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Coloring Easter eggs the natural way

Easter is a time of renewal. In many pagan cultures a decorated egg became the symbol of rebirth. Coloring eggs was first introduced to Europe by the Crusaders who brought the idea back from the East. My earliest and fondest memory of coloring Easter eggs was when I was a child in Germany. It was with delight that we spent hours preparing our boiled eggs with bees wax (pisanki) and then dipped them in dyes to get a number of different colors. My favorite method was to simmer the egg in yellow onion skins to attain a beautiful tan to golden brown color. We would then let the egg cool and scratch a design on the egg with a needle or special tool. I continued this scratch method into my adult life and still enjoy some of my old “pieces of art” which I bring out at Easter time.

There are a number of dyes from nature that you can use to color your eggs. Generally, with natural dyes, the more coloring agent and the longer the egg remains in the dye, the deeper and darker the color will be. Here are some ideas for natural dyes you can get from items that you may have in the spice cabinet and kitchen.

Red-orange – Simmer eggs in a large pot of water for up to an hour in red onion skins.
A teaspoon of vinegar to 2 cups of water will help speed up the dyeing process and attain a deeper color. Pomegranite juice and crushed cranberries will also produce a red color.
Paprika will make a light orange color.

Brown – Two tablespoons of instant coffee and one teaspoon of vinegar to 2 cups of hot water. Soak boiled egg overnight.

Yellow – Two teaspoons of turmeric or cumin, one teaspoon of vinegar in 3 cups of water –
Soak boiled egg overnight. Use yellow onion skins for a tan, yellow orange to golden brown color. Also, try Alder catkins.

Pink – Soak hard boiled egg in beet juice overnight in the frig

Lavender – Pour hot water over violet blossoms and soak hard-boiled egg overnight in the frig.

Blue – Simmer eggs in red cabbage , add 1 teaspoon alum per cup, for a deep blue, grape juice or frozen blueberries (pale gray blue).

Another method of coloring eggs is to place delicate material, such as fern fronds, leaves or flowers on the egg and wrap them in cheesecloth or pantyhose. Tie the ends and boil the wrapped eggs in clear water 10-15 minutes, and see what happens!

Have fun coloring your Easter eggs with your family this year. If you have any other dye suggestions, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!

An easy way to make an Easter table arrangement: combine 3-4 pansies in a basket, cover with grass, add colored eggs and finish off with pussy willows or any other spring flowering branches.

The earliest reference to the shamrock was in the 5th century when St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to the Druids. There is no proof of knowing that this really happened, however, the shamrock continued to become a part of Irish legend and history. Today in Ireland, the three-lobed leaf is a symbol of Ireland and is proudly worn as a “good luck” badge on St. Patrick’s day.

The “lucky clover” is not the same as the Shamrock plant sold at the grocery stores around St. Patrick’s day. The word shamrock is derived from Celtic word, “trefoil” (three-leafed), or “little clover”. Trifolium repens is the small white clover that is found in lawns and also used as a green manure cover crop. Irish experts consider this to be the true shamrock. Although, others may argue that the yellow flowered (Trifolium dubium) is the real deal. Both are difficult to grow indoors.

The ones sold in grocery stores referred to as a “shamrock” belong to a large family of Oxalis with over 800 varieties, native to Chile and South Africa. They grow from small corms or tuberous roots which produce delicate, clover-like leaves that are light sensitive and close on cloudy days and at night (nyctinstic movements). The leaves range from a green to purple with flowers that come in a variety of colors; white, cream, yellow, pink, purple and red.
Oxalis regnelli, sold as the shamrock plant, has white flowers and green foliage. Another version, O. triangularis has purple leaves with pinkish to white flowers.

