Dear Iris

Peonies: old component of gardens

By JULIE JOHNSTON, Master Gardener Intern | May 03, 2012 

(Photo below borrowed from Doug Green's Garden - click title for link) 

“These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.”  Sound familiar? Even if you are not into musicals or even music, nearly everyone recognizes the song from “The Sound of Music.” 

 

I translate this theme to my garden, which has many of my favorite things. It seems though, that all of my favorite blooming flowers bloom in spring. My very favorite is the lilac, closely followed by peonies, iris, tulips and daffodils. Then, of course, there are the magnolia, rhododendron, flowering crab, flowering dogwood, redbud, serviceberry and ornamental pears. All are beautiful and bring us a sense of hope in spring. Today, I am going to concentrate on peonies, which are blooming already in some gardens, though they usually don’t bloom until later in May.

 

Paeoniaceae is the botanical family name for the peony, the luscious, fragrant spring blooming flower common in many Iowa gardens. I have peonies and love them. The only drawback is that their bloom time is far too short to suit me! I think I shall get more of them, perhaps some of the newer varieties and colors.
For those who are not overly familiar with peonies, in addition to Paeonia officinalis or common peony (known to gardeners as the herbaceous peony) there are also the Paeonia suffruticosa or tree peony, which isn’t really a tree, and the more recent addition to the peony family, the intersectional peony, a hybrid of the tree and herbaceous peonies. I only heard of the latter just recently.

I was privileged to hear Roy Klehm of Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery speak at the Iowa Arboretum Spring Fever Symposium. Klehm is a third-generation peony hybridizer whose grandfather Charles Klehm was a charter member of the American Peony Society formed in 1903. Local teacher Corey Klehm doesn’t think they are related. There aren’t a lot of Klehms spelled that way, so maybe he is a branch of that family tree.

It was not only interesting, but exciting as well to hear of the work hybridizers are doing in the peony world. Hybrids are the result of crossing two peony species resulting in colors of salmon, peach, coral, clear pink, fire-engine red and soft moonlight yellows. Some hybrids also improve standability, pest resistance and drought tolerance.

Peonies are a very old component of country gardens and mixed borders. As a cut flower, they have no equal. Alluringly fragrant blooms, lush foliage and a wide range of growth habits are key features. Success is guaranteed if you give the plant adequate sunlight, well-drained soil and sufficient moisture during the growing season. Peonies have a high degree of drought tolerance as well as pest and disease resistance, including deer damage. They are recommended to be hardy in USDA Zones 2-8. It is no wonder they have flourished in the Midwest and plains states. They are sturdy, hardy and require very little work to keep them happy for years.

The Intersectional or Itoh (ee-toe-ah) Hybrids were named in honor of Toichi Itoh, the originator of these unique hybrid peonies. They are the result of crossing the two main groups of peonies: the herbaceous and the tree or woody shrub peonies. Ornamentally, Itoh hybrids achieve the best of both parental worlds with the beautiful flowers and foliage of the woody tree peonies displayed on an herbaceous plant. Strong healthy plants form attractive dense, neat rounded bushes, shorter in stature than most tree peonies. Flowers are displayed above the handsome foliage that remains greener longer than their herbaceous parents. Intersectional hybrids are somewhat hardier than tree peonies and more tolerant of heat and humidity. They are recommended for Zones 4-8. Southern Iowa is Zone 5.

Klehm suggested that for cut flowers, you cut the stems long, bearing in mind that cutting more than one-third of the plant’s foliage and stems may affect the overall vigor and health of the plant.
Peonies can be cut when the first true color is evident on the bud. It is best to cut them in early morning and immerse immediately in water. Cut 0.5 inch off the stems UNDER WATER as you arrange them to prevent air blocking the intake of water. Be sure to remove any foliage that will be under water and change water daily to reduce bacteria. You might want to use a commercial flower food. Refrigerating will slow maturity while putting them in warm water will hasten the blooms. DO NOT refrigerate with fruit, as fruits emit methane gas, harmful to most flowers.

