Spring Garden Tips

We had a few mild days and started either thinking about working in the garden or actually doing some chores. Here are some tips for Spring.

Survey the garden and landscape. An important part of planning is having information about your garden.  Note what light is available – full sun for 6 or more hours each day during the growing season, part sun/shade, and full shade. For some plants it is important to know if the site is wet or dry. Make note of what bulbs and perennials need to be divided.

Get your seeds! Last year there was a seed slam as gardening interest exploded during lockdown. Whether you order seeds or go to the garden center, look over your plans and get your seeds now. Look for plants that are listed for Zone 6b, the Franklin County USDA Hardiness Zone. Hardiness zones are areas with the same temperature - the coldest zone is 1 and the warmest is 10.

Sow any seeds you plan to start indoors. This will give you about 6 weeks before the last threat of a late frost (average is May 12 in Franklin County) and planting outside. Penn State’s Seed Starting Demystified article has good information.

 

Get a soil test. Since garden soil is the container for your plants, have it analyzed through Penn State. They are available for $9 at the Extension Office, 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg (8:30-4:30 M-F). Find out if the soil needs amended and, if so, what it needs. Soil tests information.

Buying plants. Often the plants we want, especially annuals, are already out at the nurseries even though it is too early to plant them; however, later the selection will be small. If you buy them ahead of time you will need to babysit them until May.

Tune-up your tools. Shovels, spades, trowels, hoes, pruning shears, loppers, and hedge clippers should be sharpened. Clean garden tools now and after each use. Check for loose handles or screws. Make sure there is easy access storage for the garden season.

Do garden clean-up. Perennials and grasses left standing can be cleared. Remove fallen leaves over spring bulbs so that sun can reach the emerging foliage. Remove mulch from roses, azaleas, and other tender shrubs. Be prepared to recover if a cold-snap hits.

Prune dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs. Prune only what you can reach. Leave big tree pruning to professionals.  Delay pruning spring-flowering trees and shrubs until after they have bloomed. For example, do not prune forsythia until after it has bloomed.

Plant cool season crops. Once clean-up is done, and before working in the garden, make sure the soil is not wet. Working soil when it is wet destroys soil structure and causes compaction. When the garden is dry enough (feels crumbly like chocolate cake), it is planting time. Cool season vegetables such as peas, onions, shallots, leeks, salad greens, cabbage and broccoli be planted. Some are available as transplants and other seed-sown. Penn State Extension has a list of planting dates for common garden vegetables. 

Check your soil temperature. Plants are sensitive to temperature below ground, too. Use a soil or meat thermometer and take the temperature at 2-3” deep around 11 a.m. Try to get readings over a period of four to five days. Transplant local warm season crops at 60° to 65° F. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins and squash. A daily soil temperature reading is available for Franklin County from Cornell University.  More on soil temperature at Garden and Life Notes.

CKagan, Master Gardener

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FULL WORM MOON March 28, 2021

 

Illustration courtesy of The Old Farmers Almanac

The March 28 full moon is the WORM Moon. The Worm Moon is considered the last full moon of winter and is named after earthworm casts that appear as the ground thaws, NASA reported. It also signifies the time of year when earthworms and grubs come out of dormancy.

Here's some worm trivia from the University of Illinois Extension

* There are approximately 2,700 different kinds of earthworms.

One of these is an aggressive Asian earthworm is negatively impacting our gardens and ecosystem. They are JUMPING WORMS. Find out how to recognize this invasive species and help limit its spread at this Penn State link.  

* A worm has no arms, legs or eyes. Even though worms don’t have eyes, they can sense light, especially at their anterior (front end). They move away from light and will become paralyzed if exposed to light for too long (approximately one hour).

* Baby worms are not born. They hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain of rice.

* If a worm’s skin dries out, it will die.

* Worms are hermaphrodites. Each worm has both male and female organs.

