Most people are familiar with fungi that cause itchy toes and moldy bread. What if I told you that there are a multitude of fungi in an “Underground Internet” that wraps around the roots of almost every plant in the your landscape? Not only that, but also these fungi thrives by sucking energy from the plants to sustain themselves? Yes, these fungi are lurking in the soil of your landscape right now! Is this some Friday the 13th scary story intended to raise the hair on the back of your neck? No! These fungi are real and they are everywhere! They are mycorrhizas (pronounced my-CORE-rye-zuhs). This not-so-glorious association between plants, soil, and fungus is fundamental to plant establishment and growth. There are about 5,000 different fungal species that form a mycorrhizal relationship with over 300,000 plants. This association is an absolute necessity for the establishment of many plants. The absence…
Category: Newsletters and Member Articles
ST. AUSGUSTINE GRASS
It is August and we are still experiencing drought conditions. As I walk the neighborhood, it is no surprise to find a lot of ugly lawns. Obviously, some of my neighbors have been watering and trying to keep their lawns healthy, while others seem to have given up and accepted the fact that mankind was not really meant to be surrounded by a green carpet of thousands of little high maintenance plants. My biggest surprise has been discovering how the various types have faired. As expected, most fescue looks pretty bad at this time of year, especially those lawns that were planted in the spring. Centipede and Zoysia have held up pretty well when in full sun, and only seem thin and weak as they experience shade and competition from trees. Bermuda can take the drought but seems to have taken a beating from diseases this year. The surprise has…
The Winter Garden Planning and Planting for the Southeast – Book Review
The Winter Garden Planning and Planting for the Southeast By Peter Loewer and Larry Mellichamp Perquisites for growing a beautiful winter garden are planning and choosing the plant species for impact or subtleness. Walk through The Winter Garden with authors Peter Loewer and Larry Mellichamp. See the beauty of opting for planting trees because of their bark texture, color, or structure that will catch your eye in the bleak months of winter. Choose pods, fruits, plumes, and berries to add sparkle to the dreary landscape and pizzazz to holiday centerpieces and wreaths. You will not miss the profusion of summer flowers when you select from a large variety of winter bulbs or winter-blooming herbaceous perennials. No garden would be complete without fragrant plants for “…fragrances can reach across the decades like a physical link, reminding us of an eventful time now long forgotten.” There is no excuse not to have…