Horticulturist

(1. the cultivation of a garden, orchard, or nursery; the cultivation of flowers, fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants.
2. the science and art of cultivating such plants.)

 

Last Spring I finally graduated with an Associates degree in Horticultural Science. It was a long process of six plus years that can take others as little as two years. During these six years I also worked at a greenhouse garden center and had a brief stint on an organic farm as well as working in the produce section of a natural food store. Starting four years ago I have also started landscaping on the side. I honestly do think that stretching my schooling out over those many years while working in the field taught me a lot more than one could without the other.

So now, I have this cool title, although a part of me wonders if the title is reserved for those with a bachelors degree. I don’t think of that much, heck, it took a total of four weeks for me to make up fancy business cards with my name next to this newly acquired “ist”. I would love to farm, plan vegetable gardens for clients, and play with house plants for a living. Landscaping, however, is the money maker and that, along with my full time greenhouse job, will take my attention in the warm months as I save enough to build up a farm from chicken scratch.

Landscaping can be a lot of fun, hard work. It beats a cubicle job on a rainy day (in my humble opinion). If i ever complain about the amount of work I have to do, I quickly think about what it would be like if I had followed a career path that would entail sales and dressing in button up shirts and loafers. Honestly, if I showed up in a button up shirt and loafers during a consultation I fear I would appear weak and incapable. Similarly, arriving to a consultation in the wrong vehicle may appear peculiar as well. Until recently I owned a small two door vehicle. It was great on gas mileage but that trunk could only hold so much. I would need to outsource when the customer needed mulch or wanted a tree planted. Now that I have a truck I feel more confident on the job and I think I may be taken more seriously.

Horticulture is fantastic. There’s not a day where I question the path I chose. I just want to learn more and more!  Perhaps I want a bachelors in Horticulture, or Sustainable Agriculture, maybe Environmental Science or Botany? Do I really want to spend more money on school? Will another degree make me more money doing what I love? Honestly, I just want to farm, play with fancy plants and earn enough to be slightly comfortable. I don’t need a Porsche, but tractors aren’t cheap.

I’m excited to see where this Horticulture path takes me.

 

(Image source: http://www.hort.uga.edu/)

 

 

 

Green is the new Black: Growing a “greenthumb”.

Houseplant edition:     

Many people tell me that they want to keep houseplants but they have a black thumb, as opposed to a green thumb.“Everything I try to grow dies!” and “I either overwater or underwater!” are common phrases I hear usually followed by and uncomfortable laugh. At least they have admitted fault, maybe that is the first step. Perhaps figuring out that plants just aren’t for you is the most important thing. It’s okay to not have houseplants. I mean, it’s weird, but it’s better to have nothing than a dead plant in the corner that screams “My owner can’t handle responsibility!” to your guests. For the purposes of this article, let’s assume you are now embarrassed enough to learn some basics that might save your botanical pals.

The first thing I recommend learning is that your plant is not a household accessory but a quieter pet.
So many people buy houseplants with the assumption that they can throw it in a cute pot, put it on the bookshelf next to a few other pretty knickknacks, instagram it and forget it. I hope by this point you realize that this is not acceptable. You just adopted a houseplant from a perfect greenhouse and put it in a colder place with less light. There WILL be consequences.

The second thing I want a houseplant owner to understand is that a plant you see on a regular basis is most likely to receive the best care, unless you’re the crazy over watering type. Put your beloved plants in rooms that you will frequent at least twice a week, providing they have adequate sun and warmth. Stop in, say hi, and see if they are screaming at you for some water or fertilizer.

Now that you understand your plant is more like a pet and have placed it in a spot where you might be able to notice it more than once a month, let us get to the bottom of the basic requirements for houseplants.

Where they came from:
Do a tiny bit of research for your plant, or ask me, to figure out where your plant grows naturally. I remember a woman having an “AHA!” moment when I explained to her that her orchid normally grows on the sides of trees under a canopy in a rainforest. Without further explanation she realized a few things about her plant automatically: It will prefer filtered light, a warm/humid environment, and that all of the water it received was in passing as it ran through the plant and down the tree. At that point in time this person also realized that the potting soil it was in was primarily for structure and not water retention. I also love to visualize these plants in their native environments, this makes owning them in my own home feel a bit special if not completely unnatural.

