Santa Fe Master Gardener Newsletter

November 2014 Vol. 4 No. 11
Santa Fe
Master Gardener Newsletter
Arrangement includes ornamental kale, salt cedar, Smoke Tree, Plumed Celosia, rose hips, fern tree, Echinacea, yellow peppers, and pomegranates, plus store-bought California roses and kangaroo paws.
Giving Thanks to Your Fall Garden
Carole Langrall
It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner which means Old Man Winter is getting closer. As our gardens are put to bed, we are now entering the next seasonal phase where everything goes
dormant until the spring. However, fall in the high desert can be tricky. Warm temperatures can pop up and
late bloom cycles can yield the most unexpected surprises, giving us another chance to enjoy the living
beauty.
But even if the cold is here to stay, gardens will always amaze us, especially if we planned them right. A
four-season garden is possible, even in Santa Fe. And what is wonderful about this time of year is what
can be foraged and used for interior décor for that special holiday where families come together to give
thanks.
cont. on page 2
Thanksgiving is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year with menus and décor being
planned
as soon
as the leaves
start •toSanta
change.
Gardeners
particularly
COOPERATIVE
EXTENSION
SERVICE
Fe County
Extension
Office relish this time, espeCollege
of Agricultural,
ConsumerThere
& Environmental
cially
those
who plant produce.
is nothing Sciences
better than harvesting, canning, preserving,
3229 Rodeo Road • Santa Fe, NM 87507 • Phone: 505.471.4711 • Fax: 505.471.6076 • www.sfmga.org
In This Issue
Giving Thanks to Your Fall Garden—cont. from page 1
and freezing the fruits of your labor to be able to use in the off-season. Unfortunately, this can be harder for those wanting to create
a natural floral arrangement from their garden. We can’t cut and
freeze flowers. But there are options, even after the growing season, that you can still use to “wow” your guests.
Preserving flowers through drying is a great way to be able to
appreciate your garden in the fall and winter. Dried flowers can be
used for many purposes such as pressing and creating decorative
designs. There are a lot of Southwest flowers that dry well including sunflowers, larkspurs, statice, Celosia (plumed or crested),
marigolds, yarrow, lavender, roses, amaranth, thistles, Echinacea
(pods), lamb’s ear, horsetail, millet, poppy pods, strawflower, and
various grasses.
Berries are an excellent seasonal accent that will give your arrangement that authentic edge, as are rose hips. Even chili peppers, garlic bulbs, dried crabapples, ornamental kale and other late blooming
fruits and veggies can be used. Branches, leaves and evergreens
such as red dogwood, mountain ash, pyracantha, ivy, cypress, various pines and Smoke Tree are just a few elements that add depth
and texture to centerpieces.
Even though your garden may seem barren, it is actually alive with
choices that can be used in ways you may not have envisioned.
Be creative; try shifting your perspective and you’ll find all sorts of
treasures both living and dead that can be re-purposed. You can
design a holiday arrangement that is as bountiful as the meal. The
abundance is only limited by your imagination. Giving thanks is
always in season.
Giving Thanks to Your
Fall Garden1
Message From the President 3
Cactus Garden Discovery
4
Our Autumn Aspen
5
2015 Membership Classes 7
Wild Tulips8
The Garden at El Zaguán
10
A Guide to the Flowering
Plants of New Mexico
12
November Membership
Report
13
Gem From the Web
14
Calendar
14
Editor-Laurie McGrath
Art Director-Jannine Cabossel
Photo: C. A. Langrall
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Message From the President
Master Gardeners are volunteers. We volunteer when we are
at Ask a Master Gardener (AAMG) tables or pruning roses
at Cornell Rose Garden. What often goes unnoticed are the
hundreds of behind-the-scenes volunteer hours that go into
creating those volunteer work days, the continuing education
events, newsletter, and lovely website.
At our Potluck on October 5 we honored all of our Project
Leaders—listed below—but I also wanted to acknowledge
some of our other “hidden” workers. Did you know for instance
that there is actually a person who has volunteered to cull calendars looking for Continuing
Education hours? Another person that approves those CEs? Yet another volunteer who sends
those CE Eblasts? And finally, someone who posts them on our website? That is just one example from all the many hours
that are put into making SFMGA
the vital organization that it has
become.
