All About Sansevieria

The Sansevieria group makes up some of my favorite houseplants. Scientists recently placed them in the genus Dracaena, but its former scientific name seems to also be one of its common names. I will continue to refer to it as Sansevieria in this article to avoid confusion. In the future, you will most likely see the plant tags that come with plants offered for sale finally catch up with this change in the scientific community. This plant has many common names including “snake plant” and my personal favorite “mother-in-law’s tongue”.  Like many varieties of houseplant, there are some staples that have been around for decades, some newer species that have come to market, and some really interesting cultivars or hybrids of all of them. 

A tall variety of Sansevieria trifasciata with gold edges. Photo by mrl2024.

These plants have a rhizome, and the leaves grow from the base of your pot. They are very prolific when they like their environment. In fact, they tend to break the pots they are in, so I would recommend using plastic pots, which their growth will eventually deform. If you want to use a clay or ceramic pot, I suggest putting them in a slightly smaller plastic pot, then putting that in the clay pot. You can hide the gap between the two pots with Spanish moss. Being native to Africa, they cannot tolerate cold temperatures. Typical household temperatures work well, but avoid anything below 55 degrees F. If kept too cold, they will die and rot from the base up. By the time you notice there is a problem, it is too late to do anything about it. Another thing that is nice for the plant collector is that their upright growth habit allows the grower to have many varieties in a small space.

Overwatering is the quickest way to kill any houseplant, but especially so with these. In the winter, you probably only want to water once a month, and sparingly at that. Do not let them get soggy or this otherwise hardy plant will rot. In the warmer months when the plant is actively growing, allow the soil to dry between waterings, but then water more liberally. Some growers will add extra perlite to the mix to aid in drainage. I have not had trouble keeping them in a standard mix, but you certainly need to be careful with watering. Choose the mix that will work best for your plant hydration habits. These plants have the reputation of being a low light plant, which they certainly can handle. Sometimes, however, people place them in the darkest corner of a room where they hang on for a few months, but then eventually run out of stored resources and die. Remember they do need some light to photosynthesize so bright indirect light is best. The other problem I have seen is their unique, flat leaves can become covered in dust. Either dust them manually, use a blower, or take them outside in warm weather and hose them off. A damp cloth run gently over the leaves is probably the easiest method, but becomes more difficult and time consuming with a rather large collection.    

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Golden Hahnii’ before (top) and after (bottom) division and repotting. Here, each baby plant got its own pot. Photo by mrl2024.

All varieties of Sansevieria are fairly easy to propagate. If you want more plants quicker, you can take leaf cuttings. You either dip in rooting hormone and replant, or you can place the cuttings in water to take root (change the water daily for best results). You must be careful with the orientation, as you want to plant the bottom side of the cutting into the soil, not the top, which will fail to root. It is easy to get confused and forget which end is up. Some people put a mark on the top or bottom, others cut in such a way as to indicate the bottom. It really doesn’t matter which method you choose, if any, as long as the cuttings are oriented properly at planting time.  There is one big problem with using cuttings – the babies will look like the standard green variety, and not have any of the nice golden edges, so be careful with this method. I also don’t like doing this as it, in my opinion, just looks unsightly. The remaining stub on the parent plant looks awful. If I was to do this, I would recommend cutting near the base of the plant by the soil surface. The cut leaf will not regrow, and instead just will look damaged. In the new pot where the cutting was placed, you still have to look at the cutting as it does not grow. It is not until the baby plants growing from the base are big enough that you can separate it from this actual cutting piece. 

My favorite way to propagate these plants is to let them grow, and then divide them during repotting. You simply pull the plant out of the pot and divide the rhizomes up so that each plant is separate, or in small clumps. This does require the cutting or breaking of the rhizomes, but this will not hurt the plant in the long run. This method produces the best-looking plants in my opinion. Even if you just have one plant per pot, they still look nice afterwards with no short, cut, damaged leaves. In favorable conditions, they will send up some new shoots quickly and look fairly nice. The main adult plant still looks nice and uniform after repotting as it has not been cut.  The best part of this propagation method is that you get exactly what you wanted. The plants have the same color and pattern as that of the parent.         

