Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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Author: Mike Darcy

Mike lives and gardens in a suburb of Portland, Oregon where he has resided since 1969. He grew in up Tucson, Arizona where he worked at a small retail nursery during his high school and college years. He received his formal education at the University of Arizona where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture, and though he values his formal education, he values his field-experience more. It is hard to beat the ‘hands on’ experience of actually gardening, visiting gardens, and sharing information with other gardeners. Mike has been involved with gardening communications throughout his adult life. In addition to garden writing, he has done television gardening shows in Portland, and for over 30 years he hosted a Saturday radio talk show in Portland. Now he writes, speaks, gardens and continues to share his love of gardening. To be connected to the gardening industry is a bonus in life for Mike. He has found gardeners to be among the friendliest and most caring, generous people. Consequently, many of his friends he has met through gardening.

Pruning Shrub Roses in Spring

Pruning shrub roses in spring…exactly what does it mean when a rose is called a ‘shrub rose’? In Taylor’s Dictionary for Gardeners a shrub is defined as “A woody plant that is shorter than a tree and usually has several stems that branch from the base”. This definition would certainly fit many rose types, like floribunda (shrub rose crosses between polyantha and hybrid teas roses.), grandiflora (shrub rose crosses between hybrid tea and floribunda roses), rugosa (Rosa rugosa), musk rose (Rosa moschata), or other species shrub roses.

Putting the word ‘shrub’ in front of the word rose has several different connotations. On the Royal Horticulture Society website, they describe shrub roses as flowering just once in the summer and requiring little formal pruning, which is not true for contemporary, ever-blooming shrub roses. As I continued reading their website, I realized they were using the term “shrub rose” to denote what we would call old garden and species roses, (hybrid musk, damask, moss rose, gallica, etc.).

Modern Shrub Roses

Pink Double Knock Out® is one of several roses in the series. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Most gardeners that I know would refer to a shrub rose as one that is bushy, has smaller flowers, masses of blooms, and requires very little maintenance. These are the roses that, here in Portland, we would see along the freeways with flowers that almost cover the shrub throughout the summer. These roses are also often used in commercial parking lots, and some homeowners use them as a mass planting in the front of their home in the space between the curb and the sidewalk.

One of the most popular of the shrub roses are those in the Knock Out® series, developed by Star Roses®. Introduced in 2000, the original Knock Out® is now the most widely sold rose in the United States. This ever-blooming shrub rose has rosy pink flowers, but new selections have been developed with flowers of pink, white, and yellow. It is a very vigorous shrub and is black spot resistant which has made it a favorite of Pacific Northwest gardeners. In my own garden, I have a grouping of Knock Out® roses and they provide a bright spot of color all summer and I have never seen a sign of black spot.

Peach Drift® is one of many shrub roses in the Meilland group of roses. (Images by Jessie Keith)

These are not the only shrub roses on the market, though. Many more, featuring more refined blooms are available through vendors, such as David Austin English Roses. Many of these choice shrub roses are award-winning and selected for disease resistance as well as their voluptuous blooms with great fragrance.

Another recommended group are the popular French Meilland® landscape roses, which are available as a groundcover, bush, or larger shrub roses and feature numerous flowers all season long. They are available in lots of colors and are also markedly disease resistant and low maintenance.

Pruning Shrub Roses

These hard-pruned Knock Out® shrub roses will look full and flowered by summer.

Before doing any rose pruning you’ll need sharp pruning shears or loppers and a pair of thick rose gloves with gauntlet cuffs that resist thorns. I also think it is a good idea to wear safety glasses. The months of February or March are ideal for pruning shrub roses. It is easier to make cuts when the foliage is absent and pests and diseases are yet to be a problem.

When pruning shrub roses, I go back to the Royal Horticulture Society and their web article about shrub-rose pruning where they suggest “little formal pruning.” This is largely because older shrub rose varieties bloom on old wood, but newer shrub roses bloom on new wood, and seasonal pruning can keep their height in check while helping them look tidier.

Thin out smaller branches to open up the bush to more light and air circulation.

When you think of pruning Knock Outs®, these are the freeway roses that maintenance crews prune with power hedge shears! While I would not suggest that sort of extreme pruning for a homeowner, this does give an indication of how receptive they are to rough pruning. Home gardeners will see desired results if they cut shrub roses back just below the final desired height and width; well-established roses will branch out far beyond the cuts you make. Then prune out any dead, diseased, or broken branches, and thin out smaller branches to open up the bush to more light and air circulation. large, old shrubs can be renewal pruned back to 18 inches if they grow far beyond their boundaries.

