May 2005

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Hollywood's Hypocrisy By Susan Allen, Food ForeThought Hypocrisy in Hollywood is running rampant and never more evident than when it comes to issues involving the environment. For some unbeknownst reason celebrities simply love to flaunt their varying shades of green, as if activism absolves them of the responsibility for the visual pollution they produce on the "silver" screen. At the 2005 Academy Awards, a chosen pack of actors led by Best Supporting actor, Morgan Freeman and Best Supporting Actress, Natalie Portman along with Salma Hayek, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penelope Cruz , Robin Williams and Tim Robbins, displayed to a world audience their commitment to alternative fuels by taking part in the Red Carpet-Green Cars campaign. Meaning they were transported to and from the Oscar ceremony in high mileage low emission hybrid Toyota Prius'. I had to chuckle when I read the press release from Global Green, the group behind the effort for it's statement that "Global Green organizes fuel&endash;efficient transportation each year to allow celebrities the opportunity to demonstrate their concern for promoting energy interdependence, combating global warming and protecting the environment." (globalgreen.org). They went on to list past participants that included Harrison Ford, Calisita Flockhart, Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell, Sting and Jack Black among others. Now I am not discounting the efforts of Global Green, the U.S arm of Green Cross, an organization headed up by Mikhail S. Gorbachev. One of Green Cross's missions is to increase awareness of alternative fuels by encouraging governments to adopt sustainable practices. I share their passion about reducing our dependency on fossil fuel, so much so that I have encouraged my son who attends the University of Idaho to pursue a degree in the school's bio-diesel and green fuel program. I will admit though that I struggle with the stated fact that Global Green had to organize the event to allow the culturally elite an "opportunity" to ride in a hybrid. Come-on who is kidding whom? If Natalie andSelma were passionate about promoting green fuel, why would they need someone to manufacture an "opportunity" to show their support. Leonardo and Harrison appear so valiantly concerned about fuel usage yet remain notably silent when it comes to the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted every time a car explodes into a fiery ball of burning fuel on their movie sets? I am sure that Gwyneth and Penelope conscientiously take into account how much fossil fuel they burn flitting back and forth to the European couture fashion shows. I also find it ironic that anti-SUV groups so effortlessly receive the endorsement of Hollywood's elite, while I have yet to hear of any eco-celeb protesting the fuel consumption of private jets. Do not get me wrong, there are those rare celebrities that attempt to walk the talk. Cameron Diaz, an utterly charming tree hugger and long-time driver of a Toyota Prius is working to educate the younger generation on environmental sensitively through her new MTV program "Trippin". Daryl Hannah has also made quite a "splash" on the talk show circuit tirelessly promoting Biodiesel fuel, forgoing a hummer; she opts for a bio-El Camino, bio truck and a bio-tractor to work her ranch in the Rockies. Kudos to those stars who recognize that their fame affords them a unique platform to promote the benefits of green fuel, and shame on those who use the movement that could revolutionize American agriculture as a merely photo op. Getting Rid Of Buttercup From HomeWise, University of Idaho Publication For Don Morishita, University of Idaho weed specialist, one of the first signs of spring is the emergence of bur buttercup. In early spring, this low-growing annual weed sends up narrow-leaved stems tipped by solitary, yellow-petaled flowers. By mid-spring, it forms solid, 3- to 6-inch tall mats. By early summer, it scatters its seed and its burs have turned from green to straw-colored to brown. Those stiff, 1/2- to 3/4-inch long burs are probably how you've made your acquaintance with bur buttercup. "You can't help but notice the spiny burs when you kneel or step on one with a bare foot," says Morishita. But if you wait until you feel the burs to try to control the weed, you've waited too long, he says. Burning is your best bet for summertime control of bur buttercup, but only if your location permits. Instead, try to control bur buttercup before it flowers. In its late winter seedling stage, it's susceptible to such foliar-applied herbicides as glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D or trimec. If you'd rather not spray, hoeing and digging works, too. Bur buttercup can be triggered by the first warm spell in January or February, Morishita says. By the time daytime temperatures have climbed into the 40- to 45-degree range, look for small, gray-green, tap-rooted plants with three to four deeply lobed, fine-haired leaves that look like antlers. Despite the cute name, bur buttercup is deadly to sheep and toxic to humans as well. Stumped By A Stump? From HomeWise, A University of Idaho Publication Finally, you've cut down that overgrown, hazardous, diseased or simply obnoxious tree in your yard. But unless you destroy