2009 At Pittsgrove Farms

New garden beds in 2009

As the new year begins, I'd like to look back on the year that has just passed, remember what changes we made, and what experiences we have to reflect upon.

Weather-wise we sometimes felt as though growing rice or cranberries would be a better occupation than growing iris, peonies and daylilies. Our rainfall totals here in central Jersey (no native ever says New Jersey) reached record amounts. We spent so much time slogging around in the mud, it felt as though we were working at our neighbors' pig farm instead of a perennial farm. The cooler temperatures that went along with much of the rain affected blooming times, with many plants coming into flower 2-3 weeks later than normal.

Things weren't too terrific in the vegetable garden either, and although the lettuce crop was good, production was down for our Jersey tomatoes and we certainly didn't put up as many jars of sauce this year.

Despite the weather, we accomplished a great deal in 2009 with the help of our family. We raised up and developed new iris beds, added a cold frame, put up a small greenhouse, and planted an additional display bed. We continued our work with the fantastic folks at Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and forged a new relationship with Friends of the Hunterdon County Library, another great organization. And just think, John and I did all this while we are supposedly retired. Can you imagine what we would be doing if we actually considered ourselves working folk?


Our thanks to all of you who have visited us online and here at the farm. We greatly appreciate having you in our lives and look forward to seeing and hearing from old and new garden lovers again in 2010.

Happy anticipation! Cheryl

Hurray for the Red,White and Blue! Iris, Peony and Daylily Edition

Today, June 14, in honor of Flag Day I'm featuring red, white, and blue flowers that can found here at Pittsgrove Farms.

Red at Night

Gull's Wings

Speeding Again

Earlier in the season red could be viewed in the bearded iris beds in the form of Red at Night and Classic Bordeaux, followed by Siberian Iris Eric the Red, and peonies, Big Ben, Karl Rosenfield, and the most red peony, Many Happy Returns. As their blooms have faded, Red Rum and Pardon Me are making themselves known in the day lily beds.

Red Rum


Shirley Temple

White Immortality not only bloomed in the spring, but as a tall-bearded re-bloomer will greet us again in late summer or early fall. Gull's Wings, Bridal Jig and Snow Queen Siberians stand tall in the garden showing off their snowy brilliance. Not to be outdone, Shirley Temple, Bowl of Cream, My Love, and the old standby Festiva Maxima peonies showed off their various shades of white.

Lastly, dark blue Davey Jones and light blue Fathom prove to be prolific, reliable Intermediate Bearded, while Last Hurrah and Speeding Again stand tall in spring to return again in the fall. Siberians are well represented by Steve (who thinks of these names?) and later bloomers are Louisiana Gulf Shores and Center of Interest Japanese irises.

While honoring our flag today, I would like to call attention to a site, eMailOurMilitary.com I was made aware of my dear friend Liz who blogs at This Full House, and all the details can be found on her site.

Thousands of servicemen and women serve our country proudly displaying the flag on their uniforms. eMailOurMilitary.com is an attempt by a military wife to connect Americans with them, especially folks who may not be receiving much support from family back home. No matter what your political views, please go to this site and show our men and women that we appreciate the sacrifices they make daily throughout the world. While your at it, pass the site along to others in your address books or fellow bloggers. And, by the way remember to display Old Glory!

Water Iris - Iris Versicolor Blue Flag

Irises seem to pop up a lot more when you look for them. I guess I have had irises on the mind a lot lately.

Yesterday Christina and I took a long walk around Burnham Park - behind our house in Morristown. Along the way, gingerly walking to avoid goose droppings, we saw some very cute baby ducks (they were camera shy) and also saw these very pretty iris growing wild at the bank of the pond.


The bearless iris was a prolific bloomer despite having only the attention of the occasional wayward fisherman's footstep. The light purple blooms had darker purple veins with white and yellow closer to the center. They appear to be Iris Versicolor, Blue Flag Iris. As I am not the resident iris expert, I will check with my father, John, for confirmation - he after all is the one with roughly 40 years of gardening experience.

After a rough day, it was nice to come across something pleasantly unexpected. Speaking of which, another happy surprise was finding a very nice write up about our site on the Backyard Fancy blog. The blog focuses on backyard ideas and garden decor - thanks for thinking of us.

Happy Gardening!

