How planting trees can protect cocoa plants against climate change

Worldwide, areas suitable for cocoa production are predicted to shrink by up to 20-30% over the next 30 years. This is because cocoa trees are already struggling to cope with drier, hotter conditions – attributed in large part to climate change.

Chocolate, one of the most popular and widely consumed products in the world, comes from cocoa trees. These trees produce pods that contain beans which are harvested, fermented, dried and turned into cocoa powder or butter. They grow in the humid tropics where temperatures ranges from 20°C-35°C, annual rainfall is over 1200 mm and the dry season is less than two months long.

In 2016 the global chocolate market was valued at USD$99 billion. And demand for cocoa is likely to keep increasing as more and more people eat chocolate bars, drink hot chocolate or eat chocolate ice cream.

Over 60% of the world's chocolate is produced by smallholder farmers in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia. They will suffer as a result of climate changes, producing less cocoa per unit area on their farms. They will get less money for their hard work as their profit share, along the cocoa supply chain, is unlikely to increase.

This will have a huge impact on the livelihoods of about 25 million people. It will also have an impact on the economies of some cocoa producing countries, like Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, that rely on cocoa for a large part of their export income.

Our research shows that agroforestry is an excellent strategy to help smallholders cope with climate change and to avoid further deforestation in new cocoa producing areas. But it must be done wisely as the shade tree species must suit the local context and farmers' needs.

Trees and cocoa

Shade trees – such as Erythrina, Inga or Gliricidia in Latin America or Terminalia, Ricinodendron or Albizia in West Africa – are advocated as a key adaptation strategy against the negative effects of climate change.

Shade trees buffer cocoa plants from heat and water stresses, and create conditions that benefit the cocoa tree growth. Other advantages include:

enhanced soil fertility due to leaf shedding and pruning residues. These enrich the soil in organic matter and recycle nutrients.

reduced soil erosion because the leaf litter, which covers the soil, prevents surface run-off.

improved pollination by creating a more favourable climate for pollinators.

enhanced biological control of pests and diseases by creating a more favourable environment for natural enemies.

In addition, farm households benefit economically from using agroforestry. Their revenue streams are diversified, as they get fuelwood and timber, and food from fruit trees.

Farmers can manage their cocoa plantations, with permanent shade, in a variety of ways:

thinning down the original forest canopy and keeping forest trees of interest;

planting fruit and timber species;

protecting the growth of valuable trees which grew naturally.

Context matters

While the number of trees and tree species per hectare can vary widely, the trees being planted must be suited to the local context and farmers' needs. It's not worth trying to promote tree species that farmers do not want, are not suitable locally; there is no single tree species that can provide all the services needed. For example, some tree species have shallow root systems, which means they are well suited to wet areas, but will compete with cocoa plants for soil water in drier conditions. This was seen in our recent study in Ghana.

Scientific knowledge has to be combined with farmers' knowledge of tree species because rural communities have valuable experience with many local trees. This can be turned into decision-sup port tools, like the Shade Tree Advice Tool, which are becoming increasingly available and can help farmers make the right choices.

More steps

Agroforestry is getting more attention. Locally, the increasing impact of climate change means more awareness of the benefits of trees to cocoa farms, landscapes and communities. Globally, increased consumer awareness of environmental and food safety issues means that cooperatives, like Ghana's Kuapa Kokoo, are successfully promoting agroforestry and environmentally sound cocoa production.

But more steps need to be taken to promote the use of trees.

Policies have to be put in place that give rural communities and farmers incentives to adopt climate-smart practices on their farms and landscapes. This includes passing laws and regulations that secure land tenure, encouraging farmers to invest in that land. Farmers also need to have ownership over trees, giving them the right to plant and nurture them, but also to fell them for revenue. Finally, farmers will more readily adopt agroforestry if they get economic incentives for various schemes; for examples, premium prices for eco-certification, payments for provision of environmental services at local level (water, scenic beauty) and at global level (carbon sequestration, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation).

How an Edinburgh center is tracing the roots of plants in the Middle East

EDINBURGH, UK: The Arabian Peninsula is rich in many things — oil (obviously), literature, history, cuisine. But far away in Edinburgh is a treasure trove of other Middle Eastern riches — plants.

The Scottish capital is home to the Center for Middle Eastern Plants (CMEP) and a herbarium — or plant library — containing a staggering 3 million samples of flora from the region. And botanists from the center are still adding to the collection.

"There is a mountain in Oman called Jebel Samhan and every time I've gone up it I've discovered a new species," said CMEP director Tony Miller, who has been making field trips to Yemen, Oman, Iran and Saudi Arabia since 1978.

"The last time I took visitors up there I wondered if I had set myself up for embarrassment but no, pretty much as soon as I stepped out of the vehicle, I spotted a completely new plant right in front of me."

Socotra, the island off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Sea, is especially important for the study of flora.

"Socotra is the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean," said Miller.

"It has 900 plants of which more than 300 are endemic — that is, they are unique to that place. In comparison, the number of plants endemic to Britain is a handful. Every single tree on Socotra is endemic. The place is a vast biosphere reserve.

"We're doing on Socotra what Darwin did on the Galapagos. We're seeing how species radiated and how evolution works."

Heady stuff for those who are passionate about plants. But how did a center for studying and documenting the plant life of the world's most arid landscapes come to be established in an all-too-often grey and rainy Edinburgh?

That is down to a decision taken more than 50 years ago. CMEP is part of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, which is itself a sister to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in London.

In 1962, it was decided to divide the areas of study. Kew got Africa, while Edinburgh got China, the Himalayas and southwest Asia, which includes the Arabian Peninsula. Europe, Central and North America went to the Natural History Museum in London.

CMEP's offices are unremarkable: Plain desks and bookshelves heaving with tomes such as "Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra" (co-authored by Tony Miller) and "Ethnoflora of the Socotra Archipelago" (co-written with Miranda Morris), which not only lists the flora of the Yemeni island but also explains what each plant was for. 

It is the herbarium that reveals CMEP's purpose. Instead of books there are shelves full of folders containing dried specimens of flowers, grasses, leaves and roots. Each folder has a little envelope stuck in the bottom corner for storing any bits of the plant sample that might fall off. 

Few hobby gardeners know that some of the best-loved blooms found in a typical Western flowerbed originated in southwest Asia — tulips, fritillaries, muscari (commonly known as grape hyacinths), to name only a few.

The first plants to be cultivated were wheat, barley, flax, peas, chickpeas, lentils and bitter vetch. Collectively known as the Neolithic founder plants, they all originated in the marshes of Sumeria in what is present-day Iraq. Their cultivation led to agriculture and settled habitation in villages and then towns which in turn led to the development of an alphabet, writing and laws.

Then there is aloe vera, well-known for its medicinal properties. Pale-skinned holidaymakers in Dubai little realize that the gel they are slapping on their sunburn originally came from Yemen. 

One variety of aloe was recently rediscovered in Al-Ula, in Saudi Arabia. The only other place it grows north of the Tropic of Cancer is Petra in Jordan. Its presence in both places is compelling evidence of the contact between those two ancient Nabataean sites and societies much further south.

CMEP was set up as a separate entity in 2009 to generate income from consultancy work which could then be ploughed into conservation and training projects. There are four full-time staff with PhD students or fellows on temporary attachments. 

Classifying and documenting plants — a discipline known as taxonomy — is an important part of CMEP's work. "After all, you can't conserve it if you don't know what it is," said Miller. But the projects also have a strong social component.

In Bamyan province in Afghanistan, that meant helping the environment by distributing cooking stoves to people in remote communities.

"There are no trees left in Bamyan. People cook on open fires, and all the trees and shrubs have been cut down for firewood. Now they are pulling up shrubs and roots and burning them, which is not healthy," said Miller. 

"According to the World Health Organization, 54,000 people a year are dying of pulmonary disease caused by indoor pollution. No trees means there is nothing to anchor the soil which leads to water and mudslides. With the stoves, they are still burning wood, but it burns more efficiently and lasts longer and so they need less of it."

The Bamyan inhabitants were not immediately convinced. In the first year, they collected the same amount of firewood as always, especially when hoarding for winter, which requires collecting two to three donkey loads every day for a week.

"But they soon noticed the difference and collected less the next year," said Dr. Sophie Neale, another member of the CMEP team.

Restoring landscapes involves more than simply shoving plants into the ground.

"When you talk about restoration, how far back do you go? Back to grandfather's day? Back to how the land was before humans? How do you adapt the old ways to modern life? It's a philosophical question," said Miller. "We finally settled on restoration to a time before rapid development."