* Worms mate by joining their clitella (swollen area near the head of a mature worm) and exchanging sperm. Then each worm forms an egg capsule in its clitellum.

* Worms can eat their weight each day.

* In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms.

* The Australian Gippsland Earthworm grows to 12 feet long and can weigh 1-1/2 pounds.

Photo courtesy abc.net.au

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Shamrocks and Oxalis

A number of different plants are called shamrocks; however, the official shamrock of Ireland is Trifolium dubium (try-FOL-lee-um   DOO-bee-um), a clover with yellow flowers and lobed leaves.  In the United States, we often see Oxalis offered around the St. Patrick's Day holiday instead of this plant.

The shamrock is a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day and legend has it that St. Patrick used the plant with its three-lobed leaf to illustrate the holy Trinity. Shamrocks are associated with the country of Ireland, friendship, Christianity and good luck. The word shamrock comes from the old Irish word "seamrog" which means "summer plant."

O. triangularis

Since clover is difficult to grow indoors, garden centers, florists and grocery stores sell varieties of Oxalis, some with green leaves and others with burgundy leaves. They are not native to the United States. Oxalis acetosella (ox-AL-liss   ass-eh-TOW-sell-ah) is a member of the wood sorrel family and is propagated from a bulb. It has small, dark green lobed leaves and grows about 6" high. It grows as a short mound in the pot with shoots sprouting upward and has small, white cup-like flowers. Oxalis prefer bright light but not direct sun and a consistently moist soil, not soggy. If the foliage turns yellow, this could be a sign of overwatering.

This plant needs to go into a dormant state two or three times a year. When the plant loses its vigor, stop watering and remove the leaves as they turn brown. Put the pot in a cool, dry place for two or three months. To break the dormancy, resume watering and add a houseplant fertilizer (10-10-10). The plant should start to revive and thrive for a few more months.

In 1952, the Irish ambassador dropped off shamrocks for President Truman. This became an annual tradition to celebrate the close ties of the United States with Ireland. Each St. Patrick’s Day an Irish official presents the President of the United States with a Waterford crystal bowl filled with shamrocks. In 2010 a late frost caused a shortage of shamrocks, annuals that begin growth in the spring, in Ireland; however, on March 17, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen presented President Obama with real shamrocks during the annual Shamrock Ceremony.  

What happens to all these shamrocks and Waterford bowls? Cable Network News reports that White House security regulations dictate that any food, drink or plant given to the president be "handled pursuant to Secret Service policy." That's Secret Service-speak for destroyed-an unceremonious fate, for an enduring symbol of a long friendship. As for the bowls, over the years they have been used in the President’s private residence, displayed among other gifts and Ronald Regan used one for his jelly beans.

Other varieties are also sold as shamrocks:  Oxalis regnellii (ox-AL-liss   reg-NEE-lee-eye) with white flowers and O. triangularis with purple leaves and pink or white flowers. Care for these plants are the same.

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

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Turn the Page- March Book Reviews

 [Once upon a time I wrote book reviews for the local Public Opinion newspaper (Chambersburg, PA). I tried to include a fiction, non-fiction, and a children's book that were all available at the local libraries.]

Reading "Angela's Ashes" is like sitting with a young Frank McCourt as he tells you the story of his early life in America and Ireland. Starting his tale with the innocence of one who knows no other life, he tells of an alcoholic father who abandons the family, deaths of young siblings, begging for food, seeking guidance from the Catholic church and the everyday nastiness of poverty. Growing up he sees the possibility of a better life and is resourceful in finding work to get there. Although it was a dismal life, he includes the light-hearted moments that every family enjoys.

Whether Irish luck is good or bad, in Janet Evanovich's "Plum Lucky" it's definitely fun. Readers join bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, lead character in the recent "One for the Money" movie, on a plot-twist Atlantic City joy ride. Searching for eccentric Grandma Mazur who's playing the slots with stolen mob money, Stephanie is joined by an ex-jockey who thinks he's a leprechaun and Doug, the kidnapped horse. Lula, her full-figured sidekick, and recurring characters from the other Plum books are there, too. A short book that's long on laughs.

