Frog Thoughts

Almost 8 PM, dark and quiet. Just in from walking the dog. My shoulder is not dislocated but almost feels that way after a deer snorted close by us and the dog reversed direction and headed for the house with my arm doing an unfamiliar reverse move in the process. How I do love dogs.

This wonder dog, by its nature has very poor vision and very good hearing. This translates to "If it's unfamiliar and you can hear it but not see it, RUN!" That would be "Run" even if the old master (me) is hitched to the other end of the lead and doesn't have the foggiest what is going on.

It was another great day in Vermont as evidenced by the fact that it's still 56 degrees out. The leaves are dropping quickly now after a few frosts and wide temperature fluctuations. The driveway is deep in leaves and they are floating down like rain. The common daylilies, Stella d'Oro and Happy Returns, are still blooming and I noticed today some of the trollius are reblooming. I had hoped for more rebloom from the epimediums but this year things seem slower although they have put on great stem and leaf growth this summer. The last Uchida lily fell apart today so that's it til next July for us. Many of the Olallie daylilies such as Vermont RR Red have recovered from the first frosts and are blooming again.

While waiting for Gail to return home I stacked some wood and spoke with some tourists. A couple from Bear Creek (or was it Big Bear Lake?) California stopped by. I had a quick chat and suggested they walk up Owl's Head as today's cloudless view would be a memory forever. There was a lady from France having a little difficulty with a stick shift car rental and an older couple from Connecticut with a nice Portuguese Water Spaniel. There's not much to see now but the sign Vermont Flower Farm draws people down our road if there's any hope of bloom. Sometimes there is only "flower talk".

By Saturday the weather will look like late fall with dropping temperatures and the possibility of spitting snow crystals. Today was just the greatest. I walked once around the pond, not so much because I wanted the walk but because the Great Blue Heron swallowed a nice trout right in front of me and my level of happiness with him went down like a flat tire on a loaded hay wagon. He jumped into the air and flew away but only after several hard hand claps and a few less than pleasant words. I'm told the natives down south eat these birds but I can't imagine what you would find to eat on something that stands 4 feet tall with a 6-7-8 foot wingspread.

The frogs and salamanders remain plentiful this year like we haven't witnessed in many, many years. There is a chance that all the spring rains diluted the acid rain which prevails around here. One couldn't tell without a better study and less guessing but the crop is plentiful and that is good news. I try to keep track of various little populations because they are all part of the puzzle to me. Once parts are absent, the puzzle may be finished but the missing part is always more obvious than the beauty of the finished product. I think a lot about frogs, toads and salamanders --they are natures signal to me. My friend in the picture (above) spent the summer with us. Today he was sitting on a ligularia leaf which chanced to droop over into the little pond. His job was Chief Mosquito Terminator and he did an admirable job!

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the barred owl has stopped calling, perhaps because he is swallowing a field mouse. Some friends start dinner later in the evening than we do.


Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Jigsaw Puzzle Edges

28.9 degrees here on this hill this morning. The sun takes longer now to pull itself up over the tops of the tall tamaracks and their yellow fall needle cover. It's fun to watch though as the early morning sunrays sparkle as they shine down on frozen dew drops and frost encrusted grasses. The change in temperature hasn't occurred to me yet and I headed out with Karl, the wonderdog, without my jacket. My senses returned when I almost slid off step number three before we even made it to the ground. Adjusting to fall and winter is just that...an adjustment.

This is the second day of frost and we hope that it will enhance the colors of the sugar maples. Last years colors were mediocre but there is still good possibility here. I often enjoy sitting at the big rock across the road a bit and looking across at Hooker Mountain and then up towards the northwest. I seem to sit there longer when the colors are more vibrant and the air is clear.

Thoughts usually turn to cleaning up gardens once a good frost stops all signs of growth. Just the same, there are still many colors to pursue and enjoy. We don't have the time to grow them but the various colors of flowering kale (above) are a great enhancement along the drive or at entryways to your home. There are some nice colors available and this plant can handle some hard freezes so it's valuable and inexpensive at the same time. When serious frost levels it, one trip to the compost pile and it's over.

Seems like for as long as I can remember there has been a traditon of sorts to get a pumpkin out front someplace and some Indian corn to hang by the back door. Gail picked up both at a recent farmers market and they look nice. It appears that the blue jays enjoy the corn best of all as I had to scare off a couple yesterday that were already pecking out their favorite kernals.

My mother always enjoyed bittersweet and my dad would always find some and bring her a giant handful to trim and arrange in a tall maroon vase. It would cascade out of the vase onto her tall cedar chest and also hang by the entry doors. Little hands that just had to touch it left the yellow seed jackets scattered on the chest or floor, often resulting in a minor scolding that did nothing to prevent more of the same curiosity.

When we moved to Vermont in '52 it was difficult to locate any bittersweet. Then with the initial building of the interstate highway system, some designer thought it would look nice along the median, perhaps for decoration, perhaps for erosion control. That was the planned introduction of an invasive species of vine which now covers trees and fences in southern Vermont while sadly it smothers out ancient apple varieties. I've noticed it growing all over Vermont. It's easy to spot this time of year because the frost turns the thin leaves a light yellow which en mass is a standout even from distant roadways.

There are many nice varieties of hybrid aster now but the old standbys of New England Aster can help fill the void. Chrysanthemums are a well known fall flower but fewer growers here are handling them any more because the mass marketers almost give them away. Although the industry has created some beauties which don't require pinching, they still require some labor and every box store sells them as throw aways. The colors and petal variations are terrific and for a few bucks you can have that temporary color.

Guess it's time to get going here. I can see steam from Peacham Pond rising above the pines. In the sunlight it's obvious where a doe and two young ones wandered through the lower field earlier this morning. Deer apparently don't walk in straight lines. Their feet broke the frost in the field and left a pattern like the edges of a jigsaw puzzle piece.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the ravens and jays have started a vocal competiton never to be aired on VPR, and where the puzzles of nature and life in Vermont continue to provide interest, challenge and satisfaction.

Frosty gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermont flower farm.com

Gardening event reminder: The Granite City Garden Club (Barre area) will co-sponsor a free lecture Monday night at the Aldrich Library in Barre. Dr. Robert Gilmore, a New Hampshire landscape designer, will offer a slide show discussion entitled How To Create A Low Maintenance Garden. He has written The Woodland Garden and Beauty All Around You: How to Create Large Private Low Maintenance Gardens.
Starts at 6:45 PM.

Dampened Parachutes

I returned home from work today with just enough time to change clothes and shoes and grab the camera. I wasn't sure I'd take any pictures as it was raining but every time I leave the camera home, that one great shot appears that I'll never have a chance to see again. Some lessons, ever so simple, take a long time to learn.

I cut down the bank and noticed that the mildweed pods which had popped open so nicely Saturday morning seemed to have melted with subsequent rains into clumps of silk fiber. They'll dry and fly again by mid week but until then they aren't as interesting. Dampened silk parachutes do not fly well.

I stopped to check a monarch chrysalis I found a few days ago. Despite the cooler temperatures it has turned black with age and tonight I can see the black and orange of the folded butterfly inside. I suspect it will hatch tomorrow in my absence but I may be able to spot it flying by floating milkweed parachutes. Someone told me once that in Colonial times folks stuffed pillows with milkweed silk. It always seemed like a nice thought but the way it packs together it seemed like it would make for a hard pillow. It's been 386 years since 1620 so maybe standards of hardness have changed.

