OOPS! I Had Plans.

I had plans last winter to pollard the elderberry bush (cut it back t a set height), but life happens and things got in the way. Ideally, this would have been done in February just as the plants were getting ready to break dormancy. This is when most hard wood cuttings are the easiest to root and propagate. Then came April. Then the first of May. OOPS! That is a little late for a high success rate for rooting cuttings.

This is when you break the “rules”. The materials are free and I keep a propagation tray, so I am not out anything but a bit of time and care. And, elderberry is relatively easy to root. When I do this this type of oops, this is how I baby the cuttings along to give me the highest chances of some success.

Everything I did this day took me about ½ hour. It will take about two weeks to see if the cuttings root.

1) Work with relatively short cuttings from near the tip of the branch that is still a hardwood cutting.

2) Make the lower cut around ½ inch below a node where the leaves are emerging from the branch. Trim these leaves off.

3) Make the next cut above the next node. Sometimes I leave three nodes if the distance is short, but never I never leave more than three nodes. The cutting should be 6 inches to 8 inches for elderberry.

4)Trim off most of the leaves. Leave a few small leaves at the top to feed the plant the sun’s energy, but too many leaves draws too much water and puts too much stress on the cutting. Also, trimming back the leaves puts the cutting into growth mode.

5) Dipping the bottom of the cutting in rooting hormone can help encourage rooting. Even with easily rooted species, this helpful when the conditions are less than ideal.

6) Place the bottom end of the cutting into the sand propagation tray and firm the sand around the cutting. I put the bottom inch in the sand. Keep the propagation tray in the shade in a somewhat protected area. The cuttings need a little bit of sunlight, but should be out of direct sun and a bit protected from wind. Make sure the propagation tray gets water daily.

7) Be patient and don’t expect great results when you are not working with ideal conditions. Give the cuttings 2 - 3 weeks to see what happens. I put 10 cuttings in the propagation tray. If I get one elderberry plant to root, I will be thrilled.

The other way to get free plants this time of year is to take root cuttings. This beautiful elderberry bush put out a couple of suckers into the yard where I was getting ready to mow. Rather than mowing them off, I cut down around the baby plants and left some of the soil around the roots. I plopped these into pots and watered them well to get them past the shock. I put them in a protected spot. When they recover from the shock, I will plant them in their final home.

Of these two methods covered, this time of year , the sucker root cuttings have the highest success rate. If you are trimming anyway, the cuttings are worth “breaking the rules” to try. Relax, play, and experiment.

Here is a link to the instructions for the propagation tray on Buy Me a Coffee.

The Stories to be Heard

AH. The weather is finally becoming consistently warm enough to spend time in my current favorite writing spot. As  I put words to paper on this day, I have just finished mowing, a job that I truly dislike for a number of reasons. I do it in service to a friend who has graciously given me love and support through the years. Now, the writing spot is calling, so I sit, and breathe.

This place in the middle of town doesn’t feel like the middle of town. Sitting here under the Maple tree feels like a Mother’s comforting embrace. Her branches nearly touch the ground around me as I look out from beneath her branches. Just across a busy road and about a block away is a river, wild and vibrant. So I sit here under Mother Maple on this day and watch the birds rise, soar, and land. I just breathe and let the long winter get swept away by the warm spring breeze.

The winter in this part of the world can seem tight and constraining. My edges get a little sharper and my hope for the future doesn’t shine quite as bright. The daily challenges can stand there, staring me in the face without relief. It sometimes feels like an effort to put one foot in front of the other, just to survive this day and get to the next day that must be survived. In the winter’s grey light, the quiet voices become even softer and the threads of the tapestry stories become harder to follow.

But this, too, was an illusion, merely a shadow cast by Gaia’s cycle of life. For the life was still there, resting under the snow and regaining its strength. It was getting ready to burst forth again when the time was finally right. And in reality, that was all that was asked of me. To rest. To look inward. To listen to my own heart. To regain strength. To be ready to step forward with renewed strength and vitality.

So, on this beautiful day, I sit here and look out across the forest that masks the river down below. And I breathe. And I see.

The Hawk above the trees being chased by the Crow.

The Osprey on a mission flying straight and true.

The Crow above my head with somewhere to go.

The Flicker taking flight carrying food to its young.

The Vulture gliding lazily reading shifts in the flow.

The Falcon gliding in to give its hello.

I take a minute. And breathe. And feel. And I again begin to hear.

What stories do the quiet voices have to tell? “Sit quietly, child” Mother Maple whispers as she gives me a hug. “Sit quietly and listen to the stories of life that we tell. The stories of wisdom and beauty there for all to see. Step back and see the whole tapestry.”

