The Radio Garden
The Radio Garden is a tiny plot in Felder's celebrated cottage garden that has "something done to it" every single week of the year - regardless of weather - to show that anyone can garden in a small space without working up a sweat. Along with selected seasonal annuals (antique and modern hybrid flowers, small-space vegetables and useful herbs), it includes hardy perennials, bulbs, and dwarf shrubs and antique roses. There is also a water feature, a large pot made from a tire, and night lighting. It is mostly natural, using compost, mostly organic fertilizers and no pesticides. Visit every week to see what Felder is up to - that you can be doing in your own garden.
This Week's Chore:
Several weeks ago, a caller asked about using alcohol to stunt the growth of "paperwhite" Narcissus, which typically get tall and floppy in the warmth and low light of indoors. A week later we interviewed Dr. Bill Miller, Cornell University researcher who proved that a low percentage of alcohol does indeed cause leaves and flowering stems to be shorter, with no effect on flower size or fragrance.
So the Gestalt Gardner gave it a try, and it WORKED! Two identical bowls of same-size paperwhite bulbs were planted in gravel,and given exactly the same treatment (sun in the day, cool temperatures at night). The only difference was, one was given straight water, and the other was given a 5% alcohol solution (7 parts water, 1 part vodka). Coulda used gin, but we didn;'t have enough to spare. Within three weeks both bowls of bulbs had flower buds, and a week later - this week - they are in full bloom, with the ones given the alcohol treatment being less than half the height of the plain water bulbs. Needless to say, the fragrance is overwhelming. Good thing vodka is odorless!
******************** UPDATE on a FUN WEEKEND with long-tiime Victory Garden host Roger Swain, science editor of Horticulture Magazine: The two of us ate our way to and from our "10th Annual Garden Gurus" lectures at a Kentucky Master Gardener meeing. Thanks to listener and e-mailer Jeff Seabold of Jackson for letting us know about Payne's Barbeque on Lamar Street in Memphis - best we ever put in our mouths!
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