In the hot weather, outside work continues, although I start earlier (sometimes 7am) so I can finish up by noon and retreat inside during the hottest part of the day. I've been drying lots of culinary herbs - mints, basil, tarragon, thymes, catnip, chamomile, and savory. I'm also drying flowers for use and sale in the shop - lavender is done, along with yarrow, love-in-a-mist seed pods, larkspur and cornflower. Now I'm working on annual statice, showy kent beauty oregano and herrenhausen oregano. These are both wonderful plants -grown not for flavor, but for their pretty flowers.
After perennial flowers have bloomed, it's a good idea to cut them back. After blooming, they often decline in appearance. Cutting them back hard - usually to a few inches above the ground, encourages the emergence of new growth. You'll often see new growth at the base or in the middle of the plant. This indicates the plant will benefit from hard trimming. Some perennials will rebloom later in the season if they are cut back after their first bloom.
Lots of people have been admiring our hollyhocks once they bloomed. They did not reseed particularly well this year. I think many seeds rotted or washed away with last fall's flood. But the ones that did come back are lovely. So many people talk about a relative having hollyhocks in their yards. Most do not remember them having rust. Rust is a fungus disease caused by spores which proliferate in hot, humid weather. Rust and other fungal diseases like powdery mildew must be treated with a fungicide. Remember, it will not remove the fungus on the plant, it will only prevent it from getting worse. In order to have clean plants, you must treat them before you see any signs of rust, and continue through the hot, humid weather.
Starting to see some more, larger butterflies - a couple monarchs, black swallowtails, and red admirals. I saw a monarch feeding on butterfly weed. This is a 'cousin' to wild milkweed and also swamp milkweed, which are host plants for the monarch caterpillars, as well as nectar sources for butterflies.
Our plant sale continues. Lots of good prices! Try a new plant or tuck in another in an empty spot in the garden.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Seasonal Progression
I've always enjoyed the progression of the seasons, so much so that I think I'd have a hard time living in an area that didn't see a seasonal change.
Growing up in Mt. Gretna, PA, it was simple to see the change. Spring brought all the new growth in the woods, new green leaves unfurling and the discovery of all the woodland flowers, like Jack in the pulpit, trailing arbutus and lady's slippers. And the rhododendrons - Wow! Summer was magical with the whole place awakening (this was in the old days when year-round residents were in the minority). Lots of cool green shade and days spent at the lake. Autumn was perhaps the best - beautiful, brilliant foliage and the lovely leaf mold smell. And winter was quiet and white like a blanket had been pulled up around you.
I still love that progression. I think of it in the vegetable garden. How fun to pick the first sugar peas and cook them up. I have a few recipes I pull out to enjoy as soon as they start. Then the small but sweet alpine strawberries. I enjoy them on cereal, but my favorite is to just eat them in the garden, still warm from the sun. Then the wild black raspberries - so sweet. Next, green beans and yellow beans so I can make three bean salad. Then tomatoes to enjoy with all the basil I've grown, and peppers too. I've stopped growing cukes, since I no longer make pickles. And I've never grown squash. There are so many floating around and someone's always looking to give some away.
Lucy loves the garden too. All I have to say is let's go pick sugar peas or beans and off she goes. Strawberries she'll pick by herself and she also loves raspberries and mulberries.
Of course, the flower gardens present the same progression. Early spring starts with bleeding hear, candytuft, columbine and dame's rocket. Close on their heels are big, beautiful oriental poppies and fragrant dianthus. Then, spiky purple catmint and lavender along with pink Jupiter's beard and bright magenta rose campion. Summer brings daylilies, yellow St. John's wort, echinacea, anise hyssop, black-eyed Susans and brilliant blue plumbago. A feast for the eyes!
