Growing Good Garden Phlox

Friday, August 5, 2011

A quiet day on the mountain. Birds are talking back and forth and a doe just moved through tall goldenrod to snack on fresh cut field grass. She looked up towards my office window a couple times, but breakfast seemed more important.

There are television channels numbered "3" all over the US and Vermont has its very own Channel 3 from Burlington,Vermont. I know the station well as it started broadcasting soon after our family moved to Vermont in the early 50's. We were the only family in our area with a television and people came to sit and watch. The antenna came with us from New York and as city relatives came for visits they brought their old antennas which my father kept adding on to our antenna until he managed to get a reasonable signal from Channel 8 in Poland Springs Maine. Hard wind storms messed antenna alignment up and cause fatherly expletives which fortunately were not aired. Stuart Hall was the weather man back then and farmers listened attentively to crop reports. TV and weather reports were different back then but news and the family listening together were a big part of rural life in the 50's.

Channel 3 airs a garden report and offers gardeners fresh information each week. Last night there was a piece about growing garden phlox and mention was made of Serenade said to quell powdery mildew and other fungal problems on our favorite garden phlox. I have heard about this product but haven't tried it and cannot offer an opinion. I can speak about phlox because I have finally learned how to grow them better. Knock on wood but my current crop of +25 varieties is fungus free. They are not growing in the shade or against a woodland border. The soil is river alluvial in nature and sandy loam in most places. The land leeches some dampness from the adjacent river but it is never wet on the top and there is never any standing water even after a heavy rain. The slope of the land and the rise and flow of the close by river keeps a fairly steady air flow which keeps the plants dry. Together, these variables keep the area phlox-perfect.

If you chance to stop by Vermont Flower Farm, look down field from the parking area and then towards the river. The phlox are in full bloom now so they are easy to notice. Walk down and then tell me what you think. I think they are special!!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a raven sits in the maple above the compost pile apparently telling friends what I just dumped on top. I doubt they will enjoy banana peals.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Stop by and we'll help you grow your green thumb!
Phlox up top is Spinners

Beware!!! Giant Hogweed

Thursday, August 4, 2011

New England news channels have recently reported on populations of Giant Hogweed in New Hampshire and New York. Vermont news has downplayed the presence of this invasive plant and state officials have asked for help tracking populations. It is interesting to me that this colony which I have pictured is growing on Route 2 in Marshfield, Vermont about 6 feet from the road which is traveled almost every day by the very people asking for help. The plant height is such that during bloom time it was very difficult to miss the giant white seed heads and thick stalks.

The leaves of the plant are giants too and their shape is a clear signal to the plant. Immature plants are still very large and the colony in this case should be of serious concern with it's size.

This next picture shows how the plant has spread down a bank and onto a private plateau perhaps 60 feet from a private home.

The plants produce prodigous amounts of seeds and plants in close proximity to brooks and streams use water flow as a natural form of dispersal. This colony is close to a tributary of the Winooski River.

The Internet has plenty of information of the toxicity of the plant which can cause extreme dermatological disturbances that are subcutaneous and require medical attention. Care should be taken to avoid this plant and colonies or single plants should be reported to agricultural entities dealing with invasive species. Special care should be taken with unsuspecting youth and gardeners who think they have found an interesting plant. The size certainly seems almost Jurassic in nature but the health risks involved with touching it without protection are bigger. Beware!! Learn about this plant and take appropriate action!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the night is already dark, and sleep after a difficult day sounds very good.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Glorious Daylilies

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

57° here on the mountain. The black clouds of an hour ago have passed and bright sunlight is encouraging me to get to the nursery. So much to do lately I have not been able to keep up with writing. Daylilies probably were best this past weekend as the lack of rain has dried the fields and slowed flower size some. Just the same the colors have been special and we have received nice comments from visitors.

I have been tracking customers for years and arrived at 10% of our customer base as arriving from Maine. This year those visitors are mostly absent but Canadians are coming in larger numbers. They cannot take plants back across the border but they always remember to say thanks for the opportunity to walk the fields. That's always nice!

I'm heading down to the nursery in minutes. Michelle G will arrive in a while to help deadhead daylilies, water, weed--whatever is on the morning agenda. She is a good worker and mellows out in the fields of color listening to music and swatting an occasional bug. I agree that on days that I remember my music, even the tedious jobs like weeding seem to melt into the day.

I just came in from checking the bee hive and there are many new bees but I am still concerned about the prospects for winter survival. If you have missed previous posts, the hive was two days old when the floods of late May completely flooded it over. I brought it back here to the house and have been caring for it since. Bees are incredible creatures and these are apparently growing a bigger population. I sure hope the electric fence surrounding them keeps the black bear out that I saw two mornings ago down past the mailbox.

I have to get going here. If you are out and about today, please stop by for a visit. Gail has some nice hydrangeas coming into bloom and there are some smaller ginkos and witch hazels at good prices. Trees and shrubs are worthy investments for your properties.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where three loons with noisy voices just flew over--en route for the reservoir.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Let us help you grow your green thumb!

Bird Song Morning

Sunday, July 24, 2011

57° and windless on the mountain. We opened the windows last night and the cool breezes of around 11 PM made sleeping easy. Actually after a day working outside since 6 AM in 90° and high humidity, sleep came quickly. The songs of the vireos and warblers woke me half an hour ago and as I sit here writing and thinking, the bird songs welcome a calming morning. Thin gray clouds slide across a powder blue background sky and I know we are in for another nice day.

The hot weather continues without let up and I'm heading to the nursery in a few minutes to get some more watering done before customers begin to show up mid morning. It is a funny affair at the nursery, trying to track when you need the most help to handle customers. On Saturdays, and on most weekdays except Mondays, people do not arrive in numbers until about 2:30. Yesterday it was almost an hour earlier and it seemed that just as soon as we finished lunch, cars arrived, one after another. Sundays are different and I have never figured it out. Some people arrive before I put the flags in their flag holders by the road at 7:30 while others plan that we'll be opened up around 9. Today we will see who wants daylilies and who wants to beat the heat.

