“Agent Turner!”
He threw his arm over my shoulder as we headed toward the parking lot. “I think you should call me Jack.”
“Well, Jack, you should be ashamed. Those poor, defenseless roses. I don’t know how they’re going to survive Milo’s puppyhood. I don’t know how I’m going to survive it.”
And yet I knew I would survive Milo’s antics, Seth’s nervous ranting, and anything else that might be thrown my way because I loved the excitement of gardening at the White House.
“Aren’t you going to say something about this being the beginning of a beautiful friendship?” Jack asked, interrupting my train of thought.
Our eyes met, and I laughed. “I think you already did.”
A Page from Casey’s Spring Gardener’s Notebook
March
Week 1
PLANTING: Planted 35 varieties of tulips (an even mix of early, mid, and late bloomers to ensure a steady show of colorful blooms). 3,000 bulbs planted in the Rose Garden, bordered by 8,000 grape hyacinths. 8,000 tulip bulbs planted around the South Fountain, bordered by 16,000 grape hyacinths. 4,000 tulip bulbs planted around the North Fountain, bordered by 8,000 grape hyacinths. Next week: Plant tulips and grape hyacinths in Lafayette Square park.
SOWING: Started tomatoes (5 heirloom varieties), green bell peppers (the First Lady’s favorite), and cucumbers in the White House greenhouse.
CULTIVATING: None this week. Hopefully, we’ll be cultivating organically grown beets this time next year.
FERTILIZING: With the warmer weather on its way and the new leaves beginning to appear on the roses, it’s time to start fertilizing. I’ve talked Gordon into an organic alternative this year with a half-and-half mix of alfalfa and cottonseed meals, 10 cups per plant. The fertilizer was carefully mixed into the top inch or two of soil in the Rose Garden. The application will be repeated every 10 weeks.
Applied liquid seaweed using a hose-end sprayer to the South Lawn to give a quick boost of green to the tall fescue turf.
PRUNING: Early spring is the time to prune perennials. Removed old foliage from the perennials in the Children’s Garden, making room for the new growth that’s about to appear. To avoid sour grapes, we vigorously pruned the Concord grape vines in the East Garden, cutting new shoots back to the third or fourth leaf. Next week: Prune roses in Rose Garden.
WEATHER: Warmer days have made everyone anxious to get to work in earnest in all the gardens. Gordon has been reminding us daily that it’s early in the season. There’s still the danger of freezes and frost. It’s been a rainy week. I took a handful of soil in my hand and squeezed. The dirt formed large clumps, which means it’s too wet to work. Soil prep for the First Lady’s vegetable garden will have to wait.
NOTES: Keeping an eye out for weeds. Turned compost pile at the White House greenhouse facility. Ordered diatomaceous earth, a natural barrier against ants and other harmful insects, for use in the spring garden.
Quick and Easy Guide for Growing a Pineapple Top
Fresh pineapple
Small pot
Perlite, vermiculite, or coarse sand
Knife
Purchase a fresh pineapple with a large, bright green top. If you can find a pineapple that already has roots sprouting, get that one. Check between the leaves for root growth. Roots will be brown filaments growing off the stalk between the leaves.
Remove the green stalk from the pineapple. You can do this one of two ways: Twist off the stalk or cut off the top of the pineapple. I prefer to chop off the top of the pineapple, because twisting can damage the leaves.
Remove all pineapple meat from the stalk. Be sure the stalk is clean of any pineapple residue. Even a small bit of meat left on the stalk will rot, which may cause the plant to rot and die.
Peel off the bottom whorl of leaves to expose approximately an inch of stalk. Take care not to damage any existing roots when removing the leaves.
Place in a dark, dry spot for three to seven days to allow the stalk to dry out and form a callus.
Once the stalk has dried, plant in a small pot with perlite, vermiculite, coarse sand, or any combination of these. Bury the stalk up just above the first leaf. The pineapple will want to be in a dry, well-drained environment. If the planting medium stays too damp, the pineapple stalk will rot. If the center of the pineapple stalk rots, don’t panic. Remove the rotted material and let dry out. With some extra care, the pineapple can still produce roots and form offshoots from the stalk.
Alternative to potting: Root the pineapple in a glass of water. Place pineapple stalk in a glass of water, with the end of the stalk submerged in the water at a depth of a quarter to a half inch. Change the water every two to three days.
Set pot or glass in indirect light. It takes six to eight weeks for the stalk to root.
Once the roots have set, repot in a well-drained potting soil and gradually move to direct sunlight. Feed the established plant a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Do not overwater.
It will take approximately three years before the plant will flower and fruit. Until then, enjoy the look of the tropics within your own home.
Flowerbed of State Page 30