Some short varieties of Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’. On left is the wild type coloration, the middle front has an all dark variety, and on the right is ‘Golden Hahnii.’ Photo by mrl2024.

The Sansevieria group can be divided into two types, those with flat leaves and those with cylindrical leaves. Of those two groups, there are species/varieties that grow tall and some that grow short. The tall ones make great floor plants while the shorter ones do well when placed on a table. Most of us are familiar with the tall green snake plant with horizontal dark green stripes.  There is also a very similar one that has gold edges to each leaf. These have been around for many decades. There are some absolutely stunning new varieties on the market today that have selected for any of the colors found in these older varieties. For example, there is one called ‘Moonshine’, which has no pattern in the leaf at all, instead being pale green. Another interesting one is called ‘Hi Color’, which has more yellow than green in the leaves. The yellow is not simply along the margin, but found in the main area of the leaf as well. There are others that are selected for such a dark green that it almost approaches black in color. One of my new favorites is a different species called Sansevieria masoniana, commonly referred to as “whale tail,” “shark fin,” or some combination thereof. These can get up to 4 feet tall with proper growing conditions in a greenhouse, but generally smaller in a home setting. No matter which one you choose, you really cannot go wrong with these plants. They are readily available at most nurseries, garden centers, and home stores, so why not pick one or two up and brighten up your home?       

Matthew Lisy PhD

UConn Adjunct Professor

 

Cold Tolerance in Houseplants: An Unintentional Experiment

There are a few different ways that people keep houseplants. Some people place the plants in their homes, and then leave them there permanently. For others, the houseplants are simply overwintering in the house, but their true home is outdoors. I tend to be the second type. This type of behavior leads to some problems, the worst being where do you put all the plants in the winter. For temporary housing, it is difficult to ensure the plants have adequate light, water, and temperature. It is fairly easy to water the plants, and with the copious amounts of LED fixtures on the market today, light is no longer that difficult either. Temperature, however, can be a bit tricky and potentially expensive.

I like to put my plants in the basement for the winter. It is easy to maintain them, and if I spill a little water it doesn’t really matter. Normally, it is best to keep tropical houseplants above 50 degrees F, but 60 F is even better. My basement is generally in that range, but with the severe cold spells we have had this winter, the temperatures have dropped into the upper 40s. The other important thing to remember is that heat rises. The floor of the basement can be as much as ten degrees colder than shoulder height on a human. There can be pockets of cold that pool in areas imperceptible to us. There are a number of solutions to all these problems, but that is beyond the scope of this blog. I brought my houseplant collection in and due to the cold spells completed an unintentional experiment! I will discuss the results here in hopes that others can learn from my misfortune.

First of all, it is important to realize that each species will have its own temperature preferences.  It is not uncommon for one species to be able to tolerate the cold, and yet another closely related species will not. In the field of Ecology, there is a well know optimal zone that our houseplants prefer. These are temperatures from about 60 to 90 degrees F. Now, not all houseplants fit this zone, but I am generalizing for the purposes of this discussion. Outside of this range, are the zones of stress. The plants may still live in this range for a short period of time, but this is not ideal or preferable.  For example, let’s say on the cold side we go down to 50 degrees, and on the warm side 100 degrees F. Beyond the zones of stress are the zones of intolerance. This is where the temperatures are too extreme and the plants cannot live. In my fictious but somewhat realistic example, let’s say below 50 and above 100 degrees F. Plants usually don’t immediately die, but could suffer leaf drops or dying leaves. 

The rare and beautiful Philodendron ‘Silver Stripe’ does not seem to mind the cold one bit. Photo by mrl2023.

There are many reasons plants cannot live outside of a certain temperature range. For one thing, if it gets too cold and the tropical plants are subject to freezing that really needs no explanation.  On the other end, too hot and they may desiccate, or dry out faster than they can replenish the water. Afterall, they are in a relatively small pot with limited moisture. Beyond that, one of the greatest obstacles for our plants (and everything else) boils down to chemistry. Living organisms are full of all sorts of chemicals that undergo reactions. If our enzymes that make these reactions happen faster and with less energy are subject to temperatures beyond their ideal range, they may denature, or change shape, in a way that makes them unusable. Think of breaking your house key, and then trying to use the remaining piece to unlock your door – it won’t work!  So, for our houseplants, even though they are not subject to extreme hot or cold, temperatures outside their ideal range may not allow them to live because the chemical reactions necessary to maintain themselves simply do not work. For some, this process happens quickly, but for other species, it is a slower process. Each species has a different tolerance level.

