Baking soda: a key gardening ingredient

I've always found gardening to be very much like writing a novel: labor-intensive, a way to express oneself creatively, difficult at times, but ultimately rewarding.  So anything that pumps up the creative, fun aspect, and makes the process on a whole a bit easier, is always welcomed.

Like a rough draft of a manuscript that can get too wordy--a particular problem of mine--the work of art we create in our outdoor spaces can suffer from overabundance.  Sometimes we just have too much of a good thing.  Take moss, for example.  It can fill in moist, shady niches in the garden where grass won't grow well.  It not only stays green all summer, but actually deepens to a rich emerald and acquires a lush, wall-to-wall carpet-type of texture as the season progresses.  But who wants this "carpet" covering the stone and brick spaces of patios, walkways and driveways?  Not I!  Yet July's humidity pushes this producer into overdrive, prompting me to look for an editor to this story.

Baking soda is that editor, who cuts through the excess, but in a kind way that won't hurt too much.  I've talked about this substance in the past, touting its attributes much like a novelist thanks contributors at the back of a book.  It's non-toxic and effective, and I've used it for quite some time.  Yet the other day I began to wonder, what is this substance that I take for granted?  Besides being a kitchen staple, vital for baking, pot-scrubbing, tooth-brushing, fridge freshening, and the aforementioned garden applications, what is it?  Here, an explanation from the blog, Green Living Tips:

Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate, is a very handy non-toxic compound that can be used as a more environmentally friendly replacement for many harsher chemicals.


How baking soda is made
It's not, for the most part, a naturally occurring product. The base substance, soda ash, from which sodium bicarbonate is extracted is usually refined in one of two ways:
a) The Solvay method. In this method carbon dioxide and ammonia are injected into a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. At this stage, some sodium bicarbonate is formed. It is then heated to form soda ash, from which a more pure sodium bicarbonate is extracted. The Solvay method does produce environmentally damaging byproducts such calcium chloride in a liquid solution that when discharged into inland waterways can increase salinity.
b) Trona ore. The world’s largest deposit of trona ore is in the Green River Basin of Wyoming and is extracted by underground room-and-pillar mining. There are over 62 identified natural sodium carbonate deposits in the world with supposedly enough raw product to satisfy the world’s needs for thousands of years. Once the Trona ore is extracted, it’s refined into a slurry of sodium sesquicarbonate that contains soda ash (sodium carbonate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
Soda ash can also be be manufactured from salt and limestone; practically inexhaustible resources, but synthetic soda ash costs more to produce and creates environmentally damaging by-products.

Refining soda ash
Once the soda ash has been created, the solution is placed into a centrifuge, separating the liquid from bicarbonate crystals. The crystals are then dissolved to form a bicarbonate solution  and filtered to remove any insoluble materials.
The resulting solution is then pumped up to a carbonating tower. Carbon dioxide is pumped into the base of the tower pressurized. The solution reacts with the carbon dioxide to form sodium bicarbonate crystals.
The crystals are collected, placed in another centrifuge, washed and dried to form a high purity baking soda.
Earth friendly baking soda
When choosing a baking soda and having “green” principles in mind; you’re somewhat caught between a rock and a hard place. The Solvay method has been known to ruin inland waterways and Trona ore means mining. Still, not everything can be manufactured from air. When you compare the production and use of baking soda with the effects on the environment of other chemicals used in products that baking soda can replace; baking soda is certainly the “greener” option, however it is sourced.
The only other comparable substance that is more earth friendly that sodium bicarbonate is probably vinegar. While vinegar is certainly a very versatile substance; it probably doesn’t have the range of uses of baking soda.

How well does it work?
See for yourself.  Below, I sprinkled baking soda on the top half of bricks.  The bottom two rows were left untreated.  Notice how the top section has yellowing--even blackening--moss.  The moss growing between the bottom bricks is still green and healthy.  For quickest results, sprinkle the baking soda on desired spot, wait a few hours, then take a watering can or garden hose, and spray a small amount of water to the area.  The water seems to activate the baking soda, and boost its power.

Hard-scaping

We all appreciate the beauty and usefulness that plants bring to our gardens.  They create warm spaces in otherwise barren stretches of land.  They nourish us with vegetable, herb and fruit offerings--and even those that don't, utilize the carbon dioxide we aspirate, miraculously exchanging it for life-giving oxygen.  No one (except perhaps those with severe plant allergies) can really make a case against greenery, AKA "soft-scaping."

