Last Wednesday's class was taught by "Turfman" Dave from New Jersey. We were warned that he tends to talk "about 50% facts and 50% fiction" and to not take him too seriously. As soon as he started the class, I knew why.
His Joisey accent had me in internal stiches and I thought he was a riot using graphic metaphors to get his point across. But that soon wore out fast, especially after he kept us past our usual 11:15am break and made us sit still until 11:45am.
"But my eyes are turning yellow!" I protested, referring to my full bladder reaching emergency capacity.
"Ok, we need to take a break here" Dave replied "to ease this emergency!" and I trotted to the restroom. As soon as I got out of the stall there were six other women in line.
Dave gave a great hands-on about the four basic grasses found in southern Arizona: Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, buffalo grass and short fescue.
The class was to end at 1:05pm but Dave kept us in the classroom until 1:40pm. Some people walked out due to other commitments, but the rest of us survived the ordeal. I was starving when we were finally released for the day. It was a very intense 3.5 hours about grasses.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Non-native species
Council wants faster response to invasive species
Published on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Cronkite News ServicePHOENIX — Arizona needs a faster, better-coordinated effort to fight invasive plants and animals and should do more to educate the public about the threat, members of the Arizona Invasive Species Advisory Council said Monday.
Today, the council will begin public meetings across Arizona to gather feedback on draft recommendations for a comprehensive invasive species action plan. The group plans to finalize its proposals by June 30.Ed Northam, a council member and president of the Southwest Vegetation Management Association, a statewide organization that promotes awareness of the invasive species threat, said the problem could worsen as the state continues to grow.
“People are coming in and out of Arizona all the time, and the potential for them bringing something new in is very high,” Northam said. “We’ve got a history of 120, 130 years of non-native plants coming into the state, and now we’re beginning to see some of those were mistakes.”
Invasive animals and plants can harm the environment and the economy and threaten human health. Their effects can be widespread and devastating.African buffelgrass, which is spreading in the desert of southern Arizona, grows quickly and burns at such a high temperature that the thing most likely to grow back is more buffelgrass.
The quagga mussel reproduces rapidly and consumes large amounts of the phytoplankton that are at the bottom of the food chain. The mussel has been found in lakes along the Colorado River, in the Central Arizona Project canal and in Lake Pleasant north of Phoenix.
The state has already spent more than $700,000 over the last two years fighting the glassy-winged sharpshooter, an insect that threatens the wineries of southern Arizona by spreading a type of destructive bacteria.“
In California, that one bug hurt the state’s economy by hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Ed Hermes, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, which is a leader on the council. “Just by investing some money up front we can avoid that type of devastation.”
Gov. Janet Napolitano created the council by executive order in 2005 and made it permanent last year, just after the quagga mussel was found in Arizona.The council’s plan calls for more cooperation among state, local and federal agencies, and among ranchers, landowners and other interests. It also encourages state agencies to establish a hub for invasive species management and research.
Fred Amator, a council member who represented the Arizona Crop Protection Association, said the center would help the public learn more about invasive species.“There is a lot of data out there on some of these different invasive species, but they haven’t really reached the public, nor have they reached some of the agencies that may be able to help,” Amator said.
Another recommendation would provide $1 million to help agencies fight harmful plants or animals as soon as they’re detected.That money is unlikely to come from the Legislature anytime soon because of the state’s budget deficit, Hermes said.“We don’t have the option of hiring more staff to deal with this increasing problem,” Hermes said.
“We need to look at what we have and do more.”Northam said the funding could come through federal grants, private donors or non-governmental organizations.He said the key is getting a handle on the problem before it spins out of control. This could help avoid the spread of diseases that non-native animals first brought here and later transmitted to humans, such as West Nile virus, he said.
“There’s a lot of diseases that can come in through the Third World that we typically don’t have to worry about here,” Northam said. “You just ignore that, you’re leaving the door wide open for something that would be much cheaper to prevent than cure later on.”
