Fall is here and so are cooler temperatures. How are you protecting your cold-sensitive plants?
Chrysanthemums, also known as mums, are popular fall flowers. They come in a variety of bold colors and add gorgeous seasonal interest just as summer blooms begin to fade. Right now, I'm growing some beautiful heirloom mums from Bear Creek Farm in nearby Stanfordville, New York. They're due to bloom soon, but with the coming chance of frost in the area, I wanted to be sure they were well-protected. As a quick and temporary solution, I built a hoop house over the raised beds to shield the plants from wind and low temperatures, helping to extend the growing season.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
These are the small pots of young chrysanthemums I received last spring. Chrysanthemums are perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Asteraceae that bloom in fall.
My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, placed them in my Urban Cultivator indoor gardening system, where they could develop until they were ready to plant outdoors.
Here they are in July after they were transplanted into raised beds in my flower cutting garden. The varieties include ‘Fleur de Lis,’ ‘Jefferson Park,’ ‘Apricot Alexis,’ ‘River City,’ ‘Woodman’s Century,’ and ‘Luxor.’
The leaves of chrysanthemums are small to medium in size, thin, flat, and ovate, averaging up to 10 centimeters in length.
We’re expecting some low temperatures this week that could bring a little frost so I asked my team to find a way to protect the mums outdoors. Pete came up with a temporary hoop house using old unused plumbing hoses and wooden stakes.
Pete cuts several pieces of hose to create hoops over the beds and secures the ends to the stakes already pounded into the soil along both sides.
Pete uses zip ties, or cable ties, to attach the hard hose to a long bamboo cane that runs from one end to the other. Notice, the hose is on top of the bamboo. This is to prevent any damage from the natural bamboo to the cloth that will be draped over the structure.
Here is a view of the hoop house frame.
Meanwhile, Ryan goes through ever plant disbudding each stem.
Disbudding is a technique used primarily on mums to encourage the growth of a single, large flower per stem. By removing side buds, the plant focuses its energy on developing one big bloom.
The main bud at the top is left to grow.
Ryan and Pete are glad to get this all done before the temperatures drop.
Next, Pete drapes a special frost row cover over the frame and secures it. This Agribon cover is from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Frost covers provide varying degrees of protection depending on the thickness and grade.
There is plenty of room to develop and the plants are now well-blocked from any cold, strong winds and rain.
Pete uses the same zip ties to secure the cover all around the frame. These ties are easy to find at hardware shops and easy to use and remove when needed.
He also attaches it to the top bamboo cane, which will prevent it from blowing away.
Pete secures another bamboo cane at the bottom of one side to weigh down the cover and provide easy access to the plants.
This side can be raised or lowered as needed.
A few more ties makes the front neat and tidy.
It’s fine to leave the ends open as long as the plants have protection from the sides.
Here’s the view from one side. All three raised boxes are completely shielded. On warmer days, this cloth will also allow good air circulation.
And look, they’ll soon be blooming in beautiful bold colors. I can’t wait!
When living with horses, grooming and monitoring basic vital signs are essential to their care and wellness.
I currently have 12 equine residents - six Friesians, a Fell pony, and five donkeys. Caring for them is a huge responsibility, but it brings me great joy to see that they are happy and in the best possible health. Temperature, pulse, and respiration are three basic physiological parameters that can be monitored and recorded on a regular basis. My stable manager, Helen Peparo, records each animal's vital signs once a month.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I take very good care of all my horses. They are seen regularly by a veterinarian, an equine dentist, and the farrier. I also make sure they are well monitored in between check-ups – this means keeping track of their normal behaviors and vital signs.
Knowing what is usual behavior for a horse and taking a horse’s temperature, pulse, and respiration, or TPR, regularly can provide valuable information about its general state of well-being. It’s a quick and easy way to determine how the animal is feeling.
My horses are in great health and get ample exercise and mental stimulation every day.
Helen keeps a binder for each animal so she can record all the important health information in one place.
There is a page specifically meant to record TPR, which is done once a month for every horse, pony, and donkey. It is important to do this regularly to determine what is normal. At the bottom of this page, Helen indicates the normal ranges for horses.
This page is for any special medications – my horses are not on any.
On “TPR” day, Helen takes out the health binders and tools to check all the horses’ vitals.
First, each horse’s weight is taken. Equine weight tapes can be used to obtain an approximate weight by measuring the heart girth or barrel.
In order to take a horse’s heart rate, Helen stands on one side and places the drum of a stethoscope on the horse’s chest just under the elbow. Helen counts the number of full beats for 30-seconds then multiplies the number by two for the rate per minute. The normal pulse for an average sized adult horse is about 32.
Next, Helen stands a few feet away and watches the ribcage rising and falling. A cycle of one rise and one fall of the ribcage constitutes one breath. Helen multiplies the number of breaths the horse takes over 30 seconds and doubles the amount to obtain a respiration – the number of breaths per minute. The respiration rate for a horse at rest is around 12 to 15 breaths per minute.
