Planters Punchlines
Men’s Garden Club of Wethersfield
February 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Meeting - Monday February 27th
@ The Pitkin Community Center @ 7:00 p.m.
SPEAKER TO BE ANNOUNCED
February 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Meeting - Monday February 27th
@ The Pitkin Community Center @ 7:00 p.m.
SPEAKER TO BE ANNOUNCED
Compostable Matter
By Jim Meehan
Okay. This was actually stunning news to me. Squirrels remember where they bury their nuts.
I read this in Temple Grandin’s book “Animals in Translation”. Ms. Grandin is a Doctor of Animal Science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior – and a person with high-functioning autism. Much of her academic work centers on her belief that autistic people and animals view the world similarly – for example both see EVERY detail; both think in pictures rather than words. Her general technique is to observe how she herself thinks and behaves in a particular situation – and when she sees an animal behaving in the same manner she deduces that they are thinking similarly.
For example it is apparently a proven fact in the world of animal behavior that ants use landmarks to find their way to and from a place. When taking a trip for the first time when an ant walks by a potential marker such as a gray stone it will stop and look back at it. Grandin does the same thing when she is driving an unfamiliar route. That is because, unlike non-Autistic people, she cannot imagine what the landmark (e.g. a red barn) would look like from the other side. Likewise ants.Makes sense to me – or at least I can see it from her point of view.
As you might expect this means Grandin feels that animals are more intelligent than most of us would give them credit for – hence the squirrel/acorn thing.
For years it was thought that squirrels buried acorns randomly in the fall and were just as haphazard in their springtime retrieval of them. Then, through careful observation, it was noticed that they actually recovered the vast majority of them. It was then hypothesized that the little tree rodents used odor of the oak fruit to locate it. But if that were the whole story then the squirrels would just as frequently dig up the cache of other of their brethren as their own. But they didn’t. Somehow they remembered where their own nuts were. Pretty impressive when you think that, based this time upon my observations, an average tree-rat probably buries several score of acorns. (She says six hundred.)
Grandin avers that they do it by “triangulation” – “the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly (trilateration). The point can then be fixed as the third point of a triangle with one known side and two known angles.” (wiki)
Unfortunately she does not provide anecdotal autistic evidence (as in the ant story) or any other kind of proof for her assertion of the squirrel’s geometric acumen – which, if true, clearly outstrips that of any human being.
Of course historically the fluffy gray tree rodents have outsmarted humans for decades and/or we have underestimated them
So perhaps the apparent look of bewilderment that frequently comes over the face of a squirrel as it rushes around our yard in search of its cached crop of nuts is not caused by an inability to recall where the acorns were buried but rather stunned surprise at remembering the combination, opening the lock, and finding an empty safe deposit box.
This could become the case this year because of the warm snow-less winter that we are experiencing here in CT. One result of the abnormally mild winter is the multitudinous murders of crows that should have migrated through our neck of the woods – but instead have remained for multiple months.
Crows also are acorn-caching animals. But more importantly they are also opportunistic eaters with a self-serving imagination that allows them to believe that the nuts they are harvesting are ones that they have planted. (I am imagining this last bit of crow rationalization – but from my perspective it’s a lot easier to believe than the whole squirrel triangulation thing. I mean really – would you trust a crow?)
The bigger problem for our squirrels this year however is going to be the absence of triangulating landmarks. After the acorns fell from our oaks Marsha and I had a couple of other large trees and a two Roses of Sharon taken down. Had we realized at the time that this foliage might have been variables in the squirrels’ geometric calculation we undoubtedly would have waited until after the nut burying season to lop down the lumber. But we didn’t. So we didn’t.
Who knows if the tree rodents used this now-missing flora as “known points at either end of a fixed baseline” – but presumably they have a backup plan. Or can develop one quickly.
Temple Grandin says that intelligence is the ability to come up with a new solution to a novel situation. In one town the handicapped sidewalks were designed with one ramp per flag – that is at a four-corner stop there would be eight flags and eight ramps, each ramp leading into the crosswalk. The seeing-eye dogs were taught to lead their person down the ramp into the crosswalk. Then, to save money, the town began putting the ramps on the corner – four way stop, eight flags, four ramps. Thirty percent of the dogs continued down the ramp into the street and attempted to cross diagonally – not a huge surprise. However seventy percent walked down the ramp, turned right (or left), walked to the crosswalk, turned left (or right) and crossed between the white lines – the first time that they encountered the new configuration!
Okay squirrels – show us what you’ve got!
