Choosing Quality Plants at the NurserySpring is in full swing and we (hopefully) have had our last frost. It is finally time to buy plants. Before you spend any of your hard earned money on plants from the nursery or local plants sales, make sure you are purchasing plants that are vigorous and healthy. There is nothing more depressing than buying the perfect plant for the perfect spot only to have it fail because of something you could have easily detected. Don’t know what you need to detect? No worries, read on for tips on choosing high quality plants.
Above Ground Considerations Select plants that have lots of buds, but hardly any flowers. This is difficult for many of us, as we are looking for instant bursts of color in the garden. However, all plants will go through transplant shock when they are removed from the artificial world of container living and placed into the harsh realities of Montana’s lean soil, intense sunlight and brutal winds. Most flowering plants will respond to this shock by immediately dropping blooms and redirecting energy elsewhere. Save yourself the heartache, buy plants in bud not bloom. Avoid spindly, leggy plants, and plants with yellow leaves (unless that is their natural color). Those tall and leggy plants were grown in poor light and will struggle all summer in your garden. Plants with yellow or pale colored leaves can be an indicator of poor plant nutrition and it is asking too much of them to thrive in the infertile soil of your yard. If you are considering woody plants (trees and shrubs) make sure the branches are free of scars, breaks, deadwood or crossing branches. The branches should be strongly attached with wide angles, and some branches should be growing low on the trunk. Also make sure tree trunks have taper, meaning that the trunk diameter increases as it nears the soil line. The final above ground inspection should be for insects and disease. Do not choose plants that are infected or infested. Take a good look underneath the leaf, and where the leaf attaches. Also avoid plants that have insects present or have chewed, mottled or dry and crispy leaves. Woody plants should be inspected for insect exit holes on the trunk and branches. You do not want to import a problem into your backyard. Below Ground Considerations Most people never consider looking at the root ball when purchasing plants. However, you would never purchase a car without looking under the hood right? Apply the same logic here. First look to see if roots are growing out of the bottom of the pot. Next, set the container on its side, give it a good thwack on the bottom and gently ease the plant out of the pot. You will be able to clearly see if the plant is pot-bound. If it is not pot-bound make sure there are no crooked, kinked, crossing or girdling roots. These deformed roots will never be efficient at water and nutrient uptake. Also notice if there are any black and slimy roots; these are dead and indicate the plant has a disease, or has been over-watered. With a little extra time and effort you can be sure to select the healthiest and vigorous plants for your yard. Remember to introduce your newly purchased plants to your back yard before planting them. Most plants have been grown in a greenhouse and need an adjustment period to toughen up for our growing conditions. Read my Homegrown Paleo post on hardening off plants. Happy gardening! This is a reprint of an article I wrote when I was the commercial horticulture program coordinator for the western area of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. For more specific gardening and horticulture advice be sure to visit your local Cooperative Extension office.
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Myths About Strength Training for Women
I have explored the myth that lifting weights makes women bulky many times. I just wish this myth would die, but it won't. One of the many reasons for the persistence of this myth is the lack of representation of women in scientific research.
In a recent Whoop blog, 4 Strength Training Myths Debunked by Science, a data science review of existing athletic performance research shows a mere 6% focused on the female population. "This means that the âbest practicesâ guiding our training are mostly made up rather than rooted in science. Not only is this keeping women from reaching their true potential, but it also puts them at real â but avoidable â risks," stated Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP SVP of Data Science and Research in her related TED talk exploring research done using continuous vital sign monitoring from wearable devices to highlight the damage done by excluding women from exercise physiology research." Whoop summarizes these myths and their truths below:
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MYTH 1: STRENGTH TRAINING REDUCES FLEXIBILITY
Do you have someone in your life that needs to get strong, fit and happy? Be sure to connect her with Coach Leslie. A referral is the best compliment you can give us:)
What's For Dinner?Woohooo! It's #foodiefriday! I'm excited to cook something fabulous this weekend and plan next week's dinners. Cooking is a basic human endeavor. We all must eat, multiple times a day, and feeding yourself and others is a basic skill we all must develop. Without it, we will die or be dependent on someone else. I don't want to be dependent on anyone else for my food! Food is the foundation of my health and I want that squarely under my control. Let me know if you make this delicious recipe for carrots with burnt butter and labneh from The Splendid Table. Labneh is a creamy and soft Middle-Eastern cheese that might be available at Whole Foods or Joe's Parkway. If you can't find it, substitute strained whole milk Greek yogurt. This dish would go nicely with a perfect grilled steak using the technique I shared with you last week:) Happy eating! |
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