But equally enticing is the creative use of hard-scaping in our garden beds: the fences, stones, brick, sand, shells, trellises, arbors, gazebos, and other non-living additions to our landscapes that give them depth, texture and the ability to enhance and complement all the growing going on around them.  After all, what plant can't benefit from a well-placed pergola or pot?

Part of designing a garden space that's attractive as well as functional is the ability to make clever use of non-living materials.  In the photos below, I explore different ways that hard-scaping will help create artful outdoor spaces--and a soft spot in your heart for every one:

Pair perennials with a perimeter of picket fencing, and you've got yourself an old-fashioned love story, worthy of the ages.  Time and place fall away with this affair to remember, which seems modern, but could just as easily have been found in your grandmother's garden beds.

Window boxes and decorative hangers provide twice the impact when used in tandem.  This dynamic duo softens the very linear lines of boxy windows, clapboard and the rectangular patio bricks.

 
Plant stands are great for a garden on the go, or to lessen the effect of less-than-desirable features on a building (like the gutter leader in the photo here).  The best thing about these decorative dynamos?  You can pick 'em up and plop them down wherever you like--whenever you want to.

You say potato, I say...ornamental!

There are certain rules horticulture pros tend to follow: planting in odd numbers makes for a more pleasing presentation, for example, or the fact that curved flowerbeds provide casual appeal, while straight paths and symmetrical sight lines are the hallmarks of a formal garden layout.  But there are times when it's fun to toss out any learned notions about what makes a space appealing, or what plantings are appropriate for a particular site.

An industrious friend of mine found a creative way to utilize whatever she had on hand to create a gorgeous, yet practical, garden space, starting with the humble red potato.  Having a few in her cupboard that had withered a bit, and were sprouting "eyes," she sliced the potatoes in half, soaked them in water overnight to soften them up, and planted them in a bare spot in the corner of a garden she was creating.

The result:

 Rich deep-green foliage with contrasting red stems...and nodding baby-blue blooms!  My friend often teams up the fashionable and functional, pairing items from her pantry with perennials and annuals throughout her garden.  On any given day you can spot a squash plant, sprouting a lush golden blossom, next to a dahlia; a begonia snuggling up to an allium--an ornamental onion which adds beauty to the garden while keeping the critters away.

So break the rules a bit, and let plants live on the (creative) edge.  Your garden space is limited only by your imagination.

Project Pollinate!

As I've written in previous posts, honeybees are awesome--especially if you want to produce honey.  This post, however, is all about pollination.  And for that, I turn my attention to native bees.  I've been preoccupied with the idea of giving native bees their due.  They pollinate even more plants than honeybees...and are heartier, because they're natives.  Honeybees hail from Europe.

Not only are the natives naturals when it comes to the pollination gig, but strengthening their habitat is incredibly easy--far simpler than setting up honeybee colonies.  Unlike their cousins from "across the pond," indigenous bees live in more modest nests.  In this bee culture, Mama Bees makes their own nests out of tunneled logs, niches in the ground--even hollow plant stems!  Sadly, many nests are destroyed as humans move onto land that was previously unused.  And people like their spaces neat and tidy, so unwittingly, they scoop up and toss all the unsightly debris of nature, taking many a bee nest with them.

But knowledge is power, right?  The more we learn about our natives, like the Blue Orchard, Mason, Leaf-cutting and Bumble bees (and countless others), the better we can help them establish safe places to nest.  In the coming months, I will be posting information about native bees and their habitats, including topics such as tunnel-nesting bee biology, setting up bee-friendly spaces, and creating, maintaining and replacing artificial nest sites.  Additionally, I will be launching Project Pollinate!, in which I will explore these topics in a hands-on way, including: researching further, creating my own nests, and teaching others.  The long-term goal will be to travel to schools, libraries, museums and parks to share all the native-bee information I've gathered, and help build new nests.

Join me in this effort!  Please comment with any helpful hints, tips or tricks for establishing native bee habitats, and bee looking for my upcoming posts exploring this issue.

Invading Forces

In honor of my state's (New York) very first Invasive Species Awareness Week (July 6-12), I've decided to touch upon the idea of invasive species.  And although I am highlighting invasive plants of the northeastern U.S., we are by no means alone in dealing with this problem.

