Frankenstein Pumpkins

I realize we are at the change of seasons, and I am certainly not trying to push things along too quickly. But this feature involves some grow time so I am putting it out there in case any of you are interested. It gives enough lead time to yields results.

I love Halloween Jack o' Lanterns and the annual task of carving at least one up. Sometimes it is a simple traditional with holes for eyes and a jagged smirk. But lately I have been upping the artistic ante and spending a good couple of hours with razor cutters and a good digital pattern. With patience and a good candle it is amazing how they look at night.

When working at the garden center, I was also drawn to the incredible variety of heirloom pumpkins that come out in unique shapes and colors. Cinderella, Jarrahdale, Seminole.. so many to choose from in blues to bright reds. Box stores will carry at least a few, but high end garden centers will have much to offer - usually sold by the pound. So they can get expensive.

But this is a new option for me. Jim Seamons, a farmer in Utah gets creative and has created a poly plastic mold that is bolted to a young pumpkin and allows it to grow into an uncanny face of Frankenstein. His tutorial video attached at the bottom of this post, makes it look quite easy with some good tips to allow both air and sun to get to the infant fruit while growing. I would think it also keeps away pesky rodents from eating the gourd just as it is getting ready to harvest. According to his video, it takes merely 5-7 days to fill out which seems short to me. But maybe it is also hard to grasp the size from the video and they must be small if nothing else. That is likely why they stay green, although some pics show them as the bright orange we think of as a pumpkin. I am sure it depends on variety grown.

They are a bit elusive to track down on line without a single designated seller. The price is steep, but I am sure they are quality enough to last from year to year. I am not growing any pumpkin crop myself, but would love to see how they play out if any of my tag list are growing them and adventurous enough to try them. I think they are innovative gardening.

Frankenstein Pumpkin Mold - slingfisher 

How To Grown Pumpkins with Frankenstein mold

Hannah Bullen Seed Art

The end of summer always brings on the Minnesota State Fair. It is not on my priority list this season. Rather than a celebration, it just seems kinda like wrong place/ wrong time. And also a bit of Been There/ Done That for me. At least where I am at right now.

But one of my favorite aspects of the Fair is the Agriculture Building. That big rotunda houses the things I most enjoy. From the Apple wing with fresh cold cider and popsicles. From the Honey wing where you can watch colonies of pollinators do their thing while eating honey ice cream. And certainly the Dahlias which are always being showcased as the end-of-summer stunners.

But one thing I am both curious and perplexed about is the Seed Art contests which always draw an endless line of spectators. I appreciate the time and detail spent on them. The subject matter leans very kitsch from the 50s with portraits of rock stars and vintage products. But I am usually hesitant to call them "art." What do they do with them even after they win a blue ribbon prize? I can't see them as living room artwork or a conversation piece on your coffee table????

I think the imaginative work by Hanah Bullen Ryner captures the intent of seed art much stronger. I am drawn to her profile quote on her Instagram page. "In love with the natural world and gently trying to find my place in it." She also calls herself an Ephemeral Artist and I had to sit with that a minute to grasp it. She uses a palette of grey clay or rock for her background, then creates whimsical collages of birds and fairies from whatever nature provides her. Bird feathers, berries, flower petals, sticks.... They are colorful and for some reason, very tactile. I am guessing because of the dimensional elements of the materials used.

She sells them as photographs on her Etsy page. But I am guessing they only capture a bit of the essence vs. seeing them live. I think they are beautiful and worth more than a blue ribbon from the MN State Fair. Enjoy them and support her work if you are inspired.

 Hannah Bullen Ryner - Artwork

 

No More Lawns?

This summer in MN has been a perpetual challenge with our onslaught of heat added to our lack of rain. There are those plants that thrive on that late summer arid weather. Our issue is that they never had time to lay down good roots and are now struggling to survive. New infant trees along boulevards have given up the ghost if planted in the last 2-3 years and they don't have a helpful neighbor to soak roots. Poor varieties like hydrangea and zinnias are drooping by days end and a single day without watering is deadly. My River Birch has been shedding leaves all summer as if it were October and the cherries on the tree were bountiful, if not shabby and small because they could not plumpen up. I suppose the one perk is that this will be known as the year without Mosquitos. The long hot spell killed off eggs and also dried up any mud holes where they would have been breeding. Just this week I was out on a deck with friends and not a single one threatened. 