We have intentionally left the fields of daylilies to themselves with their only water coming from the sky. I have an excellent drip irrigation plan ready to install but the floods of May put us so far behind and added so much extra work that irrigation was a thought for next year. Relying on almost no rain for three weeks means that the daylilies sport smaller flowers but the bud count remains very high based on root systems which were so well prepared for summer with good rains last fall. The plants came into spring in excellent shape and this spring's constant moisture allowed them to soak up plenty more. The down side was twofold. Rain meant lack of sun and cooler initial temperatures and rain washed lots of nutrients into the river. We have not managed to return the fertility to last fall's levels. 20 inches of rain will do that.

Regardless of weather issues, the color as you drive by Route 2 is excellent. Even speeding, crazed drivers passing unsafely on the flat past our business sometimes slow to look and some turn in to visit. Once here, smiles and compliments are plentiful.

Morning at the nursery means deadheading the daylily flowers to improve the image and reduced the opportunity that the plants will start to set unwanted seed pods. It takes the better part of a full day for a couple people to do the whole 4 acres which is why it doesn't get done every day as I wished. I work gloveless and in the end, the deep purples of the Grape Velvet, Strutters Ball, and Wayside King Royale do a magnificent job staining my fingers and palms. If you work gloveless like me, remember that straight out of the bottle el cheapo store brand lemon juice is the very best way to become stain free in minutes. Give it a try!

Just a reminder that it's berry season in many parts of New England and I am receiving some fine reports of berry picking opportunities around. Strawberries are coming to an end in most places although some commercial fields have the newer late varieties where tasty reds are still in abundance. On Friday, friend Tracey from Marshfield Inn dropped by some freshly picked, grown-on-her-mountain raspberries which were a treat. Wild blueberries are in their glory, and black raspberries are fleshing out. I hear that some spots already have blackberries and of course some of the hybrids are ready to pick. Here on the mountain we have to watch all the berries with care and get out and pick before they reach prime. Two sets of bear sows and their cubs, one big bruin and an assortment of other critters get to the berries quickly and they can eat a patch in an evening. I have noticed that the drought has caused the deer to eat the vitamn rich raspberry leaves in most places so berry drop will occur early as a result. When you finish the paper this morning and still aren't sure what to do, dig out the berry buckets, bug dope and water jug and head to Groton Forest or a local pick-your-own berry farm. Berries can't be beat! If you have a place to plant a few, Gail has a dozen or so Latham Raspberries in 5 quart pots ready to go. We should have picked the blossoms so they didn't go to fruit this year but I bet they'll still be great producers next year. Come visit!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the bird chorus continues and I wish our birder friend Joan was here to tell us who is singing to us. This really is a Bird Song Morning!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa. Come visit!
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Gettin' Out

Friday, July 15, 2011

47.6° here on the mountain. Windless and quiet except for two crows fighting over something at the compost pile. Karl the Wonder Dog had his morning walk and already returned to slumber while the rest of us toil away at getting ready for another day at the nursery.

Sometimes gardeners need respite from knees-on-the-ground, weed pulling, planting, watering duties and last night Gail and I headed out to Claire's Restaurant in Hardwick with friends Jerome and Julie. When we moved to Marshfield in 1989, Gail got a job working for Jerome the Florist in Barre and Julie was a designer there. Although they only design with each other at holidays now, the friendships are as strong as ever and brief times together result in lots of laughs and storytelling.

Claire's has been around for several years and it has a history worth learning about. Just learning about the restaurant's namesake who passed away in 2002 is important to understanding what you'll likely experience as you walk inside for the first time. It's an integral part of Hardwick's agricultural rebirth and it's a story that makes me smile. If you are interested in how the Hardwick area has changed, I highly recommend a favorite read of mine authored by Cabot resident, Ben Hewitt. The book is titled The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food. Claire's is part of the rebirth and the vitality.

Anyway, it had been a while since the four of us met at Claire's so I checked their website before heading out. The tomato salad with haricot vert, merlot lettuce, feta and garlic chips sounded just great and I knew in advance I'd couple it up with more excitement. The rainbow-like tomato salad (click on July) involved products from Pete's Greens, Hazendale Farm, Bonnieview Farm, Mystic Morning Farm and Rowan Farm. I couldn't wait.

Gail and I arrived first and we got seated and scanned the elaborate menu of the day. Wait! No tomato salad. I asked the waiter if it was available and mentioned seeing it on the July website listing. He brought back disappointment as it wasn't available. Maybe just a "Thursday" thing. About that time Jerome and Julie arrived and Jerome and I started with the roasted beet salad with golden, red and Chiogga beets, goat cheese, spiced and toasted pecans and a dill horseradish vinaigrette. Not tomatoes but I can assure you it was a salad we will never forget. Terrific! Gail and I had mussels from Maine, Jerome had a chicken dish and Julie had pork. The evening ended with black raspberry cheesecake and coffee, smiles and hugs. We know we'll all meet there again soon.

I would recommend Claire's but I am me and you have to make your own decision. Some say it's too expensive but regularly bringing different local foods to the table in proper fashion does cost money and we have always had good meals. For me it's on the noisy side and even with last night's guitar duo it was a tad noisy for my tired auditory system. Just the same, the temperature was pleasant, the service excellent and the presentation just what we wanted. If you're going to be in the Hardwick area, give Claire's a try. Make a reservation for sure.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail has the car and truck packed and I am receiving an evil eye to get going. Come see us today if you are out and about! The daylilies are blooming and we have begun digging from the field too. We help everyone grow their green thumb!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

The Beetles Are Coming!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Already 62° and 98% humidity. Windless and the day already suggests how tired we will feel by nightfall. Late afternoon t-storms were predicted last night and there's little doubt about it as evidenced by the building clouds to the east over Peacham Pond. I need to get to the nursery soon as the water lines need to be relocated in the river and the daylilies need to be sprayed for Tarnished Plant Bugs.

