Blackberries

My daughter said I ought to start reposting on The Garden Doc blog.  Sorry for the hiatus but major changes have occurred in my life.  Now things have settled down.

Three years ago I purchased one plant of Doyle's thornless blackberry plants.  Two of my brothers both made purchases earlier and raved about them.  So I bought a plant, planted it along a garden fence that is supposed to keep out deer and watched.  It sprouted a small cane the first year and I thought great, next year a larger cane will emerge.  The second year, nothing.  I searched and couldn't find it.  I racked it up to another idea plant that couldn't make it through the Wisconsin winter.

Last winter was a mild winter.  It only went below zero a couple of times and never got below -10 degrees F.  This spring another shoot emerged through the raspberries I have allowed in the area and continued to grow up, then curved over along the fence with a final length of about 10 feet.  This is a healthy cane.

After not seeing anything for a year, what happened?  Maybe the roots were just taking their sweet time getting established.  Maybe the colder winter two years ago killed off the cane and the plant struggled to maintain a root system.  Maybe there was a cane last year and I didn't notice it.  My eye sight is good but not like it used to be.  Anyway, I now have one very nice vine that if it overwinters will flower and provide some nice berries.

My thoughts now are, will it winter kill.  The only way to know is wait until next spring.  I could try to help it overwinter by laying it on the ground and covering it to try and keep it warm.  I won't do that.  I am of the opinion that if it is going to grow in WI it will have to be tough.

Happy Gardening,

The Garden Doc

Musings of a Weird Spring

Things never cease changing. I hope I didn't lose followers with my month hiatus.

March was very warm and several plant species started blossoming early. The result is most likely many frozen flowers meaning much fruit will be lost. I had early blossoms forming on apple and pear trees and starting to open late March to early April. Some are still opening. My honey crisp apple still has some blossoms and has had for a month. The University of Minnesota has been highly successful finding apple varieties that have fruit even in the cold harsh Northern Great Plains environment. The first blossoms were a month ago. Some froze but the later ones will probably bear fruit. We had 23 degrees when the pear tree bloomed. The tender flower parts, the stigma, style, ovary, pistals and stamens just can't tolerate much frost.

A tree which doesn't know whether to leaf out or flower. 

The apple flower stages are bud, pink, popcorn, bloom and post bloom. Apple buds withstand frost into the low 20 degrees. The pink stage survives temperatures in the mid to high 20's and open apple blossoms will freeze at about 30 to 31 degrees. This all depends on whether the cold temperatures hugged the ground or were higher up, and was there wind to kept the temperatures stirred up. Also, was the tree in a protected area. Apples produce the flower buds starting in July the previous year. Other fruits like berries form the blossoms in the spring just before they open.

Two methods may be bred into apples to help insure survival of apple fruit. One is to spread the opening of blossoms over a longer time or find varieties that have the blooms open later in the year when chance of frost is low. During April while the early blossoms were forming and opening we had three periods of time with temperatures into the mid to low twenties. Hopefully there will be some apples and pears. Our usual bloom time is about the second or third week of May.

Lilacs usually bloom in late May for Memorial day. This year many froze and a few odd survivibg lilac flowers are opening now. One of the odd items are my raspberries. One cane leafed out early and has flowers ready to open. Others of the same variety have just beginning green buds to start leaves. Why does nature have such a diversity within species? I guess survival of the fittest and this is how evolution truly works.

A lavendar plant loved by bees

My beehives are up and humming along with flowers to forage on for nectar and pollen. The current main flower is the dandelion. Four years ago, I lost all my hives. The winter lasted with snow finally leaving my back yard the middle of April. When I could finally get to my hives to check I tried to order new bee colonies. All bee colonies were sold out. This year there were flowers opening for bees to forage in late March. I would like to have had new colonies in March.

Why I keep bees - I love the sweetnes of honey

A Christmas tree grower has spent many nights watering his young tender trees to warm them and kept them from freezing or the new growth from freezing. If the new growth all freezes on a Christmas tree, it just doesn't grow much that year. The frost had some new trees laying flat on the ground but they didn't freeze. Even though Spring is early, we need to remember our frost free day is usually in May. In my area it is May 24. Life can be tough in nature, we have to be tougher.

One last note for pie cherry lovers. Michigan estimates that the pie cherry growing area has 80% loss of blossoms due to frost. Somehow, the canners will find some cherries for cherry pie filling. This occurred about 20 years ago and they started using black sweet cherries for pies.

