December 21, 2005

As a gardener, you think you know all there is to know when it comes to gardening, right? Well, not so.

Everyday there is always something new or maybe even something that’s been around for some time, only it’s not well known. For instance, did you know that flowers will actually thrive when given some fat? Yes, I said fat. Many plants love being treated with a bit of fat leftover from meat. Another option for giving your plants a boost is milk. While at first this idea seemed rather peculiar, I gave it a try. It works! Were you aware that banana peelings are great for using as fertilizer? They actually provide many nutrients with which plants need. Did you know that they can also come in handy for repelling pesky insects? Were you aware that the use of bran in the garden has the same effect as banana peelings? Just imagine having a breakfast consisting of a bowl of bran cereal topped off with a banana. You have the makings for providing not only a balanced diet for yourself but any leftovers (banana peeling, milk, cereal) can be added to the garden for plant revitalization as well.

Were you aware that many plants can help you with weather forecasting? For example, baptisia folds it leaves prior to rain as will chickweed, dandelions, clovers, and tulips. When humidity rises, most flowers will actually close up in order to protect pollen from getting wet. Did you know that lilacs open faster with rain on the way and slower with arid conditions? Silver maples show the lining of their leaves just before a storm. Were you aware that many plants offer hints as to your soil efficiency? For instance, dandelions often grow only in fertile soil. Fertile soil is also home to pigweed, foxtails, and chickweed. If your garden consists of wet, poorly drained soil, it’s highly probable to find weeds such as spotted spurge, knotweed, moss, and sedge. Crabgrass and sorrel are usually indicators of poor soil. Did you know that certain plants also help with planting times of others? For instance, when the flowering dogwood is in full bloom, it is time to plant tomatoes, early corn and peppers. These can be planted once daylilies begin blooming as well. When dandelions are blooming, it is time to plant beets and carrots. Did you know that artichokes are actually flower buds and need to be cared for as flowers?

As gardeners, many of us are aware of many plants which are considered edible; however, did you know that there are at least 700 species of plants that grow in the United States that have been labeled as dangerous if ingested with many of them commonly grown within our own gardens? For example, daffodils, azaleas, buttercups, and sweet peas, and even potatoes are among those in which have been found to be highly toxic. Were you aware that the German Iris is often chewed as a breath freshener even though high doses are considered to be quite toxic? Did you know that hashish, which is derived from marijuana, was once used as an anesthetic for amputations? Although this plant, too, is considered toxic, it is often ingested by drinking, chewing, or smoking it. Did you know that among the many uses of medicinal plants, onion juice was once used for cleaning gunshot wounds while valerian (an herb) was often used in treating shell shock and stress? Did you know that tulip bulbs can be used in place of onions for cooking?

Were you aware that even with all the plants scattered about, 85 percent of this consists strictly within in the oceans? Have you ever wondered just where a particular plant derived its name? Take, for example, impatiens. Did you know that this commonly grown flower got its name from the ‘impatient’ tendency of ripe pods bursting open at the slightest touch in order to dispense seeds? Did you know the daisy got its name from the fact that it resembles the sun? Were you aware that one of the most popular plants, the hollyhock, was once used solely for hiding and freshening up the areas around outhouses? Most everyone enjoys the luxurious scent of gardenias or orange blossoms, but were you aware that if either of these is placed together, they will neutralize the other’s odor resulting in no smell at all? Red Trillium is a beautiful red wildflower, but did you know that it smells like rotten meat? Were you aware that the squirting cucumber, when lightly brushed by a passerby, ejects its seeds and a stream of poisonous juice that stings the skin?

Have you ever heard of anyone suffering from garden phobias? Anthophobia is the fear of flowers, Dendrophobia is the fear of trees, and Lachanophobia is the fear of vegetables. Did you know that there are some people actually afraid of dirt (Rupophobia) or even rain (Ombrophobia)? It is not uncommon for people to suffer from a fear of insects (Entomophobia); in fact, did you know that for every person on earth, there are at least 200 million insects? Were you aware that the fastest snail is actually the common garden snail? Did you know that wasps sleep? They will bite into the stem of a plant to lock their jaw in place and fall asleep. Did you know that the monarch butterfly becomes poisonous by feeding on the leaves of milkweed?

There are many things in life with which we think we know; however, there are always that many more in which we still haven’t heard.