The Science Behind Your Christmas Tree by Elaine Lockey

photo courtesy of SeattleTimes.nwsource.com

Going to pick out a Christmas tree is always an exciting holiday tradition.  It’s one my family never really took to though.  My father preferred the variety of tree that didn’t drop needles or require watering.  Once I had a home of my own, I decided that I wanted a “real” tree from then on – I sought the fresh smells and natural beauty that an artificial tree just can’t provide. 

As I perused the tree lots looking for the right tree, I have to admit, it never crossed my mind to think about why the choices are Douglas Fir, White Fir and Scotch Pine for the most part. What makes them the tree of choice to adorn my living room?  And once I brought the tree home, what can I do to keep it greener longer?

It turns out, there is an incredible amount of research behind the selection of trees specific for growing as a Christmas tree, and another whole body of research into how trees can behave more to our liking when growing in a tree stand - way more than the time that it takes me to pick out the perfect tree.  Just who is doing the research?  One such place of research is the Christmas Tree Research Center at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.  

Focusing on the Balsam Fir, one of the main trees grown for Christmas trees in Canada, the Center has focused much of their study on how to keep needles greener longer.  This goes well beyond just remembering to put water in the tree stand.  The bonuses of this research are many, from the longer duration of freshness of trees in tree lots to how long they can look good in your house.

Needle drop is triggered by the hormone ethylene.  Ethylene is the same hormone that is released when an apple ripens. With some manipulation of the hormone, the Center has been able to find some possible solutions to slow down needle drop by half so a tree has a much longer life span. Two different solutions, one taken in through the trunk in liquid and the other in a gas “bath” affect the synthesis of the hormone and also the needle abscission layers from forming.

Other research from the Center has found that white LED lights provide the most benefit over other color spectrums, no lights, or regular incandescent or florescent lights.  Needle retention in white LED light was much higher. Blue performed the worst.  Additionally, there is more benefit to the tree if you leave the lights on all the time instead of turning them off at night.  Consequences to your electrical bill aside, if you want to keep needles on your tree longer, trees do better in the constant light.  When they are in the dark, respiration increases and they use up a lot of calories that they aren’t taking in.  

Christmas trees and greenery are more than a billion $ industry around the world. There are more than 30 million live Christmas trees sold just in the US every year.  Countries like Canada, are spending more to help the industry find solutions and eventually hope to create the perfect Christmas tree, or at least a much improved one.  New Mexico State University’s Christmas Tree Research Program has done extensive work on tracking the provenances of many commonly used trees and has introduced a tree to the industry that does better in the climate of the SW.  Some other institutions, such as Oregon State University’s College of Forestry research genetics, fertilization and disease management.  

Picking out the right Christmas tree for your home can be a science in itself for you and your family.  No matter how you go about doing your research and making a selection, it is fun to know some of the institutional science that has gone on behind the scenes to keep this long-standing tradition going. Oh, and keeping ripening fruit away from your Christmas tree is recommended.  Who knew?

Tip: Charlie Brown Christmas trees can solve that search for perfection.  There is no bad-facing side to one of these trees because they are all irregular. You can get away with just hanging one ornament and no lights.  In Charlie Brown’s world you don’t even need a tree stand, just some planks of wood! 

Aconitum - A Plant with a Dark Side

“Even those who are pure of heart, and say their prayers at night, can become a wolf, when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” 

You might remember hearing that popular rhyme while watching the old werewolf movie “The Wolfman”.  Wolfsbane, also known as monkshood, is a member of the Aconitum genus of over 250 plants.  Aconitum species are popular and attractive ornamental perennials that enjoy shady moist garden sites, but beware, they are also considered some of the deadliest plants in the world.

The myths and fear surrounding Aconitum are based on real-life danger.  Every part of the plant is poisonous especially the leaves, roots and seeds. The principal alkaloids are aconite and aconitine.  Aconitine is thought to be the main toxin causing severe gastrointestinal upset, followed by cardiac symptoms and eventually death if enough has been taken in. 

Got a problem with werewolves?  Hold the flower of the monkshood under the chin of someone you suspect and if you see a yellow-tinged shadow then you’ve got your wolf. The common name wolfsbane owed to its use as a real wolf extermination tool for farmers in the past.  It was used historically for hunting on spears and arrows (smeared onto the tips) or as a poison during ancient Greek and Roman times to eliminate enemies and criminals, or even one’s wife. 

Aconitum has tall leafy stems growing to about 1 foot and flowers resembling larkspur.  The flowers are in dense racemes, blue, purple, white, pink or yellow in color and a distinctive helmet-shaped hood. Leaves are palmate or deeply palmately lobed into 5-7 segments. Aconitum napellus is one of the more commonly grown garden species.  It has showy blue flowers on spike-like inflorescences. Like other species in the genus it too is toxic, producing mainly cardiac conditions, large doses (which seem to be specific to each individual) killing the victim in 2-6 hours. This plant has a very bitter taste so it is very rarely accidentally eaten, most accidental poisonings come from the absorption of the plant via the skin or open wounds. Aconitine toxin is easily absorbed through the skin so wearing gloves while handling this plant is a necessity. 

