‘Dutchman’s pipe’ or “pipevine” – aka Aristolochia macrophylla or Aristolochia durior is a zone 4-8 climbing vine that is native to eastern North America. This shade-loving climber is a magnet  for butterflies due to the butterfly-eatable nature of the plant. Case in point; the  Pipevine is the primary food for Pipevine Swallowtail according to the North American Butterfly Association (NABA).

Up, up and away!

The ‘Dutchman’ is a quick-grower, and reaches a height of 20 feet to 30 feet tall under ideal conditions. The name “Dutchman’s pipe” is derived from the unique shape and look of the flower that resembles a meerschaum pipe – think Shercock-Holmes-ish smoke-ware.

Flowers 1 :  Leaves 10

The flower which blooms in zone 5 in June is an eye-catcher, but, alas, the interesting-shaped flower is often times obscured by the large, dense heart-shaped foliage of the leaves. So, in mid-summer you will see much more of the foliage than the buds – making the green leaf the plant’s best feature. However, if you’re looking for contrast with more delicate plants in your Earthen Garden, you will appreciate the coarse texture of these big green beauties!

Three reasons to go ‘Dutch’:

Backdrop

Shade

Privacy

Wall of Green

Yes, it would be better if it was $100 bills, but then they would get all soggy after a couple of rains anyway.  A better solution for a mass of green color is the Aristolochia macrophylla. Lots of texture and lots of green.  Put up a trellis and create a backdrop for your shorter lovelies in the foreground.  Or cover up that chain-linked fence with a more appealing natural look. This climbing plant is very effective at hiding eyesores as well – think ugly cinder block wall – even if it’s a temporary fix for some curb appeal.

Made in the Shade

Still got that trellis or section of lattice across your porch? Grow some climbing ‘Dutchman’s pipe’ and take yourself out of the heat of the day. The big pay-off comes from coolin’ your heels in the shade just watchin’ the world go by…

Private eyes aren’t watchin’ you

Your home is your castle it’s been said.  There are enough eyes probing you all day long. Why not have more ‘me time’ back at the ranch?  You may have to live next door to that nosey neighbor, but you don’t have to look at them if you have a trellis-filled climbing garden. Wish you had a privacy fence, but your local building code says “No”?  Just say “yes” to a couple of moveable structures or trellises mounted to a wooden base, and plant ‘Dutchman’s pipe’ in a few portable containers.  Tell the ordinance officer to: “go suck on a ‘Dutchman’s pipe’…” A moveable structure should be allowed in most communities.  If you still get a hassle, you can always fairly easily move the ‘Wall of Dutchness’ to another location in the yard or (heaven forbid) to a friend’s or relative’s yard.

Chives bloom in the late spring with an elegant purple blossom!

Being the gardener that you are, you probably have plenty of containers to plant in, but if you don’t, or you are looking to make a statement; try finding something unique  - maybe even something re-cycled to plant in.

Potted containers of plants sit in an old 'Radio Flyer' red wagon surrounded by the Earthen Garden in full bloom at the MSU Tollgate garden.

Try tubs, trays, barrels, old watering cans, wooden boxes and more.  I’ve even seen cardboard boxes, wagons (seen above), sinks and even a row boat (as seen below)!  Just be careful to make sure you have proper drainage.  Solid containers will not let the water out, and hence will drown or rot the roots of your plants quicker that you can say “Allium schoenoprasum”.

This row boat makes a large and unique container for planting.

Speaking of allium schoenoprasum, (better known as) ‘chives’ make a nice center piece for your pot because of the hight that they will attain.  They also offer a petite purpleish bloom in the late spring, and give a mild onion flavor on your salad.  You may already have some growing in your Earthen Garden that are large enough to divide. Simply dig part of the clump including root ball of course, and re-pot. Badda-bing-badda-boom!

Annual herbs that work well in container gardens are:

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) is sown in the late spring and is known as a half-hardy annual. Chervil (Anethum cerefolium) is a biennial that is considered as hardy as an annual, and can be sown from late winter to mid-autumn.