The Tall Goldenrod, Solidago altissima, and the Lance-leaved Goldenrod, S. graminifolia, still bloom in some places but they have turned to grey fluff in others. I always laugh when I see the new hybrids advertised in gardening magazines. My first wonder is if anyone every tried to pull a couple dozen out of their garden after they have gained a foothold. Many think the plant is the cause of their allergies but I think this is a fairly safe flower although some see it as just another weed. Mixed with phlox and asters, the color and height combinations are nice.

I walked down a trail I have been making parallel to Peacham Pond Road. It's in sight of the road but far enough back to give a sense that you're by yourself. My eye caught a group of Dwarf Rattlesnake Plantain that I thought I had lost due to uninvited missteps. It was nice to see it was doing so well with only a few rusted, crumpled leaves, pushed into the soft ground by a moose. Somehow I place no blame on where a moose steps but I raise negative thought to the steps of others I think should see better. Perhaps that's not fair and others just don't see the beauty I do in this little orchid.

The light was dimming and steam moved through the woods and meadows as the temperatures dropped. Just enough time left to check the lower hosta garden and then head for dinner.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the loons now receive periodic dinner company from ducks coming down from Canada.

Fall gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Garden Bulbs

This afternoon's chilling rains finally drove me into the house to the fire Gail had started in the woodstove. I don't mind working in the rain but when the temperature falls to about 42, I just don't last very long. Arthritis slows my fingers and it's not worth the pain to work on longer than necessary. Once I made a decision to quit for a while I still had an urge to walk the gardens once and review in my mind my garden "to-do" list.

Vermont has a short summer in my book. Working away from here full time and then helping Gail keep the nursery going the balance of the time means that the summer flies by. As I walked through the lower hosta garden, the number of weeds signaled the lack of time I spent there keeping "my pride" looking clean and professional. The frequent rains were enough to make this a challenge anyway but it's clear that I needed more help than I received on this part of our business. I never saw anyone walk back from viewing this special garden without fine comments. It's one of those "eye of the beholder" things but it clearly didn't meet my standard for neatness. Just the same there aren't that many places in Vermont where you can invite yourself to see over 400 hostas and a great assortment of shade plants nestled in a very old stone barn foundation.

I walked out under the drooping apple tree into the field. The peony nursery is weedy but healthy and the roots are well established for a terrific display come June 2007. To the left, the row of Olallie daylilies blooms on with vigor, with Vermont Ocean Swells issuing forth strong scapes with multiple heavy branches and lots of bloom. The scapes remind me of the waves I left behind in Maine almost three weeks ago.

Straight ahead, Autmn Prince stands over five feet tall with scapes carrying tons of daylily flowers not even close to blooming. We've had two minor frosts this week and this daylily remains strong. I'll have to plant some in the upper level so travelers can see what a nice plant it is for fall color.

All the gardens need their fall clean up and need to be tilled between the rows to prevent annual grasses and weeds from catching tighter hold than they already have. Many folks speak of chemical controls and we're not quite there yet. When gardeners arrive, they have a desire to see a neat, clean, weed-free nursery. They don't care that Gail cares for most of the place herself in the summer so we have to make an effort to meet expectations even though time is short. Using the Troy Built tiller between the rows takes time but it's the quickest way to avoid other chemical infiltration.

As I walked through the field I noticed some garlic seed heads dangling to my right amongst an old garden. A few years back Alex got into this potato thing. He doesn't even eat potatoes but he was interested in old varieties so we planted a number of different varieties. We all decided the blue ones weren't for us, the red ones made the best potato salad but we liked it more in summer than fall, and the winner was a fingerling named Russian Banana. A half dozen Russian Banana potatoes parboiled and then pan fried with a little basil, oregano and thyme makes for a great treat. They also make great french fries.

The first year the potato crop was acceptable but the next year the deer came in and forgot to leave. Alex was furious and read that garlic would keep the deer away. I doubted it but as we visited one farmers market after another, we bought various varieties of garlic. Before long you would have thought we were preparing crops for the annual Southern Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival in Wilmington, Vermont http://lovegarlic.com Now we have I'm not-so-sure how much garlic and we still have a bunch of deer, now being kept further away as I get more of the deer fence installed around the perimeter.

Despite the rain, it was a fruitful day and the sense of accomplishment felt as good as the warm fire Gail had going. Hope your day ended nicely too!


From the mountain above Peacham Pond were a flock of geese are flying by just low enough for me to hear their voices from inside the house.

Fall gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Plant Helpers

It has rained all day in Vermont and it looks like we received about an inch here in Marshfield. I was traveling all day and the showers varied in intensity but it was truly wet everywhere. That's not uncommon for this time of year and it's good for all the plants. I'm especially happy to see some good rain as the hostas continue to mature thicker root systems which translates to better foliage next year. Although the peonies are changing leaf colors right now with dull red stems and yellowing leaves on many varieties, the roots can take a lot of water as they continue to form good buds for next spring's stems and eventual flower buds. The peonies should be absolutely beautiful next June!

This time of year many of the wildflowers have set seed and the seeds are being dispersed by the weather, birds and animals, and man. There are three chipmunks in the lower hosta garden and each is working until it's no longer safe to be out in late afternoon-early evening when quiet raptors glid through the gardens. There may be more than three but I have seen these three so often that the only thing they lack in my mind is individual names. A "Marvin" there is not!

Chipmunks at Vermont Flower Farm receive plenty of cute comments from everyone but me. They're fun to watch and they give me something to talk to when others have deserted me. Just the same, they are the "relocators", the lobbyists for the seed dispersel industry, with their full cheeks and speedy voices.

I had a half dozen Jack-in-the-pulpit ready to photograph last week but each night I got home from work too late or too tired to get myself organized. When I finally got down to see a promising specimen, it had tipped over due to its own weight and the chipmunks began to pick off one fleshy red seed case after another. Arisaemas are a fine wildflower which make kids smile as they pull back the flower hood to see what's in the pulpit. There are many to be found throughout North America and W. George Schmid does an excellent job describing them in his book, An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials, Timber Press, Inc. 2002.

Chipmunks have been good and bad to me. They enjoy eating lilium bulbs almost before we can plant them in early May. When the lilies form stems and the first flower buds show, chipmunks can smell which ones have higher concentrations of natural sugars and starches and they eat those first. There is nothing like seeing a rodent running down the drive with $2.50 in his/her mouth while a customer tells you "Oh, isn't that cute?" Why they prefer Leslie Woodriff or Pizzazz or Luminaries at $20 a pop instead of a simple little Lemon Pixie is difficult to understand but that's the way it is.

Last year Gail and I noticed about 11-five foot tall lilies under an apple tree next to the ligularia garden. We questioned each other as to why we planted them there and likewise commented what a great job each did. Trouble was we didn not plant those lilies and in fact couldn't even identify which Asiatic they were. Apparently a chipmunk had stolen a bulb years earlier, scaled it, and planted the scales here and there. They formed bulbils and matured and all flowered at the same time. Now if chipmunks could just leave a plant marker when they did this work we'd be all set! They did the same thing with Pink Giant, a beautiful Asiatic no longer available in the trade. We still have a couple growing thanks to chipmunks.

