Plant Reversions - Brunnera macrophylla 'variegata'

New plant cultivars are being introduced every season.  Once plants bear "sports" (which means the parent plant will have a portion grow in slight variations from the original), nursery growers pounce on them, multiplying their numbers.  After a test run of  propagation success, they allow them to grow to true form and introduce them as new varieties..


But what happens when a strain or sport starts to revert back to the parent form?





This is happening to my Brunnera macrophylla 'variegata' (Siberian Bugloss). It's happened before at my old house, but I was surprised to see it happening again, since it doubled in size from last year.

You have to be careful and pay close attention to this reversion. The original parent plant is always stronger, more vigorous in nature and can choke out the sport. I don't want to lose its variegated leaves. It's one of the main reasons I bought it.


How to get rid of the reversion:  2 ways:

1. You can simply remove any reverted leaves whenever they emerge. This will eventually weaken its presence and will stunt its attempts to take over.

2. Dig up the entire reverting section, so that you don't sever too many feeder roots of the remaining plant, or gently wedge out the portion of the crown that is reverting. I waited a few weeks to pin-point the segment reverting. Here I teased it away (almost as though you are dividing it) from the variegata portion.

I generally replant the reverted section if roots remain - it's another plant (as I did years before) and quite lovely as plain green.

Planting in pot.

Removing the sport is best in early spring. This way the plant has time to recover and not be stressed during the heat of the summer.

Ways to insure it won't reoccur is hard to say. However, when a plant is under stress it has this tendency - greater risk of reverting back. I will be giving it a little more TLC in the future and keeping a close eye on it.

Dry Spring - Water, water!

Working in the garden, I am amazed how dry the soil is. At this time of the year, usually my boots are all covered in muck. Cleaning up around my front yard today, I noticed how incredibly dry the soil is under my cedar. This is rather unusual for April. The old saying: "April showers bring May flowers" usually holds true. So when the April showers don't last and only spot showers providing 1-2mm's of rain, none of it is going to reach the base of evergreens, and none of it will penetrate to the roots. It's best to get the watering can and or hose/sprinkler out. I plant annuals under this cedar so I can't add mulch - today it's going to get watered. 

Deep watering is essential, even though you may not notice plants suffering. We didn't get much snow coverage this winter (GTA), this means moisture reserves will be low. Plants are breaking dormancy and need water to initiate bud break, and that turgid new growth. Roots will deplete moisture levels below 4 inches, while the sun will dry out anything above 4 inches. Give your trees, shrubs, perennials and lawn a good drink. If you can, add a good layer of some mulch or compost to keep moisture levels from evaporating in the sun.

Here, I have just left the hose on a low trickle and that way, the water won't run off and will benefit the roots down below. I'll move it around after a while and I'll leave it on for an hour or so.

Hopefully the skies will open up soon and give a good heavy rain. Until then, I'm supplementing the garden with thorough watering.

Stepping Stones - Avoid Trampling

April 4th 2012

I really didn't want my garden to have stepping stones at first. They take up valuable space and right now look like typical concrete squares.  Yet, seeing my garden soil today, I am --SO GLAD-- I decided to do it anyway.  They actually have become a great help.  I have noticed with all the organic material I left overwinter, the soil is fluffy and totally happy. If I didn't have the stepping stones, the soil would not be as workable and I would have trampled over my perennials and overwintering herbs by now.

Garlic chives

Trampling is the gardeners worst enemy and since I have edibles dotted about, plants not yet showing where they reside, I avoid it at much as possible. I've invested in a lot of compost and a good litter layer over winter, my foot traffic would counteract all that effort.

I've planted many herbs, ground covers and perennials that need attention close enough to each stone to help soften their stark concrete edges. I trim herbs and what-not throughout the growing season, at least giving gaps big enough for my foot to touch down.

Soil around my Lysimachia nummularia is so fluffy!

I wish I had more patience and came up with other fun choices of stepping material, like:

• used bricks
• bamboo mats
• pre-cast slabs and stones
• mosaic stepping stone kits
• flagstone

Another benefit of using stepping stones: you can place pots in their spots, when the garden becomes full and less foot traffic is necessary.

I'll take comparative photos in late summer to see how little the stones are visible.

Collecting Hair for Garden

I had my hair trimmed, and I collected the trimmings. I have thick hair and the hairdresser always remarks that I leave a small animal behind ;)

I made sure this time I took my furry leftovers with me.

You may be wondering why.

My garden has slugs. My Spinach, Strawberries, Hostas and other perennials were damaged last year. (I will make a post on other slug control methods in a short while).

This year, I will nip the problem in the bud with this organically and most cost effective pest-control method.

I used to have an ample supply of dog hair for my old garden, but having lost my dog to old age a number of years back, I have resorted on finding other alternatives to getting hair.

Here I've cut mine in shorter strands, just large enough to keep slugs at bay.

If you don't have a dog or cat to collect hair, the next time you go and get your haircut, ask the hairdresser or barber for yours, if not others.




Once my Hostas start to pop up, a bunch of hair will be scattered about 2 feet around each plant.

How it works: The hair will get all entangled on the slugs and they will move on elsewhere.

TIP: I've cut the hair down into smaller strands as in the past, when I've used my hair, the longer the hair the more it blows around and the more it gets used by birds to make nests.