Grow Your Own Potpourri?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal provides tips for making your own:

In fact, the garden is a perfect place to start in thinking about fragrances for the house. Potpourri today is largely a failure of the imagination: rose and lavender. ("Vapourri," or sprays, and plug-in air fresheners are also big on things like "pound cake," popular with the diet-weakened.)

But if you have a space to grow, why not begin in the garden, in conceiving original dried blends: meadowsweet, verbena, bergamot, gardenia, tuberose, thyme, honeysuckle, sage and violet. The list goes on. A variety of mint: orange, blackberry, apple, pineapple, chocolate, in addition to peppermint.

Scented geraniums like rose, lime and nutmeg; grasses like gingergrass, lemongrass and vetiver. There are 400 kinds of artemisia, including southernwood and tarragon, all pungent, and ready to plant. And fragrant ingredients to gather too: oak moss, cedar and bamboo. (If Antoine Du Piney de Noroy, writing in an herbal published in 1561, thought stuff like this could cure hair loss, how hard could scenting your home be?) (Read the entire article.)

The article includes recommendations for collecting and combining ingredients to obtain balanced, pleasing scents.

Of course, one will have to remember that this article was not written with our subtropical climate in mind. At one point, he recommends gathering herbs on warm, dry days. While our climate here near the gulf coast enjoys plenty of warmth, dryness is a bit rare in this part of the atmosphere. However, with our almost constant use of air conditioning keeping our indoor humidity down, it is still possible to dry plants indoors during more humid seasons.

It is also important to check the watering and soil requirements of the plants listed in this article before using them. Gardenias, for example, are best planted in very high raised beds with acidic soil, as our local soil is alkaline.  Local gardening expert Randy Lemmon finds Gardenias to be so high maintenance in this region,  I have heard him suggest not planting them at all on his radio show. Many people find bamboo is a little too happy here, and have difficulty getting rid of it after they plant it.

The good news is, Many fragrant herbs do quite well here, especially in slightly raised beds and containers.  As citrus is very popular in Houston area gardens, those who like the scents of orange and lemon peels should be able to make use of those when the fruits are in season. It may even be worth experimenting with citrus blossoms, if one's trees will still produce sufficient fruit even after the loss of a few flowers. 

So, if you are looking for a natural and fun way to scent your house, this could be a fun and useful experiement! Ask around at your nearest locally-owned nursery, and see what fragrant plants they stock that you might be able to use for potpourri.

Trowel Tip to: Elena Maria Vidal of Tea at Trianon.

Edible Landscapes: Keeping You Fed and Out of Court

If your city or friendly neighborhood Homeowners Association have strict rules governing the appearance of your front yard, but you still want to maximize your space for growing edibles, you might be interested in a recent story in the Daily Mail, which is certain to attract the attention anyone who favors real food or private property rights.  A Michigan woman is actually facing a trial and possibly three months in jail because of raised vegetable beds in her front yard:

Julie Bass of Oak Park Faces Misdemeanor Charge for Vegetable Garden: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Are we really to believe that the  Oak Park legal system has nothing better to do with its time and funding than enforce bland conformity in suburban neighborhoods?

The Daily Mail column notes that the sky high prices of organic produce were part of Ms. Bass's motivation for planting her garden in the first place. This is certainly a widespread concern in the face of increasing food consciousness and decreasing income across the country.  Raised beds such as the ones she uses are a favored method of planting, especially for those of us with gumbo soil.

Fortuntately for those who wish to avoid fines, tickets, jail, or angry HOA letters, it is possible to incorporate edible crops into ornamental landscapes.   Raised beds do not always have to look like squarish boxes.  With a little creativity, some planning, one can create a landscape at which even the local city planner can't sneeze.  By arranging one's fruiting trees and shubs, leafy greens, and herbs in the same way one would arrange non-edible ornamental plants, one can generate stunning results. But where to learn about how to do this?

Fortunately there are many books and websites that address this topic. There are, for example, some lovely pictures of ornamental edibles at RosalindCreasy.com.

