FROST and FREEZE Protection Tips

When temperatures drop to freezing (32˚F) the water inside plants freezes too.  When temperatures reach below freezing (< 28˚F ) it begins to cause extensive cellular damage and loss of plant life. 

Protection methods prevent desiccation and heat loss.

s       WATER -Water loses heat more slowly than air, as  moisture is released from the soil during the night, the temperature of the air around the plant slightly increases. 

s       COVER -Stake and cover potted plants and small trees with frost cloth, burlap, linen or old bed sheets.

s       POTTED PLANTS -Bring succulent plants, like Aloe vera, and other sensitive potted plants INSIDE.

s       COLLECT HEAT -Place milk jugs painted black and filled with water around your plants where they will collect heat from the sun during the day.

s       MULCH -Heavily mulch perennial plants that are sensitive to frost or those that have not yet begun dormancy in the event of an early hard freeze.

frosty forest garden

Cover crops for your new Forest Garden…

crimson clover seedlings

When you are getting started with your Forest Garden there are inevitably spaces in your guilds which are not yet filled by the plants of your choice.  While you wait to 'grow in' or purchase those special species fill the empty spaces with specific annual and perennial cover crops designed to build soil and provide habitat. Your favorite plants will be healthier for it.

FYI: Cover crops mine nutrients from the subsoil and deposit them in the topsoil increasing nutrient availability for soil life to feed on.  A large and diverse population of critters in your soil ensures organic matter and humus production and also improves overall soil structure.  Cover crops also provide erosion control, increase water infiltration from rainfall and irrigation and provide competition for ‘weeds’.  Choose seasonal varieties for best results.  For forest gardening purposes we do not recommend using cover crops as ‘green manure’ which are cover crops grown for tilling  under (the soil before flowering).

Forest Gardening Tips AUTUMN

look closely, can you see the mantid egg sac?

Avoid dead heading all your flowers and shrubs.  There are many insects who have made use of your plants for their next generation... see photo above of praying mantid egg sac.

DO NOT BURN YOUR LEAVES!  Don't burn healthy wood debris either; shred it or leave it out for solitary bees and other beneficial insects.

Plant woody plants (trees, shrubs, groundcovers) after dormancy yet before the ground is too wet.

Ensure irrigation is functioning on an as needed basis. *Contact us to install a Rain Sensor.

you can see the egg sac pretty well here

Apply heavy mulches before your first Fall frost date (here); especially to marginally hardy plants.   Avoid crown rot with too much mulch on sensitive plants.

Build mulch stockpiles after you've spread out all you can.  Allow it to compost or use the extra mulch sporadically. 

Late Autumn Bloomers

A beneficial insects' dream...

Salvia greggii

Insects are busy now ensuring their eggs have been laid and their burrows and hide away's are secure and fully stocked.  They are out in the last rays of warm sunshine gathering the nectar and pollen from flowers that bloom into November's darkening days.

We too are feeling the slow down of summer's many harvests and one look to the pantry shows our storage efforts have paid off.  Yet there is more to think about in the garden...

We can aid the health of our gardens and next year's bounty by encouraging beneficial insects to stay around.  Providing them food during the winter by planting late blooming flowers will help the insects that don't hibernate or have yet to.  

In our region it gets cold but it doesn't truly feel like Winter until late January.  Plants like Salvia greggii (pictured above) will bloom well past Christmas with no major frost. 

A brief lesson in photoperiodism...

Moonflowers are Short day plants

 Photoperiodism is the effect of the length of day and night on plant growth and development.

The effect of photoperiod on flower development is diverse among plant species.  Not all plants respond the same. There are three distinct groups: Short day, Long day and Day neutral plants.

Short day = Long night

Long day = Short night

Long nights (Winter) and short nights (Summer) are really the basis for this effect in plants.  It is generally spoken of in terms of day length when in reality it is the amount of DARKNESS that triggers the flowering response. 

Moonflowers (see 10/1/2010 post) are one of the Short day plants we're very fond of...

Moonflower

Ipomoea alba

A member of the morning glory family these sturdy vines' flowers appear like a full moon.   It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the New World. 

The flowers of Ipomoea alba open quickly in the evening, last through the night and remain open until touched by the morning sun where they often never bloom again.  Moonflowers are what is called a ‘short day’ plant (based on photoperiod -see Eco Land Tips) and in the Northern hemisphere they won’t set buds until early Fall when the night length is near 12 hours.

Use: Ipomoea alba contains sulfur compounds which 3000 years ago was extracted in a liquid form and used to cure latex into a highly elastic rubber.  Mesoamericans used the rubber to craft large, resilient balls which they then used in a ritual game for religious ceremonies.  The ball game also involved gambling for land, slaves and other valuables. The whole plant can also be used externally to treat snakebite.