It's hard to remember that Howard Blum used historical documents for "The Floor of Heaven: A True Tale of the Last Frontier and Yukon Gold Rush." This lively story reads like a great western novel. Starting with George Carmack, who discovered the first Klondike gold in August 1896, Blum carries readers through life getting to and working a gold claim.

While following Charlie Siringo, an ex-cowboy turned Pinkerton detective, as he solves a puzzling gold theft, Blum deftly describes daily life in the mining camps. Then there's Jeffrey "Soapy" Smith, nicknamed for a bait-and-switch scam selling soap with money inside, whose life of evading and bending the law adds colorful action to this lawless time. Amidst lots of action, the author describes both city and backcountry life during the gold rush madness.

March is change-of-weather season and Marion Dane Bauer's wonderful picture book, "In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb," leads young readers (Ages 4-8) from a fierce and messy winter lion to a fluffy white lamb bringing spring flowers. Clever rhymes keep little ones listening while Emily Arnold McCully's beautiful watercolor illustrations move from washed-out winter to a greener spring. Now is the perfect time to share this book.

Books are available in the Franklin County Library System.

Carol Kagan, 2012

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°Brix- Measuring Sugar in Fruit and Vegetables

Black Cherry Tomatoes

Update: A post asked what is the sweetest cherry tomato. Aha. More poking around on the internet. 

A large tomato may have a Brix reading from 2.3 to 8.2; a small tomato from 4.5 to 11.7. In a tomato challenge one bag of Sungold won out over a different bag of Sungold.   These were the F1 hybrids. What I find is that there are three varieties that show up often: Sungold (9-10), Isis Candy (8-9) and Sakura (8.8) . (‘Rosada’is the sweetest variety tested in the UK - ‘Rosada’ is a baby plum variety with a Brix rating of 10.5.- Hard to find.)

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Many factors influence a tomato crop and the crop’s Brix level. Variety selection and crop maturity are two key factors. Environmental factors, such as moisture, fertility, sunlight, and temperature also have an influence on Brix levels. 

This article has lots of good information. 

I am always amazed at what I learn when checking a fact for a post. In checking if the Black Cherry  tomato is open-pollinated before I posted I discovered a notation of a °Brix rating (note the symbol preceding the B).

And so I begin my "but I digress" internet time. Here's the interesting information I found. It is not a game or misspelling of bricks.

Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is the measure of sugar content in an aqueous solution. One degree Brix is 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution and represents the strength of the solution as percentage by mass. There is a digital refractometer that takes the measurements.

Drop of juice to measure sugar content

This measurement is used in fruit juice, wine making, carbonated beverage industry, starch and the sugar industry (think produce crops-corn, tomatoes, apples, citrus, melons).

At a Yara North America internet site (which piqued my interest even more to find out about this organization.) I found this explanation.

“Sugar levels in tomatoes:

°Brix is a measure of the Total Soluble Solid (TSS) content in the tomato or tomato product. The TSS in tomatoes is mainly sugars (fructose). A tomato juice, which is assessed as having 20 ° Brix, has 200g/litre of soluble sugars.

"Tomatoes for processing require a minimum °Brix of 4.5. This compares with an acceptable range of 3.5 - 5.5 in fresh tomatoes. The TSS of processed products is measured by refractometry.

"The °Brix content of the finished tomato product is largely controlled by the processor and manufacturing process. However, some processors do pay a higher price for higher dry matter tomatoes. In general, smaller, cherry tomatoes have a higher °Brix ratio and are sweeter than larger round or common tomatoes."

Penn State Video Capture

Ohio State has a more scholarly online article and Penn State has an online video of how to use a Brix refractor.

