On this blog we get mad at lots of things. Sure, anger is fun, but sometimes you’ve got to suck it up and say something nice for a change. So today I thought I’d point out a product that, while it comes from a company that I’ve had issues with in the past, is, itself, a good product. I like Miracle-Gro Moisture Control potting mix. The reason is that it utilizes coconut coir, a waste product from coconuts which holds lots of water and which can still maintain good aeration. … Continue reading this article “A Good Potting Soil”
Author: jeffgillman003
Should I trust Dr. Earth?
Most of us were taught from an early age to trust doctors (I mean the medical kind). They’re supposed to be smart, committed, and loving, and most of the doctors I’ve had over my life have fit that mold. And Earth, what an awesome name! It makes me think of dark, warm, rich soil in the spring. Damn it makes me feel good! So it’s no wonder that some clever marketer thought up the name Dr.… Continue reading this article “Should I trust Dr. Earth?”
Going Overboard with Paul Tukey
According to a post by Paul Tukey on safelawns.blog, a recent French study which was published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology shows that corn which has been genetically modified to produce the caterpillar toxin Bt is poisonous to humans. Furthermore, so is roundup.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re screwed.
The rapture is coming. The true believers who shun conventionally produced food and eat only organic, non-GMO will be saved. Those who don’t, well, they’re all as good as dead so don’t even bother worrying about ‘em.… Continue reading this article “Going Overboard with Paul Tukey”
Milky Spore
There are a lot of great products out there for controlling insect pests without using pesticides. Some of the best include insect diseases or predators which will attack the pest and not beneficial. For example, there are wasps that kill mealybugs and nematodes that attack grubs. Both of these products are pretty effective. That said there are also some products that just don’t work that well. One of them is known as milky spore disease.… Continue reading this article “Milky Spore”
Our visiting professor digs into tomato planting depth
With Ray’s recent photos of the peach, crabapple, and hydrangea planted too deeply, a discussion of tomato planting depth arose in the comments. I’ve seen the prolific adventitious roots start to form near the base of tomato plants, and I plant tomatoes to the cotyledon or deeper, but tomato planting depth not an area I have extensive research experience in. So I did a little literature search.
It seems that the practice of planting tomatoes is more than just friendly garden folklore.… Continue reading this article “Our visiting professor digs into tomato planting depth”
If It’s In The Wall Street Joural Opinions Section Then We Need to Rethink Everything.
I’m no global warming apologist. I do think it’s happening. I think the new USDA map supports that it’s happening. I also think that humans probably have something to do with it since we cut trees and burn fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into our atmosphere. That said, I’m not convinced that the carbon dioxide produced by people is as big a player in global warming as we’re being led to believe, or that the world is about to become a living hell because of it. … Continue reading this article “If It’s In The Wall Street Joural Opinions Section Then We Need to Rethink Everything.”
There are papers out there on almost everything!
It amazes me how much information is out there if you really look for it. This morning I was having a discussion with a couple of friends about how and why asparagus affects the odor of urine (I might or might not be able to let you know why next week — after my administrators decide how much potty humor they’ll let me get away with). Anyway, I decided to see what I could actually find out about it and found a remarkable number of papers on the topic including this recent one on odor perception. … Continue reading this article “There are papers out there on almost everything!”
Eco Plant Pals?
Last Monday a friend of mine stopped by the office and dropped off a couple of plant "kits" for my kids. I didn’t spend much time looking at them at first, but I brought them out that night when I got home to show to the family and…they’re really neat! Called Eco Plant Pals, these little kits include a container, some media, and some seeds for one of 18 different plants. Each of these plants has their own names, like Chris Catnip for (you guessed it) a catnip plant and Laura Lobelia. … Continue reading this article “Eco Plant Pals?”
Canadian Thistle
It has been a busy few weeks for me — holiday traveling, Green Expo talks (that’s our regional conference), and getting ready for a semester leave this year — I’ll be working on a project investigating how professors transfer information to the public. But during this time I have, for some unexplainable reason, been thinking about Canadian Thistle. And do you know what I’ve come up with? This:
It’s a colossal waste of time and money to worry about Canadian thistle. … Continue reading this article “Canadian Thistle”
Last minute items for gardeners
I am a last minute shopper. There, I admitted it, and I’m proud of it. By waiting until the last minute I get to hear about everyone else’s great gifts — and then buy those same gifts for someone else! that said, here’s a short list of gifts for gardeners — including a few that I wouldn’t mind having myself.
#1 Books — they’re great, especially in the off-season when the gardener in your life needs some inspiration. … Continue reading this article “Last minute items for gardeners”