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My father-in-law was a gardener. In those days, people like him were referred to as farmers. He grew his family’s food stuff and his wife ‘put up’ the fruits and vegetables of their labor for use all year. She wrangled their five little children, baked bread, tended the chickens and churned milk from their cow into butter to trade for Copenhagen, (chewing tobacco, snuff, chaw) for her husband. When their children were old enough to go to school they sold the farm and moved to town. They brought the cow and the chickens with...
November’s bareness, stark and revealing Nothing to hide. No bright colors or fragrances to capture the senses Yet dignity prevails. Honesty of the landscape, devoid of beauty and charm Provides truth. November’s integrity blankets the earth Its promises are safe. Fog may obscure our glimpse of the world Rain will fall all around Bitter cold days will question our faith Still, November moves on. Its easy to see through the unadorned view How everything actually is November, our tutor, continues to teach Of how it is we sho...
As to my experiment with permaculture: I had reported that the corn seed I planted in the midst of my weeds was more robust than the ones I planted in rows. Sadly, my theory has been dispelled. Now the corn in rows have overtaken the growth of their wilderness relative. The squash plant is faring well, however, the deer ate the beans that were planted. After a little more research, I learned corn needs to have neighbors, as those luscious ears are pollinated from the tassels of other corn plants by the wind. Those...
Waterwise, drought tolerant, xeriscaping, drip-irrigation, terms that suggest the value of water, are often in gardeners discussions these days. Resources for more information include online searches, Xerces publications and contacts with the Spokane County WSU Master Gardeners. Master Gardener, Kris Moberg-Hendron, leads the Waterwise Information Program and welcomes gardeners interested in Water Wise landscaping to visit the demonstration gardens at the WSU extension office at 222 N. Havana, in Spokane. Registration is not...
Many counties in the Inland Northwest prohibit or discourage the sale or use of fireworks. July gardens, however, still explode in color. Red California fuchsia cascades from hanging baskets and walls, the Pow Wow series, echinacea, invite pollinators to their launching pads. Speaking of California, bright orange California poppies open their throats to many species of bees as morning sun teases their petals. Cobalt blue Veronica dazzle the beholder as their blossoms reach for the sun. Green flower heads of Autumn Joy Sedum...
The epitome of a warm June afternoon is enjoying ice cold lemonade and fresh oatmeal cookies with my friend Hetty in her garden. We shared secrets and funny stories. We talked of flowers, family and friends. I listened to plans for a new garden by the side of her house. All too soon it was time to part. As I walked through the gate my sorrow in leaving her was comforted knowing hers was a spiritual garden. My advice this week is to enjoy your garden with a friend. Qualities of plants in my garden remind me of this dear soul....
Rain drops were still glistening on the lilacs when I tried to capture the moment after the rain when the sun dappled the landscape. My photos, however did not reveal the splendor I had witnessed and I was resigned to register the phenomenon in my brain. This spring’s frequent rainstorms have encouraged more lush growth than usual and I am amazed by the recovery of many plants. White cedar though, referred to as arborvitae, have not fared well. Years of drought conditions and last winter’s ruthless periods of abnormal tem...
I thought of my grandson’s wedding this weekend. The officiator was springtime. Warm soil and rain were the bride and groom. The audience in their garden was clothed in finery not typical to everyday wear. The promise of permanence was portrayed through strong support and the song of love rang sweet in the air. Nature was smiling and laughing with joy as the marriage commenced in the open air ceremony. When the couple was united the garden was elated with hope for the future. If only the daffodils could last just a little lon...
It seems spring is in a hurry to catch up after the long, long, cold winter. All of a sudden grass is green, buds are bursting and birds are looking for housing. We gardeners are caught up in the frenzy as well. There are remnant leaves to rake, winter damage to access and warm weather plans to put in place. It is still time to apply low release fertilizer to most plants except Rhododendrons, Azaleas and blueberries. They should be fertilized after blooming with an acidic based application. It is a little early to transplant...
Our place on the planet is often referred to as, The Inland northwest, east of the Cascades or High Desert. Ponderosaville seems more conclusive for me. The raw charm of the Ponderosa ignites a connection with all that is free, firm and almost haughty. The grandeur of a mature specimen is reverent to me. Ponderosa pines grow in hostile, seemingly improbable areas where rock and shallow soils occur. Yet its determined tendrils find fissures and fragments of life giving soil to establish their tenacious roots. Unlike the...
We shan’t be fooled by April’s snow storm. The Inland northwest is still suffering from many years of drought. We see evidence in the stressed pines that forest our region. And those non-native arborvitae show brown and dying needles. Without much imagination we remember the stress of the hot, dry winds of last summer. There is a solution to our fears of fire, it is management. I invite you to become familiar with agencies in our area that may assist you in developing a plan to spare our way of life. Fire wise programs inc...
I have a question for you. When you take your morning walk would you rather be entertained by a strip of neatly mowed grass, a patch of pebbles or a corridor of butterflies? If your choice is the butterflies you might start by replacing your narrow parking strip with hardy perennials. Spring blooming bulbs such as Squill (Scilla Siberica), crocus and hyacinth, varieties of daffodils, paper white (Narcissi ) are welcome surprises. Hardy (Wild geranium), kinnickinnick (Arctostaphylos), lupine and some grasses such as Idaho fesc...
