As I noted last week, this has been a long winter in Michigan – OK, Jeff, no chortling from the frozen tundra of Minnesota… Most gardeners in this area have only been able to do their spring yard and garden clean-ups in fits and starts as the weather allows. We’re finally warming up a bit this week but now strong storms are in the forecast. One of the things gardeners will want to do is to size up any winter damage that has occurred since they put things to bed last fall. … Continue reading this article “Who you gonna call?”
Category: Uncategorized
Invasive plants, politics and science
I’ve had a hectic week (taxes! financial aid!) and haven’t had a chance to think about posting. Fortunately, yet another colleague just sent me an interesting link that’s worth sharing and discussing.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with how Master Gardener programs work, they are built on volunteers who receive training in garden-related sciences and then contribute a significant number of hours to outreach education. Many MGs work in plant clinics, and others volunteer in public gardens. … Continue reading this article “Invasive plants, politics and science”
Interesting and useful web site about invasive insect pests
Just heard about this from a colleague. This website has a link to a great image gallery of exotic insect pests. Though it’s primarily geared towards forest pests, the urban forest is just as susceptible.
Invasion of the killer earthworms
It sounds like a B-grade horror movie. Millions of earthworms, moving silently beneath soil, wreaking havoc until the entire planet is uninhabitable. Sound a little far-fetched? Not to ecologists that study northern hardwood forests. While most of us grew up thinking earthworms were ubiquitous, turns out they are not native in parts of North America that were covered with ice during the last glacial period. Most of us also grew up thinking that earthworms where the good guys/girls (they’re hermaphroditic), churning up compacted soil and leaving nutrient-rich castings behind. … Continue reading this article “Invasion of the killer earthworms”
California Flower, Food and Garden Show
I’m giving two talks at the California Flower, Food and Garden Show in Sacramento today and tomorrow: details are linked here. It would be great to meet some of our California readers in person if you plan on being there.
I’ll try to take some photos and share my thoughts about the show on upcoming posts. Maybe I’ll even find my Friday quiz topic lurking there!
Rain barrels
A few weeks ago one of our readers, landscape architect Owen Dell, sent me a link to his blog where he takes on rain barrels. It’s a great analysis of the (im)practicalities of rain barrels and it got me to wondering how many of our readers (and my GP colleagues) use these as supplemental sources of irrigation water?
I have two in our back yard that were made from old olive oil containers retrofitted for collecting and dispensing water.… Continue reading this article “Rain barrels”
Is local always better?
As those that have followed the blog for awhile are aware, among my pet peeves are some of the naïve statements that are repeated ad nauseam by proponents of native plants for landscaping. You know the usual litany: natives don’t need water, don’t need fertilizer, resistant to insects, resistant to diseases, yada, yada… According to the dogma, native plants possess these traits because they’ve evolved here and they belong here. I hasten to point out; I have nothing against natives and think we ought to plant more of them whenever they are an appropriate choice. … Continue reading this article “Is local always better?”
Cold enough for ya?
Like many people we spent the past couple days digging out from the massive snowstorm that swept across a large swath of the country. This was definitely a made-for-TV-weather event as national and local TV weatherfolks took up their positions and gave us breathless live-remotes of the “Blizzard of 2011”.
40 mph wind + 1 little crack = a barn full of snow.
Almost as predictable as video footage of snow-ploughs on the streets and locals snow-blowing sidewalks; climate change skeptics are using the recent round of winter weather as proof that global warming is a hoax and that there’s really nothing to worry about except the economics of ‘cap and trade’. … Continue reading this article “Cold enough for ya?”
Warning: This blog may be hazardous to your health
Following up on Jeff’s post last week regarding blue spruce. Jeff noted, and several posters agreed, that even though blue spruce will eventually have a host of pest problems, for the first 10 years or so it’s a darn good looking landscape conifer. Jeff went on to draw the analogy that choosing a blue spruce is like choosing sexy sports car or gas guzzler over a boring, high MPG sedan. To a certain extent the libertarian in me agrees. … Continue reading this article “Warning: This blog may be hazardous to your health”
A comment about home remedies from Catherine Daniels
In case you didn’t see yesterday’s comment that was added to Jeff Gillman’s January 6 post on home remedies, I’ve posted it here. Dr. Catherine Daniels is WSU’s pesticide coordinator:
I’ve enjoyed reading the science-based information on your site. Keep up the good work. As regards home remedies, that is slippery slope, both legally and morally. Having a written definition of what you will or will not accept is helpful, especially if done in advance. Then you can be sure of being consistent and deliberate at least.… Continue reading this article “A comment about home remedies from Catherine Daniels”