Sweet Peas and Other Maine Thoughts

Sunday, November 13, 2011

28.1° this morning. The moon's light is overshadowed by floating clouds but surrounding stars offer plenty of light. It bounces off the snow and allows for easy travel. Deer hunters will be happy to have a second morning to work their way into the woods easily. There is a crunch to the frozen leaves but the shadows are alluring and remind me that I should learn to take those pictures sometime. Karl the Wonder Dog isn't into photography and just wanted to keep walking but I have things to accomplish today. I am like the message in my favorite poet, Robert Frost's, Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. He wrote:

"But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Social media gets all the hype now and it's justified. As a gardener I can see and hear new ideas, great suggestions, from around the world from people I may not even know. This morning I read a note from Carol in Hope, Maine reminding me of the garden beauty that appears in the work of Belfast, Maine photographer Lynne Karlin. In 2001, I bought GARDENS Maine Style which Lynn co-authored with Rebecca Sawyer-Fay. I loved the book because it reminded me of so many places I had visited in my "second best state" after Vermont. Their sequel, GARDENS Maine Style Act II is equally entertaining and the books sit side by side on one of my bookcases, a bit worn from sharing with other gardeners.

Although friend Carol was pointing out the books, she was also calling my attention to a gardener in Surry Maine, just down from Bar Harbor. The business is Sue Keating's Sweet Pea Gardens and it's another on my list of "Been there's". Years ago when Gail and I were first growing flowers together, we grew sweet peas for sale at the Burlington Farmers Market. Sweet peas were a New England farmer's garden favorite and every farm lady either of us knew grew sweet peas. Gail's dad was a good gardener too and each year he planted sweet peas for flowers the same time he plated peas to eat. Gail's mom loved the flowers and Ralph was there to please with the peas. There was no question about how Gail learned to grow tall, long stemmed, beautifully fragrant sweet peas or why she loved them so much.

Fast forward 30 years and we have just begun to discuss growing sweet peas again. Success comes in good seed which is more pricey now than the $28 a pound we paid in the early 80's. Success also comes from good garden soil and getting the seed started in early spring. If you are interested in seed, Keating's website offers some for sale. There is also a link to the National Sweet Pea Society (United Kingdom) that will get you thinking about a beautiful flower. What you will not find on the Internet, is any place that offers in-line fragrance of a bouquet of sweet peas. Buy some seed. Enjoy!


Writing from the moutnain above Peacham Pond where deer hunters have started traveling the roads and getting out of camp and into the woods. Not much activity yesterday. Herd is said to be down 10% statewide due to last year's winter.

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

Our nursery is closed for the season but web sales continue year round as we try to help you grow your green thumb!

The Gardener's Clothes

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

40.8° already with a bright sunshine rising above the tamaracks and spruces. Gail just headed out withe Karl the Wonder Dog for his "real" morning walk, suggesting that my walk at 5:30 in starlit darkness really didn't do the trick. The critters of the woods will be out and about now and there's no doubt Gail will return with a story. She and Karl have seen more big game on their morning walks than most hunters see in a season. I cannot get many stories out of Karl save for a waggy tail but Gail gives good detail about how close they get to deer, bear, moose, woodcock, partridge and turkeys. Their encounters have always been positive but some of the stories raise concern.

I really intended to get back to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay and then head up the coast for a ways before returning to Portland for a night or two. I usually do this in October by myself but this year there have been too many chores and I have to be content with looking at pictures from previous years. This one up top is from a few years back and I always look it over again because of the great use of color, height and texture.

Every gardener has fall chores and one of ours is the local winter clothes exchange. Years back a local lady who runs the food shelf and handles all kinds of situations for needy people started a winter coat exchange. She had always worked with local kids and ran a day care that cost free-to -nothing because she knew the long term importance of starting kids off with a good education. She was also concerned about kids keeping warm during Vermont winters. Over time the coat exchange became a clothing exchange and a sandwich board notice by the side of Route 2 brings in a bundle of people each year. This happened last Saturday and Gail volunteered as she always does. It was not a gardener's fall responsibility perhaps but for Gail this was an important part of community life in rural Vermont. After this year's floods and the very poor economy here, being warm is a serious challenge so warm clothes can help.

