summer 2004 the ecological landscaper newsletter

8/6/2019 Summer 2004 The Ecological Landscaper Newsletter

1/12

T here have been recent newsreports about sudden oak death(SOD), caused by the fungusPhytophthora ramorum. SOD is asevere disease of oak and tanoak incertain Pacific Northwest fog forestareas. In March 2004 Phytophthoraramorum was found in two largeornamental nurseries in southernCalifornia (Monrovia Nursery inAzusa and Specialty Plants Inc., inSan Marcos). This detection demon-strates that the pathogen is notnecessarily limited to the moistcoastal regions of northern Califor-nia and southern Oregon. At leastone of the two nurseries distributesnursery stock nationwide, includingMassachusetts. To date, Phytoph-thora ramorum has not been foundin Massachusetts, though it has been positively identified in Florida

and Georgia. The MassachusettsDepartment of Agricultural

Resources (MDAR) is monitoringthis situation carefully. A number ofsurveys are planned by MDAR, theUnited States Department of Agricul-ture (USDA) Forest Service, and theUSDA Animal and Plant Health In-spection Service (APHIS) nationwide

and in Massachusetts to check for the

presence of Phytophthora ramorum innurseries and natural forest areas.

This pathogen has a wide range ofhost plants, including rhododendron,viburnum, and camellia, which arepotential carriers of the funguswhen plants are transported. Thedamage on non-oak hosts involvesminor leaf spotting and twig dieback.However, infections on these non-oak hosts may contribute to a rapid buildup of the fungus in the environ-ment serving, therefore, as a reservoirof inoculum, which in turn infectswoody tissues of oaks and tanoaktrees.

Surveys continue in several statesas a national survey is getting under-way. APHIS-PPQ is determining thedistribution of Phytophthora ramorum.P. ramorum has been confirmed inplants traced forward from the ini-tially positive California wholesalenursery in 97 facilities in 14 states.

Sudden oak deathcontinued on page 4

Sudden oak death disease on the moveby Dan Gillman

EcologicalL A N D S C A P E RT H E

D E P A R T M E N T S2 Editors two cents7 ELA news8 P lucked from the headlines10 Resources11 Unclassifieds12 Events

F E A T U R E S

5 Global dimming?6 Poetry corner

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPING ASSOCIATION VOL. 11, NO. 2 SUMMER 2004

O r d e r E L A s m a n u a l

F r o m t h e G r o u n d u p .

D e t a i l s o n p a g e 1 1 .

New research on tomatodisease resistance and lifespan Page 8

Because land doesnt come with an owners manual


2/12

A set of tools carefully chosen, developed,and refined for a particular job work finefor that job, as one would hope and expect.An electricians tool kit contains everythingneeded to wire a house, install outlets and circuit breakers, hook up to the grid. Some of thesetools will work in other settingssaws and drillscan cut holes for pipe just as well as for wires.

But to attempt to install plumbing, renovatea room, or re-roof a house with only the electri-cians kit is obviously going to be a frustratingproposition. Yet, this is, in effect, what one can be faced with when trying to apply the organictool kit to all landscaping projects.

Prospective customers i encounter often leadwith, "Do you do organic lawn care (or land-scaping)? Because of aggressive marketing insome circles, organic has become the short-hand of choice to refer to a set of landscapepractices which embody some degree of environ-mental sensitivity, sustainability, or ecologicalawareness, whether or not the practices rigidly

adhere to the national organic standards. And,even if they do, as i argue below, i dont thinkthe organic model, as currently conceived, is the best guide for landscaping.

Let me be clear from the outset. Ive boughtorganic food and supported organic growers andorganizations for over 20 years. I tend my ownvegetable gardening organically, because thatswhat organic is designed to do, and it does itwell, most of the time.

But, what it doesnt do well is address themyriad and diverse situations, imperatives,and challenges which the landscape realm canpresent. Lets look at a few.

Snapshot 1: Early spring; time to think aboutputting down corn gluten to help controlcrabgrass later in season. (Studies show that achemical released when corn gluten decomposesinhibits new root growth of plants, includingcrabgrass). But, much, if not all of the corn usedin the making of the corn gluten product is agenetically engineered organism (GEO). GEOs

2

Talk to us. We welcome your comments, letters, articles,ideas, and opinions. Address all newsletter correspondence,submissions, and address corrections to: Newsletter, 32Fairfax Street, West Newton, MA 02465; (617)244-7269(phone/fax); e-mail: [email protected]. Send all other ELA business to the Concord address above.

The ELA board meets throughout the year in various loca-tions in eastern Massachusetts. All members are welcome.Contact us for specific dates and locations.Use of proprietary product or manufacturer names is for informationalpurposes and is not intended to constitute or imply any endorsementor warranty by ELA. We strive to present accurate and reliable informa-tion, however, ELA assumes no responsibility for any claims made or for results obtained from any procedures described in the articles weprint. Unless described as such, opinions expressed in the newsletter do not necessarily represent those of ELAs directors, staff, or members.

