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Fall Into A Book!

11/24/2018

I was on my way home from taking my youngest to work the other day and, driving through the neighborhood, I found myself waiting behind a school bus. The kids jumped off the bottom step one by one, hitting the asphalt like acrobats in a circus performance. One after the other, bounding on their merry ways. One youngster in particular caught my eye. After jumping off the bus he pulled out a book and began reading as he walked on. Many years ago, that was me! As I waited, I couldn't help but recall being that age and how I would pretend to be a kid from Sleepy Hollow rushing home before the Headless Horseman could overtake me or reliving some other adventure from a story I had read.

Though I'm many years removed from the rhythms of the academic calendar, I can't help but get nostalgic at this time of year. With summer’s heat banished and noticeable colors in the trees I find my thoughts turning back towards the books I read when I was a kid, particularly those that remind me of a time when our country was still in its infancy, I loved those. I imagined it must have been a time when there was nothing but huge trees from coast to coast. A time when an adventurous squirrel could run tree limb to tree limb from New York City all the way to Portland without ever touching the ground. A time when people gardened more, when they grew their own food and built their own log cabins, when everyone was more in touch with nature and the world around them. The images these books conjured up in my mind have stayed with me, shaped me, even haunted me. I like to think that I am not alone in this, that as children many of us transformed these stories into pictures of the world that became a part of us and made us want to become painters or teachers or scientists or gardeners or writers, when we grew up.

None of the pictures I dreamed up have shaped me quite as much as those that were wrapped in autumn's clothes. The fall season captured my imagination because it didn't matter what kind of story I read, autumn could be used as powerfully as any of the characters in the story. There is a duality in the season that writers have used to establish a tension between beauty and barrenness. The season portends death and yet, it is still filled with so much life. This duality allows the writer to explore the whole range of the human experience.
"Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits." -Samuel Butler, The Way of all Flesh.

       Writers and gardeners share in the cornucopia of symbolism provided by the autumn harvest. The writer borrows the gardener's work to illustrate bounty and to foreshadow winter. Gardeners read the writer's words to help put the season in better perspective. The gardener gathers the fallen leaves and knows that summer is over. The writer ponders them and reminds us that our green youth will have a similar ending. Sometimes the symbolism is subtle, like when Charles Dickens wrote, "Around and around the house the leaves fall thick, but never fast, for they come circling down with a dead lightness that is somber and slow."
And sometimes the symbolism is not so subtle: "Death lies on her like an untimely frost
upon the sweetest flower of the field." -William Shakespeare, in Romeo and Juliet.

        Our experience in the garden reinforces this grim symbolism. Our plants shed their summer beauty and we wait through fall and winter to see if they return, knowing that some may not, but knowing also, that we can do nothing to prevent the eventual chill of our own autumnal approach. But to garden is to have hope in the future. We hope because we have jumped in piles of raked leaves and taken hayrides through apple orchards, so we know that autumn proclaims more than just decay and despair. It also proclaims that the enchantment of twilight is unique and that even at its worst, the world is still a beautiful place. Okay, so I confess: I have never actually played in a pile of leaves or taken a hayride, but I have read books about people that have, and the memory of my reading is almost as ripe. In spite of the tendency towards using autumn to portray endings, many of our classic writers also give autumn unabashed praise. Writers have used the fleeting beauty of the season to encourage us to go outside and revel (or relax) in the season while we still can.
In My Antonia, Willa Cather wrote, "I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy."

        How great is that? If you could just sit in your garden and feel all day, wouldn't you do just that? Nathaniel Hawthorne echoed this sentiment when he said, "I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So, I spend almost all daylight hours in the open air."

        Washington Irving wanted to remind us that even in spooky Sleepy Hollow there is more to autumn than creepiness, leafless branches stretching out to ensnare us when traveling through the forest. "As Ichabod jogged slowly on his way, his eye, ever open to every symptom of culinary abundance, ranged with delight over the treasures of jolly autumn. On all sides he beheld vast store of apples, some hanging in oppressive opulence on the trees, some gathered into baskets and barrels for the markets, others heaped up in rich piles for the cider-press."

