Weekend Practical. A.M. Cuddy Gardens

Reese & Julia

 

We started out on a chilly Friday morning. Lucas took us down to the garden shed to do multiple circle checks for the two Kubota tractors, the RTV, and a couple chainsaws. The first big task of the day was cutting down a 50 year old crab apple tree. This got us a step ahead of the rest of our classmates by getting some hands on training with the chainsaws. After chopping the thick pieces into firewood and hauling all the brush away it was lunch. After lunch we got the whole walk thru about what we were going to do the next two days. Four new Serbian Spruce trees needed to find new homes. We planted them at the front of the gardens so now there are two complete rows of these spruce trees. A minor scare happened when we cut through a wire while digging the holes. No worries though. We only had enough time to put the trees in the holes and then make them straight.

Saturday morning we got right back to the spruces! Filling in the holes with soil and packing it down. A very tedious process because the trees would always move and not end up straight, but we did it. After the trees were planted we got a load of mulch and spread it around making the ground look nice and level. We gave the trees a very big soaking after that.

 The trees were finally finished! Big thanks to Connon Nurseries for the donation of the trees. We watered all the evergreens by the greenhouse and also did some spot watering for plants that needed a little drink.

 After all the watering was done we started winterizing some perennials. Cutting them back 4-6 inches. There are a heck of a lot at the Cuddy Gardens. This took us the rest of the day. Getting rid of all the plants that leave nice little warm spots for voles in the winter.

Sunday morning we needed to finish cutting back all the perennials. This took us all the way too lunch. A ton of walking back and forth to the compost. We grinded it out and got all of them chopped down and all the annuals ripped out. After this we did a circle check of the backpack blower. I was using this to clear off all the pathways, and to blow out the rock garden as well as trying to get the leaves out of the dwarf evergreens.

While Julia got a head start on the clean up by the walnut tree. Although there were not many walnuts on the ground there were a ton of leaves.

 After we went down and washed off the Tractors, Trailers, the RTV, and all the tools that we used all weekend with the hose. We then needed to finish our plant profile for our grass.

Overall it was a very good weekend and time flew by very fast. We are both excited to do the maintenance weekend at the school now.

 

 

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

 

Michael’s Opinion

This plant is a native to North America. It has a delightful colour show year round, would be lovely in the backyard somewhere to screen off any unwanted views that are low to the ground. It is interesting because this cultivar of switch grass has some attractive colour to it even as trees are losing their leaves and there is still some sort of plant that is still able to continue as our days become shorter and shorter. I personally would put this grass perennial in my garden because it is able to withstand a lot that this climate we live in produces.

Botanical Information

Family       Poaceae

Genus       Panicum

Species      virgatum

Cultivar      ‘Shenandoah’

Synonyms    Switch Grass

Category       Perennial

Origin      Native to North America

Details

Hardiness Zones

                USDA  Hardiness Zone   2 – 9

                RHS Hardiness Zone     7H

Temperature          -35^oC

Height       91 cm

Spread      60 cm

Growth       Fast

Flowering Period        July to February

 

Description and Growing Information

General Description

Is short, stands to be about 91 cm tall, has lovely reframed colour and is quite nice as an autumn to winter plant.

ID Characteristics

Has red tipped ends, colour is still vibrant even in the autumn and it does not start to sprout until early summer.

Shape

Is a tall and upright plant, but can be flattened with heavy snow or weight. Although, the plant must be cut back in late winter early spring to have new shots come in early summer.

Landscape

This plant is best used in massing or grouped together, can be added to perennial borders, and used in meadows, wild gardens or in naturalized areas. As well as, rain gardens because of its tolerance to wet conditions.

Propagation 

Plant material is sterilized to kill any fungus and bacterial. After the plant is sterile it is then placed on media that contains sugars, inorganic salts, plant hormones and gelling agent to assist in the reproduction of the plant. The plant cultures arte then only opened in particle absorption filter cambers to minimize contaminating airborne organisms. After explants are planted in sterile media, they are then monitored for any signs of roots, leaves, etc., and are place under artificial lighting and heating. Over time the plants will multiple, can be subdivided and continue the process. The plant can then be hardened to grow under other condition in comparison to the laboratory. Also propagate by division, by waiting until mid-winter early spring to cut them back and also divide them as well.

Cultivation

This specimen needs moist- well draining soil, is best grow in Full sun to part shade, specimen can grow in all sorts of pH conditions and seems to be quite tolerant to a variety of urban conditions.

Pests      There are no serious insect or disease problems.

Notable Specimens          The A.M. Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada

Habitat

This specimen prefers medium moist to wet soils, but can tolerate dry slopes, heavy clay, sand and boggy areas. This kind of switch grass can be seen along ocean coast lines, and can tolerate salt and wind.

Bark Description

Does not have hard bark because it is not a hardy plant, but it does have green fleshy skin and steams are prone to dry out.

Bud Description

The bud is about less than 5 mm in length, has a teardrop shape to it and has a beige colour in autumn which makes it look as if it is actually dried out.

Leaf Description

The foliage of this specimen is the leaf that comes in a massing, compact form that stands, about 91 cm in height. All venation of the leaf is going in the same direction, perpendicular with the main vein. This specimen has a lance like leaf that is very narrow and comes to a very fine tip. The tip also has a reddish-brown colour to it in the autumn.

Flower Description

The flowers are a panicle that is seen growing over top of the foliage. The panicles are about 30 cm long and about 12 cm wide. Somewhere in mid-July to August these panicles appear in a reddish-pink colour and turn beige in the autumn that persist constantly even into the winter. This specimen blooms from July to February.

Fruit Description

The fruit of this fine panicle that turns a beige colour in the autumn, these panicles hold the seeds that are to continue on or are the fruit of this grass. In the autumn the seeds are mature enough to then distribute into the wind.

Colour Description

The foliage of this specimen starts off being a bluish-green colour and then by late June turns to this amazing burgundy-red colour, which is then joined by a finely-textured, reddish-pink flower panicle, in the summer. By the time autumn comes the foliage and flowers turn a beige colour that persists ever into the winter.

Texture Description

It has a smooth texture if you are moving the plant in the way that the leaves are growing, if not then the specimen can be quite course and cut you.

 

"Panicum Virgatum 'Shenandoah'" Switch Grass from North Creek Nurseries. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

"Panicum Virgatum 'Shenandoah' - Plant Finder." Panicum Virgatum 'Shenandoah' - Plant Finder. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.

"Tissue Culture Lab." Atlanta Botanical Garden. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.