Growing Poppies

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Jay White

(WARNING! An extremely long and nostalgic post lies ahead. If you don’t want to hear why poppies, and the British, really matter to this veteran then skip ahead to the growing section)

Air Intelligence Agency Logo

I am very proud to be a veteran of the United States Air Force (Air Intelligence Agency). The Air Force paid for my education and taught me the skills that I still use to make a living today. It also taught me that duty, honor and country are a whole lot more than just three words. In short, the military is largely responsible for turning me into the man I am today.

In addition to shaping my character, the Air Force let me see the world. I literally went around the world in my ten years of service. I saw wonderful and amazing things and I met incredible people. But of all the things I saw, the thing I most remember and treasure is the November I spent in London.

What we call Veteran’s Day, the British call Remembrance Day. When it comes to appreciating and celebrating their veterans, the British beat us hands down. Veteran’s Day is huge to them. I realize this is because war is so personal for them. Not only did they sacrifice their loved ones to the cause, the world wars literally destroyed their country. Because of this, each November, the British host a series of events that elegantly and appropriately recognize the service of those that were willing to give the last full measure to the defense of freedom

Crosses with poppies on "graves" in front of Westminster Abbey. There is a grave on the lawn for every unit that served in the defense of Britian in the two world wars. Photo from http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/elyssa_and_dave/europe2006/1163362140/img_3306.jpg/tpod.html

One thing that stuck with me while attending the various Remembrance Day celebrations were the poppies. They were everywhere. On lapels, in wreaths and on tiny crosses that were placed on “graves” outside Westminster Abbey that represented the dead from every military unit (including foreign) that served in the defense of Britain. The poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance Day for several reasons. However, most agree the poppy was selected primarily because of a poem written by Lt Col John McCrae. Colonel McCrae was a Canadian doctor that wrote “In Flanders Fields” after losing his close friend and student during the Battle of the Ypres Salient in Belgian Flanders. His poem is a poignant reminder that even though war is slaughter and sacrifice the healing begins when the gunfire ends. In case you have never seen it before, here is this beautiful work:

Growing Poppies

This lovely poppy is very similar to those that grow in Flanders Fields. I took this shot in front of Texas Specialty Cut Flowers big blue barn in Blanco

Even though I love growing all of my plants, none of them fill me with so much emotion as do my poppies. Each Spring they remind me of the millions of soldiers, seaman and airmen that have died in defense of their countries. They also take me back to a magical few weeks spent in London with my British cousins. The poppies I grow are deep red singles with black throats and bright yellow centers. However, if red or single is not your style, I promise there is a color and style out there for you. Poppies are like roses; they come in every color but blue.

Here is a shot of the bright red variety I grow. Thanks to Carol Ann Sayles of Boggy Creek Farms for sharing them with me

Poppies are so easy to grow. If you don’t have any, simply order or buy seeds from your favorite source. They are so adaptable that even if you order from a reseller on the East coast, there is very good chance they will do well for you in Texas. However, in my opinion, the best way to get your poppies is from a local gardener. I got my poppies from Carol Ann Sayles at Boggy Creek Farms in Austin. Since poppies are such great reseeders, everyone that grows them always has plenty of seeds to share. If you live in Texas, now is the time to stop and mooch those seeds from your poppy growing friends.

A lovely double pink variety grown by Patty Leander

Since poppies reseed so freely, once you get them established you will always have them. Poppy seeds are tiny. Because of this, I put them out in a broadcast manner. Instead of trying to plant in rows I simply scatter them in the area that I want them in. Before I scatter them, I run a rake over the area I am going to place them. Then, once the seeds are down, I run the rake the other way. Then I water in and wait. If you want poppies next spring, you need to plant them anytime between now and October.

My poppies start to bloom in early March and they continue blooming well into April. By mid April the flowers have gone and the “heads” that are filled with all of those tiny little seeds are beginning to dry. The heads that are left after the flower fades are actually what’s left of the plant’s pistil. As the pistil dries, little holes open up around the top where the stamen were once attached. These little holes turn each head into a little “salt shaker” that dispenses the seeds whenever the wind blows or the plant falls over.

A great shot of dry poppy head. Notice the little holes in the top that allow the plant to "shake" its seeds all over your garden

If you want to gather and save seeds, simply cut these heads as soon as the holes open. Shake the seeds into a bag and store for later use. I have been doing this for several years and I have now been able to spread poppies all over my property.

