July 2021 Newsletter

‘THE SAGE’-Klein’s Online Newsletter—JULY 2021

Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses

3758 E. Washington Ave.

Madison, WI 53704

608/244-5661 or [email protected]

THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS:

Klein’s Supports Olbrich’s 2021 Home Garden Tour

Our ‘Mad Gardener‘ and ‘Houseplant Help‘ Are Ready for Your Questions

The UW Arboretum Is Named a National Historic Landmark

National Flowers – Facts And Interesting Information

Klein’s Favorite Seed, Bulb & Plant Sources

You Asked about a Hardy Passion Vine

In Defense of Plants Without Press

Plant of the Month: Summer Squash

Klein’s Favorite Cilantro Recipes

Product Spotlight: Plantskydd® Animal Repellents

Notes from Rick’s Garden Journal—From June 2021

—About Safe and Organic Copper Fungicides

—Getting the Biggest Bang from Your Hydrangeas

—An Ode to the Summer Solstice

July in the Garden: A Planner

Gardening Events Around Town

Review Klein’s @: Yelp, Google Reviews or Facebook Reviews

Join Us on Twitter

Follow Us on Facebook

“Gardening is a celebration of chaos, where landscaping is meant to produce an end product—a picture that works in a very scripted way during a very scripted season.” (Jenks Farmer)

KLEIN’S IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE 2021 OLBRICH HOME GARDEN TOUR being held Friday, July 9 and Saturday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $13 for Olbrich members and $15 for the general public, $6 for children ages 6-12.

Olbrich’s 2021 Home Garden Tour features Gardens of Madison’s West Side.

Olbrich’s 2021 Home Garden Tour showcases the skillful stylings of eight private gardens in Madison’s near west side neighborhoods including Fox Ridge, Radio Park, Sunset Village, Glen Oak Hills, Westmorland, and the University Hill Farms historic district.

The delight is in the details and thoughtful plant selections featured in these quiet sanctuaries created by some of Madison’s most notable horticulturists, landscape architects, and garden enthusiasts. Pause by a lush pond filled with colorful koi as a pet tortoise strolls by, or catch some shade under towering century old oaks, a keystone species helping to sustain all forms of life in the garden. Take in the spectacular view of a rolling prairie restoration, the carefully curated garden art complementing famous architecture, or one of the latest garden trends – a low maintenance, chemical free gravel garden, brimming with self-sustaining perennials and pollinators!

The Home Garden Tour provides an invitation for gardeners to share in the rare, the quirky, the beauty, and the conservation opportunities a garden naturally provides.

Advance tickets available for purchase at Olbrich’s lobby.

Tour Day tickets available at a garden site yet to be determined. Check Olbrich’s website for updates.

Garden greeter volunteers will monitor a capacity limit recommended by the homeowner for gardens with limited square footage in order to create a comfortable viewing environment.

Face masks are optional.

Visit www.olbrich.org for more information.

THE MAD GARDENER

“Madison’s Firsthand Source for Expert Gardening Advice”

Ask any of your gardening questions by e-mailing them to us at [email protected]. Klein’s in-house Mad Gardener will e-mail you with an answer as promptly as we can. We’ve also posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.

Sorry, we can only answer those questions pertaining to gardening in Southern Wisconsin and we reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.

KLEIN’S ‘HOUSEPLANT HELP’

You can contact Klein’s in-house indoor plant experts by emailing to Houseplant Help for sound information and advice regarding indoor tropicals, succulents, blooming plants and so much more.

For many years, customers’ indoor plant questions have been directed to Klein’s Mad Gardener (see below). Now you have the opportunity to contact our indoor plant experts directly. We’ve posted a link on our home page and in our contacts for your convenience. Your question might then appear in the “You Asked” feature of our monthly newsletter. If your question is the one selected for our monthly newsletter, you’ll receive a small gift from us at Klein’s.

We reserve the right to leave correspondence unanswered at our discretion. Please allow 2-3 days for a response.

FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS OR GARDEN TOURS that you would like posted on our web site or in our monthly newsletters, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or [email protected]. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison area.

JULY STORE HOURS:

Monday thru Friday : 9:00-6:00

Saturday: 9:00-5:00

Sunday: 10:00-4:00

Open Sunday, July 4: 10:00-4:00

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Throughout July, visit Klein’s and check out our specials on annuals, vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets and containers. Specials and selection change weekly so give us a call for the most up-to-date information at (608) 244-5661 or visit our home page @ www.kleinsfloral.com. We pride ourselves in having the best cared for plants in even the hottest weather and throughout the month we’ll continue to offer a full selection of annuals, perennials and shrubs.

July 4–Independence Day. Special Store Hours: 10:00-4:00. Check out special savings on select items. Selection is excellent and quality remains top notch. Visit our website for current specials. Make Klein’s your first stop en route to any Fourth of July celebration you might have.

July 9 & 10—Olbrich Garden’s 2021 Home Garden Tour. See above for details or visit www.olbrich.org for more information.

July 23–Full Moon

‘THE FLOWER SHOPPE’:

National Flowers – Facts And Interesting Information

Like our own State Flowers (Sept ’18 newsletter @ kleinsfloral.com/2018/09/september-1-2018-newsletter/), National Flowers are symbols representing a country. Some national flowers have cultural or religious roots that go back hundreds or even thousands of years and may or may not have been officially adopted.

Argentina–Ceibo (Erythrina Crista-galli). The flower was adopted on December 2, 1942.

Australia–Golden Wattle (Acacia Pycnantha). September 1 is National Wattle Day

Austria–Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum). The star-like flowers are short living perennials.

Bahamas–Yellow Elder or Yellow Cedar (Tecoma Stans). The flowers bloom in late summer/early fall. We sell this as an annual at Klein’s.

