Hot August temperatures invite us to pause: to review garden progress, harvest the veggie garden, and find a shady spot to enjoy plants and creatures and perhaps an afternoon nap. Garden thoughts wafting through a mind at rest - August is a fine month in the garden.

Sori on underside of frond, Athyrium filix-femina

photo by E Barth-Elias

When late summer days get hot and sticky, a shady nook or forest path brings the temperature down and those cooling, calming greens work their magic. Queen among shade plants, the ferns display their unfurling fronds, or fiddleheads. These tightly coiled spirals slowly unroll and reach for the light. Ferns – lady, Christmas, button, wood, maidenhair, ostrich – are the epitome of ethereal elegance. Yet these delicate-looking shade plants hold their own in often-challenging environments.

Ferns belong to an ancient class of plants, first appearing in fossil records about 360 million years ago. Similar in appearance, fern allies such as club mosses, horsetails, and spikemosses, evolved in tandem and have like reproductive methods. 

Flowering plants, such as maples, grasses, and sunflowers, are a more recent, advanced development, first appearing about 130 million years ago. (There are roughly 13,000 species of ferns and their allies, as compared to 300,000 species of flowering plants.)

Ferns differ from flowering plants in the way they reproduce. They do not form seeds, and reproduce away from the mother plant. Tiny, single cells called spores are gathered into packets, or sori (the dark dots we see on the underside of fern fronds), and shed by the fern. If they land in a suitable environment the dust-like spores form female and male sex cells, or gametes, and the male gametes move via water to fertilize the female egg. No water – no fertilized egg. The fertilized egg then grows into the new fern plant.  

Although only 15% of the world’s species of ferns live in temperate climates such as ours, there is a wealth of fern species in our woodlands and available to grow in our gardens. Get to know this ancient queen in all her stately beauty, and appreciate the journey of her offspring from spore to seedling. Look Around!

ALL ABOUT FERNS: A RESOURCE GUIDE: Cornell University

K Edgington

Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady in Red'

photo by E Barth-Elias

A shady garden can be a blessing or a curse. While it’s a welcome respite from summer’s unrelenting heat and glare, shade can be too dry or too dark, producing leggy plants or worse, offering few options to fill a space. What looks good throughout the summer, handles the shade, and doesn’t require a lot of work? A lady fern, of course.

The lady fern, Athyrium filix-femina, has a reputation, and it’s for being a strong performer. Give them a little moisture, a lot of shade and they won’t let you down. Named for their generally lacy look as opposed to the stiffer, more masculine silhouette of other fern varieties, athyriums are a group of ferns in which there are over 180 species (and even more cultivars). Common in Ohio, they're native to Canada and the United States but also found in Europe, Asia, and even northern Africa.

Lady ferns are best suited to areas where they are free to form drifting masses and are great for erosion control on slopes or near stream banks. When combined with shade perennials and shrubs, lady ferns can play nice, complementing other plants without taking over. Favoring moist, well-drained soil, they tolerate dry conditions better than other ferns. Incidentally, the lady fern is a direct competitor to the highly invasive garlic mustard plant and is recommended as a ground cover where it is a problem or has recently been eradicated.



What the lady fern lacks in blooms, it makes up for with interesting foliage shapes, textures, and colors. Its lacy, erect fronds grow in a tidy circular clump that can be vibrant green or shades of reddish purple, orange, or silvery blue, and may have a contrasting stem (stipe) color as well. Clumps range from 6” to a commanding 5' tall. These varieties are widely available to gardeners:

• Athyrium filix-femina ‘Lady in Red’ This lady is bright green with contrasting red stems that grow to 3’ tall.
• Athyrium filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ This petite variety has fronds that resemble a series of frizzy, flat beads, very unfern-like. It grows just 10-12” tall and wide.
• Athyrium filix-femina 'Victoriae' Lacy fronds form an unusual criss-cross pattern that makes this 2' tall beauty stand out in the garden.
• Athyrium filix-femina 'Cristatum' (Crested lady fern) This 3' cultivar has finely divided, delicate fronds with tassels at the tips.