One of the more interesting stories I read about this plant was a murder in 1881 using aconite and aconitine. George Henry Lamson was an American doctor who became addicted to morphia and got into financial difficulties. In an attempt to secure his part of the family inheritance, he gave his brother-in-law some Dundee cake and a pill capsule containing the poisons.  Dr. Lamson was found guilty when the pill batch was later tested. He had learned about aconite from a professor in his early college days.  The professor thought that the poison could not be detected but forensic science had greatly improved by time Dr. Lamson conducted the murder and he was found guilty and hanged.  He left another unsolved murder in his wake of another brother-in-law whose death was suspected but never formally linked to him.  

The most recent criminal case was the conviction of the murderer Lakhvir Kaur Singh, also known as the “Curry Killer” in 2010 in London.  Singh laced her former lover’s and his bride-to-be’s curry with Indian Aconite.  She had made a special trip to India to purchase the powder. Her ex-lover died a horribly agonizing death after consuming the food. 

Using monkshood or any of your locally available Aconitum plants can add a bit of thrill to your garden and a great conversation piece. If you believe in some of the old myths that wolfsbane repels werewolves, it might also be smart to keep it handy for the next full moon. 

photos courtesy of about.com and drugstoremuseum.com

Violets and Ground Ivy in the Lawn by Elaine Lockey

Common blue violet

 Is it a flower or a weed?  Well that answer is truly in the eye of the beholder. The common blue violet, Viola species, seems to be such an innocent little plant when first appearing in your lawn but can become a very difficult plant to control if allowed to spread.  It can make a stunning ground cover with its pretty blooms in early spring and heart-shaped green leaves. It is generally found in woodlands and enjoys shady to partly sunny moist areas. However, it can also adapt to dry areas once established.

Ground ivy, also known as creeping Charlie, Glechoma hederacea, offers lush dark green leaves that are rounded with toothed edges and small funnel-shaped purplish-blue flowers in the spring.  This perennial belongs to the mint family and has square stems and a pungent odor when the leaves are crushed.  Ground ivy and wild violets can sometimes be confused when flowers are not present.

Both plants spread via seed from blossoms, branching rhizomes, and creeping roots.  With so many options to expand their range, it’s easy to see how they do so very easily.  These plants will simply spread out of your landscape beds and into your lawn.  Removal of them is a little more complicated.  Hand-pulling often just results in a lot of time and effort and broken off plants as they have extensive root systems.  Herbicides are usually recommended.

Ground Ivy in turf

If violets or ground ivy are in your lawn, you’ll need to use a broad-leaved herbicide only.  This type of herbicide will not harm your established lawn but can harm neighboring desired plants if the spray drifts.  Caution is highly recommended by using herbicides on very calm days and following all label directions.
 

A herbicide containing triclopyr, 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, or sulfentrazone is recommended for success in control, with triclopyr showing the best results. The best time to apply this spray on perennial weeds, such as violets and ground ivy, is September to early October.  Plants are storing energy reserves in their roots and stems for winter and the herbicide will be able to reach all parts of the plant via the food reserves.  You might not see immediate results but should see some impact in the spring.  Multiple treatments may be necessary. If you only have a few violets in your lawn spot-treat those areas, instead of applying herbicides to your whole lawn.
 

A healthy lawn is also the best defense against these and other weeds.  Proper mowing, fertilizing, watering, and aeration practices will provide you with the greatest success in conquering weeds.  The best defense I’ve discovered though is a healthy acceptance of a not so perfect lawn.  Consider lawn violets or ground ivy as a pretty addition and if you don’t spray them with herbicides you can incorporate them into your next salad. I am amazed at the number of things you can do with these plants from foods to vinegars to cosmetics.  There’s always a bright side right?

common violet photo by sierrapotomac.org

Espalier: The Art of Plant Training by Elaine Lockey

Espalier at Denver Botanic Gardens

Espalier, pronounced esp-al-ee-er or esp-al-ee-ay, is the practice of training and pruning a plant to grow on a flat plane against a wall, fence or building.  This can create a beautiful focal point in a garden, can save space in small areas, and help fill in space if you have a large wall or fence that you want to hide.

Espalier can be informal or formal and there are several common forms practiced.  Certain plants respond best to certain types of espalier as well.  Informal espalier can be as simple as a vine climbing up a wall to a pyracantha hedge that is pruned in a flat plane but is allowed to branch where it wants vertically and horizontally.  Formal designs can be like the French palmette verrier in which a plant, commonly a pear tree, is attached to a frame that helps to shape it into the desired structure.  This particular one looks like a box shape or candelabra. This enables the pear tree to grow wide but the height is limited.

Simple backdrops work best to highlight the trained plant. When thinking about site selection look for walls or fences that would be enhanced by the espaliered plant. Normal growing conditions should be provided such as proper soil, water and light. Often a south or east-facing wall is a great place to put a plant but keep in mind that walls also add extra heat and that can be a problem in winter for plants that are susceptible to winter injury.

