Not so Mellow Yellow

It must have been the yellow rose I’d been examining, and then the yellow purslane, followed by a glance at the yellow lilies, because as I pottered about the garden the other day, I found myself singing the words to Mellow Yellow (Donovan from way back). I should point out that I don’t really sing — I simply know the first line to a million songs. Even then, anyone in range would assume they were hearing a coughing goat.

Regardless, as I was pottering and singing, and feeling mellow, it occurred to me that although yellow might be mellow, it sure isn’t when you discover the leaves on a plant have turned that colour overnight. One day they’re a lovely, rich green then one sleep later the jaundice has set in. That’s when the singing stops. In my case it was the lower leaves on a tomato plant in a container on the deck that were fading fast, but why?

I had moved the container the day before and may inadvertently have caused physical damage, but a close examination didn’t reveal any broken stems. Had it only been the odd leaf, I wouldn’t have been concerned, but something was obviously wrong. Yellowing leaves, also known as chlorosis, is a symptom of trouble on any plant, but what was the reason?

As far as tomatoes go, it could be a viral, fungal, or bacterial disease; insect damage, lack of nutrients, lack of water, too much water, sunburn, or possibly, though perhaps not likely, deep rooted psychological problems. The list of possible reasons is so long it really needs a House (popular show) in the garden when it comes to diagnosing a specific cause.

 

The tomatoes in my raised beds were doing fine; it was just the one container plant that was suffering. I checked over and under the leaves for insects or insect eggs and found nothing, and besides, the problem was spreading upwards from the lower leaves, which made insects the less likely culprit. There were no spots, irregular markings or leaf curling to indicate a disease, so that left an environmental or nutritional reason. I doubted the latter as the plant was in good soil, the same soil as other plants, none of which were suffering.

So was it environmental, specifically the weather, more specifically rain, and lots of it? I’ve been rejoicing in the regular rainfalls we’ve had this spring, but too much and trouble can arise here and there, particularly where there’s poor drainage.

This, I believe was the problem. Because the container was sitting tightly on the deck, the drainage holes were sealed, and with excessive rain this resulted in waterlogged soil. I’ve since set the pot on three or four pebbles (my own advice that I sometimes forget to follow), and I also took a thin twig and carefully poked a few holes into the soil. This improved drainage considerably. I can’t do much about the yellow leaves, other than pull them off, but there shouldn’t be more. Meanwhile, there are lots of tomatoes forming on the plant.

It isn’t easy to diagnose plant problems. If an insect pest is the culprit, they’re usually a little easier to spot, but diseases and ailments caused by nutritional deficiencies are harder to identify. As in humans, prevention is the best policy when it comes to good health. Think of plants as people. Give them a healthy balanced diet, sufficient clean water, and plenty of fresh air. Exercise is essential too, but don’t force a workout on your plants, just spend some mellow time with them.  

The Ruthless Gardener

I confess, I have a dark side. I’m ruthless when I have to be. I don’t like admitting this even if it is a character trait that’s admired in some quarters — sport, business, shopping, but in the garden? Sadly, yes. To be a successful gardener, it’s essential to be ruthless. Plants will test your patience. They can be fickle, stubborn, uncooperative, and downright frustrating.

Give some an inch and they’ll take over your garden; give others their own premium location and they sulk. It’s too bad plants aren’t sentient enough to realize that if they don’t grow as expected in my garden, there are severe penalties — and I’m a tough love judge, a three strikes and you’re out judge, a hanging judge. In fact, I make Judge Judy look like Mother Theresa on valium.

Oh yes, my garden may look peaceful and serene, a botanical sanctuary, but it didn’t get that way by me being a sentimental wuss. Insensitivity goes a long way in garden care. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of opportunity for rehabilitation, and the three strikes and you’re out policy is relaxed if it isn’t three consecutive strikes, which a few plants appear to have figured out. They play dead for a couple of years then give a gold medal performance. I praise them, I reward them with an extra layer of compost, and then the following year they look like they fell off the final sale rack outside the grocery store. Then I have to start over and give them another chance.

