precious heirlooms

If things like jewelry and artwork come to mind when you think of heirlooms, think again. Heirlooms just don’t come in the traditional items you are likely to see or bid on at an estate sale. You might be surprised to know that heirlooms also come in the form of certain varieties of plants and vegetables.

A recent trend has developed in heirloom vegetables, and many seed companies are supplying the shelves with different heirloom seed varieties. Much like a traditional heirloom, heirloom vegetables have come to be as a result of being grown for a certain amount of time. Vegetables are also considered to be heirlooms if the seeds have been passed down through a family or group who has worked to preserve them. Heirloom seeds are referred to as cultivars, which are a variety of plants that have been intentionally selected or created by cultivation practices.

Heirloom seeds must be open pollinated, since hybrids cannot be preserved by ordinary measures. After each crop, seeds are preserved for the following year’s harvest. Not only does this save the cost of buying more seed, it also produces similar plants from year to year. In contrast, a hybrid seed will not produce similar plants in the future years.


Taste, tenderness and other qualities of the vegetables are key factors in maintaining and developing heirlooms. Heirlooms also give growers a sense of satisfaction and connection to the production process from year to year. Some people are also interested in these varieties because they feel that heirloom varieties possess a better taste than compared to that of recently developed varieties.


For an heirloom to be preserved, it can’t be cross-pollinated with another variety and must be maintained in its existing state. The best way to prevent cross-pollination from happening is to grow only one variety of the vegetable. If you want to grow other varieties as well, keeping the varying specimens at a safe distance or isolated from your heirlooms with help protect from cross-pollination.


Varieties of heirloom vegetables are diverse and include anything from corn to okra. Some common heirloom vegetables include beans, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons and tomatoes.

Cara Lawson is promotion specialist with Ohio Farm Bureau.

Garden Care and Maintenance - Tips on How to Get Value For Money

Whether you hire a professional gardener to maintain your garden, or care for it yourself, the same question arises. On what exactly, are you spending your money or your time? If you're spending money on a gardener, it's a matter of time is money. The more time the gardener has to spend, the more money you have to pay out. If on the other hand it is your time at stake, it's a question of how effectively you are using the most precious and irreplaceable resource at your disposal.

Garden care and maintenance is in fact an issue that ought to be considered at the design stage of the gardening process. There is little value in a design that will involve you in maintenance costs that you will not be able to keep up with. Therefore, your ability or willingness to deal with the plants is as important a consideration as their design or cultural suitability. Here then are some points worth examining.

Trees

Some trees, like palms or cypresses, require virtually no pruning at least for shaping purposes, as they naturally possess a strong, clear shape. Others, like elms and oaks, invariably need some intervention, while many fast-growing species, such as Tipuana or Peltophorum, need the constant supervision of a gardener whose expertise should approximate that of a tree surgeon.
The extent that a particular tree produces litter is an often overlooked factor. A species may be chosen because of its showy flowers, or edible fruit, only for these to end up being a real pest. Examples include the mess made by dates, Ficus berries, or the sticky flowers that fall from Jacaranda trees. Deciduous trees are often rejected out of hand on these grounds, yet their leaf drop is seasonal and usually of brief duration.

Shrubs and bushes

A clear decision has to be made whether the landscaping shrubs are to provide a loose, informal screen, or to be grown as a sheared hedge. While the growing of shrubs is rarely maintenance-free, maintaining a neatly trimmed hedge is altogether another matter in terms of time and money. If you do it yourself, will it be a labor of love, or a chore. If the latter is the case, what results are likely to ensue?

Climbing plants

Climbers are often thought of as easy plants to grow, because they just "do their own thing." This though is where the biggest errors are made, because of the all the different kinds of plants, they can be the most difficult to handle. Take Thunbergia grandiflora for example; it may cover a wall or fence very rapidly, sporting spectacular lilac flowers in the process, but then it just becomes an untidy, unmanageable tangle.

Bougainvillea though has to be the best case of an "expensive" plant to maintain. It combines rampant, thorny growth, with constant litter and mess. A customer of mine was shocked when I pointed out to her recently, that over half of the fee she pays me, simply goes on me sweeping and cleaning the fallen Bougainvillea bracts. "Do you think that is money well spent?" I asked.

My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi. I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com/ or contact me at jonathan@dryclimategardening.com

Viburnum Leaf Beetle Woes

Viburnum Leaf Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni (Paykull) is moving southward in NW Pennsylvania. I have recently discovered Viburnum Leaf Beetle 45 miles south of Erie, PA. The photos, in this blog, are from wild Viburnums infested with and defoliated by the Viburnum Leaf Beetle. The Viburnum Leaf Beetle shots were taken on May 23, 2008.

