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Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Nothing is more delightful than seeing pops of color in the garden during winter and early spring when most flowering plants are dormant. If you look carefully in your garden, or stroll around your neighborhood, or visit the Pitt County Arboretum, you may spot signs of winter blooms to come. In late summer and during the fall, various bulbs send up green shoots promising future flowers. The following are some to look for now. All photos by Joanne K.
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By Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Durham County Interest in natural dyes is undergoing a resurgence as people look for environmentally conscious and sustainable ways to make clothing and household goods. I didn’t know much about the topic but this summer I had two experiences that gave me a beginner’s knowledge about a plant that has been used for centuries to dye textiles: Indigo. My first experience occurred when I volunteered at the Clover Bud Camp. The camp is a joint venture between the Durham County Master Gardeners and the Durham County 4H program. Children between the ages of five and eight years old learned about Art in Nature. One session was on using indigo to dye fabric.
Photos: Left: River Takada, Mixed Media and Fiber Artist, from Durham, North Carolina, shows examples of 'Shibori.' Right: Children learn about 'Shibori.' (Image credits: Martha Engelke) During the class, the children had an opportunity to not only dye fabric but to learn about Shibori, a traditional Japanese method that involves folding and binding the fabric to create patterns when the fabric is dipped in the indigo. River mixed the dyes in large buckets using indigo that had previously been extracted from the plants. Extraction is a process that requires a large crop of indigo and a lot of time (several weeks). The second experience was attending a workshop offered through Piedmont Fibershed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a regional fiber system centered around local fibers, local dyes, and local labor. This workshop was led by Bethany Joy Hebbard and the focus was on growing and using fresh indigo leaves rather than dye that had been previously extracted from plants. The history of Indigo Indigo was used in China 3,000 years ago and in Egypt more than a thousand years before that. The most common uses were to dye textiles or make cosmetics. However, indigo has also been used for medicinal purposes. Neurological disorders, dental problems, inflammation, and skin diseases have been treated with indigo, and indigo is thought to have antimicrobial properties and aid in the healing of burns. In the United States, indigo became a commercial crop in the 1740’s and was grown on plantations in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Growing indigo was a very labor-intensive process. In 1870, two scientists in Germany (Adolf von Baeyer and Adolf Emmerling) synthesized indigo, leading to a significant decrease in the growing of natural indigo. Although synthetic indigo still dominates the market, there has been a resurgent interest in natural indigo dye because it is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The precursor to indigo is indicin, found in the leaves of the plant. Through a process of oxidation and fermentation, indican is transformed into a blue, water-insoluble indigo dye. The most common colors associated with indigo are blue and green but by using heat during the extraction process, it is possible to activate another chemical (indirubin) to produce red and earth tones. Although many plants are used to dye textiles, one of the advantages of indigo is that it doesn’t require a mordant (fixative) as long as the cloth is scoured (treated with soda ash or sodium carbonate) before applying the dye. There are varieties of indigo from China, Guatemala, and other tropical environments. These varieties vary considerably in their indigo content. The variety that is most often used to dye textiles is Japanese Indigo (persicaria tinctoria) because it yields the most dye. Growing Japanese Indigo (persicaria tinctoria) Persicaria tinctoria (also known as polygonum tinctorium) is a member of the Polygonaceae family. It is hardy in zones 10-12, but in our area it is considered an annual. Seeds can be started indoors 4-6 weeks before the last average frost. The seeds should germinate within two weeks but occasionally germination takes a month. They can be harvested from existing plants but it is unlikely that the seeds will germinate after the first year, and long-term storage is not recommended. They can also be sown directly outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Japanese Indigo grows in any soil, but clay loam seems to be the best. Adding a bit of guano or cow manure to the soil enhances growth and using a nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season is recommended. Few diseases affect the plant but it does do best in the sun with regular, frequent watering. Remember, it is basically a tropical plant.  