Dayton "Dirt" - January 8, 2016

The roller coaster; that is, the winter weather has begun.  Even though we’re in the winter doldrums there is plenty of good news. Temperatures so far have not dipped below zeroº F although at the nursery the early morning temperature on January 5th was 4º F.  If the low temperature does not fall below zero, the winter weather will be no harsher than that of climatic Zone 7.  Then there is California.  The long term prediction through January is that much of this agricultural state will  receive up to 1 foot of rain. Already the state and much of the west is receiving much needed rain and heavy snow in the higher elevations.  The bad news is the massive flood along the Mississippi River.

This past week the EPA determined that the class of insecticides called neonicotinoids is a problem for pollinators particularly honeybees and is considering a ban on the use of this insecticide group on some crops that the pollinators regularly visit to gather nectar.  Neonicotinoids have been suspected of causing colony collapse disorder in honeybee hives in which the bees leave the hive to forage for nectar but never return.  The problem gained wide attention in 2006 just a few years  after EPA approved the pesticide group for wide use on various food crops and ornamental plants for insect control.  France was the first to ban neonicotinoides from use outside followed by a broader ban from the European Union.

Surprisingly, the ground is not frozen deeply after the deep freeze earlier in the week so that tree and shrub planting is going on at the nursery even now.  As construction and repair of the self watering benches in the greenhouse continues inside and planting outside; there’s plenty to do in the office as it has to do with finalizing orders with vendors, some planning for 2017 purchase orders, sign printing, seminars. . .

There’s more than enough to do in January.

Tom