Growing up in Mt. Gretna, PA, it was simple to see the change. Spring brought all the new growth in the woods, new green leaves unfurling and the discovery of all the woodland flowers, like Jack in the pulpit, trailing arbutus and lady's slippers. And the rhododendrons - Wow! Summer was magical with the whole place awakening (this was in the old days when year-round residents were in the minority). Lots of cool green shade and days spent at the lake. Autumn was perhaps the best - beautiful, brilliant foliage and the lovely leaf mold smell. And winter was quiet and white like a blanket had been pulled up around you.
I still love that progression. I think of it in the vegetable garden. How fun to pick the first sugar peas and cook them up. I have a few recipes I pull out to enjoy as soon as they start. Then the small but sweet alpine strawberries. I enjoy them on cereal, but my favorite is to just eat them in the garden, still warm from the sun. Then the wild black raspberries - so sweet. Next, green beans and yellow beans so I can make three bean salad. Then tomatoes to enjoy with all the basil I've grown, and peppers too. I've stopped growing cukes, since I no longer make pickles. And I've never grown squash. There are so many floating around and someone's always looking to give some away.
Lucy loves the garden too. All I have to say is let's go pick sugar peas or beans and off she goes. Strawberries she'll pick by herself and she also loves raspberries and mulberries.
Of course, the flower gardens present the same progression. Early spring starts with bleeding hear, candytuft, columbine and dame's rocket. Close on their heels are big, beautiful oriental poppies and fragrant dianthus. Then, spiky purple catmint and lavender along with pink Jupiter's beard and bright magenta rose campion. Summer brings daylilies, yellow St. John's wort, echinacea, anise hyssop, black-eyed Susans and brilliant blue plumbago. A feast for the eyes!
Monday, June 18, 2012
So, what's happening now?
With the great start perennials have gotten this year, I've been busy harvesting. I've harvested lavender to dry for bunching and also made lavender wands when it was fresh. Once the little florets open, the bees love it. I let the flowers stand until the bees are done and then cut back the flower stems. Other flowers I've cut and dried include yarrow, lady's mantle, and nigella (love-in-a-mist) seed pods.
Well established perennials can be cut back by half and dried. I've made a couple cuttings from oregano, lemon balm, mints and tarragon. I'm also drying chamomile flowers for tea. Both chamomile and lavender flowers have more oil and flavor than leaves, making them good candidates for tea and culinary use. I'm also drying thyme, although I cut that back by about a third. Generally the woody stemmed herbs are cut back less, since they are slower growing compared to other, more vigorous perennials like mints and oregano.
Make sure your annuals are well established before making large harvests. You can snip to use fresh at any time, but hold off on large cuttings till they are growing well.
I was concerned early on because I hadn't seen many bees, but they are really working the catmint and lavender in the bed in front of the greenhouse. And there are literally dozens and dozens of honeybees enjoying the flowers on the thyme walk. We don't do much work there, so we will not disturb them. On sunny days, it looks like big chunks of thyme are moving because there are so many active bees. I've read that they plant thyme in France to attract bees - certainly seems like it works.
Lots and lots of little butterflies - mostly cabbage whites and other whites, along with a few sulfers. I have seen a few larger species - comma, red admiral, and painted lady - but the larger ones seem more plentiful in mid and late summer. I'm starting to see swallowtail caterpillars on dill, parsley, fennel and rue, so those butterflies will appear shortly.
Our plant sale starts June 23. Perennials are buy 3, get 1 free and annuals are half off. Try a new plant or fill a spot in your garden.
Posted for Kathy.
Well established perennials can be cut back by half and dried. I've made a couple cuttings from oregano, lemon balm, mints and tarragon. I'm also drying chamomile flowers for tea. Both chamomile and lavender flowers have more oil and flavor than leaves, making them good candidates for tea and culinary use. I'm also drying thyme, although I cut that back by about a third. Generally the woody stemmed herbs are cut back less, since they are slower growing compared to other, more vigorous perennials like mints and oregano.