Espaliered fruit trees can produce heavy fruit loads and can be positioned in areas such as against a south-facing wall where they receive more sunlight and warmth.  Fruit trees and most other plants need to be attached to a trellis or the fence or wall in some manner to lend the branches support. With informal design a frame may not be needed, but supports might be. Plants should be spaced at least 6” from walls to allow for air circulation and to reduce potential pest issues.

photo courtesy of colonialsense.com

You can buy plants that have already been started with a trellis so that all you have to do is transplant them. Untrained plants can be started fairly easily as well with a little more time upfront to get them ready. Prune new plants sparingly until they are established.  Plant limbs are most flexible in the summer so this is the best time to train new twigs to your supports. Espaliered plants must be pruned and trained annually. There are numerous resources available to aid in teaching this art form so I won't go into the actual pruning and training practices here.

Plant choices should be based on the type of espalier design you want to achieve and also in selecting plants with interesting foliage, fruits or flowers.  Some common plants used are pyracantha, Japanese maple, redbud, forsythia, crabapples, viburnum and yews. Many of the various dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit trees can be trained for a beautiful and edible espalier.

Once you have an idea of where you’d like to put your plant and if you want a fruit tree or not, you can begin making your selection at the nursery of the species. Then the hard work begins -but you will have a true conversation piece and work of art that you’ll be proud to show off!
 

The Seed Cathedral by Elaine Lockey

photo by Heatherwick Studio

In case you missed it, art and horticulture combined for an amazing exhibit last year. Called the Seed Cathedral, the sculpture was composed of 60,000 fiber optic rods with seeds implanted on the tip of each one. The Seed Cathedral’s goal was to raise awareness of the global race to save seeds and the growing number of seed banks that safely preserve these seeds. Created for the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai, it was designed by English designer Thomas Heatherwick. 

The structure was lit from within at dark and during the day the rods captured and funneled the sunlight highlighting the seeds within.  The structure also gently swayed in the breeze giving it life.  It was nicknamed pu gong ying or “The Dandelion” by Chinese visitors. How many seeds were in it? More than 217,000! Visitors could go inside it for a completely immersive experience. 

photo by Daniele Mattioli

At 66 feet tall it took over four months to build at a rate of 536 rods a day. Seeds came from China’s Kumming Institute of Botany, a partner in Kew Royal Botanic Gardens’ Millennium Seed Bank Project. The Millennium Seed Bank Project’s goal is to collect 25% of the world’s plants seeds by 2020.  A recent update on their website states, "Working with our network of partners across 50 countries, we have successfully banked 10% of the world's wild plant species."

While it is now dismantled, fortunately the sculpture is still being put to a good use.  The preserved seeds in their capsules were donated to many schools and research institutes in China and England. 

A beautiful video of the Seed Cathedral can be viewed at http://www.heatherwick.com/uk-pavilion/

Jiminy Cricket! by Elaine Lockey

If you are one of the many of us who are torn between the childhood image of the adorable Walt Disney character of Jiminy Cricket and the not so handsome black bug sitting next to your toilet, you are not alone.  I’ve suffered from trying to reconcile these two images for years now.  I just can’t bring myself to harm crickets, I don’t care where they might be in my house.  

Field crickets that are commonly found in homes don’t really want to be hanging out in our bathroom.  But, they got lost somewhere along the way and would love to be escorted outside as they might have come in through a small crack due to bad weather or in search of food and can’t get back out. There are two main kinds commonly found to our dismay in our house that are both black and very similar but with different life cycles.  Both are the genus Gryllus spp. and both sing. 

You can impress your family with your identification skills, “Wow look at that Gryllus pennsylvanicus in the bathtub!” Whitney Cranshaw, CSU Extension Entomologist, differentiates these two by the time of year they predominate – G. veletis in spring and over-wintering as an adult and G. pennsylvanicus is our late summer species. Both species are approximately 22mm (.87 inch), males being black with dark brown or black appendages, females have more reddish legs.

Jiminy Cricket had his singing technique all wrong.  He rubbed his legs together but in actuality crickets make the familiar noise by rubbing together veins on their wings that are specific for this purpose.  Only male crickets can do this, females are mute.  The cricket songs are used to attract sexually responsive mates.  Female crickets are only responsive to songs of their own species.  

 Lefties are not common in the cricket world. 95% of crickets are “right winged” with the file used to produce sound on their right wing.  The file is an enlarged vein with many tiny raised points.  The other wing runs a scraper over the file which produces sound. The female hears the appealing call with her ears on her front legs - seems perfectly normal to me.  

wing of male cricket

Jim Mason of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita, Kansas helps us distinguish what the different calls mean, “Crickets make several different chirps.  The loud monotonous one we hear outside in the evening serves to attract a female.  Another is made when a male knows a female is near and is softer and quicker.  Yet another is made when two males encounter each other.  There is even a ‘Look out!’ chirp that warns all the others to be quiet because danger is nearby.  The careful listener can pick out these individual dramas by listening for the different songs.”

Crickets are omnivores eating decaying plant matter, fungi, small seedlings, other insects both dead and alive. They are generally considered beneficial in that they help break down organic matter contributing to decomposition similar to creatures like earthworms. They are also an important food source for other animals. They like to live under logs or damp places. 