The groups of mostly tropical houseplants I will discuss here are by no means an exhaustive list.  These are simply a group of plants that were subject to the cold basement temperatures during some of our cold spells. For plants in the rest of my house, they were all fine. I heat the house to a nice toasty 55 degrees F but have supplemental heat in the areas we occupy often. That 55 degrees F seems to be a comfortable minimum threshold for most houseplants. Be careful not to over water in cold temperatures as that easily leads to rot and subsequent death!

Cacti and succulents have the most cold hardiness. I have kept this group of plants in cold basements for years without any issues. It is important to give them just a little bit of water.  These plants are not usually growing at these temperatures, but rather sort of ‘chilling out’. They will resume active growth when placed outside next spring, or when the basement warms up provided there is adequate light. I know a number of cacti and succulent collectors that have simple hoop houses outside with two or three layers of plastic that are heated to a max of 50 degrees F with no troubles. I would advise doing your own research for your specific species of plants should you desire to embark down this path.  

The Gesneriads, of which I am so fond, love cool basements. This group includes African Violets and Cape Primroses. They actually prefer these cooler temperatures, but will suffer in warmer summer months. Pothos also seems rather tolerant of the cold temperatures, although their leaves seem a little droopy. One exception here is the Scindapus treubii ‘Moonlight,’ which died almost immediately. The Philodendrons are a real mixed bag. Any of the larger-leaved floor plants seemed to die almost immediately even at the 50-degree mark. The Philodendron “Pink Princess” and similar types seemed to tolerate the cold up until about February, and now are showing signs of extreme stress. These I am going to move! The hanging basket species, with the exception of the ‘Micans’, seem to be looking fabulous in the cold and not even bothered at all.  All of my ferns do not seem to mind one bit either. All of the Calathea and Sansevieria species are struggling or dying. The always raved about ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) both died almost immediately in the cold temperatures as well. I had both the green and black varieties.  The last plants I will comment about are the Poinsettias. These are difficult to grow due to their sensitivity to temperature, specifically cold. I once had the greenhouse heat stop working one evening. I discovered this the next day and many of the plants dropped their leaves. Even buying them at the store and walking out to the car can result in dropped leaves. If possible, these should be wrapped before leaving the store. Most other houseplants can tolerate the trip home in a cold car, but try to buy them on your way home so they don’t spend too much time in the car.

The Rabbit’s Foot Fern, along with all the ferns in my collection, are not harmed by cold spells. Photo by mrl2023.

Well hopefully my little unintentional experiment with the cold will help people decide where to overwinter their houseplants. I may need to heat that space slightly in future years if I decide to move some of those sensitive plants into that location for the winter. To avoid the coldness of the floor, a board placed on cinder blocks can provide some protection, as can an overturned flower pot underneath the one in which the plant is growing. Isn’t it wonderful knowing that Spring is just around the corner? 

Matt Lisy PhD, UConn Adjunct Professor

 

Hearts for Valentine’s Day

While there’s always the traditional Valentine’s Day gifts of flowers and candy, why not give that special someone a plant with heart-shaped leaves that will likely last much longer than chocolates or bouquets. There are actually a number of plant species to choose from with some being quite easy to grow.

Perhaps the cutest, as well as the easiest is the Sweetheart hoya (Hoya kerrii). Hoyas are a very slow growing, vining plant with stems that may reach 13 feet in length. Typically, it is grown in a wreath form or on a trellis. The pink or white flowers are fragrant but not produced in great abundance. 

While this plant has the most adorable heart-shaped leaves, the ones that are sold as a single leaf in a pot will, in most cases, remain as a single leaf. Unless a piece of stem was left attached to the potted leaf, the plant is not able to initiate new leaf or stem formation. This makes for a simple plant to care for, however. Keep your Sweetheart hoya leaf in a bright sunny spot with temperatures in the 60 to 80 degree F range and water when dry.

