Author Archives: Patsy Bell

Leaves and Lawn

Posted on September 6, 2007 | Comments Off on Leaves and Lawn

Why Leaves Change Colors

According to Native American myth, hunters in the Heavens killed the Great Bear in Autumn and its blood dripped over Earth’s forests coloring some of the leaves red. As the hunters cooked the meat, fat dripped from the Heavens and colored some of the leaves yellow.

Most folks today assume old Jack Frost is responsible for changes in leaf color, but, not so. Many leaves begin to turn before we have any frosts. The change in coloring is the result of chemical processes which take place in the tree as the seasons change.

During the Spring and Summer, a food-making process takes place in the leaf in cells containing the pigment chlorophyll. This gives the leaf its green color. The chlorophyll absorbs energy from sunlight and uses it in transforming carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch.

In the Fall, the decrease in intensity and shorter hours of sunlight and the cooler temperatures cause the leaves to stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellowish colors or pigments already in the leaf become visible. The Autumn foliage of trees with mostly yellow colors, include: aspen, birch, hickory, white ash, black oak, striped maple, American elm, beech, yellow poplar, mountain holly and willow.


From the sugars trapped in the leaves during cool nights, a red pigment is often formed. Trees with red or scarlet leaves in Autumn are silver maple, mountain maple, red maple, dogwood, sweet gum, black gum, white oak, red oak, scarlet oak, sumac and sassafras.

Autumn weather conditions favoring the most brilliant colors are warm sunny days and cool, but not freezing, nights. A few hard frosts can cause the leaves to wither more quickly and drop to the ground. The degree of color may also vary from tree to tree.

Leaves directly exposed to the sun may turn red, while those on the shady side of the same tree or other trees, may be yellow. When there is mainly warm, cloudy and rainy weather in the Fall, the leaves may have less red coloration.

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Teen Challenge

Posted on August 27, 2007 | Comments Off on Teen Challenge


http://www.teenchallengemidamerica.com/
Vision Statement – Teen Challenge International of Mid-America
Our vision is to be a Christ-centered ministry setting the standards for excellence in helping those with destructive lifestyles, impacting our area of influence with programs that bring freedom from addictive behaviors through faith in Christ.

Nobody has worked harder and done a better quality job than the teen challenge workers. They have been asked to do hot, hard, heavy work in 100 degree weather. Everything is done to the highest standard. Good enough is not good enough. These young men set a higher standard – all work is done exactly as requested. They have a much higher work ethic than the folks working on my kitchen.

They have hauled rock, moved boulders, dug trenches, built flowerbeds, hauled horse manure, compost, gravel and sand. They tilled, mowed, edged, weed whacked, weeded, watered, dug out huge tree stumps, landscaped with only modest tools and minimal instruction.

All this when they weren’t pouring concrete and building driveways, sidewalks, a patio, carport, building stone retaining walls, removing brick walkways.

They are working for the Lord, at my place.

 

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Posted in Go Away, My Gardens, My Homeplace

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Road Kill Is Organic, Poison Oak Is Botanic

Posted on August 18, 2007 | Comments Off on Road Kill Is Organic, Poison Oak Is Botanic


August 2007
Gardening Forever

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. – Russel Baker

Rest Stop

Find a shady, restful spot for a reading chair or a peaceful garden bench in your yard. You can make a garden bench yourself or spend a fortune on an artfully designed concrete, teak or wrought iron bench. A really nice garden bench is something you can put on your wish list for a birthday or anniversary. My neighbors’ children went in together to purchase a garden bench for their parents’ anniversary. The bench has a little brass engraved tag commemorating their wedding date.

Regardless of how you come by the bench, get one. It can serve as a garden highlight or a simple oasis in the shade. Everyone needs a place in the shade to enjoy the fruits of their labor, listen to the birds, and enjoy a tall, cool drink. Consider an attractive, sturdy garden bench as your garden’s best perennial asset. Now is a good time to shop for one. Make sure the bench is stable and placed on solid, ground. Make benches and chairs a bit of peaceful and restful garden art.

