Graduate student awards to travel to Crete

Graduate students, Stephen Via and Paul Manley II received travel awards to present cutting edge research on plants and explosives at the 11th annual International Phytotechnologies Conference in Crete! They will present research on the effects of explosives on plant communities and advances in using remote sensing of plants to detect contaminated soils. We are very proud of their hard work and effort and excited for their trip!

Sign at Duck Field Research Facility where unexploded ordnances continue to pose a threat. Photo credit: Julie Zinnert

  

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Pitch Pine in Paradise

Although White Pine is the quintessential New England pine tree, Southern New England lies well within the natural range of Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida).   This tree is most often associated with relatively frequent fire and serotinous cones (covered in natural resins that must be melted by fire to release seeds). Therefore, I expect Pitch Pine to occur on sites or physical settings with the capability to experience periodic fires. I have visited a number of such places in the northeastern US, including NJ, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Pitch Pine island view from across Paradise Pond

I recently noticed an unusual Pitch Pine forest on a tiny island completely surrounded by water. Known as Paradise Pond this small site in central Massachusetts was the last place I expected to see these trees. Obviously, the context and size would make it extremely unlikely this stand of trees would have ever experienced "natural" fire.

Aerial view of "pitch pine island" in the middle of Paradise Pond, MA

A field inspection and specialized transportation were clearly necessary; a fully restored, antique Morris canoe filled the bill perfectly (thanks Jane McFadden!).

Various size classes of pines were present, many with branches draping over the water. The understory vegetation, thickest around the lower edges, included northern bayberry, Sweet Gale, Sweet Pepperbush, maleberry, and the usual edible fruit bearing Ericaceuous shrubs. Cowwheat (Melampyrum lineare) may be the most common herbaceous plant.

Non-serotinous Pitch Pine cones on Paradise Pond

Due to an ongoing rainstorm and a hastier than planned departure, I didn't pay close enough attention to the majority of the pine cones, but many were clearly open and appeared to lack well developed serotiny.








Later, a cursory literature search revealed that other sites in Massachusetts (on rocky knobs) lack serotiny (1). In addition, fire frequency has been shown to be a local determinant of serotiny with less frequently burned sites tending toward less or even absent serotiny (2).  The near impossibility of fire on "Pitch Pine Island", could therefore help explain the non-serotinous cones I noted.


As noted earlier, the interior of the island was almost completely dominated by Pitch Pine of various sizes (see image below). With no signs of lightning or prescribed fire (I called the "managing agency" responsible for this stand to ask about the trees - they said they were probably spruce!) it is unclear why other species are not entering the midstory or canopy. I have seen many other sites where White Pine or hardwoods have become dense and begin to compete with Pinus rigida for growing space with inadequate fire regimes.

Interior view of "Pitch Pine Island"

A cursory look around the dense forests in the vicinity revealed only White Pines (and a lone, relict Pitch Pine on a nearby island).

How did these pines get to the island?? Perhaps a topic for future research!

Typical shoreline forest dominated by White Pine

References:
(1) http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/sites/harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/files/publications/pdfs/Dwarf%20Pitch%20Pine_Motzkin%20and%20Orwig.pdf
(2) http://userwww.sfsu.edu/parker/bio821/papers/3-serotiny/Givnish1981.pdf

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open studio...

OPEN STUDIO CERAMICS 2014
16 & 17 August at Tea Tree Studio

Anna Couper & Angela Walford
at Tea Tree Studio  30 Crouch Road,  Golden Grove SA

This year Anna and Angela are combining their open studio as part of The Australian Ceramics Association Showcase.

Nestled in the foothills at Golden Grove this delightful location has it all.
We will be working away on the pottery wheel, hand forming some intricate organic forms and firing these works across the weekend in a raku kiln.

Make sure you stay in touch on Instagram Angela Walford angdesign.com.au
and facebook Ang Walford Ceramics, twitter @angwalford  And facebook Anna Couper for updates across the wkd to see what we are up to and when the firing events will be where you can witness the pots straight out of the fire!

Tea Tree Studio is off Golden Grove Road, 30 Crouch Road Golden Grove in the green sheds next to the church. No doubt the coffee pot will be on hand and probably some scones baking too. 

