Create near-infinite clones of your favorite tomato plants

Posted on 7 April 2013 by Greg

tomato7_cutitoff-640x480Tomatoes are some of the most popular fruits to grow at home, and they’re my personal favorite as well. Depending on where you live, you might have a long enough growing season to get back-to-back plantings going, and it’s not always fun to start from seed. Or you might want to give away some plants to friends and neighbors. You might even have a friend who grows amazing tomatoes and you want one of those for yourself.

Whatever the case, it’s extremely easy to grow new tomato plants from cuttings. If you’re not familiar, it is exactly what it sounds like—a piece of an existing plant that you cut off. No roots, no nothing. Just a piece of a plant and some dirt.

For the first part of this tutorial, I’m using a two-week-old baby tomato plant as the example. Toward the end, I do the same thing, but with a cutting from an adult plant in order to “clone” it. The process is exactly the same for both, though you may have to be gentler with the young plants versus mature cuttings. [ … continue reading ]

Source: http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/04/how-to-create-near-infinite-clones-of-your-favorite-tomato-or-any-plant/

Note: Thanks to Jason Ellis for sharing this article with use.

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10 Easy Soil Tests

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Greg

soil2_300What’s the secret to raising healthy, carefree vegetables and flowers? Great soil. How can you tell if your soil has what plants need? A soil test. When you send a soil sample to a lab, you get a detailed analysis of soil nutrients and you find out about deficiencies. That’s valuable information. Now you can also assess your soil for even more critical qualities, using a system developed by a team of farmers and soil scientists in Oregon. The methods are quite simple and the only supplies you need are a few items commonly found around the house.

The system, called Willamette Valley Soil Quality Guide, was designed with farmers in mind. But it can be used by gardeners in most zones across the country, says Richard Dick, Ph.D., codeveloper of the system and a professor of soil science at Oregon State University. [ … continue reading ]

Source:  http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/10-easy-soil-tests

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Check Out Richard Connors’ Photo Gallery

Posted on 28 March 2013 by Greg

Those of you who made the March meeting of WCMG saw firsthand some of Richard Connors handiwork with a camera. His subject for that presentation was hummingbirds, but as he mentioned during his address, his latest obsession is dragonflies. Well here are some links to photos of dragonflies, birds, butterflies and other insects. In addition, his lens captures pretty much anything and everything, winged or not.

http://www.pbase.com/rconnorsnaturephoto/tennessee_odonata

http://www.pbase.com/rconnorsnaturephoto/birds

http://www.pbase.com/rconnorsnaturephoto/butterflies

http://www.pbase.com/rconnorsnaturephoto/insects

http://www.pbase.com/rconnorsnaturephoto/root

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Blooming In The Glades

Posted on 23 March 2013 by Greg

Thank you Linda Robertson for the close-up photos of Leavenworthia Stylosa. This early bloomer is said to grow only in Tennessee’s Central Basin. It belongs to the mustard family and is commonly known as Cedar Glade Cress or occasionally Nashville Mustard. It grows in cedar glades, ditches, and low-lying fields (lawns).

L. stylosa typically blooms from March to May. The flowers are about 1 inch wide and are white, yellow or pink in color with a yellow center. The tips of the petals are notched. Yellow varieties are found more commonly in the northern half of the Central Basin while the white and pink varieties are found more commonly in the southern half.

In the Glades - 20 March 2013

Nashville Mustard growing in the Glades – 20 March 2013

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Leavenworthia Stylosa In the Glades - 20 March 2013

Leavenworthia Stylosa In the Glades – 20 March 2013

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Cedar Glade Cress blooms in a field - 20 March 2013

Cedar Glade Cress blooms in a field – 20 March 2013

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And here are some photos of my yard this spring. The first one was taken St. Patrick’s Day, and the second one on Friday, 22 March, but this stuff has been in bloom since early February. My bees wear it out, and the henbit too, when nothing else is available.

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Tree Planting Day in Lebanon – Friday March 8

Posted on 6 March 2013 by Greg

On March 8 and 9 Tennessee Environmental Council along with several member groups, partners and sponsors will plant 10,000 trees and we need YOUR help!  Planting a tree is a simple act with TREEmendous benefits.  Trees have a myriad of benefits – too many to list them all – but here are a few surprising and important facts:

  • Communities with more trees have less crime and graffiti.
  • Communities with more trees have less asthma and lung disease.
  • Homes with a mature tree in the yard may be worth up to 10% more than a similar home without a mature tree.
  • One tree can provide $130,750 in total benefits over 50 years including oxygen, air pollution control and reducing flooding.

We will plant trees during the day on March 8 (and on March 9) at several locations throughout Tennessee (listed below).    Volunteers will learn to plant trees through hands-on activity and will receive free Council Membership and free T-shirts while supplies last (while supplies last – limit one per volunteer).   Participation is free but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED so we can let you know of any changes on or before the event day.  If you have questions about this event, please email us at tec(at symbol)tectn.org with the subject line “10K Tree Day”.

Tree Planting Locations – 8 March from 9am-2:30pm

Lebanon, TN
Location:   Winfree Bryant Middle School, 1213 Leeville Pike, Lebanon, TN
Details:   Students will be planting trees on-site.  We are looking for adult volunteers to assist with digging and other logistics.

Important info for Volunteers:  Please bring shovels, gloves, workboots, and a bottle of drinking water.  If you have waders we may need those for.   The 10K Tree Planting Day will happen rain or shine, dress appropriately.  Rain gear and sturdy shoes or boots are strongly recommended.  We may reschedule for SEVERE weather conditions including lightening, or other severe conditions.  Rescheduling will occur  on the morning of the event – call 615-248-6500 for updates.    Registration is required so we can notify you of any changes and process your Council membership.   Click link above to register.  A volunteer waiver is required for all volunteers.  Please complete waiver found here:

http://tectn.org/event/10ktreeday-march8/

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