October 9, 2021
"DECIDUOUS"
"In botany and horticulture, deciduous plants, including trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials, are those that lose all of their leaves for part of the year. In some cases leaf loss in warm climates, including tropical, subtropical, and arid regions, plants lose their leaves during the dry season or other seasons, depending on variations in rainfall.
Many deciduous plants flower like during the period when they are leafless, as this increases the effectiveness of pollination. The absence of leaves improves wind transmission of pollen for wind-pollinated plants and increases the visibility of the flowers to insects in insect-pollinated plants. This strategy is not without risks, as the flowers can be damaged by frost or, in dry season regions, result in water stress on the plant. Some species of deciduous trees that bloom before leafing out are Fringe trees, Redbuds, Trumpet trees, Saucer Magnolias, Peaches, and Nectarines.
Leaf drop in the fall months is based on photoperiod and varies by genera and species. Florida elm (Ulmus americana) is a long-lived shade tree that has dazzling rich, golden yellow autumnal foliage. Trees grow to 60 to 80 feet tall and have an elegant vase-shaped crown. As a bonus, the small leaves on these trees are easy to rake in the fall. "
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) is an attractive tree with a rounded or oval crown. Its attractive bark, yellow fall color, and small wildlife loving nutlets that appear in the summer give this tree year round interest. This tree typically grows 25-40 feet tall making it perfect for smaller yards. Other trees that are deciduous are Crapemytles, Cypress trees, Fringe Trees, Maples, Redbuds, and Sweetgums, and many fruit trees, like apples, figs, and grapes.
When giving your children chores around the house so Santa Claus will be good to them, remind them that the trees that are deciduous will need to have their leaves picked up.
For more information on deciduous: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deciduous
October 2, 2021
"RHIZOME"
Rhizome is derived from ancient Greek word rhizōma, meaning "mass of roots," but rhizomes aren't roots at all. Like bulbs, corms, and tubers, rhizomes are a type of underground stem. Unlike roots, plants use rhizomes for food storage and reproduction.
A rhizome (also known as rootstock) is a type of plant stem situated either at the soil surface or underground that contains nodes from which roots and shoots originate rhizomes are unique in that they grow perpendicular, permitting new shoots to grow up out of the ground. When separated, each piece of a rhizome is capable of producing a new plant.
The primary function of the rhizome is the storage of nutrients, including carbohydrates and proteins, until the plant requires them for the growth of new shoots or to survive the winter in a process termed vegetative reproduction. Farmers use vegetative reproduction to laterally propagate plants such as hops, ginger and various grass species. Some rhizomes are also consumed or used as a seasoning, including ginger and turmeric.
By far the most dominant type of rhizome is the underground rhizome, which is situated underground and includes Venus flytrap, Chinese lantern, western poison-oak, hops, Alstroemeria, bamboo. lily of the valley, and canna lily. Trumpet creeper, nandina, many clump forming grasses, and Epimediums also have rhizomes, Many can be weeds like bermudagrass, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, and purple nut sedge.
While most rhizomes are situated underground, some plants have rhizomes that grow at the soil level or above. Examples of these plant species include ferns and irises.
The majority of rhizomes occur as a single layer from which shoots and roots originate. However, there are some rare plant species which form multiple tiered rhizomes in a complex network e.g., Giant Horsetails.
Source: Biologydictionary.net (2021)
"RHIZOME"
Rhizome is derived from ancient Greek word rhizōma, meaning "mass of roots," but rhizomes aren't roots at all. Like bulbs, corms, and tubers, rhizomes are a type of underground stem. Unlike roots, plants use rhizomes for food storage and reproduction.
A rhizome (also known as rootstock) is a type of plant stem situated either at the soil surface or underground that contains nodes from which roots and shoots originate rhizomes are unique in that they grow perpendicular, permitting new shoots to grow up out of the ground. When separated, each piece of a rhizome is capable of producing a new plant.
The primary function of the rhizome is the storage of nutrients, including carbohydrates and proteins, until the plant requires them for the growth of new shoots or to survive the winter in a process termed vegetative reproduction. Farmers use vegetative reproduction to laterally propagate plants such as hops, ginger and various grass species. Some rhizomes are also consumed or used as a seasoning, including ginger and turmeric.