ELA Board of DirectorsPresident: Chris OBrien

Treasurer: Tom Sheehan

Recording Secretary: Sue Storer M.L. Altobelli Nancy Askin Don Bishop

Andrea Knowles Bob Levite James MarzilliNick Novick Cathy Rooney Tom Smarr

Kathy Sargent-ONeillDiane Syverson Bruce Wenning

Administrative Assistant: Pat MacAlpine

Newsletter Editorial Director: Nick NovickProduction Editor: Joy Buslaff

Gramma said when you come on something good, first thing to do is share it with whoever you can find;that way the good spread out where no telling it will go. Which is right.

Little Tree in The Education of Little Tree , by Forrest Carter

The Ecological Landscaper is published by the Ecological Landscaping Association (ELA).Subscriptions are a benefit of membership in ELA. For more information about ELA, contact:

ELA, 60 Thoreau Street, #252, Concord, MA 01742-2456, (617)436-5838

Or check our Web site at: www.ecolandscaping.org (Members section password: elapost)

Editors two cents

Why i am not an organic landscaper

This is Nick

Novicks last

contribution

as editor.

Please note

the new

address for

newsletter

correspondence.

Editors two cents


3/12

are banned by the national organic standards.Take that tool out of the box.

Snapshot 2: Customer has a number of largehemlock ( Tsuga canadensis) trees, some of whichnearly brush against their fancy contemporaryhome with lots of windows. Although the treeshave been dodging the hemlock wooly adelgid bullet for years, this year theyve arrived. Un-treated, the infestation is likely to worsen everyyear, and kill the trees in five to ten years. Horti-cultural oils and soap sprays (which pass organicmuster) can be effective, but reaching the upperparts of the trees will be difficult, and the stuffwill get all over the house. Or, imagine a stand ofhemlocks in the back 40 which is inaccessible tospray equipment. Imidacloprid injected eitherinto the root zone or directly into the vascularsystem of the tree is an effective alternativewhich can save the trees. But, under organicimidacloprid is verboten. Gbye, hemlocks.

Snapshot 3: Youve convinced a client to con-vert most of their underutilized lawn and over-grown pasture containing alien forage grassesand tree seedlings to a native grass and wild-flower meadow. The existing vegetation has to be killed before you can think about planting.Options include: tilling, herbicide, flaming,smothering. The site comprises most of an acre,so smothering with plastic would be unwieldyand expensive. Tilling would work, but bringingin a big machine to till six to eight times duringthe growing season is expensive, and, every till-inghowever shallowbrings up new weed

seeds. Flamers? Possible, but good luck finding a big enough unit. Leaves us with the H word.Organic-approved herbicides (acetic/ethanoic

acid-based, or fatty acid-based) are not systemic,so they will need to be applied many times overthe growing season to eliminate perennial weedsand woody plants. Plus their cost per area issignificantly higher than alternative products.Youve heard mixed reports about glyphosate, soyoud like to use something else. A glufosinate- based product (Finale) is reasonably priced, is based on a naturally occurring chemical, and,while not completely innocuous, is reported ashaving relatively minor environmental impact.But, its another tool not in the organic toolbox.

Snapshot 4: New lawn customer. Had ChemsR Us Lawn Co. carpet bomb their lawn foryears, until, finally, Napoleon the dog got cancer,and the Missus said enough was enough. Theycall you in. You test the soil. Not surprisinglyyou find: high pH and spiked magnesium levelsfrom years of overliming; other mineral nutrientsare MIA; soils as hard as the street because thesoil critters have been nuked.

You get them to understand that its going totake some time to get the patient up and walkingagain, and theyre okay with that. They alsodont want to spend a fortune this year becauseone of their kids just started college, they had toput a new transmission in the car, and the houseis getting re-roofed in the fall.

You know you cant jump from the I.V. bagright to a solid-food dietputting down organicfertilizer will do little good until thesoil ecology has a chance to re-estab-lish itself. And maybe topdressingwith compost (to help jumpstart the recoveryprocess) is beyond their budget for now.

So, you decide on using a bridge fertilizer(part organic, part soluble) to provide someimmediately available nutrients while beginningthe transition to a sustainable program.

But, no bridging allow with organic; solubleusually means synthetic, and so another toolgoes missing. The box shrinks further.

Snapshot 5: Its early September. Youre on topof things this year, and youre actually gettingto your new lawn installations before October.Soil is prepped, compost and amendments areadded, pH adjusted, everything is raked niceand smooth, seed is pressed into the soil, andyoure ready to mulch. Youve been using strawor salt marsh hay, but you got some weed seedsin a batch of straw last year, and youre con-cerned about the effects of continual harvestingof the salt marshes (or maybe you cant even getthe stuff this late in the season), and, if its a

windy site, those mulches could end up downthe block, so you decide to try the pelletized,newspaper mulch that looks like rabbit food.Competitively priced, easy to apply, stays put.

But, alas, its saturated with a weak (1-2-1),synthetic, starter fertilizer, and, you guessed it,its not organic.

More of these kinds of situations can be cited, but i think readers will get the idea.