        Those of us that happily live with dirt under our fingernails are wired to create beauty, to enjoy the beauty abundant in nature, and to appreciate the skill of the artist who has painted autumn’s scenery. In literature we are reminded of the wonderfulness of the season by the likes of talents such as Jane Austin, “Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn - that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness - that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.”

Autumn is a great time to be a writer or a gardener. It's a great time to soak up the experience of life. It's also a great time to slow down a bit and read a great book. So, when your chores wind down, and when your plants lose their thirst, and you find yourself with less daylight, take the opportunity to grab a cherished book from your bookshelf, sit by a window with a hot cup of coffee or cider and read for a spell… but if you listen to Henry David Thoreau's advice, don't read too long. As he said, "a truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."

Happy Reading!!

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Why Do Leaves Change Color?

11/17/2018

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Why do tree leaves change color and shed in fall? I am asked that question every year.
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy those brilliant autumn leaf colors all year– rather than for a few short weeks? Maybe so, but the changing leaf color each fall is part of an important and complicated process that ends in their being shed at the end of each growing season. The actual term used to describe this process of leaf drop is known as abscission. Leaves fall as a result of unique cells that separate from each other based on physiological changes.

      Although some parts of trees like stems and buds can handle freezing temperatures, most leaves cannot. So, in order to protect themselves, trees and plants shed diseased, damaged or dead tissue (namely leaves), while simultaneously sealing the point where the leaf petiole connects to it. Known as the abscission layer, it consists of unique cells that can separate from each other based on certain physiological occurrences. As changing climate and light conditions of autumn evolve, hormones within trees change too. The most notable is auxin. It’s produced in the leaves and body of trees and plants. This balance of auxin levels between leaves and branches is key to determining if and when leaf drop occurs.
     During the active growing season, production rates of auxin in leaves are consistent with other parts of the plant or tree. As long as these rates are steady, the cells of the abscission layer remain connected, which in turn, keeps leaves attached, alive, and active. However, as days shorten and temperatures cool, auxin production in leaves starts to decrease in response to changing conditions. As a result, fracture lines develop at the base of the leaf petioles and scarring builds up at the same point to form a protective barrier. Eventually, it’s just a matter of time before wind or rain provides that last nudge and the leaves are released, at least for most trees.
     Oaks and beech trees are another story. They hang on to many of their leaves well beyond that of other broadleaf deciduous trees. These brown and tan, dead-looking marcescent leaves cling to branches until newly emerging growth pushes them off in spring.
     Although leaves falling in autumn are a predictable event, leaf drop is not only seasonal. Plants and trees can lose their leaves for a number of reasons, namely from drought and other physical or environmental stresses. Although any tree is subject to leaf drop under such conditions, not all trees are considered deciduous or even semi-deciduous. Narrow-leafed evergreens such as fir, hemlock, pine and spruce are able to survive winter without foliage loss for two reasons. First, their leaves develop a protective waxy coating. On top of that, the fluid inside their cells contains a version of nature’s antifreeze. Since the attached foliage remains undamaged, there is no need for it to be shed.
     While evergreen trees are beautiful year-round, deciduous trees are desirable for another reason. Their leaves provide vital organic matter and build structure and water holding capacity in the soil. So, each autumn, enjoy and savor the brilliant display of color. And in winter take pleasure in the evergreens. But be thankful for the deciduous trees too, in spite of all the leaves on the ground. They’re doing more good than you might have ever imagined.

     In warmer months chlorophyll masks the potential colors of fall. Even if you live in the most tropical of climates, where summer is your only season, you still can’t help but marvel at the splendor of a brightly colored autumn vista. So, what’s behind this annual event? Why do leaves change color every fall and why are some years more vivid in color than others?
     To understand what’s involved each fall in the transformation from a sea of cool green to a kaleidoscope of red, orange, yellow and every shade in between, it is helpful to know two important points. The timing of leaf color change is primarily affected by the calendar and the intensity is a product of three main factors: color pigments, length of night and weather.
     First are the pigments. There are three most responsible for leaf color. Most of us are familiar with the first, chlorophyll. You know it as having something to do with providing the basic green color found in leaves and grass. It’s required for photosynthesis, the chemical process that allows plants of all sizes to use sunlight to produce food.