Bangladesh–Water Lily (Nymehaea Nouchali). Bangladesh adopted the flower in 1971.

Belgium–Red Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas). The flower is one of the easiest wildflowers to grow.

Brazil–Cattleya Orchid (Cattleya Labiata). Cattleya orchids are commonly called “corsage orchids” as the blooms are frequently used in corsages due to their exceptional beauty and fragrance.

Canada–Maple Leaf (Acer). Maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees.

China–Plum Blossom (Prunus Mei). Plum Blossoms are the earliest blooms of the year, indicating the start of spring.

Cuba–Butterfly Jasmine (Mariposa). The white Butterfly Jasmine is an endemic Jasmine species.

Denmark–Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum Frutescens). Marguerites produce large, single, daisy-like flowers most of the summer.

Egypt–Lotus (Nymphaea Lotus). The pure white lotus flower, the only plant to fruit and flower simultaneously.

England–Tudor Rose (Rosa). The Tudor Rose is a graphic design created by King Henry VII in 1485, with a red rose laid atop a white one.

Ethiopia–Calla Lily. The flower is a solitary, showy, funnel shaped unfurling spathe.

France–Iris (Iris). Iris flowers have three petals often called the “standards”, and three outer petal-like sepals called the “falls”.

Finland–Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria Majalis). The Lily of the Valley are mostly used in bridal arrangements because of their sweet perfume.

Germany–Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea Cyanus). In Germany, it is custom for an unmarried person to wear this flower in the buttonhole.

Greece–Bear’s Breech (Acanthus Mollis). The fresh or dried flower spikes are used in floral arrangements.

Holland (The Netherlands)–Tulip (Tulipa). Tulip bulbs are a good substitute for onions in cooking.

Hungary–Tulip (Tulipa). Tulip is the common name for between 50 and 150 species of the genus Tulipa in the lily family, Liliaceae.

India–Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera). The lotus is an aquatic perennial.

Iran–Red Rose (Rosa). To make a dark red rose appear blacker, its stem can be put in water that has black ink in it.

Iraq–Rose (Rosa). The rose is said to be originally from Persia and was introduced to the west by Alexander.

Ireland–Shamrock. Shamrock is the common name for several unrelated herbaceous plants with trifoliate leaves.

Japan–Chrysanthemum (Imperial), Cherry Blossom Sakura. The sakura trees are the subject of the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan

Laos–Champa Flower(Calophyllum Inophyllum), also known as Plumeria.. The attractive white flowers are scented and waxy.

Philippines–Sampaguita (Jasminum Sambac). The flower blooms full-year and have white, small, dainty, star-shaped blossoms, which open at night and wilt in less than a day.

Poland–Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas). Corn Poppy or Red Poppy is the wild poppy of agricultural cultivation.

Portugal–Lavender. Used in cooking, the potency of the lavender flowers increase with drying.

Russia–Camomile (Matricaria Recutita). The flower has an aromatic, fruity and floral fragrance.

Scotland–Thistle (Cirsium Altissimum). The thistle flower is a favorite flower among butterflies.

South Africa–Protea (Protea Cynaroides). The King protea is originally from the Cape Town area of South Africa.

South Korea–Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Syriacus). Hibiscus Syriacus are pink-mauve single flowers having a dark magenta eye. The flower is not a rose, but its large exotic blossoms attract hummingbirds and tiny insects.

Spain–Red carnation. The National Flower of Spain is the Red Carnation.

Sweden–Linnea (Linnea Borealis). The flowers are pink, bell-like, very fragrant and grow in pairs.

Switzerland–Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum). The flowers are starfish-like white, wooly blooms.

Turkey–Tulip (Tulipa). Tulips do not grow in the open or in tropical climates as they need cold winters to grow.

Ukraine–Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus). Most flower heads on a field of blooming sunflowers are turned towards the east, the direction of sun rise.

United States of America–Rose (Rosa). The rose was officially adopted on November 20, 1986.

Wales–The Leek & the Daffodil (Narcissus Amaryllidaceae). The Leek and the Daffodil are both emblems of Wales. The national flower of Wales is usually considered to be the Daffodil. However, the Leek has even older associations as a traditional symbol of Wales – possibly because of its colors, white over green that echo the ancient Welsh flag.

Source: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/national-flowers for a more expansive list of countries and their national flowers.

YOU ASKED. . .

I had a beautiful, healthy passionflower vine last summer. It’s against a south facing wall, and I mulched it for the winter, but it didn’t come back this year. What did I do wrong? Susan

Hi Susan,

Of the passion vines, only the Maypop (P. incarnate) is close to being hardy this far north. Though Zone 5 hardy, you’re correct, they need to be in an ideal location, usually as a south facing foundation planting and very close to the south wall of a building with a basement for added radiating heat (rather than a garage wall with no basement, i.e.). That said, yours was planted in the year before a very cold prolonged cold spell in February. It probably hadn’t had time to establish itself before the harsh winter.

Some plants are notoriously hard to get started (clematis and butterfly weed among them). But once established, they are hard to kill. My advice is to be persistent if you feel the location is perfect. It’s best to purchase an established plant, rather than bare root and early in the season so it can establish itself through the summer.

Thanks for your question,

[email protected], houseplanthelp@kleinsfloral.com

DID YOU KNOW. . .

. . . that the University of Wisconsin Arboretum was named a National Historic Landmark?

The National Park Service has designated the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum a National Historic Landmark due to its commitment to conservationist Aldo Leopold’s land ethic, its pioneering work in restoration ecology, and its prominent place in the history of ecological conservation. Established as an outdoor laboratory to study how to restore degraded natural landscapes, the Arboretum hosted Leopold in 1934 at its dedication. In his speech, the noted writer and conservationist stressed that it would be “a reconstructed sample of old Wisconsin, to serve as a benchmark, a starting point, in the long and laborious job of building a permanent and mutually beneficial relationship” between people and the landscape.

