New England Grows, VFF Grows!!

An even zero degrees here at Vermont Flower Farm this morning. The sky has a smoke grey tint as the sun rays reluctantly shake off last night's sleep and reach for the top of Hooker Mountain and surrounding ridgelines. The temperature will begin dropping any minute now but I expect it will be a nice day.

Gail just headed out with Karl the wonder dog. She seems to always end up talking with someone passing by the place no matter what time of year it is. This is the time ice fishermen speed by. They're in a hurry to get to Peacham Pnd and find a parking space as close to the ice as they can. Within less than half an hour we'll be able to hear the burr-r-r-r of ice augers cutting holes for tip ups. Peacham Pond has a population of brown trout that's not half as respectable as it was when we first came here but fish and water quality is yet another discussion.

Hands down, Vermont is a great place to live and garden. It's the best in our book. Nonetheless, if you are going to operate a business now days, you have to keep current on what your industry is doing. The Internet is a fantastic way to learn what's going on but you need professional opinions and you need to see what people are doing outside of Vermont. Many businesses in this state have excellent products but until the market external to Vermont is developed, the true potential is often unknown.

Anytime people stop and ask for help about starting a new business I tell them to get reading. I have no idea how many magazines I read in a month but winter time is catch-up time and Gail and I read constantly. From spring on it's difficult to read much and magazines stack up waiting for winter to approach and the comfort of the woodstove and the wing back chair.

The green industry produces mountains of magazines. Many are free, some are expensive, some in between. One great idea from a $50 a year subscription pays for the annual cost and more. That's the way you have to think about magazines. An Internet search can get you going and after you're established for a while, new offers will frequent your e-mail or mailbox.

Branch-Smith Publishing is "big" in the horticultural world and puts out 4 magazines that are quite good. Greenhouse Production and Management, Garden Center, Nursery Management and Production and Garden Center Products and Services will get you started. Ball Seed Company and Ball Publishing produce Green Profit and that's free too. Meister Media Worldwide produces Greenhouse Grower, and Scranton-Gillette Communication puts out Greenhouse Product News and a number of other lawn and garden magazines. These are professional magazines and meant for the trade. They are published through trade advertising and provide a nice monthly summary of what's going on.

We subscribe to American Nurseryman too and think it's a good investment. It is published 26 times a year and has a good cross section of plant material stories, the latest in insect invaders and possible controls and timely articles about new trends. It always features successful nurseries and greenhouses and that's very important too.

There's nothing like a trade show to jump start your mental energies and New England Grows in Boston is an annual show of great merit. This past year it won another award for it's rapid growth as an industry leader. The show was this week at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center and it was well worth the trip and the entrance fee. There were over 700 vendors present and the show catalog couldn't have said it better "One Show, A Million Ideas".

It's 198 miles from here to the convention so the trip affords time to think about plans for the coming year. I always make a mental laundry list of vendors I want to speak with and I include things that I want to see first hand that I've only seen in magazines before. In addition to the displays there are ongoing lectures and demonstrations which put you in touch with some of the finest information specialists in the business.

In coming weeks I'll write about some of the things I saw at the show. I noted some great new nursery stock tempered for New England's varied climate, new hosta varieties, perennials with exiciting new leaf color and texture, and some interesting specialists growing plants for forest, river and wetland restorative planting. In the meantime, if you're not a garden magazine subscriber, stop at a good bookstore and try People, Places and Plants Magazine, Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, Horticulture or any of the many special issue releases on garden design. I'm not sure that these will conjure up a million new gardening ideas but they will certainly help you reevaluate your current gardens or help design the ones you've only been thinking about.


Writing from the mountain above PeachamPond but thinking about our new endeavor along the Winooski River on Route 2 in Marshfield.

With gardening thoughts,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Hollyhocks

Monday, February 5, 2007

Gail is in the kitchen putting together a turkey pot pie, Karl is snoozing in front of the wood stove like only a wonder dog can, and the only birds left on the feeder at 4:30 PM are Juncos. The wind is blowing so hard that even their little feathers are heading every which way as they peck at the millet seed. The sun is sinking and so is the temperature which is now at 3 below. No idea how low it will go tonight but the wind today was just brutal. I'm sure the wind chill was below zero all day.

This time of year I make myself go through thousands of pictures taken during the summer. I'm learning to take pictures and have a long way to go so I take lots of pictures. I try to give a self critique during winter when there's no one to hear my comments but me. At work today, someone asked me if we grew hollyhocks. I gave my stock answer "Buy a pack of seeds." which no one believes, and then I did the obligatory explanation which no one wants to hear. I explained that these plants have a fibrous root system, are susceptible to years like this one with lots of freeze-thaw-freeze, wet,wet,wet, frozen. When the person got to the "Maybe I can find some plants at WalMart next spring" I brought the conversation to a quick stop and got on with other things. I didn't want to share my thoughts and mumbles about Wal-Mart with someone I didn't know very well.


Hollyhocks have been with us for a long time. Every farmhouse back door, barn milking parlor entrance, outhouse in New England probably had hollyhocks in close proximity at some time in the past. People in my generation and older remember these beauties and if they see any in our display gardens, they want some. Our problem is we don't grow them to sell and don't plan to start because the root system is typically frail for the size of the plant which develops over time. If you can find a place that grows them in deep, narrow pots such as tree band pots used to grow tree seedlings, you might stand a chance. In contrast, a package of seeds in fairly plain ground will do very well. Being a biennial it will take this season into the next to see some flowers but if they like your soil enough to dig their feet in, you'll have them for some time. They self seed nicely and produce enough new plants from seed that even bad winters/springs don't knock them all out.


Years ago I got into this dried flower thing and I decided to give hollyhocks a try. I gathered flat boxes and mixed borax and cornmeal with a little fine sand and used that as a drying agent. It worked very well and the flowers stood up nicely when completely dried. I can't recall the proportions but 50-50 on the Borateem/cornmeal will do just fine. The borax leaves the flowers with a residual insect chaser which is kind of nice.

