Crabgrass: in case you get hungry...

A few days ago I noticed a lot of fluttering in my garden's paths and realized that I was witnessing a crop of sparrow fledglings in a feeding frenzy.  My paths are generally not well maintained walkways. They tend to be havens for escaped marjoram, oregano, dill and, of course, unwanted crabgrasses. In this case, I could see that the sparrows were focussing their attentions on the crabgrass areas and appeared to be devouring the surfeit of  seeds now available from the exhausted and dying grasses.

Digitaria sanguinalis (large crabgrass)

Considering that a single crabgrass plant can easily produce well over 125,000+ seeds during its growing season, it's unlikely that my fluttering friends  will get all those seeds, but watching them feast did make me feel a little better about letting the crabgrasses get ahead of me. It also spurred me to find our a little more about crabgrass.

There are two common crabgrass species that gardeners probably step on everyday: Digitaria sanguinalis (large crabgrass) and Digitaria ischaemim (small crabgrass). The botanical Genus name, Digitaria, alludes to the finger-like inflorescences that branch off from the long stems and that become multiple flowering segments. Crabgrass belongs to the small-grained grass family, Poaceae, that also includes other important small-grained grasses like the millets that grouped into of another  related family, Panicoldeae. Like all grasses, crabgrass features a hollow stem with narrow leaves in ranks along the stems except where the bottom-most leaves attach at the node, the stem's base, surrounding it. 

Digitaria and Panicodeae have been been eaten by hungry human for thousands of years. Although you would need patience to gather the seeds, just remember that crabgrass's small seeds are editable if you  ever happen to be staving - you might even develop a taste for it.

Like many of our familiar weeds, crabgrasses were introduced, probably in these cases, intentionally to North American by early European settlers because the plants sprout relatively early in the spring and grow fast providing a good nuitrional fodder for animals.  Crabgrasses also can thrive in poorer soils, and endure heat, cold and drought, important considerations if you have animals to pasture at the end of winter.  Today, these common crabgrasses literally cover the world and contrnue to serve as a grain  for hungry people as well as animal fodder in some places.

FWIW:  If you still feel compelled to eliminate crabgrass in your lawn because it's suffocating the Kentucky blue grass but want to go about it in a "green" manor,  try overseeding. To find out more about the method, read this short article about the technique.

Small and Sweet: Mini Tomatoes at the Fair

Text and pictures by David Chinery, the Senior Horticulture Educator 
                 for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County. Reach him at dhc3@cornell.edu

Tomatoes for tasting at the  Schaghticoke Fair

They are one of the easiest things you can grow in your vegetable garden. They’re small and cute, come in a variety of colors and shapes, and one plant produces them by the boatload. They’re both good for you and pack a punch of flavor. Cherry tomatoes are simply awesome, the best, the bomb! 

That’s what I think after growing three types of cherry tomatoes this summer at home and hosting a tomato taste-off at the Schaghticoke Fair. Here is a  quick look at some of the contenders displayed on the tasting table.  In my backyard, I grew ‘Sweet 100,’ a good-looking, standard sort of red cherry tomato, along with ‘Sunsugar,’ notable for its golden orbs. Both were about the size of true cherries, and the plants came from a local garden center. 'Sunsugar’ is touted as being similar to the famous ‘Sungold’ cherry, but less prone to fruit cracking. From seed, I grew plants of ‘Chocolate Cherry,’ which produces slightly larger tomatoes of a dark mahogany red/green/brown color. 

'Sunsugar,' a new variety from Cornell's Gallaxy collection.

'Starlight,' another mini from Cornell's Galaxy collection.

Along with almost everyone else, the Galaxy tomatoes were new to me, so I was eager to learn more. According to Dr. Phillips, who was interviewed by Sarah Thompson of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, “These varieties are ideal for organic and conventional growers, or hobby gardeners, and will make a great contribution to the diversity and quality available for small-fruited tomato medleys. They provide high flavor options with good shelf life and aesthetics in high yielding plants for growers.” Galaxies are also described as “organic grape tomato varieties that are pretty, profitable and pack a culinary punch.” They’ve been found to perform well outdoors or in high tunnels, the greenhouses many New York growers use to extend the short upstate growing season. While we didn’t conduct an official taste test, I can give you a little of the feedback we received from the Fairgoers. 

Overall, everyone liked all the varieties, but each type especially charmed a few people, with ‘Sunsugar’ getting the most raves for its high degree of sweetness. A few people (myself and some kids) were disappointed that ‘Chocolate Cherry’ didn’t taste like something from Ghirardelli. ‘Starlight’ was the most polarizing, with some lovers and some dismissers. They might even be nice on an ice cream sundae.

A Squash  For Smaller Spaces

Test and photos by Richard Demick, Rensselaer County Master Gardener

Planting butternut squash in a small raised bed garden layout is a problem. Butternut squash vines grow long and large easily taking over space needed by other vegetables. 

Butterscotch PMR

I tried a new variety this season from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. It is Butterscotch PMR F1. I planted it in a separate 4’ x 4’ raised bed in an open space far from the vegetable garden.

The plants have not strayed far from the borders of the bed. The squash produced look like the usual butternut only smaller. At this time, it appears this variety would be suitable for planting in the permanent raised bed garden along with other vegetables in their separate beds.

The following description is from Johnny's seed catalog:

“Our proudest butternut breeding achievement to date. Bred for sweetness, richness, and complex flavor, surpassing all others in its class. The perfect size for dinner (no leftovers), it is ideal for growers selling at farmers' markets and filling CSA boxes. Matures early at 1–2 lb., with no curing needed before it can be enjoyed. Stores up to 3 months after harvest. Short vines. Intermediate resistance to powdery mildew. NOTE: If growing for the 1-lb size, we recommend giving each plant only 6 sq.ft. of space. Avg. yield: 3–4 fruits/plant. AAS Winner.”

The photo to the right shows a Waltham type butternut squash plants that self-seeded in the compost bin with the extensive vines that run six to 10 feet out into the lawn. The bush and short vine varieties work best in small garden plots. The traditional butternuts from the compost bin are producing well along with the new bush variety creating the opportunity to compare taste and storage qualities. 

And remember...

"Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms, and there is no known way to kill it 

that does not involve nuclear weapons." - Dave Barry