Lily Leaf Beetle Pictures

Memorial Day 2008

I had mentioned an article I wrote about using dormant oil sprays. Here's the link again and some pictures of the beetle I took yesterday. Lily Bugs! Included in the Friends of the University of Vermont Hort Farm Newsletter

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is an even 59 degrees at 6:30 PM and the rain is gentle and constant.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm A place to purchase great flowers at good prices
Vermont Gardens A blog about growing a nursery business in Vermont

Seeing Red: The Lily Leaf Beetle

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Gail and I have been growing lilies for years and now we have had the misfortune of coming to meet the lily leaf beetle. We are not alone as it has now swept all lily growing lands east of the Rockies and on into Canada including Nova Scotia. I wrote about using dormant oil as a control last year and the article was recently reproduced on the University of Vermont's Hort Farm Newsletter. Here's what I wrote: Lily Bugs!

We've been really busy moving our nursery to a new location but here are some pictures so you know what you are looking for. I took the pictures this afternoon and the maturity of the beetles suggests that they are well established. They have an ability to fly in so it's impossible to say whether the size of the problem is local or the bugs have simply found your lilies. Feel free to reproduce the pictures as you wish and alert other gardeners to the problem.

Note: Satellite problems so will send other pictures soon.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Lily Leaf Beetle: BEWARE!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Have to scoot out of here in a minute as we are moving our nursery this weekend. Thousands and thousands of pots heading down Peacham Pond Road to our new location just west of Marshfield Village on Route 2. Half mile out of town on the left if you are heading towards Plainfield. Should have an "Open" sign up by noon but it will be a week before the bulk of the material makes its way there. Help is welcome, people with trucks and spare time will be rewarded with plants and gas money.

An important warning to lily growers. I don't have time to get some pictures out but the lily leaf beetle is everywhere. I wrote an article which was published on the net and recently by the Friends of the Hort Farm. The response has been dismal. Beetles are everywhere and lilies are being eaten. If you are a lilium grower, get out there right away and do an inspection. I'll try to get some pictures out tomorrow. I have been successful with dormant oil spray to control the new larvae.

Right now the bright red beetles, 1/4" to 3/8" long, black legs and antennae, are probably burrowing into the top of your lily stems where the leaves have not yet unfurled. Pry open the leaves and look for the beetle. Many have told me they are too obvious on the plants to be anything but depressing. I have not heard of a gardener who has not found a problem upon inspection. Hate to start the day on a bad note but if you enjoy lilies, you have to take action now.

Best wishes for a good Memorial Day weekend. Please stop for a minute and give thankful thoughts for the country we live in and those who have helped protect our freedoms over the years. The sacrifices have been great to allow us the opportunities to do things everyday which we now too often take for granted.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens Another blog I write

Quick Morning Walk

Monday, May 19, 2008

Karl and I took a quick morning walk and with one hand and a few expletives I took a few spring shots. Walking a dog in spring and taking a picture are not compatible and I know better than to try. Time is short and I keep trying to satisfy a number of responsibilities. Here are some picture thoughts to accompany your morning coffee. Check out Vermont Gardens
and you will see why I am busy.

Hellebores are a fascinating flower. They begin to bloom when cold April snows melt enough to get some sun to left-over foliage. They jump start our need to see color and always interest visitors.

Hellebores come in a variety of colors. As they begin to go to seed, all the petals, regardless of what color they start at, turn to green.

Wild leeks are prominent now. As you walk along many Vermont streams and rivers, the smell of onions will become prominent and you might not understand the source. The Winooski River was named after these onions, hence The Onion River.

There is a great variety of cherries and crabs on the market which add good height up to 12-15 feet and even are available as 6 foot dwarf specimens. This one is especially colorful with double flowers. It is susceptible to a virus my nursery friends have never figured out and I tolerate it's spring color but cannot recommend it to others.

Epimediums are a great flower which is just now receiving appropriate claim. I mention it often on my blogs. This nice ruby red with yellow center is rubrum although I notice I mislabeled the picture 'roseum' which is more lavender. Great clusters of flowers hang on a long time as long as moisture is sufficient.

Epimedium grandiflorum alba is an eye catcher. It is a favorite. Write me a good description of the flower. I have trouble saying spider-like as that's just not quite right.

The sun is rising quickly and the phone engineer just called. He's on route with my telephone cable so we can get phone and data service to our new nursery building. The conduit has been underground for weeks and the pull cord is in place and ready to bring in needed service. Guess I better get going. Hope your gardens are cleaned up and beginning to please you. We have a long way to go but a trip here to Peacham Pond Road is worth it just to see what we have and look at the hostas unfurl.