2011 has been a year that started poorly and continues to offer challenges equally as big as the lack of traffic. Alex and I went to Burlington yesterday and yes it was a Sunday but traffic was minimal and a big garden center in Williston had maybe 25 cars in the lot at 1:30 PM. A similar scarcity of customer count was obvious at another garden center in Montpelier where less than a dozen cars dotted the whole lot when we went through at 2 PM. Not good.

Someone on Facebook shared this link from the University of Kentucky on Japanese Beetles. It's worth a look-see. Reports are coming in at the nursery that the beetles are beginning to appear in large numbers. They seem a week later than usual but the number of beetles I have noticed in soil samples is not good. The UK article lists chemicals and also NEEM but trying to eliminate beetles, any beetles, is difficult because they have been sprayed for years and years. For me, milky spore has always been the best biological control although I have to say the price has become as scary as the beetles. Despite what many garden centers try to do, do not purchase a trap as beetle traps lure in more beetles than they will ever catch. In rural areas the trap bags lure in black bears as well as the beetles....two problems for the price of one! In my mind, beetle traps that started with the Japanese beetle traps and have been joined by rose chaffer traps and other beetle traps represent one of America's most successful marketing ploys. As for eliminating your beetle problem, however, they only exacerbate it.



There are pros and cons about tilling your soil this time of year but since the beetles are about ready to exit the soil, tilling right now will place the not-quite-mature beetles on the top of the soil where the sun can dehydrate them and birds can eat them. You have to weigh the balance but it's something you might consider. For me right now, it's off to the nursery to get the foot valve under water.



Daylilies are coming into bloom in larger numbers and we have some great varieties for you to look at this season. Come visit! We'll help you grow your green thumb!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Mrs. Doe Deer just entered the field I cut last week. Still no sign of her kids.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

My Friend Brien

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Already after 6 here on the mountain. A thin layer of blue-grey clouds slides across the horizon as the sun pushes hard on eastern bedclothes and climbs above Peacham Pond. Like the sunshine, I am having a hard time getting started today..... in contrast to Gail who has already walked the dog and had a conversation with neighbor Michelle. Dishes rattle in the kitchen and it sounds like a combination of unloading the dishwasher and making pancakes at the same time.

There are many, many reasons to live in Vermont and one of them is the people who have grown up here. They're a funny lot and something that I have yet to figure out in the almost 60 years I have lived here. It's probably not different than anywhere else but people either like you or they don't and if they like you, they never seem to forget you and they always find time to help. When we moved to Vermont in the early 50's, things were not good for us. My dad had no work and my mom was sick a bunch. Two nearby farmers and their families helped us get through tough times and yet each was like night and day and had interesting things to say about each other. One farm raised holsteins and ran Farmall tractors. The other had Jerseys and a couple odd Guernseys and ran Fords. Both families worked very hard and were generous to us. But even as a little kid it appeared to me that they didn't like each other.

Back in the early 90's when we gardened at the house, Gail started having spring "potting parties" where she'd find local people to help plant and they'd come and work like crazy and have a late lunch with us. "Late lunch" to Gail meant lunch at 2 PM. She always had a theory that if you fed people early, they'd stop working and go home. One of the couples who always came were Brien (with an"e") and Jeanne Ducharme.

When we bought the nursery property and began to build gardens, I had it in my mind that we needed a good looking daylily garden adjacent to Route 2. I found a contractor down the road with a hillside full of free stone and Brien volunteered to appear with his cherry picker and place loads of stone wherever we wanted. This was back in 2007. Here are pictures of that time.....the last day Brien used his log truck before he sold it and retired. I'll never forget that day as he appeared in mid afternoon asking if we still wanted stone as he was retiring the next day. When we said we would like stone, he went to work until the job was finished. I photographed the entire event and framed up a picture of that last job for him and the picture has prominence in his house--something he really likes.

Brien and Jeanne like to garden and although Jeanne is just recovering from a serious stroke, Brien continues to garden both flowers and vegetables and he continues to be the kind, generous person he is. He stopped the other day looking for me. He wanted me to come see his native lilies which he knows I like a lot. He rescued some Lilium canadense and planted them in his garden. There are some variations of the yellow, some with a red collar, and one beautiful plant of plain red.

I tried to visit the other day just as a big storm was starting to blow. I had to leave in haste but got back there yesterday. These are some of the nicest examples of canadense you'll find. The red variety is very uncommon around here and I'm hoping it sets good seed so Brien can get more going. He knows a lot about soil and has a good aged manure source down Hollister Hill Road way that he taps into each spring. He keeps the soil friable and damp and the canadense think they are home along the Winooski River.

Not everyone gets a personal invitation to see these flowers and that means a lot to me. I like Brien and I'm happy Jeanne is making good progress. This is a couple who has traveled around the world, square danced with the best, cooked meals for local seniors and worked real hard. They are part of what I like about Vermont and I'm pleased to be able to say they are my friends. I hope you have Vermont friends like this too. They're special like their lilies!!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where two ravens are chastising me for not getting to work yet. I have to get going. You should too!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont FlowerFarm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Visit us in Marshfield. We'll help you grow your green thumb!

Daylily Confusion

Friday, July 1, 2011

A drippy, wet morning here on the mountain, 55°, windless, quiet. A walk with Karl the Wonder Dog stretched halfway to Peacham Pond and back but it was eventless with no wildlife to see or hear. Perhaps the birds and animals are still waking up like me.