County Agricultural Extension offices and gardens, locally owned nurseries, and botanic gardens are also great places to look for information and inspiration. Here in the greater Houston area, one can view examples of highly attractive gardens incorporating edible plants in parts of the Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. 

For books with specific guidance on what to grow when, I highly recommend Bob Randall's Year Round Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers for Metro Houston, which can be purchased from Urban Harvest. Brenda Beust Smith's Lazy Gardener's Guide is also useful for those who like low-maintenance ideas.



 Trowel tip to: The Healthy Home Economist

Budding hope, or wishful thinking?

Well, things have been so busy, it's been quite some time since I've had the opportunity to do much out in the garden. I finally got out there to water things today. I'm amazed at how many of my plants handled so much neglect. I've hardly touched them in about a month. The container plants sheltered in my greenhouse have done amazingly well with the exception of my air potato vine , which now appears completely deceased. Rosemary, it appears, also has its limits.We'll see if I can nurse that back to health.

Which reminds me, my persimmon tree did not fare well in hurricane Ike, being almost completely broken off just above the graft. I stood it back up and bound it with grafting tape, giving it additional support by tying it to several stakes. That's pretty much where I left it, having become so busy shortly after that I hardly had time to even think about doing anything else with it. I'm not sure, but I think I may have seen some new buds while I was inspecting it today. I could be completely wrong, of course, but I am curious to see what will happen in the spring. In the meantime, I still haven't ruled out trying to replace the tree entirely. I missed the Urban Harvest tree sale this year, and won't make the Fort Bend County one either, so it may be awhile before we see a new persimmon here!

At this point, I'll just be glad if I can clear the weeds from my unplanted beds and get my roses pruned next week!

When Life gives you a lemon...

...You get out the cookbook and see what you can do with just one!

Yes, not much going on in the garden lately. Very busy times these days. Several potted things have dried up from neglect, but the strong are surviving, thanks to a few well-timed rain showers.

I got one meyer lemon off of the tree today. The other two aren't quite ripe yet. The little Miho Satsuma orange tree has six more this year. Last year it produced six as well, but three of them were stolen (I presume by hungry fruit-eating critters of the non-human variety), leaving us with very little. Better luck this year I hope.

Taking Stock after Ike: We're very fortunate.

Well, the important things came through fine (husband, house, cat, electricity, running water).

Some of the fun stuff, not so good. No cable. Which means no internet. Which means I had to find a public place to use the web and e-mail relatives to let them know we haven't been sent tumbling off to Oklahoma by any hurricane force winds.

Most of the damage in the garden was minor. Potted plants were all sheltered and/or turned on their sides, so nothing in containers blew away.

Treewise, things are a little more interesting. Our larger trees (the ones that would be really dangerous if they fell) appear fine, having only dropped a few small to medium-size branches. Amazingly, none of these damaged the house. Other people in our subdivision did not fare so well. Some have similar-sized trees that fell on their homes.

My little trees are interesting cases. The Methley Plum is still shorter than I am, and planted in a protected area, so it appears untouched. The fig and the pomegranate were slightly uprooted, so fixing them should not be too difficult.

The worst damage was to my Saigo (Saijo?) Persimmon tree, which was snapped like a toothpick just above the graft. It was not broken off entirely though. About half of the trunk is still attached. Even though it is nearly four days after the fact, it still looks alive. The rootstock appears fairly healthy, and (as I was told at the plant sale where I got it) has pretty good structure. I hate to let even part of a good plant go to waste.

I have no idea what to do about this. Stand it back up, and see if it heals? Take cuttings and re-graft? (Which means I have to learn how to graft, and fast.) Call a tree expert? Go back to the plant sales and replace?

Since the next major plant sale around here isn't till January (and will likely be very crowded, since I'm sure many people lost fruit trees to Ike), I figure I have nothing to lose by trying.

I just wish I knew what to try.

Ideas, anyone?

Leaf Miners

These annoying insects apparently love to eat sweet basil. Grr. Fortunately, they haven't destroyed it.