Good gardening wishes from one gardener to another!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm Place an order yet?
Vermont Gardens where we offer news about our new nursery!!

Catch Up Events

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Time is limited today. Please go to Vermont Gardens at http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com

for a quick update on why we haven't had a chance to practice our writing skills. If you visit us at Peacham Pond Road this weekend, you'll find that the place in on auto pilot as we are planting with great vigor in preparation for our move to our new nursery.

In the gardens you'll see the spring colors of hundreds of hostas unfurling, the beauty of hellebores in full bloom, primroses opening forth, bleeding hearts in various stages of opening, trilliums looking great and daffodils and tulips here and there.

If you do stop by, feel free to interrupt with questions and directions of what is located where. Be sure not to overlook the epimediums in the lower garden around the standing stones. Exceptional!

Can't make it today? Try our commercial site Vermont Flower Farm We'll miss meeting you but at least you'll see what you're missing in person.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun has us up to 63 degrees and a flock of turkeys has moved into the lower daylily beds. Enjoy today!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

Spring Fury

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day

I bright morning here at Vermont Flower Farm. Last night's 29 degrees left heavy frost on the grass and the promise of another fine day. That's great because there's lots to do. A reader from Townsend in southern Vermont stopped by yesterday to find out what was going on. She didn't think I was writing enough and I agreed with her but pointed out that moving a nursery business is kind of like moving a family even if it's just across town. I begged forgiveness and promised that our new location would be up and running by Memorial Day. I encouraged her to walk the rows of potted plants which Gail and her crews have been cranking out relentlessly. Apparently it all worked, as she bought 11 potted daylilies and said she would see us at our new place.

During the past couple weeks, Kim and Lenny have been busy on our new building. They both work full time in the granite industry so this is a part time endeavor for them. Yesterday the rafters went up and this morning the plywood roof, Grace roof covering/waterproof sheeting and drip edge will go on. Tuesday the shingling starts, then the windows and doors slide in and then the siding goes on. I am the gopher on this project. Kim and I designed the layout based on what Gail wanted and then I finalized the materials lists and bid out the various items. We are really pleased how this is turning out. Gardeners eager to read about spring garden flowers will have to show patience too as they don't make day stretchers and my days are already quite thin. If you're in the neighborhood, do stop by. We are open for business on Peacham Pond Road as we work along on US Route 2.

Yesterday morning I noticed a red Subaru slowing out front at 5:30. I knew it must be our friend, Eric, who lives and works in Massachusetts but has a camp in Groton. Eric loves Vermont and if truth be known he'd rather be living here. I was packing the truck with tools for the job site so he accompanied me down to see how things were advancing. I got things set up for Kim and Lenny, and then Eric and I came back for breakfast with Gail. We hadn't seen each other since last fall so there was lots to catch up on.

Eric is a gardener but he's also an experienced bird watcher and he knows ornithology like no one I know. As always, I had a bird question for him. Gail and I had seen a new bird recently and it was totally unfamiliar to us. We described it as grosbeak size with the breast color of a male robin, black with white wing bars and a most odd habit of scratching the ground under the maples and the spireas with both feet. Good or bad the description was more than enough for Eric and he immediately said "Towhee" and then described the call as "drink-your-tea-ee-ee-ee-ee' Rufous-sided Towhee.

We told Eric of the annual visit last week of a mature male osprey and then fell into catching up on winter and spring events. The conversation had to end too soon as we had to get to work and Eric had some things to do at camp.

Today is Mothers Day and we want to wish all mothers a good day. We have some special things in the greenhouse for Gail, and Alex has crafted his typical card which I haven't seen yet. The day will be busy but our celebration at the end of the day will be a sincere thanks for all Gail does for Alex and me. Sometime this afternoon we'll also slide in some time with my mother-in-law, Miriam, now 91 years young. No matter how busy you are today, try to let your Mom know you care.


Writing form the mountain above Peacham Pond where 1500 plants, mostly hostas, await my presence at the potting bench. Spring sales have been exceptional with incredible astilbe sales because of a brief mention of our business name and website in the spring Better Homes and Gardens Magazine perennial issue. We'll be here at 256 Peacham Pond Road until Memorial Day and then will be at our new location. Stop by if you have a chance.


