Anthurium Vetchii, King Anthurium a diminutive flower on a plant with such large foliage
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Agriculture Forum: Keeping vines in line
BY DUKE ELSNER
Wine grapes require summer "canopy management" to maintain vine health and promote fruit development. Left on their own, vines will produce an excess of shoot growth, leaves and fruit clusters.
Reducing this excess starts in the winter when vines are pruned to bring them back into a desired shape and size. Once growth gets under way in the spring, there are typically still far more growing points in the vine than are actually needed. Right now, hundreds of vineyard workers are rushing to keep up with rapidly growing vines, accelerated by the recent high temperatures.
Leaving too many shoots to grow results in excessive numbers of fruit clusters for the vine to support and ripen -- which is very detrimental to fruit and wine quality. More shoots also mean more leaves; the canopy of the vines becomes dense, limiting light penetration and restricting air flow through the vine. These conditions favor fungal disease problems and slow fruit ripening.
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Dr. Duke Elsner is a viticulture and enology educator for Michigan State University's Extension Service.
Wine grapes require summer "canopy management" to maintain vine health and promote fruit development. Left on their own, vines will produce an excess of shoot growth, leaves and fruit clusters.
Reducing this excess starts in the winter when vines are pruned to bring them back into a desired shape and size. Once growth gets under way in the spring, there are typically still far more growing points in the vine than are actually needed. Right now, hundreds of vineyard workers are rushing to keep up with rapidly growing vines, accelerated by the recent high temperatures.
Leaving too many shoots to grow results in excessive numbers of fruit clusters for the vine to support and ripen -- which is very detrimental to fruit and wine quality. More shoots also mean more leaves; the canopy of the vines becomes dense, limiting light penetration and restricting air flow through the vine. These conditions favor fungal disease problems and slow fruit ripening.
Read more:
Dr. Duke Elsner is a viticulture and enology educator for Michigan State University's Extension Service.
Step out of the ordinary veggie routine, try edamame
Saturday, June 27, 2009
By Karen Neill Special to the News & Record
My husband thought he had tasted almost all the vegetables that one could grow. After all, being married to a horticulturist, what would you expect?
We've planted a garden of tomatoes, beans and squash, but as I like to experiment, I've recently tried many of the Asian vegetables and some new, unusual cultivars.
There are some he likes, some he despises and others he tolerates, if cooked a certain way.
But this weekend in the frozen food section of the grocery store, he discovered a vegetable we haven't grown -- edamame.
In fact, I have talked with a number of folks who have never heard of edamame.
With a little help from the National Gardening Bureau, I encourage you to think about these wonderful plants for next year's garden.
This ancient Asian vegetable is growing in popularity in America. In Japan, the pods are popped open and eaten out of hand as we would eat peanuts out of the shell -- the perfect accompaniment to a frosty glass of beer, or so I told him. I have seen them planted in snacking gardens on school grounds for the kids to pick and eat while in the garden.
Edamame translates as "beans on branches." The plants produce bunches of beans on well-branched, shrubby plants.
Unlike regular soybeans which dry on the plant, edamame pods are picked before they ripen. Each pod contains two or three delicious beans with a sweet, nutty flavor that appeals to children and adults.
Edamame, (Glycine max), is really just a soybean, albeit a specialty soybean. Records indicate its use in China (known there as mao dou) more than 2,200 years ago. From China, it was introduced to Japan, where it was consumed for centuries before it was documented in the 927 A.D. Engishiki. This guide about trade in agricultural commodities depicts the fresh soy bean pods as offerings in Buddhist temples
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By Karen Neill Special to the News & Record
My husband thought he had tasted almost all the vegetables that one could grow. After all, being married to a horticulturist, what would you expect?
We've planted a garden of tomatoes, beans and squash, but as I like to experiment, I've recently tried many of the Asian vegetables and some new, unusual cultivars.
There are some he likes, some he despises and others he tolerates, if cooked a certain way.
But this weekend in the frozen food section of the grocery store, he discovered a vegetable we haven't grown -- edamame.
In fact, I have talked with a number of folks who have never heard of edamame.
With a little help from the National Gardening Bureau, I encourage you to think about these wonderful plants for next year's garden.
This ancient Asian vegetable is growing in popularity in America. In Japan, the pods are popped open and eaten out of hand as we would eat peanuts out of the shell -- the perfect accompaniment to a frosty glass of beer, or so I told him. I have seen them planted in snacking gardens on school grounds for the kids to pick and eat while in the garden.
Edamame translates as "beans on branches." The plants produce bunches of beans on well-branched, shrubby plants.
Unlike regular soybeans which dry on the plant, edamame pods are picked before they ripen. Each pod contains two or three delicious beans with a sweet, nutty flavor that appeals to children and adults.
Edamame, (Glycine max), is really just a soybean, albeit a specialty soybean. Records indicate its use in China (known there as mao dou) more than 2,200 years ago. From China, it was introduced to Japan, where it was consumed for centuries before it was documented in the 927 A.D. Engishiki. This guide about trade in agricultural commodities depicts the fresh soy bean pods as offerings in Buddhist temples
Read more:
Master gardeners are an invaluable resource to university systems
By Joe Lamp'l, Scripps Howard News Service
If you really want to get those gardening questions answered, ask a master gardener. We've all heard the reference before and many of us have used this valuable free service. But just what is a master gardener, and how does one achieve such a designation?
Master gardeners are volunteers. Above all, they have one thing in common: They're passionate about gardening and horticulture and want to share their time and knowledge. Most are not professional gardeners or horticulturists. In fact, many come into the program as novices.
Others have been gardening all their lives.
Read more:
If you really want to get those gardening questions answered, ask a master gardener. We've all heard the reference before and many of us have used this valuable free service. But just what is a master gardener, and how does one achieve such a designation?
Master gardeners are volunteers. Above all, they have one thing in common: They're passionate about gardening and horticulture and want to share their time and knowledge. Most are not professional gardeners or horticulturists. In fact, many come into the program as novices.
Others have been gardening all their lives.
Read more:
Vegetable, fruit ripeness guide
SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES • June 27, 2009 12:15 AM
This time of year, vegetable gardens should be bursting with fresh produce. The Old Farmer's Almanac Web site, Almanac.com, tells how to recognize when fruits and vegetables are ready to harvest. Whether you're growing it or buying it at a tailgate market, here's what you need to know.
Beans: Taste one and decide. You many want to start harvesting French snap or string beans when they are about the diameter of a chopstick, maybe even thinner. Standard varieties are ready when they are as thick as a pencil and before the seeds swell and become visible through the pods. Lima beans are ready when their pods take on a green color and feel full. When bean pods turn white, feed them to the pigs or the compost pile.
Chives : Cut before the purple blossoms form and keep them cut back for the sweetest flavor.
Read more:
This time of year, vegetable gardens should be bursting with fresh produce. The Old Farmer's Almanac Web site, Almanac.com, tells how to recognize when fruits and vegetables are ready to harvest. Whether you're growing it or buying it at a tailgate market, here's what you need to know.
Beans: Taste one and decide. You many want to start harvesting French snap or string beans when they are about the diameter of a chopstick, maybe even thinner. Standard varieties are ready when they are as thick as a pencil and before the seeds swell and become visible through the pods. Lima beans are ready when their pods take on a green color and feel full. When bean pods turn white, feed them to the pigs or the compost pile.
Chives : Cut before the purple blossoms form and keep them cut back for the sweetest flavor.
Read more:
Man of will planted seeds of success in North Dakota | INFORUM | Fargo, ND
Rarely does a father-son combination excel in different fields at the community, state and national level. Because of the contributions made by Oscar Will and his son George, North Dakota is richer in the areas of agriculture, education, history and anthropology. | |
| Man of will planted seeds of success in North Dakota INFORUM Fargo, ND Source: inforum.com | |
Asiatic Jasmine, Lemon Tasting Oranges, Loquat Tree, Peace Lilies, Planting Queen Palms - Central Florida News 13
Reported by TomMacCubbin
Question from: Kathy C.
I have established beds of Azaleas and Asiatic Jasmine ground cover surrounding the base of 2 fully grown oak trees, but the Jasmine is an unending growth of clover. I have tried pulling it out and every once in a while I get lucky and get the root and all, but that doesn't happen very often. I have spent entire weekends pulling clover only to have it rear its ugly growth by Monday morning. I understand clover loves water, but how far back can I cut the sprinkler system timer back to reduce the clover and still not have it affect the Jasmine and Azaleas? Is there a weed killer you would recommend that won't kill off the Jasmine or hurt the Azaleas at the same time?
Answer: There is no herbicide to spray on the clover and jasmine. If possible, you can spot kill the weeds with Roundup but you have to be sure to hit only the weeds you want to kill. Otherwise you are doing some more pulling.
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Asiatic Jasmine, Lemon Tasting Oranges, Loquat Tree, Peace Lilies, Planting Queen Palms - Central Florida News 13
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Question from: Kathy C.
I have established beds of Azaleas and Asiatic Jasmine ground cover surrounding the base of 2 fully grown oak trees, but the Jasmine is an unending growth of clover. I have tried pulling it out and every once in a while I get lucky and get the root and all, but that doesn't happen very often. I have spent entire weekends pulling clover only to have it rear its ugly growth by Monday morning. I understand clover loves water, but how far back can I cut the sprinkler system timer back to reduce the clover and still not have it affect the Jasmine and Azaleas? Is there a weed killer you would recommend that won't kill off the Jasmine or hurt the Azaleas at the same time?
Answer: There is no herbicide to spray on the clover and jasmine. If possible, you can spot kill the weeds with Roundup but you have to be sure to hit only the weeds you want to kill. Otherwise you are doing some more pulling.
Read more:
Asiatic Jasmine, Lemon Tasting Oranges, Loquat Tree, Peace Lilies, Planting Queen Palms - Central Florida News 13
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Robert Young, pioneering Sonoma County grape grower, dies at 90
His focus on quality in growing wine grapes helped lead to one of California's first vineyard-designated wines.
By Claire Noland June 28, 2009
Photo: Robert Young, seeing money in growing grapes, moved away from producing prunes in the 1960s to grow wine grapes. He helped produce some of California's first vineyard-designated wines.
Robert Young, a pioneering Sonoma County farmer who changed his crop from prunes to grapes and helped produce some of the first vineyard-designated wines in California, has died. He was 90.
Young died June 19 at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital from complications of old age, said his daughter, Susan Sheehy.
A third-generation farmer from Geyserville in the Alexander Valley, he realized in the mid-1960s that he could make more money from wine grapes than from prunes, so he uprooted the trees and planted a vineyard, putting him at the leading edge of California's emerging wine industry. But it wasn't all about the profit.
Olive oil is golden for county farmers
By Reed Fujii
Record Staff Writer
June 28, 2009 6:00 AM
Maybe there's something in the local climate and soil. Or maybe it's inspired by the boom in boutique wineries around Lodi. And it might simply be that farmers, discouraged by low grape and row crop prices, are diversifying their options.
Whatever the reasons, there are a half-dozen or so small olive oil producers in San Joaquin County today, where there were none just several years ago.