Arisaemas grow from a round creamy white tuber, usually the size of a quarter or smaller. Native Americans and their neighbors often dug the tubers and boiled them for long periods of time and then dried them before using them as a starch food product. Presumably this made them safe to eat. I have not read any updates on current-day edability and figure it's best to look at them, not eat them.

It's getting late on the hill above Peacham Pond. The chipmunks are resting and I'm the one who needs a little snack before the lights go out.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Dark Skies, Swirling Winds

Saturday is over already and it almost seems as if my list got longer today instead of shorter. I tried to stimulate a little interest in going to the St Johnsbury Farmer's Market but in the end I went by myself. It's a good market, rain or shine, and I enjoy it. I took an umbrella and a jacket but I made it through two trips back to the truck without feeling a single raindrop.

This time of year I like to be sure to get some corn as you never know when a hard frost will sneak up and end the harvest. I really like Silver Queen but ended up with something from a box marked "White". The farmer said he was from the top of a hill in Danville and the corn was special. He slid an extra ear into the bag and when I left I think we were both happy.

I wanted a nice bag of spinach for our salads and I knew I'd find some creamy tasting leaves at one of the organic growers stands. As the man tallied my lettuce, Brussels Sprouts, green pepper and pound of spinach, he threw in another pound of spinach. The e-coli problem with bagged spinach from California messed things up and although people want spinach, they have a mindset that it's tainted. I gave my regrets as well as my thanks and headed for the baker that Alex likes. I knew I had to buy him a couple dill-onion pretzels and a loaf of Ciabatta bread. I was lucky to wait for the 3 ladies in line in front of me and still grab the last Ciabatta.

I bought tomatoes from two different vendors and then looked for the lady who I have been buying tiny bok choy from. She wasn't there. As I headed out, I said hello to Dianne Gadapee from Danville. Dianne sells maple syrup, maple sugar, maple cream, maple granola and sometimes a fine maple bread. I've had all her products and they are exceptional. The whole family helps out during sugaring season and Dianne keeps things going. If you are interested in making a purchase but can't make the market, call Dianne at 802-684-3323 or e-mail at gadmaple@together.net

On my way to the truck I passed a man selling Shaker boxes. These are the oval shaped wooden boxes made from various veneers. I picked a maple box for $10 and headed home. The price seemed too low for the quality of the product which was superior. Farmers markets are great fun and the prices are not to be challenged.

When I got back to Marshfield and entered our drive I noticed the colors of various sedums here and there. They have been selling well but they remain an understated, underused autumn flower. We have had Autmn Joy, Vera Jameson, Neon, Matrona, Purple Emporer and Angelina this year. Blackjack, pictured above, just came out last week. We picked it up at McSherry's in Conway, NH on our way back from Maine. Its dark black-brown foliage make it a standout. Mix some sedums of various heights with some different rudbeckias and a couple cimicifugas, and sneezeweed in the back and you'll have autmn color that your neighbors will ask about. Sometimes the price makes folks buy a pot of this or a pot of that but if you spring for two or three of one variety, the affect of the mass is an eyecatcher. Try it and you'll see what I mean.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where some rain is falling, the wind is swirling and the summer has been nice!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Late Colors

Tuesday night already and I am reminded again how much I miss the long evenings when I can get back into the garden after an evening meal. It's foggy now and 63 degrees with a light rain falling. Even in the dimming light I can look out my office window down into the lower daylily nursery. A row of color reminds me that there are many fine daylilies still blooming. Although I haven't learned the names yet, I have about 20-25 daylilies from Olallie's in South Newfane, Vermont. I picked them for their late bloom and I have not been disappointed. Close to that row is one prominent scape that I know so well as Ruby Throat. It's a glorious daylily and it has about ended its show here at Vermont Flower Farm. I would recommend it to anyone because it is a long bloomer that makes it beyond Labor Day.

Ruby Throat is one of many daylilies which are the combined work of Robert Griesbach and Roy Klehm. It fits into what I remember as "the bird series" although I don't know if other folks call this group by that commonality. Together these men named a number of their successes after birds. I've tried to purchase them when I've seen them because I enjoy birds and try to learn as much about them as I can.

Besides Ruby Throat we have Screech Owl which finished blooming last week and Cedar Waxwing which I dug up and split into 38 plants two weeks ago. We have Big Bird, Starling, Mallard, Phoebe and Falcon; also have Scarlet Tanager and Wood Duck. Wood Duck, just like the beautiful wild duck, has great colors. Wood ducks are quick water fowl but the daylily is very slow to multipy here. I think I am missing a couple more that we have but no more come to mind right now--kind of bird-like "memory in flight". Although I'd recommend all of these, we don't have all of them for sale. Check around on other sites and you can probably locate them.

Besides a number of nice daylilies still blooming, the asters, sneezeweed, cimicifugas, ligularias, phlox, and sedums are providing nice balance to the colors of the falling maple and ash leaves. Fall is a great time to plant and the rain that's coming down makes it even better.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where senescence can be found within the hosta beds and the dictionary.

Gardening wishes and warm rain drops,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Milkweed

Monarch butterflies have been important to me for as long as I can remember. They are a signal of the health of our environment. Their health is subject to a myriad of factors with mankind and weather issues being two huge influences.

I remember the first chrysalis I saw was in Miss Hathorne's second grade class. Someone brought one to school and she taped the whole stalk it hung from to the window above a bookcase. There it would receive some sun and we could see it hatch. There was great worry that the event would occur when we were home or during the weekend. I don't recall there was a line of kids wanting to "stay after" to be the first to see the special event but everyone was interested. Almost everyone.

A couple days passed and we reported to class to see that the beautiful shiny green chrysalis with the gold dots and black ribbing had turned a dark brownish-black. One classmate who clearly showed no promise in science quickly commented "Its rotted. I told you it wouldn't hatch."

But hatch it did and we got to see much of the process at the end of that day. When we left, it was still unfolding one wing which made no sense to us. The next day Miss Hathorne said it dried its wings soon after we left for the day and she opened the window and it flew away. It made for kind of a nice closing to a neat event.

Milkweed, Ascelepias syriaca, is the Monarch caterpillar's favorite food. Every year since we've lived here, I have avoided cutting the milkweed that occupies a bank behind the ligularia collection. Some people comment that it looks a little rough most of the time but that's why it's behind a fence to begin with. This year there have been butterflies everywhere but I have yet to see a caterpillar. The chrysalises are in abundance however, and I almost feel guilty when I move a stack of pots or a tarp and find one hanging on.

I was five when we moved to Vermont and our first spring here I found how important milkweed and cow slips were to real Vermonters. Milkweeds were the first spring green after dandelions. I learned they must be picked early and tender, and that they had to be boiled three times and always with hot water, not cold, on the water changes, to get rid of the bitter taste. Back then no amount of boiling made them taste good to me but I respected the old people and didn't mind helping pick.

The Monarchs are so plentiful this year that about every newspaper has run an article on them. The milkweed plant is critical to the life cycle but apparently the health of the plants in the wintering areas of Texas and Mexico are more important. Whatever was going on there last winter and early spring must have been perfect as this year's show has been special. If you haven't seen them yet, keep an eye out, as the migration is under way.



