Fire Blight in Pear Trees

Fire blight is a serious disease in fruit trees and other ornamental plants.  The photo above shows one of my pear trees (in the front) infected with Erwinia amylovora, the bacteria that causes fire blight disease. You can recognize fire blight by the burned or blasted appearance of the tree's branches. The ends curl under too, like a shepherd's crook, and the fruit on the infected tree can be diseased, twisted, or weak.

Bacteria overwinter in infected trees, and when the sap begins to flow in the spring, the bacterial spores ooze out of the tree. Wind, rain, gardening tools and even beetles carry the spores from infected plants to healthy plants. Once a tree has the disease, there's little you can do to cure it, but a lot you can do to help the tree stay healthy on its own.

First, don't panic. Many trees can withstand some fire blight. The pear tree in my orchard shown here is seven years old, and it's probably had fire blight for five of those seven years. The pear tree behind it also had fire blight last year, but careful pruning seems to have removed most of the diseased limbs.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension office recommends the following treatment plan if you detect fire blight in your ornamental trees and shrubs:

• Prune out the infected branches in the late summer or early fall.
• Bury or burn the infected branches that your prune from the trees. This keeps the bacteria from spreading.
• Sterilize pruning tools with alcohol or a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. I sterilize tools before moving on to the next tree, but if I have a seriously infected tree, I might swab down the pruners with alcohol more frequently to prevent spreading the spores into healthy tissues on the same tree.
• Don't use high nitrogen fertilizers. This causes as flush of new growth, which the spores love.

Unfortunately, chemical controls do not work well on fire blight, so your best defense is a good offense. Planting disease-resistant varieties is a smart idea. Purdue Cooperative Extension provides a good list of varieties resistant to the disease.

I did not know about fire blight when I planted my fruit trees years ago, but thankfully it seems to be contained to only one or two trees in my orchard. As you can see from the picture below, there's hope yet - baby pears are steadily growing on my trees.

Workshop: Canning Green Beans

Learn all about canning green beans! A workshop will be held at the John Randolph Firehouse in Cumberland, Virginia, on Thursday May 21, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Participants will learn safe canning methods for green beans. Pre-registration is required, and there's a $10 class fee. If you love to grow green beans, this class is a great opportunity to learn how to preserve the harvest.

For details, please see: Canning Green Beans Workshop

REGISTRATION by May 19, 2015 is required!

Peony Power!

There's an old, dilapidated house next to the post office in Prospect, Virginia that looks careworn and weathered. The white clapboard siding is peeling; the chain link fence around the property sags. A few window panes are gone. Debris from the local bicycling trail, candy wrappers from weekend warriors, blows across the rough wooden boards of the front porch. It looks like any other nondescript old house except for one item of note: the peony garden. Each spring, the yard of this old home erupts into a field of nodding magenta and pink blossoms that any gardener would envy.

As someone who loves old-fashioned peonies, I marvel at the hardiness of these herbaceous perennials. Native to Asia, portions of Europe and the Western United States, peonies were once a cottage garden staple, especially during the Victorian Age, the era in which the aforementioned house was built.  They grow well in Virginia, and thrive in cooler regions, too.

While there are several types of peonies, including the shrub type that I spied at the old house and grow in my own garden, as well as tree peonies, let's talk first about the herbaceous shrub-type peonies most commonly found in Virginia gardens.

Caring for Peonies

Peonies should be planted in area that receive full sunlight, or six or more hours of bright, direct sunshine daily. Good air circulation and rich, well-drained soil are both essential for healthy peonies. 

You can purchase peonies in pots or roots only. If you plant the roots, make sure the "eyes" or growth nodes on the stem are no more than two inches deep when planted. Roots planted more deeply may not produce flowers.

Peonies may need a year or more to become established in the garden, but once they are established, a winter period of chill and cold helps them set bud. It's best to provide them with a circular support to keep the heavy flower heads from dragging the plant down after a rainstorm. Peony hoops or stakes should be used to provide optimal support.

Keep your newly planted peony well-watered the first year. It probably won't flower the first year, and may not flower the second, but it should produce flowers by the third year. Apply a balanced garden fertilizer annually. Other than that, there's not much you need to do to care for peonies.

In the fall, after the foliage dies back naturally, clip it to the ground and remove the peony supports, hoop or stake. Discard the foliage in the trash. The only disease that really plagues peonies is botrytis, a fungal disease. Practicing good garden hygiene prevents botrytis from spreading.

Ants on Peony  Bushes

If you spy ants on peony bushes, don't panic. They won't harm the flowers. Ants are naturally attracted to the sweet nectar produced by the buds and flowers. Although they can be upsetting to some gardeners, they won't eat your flowers or plants, and they can be beneficial insects. It's best to leave them alone. If you'd like to bring cut peony flowers into your home for display but you're afraid to cart a few ants in with them, spritz the flowers outside with your garden hose to knock off the ants before bringing the stems indoors.  Both the ants and your family will thank you later.