As I was digging up a new space for a garden, I came across some huge limestone squares that must have been foundation stones at one time. The limestone blocks were big enough to make into a stone garden bench.
The stone bench is surrounded with recycled pavers and stepping stones and, I’m planting some hardy herbs, creeping thyme varieties, between the pavers. The thyme is a ground cover that can withstand some light traffic. The thyme came from an over crowded herb garden. I paid a strong young college student to remove the stones from my new garden area and set up the bench. The overgrown plants from the herb garden and the recycled pavers were free.

Well, except for the rumbling and grumbling from Jules as he paid the college student for his manual labor. I’m thrilled to have the “new” garden bench, made from native stone that serves yet another generation in this old house. Asked what he thinks of the bench, Jules mumbled, “lot of work.” He could have been thinking of the original stone carvers, or the young man that did the heavy moving for us. Or his own daily bench testing regimen. Find a shady spot for your own good sturdy bench. A bench is one of the best things you’ll ever put in your garden. If you need a bench tester, I’ll loan you mine. He’s a jewel.

Robber Weeds

Once weeds get a foothold in the vegetable or flower garden, it makes a lot of work for you and robs your plants of water and nutrients. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a totally weed free garden. Still, I don’t have many weeds this year.

These four steps work for me:1) Don’t till. Minimize soil disturbance so dormant weed seeds stay dormant and without light and air; 2) Choose permanent paths for walking and permanent areas for planting to avoid soil compaction and the need for tilling; 3) Keep a layer of organic mulch on all soil to prevent weed seeds from germinating as they blow in or are dropped into the garden by birds; 4) Use drip irrigation to water, I use a soaker hose to avoid promoting weed growth in paths and between widely spaced plants.

Road Kill Is Organic
Poison Oak Is Botanic

Botanical means “of or relating to plants.” Crabgrass and poison ivy are botanical. That a product is botanical is a trendy selling point. It only means that the product contains some plant matter.
Organic means that the product has plant and/or animal matter. All botanicals are organic. Not all organics are botanical. It’s not necessarily a good thing if something contains a botanical substance. Botanicals can be found in some shampoos and most salad bowls.

My husband Jules, the botanist, reminds me that botanicals are not always a good thing. He cites okra as an example. I think okra is a good thing. Our marriage, and this perennial okra discussion, is an annual event. Annuals and perennials are both blooming in my garden.

Annuals are plants that you plant annually, or every year. Zinnias and Bachelor Buttons are examples of seeds or plants that you plant every year. They grow and bloom for one year, usually dying with the first frost. Perennials are plants that come back year after year; the old faithfuls of the garden.

Kansas City’s Plant Wizard

Jack Roberson breeds award winning plants, perennials and shrubs. Though he is most recognized as the creator of American Day lily ‘Blackeyed Stella,’ Jack’s recent horticulture venture is breeding boxwood. “Good choices for boxwood borders are Green Mountain (Buxus ‘Green Mountain’), Green Velvet (Buxus ‘Green Velvet’) and Wintergreen (Buxus microphylla ‘Wintergreen)’, all are very cold hardy and good choices for hedges in zone 5 or 6.”
“Another good choice for small gardens is ‘Morris Midget’
(Buxus microphylla var. japonica ‘Morris Midget,’) because it is a compact, low-growing mound. Like most boxwood, it will tolerate full sun or part shade”

“This is paramount,” Jack pauses for effect, “Boxwood can not live with wet feet.” Buxus are susceptible to too much water in the summer and in the winter. Planting in low-lying areas, or under a down spout, even in the hottest part of the country, is a bad idea. Jack uses cottonseed meal* to fertilize his boxwood gardens. Cottonseed meal is a natural slow release fertilizer.

Jo and Jack Roberson, owners of Gardens of Glory in Grain Valley, MO, are also stirring up the attention of gardeners, plant breeders, and growers with Patriot™ Lantanas. Sun-fast, heat-tolerant, lantanas attract butterflies and hummingbirds all summer.

