Picket Fences



It's that kind of year, where I tell everyone who stops how early things are blooming this year. Whether it's really early or not, I do not know -just seems early to me. The Allium sphaerocephalon I remember as July, but then last year it was cool and wet.

Same goes for the Russian sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia. Surely this is blooming early in my garden? Isn't this July/August? Too floppy either way, the New Dawn over hanging it.

Ahh, the picket fence I made out of 7 pieces of scrap wood. Cut those pickets myself don't you know. This is to keep flying garbage pails out of the garden, after a lost lily and broken asters convinced me it was necessary.

Speaking of lilies, the oranges are blooming in every location now, although these are a little larger and less recurved than those on the other side of the front garden.


Much Needed Rain Today


But on the day I chose to move my art from storage. Drats!


I actually had to water the Eupatorium yesterday. I do not believe I have ever watered this plant -that's how dry it's been. We've been missing all our chances at late spring (ok, really summer) thundershowers -passing to the north, the south of NYC. So the water is welcome, very welcome.

My studio was here for three years.

And now is here for...

Art really belongs in proper storage -not the place you stow your plastic lawn furniture and unused snow tires. All my paintings will be moved into the new studio, placed on a proper rack that I have yet to build. These are June projects. It took me a full year to find a permanent studio, and I am happy to say it's a better one (it has a window) and in the right location for me.


Do You Work Here?


Man looking at roses: "What can I do about black spot on my roses?"

Frank: "Live with it"

Man looking at me -blankly.

Frank: "Check inside, I'm sure we have a fungicidal spray."

____________________________________

Man drives up in a big pickup, has straw hat.

Frank "You look ready for some serious gardening"

Man in straw hat: What do you know about weeds?"

Frank: "Some, try me"

Man in straw hat: "I've got plantains in my lawn, why?"

Frank: "Plantains thrive in compacted earth and produce bazillions of seeds"

Man in straw hat: "But it doesn't look compacted to me"

Make long story short: How big, how do you use, what kind of grass, did you seed it, how long ago, mow schedule, hmmn, rototill, black plastic, wait till autumn, add compost, reseed, stay off, corn gluten meal, internet....

Man in straw hat: "Nahh, I don't think so."

Frank: "or just use some weed and feed"

Chemical solutions are the easy answer that I find difficult to give, but end up giving anyway.

The Borage Report



The side yard. The cosmos are to the right. That leafy plant center bottom is borage -I got seeds for free from the BBG. Alyssum in the path. Evening primrose in yellow.

The borage is about to flower. Apparently it can be eaten and has medicinal properties. Also, it is said to have positive effects on nearby tomatoes and legumes. How lucky for me to have tomatoes and beans planted right next! Notice all the little spiny hairs -they don't quite sting like nettle.
The tomatoes are growing rapidly (is it the borage?). To the bottom right, brandywine, the center top, sweet 100 cherry, and to the left an unknown orange variety given to me by a neighbor.

The brandywine is putting out flowers rather early (is it the borage?).

The Italian flat leaf parsley has sprouted -we put it in kind of late (not the borage).


They're Baaa-aaack




My first blood offering

Yes, the loathsome Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has reared its head in the side yard. I was hoping the loss of the yew tree and its shady habitat would diminish these buggers, but I knew there was little hope. The difficulty with the Asian Tiger is that it is not crepuscular like most mosquitoes in our region. The female will hunt for her blood meal (to develop her eggs) at any time during the day.


I have noticed less of them in the sunniest of locations and have attributed this to their preferred native woodland habitat. In previous years they rested under the tomato leaves. This leaves me cursing my decision to plant three this year! As soon as I enter the garden, they swarm, dozens making chase, some landing, quietly sucking my oxidized, liquid protein.


I am interested in this not so new compound developed from nepeta or catnip which appears to repel mosquitoes. I wonder what the cats will think?


What's Still Blooming



The geranium is still blooming, along with the heuchera or coral bells.

Rosa 'New Dawn' is still blooming, although a little more raggedy than a week ago.

