Originally published in The Garden Path, Summer 2023.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

Grow Plants, Not Skin Cancer by Marcia Lawyer (Region 7)

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC–most common and treatable skin cancer) Squamous and Melanoma are obviously ugly red/purple irregular patches, right?

I’ve had BCC twice beginning January 2022 from being burned at the beach, perfecting my tan or gardening? A pencil-tip red forehead dot slowly grew, seeped, bled, scabbed and repeated. I knew it was cancer. COVID had just begun, so in April I told my Primary Care Physician (PCP) during a Telemedicine Consult. In May my doctor examined my “DOT”, but didn’t call it cancer. He also said it could be frozen off, BUT HE DIDN’T. Trusting him, I wrongly ASSUMED it wasn’t serious. Due to COVID, few doctors were doing procedures. My October check-up with my PCP labeled it cancer and contacted a dermatologist.The biopsy was BCC and in December, under local anesthesia, Mohs Surgery created a dime-sized hole and 3 ½ inch scar on my forehead.By the way, cauterized skin does NOT smell like flowers!

Deja Vu, March 2022, small raised skin-toned bumps grew beside my nose. In May, my PCP said it wasn’t the same as 2020. Fast-forward to November 2022, my PCP again contacted a dermatologist–BCC AGAIN!

January 2023 another Mohs resulted in a large pea-sized hole and triangular scar into my cheek, along my nose and beneath my nostril. When biopsied twice, both surgeries were very deep.

Dermatologists say PCPs are NOT trained to recognize skin cancer. My face is bisected from my hairline to my nostril. My Mom’s PCP treated her squamous as psoriasis for a year and then she needed a skin graft! Believe me, a FEW months makes a difference from scraping/freezing to Mohs surgery. We all know someone who has or had skin cancer. Maybe ourselves.Be an Advocate.Get a Full-Body Skin Exam annually. YOU make your Dermatologist appointment ASAP. The QUICKEST I was scheduled was 7 months!

Where are our hats? Hopefully, we are wearing sunscreen year-round. Google skin cancer-the pictures aren’t pretty and skin is the largest organ of our body. Check Dermatologists’ Websites!

First published in the Summer 2023 The Garden Path. If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

Coco Coir by Mary Lee Minor, Region 7

Back in February while potting up paperwhite narcissus, two circular cakes of coco coir were included in the planting project. The directions were to add water. These cakes expanded to fill a 2-quart container. A moist and airy, rich and dark heap of material emerged.

This medium brought curiosity. Our yard compost and this coir have many of the same characteristics. Both have spongy texture, expanding air spaces and the capability to hold moisture. Backyard, garden created compost breaks down rapidly in the soil. This brings a need to reapply more each growing season. Coco coir is described as lasting years in the soil.

What really is coir? It comes from or is actually the husk fibers torn from the coconut shell. Tiny grains of coir are extracted and then pulverized becoming packageable. Coconuts go through a retting process, a curing method which naturally decomposes the husk pulp. Traditionally the husks were immersed in water for 6 months or longer. Today retting can be completed in a little over a week using modern mechanical techniques.

Next the coconut fiber is removed from shells with steel combs in a process called defibering. Once the coir is gathered from the husk it is dried in the sunlight. This takes months and the material lies on a concrete floor, which reduces the moisture to about 18% of what it was originally. The coir is then pressed into bales, bricks, discs such as I used, or coir pots, with automated hydraulic compression. It is of course bagged as loose mulch, too.

In reading about this coco coir I learned that it has a high lignin content. Lignin is a substance that along with cellulose forms the main makeup of woody tissue. Lignin does not break down readily. In the soil then, lignin is the secret to coir's longevity. Its life span ranges from 5 to 10 years. Coir out-performs peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite as a soil amendment. It does make you wonder why the gardening world has not marketed this coir abundantly. Does the world have a limited supply of coconuts? If so, planting more palms might be an entrepreneur's paradise. Research suggests that technology in the last few decades is making coco coir available anytime and anywhere in the world. And it is abundant. And further, coir is a disease-free growing medium which retains moisture yet never becomes wet or soggy. That makes it nearly perfect for seed starting. Coir is free of weed seeds, diseases and pathogens. It has antifungal properties. Coir has other virtues including its ability to hold seven times its weight in water, it cannot be compacted and that aeration property fosters root development; coir does not become waterlogged. Most insects will not settle into the coir. Using coir in our gardens could be a good move when you consider that peat moss comes from peat bogs which will one day be exhausted.

Coir is a renewable resource, repurposed from coconuts. It is soilless. In the meantime it is my hope that seed starting efforts in the garage will bring high success. Without statistics right now, I recommend you find this material and make your own observations about its efficiency.

Spring Wildflowers of Ohio's Forest

The Importance of Native Plants In Your Landscape

by Victor Wang

It may be tempting to surround your home with exotic or show-stopping plants, but those plants come with risk and responsibility. Your landscape should complement all aspects of your home’s exterior. Using native plants has many benefits, not only for the environment but also for the time you spend working outdoors.

Low Maintenance

Long “to-do” lists mark our days as we balance work, family, chores, and time for ourselves. While gardening is therapeutic, you still want time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Choosing native plants for your landscaping means you’ll spend less time tending to them. Low-maintenance native options are already well adapted to the Ohio environment and soil conditions, and often need little to no extra watering. They are hardy to last through the season and usually thrive when they aren’t fussed over.

Support Local Pollinators

Butterflies, bees, and other Ohio pollinators are sure to visit the native areas of your yard. These vital parts of our environment help to create healthy plants and support the fragile balance of the ecosystem. Planting native options, such as goldenrod or purple coneflower, invites these pollinators to stop and stay awhile as they gather nectar.

The natives also preserve Ohio’s biodiversity. Local birds and wildlife depend on native plants for their food source. Invasive plants often crowd out the native species, robbing the local wildlife of food and habit.

Cut Down On Water Usage

The Buckeye State experienced abnormally dry conditions in 2019, with 12% of the state in a moderate drought. Water conservation efforts are gaining momentum in all 50 states as more people realize the value of this natural resource. Doing your part by planting native flowers, shrubs, and trees in your yard will help cut down on the need to water.

Less Expensive

Gardening and yard work are great ways to beautify your home, but they also come at a cost. Choosing native plants to surround the house is a great way to save money. Native options often are cheaper than other varieties at the local garden center, thanks to their abundance in the area.

You can also ask for starts or cuttings from neighbors or friends who have an abundance of native species. You’ll save money and add a sentimental aspect to your gardening as you remember who gave you the plant.

Native Vs. Invasive

An invasive plant is one that can cause economic or environmental damage in Ohio. Their natural predators often weren’t imported with them, so it’s easy for them to spread out of control. Ohio is fighting back against nature’s enemies, by banning 38 species of exotic plants. The Japanese honeysuckle, autumn olive shrubs, fig buttercup, and others that steal water from local species are now illegal to sell in Ohio. 

You can still find plenty of intruders at your local nursery. Before buying any plant that isn’t native, ask yourself if it’s worth inviting the invasive bugs sure to come with it? Support Ohio’s first Native Plant Month in April 2020 by planting some wild geranium or black-eyed Susan.

Victor Wang grew up in Central California, plucking tomato worms from his mother’s heirloom tomato garden, and is now a master gardener and freelance writer. His areas of expertise include landscaping, pest control and, of course, gardening.