If you haven't planted peonies yet, what are you waiting for? They're easy care, beautiful herbaceous perennials that grace gardens with an old-fashioned look. If they can thrive at an abandoned house, what can they do in your well-tended yard?

Photos by Jeanne Grunert/(c) 2015 Jeanne Grunert. All rights reserved.

Bonsai: What It Is and How to Do It

Bonsai is the ancient Japanese art of growing miniaturized trees in containers. It has been practiced for over 1000 years. Continue reading to learn more about one gardener's first experience and how you can start your own bonsai practice. 

Bonsai literally means tree or other plant planted in small container.  For years I have been interested in trying my hand at Bonsai and the slow, meditative concept of growing and pruning something for years appealed to me.  But my life was too busy.  Ten years ago I bought books, a pot, wire, clippers and all I needed was some inspiration.  Over the last several months I attended several programs on Bonsai and I felt that this was really something I could do.  One of the speakers said that the Japanese say if you haven't killed a Bonsai plant or two you aren't trying hard enough.  That gave me the inspiration I needed.

I bought a starter plant and some Bonsai soil mix.  I got out those long ago purchased supplies and studied how to prepare the pot.  Even that required finding some screen to prevent the soil from falling through the large drainage holes.  Took me a couple of tries, but I finally got them wired in and the bottom of my pot didn't look too bad.  One of the speakers had suggested that you make a 50-50 mix of Bonsai soil and good potting soil if this is your first Bonsai.  I got that all ready and then completely cleaned the roots of existing soil and potted up my plant, trying to place it at an interesting angle.  I had done some pruning before I took the plant out of its original container.  After planting, I pruned a little more since you don't want branches crossing over each other.  Going with the theory that you can take it off but you can't put it back, I have pruned every once in a while and only after studying the plant a bit.  I even tried my wiring skills on the right hand side to move part of the plant over to where I wanted it.

If your plant is one that normally grows outside, you need to grow your Bonsai outside, even in the winter.  You may want to protect the pot and soil during the worst part of winter particularly from cold drying winds.  During spring, summer, and fall you need to water your plant every day unless it rains.  During winter you need to water as needed just as if the plant was in the ground.  You may need to move your plant to a protected area and mulch the pot with something like pine needles.

Trying something new has been fun!  If my plant dies I will know that I have been trying hard and will try again.  I’m really not less busy but I am happier now that I have my first Bonsai.

How to Garden Smarter, not Harder as You Age

Gardening is a great activity for all age groups. It introduces children to the wonders of nature while prodding everyone to be more physically active and also offering a great way to refresh racing minds. As we age, however, routine gardening tasks can become more difficult. Joints get stiffer so that bending and stooping are harder. Hand strength decreases making it more difficult to grasp tools or pull weeds. Arthritis! Likewise, endurance and balance can be affected. Changes in vision affect, well, everything. Perhaps you just find that the gardening schemes in your head are just more than your stamina will allow you to do.

Rather than admitting defeat and saying that you're too old to garden anymore, why not make simple changes to the way you garden? The first step is to look at the design and layout of your garden. Is it seriously labor intensive? Or spread out over a vast area? Well then, it’s time to make some adjustments in what’s planted and where it’s planted.

It’s time to modify your garden so that most of it is planted in interesting shrubs and perennials that provide year round color and texture with minimal upkeep. Consider letting the edges of the garden revert to a more natural state that will attract wildlife. Then…select an area that’s close to the house (and driveway too, if possible) where you can “play.” A place for bright flowers, vegetables, and whatever else interests you and that you want to work with regularly during the growing season. Consider this area the accent to the rest of your garden. The crown jewel, even, or if you prefer, your laboratory.

Choosing a spot close to the house and driveway is important. It means that you won't have to walk far to get to the part of the garden where you intend to spend the most time. It also means that unloading plants and bags of fertilizer from the car will be easier. No more lugging heavy objects for long distances. Depending on your needs, this special area can focus on regular gardening in the ground, raised beds, or even containers. Perhaps a mix of all three would allow you to create a beautiful new mini garden while explore new gardening options.

If you still feel capable of gardening in the ground, make sure that the soil is loose and easy to dig in. If it isn't, then both you and the plants will be happier if you find someone to help you amend the soil. Another modification to consider is using a stool to sit on while weeding. It will eliminate the need for bending and make weeding much easier. Another option to consider is the trellis, which can be used for both ornamentals and vegetables. Trellises can be vertical lattice structures or even arches over paths or benches. They can even be teepee type structures made of bamboo poles. What could be more delightful or functional than a butterbean “tent” in the garden?

