August News 2003

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What's happening in our garden for August:
It is so hard to believe that August is already here. Summer is flying by as usual. We are so busy now that I wish there were more available hours per day. Our vegetable garden is producing a bumper crop this year which a large part is due to the gorgeous sunny weather we have been receiving. I don’t think we have ever had such a huge crop of vegetables. We are busy every day harvesting everything from peas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, carrots, onions, potatoes, lettuce, Swiss Chard, radishes, beets, tomatoes, cucumbers and the list goes on – even figs.

We also have a bumper crop of raspberries and blueberries at present which also need picking every 2 days. Sweet peas, Asiatic lilies, nicotiana, and wisteria are creating wonderful fragrances along with the honeysuckle that the hummingbirds love.

I also have to make a batch of handmade soap every day along with our skin care products so my days are extremely full. I also produce custom handmade soap for a local spa and they have just opened their fourth store. Our soap curing room is now so full that I literally ran out of room. As handmade soap takes 1 month to cure I have to keep on top of production.

We have received so many requests on how we make our handmade soap that I hired my son to take photos while I made a batch of soap. We have now posted a new link on our website describing our handmade soap process complete with photos.
To view our How we make our Handmade Soap please visit the following link:
http://www.countryrosesoap.com/handmade.htm

August "To Do" List:
-deadheading is pretty well a fulltime job now – deadhead spent blooms regularly on annuals and roses to stimulate bloom production. Shear back summer annuals which have become straggly such as lobelia, petunias and alyssum – water and fertilize.
-never let pots dry out completely during hot weather – if this happens sink the pot in a bucket of water for a short while – water regularly sometimes twice a day in hot weather – fertilize weekly with 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer such as compost tea, seaweed or fish fertilizer.
-harvest vegetables regularly – pick peas and beans every 2 days to promote plant production – When peas and beans have finished leave the roots in the ground and turn under in the fall as they add beneficial nitrogen to the soil.
-cut down perennials which have finished blooming, fertilize and water well and they may regrow for a fall display.
-remove spent blooms from astilbe, hosta and lilies.
-lightly prune wisteria, kiwi and potato vines leaving heavy pruning for late winter.
-prune evergreen hedges – I finally purchased myself a gas powered hedge trimmer as we have so much pruning to do and manual and electric shears were wearing me out.
-prop heavy tuberous begonia stems with several short bamboo stakes inserted into their pot.
-sow spinach, radishes, lettuce, carrots, mustard greens, kohlrabi.
-give roses plenty of water to prevent plant stress – deadhead regularly – rake out and discard diseased leaves – do not compost them.

Recycled Lawnmower Garden Sprinkler
This is my favourite sprinkler for watering our gardens. Because the sprinkler head sits at a higher elevation the spray does not topple over my tall plants as does a low sprinkler which shoots the water sideways directly at the plants. Because it has wheels it easily rolls around the yard.

How to Make:
-find an old lawnmower deck (no motor on it or remove the motor).
-mount a circular piece of plywood to the deck.
-attach a piece of pipe about 4 feet high and brace it to the plywood deck.
-attach a pulsating sprinkler head to top of pipe.
-run a piece of hose from the sprinkler head, down the pipe, and back up the lawnmower handle.
-attach a standard “female” hose connection to this piece of hose.
-now it is ready to attach to your standard garden hose

Greenhouse Gardening for August: (for a cool greenhouse kept at 40 - 45F (5 - 7C)
-plants in bloom for this month – bougainvillea, oleander, gerbera, pelargonium, jasmine, begonias, hibiscus, gloriosa lily.
-I now dampen down consistently in the hot weather – I just give a quick spray from the garden hose as I am walking by. This has prevented infestations of spider mites, aphids and white flies in the greenhouse.
-at end of month plant up specially prepared bulbs of Hyacinth and Narcissus for blooming at Christmas.
-deadhead spent blooms and pick up debris.
-sow spinach and lettuce.
-take softwood cuttings of pelargonium and fuchsias.

How to Take Softwood Cuttings:
-cut approx. 6” stem from parent plant just below a leaf node.
-cut off leaves from lower half of cutting.
-dip bottom 1/2 inch into a rooting hormone.
OR:
-take a Heel cutting (pull off side shoot from parent plant with heel attached.
-cut off leaves from lower half of cutting.
-dip bottom 1” of cutting into rooting hormone.
-Make a hole in compost filled pot with a pencil.
-insert cutting; firm around the base with pencil and water gently.
-place 4 canes in pot and drape a plastic bag over them. Stand pot in warm bright spot away from direct sunlight.
Hint: Take several cuttings and place all in the same pot, as not all will take root.

