Down the street a ways from where we live is a relatively new condo complex wedged between a hill and the street. A narrow planting strip separates the sidewalk from the street, as shown below:
The driveway at the top of the photo bisects the planting strip and dead ends in the parking area for the condos. I have photoshopped this a bit, for reasons you’ll see on Monday. But this is a true representation of the landscape.… Continue reading this article “Friday quiz – landscape design”
Yesterday a good friend of mine who works for a well respected tree company in town asked me whether I would be willing to talk about tree conservation as it relates to the emerald ash borer. Specifically he wanted me to make people aware of a statement produced by a group called the Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation which you can find here which was produced by a number of well respected industry people and academics. … Continue reading this article “Scrambling for Answers”
When botany and advertising collide. Here we have the latest from AT&T.
The advertisement description’s in quotes.
“We open on an urban setting and see a vine begin to grow up a
pillar.”
What kind of vine?? It looks like a mutant clematis, though the leaf arrangement’s wrong, and there are no orange large-flowered ones. Oh well, let’s not be picky. At least it’s some kind of ornamental plant. We’ll call it Clematis broadbandii. Definitely non-native, though.… Continue reading this article “Er, Too Much Coverage?”
A few brave souls gave Friday’s homework assignment a good shot. Ryan did a nice critique of the bullet points; Kenny did a little digging on WFFF, the organization behind the email; and Tom chimed in with the fact that Israel managed to do this a long time ago without impairing plant health. Gold stars for all!
Here’s my initial analysis of the statements made, based on reading the bill (which you should do if you haven’t yet; it’s neither long nor difficult to understand):
WFFF: 1) The intent section contains scientifically inaccurate statements, creating a false precedent that turf fertilizer is a significant surface water pollutant and is not necessary for a healthy lawn.… Continue reading this article “Proposed phosphate fertilizer ban – a dissection of the criticisms”
Linda got a few comments and questions on her post a couple of weeks ago on fertilization and insect resistance. This is an issue I’ve been peripherally involved with over the years so I wanted to share a few thoughts. First, the relationship between plant nutrition and insect resistance is extremely complex. We often have difficulty predicting how a plant is going to respond to fertilization, let alone predict how an insect is going to respond to how the plant responded. … Continue reading this article “Insects and Fertilization”
Today I received an email alerting members of Washington Friends of Farms and Forests to a proposed ban on phosphate-containing fertilizers in the state of Washington. Here’s part of the text of the email (I’ve removed underlining, bolding, highlighting etc. so this reads as objectively as possible):
“Concerns with the HB 1271 & SB 5194 banning the sale of fertilizer containing phosphorous:
1) The intent section contains scientifically inaccurate statements, creating a false precedent that turf fertilizer is a significant surface water pollutant and is not necessary for a healthy lawn.… Continue reading this article “Proposed phosphate fertilizer ban”
I’ve been suffering through my post-holiday, post-annual-reporting cold and/or flu, so I don’t feel as witty (or snarky) as I might otherwise be. Instead, I feel like my body’s been invaded by a slowly spreading mass that reminds me…oh, I don’t know…of what trees can do when they encounter an immovable object.
Not much of a segue, I know, but I just had the urge to post some interesting photos after Holly’s photo-fest yesterday. (Memo to self: not fun being Holly’s follow-up act.) … Continue reading this article “When trees attack!”
Disclaimer: The information and images below should not be construed as any sort of recommendation, remedy or advice. Just some cool and/or weird stuff I saw at a green industry trade show. Plus this blog needs more photos.
Was at the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS… and yes, there is a Pennsylvania version…PANTS) in Baltimore a couple of weeks ago. It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit with past students (now gainfully employed – yay!). I also get to personally thank the nurseries and other businesses that generously support our Horticulture Department and Garden. … Continue reading this article “Winter Trade Show Report”
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”
Earlier today I was in a meeting with some other professionals from across Minnesota (and a few from Wisconsin and other areas) to discuss the disease problems of conifers. Our discussion quickly became focused on the use, and overuse, of Colorado blue spruce, a tree that just doesn’t do well in Minnesota — Or Michigan from what Bert has written! Everyone in the meeting was yammering on about how we need to educate nurseries and consumers about how terrible the Colorado blue spruce is in our environment — you’re lucky if you can get 10-15 years out of the thing before it succumbs to one disease or another. … Continue reading this article “Porsche 911 or Toyota Camry”