Garden Detective

If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em!

With weeding season in full swing, lots of folks -- myself included -- will be spending at least part of the holiday weekend cleaning out their garden beds. Instead of ditching those weeds, why not consider the activity a harvest and put those good-for-you greens to good use?

If you want to forage through your weeds for edibles, there are plenty of safe, nutritious greens growing in your backyard. Just be very careful about identifying them; mistaking lily of the valley for bear's garlic, for instance, could be lethal. Be sure to follow "Jessica's Rules for Consumption," below, and rinse all vegetation before indulging.

Last week, I pulled up some tender, young dandelion leaves from the backyard, gave 'em a good rinse and constructed a salad with them, adding sliced hard boiled eggs, olive oil, salt and pepper, just like Mama used to. So yummy!

Bon Appetit!

Click photo to enlarge	Weed (Latin name)	Edible part(s)	Uses
	Burdock (Arctium minus)	Roots, leaves	Add to soups and stews; Cooking with baking soda helps break down tough fibers
	Chickweed (stellaria media)	Leaves	Harvest before seeds form, add to salads
	Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)	Leaves and flowers	Add to salads, steam or sauté. Young flowers can be battered and fried.
	Lambs quarters (Chenopodium album)	Leaves and young shoots	Add to salads, cooked in place of spinach
	Plantain (Plantago major)	Young, tender leaves	Blanche, sauté
	Purslane (Portulaca olearacea)	Leaves, stems	Add to salads, Blanche, sauté
	Shepherd's purse (Capsella Bursa-pastoris)	Leaves	Peppery flavor. Blanche, sauté
	Wild violet (Viola papilionacea)	Leaves, flowers	Add to salads, dip in egg whites and coat with fine sugar

Jessica's Code of Consumption

• If you can't be absolutely certain you are correctly identifying the weed, pass it up. Better to have a smaller salad than to visit the emergency room - or worse.

• Never eat any part of a plant unless you are sure that the specific part is edible. Many plants, even some commonly consumed ones, have only one edible part. For instance, did you know tomato leaves are toxic?

• Unless specifically noted for use in salads, be sure to cook weeds.

• Avoid picking weeds that grow in an area where animal droppings are found.

• Do not eat weeds found growing in areas that have been treated with pesticides or herbicides.

• Don't pick weeds from the side of the road, where exhaust fumes from cars are readily absorbed into nearby plants.

• Unless you are a weed scientist, don't rely on yourself. Bring an illustrated reference book - like "Handbook of Edible Weeds," by James A. Duke (2000, CRC Press) on your hunt.

All photos are courtesy of Andy Senesac Ph.D., Weed Science Specialist,
Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk Co.

A reader from Oyster Bay Cove asks, "What is the correct size pot for growing little cherry tomatoes? "

You're wise to ask that question, as many people make assumptions that end up costing them dearly. Using a pot that's too small could result in a root-bound and unhealthy plant. Likewise, a too-large container could hold too much water and lead to root rot. Neither scenario will yield many tomatoes.

My personal preference for growing tomatoes in containers these days is the EarthBox (photo above.) I saw them at Hicks Nurseries in Westbury recently, but they're pretty widely available in local garden centers and online. You can buy the optional trellis system for your tomatoes to climb on and you'll probably get a much larger harvest than if you planted them in the ground. You'll never need to worry about weeding, over- or under-watering or feeding. On the downside, the box is pricey, and you can only put two plants in each box.

If you'd prefer a standard container, get one that holds at least five gallons of soil (a 5-gallon paint bucket would work nicely) and don't forget to poke or drill holes in the bottom for drainage and provide something for the plants to climb on. Fill the container with good-quality potting soil and place only one plant in each pot.

Tomato plants require calcium, and some people swear by placing a whole egg in the soil under the plant. Others crush up egg shells and mix them in with the soil. The plants will benefit similarly by an occasional watering with water in which you’ve boiled eggs. Any of these methods will help prevent blossom end rot.

Be sure to check moisture levels diligently, as potted plants require more frequent watering than their garden-planted counterparts, and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer (one with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) when the plants are a month old and then regularly after they’ve set fruit. To avoid over-feeding, fertilize at half the strength recommended on the package instructions, and do it twice as often. Over fertilizing could result in big, beautiful foliage but an unimpressive crop.

Place your pots in a bright, sunny spot and in no time you'll be enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Lots of people -- and until recently I counted myself among them -- are simply baffled by hydrangeas.