The stories Gail brought home of who she helped pick out clothes would bring tears to your eyes. Getting a warm thank you hug and a smile from someone you've never seen before is a memory that doesn't leave quickly. I mention this because every gardener needs new clothes once in a while--jeans without holes in the knees, socks without toe holes, gloves that match and don't have missing thumbs, a hat with a visor the dog didn't eat yet. But gardeners all live in a community where everyone may not be as fortunate as they are. If you are a gardener and your community is having a coat exchange soon, go through those closets and drawers and help out. If you have a little time, volunteer to help. The reward will be like planting seeds. It may take a while to see the real proof but it will come in great glory.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a flock of Canada geese appears heading in the wrong direction if they want to spend Thanksgiving on the Chesapeake.
"Nav-i-gator--check the maps!"

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

Floor of Leaves

Saturday, November 5, 2011

23.1° with a 3 mph wind and a sharp cold that makes the morning dog walker walk faster. Karl the Wonder Dog was not the least bit enamored with the sky of stars and pulled hard on the leash to get back to the house quickly. He wore his "I don't like this a bit" face as if reminded that the joys of summer have passed. He is correct.

This part of the year is a time of flux for Vermont weather. Some days you really don't have a clue what the weather will bring and the weather forecasters seem to miss their mark often as weather here in Marshfield turns out different than predictions coming from Burlington or even St Johnsbury. Alex and I headed for Littleton, NH yesterday afternoon and when we hit Danville the sleet was pelting the truck at a 45° angle and some parts of the road were white while others were wet with rain. The tops of the White Mountains held up true to their name and Alex and I complained to each other about who would move the recently split wood that needs to be stacked for next year before the snow comes and doesn't leave.

In the world of gardening, I repeat myself a lot about fall opportunities and raking leaves. Few gardeners have really good soil but leaves are a great soil amendment and they have a place in your garden--not all leaves but most leaves. Vermont has a good collection of hardwoods and maples abound. There are ash, black cherry, white and yellow birches and some lesser hardwoods that are useful too. Trees with tannic acid should be avoided if possible because they tend to inhibit some seed germination and plant growth. Those involve oak, chestnut, black walnut, butternut, and sumac.

So even though it's colder out and the winds swirl, rake, vacuum or shred your leaves and get them into a compost situation for the winter or tilled into your gardens now. Some perennial flower growers and many nurseries use shredded leaves now as an annual mulch in lieu of the bark chips that used to be so popular. If you only have time to rake and bag your leaves this fall, stack the bags someplace out of the way and by spring, they will have begun to decompose and they will be perfect for you gardens. If you doubt the benefits of composted leaves it will only take one garden over one season to see the difference. And if you are a vegetable gardener, trips back to the house with baskets of produce will be the obvious result. Give it a try!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the only noise is the wind. The neighboring rooster down the road will not crow until 8:30 and a neighbor on the other side and up the mountain will not turn his sheep out until almost 9. No critter calls until then.

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
Call Gail for holiday or special occasion gift certificates with pictures of our flowers.

Final Frost

Friday, November 4, 2011

30.9° with light winds here on the mountain this morning. A thick bank of gray clouds is prominent in the east with a band of open, gray-blue sky and then a swirl of fast moving clouds above. It appears that the fronts are changing and last night's sprinkles should turn to this morning's sunshine.

The Vermont Gardener has been absent from his writing desk since the 21st of October as fall chores create more than tired fingers. Here at the house and at the nursery too it's fall clean up time and we had tons of potted plants to line up and cover for winter.