Then there is the perception of botany itself. The great 19th-century plant-hunters roamed the world's unexplored habitats collecting specimens. They were certainly intrepid, but many also had the time and often the backing of a wealthy aristocratic patron, and it is true to say that — somewhat unfairly —botany retains some of that "rich man's hobby" image. 

Is it difficult to persuade young people in the business-driven Middle East that studying plants is worthwhile?

"A little, but there is a growing awareness of it as a profession,"said Miller. 

CMEP runs online courses that are not only popular but also a good way of spotting new talent.

"If they stick with the course, it shows they're dedicated as well as good," said Miller. Studying plants attracts both men and women; a class in Oman has 40 women and one man, and the current CMEP fellows include an Afghan woman and a Lebanese woman.

Earlier this year, Miller and his team won an award at the International Workshop on Combating Desertification in Saudi Arabia for work on "greening" Riyadh. 

There is a marked trend in Saudi Arabia away from using plants that need lots of irrigation, but knowledge about what should be planted in their place can be limited.

"They want to use native species, but unfortunately they don't know where they grow, so it ends up being easier to just go down to the garden center," said Miller.

"The problem in Riyadh is … goats and camels dig up roots, so plants have no chance."

An experiment carried out in Kuwait illustrates nature's infinite capacity for self-healing. Researchers fenced off an area of land to keep animals away and then simply waited to see what would happen. By the following year, plants growing there again. After another year, what had been an expanse of arid, barren land was alive with desert vegetation.

Miller, 67, has been at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh for42 years and has been making expeditions to the Arabian Peninsula almost as long. Socotra, which he first visited in 1989, retains a special fascination.

"In Socotra, every tree is known. If you want to cut a tree down, you must get permission from the community. It means every tree has a value and everyone knows which tree belongs to which village. The Mediterranean used to be covered in dragon blood trees once. Socotra still has them." 

Among CMEP's other projects are building botanic gardens in Kabul and in Sulaymaniyah, in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

"It's what called soft diplomacy," said Miller. Which, when one thinks about it, makes sense. For who in the world could ever object to a garden?

Blue Sky Science: How long does it take for a tree to grow in space?

Q How long does it take for a tree to grow in space?

â€" Stella Newhouse, Prairie du Chien, Wis.

A Simon Gilroy, professor in the botany department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison:

It’s a complicated question because, while researchers have grown spruce seedlings on the International Space Station, they haven’t grown full-size trees. Using knowledge of how trees operate on Earth, scientists can guess what’s going to happen when they’re grown in space.

The tallest trees on Earth are the giant redwoods that are about 300 to 400 feet tall. Gravity is the main reason those trees are not any taller.

For a tree to get that massively tall, it has to be strong. Tree height is also limited because trees must draw water from the ground up to their leaves. As the water is pulled up through the plant, at some point the water column gets so long that it’ll break because of gravity.

In space that problem doesn’t exist. Without gravity, plants growing on the space station grow long and thin and don’t need to lay down a lot of supportive tissue. Plants can draw water more easily â€" because there’s no gravity pulling on the water column â€" and get large without weighing anything.

In theory a tree could get massively tall in space, but there are still the practical limitations. Giant sequoias obviously would not fit inside a space station; it’s unlikely they will ever be grown in space.

Could trees be grown on the moon or Mars? Perhaps. The minerals in the soil on the moon or Mars are not quite the right composition for growing plants. But it’s possible, and the reduced gravity would likely make them grow a lot taller.

Also, plants use gravity to direct their growth. Classically, shoots grow up and roots grow down. Take away gravity as a cue for where to put roots, and you have one set of confused plants.

Scientists on the space station have been trying to figure out how long it takes to grow a generation of plants in space, whether a tree grows like it does on Earth and other questions.

Blue Sky Science is a collaboration of the Wisconsin State Journal and the Morgridge Institute for Research.

Mount Joy woman to head project to plant 10 million trees in Pennsylvania in 6 years

A Mount Joy woman has been chosen to head Pennsylvania’s ambitious project to plant 10 million trees along waterways and streets by the end of 2025.

Brenda Sieglitz was named to manage the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, one of many partners in the federal-state-private initiative whose aim is to reduce pollutants flowing off farms and streets into the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

Lancaster, along with York, Adams, Cumberland and Franklin counties, has been targeted for the tree plantings because of agricultural runoff.

There have been eight tree-planting events in Lancaster County since the project was kicked off in April. Statewide, some 31,000 trees have been planted in more thaan 70 events.

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A tree-planting by volunteers.

CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

The numbers of trees planted will pick up as more partners come on board and tree projects already done by private groups are tracked and counted, said B.J. Small, spokesman for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“We know there is a lot more out there and the numbers will go up,” he said.

Already, he added, there are double the number of tree plantings scheduled for this spring as there was in the inaugural spring.

Sieglitz has worked in the private sector in project management, business development initiatives, sales and marketing.

She has held leadership and mentor roles with the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lancaster Chamber, Team Sarcoma Keepin’ it Kevin, and the National Parks Service. She is co-chair of the Lancaster County Conservancy’s Riverlands Trail Festival and is a certified Pennsylvania Master Naturalist.

The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership is a collaborative effort, coordinated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, of national, regional,  state and local agencies, as well as conservation organizations, watershed groups, conservancies, outdoors enthusiasts, businesses and individuals willing to plant trees.

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Among the partners are the state departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection, and Conservation and Natural Resources.

“I look forward to bringing together people from the relationships that I have nurtured over my past decade of work in the private sector and volunteering within several nonprofits,” Sieglitz said.

“The Partnership will succeed in part due to the mutual respect we all have for each other and our shared belief that Pennsylvania will once again flourish with trees that are vital to clean water.”

Officials involved in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup believe that trees planted along streets, streams and other sensitive landscapes in Pennsylvania are among the most cost-effective tools for cleaning and protecting waterways.

The canopy and deep roots of trees soak up water and stabilize soil and streambanks.

For more information or to sign up for tree-planting events, click here, or call 717-234-5550.

How to Plant Your Own Peach Tree

The time of year for fresh peaches is a wonderful time. At that special moment, at their peak of pleasure-inducing flavor, peaches can stand bite-to-bite with any other fruit. At that moment, they are that good. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long enough, and canned peaches, while they may have their place and fans, just aren't the same.

The best way to have an abundance of fresh peaches is to have a peach tree. Peach trees will grow in areas as frosty as USDA Zone 5 (Burlington, Vermont) and as warm as Zone 8 (Dallas, Texas), but they thrive in Zones 6 and 7, which is most of the continental US. In other words, if you live in one of these places, a peach tree might well be in your future.

So, to further get the excitement up, let's look at exactly what planting a peach tree entails.

The Spot

Peach trees like a lot of sun, so putting them on the south side of the house or a south-facing slope is probably not a bad idea, if available. They really require well-draining soil and prefer to be out of low areas where water might congregate and frost might settle. They also like a soil that's a little acidic, around 6.5 on the pH scale, so if necessary, it might be a good idea to adjust the pH level to suit the tree.

The Good News

Pixabay

Peach trees come in many varieties and are available as dwarf (8-10 feet tall), semi-dwarf (12-20 feet tall) and full-sized trees (up to 30-plus feet tall). In other words, there is an option for even small spots. In fact, some varieties can even work as potted plants.

It must also be said that smaller trees are easier to care for, produce the same size fruit, and can be harvested from much more readily. The downside to dwarf trees is that they only live about half as long (15-20 years).

Another great thing about peach trees is that they can self-pollinate. While many trees need partners to produce fruit, one peach tree in the yard is all that's needed for fresh peaches. Of course, with two, that might double the peach pies.

Planting from Seed

Most fruit trees aren't planted by seed because the variety won't stay true to the mother plant. In other words, apples from an apple tree grown from an apple seed won't produce the same kind of apples as its mother tree did. However, peach trees (and stone fruits) can be cultivated from seed and still produce tasty fruit.

To do this, save the pit from a delicious fruit and let it dry out for a few days. Once dried, the pit can be popped open to reveal the seeds, resembling almonds. The seed has to go through a stratification process, freezing before it can germinate. This can be done in the fridge over a couple of months or by saving the seed through the winter. Fall is the time to plant them.

Some pits work really well, others not so much. There's no real way to tell other than trying. Once the seed has germinated, it will likely be three years or more before the tree produces any fruit.