I have to accept it’s not always the fault of the plant. It might have had a lousy childhood in a greenhouse, or it could be in the wrong type of soil or in the wrong location. The soil in this area is generally alkaline, but up in cottage country or in boggy areas it can be more acidic. Stick a Rhododendron or azalea in soil that’s too alkaline and it will refuse to grow well. If a plant likes sandy soil, it won’t appreciate clay for its roots. Some like moist soil, others like it dry.

It might be too hot, too dry, too wet, too windy, too sunny, or too shady for a particular plant’s liking. There are variations between species. For instance, blue or green hosta prefer more shade while the gold or yellow types like more sun. This is why, even though I may be ruthless, I take all these factors into consideration before sentencing. 

I often move plants around, sometimes two or three times until I find a spot the plant is happy with, but then what happens? It grows like it’s on a mission to replace the lawn and I have to dig three quarters of the plant out before there’s no room for anything else in the garden. For instance, I have clumps of daylilies that I seem to recall adoring, but they’ve begun to annoy me and will have to be dug and divided, or even disposed of. 

If, after I’ve done everything possible to provide perfect conditions for a plant and it still doesn’t bloom or show any sign of enthusiasm, I’ll stick it in a corner out of the way and ignore it for a while. Finally, I’ll offer it to someone else to see if they can grow it, otherwise it’s onto the compost heap. Then what happens? It lies there gasping in the sun for half a day and suddenly pops out a single, amazing flower, as though to mock me. And what do I do? I hastily stick it in a pot and try to coax it back to life. Yes, I’m ruthless when it comes to gardening. 

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb

Back before fruit and vegetables were available year-round at the grocery store, when everyone grew their own food, people were desperate after a long winter for something fresh, but it would be months before anything could be harvested from the garden, except for rhubarb — yes, humble rhubarb, which can be harvested as early as May, even earlier if forced, and earlier still if forced indoors. It’s easy to grow and even easier to eat, especially in a pie.

As kids we used to eat fresh stalks dipped in sugar, and I can tell you it took a lot of sugar to overcome the tart taste of fresh rhubarb, probably enough to counteract any healthy benefits derived from eating the rhubarb.

It has a long history as a medicinal plant in Asia, where it originated, but it wasn’t until the introduction of cheap sugar to Europe that it became a popular food dish. Prior to that, it probably saved many hungry peasants from starving while learning how to purse their lips.

Then back in the 1870s someone made the discovery that if rhubarb is forced, it produces longer, sweeter stalks — some say champagne flavoured — a bit of a stretch, methinks. This is done by growing the plant in darkness where instead of producing foliage the stalks stretch upwards, seeking light. There’s an area in northern England that came to be known as the Rhubarb Triangle because in its heyday it produced 90% of the world’s winter rhubarb. This was due to a local source of cheap coal that provided the heat required for the dark growing sheds.

Forcing rhubarb in the garden is as simple as placing a pail or even a garbage can over the clump. If inclined, you could purchase a beautiful replica of a Victorian terracotta rhubarb cloche, but since we’re entering the era of frugal gardening, I’d stick with the garbage can.

But before you can begin forcing rhubarb, you have to grow the stuff. Fall or early spring is the best time to plant. Rather than planting from seed, it’s best to buy a plant, or scoop one from a neighbour who’s dividing a clump. Common varieties are Macdonald, Valentine, Ruby, and Canada Red. When planting the rhizomes, crowns only need an inch or two of soil over them. Rhubarb likes to be well fed, so prepare the soil deeply, adding lots of compost or well rotted manure. Choose a sunny location, allowing as much as a square meter per plant, and water until established.

The plants are fairly drought tolerant, but do need water when actively growing. Adding compost around the plant will keep it healthy. Stalks should not be harvested the first year and only lightly in the second. It’s generally best to harvest only two thirds of the stalks, allowing the plant to grow on through summer, nourishing the rhizome. Even though the leaves contain oxalic acid and are toxic, it’s quite safe to add them to the compost pile. Remove all dead ones from the plant in spring.

For an early winter treat, dig a few crowns in fall, allow them to be frozen, which stimulates breaking of dormancy, then pot them up and place in a dark cold room.  As soon as the stalks are long enough, it’s pie time.

Trees

 Make a statement — plant a tree. If it's only what, where, when, and how that's stopping you, perhaps I can help.

