ORGANIC BYTES

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Kerria

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Common name: Kerria, bachelor’s button

In Japan it is known as Yama buki

Botanical name: Kerria japonica. Family: Rosaceae

The following information on this early spring blooming shrub is taken from 100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names by Diana Wells.

Many of our most cheerful flowers are called “bachelor buttons.” Is this because they manifest a prenuptial joie de vivre (enjoyment of living,) or because they are considered symbols of availability?

The introduction of real flowers worn on the lapel is sometimes attributed to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband. The prince, in a passionately unfrugal gesture at the termination of his bachelorhood was said to have taken a rose out of Victoria’s wedding bouquet, split open his lapel, and stuck the rose in. Whether or not this is true, boutonnieres were commonly worn by Victorians, bachelors or not.

Kerria, a lovely plant native to China, Japan and Korea, was introduced by William Kerr in 1805. Kerr was a young gardener sent out from Kew to China by Sir Joseph Banks who especially instructed him to search for new fruit trees. Kerr was to do this on a meager salary of 100 pounds a year. Kerr sent as many plants back to England as he could but there was a high rate of attrition in this era before the invention of the Wardian case.

(The Wardian case was an early type of sealed protective container for plants, an early version of the terrarium. It found great use in the 19th century in protecting foreign plants imported to Europe from overseas, the great majority of which had previously died from exposure during long sea journeys, frustrating the many scientific and amateur botanists of the time. The Wardian case was the direct forerunner of the modern terrarium (and the inspiration for the glass aquarium), and was invented by Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward (1791–1868), of London, in about 1829 after an accidental discovery inspired him.)

The kerria, the legacy of William Kerr, became an immensely popular plant grown in cottage gardens all over Britain. Its flowers are clear yellow, double or single. They flourish with no care and, like many shrubs for China, do well in America. There’s nothing like a carefree shrub to cheer one up.

I have this sweet plant in my garden. Where did I get it? From a previous GDOGC plant sale. Thanks to whoever contributed it. It is doing well in a shady place and I just love the wiry, open growth and the happy yellow buttons. Mine is blooming abundantly at the moment and produce blooms off and on through to the fall.

My Kerria is 2 years old so a bit meager but a bright spot

in a shady area nonetheless.

The double blooms of Kerria japonica are a happy yellow.

Submitted by Jacki Brewer

MORE ON HUGELKULTUR GARDENING

Thursday, February 28, 2013

HugelKulture

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

I was fortunate to attend the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) conference in Austin in early February. Growers and meat producers from all over the state gathered to share their tips and strategies for organic and sustainable agriculture. I attended a session given by Arturo Arrendondo who spoke about various methods to conserve water and resources in your growing practices. HugelKulture is a method of gardening originally practiced in Germany.  

“A HugelKulture is a type of raised bed garden that allows you to use organic materials that are too big to go into the compost pile. Over a 3 to 5 year time period the materials in the bed decompose, and provide a slow release of nutrients for the garden plants. Because of its three-dimensionality, a HugelKulture raised bed garden combines the multiple functions of rainwater harvesting, catchment, and irrigation using no cistern, pumps, or PVC pipes. Done properly, there may be no need to water all summer!”

I decided to build a HugelKulture in an 8’ by 4’ space in my garden to see how well it works. The way to design a HugelKulture is to first lay out the size of garden you want to install. Then you procure some the largest logs you can handle and that will fit in the space you are working with. My neighbors had a large tree fall down, so they allowed me to cut up some of the logs to use for my base. I purchased concrete blocks to enclose the bed. However, I don’t think Arturo uses anything to enclose his beds. I then placed the logs on the inside of the bed to a depth of about 2’. On top of that I worked in partially finished compost and leaves. Then on top of that I put in finished compost mixed with top soil at a ratio of 3 parts compost to 1 part soil. I thoroughly watered in each layer as I went. As the logs decompose they are supposed to absorb and hold rain water to alleviate the need for supplemental watering. They are also supposed to release nutrients for the plants. I understand in the first 2 years that the decomposing wood will also absorb nitrogen.      

Submitted by Mike Schmitt