Hollyhocks are part of the "bones" of many gardens because they grow tall and bloom for a long period of time. We intend to plant them in the new gardens along the fence lines so the masses of color help paint a backdrop of color visible from Route 2. This plant has a couple less than desirable traits which make planting as a backdrop a more sensible idea. Hollyhocks lure Japanese Beetles from near and far. In short order the beetles eat holes into the large leaves and make a mess of the plant. The flowers still stand out but in a close garden setting they just aren't pretty anymore. Hollyhocks also get a rust which stains the leaves before they begin to brown, blacken and curl up. Cornell University has a good fact sheet Hollyhock Rust: Puccinia malvacearum. It describes the rust and treatments. Neem is an organic product which apparently is helpful but you have to tap your savings account before buying any.

Despite a couple shortcomings, these are a nice flower that will stimulate lots of conversation. They are widely used as the subject of paintings. Georgia O'Keeffe painted a black hollyhock over 70 years ago, long, long before Alcea niger became popular on the American market. About eight years ago I purchased a couple hollyhock prints at the Laudholm Craft Festival in Wells, Maine. I'm vague on the artists names now and over time the prints have faded a bit, hung in too much light. Schott and Gallant are coming back to me but I'm not as clear on the names as I am clear on the beauty of these flowers. During what's left of Winter 2006-7, maybe you will want to research the varieties and purchase some seeds for spring planting. If you do, they'll look really nice in 2008.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where 24/7 cold has grabbed tightly to Vermont for the next 4-5 days to come. Warm drinks, comfortable chair, toasty fire, and garden catalogs will get you through. Hollyhock......Alcea.........Nice.


George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Organizing a Company

It's a beautiful morning here on the hill, 5.6 degrees with a mild wind that reminded me to tuck in my shirt when I took Karl the wonder dog for his morning walk. It was a short walk for him, his choice, but it gave me long enough to notice the stars turning off for the night as the sunlight grew stronger from the east.

Sun rises tell me it's time to get moving. A sunrise as beautiful as this morning's encourages a good attitude and a good day. Some folks even get fanatical about sunrises, traveling back to certain places, taking pictures and movies....that kind of thing. My favorite place other than Vermont is Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine. There's something special about sitting on that granite mountain and looking towards the harbor and the ocean and watching the sun. Here in Vermont, Cabot Plains is an easily accessible place with great sunrises and sunsets. Good or bad, you cannot question your sense of beauty when you can often hear shutters close on nearby cameras of all sizes.

Sunset isn't on my mind today, finishing our 2006 taxes by sunset is. I already have some other commitments at both ends of the day so I may not make my goal...... but I'll be close. It keeps reminding me that my last post Tax Time Beckons didn't explain sole proprietorships and limited liability companies. I should have mentioned them.

If you decide to put together a nursery business, or any other business, you need to register the business within your state. Choosing business names is a topic in itself. A name that is available for use within your state and on the Internet, and a name which any number of people don't already use in other states has to be considered. Many people have this thing about names and pick the name first, forgetting that it may already be taken. A business card with your name on it is nice, but a business card does not a business make.

In Vermont the Secretary of States Office is very well organized, consumer friendly, Internet oriented and just plain helpful. You can even find a real person to talk with by telephone. Their site has a database of registered names so you can begin to see if your name makes sense. As I say, this is a topic in itself but the process has to be respected.

For some reason people including a lot of paid business consultants think that small business translates to sole proprietorship. I don't agree. In today's age I feel that you have to protect your business as well as your other valuables and to that end a limited liability company is the way to go. Although attorneys may charge $300-$400-$500 to do this for you, in Vermont the process and form are readily available on the Internet on the Secretary of State site. I suspect this may hold true in other states too. Starting this year you can even file annual reports and make annual renewal payments on-line.

An LLC separates your personal and your business resources so if the business runs into financial difficulty, it is clear what goes with what. Something to think about for you but not really a choice as far as I am concerned. No one likes the thought of financial distress or being sued for a business related event. We seldom hear of problems in Vermont but it's more prevalent than you think and is important to be prepared for anything.

If you're interested in a nursery business, and live in the east, there's an event this week that you have to consider. New England Grows is a three day trade show held annually at the convention center in Boston. I shouldn't just say convention center, it's the one off 415 Summer Street. This is a fun show with over 600 exhibitors and daily presentations about relevant nursery topics. It's the single best place to find out who sells products you need for your business. It's also the place to meet people face to face, find out what's new and get other folk's opinions on challenges you will face.

If the entrance price seems steep, you may not have been to a show lately. Just pay the price as it will pay dividends over time. Also remember to keep your receipts and travel info as it's all tax deductible. Oh yes, don't forget a good pair of walking shoes and in the first hour pay attention to places to sit down. At some point you'll want a break and it might just be at the same time everyone else has the same idea. The show runs Tuesday through Thursday. Say hi if you pass me on the floor.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond, where the sun is up and the temperature is down. That happens most days but is more noticeable in winter.

Good Gardening thoughts,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Tax Time Beckons

Karl the wonder dog is in for the night (I hope!), and I just filled up the woodstove. It's a very dependable Vermont Castings stove which Gail aquired long ago when she worked in Randolph. The temperature outside is 14.7 and it is slowly dropping a fraction at a time so the stove's warmth and the smell of buring wood makes for a pleasant evening. Tonight's weather report suggests Thursday and Friday daytime highs of 4-10 degrees so I guess tomorrow will be a good time to bring in some more wood to get us through the weekend.

In our house, we leave the Christmas tree up til the weekend after New Years. That's just the way it's always been. I recall when we moved to Vermont in 1952 my parents couldn't believe Vermonters tossing their trees the day after Christmas. It made no sense to us. Many Vermonters still follow that plan but we follow our own design and we like it that way. As soon as the tree is out, we clean up needles for about a week and then we start our income taxes. I'd rather pick balsam needles out of my socks than start the taxes but this time of year these are two jobs you have to do.

Taxes by themselves are not popular with me You have to do them, I understand they have to be done and I dislike them. I resent the changes in depreciation schedules which I do not understand and the annual changes to charts and rates. I resent having to hire somone to take my work and apply all the new rules and then charge me too much money. There has to be an easier way to fund government, I believe there is an easier way and I am amazed that no matter who we send to Washington, they complain but can't figure out a new way.

