By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener
Some domesticated plants ignore beneficial soil microbes. “Domestication yielded bigger crops often at the expense of plant microbiomes.” (Holly Ober, U of CA Riverside) https://bit.ly/3egW757
Your new word for the day: thigmomorphogenesis: “… thigmo-” which means touch, “-morpho-” which means appearance, and “-genesis” which means beginning. String them all together and you get the phenomenon seen when plants respond to mechanical stimulation by changing their growth pattern and hence the way they look.” (Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, The gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/3a9JoxQ
Blooms and Borders: How Daffodils Reveal Historic Building Foundations (Sherry Teal, Southern Ramble) https://bit.ly/2ySOzVT
Researchers Turn Spinach Leaves Into Beating Heart Tissues. “These living leaves could eventually become patches for the human heart.” (Jason Daley, Smithonianmag.com) https://bit.ly/3cdFTYI
Many plants have extrafloral nectaries helpful to beneficials. (Russel F. Mixell, U of Florida) https://bit.ly/3a6Olrp
Plants, Pollen and Allergies. “Plant allergies are complex. Chief among allergies are allergies to pollen but not everyone reacts to pollen or the same pollen. Some people may also react to touching a plant or odors given off by a plant that have nothing to do with pollen. A medical allergist may be needed to help identify which specific allergens one needs to avoid.” (Missouri Botanical Garden) https://bit.ly/3cgyO9W
A root’s life. “Roots are the unsung heroes of plants! But unfortunately your every day hard working root gets little respect from gardeners.” (Jim Downer, gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/34vRcJd
The life and death of one of America’s most mysterious trees. “A majestic ponderosa pine, standing tall in what is widely thought to have been the “center of the world” for the Ancestral Puebloan people, may have more mundane origins than previously believed…” (Daniel Stolte, University of Arizona) https://bit.ly/35Ep5YU
Planting Prognostication: Understanding last frost and planting dates. “Except for areas of the US that are more tropical like southern Florida or Hawaii, most gardener’s planting schedules are set around winter weather and the possibility of frost or freeze. And even for gardeners in those more tropical areas, planting sometimes needs to be planned to schedule around the extreme heat of summer. Understanding these planting times can really lead to success or failure, especially for vegetable gardens, tender annuals, tropicals, and non-dormant perennials.” (John Porter, Gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/3a3wvVV
Revised publication: Growing Blackberries in Your Home Garden. (Bernadine Stik, Cassie Bouska & Emily Dixon, OSU; EC 1303) https://bit.ly/2yh7fhJ
Revised publication: Growing Raspberries in your Home Garden.(Bernadine Strik, Cassie Bouska, & Emily Dixon, OSU; EC 1306) https://bit.ly/3eiFPsy
Revised publication: Growing Strawberries in Your Home Garden.(Bernadine Strik, OSU; EC 1307) https://bit.ly/3a6Sc7I
New publication: PANTRY PEST GUIDE- Common Insect Culprits in Homes and Kitchens of the Pacific Northwest. (PNW Extension Publication 729) https://bit.ly/2XxscQk
WSU publication: GROWING ROSES IN WASHINGTON STATE- COMMON DISEASE AND INSECT PROBLEMS. (Marianne Ophardt & Sheila Gray, WSU, PNW Extension Publication 733) https://bit.ly/2V3xPnI
New publication: The Care and Maintenance of Wood Shingle and Shake Roofs. (J. Morrell, J. Cappellazzi and J.W. Pscheidt, PNW Extension Publication 733) https://bit.ly/3b6n8q7