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>^4MMMalMtfMMingrSaturday l October 3, 1987
Ida’s
Notebook
Ida Risser
While I was writing of our trip to
Alaska, many different things have
been happening here on the farm.
We’ve had two floods in the last
two weeks. The first one was sec
ond only to “Agnes.” The torrent
of muddy water coVered our entire
meadow, the sweet com patch and
even crept into the comer of the
garden. We were left with piles of
sand and gravel which we used to
fill several sink holes. Also an
assortment of logs, lumber and
even a bowling ball and wheel cov
ers were found.
The sink holes caused the men
trouble as a wagon loaded with sil
age fell into one and had to be
jacked up and pulled out. The silo
filling operation has been plagued
with troubles. One wagon had a
broken sprocket and no parts were
available for four days and so
another wagon was leased.
(Continued from Page B 14)
are most common in Holland,
there are also red and white and
dual purpose animals.
Because of the continuing need
to decrease the size of the herd,
Lize said they have added about 20
beef animals. They have Blond
Acquitain and Piemontese, French
and Italian breeds popular in Hol
land. ‘They are expensive because
they are now very popular. Now
we have space in our bams for
them.” Nevertheless, Lize specu
lates that in a few years there will
be a glut of beef cows and raising
beef cattle will no longer be so
» *
One morning there was only a
trickle of water for milking and
washing the equipment. A plum
ber discovered a large hole had
rusted through a pipe in the well.
A few weeks ago we were given
three half-grown black cats and
one grey kitten. These are the most
playful bunch that I’ve ever seen.
They romp and jump all day long.
But, they’ve done a lot of their
playing in the garden where I had
my house plants and so many of
them are broken off and flattened.
Now if I can get someone to
repair my leaking washing
machine. I’ll be in business again.
A recent load of six pair of over
alls, when washed and examined,
were found to all need patches. In
fact, one pair with eleven patches
was deemed ready for the rag bag.
Mending overalls does take a lot of
time.
From Netherlands
Vet
profitable.
Pennsylvania farms are diffe
rent than those in the Netherlands.
Upright silos are non-existent in
home country, so the many silos
which American farmers use sur
prised Lize. She noted that her
home, and most others, is con
nected to the bam, sharing a com
mon wall. Her present home and
bam were constructed in 1968,
though Lize said they previously
lived on “a very old farm.”
She noted that the government
assisted farmers in consolidating
pieces of land that they owned
which were scattered in small par-
Start A Perennial Garden Th
YORK—Perennial gardens are
taking new forms in modem land
scapes. And fall is the perfect time
to start one, if you’re looking for a
colorful addition to your yard says
Penn State Extension horticulturist
Dr. Larry Kuhns,
The traditional perennial border
used to be a long narrow bed
placed down one side of a yard
against a fence or hedge. But today
it’s more likely to be a free-form
island of any size or shape, located
wherever a spot of color is needed.
It may even be planted on a spe
cially created mound to make it
more interesting.
The first step in designing your
perennial planting is to decide its
shape and where to put it. The
dimensions of your overall yard
will, of course, affect this decision.
You may wish to locate the plot
near a patio, porch or picture win
dow, where it can be most easily
enjoyed.
The amount of lime and effort
you’ll be able to devote to caring
for the plot will have a lot to do
with its size. It’s a good idea to
start small. Then let it grow as your
ideas (and interest) develop.
Soil preparation is very impor
tant for perennial flowers, stresses
Kuhns. These plants need a soil
with good physical structure and
good drainage. Most Pennsylvania
soils will be improved by the addi
tion of organic matter. Where
drainage is a problem, use a
cels. This makes farming more
economical. Their farm is about 35
hectares in size, and they raise
some com for silage, and also
make haylage. Indeed, Lize says,
“The only thing we have to buy is
concentrate.”
While she is here, Lize has been
staying at the Bed and Breakfast
accommodations of Kathy and
Keith Vogt, Mount Joy, who have
helped her experience Lancaster
County experience outside of dairy
farms. Lize exclaims, ‘The people
are very friendly.” She has found it
to be expensive to visit here.