Viburnum Leaf Beetle is an invasive isect pest that will kill a Viburnum plant in 2-3 years. This is because the larvae are voracious feeders and eat the first leaves of the season. They then drop to the ground, pupate, and emerge as adults. Adults of the Viburnum Leaf Beetle feed on the leaves. Thus a plant will be defoliated twice each season, lose energy from lack of foliage, and die.

Viburnum Leaf Beetle will attack both wild and domestic Viburnums. Different cultivars vary in susceptibility to Viburnum Leaf Beetle.

Viburnum Leaf Beetle originated in Europe and entered the US in New York in 1996. It has been moving west and south for years. New York has had severe problem with Viburnum Leaf Beetle for a number of years. Cornell University has extensive information about Viburnum Leaf Beetle on it's website. Google Viburnum Leaf Beetle Cornell and you will be amazed at the information you will receive.

Control of Viburnum Leaf Beetle is best on young larvae. Insecticidal soaps and oil can be used in Mid-April when larvae first hatch, or slightly before hatch. Insecticides may knock down Viburnum Leaf Beetle larvae and adults in emergency situations. Consult your local County Extension office for assistance.

Do I Need to Hire an Arborist?

Much of the time, the trees that adorn the properties of our homes and businesses do not need our attention to thrive. Sometimes, however, a tree needs specialized care in order to coexist safely in an environment surrounded by people and animals as well as buildings, automobiles, roads and power lines. Neglect of a tree in need of treatment or repair can quickly turn a beloved shade tree into an eyesore and an imminent hazard.
If a tree is damaged, diseased, or dead, it represents a real threat to people, animals, other trees and structures in its vicinity. Bearing in mind the unforeseeable extent of harm that may ensue if a tree fails, the need for proper tree care becomes blatantly obvious. But how can you tell whether the situation warrants the advice and service of a certified arborist?
Many property owners attempt to manage tree problems on their own in effort to save a few bucks. While DIY tree care may seemingly save money up front, long term tree damage and bodily injury can result from a lack of knowledge of proper tree maintenance and treatment. Even attempting a job that appears simple on the surface, such as pruning branches that have grown too close to your home, can quickly go awry if handled by a non-professional. Aside from damage to a tree that can result from pruning its branches incorrectly, damage to the home caused by your negligence is likely not going to be covered by your homeowners insurance. Tree service professionals have the experience to get the job done without damaging the tree or your home, and are covered by insurance to protect your valuable assets in the event that an accident does occur (ensure that an arborist carries insurance against personal and property damage prior to hiring).
A major problem with DIY tree care is that the average person does not have the background knowledge to identify potential hazards. While to the average person a tree may appear normal and healthy, a certified arborist can identify obscure symptoms of structural weakness, insect infestations, disease or death that may call for an alternative means of treatment or constitute tree removal altogether.
A certified arborist can correct tree issues that have already developed, but can also prevent future problems by identifying and correcting potential hazards. For instance, some trees grow in a pattern that eventually leads them to become too unstable to support their own weight. Left untreated, an unbalanced tree can fail unexpectedly, endangering everyone and everything in its path at that unfortunate moment. However, the same tree can be saved if its condition is identified in advance. An experienced arborist can identify the potential for structural weakness and employ techniques such as cabling and bracing to help support the tree and encourage a healthier growth pattern. Hiring an arborist is advised if your trees have never been professionally inspected, even if they show no obvious signs of problems.
If you own any trees that are in questionable health, have incurred damage or have never been inspected for problems, it is advised that you enlist the services of a certified arborist in your local area. The International Society of Arboriculture website is a valuable resource for locating a certified arborist in your area or verifying ISA certification of an arborist you are considering.
About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading Austin Texas tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas). Central Texas Tree Care offers services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management and fertilization.
Article Source: A_I_Johnson

Controlling Crabgrass with Corn?

Three years ago, I set up two scientific weed control trials, in a home lawn and bare soil, using an organic herbicide made from corn gluten (available commercially from a lawn and garden store), versus corn gluten feed additive obtained from a local feed mill. The reason for doing this was cost. I could buy the corn gluten from the mill for $7.00 per 100 lbs. and the organic herbicide, made from corn gluten, cost $35.00 per 50 lbs. or 10 times as much.

A university researcher, from Iowa, I think, discovered that weed growth was inhibited where corn kernals were lying in the soil in the year following the corn crop. It was deduced that a chemical substance was being leached from the corn into the soil and this was inhibiting weed seed germination. Tests have shown this to be true.

All treatments were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design, in plots that measured 10 x 10 feet. I applied the corn gluten herbicides at a rate of 2 lbs. per acre through a shaker jar to evenly distribute the rate over the plot. Untreated check plots were included as part of the randomized trial.

Weeds in the trials were crabgrass and oxalis, in the turf, and common ragweed, and barnyardgrass in the bare soil site. Literature researched on this topic indicated to apply the corn gluten early to give it time to weather into the soil and leach the natural chemical substances that provide control of germinating weeds.