Taxes for any business require some forethought. Taking a shoebox full of receipts to an accountant and saying "Here" just doesn't cut it any more. You have to be a smarter business person in today's world where every single penny counts.

If you're thinking about a horticultural business, I really recommend you start to think about taxes long before you sink the first shovel in the ground. I've mentioned the need for a good business plan first, so you understand the relationship between assets and liabilities and how much money you need to get going. No matter how well you have planned, it's likely you've missed something. Bet on it!

Owning a business means that you bounce to the IRS1040 form and its associated schedules. I recommend that first you work your way through all of the Small Business Administration's tools for designing and building a business. The SBA website is very good and it lays out methods of counting money and product that are important. When you're comfortable with a business plan, move on to the latest IRS 1040 instructions.

At some point, you'll get to the page that says it will take at least 52 hours to complete the required forms for your business. Don't fret, the IRS can't count either, and it will clearly take more than 52 hours, especially if you haven't done your homework all year long. This is another reason to get organized, either the old fashioned way with files and a calculator or with some software and your computer. The earlier you start this, the less time it will take to complete the forms.

I've become a little obsessive over the years and I maintain about 50 categories under which I collect receipts. I try to track change in prices of various supplies and that helps me decide when to buy more, buy less, or buy on sale even if I shouldn't stock pile something. The nursery business uses many items which require petroleum to produce and since they all have to be delivered to Vermont, petroleum issues affects our bottom line.

Years ago our potting mix was $9 a 3.8 cubic foot bale. Delivery was free. In recent years the price has moved to $18 and there is a surcharge on the delivery. I can get it cheaper but I have to buy by the tractor traier load. This same example carries to most products so it's worthwhile to establish a good tracking system. Every product you buy or sell has to appear someplace in your tax return so why not have well organized information that can make you a more educated buyer and manager?

Gail has done the final organizing for me and I have begun to put things in their proper place. I don't have any reports from our banks yet so I know there's still time on my end to pull things together. I always like to have our work completed and off to our accountant by the first week of February. That way she can get through our work before the tax onslaught begins.

Sometimes I have questions and I need some help. I call or write IRS and I have to say I have always been treated courteously and have received answers I can understand. I've been doing taxes since the mid sixties and so far I haven't been audited although I know that's always a possibility. In this year's tax manual there is a mission statement. It says "Provide America's taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all." They do what they say, but you know, in the years I have filed taxes, never once did anyone say thanks for getting them in on time, thanks for double checking the math, or thanks for doing what the instructions say to do. Here at Vermont Flower Farm we say "thanks" to everyone who comes, even if it's just for a visit. Maybe I should suggest that approach to IRS Commssioner Everson.......better still, maybe I should get going and finish the taxes. Thanks for bearing with me tonight!!


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where advice is free, opinions vary, nights are cold.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Warm Coats and Lady Slippers

Thursday, January 18th already! It seems as if I was just out cutting the Christmas tree and here it is half way to February. It's a beautiful day at Vermont Flower Farm but the 31 degree reading on the thermometer is deceiving. The sun is bright but the wind continues to whisper cold thoughts which have the birds quite busy. You may not know this, but birds are mandated to read a book on caloric intake each fall and January is the month their memories are tested. A few moments ago there were so many blue jays on the platform feeder that they were coming in like harrier jets and landing sideways on the two tall mullein stalks. Birds and mulleins sprung back and forth, back in forth. Blue jays do not like to take turns and they are always anxious to get to the feeder.

I haven't stopped at our property because of the recent bad weather. Yesterday morning the temperature was at 13 below when I was getting ready to head for work and I know by the time the sun rose it had dropped some more. At ten last night it was 9.8 below but this morning a front had begun to move in and it was "only" 3 below.

There have been many discussions in recent months about global warming. I can vouch for change even though I don't have a definitive reason why things are different. I don't want to get crazy about this but I have a desire to understand it better than I do. Last night I ordered a book by George Perkins Marsh which he wrote around Civil War time. Some say he was one step back from Rachael Carson and wrote his own Silent Spring but named it Man and Nature: Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action. Marsh grew up in Woodstock like I did only a hundred years earlier. I'll give some thoughts about his writings sometime soon.

What I do recall is that winters are not as cold as they were fifty years ago. Likewise the snow is not as deep. We moved to Vermont in 1952 and I quickly despised cold. The house my Dad moved us to was built in 1826 and it was big on woodstoves and drafts. With all the stoves going full bore you could still see your breath in the upstairs bedrooms. Some of the neighbors named my mother Miss Woodbox because any time they came for a winter visit they found her sitting on or near the woodbox by the kitchen stove. Being cold really isn't nice and I promised myself someday I'd work myself into a position of warmth, not wealth and that's about where I am now.

Just because I haven't stopped at the "future" Vermont Flower Farm, I think about it every day. It's really an exciting endeavor and it should be quite a showpiece in a few years. As I drove by yesterday it struck me that I have no idea if there are any wild orchids on the northern side of the property. I doubt that there are but there's good possibility there are some across the river in the dry woods adjacent to the marshland. More to think about and explore next year.

The cypripediums are neat flowers which I enjoy a great deal. Sometime between Memorial Day and June 10th there is always a good display someplace around here. The yellows like the one pictured above prefer sweeter soil but the glaciers left pockets here and there and that's why these can be found between here and Danville and Peacham. I like to sit on the ground and observe insects crawling in and out of the hole in the top of the flower bloom. One day I played a pretty absurd cat 'n mouse game with a my camera and a yellow crab spider. I finally got a bad cramp in my leg and had to give up.

Cypripedium acaule have quite a lot of color variation although the pink shown above is the most prominent around here. The forest floor around Kettle and Osmore Ponds has many colonies of pink but as you climb the surrounding mountains you'll find the pinks going to a red veined

creamy yellow. Occasionally you'll find a pure white but more often these will be in greater abundance as you head deeper north into the Northeast Kingdom. I have found them on Owls Head and also on the back edge of Silver Ledge.