Give your inputThe Comprehensive Statewide Invasive Species Management Plan was developed by the 21-member council as a coordinated approach to preventing or controlling the spread of invasive species and their impacts in Arizona. A downloadable version is located at www.governor.state.az.us/AIS. A public meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday in Tucson, at the University of Arizona Controlled Environment AG Complex, 1951 E. Roger Road.For those who can’t attend, input also can be submitted online at www.governor.state.az.us/AIS by clicking on the “Submit Electronic Comments” link or by mail to Brian McGrew, Plant Services Division, Arizona Department of Agriculture, 1688 W. Adams, Phoenix AZ 85007.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/18/news/doc47df6f5c3b4b5767292853.txt#blogcomments
Published on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Cronkite News ServicePHOENIX — Arizona needs a faster, better-coordinated effort to fight invasive plants and animals and should do more to educate the public about the threat, members of the Arizona Invasive Species Advisory Council said Monday.
Today, the council will begin public meetings across Arizona to gather feedback on draft recommendations for a comprehensive invasive species action plan. The group plans to finalize its proposals by June 30.Ed Northam, a council member and president of the Southwest Vegetation Management Association, a statewide organization that promotes awareness of the invasive species threat, said the problem could worsen as the state continues to grow.
“People are coming in and out of Arizona all the time, and the potential for them bringing something new in is very high,” Northam said. “We’ve got a history of 120, 130 years of non-native plants coming into the state, and now we’re beginning to see some of those were mistakes.”
Invasive animals and plants can harm the environment and the economy and threaten human health. Their effects can be widespread and devastating.African buffelgrass, which is spreading in the desert of southern Arizona, grows quickly and burns at such a high temperature that the thing most likely to grow back is more buffelgrass.
The quagga mussel reproduces rapidly and consumes large amounts of the phytoplankton that are at the bottom of the food chain. The mussel has been found in lakes along the Colorado River, in the Central Arizona Project canal and in Lake Pleasant north of Phoenix.
The state has already spent more than $700,000 over the last two years fighting the glassy-winged sharpshooter, an insect that threatens the wineries of southern Arizona by spreading a type of destructive bacteria.“
In California, that one bug hurt the state’s economy by hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Ed Hermes, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, which is a leader on the council. “Just by investing some money up front we can avoid that type of devastation.”
Gov. Janet Napolitano created the council by executive order in 2005 and made it permanent last year, just after the quagga mussel was found in Arizona.The council’s plan calls for more cooperation among state, local and federal agencies, and among ranchers, landowners and other interests. It also encourages state agencies to establish a hub for invasive species management and research.
Fred Amator, a council member who represented the Arizona Crop Protection Association, said the center would help the public learn more about invasive species.“There is a lot of data out there on some of these different invasive species, but they haven’t really reached the public, nor have they reached some of the agencies that may be able to help,” Amator said.
Another recommendation would provide $1 million to help agencies fight harmful plants or animals as soon as they’re detected.That money is unlikely to come from the Legislature anytime soon because of the state’s budget deficit, Hermes said.“We don’t have the option of hiring more staff to deal with this increasing problem,” Hermes said.
“We need to look at what we have and do more.”Northam said the funding could come through federal grants, private donors or non-governmental organizations.He said the key is getting a handle on the problem before it spins out of control. This could help avoid the spread of diseases that non-native animals first brought here and later transmitted to humans, such as West Nile virus, he said.
“There’s a lot of diseases that can come in through the Third World that we typically don’t have to worry about here,” Northam said. “You just ignore that, you’re leaving the door wide open for something that would be much cheaper to prevent than cure later on.”
Give your inputThe Comprehensive Statewide Invasive Species Management Plan was developed by the 21-member council as a coordinated approach to preventing or controlling the spread of invasive species and their impacts in Arizona. A downloadable version is located at www.governor.state.az.us/AIS. A public meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday in Tucson, at the University of Arizona Controlled Environment AG Complex, 1951 E. Roger Road.For those who can’t attend, input also can be submitted online at www.governor.state.az.us/AIS by clicking on the “Submit Electronic Comments” link or by mail to Brian McGrew, Plant Services Division, Arizona Department of Agriculture, 1688 W. Adams, Phoenix AZ 85007.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/18/news/doc47df6f5c3b4b5767292853.txt#blogcomments
Record low temperatures...BRR!