My Favorite Shrub Rose

Rosa glauca is a species shrub rose with blue-green leaves and single roses. (Image by Rich Baer)

One larger shrub rose that I particularly like, is a species rose called Rosa glauca. This tall-growing shrub reaches 7-8 feet tall in my garden. It is a once-blooming rose with single pink flowers followed by red hips, however, another feature of this rose is the bluish color of the leaves. This is a beautiful background plant; even without flowers, the foliage looks good all summer. Each year I prune my plant to about half its height in March.

Do not be bashful about pruning your shrub roses. They are quite resilient and any cutting mistakes you make in March will probably not be evident by June.

I hope you, the readers of this Black Gold article, also have had an opportunity to see my Black Gold video on pruning hybrid tea roses.

A well-pruned shrub rose looks better all through the season.

Eight Best Flowering House Plants

Moth orchids are one of the easiest orchids to grow!

House plants have made a resurgence in popularity over the past several years and the trend shows no signs of diminishing.  On a recent visit to a large Portland garden center that had just finished their annual January house plant sale, the manager told me it was the best one they have ever had. By the end of the first weekend, they were almost sold out.  Throughout the sale, restocking was continuous.

Some customers buy house plants for the flowers and others buy them for the foliage.  Of course, it is a bonus if you can have both flowers and attractive foliage. Also, many flowering house plants bloom in winter when color is most desired.

Like any plant, whether grown indoors or outdoors, good soil is essential.  Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix is an ideal potting mix for most indoor plants, except for orchids where orchid bark is recommended for epiphytic (tree-dwelling) orchids and Black Gold Orchid Mix is recommended for terrestrial (ground dwelling) orchids.

Flowering Kalanchoe

Flowering Kalanchoe

You will love the bright and colorful flowers of flowering kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana). You may not recognize this popular house plant by the name, but once you see it, you will know it.  Its succulent green leaves sometimes have scalloped edges that make this plant attractive, even without flowers.  And, its small, brightly colored blooms of pink, orange, red, or yellow appear in clusters above the leaves.

Clivia

Clivia

Clivia (Clivia miniata) is a member of the amaryllis family and produces clusters of large, orange, funnel-shaped flowers.  Sometimes Clivia may have yellow flowers but orange is the most common.  The strap-shaped leaves can be up to 2 feet long and are usually about 2 inches wide and very dark green.  Clivia will bloom best if the roots are crowded in the pot.

Bird of Paradise

Bird-of-Paradise

For large pots try the 5- to 7-foot bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia reginae). It is like Clivia in that it blooms best with crowded roots.  It is named for its large, unusual flowers that look much like the head of a crested bird. The primarily orange flowers have highlights of blue and magenta and appear on long stems, making them excellent for cutting. (The cut flowers last a long time in the vase.) It’s bold, tropical leaves are dark green, often with a blue-green tint.  Fertilize this one often.

Dwarf Citrus

Chinotto sour orange

Dwarf citrus trees come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are popular because their flowers are so fragrant.  If they actually set fruit, that is an added bonus.  For a ‘starter’ citrus, I would suggest the Meyer lemon (Citrus limon ‘Meyer’) as it seems to adapt to being indoors better than some others.  Another one to try is Chinotto sour orange (Citrus x aurantium ‘Chinotto’), which is compact, grows slowly, and bears clusters of sour orange fruits.

Citrus of all kinds do require plenty of light or they will get very leggy.  Take them outside in the summer, and clean them up before you bring them indoors in fall, (Click here to learn how to clean house plants in fall before bringing them indoors.) and they will thank you! (Click here to learn more about growing Citrus indoors here.)

Night Blooming Jasmine

Night blooming jasmine

Night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) has a very powerful fragrance, and as the name implies, it is a night bloomer.  Grow this evergreen vine on a window sill, and prune it hard after bloom to encourage new growth and flowers.  The attractive small flowers tend to be greenish white, but it is the fragrance that attracts one to this plant.

Orchids

Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) (Image by Jessie Keith)

Orchids are flowering plants that are available in not only garden centers but in many grocery stores.  There is a huge selection available as to flower color, shape, and size.  Orchids are popular because the flowers last for a long time, often over several months. (Click here to learn more about how to grow orchids.)

Gardenia

Gardenia

Gardenia (Gardenia spp.) is another blooming plant with an intense fragrance that is most aromatic at nighttime.  If you have enough light to grow citrus in your house, you can probably grow gardenia.  These evergreen shrubs have shiny leaves, and the flowers are pure ivory.  Gardenia ‘Mystery’ has large, white, double flowers that bloom over a long blooming period.  Keep gardenias pruned regularly or they will become rangy.

Lipstick Plant

Lipstick vine

The vine-like lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is a very easy houseplant to grow, and it looks great in a location where it can trail.  Its tubular flowers are red and the stems cascade downward.  It has a long blooming period and will tolerate low light.