Ed Rich and his Calaveras Olive Oil just over the county line in Copperopolis was close, but now there are the Cecchetti Olive Oil Co., Coldani Olive Ranch and Lodi Olive Oil Co. in Lodi; the Bozzano Olive Ranch in Stockton; and the Bava Family Grove in Escalon, among others And that's not to mention Corto Olive, a large-scale producer of extra virgin oil in Lodi, which also has begun offering its products in retail packaging.
"The industry is really exploding," said Joe Bozzano, a principal of Bozzano Olive Ranch. "It's kind of a real exciting time for the California olive oil industry. There's a lot of hurdles to overcome out there, but things are real exciting, and the future looks really good."
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Record Staff Writer
June 28, 2009 6:00 AM
Maybe there's something in the local climate and soil. Or maybe it's inspired by the boom in boutique wineries around Lodi. And it might simply be that farmers, discouraged by low grape and row crop prices, are diversifying their options.
Whatever the reasons, there are a half-dozen or so small olive oil producers in San Joaquin County today, where there were none just several years ago.
Ed Rich and his Calaveras Olive Oil just over the county line in Copperopolis was close, but now there are the Cecchetti Olive Oil Co., Coldani Olive Ranch and Lodi Olive Oil Co. in Lodi; the Bozzano Olive Ranch in Stockton; and the Bava Family Grove in Escalon, among others And that's not to mention Corto Olive, a large-scale producer of extra virgin oil in Lodi, which also has begun offering its products in retail packaging.
"The industry is really exploding," said Joe Bozzano, a principal of Bozzano Olive Ranch. "It's kind of a real exciting time for the California olive oil industry. There's a lot of hurdles to overcome out there, but things are real exciting, and the future looks really good."
Read more:
Apples dropping from trees may be due to lack of energy
Mark Bernskoetter, Master Gardener
Q: Why are all my apples falling off the tree? C.A. in Springfield
C.A. in Springfield
If you find fallen fruit, slice it open and check for larvae infestations to see if there are pests, which is one possibility for your problem.However, if the tree doesn't have sufficient energy to maintain the crop it is bearing, it simply drops the fruit. This often occurs naturally in larger fruits such as apples and pears. You can keep this from happening by selectively removing some of the blossoms in the spring as they start to drop their petals before the fruit ever forms. This is known as fruit thinning.
Overfertilizing or spring fertilizing, especially with high nitrogen fertilizers, will force the plant to put its energy into leaf production, even at the expense of fruit production. If you fertilize, do it in the fall.
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Q: Why are all my apples falling off the tree? C.A. in Springfield
C.A. in Springfield
If you find fallen fruit, slice it open and check for larvae infestations to see if there are pests, which is one possibility for your problem.However, if the tree doesn't have sufficient energy to maintain the crop it is bearing, it simply drops the fruit. This often occurs naturally in larger fruits such as apples and pears. You can keep this from happening by selectively removing some of the blossoms in the spring as they start to drop their petals before the fruit ever forms. This is known as fruit thinning.
Overfertilizing or spring fertilizing, especially with high nitrogen fertilizers, will force the plant to put its energy into leaf production, even at the expense of fruit production. If you fertilize, do it in the fall.
Read more:
Pawpaws gain standing as Kentucky crop
By Shawntaye Hopkins - shopkins@herald-leader.comWhen Ilze Sillers carried the pawpaws from her small farm in Versailles to the Woodford County Farmers' Market last year, some people — probably city folks — didn't know what they were.
But most people who stopped at the table wanted to share their pawpaw stories. Adults recalled pawpaws eaten as children, pawpaws picked from grandpa's farm and pawpaws stumbled upon in the wild.
"People shared lots of stories, and it brought back a lot of memories for some people," Sillers said.
SWCD searching for largest white oak tree in Pike County
In an effort to encourage landowners and others interested in trees, the Pike Soil and Water Conservation District is conducting a contest in search of the largest white oak tree in Pike County.
On a statewide basis, the Ohio Division of Forestry, in cooperation with the International Paper Co., conducts the state Big Tree Program. According to the division, the national Big Tree Registry of 826 big trees is maintained by American Forests, a conservation organization based in Washington, D.C.
On the local level, the goal of the district's program is to engage individuals with an interest in Ohio's forest resource in the search of the largest white oak tree, and to reward the individual who finds the largest specimen of this particular species.
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On a statewide basis, the Ohio Division of Forestry, in cooperation with the International Paper Co., conducts the state Big Tree Program. According to the division, the national Big Tree Registry of 826 big trees is maintained by American Forests, a conservation organization based in Washington, D.C.
On the local level, the goal of the district's program is to engage individuals with an interest in Ohio's forest resource in the search of the largest white oak tree, and to reward the individual who finds the largest specimen of this particular species.
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Great hikes to see the great trees
By Reese Halter, Calgary HeraldJune 28, 2009
The best thing about summer is going outdoors. The West Coast is a magical place for hiking with family or friends and it's exceptional camping country, too.
In 1986, Wayne Topolewski, a forestry classmate at UBC, and I visited the west side of Vancouver Island, about 20 kilometres northwest of Port Renfrew, in search of massive Sitka spruce.
We hiked into the Carmanah Valley, an extremely lush rainforest which receives almost four metres of rainfall each year, and marvelled at what we found--the biggest trees we'd ever seen. We measured some and they were equivalent to 30-storey skyscrapers. It turns out that the canopies of the Sitka spruce, western hemlock, amabilis fir and western red cedar were loaded with undiscovered plant and animal life. Some treetops had as many as 1,000 strains of a single species of fungus, while others were endowed with lichens (half algae and half fungus). These treetops are home to an astonishing array of life weighing easily in excess of 500 kilograms per hectare.
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Great hikes to see the great trees
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The best thing about summer is going outdoors. The West Coast is a magical place for hiking with family or friends and it's exceptional camping country, too.
In 1986, Wayne Topolewski, a forestry classmate at UBC, and I visited the west side of Vancouver Island, about 20 kilometres northwest of Port Renfrew, in search of massive Sitka spruce.
We hiked into the Carmanah Valley, an extremely lush rainforest which receives almost four metres of rainfall each year, and marvelled at what we found--the biggest trees we'd ever seen. We measured some and they were equivalent to 30-storey skyscrapers. It turns out that the canopies of the Sitka spruce, western hemlock, amabilis fir and western red cedar were loaded with undiscovered plant and animal life. Some treetops had as many as 1,000 strains of a single species of fungus, while others were endowed with lichens (half algae and half fungus). These treetops are home to an astonishing array of life weighing easily in excess of 500 kilograms per hectare.
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Great hikes to see the great trees
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City Hall garden flourishes - baltimoresun.com
| The vegetable gardens planted around the city's War Memorial Plaza in front of City Hall have produced more than 1,500 pounds of vegetables for the kitchens of Our Daily Bread, which feeds the homeless. But perhaps just as important is this news: "The garden has been respected," said Melissa Grim, acting chief horticulturist for the city's Departments of Recration and Parks. Except for the odd head of cabbage or sage plant going missing, there has been no theft or vandalism in the multiple beds that surround the plaza. The gardens are lush, productive and unharmed. "And no rats!" said Angela Treadwell-Palmer, who designed the gardens for the city. Because of the abundant spring rain, the gardens produced hundreds of pounds of lettuce and beans and is still producing kale, collard greens and Swiss chard. | |
Read more: City Hall garden flourishes - baltimoresun.com | |
Plant protein 'doorkeepers' block invading microbes, study finds
EUREKALERT
Contact: Patricia Bailey pjbailey@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-9843
University of California - Davis
A group of plant proteins that "shut the door" on bacteria that would otherwise infect the plant's leaves has been identified for the first time by a team of researchers in Denmark, at the
University of California, Davis, and at UC Berkeley.
Findings from the study, which will appear June 29 in the online journal Public Library of Science Biology, provide a better understanding of plants' immune systems and will likely find application in better protecting agricultural crops and horticultural plants against diseases.
"The ability of a plant's immune system to recognize disease-causing microorganisms is critical to the plant's survival and productivity," said Gitta Coaker, a UC Davis plant pathologist and lead author on the study.
"In this study, we identified a complex of proteins in the common research plant Arabidopsis that appear to play important roles in the biochemical mechanisms that enable plants to recognize and block out invading bacteria," Coaker said.
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Contact: Patricia Bailey pjbailey@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-9843
University of California - Davis
A group of plant proteins that "shut the door" on bacteria that would otherwise infect the plant's leaves has been identified for the first time by a team of researchers in Denmark, at the
University of California, Davis, and at UC Berkeley.
Findings from the study, which will appear June 29 in the online journal Public Library of Science Biology, provide a better understanding of plants' immune systems and will likely find application in better protecting agricultural crops and horticultural plants against diseases.
"The ability of a plant's immune system to recognize disease-causing microorganisms is critical to the plant's survival and productivity," said Gitta Coaker, a UC Davis plant pathologist and lead author on the study.
"In this study, we identified a complex of proteins in the common research plant Arabidopsis that appear to play important roles in the biochemical mechanisms that enable plants to recognize and block out invading bacteria," Coaker said.
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Flowers drying up in Rose Garden
The Indian Express Limited
Shikha Joshi Posted: Monday , Jun 29, 2009 at 0004 hrs IST
Chandigarh:
With monsoons still elusive, it’s not just the residents but also the plants, which are crying for water. Relentless heat and delayed monsoons have taken a toll on Asia’s biggest ‘Rose Garden’.
The well-known tourist spot now greets visitors with dried out plants and trees. The flower beds are in a pitiable state and weeds are growing all over. At some places weeds have taken over the plants.
The Rose Garden has many varieties of herbal plants, which can cure diseases like tuberculosis, but these plants are also drying.
While the garden had around 1,600 varieties of roses when it was created, now around 350 varieties are left.
Read more:
Shikha Joshi Posted: Monday , Jun 29, 2009 at 0004 hrs IST
Chandigarh:
With monsoons still elusive, it’s not just the residents but also the plants, which are crying for water. Relentless heat and delayed monsoons have taken a toll on Asia’s biggest ‘Rose Garden’.
The well-known tourist spot now greets visitors with dried out plants and trees. The flower beds are in a pitiable state and weeds are growing all over. At some places weeds have taken over the plants.
The Rose Garden has many varieties of herbal plants, which can cure diseases like tuberculosis, but these plants are also drying.
While the garden had around 1,600 varieties of roses when it was created, now around 350 varieties are left.
Read more:
A Day Reserved For Flowers
GwdToday Reporter Johnathan L. Graves 29.JUN.09
“Readers, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Greenwood anymore!” On Saturday, thousands upon thousands of couples, families, and tourists took a trip down Highway 254 North Cokesbury Road into a magical world of gorgeous plants. As always, 2009 Flower Day at Park Seed
Company served as one of the main attractions for this year’s S.C. Festival of Flowers. It was easy to see why so many people travel from near and far to get swept up in the beauty of this annual one day event.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM 2009 FLOWER DAY!!!
Greenwood County’s Park Seed Company transforms into a rainbow at this one day event, as the front lawn is littered with 9-acres of Trial Gardens. Spotting colors in the rainbow is not difficult as you stroll through rows upon rows of colorful flowers. Finding your favorite flower or plant is also a simple and easy task on Flower Day.
