September 5, 2019 Growing Cucumbers, Michel Sarrazin, Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, Asa Gray, Charles Darwin, Katherine Warington, Andrew Marvell, Tussie-Mussies by Geraldine Laufer, the Case for Coleus, and the Suffolk Tombstone of gardener Edward Ward

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Monologue

If you have struggled to grow tomatoes successfully, maybe it's time to give cucumbers a try.

They are much easier to grow than tomatoes. Just add some organic matter to the soil and mulch around the base of the plant. Cucumbers benefit from support, so install a trellis for the vines to climb. That's it.

The saying "cool as a cucumber" refers to the fact that the inside of a cucumber is about 20 degrees cooler. And, cucumbers contain loads of nutrients like magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium.

Here's a fun fact about cucumbers: Cucumbers are 96 percent cool water.

Botanical History On This Day

1659 Michel Sarrazin, surgeon, naturalist, and the first great collector of Canadian plant specimens, was born. He later lent his name to the remarkable pitcher plant and anticipated discoveries that would not be confirmed for centuries.

1857 Asa Gray received a confidential letter from Charles Darwin, outlining, under strict secrecy, the earliest formulation of natural selection, years before it would reshape science.

1897 Katherine Warington, British botanist, was born. He later made a landmark discovery that boron is essential to plant growth, astonishing the scientific world with her first major research project.

Unearthed Words

Andrew Marvell’s poem Thoughts in a Garden reminds us of a life so richly planted that fruit, flower, and grass seem to conspire in delight. Read the full poem here.

Grow That Garden Library™

Read The Daily Gardener review of Tussie-Mussies by Geraldine Laufer

Buy the book on Amazon:
Tussie-Mussies by Geraldine Laufer

Today's Garden Chore

Reconsider coleus. Whether in shade or sun, this old favorite still has much to offer—and with its natural rooting hormone, it may quietly help its neighbors thrive as well.

Today's Botanic Spark

1882 A Suffolk graveyard inscription honored a gardener who served one estate for over seventy years—his epitaph promising rest until the “Great Spring” arrives, when all faithful gardeners may bloom again. Read the moving notice here.

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And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.