Thank you to each and every
one of you who worked to make
this such a fun, productive, and
educational year.
Project Coordinators: Joy Mandelbaum, Ellen Snyder
Ask a Master Gardener: Bev Atkins, Jody Pugh
EldoradoPat Bell
Newman’s Nursery Tom Church, Jaye Dawson
Payne’s North
Karen Fiedler, Victoria Jacobson
Payne’s South
Jen Black
Railyard
Barb Lang, Steve Schmelling, Susie Sonflieth
AAMG online:
Helena van Heiningen
Audubon Wildlife Chris Durlak, Ann Farber, Joy Mandelbaum, Cristy Marchand,
Susie Sonflieth
Cactus Garden:
Jill Foster
cont. on page 4
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Message From the President—cont. from page 3
Composting (SCAT):
Deb Farson, Madeline Pryor
Cornell Rose Garden:
Karen Armijo, Mary Gail Pitcher
Eblasts:Flicka Brooke-Slade
EK™ Rose Field Trial:
Bev Adkins, Sandy Shaw
Garden at El Zaguan:
Janet Hirons Lissa Johnson, Nyla Rasmussen
Garden Fair:Bob Zimmerman
Gonzales School:Sheila Keleher
Herb Garden:
Linda Lonsdale, Carole Owens
Hospitality:Helena van Heiningen
Intern classes: Libby Sternberg; Anne Armijo, Mary Bake-Butler,
Flicka Brooke-Slade, Chris Durlak, Steven Fellows,
Malissa Haslam, Jim Lodes, Linda Lonsdale,
Roberta Moore, Kate Oldroyd, Cherry Payne, Jim Roghair
Kitchen Garden Tour:
Diane Pratt
KSFR/The Garden Journal: Laurie McGrath, Bob Zimmerman
Newsletter:
Jannine Cabossel, Laurie McGrath
Publicity:
Linda Kluck, Jody Pugh, Sandy Shaw, Dow Suhre
SF Botanical Garden:
Peggy Rudberg, Carl Troy
Sign Up Genius:Bev Adkins
Website:
Cindy Fry, Lisa Pendrys, Lee Thompson
Xeric Demo Garden:
Mimi Hoffman, Carol Rose
Cactus Garden Discovery
Jill Foster
Volunteers at the Master Gardener’s Cactus
Demo Garden noticed that one of our varieties
re-blooms after a good rain. It is Coryphantha
sulcata, the Pineapple Pincushion. It is small 3 inches high by 6 inches wide.
It should have green seedpods all winter and,
while they are edible, we will try to harvest the
seeds and start more of these delightful little
cacti. That is if we can beat the ants to the
seeds.
Ours flowered three times this summer, each
time after a good rain. The last flowering was
mid-August which is quite late for cactus.
Photo: Jill Foster
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Our Autumn Aspen
Peggy Rudberg
Santa Fe was given quite a show this year as a great swath of gold spread across the hillsides
of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These groves of Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) are
a result of monumental fires that ranged through the Sangres from New Mexico to Colorado in
the 1890’s.
Aspens are an early successional species. Successional species are plants that colonize an
area that has undergone disturbance by man or nature. More time than 120 years may be
needed to determine whether conifers will reclaim the forest. Right now the aspen groves still
seem to be regenerating.
The Quaking Aspen is the most widely distributed deciduous tree native to North America but it
is most abundant between 5,000 and 12,000 feet. At our latitude in New Mexico it thrives from
about 8,000 to 11,000 feet.
cont. on page 6
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Our Autumn Aspen—cont. from page 5
Aspens spread quickly because
they principally reproduce from
a common root system of one
or more clones. When one tree
dies, the root system senses it
and will send up several root
suckers to replace it. An aspen
clone is regarded as one organism. These organisms can be
quite large and are long lived.
