Posted by Carol Stocker

Secrets in Your Backyard will be the title of a live caterpillar show at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston Sunday, August 25, 10am-4pm

Samuel Jaffe, life-long naturalist, trained biologist, photographer and passionate
educator, brings his “Caterpillars of Massachusetts” show to Tower Hill Botanic
Garden for those who want to get an up close and personal look at these bizarre yet fascinating garden visitors.

Jaffe, 30, is from Newton, Mass., and he earned a biology degree from Brown University,
and then worked on a study at Harvard University that examined interactions between
ants and caterpillars. He’s now an environmental education major at Antioch University
New England.

Jaffe first started taking photos of native New England caterpillars in 2008. “I did not imagine at the time the power that these images would have to open people’s
eyes to the wonders of their own back yards,” says Jaffe, “but after my first exhibit
it was clear that caterpillars were special.”

As Jaffe put it, he started his journey of exploring these bizarre native beauties
and soon realized that photography alone was not sufficient in demonstrating caterpillars’
charisma. Jaffe then organized his first caterpillar show and that’s when the Caterpillar
Project was born.

This summer, as part of the Caterpillar Project, Jaffe is touring around New England
with native live caterpillars and his photo gallery. With magnifying glasses provided,
the show offers a special glimpse into the varied and dynamic world of these wonderful
caterpillars which each have their unique way of disguising and defending themselves
in natural surroundings. The show will also reveal the secrets of caterpillars:
why they are called the “eating machines,” how they breathe and sense, and most
fascinating, their art of survival.

Caterpillars are the master of disguise. The Abbott’s

Sphinx caterpillar sports a camouflage of brown skin with green dots that run along
its body, making it look just like its host plant -the Grapevine. And you could
hardly spot the Oak Beauty caterpillars in the woods because they mimic a twig so
cleverly that there’s barely any contrast between the caterpillar and the wood.
But hiding is not always the best way to survive form predators. They also develop
some dazzling moves for their own protection. The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar
can perform an impressive snake mimic. And the White Furcula caterpillar, when disturbed, will inflate its two tail-looking, modified rear pro-legs and whip these tassels over and around itself.

The Live Caterpillar Show is included with regular Garden admission: $12 Adults,
$9 Seniors (65+), $7 Youth (6-18), and FREE for Tower Hill Members and Children
under 6. WOO Card holders earn points and gain discounted admission. The Garden
is located at 11 French Drive, Boylston, Massachusetts, exit 24 off Route 290.
For details and directions, call 508-869-6111 or visit the Garden’s website at www.towerhillbg.org

It is the home of the Worcester County Horticultural Society, incorporated in 1842
for the purpose of “advancing the science, and encouraging and improving the practice
of horticulture.” Located on 132 acres of garden paradise in bucolic Boylston, Massachusetts, the Garden hosts educational programs, exhibits, shows, and special events throughout the year.

The fall planting season is still a couple of months off, so we have a ways to go as we work through the “dog-days” of summer. Here are a few tips that will, hopefully, help in making proper decisions in your landscape.

Annual flowering plants:  True annuals planted earlier in the year will sometimes need to be replaced at this time, unless they are heat tolerant. Hanging baskets of annuals may also be past their prime and may need to be replanted.

Some heat-tolerant annuals, which generally remain under 2 feet tall include:  Blue Daze, Celosia, Coleus, Dusty Miller, Lantana, Marigold, Mexican Heather, Periwinkle, Portulaca, Purslane, and Salvia.

Some heat-tolerant annuals, which may grow to be over 2 feet tall include:  Cana, Four-o’Clock, Hardy Hibiscus (Mallow), Mexican Sunflower, Rudbeckia, Salvia (such as Mealy Blue Sage), Shrimp Plant, and Sun Flower.

When the plants become too leggy and tired, trim them back.  Fertilize after pruning to encourage regrowth.

Posted by Carol Stocker

Secrets in Your Backyard will be the title of a live caterpillar show at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston Sunday, August 25, 10am-4pm

Samuel Jaffe, life-long naturalist, trained biologist, photographer and passionate
educator, brings his “Caterpillars of Massachusetts” show to Tower Hill Botanic
Garden for those who want to get an up close and personal look at these bizarre yet fascinating garden visitors.

