Comments on: Learn Best Gardening Options at March Symposium http://treetalk.mortonarb.org/archives/exciting-gardening-options-revealed-at-symposium/350/ Wed, 16 May 2012 18:49:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: shonagh neafsey http://treetalk.mortonarb.org/archives/exciting-gardening-options-revealed-at-symposium/350/comment-page-1/#comment-9557 shonagh neafsey Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:56:30 +0000 http://mortonarb.czcommunity.com/?p=350#comment-9557 Hi: In hearing a recent talk by Douglas Tallamy in Elgin he said, (not his exact words) that native birds MUST have native plants which support native insects in order to feed their young. So, generally, birds may feed off some imported plants but they likely don't supply enough for breeding birds. In this author's book, Bringing Nature Home, he says the hybrid crabapple is the one exception. But that is neither here nor there for my interests. I am interested in helping to maintain a rare savanna and tall grass prairie. The hybrid crabapples have been invading both and, though not nearly so threatening as some other invasives such as buckthorn and garlic mustard and reed canary grass, do not "fit into" those particular ecosystems. In fact, the owners of those public lands strive to keep only those many wonderful species which have been known to exist there for MANY years. Cedar waxwings are among my favorite birds. They have poke berries and various other plants at those sites to support them. Entomologists count the number of different insect species on plants to determine the plant specie's ecological value. Bless their patience and expertise! Any younger people interested? Our volunteer group includes some Entomologists. Check out savetheprairiesociety.org if you wish any further info. And I highly recommend the book "Bringing Nature Home" for other beginners like myself. Especially if you wish to attract butterflies. Happy holidays to all. Hi:
In hearing a recent talk by Douglas Tallamy in Elgin he said, (not his exact words) that native birds MUST have native plants which support native insects in order to feed their young. So, generally, birds may feed off some imported plants but they likely don’t supply enough for breeding birds. In this author’s book, Bringing Nature Home, he says the hybrid crabapple is the one exception. But that is neither here nor there for my interests.
I am interested in helping to maintain a rare savanna and tall grass prairie. The hybrid crabapples have been invading both and, though not nearly so threatening as some other invasives such as buckthorn and garlic mustard and reed canary grass, do not “fit into” those particular ecosystems. In fact, the owners of those public lands strive to keep only those many wonderful species which have been known to exist there for
MANY years.
Cedar waxwings are among my favorite birds. They have poke berries and various other plants at those sites to support them.
Entomologists count the number of different insect species on plants to determine the plant specie’s ecological value. Bless their patience and expertise! Any younger people interested? Our volunteer group includes some Entomologists. Check out savetheprairiesociety.org if you wish any further info.
And I highly recommend the book “Bringing Nature Home” for other beginners like myself. Especially if you wish to attract butterflies.
Happy holidays to all.

]]> By: Nancy Faller http://treetalk.mortonarb.org/archives/exciting-gardening-options-revealed-at-symposium/350/comment-page-1/#comment-1499 Nancy Faller Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:58:59 +0000 http://mortonarb.czcommunity.com/?p=350#comment-1499 Check out the official Midwest Gardening Symposium website for all the latest information. http://midwestgardeningsymposium.wordpress.com/ Nancy Check out the official Midwest Gardening Symposium website for all the latest information.

http://midwestgardeningsymposium.wordpress.com/

Nancy

]]> By: Shonagh Neafsey http://treetalk.mortonarb.org/archives/exciting-gardening-options-revealed-at-symposium/350/comment-page-1/#comment-1451 Shonagh Neafsey Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:42:55 +0000 http://mortonarb.czcommunity.com/?p=350#comment-1451 Green day to you: Anyone interested in being a "studier"? Our daughter was told not to do that by a girlfriend's mother but is now in graduate school. I will show any studier wanna-be's a possible beginner's project regarding two types of crabapple trees. One type is the Iowa crabapple and a few of them grow next to a hybrid crabapple of uncertain species and age. It might be interesting to observe and count the numbers of insect species and numbers of bird species that glean something from each type of crabapple tree. Anyone with access to a DNA testing kit could see to which degree the hybrid is native to the ecosystem and to which degree it is an alien. And perhaps someone could determine the age of the hybrid tree. Is it an evolutionary product or did some bird just carry a seed to the public land where it grows from someone's cultivated yard? Does a hybrid deserve to live? Does the concept of "hybrid vigor" seem important in view of changing environmental conditions? Can we really restore everything to how it was 100 years ago? Is this species invasive? Is it suitable for a food crop? Is it suitable to shade back yards? It does not grow rapidly nor so high as to interfere with overhead wires. And the blossoms are wonderful. I have seen cedar waxwings on this hybrid and have a reference that it might be an exception to the rule that alien species do not support native ecosystems. And crabapples in my youth were "biodegradable toys". Easy to throw! Comments would be welcomed. Entomologists? Nurserymen? Agriculturalists? Conservationists? Ornithologists? Landscapers? Teachers? Younger people interested in nature in the city? This public area attracts numerous friendly and some well-informed volunteers. And belongs to Cook County.And every project must first be approved by the volunteer leaders and by the landowners. But,hey,it is conveniently located for the curious. Tree exists only "for now" so please hurry if you wish to learn more about it. Green day to you:
Anyone interested in being a “studier”? Our daughter was told not to do that by a girlfriend’s mother but is now in graduate school.
I will show any studier wanna-be’s a possible beginner’s project regarding two types of crabapple trees. One type is the Iowa crabapple and a few of them grow next to a hybrid crabapple of uncertain species and age. It might be interesting to observe and count the numbers of insect species and numbers of bird species that glean something from each type of crabapple tree. Anyone with access to a DNA testing kit could see to which degree the hybrid is native to the ecosystem and to which degree it is an alien. And perhaps someone could determine the age of the hybrid tree. Is it an evolutionary product or did some bird just carry a seed to the public land where it grows from someone’s cultivated yard?
Does a hybrid deserve to live? Does the concept of “hybrid vigor” seem important in view of changing environmental conditions? Can we really restore everything to how it was 100 years ago?
Is this species invasive? Is it suitable for a food crop? Is it suitable to shade back yards? It does not grow rapidly nor so high as to interfere with overhead wires. And the blossoms are wonderful. I have seen cedar waxwings on this hybrid and have a reference that it might be an exception to the rule that alien species do not support native ecosystems. And crabapples in my youth were “biodegradable toys”. Easy to throw!
Comments would be welcomed. Entomologists? Nurserymen? Agriculturalists? Conservationists?
Ornithologists? Landscapers? Teachers? Younger people interested in nature in the city? This public area attracts numerous friendly and some well-informed volunteers. And belongs to Cook County.And every project must first be approved by the volunteer leaders and by the landowners.
But,hey,it is conveniently located for the curious. Tree exists only “for now” so please hurry if you wish to learn more about it.

]]>