What exactly is an invasive species?  Wikipedia sums it up by the following:  "Introduced species (also called "non-indigenous" or "non-native") that adversely affect the habitats and bio-regions they invade economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically. Such invasive species may be either plants or animals and may disrupt by dominating a region...."

All corners of the world are affected by non-native plants.  Why is it a problem?  Because sometimes visitors move in and become very comfortable in a spot.  Not only do they decide to stay, but they begin to reproduce--and can potentially crowd out the indigenous population.  Think about it this way: you meet a visiting couple from across the globe, who seems nice enough, so you let them sleep on your couch.  They like your sofa so much, they decide to squat in your living room...and even start a family!  I know, I know: Extreme example (though I actually saw a news story similar to this involving a couple who couldn't unload a non-working nanny who barricaded herself in one of their guest bedrooms, believe it or not!), but you get the point.  Visitors good.  Invaders bad.

There is a laundry list of invaders on state and federal DEC websites, but here are the species I've noticed are among the worst offenders in my area:

Milfoil (Myriophyllum species):  Hailing from Australia, the aquatic version of this plant invades lakes and streams to the detriment of natives.  It grows very fast and fragments easily, so pulling it out can be tricky.  Of course there are chemicals to combat the problem, but since I think chemicals only cause more problems down the road, I would never recommend this method.  Hand harvesting is time-consuming, but essential for proper, permanent removal.  In New York's Adirondack Mountains, this is what they have down, with positive results.  Well-trained divers have made a huge difference, but it is an ongoing issue.  On the horizon: the discovery that an aquatic weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) eats nothing but milfoil.

Lesser Celandine (Rununculus ficaria): a pretty plant with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers from the buttercup family.  Seems harmless enough, right?  Wrong.  This plant is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.  Why?  It grows in a tricky, super-invasive way: bulblets are produced along the stems of the above-ground portions of the plant, but are not apparent until late in the flowering period. These little bulbs are pale and hard to detect.  If you can't see them, you can't pull them out. They survive for years and are easily moved in contaminated dirt or by water.  Lesser celandine prefers shaded to partially shaded sites though it can thrive in full sun with adequate soil moisture. Deciduous woods are an excellent habitat for this species enabling the plant to thrive.   Dense patches form, crowding out early-blooming native wildflowers. To the private landowner or gardener, lesser celandine escaping from plantings quickly overwhelm flowerbeds and lawns. Contaminated garden loam applied to new lawns can create problems in a few short years. Because of the bulbous nature of the root system, control can be difficult.  Sadly, cultivars of lesser celandine continue to be sold through catalogs and nurseries nationwide.

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii): a shrub with thorns and berries, ideal for attracting and nourishing bird populations, this plant can spread quickly and easily grow out of control.  A former professor of mine explained that this species is actually banned for sale in Connecticut due to its invasive tendencies.

Japanese Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus): a vine that is quite lovely to look at, it's often used to make garlands and wreathes.  Unfortunately, in forests and homeowners' gardens, it can become too much of a good thing.  Oriental bittersweet is a vigorously growing vine that climbs over and smothers vegetation which may die from excessive shading or breakage. When bittersweet climbs high up on trees the increased weight can lead to uprooting and blow-over during high winds and heavy snowfalls. In addition, Oriental bittersweet is displacing our native American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) through competition.  If you must grow this vine (though I'd opt for the native version, which is just as lovely), keep it controlled through vigorous pruning.
 

 


 

Complimentary Colors

It's always fun to break the rules.  Colors in the garden don't always have to be complementary to be complimentary.  When I was in school, one of my garden-design assignments was to choose two colors that I hated together, and create a flower garden using those hues.  I thought orange and hot pink would be a hideous combination.  Turns out, I was wrong.  Now I plant those shades side-by-side in many of my beds.  The lesson I learned was a simple one: There are no bad, or wrong, color combinations.

Of course I love the traditional complementary colors...those shades of the spectrum which, when combined, make white or gray.  My favorite dynamic duo will probably always be yellow and blue, as in the picture below (this particular pairing is sun drops and widow's tears).  There is something sunny and soothing about this coupling that makes me smile when I see it, like things are just right in the world.

But go a step further, pair yellow with black, perhaps...or create a space with varying shades of the same color as I have done in the following photo (I opted for orange and rust "super bells" in the planter near my old-fashioned tiger lilies).  It's fun to cross the lines of convention!  The exploration yields undreamed-of beauty, and sparks the imagination.  It helps take a garden space to the next level--from an enjoyable spot to a place of innovation and enticement!

