Blog – Page 192 – Ellis Hollow

No CCD for organic bees?

bee in iris Interesting report (I can’t vouch for the credibility) that organic beekeepers aren’t seeing so much colony collapse disorder. Perhaps because they aren’t stressing the bees with antibiotics and pesticides fighting parasites and diseases and aren’t trucking them all over kingdom come, the colonies aren’t collapsing.

I’ve got a bunch of other bee links that I haven’t really had time to explore. Surf away:

Bee Colony Collapse Disorder – Nothing new here. But I was told to keep an eye open for updates here.

Texas A&M CCD info

Mid-Atlantic Apiculture CCD info – Hosted by Penn State

Spring lawn care

If you’re still into the lawn thing, go read my article For A ‘Green’ Lawn, Focus On Mowing, Not Early Fertilizing. Shorter version: Mow high. Leave the clippings. Go easy on the phosphorus. Keep all sources — clippings, leaves, compost, and chemical and organic fertilizers — out of the water and stormwater runoff. Plant something else where grass doesn’t want to grow.

Amorphophallus on CNN

Flower has rotten flesh smell is a top video at CNN now. I can’t embed it or link to it directly. If the video isn’t there anymore, try plugging the title of the clip into their search box. (Be sure to click on the cnn.com button, not web.)

Midweek music: Mala Vida

‘Cause Julie’s looking for a mosh pit. And I need some energy. If you dare, try the original Manu Chao video. Bizarre. Â Here’s a great acoustic set by Manu Chao (audio only) on Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Rescued tulips (w/poll)

One of the most common questions I get in winter is what to do with forced bulbs after they’re done flowering. I answer that most people treat them like cut flowers and compost them. But I add if that’s what they plan to do to please bring me the pot and plants.

I’ll deadhead them and put them in a sunny window or a cold frame if spring is fast approaching. When the leaves die back, I clip them off and stick the pots some place where they’ll stay bone dry.

Some of the bulbs will rot. Some will whither. But come October, I stick the sound bulbs in the ground. As you can see, it can be worth the effort.

I never buy tulips. They have a tendency to fade away rather than mulitply. And the deer love them, though they seldom graze on the ones I plant close to the house. I think it was Elizabeth over at GardenRant who wrote that the clown colors of tulips like these are a tad gauche. I tend to agree. But for a week or so every spring they make me smile.

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