Indoor Sunroom or Conservatory:
A list of plants presently blooming in our sunroom for August:
A list of plants presently blooming in our sunroom for June:
-Odontoglossum Orchids
-Oncidium Orchids (Dancing Lady Orchid)
-Phalaenopsis Orchids
-Bromeliad
-Cattleya Orchids
-oxalis
-anthirum

-House plants may need watering twice a week now during hot summer months. Prevent stress by misting, watering and fertilizing regularly. Many do better outside in the shade during the hot, dry days of summer.

Growing Conditions for House Plants – Part 1 (Shade houseplants)
Location – Shade – well away from a window but enough light to allow you to read a newspaper.
Suitable plants for this area include Aglaonema, Aspidistra, Asplenium, Fettonia, Philodendron scandens, Sanservieria, and Scindapsus.

Herbal Hints:
-harvest calendula, mints, bergamot, lemon balm, tarragon, oregano, St John’s Wort, sage, thyme, savory, marjoram, lavender, scented geraniums.
-hang to dry or dry in dehydrator.
-freeze basil, cilantro, chives, dill, fennel and parsley as their flavour is lost when dried.

New! Handmade Soap News:
After several requests I am now adding a handmade news section. Handmade soap after all is the basis of our company - Country Rose Soap Co. Ltd. My passion for gardening and all things natural was the inspiration to start making my own handmade soap. Commercial soaps always left me with a rash, itchy dry skin and bouts of eczema. I no longer suffer from these problems.

Handmade soap gently cleanses and moisturizes due to its naturally occurring high glycerin content.

Part 1 – The Discovery of Soap
Soap is a fascinating subject. The story goes that the discovery of soap came about on Sappo Hill in 1000 BC Rome. Women were rinsing garments in the river at the base of this hill where animals had been sacrificed. The rain washed a mixture of melted animal fats and wood ashes down to the river below. This soapy mixture was discovered to be useful for washing skin and clothing.

We have come a long way from the crude soap made with animal fats as we now know that vegetable oils produce much finer handmade soaps.

Natural Cleaning Products:
Floor Wash
1/2 cup grated handmade soap (perfect to use up leftover soap bits)
1 gallon hot water
1 tsp lemongrass essential oil
Add grated soap to hot water. Stir to dissolve and mix in lemongrass essential oil. Use to sponge mop floors and walls.


New! - Organic Gardening Tips:
Organic Caterpillar Control
This time of year usually brings caterpillars to brassicas, fruit trees, petunias, etc. Personally I don’t do anything about them unless they completely get out of hand. If you only have a few container plants hand picking the caterpillars may be in order.

A strong healthy plant will not get picked on as much as a stressed plant so try to keep your garden healthy and happy by providing enough light, water and organic compost.

If the caterpillar populations are getting out of hand an organic control to use is Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). You just mix up a small amount with water in a sprayer bottle or tank and spray the infested plant. This is a bacterium which kills the caterpillar.

Health and Wellness
Rose & Raspberry Vinegar
This is a beautifully coloured vinegar which can be used as a dressing to serve with fruit salads. Try some sprinkled over fresh figs for an unusual delicious treat.
-Dark red organic rose petals
-ripe organic raspberries
-white wine vinegar

This is a beautifully coloured vinegar which can be used as a dressing to serve with fruit salads. Try some sprinkled over fresh figs for an unusual delicious treat.
-Dark red organic rose petals
-ripe organic raspberries
-white wine vinegar

Use 2 parts rose petals to 1 part raspberries. Loosely fill a 1 quart canning jar with the rose petals and raspberries to within 2 inches of the top of jar. Heat white wine vinegar to almost boiling point. Pour into the quart jar to completely immerse rose petals and raspberries. Cover with saran wrap and enamel metal lid and ring. Infuse 6 weeks in a cool, dark place. Strain by placing a funnel into a clean narrow-necked glass bottle. Place a paper cone coffee filter into funnel and pour the vinegar mixture through. Cover tightly.

Thanks for visiting!
Susan

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