Master Gardener Supplementary Self Study

A Green Industry Guide to Plant Patents and Other Intellectual Property Rights

Plant patents are granted to those who discover or invent a new and distinct cultivar and asexually reproduce it [and] allow the patent holder to prevent others from asexually reproducing the new plant without first entering into a licensing agreement.

What if I remove suckers from patented brambles and give them away, is this infringement [of a Plant Patent]?

Planting, selling, or giving away the plants would be considered infringement; you would be liable for damages and could incur legal penalties.

What if I prune suckers from patented brambles and some of them in the cull pile take root, can I be penalized?

This would still be considered infringement even though the reproduction is unintentional.

What would happen if I allowed my patented brambles to go to seed and instead of buying plants the following year, I plant the seeds from the previous year?

This is NOT considered infringement BUT there is the risk of claims of infringement if the resulting plants are similar to the patented parent plants.

Garden Design & Development: Designing For Urban Gardens

When planting for City or Urban Garden Spaces, available space is often limited. Thus, design must be carefully considered.

Planning dimensions should include both the standard width and depth of the space, as well as the height of any structures, and the passage of time through the garden (such as light, seasons, human movement and use of the space, etc).

Determine the priorities of the space and its use; allow for flexibility of this use in case these priorities may change in the future.

Establish any problems which must first be addressed either because they interfere with these priorities, or because they interfere with the overall intent to utilize the space.

Consider the Elements and how things such as sun, wind, rain, and so on may impact the current use of the space. Determine how this will impact the intended use of the space, and therefore the resulting design.

Remember that the variety of plants used in the design- and their colors, shapes, sizes, and so on- should be well designed and considered, so as not to be too chaotic, confusing, distracting, or disorienting to visitors ... While also still maintaining interest and aligning with the intent of the space.

Herb Gardening: Herb [n] Definition

1. Common; Any plant whose parts are used for food, medicine, flavor, or perfume.

Alt: A plant of plant part (seed, leaf, root, bark, etc) valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic Qualities.

2. Botanical; Any seed-bearing plant without a woody stem, which dies back to the ground after flowering.

Alt: Any plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue, but instead dies down at the end of the growing season.

Herb Gardening: Planting and Growing Herbs

If you're going to grow Herbs together, base your potting decisions on similar sunlight, moisture, and soil requirements.

Tender Herbs typically need more moisture and can tolerate more shade and less sun (as little as 4 hours per day).

Woody Herbs often prefer sandier loamy soil, do not like as much water, and do best with more sunlight (a full 6 hours or more per day).

Space larger Herbs up to 20 to 30 inches apart to allow them to grow to their full size- especially when planting in ground.

Rosemary, Lavender, and Sage are tall Herbs which should be planted at the back of a container or bed

Herbs like Oregano, Orange Balm, and Thyme create spillage, and look best as groundcovers at the front of a bed or container.

Herbs like Cilantro, Lemon Balm, and Mint are highly prone to spreading and will easily overtake an area if planted in-ground, or not otherwise properly controlled.

Planting Mint, Thyme, and other plants prone to overtaking spaces, in-ground, while still in containers, has long been considered a way to give the illusion of a fully in-ground bed while 1. Reducing their ease of spread and invasivity; and 2. Helping to control certain Herbs prone to spreading.

In order to adequately prevent spreading outside of the container (and especially the subsequent invasivity of some of these particular plants) there are several requirements depending on the particular Herb, its method of spread, and its level of invasivity to the region: The container should remain at least 3 to 6 inches or more above ground level, and at least 2 feet beneath it. Additionally, the Herbs should be regularly cut back- which cannot be neglected.

In general, however, the method has proven not to actually as effective at preventing inground spread as colloquial wisdom states. Therefore this method is generally no longer recommended as a way to contain invasive spreading Herbs.

Most herbs (especially Woody Herbs) can tolerate temperatures below freezing.

Most Herbs are also invasive to the States (unless specifically growing a native variety for your area) and should be cut back before flowering and seed production, however.

Herb Gardening: Fertilizing Herbs

Mulch should be at least 2 inches thick in order to be the most effective- whether it's being used on in-ground beds or in containers.

