Uncertain times call for thrifty gardening

My parents were typical of the generation so deeply affected by the Great Depression. Born in 1910 and 1911, respectively, they witnessed the economy and job situation in America at its worst. My mother used to talk about how heartbreaking it was to walk down the streets of Atlanta and see men selling apples to make a few cents and others in ragged overcoats asking for handouts in an embarrassed voice.

But living in a farming community (Rico, in southwest Fulton County), my parents never went hungry. Long before the crash of ‘29, they were accustomed to milking cows and plowing gardens to grow vegetables, and slopping hogs to fatten them for sausage and cured hams.

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Martha Tate

Louisiana iris, as well as other perennials, can be divided in the fall for spring bloom. You can also replant the divisions, or share with friends.

MARTHA'S PICK
Shirley Poppy
Botanical name: Papaver rhoeas
About the plant: Papery flowers in shades of bright pink, red and white sit atop two-foot-high stems. In the late 19th century, this version of the red Flanders Field poppy native to Europe was found in the garden of a vicarage in England. In the Atlanta area, the poppies bloom from late April into mid-May. A cool-season annual.
Use in the garden: Glorious in a sunny bed. Combine with blue bachelors' buttons (blue cornflowers) for an electric effect.
Planting and care: Sow seeds on bare ground in fall. Full sun and good drainage are required.
Source: Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Drive, P.O. Box 3000, Fredericksburg, TX 78624; 800-848-0078; www.wildseedfarms.com

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Mother and Daddy lived into their 90s, but they never forgot the lessons of the Great Depression. Lights had to be turned off when you left the room, and just about everything was saved or recycled for another use. After my daddy had lost his memory, he got after me for throwing away the plastic wrap I’d taken off a bowl of chicken salad.

“No use to waste another piece,” he said, putting it aside for another time.

It is no surprise these habits carried over into gardening. Most of my mother’s flowers had been given to her by friends — Mrs. Abercrombie’s pink daisy chrysanthemums, Miss Willie’s poppy seeds, Mr. Charles Jackson’s Confederate rose, and so on. My parents also saved seeds of watermelons, cantaloupes, beans, peas and tomatoes from year to year for their huge vegetable gardens. Canning and freezing were a given.

I certainly don’t go to the extremes my parents did (although I find it hard to throw away used plastic wrap that is clean), but there are great lessons to be learned from their example. Here are some hints that might prove helpful to gardeners in these uncertain economic times.

• Join a plant society. The other night at the American Hydrangea Society meeting, some very beautiful and unusual hydrangeas were raffled off. The Georgia Perennial Plant Association also has sales and raffles, and you can get some great plants for a very low price. Other societies that focus on dahlias, chrysanthemums, camellias, daffodils, azaleas and rhododendrons, native plants, daylilies, etc., offer swaps, sales and rescues.

• Propagate your own plants. Many shrubs are easy to root, even if you don’t have a lot of room. Aucuba will root in water, as will many gardenias. Years ago, I received a letter from a reader who had enjoyed great success at rooting roses. In autumn, she would cut off a shoot, stick it into a potato (she called it an Irish potato; in the grocery store that would translate into a russet or baking potato) and plant it in the ground. The next spring, she would have a rooted rose.

• Divide perennials. Fall is a good time to divide beardless irises (i.e., Louisiana, Siberian and Japanese iris) and hostas. Dig up the entire plant of the latter, and cut the root ball with a knife. Replant the divisions, or share with friends.

• Grow from seed. Right now is the perfect time to plant cool- season annuals such as poppies and blue cornflowers. You need to start with a bare patch of earth, well-tilled and well-drained and in full sun (throwing out wildflower seeds in grass won’t work). Smooth out the earth, and scatter the seeds. Sprinkle only a bit of dirt on the cornflower seeds, and gently pat the poppy seeds to stabilize them (they need light to germinate). You’ll have a glorious riot of color next April and May. In June, save the seeds for the next year.

• Save vegetable seeds. Margaret Moseley gave me some seeds of absolutely the best green beans I’ve ever tasted. They are still bearing after four months. Let the beans dry on the vine, then after you harvest them, make sure the seeds are totally dry and store in bags or jars in a dry place.

• Check out ads in the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin. You can get some good deals on seeds and plants. My parents were avid readers. To subscribe to the bi-weekly tabloid (free to Georgia residents), call 404-656-3645, or read online at www.agr.georgia.gov.