You can find lantanas is a variety to suit most any garden. Choose from weeping, mounding, semi-weeping, semi-compact, and compact mounding forms, with a color assortment from dove white to brilliant red-orange to hot pink. I have the “Patriot” tm ‘Weeper’ Popcorn lantana, which is yellow and white – yes, just like popcorn. Several visitors have commented on the lacy-leaved lantana. Popcorn is the attention grabber in my mixed variety plant containers. Patriot™ Lantanas are available from top growers nationwide. For a listing of all the new varieties go to: www.patriotlantana.com . Seek these plants out, lantanas can take the Kansas and Missouri hot dry summers.

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April Fool

Posted on April 3, 2007 | Comments Off on April Fool

April 2007
Gardening Forever

Happy New Year, April Fools

The vernal equinox, was once the celebrated as New Years Day. In ancient cultures, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25 and ending April 1. But then, the efficiency experts began complaining that we were losing too much time.

So, in 1584, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced, King Charles IX of France ruled that New Year’s Day be moved to January 1st. The weather in January is usually so nasty, few people have the desire to frolic for eight days. Efficiency experts were thrilled.

Remember, no one had cell phones or instant messaging in 1564 and it took awhile for the word about the calendar change to get out. Folks who did not learn about the new date continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1.

These traditionalists, or people without cell phones, were subject to ridicule and sent on “fools errands,” sent invitations to nonexistent parties and were the victims of practical jokes. The butts of these pranks became known as a “poisson d’avril” or “April fish” because a young naive fish is easily caught.

This April, we still have tree work to do from last spring’s tornado. Digging holes, planting trees, watering and fertilizing are a lot more work than Jules is used to. He really needs to get into shape for the gardening season, since we (he) will be planting several new replacement trees in the lawn. So, I enrolled Jules in a weight training program.

Although you are more likely to see him at Westlake Hardware store than the YMCA, Jules thought I would believe that they were selling garden supplies and tools at the community center weight room. Supposedly, Home Depot has an outlet there.

A woman instinctively knows when her husband is seeing someone else. I suspected he was out there running around when he come home with the distinct fragrance of potting soil on his clothes and dirt under his fingernails. But the real clue was a receipt in his jeans pocket from Family Tree Nursery. I found a crumpled receipt in the car ashtray from Earl May.

I’m not certain who is the bigger April Fool, me for enrolling him in a class he didn’t want to take, or him for pretending to go. Did he think I wouldn’t notice the shiny new rake and spade hanging in the garage?

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Posted in Gardens (not mine), My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!

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Lawn care and daffodils

Posted on April 3, 2007 | Comments Off on Lawn care and daffodils

March 2007
Gardening Forever

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn. – Lewis Grizzard

The Big Cover UP

There is no such thing as a maintenance-free lawn or garden. However, a lower maintenance lawn and garden are easily achieved. Nothing upgrades a lawns appearance faster than attractive organic mulch spread on the bare soil under all trees and shrubs. Spread two to three inches of shredded bark or bark nuggets over all bare soil in garden beds, along fence lines, or under trees.

The most popular mulches are bark chips or chunks, wood chips, shredded cedar or cypress, cocoa bean shells, straw and pine needles. Buying the right amount of mulch will save time, money and multiple trips to the garden center. Use these guidelines to estimate the right number of bags needed for a project.

Prepackaged mulch comes in two and three cubic feet bags. Select a bag size; generally, larger bags are more economical, smaller bags are easier to handle. One large 3 cu ft bag will cover 18 square feet with two inched of mulch. A smaller 2 cu ft bag of will cover 12 square feet with two inches of mulch.

Estimate the number of bags needed using the following formula.
Bag Size 2-inch depth 3-inch depth
2 cu ft 12 sq ft 8 sq ft
3 cu ft 18 sq ft 12 sq ft
For example, a garden area 10’ long x 40’ wide would be 400 sq ft. 400 divided by 8 (for a 3-inch depth) would, buy fifty 2-cu-ft bags.
Or, a 400 sq ft garden area divided by 12 (for a 3-inch depth) would result in thirty-four 3-cu-ft bags. (OK, math wizards, its 33⅓, not 34).

