Plant Hardiness Zones Maps for the World

World Plant Hardiness Zones Map

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0103-90162008000700009&script=sci_arttext

In a previous article I discussed the U.S. Hardiness Zones (you can read that article here). I use these zones in each of my plant articles. I recently received an email from a reader telling me that the Zones I discuss mean nothing to them as they are in Greece. While I use zones that are tailored to the U.S., there are similar zones outlined for all parts of the world. Many of these zones use the same temperature scales, and others do not, but it is not too hard to go from one to another if you have both map keys available.

In brief, a Hardiness Zone Map divides an area into Zones (typically 1 through 10 based on minimum temperatures, with 1 being the coldest and 10 being the warmest).  A plant is placed into one of these Hardiness Zones based upon the lowest temperature it can withstand.  As I have stated previously, the benefit of Hardiness Zones is that it provides a starting point for planning which plants can winter-over where you live.  However, there are a few drawbacks to the Hardiness Zone Map.  It does not consider day length (which changes considerably the further from the equator you go), snow cover (which moderates soil freezing and insulates roots), humidity, frost, or soil moisture.  Probably the biggest drawback is that it does not consider how warm your summer will be.  The classic example is comparing the Shetland Islands north of Scotland and southern Alabama.  Both are listed as bewteen Hardiness Zone 8-9.  However, the Shetland Islands are sub-artic and southern Alabama is sub-tropical.  There are almost no plants that can grow in both places.

I hope this helps anyone struggling to determine in which Plant Hardiness Zone you reside.  Here are the links to pages that have the best Plant Hardiness Zones maps I can find for locations around the world:

1. Africa - Not a very detailed map at all, but the only one I could find for the entire continent.  There is a much more detaile map of Southern Africa here. 
2. Australia - Not extremely detailed, but still very useful.  Also, it has a comparison to the U.S. which can be quite helpful. 
3. Canada - Very detailed map, but may be a little hard to use as the zones blend into one another... but I guess that is how things actually are in real life. 
4. China - Pretty good map.  There may be better ones out there, but they are not available (or searchable) in English, and my Mandarin is not good at all. :)
5. Europe - Pretty good map.  There is a list to specific countries that link to a larger (close-up) map.
6. India - No specific map found.  The only map that I could find is at the top of this post.
7. Japan - Fantastic interactive map.
8. Russia - Map is fair, but the information is good.  Includes areas/countries that belonged to the former USSR.
9. South America - Not super detailed and maybe a little hard to see the zone deliniations, but still reliable.
10. Southeast Asia - No specific map found. The only map that I could find is at the top of this post.
11. United States of America - link to my previous article.

Organic Fertilizers: Coffee Grounds

Coffee Grounds are a common additive to compost.

http://www.childrenshospital.vanderbilt.org/blogs/CHAMPSGardens/wp-content/uploads/Coffee-Grounds-3.jpg

What is it?
Coffee Grounds are what is left over after making coffee.  Coffee beans are ground and then steeped in water to make coffee.  Old coffee seeds or ground coffee that has not been steeped can be used as well.

What is the primary benefit?
Coffee Grounds are a good source of nitrogen.  It is not amazing, but with the ready supply that most people in the U.S. have to coffee grounds, it is a good way to recycle/repurpose with a great benefit. Remember, Permaculture Principle Six tells us to Produce No Waste!  If we can't find a use for the things that others would call "waste", then maybe we need to rethink our use of that item.

Composting Coffee Grounds is a great way to "produce no waste".

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_cbu0jiyJiHI/TQ9MOye-y3I/AAAAAAAACjE/3ybgNG5rL3c/coffee%20grinds.JPG

How is it used?
The primary use of Coffee Grounds is as an additive to compost.  If you use a lot of it in your compost, be forewarned.  Coffee Grounds are acidic.  The way to combat acidifying your compost is by adding lime or limestone to your compost. This is a tricky thing. How acidic is your compost? How much compost do you have? If you have a whole lot of Coffee Grounds (your friend works at Starbucks or Caribou Coffee), and you don't want to worry too much about it, then let your compost age for 1-2 years before you use it.  That seems like a long time, but if you have a steady supply, setting up some piles in an out of the way place is fairly easy.  The time will go by faster than you know it.  Sadly, it always does.

Application:
Added to the compost and not typically directly to the soil.  If you add it to the soil directly, then do so in moderation around acid loving, high nitrogen-utilizing plants such as fruit trees and fruiting shrubs (blueberries come quickly to mind).

