Granville Gardeners Gazette · • April is the best time to plant warm season grasses – Bermuda, centipede, zoysia, & St. Augustine • Prune azaleas after flowering • Spray

GGG Granvil le Gardeners Gazette

Promoting Education and Recreation through Gardening Activities Oxford, North Carolina April 2015, Volume IV, No. 4

Caterpillar on peony bud Bluebird with insect larva Predator bug on the attack Pesticides in the Garden: Making Intelligent Choices Involving Use

Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Agriculture Extension Building, 308 Wall Street, Oxford, NC

About the Program Are you confused with the many kinds of pesticides in garden centers, especially with the newer systemic insecticides taken up by every part of the plant, including pollen and nectar? There is a more eco-friendly approach that uses chemicals as a last resort for controlling the bugs and worms munching on our vegetables and ornamentals. We will learn how to apply scientifically-based ecological principals to deal with these problems, how the resulting healthier lawns, gardens, and landscapes sustain healthier soil and plants, and how this safer environment fosters life on all levels – microbes to people. We will discuss:

• Proactively avoiding pest problems • Accepting and promoting beneficial insects • How to choose the right pesticide for your environment • How to employ integrated pest management techniques in your landscape to promote healthy

plants and a healthy environment

About the Speaker Dr. Danesha Seth Carley grew up on an organic farm in WV. After spending 4 years in the Midwest while pursuing a BA, she left the corn and soybean fields to return to the South. Her MS in Plant Pathology comes from the University of TN, and her PhD in Plant Pathology and Crop Science was at NCSU. She is now a faculty member in the Department of Horticultural Science, and the Associate Director for the Southern IPM Center. As an Urban Ecosystem Ecologist, her area of expertise is managed urban greenspace. Recent projects include incorporating pollinator habitat into the urban environment, and conservation efforts and native plant assessment at historic Pinehurst No. 2 and the proud parent of a small flock of backyard chickens, a few dogs and cats, and a wonderful 7 year old son (who is also a budding scientist!).

President’s Notes Hi Fellow Gardeners, Hopefully all of the bitter cold weather is behind us now. As I write this, I note that winter went out with a bang with 20 degrees at our house last Sunday. As we look toward spring, now is the time to plan for the herbs you will need to add that special touch to those famous dishes, and what better place to start than our Herb sale on April 11th? Contact Beverly or Kay if you need more information. I know I added several that I learned about at last month’s meeting, “The Powers and Pleasures of Growing and Using Herbs.” Thanks again to Kay Nutt and Beverly Allen for such an informative meeting, not to mention the delicious snacks prepared by the Herb Team. Nick’s introduction to growing garlic and his wife’s method of preserving it was especially appreciated. If you are planting a vegetable garden, you probably already have cool season vegetables in the ground. If not, you need to plant them soon. Things like kale, cabbage, peas, broccoli do better when planted early. For more sensitive plants like squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and beans hold off until after April 15th. That is generally thought to be the last frost date for this area. Wait a little longer to plant eggplant. April is the month for us to learn about whether or not to use pesticides. Our program is “Pesticides in the Garden: Making Intelligent Choices Involving Use.” Insects and bugs are sometimes relentless pests, so let’s learn how to control them without harming the environment. I look forward to seeing you on April 27th. Joyce Cifers, President

April To-Do List • April is the best time to plant warm season grasses – Bermuda, centipede, zoysia, & St. Augustine • Prune azaleas after flowering • Spray roses every 7 -10 days with a fungicide until frost, beginning with the onset of new growth • Control aphids on roses and other plants with insecticidal soap • Apply pre-emergence herbicide to reduce spring-germinating weed seeds • If you didn’t get your perennials planted last fall, plant now so they can become established before hot

weather • Once the ground has warmed, plant summer annuals seeds • Mulch well to prepare for summer heat and to prevent weeds • Experiment with watering devices to conserve water: soaker hoses, drip irrigation systems with

timers will help deliver water to plants efficiently • Maintain your spray program for apples, nectarines, peaches, and plums. Follow label instructions

and observe waiting times before harvest. • Apples, nectarines, peaches, and pears need to be thinned to produce the best crop of full-size fruit.

Fruit should be thinned by the time they are nickel size so that they are spread 4-8” apart along the branches.