Early research and experiments at the Arboretum with local ecosystems have made significant contributions to the development of effective management and restoration practices as well as helped define the field of ecological restoration. “The National Historic Landmark designation provides important recognition of the need for restoration ecology to consider the past, present and future, since protecting ecosystems requires ongoing vigilance,” says Karen Oberhauser, the Arboretum’s director. “Home gardeners can create habitat and provide ecological benefits in their own yards by using plants native to their area and sustainable practices.”

Depression-Era Beginnings

The landmark designation is based upon the period between 1933 and 1966, when the Arboretum conducted notable experiments on fire ecology and the use of prescribed fire, as well as restoration of prairie, savanna, and marsh communities. The final year coincided with the retirement of G. William Longenecker, the first executive director, and the death of Henry Greene, botany department instructor and collection curator of the now Wisconsin State Herbarium. During this influential time period, Curtis Prairie was begun as experimental plots in 1935 and is regarded as the oldest restored prairie in the world. Greene Prairie was hand-planted by Henry Greene over the course of 20 years beginning in 1943. It is considered one of the finest restored prairie examples in the U.S. The landmark designation provides recognition of the importance of the role of ecological restoration to protect ecosystems against invasive species, habitat loss, climate change, and environmental pollutants. The long, uninterrupted period of restoration activities at the Arboretum has allowed for continuous study of the plant and animal communities on the site. Currently, the University of Wisconsin has shared knowledge gained by the program through scientific publications, conferences, and training many students in the ecological, conservation, and restoration fields.

An Educational Resource

As part of its programming, the Arboretum also offers opportunities for homeowners and the community to learn about stewardship, native plants, restoration, pollinator conservation, and ecological relationships through its Wisconsin Native Plant Garden. “Like the Arboretum itself, the Native Plant Garden represents southern Wisconsin’s prairie, savanna, woodland, and wetland communities and demonstrates how gardeners and landowners can foster native plants at home,” says Susan Carpenter, the native plant gardener. “We share sustainable gardening practices, based in restoration principles, to manage native gardens that support plants, food webs, pollinators, and urban wildlife.” The garden, designed by landscape architect Darrel Morrison, was established in 2002. Its four acres include 15 gardens and hundreds of native plant species. It is designed to serve as an introduction to ecological restoration and to demonstrate how to use native plants in the home landscape. In past years, free garden tours are offered April through October, culminating in a native gardening conference in the fall. For more information about current hours and events, visit https://arboretum.wisc.edu.

—Heather Prince, Associate Editor for The American Gardener magazine @ ahsgardening.org

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT—Each month we spotlight some product that we already carry or one that we’ve taken note of and plan to carry in the near future. Likewise, if you would like to see Klein’s to carry a product that we don’t currently, please let us know. Our goal is to be responsive to the marketplace and to our loyal clientele. If a product fits into our profile, we will make every effort to get it into our store. In addition, we may be able to special order an item for you, whether plant or hard good, given enough time.

We’ve had a more-than-average number of complaints about rabbits, deer and other problem animals this season destroying garden plants so we thought it appropriate re-highlight our April Product Spotlight.

Plantskydd®

Animal Repellents

#1 most tested, #1 most effective and #1 longest lasting…Plantskydd® Animal Repellents are the most cost-effective, and environmentally safe animal repellents available.

Plantskydd stimulates a fear-based response which will have: Deer, Elk, Moose, Rabbit, Hares, Voles, Squirrels, Chipmunks, and other herbivores looking to dine somewhere other than your garden, nursery, orchard, or tree plantation.

6 Reasons Plantskydd is the #1 choice of professional growers, landscapers & foresters….

1. PROVEN

Over 30 years, Plantskydd has been proven by independent research to out-last and out-perform all other-repellents— up to 6 months over-winter!

2. EFFECTIVE

Plantskydd emits an odor that animals associate with predator activity, stimulating a fear-based response which results in animals looking elsewhere to dine.

Research has proven odor based repellents are more effective than other repellent systems. Animals avoid plants before they bite – not after!

3. RAIN-RESISTANT

Unlike other repellents, Plantskydd does not require re-application after rain or irrigation and provides the longest lasting over-winter protection of any repellent available.

Plantskydd’s long-term effectiveness is attributable to its tenacity in sticking to plants—even under severe snow/rainfall conditions—up to 6 months over winter, 3-4 months in spring/summer.

4. SAFE

SAFE for use in vegetable gardens, on fruit trees and food crops.

5. CERTIFIED ORGANIC

Plantskydd is the first animal repellent listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for food production.

6. CONVENIENT

Plantskydd comes in 3 FORMULATIONS for maximum effectiveness and user convenience and Klein’s carries all three formulations!

Liquid/Premixed – With a quick application your plants, above 2 feet tall, will be protected all season long.

Granular – With our ready-to-use shaker bag or a spreader (for larger areas), quickly create a perimeter around plants to deter smaller critters. Works complimentary with

Liquid Premix for those extra pesky deer.

Powder Concentrate – To Protect larger areas, simply mix our soluable concentrate into your sprayers.

***AND A BONUS***

Plantskydd has a built in fertilizer (12 N) – leading to bigger, healthier plants.

For interesting and detailed FAQ information visit www.plantskydd.com/prodfaq.html

NOTES FROM MY GARDEN JOURNAL–Tips and Observations from My Own Garden by Rick Halbach

ENTRY: JUNE 10, 2021 (About Safe and Organic Copper Fungicides)

Today I began my weekly regimen of applying copper fungicide to my tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, basil, cucumbers and other fungus-prone garden plants. These weekly applications help prevent blights, mildews and other fungal diseases when used with diligence per the label instructions. I continue applications into mid-August. By then most fruit has been set for the season so I become less concerned about plant shutdown.