I brought some of my seedlings in and placed them in the south-facing window sill. I hope they didn't get frost-bitten. All my plants outside were cleared of dead leaves a few days ago. I'm glad I postponsed my tomato planting!
A warm-up is expected tomorrow, with highs back in the 80s/50s.
___
Record low temperatures felt in parts of county
Staff report
Published on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
SIERRA VISTA — Cochise County chilled Monday, reaching record lows in some parts as a winter storm moved through the area.The National Weather Service reported a low of 27 degrees Fahrenheit at its station at Sierra Vista fire station No. 1 on Fry Boulevard, which matched a previous record low.
Rice-size hail falls in Sierra Vista on a cold St. Patrick’s Day. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)
The meteorological support team at Fort Huachuca’s Electronic Proving Ground reported a record low of 26 degrees, according to its planning forecast.At the Bisbee-Douglas International Airport, the low on Monday was recorded at 27 degrees. It was unknown if this was a record low.
The storm also brought flurries of snow to the area throughout Monday, but there were few areas in Bisbee and Sierra Vista where snow gathered on the ground. Snow did collect at higher elevations.
There were no known problems related to the weather in the Sierra Vista and Bisbee.A warming trend is expected through the rest of the week, with highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s expected starting Wednesday.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/18/news/doc47df6f06d992f878528355.txt
A warm-up is expected tomorrow, with highs back in the 80s/50s.
___
Record low temperatures felt in parts of county
Staff report
Published on Tuesday, March 18, 2008
SIERRA VISTA — Cochise County chilled Monday, reaching record lows in some parts as a winter storm moved through the area.The National Weather Service reported a low of 27 degrees Fahrenheit at its station at Sierra Vista fire station No. 1 on Fry Boulevard, which matched a previous record low.
Rice-size hail falls in Sierra Vista on a cold St. Patrick’s Day. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)
The meteorological support team at Fort Huachuca’s Electronic Proving Ground reported a record low of 26 degrees, according to its planning forecast.At the Bisbee-Douglas International Airport, the low on Monday was recorded at 27 degrees. It was unknown if this was a record low.
The storm also brought flurries of snow to the area throughout Monday, but there were few areas in Bisbee and Sierra Vista where snow gathered on the ground. Snow did collect at higher elevations.
There were no known problems related to the weather in the Sierra Vista and Bisbee.A warming trend is expected through the rest of the week, with highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s expected starting Wednesday.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/18/news/doc47df6f06d992f878528355.txt
Friday, March 14, 2008
Weeds
My back yard is a mess. I can't even identify all the stuff growing there, but it's all weeds and they all need to go. Every day I pluck weeds for an hour, shortly after sunrise when the soil's still loose from dew. By 9am it's already too hot and dry to work much else in the yard. I don't even recycle the weeds and through them in the dumpster when there's room. I have goat heads, dandelions and other desert weeds like desert broom.
I started a compost pile two days ago, using an old tin garbage pail we bought as a small fire bail. Overnight the pile settled to half its size. Filled with dead grasses, kitchen scraps, dead leaves and water, the compost should work itself into usuable compost in a few weeks if the daytime heat remains. The pail is covered to keep the heat in.
The front yard has plenty of leaves I will recycle. I'm now removing the dead leaves to reveal new growth on most of the plants. Even the lantana that I thought had died shows some new leaves. Only my Yellow Bells are dead, the crepe myrtle as well, but the sages and lavenders and penstemons are doing well.
I'm not sure I'm going to replace any of the dead plants just yet, as I will try harder to make the front yard more xeriscape and use less water. What water the front yard will get will be recycled shower water.