Above photos: Persicaria tinctoria can be grown from seed or cuttings. Left: In an outdoor garden. Middle: A potted plant grown from cuttings. Right: The leaves and flowers. Image credits: Left: I Naturalist UK, CC-BY-NC; Middle and Right, Martha Engelke. Persicaria tinctoria is also very easy to propagate from cuttings, which is what I did. The workshop was held in July and it was too late to grow the plants from seed. Bethany had a field of plants that she shared with us. I took several cuttings, put them in a pot indoors, gave them plenty of water and sunshine, and they have done well. I found that they do need to be watered at least every 1-2 days. Once the plants are established, you can harvest the leaves 2-4 times before they flower and set seed in mid to late September. Once they have set seed, the amount of indigo in the leaves is greatly reduced. To harvest the leaves, cut the plants about 6-8 inches from the ground, leaving a few leaves at the base. Keep them moist and use them within 24 hours if you are planning to use them for fresh-leaf dying. Fresh-Leaf Indigo dying Before using the leaves, it is important to scour the fabric (boil it with soda ash at a concentration of 1-2% of the weight of the fabric) for 30 minutes and then soak it in soy milk. This will help to remove natural gums and waxes and ‘fix’ the dye, especially when using bath methods. There are two ways to dye with fresh indigo: abrasive methods and baths. The abrasive method is easy and straightforward. Using dry fabric, one can hammer (Tataki zome) the leaves once they have been affixed to the fabric with packing tape, or you can use a stencil. In the stenciling method, after stabilizing the fabric, affix the stencil to the top of the fabric. Then, take 4-5 indigo leaves and stack them so they look like a cigar. Keep refolding and replacing leaves as your leaves disintegrate. It is best to use a stencil made of hard plastic or wood rather than one made of cardboard. Contrary to what I thought, stencils with smaller spaces rather than ones with wide open spaces worked better. The bath technique includes several methods. You can make a salt marsh by sprinkling a few teaspoons of salt over a bowl of fresh leaves and then use your hands to agitate the leaves until the liquid is released. Continue to do this for 10-15 minutes or until the fiber stops getting darker. Rinse the fiber in cool water and dry out of the sunlight. Another bath approach is to place your indigo leaves in a blender and fill it about halfway with cold water. Although indigo is not toxic, I chose to wear gloves because the dye is a bit difficult to remove from your hands. Blend until the mixture is frothy. Strain the mixture over a tea towel and squeeze the liquid into a bowl. Submerge the cloth for about 15 minutes, stirring if needed. You can repeat the process if you want a deeper color. Dry the fabric out of direct light.  Photos: The first sample was created using the stenciling method, the middle picture represents the hammering method, and the samples in the picture on the right were made using a bath. Image credit: Martha Engelke. Using fresh indigo to dye fabric has many advantages. It is a low cost, straightforward process that can be completed by an individual or it can be a fun project with children. You need only a few plants and resources. Of course there are constraints. It is a seasonal activity and after my plants go to seed, I will have to wait until next year to grow more fresh indigo (although I am going to see if I can keep it growing as a house plant). To get the best results, you need to work fairly quickly and especially with the abrasive methods, the results can vary based on how well you are able to hammer or the type of stencil you use. The results will also vary depending on the freshness of the indigo. If you wait until the plants start to set seeds, your results may be disappointing. However, I am dye-ing to try it again!
Resources and additional information
This article summarizes the historical and cultural background as well as the identification distribution and uses of indigo. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP642 If you are interested in growing larger amounts of indigo and extracting the dye for use in bigger projects, the story of how an artist in South Carolina did this is inspirational. https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2022/11/carolinian_indigo_harper.php Susan Dye (appropriate name, right?) has experimented with growing different varieties of Japanese indigo as well as other indigo plants. She shares the results of her experimentation on her blog and discusses the sociopolitical implications of the resurgence of indigo dyeing. To learn more about the artists and the classes that they provide, visit their websites: River Takada: www.rivtak.com Piedmont Fibershed: https://piedmontfibershed.org/home/ Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4Zu The Gardening Association of NC has a program on plant dyes on November 21. Here is a link to the program: https://gaonc.org/event-5827809 This blog was reprinted with permission from the blog published by the NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County on September 11, 2024. The author and photographer, Martha Engelke, is a former Extension Master Gardener Volunteer with Pitt County. Pitt County EMGVs thank Martha Engelke and the NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County for allowing the Pitt County Arboretum website to reprint this blog. By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Come fall the perennial garden starts to look pretty tired with brown stalks and seed heads. The urge to cut everything to the ground for a neater looking flower bed is strong. However, don't do it! Those stalks and seed heads are critical sources in protecting the life cycle of pollinators.
their nests and lay their eggs in hollow stems. Different species have different life cycles with different needs at different times.
Of course, any perennials with pest or disease problems should be removed. Other important ways to support pollinators include: Using leaf litter as mulch in your garden and at the base of trees provides a home for bees and butterflies. Bumblebee queens hibernate just below the soil surface using decayed leaves for protection from winter elements.