• If you have blueberries, cherries, or strawberries, have bird netting ready unless you want to share your crop. If you are thinking of starting or expanding small fruit plantings, it is getting late for bare-root plants, but local retailers have many container-grown plants. Before buying, check that the varieties are appropriate for this area. Everbearing and day-neutral strawberries are not recommended because of the summer heat.

• Again – RESIST the temptation to work the soil when it is wet. • “Warm weather” vegetables (green beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, melons, squash, and tomatoes) can

be planted after the average last frost date in mid-April. Wait until May for “hot weather” vegetables (lima beans, eggplant, okra, southern peas, peppers, and sweet potatoes. See Home Vegetable Gardening AG-06 for fertilizer and pest control recommendations (also has a super-helpful chart on when to plant what vegetables, seed and/or transplants). They are available at the Ag. Extension Centers.

Some interesting websites: • www.nctomatoman.weebly.com Check out “Dwarf Tomato Project” under “more”. If you’re tired of staking heirloom and standard tomatoes only to have them fall over, this new tomato project breeding breakthrough is fascinating reading. Marty has seedlings up of four of their varieties. • www.tarheelgardening.com NC gardening and landscaping information • www.hometalk.com Home and garden blog • www.all-americaselections.org All-America Selection web site • The Garden Professors – WSU Extension:

https://sharepoint.cahnrs.wsu.edu/blogs/urbanhort/default.aspx Lots of interesting “stuff” • www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott See “horticultural myths”

Seed Viability and Storage If all the seeds in the packet were not used, here is a guide for viability and storage:

• Short-lived seeds (1-2 years): corn, onion, parsley, parsnip, pepper • Intermediate seeds (3-4 years): asparagus, bean, broccoli, carrot, celery, leek, pea, spinach

• Long-lived seeds (4-5 years): beet, chard, cabbage family (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), turnip, radish, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, cantaloupe, pumpkin-squash group, tomato, watermelon.

To store: place seed packets in a jar, seal tightly, place in a refrigerator. To help absorb moisture, place a small, cloth bag filled with dry powdered milk beneath the seed packets in the bottom of the jar. Use about ½ cup of dry milk from a recently opened package. Information from the Victory Seed Company, www.victoryseeds.com This is the company (all organic) which has the Tomato Project seeds.

S & H Farms Field Trip Over 25 GGs participated in the field trip to S & H Farms at 4654 James Royster Road, south of Oxford, despite the cool, rainy weather. Vicki Salisbury gave a great overview of the way the business was started and is currently managed, and she gave a tour of the three high tunnel greenhouses where she grows the vegetables. Unfortunately for those who wanted to buy just-picked organic produce, she was sold out for the day. You can’t get any fresher than farm to fork with orders picked up on Mondays at noon in the parking area between the Extension building and the Thornton library parking lot. If prior arrangements are made, orders can be picked up at the farm. Contact Vicki at [email protected] to be on her mailing list. She sends notice of available produce via email on Thursdays and needs to have a reply as soon as possible. She cannot accept orders later than 8 a.m. Mondays for delivery that day Support our local farmers – we’re lucky to have them.

Vicki explaining the operation Kale Interested GGs

Q&A for April 2015 Q: There is quite a culinary buzz about spelt and farro – what are they, and how are they used? A: Spelt is the more nutritionally robust cousin of wheat with a 7,000 year history. It was one of the first grains to be used for bread. Since its domestication, spelt has been a staple food around the world, from the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome to those of medieval Europe. It is currently enjoying a boost in popularity, particularly in the U.S. It requires less fertilizer and is more resistant to disease and pests than other forms of wheat because of its tough outer hull. It provides a broader range of nutrients than other members of the wheat family. It’s high in manganese, vitamin B2, niacin, thiamin, and copper. It is particularly heart-healthful, as niacin protects against numerous cardiovascular risk factors (such as high cholesterol and platelet aggregation). Spelt’s fiber helps reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels (l/2 cup of cooked spelt provides 4 grams of fiber for only 123 calories). To cook spelt: Use 3½ cups of water to each 1 cup of spelt. Combine spelt berries and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours or until tender. Use in salads or substitute it for rice or pasta, add to cooked greens, and use in curry dishes. Spicy Chicken and Spelt Salad Whisk together in small bowl and set aside: 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 Tbsp. + ½ tsp. Asian sesame oil 1¼ tsp. minced ginger 2½ tsp. olive oil 1¼ tsp. minced garlic 1½ tsp. creamy peanut butter ½ serrano chile peppers, minced 2½ tsp. rice wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. soy sauce Toast 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. spelt kernels in a dry skillet on med.-high heat until the kernels are browned and some have popped. Remove, place in a mesh strainer, and rinse well with cold water. Drain. Bring 2 1/3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and stir in spelt kernels. Return to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain well and set aside to cool. 1 ½ skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 med. onion, cut in chunks ¼ tsp. salt, 2 cups water While the spelt is simmering, add the 2 cups of water, the ¼ tsp. salt, and onion to a skillet. Bring to a boil and add chicken breasts, reduce heat to med.-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 min. Remove chicken from liquid and allow to cool. ½ red bell pepper, sliced ½ bunch green onions, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro 1½ carrots, thinly sliced 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage Once chicken has cooled enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Stir in spelt, bell pepper, green onions, parsley, cilantro, carrots, and cabbage. Pour sauce over salad and stir well to combine. Serves 4 Farro is an ancient cereal grain that belongs to the wheat family and dates as far back as 20,000 years. Also known as emmer wheat, farro was the primary grain cultivated by early Egyptians and became a staple of the Roman legions during their occupation of Egypt. Over time, farro’s popularity gave way to higher-yielding, easier-to-grow varieties of wheat grains. However, farro began reemerging in Italy and is

