Hits & Misses: Grass for the dogs & a furry threat
Question of the Week: Why are the bracts on my poinsettia turning black?
Science & Technology: Killer tomatoes

We really lucked out with the recent weather. Yes, I know you’re probably questioning my sanity, considering the huge dumps of snow and low temperatures we’ve had. But had temperatures plunged without that snow, a lot of our garden plants would have suffered. Snow is the plant equivalent of a down-filled blanket and offers a lot of protection to crowns and roots. The foot or so of snow prior to the arrival of the frigid arctic air means plants—especially the more tender ones—will have a better chance of surviving winter relatively unscathed. Remember, though, that no amount of snow will protect the potted banana plants you left on your deck…I should know; I’m speaking from experience.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Grass for the Dogs
If cat owners can buy cat grass, then why can’t dog owners buy dog grass? Well, now they can. “Organic dog grass” (a.k.a. barley grass packaged in a biodegradable rice-hull pot) has hit the market and should make Rex happy. This trendy product is, apparently, good for dogs because barley grass is full of essential vitamins and minerals that can improve their vitality. Plus, biodegradable pots might just transform your dog from tree destroyer to tree hugger.

This trendy new seed kit—complete with a biodegradable pot
—is meant to be grown for fido.

Miss: A Furry Threat
Can you hear that chewing sound? It’s the sound of mice and voles feasting on the bark of your tender fruit trees. OK, to be honest, these furry little critters likely haven’t begun to attack your trees, yet. However, the recent, heavy snowfall has provided rodents with good shelter from predators, as well as from the cold. Therefore, when they do eventually attack, you won’t even be able to see them. So, as unappealing as the idea may be in this cold weather, I’d suggest caging the trunks of young trees now. It’s a far better option than having trees damaged beyond repair in the spring.

Science & Technology
Killer Tomatoes
According to Dr. Mike Fay, from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in England, tomato plants can be carnivorous. Well, he’s not saying you have to watch your back in the tomato patch. But, he did discover that some wild species of tomatoes can trap insects in their sticky stem and leaf hairs, and absorb the dead insect nutrients through their epidermis. As well, insects trapped on the hairs often fall to the ground where they decompose and provide nutrients for the tomatoes. I’m beginning to think that Attack of The Killer Tomatoes, while definitely not a documentary, might be a movie based on a true story.

Question of the Week
Why are the bracts on my poinsettia turning black?
It’s quite simple—they got too cold. More than likely, the damage happened during transportation. Poinsettias are extremely sensitive to cold and have to be wrapped in an insulating material (paper as opposed to plastic) before they go from store to vehicle. And when single-digit or negative temperatures exist, you can’t leave them in an unheated vehicle, even for a short time. Before turning black, the first sign of cold damage will be wilting bracts. You can even get wilting bracts from cool drafts in your house (although usually not blackening), so, remember to keep your poinsettia away from the front door.

Did You Know?
Claviceps purpurea, a fungus that infects rye, produces an alkaloid that is a precursor to the hallucinogenic drug LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide).

“Content is a word unknown to life; it is also a word unknown to man.”
–John Fowles