Category Archives: general nature

Planning your home garden can be complicated

Posted on March 18, 2020 by tedmanzer

Designing a productive and aesthetically pleasing garden can be complicated. Doing it correctly involves more than placing a seed in the ground, watering it and watching a corn plant come up. We must determine what our goals are. If you … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged exposure, garden pests, home garden, light, perennial vegetables, short plants, soil temperature, tall plants, vegetable garden | 2 Comments

Pencil cactus is an interesting but poisonous houseplant

Posted on March 17, 2020 by tedmanzer

I get a lot of questions about poisonous plants. Many species, both interior, and exterior can contain poisonous chemicals. Most aren’t a major concern. In fact, many of our common houseplants are considered poisonous, but they are found everywhere. Often, … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged Euphorbia tirucalli, latex, no thorns, pencil cactus, poisonous, skin irritant | 4 Comments

Apple cider vinegar has a big following for many reasons

Posted on March 8, 2020 by tedmanzer

Popup adds online, infomercials, junk emails and many other sources bestow the wonders of apple cider vinegar. Obesity, diabetes, heart problems, skin and hair maladies are just a few of the issues apple cider vinegar use is claimed to combat. … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged acetic acid, antimicrobial compounds, apple cider vinegar, diabein problems, hair maladies, lower potassium absorption, marinade, obesity | Leave a comment

Loropetalum is a semi-evergreen that can bloom anytime

Posted on January 21, 2020 by tedmanzer

Most shrubs have a certain season where they are most attractive. Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is one that can be pretty during any season. We have one at school near our greenhouses that has a few blooms and many buds right … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged Chinese fringe flower, deep red flowers, deer damage, dense foliage, invasive, Loropetalum, pink flowers, reddish to purplish leaves, semi-evergreen, songbirds, white flowers, witch hazel family | 3 Comments

Leyland cypress is the mule of landscape material

Posted on January 21, 2020 by tedmanzer

We all know what a mule is. It’s a cross between a female horse (Equus caballus) and a male donkey (Equus asinus). Since the parents are different species the mule is sterile. Leyland cypress is a lot like that, except … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged bagworms, Christmas trees, fast growing, inter-generic cross, Leyland Cypress, Monterey cypress, Nootka false cypress, privacy screen, resistant to salt spray, shallow root system, windbreak | 4 Comments

Cormorants are gluttonous birds unpopular with almost everyone

Posted on January 1, 2020 by tedmanzer

Sportfishermen hate them. Aquafarmers see them as a threat to their livelihood. Property owners watch them threaten the beauty and value of their property. Cormorants have insatiable appetites for fish. A single bird will consume over a pound of fish … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged deplete wild and domestic fish, destroy property, double-crested cormorant, gluttonous, migratory bird protection act, serrated hooked beaks | Leave a comment

Newer apple varieties are out there, but often hard to find

Posted on December 24, 2019 by tedmanzer

Last week I wrote about apple cultivars we see in the supermarkets. Most have been around for a long time. Many have drawbacks that we’d like to see changed. The problem is that it takes time to get new apples … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged Arctic Golden, Cosmic crisp, Dazzle, Enterprise, Golden Delicious, Honey crisp, keeping quality, Opal, red delicious, risky selection, Swee Tango, Washington Apple Growers | 5 Comments

We all have our favorite apple

Posted on December 24, 2019 by tedmanzer

There are thousands of apple cultivars worldwide. It seems everyone has a favorite. Some favor the pretty varieties like ‘Red Delicious’, while others like the sweet ones like ‘Fuji’, ‘Honey crisp’ or ‘Gala’. ‘Gala’ and ‘Honey crisp’ fruits are early … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged apple cultivars, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honey crisp, Macintosh, Pink Lady, red delicious, texture cooking quality, Winesap, York | 1 Comment

Reblooming azaleas are popular and easy to maintain

Posted on December 23, 2019 by tedmanzer

Azaleas and nearly all spring-flowering shrubs and trees need to be pruned soon after flowering. A new fold has developed in recent years. Reblooming azaleas bloom in spring and fall. So what do we do? First of all, any necessary … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged acid-loving, low maintenance, pruning, re-blooming azalea, renewal pruning, tolerate more sun | 3 Comments

Wood ducks adorn our swamps and creeks

Posted on December 4, 2019 by tedmanzer

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are by far my favorite duck species. They’re beautiful and I love to listen to them in flight. I can close my eyes and tell the males from the females. Males whistle and females make a … Continue reading →

Posted in general nature | Tagged Aix sponsa, Carolina ducks, colorful, cypress and tupelo swamps, nest in trees, nesting boxes, wood duck | Leave a comment

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