During the warmer months when plants are actively growing, the chlorophyll pigment dominates the color we see in leaves. However, another pigment is also present at this time, carotenoids. They produce the yellows, oranges and browns. But because chlorophyll is so dominate as a pigment, it is not until fall, when the photosynthesis process shuts down that carotenoid pigments begin to become apparent. Eventually the photosynthesis process ceases, and all chlorophyll is depleted, eliminating the green color completely from certain leaves and allowing the carotenoid pigments to shine through.
A third pigment, anthocyanins are not present in leaves until autumn. Warm bright days of fall produce lots of sugars in the leaf. But as the days shorten and the nights cool, these excess sugars are trapped in the leaf as veins leading into and out of the leaves gradually close. The combination of bright light and trapped sugars stimulate the production of the anthocyanin pigments. They produce the vivid shades of reds and purple and the many hues in between.

The next factor contributing to fall leaf color is the longer nights. Days become shorter, reducing the amount of sunlight available for plants to photosynthesize. This is nature’s way of signaling plants that winter is on the way. Energy begins to shift from food and energy production into storage and reserves. As the photosynthesis process slows down in response to shorter days, so does the production of chlorophyll. In the absence of the dominant green pigment, carotenoid and anthocyanin pigments light up the fall landscape.

The third factor, the one most responsible for the intensity of autumn color, is the weather. The most brilliant fall displays are the result of a warm wet spring, a mild summer, bright sunny autumn days and cool but above freezing nights. When this combination comes together, the result is the most vivid color exhibition.
But for me, the wonder and beauty of the season is not found in the science behind the leaf color change. Nope. I l find the best part about the fall is playing in the leaves. Children of all ages and even my dog Watson love playing in the leaves!

So, as you enjoy this season’s display of color, be sure to wish for plentiful spring rains. And next spring, when it’s warm and inconveniently wet, be happy, remember it may just be the makings of the spectacular fall we all want to enjoy!

Happy Gardening!!

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November Birth Flower

11/6/2018

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With the arrival of cooler weather, many gardeners turn to fall chrysanthemums to provide color for the spots left vacant by tired summer annuals. That is appropriate as these beautiful flowers are the birth flower for November and recall the vibrant colors of autumn leaves.

“If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow Chrysanthemums.”
(Unknown Chinese philosopher)

      Although they are more often associated with Japan, the chrysanthemum was first cultivated in China as a flowering herb and is described in writings as early as the 15th Century B.C. In fact, their pottery depicted the chrysanthemum much as we know it today. As an herb, it was believed to have the power of life. Legend has it that the boiled roots were used as a headache remedy; young sprouts and petals were eaten in salads; and leaves were brewed for a festive drink. The ancient Chinese name for chrysanthemum is “Chu.” The Chinese city of Chu-Hsien (which means Chrysanthemum City) was so named to honor the flower.
      According to an ancient Chinese legend, about 3,000 years ago, an emperor was told that the Dragon-fly Island in the Sunrise Sea (Japan) had a magic herb that would restore his youth. But since only youth could collect it, he sent a dozen young men and a dozen girls to the island.
      They arrived at the islands after surviving perilous storms and attacks by sea serpents and finding neither magic herb nor inhabitants on the island, they decided to stay. The prized possession they brought for trading, and now nurtured as a tie with their homeland, was the golden chrysanthemum.
      A German legend refers to another of the many colors of chrysanthemums. One cold, snowy Christmas Eve in Germany's Black Forest, a peasant family was sitting down to a meager supper when they heard a wailing. At first, they thought it was the wind. But upon hearing the sound repeatedly, they opened the door and found a beggar. They ushered in the poor man who was blue with cold, wrapped him in blankets, and shared their food.
Instantly, the blankets were shed, revealing a man in shining white clothing with a halo around his head. Proclaiming himself the Christ Child he fled. The next morning, outside the door where he had stood, were two white chrysanthemums. Today, many Germans bring white chrysanthemums into their homes on Christmas Eve, believing that by doing so they are sheltering the Christ Child.
      Around the 8th century A.D., the chrysanthemum appeared in Japan. So taken were the Japanese with this flower that they adopted a single flowered chrysanthemum as the crest and official seal of the Emperor. The chrysanthemum in the crest is a 16-floret variety called “Ichimonjiginu.” Family seals for prominent Japanese families also contain some type of chrysanthemum called a Kikumon – “Kiku” means chrysanthemum and “Mon” means crest. In Japan, the Imperial Order of the Chrysanthemum is the highest Order of Chivalry. Japan also has a National Chrysanthemum Day, which is called the Festival of Happiness.
      The chrysanthemum was first introduced into the Western world during the 17th Century. In 1753 Karl Linnaeus, renowned Swedish botanist, combined the Greek words chrysos, meaning gold with anthemon, meaning flower. Linnaeus was the founder of that branch of taxonomy dealing with plants and including the science of classification and identification. Experts say this is probably an accurate description of the ancient species, as it also points out the mum’s need for sunlight. The earliest illustrations of mums show them as small, yellow daisy-like flowers.
      Ancient growers would not recognize modern mums. Although some mums still resemble daisies, others are more showy. Regardless of the flower type, they all belong to the Composite, or daisy, family. In more recent times, growers within several countries began to propagate chrysanthemums. Hybridizers in England, France, Japan, and the United States have developed a wide range of floral colors, shapes, and sizes. Today, its colors include various shades of pink, purple, red, yellow, bronze or orange, and white. Some varieties have different colors between the disc and ray florets and some have ray florets that are bi-colored on the face and reverse sides.