For more information on protecting pollinators, check these websites:
* Growing Knowledge to Protect Pollinators at https://emgv.ces.ncsu.edu/2023-annual-report/growing-knowledge-to-protect-pollinators/ Fall Chores in the Pollinator Garden: Leave the Leaves and Save the Stems! at https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/12/fall-chores-in-the-pollinator-garden-leave-the-leaves-and-save-the-stems/ Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists at https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists Story and photos by Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Did Tropical Storm Debby leave standing water in your yard? Did the stormwater runoff wash away the soil or gravel in your garden? This was a problem at the the Pitt County Arboretum, where stormwater run-off from the Extension Building roof washed out the soil in the old rose garden (which had been removed due to rose rosette disease) onto the parking lot.
According to Sound Rivers, a single rain garden can filter as much as 30,000 gallons of stormwater each year, and it's 30 percent more absorbent than a typical lawn. As a natural filtration system, rain gardens provide a number of benefits for both the home owner and the environment:
For more information, contact:
Plants for rain gardens: https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/extgardener-rain-garden-plant-list/ Good links to sites on how to create a rain garden: https://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/rain-gardens/ Rain garden outline and recommended plants: https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/students-youth/educators/Documents/rain-garden.pdf By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer You might ask: Since we had so much rain in July and then Tropical Storm Betty in August dropped buckets of water all over eastern NC, why do we need to save water? Let’s remember how dry it was in June. According to the NC State Climate Office, June was one of the top five warmest on record for much of eastern NC, with most counties listed as abnormally dry or in moderate drought (https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/07/a-record-dry-june-accelerates-droughts-arrival/). Thanks to our recent rains that made eastern NC feel like a tropical rain forest, our area is no longer listed in dry or drought categories on the NC drought maps (https://www.drought.gov/states/north-carolina). However, drought conditions can return at any time, as we have experienced over the past several years. Droughts and water shortages already exist in many parts of the US and around the world. In light of this, consider some simple water-saving tips at home to have water for planters and gardens when the rain doesn't fall, reduce your water bill, and help conserve water resources. Use a rain barrel to capture and save the runoff from your roof and gutters. The collected water can be poured into a watering can for hand watering or outfitted with a hose. Directions for DIY rain barrels are available online, or you can buy them already assembled at big box stores or order them online. Taking shorter showers saves water. Also, while waiting for the water to heat up for your shower or for washing dishes, let that water flow into a bucket to use for cleaning purposes.
Above left: This photo shows water captured and stored in a large light-colored cistern similar to the one in the Butterfly Garden at the Arboretum. The water flows from a spiggot into a watering bucket. Water your plants by filling a watering can from your rain barrel. Photo credit: Can.Lee County Ext. png Above right: You can conserve water by taking a shorter shower. Also, by letting the water flow into a bucket while it's warming up for your shower or for washing dishes - rather than running down a drain - you're saving water. Photo credit: Joanne K for this and all remaining photos. Don't throw out the ice from beverages. Let it cool to room temperature and then use it to water your planters. If you run a dehumidifier, instead of emptying the reservoir down the drain, pour the water on your tomatoes! Save the water from the kids' pool for your lawn. Don't let the faucet run while cleaning fruits and vegetables. Instead, rinse them in a bowl or sink full of clean water. Rather than tossing pasta or cooking water, save it for soup stock or your next batch of cooking! Pasta water adds complexity and richness to your noodles and stocks. Thaw frozen foods in the fridge or microwave them instead of placing a package under running water. For cold drinking water, fill a bottle or pitcher at the faucet and chill it in the refrigerator. This avoids the wasteful practice of running tap water to cool it for drinking. If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. Instead, if you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you have only one sink, first gather all your washed dishes in a dish rack, then rinse them quickly with a spray device or a pan of water. While brushing your teeth, turn off the water until you rinse your brush. With populations growing around the world, the demands on our water resources will only continue to increase. As global temperatures rise every year, so do the threats of extended droughts and water shortages. Water is a limited resource that we can all do our part to use wisely. For more information on using water wisely, go to https://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve-water/ https://www.energystar.gov/products/recent_program_updates/saving-water-helps-protect-our-nations-water-supplies#:~:text=Using water-saving techniques can,, pump, and heat water. https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-scarcity
Story and photos by Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer It's summertime and your herbs are thriving. This is the perfect time to make your own herbal vinegars, which can be used year-round to add extra flavor to your salads, marinades, and sauteed vegetables. Plus, these vinegars make great gifts for family, friends, and neighbors. Herbal vinegars are fun and easy to make at home. You'll need containers such as pint or quart canning jars or bottles, plus lids and caps (plastic caps, new corks, canning jar lids). Also needed are unscented bleach, large saucepan, thermometer, tongs, cutting board, and a knife.