Maybe you've already decided on what type of tree you wish, possibly influenced by childhood memories of lazy afternoons spent beneath a huge maple, or swinging from the branch of a sturdy oak. There's nothing wrong with those choices; however, it may take half a lifetime before those trees grow
large enough for you to relive those dreams, and that's if you stay in your home longer than the Canadian average of only a few years. The beauty of planting a tree, though, is the legacy you will leave. Someday, someone may relax in the shade or swing from the branches of your tree.

The ultimate size of any tree you plant is a serious consideration. Most building lots are small these days and can barely accommodate the house, let alone a tree, and planting large varieties too close to buildings, driveways, or neighbouring properties is a common error. Keep in mind, too, that a tree with a 25 cm wide trunk requires a soil surface of about 20 square metres to stay healthy. Fortunately, nurseries stock a wide range of smaller trees that are more suited to smaller gardens.

Before choosing a tree, consider the conditions around where it will be planted — things like sun and shade or type of soil. Most trees will adapt to local soil conditions, but some will have preferences as to how wet or how dry, how sandy or how clay-like the soil is. Try to select a tree with a shape that will complement the desired function. 

Do you need a  tree that will act as a screen or a windbreak, one that's dense enough to provide summer shade, or one that's airy and open like the honey locust with its lovely lime green foliage? If you have this information before heading out to the nursery or tree farm, it will be easier for knowledgeable staff to make recommendations. Early spring is a good time to plant deciduous trees whilst they're dormant and more so for evergreens. Fall can be a better time to plant deciduous as it allows them to direct growth to the roots before winter. In spring there's a greater demand for water in summer when the tree has leafed out.

After purchasing a tree, be kind to it when handling and transporting. Lift the tree by the container or root ball and not by the trunk. If you can't plant it right away, leave the tree in a sheltered corner out of the sun, but don't forget to water it.

Digging a good hole for a new tree can be a challenge. If the ground is very dry, give it a thorough soaking ahead of time and digging will be much easier. Planting depth is most important. The tree should be planted with the root flare visible --  where the roots leave the trunk. It may be not be visible in the container if it was planted too deep. Always dig the hole wider rather than deeper. Make it bowl-shaped not pail-shaped, up to three times the diameter of the container and loosen up the soil only a little at the bottom, leaving a slight mound on which to set the root ball so that the tree won't settle.

Remove the tree from its container at the last minute before planting and check the roots. If wrapped in burlap or in a fibre pot, remove as much as possible after the tree is in the hole. Current advice is to shake off or even wash off the roots because the material it was planted in will be nothing like the local soil. Check the roots and if they've been circling in the container, loosen them and spread them  out.

When filling in the hole, don’t amend the soil. Enriching a small area around the tree with large amounts of manure and peat moss isn't advised as it will only discourage the roots from spreading. There is no need to add fertilizers. Pack the soil in carefully and water well, but don't drown the roots, especially if the soil is slow to drain. Continue to water as needed until your tree is established, keeping the soil moist but not soaking wet. Mulching with wood chips will help retain moisture, so put down a layer
about 50-70mm deep and do not pile it against the trunk.

Unless the tree is especially tall or in a windy location where it's going to be whipped about, it isn't essential to stake or anchor the tree. If you feel it may be necessary, keep it lower on the trunk and anything wrapped around should be soft — no tight ropes or wire. A piece of loose fabric or old pantyhose is good, but guys, ask first.

And that's the what, when, where, and how, of planting a tree. As for the why, it's because trees are essential to our survival. Care for them and they'll care for us. They are the lungs of the planet.

Daffodils Dancing

Winter truly ends with the appearance of the first bright, yellow daffodil. Daffodils evoke joy in spring, and maybe a tinge of regret that someone forgot to plant bulbs the previous fall. Oh sure, there were snow drops as early as January, followed by crocuses, even an eager tulip, but for me, it takes a daffodil; they’re much cheerier, nodding and waving a greeting. As Wordsworth described them in his classic poem, “tossing their heads in a sprightly dance, fluttering and dancing in the breeze”.

Wordsworth claimed he saw ten thousand at a glance. This may be so, but I doubt it rivals the numbers planted at the East Texas ranch of the late Mrs. Helen Lee. She used her Texas oil fortune to plant daffodils by the boxcar, millions of them, scattered over approximately 20 acres.

