SHOW ARCHIVE

Episode 215 • August 6, 2011

VIDEO ARCHIVE

What a pleasant summer we are having!  In the past we have usually been scorched with some pretty high temperatures by this time of year.  But this year we have had weeks of fairly pleasant weather.  Add to that, the late and extended harvest of some of our fruits and veggies and it seems like a pretty laid-back summer.  We are still enjoying fresh marionberries and even some strawberries and our hanging baskets are looking fantastic, not heat stressed like usual!  We hope that you are enjoying your garden and this wonderful weather during this easy-going summer season!

This week we featured...

Wicked Bugs

Wicked Bugs

Did you know that body lice helped defeat the French army?  Or that the little mosquito has killed more people that all the wars combined?  In fact a tiny flea caused so much pain and suffering to Columbus’ crew that they cut off some of their toes to rid themselves of the pain.  These are just a few of the stories you will hear of when you read the new book by Amy Stewart.  Amy recently visited Portland and visited with William to talk about her book.  She picked over 100 different bugs based on the impact they have had on human affairs.  This could be how they spread disease, inflict pain and suffering, cause destruction on a large scale, or otherwise change the course of civilization.  Many of these bugs, we consider pests, but they are really just trying to survive by any means possible.  Gardeners may be surprised at how destructive some of these bugs are.  In fact, Amy has included a section of the book that is dedicated to the ‘Gardener’s Dirty Dozen’.  If you would like a nice easy read, loaded with cool and interesting facts, Wicked Bugs is a great book to have.  You will find it at your local bookstore or you can check out Amy’s website or from the publisher, Algonquin books.

Summer Rose Care

Summer Rose Care

This year the roses were blooming late.  The cold and wet spring cause a huge delay in the bloom time for some of our favorite garden roses.  To talk about some of the other rose problems that we are encountering we stopped by Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) in St. Paul to chat with Cheryl.  She told us that there are a few benefits to the reduced sunshine caused by all those clouds.  This year the roses seem more vibrant and less faded by the sun.  We could see that just by walking around the garden.  Cheryl also told Judy that black spot has been seen in the garden this year.  How do you combat those nasty spores?  Cheryl recommends keeping your plant clean.  Pull the infected leaves off the plant once you see them.  Also, keep the ground around your plants clean.  Dispose of the bad leaves and do not compost them; that will just spread the spores next year.  You can also spray your roses.  They use a spray in their garden to keep the roses looking great and they have a recipe at the Gift Shop that you can take home and try.  We also talked about summer pruning and how to make the right cuts so you can enjoy more blooms in just a few weeks.  After your rose has finished blooming you can go down the stem to the first 5-leaf bud on the stem and cut it off there.  This will promote a new shoot and more blooms in as little as 4 weeks.  If you love roses as much as we do, this weekend was made for you.  Heirloom is having their annual summer clearance sale.  You can get some of their roses for up to 50% off this weekend.  They will also have people there to answer all of your rose questions.    Some other tips for keeping our roses in shape during this time of year… give them a boost of a balanced fertilizer and lots of water.  If you are looking for more information you can always give them a call, or better yet stop by during the big annual sale this weekend, August 5-7, for a deal on some great roses.

Medicinal Plants

Medicinal Plants

For centuries if you were sick you relied on the healing properties of plants to help you get better.  These days we have forgotten about some of those plants and the benefits they can provide.  We met with Laura at Portland Nursery (503-231-5050) to check out some of the plants that are commonly used in the landscape for their beauty but also have a medicinal purpose as well.  The first one she pulled out for us was the Motherwort, used for uterine health, then Arnica which is used to treat bruising.  She then showed us Rue ‘Jackmans Blue’, which, in addition to its lovely ornamental effect in the garden, can be used to aid digestion.  The Chinese have long used plants for medicinal purposes and we moved to the Goji berry which is used as an overall health tonic since the berries are loaded with antioxidants. Another Chinese herb is Dang-shen also used as an overall health tonic and wellbeing.  It is a relative of ginseng and is prepared in many different ways for use.  Lavender was next on the list and this one is well known to most people.  Its fragrance has a calming effect on most people and it can also be used to promote the healing of scars. 

Laura then moved to the Monarda (Bee-balm) which is an antimicrobial and can help prevent the onset of colds if used in a tea with Echinacea.  The next plant was one that William tried just to see what it would do.  The Toothache plant (Spilanthes acmella) has a numbing effect when eaten and can be used for toothaches and teething.  William is able to report that it works!  It was hard for him to finish the story because his mouth was so numb!  We finished the story with Yarrow and Blueberries.  Yarrow is known as the ‘Nosebleed plant’ because it does slow and stop the bleeding of minor cuts and blueberries are not only loaded with antioxidants, they make a great tonic for overall men’s health.  We recommend that you don’t start eating the flowers in your garden right away.  Always check with an expert herbalist before you start using the plants for medicinal purposes.  If you have questions, you can check with the experts at Portland Nursery or with Laura at Mostly Medicinals.

Planting Bamboo

Planting Bamboo

Bamboo is a great plant.  It adds structure to your garden. It sounds great in a little breeze with the soft rustling of leaves and it can make a beautiful and effective screen between you and your neighbors.  Still, with all those benefits it can be a tough plant to control.  Certain types of bamboo can out-grow their home and soon be all over your garden.  To learn how to enjoy the benefits of the plant, without problems, we stopped by Tsugawa Nursery (360-225-8750) and talked to Brian about tips for planting and controlling it.   First he showed us the barrier that they recommend.  It is a thick plastic that they bolt together.  If you don’t do this your bamboo will squeeze through and start running through your garden.  You will also want to leave the edge up out of the ground.  This will help prevent the runners from ‘jumping’ the barrier.  As far as care, you can use a standard ‘grass’ fertilizer.  If you want to slow down the growth of your bamboo you can neglect it and just like your lawn, the growth will slow down.  Now if you are a little concerned about ‘running’ bamboo there are some clumping varieties of bamboo as well.  For a great selection or to get all your questions answered you can stop by Tsugawa’s for more information.

Backflow Devices

Backflow Devices

This week we wanted to give our viewers a little heads-up about their sprinkler systems.  Christine Hollenbeck from the Regional Water Providers Consortium met us in a Portland neighborhood to fill us in on a key component of our watering systems that we should have checked annually.  The main issue with in-ground irrigation systems is the correct installation and maintenance of the backflow device.  This is a device that prevents irrigation water from flowing back into the water system that is used by everyone.  For most homeowners there are 2 different systems that are used.  The first device is usually located in a green irrigation box that is close to your water meter, in the ground.  This is most likely near the street.  The second device looks like it has a large black cap on top of it and it should be located above ground closer to your home.   If you have an irrigation system and have not had these checked at least once a year, you should, just to make sure that they are in good working condition.  It will help keep everyone’s water safe and clean!  For more water saving tips you can check out the Regional Water Providers Consortium website at www.conserveh2o.org.
 

 
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