From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is a warm 64 degrees and the sound of a barred owl seems quite close this evening.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Back in Vermont

It's still clouded over here at Vermont Flower Farm, 57 degrees, with moisture drifting through the air. It doesn't look like it will last very long but for now the heavy dew adds interest to the morning. Spider webs become temporary garden accents. Outside my office window, hanging tightly between the two tall mullein spires I pictured a few weeks back, is a fine spider web. It's anchored diagonally to two spireas and one rudbeckia, both about 6 feet away. Makes me wonder how the spider did this. Maybe the engineers who designed the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory http://www.mainebridges.com/new_bridge.html
in Maine studied spider web construction too.

When the fog burns off, the early fall colors will become more prominent. Right now the various native asters are beginning to display. The New England and the Purple Stemmed Asters might catch our attention first but the Heart Leaved, and the Flat Topped Asters are also nice. The Whorled Aster pictured above has been blooming for a while now. Although smaller, it makes a great start to a bouquet for Gramma when clutched tighly in a little girl's soft hand.

I took a quick walk this morning with Karl to try to organize my thoughts and figure out what deserved the most attention. If you haven't met Karl before, it's understandable. He's a very non-customer/visitor oriented dog until he sizes you up and has met you a few times. He's a Standard Chihuahua and he protects us like there's no tomorrow. He has met a black bear face to face with Gail and has also met Mrs. Moose and her young one. Things like this encourage his curious nature. When on a walk in the woods or down the road, however, so much as a passing scent or recent animal track brings him to a complete halt with all four feet planted like concrete.

A few weeks back Karl assumed one of these entrenched positons in the middle of the road. I very ungently pulled his lead and he slipped his collar about the same time as a car came down the road. Michelle has a way with him and she brought his running behavior to a halt with her gentle voice and quick hands. He melted into submission, with a waggy tail suggesting "Boy, that was fun!" I wish he wouldn't do that but he is obstinate like others I have seen here.

I need to get the hoses going on the lower hosta garden, and then will split some more wood. My sore back forced me to purchase a log splitter and I can already see I should have made the purchase some years ago.

The garden tractor needs a new drive belt installed, there are daylilies to trim and more peonies to dig and split. Leaves are already dropping and the lower daylily nursery needs one more tilling before fall. Guess I'll be busy. Perhaps you will be too.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the monarch butterflies are hatching like we've never seen before.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Heading West

The sound of the ocean mellows the soul and calms the difficulties of the times we live in. Hemingway had some thoughts on what the sea was capable of doing for people. For most, he thought time at the ocean freed one of internal burdens and reenergized them for the next battle. For some, he felt the power of the ocean would encourage new directions which could include death. I kinda like the thought about renewed energy myself.

Heading back to Vermont is a mixed blessing. We are leaving a relaxing time after a very busy summer gardening season. We have had the opportunity to sit by the shore and read our books and magazines, we've met new people, visited new places and explored new paths. Our gardens in Vermont, and of course our rascal dog, Karl, beckon us to return.

It's foggy this morning with a light drizzle of sorts. It's 63 degrees but warm and free of wind. Back home we have to get ready for Bee Balm Day and then get on with fall clean up. There's plenty to do. Here we are leaving part of America that we really love. We have visited the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Rachael Carson National Wildlife Refuge as we always do. These are back-to-back refuge areas which comprise the third largest estuary in North America. They deserve some mention which I'll try to get to some time soon.

Back in Vermont we'll still have some daylilies blooming including some from Olallie's in southern Vermont. They probably haven't set all their buds yet. The Cimicifuga atropurpurea (renamed Actea) is more than 8 feet tall now and it's creamy bottle brush flower scapes are no doubt hosting a variety of insects. I'll bet the hummingbirds have headed south but that the warm weather has encouraged the latest hatch of monarch butterflies to feed a little longer before heading for Mexico. No security checks for these insects before they move on.

It will be good to be home. Before heading out, we'll make a reservation for the same time next year just to be sure the cycle continues. Life is good.

From various points in New England where the day will be fine, the temperature warm and the smiles of happy gardeners abundant.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Ocean Gardens

The Maine coast is a favorite of mine, especially in the early morning hours when beach travelers are minimal and the tide is taking it's last breath at being "low". Today was especially good because the beach was inactive and save for a black spotted-on-white Great Dane which the owner said was less than friendly, I was in my own company when I headed out onto the peninsula.

The ocean floor at low tide is like a flower garden to me. It's decorated with a variety of plants and although the ocean colors are more subdued here in the north, there is a variety of plants to see, touch and smell. I've never spent much time learning ocean plant names as I have no one to share the knowledge with. One rock weed probably smells the same to me as to the next gardener and they each have a protective coating which feels similar.

In my brief lifetime, the ocean has changed a great deal. The changes are obvious and they continue in less than favorable contrast to what I enjoyed in my youth. My trips to Calves Island in Long Island Sound, trips to dig clams or trap crabs, or fishing adventures with my grandfather for flounders--these are all memories of a different time and a "different" ocean. Many places where I was taught to dig clams are no longer open to the public because of contamination. Some of the best waters for crabs are now closed areas belonging to wildlife sanctuaries. That is good.

In early June of this year, I stopped at some beaches 25 miles north of Wells, Maine. I was struck by the amount of trash which had been left from the previous year. I soon emptied a collection of razor clam shells back onto the sand so I could have the plastic bag in which to pack trash. Before going too far I reorganized my collection format and only picked up broken glass and sharp bottle caps. When young I had been taught to scour the sands before leaving at the end of the day but that training has absented itself from beach travelers over the recent years.

Today I reflected on previous trips to Maine just after Labor Day. One visit about ten years ago we arrived to find thousands upon thousands of sand dollars at low tide. The following day was extremely hot and the beach was crowded but still, sand dollars remained everywhere. This June, the bluefish were so thick that surf casters made great harvests and those fishing from the breakwater at Camp Ellis pulled in some beauties. Yet another memory.

As I walked carefully out onto the peninsula, I passed a beat up lobster trap. It was yellow coated wire, flat and rectangular shaped, lodged securely between two rocks and pecked clean of bait by marauding gulls. It was new, not made by hand with a wooden frame and it lacked a handwoven bait bag. Mussles were so noticeably absent it bothered me enough to make me walk to a rock edge and pull back some rock weed in hopes of finding some telltale blue shells. There were none. A single shell here or there, isolated by weed and rocks, gave notice that things have changed.

Snails. Snails. Snails are everywhere. They coat rocks and the open areas between mounds of rock weeed. They don't seem to move but just wait patiently for the tide to return with fresh water to recirculate for their next meal. Things have changed.

I walked off the peninsula and scuffled through the thick piles of seaweed. There is a name for this collection of debris but it escapes me. I looked for starfish but there were none. I made a methodical search through three square feet of weed and found nothing of great interest. As I headed back down the beach, I found one, two, three, then a fourth small sea urchin. Three were still alive so I hid them under the weed debris away from the gulls. The forth, long since expired and totally missing from the shell caused no grief when I decided to bring it back with me. Finding four alone might be a good sign or might be a poor sign. If draggers are trying to bring them up from the bottom to sell at restaurants, more serious damage to the ecosystem might be taking place.

