A Reader Writes......

A visitor to the Michigan State Fair captured this image of an ingenious support arch for growing organic cucumbers. The arch aerates the plants to help reduce the incidence of fungus that might otherwise attack a densely growing crop. This photo was taken at the Organic Urban Farming Demonstration Garden.I received an interesting e-mail from a reader in Detroit, Michigan who generously devotes his time teaching the public how to grow sustainable organic crops in the inner city. Sustainable organic gardening requires minimal irrigation with little or no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Furthermore, it values the growing of crops close to market to help reduce the amount of fossil fuel needed to transport food.

Meet Ryan Rowinski, a Detroit entrepreneur who runs an organic nutrient supply company called Great Lakes Garden Supply. Mr. Rowinski studied crop and soil science at Michigan State University where he developed a fresh perspective on a society’s relationship with nature and food. He asked if he could share with my readers some of the work that he does to foster the growth of healthy crops called “nutrient dense food”. I found his work intriguing and I am pleased to share it with those of you who enjoy growing vegetables in your gardens.

Mr. Rowinski asks why our food supply relies so heavily on chemical fertilizers. Ancient cultures, he argues, were built on the success and sustainability of their domestic agriculture without the use of such products. These societies thrived for thousands of years. How did they do it? The answer, he discovered, lies in sustainable agricultural production. By amending soil with natural occurring elements such as compost, mined minerals and mineral salts, ancient farmers lived in harmony with nature. As a result, they were able to develop long lasting domestic agriculture.

Using man-made chemicals to feed our crops, as we do today, is not considered sustainable because it is not in harmony with nature. Some of the food produced under this condition is nutritionally deficient. In addition, chemicals destroy naturally occurring organisms in soil that generate food for plants. When mega-farmers use chemical fertilizers, the soil develops a chemical dependency in order to grow crops. This nutrient-depleted soil condition will continue in perpetuity. Organic gardening, by contrast, is about stimulating the biology in the soil that, in turn, frees up nourishment for plants to produce “nutrient dense food.  In simpler language, organic food from sustainable gardens ought to be more beneficial to our health. We already know that organic crops taste better.

The balance of nature that is evident in the sustainable process inspired Mr. Rowinski to develop a Sustainable Hydroponic Farming method that recycles irrigation water, rich in mineral run-off. This by-product, which might otherwise leach into the environment, is converted back into plant nutrients that enrich the soil. Organic growers believe that this is a nature-friendly way to produce a nutritious quality food crop.

This past summer, Mr.Rowinski and a colleague built a compact crop garden on a small tract of land inside the grounds of the Michigan State Fair. They named it Organic Urban Farming Demonstration Garden. Their objective was to demonstrate that it is possible to farm organically and successfully in congested urban areas on small, vacant or blighted lots. Working the mini-farm generated a wealth of knowledge worth sharing. Mr. Rowinski has made that possible by posting a three-part documentation of the project on You Tube. Click on the links below to watch these informative videos.

part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH3TVOS7QT4

part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtix0E_jGcw

part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIS19BFKDo8

Does Your Garden Book Have an Expiry Date?

This is the short lived and hard to find Geranium cinereum Ballerina.A few years ago, I came across a garden book containing photos of beautiful flower compositions. One designer had used Geranium cinereum Ballerina as the focus of a perennial arrangement. This plant, which was striking as a specimen, looked even more attractive when used in a composition. Ballerina had everything the gardener could possibly want. It was pink, beautiful, bloomed for a very long time and combined well with other perennials.

There was one problem, though: I was unable to find Ballerina at the nurseries or in mail order catalogues. After hunting for several years, I finally found an explanation for its scarcity in a magazine article. The author had included a photo of this pretty plant with a caveat that it was short lived. Then I understood. Nurseries stopped selling Ballerina when hybridizers created equally pretty, but more reliable, cultivar that came back every season.

There is an ironic twist to this situation. If breeders keep replacing older varieties with newer ones, it will become risky for editors to use photos of perennials that might fall out of favor after a book is published. Many recently released books have already adapted to this reality by focusing more on principles of garden design rather than by showcasing specific plants. 

Plants That Eat Pollution

Salvia lamiacia Kirsch PinkAir pollution is an issue that few are ready to tackle. In Japan, however, Toyota is researching horticultural solutions to address this matter. They believe that certain enhanced species of plant life may contribute to improving the environment.