In addition to where the plant comes from you must understand the way it was most recently cared for in the local greenhouse (people who love plants don’t buy them at box stores). The greenhouse is a (un)naturally bright and warm environment where plants are on a regular watering cycle and are probably fertilized with nearly every watering. When you make this transition from the greenhouse into your own home you are bound to go through a minor adjustment period. This is normal. The first few weeks of owning a plant are probably going to be the toughest (that and adjusting to the winter/dormant months).

Acclimation to the new home:
Much like our own bodies need to acclimate to the winter cold, it takes a little bit for a plant to do the same. During this time, plants might shed some leaves, slightly wilt, or change slightly in color (if any of these changes are dramatic something went wrong in the moving or repotting stage). Plants in colder temperatures and with less light are going to take longer to dry out, but maybe your home is a lot dryer than the greenhouse so the plant still dries out quickly. Relax, all you simply need to do to figure this out is to put your finger in the soil every now and again. Most houseplants like to dry out at least slightly between watering (remember, if you know where your plant grows naturally you already know how dry it wants to be). As you keep touching the soil periodically you can figure out approximately how long it takes for your plant to dry out. Water it thoroughly when you water, then allow it to dry out again. Within a couple weeks you should develop a routine that you might even be able to keep on a calendar. DO NOT PUT A PLANT IN A POT WITHOUT DRAINAGE! Furthermore, do not assume that those “self watering” pots actually water the plant, they do not. They just have a reservoir that actually makes it harder for the plant owner to see if the plant needs water as the finger test is now obsolete as much of the water is coming from below.

At this point, you are on the right track to keeping healthy plants. If this seems like too much for you, I’d recommend plastic plants, and to give away all of your animals because I don’t trust you to keep them alive either. No, I joke, what I’m trying to say is, houseplants aren’t really that complicated.
Feed me, Seymour!
That’s a good movie, man. Now THAT is a plant you can’t ignore while you watch a walking dead marathon and binge on Ben n Jerry’s.

Plants need nutrients, not usually as much as at the greenhouse, and probably not at all during their dormant stage. Yes, even houseplants have dormant stages. It’s usually during the shorter days of the year. Dormancy is mostly related to day length more than temperature. Some plants are not dormant at all during the winter months, such as the Christmas Cactus. Again, knowing where your plant is from and knowing it’s bloom/ reproductive period will help you figure this out.

The types of fertilizer that each plant requires may be different, but a basic houseplant fertilizer will usually do the trick. I personally recommend Dr. C’s Jungle Juice. Jungle Juice is a local (to Maine), organic fertilizer that can be used on basically everything, indoors and out. It costs around fifteen dollars per bottle of concentrate, but that amount creates approximately 64 gallons!

One last thing, I want to scare you away from high maintenance plants until you get the hang of indoor plant growing. Some of the high maintenance plants I recommend you stay away from are…
Bromeliads
Bonsai
Carnivorous Plants
Most Orchids
African Violets
Lucky Bamboo
Fern (unless you keep them in a bathroom)

Since I am on the list making kick, here are some plants that I DO recommend for beginners…

Pothos / Hanging Philodendron
Spider Plant
ZZ Plant
Aglaonema
Snake Plant
Most succulents
Draecena

If I have scared you away from owning a houseplant, I am moderately sorry. I hope that you will overcome your fear with knowledge. I am available for any houseplant related questions you may have. I actually look forward to helping people with plants. Feel free to send me photos of plants asking “What the hell is this?” or “What did I do wrong?”. Houseplants are not only pretty but they are great at purifying the air and minimizing stress.

*Households with young children and pets should always check the toxicity of a plant before you bring it home.

What About Bob?

Bob the Bonsai:
🌱 A tiny Ficus being sold as a miscellaneous mini terrarium foliage plant over three years ago. I saw other potential and took him home about the same time I started dating my dude. (He loves bonsai & I thought it would be special to watch this dude grow over the years) He’s been repotted twice, now into a official bonsai pot. (He’s growing up!) Mounted up over a tiny rock that came from West Quoddy Head State Park on a fun downeast camping adventure we went on two years ago. About once a year I (sometimes intentionally) neglect the plant until it sheds all of it’s leafs. It tends to respond well to that.
Jay named him (of course)
*side story: on one of our first dates Jay pretended his life story was that of karate kid and tricked me until he got to the bonsai trimming portion of the story!

