The Garden Buzz

Competitive Small-Space Strawberry Growing: Do I Stand a Chance?

The challenge was simple enough. Grow three strawberry plants in a creative manner that maximizes space and produces lots of of berries. Then blog about it. The grower/blogger best following those requirements with the largest number of comments and questions wins an iPad.

Of course, I have to say that this challenge was presented to the garden bloggers that attended Garden2Blog this spring by the Corona Tool Company. They sent us 3 bare root Tribute Strawberry plants from Stark Bros (the fruit tree people), a Corona Trowel and their best wishes for a spirited competition, all meant to bring awareness that even the smallest of places can be put to use for a delicious treat.

It's been fun to see all the different approaches by all the bloggers involved. Jenny Peterson, The Mulch Maven down in Austin, Texas planted hers in a hayrack windowbox decorated with wine corks and a mystical looking ceramic mushroom, Chicago's Shawna Coronado of The Casual Gardener repurposed lighting fixtures and built a futuristic Strawberry planter, while Jackie d"Elia placed hers in edgy steel wall planters. You can see everyone's progress on the Corona Strawberry Fields facebook page.

Of course I think that Shawna will win because beyond her great garden solution she has a gazillion facebook friends to vote her through!

Me? I started behind since I do live in Minnesota where we had a wet, crappy, cold, did I mention crappy, spring followed by a spate of blistering 103 degree days in June. Even the commercial growers have thrown in the towel according to a local news report about the short and so-so strawberry season here up north.

I guess I don't have any competitive streak when it comes to gardening, my style's a little lazy and definitely laissez-faire and by default, organic. My approach is usually low-key and simple.

June 10, a promising start...

So I used an old wooden box I found laying around the garage that was labeled Dow's Vintage Port. Remembering an old world recipe for strawberries macerated with sugar and soaked in port, I felt it fitting. Kind of like coming full circle with a touch of recycling too.

I planted them in a mixture of potting soil and compost along with Jobe's Organic Fertilizer. And then I left town for two weeks.

My strawberries sulked through the cold weather, then sweated the heat and actually sputtered out a few berries. I figured that was the end.

June 30, a few berries, is that all there is?

The rules said grow them "naturally", so I refrained from giving them a shot of Miracle-Gro, and brewed up a bucket of Moo-Poo Manure Tea made by cattle rancher Annie Haven (we grew up a mile from each other in CA but only met in Arkansas as fellow garden bloggers, small world, huh?). That seemed to perk them up and put on more foliage.

The beginnings of more berries...

Next up on the weather menu: torrential rains, and then mind-boggling heat. A week of tropical, dew-point busting, humid, hot weather the likes of which had never been seen or felt with heat indices over 110 in Minnesota!  I watered the berries with that rainwater saved in trashcans mixed with some Herb & Vegetable Plant Food that the nice folks at Bonnie Plants sent me to trial. 

Meanwhile the Japanese beetles thought they looked pretty tasty too. I plucked them off into soapy water and then sent them to a grisly death in the garbage disposer.

July 25, buds, blooms and berries galore...

And well, wouldn't you know...the plants are not only producing runners, but flowers and baby berries. I love how they are draped over the table and dangling like jewels from the vines. I just may have a bumper crop of berries after all!

Strawberry Fields Project in progress, and behind that a raised bed from Green Gardener where I'm growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil and a few cukes.

Vote for The Garden Buzz by leaving a comment or question on this blog post if you like my interpretation of small-space food-growing. Who knows, Mama might win an iPad! 

 

Alpine Strawberries: A LIttle Sumpin' Sumpin'

This is not the first time I've blogged about Alpine Strawberries and it probably won't be the last. They are the little berry that could. That certain "je ne sais quoi" in your cereal. A little sumpin' sumpin' for your Cheerios.

And so much more.

Otherwise known as Fragaria vesca, woodland strawberry or fraises des bois (frays-day-bwah), the Alpine Strawberry was first transplanted from the wild in Europe and into domestic gardens centuries ago. 

Thomas Jefferson brought these plants in his baggage on the ship back from France in 1789 and later wrote to James Monroe that the Alpine strawberry was "one of three objects you should endeavor to enrich our country with". I don't know about the other two objects. But you get his drift.

These are not strawberries destined for the jam jar. They are small and delicate fruits that you cup gently in your hand or balance in your berry basket as you pick. They are prolific but not meant for massive yields like conventional strawberries. As Jefferson also wrote "it would take acres to yield a dish". There he sounds a bit cynical, and overstates their tiny aspect.

Although once they start producing, you can find enough of berries to include them in tarts, salads, baked goods and such.

I err on the side of abundance when I grow these easy little plants. I started them from seed when I used them for edible edging in my Kansas kitchen garden. I loved combining them with the dark fruits of our mulberry trees on top of lemon cheese tarts back then as well.