Jaffe, 30, is from Newton, Mass., and he earned a biology degree from Brown University,
and then worked on a study at Harvard University that examined interactions between
ants and caterpillars. He’s now an environmental education major at Antioch University
New England.

Jaffe first started taking photos of native New England caterpillars in 2008. “I did not imagine at the time the power that these images would have to open people’s
eyes to the wonders of their own back yards,” says Jaffe, “but after my first exhibit
it was clear that caterpillars were special.”

As Jaffe put it, he started his journey of exploring these bizarre native beauties
and soon realized that photography alone was not sufficient in demonstrating caterpillars’
charisma. Jaffe then organized his first caterpillar show and that’s when the Caterpillar
Project was born.

This summer, as part of the Caterpillar Project, Jaffe is touring around New England
with native live caterpillars and his photo gallery. With magnifying glasses provided,
the show offers a special glimpse into the varied and dynamic world of these wonderful
caterpillars which each have their unique way of disguising and defending themselves
in natural surroundings. The show will also reveal the secrets of caterpillars:
why they are called the “eating machines,” how they breathe and sense, and most
fascinating, their art of survival.

Caterpillars are the master of disguise. The Abbott’s

Sphinx caterpillar sports a camouflage of brown skin with green dots that run along
its body, making it look just like its host plant -the Grapevine. And you could
hardly spot the Oak Beauty caterpillars in the woods because they mimic a twig so
cleverly that there’s barely any contrast between the caterpillar and the wood.
But hiding is not always the best way to survive form predators. They also develop
some dazzling moves for their own protection. The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar
can perform an impressive snake mimic. And the White Furcula caterpillar, when disturbed, will inflate its two tail-looking, modified rear pro-legs and whip these tassels over and around itself.

The Live Caterpillar Show is included with regular Garden admission: $12 Adults,
$9 Seniors (65+), $7 Youth (6-18), and FREE for Tower Hill Members and Children
under 6. WOO Card holders earn points and gain discounted admission. The Garden
is located at 11 French Drive, Boylston, Massachusetts, exit 24 off Route 290.
For details and directions, call 508-869-6111 or visit the Garden’s website at www.towerhillbg.org

It is the home of the Worcester County Horticultural Society, incorporated in 1842
for the purpose of “advancing the science, and encouraging and improving the practice
of horticulture.” Located on 132 acres of garden paradise in bucolic Boylston, Massachusetts, the Garden hosts educational programs, exhibits, shows, and special events throughout the year.

Do you love cilantro in your food? Garlic? Ginger? They are all easy to grow when you pay attention to their individual timetables.

Cilantro is a cool-season herb. Fall is the most productive time of year to grow it. It thrives in full sun during cool weather and survives light frost.

The plant’s life cycle is faster than that of other herbs. If you are a big cilantro user you will want grow fresh cilantro most of the year. Sow seeds every three to four weeks. They germinate in seven to 10 days. From time of sowing you can harvest cilantro leaves in about four weeks and harvest the seeds (called coriander) in 45 days. You can sow seeds successively all winter. Direct sow cilantro outside in fall and grow it indoors in a pot during the coldest part of the winter.

Harvest cilantro by cutting the 6- to 12-inch outside stems close to soil level. New leaves emerge from the center of the plant. Don’t cut more than one third of the leaves at a time or you will weaken the plant.

Cilantro loses most of its flavor when dried. Keep fresh leaves coming fall through spring until the weather gets hot. When the soil reaches 75 degrees the plant will quickly bolt and go to seed.

Leaf spot and powdery mildew can affect cilantro, but good drainage and airflow along with judicious watering should prevent problems.

Grow cilantro in a sunny garden area where it can reseed. It has a taproot so it does not take well to transplanting.

Garlic is a bulbous vegetable that can be planted in mid fall. Choose a softneck variety for best results in coastal Carolina.

Plant cloves (the sections of the bulb) flat side down and pointed side up about 6 inches apart. Cover each tip with two to three inches of soil. Soil should be well drained and rich with organic material. Good drainage will help prevent fungus disease. Mulch well. Give plants about an inch of water per week. Garlic may sprout by late fall.

