‘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 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.

This awesome annual vine choice is called – you guessed it – ‘Exotic Love’ (aka Fire cracker) vine.  Botanical name: Ipomea lobata aka Mini Lobata. This vine will make a perfect addition to your Earthen Garden, but requires full sun and has a mature height of 8 to 10 ft high. There are multiple flowers per arching tendrils. The color of each flower ranges from orange at the base to pale yellow, then white at the tip. Use as filler / spillers in a fall flower bouquet. Exquisite!

You’ll find this climber easy to grow from seed, although it takes three to four months from seed to flower.  Consider finding this plant as a plantplug.  If you choose to grow from seed, here’s an insider tip.  To get the fastest germination use the outer edge of a pair of finger nail cutters to barely nick the ridge of the hard shell. Then soak the seeds over-night. Plant the now-swollen seeds in a professional potting media and wait for the sprouts to pop. Start indoors 5 – 6 weeks before the final predicted frost date.

Germination takes about 7 – 10 days at a temperature of 65 degrees. Additional light is required to keep the seedling from stretching to the point they become weak and leggy. You will need a grow light bulb or a shop-light set up on an adjustable length cable. Keep the light approximately 2 inches above the tips of the seedlings.

As the last frost date approaches you will need to harden off the seedlings by leaving them outside, in a sheltered area, for just a few hours each day. Add a couple more hours and a little less shelter after the first week. After the last frost, plant your vines near a support structure … a fence, trellis, light or mail post.. This gem climbs 10 – 20 ft high… or long, if you let it stretch out in your Earthen Garden on your favorite fence!

Like the Beatles said: “All you need is (exotic) love!”

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.

Get a beautiful lawn this year by seeding bare spots in early spring!

One of the two best times for planting new grass is while the season is still young, and the grass is greening up. The other is in the mid to late fall. Two reasons for planting in the spring and fall are; the cool weather, and the abundance of moisture. It just so happens that turf grass thrives on cool weather and lots of rain!

Planting Techniques:

The age-old technique of thrusting your hand into a bag of grass seed and scattering the seed to the wind is still a viable way of getting new grass to grow, but may give a much lower yield of new growth than being a little more systematic about the process. A better way to approach the process is to prepare the soil by roughing the dirt up a bit to allow the seed to penetrate the surface. This can be done by using a hand claw tool or by raking the area with a leaf rake or a steel rake if the soil is dryer or harder in your area.

A thick, full lawn can be yours if you plant early!

If you would like to over-seed a large area – perhaps your whole lawn – you may consider renting a turf slitter or a de-thatcher I have a BlueBird de-thatcher – an industry standard. These can be found in a rental shop and rent for around $35 for 4 hours or $45~$50 for the day. My de-thatcher has a folding handle – a very nice feature. It makes it easy to move in small vehicles and store if you own the machine – it’s very compact that way. I use my machine as slitters to prep soil for planting grass seed. They are very efficient that way. It gives a a nice shallow slit for the seed to germinate.

Once the ground is prepared, spread the seed by hand for small areas, or with a spreader for an entire lawn. Either way, keep the seed close to the ground for less drift, and do not attempt to spread seed on a windy day. Nuff said! If using a spreader, I prefer a small hand-held one over the rolling variety unless the area you’re covering is huge. The reason I use the hand-held spreader is for control. I want the seed to go where I want it to go. You’ll get less drift into your flower beds, for instance. If using a spreader, set the control to about half way open and see how the seed disburses. Adjust the control to be more or less open accordingly.

Starter fertilizer gives your grass seed a boost!

It’s a good idea to use a starter fertilazer to promote initial growth. This will get your seed off and running to a faster germination. Now all you need is some water, and some sunshine! As the new plants begin to grow, protect them from trampling feet and lawn mowers until the grass has a good solid growth of at least two inches or so. It won’t be long until you’re enjoying a thicker, more lush lawn!

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!