Composition:
NPK Ratio:  2-0.3-0.2    Dried Coffee Grounds have an NPK Ratio of 2-0.3-0.7.  Not drastically different, but interesting nonetheless.


A GENERAL NOTE ABOUT FERTILIZERS:
Always test your soil before adding any fertilizers.  We can easily damage our plants and the soil by indiscriminately adding soil amendments.

Aromatic Pest Confusers for a Temperate Climate

Yarrow (Achillea spp.) is an aromatic plant with many uses and many colors other than white.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esMa9EIiGtY/Tgq6gNl8mvI/AAAAAAAABUw/RV4HAcGrUEs/s1600/18b.jpg

It is hard to know how long the concept of Aromatic Pest Confusers has been around since this term is rather new; however, the idea has likely existed for at least hundreds of years.  People who use companion planting are often more familiar with this term than your average gardener, but the term is gaining in popularity each year as people are looking for more intelligent, and less toxic, ways to combat garden pests.

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, is a rather common garden herb that has a lot more going for it than most gardeners realize.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ofF5B1eh_dM/TBItIqVE2II/AAAAAAAAM10/OIDSnYXcPZQ/Melissa+officinalis.JPG

So what exactly are Aromatic Pest Confusers?

There is a theory (yeah, it is a theory, because there is yet to be any good science behind it) that highly aromatic plants are so strongly scented that they confuse or even repel pests.  The strong scents originate from the essential oils of these aromatic plants.  There are two possible benefits from these essential oils.

First, when these aromatic plants are growing near our other vulnerable plants (annual vegetables, fruiting perennials, etc.), it is speculated that the strong scents of the highly aromatic plants make it more difficult for roaming insects to find the vulnerable plants.  I also wonder if the strong scents released from these aromatic plants overwhelm the normal pheromone detection in insects and disrupt breeding cycles as well.

Second, we do know that these oils have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties... many research studies support this.  But what is also speculated is that some of these anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties may benefit neighboring plants as well.

Sweet Cicely, Myrrhis odorata, is a tall, elegant plant that is not as well known as it deserves.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Myrrhis_odorata_flowers.jpg

One of the great things about many of the plants labelled as Aromatic Pest Confusers is that they are useful as food or flavoring crops in their own right.  Rosemary, mint, oregano, and thyme to name a few.

Permaculture Principle Ten tells us to use and value diversity.  When we do this in an intelligent way, like by interplanting these useful herbs throughout our gardens, we may gain additional benefits that will aid us in creating a sustainable and safe food production system.

Creeping Thyme, Thymus serpyllum, is another aromatic plant that has many uses.

http://www.finegardening.com/CMS/uploadedImages/Images/Gardening/Issues_51-60/041053032-02_med.jpg

Following is a list of the most common (and some uncommon) Aromatic Pest Confusers, highlighted for their multi-purposed talents:

1. Yarrow, Achillea spp. (used in herbal medicine, great nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
2. Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum (used in herbal medicine, great nectar plant for beneficial insects, food seasoning, teas, potpourri)
3. Onions, garlic, leeks, and family, Allium spp. (high quality culinary plant, great nectar plant for beneficial insects)
4. Horseradish, Armoracia rusticana (culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects)
5. French Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus satvia  (high quality culinary plant)
6. Wormwoods, Sagebrushes, Artemisia spp.  (used in herbal medicine)
7. Wood Mints, Blephilia spp.  
8. Calamint Savory, Calamintha nepeta  (culinary plant)
9. Smooth-Leaved Satureja, Clinopodium glabellum
10. Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis  (culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
11. Mints, Mentha spp.  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
12. Bee Balm, Bergamot, Monarda spp.  (culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects)
13. Sweet Cicely, Myrrhis odorata  (culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects)
14. Oregano, Origanum vulgare hirtum  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
15. Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum spp.  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
16. Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, ground cover plant)
17. Broadleaf Sage, Salvia officinalis  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)
18. Sweet Goldenrod, Solidago odora (culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects)
19. Thyme, Thymus vulgaris  (high quality culinary plant, used in herbal medicine, nectar plant for beneficial insects, ground cover plant)

Book Review: Wild Fermentation

 

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods

This is a very difficult book to define.  Did I like it?  Yes.  But how to categorize it?  I am not sure.