After walking a bit I walked into the ocean. It was warmer than I had ever remembered. I had listened to a radio program along the way which suggested that temperatures have changed 4 degrees this year. I thought about it and hoped the numbers were wrong. A recent NASA studied documented that winter sea ice to the northern cap is melting quicker than ever before. That change influences the growth of sea plankton which is at the start of the food chain for all ocean life. Yes, the oceans are changing and not all for the better.

I returned to where I had left my knapsack and then I headed back to the truck. My walk along the ocean was like a walk through my gardens in Vermont. Beauty abounds and there is more to learn each step of the way. My walk left me with many questions, but I left in the company of peace.


From the Maine coast, where dropping a piece of cracker encourages airborne visitors to arrive and offer a bad scolding.

Your gardening friend from Vermont,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Separate Waters

Last week I was trying to pull together a number of projects to get ready to escape to Maine for a few days. We always do this right after Labor Day weekend. That weekend marks the end of our busy season although we remain open here at Vermont Flower Farm through Columbus Day. Telling folks you're open "by chance or appointment" is like saying you're still open. We almost always have someone cover for us and if all else fails we leave a note and a place for honest folks to leave money. They always do.

By Wednesday things were really hectic, so much so that one night before supper I needed a break. I headed down the lower woods road and then bushwhacked over to the red pine plantation. Along the way I encounter these rocks. Once they were a single piece of granite but over the years the forces of a glacier probably moved them apart. Since then they have aged with mosses and ferns but their separation from one another is obvious. I sat by them for a while and reflected on the summer.

In June, I went west to see my new grandson. I had a meeting to attend outside fo Portland, Oregon so I made it a point to head west to the ocean to wet my feet in the Pacific. I went past great logging companies, historical Astoria, old sardine factories and new lavender farms. On the way back and south I stopped at various places to hike marsh trails and watch bald eagles cruise the wind currents.

But now it was September and my thoughts were to the Atlantic and the Maine coast. There is something nice about the opportunity to touch both of these oceans a couple months apart. More than their names make them distinctly different. The two rocks reminded me of the two oceans, strong, powerful, distinctly different.

Along the way east to Maine, I'll share some thoughts but in the meantime I'll think about the two rocks and the smells of the woods as summer begins to fade.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond, where the red squirrels are cutting fir cones from the balsam trees and piling them neatly for winter food.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Remember September 16th, 8-10 AM. Bee Balm. $10/shovel full. A great price for a great hummingbird, moth and butterfly magnet.

Aperature Settings

Another long day is drawing to a close. The rain is noisy on the metal roof but it's nice to think it's still warm outside. It will be tricky taking the dog out for the last call, as I know the frogs and toads will be jumping everywhere.

I was happy to get home this afternoon. My list of gardening chores gets longer this time of year as the daylight shortens and the wood pile talks to me. It continually reminds me that it's not big enough, not long enough, not high enough yet. I never was sure about all that stuff about wooly bear caterpillers and the duration and type of winter but they are in great numbers this year so I better get on with the wood splitting.

I went down Springfield-way today. It's about 100 miles each way but it seems much longer because I've made the trip so many times. Less and less to see so more time to think about Vermont Flower Farm and how to grow it bigger. When I arrived home and pulled into the drive, a Jeep and trailer were trying to back around the "Y" in the road. People often have a problem making a decision at this particular "Y" and often elect for the left when in fact they should be heading right, nine times out of ten.

There's a big maple tree in the middle of the road just past our mailbox. I use that tree to tie up lost bear hounds and rabbit dogs. There's a granite marker in front of the tree with arrows pointing left and right with numbers of camps on Peacham Pond. I've lived here 17 years and still haven't figured out the numbers. Neither have camp visitors, the UPS, FedEx or DHL delivery guys, 3 different rescue squads, the oil and propane delivery drivers, or the trucks from the lumber yards in East Montpelier and Barre. Lots of people like to do things over around here.

The guy in the Jeep was looking for a couple hostas for his wife. He lives in Groton and his wife decided she'd like to have some like the house across the road from where they live. I pointed out the lower hosta garden but this man was on a mission for two hostas. He picked out Christmas Tree and Blue Umbrellas and after a pleasant conversation he headed home with a gift for his wife. Nice gesture, nice hosta!

I changed, grabbed the chain saw, my safety chaps and my camera and headed out to cut wood. Like the man and the hostas, I had a mission too: clean up the downed wood from yesterday and scout out some rattlesnake plaintain.

Several years ago I found some rattlesnake plantain growing under some fir balsams and a lone hemlock. I really liked them. They belong to the orchid family and have neat foliage and single scapes of multiple white flowers. Over time the pods ripen and there are numerous tiny seeds in each one to sprinkle on the forest floor in hope of a larger colony.

For several years I only found one or two scapes so distributing the seed was easy. Then I began to study where the bigger ones grew and it became apparent that slightly greater sunlight meant larger and more plentiful scapes. My "aperature setting theory" was born. I decided to try to clear out a minor number of overhanging branches here and there and reach an improved amount of sunlight. This has taken about three years. Over time I slowly opened the sky as one opens a camera's aperature, and the result was more plants. This was rewarding for sure, and a lesson I'll remember.

The dog is whimpering and that means it's time for the last "run" of the evening. I'll carry a flashlight and hope my eyes quickly open wide to spot the leaping frogs and toads before the dog pulls me and my lead arm parallel to the ground. Even little dogs can do that!

From the mountain above Peacham Pond, where animal life continues in darkness despite my thoughts on aperature setting.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Changing Names, Changing Seasons

It's quiet here at Vermont Flower Farm tonight. Gail is away for a while this evening. She is helping a distant, senior relative find a new place to live. She is a saint and everyone knows it! Alex is buried in a book on the history of rum. It is part of his self imposed desire to learn the history and makings of all forms of alcoholic beverages (???) and today he started with kill-devil, an early rum. He'll have a way to go before he reaches the part in history about our friend, Harold Cross, and his daylily wine concoction. Harold and Leila are coming for dinner Friday night and I'll have to poke Alex a little to get Harold going on his brew story.

It started out wet and foggy this morning but by late afternoon it was a typical fall day, except that it's not fall yet. Right now the setting sun has left a band of pink above the treeline and the leaves of the tall poplar trees flutter softly in the pink whispers of light. It will be gone before I can load the camera again but it is a nice memory.

Tonight was a fine time to take pictures. The air was dropping below 50 degrees and there was about 25 minutes when the light was perfect. That's the trouble with this time of year. The evenings go quickly from setting sun to darkness. At these times I want to keep heading back out the door to work the gardens but it's dark and I can't. I can't, but some do. Harold and Leila have headlamps they use to keep up with their fine collection of daylilies. I guess if I ever exceed a couple thousand varieties like they do, I'll consider a headlamp. Considerations are the same as "just thinking abouts" to me.

This time of year I really enjoy a couple plants. I like the cimicifugas and the ligularias. As far as I am concerned these two plants have succumbed to identity theft as the plant i.d. police have elected to change their names just when I can spell "l-i-g-u-l-a-r-i-a" and pronounce "cimicifuga". It's good for the botany nomenclature crew that they can correct the identification and change the name but for my being as a plantsman, it just complicates things. I can't even figure out if I should tell visitors and customers. Maybe it's better not to start trouble and wait to be corrected by that "one-out-of-ten-thousand" visitor who knows plants better than I ever will. I like that idea better.

