Snow
Snow is a wonderful insulating blanket, ideally suited to trapping air. By its very nature, aging it produces a tough upper crust which holds in the heat, usually radiated slowly up from the soil, thus partially melting the initially fluffy snow flakes and turning them into coarse, sugar-like crystals. Anyone who has tried walking in old, deep, undisturbed snow will attest to the fact that it is rather like walking on loose, dry beach sand. This thermal winter blanket traps air in a manner similar to the insulation in your house walls, evening out radical changes in temperature that are experienced in some locations. Its glittering white reflective surface also helps in maintaining its structure and evening out temperature, because white is a good reflector of light and heat. In addition, if the surface layer starts to melt and refreezes, then a hard crust can develop at the surface. Depending on its incident angle, the sun’s rays can have significant heating potential, even in the dead of winter. By covering plants with this light-blocking layer, wide temperature fluctuations are avoided along with the potential desiccation and death that may easily follow.
The wind has a tendency to push snowflakes about, especially when they are still fresh and feather-light, apportioning more snow to the lea side of disruptions in the winter landscape. This in turn creates microclimates: areas that are allotted slightly more moisture than average during the critical transition period when the snow melts in the spring. As this magic blanket covers and protects plants from the dehydrating winter sun, so too does it act as a blind for small rodents and insects that are adapted to the cold. They can scurry about their business and seldom have to worry about the large predators from the outer world.
As a creature that can manipulate his environment, man has found ways to alter the properties of snow, changing its density and consequently its insulating and reflecting characteristics both intentionally and unintentionally. People involved in the construction of temporary winter access roads have long discovered that removing most of the snow cover results in rapid freeze-up of the ground beneath, thereby resulting in a nice hard driving surface. We unwittingly do similar things by unintentionally compacting the snow through some traditional winter activities. Skiing, snowshoeing, and especially using snow machines can accelerate freezing in the soil, thereby putting stress on some of the more sensitive plants. Chasing wildlife during this time of year is exceptionally stressful for them as they not only find it tough going to run in the snow, which causes them to sweat easily. This sweating was designed to cool the animal off rapidly, but in the winter months such cooling can be fatal as it may occur much more rapidly than nature intended, sending the distressed animal into a state of shock.
In order to have a minimal impact on the environment, please be considerate and keep to designated trails. Try to engage in activities that compact as little snow surface area as possible. Avoid bending and bumping into woody vegetation that is more brittle at this time of year. Lastly, put yourself in the animal’s position, and if you do see wildlife, provide for them a large buffer zone so they will not feel threatened and forced to run. Until next week, enjoy and appreciate the winter landscape! MM.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Search for Seeds
I am looking for seeds of poison ivy (Rhus radicans). Be careful not to handle any part of the plant with your bare hands: it is best to use disposable gloves. If you do accidentally touch it, wash with a strong soap and lots of water. In the event that you manage to collect some ripe seeds from this species, I will be willing to exchange an equal number of seeds from one or more of the following species: Camassia quamash; Perideridia gairdneri; Psoralia esculenta; Calochortus apiculatus; Fritillaria pudica; Drosera rotundifolia.
Please contact me as soon as you think you have identified this plant so that we can arrange an exchange. See you next week. MM.
I am looking for seeds of poison ivy (Rhus radicans). Be careful not to handle any part of the plant with your bare hands: it is best to use disposable gloves. If you do accidentally touch it, wash with a strong soap and lots of water. In the event that you manage to collect some ripe seeds from this species, I will be willing to exchange an equal number of seeds from one or more of the following species: Camassia quamash; Perideridia gairdneri; Psoralia esculenta; Calochortus apiculatus; Fritillaria pudica; Drosera rotundifolia.
Please contact me as soon as you think you have identified this plant so that we can arrange an exchange. See you next week. MM.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Feeding Birds
Feeding wild birds can be even more entertaining than watching television. As long as there’s daylight you have the possibility of seeing these normally shy, retiring little creatures close up, in a controlled setting. Individual personalities may be observed among flock members, and a keen observer will soon tag these individuals with descriptive names. We have been feeding the birds at our home for a number of years now, and it has provided me with the opportunity of experimenting with different types of feed. My parents have also fed the birds, on and off, for an even longer period, and as they live in the country it has allowed me to compare and contrast feeding habits.
THE COUNTRY BIRD AND THE CITY BIRD: Certain species of bird are rarely seen at our feeders in town, but are regulars at Mom’s feeding stations. Blue jays, whiskey jacks, juncos, and several species of woodpecker love to hang out at my parents’ bird feeders, while spurning mine.
