This article was previously published in my column "Digging the Dirt" by the Hoopa People News, unfortunately, I am not sure what the date was . . .
Those of us who heat with wood have a free source of fertilizer for our gardens, lawns, and landscapes. As long as you don’t burn anything other than wood and newspaper, what you clean out of your stove is a near perfect plant food. Ashes contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous in adequate amounts to support plant growth!
I first learned that ashes were good for plants, at least in small amounts, in much the same way that some of you may have. Grandmother had an outdoor wood burning cook stove set up in her backyard. When she would clean out the fire box the ashes first went into a galvanized tin bucket to completely cool. Next, if she wasn’t ready to spread them on the garden she would store them in a plastic bucket in the shed. Spring and fall she would sprinkle her garden beds with a fine dusting of ashes. When I helped she always admonished me to keep the ashes off the plants leaves and away from the base of any seedlings. She felt the ashes could burn the plants. Any ashes that drifted onto the plants leaves were hosed off right away. She also kept the ashes out of her shrub borders, because she felt it would burn the skin of her abundant and hard working frogs and toads.
Many years later when I was following one of my mentors, Jim Kaneko, around on his family’s homestead, I would see ashes piled up around the bases of certain trees. These trees had been planted 50 – 60 years earlier by his parents who had emigrated from Japan. At first I was very curious and also concerned. I felt the ashes would burn the trees. He just looked at me funny and said “No, ashes are good for the trees.” Over the few years I was able to help him in his orchards and gardens I frequently saw him pile ashes up around ailing plants. The plants would almost always improve and I never saw any sign of burning. He considered ashes to be the best plant medicine available. Like my grandmother, he would store the ashes in buckets in his shed. However, he saved them for ailing plants instead of sprinkling them sparingly throughout his grounds. (His house had a gas furnace for heat, but in one of his outbuildings there was a traditional wood fired Japanese bath. If he had more ashes available he might have also sprinkled them around.)
In many of our local homes ashes are far from a precious commodity. We shovel them out of our woodstoves in quantities that Gram and Mr. Kaneko would envy. I have been liberally applying them to my garden beds for several years. I really like the granular texture they impart to the soil as they age in the presence of organic matter. Granular soil particles resist compaction and provide spaces for air, water, and roots. Granular, loose soils are also the best for earthworms and soil micro-organisms who help break down organic matter, fix nitrogen, and form symbiotic relationships with plant roots. At first I was worried that the worms might be burned by the alkaline nature of the ashes, but they really don’t seem to be affected. That would probably be a problem in a desert area, but during our wet winters (in the Pacific North West) the alkalinity is quickly leached by the rain.
The nutrients in ashes are considered water soluble. In low rainfall areas it is important to use water soluble nutrients sparingly because they can lead to a toxic build up of mineral salts in the soil. This can be detrimental to earthworms, soil micro-organisms, and plants. Where mineral salts have built up you find a white or pale blue crust forming on the soil’s surface and sometimes on the lower parts of plants. Where we are most likely to see this is in our potted plants that live indoors or on covered porches or patios. The solution when this happens to garden soils is to leach the area with plenty of water, repeatedly, and to add organic matter. The water dissolves the salts and disperses them into deeper soil layers. Organic matter fosters soil micro-organisms who take up the salts and turn them into organic compounds that are slowly released in a more plant and soil friendly form. However, if ashes are only used liberally during the rainy season, and sparingly or not at all during the dry season this is not likely to be a problem in high rainfall areas.
Wood ashes contain almost all the macro and micro nutrients plants need to grow and produce abundant crops, except for two. Wood ashes lack nitrogen and sulfur. Nitrogen can be supplied to our soils by the actions of earthworms and micro-organisms; through the breakdown of green manures such as alfalfa, legumes, cover crops, and grass clippings; from composted animal manure, or from sparing side dressing with chicken manure or bat guano. Be extra careful with manure and guano. They contain soluble nitrogen that can leach into our ground water and end up in our rivers causing dangerous algae blooms.