I planted six new agastaches yesterday that I got from High Country Gardens. (They are expensive but carry an awesome line of xeriscape plants ideal for the high desert). They are in the same area my other agastaches were (wonder why they didn't survive?).
One of our pecan trees is looking sicker and sicker each year. The smaller of the two always blooms later than its partner. Its bark broke down to the cambrium a few years back (from a wind storm?) and it seems to have done some permanent damage to the tree. The previous home owners cut the tree's damaged branches off exposing the tree's south side to the sun, but it's also the south side of the tree that is mostly bald. I don't expect the tree to live much longer.
Neither pecan has yet had any nuts, so both are most likely male or female plants.
The acorns I planted in Texas are still sprouting. The acorns were in coffee cups that I kept wrapped in a plastic bag in the back of the van during my trip across Texas. Although suffering from lack of sunlight--the seedlings are all white--they should hopefully continue to grow well now that they are on the back porch. Maybe one of the oaks will replace the pecan tree in a few years?
I will continue to de-weed the back yard every day until the majority of dead grasses and weeds are gone. Once that is done hopefully the maintenance of the yard will be easier. I will be as holistic as possible and avoid pesticides.
A cool front is expected Sunday afternoon with rain possible that night. That would be ideal as it hasn't rained here in a while and the soil is very dry. We keep getting Red Flag warnings for high winds, though.
I started a compost pile two days ago, using an old tin garbage pail we bought as a small fire bail. Overnight the pile settled to half its size. Filled with dead grasses, kitchen scraps, dead leaves and water, the compost should work itself into usuable compost in a few weeks if the daytime heat remains. The pail is covered to keep the heat in.
The front yard has plenty of leaves I will recycle. I'm now removing the dead leaves to reveal new growth on most of the plants. Even the lantana that I thought had died shows some new leaves. Only my Yellow Bells are dead, the crepe myrtle as well, but the sages and lavenders and penstemons are doing well.
I'm not sure I'm going to replace any of the dead plants just yet, as I will try harder to make the front yard more xeriscape and use less water. What water the front yard will get will be recycled shower water.
I planted six new agastaches yesterday that I got from High Country Gardens. (They are expensive but carry an awesome line of xeriscape plants ideal for the high desert). They are in the same area my other agastaches were (wonder why they didn't survive?).
One of our pecan trees is looking sicker and sicker each year. The smaller of the two always blooms later than its partner. Its bark broke down to the cambrium a few years back (from a wind storm?) and it seems to have done some permanent damage to the tree. The previous home owners cut the tree's damaged branches off exposing the tree's south side to the sun, but it's also the south side of the tree that is mostly bald. I don't expect the tree to live much longer.
Neither pecan has yet had any nuts, so both are most likely male or female plants.
The acorns I planted in Texas are still sprouting. The acorns were in coffee cups that I kept wrapped in a plastic bag in the back of the van during my trip across Texas. Although suffering from lack of sunlight--the seedlings are all white--they should hopefully continue to grow well now that they are on the back porch. Maybe one of the oaks will replace the pecan tree in a few years?
I will continue to de-weed the back yard every day until the majority of dead grasses and weeds are gone. Once that is done hopefully the maintenance of the yard will be easier. I will be as holistic as possible and avoid pesticides.
A cool front is expected Sunday afternoon with rain possible that night. That would be ideal as it hasn't rained here in a while and the soil is very dry. We keep getting Red Flag warnings for high winds, though.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Monsoon season
Start of Arizona’s monsoon will now be determined by calendar
Published on Tuesday, March 11, 2008
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s monsoon, that annual period marked by sometimes violent thunderstorms, powerful downpours and flash floods, will now be more predictable — at least in some ways.The National Weather Service this year is abandoning its decades-old system of using dew points to mark the onset of summer thunderstorms. Instead, the agency will simply set a date to mark the season’s start.
“We want to get the focus away from how we determine when it starts and when it ends and put the focus on awareness that our most violent weather occurs during the season,” said Tony Haffer, meteorologist-in-charge at the Weather Service office in Phoenix.