Come on out and see us Saturday 10am - 4pm 

and Sunday 11am - 3pm.

 

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The Rusted Garden 2014 Tomato Profiles: The 'Aussie', 'Brandysweet Plum', 'Black Cherry', 'Indigo Apple' and the 'Red Grape'

The Rusted Garden 2014 Tomato Profiles (So Far...)

I planted somewhere between 30 and 40 varieties of tomatoes this year. Too many... yes but enjoyable. One of my goals was to narrow them down to plants that do well in my gardening zone, which is Maryland Zone 7.  My other goal was to do a video series called Tomato Profiles. Here are some of the videos I completed so far. You can get a quick visual and basic information from them to help you decide if you want to give them a try in your vegetable garden. I will be selling seeds to most of these varieties come August.


The 'Aussie" is an heirloom tomato from Australia. It it s big producer of 1 and 2 pound tomatoes. Great flavor, good production and it is decent in the heat. I have been growing this plant for many years and it is my prime keeper tomato for large red beefsteaks.

The 'Brandysweet Plum' is also an heirloom from a cross in 1915. It tastes like a big beefsteak tomato in a cherry size. I think the flavor is close to 'Brandywines'. It isn't overly prolific for a cherry so I would plant two. It also stays about 6 feet tall. For the flavor alone it is a new keeper in my garden.

The 'Black Cherry' is a keeper that I have grown for years. Huge growth to 8 or 9 feet tall. It will keep growing until cold weather or disease gets it. It does very well in my area. It produces in high heat. It has good disease resistance. The flavor is solid and the color is outstanding. As I said, a keeper in my garden.

The 'Indigo Apple' is new to my garden and a keeper for the shear brilliance of the color. It looks painted. The flavor was better than I expected as for the 'Indigo' tomatoes can be tart. The trick is to let them almost... almost over ripen. They get a lot less tart and a bit sweeter. It is not full of sweetness but has a good tomato flavor finish. The inside is red, the colors are in the skin only.

The 'Grape' or ' Red Grape' tomato is, believe it or not, new to my garden. It does well in the heat in that it doesn't yellow out and it produces new fruit. Very good disease resistance and it is a prolific grower and producer. You will get massive grape shaped clusters of red tomatoes. They are sweet and I swear, I can taste and grape flavor. Might just be psychological though...

More to come!


Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

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Another Unexpected Discovery - Out of the Ashes

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii); Durham County (2014)

A series of unexpected and seemingly unrelated events (including encouragement from great volunteers, a last minute field trip venue change, perfect burn weather one fine spring day, a drenching downpour & flooded creek one late spring day, a new fire management partnership, etc...) conspired to produce spectacular results. 

In mid-May we held a field trip for members of the Friends of Plant Conservation (http://www.ncplantfriends.org). Guests and leaders alike were impressed with the results of a spring-time prescribed burn. Photo opportunities abounded (see image, left). There is nothing like seeing freshly sprouting plants invigorated after a burn!

While most people were snapping photos, some on their hands & knees, Lesley Starke called me over. She pointed to the small, hairy shrub (pictured above) and said, "is that what I think it is?"  But she already knew; we both instantly knew!  It's not every day one finds a new population of an endangered species, especially one of the rarest shrubs around.

Lesley Starke admiring her unexpected find

MICHAUX'S SUMAC IN DURHAM!!

What made this such an unexpected surprise? No previous survey work had associated Michaux's Sumac with these particular soils, and we did not believe the species native to the county.  Sure, there was a planted population elsewhere in the county but what did that mean? We had been frankly fixated on the other rare species present, namely Smooth Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata). Finally, the area had been literally "out of site and out of mind". Other than a single prescribed fire we conducted years ago, this area had received no management attention. The last time we burned nearby,  the area was avoided and had been languishing ever since. Fortuitously, early in the year I made a brief visit to the area with Herb & Pat Amyx.  We observed excellent restoration potential evidenced by numerous rosettes of Parthenium, and Helianthus atrorubens; we speculated on what might appear with appropriate restoration. Game on......and the hard work began.

We got an answer to our earlier speculation this May when over 40 stems of Michaux's Sumac were found!

