joene's garden: joene's garden

By joenesgarden, 27 days ago

Emerald Ash Borer Is Too Close For Comfort

So what are those strange purple box-kite-like structures hanging in trees in wooded areas in some state parks and what do they have to do with transporting firewood  (particularly ash) outside of local regions? Both are connected to the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that is on Connecticut's doorstep. The destructive Emerald Ash Borer was recently reported about 20 miles from northwest Connecticut, on the Connecticut side of the Hudson River in New York.

Keep reading →

Related posts

Share this post

By joenesgarden, 1 month and 22 days ago

Now is the Time to Identify and Control Japanese Barberry

Connecticut's woodland undergrowth is beginning to green. Unfortunately, much of this color is due to invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii de Candolle). This thorny shrub dominates unmanaged wooded areas. Deer don't eat it and birds spread it by eating and dispersing the prolific red berries it produces each autumn. Japanese barberry quickly grows into large thickets that provide cover for mice and an ideal environment for immature blacklegged ticks - the very ticks that carry Lyme disease. In their early life, ticks are susceptible to desiccation – they need high-humidity at the ground level to thrive. Japanese barberry accommodate the high-humidity needs of young ticks by leafing out earlier than most native shrubbery, thus maintaining ground-level moisture by blocking drying sunshine.Japanese Barberry 4

Keep reading →

Related posts

Share this post

By joenesgarden, 9 months and 3 days ago

Newsy Notes: Plant Pathogens, Butterflies, Invasive Plant Spread

Newsy Notes features quick explanations of research related to the  growing of plants. I come across this research during my daily sweep of plant-related information. I found the items noted below of particular interest. Follow the links for more in depth reading on each topic. The following were all published by ScienceDaily.

Keep reading →

Related posts

Share this post

By joenesgarden, 11 months and 2 days ago

More on the Japanese Barberry-Lyme Tick Connection

A post of mine from April 2011 describes research connecting the non-native, invasive shrub Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and Lyme disease-carrying ticks.  Basically, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven found that stands of Japanese barberry create ideal growing conditions for Lyme ticks.

Keep reading →

Related posts

Share this post

By joenesgarden, 1 year and 1 month ago

Lyme-ticks thrive in Japanese barberry thickets

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA This time of year the undergrowth of Connecticut woodlands begins to show a tinge of green. This color is certainly welcome relief after a long winter. Too bad so much of this color is due to invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii de Candolle). This thorny shrub dominates unmanaged wooded areas. Deer don't eat it and birds spread it by eating and dispersing the shrubs'  prolific fall berries. Japanese barberry quickly grows into large thickets that provide cover for mice and an ideal environment for immature blacklegged ticks -  the very ticks that carry Lyme disease. In their early life, ticks are susceptible to desiccation – they need high-humidity at the ground level to thrive. Japanese barberry accommodate young ticks by leafing out earlier than most native shrubbery. The early leaves help maintain moisture levels at ground level by blocking drying sunshine.

Keep reading →

Related posts

Share this post

← Previous 01 02 Next →

From Independent Media Network, LLC

JOENE’S GARDEN CONTENT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION

Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism Checker

Joene is on Pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest

Enter your email address to receive joene's garden updates

RSS joenesgarden feed

Joene’s Garden is part of Independent Media Network, LLC

Affiliations - Gardening & Writing

Gardening Magazines

Joene's Gardening Business

Joene's Writing

Links for Gardeners

Links-CT Fresh Foods

Photography

The Garden Blogs Joene Reads

The Non-Gardening Blogs Joene Reads

Garden Blogs around the World

Meta

Search

Tags

Favorite sites

Subscribe

Categories

Bloggers

Archives

Latest posts

Latest comments

  • Morning Discoveries in the Garden:
    • joenesgarden: So glad to know I brought an early morning smile, Benita.
    • Benita: Lovely post-early morning coffee and a stroll through the "garden of best friends is a lovely ritual for me, too. Thanks for instigating my happy garden grin this morning! Benita
  • A Connecticut garden in May:
    • Andrew @ Gardening tips and Ideas: Clematis, Iris, Ferns and Peonies, all in one garden A true delight Thank you for sharing
    • joenesgarden: Laurrie, I hope you share photos of all these buds when they are in full bloom then I can enjoy yours when mine have passed peak.
    • Laurrie: Your blooms are lovely and precocious I think! Like Layanee's, my clematis is only in bud, yours are so much further along. And my iris (I have Beverly Sills too) is only budding, nowhere near open yet. How different each garden is, even in the same general area. Happy Spring!
    • Layanee: Your clematis are so much further along than mine. Mine are still in bud but I do have high hopes of blooms soon. It is a lusty month of May this year isn't it?
  • Butterfly watching:
    • Heather: How sweet! And I love mum-mum instead of grandma. My mom goes by Meemaw. :)

Most commented posts

Array