This year marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of chestnut blight to America. Within a short time, this disease virtually wiped out the American chestnut, the most dominant tree in the eastern forests of the United States.
Breeding blight-resistant chestnuts has proven difficult, but steady progress is now being made. Perhaps ten years from now you’ll be able to plant an American chestnut with confidence that it will thrive in Zone 4. It will be a long overdue pleasure.
Buckthorn Removal
Buckthorn presents a huge problem in the Twin Cities and
beyond. For many years it was used in the landscape, but it escaped cultivation and ended up in places that made it a pest. The state of Minnesota labeled this plant an invasive species and nursery cultivation ended many years ago, but this has not stopped the spread of buckthorn in the area.
Many cities have asked residences to remove buckthorn from their properties and join removal drives to clear public land of the aggressive plant. The reason this plant is so aggressive is due to its berry/seed production. The plant produces large quantities of black berries that birds love to eat. As the seeds pass through the birds they drop on to new ground.
Once a buckthorn patch has been established it becomes a thick stand of small trees and shrubs that chokes native vegetation and drives away native animals.
Fall is the perfect time of year to remove buckthorn from your property because it is very easy to identify. As the leaves change and fall off all other plants, buckthorn remains green and may still have black berries on its branches. Search it out, cut it down and apply a brush killer to the stump.
Bulb Planting Schedule
October is bulb planting season. A little effort right now will reward you next spring with a gorgeous show of color after a long snow-covered winter. Plant daffodils and large flowering hyacinth by the third week of October. Alliums, fritillia, chionodoxa and eranthis should also be planted this month. Tulips, crocus, muscari, snowdrops
and scilla can be planted in October and into November.
The Best Indoor Plants
To Clean the Air
“Sick Building Syndrome” and the numerous chemicals
encountered on a daily basis can result in contact dermatitis, eye irritation, headaches, asthma, throat cancer, bacterial mutation, human chromosomal alterations and even leukemia. NASA, many universities and several corporations have conducted extensive
research into the capacity of plants to clean indoor air and have found them to be very effective in “scrubbing” the air of chemicals. Some of the most effective plants are:
Bamboo Palm
Chamaedorea seifritzii
Chinese Evergreen
Aglaonema modestum
English Ivy
Hedera helix
Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera jamesonii
Dracaena
many varieties
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum
Peperomia
Aloe vera
Philodendron
Snake Plant
Sanseveria laurenti
(particularly effective in reducing levels of noxious gases)
Did You Know?
Black pepper is a tropical vine native to India and
peppercorns are its fruits.
Tip
If squirrels are digging up bulbs after planting, place something heavy over the ground for a few days. The squirrels should soon forget the bulbs are there. If the problem continues, sprinkle hot pepper flakes in the area.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
