Moxie Gardener

Kale seeds ripening.

Here’s a picture of the kale plant that survived our Minnesota winter. As you can see, it’s gone to seed.

I’ve written about this kale several times before.

Here’s the post celebrating its survival over winter.

And here’s an update on its spring growth.

If you look towards the bottom of the flower stems in the picture at left, you’ll see the seed pods already formed. They look like horizontal twigs sticking out the sides of the stems.

What have I learned from this little experiment?

Kale plants will survive winter providing they are adequately covered.

You must remove the mulch in early spring, as soon as the weather begins to get above freezing. Otherwise, the leaves will wilt, become inedible, and the stem will become moldy. The entire plant will die.

Seeds will form and ripen by late spring, in plenty of time to plant for fall harvest.

The experiment will be repeated this year, using seeds that are forming right now.

But this year, I’ll use what I’ve learned.

Next spring, we’ll be eating fresh kale a month before the spring-planted greens are ready.

Dahlias bloom from mid summer until killed by frost.

Dahlias are classified as summer blooming bulbs, but they’re grown from tubers, which are a thick bulbous root, like a potato.

Dahlias are native to Central America and were known to be used by the Aztecs. First sent to Europe in the late 1700′s, they were cross-bred and hybridized by botanists and plant lovers everywhere. By the end of the twentieth century there were nearly 50,000 named varieties.

Plant dahlia tubers in full sun. Plant four inches deep and mix compost into the soil when you bury them. Lay the tubers on their sides with the eyes facing upward.

Mulch with a three to four inch layer of compost, straw, or pine bark. Keep well watered; dahlias like to be moist, but not saturated.

Each tuber will produce many shoots. If you thin them to the strongest four shoots per tuber, the flowers will be bigger, bolder, and more eye-popping.

When the plants are about a foot tall with at least three pairs of leaves, pinch out the tip to encourage the plant to branch out and it will produce even more flowers.

Fertilize once when planting and then again six weeks later with a low nitrogen fertilizer.

Dahlias are only hardy to USDA Zone 8. In zones further north, dahlias must be dug before winter and stored in a frost free area.

After the tops are killed by frost, cut the stems to about two inches high. Dig the tubers with a garden fork. Begin digging a foot from the center of the plant so you don’t pierce the roots with the fork.

Gently remove the dirt from the tubers. Spread them out in a well-ventilated, shaded area to cure for a few days. Then pack each clump of tubers upside down in a well ventilated box or basket. Use slightly damp vermiculite or peat moss to cover the clumps.

Store the tubers at temperatures between 35 and 50 degrees F. Keep them away from drafts, very damp, or very dry conditions. If the roots look shriveled during winter, sprinkle a little water on them and repack.

Divide your dahlia tubers every spring to increase your collection. Cut the tubers so that each piece has at least one shoot growing. Plant these separately and they, too, will multiply.

Dahlias make stunning floral arrangements and they last for a long time as a cut flower.

Garden pinks used to be called gillyflowers.

Pinks are one of the many varieties of dianthus. The species also includes Sweet William, carnation, and China pinks.

I prefer simple garden pinks with their strong scent of cloves. Their dainty flowers are charming and the colors are pleasant without being overpowering.

Garden pinks gave their name to the color. “Pink” is an old word that means to cut jagged edges, just like the edges of their petals. Eventually it came to symbolize the color of their flowers, not the shape.

Dianthus are native to Europe and Asia but have naturalized all over the Northern Hemisphere.

Plant pinks in rich, well-drained soil in full sun. Space plants about 12 inches apart. They are widely available as spring bedding plants, although I’ve had success direct seeding them in early spring. Direct seeded plants will bloom in mid to late July.

Pinks only grow about 12 to 18 inches high and make good edging plants for flower beds. Their foliage stays evergreen and their lance-like leaves contrast nicely with other plants.

Some varieties are annual, some biennial, some perennial. I once planted seeds of an annual garden pink, similar to the photo above. When the growing season was over, they somehow got left in the flower garden and went through winter unprotected.

