Every
month we are going to share a different Flower.
Plant of the Month 2008
The Stein Family Farm Museum is very proud of our plantings. We have several trees and some shrubs that date back to the original Stein family's residence (1900 to 1950). When the Farm was turned into a museum, a landscape specialist identified what was present. Many plants that were not considered historically correct were removed, and now the policy (with some exceptions) is to plant varieties that were in existence more or less around the turn of the 20th Century. Some of the exceptions may include current varieties of vegetables and flowers.
The Farm also participates in planting activities that you can participate in. We have regular Saturday gardening activities that includes regular weeding, pruning, watering, planting and harvesting from our community garden plots, and you can work in our compost piles and worm bins. We also celebrate Arbor Day with tree planting, during Farm Days children can plant potatoes, and May Day includes making flower filled May baskets.
If you are going to come in a group larger than a family of 4, please let us know before you show up, or we may not have enough tasks to spread around!
We will feature a different special plant at the Farm each month. "Old" plant articles will still be at the site, you can find them at our Flower Archives
MARCH
Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
The big wisteria vine that is growing east of the garage was planted by the Steins. It is a particularly magnificent specimen, with sweet scented, dangling, lavender blossoms. It puts on an amazing show every year during our Farm Days event, and numerous children and other visitors have been photographed in front of it, while washing laundry on scrub boards.
Lilac-blue flowers arise in late spring, early summer, and again in late summer.
Wisteria sinensis is the ever popular Chinese Wisteria with fragrant, lilac-blue flowers in racemes up to 7 1/2 inches long. It blooms unparalleled. We sell only cutting-grown or grafted plants from flowering wood to ensure bloom at an early age. All bloom in late spring to early summer. A rapid, vigorous grower to 40 feet, perfect for creating a spectacular show on a pergola or against a wall.
These tough, drought-resistant vines require minimal care and don't even need to be fertilized. Plant in a sunny location near a strong support. Prune after flowering and again in late winter if you wish to control its size.
Wisteria are easy to train into standard or "tree" form. Just attach the trunk of the plant to a sturdy 5- or 6-foot stake and trim all but the topmost branches. Prune as needed heavily and frequently, producing a second, smaller display in late summer.
For dramatic impact on the landscape, Wisteria is to keep the vine in bounds. The goal is to acheive a bushy top growth that is supported by the vine's trunk. Remove the stake once the standard is established.