The Garden Doc

Container Gardening

Making container gardens is both art and science. The art is creating the various looks and the science is growing and keeping the plants alive. These are a few of the pictures from an open air mall in Walnut Creek, California.


A bright colorful flower group.


A simple flower pot with beautiful color.


The pots have plants that are growing taller.


Now the plants in the pots are turning into animals.


A two tier floral and foliage display.


A large planter with plants formed as a snake.


A nice variety of colorful flowers.


My personal choice of color and floral variety from two pots side by side.

Maybe the above pictures will stimulate your creative ideas. If you see or grow your own interesting pot gardens, please share. All of the photos shown are actual size taken with a Blackberry Bold phone camera.

Happy Gardening,
The Garden Doc

Effects of an Early Warm Spring

A Fruit Tree with almost open blossoms

Monday March 25 was the first night in over two weeks that the temperature was below freezing. A news reporter stated that well over 1000 high temperature records have been broken the past two weeks. Fruit trees are in bloom or past bloom in much of the USA at least 6 weeks ahead of normal. A paper article from MN stated apple growers were struggling to get protective apple sprays on to prevent apple scab a month earlier than normal. A local home depot store had plants out side for sale.

A nursery employee and I were discussing the effects of early spring and she said the Minneapolis soil temperature was 55 degrees F. For lawns this means crabgrass is germinating. To prevent crabgrass use a good crabgrass preventer now. This is probably the best piece of lawn advice you will have if you have crabgrass. A good application will give about 100% control. However, since the application is going down about a month early, it may mean the preventive action will run out before the season runs out and you may have late emerging crabgrass this August. If you normally get 4 months control and you apply in March, it runs out in July. Crabgrass will emerge and mature in a very short time in late summer.
Forsythia indicates crabgrass is germinating.

Most plants, insects, weeds, and some diseases emerge and mature based on growing degree days, GDD. It is calculation based on how warm the day gets above a minimum temperature and each daily amount is added throughout the season. This works well in most areas. Whitney Cranshaw from Colorado State University stated “Shortly after I moved here I tried to see how well some previously proposed models worked, particularly with clearwing borers (lilac/ash borer) and pine needle scale. They did not appear to work very well at all and my thinking was that the high sunlight in our state skews GDD estimates.” In other words, bright sunlight may warm things and speed up development above what GDD would indicate.
A plum tree in bloom

The downside of very early springs is. Fruit blossoms emerge and get frozen. There is a listing of how well developed the fruit can be and how low of temperature the blossom can withstand. When the blossom bunch is tight and not really loose it can withstand down to mid to low twenties. When the blossom is opened, it freezes at about 30 degrees F. Daffodil plants can withstand a hard freeze but the blooms will freeze. Red beet plants in the garden have had enough time to have germinated and emerged. Newly emerged seedlings freeze at 28 to 30 degrees F. If it can get to the 4 leaf stage they will withstand a hard frost. The maple syrup industry was devastated this year with about 1/3 the normal harvest.

Insects may start emerging and then a hard frost kills them off. This can result in a lower number of insects to start the warm summer weather. If they emerge and there is no hard freeze it could mean a summer of bad insect problems. What generally happens is insects that fly in from the south arrive much earlier than normal. The first plants that emerge may take the brunt of early insect damage when normally they would not be bothered. Little black flea beetles will have time to develop into a bad problem before some vegetable garden crops are emerged. They may cause a real problem for early vegetables. Flea beetles will transmit Stewarts Wilt to sweet corn. This is not normally much of problem but this year could be the year when it is a problem.

Regardless of the weather now, it can change. Remember the frost free day doesn’t change from year to year regardless of the type of spring weather. A comment on a global warning article said warm winters usually mean a cool summer, that is why we call it an average temperature.

Best of Luck this very early spring,

The Garden Doc

Potatoes

Monday March 19 I planted potatoes in North Central Wisconsin. The temperatures have been setting record highs for several days and no freezing weather is in the forecast. If the weather stays warm I will harvest the first new potatoes in early June. March 17 is the earliest I ever planted potatoes when I lived in Ohio. The chance of these potatoes being nipped by frost is high but if the potatoes get nipped with frost they will recover but the yield may be less. I may have to cover the plants. Our frost free day is May 22.

My mother read an article advertizing a potato planting system using their particular tubs filled with potting soil. As the potatoes produced tubers, you could reach into the soft soil, possibly straw on top, and harvest what you need. Two years ago a friend from West Virginia bought some potatoes sold for seed to plant in pots. Later that year she said one plant had produced 28 edible potatoes and she was still harvesting. She couldn’t believe the productive potential of one small potato seed piece.