Sulfur is provided to soils and plants primarily by organic matter. Mixing compost or purchased organic amendments into the soil at planting time and then using water conserving mulch during the heat of summer will supply your plants with all the sulfur they are likely to need. Plants can also extract a certain amount of sulfur from the air. Sulfur is released to the air by burning. Our wood stoves, cars, generators, and other fuel driven engines, as well as local forest fires all increase the amount of sulfur in the air. Rain washes some of this sulfur into our soils making it available to micro-organisms and plant roots. Too much sulfur in the air can cause toxic conditions and devastate natural and man-made landscapes. It is better for the environment, our gardens, and our health to avoid burning trash. Brush, paper, and cardboard can all be shredded and used for compost and mulch; improving our soils and supplying sulfur to our plants while keeping it out of the air.
Because of the alkalinity of ashes they definitely need to be kept away from acid loving plants. Azaleas, camellias, blueberries, and rhododendrons are the most commonly planted acid loving plants in our area. Most acid loving plants originally started out growing wild in conifer forests or peat bogs. Soils with high amounts of organic matter and plenty of rain or standing water are often acidic by nature. Here is a web site with a fairly complete list of acid loving plants found in people’s gardens: http://www.algoflash.com/AcidList.htm Hydrangeas, which aren’t really classified as acid loving, bloom in different colors depending on the pH of the soil. If you have several hydrangeas it might be fun to side dress one of them with ashes and the other with acidifying coffee grounds and/or pine needles and see how the flowers turn out. It might even make an interesting experiment to document for next year’s science fair!
Here’s where we usually talk about sources, but this time you will just have to make your own! Next week we will be talking about Hon tsai tai and some other yummy early greens. Until then, if it is raining, I might be inside starting seeds and only dreaming of Digging the Dirt.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Hedging for Amphibians
Published in the Hoopa People News, Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell
Slugs are gardeners’ worst nemesis here in Northern California. Amphibians, there for, must be our best friends. Salamanders, frogs, and toads can eat nearly their own weight in slugs on a daily basis. With friends like this working for you for free, the population of the slimy hoards will soon be on the decline. All amphibians expect decent housing and a source of moisture year around. Think Japanese garden sculptures, English boxwood hedges, and European garden fountains and you are on the right track.
Years ago my grandmother’s Dixon backyard was a haven for amphibians, birds, and other creatures that benefited the garden. Her yard was hedged in a mix of shrubs that provided habitat, food, and nectar. Growing amphibian habitat can be a pleasant side venture that enhances the landscape and attracts a number of delightful creatures to the garden. Grandmother’s yard did not feature ponds, fountains, or sculpture. But if you got down on your belly and peered under the shrubs you would find cracked bowls and pots arranged to catch water and to form shelter for her hard working toads.
The best plants to create habitat for these beneficial creatures are broad leaved evergreens. Think of plants without prickles or thorns, which stay green all year, and grow from a central stalk or trunk and branch out close to the ground. You may want to choose a number of different types of plants, to keep your hedge interesting, and to provide for a diversity of habitat and food sources. A well thought out hedge provides some food and visual appeal to the household, while it provides shelter and food for birds, beneficial insects, and our amphibian friends.
In choosing plants, we want to consider several factors. A selection of shrubs with a combined long bloom time will do wonders for populations of predacious insects. These insects will help patrol your yard looking for pests. Here are some suggestions to provide year around nectar, which will also provide amphibian habitat.
Coyote bush, a native shrub common in our area, provides nectar during winter as well as greenery for toads and salamanders to hide beneath. It has small soft green leaves, reminiscent in shape to holly, but with out the prickles. The flowers are not showy, but I often see pollinators and other beneficial insects visiting the ones in my yard. There are several cultivars available, from those forming ground covers to those that grow up to 5 feet tall. Read descriptions to be sure you are getting the right plant for the spot you have in mind.
Ceanothus, or California lilac, also has a number of cultivars available for home gardeners. They generally have small to medium sized glossy dark green leaves, and they bloom from late winter through early spring. Flowers are available in various shades of pink, blue, and white. Ceanothus are available as ground covers, average sized shrubs, and small trees to 15 feet tall. There are also varieties that loose their leaves in winter, so be sure to ask your nursery person if the plant description is not clear.