Costmary

 Tanacetum balsamita

Costmary is a native of the Orient, but has now become naturalized in many parts of the world.  While not as popular today as it was historically it has a particular charm in the garden; if given room to spread out.   The scent of the leaves is the quality of Costmary people find soothing; it has a balsam smell with a slight mint aroma.   

Below are a few of the uses of Costmary:

Costmary is a lovely garnish for lemonades, iced teas and other beverages. When the leaves are young it can be added to fruit salads, cold soups and green salads.

Use the leaves for a bookmark.  Dry leaves between layers of clean paper, under a heavy weight; this will ensure that pages of the book don’t warp or become discolored with use.

The fresh leaves can also be used much like geranium leaves by laying them in the baking pan before pouring in the batter for a cake or other baked dessert.

Rinse water: use in rinse water after wash cycle

• 2 tablespoons dried costmary
• 2 cups boiling water
• Glass bowl
• Infuse for 1-2 hours
• Strain
• Use in rinse water

Lantern Stinkhorn mushroom

 Lysurus mokusin

The Lantern Stinkhorn is mushroom generally found in disturbed areas where the soil is hard packed and/or shallow but contains adequate organic matter for growth of the fruit/mushroom itself.  The one in the photo was growing in soil with shallow fig roots over which thick sheet mulching had been applied the year before.

These tall mushrooms are strange looking and are harmless enough to your gardens.  But don’t eat them!  Never eat wild mushrooms unless a professional mycologist has told you it is safe or you have years experience working with our fungal friends. 

If you want to grow edible mushrooms check out Paul Stamets website, Fungi Perfecti, for some of the best info on the web.  Locally check out Mushroom Adventures in Marysville, northern California.

UPDATE: An article about Mushroom kits mentions Mushroom Adventures! Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2011 The Science Project You Can Eat By Anne Marie Chaker

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Both dragonflies and damselflies are considered a gardener's friend as they eat mosquitoes and other flying pests.  They require a source of water if you want them to stick around year after year; and it can take them a long time to mature!  Some spend as long as five years in the aquatic larval stage (eating mosquito larvae then too!).

While the images here are less than wonderful quality one gets the understanding of the diverse patterns and shapes dragonflies and damselflies take on.   

Quite a magical sight on a summers evening watching them dip and dive...

Mentha

MINT -Mentha species

Mint has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for digestive ailments and as a flavor for food. The leaves and stems can be used fresh or dried; they are harvested for drying in August as the flowers start to open.  Mint is a rhizomatous perennial plant grown for its culinary and medicinal properties or just for ground cover.  

Pollinator insects, specifically honey bees, favor mint flowers.  All Mentha species are very prone to hybridization (seed does not always breed true) thus the content of medicinal oils vary with each new generation. If you want to keep a particular aroma of mint in your gardens it’s best to propagate them by cuttings or division.

Spearmint Mentha spicata - L.

The original European mint, the name 'spear' mint comes from the pointed leaf tips.  Many hybrids today are some form of spearmint cross.  Besides the normal digestive therapy mint provides, the stems are also used as a poultice on bruises.

Peppermint Mentha x piperita
A natural hybrid of M. aquatica x M. spicata peppermint cannot bear viable seed so must be propagated by cuttings or division.  The essential oil, menthol, is obtained from the whole plant, is considered an antiseptic, strongly antibacterial and toxic in large doses.

Applemint Mentha x rotundifolia
A very vigorous mint, applemint effectively out-competes Bermuda grass.  We use applemint as a tool when forest gardening and find it aggressive enough to dominate over weeds like Bermuda grass but easily removed too. 


‘Wintermint’ Mentha spicata x rotundifolia
A natural hybrid of M. rotundifolia x M. spicata –we speculate; this particular variety germinated mid-winter a few years ago amongst the last potatoes.  The leaves appear similar to spearmint but the flavor is sweeter and mild, more like the applemint.

Spearmint Mentha spicata - L.

Applemint Mentha x rotundifolia

Peppermint Mentha x piperita

Wintermint Mentha spicata x rotundifolia

To honor our pollinating friends here is a tidbit of trivia about...

Honey Bees

There are three types of Honey Bees in the hive...

Worker, Queen and Drone

Worker bees are all female and make up about 85% of hive bees.  Workers gather flower nectar and pollen; the pollen they carry in special pollen "baskets" on their hind legs.  Pollen provides the colony with vital amino acids, vitamins, fats and the enzymes necessary for making honey.  Workers also decide which bees in the hive will become queens.

The males or drones have one purpose in life: to mate with the queen; but there are distinct disadvantages to being a male.  When food supplies are low or before Winter, workers may kick drones out of the nest.  Worse yet, if a drone is so lucky as to mate with a queen he dies immediately after.  What a life...