House plants brighten the home, especially those with impressive flowers. It is always fun to try a new house plant, so I encourage people to experiment with something they have not grown before.  Many can be taken outdoors during the summer, to improve the looks of the garden, porch, or patio.

Making Space for Gardening: The Portland Community Garden Story

Gardeners in an Oregon community garden harvest late-season vegetables. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

Throughout the United States, urban community gardens have become a common thread that helps bring communities together, in cities large and small. Most community gardens have similar goals. In addition to supplying families with fresh produce, they encourage physical activity, provide needed green space, and a relaxed way to meet your neighbor.

No matter where it is, there is a standard template for community garden programs. Basically, a city sets aside a certain area of land, which is sectioned into plots and then offered to the residents of the community for a small fee to use for a garden. And, cities with such programs find that they are hugely successful. It’s harder for city dwellers to grow vegetables—with more people living in apartments or condominiums, homes being on smaller lots, and shade from trees and other dwellings preventing the opportunity. A community garden can fill the gardening niche and provide residents with vegetable garden plots that are often a relatively short distance from their homes.

The Portland Community Garden Story

Each garden plot can be personalized by the gardener. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

Portland, Oregon was an early player in the community garden movement with its program beginning in 1975. Today, Portland has 52 community gardens throughout the city, with some gardens having wait lists of three years. Through community gardening, they strive to give people across the city the opportunity to grow fresh food, regardless of race, age, or income. The cost and size of a plot can vary, but most are nominally priced. A standard Portland plot of about 200 square feet is $57.  This cost includes water. If money is an issue, the city has a scholarship assistance program.

Portland’s many diverse community gardens are well planned and maintained. There is a water faucet near enough to water every plot and free wood chips are often offered to mulch pathways (wood chips bind nitrogen, so they are not recommended for mulching vegetable plants). Most community gardens, including this one, are 100% organic, which means no chemical sprays or non-organic soil amendments or fertilizers are allowed. Garden mulch and/or compost must be brought into the plots by the individual gardener. Most gardeners begin their cool-season crop planting in mid to late March. Warm season crops, like tomatoes and squash, are planted at the end of May.

Friends of Portland Community Gardens

Volunteers help the efforts of community gardens. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

To further support community gardening efforts in Portland, the Friends of Portland Community Gardens was formed. Founded in 1986, the volunteer organization was initially created because budget cuts threatened the City of Portland’s Community Gardens program. Not only does their presence ensure that this important resource remains available to members of the Portland community, but they strive to “Empower gardeners to make the most of their community garden plots by providing communal supplies such as compost and tools.” The nonprofit also offers programming to help new gardeners succeed.

A Model for Other Communities

Irrigation water and wood chips are provided by Portland community gardens. (Image by Dawn Grunwald)

This community garden success story can provide a model for other cities. Most community gardens are overseen by a city government department, usually the Parks and Recreation Department. As one might imagine, the prospect of overseeing this many gardens could be overwhelming, which is why a strong volunteer program is essential.

Other communities around Portland have adopted the model. Portland’s adjoining suburb, Lake Oswego (population 40,000), also has one very active community garden program with 180 plots, with an average plot size of 20 x 20 feet and a yearly cost of $85. The garden is at 100% capacity for 2018, but there are usually some dropouts. The Community Garden Coordinator, Dawn Grunwald, told me that she keeps a wait list of those wanting a plot, and she begins calling at the end of January if there are vacant plots available.

Usually, there is an individual contact at each garden to oversee the site, but it is the individual gardeners that maintain each plot. It should be of no surprise that the biggest maintenance issue is that of weeds. Unmaintained gardens are often reassigned after a considerable period of neglect to keep weed seeds out of fellow gardener’s plots. Dawn said, “If someone neglects a plot or fails to plant it, I ask them to let it go.  If they want to keep it, we work with them to try to get it back in shape and perhaps suggest they get a smaller plot the following year.”

Growing Solutions for Community Gardeners

Since many gardeners start their own seeds at home and plant the seedlings in the spring, it’s smart for them to choose a mix that will yield great results. OMRI Listed Black Gold Seedling Mix is an ideal seed-starting medium to use. To prepare the garden plot prior to planting, gardeners can add Black Gold Garden Compost Blend or Earthworm Castings Blend, which are also OMRI Listed. Quality compost and castings are good additions for improving soil moisture, aeration, and drainage.

I asked Dawn what the Oswego community gardeners do with their excess produce, and she said they have boxes out for people to share their extra vegetables. Deliveries are also made to local food banks and other service organizations. So, community gardens help the larger community, too. [Click here to learn more about ways to share your produce!]

