Xylem & Phloem

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On to the Humbled Horticulturalist. The Humbled Horticulturalist is a new weekly feature -  in addition to Xylem & Phloem's other weekly feature, Plant Obsession - that will address a host of issues related to every gardener's familiar alter-ego. Like Cinderellas after midnight, we turn into Humbled Horticulturalists when the inevitable garden disaster strikes right after an extended period of foolishly relishing in our garden success and patting ourselves on the back for our botanical brilliance. Case in point: me GLOATING about my bounty of Tigerella fall tomatoes just days before an "arctic blast" blows in and freezes up the joint! So here I sit. The Humbled Horticulturalist and her faithful canine companion, watching the snow accumulate on her bragging rights. (Sigh.)

This week the Humbled Horticulturalist asks: What is the best way to protect my plants from a sudden frost?

I think we have all received advice on time-tested measures for protecting our gardens from frost damage. But are certain methods better than others?  Let's take a look at some creative tips from winter warriors from around the country:

• Seattle Times contributor Mary Rothschild suggests wrapping the containers of potted plants with burlap, foam insulation or bubble wrap. (Bubble wrap! BRILLIANT!) Bunch together several containers, then wrap the entire group en masse for better heat retention.

• Colorado State U. Extension extolls the benefits of floating row cover, my personal favorite.

  Floating row covers are lightweight fabrics that lay directly over crops. Since they transmit light, they provide crop protection over an extended period of time without being removed. They provide 2 to 4 degrees F of frost protection, cut wind on tender plants, and screen out some insects. On insect pollinated crops, remove covers must be removed for pollination to occur.

  (I keep my winter greens covered with floating row cover throughout the season to protect them from curious critters.)

  Skip Richter with TAMU suggests putting lights under the blankets! "A mechanic's light or string of outdoor Christmas lights can be placed under the covers to give added heat. Just take the obvious precautions to avoid fire hazards and electric shorts. Also take care not to allow a hot light bulb to contact and damage plant tissues such as the trunk or branches. Use lights beneath a cover to protect valuable but marginally hardy plants like a Satsuma orange tree or a kumquat bush. They can also make the difference for an in-ground bougainvillea on a really cold night."

After all these suggestions, it's clear that I've blown it this time around. Cross your fingers for my 'maters. Let's take a few suggestions from the crowd... What creative ways to you protect your precious plants during an "arctic blast"?

This is the Humble Horticulturalist signing off.

Posted by Callie at 09:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After a weekend of sun and stillness, a few welcome winter winds blew into town today, leaving my gardens covered in a blanket of fire-orange Crape Myrtle leaves. Hopefully, this is a sign of cold weather to come -- lately, Dallas weather can't seem to make up its mind, and I'm quite ready to have an excuse to drink hot cider. (I love the old joke that we only have three seasons here in Dallas: cold, hot, and hotter. Or even better, "If you don't like the weather here, just wait five minutes.")

Amid the oranges and browns and yellows of the changing landscape, however, there are signs of new life in the Xylem & Phloem garden. The most exciting of all these new beginnings are my Bright Lights Swiss chard seedlings (Beta vulgaris cicla). This is the first time that I have tried growing Swiss chard, and I look forward to harvesting the first mature leaves this weekend and enjoying them with dinner. (Delicious Swiss chard Recipe at the bottom of the entry.)

Did you know that, historically, the juice from chard was used as a decongestant? (I didn't either, but I learned that nifty fact when reading up on Swiss chard in the most indispensible book ever published: The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, by Michael Murray. Go buy this book today, and put it in your kitchen.)

Not only is Swiss Chard a graceful and elegant plant in the garden, it is also one of nature's superfoods. Murray writes:

"The combination of traditional nutrients; phytochemicals, particularly carotenes, chlorophyll, and other plant pigments; and soluble fiber makes Swiss chard one of the most powerful anticancer foods, particularly against digestive tract cancers. Several research studies on Swiss chard focus specifically on colon cancer, where the incidence of precancerious lesions in animals has been found to be significantly reduced following dietary intake of Swiss chard extracts."

Gosh. That makes me want to run out and cram a handful of the stuff in my mouth right now.  

It's also relatively easy to grow. All it needs is plenty of direct sunlight, moderate water, and compost-enriched soil. And voilá! You've got a cancer-fighter growing right out of the dirt, darn it!

This is also a wonderful time of year to grow greens in our area. The fall rains coupled with cooler temperatures create a very hospitable environment for greens. Because most garden centers don't carry many chard seedlings meant for consumption until early spring, your best bet is to grow them from seed. I grow greens two ways: putting the seeds directly into the garden in mid-October, and starting seeds in a growing medium under grow lights, then transplanting the seedlings when they have at least four true-leaves on them.

If you direct-seed, keep the soil moist throughout germination. Any periods of dryness will halt growth and could result in stunted plants. Side-dress the seedlings and mature plants with compost every two or three weeks, but watch out for weeds. (As a good rule of thumb, remember that if you're feeding your plants, you're probably feeding some weeds, too.) Pinch out weeds early before they start to compete with the seedlings for water and nutrients.

This time, I used seeds from Botanical Interests, but Seeds of Change is one of my favorite sources for vegetable seeds. In early spring, I can usually find good-looking greens seedlings at Petal Pushers Garden Emporium in Cedar Hill. (I wish that they had a Web site, but you'll just have to take my word that it is an amazing place. I buy most of my perennials there.)

So, go forth and plant some Swiss chard! You'll be very glad you did when your garden is glowing and your body is happy and healthy with all of those powerful antioxidants.

