How to Grow Alliums, Allium, Ornamental Onions, Flowering... http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Alliums/7371,default,pg.html
Alliums for the Flower Garden
Onions, shallots and gardlic are members of the allium family that belong in the vegetable garden. But there are many ornamental alliums that deserve a hearty welcome in your perennial gardens. Alliums are plants of exquisite beauty in both flower and leaf, with tough constitutions. These easy-to-grow bulbs come in a broad palette of colors, heights, bloom times and flower forms. They make excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried bouquets. Even crowded gardens can accommodate a few alliums because they don't take up much space. What's more, alliums are relatively resistant to deer, voles, chipmunks, and rabbits Ordinary Onions They're Not There are more than 700 different types of alliums in the world. It wasn't until the late 1800s that this vast group of plants started to intrigue plant lovers. Russian botanists began collecting some of the spectacular alliums from Central Asia and introducing them to avid horticulturists through the Imperial Botanical Garden in St. Petersburg. Of course, it didn't take long for the In this border, the Purple Sensation allium consummate plant hunters, the British, to bridges the gap between spring and early get wind of this "new" family of garden- summer-flowering perennials. worthy plants. Their expeditions yielded many more interesting alliums varieties. Hardy, Easy-Care, Deer- and Rodent- Resistant Ornamental alliums are hardy to zone 4 and they have very undemanding cultural requirements. They will grow in most any soil, as long as it is well-drained. Alliums adore sunlight and will perform best when they can bask in it all day long. Since most of them multiply naturally, they can be left untouched in the same area for years. Alliums are drought-tolerant plants that actually prefer to be grown on the dry side. There are no serious diseases or insect pests that bother them. And you won't ever have to worry about rodents or deer, since they seem to have no appreciation for the taste of onions — ornamental or otherwise. Just remember, there's only one time of year you can plant alliums: in the fall. Daffodils, tulips and The Ozawa allium is among the last crocuses are easy to find at most garden perennials to flower. Shown here with asters, centers, but alliums are not as readily available. its pink flowers are still forming atop a To make sure you have the bulbs in hand when grassy clump of foliage. it's time to plant, the best thing to do is order them by mail. That way, they’ll show up at your door at proper planting time, and there's no chance you'll have to live another year without these beautiful, long-lasting, bee-friendly flowers in your garden. Some ornamental alliums grow
1 of 3 10/24/10 3:44 PM How to Grow Alliums, Allium, Ornamental Onions, Flowering... http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Alliums/7371,default,pg.html
more like chives and what you plant is a clump of roots rather than bulbs. This type of allium is usually sold as a potted plant, and may be more available in spring than fall. Favorite Alliums There are dozens of varieties in cultivation; here are some profiles of some of the best. Purple Sensation: the 2″ to 4″ diameter purple globes bloom in early June, right after the late tulips. Purple Sensation's sturdy stems rise 24″ to 30″ high, so the flowers appear to float above the foliage of newly emerging perennials. . Globemaster and Gladiator: The tallest and most architectural alliums have huge, globe- shaped flowerheads on 3- to 4-foot stems. Bloom time is early to mid-June. A group of deep-purple Globemaster or Gladiator alliums is a real This yellow allium (Allium flavum) is a good eye-catcher, especially when planted with white choice for rock gardens or pink peonies, delphiniums or tall bearded iris. The white-flowering Mount Everest is a bit shorter and looks sharp in front of shrubs with deep-green or burgundy foliage or rising out of a groundcover of periwinkle (Vinca minor). Corkscrew allium: Drought-tolerant corkscrew allium (Allium senescens ssp. montanum var. glaucum) makes a good edging plant in the dry soil at the top of my stone retaining wall. Its blue-green leaves twist like loose corkscrews. Bloom time is late summer. Ozawa allium (Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa'): A tidy, clump-forming plant that grows 18″ to 20″ high. Among the last of the perennials to bloom, its flowers often don't open until late September or October. Bees love it. Another late-bloomer that flowers in autumn. Its pink flowers pair well with coreopsis, gaillardia, solidago and other fall flowers. Schubert allium (Allium schubertii): Quite dramatic, though only 8″ tall . Its foot-wide The drumstick allium is a bit floppy, so plant umbels look like an exploding pink fireworks it among other perennials that can provide display. Sure to elicit comments from garden visitors. Seed heads add interest for a month or support. more after blooms fade. Drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon): Blooms in early July, a couple weeks after Purple Sensation. Not as erect and orderly as Purple Sensation, but in the right place (where casual is OK), the two-toned, burgundy-green heads are fantastic. Great with ornamental grasses. Yellow allium (Allium flavum): A midsummer- blooming favorite that is well-suited to rock gardens. Over a 10-day period, the cluster of florets slowly emerges and becomes an exuberant display of color. Related species available in yellow, pink and white, 12″ to 24″ high.
ShareThis
An allium that anyone can grow: the
2 of 3 10/24/10 3:44 PM How to Grow Alliums, Allium, Ornamental Onions, Flowering... http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Alliums/7371,default,pg.html
Everlasting Allium, which can get "planted" any time during the year. They come in pink and yellow, too.