the stump, too, that tree could come back to haunt you. Many deciduous trees&emdash;including poplar, willow and aspen&emdash;sprout from the stump or roots after the top has been cut, says Yvonne Barkley, University of Idaho associate Extension forester. To make sure the tree is entirely dead and will not send up sprouts, apply an herbicide that's specifically labeled for tree-killing to the stump right after you've cut the tree. Be aware, however, that a stump-killer can destroy trees of the same species within 30 to 40 feet of the target tree. That's because the roots of these trees may have become co-mingled with the roots of the tree you took down. "These trees may essentially have become one large organism," Barkley says. "If you apply herbicide to the stump of one of them, the herbicide will translocate through the shared root system and kill the rest of the trees, too." Products that are simply advertised as "aids" to decomposition don't work well in our dry climate, Barkley says. "Woody material takes a very long time to decompose naturally in Idaho, and these products really do not noticeably speed up the process." You can try digging a stump out&emdash;Barkley calls it a "guaranteed way" to get rid of a tree&emdash;but because stump-digging can be both time-consuming and painful, having a professional tree service grind the stump for you is an option worth considering. Alternatively, plan to keep the stump as part of your landscape. Use it as a rustic chair, saw it into a sculpture, set a flower-filled pot or a birdbath on top of it, or let it be an outdoor stage for your theatrical kids or grandkids. Ceanothus Flowering Shrubs Are Stunning In PNW Gardens By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University If you've passed by a garden in the Pacific Northwest in May or June and have been astonished to see an eight-foot-tall, eight-foot-wide shrub completely covered in blue flowers and humming with the activity of hundreds of bees, you have probably encountered a Ceanothus. Ceanothus is a genus of native North American shrubs with about 60 species. People sometimes call them "California lilacs." These native North American woody plants are not yet common in Pacific Northwest domestic landscapes. Several species have been collected, bred and domesticated in Europe and California. Very few of those varieties have been tested here in the Northwest, until now. Oregon State University Extension community horticulturist Neil Bell is working with the Oregon Garden to test 45 varieties of Ceanothus to see how they do in Pacific Northwest conditions. "The goal of our evaluation is to study the growth and flowering of the Ceanothus varieties as well as their cold hardiness in Pacific Northwest Maritime conditions," explained Bell. "We are looking for significant disease or insect pest problems as well." The name Ceanothus comes from the Greek word keanothos, meaning spiny plant. These shrubs are commonly thought of as native to California. About 36 of the species are found only in California, but there are several Ceanothus species that range over the western, mid-western and eastern United States and southern Canada, including some native to Oregon. Most of the species from mild areas such as California are evergreen shrubs, while those from cold climates are usually deciduous, explained Bell. The genus offers a great diversity of plant size, habit and leaf shape and size. Ceanothus species vary from prostrate ground covers to mounding, spreading shrubs to tree-like forms. All are typically free of major disease or insect problems. Ceanothus are also cultivated for their small but profuse flowers, seen in the Northwest from April through August, depending on the species or cultivar. Flower colors include white and pink, but most people are familiar with the extraordinary blue flowers, which range in color from powder blue to indigo. In their native habitat, Ceanothus often inhabit exposed, dry slopes in mountains and in coastal regions. These plants can grow in poor soils, thanks to nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form nodules on the roots. As a result, it is tolerant of poor, dry soil. The flowers also attract swarms of beneficial insects, so the plant has ecological value as well. The Europeans were the first to use Ceanothus as a cultivated ornamental. C. americanus has been in cultivation in the United Kingdom since the early 18th century. In the 19th century, C. thyrsiflorus, a large-growing evergreen species native to California and southwest Oregon, was introduced to Europe, along with other evergreen species from the West. The evergreen forms were much admired for their spectacular bloom, but many proved somewhat tender. It was not long before European breeders were crossing the hardy deciduous forms with the tender evergreen forms in the search for greater adaptability. The result was C. x delilianus, commonly called the French hybrids. Possibly the best known of this variety are 'Gloire de Versailles' and 'Henri Desfosse.' Further breeding over the years has produced other hybrid forms, which include the pink-flowered C. x pallidus 'Marie Simon.' Most of these offer significantly greater cold hardiness than the evergreen types from which they are derived, often being rated hardy to USDA Zone 6. In wide use in the United Kingdom and California, the