Winter Lights in the Woods... Marcesence

         

        I have roamed the property we live on for over 60 years, walking, running, riding horses and yes even trail bikes. All five of my siblings and myself, helped my grandfather, father and mother, craft the trails around the lake. We were allowed to roam free, to skip rocks in the lake, swing on hanging vines and climb trees. Consequently, this interaction with nature instilled in myself and all my family members a deep love and respect for our woods. 

        Perhaps that is why I was so taken back when I begin to notice, the leaves that were not falling off the trees in the fall. I had never noticed this before but I am betting it has been going on a very long time. It  became very clear that this was definitely a deliberate act of nature. A quick google search and voila, it is termed ,"Marcescence"

        Here is a definition that I found for this phenomenon of nature. "Marcescence is where the tree retains dead leaves on its branches, which can be a protective mechanism against harsh winter conditions."

        There appears to be three main theories why these trees participate in this seasonal practice.

#1. By keeping the dead leaves on the branches, the young emerging buds are protected from browsing herbivores such as deer. Since deer are plentiful in my neck of the woods, that could easily explain the abundance of marcesencing trees. 

#2  Another thought is that the steadfast leaves protect the buds from harsh drying winds of winter. Often they grab and trap the snow and provide  much needed moisture for the tree's winter nutrients.

#3  Lastly. many believe that the tree saves the leaves and drops them in the spring where they provide a nice compost rich in nutrients at the base of the tree. Giving this trees a head start start on emerging and growing in the spring.

    I have several theories of my own...

#1 I wonder if the tree is just trying to help and protect any little insect or creature that could be potentially nesting over overwintering in the leaves. Certainly high up on a tree is safer than the ground during the harsh winter months Then conveniently the tree drops the leaves in the spring so the emerging insect can begin their new life.

#2 The deer, turkey, foxes, coyotes, and bobcats are are so easy to spot in a naked woods. So perhaps the trees are trying to help their nature friends by providing rustling noises as the hunters and other predators as they sneak thru the woods. 

 #3 Lastly, perhaps the golden light these shimmering trees project is to help keep forest lovers, like myself happy even in the the dead of winter. I smile when I see the lone beech proudly displaying its golden leaves while all its neighboring trees branches are bare. Sometimes it is fun to be a show-off. 

    Oakes and Beeches seem to be the trees that predominantly display this curious pattern in my woods. What ever the reason, I love it and it gives me "sunshine when the skies are gray."

    Thank you Mother Nature for your wisdom, no.matter what the reason. 

        

Yucca and The Yucca Moth in Brown County Indiana

 

        The past four years of gardening here at the lake have included many hours of intense, invasive plant removal. Between the Stilt Grass, the Bittersweet, the Russian and Autumn Olive, and brambles, it has seemed like an all out war. 

        The amazing thing is, as I remove these bad guys, the native wildflowers appear like magic. It is as if they are thanking me for giving them back their land and growing space. One of the best examples has been a large patch of Trilliums that was hidden under a massive amount of brambles. 

        Just a few days a go, I was standing on the pavilion down by the lake looking out over an area that has been the site of a massive clean up. This area along the lake was so overgrown that we could hardly walk along the edge. We wanted an area for the kids to stand on the shore and skip rocks and fish as I had done as a youngster. We have a wonderful little outcropping with three very large rocks that the kids love so play on and it had been invaded by weeds. But now all that area is clean.

                                                                                            

        This was three years ago and we still have to battle the young sprouts of Autumn Olive and bittersweet every spring. Thus my plans of seeding wild flowers and bulbs in this area has not yet come to fruition. 

       However, sometimes things work out for the best and this is the case for this area. We are able to control the invasive plants and the grassy area (this is a loose term as it is mostly Ajuga, Pussy-toes, and wild grasses) allows us to pick up the luscious droppings from the prolific persimmon tree. Plus, it has provided a wonderful space for the kids to run and play by the lake. Then again as if by magic I began to   notice the  overabundance of Yucca. It always amazes me that one little change can cause you to see a whole scene differently and notice what has always been there. 

        Yucca is everywhere on this property. All amongst the trees by the lake, in the center wild flower garden, down by the property by the highway. I got on a website that stated that the only Yucca found in Indiana has been in Johnson CO., one county over.  However, in recent years it has been used more by the nursery trade for landscape plantings.