This Issue of Planters Punchlines Has a Theme
The February 2012 Planters Punchlines takes a look at what’s happening in the gardening blogosphere – that wonderful world of amateur experts who, thanks to the wonders of the Internet, are now able to share their thoughts, their knowledge, and their opinions.
The following article is from an Albuquerque New Mexico gardening blog. The Growing Zone may be different but the thoughts ring true nonetheless
Revving Up the Engines
or Why Gardening Is Like Drag Racing. And Cats.
Stacy @ microcosm-in-the-q.blogspot.com
or Why Gardening Is Like Drag Racing. And Cats.
Stacy @ microcosm-in-the-q.blogspot.com
Just because you're not moving, that doesn't mean you're resting. You might even be lying on a comfy sofa, but reclining isn't the same as relaxing. Instead of feeling the tension melting out of your neck and shoulders, your muscles softening, jaw slackening, mind drifting, as you float one easy breath away from sleep, you could be gathering your resources for some course of action—planning a new project, nagging yourself about an old one, debating possibilities, thinking through ways and means.
I was watching Sir Marley a while ago. He had designs on a mourning dove—a nice, fat one that was sitting on the ground under the bird feeder in the vague stupor natural to its kind. Sir Marley stayed perfectly still, but you could see him working the math problems in his head: measuring distances, calculating trajectories, accounting for wind speed. Once all the equations worked out, he began, in the mysterious, motionless way of cats, to gather himself together.
Energy at the ready, spine taut, his back paws began to twitch as his weight shifted. From stasis he went instantly for the POUNCE.
And missed. (Vague stupors 1 - Math problems 0.)
Likewise, drag racers at the start line may just be sitting there, but they're not idling. Their engines are revving up, roaring like Sir Marley only wishes he could. When the starting signal flicks from amber to green, off they go like a shot, burning rubber all the way. (And that's everything I know about drag racing.)
At least where gardening is concerned (and in this climate, where the ground doesn't freeze), I've stopped thinking of winter as the dormant season—the gathering season is more like it. Just because the garden isn't leafing and budding, that doesn't mean that it's at rest. Winter is a time for plants to draw resources together, to build them up bit by bit, to rev up the power and get it humming, so that when spring comes, bam!
They can take off like a shot.
Those tiny leaves at the base of the licorice mint and the flax are the botanical equivalents of a cat's back feet. They haven't begun twitching yet—the plants are still doing the math problems, measuring the angle of the sun and the hours of daylight, calculating chlorophyll-to-carbohydrate ratios, plotting their growth trajectories—but in another few weeks, they'll begin in their own motionless, mysterious way, to gather themselves together for the pounce.
Meanwhile, I'm sitting here surrounded by gardening books, old catalogs, and internet printouts doing my own plotting and planning. Don't think my feet aren't starting to twitch.
Mine aren't the only ones...
One of the things I love about gardening is that the activity provides an outlet for discovering new ways to recycle and re-purpose the materials that flow through our lives. In our garden, we have used empty bottles to make cloches and yogurt containers for starting seeds. We used old windows to make cold frames. Small branches can become bramble for the peas to grow on, and twine has been re-used for squash and pumpkins to grow on. The compost is a constant reminder of our success at keeping yard and kitchen waste out of the garbage system and instead making a rich nutritious “food” to feed our plants.
Last week a friend sent me a link that made my inner gardening recycler both giddy and inspired. The post on a “Cool thumb-controlled watering pot made with recycled materials” from the Fun in the Making blog is a nifty new idea inspired by pottery “thumb pots” in 17th and 18th century English gardens. It’s just the right tool for watering seedlings and delicate plants. This is the sort of simple and manageable project that would be great fun to do with kids. I will be making one as soon as I can.
The thumb pot is a lesson for children and adults alike on fluids and pressure and the power of the thumb!I got the idea to make these thumb controlled pots from the pottery ones I’ve seen at Historic Williamsburg. The original earthenware “thumb pots” were used in 17th and 18th century English gardens. I reproduced this clever watering device using salvaged plastic bottles and jugs. It is ideal for watering delicate seedlings. I use this watering pot all the time now.
To Make:
Find a suitable “pot.” I love using maple syrup containers but I was successful making other smaller pots with smaller plastic milk bottles. The smaller bottles are easier for children.
Drill a hole in the center of the cap of your container. I used a 7/32nd drill bit. Next, drill small holes in the bottom. I used a 1/16th drill bit. When using softer plastic containers, it is possible to poke holes instead of using a drill. Make sure the cap is on tight; otherwise the water will not stay inside.