SEED: The most useful birdseed in terms of attracting the greatest variety of species is the small plain black sunflower seed. Do not buy the large black sunflower seed with the white stripe, as this type of seed is too large for some of the smaller birds. Chickadees, nuthatches, and many members of the finch family favor small black sunflower seed. It is reasonably inexpensive, keeps well, and is reasonably easy to remove if it gets into your flower beds (easy to weed out once it germinates). Deer often enter our yard seeking food, when everything is covered with ice or snow, and they have repeatedly consumed the seed that the birds dropped from the feeders. Another food that is more seasonal in its consumption is marketed as Niger seed and is the seed of a member of the sunflower family. These seeds are very small and while they are greatly favored by the smaller members of the finch family (pine siskins, redpolls), some of the larger finches and their allies (Grosbeaks) will not be able to do anything with them. Suet is something that birds in the countryside seem to appreciate more than our citified birds, and it is favored by chickadees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches when the weather is cold. Peanuts are also a good winter treat, as they won’t go rancid in the cold. This treat has to be presented in a way that appeals to the birds, and the quality of peanuts varies greatly from store to store. I have found that pet store peanuts are often rancid or moldy and not worth the saving compared to human grade, blanched shelled peanuts. Try to get a smaller size of nut, as the larger peanuts may be hard for smaller birds to handle. If you do get large peanuts, then put them in a woodpecker feeder where they are packed together and so they won’t clog the openings of regular feeders. Mixed seed is usually a waste of money as many of the seeds may not be palatable to birds in your area. As a result they may turn their little beaks up at these mixtures, or the birds or the wind might throw these seeds to the ground where the mice might more greatly benefit from it. This is true for mixes bought in bags as well as mixed seed cemented into lumps (cubes, balls, bell-shapes) using gelatin or suet. Seeds and fruits of specific trees and shrubs can be a real treat for some birds. Hordes of waxwings usually visit our yard in late fall and early winter, intent upon consuming every single berry from the hawthorn and mountain ash trees in our yard. At about the same time in the country, my mother’s Manitoba maples are usually visited by small flocks of evening grosbeaks. They love the maple seeds on the female trees.
PRESENTATION is a complex issue as it has several components. Consistency is important. If they know it is there they will come. If they don’t know it is there, then it may spoil before somebirdy finally finds it! It has been said that proximity to trees and shrubs is critical, and this is true. Many species use trees and shrubs as cover, and some just like to carry off each seed and eat it on their own private branch away from the rest of the flock. Height above the ground may influence what types of birds visit a feeder as some species are strictly ground feeders, while others prefer feeding one, two, or even three meters or more off the ground. The number of feeders and the type of feeder used will influence the amount of traffic to a feeder, because some individuals can be quite territorial. I’ve repeatedly read that birds just love to have open water to drink from in winter when the ground is frozen, but my birds usually just thumb their beaks at my heated pet dish full of nice clean water.
SAFETY is somewhat tied to presentation through placement of the feeders. It also relates to predators and other hazards that may lurk in your yard. Those dearly beloved pussycats will be the first ones to succumb to the temptation of catching a fast-moving bird, just for the shear challenge of it! If you or your neighbors have an outdoor kitty, then it may be wiser to avoid feeding the birds, because in the end all you are doing is exterminating them. I have found that open rain barrels present a hazard to young birds and have placed covers on them to keep the birds from drowning. Large windows, especially when they are immaculately clean and reflective, tend to fool birds into flying into them. It is better to have a slightly dirty window than a lot of dead birds heaped up beneath a nice clean window!
There are many aspects of bird feeding that I haven’t covered here, and if you are interested in this subject, then I highly recommend that you seek out some references in your local library. You might also wish to enroll in a bird watching club in your area. Have fun, but please try to respect the health and well being of these tiny visitors. MM
Feeding wild birds can be even more entertaining than watching television. As long as there’s daylight you have the possibility of seeing these normally shy, retiring little creatures close up, in a controlled setting. Individual personalities may be observed among flock members, and a keen observer will soon tag these individuals with descriptive names. We have been feeding the birds at our home for a number of years now, and it has provided me with the opportunity of experimenting with different types of feed. My parents have also fed the birds, on and off, for an even longer period, and as they live in the country it has allowed me to compare and contrast feeding habits.