         But why is it all over this property? This question sent me in to a deep deep dive on Yucca. 

        Yucca is not a native to Indiana.Wikipedia states that Yucca is native to the Southeastern United States. But also states that it has adapted to an "equally vast range of climate and ecological conditions". Obviously it enjoys my little piece of Brown County, Indiana.

        My mind instantly was sent back to the many camping trips we took out west and in every state, except Alaska, Hawaii and North Dakota. All six kids, plus grandma Goldie, in a wood sided station wagon. They were memorable  trips to say the least. The stuff crazy movies about vacations are made from, right?  I fondly remember my father trying to pick up a Teddy Bear Cactus to bring home. Yeah, that did not go well and ended up in an emergency room run. So perhaps the Teddy Bear Cactus was not the only bit of vegetation he attempted to nap.

        Therefore that is my story and explanation as to the Yucca invasion at the Lake. I am sticking to it as I surmise that the Yucca was quite possibly snagged on one of our Stoner Family Adventures. Dad truly loved the southwest and all it's vegetation. 

        However they got here, they are thriving. Plus they look amazing growing in the brown county stone rocks along the lake and all the other areas that they seem to love. During the summer the plant sends out long stocks that reach up into the air with beautiful white blooms, which are accompanied with a very subtle scent. 

        This shrub stays evergreen during the winter and prefers full sun. It is considered a drought-tolerant plant and by some accounts, once established can live for over 20 years.  Well, I am sure more than a few of these yuccas have been here for over 20 years, since this property has been in my family for over 60 years and I was in grade school during many of our adventures out west. 

        During this deep dive, I discovered a very interesting fact of nature.  It turns out that Yucca has a mutualistic relationship with a moth. The Yucca Moth. One can not exist with our the other. Somehow they have managed to follow the Yucca and it has moved outside its range.  It is very fascinating story, and too detailed for me to try and summarize for this blog. I have attached the links to two separate articles that share information detailing this fascinating relationship. 

 YUCCA MOTHS( Tegeticula sp.)            

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/yucca_moths.shtml        

YUCCA MOTHS 

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Yucca-Moths

        

        In the spring, I will look for this moth. and pass along any pictures. I am sure it is here as the Yucca is a mainstay in my landscape.  Thanks Dad. 

         

Pansies and Violas ....in my Heart and Seed Trays

 

        If you read my last post on instagram, you understand already my obsession with pansies. But just in case you missed it, I am going to reiterate. 

        For years, my mother and I would race to see who could find pansies first. This competition took place not only in the spring but also in the fall. After I moved from Indiana, mom would journey to Kentucky or vice versa and I would take her around to all the wealth of garden centers to locate our gems. 

        My mom lived to be 96, so in her golden ages I would just bring her pots of pansies. Each time remembering with love the numerous trips to the nurseries, literally filling the back of my jeep with out beloved flowers. She would gleefully take them to her table at lunch or pick a bunch to give to a friend or just smile and gently stroke the petals. 

        Not sure how this all got started, perhaps it was the fact that she was a Tri-Delta in college and I was a Theta, for both sororities pansies were the flower symbol. A pansies symbolizes thoughtfulness and its mini-version, violas stand for many deep emotions such as love and faithfulness. Somehow, they just seem the perfect bonding flowers to send us out each spring and fall on fun scavenger hunts. 

        Pansies do not like hot summers, however they make perfect compliments to other early spring flowers. I can stretch the growing time frame of the Violas by removing them from sunny growing spots and placing them in the shade. Often times they would surprise me by popping up in unsuspecting places. Thus successfully earning its nickname.. "Johnny-Jump Ups ". 

        For me, it is the beautiful smiling faces of the flowers, the sweet scent and the fact that I can dry the flowers heads. I am fascinated by the fact that they just shrink up to make little pansy and viola buttons.  This are great for sending in envelopes to friends and loved ones. 

        I found an anonymous quote that labeled them as "three faces under one hood". Some research states  that Violas are also called "Hearts Ease", which is just perfect for me because that is how they make me feel.

        Moving back to Indiana has caused my mind to be flooded with all these memories. I have ignited the spark within my heart to have a wealth of these beauties flooding my pots and gardens in the spring and fall.