Whats more, some things permitted and evenencouraged under organic arguably arentappropriate or even ecological in some settings.Organic promotes earthworms as one of themost valuable components in an agriculturalor gardening setting, given their tireless abilityto aerate the soil and process soil minerals. Butthe dominant earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris ,is a native of Europe, and, when it escapes (asit inevitably does) into natural landscapes, itdisplaces native species, alters nutrient balances,and thus disrupts the local ecology. Organic?Yes. Ecological? Not exactly.

Not organic landscaper continued on next page

3

ELAs revised

Web site is

online at

The old URL,

ELA-ecoland-

scapingassn.org,

will still work,

but will

eventually

expire. The

new site is

more attractive,

has some new

features, and

should be easy

to navigate.

More

improvements

and additions

are planned

for the future.

www.ecolandscaping .com


4/12

Sudden oak deathcontinued from page 1

The numbers of nurseries or garden centers withpositive P. ramorum samples from the wholesaler by state are: California (38), Alabama (1),Florida (5), Washington (6), Oregon (9), Texas(5), Colorado (1), Georgia (13), Louisiana (5),Maryland (1), North Carolina (9), New Mexico(1), Tennessee (2), and Virginia (1).

The number of confirmed positive facilities,from the national and other surveys, is 118 in 14states. Fourteen states continue to impose quar-antine regulations over and above those ordered by PPQ on California, and in some cases Oregon,Washington or British Columbia.

For more information about SOD and Phyto- phthora ramorum check out: and hit the Search for Pest Info button for pictures and more details.

Dan Gillman is the UMass Extension PlantPathologist in the Landscape, Nursery and UrbanForestry Program

4

Fourteen

states

continue

to impose

quarantine

regulations

Not organic landscaper continued from previous page

Compost is something of a holy grail in organ-ic soil improvement methodology, a good-for-what-ails-you solution. And, in fact, in manysituations it is a most useful and even essentialstep in soil improvement. However, for sometypes of plantings, notably xeric, native grassand wildflower meadows, soil with excessiveorganic matter and fertility encourages undesir-able species and discourages the design species.

Or, consider fertilizer: One can use huge,petroleum-consuming machinery to mineminerals and ocean deposits in far-away states;ship the stuff across the country in big trucks burning more petrol; combine that with othermaterial from other parts of the country; put it ina bag and sell it as organic fertilizer. Good forthe soil? Usually. Net gain for the environmentas a whole, given the significant embodiedenergy cost? Debatable.

For sure, much of what is recommended underorganic protocol is good and useful. And imobviously not saying we shouldnt considersomething simply because its designated asorganic. My contention is that, as a comprehen-sive system, it isnt The Answer any more sothan is conventional/traditional landscapepractice.

I think that anyone striving to do right by theenvironment in the realm of landscaping needsto avail themselves of the widest possible rangeof information and make decisions based on

thoughtful consideration, on a case-by-case basis,given the constraints of budget and schedule,client preferences and desires, product availabil-ity, capabilities of the landscaper, etc. Not thatguidelines arent useful, but the diversity andcomplexity of the landscaping realm and therealities of landscape businesses are not yet fullyaccommodated by any existing system ormethodology.

Water Wells and Related Services for Landscape & Irrigation Professionals

978-640-6900www.WellWaterConnection.com

(As we were assembling this issue, reported that SODhas been found in a mature, red oak tree in a forested park in NassauCounty, New York.)


5/125

Globe grows

darker as 10

to 37 percent

less sunlight

makes its way

through the

atmosphere

to the ground

For nearly 20 years, researchers have beendocumenting that the amount of sunlightreaching the Earths surface has been dropping,in some areas significantly. Despite confirmationfrom numerous scientists, the story has, untilrecently, received little publicity in the popularmedia, or even in many scientific circles.

In 1985, Atsumu Ohmura, a researcher at theFederal Institute of Technology in Switzerland,was checking sunlight levels recorded in Europewhen he made an astounding discovery.Counter to prevailing scientific thinking, levelsof solar radiation striking the Earths surface haddeclined by more than 10% in three decades.

By the mid-80s, global warming was well-doc-umented, so it didnt make sense that there wasactually less sunlight coming in. Even Ohmurahad trouble accepting the idea. I was shocked.The difference was so big that I just could not believe it. When the study was published in1989, it was largely ignored by climate scientists,so, apparently, others didnt believe it either.

Things began to change in 2001, when GeraldStandhill (now retired and living in New York)

and his colleague Shabtai Cohen at the VolcanicCentre in Israel, collected all the availableevidence together and proved that, on average,records showed that the amount of solar radia-tion reaching the Earths surface had gone down by between 0.23% and 0.32% each year from1958 to 1992.

Graham Farquhar, a climate scientist at theAustralian National University in Canberra,saw the Standhill and Cohen article, and soonrealized that the notion of global dimming couldexplain a long-standing mystery of recentclimate science. As the Earth warms, the evapo-ration rate for water would be expected toincrease. But, in fact, repeated studies in recentyears have shown that the evaporation rate hasactually decreased. When Farquhar comparedevaporation data with the incoming sunlightrecords, the reduced evaporation rate was per-fectly explained by the dimming phenomenon.

While Standhill and Cohens work waspublished in a relatively obscure agricultural

Global dimmingcontinued on next page

Global dimming?