The Weather Service announced the official span of the rainy season on Monday: June 15 to Sept. 30. On average, the monsoon starts in late June to early July and typically ends in early to mid-September.By setting dates, the Weather Service and public-safety agencies can better prepare people for the risks of summer thunderstorms, Haffer said.
The calendar-based system more closely resembles the widely accepted hurricane season. Haffer said hurricanes can develop outside that season, just as monsoon storms will likely develop outside their new season.The change also reflects advances in weather-forecasting technology. Haffer said the old dew-point system was based on equipment and knowledge available about 50 years ago.
Dew point is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air, specifically the temperature at which water vapor will condense into water.The system also varied around the state. Tucson used a dew-point temperature of 53 degrees to mark the start of the season, adding to the confusion.
The new dates will apply statewide.A monsoon is defined as a shift in the prevailing winds, in this case from the west and northwest to the south and southeast. The shift brings moisture from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico.In Arizona, the highest rainfall amounts during the monsoon occur in the mountains, and in the southeast. The driest areas are along the Colorado River valley in the far west.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/11/news/doc47d625f1ac91e019295488.txt
Published on Tuesday, March 11, 2008
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s monsoon, that annual period marked by sometimes violent thunderstorms, powerful downpours and flash floods, will now be more predictable — at least in some ways.The National Weather Service this year is abandoning its decades-old system of using dew points to mark the onset of summer thunderstorms. Instead, the agency will simply set a date to mark the season’s start.
“We want to get the focus away from how we determine when it starts and when it ends and put the focus on awareness that our most violent weather occurs during the season,” said Tony Haffer, meteorologist-in-charge at the Weather Service office in Phoenix.
The Weather Service announced the official span of the rainy season on Monday: June 15 to Sept. 30. On average, the monsoon starts in late June to early July and typically ends in early to mid-September.By setting dates, the Weather Service and public-safety agencies can better prepare people for the risks of summer thunderstorms, Haffer said.
The calendar-based system more closely resembles the widely accepted hurricane season. Haffer said hurricanes can develop outside that season, just as monsoon storms will likely develop outside their new season.The change also reflects advances in weather-forecasting technology. Haffer said the old dew-point system was based on equipment and knowledge available about 50 years ago.
Dew point is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air, specifically the temperature at which water vapor will condense into water.The system also varied around the state. Tucson used a dew-point temperature of 53 degrees to mark the start of the season, adding to the confusion.
The new dates will apply statewide.A monsoon is defined as a shift in the prevailing winds, in this case from the west and northwest to the south and southeast. The shift brings moisture from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico.In Arizona, the highest rainfall amounts during the monsoon occur in the mountains, and in the southeast. The driest areas are along the Colorado River valley in the far west.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/03/11/news/doc47d625f1ac91e019295488.txt
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
My second MG class
Today's class was all about plant phsiology and taught by PhD grad Rob who looked like a combination of Rob Reiner and the guru Andrew Weil with bald head and full grey beard. He was so knowledgable on plant make-up that it was intimidating. He spoke as if he was lecturing to a graduate-level class of botanists. The pre-test I had to take as new student during break didn't make me feel any better: I missed nine out of 20 and most dealt with plant make-up.
As soon as I got home I felt energized to gather as much dead leaves and start on a compost pile. Kevin had saved the vegetable cuttings from the weekend and I collected old leaves and fresh weeds for the rest, then dumped them all in the tin garbage pale in the back. In a few weeks I should have some fresh compost in this heat.
I removed as many dead plants from the front yard. I received six plants from High Country Gardens today which I will plant in the front yard tomorrow. I watered the fruit trees in the back with harvested water. One of the ruit trees is dead and will be replaced with a peach tree later during the monsoon season.
The back yard continues to be a haven for weeds. The best thing I can do is till the entire back yard one day with a rented tiller. That will require some dedication. Without a tiller I can't see the backyard to be cleared of all the love grass and dandelions.
