Favorite Forgotten Herbs

What’s not to love about plants that are largely drought tolerant, thrive in neglect, often beautiful or interesting to view, and also delicious and fragrant? Herbs are so easy to grow in most parts of the country, but for specific information on growing them, you might enjoy Iowa State University’s publications on herbs: Cilantro, Garlic, Growing & Using Basil, and Growing and Drying Herbs.

Today, I'd like to talk about some of my favorite herbs that are often forgotten while we’re planting our basil and parsley.

Lavender
There are many types of lavender available, depending on how you’d like to use them. There’s the traditional English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, grown for it’s dark purple blossoms that are mildly fragrant. They’re just right to strip and add to a bowl of sugar creating lavender sugar for tea or baking. Or you might like the more fragrant Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence' grown for the French perfume industry. These deeply aromatic flowers make perfect sachets for drawers and closets. Lavender is a zone 5 plant and will often die back to the ground over winter in our area; sometimes dying out altogether. But a plant worth replanting!

Sweet Woodruff
I’m so fortunate to get to tell you about this often unknown herb that’s an important part of May Day celebrations in parts of Germany. Sweet woodruff, sometimes sold as Galium odoratum sometimes as Asperula odorata is a low growing herb different from most as it loves partial and deep shade. The flowers and leaves of this plant have a sweet, toasty vanilla smell and arrive just in time in the spring to be added to the traditional May Bowl on May 1st. The May Bowl is filled with a sweet white wine, sliced strawberries, and sweet woodruff to taste. Be sure to drink it in a couple hours or, like too much vanilla, the sweet woodruff will make the wine bitter.

Dill
Those of you who have dill, and who love dill like I do, appreciate the many endowments of this ferny plant. As if the bright, minty zing of dill weren’t enough to demand its planting, dill reseeds itself each spring with a verdant carpet of green that’s easily tamed back to the area you’d like to keep in dill. Dill grows quickly, rewards with usable leaves almost immediately, and even the seed are delicious for breads and with meats. I think dill is a beautiful and fascinating plant; so upright and springy, but when cut becomes soft almost immediately. During winter, remaining stalks add winter interest.

Think of some of the forgotten herbs this spring (there are many others) and make your yard, your way.

Instant Pond, Just Add Water

Lusting for your neighbor’s… water garden, but not sure if it’s right for you? Love aquatic plants and the visual interest of water, but not the commitment of space and cash for a pond? Why not try a ‘sampler pond’ before you try a big one: a container water garden!

Why would you want a container water garden instead of going the whole nine yards? There are lots of reasons I do it.

Low Cost
For the one-time cost of a container (a large pot without holes or a half barrel), plants, and water to fill it, you have the feel of a pond without the excavation and hardscape costs of a pond.

Easy to Start
Pot your selections in a plastic container with plain soil (not potting soil, clay soils are good in this case), add pea gravel on the surface to keep the water from clouding, place in the large container you selected, fill with water, and you’re done. If you select floating plants, just drop them in! Heck, you’ll be enjoying your water garden 15 minutes after getting home with your plants!

Scale to Your Space
You can fit your water garden (or water gardens) anywhere they make sense in your landscape. The only consideration is a fairly level surface and 4-6 hours of full sun.

Low Maintenance
Compared to pots of annuals, perennials, or shrubs, water gardens can be planted and ignored for weeks at a time! Just fertilize now and then, remove dead leaves, and occasionally top off the water if needed. If you add a small fish, it will keep the mosquitoes under control too!

The Plants
They are the best reason of all! Iowa State University Extension offers great suggestions and care instructions in their publication RG604 Water Gardens: Aquatic Plants.

Floating Plants
Perky, little plants like duckweed, azolla, water hyacinth, and water lettuce float on the surface, and can be grown in small and sometimes very shallow containers.



Submerged Plants
Elodea and hornwort are graceful plants that remain below the surface and oxygenate the water.




Shallow Plants
Marginal or bog type plants like water iris, umbrella sedge, and papyrus give height and interest to your container.




Deep Water Plants
These are the key plants in most containers and include both hardy and tropical water lilies, as well as lotus in especially large and deep containers.