About Copper Fungicides

When different formulations of copper are dissolved in water, copper ions are released into solution. These copper ions are toxic to fungi and bacteria because of their ability to destroy proteins in plant tissues. However, because copper can kill all types of plant tissues, the use of copper fungicides carries the risk of injuring foliage and fruit of most crops. Factors contributing to injury include: 1) the amount of actual copper applied, and 2) cold, wet weather (slow drying conditions) that apparently increases the availability of copper ions and, thus, increases the risk of plant injury.

Diseases copper will control: it’s a fungicide/bactericide and will control a wide range of common vegetable diseases including anthracnose (leaf and fruit); early blight and Septoria leaf spot of tomato/potato; bacterial leaf spot of pepper; powdery mildew, downy mildew, angular leaf spot, gummy stem blight of cucurbits. Copper fungicides have shown limited effectiveness in preventing late blight infections.

Products

Bordeaux- copper sulfate (also known as blue vitriol or bluestone) was the original copper fungicide. When this mined material was combined with lime in French vineyards, it became known as Bordeaux mixture.

Fixed copper fungicides: following the discovery and use of Bordeaux mixture, several relatively insoluble copper compounds or fixed coppers were developed. Fixed copper formulations (e.g. tribasic copper sulfate) are available in liquid or dry form and are less injurious to plant tissues than Bordeaux mixture.

—Bonide Liquid Copper Fungicide- 10% Copper Octanoate (Copper soap); 1.8% metallic copper (Klein’s carries Bonide products.)

—Ortho Garden Disease Contro- .08% Copper Soap

—Kocide (dry/flowable or wettable powder)- cupric hydroxide (20-50% metallic copper)

—Ready-to-use (RTU) copper fungicides are also available. Klein’s carries an RTU version from Bonide.

How to use: it is a protectant and must be applied prior to infection. It will not “cure” infections- just prevent new ones. The smaller the particle/droplet size the better. Don’t apply on very hot days and don’t over-apply. Typical rates are 1-3 teaspoons per gallon of water. The dried spray will degrade and needs to be re-applied in 7-10 days. Don’t mix with other pesticides. Cautions: although safe to use with a long storage life, copper can build up in the soil and become a contaminant- use it sparingly. It should be used as a last resort for persistent vegetable diseases.

* * * * *

ENTRY: JUNE 20, 2021 (Getting the Biggest Bang from Your Hydrangeas)

The first of the hydrangeas are going into full bloom right now. That said, hydrangeas are among our most asked about plants because they aren’t blooming properly or at all. The following article appeared in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.

How To Grow Beautiful Hydrangeas Year After Year

Adored for their fluffy pom-pom flowers, these plants are natures cheerleaders, typically thriving throughout Zones 4 to 9. But the various types require unique care for lasting impact. To ensure yours explode with beauty every summer, heed the advice of Ryan McEnaney, communications manager at Bailey’s Nursery, in St. Paul, MN (source of nearly all of Klein’s hydrangeas), and a spokesperson for ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas on snipping, soaking, and feeding them.

Know Your Variety

Most hydrangeas fall into one of three categories: panicle (cone-shaped flowers), smooth (large and snowball-like), or bigleaf (bigger leaves in tighter globes or more open, lacy petals. The first two bloom on new growth; the last one erupts on both new and old (i.e. the prior year’s branches).

Prune Accordingly

As a result, you should avoid pruning bigleafs in the fall to safeguard next year’s blooms. To encourage new growth, come late winter, trim panicle shrubs by about a third, and cut smooth ones down to 12-18 inches tall. Then in late spring, snip bigleafs just above the first green buds that appear. (You can also do both types in the spring if you prefer.)

Water Only As Needed

To determine when that is, stick your finger in the soil up to your second knuckle. If it’s dry, give it a deep drink; if moist, let it be. Overwatering can flood key nutrients and oxygen from the soil.

Nourish Occasionally

Rouse hydrangeas in early spring with a dose of organic fertilizer; McEnaney likes Espoma Flower-Tone (available @ Klein’s). He also suggests feeding a bloom-booster in July—it can especially energize the reblooming types.

* * * * *

ENTRY: JUNE 20, 2021 (An Ode to the Summer Solstice)

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candle-light.

In summer quite the other way

I have to go to bed by day.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

So true…given I’m usually exhausted and usually passed out by 8:30!!

KLEIN’S RECIPES OF THE MONTH—These are a selection of relatively simple recipes chosen by our staff. New recipes appear monthly. Enjoy!!

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is really two herbs in one. The leaves, called cilantro or Chinese parsley, impart a musky, citrus-like (some even say “soapy”) flavor to Mexican, Chinese and Thai cooking. The tiny, round seeds, called coriander, taste of sage and lemon or orange peel, and season many traditional Indian dishes, especially curries.

Coriander roots also have culinary use. In Southeast Asia, they are dug, chopped and added to salty pickled condiments by many kitchen gardeners.

This easy-to-grow herb is rich in vitamins A and C, and also contains iron and calcium. In the garden, coriander flowers attract beneficial insects. At the flowering and fruit-set stage, the plants give off a slightly acrid smell, which is probably why this herb’s botanical name is derived from the Greek word for “bedbug,” which emits a similar color. In mature seeds, this odor vanishes.

Some people find the unique smell and taste of fresh cilantro unpleasant, but those of this opinion are definitely in the minority, because the herb’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. Cilantro enthusiasts eagerly eat the leaves raw, chopped into salsas or salads, and layered onto sandwiches.

