Work Party @ Ascutney Hospital

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Christine Barney, the Master Gardener who is leading the project for the Healing Garden in the Ascutney Hospital Windsor, VT has invited to the group to participate in the garden this day.
I went there and I had a very interesting conversation with her, covers, plant rotation and plant companions, she was so generous in answering all my questions. Thank you! Here is what she wrote on Sunday July 25:

Hi, Coralia,

Thanks so much for your help in the garden yesterday.

I wanted to add to my answers for two of your questions yesterday.

1. http://www.botany.com/portulaca.html

The link above should take you to a website that tells of Portulaca, and also lists the more common name for the form apt to show up as a volunteer in the garden: Purslane. Sylvia knows it as Pusley. I wanted to check to see if the commercially available Portulaca was also edible (I've eaten the volunteers in my garden--the plants, that is : ) and it looks like it is as well.

Me: A very helpful information. I am wondering if the weedy wild Purslane who is growing around my tomato plants, are doing its best

2. Companion planting/complimentary planting for legumes (nitrogen fixers) and tomatoes:

I realized as I was in my garden at home, that the concept of planting different areas of the garden in rotation over several years (some people do three, others four years apart before repeating). To incorporate what you were suggesting about having the tomatoes and peas grow together, I realized that when one rotates a crop of peas or beans in the soil one year, and then plants tomatoes there the next year, the presumption is that some of the nitrogen fixed in the soil by the legumes the previous year, and the microbes that allow that to happen, are already in the ground the next year when the tomatoes can draw on that for their needs.

Me: This point sounds to me logical, so if I work with these companions then when the rotation is made, all the 'nitrogen job' is working right there for other plants, who need the N now? Can I think in planting corn there? For me looks like a previous cover plant in the sample of the peas with tomatoes.

3. I can't find anything when I went to search to see if I was remembering correctly about inhibitory effects of tomato plants on nearby plants. I did find that tomato plants can produce some antibiotic compounds and perhaps ones that interfere insects, but not other plants. Sorry to have led you astray on that.

Some perspective on the whole rotation idea, and its possible limitations.

I've been reading a book about plant root systems, which suggests the area covered by vegetable roots is much more extensive than we generally appreciate. This means that what you were suggesting by planting adjacent rows of complimentary plants might work, as their root zones might overlap. The hard part of the strategy you suggested could be then rotating the soil/crop distribution, as it would vary by row, rather than how many people do it by blocks in their garden.

Four groups might be Solanaciae (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes) in one quarter, legumes (peas and beans) in one quarter, brassicas (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages) in one quarter, cucurbits (cucumbers and squashes and melons) and other crops in the remainder. Planting by block, and then rotating different years, theoretically reduces the chance that pests which specialize in one plant type will be overwintered in an area where they can prey on the same family of plants the next year.

Some people suggest that in usual household gardens, the distances between the blocks is so small relative to how much the pests can move (through the air or through the ground), that the rotation really may not do a whole lot for pest control. It may be more valid for large growers.
Me: That is true, and the monitoring part has an important rol. I have planted tomatoes in one row, and next to them, potatoes. Unfortunately, the potato plants have been infected with colorado potato larvae, tons of those! I was concerned about the tomato of my neighbors, even though I am sure that this colorado potato beetle will never attack tomato plants, but it might attract other pests to the nearby relative. Fortunately, I have detected all these on time, I fixed the problem with some BT - Bacillus thuringiensis, and one of my best pest control: hand picking.

I hope this makes sense. Feel free to send questions if I've been unclear.
Me: Sure! I will.

I don't know if you'll be able to check e-mail from Peru. I'm sure your mother will appreciate your company; I hope she is more comfortable by the time you visit.

Me: I will check my e-mail from time to time. Thank you Tina for your warm wishes. 
A friend of mine, Kathy Personnet, has given me a gift, a wonderful set of her creation, Fraglets (R) Art System, withe them I will play with Mom while in Peru.