A few years ago a local man decided to become a guerrilla gardener and began planting daffodils on grassy banks along the Conestoga Parkway in KW. Since it was technically illegal to trespass, he did this under cover of darkness, and his name was never revealed — he called himself the Unknown Gardener. To further brighten the day of commuters, he planted the bulbs in the form of happy faces that may still be seen today.

Happy face or random clump, daffodils will always prompt a smile. In England as a child, I rode a bus to school that stopped each day beside a cottage with a hillside garden that merged at its upper end into woodland. Daffodils grew there in profusion. Each day I looked forward to seeing the springtime progression as they sprouted, flowered, and then vanished, overtaken by taller grass. Now, when the clump of yellow daffodils in my garden appears, I can’t help recalling an image that’s stayed in my head for half a lifetime.

Yet after a recent springtime visit, that image has been eased aside slightly by one that is suggesting maybe there can be too much of a good thing. At some point over the years (many years), someone decided it would be a good idea to plant daffodils along roadsides throughout the country. Some say it began in the dark days of postwar Britain to brighten up the place in the 1950s; however, I don’t recall any particular abundance in my youth. Regardless of when and where it began, the idea spread.

It became a pastime for many. Town councils large and small joined in, some with planting schemes of their own, others donating thousands of bulbs to charitable organisations. The daffodils grew and spread like dandelions, snaking mile upon mile across the country. The sight was amazing — at first. I soon began to picture them as yellow snowbanks, and I confess that after a couple of weeks driving the highways and byways of Northern England, even I was ready for a change of scene, or at least a change of colour.

Despite the popularity, so many were planted it’s feared they’re now becoming a problem for the country’s native species of daffodils, the ones that inspired Wordsworth's poem and the same ones that even Shakespeare mentioned in The Winter’s Tale — “When daffodils begin to peer”. They’re under threat now due to cross-pollination between the non-native species and the many hybrids, especially the larger, brightly coloured ones. The original, more delicate British species are becoming a rare sight in the wild. To counter this, heritage groups are undertaking mass planting campaigns using native species in historic gardens where they can be protected (the roadside battle is lost).

This over abundance isn’t likely to be an issue in Canada as we have no native daffodils. I feel I should point out that the daffodil is not native to Britain, either. Known since antiquity, it’s believed to have originated in North Africa and southwest Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Somewhat isolated in Britain, the original introduction, perhaps brought by an early traveler or Roman invader, was able to naturalise undisturbed for centuries. At some point it became the national flower and a symbol of Wales where it’s worn on St David's Day each March 1st, potentially supplanting the leek, which has long been the national symbol of Wales. This may be due to some innocent confusion because in the Welsh language, the name, Cenhinen, is almost the same for both plants.

In English, we call them daffodils, but are they? Is it daffodil or is it narcissus, the other oft used term, or are they different plants? The simple answer is no; all daffodils are narcissus. Daffodil, or at one time daffadowndilly, has simply become the common, accepted name. The scientific name for the familiar, trumpet-like daffodil is Narcissus pseudonarcissus. Smaller daffodils, known as jonquils, are Narcissus jonquilla. Rather than a single bloom, jonquils tend to have clusters of fragrant flowers and dark green, tube-shaped leaves, like chives, unlike the seamed, sometimes triangular stems of daffodils.

The name, of course, is from the Greek myth of Narcissus who was turned into the flower of that name, and consequently, it’s perceived as a symbol of vanity. In the East however, it’s seen as a symbol of wealth and good fortune.

Another flower sometimes called a daffodil is the paperwhite, Narcissus papyraceus. It’s typically grown in wintertime as a houseplant — if you can stand the intense fragrance. Unlike regular daffodils, it can’t survive the winter outdoors.

Now that that’s sorted, I’ll continue to refer to the springtime garden plants as daffodils. Mention the name and predictably, most people will think of the familiar, bright yellow flower; however, daffodils are available in all shapes, sizes, and hues. They can be white or whitish, greenish, yellow of course, pink, and orange. Colours are then mixed and matched between the two parts of the flower head, the perianth (petals) and the corona (cup).

