Originally published in The Garden Path, Summer 2024.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

There is a tree I pass by every day while walking my dog. In the Knox County area when I live, trees are everywhere, but this one in particular stands out for its sheer size. An Eastern cottonwood, it towers over the neighboring oaks and maples, commanding attention, respect and — from me — love.

Big trees have always held an important place in my heart. They provide shade on hot days, protection for birds and squirrels, and food for multiple critters —all important functions. But they also measure time, living much longer than humans and reminding me that we are not the only important species on the planet.

Ohio was once covered border to border in trees — the comment was made that a squirrel could travel the tree tops from one side of the state to the other and never step foot on the ground.

Of course, that all changed when the land was cleared for farms in the 1800s. Trees had to be cut down, stumps grubbed, and crops planted. Nowadays, trees are cut down for a variety of reasons: they drop debris that needs to be cleaned, a homeowner is fearful one may fall on his house, or they are in the way of development. Many builders clear cut a property, preferring a clean slate with nothing in the way. And we are left with the cookie-cutter subdivisions we all know, with baby trees that will take years to provide the benefits the old trees did effortlessly.

There is a 40-acre stand of old growth pine “up north” in my home state of Wisconsin. Called Cathedral Pines, it was on land owned by the president of a lumber company, and he oversaw the removal of trees from thousands of acres of north woods. But his wife, Lucy, taught her kids to read the Bible under the trees, and in the early 1900s, she asked him to spare a small section of the forest. He did. I’ve visited this spot often, standing under the immense canopy created by trees that started growing about 300 years ago.

I applaud reforestation efforts, and urban projects that add trees along the streets. Sometimes these projects replace trees that died because of disease or insects. But often, they are patchwork projects filling in the gaps made after perfectly healthy, beautiful, beneficial trees were removed for questionable reasons.

Yes, let’s restore those forests. But saving them in the first place is even better.

The following article is sponsored by the Pest Gnome blog.

Pollinator Decline: Understanding Threats and Solutions

By Teri Silver

The birds and the bees are more than just a catchphrase about the “facts of life.” These important critters bring life to the world through the important transfer work of pollination. But as the world gets older, the number of pollinators is declining. Understanding the reasons why pollinators are disappearing is the key to figuring out a solution that will keep our world green.   

What is Pollination?

Pollination is what happens when birds, bees, and other species transfer pollen grains from one flower to another — specifically, from the male anther to the female stigma. This is to produce offspring for future generations.

Pollen travels from one flower to another in different ways. Depending on the environment, water and wind carry grains from here to there. Other pollinators include animals and insects such as butterflies, bats, and moths. The next time you see a few spring wildflowers, thank a pollinator!

Four-legged animals like deer transfer pollen too — albeit unintentionally. Animals eating at or near flowering plants may transfer loose pollen grains from flower to flower.   

Plants can be cross-pollinating (needing a pollinator to transfer the grains) or self-pollinating.

Threat to Pollinators

Pollinator populations are under attack. They are threatened by disappearing habitats, diseases, pests and pesticides, pollution, pathogens, changes in land use, and climate change. Honeybees and other flying insect pollinators are at the biggest risk.

Arguably the most notable pollinators, honeybees, are at the highest risk of loss. For example, bee colony losses between April 2022 and April 2023 are down over 48% from a previous count (2015-2016).

Breeding and Nesting

Habitats are shrinking. With native vegetation being replaced by manicured lawns, roadways, and non-native gardens, pollinators are losing their food and nesting sites. Because fewer meadows and prairies dot the horizon, birds, bats, bees, moths, and butterflies have a harder time finding a place to rest and nest.  

Water birds and migratory pollinators are also being affected, especially if suitable habitats along their migration routes are few and far between. Smaller, weaker birds won’t make it to their final destination.   

Why Does it Matter?

Americans like to eat, and of course, so does the rest of the world. In the United States, about a third of food consumption comes from farmers’ crops like fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says better nutrition for pollinators would come from planting nutrient-rich pollen-producing vegetation.

