Sunday, April 27, 2008
See below for a great link on composting and sheetmulching!
http://podcollective.com/fora/viewtopic.php?t=628
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Why flowers have lost their scent: an interesting, disturbing article!
WHY FLOWERS HAVE LOST THEIR SCENT
By Geoffrey Lean
The Independent
April 20, 2008
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/why-flowers-have-lost-their-scent-812168.html
Pollution is dulling the scent of flowers and impeding some of the most
basic processes of nature, disrupting insect life and imperilling food
supplies, a new study suggests.
The potentially hugely significant research -- funded by the blue-chip US
National Science Foundation -- has found that gases mainly formed from the
emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other
insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted
the study fear that insects' ability to repel enemies and attract mates may
also be impeded.
The researchers -- at the University of Virginia -- say that pollution is
dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent of flowers.
Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said: "Scent molecules produced
by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to
1,200 metres. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 metres. This makes
it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers."
The researchers -- who worked on the scent given off by snapdragons -- found
that the molecules are volatile, and quickly bond with pollutants such as
ozone and nitrate radicals, mainly formed from vehicle emissions. This
chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A
vicious cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food
and the plants do not get pollinated enough to proliferate.
Already bees -- which pollinate most of the world's crops -- are in
unprecedented decline in Britain and across much of the globe. At least a
quarter of America's 2.5 million honey bee colonies have been mysteriously
wiped out by colony collapse disorder (CCD), where hives are found suddenly
deserted.
The crisis has now spread to Europe. Politicians insist that CCD has not yet
been found in Britain, but the insects have been declining here too, and the
agriculture minister Lord Rooker has warned that "the honey bee population
could be wiped out in 10 years".
The researchers do not believe that they have found the cause of CCD, but
say that pollution is making life more difficult for bees and other insects
in many ways."
By Geoffrey Lean
The Independent
April 20, 2008
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/why-flowers-have-lost-their-scent-812168.html
Pollution is dulling the scent of flowers and impeding some of the most
basic processes of nature, disrupting insect life and imperilling food
supplies, a new study suggests.
The potentially hugely significant research -- funded by the blue-chip US
National Science Foundation -- has found that gases mainly formed from the
emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other
insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted
the study fear that insects' ability to repel enemies and attract mates may
also be impeded.
The researchers -- at the University of Virginia -- say that pollution is
dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent of flowers.
Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said: "Scent molecules produced
by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to
1,200 metres. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 metres. This makes
it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers."
The researchers -- who worked on the scent given off by snapdragons -- found
that the molecules are volatile, and quickly bond with pollutants such as
ozone and nitrate radicals, mainly formed from vehicle emissions. This
chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A
vicious cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food
and the plants do not get pollinated enough to proliferate.
Already bees -- which pollinate most of the world's crops -- are in
unprecedented decline in Britain and across much of the globe. At least a
quarter of America's 2.5 million honey bee colonies have been mysteriously
wiped out by colony collapse disorder (CCD), where hives are found suddenly
deserted.
The crisis has now spread to Europe. Politicians insist that CCD has not yet
been found in Britain, but the insects have been declining here too, and the
agriculture minister Lord Rooker has warned that "the honey bee population
could be wiped out in 10 years".
The researchers do not believe that they have found the cause of CCD, but
say that pollution is making life more difficult for bees and other insects
in many ways."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Comfrey and other gardening developments!
JDH has inspired me to add a new, long over due, post. So I will talk about a very dear plant: comfrey!
Comfrey is very high in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, Vitamin A & C. All this great nutrition is for the soil, although I understand the young shoots can be eaten. The best way to add this nutrition to the soil is to add comfrey leaves to the compost pile. The green leaves are high in nitrogen which quickly breaks down. Many people have complained that the underground tubers are invasive and will take over garden areas; I have yet to see this as I tend to pull the leaves often, controlling the plant. Leaves are pulled away from the stalk, as if you are pulling a piece of celery away from the main stalk. If the stalk is cut off, there is a tendency for the stem to rot which may affect the whole plant.
I've been dividing the comfrey in late winter and slowly using it to create a border between the lawn and the garden. The other plant that is a good divider is clover. Depending on the climate Crimson clover will die in the winter and will have to be replanted in the spring. The crimson flowers are a huge draw for the bees and love them almost as much as they love comfrey's purple flowers.