Back in the Pond

Knowing that I try to photograph each variety of flowers that we grow as they come into bloom, John excitedly told me to grab my camera to get a picture of a new iris since it might be my only opportunity this year. He is also aware that I get "up close and personal" in trying to capture the individual characteristics of each flower. So, I swear he eagerly anticipated my return venture into our pond to capture Iris Laevigata, "Snow Drift".

This variety is a wetland iris white in color with a touch of blue and is good for pond edges. A true "Japanese iris", it will grow equally well submerged in shallow water or on the edge. It requires full sun and an acid soil and in its wild form, grows in Japan, Korea, and China. Blooming time is May to June, depending upon Mother Nature's whims and ours came into bloom in mid-May.

Laevigata Variegata, sister plant to the above, hasn't bloomed yet and I'm sure that as soon as it does, John will use it as an opportunity to get me back in the pond. These are both new additions to Pittsgrove Farms and we hope to propagate them so they will be available to you next spring.

Small But Mighty

Topping out at 5'2" tall, for most of my life I've been what some people consider "height challenged." I got a reputation as a "goody-two-shoes" since the seating in school was often shortest to tallest and sitting directly in front of the teacher made it difficult to get away with much. But like the West Highland White Terriers we have owned, I often have not perceived myself as little and once thought my daughter-in-law, Melanie and I were nearly the same height (she is 5'7"!). Our Westie, Lady, once stood her ground on a lonely beach when she was charged by a Black Lab, causing the Lab to turn tail and run in the opposite direction. The heart throb of our current Westie, Sassy is Alex, a German Shepherd that towers over her. Like my dogs, I've never let my size stand in my way and I can hold my own in basketball with my 6'2" tall son, Jeremy. Which brings me to the subject at hand --- Dwarf Bearded Iris.

Baby Blessed Dwarf Iris

Many gardeners may be unfamiliar with dwarf iris since they are generally only available by mail order. These sturdy little plants are the first bearded to bloom in the spring which in our location in New Jersey coincides with the blooming time of tulips. They are available in a wide array of colors, similar to their tall bearded cousins. Their diminutive size make them excellent border or rock garden plants.

Prank Dwarf Iris

As with other bearded iris, shallow planting with good drainage and at least a half day sun are a must. Since they are shallow-rooted, winter heaving may be more of a problem than with their taller relatives, so it is helpful to apply a light mulch after the ground has frozen.

Pele Dwarf Iris

They should also be protected from encroachment from other vigorous perennials in the rock gardens. Although delicate in appearance, these hardy plants hold up well under light frost even in bloom. Varieties such as Pele, Sarah Taylor, and Gimmick may be small, but they can have a big impact in your garden.

Siberians (and we ain't talking about chilly Russians)

Today we added a few new Siberian iris to the Pittsgrove Farms website.

Siberian iris are great additions to any perennial garden. They are one of the easiest types of iris to grow as they are tolerant to disease and insects. During their first year of growth they require moist soil; however after the first year they become more drought hardy.

Siberian iris are native to central Europe and Asia but can now be found in many backyard gardens in zones 3-9. This beardless type tends to bloom in the mid-season after tall bearded iris. They love the sun but will tolerate light shade.

We carry roughly 40 varieties of Siberian irises at the farm. We will be continually adding more to the website but for now, here are a few standouts.

Butter and Sugar

This Siberian that sounds like it is straight from a baker's kitchen is an award winner worth checking out. It is a sweet addition to the garden with sugar white standards and buttery yellow falls - both etched with greenish yellow veins. White styles with yellow midribs make it one not to be missed.

Color: White & Yellow---Style: Amoena---Year: 1986
Height: 27"---Bloom Season: Mid
Awards: Morgan Medal '81, Morgan-Wood Medal '86

Baby Sister

Baby is right - this one is tiny at a maximum height of about a foot. Baby Sister is a dwarf known for being one of the shortest Siberian iris varieties. It has a violet blue self with darker veins on the falls.

Color: Violet Blue---Style: Diploid---Year: 1986
Height: 12"---Bloom Season: Early-Mid
Awards: HM '91

Bridal Jig

Bridal Jig is as white and elegant as a wedding dress, beautifully accented with yellow. The small crescent-shaped deep yellow signal compliments the brilliance of white.

