Growing on the High Plains

A trip to the Red Hills southwest of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, can be an eye opener for both beautiful countryside and an invading horde of Eastern Red Cedars -- a good tree gone bad.  Red cedars have been a part of the history of the Great Plains from Texas to Canada, and were once controlled from over-population by natural wildfires.  But with the advent of civilization, fires have been controlled to the point that the tree is taking over grazing lands and disastrous results are being reported.  Reduced cattle forage, numbers of grassland birds (especially the prairie chicken), lesser numbers of other wildlife, and decreased stands of  wildflowers are a result of the forestation of the prairie.  One of the most serious side effects is the drain on water supplied from natural aquifers and annual rainfall.

In addition to the role windbreaks play in decreasing soil erosion, these valuable elements of modern day agriculture can increase crop yields, act as environmental buffers, improve air quality, and provide valuable pollinator habitat for bees and other beneficial insects.  Windbreaks can be multifunctional, providing not only protection from the wind, dust and snow, but serving as economic stimulators through the marketing of tree products.  To learn more about the importance of windbreaks and the design basics needed to develop a functioning shelterbelts, take part in the Southern Plains Windbreak Renovation and Innovation Workshop to be held in Dodge City, Kansas May 21 - 23, 2013.  Call the K-State Extension office in Ford County 620-227-4542, or contact Andrea Burns at: aburns@ksu.edu.

During the 'Dirty Thirties' various methods of controlling soil erosion were tried to help end the blowing dust and keep precious topsoil in place.  In addition to different ways of tilling the soil, and the establishment of grasslands to hold the soil, thousands of tree rows, called shelterbelts or windbreaks, were planted to decrease wind erosion and to provide shelter for homesteads and livestock.   With the advent of large scale irrigation, and especially center pivot irrigation systems, plus the fact that the numbers of occupied farmsteads has decreased, we also see a decrease in windbreaks.   Today the Great Plains states are again facing critical droughts and blowing dust.  Many of the old windbreaks are dying of age, disease, and insects.  It is once again time to transplant tree seedlings and rebuild windbreaks.  A three day series of workshops presented by various forestry agencies, assisted by numerous state extension offices will be held May 21 - 23 in Dodge City, Kansas.  For more information about these meetings, contact Andrea Burns at the Kansas State Extension Office in Ford County.  Email aburns@ksu.edu or call 620-227-4542.  You can also get additional information on the following website:  http://nac.unl.edu/events/southernplainsworkshop.htm

The lines drawn this year between winter and spring have been hazy at best.  Days of warm weather in March and April are typical, usually followed by some frosty days and occasional hard freezes.  But, this year took the cake and a few records, as the swing between winter and spring began to resemble a yo-yo championship.  Warm days invited gardeners outdoors just in time to get slapped in the face by cold rains that quickly turned to sleet, ice, and snowfall that was record breaking in many areas, and this weather pattern repeated itself not once but several times.  Some High plains communities were snowbound while others saw blowing dust and hard freezes that wiped out future fruit harvests and wheat crops.  But, into this made mix a little hope must fall, and it did this year, in my yard with the arrival of the Eastern pasque flower, also known by its old-timey name of Anemone Patens.

Today, I'm thinking about how the plants, in my garden, are similar to public radio on the prairie.  Some of my plants come from seeds, some are off-shoots of parents plants, some started as cuttings or grafts relocated from other gardens and plants.  Some are divisions, where I have dug up the parent plant, divided it, and then planted the "kids" in a new spot.  

Money Plant, or Lunaria is known for its silvery, white seed pods that resemble coins of the realm. It is a biennial.  Clusters of lavender flowers bloom in the spring, and the flat seed pods form the second summer.  The coin-shaped pods are beautiful in dried arrangements. 
To dry the pods, simply cut when they are fully developed, gather them into a bunch, and hang upside down in a place where the air circulates well until they are completely dry, usually two to three weeks.  The brown husks on the sides of the seed pods can be removed by gently rubbing the pod between your thumb and finger. 

Suffering from a bout of spring fever, Skip succumbed to the purchase of a plant that produced beautiful blossoms even before planting time.  However, balmy spring weather was quickly replaced by a spring snowstorm, forcing the shower of flowers indoors.  There it still brightened the corner where it was with scarlet colors and a promise of a garden show to come.

This week we'll look at one of the oldest and most loved plants in the herb garden.  The numerous types of lavender are often named for their country of origin, with Spanish, French, and English lavenders among the top competitors in any popularity contest.  Originally used for medicinal purposes, it is now listed as the top aromatic herb around the globe.

A trip from the High Plains to the Coastal Plains of South Carolina brought Skip lots of new gardening images and ideas.  One of the most interesting botanical finds was Spanish moss, a wispy airplant  with an unusual history.  This week Growing on the High Plains will take a look at an area of the country that is as botanically different from the flatlands of Kansas as day is different from night.