Peony fragrance is intensified after bringing indoors, perhaps the main reason peonies are one of my favorite things. Once you are familiar with these generous plants, they will be one of your favorite things, too.

Julie Johnston is a Master Gardener intern.

Dear Iris

Cardboard helps transform lawn into planting space

By COLLEEN T. BELL, Master Gardener Intern | Apr 19, 2012

 

Photo by: JULIE JOHNSTON/Ledger photo  

 

Trees are being planted at the Maasdam Barns using the cardboard method.

My goal is to phase out turf grass except for pathways between beds of a wide range of edible fruit and nut trees, berries, herbs, and flowers (some edible). It’s easy to transform lawn space (or just about any flat space that’s a good garden site) into planting space with little to no digging and no rototiling. Use cardboard!

Why cardboard? Cardboard blocks light and air from turf so it dies. It does let water in and that helps the grass break down. This creates a 4- to 6-inch layer of compost, which attracts worms that will eat the wet cardboard. It’s amazing how loose and “plantable” the soil is within a few months. The worms naturally aerate the soil, which makes it easier for things to grow. The roots need oxygen. (When we rototill, it not only destroys any worms, it breaks down the soil structure, and it takes a long time to build up again. It causes compacted soil.)

This is especially useful for fruit trees because their young roots grow laterally just below the surface. Take away that competition of turf to give them a good start in their new home.

How to do this? If planning ahead, water the area for the new growing space. Mow as close to the ground as possible. Then layer and overlap the cardboard over the entire area to be planted. Leave no grass showing, please. Be sure to remove tape and staples that won’t decompose with the cardboard. Water thoroughly.

The second step is covering the cardboard with about 2 to 4 inches of compost if possible and topsoil if necessary for weight. Water again, thoroughly. This facilitates decomposition and holds the cardboard down.

The third step: Cover area with a layer of mulch to retain moisture until your living mulch is established. This mulch will vary depending on what you are planting.

When you plant in the new bed always leave at least 3 to 6 inch breathing space between cardboard and stem. Don’t let wet cardboard be up against any growing thing, please! Pull the cardboard away from the tree trunk or plant. Tear it out or tuck it under.

If you haven’t done this technique ahead of the time of planting your tree, it’s OK to do it all at once when you plant the trees or soon after. Follow the tree planting instructions as usual. Then mulch with cardboard!
This technique also is useful for making a new flower or vegetable bed. Follow the same instructions for any size bed. If there are a lot of smaller plants in a row just cut a strip out to plant. Then I use folded multi layers of newspaper to go between the small plants because its easier to work with around small plants.

Here is how to use it for fruit trees:  Create a circle about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Figure the center and measure a 3-foot string and draw a perfect circle to be covered with cardboard. Ideally when you plant your fruit or nut trees, plant a circle of daffodils around the trunk. They are poisonous, so the critters won’t burrow up to the trunk to snack. Do this when you plant the tree. Transplant them from places where they have gotten too crowded. Once you have planted, don’t walk in that circle. It compacts the soil. If you need to get close use a board or stepping stone.

Now the tree needs some company! Plants that will support and aid in its growth and survival! Permaculture design uses the term guild to describe such a group of plants. Comfrey is a good example that fills several functions. The Fairfield Public Library has several books on permaculture and edible forest gardening.

Colleen T. Bell is a Master Gardener intern, a graduate of the permaculture design program and owner and manager of Earth Wisdom.

DEAR IRIS

Choose a day lily for carefree beauty

By GERRI LYON, Master Gardener intern | Mar 15, 2012

 

If you are starting a new perennial garden, consider the many varieties of easy to grow day lilies in your plan. They are trouble free and can grow undisturbed for many years.

The botanical name Hemerocallis is derived from a Greek word meaning “beautiful for a day.” Individual flowers last only a single day, with new buds opening daily. Stalks bear flowers for several weeks.

