Allelopathic Sunflower Seeds

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As the weather turns chilly and bird feeders go up, here’s a new word for you…..ALLELOPATHY.

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Allelopathy is where an organism releases natural chemicals that affect the growth of other organisms. How does this apply to your bird feeder? Sunflower seeds. It turns out that many sunflower species, including those used for bird seed, are allelopathic to many other plants, so much so, that they are used as natural weed control. The chemicals contained in most parts of the sunflower, including the roots, seeds, and seed hulls, naturally block the growth of other plants. Basically, the sunflower wages chemical warfare against competing plants. The main allelopathic chemicals that sunflowers produce are terpenes and phenolic compounds. So, bear this in mind when placing your bird feeder (and when growing sunflowers in your garden). Dropped sunflower seeds and hulls, if allowed to build up under your feeder, will kill off most other plants. Plus, it’s always good to keep the area under your feeder tidy to avoid enticing unwanted visitors like rodents, raccoons, skunks, and more.

Native & Fire-wise: Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany

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Plant Name: Cercocarpas ledifolius

Common name: Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany

Plant type: Densely Branching Evergreen Shrub or Tree

Height: 7’ – 33’

Spread:  5’ – 10’
Bloom Time:  December – April

Flower Color:  Cream, White, Yellow

Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil Requirements:  Medium to Fast Soil Drainage; Rocky Soil.

Water Needs:  Low to Very Low; Drought Adapted.

Attributes:  Spicy Aroma; White Bark; Leaves Green on Top & Silvery Underneath; short, spiral, silver-haired seed plumes are eye-catching; Attracts Butterflies & Birds.

Note: Nitrogen Fixing; Resistant to Disease & Insects.

Uses: Hedge; Rock Garden; Erosion Control.

Fire-wise: YES

Native To:  Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Montana, Colorado

Oregon Native: YES

USDA Hardiness Zone:  5b – 9a

Article by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Photo Credit: https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/cercocarpus-ledifolius

Cleaning Your Garden Tools

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Initial Cleaning

  • Remove Loose Debris: Use a brush or a stiff brush to remove any loose dirt, leaves, or other debris
  • from your tools.
  • Wash with Soap and Water: Dip the tools in a bucket of soapy water (dish soap or detergent) and scrub thoroughly to remove dirt and grime.
  • Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse the tools under running water to remove all soap residue.

Disinfection (Recommended):

  • Bleach Solution: For a quick and effective disinfection, soak the cleaned tools in a chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for about 10 minutes, then rinse and dry thoroughly.
  • Alcohol Solution: Isopropyl alcohol (70-100%) can also be used for disinfection. Dip the tools in the alcohol solution, allow them to air dry, and then dry the tools thoroughly.  Add Isopropyl alcohol into a handheld sprayer and spray shears between each plant you prune.

Rust Prevention:

  • Dry tools:  Completely dry tools before storing them, otherwise moisture can lead to rust.
  • Apply Oil: To prevent rust, apply a thin layer of mineral oil, linseed oil, or WD-40 to metal parts, especially after cleaning.
  • Soak in Sand: For a quick way to clean and oil tools mix some linseed oil in a bucket of sand and then stab the tool into the sand a few times.

Specific Tool Cleaning:

  • Pruning Shears/Pruners: Disassemble pruners, wash each part individually with warm, soapy water, and scrub any sap or sticky residue left behind.
  • Disinfect Pruning Shears: Add Isopropyl alcohol into a handheld sprayer and spray shears between each plant pruning.

Cultivation Tools (Spades, Hoes, Forks, Rakes, Trowels): Use a stiff scrubbing brush to remove any soil from the blade and shaft.

Rusty Tools: Soak rusty tools in vinegar for several hours to loosen rust, then scrub with steel wool or a wire brush. After removing the rust, neutralize vinegar with a baking soda and water solution.

Tips for Larger Tools:
If your tools are too large to fit in a container, wrap them in a cloth soaked with vinegar and salt, then place them in a plastic bag. Check the tools periodically to see if the rust has softened. When rust is loose, then follow “After Soaking” steps.
 

Important Note: Vinegar is a mild acid, so it can dissolve and pit steel if left on for too long.

Article & Photo by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

Fire-wise Plant: Western redbud

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Plant Name: Cercis occidentalis
Common name: Western redbud
Plant type: Deciduous Tree or Shrub
Height: 10’ – 20’
Spread:  10’ – 15’
Bloom Time:  February – April
Flower Color:  Magenta or Bright Pink; Fall Color
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Drainage Fast to Slow; Clay, Loam, Sand
Water Needs:  Low; Drought Tolerant
Attributes:  Very Showy Flowering; Deer Resistant; Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths, Native Pollinators; Four Season Interest; Pest & Disease Resistant;
Note: Flowers are popular with a variety of native bees, including leafcutter bees; Responds well to Pruning including occasional hard pruning
Uses: Bank Stabilization; Beds & Borders; Small Gardens
Firewise: YES
Native To:  California, Southwest, Arizona, Rocky Mountains, Utah
Oregon Native: NO
USDA Hardiness Zone:  6 – 9

Article by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Photo Credit: LaurentianShield, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Native & Fire-wise: Cusick’s camas

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Plant Name: Camassia cusickii
Common name: Cusick’s camas
Plant type: Bulb
Height: 2’ – 2.5’
Spread:  .75’ – 1’
Bloom Time:  May/June
Flower Color:  Blue
Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Moist, fertile, acidic, humusy, well-drained soils; Tolerates Clay Soil.
Water Needs:  Medium to Wet; Tolerates Summer Drought, but keep Moist during Growing Season.
Attributes:  Showy Flowers; Cut Flowers; Deer Resistant; No serious Diseases or Insects; Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds.
Note: Plant bulbs 4” deep and 4-6″ apart in the fall.
Uses: Naturalize; Plant along Pond edges; Woodland Garden.
Fire-wise: YES
Native To:  Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Oregon
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8

Article by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member

Photo Credit: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

Fall Seed Collecting 

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Collecting Seeds: Collect seeds that are open-pollinated varieties, which means the seeds being saved will produce plants with the same characteristics as the parent.

Annual flowers: Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Cosmos, Calendula, Snapdragons, Amaranth, Sunflower, Morning glory, Zinnias

Perennial flowers: Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan), Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower), Coreopsis (Tickseed), Digitalis (Foxglove), Centranthus ruber (Red valerian), Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William), Aquilegia (Columbine). Continue reading →