All of these seeds came from this head

While many flowers are used as symbols for something, poppies represent the things I value most; sacrifice and service. Poppies are easy, reliable, carefree and oh so beautiful. Plant some now and you will be rewarded with a spring time show of beautiful flowers for years to come!

Baby Cardinals on the Porch

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Jay White

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I don’t know what it is about moving to the country that turns people into nature lovers, but it most definitely happens. When my wife’s parents retired to their farm, the grand kids started teasing them because they had more pictures of their “critters” than they did of any of them. Well, the same thing is now happening to us. We recently “hatched” three baby cardinals on our back porch. The whole process was so exciting to watch that we took about a million pictures to document it. Because of these baby cardinals our kids have started to tease us just like they teased their grandparents 15 years ago.

“Our” three cardinal eggs

The cardinal experience started when my wife and I noticed something making a nest in a potted plant on the back porch. We enjoyed watching the progress but we had no idea what was building it. It was truly amazing to watch a few pieces of dry grass begin to twist together to form the most perfect little nest you ever saw.

Our babies right after hatching

After about three weeks of watching the nest take shape, we came home one afternoon and found the cutest little brown speckled egg in the nest. Once that first egg arrived we began to pay close attention to the back porch. After the second egg appeared in the nest we finally saw a lovely female cardinal sitting on the nest. The next morning we went out and found the third an final egg.

Hungry babies!

Once we were certain that we had cardinals, we decided to find out how the rest of this little drama would progress. So, we went to Google and discovered some very interesting cardinal facts. Cardinals typically lay 3 eggs but they can lay anywhere from one to five. The female does all of the incubation and she doesn’t start to sit until she has finished laying. The eggs will hatch in 11 to 13 days after she starts sitting. Once hatched, both the male and female will feed the young. The male gets the extra benefit of defending the territory and carrying off the little poops sacks that the young expel. The baby cardinals are fast growing and they fledge, or leave the nest, 9 to 11 days after hatching.

Our babies are ready to leave the nest

All of these facts were proven out by our three baby birds. They hatched 11 days after the female starting sitting. The first brave baby left the nest on day 9 and the other two were gone when we came home on day 10. It was so exciting to watch this avian miracle of life unfold right before us. Watching these birds go from egg to first flight in 20 days was truly amazing to me. I guess this is why people that move to the country become nature lovers. In the country you have the opportunity to get close to nature. And, the closer you get, the more and more amazing it is to watch.

Since our kids are tired of seeing the pictures, I hope you don’t mind us sharing these with you. Enjoy!

Controlling Squash Vine Borers (Melittia cucurbitae)

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jay White

A squash vine borer moth in Patty Leander's garden. Photo by Bruce Leander

In my mind, squash vine borers are kind of the nut sedge of the insect world. They reproduce like crazy and they are very difficult to control. Very few pests in the garden are as dreaded and damaging as the squash vine borer. While aphids make your leaves look ugly, squash vine borers make your whole plant die!

A close up of the grub like larvae of the squash vine borer. Photo by Bruce Leander

Since we have had such an unusually mild winter, many people have planted early. Because of this, their squash is now at a perfect state of maturity to be attacked by these pests. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to give a few tips on controlling them. While there are both organic and commercial pesticides out there , the best way to control these pests (in my opinion) are your growing practices.

Squash Nine Borer eggs. Photo by Bruce Leander

First, if you want to stop the problem before it begins, grow your squash under floating row cover. If you put row cover around your plants when they start to vine, you can prevent the borer from laying its eggs on your vine. Cut a fairly large piece of row cover so it can expand as the plant grows. Anchor the edges in the soil with dirt, boards or bricks; anything that will create a seal and prevent the moth from getting to the base of your plant. Be aware that if you put row cover over your plants before they pollinate, you will have to pollinate by hand.

Squash being grown by under row cover in Patty Leander's garden. Photo by Bruce Leander

If row cover and hand pollination are more than you want to deal with, watch for the adult borers in your garden. You can hear them buzzing if you are close. However, if you can’t be outside, you can place yellow sticky traps around your plant. Since they are attracted to the yellow (like the squash flowers) the moths will get trapped and let you know they are in the area. Once you know they are there, look for their eggs on the stems and under the leaves that are close to the base of your plant. They are pretty small and reddish brown in color. Once you find them, pull or scrape them off with your fingernail or a sharp knife.