Regularly fertilize Herbs roughly every 6 weeks during the Spring, Summer, and Fall- but not Winter, or after dormancy if earlier.

Annual, Biannual, and Tender herbs (such as Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill) often prefer regular fertilizer feedings- especially when grown in containers.

Perennial and Woody Herbs (such as Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, and Tarragon) prefer no to rare fertilizer feedings based on soil quality and container growth; every 6 months (or twice a year) is best recommended if you feel the need.

Kelp Fertilizer is a good all-around fertilizer for Herbs due to the high level of multiple micronutrients.

Fox Farm Fertilizer products in particular are all organic and come in multiple forms.

"Grow Big" encourages vegetative growth and is good for herbs where leaves are the most important use component.

"Big Bloom" and "Tiger Bloom" are meant for flower development and production, and are better for herbs where Flowers are the intended use component.

Alternatively: Miracle-Gro Fertilizer products are fine.

"Quick Start Planting and Transplant Solution" should be used on new Herbs. Especially any pre-grown Herbs when first transplanted into their new beds or pots- and then again after every subsequent relocation (such as after repotting).

"All-Purpose Plant Food" can be used afterwards for any Herbs harvested specifically (or primarily) for their leaf matter, and "Bloom Booster Flower Food" for any Herbs harvested specifically (or primarily) for their Flowers.

Herb Gardening: Pruning Herbs

Vegetal Herbs which are primarily utilized for their leaves are meant to be (and are often actively bred to be) pruned regularly.

Pruning encourages regular leaf production and compact growth, and reduces flowering for Vegetal Herbs.

A sudden influx of high heat after a cool period will often make most Herbs "bolt" and then flower.

Bolting is the beginning of a plant's reproductive process prior to flowering, where it produces the initial (often tall, often much thicker) flower stalk.

It is best to prune some Herbs while still in the bolting stage, before the flowering occurs, if possible. Unfortunately many Herbs harvested purely for their vegetal matter (such as Cilantro) must be pulled out and completely replanted from seed once bolted.

Flowering makes Vegetal Herbs bitter and reduces the valuable aromatic oils available in the leaves (which are the compounds you want to preserve). Bolting especially produces significant bitterness and changes in texture, which makes Vegetal Herbs unappetizing to most. It also slows the production of the vegetal matter, as the plant is now focused on reproduction.

Most Herbs are also invasive to the States (unless specifically growing a native variety for your area), and should be cut back before flowering and seed production anyways.

As long as a Vegetal Herb is healthy and has good growth, and you're waiting long enough between prunings to allow proper recovery, you can often prune up to 1/3rd of the vegetal matter back at a time without shocking or damaging the plant.

Harvesting Herbs in the morning ensures the greatest concentration of aromatic oils.

Flower Gardening: Planting Dahlias

For earlier blooms, pre-root Dahlias indoors during the cooler months, then transplant outside after the last frost of the season- especially if container gardening.

To pre-root Dahlia Tubers, leave a Tuber on its side, on top of (not in) a thin tray of moistened soil. Plant after they've sprouted roughly 1 inch of growth.

When planting, do not allow more than 2 "Eyes" (spots of sprouted growth) on a Tuber at once. Remove any more than 2 that appear off to ground level with a clean cut.

Dahlias are fast growers, heavy feeders, and require a lot of water and sun- but wilt heavily in high heat. This wilting will reduce as the plant grows and ages, however.

For container gardening, Dahlia containers should be no smaller than a minimum of 2 gallons per Tuber, and up to 8 gallons for the largest varieties. Use a potting soil with a high Peat or equivalent content for draining, amended heavily with organic matter; soil should remain moist, but not overly watered. Fertilize Dahlias at least once a month during active growth.

Tall Dahlia varieties require staking in order to provide adequate support for their hollow stems. This is best done at the time of planting in order to avoid accidentally spearing a tuber and damaging the plant later.

To stake a Dahlia properly, insert the stake into the ground (or pot) first. Then lay the tuber on its side with the sprouted end towards the stake and roots opposite it.

Do not water Tubers until green growth starts to push above the planted surface.

The occasional light watering often has little effect. Frequent watering before growth appears, however, runs a higher risk of rotting the tuber and killing the plant.

