Rosemary

According to Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet "There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember."   In modern times, it has been rephrased to “Rosemary is for remembrance.”

No one seems to know the exact origin of the idea but since ancient times, it has been used in weddings, funerals and other important ceremonies.

It is native to the Mediterranean and has many uses including culinary, scents and for health.  As a member of the mint family it is related to other herbs including thyme, basil, oregano and even lavender.

Most varieties of this woody perennial are hardy up to USDA zone 8 (where the temperature doesn’t drop below 10 degrees) but some varieties are being developed that are hardy to zone 6 and can survive in zone 5 with protection.

Hardy varieties include Arp, Alcalde Cold Hardy, Madeline Hill and Athens Blue Spire.  There are so many varieties that can be grown in post and there is a choice between upright and prostrate.  The prostrate variety can look lovely in a hanging pot and the upright variety is sometimes used as topiary.

If you are growing it outdoors here in northern NJ it will need a bit of winter care.  Once a hard frost has set, cut it almost to the ground and mulch heavily.  Remove most of the mulch in the spring once new growth has appeared.

If you have a less hardy variety, grow it outdoors in warmer weather and then bring it indoors when it gets cold. 

It can be temperamental so leave it in a pot year-round so you don’t disturb the roots.  Don’t overwater it and don’t let it dry out.  Either condition can kill it. It isn’t fond of direct sunlight either.

Rosemary is susceptible to spittlebugs, aphids and whiteflies, root rot and powdery mildew. Deer tend to ignore it because of its strong fragrance.

This will be a wonderful addition to any indoor or outdoor garden.

Plants Associated with New Year’s Day

In some Central and South American countries, it is traditional to collect flowers – many blue ones – and give them as gifts or toss them in the ocean.  This could include Ageratum Iris, Spider Wort or any wild flowers.

Japan considers placement of pine and bamboo to be good luck if it is arranged in sets of two by the front entrance.  After the New Year arrived, the decorations are burned.

Scotland is the origin of the Burns poem Auld Lang Syne that we use to greet the New Year.  In Scotland it is considered good luck to bring a gift of White Heather to your friends on New Year’s Day.

In The U.S. we celebrate with the Rose Parade where many floats are covered with roses to bring a bright beginning to the New Year.

However you celebrate, have a Wonderful and Prosperous New Year!!

Plants Associated with Christmas

There are quite a few plants associated with the Christmas holiday.  Here is some background on how  it came about

The tradition of kissing under Mistletoe had an odd beginning.  It comes from Norse mythology where Thor’s grandson was in fear of being killed by every living creature.  His parents asked each living object to spare their son, but forgot to ask the Mistletoe.  Unfortunately he was killed by an arrow made from the Mistletoe.  After that, it was hung in doorways to remind us to consider the Mistletoe.  Somehow that evolved into the current tradition.

Rosemary was supposedly used to scent baby Jesus’ clothing in the manger.  It was also sprinkled on the floors of homes during the Middle Ages to ward off evil and bring good luck.

Poinsettias were given to baby Jesus by a poor girl as a gift.  The have gorgeous blooms in winter so it was natural to use as Christmas decoration.

Holly and Ivy were used in early Europe to symbolize eternal life.  Because they are both evergreen, they were often used as decoration in winter and eventually, the association with Christmas became permanent.

Decoration of Evergreen Trees is tribute to Martin Luther who wanted to bring the beauty of the nighttime forest and stars indoors during the holidays.  That tradition has since evolved into today’s elaborate decorations and family fun.

Merry Christmas!

Early Spring Garden in Red, White and Blue

Siberian Squill

As we all know 2020 is an election year so no matter how you vote, why not show your patriotism with a red, white and blue garden?

Start planning now to dig as soon as the ground is soft.  Here are some options.

Red flowers include Dahlia, Poppy and Rose.

For white, think of Crocus, Snow Drops, Spring Snowflake, white Daffodils or Narcissus, white Siberian Squills, Bloodroot, Snowdrop or Anenome.

Round it all out with blue Crocus, Glory of the Snow, Blue Siberian Squills, Grape Hyacinths and Viola.

Some flowers come in all three colors such as Pansies, Hyacinth, Tulip and Iris.

You could even design them as the American Flag.  Have fun!

Your Winter Garden

Hellebore

Now that our first significant snow has fallen in New Jersey, you may think that your garden will be a mass of bare ground and dead plants until next spring.  That doesn’t have to be the case!

Now is the time to start planning for a garden that loos good year-round.

There are some plants that produce flowers late into the start of winter or very early in spring.  Hellebores are frost-resistant and will bloom until a serious freeze settles in your area.  Select an evergreen variety.