This is mainly thanks to the Netherlands, where daffodils have been cultivated as far back as the sixteenth century. Today, along with tulips and other bulbs, they’ve become the country’s chief export. In addition, growers and hobbyists everywhere have been breeding new strains. Depending on who is counting, there are as many as 200 different daffodil species and subspecies and a further 25,000 registered cultivars (cultivated variety), including the more flamboyant strains that are causing the problem in Britain.

The best known and most popular variety is the King Alfred. He’s the one said to have burnt the cakes, but there’s no mention of him growing daffodils. The name was chosen by Englishman John Kendall, clearly a long time monarchist. It was first introduced in 1899 when it was immediately awarded a First-Class Certificate by The Royal Horticultural Society, which likely had a bias towards regal names (Kendall was no fool). Regardless, the society was impressed by the rich golden hue of its much larger blooms.

Sadly, Kendall died in 1890 and never saw the astonishing result of his humble breeding program. Successfully promoted and marketed by his sons, for the next fifty years King Alfred the daffodil ruled until production declined in the 1950s when newer, improved varieties were introduced.

Millions of King Alfreds are still being planted and remain available today. You may be watching them bloom in your garden right now, yet it’s unlikely they’re the original. I’m afraid the king is dead — though the name lives on.

So popular was the King Alfred, the name became synonymous with large yellow daffodils, much like Kleenex is commonly used as the name for any tissue. Growers retained the name, and although limited numbers of the original are still produced, it’s been gradually supplanted with superior varieties like Golden Harvest or Dutch Master. These and others are now sold as King Alfred “types”, what you might call floral Elvis impersonators.

They’re big and showy with a golden yellow trumpet — and thanks to Wordsworth and his host of golden daffodils, this is what most people will think of when they picture a daffodil. It represents a country, has Kingly connections, boosts the Dutch economy, was a poet’s muse, and in recent years has become a symbol of hope for all affected by cancer. April is Daffodil Month when the Canadian Cancer Society will be launching their annual fundraising campaign, another reason to appreciate daffodils.

Despite my misgivings after being overwhelmed by the abundance growing along British roadsides, I still love daffodils, even prefer them to tulips, their spring rivals. There’s something about the wild nature of them that’s appealing. Some varieties of tulips will naturalize, but daffs are masters at establishing communities that last for years, as seen by those yellow snow banks in I saw in England. And if there’s one major advantage over tulips, squirrels won’t dig up the bulbs and eat them, and nor should you. Despite having been used in traditional medicines since antiquity, and the bulbs do contain potentially useful compounds, they are poisonous if eaten, so don’t confuse them with onions, but do plant them.

Now is the time to admire the beauties that will be appearing this spring. And it’s the time to mark the calendar or set an alert as a reminder to plant lots come fall, hosts of them, but go easy on the snowbanks.

Blue, blue, my world is blue

 Blue, blue, my world is blue. No, I’m not feeling down, even if the garden is sleeping. Those words are from a song from way back that has stuck in my head and comes to mind whenever I look at blue flowers. Blue is rare in flowers, true blue, that is. Peer closely and there’s typically a hint of purple in tiny streaks throughout the petals or concentrated near the centre. I call it catalogue blue where the blueness is promoted with a glossy picture that’s as blue as can be.

However, take a step back and blue flowers will look blue enough. It’s a favourite of many gardeners and well sought after. There are many plants with varying shades from the elusive blue poppy to the blue hydrangea, except the former does not do well in the heat and humidity of southern Ontario while the later will keep its pinkness in our alkaline soil. And still gardeners will take on the challenge to grow them.

An easier one is the popular morning glory called ‘Heavenly Blue’ often seen climbing fences, trellises, and sometimes hydro poles. It can each three metres (ten feet) and it puts out fresh flowers daily from summer to fall.

 I do love blue flowers and I have one blooming right now, indoors, and the flowers are as blue as Homer Simpson’s pants — okay maybe not that shade, and they do have the tiniest hint of purple. It’s not the morning glory although it is in the same family, and commonly known as dwarf morning-glory.

The name is Evolvulus alsinoides, and despite being a distant cousin to the more familiar morning glories, it makes no attempt to climb anything but it might trail a little. The plant is a hybrid from Proven Winners called Evolvulus ‘Blue My Mind’, although there are similar plants from different producers with names like ‘Beach Bum Blue’ or ‘Blue Daze’.