beauty and adaptability of some have made them staples of inhospitable environments, such as highway roadside landscapes and embankments in California. In the Pacific Northwest, Ceanothus is still relatively uncommon in landscape situations where drought-tolerant evergreens are required. In Oregon's cooler northern climate, it suffers from a persistent reputation for tenderness and a short lifespan, said Bell. Bell hopes his work testing varieties in Oregon will help increase the use and popularity of the shrub in the Pacific Northwest. So far, his OSU tests of Ceanothus at the Oregon Garden look encouraging. "The growth rate on many of these test Ceanothus plants has been remarkable," said Bell. "Most of the plants were in four-inch or one-gallon pots at the time of planting in 2001, and in May 2004 there were many that were four- to six-feet tall and wide. The form on many of the plants is excellent." Based on the trial results, Bell wants to construct a flowering calendar so gardeners can plant a series of Ceanothus varieties that will bloom, in succession, for several months. The study is ongoing, but the results are showing that so far, there are a number of varieties that are performing well in the maritime Pacific Northwest. With further study, Bell projects that the hardier varieties may deserve greater use in our region. "The tolerance Ceanothus exhibit for the climate and for poor, dry soils is a significant advantage of these plants, and makes them an attractive option for difficult sites," he said. "The fact that we don't have to give up dazzling ornamental attributes to get that toughness makes them even more appealing." Is Your Compost Mature? From University of Idaho's HomeWise Making compost is easy, but before you "harvest" that compost pile this spring, make sure the composting process is complete. JoAnn Robbins, University of Idaho Extension educator in Jerome County, cautions that unfinished or "immature" compost has chemicals in it that can actually be toxic to germinating seeds and can cause crop failure in a vegetable garden. In addition, the microorganisms that are still breaking down the immature compost will rob nitrogen from the soil&emdash;and the plants growing in it&emdash;to do their job. "Mature" compost looks just like a rich, crumbly soil and has a pleasant "earthy" odor, Robbins says. It never smells rotten. "Don't worry about an occasional recognizable wood chip or pine needle," she says. "Some materials will not be completely decomposed, even in mature compost." But if it looks like your compost isn't quite finished, mix it up or turn the pile and let it "cook" a little longer. "The results will be worth the wait," Robbins says.

Drought-Stricken Forage Can Prove Poisonous To Livestock By Marlene Fritz, University of Idaho Several years ago, a Blaine County feedlot lost "an enormous amount" of cattle overnight because their feed was overrich with nitrates. Last year, it happened again-40 head of mother cows died within two hours on a Blaine County ranch-victims of oat hay that was too high in nitrates. Fortunately, a Montana State University forage specialist was visiting his friend, University of Idaho Extension educator Ron Thaemert, shortly after the second incident occurred. The specialist, Dennis Cash, advised Thaemert to start testing forage crops for nitrate levels with a quick, easy-to-use nitrate test kit Cash had developed. When Thaemert took 36 samples of Blaine County forages with the Nitrate QuikTest, he learned that seven had 1,200-plus parts per million of nitrates-levels that are considered highly toxic. "I thought we didn't have a problem with nitrate poisoning and all of the sudden we did," he says. State veterinarian Clarence Siroky of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture confirms that nitrate poisoning is "not an easy thing to diagnose." "Generally, when you see nitrate toxicity, it's usually at that low, almost sub-acute level where animals are susceptible to any disease you can name," he says. "Very rarely are you going to see those classic toxicity symptoms that you see written in all of your books. Instead, operations will have a lot of disease issues." Indeed, Siroky's office has no statistics on the ailment's occurrence "because it's an impossible thing to measure." Thaemert fears he's going to encounter more cases of nitrate poisoning this year. Prompted by any number of stresses that forage crops can undergo-including drought, frost, rainstorms, extreme environmental changes and even excessive nitrogen fertilizer-nitrate poisoning threatens "to be a disaster this year," he says. "I really believe that, because of the drought conditions, we are going to try to get as much tonnage out of our first cuttings of forage as we can and we are going to put our forage crops under stress," he says. "When they go under stress, high nitrates are going to be very prevalent." That's because crops like triticale, oat hay, alfalfa hay and corn keep on taking up nitrogen in their roots, even though stressors cause their photosynthetic activity to slow down. The nitrates can build to such high levels in the plants' lower stems that they take oxygen out of the blood of animals like cattle and sheep. But the crops themselves show no tell-tale signs. Both Thaemert and his secretary, Penny Silva, have been certified to run the Nitrate