Pollinator Habitat Solutions

Pollinators are on the decline, but hope is not lost!  We can all do our part to encourage birds, bees, and butterflies to transfer pollen grains from one flowering plant to another. Here are a few easy landscaping ideas you can adopt to help the pollinator population.

Skip the weeding. Clover, dandelions, and those little white grass flowers are full of pollen for the bees to have a feast. Wildflowers may look like weeds, but they’re full of nectar. If you can’t bear to watch your whole lawn become full of weedy clover and crabgrass, consider turning a small patch of the yard into a pollinator oasis. Avoid chemical pesticides whenever possible.

Plant Flowers. Choose native varieties of colorful blooms, loaded with nectar and pollen. If you don’t have room for a large flower garden, place a few planters around the backyard. Rain gardens are a draw for moths, birds, butterflies, and bees.

Water Sources. Flying pollinators get thirsty during their trips from flower to flower, especially on hot days. Place pans of water near plants and flowers — pie tins are useful because they have edges for landing. Bird baths, fountains, and feeders are a draw, too. Hummingbirds love those special feeders, complete with sweet sugary water!

The declining number of pollinators is a concern — and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. But the good news is that everyone can help to preserve and increase the number of habitats. Small, yet meaningful changes in caring for our environment, such as using integrated pest management instead of jumping straight to pesticides, will keep it thriving … and so will we.

 

Teri Silver is a journalist and outdoor enthusiast. She and her husband live on 5 acres with a vast lawn, three gardens, a farm, a pond, many trees, and a lot of yard work! The best parts of the year are summer and fall when home-grown veggies are on the dinner table.

Originally published in The Garden Path, Spring 2024.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

The perennial plant Urtica dioica (UR-ti-kuhdi-O-ee-kuh), often known as Common or Stinging Nettle, may conjure up unpleasantries if one has ever accidentally brushed up against its green saw-toothed margined leaves or wiry, fairly square stems. The plant has many hollow hairs called trichomes that, upon contact, inject chemicals causing a stinging sensation. Ouch!

These were my exact thoughts in late May of last year when I discovered a healthy, large plant growing in the dappled sunlight beneath my overgrown Arrowwood Viburnum. Since I had not planted it there, my knee-jerk reaction was to yank out the noxious ‘weed’! But then I noticed that multiple leaves were folded together, as indicated on the image. What could possibly be able to touch this plant to work to accomplish such a task?I needed to find out; the plant was safe, for now.

My research led me to discover that Stinging Nettle is the primary host plant for the common Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterfly. These butterflies are migratory, so they arrive in spring, mate and then the female lays her eggs on nettle plants. Tiny spiny caterpillars emerge, eating the plant and continuing to grow. To avoid predatory consumption, they seek protection by camouflaging themselves within the confines of a folded leaf.Later, underneath a leaf, the caterpillar will hang upside down and metamorph into a hanging chrysalis that looks like a dead leaf. Amazing!

The mystery was solved. The caterpillars themselves were the ones folding the leaves!But a question still remained. How could they withstand the trichome injections? Upon further investigation, it was made known that these hairs are most abundant on the stems, leaf petioles and the undersides of the leaves. Ahh…they were using the top of the leaves.

Furthermore, I learned that I too had benefited from the knowledge of the plant’s discovered location. Nettles prefer to grow in areas of high soil fertility, especially phosphate and nitrate; it is an indicator to gardeners as to the quality of the soil. Wow! Here in existence was living proof of successful organic amendment efforts.

My attitude had changed from one of detest to that of admiration. The plant would be permitted to remain. How could it not?

Originally published in The Garden Path, Winter 2024.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

A Winter's Sleep

by Sue Hagan

“To die, to sleep — to sleep, perchance to dream …”

Hamlet was not sure what was going to happen to him if he chose death. Was there nothing — just “sleep”? Or was there life after death, perhaps in the form of bad dreams? Maybe death just held the appearance of nothingness, but was truly a step toward something new. Hamlet was not sure.