Be creative...and have yourself some fun!

Finding nemo...toads?

I recently found myself among a group of people in the middle of a hot debate.  Were we discussing current events?  Politics? Religion?  No, we were talking toads...or, rather, todes: Nematodes.  A friend was lamenting the sorry state of his cucumber patch, which was being decimated by cucumber beetles.  He'd heard that nematodes might be the solution.
"Nema-what?" asked someone.
"What are they?" asked another.
"What do they do?"

My mind flipped back through years of gleaned knowledge, like the pages of a book.  "They're organisms that occur in soil...and they're good for the garden," I said, vaguely recalling learning about them in class at The Botanical Garden when I was studying for my horticulture certification.  Yet try as I might, I couldn't recall much else about them.

"Where do you get them?"
"What form do they come in?"

I shook my head, unable to recall much.  "Let me rifle through my old notebooks and get back to you," I said, determined to rediscover whatever I could about these mysterious organisms.  Here's what I (re)learned:

As with most things, the world of nematodes is chock full of drama, and can be summed up by the cliche, "The good, the bad, and the ugly."  Since I'm a positive person in general, I'll get the "bad" out of the way first: The devious above-ground dwellers.  The human-attacking variety is called ringworm (ugh...bet that brings up bad memories of wet towels, steamy high-school gym locker rooms, and the ringworm's pal, athlete's foot).  As most of us know, ringworm is not actually a worm at all.  This multi-cellular organism is unsegmented, but far from harmless.  The variety that attacks plant matter is equally intrusive, with sharply pointed mouth parts that pierce tender vegetative flesh, and can even inject bacteria into plants that can damage--or kill--them.  Far fewer in numbers than the "good" nematodes, the bad-boys tend to get no longer than 1/50 of an inch.

The good guys are 1/25 of an inch to several inches long.  Mostly soil-dwellers (although the bad variety can shift around in moist soil too), they break down organic matter in compost piles, and attack and kill insects such as weevils, clearwing borers, cutworms, sod webworms, white grubs, aphids and...you guessed it...cucumber beetles.  They work by injecting the bugs with harmful bacteria or by entering the hosts and feeding on them.

It's very important to keep a few things in mind when purchasing nematodes.  First of all, get the right kind.  The beneficial ones are from the Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae families.  The wrong kind of nematodes will actually attack the plants you're hoping to help--especially vegetables.  Nematodes require moist, humid conditions and warm-ish soil to be most effective, so be sure to water sites before and after application.  The organisms can be found at most nurseries, and even online.  I know Amazon sells them. The packaging is usually a powdery dirt-like substance.

Why would anyone want the "bad" ones?  Perhaps someone wanting an all-natural weed killer.  But a word of warning: just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it's harmless.  Be careful what you wish for when you unleash an army of plant-smashing nematodes onto a site.  After they've eaten their way though all the undesirable plants, where will they turn next?

So, after reviewing the good and the bad of the nematode world, we have only the ugly to explore.  In my opinion, they are all quite homely, but I'm sure there are plenty of nematode advocates who would disagree.  And beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, don't you think?

All in the Family

Just before the July 4th weekend, I head upstate to our little lake house in order to get it all spruced up for the summer.  I sweep, dust, scrub, and vacuum for two days straight, then head outdoors to see what's good in the extensive gardens in the area.  My neighbors up there are expert gardeners, and poking around their plants is always a treat.

I was thrilled to happen upon a beautiful line of lilies in my next-door neighbor's yard, and since that particular neighbor is my aunt, I admit there was a hint of familial pride in my smile.  Like my grandmother, my aunt has the proverbial green thumb.  I like to think we all do.  I remember many sun-filled summer days spent among the plantings "Nana" created on the property when she was alive, recalling the way she and my aunt planted begonias in the otherwise-unused outdoor fireplace.  And she had all manner of flora scattered along the rocky ledges that seemed a pretty inhospitable spot for plants.

This particular planting of day lilies ( 'Happy Endings,' I think--they bloom from late spring into early fall) is not just pretty, but practical.  As I gazed down at them, I was impressed by how my aunt was able to compensate for an unattractive drainage ditch running along the yard by turning it around, and making what would have been an eyesore, actual "eye candy."  A wonderful example of keeping it simple for an effect that's simply amazing.