It is kind of a cookbook... lots of recipes on fermenting food.
It is kind of a science book... lots of information on how fermenting works.
It is kind of an anthropology book... lots of information on the human cultures that historically fermented food.
It is kind of a health book... lots of information (not as supported as I would have liked, but good none the less) on the health benefits of fermented foods.
It is kind of an editorial... lots of comments on his ultra-liberal, HIV-positive, homosexual lifestyle and stories about living in a commune with other queer folk.  If this kind of thing offends you, then this is not the book for you, but I would strongly suggest trying to look past that for the really good information contained in this book.

So, it is an odd amalgamation of a book.  But it is quite readable if you are into food.  It is a refreshing change from the very meticulous, super sterilized techniques so often seen in books on fermenting (cheese, beer, wine, etc.).  The author, Sandor Katz, takes a much more relaxed and experimental approach to fermentation, one I think, that more closely resembles how our ancestors fermented foods.

Here is a quick, selected list of foods discussed in this book:

• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Bread
• Wine
• Beer
• Miso
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• And a bunch of other fermented foods I only first learned about in this book.

If I got anything out of this book, it is to have fun with fermentation.  Treat it as an art, not quite so much as a science.  Don't get overwhelmed with chemicals and boiling times.  Have common sense with cleanliness, and you will have fun producing tasty and healthy foods.

Permaculture Plants: Mint

Everyone should be growing mint!  

Spearmint, Mentha spicata

http://www.hear.org/starr/images/images/plants/full/starr-080607-7278.jpg

Common Name: Mint
Scientific Name: Mentha species
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Apple Mint (aka Wooly Mint), Mentha suaveolens

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3-BALJHFuK8/To5vaISzmFI/AAAAAAAABVI/sLb-O-EE5yM/s1600/Menthasuaveolens.jpg

Description:
Mint is a plant that needs almost no description.  It is a small, running, highly aromatic, perennial herb.  The leaves have been used for thousands of years in culinary and medicinal applications.  Very useful in forest gardens to cover large areas under trees, protecting soil, and providing food and shelter for beneficial insects.  I have always considered this a must-have plant, and usually have one or two clumps or pots growing somewhere.  I currently have one potted plant and one jar full of cuttings just taking root.

Spearmint, Mentha spicata (aka M. viridis) is one of the best known Mints.

http://www.meemelink.com/prints_images/24049.Lamiaceae%20-%20Mentha%20viridis-1.jpg

History:
There are between 13 and 30 recognized species of mint and about as many hybrids; it all depends on who is citing what research.  It is hard to identify where these herbs originated as there are species on every continent.  I can only assume that this plant had its origins in Pangea before the continents separated!  Most cultures in places where mints grow have used mint in culinary and medicinal ways for thousands of years.  Many anthrobotanists (those who study plants in cultures and society) believe that it is almost impossible to find many species of mint that have not been influenced by the people living nearby... a co-evolution of plant and society.

Trivia:

• "Mint" comes from the Greek word minthe.  Minthe, a nymph in Greek mythology, was transformed into a plant by Queen Persephone just before Minthe could be seduced by Hades (aka Pluto, the god of the underworld).  Unable, to undo the curse, Hades was at least able to give her a sweet scent.
• Mint oil can be used as an insecticide.
• Many of the common cooking herbs are in the "Mint Family", Lamiaceae, including rosemary, basil, sage, and oregano.
• Peppermint, a hybrid, has been dated as far back as 10,000 years!
• Pineapple Mint is just a variegated form of Apple Mint - meaning its leaves have white spots

Fresh mint, just before flowering, is the best mint to be used.

http://growharvestcook.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/mintharvest.jpg

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Fresh eating (salads, flavoring)
• Cooking
• Dried
• Teas (fresh sprigs can be added to your teapot and steeped for 2-3 minutes)
• Flavoring in beverages
• Main flavoring component in some alcoholic drinks (Mojito, Mint Julep)
• Jelly
• Ice Cream

Secondary Uses:

• General insect nectar plant, especially bees (i.e. attracts beneficial insects)
• Aromatic pest confuser
• Weed suppressing ground cover (Apple Mint and Horse Mint are ideal; other species should be interplanted with other ground cover plants to create enough density to be weed suppressing)
• Dynamic accumulator of K (potassium) and Mg (Magnesium)
• Medicinal properties (multiple traditional and modern uses)
• Lacewings prefer laying eggs on Mentha over other plants