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Afternoon Walk

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

It's been a long and tiring day today so being able to sit down for a couple minutes is a welcome opportunity. It was snowing on Camel's Hump when I headed up I-89 for Burlington at 10 this morning and here at 5 PM it's snowing outside. Not big flakes, not lots of flakes, just enough white stuff to chase away the warm thoughts of the two previous weeks of out of the ordinary 65-80 degree weather. Gail said that she and Diana got chilled outside after they unloaded a delivery truck so they came in by the wood stove and chatted and wrote plant labels for the balance of the afternoon. The wind is up now and I can understand why the warm stove and a cup of coffee needed no coaxing.

Between driving and sitting all day I needed a walk. Karl the wonder dog is sick again and he was not interested in the cold weather so I journeyed by myself down the road towards the pond. Spring is unfolding a little at a time and as you glance around you see signs of green and color here and there. It is relaxing after a day's work.

Trilliums have always been a favorite and the second to bloom here, the white Trillium grandiflorum, give great display as they rise close to granite stones and walls. They are preceded by the Trillium erectum, the Purple Trillium, Wake Robin, the Stinking Benjamins of my youth that kids made funny faces about. Trillium undulatum is the last of the three Vermont native trilliums, but they will be a while yet.

Cabs wrote the other day from Terra Nova Design and mentioned the New England Wild Flower Society and Nasami Farm Native Plant Nursery and Sanctuary. If you enjoy wild flowers such as trillium, this is the place to visit. Their site has a calendar so get yours out and compare some dates.

Trilliums are easy enough to grow as long as you have patience as it's not uncommon that they require 5 years before they flower. Once they start, they only grow bigger all the time. The age-to-maturity requirement keeps production low and the sell price high but if you are interested, stop by this fall and I'll have some ready. In the meantime, enjoy getting out for a walk.



From the mountain above Peacham Pond where it's cold and blustery right now.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm Place an order yet?

Welcomed by Bergenia

April 28, 2008

The two plus weeks of unusually fine spring weather turned cold yesterday afternoon and t-shirt weather turned to sweaters and sweat shirts. It started raining when I left here this morning at 5:15 and by my return home tonight the buckets along the path had well over an inch of rain. Currently it's 44 degrees and the wind comes and goes in gusts . Despite all those days of 65 and above, I can still see snow covering the lower astilbes. It is truly an interesting spring.

Gail and crew has all the potted perennials uncovered. This is a laborious task because in fall we cover the masses of pots with insulating fabric, construction grade poly and then old tires to hold everything down. The good news, however, is that there is almost no loss from freeze-thaw cycles and the plants are ready to take off as soon as they are uncovered. This was apparent yesterday when the wraps came off the section that included Bergenia 'Eden's Dark Margin' (above) which quickly spring upward and began to open flower buds.

Bergenia is an interesting plant which we only got started on a couple years back when a neighbor called us in the middle of spring garden clean up. She was tired of bergenia by her home and also some February Daphne by the driveway. We were the lucky recipient along with a bunch of iris. Gardeners are generous like that and it's not uncommon to come home with boxes of new plants. By the way, the common name of bergenia is pig squeak, a name which captivates Alex in his admiration for pigs. I don't believe I ever saw a young person so interested by reading Animal Farm and so pleased with a mounted Russian black boar I found hanging in a Williston antique center. The book is on the shelf and the boar now hangs above the couch in Alex's TV room, proudly displaying a WWII bonnet that belonged to my dad when he served in the North Atlantic on the USS Kearny. Gardeners make interesting journeys sometimes and this one took a pig detour, returning to thoughts of pig squeak which you really might want to try sometime.

Spring plants abound and everyday something else becomes obvious in grand numbers. The Forsythia 'Vermont Sun' is especially beautiful. It almost sings when you pass by as chickadees and juncos make it their temporary year round home. The Trillium erectum are well budded and the Trillium grandiflorum are following nicely in large numbers this year. The insideous colts foot weed is a yellow I dislike seeing as it means more bending and digging in an almost futile attempt to free its foothold on the gardens. The poorer the soil, the more the colts foot matures and succeeds.

Even though it's raining, I think it's time for a quick walk with Karl, the wonder dog. It's been a long day today and some silent conversations with hellebores in the lower garden is in order.


Writing to you from the mountain above Peacham Pond where wild turkeys are everywhere.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Wild Flowers Among Snow Banks

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A bright morning at Vermont Flower Farm. 23 degrees out which will make the maple sugar producers happy as it brings on a forceful sap flow today. Karl the wonder dog enjoyed his morning walk to the point of irritating me with his unidirectional move towards Peacham Pond when I wanted an about face and another cup of coffee. While I was coaxing and he was tugging he encountered an early morning coyote track and that scared him into redirection and home.