California coffee berry is a colorful shrub, often decked out in green, red, and purple berries as well as small insignificant flowers. Its main bloom time is mid- to late spring, but it often continues blooming throughout the summer and fall. Coffee berry has attractive long narrow grey-green leaves. The berries attract birds, but don’t think about brewing coffee from them yourself. These plants are a close relative of Cascara Segrada, and the brew was once used as a remedy for constipation. From all accounts it was quiet effective and unpleasant. Miwok Indians are reported to have told miners in their area that it was their coffee, as a joke. A joke the miners then perpetrated on each other.
Toyon (also called Christmas berry) will carry your nectar from mid spring to early summer. The orange to red berries these bright green shrubs produce are edible and are actually high in vitamin C and bioflavanoids! They can be used to make jelly or jam, or even eaten out of hand. However they are tart enough that most folks would prefer them brewed into tea with a dollop of honey. Sweetened they are tasty and provide your winter time vitamin C early for free. The berries ripen right about Christmas, just in time for winter arrangements, and remedies for colds and flue. These shrubs grow from 8 – 12 feet. The cultivars have been selected primarily for berry color, so keep that in mind when selecting your plants.
There are a few varieties of monkey flower, particularly Sticky Bush Monkey Flower that produce flowers over a long time during the hot summer months. Monkey flowers bloom in showy tubes of yellow, orange, and apricot. These lovely flowers attract hummingbirds. And they grow to form small evergreen shrubs. Be sure to read labels, because there are monkey flowers that prefer moist shade and others that thrive in the hottest spot you can provide. There are also monkey flowers that are annual bedding plants. While they may be fun in a border, for amphibian habitat you will want the shrubby forms.
Fall Asters will bring your bloom full circle. Bush Asters are available from low growing mounding plants to small shrubs that reach up to three or four feet tall. They prefer a spot with full sun and good drainage; however, they do need to be watered regularly during the hot dry parts of the year. Many varieties are available in nearly every color of the rainbow. Check labels to make sure you are buying a perennial that will provide habitat and nectar for at least a handful of years.
To round out your plantings here are some more suggestions you can take a look at when you visit the nursery: Look for box wood, Gunnera, Hebe, mountain mahogany, and Salal for an interesting mix of leaf types. Choose shrubs with interesting flowers such as, Abelia, bottlebrush, camellias, flannel bush, and gardenias to give your plantings some color and fragrance. Shrubs with interesting fruits or pods make nice additions. Check out barberry, carob, guava, pyracantha, and magnolias. Be sure to talk your selections over with your nursery person. Some of these plants have deciduous varieties or those that will not be happy to be trained as a shrub. If they don’t have any of these varieties available, they can probably make other recommendations that will work for you.
Growing a shrubby border is a long term proposition, and those dang slugs are out there eating up the garden right now. What on earth are we going to do in the mean time?
You can arrange some temporary shelter while you wait for the shrubs to grow. Artful arrangements of mossy branches, stones, and water worn pieces of bark can make attractive garden statements as well as provide homes for amphibians. Fall and winter walks, especially after high winds or storms are sure to provide a bounty of materials you can attractively arrange. (And you might even find some hungry amphibians that will be happy to make their homes in these fancy new digs.) Also check out second hand stores and flea markets for interesting sculptures, bowls, and pots. Some of these can be arranged to form houses, and others to catch rain fall and summer irrigation. These tiny ponds will keep your amphibians from dehydrating, and can easily be dumped out if they become infested with mosquito larva. Whether you call your collection art or habitat it will work just the same.
Find more information on beneficial insects to control slugs at the links below:
Empress Trees and Ground Beetles
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/empress-flowers-and-ground-beetles.html
Sex and Magic in the Garden
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/sex-and-magic-in-garden.html
More on Slugs:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/12/slimy-slugs.html
And Beneficial Insects:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/beneficial-insects.html
Slugs are gardeners’ worst nemesis here in Northern California. Amphibians, there for, must be our best friends. Salamanders, frogs, and toads can eat nearly their own weight in slugs on a daily basis. With friends like this working for you for free, the population of the slimy hoards will soon be on the decline. All amphibians expect decent housing and a source of moisture year around. Think Japanese garden sculptures, English boxwood hedges, and European garden fountains and you are on the right track.