They also like Pinto beans.

So far, no new damage on any of my citrus trees this year.

I have heard that companion plantings of Columbine can be helpful.

I may try this. I do not relish the thought of using insecticides in my herb garden.

Incidentally, June is also supposed to be a great month for planting Basil seeds.

It's Alive! Bwhahahaha.

The Saijo Persimmon, which I obtained at last January's Urban Harvest fruit tree sale, and planted a mere two days after (if I recall correctly--it's been so long!) has finally begun to sprout what may soon become....drumroll please...

leaves!


It's about time. Since I planted it, it has pretty much been looking like a big stick standing in a pile of dirt. Maybe soon it will look like a tree. All of the other plants I purchased there began sprouting leaves some time ago, so I was a little worried. However, my mother, who is also a plant lover and much more experienced with fruit trees than I, looked it over on a recent visit and told me not to give up yet. She was right. :)


Pictures will be forthcoming, as soon as new developments become big enough to show up on film, and I have the time to get said film developed. The trusty digital camera seems to be developing issues. I have, of course, suggested that it should talk to someone, but it never listens to me.

Eugenia Aggregata seeds

Here is what they looked like prior to soaking and planting:


Some of you may recall that these were sent to me late last June, before I learned that they can take up to a year to sprout. It seems to be more time efficient to just get one at a plant sale, or by mail order.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Time to prune those roses! (And other shrubs)

Photo by Aaron. Used with permission.

This is also a great time for transplanting any tropical fruit or citrus trees.

Playing in the dirt.

The ground finally dried out enough to allow me to plant the two muscadines I obtained at the fruit tree sale. I've been keeping them in mulch up till now. A few of the roots (but thankfully not all) did get a little dry on one of them, so I hope no permanent damage was done. Time will tell.

Either way, it was a perfect day for it. Warm, with just enough of a breeze to keep me from getting overheated, and ground that was moist enough that I could dig in it, but not so moist that my digging would damage the soil structure.

And I cannot overemphasize the usefulness of wheelbarrows when one is taking out grass and putting in even themost slightly raised of beds.

There is something wonderful about being tired, covered in smudges of dirt, looking at a brand new bed with fresh plants in it and thinking, "Yeah, I did that.".

Fruity Madness

Yesterday was my first time at an Urban Harvest fruit tree sale. The stories are true. They have lots of trees, and LOTS of people. It was crowded, and the many people there were quite determined to get their trees, even to the point of pushing and shoving. I overheard at least two people saying that the plants they had picked up had been taken right out from under their noses.

I suppose when you get that many people in one place who are willing to stand outside in 40-something degree weather for over an hour just waiting for a tree sale to start, things are going to be pretty interesting.

It wasn't all rudeness though. Many of the customers took the madness in stride. The volunteers were very friendly and helpful, and I suspect that one of the ones that helped me out was Bob Randall himself, but I didn't want to ask him. The entire scene was surreal enough without me behaving like a garden groupie.

In any case, I am now the proud owner of a Saigo (Saijo?) persimmon, a Cloud Pomegranate, two muscadine vines, and a banana fig. Thanks to my husband, who assembled the wheelbarrow ahead of time, I was able to get that persimmon in the ground today. Now to get the others planted before the end of February! Woohoo!

Search: Tomato Varieties for Houston

Someone dropped by while Googling (I can't believe that's actually a verb now) for "Tomato varieties Houston Texas"

Your county Extension service or local Master Gardener should have some good information on tomato varieties. Also check with your nurseryman.

In her Lazy Gardener's Guide, Brenda Beust Smith recommends the following:

• Champion
• Celebrity
• Dona
• Early Goliath
• German Johnson
• Hawaiian
• Sweet Chelsea
• Texas Wild

In Year Round Fruits and Vegetables, Bob Randall recommends these (In order from large to small, with some repeats from Smith's list):

• Super Marmande (early)
• Dona (early)
• Carmello
• Big Beef
• Arkansas Traveler (late)
• Sweet Chelsea
• Sweet 100
• Texas wild (Produces in summer)
• Viva Italia (cooking)
• Sunmaster (Produces in summer)

For those of you growing your tomatoes iin pots, the Houston Garden Book recommends these for containerized tomato growing:

• Patio
• Pixie
• Tiny tim
• Saladette
• Stakeless
• Atom
  

For better information on growing tomatoes here in the Houston Metro Area, I strongly recommend getting copies of the books by Smith and Randall. These are most easily obtained by going to Urban Harvest.