The snowbanks along the road are still three feet high but the snow in the fields in approaching a foot. In the woods the snow depth is another story, but Spring is on the way. Yesterday I saw some more killdeer eating bugs in the grass at our new nursery and flocks of geese headed north by following the Winooski River. Last night I heard the barred owls calling for a mate at about 4:30. That is typical for them now. They were a good half mile off but I am relieved to hear their voices again as I know they had a difficult winter.

April has been good to us this year. The snow plow sits half buried in mud now but it hasn't moved at all this month and that is nice. Last year this time we were fighting 50 mph winds, power losses, downed trees and 3 feet of new snow. There was a dose of depression mixed in there too. This year is different and although the snow is deep, today's 68 degrees will warm us mentally and physically.

It will be some time before our wild flowers are even visible but along the Champlain Valley growth is visible and flowers will be out in another week where the sun has warmed the ground.

This is the time when one of Gail's favorites begins to rise from the leaves. Hepaticas. Her real favorite! They push slowly upward and seem to take some time to form buds. They show impatience that urges daily visits to check their progress and then they burst open about the time hard rains fall and their beauty is dampened by rain drops and maybe a few brown spots from fungus. For that all too brief period of time, they are brilliant!

Hepaticas are easy to grow and they reproduce easily. They also form seed pods without trouble but as with many wild flowers it takes a while from seed. If you do some searches you

will find some variety available. I cannot recommend suppliers but I'm confident you can. The New England Wild Flower Society is an excellent resource and they have an annual sale that will knock your socks off.

Spring is a time when the days are longer but not long enough for us. I'm heading to Newport in a few minutes and that is on Vermont's NE Canadian border. It's 75 miles away. I wish I was heading into the gardens.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where greedy blue jays toss sunflowers to the ground, looking for perfect seeds and a good breakfast.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

Welcome Feathered Friends

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

On its way to 5 PM here on the mountain. Although the sun is not as warm as it was a couple hours ago, the thermometer reads 53.6 and that's fine by me. Alex and I just returned from a walk with Karl the wonder dog and I have about 20 minutes to let fly with some thoughts before stuffing a roasting chicken and getting a few vegetables ready for tonight. Gail is away this afternoon and I promised to have dinner ready between 6:30 and 7. So far we're all on target. We have welcomed the warmth of spring and I am particularly pleased that the snow plow hasn't moved in a couple weeks. Last year this time we were deep in snow and we needed a boost. Now things are looking better.

Last week I saw a couple more turkey vultures. These are the highway vacuum cleaners, the road kill clean up crew that does an excellent job picking things up and apart. They are also one of Alex's favorite birds but don't ask why. Robins that were infrequent are everywhere and this morning I almost inherited a woodcock window decoration when I headed down the last hill towards Route 2. I like woodcock and think of them as little vertical take off planes. Just like mourning doves, they refuse to move until you are right upon them. Then this afternoon on the way up the hill from work, a male bluebird flew across the road and into a tree. That color blue is difficult to describe and matches my enjoyment of the less frequent Indigo Bunting.

Color is clearly an "eye of the beholder" thing. Gail and Alex are blessed with this talent for color which is good for me because I always have a resource to consult. Last summer I also noticed that Michelle, who helps us in the summer, has a similar eye as she arranged some excellent displays down front that sold flowers for us. It's one of those "you have it or you don't" things and I guess I didn't make the grade. I can pick good flowers and plants though and lilies have been on my mind lately because a number of people at work have asked for advice about buying and planting them. This is really just another chapter in that old book Can I Plant My Easter Lily? but I feel part of my obligation as a plantsman is to share knowledge with others. Here are some thoughts and some pictures.


Way up top is a grouping of Scheherazade, a super Orienpet which has a petal border when it first opens that is almost gold even though it's really green. It's an easy plant to grow but more complicated for some to pronounce and most to spell. I am forever leaving out a letter here or there.

Next is Sorbonne, a nice pink with a special fragrance. If you can get it in sync with some Pacific Giant Delphiniums you have a nice combination that will bring lots of fine comments.

Oriana is another Oriental hybrid with lots of talent. The slight shine to the petals contrasts with the heavy pollen and the upward facing flower is nice. The pure white Siberia, below, is smaller than the ever popular Casa Blanca but nonetheless it fills the need for a workable white Oriental lily with fine fragrance and petals with plenty of substance.


Finally there is Shiraz, a slightly muted pink which heavy pollen accentuating the pink petals which flow nicely in heavy clusters. No fragrance with this one but mixed with just one Oriental stem and the bouquet or the garden takes on new interest.