For the best flavor, pick the herbs early in the morning from plants that have not flowered. For each 2 cups of vinegar, use 3 to 4 sprigs of your herb. Wash and dry the herbs on a clean towel. When dry, quickly dip the herbs in a bleach solution (1/2 tsp unscented bleach per 3 cups water) to prevent harmful bacteria from entering the vinegar. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat dry.
Prepare the jars by washing them in hot, soapy water and sterilizing them in a large saucepan with simmering water, keeping the jars fully under water for 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove them from water and invert on a rack. Also, wash your caps in hot, soapy water and then rinse and scald in boiling water. Use new pre-sterilized corks, dipping them in and out of boiling water several times before sealing the vinegar. Heat vinegar to just below the boiling point of 190-195 F. Check with your thermometer. In the meantime, chop or bruise your herbs on a cutting board to release their oil and intensify the flavor.
Properly bottled herbal vinegars will keep for about 3 months in cool storage and about 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator.
For more information on herbal vinegar combinations and using fruits, vegetables, and spices to flavor vinegar, go to https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/flavored-vinegars/ By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1, and lasts until the end of November. Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced an 85 percent chance that storm activity in the Atlantic in 2024 will be above average due to record-high ocean heat and an oncoming La Nina, periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures that affects rainfall patterns and can contribute to more intense weather. Other agencies, including universities, governments, and private weather companies, have made similar predictions. Eastern North Carolina is no stranger to hurricanes and high-wind events that bring down trees and power lines. Climate-change predictions of a continuing rise in sea surface temperatures over the coming decades could lead to ever stronger hurricanes with higher wind speeds and thus a greater likelihood that trees will be knocked down during these storms, possibly damaging adjacent structures.
The article recommends keeping your trees healthy through regular maintenance to increase their ability to survive a storm. This includes proper pruning techniques when needed, and removing overly mature trees.
 Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii), Jim Robbins, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Additional information about these studies and their recommendations are available at https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/treesandhurricanes/. Other tree suggestions can be found on the North Carolina Forest Service website at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/Urban/urban_recommendedstreettrees.htm. Wind resistance doesn't guarantee that your trees won't be blown over during a hurricane. However, the proper selection, siting, planting, and maintenance of wind-resistant trees gives them a much better chance of surviving storms and minimizing damage to both trees and surrounding structures.
by Susann C., Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum Vertical pallet gardens are a wonderful way to garden if you have limited space. Pallets are readily available. With a few tools, soil, plants, and water, you can have a finished vertical garden in the space of an afternoon! You can hang a pallet on a fence, lean it against a fence or a wall or a balcony railing, or lay it down on the ground to form a raised bed garden. You can have an herb garden, flower garden, vegetable garden, or a combination – the possibilities are endless.
By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer While strolling through your garden, you may have noticed patches of moss in your landscape beds or lawn and wondered why they are there. Moss grows in shady areas of low fertility, compacted soils, high soil acidity, poor drainage, excessive thatch in lawns, or a combination of these factors. It can be found not only in the landscape. but on a variety of surfaces, including roofs, rocks, and walls.
Moss reproduces by spores in a variety of environments that are very wet at some times of the year. While moss is not aggressive, it is considered opportunistic in that it grows in conditions favoring its growth.
While moss doesn't harm your lawn or garden, you may not like how it looks. Be aware that physical or chemical removal is a temporary solution unless the underlying conditions favoring moss growth are corrected. In vegetable and flowerbeds, there is no chemical control that will not harm the other plants. In these beds, use a hoe to scrape the moss off the soil surface and dispose of the moss in trash bags. To prevent its return, correct the soil conditions that favored its growth. Order a soil test so that you can determine how to improve your soil. A soil test will indicate lime and fertilization needs. Aerate (core) compacted soil and work in compost to improve the soil structure. You may also need to prune or remove some plants to let more sunlight in. Adjust your downspouts so they don't empty into the garden and water early in the morning because you want to give that area the opportunity to dry. Rake your lawn to remove the moss. There are chemicals that can kill the moss but not the grass. However, a more environmentally friendly approach is to correct the problem by using cultural means.
For more information, go to NC State Extension, Moss Control in Turf, at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/moss-control-in-turf.