Another friend asked about growing potatoes in straw. Check out these web sites.
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/VegFruit/potatoes.htm
http://www.vegetable-gardening-online.com/growing-potatoes-in-straw.html

Growing potatoes in straw will work. Remember that the seed potato piece needs to be on the soil so the roots penetrate the soil to get nutrients and water. Two years ago all of the potatoes I harvested were not used. A few were stored in a box in the basement where temperatures remains somewhat cool and it is dark. At potato harvest time in late September I retrieved the box with the potatoes. The potatoes had grown vines and growing off the vines were a few small potatoes. One of the potatoes was the size of ping pong ball. The variety was Yukon Gold and the daughter potato had perfectly smooth skin. All the vine and little potatoes formed from carbohydrates, nutrients and moisture in the parent tuber.

Remember to choose good certified seed potatoes. From experience with side by side rows, potatoes from good seed grew much better, produced much higher quality, and yielded much more than the row planted from low quality seed saved from the year before.

Here are potatoes I am familiar with and can recommend:
Reds – Norland, Pontiac (Norland has smoother skin and shallower eyes)
Whites – Kennebec, Katahdin, Shepody, Snowden
Russets – Burbank, Norkotah, they are mostly all good.
Yellow flesh - Yukon Gold, Yukon Gem
Specialty potatoes - Many fingerlings and specialty colored potatoes

For a list and description go to this web site:
http://potatoes.wsu.edu/varieties/vars-all.htm
Thanks Washington State University

The seed potatoes you mostly end up with will be what the garden center or store you get the seed from offers. You can plant potatoes from the grocery store but they may have been treated with a sprout inhibitor that will delay and slow growth.

A last thought; the best mashed potatoes I have ever eaten were from a combination of Russet, Yukon Gold, and Red Norland potatoes. The flavor was well rounded and complete with a varietal mixture.

The Garden Doc

Maple Syrup

Making maple syrup has always been a dream ever since learning about it in grade school.  While visiting a hardware store I found a little book about making maple syrup with the taps used to extract the sap from maple trees.  The book and a few taps are now mine.  I hope I have sugar maples!

Last Saturday seemed like the perfect day to start.  Following the instructions in the book, I got my portable drill, attached a ½ inch bit and scooted out to my maple trees.  The book said use a 7/16 inch drill, but I only had a ½ inch drill.  I doubt the tree knows the difference.  Following the directions, I drilled a hole slightly upwards into the trunk.  The tap was inserted with ease and a little tap-tap with a rubber mallet secured it.  The tap comes with a little hook to hang the bucket but being in the modern era, I attached a clear plastic hose and ran the sap into a clean 5 gallon bucket. 

The inserted tap.  If you look carefully you can see a drop of sap.

As soon as the drilling and tapping was complete little drips of clear liquid started seeping out of the taps.

The modern hose and bucket system.  Would you believe there was snow when the tree was tapped.

The best maple syrup weather is warm sunny days and cold nights.  Saturday was a warm sunny day and as the next few days rolled along the days got warmer and the nights never really got cold.  Most of the temperatures this week have been in the high 60’s to 70’s.   Despite the lack of ideal weather, one week later I had about two gallons of sap.  Most of it was obtained on Saturday and Sunday, day one and two.

One week later is boil down day.  It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.   My 2 gallons of sap should make a little less than a cup of pure maple syrup.  The straight sap has no taste.  After losing 50% of the water it starts to have a slightly sweet taste.  After 75% evaporation it tasted like a sweetened drink.  At 1 cup, maple syrup was the result.

My scant 1 cup of maple syrup still warm in the jar

Check out this blog.  http://www.windymeadowsfarm.blogspot.com/

The March 1 post, with pictures, describes a visit to an actual maple syrup shed with a large evaporator.

Maple syrup houses always use wood fires for evaporation, because it is inexpensive, and stainless steel evaporation pans.  My hobby operation, or experiment, used the kitchen stove and a stainless steel pan.  I could have jerry-rigged something else but the stove was sitting there calling for its use and made it simple.   The cost of electricity for evaporation was probably sky high but who is counting for one cup of pure home made maple syrup.

Should be pancakes tomorrow.

The Garden Doc

To Mulch or not to Mulch

A major lawn herbicide was taken off the market eight to ten years ago because compost made with lawn clippings caused damage to plants the compost was applied around.  A specific herbicide sprayed on the lawns survived the heat and microbial process of composting.  A subsequent study found lawn clippings used as mulch after common lawn herbicides were applied damaged several vegetables.  Clippings from treated lawns caused damage for a few weeks after the herbicide application.  The bottom line is, “use caution” if you make pesticide applications to lawns then use the grass clippings for garden mulch.   

