Awkward Botany

This isn't my only blog. If you'd like to read more of what I have to say, consider visiting Awkward Botany. It's my blog about plants. I'm a plant nerd and love all things plant related. Awkward Botany is where I express my plant nerd self. Whether you are plant interested, plant curious, or plant ambivalent, I am certain that you will find something of interest here. It's worth checking out.

Raccoon vs. Onions

A little while back, I planted some onion seeds in a plastic salad container. As the onion seeds began to sprout, I placed the container outside by my front door so that the little seedlings could get plenty of sun and eventually be ready to transplant in a yet to be determined location. After they had been outside for a few days, I observed that something had been digging in them. At first it wasn't anything major - just a couple small holes. I assumed it was a squirrel. No big deal. I would just bury the holes back in and go about my day. I wasn't too worried about it because it didn't seem overly intrusive. Then one day I noticed more digging than usual and decided I should do something about it. I found a piece of chicken wire and placed it over the top of the planter. The next morning, to my horror, the digging had advanced to a new extreme. The chicken wire had been shoved aside and what had previously been small, isolated holes had become one giant hole extending across the entire planter. I decided that what I was dealing with wasn't just a playful squirrel but most likely a menacing raccoon (especially since the deed seemed to be occurring at night). Frustrated, I dug out what I could of the onions, transplanted them into a smaller container, and placed them in a safer location, hopefully to never be bothered again. Unfortunately this means that what I had envisioned as a bumper crop of onions in the fall will now just be a meager harvest at best. This time, in the battle of Raccoon vs. Onions, Raccoon wins. Such is the life of a gardener and his constant battle against nature.

 

To read more of my adventures in the plant world, please visit: www.awkwardbotany.com

Monthly Recommendations: March 2013

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker Arcade Game - I discovered this game at Spacebar recently. Michael Jackson fights bad guys and zombies with dance moves, etc. and saves little kids. Not too many things are cooler than that.

Heirloom Gardener Magazine - I really like what the folks at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds are doing, and I've been checking out their catalog and ordering their seeds for a few years now, but I hadn't checked out their magazine until this month. I'm not sure what took me so long - their magazine is great!

Johnny Marr: The Messenger - The Smith's guitarist, Johnny Marr, put out his first solo album last month. It's no Morrissey album, but it's still pretty great. It's got a very throwback feel and some pretty catchy tunes.

The Juniper #16

Hello friends and foes! The 16th issue of The Juniper is out now! It's about time, right? In this issue, I write about embracing change, being human, raised bed gardening, the proper way to add organic matter to your garden, purposeful gardening, and pruning rosemary plants. This zine is free, but if you have a dollar or stamps to donate to the cause, that would be greatly appreciated as printing and mailing costs add up. I am also, for the first time, offering a pdf version of the zine. If you would like a free pdf copy, just send me a request by email. Otherwise, send your dollar or stamp(s) to the following address:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 9862
Boise ID 83707
USA

dnlmrphy@gmail.com

Monthly Recommendations: February 2013

The Other F Word - A documentary about punk rockers becoming fathers (F = fatherhood) and the challenging dichotomy of living an anti-authoritarian lifestyle while simultaneously having to be an authority figure to your children. Fascinating.

Greenwoman Magazine - The fourth issue of Sandy's garden writing magazine is out, and it's packed with the quality content you've come to expect. A musing on chickens, thoughts on the challenges of birds in the garden, an interview with Amy Stewart (an artist), a "Diary of a Garden Goddess," some fiction, art, poetry, and so much more. Get your hands on a copy of this.

A Valentine's Day message from Laci Green of Sex+.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 52: Awkward Botany

Mission accomplished. One recommendation (or unrecommendation as the case may be) posted every week for a full year. 52 posts in all. And you thought that it couldn’t be done. Actually, you probably didn’t have an opinion on the matter one way or another. I had my doubts, though…but sometimes I surprise myself.

So now, as the year comes to a close (and the world didn’t end), I have decided that I will turn my focus away from this blog and towards something new. Certainly I will continue to post here, and I actually have some ideas for some future posts; however, most of my blogging efforts will be focused on my new blog, Awkward Botany. It’s something that I came up with several months ago, but have yet to do anything with. It combines my awkward geekiness with my love of plants. While it is not yet clear exactly what shape it will take, I am excited to get started on it so that I can watch it grow and evolve. A quick brainstorming session yields this list of topic ideas for posts: the evolution/biology/ecology of plants, rare and endangered plants, the wonders of plants, my favorite plants, tips on growing and caring for plants, places to go to see plants, the benefits of plants, plants in the news, etc. I promise it will be interesting, particularly if you like plants, but even if you are not overly excited about plants, I hope that it will still be appealing to you in some way.

