Lifting Spirits

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

45° this morning. Last night's red sky has offered up a clear, cool morning and yesterday's breeze took away some of the sogginess that came with each step as Irene left us with almost 7" of rain here on the mountain. This morning's walk with Karl the Wonder Dog was uneventful but the sound of the water going over the dam at Peacham Pond and down the river to Marshfield Reservoir is thunderous and freight train-like. There's a sense of contradiction there as no trains are running in Vermont because over three hundred miles of track have somehow been compromised. The media has offered full coverage on what has become a disaster of bigger dimension than the floods of 1927. Gail's mom once told us of standing by the Winooski River in Chittenden County and watching cows float by but this year river watchers saw cars and houses and trailers and covered bridges.

All make of farmers have been devastated by the recent floods. The summer began in late May with some very serious flooding but Irene included every farmer in Vermont on her recent visit. Yes, there are some who fared better than others but everyone experienced damage, some so difficult that thoughts of career change or retirement prevail. It seemed to me as if I had just barely begun to catch up on the destruction of May 26th when Irene hit. Yesterday when it was over Gail and I went down to the nursery as soon as we confirmed that Route 2 had been reopened. It was a repeat of May only worse. I took a bunch of pictures and oddly as I scanned the SD Card later, no pictures were saved. Maybe that was good as we've seen enough for this year. Gail went back to the nursery later in the day to work but I needed a break from disaster and headed into the woods to cut woood and work on some new trails I am building. By the end of the day news reports and emails from other farmers gave all too adequate notice that we had done very well compared to farmers who had lost everything.

For us it is rebuild time and we will continue on. I am trying to connect with the correct agency to get some help with river bank management. Vermont is an interesting state and there is a group that is adament that planting trees and shrubs maintains the river in times like this but it just isn't so. Spring run off is consistently more of a problem than ever before and the rivers in some places have filled with silt and rock and the river beds have risen. At our place the Winooski River makes two right hand turns in a hundred yards and that prevents the massive water flow, pushing it instead onto our land. A new course is growing and if I cannot get some help changing the flow, much of our land and a couple acres of flowers will be lost. Sunday night Green Moutnain Power began plans for an emergency release of water from the Marshfield Reservoir. They think as a company they did a good job managing this emergency but they failed miserably in communication and management skills. Had the dam failed, Central Vermont on to Winooski and Burlington would be a different place today.

As the sun gets higher this morning, Gail is already packing for her daily trip to the nursery. I have banking to do this morning and need a few small engine repair parts while I am in Barre. Other farmers are going about their chores. Some are missing animals, equipment, land, or buildings. Some are very discouraged, most are working right now as you read this. No matter what you do today, stop for a minute and reflect on where your food supply comes from and what it takes to get food to your table. Give credit to farmers. Stop and say hello to neighboring farmers, CSAs, and offer encouragement. Encouraging smiles go a long way!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the honey bees are flying well this morning to the background sound of ravens discussing breakfast above the compost pile and a pileated woodpecker working up breakfast on the maple outside my office window. Life goes on! Be happy!

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 will always help you grow your green thumb!

Rainbow Lights

Friday, August 26, 2011

Still overcast here on the mountain but the weatherman says the sky will clear soon and we will have a couple nice days before the impact of Irene is obvious to us. Rain estimates over Vermont are now 2" to 7" and that is more encouraging to me having seen what the rains of late May did to our nursery. Storms can change, for better or worse, so we will wait and see.

Mrs Doe Deer and her fawn just passed by my office window but once again I was not awake enough to catch a photo image of them together. The fawn is energetic and has the courage to leave Mom at some distance before running back, checking and leaving again. The doe raises her head often to see where her kid has gone to and I notice she is watching behind herself a lot so perhaps she hears a coyote or "unlocal" dog. They are a pleasure to watch.

Swiss chard has been around for years and I have to admit that my childhood memories of it were not favorable. That has all changed now and like beets, I love the stuff. For several years now colorful mixes have been available, some called Bright Lights, Rainbow Mix, or Bright Lights Improved. Although vegetable gardeners plant them to eat, flower gardeners have been mixing them more and more in flower gardens and in container plantings. They last through the frosts of early fall and add a color and texture that other plants cannot offer. Consider them in the future and if you don't like the look--eat 'em!!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where sunlight brightens the still-dark sky just a shade. I have to get going here. Alex is 19 today!

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
Still helping you grow your green thumb!

Kingdom Farm and Field Days

Monday, August 22, 2011

60°, windless, dripping wet, quiet, darker than a pocket. The ground squishes from last night's heavy rains. Black clouds have little openings of light pushing through but it's 5:30 now and morning will come slowly. Karl the Wonder Dog was not interested in much of a walk and has already returned to sleep which he instantaneously accentuates with loud snoring. I do not understand him.