How it works:
It works similar to holding your thumb over the top of a drinking straw.
1. To fill your thumb pot, place into a bucket of water. Do not cover the hole in the top.
2. Hold your finger over the hole in the cap to prevent water from escaping the bottom as you lift.
3. Continue to hold your thumb over the hole as you lift.
4. Take your thumb off the hole when you are ready to water your plants. Removing your thumb allows the water to gently stream out the holes on the bottom.
How to hold a thumb pot.
Homemade Seed Pots
Most gardeners have already been scouring seed catalogs for a few weeks and in the coming weeks and months gardeners will buy seeds from seed racks at garden centers. Every gardener has their preferred method of seed starting and what seed pots they use. Frugal gardeners have know for a long time that many items around the house can be converted into homemade seed pots. Everyday household items can be made into seed pots as long as they can hold soil and have some drainage. I did a post on making seed pots from rolling a sheet of newspaper, you can start seeds in a plastic sandwich bag or make a seed starter from a soda bottle. If you aren't familiar with those cheap ways of starting seeds take a moment to read those links and add that seed starting information to your gardening arsenal.
Peat pellets and peat pots have a long history of being used as seed pots especially among organic gardeners. But peat isn't the most environmentally friendly product and many suppliers like GrowOrganic.com are providing coco (made from coconuts) coir seed pellets as an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative. I'll provide a cheaper tip below.
Homemade organic Seed pots. Eggshell pot. Eggshells are a classic homemade seed pot. Empty eggshells that have been rinsed out and carefully broken to hold a few spoonfuls of potting soil or seed starting mix make interesting seed pots. Remember to clean out the eggshell seed pot by rinsing it and setting it aside to dry. It would be a good idea to poke a small drainage hole at the base of the eggshell so your soil or seed mix doesn't become waterlogged. If you buy your eggs in a cardboard carton you can also use the carton as a seed pot or simply use it as a way to prop up your eggshell seed pots so they don't tip over or roll around. Once your seeds have sprouted and they're ready to be planted in the garden you can plant your eggshell seed pot in the ground; you can give the young roots and seedling a little help by crushing the eggshell seed pot.
Instead of discarding the cardboard toilet paper rolls you can easily turn them into homemade seed pots by filling them with soil or seed starting mix. Like the eggshell seed pot the cardboard roll seed pot is an environmentally friendly seed pot that you can plant directly in the garden once the growing season begins in your area. If you still have the empty cardboard rolls that held your wrapping paper in place they can also be used to create seed pots. I kind of prefer the wrapping paper cardboard seed pot because it is more durable and doesn't become soft so soon.
With these seed pots there is no need to create a drainage hole since both sides of the cardboard tube are open. Keep your paper tube seed pots a minimum of three inches in length so when the seed sprouts there will be plenty of soil for the roots to grow into. If you cut your tubes too short you may find it hard to keep your seed pots moist and your seedlings growing.
Yogurt cups, Styrofoam cups, butter/cream cheese tubs and takeout containers also make good homemade seed pots. Just remember to poke holes in the bottom of the container and choose durable plastics that can last as seed pots for a couple of years.
I personally use a general houseplant potting mix to start all of my seeds but others may use a specific seed starting soil mix. The one thing I've learned after a few years of growing from seeds is to prep the soil mix I'm using with a little bit of perlite and to moisten the soil mix before using it. If you enlarge the eggshell seed pot image above you may notice that the soil mix is dark. That's because I moistened it before spooning it into the eggshell and cardboard roll seed pots. Lightly wetting the soil mix for my seeds makes it easier to handle so I waste less and can water easier than if the mix was dry.
Both peat and coco fiber seed starting pellets are good products with their advantages but their drawback to me is price. The seed starting page for Burpee has 48 peat pellets selling for under nine dollars and the coco coir pellets can start at fifteen cents per seed pellet. While good products with their pros and cons I'd rather spend the money on buying seeds. If you visit your local pet supply store you can buy a brick of coco coir for few dollars. The Coco fibers is sold as reptile bedding and is even used by terrarium builders as a soil. If you buy a large brick and stuff either the cardboard roll or the eggshell seed pods with the moistened fiber it is basically the same thing as a peat or coco coir pellet, except it will cost you less.
Every month, Heavy Petal collaborates with Willowtree — a website for those with food sensitivities who want to find their culinary bliss — to bring you a celebration of an in-season edible. I’ll tell you how to grow it; they’ll tell you how to eat it. Yay!
