“Dig-In” With the Texas City Garden Club By: Bridget Buffa

 When Texas City had its most recent storm that blew through our city, we saw some amazing cloud formations.  Unfortunately for many, the winds caused much havoc, with trees uprooted and fences down.  There were many pictures of clouds throughout the city that were shared on social media.

    Some of the clouds that were seen are referred to as shelf clouds which are often associated with squall lines. The shelf clouds will usually be followed with a solid line of storms. The wind will come first with rain following behind it. 

Clouds over Texas City

    You may ask, what does this have to do with gardening?  Well, if sometimes on a cloudy, raining day you are feeling blue, you can always stay comfy in your home and wait for the next sunny day.  The plants in your garden do not have this option. While you may need sun to lift your spirits, plants need it to grow and thrive since their process of photosynthesis depends on it. 

    That’s the process by which plants create the energy they require to grow. They mix carbon dioxide, water, sunlight and construct the food they need to thrive. The byproduct of photosynthesis is the oxygen plants release that humans and animals require to breathe. Since sunlight is one of the three elements necessary for photosynthesis, you may wonder if clouds affect photosynthesis? The simple answer is yes. 

    It is interesting to consider how cloudy days affect plants. To accomplish the photosynthesis that enables the plant to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars, a plant requires a certain intensity of sunlight. Since clouds block sunlight, this does affect the process. Photosynthesis is also limited when daylight hours are fewer in winter. Photosynthesis is a tricky business. A plant needs sunlight, but leaves also need to hold onto their water. This is the dilemma for a plant. When the weather is hot and sunny, a plant can lose a tremendous amount of water and suffer for it. On cool, cloudy days, the photosynthesis is a limited, but plants retain more water.

That’s the “short version”, believe it or not of photosynthesis

    Clouds have also inspired a pruning technique known as “Niwaki”, the translation of which is “garden tree”. This is a Japanese method of training trees and shrubs into shapes resembling clouds. This type of pruning does not have to be used in solely Japanese-style gardens; it can be used as a feature in any garden.  

    This method can be used on a number of trees and shrubs. However, evergreens produce a more striking specimen and give all-year-round interest. Suitable plants for this project are:

• Box (Buxus sempervirens)
• Yew (Taxus baccata)
• Pine (Pinus)

Niwaki Pruning

    Plants that are cloud-pruned can looks much like Bonsai plants.  The only difference between niwaki and bonsai is that bonsai are grown in containers and niwaki are grown in the ground.

    Don’t forget the Texas City Garden Club is always on the Look-Out for our next “Spot of Beauty” …You could be next!