Hits & Misses: Dressed to the nines & the fun of fungi
Question of the Week: Why do cedars turn brown in the spring?
Science & Technology: Roses in decline

On January 13, I’ll have the honour of carrying the Olympic torch in St. Albert. A friend submitted my name to the 2010 Vancouver organizing committee, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a torchbearer. According to the official information, I’ll start my run “approximately” at 3:29 p.m. and will carry the torch 300 metres. The torch enters St. Albert from the north on St. Albert Road, and my section starts near the Staples store. I’ve already got my Olympic attire, including a white tracksuit, toque and a great pair of red mitts. So, I’m all set. I intend to carry the Olympic torch proudly and to try not to fall and extinguish the flame. In fact, I even plan on wearing my best pair of running shoes. You know, the ones with good traction and a secret compartment for a lighter… just in case.

The Olympic torch relay route through St. Albert.
Source: VANOC website

Hits & Misses
Hit: Dressed to the Nines
An interesting trend this past Christmas was for picture-perfect, value-added poinsettias. Perfection wasn’t just about the quality of the plants; it was also about the ribbons, sparkles, chic pots and other plants combined with poinsettias. The poinsettias adorned with only a plastic pot cover didn’t seem to have the same cache as those dressed to the nines. We have high expectations for perfection at Christmas. And this year, poinsettias weren’t immune to the trend.

Miss: The Fun of Fungi
Soils are complex ecosystems. In fact, they can be a little too complex for some people. Recently, we had a somewhat distraught person come into our garden centre with a piece of—for lack of a better description—black, hairy soil.

The hair was actually a fungus feeding on the rich organic matter in the soil. Numerous species of fungi reside in potting soils and pose no harm to houseplants. But when conditions are just right, some pretty strange-looking fungi can arise. If you have children, use the opportunity to teach them about these often strange and remarkable creatures. My advice is to not worry about fungi, unless you have mould allergy in which case you should get rid of the fungi.

Science & Technology
Roses in Decline
Cut roses, once the queen of Dutch greenhouse crops, have all but disappeared according to Dutch grower Hans de Vries. His article in Floraculture International says 90 percent of Dutch rose production has shifted to lower-cost regions, primarily in Africa. The problem to de Vries’ way of thinking is twofold. First, there’s the loss of business to offshore companies, which hurts Dutch growers. Secondly, there’s the loss in quality, not because African producers are bad growers, but because of the relentless pursuit of cheaper roses. The unfortunate result is roses that simply don’t perform as well in consumers’ homes. In de Vries’ opinion, the loss is insidious and means a generation of consumers will grow up not knowing what a high-quality cut rose really is.

Question of the Week
Why do cedars turn brown in the spring?
The simple answer is they’ve dried out over the winter. When the ground is frozen, there’s no way for cedars or other evergreens to replace moisture lost through their needles. Bright, warm and windy days—which are common in early spring—followed by much colder days are especially hard on cedars. Sheltered locations, screens to block drying winter winds, and consistent and generous watering during the growing season all help minimize browning on cedars.

Did You Know?
Agar—a gelatinous substance derived from red algae—is used as a thickener in products such as salad dressings, to make pill capsules and is also used as an anti-drying agent in baked goods.

“Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”
–Benjamin Franklin