In central Utah there is a clone
of 106 acres called Pando that
is estimated to be as old as
80,000 years.
When the aspen leaves turn
color in the fall, all the trees in
each clone will change at the same time and will be the same shade. But there can be a wide
variety of color and shade between clones.
To understand how the leaf color changes, we need to remember how plants operate.
Leaves are the food factories of plants. They contain chloroplasts with green molecules called
chlorophyll that absorb energy from sunlight to transform carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates. This process is called photosynthesis. These stored sugars and starches provide
energy that the plant needs to grow. The oxygen they expel and that we breathe is a waste
product.
During spring and summer chlorophyll is continually broken down by the food-making process
but is constantly replenished. As fall approaches shorter days and cooler temperatures signal the trees to prepare for winter and dormancy by slowing the manufacturing process. Less
chlorophyll is replaced and carotenoids, which have existed in the leaf but have been masked
by the abundant green pigments, come forward. Carotenoids show as yellows, oranges and
browns and are the same pigment found in daffodils, carrots and egg yolks.
Ideal conditions for an intense and long color season for aspens seems to be gradually cooling
nights, without freezing, and some late moisture, but without snow or strong winds.
http://cpluhna.nau.edu/Biota/aspen_forest.htm
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=13-P13-00005&segmentID=7
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htm
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2015 MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
Enrollment for the 2015 Master Gardener Classes opens on November 1, 2014. Information
and applications are available on our website SFMGA.org. The application deadline is December 31, 2014. Tuition for the 16-week series of classes is $175.00. Enrollment is limited and
classes fill up quickly.
Classes are offered on Monday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Monday evening classes begin February 2 and run for 16
consecutive weeks ending on May 18. Tuesday morning classes begin February 3 and finish
May 19.
If you’re wondering why you should consider registering for the Master Gardener training,
consider these benefits:
• a rigorous 16-week course in locally-relevant, research-based gardening techniques taught
by New Mexico State University (NMSU) educators and local experts;
• a place in the 2015 intern group that offers you many experiences to widen your gardening
knowledge in preparation for becoming a Master Gardener;
• invitations to regular membership activities, including free or low-cost continuing education
classes and workshops, social events; community gardening events; and Master Gardener
conferences;
• membership in a social community of gardeners and opportunities to take on leadership roles
within the Santa Fe Master Gardener Association; and
• a role as a recognized expert that provides gardening information as a volunteer in the Santa
Fe community.
If you love gardening and want to learn more and share your knowledge, please consider
joining this vibrant organization.
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Wild Tulips
Peggy Rudberg
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden is offering “botanical” tulip bulbs for sale. But
what exactly are they? Also called species tulips, they are wild tulips and are
perennial if grown in a climate that has
wet cold winters and dry hot summers
much like Santa Fe. They also prefer full
or mostly-full sun and well-drained sandy
soil.
Their native habitat is in mountainous areas from Asia Minor to Western Siberia.
This explains the origin of the word tulip,
which comes from a corruption of the
Tulipa turkestanica
Turkish word for “turban.” These wild tulips hybridize naturally producing a wide
variety of intense colors and shapes that
were selected for further propagation by
early admirers. Michael Pollan traces
the fascinating history of the tulip from
its popularity at the court of the Ottoman
Empire to its introduction to Europe in
the 1550’s culminating in “tulipomania”
in Holland. The deliberate mutations that
the Turks learned to create in the 1600s,
followed by extensive cross-pollination
by the Dutch, have resulted in the hybrid
tulips more commonly sold in nurseries
today. They are treated as annuals here
as they usually only bloom their first year.
cont. on page 7
Tulipa wilsoniana
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Wild Tulips—cont. from page 8
On the other hand, wild tulips are hardier.
They require less water, return and spread
from year to year and thrive in our climate.
Their shorter stems, from 6-10”, are less apt
to bend or break during spring storms.
In USDA Hardiness Zone 6 they should be
planted from October to early November
when soil temperatures have dropped to
below 60°F. Place bulbs with roots down in
holes at a depth of three to four times their
height or about 4-6” deep. Space them 2-6”
apart or about three times their width. Water
well and see that they get moisture about
Tulipa chrysantha
once a month during the winter as roots will be growing then. Cover with mulch after soil freezes and in the
spring remove the mulch around the plant as soon as
new growth appears above ground.