Although she enjoys the food, she
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mound. The best way to determine
your lime and fertilizer needs is to
have the soil tested. But in the
absence of a soil test, add 3 pounds
of 5-10-5 and 3 to 5 pounds of lime
for each 100 square feet.
.In planting perennials, Kuhns
says to make a good-sized hole to
accommodate the root system of
plants. But take care not to set
plants too deep. None of these
plants likes to have its crown bur
ied. Keep new plantings well
watered during the fall and mulch
them over this winter with everg
reen branches or a combination of
branches and straw. With this kind
of protection they should come
through the cold without heaving
as the ground freezes and thaws.
Most perennials have a limited
period of bloom. So the key to an
attractive long-season garden is to
choose those that have good
foliage even after flowering, or the
kind that when cut back will bloom
again. Everyone will have their
own list of favorites, but here are
some that work well in modem
landscapes.
Perennial Flower
Choices
Baby’s breath (Gypsophilia) is
one excellent selection. They pro
duce a thick cover of white or pink
flowers on tall, thin stems.
Different-sized cultivars exist, but
the 2 to 4 foot type makes an ideal
background for shorter and bright
ly colored plants. Baby’s breath
creates a fine spray effect in the
garden just as it docs in bouquets.
Most cultivars are hardy through
out much of Pennsylvania. Plant in
a bright location. Good soil mois
ture is needed all growing season
to maintain plant quality.
Another perennial with fine tex
ture is Astible. Its feathery plumes
of red, white or pink flowers add
color to shaded areas, where it’s
often difficult to establish color.
Astilbe’s highly divided leaves
emerge in spring with an appealing
coppery tint, intensifying to green
in summer and turning bronze
yellow in fall. Moist, organic soil
claims, “It is very fattening.”
Lize is delighted with the oppor
tunities she has had to learn more
about the embryo transplant busi
ness while experiencing life in this
country - now she is ready to return
to Holland and begin her career as
a veterinarian.
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is the key to success with Aslilbe.
Although it prefers shade, it will
perform well in sun as long as the
area is mulched well and watered
adequately during summer
months.
One perennial group that adds a
natural quality to the landscape are
the ferns. They offer a wide variety
of foliage shapes and textures.
Places with deep shade and con
stant moisture are good settings for
maidenhair fem (Adiantum peda
tum). Its scallop-shaped leaflets, as
thin as tracing paper, are to wiry
black stems. TTie shaded fronds
respond to the slightest breeze to
provide a soft movement in the
landscape.
Ferns are overlooked as land
scape plants because of the mis
conception that they are intolerant
of sunlight. Many types grow very
well in partial or even full sun. A
good choice for sunny areas would
be Christmas fem (Polystichum
acroslichoides). This fem adapts
well to almost any situation; how
ever, its overall shape depends
somewhat on light intensity. Deep
shade promotes an open arrange
ment of the fronds, while full sun
light encourages a more compact
appearance. Unlike maidenhair
fem, the Christmas fem is everg
reen. It reaches heights 2 to 3 feet,
and its fronds are shaped like long
spears arching out from a central
point
In areas that are open, exposed
and sun-drenched the sedums are
very useful. Sedum “Autumn Joy”
has several seasons of interest. Its
individual pink flowers are quite
small, but they form in large, dense
clusters on top of stiff stems with
succulent leaves. A hard frost
transforms the original pink flow
ers and green foliage to golden yel
low and rusty brown in winter.
Few pests bother “Autumn Joy” or
any other sedum, for that matter.
This group has been quite success
ful in several sites with fairly
stressful conditions.
The plantain lily or hosta (Hos
ta) is still a very effective perennial
for many sites, especially shaded
areas that lack color. Hosta is
popular because of its variety of
foliage variegation patterns and
leaf shapes, and foliage puckering.
Hostas do produce flowers.
Slender stems hold white to lilac
blooms well above the center of
the plant
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