Fall clean up is very important to maintain healthy gardens and a bountiful harvest of flowers and vegetables next season. We try to clean up all the dead foliage each fall to prevent the spread of fungus next spring and also minimize places for bad bugs to winter over. In recent years we have seen more and more "new" bugs and for whatever reason they have ended up in Vermont, we don't want them to stay in our gardens. We have a few different compost piles and good , clean refuse is mixed with leaves while infected or questionable refuse is bagged and headed to the landfill. Since we are diligent about minimal use of any chemicals, this format works well for us.

With the advent of container gardening, we are often asked how to overwinter containers. The biggest mistake gardeners seem to make is not keeping the water out. Freeze-thaw cycles are common through the course of winter and pots that are left upright and uncovered serve as catch basins for rains or melting snow or ice. The top of the plant roots thaw ever so slightly and the water, when it freezes tight again, kills the plants. Another mistake is thinking that placing containers in an unheated garage makes sense. That may work in northern climates but if garages heat to above freezing for even a day and then tumble back below freezing, some loses will occur.

In the old days we always turned each potted plant on its side and then raked some leaves around for insulation. With the advent of good insulating microfilms and insulations, we made the investment and now cover all our pots each year. The insulation cloth is 3/8" thick and is easy to roll out. Some products are available with a 4-6 mil plastic cover bonded to the fabric but we prefer to purchase the plain fabric and then cover with 6 mil plastic. Although clear plastic is often recommended, we have found that black construction grade plastic does not break down as quickly via ultraviolet rays and we can get 4 years out of a roll if we fold it and store it out of the sun over the summer. Box store type lumber yards sell the 6 mil grade for about $70 for a 100 foot roll 20 feet wide and sometimes you can get small rolls or find a friend to split a roll.

As small critters scurry about hiding seeds for winter buffets, spend a little time this fall cleaning up your gardens and covering your container plantings. Take a few black and white photos of your gardens now so you have reference for winter planning/replanting projects. Review your garden magazine subscriptions and prepare to be a winter gardener too. You'll be pleased with yourself knowing you put clean gardens to sleep.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a flock of noisy Canada geese just flew over. A fresh cup of coffee and I'm out the door to split wood.

Fall gardening wishes;

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
We'll always help you grow your green thumb! Write us, call us, ask us!

Tiger Eye Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac

Friday, October 21, 2011

Already 8 PM here on the mountain. My late afternoon nap was interrupted by the ring of the phone and the bark of Karl the Wonder Dog and things have been pretty much a constant interruption since. It was one of those questionable weather days but perfect for outside work for me while Gail stayed inside and caught up on cooking for the weekend. I rose long before daybreak this morning and by noon had been to Montpelier, Barre, and into the woods for wood cutting. I had late lunch at 3 and was snoozing by 4. Retirement is good, interruptions, less so.


For days now I have been thinking about offering some thoughts about sumac. I love to see sumac in the fall and single, colorful sumac leaves, pendant from soft, brown stems, always remind me for some reason of a puffin on the Maine coast, sitting on a seaweed covered rock ledge with a minnow hanging from its beak.

Back here in Vermont, thoughts of sumac include deer munching on the seeds and birds eating away as they prepare for winter. The red of the leaves is a foliage season standout and some folks even pick the drupes--the little red seeds in clusters-- and cook them lightly (no boil) to make a beautiful red liquid for coloring jellies.

I have to laugh when visitors to Vermont catch a glimpse of a row of run-away sumacs along our property line by the Winooski River. The bright red after the first frosts is highly visible from Route 2, two hundred yards away but that doesn't stop the cameras from clicking a bit later. Very few gardeners would ever consider planting this sumac in their own gardens as it has a bad reputation for spreading underground and turning up everywhere. It will never be as nasty as Japanese knotweed but it has a manner of latching on to your land and your neighbor's that conjures up a word of caution.