A healthy zucchini. Photo by Bruce Leander

If you see little bumps forming on the base of your vines, you have an infestation. You can take a razor blade and cut into the infected area. If this doesn’t kill the larvae, remove it and then tape the cut with floral tape or pack with soil. If done soon enough, the plant will recover and produce as normal.

If your squash wilts and does not recover in the morning, there is a very good chance you have the squash vine borer. Photo by Bruce Leander

Because effective control of this pest is so hard to do, try planting squash varities that are not as affected by the borer. I grow tatume’ squash and it has no problems with the bugs. Also, do not plant in the same place year after year. They larva pupate in the soil under the plant they killed so every year move your squash as far as possible from where it was grown last year.

Some squash varieties like "Tatume" are not bothered by the squash vine borer.

If you are not of the organic mindset, there are a few chemicals out there that do a pretty good job of controlling borers. The most common and readily available is Sevin Dust. Sevin works pretty well against the moth. However, it has a very short effective period so if using it, apply weekly. Also, the chemical Methoxychlor (trade name include Marlate, Chemform and Methoxy-DDT) is very effective and relatively safe. Methoxychlor is very popular in greenhouse applications because of its relatively low level of toxicity.

Nothing is more disappointing than seeing your beautiful squash reduced to a pile of shriveled of green stuff in two or three days. Squash vine borers have broken more hearts than any other bug I know. Because these pests are so destructive it is important to be alert and stay on top of them. The best way to control an attack is to stop it before it starts. So, go to garden regularly and watch for any sign of the pest. With a little diligence you can keep this bug from depriving you of all of the wonderful summer squash.

Heat Loving Veggies for the Texas Garden – Patty Leander

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Jay White

Jay’s enthusiasm for horticulture is infectious, and I could not resist his invitation to contribute a guest post to his interesting and well-organized blog. Growing vegetables is my favorite horticulture-related activity and like many a gardener I am addicted to the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that comes my way each season.

Patty and I in her garden

We endured a hellacious drought last summer – not our first, not our last – yet winter and spring have brought much anticipated renewal, for both garden and gardener. The drought has reminded us of the importance of mulch, efficient irrigation and planting the right plant at the right time. It’s not even a bad idea to think of summer as a dormant time in the vegetable garden, but for those who are not deterred by rain deficits, sun, heat and sweat I’d like to highlight a few Texas-tough vegetables to fill the summer gap:

Okra can be a little "prickly" to some gardeners. if okra gives you the "itch" simply wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt when harvesting. Photo by Bruse Leander

Okra – This quintessential heat lover is first on my list. Smooth, ribbed, long, short, green or red, I have never tried a variety that I didn’t like. Okra seed can be planted once the soil has warmed (70-80º), usually April or May in Central Texas. It will reach maturity (4-6 feet tall) in approximately two months and picking will be easier if you space it at least 2 feet apart – and once it starts producing you will be picking almost every day! In fact the secret to tender okra is to check your plants daily and harvest pods when they are only 3-5” long. And unlike those temperamental heirloom tomatoes, heirloom okra varieties grow like champs without much coddling or cajoling at all. ‘Clemson Spineless’, ‘Emerald’ and ‘Hill Country Heirloom Red’ are available from Baker Creek Seeds (www.rareseeds.com). I know of two open-pollinated varieties with Texas roots that deserve mention. ‘Beck’s Big’, a giant okra with fat pods, introduced in 1968 by organic trailblazer Malcolm Beck of San Antonio, and my personal favorite, ‘Stewart’s Zeebest’, a smooth, dark green variety carefully selected over several years for branching and productivity by two of my favorite gardeners, the late George and Mary Stewart of Houston. Both okras are available from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (www.southernexposure.com). Okra plants have tiny, mostly inconspicuous spines that cause an annoying itch, so be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when harvesting pods.

Grilled Okra

Not sure what to do with your okra bounty? Try it grilled: toss whole, 3-4” pods in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss them on the grill. Grill 10-15 minutes, until pods are tender and slightly charred. Yum!