now attracting attention from cooks around the world. Tuscany’s Garfagnana area has been granted protected geographical indication status for its Farro delia Garfagnana. Though farro is often confused with spelt (which is sometimes mistakenly called farro), they are different grains. Farro has a dense chewy structure and a rich, nutty flavor. It can be used in pasta, bread, and for risotto-style dishes. It cooks in less time than spelt. Meyer Lemon Grain Salad with Asparagus, Almonds and Goat Cheese 8 oz. (1¼ cups) pearled farro 8 oz. (1¼ cups) pearl couscous 2 Meyer lemons, zested & juiced or Trader Joe’s Harvest Grain Blend 1 pound asparagus, trimmed ¼ cup + 1 tsp. olive oil 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted 4 oz. soft goat cheese, chilled & crumbled 1 Tbsp. walnut oil, optional Flaky salt & freshly ground black pepper - If you can’t get Meyer lemons, use regular ones. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan. Salt generously. Add farro, cover, & simmer for 15 minutes, or until al dente. - In another 2-qt. saucepan, cook pearl couscous or Harvest Grain Blend according to package directions. - Drain cooked farro and couscous and spread on a large baking sheet, set aside to cool. Zest lemons over the grains and stir to combine. - Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil over med. heat & cook the asparagus 2 minutes. - Whisk lemon juice with 1¼ cups olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over grain salad and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Q: I have two questions – what is an easy-grow flower that can be used in salads, and is there something ornamental I can plant with jonquils for cover while the jonquil leaves are yellowing? A: We published a long list of edible flowers in a past issue, but here are two that may not have been included. One is bee balm, and depending on the species, the flavors are different. The one pictured, Monarda citriodora, is also known as lemon mint. It is a brilliant addition to late summer gardens. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees flock to the flowers on 12-24" tall plants. Leaves and flowers are used for tea. It needs full sun and is a self-seeding annual. Other monardas are reputed to have a taste similar to bergamot, which gives Earl Gray tea its distinctive flavor. Another delicious flower is that of fennel, which has a sweet, licorice flavor. It is very refreshing to eat while working in the garden and to use in salads, sprinkled over fish, and added to other dishes. For your other question, the variety of kale in the photo would make a beautiful combination with jonquils, and you can harvest its leaves to eat throughout the spring. Its blue-green leaves have raspberry-colored midribs, and purplish-pink petunias would be perfect planted with it after the jonquil leaves have been cut. This kale is Red Ursa and seed can be found at Sow True Seed. Its retail store is in Asheville, NC, but you can find it online and order there.