I would have to say, the worst victim of the drought has been the lawn. For years I had carefully weeded and planted new grass early in the spring so it became a canvas of soft green for the dogs and me. There is no way to keep up this year and it has become matted gold straw. I think my watering has kept roots alive and some spots will bounce back over a year. But there are large patches that are literal toast. 

It is making me ponder; What Alteratives are out there? I have no intention of a major landscape project where it is all replaced. But months back, I found an article that at least asks questions of what can make an urban yard.

The answer does not have to be more plots of perennials and flowers. There are other turf options like mosses, sedges and tall grasses. They come in palettes of green but have deeper root systems that can sustain these droughts and are also less burdensome for watering and run off. I think many in my generation were raised with the model of a perfect green oasis and anything else was considered weeds.

Now homeowners are angling for lawns of micro or white clover. This gives a blanket of soft coverage for pollinators.

There is also Buffalograss that is Native to the Plains and gets it's name from forage for the grazing herds. It is a cool season grass (is there such a thing anymore with global warming) but is very drought tolerant. It can apparently propagate in a single season; planted by plugs in spring and by fall it will be a complete cover. It is a brighter green color as well.

I have always thought that Sedge was an evil term and would take over a healthy lawn. But there are desired species like Pennsylvania Sedge which does well in wet, well drained areas. What makes it ideal, is its low growing aspect of only reaching 6 inches which means less frequent mowings. It is also know to host some caterpillar species. There are also cluster sedge which are planted in small tufts of green. The downside to this choice, is they are slow to expand, can be expensive for plugs and also do not do well with heavy foot traffic. 

Something I had not considered is Moss. I have one large area under the River Birch that is mostly shade and struggles to steal any water from the tree roots. It is patchy as best. Moss can be bought in mats and basically just rolled out for coverage. They are color choices, some can tolerate sun and they create a great infiltration system. Birds and insects love them as well.

On top of these options, there are the tall perennial Prairie varieties that have been garnering attention for the last 4-5 years. They are certainly not lawns, but slow growing clumps  of grass that usually yield great color and textures come end of the season. I have read some suggestions of low growing shrubs that are not lawns, but neither are they full grown bushes. They could swap in for borders and edging. Some are bear-berries, junipers, blueberries and winter-berries.

Be mindful, that none of these are a simple drag and drop. All cases will involve removing the grass lawn that is there and starting with a bare surface. And also allowing for a heavy planting and then allowing time to bring it to fruition. But I have to admit I am considering some shape shifting here and possibly starting with small sections in a creative way that allows for some expansion. I have a small simple yard, but as I have gradually taken over space with garden and boulevard plots, maybe it is time to open myself up to new options. I'll let you know in a year or two. But all things considered....

 

 

Green Space in the City

Here in the Twin Cities, we are blessed with an abundance of natural green space. From our acres of city lakes, to the Mississippi River Trails and an endless collage of urban parks within our blue print. It is the main reason I have stayed and I am also very aware of the solitude it brings me. A summer night with a quick walk to the shores of Maka Ska to watch a sunset is not lost on me.

But leave it to New Yorkers to astound with remarkable ways to innovate what green space means within a city. There is the High Line which has been a revelation over the last decade. And the new Floating City Park on the piers is a blog post for the near future. But this shout out is for the newly imagined green space at Lincoln Center.

For any tourist or local, the iconic fountain in the center of the Plaza is a recognizable landmark. This is what it will look like for the summer of 2021. It is a way to celebrate the end of the pandemic and welcome crowds back to an area of the city with a new twist.

Mimi Lien is a reputable set designer who has re imagined the space as a giant green canvas of turf. For the summer it will serve as a back drop for Restart Stages. This is an outreach program of Lincoln Center to bring arts back to the public with visual art displays as well as live performance art as pop ups. There is lawn furniture, a concession area and daily workshops in addition. It will be a great gathering space for a city that has been especially bound by the pandemic and so treasures its place in the performance world. Wish I was there to see it.

 

Stinging Nettle Bites!

 I am posting this one today because this plant busts my chops!

 Every Spring it gets me again and again. Today I was weeding around the Iris beds and blooms. I know exactly what it looks like. But usually in the mix of all the other weeds, it slips my mind until it is in between my thumb and pointer finger and it is TOO LATE. The sting is immediate.