Color: White---Style: Self---Year: 1993
Height: 35"---Bloom Season: Mid
Fragrance

Daffodils & Gremlins

Sorry for the big gap in my writing, I've recently returned from visiting with our West Coast family leaving poor John to fend for himself. It was the longest we have been apart in 37 years of marriage and ladies, there is still hope for your significant others! While I was away, John learned how to operate the washer and dryer,dish washer, and coffee maker! However, the house gremlins conspired against him after a few days and the coffee maker refused to drip into the pot and a bathroom shelf that has been hanging for over 20 years fell to the floor when he wasn't home. (When I returned the coffee maker worked for me good as new and the shelf appears to be set for another 20 years!)

While in Washington, I took part in the Junior Daffodil Parade in Tacoma with our grandchildren, but missed last weekend's Daffodil Parade which spans 4 different cities in Pierce County, Washington and has been a huge event and celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. The Puyallup valley in Pierce County produces over 200 varieties of daffodils . It was fun handing out daffodils along the parade route and seeing people get so excited over flowers.

I guess John missed me a little since freshly picked daffodils greeted my return. That was probably to offset the mile long "To Do" list he also had waiting for me.

I was delighted to see that the insulation blanket worked wonderfully for the potted peonies which are all in various stages of growth depending on variety.


Our bearded iris survived well despite some heaving that we had to deal with over the winter. So now that spring has officially kicked off for us, we'll have plenty to keep us busy and John has informed me that I get no more time off. I'll keep you posted on what my task master has
in store for me.

Iris Education

It's too cold to work in the garden for long, the ground is frozen and the plants are dormant. The end of January is when we start to get a little stir crazy we've had a nice break, are recharged and ready to get back outside. We were spoiled with a mild December and able to work outside, but winter has reasserted itself this January.

We use this time to continue our education about plants and would like to learn more about the different types of Iris.

Down On Our Knees

The new year brought us literally to our knees, not necessarily praying, but certainly giving thanks for the great weather enabling us to be outdoors. The pleasant weather thrilled us both, especially John who, unlike me, does not like winter at all. He is ready to head south with the migratory birds in the fall!

The unseasonably mild weather allowed us time to do additional garden cleanup we were unable to complete in the fall when the weather turned against us. John and I gave closest attention to the iris beds which is what brought us to our knees. We cut off dead foliage and removed any garden debris to help prevent plant disease from developing, especially since our area has been quite wet this past year. We also looked for heaving of the plants caused by extreme temperature fluctuations, which we certainly experienced with a low of 10 degrees one week followed by a high of 61 degrees the next! In heaving, the plants are forced above ground exposing their roots. We simply trimmed off the dead foliage and replanted those that required it. Fortunately the majority had strong root systems making them less susceptible to the phenomenon.

So take advantage of any nice weather that comes your way, get some fresh air and sunshine, and check on your iris. You'll be ahead of the game come spring and will be blessed with healthier plants, not to mention a healthier body for yourself.

John and I will be outdoors everyday the weather cooperates, that is until the next snow flake falls. When that happens John will be joining his bird friends for sure!

Reblooming and Remarrying

John and I arrived home from Cyprus, a lovely island in the Mediterranean, a few days ago where we attended the second wedding of our son, Jeremy and his wife, Christina. Her parents still live in Cyprus, which was the reason for a second ceremony, not a second wife!

Sightseeing in Cyprus certainly put in perspective the history of our humble Hunterdon home. We are no longer impressed by the fact that the original portion of our house is 175-200 years old after standing in the remains of houses dating to 5 AD! What an experience and one which we hope to repeat in the future.

Davey Jones
And speaking of repeating, it was a pleasant surprise for us to see a number of our bearded iris varieties reblooming when we came back home since we had divided them this summer. Davey Jones, an intermediate variety, has been going like gangbusters with multiple blooms in rich color.

Autumn Circus

Here and there among the tall bearded we have seen white Immortality blooms and now realize why Autumn Circus was so

named. When they flowered in the spring, the lavender and white blossoms weren't colors one associates with fall, but their lively blossoms in mid-October bring to mind big top fun. Perky little Baby Blessed, a dwarf variety, appeared in both the bed and in our driveway garden. We anxiously await the flowering of Harvest of Memories which are well-budded.

Baby Blessed

Next year should provide much more color in the fall as the display beds we planted come into bloom and add to the more common chrysanthemum, aster, and dahlia blossoms we have year after year. Feed back from any of you who purchased rebloomers from us in the spring would be greatly appreciated so we can continue to provide the most reliable possible.

Hole Digger Discusses Spuria Iris

OK, so I'm told I have to contribute to this blog. I'm told everyone has to. Forget the fact that I am cheap labor. I do most of the digging, planting, potting, spraying, etc. I must admit the wife helps but not with the heavy stuff.