 Corsican Mint, Mentha requienii, looks and behaves quite different than its relatives.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Mentha_requienii.JPG

Selected Species:

• Mentha aquatica - Water Mint (Zone 4-10):  Tolerates very wet, marshy soil
• Mentha arvensis - Field or Wild Mint (Zone 3-8):
• Mentha longifolia - Horse Mint (Zone 4-10):  Great ground cover. Can tolerate light foot traffic.
• Mentha pulegium - Pennyroyal (Zone: Traditionally used in teas and foods, but the concentrated essential oil is highly toxic.  It has been used as an abortifacient, sometimes with tragic results.
• Mentha requienii - Corsican Mint (Zone 6-10): small, slow growing, very shade tolerant, can handle foot traffic well
• Mentha spicata - Spearmint (Zone 4-10)
• Mentha suaveolens - Apple Mint (Zone 6): Great ground cover. Can tolerate light foot traffic.  Sometimes known as wooly mint due to its hairy/downy leaves.

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) - Franz Kohler, 1897

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Koeh-095.jpg

Selected Hybrids:

• Mentha x piperita - Peppermint or Chocolate Mint (Zone 3-10): Cross between Water Mint and Spearmint.  One of the best known and widespread mint plants.
• Mentha x villosa - Bowle's Mint or Cuban/Mojito Mint (Zone 6):  High shade tolerance.  Not a good individual ground cover.

Harvesting: Spring - Autumn, essential oils in the leaves are at their peak just before flowering.  This would be the ideal time for harvesting to dry leaves


Storage:  Fresh leaves do not last long.  I often will keep a bunch sitting in a glass of water in the kitchen window for up to a week.  Leaves or sprigs can stay in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag, for 3-4 days.

Mints have tiny flowers, like this Water Mint, Mentha aquatica, but vary from purple to white.

http://www.aphotoflora.com/images/lamiaceae/mentha_aquatica_water_mint_flowers_24-08-08.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: Zone 3-10 depending on the species (see species list above)

Plant Type: Small to Medium Herb
Leaf Type: Deciduous (may be Evergreen in more mild climates)
Forest Garden Use: Herbaceous Layer, Ground Cover
Cultivars/Varieties: Many species and varieties available.

Flowering: July - September

Life Span: Indefinite as it spreads

Peppermint, Mentha x piperita, a must grow of the Mint plants

http://www.hear.org/starr/images/images/plants/full/starr-070906-8848.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 6 inches to 2 feet (15-60 centimeters) tall and indefinitely wide, depending on the species
Roots: Rhizomes (underground stems that send out creeping roots, shoots, and above ground stems)
Growth Rate: Fast

Horse Mint, Mentha longifolia, is a great ground cover.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Mentha_longifolia_2005.08.02_09.53.56.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun to light shade (depending on the species)
Shade: Tolerates medium to full shade (again depending on the species, but many Mentha species can thrive in the shade)
Moisture: Medium to wet soils
pH: tolerates a wide range of soil (5.5 - 7.5)

Special Considerations for Growing:
Plant at a spacing of 10-14 inches (25-35 centimeters) to create a complete and efficient weed-suppressing ground cover

Propagation:  From seed, but can be more difficult to germinate.  Roots easily grow from stem or root cuttings placed in water.  Once adequate roots form, the cutting can be potted.  I have found cuttings to be the easiest method by far.

Maintenance:
Minimal.

Concerns:
Expansive - may need to trim runners

The Mojito may be one of my favorite summer drinks - just make it with lots of mint!

http://www.aliassmith.se/documents/Images/MojitoDeCasa.jpg

Mojito Recipe

• 2 ounces White Rum
• 2 ounces Club Soda or Sparkling Water
• Juice from 1 lime
• 12-15 Mint Leaves - traditionally Spearmint is used
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

Process

• Place the mint leaves into a tall glass.  The traditional Mojito glass is the "Collins" glass.
• Squeeze lime juice over the leaves.
• Add the sugar.
• Smash the sugar into the leaves with a muddler (or back of a wooden spoon).
• Add ice.
• Add rum and stir.
• Top with Club Soda.
• Enjoy!

