- Author: Annie Sicotte, UCCE Master Gardener
The Lenten rose has many attractive features: easy to cultivate, hardy, long-lived, and evergreen. Flowers emerge in the dead of winter and continue a showy display for several months. Flowers come in a variety of colors and styles. Blooms can make good cut flowers, and their seed heads add interest to dried floral arrangements. Hellebores, like other members of the Ranunculaceae family, have alkaloids in the leaves and seeds and can cause mild dermatitis in sensitive gardeners; be sure to wear gloves when working around hellebores. These same alkaloids make the leaves undesirable to deer, rabbits, moles, and voles. Hellebores are extremely frost-hardy and very tolerant of dry conditions once established. They are summer dormant, and they require little attention. What's NOT to like about this plant? It is certainly worth planting in our Northern California coastal gardens.
Lenten roses are an outstanding plant for adding color and texture to the ornamental shade garden. They grow in areas between deciduous shrubs and under trees or naturalize in woodland areas. They can be the stars of the early spring garden as specimen plants or mixed with other spring bulbs. Attractive in the summer, the coarse, leatherlike foliage makes a good backdrop to more delicate shade plants. They are also excellent for planting on a hillside above a path where the downward-facing flowers can be viewed from below.
Mature plants can form clumps that are 18” to 24” tall and 24” to 30” wide. The glossy, deep green foliage can vary in color and shape, even within the same hybrid. The leaves are divided into 7 to 9 segments with an umbrella-like shape held up on a woody stem. The toothed, leathery foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season, remaining evergreen in mild climates.
FLOWERS
Gardeners are most attracted to the hellebore for its early flowers, which can be seen starting in late December or early January/February and last for 2 to 3 months. Available in both single and double forms, it is available in a rainbow of muted colors, ranging from apple green and chartreuse to ivory, mauve, eggplant, and wine.
Flower buds form during the previous summer, and the flower spikes emerge from the underground rhizome in late winter. Mature plants often have 50 or more flowers per plant.
Flowers have five petal-like sepals (a modified calyx) surrounding a ring of small, yellowish-green, tubular nectaries in an open, bell shape. The nectaries are the petals modified to hold nectar. Inside the ring of petals, there are numerous stamens and several pistils. After the flower is pollinated, the petals and stamens fall off, but the sepals remain on the plant for 1-2 months or more (probably contributing to seed development).
Flowers are often followed by unusual seed pods that offer ornamental interest and can produce viable seeds if left on the plant. The carpels eventually dry and split to release the bean-shaped, shiny black seeds, each with a white elaiosome that becomes wrinkled with age. Seeds are self-planted when ripe and can slowly naturalize in the garden.
CULTURE and PROPAGATION
Hellebore does best in partial shade to full sun and well-drained, humus-rich, fertile garden soil. They are relatively drought tolerant once established but do best with consistent moisture. They are very sensitive to soggy soil, so the site must have good drainage. This plant requires little maintenance. The previous season's leaves will be dried and tattered after the winter and are best cut off at the ground as the flowers emerge in the spring. Sprinkle with a fresh layer of compost around the base of the plants before the flowers emerge. Fertilize in Spring. Apply slug and snail bait as the flower spikes emerge.
Commercial plants are propagated from seed, division, or tissue culture, but germination is slow. It can take four or five
CUT FLOWERS
A lot has been written about the fickle nature of Hellebores as a cut flower, but everyone agrees that they are worth the effort. The flowers make exquisite small winter bouquets. Different methods are used to increase the water uptake of the immature stem with some success. However, the more mature blooms will last the longest. Basic floral conditioning techniques work. Cut blooms in the morning using a diagonal cut. Plunge stems into cool water up to the flower head and keep in a cool dark place for 24 hours or until ready to arrange. Stems can also be cut at an angle and dipped into boiling water for several seconds to seal the stem, or the stem can be scored vertically with a knife to increase water uptake. Place stems into cool water.
Possibly the best advice comes from Erin Benzakein, the owner of Floret Farms, in her book Cut Flower Garden, “Getting Hellebores to last as cut flowers is simple but requires you to have some self-control: you must select blooms at the proper stage; otherwise, they'll wilt within a few hours of picking. …you must wait until the blooms develop seedpods in the center. The more developed the seedpods, the sturdier the cut hellebore will be and the longer it will last. A very mature hellebore bloom will hold up, unscathed, out of water for an entire day, lending itself to wearable creations such as boutonnieres, corsages, and flower crowns.”