A plump pod full of Colossus Crowder peas. Photo by Bruce Leander

Southern Peas – These legumes go by many names – cowpeas, field peas, black-eyed peas – but no matter what you call them they can take the Texas heat. They also taste delicious, produce beautiful blossoms, and can be used as a cover crop to build nitrogen and organic matter in the soil. Two old-fashioned varieties for summer cover crops are ‘Red Ripper’ and ‘Iron and Clay’. For fresh-eating I am partial to ‘Purple Hull’ and crowder peas (so called because the peas are crowded in the pod) such as ‘Mississippi Silver’ and ‘Colossus’. Heavenly Seed (www.heavenlyseed.net) is a small, family-owned seed company located in Anderson, South Carolina, that offers a superb selection of southern peas.

Asparagus, or long beans, can grow to 18" and are great in a stir fry. Photo by Bruce Leander

Asparagus Beans – Also known as yard long beans, this heat-loving relative of the cowpea is popular for use in Asian stir-fries. Most varieties are vigorous vines that require a sturdy fence or trellis. Harvest when pods are about 15-18” long, before beans begin to swell. ‘Red Noodle’, available from both Baker Creek and Heavenly Seed, produces long, burgundy pods that can be sliced and sautéed or stir-fried.

Malabar spinach is a great green for the Texas heat. Photo by Bruce Leander

Molokhia and Malabar Spinach – Lettuce and other greens thrive in most of Texas from fall to early spring, but home-grown salad greens are hard to come by as summer approaches. As the days grow long and hot many gardeners turn to Malabar spinach as a warm weather salad green. Another summertime option is a popular Middle Eastern green called molokhia, sometimes referred to as Egyptian spinach. The nutritious, grassy tasting leaves are plucked from fast-growing, multi-stemmed plants that grow 4-6 feet tall. Young leaves and shoots can be added to salads or sandwiches and older leaves can be cooked or sautéed and added to soups or casseroles. A reliable seed source for both of these greens is Kitazawa Seed Company (www.kitazawaseed.com).

Molokhia leaves and seed pods. Photo by Bruce Leander

Rattlesnakes and Roses

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Jay White

The "Belinda's Dream" roses that Chris was dead heading when he found the snake

People aren’t the only animals that like to be in the garden during spring. The following post/tip comes from my friend and master of horticulture Chris Corby (owner of Texas Gardener magazine). His advice is a gentle reminder to keep your eyes peeled when you are in the garden this time of year.

Snakes in the Graden-While deadheading one of our Belinda’s Dream roses (which, by the way, are just gorgeous this year), my good dog Katie found a large rattlesnake. Mind you, I believe that all snakes are useful and have a purpose in nature—just not in my rose bed three feet from my boots! Anyway, I dispatched this four-footer with one shot to the head. My Dad taught me not to waste anything you shoot so I skinned the snake and cooked the meat for the grandkids. I then sent the skin to my brother in Corpus Christi to go on his new cowboy hat. The moral of this story is “Be on the look-out for snakes this spring and don’t kill one unless it is threatening you”. And, if you do shot one, don’t let it go to waste. —Chris Corby

The rattlesnake in the roses-RIP!

This is a great tip. Last year, I was “attacked” by a very large and very unhappy chicken (or rat) snake while picking tomatoes. I also personally know two people in Brenham that were bitten by copperheads in their yards last year. Our unseasonably warm weather has the snakes out a little earlier than usual. They also appear to be a little more active than is normal for this time of year. So wear your boots and take a stick with you each time you go into the garden.

After publishing Texas Gardener for 31 years, Chris is full of great gardening tips. If you don’t already subscribe to his magazine, you should. As an added benefit, subscribers receive his weekly newsletter called “Seeds” that gives you a new tip every week and covers timely topics of interest to those of us that love to grow things.

How and When to Harvest Bulbs

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Jay White

A couple of weekends ago several of my friends from A&M met me at my “bulb honey hole” for a little “bulb rustling”. I have written about my bulb “honey hole” before. It is an abandoned home site that was tended by an incredible gardener for 80 plus years. For a long time I was reluctant to share. However, I have now harvested so many bulbs for my own gardens that I felt it would be great to let a few of my buddies in on my secret.