By Matt S., Pitt County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent On Friday April 12, 36 interested gardeners gathered for our second 2024 Northside Plant Walk: Aromatic Additions for your Landscape. The tour began under our green roof shelter as usual, where we discussed the first of four vines on the walk, Bignonia capreolata, Crossvine, so named because the vascular tissue inside the stems forms the shape of a cross. It’s multicolored flowers, yellow-orange in throat and pink in the outer corolla, are mildly fragrant and smell of mocha. This is a native evergreen vine with twining tendrils it uses to attach to structures as it propels itself upward. Flowers are similar to trumpet vine, which it is often confused with, though the deciduous foliage of trumpet vine is quite different than that of crossvine.
Crossvine flowers also bear some similarity in shape and color to the second vine discussed, trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, though honeysuckle’s flowers are much smaller. While L. sempervirens is not as fragrant as other Lonicera species, it is another native and less invasive than Lonicera japonica. Like Crossvine, flowers are popular with hummingbirds and butterflies. Dianthus ‘Firewitch’, the 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year, is a low growing, spreading perennial with bright pink flowers in spring and greenish gray evergreen foliage throughout the year. Its scent is similar to carnations, its close relative, though the stalks on this cultivar are much too short for cut flower use. Plant in mass or use in borders, edging, along paths, or in rock gardens. Just avoid especially wet soils. Crabapples are members of the Malus genus, relatives of apples, but producers of smaller, far less delicious fruit. That fruit can be attractive, though messy if planted in the wrong location. Gardeners plant crabapples in their landscapes because of the flowers, however, which create a vibrant show in mid-spring. Though there is some variability depending on the cultivar, crabapples often have rosy pink buds that open to reveal pale pink or white flowers with a light apple scent. Chionanthus virginicus, aka Fringetree, is a small deciduous tree with long-petaled flowers in spring that smell like vanilla. The blue-black fruit that arrive later in summer support birds and other wildlife. Fringetree is native and suitable for a variety of soil types, and tolerates shade though it will flower best in full sun. Philadelphus coronarius, aka Mockorange is a tall shrub with arching branches. Flowers resemble citrus flowers in size, color, and shape (hence the common name Mockorange), but smell like sweet perfume. It can be difficult to fit the standard Mockorange into modern landscapes due to its size, but more compact cultivars such as ‘Snowbelle’ are easier to fit into smaller spaces.
Akebia quinata, Chocolate vine, is another evergreen vine and one that gets its name from the scent of its flowers, which are said to smell like chocolate. One could argue they look a bit like chocolate as well, as the burgundy-purple color is about as close to the color of chocolate as flowers get. Though the flowers have passed already for this year, the plant will form purple sausage-shaped fruit that split open when mature to reveal creamy white insides and black seeds. Chocolate vine is not native, and in fact is considered by many sources, including the NC Invasive Plant Council, to be invasive. Illicium parviflorum, Hardy anise, is notable not for the scent of its flowers but of its leaves, which smell like the culinary spice anise (which is actually derived from a different Illicium species) or licorice. Illicium is a tall evergreen shrub with unique flowers. It performs well in shade.
Syringa ‘Penda’ BLOOMERANG is a reblooming lilac shrub that forms flowers on old growth in spring and new growth in late summer or fall. Slightly more compact than the typical Syringa vulgaris, this still packs a fragrant punch, and is slightly more resistant to powdery mildew though good air circulation is key.
The final plant we visited, and our fourth vine, was Clematis. Many of the hybrid Clematis cultivars, along with other species such as Clematis armandii and Clematis paniculata (Sweet Autumn clematis) have wonderful fragrance to match their stunning bloom. This hybrid clematis is a herbaceous perennial suited for growing on small structures like mailboxes, lampposts, fences or small trellises. Flowers are 4-10 inches wide and long lasting. Keep clematis roots cool by planting other plants around its base. Mark your calendar now for Friday, May 10th for the next Northside Plant Walk featuring Plants with Historic or Cultural Significance. Photo credits: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu or iStock Bignonia capreolata, form on tree in summer in Moore County, Susan Strine CC BY 2.0 iStock Dianthus gratianopolitanus Firewitch, Sondra P Crab Apple Malus Form in bloom in May Bruce Marlin, CC BY 3.0 Chionanthus virginicus Flower and Leaves Jim Robbins, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 iStock Chocolate vine, Akebia quinata, iStock , igaguri Illicium parviflorum, Hardy anise, Cathy Dewitt, CC BY 4.0 Syringa ‘Penda’ BLOOMERANG Form, Cathy DeWitt, CC BY 4.0 Clematis armandii Climbing with support, Barbara Goodman, CC BY 2.0 |