Daylily bloom has started at the nursery but again I am confused by when certain flowers are supposed to bloom. Last summer set a new record for the warmest summer since weather and temperature records were first recorded in the 1880's. The daylilies really confused everyone because they bloomed out early because of the heat. Gail kept everything in the pots well watered and fertilized and there were always nice daylilies to see and buy but the fields that normally had color through August were mostly green and visitors expecting color asked one after another, "What happened?"

Spring and early summer 2011 is a different story. The growing fields have been wet since the snows melted and as such the weeds are terrible and the grasses stretch above the daylily scapes in places. There's little we can do as equipment sinks in the mud and we have been very involved with picking up after the floods of late May. Just the same, the daylilies are beginning to bloom now even though I ask Gail every day to remind me what is happening with them. They will be spectacular and alluring but I'm not sure when. The constant rain has kept the average temperatures down a bit and this has contributed to the confused bloom.

I have mentioned before that the old standbay, Lemon Lollipop, which blooms in profusion now and will continue to do so through September. It looks great. Bella Lugosi is standing in water and blooming away and Beth Barth has started for why I don't know. Up top here is a picture of Selma Rose, a nice pink, and that has been joined by a couple other pinks including a new one that Gail only describes as "I think I paid too much for it." I don't remember names that begin with that type description as I have always tried to offer plants that are hardy, dependable and not expensive. I better learn this new one.

Jersey Spider is not a spider daylily at all but when it first blooms, some might think so. It grows to 3 feet tall over time and it will be blooming when the season ends. When established, the flowers are large. When you hear conversations about daylilies you often hear a lot of "I have all the yellows and oranges already". That's probably never true and collections around here often overlook the strength of Jersey Spider as it exhibits a luminescence that sparkles in the evening garden.



Yesterday Gail had blooms of about 15 daylilies picked and displayed in Mason jars on the table. She was interrupted in her picking and never finished but there were probably a couple dozen daylilies in bloom. Today as the temperature warms, we'll try to get everything picked and get in the habit of displaying for everyone. Here's a picture from last year showing how we do it. It takes time to prepare each morning but it gives visitors a good idea of "what blooms when" around here without having to walk the fields. It also makes it easy for customers to ask questions about bloom time, bud size and count, and height. Everyone likes the idea and we do too!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I am wearing a big smile this morning. Five hours ago my third grandson was born. Another Seattle boy, joining his two brothers. I am awaiting the details but all is well and others beside me are smiling too. Wish I could hold him.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm: Where we'll help you grow your green thumb! Promise.
On Facebook at Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Ice Cream

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

51° and overcast this morning. The reds and pinks of the early morning sunrise have faded to gray, and slivers of light blue are beginning to show. Gail says "no rain today" but the morning just has that feel about it that we have become accustomed to. We have both been out once with Karl the Wonder Dog who heard neighbor Michelle and her dog Jelly and wanted a second walk. Dogs like to socialize too, even in early morning hours when people are still wiping sleep from their eyes and spilling coffee.

Yesterday was one of those days where everything kind of fell apart before it started. Gail and I loaded the car and truck and prepared to head for the nursery. I took a quick look at Gail's car and a rear tire was pancake like. We switched vehicles and I began changing the flat. I headed straight to the garage thinking this would be an easy fix but everyone else had morning troubles and the morning wait was 3 hours. I grabbed an appointment for tomorrow and will have a rear wheel bearing replaced at the same time. Got back to the nursery and found that worker bee Michael called and had to take a family car in that had morning problems too. By then it was 11 and the morning had been rearranged three times. That happens with everyone, not just gardeners.

I continue to replant the hosta display garden and will be down there working this morning. The hostas that survived the flood do not look good as they are coated with some gray film. I guess if I had ten feet of water from who knows where washing over me for hours upon hours, I wouldn't look all that good either. Big John is still flattened and the magnificent Bressingham Blue, Elegans and Bigfoot are not up to speed yet. This was supposed to be the year the garden would be promoted but I cannot in good faith even encourage customers and visitors to walk down and see something that needs so much attention. Just the same people go and return to say it doesn't look that mysterious after all. Eye of the beholder I think.

Summer is a time when I like a good creamy or a homemade ice cream in a sugar cone. I have been so busy I haven't had either. I think Gail and Alex have cheated on me a little and have stopped someplace but won't fess up. Bragg Farm Sugarhouse in East Montpelier has a very good maple creamy and Artesano in Groton has a handmade maple ice cream named Munson's Maple that is out of this world. Artesano makes some wonderful meads too but their ice creams get us through and will help you too. Recently they made batches of Strawberries and Cream and also Rhubarb, both with local produce. Small batches means the customer has to keep track of availability and sometimes their Facebook page tells what they're making. Sometimes it means you also have to drive right down or face possible disappointment because people like to brag about savoring the last cone or dish of an ice cream that will not reappear until next week or next season. Artesano is open Thursday through Sunday and also holiday Mondays so you have to temper your desire with a different schedule too.

As for hostas, there's a very nice small hosta named Ice Cream. It has nice color and grows well. It's good for a front-of-the-garden position and is likely to be something that a friend will ask for a piece of. Hosta are known as the friendship plant and a hosta or an unusual ice cream flavor can form a strong bond. I like hostas and ice cream!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Mrs Deer stood outside my office window looking in, chewing on a daylily leaf and swatting flies. Loons have been talking at the pond and reservoir since 4:00 and their conversations are loud. I have to get going!


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
At VFF we'll help you grow your green thumb--for free!!

Tractor Thoughts

Monday, June 27, 2011

7 AM has already slipped past me. I should be at the nursery by now but it was a rough night with charlie horses in both legs and expletives in abundance until almost midnight. This morning is foggier than yesterday but the sun is burning through as it rises above Peacham Pond and I know we will have a great day.