For more writing, How To articles, and to leave me a tip to support my work, click the link below.

The Call

Mother Maple please guide me

To where I need to be

I am uncertain of what to do

Other than to purpose be true

Blue Bird comes to say hello

Sea Gull searching for a way to grow

Squirrel on the pole seems to know

Falcon hunting sees high and low

The knowledge I need is right at hand

The law of the crow rules the land

With the stealth of the weasel clan

The courage of heart leads the hand

And for a little bit more

Events

May 12 - Mother’s Day

May 16 - Endangered Species Day

May 18 - Armed Forces Day

May 19 - World Plant a Garden Day

May 20 - Victoria Day (Canada)

May 23 - Full Moon

May 27 - Memorial Day (US)

June 6 - WWII D-Day

June 6 - New Moon - Next Newsletter

And don’t forget the Solstice coming up on the 20th.

Wormwood

Artemisia is a family of herbs that has a large number of species worldwide. Wormwood is a perennial species (Artemisia absenthium) that originated in Eurasia, the Middle East, and North Africa. It was introduced into the United States in the early 1800’s and is recorded as being naturalized by 1841.

It is primarily used as an ingredient in some liqueurs, as a medicine, and as an ornamental. Most gardeners grow wormwood as an ornamental.

Wormwood does have a number of internal medicinal uses, both scientifically documented and traditional. However, several of the compounds are toxic in high doses or with prolonged use. These effects are enough that the liqueur has been banned in most of the world. It should only be used internally after consulting an herbalist or medicinal practitioner.

Externally, wormwood has been used to cleanse minor wounds and disinfect surfaces. It appears to be an effective treatment for insect bites. Farmers and animal care takers often use this herb to expel parasites. It is a favorite herb to use in poultry nest boxes to control mites and lice. It is used to repel black fleas and cabbage worms in the garden. A tea made from wormwood may help as an insect repellent.

This is an herb to be grown with a bit of caution and respect. It can spread easily and become “weedy” and invasive. It can inhibit the growth of other plants if it is grown near sensitive plants. In some places in the United States, wormwood is considered to be invasive.

To read about some of the metaphysical properties of wormwood, check out the article on Manitu Okahas Studio. This is also where you find my artwork and jewelry. Just click the button.

Weasel

According to some Native American spiritual teachings, the weasel is a symbol of silent observation. It is the energy of stealth and being able to see and hear what is being hidden. This is a valuable skill to learn. It is also a challenging energy and symbol to deal with.

All creatures on this earth have a niche to fill and a part to play in the cycle of life. Even those that we, as humans, find challenging and frustrating. That includes the weasel family. This is a family of over 60 species in 8 sub-families. Mostly, these are found in the Northern Hemisphere. The weasels are 16 of these species in the Mustelid family. In the United States, these include the long tailed weasel, the short tailed weasel, the least weasel, and ferrets. Mink and fishers and some others are also in this family.

These small mammals are voracious and clever predators that take any opportunity to feed themselves and their kits, up to and including cashing food for future needs. Their normal prey is mice, voles, rats, chipmunks, shrews, frogs, and lizards. They will occasionally eat small snakes, rabbits, and birds. They have been known to raid chicken houses and rabbit nests. These are highly adaptable and courageous creature that are most active at night, so even if they are near by, you may only see the results of their visit.

I am not pollyannish about wild creatures and the damage that they can do to our goals and ambitions. Neither am I overly swayed by the cute factor. That said, weasels and their cousins are an important part of the balanced web of life that helps to keep other species in check. The best option, if you can, is to make the areas around the home and livestock as uninviting as possible, and do what you can to seal up and tighten up the barriers. Dogs and cats may also encourage these cuties to find a more acceptable place to thrive. As with all things, sustainability is an art of balance and encouraging natures cycles in a way that allows all to thrive.

The best sources for sustainable management information in the United States are the USDA, the DNR for your state, or the local wildlife rescue.

Here are a couple of resources to check:

DNR.(your state).gov

nps.gov

For the symbolic meaning of weasel, check out the article on my website.

And I'm Not The Only One

Here are a couple of places to find more information.

For print materials you can’t go wrong with the Rodale Institute publications, or Organic Gardening Magazine. The Rodale Book of Herbs older resource, but still a great book to have on hand.

The places that I use for some of my information are:

DNR.(type in your state).gov

nps.gov

USDA

Some one I'm following:

One of the people that I learned a lot from when I was first learning about sustainable agriculture was Joel Salatin. His books are one of my “go to” sources for raising livestock as a part of sustainability. He is a prolific author on the topic. Now days he can be found at thelunaticfarmer.com