If you are interested in wild flowers, check out the New England Wild Flower Society http://www.newfs.org Within Vermont there's a really special nursery that I try to plug all the time. It's the Vermont Ladyslipper Company located at http://www.vtladyslipper.com
It's mail order only, no visitors yet, but the products are only the best. Over the years I've seen an increasing number of shovel holes in the woods where nice plants used to grown. Buying from a very experienced dealer is miles ahead of trying to replicate growing conditions for something you know nothing about. Guess I'm saying to leave whats wild where it is.

Well, I guess it's time to get moving. Karl the wonder dog is suggesting a walk is necessary. ...for him, not me but I have to go too. Maybe you should consider a little walk too!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where Juncos predominate the feeder, all with a watchful eye for a feral cat that has moved into the territory.

Winter thoughts and garden wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Measuring Progress

Tuesday, January 9th. A cold front is moving in and some snow is expected. It will be the first snow in some time. The spring-like weather has afforded an opportunity to do and see things at the new property which would normally have waited until spring.

I worked both days this weekend and three or four days a week after work since Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th, when I wrote a piece entitled Land Lessons and Wildflowers. I said something which suggested that new land and new gardens need to have a vision and I showed this picture.



Today I coaxed Gail and Alex to come down and see the progress and help load the truck with brush. I've surpassed twenty loads for sure so any help loading is a welcome change. I didn't think they really wanted to go as the wind was swirling and it's not the greatest job to begin with but they are a part of this project and they know it. As we pulled off Route 2, I stopped at the top of the hill so they could look down at what had been a collection of poplars, alders, grey birch, blackberries, wild cucumber, grape and wood vines, burdocks and assorted rush and weeds. They said nothing but their eyes told their thoughts and rewarded me for my efforts.


If you click on each picture separately, you should be able to see the difference. The property line is more apparent now that the debris is cleaned up. The make shift road left from the days when this was the town and State sand pit is more prominent now. Its height serves as a diversion for water runoff from Route 2 as well as water that is hydraulically moved from the hill above and the adjacent river. Next summer I'll have to get local contractor Kevin Hudson to stop by with his traxcavator for a couple hours and create a ditch parallel to the old roadbed to encourage the water to head back to the river.

Yes, I'm pleased with the weather and pleased with my progress. I can measure it it smiles from my family and friends, truckloads of brush removed or the honking of passers by. Since I've started this project I have met people every week that I have never seen before or who I have seen but never spoken to. It's a rewarding experience for certain. Almost weekly since we bought the property, a logger in a shiny black rig gives me a wave and a long ho-o-o-onnnk with the air horn as he heads west, returning empty from either Canada or Maine. He's not from around here but somehow he wants to show that he notices change and I'll bet someday he slows that rig down enough to stop and say hi. Gardeners are like that and I'll bet he has had dirty hands before.




As we began to drive back up the hill, I pointed out to Gail and Alex where I wanted to plant some Astilboides tabularis, several varieties of ligularias and rodgersias, and some creamy white bloomed Aruncus doicus. I could see that Gail was drawing mental pictures of the layout even before she said "You've really done so much in so little time. This will be beautiful."
I reached down and pushed the lever out of four wheel drive and we headed home.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the thermometer reads 24.7 and the snow has stopped at 2 inches.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Wet Snow, Rising River

Friday, January 5, 2007

A different kind of day in Vermont, with country store talk including thoughts of "where's winter?" vocalizing from the gas pumps to the meat counter. Everyone agrees that it's been fine on the heating bill but so very un-Vermont that folks are almost looking for someone or something to blame. A high of 60 in Burlington today and mid fifties here in Marshfield really does make one wonder when the real cold will come. At Vermont Flower Farm we don't think we've made it for yet another year until April first arrives. To us, every warm day is a day closer to when our gardening lives are reborn.

I returned home to an empty house this afternoon as Gail and Alex were at a home schooling program at the Fairbanks Museum in St Johnsbury http://fairbanksmuseum.org. There is a great home school group up that way and the crew at the Fairbanks offers some courses which are just unforgettable. Today's course included Endangering Species, how man interferes with some great Vermont species, and Vermont Snakes, a slithering course introducing snakes we should know but perhaps don't. Alex was happy the instructor brought up the Eastern Ring-necked Snake which we spotted one summer day atop Owl's Head. At the time I thought I knew all Vermont's snakes but this was a mystery requiring some research.

The house wasn't really empty as Karl the wonder dog greeted me proudly and after our quick walk I decided to take him downtown to pick up another load of brush. Karl is like my other dogs in that he loves to ride in the truck and almost gets depressed if he knows it's not a work day and I'm leaving without him.

We got to the property and parked on the hill so I could look down on the progress I was making with the brush and dead trees. Progress is sometimes slow but the end product is very rewarding. Karl leaped out of the truck and immediately picked up a large coyote track from the night before. It was a sizeable animal judging from the track and it walked along the high bank, parallel to the Winooski River. It was either looking for food or maybe just plain coyote trouble. I can't tell from the tracks as I haven't studied coyotes enough.

When I got tired of being led towards Plainfield, I pulled tight on Karl and he reversed himself. Still on the lead, he looked up at me when he passed and he snorted as if to suggest my rudeness for cutting short a good trailing mission. The expression on his face could have been a great cartoon.


We stopped at the corner marker by the river and I noticed how the viburnums still held tightly to clumps of bright red berries. I looked around for waxwings as they seem to like any fruit with good seeds such as the viburnums. No waxwings today. For some reason though, the red fruit reminded me of arisaemas, jack-in-the-pulpits, a wildflower I haven't noticed on the property yet. This time of year my wildflower mind works in reverse and I think of the plants I should be seeing but obviously do not.


Arisaemas are an interesting wildflower and a plant I spent too many hours looking at when I was a kid. Pulling back on the hood uncovers the spadix, like a preacher in a church pulpit offering discourse to the congregation. At Vermont Flower Farm there are hundreds of these amongst the ferns and hostas in the lower foundation garden. My guess is that come spring I'll find a bunch here under the trees along the river.

