Tag Archives: ohio

There is still time

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If you are getting a little stir crazy with all of this rain, why not head downtown to the Dayton Convention Center and take in some of the sights at the Dayton Home and Garden Show running through Sunday afternoon. One of the highlights to see is the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) competition. The displays are reminiscent of what one might see at the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Landscape vendors have some beautiful displays. One of my favorites was designed by our friends at Knollwood Garden Center in Beavercreek. This cute Fairy Garden is located out in the convention center lobby.

The thing you don’t want to miss out on – and really makes the event a fantastic value – is the wonderful selection of speakers; 56 programs over the 3-day event. Exhibitors span the gamut of interests from home improvement to personal improvement. It was great way to spend a day out of the rain. Look for discount admission coupons HERE.

Blooming in the Rain

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While the skunk cabbages might be blooming out in the wetlands of Ohio, they aren’t exactly a poster child for ‘early spring beauty’. This week I’m going to nominate the witch-hazel for the ‘early AND cute’ award.  While visiting Five Rivers MetroParks’ Wegerzyn Gardens today, I spotted a spectacular witch-hazel specimen in full regalia. Yes, today. In February. From a distance, you might think this yellow shrub was a forsythia, but no – it is too early for those. The witch-hazels (Hamamelis) all belong to the Hamamelidaceae family and are primarily understory plants. I think I NEED one.

 

Aullwood Holds Waffle House Spirit Fundraiser (Wednesday, February 23)

You can help the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm and fill your tummy at the same time. Just head to either the Englewood Waffle House (9295 N. Main, Englewood) or the Beavercreek Waffle House (across from the Greene, 4382 Indian Ripple, Beavercreek) between the hours of 2-9pm. Tell them you are are there supporting Aullwood and Waffle House will donate 25% of your order to Aullwood. Ohio’s former first lady Hope Taft will be at the Beavercreek Waffle House around 5:30pm that day. I’m dreaming of my loaded hashbrowns right now!

 

Knollwood Garden Center Announces Spring Seminar Schedule

Knollwood Garden Center in Beavercreek (OH) will hold Saturday seminars beginning March 12 and running into April. Featured programs will spotlight many different topics including herbs, fruits, fairy gardens, and even an opportunity to tour their growing range. Check it all out at their website.

 

Great Lakes Hosta College – March 12 (Piqua, OH)

The Great Lakes Region of the American Hosta Society has opened registration for the 2011 Hosta College on March 12. The event features 6-12 different programs each of the 6 periods of the day. The school is held at the Upper Valley JVS Center in Piqua and the $40 registration price includes lunch. Some classes have additional class fees. Hosta Society members can register on-line now. On-line class registration opens to the public February 26 at 12:01 am.

Is it spring yet?

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Not quite yet. Some might say, “But I’ve seen Robins! Aren’t they the harbringers (…where did that word come from?) of spring?” Well, maybe some time in the past but certainly not these days. American Robins are pretty much year-round residents in Ohio now.

“It smells like spring.”  Well, a 60 degree day should smell great, but what I’ve also caught a wiff of was the striped skunk. They are one of the earliest mating mammals in Ohio mating February-April. However, they aren’t the only creatures who have love on their mind. A pair of coyotes was seen mating in a residential backyard in Centerville last week. And the Great Horned Owls laid their eggs back in January. Love is in the air to be sure!

Not to be outdone by the animal kingdom, one of the earliest plants blooming in Ohio is the Skunk Cabbage. Looking neither like a skunk or a cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus is a member of the Arum plant family. Sending up a brownish-purple and green spathe-like blooms that smell like, well, something not very nice. Just take a look at the species name: where do you think we get the word foetid from? Stinky!

Tom Shisler, friend of OAGC and site manager of the Wahkeena Nature Preserve south of Lancaster OH, sent this photo today of the skunkies in bloom. In late spring bright green, huge, cabbage-like leaves will spring up next to these odd blooms. If you are out and about in the wetlands or marshy areas you just might spot one of these true signs of spring. Remember: OAGC members get free entrance in to Wahkeena. Be sure to contact Tom to schedule your garden club field trip to visit this valuable natural resource site.

Midwest Native Plant Conference (Bergamo Center, Beavercreek OH) July 8-10, 2011

The Dayton area is very fortunate to again host the Midwest Native Plant Society’s Conference. The society, whose interest is in fostering and educating those interested in native plants and their habitats, has scheduled learned speakers from around the county. Registration opens March 1. Sponsored in part by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Wild Ones©.

January 19, 2011

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Here is a follow up reply from the previous post…..