In nature, we know that plants die. But in winter, what looks to be dead and brown is often merely sleeping and waiting to take that step to something new. Think of a day lily. The foliage has turned brown and now lies atop frozen soil, and perhaps under a layer of snow. But underneath, that bulb is waiting. It has stored the energy from last season’s sunlight that helped form the stems, leaves and flowers. All the lily needs is a nudge — some warmth and longer days — for it to awaken and reach back up through the soil.

The maple tree’s branches, which awed us in autumn with their reds and golds, are bare now, creating a stark silhouette against the sky. But they, too, are full of life. As the leaves lost color, their energy was being reabsorbed into the twigs and branches. The energy is still there, hidden, and waiting for the springtime triggers of light and warmth to push out as new leaves.

Life is everywhere, even if it is hard to see in the grays and browns of winter. And not only does it lie waiting in dormant plants, it’s present in those leaves and fallen trees that have truly died. They are breaking down to nourish the land and give life to new plants.

The energy cycle continues, and the magic (or I guess, science) behind it is fascinating. It tells us when to prune, when to expect buds, and how long it will be before the plants erupt into springtime glory. And just knowing all this helps us make it through winter itself, when so much seems to be dead … but is only sleeping.

[NOTE: See the links below for information on the energy cycle of plants, along with a guide on when to prune various plants.]

Why Do Plants Go Dormant In The Winter?

When To Prune - Trees, Shrubs & Vines

Shrub Pruning Calendar

Originally published in The Garden Path, Fall 2021.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

Open the Door to Autumn Color

by Sally Ruth

October in Ohio is like a rotating color wheel flashing a multitude of hues that change through the 31 days of the month. Mother Nature's wheel of color is much more than an elementary school's primary, secondary, and tertiary color wheel. To the trained eye, there are leaf tinctures of yellow named: honeyed old gold, autumn gold, lurid and gamboge or camboge. There are also reds and purples like claret, scarlet, crimson, carmine, ferrous red, maroon, or russet. Orangish values may have monikers of amber, carnelian, tiger, tangerine, or squash. As leaves die, you'll see lurid, tannin, brackish sepia, tortoiseshell, peach-tinted parchment, bitter chocolate, mushroomy buff, burnished copper, and feuille-morte (French- dead leaf).

Everyone sees color a bit differently and an autumn leaf usually shows more than one distinct color on a tree or even a leaf. Much like human skin color that changes a bit as we sun ourselves and age - the possibilities are endless. But each shade is important, beautiful, and interesting.

Experts in autumn color are called 'Fall Color Foresters', I bet you've never heard of one. ODNR Fall Color Forester, Jamie Regula, reported via video weekly in 2020 detailing where the best fall color in Ohio for that week was and what colors you might see. There is also a chart that lists state parks, forest, or areas by Ohio region and gives a code to where in the color change cycle each location is for that date: Color Condition Key: Mostly Green - no real fall color seen. Changing - still mostly green, less than 25 percent color. Near Peak - significant color showing - anywhere from 30 to 60 percent color. Peak - peak colors - as much as 85 percent showing. Fading - fading from peak conditions, and leaves falling to forest floor.

Why and how does spectacular autumn leaf color happen? A leaf's job is to create food for the tree. Through a process called photosynthesis, a tree takes in water and minerals from its roots and they travel to the leaves.  The leaves take in sunlight and carbon dioxide through tiny holes called stoma. These molecules, along with the chemical chlorophyll help the leaf make sugar. Chlorophyll allows the leaf to absorb sunlight in the form of red light and blue light. Green light is reflected, hence, trees have green leaves in spring and summer. Autumn brings with it shorter days signaling that winter is coming. The tree relies on stored sugar to survive. Twigs and buds are equipped to survive the freezing winter temperatures, but fragile leaves are not. The vein system in the leaf is sealed off and chlorophyll production is reduced and finally the chlorophyll breaks down. the natural pigments of the leaf begin to show: Anthocyanin (reds and purples and bronzes)begin being produced as chlorophyll is broken down. Carotene (oranges) are covered by chlorophyll, but when it is reduced, the oranges are no longer 'covered up'. Yellows get their color from xanthophyll. One type of xanthophyll is lutein which is good for eye health.