As summer days begin to shorten, the seeds turn red and flesh out to the point of bending the flower stem over towards the ground. By Labor Day the seeds are ripe enough that the mice and chipmunks begin to harvest them and drag them to secret hiding places for winter consumption. When I come upon half plucked stems, I always welcome a glance at the symmetry

of the seed pods, each filled with many small seeds. Often I think about one of Tasha Tudor's mice friends busy harvesting winter's food. Mice and voles do a lot of damage in some situations but they are also good gardeners and they always help with the planting.

I let Karl get back in the truck cab and I went about dragging brush and stacking it into the bed. In short order the load was finished and we were heading back home. No cedar waxwing birds to see, only warm temperatures and thoughts of arisaemas. If you like the thought of this plant, take a look at George Schmid's book An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials. It doesn't stay on your lap too well but it sure has a wealth of gardening info.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the temperature is 42 degrees and there is an uncommon fog about.

Winter (?) gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Lilium canadense

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Almost 4:30 PM here on the hill. The sun gave up for the day long ago and there is a dullness about that even the fresh snow cannot brighten. Two lone juncos sit on the flat bird feeder facing each other. They are eating millet and other small seeds I have added. They appear to be eating and talking to each other at the same time. That's not polite but birds do it a lot. Bird talk. Watch them.

Gail had planned to go to Montpelier today to do errands but the morning gave rise to a snowfall of light, dry snow. The roads even here didn't seem too safe so she decided to stay home and I decided to head downtown to load up some more brush.

I don't think most folks understand how a little clean-up can provide a different visual effect within your garden, regardless of its size. I drove off Route 2 and onto the property, made a wide circle along the Winooski River and came to a stop at the height of the land with the truck parallel to Route 2 but facing towards Marshfield Village. The view impressed me and made me enjoy our purchase even more.

For a couple-three weeks now I have been clearing dead trees and brush while trying to understand the land better. There's plenty to learn. My point is that a real messy looking piece of property can command a much better selling price if only it's cleaned up a bit. I have removed something like 20 pick-up truck loads of brush so the entire image is much different now. It makes everything look bigger and lets you know what you have and where the boundaries are.

Dragging brush through grass and goldenrod stalks, hops and grapevines, woodvine and blackberry bushes is not pleasant. You kind of feel relieved when the truck is loaded. At the same time you wish you had some kind of levitation power like you see in the movies to unload the debris where you want. I have yet to acquire that skill.

For as long as I have loaded trucks, I have had a habit of walking around the loaded vehicle to be sure I haven't left anything behind. Driving something that suddenly has lost visibility out the back window and gained a payload at the same time deserves a safety check. When I made the circle today, a view of the Winooski River caught my attention and I headed for it. A couple red squirrels sat above me, eating butternuts. One sat back on his tail and almost pointed his nose toward the river.



As I walked along the riverbank, mellowed by the sound of the flowing water, I was suddenly pleased to find a dried, 6 foot tall stalk from a Lilium canadense. It was seedless on top and looked little like the beautiful candelabra lily that often welcomes Vermonters close to Independence Day. I have trained myself to look for plants at different times of the year and today the training paid off. I looked around, making a note in my mental diary for next spring and summer.

There is variation in L. canadense and although spotted, creamy orange is the predominant color around here, there are some reds and red/yellows. I have been asked to look out for clear, unspotted lighter colored orange but I have never found one without spots. Finding a red L. canadense is like finding a nice arrowhead along the Lemon Fair River in Middlebury. Your heart skips a beat and you smile even if you don't know it.


Riverbanks are ideal places for these lilies because the soil is usually replenished each year with a new layer washed down from above. The annual changes help disperse the seeds and on occasion when spring runoff is especially forceful, whole bulb parts head for Lake Champlain. If you find one Lilium canadense, it's likely you'll find more in fairly close proximity. Your "finds" won't necesarily be in bloom but over time you'll be able to enjoy them every time you return to the site.


There a several things working against lilies now. There is a lily leaf beetle like the one in this picture from the University of Rhode Island. This beetle has been around a long time but only this past year did we find any in our gardens. I suspect they may have been here last year but went unnoticed. They seem to arrange lily varieties in order of preference for dinner, something like poached salmon goes here and boiled spinach goes there. Asiatic lilies seem to top the lily list but the species like L. canadense seem less of interest. It's still early to assess the long term ramifications but clearly the lily leaf beetle is of concern.

Deer rank number two and are the most current danger in my opinion. Every year the number of hunters declines, the number of new homes increases and the amount of land disrupted for construction grows. Deer seek out easy meals and I have seen them eat lily stems to the ground when I am 20 yards away watching then.

The final threat seems to be from the plant world itself and from some of the more primitive plants, the ferns. The lily in the next picture is doing well on a bank of the Winooski River surrounded by three varieties of fern. Ferns can take over an area in a few years and some with more significant root systems probably interfer with growth in subsequent years. I haven't studied these to the point of affirming that the bulb production is deterred by fern competition but I think I'm accurate.


Although I mention the nemeses of my favorite lilies, it's out of admiration for them that I think about how to protect them. Finding one that will stand so tall next summer, made my day. I hope you will get a chance to see some yourself next year.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where wind, blowing snow and a temperature of 20 degrees reminds Karl, the wonderdog, that life by the woodstove is not bad.

Best gardening wishes for 2007!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

The Planning Continues

Friday afternoon I stopped by again for a visit. The car was loaded with groceries and last minute holiday items so once I made it home, I could stay there for the weekend. As I approached the drive from Plainfield, I could see someone had added two new markers parallel to Route 2. That was a signal that the Agency of Transportation folks had stopped by to inspect the road access we had built.

If you buy a piece of property on a town road, then you approach the town for legal permission to build an access road to it. If it's off a State road, then you are required to follow a similar process with the State Agency of Transportation. Since a state highway is involved, Gail and I had to file an application with AOT, arrange a site visit, receive approval for that plan and then receive a final inspection after the work was completed. It makes sense to get the AOT people involved because they understand traffic flow, lines of sight, and also know what plans might be in process for future road changes. Other than the time involved, this process went smoothly. Probably the two points of concern were the road location and the width of Route 2.