She goes around the stable and also checks the donkeys. Truman “TJ” Junior is one of my male donkeys, also referred to as a “jack.” His heart rate is within the desired range.
Taking the temperature is another step in the TPR process. Helen uses a digital thermometer. His temperature is about 98 degrees Fahrenheit, which is well within the normal range for adult donkeys, horses, and ponies.
Helen checks TJ’s gums. Mucous membrane color can be a quick indicator of a horse’s health. The gums should be a pink to pale pink color and moist to the touch. To take his capillary refill time, or CRT, Helen lifts the donkey’s lips, presses a finger firmly against the gums, and then takes it away. She counts the number of seconds it takes for the color to return to the area. It should come back quickly – and TJ’s did.
After the male donkeys are done, it’s time to go next door to see the girls, or “jennies.” Billie and Jude “JJ” Junior are just in the stall next door. Donkeys are very attached to others in their herd, so it’s important to keep them close.
Here, their approximate weight is taken using the tape.
TJ watches from his stall gate. Donkeys are very curious.
And everything is documented right away in their assigned binders.
My horses are also groomed every day. Here’s my handsome Frisian, Geert, secured in the stable aisle ready for a thorough brushing.
This is Bond. Daily grooming not only keeps them clean and comfortable, but it is a good way to check on the horse’s general health and well-being, the health of the skin and coat, and any other possible abnormalities.
Here, Helen brushes the horses legs and feet. They are also wiped clean to feel for any bumps or lumps that may need special attention, as well as heat or swelling, which may indicate an injury. All of them are healthy and doing well.
It’s a lot to care for horses, donkeys, and a pony, but it’s also very rewarding to see them healthy and happy.
It's always fun to plant a new garden - especially when it includes lots of beautiful, fragrant flowers.
Remember all those bare-root roses I received from Star Roses and Plants last spring? After potting them up and caring for them all summer long, they're ready to finally transplant. I decided to plant them in a bed behind my main greenhouse not far from my raspberry bushes. This space was previously used for growing strawberries, and before that, garlic, but I moved both those crops to my large vegetable garden and thought this area would be excellent for growing these roses - all with gorgeous color, form, and fragrance.
Enjoy these photos.
Star Roses and Plants is a company of brands that focuses on breeding and introducing specimens offering longer-lasting, disease resistant blooms. All these bare-root roses arrived in a huge box last April. Healthy bare-roots get off to a more vigorous start because their abundant, fibrous roots have already had a chance to develop unrestricted.
Bare-roots often come in bundles. They come in groups of 10, 15, 25, or more. This bundle contains 25.
As soon as they arrive they are placed in trug buckets filled with water. When working with bare-roots it’s important to soak them for several hours or even overnight. Never let the roots dry out. These are in excellent condition – healthy, plump roots with no sign of mold or damage, and healthy canes with plump, reddish buds.
They were all organized in neat rows lined up by variety. Bare-root cuttings are difficult to identify when there are no leaves or flowers, so it is important to keep them separated by cultivar and always properly marked. They stayed here for five months until they developed well in their pots.
And this is what they looked like this weekend after I moved 64 of them and placed them carefully in the garden bed.
Varieties are grouped in two or four. Among them – Rasberry Cupcake, Beverly, Dee-lish, Romantica Ball Gown, Romantica Moonlight, Francis Meilland, Parfuma Earth Angel, Princesse Charlene de Monaco, Eleganza Wedding Bells, Liv Tyler, Sunbelt Savannah, Michelangelo, Parfuma Bliss, and Sweet Mademoiselle.
Hard to believe they grew so quickly from bare-root cuttings, but they look great.
This is Michelangelo. It has vibrant golden petals, deep green foliage, and a sweet lemony fragrance.
This rose is Romantica Ball Gown. It opens with more than 100 petals per blooms and has an intense rose scent.
And this one is Romantica Moonlight with large, light yellow flowers and disease resistant foliage.
And the digging begins – 64 holes, 32 on each side.
When planting, make sure the hole is slightly wider but equal in depth to the rose’s root ball. These holes are about 15 to 18 inches deep by 18 to 24 inches wide.
A handful of Miracle-Gro Organic All Purpose Plant Food is added to each hole.
This plant food is specially formulated to help grow stronger, vibrant, and more productive plants.
Pasang carefully removes a rose from its pot. Do this slowly, especially if the root ball is moist and crumbling.
Pasang teases the roots to stimulate growth.
And then places the rose into the designated hole and checks to see that it is at the same level as it was in the pot. The soil should be just under the graft.
Pasang also looks to see that the plant is straight and that its best side faces out. Lastly, he gently tamps the soil down around the plant to establish good contact.
Any surrounding soil is leveled and tidied with a hard rake.
The crew works fast – this day is unseasonably warm.
Ryan follows behind each planted rose and grooms it, pruning any dead blooms.
Newly planted and just given a generous watering – I think these roses will look so beautiful here. I am excited to see them grow and bloom in this space.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