This summer has presented us with challenges almost every day. We are still picking up after the major flooding of May 26th-27th and the rain just continues as if we need more. I dumped the rain gauges yesterday and was not surprised or pleased with the latest measurements. I have two ground mounted gauges so that if a wandering critter or curious kid moves one upside down, I still have a chance of knowing what the accumulation was. Yesterday both gauges registered about 3.5 inches in the three days since I had dumped them. It has rained some part of almost every day or night for weeks and now I am hearing stories from loggers who cannot get into the woods either for fear of getting stuck. My friend Richard up at Water Tower Horse Farm (beautiful Tennessee Walking Horses) can only think about getting his first cutting of hay as the fields are too wet to put any equipment on. Sadly, he is not alone and I have no idea how farmers are going to feed stock with no feed this winter.

Yesterday Alex helped me pull the John Deere 320 Utility tractor out of the shed. We had pushed it in there last fall when I brought it home from the nursery, left it to sit for a few weeks and then couldn't get it started. I installed the battery, checked the fluids and heard it crank over with a strange noise. We pulled it up the hill to the yard and called my friend Mike.

Everyone needs a friend like Mike. I value him dearly because they don't make many people like him anymore. During a bunch of the year Mike is driving a cement truck or supervising a cement processing facility. Some days I think he spends the balance of his time fixing what I have broken. If he packs up and heads to Montana as I have heard him threaten before, I am in very big trouble.

I have no idea where Mike has learned everything he knows. He probably attended the School of Hard Knocks at some point, spent several years on a Navy submarine and owned his own tractor-trailer for several years of trans-American freight transport. He can still remember how to get into the freight depots of the major US cities and he can troubleshoot about anything mechanical with a skill that is mind boggling. He likes old things and I guess I am included in his list.

I found Mike standing in front of a log splitter, listening to music from his headset and splitting next year's wood. He makes no bones about not liking this job but he is a guy with a back-up plan for everything and firewood is the backup for his regular furnace. I explained my dilemma and Mike issued a half smile that arrived with a non verbal look that said "Yep, George has done it again!" We both knew I had just ruined his day but helping out is how he is built and he flipped the switch on the splitter and headed to his shop to pick up some tools.

Mike has a trouble shooting format that makes sense. He works from system to system, verifying operation and then working down to the problem area. When we got to the point where he had the tractor firing on one of two cylinders, he told me to chain it up for the trip down to his house where a complete shop would make the needed repair easier. As I pulled the old John Deere up the hill from our house, Mike messed with me a little, applying the brake to the JD and watching the little blue New Holland struggle and puff with 30 something inadequate horsepower. Even though I was wearing ear protection I could hear Mike laughing as I looked around and saw his big smile as my tractor wheels turned ruts in the dirt road but went nowhere.

Within minutes of arriving, the necessary tools were laid out and the value cover was off: two bent push rods which I was assured is a common problem. As I looked at all the parts I thought this was a major affair but quickly the rocker arm assembly was off and we were in the shop with me learning how to straighten some S-curves in the rods that shouldn't have been there.

The bigger problem came when only three of four valves was working. One was stuck tight. I learned a trick of pulling the appropriate spark plug and threading a piece of rope through the plug hole and into the engine and then hand cranking the engine to pop the valve. I was kind of glad no one was watching me feed rope into a gas engine but don't ever laugh at an experienced repairman. Learn the lessons well as books don't include lessons like these.

Within an hour the engine was putt-putting away in 2-banger John Deere fashion and Mike and I were both smiling. It's a sound that cannot be described unless you have experienced it before.
Engines like this one were built so the common farmer could trouble shoot and repair them in the field and keep farm chores going not matter what other challenges were faced. For me, it's hard to describe all I learned in a couple hours. Today I'll change the oil and grease everything up and before nightfall the back field will be cut clean. Right now Mike is someplace in Vermont driving or unloading or washing a cement mixer. And without any doubt on my part, I know he has shared with someone today the latest "You won't believe what George did yesterday" story. I don't care because it was a special time for me and I'm really lucky to have a friend who knows so much and is willing to share his knowledge with me. You could probably use a "Mike" too.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a great day has just begun. Drive out to Vermont Flower Farm and visit with Gail a bit. She is just like Mike except that she knows flowers. Oh yes, thanks again Mike!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Visit today! We'll help you grow your green thumb!

Foggy, Misty Morn

57° and foggy, misty, damp and quiet this morning. I am reminded of Carl Sandburg's Fog

The Fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then it moves on.

Our fog is lifting ever so slowly but off to the west, the clearing sky offers hope of a sunny day. That's good as I have already accomplished lots but have a long list for today.

I was at the nursery at 5 to drive the tractor home for chores that need to be done here. I would love a trailer so I could avoid the drive. Back in winter I felt that this would be the season for purchasing a trailer. Now that's but a dream as customers are few and far between and just paying the pre-season bills has become a chore. I really do not care what the economists say, Vermont is a mess and the country is even worse. Things were bad enough before all the natural disasters and there's little doubt that many more businesses will fail. I don't think we'll be one of those but some days recently it has taken a lot to open the gate not knowing if anyone will drive in. Just the same, you still see a smile from Gail and me when you stop by. We're like that. We don't give up.

Last night Gail left the nursery at almost 5:30 while I was hosing down the tractor and getting the mower deck set up for today's journey. Essentially we were closed but half the gate was still open. I heard a car stop at the gate and I waved "Come on in" not knowing who it was. We are often known as "givers of good directions" and weekends during the summer finds us helping out someone most every day.