I agreed to build the road directly across from an existing residential road across Route 2. AOT said that setting roads off from one another confuses drivers and they don't know when to turn, brake, pull out, etc. That makes sense. The problem is that the drive is steep and the water run off comes down across Route 2 and onto our drive. It's already washed out some of the fill so we'll have to get some stay mat (crushed slate/shale) in the spring and then use some straw retaining cloth on the banks and seed them down. This isn't a big affair but in any small business, dollars count and time expenditures are critical.

The main engineer felt that Route 2 was 3 rods wide and our surveyor said the road was 2 roads wide. A rod is 16.5 feet so the difference in question was 16.5 feet, 2 rods wide compared to 3 rods. At issue was where the highway right of way ends because I plan to install deer fence around the land's perimeter. Essentially the difference amounts to either 25 feet from center line or 35 feet. That difference of 10 feet times the +800 feet of road perimeter amounts to lots of lost garden potential. The land on the other side of the fence would be very difficult to access and some of it would be lost to use. Naturally it would still be taxed.

Seeing the stakes suggests that the issue has been resolved the way I felt it should. I will make a call before erecting the fence next spring to be sure we're all on the same page. If you ever buy any land for a business (or a home, camp, etc) understand these issues before hand so you're not surprised, late on your business start up, or short on cash.

Friday's mental planning was for more big plants that enjoy damp areas. Gail and I have come to enjoy ligularias (Desdemona pictured above) and apparenlty a lot of gardeners like them too based on the number we sell. I have been tracking the water level in the low areas of the property and am marking places that won't remain wet but will provide good moisture during the summer. I have it about figured out so today was just another "check to be sure","measure twice, cut once" kind of affair.


Years ago we began receiving inquiries for large leafed plants and also plants that didn't mind wet feet. Ligularies seemed to offer some garden architecture by their texture, height and color. There only shortcoming is that without even moisture during hot summer days they flatten like pancakes about 2 PM. Although they rise for the next day, the interim "down time" looks terrible. This is why they need to be properly sited. The big green one pictured above is Hessei. It blooms later than others and has nice large yellow-orange flower scapes over five feet tall.


Some plants have names which suggest you consider a new career. No wonder someone came up with the common name "The Rocket" for Ligularia prezewalskii. This is a nice plant with deep cut, dark green leaves, 5 foot flower spikes and star shaped yellow flowers that can take late summer storms but still stand tall and sway with the wind.


Desdemona, Othello and Siberica are examples of larger flowered plants. These are certain attention getters, as they provide interest to people and members of the insect world. From a distance they stand out, beckoning you closer to see what you're missing.

I plotted a few more locations and headed for home. Christmas is coming and there's still a lot to do. Planning always makes the end result that much better.



Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond, where this afternoon's snowflakes, sunshine and high winds confused the birds at the feeder and the writer in his office. In Vermont we like a white Christmas but sometimes it just doesn't occur that way.

Peace!

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Forested Wetlands

I stopped for a couple minutes tonight on the way home from work. There's something about this land that I already like. Perhaps it's the openess, perhaps it's the running river, but something already has an ability to mellow me from complex days.

I got out of the truck and walked to the edge of the bank overlooking the river. I had been listening to A Winter's Solstice during my journey home. For some reason "When Earth's Last Picture Is Painted" kept playing in my mind and overshadowed even the sound of the Winooski River. It was very nice.

I didn't have much time but I have a little routine during each visit and I walk the same route either coming or going. It includes a stop at the survey marker that divides "us" and the Fish and Wildlife land.

From the yellow birch, I looked down the bank and thought what a good teaching example this probably is of forested wetlands. The trees include a couple white birches, a couple yellow birches, many box elders and silver maples, cottonwoods, elms I'm not sure of, green ash and fir balsam. There are a few more but regardless, they all represent life in a wet habitat.

My eye caught the rusty brown color of the fallen Japanese knotweed: Polygonum cuspidatum. This plant is on invasive lists but is towards the top of my "Do Not Like At All" List, just under poison ivy. I remember 40 years ago it impressed me as Vermont's bamboo. That was about a year before I noticed that it was everywhere. Today this plant is a serious threat to more plants than we probably know. It lines river banks and borders road ditches and parking lots. I have yet to learn how it spreads but save it to say it's in too many places already. Now it lies dormant and unnoticed. When spring arrives and the Winooski River rises and falls, knotweed will no doubt travel with it. This years pockets will become even bigger masses by mid summer 2007. Something to keep purple loostrife company.

A pileated woodpecker talked from across the river as it flew to a new maple for an early dinner. I took the sound as a reminder that I must be going.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where quarter sized snowflakes in small numbers drift to earth , and where Karl sleeps in front of the wood stove, dreaming dog dreams and mumbling dog words I just do not know.

Gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

A Spring Memory

Sometimes when you buy yourself a new present you have to take a breather and enjoy it. Today on the way home from work I stopped to walk our new land and make a few more mental notes. I hadn't stopped by yesterday because I was in Burlington and Richmond until late so today was the perfect day for a walk.

The temperature was surprisingly warm and although there was an occasional rain drop, it was a very uncommon December day. I remember days growing up when by now the snow level would be halfway to the botton of the first floor house windows. I would already have been instructed to begin banking the north side of the house with snow to cut down on air infiltration. I didn't get much explanation of why I had to do this but it seemed right since I witnessed others doing the same thing. The difficult part was being six.

No shoveling today as the little snow we have had was melting with temperatures approaching 50 for a brief period as a front moved through. I wanted to check the river and then review all the chain saw work I did a couple weeks earlier.

I parked the truck midway along the river and got out. Years ago farmers collected the few stones from the property and dumped them along the river bank, forming an odd looking wall of sorts. I sat down on the one smooth, moss-free stone and looked around. By now all the leaves have fallen and the ground contour is obvious.