I found this recipe for preparing Swiss chard in the magazine Body + Soul:        

1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, tough end stems discarded, washed well and shaken partially dry             

1 1/2 tbs. olive oil

3 medium garlic cloves

 Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1.    With a chef’s knife or your hands, separate leaves from stems. Cut stems crosswise into ½-inch pieces; set aside. Stack leaves, roll them, and cut crosswise into ½-inch ribbons. Set aside, keeping separate from stems.

2.    In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in chard stems; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until stems have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add damp chard leaves and ½ cup of water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are completely wilted and tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately on a platter or in a bowl, with lemon wedges on the side.

Posted by Callie at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

 

Like the eco-conscious, responsible community that it is, the city of Austin actually "gets it" with regard to effective water conservation. And Dallas? Besides selective sprinkler restrictions and encouraging homeowners to xeriscape, the city has failed to give Dallas residents sufficient incentive for taking measurable and effective steps toward conserving water.

After watching hundreds of gallons of rainwater gush out of my downspouts, I decided to start harvesting that glorious H2O and buy a rainwater barrel online. Interestingly, my rainwater barrel has history - a former life as a Greek pepper barrel! Talk about reincarnation! Check out this article in the Austin-American Statesman that details how the city of Austin is helping residents to intelligently conserve water with rainwater barrel education, rebates, and tax incentives. Here is an excerpt:

"Central Texans have plenty of opportunities to see rainwater collection systems in action. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was designed with a series of aqueducts that transport rainwater to huge cisterns and storage tanks. The City of Austin operates a demonstration site at Zilker Botanical Garden. And several times a year, Austin's water conservation department sells polyethylene rain barrels to city residents for $60. The next sale is 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at a city warehouse at 6014 Techni Center Drive, but you must fill out an application and prepay before picking up your barrel on that day. (The city offers a $30 rebate when you purchase a rain barrel from an outside source, and those who live out of town can purchase a barrel from the city for $90.) Look for more details at 974-2199 or www.cityofaustin.org/watercon.

Thinking big? Rebates on larger systems are offered by the City of Austin and in Hays County with prior approval. Hays County also offers a property tax exemption. For more information, call (512) 393-2150."

 

 

Posted by Callie at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 

 

It is no secret that I dream of starting my own organic vegetable cultivation operation, i.e. farm, someday. My heart says, "What are you waiting for?", and my brain says, "You must be crazy!"

My heart scored two points today when I read the article "A Growing Trend: Small, Local and Organic" in the Washington Post. It describes small, organic farms in the D.C. area that are supplying local restaurants and catering companies with gourmet fruits and veggies. 

With so many restaurants in the Dallas area (and so many finicky Dallas foodies), I'm suprised that there aren't more urban, organic farms popping up.

(On a side note, a Slow Food Dallas member told me about a guy named Tom Spicer (sp?) who sources locally grown organic foods for restaurants. If you know Mr. Spicer, e-mail me!) 

 

Posted by Callie at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 

Now THIS is a sassy plant. Farfugium japonicum, also known as the Leopard Plant, and formerly known as Ligularia tussilaginea, is hardy to Zone 8 and produces a gorgeous round mound of dark green, glossy leaves covered in bright yellow spots! I planted my leopard plant in late winter, and it has been this year's BEST performer in the Xylem & Phloem garden. Per research, I planted it in a shady, somewhat moist location and it has never failed me. The plant got a little sad during the hottest and driest days of the summer, but a little extra hydration when it was looking droopy did the trick. For anyone looking for year round interest and a real attention-grabber for your shady garden spots, you can't go without this stunner. A wonderful plant for collectors of new and unusual varieties, you will never be disappointed by the leopard plant. And check out the stand-out, bright yellow fall blooms!!! If you can't find Farfugium at your local garden center, Plant Delights is an online plant retailer (with a great sense of humor) that has an impressive collection of unusual and hard-to-find plants. For more details on growing Farfugium, visit the Plants for a Future database.

 

Posted by Callie at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay. So they're not the prettiest tomatoes you will ever see. Nor are they
the largest tomatoes you will ever see. But considering the fact that I
plucked them off the vine on November 17th, they are certainly a
beautiful sight for any gardener that is mourning summer's end.

I don't think that I can begin to express my delight in finding a cluster of
ripening, organic Tigerella tomatoes in my vegetable garden this afternoon. Perhaps if
you were here to witness the bizarre rhythmic spasm I like to call the
"Ripening Tomato Dance", you could begin to understand the pleasure I gained
from discovering these little striped gems tucked under a tangle of tomato
leaves. Until then, you'll just have to remember your first ripening tomato
discovery of the summer season... or, if you're a determined season-extender
like me, your first ripening FALL tomato!

These Tigerella tomatoes are even more precious to me because they developed on
plants that were grown from seed! Who is crazy enough to try and grow tomato
plants from seed instead of buying a seedling at a nursery? Me, of
course. I first discovered the Tigerella variety when excitedly tearing through
the Seeds of Change catalog. (Seeds of Change is an amazing source for organic seeds, seedlings, and gardening supplies. Please check out their site; I love to support sustainable businesses like this one.) How could I resist a tomato that is STRIPED? Though I didn't get any tomatoes from the
seeds that started for summer planting, today's discovery of these beauties
gave me hope for this variety's ability to thrive and survive in North Texas!

Lesson Learned from my Tigerella Tomatoes:

Don't be afraid to try and grow tomatoes or other vegetables from seed if your area has a long growing season.

Growing vegetables in Dallas requires creativity because of the intense heat and drought we can suffer during prime summer growing months. This means getting veggies in the ground early, and then sowing a second round of plants that will fruit during the fall. Don't get discouraged if your vegetable gardening attempts seem futile by mid-August, because the cool breezes of fall are just around the corner! Seeds and seedling sown at the end of summer may require some coddling early on, but by the time they are ready to set fruit, they require very little attention.

More fall tomatoes:

         

 

Posted by Callie at 02:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)