It's recommended to Pinch Dahlia varieties that will grow larger than 3 feet. The practice of Pinching the plant delays the blooming period, but increases the overall number of blooms on a plant, as well as helps to stabilize the stems.

Pinching should be done once the plant reaches 6 inches tall for smaller varieties- or roughly 1 and 1/2 feet to 2 feet tall for larger ones; always Pinch starting from the 3rd set of leaves up the stem from the base of the soil (or higher), and no lower.

Do not water after pinching in order to avoid filling the newly opened stem with water before it heals. Avoid pinching near (or during) periods of rain for the same reason.

If a Dahlia begins wilting immediately after Pinching and you've watered it, or it has rained soon after, take a small pin and prick the Pinched stem a few times at the lowest point possible in order to help release excess water that may be filling the stem.

Deadhead flowers when blooms are spent in order to promote repeat flowering.

Flower Gardening: Liquid Comfrey Fertilizer

Comfrey was once widely utilized for a number of medicinal purposes- including the treatment of chest illnesses (in Tea form) and skin wounds (in salve form). It was also occasionally used as a Tea ingredient among the Pagan, Witchcraft, and Occult communities.

However, it's since been discovered that Comfrey contains Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (sometimes referred to as Necine Bases) that make it unsuitable for either Human consumption or use.

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids can be hepatotoxic and genotoxic, and therefore cause significant neurological damage in addition to damaging the Liver, Kidneys, Heart, Brain, Smooth Muscles, Lungs, and even DNA (the later sometimes resulting in Cancer). They cannot ever be flushed from the body- leading to toxic accumulative buildup over time, regardless of plant origin or methods of use.

With Comfrey in particular, the Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids are hepatotoxic and thus significantly impact the Liver in particular. Diagnosis of the resulting condition (Pyrrolizidine Alkaloidosis, or Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease) can only be done postmortem, with a complete Liver Biopsy; the most common reports of the condition come from the routine misuse of home remedies containing plants known to have such Alkaloids- such as Comfrey- among Homesteaders, Herbalists, and similar groups.

Only modern preparations which have undergone the appropriate lab base methods capable of removing these toxic Alkaloids remain safe for any medicinal use in the modern day; home remedies are not adequate. This had lead many to turn to Comfrey as a modern Organic Fertilizer instead.

As a Taproot Plant, Comfrey sends down a large root that mines minerals from the deep soil, and makes them available within the leaves. Comfrey in particular is non-discriminative concerning the minerals it mines, and so often makes available a wider variety of them that makes it suitable for such a position; these include:

The Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, and E; Boron, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc- all depending on soil availability and quality.

To make a fertilizer from Comfrey: Cut mature leaves from the plant and place them into a bucket that is sealable with a lid. Top the leaves with a Brick or other heavy non-soluble object to prevent the leaves from floating, and fill the bucket with water until the leaves are just covered; put the lid on.

Remove the lid and stir the mixture every few days for 2 to 4 weeks, until the liquid turns a dark brown and has a strong smell. At this point you may remove and compost the leaves; keep the bucket stored in a dark place with the lid on.

To use the fertilizer: Take 1 part of the leaf tea (concentrate), to 10 parts water and mix thoroughly; use once weekly or bi-weekly based on plant's needs.

Flower Gardening:"Natural Rooting Hormones" vs Actual Rooting Hormone

I keep seeing things such as Aloe, Cinnamon, and Honey touted in a lot of Gardening media as "Natural, non-chemical Rooting Hormones". But these are not Rooting Hormones.

What many of these legitimately are? Are Antibacterial and Antifungal. Which means they may protect your cuttings while they root. while studies are very slim about their eficacy, this is a good thing and can have a positive effect during the rooting process- so long as they're actually used properly, at least (and I see a lot of people using them improperly, though, which can actually have the opposite effect).

However, to actually encourage roots to grow- and for good roots, at that? You still actively need to use a real, proper, Rooting Hormone. And there's only two ways to get Rooting Hormone: The plant either needs to produce it itself, or you need to chemically synthesize it and give it to the plant "artificially". The later one is exactly what Rooting Hormone products do when used correctly.