Make sure your annuals are well established before making large harvests. You can snip to use fresh at any time, but hold off on large cuttings till they are growing well.
I was concerned early on because I hadn't seen many bees, but they are really working the catmint and lavender in the bed in front of the greenhouse. And there are literally dozens and dozens of honeybees enjoying the flowers on the thyme walk. We don't do much work there, so we will not disturb them. On sunny days, it looks like big chunks of thyme are moving because there are so many active bees. I've read that they plant thyme in France to attract bees - certainly seems like it works.
Lots and lots of little butterflies - mostly cabbage whites and other whites, along with a few sulfers. I have seen a few larger species - comma, red admiral, and painted lady - but the larger ones seem more plentiful in mid and late summer. I'm starting to see swallowtail caterpillars on dill, parsley, fennel and rue, so those butterflies will appear shortly.
Our plant sale starts June 23. Perennials are buy 3, get 1 free and annuals are half off. Try a new plant or fill a spot in your garden.
Posted for Kathy.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Back after "Spring Break"
I'm back, after a spring break - although it didn't involve any time on a tropical beach! First, a big thank you to everyone who has visited us at the farm or at Landis Valley. We've had a great start to the spring season. It's so nice to see our regular customers returning and often bringing their friends and relatives. It's also great to meet new customers who are referred by a friend, or see our ad or find out about us online. With so much going on in the spring, and many places to shop, we appreciate our customers' loyalty and friendship.
Landis Valley 2012 was great. The weather was good both days and although the intrepid plant people turn out no matter what the weather, the crowds are better when the weather cooperates. We have regulars who return each year at LV too. This year, we sold 81 flats of plants!
In addition to helping customers and maintaining plants, we've been busy outside too. We've gotten all the gardens planted with our new helper, Jon. With regular rainfall, all the established perennials were very lush this spring. Our annuals have been in long enough to take hold, so with rain continuing, everything should grow well. We have been having rabbit problems this year. They seem to be more plentiful this year - maybe more survived the mild winter. After planting, we noticed parsley and cutting celery had been chewed off, along with a few flowers. I think most will recover. At least we haven't had groundhog troubles yet - knock wood.
With the early burst of mild weather, things got off to a quick start this year. Lilacs in April, peonies at Mother's Day, lavender blooming in May and I just noticed the St. John's wort starting to bloom with its pretty yellow flowers. That's a couple weeks early - the plant gets its name from the feast of St. John, at the end of June, which is its usual bloom time.
The greenhouse and herb shop remain open 5 days a week through the summer - Tuesday through Saturday, 9 to 5. We're open till 7pm on Wednesday evenings through June. Plant sale begins June 23!
Posted for Kathy
Landis Valley 2012 was great. The weather was good both days and although the intrepid plant people turn out no matter what the weather, the crowds are better when the weather cooperates. We have regulars who return each year at LV too. This year, we sold 81 flats of plants!
In addition to helping customers and maintaining plants, we've been busy outside too. We've gotten all the gardens planted with our new helper, Jon. With regular rainfall, all the established perennials were very lush this spring. Our annuals have been in long enough to take hold, so with rain continuing, everything should grow well. We have been having rabbit problems this year. They seem to be more plentiful this year - maybe more survived the mild winter. After planting, we noticed parsley and cutting celery had been chewed off, along with a few flowers. I think most will recover. At least we haven't had groundhog troubles yet - knock wood.
With the early burst of mild weather, things got off to a quick start this year. Lilacs in April, peonies at Mother's Day, lavender blooming in May and I just noticed the St. John's wort starting to bloom with its pretty yellow flowers. That's a couple weeks early - the plant gets its name from the feast of St. John, at the end of June, which is its usual bloom time.
The greenhouse and herb shop remain open 5 days a week through the summer - Tuesday through Saturday, 9 to 5. We're open till 7pm on Wednesday evenings through June. Plant sale begins June 23!