Their exotic perfumed taste is not as acidic as a regular strawberry keep in mind. They are most delectable showcased where you can appreciate them for their ephemeral nature. Or just eat them every time you pass by the plant like I do.

The 18" wide and 12' tall mounded plants have fresh green foliage and dainty flowers similar to regular berries. Here in Minnesota I dot them among perennials in my courtyard beds. Because they are runnerless, the landscaping possibilities are numerous. They have few pests and require just average water and a bit of fertilizer. They are easily divided to make more plants as they get fuller.

One word of caution: There are numerous cultivars available with all shades of delicious nuance in their flavor profile. There are even white ones with deep flavor. Be sure though, that whatever type you try, the berries are the small but long conical shape.

Unnamed varieties with small round berries are completely flavorless and produce runners, pretty useless plants. Make sure you see or ask about the berry shape and origin before mail ordering plants. As they become better known more local sources show up. 

Starting them from seed is not difficult but advanced, the seeds need prechilling in some instances, I remember starting mine in a flat outdoors in spring where they received the fluctuating temps that help some seeds to germinate. You should consult individual seed packet instructions. They are worth the effort.

Alpine strawberries can tolerate a little shade and also make great container plants.

Mine are self seeding this year with all the extra rain. I'll be nursing them along and then transplanting to good locations, increasing my quantities this way. I may not get an acre, but I'll have plenty of berries, Mr. Jefferson. Thanks for endeavoring to stow them in your luggage!

Breakfast blogging...                                                  The Garden Buzz

 

 

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: July 15, 2011

Whoosh! That's me shifting gears right now for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. From foliage to flowers, that is. I just spent the morning interviewing a talented landscape consultant and scouting photos in her incredibly clever garden. Rather than relying on bursts of bloom to carry her design through the season, she employs a wide variety of foliage from perennials, grasses, shrubs and even veggies that exert a steady and beautiful influence on her yard.

But back to blooms.

Bouncing between heat waves and thunderstorms, my garden is both suffering and thriving. Here's a smattering of what's happening...

Zinnias, the essence of summer bloom, with the frothy seedheads of Deschampsia "Hair Grass" in the background. Having fun with my iPhone camera for this shot.                    The Garden Buzz

Marigolds, old summer standbys, look fresh and new next to lemon thyme  The Garden Buzz

A little Martagon Lily peeking from out of the hydrangeas

Insects on False Spirea shrub.                   The Garden Buzz

Trial plant: Campanula "Viking", compact, non-invasive and hummingbird-friendly

Trial plant: Rose "Candy, Oh", a sweet rose bred by a sweet guy, Dr. David Zlesak       The Garden Buzz

A different sort of catmint, Nepeta "Souvenir D'Andre Chaubord with bigger, looser flower spikes that draw hummingbirds        The Garden Buzz

Hydrangea "Let's Dance Starlight" blooming big this year!

Bumblebee in the background of Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed, milkweeds are the sole larval plant of the Monarch butterfly

Alien pod, or macro shot of a blueberry?

A thick carpet of Chameleon Plant, Hottuynia cordata, attractive but aggressive to somewhat invasive in my garden.

Trial plant: Proven Winners Leucanthemum "Daisy May" emerging from where the mesclun bed is bolting. I'm a sucker for a good daisy.

On the other hand, invasive Oxeye daisies, that I allow to bloom on a limited basis in my garden, love the high meadow look.

Another macro shot, a painterly image of Dahlia "Mystic something or other"

And finally my little green visitor...

Summer Window Box Recipe with Coralberry Punch

Coralberry Punch sounds like just the refreshing beverage I need during these dog days of summer...but more about that in a bit.

I'm always on the lookout for lovely window box combinations. I see them in magazines and vow to remember and repeat them in my own creations. I even photographed bunches of them for future reference in Charleston while I visited that charming city.

But I seem to forget them once spring arrives and I'm at the garden center. So many choices, am I the only one who gets overwhelmed by them all?

My window boxes are a nice shade of terra cotta that contrasts well with the taupe-y stucco and stone trim of my home. That is, until you go to plant them. Any pretty shade of pink acquires the characteristics of a plastic flower next to the oranges tones of the box.

I learned this the hard way. Yellow doesn't do much better. Last year I played it safe and stuck in a melange of coleus that blended better but not great.

I knew I wanted to try a wine/lime color scheme; using various foliage shapes and colors. I needed a filler flower with prolific small blooms to bring it all together. Wandering through the nursery I spied the new Proven Winners Superbells "Coralberry Punch" that turned out to be just the ticket.

This Calibrachoa hybrid sports peachy color petals with a dark red flare and yellow eye, offering lots of shades to play off of when combining plants. This new plant doesn't need deadheading which works for me, since I don't need to climb up into these beds for that chore on a regular basis.