Monarda citriodora Red Ursa kale Fennel flowers

Did You Know? Did you know that it was recently discovered that when bumblebees fly, they build up a positive electrical charge, and that flower pollen is negatively charged so that through static electricity the pollen is just sucked onto the bee when it lands? Until this discovery, it was thought that insects just unwittingly pick up pollen when they visit flowers. There are also other fascinating mechanisms by which flowers attract pollinators, such as the production of small amounts of caffeine that is mixed in the nectar of some plants, thus offering an additional boost. And there are structures in some flowers that hold pollen packets. When activated by the right creature, the structure slingshots the packet onto the visitor and it sticks there. When it enters another flower of the same species, another specialized structure scoops the packet off. Some insects that eat carrion are attracted to plants that have developed patterns, shapes, or odors that mimic rotting meat in order to lure them -- skunk cabbage is an example. It is a low-growing, foul smelling plant that prefers wetlands, found naturally in Northern and Eastern North America. Another interesting fact is that it is one of the very few plants that can generate heat (thermogenesis), which allows the plant to melt its way through frozen ground and even bloom in the snow. This attracts insects that are hiding from the cold. And if you’ve looked at a Queen Anne’s lace flower closely, you will see in many of them a single dark-purple flower near the center that sits slightly higher than the rest of the flowers – why is it there? Some researchers think that because it looks like a small beetle, it is to show other beetles that it is a great place to snack. Others believe it is bait to attract predatory wasps. Both beetles and wasps are pollinators of these plants. Of course the shapes of many flowers seem tailor-made for specific pollinators, such as the red cardinal flower for hummingbirds. When the nectar is depleted, many plants have a solution to show pollinators that the diner is closed so they won’t waste energy visiting them. For instance, the flowers of a vine that is pollinated by bats changes shape when empty and the bats detect the difference in their echolocations and stay away. In another case, flowers’ electrical charges change for a while after bees’ visits so other bees won’t bother stopping by.

Bumblebee Skunk cabbage Cardinal flower

Article by Marty Finkel from information in State by State Gardening, February 2015 and other sources. Bumblebee and Cardinal flower photos from same source. Did you know that mushrooms in the lawn can mean healthy soil? Will the mushrooms that come and go with rainy spells do any harm? Susie Dunham, mycologist and pesticide specialist with the National Pesticide Information Center at Oregon State U. says you shouldn’t be alarmed, that mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi and may indicate healthy soil for other plants to grow in. Plants, including grass, rely on soil fungi and bacteria to digest nutrients for them. In return, they feed these soil organisms with sugars they make in photosynthesis. Underground, below the mushrooms, are thread-like

networks called hyphae. Some attach to plant roots, creating filaments that reach far into the soil, increasing the surface area of plant roots up to a thousand times. Fungal hyphae and plant roots working together are called mycorrhizae. A thimbleful of soil can contain miles of mycorrhizal filaments. These filaments also produce organic compounds that glue soils together and improve their structure and porosity to help root growth. In addition, mycorrhizae in the soil have been found to suppress soil-borne pathogens and protect plants from root diseases. It’s a beneficial relationship between fungi and green plants that has been evolving for millions of years. “Most plants – from orchids, rhododendrons and madrone trees to most fruit and nut trees, turf grasses, annuals and perennials – depend on some type of fungal activity,” says Dunham. Landscapes that have been stripped of topsoil can be improved with the addition of mycorrhizae to the soil. Over-watering, over-fertilizing, and use of fungicides can eliminate mycorrhizae usefulness or even kill the fungi. After a while, the mushrooms stop sprouting, and the mass of hyphae will live unobtrusively in the soil for another year. By Marty Finkel with information from the Oregon State U. Extension Service Did you know that it’s more beneficial to jonquils to cut the seed head off its stem when deadheading rather than cutting the whole stem at the base? Leaving the stems will provide the bulb with more nourishment for the next season’s flower production. Did you know that the distinctive smell and flavor of Earl Grey tea is due to the addition of bergamot oil? Bergamot is a type of citrus fruit about the size of an orange but yellow like a lemon. Its juice is bitterer than grapefruit juice but less sour than lemon. The flavoring oil comes from the skin of the fruit, as do other citrus oils. Most of these fruits are grown in Calabria, Italy, but France and the Ivory Coast of Africa have significant production. The scents of the oils differ depending on where the trees are grown. Bergamot oil is important to the perfume industry, with about half of women’s and a third of men’s perfumes containing it.

