North Shore Gardener
Q: I have sent pictures and have a couple of questions about some plants I have. The first is a flower stalk of a hosta that grew this summer. I have never seen that before.
A: Yes, that was a flower stalk on your hosta — and no, it's not unusual at all to see them bloom! Hostas are white and lavender to purple — and some are even scented! You will see more and more blooms every year as your plants mature.
Violet ID
Q: This is a small plant that grows in my yard. I'm looking for the name. It has a small blue flower in the spring and has a bulb like root. It also spreads like crazy and I'm constantly thinning it.
A: The little plant appears to be a common violet — you'll find them all over New England in the spring, blooming in purple to white and even some yellow. They spread by seed and by that underground root you mention. Some gardeners can't get enough of them — and some gardeners can't get rid of them soon enough! They can be a real pest if they take over a lawn or flower bed — but they are pretty!
Q: I enjoy your well-written column. Our front-yard huge oak tree has produced about five times the number of acorns this year compared to other years. For many weeks many squirrels have climbed the tree and cut down small branches by the dozens daily — some with acorns, some without. The yard was mess even though we picked up daily. It has finally subsided. My question: what caused this? Around town we have seen no other oaks like ours. The other question: Are oak leaves taboo for a compost pile? Thank you for your help.
A: Hasn't it been a good year for acorns?! It is said that this means we have a hard winter coming: The reason? The tree seems to now what's coming and produces extra food for wildlife — and also the tree produces lots of extra seed for self-preservation if we're going to have a miserable, killing winter. We'll have to wait and see about that!
A: I can't explain why the squirrels are chewing down the ends of the branches - maybe to make it easy to get to the acorns?
Oak leaves can certainly be composted. They contain tannic acid which makes them very tough. But if you shred them they won't take any longer to rot than any other material in the pile. If used whole, they'll take a year or more to rot, even in a very hot compost pile. Keep in mind: Smaller leaves and materials will always compost faster.
For the same reason, oak leaves are not the first choice to use whole as mulch on the garden — shred the tough leaves and they can be as useful as other leaves as mulch if you plan to use them that way.
Q: I have a question about my raspberry plants. I transplanted them this year and have some that are fall bearing and the others bear earlier in the year. Of course, I am not sure which is which! What should I do to these plants to prepare them for the winter? Do I need to prune them in some way now?
A: You are right! Raspberries fall into two categories, summer bearing and ever-bearing, or fall bearing — the fall bearing aren't really ever-bearing in New England since the cold weather comes too soon for them to bear their second crop in most years. Fall raspberries bear their crops on last year's wood; the summer bearing raspberries bear on second-year canes, which sprouted last year. Canes that bore fruit last year won't fruit again.
You have a choice: Prune in late winter or early spring, before the buds swell. (Old canes have grayish, slightly peeling bark). Use heavy gloves — raspberries have wicked thorns!
Also, you will want to prune any canes that sprout outside the area you have designated as your raspberry patch — do this faithfully each year, as raspberries can take over a garden! And a more open, row-type of planting, which gets good air circulation, is healthier for the plants — and makes it far easier for their care.
Q: I have two roses which I put in this year — to prepare them for winter should I cut them way back — they are small. Thanks so much!
A: Rose care is simple, but you did not tell me what kind of roses you planted, so this is very general. If you are unsure about the variety, it is better to err on the side of caution and prune in late winter.
Roses must be protected from changing and extreme temperatures and cold dry winds through the winter months.
Water well right up until the ground freezes. Tie up the branches with loops of soft twine, then mound up the soil 8-to-12-inches around the base of the plant. (Be sure to take this extra soil from someplace else in the garden — don't just scrape it up from around the base of the plant since this will dangerously expose the roots!)
Surround the mounded bush with a cylinder of chicken wire or tar paper and fill with peat, or bark mulch. Leaves are not recommended since they get wet and mat down, causing molds and fungus. You can mound up additional soil to help anchor the cylinder and keep it in place for the winter.
Remove any winter protection before the buds begin to swell, usually before the last frost dates in April.
This week's dirt
Start paper white narcissus bulbs! You'll want plenty for holiday gift use. Narcissus bulbs are beautiful inexpensive gifts, even with the cost of bulbs up this year to $1 dollar to $1.50 per bulb.
What else do you need? A pot and something to grow them in, like bark mulch, traditional white pebbles, or gravel.
They require no chilling in order to bloom! Start now, they'll be in bloom in less than three weeks, depending on the temperature of your house. Keep them cool, and they may take longer to bloom — but they'll last longer and grow stronger flower stalks as well.
Need a really last-minute gift? Don't even plant the bulbs!
Give the bulbs, pebbles and pot wrapped in a colorful shopping bag. Include instructions on how to plant — let the recipient enjoy the planting!
Planting for your own enjoyment? Don't plant all of the bulbs at the same time — plant at two week intervals and you'll have flowers all winter. Planting narcissus is a great fun project for the kids, too.
Last call! Baby, it's cold outside!
Are you planning to buy a live Christmas tree this year? A live tree that is potted or burlapped isn't much more expensive than a cut tree — and will be a part of you landscape for years to come.
Right now, before the ground freezes solid, hurry outside with your shovel — and prepare a planting hole for that live Christmas tree. Dig the hole and cover it with boards and a thick layer of straw or hay and a tarp, and it will be ready for you to uncover and plant right after the holidays. Save the dirt from the hole in a frost-free place in a plastic bag or a trash can so you will have unfrozen soil to use when it comes time to plant.
To avoid damage, don't keep a live tree in the house for more than a week and remember to water it regularly.
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North Shore Gardener by Barbara Barger of Beverly is a regular feature of the Home North section. Reach Barbara by e-mail at nsgardener@comcast.net or write to her c/o Salem News, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915. Her Web site is www.nsgardener.com
