By Jeffrey Ward, CAES NOV-DEC 2018 – Coming from the corn fields of the Midwest 30 years ago, I was immediately struck by how forested Connecticut was, and still is. We live in a tree lovers paradise. Did you know that Connecticut’s urban communities have the highest tree cover of any state at 62%? It seems Nutmeggers have a natural yearning for homes nestled on tree-lined streets, for parks shaded by majestic trees, and for avenues flanked by leafy colonnades. The question arises – why? What are the benefits that trees provide us, both tangible and perceived, that make us want to live surrounded by them. Trees are important to our…
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Biochar – Boon or Boondoggle?
SEPT-OCT 2018 – There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the benefits of biochar as a soil amendment. It’s been touted not only as a fertility enhancer but also for its potential to sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gasses, suppress plant disease and remediate contaminated soil. Biochar isn’t fertilizer but it has a porous structure that attracts beneficial micro-organisms and helps soil retain water and nutrients. According to the U.S. Biochar Initiative (biochar-us.org), it’s a fine-grained charcoal made by pyrolysis, the process of heating biomass with limited to no oxygen in a specially designed furnace capturing all emissions, gases and oils for reuse as energy. Depending on the temperature used,…
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The Ever Curious Gardener
JULY-AUG 2018 – Lee Reich is an avid farmdener (more than a gardener, less than a farmer) with graduate degrees in soil science and horticulture. After working in plant and soil research with the USDA and Cornell University, he shifted gears and turned to writing, lecturing, and consulting. The Ever Curious Gardener is a pleasing blend of natural science, down-home experience and humor. It will make you a more thoughtful – and better – gardener. It doesn’t have to be read in order; each chapter, and even most of the sections, stand on their own. The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden –…
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Research at The Ag Station
JULY-AUG 2018 – It’s hardly a secret that The Ag Station is my favorite organization – but for all they contribute to science and society, many residents have no clue about what they do. At the very least, you – as a gardener and student of the natural world – should get acquainted with their work. Some Station research projects are long-term, like the new crops program and tick and mosquito monitoring. Others are more focused, such as research into nanoparticles and biochar. Here are some quick notes about several subjects being studied — truly a miniscule sampling of The Ag Station’s ongoing work at its New Haven, Hamden, Windsor…
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UConn’s New Chokeberry Nativars
JULY-AUG 2018 – Mark Brand, a professor of horticulture at UConn, recently introduced two new varieties of black chokeberry: Low Scape® Mound (UC165) and Low Scape® Hedger (UC166). Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is native to the Eastern U.S. so we can use the term nativar instead of the more generic cultivar. Nativar is a term coined by Dr. Allan Armitage to indicate cultivars and hybrids derived from native plants. There’s a growing interest in using native plants and an increasing demand for improved varieties that perform well in our landscapes. The development process, which used traditional hybridizing techniques, took about 10 years. Both of these varieties flower on old wood…
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Hypertufa Containers
JULY-AUG 2018 – Lori Chips is the Alpine Manager at Oliver Nurseries in Greenfield Hill (Fairfield). She has been working and experimenting with Alpines for decades. Hypertufa containers – also known as troughs – are perfect for small, Alpine plants. A mix of cement, perlite, peat, and water, they can even be made at home. Hypertufa Containers tells you everything you need to know to make your own troughs. It features step-by-step instructions for making hypertufa containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. The instructions are easy to follow and are illustrated with color photography. You’ll also learn about a variety of plants that work well in troughs. Chips…
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Seeing Seeds
JULY-AUG 2018 – Seeing Seeds: A Journey into the World of Seedheads, Pods, and Fruits is part art book and part primer. Robert Llewellyn’s stunning images are created using image stacking. He photographs the subject from slightly different angles and the resulting images are combined by software. The final product is in sharp focus but seems like botanical art. Teri Dunn Chace provides the text which is peppered with fascinating facts and interesting quotes. You’ll learn about a lot more than just monocots and dicots as she explains how seeds work. The main portion of the book is devoted to specific examples of interesting seeds. You’ll gain a better appreciation…
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Nandina domestica – Early Warning
MAY-JUNE 2018 – Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) hasn’t been reported in Connecticut … yet. We normally don’t highlight invasives until they’re on the radar of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG – cipwg.uconn.edu) but we’re making an exception for this plant. Keep your eye out and you may be the first to spot it. It’s better to catch these things early because it increases the chance that new invasives will be found and eradicated before they establish a foothold. People in the invasive field call it EDRR (Early Detection Rapid Response). This is increasingly important as climate change brings us a new suite of invaders. Not actually…
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Success with Hydrangeas
MAY-JUNE 2018 – Lorraine Ballato, a long-time contributor to Connecticut Gardener, recently published her second book, Success with Hydrangeas – A Gardener’s Guide. Lorraine is an acknowledged expert on the subject and teaches a course on hydrangeas at the New York Botanical Garden. If you’re having trouble with your hydrangeas, or just love them, you should get this book. When a garden includes hydrangeas, you can count on months of consistent carefree color if you know what to do with them. Success with Hydrangeas gives tips for both pros and novice gardeners alike on how to grow this popular shrub. Each of the 13 chapters covers the whys and wherefores…
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The Garden Tourist
MAY-JUNE 2018 – Jana Milbocker’s new book, The Garden Tourist, highlights 120 gardens and nurseries in the Northeast, 18 of which are in Connecticut. It includes locations from all over New England, as well as New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The book is organized by state and each chapter begins with suggested daily itineraries that include ideas for lunch. Each garden is described in detail. Contact information and photos are included. The Garden Tourist provides a broad selection for weekend gardeners, landscape professionals and vacation travelers. Milbocker owns Enchanted Gardens, a landscape design firm based in metrowest Boston. The Garden Tourist – Softcover, 6.5″ x 9,” 256 pages, 665…