From talking with gardeners from other cities, it appears the community garden programs are vibrant and very popular. Even if you do not have a community garden plot, volunteers are always welcome and are rewarded with good growing tips and fresh produce.

Western Native Evergreen Shrubs for Landscapes

Oregon grape berries in winter

In recent years, I have noticed a substantial increase in the use of native shrubs for the home garden. Many are diverse and beautiful while growing well in local climates, and those with winter interest have the added benefit of year-round beauty. Quite a few native evergreen shrubs from our region have exceptional landscape value.

In my own neighborhood, I have seen an interest in native plants, both from the average gardener that plants a just few natives to the avid gardener that plants all natives. While the intention is noteworthy, there are a few cultural requirements that homeowners must consider beforehand. Just because a plant is a local native does not mean it is the right plant for the home garden. If you are going to plant natives, do some research native plants in your area and their natural habitats. Consider the soil, elevation, and location of the plant with respect to sun and shade before planting it in your yard. Shrub size and habit also matter.

Another option is relying on the knowledge and experience of others. Here are seven Pacific Northwest native plants that I can recommend. They all look good and perform well in home landscapes, and many have berries (some edible and some not) that are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. One or more might be suitable for your garden.

Coast Rhododendron

Coast Rhododendron (Image by Walter Siegmund)

Our own native rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), often referred to as the coast rhododendron, is similar to many of the hybrid landscape Rhododendrons. It grows naturally as an understory plant in our forests and does well with light shade and soil rich in humus. The addition of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is a helpful addition at planting time. Clusters of showy rose-purple flowers appear in mid to late spring, and large evergreen leaves keep landscapes looking good in the winter months.

California Huckleberry

California Huckleberry (Image by Stickpen)

The native evergreen California huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) grows from California up into the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. It is often seen in gardens because it has shiny, dark green leaves that look good year round. In the spring, there are clusters of small pink to white bell-shaped flowers, which are followed by edible black berries that are often used in pies and jams. Huckleberries also like a raised soil that is rich in humus and compost. Give them some protection from the hot afternoon sun.

Oregon Grape

The Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is the state flower of Oregon. It is well known in American landscapes with its glossy, green, holly-like leaves and early clusters of yellow flowers that are followed by stems with blue fruit. The early yellow flowers are an important source of food for hummingbirds, and the fruits are of favorite of native birds.

Salal

Salal

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is one of the best known of the native landscape plants from this region. Shrubs usually reach only 1 to 2 feet in height, making it an excellent shrubby ground cover. Long clusters of white or pinkish flowers appear in spring, followed by blue-black fruits that are attractive to many birds. Its evergreen leaves look clean and attractive through winter.

Salmonberry

Salmonberry

The semi-evergreen salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is a thorny shrub with a growth habit similar to that of raspberries. It is very easy to grow and has reddish-pink flowers that are followed by raspberry-like berries that vary in color from yellow to red. Salmonberry can form dense thickets that provide good cover for many native birds in addition to fruits. The berries are also edible to humans, but they are somewhat dry and not as tasty as raspberries, blackberries, or loganberries.

Manzanita

Greenleaf manzanita (Image by Walter Siegmund)

The native greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) is another well-known garden plant that is tough enough to be used in highway landscaping. Hummingbirds gravitate to the pinkish early spring flowers. Manzanita leaves are usually green to gray-green, and the small, bell-shaped flowers look pretty early in the season and develop into edible summer fruits. One of the outstanding features of this shrub is its coppery bark, which adds to its showy evergreen leaves.

Silk Tassel Bush

Coast Silk Tassel

Coast silk tassel (Garrya elliptica) can reach 12 to 15 feet in height and is sometimes trained as a small tree. Plants have either male or female flowers, so you need to plant more than one if you want the fruits provided by the female plants. The notable male catkins (tassels) can reach 6 to 8 inches long.  Purple fruits hang on the female plants later in the season until they are eaten by birds. This is an excellent foliage plant that needs well-drained soil. For a shrub with exceptionally long catkins, plant the male variety ‘James Roof’.

These are just some of the many native evergreen shrubs that are being used in western home gardens and landscapes. Many more choices exist, and with just a little research, you should be able to find one that will fit well into your garden.

DIY Layered Bulb Pots for Big Spring Color

A layered bulb basket just begins to break bud in early spring.

Early in the new year, when I see the first crocus poke up through the soil to herald the coming of spring, I know that my bulb pots are close to looking spectacular. Each year, I plant up bulb pots in layers for extended bloom. I fill them with early crocus, mid-spring hyacinths and daffodils, and late-season tulips. Then I add winter pansies to keep them looking great through the cold months.

Now is a good time to buy bulbs and an excellent time to plant. With this being mid to late fall, garden centers should still have a nice selection of spring flowering bulbs, and they may even be having clearance sales to make space for the coming holiday season.