Though ferns look soft and cushy, the stems are surprisingly fragile so plant them in an area that doesn’t receive excess foot traffic or high winds. Technically, the fiddleheads are edible but are not recommended because they closely resemble other toxic fern varieties. (Some foragers say that they don’t taste that great either.) Other than that, they are for the most part pest-free and care-free. Their deer resistance gives them a leg up on hostas. Enjoy your lady ferns with a comfortable chair and a lemonade and you’ll have it made in the shade.

ATHYRIUM FELIX FEMINA: North Carolina State Extension

J Gramlich

Midland painted turtles sun themselves on a log.

photo by E Barth-Elias

Today we’re talking turtle—and while turtles may not be that pretty, they are pretty amazing. These incredible creatures live everywhere except Antarctica, in environments ranging from oceans to freshwater to extreme desert, and varying in size from tiny (10-centimeter long Speckled Dwarf Tortoise) to giant (6-foot long, 1 ton Leatherback Sea Turtle).

Today’s turtles have not evolved significantly from their 200 million-year-old ancestors— who were tough enough to survive the mass extinction event (asteroid??) that took out the dinosaurs. Here are a few turtle tidbits…

Turtles and tortoises are not the same thing. All tortoises are turtles, but all turtles are not tortoises. The order Chelonia (also called Testudines) has 13 families of turtles, one of which is tortoises (others include sea turtles, snapping turtles and soft-shelled turtles.) Tortoises are primarily terrestrial while turtles live on or near water (explains why Aesop’s hare raced a tortoise, not a turtle.) Tortoises have dome-shaped shells, front legs that look like clubs and strong back legs. Water-loving turtles have thinner, streamlined shells and webbed feet (sea turtles have flippers) ideal for swimming. Both have beaks, not teeth, but tortoises are herbivores while turtles eat both plants and animals. HERE'S a quick overview of the differences.

Tortoises are sloooow, one of the world’s slowest animals alongside sloths, snails and starfish. The Galapagos Tortoise moves at a molasses-like pace of .18 mph. Turtles are a bit speedier—check out Bertie, the fastest turtle in the world in 2016 according to THIS VIDEO. Turtles can swim up to 20 mph, but generally don’t unless they feel threatened. Interestingly, videos of swimming turtles are marketed as calming. Here’s three hours of turtle cam footage if you want to try it.

A turtle’s trademark shell has two pieces, a top (carapace) and bottom (plastron) connected by a bridge. The shell consists of bones (about 60) covered with 13 plates called scutes. Scutes are made of keratin, the same as your fingernails. (Leatherback sea turtles and softshell turtles have a flattened carapace covered with a leather-like skin, not scutes.) Generally, turtles shed their scutes as they grow while tortoises do not. Contrary to popular belief, turtles can’t leave their shells—it’s part of their skeleton. Some species can pull their extremities under their shell to “hide”. Of course, a turtle’s shell provides excellent protection from predators.

Let's turn to our turtle neighbors. Of about 360 turtle species worldwide, 12 are found in Ohio. Review them HERE. You’ve probably seen the ubiquitous Midland Painted Turtle basking in the sun, regulating its body temperature. This turtle is three to ten inches long, with red, yellow or orange markings on its head and legs, and red and black markings on its shell that look hand-painted. CHECK OUT the four subspecies of painted turtles. This time of year, the diurnal turtle basks on rocks or logs in ponds, marshes, wetlands or streams, then forages for food. You may see a bale (group) of 50 or more sharing one sunny spot. Painted turtles eat fish, insects, crustaceans and aquatic vegetation, spending nights in the muddy bottom of their watery homes. Females dig nests from May-July in sandy soil up to 600 yards away from the water, laying 4-10 eggs that will hatch in about ten weeks. The sex of the babies depends on the temperature of the eggs—eggs on the top of warmer nests produce more females, while eggs in the cooler bottom produce more males.