Daffodils, roses, tulips, and other varieties of plants can be found somewhere on the grounds of Park Seed during Flower Day. With over 2,000 plant varieties, Park Seed’s professional horticulturists provided tourists with guided tours throughout the day to explain all the different types of plant variations. Trial Gardens were divided into theme gardens, container gardens, rose gardens, deer-resistant gardens, butterfly and humming-bird gardens, All-America Selections trails, and many others.
Read more:
“Readers, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Greenwood anymore!” On Saturday, thousands upon thousands of couples, families, and tourists took a trip down Highway 254 North Cokesbury Road into a magical world of gorgeous plants. As always, 2009 Flower Day at Park Seed
Company served as one of the main attractions for this year’s S.C. Festival of Flowers. It was easy to see why so many people travel from near and far to get swept up in the beauty of this annual one day event.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM 2009 FLOWER DAY!!!
Greenwood County’s Park Seed Company transforms into a rainbow at this one day event, as the front lawn is littered with 9-acres of Trial Gardens. Spotting colors in the rainbow is not difficult as you stroll through rows upon rows of colorful flowers. Finding your favorite flower or plant is also a simple and easy task on Flower Day.
Daffodils, roses, tulips, and other varieties of plants can be found somewhere on the grounds of Park Seed during Flower Day. With over 2,000 plant varieties, Park Seed’s professional horticulturists provided tourists with guided tours throughout the day to explain all the different types of plant variations. Trial Gardens were divided into theme gardens, container gardens, rose gardens, deer-resistant gardens, butterfly and humming-bird gardens, All-America Selections trails, and many others.
Read more:
Grow veg, not flowers, widow told
http://news.bbc.co.uk/Photo: Edith Avery says the allotment behind her kitchen is like a garden.
An 89-year-old widow fears she may lose the allotment she has had for 30 years because a council says plot holders must grow mostly vegetables.
Edith Avery grew veg for years on the allotment behind her cottage in Rogerstone, Newport, but has gone over to shrubs and flowers.
Rogerstone Community Council has sent letters telling holders to comply with policy.
It said it was trying to find a resolution to Mrs Avery's case.
Mrs Avery began renting the allotment with her late husband, Albert, a D-Day veteran, and the pair grew vegetables for many years.
The plot is a few paces from Mrs Avery's home, and can be seen from her kitchen window.
She said she was upset by a letter which she said told her to bring her plot into line with allotment policy.
Bellingham flower shop uses coupons to help online shoppers 'Surf Local'
ISABELLE DILLS - THE BELLINGHAM HERALDEach week The Bellingham Herald takes a closer look at a business. This week: Johnson's Flower Shop.
What's new: Johnson's Flower Shop recently started a campaign called "Surf Local," which encourages online shoppers to buy flowers locally.
Owner Katie Caroline said the campaign was started because her store receives orders from flower shops outside of Whatcom County even though the customers come from Whatcom County.
When she sees those types of orders, Caroline said she sends that customer a $5 coupon to encourage him or her to shop at Johnson's for the next purchase. A commission goes to the flower shop where the order is placed, so the money that local residents are spending is not staying in the county; it's going elsewhere, Caroline said.
What it does: Johnson's Flower Shop is a full service florist which offers a wide variety of gourmet baskets, plants, tropical flowers roses and more.
Ownership: The owner of the store is Katie Caroline, but she's better known as "K.C."
Marketplace: Caroline said her store receives orders from all over the world. Through the store's Web site, she has received orders from as far away as Italy and Israel.
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Cultivation practices of anthurium
Cultivation practices of anthurium, kissan krishideepam
(In local language)
(In local language)
Growing Flowering Plants : Growing Flamingo Flower Plants
A flamingo flower plant is an anthurium that makes for an excellent foliage plant. Learn about growing flamingo flower plants from a horticulturist in this free gardening video on flowering and bedding plants.
Univeristy of Hawaii ANTHURIUMS
University of Hawaii's Tropical Ag department help to develop new Anthuriums.
Video: Anthurium horticulture, Moerkapelle The Netherlands.
Anthurium horticulture, Moerkapelle The Netherlands.
Plant of the Day - Anthurium
AnthuriumFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photo: Flamingo Lily (Anthurium andraeanum) - flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Tribe: Anthurieae
Genus: Anthurium Schott
Species: see listing
Anthurium is a large genus of about 600- 800 (possibly 1,000) species, belonging to the arum family (Araceae). Anthurium can also be called "Flamingo Flower" or "Boy Flower", both referring to the structure of the spathe and spadix.
TROPICOS lists 1901 types, although some of these are duplicates. It is one of the largest and probably the most complex genus of this family; certainly it is one of the most variable. Many species are undoubtedly not yet described and new ones are being found every year. The species has neotropical distribution; mostly in wet tropical mountain forest of Central America and South America, but some in semi-arid environments. Most species occur in Panama, Colombia, Brazil, the Guiana Shield and Ecuador. According to the work of noted aroid botanist Dr. Tom Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden, this genus is not found in Asia.[2] Some species have been introduced into Asian rain forests, but are not endemic.
Anthurium grows in many forms, mostly evergreen, bushy or climbing epiphytes with roots that can hang from the canopy all the way to the floor of the rain forest. There are also many terrestrial forms which are found as understory plants, as well as hemiepiphytic forms. A hemiepiphyte is a plant capable of beginning life as a seed and sending roots to the soil, or beginning as a terrestrial plant that climbs a tree and then sends roots back to the soil. They occur also as lithophytes. Some are only found in association with arboreal ant colonies or growing on rocks in midstream (such as Anthurium amnicola).
Read more from Wikipedia:
More images from Google Images:
Monday, June 29, 2009
Master Gardeners set open house
Bern Township, PA - Reading Eagle
Berks County Master Gardeners will hold a free open house at their demonstration gardens at the Berks County Ag Center, Bern Township, on Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. until noon.
The theme this year will be "Behind the Scenes with the Master Gardeners." Visitors will be able to interact with Penn State Master Gardeners at work in the garden. Several different garden areas will be featured - the native plant garden, the rock garden, the perennial and shrub garden, the herb garden, a pollinator garden and a working compost site.
Several informal talks will be given about specific gardening skills. Among the topics will be propagation, drying herbs and flowers, caring for iris, composting, correct use of mulch and encouraging and recognizing pollinating insects. One Master Gardener will be constructing a rain barrel and will share techniques, tools and procedures for homeowners to construct their own collection barrels.
Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.
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Berks County Master Gardeners will hold a free open house at their demonstration gardens at the Berks County Ag Center, Bern Township, on Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. until noon.
The theme this year will be "Behind the Scenes with the Master Gardeners." Visitors will be able to interact with Penn State Master Gardeners at work in the garden. Several different garden areas will be featured - the native plant garden, the rock garden, the perennial and shrub garden, the herb garden, a pollinator garden and a working compost site.
Several informal talks will be given about specific gardening skills. Among the topics will be propagation, drying herbs and flowers, caring for iris, composting, correct use of mulch and encouraging and recognizing pollinating insects. One Master Gardener will be constructing a rain barrel and will share techniques, tools and procedures for homeowners to construct their own collection barrels.
Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.
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Garden programming at Tate House Museum continues with a lecture and demonstration - July 1
Released 6/28/09
The Tate House Museum “Year of the Garden” series continues Wed. July 1 at 10:00AM with a talk on “Pre-Revolutionary Life in Portland.” The speaker, Christina White, is Executive Director of the Freeport Historical Society and Master Gardener. Ms. White is also the founder of Spirits Alive, an advocacy group for Portland’s Eastern Burial Ground. Admission to this lecture is $8.00.
Then at 1:00 PM, Barbara Bardack will demonstrate plant propagation techniques. This will include seed saving, starting plants from seeds and cuttings, plus ground layering techniques.
Ms. Bardack has been a Master Gardener and school and urban garden developer for several years, and her own personal garden was chosen for tours by the Federated Garden Clubs of Ohio. On Wednesday, she will concentrate on actual plants in the garden at the Tate House Museum. This event is free, and you do not have to attend the morning session to attend the afternoon session.
2009 is the Year of the Garden at Tate House Museum with garden-related workshops, demonstrations, and lectured being offered every Wednesday through August 19. July 8 features a lecture on colonial housekeeping and a workshop for making colonial sweetbags (room freshners and moth protectors).
The Tate House, built in 1755, is the only colonial house in Portland open to the public. The museum is open this summer for tours of the house Wednesday through Saturday 10:00AM-4:00PM and Sundays 1:00-4:00PM.For further information, please call the museum at 774-6177.
Tate House Museum1267 Westbrook StreetPortland, Maine 04102Tate House Museum“Connecting people to our colonial roots and them discover, imaine, and value the relevance of this history to our lives.”
The Tate House Museum “Year of the Garden” series continues Wed. July 1 at 10:00AM with a talk on “Pre-Revolutionary Life in Portland.” The speaker, Christina White, is Executive Director of the Freeport Historical Society and Master Gardener. Ms. White is also the founder of Spirits Alive, an advocacy group for Portland’s Eastern Burial Ground. Admission to this lecture is $8.00.
Then at 1:00 PM, Barbara Bardack will demonstrate plant propagation techniques. This will include seed saving, starting plants from seeds and cuttings, plus ground layering techniques.
Ms. Bardack has been a Master Gardener and school and urban garden developer for several years, and her own personal garden was chosen for tours by the Federated Garden Clubs of Ohio. On Wednesday, she will concentrate on actual plants in the garden at the Tate House Museum. This event is free, and you do not have to attend the morning session to attend the afternoon session.
2009 is the Year of the Garden at Tate House Museum with garden-related workshops, demonstrations, and lectured being offered every Wednesday through August 19. July 8 features a lecture on colonial housekeeping and a workshop for making colonial sweetbags (room freshners and moth protectors).
The Tate House, built in 1755, is the only colonial house in Portland open to the public. The museum is open this summer for tours of the house Wednesday through Saturday 10:00AM-4:00PM and Sundays 1:00-4:00PM.For further information, please call the museum at 774-6177.
Tate House Museum1267 Westbrook StreetPortland, Maine 04102Tate House Museum“Connecting people to our colonial roots and them discover, imaine, and value the relevance of this history to our lives.”
New grassroots approach helps conserve Fijian forest
29-06-2009
The people of Kadavu (Fiji) could become a model for other Pacific Island nations following a new BirdLife conservation initiative that is helping to protect forests in island countries around the region. “We have an exciting model for integrated forest and farm management emerging”, said James Millett, Senior Technical Advisor to the BirdLife Pacific Division.
BirdLife staff are working with local communities around Nabukelevu (Mount Washington) Important Bird Area (IBA) on the Fijian island of Kadavu to tie a forest protection agreement in to training and support for sustainable agricultural practices that reduces the pressure on the forest. “This is a new approach for developing protected areas in Fiji”, explained James.
“Importantly it has raised a great deal of interest from the communities because it is practical and clearly linked to sustainable village incomes and reduces the pressure on their forest resources” he added.
Nabukelevu IBA is an iconic mountain that supports extensive old-growth forest and four species of bird endemic to Kadavu. It was identified as an IBA following a grant from Darwin initiative which documented 14 new IBAs - mainly in the remaining areas of old-growth forest.
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Class on Tree Biology, Planting & Pruning offered in Ketchikan
June 29, 2009
Monday
Ketchikan, Alaska - The Alaska Division of Forestry, Community Forestry Program announces a one day class on the biology of trees and proper pruning and planting techniques. The class will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at the Ketchikan Gateway Borough office at 1900 First Street.