Mami Lidia and I - January 2008

Mollendo, Perú

Shaker Museum Enfield, NH

Today’s Garden Tour was in the Enfield Shaker Museum, a place where there is a flower and herb garden along with a community garden. The presentation and garden tour was by Mrs. Happy Griffiths, a Museum Herbalist, who explained the different aspects of the herbs and flowers. The day was a perfect one, no heat neither cold.

The garden is divided into five sections: medicinal, fragance, culinary, everlasting and dye plants. The above picture with yellow, bright and fragrant flowers belong to the St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), it is located in the medicinal section of this garden. This perennial shrub grows 12-36 inches tall. The blooming period is from mid to late summer. The dark green leaves have oil glands which look like tiny perforations on their undersides. The name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St. John's day, 24 June.


Cultivation
St. John's wort is usually propagated from runners in the autumn or by seed sown early in the spring. The plant does best when planted on an average soil and prefers dappled shade or full sun. The plants grow rapidly but are short lived, usually lasting only five or six years. Because of their dense, compact habit of growth they rarely need pruning, but if it is necessary to cut off deadwood, do so in early spring. New plants can be started from softwood cuttings of young growth in late spring or early summer.

For Depression Treatment

Harvesting
Cut flowers when fully open and pick leaves as required. Always harvest before the heat of the day


Medicinal Use
Use caution as this plant can cause photosensitivity in some people.
St John's wort is widely known as a herbal treatment for depression.

In Germany, the most popular prescription drug of any type, natural or synthetic, for the treatment of mild depression is a concentrated extract of the flowers and leaves of Saint-John's-wort, often simply called hypericum. There, just under 200,000 prescriptions per month are filled for a single brand (Jarsin), compared with about 30,000 per month for fluoxetine (Prozac). This figure does not include sales of other hypericum products, whether they are prescribed or self-selected. Approximately 80% of the sales are prescriptions, which allows their cost to be reimbursed by the German health-insurance system.
When preparing St. John's wort grown in your garden, use two to four grams of dried herb daily. The herb can be prepared as a tea. Both leaves and flowers are used.

This is me, enjoying the tour.
Books that can help to understand the whole topic related to herbs:

• 
  
  "The Herb Book" by John Lust
• 
  
  "Easter/Central Medicinal Plants" by Steven Foster and James A.Duke

It was a nice oportunity to meet new people and met again the fellow gardeners. Cheers for Kim, glad to see her!

Weeding and Watering

Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea, Windsor VT

located in one of the corners of the Healing Garden

These days the weather has changed a little bit, from hot and humid, to less hot and cool breeze. So, I decided go over Windsor to check out the Relaxing plants, they are doing okay with the mulch, but around there too much work to do. I was there at 10:30 am

This spot looks with so many weeds.
After pulling out all the weeds, this is the way that this spot looks like.
Current pictures from the Relaxing Herbs

Mulching and Transplanting

Great day to start picking raspberries, 'frambuesas' in Spanish my German friend Sonja says it sounds nice in that language. I got around 10 pounds. From Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, NH I drove to Ascutney Hospital Windsor, VT. I arrived around 11:30 am
The past days were so hot, I didn't have the time to visit the plot there. Thanks that on Saturday the rain washed out all the gardens! The photo above shows some weeds, time to get rid of them.

The transplanting for today:
- Lemmon Balm
- Lavander

These herbs were provided by Sylvia Newberry.

Also a perfect time to mulch the space in order to keep moist the soil and weeds down.

This is the way how it looks now the space, covered with mulch. I left space for camomille seedlings growing.

The time run so quickly and I needed to left the garden before 1:30pm to watch the FIFA World Cup 2010 Spain vs Holland. It was almost 1pm when I left and I arrived late for the Shakira show :(
My favorite was Spain team, of course, the new Football Champion. Olé!

Let's Talk About Lobelia inflata

Since Lobelia inflata, known as Indian Tobacco, doesn't belong to the Relaxing Herb Project as I believed, I am delighted to share some pictures taken by Sylvia Newberry in 2006 around her property.