Years ago my grandmother’s Dixon backyard was a haven for amphibians, birds, and other creatures that benefited the garden. Her yard was hedged in a mix of shrubs that provided habitat, food, and nectar. Growing amphibian habitat can be a pleasant side venture that enhances the landscape and attracts a number of delightful creatures to the garden. Grandmother’s yard did not feature ponds, fountains, or sculpture. But if you got down on your belly and peered under the shrubs you would find cracked bowls and pots arranged to catch water and to form shelter for her hard working toads.
The best plants to create habitat for these beneficial creatures are broad leaved evergreens. Think of plants without prickles or thorns, which stay green all year, and grow from a central stalk or trunk and branch out close to the ground. You may want to choose a number of different types of plants, to keep your hedge interesting, and to provide for a diversity of habitat and food sources. A well thought out hedge provides some food and visual appeal to the household, while it provides shelter and food for birds, beneficial insects, and our amphibian friends.
In choosing plants, we want to consider several factors. A selection of shrubs with a combined long bloom time will do wonders for populations of predacious insects. These insects will help patrol your yard looking for pests. Here are some suggestions to provide year around nectar, which will also provide amphibian habitat.
Coyote bush, a native shrub common in our area, provides nectar during winter as well as greenery for toads and salamanders to hide beneath. It has small soft green leaves, reminiscent in shape to holly, but with out the prickles. The flowers are not showy, but I often see pollinators and other beneficial insects visiting the ones in my yard. There are several cultivars available, from those forming ground covers to those that grow up to 5 feet tall. Read descriptions to be sure you are getting the right plant for the spot you have in mind.
Ceanothus, or California lilac, also has a number of cultivars available for home gardeners. They generally have small to medium sized glossy dark green leaves, and they bloom from late winter through early spring. Flowers are available in various shades of pink, blue, and white. Ceanothus are available as ground covers, average sized shrubs, and small trees to 15 feet tall. There are also varieties that loose their leaves in winter, so be sure to ask your nursery person if the plant description is not clear.
California coffee berry is a colorful shrub, often decked out in green, red, and purple berries as well as small insignificant flowers. Its main bloom time is mid- to late spring, but it often continues blooming throughout the summer and fall. Coffee berry has attractive long narrow grey-green leaves. The berries attract birds, but don’t think about brewing coffee from them yourself. These plants are a close relative of Cascara Segrada, and the brew was once used as a remedy for constipation. From all accounts it was quiet effective and unpleasant. Miwok Indians are reported to have told miners in their area that it was their coffee, as a joke. A joke the miners then perpetrated on each other.
Toyon (also called Christmas berry) will carry your nectar from mid spring to early summer. The orange to red berries these bright green shrubs produce are edible and are actually high in vitamin C and bioflavanoids! They can be used to make jelly or jam, or even eaten out of hand. However they are tart enough that most folks would prefer them brewed into tea with a dollop of honey. Sweetened they are tasty and provide your winter time vitamin C early for free. The berries ripen right about Christmas, just in time for winter arrangements, and remedies for colds and flue. These shrubs grow from 8 – 12 feet. The cultivars have been selected primarily for berry color, so keep that in mind when selecting your plants.
There are a few varieties of monkey flower, particularly Sticky Bush Monkey Flower that produce flowers over a long time during the hot summer months. Monkey flowers bloom in showy tubes of yellow, orange, and apricot. These lovely flowers attract hummingbirds. And they grow to form small evergreen shrubs. Be sure to read labels, because there are monkey flowers that prefer moist shade and others that thrive in the hottest spot you can provide. There are also monkey flowers that are annual bedding plants. While they may be fun in a border, for amphibian habitat you will want the shrubby forms.
Fall Asters will bring your bloom full circle. Bush Asters are available from low growing mounding plants to small shrubs that reach up to three or four feet tall. They prefer a spot with full sun and good drainage; however, they do need to be watered regularly during the hot dry parts of the year. Many varieties are available in nearly every color of the rainbow. Check labels to make sure you are buying a perennial that will provide habitat and nectar for at least a handful of years.