In no time, you’ll see your ‘sampler pond’ is a beautiful and simple way to enjoy aquatic plants. In fact, I’ll bet container water gardens will become an annual part of making your garden your way.

Herb Fun

As long as there have been humans and plants, we’ve not only eaten them, but also recognized plants for qualities beyond their nutritional value. Some alter perception, a few kill, but many were believed to help with common ailments. Science is still researching herbalism, so it’s important to take care before using herbs for medicine and consult your doctor. Some herbs are very safe already for everyday medicinal purposes, but there are more "medicinal" herbs for sale that require some research before you ingest them

Parsley
Nutritionist Adam Blackman claims parsley can enhance mental alertness and your immune system. The American University of Beirut demonstrated parsley has a diuretic effect that releases sodium, but retains potassium in your system. It may be this effect that caused Native Americans to believe parsley could strengthen the bladder. The high chlorophyll content in parsley is believed to kill some types of bacteria that can cause bad breath. According to herbalist Scott Cunningham in his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, it’s this old belief that originally prompted parsley’s introduction to the dinner plate – to prevent contamination!

Basil
Known as the ‘king of herbs’ to ancient Greeks, basil has long been considered powerful. Iowa State University’s Growing and Using Basil explains that in the 1800s, basil was added to teas and bathwaters for its mild sedative effect. And while its heady perfume makes this drowsy effect seem plausible, basil was once considered so powerful that it could keep evil spirits away and help witches fly if they drank a draught of basil juice!

Mint
The high menthol content in mint is used in products from pain creams to vapor rubs. Humans have enjoyed this wonderful mix of warming and cooling for centuries. Ancients rubbed mint on their foreheads to cure a headache. Mint is often suggested today as a digestive and relaxing tea. It also has a trace amount of tryptophan, the chemical that makes you sleepy after a big turkey dinner, which may increase this calming effect.

Rue
Some herbs have fallen out of favor as culinary herbs for western palates; rue is one of them. Highly bitter, rue is almost exclusively considered a medicinal herb by American gardeners. It’s believed to relieve gas and improve appetite (one has to eat something to get the awful taste out!). Oil of rue is sometimes used externally to relieve joint pain. Some people experience severe discomfort on ingestion of rue, so be forewarned before wolfing down on a plateful.

Tansy
Another former kitchen herb once used for baked goods and desserts, tansy is rarely consumed today. A bitter tea made from tansy was used to cure worms. Tansy leaves are still used today to repel ants and rubbed on the skin as a natural insect repellant. Tansy contains high amounts of thujone, which ingested can cause convulsions, vomiting, and death. Despite its lethal punch it is an interesting and beautiful, ferny plant with yellow button flowers.

Each spring, I’m surprised by the increasing number of medicinal herbs like hyssop, artemisia, and stinging nettle finding their way into even common grocery store greenhouses. Interest in these almost forgotten plants is increasing as people find this selection is another way to make your yard, your way.

May is Pumpkin-time

Springtime is in the air and we turn our thoughts towards... pumpkins. Yes, it's time to start thinking about them, specifically, pie pumpkins.




Benefits
The pie pumpkin (technically a fruit for you 'sticklers' out there) was almost lost to gardeners after the 1950s. Amy Goldman notes in The Compleat Squash : A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds that with the advent of refrigeration, Americans no longer needed this vegetable for it's storage prowess. Commercial growers turned their wiles to jack-o-lantern cultivars. But the pie pumpkin is more than a storage king, it's a storehouse of beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber; a versatile performer in the kitchen; and most importantly, DELICIOUS.

Growing
Pie pumpkins are traditionally sold under cultivars such as ‘Sugar Treat,’ ‘Small Sugar,’ or ‘Sugar Pie.’ If you've grown those before, try an heirloom pie pumpkin like ‘Winter Luxury:’ a lace-skinned, eight-pound little gem with transparent, golden ocher flesh and delectably sweet. (If it doesn’t break your heart to cut one of these orange trophies open.)

