Nancy E. Adams Nancy E. Adams

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Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) offers colorful red foliage in the fall, produces edible berries, thrives in acidic soil conditions and is enjoyed by a variety of wildlife making it a suitable alternative for Burning bush (Euonymus alatus).

Q. I’m hearing more about invasive species and their negative impact on our natural environment. Could you please tell me more about this topic? —L. Andreatta, Laconia, NH

The invasive species issue is a hot topic throughout the country. Officials point to regions where non-native species have aggressively suppressed native plant populations. These invaders often produce numerous offspring, develop rapidly, and are highly adaptable to diverse environmental conditions.

In early 1999, President Clinton signed an executive order that established the National Invasive Species Council. The direct result of that mandate is that each state must establish their own initiatives to evaluate and respond to local invasive species concerns. Since the summer of 2000, a New Hampshire Invasive Species Committee has worked tirelessly to review and evaluate invasive species data, hold public forums, develop educational materials, formulate management practices and develop a list of proposed prohibited, restricted and prohibited species.

By 2004, the Committee had created their initial list of 18 prohibited plant species—plants that cannot knowingly be collected, transported, sold, distributed, propagated or transplanted. Most of the plants in this group are known troublemakers and not plant material commonly found in retail markets. However, as of January 1, 2007, three popular landscape plants have been added to New Hampshire’s prohibited invasive species list: Norway maple (Acer platanoides), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), and Burning bush (Euonymus alatus). What can we substitute for these perennial favorites?

Fortunately, Dr. Cathy Neal, UNH Extension Specialist in Ornamental Horticulture, has written a four-page fact sheet, Alternatives to Invasive Landscape Plants, that offers a number of excellent alternative plant options suitable for a range of site conditions. Download a copy: http://extension.unh.edu/ Pubs/HGPubs/altinvs2.pdf
Another wonderful resource is the Guide to Invasive Upland Plant Species in New Hampshire published by the NH Department of Agriculture and available at the following web site: http://www.nh.gov/agric/divisions/plant_industry/documents/InvasivesBooklet2005.pdf. This full-color publication provides a thorough background on the invasive species legislation, has numerous color
photographs and descriptions as well as a complete list of prohibited invasive species.


Q. Each spring I see bright yellow flowers in the swampy areas near my house. Do you have
any idea as to the name of this plant? —Margaret Bell, Cambridge, MA

Marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) are a colorful reminder that spring has arrived. This New Hampshire native can be found alongside streams, marshes, wet woods and swamps.

The plant in question is the Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), one of the first spring-flowering wetland plants to bloom. Their shocking mass of bright yellow flowers set against glossy bright-green leaves provide a wonderful zap of color at a time of year when it’s most needed. They’re a New Hampshire native hardy to Zone 3—areas with average minimum annual winter temperature -40 degrees F.

Marsh marigolds are members of the Buttercup or Ranunculaceae family which include anemone, clematis, gold thread, delphinium, hepatica and meadow rue. Look for them at the edge of streams, marshes, wet woods and swamps.

Marsh marigolds lend themselves nicely to naturalized landscapes alongside ponds, streams and marshes. Naturalize areas to create informal splashes of interest by selecting plants that thrive under similar conditions. Many of our native wildflowers fit the bill, but there are a number of other perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs to consider. Since marsh marigolds go dormant by mid-summer, you’ll want to choose later-emerging plants for season-long appeal.

If wildflowers are your passion, I highly recommend a visit to the New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts (http://www.newfs.org/). It’s a lovely diverse habitat garden featuring more than 1600 kinds of plants with many rare and endangered native specimens. Their plant nursery propagates and sells common and unusual plant material — an excellent resource for developing naturalized areas. Also check your local nurseries and garden center for suitable wetland plants.


Q. I love fresh peas and decided this year to grow some of my own. Do I need to trellis them?
Any growing tips for me? —Susan Webb, Chichester, NH

Left: Peas send out tendrils that spiral inward as they tighten around twine, mesh, twigs or other trellis supports. This enables the plant to grow upwards despite weak stems. Right: Many gardeners opt for natural twig branches to support their twining pea plants. However, there are also a number of commercial trellis systems made from wire and plastic that can be used for many growing seasons. Photo provided courtesy of the National Garden Bureau, Inc.

Peas are an easy and wonderfully productive vegetable to grow for any level of gardener—even children! They thrive in colder temperatures, making them an ideal springtime crop—think April.

They also lend themselves nicely to container gardening, so even those with limited space can become pea aficionados. Nothing could be sweeter than a hand-picked, home-grown, freshly cooked pea.

Most peas will first produce edible fruit within 50-60 days from the time the seed is planted. You’ll find seed available for shelling-type peas (seed is removed from the pod for cooking), snow/sugar peas (flat, crispy pods commonly used in stir-fry dishes) and snap peas (round edible pods cooked and eaten whole). Due to our typically cold soil temperatures during wet springtime conditions, seed is often treated and sold with a fungicide coating to prevent seed rot; however, non-treated seed is available. Peas are a legume, which benefit from the application of a bacterial inoculant to the seed prior to planting to help increase yields. Ask for the pea inoculant packet when you buy your seed.

Peas grow upright by wrapping tender tendrils around a fence or trellis support system. The trellis can be a commercially produced plastic or wire mesh product or simply made from leaf-less branches placed into the ground near the emerging pea seedlings. Trellises facilitate harvest since the seed pods are produced along this vertical space, reducing the need for bending and stooping.  Some varieties of peas are more dwarf-growing and therefore do not need trellising. Read the seed packet label for complete instructions.

Planting couldn’t be simpler. Sow the seeds 1" to 1.5" apart and 1/2" to 1" deep in a well-drained soil. Offer the seedlings full sun and your green thumb should be rewarded with an abundant harvest!

Nancy E. Adams is a horticulturist who has spent the past thirty-five years working in agricultural settings as diverse as the Peace Corps in Brazil and Poland and UNH Cooperative Extension. She now offers on-site horticultural consultations for home and commercial landscapes, and speaks to garden clubs on a variety of horticultural topics. Contact her at hortaquest@comcast.net or 603 969-4855.