I am careful with thorns. The raspberries have fine pricks around the base of stems and nab me when I am separating young plants. My blackberry plant might as well be a barbed wire fence. And my Winnipeg Parks and Shrub roses can surprise me even when I'm being mindful of them. I have garden gloves, but don't often wear them when doing normal work. I like the tactile feeling of working with plants in my bare hands.They are short and only 1-2 inches at this time of year. But over time, can grow to at least 10 feet tall along a roadside ditch. They have roundish leaves in pairs that are notched and a soft mint green. Don't be fooled by those gentle hairs you see lining the main stem. They are actually hollow tubes that act like needles with toxins that immediately penetrate your skin. You will feel the prick instantly. And from there, reactions can venture into rashes, itching and burning specific to the prick. If you are really unlucky it can lead to allergic reactions of breathing effects, vomiting or the plain shits.  But these nettles! It is now 4 hour later and the tips of those two fingers are still numb. So I am passing on whatever tips I can to possibly shed some light for other gardeners to learn from my mistakes. The trick is not to rub them right away; it only grinds the hairs and toxins further into the skin. Wash with cold water and soap right away. If you want to try some other methods, aloe vera or baking soda and water also help

Stinging Nettle has wellness traits as a medicinal herb. The trick is harvesting them and letting them dry FIRST. Beware of this little devil. Not all plants are pretty!

 

 

 

The Wonders of Miss Wondersmith

I am fascinated by the world where gardens meet edibles; most usually in bakery recipes. I have experimented with everything from Lilac infused donuts to Dill, Rosemary or Cardamon breads. With the onset of Spring, I was going to do a feature on foraging. But recently I've stumbled onto this Rabbit Hole of genius that is Miss Wondersmith.

She is this pixie of good nature from the Pacific Northwest. I first found her via a suggested follow on Instagram. Self-labeled on her webpage, she refers to herself as a Do-Gooder who sees joy through the world of nature and wants to spread its wonders. So many incredible talents. Give her a full read when you have some time.

But again, my first draw to her were her bizarre and unusual baking creations. They are far beyond what you see on any cable baking show. Her originality is boundless and the presentation is worthy of an art exhibit. The colors are intense and I can only imagine the flavors are as well.

 

How about Flowerfetti Pierogis! She hand rolls out her own pasta with an assorted list of some 25+ flower petals as options in the tapestry. I would never get past the pressing of the dough itself!

 

Who would have guessed Tulips?! Apparently they can vary from sweet to spicy and have the crunch of an iceberg lettuce. Her genius again mixes them with spring Asparagus and stuffs them into a lovely setting of stems and petals! I cannot even imagine.

I am a huge Clam Chowder fan and almost salivate at the thought of her foraged Chowder from the Pacific with shellfish, morel mushrooms and seaweed. I would gladly pay up just to feast on her creations since I cannot even fathom coming close to mastering these recipes. Please give her a full read and offer her a thumbs up. She is gonna be bigger than Martha Stewart with her infectious spirit and smarts. 

 the Wondersmith recipe blog

 

 

 

Some Love for the Dandelions

Did you know the Dandelion is actually considered an herb? The season is certainly upon us which can be a menace to most of us - whether a gardener or just in mowing your front lawns.

They are part of the larger Asteraceae family which makes them cousins of everything from Sunflowers to Asters to Daisies. They get their common name from the French phase "dent de lion" - meaning tooth of the lion. Because of their single taproot, they go deep and are difficult to purge from your lawn. Not to mention the 100s of flowerets that can populate off a single dandelion head.

In spite of all these bad qualities, the plant does have many redeeming traits if we are able to overlook their persistence. Every part of the plant has a use - the flower, the leaves and the root. Most of us have heard of Dandelion Wine. It is not the most pleasant taste being bitter, but it is still an old farm recipe. It can work also as a tea - hot or iced. The greens when cooked are high in iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. The root, like Chickory, can be used as a substitute Poor Man's coffee.

Their whispy parachutes of white can travel up to 5 miles in gusts of open wind. So even though you may rid your yard of them, chances are they are going to find you one way or another. Because they one of the first blooms to arrive, they can play an important role for early pollinators. I do pull mine out, but because I have plenty of other Spring blooms for be options.

I bring them up with a sense of childlike joy. Plucking them from the yard and brushing them onto a nose to leave a blush of yellow is something I remember fondly. Or sometimes playing with them as a paintbrush in my watercolors to make some original artwork. And of course the daisy chains made into a crowns or a necklace. For most of us, it is likely a love/ hate relationship. But this is their time and let's celebrate the season.