Photo 1: by Sylvia Newberry

This is a annual plant that grows to 0.6m by 0.3m. Hardy to zone 0. Lobelia inflata blooms from July to August and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)The plant is self-fertile and the seeds ripen from August to September.

Photo 2: by Sylvia Newberry

Throughout an e-mail that wrote me she says: "... What I would like you to see if how different the structure of the plant is as well as the flowers from the plant that you originally planted. And note the "inflated" seed pods, which eventually pop and throw the seeds great distances.

Photo 3: by Sylvia Newberry

It is the leaves, flowers and sometimes seeds that are used medicinally. Lobelia is a very powerful medicine and many herbalists chose not to use it. But even if you never actually use it, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to look at the plant - the shape of the leaves - alternate or opposite - hairy stem - unique seed pods - and to appreciate its uniqueness as a plant..."

Photo 4: by Sylvia Newberry

Some reports says that the plant is poisonous. It contains the alkaloid lobeline which has a similar effect upon the nervous system as nicotine. When chewed, the leaves induce vomiting, headache and nausea - in larger doses it has caused death

North American Indians used this as a remedy of conditions. But now, it is used mainly as a powerful antispasmodic herb in the treatment of respiratory and muscle disorders.

Modifying the Row

After I payed a visit to my beloved friend Maggie from Ascutney, where she lives and who  had a huge and success with her Yard Sale, I visited the garden project located nearby. The day is really, really  hot. I am feeling better, my right foot is improving then I could work well.

Oh, what a nice surprise! Somebody has watered the plants!

But the tiny spot of my almost invisible camomile seedlings needed more water. Fortunately I found the water pipe without problems.

I removed the plants that I transplanted by mistake. They were moved to the Canillas Community Garden in New Hampshire, the one to belong.

- Cayenne pepper

- Lobelia

This is the transcription from Sylvia Newberry, a valuable information to me. I am in the process to learn.

On her e-mail she says:

" ... am not quite sure why you chose cayenne (Capisicum fructescens). I consider cayenne to be the opposite of relaxing. In my experience it is a very stimulating herb and is often added to herbal formulas to give herbal blends a bit of an extra "kick" as well as to stimulate circulation when that is what conditions call for. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) can also be very relaxing. And if you let the Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) blossom and go to seed, it will probably self seed and grow again without planting next spring. Lobelia is also a very powerful medicinal herb, but unfortunately the lobelia that you have planted is not the species that is used medicinally. I don't think that I have ever seen the medicinal Lobelia (Lobelia Inflata) cultivated. It is a very delicate plant that is commonly found along wooded pathways and at the edge of forests. I am sorry that I did not include the botanical names on the lists of the plants that I put together as suggested gardens. It is a good lesson for both of us to learn. When one is planting flowers to enjoy their beauty, the specific species does not usually matter - at least to most of us. However, when planting and growing and harvesting and using medicinal plants, the specific species can be critical. It is often that a common plant can have several different familiar names and it can be confusing when you are trying to figure out exactly what someone is talking about. So, when learning about medicinal plants it is always important to have someone show you the plant or find a good reference book with clear pictures and a good detailed description. And become familiar with the botanical as well as the common name. Sometimes simple black and white line drawings in guide books can create a more accurate "picture" of plant detail than a colored photograph can. I have found it very helpful to have several different guide books when I am identifying plants. As I said earlier, the Lobelia Inflata is a rather delicate plant that you probably wouldn't notice the first time you saw it, unless it was pointed out to you. A friend of mine told my that she had been told that you don't see Lobelia Inflata unless someone who knows the plant points it out. And then you will see it everywhere. Two summers ago we had numerous plants growing in the edges of our yard and into the woods. Last year I could not find a one. And so far this year I have not found them either. See if you can find a picture and some information about the plant on the internet. I don't think that we will be able to find it to cultivate. But if I find some here on our property, I will let you know and you can come and see it and I will introduce you. My expectation is that once you have been introduced you will always remember it. ..."

Finally,I wish to know what are these plants growing around my Relaxing Herbs spot
Happy 4th of July!