A fence installed by upset neighbors leads to a story about "Forcing" Forsythia to Bloom Indoors while Propagating new Forsythia Plants in hopes of mending fences.
We chat about the steps to Encourage Forsythia to bloom indoors (some call it Forcing Forsythia, but encouraging sounds gentler) and how and when to plant your new plant babies.
The sunny yellow flowers of Forsythia are the first we see welcoming new beginnings of Spring. It only rises about as tall as the fence, opening the possibility of the neighbors becoming friends.
Related Stories & Helpful Links:
Mending Fences with Forsythia
Forsythia Hedge at Hospice
Forsythia, not Blooming?
The Old Farmer's Almanac handy chart- Forcing Branches into Bloom Indoors
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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in :^)
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Thank you for sharing the garden of life,
Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer
AskMaryStone.com
More about the Podcast and Column:
Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.
It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page
Ep 96 Mending Fences with Forsythia
Sat, Feb 18, 2023 9:57AM • 10:28
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
neighbors, fence, plants, forsythia, encouraging, forcing, old farmer's almanac, story, bird, stem, cherish, shrubs, winter, bloom, walk, life, dilemmas, flowers, mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration
SPEAKERS
Mary Stone
Mary Stone 00:00
Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Mary Stone 00:23
Hello there, thanks for joining me; it's Mary Stone on a rather breezy screen porch. I just returned from a different kind of walk today. I walked slowly with Jolee letting her sniff and smell. It's been a few days since we walked together. I've been a bit under the weather, as they say. I imagine you hear it in my voice a little bit. And I apologize if that's the case. But I am grateful to be feeling better and able to enjoy this beautiful, unseasonally warm day. Hearing the songbirds and feeling the warmth on my face feels so good. Spring seems to be springing early from a winter that never really was other than the deep freeze over Christmas. I saw a few sprigs of snowdrops emerging. It's too early. Like I say to Jolee when she wishes to rise before daybreak. You're going to freeze your little faces if things turn back to winter. Nature surely has its own cycle. And so do we. Allow and receive; don't force things. I think perhaps that's what my recent health dilemma is teaching me. It's humbling when your health is not as it usually is. I won't give you the blow-by-blow. But just briefly, my normal blood pressure went to one of concern quite suddenly. And we'll get to the bottom of why with some testing underway. But again, I'm grateful to be feeling better. So thanks for listening to my little story.
Mary Stone 01:55
And thanks to those who reach back about our last chat about the Colors in Gardens and our Lives. It seems many cherish the other elements of plants and nature beyond color and form, the life force, the unseen, the miracle of it all, which leads to today's story, a little project that offers an opportunity to witness the miracle inside over winter. Folks call it forcing Forsythia, but we're going to call it encouraging forsythia to bloom in your homes to spread happiness. It sounds more friendly. And by enjoying the sunny bloom, you can propagate new plants to share with your friends or neighbors. We'll share a story about being neighborly, especially pertinent today. I hope it inspires you and it starts like this.
Mary Stone 02:42
Hello fellow listeners and readers. Over the weekend. I enjoyed a plodding walk with Jolee instead of our usual vigorous meditative walk. Maybe a stroll sounds better, letting her sniff, roll in the dry grass, and lay in the sun for a while watching the birds above. We particularly love coming upon a great blue heron in the pond on Cobblewood road. The prehistoric-looking bird huddles in the cove to hunt - the same spot we came upon the snapping turtle crossing the road in Episode 84, Winter Season of Growth. I adore the story of the turtle being saved by a kind passerby. I chuckle as Jolee shifts to stalking mode like a stealth cat as we approach the spot, hoping for a chase. The bird ignites in flight, and I remind her, "you're on a leash." But he wasn't there that day. I've been known to be camera ready, hoping to capture the magnificence of the launch only a few feet from us, but I have yet to capture it. Some images are only meant to be kept in our memories.
Mary Stone 03:47
As we made our return trip on Mohican Road, I glanced at a black aluminum fence recently installed next to Susan and Don's new home. They built on a lot that was once part of the farm in the family for generations. I believe it was Susan's sister who lived in a house there before she passed away. It was in poor condition. Her sister would be pleased that they've made their home there - a way to honor her and the land by building something beautiful. Their neighbor installed the fence parceling off with a right of way of the previous driveway had been. It looks very odd, like a large dog run along the road. The neighbor's house is sited way up the hill, far from view. It does look very strange there, I must admit.