Cilantro is essential in Pad Thai — Thailand’s best-known noodle dish — a delicious, spicy-sweet mix of rice noodles, tofu, shrimp or chicken, and eggs, flavored with fish sauce, garlic, chilies and ginger (in addition to cilantro), and topped with peanuts. When used as a topping for rice noodles or in Oriental dipping sauces, cilantro and roasted peanuts often are chopped together.

Down Mexico way, cilantro always brings salsa to life, whether it’s tomato-based, with avocados and beans, or fruit-based, using peaches, mangoes or even apples. For tamer palates, a bit of minced cilantro mixed into equal parts of butter and cream cheese makes a wonderful herb spread. Minced leaves stirred into sour cream make a refreshing accent for chili or other spicy soups. Add cilantro to cooked dishes, such as rice pilafs or beans, at the last minute, to preserve its color and flavor.

Coriander seeds, on the other hand, respond well to heat. When cooking with them, roast the seeds first in a warm, dry pan until you can smell their nutty aroma; the roasting only takes a few minutes, but it produces an absolutely divine scent. Then, coarsely grind or chop the roasted seeds with a heavy knife or a mortar and pestle. A few crushed coriander seeds make a welcome addition to any curry dish and provide an ideal accompaniment to lentils, rice, mushrooms, tomatoes and many other vegetables. Left whole and coated with sugar rather than roasted, the seeds make a dessert-type treat called coriander comfit.

Cilantro grows easily from seeds, or you can buy bunches of fresh cilantro and jars of dried coriander seeds in the produce and spice sections of most supermarkets. Cut stems of cilantro will keep in the refrigerator for several days in a plastic bag (clip off the stem ends and set the sprigs in a glass of water before you slip on the plastic bag). You also can freeze leaves that have been rinsed and patted dry. When frozen, cilantro leaves retain much of their flavor; when dried, leaves lose flavor. Store dry coriander seeds whole, in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place; they will keep for more than a year.

Source: By Barbara Pleasant for Mother Earth News ‘The Original Guide to Living Wisely’ @ www.motherearthnews.com

CILANTRO PEANUT PESTO—This delicious recipe makes enough for 1 lb. thin, spaghetti or linguine-type pasta. It first appeared in Everyday Food in June, 2012.

2 bunches fresh cilantro (set 1/2 cup aside for serving)

2 cloves smashed garlic

2 TBS. fresh ginger

4 TBS. vegetable oil

2 TBS. sesame oil

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. lime zest

4 TBS. lime juice

2 tsp. brown sugar

2/3 cup roasted peanuts, divided

4-5 TBS. soy sauce

16 oz. cooked pasta

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, ginger, oils, pepper flakes, zest, juice sugar and 1/2 cup peanuts. Pulse into a coarse paste. Add the soy sauce and pulse to combine. Toss with the hot, cooked pasta. Roughly chop the remaining peanuts and toss with the pasta along with the reserved chopped cilantro. Serves 8.

TOMATILLO CHIPOTLE SALSA—Serve this unique and wonderful salsa at room temperature with tortilla chips. From Bon Appetit.

1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 small onion, cut into 1/4″ slices

4 unpeeled garlic cloves

3 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced

1/4 cup fresh, packed cilantro

coarse salt

Position an oven rack 6″ from the broiler. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed sheet with foil. Arrange the tomatillos, onion and garlic on the sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until soft and lightly charred, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Peel the garlic and place in a food processor. Add the tomatillos, onion and any juices on the sheet. Add the chipotles and puree until of desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro. Season and serve. Makes 2 cups.

EDAMAME QUINOA SALAD—From Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen, shelled edamame, thawed

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

4 TBS. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the edamame, corn, tomatoes and cilantro. Add the quinoa and toss to combine. Add the lime juice and olive oil. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

GUACAMOLE HUMMUS–An interesting twist from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food.

1 x 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3 cups chopped cilantro

1 clove chopped garlic

1 ripe avocado, coarsely chopped

3 TBS. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. lemon juice

a little water

coarse salt and pepper to taste

tortilla chips

Process together the garbanzos, cilantro, garlic and avocado until finely chopped in a food processor. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream, then the lemon juice and the water 1 TBS. at a time until the mixture is smooth and of desired consistency. Season as desired and serve with chips.

EDAMAME TABOULI WITH PITA—A refreshing summer favorite that appeared in Madison Magazine.

1 bag frozen, shelled edamame

2 bunches fresh parsley

2 bunches fresh cilantro

1 bunch fresh mint

1 small onion, minced

2 cups olive oil

juice of two lemons

salt and pepper

1 cucumber, seeded and minced

pita bread pockets

Combine everything except the oil and cucumber in a food processor. Turn on the processor and slowly drizzle in the oil. Scrape the sides occasionally. Process until of tabouli consistency. In a bowl, fold the cucumber into the mixture. Chill well and serve in pita pockets. Serves 8.

CILANTRO CANAPÉS—An oldie, but goodie from Better Homes & Gardens from November, 2006.

2 cups lightly packed cilantro

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1 jalapeño, seeded and cut up

1 TBS. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger

1/4 cup salted peanuts

1-2 TBS. water

3/4 cup chopped cucumber

5+ quartered cherry tomatoes

about 20 1/4″ thick, toasted baguette slices (to toast: brush with olive oil and broil 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Cool on a rack.)

In a processor, combine the cilantro, mint, jalapeño, juice, sugar and ginger. Process until almost smooth. Add the peanuts and process until combined. Slowly add the water until the mixture reaches a spreading consistency. Spread the mixture onto the bread slices and top with cucumber, tomato and a mint leaf if desired. Makes 20 appetizers.

