Sticky Stuff On My Orchid

Phalaenopsis orchid in bud, photo by C. Quish

Happy Sap, C. Quish Photo

January is the month my couple of Phalaenopsis orchids send up a spike with flower buds on them. The buds usually open during the last weeks of the month. I discovered one orchid stem and buds looked a bit shiny. Upon closer inspections, I saw a droplet of an amber-colored thick liquid. The stuff was sticky! It appeared to be maple syrup. I gently washed it off under tepid water. The next day it was back. I checked for insect feeding that might have caused damage and weeping, or insect excrement. None. After watching for several days, more sticky stuff appeared, almost coating the buds. After a bit of internet hunting on University researched sites on orchids, I found nothing indicating this as a problem. An informal search of ‘Sticky Stuff on my Orchid’ returned several answers. It is normal for some varieties. They called it ‘Happy Sap’. If the orchid is happy with its environment, temperature and humidity, it will produce this high sugar sap emitted from the stem surrounding the buds to entice pollinating insects to visit the plant. Once the buds open into the flower containing the pollen, the insects will be present to land on the flower and ensure pollination. The orchid has developed this appetizer to the main meal of the flower, just enough sweet sap to entice the insects to hang around for the real show and nectar.

Another plant that emit sweet, sticky gel is the sundew, botanically named Drosera . These plants attract the insects to the sweet sap, which then get stuck in the sap on the leaf. The plant then eats the insect, absorbing the insects nutrients as it decomposes. These plants are carnivorous. Still another carnivorous plant is the Pitcher Plant which lures insects down its throat where it becomes trapped in a pool of gooey sap, never to make its way back out. I took a cold walk to the UConn Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s greenhouse to snap a few pictures of plants with happy sap and enticing sweet liquid emitters. EEB greenhouses are open to the public and a great way to beat the winter cold. http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/visiting.html

-Carol Quish

Sundew, Carol Quish photo

Small Sundew, Carol Quish photo

Pitcher Plant, photo by C.Quish

Bench waiting for you to visit and enjoy the greenhouses. C.Quish photo

 

The Amazing Water Bear

Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are known for being almost indestructible on earth. These microscopic creatures can survive intense pressures, huge doses of radiation, extremes of hot and cold temperatures and years of being dried out. They can be found in moist environments throughout the world, in places as diverse as hot springs, under layers of ice, the Himalayas, ocean waters, on stone walls, and in soils.

Water Bear, University of North Texas

Tardigrades were discovered in1773 in Germany by J.A.E. Goeze, a zoologist and pastor, who said of them, “Strange is this little animal because of its exceptional and strange morphology and because it closely resembles a bear en miniature. That is the reason why I decided to call it little water bear. “They have their own phylum, Tardigrada, because they fit in with no other group of animals on the earth. The word tardgrada i comes from the Latin words tardus ( slow ) and gradu ( step ). The literal meaning is “slow- stepper ” and can be appreciated when watching them move about, somewhat akin to a lumbering bear.

Although soft and squishy, they are anything but softies when it comes to extreme environmental conditions. They can survive temperature extremes from – 328° F to + 303° f and pressure extremes from a vacuum to the high pressures in the deepest ocean trenches. They are able to survive radiation levels 1,000 times above that which would kill humans. Water bears can also survive the loss of 99% of the water content of their bodies.

These creatures have the ability to survive the most extreme conditions that would kill any other creatures, even 10 years without water. They may enter a state of cryptobiosis where metabolism is lowered to less than 0.01% of normal, and water content can drop to 1% of normal. A water bear is known as a “ tun “ while in this state of suspended animation, and can survive like this for ten or more years. Some water bears survived on a dessicated piece of moss in a museum for 120 years, becoming active after scientists added water to the moss. While in this dry state they are able to resist storage in liquid nitrogen, contact with mineral acids and organic solvents, radioactive radiation and boiling water. All it needs is a droplet of water and it is able to return to normal activity.

One scientist has compared the appearance of water bears to gummy bears due to their bright orange, green or red bodies and the similar texture of their bodies. A Tardigrada‘s body is barrel-shaped and has four pairs of stubby legs. Legs are without joints and the feet have four to eight claws apiece which enable it to move along and grasp the moss or lichens they are feeding on. Its exoskeleton contains chitin and is molted periodically throughout its life span, which normally ranges from 3- 30 months. Its tubular mouth has stylets which are used to pierce plant cells or the cells of other invertebrates on which it feeds. Often they are seen in postures that really do resemble those of bears, even as they swim through liquids.