On nights when I have insomnia I always thought it would be comforting to have a cricket around singing his song.  Since I don’t really want Jiminy Cricket hanging out with me, I found the next best thing, a phone app (there’s one for everything) that you can purchase to hear the cheerful song of crickets from all over the world.  The app’s description is a bit concerning however: “It’s also pretty useful in awkward situations or awkward silences.” I suppose that Jiminy Cricket would be proud to know that he’s a comfort to those in difficult social situations. 

 

Cartoon image of Jiminy Cricket courtesy of comicvine.com

Photo of cricket courtesy of tenerifeisland.org

Photo of cricket wing courtesy of somethingscrawlinginmyhair.com 

Northern Sea Oats – a great match for your garden

Northern Sea Oats would make a great personal ad: pretty, flexible and low maintenance, likes relaxing in the sun or reclining in the shade (not sure about long walks on the beach), not over-bearing and not attractive to deer.  Sound appealing?

Most ornamental grasses do best in full sun but Northern Sea Oats grass, Chasmanthium latifolium, is very adaptable to a wide variety of growing conditions including shade. It’s a really unique grass with interesting seed heads.  Looking at the seed heads you are immediately reminded of fish skeletons hanging in clusters from each stalk or also flattened oats but I prefer the fish comparison. 

It is a clump forming warm season grass growing to about 3’ tall by 1-2’ wide. The leaf blades are a pleasing light green color with a bamboo-like look. The seed heads grow in clusters starting out green and then turn copper-bronze in the fall finally turning a light tan or straw color.  They will stay on the grass late into the winter adding much winter interest. 

Native to the southeastern US and northeastern Mexico, it’s a perennial grass that grows naturally in wooded and riparian areas, but for us can thrive in full sun to partial shade from dry to moist well-draining soils.  It does need occasional supplemental moisture in dry spots.  It is adaptable to most soil types and also grows well in containers. It is considered deer resistant, hardy to zone 5 although I’m going to try and grow it in my zone 4 garden this year in a sunny spot.

Rick Darke, author of Timber Press Pocket Guide to Ornamental Grasses, lists Chasmanthium latifolium as, “a versatile grass for formal accent, groups, sweeps, groundcover, naturalizing, or container display.” That sounds like a very useful plant! Author John Greenlee, of The American Meadow Garden, notes a private garden in Missouri that uses it in a meadow planting with lilies and sedges for a naturalistic look. 

One of the things you’ll either like or dislike about this grass is that it likes to reseed.  I find that the seedlings are easily controlled and pulled where you don’t want them.  Cut the grass back once in the early spring before new growth appears.  If you don’t want the seedlings you can also deadhead this grass before the seeds scatter in the fall. 

There are some fun things you can do with dried grasses including using them as a long-lasting cut arrangement.  You might also use the seed heads to make a bookmark or a greeting card.  Because these seed heads are already flattened they are easily pressed.

For additional ideas on decorating with ornamental grasses, visit http://www.learn2grow.com/projects/floral/arranging/UsingOrnamentalGrasses.aspx

Steamin' Compost by Elaine Lockey

A tumbler-style compost bin

 While visiting the Rooney Road Recycling Center this winter I happened to see a rather prehistoric-looking vision.  The huge piles of brush in their organic waste area looked like primordial vents as they emitted steam on a day that wasn’t warmer than 20F. 

For gardeners, the knowledge that in the middle of a compost pile, temperatures can be over 140F - well that’s just exciting! If you haven’t already started composting, there are many resources out there to help you get started including classes and internet information.  CSU Extension has a great Fact Sheet on composting yard waste.  

The statistics are rather shocking: grass clippings, leaves and yard waste make up 20% of Denver’s household trash.  Composting yard waste combined with kitchen waste can reduce by 300lbs per person how much we send to the landfill annually. (Source: Denver Recycles) Plants lose between 50-75% of their volume in composting so it is an effective way to cleanup your yard. 

The main components to a healthy compost pile are temperature, moisture and oxygen, and nutrients.  The balance of these is critical to the pile getting hot enough and for microorganisms to effectively breakdown the waste. Microbes operate best at a range of 70-140F; temperatures exceeding 160F will kill them. Moisture is very essential to successful compost in Colorado.  You’ll need to add extra water to your pile to keep things breaking down as our natural precipitation won’t be enough to keep things going in the dryer times. It is easy to go overboard as well with moisture.  You don’t want a soggy compost pile as that will begin to smell and there will be a lack of oxygen supporting the microbes.  Your goal is moist or damp and uniformly wet.

The size of the materials you are composting is also critical.  Break apart or shred large plant pieces or other materials into ½ to 1 ½ size particles. It is not as necessary to do this with soft plant parts. Periodically turn or fork your pile to move microbes around and aerate.  Your pile also needs to be at least 3’x3’ in size to generate enough heat.  You can either fence it off or put your waste into a manufactured bin like the black tumblers available at nurseries. 

It's helpful to keep an under-sink kitchen bucket for your compost waste to easily transport to your compost bin when it gets filled.  Partially fill it with water to keep bugs and odors down.

Why are microbes hanging out in your compost pile? The plant material is a food source for them. Nitrogen is a critical nutrient for them and when that runs low they will also slow down their feeding. Green plants like kitchen waste provide Nitrogen while dry leaves and paper or straw contain little Nitrogen but do provide a Carbon source.  You’ll want a balance of equal parts green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) waste to strike the right balance of nutrients. There are many compostable items you can use and some that you might want to avoid.