Tulipa ‘Little Princess’
Pollan, Michael. The Botany of Desire, New York: Random House, 2001
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/988
http://www.garden.org/subchannels/flowers/perennials?q=show&id=58
http://www.santafebotanicalgarden.org/support/species-tulips-bulb-sale
All photos: Wiki Common
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The Garden at
El Zaguán
Nyla Rasmussen
“The garden looks so beautiful.
I visited frequently as a child!”
“Thank you for making this such a
welcoming space.”
“I’m a Master Gardener in Indiana...
New York...Kansas...Arkansas…we
have totally different issues for our
garden projects. This garden is
wonderful!”
These are only a few of the comments
the 40-plus Master Gardeners and
Interns heard during 24 work sessions,
several 4th Friday Art Walks and a Let’s
Grow! Series event.
The project’s goal “to create a beautiful
garden on a waterwise budget while remaining true to the historical origins of the garden” remains although there have been several major adjustments this season. We knew the garden
would change when one of two historic horse chestnut trees was removed in September 2013.
However we didn’t expect the color explosion and increased plant density that occurred when
the formerly shade garden became sun drenched!
A plant inventory identifying location, blooming dates and color is being developed and will be
completed in 2015 and shared with the Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF). We were pleasantly surprised when a new plant, Nigella sativa, popped up in the garden this summer. It was
identified by Master Gardener Carole Langrall. This plant grows well in the mid-Atlantic but its
roots are in the Middle East and it likely came to us via Spain. The original property owners in
the 1860s (the Johnsons) were from Mexico and Maryland. It was common for 19th century
newcomers to bring seeds and roots from their homeland. The seeds (also known as black
cumin, among other things) are used in cooking.
cont. on page 9
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The Garden at El Zaguán—cont. from page 8
Two large Canada
chokecherry trees (3”+
caliper) were planted on
a snowy April morning.
Master Gardeners and
Canyon Road neighbors
witnessed the trees lifted
over the fence and settled into their prepared
holes and they have
been thriving since. Master Rosarians Jack and
Juanita Ortega worked
with the Master Gardeners to identify, procure
and plant three new
roses: Rose de Rescht
(deep pink), Jacques
Cartier (pink), and Claire Austin (white). These roses were selected because they are easy to
grow, have strong fragrance and produce flowers throughout the summer. Rose de Rescht and
Jacques Cartier are classified as “Old Garden” or “Historic Roses” which means they belong to
a class of roses known before 1867.
We also contacted the Santa Fe Iris Society for help identifying historic iris varieties. Thanks to
the help and donation from a member of the Historic Iris Preservation Society several heirloom
irises were planted in the garden in late summer.
The garden design plan presented to the HSFF
Board in early 2014 focused on transitioning slowly to the final garden. Understandably issues continue, not least of which is the proper amount of
water for each new planting while maintaining the
trees, shrubs and plants that are already there.
We look forward to the 2015 project year!
Stop by and visit the garden the next time you
walk on Canyon Road.
Photo credit: Lissa Johnson
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BOOK REVIEW
A Guide to the Flowering Plants
of New Mexico
Deb Farson
Being new to the world of plant identification, I was delighted to
find a plant guide that is organized by flower color rather than plant
families. “Land of Enchantment Wildflowers: A Guide to the Plants
of New Mexico” (Willa F. Finley and Lashara Nieland, Texas Tech
University Press, 2013) surveys 200 common wildflowers in New
Mexico and provides a wealth of interesting information about
each one. Not all of the plants are native, but the authors note how
the non-natives got here. For instance, the aptly named Tribulus
terrestris (goathead or puncturevine) came from the Mediterranean
in the 1800s and is thought to have been spread along the railroad
routes.
