Hemlock Soil

Downy rattlesnake plantain is ending its first year with us.  The texture and color of its leaves are obvious reasons for this purchase.  Up until a rabbit nipped of the flower stalk, this orchid had settled in to our shade garden nicely.  Of course we plan to buy more plants next spring and a wire cage will keep the rabbits away.  Three of each variety seems like an absolute minimum for a decent display.  We want this plant to thrive here and read that soil under hemlock trees promotes impressive growth.

We have hemlock trees growing in great numbers in our back woods.  Tools and containers were trucked close to where these trees have grown undisturbed for decades.  This dead tree has drawn the attention of at least one Pileated woodpecker.  The sound created with its drilling for food carries for a great distance.  We scooped up 20 gallons of suitable soil under several trees.  We mined in different locations to lessen the disturbance in any one place.  Kicking nearby soil into our holes left the area looking undisturbed by humans .

The area close to the Rattlesnake plantain was carefully filled with sifted forest soil.  At some distance away from the roots of the existing plant, excavation opened deeper areas for this rich acidic woods dirt.  If we can find more plants next spring, their new homes are now move in ready.

Close by is another plant that is described as a ground cover.  Bunchberry has never done much for us.  We manage to keep it alive for a year or two but it never expands to new ground.  Here again we read that this plant thrives under hemlock trees.  Our hemlock trees are far to remote to plant bunchberry under them but we can still bring proper soil to the desired location in our woodland garden.  Here again new plants will be purchased to see if we can approach growth that resembles a ground cover.  This having the soil ready before new plants are purchased feels like a responsible way to garden.  It is amazing just how long it has taken us to put this plan into action.  Even so we know that a new plant discovery will occur while we are buying the planned for  plants. 

Planting In The Rain

We are trying for the third time to find a successful location for Bunchberry.  Our first attempt resulted in a plant that barely held on while getting smaller each year.  Our second try featured bare root plants since our supplier located in the mid west could not ship plants in pots because of an invasion of jumping worms.  Those plants just died during their first year here.  This plant is by far the largest that we have ever seen.  If more than one plant had been in stock, we would have purchased three.  Perhaps when we return new stock will have arrived.  If not, we will go with just one plant.

Reading has given us additional information that might improve this plants chances of survival here.  We have no control over our elevation above sea level so this plant will have to adjust to where we are.  We can control the soil and this spot was filled with a mix of soil taken from under a Hemlock tree and a White Pine.  Poor acidic soil is reported to be where Bunchberry thrives in the wild.  A White Pine supplied the top mulch as shown by the cone.  This plant began to separate into pieces as the potting medium was rinsed clear but it was planted as a single unit.  Now we watch and wait hoping that the third time is the charm.

We were concerned about these Jack In The Pulpits.  Last year, following a generous set of bright red berries, something walked here and broke all of the plants.  The surface was littered with plant parts.  As is sometimes the case, worry was not warranted.  Eight beautiful plants have held their ground and are off to an impressive start this year.  Low temperatures and rain are in the forecast for the next several nights.  Perhaps the rain will offset the negative effects of cold air.  No seeds will follow if these plants experience frost.  This is intended to be a native plant garden growing as if they were in the wild so no protective cover will be in place.  Here again we will watch and wait.

Plant A Stump

It is amazing the extent of the ignorance that is my constant companion.  One would think that a well rotted stump could easily be removed from the ground.  That is not the case.  Tree roots remain in their natural surroundings after a tree dies.  Well suited for life underground, they remain solid long after death.  Earth moving equipment would be required to safely dig out even a small tree stump.  Several failed attempts taught  me this lesson.  One stump was removed from the ground so that it could be planted in our shade garden.

Why plant a stump is a natural question.  A friend has a Lady Slipper growing naturally next to a stump.  Despite a past encounter with a bulldozer, this plant returned after being missing for several years.  Her belief is that the stump added something to the soil that favored the growth of the plant.  Since my past attempts to plant Lady Slippers here ended in failure, I figured that a stump might support a successful plant move.  Becky spent part of Mother's Day at Catskill Native Nursery where she found a sizable clump of Yellow Lady's Slipper for sale.  One day later both the plant and the stump have found a new home.

Spring Beauties grow wild in our woods.  Their growth habit makes for a tricky move.  A pea sized corm supports the growth of a long thin underground stem that finally results in an above ground plant.  Any attempt to move this plant will likely break the slender hidden stem.  Lacking nutrients supplied by the leaves, the small corm will simply die.  Finding the corm as the plant is naturally winding down is almost as difficult as finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  This large old Spring Beauty is growing in a pot with a Smooth Solomon's Seal plant.  So far it looks like both plants have found a new home.  Over time the Spring Beauty will drop a generous load of seeds so this treasure may become common in our shade garden.

Six Jack In The Pulpits were moved from our garden near the house to the garden down by the road last fall.  The move was successful as numerous plants appeared this year in both locations.  Gloves are always worn while working in the garden so no skin irritation followed the move.

Young Sumac trees provide the shade for our new woodland garden.  They are short lived trees but their natural life span should be adequate for our needs here.  The stones visible in the picture have been moved  to this place from various different locations around our land.  Many of these rocks are too large to be moved by hand but so far luck and wisdom have prevented any injury.  The first stones placed can be seen between two of the tree trunks.  We were trying for a natural looking sloped surface to direct rainfall toward moisture loving plants.  The slanted surface works as planned but nature would never have placed three rocks in this configuration.  The other stones have been placed singularly but the natural appearance desired has yet to be found.  To improve appearance, more of the rocks need to be underground.  Tree roots make that task difficult and possibly dangerous to the life of the tree.  Our solution is to bring in our natural soil mix to raise the level of the ground.  Growing plants will add greatly to a more natural appearance.

Here shredded sifted leaves are providing the final touch for the new plants.  Each fall more leaves will be added to support the natural process that builds forest soil.  Plastic bags of fallen leaves are plainly visible in the background of some pictures.  We collect these in large numbers for use in all of our gardens.  Running them through the small mower creates a mulch less likely to blow onto the neighbor's lawn.  Natural decay is faster so the soil builds more quickly.  Speed is important as the difficulties of growing older make more frequent visits now.  Just today I stumbled while trying to stand and stepped on a Bunchberry  plant.  The newly emerging plant may survive the inadvertent stomp.  I watered it and apologized but that is simply how it is here now. 

October Tricks And Treats

The weather here in October always runs hot and cold. This year it has been so changeable that the plants are confused. These two bunchberry plants are the same age, planted right next to each other, but one is still green and the other has turned red.  It's the same with the trees. Some still have green leaves, some are beautiful fall colors and many are naked having completely dropped their leaves.

The day that our bulbs arrived in the mail the weather here was frigid. All morning we watched the white wall of snow squalls blow across the valley from the north .  So far at least, the ground was warm enough to melt it.  Finally in the afternoon the snow stopped. Ed braved the cold to plant some of the bulbs. Here he is planting purple dog toothed violets. We tried these before, but something ate the bulbs. There are several suspects to choose from including mice, chipmunks and a particularly guilty looking red squirrel. This time the bulbs are protected in a wire cage with a top buried just under the surface of the dirt. 

Most of the annuals in the garden are dead from the cold. There's lots of cleaning up to do in the garden. Sometimes though, other things push themselves to the top on our to do list. Ed loves to dig in the garden, but digging to expose a broken septic line on our 6 year old house doesn't hold quite the same appeal. Today was a beautiful day for digging. He will need more just like it to finish this job.