THE COUNTRY BIRD AND THE CITY BIRD: Certain species of bird are rarely seen at our feeders in town, but are regulars at Mom’s feeding stations. Blue jays, whiskey jacks, juncos, and several species of woodpecker love to hang out at my parents’ bird feeders, while spurning mine.
SEED: The most useful birdseed in terms of attracting the greatest variety of species is the small plain black sunflower seed. Do not buy the large black sunflower seed with the white stripe, as this type of seed is too large for some of the smaller birds. Chickadees, nuthatches, and many members of the finch family favor small black sunflower seed. It is reasonably inexpensive, keeps well, and is reasonably easy to remove if it gets into your flower beds (easy to weed out once it germinates). Deer often enter our yard seeking food, when everything is covered with ice or snow, and they have repeatedly consumed the seed that the birds dropped from the feeders. Another food that is more seasonal in its consumption is marketed as Niger seed and is the seed of a member of the sunflower family. These seeds are very small and while they are greatly favored by the smaller members of the finch family (pine siskins, redpolls), some of the larger finches and their allies (Grosbeaks) will not be able to do anything with them. Suet is something that birds in the countryside seem to appreciate more than our citified birds, and it is favored by chickadees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches when the weather is cold. Peanuts are also a good winter treat, as they won’t go rancid in the cold. This treat has to be presented in a way that appeals to the birds, and the quality of peanuts varies greatly from store to store. I have found that pet store peanuts are often rancid or moldy and not worth the saving compared to human grade, blanched shelled peanuts. Try to get a smaller size of nut, as the larger peanuts may be hard for smaller birds to handle. If you do get large peanuts, then put them in a woodpecker feeder where they are packed together and so they won’t clog the openings of regular feeders. Mixed seed is usually a waste of money as many of the seeds may not be palatable to birds in your area. As a result they may turn their little beaks up at these mixtures, or the birds or the wind might throw these seeds to the ground where the mice might more greatly benefit from it. This is true for mixes bought in bags as well as mixed seed cemented into lumps (cubes, balls, bell-shapes) using gelatin or suet. Seeds and fruits of specific trees and shrubs can be a real treat for some birds. Hordes of waxwings usually visit our yard in late fall and early winter, intent upon consuming every single berry from the hawthorn and mountain ash trees in our yard. At about the same time in the country, my mother’s Manitoba maples are usually visited by small flocks of evening grosbeaks. They love the maple seeds on the female trees.
PRESENTATION is a complex issue as it has several components. Consistency is important. If they know it is there they will come. If they don’t know it is there, then it may spoil before somebirdy finally finds it! It has been said that proximity to trees and shrubs is critical, and this is true. Many species use trees and shrubs as cover, and some just like to carry off each seed and eat it on their own private branch away from the rest of the flock. Height above the ground may influence what types of birds visit a feeder as some species are strictly ground feeders, while others prefer feeding one, two, or even three meters or more off the ground. The number of feeders and the type of feeder used will influence the amount of traffic to a feeder, because some individuals can be quite territorial. I’ve repeatedly read that birds just love to have open water to drink from in winter when the ground is frozen, but my birds usually just thumb their beaks at my heated pet dish full of nice clean water.
SAFETY is somewhat tied to presentation through placement of the feeders. It also relates to predators and other hazards that may lurk in your yard. Those dearly beloved pussycats will be the first ones to succumb to the temptation of catching a fast-moving bird, just for the shear challenge of it! If you or your neighbors have an outdoor kitty, then it may be wiser to avoid feeding the birds, because in the end all you are doing is exterminating them. I have found that open rain barrels present a hazard to young birds and have placed covers on them to keep the birds from drowning. Large windows, especially when they are immaculately clean and reflective, tend to fool birds into flying into them. It is better to have a slightly dirty window than a lot of dead birds heaped up beneath a nice clean window!
There are many aspects of bird feeding that I haven’t covered here, and if you are interested in this subject, then I highly recommend that you seek out some references in your local library. You might also wish to enroll in a bird watching club in your area. Have fun, but please try to respect the health and well being of these tiny visitors. MM
Friday, January 5, 2007
Unusual Seed Catalogs
This is a good time to talk about seed catalogs. I got a free catalog from J. L. Hudson, Seedsman, and a rare seed supplement from Sacred Succulents yesterday. Of course it helps to have ordered some of their amazing seeds last year. I first discovered the online catalog from J. L. Hudson while searching for seed of Lewisia rediviva two years ago. My aim was to order several grams of seed in the hopes that a plant rated for zone 4 would have a few individuals that could cope with the extremes of a zone 2b climate. Seeding that fall (in order to break natural seed dormancy – you see a pattern here, don’t you), I was pleased to see a smattering of tiny reddish individuals germinate the next spring (Last year). As I observed them through the course of the summer, the tops disappeared, but new, green tops appeared once more towards the end of the summer. This means that the original plants had either entirely died and been replaced, or more likely, that the original plants had gone temporarily dormant to deal with sandy soil and a hot summer sun. I anxiously await spring in anticipation of continuing this saga.