NATURAL NEWS–

In Defense of Plants Without Press

By Marianne Willburn for The American Gardener magazine @ ahsgardening.org

Each year, new cultivars flood the market with tempting, candy-store names to excite consumers and drive sales. But when there’s only so much space on the racks, beloved species and cultivars that have a proven regional track record but no marketing representation can be sidelined. In time, they may disappear entirely. Marianne Willburn looks at why an act of goodwill between gardeners—sharing treasured regional plants with friends—may actually be an act of resistance against the plant choices being dictated by marketing teams.

NINE YEARS ago, I visited a large nursery in search of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Tokyo Delight.’ I’d seen its exquisite rose-blushed lace-caps at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and I wanted it in my own garden. My search through previous nurseries had been fruit-less. Once again, no luck, so I asked a staff member if he knew where I might find it. “Oh, you don’t want that one,” he said, ignoring my raised eyebrows. “You want Endless Summer®—lots of blooms all season.”

I assured him I didn’t. I was already growing Endless Summer® and the purpose of this particular journey was ‘Tokyo Delight’.

“You’re not going to find it,” he said. “It’s one of the old ones. Maybe online if you’re lucky.” I wasn’t.

Many months later, I was walking through the garden of a friend, whose extensive hydrangea collection happened to include ‘Toyko Delight’. Thanks to her generosity in letting me take cuttings, I now white flowers during the blooming season. By autumn, the lacy flowers dry to deep russet-pink, and although they do not provide an endless summer of bloom, they certainly give me endless interest. I adore them and have subsequently given cuttings to others.

Marketing Magic

Though plants have moved through trends for decades, ‘Tokyo Delight’, like many other wonderful cultivars, is the casualty of an industry increasingly driven by the complexities of plant patenting and the incredible costs to bring a plant to market—and to keep it there, at least until the patent runs out.

The costs of patents are sobering enough, but they pale in comparison with the real money that needs to be spent once that patent is approved.

Eva Monheim, a Philadelphia-area-based horticulturist, educator, and author of the recent book Shrubs & Hedges (Cool Springs Press, 2020), spent several years working with companies to introduce and market new, innovative plants to the public. She recently explained just how complex—and expensive—that marketing process can be.

“Marketing a patented plant successfully in the United States can cost $250,000 or more,” she says, “though having your own PR department can certainly reduce costs. If you’ve paid for a patent that will only last for 20 years, you’ve got to use every bit of that time to get the word out.”

Visual appeal and consumer brand recognition is everything, so marketers start with an ad campaign in garden magazines, websites, and social media platforms, combined with a highly recognizable tag, pot, or signage.

This is why some of the plant tags at your garden centers are plain, while others are clearly branded. Garden centers are carefully regulated (and often spot-checked) to sell only as many patented plants as they have bought, using a specific, purchased tag for each plant, and often, in a specific pot.

Behind the scenes, a massive effort is made to secure third-party endorsements and get that plant in large garden centers nationwide. And as anyone who has ever shopped at a big box store in more than one geographically distinct region knows, this often has little to do with how well a plant is particularly suited to a specific region, and much to do with how well a plant ships, how well it displays on the racks, and the “landscape solutions” it provides.

Though regional managers at these stores often do incorporate some regional choices (for which they should be commended), many plant brands capitalize by marketing to large and lucrative regions of the country.

For instance, I see almost as many “nationalized” hydrangea cultivars in my mother’s big box in the summer-dry foot- hills of the Sierra Nevada as I do in my Mid-Atlantic region, where summer thunderstorms keep vegetation lush and green. Even if a plant is not a great choice for a particular region, people instinctively reach for plants they’ve already heard about—as well as for those that are labeled with the magical word “new.”

The Novelty Factor

“New plants are the lifeblood of our industry,” says Allan Armitage, professor emeritus of horticulture at the University of Georgia in Athens and author of many gardening books. He’s a huge enthusiast of new plants and has introduced many unpatented cultivars himself. If you are one of the millions who has grown ‘Homestead Purple’ verbena and ‘Marguerite’ sweet potato vine (Ipomoea), you have benefited from this plantsman and educator’s desire to “get good plants out to people”—even though he never made royalties on either.

But as much as Armitage values the undeniable improvements made by dedicated breeders to many of our favorite species, he can glimpse the price paid when marketing starts to call the shots. “Imagine a poker table, with a seat at the table for the grower, the independent garden center, the big box, the marketer, the breeder, and the consumer. Who holds the best hand? Who holds the worst?” he asks rhetorically.

In Armitage’s scenario, the big box stores are the big winners. By sheer economies of scale, they significantly affect not only prices, but the genera and species that breeders choose to work with and introduce. Think hydrangea and petunia.

In terms of knowledge, it is consumers who likely hold the worst hand according to Armitage. They are at the mercy of those who will direct them towards the next “big thing,” tell them why they need it, and where they can get it.

But I would add one more losing seat at Armitage’s theoretical table: the dedicated gardener. For where a consumer maintains a landscape, a gardener creates a garden—and is fascinated and challenged by plant relationships, regional nuance, and often, species that might not have a single cultivar upon which to slap a ‘™’.

Landscaping vs. Gardening

There’s another factor also playing a role in the plants gardeners are able to source at our garden centers: the standardizing effect of those “landscape solutions.”

“It’s important to distinguish landscaping from gardening,” says Jenks Farmer, author of the powerful book, Deep Rooted Wisdom, and owner of a specialist Crinum nursery in Columbia, South Carolina. “Gardening is a celebration of chaos,” he says, “where landscaping is meant to produce an end product—a picture that works in a very scripted way during a very scripted season.”

Thus the gardener is not likely to find the elegant and extremely tough late-season daylily ‘Autumn Minaret’ on those coveted racks; but the consumer will find the low-growing and reblooming ‘Ruby Stella’ (PPAF) instead.