If you decide to incorporate some raised beds into your special gardening spot, then there are several approaches that you can take: more traditional raised beds with sides that are perhaps two feet high or taller raised beds that are high enough to allow cultivation while standing or sitting in a chair. If you decide to use the lower ones, then why not consider making the top of the boards surrounding the beds wide enough that you can sit on them while gardening? You may also find that the addition of grab bars to the top of your raised beds makes moving from a seated to a standing position easier.

Taller raised beds can be built from the ground up or they can be constructed like planters or garden tables with legs. Raised beds on legs can even be constructed so that wheelchair bound gardeners can push their chairs directly up to them. Whichever type of raised bed you choose, just be sure that they’re not so wide that you can’t comfortably reach the middle from the side.

To make watering your raised beds or special garden in the ground easier, consider adding soaker hoses. They can be positioned when you do your initial planting and will soon be disguised as plants grow.

If raised beds aren't an option or you just don't like their appearance, then large containers may be the perfect solution. Any type of container can be modified for use in growing plants. Cattle watering troughs, for example, make excellent small water gardens and are perfect for growing all kinds of flowers and vegetables. Hanging containers are also an excellent option for gardeners who find bending difficult. The most important consideration when adapting a container for use in the garden is drainage. If the container doesn't have holes in the bottom, then be sure to drill some before adding soil and plants. 

When working with big containers, it’s important to decide where you want to put them in the garden before adding soil to them. Once they're full, they will be too heavy to move. It’s also important to ensure that the containers don’t tip over easily or get blown about by the wind. Favorite small containers can often be anchored to posts, walls, or other, heavier containers.

And now for your gardening tools. We all have favorites that we've used for years, but now may be the time to re-evaluate them and consider some of the new options available. There are trowels and weeding tools with ergonomically correct padded handles that will allow you to work for longer periods of time with less stress to your hands and wrists. Some also have brightly colored handles that make them easier to find if misplaced in the grass. There are also long handled tools, such as rakes, that have been modified to require less arm strength. Some even have shorter handles that make them perfect for using in raised beds. Similarly, there are shovels with wider, more ergonomically correct grips that make digging easier. So many new tools, in fact! Oh…and there’s one other that’s just as important as these: your cell phone. Always carry it with you in the garden. Just in case you need help in an emergency.

So…don't despair or think that you’re going to have to stop gardening just because you can’t do quite as much as you used to be able to do. Garden smarter, not harder, and enjoy every minute of it.

Container Plantings: How to Make Fabulous Ones

Almost everyone makes container plantings, but everyone can do spectacular one. Read on to learn more about how the town horticulturist in Farmville, VA makes extra special plantings and how you can too.

If you want ideas on how to put together fabulous container gardens, just take a walk around downtown Farmville, Virginia. There are massive containers planted with everything from banana trees to bromeliads, small containers filled with old favorites, wild color combinations everywhere, and even climbing plants adding height to containers.

When planning your own container garden, there're just a few basics to remember.

• First, decide where you want to place the completed container and what purpose the container garden should serve. Will it fill a hole in an established bed that needs a pop of color or an accent? Will it welcome guests to your garden or encourage visitors to sit and enjoy the beauty? 
• Second, decide what kind of container will best help you meet your objectives. Just about anything, even a large garbage can will work. Tall containers are beautiful accents. Small containers complement other containers or plantings.
• Every container should include a thriller, a filler, and a spiller. 
• A thriller is a spectacular plant that makes a big show. It can be a plant with flowers or just foliage. Something like a bright orange bromeliad, a banana tree, or even an interesting vine trained up a bamboo pole. 
• A filler, is just that, a plant of combination of plants that fill empty space. Don't limit yourself to just flowers. Vegetables, such as rainbow chard look great and are unexpected additions. A container garden should be tightly planted so that it looks lush even when it's new.
•  A spiller is a plant that creeps, crawls, and spills over the side of the container. It's another layer of visual interest.

Let's take a tour.

Once you've completed your container garden, ongoing TLC is essential. Tightly planted containers need extra water during hot summer weather. Regular applications of fertilizer are important too. If a plant gets leggy or just doesn't perform well, remove it and wedge another in its place.

Happy planting!

Garlic: History, Uses, and How to Grow It

Garlic is a very old food used by many different civilizations. To learn more about its history, uses, and how to grow it, continue reading.

Garlic is one of the oldest food plants known to civilization.  No other herb has been used by so many different cultures for so many culinary and medicinal purposes. Originating somewhere in South Central Asia, the first usage of this hardy plant is lost in the mists of pre-historic times, perhaps stretching back to the days of semi-nomadic hunter-gathers over 10,000 years ago.  It evolved over the centuries as a semi-domesticated food in three basic geographic regions: Eastern Europe, Eastern Asia, and Central Asia.  Romans loved garlic, and dispersed it widely in the packs of Roman soldiers, who found it easy to carry with them as a food supplement believed to give the warriors strength and courage. 