To find water bears, look on moss or lichens, even on stone walls or bricks. If the material is dried up, moisten with spring water. Water bear, if present, usually become active within twenty minutes of adding water. Use a microscope and add a drop of the moistened material to a slide. Sometimes water bears are found in soils, so that is another place to look. They are small- 0.1- 1.5 mm. the largest being about the size of the three small dots found on a dime between the neck of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the date the coin was minted.

Kennesaw University

Scientists have reported finding water bears on mountain tops, in hot springs, under layers of solid ice and in the sediments of oceans. Many species can be found in the less extreme environs of ponds, meadows, lakes and back yards. Some have even been found on roofs. While most common in moist areas, they are able to stay active as long as they maintain just a thin film of water around their bodies.

Certain species of Tardegrada were found to be resistant to the effects of space when used in experiments by NASA. During the flight mission the tardigrades molted, and females laid eggs. Several of the eggs hatched with the newborns exhibiting normal morphology and behavior. Neither the microgravity nor the radiation found in space had any effect on the survival capability or the integrity of the DNA of active tardigrades.

The water bears ( or moss piglets as they are sometimes called ) are singular specimens in the world of Zoology. No other animals show such a profound ability to survive conditions that cover as wide a spectrum of environmental extremes, while remaining virtually unknown to most of the people living all around them.

Sources: NASA Science NASA News
Carleton College – Microbial Life Education Resources

Pamm Cooper

 

Memorial and Peace Gardens are Healing Places

When I am feeling distraught I seek solace outside, in nature or in the garden. Sometimes alone, sometimes with another, sometimes in a crowd. Nature has a calming effect on the troubled heart. Having a special place to go aids in the mindful process of healing and meditation.

Memorial Gardens and Peace Gardens were and are created to provide just such a place for folks to visit and reflect. Memorial Gardens are designed to honor a departed person or group of people. Peace Gardens are meant to foster peace between different peoples, groups or countries. “A symbol of hope for peace and renewal in our lives, our community, and the world.” (from The Garden of Peace in Boston Massachusetts).

During this darkest of Decembers, I offer you the opportunity to visit the places, click on the links, or just view the photos below.

Peace,

Carol Quish

http://gardenofpeacememorial.org/

Harkness Memorial Park

International Peace Garden, http://www.peacegarden.com/maps.htm
Latitude: 48° 59′ 57″

Olive and George Lee Memorial Garden, New Caanan, CT Credit Molly Shaker

Zion Memorial Garden, North Branford, CT

Indoor Peace Garden

 

Moths in My Kitchen!

Indian Meal Moth Adult,K.Gray Collection, ext.colostate.edu

Indian meal moth larva, tamu.edu

Every now and then a couple of moths make an appearance in my kitchen or dining room. Beyond being a minor nuisance, they are a signal I have eggs, larva and pupa in some food product nearby. These moths are called pantry pests, specifically, Indian Meal Moths. Their Latin name is Plodia interpunctella. They feed on and infest grain products such as flour, oatmeal, cornmeal and just about any cereal. They are also known to eat dried fruit, chocolate, herbs and seeds. Insects are usually brought into the home unnoticed in food products from the grocery store and might occasionally fly in from an outside food source. Some unusual hiding and egg laying places have been reported to the UConn Home and Garden Education Center. The crumb tray of the toaster, the intake vents of stand mixers, in the pot holder drawer feeding on crumbs, in stored seeds for the vegetable garden and in the bottom of the holiday nut bowl are all additional sites of egg laying. Dry pet food and bird seed can contain Indian Meal Moths.

The lifecycle of Indian Meal Moth has four stages. The adult female moth will lay 60 to 300 eggs in or near a food source. The egg hatches into a larva within 2 to 14 days, then begins feeding for a varying number of days, depending on temperature and humidity. They then pupate during which they develop into a moth, emerge to fly around our kitchens, mate and repeat the cycle. Moths sometimes lay eggs on textured ceilings and at the corners where the wall meets the ceiling and on the underside of the cabinet shelves.