Dynamic Accumulators for Temperate Climates

Symphytum officinale, Common Comfrey, is one of the best dynamic accumulators.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ofF5B1eh_dM/SxPeCIYqJNI/AAAAAAAAITE/_azGECDUfi0/Symphytum%20officinallis.jpg

This is a term that I first came across in Dave Jacke’s book, Edible Forest Gardens.  In brief, it is the idea that certain plants (often deep-rooted ones) will draw up nutrients from the lower layers of the soil, and these nutrients will be deposited in the plants’ leaves.  When the leaves fall in autumn and winter and are broken down, those stored nutrients are then incorporated into the upper layers of the soil where other plants will benefit from their deposition.

This is a natural method of increasing soil fertility.  It is likely one of the ways that forest ecosystems continue to thrive and remain stable with minimal external inputs.

This is also a great Permaculture tool.  By observing nature, we can mimic nature, and we can have great results with minimal effort.  As I always say, Permaculture is about design!

We can sustainably and naturally increase our land's soil fertility by using dynamic accumulators.  It can be done with almost no work, other than planting or sowing seed, and allowing nature to do what it naturally does on its own.

We can expedite the process a bit, and increase our work a bit, by cutting back fast growing plants to encourage more frequent plant growth during the growing season.  For instance, chopping a bunch of mature leaves off fast growing Comfrey will provide high nutrient green mulch.  We can drop them where they fall or redistribute them to other locations that are low in nutrients.

There are a number of other ways to incorporate dynamic accumulators.  I'll be addressing these in an upcoming article.

The tiny flowers of Stellaria media, Common Chickweed, a dynamic accumulator that has a lot of Permaculture benefits... poultry food (hence the name), ground cover, and dynamic accumulator!

http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/albums/bot-045/stellaria-media268.jpg

The science of dynamic accumulators is an area of botany with very little research to date.  We know it is true, but unfortunately not a lot of time has been spent studying the concept of dynamic mineral accumulation, so we only have research on a few plants.  Hopefully with time, we will be able to add substantially to this data.

Here is a list of well studied dynamic accumulators that can be used in a Temperate Climate.   The nutrients that they provide are abbreviated in bold:

1. Sugar Maple,  Acer saccarum K, Ca
2. Maples,  Acer spp.  K
3. Yarrow,  Achillea millefolium  K, P, Cu
4. Chives,  Allium schoenoprasum  K, Ca
5. Black Birch,  Betula lenta  K, P, Ca
6. Birches,  Betula spp.  P
7. Shagbark Hickory,  Carya ovate  K, P, Ca
8. Hickory, Pecans,  Carya spp.  K, Ca
9. German Chamomile,  Chamaemelum nobile  K, P, Ca
10. Chicory,  Cichorium intybus  K, Ca
11. Flowering Dogwood,  Cornus florida  K, P, Ca
12. Horesetails,  Equisetum spp.  Ca, Co, Fe, Mg
13. Beeches,  Fagus spp.  K
14. European Beech,  Fagus sylvatica  K, Ca
15. Strawberry,  Fragria spp.  Fe
16. Wintergreen,  Gaultheria procumbens  Mg
17. Licorices,  Glycyrrhiza spp.  P, N
18. Black Walnut,  Juglans nigra  K, P, Ca
19. Walnuts,  Juglans spp.  K, P
20. Lupines,  Lupinus spp.  P, N
21. Apples,  Malus spp.  K
22. Alfalfa,  Medicago sativa  Fe, N
23. Lemon Balm,  Melissa officinalis  P
24. Peppermint,  Mentha piperita  K, Mg
25. Watercress,  Nasturtium officinale  K, P, Ca, S, Fe, Mg, Na
26. Silverweed,  Potentilla arserina  K, Ca, Cu
27. White Oak,  Quercus alba  P
28. Black Locust,  Robinia pseudoacacia  K, Ca, N
29. Sorrels, Docks,  Rumex spp.  K, P, Ca, Fe, Na
30. Salad Burnet,  Sanguisorba minor  Fe
31. Savory,  Satureja spp.  P
32. Chickweed,  Stellaria media  K, P
33. Comfreys,  Symphytum spp.  K, P, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg
34. Dandelion,  Taraxacum officinale  K, P, Ca, Cu, Fe
35. Basswood,  Tilia Americana  P, Ca, Mg
36. Linden (Lime in the UK),  Tilia spp.  P, Ca
37. Clovers,  Trifolium spp.  P, N
38. Stinging Nettle,  Urtica dioica  K, Ca, S, Cu, Fe, Na
39. Vetches,  Vicia spp.  K, P, N
40. Violets,  Viola spp.  P

Abbreviation Key

Ca = Calcium

Co = Cobalt

Cu = Copper

Fe = Iron

K = Potassium
Mg = Magnesium
N = Nitrogen (in this case, these plants are nitrogen fixers)

Na = Sodium

P = Phosphorus
S = Sulfur

Let your kids DO something in the garden!