Re the question: Where do you store your birdseed?
I have good luck using large plastic trash cans with tight fitting lids. I use one each for my nyjer, black oil sunflower seed and dog food (when I had a dog). Our local mill has great process on 50# quantities of bird feed and the tight lid protects them from the critters. My only problem: the closed container provides a horizontal surface on which to put stuff.  — Babs in Beavercreek

Ohio’s Big Trees
Since 1940, the conservation group American Forests has documented the largest known specimens of every native and naturalized tree in the United States. Each Big Tree receives a score based on trunk circumference, crown spread and total height. Do you want to know where they are? Do you think you have a champion in your neck of the woods? Big Trees are generally found in yards, parks, arboretums and cemeteries where their size stands out. They are less frequently found in dense forests where trees have much more competition for growth. Learn more about it at this ODNR link: Ohio Big Trees

Emerald Ashborer (EAB) information from Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Urban Forester Wendi Van Buren:
SW Ohio Communities,

ODNR continues to provide communities, organizations, and individuals with the most up to date EAB management information, so that you can make the best decisions for your community.  I am proud of the number of communities in SW Ohio who have developed EAB Management Plans specifically for the needs and resources for your communities.  Most of you have EAB Management Plans that have all three components (treatment, removal, and let die naturally) as parts of your Plans depending on the condition and placement of the ash trees in your town.  I think you will find the attached Statement document from the Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation helpful.

Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation Statement

“We the undersigned strongly endorse ash tree conservation as a fundamental component of integrated programs to manage emerald ash borer (EAB) in residential and municipal landscapes. Cost-effective, environmentally sound EAB treatment protocols are now available that can preserve ash trees through peak EAB outbreaks with healthy canopy intact. Used in association with tree inventories and strategic removal / replacement of unhealthy ash, tree conservation will help retain maximum integrity and value of urban forests. This integrated approach to urban EAB management is supported by university scientists with expertise in EAB management, commercial arborists, municipal foresters, public works officials, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).”

EAB Management Plan Resources

Seed/Plant catalogs are hitting the mailboxes and email boxes
 Bluestone Perennials – An Ohio nursery and your source for over 1000 varieties of perennials, grasses, mums, shrubs, herbs and fall bulbs.

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs – Bulb growers since 1900, their 2011 Summer-Flowering Bulbs Catalogue is now out. When you visit Brent and Becky’s at the link above, please select the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs from the drop down menu. The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs will earn a percentage of your non-sale purchase.

Harris Seed Company – Vegetable, flower seeds. Bulbs, corms, plants and more. Catalog sales began in 1879. For free shipping and handling on orders placed by March 31, 2011 – use promo code 1PRW104. (Not valid on High Tunnels, plugs & liners and bulk Worm Power)

Totally Tomatoes – Specializing in tomato and pepper seeds. You never knew there was so much selection in variety of tomatoes and peppers. I found my beloved Amish Paste Tomato here.

D. Landreth Seed Company – Selling seeds since 1794, they are the oldest seed company in the U.S. This is where I found the seed to an heirloom purple pole bean, Purple Peacock. I had originally received the seed through The Ohio Association of Garden Club’s Gardening for Excellence seed program. I loved them so much I went on the search to find the seed.

Plant Delights Nusery – A mail order company in Raleigh, NC specializing in new and unusual perennials known well for their hosta selection and much more. Their catalog will be a feast for the eyes and may give you a fit of the giggles as well.

Educational Opportunities
It is said that the mind is a terrible thing to waste. It’s also said that if you don’t use it, you lose it. One way to keep in the game is to take advantage of the numerous educational advantages available to us every day – if only we know where to look. Here are just a few of some of the more notable options around the state:

Adams County Amish Bird Symposium – March 5 (West Union, OH)
I look forward to and have attended this symposium for about 4 years now. It is VERY popular and is limited to 300 attendees. It features experts who are top in their fields, vendors and Amish-made doughnuts and lunch. Speakers include: The Big Year (Greg Miller from the Amish community); Birding Field Guides: The Beginning and The End (Jim Berry, director of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute); Living on the Wind: the Miracle of Bird Migration (Scott Wiedensaul, author); Close Encounters (Matthew Studebaker, photographer); Kirtland’s Warbler Winter Habitat Conservation (Claire Larkin). Read more here: Amish Bird Symposium

2011 Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference- Connecting Wildlife, Habitat and People – March 9 (Columbus, OH)
Sponsored by ODNR’s Division of Wildlife. Topics include: Sandhill cranes; Distribution of Softshell turtles; Conservation genetics and the Eastern massasugas rattlesnake; Fishing access for steelhead trout and riparian corridor protection; Evaluating stress in hellbenders (hellbenders are salamanders and are the largest amphibians found in Ohio, some up to 27″ long!); Fostering Conservation Partnerships the Wildlife Officer Way; Birding for Everyone. The new 2011 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp will make its debut. I can’t wait to go! Read more here: Wildlife Diversity Conference