QuikTest. It takes about four minutes for the color-change test to indicate a problem. Suspect samples can then be sent to a qualified laboratory for a complete analysis. The Nitrate QuikTest can be run on samples sent to the UI Blaine County Extension Office, or Thaemert can evaluate random samples in a producer's field. "The test is so fast and so simple to do. I can give them a head's up within a matter of minutes," he says. Thaemert encourages livestock producers statewide to contact his office if they think they might be heading towards a problem. "If there is a question, if they know they've fertilized this year and there are or could be extreme levels of nitrogen, if they know the crop has been in a drought condition or undergone any type of sudden stress, I ask them to please call my office," he says. If Thaemert or Silva confirm high nitrate levels in forage samples, Thaemert can advise producers on how to adjust livestock rations to include both the high-nitrate forage and offsetting low-nitrate forage. "It can always be fed," he says. "We just have to mix it with low-toxic rations." Thaemert and Silva can be reached at (208) 788-5585 or blaine@uidaho.edu in Hailey. Drought Tolerant Perennials Produce Color Thru Fall By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University To keep a colorful and low maintenance flower garden through the summer and fall, it is best and easiest to grow water-efficient summer and fall-blooming perennials. The time to plant these is now, in the spring, so they have time to get established before their blooming season. Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturists recommend the following summer and fall blooming perennial flowers for sunny areas. These need a minimum of watering, once they are established: • Yarrow (Achillea): These hardy fragrant plants have finely divided fern-like leaves with flat topped clusters of white, pink, red or yellow flowers. There are low growing and taller varieties. Excellent for drying. • Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa): This milkweed relative, native to the Great Plains, sends up bright orange flowers on three-foot stems in mid-summer. Butterflies love it. • Coreopsis: A relative of the sunflower, with bright yellow flowers. These two- to three-foot high plants will give a show of color throughout the summer. • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea): Big purple daisy-like flowers with purple centers and drooping purple flowers, also native to the prairies. Clumps of coneflowers grow from four to five feet high and lower from late summer into early autumn. • Globe thistle (Echinops): With steel blue globe-shaped flowers, this gray-green prickly perennial blooms from mid-summer into fall. It makes excellent cut flowers. • Blanket Flower (Gaillardia): Also a member of the sunflower family, with gray-green foliage and brilliant yellow flowers, banded with red, maroon or orange. Easy to sow from seed, they often self-sow. Blooms summer into fall. • Gayfeather or blazing star (Liatris): Tall lavender spikes bloom from narrow grasslike clumps of leaves. Grows two to three feet tall and makes an excellent cut flower. Another butterfly favorite. Blooms in summer. • Flax (Linum): These sky-blue cup shaped flowers only last a day, but will keep blooming for a month or more. Wispy, narrow leafed stems grow to two feet in clumps. Easy to grow from seed. Blooms late spring to summer. • Penstemon: Native to dry rocky areas to the high mountain meadows of the west, the many types of penstemons have showy tubular blossoms in red, purples to blues. Species range from sprawling mats to uprights to shrubs. • Evening primrose (Oenothera): Native to desert regions, these plants produce fragrant white, yellow or pink evening-blooming flowers which die back after blooming. They need little care. For shadier areas, try these drought tolerant perennials: • Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus): Clumps of broad, strap-shaped leaves send up lovely blue or white round clusters of flowers. Loves to be watered, but can tolerate drought. It has heavy roots for water storage. • Corydalis lutea: this delicate looking, yellow flowered perennial is a close relative of bleeding heart. As "tough as nails." Can take moist or dry soil, sun or shade. Reseeds itself readily. Blooms from May until the first hard frost. • Mexican daisy (Erigeron): Sprawling or trailing evergreen with white, red or pink daisy-like flowers. Blooms continuously for months. Self sows and tolerates sun or shade. Very drought tolerant. • Thyme: Perennial mat formers or shrubby species. Good for ground cover. Has small leaves. Small light-colored flowers bloom in summer. Grows best in sun or light shade. Common thyme is fragrant herb that can also be used as low edge plant. The OSU Extension Service offers a publication, "Water-efficient Landscape Plants" to help you choose, plant and grow drought tolerant plants in your home garden. This 27-page circular lists characteristics of more than 270 water-efficient annuals, bulbs, groundcovers, perennials, shrubs, trees and vines. Information provided includes: cold hardiness, plant size, flowering time, as well as notes about particular characteristics, such as aromatic foliage or suitability for use as a cut flower. The authors, Neil Bell, Ann Marie VanDerZanden and