Comments on: Summer solstice to-do list http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/ a garden journal about public garden maintenance, seasonal tasks, garden events, stories about gardening, volunteers, flowers, bugs and wildlife Fri, 17 May 2013 01:29:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: jodi http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-3181 jodi Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:15:43 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/#comment-3181 On this longest day of the year, I've had my haircut, bought new plants, planted new plants, weeded naughty plants, ridden my horse, read a book, done some writing, done some catching up on blogs, and plan to stay up for many hours yet, though solstice point is meant to be in about 45 minutes according to the calendar on my office wall. Happy summer, Kris! <em>Jodi, That sounds like the perfect day! May your summer be full of those. -kris</em> On this longest day of the year, I’ve had my haircut, bought new plants, planted new plants, weeded naughty plants, ridden my horse, read a book, done some writing, done some catching up on blogs, and plan to stay up for many hours yet, though solstice point is meant to be in about 45 minutes according to the calendar on my office wall. Happy summer, Kris!

Jodi, That sounds like the perfect day! May your summer be full of those. -kris

]]> By: Kris http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-3180 Kris Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:28:39 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/#comment-3180 It was interesting to learn more about powdery mildew but I've just gotten an i.d. from Marion, Blithewold's former interpretive horticulturist and plant pathologenius who moved to Utah. She says, "...the little galls are formed by a teeny mite called an eriophyid mite (Eriophyes nyssae) (not powdery mildew!). If you slice one of those galls open (need a scope), there will be a few to several dozen mites within each one. Their feeding causes the plant tissue to grow abnormally like that, but does not harm the tree. I remember seeing the galls on the tupelos growing by the water. The summer camp kids thought they were pretty cool." Thanks, Marion! -kris It was interesting to learn more about powdery mildew but I’ve just gotten an i.d. from Marion, Blithewold’s former interpretive horticulturist and plant pathologenius who moved to Utah. She says, “…the little galls are formed by a teeny mite called an eriophyid mite (Eriophyes nyssae) (not powdery mildew!). If you slice one of those galls open (need a scope), there will be a few to several dozen mites within each one. Their feeding causes the plant tissue to grow abnormally like that, but does not harm the tree. I remember seeing the galls on the tupelos growing by the water. The summer camp kids thought they were pretty cool.” Thanks, Marion! -kris

]]> By: brian http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-3176 brian Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:22:29 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/#comment-3176 looks like it could be cleistothecia of powdery mildew (p. guttata) on the nyssa. <em>Whoa. That's a new word for me! I had to look it up and found that cleistothecia is the "fruiting structure" of powdery mildew fungi. Powdery mildew evidently can survive cold winters and hot dry summers as cleistothecia and then release spores when the time is right. I'll be keeping my eye on the tupelos to see what develops. Thanks, Brian! -kris</em> looks like it could be cleistothecia of powdery mildew (p. guttata) on the nyssa.

Whoa. That’s a new word for me! I had to look it up and found that cleistothecia is the “fruiting structure” of powdery mildew fungi. Powdery mildew evidently can survive cold winters and hot dry summers as cleistothecia and then release spores when the time is right. I’ll be keeping my eye on the tupelos to see what develops. Thanks, Brian! -kris

]]> By: Pam/Digging http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-3175 Pam/Digging Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:07:40 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/how-when-what/summer-solstice-to-do-list/#comment-3175 Ha! Enjoy that longest day, Kris. Here in broiling hot Austin, I celebrate the summer solstice as being the beginning of the end of the gardener's most difficult season. :-) Come on, fall! <em>Keep cool, Pam! We're enjoying mild and crisp summer days right now - I'll try to send some sea breezes your way. -kris</em> Ha! Enjoy that longest day, Kris. Here in broiling hot Austin, I celebrate the summer solstice as being the beginning of the end of the gardener’s most difficult season. :-) Come on, fall!

Keep cool, Pam! We’re enjoying mild and crisp summer days right now – I’ll try to send some sea breezes your way. -kris

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