I have been merrily taking cuttings to root from various roses in the yard. I took these clippings as I was out doing my routine spring maintenance. I could stay in the garden morning, noon, and night in the spring. After the grayness of winter I really enjoy discovering the various hues appearing daily. However, it is also this time of year when I can actually enjoy the outdoors without the buzz and bite of mosquitoes. Living next to the salt marshes of the Chesapeake Bay does have some disadvantages, but on to the roses. They have been pruned, fed, and sprayed.

Pruning:
1. Remove any branches that are broken, black, or dead.
2. Maintain 5 strong branches to form the base of the bush.
3. Shape the remainder of branches to spread up and outward from the base.

Feeding:
1. Mix 1/4 cup of Epsom salt with 1 to 2 shovels of compost and work into the soil surrounding the bushes.

Spraying:
1. Mix 4 teaspoons of baking soda to 1 gallon of water and spray on to roses. This is a great way to prevent and get rid of black spot. I learned this information from the article, Nature's Alternative: 70 Uses For Baking Soda, by Melaine Ryther which was published at Mother Earth News. I never knew there were so many things you could use one product for. Wow!

How to Root Roses

Some form of rose can be found in nearly every gardener's yard. From the wild rambling rose climbers to the miniature varieties I love them all. This year I am expanding my garden by starting my own rose clippings in order to be more frugal and also because I enjoy waiting with anticipation for my clippings to send out roots and begin to grow.

Rooting roses is not really difficult. There are many different methods to root roses and they do work. I used to cut partially into the branch at an angle just below a set of leaflets, packed that area with wet sphagnum moss, and wrapped it with plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. Roots would then grow on the branch where I had cut and then I would clip the branch and plant it.

Currently, this is the method I use.
1. I clip new growth from the rose bush about 6 inches in length.
2. I let it sit in a rooting water I make from a willow tree in my yard for a couple of days to really soak up the solution. (see last post for recipe)
3. I remove the bottom set of leaves and plant in a good soil so that the nubs where the leaves were is below the soil surface. This is where the new roots will start.
4. I give it a good watering with the willow water one more time.
5. I check on the soil every couple of days and water when needed with just regular water. It is important to keep the soil moist but not soggy.

The roots will form generally in 3 to 6 weeks. It is important to remember that not all of the clippings will root. I plan on 3 or 4 rooting for every 6 I try to start. Happy planting!

Homemade Rooting Tea

We had some limbs that needed to be removed from our curly willow yesterday. I took this opportunity to make some rooting tea. I plan on taking some clippings from some of my mother's roses.
Willows are so easy to root that all you need to do is break a branch, stick it in the ground, and a new tree will grow. Rooting powders can be bought from most garden centers, but I really enjoy using what I have on hand and what nature provides for free.

Recipe:
1 jar
willow branches
boiling water

1. Chop a couple of handfuls of willow branches into pieces small enough to fit in your jar. Crush them slightly and then place them in the jar.
2. Boil enough water to fill the jar and cover the willow pieces.
3. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours to steep. It is then ready for use.

Camillia in Bloom

I took this picture today with my cell phone. It was one of two buds that had opened today. There are many more ready to unfold tomorrow. Isn't it wonderful to watch the miracles that happen in a garden? The plants change and look different each day. There is always something new to see.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Since there is a wee bit of Irish blood still flowing in my family's veins, I hold a special fondness for this holiday. Many here in the United States enjoy the occasion with parades, drinking beer, and wearing green. For me, St. Patrick's day is a reminder that the official first day of spring is almost here and my garden will soon erupt in a colorful collection of blossoms. Yippee!

The shamrock, though not a colorful plant, is an emblem of Ireland. And since I love all things Irish, I have two shamrocks (also known as oxalis) planted beneath the crab apple in my front yard. They faithfully return each spring without any care. I enjoy these green plants with their tiny white flowers and leaves that close when the sun goes down. They are one of the few things that give me a tie to my heritage. However, when summer comes on strong, I will have to bid farewell to these fine plants. Shamrocks enjoy the cool weather of early spring but go dormant soon after temperatures rise above 80 degrees.

