Wow, what a summer. You cannot beat this weather. As far as I am concerned, it has been good for everything except the mosquitoes and I don't feel sorry for them. We've had sunshine and more warm weather than we deserve, just enough rain to so that things look lush green without any help on our part and there is more to come.
All one has to do is look around. The incomparable public gardens from Homer to Fairbanks would be a Kodak salesman's dream, if Kodak salesmen still existed. And your own gardens, no doubt, are singing loudly both with color and birds. This is one of the big advantages of having a great garden: The insects they attract bring in the birds.
I got several questions about the trollius. We have at least two types that people grow here with terrific results. The first are yellow-blossomed plants. These bloomed several weeks ago. They are short plants, growing into a round, foot-tall mound producing a few dozen blossoms. They officially go by the name Trollius pumilus and every Southcentral Alaska yard could use a few. Not only do they bloom early and profusely with absolutely no care, the rest of the season they present a great texture and green color contrast to other perennials.
Right now, however, we are just finishing the taller, orange-flowered trollius season. These are Trollius chinensis. These globeflowers are up to 3 feet tall. In both size and color, there's no mistaking them from their earlier-blooming cousins. Both of these can be divided if they are getting too big. They are "dig and divide" plants that form large clumps easily divided with a spade into quarters and replanted. The best time is after they flower. Add a bit of endomycorrhyzal fungi, use native soil and don't worry too much once you have them replanted. This is a hardy, easy-to-grow family.
Next, I am constantly asked about climate change given the weather patterns of late. All I can say is that anytime I hear someone question climate change, I point out two things. First, the growing season here has doubled in 100 years. This is simply mind-boggling and goes way beyond the fact that there's no snow on the mountains that surround Anchorage.
That usually does the trick. If it doesn't, I point out that in Lenore Hedla's "Gardens for Alaskans," she strongly notes that meconopsis and verbascum do not make it here. They didn't. However, they do now. The blue poppy, in fact, is quite popular. If you see some around, ask for seed when the flowers are finished. Let them winter in the garden as they need that cold.
Powdery mildew is the name given to white and -- well, how else to say it -- powdery fungi that were once only a pain in cucumber grower's greenhouse. Listen up, cannabis growers, as this is a problem many of you are facing as you try to establish a legal grow in your backyard greenhouse (though the problem can hit indoors as well).
In any case, PM, as it is abbreviated, is usually white, sometimes gray and there are several different species of fungi involved, not just one. It comes from spores, usually carried by wind currents (yes, even into a greenhouse) or on clothing, attached to other plants or even your dog or cat. It is everywhere, but spores usually stay dormant -- that is, until it gets humid and warm. When it hits, you will see it. And plants will first yellow, then eventually die.
Once powdery mildew hits, it's hard to control, so preventing PM is the trick, and it is one that not everyone can pull off easily. Air circulation between plants, low humidity (below 50 percent) and watering early in the day all help. So will opening the door or lowering the thermostat on the automatic fan.
If you have an attack, you can try several remedies. Pick one. The most popular is, probably, spraying with a solution of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a quart of water. However, if you spray with a 50-50 milk-water solution you may have better results. This is used on outdoor cucumbers and landscape plants that get PM. There are lots of reports that a milk-water spray will prevent powdery mildew if applied every week.
Finally, I think it is important for the individual yardener to know that I received tons of comments on the column about relaxing our collective lawn angst and every single one of them was positive. So, just in case you were in the garden shed on this one, it is time to come out. Really. Relax on the lawn and enjoy the summer.
Jeffs Alaska Garden Calendar
Anchorage Garden Club Annual City Tour: Noon-5 p.m. Sunday, July 26. More information at www.alaskagardenclubs.org.
Raspberries and gooseberries: What are you waiting for? Harvest yours. They should be ripe.
Rosalind Creasy lecture and book signing: 7-10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. Rosalind Creasy practically invented the idea of using edibles in the landscape. Her books are revered by gardeners and garden writers alike. Tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/rosalind-creasy-lecture-and-book-signing-tickets-17638832222.