Things To Remember To Do

Monday, September 24, 2007

The sun has long since retired for the night and the moon is starting the night shift, providing light for migrating geese and foraging deer. Early this morning a moose came to the garden perimeter and let out a bellow suggesting its displeasure with the so called "deer fence". A couple-three nights ago, Gail followed me home from the new property. The time it took for her to grab some milk at the general store spaced our vehicles out just enough that she had to stop to let three bears cross the road above the hosta shade house. A sow and two little cubs added to our list of fall visitors.

When the nights grow shorter like this, there is little time to get things cleaned up before fall winds turn to white showers. We are especially busy with the business move but things are going well. I watched two couples in a car from New York as they slowed to look at the current Vermont Flower Farm. As they passed by I could see the wonderment in their faces: "What is going on there anyway?" We have stacks upon stacks of plastic crates, many empty, some filled with daylily roots ready to be planted. If there is gardener-speak for "disheveled", that's kind of what it looks like around here now.

No matter where you are at with your gardens, if your peonies need to be divided, do it now. Here's a picture of a nice Topeka Garnet which needs to be divided but may not make it this year. It's a great color and one any gardener would enjoy.

I just heard an ad on the radio the other day to put Grub-Ex on your lawns so you don't have to deal with Japanese beetles next year. The last thing we need to do is put more chemicals into our aquifers. Try Milky Spore which is a bacteria on your lawns and gardens any time until the soil temperature heads below 55 degrees. It may take a tad longer to see the total results but you won't be contaminating your lawns and gardens for those who might use them in later years.

I've been more busy than I like to think about but have tried to write a bit at Vermont Gardens
If you have any fall gardening questions, do let me know. For those who I promised a copy of my great grandmothers German Apple Coffee Cake, hold tight and I'll get it out in a few days. There's no better time than now with fresh apples to try new apple recipes and remind yourself and your family what a great fruit apples really are.

In the meantime, I have to switch to e-mail mode and answer some private queries. If you have a question but don't feel right about posting back to one of the blogs, send it straight to me and I'll get you an answer. I'll even try to make them "right" answers.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where colored sugar maple leaves float gently to earth, piling one atop another to dry and crunch under foot until fall rains compact them the day before I receive the command to rake. Why does it happen like this?

Best gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Yellow Transparent Tales

Saturday, May 26, 2007

A beautiful day here at Vermont Flower Farm with a clear sky and bright sun that already has pushed the temperature to 78.3. The humidity does not set well with me knowing what has to be accomplished today but summer in Vermont is short and we have no choice but to acccept each day.

I keep rubbing my eyes hoping that they'll adjust to lack of sleep and the long list of things which absolutely have to happen today. Our daylily friends from Morrisville were here for dinner last night and our conversations on until 11 made a long day lead to a short night's sleep. We might still be talking save for Karl, the wonderdog's disruptive barking at what was probably directed at Mr or Mrs Bear coming through the back woods to check out the gas grill.

Bears are being seen with more and more frequency and I have heard three different stories of encounters this very week. Black bears are a fun animal to see if you have never seen one but caution is critical. These are not friendly cirtters like the ones emulated at Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne. Many Vermonters have never even seen one before but as a whole the bear population is increasing and the chance of seeing one has become more likely. There is less hunting and more disruptions to their habitat .........and just plain more bears. Multiple births have been common in recent years and that translates to more bears per square mile and more bears in your back yard, even if you live in a Vermont country town or city.

I have to say that they adapt too well to domestic life and a free meal only entices them to come and stay. They carry a little automated address book and enter every place that good food can be found. They refer to it often and return time and again to dine. Trouble is they have a bit of arrogance to them and want us to think they are in control of everything. Anything that has big teeth and claws, lots of hair, a musky odor and weighs more than me (wow!) can control what it pleases.

Speaking of arrogance, Gail reminds me often that I occasionaly display a lack of respect for others in this family by doing things head strong that make no sense. The yellow transparent apple out front is an example. Today it is in full bloom and covered with bumble bees and flower bees. Sadly, there isn't a honey bee to be found. If even half the blossoms turn to apples by summer, the tree will probably fall over. Right now it is an interesting sense factory of sound, fragrance and picture to be enjoyed by all.

Three years ago now the tree was in serious shape. If you leaned against it, it headed south. Although it was over 15 years old, the previous owner had put aluminun foil around the base to discourage mice and voles from winter meals of apple cambium. Not! The foil offered a place for insects and the tree was diseased and had a very limited vascular network that was keeping it alive.

One day Gail and Alex were gone and I decided to "save" the tree or eliminate it and be done with the problem. I put the ladder up towards the top and as I climbed, the tree began to move away from each careful step. For some reason, an internal need to become a bonsai artist kicked in and I began to trim each limb into a Dr. Suess type tree that resembled an absurdly clipped poodle. When I finshed the tree was still weak and the ground was deep in prunings.

When Gail and Alex returned that went from "Hi, what kind of day did you have?" to "What are you, some kind of nut?" all in a blink. They didn't care for my pruning. I could tell by Alex's face that he was thinking one of those "Friends don't let friends prune trees." thoughts but it was over and there was no way except by film that you could turn back the event.

Today the tree is strong and it really needs another pruning. By taking off so much excess, the tree apparently established a renewed root system and it's as strong as an ox now. It no longer looks like a Dr. Suess tree although I rather liked it that way. Customers can't stop by now and ask "What exactly is that thing?" and Gail and Alex are relieved. Admittedly Alex likes to see me grovel in past defeat and he is compelled at times to relive the story for visitors. Without having been here, you have no idea what I did. If you taste a good applesauce with these apples and a couple macs, the events of the past fade.

The thermometer in front of me now reads 88.1. It's rising quickly and I have to get going here. Some of the gardens still need to be cleaned up but the place is shaping up and it deserves a visit soon. The hostas should unfurl today and I expect the first trollius will bloom by Monday. If you're out and about this weekend, stop by. As you pull into the drive, look ahead and to the right of the walk to the house. Nice apple tree!



From the mountain above Peacham Pond where a love struck partridge continues for how many days I can't remember to drum away. He is obviously either unsuccessful finding a mate or he has been so successful that he continues with the very same technique. To me it sounds like the old John Deere Model B 2 banger tractor getting started. Stop by and I'll share the sound with you.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com