This was a farm lady and some members of her family heading back St Johnsury way after a one day escape from the farm. Farmers don't get many days like this and when they do, they pack in as much as they can. After only a brief conversation I knew I liked her. She inquired how we got through the flood and we shared bad stories while describing our need to persist. She farms a 100 cow diary and I farm flowers but the work is still 24/7 and the rewards are impacted by weather and the economy. Flowers are seasonal for us and a great deal easier than dairy, goats, sheep or even beef farming.

Like many farms, this family relies on maple syrup production as part of its bottom line. The lady said that the crop was very good this year (State set a record of over 1 million gallons produced) but sales have been down. I hadn't given it much thought but when times are tough, even something like a gallon of syrup for home cooking, baked beans and pancakes, takes a back burner to fuel for the tractors and Gramma's medicine. The farmer described how the first cutting of hay, baled in those big white wrappers, went bobbing down the river during the flood. The remaining hay and corn fields were covered in silt and gravel and subsequent hay harvests meant wearing protective gear because of flying stones and dust. I commented that the governor's big deal about making Vermont McDonald's sell their breakfast pancakes with Vermont maple syrup still left most all sugar makers with a bad taste for the media hype that politicians love. I didn't expect an answer to my opinion but I got a smile that said it all. As the family drove away, I dropped my wave and wondered if Vermont politicians really know what it takes to run a business in today's world.

I finished with the tractor and began walking the final tour I take every night before I leave. Have to make sure no tools are left around, hoses are shut off, pump closed down, walkways clear, garden carts cleaned and ready for the next day. A new Siberian Iris on the front table had just opened and I tested my memory on the name. I kept wanting to say Lavender Mist but then remembered that Lavender Mist is the name for a Thalictrum I like. The iris was Pink Haze. I stared at its beauty but kept asking myself about the name. It really isn't pink at all. What do you think?

Gotta scoot!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail is telling me she's ready to leave. I have no choice but to get going as my truck is already at the nursery. As you're out and about today, stop by and say hello. Along the way you might notice that blackberries are in full bloom and suggest a good crop. Thimbleberries are just starting to bloom and although they aren't on my list to pick and eat, they have a nice color that some day I will paint. If you don't know them yet, check them out.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Case of The Missing Hostas

Monday, June 20, 2011

45.6° here on the mountain this morning. Another beautiful day as the sun rises above Peacham Pond and loons suggest I go for a morning paddle, not knowing how much I have to do today. Not even 6 yet but Gail has rustled together lunch and is packing the car. I have to get to Montpelier early for parts and some paint. As I sit here writing, Karl the Wonder Dog, fresh from his second walk since 4 AM, is bouncing a tennis ball off my foot, begging for the play partner I don't want to be this morning.

Yesterday I put one of the tillers back together, having removed and cleaned every part. The transmission was the last thing to fix and the entire exercise left me convinced that flood water--any water--can get into anything. I'm sure that passers by wondered why I was sitting by a tiller all day for a couple days in the sun but it had to happen. I need a new gasket and filters and then that first tiller should be running again.

Almost every day since the flood I have walked down the bank and through the hosta display garden. It seems that every time I walk there I notice more missing plants. Although I had all the plants labeled above and below ground, the flood took out the labels and many plants too. Some are so beat up that identification is still difficult and since I never completed a map of the garden as I built it, some of this will be difficult for me to figure out.

As I walked down the back path by the fence I lamented the tons of stay mat I had wheeled in for garden paths. The gray and black crushed granite looked so nice on the paths but now it was history with the paths returned to dirt and tree roots. As I walked along I noticed a yellowing stem sticking out of a pile of sticks. It was a hosta, identification unknown. Below it was another and then another and before I was done I had 6 hostas spread out in the sun. The roots looked fine but the leaves were shredded and challenged my limited hosta forensics more than I wished.


I stood and stretched for a minute and happened to be looking straight into a pile of sticks and grass caught in the Y of a tree about six feet off the ground. Another hosta, soil-less but not looking all that bad considering it had been sitting there for a couple weeks. I poked it down and added it to my collection. I have no hope of ever finding all that I lost but more will probably show up as the roots connect with the dirt and start growing again.

Way up top here is a photo of Frances Williams, pre-flood. I have noticed this hosta featured in a number of gardening magazines this year and personally I don't think it is the strongest choice. It seems to have a habit of fraying, browning leaf edges that look terrible by mid July. This year the bad weather has done them in a little in the gardens but those for sale in the shade house are selling well and look ok. Next picture down from the top is Ice Cream which is missing in action right now. There may be a couple left potted and for sale but I'm not sure. I like it for the front of the border or for lining out along pathways or gardens. Finally at the bottom is a favorite hosta I was growing on again and it's lost. It is named "Just So" and was originally from the west coast Briggs Nursery. Floods leave things "just so" and the gardener is left with pieces and new chores. I better get going on my list.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a tree swallow landed on the anemometer post and chirped good morning to me through the window. We're both enjoying a great day!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Buy local, help farmers through difficult times

Mid June Flowers

Sunday, June 19, 2011
Fathers Day

A beautiful morning here on the mountain. 45.6° and ever so quiet as the sun breaks through the tree tops and the blue of the sky welcomes a great day. Karl the Wonder Dog shot out of slumber at 4:30 and growled protective noises. By the time I rubbed sleep from my eyes he was in the front room perched on the couch and rumbling unhappy noises. I looked and looked but couldn't figure out what went by. I reheated leftover coffee and headed out, still in half-sleep, staggering a bit while being pulled by Karl's exuberance which I did not share. Very few birds welcomed us and we did not see any large wildlife. Maybe later.

The flowers in the gardens at the house are a sorry state of weediness but Gail and I simply can't keep two places looking good. Just the same the plants are healthy and the colors special this year with all the rain. The poppies are just finishing up here. We let them run through the weeds because when poppies pass for the season, their dormancy leaves brown, bushel basket sized holes in the landscape. I can see that some of them need to be cleaned up but it will probably be easier to so a good job spreading this year's seed in another month so the crop comes back nicely in a couple years.

