Christine Eirschele's Blog

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Vegetable gardening is going to be a big deal in 2009. Already last year, plant sellers were seeing a rise in vegetable plants and seeds being purchased by gardeners. The financial problems around the world will make growing fruit and vegetables the primary way to garden.

I am thinking of ways to make the best use of my space to grow a few more edible plants. That can include herbs and flowers or plants that look pretty but can be eaten. Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ has been around for a while but still is popular for its colorful stalks. I saw it planted at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio. They combined it with Nicotiana, an inexpensive planting but dramatic and useful too.

Those who know me know I rant about container gardening often; I just cannot help it. If you have never grown vegetables because you do not want to give up the flower garden space or you don’t have an outside garden at all, now is the time to try container gardening. The number of cultivars available every year grows (pardon the pun.) There just is no excuse not to grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, or pick any vegetable you want.

Do not like vegetables? Then try blueberries in a container. There are many types now and some plants developed in Minnesota, are meant to over-winter even in cold climates.

Of course, you do not have to grow one type of plant. In a large container, grow a vegetable then add an herb, perhaps something you may use to cook the vegetable with, and a flower. The flower can be fragrant, edible or trail over the side of the pot.

Check out the trellis type stands which sit in a large pot, has a pole and, affixed at the top, another pot for more planting. Small cherry tomatoes or more herbs can be growing above, meanwhile saving the lower larger pot for plants that need more space. Vertical gardening is one way to extend gardens.

You will see ideas for growing fruit and vegetables on the increase this coming year. Frequently, visit my garden writing sites to find more ideas while planning your gardens. Growing vegetables saves money, improves your health with greater access to fresher food and gardening is an exercise that is a fun and interesting hobby too.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Here is a run down of plants I wrote about in 2008. Additional inspiration for next year’s garden:

Daylilies

My favorite plant because it is easy to grow, attracts butterflies, some have fragrance, and comes in a multitude of colors and sizes. At least one can be tucked in any garden.

Hostas

You may still consider hosta a shade plant. But today there are cultivars that push the envelope into slightly sunnier conditions. I am cautious when suggesting a shade plant to a gardener with obviously sunny space. Please try one to see what works before buying more and follow all the plant’s culture needs.

Iris

No matter where you live, any gardener can have one type of iris. The trick is in knowing which one. If you live in a damp environment and your garden is swampy, don’t grow bearded iris. But there are Japanese, crested or Siberian irises to check out.

Northern Gardens

It is no secret that I write primarily from the viewpoint of a northern gardener. It is where I gained most of my garden experience. For example, prickly pear is not found just in the south. Native cactus is a viable plant for cold regions of the United States.

We like to push the limits of gardening too, as with roses. My parents were two gardeners who devoted much of their urban garden space to hybrid tea roses, arguably the fussiest roses to grow.

There is a case to be made for native plants in a northern garden for dependability. Like northern people, cold hardy plants know what to expect when it gets below zero.

Sustainable Gardening

The new catchword in gardening will be sustainability. As global warming’s obvious affects are felt everywhere, conserving resources in your garden will begin with growing plants that use less water and fertilize.

Native plants and cultivars of native plants should be first on a gardener’s plant list. Then consider plants that were always labeled drought tolerant.

Drought Tolerant Plants

Of all categories, remember this phrase – drought tolerant plants. In the coming years this phrase will matter regardless where or how you garden. But plants that have duel purposes, drought tolerant plants that attract pollinators for example, are bonus plants giving you greater bang for your buck.

Pollinators

I wrote about butterflies, hummingbirds and dragonflies this year. Check out how to attract them to your garden.

And, although these are very important to the planet and local gardens, bees are in serious danger, too. Look for more plants that attract bees, meanwhile leave a little clover in your lawn for this life-sustaining creature.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

I took a trip to my nation’s capitol the early part of November. It was an opportune time; given a U.S. election had just finished. I was never in Washington D.C. before and was surprised to see so many green trees and flowers still blooming.

Washington D.C prides itself on the number of street trees they have, and there is a lot for an urban city. The Ginkgo biloba trees seemed popular. They make sense because they turn a pretty yellow color and when ready to drop the leaves, it is done quickly. Along the street many of them were under-planted with lilyturf and pansies or violas.

