Friday, June 5, 2015
World Environment Day 2015: Facts And Events To Celebrate The Green Holiday
People enjoy summer weather in Victory park in central Minsk, Belarus, June 4, 2015. Reuters
World Environment Day 2015, set to take place Friday, is a cause many can get behind. Global warming is regularly in the news and recent headlines suggest it shows little sign of slowing down. World Environmental Day dubs itself "the biggest day for positive environmental action," which might be needed now more than ever. Read the eight facts below to learn more about the holiday and the ways it can be celebrated.
1. The United Nations Environment Program is behind the holiday. The organization calls the holiday its "principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment," according to the U.N. website. Every little step toward improving the environment can help, said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, via the holiday's website. "Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference," he said.
2. The day is widely celebrated. More than 100 countries are involved in the public outreach holiday.
3. The need for change is apparently urgent. The U.N. reports that at the current rate of population growth coupled with consumption patterns, humankind will need three planets to sustain itself by the year 2050.
4. The center of the holiday will be in Milan. The Italian city has a host of activities planned at the Milan Expo. New environmentally friendly technologies will be displayed at the expo as well.
5. Somebody made a song about the 2015 holiday. The band is called Formidable Vegetable Sound System and the song is called "Limits." It's got a lot of horn instruments and definitely has an environmentally friendly message. Two of the recurring lyrics are "get back to your garden" and "the future is yours for the choosing." The music video is below:
6. There are a ton of events in honor of the holiday in the U.S. You could find an event to celebrate World Environment Day most anywhere in the United States. The U.N. has a handy tool here that allows users to search for events by country. Events include a cleanup in Miami, an eco-friendly album release in Chicago, a camping trip in Houston and a cleanup/nature walk/spiritual experience in Los Angeles.
7. You can register your own activity. The events page is ever-growing, so if you're in the mood to celebrate World Environment Day and want to post your activity to the site, the registration form is here.
8. Past years have been a success. In 2014, the U.N. reported it received a total of 6,437 pledges and more than 3,000 activities were registered online.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Weekly planter: Pineapple is a gift of the tropics
The edible pineapple is in the bromeliad family. Georgia Tasker/Miami Herald Staff – Miami Herald File Photo
(I have had fun incorporating pineapples into my landscape at home. I have found the homegrown pineapple to be so much tastier than what you usually find in the store. Even when the plant is not bearing fruit, it’s a beautiful addition to your landscape. It usually takes a couple of years before you start getting fruit. This year I will be harvesting 15 pineapples and will have multiple slips and hapas to pass on to friends. Slips originate from the fruit stalk below the fruit and have a characteristic curve to the base of the leaves. Hapas are similar to slips but develop well below the base of the fruit and do not have the characteristic curve at the base of the leaves. Slips and hapas should be left on the peduncle for several weeks after harvesting the fruit in order to develop a usable size for planting. For more information on growing pineapples go to: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg055 -- Gene)
When truly fresh, a pineapple is one of the tropic's great gifts, with juicy flesh and a distinctive aroma. Originally from southern Brazil and Paraguay, the fruit was taken to Europe by Columbus and it was spread by explorers and traders.
As it was expensive to import pineapples to Europe two centuries ago, only the rich could afford them. It was a sign of friendship and hospitality to offer guests the fruit, and so it became a symbol of hospitality — which explains the pineapple motifs on gates and entryways.
In the 19th century, pineapples joined sugar as a major crop in Hawaii, but as land and labor costs rose and tourism flourished, the big plantations have dwindled. Pineapples were an early crop in South Florida, but they proved susceptible to cold and nematodes. However, for the home gardener, they're rewarding fruits to grow. They take 12 to 24 months to produce the aggregate fruits.
Botanical name: Ananas comosus; Ananas bracteatus and other cultivars.
Height: 2 to 4 feet.
Light: Sun.
Culture: Start your pineapple from the top of a fruit. Cut away the lower leaves on the stem and dry the top for a couple of days. Place the top firmly into damp sandy soil in a container. By using a container, you avoid nematode problems.
Water once a week, and fertilize with 7-3-7 or a palm special fertilizer every four months. Overwatering may cause rot. Watch for mealybugs and scale in the top leaves, and treat with insecticidal soap.
Just when you give up hope, a small fruit will begin to develop. As it matures, you will see the color change to golden. Small offshoots at the base of the plant can be used to start your next generation of pineapples, or begin again with the cut-off top after you have enjoyed it.
There are many varieties of pineapple, and many kinds of ornamental pineapples that seduce your eye if not your taste buds. Stokes Tropicals is an Internet source for pineapples; Home Depot occasionally stocks them; available now at www.homedepot.com.
— MIAMI HERALD FILES
Fairchild’s tropical garden column: Palms are not just another pretty face
May 18, 2015
Paurotis palm can be used for thatch, fiber and fruits. Plant this Florida native in a wet spot. Sara Edelman – Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
By Sara Edelman
Palms are ornamental gems, stunning growers with relatively few horticultural needs. All they require is water, fertilizer and access to soil — no maintenance necessary.