Hydroponics: What it is and why I think it sucks.

Photo Source: Gizmodo.com

Hydroponics is such a craze these days that even people who aren’t in the plant industry probably know a bit about it by now. As it’s name suggests, hydroponics involves growing plants in water rather than the soil. The most popular crops that come to mind when thinking about growing hydroponically are Tomatoes, Lettuce and Marijuana. While there are many benefits to growing hydroponically, such as the ability to grow indoors year round and relatively high yields in relation to space, I personally believe there are more cons and will not be jumping on the Hydro-bandwagon any time soon.

Photo Source: http://www3.jjc.edu

What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponic plants are usually started in small foam forms that work simply as a structural device, holding the plant in place. The plants are then put into a long plastic tube that has holes for the plants. Unused holes are plugged up to prevent algae growth and contaminates from getting inside. Fertilized, pH balanced water is then pumped through these pipes feeding and watering the plants as needed. Specific lights are used for this system, and different lights are used for different plants and growth stages etc. Each system usually only has one type of plant together or plants that have the same fertilizing and pH requirements. Some hydroponics growers set up systems in greenhouses but the majority just have them indoors in a lab type of environment. Additional things are added as needed such as vents, fans and misters.

Cons of growing hydroponically
Plants that are grown hydroponically sometimes never see the light of day, rarely interact with a pollinator and are only allowed to take up nutrients that the grower, or manufacturer deems necessary. Eating a crop grown from a hydroponic facility puts a blind faith in the education of the grower. New research comes out on a weekly basis of what elements are needed to produce a healthy tomato, and which pH is required in order for that tomato to be able to take up the nutrients. I find it hard to believe that every micro-nutrient available in a field grown tomato, grown under the sun and pollinated naturally is present in a hydroponically grown tomato. Since all of the plants are similar, share the same water and enclosed environment, all diseases and pests can quickly spread to all plants within the system. While some of these pests are mostly just a nuisance, it has been discovered that tomato plants grown hydroponically with salmonella inoculated nutrient solution does have the ability to take up the salmonella through the roots (Guo, 2001). Waste is another issue when growing hydroponically. Electricity, plastics and other resources are used in excess. While the waste might not be any more than current greenhouse growing or the doomed monocultures, there is still a significant dependency on resources which are not sustainable.

Pros of growing hydroponically
There is a flip side to this scenario, growers are able to enrich crops with additional nutrients, such as selenium in garlic. “Garlic enriched by selenium (Se) could be an excellent source of dietary Se for cancer chemo-prevention” (Tsuneyoshi, 2006). Many growers report high yields due to hydroponics as they are able to grow plants closer together. Growers are also able to reuse their water through filtration systems thus reducing waste. Growing indoors in general leads to less unplanned weather interference such as droughts, high winds and severe rainfall.
Conclusion
While there might be a lot of available control over the growth and nutrients of plants in the hydroponic system, I don’t believe that all growers are able to regulate their contained systems to included all of the nutritional benefits of field grown crops. I do believe that hydroponics is beneficial when used in addition to field grown crops in order to supplement vegetative variety in our diets during the off season. This proves most beneficial when, here in Maine, we are not limited to outsourcing our vegetables in the winter. While many people believe that hydroponics may be the new alternative to traditional farming, I feel that a complete overhaul of the system itself might be as bad as the decision to farm in monocultures. If hydroponics took over conventional field farming, it is reasonable to assume that there would be a lot of land taken over by hydro growing facilities, resulting in yet another system that is harmful to the pollinators, soil and perhaps our own health.
Sources:

Tadamitsu Tsuneyoshi, Jiro Yoshida, &Takashi Sasaoka (2006) Hydroponic Cultivation Offers A Practical Means of Producing Selenium-Enriched Garlic American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. March 2006 vol. 136 no. 3 870S-872S
Xuan Guo, Marc W. van Iersel, Jinru Chen, Robert E. Brackett, & Larry R. Beuchat (2001) Evidence of Association of Salmonellae with Tomato Plants Grown Hydroponically in Inoculated Nutrient Solution American Society for Microbiology doi: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3639-3643.2002 Appl. Environ. Microbiol. July 2002 vol. 68 no. 7 3639-3643