When planting beds, whether flower or vegetable, consider mulch for both aesthetics and weed control.  Below is a short discussion of different mulch or weed barriers.

Landscape fabrics – These are great for long term use in perennial plant beds or as removable weed mats in vegetable and ornamental gardens.  They are quite costly but last for years.  If in permanent landscape, bury under rocks or wood mulch and cut holes where plants will be planted.  Water and nutrients will filter through the mat but weeds won’t grow through the mat.  A few weeds may grow through the transplant hole and eventually enough dirt and weeds seeds will be present to grow a few weeds on top of the mat.  They are usually black on not very pretty.

Red plastic mulch

Plastic mulch – Plastic mulch works well in seasonal gardens, especially in vegetables.  They mainly keep weeds out but also can keep soils moist, and heat the soil for quicker growth in cold climates.  Water doesn’t penetrate plastic mulch so it must soak in from underneath the edges or have a water line under the plastic.  Clear, black, or colored plastic all work.  Weeds will grow under clear plastic but not colored or black plastic.  The aesthetic value is very low if using in ornamental beds.  Plastic is inexpensive.

Properly transplanting and mulching of a tree

Wood, Straw, Pine bark nuggets, Pine straw (needles) – These work similarly with the only variable being the texture and color.  Basically any vegetative material would work if it didn’t overload the soil with excess nutrients.  Most mulch is applied more for the aesthetics and then provides the weeds control.  In times past it was applied for weed control then when the mulches were visually appealing in the landscape the purpose shifted.  The problem with most mulch is it gets applied way to thick.  The worst is when it is mounded around tree trunks.  Many over mulched trees will eventually die. Organic mulch should be one to 2 inches thick and not cover the root flare on trees or lower the soil line on perennials and annuals.  These mulches have been shown to provide 80+ percent weed control when an inch thick.  A product of herbicide impregnated mulch now is on the consumer market for homeowner use.  It works and definitely should not be over applied. Tender transplants may not grow in around herbicide treated mulch. 
Grass clipping do work as mulch.  They have some nutritive value, but usually during the next year.  They can provide weed control just like any other mulch for weed control.  Some people have used odd materials such as cardboard.  Weeds rarely push through items like cardboard but it isn't very pretty.

Years ago a local scout troop I was associated with got the contract to supply mulch to several local church houses.  The troop was able to sufficiently fund its activities for two years with one day of several folks working hard.  A wood products company about a mile from my house has a major seasonal business of providing colored mulches bulk to homeowners who pick up one small pickup load for $30.  His mulch comes in two or three shades of red to brown, black, blue and who knows.  Blue wasn’t the most popular color but eventually disappeared.

The mulch business is big business.



Avoid volcano mulching trees



A win for malnourished children & GMO

A celebration of new technology.

Golden rice with Vitamin A vs normal polished white rice

Golden rice was developed to reduce child mortality due to vitamin A deficiency.  The science was developed and produced golden rice from 1980 to 2005.  Anti-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) advocates argued that this would cause major problems throughout the world if this technology was used.  This argument never considered the benefit of saving the 2-3 million children who die per year and the 500,000 children per year who become blind due to poor nutrition. 

Big companies are not evil.  Many of the technologies used are patented by various companies or individuals.  Syngenta AG has negotiated for all the necessary technologies to provide the Golden Rice Humanitatrian Board with the right to sublicense rice breeding organizations in developing countries free of charge. 

The new Golden Rice variety will also contain improved genetics and tolerance to some diseases to improve rice quality and quantity during production.  The golden color in the rice grains come from beta carotene.  Rice plants always produced beta carotene in the plant but it was not transferred to the kernal.  The kernals now contain beta carotene including lutein and zeaxanthin.  

Rice plants ready to harvest.

Dr Peter Beyer of Centre for Applied Biosciences, Univeristy of Freiburg, Germany and Professor Ingo Potrykus of the Institute for Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology constructed the grains missing biosynthetic pathway.  The first success produced 1.6ug of beta carotene in 1 gram of rice.  By 2005 the system was improved to supply 31 ug/g of beta carotene in rice.  This exceeds the dietary requirement of vitamin A in 100 to 200 g of rice.   They and Syngenta deserve a humanitarian award.

Kudos to modern science and the humanitarian efforts of all involved.  Millions of lives will be saved and millions more individuals will start life with improved health.  Check http://www.goldenrice.org/ also google Golden Rice.