6/12

BLUEBERRIESby Robert Frost (18741963)

You ought to have seen what I saw on my way To the village, through Mortensons pasture to-day:Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum

In the cavernous pail of the first one to come! And all ripe together, not some of them green And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!I dont know what part of the pasture you mean.You know where they cut off the woodslet me see

It was two years agoor no!can it be

No longer than that?and the following fall The fire ran and burned it all up but the wall.Why, there hasnt been time for the bushes to grow.Thats always the way with the blueberries, though:There may not have been the ghost of a signOf them anywhere under the shade of the pine,

But get the pine out of the way, you may burnThe pasture all over until not a fernOr grass-blade is left, not to mention a stick,

And presto, theyre up all around you as thick And hard to explain as a conjurors trick.

It must be on charcoal they fatten their fruit.I taste in them sometimes the flavour of soot.

And after all really theyre ebony skinned:The blues but a mist from the breath of the wind,

A tarnish that goes at a touch of the hand, And less than the tan with which pickers are tanned.

6

Global dimmingcontinued from previous page journal, Farquhars published his results in the widely read journal Science, and now global dimming is being widelydiscussed, if still not totally agreed upon.

Some scientists, such as Ellsworth G. Dutton, head ofsurface-radiation monitoring at the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, have their doubts aboutthe data. Certainly, the magnitude of the phenomenonis in considerable question, he says. Other scientists,analyzing similar information, arrive at somewhat smallerestimates of the dimming, around 1.3% per decade from1961 to 1990.

No one seems to know for sure whats causing globaldimming. It cant be explained by changes in the sunsoutputthere has been an overall increase in solar outputover the last 150 years. The cause would seem to lie insome change in the Earths atmosphere which is blockingsome of the incoming sunlight. The relatively few scien-tists whove studied the effect point to air pollution at thelikely cause. Small soot particles and certain chemicalcompounds such as sulphates reflect sunlight and alsopromote the formation of larger, longer-lasting clouds.

Yet, in Antarctica, which would be expected to have rel-

atively clear air, the dimming effect has been documented.Since 1990, things may have been changing. Studying

satellite images of clouds, Ohura notes that since the early90s, cloud cover has decreased slightly, and temperatureshave significantly increased, thus indicating that globaldimming has waned. This would jibe with the trend ofgeneral reductions in air pollution in many parts of theworld in recent years.

But Farquhar suggests that the documented level ofglobal dimming cant be entirely attributed to air pollu-tion. He thinks global warming itself could be a contribut-ing factor, perhaps resulting in more ocean evaporationwhich could contribute to cloud formation. But at thispoint, that theory has yet to be tested.

Ohmura has recently been analyzing data gathered since1990 and is expected to report on them soon. Based on areduction in cloud cover and faster melting rates in polarice, he says, I have a very strong feeling that probablysolar radiation is increasing during the last 14 years.

assembled from news reports Globe Grows Darker asSunshine Diminishes 10% to 37%," by Kenneth Chang, NewYork Times ; "Goodbye Sunshine," by David Adam, TheGuardian

TO A MOSQUITOby William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878)

Fair insect! that, with threadlike legs spread out, And blood-extracting bill and filmy wing,Dost murmur, as thou slowly sailst about,In pitiless ears full many a plaintive thing,

And tell how little our large veins should bleed,Would we but yield them to thy bitter need.

Unwillingly, I own, and, what is worse,Full angrily, men hearken to thy plaint,Thou gettest many a brush, and many a curse,For saying thou art gaunt, and starved, and faint:Even the old beggar, while he asks for food,Would kill thee, hapless stranger, if he could.

Ah, there were fairy steps, and white necks kissed

By wanton airs, and eyes whose killing ray Shone through the snowy veils like stars through mist; And fresh as morn, on many a cheek and chin,Bloomed the bright blood through the transparent skin.

Sure these were sights to touch an anchorite!What! do I hear thy slender voice complain? Thou wailest when I talk of beautys light,

As if it brought the memory of pain:Thou art a wayward beingwellcome near,

And pour thy tale of sorrow in my ear.

Poetry corner


7/127

Its summer, and things have hope-fully slowed down for you, so take

some time off, listen to a good speak-er, and meet up with some of yourELA compatriots. Join us at the scenicTower Hill Botanic Garden in Boyls-ton, Mass. for our annual meetingand a wide-ranging roundtable dis-cussion on some of the issuesinvolved in ecological landscaping.

Ecological landscaping is a difficultterm to define. There are no easyyes or no, right or wrongmethods, but there are many choices.What seem to be unclear definitionsand guidelines are in fact importantconcepts to be applied on a case-by-case basis. Sustainability and envi-ronmental awareness, along withregional considerations, are some ofthe factors to be considered.

As conservationists, educationalorganizations, community groups,ecological landscapers and garden-ers, and interested homeowners,we can join forces to answer those

questions that keep arising fromclients, constituents, and officials.

The days guest speaker, MichaelTalbot, of Michael Talbot andAssociates, Inc., will begin the round-table event by sharing his experiencesas an ecological businessman, edu-cator, and writer on the subject ofenvironmentally sound landscapingfor better health and conservation.