It is time, sit out on your porch, go for a drive, and get ready for Mother Nature's intricate color wheel show.

Vist ODNR website, https://ohiodnr.gov or go to YouTube.com and search ODNR Fall Color Forecast.

Originally published in The Garden Path, Summer 2022.  If you would like to get The Garden Path, we invite you to JOIN US as a member.

Are you from around here?

by June Gebhardt

"Where are you from?" or "Are you from around here?" is usually the first question asked when you first meet someone. I had the pleasure of traveling across Ohio in April and May to join many regional meetings. The people I met were sometimes local folks that lived in the area their entire lives. Other times they were transplanted from an entirely different state or region. If you want to know places to visit or the history of an area, the natives are the ones that specialize in that knowledge.

Native plants are now the talk across most garden news. Do you know what plants are native to your area? Of course, we can't ask the plants, but we can find out before we plant something in our garden. Just as local people support the community they live in, native plants support everything around them too.

These important plant species provide vital food for other native animals, insects, birds, and butterflies. This native plant database, www.audubon.org/native-plants will give you every native plant or tree in your area just by inserting your zip code. It shows the birds you may attract by planting from your local list.

Native species of plants, animals, bugs, and birds thrive in an environment that they love. Let's care for our local species by planting a pot, garden, or meadow of native plants that provide crucial habitat. A green lawn supports nothing but every little bit of life that coevolved with native plants can obtain nourishment from a native species. Native plants are the ecological basis upon which life depends.

Be sure the plants you purchase are not treated with chemicals. After you plant the food source, please do not use pesticides, herbicides, or other harmful substances on your plants. It's a death trap for those you are trying to nourish.

"Are you from around here?" takes on a new meaning when it is applied to nature. We are all interconnected by complex systems that sustain our lives. Whether you live close to where you were born or you are a transplant, support your natural community by planting native.

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

BRASH by Hal Mann, Wild Ones 

There’s a growing awareness of how important native plants are not only for wildlife but for us humans as well. Consequently many are wondering how to incorporate these plants into their home landscapes without causing some eyebrow-raising skepticism by their neighbors.

You can actually garden with native plants the same way as non-natives. You can go anywhere from extremely formal, highly maintained plantings, to wild, almost unmanaged landscapes. However, when trying to fit into a neighborhood, it's a good idea to consider the BRASH approach. This acronym coined by Bret Rappaport, an attorney and early President of Wild Ones, gives us a system to consider. (Wild Ones is a national not-for-profit conservation organization with local chapters that teach the many benefits of growing wildflowers and other native plants in your yard. As of this writing, there are over 8,000 members in 76 chapters located in 29 states.)

Borders tell viewers the planting is purposeful, providing a sense of order. This can simply be a sharp cut edge separating the garden from the lawn, or something more elaborate like a stone wall.

Recognize the rights of others. While we have a right to the kinds of flowers and plants we want in our yards, our neighbors have a right to grass and other plants they want on their properties. Being respectful goes a lot further than causing conflict and animosity. After all, we’d rather convert them to the benefits of natural landscaping than have them look with distaste at our ecological landscaping.

Advertise what you’re doing. A small sign can help explain the garden is helping to save and clean water, eliminate the need for poisonous chemicals, giving pollinators what they need to thrive, and make a habitat for butterflies and birds. There are many durable signs available for this purpose.

Start small. As enthusiastic as you might be to going “all-in,” considering developing an overall plan but implementing it in stages. This gives you a chance to learn more about the plants and start to experience the life that your planting attracts. By implementing this in small bites you’ll also be giving your neighbors time to become appreciative of your efforts.

Humanize your garden. We tend to think of us being here, and nature over there. However, in fact, we are a part of nature. In putting some human elements in our gardens, we’re telling our neighbors and the rest of the world, we’ve made this garden on purpose. Structures like a birdbath, birdhouse, trellis, or bench, will let others know we’ve designed this landscape and put part of our personalities in it. You can read a little more about BRASH along with some other interesting natural landscaping articles in this early Wild Ones Handbook. https://archive.epa.gov/greenacres/web/pdf/wo_2004b.pdf.

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