Sumac Site shortly after prescribed fire & clearing

An abandoned railroad track runs through the middle of the site. In preparation for a controlled burn woody vegetation was cleared around the RR line (which also served as the fire line). The dense, dark woods toward the back right remained uncleared but were included in the initial fire; this tree density was typical across the entire length of the tract. 

Same view as above (approx.) several weeks later;
note flowering Sumac in foreground

Fire scars are evident on boles of shortleaf pines from the prescribed burn & orange-brown vegetation (back left) was top-killed by a more recent prescribed burn. The brush pile is one of many created from hand clearing.

During the prescribed fire, dense piles of pine needles and other leaves burned deeply exposing the RR ties underneath (we had stationed a pump unit there to wet the ties before they could ignite). All we really hoped for was flowering of the common species to benefit pollinators.

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii) flowering stem (foreground) with fire (background)

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii) was listed as federally endangered in 1989.  Although also endangered in North Carolina, the species is doing reasonably well in the sandhills region, where protected land and prescribed burning are relatively common. Populations in North Carolina's Piedmont have been all but wiped out. Loss of habitat to development and fire suppression are among the main culprits.

NOTE: Herb Amyx produced an excellent article on the Sumac which can be viewed here: (http://bwwellsassociation.wordpress.com/)

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Restoring the Larkspur Savanna

Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum) approaches its southern range limit in North Carolina. Only a handful of sites have been documented and the species is considered endangered.  Of the 2 documented records in the Piedmont region, one is now extirpated (by the creation of a water line), and the second persists in a narrow slice of habitat between a paved road and a frequently disturbed water line.

Several years ago with the financial support of the NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund (now defunct), we were able to purchase a wooded tract adjoining the lone remaining Piedmont population.  The plan was to restore the densely forested tract hoping the Larkspur could re-occupy more natural habitat away from the constant threats associated with living on the roadside.

Dense patch of Eastern Red Cedar killed by
prescribed fire under large shortleaf pine

Since then, we have conducted 3 or 4 prescribed burns across the tract, combatted invasive species, and cleared some of the dense tree growth present.

The forest has scattered remnant trees with growth forms indicative of savanna growth. However, these were shrouded in dense growth of young Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and little light reached the forest floor. Prescribed fires and selective tree removal have begun to produce desired results.

After several years, the upland edge of the site has begun to appear much more open.  In the following images a shortleaf pine and dogwood can be seen before and after preliminary restoration; more shortleaf pines become apparent deeper in the woods on the latter image.

   

Maintaining and expanding the developing "Larkspur Savanna" continues to demand resources. 

Restoration in progress at Larkspur Savanna, 2014 (above)
w/small pile of Eastern Red Cedar logs & brush piles
browned ground was dense Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum) 

Aerial views show the expanding opening.

Site in 2010, before hand-clearing

Site in 2013, after hand-clearing

Over the last several years we have been lucky to have several dedicated individuals carry the load of our restoration efforts at this site.

Earlier this year, Thomas Blaine has taken on thinning and brush-cutting to expand potential habitat. He shocked me, and perhaps himself, with discovery of the first Tall Larkspur plants outside of the original patch!

Not to be outdone, our local Preserve Stewards, Herb & Pat Amyx discovered a few more plants upslope of Thomas' just days later.  Taken together, these finds have expanded the extent of the Piedmont's lone Tall Larkspur population by more than 100 meters.

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8 Ounces of 100% Cold Pressed Neem Oil for Sale by The Rusted Garden

ITEM TWO:

100% Cold Pressed Neem Oil with Azadirachtin

2 - Four Ounce Bottles Package (Total 8 Ounces)

Click the  PHOTOGRAPH to go to the purchasing page

Purchase 2-4 Ounce Bottles of 100% Cold Pressed Neem Oil

2 - Four Ounce Bottles (About 8 Ounces) of Neem Oil is $14.75 

You can save a lot of money from buying products and making your own recipes.

Most 24 ounces bottles of store bought spray cost $8-$12. If you read the ingredients the very often only contain 1% Neem Oil. You don't need a lot when you make a spray.

8 ounces of Neem Oil makes up to 16 gallons of spray.

16 gallons of spray is about 64 bottles of 32 ounce spray.

I am only shipping in United States right now. 

You can purchase my 2 -  4 Ounce Bottle Package through Paypal.

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