Layered bulb pots can contain any popular, well-known bulbs that we traditionally plant in the fall for spring flowers. The key is choosing bulbs with different blooming times, so check that information at the time of purchase. Then you layer them in a pot according to their specified planting depth.

Creating Layered Bulb Pots

This cross section shows the bulb layers at the root. (image by bulb.com)

Containers for Layered Bulb Pots: The key is starting with a fairly large pot that is at least 24″ in diameter and 20″ tall. Containers that resist cracking as temperatures rise and fall are best. Porous Terracotta, ceramic, and concrete containers take up moisture and are more prone to cracking. Containers made of metal, plastic, wood, and fiberglass resist cracking and are better for overwintering bulb pots.

Bulb Selection for Layered Bulb Pots: Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, and crocus all overwinter well in containers. Just be sure to choose at least one early blooming, one mid-season, and one late-season bloomer. As I select the bulbs, I determine their color, planting depth, height, and bloom time. I also check to see if they look healthy and are firm to the touch. Here are three-layered container recipes to try:

Recipe 1: Crocus ‘Pickwick’ (purple striped, early), yellow pansies (early-late), Daffodil ‘Coral Crown’ (orange and yellow, 6″ depth, 12-16″ high, mid-season), Tulip ‘Princess  Irene’ (orange-purple, 6″ depth, 14″ high, mid- to late-season).

Recipe 2: Crocus ‘Giant Blue’ (purple-blue, 3″ depth, 5″ high, early), hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’ (purple-blue, 5″ depth, 10″ high, early), Daffodil ‘Quail’ (yellow, 6″ depth, 10-14″ high, mid-season), Tulip ‘Angelique’ (double pink, 6-8″ depth, 16″ high, late-season), white pansies (early-late).

Recipe 3: Crocus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ (white, 3″ depth, 5″ high, early), Anemone blanda ‘Blue Star’ (violet-blue, 2″ depth, 4″ high, early), purple pansies (early-late), Daffodil ‘Irene Copeland’ (ivory and yellow, 6″ depth, 12-16″ high, mid-season), Tulip ‘Antoinette’ (yellow-pink, 6-8″ depth, 18″ high, mid- to late-season).

Preparing Layered Bulb Containers

Once you have chosen your container, add at least 3″ of Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix in the bottom and mix in some bulb fertilizer. Make sure your pot is deep enough for all your bulbs while offering at least 2″ at the top for watering.  Here is how I would plant Recipe 2, the number of bulbs you need will depend on your pot size. The sequence that you plant the bulbs can vary, but I have found that this order works well for me:

Step 1: add your first bulb layer. (Image by bulb.com)
  1. Set the first layer with the late-flowering tulips, placing them 2″ apart.
  2. Add 2″ of potting soil to cover the bulbs, making sure you mark the gaps with a finger.
  3. Set the daffodils, placing them 2″ apart in the gap areas.
  4. Add another 2″ of potting soil to cover the bulbs.

    Step 3: add your second bulb layer and continue. (Image by bulb.com)
  5. Set the hyacinths, spacing them 3″ apart (some bulb overlap won’t hurt).
  6. Add another 2″ of potting soil to cover the bulbs.
  7. Set the crocus, spacing them 3″ apart along the pot edges.
  8. Add a final 3″ of potting mix, plant your pansies, and water the pot.

Garden centers sell winter pansies in bud or bloom, so your containers will have instant color all winter as you wait with anticipation for the bulbs to emerge.  If your bulb containers are not in a covered area, our Pacific Northwest winters will usually supply enough additional moisture until spring.

Enjoy your pansy pots now, knowing that you will have a long season of flowering bulbs during the spring.  Bulb layering is easy to do, and it is also a good project for kids. They enjoy the planting and can’t wait to see the magic when spring arrives.

This finished bulb pot has been planted with winter pansies for cold-season color that will last to spring.

Growing Dwarf Apple Trees

Dwarf apple trees can fit into practically any sunny, small-space garden.

Walking out on your deck, balcony, or patio and being able to pick fresh apples off your own tree may be a dream to most gardeners.  In the world of today, we often have small lots, which means less available space for a standard-sized fruit tree.  Even if we did have space, there may be other competing factors to prevent an apple tree from flourishing, such as shade from a neighboring house or a mature tree casting shade and expansive roots, competing for sun, water, and nutrients. For many urban and small-space gardeners, dwarf apple trees (Malus domestica) is the solution, and fall is the best time to plant them.

Even with limited space, dwarf fruit trees can grow and thrive, if provided good ground. These small trees will even grow well in large containers, so they can be grown on a sturdy balcony or small patio if given adequate sunlight and good care.