Keep mulch 2-3 inches away from the base of trees and shrubs and avoid the ‘Mulch Volcano’ some landscapers favor — it’s the wrong way to use the product or treat a plant. Piling mulch at the base of trees and shrubs is a common error. It can cause too much moisture retention promoting disease and insect infestation in the plants.

Occasionally freshen the look of mulch by moving it around. Raking the mulch moves composted material down into the soil and helps prevent airborne mold and fungus attacks.

After this years brutal winter, many trees will need to be removed or replaced. Tree trimmings from storm damaged trees are a good source of free mulch. For large areas that need mulch, remember that arborists usually pay to dispose of tree trimmings and will gladly give wood chips to you, if you want it all. Of course, truck size and content varies, but you may receive 10 cubic yards of wood chips free. Supplement with additional nitrogen.

Feed Daffodils Before They Bloom

The best time to apply fertilizer to spring-flowering bulbs is when foliage emerges in the spring, not when they are flowering. Roots are most active when the foliage emerges from the soil. Bulb roots actually begin to die at flowering, so fertilizing during bloom is a waste of fertilizer. An all-purpose fertilizer application when the plant begins to poke through the ground will provide nutrients for the bulbs to produce flowers next year. If your soil has plenty of phosphorus and potassium, and it probably does, fertilize with blood meal. This natural fertilizer promotes green leafy growth and is a fast acting source of nitrogen.

The best way to find out what the soil needs are is with a soil test. Chances are the lawn and the garden have different nutrient requirements. Do not use weed and feed combinations developed for the lawn, in your garden.

Deadhead the daffodils if you want, but leave the foliage until it dies back naturally. Energy from the foliage is transferred to the bulb, creating next year’s blooms. Leaving the foliage is the best investment you can make for next spring’s blooms.

When I went to pick up my friend for a round of golf, I found her in the garden poking golf t’s in the soil. Marge said “If I find bare spots or bulbs don’t come up this spring, I just mark the space with a T. In the fall, I’ll remember where to plant the new bulbs without disturbing the old ones.”

Plant brightly colored wooden golf t’s in your bulb beds to remind you where to fill in additional bulbs next fall. Don’t pull up the dying foliage and you’ll have time to squeeze in a round of golf between spring gardening chores.

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Fall Leaf Compost

Posted on November 27, 2006 | Comments Off on Fall Leaf Compost
Fall Leaf Compost
Make your Own Dirt

Easy, Instant Compost

Fill a plastic garbage bag with leaves and some grass clippings.

 

Poke some holes in the bag and wet the leaves.

Scoop a shovelful of soil into the bag and shake it.

Shake the bag every few weeks and moisten the leaves if they dry out.

Next Spring you’ll have dark, crumbly leaf mold.

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Roses in December

Posted on November 20, 2006 | Comments Off on Roses in December

December 2005
50 And Better Magazine
Gardening Forever
By Patsy Bell Hobson

God gave us memory that we might have roses in December.
James Matthew Barrie (1860 – 1937) Scottish dramatist, novelist

CHRISTMAS STUFF

The holidays are all about stuffing. Stuffed turkeys, stockings and mailboxes. The mail box isn’t so full of greeting cards as it used to be. But if you have ever received one gardening catalog, you have soon been added to the mail lists of many, many others. Garden catalogs now start coming before Christmas. Then, the big mailbox stuffing comes after Christmas. Catalog after catalog.

I don’t look at these tempting plant and seed catalogs. Not yet, anyway. They all go directly into a paper bag. Then, sometime after the first of the year, a “snow day” preferably, I dig out all the catalogs. It’s a winter ritual that helps an old gardener get through the winter.