As soon as I got home I felt energized to gather as much dead leaves and start on a compost pile. Kevin had saved the vegetable cuttings from the weekend and I collected old leaves and fresh weeds for the rest, then dumped them all in the tin garbage pale in the back. In a few weeks I should have some fresh compost in this heat.
I removed as many dead plants from the front yard. I received six plants from High Country Gardens today which I will plant in the front yard tomorrow. I watered the fruit trees in the back with harvested water. One of the ruit trees is dead and will be replaced with a peach tree later during the monsoon season.
The back yard continues to be a haven for weeds. The best thing I can do is till the entire back yard one day with a rented tiller. That will require some dedication. Without a tiller I can't see the backyard to be cleared of all the love grass and dandelions.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
My first Master Garderner Class
I missed the first class on the 27th since I was still in Texas, but last Wednesday's class was interesting. We covered xeriscaped gardens, just something up my alley. As I had suspected, I am doing everything right. My problem with the garden is that the previous owners put this riverrock down, rock that is too big for convenient gardening. If I had it my way I'd have all the rocks removed and chat put in, something smaller and easier to handle.
The course also let me know how much I know and how much I don't know.
Pruning, seed archiving, soil samples, pest control are all subjects I can't wait to learn more about.
The course also let me know how much I know and how much I don't know.
Pruning, seed archiving, soil samples, pest control are all subjects I can't wait to learn more about.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Back in Arizona
It's been a long, freezing winter for the desert plants. Now that I am back in AZ I have a lot of pruning to do. My vines all suffered freeze death in parts and need to be cut back. The sages are doing well, and the lavenders are all showing new growth.
The healthier of the two trees is already budding, the smaller tree is still thinking about it. With each passing year the smaller tree is taking longer to bud; I don't think it will live much longer and need to start thinking of a replacement. Removing that tree could alter the plants underneath it, plants that have depended on partial shade all these summers.
My yards are infested with dandilions, the first time I can remember the yard having so many of them. Perhaps all the desert brooms I pulled last fall enabled the dandis to take over?
The three Texas Mountain Laurels are all doing well and survived the few freezing nights earlier this winter. They should make it now that the worst is over for them this first year.
I don't plan on planting new plants this season. I will replace some of the citrus trees but from here on out I will focus on the established plants from 2005 when I last planted the garden. Those plants that survived the dry summers will flourish and are more prone to do well with lack of water; I will no longer water my yard as before EXCEPT for the grey water from the shower.
Temperatures are expected to warm back into the 70s/40s by this weekend. If that persists I will start my tomatoe garden again, using coffee grounds as before that yielded such a bumper crop the first time I used coffee grounds.
My Master Gardener Course starts today, every Wednesday from 10-1pm through May. All that knowledge I will gain will help me better assist in my garden. I will use this journal as documentation.
The healthier of the two trees is already budding, the smaller tree is still thinking about it. With each passing year the smaller tree is taking longer to bud; I don't think it will live much longer and need to start thinking of a replacement. Removing that tree could alter the plants underneath it, plants that have depended on partial shade all these summers.
My yards are infested with dandilions, the first time I can remember the yard having so many of them. Perhaps all the desert brooms I pulled last fall enabled the dandis to take over?
The three Texas Mountain Laurels are all doing well and survived the few freezing nights earlier this winter. They should make it now that the worst is over for them this first year.
I don't plan on planting new plants this season. I will replace some of the citrus trees but from here on out I will focus on the established plants from 2005 when I last planted the garden. Those plants that survived the dry summers will flourish and are more prone to do well with lack of water; I will no longer water my yard as before EXCEPT for the grey water from the shower.
Temperatures are expected to warm back into the 70s/40s by this weekend. If that persists I will start my tomatoe garden again, using coffee grounds as before that yielded such a bumper crop the first time I used coffee grounds.
My Master Gardener Course starts today, every Wednesday from 10-1pm through May. All that knowledge I will gain will help me better assist in my garden. I will use this journal as documentation.
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