Fieldworks Landscape

02/27/2019

In less than 4 minutes, the cycle completes. Just beautiful!

AMKK Presents: Botanical animation "Story of Flowers" The animation was developed for kids to show the life cycle of flowers. -Story- Many different flowers ...

01/17/2019

11/27/2018

Good landscape guidance for those of you out west in wildfire-prone areas.

Research shows that 90% of the time homes are ignited by embers, not a wall of flames, an expert says. To combat that, create an airy, “defensible space” around your home.

06/18/2018

The work of real Loraxes:

After a three-year restoration project, the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park has reopened, with less asphalt and more concern for the health of the trees.

05/30/2018

The w**ds are growing! Here’s an easy solution you can make with simple ingredients:

One gallon of white vinegar
2 cups of epsom salts
1/2 tsp. Dawn dish detergent
Mix well to dissolve the salts.
Spray on w**ds.

I have used this professionally and it works but you may have to spray it more than once. The temps need to be at least 70º. I use a backpack sprayer for better coverage.

Once the w**ds have died back, I follow up with a propane w**d torch to burn them off. This is useful for larger areas like stone or clamshell driveways, not in mulched beds. 🔥

Another professional solution is Burnout II, available in concentrate for about $80/gal. It’s a high concentration of acetic acid and clove oil. Be careful with this one though. Protect yourself with long sleeves, gloves, eye protection and a respirator.

Bear in mind, some w**ds are annuals and will reproduce by seeds only so catching them before they go to seed is critical to control. Perennial w**ds are much more persistent and will require several applications of these natural w**d killers or hand pulling.

05/21/2018

Shopping centers seem to get some of the worst treatment when it comes to landscaping. This is a perfect example, pansies, spaced about 1 per every 2 or 3 feet. Not only do they not like the heat once July hits, they don’t fill out and spread. SMH

05/21/2018

I was listening to WCAI’s Bird Talk program the other day and the ornithologist from the Audubon was talking about hummingbird nests, how difficult they are to locate, etc.
He made a good point about watching the hummingbirds fly to and from a particular tree or shrub. That is likely where you’d find the nest.
I haven’t seen any in my yard yet but many of you have had them around for a few weeks. I’d love to see more photos!

05/19/2018

This is fantastic: https://www.facebook.com/emily.frawley.18/posts/10156175370500874

Use tick tubes to eliminate ticks from your yard. Here's how to make them for a lot less than you can buy them.

05/05/2018

Mother Earth is beautiful and abundant. When spring rolls around, animals go into a reproductive frenzy. With warmer weather upon us, it is crucial for you to learn what to do if you stumble upon e...

04/29/2018

This will be interesting to see unfold, urban agriculture advocates stand up against developers of affordable housing in Brooklyn.
In the backstory, a bill passed in 2017 by the City of New York, sought to collect and organize a database of all vacant lots in its five boroughs. The goal, at a minimum, was identification, documentation, and putting all this information in one place. The real work is yet to come. Mixed use developers and urban ag non-profits will no doubt be combing the database for opportunities that serve their interests. Housing and food are both sorely needed but how will this play out with each community?

In communities where both housing and fresh food are needed, the fight over valuable vacant land is prompting policy reform — and tense collaboration — between developers and gardeners.

04/24/2018

Despite the really stupid puns and lack of good photos identifying the tick’s appearance, read on to learn of a new tick that has spread in NJ.

Looks like a bunch of New Jersey residents survived the winter. But that is not really good news. Here are some diseases that this new tick can carry.