Of course there are many variations on this theme. My garden catalog ritual requires snow on the ground. The first day I can count as a “snow day” will do. Or, if I can hold off, a couple of days into a snow storm is the best. And, hot chocolate is a must. A roaring fire in the fireplace adds to the ambience. Snuggling in with a big bag of seed catalogs is just about as happy as a gardener can get in the winter time.

If it turns out to be a particularly severe winter, this ritual may be repeated. In that case, don’t place the order for at least a week. Give reason time to set in. It may come to you that you have ordered enough seed to sow the entire state of Kansas.

ROSES IN DECEMBER

The legend of the Christmas Rose has been told again and again. I do not know the author. Next time you see a rose, think of this tale.

THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

When the Magi laid their gifts of myrrh, frankincense, and gold, by the bed of the sleeping Christ Child, legend says that a shepherd maiden stood outside the door quietly weeping.

She, too, had sought the Christ Child. She, too, desired to bring him gifts. But she had nothing to offer, for she was very, very poor. In vain she had searched the countryside over for one little flower to bring Him, but she could find none, for the winter had been cold.

As she stood there weeping, an angel passing saw her sorrow, and stooping he brushed aside the snow at her feet. There sprang up on the spot a cluster of beautiful winter roses, — waxen white with pink tipped petals.

“Nor myrrh, nor frankincense, nor gold,” said the angel, “is offering more meant for the Christ Child than these pure Christmas Roses.”

Joyfully the shepherd maiden gathered the flowers and made her offering to the Holy Child.

SNAIL NAIL
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has seen promising results using 1 and 2 percent caffeine solutions to kill snails and slugs. Research showed the 2-percent caffeine solution more effective than metaldehyde, a common pesticide used to control slugs and snails. Instant coffee is about 0.05 percent caffeine. Normal brewed coffee is a little stronger. The coffee I make is defiantly strong enough to kill a slug. Though I have no idea where to find coffee cups that small.

DECEMBER GARDEN BARGAINS

Garden Works at Createagarden.com is a company run by gardeners for gardeners. Their products are designed to make gardening easier and more enjoyable. They have a great prepackaged gift that any rose gardener would appreciate getting. The Deluxe Rose Pro gloves, made from premium goat skin, is made to fit like a dress glove. Elbow high leather cuffs protect the forearm, making these comfy rose gloves perfect for pruning or working with woody shrubs.

I love these gloves. In fact, I had to order a second pair as a Christmas gift because I kept the first pair for myself. The gift box includes a pair of Deluxe Rose Pro gloves and a pruning tool. Everything I’ve ordered from this company is shipped promptly and well made. Check it out at http://www.createagarden.com/ or, E-mail : info@garden-works.net. Call 425-455-0568

All the tempting gift catalogs and garden catalogs should come with the same printed warning as your car’s rearview mirror. “Objects in mirror are larger than they appear.” Keep in mind that picture on the cover of the seed catalog was taken by a professional photographer. That is the best looking tomato or flower that the growers could find. As car makers also say, “Your results may vary.” Your plant is never going to look better than it does on the catalog cover.

I like gift certificates. Turns out the gift certificate idea was my husband’s. Jules buys garden related gift certificates not so much as a gift but as an act of budgetary self-defense. This is his way of protecting our bank account from those cold cabin fever days also known as the garden-catalog-snow-day-shopping-spree.

From our house to yours, Jules and I wish you a merry Christmas ands a peaceful New Year. Patsy Bell Hobson is a free lance writer and a Master Gardener in Liberty, MO. Send e-mail to patsy64068@yahoo.com

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Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Posted on November 19, 2006 | Comments Off on Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Mix the following ingredients together in an open jar or other container:

1/2 qt water (2 c)

2 T sugar

2 T (white) vinegar

Add a couple of drops of liquid dish soap

Leave the mixture sitting out in the infested area, as long as needed.

Non-lethal Fruit Fly solution

A non-lethal way to get rid of fruit flies is to put a half of a banana into a jar or glass, and cover with plastic and then poke small holes in the plastic. The fruit flies will fly in to get the banana, but won’t be able to get out. When you believe you have trapped them all, simply put the banana outside.

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