There is a really interesting course, What a Plant Knows and
Other Things You Didn’t Know About Plants, being offered at the free MOOC
(Massive Open Online Course) platform Coursera.
This course explores the question: Do plants have senses? The course topics include how plants sense
their environment; how scientists study plant senses; and classic and modern
experiments in plant biology. The teachers suggest that we may even start to
question what defines us as humans. The
course has already begun but is still open; however, you will need to register
by Tuesday, Oct. 8, if you would like to register for professional credits (a
fee is associated with that option.) Find this course by visiting
https://www.coursera.org/ and search for the course using the keyword: plants.
Not to sound loopy, but I have wondered if carrots feel anything when we chop
them into pennies, so count me in!
Old Garden Solutions
Together we bring good to life!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Which Fruits and Vegetables are Super Toxic and Which Are Safe?
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Photo by Evan-Amos Vanamo Media |
EWG's 2013 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ | Summary
*Fortunately, most vegetable gardens include cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Horticultural Therapy Session Planner

Please comment below if you find this planner to be useful, or if you have suggested improvements to it.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Horticultural Therapy Professional Registration Documentation
Here are two PDF forms that I created to document my hours and activities performed during my internship as I work toward professional registration as a horticultural therapist through the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA). Please feel free to use them.
The daily log is useful for recording activities throughout the day. For example, the following could be penciled in across the first line: 9/16, 10:00-10:30 Setting up for first HT session, .5, 108, and .5 entered in the column marked "Program Planning/Preparation". The results are then tallied and summarized on the hours and percentages form below. Note that neither form is computerized to calculate.
Although I could get by using only the daily log format form and tallying each sheet as they fill up (which would provide a grand tally by the end of your internship), I find it clearer to have my hours summarized using the hours and percentages form (also shown here). The hours form also helps me to monitor if I am getting my hours in the correct ratio of direct client services, non-direct client services, and horticultural services.
Click on either form to get its PDF version. Post any questions you may have in the comments below.
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Internship Daily Log |
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Internship Hours and Percentages |
Click on either form to get its PDF version. Post any questions you may have in the comments below.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Iris Total Recall: A Real Winner in the Garden!

On top of all this, it's proven to be a prolific grower in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. In a year or two, I should have plenty to share, so let me know if your would like some!
If you have a favorite iris, please let everyone know what it is by commenting below. I, for one, would love to add it to my iris collection!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Beets: A Super Healthy Food, But Tasty? Yes!
On a rainy day last spring I dutifully planted beets despite having had little previous success with them. This year was different--I had a bumper crop! They formed big round spheres that, now in September, continue to maintain their sweetness and ideal texture. Perhaps this was due to the variety, Red Cloud Beets (F1 Hybrid; 50 days; Pinetree Seeds), or maybe it was the cooler August temperatures. At any rate, a new problem emerged, how does one eat so many beets? I came up with this recipe that I find delectable! Now I'm a beetaholic!
Beet, Apple, and Wild Greens Salad
1/3 beet (3" diameter), peeled and grated, grown or bought
1/3 apple, not peeled, grated
1/3 c wild greens: dandelion, lambsquarter, miner's lettuce (Claytonia), etc., chopped OR any green: arugula, kale, etc.
1/2 t ginger, fresh, diced (optional)
2 t lime juice
2 t olive oil
8 cashews, raw or toasted, chopped
dash salt
NOTES: Serving Size: 1. Expand by multiplying quantities. Use organic ingredients, if available. Using scissors makes quick work of "chopping" the greens. All quantities can be adjusted to what you have on hand.
I would love to hear if you like this salad in the comments below.
Beet, Apple, and Wild Greens Salad

1/3 apple, not peeled, grated
1/3 c wild greens: dandelion, lambsquarter, miner's lettuce (Claytonia), etc., chopped OR any green: arugula, kale, etc.
1/2 t ginger, fresh, diced (optional)
2 t lime juice
2 t olive oil
8 cashews, raw or toasted, chopped
dash salt
NOTES: Serving Size: 1. Expand by multiplying quantities. Use organic ingredients, if available. Using scissors makes quick work of "chopping" the greens. All quantities can be adjusted to what you have on hand.
I would love to hear if you like this salad in the comments below.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Pokeberry: A Valuable Food Source for Wildlife


If your pokeweed berries are ripe, please comment below as to what birds you have spotted!
*Pokeweed shoots--not the berries!--are edible for humans; however, these greens must be processed properly to eliminate the toxins.
References
Martin, A. C., Zim, H. S., & Nelson, A. L., American Wildlife & Plants, 1951, p. 392. Now available as a Dover reprint, this in an invaluable resource for creating wildlife-friendly gardens!
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