The Bulb Hunters. From left: Mengmeng Gu, Cynthia Mueller, Sally White, Me, Michal Hall, Charlie Hall, Karin Wallace, Russ Wallace

Karin and Russ Wallace, Mengmeng Gu, Charlie and MiChal Hall, and Cynthia Mueller joined Sally and I for a very fun filled morning of digging in the dirt. Like I mentioned before, this homestead was tended by an incredible gardener for some 80 plus years. Because of her work, the soil in the yard is the most perfect organic, rich, sandy loam I have ever seen. This rich, sandy loam has allowed the bulbs that were planted many years ago to thrive and divide with abandon. Because of this, there are now enough Italicus narcissus (Narcissus tazetta, “Italicus”), Red Oxbloods (Rhodophialia bifida)and Bulbispermum crinums (Crinum bulbispermum) to stock several nurseries.

When harvesting bulbs, it is fairly important to be aware of when they bloom. Almost all bulbs flower at a certain time and then send up their foliage after the flowers fade. This foliage is very important as it is what is gathering the sunlight that the bulbs need to make the carbohydrate storage that the flowers will need during bloom season. Due to this, the foliage needs to stay in place until it browns.

Me, Mengmeng and Russ harvesting Oxbloods

Each of the bulbs we were harvesting bloom at different times. If we were completely reliant on the calendar, our weekend of March 31 was really only the “optimal time” to harvest the Oxbloods. Since they bloomed in early fall, their foliage has been “bulking up” their bulbs for the past six months. Because of this, the oxbloods can be dug and have their tops removed immediately. You can then dry them a little in the sun and store them in a cool dark place for later planting.

Charlie Hall and Karin Wallace harvesting Italicus narcissus

Since the narcissus just bloomed in January, they need to have about half of their tops removed and then be replanted as soon as possible. The remaining “tops” will allow them to continue the photosynthesis required for their January bloom. If the bulbs do not get enough carbs stored up, they may not bloom the first year after transplanting. That is ok. Just keep watering them and wait until the following season.

Karin and Russ Wallace show off a massive crinum bulb

Crinums (especially bulbispermum) are kind of a different animal. Bulbispermum can bloom at anytime. The varieties here usually bloom for me about three times a year. My good friend Dr. Bill Welch likes to say that as far as he knows, no crinum has ever died. This is a very appropriate statement when it comes to this very durable bulb. Because of their durability, they can be harvested about anytime. Just cut their foliage in half and replant within a week or so and they will be fine. Crinum bulbispermum is native to southern Africa. They like wet, marshy areas but they can also withstand drought. Like all bulbs, they prefer a loose, well drained soil but they grow very well in clay. Basically, they will grow anywhere. If you are looking for a bullet proof plant, then this is it. There are several colorations of this family of crinum. The ones on this homestead are either almost pure white or red and white stripped. The stripped variety is often called “milk and wine” crinums.

A "milk and wine" crinum from my "honey hole"

All and all, it was a perfect day. The weather was great, the soil was loose and the mood was bright. All of my friends got a whole bunch of wonderful bulbs and Sally and got a great memory of horticultural fun shared with people we love. Thanks to all of my friends for a wonderful day!

Garden Art

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Jay White

In my opinion, no garden is complete without garden art. While it is true that a well designed garden needs no artificial elements to be beautiful, the addition of art allows the garden to become truly represenative of the gardener.

The Clio Garden at Bayou Bend after a heavy spring rain. Note the Italian marble statue of Clio, the muse of history

All of my gardening experience has happened in the South. And one thing that I have learned about Southern gardeners is they love their garden art. Garden art in the south ranges from the truly tacky (tire and toilet planters) to the truly elegant (the Greek Muses at Bayou Bend), but it all says something about the garden and the gardener.

Garden art in Dr. Bill Welch's Louisiana garden cosists of an antique iron headboard, a whirlygig and a tire planter from his friend, Felder Rushing

Felder Rushing is a true Master of Horticulture who has done more to promote rural Southern garden art than anyone I know. He is extremely found of bottle trees. His website has a whole section devoted to them. He also has a ton of pictures of the tire planters that he uses in his own gardens. He even has a picture in one of his speaking presentations of a large stand of elephant ears with big black numbers spray painted on them. When he saw this he pulled over and the owner what the numbers represented. She quickly informed him that they were the numbers of the NASCAR drivers that she loved. Now that is creative self expression in the garden!