Linda McMahan, are all OSU horticulturists. Their intent is to help gardeners consider all of the factors that affect plants in their yards-including temperature, frost occurrence, rainfall distribution, wind, humidity and sunlight. They emphasize the importance of proper soil preparation prior to planting. For more information on "Water-efficient Landscape Plants," EC 1546, visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications. How To Cut Water Use In The Garden By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Oregon's summers are ordinarily quite dry compared with other parts of the country, even in normal years. This year, climatologists are predicting that Oregon may suffer from severe drought conditions. Home gardeners in Oregon are heavily dependent on watering gardens in the summer, rather than waiting for rain, drought year or not. The Oregon State University Extension Service's Master Gardener Program has worked for decades with home gardeners to help them learn to use water more efficiently. Here are some ideas OSU Master Gardeners recommend to help people use water more efficiently in the yard and garden in dry times. It is good to think about these things in the early spring, when you are planning and planting your summer garden. Plant in closer rows. A smaller area gardened more intensively will produce more vegetables relative to the amount of water applied. You can grow quite a few vegetables much closer together than traditional 2 1/2- to 3-foot rows. You can place radishes, onions, beets, carrots and other root crops in wide rows, at in-row spacing. For example, plant your carrot seeds in grids two inches apart. This way, you make better use of the water you apply in the root zone. In addition, a shaded soil loses less water by evaporation to the atmosphere. Growing flowers and vegetables in the ground, rather than in containers, helps save water. Soil in containers dries much faster than in garden beds and rows. Apply organic matter to your soil and mulches on top of the soil to help the soil retain moisture and keep weeds at bay. Try to concentrate watering in the plants' root zone. The less water you apply between the rows where roots can't use it, the less water lost to evaporation and into the ground. As much as 25 percent of the water applied in overhead sprinkling is lost to evaporation, especially during the hot part of the day, from noon to 6 p.m. To help keep the water in the root zone, try these ideas: Take the top off an empty large juice or coffee can, then punch holes in the bottom of it. Then bury the can in the ground so the bottom of the can is adjacent to, and at root level of the plants you want to water. Pour water in the open top and it will reach the roots with a minimum of loss. This works well with squash or other plants grown in a cluster or hill. Or use a plastic milk or juice jug in the same way, punching holes in the bottom, putting it next to a plant, taking the lid off and filling it with water. Put the cap back on and you will slow the watering process down, which is good. Irrigate individual plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants in the same manner, using a slightly smaller can. Punch the holes in the can only on the side next to the plant. A "trickle" or "drip" irrigation system permits water to ooze from a continuous soaker, or it emits water at a given location. You can buy kits with various components to supply water in this fashion at garden stores. Canvas soakers, black rubber "seeping" hoses or inverted sprinkler hoses near the plants, perform the same function. These types of delivery can save you many gallons of water and are easy to install. If you use sprinklers, help minimize water losses by these methods: Sprinkle the garden, not the surrounding area. Water early in the morning when the air is cool, the wind is low and the water pressure is better on municipal systems. Keep an eye on the water. Is it soaking in or running off? When it runs off or pools on the surface, the ground may be saturated. Stop sprinkling. Place used tuna cans around the garden to see how much you have sprinkled. Oftentimes, an inch is enough. It is better for your garden plants to thoroughly soak the soil to a depth of six to eight inches and do it less frequently than water lightly and more often. With fairly mature plants in cooler weather, a five- to seven-day interval may be enough. But with younger plants or hot weather, more frequent watering will be necessary. After watering, it is crucial to monitor how deep the water has percolated. Take a shovel and see if the moisture has seeped as deep as the root zone of the plants you are watering. If the root zone is still dry, your plants need more water. Adjust watering time. Eastern Oregon sandy soil is much more porous than clay and loam soils of western Oregon. And water will penetrate clay and loam more slowly than sandy soil. For more information about efficient watering, the OSU Extension Service offers "Conserving Water In The Garden: Growing a Vegetable Garden" (EM 8375-E), "Growing Your Own," and "Eastern Oregon Vegetable Garden Guide," (EC 1491) on the WWW. These and many other gardening publications are available on-line at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/EdMat/pubresults.lasso?sortnum=0624

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