green and bitter.

Then just let them grow.  Carrots can be harvested throughout the summer, once they are finger sized or larger.  They gain their best sweetness later in the fall, after cool days and nights, or even a light frost.   Then they can be stored in a cool dark place and used for several months over the winter.

Different Types of Carrots

I'm coming to the end of last season's crop of carrots, so it must be time to start thinking about planting this year's crop.  Carrots have a reputation for being persnickety about where and how they will grow.  I've found that, with just a little extra attention to detail, I can plan for a bountiful, healthy crop of crisp, tasty roots to snack on over the winter months when good fresh vegetables are hard to come by in North Dakota.  The key is starting with the right type of carrot for the soil conditions in which they will need to grow.

Carrot are generally classified into six types:  Imperator; Danvers; Nantes; Chantenay; Amsterdam; and Paris Market. 

Imperator carrots are about 10 inches long, slender, and tapered.  They do their best in sandy loam and can become quite large in the right growing conditions.  They generally aren't very happy in heavier soil.  These are the type most often found for sale in grocery stores.   They have good flavor and a slightly fibrous texture.  Commercial growers like them because they store well, extending their carrot crop for longer periods of time.  Most carrots are orange, but one variety of Imperator carrots, "Purple Haze" has a beautiful deep purple outside, with a brilliant orange inner flesh.  Unfortunately, once cooked, the entire carrot is orange just like every other carrot.  On a fresh vegie plate, I like to cut them horizontally in circles, so it shows their unusual coloring to the best advantage.  "Imperator 58", "Yellowstone" and "Sugarsnax" are three other common varieties of Imperator carrots.

Danvers are slender, and shorter than Imperators, usually growing to about seven inches long.  They are wider at the top of the root, rather than straight up and down.  Danvers are orange and have a lighter, almost yellow core through the center of the root.  These carrots can and freeze well so are often grown for processing.  These are also the preferred carrots for dedicated juicers.  I like to just eat them fresh, as they are very tasty.  While they prefer a deep, sandy loam like most other root vegetables, Danvers will adapt and do very well in heavier soils, as long as the soil isn't rocky or full of clods.  "Danvers", "Danvers Half Long", "Danvers 126" and "Healthmaster" are all varieties of Danvers carrots.

Nantes are blockier, more like a cylinder than a taper, and grow to about five to seven inches long.   Nantes may be one of the easier carrots to grow, but they do need loose, sandy soil, or soil that is well-amended with lots of organic matter.  They do not, however, like fresh manure and will provide some entertaining shapes and wimpy carrots if planted in manure or compost that is not well-rotted.   Nantes are probably the sweetest of the carrot types, and have a nice crisp texture.  Unfortunately, they don't store well.  Common varieties of Nantes type carrots are "Early Nantes", "Scarlet Nantes", "Nelson Hybrid", "Sweetness Hybrid", and "Mokum". 

Chantenay are shorter, growing to about five inches long, and are cone shaped, wider at the top than the bottom of the root.  Chantenays have been known to develop a girth of three to four inches at their widest point.  Chantenays have a rich, very sweet flavor like Nantes, but have an advantage in that they store quite well.  Chantenays will generally do quite well in heavier clay soil, as long as there is high organic matter content.   "Red Core", "Kurota", and "Carson Hybrid" are all varieties of Chantenay type carrots.  Chantenays are suited for late season cropping and will tolerate a fairly hard frost.  In fact, carrots will usually develop their highest sugar content after a good chilling.

Amsterdam are "baby" carrots, growing short and slender, to about three inches long.   Generally, the shorter the carrot type, the more easily they will adapt to heavier soil, so Amsterdams are good choices for less than ideal soil conditions.  They mature earlier, so they are a good crop for summer harvesting.  "Amsterdam Forcing" and "Amsterdam 2 Maxi" are two varieties of Amsterdam type.

Paris Market or "Parisian" types are French heirloom varieties that grow round, rather than long, reaching about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Since they don't develop deep roots, they are the most tolerant of heavy, rocky, poor quality soils.  "Oxheart" and "Atlas" are two other varieties that don't develop deep roots and adapt well to poor soils.

Starting with the right type of carrots is the first step in growing a successful crop of sweet, crisp, crunchy, and vitamin packed carrots.  In the next blog installment, I'll talk about how to plant, tend, and harvest the carrot crop.

Daylily Combinations

Daylilies are always winners in my gardens.  They aren't 100% trouble free, but they come close enough to make me happy.  So, when October's freak snowstorm destroyed enough of the trees in the back yard to turn it from part shade to full sun, I immediately thought of daylilies as replacements for my part shade flowers who won't like it there anymore.

I generally look for daylilies with dormant foliage (DOR) as those are the ones that do best in our climate of extremes.  With other flowering perennials that will be perfectly happy staying in the "new" environment of full sun providing early and late season color, I need something that will bloom midseason, or mid to late July in most years.  I also know that I want a real "pop" of color to brighten up that area, something that will work with purples, reds, and yellows.  I want at least three different but complementary colors, and a variety of shapes and sizes of flowers that will bloom at the same time, so I have a "bouquet" in my garden. 

I grabbed the catalogue for one of my favorite daylily suppliers, Oakes Daylilies, and started shopping.  Here is the combination I decided to order.

The "main attraction" will be Prince of Purple.  This spider type daylily is a rich purple color with a gold eyezone and cream colored midribs to further define each petal.  The 5 1/2 inch blooms stand on 34 inch tall scapes. 

"Prince of Purple" Photo from Oakes Daylilies

A supporting character will be Ferengi Gold, a short little beauty that will bring your attention to the creamy mid-rib of Prince of Purple.  At only 19 inches tall, this little gal will act as the "filler" in my bouquet.  It is a gorgeous creamy yellow with just a hint of pink tones and a beautifully ruffled edge to add a little bit of texture.  In spite of its short stature, it's 5 1/2 inch blooms will not be ignored. 

Ferengi Gold Daylily - Photo courtesy of Oakes Daylilies

Ilonka will be the final star in my little tableau.  Ilonka is 28 inches tall, with 7 inch lavender / orchid blooms, which will nicely complement the deep purple of Prince of Purple.  It has a yellow throat with a creamy watermark which will blend in nicely with the colorings and markings of both Prince of Purple and Ferengi Gold.

 
Ilonka Daylily - Photo courtesy of Oakes Daylilies

Together, they should add a nice touch to that corner of my garden.