Planting a Sapling

Rather than planting by seed, most people simply go to a nursery and buy a young tree. Ideally, the tree will be one-year-old, which means it'll be producing fruit a little sooner. The other nice thing about doing this is that it allows growers to choose the size and variety to suit specific needs. Regardless, it's best to buy trees when they are dormant and plant them out in early spring. (Active trees are less likely to survive the transplant.)

When planting a sapling, it's a good idea to soak the roots for a few hours before planting it. The hole should be wide enough for the roots to spread out in it, typically about twice the circumference of the pot or the root ball but only deep enough to get the tree up to ground level. Once in the hole, the area should be mulched to prevent weed and grass competition and soaked.

Many gardeners like to prune the newly-planted trees, removing side branches and cutting the trunk down to no more than three feet high.

Caring for Peach Trees

Pixabay

Peach trees should be pruned each year to promote new growth and better fruit production, as well as to prevent diseases. The best time to do this pruning is early spring, before the tree becomes active again. However, wintertime pruning is not a good idea as it affects the plants' cold-hardiness. Just under half the tree should be pruned away each year, working to leave two-foot red shoots in place for fruit production.

Generally, peach trees (and other fruit trees) are pruned to have a vase shape, keeping three or five branches to grow out and get large, leaving the middle open to air and sunshine. Do that, and the peaches ought to be great.

Lead Image Source: Pixabay 

'Tis the season to plant a fruit tree

SAN ANTONIO — January is the month to plant fruit trees in San Antonio. Gardeners interested in starting a home orchard can learn the basics at a free workshop on Saturday. The local nursery hosting the event shared which kinds of fruits thrive in our climate.

Mary Broemer, an employee at Milberger's Nursery is happy to share her knowledge of fruit trees with anyone who asks.

She loves to share pictures of peaches and pears grown in her own front yard.

"Last year I had my banner year," said Broemer. "I got over 800 peaches of nice size."

She's been adding to her yard for 11 years. Each season has produced a new lesson. Broemer finds out what works for her plants and what does not.

Along with trial and error, Broemer credits her success to information distributed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Bexar County Extension Agent David Rodriguez will lead the fruit orchard seminar at Milberger's on Saturday morning.

FREE Adult Seminar with Bexar County Extension Agent, David Rodriguez. David will discuss the how and why of establishing your own home fruit orchard. David will discuss the types and varieties of fruit, nuts, grapes and berries suited for South Texas. You will learn how to plant and care for yo ...

Broemer hopes the event gives gardeners the confidence to start their own orchards.

"Really, the biggest benefit is that you'll learn how to get started, how to prune, how to fertilize, what the sun you need," said Broemer. "You get all these factors at the beginning, so you don't learn the hard way like I've done."

The event includes advice on selecting varieties of fruit, nuts, grapes and berries. The staff will also be able to answer questions about spacing, insect concerns and guide gardeners through best watering practices.

Broemer's top pick is the peach tree. She expects trees planted this month to produce peaches in three to four years.

While patience is necessary, she says there's nothing as sweet as the taste of your hard work.

"Just to have the joy of picking your own fruit, said Broemer. "That's so much fun."

The fruit orchard seminar partnering with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service starts at 10 a.m. Saturday January 12th.

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Gardeners in Kerrville can take advantage of a program at the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library Saturday morning. Kim Courtright, a Master Gardener with the Hill Country Master Gardeners program, will lecture on the timing for planting, what to plant and how much, and the different containers and beds you can use for your personal garden.

How to get redbud seeds to grow

I collected some redbud seeds from a tree in a neighbor's yard. I'd like to try to grow one. Is there anything special I need to do?

Actually, getting redbud to germinate isn't all that hard. There are often some sprouts around existing trees.

However, you'll get faster, more consistent germination if you use a little trick. The seeds of redbud have an internal dormancy that requires exposure to cold temperatures to break. The seed also has a hard seed coat that should be weakened for consistent germination.

Providing the cold requirement is called "stratification." The seeds of lots of cold hardy plants require stratification before they will germinate.

They need three things for stratification to occur: proper temperature, moisture and oxygen.

The seed needs exposure to temperatures below 45â€"55 degrees for anywhere from one to three months, depending on the plant. Redbud needs cold treatment for about three months.

During this time, the seed needs exposure to water and oxygen. The seed is undergoing physiological changes that require both water and oxygen.

These two requirements can be conflicting sometimes. If the seed is in a bucket of water, there's little oxygen for the seed. If it is too dry, there's lots of oxygen, but not enough moisture.

There are two ways to fulfill these stratification requirements.

The first is to simply sow the seed outdoors in the fall and let nature provide what the seed needs. You'll have to monitor water throughout the winter and provide some if necessary. Unfortunately, this time of year, that's not an option.

The second way is to artificially provide the necessary environment. You can do this by mixing some moist (not wet) peat moss with the seed and putting it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or even the freezer. Leave it there for three months.

Don't seal the bag. Loosely close it so oxygen can get in and out. Check how moist the peat moss is occasionally as it will dry out over time and you will need to add a little water to keep it moist.

The second problem you face is the hard seed coat. If you don't do anything about it the seed will germinate, but it may take several months (even years) for it to happen, plus the seed will germinate very sporadically. A seed will germinate every week or two or six!

Weakening the seed coat is called "scarification." There are several ways to do it: a physical abrasion of the seed coat, exposure to hot water or exposure to an acid solution. Commercially, an acid soak is usually employed to scarify the seed.

What I'd recommend for you to do is to soak the seed in 190-degree water for 6â€"12 hours, then mix it with the peat moss and stratify it as I outlined above.

I have a blue spruce tree that is about 4½ feet tall. My big forsythia bush is spreading out and crowding it. Can I transplant it to another spot in my yard?

When would be a good time to do this, if it's possible?

The best time to transplant a woody plant such as your spruce is mid- to late March.

Whenever I talk about transplanting, I'm talking about odds. Doing everything right at just the right time doesn't guarantee success, it just gives you the best chance of success.

Conversely, you can do everything wrong and be successful, it's just that your chances of success are less than if you had done it right.

Here is how I would recommend doing it:

The first thing you want to do is to dig the hole in your yard where the tree is going to go. Have the hole ready so the plant is out of the ground as little time as possible.

Next, dig as large of a soil ball around the plant as you can handle â€" remember you'll have to pick up that bad boy and carry it over to the new hole! I would guess that for the tree you have, you will need a rootball that is 18â€"20 inches in diameter.

That's going to be pretty heavy, but remember that the bigger the rootball, the better your chances of success will be.

It's important to keep the rootball intact, don't let it crack or break apart. It is helpful to wrap the soil ball with burlap or an old sheet to help support it. You might even want to further support it by wrapping some chicken wire or wire fencing around the ball to help hold it together. Just be sure to take it off before you backfill.

Get it planted in the new hole and water it well. After that initial watering has soaked in, give it a second soaking with a solution of Fertilome Root Stimulator, which has a rooting hormone in it that helps to stimulate the formation of new roots.

Gardening: How to prune your trees and roses to keep them healthy

Historically speaking, tree pruning is a relatively recent phenomenon, developed as a necessity when trees began to be planted in close proximity to where people lived, worked, or congregated.

It's just not a pleasant feeling when a branch falls on your house, your car, or on your head.

For centuries, trees were kept exclusively in the forest. The idea of planting one next to where you lived was never considered.

But then, beginning with the industrial revolution in the late 18th century, as masses of people moved to the city and abandoned rural life, a nostalgia for the countryside led to thoughts of planting trees within urban settings.

Parks were established to assuage the stress brought on by the hectic pace of urban living  and to reconnect with nature. And then, as suburban houses were built and you had some extra space in front and back, trees become an essential amenity of the home environment.

When it comes to tree pruning, less is more. Never remove more than a third of a tree's canopy at one time. If you remove more than that, rank growth will return that is weak and susceptible to breakage and to pests.

Pruning is like taxes. You can put off paying them and even skip them altogether, but the longer you delay, the more severe the penalty will be when you finally have to face the music. A tree planted close to a house, unlike its forest counterpart, is always in a compromised condition since growth on the side facing the house will suffer from lack of air circulation and insufficient sunlight – an open invitation to fungus and insect pests to come aboard. Or the tree may lean dangerously away from the house until it topples over.

If you are going to prune a tree yourself, use the three-cut method for removal of large branches. The first cut is made from below (an undercut), no more than one-third of the way through the branch. This cut should be made a foot or more away from the trunk, depending on the branch diameter. The second cut (top cut) is made from above, in the usual manner, an inch to the outside of the undercut. While making the top cut, the branch will break back to where the undercut was made, without ripping off part of the trunk.