Turtle eggs are yummy snacks for many predators, including snakes, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, etc. Turtle hatchlings are eaten by fish, frogs, snakes, weasels and herons. The adult's shell deters many predators, but crows, hawks, eagles and raccoons are still threats. And of course, humans destroy turtle habitats, poison them with pesticides and regularly run over them with cars.

Tenacious painted turtles have an incredible ability to tolerate cold, more so than any other turtle in America. As ectotherms, a turtle’s body temperature matches its environment. While burmating (the reptilian way of hibernating) in an ice-covered pond, a turtle’s metabolism slows, and its reduced oxygen needs are met by intaking oxygen from pond water through cloacal respiration, fondly known as “butt breathing”. If the pond becomes depleted of oxygen (anoxic), the turtle’s metabolism changes so it no longer needs oxygen. The painted turtle can remain in this state for over 100 days. Read about this amazing feat HERE. If you only have a moment THIS gives a brief overview. But please don’t miss THIS narration by Sir David Attenborough’s of “turtle-pops” coming back to life.

The Midland Painted Turtle is thriving, but more than half of all turtle species are threatened, endangered or critically endangered. As a rule, if you see a turtle appreciate it from a distance. And enjoy THIS TIMELY VIDEO of these terrific creatures.

C Christian

The Lehner Garden fountain is surrounded by lush plantings.

photo by E Barth-Elias

When most of us think of zoos, visions of monkeys and lions and giraffes and water buffalo and a host of other birds, reptiles and insects are probably the first things that come to mind. Rightfully so, the word zoo tells us that this is a place focused on animals. Plants are not animals, of course, but they are ecologically vital and just plain pretty.

The Akron Zoo is a great example of the successful integration of beautiful and appropriate plant material with animal displays. Guided by Supervisor Kris Jackson, three horticulture staff members care for the variety of plants and horticultural displays on the 50-acre site. While they are not yet a botanical garden, the current collection was begun when they explored the possibility in 2011. In 2015 the zoo was certified with the American Public Garden Association, which requires the zoo to be open to the public, employ professional staff to cultivate the plants, interpret the plants via signs and exhibits and keep a database of all the plants in the zoo.

At first, children’s gardens, vegetable gardens and pollinator landscapes provided displays for zoo goers to begin to see how plants benefit the environment. As with all things, the plan evolved. Today, as horticulture staff member Ethan Rigg-Renner explained, the most recent iteration of the garden planning starts at the apex of the zoo’s paved road at Lehner Family Garden. A perennial showcase at the beginning of the garden emphasizes plants native to this area. The paved path through the native garden then flows into an area more focused on ornamentals in large planters and on European garden design. In the background is the recently painted dragonfly at the water feature, its bright colors framed by a wisteria-covered pergola. 

The zoo is crisscrossed with swales and dry stream beds and many pathways are made of pervious pavers that absorb water. Those landscape changes are a reminder of the devastating storm in 2013 that swamped the about-to-open Grizzly Ridge exhibit and caused widespread flooding. That catastrophic event led to the zoo becoming a leader in stormwater management and ecological design and construction.

A Monarch Way Station sits about halfway up the steep main walkway through the zoo, proudly announcing itself with a colorful sign nearly engulfed by milkweed, rattlesnake master and blooming yucca, which then becomes part of the Wild Prairie, a pollinator and native plant area designed to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bumble bees. Not far away is Frog Bog, a citizen-science initiative that helps identify and count the frogs in the pond.