Liriope spicata, commonly called creeping lilyturf, is an evergreen grass-like, low growing, low maintenance plant that will have light violet colored flowers in August. At the Vietnam Memorial I saw it used in big swaths instead of lawn turf.

The Andrew Mellon walkway near the Federal Triangle is a beautiful place to stop after long walks. At night, a rest on one of the benches beneath the Linden trees strung with twinkle lights was a peaceful moment.

My favorite place was Lafayette Park, across from the White House. It is canopied with trees and fountains where ducks seemed welcome. It was near there I first heard a street musician singing a lullaby to a baby sleeping in the carriage and mom standing by.

Of course, monuments were everywhere, in remembrance of a person, place or passage of time. Also, everywhere homeless people could be seen making homes out of what others discarded. It was quite a study in contrast to see people making a “bed” out of a bench sleeping across from the “people’s house,” the White House.

I saw beautiful big begonia plants, of course mums planted around the White House. Gardeners visiting the Washington D.C. area should check out the United States Botanic Garden. No matter the weather the conservatory will be worth the time.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Here are holiday gift ideas for gardeners on your shopping list. Garden books are great holiday gifts for people who make plants and soil part of their everyday lives. On my list, I have free or low cost, sometimes used gifts. I highly recommend giving these ideas a second thought.

New Garden Books

My favorite all time new garden book is Planthropology: The Myths, Mysteries and Miracles of My Garden Favorites by Ken Druse. This is truly a plant book any gardener, new or seasoned, will appreciate. It has many big photographs and an excellent index to navigate your way around the book. Putting it down after reading it for the millionth time was my challenge.

Another plant book is Seed to Elegance: Kentia Palms of Norfolk Island South Pacific by Kevin Williams. This book is about the history of one plant and how it became a popular houseplant. Indoor gardeners will love this small soft-covered book. Purchasing a palm to go with this book will make a thoughtful holiday garden gift.

One of my first plants was a coleus. Today, I would recommend coleus for any new gardener. Of course, once we are hooked, gardeners are immersed into the plant collector’s world. That makes Coleus: Rainbow Foliage for Containers and Gardens by Ray Rogers a good choice for any gardener.

I think many excellent garden books are found in used bookstores. Unless the information is outdated or never was any good, used books are as valuable to me as any with a shiny new cover. So please, consider these ideas.

Container Gardeners

In gardening, my heart still belongs to the urban gardener who carves out a place to grow plants. As an advocate for container gardening, I encourage someone looking for a book for a new gardener to consider one by Rebecca Cole.

My favorite garden author is Rebecca Cole because I love her philosophy about small space gardening. First out in 1997, Potted Gardens helped confirm that I was not the only one on the planet who saw possibilities for gardeners in the city. Finding this book may take a while, but it is worth the search.

Cozy Mysteries for Gardeners

There are many mystery sleuths in the book world. One of my favorite authors has been Ann Ripley. Besides an interesting amateur detective/TV garden show host character, the author includes real life garden information in the back of each book. They are fun to read and a low cost choice since most come in paperback. I have found Ann Ripley books on Amazon.com or at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Amaryllis Plants

Amaryllis is a great alternative to the poinsettia for holiday plants. Amaryllis are easy to grow and can be regrown outside in summer.

Free Garden Publication

An interesting garden gift idea came to me when I saw an offer for a free 54-page publication called “Citizens Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety.” By the Environmental Protection Agency, online, it includes sections on integrated pest management strategies and using beneficial insects. Use a color printer to get the multicolored graphics, hole punch the papers and insert into a plastic binder. Presto, a holiday gift for new gardeners. Not for organic gardeners, but useful for families with children that are first time homeowners.

Garden Tools

The best garden tool I saw this year is the bulb planter designed and sold by White Flower Farm. It is red, 40 inches high (no bending required) and made with a heavy-duty stainless steal blade. Pricey at $84.95 but for a gardener who loves bulbs in their garden, this is well worth considering for holiday giving.