His talk will be followed by anopen forum for all invitees to discussobservations about their experienceswith clients, peers, and constituentson the subject of ecological landscap-ing, design, and gardening.

ELA ANNUAL MEETING AND SUMMER ROUNDTABLESmart gardening;

Discussions and Answers aboutEcological Landscaping and Gardening

THE DAYS SCHEDULEnoon-12:30 p.m.: ELA Annual Meeting

12:30-1 p.m.: registration1-1:45 p.m.: guest speaker, Michael Talbot

2-4 p.m.: roundtable discussion4-5 p.m.: refreshments and networking

ELA news


8/128

Smoke em if youve got emIn a discovery which could have

sweeping implications, researchers inAustralia have identified the chemicalin smoke which makes seeds germi-nate after brush fires. The chemical, a butenolide, induces germination in arange of species. Research team mem- ber Kingsley Dixon said, We'velooked at a couple of vegetable cropspecies, for example, and got up to

doubling of germination in some ofthese species: celery, parsley, let-tuce, and we've even got Echinacea[germination to increase] to almostdouble just using this chemical.

Fifteen years ago, South African botanists demonstrated that it wasthe smoke, and not heat and ash, thattriggered germination. The full story(Smoke Chemical That Causes SeedGermination Found, copyright 2004,Reuters News Service) can be foundon a number of Web sites including:

and .

New regs for dieselThe U.S. EPA has issued a new rule

intended to reduce emissions fromoff-road diesel equipment by morethan 90%, which includes machinesused in landscaping, such as tractorsand loaders. To reduce soot from die-sel emissions, the Clean Air NonroadDiesel Rule will cut up to 99% of thesulfur in diesel fuel. Costs of bothfuel and equipment are estimated torise from about 1 to 3% to meet thenew regulations, which will bephased in over the next several years.

from Lawn and Landscape magazine, June 2004, G.I.E. Media, Inc., 4012Bridge Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113;

Building an eco-future at OSUThe Urban landscape Ecology

Program being launched by OhioState University (1680 Madison Ave.,Wooster, OH 44691) is being hailedas the best effort conceived to date toimprove the landscapes and ecosys-tems of urbanized areas.

This massive research and educa-tional program seeks to develop newtechnologies and environmentallyfriendly approaches to landscapeplanning, establishment, and mainte-nance. Participating in the project

are all the universitys colleges ofFood, Agriculture and Environmen-tal Sciences, Engineering, PublicHealth, Architecture, and Education,plus OSU Extension, garden indus-tries, and nonprofit organizations.

Objectives include turning theOSU campuses into model ecologicallandscapes, building neighborhoodinstitutions to promote positivechanges in urban landscaping, devel-oping school educations programs,and generating an interactive Web

site where citizens can design theirown sustainable landscapes. TheColumbus suburb of New Albany isexpected to become the programsfirst ecocity, a neighborhood withvaried and useful landscapes wherethe need for energy inputs such asfertilizers, pesticides, fossil fuels, andwater is minimized.

The program will have far-reachingimpact. Ohio is the countrys seventhmost populated state, with 15 metro-politan areas containing 81% of thestates more than 11 million residents.Thus the program will educate agreat many people in the principlesof ecological sustainability and therestoration of the urban landscapesenvironmental functioning.

For more info, contact the programcoordinator, Parwinder Grewal,(330)263-3963; .

from The Avant Gardener , July2004, Box 489, New York, NY 10028

Tomatoes benefit from legume cover crop

In a five-year sustainable agricul-ture study, researchers from the U.S.Dept. of Agricultures AgriculturalResearch Service (ARS) have foundthat tomatoes grown with a covercrop of hairy vetch had better diseaseresistance and lived longer than thosegrown on black polyethylene mulchwith a chemical fertilizer. The cover-cropped tomatoes received half thechemical fertilizer and fungicideapplied in the traditional system.

The scientists showed that at least10 genes in the leaves of the vetch-grown tomatoes were turned onlonger, or over-expressed, allowingthose tomatoes to live longer thantomatoes grown on the plastic mulch.These over-expressed genes respondto signals triggered by the specificratio of nitrogen, carbon, and otherelements provided by the cover crop.

The scientists also believe the covercrop allows the tomato root systemto produce increased levels of cyto-

kinins, a class of plant hormones thatdelay senescence and let the plantlive longer.

from ARS Web site

Anthracnose-resistantdogwood

A Flowering Dogwood ( Cornus florida) that is resistant to dogwoodanthracnose was discovered growingin Catoctin Mountain Park, Md.The parent tree was propagated andclonal plants were tested for diseaseresistance to dogwood anthracnose.Cornus florida Appalachian Springwas released after extensive testing by the Tennessee AgriculturalExperiment Station in Ozone, Tenn.,and by the U.S. Forest Service at BentCreek in western North Carolina. C.

florida Appalachian Spring has an

Plucked from the headlines


9/12

upright growth habit and is a prolific bloomer with large, white bracts.Release and marketing of this plantis being handled through TennesseeAdvanced Genetics, Tennessee Foun-dation Seed, Inc., and the TennesseeCrop Improvement Assn. All arelocated at 2640-C Nolesville Rd.,Nashville, TN 37211; (615)242-0467.

from Hort Notes , Vol. 15, No. 9, July12, 2002, UMass Extension, French Hall230 Stockbridge, MA 01003-9316

Lawns and politicsThe Republican national conven-

tion is coming to New York inAugust, as are thousands of peoplewho take issue with some of the Bushadministrations policies. A grouptrying to organize a protest, United

for Peace and Justice, applied lastsummer for a permit for a march andrally for an estimated 250,000 peopleon the Great Lawn in Central Park.