Signs they larvae are present in dry-stored foods are webbing and frass clumping food bits together and hanging from the top or sides of containers. In the case of the toaster tray, all of the crumbs were not loose but matted together in one lump. Adults and larva can chew through cardboard and plastic bags. It is best to store even unopened packages in hard sided plastic or glass containers. That way, even if you bring the insects in from the grocery store, they will be contained in the hard container.

Control measures include vacuuming and cleaning cabinets, examining food for any insect presence and removing. Soap and water will kill all stages of life of these soft bodied insects. Pesticides are not needed and not recommended indoors, especially around food. Keep cabinets clean, wipe up spilled food promptly and good sanitation practices will eliminate any food sources for any moths you might have missed. Placing suspected infested food containers in the freezer will kill the insects. The insects are not vectors of any human disease and will not harmful if eaten, but a little gross!

-Carol Quish

 

Why I Like To Weed

After a long, busy day at work, I like to find an hour or two most evenings to work out in the garden. It is cooler then and sometimes a soft breeze can be had. I do have a bit of hand watering to do with 32 thirsty container plantings but then I can plunk myself down in the aromatic herb garden or amidst the vegetables or in one of several perennial/shrub beds and pull up weeds. While it sounds crazy to most, this is relaxing horticultural therapy for me. It gives me time to let my mind wander and pleasure at seeing a weed-free garden bed, and also keeps me in touch with what is happening in the garden and in the yard.

Ideally, mulch of some kind would get put down after weeding but this does not always occur in a timely fashion. A few beds were mulched with a bark mulch but with the hot, dry weather, the surface of the mulch has become hydrophobic (water resistant) and one has to either keep the sprinkler on for a long time or ‘prime’ it by poking a few holes in the mulch around the base of the plants to let the water penetrate and not roll off. I am having this problem because of late plantings (some last weekend –great summer sale at local garden center!). So I have overgrown 6-pack plants in small holes in very hot and dry weather. The root zone needs to be soaked every day and the bark mulch is repelling water.

Back to weeding. I found 3 Large Cabbage White caterpillars in one of my ‘Gonzales’ mini-cabbages. They were promptly removed and squished. Two other caterpillars to look for on members of the cabbage family are the imported cabbage worm and cabbage looper. They all seem to like green cabbages better than red ones. Hopefully that goes for Brussels sprouts too as I planted “Rubine’ red ones this year.

Damage from cabbage moth larvae

Dill self-seeds itself throughout the garden. This is great when drying the leaves for culinary purposes but there is a limit as to how much dill weed one can use. Many dill plants are weeded out but not before I check to see if there any eggs or larvae of the black swallowtail butterfly – aka parsley worm. Plants with caterpillars on them are left alone.

Parsley worm on dill

Not one honeybee to be seen but in these later evening hours, bumble bees and other native pollinators are still active. They really like the leeks that made it through the winter and are in full bloom. Good reading on the decline of our native bumble bees and what to do about it can be found in Conserving Bumble Bees. Guidelines for Creating and Managing Habitat for America’s Declining Pollinators from the Xerces Society.

In the herb garden I get to munch on pineapple strawberries and bronze fennel leaves while weeding. A cocoa hull mulch will go on this weekend. Most years there is a leopard frog or two living in the thyme bed but this year only grasshoppers are jumping about. Garlic chive seedlings are prolific as that October snowstorm dashed seedheads to the ground before they were deadheaded. Two of the four tri-colored sage plants overwintered but curiously several branches of plain-colored sage emerged from each plant and are now blooming. I suppose I should cut them off but the bees are so enjoying the blossoms.

Last year all leaves were variegated – this year plenty of green!

Early evening also brings avian visitors to the yard. The bird baths and feeders get filled then and cardinals, goldfinches, chickadees, nuthatches and more line up for food as if knowing what they don’t eat now will probably be consumed by the squirrels in the morning. The past few days a couple of juvenile red-winged hawks have been chasing each other in the back woods and putting up quite the ruckus. A wren perches on the tomato stakes as if to check out my work. The spicy perfume of nicotiana permeates the area. Crickets softly chirp. Life is good!

A very bad picture of a very noisy young hawk!

(Uh oh – mosquitoes buzzing – time to go in!)

Soil –fully yours!

Dawn

 

Farmer’s Market Time Again

Farmers and greens.