The third cut — made from above or below — removes the remaining stub but should be made at the branch collar (a swollen portion of the trunk at the branch base) and never flush to the trunk. Flush cuts are prone to bacterial and fungal infections and, if made in summer, attract insect pests as well.  Do not seal any pruning cuts since trees grow healing tissue, known as callose, on their own.

The "Sunset Pruning Handbook" by Roy Hudson, available through Internet book sellers, is an excellent guide to pruning garden ornamentals and fruit trees.

Roses are best pruned now. Before pruning, remove any leaves still on the plants since this will allow them to experience some measure of dormancy. Make cuts at a 45-degree angle just above buds since this will allow raindrops to drain off the cut surfaces. Make cuts at buds that point outward, away from the center of the plants, since you want growth to assume a vase shape. Buds (just barely visible as bud eyes) grow in the direction that they point. Between the base of every leaf and its stem, you will find a bud eye, however so small.

If you seek large flowers, if not that many, in the first flush of roses that will bloom this spring, prune canes down to eighteen inches in height.  For more roses, but of a smaller size, prune canes to a height of three feet.

According to Sally Joy of the American Rose Society, healthy stem cuttings – of a pencil-size diameter or more – from roses stuck in the ground this time of year have an excellent chance of rooting. Of course, the soil will need to be plant friendly, meaning it drains well, for this to happen.

The beautiful Solandra maxima flower in garden (iStock)

Tip of the Week: The largest flowers you will ever see on a vine, and probably anywhere else, are starting to open now and will continue to do so into the spring. They are chalice shaped and up to ten inches long. Coming from the Central American tropics and known as cup of gold, this vine (Solandra maxima) does require more water than the average plant if you live in one of our hot valleys. Still, it's worth the extra attention. You can find a nursery that will special order this vine for you by going to smgrowers.com and clicking on "Retail Locator" on the left side of the home page. Plant parts may be toxic but, then again, the same is true of most species of the nightshade family (including tomato, potato, eggplant, and chili pepper), of which cup of gold is a member.

Digging In: Evergreen trees and shrubs to plant now for year-round life in the landscape

Now that the holidays have passed and we all could stand to shed a few pounds, what better way to get active than tackling some yard work?

Winter is a great time to plant trees and shrubs, giving them a few months to develop strong root systems before the warm growing season. The bones of our landscaping should be apparent at this time of year as well.  

Maybe there are some dead plants that need to be removed. Yews, sky pencil holly, boxwoods, Italian cypresses and other ornamental evergreens in our area can be hit hard with phytophthora root rot and spider mites in summer. If these shrubs are brown and crunchy, and have not recovered by now, consider replacing them. 

If you are ready to break the mold and try some less-common evergreens that do well in our area, here's a good assortment. Several produce attractive flowers and berries for added visual interest. Many of these plants also work well in “problem areas” like low, wet spots or full shade.

Southern Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera): A smaller tree that grows 10 or more feet tall, wax myrtle can be pruned up into a multitrunked form and used as a border or screen. It is very easy to grow and prefers part sun to full sun. The leaves have a spicy, pleasant smell when crushed. Wax myrtle likes wetter soils and would do well in a low area. The dwarf wax myrtle, M. pumila, grows to a height of about 4 feet and can make a nice hedge. It can be hard to find wax myrtle at local nurseries but they do grow widely in our area naturally.

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis):

Mostly evergreen in our area, buttonbush flowers in the summer with blossoms that look like 2-inch-round pincushions or atoms. All pollinators love these flowers. Buttonbush grows to be 6 to 8 feet tall and makes a great focal point in a landscape bed. It likes soils that are moist to well-drained and sun to part sun. If it becomes overgrown, cutting it back encourages new growth and a profusion of sputnik-like blooms the next summer.

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Yaupon holly can be pruned into a tree or left to grow as a shrub.

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria): Yaupon can be pruned up into a single trunk form or left to grow out into a clump-forming shrub. Dwarf cultivars make an attractive hedge with few of the disease issues of boxwood. A weeping version makes a stunning conversation piece in the garden as well. Yaupon hollies grow easily here and enjoy partial to full sun and just about any soil condition.

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Distylium is a good substitute for disease-prone boxwood.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Distylium (spp.): This may be the best new plant you’ve never heard of. It grows like a boxwood and may be a great substitute. Several cultivars are available at local nurseries, including Cinnamon Girl, Linebacker and Vintage Jade. Distylium handles cold, drought and flooding well. Plant it just about anywhere and stand back. Light tip pruning in May or June encourages thick, compact growth. Maintenance beyond that is minimal.

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Florida anise thrives along shady fences.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum): In the spring, this dependable shrub produces star-shaped maroon flowers 2 inches across. Glossy, dark leaves and an open-branched growth habit of 10 to 15 feet in height and 6 to 10 feet wide make this a good large shrub or small tree, depending on how you prune it. To create a compact, thick hedge, plant them 10 feet apart and allow the shrubs to grow into one another. Florida anise prefers partial to full shade and well-drained, moist soil. It thrives along fences and in low spots of the landscape. It has few, if any, pest or disease issues.

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Fetterbush flowers dangle gracefully from its arching branches.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER

Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida): Bell-shaped pale pink flowers adorn this evergreen shrub each spring, making it a favorite of bees and other pollinators. Growing 5 to 6 feet tall, Fetterbush works great as a backdrop plant. Flowers dangle gracefully from its arching branches. Grow fetterbush in part shade to sun, in slightly acidic moist soil. It also has few pest and disease issues and grows relatively quickly.

For more information on the LSU AgCenter and our many gardening topics, please visit www.lsuagcenter.com. For answers to your gardening questions, please send an email to AGCenter@theadvocate.com. The GNO Gardening Newsletter provides planting dates, a monthly chore list, lawn advice, local garden happenings and more. To sign up, email gnogardening@agcenter.lsu.edu.

Q: I recently bought a house, and the backyard is covered with Asian jasmine. I’d like to control it, especially to get it off the fence and the garage. How the heck do I kill it? I’ve pulled it down and sprayed it with a 2, 4-D product that I used on my lawn. It died back a little but came right back. Help! â€" Sarah H.

A: Hi, Sarah, Asian jasmine has a pretty good reputation as an aggressive, quick-growing ground cover. Try spraying it with a nonselective herbicide like glyphosate or triclopyr. It may take several applications to kill the root system. A lawn product is likely not the right herbicide for this job. Be sure to follow all label instructions. â€" Anna Timmerman

Plant has achieved a reputation as one of the easiest ornamentals to grow

This week we are dealing with a real oddball. The Mystery Plants featured in this column are usually native species here in the Southeast, although every once in a while we’ve offered a curious cultivated plant. Like this one.

It is one of the best examples of a succulent plant that you could ever come up with. (It is not at all related to any cactus, although cacti, too, exhibit succulence as a growth “habit.”) Succulence in plants is not at all restricted to any one group of species; rather, the attribute of succulence, or the tendency to store water in variously swollen plant parts, is just one more way in which different species have adapted to special habitats, in this situation, arid and dry ones. It should seem obvious that many (most?) plants that exhibit the highest degrees of succulence should come from deserts or similar kinds of places. (Anyway, there is no such thing as “the succulent family”. So don’t use that phrase.)

This plant has achieved a reputation, over the last century, as one of the easiest ornamentals to grow. The plants produce cylindrical stems bearing, towards their tips, roundish clusters, or “rosettes”, of leaves. The leaves are peculiar in being very fleshy and thick, somewhat triangular, and pointed.

The leaves are quite attractive, and depending on how much sun they get may develop a beautiful blue-gray sheen, or sometimes a dusty white look, from a thin layer of wax on the surface. Being fully drought tolerant, they make terrific additions to dry rock gardens, and can be grown in pots. If the pots are attached to a sunny wall, the stems eventually spill over, which is a nice effect, too. Blooming occurs in the spring (which was when this photo was taken). Star-shaped, white or yellowish flowers are produced on slender stalks that arise from just below the leaf rosettes.

The plants love sandy, gritty, thoroughly draining soil. Mine seem to thrive on inattention. I can’t even remember where I got these; they seem to have been around forever.

If you have some of these plants in a pot, and you start fiddling around with them, you’ll quickly discover that the leaves are brittle, and will easily break off the stem. Each detached leaf will sprout, forming a “new” individual, and so it is no wonder that this plant has a sort of “hand me down” reputation amongst gardeners.