This year I've tried a number of new gardening ideas:
1) Mushrooms. These are the legal kind! Shitaki mushrooms can be grown in your own backyard and this is what I am attempting. I purchased a number of mushroom plugs from (you guessed it!) a mushroom grower! I had to cut down a living alder, drill numerous holes, place the mushroom plugs snuggly into the holes and cover with melted beeswax. The 4 foot logs (I made 3 mushroom logs) are then placed in an area that is moist and gets very little or no sunlight. I placed evergreen bows over them and made sure that they would still be able to get rained on as moisture and shadows are important. Now I just have to wait for 6 to 18 months and if luck has it, i will start to harvest shitakis! The log should continue producing mushrooms twice a year for 3 years. Stay tuned.
2) EM. I purchased a bottle of EM (Essential microorganisms) and have begun the process to extend the liquid by adding organic molasses, water, sea salt, rock powder and ceramic powder. This mixture needs to stay warm for 4 weeks. The mixture is then used as a good organism to fight bad microorganisms, fungus and is a great composting agent! My main goal for EM is to use it to create my own Bokashi. No, bokashi is not another kind of mushroom but rather a composting technique.
Once my EM is 'extended' I wil then mix wheat bran and EM, more molasses and allow this mixture to ferment. Once fermented I will add this mixture into my kitchen veggie cuttings. I will cover the veggie scraps with this 'bokashi'/wheatbran/EM mixture. This allows the veggie scraps to ferment rather than decompose. Decomposition attracts flies, and can cause odor. Fermentation avoids this. Once fermented I will then add this all to the compost pile. Worms love it! Plus it introduces essential microorganisms to the soil. A good healthy plant begins with a good healthy soil!
3) Mycorrizal fungi. I'll have to double-check to see if I am spelling this correctly. Mycorrizal fungi has a symbiotic role with roots of plants. It's the same technique as innoculants people use for growing peas and beans. I'll post more about this in another post.
Comfrey is very high in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, Vitamin A & C. All this great nutrition is for the soil, although I understand the young shoots can be eaten. The best way to add this nutrition to the soil is to add comfrey leaves to the compost pile. The green leaves are high in nitrogen which quickly breaks down. Many people have complained that the underground tubers are invasive and will take over garden areas; I have yet to see this as I tend to pull the leaves often, controlling the plant. Leaves are pulled away from the stalk, as if you are pulling a piece of celery away from the main stalk. If the stalk is cut off, there is a tendency for the stem to rot which may affect the whole plant.
I've been dividing the comfrey in late winter and slowly using it to create a border between the lawn and the garden. The other plant that is a good divider is clover. Depending on the climate Crimson clover will die in the winter and will have to be replanted in the spring. The crimson flowers are a huge draw for the bees and love them almost as much as they love comfrey's purple flowers.
This year I've tried a number of new gardening ideas:
1) Mushrooms. These are the legal kind! Shitaki mushrooms can be grown in your own backyard and this is what I am attempting. I purchased a number of mushroom plugs from (you guessed it!) a mushroom grower! I had to cut down a living alder, drill numerous holes, place the mushroom plugs snuggly into the holes and cover with melted beeswax. The 4 foot logs (I made 3 mushroom logs) are then placed in an area that is moist and gets very little or no sunlight. I placed evergreen bows over them and made sure that they would still be able to get rained on as moisture and shadows are important. Now I just have to wait for 6 to 18 months and if luck has it, i will start to harvest shitakis! The log should continue producing mushrooms twice a year for 3 years. Stay tuned.
2) EM. I purchased a bottle of EM (Essential microorganisms) and have begun the process to extend the liquid by adding organic molasses, water, sea salt, rock powder and ceramic powder. This mixture needs to stay warm for 4 weeks. The mixture is then used as a good organism to fight bad microorganisms, fungus and is a great composting agent! My main goal for EM is to use it to create my own Bokashi. No, bokashi is not another kind of mushroom but rather a composting technique.
Once my EM is 'extended' I wil then mix wheat bran and EM, more molasses and allow this mixture to ferment. Once fermented I will add this mixture into my kitchen veggie cuttings. I will cover the veggie scraps with this 'bokashi'/wheatbran/EM mixture. This allows the veggie scraps to ferment rather than decompose. Decomposition attracts flies, and can cause odor. Fermentation avoids this. Once fermented I will then add this all to the compost pile. Worms love it! Plus it introduces essential microorganisms to the soil. A good healthy plant begins with a good healthy soil!
3) Mycorrizal fungi. I'll have to double-check to see if I am spelling this correctly. Mycorrizal fungi has a symbiotic role with roots of plants. It's the same technique as innoculants people use for growing peas and beans. I'll post more about this in another post.
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