I'm not sure exactly when you should expect posting to begin on Awkward Botany, but hopefully it will happen soon, so check back often. In the meantime, say goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013. Let’s hope it’s a good one…because for heaven's sake, we all really need it.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 45: Watering Your Plants

I have talked to many people who claim to have a black thumb. They tell me that they can’t manage to keep any plants alive. Every plant entrusted to their care ends up dying, and they can’t figure out why. However, the reality is that they probably either just forgot to water their plants or they watered them too much. This is because most plants require very little care to keep alive, but all plants need water, some more than others. This does not constitute a black thumb, it just means that a little more vigilance is required.
I understand this issue though, because as a self-proclaimed plant nerd and an experienced plant caretaker, even I forget to water my plants sometimes, which occasionally results in a dead plant. In fact, I recently almost killed one of my favorite plants. It’s a tiny sundew (Drosera spp.) in a little pot – a carnivorous plant that my boss gave to me. I’m not sure how many days I went without watering it, but luckily I noticed, just in time, that it was looking a bit droopy. So, I drenched it with distilled water (the kind of water that carnivorous plants require) and hoped that I wasn’t too late and that it would recover. To my pleasant surprise, it sprung back and is doing just fine.
So, if you’re one of those who considers yourself a black thumb, I would recommend improved vigilance about watering your plants – not too much and not too little (this is species dependent of course, but really not that difficult to master). And if you’re like me and just forget to water your plants once in a while because life gets in the way sometimes, consider this a reminder to go water your plants. They’re nice things to have around, and it’s sad to see them go, especially when it’s due to something as simple as keeping them properly hydrated.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 41: Flora's Forum

Many months ago on this blog I recommended an up and coming magazine called, Greenwoman. What you may not know is that there is a great little group blog affiliated with this magazine called, Flora's Forum. It's still in it's infancy and has yet to really blossom into what it could become, but there is still plenty of good content already there to be found. It's a blog for those interested in connecting to nature through gardening, in taking care of the planet, in living simply and doing-it-yourself, and in expressing these sentiments through all forms of art. Additionally, this blog is not just for reading but for participating, and so in order to facilitate this, writers, gardeners, and nature lovers the world over are invited to contribute. If, after browsing through the site, you decide that Flora's Forum might be a place for you to express yourself, by all means contact the editor. I intend to contribute eventually, but have been distracted by too many other things. I will join the community eventually. You can count on that.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 32: Zone 4 Magazine

Apparently this magazine has been around for a few years, but this year is the first I heard of it. It's about time, though (perfect timing, actually), because it's a great magazine all about living and gardening in the rocky mountains, and as it turns out, I just recently moved back to the "high country west." The name "Zone 4" refers to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, but it is definitely not exclusive to the goings-on of things in Zone 4. Instead it covers all zones in the Rocky Mountains, which includes at least Zones 3-6. The creators of the magazine insist that by producing the magazine they are filling a niche and a need that was not being filled or met otherwise. Their intention was to create a magazine that "is written by experts for real people with real concerns who want to learn more about successful gardening, landscaping, and healthy local foods raised and grown in zone 4." As far as I'm concerned, they totally nailed it. The magazine is very well put together, includes a surplus of great information and entertainment, and is a friendly and useful resource to the high country gardener. A few examples of some articles and topics that are found in the summer 2012 issue of Zone 4 include: an interview with rock garden expert, Panyoti Kelaidis, information about the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, a Wyoming water-wise garden, vermiculture how-to, hosting a plant exchange, selection & application of manure, top plant picks for rocky mountain gardeners, rhubarb recipes, broccoli recipes, a penstemon profile, and so much more. If anything in that diverse list piques your interest, definitely check this out. It's a quality publication. 

Weekly Recommendations, Week 28: Growing Things: A Guide for Beginning Gardeners

Growing Things is a little zine that Joshua put together out of desperation after seeking for a good zine about basic gardening to include in his distro (Ms. Valerie Park Distro) but not finding anything suitable. With promptings and contributions from friends, he took the initiative to produce the publication that he found lacking. Joshua starts out by making it clear that he and the other contributors are not experts and have no formal training in gardening (especially the science thereof), and that there are myriad ways of going about things. What works for one may not work so well for others. I am pleased that he stated this upfront because as an avid gardener (and as someone who is trained in the profession), I did find a few of the things in this zine to be a bit “off” from my experience and perspective. However, I also agree that everyone’s gardening experience is unique, and in fact, Joshua’s summary of the zine provides very succinct examples of how starkly different the experiences of gardeners can be and how, as I have always felt, gardening is a trial and error, seat of the pants adventure regardless of how long you’ve been doing it or how trained and educated you are concerning it. The content of the zine is exactly what you would expect from a zine about basic gardening: making garden beds, container gardening, planting, weed control, insects, composting, seed saving, watering, plant nutrition, etc. Some of the writing is less about the how-to and more about the joy of gardening. All in all it’s a very informative zine and a great introduction to the world of gardening. Joshua was correct in (albeit reluctantly) deciding to put together the zine he had been wishing existed, because the outcome is a very approachable, well put together, straightforward gardening primer. You can get a copy for yourself by sending $3 + $1 shipping in US or $2 outside the US to Ms. Valerie Park Distro PO Box 2645 Olympia WA 98507.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 23: Prickly Pear Cactus in Bloom