My bust of St. Francis from Jim Jeffries of Crockett, Texas

I myself have a lot of this art scattered throughout my property. One of my favorite pieces is a fairly large bust of St. Francis from Jim Jeffries of Crockett, Texas. He was very good friends with my mother-in-law Pat Krischke. The bust is a head cast of a large sculpture that he did of St. Francis playing with a deer and a wolf for St. Francis Catholic Church in Crockett. Jim has now gone on to his heavenly reward and my mother-in-law is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s. I miss them both dearly but this sculpture allows me to think of them every day. Plus, it looks great behind my lantana.

The bottle tree in my potager

Bottle trees are probably the most common form of garden art in the South. These trees take on a myriad of shapes and forms. The tradition of the bottle tree was adapted from the African slaves of long ago. In their native lands they believed that they could ward off evil spirits by hanging pieces of brightly colored glass in the trees around their homes. They continued to do this once they were here. This tradition evolved from hanging pieces of glass to placing whole bottle in the limbs of trees. It was believed that the evil spirits would become trapped in the bottles. It is also believed that the haunting “woooo” sounds that come from the wind blowing over the bottles are the cries of the trapped spirits. I don’t know about you, but I can always use some help keeping evil spirits at bay.

A whimsical piece of garden art at the Antique Rose Emporium. I love the addition of the rubber ducky in the "water"

I recently bought a new camera. In order to learn how to use it I headed out to the Antique Rose Emporium (ARE). While the plants were beautiful (and they always are, even in July and August), my best shots were of the art that Mike Shoup and his designers have incorporated into their display gardens. As you can see, some of the art was elegant, some whimsical and some of it was just down right “cute”. But you know what, it all worked. Each of these things represents the spirit of the owners and staff of this incredible place.

A fountain made from an old watering can at the ARE in Independence

There is no doubt that Spring is the best and most beloved time of the year of most gardeners. So this year, while you are out there digging and planting, why not showcase your personality by adding some art to your yard, beds and borders.

Planting the 2012 Spring Potager

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Jay White

March 15 is the ultimate go date in the Zone 9 garden. At this point there is an almost 0% chance of a freeze. Because of this you can now plant just about everything. I have to admit, I am a little behind the curve this year. The rain, while much needed and much appreciated, has seemed to come at times that have interfered with my time off. Who would believe that after last’s year’s drought, I would be delayed in my planting by rain?

A "found" Cherokee rose that I propogated from cuttings now spills over the fence of my potager

As soon as it dries up a little, I am going to plant the potager. I love selecting and designing with the plants that are going to go into the potager. Each year I replant it gets a little easier. I learn which plants do well and I also figure out their size and scale when mature.

A lot of my outside beds are now filled with perennials. I have lots of salvia, roses and dianthus. I also have lots of herbs like rosemary and Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida). There are also Egyptian Walking Onions, larkspur and hollyhocks. The only thing that will need to be pulled this spring is the garlic. In the open spaces in these outside beds I am going to plant several herbs. On a recent visit to Texas Specialty Cut Flowers, my wife bought several varieties of peppers. I have also grown some pimento peppers and Napoleon Sweet Bell peppers from seed. These will go toward the back of the beds with a few varieties of basil that we have saved from seed. Along the front, we will be planting parsley, oregano, lavender and thyme.

Salvia and daiseys in last years potager

The center beds are going to be all for vegetables. The look of the triangular beds will not change dramatically. As a “spiller”, I will replace the spinach and lettuce with Contender Bush beans. Beans are a pretty quick crop so when they fade around June 1, I will pull them up and replant with purple hulled black-eyed peas. For my “filler” I will divide the shallots that are there now and leave a few behind the beans so they can divide for replanting in the fall. Finally, I will plant Black From Tula heirloom tomatoes that I have grown from seed as my “thriller” on the trellises in the center of the beds.

The last bed in the potager is the center diamond shaped bed. Right now it is full of byzantine gladiolus. Once these bloom and fade I will plant a lovely red okra. The okra needs to be planted in June anyway so this work out well for me. I selected okra for this bed because it grows a pretty, nice, tall and structural plant. Okra is in the hibiscus family. Because of this, it produces very large and lovely flowers that look just like hibiscus.

The hibiscus like flowers of okra

Right now is a great time to be outside. The martins have returned, the bluebonnets are in full bloom and the fruit trees are in bud. Why not get outside this week and plant your garden? Below is a list of some of the veggies that you can plant now.