Perennials that are ideal for container herb gardening are:

Evergreen Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Mint (Mentha spicata)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

You may consider keeping the Mint in a pot by itself because it tends to be invasive.  Two more tall shrubs that should be kept in their own containers are laurel and sweet bay (Laurus nobilis).  Herbs are not crazy about a hard freezing, so keep in a cool garage or greenhouse over the winter in colder zones.

The presentation is to geared toward introducing a variety of culinary / scented herbs to the attendees.  During the course of the presentation Paula will cover the standard container garden materials list, and will give her tips to keep container plants thriving throughout the growing season.

Using a selection of scented herbs, Paula will discuss the basic container garden design elements, and give a hands-on demonstration of assembling a container garden.  The finished container herb garden will be offered at the end of the presentation as a free raffle prize.  Come and join the fun!

The Novi Public Library is located at - 45344 W 10 Mile Road, Novi MI  48375.  The contact phone number is 248 349-0720.

Paula Kraus is a Master Gardner and owner of ’Seven Sisters Herb ‘N Garden’. She specializes in herb gardening, landscape restoration and plant plug horticulture.

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

Do not over water your plant – Some plants like to be kept very dry for periods of time before being watered (like the spider plant in my example).  These plants will usually show you they need water by exhibiting droopy leaves and possibly a minor amount of browning of the leaf tips.  Once they get to this stage, it’s off to the shower for a refreshing aqua-spa-rejunvination!

Be careful of the water temperature – Just think of climbing into an ice cold shower first thing in the morning.  Yikes!  Your plant may react the same way to overly hot water.  If you’re a person that likes near scalding water in the shower, try backing off on the hot for the sake of the plant or plants.

Be careful not to trip over the potted plant – A good place for the plant is in the front of the tub or shower stall.  The water spray will most often be reflecting off of the shower curtain, the walls and you – creating a softer spray or mist. More importantly, you will always know where the pot is, and will not bump into it, causing you to loose your balance.  If you have any hesitancy remember: “when in doubt, leave it out.”  Better not to risk injuring yourself.

If you have a hand-held shower massager like the Delta Faucet 75700 Universal 7-Setting Handshower or the Peerless 76950 2-in-1 Shower System, make sure the massage feature is not turned on.  Too strong of a water spray can damage sensitive foliage and create unnecessary stress for your little green friend.

Here is the information I promised you about Harvesting and Preserving Herbs.  Enjoy the information and the Basic Herbal Vinegars recipe!

I have included a PDF of the information below for those who want to download it.

Don’t forget to check out my website at http://paulasplantplugs.com/index.html

Happy Gardening!

Paula Kraus

 herb-harvesting.pdf

General Guidelines:

• It is best to harvest herbs before a plant flowers; take cuttings in the early morning to maintain highest amount of essential oils.

• Pinch back flowers regularly, even if you are not harvesting. This helps the plant bush out more, produces more leaves

• Never cut off more than 50% of a plant at one time.

• It is easier to gather and dry (or otherwise preserve) small amounts of cuttings throughout the season. So, keep a couple of rattan paper plate holders handy to air dry your small batches of cutting on top of the refrigerator.

• Herbs that taste best frozen, not dried: chives, parsley, basil and tarragon. Freezing is a better way to preserve the flavor.Any of these can be dried, but will have best flavor if frozen instead.

• Freezing – Finely chop the leaves and fill an ice cube tray with them. Top with water and freeze.1 ice cube of frozen herbs are equal to 1 teaspoon of dried.

Methods of Preserving:

Drying, Freezing, Flavoring Oils, Vinegars, Butters and Jellies

• Drying – Bundle and hang upside down, in a dark, warm, airy place.

• Oils – 2 large (or 3 – 4 small) springs of an herb in up to 3 cups of oil. Daily, gently shake daily for minimum of 2 weeks. Keep refrigerated.

• Vinegar – 1 cup of herbs per 4 cups of vinegar. Daily, gently shake, test after 2 weeks.

• Butters: add finely chopped herbs softened butter and freeze until needed.