And this, my friends, is why, as a life-long learner, I find getting on the internet sucks up so much time. (2 hrs, w/photo finds and research)

Since this is research-based information, I am signing this as

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

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THINGS WITH WEIRD NAMES - ANSWERS

Here are the answers. See below for descriptions

Consider signing up for eBlog notifications on the email signup on the right. More puzzles, gardening tips, and a variety of miscellaneous topics. 

1. Lunule

(white crescent at the fingernail)
2. Aglet
3. Glabella
4. Cornicione
5. Barm
6. Purlicue
7. Ferrule
8. Punt
9. Muntin (or mullion)
10. Tittle
11. Peen
12. Tines
13. Nurdle
14. Keeper
15. Agraffe 

(also called a cage or muselet)
16. Antimacassar
17. Minmus 

(the big toe is the hallux)
18. Snood

Also a snood

Descriptions:

1. White, crescent-shaped end part of the fingernail.

2. Metal or plastic piece on the end of shoelaces.

3. Area between your eyebrows.

4. Crusty outer part of a pizza.

5. White foam on the top of a glass of beer.

6. Part of your hand between your thumb and index finger.

7. Metal piece that is at the end of a pencil with an eraser.

8. Indentation in the bottom of a wine bottle.

9. Frames within a window.

10. Dots above the letters i and j.

11. End of a hammer that doesn’t strike nails.

12. Sharp prongs of a fork.

13. Dollop of toothpaste on a toothbrush.

14. Loop on a belt to hold the end in place after passing through the buckle.

15. Wire cage that holds a champagne cork in place.

16. Piece of cloth that protects the headrest of a seat or sofa from dirt or soiling.

17. The little toe on your foot.

18. The red fleshy part attached near the base of a turkey’s beak. Or an elongated hair net - looks like a turkey snood!!

Soil Temps -Late Planting is Best for Home Gardeners

 

Home gardeners often plan to transplant seedlings after May 12th, the last estimated frost date for our area. More important than a date on the calendar is soil temperature. This year gardeners need to wait to allow the soil to warm up and the low air temperatures in the foreseeable forecast are consistently in the fifties or warmer.

"Soil temperature is a factor which few of us consider important enough to check before planting yet it probably is the most important factor affecting … seedling growth,” writes Dr. Jerry Parsons, Texas Extension Horticulturist. Warm soil allows plant roots to grow out into the bed quickly. planting yet it probably the most important factor affecting … seedling growth,” writes Dr. Jerry Parsons, Texas Extension Horticulturist. Warm soil allows plant roots to grow out into the bed quickly.

For the best start to the garden season, plant vegetables in the garden when the soil temperatures are best to do so. Plants are sensitive to temperature both above and below ground. If the soil temperature is not right transplants just sit there, biding their time until it warms up. This affects root development and can stunt growth throughout the growing season. Cool temperatures can also invite rot.

Tomatoes, one of our favorited homegrown summer crops,  are heat loving—not only should they not be planted in the garden until after danger of frost, it is best to wait until the soil temperature is warm. Memorial Day is the perfect time to plant tomatoes in much of Pennsylvania. If you plant too early, tomatoes will languish in the cold and may die during an unexpected frosty night.

During the week of May 11, 2020, in Fayetteville, Pa., the soil temperature in a sunny, raised bed was only 50° F. Soil temperatures will vary among different areas in a garden and between different yards. Soil in sunny areas and raised beds will warm the quickest.

Cornell University in Ithica, NY, publishes an up-to-date soil temperature map for the East Coast.

Use a soil thermometer and take the temperature at 2-3” deep around 10 to 11 a.m. Temperatures vary during the day with the lowest soil readings just after dawn and the highest in mid-afternoon. It is best to get a consistent reading over a period of four to five days.

The best temperature for transplanting local warm season crops is 60° to 65° F. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins, and squash. Beans can go in at 55° to 60° F. but okra needs 70° F. or more. Penn State Extension Planting and Transplanting Guide.

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

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Are you interested herbs? Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is

available locally at Snavely’s Garden Corner or through Amazon.