Category: Uncategorized

Arborists are trained in seminars and texts that rot in trees is bad. Wood decay can constitute a “hazardous condition” which when accompanied by the tree being in a place that has a target and the tree is large, can create a “hazardous tree”. The notion of hazardous trees is a uniquely human construct that has little to do with the ecology of trees, the variety of organisms that utilizes large declining trees, and does not consider what the various defects in trees may be contributing to the environment or forest around that tree in terms of organism habitat. … Continue reading this article “TreM’s You Say?”

In the last week, I’ve driven all the way from western Virginia, where the redbuds are blooming, to Tallahassee, FL, where red clover is everywhere. As I drove through the mountains north of Charlotte NC, I noticed some signs indicating that strong gap winds may blow down the valleys when atmospheric pressure patterns align to produce strong pressure gradients that drive the wind. I have discussed wind before in previous posts (“Who has seen the wind?… Continue reading this article ““They call the wind Maria””

Wherever whitetail deer occur they present a challenge for gardeners. The internet offers abundant advice on this, but too often it is simplistic gardening myth such as scattering human hair or planting garlic.

Historically in deer control literature there have been occasional observations that deer hesitate to enter an area which looks too small or constrained for rapid escape. Finally, it came time to acknowledge and test this theory.… Continue reading this article “News for gardeners in deer country: one solution to deer problems may simply be smaller gardens”

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In the quarter century that I’ve been researching, publishing, and educating on the topic of landscape mulches, one thing has become clear: cardboard should never be used as a mulch. This viewpoint has been of great interest to gardeners; in fact, my earlier post has been the most frequently viewed post since it was published in 2015.… Continue reading this article “Cardboard does not belong on your soil. Period.”

In this blog I’ve talked several times about El Niño and La Niña and how they affect climate across the Northern Hemisphere as well as their impacts on the rest of the world. We are currently in a strong El Niño with sea surface temperatures in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) that are much warmer than the long-term average. But underneath the surface the ocean currents are starting to change and the El Niño is expected to swing quickly into the opposite phase, La Niña.… Continue reading this article “The Times They Are A-Changin’—What the new La Niña Watch means for the NH growing season”

Over the course of this winter there have been several days when the temperature plummeted after the passage of an Arctic front as strong winds blew frigid air into parts of the United States. It can happen in other parts of the world, too. When this happens, the National Weather Service (NWS) often issues Wind Chill Warnings urging people to bundle up before they head outside into the dangerously cold weather. From time to time I am asked if plants also experience wind chill.… Continue reading this article “Does Wind Chill Affect Plants?”

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I’ve been a gardening mythbuster for almost a quarter century. You’d think the quality of information would slowly be improving, given the increased sophistication of many gardeners regarding their information source. But every day my news feed connects me with articles that I’m sure some AI entity thinks will be enlightening.… Continue reading this article “Putting down a danger tree”

Like it or not, the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) has become a part of our daily lives. While you might not use AI directly (or you don’t know that you do) it is now a common part of society, especially in the online world. Many people, sites, can companies use it to create content. It is part of the “smart” gadgets that we use at home. Map software (like Google Maps), search engines, ride share apps, and even the spam filter on your email all use AI.… Continue reading this article “Shoveling the Artificial CRAP: Navigating Gardening Un-Intelligence in the age of AI”

January is here with its resolutions, cold long nights and not that warm days. Winter is a season of rest and survival. The cats and horses have long furry coats, the resident song birds eagerly clean out the feeder every day and the garden beckons. For me Winter is a special season when I can do a lot of fruit tree pruning, especially enjoyed with my daughter. Father-daughter pruning bonding is not to be missed if it’s an option for you.… Continue reading this article “Winter Thoughts in Support for Fallen Leaves”