“A Year in Flowers” by Debra Prinzing

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Jay White

This is the second post on MOH by a guest blogger. This one is by another of my incredibly smart, talented and beautiful daughters. Whitney White is an incredibly talented floral designer in Dallas, Texas. She is currently employed by “Bows and Arrows”. Bows and Arrows is a truly awesome design shop in downtown Dallas. Their awesomeness was recently recognized when they were named the Best Florist in Dallas. Their work is often featured in Martha Stewart and Style Me Pretty as well as in countless other local, state and national blogs and publications.

Whitney recently spent a Saturday with best selling author Debra Prinzing. Debra is a true Master of Horticulture. Not only is she a very accomplished author, she finds time to support other garden writers by serving as the current President of the Garden Writer’s Association. Below is my daughter’s account of a day that was truly life changing to her.

Debra Prinzing with her team in Dallas. On the left is Joy Ijams, Education Director at the Dallas Arboretum. Debra Prinzing holds the bucket. Next to Debra is Cynthia Alexander of Quarry Farms. She grew and provided most of the floral material we used in the class. And finally there is me!

This past weekend I got to meet one of my heroes. Debra Prinzing (http://www.debraprinzing.com/) is a pioneer and advocate for the “locally grown and sustainable fresh flower market”. As a floral designer that dreams of one day owning my own business that creates the finest floral designs using locally grown fresh cut flowers, hearing Debra speak about this movement was truly a rewarding experience. Debra is highly respected author and expert in the locally and sustainably grown fresh cut flower movement. Her latest book, “The 50 Mile Bouquet: Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers” visits with many of the pioneers that are redefining the way the American public buys flowers. By growing seasonal crops that are appropriate for the region in an ecologically sustainable way and then selling them locally (often the same day they are harvested), these pioneers are reinventing an industry that has traditionally relied on homogenous product grown overseas at great cost to the environment.

A slightly fuzzy pic of an arrangement I made for my Dad with only things from his yard. How local is that?

I attended Debra’s lecture entitled “A Year in Flowers” at the Dallas Arboretum. During this talk, she encouraged people to rethink the way they look at floral bouquets. Her lecture encouraged us to ask the following questions when buying or making a fresh bouquet for our home, office or event.

1. Must a bouquet always contain flowers?

2. Why not use many stems of one kind of flower?

3. Is the arrangement full of life?

4. Does it shine at the end of its blooming season?

5. Is it fleeting?

6. Does it borrow from the orchard?

Debra’s mantra is “Buy flowers in season, locally and often”. This was a common thread throughout her lecture. “A Year in Flowers” educates participants on what she calls the “field to vase movement”. The “field to vase” philosophy states that environmentalism and ethical buying choices should apply as much to the floral world as it does to the food movement. Just because we are not eating the flowers (at least I hope not) we should still be concerned with the chemicals we are bringing into our homes and dispensing to our loved ones. Besides, buying from your local flower farmer is not just good for you; it is also good for the environment. Local growers care about more than producing the highest quality flowers at the lowest possible cost. They want to do this while still caring for the earth. Because of these, the flowers they grow have been produced with a lot of love and very few, if any, chemicals. Their organic methods ensure that when the time comes for them to allow the next generation to produce flowers, the earth will actually be in better shape than when they started.

Another local arrangement I made for my Dad

After the lecture, Debra gave a demonstration on how to build beautiful bouquets using locally grown floral products. You cannot imagine how thrilled I was when Debra asked me to stay and be her assistant in this demonstration.

Debra discussed many of the benefits that come from buying your flowers from local producers. First, you can develop a relationship with the grower. This relationship allows you to see the face of the farmer you are supporting in every daffodil. You can smell the generations of care in every garden rose and you can appreciate the bounty of the seasons when you see blooming branches at the first of spring. On more than one occasion an elderly man or woman has wandered into my work place to ask me why roses don’t smell any more. This is depressing. Most flowers don’t smell good anymore because they are grown by people in lands far away that don’t care how they smell. They only care about how well they ship from where they are to the U.S. While it may sound simple, the ability to actually stick your nose in a flower and smell it the way it is supposed is a huge reason to buy local!

You can order Debra's new book by clicking on the link in the sidebar of this blog

What is a florist anyway?

