As I mentioned in the last post I was in Austria this past week for the International Christmas Tree Research and Extension conference. We hold these meetings every two years for Christmas tree researchers in Europe and North America to get together and share the latest research on various aspects of Christmas tree production and marketing. In addition to research presentations the programs also include tours of local Christmas tree farms, which is always the most interesting part of the conference.… Continue reading this article “Just for ewe: An alternative approach to weed control.”
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If it’s Monday this must be Austria…
Just a quick post from on the road. My family and I have been traveling through Europe the past week and a half. A bit of a whorl-wind trip combining some vacation and work travel. We started off a week and half ago, flying into Frankfurt. We rented a car and drove to Paris where we spent a couple of days sightseeing. Then it was off to southern France to visit friends that run a bed and breakfast there.… Continue reading this article “If it’s Monday this must be Austria…”
Toxic mulch: When shredded bark goes bad
We typically think of mulching landscape beds as a good thing. And it usually is; helping to conserve soil moisture, reducing soil temperatures and contributing to soil organic matter. Recently, however, I received an e-mail from a local landscaper that reported severe damage to annuals and perennials in a landscape bed immediately after applying hardwood mulch. The problem, sometimes referred to as ‘sour mulch’ or ‘toxic mulch’, occurs when mulch is left is large piles and undergoes anaerobic conditions. … Continue reading this article “Toxic mulch: When shredded bark goes bad”
This Bud’s for you…
Ask the risk of honing in on Jeff’s turf, I thought I’d pass along this article by former University of Maine associate dean (and apparent Garden Professor wannabe) Katheryn Olmstead. It seems that Dr. Olmstead’s painstaking research has documented a preference among slugs for domestic beers, particularly Budweiser. http://bangordailynews.com/2011/07/21/living/garden-slugs-prefer-budweiser-over-foreign-brands/ Like most undergraduate students, it seems slugs prefer domestic swill to more refined imported brews; confirming many suspicions about both slugs and undergrads. Although we’ll have to wait for the full peer-reviewed article, her scientific method seems sound, including use of replicated plots. … Continue reading this article “This Bud’s for you…”
A Garden Professor is most severely vexed
I’ve been thinking a lot about Jeff’s recent post on “What happens to the horticulturist.” It’s true – universities rely more and more on faculty-generated grants for funding, so new hires tend to be in “hot” areas of research. Fewer horticultural generalists are hired in teaching/research positions, and the same is true for Extension – the educational outreach arm of land-grant universities.
Many of you might not even know what Extension really is. In my opinion, that’s because Extension as a whole has done a pretty poor job of evolving with the times. … Continue reading this article “A Garden Professor is most severely vexed”
Spin Cycle
The issue of potential damage to conifers by the turf herbicide Imprelis continues to get a lot of air play in this neck of the woods. One of the interesting things about watching an emerging story such as this is watching some of the sideshows that go on around it and how people spin the issue to match their needs and agenda.
Example 1:
Heritage Lawn Care Company put out flyers in neighborhoods in southeast Michigan with affected trees to promote their service. … Continue reading this article “Spin Cycle”
In defense of weeds?
Blog reader Shawn sent this link to me yesterday. It’s a pretty short take on a complex topic, but even so I was troubled by the perception that all nuisance weed species are our own fault.
Sure, it’s true that humans have moved plants or plant parts around with them for centuries. Sometimes it’s been deliberate, and sometimes it’s been accidental. But other animals also move plants around, especially seeds. When we draw this kind of distinction between what we do and what other animals do, philosophically we are removing ourselves from the natural world.… Continue reading this article “In defense of weeds?”
Does native matter?
We’ve had lots of lively discussion on my post regarding the Mark Davis et al. comment in Nature on natives and exotics. I have been traveling and otherwise occupied and have not had a chance to comment so I feel a little like the kid that kicked the anthill and then ran away. Fortunately, Holly was gracious enough to forego her post today (I promise to return the favor, Holly!) so I can chime back in.… Continue reading this article “Does native matter?”
Excerpt from Davis et al. letter to Nature on natives vs aliens
In yesterday’s post I linked to a letter in Nature by Mark Davis and a number of other ecologists on the role and native and alien plants. Unfortunately the journal requires a subscription. Copyright laws prevent me from re-printing the entire article, however, below is an excerpt from the conclusion, which I think captures most of their message.
“Most human and natural communities now consist both of long-term residents and of new arrivals, and ecosystems are emerging that never existed before.… Continue reading this article “Excerpt from Davis et al. letter to Nature on natives vs aliens”
Ecologists weigh in on native-exotic debate
Charlie Rohwer, a frequent guest contributor to the Garden Professors, brought to my attention a recent letter in Nature by Mark Davis and 18 other ecologist entitled, “Don’t judge species on their origins.” Davis is a leading authority on invasive species and author the book Invasion Biology. In their article, Davis and his co-authors make many of the same points that I’ve made here on the blog (Are natives the answer? Dec. 14, 2009; Restoration ecologists you need us – part 2.… Continue reading this article “Ecologists weigh in on native-exotic debate”