Its importance in folklore is emphasized by the frequency with which it is found in ancient tombs.  For example, the tomb of El Mahasna in Egypt was constructed in 3750 B.C., before the reign of the first pharaohs.  There archeologists found detailed models of garlic bulbs placed near the sarcophagus to ward off evil and ensure a safe journey for the soul.   And, in the tomb of King Tut, who reigned 2,000 years later, six dried, but perfectly preserved, heads of garlic were found among the elaborate trappings that accompanied royalty in the grave.  Garlic was revered among commoners as well.  In 1500 B.C. an architect named Kha was buried in a modest tomb, yet even here the excavation revealed a woven basket of foodstuffs including garlic, preserved along with common kitchen utensils and crude pieces of furniture.  Clearly garlic played an immensely important role in the lives of people living before the time of Christ.  This view is reinforced by inscriptions deciphered on the walls of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, which detailed the quantities of radishes, onions, and garlic consumed by the laborers who built this mighty edifice.

Garlic was clearly used in biblical times.  The Israelites, struggling in the desert under the leadership of Moses, longed for the bountiful food that they had enjoyed in Egypt.  They lamented, “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic, but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” [Numbers 11:5-6]  In 1274, Marco Polo visited the Chinese city of Yunnan and saw the inhabitants eating meats seasoned with garlic.  And, in modern times, Albert Schweitzer utilized garlic in Africa to combat cholera, typhus, and amoebic dysentery. 

Today garlic is primarily a culinary treat, and its medicinal use is not widely employed, at least in developed countries.  But throughout the centuries it has been heralded as an important item in the medicine chest, used to combat a wide variety of ailments, including colds, flu symptoms, coughs, earache, fever, bronchitis, shortness of breath, sinus congestion, headache, stomachache, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, diarrhea, gout, rheumatism, whooping cough, pinworms, ulcers, and snakebites.  In many cultures, it was even valued as an aphrodisiac!  It has been eaten as fresh cloves or used in syrups, tinctures, powders, tablets, and teas.  

There are two basic kinds of garlic, commonly called hardneck and softneck varieties.  Within these two broad categories, many types of garlic are available from various supply houses, but in grocery stores the kind inevitably found is some type of softneck garlic, simply because it keeps much longer than hardnecks.  Therefore, most people associate the garlic flavor that they incorporate into their culinary delights with the taste of softneck garlic; however, hardnecks are definitely more flavorful even if they don’t store as long – a matter of three or four months as opposed to a year.  If you are a garlic lover, you might want to consider obtaining some hardneck bulbs to grow in your garden.  The cultivation is not difficult at all. In the fall, order some garlic from the catalog of a reputable seed company, or obtain a variety that you like from a farmers’ market. 

• Plant garlic in September/October, four to six week before the first frost is expected, so that the cloves have plenty of time to set sturdy roots before winter. 
• The soil should be well drained, ideally amended with organic matter.
• Separate the individual cloves from the bulb, planting each clove, flat side down, in a hole the depth of which is twice the length of the garlic. 
• Space the plantings about four to six inches apart, and mulch with straw or shredded leaves.
• Plants will emerge in the spring. If you have planted a hardneck variety, the plants will send up a sterile seed head called a scape in early summer.  Break off the scape to enhance the size and quality of the garlic bulb to be harvested in late summer. Softneck varieties usually do not have a scape.
• Harvest in July when about two thirds of the leaves have turned brown.
• To store garlic, hang it in a cool, aerated area for two or three weeks until the outer membranes are dry.  Garlic should not be cleaned until drying has occurred to prevent contamination.         

Many wonderful recipes include garlic in the preparation.  If you have been cooking with softneck garlic from the grocery store, you may be pleasantly surprised if you substitute a hardneck variety.  Many people enjoy roasted garlic as a spread.  While roasting can be accomplished in the microwave, the flavor is greatly enhanced if garlic is oven roasted.  To do this, do not remove the skins, trim the top of the bulb, exposing the tips of all the cloves.  Place the bulb, tip end up, in an oven-proof container.  Sprinkle the top with olive oil and salt lightly.  Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for about an hour.  When the roasted garlic has cooled, tear off the cloves and squeeze the garlic onto bread, toast, or crackers.  This delicacy is also delightful spread on a sturdy cheese such as Gouda.

So, expand your horizons!  Choose one of the over 50 different varieties of garlic, grow your own, and enjoy a wonderful taste thrill.  Roasted garlic is unbelievably sweet, with a rich, creamy texture that is quite different from the pungent taste of the raw clove.  And, if you are lucky, it will give you the strength and courage of a Roman soldier!  Happy eating!