Tomato Forum!

There is a discussion forum at Chron.com on tomato varieties for the Houston area.

Check it out.

Companion herbs for tomatoes

While you are getting your seeds spouted and considering where to put your tomatoes once they are ready to be transplanted, here is some interesting information:

According to the Houston Garden Book, tomatoes like to be planted with onions, parsley, carrots, chives, asparagus, marigolds, and nasturtiums. avoid planting them next to cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, potatoes, fennel, and corn.

January is for tomato seeds!

This is the month to start your tomato seeds indoors or in a greenhouse to get the earliest possible jump on the tomato season!

Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) Profile and links

Photo Source: Australian-Insects.com

Common Names: Brazil/Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry, pitanga, Florida cherry
Nativity: Introduced to US from Brazil
Category: Subtropical/Tropical/Tender perennial
Landscape uses: bush, hedge
Height: to 25 feet
Spacing: 10-12 feet
Habit: Tree/Shrub
Growth Rate: Slow
Duration: Perennial
Flowers: White, spring to early summer, depending on climate
Fruit: Red, sweet, edible, approx 3 weeks after flowers
Soil: acidic-neutral. Tolerates most soils and textures. Does not tolerate salt.
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Average. Do not over or under water.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (to 30 °F) (established plants known to survive temps to 22°F with minor damage)
Propagation: From seed in spring. Collect from overripe fruit.
Toxicity: Seeds should not be eaten. Odor of pruned plants may irritate lungs of sensitive individuals.

This plant is listed as invasive in the state of Florida, and is known to set seed in areas where the climate is friendly to young plants.

These can be grown in 5 gal or larger containers in areas where it will be necessary to move them to shelter during a freeze.

A close relative of Eugenia Aggregata.

Links:
From Purdue University
Dave's Garden
USDA Plants Database
Plants of Hawaii

Still seeking strawberries!

I spoke to a very friendly and knowledgeable person at my nearest nursery. He says that although now is the time to plant them here, many growers do not produce them at this time of the year, because the demand is so low. (apparently, many in this region still try to plant them in spring). He said to check back in about a week.

Avocado Searches.

I'm getting a lot of hits from people with avocado (Persea americana) questions. Here's some of what I've seen so far, including what little information I can provide, being a person with lots of questions about Houston avocado growing, myself.

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Hass Avocado Hardiness Zone
According to Floridata, the Hass avocado is a Guatemalan variety, and "Guatemalan types are intermediate, hardy to 24 F (-5 C) or so." That would put it roughly in USDA zone 9b. To find your USDA hardiness zone by your zip code, click here.

To give you an idea of the ideal conditions are for this Avocado, this variety is frequently grown in California. Many of the ones I buy from my local grocer are grown in Michoacan, Mexico.

Young and/or unestablished Haas avocado trees need to be sheltered well during freezing temperatures. See this page at Purdue University for a chart that includes cold hardiness information for various Avocado "races" Other avocados, usually Mexican varieties, can be hardy to zone 8.

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Growing an avocado tree blogs
Hello and welcome. Here are all of my avocado posts so far.

Also, check to see what Google BlogSearch has to offer. Avocado growing was the most useful query of the several I tried.

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Growing an avocado tree fantastic
"Fantastic" Avocado
Yes, avocados are fantastic.

Oh, you meant the cultivar. :)

Urban Harvest lists this one as particularly cold hardy, and also particularly tasty! Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anything else on the internet about this variety. It is not listed in my copy of the Western Garden Book. However, as it is a Mexican variety, as are Wilma and Opal, it would probably have plenty in common with others from the same part of the world.