A few feet from where I sat I recalled a beautiful clump of bloodroot. To an untrained eye they would be nonexistent but I remember things like this and the dormant plant caught my attention. Back in May, before we owned this land, I wrote about bloodroot in The Vermont Gardener http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com. It has always been an interesting plant to me. Although I don't have as many plants as I'd like, those here by the river will get special attention from next spring on and I'll try to grow a big colony over the next few years. The seed heads on one plant had been tamped into the ground by a large deers foot. I guess nature plants in strange ways too.

As I sat on the rock I noticed the absence of certain things. I thought for a moment that it was an odd way to enjoy a place....by its missing parts. My mind reviewed the great blue heron, the pair of kingfishers, the black ducks in mid October, the merganser family and the two muskrats I only saw once. They're gone....absent until next year.

Today was a nice day to walk the land, enjoy nature and plant new gardens in my mind. It's very peaceful along the Winooski River and I think the new gardens will share that same feeling for years to come. I hope you had chance to walk too.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond, where dropping temperatures and wet ground make temporary quiet for the little creatures of the early night. Someplace close by an owl reviews an unprinted menu, and the lands of Vermont Flower Farm will serve as his dining table.

Good gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Shady Friends

A beautiful morning here at Vermont Flower Farm. The day started at 20 degrees and is now up to 44 with the sun shining on the thermometer. There's a light haze floating above the trees, giving signal to the perimter of Peacham Pond, as yet unfrozen.

I haven't been down to the "new" Vermont Flower Farm in two days. Had to cut a Christmas tree Friday afternoon and get the trimming under way. We always have a nine foot fir balsam tree with thousands of lights and ornaments. This is a special holiday to us so the place is well decked out and includes some ornaments that were my great grandparents from days in England and Germany.

I have been reviewing maps and the sketches I have made of our new venture. It's kind of fun to lay out gardens and try to think of them in terms of being highly visible from the Route 2 highway. That means that in some places the distance will be 300-400 feet away so size and color matter, texture at that distance does not.

It was good it rained so hard a couple weeks back because I had a chance to map out the high water points likely to reoccur again and again. This is important to the low areas which will hold water in spring and fall as planting is limited and care of plant types is critical.

We intend to do a good job in the wet areas with rodgersias, ligularias, aruncus, and astilbes. We'll also use a number of the Astilboides tabularis pictured above. This one is growing here at VFF adjacent to the bog garden and although slow to get started, it is now a good three feet in diameter. Its broad leaves catch the needles from the towering white pine and the leaves of Royal ferns and a couple different rues provide contrast which catches notice to its simple beauty.

As you open books and magazines this winter on your garden design journey, try not to overlook those larger plants that some call "coarse". We think you'll enjoy them...we know we do!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where blue jays shout mysterious calls that make a lone red squirrel think differently of approaching the bird feeders.

Garden wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com

Land Lessons and Wildflowers

Learning The Land

Thursday, December 7, 2006

When the snow begins falling here on the mountain at Vermont Flower Farm we know that winter will get serious at some point soon. That means we have to put ourselves in hyper drive to finish up all the odds and ends before the cold weather convinces us to wait for spring. I have been real busy at my real job lately so squeezing in more hours in a solstice-shortened day makes for a bigger challenge. Gail has been working on wreaths and other decorations and Alex has been assisting as he can.

I've cleaned truckloads of brush and dead trees from the new property and am feeling very good about the whole project. That would be "very good" and "very tired". I've already relearned a great deal about the property but there is a lot more I need to learn through all the seasons.

The heavy rains of the past week raised the Winooski River to flood stage down river and left pockets, puddles and deep pools of water at various places on our land. This watershed is very interesting because it is larger than first visible and there are several influences you must understand. The entire area up Route 215 to Cabot and Walden drains towards Marshfield where it is joined by what I call the Peacham Pond watershed. At some point I'll research this and get it all right but the Peacham part to me includes all the streams that flow into Peacham Pond which then flows down into the Marshfield Reservoir along Route 2. There are also streams from the Danville side. Part of that water comes down the valley to Marshfield and some of it is directed at the reservoir into a giant pen stock managed by Green Mountain Power. That water goes along Route 2, to the top of Water Tower Farm (hence the name) and then down the Cabot side of the mountain range to a small hyrdo plant.

This time of year Green Mountain Power opens the dam that controls Peacham Pond. With all the rain of last week including 3" in one night, the water levels were already very high. For some reason GMP decided it was time to reduce the pond level. I heard that the "controller" decided to drop the level a foot more right in the middle of the major flooding. As a result the Winooski, already running four feet above normal, went another couple feet up the banks. I'm sure there's more to that than I understand but the fact was a lot of water headed on its way to Lake Champlain.

Now that cold has come and rains have changed to snow, a walk along the river shows more damage along the way. Down river past Pike Road you can see where the river fluctuation is degrading the banks and dragging tons of silt downstream. It's an issue deserving of attention but so far I haven't figured how to approach it. There are a number of variables in the "energy crisis thinking" going on in Vermont and it's obviously difficult to keep everyone happy. The Winooski River is a fine resource and I personally think we need to pay more attention to its capabilities, both positive and less so. The erosion issues are paramount I think.

The point of mentioning this is the challenges is has created on how we will manage our new land. From a larger perspective, it reminds us of our need to learn lessons from any land we are considering for a new business so we don't spend money on something which can't produce what we want.

I recommend that you spend some time before buying anything. Unfortunately this has become more difficult in recent years because land has not lasted on the market very long and in many occasions the winning price becomes many thousands of dollars above the asking price. That market behavior has forced people to buy quicker without the opportunity to understand what they are getting into. It makes it incumbent on the buyer to spend more time more quickly walking proposed land. You have to do a quick study which is not easy for everyone to do.

We have had the opportunity to drive buy this land almost every day for many years. We already knew the soil type which was a concern but the location made the land more valuable. We knew the soil could be remedied over a few years and a few hundred tons of organic materials. The water is another issue and one which would be concern to many.

As we walked the land beginning on the west corner by Route 2, it was apparent how much water came off the adjacent mountain. Earlier this summer the Agency of Transportation crews replaced the old metal culvert with a new, one-piece 30" plastic pipe. Size alone would suggest how much water might come under the road at various times of the year. AOT are pretty good engineers and they understand how to size projects. To a potential buyer, this should have been a sign to look further.