Basic Herbal Vinegars

Supplies Needed:

4 cups of a vinegar of your choice

1 cup of herb(s), rinsed and patted dry

1 clean jar for steeping

Paper coffee filters to filter vinegar

Non-metal funnel

Sealable, sterilized bottle for storing, with a non- reactive lid

 

Bruise the leaves of the herb(s) and put into a clean glass jar. Pour the vinegar over the herbs and cover (with non-metal lid). Shake the jar once a day for at least a week. Sample the vinegar after 7-10 days. If you like the flavor at that point, pour the vinegar through a paper coffee filter into a sterilized bottle in which you will store the final product.

Discard the bruised leaves and put a couple of fresh sprigs into the jar. Cover the jar with the lid and seal with paraffin if you choose. Label and date your product.

To insure clear, unclouded vinegar be sure that the rinsed herbs have no water droplets on them prior to adding to the vinegar.

Paula Kraus is a Master Gardner and owner of ’Seven Sisters Herb ‘N Garden’. She specializes in herb gardening, landscape restoration and plant plug horticulture.

In the course of doing dishes I used to turn on the water and let it run while I rinsed dishes scrubbed pots and did general clean up.  Not any more!  Some years back I came to realize all of the water that was being sent right from the tap straight to the drain.  What a waste!  I’m embarrassed to think of how many gallons of clean water I sent back to the water treatment plant for re-processing for no reason.  Not anymore!

Now I live smarter.  I conserve water, nourish my plants, and save the water treatment plant from extra work – all at the same time.  Here’s how: Take a dish pan, large pot, empty plastic coffee container, or anything similar  and place it under the water faucet.  Capture and save the overflow water and put it to better use.   When the overflow container gets near full – pitch the water in your Earthen Garden.  Don’t forget your container gardens – they need extra water since they cannot pull water from the earth naturally.

If you are rinsing off plates, use the ‘grey’ water that comes from your overflow container.  This overflow water is perfectly good for pre-cleaning other dishes.  Got pans that need soaked for a while to loosen the stuck-on food?  Soak them with overflow water – your pots won’t mind.   After soaking – throw the water on the lawn, or in your garden.  Make sure there is not an abundance of debris in the water before throwing.  A little dish soap in the water is just fine, it won’t hurt the plants one bit!

The plants in your Earthen Garden will love you for watering them, and you will be re-cycling naturally instead of shipping the water back to the processing plant where it will take energy to re-clean the H2o to convert it back to drinking-water status.  Sure it takes more effort to carry the water outside, but it can put a smile on your plants face, and be a little step toward making the world a better place to live!

Vibrant Clematis adds mystery to this garden arbor!

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a… climbing Clematis on a trellis!  What a lovely site! Roses, Clematis, wisteria, annual morning glories, jasmine, grape vines and ivy of all shapes winding their way upwards – stretching toward the heavens to add beauty and privacy to your home!

Do you have a patio that could use a little more shade in the afternoon, or wall of color to obscure the neighbor’s driveway? Would you like to create a little get-away in the back yard for that late afternoon reading time? How about creating movable bursts of color to punctuate your garden? Having a high-rise wall of foliage can create mystery in the yard or garden by allowing the visitor to your garden a sense of adventure and intrigue. By introducing vertical elements into your garden, you build a mild suspense. What is on the other side of that dense green tapestry?

Climbing gardens are nothing new, dating back to at least the 18th Century when traditional European gardeners used Treillage to punctuate their areas with wooden structures where plant life wove itself into the inviting openings of the architecture. These movable structures can be a great addition today as well in your Earthen Garden!

In order for plants to climb, they need a structure to cling to. Perhaps the most popular structure for plants to climb is a simple trellis. This usually consists of thin pieces of wood, metal or plastic brought together in a criss-cross pattern. Depending upon how creative you are, your trellis can take on attributes that make it an elaborate work of art!

You may choose to buy a pre-made trellis like these:

or make you own. Here is a pre-made Garden and Bench/Trellis plan that’s sure to fit your budget, and make you look like a ‘trellis titan’, if you’re a little shaky about designing one yourself.