The prickly pears are now in bloom, and I highly recommend you check them out! At least that's the case here in Boise, Idaho. I'm not sure what the state of the prickly pears in your area is, or if you even have any, but here in southwestern Idaho they are blooming like mad. These pictures were taken at Idaho Botanical Garden, where you can see all kinds of things currently in bloom; however, if you get a chance to go there, make it a point to check out the prickly pears. They look amazing! Despite how foreboding they may appear with their spines and all, prickly pears are edible; although I have yet to try them. If you have any recipes or suggestions for eating them, I would love to hear about it. I will make it a point to eat some Opuntia this year for sure.   

Weekly Recommendations, Week 19: National Public Gardens Day

In case you were not already aware, this Friday is National Public Gardens Day. It's a day to celebrate our nation's public gardens. Public gardens provide communities with numerous beneftis, including educational opportunites, green spaces, examples of environmental stewardship, plant awareness and protection, and a place to get ideas and be inspired about gardening, horticulture, and botany. Participating gardens will be open free of charge and have various activities planned throughout the day. To find out where the nearest participating garden is, go here. For those in the Boise, Idaho area, I would encourage you to spend the day at Idaho Botanical Garden. It's springtime, the weather is nice, and there are tons of plants in bloom.
 

Weekly Recommendation, Week 18: Small Green Roofs

I have been interested in green roofs for quite some time. In fact, upon first learning about green roofs I became so obsessed that I decided to move halfway across the country to pursue a graduate degree that involved green roof research as my thesis project. And yet even after that ordeal, I remain quite interested in them. While I am not currently working in the green roof industry, I still enjoy reading/hearing about green roofs, as well as seeing them whenever I am lucky enough to have that chance.With that said, if you are at all interested in learning more about green roofs, or perhaps constructing a green roof of your own,  I would highly recommend checking out the book, Small Green Roofs: Low-Tech Options for Greener Living by Nigel Dunnett, Dusty Gedge, John Little, and Edmund C. Snodgrass. It's incredibly informative and very well-written and organized. The first part of the book offers a brief overview of green roofs, including the purposes for installing them and the myriad benefits they offer. Also included are green roof construction basics and a very informative planting primer which covers plant selection, planting methods, maintenance considerations, and designing for wildlife. The remaining part of the book is filled with the profiles of 42 small green roof projects broken up into 5 sections. Each profile includes information on the design and planning stage, the installation process, and the successes of the project, along with a personal note by one of the authors. Pictures of each of the projects are also included. These profiles are meant to inspire and encourage people to consider a green roof of their own and to offer ideas about how to go about it. Whether you are interested in putting a green roof on a rabbit hutch, a garden shed, or the roof of your house, this book is a great introduction to the fascinating world of green roof technology.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 17: Plantasia Cactus Gardens

I spent two days last week and will spend two days this week working at Plantasia Cactus Gardens in Twin Falls, Idaho. Plantasia is a privately owned garden that has been around for at least a couple of decades, but not too many people know about it. The owners became obsessed with cacti and other associated plants after taking a trip to the deserts of southwest USA, and so they decided to grow a few cacti in their backyard. Eventually, they were able to purchase 5 acres adjacent to their property, and so they expanded their cacti garden. Their current collection includes cacti and other desert plants from around the world. They also have a small nursery in which they propagate many of the plants in their collection and sell them to people locally and by mail order. They will be having an open house and plant sale the last two weekends in May, and they are open to visitors by appointment during any other time of the year. If you ever happen to be in the area, I would encourage you to stop by. Desert plants can be far more beautiful than you might think, and seeing a collection like this will definitely help you gain an appreciation for them.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 16: Eggshell Pots

If you're the kind of person who keeps a garden, then now is the time of year when you are probably thinking a lot about what you're going to grow and when and where you're going to grow it. If you're on top of things then you've probably already got a few things growing indoors - and possibly outdoors too, depending on where you live. Additionally, if you're like me and like to find re-uses for things, then eggshell pots can be a great way to combine both your gardening pursuits and your re-use interests. They are also a pretty great conversation starter and a fun idea for kids - mainly just a neat idea all around. If you're not an egg eater, perhaps you can get some eggshells from your egg eating friends. It's probably a good idea to poke a small drainage hole in the bottom of your eggshell pots. This is best done before cracking the egg. Use a hammer and a small nail to make the hole, then crack the egg carefully, leaving as large of an intact "pot" as possible. Fill the empty shells with potting soil and plant your seeds. Place the eggshell pots back in the egg carton for safe keeping. Easy as that.
   

