Happy Earth Day

 Wishing all a very happy Earth Day!

Gardening Tip: Spot Watering with Home-made Drip-irrrigation Buckets (‘Homer Buckets’)

 

Simple, home-made drip-irrigation buckets simplify spot-watering.

We’re heading into a second year of drought in Western Colorado. Droughts can be a challenge when getting new garden plants established. Sometimes we need to supply a little extra water to an individual plant. And that’s where home-made drip-irrigation buckets (we call them ‘Homer Buckets’) come in handy.

Five-gallon bucket with hole

A ‘Homer Bucket’ is simply a 5-gallon plastic utility bucket with a single, small diameter hole drilled near the bottom (see above).  We use a drill with a 3/16 inch drill bit to create the hole – located 1 inch from the bottom of the bucket. You'll need to test a bucket to see if this diameter allows water to seep optimally into your soil. You may need a smaller diameter hole (slow-draining soils), or larger for fast draining soils. The goal is to prevent water from running off, rather than soaking into the soil. We drill the hole in the same position on each bucket, making it easy to position buckets for watering.

To water, simply place the ‘Homer Bucket’ 8-10 inches from the plant, fill the bucket with water, and let the water drain out through the hole (below).  That’s it!  

Watering buckets allow water to seep in, not run off.

There are several advantages to spot watering with ‘Homer Buckets’. First, they allow you to direct the water to precisely where it’s needed. Second, the small hole allows water to drain slowly, so water soaks into the ground, rather than running off.  Third, you are assured that the plant gets a full 5-gallons of water – no more, no less.  This can be especially helpful when children assist with the watering.   And it assures that precious water isn’t wasted!

Fourth, ‘Homer Buckets’ allow you to water areas that are difficult to irrigate using other methods. We’ve even used them for native plant restoration projects.  Fifth, ‘Homer Buckets’ are easy and inexpensive to make.  They may even cost nothing, if you have access to used 5-gallon paint buckets.

Lastly, watering with ‘Homer Buckets’ is easy.  Place the buckets, fill them with a hose, then let the buckets drain for a half-hour or so.  You can efficiently and easily water a number of plants by simply moving the buckets once they’ve drained.  So undemanding!

We hope you’ll consider making some ‘Homer Buckets’ for your own garden.  They really are a fantastic solution for getting water to plants – even in times of drought!

Consider home-made spot-watering buckets for your garden!

 

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We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: monaturesmontrosegarden@gmail.com

Plant of the Month (April) : Wild Pansy/Johnny Jump-up – Viola tricolor

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): An early spring treat in
 Mother Nature's Montrose Garden

 The weather can still be cold and blustery in early April. In Mother Nature’s Montrose Garden (USDA Zone 6), not much is flowering yet, although the trees, shrubs and perennials are starting to leaf out.  One reliable early bloomer is the non-native Viola tricolor. It was planted by the former owner, and has re-seeded throughout the garden.  The scientific name is pronounced vye-OH-lah TRY-color.

Wild pansy is a common wildflower throughout much of Europe.  Some of its common names include: heartsease, heart's ease, heart's delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Johnny Jump-Up, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, love-in-idleness, or pink of my john. [1] Planted in the U.S. since 1700’s, it can be found in many U.S. gardens.  It’s readily available and commonly sold as both plants and seeds.  The showier horticultural pansies were developed from the wild Viola tricolor. All are members of the Violaceae (Violet family).

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): small annual plant

Wild pansy is an annual or short-lived perennial, but freely reseeds. Plants are small, usually under 6-8 inches (15-18 cm) in height (but up to 12 inches in milder climates) and perhaps slightly more in diameter. The leaves are alternate and mostly oblong or lance-shaped, of a medium green that may be red- or purple-tinged early in the season. The leaves have a variety of shapes.  The lower blades are heart to egg shaped. 

In the wilds, Viola tricolor grows in European meadows, banks, fields and open areas.  It can be grown – as an annual – in all USDA Climate Zones. Johnny Jump-ups like cool weather and will die back with the heat.  In hot gardens they will appreciate a bit of shade, at least in the afternoons.

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): flowers

The flowers of Viola tricolor are truly charming; small but nicely colored. It blooms spring-summer (March-Sept). The flowers are solitary on stems above the foliage. A typical flower has violet or purple upper petals, white lateral petals and a yellow lower petal (see above). Several purple veins originate from the flowers' throat.  Some flowers are only purple, or two-toned – even all yellow or white.

The plants are self-fertile and pollinated by bees.  After blooming, the fertile flowers are replaced by seed capsules.  When mature, the capsule will divide into 3 parts and the seeds ejected. [2]

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): late winter
 seedlings

The seeds are small and can easily be carried on the wind. Seedlings tend to ‘jump up’ in favorable locations in the garden – hence the common name Johnny Jump-up. Thus, a few plants or packet of seeds can provide many years of enjoyment. Seedlings may emerge with cool fall weather, or with the warming soils of spring (see photos above and below).

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): seeds spread by
 wind  create a colony of plants

Many gardeners prefer to purchase nursery-grown plants. In that case, space plants one foot apart and be sure to water them in well.  But starting plants from seed is quite easy. If planting from seed, sow seeds in prepared beds in late winter or early spring.  They can also be started in pots indoors to plant out later.  Just barely cover the seeds, keep the soil moist and look for germination in 2-3 weeks.  Slugs and snails like the tender foliage, so watch for them!

Wild violet prefers cool, moist well-drained humus-rich soil. It does well in partial or dappled shade with protection from hot winds. It tolerates many soils but prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5 [3]   That being said, plants do very well in Mother Nature’s Montrose Garden, with a pH of near 8.0.

There are many uses for Viola tricolor in the home garden.  Many gardeners use it to border paths or flower beds.  It looks stunning massed as a groundcover. It is right at home in an alpine or rock garden; it would also be nice in an herb garden or around the edges of a vegetable plot.  It can be grown in containers, making it accessible to most.  And it does a lovely job of naturalizing around shrubs and perennials.  Yellow, green and blue-green dyes are obtained from the flowers. The leaves can be used in place of litmus in testing for acids and alkalis.

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): makes a good
 filler plant

Wild pansy is edible in small amounts; it contains chemicals that can be mildly toxic in large amounts. Young leaves and flower buds can be eaten (raw or cooked) or used to thicken soups. The flowers can be used as an attractive garnish for salads.  The leaves are sometimes also dried for tea. [3]

The plant has a long history of medicinal use in Europe.  The most common uses, to this day, are for skin conditions such as eczema and hives.  But the species was once used to treat epilepsy, asthma, skin diseases and a wide range of other complaints.  The plant was also traditionally known as a source for love potions, and is even referenced as such in Shakespeare’s plays. [3]  

Teas made from the dried plant promote coughing up phlegm, and were used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and cold symptoms.   Ointments, salves and poultices have been used in the treatment of diaper rash, weeping sores, itchy skin, varicose ulcers and ringworm. [2]   Viola tricolor and other species in the Violet family produce a number of interesting plant chemicals.  They are currently being studied to determine their usefulness in modern medicine.

In summary, Wild violet is a wonderful addition to the early spring garden. It adds an old-fashioned beauty to any setting.  While not a U.S. native, it works well with native plants, naturalizing around the garden like the native wildflowers.  Why not consider this little charmer for your own garden, even if just as a container plant?

Wild violet (Viola tricolor): in gravel mulch

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1. Viola tricolor - Wikipedia
2. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/viola-tricolor/
3. https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Viola+tricolor

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: monaturesmontrosegarden@gmail.com