A simple treillage obelisk structure can be made by building three triangular wooden frames out of pine wood, or whatever 1X2 or 2X2 wood you happen to have; and covering the area with a sub straight for the plant to attach itself to. This sub straight can be wooden or plastic lattice purchased from a store and cut to size, or a screen material (like Duramesh® PVC Coated Hex Wire 1′ x 150′ – Growers Supply), or chicken wire stapled to the wooden frame.

After completing the construction, lean the three frames together to form a point at the top (think tall pyramid), and secure them together with wire, string or wire ties (plastic straps that ratchet as they close in a ‘one-way’ fashion). There you have it, a treillage obelisk! Don’t be too concerned if the initial structure seems a bit unsteady or unsightly, the strength of the piece will increase as the planting grows and intertwines with the structure, and your construction – however crude or elaborate – will soon disappear behind a living wall of beauty!

Items you may need for a do-it-yourself project:

• A quantity of 1X2 or 2X2 or 2X4 wood (depending upon the size of the project)

• Staples, nails or wire

• Stapler, stapler gun

• Lattice, wide mesh screen or chicken wire

• Plant material

Selecting the plant material is a matter of choice based upon your personal color choice, and plant likes and dislikes. As mentioned above some of the varieties include:

• Roses

• Clematis

• Wisteria

• Annual morning glories

• Jasmine

• Grape vines

• Ivy (Boston ivy, Virginia Creeper)

• Trumpet vine

• Black-Eyed Susan vine

• Climbing Snapdragon

Placing your Treillage facing south will give the best sunlight for maximum growth during the growing season, but it may not give you the desired effect you had in mind. Many gardeners find the idea of concealment to be the prime motivator in a climbing garden, and the area they want to conceal may not always be facing south. That’s not a problem. Choose the area you feel will have the greatest impact in your yard or garden, and begin building and planting!

As spring turns into summer, your climbing gardens will turn into unique lush works of art that will add, excitement, form and a sense of mystery to your Earthen Garden!

Containers offer 'movable beauty'!

A gardening technique known as ‘Container Gardening’ is gaining popularity for some of the reasons mentioned above. In addition, it is finding favor with a whole new generation of would-be gardeners that cannot find the time for a larger all-at-one-time garden. A large block of time to devote to your Earthen Garden may be not practical for someone seemingly always one the go, but one or two pots of flowers in an afternoon or evening is doable, and it’s fun!

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! How do you plant a ‘Container Garden’ ? One pot at a time! By breaking the process down to a series of small containers, you will be able to fit your gardening around your work and social schedules. Plant a little tonight; plant a pot or two this weekend – before you know it, you have a beautiful display of your favorite plants, flowers, herbs and veggies!

So, how do you begin? It’s easy, and can cost nothing at all with a little practical ingenuity and – as Ringo sang it – “a little help from your friends”! First gather some containers together. Look around the house, the garage, and ask friends or relatives to check their stock as well. Chances are someone will have some pots they aren’t using and will be happy to donate to the cause. Clay pots are great because they absorb moisture and retain it well. But metal, ceramic, wicker and plastic can also be used with superb results. Make sure the pots have drainage holes in the bottom – otherwise your plants will become ‘drowned’ by the excess build-up of water. If you find your pots don’t have drainage holes, the pot was probably intended for an external decorative use only, try using another pot.

The next step is adding soil. I’ll bet some of the pots you found, or were given by aunt Grace had soil in them already. Chances are reusing that soil will be just fine. It’s best to remove the soil from the original pot (even if you plan to use the same pot with the same soil), and break it up with your hands or a small hand trowel. Breaking the soil makes it easier for the new plants to take root. Remove any old roots and fill your pot about two thirds full of soil. A word to the wise, do not use common clay dirt as your soil. Clay retains too much water, and can also be very difficult for the new plants to survive in.

Your Earthen Garden is almost ready! All that is left is to add your favorite plants, fill the pot to about 1 inch below the rim of the container, and water generously! Container gardens can only draw their moisture from within the container, so make sure to keep an eye on the moisture content of the soil. As long as there is good drainage – making sure you see water flowing out of the bottom of the pot – don’t be afraid to water.

Place your container garden on the front porch, patio, deck, stoop, along the walkway or driveway or anyplace of your choosing. Sit back and enjoy the beauty of your Earthen Garden!