Citing the millions of dollars spentin the past couple decades to replantand landscape Central Park and theGreat Lawn, Mayor Michael Bloom- berg and the Parks Department areclaiming the area is no longer appro-priate for large events. (The lawn had been the site of many large events inthe past, including a 700,000-person

anti-nuclear rally in 1982.)The mayor has offered alternative

sites either very distant from the con-vention site or inappropriate for sucha large gathering. The New York Timesnotes that the city has not allowedevents with hundreds of thousandsof people on the Great Lawn since itwas rebuilt in 1996, though it hasgiven permits for ticketed eventssponsored by large corporations.

Writing in Newsday, Jimmy Breslinexpressed his doubts about the citysconcerns, and asked the grounds-keeper for the Shinnecock Golf Club,site of this years U.S. Open golf tour-nament in June, what he thoughtabout the citys claims that one rallywould ruin the lawn. We had 50,000[people] a day for seven days on thegrounds and the grass is back already.Its nonsense. You dont even knowpeople were here. Referring to theestimated 250,000 who might tromp

the lawn for a day, he said, After thefirst day theyre gone, youd neverknow they were on the grass.

For the full editorial by Breslin (TheGrass Can Take It!") check Newsday sWeb site:

ASHS research resultsThis months HortIdeas (750 Black

Lick Road, Gravel Switch, KY 40328)gives a number of summaries ofabstracts and papers for the Ameri-can Society for Horticultural Scienceto be presented at their AnnualConference in Austin, Texas, sched-uled for July 17-20, 2004 (ASHS, 113S. West St., Ste. 200, Alexandria, VA22314-2851). Here are summaries ofa few abstracts of particular interest. Increased Water Use Efficiency

with a Surfactant , John Sloan (Dept.of Soil & Crop Sciences, Texas A&MUniv., Dallas, TX 75252) and WayneMackay. The researchers testedwhether a surfactant that makeswater wetter by reducing its sur-face tension can improve the water-holding capacity of soil. They plantedimpatiens in pots, allowed them togrow for two months, then irrigatedonce with plain tap water or tapwater containing a commerciallyavailable surfactant [unnamed] at

either the suggested concentration ortwice the suggested concentration.After the single irrigation, no addi-tional water was applied; the potswere weighed twice daily, and theplants were watched for wilting. Thesurfactant (at either concentration)slowed water losses from both clayand sandy loam soils; initial wiltingtime was longer with clay soil follow-ing irrigation with the surfactant. [ ed.note: Yucca extract is a natural wettingagent which also has nutritive properties.] The Charleston Area ChildrensGarden Project: A CommunitySponsored Initiative , Fred B. Phillips, James W. Rushing (Clemson Univ.,Coastal Research and EducationCenter, Charleston, SC 29414), andBrenda J. Vander Mey. The projectsponsors conversion of vacant lotsinto neighborhood outdoor learningcenters with gardens for children.Funding is from grants. The project

began in 2000 with one garden andincludes 10 gardens this year. Utilizing Tobacco Greenhouses for Producing Plants for EnvironmentalRestoration , Andrew C. Bell andMary M. Peet (Dept. of HorticulturalScience, Univ. of N. Carolina,Raleigh, NC 27695-7609). With tobac-co growing declining in recent years,many greenhouses that had beenused for starting tobacco transplantsare now idle. The researchers haveidentified native plants for streamand wetland restoration as promisingalternative crops. These species can be grown using essentially the sametechniques to grow tobacco seedlings. Miscanthus: Ornamental and

Invasive Weed , Mary HockenberryMeyer (Dept. of Horticultural

Science, Univ. of Minnesota, Chaska,MN 5318). Miscanthus sinensis(Eulalia) is self-incompatible, so indi-vidual cultivars planted in isolationwill not produce seeds. However,when two or more cultivars areplanted close to each other, seed pro-duction is likely, resulting in invasiveseedlings that can readily cross. AWeb site with information on manag-ing Eulalia is at . Evaluation of Organic Herbicides ,

James Ferguson (Dept. of Horticul-tural Sciences, Univ. of Florida,Gainesville, FL 32611-0690). Herbi-cides approved by the OrganicMaterials Review Institute (OMRI)with active ingredients citric acid(Alldown), clove oil (Matran 2), andthyme and clove oils (EXPRESS) wereapplied at three locations. The chemi-cal herbicide glyphosate (RoundupPro) was also applied. The organicherbicides were applied at recom-mended rates and at twice recom-mended concentrations and rates;glyphosate was applied to runoff at5% active ingredient. The organicherbicides gave weed control of 10%to 40%; glyphosate gave 100% con-trol. Note: herbicide applicationswere made in fall when many of theweeds were mature; labels of theorganic herbicides typically recom-mend use on immature weeds thathave not grown very large.