For gardeners who are seed-savers, check out herb and spice stores for small airtight containers to keep seeds clean and dry. My dad would save glass baby food jars, attach the lids to the bottom of a shelf. Another idea is to find a second hand kitchen cabinet. On the day of the gift exchange, offer to hang it in a cool dark location. This is an excellent garden gift for someone who loves to collect seeds, pods or dried plant material for crafts.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

No, there is no buried treasure in my garden but we are all in the same boat with the rest of the world. We need to save money. So creating gardens now days calls for some gardening techniques that saves all our resources. We have heard the words sustainable gardens, native plants, wildflower or prairie plantings and, now, rain or xeriscape gardening

Essentially, rain and xeriscape gardening are 21^st century terms. Not that they were not around before, but they are far more mainstream these days. Now you are not apt to get labeled a “tree hugger” by using them. I never minded being thought of as a tree lover, but sometimes it put other gardeners off, you know, being cubby-holed with granola munchers.

Rain and xeriscape terms are related to conserving water, as in desert gardens of the southwest growing drought tolerant plants or preserving ground water quality by growing native plants in a rain garden. I think sustainable gardening is a broader term directed at conserving resources, requiring less intensive maintenance by us and attracting wildlife. I am seeing sustainable gardens everywhere planted with some forms of natives, because conserving is everyone’s issue.

Using native plants is not only for wildflower gardens or prairies. Try using some natives in manicured garden beds or containers. You can do this by planting the cultivars of the native plant, developed especially for small garden spaces. In parts of Wisconsin and Ohio, the prickly pear cactus has species considered a native plant able to withstand cold regions, is drought tolerant and attracts pollinating bees, a great starting point when developing a sustainable garden in the north.

So, use whatever term you want. Now is the time to plan a garden that uses regional plants equipped to readily conserve water and fertilizers, require less up keep and attract wildlife that will pollinate and thrive, this is the meaning of a cost saving garden.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

It’s the end of another gardening season by all outward appearances. The tomato plants are picked over and haggard looking and potted plants are tumbling over their rims. But I know, and most self-respecting gardeners know, that September out in the garden can be one of the busiest months of the year.

We need one last push of instant gratification, gardener’s style, to get us through the cold winter months. I search through local garden centers for asters, mums and ornamental cabbage. For me, the perfect companions to my orange and yellow marigolds hanging on in the garden bed are the purples. As traditional as they might be, fall colors mean orange and purple to me.

Another traditional garden plant is the pansy or viola. For northern gardeners, the pansies that tolerate freezing temperatures and able to come back in spring is a big attraction. Now is the time to plant them for one last look at color and anticipate their blooms in spring.

If you haven’t already done it, remember to bring in geraniums and coleus you wish to save over winter. These plants can be kept for next year, at the same time dressing up your indoor garden.

Outside another garden project is planting those bearded iris and peonies you want to see in your garden next spring. Remember to mark the location of new perennials, after you have planted them.

It isn't too late for bulb planting. Those tulips like to be planted as late in the season as possible and avoid an Indian Summer pop.

September is a great month for gardening. It is possible to still see so much blooming in the garden while making plans for gardens to come. Then get out and see autumn's other treasures like last visits to your favorite garden center and pumpkin hunting. Who knows what ideas you will come away with for next year's gardens.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Gardening is most associated with sunshine and summertime. But gardeners are individuals and we are as varied as the plants we grow. For me, the hot hazy humid Midwest days of late summer are my least favorite times to be rummaging in my outside garden.

It is for days like these, I save time to be indoors writing in my garden journal. Up to now, during my daily morning garden strolls with my dachshund, I like making mental notes of what I see. The flowers that bloomed well, plants that should be moved and potted plants in my container garden looking tired out, growing too big, perhaps some too perfect. Is there such a thing?

I like to track the weather; too much rain early on, dry crunchy grass now and special events like the bee sting I received last week. The first time in my life, I might add. During the dead of winter these garden notes will help me plan next year’s gardens.

Seasons and gardens are always evolving but exactly what occurred and some musings about why are worth remembering. Soon fall will be upon us and autumn gardens can be refreshed with splashes of purples and oranges or make room indoors for over wintering plants and dig in some bulbs for the beginning of spring.

Meanwhile, I hope my garden musings will offer new and interesting ideas and inspiration. Soon the leaves turn as colorful as a garden full of flowers, I will be outside gardening with a comfy flannel shirt on refreshed by fall breezes, one of my favorite times of the year.