What Makes Dwarf Apples Dwarf?

Garden centers sell our favorite apple varieties, like ‘Honeycrisp’, ‘Fuji’, or ‘Red Delicious’, as very very dwarf (5-7′ tall), dwarf (6-10 feet tall), or semi-dwarf (8-12 feet tall). The fact is, any apple variety can be in compact form if it is grafted onto dwarfing rootstock. So, what is grafting and how does it work?

A row of dwarf ‘Red Delicious’ apple trees.

Every commercial apple you buy is actually two apple varieties grafted or joined together; one variety is the main tree (scion) while the second variety is the rootstock. The scion of a dwarf tree is grafted onto dwarfing rootstock, so it’s the rootstock that controls tree size, among other factors such as disease resistance, hardiness, and vigor. (Learn all about the grafting process here.)

It is unfortunate that plant labels on apple trees don’t tell the whole story. It is as important to know what the rootstock variety is and the scion variety because the rootstock determines how a tree will grow. There are many different apple rootstocks. For example, G65 is one of the most dwarfing varieties, producing trees reaching about 4-7 feet.  The next size up would be a rootstock called M9, producing trees reaching about 6-10 feet.  (Learn all about dwarfing rootstocks here.)

The Best Dwarf Apple Trees

A semi-dwarf apple tree.

For apple trees in general, all need to be cross-pollinated, which requires two trees to be planted in close proximity to each other.  Apples can be early-, early-mid-,  mid-, mid-late-, or late-blooming, so you need to choose at least two trees that bloom at the same time for cross-pollination. Apples are primarily honeybee pollinated, so it also helps to plant other garden flowers and shrubs for honeybees, to make sure there are lots of pollinators in your garden to help your apples. (To learn more about flower gardening for bees click here. To learn more about trees for bees click here.)

‘Golden Delicious’ is a great eating apple and popular pollenizing tree for other mid-season varieties, like ‘Jonagold’ or ‘Gala’. Likewise, the mid-late-blooming ‘Honeycrisp’ will pollenize other mid-late-bloomers, like ‘Granny Smith’. Just choose the apples you like best, whether they be for fresh eating, cooking, or cider, and be sure their bloom is coordinated for best production. (For a full list of apple pollenizers, click here.)

Growing Dwarf Apple Trees

Dwarf apple trees are ideal for growing in large containers that are at least 10-15 gallons.  If planting in a container, fill the pot with one part Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix mixed with one part Black Gold Garden Soil. If planting in the ground, good drainage and good soil quality are essential. Amend the soil with Black Gold Garden Soil before planting to increase organic matter.  A yearly top dressing of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is ideal for trees in containers or in the ground.  When placing your trees, remember that the critical factor is the sun; these trees should have daylong direct sunlight.

Espaliered fruit trees are great for training against walls or fences. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Gardeners with very little space should look for apples that are espaliered for training against a fence, trellis, or wall.  Espaliered trees require harsher pruning if they are to be maintained in their attractive architectural form, but they are space saving.

Yearly pruning in late winter will also help standard dwarf apples. Remove crossing or unwieldy stems as well as unwanted water sprouts that may arise from the rootstock. Another important step to winter care is spraying trees with dormant oil spray to control common pests, like whitefly, mealybugs, mites, and aphids. Spray before your trees have leafed out and when temperatures are below 40ºF.

Check out your local garden center in fall because if they have dwarf fruit trees, it is likely they will be on sale.  If they are not available now, spring would offer a better selection.  You might be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to have fresh apples to pick from your own trees.

Share the Fruits and Vegetables of Your Garden

Garden abundance offers an opportunity to share food with your community!

 

This is the time of year when home vegetable gardens reach their peak with summer produce ready for picking. Just walking around my neighborhood, I see that the tomatoes are turning color, a sure sign that the harvest season is upon us. Once summer vegetables begin maturing, they continue at a rapid pace, often too rapidly. Many home gardeners simply plant more than they can eat fresh, with much going to waste. It can be overwhelming. Of course, preserving food by canning or freezing is an option, but sharing one’s vegetable garden abundance is another alternative that has the added benefit of feeding the community.

Share Vegetables with Neighbors

Sharing tomatoes has become a neighborhood tradition in my community.

Prolific tomatoes, beans, zucchini, summer squash, and cucumbers are always welcomed by neighbors that don’t garden. In my neighborhood, sharing the fruits and vegetables of the summer season is a common practice, and it has proved to be a wonderful way for neighbors to connect. Once the tomato season starts, I do not think that anyone around us needs to buy a tomato from the store. And, it is fun to listen to neighbors conversing with each other about their favorite tomato.

