Question:
I received a Japanese Maple at Christmastime. Some local backyard gardeners have told me that the ground is not warm enough to plant now, and I should wait until spring. Also, an HGTV program suggested that the best time to plant a tree is in the fall season. So, when do I plant it?Answer:
- . Good news, there are no restrictions as to when to plant Japanese Maples in the Bay Area.
- During the winter months, the biggest issue is not temperature but moisture. As long as the ground is suitable to dig and amended the backfill, it's perfectly okay to plant. Our winters are mild to very mild. The majority of the Japanese Maples sold in Bay Area garden centers are grown in Oregon. They are shipped not only into the Bay Area but also throughout the US.
- Also, cold is a relative term. First off, plants are not affected by the wind chill factor, only by the absolute temperature. Why is this? Plants do not have a central nervous system. There are no horticultural reasons why not to plant in December, January, and February, etc.
- One final thought, Home and Garden TV programming originates from many different parts of the country. Rarely does the program/host point out to the viewer that there are local variances, and they should check with a nursery professional for what's typical in their area. Also, when googling information, be aware as to the origin of the information as it may not apply to your yard. Also, we get so much information we end up being handicapped by it all.
Question:
Are rose hips edible?Answer:
- Yes, rose hips are edible. Jams, Jelly, and Rose Hip Tea are the most common uses.
- Rose Hips are high in Vitamin C, but they are not all created equal, as some hips taste better than others. Wild roses and the old-fashioned varieties such as the Rugosa Roses and David Austin varieties are the most flavorful. They also yield the largest quantity of pulp because of their large size. Many modern day's roses, those introduced after 1945, have a metallic taste besides being small in size.
- The hips are typically orange to red, but can be black or purple. Rose hips form after a flower's successful pollination; they contain the flower's seeds and ripen in late summer into the fall. They aren't noticeable until the flowers' petals fall off; hence, you leave the spent blooms so the hips can form and mature on the plant.
- Deadheading the spent flowers eliminates the hips. You harvest the hips from November through January. First, trim off the stems and blossom ends, cut the hip in half, and remove the seeds. The seeds are hairy and have an unpleasant taste. The remaining pulp is washed and left to air dry.