In the spring, feed regularly with foliar fertilizer or slow release granules. In late spring some varieties produce flower stalks with bulbils. Cut them off because they waste the plant’s energy. In June as bulbs form the plants no longer produce leaves. Stop watering, remove the mulch and allow the garlic to dry out.

Garlic is ready to harvest when most of the leaves turn yellow-brown. This should be late June or July. Dig up the bulbs. Don’t break the stalk. Tie groups of six or so together and hang them to dry in a dry shaded area with good air flow for six to eight weeks.

Ginger loves heat, humidity and filtered sun. It grows when the soil temperature reaches 68 degrees. Coastal Carolina meets these conditions part of the year. It is your choice how to handle the rest of the year.

Start ginger by root division using a piece of plump grocery store ginger. Look for a rhizome with a number of fingers, or growing tips. Soak the rhizome in warm water overnight and then cut it into pieces about two inches long. Try to include four eyes per piece. Direct plant the rhizomes in a sheltered spot with filtered sun. Well-drained sandy loam with slightly acidic pH is best. Place the eyes facing upward and cover the rhizome with one inch of soil.

Water regularly during warm weather. Mulch heavily during winter and reduce water because the plant will be dormant during cold weather. It will grow when the weather warms.

Alternately plant the divisions in good potting soil. Move your ginger inside when outside temperatures drop below 50 degrees. Maintain it in a warm spot with good humidity until spring.

Another option is to start your ginger indoors in a pot in late winter. Move the pot outside or transplant it when the weather and soil warm.

Ginger takes eight to 12 months to reach harvest time. Meanwhile, the above ground plant may reach two to four feet tall. New rhizomes are ready to harvest when leaves die back.

Plant young rhizomes for your next harvest and throw out the old starter pieces.

Storage tip: Freeze rhizomes and grate off what you need.

Cilantro, garlic and ginger each have a timetable, but they take very little maintenance along the way.

Reach DEBBIE MENCHEK, a Clemson Master Gardener, at dmgha3@aol.com.

The Gardeners’ Benevolent Fund charity, Perennial (0845 230 1839;
perennial.org.uk), hosts courses at interesting gardens, given by those who
look after them (I went to one at the Kensington Roof Gardens). In
September, Jon Brocklebank, head gardener at Barnsdale
in Rutland, will take the fear out of pruning, adding a three-course lunch,
with time to explore Geoff Hamilton’s garden – his son Nick also holds
courses there.

Assington Water Mill
in Suffolk (01787 229955) has a course for everyone. From “Hunting with
Harris Hawks” to “Chain-sawing for Amateurs”, owner Anne Holden tries
anything once. Coming up are “Cider-making” (September 7) and “Beekeeping
for Beginners” (September 15), or why not try “Clay oven-making”? A very
special place, I gave “Hen Keeping” days there for years, but now offer them
here in Whitstable (kitchen-garden-hens.co.uk).

Fergus Garrett’s successional growing tips

Start the season with small-leaved bulb varieties like snowdrops, that won’t
kill tiny seedlings as the leaves die down.

Always use the best plant varieties, e.g. Ann Folkard or Rozanne for
long-lasting geraniums.

Plant climbers and small-flowered clematis through short-season shrubs like
lilac, also C. juiniana praecox through bulbs on the flat.

Add bedding plants like cosmos ‘Purity’ with pretty foliage and a long season,
or nasturtiums or bidens in gaps.

Encourage self-sowers red orach, Verbena bonariensis (above), or Lychnis
coronaria, but thin them out.

Copy Dixter’s pot displays of agaves, hostas and succulents to fill holes left
by summer-flowering plants like lupins.

Shrubs like evergreens Euonymus ‘Silver Queen’, Ilex ‘Golden King’ and Cornus
alba ‘Elegantissima’ give winter structure.

No
matter where you live, being a waterwise gardener makes environmental and
economic sense. And it’s really easier
than you think.

Use
rain barrels to capture rain off your roof or directly from the sky. Decorate or mask the barrels with nearby
plantings.

And
connect it to a soaker hose installed in a nearby garden.  Just open the spigot and allow gravity to
slowly empty the water throughout the day.

Using
soaker hoses and drip irrigation will also save water by applying the water
directly to the soil where it is needed.