Starting Plants Indoors

Alaska’s climate is too cold to grow sweet corn the conventional way.  They do not have enough growing degree days to get corn to mature.  Bryan, my brother, and his corn growing mentor have grown sweet corn successfully for many years in Alaska.  How?  He starts sweet corn in a greenhouse about one month before it is time to transplant in the garden.  When temperatures are finally warm enough, he transplants into the garden.  The corn is given a better chance by planting through holes in plastic.  The plastic does warm the soil creating a warmer microclimate for the corn roots.  The last key is growing the shortest maturity varieties of corn available.

Plants best started indoors and easily transplanted are tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, most flowers, watermelon and cantaloupe.  Plants best planted directly into the garden are peas, corn, beans, radishes, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, beets, onions, leeks, and potatoes.  Are the terms seeding and planting interchangeable?  Seeding refers only to putting seeds into the ground.  Planting refers to putting plant parts, including seeds into the ground.

When is the right time to plant both seeds and plants?  Potatoes, peas, red beets, radishes, and onions grow great when seeded as early as the garden can be prepared to plant.  Broccoli, cabbage and other cole crops will survive very well in cold climates whether seeded or transplanted, as long as the indoor grown plants are hardened off before setting outside.  Corn, beans, cucumbers, melons, squash, tomatoes, and peppers should be delayed until all chances of frost are past and the soil is good and warm.  Lettuce, carrots, parsnips, and a few others are somewhat cold tolerant but shouldn’t be planted too early.

When starting seeds indoors make sure you use clean containers.  If you reuse old containers rinse in a mild bleach solution then rinse.  This is to control diseases.  Use a good potting mix.  The best potting mixes may not have the biggest name or cost the most.  Potting mixes with vermiculite, peat moss, and/or coir work very well.  Keep seeded pots moist but not overly wet.  If you have a cold location you may use a heat mat to keep soils in the 70 degree range.  When seeds are germinated and have true leaves, you may remove the heat mat.

The most important part of growing starter plants is to provide enough light to imitate sunlight.  Grow lights generally work.  Incandescent and fluorescent lights together provide a complete light spectrum.  Either alone provide an incomplete light spectrum.  If you have a greenhouse outside, natural light is the best, but due to the plastic intercepting some light rays and frequent cloudy late winter or spring days you should plan on supplementing with artificial light.  Plan to provide light for 14 hours.  Plants do need both light and dark.  Part of the photosynthesis process requires a dark period.  If plants don’t get enough light they get “leggy” which is spindly overly tall plants.  Professional growers often treat with a growth regulator to keep plants short.  Homeowners can’t easily buy these growth regulators and if you can they can be very tricky to use.

The time to plant varies based on where you live.  Still some items can be planted as soon as you can get into the garden, others after the frost free day which is often in May to late May in the northern US.  A good rule of thumb for many northerners is to plant frost sensitive plants on or after Memorial Day.

When in graduate school I transplanted some broccoli plants a couple of days before my second child was born.  That week end was a whirl wind weekend as well as a colder than normal weekend.  If the broccoli plants were hardened off they would have survivied but they froze.  The busy weekend meant I didn’t get them covered or pay attention to the low temperature forecast.

BONUS – Check out these designer pumpkins. 

http://vegetablegrowersnews.com/index.php/multimedia/photos

The Garden Doc

Nematodes and other garden problems

Modern vegetable production uses fumigants to clean the soil from many soil diseases, nematodes, and some weeds.  Fumigants are often quite toxic and often applied as a gas into the soil.  The soil may be covered with plastic to hold the fumigant in the soil to better kill the pathogens.  After a period of time the fumigant either dissipates and/or decomposes.  Then the plant is either seeded or transplanted into the soil, often through holes punched into the plastic.  The results are improved plant growth with less disease and often free of damaging nematodes.

Forked carrots caused by nematodes

Nematodes are minute round worms that live in the soil and often infect plant roots causing slow plant growth, forked carrots and other maladies.  They are so small they are usually not visible to people and there are numerous species.  Some common nematodes are cyst, root knot, lesion, dagger, and sting nematodes.  There are a few foliar nematodes and others cause medical problems in humans and other animals.

So, what can you do?  Most home gardeners do nothing and accept the damage.  There is a solution that will give your garden a great advantage.  Members of the brassica family such as mustard, turnip, and radish plants produce natural chemicals that can control or at least limit the damage from nematodes and plant diseases.  The diseases that may be controlled are verticillium, pythium, fusarium, rhizoctonia aphanomyces, and fusarium. 