This species is closely related to the various varieties of Sedum, which are also succulents, but botanists generally classify our Mystery succulent within its own group of species. Its history is interesting. For the longest time, it was known only from cultivation, growing in a greenhouse that featured a number of cacti. Some of the plants growing with it were from Paraguay, and thus it was assumed that this one was, too. Its scientific name thus suggests that it is from Paraguay, but it’s not. It is known now to occur, in the wild, only in Mexico. Nevertheless, the Paraguayan name must stay with the plant, due to the rules of botanical nomenclature. 

(Answer: "Ghost Plant," Graptopetalum paraguayense)

John Nelson is the curator of the A. C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina, in the Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia SC 29208. As a public service, the Herbarium offers free plant identifications. For more information, visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-777-8196, or email nelson@sc.edu.

Fall is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs

Early fall is the best tree planting time of the year for most container-grown and balled and burlapped trees and shrubs.

In the fall, trees have high energy stores, the stress of the hot summer has passed, and there is no new leaf growth to support. Fall-planted trees and shrubs can then devote their efforts toward developing root systems, giving them a head start on next year's growing season.

The soil is still warm in the fall and remains so for several weeks. During this time, the trees and shrubs develop a clear advantage over similar ones planted in the spring. Several studies involving both trees and shrubs have confirmed the advantage of fall planting. This applies to most spring and summer blooming perennial plants as well.

There are some exceptions to fall planting recommendations. Trees sold with bare roots should be planted in the late winter or early spring, before the surge of spring growth starts. Evergreen shrubs planted in the fall are at risk of dehydration, especially if exposed to wind. Their leaves continue to lose water in the winter, and their ability to absorb water may be limited. If planted in the fall, they must be watered frequently, sheltered and have a thick layer of mulch.

Another important fall planting recommendation is for crepe myrtles. A leading crepe myrtle expert recommends they be planted June through early September, and not after October. Cool soils prevent the development of water absorbing roots in these plants and they may dehydrate during the winter

It is also recommended to plant azaleas and peonies in the fall for best results.

Although the selection of plants is more extensive in the spring, local nurseries will have good selections of trees and shrubs, often at a bargain, in the fall.

The time of year is important when planting, but how trees are planted is critical, as well. Most newly planted trees die due to planting errors. The most common mistake is planting too deeply. Trees should be planted in a saucer-shaped hole three times the diameter of the root ball and no deeper than the height of the root ball.

How to Grow a Guava Tree

Duvauchelle, Joshua. "How to Grow a Guava Tree." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-guava-tree-45139.html. Accessed 15 January 2019.

Duvauchelle, Joshua. (n.d.). How to Grow a Guava Tree. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-guava-tree-45139.html

Duvauchelle, Joshua. "How to Grow a Guava Tree" accessed January 15, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-guava-tree-45139.html

Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.

The Second Best Time to Plant a Tree Is Now

A hairy, naked male and a hairy, naked female crouch over the body of an antelope they've just killed. They're looking up with fear and fight in their faces as a huge bird of prey swoops down to try to steal their kill. A jackal lurks in the background, biding its time. It's a frozen moment from 100,000 years ago, a flash in the life of a Neanderthal couple, reconstructed by scientists for a diorama at the Museum of Natural History. I saw this couple over Thanksgiving weekend when my family and I wandered into the Spitzer Hall of Human Origins. If you've ever been there, you know it's strange and amazing.

This diorama especially grabbed me. I felt moved by it. My kids were fascinated. Something about it is real and poignant. It must have been so much work to bring down that antelope. The couple is alone in the open landscape, vulnerable to the fierceness of nature. I wondered if they ever got to just chill in their cave. Did they ever sing? Did they play? Did they love each other? Their Neanderthal bodies are wiry and strong, thin and scrappy from a lifetime of fighting for survival. They didn't survive, of course. The early hominids went extinct, just like the dinosaurs before them. Unique expressions of the divine, like a single firework, exploding for a short time, showering light, and then gone.

How did they go extinct? Scientists say it was a mix of factors, possibly including violence from Homo sapiens and definitely the pressures of climate change. Yes, they had climate change; the climate has always been changing. But back then, it happened at a much slower pace—at least 10 times slower than ours today. Even so, the pace of change was too fast—the landscapes and plants and animals morphed, and the Neanderthals were unable to adapt.

Homo sapiens were able to adapt. Homo sapiens translates from Latin to "wise man" or "smart human," and our adaptability is a hallmark of our species. As long as we had a good 1,000 years before things were really different, we were able to make the changes that we needed in time: where we lived, what we ate, and what tools we used. We were able to figure it out. And the unique spirit of life continued to flow through us.

This time around, we don't have 1,000 years to figure it out. We don't even have 100 years. According to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on climate change, we have 12 years. That's what they said. Only 12. We have 12 years to radically transform our economy, especially the amount of energy that we use and how we generate it, from coal, oil, and gas to solar and wind. Energy from hell to energy from heaven. This is not adapting to climate change—that's a whole other set of things we need to do. This is about preventing the climate from changing so dramatically and so quickly that we are unable to adapt.

My fellow Homo sapiens, smart humans, we have 12 years.

And if we don't? The U.N. report warns of catastrophic flooding, droughts, extreme heat, and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. Worst case, scientists believe we are heading toward the sixth mass extinction. We can hear the drumbeat clearly now—the fires in California getting worse every year, the hurricanes growing more violent, droughts, deserts expanding, thousands forced from their farmlands to become refugees. It's happening.

Hearing the news these days, the drumbeat getting louder, I'll tell you where I'm at personally. I feel scared for my children. I have twins, just 8 years old. I'm scared for them of what kind of shifting, collapsing world they are going to have to make their way in. Even with all of their advantages as White, well-educated, relatively wealthy Americans, are they going to have to struggle to survive? And they both want children of their own. I was telling them recently about a celibate monk I had met, and my son had a strong negative reaction, saying how sad it would be to not have ancestors, by which he meant, descendants. And I wish I could gush about how great it will be for them to have children and for me to have grandchildren. Except I'm not sure how great it will be for those grandchildren.

We're staring into the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. 

I'm sad that they will never get to experience the untouched beauty of wilderness. Because what humans have done touches everything, everywhere. I'm heartbroken for all that we've already lost, for the wilderness itself and the polar bears and countless other animals whose stars will burn out before their time.

I also feel an immense sense of personal responsibility. I am a writer and the spiritual leader of a congregation. Am I doing absolutely everything in my power to inspire and nurture and activate people at this critical juncture in human history? And if not, what gives me—or anyone else with a public platform—the right to lead at this time? We're staring into the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. Leaders of faith and conscience must honor the trust that people have given them by leading boldly and selflessly.

But I get distracted from the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced by the mundane necessities of life. My sense of responsibility to defend my kids' future gets hijacked by my kids' need for help with their math homework. My sense of responsibility to plant a seedbed of revolutionary change in my congregation gets hijacked by the need to let everyone know that Facebook is doing a matching grant fundraiser and they really ought to contribute to it.

And every single person I know is just like me in this respect. We all get absorbed in the work of life, and the joys of life, and the struggles of life, mostly doing things that when you take them one at a time are each valid and important, even noble. Some of us have trouble enough just making it through the day. Some of us are just trying to survive in an economy with virtually no safety net. Or an illness takes all our time and energy to manage. Or a family conflict. Or someone hacked our email or our bank account and we're spending hours on the phone trying to sort it out. Someone breaks our heart and we're spending a year feeling like we want to die. Or we fall in love, and we're just too damn happy to worry about anything.

Our political life follows the same pattern. Political debate centers on the vivid human suffering of our time—our government teargassing people at the border, to take just one of thousands of nauseating examples. Politicians rarely talk about the existential elephant in the room, partly because this is not what their constituents are talking about, for all the reasons I just listed. Partly it's because fossil fuel companies and chemical manufacturers and Big Ag are paying a lot of money to make sure that we don't talk about it. They want to make sure that deregulation continues, that the science gets muddied, and that green referendums fail; to make sure that at global summits and climate talks, our delegation is actively promoting fossil fuels. And for good measure, they work to suppress the votes of poor people who are most affected by environmental collapse because they might actually vote to change all that.

So is this how it's going to go down, Homo sapiens, smart human? Good people are too busy, and bad people are too smart? You can imagine some future diorama at a Museum of Natural History 100,000 years from now. It will depict a Homo sapiens family in an industrialized nation at mealtime. A female is lifting a package of food out of a microwave. A male is staring into a cellphone. A baby is drooling onto the plastic tray of a high chair, clutching something that looks like a Beanie Baby in one hand and a juice box in the other. A toddler is watching something on a tablet of some kind, laughing.