Poisonous Kisses

This is the poisonous mistletoe, (Phoradendron leucarpum) is brought up from the south where is grows as a native parasitic plant to become kissing decorations. Should you chose to decorate with mistletoe, be sure they are not consumed by you or your pets. The berries fall off easily. Many people choose to use a holly as a less harmful alternative. The insect you see in this photo is, I believe, the Mistletoe Mealybug (Cataenococcus phoradendri) how neat/weird is it?! Honestly, I feel the same way about the plant.

The Health Benefits and Risks Related to the Consumption of Sprouts

Abstract
There are both benefits and risks in the consumption of sprouts. In relation to Flax seed, Flax sprouts have more available crude protein (Narina, 2012) . Broccoli sprouts have been found to have more anti-carcinogen factors than those of the mature crop (Fahey, 1997). Coconut sprouts have been studied in relation with cardiac diseases and have been proven to have preventative effects (Chikku, 2012). Studies and tests are being done in relation to the benefits of sprouts that we might have overlooked, such as Milkweed and White Lupine. The risks of eating the young immature plants are based on possible Salmonella and E. Colli contamination. These infections have occurred in several countries and are mostly linked to the poor or absent testing done by producers. This may pose more of a threat when grown in the home with little to no control over contamination. If the sprouts have been proven to be free of these pathogens, there are excessive benefits to consuming these immature plants.

Similarities/Benefits
Most articles are proving that the consumption of sprouts to be very beneficial. Sprouts are extremely high in antioxidants, protein and vitamins, thus proving to have reverse effects on both cardiac disease and cancer. Broccoli, which was tested for it’s anti-carcinogen factors in relation to the growth and development of mammary tumors, was shown to have more available benefits when eating the three-day-old immature plant than eating mature Broccoli (Fahey, 1997). This due in part to the smaller size of the plant, thus being able to consume more at one time. Mature Broccoli also has larger quantities of indole glucosinates, which are potential tumor promoters. Flax seeds are a great source of protein, but a study shows that it’s germinated form actually has .6% higher amounts of protein than the seed. Flax sprouts also had 2.4% less crude fiber content and 6% more sugar. Macro and micro-nutrient levels were similar between seed and germinated forms of Flax (Narina, 2012). Coconut sprouts, due to their high levels of antioxidants, have had preventative and reverse effects in cardiac damage induced by isoproterenol in rats (Chikku, 2012). Coconut sprouts decreased oxidative stress in the heart, concluding that using them as a dietary supplement would be a great assistance in protecting the heart during a heart attack. Studies are showing that some plants we might not have thought much about might have great benefits in sprout form. White Lupine sprouts are showing to not only be edible but a great nutritional source. White Lupine sprouts have higher amounts of oil and protein than mung bean sprouts. In relation to crude fiber content, white Lupine was superior to Mung Bean and Alfalfa sprouts (Bhardwaj, 2012). Milk thistle is also being examined and certain varieties germinated under certain lighting conditions are showing to have high levels of antioxidants (Vakin, 2008).

Differences/ Hindrances
Worldwide reports of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in seed sprouts are certainly a risk factor when it comes to the consumption of these plants. These articles are suggesting that no one eat the sprouts unless they have been tested and proven to not contain these pathogens, especially those with weakened immune systems such as children or the elderly (Taormina, 1999). A national Salmonella outbreak in Finland was found to have one source, a producer in Italy. Both the seeds and the soaking water were found to be contaminated. It was suggested that the producer only purchase seed that has been tested for Salmonella and then test the germinated seed again before it is distributed (Rimhanen-Finne, 2011). An at home seed sprouting kit sold to consumers was found at fault during an outbreak of both Salmonella and E.coli back in the nineteen nineties in the United States (Taormina, 1999). The risk of such dangerous infections might prevent consumers from eating sprouts and they may choose to not take any chances, potentially staying away from sprouts altogether.