Resources:
Say hello to hellebores, January 28, 2018
https://www.floretflowers.com/say-hello-hellebores/
University of California, UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County, Hellebores
https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Hellebores/
Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension, Lenten Rose, Helleborus x hybridus
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/lenten-rose-helleborus-xhybridus/
By Helen Dake, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County
Something changes when you put fresh flowers or foliage in a room. I have always believed this and have always tried to include plants in my garden that I could cut for the house throughout the year.
I loved learning about recent behavioral research that supports this belief. Studies suggest that bringing nature indoors leads to measurably better emotional well-being. People who have flowers indoors report improvement in their moods and stress levels. People who lived with flowers in their homes for just a few days reported a significant decrease in their stress levels and improvement in their moods.
Additionally, flowers in a home induce positive feelings in visitors. The space feels more welcoming.
These findings are part of a growing body of research demonstrating how the natural environment affects well-being. Recent studies found that walking in nature at lunch improves people's creativity and attention span in the afternoon.
The message for those of us who garden is to include flowers and foliage that we can cut and bring indoors. And now is the time to plant seeds for annual flowers you can cut this summer.
Although many favorite cut flowers (dahlias, lilies, roses) require planning, expense and preparation, annuals suited for cutting can be sown directly in the garden over the next couple of weeks.
Whether you set aside an area in your garden for cut flowers or add them to an existing vegetable garden, prepare the soil first. Remove all weeds in the planting area, work in some compost and a balanced fertilizer, following package directions. Rake smooth.
Most flower seeds need warm soil (at least 70°F) to germinate, so wait until the ground has warmed up. I usually direct-seed summer annuals in early May. After sowing, keep the bed moist. Think of the planted seeds as tender babies and check on them daily or even more often.
Once the seeds sprout and grow a bit, you can worry less about them.
If you have birds in your garden (and who doesn't?), you may need to cover the emerging seedlings with floating row cover from your local nursery or tulle fabric from a sewing or craft store. Snails and slugs love baby seedlings. Hand-pick them in the evening or use an iron phosphate snail bait.
Sunflowers can cheer up any room, and they are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. As long as the ground is kept moist, they will pop up in 7 to 10 days or less. You can choose from many colors and shapes. For cutting, choose varieties labeled as “branching.” A single plant will produce multiple flowers.
Cosmos are tall, airy plants with multiple blooms. Seed catalogs offer new varieties every year, but the classics (Purity and Sensation) germinate more easily. Cosmos will generally bloom in less than three months from the date you sow them.
Sometimes gardeners don't cut flowers because they don't want to lose their beauty in the garden. However, with many flowers, including cosmos, the more you cut them, the more they bloom.
Zinnias are the queen of summer annuals. If you are accustomed to regular zinnias, you will be impressed with some of the new varieties. Benary's zinnias produce giant double flowers with long stems in wonderful colors, including pastel salmon and pale green. The zinnia variety Persian Carpet starts reliably and covers bare patches with airy bright color.
Herbs can be brought inside, too. Basil Amaretto starts easily and produces lovely scented purple foliage with small, spired flowers that mix well with others.
You can find flower seeds on racks at local nurseries, but there is still time to order online for May planting. If you don't have the time or energy to start plants from seed, visit a local nursery and buy some flower starts. A six-pack or two of State Fair zinnias will provide bright, colorful bouquets all summer. A six-pack of almost any cosmos planted in a blank space in the garden will lift your spirits in the garden and produce blooms to bring indoors.
Think about sharing your flowers with a friend or neighbor. Studies suggest that when people receive flowers, their mood brightens and stays brighter for days.
Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Flowers and Foliage in the House” on Saturday, April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Something changes when you put fresh flowers or greenery in a room. This workshop will cover choosing and planting annuals and perennials that work well for cutting, starting seeds, preparing your soil, direct-sowing seeds, selecting pollinator-friendly flowers and flower arranging. Participants will take home seeds and flower starts. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have begun the process of re-establishing a demonstration garden in Napa Valley. For further developments, please visit the Demonstration Garden link on our website ( http://napamg.ucanr.edu/).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
- Author: Lori Plakos
The hour of the Dahlia
August and September are when dahlia plants are at peak performance. It is also when heat encourages spider mites to attack. The damage looks as though the plants are drying out at the bottom. If you look under the infected leaves, they will feel sticky and you will find black specks.
The best practice for controlling mites is removing the infected leaves at the bottom of the plant and washing the plants with a strong spray of the hose. Using an insecticide can make the problem worse by killing the beneficial insects that feed on the mites. If you catch it in time the plant will continue to produce beautiful flowers for you, they just won't have any leaves on the lower part of the plant.
Preserving Dahlia Blooms
Bring them in the house and set them in 2-3 inches of very hot water. Use either a plastic or metal container that doesn't retain heat. I use an automatic hot water pot and get the water to boiling before filling the plastic/metal container.