Hoya heart-shaped leaves. Photo by dmp.

Another plant for small spaces with charming marbled, heart-shaped leaves is the String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii). While the dainty individual stems can grow 12 feet long, they can be trimmed to keep the plant compact. The grey-green leaves are small, only about ½ inch in diameter. String of Hearts is a succulent best grown in a potting mix labeled for cacti and set in bright, filtered sunlight. Let plants dry out slightly between waterings. Keep away from drafts and note that plants may go dormant if the temperature falls below 60 F.  

String of hearts. Photo by Shelley Durocher, 2024.

Philodendrons (P. hederaceum) have been grown for ages and with good reason. These tough, vining plants with heart-shaped leaves tolerate the lower light levels found in many homes. Stems may grow 3 feet or longer and plants are best suited to a hanging basket or trellis. Exciting newer cultivars such as ‘Brasil’, ‘Cream Splash’ and ‘Rio’ offer variegated leaves. Grow plants in bright, indirect light and avoid overwatering. Trim plants if they overgrow their bounds.

More recently, anthuriums with their flashy colored spathes in red, orange, pinks, and purples have been livening up the holiday plant scene. Both the spathes, which are modified leaves, and the true glossy, green leaves are shaped like hearts. Plants grow to about 16 inches high and if content will produce long-lasting colorful spathes several months of the year. Tiny flowers are on the tail-like spike that emerges from each spathe. Anthuriums also appreciate bright but indirect light, a well-draining, acidic soilless potting media and to be kept moderately moist.

Anthurium. Photo by Shelley Durocher, 2024

Similar in care to anthuriums, syngoniums have heart-shaped leaves and new varieties come in various shades of pink, purplish red and even variegated cultivars. Syngoniums are evergreen climbers but can be maintained as a shrubby houseplant if trailing stems are removed. As the plant ages, leaves become more arrow-shaped. Plants enjoy warmth and humidity and do best in moderately moist potting mixes and in bright diffused light.

Pink syngonium, Photo by dmp, 2024.

A little harder to find but worth the search is the Heart Fern (Hemionitis arifolia). Like many tropical ferns, it prefers indirect light in a warm, humid location. Plants may reach 10 inches tall and wide. The leaves are dimorphic, with the sterile fronds being heart-shaped and the fertile ones resembling arrowheads. Unlike most ferns, the foliage is thick and leathery. Being an epiphyte, plants should be grown in a light, airy potting mix and kept moist at all times.

Lastly, there are varieties of English ivy (Hedera helix) with heart-shaped leaves. ‘Sweetheart’ and ‘Heart’ are two common cultivars. Blue-green leaves form along stems that can be trimmed to any length. Grow as a hanging basket or in a decorative pot. English ivy enjoys cooler temperatures and bright but diffused light. East or north facing windows are ideal locations.

This year, mix it up a little for Valentine’s Day and give the heart-felt gift of a plant with heart-shaped leaves. Do note that some of the above plants are toxic if consumed so should be kept away from children and pets.

Dawn P.

 

Pretty Cape Primroses

If I could only have one species of houseplant, I would pick the Cape Primrose, or Streps, as they are sometimes called. These are sometimes also referred to by their full scientific name, Streptocarpus, and are usually hybrids of a few different species. Interestingly, these plants are related to the familiar African Violet and are part of a large family of plants called Gesneriads (Family: Gesneriaceae). These are all beautiful plants that are grown mostly for their exquisite blooms, but a few have exceptional foliage as well. Most of the Strep hybrids offered for sale have elongated, green leaves. I did have one variety a long time ago that actually had variegated leaves. There are pure bred species of Streptocarpus for sale if you hunt, but these have much smaller, plain flowers that pale in comparison to the hybrids. 

