Trees at Winterberry Farm

While visiting my parents at Winterberry Farm in western Massachusetts, where we planted the garlic, I wandered around in the back forty. Songbirds flitted and chirped from fields and shrubby hedges as they searched for seeds and fruits. Frost coated the edges of fallen leaves.

Trees, now leafless, revealed their shape and seed, including more southern species that I rarely see in New Hampshire. See if you can identify these next four species of trees before I give away their identifications at the bottom of the post. Here is a little bit of information about each...

A tree with gray furrowed bark; 

a nut favored by humans and wildlife,

 is found inside a round husk that stains ones hand.

Note the stout twigs.

This is a scrappy tree, sometimes called an ash-leaved maple.

But what other common name does it go by?

This tree grows in my parents front yard; a tree that I grew up playing under and it still stands tall next to the honey locust tree just outside the front door. The leaves linger late into the fall and produce large leaves it does. I placed a large garlic clove on one such leaf to show proportion.

This next tree unfortunately is succumbing to a fungus canker across its range. But many lovely specimens still grow in my parents yard. Squirrels love the nuts. The sticky outer husks leave a mess in the yard and cause the lawn mower to spit out pieces in all directions. It is in the same family as the first species showcased.

Okay, so here is the tree list in order of their photos: black walnut, boxelder, catalpa, and butternut.

Garlic Planting 2013

We planted the garlic today at Winterberry Farm--500 cloves from the 2012 crop. 

My parents helped me. Dad had prepped the garden bed by discing and adding manure. Mom helped me break open the 100-plus garlic bulbs. Dad helped hoe the 4-inch deep rows, while Mom supervised as the QA/QC person. She thought the rows were slightly wavy, but otherwise a good planting. Did I mention that my Mom is 92 and my Dad is 91? They are awesome.

Here's a look at the five rows spaced 9 inches apart
and planted with 100 cloves each spaced 6 inches apart. 

And then covered with two inches of soil and finally about 4 inches of light straw. 

At the Beach

From October 1st to May 14th each year, non-residents have parking access to Seapoint and Crescent Beaches in Kittery, Maine. This is when we visit with our dogs; it is a popular beach for people with dogs. Today--a warm, clear blue-sky day--was Henna's first visit to a coastal beach since we adopted her last April 13th. She seemed intrigued by the smells and textures of seaweed and snails and other flotsam and jetsam on the beach. Kodi tried to engage her in play a few times, but she mostly wanted to comb the beach instead.

I tried to capture the sounds and textures of the beach

as the tidal waves rushed in and out across sand and stone.

On the walk back along the top of the steep pebbled beach, Kodi kept pace with Henna and Kodi eventually settled in to chew on a piece of driftwood.

The Life of a Leaf Blower

Steve Macone in the October 17th issue of The New Yorker online magazine has a short essay worth reading, especially if you are like me and despise leaf blowers.

Click on I am a Leaf Blower for the full story. Here is a brief excerpt:

"Do you have any idea how hard it used to be to pick up leaves, before I came along? Not very? Shut up. I exist."

Don't you think Kodi would be sad if we used a loud leaf blower instead of a rake....

Witchhazel Yellows

Beautiful fall days continue.

The yellow leaves of witchhazel light up the forest understory.

Moonrise

A nearly full moon rising, as seen from the Mitchell Field late this afternoon.

The temperature reached 73 degrees today. One of the nicest autumns in memory.

Lorax Landscaping

My friend Patty is owner and head gardener of Lorax Landscaping in Epping, New Hampshire. Patty and I both help out at New Roots Farm and I can attest to her skill in ecological landscaping and all things gardening. Check out her website and facebook page for inspiration and guidance in the garden.

Patty also sends out an occasional email with some great gardening tips. Here is one of my favorites that she sent this week:

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Dear Lorax friends & clients,

A few reminders as we head into fall:

• Water broadleaved evergreens -  Broadleaved plants keep their leaves in the winter (Rhododendron, Azalea, Andromeda, Holly, Boxwood) and continue to transpire.  To do well, they and need the soil to be moist through the winter.  We have had a very dry fall, so it would be beneficial to water your broad-leaved evergreens, even established shrubs, 1 inch a week, until the ground freezes. 
• Plant spring flowering bulbs and garlic now
• Prepare new beds for spring planting
• DON'T do a fall clean-up – see below

My blog entry from a year or so ago bears repeating…

Putting your Garden to Bed?

I am not a fan of late fall yard clean-ups.  The debris and leaves that accumulate in your yard in the fall are akin to a winter coat for your shrubs and perennials.  Cutting down your perennials and raking the leaves out of your garden beds is like your teenage daughter going to the bus-stop without a hat and coat so that she’ll look ‘cool’ and wont mess up her hair.

The leaves and debris provide a haven for good insects through the winter.  Uncut perennials allow better root and crown protection (they catch leaves and snow for their insulation), provide food and perches for birds and add winter landscape interest for you.

There are exceptions:

• Leaves on the lawn – rake or mow, shred and use as mulch in your gardens – if left on the lawn, and matted under the snow, they can kill the grass and/or encourage snow mold
• Plants that showed signs of disease – these should be cut back and disposed of properly
• Plants that reseed readily (if you don’t want them to spread) – deadhead after flowering throughout the season

If you are new to ecological landcare and/or still haven’t gotten used to what some consider the ‘unkept’ look of an unmanicured fall garden manage your transition by cutting perennials only to within 8 inches of the ground.

Happy Gardening,

Patty Laughlin, NHCLP, AOLCP

Manager/Head Gardener

Lorax Landscaping

Epping, NH

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The part I like is "don't do a fall clean-up" but instead leave the plants tall for insects and birds and for healthier plants. Here is my own somewhat unkempt winter garden habitat.

And here are still lovely perennials and annuals and shrubs in late fall colors in our yard.

New England aster with bumblebees moving slowly in mid-October

Nasturtiums

American hazel