For this reason, they are wildly popular. Although they are often planted solely for their beauty, they are more like trees of life, providing resources such as fruit, sugary sap and thatch.
"The Senegal date palm (Phoenix reclinata) is a date palm adapted to our southern Florida climate, but high humidity does not allow fruit to develop into dates."
| Sara Edelman Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is the original palm tree of life, called that in many cultures because every part of the palm can be used. The trunk is used for timber, the fruit are the delicious dates, the leaflets are used for basketry, the fibers are used for thatching, the stalks of the flowers are used for ropes or burned for fuel, the sap is drinkable and can be boiled into a candy, and the midribs of the leaves are used in furniture. This remarkable palm is regarded as so important that Muslim legend says it was created from the dust left over after the creation of Adam.
The date palm is suited for desert life, requiring very dry, non-humid conditions. Date palms do not do well in muggy southern Florida. Even if they do survive the summer, they won't produce fruit.
But some close relatives of the date palm will do fairly well here, although they won't produce dates: the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), Senegal date palm (Phoenix reclinata) and the miniature date palm (Phoenix roebelenii). They do have nutrient deficiency issues, however. Treat these palms with twice-a-year applications of slow-release palm special fertilizer and don't remove discolored leaves. Removing the deficiency worsens the problem.
Other giving palms are better suited for southern Florida. Acoelorrhaphe wrightii, paurotis palm, is a beautiful southern Florida native. This clonal palm provides big leaves for thatching roofs, and fibers on the stem can be used to make cloth. The black berries are eaten by migratory birds, and the gray foxes in Belize rely solely on this plant seasonally. The resource-rich paurotis palm, which grows in the swamps and even in the urban landscape, prefers to have its feet wet. Keep it well watered, or better yet put it in the water, or it will show signs of frizzle top.
The biggest-kept secret is the royal palm (Roystonea regia). Royal palms are called the most beautiful palms in the world, but many people don't realize they have delicious hearts. If you have royal palms in your yard, instead of yanking out seedlings, let them grow into mature plants. Once they are five to six feet tall, cut them down, remove the bud and enjoy the heart of palm. Surprisingly, these palms grow in the marsh. Plant them in a wet spot in your yard to avoid pencil tipping of the trunk and eventual crown decline.
Another great palm tree of life for southern Florida is the sugar palm (Arenga pinnata), which gets its name from the sugary sap its blossoms produce. This sap can be made into a fresh drink called saguir, fermented into a distilled liquor (arrack) or dried into arenga sugar. The palm heart is edible and so are the newest leaves. Sago, a starch, is made from the pith. The dark, fibrous bark is manufactured into cord or rope.
Not surprisingly, this is an incredibly important economic crop in its native tropical Asia. According to Sudanese folklore, the spirit Wewe Gombel nests in this palm, where she keeps the children she abducts. This mythical and resource-rich palm is a great grower for southern Florida. Put it in partial sun and watch it flourish. But be mindful — the fruit contain oxalate crystals and can be a skin irritant.
If you want a horticultural challenge, try planting Bactris gasipaes, also called pejibaye or peach palm. The reward definitely outweighs the challenge. This clumping palm produces a delicious fruit that is edible after being cooked for three to five hours.
Not only is the fruit delightful, but so is the heart — the clumping palm is one of the main producers of heart of palm. Hearts removed, the stems make valuable timber. Almost every part of this palm is used for economic benefit.
The peach palm is difficult to grow in southern Florida because it needs a truly tropical climate of year-round heat and humidity, well-drained, acid soils and prefers higher altitude. Cultivation in southern Florida is possible with the right microhabitat and diligence. Keep your peach palm well watered and well protected.
Palms are not only beautiful and easy to grow but have many economic and cultural uses. Don't waste any more time — plant a palm tree of life in your yard and be prepared for a plant that will truly give back.
Sara Edelman is palm and cycad manager at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
All the buzz about pollinators
From last week --
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 <![endif]> The State Wildflower license plate supports Florida's native wildflowers, which curb water use in landscapes, support crop pollinators, reduce water and air pollution, provide wildlife habitat, and beautify roadsides. Get yours today! |
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
It's Time to Say Goodbye to the Front Lawn
They’re bad for the environment and our wallets.
- Gwynn Guilford
- May 27, 2015
Image The end of an era? AP Photo/Laramie Boomerang, Andy Carpenean (The end of an era?)
Los Angeles and 25 other southern California cities are paying their residents up to $6,000 to dig up their lawns and put in fake turf and woodchips—part of a bid to help meet the state’s mandatory reduction in water use issued in April. That comes out to about two dollars per square foot of lawn replaced.
It’s easy to see why: During California’s summer dry season, 50-80 percent of residential water consumption comes from lawn care and other outdoor uses, reports the Los Angeles Times.
So far, the lawn replacement program has proven wildly popular. Since governor Jerry Brown’s executive order to cut urban water use, weekly lawn replacement applications more than tripled. The new plan adds another $350 million for rebates granted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which serves about 19 million people. Residents exhausted the original $100-million budget earlier this month.