Lilies are great plants and the colors guarantee a nice display on the sideboard or in the dining room. Tonight I wish I had a nice bouquet for Gail but the best we have is the red azalea, left from Easter but blooming as strong as every. Now for the chicken and fixin's

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond were three mourning doves just became five at the feeder. The magic of nature!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

Cimicifugas Became Acteas

Sunday, March 30, 2008

A quarter of the moon is high over the tamaracks already on it's way to Montpelier, Camel's Hump and New York before it retires from sight until tonight. Following behind is the sun which hopefully will warm a 6 degree night into a nice day without wind for a change. Yesterday I took Alex to one of his programs in Jericho and at the base of the mountains in Underhill, the day had the personality of early January instead of "almost April". Not too nice!

We've had a series of family situations here at Vermont Flower Farm which have kept me away from many responsibilities. Gail's mother, Miriam, two weeks shy of 91 years old, has been very sick and has required Gail to be with her almost constantly. That need kind of rearranges life for other family members. Karl, the wonder dog, has been back to the "not too healthy" routine for a couple days so we have worries with him too. Fortunately Gail, Alex and I have been quite good, but tired through this. At times like these, I remind folks that lives, just like gardens, need a good plan. When you pass 50 years old, it's a very good time to sit back for a minute and figure out who's on first base and what's the plan to make it home.

I'm a contingency person, in the garden and in life. Everyone is not. It really is a good idea to think through what you will do with your parents as they need care. It's equally as important to consider each other and what happens if one of you falls ill and cannot continue on with the original plan. Many people chose to live by themselves and that poses even a different layer of challenges. I find that having a plan makes it easier to deal with unannounced challenges because you have had the opportunity to run things through your mind.

Gardeners and their gardens age together. Each year, gardeners write to listservs and ask for advice. They have spent years creating and collecting beautiful gardens and suddenly find that they can no longer continue on. It can be something as simple as the trip back and forth to the ground to plant or tend or weed that is just too painful a journey. What happens to the beauty of people or gardens may not be the same.

There isn't any book of answers here, just like Gail cannot turn to page 26 of Dealing With Mom With Compassion, to find a recommendation on handling her mother. There is no book by that title but if there was, people would turn to it I'm sure. The decisions are difficult. Sadly, sometimes gardens fall into the same category as old folks and there is a limited interest in being involved with them. Here at Vermont Flower Farm we have contingencies and just want you to think about yours too. It's good advice.

As if there's always time to get everything done, Gail returned home last night at 9:30 and almost before she finished with a snack, asked me how many cimicifugas we have for sale. This is the sign of too dedicated a gardener. I was struggling away at the new website and I do mean struggling. I had just finished writing the description for Hesperus, a great daylily from 1940 and I found it difficult to mentally switch gears to cimicifugas. But I did. Cimicifugas are high on my list just like Hesperus because they lend a strength to the garden people always look for.


When the conversation finished, we agreed that we had around 100 atropurpurea. These are the cultivar that eventually reach +9 feet tall even though most garden labels say "3 feet" We have about 20 Brunette, about the same number of James Compton and we have half a dozen Hillside Black Beauty that I really don't want to part with. Someplace here we have 40-50 Pink Spike which is another favorite.


Cimicifugas were reclassified a few years back and are now known as Actea. This is the same family as baneberry which some of you like. I've mentioned this before but continue to have difficulty making the name transition. Regardless of the name, these are great plants. Although they have a fairly shallow root system (above photo) it's a giant mass that holds tight to the ground. They do well in wet areas but seem to prosper on garden perimeters where half shade, thick organic matter and consistent moisture prevail. If you have visited Vermont Flower Farm before, you've had the opportunity to ask "What is that thing?" as we have a giant A. atropurpurea planted in full sun right next to the umbrella table we use as a check out. It will certainly exceed 10 feet this year!

To give you an example how A. atropurpurea fits into the garden, here are two shots I took at Maine Coastal Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine last summer. Look to the right of the pine tree in the first photo and you'll see the white, bottle brush like bloom scapes. In the next photo you'll actually be looking through the scapes back towards the reception center there. This perimeter placement is an excellent use for these plants. If you are big on garden architecture, include these in your resource list.




The sun is rising and Gail just headed out to her mother's for the day. Alex is sleeping and Karl is stretched out in the sun on the floor next to the window. Looks like I am on my own for a while. Hope you have a nice day. All gardeners that read this don't have to wait for 3 feet to snow to melt before they can get excited. We still do!



