This past week a friend of mine, Carol Reese, an Extension Specialist at the University of Tennessee (and one of my favorite speakers), told me that she’d like to post a little something about natives. I said sure, no problem, just send it along. And she did. But before posting it sometime next week, I thought I’d post another article that she sent along — one that isn’t quite so sciency and which will let you get to know Carol before you hear what she has to say about natives.… Continue reading this article “Wandering in the Woods”
Month: September 2012
So that’s why they’re called blister beetles…
I’ve had several discussions with gardening folks in the region on one of our more annoying pests, the blister beetles. Big appetite, eats lots of things we value, and darned hard to get rid of. Someone invariable says “yep, they bite, too” and “be careful – you’ll get blistered.” However, I’ve yet to hear any first-hand experience with the personal-injury aspect of blister beetles.
I’ve suffered from the heartbreak of blister beetles for two summers in a row. … Continue reading this article “So that’s why they’re called blister beetles…”
One solution to invasive species – assisted succession
For a couple of weeks now we’ve had some animated discussions on introduced plants (invasive or otherwise) and native species. One of our commenters wondered whether many introduced invasives (those that take advantage of disturbed conditions) would eventually become controlled through succession (which in our part of the country means land dominated by trees and shrubs). And yes, if native species can get a foothold in an infested site, invasive species become less dominant.
To illustrate, I’ll take you on a virtual trip in our neighborhood’s pocket wetland. … Continue reading this article “One solution to invasive species – assisted succession”
Fearless fall color predictions
Happy Labor Day! Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable 3-day weekend. Labor day is the unofficial end of summer, which means fall is just around the corner. In fact, fall may be a little early this year around these parts. We are already starting to pick up some fall color – mainly maples, sassafras, and sumac. I usually get some calls from various media outlets asking for predictions on fall color. It’s always a dicey proposition. Weather going into fall is certainly a factor for fall color, but conditions during the fall itself are the final trump card. … Continue reading this article “Fearless fall color predictions”