‘Autumn Minaret’ was a favorite of the celebrated Southern garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, who adored the stately, seven-foot flowering scapes that rise quietly above surrounding shrubs and bloom late in the season in soft orange tones. Jenks Farmer shares that love, as do I. Those who know of it can still find it online. Yet because it blooms in early fall, is neither compact nor reblooming, and can’t be patented, it is un- likely to fight its way into your local garden center to rub shoulders with “landscape solutions” such as ‘Ruby Stella’ or its still popular sibling ‘Stella de Oro’.

In this way, the great majority of consumers heading down to the big boxes or franchised garden centers are more or less getting what they need from the choices with which they are presented: a prescription for a specific look.

The difficulties of regional microclimates and compatibility are not as important to consumers because they don’t really understand why these factors matter. Consequently, they are most likely to blame themselves when the glorious next-best-thing lavender suffers and melts away in an intensely humid climate. After all, it was for sale, so it must be okay.

Meanwhile the gardener is left wandering aisles for a plant, not necessarily a brand. And once you’ve realized that you’re doomed to be one of those wanderers, you’ve got two ways of navigating that beautiful purgatory, and finding the plants truly worth finding….

Small Specialty Nurseries and Botanical Gardens

For the dedicated and passionate gardener who puts the budgetary category “plants” before those of food and shelter, the most obvious answer is specialty nurseries and gardens that not only grow lesser-known plants, but grow them with specific regional awareness. These small garden centers are dependent on knowledgeable, enthusiastic gardeners and collectors and have found success by not trying to compete on a petunia level in a big box marketplace. Many have learned to harness the power of the digital sphere, which allows a rare erythronium from Washington to find its way to Pennsylvania.

A deep and abiding love of plants is the fuel that drives these entrepreneurs, for the path is rarely a lucrative one. Over the years, many nurseries have disappeared, but gardeners should be heartened by a younger generation taking up the yoke in the pursuit of new houseplants.

Botanical gardens throughout the nation may also provide a similar service. If they have a gift shop, move to the back of the shop —often outside—where small divisions of regional stars from their display gardens may be available. If they don’t, ask at the front desk if plant sales feature during the planting season, and mark your calendar ahead of time.

The Regional Power of Passalongs

For those who live far away from both sources and cannot bear to pay more in shipping costs than they pay the nursery, more digging is necessary. Sometimes literally.

Having spent most of my gardening life entirely without a gardening budget (the luxuries of shelter, children and student loans regretfully taking top priority), I have great sympathy for those who find that their options for interesting and regionally diverse plants at prices they can afford are limited.

Community-sponsored native plant sales have sprung up in many quarters of the United States to answer this need on an indigenous level; but for those who want to explore regionally suited plants with exotic origins, the price tag may deter them.

There are answers for the resourceful, however, including community seed swaps, plant exchanges, garden rescues, and the holding beds of fanatical and generous gardeners after a tour. The more connections the gardener makes with other gardeners, the more opportunities arise—whether for seeds, cuttings, roots, or growing plants.

I strongly believe that sharing or exchanging species and cultivars that do well in our regional gardens with other gardeners is one of the most powerful acts we can perform as gardeners. These transactions keep cultivars extant that otherwise might disappear. It also facilitates sharing plants with those who may not otherwise have the resources to purchase them.

Some of the most beautiful and useful plants in my garden were and are passalongs, either from cuttings or seeds, or a quick sanctioned dip with a shovel after a garden tour. In turn, I have passed them on to other interested gardeners and smiled when I think of them slowly gaining ground in a patented plant world.

And that act goes far beyond mere sentimentality. For instance, I grow Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ in a Tropicanna® Gold world because, ironically, the former sports more gold than green and has a deeper orange blossom. It was shared with me and is worth sharing in turn.

And there are so many others: Garden writer Henry Mitchell’s beloved rose ‘Ginny’, Ruscus aculeatus ‘Elizabeth Lawrence’, Ficus tikoua, Tinantia pringlei, Tagetes patula ‘Cinnabar’, Orostachys spinosa (syn. O. erubescens)—these are just some of my favorites. Some are available online, but sadly some are not. For instance, I have casually searched area gardens for another glimpse (and cutting) of ‘Ginny’ after losing it in a move seven years ago. I have long since given up asking for it in a Knock Out® rose marketplace.

Passalong plants give me hope in a world whose main streets, neighborhoods, and gardens are becoming increasingly standardized. Sharing those plants formally and informally with other passionate gardeners is my small way of keeping good plants growing in gardens across America, and I am thankful for the many carloads of tiny starts, plastic baggies of seeds, and root cuttings that have been sent home with me over the years in turn.

It feels good to be part of the Rebel Alliance. Share a great plant this season and become a rebel too.

(Marianne Willburn is a Virginia-based writer who is a contributor to the GardenRant and TheSmallTownGardener. Her most recent book is Tropical Plants and How to Love Them (Cool Springs Press, 2021)

JULY’S PLANT OF THE MONTH:

Summer Squash

Summer squash (also known as vegetable or Italian marrow), is a tender, warm-season vegetable that can be grown throughout the United States anytime during the warm, frost-free season. Summer squash differs from fall and winter squash in that it is selected to be harvested before the rind hardens and the fruit matures. It grows on bush-type plants that do not spread like the plants of fall and winter squash and pumpkin. A few healthy and well-maintained plants produce abundant yields.

Summer squash appears in many different fruit shapes and colors:

Scallop or Patty Pan is round and flattened like a plate with scalloped edges, usually white but sometimes yellow or green.

Constricted Neck is thinner at the stem end than the blossom end, classified as either “crookneck” or “straightneck” depending on if the stem end is straight or bent, and is usually yellow.

Cylindrical to club-shaped Italian marrows, such as zucchini, cocozelle and caserta, are usually shades of green, but may be yellow or nearly white.