Although the care is similar to African Violets, I find Streps to be a lot more forgiving. They are not as prone to rotting and they grow a lot faster. In general, they are probably the most hardy Gesneriad I have kept. In addition to being easier to keep, they bloom profusely in the home.  Their blooms are the best part of these plants as they are much larger than the flowers on African Violets. Although the plant will frequently put up a few blooms, with proper care, the plant will send up many and make quite the display! The trumpet-shaped flowers come in just about every color you can think of, as well as bicolors. Some of my favorites have one color on the outside of the flower, and different color on the inside. Flower petals may also be ruffled, and some even have splashes of other colors on the flower, making it look like someone threw paint on them.  Their colors include red, blue, purple, black, white, yellow, and various combinations. They do not need much light, and a bright window or table lamp will provide them with all that they need.  They thrive under fluorescent and/or LED lighting. This allows the grower to have a large collection of them.

A stunning two-toned Cape Primrose called ‘Deep Blue Vein’. Photo by mrl2023.

The only downside to Streps is that they do not like hot weather. They generally stop blooming during this time, and frequently need water. If allowed to dry too much, or with repeated drying, these plants may suffer greatly or die. But this disadvantage is also their advantage. They actually prefer cool, moist areas. In the summer, I like to put mine outside underneath a big mature tree where they thrive in the shade. Don’t forget to water them frequently in the warmer weather. They generally bloom profusely in this setting.

A blue Cape Primrose with purple veining.  Photo by mrl2023.

Over the winter, when just about everything else outside is dormant, and even our regular houseplants are trying to get to the spring, these Cape Primroses are thriving. A cool, moist basement is their ideal growing condition, provided you give them some artificial light. Many other species of houseplants do not like a cold, drafty basement and can get a fungus and die.  Cape Primroses are the opposite. Mine seem to be very happy and continue to bloom throughout the winter. They do occasionally take some short breaks between large blooming events at various times of the year, but these are not too frequent. 

Although normally known for a large color palette, this is one of the author’s favorite Steptocarpus because it is all white with no other color present – not even in the throat. Photo by mrl2023.

As stated above, they are related to African Violets, and have similar cultural requirements. The planting medium should have some extra perlite added to it to improve drainage. Soggy soil is the way to kill either of these plant species. Do not let the pot sit in the water that collects in the saucer for more than a half hour or so. Let the plants dry between waterings. Streps will actually start to wilt if they get too dry but perk up with prompt watering. Do not let this happen repeatedly as this can be a terrible stress on the plant and may reduce blooming. I like to fertilize each time I water with an African Violet fertilizer per package directions.   

Note the elongated, trumpet-shaped flowers on this Streptocarpus ‘Strawberry Ice’. Photo by mrl2023.

One of the greatest joys of plant keeping is propagating them. Cape Primroses are rather easy to propagate. Simply take one of their elongated leaves and cut it into pieces. Dip one end into some rooting hormone (I prefer the powder type). Plant this shallowly in the same type of potting medium as used for the adult plants. Water well and place a small plastic bag upside down over the plant/pot to keep the humidity high as the plant does not have any roots to absorb water yet.  If you are propagating a number of them, get a 1020 tray and cover it with one of the taller humidity domes. Keep the cutting watered, but not soggy. In no time, you will see new plantlets sprouting from the surface. I find these new plants to be extremely hardy. Pot up when the plant looks too big for the pot, but be careful not to rush this part. A good indicator is when the plant needs to be watered more than once a week.

Despite all of the perks to these plants, they are surprisingly hard to find. Many of our plant stores do not carry them, and I have never seen them in the big box stores. I think it is due to their lack of heat tolerance. Shipping temperatures are hard to control, and an extended period without water would be fatal. Fortunately, there are many online retailers that will ship these plants year-round. Another option, if you really like these plants, is to join a Gesneriad society or local plant group. This will allow you to trade varieties with other enthusiasts. Hopefully you are able to find some and give Cape Primroses a try!

Dr. Matt Lisy, UConn Adjunct Professor

 

2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Gardeners

Tis the season to pick the best holiday gifts for gardeners.  This year we chose items we think you’ll find surprisingly useful, and a few that are truly new and surprising. Without further ado, let’s reveal this year’s list.