If you are not sure who to give your veggies to in your neighborhood, try placing a vegetable sharing stand in front of your home. Once your community finds you have fresh veggies to share, they will check your stand regularly, and your vegetables will naturally reach the hands of appreciative takers.

Share Vegetables with Food Banks

Food banks are always willing to take extra fresh produce. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Fresh produce is expensive, which is why many communities offer other options for sharing garden abundance. For example, local food banks always need fresh produce. (Click here to find your closest local food bank.) Many other community service organizations also operate food-sharing services, which may be in closer proximity than a food bank. Local towns and cities often have drop-off places where fresh produce can be deposited, and some garden centers have specific days when they will accept produce.

There are even non-profit organizations geared towards helping home gardeners share their harvest with the hungry. Ample Harvest is a non-profit that helps home gardeners find local produce-sharing outlets, and Feeding America has a Produce Donation Portal that let’s produce donors connect with Feeding America network members.

If you are personally going to deliver to a food bank, it presents a wonderful teaching opportunity for young people. Children need to realize that not everyone has the benefit of having fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet every day. By taking vegetables from their garden and then delivering them to a food bank, children learn the benefits of both sharing and caring. Too often in our world today we are not really connected physically with others, especially those in need. Delivering produce to a food drop off center where people are present will provide a lasting impression.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

Gardeners can even start the season with the intention to share their produce with others! In 1955, The Association of Garden Communicators (GWA), began a program called Plant A Row for the Hungry (PAR). It encourages gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to donate to local food banks, soup kitchens, or other service organizations that might welcome fresh produce. Since its founding, the PAR campaign has donated over 20 million pounds of produce to those in need. There is no government subsidy, no red tape, just people helping people.

Gardening organizations and companies are also encouraged to get involved. Sun Gro Horticulture, the makers of Black Gold, have supported Plant a Row for the Hungry for years by providing donations of row markers, media, and

A happy tomato in the Sun Gro PAR vegetable garden.

other fundraising materials to other PAR gardens. The company has even maintained its own PAR garden at its headquarters in Agawam, MA for the past 17 years. In fact, in their best year they weighed in nearly 450 pounds of fresh produce, thanks to the high performance of Black Gold products! (Read the story of Sun Gro’s PAR garden here.)

With all of the resources that we have in this country, there is no excuse for a child, or anyone, to be deprived of an adequate meal with fresh food. One way to help is by sharing the wealth of your own home garden. Whether you give to your neighbors or to the larger community, you can make a difference in someone’s life by giving fresh, healthy produce.

Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies

Monarch on tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica).

Over the last several years, I have become more aware of growing plants in my garden that are friendly to birds, bees, and butterflies. Plants to attract butterflies, especially monarch butterflies, are especially of interest. At one time, monarch butterflies were often seen here in the Pacific Northwest, but not anymore. Dwindling habitat and food sources have resulted in their decline. Planting monarch food plants in our gardens may mean the difference between their survival or disappearance.

Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed (Asclepias spp.) flowers and foliage to complete their life cycle. Eggs are laid on milkweed foliage, a host plant for the emerging caterpillars. Chemicals in the milkweed foliage offer protection to the caterpillars, and mature monarch butterflies, making them taste toxic and terrible to would-be predators. Adult monarchs also feed on the nectar-rich flowers of these unique and beautiful plants.

Garden Milkweeds to Try

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). (Image by Jessie Keith)

There are many milkweeds for the garden. One of the prettiest is butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), which has brilliant orange flowers that will light up any early summer garden. The pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is also lovely, as is the white-flowered  ‘Ice Ballet’ swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ‘Ice Ballet’), a popular garden form. The bold pink and cream flowers of showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), a native of Midwest and West are also wonderful. For something more delicate, try whorled milkweed (Asclepias vertcillata) a soft, white-flowered western species for sunny home gardens. (To learn more about great western milkweeds for the garden, visit the Xerces Society page about Milkweeds and Monarchs for the Western US.)

I recently was visiting with the plant buyer for a local garden center, and she told me that several years ago, there was very little demand of Asclepias. Now, plants are often sold out on the day they arrive. It’s a good sign that more gardeners are planting these important perennials.

My Garden Milkweeds

Pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

In the hope of attracting Monarch butterflies to my garden, I planted several different milkweeds. (Other gardening friends have been successful, so I tried milkweeds they had success with.) Blooming in my garden now is pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). The plants are taller than I had expected, about 4 feet high. No Monarch’s yet, however I am hopeful some will appear later in the season. Even if they do not, the flowers are quite attractive and seem to be a magnet for honeybees.

Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is a tender species from the American tropics that has bright red and  yellow flowers. The tall plants are beloved by monarchs, and tend to self sow.