When to Plant

Plant anytime after the danger of frost has passed, from early spring until midsummer. Some gardeners have two main plantings – one for early summer harvest and another for late summer and fall harvest.

Spacing & Depth

Sow two or three seeds 24 to 36 inches apart for single-plant production, or four or five seeds in hills 48 inches apart. Cover one inch deep. When the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to one vigorous plant or no more than two or three plants per hill.

Care

Any well-drained garden soil produces excellent yields of summer squash. Certain mulches increase earliness and yields, because the roots are shallow.

Harvesting

Because summer squash develop very rapidly after pollination, they are often picked when they are too large and overmature. They should be harvested when small and tender for best quality. Most elongated varieties are picked when they are 2 inches or less in diameter and 6 to 8 inches long. Patty Pan types are harvested when they are 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Slightly larger fruit may be salvaged by hollowing out and using them for stuffing. These larger fruits may also be grated for baking in breads and other items. Do not allow summer squash to become large, hard and seedy because they sap strength from the plant that could better be used to produce more young fruit. Pick oversized squash with developed seeds and hard skin and throw them away. Go over the plants every 1 or 2 days. Squash grow rapidly; especially in hot weather and are usually ready to pick within 4 to 8 days after flowering.

Although summer squash has both male and female flowers, only the female flowers produce fruits. Because the fruits are harvested when still immature, they bruise and scratch easily. Handle with care and use immediately after picking. Be careful when picking summer squash, as the leafstalks and stems are prickly and can scratch and irritate unprotected hands and arms. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to harvest and wear gloves if possible. Some gardeners also pick the open male and female blossoms before the fruits develop. Especially the female blossoms, with tiny fruit attached, are a delicacy when dipped in a batter and fried.

Common Problems

Cucumber beetles attack seedlings, vines and both immature and mature fruits. They can be controlled with a suggested insecticide applied weekly either as a spray or dust. Be alert for an infestation of cucumber beetles in early September because these beetles can damage the mature fruits.

Squash bugs attack vines as the fruit begin to set and increase in numbers through the late summer, when they can be quite damaging to maturing fruit. They hatch and travel in groups, which seem to travel in herds until they reach maturity. Using the proper insecticide when the numbers of this pest are still small minimizes damage.

Questions & Answers

Q. Will summer squash cross with winter squash?

Summer squash varieties can cross with one another, with acorn squash and with jack-o’-lantern pumpkins. Cross-pollination is not evident in the current crop, but the seed should not be sown for the following year. Summer squash does not cross with melons or cucumbers.

Selection & Storage

Most people harvest summer squash too late. Like winter squash, summer squash is an edible gourd. Unlike winter squash, it is harvested at the immature stage. Ideally, summer squash should be harvested at 6 to 8 inches in length. Pattypan and scallopini are ready when they measure about 3 to 4 inches in diameter or less. Tiny baby squash are delicious too. Large rock-hard squashes serve a better purpose on the compost heap than in the kitchen.

Cut the squash from the vine using a sharp knife or pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant. Summer squash vines are very prolific, the more harvest the greater the yield. The most important characteristic to remember is that summer squash is best when immature, young and tender.

In this section, summer squash varieties will be limited to zucchini, yellow squash (crooked and straight), pattypan which is also call scalloped and scallopini. Because summer squash is immature, the skin is very thin and susceptible to damage. Handle with care. The average family only needs to plant one or two of each variety. Over planting usually leads to hoards of huge inedible fruit and/or scouring the neighborhood for people to take the surplus.

To store summer squash, harvest small squash and place, unwashed in plastic bags in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Wash the squash just before preparation. As with most vegetables, water droplets promote decay during storage. The storage life of summer squash is brief, so use within two to three days.

Squash Blossoms

Squash blossoms are edible flowers, raw or cooked. Both summer and winter squash blossoms can be battered and fried in a little oil for a wonderful taste sensation. Harvest only the male blossoms unless the goal is to reduce production. Male blossoms are easily distinguished from the female blossoms. The stem of the male blossom is thin and trim. The stem of the female blossom is very thick. At the base of the female flower below the petals is a small bulge, which is the developing squash.

Always leave a few male blossoms on the vine for pollination purposes. There are always many more male flowers than female. Harvest only the male squash blossoms unless you are trying to reduce production. The female blossom can be harvested with a tiny squash growing at the end and used in recipes along with full blossoms. Use the blossom of any variety of summer or winter squash in your favorite squash blossom recipe.

Use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut squash blossoms at midday when the petals are open, leaving one inch of stem. Gently rinse in a pan of cool water and store in ice water in the refrigerator until ready to use. The flowers can be stored for a few hours or up to 1 or 2 days. If you’ve never eaten squash blossoms, you are in for a treat.

Nutritional Value & Health Benefits

Because summer squash is immature, they are considerably lower in nutritional value than their winter counterparts. Generally, there is little variation in nutritional value between varieties. The peel is where many of the nutrients hide, so never peel summer squash.

Source: University Of Illinois Extension @ http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/index.cfm

AROUND TOWN:

For neighborhood events or garden tours that you would like posted in our monthly newsletter, please contact Rick at (608) 244-5661 or [email protected]. Please include all details, i.e. dates, locations, prices, brief description, etc. Events must be garden related and must take place in the Madison vicinity and we must receive your information by the first of the month in which the event takes place for it to appear in that month’s newsletter.

Lodi Art in the Park

Saturday, July 3, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Habermann Park, Lodi (Follow the signs from Main St., Lodi (State Hwy 113) to Fair Street and Habermann Park.)

Featuring fine arts, crafts, music, children’s activities, and great food nestled in the shade of the trees along Spring Creek. Free admission.

Related

Search

Archives

Categories