The authors provide the derivation of each plant’s scientific name as well as up to three common
names. For instance Herculeum maximum is variously known as cow parsnip, cow cabbage, and
Hercules parsnip. The pictures capture the plant’s foliage at different times of year, the flowers, the
fruits, and location in the landscape. The book details human use, often backed up by archeological
evidence. It also notes which animals depend on it for food and/or shelter.
I found the information on four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens, also known as chamiso or white
greasewood) particularly interesting. Four-wing saltbush derives its name from the four wings that
surround its seeds and its ability to thrive in salty soils. It can tolerate high salt concentrations by depositing the salt on the tiny hairs that cover the leaves, which gives the leaves a grayish cast. In fact,
its species name canescens means turning to gray. The Ramah Navajos capitalized on these salt
deposits and cooked older leaves and stems with their corn to add a salty taste.
Historically, four-wing saltbush was an important food source for native peoples. Its ashes were mixed
with ground corn to help make several nutritionally necessary compounds (lysine, tryptophan, and
niacin) bio-available to humans. In spring, the young leaves were eaten fresh. The seeds could be
parched and ground into porridge. It is also an important source of forage for wildlife and livestock—in
the winter its protein concentration can be as high as 18%. It is also a host for butterfly caterpillars
such as the Mohave sootywing and western pygmy blue.
Four-wing saltbushes are either male or female, but the fun part is they can alternate between the
sexes as needed. Another point of interest is that archeologists know that four-wing saltbushes have
a preference for growing over ancient middens, which can lead to archeological discoveries.
On the downside, this book is heavy, which makes me think twice about taking it with me on my
arroyo walks. However, the weight is a result of the excellent quality paper that brings added clarity
to the photos. All in all, this book is making me look at our flowering plants in a completely new context—I just might taste those saltbush leaves come spring. Photo credit: Amazon.com
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2014 MASTER GARDENERS
HOURS
November
Membership Report
GOAL 8500
Hold your hats. I am excited to report that at this writing we are 3,500
hours over the goal that was set for
this year. We are currently at 12,008
hours reported. Way to go all of you!
Next year we will have to set a much
higher goal.
DECEMBER
OCTOBER- 141% OVER
GOAL-12,008 hours through
October
AUGUST-93% OF GOAL7900 hours through July
On this note, there are still a number
of SFMGA members who have not
turned in hours. The deadline for getting these hours in is December 31.
However, I would like to have them by
December 15 to avoid the end-of-year
rush. If you do not turn in your hours
by the end of the year and I do not
hear from you, you will be dropped
from the membership. So please give
this some attention now.
Annual dues are also due by the end
of the year. There will be an eblast
coming out soon to the membership
explaining the process of paying
dues. Keep an eye out for this.
JUNE-48% OF GOAL4106 hours through June
APRIL-24% OF GOAL2097 hours through April
Mary Ruth
Membership Coordinator
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2014 Calendar of Events
Visit the Events Calendar on our website for a complete list of garden-related activities and classes
with times and locations: (http://sfmga.org/events-calendar).
NOVEMBER
4
10
18
19
20
Garden Superstars (SFCC)
The Stress Test: Gardening and Farming in Times of Drought (SFBG)
Garden Superstars (SFCC)
Community Collaborative Rain Hail & Snow Network Training
Recipes and Paths; Kitchens and Gardens (SFBG)
1 CE
1 CE
1 CE
1 CE
1 CE
Members Only - For a complete list of MG projects and hours earned visit the calendar in the Members Only section of the website: (http://sfmga.org/members-only). Be sure to check out the project
schedules. Just scroll down to Project Links and Credit Hour Summary and click on a project for
the current work schedule.
THIS MONTH’S GEM FROM THE WEB
This month’s Gem From the Web:
It’s not too late to think about creating charming and well-appreciated holiday
gifts from your garden. Dried herbs, herb blends, teas, and more make special,
personal gifts this season or any time of year.
http://www.gardeners.com/how-to/gifts-from-the-garden/7692.html
Mission Statement:
The Santa Fe Master Gardener Association is a non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to learn, teach, and promote locally sustainable gardening through reliable, current research-based practices.
New Mexico State University is
an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator
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