Moxie Gardener

I’ve been gardening for a long time.  I have to admit, though, that my record at keeping a garden journal is not good. I start out with good intentions (who doesn’t?), but somehow the record keeping aspect of gardening gets lost among the many chores of spring.  Then it’s summer and time to deal with the harvest, not to mention weeding.  Somehow my garden records end up being nothing more than a quick drawing of the beds with notations of what was planted where.

I have some rather detailed records of planting, growth, and harvesting in the form of garden journals, but only for two years in the 1990′s.  I have accumulated most of my gardening knowledge in my head.  I know now that this is a mistake.

This year I’m resolving to keep a journal of my gardening activities.  At the very least, I will record planting, germination, and harvest dates, along with specific varieties.  In the past, I’ve relied on the seed packages to keep track of the varieties.  This has had only limited success.

Because of logistics, I’ll be recording my garden stats in a hand-written journal.  If I break my leg or find myself with extra time on my hands, maybe I’ll transfer the data to a database.

The important thing is to record the stats.  You’ll probably be reading about it here.

Seed catalogs arrive earlier every year--no complaints.

A couple of seed catalogs came in the mail yesterday and another one came today.  I dug out the ones that arrived last week.  It seems to me that seed catalogs are arriving earlier than ever.

Seed catalogs used to come in January—something to look forward to after the holidays during the long, cold, dark days of winter.

I love seed catalogs.  They’re full of pictures and descriptions of seeds and plants, but they’re also full of possibilities.  And hope.  Hope is what gardeners need when the ground is frozen and the garden is covered with snow.

Seed catalogs have seen me through January, February and March with a minimum of “green thumb” withdrawal.  Before the Internet, they were the best source for information on growing plants, not to mention the place to find out about new varieties and their cultivation.

I’m glad seed companies continue to produce seed catalogs.  As much as I love the online environment, there’s something about the physical pages of seed catalogs that I find comforting.  I can write notes on the pages and compare offerings from several companies at once.

I know, I know, you can do all that online.  It’s not the same.  I can curl up with a catalog or two; much as I’ve tried, “curling up” with my laptop just isn’t happening.

Forgive my “low tech” comforts.

Garlic Chive seedlings satisfy my need to grow something this winter.

There is no winter garden in Minneapolis.  Nothing that is actually growing, anyway.  The ground is frozen solid, covered with several inches of snow and probably will be for another three months.

In fall when the days get shorter, I always mourn the end of the gardening season.  Somehow, I find myself going through the phases of grief, grieving for the loss of the actively growing landscape.

After the steamy nights of summer, the cool nights of fall are a shock.  Then, the warm days of fall lull me into a false sense of security.  Winter will not come this year.  Or if it does, it will be mild, mild, mild.  A severe state of “cold-weather denial,” plain and simple.

Each morning I ask for one more frost-free day.  So many crops near maturity.  Just a few more anomalous summer-like fall days.  I promise to be good, if only we have a few more hot, sunny days.

As the autumn cool-weather crops come into their peak of flavor, I feel a little guilty about wanting hot summer weather to continue.  Honestly, are we not sick of zucchini and eggplant?

When the first frost hits, I always feel a little anger at the loss of so many flowers everywhere in the city.  Why can’t their owners cover them?  We could enjoy them for a few more weeks of warm autumn days, if only they’d been protected from that early frost….

As the falling leaves pile up in my garden and make their presence known with my every movement, I feel a sense of unhappiness, even depression, at the loss of my garden.  The lush vibrancy it had this summer is no more.

Depression gives way to resignation as I realize that even the cool weather crops have stopped actively growing.

Finally, I accept the end of this year’s gardening season, but only after the ground freezes solid and snow covers my garden.

For the next three to four months, all growing is done indoors, preferably under lights.  This year the houseplants and overwintering Rosemary and parsley weren’t enough.  I planted seeds.  Garlic chive seeds, gathered from my garden in September.

They’ve already germinated and are doing quite nicely under my fluorescent lights.  I expect to snip off enough to sprinkle on a salad or soup in about two or three weeks.

I grow food because I can’t not grow food.  Even in December in Minneapolis.

Star of Bethlehem

When you think of seasonal Christmas plants what comes to mind?  Certainly not the Star of Bethlehem.  These hardy perennial bulbs, with their star-shaped white flowers and lance-like leaves, are a stunning addition to your Christmas decor.

Commonly called “Star of Bethlehem,” its Latin name is Ornithogalum arabicum, a member of the Hyacinthaceae family.  Star of Bethlehem is native to southern Europe and is hardy in Zones 4 through 10.  Star of Bethlehem grows 6 to 12 inches high and will do well in either sun or partial shade.

Like most other cold-hardy bulbs, Star of Bethlehem blooms in late spring from bulbs planted the previous fall.  The flowers last nearly two weeks and the foliage withers away by mid-summer.