Frank Catalano, a graduate of UConn, combined his skills as an engineer with his love of plants and invented a revolutionary new planter. The Naked Root planter is specially designed to allow roots to grow and breathe without becoming root bound, and it is a sure-fire cure for overwatering, too, the number one enemy of houseplants.  Frank and his wife Lisa created beautiful and functional planters in several sizes and colors, as well as reusable starter pots for the best seed starting, to help gardeners get next spring’s garden off to a healthier start, leading to a much more abundant harvest.’

https://nakedroot.us/

Protective Sleeves

Developed by a farmer, Farmer’s Defense long, stylish work sleeves are designed to help keep gardeners comfortable and protected from UV rays, scratches from prickly plants, burns from the sun, or rashes from a reaction. The sleeves are made out of recycled materials and come in compostable packaging. Farmer’s Defense also donates to causes such as saving the bees, defeating breast cancer, garden social rehabilitation programs, special needs farm programs, and more:  https://farmersdefense.com/collections/farming-sleeves

Gerossi High Carbon Bypass pruners

No doubt about it, a gardener can never have too many pruners!  This brand comes highly rated at a price that will fit any budget.

https://a.co/d/fdeHh9L

Bonsai Bar

Similar to Paintbar, Bonsai Bars teaches how to grow and care for bonsai trees. Adult gardeners of all abilities are welcome to come and learn all about bonsai trees.  Bonsai events are held at breweries and distilleries all over Connecticut.  A great gift for date night. https://bonsaibar.com/collections/ct-events

Yaheetech Outdoor Garden Potting Bench

What gardener couldn’t use a dedicated potting bench? This one has a galvanized steel countertop and plenty of storage space for tools, potting soil. Oh, and did I say it’s a back saver too?  https://a.co/d/aCzlkcB

Gift Cards

Still unsure what to get the gardener on your list? Why not a gift card to their favorite garden center or seed company?

That’s it for this year.  We at the UConn Home and Garden Center want to wish you and yours a happy holiday season and great weather for the best growing season in 2024. 

Marie Woodward
UConn Home & Garden Education Center

 

The Lowly Earthworm

Pile of earthworms. Urbanext.illinois.edu

The soils supporting our home lawns, vegetable and perennial gardens are improved by the presence and activity of earthworms. They are considered beneficial in the plant world. Earthworms move through the layers of soil creating tunnels for water and oxygen to reach the plant roots and channels for root growth. Their movement increases drainage and reduces compaction. Often called “nature’s rototillers”, earthworms feed on organic matter, bacteria, fungi and small soil particles in varying depths depositing their castings, or feces, in other horizons effectively turning the soil over. Castings are rich in nitrogen and nutrients easily absorbed by plants. Their feeding aids decomposition of organic matter, aerates soil, creates good soil structure and develops humus. The Rothamsted Experimental Station in England has done research finding as many as 250,000 earthworms per acre. That is a lot of subterranean work happening! Charles Darwin was one of the first scientists to recognize the benefits of earthworms. His last book written in 1882 is on the worm biology and behavior. His discoveries of earthworms are still being seen today.

Often after a rain, earthworms come to the soil surface then re-enter the ground head first. Some scientist think the worms come to surface for air if the ground is saturated. Others believe chemicals in the rain are inhospitable by changing pH and chemical amounts from acid rain. Still others think since the surface is moist, the worms come to the surface to mate. Earthworms are negatively affected by drying out by the sun therefore most surfacing happens at night. The action of tunneling back into the ground squeezes the worm leaving a pile of castings above ground. The casting look like tiny round balls piled up in a pyramid up to two inches depending on the size and type of the worm. Casting piles normally go unnoticed unless the turf is cut exceptionally short like that on golf course greens and tees. Home lawns should be cut to a height of at least three inches. Wet piles can stick to mowing equipment gumming up the blades and gears. The piles are easily dispersed once they dry.

Earthworms breathe through their skin. Oxygen is absorbed by mucous on the outside surface of the worm where it is transferred to the internal organs. This is called a gas exchange. The circulatory system of the earthworm contains five hearts or aortic arches. They pump fluids to blood vessels and capillary beds throughout the body circulating back to the hearts. The earthworm’s digestive system starts with its wide opening of a mouth that its throat or pharynx protrudes out of grabbing organic matter, soil particles and all that they contain. This food is swallowed down to a storage area called a crop. The food then moves to the gizzard where it is ground up by strong muscles and tiny stones and grit swallowed by the worm. Once the food is sufficiently ground, it moves to the intestines where digestive juices extract nutrients and some are absorbed by the worm. Excess digested food is then excreted as worm castings. It is these castings that are rich in nutrients readily available for plant roots to pick up. Earthworms don’t have eyes but are sensitive to light, vibration, touch and chemicals. They want to be in darkness and will move away from the light.