If you haven’t already succumbed to kale’s seductions, now is the time to try it. This hardy, healthy leafy green can be found in gardens and markets throughout the fall and winter, and the Willowtree gals recommend trying it in a smoothie.
If the idea of a kale smoothie makes your gag reflex spasm, I do understand. Until very recently, I’d be right there with you, running for the bag of refined sugar. But then I tried this recipe, and not only is it tolerable, it’s good. I especially appreciate the license I feel it’s given me to eat like crap for the rest of the day.
Kale Smoothie
Cook Time: 10 mins
Makes: 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 cups organic kale (ribs removed)
1/2 banana
1 apple (peeled & chopped)
1” piece of ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp raw organic agave syrup
1/2 cup almond milk
Method: Add all ingredients to food processor or blender; set on high and blend until smooth.
How to grow kale:Kale should be a staple of every healthy-food-lover’s garden. It’s attractive, easy to grow, and frost tolerant (so makes a great winter-garden crop!). Plant in early spring and again in midsummer, harvesting outer leaves as the plants reach 4 in. (10cm) tall. Kale likes full sun and rich, fertile soil (though it will tolerate a little shade). Help it along with a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer such as fish fertilizer. Kale will overwinter in all but the coldest climates; harvest all winter, then eat the flowers that emerge in spring. My favourite kales are ‘Lacinato’ (aka Black Tuscan, or Dinosaur kale) and ‘Red Russian.’
That would be me! Potatoes are just about my favorite crop. They are famous for yielding the most food in the smallest possible space, why is one explanation for why the land-poor 19th century Irish became so dependent on them. They are very forgiving, producing early, late, everywhere in between. And homegrown potatoes are creamy and delicious.
So, it was with pleasure that I flipped through The Complete Book of Potatoes: What Every Grower and Gardener Needs to Know by Hielke De Jong, a retired potato breeder from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Potato Research Center; Joseph B. Sieczka, Cornell hort professor emeritus; and Walter De Jong, of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell.
Publisher Timber Press outdid itself here. This is a beautiful book with lots of useful photographs, including those of various potato diseases, which will occasionally trouble even the most easy-going home grower in a wet year. There are photographs of different varieties--to be expected--but there are also photographs of the potato in art and of outrageously colorful and wildly shaped cultivated potatoes from the potato's birthplace in the Andes. Let's get some of THOSE varieties over here.
And while the growing instructions seem a little constipated in way that suggests a greater familiarity with the needs of commercial growers than happy seat-of-the-pants gardeners like me--i.e, worry about pH even though potatoes will grow in a wide range of soil types--the real delights of this book are in its panoramic consideration of the potato.
I learned all kinds of things I did not previously know, such as...
1. If you intend to store potatoes, the skin will toughen up if you leave them in the ground for at least two weeks after the vegetation dies.
2. Half of the world's potato crop winds up in processed foods.
3. Wild potatoes are full of toxic glycoalkaloids that make them taste bitter. (The glycoalkaloids have been bred down to acceptable levels in domestic potatoes, but are concentrated in the green tissue of tubers that have been exposed to light. That's why we hill potatoes--to keep them shrouded.)
4. In the Andes, where the potato is native, people dealt with the glycoalkaloids by eating a special clay that binds to them, or by leaving potatoes outside in freezing weather and then trampling and washing the glycoalkaloids out of them, creating a freeze-dried product called chuno.
5. Colored potatoes contain additional nutrients, including antioxidants, so if you can do blue or red, why not?
6. The authors make growing potatoes from actual seed, called TPS or "true potato seed"--rather than from "seed potatoes"--seem like a reasonable proposition. Of course, you'll be getting the product of sexual reproduction in that case, so you'll have to do without the genetic uniformity of tubers. But seed tubers are expensive! I'd rather not spend the $30 or $40 I spend on them every year. The only source I could find, however, for TPS is www.nicholsgardennursery.com/.
Horti-Culture Corner
From highaltitudegardening.blogspot.com/
Poinsettias are simply celebrating
what we humans are lamenting ~
the long, dark days of winter.
From http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/sforres1/poetry/
From highaltitudegardening.blogspot.com/
Poinsettias are simply celebrating
what we humans are lamenting ~
the long, dark days of winter.
From http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/sforres1/poetry/
Two snails, smirking smugly,
slid through the slippery sedge.
Two sledgehammers
smartly smashed the snails,
who smirked no longer smugly,
being but smudges upon the sand.
slid through the slippery sedge.
Two sledgehammers
smartly smashed the snails,
who smirked no longer smugly,
being but smudges upon the sand.