The turf application was made in April and weed control was evaluated at 50 days post treatment. Bare soil was treated in May and evaluated 50 days later in July. Evaluations were made by visual estimation compared to the untreated check plots.

Results show that the corn gluten herbicide was significantly more effective than the corn gluten meal in both trials. The corn gluten herbicide provided significant control compared to the untreated check. Control in turf was 50% and nearly 100% in the bare soil study.

Why the difference in weed control between corn gluten herbicide and corn gluten meal? I speculate it is in the formulation of the product. The corn gluten meal was very coarse-ground whereas the corn gluten based herbicide was very fine and uniform. Thus, there was more particulate surface area to weather and leach into the soil. Coverage was more uniform with the commercial corn gluten herbicide because it had uniform size and dispersed better from the shaker jar.

I did not grind up the corn gluten meal to test my hypothesis. I believe using corn gluten based herbicides can be an alternative to chemical herbicides. Give it time to work, so start early in the spring before crabgrass germinates (before forsynthia petal fall). Corn prices have risen in the past year or two so check with your feed mill before trying corn gluten meal.

A plus to the turf trial, I could see the effect the following season as enhanced green turf. The corn acted as a fertilizer the following year.

Grubs, Grubs, Grubs!

Grubs, what are grubs? What are the symptoms of grubs? Where do grubs come from? What do grubs eat? How do you control grubs?

Let's answer these questions about grubs. Grubs are the larval form of beetles. There are many species of grubs in the northeastern USA. Perhaps the most common species of grubs is Japanese Beetle.

Grubs can be identified, as to species, by looking at the pattern of hairs, called "raster", located on their butts. Use of a hand lens helps to see the raster pattern. Control of grubs will vary according to species present. If multiple species of grubs are present, not all species may be controlled by the same method of control.

You know you have grubs if you have holes torn in your lawn. Birds and animals, such as skunks, dig up turf in search of grubs for food. During dry conditions, patches of turf may brown up as a result of grubs eating off the roots. This may not be evident under wet conditions or irrigation. Try tugging on the turf, if it rolls up like a carpet, the roots have been chewed, you probably have grubs.

Grubs may be attracted to your lawn (rather the adult beetles) by lights, trees, and moist or dry conditions. Again there are variations by species of grubs. In my yard, I have a Purple Sand Cherry that attracts Japanese Beetles like you wouldn't believe. Adults will mate and lay their eggs in the soil.

Grubs, being underground, push soil, organic matter, and all things into their mouths. Grubs derive nutrition from the organic matter, i.e. plant roots. I once collected grubs from a golf course and placed them in styrofoam cups to take back to the lab for identification. The grubs ate their way through the cups.

There are many products to control grubs. Grub control products range from organic to chemical form. Key to controlling grubs is species identification. Grubs are grubs about 10 months out of the year. By knowing the species, one can look up the average life cycle for your area. In my area, July 4 is the average date when adult Japanese Beetles emerge from the soil and start flying. Mating and egg-laying occurs the end of July and grubs begin to grow throughout August until cold weather sets in.

Grubs go deeper into the soil as temperatures fall to overwinter. In the Spring, they move up toward the surface as soil temperatures rise.

Timing of grub control is very important, depending on the type of control you choose. If using a pesticide product to control grubs, always read the label before you buy the product, and before you use the product. Follow the label, in every detail, for safety to you, the environment, as well as effective use of the product.

The strategy you use to control grubs will depend on a number of factors, such as the history of grubs in your lawn, the pressure of grubs (how many grubs per square foot?), the species of grubs, as well as expenses involved. A few grubs per square foot may be less tolerable during a dry year than many more grubs per square foot in a wet year. Pesticide products vary by mode of action, i.e. contact the grubs or do the grubs need to ingest the product?

There are many local professionals who can assist you with your problems with grubs. Contact a REPUTABLE professional or your university cooperative extension for assistance.

Artillery Fungus

Artillery fungus is a fungi that commonly grows on mulch made from wood rather than bark. It may be related to cup fungi commonly referred to as bird's nest fungi.

It is called artillery fungus because is shoots its spore mass like artillery. The problem is it points the artillery at high light mass such as a shiny car or siding on a house as it shoots. Once the spores land, they "glue" themselves to the surface and are, in many cases, impossible to clean.

Insurance companies may not pay for damage to siding or automobiles because they may consider it mold damage. A friend of mine with the artillery fungus spore problem on her aluminum siding tried everything she could think of to remove the spores. She said that the white eraser on the end of some ink pens was the only thing that effectively removed the spores.

A take home here is be careful in choosing your mulch. Select a mulch with a low wood and high bark content. Artillery fungus does not grow on bark.