Chemicals added to lawn and garden can kill the earthworms. Preferred pH levels are neutral to 6.6. Adding lime in large doses can be too shocking of a change in their environment. Many earthworms will move to areas with better suited conditions or they may just die. Some insecticides and fungicides have lethal effects on earthworms. Researchers have also found earthworms within chemically treated soils to contain up to 20 times the toxin levels than the soil the worms inhabited. Stored toxins built up in the earthworms could then be passed up the food chain to animals using the earthworms as food.

Earthworms are classified as animal invertebrates. They are in the phylum group Annelida, meaning segmented worms.   Each segment contains four tiny setae or claw like bristles used to move through the soil.  Worms are hermaphroditic;  each worm has both male and female parts with the male pores located on the outside of the animal. Earthworms are not self fertile. They need another worm to mate and reproduce. Each worm is fertilized in the mating process called cross-fertilization.

The most common earthworms found in Connecticut are Lumbricus terrestris, called the Night Crawler, and Lumbricus rubellus called Red Worm. Night crawlers are known to venture deep into the soil in permanent vertical burrows. The will come to the surface to feed also. Red worms prefer to live in a manure pile or area with high organic matter. Both of these earthworms originated in Europe and were introduced to North America unknowingly on plant material, ship ballast, wheels and shoes of immigrants. Native earthworm finding are very rare. It is not known whether native types were wiped out by glaciers scraping the earth or if the new earthworm invaders displaced the old. Different theories exist. What is known is that the earthworms that are present today are many, active and busy decomposing and recycling organic matter in rich new topsoil.

There are some invasive worms originating from Asia that are causing problem in some areas of North America. They are such fast consumers of organic material they are changing the layers of soil and eliminating the forest floor called ‘duff’. Some birds nest in the duff areas to raise their young. Insects and animals that also reside and feed in the fast disappearing habitat are also finding it hard to live. The effect of the exotic worms in the local habitat really is upsetting the ecological balance. Some populations that depend on the areas the worms are ruining might vanish forever. Research is presently being done but much more needs to happen. So does education of the general public. Some fishermen are using invasive worms for bait, then just dumping the leftovers on the ground. They are unknowingly spread the invaders. ATV and off-road enthusiasts also can pick up soil, worms and eggs in tire treads, then depositing them far from the initial infected site. Hopefully in the not too far future, more information and education programs will be available. Keep watching!

-Carol Quish

 

 

Knowledge to Grow On… Ladyblog 2009 Week One

Knowledge To Grow On……..Ladyblog – 2009 Week One

 

Every New Year brings with it new possibilities and new challenges. Just as we can’t predict how well our gardens will do this next growing season, we venture into the coming year not knowing what we might behold. Events over the last few years, especially over this last one, have many seeking a simpler, more responsible and sustainable path.  As educators, we want to provide you with research-based, unbiased information so that you can make informed choices. Our focus, obviously, is horticulture. But, when you think about it, all life begins with the soil. A plant’s health and well-being is essential for our health and well-being. As more and more details are discovered about global climate change, it becomes clearer that every part of the global ecosystem is connected. Chemicals we use or have used in our daily lives, residences, offices, factories and so forth are found in the bodies of polar bears inhabiting the Arctic! 

 

We, as gardeners, have the ability to transform the world. Bit by bit, slowly but surely, row by row. Not only can we put food on the table (often having enough left over to share) but we can become good stewards of our little patch of land. We have many opportunities to spread the word about gardening practices that tread lightly on the landscape. Our goal is to provide you with the information necessary to do so. Check out our blog each week for thoughtful conversation, tips, helpful information, resources, rants and raves, and what the scientists in our College of Agriculture and Natural Resources are working on. We welcome your comments and suggestions. DP

 

Happy Horticultural New Year!

 

UConn Home & Garden Education Center Staff

Dawn Pettinelli, Leslie Alexander, Carol Quish and Joan Allen