They've filled in even more since I took this quick iPhone photo.

Best of all, it doesn't clash with my window boxes. And as a bonus, hummingbirds love the tubular blossoms. They were buzzing within inches the moment I started planting them. As Miley, would say, "Pretty cool".

Window Box Recipe 

Superbells "Coralberry Punch" (Calibrachoa hybrid)

Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) "Aureola"

Big Leaf Ivy

Beets "Bull's Blood"

Coleus "Red Wizard"

Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) "Aurea"

 

Don't limit your window boxes and containers to just annuals. Look around your own garden and see what perennials and even small shrubs can be used to perk up your pots. I dug up and divided the forest grass and creeping Jenny from areas of my yard. The big leaf ivy was mostly from last year's containers that I overwintered as houseplants. When fall comes I'll replant the first two and once again overwinter the ivies, making this a more economical and interesting solution to filling my window boxes every year.

P. Allen Smith on Getting the Most From Your Garden Tour Experience

I recently had the opportunity to ask noted garden expert, P. Allen Smith about getting the most from your garden tour experience. And...it just so happens our 2011 Hennepin County Master Gardener Learning Gardens Tour is this Saturday, July 9 from 9am to 4pm.

It's a chance to see ten beautiful gardens designed and maintained by our own Master Gardeners offering great inspiration and information. Hands-on demonstrations at our Education Stations will provide the latest gardening techniques and innovative ideas to make your garden a success.

As an added bonus visit the Sabathani Community Garden where Urban Gardeners are making a delicious difference in their community.

Even if you can't come to our garden tour here in Minneapolis, his suggestions apply to all garden tours regardless of location.

As a seasoned veteran of 185 garden tours just in England alone, I think he qualifies as the voice of wisdom when it comes maximizing your garden tour enjoyment!

  

For tickets go online to http://hennepinmastergardeners.org/ For tickets day of tour go to Garden #1 at 5024 Park Avenue S., Minneapolis MN 555417

 

Hennepin County Master Gardener Learning Gardens Tour. This Saturday July 9, 2011 ...9am to 4pm... Ten gardens + bonus community garden!
Come see our great gardens and learn a thing or two!
Tickets $15 in advance 20 at the garden gate

http://hennepinmastergardeners.org/events/hcmg-learning-garden-tour/

Easy Gardener "Instant Garden" Trial Results

Seems like just last week I was complaining about the cold crappy spring/summer we've been having in Minnesota. And now today the heat index is 110. 

Between the lush, limp growth, the weeds and the soggy cottonwood fluff, my garden is a wreck. Family obligations took me away for another 10 days and while I was gone, Mother Nature started to reclaim the yard. She may be winning.

I have to say the best looking thing is my "Instant Garden" that the folks at Easy Gardener gave me to test this summer. I first saw this at our Garden2Blog event and have to tell you I was a little skeptical.

 Easy Gardener "Instant Garden" planted with herbs and flowers            The Garden Buzz

It looks like a soccer mom chair at first. Using canvas folding chair technology, this planter comes straight from the box and pops out into a raised mini-garden, just like they say, instantly. You just lock in the pins to keep it from folding back up and place the hose to drain in a container or onto the ground below. Mine's on the deck next to the grill and draining freely. Hey, watch out below!

They suggest using 50% organic compost and 50% good native soil along with Jobe's All-Purpose Vegetable and Tomato fertilizer. I just used potting mix and the Jobe's fertilizer they also asked me trial. Then I planted a cheerful combination of "grilling" herbs; rosemary, sage and lemon thyme, along with marigolds and a Gerbera daisy for a little color.

Lemon thyme, marigolds, sage and rosemary.

All in all, there are 12 plants sitting cheek to jowl in an area measuring only 16" wide by 36" long, 8' deep. They couldn't be happier. I like the easy height at 30" for snipping herbs and deadheading the flowers, especially in this heat when I'm moving pretty slow. For gardeners with actual limited mobility and not just wussiness, it's a fantastic idea.

Granted it's not a look for formal gardens, but for a casual deck or patio, it's a fun solution for limited-space gardening and a great conversation starter. The brown canvas is an attractive shade for complementing foliage and flowers though. I can even imagine a series of them surrounding a deck or patio.

"Instant Garden" earlier this season

I see this innovative planter being just the ticket for folks like my in-laws who head to Florida in the winter. They could grow salad greens and herbs, plus a few flowers, then fold it up for easy storage when they leave for the summer. I bet a few patio tomatoes in this planter would run circles around all those other retirees with their Topsy Turvy tomato thingamajigs.

Halfway into the gardening season this new twist on container gardening might be just the pick-me-up your small-space garden needs.

They're available at garden centers, home improvement stores and other retailers.