J. L. Hudson is not just any old seed distributor. They specialize in species of ethnobotanical interest. This means if indigenous peoples had a significant use for the plant, like food, medicine, shelter, clothing or religion, then it would be of interest to J. L. Hudson. They have stuff from all over the world, from flowers, to trees, to vegetables; their prices are reasonable, and their product is pretty good compared to some places I’ve ordered from in the past (Richters has not inspired confidence in their products of late).
Sacred Succulents also deals with ethnobotanical material while specializing in cacti and succulents. Stand warned that not even I am nutty enough to try to grow their plants outside in this climate. I love cacti and was previously discouraged in learning more about them, as the more common seed catalogs only had mixed cactus seed available for sale. How am I supposed to find out what species grew from a bunch of unknown mixed seed when it may take years for the plant to come to flower! Very frustrating to say the least! I am pleased to say that Sacred Succulents not only package one species in each properly labeled packet, for the more common species they have reasonable numbers of seed per packet. Also, even in the appalling light and temperatures in my house, I was able to get a few individuals to survive. Their catalog is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.00USD ($4.00USD for international orders), but they have shipped me new catalogs for free because I continue ordering from them. You should not expect any glossy photos of bright flowers from either of these seed distributors. You should expect a brief story relating to the reported history and uses of each plant. If you’re like me and feel that each plant has a story to tell, then this will be of much more importance to you than some enhanced color photograph.
Another favorite nursery of mine is Lawyers Nursery in Montana. They are a wholesale distributor of trees and shrubs and they have an excellent supply of seed. The one drawback is that they are wholesale, so if you only want a couple of seeds to do some landscaping in the backyard, you are out of luck as they usually sell their seeds by the pound. However, if you’re like me and wish to do some serious selection from among a reasonably sized population, then this would be the place to go! They can usually get you stuff from all over the world, and they are very good at producing certification to get things legally across international borders.
All three of these nurseries have some listing on the internet. Here are their addresses: J. L. Hudson, Seedsman, P.O. Box 337, La Honda, California, 94020 USA ; http://www.jlhudwsonseed.net/.
Lawyer Nursery, Inc., 950 Highway 200 West, Plains, Montana, USA 59859-9706; www.lawyernursery.com
Sacred Succulents, P.O. Box 781, Sebastopol, California, 95473 USA; www.sacredsucculents.com
There are many other exciting catalogs out there, but these are the ones I am most familiar with at the moment. In the future, others will be added when they have proven themselves to me. Happy seed dreams! MM
This is a good time to talk about seed catalogs. I got a free catalog from J. L. Hudson, Seedsman, and a rare seed supplement from Sacred Succulents yesterday. Of course it helps to have ordered some of their amazing seeds last year. I first discovered the online catalog from J. L. Hudson while searching for seed of Lewisia rediviva two years ago. My aim was to order several grams of seed in the hopes that a plant rated for zone 4 would have a few individuals that could cope with the extremes of a zone 2b climate. Seeding that fall (in order to break natural seed dormancy – you see a pattern here, don’t you), I was pleased to see a smattering of tiny reddish individuals germinate the next spring (Last year). As I observed them through the course of the summer, the tops disappeared, but new, green tops appeared once more towards the end of the summer. This means that the original plants had either entirely died and been replaced, or more likely, that the original plants had gone temporarily dormant to deal with sandy soil and a hot summer sun. I anxiously await spring in anticipation of continuing this saga.
J. L. Hudson is not just any old seed distributor. They specialize in species of ethnobotanical interest. This means if indigenous peoples had a significant use for the plant, like food, medicine, shelter, clothing or religion, then it would be of interest to J. L. Hudson. They have stuff from all over the world, from flowers, to trees, to vegetables; their prices are reasonable, and their product is pretty good compared to some places I’ve ordered from in the past (Richters has not inspired confidence in their products of late).
