greenspade

Making changes.

Chris — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:58:45 +0000

My exposure to horticulture began while working for a large commercial greenhouse while in high school. While in the employ of the greenhouse I was exposed to several different aspects of the trade and swore I would choose something different for a life’s occupation.

Well time passed and the next thing I knew I was staring at my BS degree in Horticulture and was off to work in the nursery trade. It was those early experiences and connection to the growing process that made an impression on me. I also recall with some fondness a vegetable garden that my family had while we were living in the Delta region of Mississippi. Plants just seemed to spontaneously fruit there. My parents allowed me to have a little patch of my own and I grew a few quick and easy veggies.

This website has been my attempt to educate myself as well as share some basic plant information over the past couple of years. I have not shared much of my experience or interest in favor of just posting about plants. While I will continue posting plant profiles I plan on developing this site further into a place to collect and share my interests in vegetable gardening and preservation as well as pruning and even raising chickens.

So expect to see a few changes in content and a more personal perspective in my writing. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and feel free to contribute to the conversation.

-Chris

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Chris — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:19:03 +0000

Butternut also commonly known as white walnut or oilnut is a deciduous tree native to the eastern U.S. and southeast Canada. The rounded topped canopy of this species of walnut reaches 40-60′ in height and 30-50′ wide.

Light gray ridged and furrowed bark. Leaves are dark green, alternate, pinnately compund 10-20″ long comprised of 11 to 19 leaflets that are 3/4″ to 2 1/4″ wide.

The most serious disease of Juglans cinerea is butternut decline or butternut canker. This disease has caused widespread decline of butternut in regions of the US. By contrast, black walnut seems to be resistant to the disease.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-07

Chris — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:01:00 +0000

RT @growwit New research: synthetic nitrogen destroys soil carbon, undermines soil health http://bit.ly/drf3rP in reply to growwit #
RT @DaveyTree What Tree Is It? http://cot.ag/aiD4kl in reply to DaveyTree #
Top 10 Least Kid-Friendly Veggies To Grow : http://bit.ly/9YHliX @plangarden #
I am preppin' my notes for a container vegetable class and this salad box from @SunsetMag looks like a great project. http://bit.ly/aJrclG #
Felco F2's are my favorite pruners. Get them here: http://bit.ly/bBrLWH Wrote about them here: http://bit.ly/b67YZi #
Eliot Coleman's Keynote at Bioneers by the Bay 2008
http://blip.tv/file/1526285/ #
Fridays at the Farm: http://vimeo.com/2100402 #

Petiole

Chris — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:18:29 +0000

pet·i·ole [pet-ee-ohl]

The stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem.

Swiss Chard – Petiole source: eflon (Flickr)

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-28

Chris — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Urban garden movement takes root:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/urban-garden-movement-takes-root-in-palm-beach-256935.html #
Propagating Deciduous and Evergreen Shrubs, Trees and Vines with Stem Cuttings http://bit.ly/9jxPVx #
The Myth of Self Reliance: Toby Hemenway http://bit.ly/8jur1e #
Good perennial vegetable info resource: http://bit.ly/b53gMC #
Upcycled Edible Container Gardens : http://bit.ly/J2Hpk #
Facinating: Beech Bonsai Progression Series http://bit.ly/dsaiFC #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-21

Chris — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Pic of the Day: Christoph Niemann Plays With Leaves http://bit.ly/aQ0rE5 via @flavorpill #
Check out "the toughest groundcovers i rely on" via @margaretroach here: http://bit.ly/9eLUaR #
Check out GrowVeg.com – http://www.growveg.com/ #
RT @arborday : Check out this great video from @nytimes about training the next generation of arborists. http://su.pr/1D6pAP in reply to arborday #

How to Grow Your Own Fresh Air

Chris — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:19:34 +0000

I saw this TED talk a while back and came across it again today. Researcher Kamal Meattle shows how a selection of three common houseplants can result in measurably cleaner indoor air quality.

The three plants he references in the video are:

Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue or Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum)

For a more exhaustive list of air-filtering soil and plants check out this Wikipedia entry. The list was compiled by NASA as part of the NASA Clean Air Study, which researched ways to clean air in space stations.

Pistil (pis·til)

Chris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:02:51 +0000

Female reproductive structure of a flower, composed of an ovule-containing ovary at the base, one or more pollen-receiving stigmas at the tip.

The Classic Felco Pruner – F2

Chris — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:31:47 +0000

I received my first pair of Felco F2’s as a gift while in college. Fourteen years later I still use the same pair regularly. While I have tried many makes and designs of hand pruners over the years, I always return to my trusty F2’s. Despite its higher cost over its cheaper counterparts I believe it is worth the investment. Precision cutting, smooth action and replaceable parts make this the standard hand pruner in the industry. There are several companies that offer knock-off’s and attempt to replicate the signature look of the Felco F2’s, including the red plastic coating that is applied to the handles.

The handles are solid-forged metal alloy complemented with a hardened cutting blade (replaceable) and a lower blade with sap groove. A rubber cushion and shock absorber provide smooth working and soft closing. Swiss made, these pruners offer a rock solid design and construction that hasn’t changed in 50 years.

Regular maintenance will help these pruners perform at their best. After each use I recommend a quick cleaning, grab yourself a rag and wipe all the surfaces clean of any debris and moisture. After cleaning, a light application of lubricating oil will help protect the cutting surfaces from moisture and rust.

Key to a great pruning job is well sharpened blades. Sharpening will ensure that the tool cuts well, lessening fatigue in the hands and making nice clean cuts. Every so often I will dismantle the pruners and clean any mating surfaces and also apply a light amount of oil to keep things moving smoothly.

Length is 8½” (21.5cm) and the weight is 8.5-oz (240 g). Get your own pair here at Amazon.com: Felco Classic Manual Hand Pruner #F-2

I would also recommend you checking out Felco’s other products. Including all the available replacement parts including blades, springs and hardware.

You can also buy them from Gardener’s Supply here.

I came across this Felco promotional video today, thought it might be of some interest.

Himalayan Sarcococca (Sarcococca hookeriana var. ‘Humilis’)

Chris — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:53:04 +0000

The 3 inch long glossy green leaves are definitely an outstanding feature of this shade tolerant evergreen shrub. Native to the western Himalayas this low growing plant is ideal for foundation planting, or locations that require a lower overall height, as it grows only 18-24″ tall yet spreads 3 feet wide.

When planted in well drained moist soils this evergreen will slowly spread by stoloniferous growth. In winter it bears clusters of fragrant, inconspicuous, pink tinged white flowers; male flowers (towards shoot tips) have pink anthers, female flowers with 2 styles. When planted in mass the fragrance can be quite strong. The fruit is dark blue to black and 1/4 inch in size. The variety humilis is smaller and more cold-hardy than the species.