To round out your plantings here are some more suggestions you can take a look at when you visit the nursery: Look for box wood, Gunnera, Hebe, mountain mahogany, and Salal for an interesting mix of leaf types. Choose shrubs with interesting flowers such as, Abelia, bottlebrush, camellias, flannel bush, and gardenias to give your plantings some color and fragrance. Shrubs with interesting fruits or pods make nice additions. Check out barberry, carob, guava, pyracantha, and magnolias. Be sure to talk your selections over with your nursery person. Some of these plants have deciduous varieties or those that will not be happy to be trained as a shrub. If they don’t have any of these varieties available, they can probably make other recommendations that will work for you.
Growing a shrubby border is a long term proposition, and those dang slugs are out there eating up the garden right now. What on earth are we going to do in the mean time?
You can arrange some temporary shelter while you wait for the shrubs to grow. Artful arrangements of mossy branches, stones, and water worn pieces of bark can make attractive garden statements as well as provide homes for amphibians. Fall and winter walks, especially after high winds or storms are sure to provide a bounty of materials you can attractively arrange. (And you might even find some hungry amphibians that will be happy to make their homes in these fancy new digs.) Also check out second hand stores and flea markets for interesting sculptures, bowls, and pots. Some of these can be arranged to form houses, and others to catch rain fall and summer irrigation. These tiny ponds will keep your amphibians from dehydrating, and can easily be dumped out if they become infested with mosquito larva. Whether you call your collection art or habitat it will work just the same.
Find more information on beneficial insects to control slugs at the links below:
Empress Trees and Ground Beetles
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/empress-flowers-and-ground-beetles.html
Sex and Magic in the Garden
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/sex-and-magic-in-garden.html
More on Slugs:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/12/slimy-slugs.html
And Beneficial Insects:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/beneficial-insects.html
Friday, October 29, 2010
Gifting the Gardener
Previously published in the Hoopa People News
Carefully chosen gifts can improve our loved one’s lives! You don’t need to spend a ton of money to show you care, brighten up a dreary room, and improve the air your gift recipient breathes. Houseplants provide all these benefits and more. If you have elderly or ill family members, research has proven that when they have plants to look at, they recover faster and feel less pain. House plants bring many of the benefits of gardening to those who can’t or won’t get out and dig in the dirt. Below you will find two easy to care for plants that make long lasting gifts.
If free is a sound you like to hear, check the end of this column for information on a couple of garden related downloads. The first is curriculum for teachers from the California Oak Foundation and the second is an e-book on herbs. (Check the paragraph right above the e-book and curriculum section, for another free curriculum download!) Whether you gift yourself with these offerings or print them out and tuck them into holiday stockings, they are sure to please.
House Plants Keep on Giving
Extensive research has been devoted to the effects of house plants on indoor air quality. While researchers don’t always agree on which plants are the best, Philodendrons and spider plants feature prominently on most lists. These tough guys don’t need any special care. They make good gifts for those who may be just starting out with houseplants and others who have limited time or abilities. They also make good gifts for busy people, for elders, disabled, or ill family members; in which case, part of the gift can be your regular plant care visits.
Philodendrons:
Philodendrons, while not traditionally thought of as holiday gifts, actually live much longer than most of the plants marketed for the season. Philodendrons are a very diverse group of plants. Native to the tropical zones of the Americas and the West Indies, there are over 900 different species found in the wild. They typically grow in the dim light found under the canopy of tropical rainforests. This adaptation to low light allows them to thrive indoors. They do need adequate light, however; and will do best in a bright room. They love cool morning sunlight, but they are likely to burn if exposed to direct afternoon sun during the warmer months.
Philodendrons would certainly prefer to be watered on a regular basis, as long as their soil is allowed to dry out in between watering. However, I have proof positive that they can stand a lot of neglect. (I am much better at caring for my outside plant menagerie than the poor souls stuck inside.) Of the three varieties of Philodendron that share my home, the largest, a split leaved Philodendron (now classified as a Monstera), is about to take over my front room. It came to me as a tiny one leaved start in a vase with some ivy. Each leaf is now over a foot across, and there are at least fifteen leaves on the sprawling ten year old plant. What poinsettia ever lived so long?