Sidalcea has been blooming for about a week now.

Gaura is beginning to take off.

These lilies are waning.

But these are coming on strong.

Florida



The truck.

I just returned from moving my mother, sister, and brother in law to Florida - outside Orlando, to its west. They moved down there for a variety of reasons, although the most prominent being economic. It gets harder to explain beyond this and so will leave it at that.

The road.

The real estate agent couldn't open the door to the rental, so I focused on the lawn while walking the property. It was really not much of a lawn, if grass is what you think of when you hear the word lawn. The agent was firm about the fact that the new tenants would be responsible for mowing the lawn. I corrected her, twice - "the weeds, you mean?"

If I was in a different state of mind or had the time for photography during the move I would have taken photos of all the flowering plants I had seen. Especially those in the lawn. If one were to mow, the flowering plants would be replaced by jagged-cut stems and some smaller-leaved, prostrate versions of the very same plants. I imagined sharp stabbings underfoot, wondering which was worse -that or the fire ants.

The sunshine state.

I couldn't even begin to name the plants I saw, although one flower looked quite like what we would call Lantana, emitting a spicy, minty scent when I had torn the leaves. Other plants familiar to me that are blooming now in Florida are Crape Myrtle and Oleander. These, of course, are everywhere along roads, train tracks, home and commercial landscapes.

Welcome center palms.

The Florida property is small, maybe 1/8 an acre, slopes downward toward a small lake or large pond. The front yard has a young Live Oak and another tree I could not identify. The back yard slopes strongly toward the water's edge where there is some surface algae and, that day, a stone-stiff heron. I heard strange birds in the pond-side trees. I imagined building a small dock for a canoe and definitely a vegetable garden.

The Florida climate is nothing like ours, in New York. I was excited about all the new plants I could grow if it were me moving there. I hope my sister takes up some sort of gardening. It helps make a home out of a rental.



Hot Day Today, Changes Afoot


Hot early, high pressure pumping up warm, humid air -classic summertime pattern a wee bit early. That means many of the flowers will begin to fade, especially the roses.

Yesterday, after much looking, my wife and I bought a used 1993 Previa minivan -from a small lot in Brick, NJ. While invested in the idea of not having a carbon-munching vehicle in NYC for the last three years, we finally concluded that we needed it to move our art around. It had been increasingly difficult to affordably and confidently rent vehicles at the last minute. While my dreams were for a new pickup, wagon, or van that got 55mpg, my reality is a used minivan with 150 thousand miles on it. I did my homework, though. The Previa's engine can go to 300K without much trouble, the interior can fit a 4x8 piece of plywood (the gold standard), all while appearing somewhat new due to its funky egg-shaped styling. Due to an unknown tax-credit (the Make Work Pay Credit-part of the stimulus plan), we received double the return that we were expecting, so that we like to say that President Obama bought us our minivan. Thanks Mr. President.

Tomorrow I begin packing my mother, sister and brother-in-law's home for their move to Florida. On Friday, we set out on the road in a 24 foot truck to somewhere near Orlando. I've never been, and certainly never been so close to Disney. I should bring my camera. Posts, however, will be slim to none over the next week. Enjoy the warm weather, this weekend is supposed to be spectacular.


Work On The Side Yard Continues



Pots I haven't used since my greenhouse project.

The pathway, not quite what I had in mind now that it is framed by wooden planters. The stones to the left keep the cats from scatting and squirrels from scratching. Seeded alyssum between.

Dicentra eximia and fern doing quite well in its new spot.

The basil.

The greens, soon to be bush beans.

The tomatoes. One brandywine, two I don't knows, and to the right, unseen, a cherry tomato. I said I wouldn't, but I did. But three instead of eight.

The sage.

Mint thinned and re-potted.

The chives, oregano, and thyme, iris and greens, primrose and fence.


Lily



Last summer I bought a bunch of lilies. I'm always trying to order the martagons too late -sold out. Last year, I was on top of it. I bought too many, planting them all over the place. I accidentally chopped a couple up when changing the side yard around. An overzealous trash pail tosser took another out the other day. Yet there's so many growing quite vigorously, and most will be a total surprise -I can't recall what I ordered a year ago. Below, some of the many.