Weekly Recommendations, Week 13: The Juniper #15

This week’s recommendation is blatant self-promotion, so consider yourself warned. However, this is my blog, so I can do whatever I want, right? Plus, everyone else is using their blogs, tweets, and wall postings to aggressively and excessively promote themselves, so what’s stopping me from doing the same? Hey, everybody! Look at me! Check out how cool I am and all the cool stuff I do! Please like me and be my friend! Post, post, post, tweet, blog, post, ad infinitum.
The Juniper is my 8 years running eco-zine. It's all about living the slow/simple/small life: bike riding, gardening, doing it yourself. In this issue I talk about finding sanity by being in nature, my obsession with my bicycle, how to set up a plant variety trial in your garden and why you should do it, and how lots of things in the world are actually getting better (despite what some folks might say or think) and as long as we make the effort to stay on this course, amazing things can happen. I also include a recipe specifically for springtime. If any of this sounds even remotely interesting to you, send me an email and I'll send you a copy. I usually ask for a stamp, 50¢, or a trade in return, but a nice note should also suffice. I'd give my address here, but I'm still in the middle of a transition and don't yet know what my permanent address will be. Either way, write to me here and we can figure something out: juniperjournal@hotmail.com

Weekly Recommendations, Week 12: Spring

It’s the first week of spring! Of course, spring-like weather has been with us for weeks now since winter really didn’t seem to be much of a force this year. Either way, spring has sprung, and in my opinion this is the best time of year. So, I highly recommend enjoying it. The days are getting longer. Temperatures are on the rise. Winter is transitioning into summer. As a plant nerd, spring is especially appealing, because this is the time when plants begin to come out of their winter dormancy and look alive again. It’s also the time when work really gets going in the garden. Now is your chance to get your hands dirty and your feet muddy. If you’re lucky enough to have your own garden plot, then you probably already have a plan and are itching to get going. If you’re like me and have no plot to call your own, then you’re probably in a desperate search for any kind of gardening experience you can weasel your way into. Lucky for me, I just landed a job at Idaho Botanical Garden, so I’ll be getting my gardening fix there on a regular basis. Still, I intend to find other gardening opportunities to go along with that because I’m insatiable…either that or I’m a lunatic. 

However, if you’re not a gardener, there are plenty of other great things about spring, including my other major passion: bike riding. Certainly you have your favorite spring activities, so enjoy them while you can. After all, spring comes but once a year, and as they say, you don’t know what you've got ‘til it’s gone.  

Weekly Recommendations, Week 8: Back to the Roots Mushroom Garden

I had wanted to grow some mushrooms for a while, but for one reason or another I just didn’t get around to it…until now! There are several different mushroom kits to choose from out there, but the latest sensation is a pearl oyster mushroom kit developed by Back to the Roots, a recently formed company founded by a couple of college friends who were studying to be investment bankers. Once they discovered that mushrooms could be grown in used coffee grounds, they developed a vision for a new company; and hence, Back to the Roots appeared. I’m not a huge fan of the name considering that mushrooms don’t even have roots, but I guess I can see what they were going for. The oyster mushroom kit is meant to be a very simple set-up so that pretty much anyone can have success, a very do-it-yourself approach. Plus, the growing medium is used coffee grounds, and most of the kit is either recyclable or compostable, so it’s definitely an environmentally responsible product.
The question is does it perform? The instructions say that if all goes well, you’ll be harvesting mushrooms in as little as ten days; mine, however, took more than two weeks. My harvest was significantly smaller than the pictures on the website, which was a major disappointment; however, the mushrooms were still pretty tasty, which only made me wish I had more. The instructions also say that each kit can yield multiple harvests (as many as 4); I’m not holding out much hope for that, but I guess we’ll see. Either way, I highly doubt that I’ll be harvesting 1 ½ pounds of mushrooms like the website claims is possible. Despite my disappointing results, I still had fun with this kit, and I would recommend it to any mushroom fan – or really anybody who likes to watch things grow – and hopefully you’ll have better luck than I did.