Spring is in full swing and the seasonal farmer’s markets are starting to open up to sell the fruits, vegetables and products of our local farmers. The variety and quality are outstanding. Everything from in-season asparagus, spinach and greens to soap, mushrooms, cheeses and preserves. Wool natural and dyed are animal products often sold too.  Farmer’s markets give the producer access to consumers that normally would not be have access to their farm. Farmers do sell to grocery stores, but that involves a middle man and the prices becomes higher or the farmer makes less money. Farmer’s markets give direct contact to the grower where people get to meet the person growing their food. Larger markets are a one stop shopping experience with numerous growers at one site. For a 2012 list of Connecticut Farmer’s Markets organized by the CT Dept. of Agriculture, click on http://www.ct.gov/doag/lib/doag/marketing_files/certified_fm_by_county_05-04-2012.pdf

Recently I traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to visit my daughter and she was very excited to take me to her farmer’s market “under the highway and next to the prison” at 7 am on Sunday morning. The highway over head provides protection from rain and sun. This historic market and bazaar is 35 years old with many vendors including meats, fish, cheeses, plants and even arts and crafts. 8,000 people visit on a typical Sunday between 7 and 12. We brought the camera to share the many offerings  on a sunny morning in mid-May.

-Carol Quish

Hand spun and dyed wool.

Bison meat frozen and as jerky.

Live Maryland Crabs.

Beautifully artistic goat cheeses and cheese pies.

Many varieties of mushrooms.

Rhubarb and Ramps!

Many varieties of potatoes.

Basil plants in six packs.

 

Revenge of the Weed Wacker

My LEAST favorite yard and garden tool is the weed wacker. They cause much damage in the landscape when not properly used.I have seen many wonderful trees and shrubs killed a slow death by repeated weed wacker injury to the bark at base level. Often times, the operator of the weed wacker is only focused on cutting the grass to be even with the lawn and not about the bark of the tree. Granted it is sometimes difficult to see the exact stretch of the string circling around and where it is hitting, but the damage inflicted is easily visible and long-lasting.

Weed wacker injury.
Photo by Theodor D. Leininger, USDA Forest Service

Just under the outer bark of trees and shrubs is the vascular system. This is like veins carrying the nutrients and water from the roots up to all portions of the tree. Making a cut in the bark disconnects the transport, effectively creating a roadblock at the cut area. If a cut is made completely around the circumference of the trunk, the tree will die by the next year. No water will be carried up to the branches and leaves. Making small cuts that can and do happen with weed wackers leads to a slowly dyeing tree. The ‘veins’ do not reconnect.

Prevention of weed wacker damage begins with physical barriers to keep the wacker away from the bark. Mulch is good solution. Remove all the grass and plants growing around the tree and replace with a two to three-inch layer of mulch. You decide how wide to make the circle of mulch, however at least twelve inches will be sure to provide protection. When applying mulch, it should not touch the bark. Mulch burying the bark will leave keep the bark moist and rot the bark, causing much the same results as weed wacker injury.

-Carol Quish

Properly mulched tree base.
clemson.edu

 

Willow Water Contains Rooting Stimulant

Do it yourself rooting hormone.

Willow roots and callus.
Photo by Carol Quish

Spring is a time of new growth and hopeful new potential. It is the season of raging hormones in animals and plants. The willow family of trees and shrubs contain a comparably high level of the hormone responsible for rooting, called indoleacetic acid or IAA for short. Gardeners can use this naturally occurring hormone by making ‘willow water’. Extract the IAA from cuttings of willow branches placed in a bucket or vase of water. The highest concentration of the chemical occurs in the one to two year old twigs. Basically any branch with green bark, not grey. Place them with their distal end down, (bottom down, top up). The IAA will leach into the water that can be used to initiate rooting in other plant cuttings placed in the water. The water can also be used to water the seedling of newly started seeds, transplants or cuttings.

The willow branches will produce roots into the water within a couple of days. These will become new willow trees or shrubs just like the parent willow plant from which you took the cutting. Willow cuttings will grow even if just cut and stuck in damp soil. The willow family, Salix, all possess this ability to root with abandon.