The plant world is ever changing and each year more and more plants are offered up, some new plants, some old plants with new names. Three years ago while visiting the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay I noticed an impressive planting of sumac. The plants were 4 feet tall and not quite that wide when I visited and the bright yellows showed prominently from the raised planting. I was impressed as its color, texture, height and width made me visualize lots of planting opportunities. Trouble was, at that point I knew the plant no better than those who included it in the garden. (My opinion, no offense offered)

This sumac was Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger' also known as Tiger Eye Sumac, Tigers Eyes Sumac, Tiger Eye Cutleaf Sumac and Tiger Eye Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac. Plant names are confusing that way and you can often be wrong with a name for no good reason. In this case, the "eyes" don't have it as it's Tiger Eye.


As you can see from the picture up top, the plant is a standout and an attention getter. At the botanical garden it was planted alongside a mass of rudbeckias and the contrast was captivating. My mention of it here is not to discourage but to caution you that planting 'Bailtiger' will require work to keep it in control. In my opinion, this is not a plant to encourage neighborly friendships and to end this thought I'll just leave a portion of Robert Frost's poem Mending Wall (1915). You figure out the rest.

There where it is we do not need the wall;
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, "Good fences make good neighbors."

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where it's 46° and quiet, save for a 4 mph breeze. If you listen you can hear the big critters of the forest crunching apples in the back meadow.

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
Ask, and we'll help you grow your green thumb!

Fall Cleanup Finds

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A noisy, rainy night but things have calmed this morning. Now 42° with a 4 mph wind that is fairly constant. Already 6:15 but morning light will be slow in coming this morning. Even Karl the Wonder Dog wants no part of this morning after listening to the rain all night.

This is clean up time at the flower farm and Steve spent the day working with me. He finished the last of the fence taken out by Hurricane Irene and once again I said that if I have to replace the fence again, a For Sale sign will be standing by Route 2. Some people laugh at me but those who know me well know I don't waste a lot of words when I am serious. When the state river engineer finally showed up and said to call again when I had lost "significant" land I knew that "we are green in Vermont" is just not true. The government comment that Vermont is business friendly is just not true too because friends of business and real conservationists don't make comments like this. Take a look at aerial pictures of the new delta at the mouth of the Winooski River in Lake Champlain and you'll see why I think we need to do a better job curbing the flow of pollutants into the lake. Think this through and share some comments with me as maybe there's something I am missing besides fence, plants, soil, sleep and money. (Senator Leahy's 20 million dollar earmark to study the impact of Irene on the lake is an interesting use of money, but as you should now know, I am very disappointed with how we spend our tax money.)

Steve started planting a sedum garden for us and it should set in good between now and hard freeze. There are about 15 different sedums from the taller Autumn Joy, Matrona and Purple Emperor types down to Angelica, Voodoo and the lower types. We have a nice start on a collection of sempervivums too and I intend to expand that this spring. Come take a look next spring/early summer. If you're bored this winter, join the North American Rock Garden Society and learn what sempervivens and sedums are gaining popularity as rock gardens return to favor in New England.

As Steve and Gail worked along, I cleaned up old sunflowers and other annual plants. During the process I came upon this wriggling pupa of a tomato hornworm moth. Although we don't grow vegetables, visitors always ask for advice and there was a lot of discussion this year about the giant green tomato hornworms that most people just don't like. I don't know the cycle that insects go through as populations explode or are minimal but I know we had quite a crop on the few tomatoes we grew this year for the first time. At some time I'll have to study these some more to determine what other crops such as tomatoes they seek out.

As I looked over the pupa I wondered if Steven Spielberg and the Dreamworks Studios folks ever used one of these as a model. Check the head area. They also go by the names hawk moth and hummingbird moth as they mature and sport wings again.

As you complete cleanup at your place, keep an eye out for signs of insects. If you find an especially good website or book to help identify your finds, let us all know.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Karl just suggested we go for a walk. I'm ready!

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