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where two red squirrels sit on the snow drift outside my window, front paws grasped together, waiting with great patience for me to get out there with more sunflower for the bird feeder. Praying squirrels??? Have to go........


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
who is still reworking the VFF website, juggling family matters and trying to write at
Vermont Gardens once in while too. Today is a good day to think about placing an order!

Spring has a Weak Spring

Saturday, March 22, 2008

A cold morning here on the mountain. 8 degrees and sunny. Karl the wonder dog decided it was too cold for him and he ran back to the house and dug his way under the bed quilt to go back to sleep. It has been quite a week here and the past three days have brought high winds and snow. Thursday there was wet snow and ice and I decided to plow when I returned home from work. An hour and a half later I felt like I had been riding in a tank. Yesterday morning I rose at 4:30 to plow again. The news said we received 6 inches of new snow but one couldn't tell because the wind made deep drifts everywhere that had any hollow to it. When I finished that work I couldn't get the plow off the truck and according to Alex "too many expletives" were obvious. I call it "self-talk". The slush from the night before had welded the plow to the frame and separating the two was not fun.

Today the temperature is supposed to rise into the thirties but that's still a far cry from real spring weather. If the earth has some internal spring mechanism, then it must have weakened a bit over the years because it's going to be a while before things warm up and the snow melts. Down the road less than a mile the road is reduced to one lane with large drifts so high across the field that even the grader had trouble winging back the snow. If my friend Eric from Massachusetts is reading, I guess I better share the disappointing fact with him and others that spring will not be coming to this part of Vermont all that soon. Eric has a camp at a great spot in Groton but right now I'll bet there is 7-8 feet of snow in front of the drive and another 4 feet through the sag and into the field.

Lots of folks are tending some assortment of seedlings planted sometime around the end of February, first of March. Town Meeting Day in Vermont, the first Tuesday in March, is the typical "plant the tomato seeds" date. Others plant eggplant, peppers and annual seeds. My friend Bob in Iowa plants hosta seeds before the year changes so that by now he is culling tens of thousands of tiny plants, as he looks for the hosta with the most promise. I always get as far as collecting the hosta seeds but that's about where it ends.

We tend to be magazine and book readers more than seed starters. Two magazines I enjoy are
People, Places and Plants and Vermont Magazine. PPP comes from Maine but it is a compilation of stories about gardens and nurseries in New England and upstate New York. Many people think New York is part of New England but that's just not true. VM is a magazine from down Middlebury way as I recall. Kate Carter does annual garden articles for them and she does a fine job. Kate has also written two books I use a lot, Wildflowers of Vermont and Shrubs and Vines of Vermont. These are little pocket sized volumes which make you want to insure you have them before you head out into the field.





In the current issues of each, PPP has some nice information about the hottest new annuals and shrubs and Vermont Magazine talks about shade plants and perennials and mentions our friends at Cross View Gardens in Morrisville, VT.

I belong to the Garden Writers Association and they just released a report finished this February on what people say they will grow this summer. You wouldn't have to be too together to figure that people would be thinking about planting vegetables, what with the economy and all. I was surprised how many people said they would work on their lawns and develop some more with perennials and shrubs. Obviously there have been a number of economic changes in the past month but despite the woes we face, people seem to find time to garden. I suspect that if there is less travel this year, people will have a chance to reflect upon their landscapes for a change and might well want to spend a couple bucks fixing up what they sped by in haste the past few years. With several acres of new nursery down the road 5 miles, Gail and I sure hope that's true.

Right now I have to get back to a report on autism I'm working on. I might finally get into the basement today to build a few birdhouses too. The house at the top (scroll up folks) was a gift about 6-7 years ago. The wood is splitting but nonetheless I saw a chickadee go in there yesterday. It has had multiple hatches since the first year it went up and all were chickadees. I want to concentrate on bluebird houses for the new property because of the surrounding fields. If all else fails we'll have tree swallows which are also good insect eaters. Time will tell.

Gotta' go. Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a small flock of geese just honked by. They're looking for open water but I think they should head back south for a bit.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
also writes at Vermont Gardens
and tries to sell flowers and lure customers to Vermont Flower Farm

Hot Peppers, Cold Night

Monday, March 10, 2008

5:45 PM and I haven't begun to adjust to daylight savings time yet. It's so nice to have sunlight, especially in late afternoon for trips down ice laden walks and down the road with Karl the wonder dog pulling after hyperactive red squirrels and slow-to-fly mourning doves confused by evening. I'm tired today from fighting off a virus and too many consecutive hours on the computer at work. I'd rather have physical tiredness from a garden hoe than eye strain and a mind that can't shift past first gear.