Posted for Kathy
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
What flowers are good to dry?
The easiest flowers to air dry are those with a papery feel even while growing. Globe amaranth has clover- like flowers in a mix of purple, pink and white and also a red form. Both kinds work well in wreaths and arrangements.
Celosia has either spike or large crested flowers usually in rich colors. We offer two types of yarrow suitable for drying—gold, which adds a bright note to arrangements and ‘The Pearl’ with small clear white flowers excellent as filler.
Annual statice in rose, white, lavender and dark blue is versatile and holds its color very well over time. Fragrant choices include lavender and sweet annie (excellent for wreath bases). Other plants worth drying include eucalyptus and euphorbia (foliage), love-in-a-mist (seedpods), mexican bush sage, kent beauty oregano, zinnia, bells of Ireland, love-lies-bleeding, emilia, cornflower and bee balm (flowers).
Join us for our spring open house Friday and Saturday, April 27 & 28 from 9 to 5. Plant specials, herbal refreshments, prize drawings.
Celosia has either spike or large crested flowers usually in rich colors. We offer two types of yarrow suitable for drying—gold, which adds a bright note to arrangements and ‘The Pearl’ with small clear white flowers excellent as filler.
Annual statice in rose, white, lavender and dark blue is versatile and holds its color very well over time. Fragrant choices include lavender and sweet annie (excellent for wreath bases). Other plants worth drying include eucalyptus and euphorbia (foliage), love-in-a-mist (seedpods), mexican bush sage, kent beauty oregano, zinnia, bells of Ireland, love-lies-bleeding, emilia, cornflower and bee balm (flowers).
Join us for our spring open house Friday and Saturday, April 27 & 28 from 9 to 5. Plant specials, herbal refreshments, prize drawings.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
GARDEN NOTES
The herb of the year for 2012 is rose. With hundreds of varieties, plus colors, fragrances and herbal uses, this is certain to be a popular choice.
The attractions of roses are numerous. Climbing roses can cover pergolas or arbors. Beautiful, fragrant roses are the ultimate cut flowers. Their scent can be found in hundreds of fragrant products. Even their hips are ornamental and useful.
Updating new plants from last season:
Achillea: ‘The Pearl’ – A perennial blooming the first year with small, white baby’s breath like flowers, but with the growing ease of yarrow. Flowers are great dried or with cut flowers as airy filler.
Anemone ‘Robustissima’ – A beautiful complement to the white form. Single pink flowers bloom late summer and fall. Produces a clump which increases in size each year.
Basil ‘Thai Magic’ – Attractive and vigorous basil with licorice scent favored in eastern cooking. Attractive purple flower spikes.
The attractions of roses are numerous. Climbing roses can cover pergolas or arbors. Beautiful, fragrant roses are the ultimate cut flowers. Their scent can be found in hundreds of fragrant products. Even their hips are ornamental and useful.
Updating new plants from last season:
Achillea: ‘The Pearl’ – A perennial blooming the first year with small, white baby’s breath like flowers, but with the growing ease of yarrow. Flowers are great dried or with cut flowers as airy filler.
Anemone ‘Robustissima’ – A beautiful complement to the white form. Single pink flowers bloom late summer and fall. Produces a clump which increases in size each year.
Basil ‘Thai Magic’ – Attractive and vigorous basil with licorice scent favored in eastern cooking. Attractive purple flower spikes.
Friday, April 6, 2012
PLANTS FOR SHADE
Several times each year customers lament, “I can’t grow that, my yard has too much shade.” Starting with a new landscape usually means full sun, making homeowners anxious to plant trees to provide much needed shade. Years pass, trees grow and grow and soon that nice sunny yard is enveloped in shade.
If you have a young landscape and wish to grow herbs, vegetables, roses or sun loving ornamentals, dedicate a portion of your yard to full sun growing. Plant trees and large shrubs far enough away to ensure that this area will receive 6-8 hours of sun per day.
