Sagebrush lovers can grow their own

It may not be the crop that made Idaho famous, but admirers of sagebrush often wonder if they could grow it from seed for their own gardens.

Although big sagebrush, or Artemisia tridentata, regenerates successfully in the wild, it can be a bit tricky to grow from seed or vegetative cuttings, says Yvonne Barkley, University of Idaho Extension Associate in Forestry. “Sage seeds are very small and it’s hard to determine when they’re mature,” she says. Seed isn’t ready for harvest until it easily shakes free from seedheads and is too hard for a fingernail to crush—usually in late fall or early winter.

“The easiest way to harvest it is to clip the seedheads into paper bags and then set the bags aside and let the seedheads air dry,” Barkley says. Once they’re dry, you can try threshing the seed from the heads by rubbing it over a fine meshed screen, although one nursery actually removes individual seeds from seedheads with tweezers.

To increase your chances of success, break your seed’s dormancy by holding it in moist peat moss at temperatures between 59 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit for 21 days before you plant.

“Once you get the seed to germinate, sagebrush is a fast-growing, vigorous plant,” says Barkley, “but for the average homeowner, it may be easier just to buy some plants.”

Among nurseries that sometimes sell sagebrush are Plants of the Wild in Tekoa, Wash., http://www.plantsofthewild.com, and Buffalo-berry Farm in McCall at 208/634-3062

 

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”Sparkling” amaryllis can rebloom next year

It means “sparkling” in Greek and that’s what amaryllis contributes to holiday décor in Idaho homes. Encountered by a European physician on an 1828 plant-hunting trip to Chile, amaryllis now blooms in colors from pure white to red, with shades of salmon, pink and orange as well as multi-colors and stripes.

Some new amaryllis bulbs cost so much that it can be worth a gardener’s efforts to encourage rebloom, says Bob Hanson, a University of Idaho Advanced Master Gardener. Here’s how he does it:

• During the current holiday season, keep the growing and blooming bulb healthy by watering it whenever the soil dries to an inch deep; soil should be moist but not soggy. Once a month, apply a balanced water-soluble fertilizer that contains such micronutrients as iron and magnesium.
• Deadhead the flowers as they fade, removing the green lump behind the bloom and the thin stem that connects it to the main stem. Deadheading prevents formation of seeds, which rob bulbs of nutrients.
• When the bloom period is over, cut the main stem back to about 2 inches and put the pot, with its green leaves intact, in a sunny place. Continue to water and feed your amaryllis regularly so that its leaves can produce plenty of food to restore the bulb.
• If you’d like, move the plant outdoors, burying it pot and all, after any danger of spring frost has passed.
• In September and before the first fall frost, cut off the yellowed and dead leaves and store your amaryllis—still in its pot—in a cool, dry, dimly lit location indoors. Withhold all water during this period of forced dormancy.
• Six to eight weeks before you want to see those fabulous blooms again, set the pot in a warm, sunny place and start watering and fertilizing it again. Hanson says it’s a good idea to replace the top inch of soil with new potting mixture, mixed with a teaspoon of bone meal. Be careful not to disturb the roots or damage new growth when you’re doing this, he says.

 

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 How can I make sure the Christmas tree I buy is fresh?

Try these two tests, says Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension forestry associate:

(1) Gently bend a needle or two; if the needles break, the tree is too dry.

(2) Lift the tree a couple of inches off the ground, then bring it down abruptly on its stump; if the tree showers needles when it’s thumped, leave it on the lot.

Once you’ve selected a fresh tree, keep it as moist as possible by making a new, diagonal cut on the end of the stump to aid water uptake, placing it away from heat sources and making sure there’s always plenty of water in the tree stand.

 

We’re thinking about having a living Christmas tree this year. What’s involved?

“A living tree is not the way to go if you like to have your Christmas tree around for any length of time,” cautions Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension forestry associate. Because it breaks dormancy quickly inside the house, it should be left up only a few days.

Until Dec. 23 or Dec. 24, store your living tree in a sheltered area, such as a garage or porch--not outside where it’s exposed to freezing temperatures, wind and sun. Once indoors, wrap the root ball in plastic or set the tree in a tub, keeping the roots damp but not sopping. Decorate it carefully, avoiding lights entirely or using only small ones that emit the least possible heat. On Dec. 26, transfer the living tree back to the garage or porch.

If the ground is frozen, keep the tree in the sheltered area and its root ball moist until planting conditions improve. If the ground is unfrozen, allow a few days’ transition time, then plant the tree outdoors. Carefully remove any plastic, burlap or other material from the root ball, retaining as much soil as possible. Backfill with the original soil from the planting hole and mulch heavily. Stake the tree to prevent wind tipping or damage. Then water with caution: a flooded tree may not survive. Nor will one that’s not hardy enough for your climate: Carree advises that you check with your local Cooperative Extension office to make sure before you start digging.

 

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Fell Your Perennial Weeds in Fall

RIGBY, Idaho-It often surprises the homeowners he talks with, but Brian McLain says fall is the absolutely best time of year to control many perennial weeds.

McLain, UI Extension educator in Jefferson County, says weeds like quackgrass, Canada thistle, field bindweed and dandelions are most susceptible to herbicide treatments in the fall.  That's because the season's shorter days and cooler temperatures prompt these unwelcome plants to transfer energy reserves from their leaves to their roots.  "When you spray them in the fall, that same process carries the herbicides down with them, giving you a better kill," McLain says. 

Fall spraying won't make a dent in populations of annual weeds.  Their top-growth and roots die right along with the cold weather anyway, and their seeds have already been dispensed for sprouting next spring.  But for perennial weeds that would otherwise return next year, fall herbicide treatments can thwart those plans. 

"You'll reduce older, established perennial weeds a lot by next spring and you'll get even better control of younger ones," says McLain.  But finishing the job may take a year or two of treatments in fall and in spring.

To maximize the effectiveness of your fall herbicide applications, it's important to spray as much of the weeds' surface as possible.  Also, make sure that your weeds are healthy and actively growing before you zap them.  Weeds under stress from drought, frost, disease or mowing tend to "shut down," inhibiting their ability to take up and translocate herbicides.  Dust or dirt on leaves also reduce the bang you get for your herbicide buck.  "A healthy, actively growing weed is easier to kill than a sick or stressed one," McLain says.