For small rooms, look for heart leaved or trailing Philodendron. There are varieties with solid leaves, with decorative holes through the leaves, and some with variegated foliage. They also do very well in our area and are easy to start from cuttings. Philodendrons are best for households without young children. They contain calcium oxalate and are considered toxic, so avoid them where youngsters feel they have to put everything in their mouths. (Spider plants are considered child and pet safe. More information on them is coming right up.)
Water your Philodendrons once a week or so, first checking to make sure the soil has dried out. Overwatering can lead to root rot and fungal infections. Occasionally adding a little dilute organic fertilizer or diluted left over coffee will help them stay happy and healthy. When the leaves are dusty, a damp cloth gently applied will return their shine. While polishing the leaves keep your eye out for scale and mealy bugs. They can be easily removed with the same cloth; or with a moistened swab, if they are hiding in hard to reach spot.
If you are on a budget, Philodendrons, and many other house plants can be grown from seed. Get a fancy card and include a packet of seeds for your hard to please gardening fanatics. For more information (and very reasonable prices) see: http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/Houseplants.html
Spider Plants:
These tough and prolific plants do a great job of removing toxins from the air, and they are considered safe for children and pets. (This certainly doesn’t mean you should encourage them to take a taste.) As resistant to neglect as they are, they still provide a delicate and lacy accent to any bright room. Spider plants have long gently curving grass like leaves in solid green or striped with white. They produce long flowering shoots that sport tiny lily like flowers, followed by young plantlets that hang in mid air. As the little “spiders” grow in size and number they hang down from the mother plant, forming a curtain or veil. When the plantlets begin growing roots they can be removed from the stems and rooted in water or moist potting soil and then put to work as air cleaners in other rooms. A spider plant makes a great gift that keeps on giving, whether for yourself or for others on your list.
Like Philodendrons, spider plants are happiest if you let their soil dry out in between watering, once they have well established root systems. They are rarely bothered by pests, especially when they are kept inside. But if you see signs of mealy bugs or scale, a damp cloth or swab will make quick and easy work of these pesky guys.
If you can’t find spider plants locally, Butterfield Organic Growers offers small plants for $4.00 each. (Click on Plants and Herbs to see what else they have to offer.) You can also reach them by phone: (603) 435-7260. Here is a special bonus for teachers and home school moms, Teacher Vision offers free curriculum using spider plants:
More Free E-Books and Curriculum
Here are two items you can give yourself without spending much more than a dime. (Download at the public library if you don’t have a computer at home. Printing will cost about ten cents a page for black and white, more for color, so check the number of pages before printing. If the pages are in color and you want to print in black and white, ask the librarian for help.)
The California Oak Foundation offers curriculum designed for fourth through eighth grade students available as a free download. Click on “Kids” right below their mast head for more information.
Everyday Herbs, by Ann McCormick is a free 37 page e-book available by sending an e-mail to ann@ann-mccormic.com. Use “Everyday Herbs” as your subject line. She gives tips arranged in a number of sections, including: “In the Garden,” ‘The Recipe Box,” “Crafty Ideas,” and “Personal Care.”
Copyright 2008, Harvest McCampbell Please contact me before posting or publishing.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/harvest.mccampbell
Carefully chosen gifts can improve our loved one’s lives! You don’t need to spend a ton of money to show you care, brighten up a dreary room, and improve the air your gift recipient breathes. Houseplants provide all these benefits and more. If you have elderly or ill family members, research has proven that when they have plants to look at, they recover faster and feel less pain. House plants bring many of the benefits of gardening to those who can’t or won’t get out and dig in the dirt. Below you will find two easy to care for plants that make long lasting gifts.
If free is a sound you like to hear, check the end of this column for information on a couple of garden related downloads. The first is curriculum for teachers from the California Oak Foundation and the second is an e-book on herbs. (Check the paragraph right above the e-book and curriculum section, for another free curriculum download!) Whether you gift yourself with these offerings or print them out and tuck them into holiday stockings, they are sure to please.