This list from Denver Recycles gives you some ideas on what you can compost and which green or brown category a material fits into. 

Browns

paper, shredded● eggshells ● sunflower stalks● end-of season annual plants ● straw

saw dust (small amounts) ● cotton string● oats● cabbage and broccoli stalks● grain hulls● tissue

cardboard cores (toilet paper & paper towels) ● wool● autumn leaves● dryer lint● lawn thatch

turnips● peanut husks● stalks from perennial plants● chipped branches● vacuum cleaner sweepings

coffee filters● corn cobs● cornstalks● cotton● landscape trimming● paper towels

Greens

alfalfa pellets● apples and peels● artichokes● asparagus stalks● bananas and peels

beans● beet tops● berries● broccoli● carrots and tops● celery● citrus fruit and rinds● coffee grounds pears● pet hair● food scraps (non meat scraps only) ● cucumbers● peas● garden waste (overgrown vegetables) ● grass clippings (no pesticides) ●moldy food (no meat, fat, cheese or bones)

● onions and skins● grapefruit● green leaves● spent hops● human hair● grapes● lettuce● manure (herbivores only) ● melons● pineapples● pond algae● potatoes and peels● pumpkins● squash

recycled water from cleaning fish tanks● weeds without mature seeds

Some waste that you might want to avoid are highly resinous wood, leaf prunings from pines, junipers, spruce and arborvitae (resin coatings prevent decomposition), plants treated with weed killers, human, cat and dog feces (disease issues), wood ash or lime.  For a more complete list visit the Extension’s Fact Sheet. 

Your compost is ready to use on your garden when it smells earthy and has the appearance of soil. You should not be able to recognize anything in it.  The amount of time to finish is highly variable but ranges from three months to a couple of years depending on the key elements above. 

Once you start composting it is hard to imagine ever throwing another apple core into the trashcan again!  It’s also a bit addictive so warn your family and friends; you might find yourself on the lookout for “compostable items” wherever you go so you can add to that pile. 

Project BudBurst by Elaine Lockey

Prunus x cistena, Purple-leaf Sand Cherry

One of the neatest studies I’ve recently learned about is called Project BudBurst.  This project began in 2007 in an effort to monitor seasonal plant change by involving the public. Ultimately the goal is to see what effect climate change might be having on plants in different regions of the US. Project BudBurst is co-managed by the National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. (NEON) and the Chicago Botanical Garden.

Citizen scientists carefully observe plants in their backyards or even while out in parks and other places and report data, such as, when there is a first leaf, first flower, first fruit, end of flowering or when 50% of leaves have fallen off a plant.  Anyone can participate and it is a great fun to go out and examine your plants and see what they’re up to for your own knowledge and also to share your information with others for research. The goal is to get as much diverse plant information as possible. There are reports in already for 2011 from around the US on their website and they are fun to read.  One is from Erie, Colorado, for a first leaf on an apple tree- dated March 1!   

I participated last year and entered information about my Western Sandcherry, Prunus besseyi.  I really enjoyed going out and checking on the progress of the buds in the spring and then noting when I saw the first flower.  It also gave me the opportunity to pay close attention to what insects were visiting the flowers and some other interesting details that I might have missed had I not been doing that.

Project BudBurst’s mission statement is to, “Engage people from all walks of life in ecological research by asking them to share their observations of changes in plants through the seasons.” According to their website, participants have included school groups, backyard naturalists, gardeners, seniors in retirement communities, scout groups, college professors and their students, hikers, professional botanists and ecologists, visitors to botanic gardens, visitors to Wildlife Refuges and National Parks, and others. 

There are different levels of observation from an occasional observer to participants who are able to track the phenology of a particular plant throughout the seasons. Phenology is the study of naturally recurring events in plants’ and animals’ life cycles and how seasonal variations in weather, especially in terms of temperature, affect the timing of those events. For example, warmer temperatures in spring bring plants out of dormancy and you will then see buds opening on trees and first leaves emerging.  Fall brings cooler temperatures and leaves will begin to turn color and drop.  

This kind of observational work is ideal for young children.  They are often the ones who see tiny details in nature the best.  Project Budburst has a kid’s website just for them.  The kids’ site teaches children all the basics and timeline of plant growth and then helps them learn how to start a plant journal. I loved how they help kids describe plants.

Here are some examples:

  

Plants come in all different sizes. The top of my plant is:

·         So tall that I have to look up to see the top of it.

·         About as tall as me.

·         Above my knee but shorter than me.

·         Lower than my knee.

 I can put my arms around my plant: yes or no.

For those of you on Facebook, there’s a Project BudBurst page.  It’s fun to see comments by others about what they are seeing in their gardens.  It feels like a community of like-minded nature lovers.  For more information on this and other Citizen Science projects you can do in your community, visit http://scienceforcitizens.net/project/41/

realtown.com

What Can Your Houseplants Do For You? By Elaine Lockey

Golden pothos cuttings growing roots in water

Your houseplants do more than just look pretty on a window sill; they actively remove harmful air pollutants from the air of your house or office. In a controlled test by NASA, some were found to remove as much as 87 percent of indoor air pollutants in a 24 hour period.