My first memory of lilies is the “ditch lily or tiger lily.” Have you ever noticed the bright orange flower along roadsides or at an old farmstead? Obviously, a hardy survivor after years of abandon! This is simply more proof of day lilies being easy to grow. The modern hybrid varieties are vastly improved and have more shapes and colors available. Some varieties are ruffled, others have double layers of petals. Still others have spidery looking blossoms, some are large and some are small giving the grower many choices in addition to color.

Day lily foliage in itself, adds a visual effect in your garden for the entire growing season. Bright green strap-like leaves arch from the crown of the plant and form a graceful mound.

Flower stalks grow from the crown and can grow from 1 foot to 6 feet. The stalks branch at the top where the showy flowers open for one day. That’s a sad fact for me. Only one day, when they are so perfect and beautiful. But, keep in mind, flowering does last for several weeks!

Plantings should be made in full sun or partial shade. Loamy soil is ideal, but they can adapt to a variety of soil types. Good drainage is important. Fertilizer should be used sparingly unless you are planting in poor soil types. Use a 0-20-20 or 5-20-20; 1 or 2 tablespoons can be applied around plants in early spring.

Ideally, planting and transplanting, should be done in the late summer. Prepare your new garden area, working soil 1 foot deep. If dividing plants from an existing bed, dig clumps, remove soil from root area, then use a knife or spade to divide into sections. Be sure each section has several crowns — the spot where foliage and roots meet. Cut back foliage tops to 8- to 10 inches. This is a good time to share your favorites with family and friends or perhaps a community project
.
Place the crowns about 1 inch deep, spreading out roots into the soil. Gently firm the soil and water thoroughly. Plantings should be spaced 1-2 feet apart. Water the newly planted day lilies regularly, to ensure good root growth.

A day lily can grow for five to seven years with little maintenance. There are many choices for early-, mid- and late-season blooming. You can’t go wrong using a day lily. The rewards are an endless wave of color and texture in your landscaping.

I mentioned little maintenance. Because of their heavy blooming nature, dead heading or removing spent blossoms is desirable to keep plants looking fresh and healthy. I don’t mind this duty; it’s another chance to admire and enjoy the beauty of mid-June mornings! To continue enjoying the mounded foliage of your plants, remove the stalks when they start to dry and turn brown.

Gerri Lyon is a Master Gardener intern.

DEAR IRIS

Hellebore ‘wonderful’ addition to shady areas

By Kathy Tollenaere, Master Gardener | Mar 01, 2012

 

 

The Helleborus is a plant for the shade.

Do you have a shady spot in need of four-season (almost completely) green foliage and long-lived, interesting blossoms? You are invited to explore the diverse genus Helleborus, of which there are approximately 15 species.

Most varieties grow into sturdy, perennial “clumps” ranging from 12 to 24 inches tall, depending upon the strain and/or variety. They are tolerant of heat and humidity, can withstand periods of drought, if situated in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, and can even thrive in clay. Good news: The plant is deer and disease resistant.

The Helleborus is a plant for the shade. It grows well in conditions ranging from part sun to full shade. One special requirement is that the plants would like to receive fresh compost each year, which supplies necessary nutrients. You will enjoy its interesting, dark green foliage. In fact, the leaves remain green throughout much of the winter. Generally, in late winter or very early spring, one should cut off the old leaves, making way for the new growth. Otherwise, the leaves provide shelter for the plant during periods of winter snow.

In my opinion, the most wonderful attraction of this plant is its flowers. They bloom very early in the spring and stay fresh for months in the garden and weeks in a vase. Bloom color can range greatly, resulting in cream, green, pink, maroon, and yellow flowers, many of which are speckled. The bloom size is approximately 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Most flowers face slightly downward, and there are a few new varieties that bear double blossoms.

As is the case with many perennials, getting the plants established might offer a challenge. However, so far in my garden areas, I’ve had only to contend with the loss of one plant, and that was shortly after it was set in the ground. I planted several more varieties a year ago, so once spring arrives, I’ll see how I’ve fared with these new garden additions.