The cimicifugas have been popular with gardeners this year. Gail offered six different varieties for sale and the supply is noticeably limited. Since they are just coming into bloom with their creamy white or pink bottle brush flowers, it's likely they will all sell out this year. I especially like the darker leaved varieties such as Hillside Black Beauty or Brunette or Pink Spike but I have to say that the 10 foot tall clump of atropurpurea is a sight that makes you gasp for air when you first see it.

Some of the ligularias have already flowered and gone to seed but Desdemona, Othello and Hessei are heavy with flower. I don't know what happened to Siberica this year but it's not looking all that healthy. My guess is the January thaw lasted too long and it suffered too much freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw as many plants did. The ligularia with the beautiful lemon spots finally passed on but that was a beauty while it lived. Maybe that was one that was renamed--can't remember, but since it was zoned at number 7, I don't feel badly that it only lasted three years here without any special handling.

If you don't have any cimicufugas or ligularias in your gardens yet, read up on them and see if they will fit into your gardens. Both lend a significant architectural quality and a strength that other gardeners will comment on. We like them both--no matter what their new names are.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where the quick darkness has even quieted the loons.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Reading the Woods

It was a long day today on the road and one would have thought that I'd sit a minute and rest once I got home. Some folks think things slow down at Vermont Flower Farm when we head into September but that's far from true. The list of things to do kept dancing around my mind today and when I headed out of Windsor, Vermont after lunch, I kind of decided to cut a tankful of firewood and then look for some Trillium undulatum seed pods for Eric.

People measure things in various ways and I sometimes measure firewood by tanks of chainsaw gas. To me it's a safety feature. Today I felt up to working safely but I knew I had been active all day so one tankful of gas would have meant I sawed about enough wood and didn't get overtired. I never do more than two tanks at a time anymore.

If you know what you're doing you can saw a lot of wood in that amount of time but then someone has to clean up the mess. I like to end each cutting with a clean slate so I pile the brush and at very least throw the wood in a pile. Some of the trees I have been cutting of late are old bruisers that have dead spots and lots of left overs so I don't always finish as I usually plan. Tonight I finished a maple I didn't get through yesterday and then I downed a dead cherry which was quite well dried. Between the two trees, I had more than enough work for the limited time before dinner.

The woods I was cutting in face north and are on somewhat of a slope. Trillium undulatum are scattered here and there and this time of year some have beautiful bright red seed pods. I knew yesterday I'd really be pressing my luck if I didn't get out and find some soon. I had promised Eric some and actually intended to take him into the woods with me if he showed up Saturday. He showed up but Gail left for the day so I was faced with customers and Eric left with a bag of Clintonia borealis seeds. This is the blue-bead lily I mentioned before. Eric already has some but now he has some more.

I found a few trillium seed pods but most had already fallen to the ground and were swept away by any number of creatures, big and small. I have seen deer eat them, chipmunks carry them and ants help plant them. No telling who was involved in the latest dispersal operation but I only came home with 9 pods. If you train your eyes to look 10"-14" above ground level they are easy to spot if they exist at all. I think Eric will be pleased to have some when he appears over Labor Day weekend.

Just being in the woods is a tranquil time for me. The woods are like a giant set of encyclopedias, and from A to Z there is infinite life to explore. I sat on a dry ironwood log for a minute and scanned the flat for seed pods. Recognizing the amount of decaying trees reminded me of a piece I wrote for our website a couple-three years ago. I called it Our Forests, Our Responsibilities
(Can be found at http://vermontflowerfarm.com/ourforests.html)
In the piece I discussed problems with trees and insects and I mentioned a book entitled The Dying of the Trees: The Pandemic in America's Forests by Charles Little.

As I sat looking from tree to tree I tried to recall how I learned to read the woods. Surprisingly, much of what I know was self taught as a matter of spending time in the woods, reading, and drawing pictures of the surroundings. That life was a fantacy of sorts which permitted escape from tough times which seemed too prevalent for our family. I can remember finding my first basswood tree and my first yellow spotted salamander( Ambystoma maculatum). I can remember eating my first beech nuts and banging my fingers while trying to open my first butternut. These were all parts of the woods and I learned to read them well.

Now I know how little I really understand about our forests. They offer a calm place to rest and energize. They offer questions and they offer challenges. Today they offered some seed pods of Trillium undulatum. Eric will be happy to have them although it will be years before the seeds grow to plants big enough to have nice red seed pods. Until then, he'll have to read the forests and remember where he sowed the seeds........I hope!



Gardening wishes from the mountain above Peacham Pond, where the crickets are singing, and a small spider is sitting inside the corner of my office window. The web is separated by the window screen which makes the prospects of a nice supper rather slim.

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Don't forget Saturday, September 16th, only from 8-10 AM. Bee Balm Day. A good shovelful for $10. Bring your own container, box, bag, bucket.

Celebrate the Gardens

Almost 5 AM and my mind is already buzzing with a list of things which have to be accomplished today. Finish the deer fence, rototill the lower daylily nursery again, cut back Hemerocallis Susan Elizabeth, Beth Barth and Tetrina's Daughter and get them ready to divide and line out. The list is endless and any day's plan ends when the next gardening day begins. It's 53 degrees out and windy. The air has the feel of rain which has been predicted for three days. It will come today.

There's something about some days when the first few steps seem to lead in the wrong direction. I got half way through my mail this morning and the dog woke up and wanted to go out. We made it to the first shade house where the small hostas grow and a big doe with lone fawn snorted her presence. Karl, the wonder dog, headed back to the house in long leaps, almost jerking my arm out of the shoulder socket. He has a big bark but he fears strange noises and smells. He has great hearing but poor sight and he gets scared when he can't identify what he hears.

Back inside the house I decided today was the day for home fries and eggs. I like mine cooked in butter with a taste of sweet onion and some basil, oregano and thyme. Then I cover them with grated Cabot cheddar and slide them into the microwave for a few seconds. This morning the butter dish was empty and the next pound of butter was in the freezer so things got off to a slow start. Then Karl decided he'd bark at the newspaper delivery lady and wake everyone else up. I no more than turned the potatoes over once and he was at the back door scratching to go out again. Yes, a very slow start to this days events.

The gardens have been beautiful. When people complain about the rain this summer, Gail tells them it's been just beautiful and the flowers in all their glory are living proof. I can see in the eyes of some that they are responding with a "Yeah, right, lady.....", but when they look around they can't refute the color.

Long about the end of August, probably coinciding with all the Vermont fairs, people, garden shows, HGTV all mention "celebrate the gardens". Vermont maintains a firm agricultural presence and I always thought that this "celebrate the garden" thing meant the harvest of crops for man and beast to eat. More recently, I've thought that people should get out and about and celebrate the beautiful late summer flowers including wildflowers which are so abundant now.

The purples of the bull thistle are being replaced by cream, blue and purple wild asters. The dark yellow goldenrod, the tall cultivated hollyhocks and the pale yellow mullein have already passed along but the assortment of rudbeckias, Jerusalem artichokes and the other varieties of helianthus, the tansies, monardas and phlox provide waves of color in various heights and shades. Rain or shine, a walk in the country serves as a reminder to how much color surrounds us now and how much is yet to come.