You might wonder why NASA is interested in houseplants. Houseplants are studied for their effectiveness in keeping the air cleaner inside space stations. During long space flights or time in closed capsules, air pollutants build up creating hazardous conditions for astronauts. NASA, in a joint partnership with ALCA (Associated Landscaping Contractors of America), tested to see which houseplants perform the cleanup task better.

There are three main known contaminants in spacecrafts other than carbon dioxide: formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. These contaminants are also the most common ones in our homes and offices as they are emitted by furniture, carpeting, fabrics, office equipment and other common materials. Benzene is also a product of tobacco smoke. Newer, more energy efficient homes have higher levels of indoor pollutants due to being more air-tight while older drafty homes may not have as much of an issue. The more air leaking in and out means a higher turnover of bad air to good air - a trade-off to be sure. The phenomenon of “sick-building syndrome” has grown with the construction of new buildings. Symptoms include itchy eyes, drowsiness, respiratory and sinus congestion, headaches and many more. Over the long term these can translate to asthma and certain cancers.

Some houseplants are better at cleaning a particular pollutant over another and some are better overall than others. In a very simple explanation, plants breakdown pollutants via photosynthesis, similar to how they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Their soil also absorbs harmful particles and renders them into harmless matter. To get the most effectiveness, NASA recommends 1 potted plant for 100 square feet. In an average 1800 square foot home, use 15 to 18 6-8” diameter plants ideally put into most rooms. Many of these plants are able to thrive in lower light conditions making them ideal for many homes.

“To test if our friendly green goo-gobblers provide a natural way of helping combat pollutants, researchers set up conditions as follows: They placed each plant type in a sealed plexiglass chamber and injected chemicals. After 24 hours, spider plants removed 96% of the carbon monoxide, and golden pothos removed 75%. They found plants with large leaf surface areas were the most effective in removing pollutants.” (University of Illinois Extension)

Photo courtesy of Parks Wholesale Plants

According to NASA, the best plants for removing formaldehyde were heart leaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens oxycardium), spider plant (Chlorophytum elatum), and golden pothos (Scindapsus aureus). Benzene was removed effectively by the flowering plants in the study - Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) and chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium).

Is it possible to have too many houseplants? According to my husband the answer is yes. However, he was thrilled to learn how they make our home cleaner - a great reminder I can give him next time I return with my newest purchase.

A complete list of plants that NASA tested, including the plants that removed each contaminant, by CSU Extension Agent Laura Pottorff.

African violets –not just foliage plants! by Elaine Lockey

It seems that you either have luck with African violets blooming or you don’t. I was in the no-luck category for many years. I had one particular African violet for more than 5 years with one tiny little flower the entire time. I guess I was keeping it for the cute fuzzy foliage as I’d given up on flowers. What was the secret of my non-gardener friends who could produce gorgeous blossoms on theirs?

My luck turned last year when we moved into a house with a large number of windows and a very sunny kitchen. I put the African violet in a sunny spot which promptly burned the leaves but I left it there out of frustration because at that point I wasn’t much concerned about its status. Well, within one month there were little buds popping out all over it! It then produced the prettiest deep blue-purple blooms – and it’s still blooming four months later.

Was the secret this whole time about the amount of light it wasn’t getting in the past? Yes. That was exactly it. African violets, Saintpaulia ionantha, need enough light to properly bloom. If light is too low, they will develop small dark-green leaves with long stalks and no or few blooms. Too much light can mean burned and yellowed leaves and stunted growth. You don’t need to put them in direct light. An east or north facing exposure is ideal. If you have a light meter, 600FC (foot candles) is best. Artificial light can also be used to produce profuse blooms. They need up to 16 hours of daylight but on the flip side, they need 8 hours of darkness to bloom.

Ideal night temperatures are between 65-70F and daytime temps between 75-80F, typically the temperatures that we keep our houses at – easy! Fertilize with a 100% water-soluble houseplant fertilizer, preferably one formulated for blooming houseplants. Be careful not to over-fertilize. You can usually omit the winter fertilizer and then just apply to the plant in the other seasons if the plant’s leaves are turning a lighter green or the growth rate decreases. The African Violet Society of America, AVSA, recommends periodic soil leaching so that salts don’t build up.

Water African violets when the top inch of soil feels dry. According to the AVSA, “African violets need just enough water to keep the soil moist, but never soggy.” Many nurseries sell specialized pots for African violets to help prevent water from getting on the leaves as this can cause spotting. The key is to keep the leaves dry, keep the crown dry and to use room temperature water. If you do use a regular pot, just use care to carefully lift up the leaves and water underneath them along the sides of the pot. Another watering method is a self-watering pot which you can just add water at the bottom when it gets dry or a pot in a saucer or bowl that the soil can wick water from. Whatever method you use, be careful to only water when the plant needs it to prevent rot.

Provided by Planttalk Colorado

African violet blooms come in white, pink, blue, purple, lavender, red and some bi and multi-colored forms. Flowers also come in a variety of types like ruffled, scalloped and double flowers. And yet another plant that you can become a fanatic about – collect them all! Not only do African violets offer beauty in our homes but they are one of the easier houseplants to grow. They can also easily be propagated to make additional plants. Take a leaf cutting with a bit of stalk and put in warm water, sand, or vermiculite. Roots will eventually grow and you have a whole new plant.