Mustard plants in flowers

These plants are cool season annuals that can be planted in the fall as a cover crop or in very early spring.  When the mustard plants are chopped up and tilled into the soil, they decompose.  The decomposition releases glucosinolates which act as a biofumigant.  The plants, especially the mustard should be chopped and tilled before or at flowering time so the seeds don’t mature.  Mustard plants can be a weed that easily gets out of control.  Using these plants as a natural fumigant will not inhibit the growth of vegetables and the food grown will be perfectly safe to eat.

Tillage radishes

Turnips and tillage radishes can be planted in the fall and grow very well before freeze up.  (Don’t use the small round radishes)  The long cylindrical radishes grow quickly and produce a taproot that will grow deep into the soil improving the soil characteristics.  The deep root when decomposed creates channels that help handle soil water.  Turnips will grow similar to tillage radishes but don’t grow as deep.  When the turnips and radishes are tilled they also release chemicals that help control nematodes.  Tillage radishes and turnips can be seeded in the fall and generally will grow enough to be effective in improving next year’s garden.  Do remember to chop well and till into the soil.  If you choose to grow them as a cover crop, they do provide animal food and are grazed.  You, also, can eat them if you desire.

The Garden Doc

The Color of Food

Years ago two east coast chicken companies waged a battle over whether raw chicken, you buy in the store, should be white or yellow in color.  Dr. Baldwin at the Virginia State University Research Station in Painter, VA conducted research on growing marigolds for the purpose of feeding the flowers to chickens and the chickens would be yellow in color.  It works.  A medical mystery book from years ago had a story about a person who went to the doctor because he was turning orange.  He drove a lot and ate carrots while driving.  The solution was to quit eating so many carrots.  The orange color in carrots and marigolds is mostly carotene.  Green vegetables may contain many of the following colors but chlorophyll usually masks all the other colors. 

Nutritionists always say to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  The chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors are some of the most potent antioxidants people can obtain as well as many being studied for anti cancer treatment and important for other vital parts of the body such as the eyes.  Search some of the colorants below and be prepared to be amazed at why they are being studied.

 

Red Fruits & Vegetables

Lycopene is a bright red carotene commonly found in tomatoes.  Anthocyanins are red purple or blue.  They are flavinoids in purple corn, berries, and eggplants.

Orange & Yellow Fruits & Vegetables

Beta-carotene is red or orange, and commonly found in carrots.  Also called terpenoids.  Flavinoids, also called bioflavinoids are the yellow color in citrus, tea, wine & chocolate.  Quecertin and hesperidin are flavinoids.

           

Green Fruits & Vegetables – Green covers up most other colors even when they are present.  

Cholorphyll is green and changes light into glucose in plants.  It is not known to be that active in human health.  Lutein is yellow but found in green plants where chlorophyll covers the yellow.  Zeaxanthin is red to orange and is one of the xanthophylls and important for eyes.  Beta-carotene – See above

Blue & Purple Fruits & Vegetables

Lutein – See above

Zeaxanthin – See Above

Resveratrol is bright red or brown and found in grapes and other fruits.  May extend life and prevent cancer.

Flavonoids - See above

Anthocyanins – See above

White Fruits and Vegetables

EGCG or Epigallocatechin gallate is clear to yellow and is a potent antioxidant

Red Beets – Betalains are a different class causing the red in beets but can also be yellow.  In some plants they replace the anthocyanins.  Betacyanins are red to yellow and Betaxanthins are yellow to orange.  Betanin is a potent red color.  All are antioxidants.   

The red color from beets is often used to color other foods.  They are considered healthful and have/are being studied for cancer control and other healthy benefits.  There is a subtle side effect from betacyanin in beetroot which may cause red urine and poop in some people who are unable to metabolize betanin. This is called beeturia.  If you ever come home from a party and pass red urine the red punch may have been colored with beet juice.  (I apologize for a little coarseness but these are facts.)

The Garden Doc

Gardening myths

The intent of this blog is to pass on important information not quote others but I came across the following thoughts searching for information on a work topic.  The information is too good not to pass on to readers.   Here it is word for word. 