Honey Bee Fun Facts:

• Bees do not create honey; they are actually improving upon a plant product, nectar. The honey we eat is nectar that bees have repeatedly regurgitated and dehydrated
• The term "honey moon" originated with the ancient Norse practice of consuming large quantities of Mead during the first month of a marriage.  Mead is a fermented beverage made from honey.
• Honeybees are the only bees that die after they sting
• Bees can recognize individual human faces (We really believe this, our sons rescue 1000's of bees and never get stung -the bees know them!)
• Honeybees never sleep!

For more information on bees and their benefits to our gardens and our planet visit this excellent (external) website.

Pear Tree Guild

Included are types of plants chosen for their specific functions and interactions with the floral and fauna community as a whole.

FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY

• Bartlett Pear -central guild species; provides edible fruit, pollen & nectar, shade, wood...
• Apple & Spearmint -bermuda grass control, edible, insectary (provides food or shelter)...
• Borage -dynamic accumulator, insectary, tea...
• Columbine -native, edible, medicinal, insectary...
• Dandelion -dynamic accumulator (deep tap root), insectary, edible (dandelion wine!)...
• Daylily -edible (flowers and roots -boiled like potatoes), insectary...
• Crimson clover -nitrogen fixation (legume), soil cover, insectary, edible flowers...
• Calendula -garden tonic, medicinal, edible...
• Scallions -aromatic pest confuser (strong smells confuse pests), edible, insectary...

 I CANNOT WAIT TO EAT THIS BEAUTY!

Yet Another Edible!!

Hollyhock Alcea rosea 

The young tender leaves and inner portions of the stem can be eaten raw or cooked.  The young leaves and flowers can be chopped finely in salads.  The roots can be eaten like potatoes and are quite nutritious.

Medicinally, the flowers and roots can be harvested and dried for use as a mild tea which is said to help with inflammatory issues.

Hollyhock's further uses:

• Dynamic accumulator –can be used to activate (bacterial) decomposition of compost
• Paper –fiber from the stems
• Litmus –anthocyanin pigment in flowers
• Dye –brown colored dye from flowers

Source: Plants for a Future

Golden Treasures of Spring

The golden, oval dots pictured above are ladybug eggs. This ladybug knew what she was doing! Laying her eggs right next to a food source (red aphids) is a choice place for the eggs to hatch. In 4-10 days these babies will find a real sweet meal!

The larval phase of the ladybug lifecycle is the most voracious feeding stage of all. Known to eat as many as 400 aphids before they pupate ladybug larvae (pictured below) do a fine job keeping aphids and other garden pests at bay.

2 Fun Facts about Ladybugs:

• In the lifetime of a single adult ladybug, over 5000 aphids will have been consumed.
• One ladybug can lay up to 1000 eggs in her lifetime.

 Thank you Gaia!

Red Valerian

Centranthus ruber

Taking a break from our Fungus Friends this month we wanted to share a plant some folks may not know about.

Red Valerian is a common flower seen this time of year but the leaves of Red Valerian are pretty special.  They can be eaten like lettuce or spinach in a salad and taste even SWEETER when picked small!  The larger leaves can be steamed and eaten plain or even stir-fried with a little kale.

We feel it's important for people to understand just how much FOOD grows in their garden.  Contact us for a consultation and we'll tell you what's what in your gardens! 

[FYI: Red Valerian is not the same as Valeriana officinalis, a medicinal herb.]

Featured Fungus... wait! Not a fungus!

SLIME MOLD

Slime molds are amoeba-like protists, similar to fungi.  They exist in nature as a plasmodium, a 'blob' of protoplasm without cell walls and only a cell membrane to keep everything in. -fungi have cell walls!

They are not parasitic, so they will not cause direct harm to your plants or your family. Occasionally they can cause problems on lawns or low-growing ground covers by blocking the necessary sunlight that plants need to grow, but in most cases they are completely harmless. They feed on microorganisms in dead plant material -decomposers!

Enjoy the diversity of Nature!  Slime molds indicate an abundance of organic matter and they are very short lived!

Permaculture Principle of Relative Location

Relative Location:  'through proper placement of elements we can save time and energy'

In these Before and After photos we illustrate a sheet mulched turf area that has been beautified, diversified and rejuvinated in an relatively simple manner... to grow food for family and friends (all friends -2, 4, 6, 8 legged and more!)

The spiral provides easy access to the  growing area from all sides plus the beauty of a spiral in Zone 1-2.  Plants are grown with aspect in mind; shade tolerant plants to the northern edges.  The potatoes are grown vertically saving space for succession of the edible forest garden in the subcanopy beyond.

FYI: a south facing slope (aspect) increases heat absorption extending the growing season for food production and warming homes/ greenhouses in colder months...