Bergamot orange Bergamot flavored tea

By Marty Finkel from an article in The Boston Globe by Northeastern University physicist John Swain

Garden Glossary: Provenance

THE IMPORTANCE OF ORIGIN is quoted directly from an article by Carol Bishop Miller in the May 2007 issue of Horticulture magazine. It appeared in the Pride of Place section and is titled “Nursery-woman Jan Midgley Celebrates the Richness of Alabama’s Flora.” MF THE IMPORTANCE OF ORIGIN Midgley claims that 80 percent of the plants she sells are from Alabama or Georgia. “I think provenance is so important,” she says, crediting J. C. Raulston with acquainting her with the term. (See “The Meaning of Provenance, below.”) “One time I bought a swamp sunflower, just the common Helianthus angustifolius, that was grown in North Carolina, and carried it home to Maryland. It was absolutely beautiful that fall; then it died flat out. I’ve learned since that that’s one of the plants that’s very fussy about where it’s come from. It may be the exact same species, but you’d better get local genetic material if you want it to be long-lived. “Spigelia [Indian pink] is another one. I have four plants out there from Harpersville, which is just, as the crow flies, three miles from here. Another plant was given to me in Memphis. Every year the Memphis plant comes up later and the leaves turn yellow until I lime it. They have limier soil up there, and here that plant just pukes along.” Midgley feels so strongly about the importance of provenance to a plant’s potential for success that her sales list notes the state of origin beside a plant’s name, if she knows it. “The asters in the trade don’t do well for me here,” she says. “But I found this blue aster, Aster hemispherica, in a ditch. It gets only two and a half feet tall and makes a nice winter rosette.” The New England aster (A. novaeangliae) on her list is a strain found near Selma. The meaning of provenance: Provenance is a term used to describe a plant’s geographic origin. Many plant species have a wide geographic range, and when they are found locally may differ significantly in their genetic makeup. The local ones have adapted to that particular climate, and this may affect a plant’s viability if it is moved to a distant location. Red maple seeds collected from wild populations in Florida, for example, are likely to yield plants far less hardy than those grown from Canadian-collected seeds. Growers of prairie grasses in the Midwest have concluded that seed should be moved no more than two degrees of latitude north, or three degrees south, or about 140 and 210 miles, respectively. For the home gardener, knowing the ultimate source of a particular specimen (its true origin, not merely the nursery from which it comes) is a useful guide, but not a guarantee of success. Indeed, certain glacial relicts are hardier than their current location suggests. A native magnolia tree, Magnolia ashei–which is now native only to the Florida panhandle—is in fact hardy as far north as Toronto. The only sure way to know whether a new plant will do well in your own garden is to try it. Adapted by Marty Finkel from the definition inserted into the Jan Midgley article by the editors of Horticulture magazine. See more at: http://www.hortmag.com/archive/pride_of_place#sthash.d5IKB98e.dpuf

Plant of the Month

Variegated chocolate vine (Akebia quinata)

Akebia quinata produces very fragrant, lilac-purple flowers in early summer that smell like chocolate. These vines make delightful ground cover and naturally climb up fences for lovely, lavender-hued privacy screens. Very hardy, this unusual vine produces exotic leathery leaves and large fruits that ripen in mid to late fall. The edible pulp is said to taste like tapioca pudding. Grows in partial shade to full sun, 4 to 6 feet high,

Also in Bloom this Month

Note that bloom times vary, depending on climatic and meteorological conditions, and many plants bloom several months in a row (and sometimes rebloom). The Raulson Arboretum’s web site lists over 500 plants that are blooming in April, which makes it difficult to select a small subset to include in the Gazette. Here are a few that we find interesting:

Loropetalum Allium (photo) Japanese cobra-lily Lavender wild-indigo Wintergreen barberry (photo) Chinese wax plant Japanese Andromeda Common camas-lily Japanese flowering quince (photo) Chinese fringe tree Ozark blue-star (photo)

Tall bearded iris (photo) False rosemary Dianthus Snowy fairy-wings Fothergilla Chinese jasmine Kerria Mock-orange Rhododendron Wild columbine (photo)

Photos of Some of the Plants in Bloom This Month

Ozark Blue Star Wild columbine False rosemary

Allium

Wintergreen barberry Japanese flowering quince Tall bearded iris

Garden Goings-On

Starting with the February 2015 issue, Garden Goings-On was no longer a GGG feature. Please check these venues at the beginning of each month for news of gardening events. There are outstanding classes, lectures, walks in the gardens with experts, exceptional children’s programs, symposia, workshops, and more.

– The JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, 27606-1446 919-515-3132, 919-515-5361 http://jcra.ncsu.edu Most events free for members, $5 non-members -- Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 420 Anderson Drive, Durham 919-668-1707 [email protected] Fee charged for most events; members fee applies if JCRA member. Some events free. – North Carolina Botanical Garden, 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill 919-962-0522 ncbg.unc.edu/ Some free events for members; other events $5 up. Some free for non- members.