Decisions made about trees are more successful when based on an understanding of tree anatomy and biology. This class is intended for anyone who designs, plants or cares for landscapes with trees including arborists, landscape architects, park and public works staff, groundskeepers and nursery professionals
The class will cover how trees function as complex systems and how to use this information when selecting, siting, planting, pruning, and maintaining landscape trees. A classroom presentation will be followed by a demonstration in the field and hands-on experience in pruning and planting trees.
More information and a registration form can be found online at http://forestry.alaska.gov/community/ or at the Division of Forestry office in Ketchikan located at 2417 Tongass Avenue, Suite 213.
Trees: Biology, Planting & Pruning
Registration fee is $35
Thursday, July 16, 2009, 8:00 ~ 5:00
Class location: Ketchikan Gateway Borough office, 1900 First St., first floor
Instructor: Jim Flott, Community Forestry Consultants, Inc. of Spokane Washington
Sponsored by the Alaska Division of Forestry, Community Forestry Program
Monday
Ketchikan, Alaska - The Alaska Division of Forestry, Community Forestry Program announces a one day class on the biology of trees and proper pruning and planting techniques. The class will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at the Ketchikan Gateway Borough office at 1900 First Street.
Decisions made about trees are more successful when based on an understanding of tree anatomy and biology. This class is intended for anyone who designs, plants or cares for landscapes with trees including arborists, landscape architects, park and public works staff, groundskeepers and nursery professionals
The class will cover how trees function as complex systems and how to use this information when selecting, siting, planting, pruning, and maintaining landscape trees. A classroom presentation will be followed by a demonstration in the field and hands-on experience in pruning and planting trees.
More information and a registration form can be found online at http://forestry.alaska.gov/community/ or at the Division of Forestry office in Ketchikan located at 2417 Tongass Avenue, Suite 213.
Trees: Biology, Planting & Pruning
Registration fee is $35
Thursday, July 16, 2009, 8:00 ~ 5:00
Class location: Ketchikan Gateway Borough office, 1900 First St., first floor
Instructor: Jim Flott, Community Forestry Consultants, Inc. of Spokane Washington
Sponsored by the Alaska Division of Forestry, Community Forestry Program
Author Peggi Ridgway will give overview of L.A. Flower Market
Author Peggi Ridgway will present a history on the Los Angeles Flower Market at 2 p.m. July 12 in the Barth Community Room at the Crowell Public Library, 1890 Huntington Drive.
Ridgway will present a slide show on the lives of the early flower growers, florists and people associated with the flower mart, including San Marino's Erma Thurnher.
Re-live the hustle and bustle of a wholesale market that became the Grand Central of the flower industry.
This event is free and all are welcome.
For more information, call (626) 300-0777, Ext. 541.
Ridgway will present a slide show on the lives of the early flower growers, florists and people associated with the flower mart, including San Marino's Erma Thurnher.
Re-live the hustle and bustle of a wholesale market that became the Grand Central of the flower industry.
This event is free and all are welcome.
For more information, call (626) 300-0777, Ext. 541.
Thousands learn, admire sights of summer at annual Flower Day
By LESLEY LANESpecial to the Index-Journal
Saturday, June 27, 2009 11:48 PM EDT
Saturday, June 27, 2009 11:48 PM EDT
Photo - A bumblebee rests on a Zinnia (zowie yellow flame) Saturday during the 43rd annual Flower Day at the Park Seed gardens in Greenwood. (Staff photo by T.M. James)
The ribbons of color that weave their way through the grounds of Park Seed drew thousands of spectators Saturday for the 43rd South Carolina Festival of Flowers Flower Day.
Visitors came by car and bus load from as far away as Oklahoma to witness one of the Southeast’s largest and most spectacular displays of gardens.The nine-acre spread includes more than 2,000 varieties of flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees. Rose and themed gardens also can be found at Park Seed.
Each year during Flower Day, Park Seed offers guided tours of its renowned trial gardens.
The trial gardens, established in 1961, are where Park Seed tries out plants before they are offered for sale in the mail order catalog. As many as 1,000 flowers and 250 vegetable selections grow there every year. Staff horticulturists guided visitors through the gardens Saturday, offering information about the different varieties of plants and how to care for them.
Building a small vegetable garden
Jane Gates
Go to Jane's Home Page
LA Landscape Design Examiner
As the prices of fresh vegetables soar and the safety of commercially cultivated crops comes into question, there is no better time than now to grow your own vegetable garden. If you don't have a lot of space or time to spend growing your own edibles, you can still build a small vegetable garden. There are many ways to do this, so here are just some ideas on how to build a small vegetable garden that will reward your efforts.
Find a location in the garden -- front or back yard or patio -- in full sun. Make sure it is easily accessible for maintenance and harvesting. If you have to hike to crop food, you may not use your vegetable garden enough. You can build a vegetable garden directly into/onto the ground, or, if you don't have that space, you can build a vegetable garden using containers or a container concept.
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Building a small vegetable garden
Posted using ShareThis
Go to Jane's Home Page
LA Landscape Design Examiner
As the prices of fresh vegetables soar and the safety of commercially cultivated crops comes into question, there is no better time than now to grow your own vegetable garden. If you don't have a lot of space or time to spend growing your own edibles, you can still build a small vegetable garden. There are many ways to do this, so here are just some ideas on how to build a small vegetable garden that will reward your efforts.
Find a location in the garden -- front or back yard or patio -- in full sun. Make sure it is easily accessible for maintenance and harvesting. If you have to hike to crop food, you may not use your vegetable garden enough. You can build a vegetable garden directly into/onto the ground, or, if you don't have that space, you can build a vegetable garden using containers or a container concept.
Read more:
Building a small vegetable garden
Posted using ShareThis
Vegetable Gardening in Containers
Squash on the deckFrom Sue Waltemath:
I have become and Urban Deck Farmer this summer. With an acre of shady woodland garden, the best place to grow veggies is my sunny second-story deck.
Pictured are yellow crook neck squash which have been producing for a few weeks. We are harvesting baby squash and cooking them on the grill with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Yummy.
Beautiful flowers for your cutting garden - Gladiolas
Mary MooreGo to Mary's Home Page
Growing a cuttng garden is a very reward experience. You can fill your home with flowers, and your plants may produce so many flowers that you can share with friends. This is the first of a series on beautiful flowering plants that love the Carolinas weather and will, with a little care and attention, produce armloads of flowers that can dress up your home for years.
Gladiolas are a stunning flower. The long stems of large flowers add an air of grace and luxury to any garden or home. You would never know that this is an easy flower to grow, or that once they are established, they will reproduce, creating a lovely bed of flowers to be enjoyed year after year.
Keep your crape myrtles in shape
The crape myrtles have just started blooming around the Chattanooga area. Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei) was introduced to the Southern United States more than 150 years ago. It is sometimes called the "lilac of the South." They had their geographic origins in China, Japan and other parts of Southeast Asia. It has been cultivated as an ornamental for centuries.
Few trees compare with the flower color and quality of the crape myrtle at a time of year when it's scorching hot in the South. Even if a severe winter kills most of the top growth -- like it did two years ago in our area -- the crape myrtle is capable of growing back in a short time.
Colorful crapes
The individual flowers generally have six ruffled petals. They resemble crinkled crepe paper, so many people call them crepe myrtles. There are five basic colors: red, pink, white, lavender and purple. Some cultivars have picotee flowers (pink petals with white borders).
The other outstanding feature is the bark. It is smooth and sinewy. The gray to brown bark peels away gradually and exposes shades of cinnamon brown and green.
The lower branches are often thinned to show off the trunk form and color. The foliage is dark green, changing in fall to yellows, oranges and reds.
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Few trees compare with the flower color and quality of the crape myrtle at a time of year when it's scorching hot in the South. Even if a severe winter kills most of the top growth -- like it did two years ago in our area -- the crape myrtle is capable of growing back in a short time.
Colorful crapes
The individual flowers generally have six ruffled petals. They resemble crinkled crepe paper, so many people call them crepe myrtles. There are five basic colors: red, pink, white, lavender and purple. Some cultivars have picotee flowers (pink petals with white borders).
The other outstanding feature is the bark. It is smooth and sinewy. The gray to brown bark peels away gradually and exposes shades of cinnamon brown and green.
The lower branches are often thinned to show off the trunk form and color. The foliage is dark green, changing in fall to yellows, oranges and reds.
Read more:
Gardenmagik , Pruning Crape Myrtles, Back to the Garden
The correct way to prune Crape Myrtles. Open up the center and make the tree look taller.
Crape Myrtle Craze in McKinney features plants for sale, bus tour and symposium
By KARA KUNKEL / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning NewsKara Kunkel is a Dallas freelance writer.
Photos by EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN
Crape myrtles, such as 'Acoma', are popular throughout North Texas for their beauty and durability. "
In North Texas, if you give a crape myrtle enough sunshine and adequate care, it's hard to go wrong. Still, these vividly blooming shrubs and small trees, a staple of Southern landscapes, often don't get the respect they deserve, according to a group of crape myrtle devotees in McKinney.
McKinney's annual Crape Myrtle Craze on Saturday is intended to show North Texans the wide range of the summer bloomer's trees and shrubs, and offer for sale some of the hard-to-find varieties. The event, organized by the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney Foundation, also features a symposium and bus tours of the city's 14 miles of crape myrtle plantings.
McKinney isn't the only city in the nation or the state that has adopted the crape myrtle as a cause, but it hopes to gain distinction. The foundation aims to beautify the city with thousands of crape myrtles and to create a park where every known variety would be planted and studied.
In the garden
Janet Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; or e-mail her at
jcarson@arkansasonline.com
Q. Does it injure the crape myrtles to cut the suckers that grow around the base of the plant? Ours are just coming into bloom, but whoever pruned them before we bought the house had let a lot grow out at ground level. Is there an office in the area that we could come by and pick up info about the local growing tips? We live in Little Rock.
A. It does not hurt to remove the suckers at the base of the crape myrtle; in fact, it is advisable to do so. We would not recommend trying to use an herbicide to kill them, since many are attached to the mother plant, but clipping them at the soil line is a great idea. If allowed to grow, they would give your tree a more bushy look and take away from its appearance. Some varieties of crape myrtles are more prone to suckers than others, but just pay attention. As to a local source of information, every county has a local county extension office where publications are available. In Pulaski County it is at 2901 W. Roosevelt Road. The county offices are also where you can take soil samples and plant samples to be diagnosed. If you are just looking for printed information, there is plenty of that at our home and garden Web site at www.arhomeandgarden.org , or go to our main Web page www.uaex.edu and click on publications and you can print your own publications at home.
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jcarson@arkansasonline.com
Q. Does it injure the crape myrtles to cut the suckers that grow around the base of the plant? Ours are just coming into bloom, but whoever pruned them before we bought the house had let a lot grow out at ground level. Is there an office in the area that we could come by and pick up info about the local growing tips? We live in Little Rock.