9


10/12

On the Web Cornell Cooperative Extensionoffers a number of online fact sheetson a wide variety of topics includingpests of homes and grounds, waterquality, genetic engineering, and avariety of gardening subjects includ-ing eco-gardening. Some of theseare regional in nature, but much ofthe information will have widerapplications.Access them here: .

The Plant Facts Web site, , sponsored by Ohio State University, features asearchable database of informationfrom all U.S. land-grant colleges aswell as a number of governmentinstitutions. You can also accessimages of plants, turf, insects, anddiseases, and 200 how-to videos.

Morris Arboretums Plant Clinicwill help you diagnose plant prob-lems, identify insect pests, learnabout IPM, and more. Check it out at:.

Massachusetts residents and othersnearby will find on a useful calendar ofworkshops, conferences, and eventsaround Massachusetts having to dowith issues of growth, sustainabledevelopment, conservation, andenvironmental issues. The site ismaintained by UMass Extension.

Shady lawnsWhile not explicitly a sustainable

or ecological guide, The Lawn Bible, by David Mellor (groundskeeper atFenway Park) offers considerable,useful guidance for turf in all set-tings. For example, his tips for maxi-mizing turf performance in shade:Use shade-tolerant varieties; reducefoot traffic; grow the grass as tall aspossible (to at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches)for more light absorption and pro-duction of photosynthetic energy;consider a growth regulator such as

Primo (trinexapac-ethyl) which limitscell elongation and top growth, thusencouraging the plant to redirectits shade-limited energy to root andrhizome growth; and use biostimu-lantsincluding amino acids, vita-mins, and hormoneson a regular basis to supplement the plantsenergy supplies.

(The Lawn Bible: How to Keep ItGreen, Groomed, and Growing EverySeason of the Year; David R. Mellor;Hyperion Books, 2003)

Critter trackingWildlife aficiondoes take note:

The Mass. Assn. of ConservationCommissions has available a nifty,field-worthy card with informationfor 31 northern (North American)forest mammals. The 4" x 6", lami-nated card has front and hind printsdivided into four movement cate-gorieswalkers, waddlers, hoppers,and bounders. Also included are

stride and straddle measurements.For ordering info.: MACC (617)489-3930.

BooksA wide variety of books on many

topics related to landscaping issuescan be found in the UMass ExtensionBookstore catalog. Subjects include:Home, Yard and Gardening; K-12Education; Fish and Wildlife; Water-ways/Vernal Pools; Forest/LandManagement; Water Quality; ForestProducts; Communities, Family andYouth; Floriculture; IPM; Lands-caping and Turf; Pesticide Education;Ag. Engineering and Management;Ag Marketing; and Food and Nutri-

tion. The Bookstore can be contactedat (413)545-2717; toll free in Mass. at(877)862-7798; on the Web at.

Adaptable prunersI still love my Felco 8s, but Bahco

makes a line of hand pruners with avariety of appealing options.Depending on the widthand length of yourhand, you can orderthem in small, medi-um, or large handlesizes. There are alsothree different size cut-ting heads to accommodate5/8 inch to 3/4 inch cutting capa-cities. And theres also a rotatinghandle option. The cutting head isangled downward somewhat fromthe handles for improved ergonom-ics. Suppliers include A.M. Leonard[241 Fox Drive, P.O. Box 816, Piqua,OH 45356; (800)543-8955; ] and Oesco [Rt. 116,Conway, MA 013241; (413)369-4335;].

T H E E C O L O G I C A L L A N D S C A P E R A D R AT E S

full page . . . . . . . . (71/ 2 H x 10" V) . . . . . $125/issue; $425/ 4-issue runhalf page. . . . . . . . (71/ 2 H x 47/ 8" V). . . . . . $85/issue; $290/ 4-issue runquarter page . . . . . (35/ 8 H x 47/ 8" V) . . . . . . $50/issue; $170/ 4-issue runeighth page. . . . . . (35/ 8 H x 25/ 16" V) . . . . . . $25/issue; $85/ 4-issue runbusiness card. . . . . (2 H x 31/ 2" V) . . . . . . . $25/issue; $85/ 4-issue rununclassifieds (line ads, up to 50 words). . . . . . $5/issue; $17/ 4-issue run

(additional words: $1/ 10 words)The Ecological Landscaper is published quarterly. Deadlines: Dec. 15, March15, June 15, or Sept. 15. Rates are for camera-ready ad. Payment must accom-

pany ad. If an ad was taken out for a multiple-issue run and cancelled before

the end of the run, we will issue a pro-rated refund, less 15% servicCancellations must occur two weeks before deadline. Any change(s) mmultiple-run ad after the ads first run voids multiple-run discount. Advresponsible for final content of their ad. ELA reserves the right to refusfor any other reason. ELA makes no claims, warranties, or other declarato the effectiveness, reliability, or consequences ofor the results fromofany products, services, or procedures described in any ad. There rently no tie-ins with advertising in any other ELA publication or venuads, payment, or questions to: ELA, attn. newsletter advertising, 32 FaiWest Newton, MA 02465; (617)244-7269 (phone/fax); e-mail: c.obrien

cast.net. Checks should be payable to Ecological Landscaping Associati

Resources


11/1211

Reach hundreds ofecologically minded

land-care professionals,

homeowners, and others!