2011 Ohio Botanical Symposium – March 25 (Columbus, OH)
Presented by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, in cooperation with  the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Nature Conservancy and The Ohio State University herbarium. This symposium is for anyone who shares and interest in Ohio’s flora, wildlife and natural history. Topics include: What Climate Change May Mean for Plants: Global, National and Regional Consequences; Best Plant Discoveries of 2010; Ohio’s Native Clovers and Their Kin; Oak Openings’ Butterflies; Assessing Invaisiveness in Ohio’s Plants: Revising the List of Top Invaders; What Was That Botanist Thinking?: The Meanings Behind the Names of Ohio Plants; Circle of Time: The Life, Death and Rebirth of an Ancient Landscape. Read more here: Ohio Botanical Symposium I’m going to this too!

In a Garden of Eden: The Medicinal and Edible Plants of the Appalachian Mountains – April 14 (Pomeroy, OH)
Sponsored by The Ohio State University Meigs County Extension, this seminar held April 14 in Pomery, Ohio features some great native plant speakers. The brochure is attached.

Another Awesome Blog to Visit
http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/01/treats-for-birds.html

December 2010

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I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know I enjoyed a great Christmas meal (quite out of the ordinary brunch and a movie) with the hubby, my mom, both children, their spouses, our first grandchild and an in-law from Germany. It just might turn out to be a NEW tradition! My red cabbage with apples got a big thumbs-up from my German-native daughter-in-law and her father who was visiting for the holidays.

Christmas presents
Did you get something for the gardener in you? I did! If you enjoy birdwatching, you’ll agree that a good field guide can make all the difference in the world with regards to identifying your birds. I received the Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America. At over 800 pages and 3400 photographs this book is a bargain at its list price of $24.99. However, you can purchase this book for under 17.00 if you shop around on line (click on the link above). It even includes a CD of 150 birdsongs.

Open Meeting Reminder
Don’t forget that my club, the Here & There Garden Club, invites you to attend their 2011 Open Meeting 7:30 pm on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at the Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren (800 E. David Rd., Kettering OH 45429). Bob Iiames, Master Gardener, will speak on “Perennials that Pop – from Bed to Dead”. Refreshments will be served. Bring your friends.

Question of the week:
Sharon in Cincinnati asks: How and where do you store your birdseed?
Vicki’s answer: Thankfully, I do not have any winter heat-seeking rodents in my garage. Well, none that I know of! Considering I am using up seed quicker than Mr. Mickey Mouse can eat it, my sunflower seed and Nyjer seed is just stored in the unheated garage in their 25 lb bags. However, I have been also known to store my seed in a recycled tub/bucket who’s former life was a 28-lb container of clumping cat litter and in the large recycled styrofoam container that Omaha Steaks came shipped in. I would never suggest that you keep seed inside your house unless it is in an air-tight container. All it takes is one infestation of Pantry Moths (that came in the birdseed) to learn that lesson the hard way. (Kinda reminds you of my ‘school of hard knocks’ tip from freezing faucets from the last post?) Does anyone have any other response?

Oooooh, that reminds me. I want to pass along a great recipe for winter feeding your birds. I religiously follow the OAGC 2010 keynote convention speaker Julie Zickefoose’s blog (http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com). She is also on facebook. She has a home recipe for winter bird dough. Please be sure to read her full post on Zick Dough before you try to make it. Your bird will thank you!

NEW ZICK DOUGH: SMALL BATCH
Melt and stir together:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup lard

In a large mixing bowl, combine:
2 cups chick starter (unmedicated – I bought mine at Tractor Supply. 20# bag for $7.99)
2 cups quick oats
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour

True or False: Is Mistletoe the “Kiss of Death?”

There is a myth about American Mistletoe, the green-berried parasitic plant often hung in doorways during the holiday season to elicit kisses from those standing beneath it. Reputed to be the “kiss of death,” it is said to be so poisonous that humans can be killed if they ingest the leaves or berries. This myth has been endlessly repeated throughout the years, reappearing every December in countless holiday safety reports on television and in print.

Is it true? Is American Mistletoe (Phoradendron species), a holiday killer? Two physicians and researchers from Pittsburgh decided to find out. Dr. Edward P. Krenzelok (Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh) and Dr. Terry Jacobson (Carnegie Mellon University) examined data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers and found 1,754 reports of mistletoe exposure over a seven-year span. Curiously, not only had no one died of mistletoe poisoning, in the overwhelming majority of the cases (approximately 90%), the patient experienced no effects at all. Those patients who did have effects suffered only minor discomfort. Treatment at a poison control center or at home made no discernible difference in patients’ recovery or outcome. (Source: eNature.com)