Gardening at Cooperative Extension

[miolchu]

I had 98 Catalpa seedlings in a germination tray when I transplated them into conetainers. The only spot available for the container flat was by the furnace in the Master Gardener heated high tunnel. All but six promptly collapsed. Now I will need to germinate more in an unheated high tunnel and will have to hope we don't have a spring freeze this year.

Gardening in Wyoming is a lot like gambling but not quite as expensive.

At least my ponderosa seedlings are thriving.

[FriedaKateM]

Tom, the only experience I've had in the past regarding starting trees, was when I planted seeds from a Kentucky Coffee Tree, into dirt in a coffee can. I had several that sprouted, planting some myself, & giving two to my nearest neighbor, out where I used to live. Was driving around with one of my sons a few years ago, stopped at their place, talked with their oldest son, who still lives there. I mentioned something about the trees, & he proudly pointed out the two trees, quite tall & still thriving, just north of the house. Joan

[Alastair]

I was thinking about planting a Rowan tree outside my house. There used to be a beech tree there but it got diseased and had to be cut down. Used to have a Rowan tree at the entrance to my home in Scotland. They say a Rowan tree wards off evil.

Alastair

[miolchu]

Rowans and other members of Rosidae are susceptible to fireblight, a bacteria infection caused by the critter Erwinia amylovora. It is spread by insects, water and requires protecting the tree from wounds and making sure your local garden supply stocks antibiotics. This is not a big problem out in bone dry Wyoming but could be a problem in Ontario.

I kind of envy you in Ontario because you can grow sugar maples. The only maples that will grow here are boxelder and the occasional Rocky Mtn maple (a shrub).

[Alastair]

I made sure I had the account of how to make Maple sugar on the site <grin>

Alastair

[miolchu]

When I was 7 my father was transferred to an Air Force Base in Massachusetts. I can remember weekend drives to Vermont in late winter to purchase tins of maple syrup. It's too long a drive from where I live now. I will have to locate your How to Make Maple Sugar on ES

[miolchu]

Is this the article? http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...cles/hints.htm

[Alastair]

That is one of them but there are at least two others from a couple of books I did on pioneering in Canada.

Alastair

[Hugh]

When I lived in Quebec, spring was marked by the onset of sugaring off. There would be parties going to the sugar bush to watch the maple syrup being made and the hot syrup was poured onto snow to cool it off and make maple toffee, or as it was called in Quebec, tire d'erable. It kind of made those last days of winter more tolerable.

Cheers,

Hugh

[Alastair]

I found the article I was looking for and you'll find it at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter17.htm

Alastair