Gail Damerow recommends in her book The Perfect Pumpkin that you plant pumpkins when the soil is regularly 70 degrees. Plan a space about ten feet in diameter, but feel free to grow other crops in that area that will be ready for harvest before the pumpkins spread (such as lettuce, cabbage, and green beans).

Pumpkins are heavy feeders and love compost-rich soil. Keep your pumpkin’s soil moist, but don't get the leaves wet as this will encourage powdery mildew or other diseases. Your pumpkins will be ready to harvest in September or October depending on the cultivar you choose and the growing season.

Cooking
Don't confuse the pie pumpkin with those gorgeous, orange giants you carve up for Hallowe'en; they're watery and stringy at best. The pie pumpkin is much smaller with yellow-orange, dense flesh that should be devoid of any stringiness.

Everyone has a favorite pie or bread recipe made with baked pumpkin, but pumpkin is more versatile than its luscious, mashed flesh. It's scrumptious diced and baked with apples, raisins, pecans, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You will be amazed at how tasty pumpkin is cut julienne, sautéed quickly with butter and onions, or stir-fried with onions and red pepper flakes. MMM!

As you plan your garden, don't forget this rewarding member of the cucurbit family. It's another way to make your yard, your way.

Feed Your Soil

Every gardener amends his or her soil in some way at some time. One might add fertilizer, compost, and maybe even change pH. But what are the most effective things you can do for your soil? Can amendments harm your soil? The first step is to understand Iowa soils; the second is to understand your soil. Then amendments can begin.

Iowa Soil
Iowa soils are known for being among the best and most fertile soils in the world. Our soils are rich in phosphorous, potassium, and trace elements needed for healthy plants. In most cases, Iowa soils only need added nitrogen to perform well.

To be certain you know the nutrient content and pH of your soil; visit your local extension office. They will explain how to take a soil sample and will provide you an analysis for a small fee.

But if you have trouble soils or special needs, you may need other amendments.

Your Soil, Your Needs

Clay
A common problem, especially for people in new housing developments, is a soil that drains poorly. Setting water and sickly plants may indicate your soil is high in clay content. While past remedies for clay included additions of sand or gypsum, these two soil amendments can rarely be added in enough volume to change clay soils.

The most efficient addition to clay soils is compost. (Note, composted manure you see in stores will provide nitrogen, but will not provide the organic matter you need from compost.) Compost will add the organic matter needed to add structure to clay soil. This structure will permit the soil to drain more easily, provide for better nutrient uptake for plants, and allow more oxygen to reach plant roots. Often, only three inches of compost worked into the soil will begin to turn clay into tillable soil.

Sand
In rare cases, some Iowa soils drain too well and require water constantly. The best option to remedy this, again, is compost. Compost will boost sandy soil’s ability to retain moisture and nutrients for plants while giving structure to the soil.

pH
Sometimes it’s not the soil structure that can be a problem; it’s the pH. Most Iowa soils have a pH just above 7, or neutral pH. Most plants prefer a soil that’s slightly acidic, around 6.8. According to Iowa State’s Garden Soil Management if your soil tests above 7.2 or below 6.5, you may need to amend it, but you must test to be sure.

Often gardeners will add lime to ‘sweeten’ the soil or sulfur to make it more acid. Be cautious; adding too much sulfur, or too much lime, could damage your soil for years or even permanently! Check with your extension office before doing any pH amendments.

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So what’s best thing a gardener can do for their soil? Compost. It only makes up about 5% of soil, but it will add structure, balance poor soils, and add nitrogen with no risk of burning your plants no matter how much you add. Compost feeds your soil, so your soil can feed your plants.

A last question people always ask? Is there any difference between dirt and soil? Yes: dirt is misplaced soil. Good soil: the foundation to make your yard, your way.

Cool, Wet Spring: Can It Hurt Your Trees?

Our lush shade trees are one of the joys of living in eastern Iowa. Sprightly sugar maples, sturdy ash, and deep, dark Norway maples line our streets and form a cooling roof on our backyards. But if a prolonged, cool, wet spring arrives this year, (as we’re likely to have; our winters grow more mild every year) we should be on the lookout for a common enemy of our treasured trees: the fungal disease, anthracnose.