A. It does not hurt to remove the suckers at the base of the crape myrtle; in fact, it is advisable to do so. We would not recommend trying to use an herbicide to kill them, since many are attached to the mother plant, but clipping them at the soil line is a great idea. If allowed to grow, they would give your tree a more bushy look and take away from its appearance. Some varieties of crape myrtles are more prone to suckers than others, but just pay attention. As to a local source of information, every county has a local county extension office where publications are available. In Pulaski County it is at 2901 W. Roosevelt Road. The county offices are also where you can take soil samples and plant samples to be diagnosed. If you are just looking for printed information, there is plenty of that at our home and garden Web site at www.arhomeandgarden.org , or go to our main Web page www.uaex.edu and click on publications and you can print your own publications at home.
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How to Plant Vegetable Seeds with Success
Get the most from your garden, especially the veggies that can save you serious money.Figfip? That would be Food Gardeners' Fine Points (FGFP), a new occasional series inspired by my friends Matt and Shannon, who wrote:
"We have some very exciting news. After nearly three years on the waiting list, Shannon and I now have a plot in the community garden next to our apartment building!!!.... Naturally, I have a mile-long list of vegetables I'd like to grow...."
He meant it; it is a mile long, ending with: "Are there any realistic choices for two newbies from that list? We're prepared for failures and setbacks. But we're also giddy with enthusiasm."
Who could resist an appeal like that?
M&S may be newbies but they're certainly not dummies. They already have the usual gardening manuals and an unusually large ability to conduct web searches. They even have a resident sage at the community garden.
But a lot of "how to" leaves out choice tidbits. Some information does get dated. And I don't always agree with the sage, even though he's right with them in Washington, D.C. and I am in New England.
So from now on, when I'm doing something in the garden and it makes me think, "I ought to tell Matt and Shannon about this," I will. And as I have just been planting vegetable seeds, that's where we're going to start.
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"We have some very exciting news. After nearly three years on the waiting list, Shannon and I now have a plot in the community garden next to our apartment building!!!.... Naturally, I have a mile-long list of vegetables I'd like to grow...."
He meant it; it is a mile long, ending with: "Are there any realistic choices for two newbies from that list? We're prepared for failures and setbacks. But we're also giddy with enthusiasm."
Who could resist an appeal like that?
M&S may be newbies but they're certainly not dummies. They already have the usual gardening manuals and an unusually large ability to conduct web searches. They even have a resident sage at the community garden.
But a lot of "how to" leaves out choice tidbits. Some information does get dated. And I don't always agree with the sage, even though he's right with them in Washington, D.C. and I am in New England.
So from now on, when I'm doing something in the garden and it makes me think, "I ought to tell Matt and Shannon about this," I will. And as I have just been planting vegetable seeds, that's where we're going to start.
Read more:
East Texas Horticultural Field Day serves $500 million market
More than 250 gardeners and industry representatives attended Writer(s): Robert Burns, 903-834-6191,rd-burns@tamu.edu
OVERTON – Though she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and has to use crutches to walk, Pat Olson was one of the approximately 250 attendees at the East Texas Horticultural Field Day June 25 near Overton.
Moreover, Olson is one of many East Texas Master Gardeners who make the annual field day possible through their volunteer hours. For the last five years, she has put in hundreds of hours helping get the event ready for the public viewing.
"I can't kneel anymore, but I can work in the demonstration garden," Olson said.
Olson's dedication is amazing, said Dr. Brent Pemberton, Texas AgriLife Research horticulturist, who manages the field day. But it's not unusual for local gardeners to be excited about the event, he added.
Kent State Salem adds new bachelor’s degree in horticulture technology
by Other News
SALEM, Ohio — Kent State Columbiana County’s Salem Campus has added a bachelor’s in horticulture technology to its growing number of four-year degrees. The degree was recently approved by the Ohio Board of Regents.
Program Director Stanley Jones said students can earn both an associate degree and the new bachelor’s degree at the Salem Campus.
Jones also said the bachelor’s degree in horticulture technology allows students the chance to explore an expanded approach in their specific concentration area.
Careers
The bachelor’s in horticulture technology prepares students for careers in landscape management, landscape design, turf management, tree care, urban forestry, nursery and greenhouse operations and related horticultural professions.
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SALEM, Ohio — Kent State Columbiana County’s Salem Campus has added a bachelor’s in horticulture technology to its growing number of four-year degrees. The degree was recently approved by the Ohio Board of Regents.
Program Director Stanley Jones said students can earn both an associate degree and the new bachelor’s degree at the Salem Campus.
Jones also said the bachelor’s degree in horticulture technology allows students the chance to explore an expanded approach in their specific concentration area.
Careers
The bachelor’s in horticulture technology prepares students for careers in landscape management, landscape design, turf management, tree care, urban forestry, nursery and greenhouse operations and related horticultural professions.
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Syngenta Licenses Chromatin Gene Stacking Technology for Sugar Cane
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide research and commercial license agreement for Chromatin's proprietary gene stacking technology in sugar cane.
Chromatin has developed a novel approach to gene stacking, using the plant's own DNA to deliver several genes. Under this agreement, Syngenta has obtained exclusive rights to use Chromatin's stacking technology for trait genes in all members of the genus Saccharum which includes commercial sugar cane varieties as well as energy cane, and crosses between Saccharum and other plant species. Syngenta obtained non-exclusive rights for use of this stacking technology in corn and soybean in 2007.
Sugar cane is among the top crops grown today for use in sugar production and biofuels. Syngenta offers a broad range of crop protection products for sugar cane growers and is developing a novel planting technology planned for launch in 2010 under the brand name Plene(TM) that will help reduce production costs. New trait combinations in sugar cane could offer growers additional improvements in production efficiency and yield increases.
Read more:
Syngenta Licenses Chromatin Gene Stacking Technology for Sugar Cane: "Syngenta Licenses Chromatin Gene Stacking Technology for Sugar Cane
Chromatin has developed a novel approach to gene stacking, using the plant's own DNA to deliver several genes. Under this agreement, Syngenta has obtained exclusive rights to use Chromatin's stacking technology for trait genes in all members of the genus Saccharum which includes commercial sugar cane varieties as well as energy cane, and crosses between Saccharum and other plant species. Syngenta obtained non-exclusive rights for use of this stacking technology in corn and soybean in 2007.
Sugar cane is among the top crops grown today for use in sugar production and biofuels. Syngenta offers a broad range of crop protection products for sugar cane growers and is developing a novel planting technology planned for launch in 2010 under the brand name Plene(TM) that will help reduce production costs. New trait combinations in sugar cane could offer growers additional improvements in production efficiency and yield increases.
Read more:
Syngenta Licenses Chromatin Gene Stacking Technology for Sugar Cane: "Syngenta Licenses Chromatin Gene Stacking Technology for Sugar Cane
Record cherry crop about to pop
Wash. growers expect to top forecasts amid prime conditions
Samantha Graf
Capital Press
A record-breaking sweet cherry crop is predicted for Washington - double the 2008 production year.
The state is expected to produce around 200,000 tons, which is up 11 percent from the earlier June forecast, according to the Washington field office of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The expected tonnage is 100 percent above the 2008 cherry crop and 27 percent up from the 2007 production year, said NASS in a news release. "If realized, Washington's crop will be 19 percent larger than the previous record of 168,000 tons set in 2006." New plantings of earlier varieties like Chelan have come into production, increasing the potential production levels for Washington state cherries.
The field office cites a "very cold winter and an excellent bloom" period for the success of the 2009 crop so far.
Read more:
Samantha Graf
Capital Press
A record-breaking sweet cherry crop is predicted for Washington - double the 2008 production year.
The state is expected to produce around 200,000 tons, which is up 11 percent from the earlier June forecast, according to the Washington field office of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The expected tonnage is 100 percent above the 2008 cherry crop and 27 percent up from the 2007 production year, said NASS in a news release. "If realized, Washington's crop will be 19 percent larger than the previous record of 168,000 tons set in 2006." New plantings of earlier varieties like Chelan have come into production, increasing the potential production levels for Washington state cherries.
The field office cites a "very cold winter and an excellent bloom" period for the success of the 2009 crop so far.
Read more:
Growers Faced Many Losses This Season
By Kevin Bouffard
THE LEDGER
BONITA SPRINGS Rumors of the death of the Florida citrus industry have been greatly exaggerated, Mike Sparks told journalists at the beginning of his annual "State of Florida Citrus" address Thursday.
Tongues will continue wagging, however, until the industry conquers its No. 1 threat, citrus greening.
"Certainly the first words that come to mind is a sense of urgency," said Sparks, the chief executive at Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest growers' representative.
"The spread of (greening) makes it the most serious disease on the planet. It's put a $9 billion industry at risk."
The Sparks address came at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference hosted by Citrus Mutual in Bonita Springs.
Greening is a fatal bacterial disease that has spread to every commercial citrus county in Florida, he said. Because many citrus growers won't replant groves destroyed by greening, it's a factor in the continuing decline of citrus acreage and fruit production across the state.
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THE LEDGER
BONITA SPRINGS Rumors of the death of the Florida citrus industry have been greatly exaggerated, Mike Sparks told journalists at the beginning of his annual "State of Florida Citrus" address Thursday.
Tongues will continue wagging, however, until the industry conquers its No. 1 threat, citrus greening.
"Certainly the first words that come to mind is a sense of urgency," said Sparks, the chief executive at Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest growers' representative.
"The spread of (greening) makes it the most serious disease on the planet. It's put a $9 billion industry at risk."
The Sparks address came at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference hosted by Citrus Mutual in Bonita Springs.
Greening is a fatal bacterial disease that has spread to every commercial citrus county in Florida, he said. Because many citrus growers won't replant groves destroyed by greening, it's a factor in the continuing decline of citrus acreage and fruit production across the state.
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Plant of the Day - Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
LagerstroemiaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Lagerstroemia Linnaeus
Species: See text
Lagerstroemia (pronounced /ˌleɪɡərˈstriːmiə/),[1] commonly known as Crape-myrtle,[2] is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia and parts of Oceania. It is a member of the Lythraceae, which is also known as the Loosestrife family.
While various species and cultivars are able to fill a wide variety of landscape needs, crape-myrtles are chiefly famous for their colorful and long-lasting flowers. Most species of Lagerstroemia have sinewy, fluted stems and branches with a mottled appearance that arises from having bark that sheds throughout the year. The leaves are opposite, simple, with entire margins, and vary from 5-20 cm (2-8 in). While all species are woody in nature, they can range in height from over 100 feet to under one foot; most, however are small to medium multiple-trunked trees and shrubs. The leaves of temperate species provide autumn colour.
Flowers are borne in summer and autumn in panicles of crinkled flowers with a crepe-like texture. Colours vary from deep purple to red to white, with almost every shade in between. Although no blue-flowered varieties exist, it is toward the blue end of the spectrum that the flowers trend, with no sight of orange or yellow except in stamens and pistils. The fruit is a capsule, green and succulent at first, then ripening to dark brown or black dryness. It splits along six or seven lines, producing teeth much like those of the calyx, and releases numerous small winged seeds.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
A Truce in the Crop Wars
By Mac Margolis NEWSWEEK
Published Jun 27, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jul 13, 2009
A funny thing happened on the way to the next green revolution. The world's biggest biotech corporations have deployed the latest in genetic science to pump up yield, ward off crop disease, make food more nutritious and fundamentally reengineer what we plant and eat, and no one is complaining. Environmental groups are not shouting about the perils of "Frankenfoods." There's no rabid French cheese maker with a bad mustache leading foodies on a rampage through high-tech farms. Prince Charles is quiet. Has the war over the world's dinner table finally ended?