Summary
Examining these articles together shows us that, while there might be risks involved, sprouts still have many benefits. Certain tests and procedures to ensure there are no infectious pathogens should be standard protocol. When growing sprouts in the home, daily rinsing and soaking should be preformed to lessen the chances of these infections. Since so many different sprouts have been shown to have great benefits, including higher amounts of protein, antioxidants and vitamins than their seed and mature forms, it can be deduced that eating an assortment of these sprouts would be greatly beneficial.
Studies of the beneficial characteristics are proving to be extremely worthwhile. The more studies done on the immature plants might unveil some key components in the developments of medicines and antioxidants. The more we know about the benefits and hindrances of the germinated plants, the sooner we can start to harness their abilities to help us in fighting infections and disease and promoting healthy lifestyles.

References

Bhardwaj, H. L., & Hamama, A. A. (2012). Yield and Nutritional Quality Traits of White Lupin Sprouts. Journal Of Agricultural Science (1916-9752), 4(1), 58-61. doi:10.5539/jas.v4n1p58

Chikku, A., & Rajamohan, T. (2012). Dietary coconut sprout beneficially modulates cardiac damage induced by isoproterenol in rats. Bangladesh Journal Of Pharmacology, 7(4), 258-265. doi:10.3329/bjp.v7i4.12143

Fahey, J. W., Talalay, P. P., & Zhang, Y. S. (1997). Broccoli sprouts: an exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America, 94(19), 10367-10372.

Narina, S. S., Hamama, A. A., & Bhardwaj, H. L. (2012). Nutritional and Mineral Composition of Flax Sprouts. Journal Of Agricultural Science (1916-9752), 4(11), 60-65. doi:10.5539/jas.v4n11p60

Rimhanen-Finne, R. R., Niskanen, T. T., Lienemann, T. T., Johansson, T. T., Sjöman, M. M., Korhonen,
T. T., & … Kuusi, M. M. (2011). A Nationwide Outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans Associated with Sprouted Alfalfa Seeds in Finland, 2009. Zoonoses & Public Health, 58(8), 589-596. doi:10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01408.x

Taormina, P. J., & Beuchat, L. R. (1999). Infections Associated with Eating Seed Sprouts: An International Concern. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 5(5), 626-634.

Vaknin, Y., Hadas, R., Schafferman, D., Murkhovsky, L., & Bashan, N. (2008). The potential of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), an Israeli native, as a source of edible sprouts rich in antioxidants. International Journal Of Food Sciences & Nutrition, 59(4), 339-346. doi:10.1080/09637480701554095

 

*This is a literature review I did for school in April 2013

Introduction

I’m Ray, which is short for, and preferred over, Raychell. I am currently a student of Horticulture at a local community college and I presently work at a local greenhouse/ garden center. I will, finally, be graduating with an Associates in Horticulture this coming Spring. I wish to learn and do so many things that I find it hard to choose one specific career path. Presently I am the most intrigued at the idea of becoming an Environmental Steward at a place such as the Rachel Carson Center.

An Environmental Steward helps maintain ecological systems in many different areas and in many different ways. I like the idea of being able to maintain a local wildlife habitat that also encourages public education and provides a space for people to get in touch with nature. I enjoy being outdoors, getting dirty, working hard and being around plants and wildlife. I enjoy working at the garden center but I wish to find a job that continues to challenge me and in a space where I can continue to learn more about plants and animals.

I am very fond of local, native flora and fauna but have found that caring for and propagating tropical (houseplants) also comes natural to me. The above photo is a selfie taken with a fantastic palm at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington DC. The palm in the background was one of my favorite plants there. The palm is actually a Cycad, commonly called a Giant Dioon, scientifically Dioon spinulosum. The leaves are so stiff they make near clanking sounds when they hit each other.

     

I decided to create this blog so that I can post and write about the things that I find interesting and important without blowing up other social media networks. Apparently not everyone on facebook is friends with me to get frequent posts about plants and environmental articles. I don’t understand it either, but to each their own. ; )

This blog will act as a publicly accessible documentation of my education, hobbies and developing career around plants and wildlife.

*Fore more information on the Giant Dioon visit: Cycad International