The Garden Doc

By Robert Cox, Horticulture Agent, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
Many consumers assume that products on the store shelf must have been tested to prove their claims.  Certainly, fertilizers have to meet nutrient content requirements, and pesticides are rigorously tested for safety before EPA registration.
For some other garden products, however, no such testing is required before sale to the public.
A good example is vitamin B1 (thiamine), often sold to "prevent transplant shock" and "stimulate new root growth" when planting trees, shrubs, roses and other plants.  A study in the 1930's provided the basis for such claims.   Pea roots cut off from the plant were placed in a culture medium in the laboratory.
The researchers knew that thiamine was normally found in roots, so they put thiamine in the culture medium and found that root growth did occur.  Vitamin B1 is manufactured in Plant leaves and sent to the roots, but if roots are cut off and placed in a petri plate, vitamin B1 stimulates growth of the roots when it saturates the culture medium.
Planting trees in a soil environment, however, is vastly different from a laboratory culture.  Most important, gardeners aren't in the habit of cutting off the root system when planting. Several studies using intact mums, apple trees, orange trees, pine, tomato, beans, pepper, corn, pear, watermelon and squash have failed to demonstrate that vitamin B1 treatments provide any type of growth response.
Some "root stimulator" products contain a rooting hormone and fertilizer along with vitamin B1.  These materials may increase rooting and growth, not the vitamin B1.
The bottom line: While root stimulator products are not necessary for transplant success, if you do use one, make sure it contains a rooting hormone and fertilizer rather than just vitamin B1. The vitamin B1 is for marketing purposes rather than actual effect.

Sulfur

Sulfur is claimed to "reduce alkalinity."  When applied to our soils, sulfur must be oxidized by soil bacteria to the sulfate form; then sulfate reacting with water forms sulfuric acid.
In our soils, the bacteria responsible for sulfur oxidation are sparse, so the reaction may take many months or years.  If sulfate is formed, it just reacts with the lime (calcium) usually prevalent in our soil to form gypsum (calcium sulfate).   The bottom line:  Don't spend a lot of money on it unless a soil test shows that your soil has low lime levels.

Gypsum

Gypsum is claimed to "break up and loosen clay soils."  Again, in the Front Range area of high calcium (calcareous) soil, this is a local myth.  Gypsum (calcium sulfate) added to clay soils having high sodium replaces the sodium with calcium, a much more desirable soil condition.  The sodium is than leached out of the soil with water.
Locally, however, clay soils already are high in calcium.  High sodium soils are rare along the Front Range.  Adding calcium to a soil that does not need it is a waste of money.  Additional calcium in the form of gypsum, a salt, will only make soils more saline.

Wound Dressings

Wound dressing for pruning cuts have been shown not only to be unnecessary, but many actually inhibit callus growth over the cut.  Tars, emulsions, asphalts and waxes can dry and crack, especially in Colorado's climate.  When water gets behind the crack, disease may be promoted rather than prevented.
The best treatment of a pruning cut is not treatment at all. Many people expect to treat tree wounds just like they would treat cuts in the human body--with a dressing.   the public expects to see tree wound treated in some way, usually with a black "sealer."  As a result, one city tree crew, knowing that dressings are not helpful but also aware of public expectation, applies a thin coat of black spray paint to pruning cuts.

The Myth of Day Watering

Still showing up in some popular garden literature is the notion that "day-watering can burn plants."  The notion says that sunlight is "magnified by the water drop on the leaf to cause a leaf burn.
Anyone who ever burned ants using a magnifying glass and the sun knows that the magnifying glass did not burn the ant if it were placed directly on the ant.  Rather, it had to be held a distance (focal distance) from the ant to concentrate the sun's rays enough to burn the ant.
If this notion were true, all gardeners would cover all their plants prior to every rainstorm.
Farmers would not be able to prevent widespread "leafburn" after rain clouds gave way to sunshine.  The root of this notion may have come from the effects of applying poor-quality water high in dissolved salts.  As water drops evaporated from leaves,the salts left behind could cause a leaf burn.
These are but a few of many claims and examples of conventional wisdom offered to the gardening public.
Ever since gardens were planted, observations and anecdotal claims have been offered to improve garden success.  Some of these may be myths in Colorado but good advice in other areas of the country.  Be cautious of label and advertising claims for garden products and skeptical of what you hear--and read!

The Trees in Your Yard



Did you ever wonder why the trees you have in your yard are there?  When our family moved into our first house we bought, there was a stump about 10 feet from the road and 10 feet from the driveway.  The previous owner had cut it down because it had branches that somewhat limited his view of the road.  I replaced that with a 3 to 4 inch caliper maple I selected from a nearby woods and bare root transplanted in the same location.  Twenty five years later it is a 15 to 20 inch beautiful tree with high branches that set of the corner of the property. 