        Consequently I am trying several different techniques to grow pansies and violas. 

#1 The pansies I had in my pots from a fall purchase were still barely hanging in there. So I have placed them in a makeshift winter greenhouse to hopefully allow them to reiamerge in the spring. (This one I fill is rather iffy.) 

#2 I have Winter Sowed several different varieties of Violas and Pansies. This method worked for me last year, but they were slow to develop. I fear that I may have waited too long to start this process. 

#3 I am also starting some seed on my seed growing station.  I read several good articles about starting pansies seedlings and I am following the advice of someone I respect and employing the technique of covering the seeds just until they germinate. Supposedly they need darkness to germinate. After all my spring seed starting is over, I will plant some seeds for the fall. 

    Lastly, I now know of several great places in close proximity to me to purchase pansies. They always have many different varieties but I an always draw to the very traditional ones that my mom and I used to seek out. 

    All this pansy and viola talk has made my "Heart at Ease."... Now  the next time I am in Atlanta, I need to get my daughter and granddaughter on board this  "Pansy Tradition Train".

WINTER SOWING AND NATIVE SEED SOWING

    

         A year ago, almost to the day, I wrote a blog about Winter Sowing. It does not surprise me that I crafted that article, because I love this method of starting seeds. Stroll down several blogs to see last years detailed blog). There were just a few changes, I made this year and I feel they will enhance the process. So I am expecting excellent results. 

        Listed below are the problems that required attention with the solutions I made to my traditional Winter Sowing method.

#1. Over the past couple years, I have occasionally had an issue with  the drainage holes. In some incidences, I did not have enough holes so the plants were not able to enjoy the natural rainfall. Also the lack of good drainage holes caused the existing ones to clog up. Which in a few of the containers resulted in mold on the soil. 

**SOLUTION 

    Upon listening to my A Way To Garden Club  Ken Druse explained how he heated up the tip of a large nail by using his gas stove. Resulting in an easy tool to go right thru the plastic jugs.  Well, I don't have a gas range, but my husband suggested his soldering gun. (Last year he hand drilled each jug for me)  Much to his delight it worked perfectly and he did not have to help me at all.

#2. Labeling is always an issue. Although I have gotten much better, I doubled down and labeled two. places and made a chart.  Last year I thought I was good but my cat, visiting squirresl and even annoying  raccoons decided to pull out the tags and actually knocked over the lighter weight containers. Causing chaos and confusion on IDing some of the seedlings. 

**SOLUTION

   This year I double labeled each container. I did not use the lighter weight salad containers and will try to redirect marauding critters. My dog Maggie spends more time on the porch and loves nothing better than to chase and bark at anything that moves. 

#3 Some of my containers were under the eve of the house. I had them up against the house because it can get very windy on the deck where they were growing. Consequently, they did not get adequate water. This resulted in a couple of the containers having low germination rates. 

**SOLUTION   

    I moved the shelving system closer to the railing and spread them out, thus allowing all the jugs to have equal opportunity to enjoy natural rainfall. As I mentioned, having my dog Maggie out on the porch with me is a great deterrent for critters domestic or wild. Plus I intend to be more alert to such shenanigans 

 "WILD SEED PROJECT" 

        Having listened to many webinars and podcast on sowing native seeds. I decided to give it a try. There are many great sources online for obtaining Native Seeds. Prairie Moon Seed Company, American Meadows and Eden Seeds are a few of the many great catalogues.  

        I particularly enjoy the website wildseedproject.net  They have excellent information and clear directions thru videos and text.  Although Maine is not local to Indiana, they have a reasonable selection of natives that I am very familiar with in Indiana. 

        Upon arrival of the seeds, I placed them in the refrigerator, as advised, until I was ready to sow. Yesterday I pulled out all my supplies and set to work. 

        Using four inch recycled plastic pots, I filled them with a good organic potting soil and then snuggled them into a plant tray. Then I lightly sowed the seeds making sure as directed to cover them with a light layer of sand. Labeled each pot and then water them carefully. 

        In both the podcast I watched on A Way To Garden garden club and the written directions, it was emphasized the importance of critter and bird protection. So I again followed Ken Druse's suggestion and took another plant tray(which had a hole of holes in it) and secured it on top. 