Group
moisture-loving plants together. You’ll
save time and money spent watering by skipping those drought tolerant plants
and lawns that can recover from drought induced dormancy.

Always
water thoroughly and less frequently to encourage deep drought tolerant
roots. And mulch the soil to conserve
moisture and keep roots cool.

Many municipalities, nature centers, and home gardeners are converting 50-gallon
food containers into rain barrels. The
price is right, but they are not always the most attractive.  Improve their looks with a bit of paint and
creativity. Watch the Melinda’s Garden
Moment on painting rain barrels for
tips and techniques.

Visit www.melindamyers.com for more.

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Good Food

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  Pardon
  

  Hey, Melbourne, how much do you like – love, want, need – your coffee?

  
  

  
  
  

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  Featured

  

  Italian chicken dumpling soup
  

  A recipe from the Good Food collection.

  
  

  
  
  

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  2011 Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay
  

  An elegant chardonnay, in the best sense of the word – finely structured and delicate, but with beautiful fruit flavours.

  
  

  
  
  

• Food News

  
  

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  The waffle taco: hola breakfast, adios waistline
  

  Scratch the healthy muesli and freshly squeezed orange juice: why not chow down on a calorie-laden taco to start the day?

  
  

  
  
  

Compost, Worm, Soil, Gardening, Earthworm, Nature, Environmental Conservation, Environment, Healthy Lifestyle, Growth, Green Living, New Life,

Healthy soil is essential for healthy plant growth. At this time of the year, just before the growing season really begins, improving your soil is very worthwhile.

The aim is to help plants develop strong, deep root systems. By enhancing your soil structure, the little roots can spread more easily and develop those many little fibrous roots that are so vital for absorbing nutrients. Plants need to access 16 essential nutrients.

The balance of moisture in the soil is also critical. You need enough moisture to stimulate the beneficial soil microbes that convert nutrients into plant-accessible forms. Plants also need to be able to continually draw in moisture. Without water, the root systems will be poor. Waterlogging is also a problem.

Where you have rocks in the soil, remove them. Plants are adventurous and they will try to grow through rocky soils but it will set back their development. The other day we were transplanting a small apricot tree that had been growing in a rubble bed and we discovered one root had grown through one of the three holes in a house brick. We broke off the remaining brick to see a fat root structure with a 10-centimetre-long pipe section.

There are a lot of poor shale soils and densely packed clays – often with shallow top soils – in the Canberra region. Property developers are to blame for much of this, as they have stripped the top soils before levelling the ground. Clay subsoils are usually low in plant nutrients but if well structured they can compensate by being good at storing moisture. Too much clay or a compacted soil will prevent water penetrating and hinder aeration.

You can greatly improve soil texture by adding a few simple but essential elements. Apply gypsum at a rate of one kilogram a square metre and dig it into your garden beds of clay soils. Gypsum will aggregate clay particles and reduce high sodium content. Mixing in river sand will lighten the soil texture but you need a trailer load for a large garden area. Where the pH levels are very low (an acidic soil) dig in lime, which also helps aggregate the clay particles.

You want a good amount of organic matter throughout the garden. Add compost and other organic matter regularly to improve the tilth of the soil, add nutrients, help water retention and provide food and shelter for the micro soil organisms.

For the plants to access organic matter, you need a microbially active soil. There can be millions of microbes in a small garden bed if the conditions are right. They are the worker bees of the soil, breaking down raw organic matter, helping to access mineral elements and convert essential plant nutrients into the form that plants can access.

The plants’ roots release signals to nearby soil microbes about minerals the plant needs.

The importance of soil microbes is one of the reasons for avoiding harmful chemicals. Microbes work to bind clay particles to humus particles to form the wonderful clay-humus crumb. This crumb contributes to good soil structure with excellent ability to hold water.

Earthworms are also vital and should be encouraged to multiply in any garden. A good layer of mulch and good moisture levels are critical for earthworms. They help with breaking up heavy soils, allowing water and air to penetrate. They will also shred and bury organic matter and bring essential elements from deeper down. They secrete mucus that binds soil particles together and provides growth-stimulating nutrients to plants. And they leave behind those wonderful castings that add to the soil’s organic content.

This week