Plant bulbs of Star of Bethlehem at a depth equal to three times their diameter, just like other spring blooming bulbs.

To force bulbs for bloom at Christmas, pot up in early-September.  Water well and store in darkness at a temperature of 35 to 50 degrees F. for 12 to 16 weeks.  In early December, move to a spot with indirect sunlight at a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees F.  When the shoots turn green, expose to a comfortable room temperature (68 to 70 degrees F.) and more direct sunlight.  Rotate the pots so all receive equal amounts of light.  The buds will appear in 3 to 4 weeks.  When buds appear, move to more indirect light to prolong length of bloom.

Star of Bethlehem is a refreshing change from traditional blooming holiday plants.

Poinsettias

In America, no other blooming plant says Christmas like the poinsettia.  First introduced to the United States from Mexico in 1828, it is as much a part of Christmas as the tree itself.

In its native habitat in Mexico, poinsettias, or Euphorbia pulcherrima, reach the size of shrubs or small trees.

Poinsettias thrive indoors at comfortable room temperatures with bright indirect light.  Kept in these conditions and well watered, Christmas poinsettias can continue to look spectacular long past the new year.

It is possible to get your poinsettia to bloom again next Christmas, although it requires consistent attention (as in every day) for about six weeks in fall.  Ready to make the commitment?  Below are the steps to take to make your poinsettia bloom again next Christmas:

1. For the rest of the winter, keep your poinsettia in bright light and water when the surface of the soil feels dry.
2. Put your poinsettia outside in the shade for the summer, at the same time you move your houseplants outside.
3. It is a good idea to repot the poinsettia in a pot only slightly larger than the one in which it is growing, using indoor potting soil.
4. Prune the end of each branch to just above a leaf node.  This will cause the poinsettia to branch out and form a more lush plant.
5. Beginning in mid-September, the plant must receive twelve hours of complete darkness every night for at least six weeks.  Complete darkness.  The light from a city street light will cause the poinsettia to fail to bloom.  The best way to provide complete darkness is to put the plant in a closet or cover with a light proof box every night for at least twelve hours. During the day, put your poinsettia in bright, indirect light at comfortable room temperatures.  Also, cut down on the amount of water you give the plant during this time, but not so much that the leaves wilt.
6. At the end of October, or after about six weeks of total nighttime darkness, you should notice buds swelling at the tips of the branches.  You can now grow your poinsettia in normal indoor conditions, along with your other houseplants.  The buds will open to reveal tiny yellow flowers, and the red-colored bracts, which are actually leaves, will slowly emerge.

That’s it.  Not terribly difficult, but it does require dedication during those six weeks of nighttime darkness.  Why not give a try to cultivating your poinsettia to bloom again next Christmas?

Christmas Cactus

Seasonal plants, especially Christmas seasonal plants, are often thought of as “disposable.”  Not so the Christmas Cactus.  This plant is so long-lived that specimens often out-live their custodial gardeners.

Commonly called a “cactus,” Schumbergeras are actually an “epiphyte,” a plant that grows on other plants, much like orchids.  In their native jungles of Central and South America, Christmas cacti are often found growing in the forks of tree limbs in decayed leaves along with other natural debris caught there.

Schumbergera is the Latin name for the Christmas cactus, although it was formerly classified as Zygocactus.

When you get your Christmas Cactus home put it in bright light and keep away from drafts and temperature fluctuations.  Do not put your Christmas Cactus near a door that opens to the outside.

Don’t over water, but don’t let the soil dry out.  Either one of these conditions will cause your cactus to drop its flower buds.  Water when the soil in the top inch feels dry to the touch.  Do not allow your Christmas Cactus to sit in the water which drains into the saucer beneath its pot.

Christmas Cactus live for many years, as long as you provide the proper growing conditions.  About a month after it finishes flowering, prune your cactus (if desired for shape or size).  They do best when crowded in their containers so only repot every three years at the most.  The best time of year to repot Christmas Cactus is February through April.

When the weather warms up, move your cactus outside to a shady spot, similar to where you would summer your houseplants.  In September and October, grow in a room at about 50 degrees F.  Provide bright, indirect light during the day and total darkness at night.  Cover the plant with a box or place in a closet.  The plant must experience twelve hours of total darkness every night for six to eight weeks in order for flower buds to form.

Water sparingly during this time, but do not allow the soil to completely dry out.  Fertilize in late October or early November with a low nitrogen (first number) fertilizer.

Sudden changes in temperature, light levels, or moisture levels will cause Christmas Cactus to drop its buds.  Christmas cactus can also drop its buds if its soil dries out completely.

Christmas Cactus will re-bloom for you if you provide the right conditions for flower bud formation during autumn.  The rest of the year it makes a stunning hanging plant to add interest to your indoor garden.  It will likely outlast you and your houseplants.