3 of 3 10/24/10 3:44 PM Plants That Climb, Climbing Plants, Trellises, Vines: Gardener'... http://www.gardeners.com/Plants-That-Climb/5373,default,pg.html
Peas use tendrils to climb a trellis. Plants That Climb All About Vines and Other Climbing Plants By Kathy LaLiberte Growing up rather than out is a good way to save space in the garden. You also get to enjoy lots of great vine plants such as sugar snap peas, pole beans, moonflowers, bougainvillea, and clematis. Adding a trellis or some other vertical structure to your garden also gives you a whole new dimension of visual interest. But figuring out how to match climbing plants with the right kind of support leaves many gardeners baffled. Why won't pole beans and tomatoes climb up a lattice frame? Why won't sweet peas and clematis climb a pole? The answer is that climbing plants climb in particular ways: some wrap, some adhere, and some curl. Here's how to recognize which plants Passionflowers use wiry tendrils that actually do what: reach around in the air until they come into contact with something they can grab. Tendrils: Peas are a good Examples example of a Stem tendrils: plant that uses Passionflower tendrils to (Passiflora) climb. Tendrils Grape (Vitis) are skinny, wiry structures Ampelopsis glandulosa along the Leaf tendrils: plant's stem Sweet peas (Lathyrus) that actually Cobaea scandens reach around in the air until Chilean glory flower they come into (Eccremocarpus scaber) contact with something they can grab. Once contact is made, the tendril curls, forming a coil that allows the plant to adjust
1 of 3 10/24/10 2:36 PM Plants That Climb, Climbing Plants, Trellises, Vines: Gardener'... http://www.gardeners.com/Plants-That-Climb/5373,default,pg.html
the degree of tension or pull on the support. There are two kinds of tendrils. Stem tendrils (which passionflowers and grapes have) are shoots that grow out of the stem. Leaf tendrils (which peas have) look very similar, but the tendrils are actually modified leaves that emerge from a leaf node. Like a rock climber scaling the face of a mountain, plants that have tendrils need handholds in the form of horizontal supports. Netting works well for plants with tendrils, as long as the mesh is more than 2" square. I once tried growing sweet peas on some bird netting that we had lying around and the peas refused to take hold. Branches are a popular material for supporting tendril-climbers. Just make sure that branches are brushy—with lots of small side shoots—and not smooth, vertical sticks. Horizontal strings attached to posts or bamboo poles are ideal. Just don't position the strings more than about 4 inches apart or the newest set of tendrils may not be able to reach the next level of string. Also, because most tendrils are only about an inch long, they need to wrap around something thin (like string or wire) that's no more than about 1/4 inch in diameter. Twiners: Morning glories, pole beans, honeysuckle and clematis are some of the many plants that twine. There are Examples two important differences among twining plants: they either Twining leaves: have twining leaves or twining stems. Clematis Climbing nasturtium Plants with twining leaves, such as clematis, use their leaves (Tropaeolum polyphyllum) like tendrils. The young leaves of these plants are able to twist around slender wires, string, twigs or other leaves. The Rhodochiton key is to provide a thin enough support for the leaf stem to Twining stems curl around. A lattice made of 1-inch wide slats won't work for Pole beans leaf twiners. Dutchman's pipe Twining stems twist around whatever they touch, be it a pole, (Aristolochia) branch, wire or chair leg. The stems will wind clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the species of plant. Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) There are loosely twining stems such as gourds, and strongly Morning glory twining stems such as thunbergia, wisteria, morning glory, jasmine and Dutchman's pipe. Some of these twining vines Moonflower (Ipomoea) can grow very large and become extremely heavy. Wisteria is Jasmine (Jasminum) famous for pulling down porches and garden structures. If you are planting a perennial vine that will eventually become Honeysuckle (Lonicera) very large, be sure to provide strong support. Black-eyed Susan vine Scramblers: Bougainvillea (Thunbergia) and climbing or rambling Examples Wisteria roses are two of the many Bougainvillea plants that fall into the Cape leadwort scramblers category. These (Plumbago) plants have long, flexible stems that may look like Climbing rose (Rosa) vines, but they are unable to climb on their own. Scramblers sometimes have thorns that help them grip neighboring stems, if you want these plants to "climb" up a trellis, arbor, or pergola, you will need to tack them into place and probably tie them with wire or sturdy string. Adhesive pads: Boston ivy (Parthenosissus tricuspidata) and Virginia creeper (P. quinquefolia) have stem tendrils with Examples touch-sensitive adhesive pads that allow them to stick to Cissus almost any surface. Climbers with adhesive pads can attach Boston ivy themselves to the face of a building or the trunk of a tree. If (Parthenocissus) not provided with a vertical support, they will just as happily crawl sideways, attaching themselves to anything in their path. Clinging stem roots: The last group of climbers use clinging stem roots to attach themselves. The stems of these plants Examples produce a cluster of short, stout roots that cling to surfaces of Euonymus almost any kind. Examples of plants with clinging stem roots English ivy (Hedera) include climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris), most ivies Climbing hydrangea
2 of 3 10/24/10 2:36 PM Plants That Climb, Climbing Plants, Trellises, Vines: Gardener'... http://www.gardeners.com/Plants-That-Climb/5373,default,pg.html
such as English ivy (Hedera helix) and Irish ivy (Hedera (Hydrangea petiolaris) hibernica), and also euonymus. These plants can damage paint work and mortar if you try to remove the stem roots from a structure. That's a quick look at the weird and wonderful world of climbing plants. In case you find it all a bit confusing, check the list above for common plants and how they climb. Have fun!