Yesterday I made a quick escape from the flowers and the clean up chores at Vermont Flower Farm and I headed to Wolcott for the Kingdom Farm and Food Days presentation at High Mowing Organic Seeds. I went last year and had a great time and I have tried to promote High Mowing and the other agricultural businesses that try so hard to help Vermont through very difficult times. Yesterday was just part of an excellent promotional program that started the day before with tours of many businesses. If you have never heard about this opportunity, plug a "do-not-miss" reminder into your calendar page right now so you don't miss another year.

I almost never grow vegetables because we are just plain too busy with five acres of flowers. Gail and I do most of our work ourselves and we have never found a day stretcher yet that worked for us. Just the same we buy local vegetables and every year Gail makes some attempt to grow some things for us. This year the string beans, summer and winter squashes, lettuces, bok choy, carrots, cukes and 4-5 types of tomatoes have done well despite neglect and difficult weather. But it's because of limited involvement with vegetables that I love to go see what Tom Stearns and his staff have to offer at High Mowing. You should go too!

I don't know what impressed me the most this year. There's always so much to look at and a number of excellent talks make the afternoon speed by. The bazillion varieties of lettuces, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants make me ask if there is an end to what is being hybridized. Winter squashes were in abundance this year and the tomatoes in the greenhouse demonstrations were special.

I used to eat a lot of peppers and loved hot peppers until I ran into a little conflict with a blood pressure medicine I take. Touring High Mowing is not easy for me as the peppers are glorious and many I have never seen or heard of before. A blocky, bright red one named Ferrari looked challenging but I know better than to get into hot peppers again. There is something special about a plant heavily burdened by fruits that weigh the branches and this was clearly a great year for peppers.


Visitors loved the lectures and the one on seed saving that had started as I arrived was very well attended. I have had the luxury of attending the winter workshops High Mowing offers and have seen all their seed processing equipment used as they process seed for sale. Obviously this is far different than a home gardener saving a few tomato or squash seeds but it's important to understand the whole process.

A field of white nicotiana planted next to soy beans, potatoes and string beans provided a sweet scent and a great color contrast that encouraged camera shutters to click away. One lady was obviously allergic to the fragrance but despite sneezes she moved along to view the zinnias and sweet pea flowers.
Lettuce and other salad greens are obviously in great demand and the demonstration plantings support this. As I walked the rows I was dreaming of a bowl of fresh greens, basil, cukes and tomatoes topped with my secret recipe of Dog Team Tavern Dressing. It was only a dream but a colorful one just the same.
Brassicas in an organic garden come with small clouds of cabbage butterflies but for the size of the field, there weren't really that many fluttering by. I love cabbage and somehow missed the presentation on making sauerkraut which I thought would be fun.

As I began to head back to the truck and back to my real job, I watched the lecture group circle the gardens and make their way back to the original entry point. I could hear Tom Stearn's voice from the distance and I knew that once again he had made a lot of people happy.
Try not to miss this great event next year. In a couple days I'll have a bunch of pictures up on my Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens Facebook page. Take a look--maybe Tuesday. Right now I have to get the truck loaded and get down to work. Stop by the flower farm if you have a minute today. Plenty of deals on bare root daylilies and other plants we're moving along. Still some very nice hydrangeas, ginkos, witch hazels and lilacs.

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!

Late Summer Oldies

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Half past five this morning and Karl the Wonder Dog sleeps and snores loudly as if forgetting it's summer and time for his walk. I care not as there are many morning chores today that have to be completed before I head for the nursery. It's 55° now, and windless with a good barometric pressure so today looks like the day we were promised. Gail has already responded with her personal comments about the projected afternoon temperature. She always equates higher temperatures--those 80° or more, with poor plant sales. She is correct but this time of year, even with a terrible economy, out of state guests stop by to take things home. I am positive about today.

The daylily industry has done a fine job with mid-to-late and also late blooming daylilies to guarantee color in Vermont gardens well into September. We have not done a good job offering as many as we should to customers although we do have a nice collection still growing here on the mountain. Some are newer but some are old and have been used since around WW II.

Up top here is Autumn Red, a 36" dusky red that was registered by Nesmith in 1941. It blooms over quite a time and my only comment is that bloom count slows dramatically when the vigorous plant growth becomes too compact. It continues to bloom and it makes a nice back border hedge-like planting or a green border for walkways. It does need some help controlling its growth over time but a sharp shovel or knife will do the trick.

In 1941, Stout registered Autumn Prince (just below) , a four foot tall yellow with a lemony fragrance you'll remember. The flowers are smaller than some might like but they just bloom and bloom on tall, slender scapes that wave in the breeze. The height gives prominence to the back of the border and when planted where they are visible to foot or vehicle traffic, you'll find yourself answering identity questions from gardeners who like and want it.

Gail says we never had Autumn Minaret, another Stout registration from 1951, but there was a time when we had some here at the house. It is noticeably taller at 5.5 feet, maybe a little taller even, has good branching and the flowers are lemony fragrant too and bloom again during early fall. Prince and Minaret remind me how much I enjoy Hesperus that just finished blooming maybe a week and a half ago. I wish they had the more vigorous growth habit of Hesperus but I guess I don't need more daylilies that require periodic dividing with the "to do' list I already maintain.