I’m sure you are curious as to the name of this plant and if it truly originated in Africa. In 1892, the Baron Walter von St. Paul discovered the plant in east Africa, what is now Tanzania. It was brought to Europe where it was kept as a houseplant, eventually going to the US in 1926. The wild species are blue-violet colors. For the complete history and also anything else you’d like to know about African violets, visit the AVSA website.

I haven’t yet tried propagating my own plant but now that I’m really happy with it I will try that next. If you have growing tips you’d like to share, please share them with us.

Planttalk Colorado info on African Violets

A Gaggle of Gourds by Elaine Lockey

I recently visited a friend in Fruita who showed me the amazing collection of Birdhouse Gourds that he grew in 2010.  What is even more amazing is that he planted one seed and got almost 50 gourds from the single plant.  He was thrilled and overwhelmed to say the least.  Where will this gourd gaggle end up?  They are being donated to an elementary school to be painted, loved and made into bird houses by the students.  This is a great time of year to begin planning your next vegetable garden and ordering seeds. Consider adding Birdhouse Gourds to your seed order. Not only are they fun to look at while they are growing but will provide hours of fun for children and adults alike when they are ready to decorate, not to mention providing homes for birds. 

 What makes a gourd a gourd? A gourd is a trailing or climbing plant related to pumpkins, squash and cucumbers, in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is also a name for a dried shell of a fruit. According to Wikipedia, gourds may be the oldest plants domesticated by humans. Plants of the Lagenaria and Luffa  genera are more useful as utilitarian plants grown for their hard shell or fibrous interior than as food. Lagenaria spp. produces hard fruits useful as containers in the past before pottery and as an art medium now. Luffa spp. produces those vegetable sponges with the fibrous texture that you use in the shower. The gourd fruits have a very tough rind often irregular in shape.  I think that’s where the expression “out of your gourd” comes from – meaning foolish and crazy!

Birdhouse gourds, as they are commonly called, have the botanical name Lagenaria sicerari. According to Gurney’s Seed and Nursery Co., birdhouse gourds have a long time before they are mature enough to harvest – about 95+ days and Cornell’s website states up to 140 days.  They love hot sunny places to grow and are heavy feeders so give them lots of compost. You should harvest them in the fall when the shell is hard and glossy.  The key to being able to use these is in the curing. Allowing proper air circulation and time is essential (1-6 months).

The gourd is cured when it is completely dry and you can hear the seeds rattling.  Cut an entrance hole, empty out the seeds and paint as desired. For use as a birdhouse, be sure to put some little drainage holes in the bottom. For complete instructions on how to grow, harvest and cure a gourd visit the Cornell website: http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/files/2009/12/Gourd-Birdhouse.pdf

I found so many ideas for design inspiration on the internet – from the whimsical to the beautiful.  How will you paint yours?

Plant Survival in Winter by Elaine Lockey

Winter is a true test for the hardiness of the plants in your garden. If you’ve nurtured your plants during the other seasons, chances are your plants will provide you with another glorious year of, well, doing what plants do best! An ideal season for plants would be a cool fall slowly growing colder with a constant freezing cold winter and gradual warming into spring. Since this is not reality of life in the Rockies, plants must adapt to rapid and giant temperature swings, drought and sometimes even too much snow.

How do your plants make it through such cold times?  Snow is an excellent insulator for plants against cold air temperatures.  It also helps prevent soil heaving which is caused by the alternate freezing and thawing out of the wet soil. Plants that have heaved up out of the soil are exposing their roots to drying and extreme freezing which can kill them. Using mulch will also perform a similar function to snow as insulator and reducing the temperature extremes of the soil.  It also helps hold moisture in the soil which is critical to the survival of the plant’s root system, aka, the plant. A simple mulch that you might still have on hand is the evergreen boughs off your old Christmas tree.  Cut those and lay them around plants for a pretty and easy mulch.

Low winter temperatures can affect plants that are not hardy for our area.  The US is divided into Plant Hardiness Zones.  The USDA updates this map to help gardeners and growers determine what kinds of plants can generally be grown where. Using plants that are labeled for your appropriate zone will help reduce the loss of non hardy plants.  It’s really hard when you’re looking at a garden catalog from a warmer climate to take this into account but doing so will lessen your heartache.  As you can see from the Colorado zone map, the higher the zone number the warmer the temperature that the plant thrives in.  If you do fall in love with a plant in zone 11 you can try it as a houseplant as that’s where many houseplants come from!  http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Even hardy plants can occasionally be taken by surprise by sudden drops in temperature or extreme cold snaps.  Keeping plants healthy going into winter will help them survive some of the shock. Avoid heavy nitrogen applications in the fall to allow plants to harden-off properly and additionally reduce fall watering for the same reason.