Of course, there's brother-in-law's asiatic, holding its own against an army of millefolium yarrow.

The broken lily. It now sits in water -as if it was mature enough to bloom.

This one is about 32 inches and survived the trash pail toss.

I bought wood the other day. I will make a picket fence to block the flying pails.

This lily is about 40 inches tall.

These I've had for two years, and bloom later. Easily 4 feet when blooming.

These are new and live in the aster patch. Already 3 feet tall.

The first of the new lilies to flower. Lilliputian compared to the others at 18 inches tall.

Lilies are at the top of the garden food chain. Cultivated, rarefied, the elites of the garden.


Return To Fort Tilden



Last Thursday my wife and I took a day. I decided that I wanted to see how much the gardens at Ft. Tilden had changed since last year and since this winter, when they granted me the consolation of 12th place in line for a plot.

Being that we were traveling south, why not stop at Di Fara for a few slices.

Two buses from Ave. J behind us, the first thing we notice is the incredibly sweet smell of the weedy olive trees. They were everywhere along the shore; the onshore breeze carrying the scent inland.

I spotted this tiny-flowered weed at the edge of the garden. Don't know what it is.

The garden hadn't changed much, excepting what naturally changes season to season.

The weeds were down, starting anew.

I began wondering about my 12th place in line. Did I want it?

I could grow a lot of vegetables in this plot.

I thought this one maybe, with its easy-to-pull weeds and tree to shade my rest.

Some plots were cleared, adjacent to those uncleared.

Which probably explains the rubber mat gardener, wary of weeds I suppose.

This is a bean field -no rows, no nothin.

This gardener had nice looking lettuce, but had planted their tomatoes as if they were lettuce.


After checking out the garden, we strolled over to the beach. The onshore breeze was strong, kicking up waves. I found two horseshoe crabs, rather unusual I thought on the south shore.


This one was still fresh, uncleaned by the creatures of the beach.

The rugosa were in bloom.



Nursery Business



Today is my third Saturday at the corner nursery. I joined thinking I'd be able to contribute something positive, be informative. What I've learned is that this is business, and business is one hundred percent about sales, and sales must be fast, many, and big. That pleases Business. Sales God commands that I avoid confusing the customer with details, with the gray area. Do not say more than needs to be said. Don't sell them the wrong plant, mind you, don't lead them astray. But don't tell them about root pruning the fig they really want to put in a pot, just tell them it's best to put it in the ground. Don't confuse them with southerly facing walls, just tell them it's best to wrap the fig in November.

In general I would say most customers at the nursery are repeat customers, buying the same thing they bought last year. They require little to no assistance, unless something is missing. They are buying annuals, hanging baskets, and vegetables -rarely big sales. Trees and shrubs would be big sales and although I am pretty sure J&L is not the place people think of for these things, he does stock a small selection: peach, apple, plum, crape myrtle, cherry, japanese maple, magnolia, birch, rhododendron, azalea, laurel, boxwood, etc, etc.

I wish Larry carried more perennials, interesting varieties, arranged by sun or shade- typical but efficient. It would be helpful if his quart perennials, the best deal in town at 3 for $10, were not so often root-bound. Why so cheap anyway? I found a gardening neighbor looking through them, and I mentioned to her how good of a deal it is. Her response, and rightly so, was that they are all root-bound. Any gardener knows how to deal with this, but why not sell healthy plants at $6.99? It's still lower priced than any other outlet, Home Depot excepted (I can only assume). I suspect it has something to do with where he gets his plants, long-standing business relationships, and Larry's ideas about what our neighborhood will tolerate in terms of plant prices.

Well, I'm out to plant the bush beans, then off to the nursery for my day's work.


New Dawn



New Dawn has exploded while I was away.

And this year it is looking perfect. A man pulled up and asked if I could snip one for his wife.

I wish I had a better place to place it, as it climbs so eagerly, and flops so easily.