Many shrubs produce gorgeous displays of brightly colored berries.  Look for Holly (red or golden berries,) Witch Hazel (red berries.) 

Orange Winterberry Holly

Other shrubs such as ‘Arctic Fire’ Dogwood (not the native Dogwood tree) may lose their leaves, but the remaining twigs and branches are bright red.

There are varieties of the Willow tree that have winter interest.  The ‘Nishiki’ Willow has red branches like the Dogwood mentioned above and the ‘Swizzle Stick’ Willow has a truly interesting profile.

There are plenty of options.  Check with your local landscaper for plants available in your area.

Winter Protection for Your Plants

Some plants need a bit more help to get through winter weather. Protection from wind and cold can help your plant get a healthier start in the spring.

Your objective is to keep your plant from drying out in the low humidity of winter and to reduce effects of wind chill.

The easiest thing to do is to mulch your smaller plants. This adds a protective layer to keep the roots warmer. Regular wood mulch may be too heavy so use something like straw. Note that straw and hay are completely different products. Hay is dried grass and often has seeds attached. If you don’t want random types of grass to appear in the spring, use straw which is typically the stems left over after oats have been harvested. There are no seeds.

Your other option is to burlap-wrap your shrubs. Start by setting four or more stakes in the ground, placing them a few inches away from the foliage. Staple or fasten the end of the burlap to a stake and wrap it around a couple times. Cut and fasten the end. For a bit of extra protection - and to hold the burlap’s shape - fill the burlap with leaves from your trees.

It also helps to fold over the top, but be sure that the burlap is supported enough that a heavy snowfall will not crush your plant.

As an added bonus, the burlap will help protect your shrubs from hungry deer.

In the spring remove the burlap when you are sure that freezing weather has passed. You can leave the stakes in the ground in case there’s a cold snap and you need to put the burlap back for a couple of days.

Stay warm!

Autumn Shadowbox

It’s getting cool out, the leaves are changing and your veggie garden is finished for the season – so now what do you do?  Why not make a fall shadow box?

Unless you’re truly handy, you’ll have to purchase the shadowbox frame or at least a deep picture frame.  I like to include acorns in mine so that frame would need to accommodate something a little thicker.

Gather colored fall leaves, twigs, acorns, etc.  I’ve also included interesting bark – maybe some with lichens growing on it or white birch bark.   My favorite item to add is a milkweed seed pod that’s just opened enough to show a few seeds poking out.

The color in the leaves will fade over time.  Slow down this process by ironing the leaves between sheets of waxed paper.  Be sure to protect the ironing board and iron with a cloth so you’re not putting wax on them.

This is a beautiful wall-hanging and makes a great gift.

Who’s Eating My Garden?

There’s nothing more frustrating than putting a lot of time, effort and expense into a garden only to go outside and find that your plantings have been nibbled, trampled and destroyed.

There are measures that you can take to protect your garden but it helps a lot if you know who the culprit is.

There are a few factors to consider.  Is it happening during the day or night?  Is the damage at ground level or up high?  Are there obstacles that they would have to overcome to get to your plants?

There are many possibilities.  The list includes insects and bugs, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, woodchucks, raccoons, bears, birds and even your neighbor’s pets.

Holes in the center of the leaves indicates insect damage.  Vine borers can kill your squash and cucumbers by chewing on the stem near the roots.  Tomato caterpillars will chew on the leaves along the edge, devastating the plants by eating more each day as it grows.  Beware of these guys – they have a painful bite!  You won’t see the damage from potato borers until you harvest your crop.  They also eat other tubers such as Jerusalem artichokes.

Sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the ground around your plants will keep away bugs that crawl to your plants.  Unfortunately, many come from eggs laid on the plants by flying insects.  Use an appropriate spray or pick off any visible bugs.

It’s hard to block out some of the smaller animals unless you have a fine mesh barrier that has no gaps and that extends underground a bit. Chipmunks and squirrels are climbers and can usually go over any fence unless you have fencing on top.  Rabbits can only hop so high, but woodchucks can climb.  I was amazed to watch one climb a tree to his favorite perch on top of a 12’ tall shed.  Birds will only be deterred if you have a top on your fencing.

Your neighborhood dogs and cats would be more likely to cause damage by digging or laying down on the plants.

Repellant sprays can be effective as well as motion-detecting water sprinkler such as the ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent.  The downside to these is that repellant sprays need to be reapplied frequently and the water sprinkler doesn’t know the difference between animals and people (apologies to my mailman!)

Rabbits and woodchucks leave clean bites where deer tear off foliage.  Raccoons will tear down entire plants to get to a tasty morsel or ear of corn. 

If you don’t want to purchase a game camera, you can sprinkle lime on the ground and then identify the footprints.  The ultimate solution is a sturdy fence.