The following spring they greened-up right away and were blooming by late May. They lived for several years.

But they were labeled annual pinks.

I love it when being a lazy gardener brings an unexpected bonus.

Bridal wreath in full bloom.

Bridal wreath, or spirea, is a spring flowering shrub that has been planted in cities all over the world.

They grow well in almost any soil and once established, tolerate drought and neglect.

Their delicate white flowers on graceful branches bloom dependably every spring.

Plant spring blooming bridal wreath in partial shade. Prune lightly right after the flowers fade. They will bloom next year on wood that grows this year so prune sparingly.

The classic bridal wreath bush is Spirea vanhoutte. This variety has been planted extensively in the United States for a least a hundred years. It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and produces pure white flowers in late May and early June.

Its flowers look like mini-bouquets. For centuries they were twisted around themselves to make a garlands or bouquets for weddings. Its Latin name, Spirea, comes from an old Greek word that means twisted or spiraled.

The bridal wreath in the photo is growing in the yard of an abandoned apartment building. It sits partially in the shade of a maple tree and the grass in the yard is knee high. Yet it is blooming as though it is tended to by a conscientious gardener.

Every garden needs a few plants that are low maintenance.

The flowers on vinca cover up the foliage when they bloom in spring.

Vinca minor is one of the rare plants whose Latin name is used as its common name. Also called creeping Myrtle or periwinkle, vinca is an evergreen perennial ground cover. It blooms in spring with charming purple flowers that cover the plant.

Vinca is native to northern and central Europe and is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 9. In some areas it can be considered invasive.

Vinca prefers to grow in full shade to partial sun. The leaves will fade and the plant will lack luster if grown in full sun.

Planted on a hillside,  vinca will help to prevent erosion. Its roots will cling to the soil and it will crowd out almost all weeds. It will spread out and provide you with purple blooms in spring and evergreen foliage the rest of the year.

Vinca will even grow and thrive under an evergreen tree.

Space vinca transplants about 18 inches apart in rich soil in partial to full shade. Water well the first year after planting and thereafter vinca will take care of itself.

Expect your vinca groundcover to grow and spread into a mat about 2 to 3 feet wide and 6 to 12 inches high.

Folklore tells us that vinca is supposed to inspire love and signify early recollections or pleasures of memory.

What pleasant memories does vinca evoke for you?

Pink lily of the valley found growing in the neighborhood. Thanks to a generous gardener, it's now growing at my house.

Lily of the valley is one of the many sweet-scented, spring-blooming flowers. Its Latin name, convallaria majalis, is derived from the Latin convallis, “valley” and majalis, “May-flowering.” It’s the official birth flower for the month of May.

I happened upon a patch of the less common pink ones (convallaria majalis Rosea) and stopped to take their picture. The gardener saw me and insisted on giving me some for my garden. I’ve planted them in a bed that gets shade for part of the day.

Lilies of the valley prefer a shady location that gets only a few hours of sun each day. They like moist soil but don’t like standing water. Make sure the area you plant them in is well-drained and no water sits there after a rainfall.

Grow lily of the valley from “pips,” which are small bulbets that form underground along the roots. They spread easily and will fill up an area in just a few years.

Plant the pips 4 to 5 inches apart in moist, rich soil. Fertilize with a granular fertilizer in spring and mulch with leaf mold in fall. Other than that, your lilies of the valley will pretty much take care of themselves.

Divide them every five years so they don’t choke each other out. Do this in early autumn. Dig up the entire bed. Cut apart the roots so that there is only one pip per plant. Replant 4 to 5 inches apart in all directions and water well. In late fall, mulch the bed with leaf mold or autumn leaves. Remove the mulch in early spring.

Pick bouquets after the first few “bells” have opened, like the one in the photo. That way, the buds near the top of the flower stem will be more likely to open up in the house.

One small bouquet of lilies of the valley will perfume an entire room. Their charming, petite size blossoms are perfect for small vases set on nightstands or the bathroom vanity.

If you have a large patch and enough patience, you can also dry them to use in potpourri. The dried flowers will hold their scent for many years.