The most common type -- mopheads (above) -- are gorgeous shrubs that sport pompon blooms of white or varying shades of pink or blue. Lacecaps (below) are more delicate in appearance. Oftentimes, one purchases a pink variety, only to plant it in the home garden and watch it bloom blue, or vice-versa. How could such a thing happen?

Turns out, its all in the soil. If your rose-themed garden puts out blue hydrangeas, you needn't settle. Changing the pH of your soil -- and as a consequence, the color of your hydrangeas -- is indeed possible. Since outside factors (like nearby concrete walkways that leech lime) can alter your soil's pH, and because soil amendments must be continually added in order to maintain the ideal pH for the color blooms you desire, this is most easily done if your plants are in a soil-less potting medium (like Pro Mix) and in containers . But it can be done -- with perseverance -- in a garden bed.

Soil must be alkaline in order for hydrangeas to bloom pink and acidic to bloom blue. (pH testing kits can be purchased at most garden center or big box stores. Or you can dig up a small sample and bring it to your county's cooperative extension office for advice.)

To make your soil more alkaline -- and your hydrangea bloom more pink -- you need to add dolomite or lime several times a year in order to achieve and maintain a pH of 6.0 - 6.2. Feeding with a fertilizer that's high in phosphorus also would be effective, as phosphorus blocks the uptake of aluminum, which makes the flowers turn blue.

Increasing acidity will lower the pH of soil and result in blue or purple flowers. Shoot for the 5.2 - 5.5 range. This can be done by increasing aluminum in the soil by adding coffee grounds, compost or aluminum sulfate. If using the latter, read and follow package instructions carefully to avoid burning the roots. Also be sure to water the plants thoroughly before applying. Speaking of water, if you can't seem to get blue flowers, have your water tested. It shouldn't have a pH higher than 5.6.

The process isn't a one-shot deal, and unless you're growing hydrangeas in pots, must be repeated diligently to maintain the desired bloom color. White blooms, on the other hand, can never be altered.

AngelMist® Basket Pink Angelonia. Sometimes called “angel flower” or “summer snapdragon,” loves full sun and thrives in well-drained soil. The frothy blooms, set amidst spike-like leaves, perform all summer long and look great in containers. Plant in full sun. Grows 6 to 10 inches tall, spreads 16 to 20 inches.

I'm hearing a lot about container gardening these past few weeks, and not just because the outdoor gardening season is underway. It seems it's a hot, new trend. And not just for geraniums, either. More and more people, whether they're cramped for space or not, are turning to containers for everything from annuals to ornamental grasses to climbing vines to vegetables.

While containers certainly can spruce up a porch or patio, they also can ready a deck for entertaining and make a dramatic impact on curb appeal.

My recent favorite container is the EarthBox. Though I'll never give up my small vegetable patch, I've developed an affinity for trellised tomatoes on the deck outside my kitchen door. They never need weeding, get just the right amount of fertilizer, and watering is never a concern. Plus, it's a cool conversation piece.

Another favorite edible I prefer to grow in containers is mint. I'm a big fan of the summertime Mojito -- that refreshing blend of simple syrup, seltzer, rum and fresh mint leaves. The problem with mint, though, is that if you plant it in the ground it takes over the garden. Last year, I tried burying a pot planted with mint in the garden, hoping to contain it. No such luck. The invasive herb not only found its way out, it survived the winter and has now begun creeping up throughout a twenty-foot area.

Live Wire Isolepis Fire Optic, a new grass available this spring, which starts out growing upright, then drapes as it matures. Plant in a sunny to partly sunny location, performs well in wet conditions. Grows 6 to 8 inches tall, with an 18-20 inch spread.

In the past, the most commonly seen ready-to-purchase potted arrangement consisted of geraniums or petunias planted around a spike of one sort or another with maybe some trailing ivy mixed in. I've seen enough potted black and deep purple ornamental grasses combined with colorful annuals in garden centers this year to rival the status quo. And why not? Pretty much anything goes in containers, and you're limited only by your creativity.

Just a couple of tips to keep in mind for successful containers:

When selecting plants, be sure to consider their sunlight and water requirements and only group simpatico plants together.

While some of your garden-planted annuals and perennials might survive nicely on rain water alone, contained plants will not. Remember to water often -- even twice a day during the height of summer. And remember that clay pots, which are porous, will dry out faster than their plastic counterparts. Likewise, small containers will require more frequent watering.