By far the most dominant type of rhizome is the underground rhizome, which is situated underground and includes Venus flytrap, Chinese lantern, western poison-oak, hops, Alstroemeria, bamboo. lily of the valley, and canna lily. Trumpet creeper, nandina, many clump forming grasses, and Epimediums also have rhizomes, Many can be weeds like bermudagrass, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, and purple nut sedge.
While most rhizomes are situated underground, some plants have rhizomes that grow at the soil level or above. Examples of these plant species include ferns and irises.
The majority of rhizomes occur as a single layer from which shoots and roots originate. However, there are some rare plant species which form multiple tiered rhizomes in a complex network e.g., Giant Horsetails.
Source: Biologydictionary.net (2021)
September 25, 2021
"ESPALIER"
Espalier
(pronounced i-spal-yer) is the horticultural term first used in 1662
(Merriam-Webster) that defined an ancient farming practice of keeping
fruiting plants at a shorter height and width producing fruit in smaller
areas. Plant branches are tied or wired to a set or rails, metal, wire,
or wood, to force the plant's branches to grow in a specific direction.
Espaliers can become works of art when grown in a formal ornamental
design. They are usually placed flat against a structure such as a wall,
fence, or trellis.
"Espaliers, trained into flat
two-dimensional forms, are used not only for decorative purposes, but
also for gardens in which space is limited. In a temperate climate,
espaliers may be trained next to a wall that can reflect more sunlight
and retain heat overnight or orientated so that they absorb maximum
sunlight by training them parallel to the equator. These two strategies
allow the season to be extended so that fruit has more time to mature." 1
September 18, 2021
"TROWEL"
Trowels
were one of the earliest tools invented by man. Garden trowels are a
hand tool with a pointed, scoop-shaped metal blade and wooden, metal, or
plastic handle. It is comparable to a spade or shovel, but is generally
much smaller, being designed for use with one hand. It is used for
breaking up earth, digging small holes, especially for planting and
weeding, mixing in fertilizer or other additives, and transferring
plants to pots.
Garden trowels are available in
different widths and sizes. Narrow-bladed trowels can be used in narrow
areas between pavers or plant small bulbs or plants. Scoop-shaped or
wide blades can be used for digging in raised beds where taller shovels
would be difficult.
September 11, 2021
"MONOCOTYLEDON"
Monocotyledon, or monocot for short, refers to one of two groups of flowering plants. Flowering plants are placed into two categories. monocots and dicots.
Monocots have seeds that contain a single emerging leaf known as a cotyledon. This category provides a majority of the world's most important agricultural crops including, rice, wheat, corn, sugar cane, bamboo, onion, and garlic.
Monocots have different characteristics than dicots.
- Monocots will have visible tripled flower parts, i.e., three stamens, three petals.
- Veins of monocot leaves are seen in a symmetrical parallel design.
- Monocot roots are adventitious and fibrous and spread up, down, and out.
- Monocots can be propagated from stem or leaf cuttings of an existing plant.
- Monocots only grow from the top of the stem.
- Monocots do not produce wood or bark.
- Monocots are herbaceous.
Examples of monocots: Grasses, palm trees, lilies, orchids, bananas.
For more information on monocots: https://biologydictionary.net/monocot/
September 4, 2021
"ANNUAL"
The
definition of the word annual is "a plant that germinates, blossoms,
produces seeds, and dies in one growing season. They are common in
environments with short growing seasons. Most desert plants are annuals,
germinating and flowering after rainfall. Many common weeds,
wildflowers, garden flowers, and vegetables are annuals."
1Some
of the Northern garden zone annuals can be grown here in Florida
year-round or in different seasons than our snowbird states. In garden
zones 5 through 8, alyssum, delphiniums, foxgloves, geraniums,
hollyhocks, pansy, petunias, snapdragons, stock, violas, and verbena are
usually planted in Spring. Not in Florida - our mild weather October
through March allows us to plant those wonderful annuals in the
wintertime. So, if you live here during the winter and don't know what
to plant - look for what you grow during the Spring in Ohio and
Michigan. We have a 30+ Summer annuals that can take our heat and rainy
season. Annuals provide that boost of color, fragrance, and butterfly
resources for our gardens during our sunny, but cooler periods..
Annuals are considered high maintenance, more expensive, and shorter-lived, so they should be planted in smaller numbers than perennials or ornamentals. You can plant annuals in containers, garden beds, hanging baskets, and window boxes.
For more information on Gardening with Annuals in Florida, check out https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG319
1 THE AMERICAN HERITAGE SCIENCE DICTIONARY