Yesterday was a slow day with few customers but lots of tourists. It was Alex's 14th birthday so Gail took him and some friends to climb Owl's Head and then swim at Boulder Beach before retuning here for cake and presents. In their quiet absence I lined out more daylilies. I got through Beloved Country, Cedar Waxwing, Green Flutter and Irish Elf before the interuptions got too great.

Our friend, Eric stopped by and I gave him a small bag of clintonia berries. This is the nice little spring wildflower which has drooping yellowy-green bell shaped flowers. It often naturalizes itself in large areas regardless of elevation and it forms round, dark blue berries
by August which look kind fo neat as the leaves begin senescence. If the deer and woodchuck neighbors continue to eat Eric's daylilies and hostas, he'll need more wildflowers to provide the color he enjoys at his camp.



If you have some time today, celebrate all gardens and take a look at what's blooming!

From the mountain above Peacham Pond where a light rain has begun and the crispy home fries are ready,

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Daylily Highlights

A cool morning here on the mountain, with a noticeable dampness in the house left by the open windows and the drop in temperature last night. There's a heavy dew on the ground and from the office window I can see some of the daylilies drooping with the weight of the water.

Outside my office window are the mullein I pictured back in April four months ago. The rosette of leaves were frosty grey then, unlike their current hardened look. From each leaf grouping stands an 8 foot flower stalk, now darkened and spilling minute seeds to the earth. I should have cut the stalks away a long time ago but there was something interesting about looking out the window and watching the light yellow petals drop one by one from the top of the stalk like wax dripping from a giant candle.

The birds don't care about the absent flowers as the seeds provide a treat for the various wrens and goldfinches. Tiny birds like mullein seeds and these stalks serve as a native birdfeeder. The mass of Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm', a perennial of growing mass, almost seems to serve protection to the mullein stalk from my loping shears. They are a handsome reminder of approaching fall even though I will probably scold myself next spring as mullein, like this year's bull thistles, will be everywhere.

The sun is pushing through a thick layer of black clouds right now and it's difficult to predict today's weather. Our Daylily Days are over as most folks expect to see great masses of flowers if you advertise as an event. Considering the hundreds of daylilies we grow, I suspect you could say we're on the downhill side with only about 45 varieties still in bloom. They have been spectacular and those that remain are very special to us.

We have a special row of daylilies in the lower garden which I purchased this time of year back in 2003 from Olallie's in South Newfane. If you haven't been to this third generation nursery yetthere's still a little time. You can also visit them on-line http://www.daylilygarden.com

Our friend Dennis from Calais reported visiting there a week ago and he said the display of late bloomers was equal to the tremendous show he and his wife had seen a month or more earlier. I haven't learned the names of the purchases I made back then but in another day or so I'll try to post some names so gardeners up this way can be reminded that late summer-early fall color can continue undaunted into mid-September with just a bit of planning....and a few daylilies.

The blue jays that have been so rowdy this morning have left and the silence is a reminder that it's time to get to work.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond, where phlox and asters serve as late summer fireworks,

Gardening wishes

George Africa
http:vermontflowerfarm.com

Milky Spore

A hard rain has been falling since 4 this morning although it's been raining constantly since midnight. Gail won't have to worry about watering for a couple days. The rain in the wagons we have for customers to lug plants in is more than an inch deep. That's good!

It's been a wonderful year for the hosta because the spring warmed early and the rains were constant. Rain now is especially good for hostas because the next few weeks is when they expand their root systems. Larger roots converts to larger leaves and plants next year. If you live in an area which is not receiving good rain right now, water your hostas and you'll notice the difference next spring.

Peonies are another favorite of mine and I have over a hundred varieties growing in a nursery adjacent to the lower shade garden. It will be another September before I begin to dig and split them up but right now I'm pleaased with their growth. Peonies set buds for the following year in August in these parts. As with the hostas, provide supplemental water if you aren't receiving the rains we are. Although peony roots are fairly shallow in comparison to many other plants, give them a good soaking for the next few weeks. You'll be surprised next June and your neighbors will be asking for your secret.

This is the year for the Japanese Beetle here at Vermont Flower Farm. Actually it's true most everywhere. I'm embarrassed with the collection we have and it's all my fault to allow us to get back to this point. Years ago, probably 10-12 years ago now, I began using milky spore. It was expensive then and it is expensive now but it is worth the cost not to see scores of beetles as in the picture above. Milky spore is a bacterium specific to these beetles and it will eliminate all of them over time.

Admittedly you wonder how badly you've been beaten when you open a can for the first time, not knowing what to expect. It could be talcum powder or cornstarch and you wouldn't know any better as all you see is a fine white powder. Any time the soil temperature is above 50 degrees you spread the powder on your property. I tell folks to think of their land as a big piece of graph paper and drop an ever-so-small portion every four or five feet until the land is squared off. Before or after a rain would be great because the spores would start working right away.

As beetles contact the bacterium, they are doomed. Within a couple weeks they die and the bacterium has a chance to multiply from the corpses and expand to a larger region. Over time your property is covered and the beetles have been eliminated even though you can't see any of what is going on.

Modern day strains are supposed to be good for 20 years according to product info. I don't know that to be true as it seems that over time the "food" supply would be eliminated and the bacterium itself would die too. I am not a bacteriologist so I can't speak to that but I can say the stuff works fine once established. My problem is I forgot to reapply a couple years back and the beetle supply came back quickly.

Someone suggested to me that if I eliminated the plants that beetles feed on, I wouldn't have a problem. Another suggested I should buy beetle traps like she did and save money. All gardeners are free with their advice, at least I've never been charged for any and I have received a bunch. Japanese beetles feed on a variety of weeds I don't even want around here. I don't know many weed names but I do know that beetles do like some of them as much as they like roses (rugosa pictured above), grape vine and hollyhocks.

Beetle traps are one of the best American marketing schemes I have ever seen. They are inexpensive to manufacture--probably all made in China--and they fill with beetles within days. The lure in the trap is a potent sex attractor which will bring in the beetles from 3-4 miles away so naturally the bags will fill quickly. Since there are all kinds of beetles within a 4 mile radius of your home, a trap full of beetles might suggest a successful eradication program leading to more and more purchases and more and more bags full of Japanese beetles. Makes you think how many milllion beetles live in a four mile radius doesn't it? The moral of this story is save the money on the traps and buy milky spore. A 10 ounce can will treat 2500 square feet and costs about $28. It's probably cheaper on the Internet but you have to factor in postage. There are plenty of informative sites out there so if you have a problem with Japanese Beetles, give milky spore a try. Read up on the product first. I do not know if it will work if your lawns have been ruined with commercial insecticides in the past. Probably Master Gardeners or the Extension Service could answer that question.

Sunday gardening wishes, from the mountain above Peacham Pond, where a variety of daylilies still bloom in colorful glory. Come visit!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Garden Visitors

It's 5:40 AM and ever so quiet this morning. The windows have been open all night despite the rain so the house is cooler than the outside temperature. The sky is very dark and there is a sense of more rain to come.

When Gail and I planned a small addition to our house two years ago, we added an office space for me to hold up in. The plan was a small space for a couple computers, speakers, printers, scanner, fax and reference books. It will be two full years this December that the project was completed. I've decided that a bigger space would have been nice but the list of intrusions would have been greater too.