        The tray rests very comfortable and safe on my Winter Sowing station. I am very excited for the masses of all these amazing plants this method will provide. 

   

 

 

NEW YEAR...NEW RESOLUTIONS

  

      For the last year and a half, I have been blogging in my head at night. I just have not had the spirit to put pin to paper. So I am back-tracking here to bring things forward and then proceed onward. 

     I loved my life in Kentucky, my gardens, my garden friends and especially my house. But it was time for a change. I was overwhelmed with trying to maintain gardens but not really gardening. 

     So we moved. This property we purchased had been in our family for over 60 years. My parents bought land in Brown County Indiana to get their six kids out into the country and out of the big city."Columbus'   

    Thank you Mom and Dad. 

    All of us loved this property and it was Mom and Dad's dream to have all of us have houses around the lake and spend summers together. Well that was not going to work. So one day Randy and I came to the realization that it was time for a change and Brown County Indiana was calling us home. 

    As a result of that revelation we bought this amazing property and have not looked back since that lifechanging decision was made. It took us about 3 years to move up here. Specfically I was really struggling with letting go. Again I loved my house in Kentucky, my garden friends and life. It took me a while to realize that letting go was a positive way to move forward to our next life adventure. 

    A very ambitious wonderful women bought our house in Kentucky. She has elevated it to a new high and loves the and the flowers left behind. She even has bee hives. So my beloved old house is in loving hands. 

    Flash forward to January 2025.... we have been here for almost four years and  have owned it for six years. Life is different, more challenging in an excellent way.  Gardening here is so unique. It centers around projects done, such as ridding the land of invasive that have taken control. Then prepping these areas and reintroducing native plants. Plus the wildlife I love, is a constant challenge. Striking a balance between good and evil can be hard. But I am anxious to share these stories. 

    When we first moved here I tried to plant over the invasive plants. Of course that does not work. So I backed off and have been clearing the land bit by bit. It is working slowly. Inch by Inch I will make this garden grow and nature and native plants thrive. 

    I have learned so much over the past six years and feel I am a much better gardener. I love being immersed in nature, gardening and wildlife. I am thrilled to spend some time each day with my hands in the dirt, with my heart and soul totally dedicated to this property and our new life. 

    We have had great adventures exploring the USA and beyond. Always looking for gardens and nature to explore. Spending so much time really slowing down and enjoying family and friends.  Life is good 

 

   So come along with me and enjoy while together we explore all aspects of gardening, nature, family, friends and travel. 

  

        

    

Flying through Nature (Air boat Tour on Lake Garcia)

     The contrast of the angry skies, the bright green lilies and the grasses were so spellbinding. Read on to fully grasp the allure of this amazing adventure...

        

    Last Monday while visiting some friends in Vero Beach, we had the grand opportunity to take an Air Boat ride on Lake Garcia in the Blue Cypress State Conservation Area. When our kids were younger, we went on an Air Boat Ride in the Everglades. Quite honestly, I do not remember much about the ride other than it was fast. This trip I will remember for a long time! 

    First, I want to establish where this adventure took place. Lake Garcia is part of the Upper St Johns River Basin Project. The list of the environmental benefits of this area are numerous, please visit sjrwmd.com for all the details or google Lake Garcia Fla. It is approximately 3,149 sq acres in size  Kudos to the State of Florida for maintaining the waterways and for caring about the native wild life, flora and fauna.

    I was immediately worried that these fast boats zipping in and out of the lilies, cattails and grasses would destroy what looked like to me to be a fragile eco-system. I was quite taken with the Spatterdock, which is a species of Pond-lilly. Also referred to as Large yellow pond Lilly, Broadleaf pond-lily, or Cow Lily. (Nuphar advena) I loved their yellow, bud like blossoms. My worries were quickly put to rest when Captain John mentioned many his patrons had expressed concern about the boats destroying the plants. But no, the boats are Air Boats, a technology that I do not understand, but they literally glide over the water, plants and all. Indeed as I looked back over our path the lilies were still smiling. 

    Our ride was a private tour (there were 8 of us) with the Stumpknocker Group (stumpknocker.com).The Captain and owner of this boat was Captain John Smith. Of course, I loved this naturalist who grew up near this spot and was obviously connected with the area. His knowledge and subtle humor immediately put us at ease (we did have a few who were concerned about the closeness of the gators) Captain John made sure we had a great experience. His knowledge  allowed us to peek into the hidden nature, including over 20 alligators.  