Mary Stone 04:32
I heard the story after the fence arrived that it aggravated the neighbor that family members were parked in the driveway after the funeral to consider what they were going to do with the house. Tempers rose. Maybe the neighbor didn't know that the sister had just passed. One never knows what people are going through. So we really should be kind rather than harsh, and we should listen rather than lecture.
Mary Stone 04:55
Later, Susan met his wife and tried to make amends. "We want to be good neighbors," she said. Her reply was, "fences make good neighbors." Sad to think so. Division certainly doesn't solve anything. Unity does. A better solution is a living screen rather than a metal fence. Better yet, live in peace with your neighbors.
Mary Stone 05:20
It reminds me of during the pandemic. There was a tremendous demand for tall evergreen shrubs to screen neighbors while folks were at home. Of course, I'm all about privacy when you want it. But I don't know, something about a big wall or a big fence seems unneighborly.
Mary Stone 05:37
Forsythia, along a property line, fits the country setting and is more friendly than black aluminum. There's a large forsythia shrub on Susan and Don's property near the fence, and their property slopes up from it. And so, I suggested that she make baby plants to buffer the fence from view. We've spoken before about forsythia and Episode 53, Shaping up with Forsythia, where we chat about proper pruning and propagating new plants by layering. But I suggested another way to Susan that will brighten up their house during these last weeks of winter by simply cutting branches and bringing them inside. Well, there's a bit more to it. Here's the skinny.
Mary Stone 06:17
On a day above freezing, cut branches one to two feet long as if you were pruning. Cutting at a steep angle helps water uptake. Choose healthy stems that you won't miss on the plant. And be sure they're filled with plentiful flower buds, typically fatter than leaf buds. The Old Farmer's Almanac touts a tip that's new to me. They suggest bruising the stem ends with a small hammer and cutting slits a few inches along the stem before immersing them in the water, which will also enhance water uptake.
Mary Stone 06:49
Choose a large vase that won't tip over and add four to six inches of water. Place it in a bright room above 60 degrees away from the direct sun or heat. Recut the stem ends the next day and change the water every few days. Once your blooms bloom, in a few weeks, mist them so that they last longer. After the flowers fade, leaves will merge. Let them go, baby, as your lovelies will likely sprout roots. Continue to change the water every few days. If your propagation project doesn't work the first time, try, try again, as dear old mom would say. But you can't rush them. Forsythia is one of the easiest flowers to encourage indoors.
Mary Stone 07:32
The Old Farmer's Almanac also has a handy chart of other trees and shrubs you can try, such as Quince, Apple, Crab apple, Cherry, Plum, Star Magnolia, Pear, Dogwoods, Spirea, and Peach. I'll put a link in the show notes. Back to the neighbor's fence.
Mary Stone 07:48
It tugs my heart to see the magnificent Japanese maple that draped over the spot where the fence now is heavily pruned and poorly at that, under the guise of allowing parking below—the stories people create to justify their behaviors. Imagine if we all lived in truth.
Mary Stone 08:07
After the risk of frost in spring, Susan can dig in her new plant babies right into the ground. Loosen up the soil about eight inches deep, and group three to five babies six inches apart, and soon they'll have a lovely living wall. The bright yellow flowers of forsythia are the first we see welcoming new beginnings of a season of growth. It's not evergreen and only rises about as tall as the fence, leaving an opening for the possibility of the neighbors becoming friends. Maybe this story will reach their ears. Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone.com.
Mary Stone 08:47
Speaking of possibilities while convalescing over the weekend, I tuned into a talk given by one of my writer friends who's also a pastor. At the conclusion, a guest singer, Jamie Lula, sang Imagine, John Lennon's legendary song. The soulfulness of his interpretation just left me breathless. You know the lyrics, but here are a few. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one. Imagine that.
Mary Stone 09:29
So thanks so much for coming by. And I think if more of us learn and grow in the garden of life, the world will indeed be a more beautiful place. So I encourage you to share the podcast with a friend or two so more can join us. Meanwhile, Have a beautiful day. Stay healthy. Cherish your health and cherish your loved ones around you and your neighbors. We're all one world. Thanks so much. Have a great day.
Mary Stone 09:58
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden Dilemmas.com and on Instagram and hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.