The dog's bed lays under the window, a filing cabinet was added to "contain" the myriad of garden bills and records, and a paper shredder that always needs to be emptied rests against one wall. Gail found a beehive super minus the frames at a yard sale which someone had refinished to sit on end and use as a file of sorts. It works well for all our gardening catalogs and letterhead. And then there's the church lecturn she found at an antique shop someplace. I thought it was an odd purchase when it first came through the door but it has worked nicely as a catch all, although it looks much better without the clutter.

I never did finish decorating as controling mail alone by itself has taken an incredible amount of time, let alone the web site and family business. Still, a 1929 print of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, a print of Abe Lincoln and family, and a shadow box of one of my arrowhead collections are a good enough start to give me some peace. I have one of Sandy Raynor's garden ladies mounted to the right of the window and she always looks at me as I glance out towards the gardens. I should probably move her to the wall behind me so she can look out at all the color. Sandy operates Goosepeck Studio from Peacham but the garden lady is just a fine piece of pottery so she doesn't do much but entertain me. Just thinking about her reminds me that I should probably head for the St Johnsbury Farmers Market and see if Sandy is there selling her creations. Sometimes she sets up there.

So as I sit here this morning, still waiting for more morning light and enjoying my space, I've been thinking about garden visitors. There have been lots this spring and summer. Thousands. And I've enjoyed everyone but the person who dug a chunk of Pacific Blue Edger from the lower hosta garden. At some point in their life, that person will pay dearly for the misdeed. It's unfortunate. If that person was without means I would have given away a piece. Different people have different priorities in life and the respect that was so common when I was a kid is not always prevalent now. One bad apple out of thousands is really not bad.

Visitors come in various sizes and shapes, in and on a variety of motor craft, and at all times of day regardless of whether we are open or closed. Some visitors fly in on the wind and visit and leave almost without notice. The other afternoon I was thinking more about dinner than visitors and a couple from Ontario stopped by. They were camping up the road and saw our sign and decided to visit. They grow for a farmers market and at one time operated 9 greenhouses in a tomato growing business. Now they are down to 3 houses but that takes lots of time and works well with the man's retirement and his wife's work as a nurse. She'll retire too in a couple more years.

Visitors are often willing to share about themselves and their gardens. Sometimes I almost feel bad when I can't talk and have to keep customeres hustling along. Gail says I talk too much and probably would sell more if I would talk less. She may be right but I know that people who feel comfortable here come back and buy again and that's part of being a success. My discussion with the Ontario folks included hydroponics, buying seeds for greenhouse growing, energy, taxes, the Canadian medical system, and farmer's markets. It was an interesting disucssion.

Earlier this week a couple stopped from Pomfret Center, Connecticut. Gail was waiting on them and I was heading to the lower garden when I noticed their business advertisement on their truck door. "Litha Hill, Herbs and Flora" It caught my eye. Herbs, oh herbs. Gail and I grew over 50 different herbs back in the 80s and we sold at the Burlignton Farmers Market. Bethany Bowen told us about her business, her theme gardens and her thoughts of writing which I encouraged. We discussed publishing companies and the benefits of getting your name out in a variety of ways. They were camping at Kettle Pond or Stillwater....can't remember... and I was supposed to be planting hostas anyway so we parted after a plesant conversation. I need to spend some time at their website but you might get a chance before I do. Go to http://www.lithahillherbsandflora.com

Garden visitors include insects like the one pictured above. With our changing climate, we see more insects each week than ever before. I rarely know the insects like I used to but this is winter's research work. I have a collection of beetles in the freezer and will sort them out when I have a minute. With people visitors I have memories of good conversations. Gardening is a friendly pursuit and good friends are nice to have.

From the moutain above Peacham Pond where the ruby throated hummingbirds are competing with bumble bees at the bull thistle blooms.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com

Blackberries, Black Bears

As you begin to enter the middle of August in this part of Vermont, it becomes apparent that Nature is issuing reminders that summer is fun and it will continue, but it's time to give a thought to cold days ahead. Yesterday it was fogged in here for the first time. Not the Downeast Maine kind of "fogged in" but a fog dense enough to make turning out onto the main highway a challenge. I sat there by Route 2 yesterday morning looking up, then down, then up, then down, hoping to see someone's lights before turning onto a typically busy road.

Yesterday was the first foggy day and in a sense it was nice to see and feel. As I got about 400 feet lower down the mountain than our 1500 feet here at the house, the sky cleared and in the distance the Green Mountains stood strong and clear.

Today in contrast, it was colder but also more clear. The morning sun made the dew shine on spider webs and it seemed to calm insect life to a standstill on the waving goldenrod blooms. Seemed like I woke every hour on the hour last night with pains from yesterday's chores but nonetheless I wanted to get a start on a new day and work the stiffness away with a good walk. I grabbed a coffee and headed down to the field. I intended to try to locate a couple Trillium undulatum for Eric as he had expressed an interest in a couple for his place in Groton. I've been gathering and planting trillium seeds here for a few years and I have had some success. The T. undulatums are later to bloom and I hoped I'd find a good crop.

As I rounded the corner by the tall scotch pine, a movement caught my eye. I pulled back behind a small maple and watched as a doe and twin yearlings fed on the grass. Seconds later I saw a small fawn, spotted, but in good shape, eating the white clover. My mind raced backwards through deer history and for some reason I found myself thinking about The Yearling. How old was I when I first read that I wondered? When I was first allowed to hunt as a kid, I remembered young deer being called "skippers" by the older men. "Saw a doe and a skipper", "only saw a couple skippers", "don't be shooting any skippers"....phrases which reminded me of past times when hunting was more important; for our family, deer meat meant something to go with the potatoes and beans.

I watched for a while but when the big doe looked right at me, I knew it was time to move along. The deer were one step ahead and raced away. I headed towards the white spring but changed my mind and headed down the road that circled back to the pond road. The old log landing had the makings of a great blackberry crop last week but this morning it was well trampled. The bears had spent some time here and the easy picking I expected was not to be. I collected a berry here, a berry there and went about my way. Black bears change their eating habits and they eat the prevailing food which right now must be berries--blackberries. The blueberries have ripened and are dropping to the ground or drying off on their stems.

I made the circle through the red pines and back down to the north side of the ridge. I stopped and looked through fallen balsams and found my first Trillium undulatum. Its shiny red seed pod caught my eye and close by were two others. They seemed well protected from deer and that made me happy as the pods weren't quite ripe yet. Deer love trilliums and often eat the pods before the ants get a chance to disperse the seed. Often they both beat me.

As I headed out towards the road, a red squirrel scurried by with a spruce cone in his mouth. The ground was littered with green cones which means the squirrels had been busy in the trees cutting crops for winter storage. They have a habit of starting early. I wish I could say the same about the woodpile I need to get working on.

When I made it to the road, a single partridge flushed. In the distance I heard what I thought was a car pulling into our drive. I moved right along, checking the washed road sand for tracks. As I made the final bend, the drive was empty. Must have been the paper delivery person. "Good", I thought. There was time to sit outside, scan the Sunday papers and have another cup of coffee. A saucer full of blackberries and cream would have been nice too but the black bears enjoyed them instead.

From the mountain above Peacham Pond, where the porch light makes obvious the number of moths which like Oriental lilies.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com