I was given a fairly big curly willow branch by Nancy DuBrule-Clemente at the Hartford Flower Show on February 25^th. Within three days, callus starting forming along the stem areas that was under water. On day five, roots started shooting out of the stem. After two weeks, vase is a tangle of pink and white primary and branching feeder roots. The willow water will be used on my new tomato seedlings under lights in the house. Then it will be time to plant the willow stem with roots into a pot of soil medium while I decide where in my yard is the ideal spot for a curly willow tree!

Willow twigs in water.
Photo by Carol Quish.

.Curly Willow twigs after 10 days in water. Photo by C. Quish

By Carol Quish.

 

Can My Amaryllis Bloom Again?

Amaryllis ucc.edu

Amaryllis bulbs are a common holiday gift, that by February, are done blooming and all you are left with are multiple long strap-like leaves and a dried up flower stalk or two. With proper  care and attention these bulbs will live to produce another bloom next holiday season. The rounded flower stalk will be growing straight up and holding the remains of the past blossom. Cut this off an inch or two above the top of the bulb. Do NOT cut off the strap-like leaves. The leaves are the food factory where photosynthesis happens. The leaves take energy from the sun, converting into carbohydrates to be stored in the large bulb, making next year’s flower. Place the pot containing the bulbs and leaves in a sunny south-facing window for best light. Water when the top inch or so of soil is dry to the touch and do not let the pot sit in water as it could rot the bulb. Treat the plant with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer monthly. Potted amaryllis can be kept inside as a houseplant or moved outside for the summer. It can also be removed from the pot and planted directly in the ground in a semi-shady to full-sun location after slowly letting it get used to the stronger light. Dig the bulb back up before the danger of the first frost sometime in September. Now is the time cut off all of the leaves and place it in a cool (40 to 50 degree F) and dark place, such as a basement closet or shelf. Leave it there for 8 to 10 weeks. No water or light during this time will put the plant into dormancy. Be sure to mark you calendar to bring it out of hiding, pot it up with new potting soil, provide it with water and sun, then wait for new growth. It can take up to two months before you see the swollen head of the flower stalk appear but the leaves sometimes appear first. Weaker bulbs that did not receive enough sun the year before may not rebloom and will need another year of full sun on their leaves to grow a larger bulb.

I did not mark my calendar and forgot to take out my amaryllis this year. Imagine my surprise at opening the basement cabinet to find a pure white stalk and leaves and bright red flower bud trying to grow out of the dark into the sliver of light where the door meets the frame! without the light the plant was unable to produce green chlorophyll resulting in only white cell growth.

-Carol Quish

Amaryllis grown in the absence of light.

Amaryllis grown in the absence of light.

 

Owls in January

Great Horned Owl HopiakCLO photo

Recently while visiting my daughter in Massachusetts, I heard the hooting of an owl breaking the silence of the night inside the house. Out on the deck, his call could be heard much more clearly. Her house abuts a large wetland filled with tall pines and maples. I looked up owl calls on the internet and identified the call as coming from a Great Horned Owl. Listen to several different owl calls at this link. owl calls

Great Horned Owls are plentiful in New England. They are known to eat around 250 different species of mammals , fish and reptiles. Lizards, frogs, fish and salamanders are wetland prey the owl I heard was probably seeking. Raccoons, squirrels and rodents are not safe from Great Horned Owls during their nocturnal hunts either. Other foods sources are large insects, crayfish, scorpions, centipedes,  worms, spiders, and road killed animals. The Great Horned Owl will regurgitate pellets of indigestible parts of animal six to ten hours after eating. Naturalists and scientists look for the pellets to dissect giving them clues to the owls’ diet.  I remember doing just that in an elementary school science class many years ago, and sparked my curiosity of owls.

The most recognizable feature of the Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, is the tufts of feathers looking like horns or ears, called plumicorns. They are neither ears nor horns just longer feathers. The name plumicorn comes from the Latin pluma meaning feather and cornu meaning horn. The Great Horned Owl is a large bird 18 to 24 inches tall and can weigh over 5 pounds. They nest in hollow trees and cliffs or the abandoned nests of other large birds, preferring not to make their own. Mating season for an owl couple is January and February annually. The female will two or three eggs that will hatch in about four weeks. Both the mother and father will sit on the eggs and feed the owlets. Baby owls will venture out of the nest by hopping between one and two months old. They learn to fly around 10 weeks old. There is only one generation each year.

-Carol Quish

Owl Pellets, sfjc.edu