This pathetic pepper is my favorite plant in the garden.

It is almost dead.  Still barely clinging to life.  There is but one leaf that still has some green on it.  It never grew more than about ten inches tall, but it did produce one pepper.  This pathetic little pepper plant, probably the one plant that has thrived the least, is by far my favorite plant in the garden.

The reason is because my son planted it.  One day toward the end of the summer, when the blazing heat of our Mediterranean sun was at last less intense, at the time of year that was a bit too late to plant summer garden vegetables, I had a tray of seedlings that I finally got around to planting in the garden.

My two boys, ages three and two and a half, were contentedly playing with their cars and trucks on the patio and in the dirt at the edge that we call the sandbox when I started my planting.  My oldest, Isaac, enjoyed observing me from a safe distance as I knelt at the edge of the garden bed planting cauliflower, spinach, and a few pepper seedlings.  When asked if he wanted to help, his response was a short, "No fanks.  I just wanna play here with my cars."  And this he did for the next thirty minutes.

Although playing with his cars looked a lot more like watching Daddy try to keep his brother Elijah from killing every seedling Daddy was trying to plant.

My youngest son, Elijah, in classic opposition to his neat and clean older brother, within minutes of being asked if he wanted to join me, already had dirt caked under his fingernails and grass stains on his knees obtained while trying to "he'p Daddy".

I would let him carry my hand shovel to the next work area.  I would let him try to drag the bucket of compost, and then scoop up the trail of dark dirt he would leave behind.  I would let him slide the tray of seedlings.  But planting required a bit more finesse than his two year old hands and bull in the china shop demeanor could quite muster.  So I ended up planting the seedlings one after the other with my son just glad to be there with me.

Then I paused.  What was I doing here?  Was I trying to teach him to be a good helper or a gardener?  Did I want him to appreciate the grunt work and not the joy of giving a plant a new place to grow  Fortunately, when I realized this, I had at least one plant left in the tray.  It was one of the smaller pepper seedlings.  It was probably a bit too late in the season for it to even flower let alone produce any peppers.

But it was this plant that I gave to my son.  With a "saved the best for last" attitude, I relinquished control, albeit a tad late, and gave full command to my two year old son.

"Fo' me?" he asked with wide blue eyes, and yes he actually said this.  I showed him where to dig the hole, helping only a bit.  I let him take the plant from the tray and remove it from its container.  He put it in the ground and piled the dirt back around it.  I only straightened it a bit... okay, I picked it up off its side.  We both tamped the soil back around its roots.  Finally we both held the hose and watered it in.

That was too much for Isaac to resist.  Shooting water all over the backyard?  He had to help with that.

Over the next few weeks, every time I went out back to water or weed or prune or harvest, Elijah would point out his pepper plant with such pride.  "Daddy, that's mine pepper pwant!"  He would help water it with the hose when I was outside with him.  When I was not outside with him, he would just drop his pants and water it himself.  He would walk back to the porch, pulling his underwear back up and telling me that his "pepper pwant was rearey firsty."

Surprisingly, the weather stayed warm enough for long enough and a few flowers bloomed.  Shortly after that, one little pepper began to form.

As the days have gotten shorter and cooler, we have spent less and less time in the garden, but that pepper has continued to grow very slowly.  The last few weeks have been more cold, and the plant is showing signs of throwing in the towel.  With vigor that originates from deep down in the cells of that plant, it is doing all it can to grow that pepper, to mature that fruit and produce seed.  It has been time to harvest that little pepper for weeks now.

Elijah will have none of it.  That is his pepper pwant.  That is his pepper.  When I remind him that his pepper is going to have to be picked soon, he tells me, "I don't fink so, Daddy.  I don't wanna pick my pepper."

So the pepper sits.  The plant has given all its resources to keep that pepper alive.  The last leaf wilted with last night's drop in temperature.  I don't know how much longer it will survive.

I still don't know how I am going to handle that one pepper.  I am glad I have a few days to try and come up with a good idea.  But for now the pepper plant remains.  My favorite plant in my garden.