They say the best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago. The second best time is now.

Next to the diorama, the information panel reads as follows: "Homo sapiens roamed the earth for a brief 200,000-year span. Their extinction was precipitated primarily by rapid climate change. Unlike the climatic shifts of previous eras, this climate change was largely caused by these apex predators themselves, specifically by the burning of the remains of all the creatures that had gone extinct before them." (That's what fossil fuels are, by the way—you cannot make this stuff up.) "Archeological evidence suggests that Homo sapiens had discovered solar energy long before their extinction. But their primitive form of social organization and rudimentary ability to share resources may have prevented them from addressing the global threat in time."

Our primitive form of social organization—basically the powerful oppressing the earth and those less powerful—has kept us from adapting. And some of us say it's all too big, and we're too late—we should have fixed this 30 years ago. And yes, in an ideal world, 30 years ago we would have switched to renewable energy, drastically reduced our consumption and waste, adopted plant-based diets, shared our wealth to alleviate the desperation of poor nations, and planted about 10 million trees. We'd be having a very different conversation right now. But the conversation we are going to have in 30 years—or in 12 years—will depend entirely on what we do today. And I mean today. This week, this season, this year.

They say the best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago. The second best time is now.

Never before has a species been able to foresee its own extinction. Never before has a species been able to prevent it. But we can. How do I know? Because there is something in us that rebels, in every cell, with every breath. Because when we open the eyes of our spirit really wide, we can see that our star is not ready to burn out yet. The life force of the universe is not done moving through us. If anything, it's pulsing stronger than ever now.

You can feel it in the air. The forces of change are stirring. We are understanding that all of our struggles are one. Many of us and many people we know have become activists for the first time in our lives as we recognize that we have to take power into our own hands. There are at least 1 million organizations working toward sustainability and social justice. Several of the newly elected members of Congress are representing communities that had little voice before, and they are pushing for the New Green Deal. With the markings of evil so clearly scrawled right in front of us on national television every day, with the assaults on this Earth and its people now unmistakable for anything else, we are rising up.

We have 12 years left, a moment before us to be seized. Right now, we need political action. We need to boycott corporations whose greed is killing us. Every week, we can make a phone call, write a letter, speak out at a town hall—we can do something to fight back. A new climate organization has started in Great Britain called Extinction Rebellion, and a chapter is forming in New York City and other cities around the world. It's about taking bold, direct action in defense of our future. I plan to be part of it, and I urge you to join me—blocking pipelines, getting arrested, physically obstructing the desecration of our ecosystems—because asking nicely is just not working.

We need the extinction rebellion. But we need something else, too. It's not enough to just resist evil. It's not enough to just yell, "stop!" We need a revolution. We need a vision of a re-sanctified earth. We need a dream of who we can be as a species. I don't believe that the deep wisdom of the cosmos meant for us to stay stuck as Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens have been smart humans with great technology, but primitive forms of social organization that divide and rank people based on race and gender and hoard resources. We can be better than that. We are meant to evolve into something else, something of the heart and of the spirit, of deep compassion and broad vision:

Homo amandi. Loving person.

Homo amandi creates life-sustaining societies committed to restoring balance to the Earth. Let's do it right now. Let's make the heart decision to evolve into Homo amandi. Let's compress the next 1,000 years of evolution into the next 12. It will be the evolution revolution. And the best thing about it is that every single one of us can participate in this revolution every day. We participate through our choices, through what we say in casual conversation, what we buy, what we click on, what we discard. Each action may seem trivial on its own, but we have to think big, think collectively, and ask, "What is happening through me? Is it the sixth mass extinction? Or is it the evolution of homo amandi?"

We need the extinction rebellion and the evolution revolution both. We need to be saying "no" with all our might to the powers that are doing violence, and we need to be saying "yes" to a new way of living in peace. I want it for my children, and I know you will want it for yours and for all those you love. I want to be a blessing to the Earth, not a curse, and I know you do too. My fellow Homo amandi, join me in seizing the day, this day—the second best time ever to plant a tree and become something new.

The Sean McVay coaching tree is already starting to grow

LOS ANGELES — The Sean McVay coaching tree seems to be growing by the minute, as NFL teams with head-coaching vacancies scramble to clone the success of the Rams' young head coach.

The NFL has always been a copycat league, emulating the latest offensive or defensive schemes and practices of championship teams. That includes finding a similar head coach to one that seems to be smarter and ahead of everyone else.

Long ago, the coaches in demand were long-time assistants who taught power football. That was the Bill Parcells coaching tree which begot the Bill Belichick tree. Then there was a run on anybody connected to Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense, which begot the Mike Holmgren coaching tree. Now we've got the Sean McVay tree, even though he's just 32 and has been a head coach for just two seasons.

"I'm too young to have a coaching tree," McVay joked earlier this week.

The NFL apparently disagrees. Zac Taylor, 35, will become the latest with links to McVay to land a head coaching job. Taylor is currently the Rams quarterbacks coach and is expected to be named the Bengals head coach once the Rams season ends.

He joins a list of former McVay associates and clones to land an NFL heading coaching job this year. It includes Matt LaFleur, the new head coach in Green Bay. LaFleur, 39, was the Rams' offensive coordinator under McVay in 2017.

"He's one of my closest friends," McVay said of LaFleur. "To see that for him I couldn't be more excited. He's a great football coach with a great understanding of offensive football. He cares about people. He's going to be honest with his communication and he's going to be invested in working really hard and trying to help put guys in good spots. It's an exciting thing for the Packers and for Matt for sure."

Even the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury to be the Cardinals head coach was influenced by McVay. Kingsbury, 39, shares similar offensive views as McVay and is seen as a quarterback guru after coaching Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield at Texas Tech.

Freddie Kitchens' promotion from offensive coordinator to head coach in Cleveland is also viewed in the same mold — a young offensive mind like McVay, who could continue to develop Mayfield.

Clearly, young offensive-minded coaches are in vogue thanks to McVay's development of quarterback Jared Goff and turning the Rams into division champions. His Rams have gone 24-8 and made the playoffs in McVay's first two seasons in Los Angeles.

After losing to the Falcons in the wild-card round last year, the Rams earned a bye to the NFC Divisional round this season, where they faced the NFC East champion Cowboys on Saturday night at the L.A. Coliseum.

Matt LaFleurAP

McVay called the interest in his former assistants and like-minded coaches "flattering for our organization," and gives credit to those he has worked with.

"I think more than anything it's really the Rams' success that we've had," he said earlier this week. "If there's one thing that you do realize over the last couple years is that this is a product of great people around you.

"It would be naïve to think that any of this is about one person and that certainly isn't the case at all," he said. "I think if the last two years have taught me anything being in this role is you better surround yourself with a lot of people that are better than you so that you can learn every day and not feel like you have to have the answers to things that you don't."

Time will tell whether these coaches can match the success of McVay. Ultimately, wins and losses will decide whether each was worthy of their selection. Then it will be on to the next best thing.

How to Plant a Dogwood Tree on the Corner to Make Your House Look Wider

Dogwood flower petals are technically modified leaves.

Landscaping around your home can make it look more attractive, and trees are among the most impressive and useful landscape elements. If you'd like your house to appear wider, plant a tree near its corner, choosing a variety that's not too tall but has a wide canopy. A dogwood (Cornus spp.) is a good example of this type of tree, with a mature height of 15 to 30 feet and a spreading form that can reach 30 feet wide. Spending a little time choosing the site and giving the tree some extra care after planting can help ensure a good outcome.

Choose the Best Spot

Two types of dogwoods work especially well as landscape trees: the common flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), which has white flowers in early spring before leaves appear, and the Korean or kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa), which flowers later in spring, after leaves are on the tree. These trees grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9 and 5 through 8, respectively. Both do best in a spot that gets partial shade -- they need sun to promote flowering, but too much sun produces a more upright, less spreading tree. Depending on how your house is situated, choose a corner that gets morning sun and afternoon shade, such as a corner with an eastern or northeastern exposure. If this isn't an option, a south- or west-facing site that's shaded in the afternoon by larger trees or another building can also work.

Give It Enough Space

When deciding on the exact site for a dogwood, take a careful measurement from your house to give the tree enough room to spread. A well-developed, mature dogwood tree has a vaselike form, with branches that spread out gracefully from the center of the tree. Whether you choose a common dogwood or a kousa dogwood, dig the planting hole at least 15 feet away from the house, so the tree can eventually reach its full width, maximizing its ability to make your house look wider. If there's already a border around the corner of your house, extend it out to surround the new planting area, because this helps visually integrate the tree into the landscape surrounding your home.

