A Word on Fungus Gnats

House plants are an essential addition to the home. They give a room a finished look. A healthy vibrant plant can be the perfect centerpiece or accent to the kitchen, living room, bedroom, or bathroom. It seems simple enough. Just add water - right? if only. The prudent plant owner must regularly inspect his plants for signs of fungus, bacteria, insects, and soil maladies. He must fertilize them regularly. He must know which plants can be fussed with and which one's can't. In short, being a plant owner requires a great deal of research and dedication. A fungus gnat outbreak, however, requires no careful examination. There will be gnats floating in the coffee cup you walked away from. there will be gnats floating in your bedside water leaving you to wonder how many of them you swallowed in the darkness. You will see them hovering around your plants in swarms. The fungus gnat is a close relative of the fruit fly. They feed on fungus in the soil, and they are not an uncommon insect in the great outdoors. Management of them seems easy in theory, but I have come to the conclusion that a plant owner can only hope to keep their population at manageable numbers. At first sight of a fungus gnat, I recommend the use of sticky traps. Tanglefoot is a great brand. sticky traps are pieces of bright yellow cardboard covered with an impossibly sticky substance that imobilizes the gnats immediately. you can trap hundreds of them this way. Spraying the soil with Neem oil, a Pyrethren based insecticide, or an organic fungicide/insecticide will kill the adults. However, such treatments must be repeated every week or so because the eggs in the soil are unaffected. A fungicide can be helpful since fungal matter is the fungus gnats food source. After a few weeks of treatment, sticky traps can be helpful in alerting you to future hatches. The quicker you get to the adults, the less time they will have to reproduce. I understand there is a variety of BT (Bacillus Therengensis) that will attack fungus gnats as well. However, I have yet to find a supplier. (BT is bacteria used in organic gardening to control certain insects.) Good luck. you will need it.

Why grow boring ol' potatoes when you can grow Oca and Yacon?

It's that time of year when the ground is brown where it's not covered with snow, the air is bitter cold, and the plants are sleeping. The only solace for a gardener is the arrival of the seed catalog. Although it is still January, my gardeners heart is already in the garden - perhaps it never left. In my seed shopping, I've come across two root crops of interest. We've all grown potatoes, but have you ever heard of Oca? What about Yacon? Oca (oxalis tuberosa), is native to the Andean region of South America. South American peoples have been cultivating this staple crop since the reign of the Inca empire. It's nutritionally similar to the potato but has a tart, nutty flavor. It's tolerant of different soil conditions and drought. However, growing it here in the Rocky Mountain region may be difficult, if not impossible. The tubers begin forming after the fall equinox (September 21st), at which point they need ample water and frost free weather for at least a month or two. But, those of you with a longer growing season - california, the pacific northwest, southern utah - should give it a shot. Yacon (polymnia sonchifolia) has a little more promise in the mountains. The seedlings or crown pieces can be started indoors a couple of months before the last spring frost and then moved outside. They grow in one huge clump in conditions similar to sunflowers, which is anywhere in full sun, poor soil, and average water; and they have the consistency of jicama or water chestnuts. Interesting. Tubers and crowns for Oca and Yacon are available from seeds of change, an organic seed company we have had good luck with in the past. Check it out! http://www.seedsofchange.com

Unfruitful Pursuit of the Runners High

If you've ever been a distance runner, you are familiar with the term 'runner's high.' For me, the runners high kicked in at about mile 7 when suddenly I felt like I could run forever, my legs felt strong and graceful, my lungs were relaxed, and I had an overwhelming feeling of euphoria that made the previous 6 miles worth it. The runners high is caused by a sudden burst of endorphins; released by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, they are received by the opiate-receptors in our brains. Simultaneously the pain receptors in our nerves and spinal cord receive information from the brain to "stop hurting," This analgesic effect blocks the pain in a runners lungs and legs. If you've ever experienced it, you know how amazing it is. For those of you who haven't, it can be compared to an orgasm-literally, scientifically speaking the exact same process occurs. I am quite certain there are other ways to achieve this "high," but I have yet to experience it any other way. Perhaps bike racing? After 10 years of running, an injury sentenced me to a life of low-impact exercise. I've paid money to have someone torture me at "boot camp" for 8 weeks-no runners high. I have subjected myself to 90 minutes of yoga in a steamy hot room-nice but no runners high. I've swam laps until I puked-no runners high. body combat, body pump, kick-boxing, weight-lifting, spinning-no runners high. I have recently tested the running waters, one mile, two miles. . that wasn't so bad. 7 years of seeking a replacement has brought me to this impasse. Sigh!