Sacred Succulents also deals with ethnobotanical material while specializing in cacti and succulents. Stand warned that not even I am nutty enough to try to grow their plants outside in this climate. I love cacti and was previously discouraged in learning more about them, as the more common seed catalogs only had mixed cactus seed available for sale. How am I supposed to find out what species grew from a bunch of unknown mixed seed when it may take years for the plant to come to flower! Very frustrating to say the least! I am pleased to say that Sacred Succulents not only package one species in each properly labeled packet, for the more common species they have reasonable numbers of seed per packet. Also, even in the appalling light and temperatures in my house, I was able to get a few individuals to survive. Their catalog is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.00USD ($4.00USD for international orders), but they have shipped me new catalogs for free because I continue ordering from them. You should not expect any glossy photos of bright flowers from either of these seed distributors. You should expect a brief story relating to the reported history and uses of each plant. If you’re like me and feel that each plant has a story to tell, then this will be of much more importance to you than some enhanced color photograph.
Another favorite nursery of mine is Lawyers Nursery in Montana. They are a wholesale distributor of trees and shrubs and they have an excellent supply of seed. The one drawback is that they are wholesale, so if you only want a couple of seeds to do some landscaping in the backyard, you are out of luck as they usually sell their seeds by the pound. However, if you’re like me and wish to do some serious selection from among a reasonably sized population, then this would be the place to go! They can usually get you stuff from all over the world, and they are very good at producing certification to get things legally across international borders.
All three of these nurseries have some listing on the internet. Here are their addresses: J. L. Hudson, Seedsman, P.O. Box 337, La Honda, California, 94020 USA ; http://www.jlhudwsonseed.net/.
Lawyer Nursery, Inc., 950 Highway 200 West, Plains, Montana, USA 59859-9706; www.lawyernursery.com
Sacred Succulents, P.O. Box 781, Sebastopol, California, 95473 USA; www.sacredsucculents.com
There are many other exciting catalogs out there, but these are the ones I am most familiar with at the moment. In the future, others will be added when they have proven themselves to me. Happy seed dreams! MM
Monday, January 1, 2007
Christmas cacti, Honey Locusts, and Mice.
You’re probably all sick of hearing about Christmas? Truth be known, I don’t kick up much of a fuss over all the commercialism. At best I do some baking and get a few presents for my sister, my wife, and my wife’s friends – no tree, no lights, nothing to clean up after. During the much celebrated day we made a brief round on some back roads in an attempt at midwinter bird watching, and my wife’s vigilant eyes spotted a flock of at least two hundred snow buntings feeding in a feedlot amongst the cows. On previous winters I have seen groups of up to a dozen in that area … maybe it’s a colder or snowier than average year?My mother has several color variations on the Christmas(?) cactus (blooms in November), and she keeps them in my sister’s office. This year I put a tight weather seal on the bottom of the door to shut out the unbearably cold draft, and the slight change in temperature allowed the cacti to set fruit. On previous years I have made repeated attempts at cross pollinating them and each time the flowers would abscise without any fruit development whatsoever. I am looking forward to doing some fruit dissection in search of seeds (I know you all think, “This is one sick puppy!”). I will try to remember to tell you what I discover. Should there be anything worth experimenting with, it will be packaged, labeled and saved until the light conditions are better (probably sometime around April). Then I figure an orchid potting mix might be the way to go? Well I have a few months of leeway to do some research on epiphytic cacti.
I took ten of the thornless honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis) seeds that I scarified over Christmas and wrapped them in damp tissue paper in a jar in order to see how quickly they would germinate. They are looking mighty fine, having swollen to at least double their original size (If they would have been this big while I was scarifying them, then I wouldn’t have had such sore finger tips!). At this moment they all have germinated and have roots longer than 2cm, so I put them all into the same flower pot by the livingroom lamp so I can keep an eye on them. I also took about five pawpaw (Asimina triloba) seeds and placed them in the fridge. This test has no real statistical accuracy, but at least I’ll be able to see if any crop failure is on my part, or on the part of the numerous mice that bless the garden. Those little varmints have quite the gluttonous appetite and have repeatedly wiped out my beets in the past! Curse their mangy little tails and floppy ears! I’ve seen nature programs on television where the fox pounces head first into the snow bank, sometimes coming up with fresh mouse for kibbles … why can’t our cats do that? Perhaps my best bet is to purchase one of those revolving mouse traps that keep piling up the live mice inside, the only thing being that they are hard to come by here. I’ll have to look around. Mousies be ware! This wasn’t intended to be a rant against mice as I feel all pests deserve controls from time to time.
Until next week, MM.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)