Since the snow did not leave this weekend despite inches of pounding rain, temperatures in the forties and strong winds, we are left with only a mental journey into spring. To me there's nothing like fresh garden vegetables and although it's a long time until garden produce will be ready from Vermont soil, we can dream.

As I was just looking for some zinnia pictures I had stored who knows where on distant external drive "k", I came upon some pictures I took years back of a pepper project Alex had going. I can't remember now what the exact story was but he had a few of this and a few of that and it was the summer of drought and high temps in August and the peppers did well. They did very well! We had bowls of peppers in the kitchen all winter and strings hanging here and there that lasted until one dropped to the floor and then Karl grabbed a mouthful of Thai hots and some other fairly mild pepper that still made him talk nasty dog talk for a while. In the interest of good dog health, the strings of pepper were relocated to Never Land and we made it to the next planting season.

Thoughts of vegetables made me think about community supported agriculture farms and how great they have been for many. We have one in each direction and although we don't belong to either, I can recommend both with the highest of recommendations. Just looking at their websites make me feel good and the social and educational relationships they cultivate are equally as rewarding as the baskets of fruit and vegetables you take home every week.

Down the road from here is Wellspring Farm CSA We have had the opportunity to watch this farm grow from the very first year when Mimi and Parker stopped by here to introduce themselves. They have done a great job marketing their CSA, and their website is fun to look at. At the end of each year they have a members party and they record the festivities on their site. This past year they added a video that's fun too. One thing I like is an agriculture poster they found somewhere which mentions homeland security. There is no doubt that locally produced food is our real security and there's nothing better. Neat thought and a good reminder to why CSAs are the way to go.

On the other side of us, as in beyond Peacham Pond two or three mountains and a couple valleys is Old Shaw Farm and their Down on the Farm website. I've been reading this one almost since it started and this CSA is growing just like the two kids. Peter and Maryellen chronicle the events in a very nice blog with good pictures of their kids and farm and some good sounding recipes.

Finally there is Walt Jeffries well known blog, Sugar Mountain Farm. I have been reading this since we began home schooling Alex. I was going to add the link here for a long time and just never got that far. Walt wrote the other day inquiring about agricultural greenhouse structures for raising animals and that encouraged me to get with the program. Since pigs have always been one of Alex's favorite animals, he enjoys the blog too. Today we learned how to estimate the weight of a grown pig. The instructions are easy to follow but I sure would like to be standing there with a video camera watching someone wrap a string or measuring tape around a sow's belly to get the girth measurement. Click on "estimate" and see what you think!

There's still a bunch of winter left but it's not too early to think about spring and insure that you have a good garden plan and either have your seeds lined up or a source for plants. I have one order left to place myself with Johnny's Selected Seeds, Albion and Winslow, Maine. This company has been around since 1973 and it's one of the best.

One last thing. If you find a good source for Russian Banana fingerling seed potatoes, drop me a line. This is a seriously delightful potato and I haven't planted any for a couple years. Try some and you'll know why I'm looking.

A second "last" thing:

"Don't waste time trying to teach a pig to sing. It wastes time and it annoys the pig."



From the mountain about Peacham Pond where Gail just left with a neighbor for a basketball game in Danville and I'm left with dinner duty and a sink full of dishes left from....where?

Good gardening thoughts.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
and don't forget Vermont Gardens
or Vermont Flower Farm

Windy At 1530 Feet

Sunday, March 9, 2008

A breezy morning here at Vermont Flowerless Farm. We're at 1530 feet elevation and the wind has had no problem blowing us silly for the past 24 hours. We have no idea how much rain we received but as we repeatedly tried to get to sleep last night, it continued to pound the roof and house. It was 14 degrees at 5:30 this morning, a drop of more than 30 degrees since yesterday afternoon. The large drops of snow in Ohio, Kentucky, and western New York never made it here but we did receive a couple inches of snow on top of glare ice at breakfast time which made walking Karl the wonder dog a difficult feat for his feet and mine!

Alex and I drove to Cabot today for some groceries and a paper. Route 215 across the Cabot flats was wind blown snow and visibility was tough in places. As we passed the three nursery businesses along that route I somehow was reminded of our first spring here in Marshfield. That

year Gail's father planted his peas, a very important ritual to him, on April 1 st. That was the first and only year the snow was gone and it was warm enough to plant since we moved here almost 20 years ago.