I usually cut some poppies when the buds are just cracking with some color, then I sear the ends with a match and bring a few inside to enjoy. They are an enjoyment to look at but be sure to toss them the day before you think they are going by or you'll be picking up flower pieces for some time. If you have been stuck in an "orange poppy rut" for some time, buy a pack of white, raspberry or pink seeds. Oriental poppies are the large flowered poppies and they are perennials.

I notice that the Trollius Alabaster by the back door is now in bloom. They have been a mystery for Gail to grow and have not been quite as hardy as the yellows and oranges that we have grown for years. The toys in the picture up top get little or no use anymore but the surrounding trollius and few late tulips close out mid June with nice colors.

The Siberian irises are blooming nicely too as are the blue Scabiosas, various geraniums peonies and the yellow flags. More and more daylilies are popping and dots of color show everywhere. We are embarrassed by the weed situation in the daylily beds at the nursery this year but the rains that started in March have stayed with us ever too long.

I have to pack up the truck and get to the nursery now. Michael dug me about 50 new holes for replacement hostas in the display garden that got nailed by 10 feet of water going over the top. Yesterday I found 6 hostas that had been ripped out including First Mate that was hanging from an alder tree. Gail just bought that for me last year along with Empress Wu so they were special for other reasons.

Today is Fathers Day so if you are out and about stop by and see us. We still have some nice blueberry and raspberry bushes, grapes, one flat of strawberry plants and some nice shrubs for sale. The Ginkos and Witch Hazels are looking good as are the ninebarks and lilacs. The lilacs have finished blooming but they are strong and will flower well next year. Gail will be available to help and I'll likely be planting just down the hill. If you have courage, walk down and see what I am doing. I always like to meet new gardeners and take a break!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook at Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
At VFF we'll help you grow your green thumb!

Nice Shrubs!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Already heading for 7 AM and I cannot seem to shake off the Stanley Cup cobwebs. I have always loved watching hockey and admittedly spent a lot of time and money over the years with my son Adam who began playing at age 5. He played the sport on the rink and a couple times in the emergency room. The Bruins victory was special to me because I have been watching the goalie, Tim Thomas, since he first skated onto game ice at the University of Vermont. That seems like a long, long time ago, especially today, as Adam awaits the birth of his third son.


Yesterday's sunshine was special but customers were absent for most of the day. When the sun shines after a long period of rain, people have personal chores to tend to. The forecast looks good and we expect some visitors for Fathers Day weekend. Hope you can find time to get out too.

This is the second year we have sold shrubs and lilacs are included in the offering. They are especially good looking this year although they have about bloomed out at the nursery. Here at the house, the butterflies and honey bees are in their glory and the main bloom time has just started. The fragrance is noticeable as soon as you exit the car and people stop to ask the names and if we have any for sale.

5-6 years ago I bought Gail a lilac named Primrose. It was supposed to be pale yellow with a nice fragrance but it disappointed us as it turned out to be white and had only limited fragrance. Gail was bothered some and I was not pleased with the "special" price I paid for the wrong shrub. It's over six feet tall now and covered with white blooms but it will never be the one we wanted. When you think about the volume of product that each nursery puts out in a year, it is a miracle there are not more "white is not yellow" problems.

We are also selling hydrangeas again and they look great because of the weather. They are a way from blooming but the plants are thick and nice and even the newer Pink Diamonds that started only a month ago are putting out lots of new growth. Someplace in the hundreds of shrubs is my favorite hydrangea, White Moth. I need to find those today and be sure they are out where people cans see the name. Because of the widespread advertising by the big guys, customers ask for the pink and blue hydrangeas. We don't sell those yet because I haven't had the time to grow them here and insure they do well. Keeping them blooming the right color is not as important as making sure they will live through Vermont's changing winter-spring seasons. .....kind of analogous to the Knockout Roses that received so much publicity a couple-three years back. Great looking roses but they do not live in Vermont despite the zone classification or the hype.

Today is a work day for most but there's nothing wrong with taking a day off to enjoy sun after the spring we have experienced. If you can find some time for yourself, bring some friends and stop and see Gail today. She has some great flowers that will add some sparkle to your gardens. As for me, I'll probably be replacing more storm damaged fence, still trying to keep one step ahead of Mrs. Deer and the kids.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where three ravens are talking loudly as if everyone needs to be out and about by 7. Have to get going here!


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Growing Hardy Plants for Hardy Vermonters and Their Friends!

Sedums

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A beautiful morning here on the mountain. The sun is pushing above the trees from Peacham Pond and accentuating the lush green leaves resulting from what has really been too much rain for spring planting. Yesterday morning the National Weather Service was blaring warnings for southern Vermont where up to 4" of rain was predicted but someplace between then and now I missed the news coverage of what happened. We have already been there more than once this spring and we continue to work through the consequences.

Some places, some towns, and many people can't seem to get a break with the weather no matter what. As I traveled to the nursery yesterday morning I noticed that the brand new sign at the corner of Routes 2 and 215 in Marshfield, a sign announcing a benefit tomorrow night for Cabot's repeated disasters, was run over by a car. There are skid marks leading straight to it. Sometimes what happens in the world just seems impossible but repetitions continue on. Lots of damage all around the area so help your neighbors as you can.

I have always liked anything that grows in among the rocks. I remember in the early 50's my Dad made a rock garden for my mother on top of an old barn foundation at our 1826 house. She planted portulaca everywhere and then plugged every variety of sedum and sempervivum she could find in among the layered stones. Thinking back on it, she really came up with quite a number of varieties in contrast to what's available today. The collection drew lots of "where'd you get that?s" because in Vermont in the early 50's, times were tough and people were thinking more about planting things to grow and raising animals to eat. Chickens for eggs and meat where much more popular than my mom's hens and chickens in the garden!