I'm told by the "think tank" that I could write something while I'm on break. Break, what break? So pay no attention to the sentence structure or spelling.

If I could do that I wouldn't be a hole digger!

Today we just received our last shipment of iris from the west coast. Hundreds of Siberian iris and one really different one, Iris Monnieri. It is in the spuria iris family. First described in 1808, it was found growing in Versailles where it was called Iris of Rhodes.

Spuria iris are some of the tallest of iris, up to 4 1/2' originating in the Mediterranean. They are grown in England and California, but rarely seen in New Jersey (yes, they can grow here.) The flower is large and is similar to the Dutch iris but bigger and is a very long lasting cut flower. The plant does well for years and years without dividing.

The work never ends...

John "Hole Digger" Gulish

Mother Nature Always Wins

Fortunately no one was home when the storm hit. In New Jersey, we always think we are safe from just about every kind of natural disaster - no earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, mud slides but every once in a while even we can't escape Mother Nature's wrath.

I guess we aren't the only ones getting the strange weather considering that just two weeks ago tornadoes hit Brooklyn. It took us awhile but finally we have pictures from Friday's hail storm.

I've been wondering, how fast does a piece of ice have to be traveling to put a hole completely through a barely ripe pepper. I've been tempted to take a pepper out of my fridge and start throwing things at it except for 1) I am smart enough to know I have bad aim and I can't throw more than 45 mph and 2) I am pretty sure Christina (my wife) will start to really worry if I am crazy. Seriously, the pepper in the bottom corner of the picture isn't more than four or five inches long and it has a golf ball-sized hole through it - how does that happen?

The power of Mother Nature is pretty unbelievable until you see it firsthand. I remember a few years ago when I was working as a reporter at the Hunterdon County Democrat, my very sceptical assignment editor sent me to check out a guy who swore his property got hit by a tornado. We both rolled our eyes and off I went to what I thought would be a fruitless drive through Clinton Twp.

When I got to the house there must have been a dozen trees laying on the ground. Each tree had trunks that were at least 2-3 ft. around. Some were snapped like match sticks, others were uprooted. It looked like Paul Bunyan had just walked through the backyard in a really bad mood. The storm touched down in a roughly 20 ft. track and then disappeared. The neighbors' properties were untouched and no one else around the country reported anything strange.

The whole things reminds me of the pictures you see of straw stuck in the side of trees during huge tornadoes. Even though the hail storm seems incredible strangers things happen - and apparently happen often (they even have a hotline to report objects that have been carried long distances - not kidding).

Damage report: we won't get to enjoy that many more peppers or tomatoes, we won't get to see our beautiful water lotus bloom this year, the irises will need to be cut back but considering everything, it really isn't a big deal. We were upset to hear our neighbor's who have a hundred acre farm had much more severe damage; they lost almost all their vegetables, watermelon, and orchard crops. Below are some more pictures.

Poor Irises Need a Haircut

Oh No Tomatoes

Dividing and Conquering in the Garden

I thought it would be good to follow the peony articles with one on another of our favorite plants - the iris. The Mail Tribune in Oregon, a state that is home to many very large iris growing operations, includes an article by columnist Stan Mapolski about dividing irises. Splitting irises isn't brain surgery but there are a few things you should know.

When left too long rhizomes can become very tight to a point where it is almost impossible to separate single rhizomes. After digging up the plant it helps to wash the plant off by either spraying with a hose of dunking in a large bucket. Despite what they say in the article, this helps to better identify root divisions and also makes for a cleaner plant if you are planning to ship or give to a friend.

It often works best to start around the perimeter of the plant and removing the looser roots exterior roots. When moving toward the center the roots can become very tight. Though not ideal, when the rhizomes are too tight to separate with your hands, using a sharp knife or small hacksaw can help break apart the roots. We try to incorporate at least three fans in every division. Once divided it is important to cut the leaves to make sure the plant maintains its energy as it recovers from any damage caused during the division.

Some good additional advice is in the article below. Make sure if you are planning to divide to get to it soon because plants will need time to take root before it gets cold. It will be winter before we know it!

Enjoy the heat while we got it!

Jeremy

http://plantdirt.blogspot.com/


Divide and conquer for a more vigorous crop of irises
To keep your plants healthy, split and reset them to relieve overcrowding every few years
July 26, 2007
Stan Mapolski, aka The Rogue Gardener