Today is a different story. I know that maple syrup producers join me in wishing the snow would drop quickly and they could prepare for the their involvement in one of Vermont's shortest but most important businesses. The snow is deep in the woods, even after yesterday's heavy rains, and pipelines are still buried in many places and hanging buckets in others will be a chore done on snowshoes, with heavy breathing and aches and pains.

Despite the snow, I can always remind myself of flowers that we have come to enjoy so much. Last night I was scanning pictures of gloriosa daisies and I came upon a few lily pictures that I liked. Lilies were one of the flowers that we started to grow and study when we operated Vermont Herb and Flower Farm in Shelburne, Vermont many, many years ago. Times have come and gone in terms of popularity and availability with this bulb crop but I'll always enjoy them, even if we do not grow them in vast numbers as in the past. This one just below here is Cannes, an Asiatic, followed by Acapulco, a great Oriental lily with large flowers and a nice fragrance.



Next are a nice 5 foot tall yellow lancifolium, a beautiful Orienpet (oriental-trumpet cross) named Smokey Mountain from The Lily Garden, and a longiflorum Asiatic cross named Golden Torch. These are all sleeping nicely under snow someplace but are lilies to consider this year if you enjoy bulbs. We are not going to grow lilies this year as we make the change to our new location, but the ones I mention are available on line. Previous writing I've done here on The Vermont Gardener and also on Vermont Gardens mentions some of the problems with the lily leaf beetle and fungus among lilies. Just the same, they sure are a nice complement to any garden!



So as daylight savings time has me operating at a different time, best wishes for what's left of the weekend. If you venture out, remember Karl and walk safely, not quickly, as there's lots of ice out there. And if all else fails, try a flower catalog, book or garden show this afternoon.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where two Green Mountain Power Company trucks were camped out for part of this morning, apparently waiting for yet another call to repair a line taken down by wind and tree limbs.......

Best Sunday wishes,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
also at Vermont Gardens
and selling plants on-line at Vermont Flower Farm

Watering Cans and Deep Snow

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Almost 6:30 here at Vermont Flowerless Farm. The sky is gray and light granular snow has been falling for several hours. It's 16 degrees and at least the high winds of last night until 1 this morning have stopped and the weather front that will deliver snow is right over us. Last night's weather forecast said a chance of five inches but it's difficult to tell. Alex and I leave in an hour for Jericho so I wanted to get up and see if plowing was necessary. I care less about our place on the weekend than Gail's mother's house. 91 year olds have an infinity for ambulances and fast driving cars with red flashing lights so I try to keep things opened up for that group of visitors. We are beginning to learn too many names so that's an indication of the need to keep the road open.

A couple days back I was in the cellar trying to sort out last fall's onslaught of gear which makes its way into the cellar each fall, care of a well intentioned gardener who dreams of well kept wooden handles and engines that run on the first pull. This year has been worse than many and the pile is still a pile. As I worked through widening the paths and getting things sorted, I glanced at some of the watering cans I have collected. They are not all garden watering cans but they are metal so they represent a time that has passed. Most except the very expensive English reproductions are made of plastic now and these older ones grasp the past that some younger gardeners do not even remember.

One metal can could be found at every garage in America as it was used to fill radiators in the "pre-antifreeze, use-water-in-summer" days. It has a long neck and a flange to set in the top of the radiator. Those cans required a person with bulging muscles and stamina to hold three gallons of water straight out in the air while the radiator filled to overflowing.

One watering can needed a little reconstruction with a ball peen hammer as it's history obviously had included a frozen period of disrespect. The others are just worn but they probably have good garden stories to tell if they could talk. I can remember my dad always used one to wash out the cavity of newly dressed farm animals and deer before bringing them inside to drip and be butchered.

There's no need for watering cans today as the gardens are covered with a good three feet of snow and in most places it has piled more than five feet deep. The New Holland 30 horse tractor that joined us last summer has a reach of 11.5 feet. The snow has presented challenges for the tractor and the operator as this year has presented more snow than any time we have been here in Marshfield.

If you are out an about between now and spring gardening time, drop in to a few antique malls or indoor flea markets and pick up an old watering can or two. They are not cheap and are not that prevalent. Placed anywhere in your garden, the watering cans will look like a gardener stopped to think as gardeners do. "Anyplace" with a watering can is never "out of place" in your garden.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl the wonder dog went in and out with the speed of the guy with the red shirt and the big "S" and I can hear ice fishermen on the pond drilling holes in three foot thick ice in their pursuit of record brown trout and bragging rights among their peers.

Good garden thoughts to all,

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Gardens Another good blog
Vermont Flower Farm Our website, fully functional but under reconstruction