We should bee proud! Washington State is a forerunner in developing legislation for protecting pollinators. May 12, 2021, Governor Inslee signed SB 5253 to provide funding to, among other pollinator health concerns, help to ensure protection for over 400 different species of native bees in Washington. Other native pollinators such as butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, flies and hummingbirds that help pollenate our agricultural well-being are also included in the Pollinator Health Bill. Awareness is the most effective tool....
Goodbye, Winter! How many times have we said this the last six weeks? Maybe this time it is for real. A look at the forecast gives us hope for warmer temperatures but not too much encouragement to wager when to lock up our snow shovels. Someone told me they knew of someone who cut their grass already. Couldn’t possibly be in Spokane County, I thought. And if they did, why? I can’t imagine it was even green. Even if your lawn is snow-free it is not a good idea to roll machinery and equipment over the soggy grass until the fro...
There is much ado about lions and lambs this time of year. It seems those species are confused about who will win the ‘First of March’ contest. I don’t dare bet on either one. I can guarantee, however, that leopard’s bane, Doronicum caucasicum, (though of the genus Panthera, but not of the species Panthera leo,) will grace your early spring garden with its yellow daisy-like mane around its yellow-gold disk. Leopard’s bane grows in full sun, part shade and even shady locations where it is a hardy perennial. Another member of...
What are Neonics? Neonicotinoid pesticides are contributing to the loss of beneficial insects, especially bees and their ability to pollinate many of our favorite food crops. Honey bees, that have come in contact with plants treated with neonics, are susceptible to disease and mites because their immune systems are weakened. The pollen collectors, the female worker bees, may become disoriented and fail to return to the hive. The entire colony may then starve. If in fact, the workers do return with contaminated pollen, the...
February 2023 We may actually be able to be in the garden or close to it this month. Inside we can trim and fertilize herbs we wintered over. An application of half strength indoor plant food will regenerate healthy growth. After Valentine cards have been opened and the last chocolate in the box is gone it is time once again to survey jobs outside. The evidence of marcescens, the holding on of leaves this winter, may soon give way to the phenomenon known as abscission, the letting loose of leaves. If the ground is soggy...
Just before the ‘Big Weather Change’ several weeks ago, I brought my green tomatoes in the house. They have been ripening nicely in their cardboard boxes. I am concerned though, that my grandchildren think red tomatoes grow in boxes on the kitchen floor. I am hoping there will be a few red ones left for Thanksgiving and maybe even some green ones for ‘Green Tomato Pie’. I haven’t seen a recipe for this but with the price of apples I’m thinking, why not? Stacks of firewood and full barrels of oil grace our homes on these co...
October 24, 2022 October rains: Our grass is green and ready for snow It won’t be long now so we won’t have to mow. Plants in our gardens so hardy and true Loved all the rain and the farmers did too. Missed is the sunshine so warm and so nice And baths for the birds have all turned to ice. There’s comfort in knowing we did what we could Now is the time to stay warm in our ‘hood....
My garden quilt blankets its bed. Seeds that were sown have become the fabric of the garden. Patches of pumpkins, rows of ripe beets, corners of carrots; their feather tops waving. Layers of leaves where zucchini can hide. Fine silk on corn stalks. Patterns of sunshine and shadows throughout. Red accents of strawberries stitched in their ditches. Embossed are designs of tendrils and vines of peas, beans and cucumbers. Borders of berries, raspberry and blue, are hemmed with savory herbs, Rosemary and thyme. Under the cover,...
It is hard to sew on a sunny October day, but not hard to work in the garden. Though I have cut a few pieces of fabric for my quilt, I hear my garden calling. There are bird feeders to fill for those winter residents and other winged ones passing through. And cherry trees that need a good looking after. This is the time to spray copper fungicides to control blight and canker diseases to the branches of cherry and other soft stone fruit trees including apricot, peach and nectarine. I must remind you to read ALL the...
Did September slip as quietly and quickly from your calendar as mine? I was just making my to do list for August and the month was gone. Fortunately or unfortunately, most of those things can still be done in September. Check with your municipal water agencies to reinstate your watering schedules. Your trees and shrubs, especially, need ample moisture to make it through winter after our hot dry summer. Usually the last mowing and fertilizing application for lawns is done in September. This is also an ideal time to install...
The air is different. Its coolness presses against my face. The sounds in the sky are different too. Most of the birds have finished rearing their young and have flown on. Platoons of chattering blackbirds high in the pine trees wait for orders to be deployed, while other species of birds line the high wires passing word to one another to prepare for flight. The frequent winged whir of the long necked Canada Geese fashion familiar Vs in the air as they beckon our craned necks to follow their southern migration. Robins’ e...
I’ve heard of fried green tomatoes but fried pink petunias? I was disappointed when I came home from the lake to find my hanging baskets of petunias dry and brittle beyond recovery. I had planned an outdoor barbecue and was counting on my petunia baskets for decoration. There wasn’t time to replace the petunias and plus 90 degree temperatures were still in the forecast. Though we gardeners usually consider ground covers to work their magic on the ground, why can’t they be as phenomenal hanging at eye level? And there are so m...
Its time to dig and transplant iris to where you want splashes of color next June. If you don’t have iris in your garden there are usually neighbors or friends who are eager to share their beauties. If not, rainbows of colorful iris are available at most garden centers. Iris are tough. Don’t worry about damage to roots or tubers when exposed to the air. Discard soft or damaged tubers when transplanting. You can even break or cut firm tubers that have healthy leaves and set them in the ground. Iris prefer well-drained soi...