 I grew it outdoors in summer in a planter and I liked it so much I brought it indoors for winter where it’s now happily flowering away. Come spring I’ll return it to the garden because it’s a tender perennial sold as an annual, as are many plants. It has to be growing a few zones to the south to stay alive outside through winter.

 Mine didn’t flower as well outdoors as it has in past years because this summer was cooler and wet. That’s not surprising since this plant loves sun and heat but not the cold. In the wild it grows like a weed in a band of tropical and warm temperate regions around the globe, in habitats ranging from marshland to deserts.

Evolvulus is not a large plant, only growing to a few inches high, and outdoors it will do best alone in a planter where it doesn’t have to compete with more vigorous plants. It loves hot sun and when growing well it can survive for a while should someone forget to water it.

The flowers are much the same shape and colour as the heavenly blue morning glory, but they’re much smaller, about the size of a dime or maybe a nickel — remember real money? The leaves are small, too, greyish green and hairy if you look close enough. You’ll see them when you’re peering closely, trying to spot that bit of purple. If I had favourites (oh no, not me), this one would be high on the list.

Blue, blue, my world is blue — rhymes much better than purple. Paul Mauriat’s ‘Love Is Blue’ was fourth in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest. Darn those ear worms.

Spring is Bouncing About

Finally, I am able to see part of my garden again. Most of the snow has almost left, revealing a very grubby scene. I cleaned up the patio, tidied the shed a little — just enough to be able to get past the doorway. I even did a little pruning when I tentatively approached my climbing rose, snips in hand. We don’t get along. A snip here and there at a couple of wayward canes and I was soon reminded that full combat gear is essential.

Sure, it looks lovely in full bloom, but winter reveals a bad tempered monster fully intent on crushing the arbor. It’s the Jekyll and Hyde of my garden. I have to cut out old, woody branches, plus dead or damaged ones. I try to remove all the weak, stringy shoots, if I can get at them, and I must shorten the healthy ones that are trying to snag my neighbour’s gazebo. The trick is to bend a few healthy canes horizontally to encourage more blooms.

It’s all worthwhile in the end, but it’s rarely a painless process when every thorn is out for blood. They’re only wannabe thorns as technically they’re prickles — outgrowths of the stem surface rather than true thorns. Call em what you like, they’re still nasty, but I’ll forget that come June when the arbor is a mass of pink blooms.

I have other shrubs that need attention and are far less trouble, but I couldn’t get near them until the snow melted. Most shrubs and trees are best pruned while dormant, especially deciduous ones, and right now they’re about to wake up. A little pruning after leaves sprout won’t cause harm, it’s just easier to see what needs trimming — dead, diseased, and wayward branches. They should be cut out, and if the shrub needs shaping at all, now is the time to do it unless it’s a spring flowering shrub.

Here’s the standard reminder: Do not prune spring flowering shrubs until after they’ve finished blooming or you’ll be removing flower buds and it won’t bloom at all.

It’s easy now to check online for pruning requirements of specific plants, but it’s essential to know the species or variety. For instance, I often hear of problems with hydrangeas not blooming. Sometimes it’s due to environmental conditions, but it might just be because someone with a sharp pair of snips and misplaced enthusiasm has lopped off the flower buds.

Mop head, lacecap, and oakleaf species all bloom on old wood, that is, stems that have been on the plant since the previous summer, so prune immediately after blooming (if neccessary), but no later than the end of July.

Paniculata and Annabelle types set flower buds on new growth and can be pruned in fall, winter, or early spring. The so called endless blooming varieties can be pruned almost anytime.

A similar situation exists for clematis. Again, some bloom on old wood, some on new, and some on both old and new, which means there are three different pruning methods. It’s usually noted on the tag, but if that’s long gone, to correctly identify the type, simply observe how and when the flowers appear. 

Fortunately, pruning at the wrong time won’t kill clematis, not when it’s well established. If it’s an out of control, straggly mess and doesn’t flower at all well, it may be worthwhile to have a fresh start by cutting it back severely. This may result in fewer flowers this year but it will recover.

The bottom line for any pruning is 1. Know the plant. 2. Only prune if necessary. 3. Be absolutely sure because you can’t glue branches back on the tree.