Put your ad in this space

for as little as $5 for up to

50 words (additional

words, $1/10 words).Send your ads to: attn.

newsletter unclassifeds,

ELA, 60 Thoreau Street

#252, Concord, MA 01742.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR ELAmembers. You can receivea FREE PALLET OFORGANIC FERTILIZERfrom Heart&Soil. Whilesupplies last, Heart&Soilwill offer a free pallet of25 lb. bags of pHplus forlandscapers. pHplus isgreat for installations andall spring prep work. Theproduct not only raises soilpH quickly and safely, but

its also a natural source ofpotassium, zinc, and iron.Call Heart&Soil toll freeand ask for details on theELA special offer. Limitone pallet per company,not for resale! Ask for Danat (866) 999-SOIL (7645).

HELP WANTED. As asmall, nonprofit orgnaniza-tion with minimal paidstaff, ELA relies on the

generous participation ofdozens of volunteers tospread the word about eco-logical landscaping. Wealways have a need formore people to help withthe nuts and bolts of run-ning an organization andwith maintaining our edu-cational programs. Skills inpublic relations, fundrais-ing, Web site maintenanceand production, writing,

nonprofit maintenance, etc.are especially welcome, but anyone with someextra time and a desire tohelp is welcome. Leave amessage at (617)436-5838,and someone will get backto you. Thanks!

A REMINDER. The firstvolume in ELAs Guide toHealthy Landscape series,From the Ground Up: Siteand Soil Preparationwould make a fine trainingaid for employees, or aneducational gift for anenthusiastic customer.

Issues covered includemanaging soil fertility, theimportance of the soil foodweb, protecting site fea-tures, managing invasives,and much more. Line illus-trations and a glossaryhelp explain key concepts,and a list of contacts forresources and organiza-tions will guide additionalresearch. Cost (includingtax, postage, and handling)

for ELA members is $26.25$31.50 for nonmembers.Inquire about quantity dis-counts. Send orders, withpayment to: attn SoilGuide order, ELA, 60Thoreau St. #252, Concord,MA 01742.

Unclassifieds


12/12

The Ecological Landscaper 32 Fairfax Street

West Newton, MA 02465

JULY 13Herbaceous Perennials with Dr.Leonard Perry , Greenhouse and

Nursery Ext. Specialist for Univ. ofVt.; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.; (802)434-4122.

JULY 15 (Elm Bank, Wellesley, Mass.);AUGUST 5 (UMass, Amherst, Mass.)

Weed Identification Workshops with Randy Prostak , sponsored byUMass Extension. Includes classroomsession, potted weed herbarium, andlandscape walk; rain or shine; byolunch; 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; $90; (413)545-0895; .

JULY 17

Big Bugs grand opening at NewEngland Wild Flower SocietysGarden in the Woods, Framingham,Mass. Meet sculptor David Rogersand celebrate opening of the exhibitof his over-sized sculptures; hearabout importance of insects in theecosystem; 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; (508)877-7630.

JULY 21IPM and Organic Fruit Growing

with Bull Suhr of ChamplainOrchards, Shoreham, Vt. Tour oforchard and fruit operation, includ-ing apples, raspberries, plums, cher-ries; 6-8 p.m.; $8 NOFA-VT members,$12 nonmembers; (802)434-4122.

JULY 23-31Permaculture Fundamentals:The Principals and Practices, BlackMountain, N.C.; (828)669-3937;;.

JULY 27ELA Annual Meeting and Forum

AUGUST 7 Use, Safety, and Maintenance of Chain Saws , Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Mass., with JohnDelRosso. Safety equipment, properfuel mix, mechanical maintenance,chain sharpening, more; N.E. WildFlower Soc. (508)877-7630.

AUGUST 12-15Northeast Organic Farming Assn.Summer Conference , HampshireCollege, Amherst, Mass.; (978)355-2853; .

SEPTEMBER 15

Ecological Landscaping with American Native Plants , lecture by Neil Diboll, Shelton Auditorium,Christian Theological Seminary,Indianapolis, Ind.; .

SEPTEMBER 163rd Annual Ohio WatershedCelebration , Pittsburg, Pa.; (412)442-4000; .

SEPTEMBER 17 (Framingham,

Mass.), 18 (New Haven, Conn.),19 Whately, Mass.) Wildflower Propagation , spon-sored by N.E. Wild Flower Society,will focus on growing from seed,including seed and spore collection,cleaning, storage. Plant physiologyand ecology will also be discussed.(508)877-7630.

I see trees of green, red roses too I see them bloom, for me and for you

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue, and clouds of whiteThe bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

vents on the horizon

STD PRSRTU.S. Postage

PAID

Permit 88Ashland, MA

summer 2004 the ecological landscaper newsletter

Documents