Having a shady yard doesn’t mean having a plain or unattractive yard. There are ornamental, shade-loving plants—some flowering, some fragrant, some with great foliage—but not as many as in the sun loving group. For early spring color, think about bulbs. Most flower before trees leaf out, so they can work in shady areas. Some herbs, like parsley, mints, chervil, cutting celery, feverfew, burnet, tarragon and lovage, will tolerate part shade. If you plant sun loving herbs in containers and move them to follow the sun, even basil, thyme, rosemary and sage can thrive. Remember to fertilize container herbs regularly throughout the growing season. Here are some outstanding ornamental plants for shade:
Bleeding heart – A popular throwback to Grandma’s garden, blooming in early spring with heart-shaped pink blossoms on arching sprays over dark green foliage. Dies back in summer.
Sweet cicely – An herb that prefers shade. Finely cut fern-like foliage with a flat-headed white flower and licorice scent.
Foamflower – Beautiful, dark-marked leaves and pink-white flower spikes in spring. Good coverage for a woodland setting without being invasive.
Foxglove – Foliage only in year one and tall, stately flowers in a spike year two. Allow to reseed for yearly bloom. All parts toxic.
Lady’s mantle – Beautiful scalloped foliage in a mound, with airy yellow-green flowers similar to baby’s breath. Good cut flower filler.
Nicotiana – A reliably reseeding annual with tubular, white flowers, fragrant at night. Plant near a seating area used in the evening.
Sweet woodruff – A shade loving herbal groundcover. Whorls of leaves topped in early spring by small white flowers. Flowers used to flavor May wine.
Anemone – Late season standout, pink or white blooms similar to a single rose on tall, wiry stem. Nice cut flower.
More shade lovers – irish moss, dame’s rocket, angelica, lily-of-the-valley, columbine and forget-me-not.
If you have a young landscape and wish to grow herbs, vegetables, roses or sun loving ornamentals, dedicate a portion of your yard to full sun growing. Plant trees and large shrubs far enough away to ensure that this area will receive 6-8 hours of sun per day.
Having a shady yard doesn’t mean having a plain or unattractive yard. There are ornamental, shade-loving plants—some flowering, some fragrant, some with great foliage—but not as many as in the sun loving group. For early spring color, think about bulbs. Most flower before trees leaf out, so they can work in shady areas. Some herbs, like parsley, mints, chervil, cutting celery, feverfew, burnet, tarragon and lovage, will tolerate part shade. If you plant sun loving herbs in containers and move them to follow the sun, even basil, thyme, rosemary and sage can thrive. Remember to fertilize container herbs regularly throughout the growing season. Here are some outstanding ornamental plants for shade:
Bleeding heart – A popular throwback to Grandma’s garden, blooming in early spring with heart-shaped pink blossoms on arching sprays over dark green foliage. Dies back in summer.
Sweet cicely – An herb that prefers shade. Finely cut fern-like foliage with a flat-headed white flower and licorice scent.
Foamflower – Beautiful, dark-marked leaves and pink-white flower spikes in spring. Good coverage for a woodland setting without being invasive.
Foxglove – Foliage only in year one and tall, stately flowers in a spike year two. Allow to reseed for yearly bloom. All parts toxic.
Lady’s mantle – Beautiful scalloped foliage in a mound, with airy yellow-green flowers similar to baby’s breath. Good cut flower filler.
Nicotiana – A reliably reseeding annual with tubular, white flowers, fragrant at night. Plant near a seating area used in the evening.
Sweet woodruff – A shade loving herbal groundcover. Whorls of leaves topped in early spring by small white flowers. Flowers used to flavor May wine.
Anemone – Late season standout, pink or white blooms similar to a single rose on tall, wiry stem. Nice cut flower.
More shade lovers – irish moss, dame’s rocket, angelica, lily-of-the-valley, columbine and forget-me-not.
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