Plants in containers are especially vulnerable to temperature swings.  Make sure that they stay watered during the winter and mulch pots or keep them on the north side of your house to keep temperatures more constant. Winter watering of all of your landscape plants is essential, one to two times per month.  See the recent blog by Carol King on this topic: http://jeffcogardener.blogspot.com/2010/12/watering-for-christmas-in-jefferson.html

If you do get plant die-back be sure to prune out those damaged areas in the spring to avoid plant disease.  Plants that have died over the winter should be removed. Always a good excuse to go shopping!

Winter burning of broadleaved evergreens, such as on Pyracantha and Oregon Grape Holly and needled plants such as spruces and pines, is also called dessication.  This drying out of the needles and leaves is caused by the plant losing moisture faster than it is getting it from the soil.  Windy areas can contribute to this and also sunny spots. Proper winter watering can help reduce this issue.  Sensitive plants can be protected by burlap or other materials or planted in areas with protection from drying winter winds or too much winter sun.

How much moisture do we get from snow?  The common myth is 1” of water per every 10” of snow. As skiers know, snow can be highly variable – fluffy and dry to heavy and wet.
The National Snow and Ice Data Center answers this:
“The water content of snow is more variable than most people realize. While many snows that fall at temperatures close to 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and snows accompanied by strong winds do contain approximately one inch of water per ten inches of snowfall, the ratio is not generally accurate. Ten inches of fresh snow can contain as little as 0.10 inches of water and as much as 4 inches of water, depending on crystal structure, wind speed, temperature, and other factors. The majority of U.S. snows fall with a water-to-snow ratio of between 0.04 and 0.10.”

So you can’t judge a snowfall by its appearance.  I think that’s how the saying goes?
And what makes that that fluffy snow that Colorado is known for? “Studies in the Rocky Mountains have shown that the fluffiest, lowest density, or water-to-snow ratio (0.01 - 0.05) snows typically fall with light winds and temperatures near -9 degrees Celsius (15 degrees Fahrenheit). At colder temperatures, the crystal structure and size change. At very cold temperatures (near and below -18 degrees Celsius or 0 degrees Fahrenheit) crystals tend to be smaller so that they pack more closely together as they accumulate, producing snow that may have a density of 0.10 or more.”  (http://nsidc.org/snow/faq.html)

Heavy snow can cause breakage of tree limbs and distortion of plants.  You might have even seen entire trees toppled over after a heavy snowstorm.  Proper pruning of trees and shrubs will help reduce most major breakage. One of the keys is to prune out branches that have very narrow angles to the main stem or trees with co-dominant stems. The wider the angle of the branch to the stem, generally the better that it can withstand heavy snow or ice loads.  If you do get broken branches from snow, prune those out to reduce further damage to the tree. Those of you with rodent problems may be displeased to hear that another negative to a heavy snow can be actually be an increase in problems with voles and rabbits by providing better cover for them and safety from predators.

Winter is tough on plants and animals but with some good general care of your plants you can help see them happily through winter and into spring.

Snowflake Wonder by Elaine Lockey

http://weather.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/01/the_snowflake.php

If you get caught outside finishing up gardening tasks when it begins to snow, chances are you aren’t too interested in stopping to admire it.  But when you have the opportunity, “snowflake watching” will transport you right back to your childhood sense of wonder.

Snow crystals are single crystals of ice while a snowflake is one or more crystals stuck together. Water molecules create a hexagonal lattice that is formed when water vapor condenses directly into ice in clouds when the temperature is freezing or below. There are several factors that influence the shape of snowflakes: humidity, temperature, and air currents.  Colder temperatures create more intricate shapes – sharper tips and more branching.

It is commonly believed that snowflakes are perfectly symmetrical.  This is much more the exception rather than the rule.  Snowflakes are generally lob-sided and irregular. Symmetrical ones just tend to be photographed more! Snowflakes always have six sides or six points due to the shape and bonding of the water molecules.

You’ve probably heard that no two snowflakes are alike.  This is more or less true. No two snowflakes are exactly alike down to their molecular level, however it is possible that there could be two visibly matching patterned flakes at some time if the environmental conditions for their growth were the same, although that is hard to fathom. William A. “Snowflake” Bentley (1865-1931), a self-educated farmer, spent years photographing snow crystals, capturing more than 5000 during his lifetime.  His first snow crystal was photographed in 1885. He never was able to capture the same snowflake pattern twice. Snowflakes come in all different sizes too. Guinness World Records lists the largest snowflake as found January 1887 in Fort Keogh, Montana with one allegedly measuring 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick! That must have been quite a snowfall to see.

Snowflake watching is easy to do.  Take a piece of black construction paper and head outside to see what kinds of flakes you can gather on it. The black background really helps the flakes show up.  Some snow days produce more interesting flakes than others so be patient.  An inexpensive magnifying glass can really enhance this activity. 

There are many different types of snow crystals, but the most commonly known ones are the stars, dendrites (my favorite), columns, plates, capped columns, needles and irregular forms. A quick internet search will yield images of these various types. See if you can group the snowflakes that you see into these categories. What’s your favorite type?

I find that a good snowstorm does wonders for my ability to write and read.  Writer Nathaniel Hawthorne felt the same way. “Snowflakes” collected in Twice-Told Tales, 1837, is a wonderful read as the snowflakes come down. http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/arts/snowflakes.htm 

Snowflake photographs used with permission of snowcrystals.com