We are sold out of Autumn Prince and have an order of Autumn Red leaving today or tomorrow so that's it for this year. Neither of these may compare to the modern designer types you may have come to enjoy but there is a beauty to anything old which cannot be replaced.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the back door just closed and Gail headed out with Karl for a morning walk. I have this vision that they will meet some large wildlife this morning. It looks like that kind of morning.


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
Still plenty of time to let us help you grow your green thumb!!

Happy Helenium

Friday, August 19, 2011

It's a beautiful morning here on the mountain. Bird songs welcome the sun rise above Peacham Pond and the honeybees are making quick flights, probably to nearby goldenrod patches that are finishing their bloom. Karl the Wonder Dog has coaxed two walks out of Gail this morning and now he sits perched on the edge of the couch, looking out the window for morning walkers, joggers or cyclists. He enjoys offering loud barks and a waggy tail to passersby who don't even know he welcomes their presence.

Last night's weather report described the pollen count as rising and mentioned the prominence of ragweed pollen. I have never had allergy problems but Gail and Alex have had a most difficult time this summer with the various pollens beginning "way back when" with maple and birch tree pollen. Right now I do think it is the ragweed that's bothering many but all plants have experienced abundant growth from this year's spring rains and warm temperatures.

A flower we grow for sale and also in our gardens is named helenium, which carries a common name of sneezeweed. Although it doesn't seem to cause sneezing in my friends, there may be something to the moniker I don't know about. Gail always has carried 3-4-5 varieties and this year she pared back her offering and they have been good sellers. They reach 3 feet, sometimes a little more in height, and they are good late summer, back-of-the-garden plants. I planted some last fall along the new river garden but the dry soil there and drought have limited height and advanced their bloom time to the point that those are about passed right now. Just the same, give them some consideration. They are long lived and make a nice cut flower too.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Gail just left for the nursery and I have to get things loaded in the truck. Alex knows he has to mow the lawn at some point and when he does, we'll see if grass pollen and sneezes prevail. Hope your allergies are under control.

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

Bare root daylily sales continue in abundance. Join Us! We'll help you grow your green thumb!

August Color

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A foggy, drippy morning here on the mountain. The loons at Peacham Pond are talking in lower voices this morning but they are the only ones conversing. Karl the Wonder Dog and I just returned from our morning walk. There was no excitement this morning---no morning encounters with deer, bear or moose, not even the small animals of the forest and that boredom made Karl turn around by himself and head back to bed. It must be nice!

The rain during the past couple days arrived like it did in May. I keep two rain gauges at the nursery and even the one that was slightly tipped exceeded 3 inches of rain yesterday morning. The upright one was at +5 inches and the Winooski River, still rising and running dirty brown, suggested without doubt that we had finally received some much needed rain.

Gardening has been a challenge this summer because it has been a summer of extremes. First inches of rain and then repeated days of 80° or above. But now it looks like things may slide into a late summer pattern and this is a time when gardens should still be glorious. I greatly dislike the way the media begins hyping the end of summer now with back to school sales and absurd comment about last big BBQ's and final beach forays. Makes no sense to me as actually this should be a time when well planned gardens sport something better looking than a pot of store bought chrysanthemums.

The image up top is from last summer when I was quite pleased with the way the garden along the fence greeted people from Route 2 or our parking area. Last summer was some different than this year and certain flowers such as the tall yellow Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', growing to 7-8 feet tall and offering masses of color joined 3 foot tall Marigolds named Gold Coin Sovereign as they raced each other to the end of summer and the first big fall frost..



This year some things are better, such as the my-o-my 9 foot tall Thalictrum that's covered with flower bees and bumble bees. But the weather has influenced many flowers and what I expected to be glorious are not quite there this year because of the drought.

Just this same, think of the flowers that I expected to be better and consider them for your gardens for next year. Echinaceas in various colors should be holding on to final bloom now...pinks, reds, yellows, oranges, 3 foot tall heleniums in fall colors should be full and bright, and crocosmias should be finishing their bright red scapes (or yellows, pinks and whites in zone 6 and warmer). Garden phlox should have offered vibrant colors for weeks now and should be going into a garden flush of color via the later varieties. The bottle brush flower scapes of a half dozen great actaeas, the cimicifugus before registry changed their names. These are magnets for all butterflies and many bees and add living, moving, natural color to your gardens. The various daisies should still be blooming and turtlehead should be budding up for its "have-you-ever-seen-me?" presentation.

So with these opportunities and dozens more, it's appropriate to think of what you have and what you're missing so your gardens look colorful and inviting while others think unkind end-of summer thoughts. Challenge your thinking and when you stop by a nursery offering those absurd give away, get-it-out of here-plant sales, ask the nurseryman to help you make your gardens last longer. You'll be happy you asked.....guaranteed!!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where a very soggy Mrs. Doe Deer just looked up at my office window. "Keystrokes?" she's asking, "Keystrokes????" "I hear keystrokes."

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 VFF where we'll help you grow your green thumb!

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!