Ash tree lining a city street

Much of the country from Minnesota to Missouri, and Tennessee to New York are undergoing a tree transformation not of our choosing.  The rest of the country is going to be affected where ever ash trees grow.  The emerald ash borer is chewing its way through America’s ash trees.  Twenty to forty years ago many streets were lined with beautiful elm trees.  Dutch elm disease has caused most of those to be replaced, 

Dead Ash from Emerald Ash Borer

including the beautiful trees lining my mother-in-law’s street in Aberdeen, S Dakota.  Previous to any of our memory the major forest tree in much of the Eastern US was the chestnut tree.  Chestnut trees succumbed to chestnut blight. 

An Emerald Ash Borer and tunnels under the bark

The lesson to learn when putting trees in your yard is to choose a variety of species so when the next tree malady occurs you will not loose all of your trees.  Cities are replacing ash trees with a variety of trees.  No more monoculture of trees lining the streets of the USA.  You should make sure your yard is not a monoculture.  The reasons ash trees replaced elm trees were, they were hardy, grew fast and had gorgeous foliage with beautiful fall color.  Until emerald ash borer, they were considered the perfect tree.

If or when you lose your ash tree consider this advice from Beth Corrigan of the Morten Arboretum near Chicago.  Make an assessment of the sun, soil condition, and space.  “It’s tried and true: put the right plant in the right spot.  Does the space get full sun? Only west sun?  Is it near a downspout?  High and dry on a berm?  This data will help you find a tree that’s happy in your yard.  There will always be another pest or disease coming down the block.  A healthy tree will resist attacks better than one that’s stressed.”  Other thoughts to consider are:  Do you want to shade your house or patio?  Screen an ugly view?  Or do you want a tree to just look pretty?  Will the mature tree fit the space?

For the ash tree you have now, if you don’t want it or it is unhealthy remove it and replace it with a better tree for that location.  If you want to keep your ash tree, get it treated.  You can pay a professional to treat the tree for about $200.  You can treat it your self for $10 to $40 based on size.  The product to choose from are either Merit based products with several Brand names, many from Bayer Advanced or Safari based products from Green Light.  Safari based products are Emerald Ash Borer Killer or Tree & Shrub with Safari.  Most Safari products are granules and Merit based products are liquids.  Both are easy to apply.  You will have to make an application every year.  If your tree is already infested you may salvage the tree if it has lost less than 40% of the foliage.  If it is in bad shape remove it.  Dead ash trees don’t stand for very long.  They have large branches fall and whole trunk will eventually fall possibly causing damage to cars, houses, and possibly people. 

Home yard with multiple tree species

The Garden Doc

Honey Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder, CCD

January 11, 2012

An article came out showing what may be causing millions of bees in hives to quickly disappear from their hive.  A picture of a small fly on a bee may show the cause.  The fly lays its eggs in the bee, the eggs hatch, the larvae grow, the bee gets disoriented, flies out of the hive towards light and dies.  The larvae mature and the cycle continues until the hive is empty.  How could this go undetected for this many years?  Science is a never ending learning process.

This may solve the question causing CCD or cause more confusion as to the cause.  Previous to finding this fly scientists from many major Universities thought it may be a combination of a virus with honey bee mites aggravated by some carry over disease or pesticide damage.  Science has not been able to link any direct cause to CCD.  Bees like all other animals have ectoparasites (insects that live on other insects or animals) and diseases caused by bacteria and viruses. Most of the ectoparasites and diseases are well understood and beekeepers treat hives to control these maladies.  Pesticide science is good at providing instructions to nearly eliminate bees being killed or damaged from insecticides.  The best way to maintain good hive health is to have a good queen and a good strong hive.  The survival of the fittest rule, rules.  There are treatments for most of the diseases and parasites. 

How does this affect you and your garden?  Some of the garden vegetables do not need bees to pollinate.  Most produce originating from a flower needs pollinated.  Some are self pollinated, some are pollinated from other insect species other than the honey bee, but some do produce much better yields if honeybees are in the area.  These crops are apples, blueberries, strawberries, cane berries, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and the melons.  Many crops like onions will produce a good supply of vegetables, the onion bulb, but need pollination to produce seeds which are not eaten.  

I keep a few colonies of bees and through the years have had great success overwintering bees, even in the state of Wisconsin.  Three years ago I may have lost all my hives to CCD.  Beekeeping is a fascinating hobby with extremely sweet rewards.  This past summer my 5 hives produced over 60 lbs each.  The excess honey I can’t use is sufficient to supply The Downtown Grocery which is a store that offers many unique foods including a good supply of organic produce for those that desire that life style.

The Garden Doc