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Hass Avocado blooming season

According to my copy of the Western Garden book, the fruiting season is April-October. This can vary, of course, depending on the exact climate conditions in one's region.

This Purdue University page states that Guatemalan varieties of avocado such as Hass bloom from March-April, with fruit maturing from September-January. The Purdue page is worth looking at, because it lists other differences among the three "horticultural races" of avocado.

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Hass Avocado growing Texas
It's not easy, with the blasts of arctic air we get down here during the winter. See my link above to my posts on Avocados. I also highly recommend seeking out locally published gardening books for your region of Texas.

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Nursery Houston Avocado trees

I don't know of any particular nurseries myself. However, if I wanted to find out, I would call or go to the nearest good local nursery available (I mean the mom-and-pop type places where the people working there know everything about plants and love to talk about them all day long) and ask. If they don't have them, they will probably be willing to point you in the right direction. Also, watch local fruit tree sales.

This website lists current grower inventories of many trees, including the Avocado. At the time of this post, they list Brazos Citrus nursery In West Colombia, TX as a grower of three avocado varieties. They are a wholesale seller only. Click here for a list of retail nurseries that sell their products.

In Year Round Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers for Metro Houston, Dr. Bob Randall recommends purchasing trees from nurseries that stock plants from Treesearch Farms.

November is for Strawberry planting!

Get those strawberry plants ready! It's time to put them in the ground! (Or the pot, in my case).

Urban Harvest recommends planting strawberry plants from late October through the end of November, with early November being the ideal Time.

Texas A&M Extension recommends planting them between late September and the end of October. They do not specify whether they prefer seeds or plants at that time of year.

I also spoke to a fellow over at my local nursery a few days before Halloween, and he said this is indeed a good time to plant them, but noted that they are difficult to find at this time of year. That particular nursery did not have them in stock at the time, but he said the might be able to obtain them.

Whatever fall month you plant them in, strawberries appear to be high-maintenance annuals around here, requiring vigilance when it comes to watering, fertilizing, and pest control. I figure I'll try anyway. :)



The question is, what type to plant?

Dr. Bob Randall recommends Sunrise, Sweet Charlie, and Earlibelle varieties for their high quality flavor. He recommends mail-ordering plants, if you can. For more of his tips on strawberry cultivation, see his book.

Dr. Larry Stein recommends Chandler and Sequoia. Chandler is sold commercially, so expect flavor similar to grocery store strawberries. Sequoia, he says, is more readily available in nurseries.



For growing, Brenda Beust Smith recommends hanging baskets in her Lazy Gardener's Guide. I may try these, as well as the strawberry jar I recently obtained, depending on how many plants I decide to grow.

To find plants locally, start by going to a good local nursery. If they don't have them, they may be able to point you to someone who does.



For a little bit of Houston area history involving the strawberry, read this article from the Houston Chronicle, which explains why Pasadena, TX has a strawberry festival every spring.

Related Links:
Fruit Gardening in Texas (Texas A&M Extension)
Fall Planted Strawberries by Dr. Larry Stein.
Chronology of Strawberry Varieties in the United States
Fragaria species native to North America
Strawberry Pest Management Guidlelines (University of California, Davis)

Strawberry Jars

November, according to the newsletter I get from Urban Harvest, is the ideal month for planting strawberry plants in the Houston area. Accordingly, I went out and prepared myself by obtaining a strawberry jar.

Then I stopped and said to myself, I've never actually used one of these before.

Thanks to the wonders of Google, I have rectified my ignorance. Here is a webpage with step-by-step directions for filling one of these things.

Strawberry jars can also be used for other plants with shallow root structures.

For pictures of how these can look when they are full, see this post by Angela at Plants Bulbs and Garden, who put together a strawberry jar with her 2 1/2 -year-old son. Apparently, this is a fun gardening activity that kids can do too!

Incidentallly, for you who love trivia: the strawberry is actually, technically a vegetable, not a fruit. (But tomatoes are fruit!) Don't believe me? Click here.