Gardens can help the hungry

By Tony Tomeo

There is nothing like fresh vegetables from the garden, especially when the garden produces so much that it can be shared with friends and neighbors. An excellent way to share an overabundance of produce is to take it to food banks to be distributed to those in need. Food banks also provide an excuse for those of us who enjoy growing vegetables, but do not enjoy consuming them. In fact, garden enthusiasts might even be encouraged to grow extra fruits and vegetables to share with food banks.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara County, at 750 Curtner Ave. in San Jose, is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday. They may be reached at 408.266.8866. Sacred Heart Community Services, at 1381 S. First St. in San Jose, is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and may be reached at 408.283.5800. Also in San Jose, the Emergency Housing Consortium, in the Regional Reception Center at 2011 Little Orchard St. is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or call 408.294.2100.

In Saratoga, Grace United Methodist Church, at 19848 Prospect Road will accept produce on Sundays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Mountain View Community Services is open at 204 Stierlin Road from 10 a.m. to noon; from 2 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; and may be contacted at 650.968.0836. There are other drop-off sites I did not include that I will write about as I acquire more information.

By now, vegetable gardens should be producing well. Tomatoes may be a bit delayed this year, but are showing abundant green fruit.

However, lettuce may be much less abundant. The sudden heat early in the season has probably caused it to "bolt" (produce vertical floral growth). When this happens, the desirable lettuce greens are shed in preference of the flower stalk. If some greens are salvaged, they will probably be bitter. When lettuce bolts, it is best to remove the mature plants, leaving less mature plants that may not have bolted. It is possible that these will grow and produce good lettuce.

Every year, my neighbor manages to grow delicious lettuce greens, even after warm summer weather--nothing frustrates me more than my inability to grow lettuce next door to the best lettuce in town!

This also seems to be a bad season for rust on roses. When rust is this bad, it is important to dispose of all parts pruned off rose plants properly. If pruning litter is left nearby, spores emerge from the primary infestation and easily drift back to the rose plants. It is also important to remove litter shed from rose plants that falls to the ground.

Because most rose diseases are enhanced by high humidity, it is best to irrigate early in the day so that foliage and surroundings can dry during the day. Incidentally, rust can not survive temperatures warmer than 80 degrees much longer than nine days. Earlier hot weather may have set it back considerably, although results may not be seen until about now.

Perennial of the Week: 'Philodendron Selloum'

Philodendron translates from Latin to mean "lover of trees," because in the wild they appear to embrace trees with their thick aerial roots. What they are actually doing is using their host trees as support, like ivy or the strangler fig does. (The strangler fig has a more appropriate name.) If a philodendron reaches the top of a small tree, it can shade out the canopy and kill the tree, although they prefer to keep their hosts alive to provide support for as long as possible.

Philodendron selloum (which has no other common name) is one of the few that can be self-supporting if no support is available. It is probably the most hardy of philodendrons and is most commonly grown outside, and is also a striking interior plant for very large and sunny spaces. It may freeze during very cold weather, but quickly recovers.

Leaves can be about three feet long and deeply lobed. The petiole (leaf stem) can reach more than three feet, so that the leaf tip may extend six feet from the main stem. The main stem can get up to eight feet tall, or higher if aerial roots are given support. They can grow very fast.

Aerial roots are voracious and can be damaging. If they get into a wooden structure, they may crush and "digest" it as they would a dead tree in the wild. They may be permitted to cling to concrete or brick walls, but will remove paint from any painted surface.

Philodendron selloum may be permitted to cling to very large trees (not oaks) as long as they do not interfere with the canopy of the host tree. If they get too large, they may be cut back anywhere on the main stem and will quickly recover.

Mature plants may bloom on rare occasions. The flowers are interesting, but have a bad smell. They are composed of a single "petal" (a spathe) and a central stem containing hundreds of compact, indistinguishable flowers (a spadix). This is similar to that of the calla, but much larger and black inside. The smell of philodendron flowers attract flies, their main pollinators. Unless kept as an oddity, the flowers are usually removed.

If given too much sun exposure, foliage will be yellow. If not given enough, foliage will stretch toward the light. Part shade is preferred. Generous irrigation and rich soil with good drainage is ideal. Philodendron selloum is commonly available and can be found in most nurseries and garden centers.

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