House Plants Keep on Giving
Extensive research has been devoted to the effects of house plants on indoor air quality. While researchers don’t always agree on which plants are the best, Philodendrons and spider plants feature prominently on most lists. These tough guys don’t need any special care. They make good gifts for those who may be just starting out with houseplants and others who have limited time or abilities. They also make good gifts for busy people, for elders, disabled, or ill family members; in which case, part of the gift can be your regular plant care visits.
Philodendrons:
Philodendrons, while not traditionally thought of as holiday gifts, actually live much longer than most of the plants marketed for the season. Philodendrons are a very diverse group of plants. Native to the tropical zones of the Americas and the West Indies, there are over 900 different species found in the wild. They typically grow in the dim light found under the canopy of tropical rainforests. This adaptation to low light allows them to thrive indoors. They do need adequate light, however; and will do best in a bright room. They love cool morning sunlight, but they are likely to burn if exposed to direct afternoon sun during the warmer months.
Philodendrons would certainly prefer to be watered on a regular basis, as long as their soil is allowed to dry out in between watering. However, I have proof positive that they can stand a lot of neglect. (I am much better at caring for my outside plant menagerie than the poor souls stuck inside.) Of the three varieties of Philodendron that share my home, the largest, a split leaved Philodendron (now classified as a Monstera), is about to take over my front room. It came to me as a tiny one leaved start in a vase with some ivy. Each leaf is now over a foot across, and there are at least fifteen leaves on the sprawling ten year old plant. What poinsettia ever lived so long?
For small rooms, look for heart leaved or trailing Philodendron. There are varieties with solid leaves, with decorative holes through the leaves, and some with variegated foliage. They also do very well in our area and are easy to start from cuttings. Philodendrons are best for households without young children. They contain calcium oxalate and are considered toxic, so avoid them where youngsters feel they have to put everything in their mouths. (Spider plants are considered child and pet safe. More information on them is coming right up.)
Water your Philodendrons once a week or so, first checking to make sure the soil has dried out. Overwatering can lead to root rot and fungal infections. Occasionally adding a little dilute organic fertilizer or diluted left over coffee will help them stay happy and healthy. When the leaves are dusty, a damp cloth gently applied will return their shine. While polishing the leaves keep your eye out for scale and mealy bugs. They can be easily removed with the same cloth; or with a moistened swab, if they are hiding in hard to reach spot.
If you are on a budget, Philodendrons, and many other house plants can be grown from seed. Get a fancy card and include a packet of seeds for your hard to please gardening fanatics. For more information (and very reasonable prices) see: http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/Houseplants.html
Spider Plants:
These tough and prolific plants do a great job of removing toxins from the air, and they are considered safe for children and pets. (This certainly doesn’t mean you should encourage them to take a taste.) As resistant to neglect as they are, they still provide a delicate and lacy accent to any bright room. Spider plants have long gently curving grass like leaves in solid green or striped with white. They produce long flowering shoots that sport tiny lily like flowers, followed by young plantlets that hang in mid air. As the little “spiders” grow in size and number they hang down from the mother plant, forming a curtain or veil. When the plantlets begin growing roots they can be removed from the stems and rooted in water or moist potting soil and then put to work as air cleaners in other rooms. A spider plant makes a great gift that keeps on giving, whether for yourself or for others on your list.
Like Philodendrons, spider plants are happiest if you let their soil dry out in between watering, once they have well established root systems. They are rarely bothered by pests, especially when they are kept inside. But if you see signs of mealy bugs or scale, a damp cloth or swab will make quick and easy work of these pesky guys.
If you can’t find spider plants locally, Butterfield Organic Growers offers small plants for $4.00 each.
More Free E-Books and Curriculum
Here are two items you can give yourself without spending much more than a dime. (Download at the public library if you don’t have a computer at home. Printing will cost about ten cents a page for black and white, more for color, so check the number of pages before printing. If the pages are in color and you want to print in black and white, ask the librarian for help.)
The California Oak Foundation
Everyday Herbs, by Ann McCormick is a free 37 page e-book available by sending an e-mail to ann@ann-mccormic.com. Use “Everyday Herbs” as your subject line. She gives tips arranged in a number of sections, including: “In the Garden,” ‘The Recipe Box,” “Crafty Ideas,” and “Personal Care.”
Copyright 2008, Harvest McCampbell Please contact me before posting or publishing.
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