Do you need to use Rooting Hormone every time you propagate? No, not really in the vast majority of cases. Most things will root just fine on their own without it (except in a few specific circumstances). It just makes the job a lot easier, and a lot faster. But there is still a huge difference between the two things. That's why it's called Rooting Hormone and not Rooting Protectant or something similar.

Slathering some Honey on the end of your cutting is not going to make it miraculously grow better or put out roots. It's just going to stave off the opportunistic Fungi and Bacteria that would like to feast on the natural breakdown that occurs during the rooting process- giving your cutting more time to root. But if you accidentally use too much? You're actively giving those bacteria a better feast instead, and increasing the damage done to your cuttings.

If you actually want roots and you actively want to use some kind of a product to encourage them? Stick to the real Hormones. That's what they're actually meant (and designed / synthesized) for.

Flower Gardening:Food Preservation: Types Of Spoilers

Enzymes are naturally occurring and cause decomposition. Most are active between 85f and 120f, and can be destroyed by heating to 140f.

Mold comes in "good" and "bad" forms. Bad forms are inedible and toxic. They can survive and bloom from 50f to 100f, and destroyed from 140f to 190f; higher temperatures will kill molds faster.

Yeast is a more beneficial kind of Fungi, but will still sour food if the fermentation is not controlled; same bloom and kill parameters as toxic mold.

Bacteria, especially the Botulinum Bacteria, is the biggest worry. To kill Bacteria, the temperature must always be brought up to 240f for a sustained period of time. This is only possible through Pressure Canning and cannot be achieved through Water Bath Canning.

Clostridium Botulinum is the Bacteria that causes Botulism. It thrives in warm, wet, oxygenless (anaerobic), low acid environments.

Spoilers cannot grow in high acid environments; the lower the PH rating, the higher a product's acidity.

Higher acidity products require less processing time than lower acidity products.

Different foods have different densities, which changes how long it takes heat to penetrate through thoroughly.

Jar size will likewise impact processing time, because it takes longer for the heat to fully penetrate to the center.

Food Preservation: Methods Of Food Preservation

Water Bath Canning: Food packed in liquid, within jars, and submerged in boiling water for a period of time to expel air and destroy microorganisms. After removal, the jars create their own vacuum seal as they cool.

Kills most spoilers, making it safe for food with a PH of 4.5 of less- so foods that are naturally high in acidity, or which have been appropriately acidified for the process (such as through pickling).

Pressure Canning: Same as Water Bath, but uses pressure to sustain higher temperatures for longer periods of time.

This kills all known spoilers, including the Botulinum Bacterium, making it appropriate even for non-acidic and low acid foods.

Pressure Canners should not be confused for Pressure Cookers; Presto and All American sell dependable Slide-Lock models for beginner Pressure Canners.

Salt Curing: Coating food with dry salt and various aromatic spices in order to draw out moisture and eliminate various environmental contaminates.

Be sure to use non-reactive materials (especially avoiding aluminum).

Sugar Curing: Similar to Salt Curing but with Sugar instead. The Sugar Syrup produced is also typically reintroduced afterwards.

Likewise requires non-reactive materials.

Oil Curing: Foods that have already been cured (typically by Salt Curing) are covered in an Oil or other Fat in order to create an impenetrable barrier against environmental contaminates.

Never store raw Garlic in oil as it's most well known to harbor the Botulinum toxin.

Also has the downside of only being useful in recipes where you will be using oil anyways.

Pickling: Blanched or raw food packed in an Acid (Vinegar) or Wet Brine, or Acid-Brine solution; should be water bath processed.

Likewise requires non-reactive materials; Vinegar corrodes Iron, Copper, Brass, and even Galvanized metals. So make sure to use Plastic, Ceramic, Enamel, or quality Stainless Steel.

Also requires fresh products or the final product risks being mushy- though you can add a "firming agent" like food grade Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) or Alum (Potassium Aluminum Phosphate / Ammonium Aluminum Sulfate).

Always use Kosher Salt (heaping spoons) or Pickling Salt (level spoons), but never use table salt.

Always use 5% or higher acidity Vinegars for Acid bases, and non-Chlorinated soft water for Brine bases.

Smoking: Using smoke to dry food and create a natural cover of Carbon and Wood Oil that seals the surface and creates an environment hostile to microbial growth.