Not quite. Europe, much of Asia and parts of Africa fiercely resist filling the larder with genetically modified groceries, and many in agribusiness despair that they always will. So instead, they're trying to woo them with distinctly non-GM varieties. Crop scientists, seed companies and clever farmers are using the most advanced tools of science to reinvent native breeding—the age-old technique of selecting the best crops and then painstakingly breeding and crossbreeding them to make more and better food. These discoveries are remaking the world's farms by boosting productivity, creating more-nutritious food and steeling harvests against diseases and inclement weather. And yet because the new methods do not require gene splicing, they circumvent the conflict between Big Biotech and the Cassandras of food that has roiled for decades. In part, this is also a recognition that early claims for the coming genetically modified utopia were overstated.
Don't call it retro farming. Behind the revival of "traditional" farming techniques are many of the same breakthroughs in genetics, computerization and plant physiology that have driven the biotech revolution. The difference is, instead of food fashioned in the laboratory by lifting DNA from one species to another, scientists are working to unlock the secrets bundled inside each plant itself.
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Published Jun 27, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jul 13, 2009
A funny thing happened on the way to the next green revolution. The world's biggest biotech corporations have deployed the latest in genetic science to pump up yield, ward off crop disease, make food more nutritious and fundamentally reengineer what we plant and eat, and no one is complaining. Environmental groups are not shouting about the perils of "Frankenfoods." There's no rabid French cheese maker with a bad mustache leading foodies on a rampage through high-tech farms. Prince Charles is quiet. Has the war over the world's dinner table finally ended?
Not quite. Europe, much of Asia and parts of Africa fiercely resist filling the larder with genetically modified groceries, and many in agribusiness despair that they always will. So instead, they're trying to woo them with distinctly non-GM varieties. Crop scientists, seed companies and clever farmers are using the most advanced tools of science to reinvent native breeding—the age-old technique of selecting the best crops and then painstakingly breeding and crossbreeding them to make more and better food. These discoveries are remaking the world's farms by boosting productivity, creating more-nutritious food and steeling harvests against diseases and inclement weather. And yet because the new methods do not require gene splicing, they circumvent the conflict between Big Biotech and the Cassandras of food that has roiled for decades. In part, this is also a recognition that early claims for the coming genetically modified utopia were overstated.
Don't call it retro farming. Behind the revival of "traditional" farming techniques are many of the same breakthroughs in genetics, computerization and plant physiology that have driven the biotech revolution. The difference is, instead of food fashioned in the laboratory by lifting DNA from one species to another, scientists are working to unlock the secrets bundled inside each plant itself.
Read more:
Garden Q&A: Help choosing a small flowering tree
Q: I want to plant a small flowering tree in a sunny spot in my garden. There are already dogwoods, cherries, plums and redbuds in my neighborhood. Can you suggest a few spring-blooming alternatives?
A: Even if you are in the mood for something unusual, you don’t have to resort to the exotic. There are several underused American natives that fit your request. They may not match the vividness of familiar Asian species in full bloom, such as the frilly double-flowered Kanzan cherry, but their quiet beauty will draw many admirers. And most will grow no more than 30 feet high, the textbook definition of a small garden tree.
One of the most graceful, Carolina silverbell (Halesia tetraptera), has dangling hoop skirts of pure white flowers followed by lobed fruit. In Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Michael Dirr, a woody-plant expert, praises its merits: “The flowers, in a subtle, not boisterous way, are among the most beautiful of all flowering trees.”
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A: Even if you are in the mood for something unusual, you don’t have to resort to the exotic. There are several underused American natives that fit your request. They may not match the vividness of familiar Asian species in full bloom, such as the frilly double-flowered Kanzan cherry, but their quiet beauty will draw many admirers. And most will grow no more than 30 feet high, the textbook definition of a small garden tree.
One of the most graceful, Carolina silverbell (Halesia tetraptera), has dangling hoop skirts of pure white flowers followed by lobed fruit. In Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Michael Dirr, a woody-plant expert, praises its merits: “The flowers, in a subtle, not boisterous way, are among the most beautiful of all flowering trees.”
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Saturday, June 27, 2009
Janet Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; or e-mail her at
jcarson@arkansasonline.com
Q. Does it injure the crape myrtles to cut the suckers that grow around the base of the plant? Ours are just coming into bloom, but whoever pruned them before we bought the house had let a lot grow out at ground level. Is there an office in the area that we could come by and pick up info about the local growing tips? We live in Little Rock.
A. It does not hurt to remove the suckers at the base of the crape myrtle; in fact, it is advisable to do so. We would not recommend trying to use an herbicide to kill them, since many are attached to the mother plant, but clipping them at the soil line is a great idea. If allowed to grow, they would give your tree a more bushy look and take away from its appearance. Some varieties of crape myrtles are more prone to suckers than others, but just pay attention. As to a local source of information, every county has a local county extension office where publications are available. In Pulaski County it is at 2901 W. Roosevelt Road. The county offices are also where you can take soil samples and plant samples to be diagnosed. If you are just looking for printed information, there is plenty of that at our home and garden Web site at www.arhomeandgarden.org, or go to our main Web page www. uaex.edu and click on publications and you can print your own publications at home.
jcarson@arkansasonline.com
Q. Does it injure the crape myrtles to cut the suckers that grow around the base of the plant? Ours are just coming into bloom, but whoever pruned them before we bought the house had let a lot grow out at ground level. Is there an office in the area that we could come by and pick up info about the local growing tips? We live in Little Rock.
A. It does not hurt to remove the suckers at the base of the crape myrtle; in fact, it is advisable to do so. We would not recommend trying to use an herbicide to kill them, since many are attached to the mother plant, but clipping them at the soil line is a great idea. If allowed to grow, they would give your tree a more bushy look and take away from its appearance. Some varieties of crape myrtles are more prone to suckers than others, but just pay attention. As to a local source of information, every county has a local county extension office where publications are available. In Pulaski County it is at 2901 W. Roosevelt Road. The county offices are also where you can take soil samples and plant samples to be diagnosed. If you are just looking for printed information, there is plenty of that at our home and garden Web site at www.arhomeandgarden.org, or go to our main Web page www. uaex.edu and click on publications and you can print your own publications at home.
Neb. Hall of Fame gets new inductee
Associated Press - June 27, 2009 6:25 AM ET
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - There is a new member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
Charles Bessey was inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Friday at the state Capitol. Bessey was a University of Nebraska professor of botany and horticulture from 1884 to 1915.
He helped establish a program to take university research to Nebraska's citizens.
Bessey also wrote federal legislation requiring land-grant universities to distribute new knowledge and research to the public through agricultural experiment stations.
Bessey also developed a modern plant classification system and was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - There is a new member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
Charles Bessey was inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Friday at the state Capitol. Bessey was a University of Nebraska professor of botany and horticulture from 1884 to 1915.
He helped establish a program to take university research to Nebraska's citizens.
Bessey also wrote federal legislation requiring land-grant universities to distribute new knowledge and research to the public through agricultural experiment stations.
Bessey also developed a modern plant classification system and was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Twilight Horticulture Tour scheduled for July 9
The ninth annual Twilight Horticultural Tour will begin at 6:30 p.m. on July 9 at the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center two miles west of Mount Vernon.The research center established a new vineyard in 2008 and visitors will be able to see and hear about grape production, varieties, diseases and insects.
Leading the discussion will be Andy Thomas, a research assistant professor with University of Missouri and Patrick Byers, a horticultural specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
Another research project that is underway at the center this summerinvolves ragweed being raised for pollen production. That will be discussed by Ed Browning, a natural resource engineering specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
The tour will leave the Research Center around 7:30 p.m. and drive to the Williams Creek Winery at 310 South Hickory near the square in Mt. Vernon.
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Leading the discussion will be Andy Thomas, a research assistant professor with University of Missouri and Patrick Byers, a horticultural specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
Another research project that is underway at the center this summerinvolves ragweed being raised for pollen production. That will be discussed by Ed Browning, a natural resource engineering specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
The tour will leave the Research Center around 7:30 p.m. and drive to the Williams Creek Winery at 310 South Hickory near the square in Mt. Vernon.
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Design Notebook: Bringing the vegetable plot inside with hydroponics
Central Coast Hydrogarden shows that soilless cultivation offers such advantages as shelter from the elements and a year-round seasonBy Rebecca Juretic
PHOTOS BY REBECCA JURETIC - A display of parsley being grown hydroponically in the San Luis Obispo shop.
CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS
CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS
In the back room of Central Coast Hydrogarden there sits a modest 3-by-3-foot fiberboard closet — the kind you might store your winter coats in. This one, however, is home to six thriving tomato plants, their crimson fruit ripening under the glare of a grow light.
This, according to shop owner Larry Harp, illustrates the superb adaptability of hydroponics.
Last July, Harp purchased the San Luis Obispo shop, which has been selling hydroponics supplies
HYDROPONIC GROWING TIPS WHAT YOU’LL NEED A hydroponic system basically consists of a rooting medium, a container for the medium, a reservoir for the nutrient solution and a pump to re-circulate the solution. Although a pump isn’t an absolute necessity (you could apply the solution by hand), it keeps the water oxygenated and avoids problems such as algae. LIGHT IT RIGHT Your hydroponics plants can be set in a sunny, preferably south-facing window. If you don’t have a sunny enough spot, you’ll need a grow light. For optimal growth, enclose your plants in a closet or dark room and turn off all lights at night to mimic the natural cycle of the sun. GET STARTED You can introduce plants purchased from a nursery into a hydroponics system by gently rinsing their roots, then placing them in the rooting medium. You can also germinate seeds in a hydroponic system using a medium like rock wool cubes.
since 2002.
Last July, Harp purchased the San Luis Obispo shop, which has been selling hydroponics supplies
HYDROPONIC GROWING TIPS WHAT YOU’LL NEED A hydroponic system basically consists of a rooting medium, a container for the medium, a reservoir for the nutrient solution and a pump to re-circulate the solution. Although a pump isn’t an absolute necessity (you could apply the solution by hand), it keeps the water oxygenated and avoids problems such as algae. LIGHT IT RIGHT Your hydroponics plants can be set in a sunny, preferably south-facing window. If you don’t have a sunny enough spot, you’ll need a grow light. For optimal growth, enclose your plants in a closet or dark room and turn off all lights at night to mimic the natural cycle of the sun. GET STARTED You can introduce plants purchased from a nursery into a hydroponics system by gently rinsing their roots, then placing them in the rooting medium. You can also germinate seeds in a hydroponic system using a medium like rock wool cubes.
since 2002.
Hydroponics is the indoor cultivation of plants without soil. Plants are fed with a nutrient solution and rooted in materials such as clay pellets or rock wool fiber made from volcanic rock.
According to Harp, there are a host of reasons why some people prefer hydroponics over conventional gardens. As an apartment dweller, he realizes that not everyone has room for a garden plot, or even a container garden.
BHU prof awarded Mahila Ratan
26 Jun 2009, 2136 hrs IST, TNN
VARANASI: Dr Bandana Bose, professor and former head of the department of plant physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), has been awarded with the Best Educationist and National Mahila Ratan Gold Medal Award of Indian Solidarity Council and International Institute of Education and Management, New Delhi. According to university spokesperson, she was honoured for her remarkable contribution to education and society. She was felicitated by former governor of Tamil Nadu and Assam Dr Bhisma Narayan Singh and OP Verma, chief justice and former governor of Punjab, at a function held recently in New Delhi.