What is Anthracnose?
While anthracnose can affect a wide variety of plants, we’ll focus on its affect on trees in this article. Anthracnose, sometimes called leaf, shoot, or twig blight, is one of many fungal diseases affecting maple and ash trees, and as well as dogwoods and walnuts. North Dakota State University notes that anthracnose often occurs during prolonged cool, wet springs where it seems to be humid or moist all the time, allowing the fungi that cause it to be transmitted throughout the tree easily.

Do My Trees Have It?
Because a variety of fungi can start anthracnose, the earliest symptoms exhibited can vary. The outcome of anthracnose is often curled leaves, a portion of the leaf dying, or in some cases defoliation. Shade trees often recover from this with a second set of leaves that are not infected. In some cases, twigs or entire branches can die.

What Can I Do About It?
Anthracnose can overwinter and return if another cool, wet spring presents itself. Usually, unless affected trees defoliate year after year, anthracnose causes no permanent damage and will require no treatment. Often, a hot, dry summer will cause the anthracnose cycle to stop.

The best management of anthracnose as well as other fungal diseases is to control the culture of your trees.

1. Look for fungal and disease resistant varieties.

2. Plant trees and shrubs with their adult size in mind so they won’t crowd and discourage good airflow.

3. Prune trees in early spring to keep their crowns open to allow in light and air.

The University of California recommends that if you do have anthracnose, remove the leaves and twigs that fall to prevent cross-contamination; do not compost them. Ensure you are not over-watering and that your irrigation system is not keeping leaves constantly moist. Small trees with anthracnose may be treated with a fungicide when leaves are beginning to open in the spring, but large trees cannot be effectively treated this way.

The best way to know for sure if you have anthracnose is to contact your local extension office and bring in a sample of infected leaves. They can help diagnose the specific condition and recommend options for management.

Spring Lawn Care – What’s Enough?

One springtime task often in question is how to wake up your lawn. Folks in the neighborhood are power-raking, spraying, fertilizing, top-seeding, doing all of these, or nothing at all. What's right for you?

Wake up Your Lawn
Timing will vary depending upon the part of the country you're in, but Iowa State University offers simple recommendations for waking up your lawn:

1. Raking. Rake off matted leaves with a hand rake; power rakes encourage germination of weed seeds by exposing them to light.

2. Optional Aeration. Fall is best, but if you have a busy lawn (kids & dogs) and known compaction problems (setting water) plug-type aeration can help in the spring.

3. Optional Crabgrass Treatment. There are many options available, but they must be applied before April 10th in Iowa to be effective.

4. Optional Herbicide. To manage a greater than 10% weed population, a spring and fall broadleaf herbicide may reduce your current population by half.

5. Optional Fertilizer. Again, with busy lawns you may want to fertilize in the spring with 1 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sq. feet. If you do not have a busy lawn, you only need fertilize in the fall.

6. Optional Top Seeding. Spring seeding is much less successful than fall seeding because spring temperatures continue to warm or may become warm quickly. Both are unfavorable for grass germination. If you must seed in spring, do so not much beyond our last frost date, around April 29th.

7. Patching. For best results on fixing small bare spots, checkout the patch mix from Iowa State.

8. Mow Wisely. Set your mower deck to a minimum of 2 1/2 inches – higher mowing means fewer weeds and reduced watering (read: less expensive lawn care!). Make sure you have a sharp blade to start the year – less disease and cleaner cuts make your lawn look greener!

It's important to notice how many of these things are optional. Observe your lawn to understand its needs. You will only do the work you need and only spend the money you must to enjoy a beautiful yard (not what fertilizer programs tell you to spend).

If you have green grass and 100% coverage, your lawn is good! Often achieved with over fertilization, the dream of a dark green, carpet creates rapid, soft growth in constant risk of insect attacks, fungal diseases, high watering requirements, and an ever-growing maintenance list with escalating costs.

For the basics of yearly care, check out the Iowa State Turfgrass Management Calendar and remember you control your lawn, not the fertilizer companies!