      Petals on chrysanthemums are actually florets, a small flower, usually part of a dense cluster, especially, one of the disk or ray flowers of a composite plant such as a daisy. The chrysanthemum flower has two types of florets – ray florets that would be called petals on a daisy, and disc florets that are the center florets in a daisy type of bloom. All classes of chrysanthemums have both types of florets, but in many of the classes, the disc florets are not apparent.
      Since the chrysanthemum was first introduced into the United States during colonial times, its popularity has grown such that mums now reign as undisputed “Queen of the Fall Flowers.” For many of us, our introduction to the chrysanthemum was a corsage for the girlfriends and mothers at Homecoming football games. Mums remain the most widely grown potted plant in the country and are one of the longest lasting of all cut flowers. This latter attribute, along with their artistic allure, make mums highly favored by floral arrangers. In the United States, the chrysanthemum is the largest commercially produced flower due to its ease of cultivation, capability to bloom on schedule, diversity of bloom forms and colors, and holding quality of the blooms.
      An interesting contrast to the positive feelings many Americans have of the chrysanthemum (football games, house-warming presents, get-well thoughts), is that in many European countries the chrysanthemum is known as the death flower. In countries such as Belgium and Austria, the chrysanthemum is used almost exclusively as a memorial on graves.
      There are so many varieties of chrysanthemums today that a system of classification is used to categorize and identify them. The classification is based on the type of florets and their growth pattern. Some chrysanthemum cultivars can be trained into different forms. Bonsai cultivars can be trained, in one year, into miniature forms, such as trees, that will match the character of a lifetime effort on deciduous or evergreen plants or trees. Some cultivars can be trained into a hemispherical form or, with skill and patience, they can be trained to look like a dog, a table and chair, or the human form. Cascading cultivars can be grown either as long pendulous drapes of blooms or trained as large fans, pillars, or trees.

As a landscaping plant, the chrysanthemum makes a beautiful Fall display for the home garden. With skill and artistry, many varied effects can be achieved, even when only a small growing area is available. Chrysanthemums can accentuate an entrance way; provide the Fall colors to a season-long growing bed; or dominate a growing area with the many varied shapes, sizes, and colors. Used in this fashion, chrysanthemums provide an outstanding climax to the season before the colds of winter arrive.
As with all gardening efforts, it is not luck or the so-called green thumb that achieves results, but rather hard work and dirty fingernails. Still, mums are very easy to grow and even easier to enjoy!

Happy Gardening!!

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Fall Into A Book!

Why Do Leaves Change Color?

November Birth Flower

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The Phytonutrient Blog!

Fall Into A Book!

Why Do Leaves Change Color?

November Birth Flower

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The
Phytonutrient Blog!

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