Hot smoking used raw foods and temps between 125f and 350f, fully cooking food in the process.

Cold smoke only infuses flavor into already cured items.

Freezing: Not an appropriate long term solution as it technically doesn't stop spoilers- though it does slow them; proper defrosting and cooking will kill them later.

Food Preservation: Fruit + Pectin + Sugar + Acid

Jams are a mix of finely chopped or mashed fruit and sugar.

Preserves are Jams but with larger pieces of fruit.

Jellies are Jams, but the fruit has been strained out completely to produce a translucent product.

Marmalades are Jams, but made with Citrus Fruit and Rind.

Conserves are Jams with added nuts, dried fruit, and spices.

Fruit Butters are made by cooking fruit down and mashing it to a pulp, then cooking it again until thickened and no liquid remains.

Fruit Curds are made from a combination of Citrus fruit, Egg, Butter, and Sugar, cooked gently until they form a custard.

When a sugar mixture "Sheets" from the back of a cold metal spoon dipped once into the mixture, and the drops run into one another before they can drop off- making the mixture look like a "sheet", the mixture is done and most likely to set up properly.

Food Preservation: Fruit / Vegetable + Salt + Vinegar

Pickles are typically whole or julienned fruits and / or vegetables preserved in a salt, vinegar, or salt-vinegar mixture.

Relishes are a Pickle that has been diced rather than left whole.

Salsas are sauces, cooked or otherwise, made of finely diced fruits or vegetables, herbs, and spices.

Chutneys are spicy salsa-like sauces of Indian origin, made similarly but with the addition of fruit, vinegar, and sugar.

Mustard is a paste of Vinegar mixed with ground herb seeds (typically Mustard Seed, hence the name. But other spices can be added).

Ketchup is a sauce originally of Chinese origin but now made from cooked fruit or vegetable juice (typically tomatoes in the United States, but Mushrooms and other Vegetables have been known to also be used in earlier recipes).

Food Preservation: To Water Bath Can

1. Prep all your ingredients beforehand in order to make the process go most smoothly- including bringing your water for the water bath to a rolling boil.

2. Make sure everything the food will come into contact with during the process has been properly sterilized.

Hot soapy water is tried and true, but you can add Vinegar or Bleach to the sanitizing water- or run them through the dishwasher- for added safety if you'd like.

3. Use glassware that you know won't crack when exposed to high heat; make sure to pre-temper them ahead of time.

Additionally, you can reuse rings, but flat lids must be new every single time; pre-soften the lids in hot water before processing.

4. Fill jars with product, ensuring you leave the appropriate level of headspace, and wipe the rims thoroughly

Headspace allows for volumetric increase during boiling. Without it- or with too much, even- your jars may crack or refuse to seal correctly.

Veggies = 1 inch of Headspace
Fruits (including Tomatoes) = 1/2 inch of Headspace
Jams, Jellies = 1/4 inch of Headspace

An "easy gauge" is also to fill jars just to the point of the rim rings in the glass.

5. Transfer the jars to the interior rack of the water bath canner, gently lower them into the water. Allow to process / boil for the appropriate time according to the recipe being used (modified as needed for your altitude)

Most recipes are for Sea Level to 1,000 ft
1,000 - 3,000 ft, add 5 minutes
3,000 - 6,000 ft, add 10 minutes
6,000 - 8,000 ft, add 15 minutes
8,000 - 10,000 ft, add 20 minutes

6. Remove and allow to cool overnight, listening for the seal to pop; do not re-tighten "loose" rings

7. Test the seal by pressing the lid's center. It should not pop back when pressed; if you remove the rings and pick the jar up my the flat lid, the lid should not come off.

Possible Reasons for Seal Failure:

1. Food was processed for the incorrect amount of time (especially if time was not correctly adjusted for altitude).
2. New lids weren't used, or lids weren't appropriately pre-softened before processing
3. Screw Bands / Rings were re-tightened after processing, weakening the seal
4. Ingredients were incorrectly measured, or improper ingredients were used

8. Store in a cool, dark place between 50f and 70f for up to 1 year; excessive heat will compromise seals.

Once opened, store in a cool place like a refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks. Avoid reintroducing bacteria into the jar by always using clean utensils to remove food from the jars.