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Category Archives: general nature
Planning your home garden can be complicated
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
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
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
Loropetalum is a semi-evergreen that can bloom anytime
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
Leyland cypress is the mule of landscape material
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
Cormorants are gluttonous birds unpopular with almost everyone
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
Newer apple varieties are out there, but often hard to find
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
We all have our favorite apple
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
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
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
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