Plant It Carefully

If your dogwood is balled, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; for a bare root tree, make the hole twice as wide as the cluster of roots. Set the tree about 2 inches higher in the hole than it was previously, to allow for a small amount of settling after planting. Place the tree in the hole, untie and fold back any burlap that's on it, and backfill the hole with topsoil, tamping the soil as you go. Water the tree when the hole is one-half full and again when it has been filled. Once the water drains away, tamp the soil well and add more, if needed. If the site is sloped, it's a good idea to use extra soil to build a level "saucer" around the disturbed area, to slow runoff of rainwater under the tree, giving it time to soak in.

Give It Special Care

Once the dogwood is planted, keep it well watered to minimize transplant shock. During dry spells, water the tree, aiming for about 1 inch of water weekly, including rain. It's best to water slowly to minimize runoff and allow water to penetrate the soil -- using a soaker hose or drip irrigation can help accomplish this. Add a 3- to 4-inch thick layer of organic mulch to the soil under the tree's canopy to help conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds, but keep it at least 6 inches away from the trunk of the tree to prevent fungal problems. The new tree needs no added fertilizer.

About the Author

Joanne Marie began writing professionally in 1981. Her work has appeared in health, medical and scientific publications such as Endocrinology and Journal of Cell Biology. She has also published in hobbyist offerings such as The Hobstarand The Bagpiper. Marie is a certified master gardener and has a Ph.D. in anatomy from Temple University School of Medicine.

Photo Credits

Thinkstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images

Hetzler column: Getting to the root of the matter when planting a tree

Planting a tree isn't rocket science, which is good thing. If it were that complex, I'd wager we'd have a lot fewer trees lining our streets. It may not take a scientist to plant a tree correctly, but a lot of money is spent each year to buy and plant trees which may as well be leased, because they will only live a fraction of their expected lifespan.

When trees decline and die after 15, 20 or even 30 years, the last thing we probably suspect is shoddy planting. Although landscape trees like mountain-ash and birch have naturally short lives, a sugar maple or red oak should easily last a hundred or more years. Yet all too often, a long-lived species will expire at 20 because it was planted "fast and dirty." You can find examples of trees declining as an age-class in housing developments, and especially along New York State routes where Department of Transportation low-bid contractors replaced trees cut down for road improvements. One may as well consider such trees rentals, not purchases.

Deep planting sets the stage for a sickly tree headed for an early death. Every tree comes with a handy "depth gauge" called the trunk flare, which should be visible above the original soil grade. If the trunk looks more like a fence post where it goes into the ground, the tree has been planted too deep.

Given their druthers, tree roots extend two-to-three times the branch length, or drip line. When a good-size tree is dug in the nursery, between 80 and 90 percent of its roots are cut off by the tree spade used to dig it. The term transplant shock refers to this catastrophic loss of roots. Obviously, trees can and do survive transplanting, but they need to get their roots back. Initially, a good deal of root re-growth happens within the root ball. Fibrous roots proliferate in the original soil plug, and for a time the tree is much like a potted plant even though it may look like it has a world of room.

When a transplanted tree begins to send out roots from the root ball, it's essential they be able to penetrate into the soil around it. Any barrier, no matter how slight, can induce a root to turn aside in search of an opening. Barriers include compacted soils — a common condition in road rights-of-way — as well as heavy clay, stones and other buried objects. Even the burlap around the root ball has been shown to cause roots to circle around inside the fabric. To make matters worse, much of the burlap used today contains synthetic material which does not break down. Wire cages surrounding the burlap can last decades, and often cause further problems as roots enlarge.

Over time, tiny circling roots become large circling roots. As they increase in diameter they constrict one another. If the wire cage is left on the root ball, roots more frequently encounter wires as they thicken and lengthen, which cause further cutting and constriction. Circling roots near the surface eventually become girdling roots which begin to strangle the trunk, either partially or wholly, below the soil line. This cuts off water and nutrients to part or all of the crown, and stress symptoms like early fall color and twig dieback appear.

learn to plant

If you would like to learn how to plant trees that your grandchildren can point to with pride, join St. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell Cooperative Extension on from 9 a.m. to noon next Saturday in Canton's Bend-In-The-River Park at 90 Lincoln St. for a workshop on tree planting and care. The class is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested.

To register or for more information, call the Soil and Water Conservation District at 315-386-3582.

Paul Hetzler is a natural resource and horticultural educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.

Here's how to plant a tree every time Trump says something dumb about climate change

Disclosure

Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work. Treespond is fighting Trump's lies about climate change by planting trees.

Image: Treespond

Imagine, for a second, that you had one of those stress balls that you could squish in your palm whenever Trump said something about the environment that really frustrated you.

Now imagine that a tree popped out whenever you used it.

Treespond, a campaign that allows users to sponsor the planting of a tree in response to Trump's misleading commentary about climate change, launched earlier this week. Treepex, the nonprofit behind Treespond, hopes to harness your political frustration and turn it into carbon sequestering forests.

The idea for the campaign came when Bacho Khachidze, Treepex's cofounder, noticed how frustrated people got about climate change deniers. "It's normal to get angry when people with power spread false information about a problem that needs urgent attention, their words can do real damage," he admitted, "But we wanted to provide people with something actionable they could do that wasn't, like, screaming back."

And you wouldn't be faulted for screaming at your phone every time you see Trump tweet something about climate change. Just take a look at some gems from the past:

grrrrrrr

Grrrr!

GRRRRR!!!! This is where Treespond comes in.

Each tree costs $9.99 to plant and comes with a certificate with your tree's ID number, a photograph of the tree, and its geographical location. The idea recalls the now clichéd Star Registry, that allows people to name a star in someone's name. Though stars, of course, do not come with biodegradable tags.

Each tree comes with an NFC biodegradable tag that tracks tree growth.

Here's how it works: Treespond has a variety of Trump quotes, each assigned a fixed number of trees that you can sponsor. You can't specifically plant a tree in honor of your own personal favorite Trump lie that's not part of the collection, but there are plenty of poor statements to choose from.

Just some of the Trump quotes you can select to pay for a tree.

The site feels not unlike a video game, where certain quotes remain unlocked, only to be revealed in due time. Also, donors can see how many trees are left for a quote and are thus encouraged to donate more  to complete the quote's goal. 

Though Treepex normally allows users to choose between Georgia, Africa, and the U.S. to sponsor tree planting, trees planted with Treespond are specifically planted in California, where wildfires have decimated miles of forest land. Climate scientists tie the recent proliferation of wildfires to environmental factors such as changing precipitation and soil moisture levels, both of which are linked to climate change. 

It should be pointed out that planting one tree, ten trees, or even a hundred, will not remedy the harm human pollution has wrought on the planet. If we are really serious about fighting climate change, we need to put pressure on governments to enact policy changes that move away from fossil fuels, conserve remaining forests, and promote sustainable agriculture. Additionally, we should be putting pressure on our representatives to push for the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement.

And so, the point is not that Treespond will save our planet, rather that it is one nice thing (or ten or hundred nice things) that you can do alongside other efforts to counter the effects of pollution. Trees absorb as much as 30 percent of the planet's carbon emissions, but deforestation caused by logging, agriculture, and wildfire are shrinking this valuable resource. 

Though small in nature, the gesture of planting a tree holds symbolic weight: It can represent the voice of those listening to the Earth's pain and working to heal it.

Want to Fight Air Pollution? New Study Says Planting Hedges is More Effective Than Planting Trees

If you want to protect your lungs from nearby road pollution, new research says you should be planting some hedges as the most effective way to cleanse the air.

In a paper published in Atmospheric Environment, researchers looked at how three types of road-side green infrastructure – trees, hedges, and a combination of trees with hedges and shrubs – affected the concentration levels of air pollution. The study used six roadside locations in Guildford, UK, as test sites where the green infrastructure was between 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) away from the road.

The University of Surrey researchers found that roadsides that only had hedges were the most effective at reducing pollution exposure, cutting the black carbon by up to 63%.

They also observed an appreciable reduction in harmful heavy metals that originated from the traffic.

LOOK: City is Converting Highway Pillars into Vertical Gardens to Clean the Air

Roadsides with only trees showed no positive influence on pollution reduction at breathing height, as the tree canopy was too high to provide a barrier/filtering effect for road-level tailpipe emissions.