All these plants need good soil to thrive. Ethan, who is also certified in stormwater management and soil science, said much of the zoo’s original soil had been reclaimed urban soil the zoo had been built on and construction material that was generated from the newer exhibits, which left the zoo’s soil all but dead, unable to perform any of the functions of healthy soil. Restoring the soil has been helped by Big Hanna, a mechanical composter that turns food scraps, animal waste and leftover animal feed into organic matter. Jackie Hillman, custodial technician, runs Big Hanna, and says the organic matter passes through a grinder and is lifted through a series of augers to a processing chamber. What comes out is a rich-looking mulch but with a pH value of 8, too alkaline for healthy plants. That mulch is then composted elsewhere on site and mixed with leaf litter. When the pH is right, this rich organic mixture is spread on the zoo’s many beds.

As we know, plants are essential to all life. At the Akron Zoo, plants and animals work together, each contributing their special gifts to create a place of beauty and a community asset. During your next visit, notice the plants as you enjoy the animals. It’s a winning combination.

akronzoo.org

S Vradenburg

Spotted Lanternfly with wings extended, egg mass on tree bark, and at rest with wings tented.

photos by Ashley Kulhanek

A beautiful, but destructive insect is moving through Ohio. First discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), is steadily increasing its presence and can now be found in 14 states, including five Ohio counties. While this Asian native does not bite or sting humans, it weakens plants and causes decline by extracting plant nutrients, affecting fruit production and plant viability. Ornamental plant growers, the logging industry, and fruit producers, including vineyards, are particularly at risk.

Observations to date indicate that the spotted lanternfly has one generation per year, with egg masses, which are about an inch long and resemble a mud smear, laid in late fall/early winter. First hatch occurs in late April or early May (which varies by weather conditions and location). The emerging juveniles (known as nymphs) are black with white spots. Unable to fly, they jump great distances to host plants, where they feed. The adults, which emerge beginning in mid-July, have bright red coloration on the hindwings. At rest the insect holds its wings, tent-like, over its back and the red coloration is hidden. The adults disperse via jumping or flight.

When these voracious feeders use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to extract sap, excess sap weeps from the wound and is combined with sweet honeydew (a sugary “poop” created by the insect itself), promoting fungi such as sooty mold and attracting other feeding insects. While Asian-native tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is their preferred host, they readily move on to surrounding plant material. Their feeding is particularly damaging to grapevines and tree saplings, and may leave them without sufficient resources to survive the winter.

Spotted lanternflies are adept hitchhikers, and travel to new locations via plants, firewood, and other moved objects (lawnmowers, cars, bikes, etc.). The USDA and state agencies urge citizens to be on the lookout for and report any sightings. During the growing season, symptoms include sticky secretions that may have a fermented odor and sooty mold. As fall approaches, be especially vigilant in looking for the egg masses. Spotted lanternflies or their egg masses should be photographed, and the photo sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture following the directions on this website: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests/slf  It is also requested that, if possible, a live sample be obtained for verification of the sighting and mapping of the insect’s progress. Because the ODA is monitoring the area of infestation of this pest, live specimens are required to confirm a sighting. Sightings can also be reported using the Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN) app, available for iPhones and android devices. 

In its native Asian habitat this beautiful creature fits with ease into its ecological niche. Here in Ohio, where there are no predators, parasites, or diseases to control its populations, its progress is worrisome, and our vigilance is warranted.

SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: WHAT TO LOOK FOR: PennState Extension

SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: BIOLOGY AND LIFECYCLE: Cornell CALS

K Edgington

August Checklist

• Keep deadheading perennials and annuals to promote blooms. Some annuals, such as alyssum and petunias, can be pruned by half to rejuvenate.
• Tidy gardens and flowerbeds by removing dead foliage and spent plants.
• Monitor lawns for grub damage (brown patches that are easily pulled up) and treat accordingly. HOW TO CHOOSE AND WHEN TO APPLY GRUB PRODUCTS FOR YOUR LAWN: Michigan State University
• Continue watering during dry spells. Morning is best to discourage fungal diseases.
• Maximize your garden’s bounty by freezing or canning fruits and veggies, and drying herbs.
• Plant any leftover beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and spinach seeds. FALL PLANTING FOR THE VEGETABLE GARDEN: Cornell Cooperative Extension

J Gramlich