Start small and build on success

FEATURED FUNGUS FRIEND

Coprinoid Mushrooms

aka. The Inky Caps

Inky caps assist in the decomposition of wood, manure, grassy debris, forest litter, and more.  Most species have black spore prints and gills that liquefy at maturation.  The "ink" that results is why the common name of “inky caps” has come about and amazingly enough it can be used as writing ink.

Inky cap identification ranges from easy to extremely difficult.  Many are “ephemeral”, meaning they live for one day; they grow, liquefy, and turn into black mush within a matter of hours.  Microscopic examination of various features is the only way to truly identify the species.  To add to the confusion coprinoid mushrooms are now distributed among four genera: Coprinus, Parasola, Coprinopsis, and Coprinellus.

Key to Coprinoid Mushrooms:

Kuo, M. (2008, February). Coprinoid mushrooms: The inky caps. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site

GROW OPEN POLLINATED (OP) PLANTS/SEED!

Humans have domesticated plants since the Neolithic era, over 10,000 years ago.  Today, the domestication of plants has rendered a global crisis and the genetic diversity we aided in creating for thousands of years is in peril... 

Yet we can ALL help!

Open Pollinated (OP) plants/seed have the ability to breed true to the parents' characteristics and may retain high genetic diversity.  An understanding of the basic mechanics of pollination is needed to save seed from open pollinated plants but is not something to be intimidated by.  Anymore than learning to ride a bicycle and the benefits last for generations.

Hybrid plants/seed are often bred for uniformity and yield, limiting their genetic diversity.  The seed they produce (F1 hybrid) often produce seed that does not contain the specific traits selected for originally -creating a market need for new seed purchases each year.

Genetically modified (or transgenic) plants have gene(s) for specific traits (such as insect resistance) of a completely different species (or organism) inserted into its own (i.e. human genes in rice or Bt in soy); this unfounded franken-science threatens global food security by degrading social and environmental ecologies.  Corporate monopolies of food should not be possible yet Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta and more want the patent rights to all GE seed in the world, harming nations like Haiti.  We truly have no idea what the long term implications may bring; yet the FDA approves it use.  Over 75% of the food on shelves of US grocery stores have GE ingredients.  Avoid corn, canola, soy, sugar beets, potato flours, some dairy contains GE micro-organisms and the cotton in your clothes.  Want to know more? 

Your best option is to BUY ORGANIC everything when possible!  Organic foods do not allow GE contamination.  Purchase open pollinated seed from reliable sources.  FYI: The OP seed need not be organic unless it is corn or some of the others above (but do grow it organically:).  GE has not invaded everything, thank goddess.

FEATURED FUNGUS FRIEND

Cyathus stercoreus

(Bird’s Nest Fungi)

Bird's nest fungi are saprophytes and thus decomposers of organic material.   They are found most often on decaying wood and animal dung.  They don't harm living plants/trees.

The "nest" of this fungi is cup shaped and fuzzy outside/smooth inside.  The black “eggs” are small capsules known as peridioles which contain the fungal spores.  Rainwater or water drips into the splash cup and when the water hits the bottom of the cup it splashes out with enough force to eject the peridioles up to a yard away!

If the nest is on herbivore dung after dispersal they may germinate, form new mycelium and grow new fruiting bodies.  Or they might be eaten by another herbivore where after 'deposit' they may germinate and grow!  Spores of bird's nest fungi can travel through the digestive tract of herbivores unharmed. 

Nature's resilience...   Pretty amazing!

Garden Planning

Tis the season for designing your gardens and outdoor living spaces!

5 Tips to an efficient Garden Plan:

1. Have your site measured or obtain plans from the City or County

2. Perform a site analysis for your property. Example questions:

-usage of property

-what do you want?

-zones and sectors

-soil quality and drainage patterns

3. Draw out your site and create overlays for your tree canopy, hardscape, perennial plants etc. (as illustrated above) to accurately envision your site

4. Create planting and harvest calendars

5. Consult reference books, articles online and local sources for more information

We're here to help!!

www.gaiacreationsecoland.com

FEATURED FUNGUS FRIEND

Trametes versicolor

(aka Turkey Tail, Kawaratake or Yun-Zhi)

This bracket fungi shows off their beautiful bands of tan, brown, cream and rust colors radiating out from a central 'foot' -holding onto wood.

A very common saprobe, meaning it decomposes (feeds on) wood and other organic matter, this bracket fungi has medicinal value.   According to Fungi Perfecti's Paul Stamets and other mycologists this particular bracket fungi has immune boosting properties as well as antitumor benefits.

Resources for Fungi information:

We must pay homage to the various mushroom websites for their spectacular imagery and vast knowledge base!  As a start we recommend Mushroom Experts, Tom Volk's Fungi, MykoWeb (Fungi of California), and of course Fungi Perfecti.