Perhaps you’d like to know about plant propagation. You can gather and sow seeds, and you might find that the plant has done it for you when tiny “baby” plants appear next to the parent plant. Tiny seedlings give you the chance to relocate plants in other spots in your yard or garden, and to share with gardening friends! You might take note that not always will the blossoms of plants grown from seed mimic those of the parent plants.

Although I’ve not done this, I have read that a plant can be divided. Care must be taken that a large root is maintained for each separate portion. This method would result in multiple plants of the same variety.
If you have shady spots that could use something different and interesting, I’d recommend your looking into these beautiful, hardy, low maintenance, disease- and pest-free perennials!

Kathy Tollenaere is a Master Gardener.

Dear Iris: Hosta

Friendship Plant Known for Foliage

Dear Iris - By JULIE JOHNSTON, Master Gardener intern | Feb 02, 2012

While the plant seen in many gardens has many names, the real name for the plant grown mainly for its foliage is Hosta. Other names are Friendship Plant, Plantain Lily and Funkia. Hostas are easy to grow, shade tolerant, herbaceous perennials. Hostas are grown by some because they are pretty much care free, but I grow them for their beautiful foliage. The “Friendship Plant” name came from the sharing of divisions among friends.

Hosta leaves come in a wide range of shapes, colors, sizes, and textures. Some have ruffled edges, some leaves appear to be quilted. The leaves may be streaked, speckled or splashed or have a different colored edge. Plants range in size from the dwarf at 4 inches tall and 6 inches across, to giant, standing 28 inches tall and perhaps 5 feet across. Some cultivars have scapes — the flower stem — as tall as 60 inches.
Some hybridizers have made it their goal to increase the size or fragrance of the Hosta flower, resulting in some lovely lily look-alikes. Others focus on the shape or size of the leaves or the coloring of the leaves, which range from deep dark green to rather bluish to pale gold. Many of the newer cultivars have deep red petioles — stems — with some of the red creeping into the leaves as well. I like all of them, and my garden will never have enough Hosta to suit me.

Native to Japan, Korea and China, Hosta were first imported and grown in Europe in the late 1700s. By the mid-1800s, Hosta were growing in the United States. Collectors still visit the Far East in search of “new” species, but most new cultivars come from the efforts of Hosta hybridizers. Today, there are hundreds of species and thousands of cultivars available to the home gardener as a result of hybridizing and tissue culture propagation.


If you receive a Hosta from another gardener, it will come from crown division, which is the way all Hostas used to be propagated. This is a slow process if large numbers are desired. Today’s market needs of many Hosta and Hosta cultivars are met by tissue culture, which is now the preferred process of propagation. This has brought about a growing problem known as Hosta Virus X because it can spread much more quickly through propagations methods.

While primarily trouble-free, Hosta have two problems of which you need to be aware. One is HVX mentioned above and the other is foliar nematodes.

HVX shows mottling of the leaves, which ultimately become brown spots. This disease is spread through use of unclean utensils, so sterilized equipment is a must. More on this disease is a column by itself.
Foliar nematodes are disease-causing organisms that attack the plant above ground. The most common symptom in Hosta is the development of linear lesions between the leaf veins, which become brown and eventually turn black. Other symptoms may be stunting, bunching of leaves around the crown, multicolored leaves, lack of flowering and death. In addition to Hosta, some of the most common hosts include anemone, strawberry, phlox, verbena, zinnia, carnation, impatiens, begonia, fern and African violet.
For Hosta lovers like me, the garden never big enough, causing us to continually dig up the turf found in our yards to make room for “just one more” Hosta. I only have about 90 different cultivars, but some collectors have hundreds. One garden I visited during the American Hosta Society convention in Minnesota boasted more than 500 cultivars and more than 1,500 plants.

If you are interested in learning more, contact me at The Ledger or take a look at the American Hosta Society website at www.americanhostasociety.org. And if you are lucky enough to obtain one of these beauties from a friend, you will indeed have a “Friendship Plant.”

Julie Johnston is a Master Gardener intern.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Questions are welcome and can be directed to Master Gardener Intern and Ledger photographer Julie Johnston at photo@ffledger.com.