The newscasts seem full of stories about the death of newsprint, and newsprint's replacement by technology.  There seems to be fewer and fewer of us who carry the genes of string-savers of the Great Depression- those who love the way the paper feels between our fingers, and the way the pages sound as we turn them.  There's a steady flow of the electronic version of the town crier- folks on little screens who type, text, or shout, gossip, advertising, facts, figures, and advertisements, even when we don't want them.

The desert yucca plan was designated as the state flower of New Mexico in 1927.  It was chosen by the school children of the state,  then recommended by the New Mexico Federation of Women's Clubs.

Controversy over the icons of the state of Oklahoma were not limited to the state tree.  In 1893, fourteen years before statehood, Mistletoe was adopted as the territory's flower.  Although, tiny and short-lived, the evergreen leaves and glossy white berries made it a favorite of settlers.  The issue some folks couldn't seem to get around was that mistletoe is a parasite.

Goldenrod is a wallflower, standing in the background, while other flowers in the garden take center stage.  It has been blamed for watery eyes and runny noses, when in fact, the true cause of those allergy symptoms is probably ragweed which blooms at the same time.  Goldenrod has taken the heat for years for, but its  blame without substantiation.  It is a rare gardener to take up the cause of the Goldenrod, but I like this plant.  It has a place in my garden. 

Sometime back I talked about our return to dryland farming.  One of the things I will miss with this change is being surrounded by fields of gold.  Some days, I would journey into the fields to be surrounded by eye-level orbs of sunlight.  I would stand quietly waiting for the sound of munchkins following the yellow brick road.  At the end of the growing season, I have been known to emerge with an arm full of heavy heads to hang in the evergreens to provide a feast for winter residents. 

The Rocky Mountain Columbine was discovered by mountain climber, Edwin James,  ascending Pike's Peak in 1820.  It was officially names the state flower of Colorado in 1899.  Rocky Mountain columbine (Columbine Aquilegia Caerulea) is a beautiful flower with a rich aroma that attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to it's nectar.

The history of  the state of Texas is expansive and colorful.  It's boundaries have fluctuated.  It's flown six different flags.  It's background is steeped in tales of battles and wars, including the war with Mexico, the Civil War,  and many Indian battles that include the Red River War, but until recently, I was unaware of a battle that was waged for 70 years. 

Can you imagine walking across an endless sea of grass?  Maybe your journey started along the Santa Fe Trail from a tree-lined river bank of the Ohio Valley, the forests of the Appalachian mountains, or the sugar maple groves of New England, and now you face a gale of hot, dry wind.  You think you must be on the edge of hell.. until... up ahead you see a shimmer of hope... a cottonwood tree.  

One of the earliest trees to bloom in the spring is the redbud.  This favorite ornamental rarely reaches heights of greater than 20 feet.  The redbud comes in three color varieties: white, red, and purple.  They are self-pollinating and a fast grower, but that also means they have a shorter lifespan.  The redbud is a member of the legumes- their seed pods and flowers are edible.  They are forgiving of soil types, growing best in moist, well-drained sites.

Perhaps no plant is more a part of my early childhood than a pecan tree.  It brings to mind several family photos in my memory book.  The first image is playing under a huge shade tree on a quilt pallet, while the older folks in my family shook the tree and picked up the nuts that fell.   They were rewarded with a share of the harvest and a small wage.  The second picture is of the whole family gathered around the kitchen table, the room lit by an oil lantern, and we all would work together to separate the meat from the shell.  For me, it wasn't really work because we were entertained by stories and songs.  The third picture is of an annual Christmas gift- a bag of shelled pecans sent by my cousin who still owns a native grove.

Why not end the holiday season with the three R's?  Today, we'll look at ways to renew, reuse, or recycle that Christmas tree you thought was trash, but just might turn out to be a treasure.

During the holiday season a look toward the sky could catch a glimpse of a snowflake or two, or even a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeers.  At construction sites it could also yield the sight of a Christmas tree high atop a roof beam.  Today we'll look back in history and spend some time in the great north woods part of the world to find our Growing On The High Plains topic.

As she reflects over Christmas past, Skip Mancini recalls how "Christmas" and "white" rarely happen at the same time. 

It's time for mistletoe and holly, but here on the High Plains, the only place you are likely to see this traditional holiday plant is on cards and wrapping paper.

In an area of the country that is often thought to be lacking in autumn color, we can provide splashes of bright contrasts if we put some thought into landscaping plans.

Our annual look back at the past gardening year brings some disappointments directly linked to a hard weather year. 

No doubt about it -- wise water use is a critical issue for the planet, and especially for those of us who live in the plains states of the U.S. 

We'll continue our visit at the High Plains Food Bank in Amarillo by doing a walk-through of the garden with Cara Young.