The Biotechnology and Afforestation division of Toyota is responsible for developing flowers that absorb air pollution. One such plant is the Kirsch Pink Shrub, related to the Cherry Sage, Salvia lamiacea, a semi-evergreen shrub with a long flowering period.

Together with Gardenia, Salvia now grows in the area surrounding the Prius car factory in Tokyo City. Both are utilized to absorb emissions from that building. By doing so, they also remove heat from the atmosphere. This lowers the surface temperature surrounding the factory, which in turn cuts down on energy requirements for cooling. In addition to Gardenia and Salvia, other plants included in the program to improve atmospheric conditions are Asteraceae chameomelum Cruz, and Heterophylla, aka Lamium lavandula Argent.

It is hoped that the plants will prove helpful in combating the “heat island effect”. This condition causes increased temperatures in cities due to buildings and infrastructure deflecting sunlight and heat. The expectation is that pollution-eating plants in city parks and streets will absorb both emissions and heat. This should result in improved atmospheric conditions for congested urban areas.

Salvia Kirsch pink is not available anywhere but in Japan and I have been unable to find data relating to its hardiness zone or growing conditions. Furthermore, there have been no other press releases about this project since October 2005. I think it’s time for Toyota to give us an update on this project.

Lord Clayton

Image courtesy of Plantes NouveauThere are so many varieties of Phlox paniculata growing in my garden that I rarely need to add another one to my shopping list. And yet, every season, without fail, I finds a new cultivar that I must have. Phlox paniculata  Lord Clayton is a traffic stopper that is already on my list for next spring.

Image courtesy of Plantes NouveauImagine a combination of red and purple on one plant. The flower is an unusual cherry red and the foliage emerges in a combination of deep purple with lime colored stems and veins, later transitioning to deep purple-green. Best news of all is that this plant is highly resistant to powdery mildew, an essential attribute for all new Phlox.

Image courtesy of North Creek Nursery.Many of my clients will be pleased with the foliage of this new cultivar. So many of them ask me to make purple a dominant shade in my color compositions. This plant will be a welcome addition to the repertoire.

Like most Phlox, this plant grows best in sun, reaches 24 to 34 inches in height and is hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Survival of the Echinacea Hybrids

Don't get too attached to Echinacea "After Midnight". This hybrid might not survive the winter.

The species Echinacea purpurea is ubiquitous in many parts of North America. It is so hardy that it can be found in cold Northern Ontario. Once it is planted in the garden, it makes itself at home forever. It is a reliable plant because it will thrive in spite of neglect. It naturalizes so easily that some gardeners think it’s a pretty weed worth keeping.

The Echinacea hybrids, on the other hand, are a totally different story. Most of them are not hardy in their first season. They require hardening and pampering. Once they become established they will perform as promised but, unlike the mother species E. purpurea, they have a life span of only 8 years. The one positive characteristic attributable to this collection of cultivars is the magnificent array of colors that have been bred into them.

Some gardeners have become frustrated by the finicky performance of these bred perennials. To avoid disappointment, they have begun to treat the hybrids as annuals. Growers understand that a dismal track record will hurt sales of these cultivars so they now educate nursery owners on proper care to ensure longevity. While not all of the advice is pertinent to the private gardener, here is what you need to know:-

• If you are buying an Echinacea hybrid, make sure that the plant gets into the ground in the earlier half of the summer. Growers recommend that July be the cut off date for planting. Don’t listen to them. I garden in Zone 5 and have lost 50% of the new Echinacea hybrids that I planted in July.  Those that were planted in May and June have survived the winter. Those that were planted later, or that were moved around during the growing season, did not survive.
• Plant in a location that has excellent drainage, not just good drainage. Echinacea hybrid roots will rot in wet soil.
• Avoid clay soil. Just because the species E. purpurea is not fussy about its growing medium does not mean that the hybrids are just as adaptable. They are not.
• Do not permit the flowers to bloom in the first season. Yes, it’s that serious! Cut off all blooms in the months following the planting. This perennial needs all of its energy to grow a deep tap root in order to overwinter successfully. Enjoy the flower next year.

A deeply embedded tap root is the key to success in growing Echinacea hybrids. A new plant will require an entire season growing in well-drained soil to reach that goal. If meeting that condition is not a realistic expectation, purchase the desired hybrid in the largest-sized pot offered [in order to ensure flowering] and then treat the hybrid as an annual.