You may be wondering how the shamrock came to be tied to Ireland and this holiday. Although these plants dot the hills of Ireland, it is more the association that the shamrock has with Christianity that forms the bond. Its three leaves represent the holy trinity. Today is the day that St. Patrick died and we celebrate to honor his teachings. It is part of lore that he reached down while preaching to the pagans and plucked a shamrock from the ground. He then went on to touch each leaf and explain to the people about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I hope you are as fortunate as I to have a few shamrocks in your garden. If not,
these tiny bulbs just need to be planted in a well lit, moist location, and then forgot about. Until my next post I leave you with an Irish blessing -


May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

Lichen

During my inspection of the fruit trees I found one of the pears had some patches of lichen. Lichen won't hurt the tree but it does signify that the tree is declining. This particular one is getting old and may indeed be reaching its end. I carefully removed the dead branches and gave it an extra dose of fertilizer as well. Hopefully this will help it improve.
A lichen is actually two organisms that are living together in a symbiotic relationship. One is a fungus and the other an algae. The algae is the one responsible for providing energy for their survival and the fungus provides a home. Lichen can be found anywhere. They live in areas that have good air quality. Some lichens are even found on the Arctic Tundra.

Fruit Tree Care in the Spring

Now that the days have consistently been reaching 45 degrees, my fruit trees are craving some tender loving care. This weekend I am looking forward to preparing them for the growing season. I will prune, spray, fertilize, and mulch. Let me explain my plan a little better:

1. I am going to remove the mouse guards. Those are those white plastic things that spiral around the lower trunk near the ground. They are great for prevented bark injury during the winter. However, I can't forget to remove them in the spring or I will give the fruit loving pests shelter, especially the dreaded apple borer.

2. I am going to prune the trees into a cone shape. This allows the sunlight to reach more of the tree and therefore allows more photosynthesis to occur. Photosynthesis is the process where the chlorophyll in the leaves become energized by the sun to combine CO2 from the air with water to create sugar. This sugar is the trees food. No cooking or doing dishes for trees. Wouldn't it be great if all we had to do was stand in the sun and voila - we're full!

3. I am also going to spray the tree with dormant oil. You can by this from garden centers easily. I make my own. A long time ago I read an article in a magazine which told how to make dormant oil. Most people have these ingredients on hand so why buy something special. I just mix 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of liquid hand soap. I will spray all the branches making sure to coat them. This basically suffocates any little pests that decided to make my trees home through the winter. Last fall I noticed some aphids so I am counting on this to get rid of them.

4. I will also give the trees a good fertilizing with compost. You can buy it or create your own. I absolutely love composting. Right now we just have a pile in the back yard, but I am very interested in starting a wormery. There are great little set ups that even have a spigot that can pour out a great worm tea that I just know my plants would enjoy. Ah... maybe this will be a new project.

5. The last thing I need to do is to remulch. I will create a circle with a one yard diameter around each tree. This will discourage the weeds and grass from creeping in. I certainly don't want them getting the benefit of the compost I just added. My trees are greedy - they want it all. And they certainly deserve it; after all, they will provide my family with fresh fruit for many years to come.

Well its definitely going to be a busy weekend. Hope the trees appreciate it. I better get started!

Spring

Every place has its own signs that spring is on the way. Here near the salt marshes of the Chesapeake Bay it is the sounds of thousands of waterfowl stopping for a rest on their journey northward. It is also the chorus of peepers each evening. One that brings an immediate smile to me, however, is the sea of yellow daffodils that dot the countryside. I can not help but share the joy that William Wordsworth felt while walking with his sister all those many years ago when he wrote his famous poem in 1804 - Daffodils.

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.