I’ve been thinking about snow and winter precipitation a lot this week as Georgia digs out from a record snowfall that hit the southern part of the state with amounts of up to 9 inches. This is the second snow event this winter, something that does not happen very often here, although I know it is much more common in many other parts of the country and the world. The heavy snow band stretched all the way from eastern Texas to eastern Virginia up the East Coast, bringing record snow amounts to many areas along the path, including a very heavy snowfall in New Orleans.… Continue reading this article “Is snow really “poor man’s fertilizer?””
Month: January 2025
8 Legged Friends: Spiders in the Garden
Even though some may not be fond of them, we understand that most spiders are beneficial, excellent predators of arthropod pests and are extremely interesting organisms. Gardeners are often really enthusiastic about this group of arthropods and enjoy observing them in outdoor landscapes, usually at a comfortable distance. There are some of us who enjoy the company of these creatures in closer proximity, even indoors and as pets (myself included).
Photo: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
People and Plants
Once again we wander down the path of botanical history.
George Julius Engelmann was a botanist, physician, and meteorologist, but is remembered primarily for his botanical monographs. George, also known as Georg, was born Feb. 2, 1809 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the oldest of thirteen children, nine of whom reached maturity. Unusual for the time, his parents established and ran a successful school for young women there in Frankfurt.
Like most privileged young men of the time, George attended gymnasium.… Continue reading this article “People and Plants”