 

Other Butterfly Plants

A monarch on fall asters. (Image by Jessie Keith)

I always grow some pots of brilliantly colored Lantana camara in the summer, a favorite flower for butterflies. The tender perennial is not reliably winter hardy, but it blooms all summer. Other summer annuals and perennials that are good butterfly attractants include pentas, aster, coneflowers, ageratum, and verbena. Ceanothus, spiraea, and viburnum are popular shrubs with summer bloomers and attract butterflies.

Milkweed Care

My pink swamp milkweed is a hardy herbaceous perennial, and have it planted in a mixed flower bed. Since I wanted the plants to thrive, I used applied ample amounts of Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix at the time of planting. The moisture-loving milkweed appreciates the organic matter as well as regular summer water. For winter protection, I will apply a mulch of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend around its base.

Keep it Chemical Free

Chemical sprays will harm or kill monarch adults and caterpillars.

If you are going to incorporate plants that attract butterflies and other pollinators into your garden, refrain from using any chemical sprays. If you have plants that you often spray, either stop spraying or keep these away from any flowers for pollinators. In addition to chemical sprays, granular insecticidal products should never be used around pollinator-attractant plants.

Make attracting butterflies a neighborhood garden project, and encourage neighbors to join together in an effort to help our monarch butterfly population. We can all take part, and I would encourage you to include children in the effort. Together, gardeners can make a positive change for butterflies.

Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) also attracts bees.

Connect through Curbside Community Gardening

This street-side strip went from sad lawn to a glorious garden, and it inspired a neighborhood.

Gardening is contagious!  I don’t mean that in a bad way, but in the way that it spreads from one person to another.  Whether in a residential neighborhood, a condominium with a patio, an apartment with a balcony, or a community garden, people delight in talking about their gardens.  There is something sort of magical about gardening and how it breaks down social barriers as there are no stigmas to gardening.  All of our unique differences are easily shared and celebrated when we share gardening.  We battle the same insects and diseases and share in the same delight of the first ripe tomato or the butterflies that visit our flowers.

Community Curbside Plantings

Another curbside planting in my community shows what gardeners can do with a little patch of lawn.

Several years ago a gardener in Portland, Oregon decided that he would landscape the hard-to-plant ‘hell strip’ in front of his house.  (The words ‘hell strip’  describe that area between the curb and the sidewalk which is often a hot, sad looking lawn that is a magnet for weeds.)  He decided that he would treat this area as he would a regular garden bed and selected plants that could withstand minimal water, would look good all year, and be low maintenance.  He also amended the garden’s poor soil with rich amendments (Black Gold Garden Compost Blend would be a perfect choice), filled the strip with great plants for the location, and waited for success. The result was beautiful!

When I mentioned earlier that gardening is contagious, what happened next was a perfect example.  Soon, the neighbor across the street wanted to do something similar.  Then the neighbor two doors down planted his curbside lawn strip, and so it went until almost every house on his block had created a garden in what was once just a ‘hell strip’.  Each strip was unique – some were in full sun, others in dense shade, and others contained large street trees with enormous roots – so each garden was different.  And, as the neighbors developed their own unique curbside gardens, they became better acquainted with people on their block that they did not know as well.

Converting curb strips into lush, colorful gardens also adds environmental value to urban communities. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies are attracted to floral wealth. This creates great learning opportunities for our children as well as shared beauty for our neighborhoods. Gardens with milkweeds may attract Monarch butterflies or red monarda may attract hummingbirds. What you plant will define the pollinators your gardens attract. (Click here to read our many pollinator gardening articles!)

Home Gardens for Better Community

Gardens can be planted right up to the sidewalk for neighborhood enjoyment and conversation.

While in my neighborhood we do not have sidewalks, that certainly does not stop people from strolling along the road, admiring the gardens of their neighbors.  I garden prolifically and always meet neighbors during garden work. Passersby stop, talk, and soon we are discussing which tomato is the best and how to keep the deer from eating the roses.  Sometimes it amazes me when I reflect on my neighborhood and all of the people that I know because of our connection to gardening. Gardening brings people together, allowing them to become better acquainted while becoming better, more knowledgeable gardeners.

We have one particular neighbor named Janet who has lived nearby since childhood, and she keeps a flower garden along the road.  She is constantly tending this area, and as a result, nearly everyone knows Janet. She talks to those that walk by and shares her information on why this plant is looking so good this year or why this plant is not looking so good.  In the summer, she shares her produce from her vegetable garden with passers-by.  Is my neighborhood different from others?  I don’t think so.

Share your love of gardening with your neighbors in large ways or small. The next time you go to a party, take a favorite plant division along with a bag of Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix or Garden Compost Blend as a host/hostess gift.  It will be the talk of the party, and the recipient will be thrilled.