First Ever You-Pick Blueberry Event

by Maureen "Mo" James

The morning started off steamy and warmed up from there. There were 17 rows of 40-year-old blueberry bushes packed with fruit, and plenty of people visited with bags and buckets in hand.

The event proceeds benefited 4-H Camp and raised $389.00! While that might calculate to almost 100 pounds of blueberry sales, a good bit of that was thanks to generous "round it up to the nearest $20.00" donations.

Our own Bob Ary even stopped by to pick a bucket for himself. We joked that we should have weighed him before he ventured off into the bushes because he was gone quite a while! Our suspicions were confirmed when upon his return to our tent, he stuck out his dark blue tongue! It was all in good fun and he was a good sport about our teasing.

When I arrived home with my blueberries, I couldn't resist making a cobbler. And pancakes. And then, of course, my husband and I ate plenty of the juicy berries before they went into the refrigerator for other desserts.

Karen House suggested we open the following Saturday to the public so many others could enjoy the bounty and hard work of former gardeners who planted all of those bushes so long ago.

Everyone agreed that this garden should be shared, as well as the beautiful Monarch Waystation, Pollinator Garden, Trial Seed Garden, and Three Sisters Garden.

In just a short time, all of these spaces have grown to flaunt some gorgeous greenery!

Ditch the Tiller, Unleash the Earthworms: Why No-Till Gardening is the Secret to Healthy Soil

by Kathy Doss

When talking about soil fertility, we typically consider its chemical properties. While crucial for plant growth, the chemical properties of soil (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) represent just one aspect of soil fertility. Physical and biological properties, often overlooked, are equally important for healthy soil. Soil disturbances like tilling can significantly disrupt these aspects of soil health.

The physical properties refer to the structure of the soil, how particles of soil are grouped together into aggregates. Aggregates are granules or clumps of soil made up of sand, silt, and clay glued together by organic matter. Well-structured soil allows for air and water to move freely through it while retaining moisture for plant growth. This encourages deeper root growth and prevents erosion.

Tilling shatters these aggregates, reducing their size and stability, making the soil susceptible to compaction and erosion. Tillage also accelerates the decomposition of organic matter by stimulating microbial activity. Since organic matter acts like the glue binding soil particles into aggregates, its rapid loss weakens remaining aggregates. Over time, the fertility of the tilled soil is degraded.

Weakened aggregates are more vulnerable to wind and water erosion. Topsoil, the most fertile layer of soil, is where the vast majority of organic matter resides. This organic matter is crucial for nutrient retention. Nearly half of the phosphorus and almost all the potassium readily available for plants is concentrated in topsoil. Erosion washes away this precious topsoil, depleting the land and polluting waterways.

The biological properties refer to the living world within the soil. From earthworms to bacteria to fungi, these organisms form a food web that decomposes organic matter and releases nutrients in the process. While single-celled microbes might survive tilling, larger organisms like earthworms and fungal networks (hyphae) can be destroyed. No-till practices create a haven where these beneficial organisms can thrive.

Earthworms are champions of healthy soil. They act as natural tillers, constantly consuming organic matter like decaying leaves and plant material. As they burrow through the soil, they ingest this material and mix it with beneficial microbes in their digestive system. This process creates worm castings, a nutrient-rich excretion that improves soil fertility.

Unfortunately, traditional tillage practices can disrupt these earthworm benefits. A study by scientists at University College Dublin, Ireland, found a "systematic decline in the earthworm population" in tilled soils. Conversely, "less disturbed soil" showed a "significant increase in earthworm abundance." This highlights the importance of minimizing tillage practices to maintain a healthy earthworm population for optimal soil health.

Soil fungi also play a nourishing role for plants. Some fungi form beneficial relationships with plant roots, attaching to the roots and extending root-like filaments that access water and nutrients that are beyond the plant's reach. Tilling disrupts these delicate fungal networks denying the plant these extra nutrients.

No-till practices improve soil by promoting better aggregate structure, encouraging earthworm activity, and favoring fungal growth. This approach contributes to a healthier and more fertile soil for plant growth.

References

https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/frequent-tillage-and-its-impact-soil-quality

http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet95.pdf

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170508095152.htm

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.4141/p03-160

https://extension.umn.edu/managing-soil-and-nutrients/reducing-tillage-your-garden

https://ucanr.edu/sites/glennmg/files/278231.pdf

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/SoilHealthPractices.pdf

The Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden

by Nola Hastings

Last month I had the opportunity to visit what is considered the world's northernmost botanical garden. Located on the campus of the Arctic University of Norway, the Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden contains a variety of rare Arctic plants, as well as plants from mountainous regions around the world.

It was an amazing experience to spend nine days in Tromso, Norway, 350 kilometers (217 miles) above the Arctic Circle. Known as the land of the “midnight sun” where from late April to late August the sun shines 24 hours a day! In case you’ve forgotten your geography lessons, this phenomenon is the result of the seasonal tilt of the Earth toward the sun during the Arctic (or Antarctic) summer.

I was fortunate to tag along with my son, a graduate student in Information Sciences at UT Knoxville, as he presented his research at the 29th Polar Libraries Colloquy. The colloquy is an international forum for those concerned with collection, preservation, and dissemination of information dealing with the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

With a boreal climate in which summers are short and cool, Northern Norway’s flower season usually starts in the first days of May and lasts until the first snow in October. We enjoyed seeing a variety of colorful plants which are grown in rock crevices and boulders covered in lichen and moss. I recognized some of my favorite flowers, such as Ranunculus, Peony, Anemone, and Trillium, but perhaps the most impressive was the deep, blue-flowered species of poppy Meconopsis grandis, the Himalayan blue poppy. I highly recommend a trip to Tromso and the Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden.

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