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VARANASI: Dr Bandana Bose, professor and former head of the department of plant physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), has been awarded with the Best Educationist and National Mahila Ratan Gold Medal Award of Indian Solidarity Council and International Institute of Education and Management, New Delhi. According to university spokesperson, she was honoured for her remarkable contribution to education and society. She was felicitated by former governor of Tamil Nadu and Assam Dr Bhisma Narayan Singh and OP Verma, chief justice and former governor of Punjab, at a function held recently in New Delhi.
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Garden chores: pruning tomato plants
All this rain has sure been good for the tomatoes.
Maybe too good.
My plants, heirloom Brandywine, are almost 6 feet tall, and there are more than a dozen tomatoes on each plant, with dozens more blooms.
But the rain has encouraged more than the fruit to grow. The leaves and branches are close to choking the cages around the plants.
I know all about pinching off the "suckers" that appear in the joint between the branch and the trunk. They grow into branches that never produce fruit and only sap the plant of energy.
But for a more detailed look at how to prune your tomatoes - as well as an explanation of why you should - take a look at this article and video on the Fine Gardening mazgazine web site.
The goal is to reduce the leaf surface, which draws energy and sugar from the production of fruit.
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By Susan Reimer at 10:00 AM in Weekend Chores
Maybe too good.
My plants, heirloom Brandywine, are almost 6 feet tall, and there are more than a dozen tomatoes on each plant, with dozens more blooms.
But the rain has encouraged more than the fruit to grow. The leaves and branches are close to choking the cages around the plants.
I know all about pinching off the "suckers" that appear in the joint between the branch and the trunk. They grow into branches that never produce fruit and only sap the plant of energy.
But for a more detailed look at how to prune your tomatoes - as well as an explanation of why you should - take a look at this article and video on the Fine Gardening mazgazine web site.
The goal is to reduce the leaf surface, which draws energy and sugar from the production of fruit.
Read more:
By Susan Reimer at 10:00 AM in Weekend Chores
Weekend Plantings
Several folks have asked me about the beautiful small trees that covered their wispy stems and green-barked branches with yellow blossoms this spring and summer.
Those plants, once extremely common in our landscapes, are Jerusalem thorn trees, native to Mexico, the American Southwest and South America.
Incredibly graceful due to its tiny leaves, this cold-hardy, deciduous tree flowers heavily in spring, and then intermittently through autumn. Although young trees should be staked, the Jerusalem thorn requires little maintenance because established specimens need no irrigation, fertilizer or mulch.
This lovely tree occasionally grows 30 feet tall but is generally smaller.
Jerusalem thorn's diminutive size and airy branching allow it to be used in small gardens where larger or denser trees would be out of place. Additionally, the light shade it casts is ideal for growing most plants.
Install Jerusalem thorn trees on well-drained, sunny sites. They're not resistant to hurricane-force winds, so choose locations carefully. Propagate by seed. Pruning, if necessary, should be done in late autumn.
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[ Charles Reynolds, a Winter Haven resident, has an associate's degree in horticulture and is a member of the Garden Writers' Association of America. ]
Those plants, once extremely common in our landscapes, are Jerusalem thorn trees, native to Mexico, the American Southwest and South America.
Incredibly graceful due to its tiny leaves, this cold-hardy, deciduous tree flowers heavily in spring, and then intermittently through autumn. Although young trees should be staked, the Jerusalem thorn requires little maintenance because established specimens need no irrigation, fertilizer or mulch.
This lovely tree occasionally grows 30 feet tall but is generally smaller.
Jerusalem thorn's diminutive size and airy branching allow it to be used in small gardens where larger or denser trees would be out of place. Additionally, the light shade it casts is ideal for growing most plants.
Install Jerusalem thorn trees on well-drained, sunny sites. They're not resistant to hurricane-force winds, so choose locations carefully. Propagate by seed. Pruning, if necessary, should be done in late autumn.
Read more:
[ Charles Reynolds, a Winter Haven resident, has an associate's degree in horticulture and is a member of the Garden Writers' Association of America. ]
Scandia Landscaping celebrates 25 years
Conny Gustafsson and his wife, Wendy, are celebrating their 25th year in business as Scandia Landscaping.
Gustafsson moved to San Rafael from Sweden in 1981. In 1983, he married Wendy and they moved to Sonoma starting their company the following year with Conny doing the field work and Wendy running the office from their home in Sonoma. In 1995, they expanded the business, opening an office and corporate yard in Petaluma. They currently work in six counties and employ 15 people, keeping employees involved in learning; several are now Certified Landscape Technicians.
Conny Gustafsson has a degree in landscape engineering and horticulture from the University of Alnarp Sweden. To keep current with the latest technology, he continued to take college courses here in horticulture and native plants. He also earned his herbicide and pesticide license from the State of California and 1991 completed schooling in arboriculture to become a Certified Arborist and then a graduate of the American Society of Consulting Arborists.
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Gustafsson moved to San Rafael from Sweden in 1981. In 1983, he married Wendy and they moved to Sonoma starting their company the following year with Conny doing the field work and Wendy running the office from their home in Sonoma. In 1995, they expanded the business, opening an office and corporate yard in Petaluma. They currently work in six counties and employ 15 people, keeping employees involved in learning; several are now Certified Landscape Technicians.
Conny Gustafsson has a degree in landscape engineering and horticulture from the University of Alnarp Sweden. To keep current with the latest technology, he continued to take college courses here in horticulture and native plants. He also earned his herbicide and pesticide license from the State of California and 1991 completed schooling in arboriculture to become a Certified Arborist and then a graduate of the American Society of Consulting Arborists.
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Friday, June 26, 2009
UNCP first Farm Bureau scholar
The first Farm Bureau Scholar at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a devoted vegetable, flower and fruit gardener.Working this summer at UNCP’s Biotechnology Business and Training Laboratory, Brittany Locklear showed off samples of roses, ferns and lilies that she is micro-propagating under grow lights.
“This augur solution contains everything the plants need to grow, just like soil,” Locklear said. “I’ve been making more solution today.”
Locklear is interning in a National Institute of Health-funded program between UNCP and Robeson Community College (RCC). Besides plant propagation, she is working on bacterial transference using streptococcus epidermidis.
“I’m learning a lot about lab work,” she said. “But I enjoy gardening, and I really like being outdoors.”
TDA now accepting applications for urban forestry grants
By Tim Phelps
Story Published: Jun 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jun 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM CDT
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is now accepting proposals for community tree planting projects. County and city governments and private non-profit organizations may apply for grants up to $20,000.
“Thanks to the General Assembly, we’re proud to again offer these grants through the Agricultural Enhancement program to help improve urban forest environments in communities across the state,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens.
The urban forestry project funds must be used for planting trees on public land, such as parks, streets, greenways or other local public places. Eligible items include the cost of trees, shipping, contracted planting labor and mulch.
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Story Published: Jun 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jun 24, 2009 at 6:01 PM CDT
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is now accepting proposals for community tree planting projects. County and city governments and private non-profit organizations may apply for grants up to $20,000.
“Thanks to the General Assembly, we’re proud to again offer these grants through the Agricultural Enhancement program to help improve urban forest environments in communities across the state,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens.
The urban forestry project funds must be used for planting trees on public land, such as parks, streets, greenways or other local public places. Eligible items include the cost of trees, shipping, contracted planting labor and mulch.
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Division of Forestry celebrates 100 years
June 25, 2009 @ 12:00 AM
The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Division of Forestry has been protecting the state's forest resources since 1908 when more than 1.7 million acres of forestland were destroyed by fire. This devastation prompted the West Virginia Legislature to enact the Reform Law of 1909 to protect West Virginia's forests and gave the division the authority to combat fires across the state. Now, the division is responsible for safeguarding nearly 12 million acres of forestland across West Virginia.
To help protect West Virginia's forests from fire, the wildfire protection program focuses on prevention, preparedness and suppression.
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The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Division of Forestry has been protecting the state's forest resources since 1908 when more than 1.7 million acres of forestland were destroyed by fire. This devastation prompted the West Virginia Legislature to enact the Reform Law of 1909 to protect West Virginia's forests and gave the division the authority to combat fires across the state. Now, the division is responsible for safeguarding nearly 12 million acres of forestland across West Virginia.
To help protect West Virginia's forests from fire, the wildfire protection program focuses on prevention, preparedness and suppression.
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Vegetable & Fruit Production Line
(Tianshannet) Updated: 2009-June-24 12:07:06
Hotan Prefecture has 2.1 mln mu of fruit trees.In the past,farmers were worried about the sales of fruits and vegetables.
XJ Guannong Group plans to invest 100 mln yuan in Pishan County, and build a deep processing industrial park with daily processing capacity of 1,500 tons of fruits and vegetables. Now,the first phase project has put into production before the apricot harvest time.It can process about 40,000 tons of fresh apricot and tomato.Now,the enterprise has signed order for over 30,000 tons of fresh apricot and tomato purchase with farmers in Pishan County.
KAHA'ER AMUTI MEMBER OF STANDING COMMITTEE OF CPC PISHAN COUNTY:
"The tomato planting area will reach 40,000 to 50,000 mu. And it's output value will reach 56 mln yuan.Farmers' income can increase by 300 yuan."
(SOURCES:XJTV)Editor: zhaoqian
Hotan Prefecture has 2.1 mln mu of fruit trees.In the past,farmers were worried about the sales of fruits and vegetables.
XJ Guannong Group plans to invest 100 mln yuan in Pishan County, and build a deep processing industrial park with daily processing capacity of 1,500 tons of fruits and vegetables. Now,the first phase project has put into production before the apricot harvest time.It can process about 40,000 tons of fresh apricot and tomato.Now,the enterprise has signed order for over 30,000 tons of fresh apricot and tomato purchase with farmers in Pishan County.
KAHA'ER AMUTI MEMBER OF STANDING COMMITTEE OF CPC PISHAN COUNTY:
"The tomato planting area will reach 40,000 to 50,000 mu. And it's output value will reach 56 mln yuan.Farmers' income can increase by 300 yuan."
(SOURCES:XJTV)Editor: zhaoqian
2008 Dahlia Festival
The annual dahlia festival is starting and we pay a visit to learn about the different styles of blooms and check out some varieties as well. We also see the fields full of blooms.
When properly cultivated, dahlias make great cut flowers
The Forest Grove News-Times, Jun 24, 2009Although they require special care, colorful dahlia perennials can grace Oregon’s gardens from July until frost.
Native to central Mexico, the first wild dahlias were mostly single-flower types that grew on well-drained volcanic soils. Today’s come in a great variety of forms, from dinner-plates and pom-poms to single anemones and orchids.
Dahlias grow from tender, fleshy tubers, according to Barb Fick, home horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. Their roots tend to be shallow; she recommends careful cultivating. In early July, mulch plants with well-aged compost to keep out competing weeds. Bait for slugs when the plants are young, and watch for earwigs when blossoms begin to form.
Dahlias are fast-growing and require a rich, well-drained soil. It is important to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Their fleshy roots can be damaged if waterlogged.