Confidence Inspiring...


From a BP senior vice president:

"The first chance to choke off the flow for good should come in about a week. Engineers plan to shoot heavy mud into the crippled blowout preventer on top of the well, then permanently entomb the leak in concrete. If that doesn't work, crews also can shoot golf balls and knotted rope into the nooks and crannies of the device to plug it, Wells said."


That's the plan?


I can imagine the casual friday meeting, maybe on a yacht:


VP: So, uh, what's our course of action in a blowout?


Manager: Well, our first course of action is definitely the large metal cap. If that doesn't work, maybe another kind of metal cap -just smaller.


VP: And if the caps don't work?


Manager: After that, well, mud has shown some promise.


VP: Well, what we really need here is a hole-in-one.


Manager: You know, you may have something there. We could try shooting golf balls into the well!


Nearby Sailor: Aye, matey -don't forget the knotted ropes, nutin plugs a hole like the knotted ropes!

See the whole article here.

Cram Is My Middle Name



Overflowing front yard.

Where the work is. The side yard has a lot still going on. On the bottom left and right we have seedlings from seeds we sowed about two weeks ago. I've been weeding that area weekly. Above are two rectangular boxes that will be for bush beans -our most productive crop. Right now, one is filled with mixed greens. Above that are the irises, moved a month and a half ago, all flowers rotted before bloom. To the right of those, the evening primrose I pulled from a field in Maine 5 years ago. They will bloom on time, this weekend. Climbing hydrangea on the fence line.

On the far left are one of three boxes for tomatoes where the yew tree had been. Pots of herbs, including sage, mint, chives, oregano, thyme, and eventually parsley and basil. Birdhouse given to us by my brother in law two years ago, painted yesterday by my wife, will go on the old telephone pole you see dead center top. Two small-leafed blue hostas upper right, along with some phlox from the front yard, two lilies, aconitum, st. john's wort slowly reviving itself, a seedling sedum, coneflower, gaura, lily turf, and Johnson's blue geranium. Whew!

To the left of the birdhouse: one aster, three ferns, dicentra eximia, daylilies, tickseed, another johnson's blue geranium, and some phlox from the front yard. The two pink flowering plants are the dames rocket I don't mention (deadheading, deadheading). Alyssum seeds were strewn between the path stones. Of course, patio in center. Cram is my middle name.





Question


A reader recently sent me these two photos of their young tomatoes. The two images below are of a couple of plants from their container garden in Manhattan.

The question was about the tan spots on the lower leaves.
I think this is simply environmental damage from shifting the tender plants to the outdoors. I think this because the spots are tan, not circular, only on the old leaves, and I do not see other signs of damage. If they follow up, I'll find out if it's continuing to happen- that would change my opinion.

Any ideas?


Sickness Is Boredom




I've been sick with a cold and sinus infection for about 6 days now. Friday's visit to the doctor granted me the antibiotics I need to get this behind me. My job ensures that the sickness will linger, because I cannot take off to recuperate. It's finals, students are streaming in like fast- moving zombies. Working with students is a little like having 50 kids -you keep hearing your name called out while you are busy with something or someone else. They hover until you focus on their problem. You're doing the same thing all day, and it beings to seem incomprehensible that students are unprepared. I do not gripe at any teacher who needs their summers off. You need it to restore your balance after having so much need directed toward you. I wish I had the same opportunity, though, my chair just informed me that I will have to work until August 12.

I was supposed to travel out to my mom's today for mother's day. Instead, I'm staying in, getting that last bit of respite before I have to go back to work tomorrow. It will be 10 hours with the students tomorrow and Wednesday. Worse yet, we will have double the need both days because a student worker inadvertently signed up two students for every machine. We're in for it. The chaos will, I hope, not stress me out to the point of sickness re-constituting itself. Two weeks to go. Two weeks to go.

It seems a nice day out today, despite the wind. After some chicken soup (thankyou Betsy), I will step out and look at the garden. I need to get out of the house, off the couch. Sickness is boredom of the mind and body -even food becomes tasteless.