CARE
Indoors – keep in a well-lit location (east or west window) away from hot and cold drafts at temperatures of 60-70F during the day and 55-65F at night. They should be kept barely moist at all times and not allowed to stand in water as that will cause root rot. Fertilize every 2 -4 weeks with a houseplant fertilizer. The plant is relatively pest free and may be planted outdoors when the weather gets warm or kept as a houseplant. After blooming, if the plant dies back, allow it to go dormant for 1-3 months. The corms should be kept cool and dry. After dormancy, repot and or divide the corms (optional). When signs of new growth emerge, begin to water, fertilize and move to a sunny spot. Oxalis regnelli and O.triangularis are hardy in zone 6-10. There are hardier varieties that can be grown outdoors as a nice ground cover.
Troubleshooting: Tall & lanky plant – needs more light, too warm (temps over 75)
Yellowing plant – watering too much.
May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Happy St. Patty’s!!

I would like to know how to grow a gloxinia flower

Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) has oblong fuzzy leaves, large velvety bell- shaped flowers with ruffled edges. This tender tuberous perennial is a member of the Gesneriaceae family, a relative of the African Violet.

In Dec-March plant the rounded bottom of the tubers 1 inch deep in a light, well drained, potting soil that consists of peat moss, perlite, vermicultie and/or coarse sand. Water lightly until the leaves start to show then increase watering. Like african violets, gloxinia need to be watered around the base of the plant or from the bottom. With bottom watering, let the plant soak in a saucer for up to an hour and then remove. Since they are sensitive to cold water, avoid splashing cold water on the leaves or in the crown of the plant.
Water around the base of the plant (like African violets) not on top of the leaves, do not let the water sit in the bottom of the saucer. The soil should be kept moist but not soggy and not allowed to dry out.
Gloxinia needs bright filtered light, high humidity, warm temperatures around 70F and in the 60’s when in bloom. Fertilize weekly with a well-balanced houseplant fertilizer when its actively growing and during bloom time. Stop fertilizing after bloom.

After it is finished flowering and the leaves begin to yellow and die back, reduce watering and allow the plant to go into a dormant period. Store the tuberous stem @ 50F in a cool, dark place for 2-4 months in dry soil. When new growth begins to show (Jan-Feb), repot the tuber in fresh soil in a 6″ pot, place in bright filtered light and resume watering. Gloxinias prefer the shade outdoors and bright light indoors.
Low light will produce long spindly growth and no blooms.
Soggy soil, overwatering can cause crown rot and root rot
source: http://hgic.clemson.edu

HELP! My confederate jasmine has stuff growing on it that looks like white puff paint. It is mostly on the joints, but a little on the leaves. I can not see any bugs, but the white stuff, when I move it with a pencil tip, is stringy, kind of like spiders web strings.

The white cottony ’stuff’ in the leaf axils is home to eggs laid by mealy bugs, which eventually hatch and become microscopic orange crawlers that feed on your plant. Once they reach adult stage, they develop a white waxy coating that is impervious to water and secrete sticky honeydew which attract ants. Mealy bugs reproduce in hot dry conditions, causing yellowing leaves, premature leaf drop and weak, slow growth.
To treat this problem Dip a Q-tip or small paintbrush in alcohol and dab each white mass. This will not completely elliminate the insects because they do not all develop at the same time. They are most vulnerable in the crawler stage. A repeated spray of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water is a more effective way to treat mealy bugs. A pump sprayer with pressure works best in penetating the waxy coat and getting into the crevices of the plant. In addition, an ultrafine oil or Neem oil will work on the crawlers. Both alcohol and oil treatment will control mealy bugs safely indoors. Be sure to apply once a week for a month even if you do not see any sign of the insect.

Daffodils should not be mixed with other flowers in a vase.

Cut daffodils release a stem-clogging sap (slime exudate) that causes other flowers to wilt especially tulips. Cut them early in the morning when they are barely opened and place them in a bucket of luke warm water for several hours. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to quart of water to preserve freshness. Wait at least 12 hours after cutting before combining them with other flowers this allows time for the sap to leach out. Do not recut them when arranging with other flowers. They should last 4-6 days depending on temperature exposure.

Recent studies have shown that floral preservative should not be added to cut tulips. It shortens their longevity by clogging the stem causing them to wilt.