Dahlias are fast-growing and require a rich, well-drained soil. It is important to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Their fleshy roots can be damaged if waterlogged.
As plants grow, a monthly feeding will encourage large blooms, but do not fertilize dahlias after mid-August.
The large-flowering types may grow into bush-sized plants and should be staked to keep large, bushy plants from falling over.
For the showiest flowers, some dahlias perform better with some disbudding. When the flower buds appear, remove any adjacent side buds or suckers just below the terminal flower buds.
For the showiest flowers, some dahlias perform better with some disbudding. When the flower buds appear, remove any adjacent side buds or suckers just below the terminal flower buds.
Dahlias make wonderful cut flowers. Cut the blossoms when they are fully open and put the cut ends into warm water immediately. Use floral preservatives or change the water every two to three days to increase the life of cut flowers.
For more information about growing and caring for dahlias, the OSU Extension Service offers a free fact sheet entitled “Dahlia Culture” (FS 95) online at http://extension.oregonstate
.edu/catalog/html/fs/fs95/.
.edu/catalog/html/fs/fs95/.
Copyright 2009 Pamplin Media Group, 6605 S.E. Lake Road, Portland, OR 97222 • 503-226-6397
'Food processing infrastructure must improve’
Statesman News Service
HALDIA, 24 JUNE:
The Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, today said there was a need to upgrade the food processing industries in the state to preserve excess supply of vegetables and fruit.
He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a new manufacturing edible oil refinery unit at Haldia this morning. Emphasising the need to upgrade infrastructure concerning cold storage, Mr Mukherjee said the state produces a huge quantity of tropical fruit but as a result of the dearth of proper storage units, a large amount of these fruit are destroyed each year. He also said that despite having a huge potential, the main constraint faced by food processing industries lies in the process of setting up proper hygienic infrastructure and there was a need to set up hygienic cold storage units to meet this deficiency. He also reiterated that at present, India imports 10 lakh tons of edible oil from various countries to bridge the demand-supply gap in the country.
He said that though India is the second largest producer of fruit after Brazil and of vegetables after China, the farmers over here do not get a proper price for their production.
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HALDIA, 24 JUNE:
The Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, today said there was a need to upgrade the food processing industries in the state to preserve excess supply of vegetables and fruit.
He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a new manufacturing edible oil refinery unit at Haldia this morning. Emphasising the need to upgrade infrastructure concerning cold storage, Mr Mukherjee said the state produces a huge quantity of tropical fruit but as a result of the dearth of proper storage units, a large amount of these fruit are destroyed each year. He also said that despite having a huge potential, the main constraint faced by food processing industries lies in the process of setting up proper hygienic infrastructure and there was a need to set up hygienic cold storage units to meet this deficiency. He also reiterated that at present, India imports 10 lakh tons of edible oil from various countries to bridge the demand-supply gap in the country.
He said that though India is the second largest producer of fruit after Brazil and of vegetables after China, the farmers over here do not get a proper price for their production.
Read more:
Chautauqua tops NY in grape production
Business First of Buffalo - by Thomas Hartley
Chautauqua County leads all New York state counties in grape-growing with 22,276 acres planted for grapes.
That figure, which is for 2007, is up 15 percent from 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports.
The total acreage used for orchards and vineyards in the state, 99,658, was up 1 percent over the five years, but the number of fruit farm, 2,639, was down 2 percent.
Wayne County east of Rochester led all counties in apple acreage with 20,862. Apple acreage grew 7 percent from 2002, the USDA service reported.
Chautauqua County leads all New York state counties in grape-growing with 22,276 acres planted for grapes.
That figure, which is for 2007, is up 15 percent from 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports.
The total acreage used for orchards and vineyards in the state, 99,658, was up 1 percent over the five years, but the number of fruit farm, 2,639, was down 2 percent.
Wayne County east of Rochester led all counties in apple acreage with 20,862. Apple acreage grew 7 percent from 2002, the USDA service reported.
Century plant shoots up flower stalk in Cedaredge
Written by Bob BorchardtWednesday, 24 June 2009 00:00
Cedaredge residents Bruce and Linda Croft are the proud owners of not one, but two Century plants, one of which is blooming, with a flowering stalk towering more than 14 feet tall.
Century plants (aka desert agave) are unique in that they bloom only once in their lifetime, before dying.Dubbed the Century Plant for its longevity, the plant actually lives an average of 25-30 years, spending most of its life as a cluster of leaves. Flowering is delayed for up to 25-30 years, but when it does bloom, stand back! The stalk literally erupts from the center of its leaf cluster, growing at an unbelievable rate until it reaches up to 15 feet in height.
The blooming spike is so tall, and grows so fast, that it saps all the resources of the plant. The plant blooms for several weeks, producing beautiful yellow-orange flowers, said Linda, and then it dies. All that is left is a 15-foot spike and pods filled with thousands of seeds. Linda said the plant survived the winter (which it is not supposed to do) and actually grew more than a foot each day since starting to bloom. "And it gets so beautiful," she said.
When asked, why they chose such an unusual plant, Bruce answered, "The deer don't like it, it attracts humming birds, and it requires very little irrigation." He added, "I'd like to have more cactus."
The Crofts are inviting area residents to drive by their residence at 1180 SE Deer Creek Drive to see this spectacular plant while it is still in bloom, the focal point of their "Sonoranesque" landscape.
Visit SF State's blooming corpse flower
June 25, 2009 -- The public is invited to view -- and smell -- SF State's giant corpse flower this Sunday and Monday. The corpse flower, or Titan Arum, is famous for its death-like stench and its huge central flower structure. The plants, which grow in the wild only in Indonesian rainforests, flower on an unpredictable schedule, once enough energy has been accumulated, and is in bloom for only 24 to 48 hours.The corpse flower which is expected to bloom on June 28 and 29.
The plant is growing in the University's new state-of-the-art greenhouse. The twelve-room facility houses cool humid, warm humid and arid plant collections and supports cutting-edge research in rain forest conservation, drought resistance, native California plants such as the Manzanita and pollination biology.
The greenhouse will be open to the public on Sunday June 28, 2 to 6 p.m. and Monday June 29, 2 to 6 p.m.
Tours will be available and admission is free.
The greenhouse is located north of Hensill Hall on SF State's main campus and can be found on the campus map at: http://www.sfsu.edu/~sfsumap/
-- Elaine Bible
A landscape ablaze
Colorful perennials herald the start of summer
Bright sunshine, rising temperatures (and humidity), frequent thunderstorms and luxuriant growth have replaced spring's cool refreshing mornings and delicate wildflowers. By now, you're probably wading through that thick and luxuriant growth.
This is also the time of year when garden companions carefully planned to bloom during the summer in our perennial borders and woodland edges ignite the landscape. Summer's intense light and heat create the perfect conditions for an amazing array of bold flower colors and textures.
If you haven't done so, begin to explore some of the fine plants that help make the garden a focal point of interest in early summer.
Bright and beautiful
Right now, a wide range of native plants are exploding into flower, providing a remarkable showcase of color and adaptability. Here are just a few examples worth adding to your summer garden.
Read more:
Nature’s Landscapes is a monthly column by Mt. Cuba Center that focuses on the native plants of the Piedmont region, which lies between the Atlantic coastal plain and the Appalachians, stretching from New York to Alabama. Today’s column is written by Rick J. Lewandowski, director of Mt. Cuba Center.
Bright sunshine, rising temperatures (and humidity), frequent thunderstorms and luxuriant growth have replaced spring's cool refreshing mornings and delicate wildflowers. By now, you're probably wading through that thick and luxuriant growth.
This is also the time of year when garden companions carefully planned to bloom during the summer in our perennial borders and woodland edges ignite the landscape. Summer's intense light and heat create the perfect conditions for an amazing array of bold flower colors and textures.
If you haven't done so, begin to explore some of the fine plants that help make the garden a focal point of interest in early summer.
Bright and beautiful
Right now, a wide range of native plants are exploding into flower, providing a remarkable showcase of color and adaptability. Here are just a few examples worth adding to your summer garden.
Read more:
Nature’s Landscapes is a monthly column by Mt. Cuba Center that focuses on the native plants of the Piedmont region, which lies between the Atlantic coastal plain and the Appalachians, stretching from New York to Alabama. Today’s column is written by Rick J. Lewandowski, director of Mt. Cuba Center.
Turn cut flowers upside down to dry
Question: My hydrangeas have been beautiful this year. Some have the big mop heads, and others are smaller but very colorful. I understand they can be dried for flower arrangements. How do you do it? Will they make good fresh arrangements?
Answer: Hydrangeas have been outstanding this year and some of the longer blooming varieties are just getting started. Some of the newer varieties have a more intense color than some of the older ones.
I am not an expert or well experienced in drying flowers. I know the West Monroe Extension Office did have a good handout on the subject. Some of the master gardeners might help you.
The cut flowers can be used in flower arrangements, and as they start to fade, they can be dried.
A starting point is to cut them, remove the leaves and hang them upside down in a dry non-windy place such as a storage shed. The flowers should dry and keep shape. The color may fade, but color may be added to make them more attractive.
Read more:
Ken Maki writes about gardening for The News-Star. To reach The Gardening Hot Line WATS line with your gardening and planting questions call 800-253-4666 or call the master gardeners at 323-2251.
Answer: Hydrangeas have been outstanding this year and some of the longer blooming varieties are just getting started. Some of the newer varieties have a more intense color than some of the older ones.
I am not an expert or well experienced in drying flowers. I know the West Monroe Extension Office did have a good handout on the subject. Some of the master gardeners might help you.
The cut flowers can be used in flower arrangements, and as they start to fade, they can be dried.
A starting point is to cut them, remove the leaves and hang them upside down in a dry non-windy place such as a storage shed. The flowers should dry and keep shape. The color may fade, but color may be added to make them more attractive.
Read more:
Ken Maki writes about gardening for The News-Star. To reach The Gardening Hot Line WATS line with your gardening and planting questions call 800-253-4666 or call the master gardeners at 323-2251.
South Westmorland Flower Club still blooming after four decades
www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk
4:24pm Wednesday 24th June 2009
By Natalie Stewart »
A FLOWER fanatics’ club celebrated its 40th Annniversary with a special lunch and demonstration.
Members of the South Westmorland Flower Club enjoyed a three-course meal at Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, and a floral arrangement demonstration by Linda Hardman yesterday.
Veronica Butler, the club’s secretary, said members had a lovely day and marked the occasion with a flower-decorated birthday cake.
The club, which has 50 members, holds monthly meetings with various themed flower arrangement demonstrations as well as practice days and workshops with the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.
The club, which also welcomes visitors, is hoping to arrange its own workshops in the future.
4:24pm Wednesday 24th June 2009
By Natalie Stewart »
A FLOWER fanatics’ club celebrated its 40th Annniversary with a special lunch and demonstration.
Members of the South Westmorland Flower Club enjoyed a three-course meal at Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, and a floral arrangement demonstration by Linda Hardman yesterday.
Veronica Butler, the club’s secretary, said members had a lovely day and marked the occasion with a flower-decorated birthday cake.
The club, which has 50 members, holds monthly meetings with various themed flower arrangement demonstrations as well as practice days and workshops with the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.
The club, which also welcomes visitors, is hoping to arrange its own workshops in the future.
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