Tom Glasgow
As any gardener knows, fruit, vegetable and nut crops don’t develop overnight.
Some develop faster than others, but in all cases it’s a process, and a lot of things have to play out “just right”. Or at least reasonably close to just right.
Development of a pecan crop is a particularly lengthy process. According to an article from New Mexico State University (Growth and Development of Pecan Nuts,
Herrera, 2005), there are two phases to this process. Phase I occurs from pollination in the spring to shell hardening sometime in the summer. Phase II occurs from shell hardening until the mature shuck splits. Kernel development takes place during this second phase.
Scientific or Latin binomial plant names are standard and authoritative around the world, unlike common names such as red maple or common chickweed. But authoritative doesn’t necessarily mean permanent. Scientific name changes I’ve encountered in recent years include waxmyrtle, from Myrica cerifera to Morella cerifera; Leyland cypress, from x Cupressocyparis leylandii to
X Hesperotropsis leylandii (and that may not be the final word); and rosemary, from Rosmarinus officinalis to Salvia rosmarinus.
These changes don’t happen arbitrarily, but are based on careful study, sometimes over a period of years. Plant taxonomists may reach a consensus that a certain plant belongs in a different genus or family than the one to which it was originally assigned, and this decision might be based on flower characteristics or more technical issues. In other cases, it may be determined that a large group of plants should be taken out of one genus and given their own g
Tom Glasgow
County Extension Director
In Eastern North Carolina, February is one of the busiest times of the year for the year-round vegetable garden. During this time, fall-planted crops continue to be maintained and harvested; late winter/early spring crops need to be planted; and weed pressure is beginning to pick up speed once again. Regarding the latter issue, you may need to do some additional hand pulling, replenish mulch, or plant a cool season cover crop such as annual rye. But considering how wet it’s been over the past few weeks, a rototiller would be risky. The tilling action and the weight of the equipment may leave you with a muddy compacted mess, and damage to soil structure is long-term.
Tom Glasgow
County Extension Director
Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta) is one of the toughest holly species available for Eastern NC landscapes. It is drought tolerant, heat tolerant, pH adaptable, highly resistant to black root rot (Berkeleyomyces basicola), and tolerant of heavy cutting back if needed.
Numerous cultivars have been selected through the years, including the ubiquitous ‘Dwarf Burford’, ‘Carissa’, ‘Needlepoint’, and ‘Rotunda’.
Unfortunately, Chinese holly is so effective at surviving tough sites that it can be subject to misuse, including large-scale monoculture plantings that invite insect infestation. One recent example that comes to mind is a planting of 53 ‘Needlepoint’ hollies adjacent to a brick wall, with a south/southwestern exposure. It’s best not to tempt Mother Nature, and the consequence of this particular design scheme has been a heavy infestation of both tea scale and wax scale.
See Coyote run faster.
It’s sad but true: coyotes will gladly snack on cats and small-to-medium-sized dogs when the opportunity arises. And, while this is something of a danger year-round, it is especially so January through March which is when coyotes mate and are most aggressive.
NC Wildlife Biologist Chris Kent said the state has no way of taking a census of Tar Heel coyotes, but our roadrunner-loving friends (trivia for you: coyotes are actually much faster than road runners, and that beep-beeping, tongue-sticking little bird would, in reality, have been toast many times over, Acme anvils and dynamite or not) are plentiful in the area.