Common Yarrow - Achillea millefolium (Image used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license, Version 1.2)
Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, is a weed that grows in patches in many areas of the United States. You are probably already familiar with Yarrow. It has been bred and selected to have many, usually pastel colored flowers. In the wild, however, white is the predominate color while pink is rare.
In all but the most manicured of lawns, Yarrow often grows undetected. Mowing helps to keep it short and prostrate in form. The plant easily spreads itself via underground rhizomes. If left to flourish in a field or roadside, one little seedling can become a large clump within a few seasons. Because of its hardiness, Yarrow can be difficult to erridicate from your lawn or garden if you so desire.
In the recent past, we have begun to use Common Yarrow in our garden both as a specimen plant and as a cut flower. During the spring, when the small plants appear in the lawn, you can consider transplanting them into the garden. You can also do as we did and head off into open fields or mountain sides to locate plants.
I like to first establish the plants in pots or cell packs. Yarrow is a durable plant that thrives in most soil conditions. Therefore, you can use any soil in your small containers. Purchasing a potting mix is an option but not necessary.
As you dig Yarrow, you will see many small plants connected together or to a mother plant via the rhizomes. Simply cut into individual plants that have decent roots and transplant them into your containers. Water the yarrow as you would any other potted plant. In a few weeks you should have some nice transplants ready for the garden.
Keep in mind that Yarrow can be very prolific and needs plenty of room to spread. I recommend 18″ apart in full sun or partial shade. If the clumps of plants get too overgrown, its easy to either dig some of it up or spray with an herbicide if that is your preference. Chances are, if you’ve found Yarrow growing locally, you will have no trouble in getting it to perenialize in your garden as well.
If you decide to grow Common Yarrow you will enjoy years of inexpensive long stemmed flowers that make great arrangements alone or with other cut flowers. Yarrow also dries well. Just tie a bundle together by the stems and hang upside down in a dry location.
Happy gardening!
-Thomas
Posted in Flowers, Uncategorized | Tagged common yarrow, cut flower yarrow, dried yarrow, growing yarrow, yarrow | 2 Comments »
In my last post I discussed how I have started to see the value in heirloom and open pollinated vegetables. I’ve purchased some dry bean varieties and I am also going to grow Black Seeded Simpson lettuce and Cherry Belle Radish. I plan to put the lettuce and radishes in this week. The beans may have to wait until next spring. I don’t think there is enough time to grow them to maturity in our climate. Our average first frost here in southeastern Idaho is September 20 and our elevation is 5000′.
I’ve always been a proponent of chemical fertilizers. However, I am now seeing the long term benefits of using compost and other organic material to improve the structure of the soil while providing the needed nutrients. Maybe it’s my age (33) or maybe it’s a desire to teach our two young sons the best ways to be more self sufficient through sustainability. Either way, I have decided to go “organic” beginning with my seed saving efforts.
We are breaking ground on an additional garden spot soon. I am going to use this area for my seed saving as well as to provide additional space for rotating our crops each year. We always seem to have trouble with solanaceous crops in rotation. We grow a lot of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes each year so this should benefit that as well.
This new plot will be completely organic. I am excited to be able to say and know that everything produced in that area (and on our entire place in the future) has been grown organically. I’ll let you know how this project progresses.
Happy Gardening to you.
-Thomas
Posted in Organic Gardening | Tagged Organic Gardening, organic heirloom seed, organic soil, organic vegetables, seed saving organic | No Comments »
Heirloom Tomatoes
I have recently begun to be interested in seed saving and preserving historical vegetable varieties. While in college and during my first job where we performed variety trials to determine high producers in Oklahoma, I was definately concerned with hybrids and thought the old varieties were useless. Now, in my home garden setting (and with the passing of 10 years), I have changed my outlook.
During college I learned that you cannot save seed from a hybrid plant and expect to get good results the following season. A tomato will always produce a tomato, but the offspring of a hybrid will not be true to type and will likely produce poorly. With open pollinated varieties, such as many heirlooms, you always get plants that are just like their parents. It’s important to note that when planning to save seed, you should ensure the variety you are interested in is separated by a good distance from any others of the same species. When cross pollinating occurs, your offspring plants will not be the same as the parents. In a sense, this actually produces a hybrid.
Another thing I’ve come to realize over the years is that the large seed companies are creating monopolies on the best producing varieties. This is fine for commercial production, but what about home gardeners and those wanting to preserve historical types?
The answer, as you may have already realized, is to grow open pollinated or heirloom vegetables.
I found a great website, Seed Savers Exchange, which sells and promotes old varieties of many vegetables, herbs, and flowers. I have joined the exchange ($35 a year) and also have ordered the following beans to start on my journey:
- Hidatsa Shield Figure Bean
- Brockton Horticultural Bean
- Calypso Bean
- Painted Pony Bean
- Speckled Cranberry Bean
Seed Savers Exchange also helps connect seed savers together through an annual spring catalog. I hope to be able to sell some of the bean seeds I collect this season. I think I will also produce some lettuce seeds (Black Seeded Simpson) and radish (Cherry Belle).
This is really an exciting pursuit. I’d love to hear of your own seed saving experiences.
Happy saving!
-Thomas
Posted in Seed Saving | Tagged heirloom seeds, heirloom vegetables, hybrid vegetable seeds, open pollinated, saving seeds, Seed Saving, vegetable seed | No Comments »
I’ve recently started a new website/subscription list that gives you in depth composting tips and reviews of products in the industry. All of this information is free to you! Simply visit Compost-Today and join me in an effort to increase your compost efforts.
As a gift when you sign up for my free email tips and reviews, you’ll receive a free copy of “Composting Begins in the Kitchen.” This ebook is available for immediate download.
Thanks and I hope to talk compost with you soon. ;-)
-Thomas
Posted in Garden Prep | Tagged compost ebook, compost how to, compost kitchen scraps, composting in the kitchen, composting tips | No Comments »