The lay of the land shows evidence that at one point in the past the water from this culvert headed straight for the Winooski. This time the new road construction included dredging out a bit of ditch in front of the culvert and the water now heads towards Plainfield, using the fir balsams on the adjoining land as a giant sponge. At various points along the roadbed, water seeps out from the mountains across Route 2. Water hydraulics is very interesting and something any potential buyer needs to look for. We are just beginning to learn this aspect of our property. It's one of many things buyers should place high on their list. I'll write some more on this a little later.

New land and new gardens has to have a vision. Likely that vision will change over time but a plan is important. Over the past couple weeks I have cleaned up the area in this picture. All the dying and diseased trees are gone and the less desirable alders and willows have been removed. Towards the middle of the picture the land raises about 6 feet to a series of peaks and valleys left from the days when this corner of the property was the sand storage area for the village, town and state. I have to trace that story down further but it appears from the mystery of holes and pockets in this corner of land that this is probably true. I also need to determine is any roadsalt was stored there.

The understory of the remaining trees has left a great place for some of our wildflowers which is why I started with the trilliums. This past week I planted some baneberry seed and in three to five years that should be looking nice too.

Baneberry grows in red, white or pink and I planted seeds of the first two last week. This is an interesting plant which is somewhere on the "don't think of eating the berries" scale. The red variety grows quicker and maintains nice foliage until August when just like trilliums, it seems to slide into dormancy in a week or so. During that downturn the foliage looks ratty and brown to black.

White baneberry also goes by the common name doll's eyes because the berries remind us of old fashioned toy dolls. The plant grows taller than the red variety and seems to enjoy life in deeper woods/more shade than the red. The "bane" in baneberry might represent the apparent toxicity of the berries but I do know that ripe red berries translate to busy chipmunks and mice. The white berries share no attraction that I am aware of with hungry critters. The white berries become obvious much later than the red.

I was gifted a very nice little pink baneberry at one point and I promptly planted it in an out of the way spot that even I can't remember. In the meantime, our new wildflower collection now has some nice trillium and baneberries in progress. It will be years before any of these are showy specimens but in the meantime we are assured that in time we'll have some nice flowers for visitors to observe.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where at 32.5 degrees, last night's snow is sliding off the roof and the first nuthatches of the season have appeared at the feeders.

Gardening thoughts and wishes,

George Africa

http://vermontflowerfarm.com/

http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com/

Cutting Alders, Planting Trilliums

Heavy rains gave way to blustery winds today which continue even now. The wind has that sound about it that reminds me of a February back around 1987 when the wind never stopped all month. We were living in a place right on Lake Champlain and as beautiful as the surroundings were, the cold wind almost didn't let you ever go to sleep. I wish it would stop soon but until I notice it's absence, I know it will be in control.

Gail and Alex were leaving me behind today to keep the fire going and do some things around here that had to get done. I put Karl, the wonder dog, in the truck about 10 and headed to the newest part of Vermont Flower Farm. I have been cutting alders, poplars and willows and am trying to get the mess cleaned up before deep snow or real cold forces me to stay home.

I gave Karl a quick walk and then put him in the truck. I can't figure out what spooks him but one of the many wild animals who finds our new place "home" leaves just enough scent that Karl gets upset. He is not enamored with thoughts of coyotes or bears so perhaps it was one of those. He was happy to sit back inside the truck, perched on the little fold down piece between the seats.

I chain sawed and then dragged limbs up to the truck until it was piled high. I threw the spiderman net over the top and secured the load for the way home. Ever since I lost a load at the intersection of Route 2 and 302 at 4:30 PM on a Friday I have made it a point to properly secure anything that reaches above the bed walls of the pickup.

It was close to lunch time so after unloading the wood and brush, Karl and I headed for the house. He pulled up in front of the wood stove and I found the refrigerator. In the back of the bottom shelf was a plastic container marked "erectum and grandiflorum". I had forgotten it was there and apparently Gail had overlooked it too as it's not like her to allow science experiments in the fridge.

One of my favorite wildflowers is trillium. My favorite trillium book, although there really is no other, is Fred and Roberta Case's Trilliums published by Timber Press, 1997 ISBN 0-88192-374-5. Trilliums are easy to grow from seed as long as a.) you harvest the seed before the ants find the seed or the deer eat the whole plant, b.) you can remember where you planted the seed as it takes two years to germinate and c.) you are saint-like in your patience for another 4-5 years as the plants get big enough to have noteworthy flowers. I put the seed by the back door so I could get it planted along the Winooski River.

We finished our lunch and returned to our project. Karl was content with sleeping on my sweatshirt and I was resigned to plant the trillium and get back to the brush. Through the edge of the property that runs from Route 2 down to the river is a fine area of alluvial soil. It has grown some nice Lilium canadense and I think it will grow some nice trilliums too.

The erectum are earlier bloomers and I have had some nice displays since moving to Marshfield. I brought some grandiflorum seeds with me and it's been a slower process but I have hundreds now in various stages of development. My general method of operation is to harvest the seed pods just before the insects find them and then plant an entire seed pod in a hole I make in the ground by simply poking a finger two digits deep. I squish the ripened pod first and them push it into the hole and cover with dirt. Every Spring like clockwork I spread some lime around with a tad more for the grandiflorums. This method of planting means that when success arrives, there are fairly large clumps of very small trilliums ready to be dug en masse and spread out. They look something like this. This is a three year old clump.

There is one other trillium which grows in Vermont named T. undulatum. I have a small group started but I seem to forget about seed harvest and planting because they are the last to bloom and are at seed pod stage later in August when we get busy selling plants. In the wild they are seldom found in colonies and are more often found singly and spaced 10-15-20 feet apart. There were some nice displays off the trail at Kettle Pond this year with some much more mature plants than I have. Next summer I'll make it a point to snag some seed and get them going in the woods by the river.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the winds howl and remind me how much I'd like my own anemometer opposed to guessing wind speed.

December greetings,

George Africa

http://vermontflowerfarm.com/

http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com/