    In closing I would highly recommend this adventure. We saw too many alligators to count, right next to us. Yes, we were warned to keep our hands in the boat over and over. These guys move fast and they were close. (The gator mug shots were not zoomed in rather right next to our boat)  Osprey, one of my favorite birds were abundant. Some that had been mating and growing family together for 17 years. Plus so many other beautiful birds. 

    Osprey Nest that had been there for many year silhouetted the panorama. They were so many Bald Blue Cypress trees of which many were filled with life long Osprey Nesting Pairs.

    Can you find the bird in this photo below?  Nature is hiding her well. She does have gators lurking all around her. 

    So if you are near Vero Beach and need a break from the beautiful beaches and glorious sunshine...look up Captain John. You won't regret it. 

WINTER SOWING

    

If you are feeling garden withdrawal and sadness due to not being able to get your hands in the soil in January, here is the answer:  Winter Sowing. 

Winter Sowing has been such an enjoyable and successful way for me to start multiple plants. I love this easy and prolific way to garden in the dead of winter. 

I have successfully done this for over five years. This method seems to work best with perennials seeds that need stratification, which includes many natives. Winter Sowing mimics natures way of reproducing plants. 

Winter Sowing was a great boost for me when we first moved  to Indiana. I started milkweed and many other natives  and had a bountiful harvest. It allowed me to start establishing  pollinators gardens early on in my garden planning. 

This year, I have winter sowed a variety of herbs, perennials and veggies. They are happily sitting on our back porch enjoying the snow, rain and cold air of an Indiana winter. I love that I use recycled containers and do not have to baby these guys. 

Previously I have written two articles on my blog on Winter Sowing. I went into  great detail about the process of Winter Sowing. I am not going to go over it again but if you go on my blog and enter Winter Sowing it will pull the blogs up for you to enjoy.  In addition, if you google Winter Sowing, there is an abundance of information on the Internet. I also have really enjoyed the Facebook groups on this subject. Or please feel free to ask me any questions. I am so happy to share my experiences.

I can not encourage you enough to try this fun, effortless and fruitful way to sow so many seeds. It is just one step in my seed starting, but by far the easiest. In addition, I will still begin many more seeds the traditional way starting in about a month. 

Growing my veggies, herbs, annuals and perennials from seeds is so rewarding and I am loving this learning adventure. One of my favorite podcast and websites: Joe the Gardener has so much information plus many classes line to help anyone interested in seed starting. 

If I had to say what is the most important step with Winter Sowing,  however, I would emphatically state; label, label and label again. Plus make sure you have great drainage in what ever containers you use to start the seeds. Thankfully, my husbands commands his knife and does all the hole poking and cutting for me.

Here is the list of seeds I have sowed for my 2024 garden. Now I will rest up until the first of March to start sowing seeds inside, at my growing stations. The hard part is going to to be staying away from the temptations of the seed catalogues and ordering more seeds. Believe me I do not need more, I have more than enough. But does anyone ever have enough seeds? 

What I am Winter Sowing for the 2024 Garden

HERBS ( I have promised several friends, I would help them establish Herb Gardens. So I wanted to make sure I would have plenty to share) 

Chives (common)

Parsley (Tripe Curled)

Parsley (Plain or single Italian)

Parsley (Moss Curled)

True Greek Oregano

Rosemary

Sage (Broadleaf)

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Thyme English (Thymus vulgaris)

Fennel Finocchio (Foeniculum volgare var. Azoricua)

VEGETABLES

Creme Brûlée F1 Onions (2)

Bunching Onions (Flavor King)

Onion (Red Burgundy)

Broccoli Seeds (Calabrese)

FLOWERS

Pansy (Swiss Giant Blend)

Pansy (Got the Blues) 

Violas (Cool Summer Breeze)

Butterfly Snapdragons(Chantilly)

Snapdragons (Doubleshot orange bicolor)

Blackberry Lillies (collected seeds)

Hardy Hibiscus (collected seeds)

False Indigo Baptisma( collected seeds) 3 containers

Calendula - Pacific Beauty

Sweet Peas (Sweet Dreams)