Using soil to sink carbon may be our planet’s best hope to combat climate change

Agriculture, with its unique ability to sequester carbon on, as Carl Sagan might say, billions and billions of acres, is the only industry poised to reverse global warming. Improved management of cropping and grazing heals land, boosts soil fertility, prevents flooding, enhances drought resilience, increases the nutritional content of food and restores wildlife habitat — while sequestering carbon.

Reforestation, too, plays a key role in the biological solution for clean water and climate change. Trees are an integral part of the water cycle and lock up carbon that would otherwise be warming the planet. As well, they provide habitat to birds and mammals.

For too long, we’ve been diminishing the quality of our land, waterways and atmosphere through agricultural practices that degrade soil. Fortunately, alternatives are available. The growing scientific and policy consensus is that improving soil to retain rainfall and capture carbon makes sense for everyone. Vermont’s leadership in this agricultural revolution, capitalizing on the environmental and market opportunities it provides, makes ecological and fiscal sense.

Read more here Rutland Vermont Herald : //www.rutlandherald.com/articles/using-soil-to-fight-climate-change/

Growing Delphiniums from seed

Larkspur (Delphinium elatum)

When starting delphinium seed: freeze the seeds  for 2-3 days in the freezer and then scatter then in a 5 inch pot with damp promix.  

Keep them at 15 degrees C and cover them.  Do not let them dry out.   The cool temperatures start the germination process.  They do not like bottom heat.

  In about 21-30 days sprouts appear, transfer these to 4 inch pots until the leaves grow to the size of a looney.   When the roots appear at the bottom of the pot its time to harden plants outdoors on a deck.  Plants may be planted in the garden while temperatures are still cool.  

  The Ontario Delphinium Club is inviting growers to offer garden space to secure seed production locally for the future as seeds from England may decline.  Web site: www.ondelphiniums.com   Email:  info@ondelphiniums.com     

Thanks to Marie Pearson for this post. 

Riverwood Conservancy’s new “Pine Sanctuary” Artwork

Pining for a sanctuary from busy city life?
Try Riverwood Conservancy

New sculpture design unveiled.

“A sparkling new piece of public art will be erected on Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. at the entrance to The Riverwood Conservancy this spring.

Artist Marc Fornes will create an “otherworldly” green, blue and yellow pine tree from aluminum sheets that will appear to shift shapes in varying seasons and weather, depending on your vantage point.

His artist’s statement proclaims that the 25-ft. high work , called Pine Sanctuary, will be “a contemporary update in the natural landscape that forms an iconic and playful signal – creating a unique identity for Riverwood.”… read more  from John Steward/Mississauga News
//www.mississauga.com/blogs/post/7196580-pining-for-a-sanctuary-from-busy-city-life-try-riverwood/

You can VOTE for Canada’s National Flower

Did you know that there is no official national flower for Canada? And after 150 years, don’t you think it’s time we had one?

The Master Gardeners of Ontario do and you can help us make the final choice of the three candidates.

Vote in our national online survey before midnight June 30, 2017 and learn the outcome on Canada Day.

For more details and the link to the survey, click here.

To just go right ahead and vote, click here.

Thanks to Toronto Master Gardeners for this post.