Category Archives: general nature
We should encourage native pollinators and native plant species
The European honey bee is perhaps agriculture’s most important pollinator. Its greatest importance is that we derive honey from it. Honey production is a multibillion dollar industry. There are no native honey bees. The varroa mite nearly wiped out honey … Continue reading
Pollination and pollinators are important for our environment
I’d say most people have little regard for pollinators at all. They might even think the world would be better if all these critters went extinct. Bees, wasps, beetles and the like are usually not among your average person’s list … Continue reading
Deer like flowers too
Last week I wrote about selecting trees and shrubs to minimize deer damage. This week I’ll concentrate on flowers, both annual and perennial. Deer will tear up many annual flowers. Some of their favorites are impatiens, sweet potato vine and … Continue reading
Flowers have critical temperature requirements, too
Last week I discussed temperature requirements for different vegetable crops. Flowers are not all the same either. Some hardy annuals like pansies are usually planted in the fall around here. They tolerate cold soils and temperatures below freezing. Snapdragons aren’t … Continue reading
Bridal veil spiraea is a showy shrub that handles cold
Bridal veil spiraea (Spiraea prunifolia) is one of my favorite spring flowering shrubs and it will thrive when winter temperatures dip into the -30s. The most common type of these white spring flowering shrubs is usually referred to as Vanhoutte … Continue reading
Great Blue Heron is the king of the wading birds
I love to watch blue herons standing motionless while waiting for prey. They are such graceful and focused hunters. They also must be quite adaptable, since they have such a large native range. In eastern North Carolina they can be … Continue reading
Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be a genetic challenge
It’s time to cut and plant those spuds. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are different than most vegetables we eat. They aren’t propagated by seed. Plants are grown asexually, meaning they are clones. All plants in a field are genetically identical to … Continue reading
Annual bluegrass may be the single worst turf weed
Many folks have noticed their lawn has suddenly turned green, and the grass is not coarse and ugly. However, this species of annual grass is the most difficult to control and most obnoxious weed in golf courses. The culprit is … Continue reading
What a difference a month makes – and then another two weeks
The first five days of 2018 saw low temperatures in the teens in Elizabeth City. Night temperatures hovered in the single digits the next three nights, one of them around zero. During that stretch daytime temperatures remained in the 20s. … Continue reading
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