The growing conditions have been such that everything has been getting rather out of hand. I will need to get my hand back in there, with the pruner, with the twine.

All too many plants and way out of control. Spiderwort, two types of lilies, phlox, three kinds of aster, rudbeckia, sidalcea, and daylilies in this image. Asters will need to be roped-in and cut back. Lilies will need to be straightened up. When summer heat and humidity comes, this population density may turn into disease and decline.

I hacked the knockout rose hard, but it is hard to knock out. Coming back with vengeance.

'New Dawn' is beginning to bloom.

This year it is a monster, way too heavy for its skimpy trellis.

The honeysuckle is blooming, way on top of the rose. It lived here before the rose was plunked down, and has managed to hang on above the rose. I'd move it if I could get to it.

Grandma's tea is blooming more than ever, longer-lived flowers for these cooler days.

Please help me ID this probable weed. I imagine it gets little white and yellow ray flowers. I let it get huge this year, sucker that I am waiting to find out what it is. Gray-green stems, no prickers, upright habit.

Sad-sackery. The tomato seedlings got neglected due to my sickness. I went out today and there they were -all wilty. Watered them and put them in front of the pinks.

The yarrow is about to pop and, as always, is taking up more and more space. Needs to be tied up.

Cool Mornings



geranium

This morning its quite lovely in the garden. Cooler air, the plants flush from all the rains. The asters are at least 2 feet tall, and the buds are growing on the lilies. Like clockwork, the evening primrose is holding off till its time -I think it flowers by day length. The allium buds are set, geraniums in full bloom, grandma's tea is blooming more than ever, and New Dawn is about to explode.

I'm up early today -well, early for me. My wife is moving sculpture up to Rochester, NY. It was a fiasco trying to get a vehicle that would fit her odd shaped objects and fit into our budget (its the mileage charges!). We ended up renting two vehicles because the first couldn't hold her things without severe damage to the car and her sculptures. I was all over town yesterday, finally finding a rental place with an available mini van at that moment.

We have been looking into buying a used mini van, but our savings are just not enough to find a van that is decent enough to trust taking on these regional art deliveries, not to mention our Minnesota trip twice a year. My mother is moving to Florida in the last week of May -all the more reason to seek out a vehicle. But the truth is that renting a car is still much cheaper when we factor in repairs, insurance, and the cost of the vehicle, inspection, registration. It's simply the convenience of having the van available when we have to move art that is compelling us to look. Practicality has reigned as well, having to chuck my wish for a 60mpg vehicle, and a new one -can't do that.

Everything I have looked at from Craigslist has been a bomb, or a cheat, in our price range. The city really is the worst place to look for a variety of reasons. So, I will march on looking for a vehicle -because in two months we'll have to pick up the artwork from Rochester.

Grandma's tea.

The iris never like being transplanted in the spring, which I did because we re-arranged the space along with the patio. This rotting flower is the result of that and the rains. Better luck next year.

This morning I weeded the seedling bed, removed the mesh too. The cat's will shit and the squirrels will dig, so they're on their own now. At this stage, its easy to tell the weed sprout from the cultivated sprout because I am really familiar with the weed colonies in this spot.

The dame's rocket in front of the ever spreading mint (in its pot!). Wait -don't shoot! That's what I say before I photo the dame's rocket and put it on the blog. I'm taking the middle ground until our two plants croak -religious deadheading of the flowers. It has become "naturalized" in the lower Hudson Valley, and has been banned in CT and MA. Still, J&L has two for sale in gallon pots -and the question always is: "are these phlox?" To which I say -"four petals hesperis, 5 petals phlox, spring blooming hesperis, summer blooming phlox." And then -"you probably shouldn't buy these, but may I interest you in some pink phlox?"

Tradescantia, or spiderwort, likes the cool, wet days. In summer heat, it fries -yet comes back aggressively every year in my garden. I end up pulling it (but it breaks at the ground -must dig it up!).

The herb pot. Chives, oregano, thyme, and the cup of tomatoes I got from a neighbor.

The flowering chives.

Up close.