One point that Debra made during the presentation is that a florist used to be someone who raised their own plants and flowers for the arranging. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were a rule for being a florist now? If the floral designers and florists of today acted like they did in the past, we would live in a much prettier place and takes much less of a toll on mother earth. This is why I am now completely enamored with “My Luscious Backyard”, a Toronto based florist (in every sense of the word) who plants and maintains urban flower gardens in other people’s back yards. It doesn’t get any better than that folks. This lady even bicycles her deliveries (Learn more about “My Lucious Backyard” at http://www.mylusciousbackyard.ca/about.php ).

Another thing I learned in Debra’s lecture was how bad Oasis flower foam is for the environment. I had no idea up until this lecture that Oasis (floral foam) is plastic based. Because of this, it never completely decomposes in a landfill. This is big news since I use it almost every day and have been using it for almost a decade. Great…..

But lucky for all of us, Debra has gathered tips of the trade from all over to use in place of Oasis. This video shows most of the techniques she demonstrated to us in the class this weekend (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLKacMtjJUY). I was happy to be sent home with the left over wood fibers to play with in my own designs.

The 50 Mile Bouquet

“My Luscious Back Yard” is one of the many talented and forward thinking florists Debra highlights in her newest book, “The 50 Mile Bouquet: Discovering the World of Local, Seasonal, Sustainable Flowers”. Debra teamed up with photographer David Perry to showcase some of the nation’s hard working ladies and gents in the flower farm industry that are dedicated to producing the most gorgeous hand grown, handpicked, flowers you have ever seen. The book comes out April 1^st. I haven’t been this excited for a book release since the last Harry Potter novel had its midnight debut.

I truly love Debra Prinzing. She is so sweet and so very, very talented. It was a huge thrill for me when she called me “friend” when introducing me to the class. I will always treasure that moment. Even though we had just met, her open and gracious personality allowed us to become fast friends. This simple act sums up my entire impression of Debra: utterly genuine and full of gumption. Debra is a woman with a passion for farmers, the environment and an eye for design. She is destined to be the face of the field to vase movement just like she is already the face of smart garden design. Even with her vast repertoire of knowledge and publications, she is so down to earth. I truly look forward to working with Debra again and hope that you will use your voice to demand locally grown flowers. Go local!

TEXAS LIVE Magazine

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Jay White

I am very proud to announce that I have joined the team of the very talented writers, photographers and editors that bring you TEXAS LIVE magazine. I will be doing a regular garden column that focuses on the organic growing tips that will allow you to grow the best plants possible in the very tough and unpredictable Texas climate. My first article explains the “hows” and “whys” of soil preparation. It also includes suggested planting times for the most commonly grown flowers, veggies, perennials, fruit trees and berries in the state.

TEXAS LIVE is an incredibly beautiful and informative magazine that covers the very best of “All Things Texan.” My wife and I devour every issue. We particularly love the Home and Garden section (no surprise there). Each month, this section allows us to peek inside some truly amazing “country homes” that have been decorated by some very talented Texas designers. Since Sally and I have been remodeling our own “country house” for the past five years each of these featured homes are an invaluable source of ideas and inspiration.

This month's issue of TEXAS LIVE features "Farmhouse Round Top". This is one of the beautiful guest rooms remodeled and styled by Beverly and Mike Corte.

When we are not gardening, remodeling or decorating we love to travel. If we get the chance to run away for a few days we can count on TEXAS LIVE to tell us where to go, what to see, where to shop, where to stay and what to eat once we get there.

The “LIVE” part of the TEXAS LIVE name is actually an acronym that stands for Luxurious, Informative, Vibrant, and Entertaining. Those four words perfectly capture the essence of this beautiful and entertaining magazine. You can find TEXAS LIVE in many of the businesses that are featured in its pages. You can also buy it at your local HEB, Super WalMart, Books a Million, Barnes and Noble, and the Austin airport. The magazine usually sells out on newsstands, so go ahead and subscribe to ensure that you don’t miss a single issue.

The writers at TEXAS LIVE are dedicated to finding the best of everything that Texas has to offer. However, since Texas is a really big place it is impossible to for this small group of dedicated reporters to find and report on all that is wonderful in the greatest state in the America. So, if you have an idea for a story, or you would like to contribute, feel free to drop them a line. They are always looking for new story ideas, writers, and photographers.