We have a good collection of sedums and a few different sempervivums at the nursery. I continue to work on a garden for our collection by the front fence. It still looks a little sparse but I am getting there. We'll get the potted plants moved up today or tomorrow and make the whole area more pleasant and visible. If you're out and about, stop by and see what's available.

If you head up towards Glover (remember Glover=Bread and Puppet Theater??) stop at my friend Kate Butler's place. Labour of Love Landscaping and check out Vermont's largest collection of sempervivums. If you do make it that far, don't forget to stop at Curriers Quality Market too. Curriers is one of those all purpose places with a real butcher, nice people, a sporting goods section and an incredible collection of taxidermy that makes you think you're in the woods. Give it all a try in Glover and stop and see Vermont Flower Farm while you're coming or going.


Gotta get going here. Hope I don't get side tracked during the rest of the day. Hens and chickens, Glover, Kate, taxidermy, real butchers--what a morning!


George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
And more to see and read about at Facebook: Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
And still growing hardy plants for hardy Vermonters and their friends!

Siberian Irises

Sunday, June 12, 2011

A dismal morning here on the mountain. The rain has stopped but the darkness grasps tight on everything as if pressuring the sun from rising above Peacham Pond. It will brighten soon and people will begin stirring in camps at the pond. As soon as the first campers head to town for Sunday papers, milk, and a loaf of bread, others will follow suit and activity will begin.

Gail took Karl the Wonder Dog for his walk this morning and I half expected a big animal report. It has been raining since yesterday morning and that slows down animal movement. As the air pressure rises and rains stop, wildlife moves but this morning Gail and Karl had nothing to talk about. I keep glancing to the left and out my office window into the grassy field but so far I haven't seen anything either.

Yesterday at the nursery I noticed that the Siberian irises have begun to open. When I see Siberian or Japanese irises I immediately think of a man who was really the world's best hybridizer for those flowers. He gardens in a different world now but Dr. Currier McEwen of my favorite Harpswell, Maine hybridized until almost age 100 and brought many beautiful flowers to us. He is well documented on the Internet because of his mix of flowers and medicine and it's worth a few minutes to read about his worldly contributions and learn about the flowers he introduced. He was a special person and no matter who visited him, he found time for conversation. Jean Potuchek of East Poland, Maine, writes an excellent New England garden blog Jean's Garden, and she has recently written about Siberian irises in her piece In Praise of Siberian Irises.

Already almost 6:30 and I have to get going here. Vermont State Parks are open for free visits today and with a handful of courage and a bottle of bug dope, I recommend a hike up Owl's Head in Groton State Forest. The rangers open the gate at the entrance at about 9 and you can drive a mile up the hill, park, and climb the granite stairs for about 10-15 minutes. The 10-15 minute variation depends on your huff and puff numbers as you climb the steps. I don't climb as fast as I used to. Give it a try!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa. Hope you'll click "Like" on the VFFG page.
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
And remember, we are here to help you GROW your GREEN THUMB!

Missed Opportunities

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Been sitting here reading for an hour. 55.9° on the thermometer but one look outside gives mental challenge to the reading. I know it's right but there is a thick gloominess hanging this morning with heavy, low clouds and notice of impending rain. The only movement I can detect is that of mosquitoes which are in abundance this year as never before.

Karl the Wonder Dog is disappointed with me. I have no courage to put on his leash and walk him down the road so I rely on Gail. She's not that enamored with me this time of day either as sleep sounds better to her than walking the dog and maintaining a watchful eye for large wildlife. Every day another report comes in of bear sitings and those serve as a reminder to be attentive even if seeds of sleep and unfinished dreams weigh heavy on the dog walker. I'll soon have courage again to be pulled around and Karl's morning walks will be with me on the other end of the leash. My leg is coming along nicely says the doc and I don't want to push progress into reverse.

I never thought I would miss the end of springtime so much. Here in this part of Vermont the time from the end of May until about the middle of June is wildflower time. I enjoy walks in the woods and around the kettle ponds so frequent here. But with crutches and a little limp when I discard them it's not all that handy to take pictures and kneel and bend.

I have always liked the various orchids that bloom in spring because they are so much larger than those that come later. The pink or white Moccasin-flowers like the yellow lady slipper pictured above are easy to find. I love to find the yellows and have been known to spend too much time laying on the ground waiting for an ant to come out for a picture. If you have examined one of the yellow flowers, you know what I mean. But late spring holds other treasures and the simple white bunchberries make me as happy as the three native trilliums, the flowers of the red, white or pink baneberries, clintonia, the blue-bead lilies, or Dutchman's Breeches. This was supposed to be the spring of hiking and picture taking but that's been postponed until next spring. You have time though and easy little hikes include nearby Kettle Pond or Osmore Pond within New Discovery Campground. Today would be a great day as the light rains will calm the black fly/mosquito's appetites and this weekend is get-in-the state-park-free time. Put an extra set of batteries in your camera case, pack a snack and don't say you'll think about it later. Wildflowers offer a narrow annual window and seeing them in their glory confirms a memory you won't forget.


Writing from the moutnain above Peacham Pond where Gail and Karl have returned safely, driven back by bugs says Gail. In the nearby larch tree, two ravens show disrespect for tired forest neighbors as they shout loudly in bird words I do not comprehend. Maybe they are reminding me to get going!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens. Like us if you will.
Other gardening thoughts on Facebook at George Africa.
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Check your potatoes for potato beetles and their bright orange eggs on the undersides of the leaves. It's an especially bad year for them and "no leaves" means no potatoes.