A not so evil weevil

While some weevils are destructive, there are also ones that fit under the “benefical” category. Such is the Rhinocominus latipes or mile-a-minute weevil.

As the name indicates, the mile-a-minute weevil’s diet is mile-a-minute, an invasive weed  accidentally introduced in the 1930’s in York, PA and now found in 12 nearby states.

Although it doesn’t quite grow a mile a minute, this invasive weed can grow 6″ a day.  A single plant can produce 2,000 seeds and can quickly cover shrubs and small trees. You’ll know it by it’s light green triangular leaves and sharp barbs along the stem – which is why it is also known as tearthumb.

The Rhinocominus latipes weevil has been used to significantly decrease mile-a-minute cover and seed production. And it is host-specific (only affecting mile-a-minute vines).  A recent story in the Baltimore Sun describes how it is being used in Maryland.

So where can I get my hands on this handy bug?

 

Assault with salt – it’s a crime

This is unbelievable – someone is apparently trying to destroy a tree in my neighborhood by drilling holes into the trunk and pouring salt in and around the holes.

I counted 36 holes drilled into the trunk of this tree. My guess is that the tree will survive these wounds, but really – who would do this?

And if the perpetrator is caught, what would be the charge? Aggravated assault?

     

 

Thoreau and tomatoes

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit – Henry David Thoreau.

Thoreau’s creed would serve us well in this age of  industrial agriculture. If he lived in modern times, he’d likely be a locavore.

Not so long ago, we ate what we could grow and what we could preserve & store for colder months. Now we can buy just about anything any time of year. But what are we buying?

Food that is grown far away, picked before ripening and bred to transport well.  All these factors not only affect the taste, but also the nutritional value. Fruits and vegetables eaten in season have been found to have a higher phytochemical content and contain more nutrients.

Listen to an interview with the author of  Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit on Fresh Air, read a NY Times article here, buy the book here.

And although I’ve said it before, ain’t nothing in the world like home grown tomatoes. Brandywine, Juliet and my personal favorite Black Krim.

 

Howard leads the way

Hurray for Howard – Howard County, that is.

While not surprising that cities like Seattle and San Francisco collect food scraps along with regular recycling, Howard county is pioneering this practice on the east coast. A large portion of the trash generated in Howard County is food waste – according to a recent study, almost 25% of  trash is made up of compostable food.

Residents of Ellicott City and Elkridge will be getting a 35-gallon container for food scraps, which will be collected weekly on the same day as yard waste. The scraps will be composted and sold as a soil additive.

What a great idea! In DC, the de facto practice in some instances is to toss food scraps on the ground.

Could this program succeed in DC?

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Save the azaleas

Not only do we need to save seeds to ensure future generations, we also need to preserve mature plants like the azaleas at the National Arboretum.

From the Washington Gardener magazine, we learned that the azalea collection will be removed by next summer for reasons that are easily refutable.

For example, one argument says the azaleas should be removed because they attract too many visitors. By that same reasoning, the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin should have been removed long ago.

No doubt that tough economic times can mean difficult choices – we’d like to think there are creative solutions that will lead to preserving this wonderful collection.

 

Preservation by fermentation

“We’re live people and not meant to eat dead food” says Monica Corrado in this recent WPost article on lacto-fermentation.

The art of lacto-fermentation is a traditional way to preserve food – think sauerkraut, kimchi – by using live bacteria.

All you need are fresh vegetables plus water, salt and spices (although whey is sometimes used as a booster). The fermentation process converts sugar and starches to produce a lactic acid which acts as a natural preservative.  Lactic-acid producing bacteria are present on all living things, especially roots and leaves of things growing close to the ground.

Fruits and vegetables preserved through fermentation are more digestible and retain a high level of vitamins plus numerous other health benefits. Want to give it a try? Nourishing Traditions and Wild Fermentation are two great resources.

Here we’re trying fermented beans using two different recipes….stay tuned for the results!

 

Solar energy returns to the White House

The White House is going solar – again.

More than thirty years ago, forward thinking President Jimmy Carter had 32 solar panels installed above the Oval Office. In 1986,  President Reagan had the solar panels removed  and let the federal renewable energy subsidies expire.  We suppose the energy crisis had been resolved by then.

Although the White House said solar panels have been in the works since the beginning of the administration, the visit of environmentalist Bill McKibben might have helped move things along. McKibben met with White House officials last month to discuss renewable energy, bringing with him one of the old – but still functioning – solar panels first installed on the White House in 1979.

Read more in this WPost article here, additional information on solar energy here.

Solar panel

 

Leaves of three, don’t be a dope

Poison ivy (PI) ranks high on our list of  noxious invasives (mile-a-minute, tree of heaven and bindweed are also in the top four).

While the mnemonic “leaves of three, let it be” is a common means of identifying PI, we also learned from a recent WPost article:

“Hairy rope, don’t be a dope” (when PI climbs trees, it grows reddish brown hairs) and

“Berries of white, run in fright ” (the PI fruits turn from green to white in the fall).

And yet another consequence of global warming – poison ivy responds to an increase in CO2 levels by growing faster and increasing the concentration of urushiol – the stuff that makes you itch.

 

Organic Gardening roots

We came across WTOP’s gardening column recently written by none other than Mike McGrath. You gardeners might remember Mike as the former editor-in-chief of Organic Gardening magazine.

First published by J. Rodale in 1942 as Organic Gardening and Farming, Organic Gardening taught people how to grow better food by cultivating healthier soil using natural techniques. Rodale might be called the father of the organic movement in the US.

Nice to find Mike again. He also hosts “You Bet Your Garden” on WHYY – well worth a listen.

 

Go native with your bees

While honey bees are getting all the attention, the hard working mason bee is  getting the job done.

Not only is it native, the mason or orchard bee (Osmia lignaria)  is said to be a more effective pollinator than it’s European cousin the honeybee. It is also a solitary bee, less aggressive than hive dwellers.

If you want to eat your peas with honey, you’ll need to have Apis nearby. But if you need your fruits pollinated, you’ll want to reach for the mason bee (and unless you squeeze it, the bee won’t sting).

You can find more on mason bees here and here.