Kathy LaLiberte has worked for Gardener's Supply since it began more than 25 years ago. She lives and gardens in Richmond, Vt.
ShareThis
3 of 3 10/24/10 2:36 PM How to Cook Potatoes, Potato: Gardener's Supply http://www.gardeners.com/How-to-Cook-Potatoes/7376,default,...
Making the Most of Your Potato Harvest How to Choose the Best Cooking Techniques
By Kathy LaLiberte If you had to limit your diet to a single food, potatoes wouldn’t be a bad choice. Baked, boiled, chipped, fried, mashed, roasted or scalloped – the lowly potato can taste completely and deliciously different depending on how it’s prepared. What most folks don’t realize is that two different kinds of potatoes prepared in the same way, will often yield completely different results. Bake a Russet Burbank and you’ll get a light and fluffy baked potato. Bake a Desiree and you’ll have a disappointingly dense and somewhat watery baked potato. Conversely, if you add chunks of Desiree to a pot of soup, they’ll hold their shape and have a satisfying waxy texture. Chunks of Russet Burbank will turn to mush and disappear. Both are perfect potatoes. It’s all about what happens in the kitchen! To maximize your potato pleasure, pay attention to the kinds of potatoes you are planting and how each variety should be Freshly harvested potatoes from the Potato Grow cooked to its best advantage. Bag. Waxy Texture or Floury Texture? There are two factors that determine a potato’s texture after cooking: its solids content and the type of starch it contains. Whether a potato cooks up moist or dry is determined by its solids content. Potatoes that are low in solids have a moist texture; potatoes that are high in solids are drier. Whether a potato cooks up light and fluffy or dense and waxy, is determined by its starch content. Potatoes that are high in amylose starch are mealy or floury when cooked; potatoes high in amylopectin starch are firm and dense. The post-cooking texture of different potato varieties can be mapped out on a grid as below (credit for the layout of this map goes to the potato experts at Wood Prairie Farm in Northern Maine): Early or Late — Moist > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Determinate or Dry Indeterminate? The time it takes a potato Creamy, Soft, moist Mealy, dry plant to produce mature mid-dry tubers varies from 70 days to Best 140 days. As you’d expect, Best Best cooking cooking cultivars that produce quickly cooking technique: technique: are referred to as “early” and technique: bake, steam, bake, those that take their time are steam, use in mash, fry called “late”. Amylose saute soups starch: Best Early potato varieties are Best Best mealy, floury varieties: ready to be harvested in 70 varieties: varieties: Russet to 90 days. Like determinate Cranberry Rose Gold, Burbank, tomatoes, these plants grow Red Yellow Finn quickly, produce their crop Butte and then die back. Get an early start with an early
1 of 2 10/24/10 2:20 PM How to Cook Potatoes, Potato: Gardener's Supply http://www.gardeners.com/How-to-Cook-Potatoes/7376,default,...
potato variety, and you’ll have Waxy, Waxy, Firm, dry “new” potatoes for summer moist mid-dry salads or on the grill. Some readily available early potato Best Best Best cooking varieties are Yukon Gold, cooking cooking technique: Cranberry Red, Reddale, technique: technique: all-purpose Caribe, Russet Norkotah, boil, use in bake, boil, use, bake, Mountain Rose and Onaway. soup, fry boil, use in stews, Amylopectin salads Midseason potato varieties salads Best mature in 90 to 110 days. starch: firm, varieties: Best Popular varieties include waxy Best Kennebec, varieties: Chieftain, Russet Burbank, varieties: Yukon Caribe, Red Pontiac, Red Norland, Red Gold, Desiree, Red Cloud, Desiree, Sangre, Norland, Bintje, Red Elba Yellow Finn and RoseGold. Onaway Cloud Late potato varieties are ready to harvest in 105 to 135 days. Most fingerlings fall there’s tons of recipes, into the “late” category. Other late varieties include Elba, organized by potato type. Bintje, Carola, German Butterball, Nicola, Butte and A list of North American All-Blue. potato varieties and Eat Now or Store for Later? recommended uses from As is true with other crops, some potato varieties have the Oregon State proved to be excellent winter keepers, while others are University. best eaten soon after harvest. Though it seems logical that late varieties of potatoes would be better keepers than short-season ones, this is not always the case. Yukon Gold is an example of a good winter keeper that’s also an early producer. If you plan to store some of your potatoes for winter eating, seek out cultivars that have a good reputation for long-term storage.
Kathy LaLiberte has worked for Gardener's Supply since it began more than 25 years ago. She lives and gardens in Richmond, Vt.
ShareThis
2 of 2 10/24/10 2:20 PM