Back in June of 2010, I wrote about an online column that recommended applying cornmeal as an antifungal soil amendment. (Important note: we are not talking about corn gluten meal. Just cornmeal.) The upshot of the post was while some gardening personalities extol the use of cornmeal to kill soil pathogens like Rhizoctonia and Sclerotinia, no published science supports the practice. The post was effective in encouraging the author of the referenced online column to update her information, but the controversy didn’t die.… Continue reading this article “Deconstructing the cornmeal myth”
Category: Amusing Facts
For “entertainment value” only
So reads the sticky note from my retired entomologist colleague. It’s affixed to the latest flyer promising the "greenest garden in town" using the "best all-time tips, tricks and tonics."
The entire brochure is ludicrous, and picking it apart is like shooting fish in a barrel. But sometimes it’s fun going for the low-hanging fruit. Here are some of the more memorable claims:
Epsom salts – grow sweeter melons, energize your roses, supercharge your grass seed, grow giant geraniums, bust tomato blight, boost your bulbs, force stubborn shrubs to flower, etc.… Continue reading this article “For “entertainment value” only”
Why I don’t like cardboard mulch
I’ve discussed my dislike of cardboard mulch before: like other sheet mulches it restricts water and gas transfer between the soil and atmosphere. In published comparison studies, other mulch choices generally outperform cardboard in terms of plant growth, weed control, etc. But there’s one area where cardboard is tops compared to every other mulch material tested.
Termites.
Termites LOVE cardboard. Did you know that termite researchers use cardboard feeding stations to lure termites? And cardboard is often used as the “control” in feeding studies, because termites will always eat it?… Continue reading this article “Why I don’t like cardboard mulch”
Truth in advertising, finally.
*drum roll*
Ladies and gentlemen, the latest effort in pinto bean breeding from Seminis Vegetable Seeds:
Windbreaker is an upright, short-vine pinto bean that has produced consistently good yields, especially for the Red River Valley production area. Windbreaker ripens quickly and uniformly with reduced seed weathering. Try Windbreaker in narrow rows for direct harvest.
Relative Days to Maturity: 94-98
Plant Type: Indeterminate, short vine
Color: Brown flecks on buff
Seeds/LB: 1,076
Disease Resistance: BCMV, R (R)
Bees bees bees!
With 60+ newbies in our local beginner beekeeping class, we can safely say that beekeeping is enjoying a surge of popularity. The president of our area beekeeping association is bringing 150 packages of bees up from Georgia next Thursday; all are pre-sold to members. That’s about 1.8 million honeybees (includes one queen per package). An additional 50 packages will arrive the following week for close to 3 million bees. Wow.
I’ve planned to take the afternoon off (Beefest!)… Continue reading this article “Bees bees bees!”
Our visiting professor takes on veggie nutrition
First, let me give a blanket apology for all of us GPs – this is the first time ever all four of us have NOT posted in the same week. I’m on the road this week with my high schooler checking out colleges, and I think the other three are out drinking beer and tipping cows somewhere. So our visiting GP veggie specialist extraordinaire has graciously stepped in to answer a reader’s question about the apparent decline in vegetable nutrition. … Continue reading this article “Our visiting professor takes on veggie nutrition”
Bokashi composting and Effective Microorganisms® – a quick analysis
A few weeks ago an attendee at one of my seminars asked me about bokashi composting. It’s a term I hadn’t heard before, so I promised to look into it (and the science behind it, of course). I haven’t had a chance to do much more than a cursory analysis, but even that has proven interesting.
For those of you who, like me, had never heard of bokashi, it’s a composting technique that utilizes Effective Microorganisms® as a way of creating a “positive” compost product using “positive” microorganisms. … Continue reading this article “Bokashi composting and Effective Microorganisms® – a quick analysis”
Madison Wisconsin takes care of bees-ness
The bee blogosphere (hiveosphere?) and listservs were abuzz the past two
days with news that Madison, Wisconsin, has taken an active role in
encouraging beekeeping within the city limits. The version of the
story I found a link to was in the Madison Commons.
Apparently beekeeping was prohibited in town (though the prohibition was
rarely enforced, except in the case of complaints). The ordinance was
changed to allow urban beekeepers to keep hives.
There are specific regulations, such as 25′ distance to the nearest
neighbor as well as a requirement to supply a fresh water source near
the bees (very important – especially in urban settings). … Continue reading this article “Madison Wisconsin takes care of bees-ness”
[Return of] National Forced Affection Day
After several incredibly informative posts from Jeff, Bert, and Linda, I’m going to give you a break as I veer off into Useless-land.
I’ve written posts previously regarding how important Valentine’s Day is for floriculture, most obviously the cut flower growers and florists. In past posts, I’ve suggested alternatives to the boring/overpriced/under-fragranced/outsourced bouquet of red roses that folks seem to gravitate to. The National Retail Federation predicts record-breaking sales in excess of $17 billion this year; $1.8 billion will be spent on cut flowers.… Continue reading this article “[Return of] National Forced Affection Day”
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”