Municipal governments are enthusiastic too. On top of the MWD rebate, the Los Angeles water department is giving residents another $1.75 per square foot.
A San Diego resident going the succulent route. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Fake turf is not the only alternative to grass. Replacement plants include drought-tolerant succulents, native shrubs and perennials, and even edible gardens (this gallery features some Los Angeles examples). Woodchips and decorative rocks are among the options for those ditching decorative plant life altogether.
In southern California, at least, this could spell the end of the iconic American front lawn. The country’s lawn-care obsession finds its roots in the mass production of affordable mechanical mowers in the late 1800s, followed by the pioneering of ornamental turfgrass throughout the 1950s. But it was during the post-World War II period that the front lawn became fused with the idea of the “American dream.” The GI Bill’s home-purchase subsidies caused an explosion in (white) home ownership, and suburban enclaves sprouted up across the country.
Living the American dream. (Flickr user Ninian Reid via CC License, image has been cropped)
As these primly manicured emerald expanses swept the national landscape, they also became a symbol of both civic responsibility and class. In The Great Gatsby, for instance, the narrator’s unkempt lawn was a “scar on the face of suburbia,” as Michael Pollan put it in his 1989 essay criticizing the tyranny of the American lawn.
These days, front lawns cost Americans $40 billion a year to maintain, and are spread over about 50,000 square miles—the land area equivalent of the entire state of Alabama.
This vast swath of ornamentally maintained land is generally bad for the environment. A lawnmower generates more greenhouse gas emissions per hour than 11 cars, according to the Environmental Protection Agency; nitrous oxide emitted by fertilizer has 300 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide, and lingers in the atmosphere for as long as 120 years. Swept into waterways, those fertilizers strip the water of oxygen, causing algal blooms and “dead zones” that kill freshwater and marine life.
Then, of course, there’s water use. Americans consume around 9 billion gallons of water a day on average on outdoor use—most of it watering their lawns. That’s more water than families use for showering and laundry combined. As populations rise, water needs will only get more taxing in many states:
Change in water usage vs. 2005. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Already, California is not the only drought-struck state. New York is experiencing the driest May since 1903:
(NOAA/National Weather Service)
Californians like to boast that they set America’s trends. Here’s hoping their woodchips-and-succulents landscaping chic catches on across the country.
This post originally appeared on Quartz, an Atlantic partner site.
Monday, June 1, 2015
The Absolute Easiest Herbs To Grow Indoors
You can keep these fresh ingredients growing in almost any east- or west-facing window.
By Molly Marquand May 25, 2015
PHOTOGRAPH BY WHITPRESTON/GETTY
Picture this: mounds of aromatic kitchen herbs just waiting to be picked, lined up along the sill of your sunny window. Don’t have one? You should probably skip basil, oregano, and sage, which are gluttons for sunlight, but there are a number of delicious herbs that grow great in shadier conditions.
Cilantro and parsley prefer cooler temperatures than most: any east or west-pointing window will satisfy their needs. These no-fuss annuals grow best in freely draining potting soil and require little else beyond occasional watering. Don’t forget that in shady spots, water evaporates less quickly, so check the surface of the soil to ensure it’s dried out before watering again. Otherwise your parsley and cilantro—forgiving as they are—will wilt from overwatering.
Lemon balm is another easy-growing low-light herbs. To avoid the lag time it takes to raise this perennial to harvestable size, buy already-started plants. They do well in freely draining potting soil but need to be watered regularly—up to three times a week.
Chives will also grow continuously throughout the year given the right conditions. Starting chives from seed can be aggravating, as the newly germinated plants are about a hair’s width in size, and it can take several years for them to grow into a tousled mound of useful plants. Buy starters and grow them in an east or west window with a few hours of direct sunlight. Chives appreciate moist soil, and will benefit from the occasional misting.
For a bit more spice, try cultivating ginger. Equatorial in origin, the root traditionally grows beneath shady canopies of tropical trees. Inside, it can work almost anywhere except a hot and sunny location. Plant the root several inches deep in a mix of compost and potting soil, and keep the pot away from chilly drafts. Ginger will grow best in indirect light at a temperature of approximately 70 degrees, which just happens to be ideal apartment weather! Mist the plant to keep humidity high.
Even if the only window you’ve got seems dimmer than a closet, there’s one herb you can still grow: mint. There’s almost no scenario in which this stalwart can’t grow—and it will try in even the most unforgiving conditions. Plant it in potting soil (or cement—it may not matter) and water regularly for best results. Most mints grow vigorously with only a little sunlight and will need to be pinched back every couple of weeks to prevent them from taking over the house.
Finally, though it takes a little effort, if your place gets light but not all in one place, you can always plant a box of herbs and rotate their position to track the sun. In general, making sure the basic needs of your plant are met—regular watering and occasional feeding—will nurture a more resilient herb that’s better equipped to deal with lower light situations.
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