MORE: Don't Rake Those Leaves – Good for Your Yard, and the Planet

"The best way to tackle pollution is to control it at the source," said Professor Prashant Kumar, the study's senior author and founding director of the university's Global Centre for Clean Air Research. "However, reducing exposure to traffic emissions in near-road environments has a big part to play in improving health and well-being for city-dwellers."

"There are many miles of fences in urban areas that could be readily complemented with hedges to reduce pollution exposure for pedestrians, cyclists and people who live close to roads. Urban vegetation should be about much more than just trees on wide urban roads."

(Source: University of Surrey)

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Research With Your Friends On Social Media

How to Grow a Tangerine Tree

Tangerines have red-orange peels and plenty of seeds.

The tangerine tree (Citrus reticulata) is a variety of mandarin that produces small, thin-skinned fruit similar to an orange. Tangerines are evergreen and grow about 10 to 15 feet tall, although old trees can reach 25 feet. The trees need full sun and well-draining soil. A southern exposure is best for planting to allow maximum sunlight for fruit production and warmer temperatures to protect from frost. Grow tangerine trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11.

1

Dig or till 2 to 4 inches of compost into the soil before planting, especially if the soil is mostly clay or sand.

2

Dig a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball. Set the tree in the center of the hole and loosen any compacted roots from the ball. Back-fill the hole until the top inch of the roots is above the soil surface. Water the tree and fill in any air pockets as the soil settles. Space multiple trees at least 10 feet apart.

3

Water enough to keep soil moist but not wet for the first two years. In the summer, this may be twice a week. Water young trees about 12 inches deep near the trunk and over the root zone. Reduce watering as the tree matures, allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry before watering older trees to a depth of 2 to 3 feet.

4

Fertilize trees beginning the first spring after planting. Use a citrus fertilizer, applied according to the manufacturer's suggested rates. Divide the suggested yearly application into thirds, making the one-third applications in March, May and June. Apply the fertilizer over the root zone rather than at the base of the trunk.

5

Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost mulch starting 12 inches from the trunk and ending about 12 inches past the drip zone. Re-apply the mulch each spring.

6

Prune only as needed to remove dead, damaged or diseases branches, suckers, water sprouts and branches that cross over other branches. Prune in early spring after the last frost but before new growth appears. Make cuts with a pruning saw just outside the branch collar to remove whole limbs. Cut 6 inches into healthy wood to remove partial limbs. Make the cuts at a 45-degree angle 1/4-inch outside a bud, leaf node or lateral branch.

7

Remove any fruit that appears before the third year of growth to allow the tree to concentrate its energy on developing a strong root system and canopy. Thin heavy crops of tangerines to keep the heavy fruit from snapping branches if it appears that there is more fruit than the tree can bear.

Things You Will Need

Compost

Shovel

Citrus fertilizer

Mulch

Pruning saw

Tip

Cover young trees with a frost cloth when a freeze is expected during the first three years of growth.

Warning

Check with local utilities before you dig.

]]> About the Author

Jill Kokemuller has been writing since 2010, with work published in the "Daily Gate City." She spent six years working in a private boarding school, where her focus was English, algebra and geometry. Kokemuller is an authorized substitute teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa.

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It’s fig season: How to grow them, what to do with the harvest

Leila Navidi

Owner Brian Brown picks some figs that he grows at the China Ranch Date Farm located near the southern end of Death Valley National Park Thursday, June 4, 2009.

By Katie Visconti, Special to the Sun

Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 | 2 a.m.

Figs are considered the first cultivated crop, dating back to prehistoric times.

Can a fruit tree rich in vitamins and fiber thrive in the heat of the Vegas summer? You better believe it. In your very own backyard, you can harvest figs and add them to your favorite meals—all with a little basic gardening knowledge. Here's what you need to know before you grow.

Figs 101

Fig trees have been around for so long that remnants of the fruit have been found in Neolithic sites dating back to 5000 B.C. They originated in northern Asia and spread to the Mediterranean. Spanish missions brought figs to Southern California in 1520, and almost 700 years later, they remain a popular crop throughout the U.S.

Tips for Planting

Fig trees and their flowers are female, meaning they are self-pollinating and do not need to cross-pollinate with another tree to create fruit.

Fig trees (Ficus carica) thrive in the desert, making them the perfect addition to any yard. But patience is key. Fig trees can take 3-4 years to produce a viable crop. When they do, fig trees produce crops twice a year. The second crop is typically the most fruitful—producing edible figs. Harvest time is typically between June and September.

1. Plant in the cooler seasons. Figs do best when starting out in the cooler months. Fig trees need "chill hours"—winter hours when temperatures go below 45 degrees. They require 8-10 hours of full sunlight a day.

2. Plant in a sunny spot away from winter winds.

Use a soil probe to make sure you are watering to a depth of three feet below the soil.

3. Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the roots, and plant two to four inches deeper that the pot. Trees should be placed 20 feet away from any other building or other trees.

4. Watering every 3-5 days is crucial, especially during summer months. During the winter, fig trees can go two weeks without water.

Best Figs to Grow

• Brown Turkey: If you don't plan on drying and canning, these are the best for eating raw.

• Black Mission: These figs freeze and preserve better.

Ripe for the Picking

Figs last about 2-3 days after being picked, and can be frozen for long-term storage.

Unlike many other fruits, figs do not ripen after they are picked. Here's what to look for when picking:

1. Change in color: Unripe figs are small and green in color. When common figs like Brown Turkey and Black Mission are ripe, they turn brown or purple.

2. Change in appearance: Ripe figs hang droopy on the tree and soften.

3. Change in size: As figs ripen, they will grow in size. Not noticing a size difference? Your tree may be lacking water.

What does it taste like?

Mature fig trees will grow to be 15 to 30 feet tall.

When you bite into a ripe fig, you'll notice a honey-like sweetness and dried berries. They are best eaten raw—you can eat the entire fig (aside from the stem) or you can peel them. The sweet fruit is part of the mulberry family and technically a flower. Figs are called inverted flowers because the bloom is on the inside—that's all the tiny internal seeds you see.

What to do with them

A small handful of figs has about 20 percent of your daily value of dietary fiber. They also are a good source of potassium, iron, copper and B6 vitamins.

• Roasted with honey: Roast figs in the oven and drizzle honey over them. Serve with cheese (brie or goat cheese) or over ice cream for an extra sweet desert.

• Wrap in bacon: Wrap figs in bacon or prosciutto and bake.

Fig Newtons made their debut in 1892.

• In a salad: Adding fig halves to your salad is a nutritional and delicious benefit.

• Dry it out or make jam: If you want to stretch your crop for year-round eating, consider dehydrating or preserving figs for longer shelf life.

This story originally appeared in the Las Vegas Weekly.

Learn to grow fruit trees, edible plants and bird-friendly landscapes

All events are free or included in the cost of admission unless otherwise noted.

Sunday

Cool Season Vegetable Gardening â€" Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Road. Learn how to grow edible plants during the cool fall and winter seasons. 1-2:30 p.m. Sept. 9. 594-5275.

How to Propagate Plants â€" Eckstrom-Columbus Public Library, 4350 E. 22nd St. Learn different methods to create more plants from old favorites. 2-3:30 p.m. Sept. 9. 594-5245.

Tuesday

Master Gardener Presentation: Fruit Trees â€" El Rio Public Library, 1390 W. Speedway. Learn which fruit trees thrive in our climate, which don’t and why; learn how to plant and care for trees. Adults and teens. 4-5:30 p.m. Sept. 11. 594-5245.

Wednesday

Cool Season Vegetable Gardening â€" Woods Memorial Public Library, 3455 N. First Ave. Learn how to grow edible plants during the cool fall and winter seasons. 5:30-7 p.m. Sept. 12. 594-5445.

Thursday

Yarnivores â€" Murphy-Wilmot Public Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road. Bring a brown-bag dinner and join a group devoted to yarn art. 6-7 p.m. Sept. 13. 594-5420.

Friday

Meet the Merchants â€" Midtown Mercantile Merchants, 4443 E. Speedway. Open house with wine and appetizers. 4-7 p.m. Sept. 14. 777-7275.

Saturday

Mission Garden â€" 946 W. Mission Lane. A living agricultural museum of Sonoran Desert-adapted heritage fruit trees, traditional local heirloom crops, and edible native plants. 8 a.m.-noon. Sept. 15. Donations accepted. 971-2385.

Gardening for the Birds â€" Murphy-Wilmot Public Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road. Learn how to plant a bird-friendly landscape. 10-11:30 a.m. Sept. 15. 594-5620.