Leave the blooms in this water until it has cooled and then transfer them to your vase. You can cut the discolored ends of the stems off or leave them on, it doesn't matter. This method of preserving blooms works on any woody stemmed flower.
I recommend that you change your vase water daily. You may also use a homemade flower preservative of 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons vinegar along with a 1/4 teaspoon of bleach to a gallon of water.
Digging
Dig up your dahlia tuber about two weeks after a killing frost or November 15th, whichever comes first. Do not dig too early. Cut the stalks down to 6”. Gently lift with a spade being careful not to break the tuber necks. Wash off the tubers and let them dry, protected from the elements, for 24 hours. Ensure that they don't dry too much - our climate dries quickly.
If you have an area in your yard that will protect your tubers from winter frost you may try leaving your tubers in the ground over the winter. An area that is up against a southwest facing structure which will hold heat from the winter sun would be such a spot. For healthier, more productive plants be prepared to dig, divide and give these a winter rest every 2-3 years. You will have to experiment with this.
Storage
I'm still experimenting with this, so here is what the experts at Swan Island Dahlias say:
Use a storage medium such as slightly dampened peat moss, sand, or pet bedding material (sawdust/shavings). Tubers should be stored in crates or cardboard boxes line your boxes with 10 - 12 sheets of newspaper. Start your packing medium in the bottom and alternate layers of tubers and medium until the container is full. Never store your tubers in plastic or completely sealed containers. Store them in a cool, dry area. Ideal temperature of the storage location is 40-50 degrees. If the tubers are kept too warm they will wrinkle and shrivel, too cold they will freeze and rot. Check on your tubers thought the winter months.
- Author: Bradley Hooker
At the front of the class students pluck choice flowers from a line of buckets. They trim the stems and clip the leaves, bunch a few together, arrange and rearrange them. Anthony Neve, biting his lip, places the last snapdragon in his bouquet. A graduating senior, Neve found his way into the Environmental Horticulture and Urban Forestry major and into this class as a result of his family business, Neve Brothers Wholesale Cut Flowers, which he hopes to help continue after college.
“It’s everything I’m interested in,” he admits, maintaining his focus on the ebullient bouquet before him. He lowers his head and cranes his neck, studying the arrangement from several angles. “Every day’s something new to learn.”
The course is PLS6. But the students often hear about it from its title, “Flower Power.” Professor Heiner Lieth, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, bills Flower Power as a fun, easy way to introduce students to a broad swath of floriculture, an industry last year worth $4 billion in U.S. sales alone, with California leading the states.
Many students, like Brinton Parker, a junior English major minoring in textiles and clothing, are drawn to the class mainly by their own curiosity. “I wanted to learn more about flowers and to satisfy my science requirement,” she says, having perfected her flower arrangement, adding: “And I kill everything I touch.”
The class begins with flower biology and societal impacts, then leads into flower colors and bouquet compatibility and delves into cut flower lifespans, transportation issues, disease management and many other topics. Lieth forces the students to rethink GMOs, he says. He shows them how the world of flowers is completely dependent on genetics and he asks them if blemishes in organic flowers are actually important to the untrained eye. The idea is to switch up the routine and always “throw something at the students they cannot possibly expect.”
Today they are working on the art of flower arrangement. It’s a special workshop the teaching staff has put together with donated flowers from industry partners. The students are applying lessons on how to strategically assemble a bouquet that graduate teaching assistant Grace Lin demonstrated at the start of the class.
“It begins well be
For Heiner Lieth, Flower Power is a teaching experiment that began three years ago. Inspired by Professor Dave Burger’s easy-going relationship with his students, Lieth wanted to provide an experience that catered towards what exactly his students wanted from a class. And to break old habits of lecture-style teaching, Lieth approached his new class as if he were offering the students a money-back guarantee. He calls it client-based teaching.
“They want a general purpose, nice and easy course, two units, general ed., science, writing, math,” undergraduate adviser Theresa Costa told Lieth when he was exploring ideas for the class. “They want it to fill their calendars.”
He came up with an introductory-level course and a title that would on its own seduce students into joining the course: “Flower Power: the Art and Science of the Beauty and Perfection of Flowers.” Quickly word-of-mouth spread and now, in the most recent quarter, the class was full within 48 hours. And, once he raised the cutoff to 190 students, it immediately filled again. “It’s extremely magnetic for students,” Lieth says.
The course is easy, he says, only in the sense that students will pass if they show up and do the work – though the workload is enough to keep them busy the entire term. And when this class finishes their flower arrangement workshop, they take their bouquets home, along with an intimate knowledge of an industry that few on campus have had the opportunity to sample.
See more Flower Power photos at the Department of Plant Sciences Facebook page here.
