Plants in the News

[David Pilling]

Alan Titchmarsh brings audience to tears with stunning performance on All Star Musicals

"The Classic FM presenter earned a standing ovation on last night's All Star Musicals, following his beautiful performance of 'Some Enchanted Evening'.

Alan Titchmarsh, a Classic FM presenter and Britain's favourite gardener, stunned viewers on ITV's new show All Star Musicals."

https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/videos/alan-titchmarsh-all-star-musicals-performance/

[David Pilling]

Gardener shares £1.50 plant that 'small pests' hate to repel them from shrubs

"As well as being a flavour booster in Italian cooking, the fragrant natural oils in basil can also trick insects. It contains a chemical called methyl eugenol, which masks the attractive odours of food that bugs flock to by blocking their sensory receptors."

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/gardener-shares-150-plant-small-30675060

[David Pilling]

Lahaina's Banyan Tree Stands Yet Much Hawaiian History Is Gone

"The historic Hawaiian port town's massive Banyan tree — standing over 60 feet tall with a canopy that has grown to cover more than half an acre — has been the backdrop for endless selfies. "

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/opinion/maui-fire-lahaina-banyan-tree.html

[David Pilling]

TREE OF THE YEAR 2023

"Vote for your favourite tree to help us crown this year's Tree of the Year.

Our amazing shortlist was handpicked by our expert panel, along with one People's Choice tree chosen from public nominations on social media. Now is your chance to vote for your favourite urban contender and help us crown a Tree of the Year 2023 champion. The winner will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year competition!"

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/tree-of-the-year/

[David Pilling]

Photosynthesis photography: Making images with living plant leaves

"How to make photographs using plant leaves: the technique, examples, f/0.5 camera lens construction, and tips & tricks that I learned along the way."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qETedzsFIE

[ksayce]

Huntington Gardens's corpse flower is starting to open-this is the live stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP62Xh_12z0 
Here's the main page: https://huntington.org/corpse-flower , which also has a time lapse video from 2022.

[David Pilling]

Warning over Christmas gnomes being left in people's gardens - as police reveal sinister motive

"North Wales Police said it was aware of gnomes being left in people's front gardens in the Broughton area of Flintshire.

If the gnome is not collected by the resident, the property is likely to be empty and burglars could view it as an easy target."

https://news.sky.com/story/christmas-gnomes-are-being-left-in-peoples-gardens-and-theres-a-sinister-motive-12955389

(the old reverse Trojan horse ploy).

[David Pilling]

The turbo-charged plants that could boost farm output

"One aspect of plant growth that hasn't seen significant improvement is conversion efficiency - how effectively a plant converts solar radiation to biomass through photosynthesis.

Prof Long says that photosynthesis in current varieties of crops, like wheat and soybeans, has barely improved in decades.

He is principal investigator and director of a project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (Ripe), which aims to genetically tweak plants to increase their yields by improving their ability to photosynthesise.

Prof Long and his team have used powerful computers to build a digital twin of the photosynthesis process. It can tweak that process in millions of ways.

From those millions of options the software can identify those that will make the biggest improvements."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66798680

[David Pilling]

Devious parasitic plant convinces host to grow into its own flesh

"These mushroom-like flowers shed significant amounts of their core genes, including those related to photosynthesis, in order to achieve better synchronisation with its host plants."

https://news.sky.com/story/devious-parasitic-plant-convinces-host-to-grow-into-its-own-flesh-12966128

[Judy Glattstein]

Not bulbs, however these fascinating plants with gigantic flowers are now declared at risk of extinction.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/world-s-largest-flower-is-in-danger-of-extinction-scientists-warn/ar-AA1h6xzo?cvid=a6971990ed3d479e885ae1be40ef6f63&ei=19

[David Pilling]

Alan Titchmarsh mourns closure of world's oldest gardening magazine

"Amateur Gardening publishes its final issue in October after rising costs of print and cover-mounted seeds and a fall in advertising revenue"

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/27/alan-titchmarsh-amateur-gardening-closure-percy-thrower/

[Judy Glattstein]

Yesterday I received a similar message from the Hobby Greenhouse Association:

          This issue marks a new era for HGA with going with an all-digital format/delivery system. We have reduced our membership rates to $10 per year and $18 for 2 year memberships to reflect the lowering of overhead of printing and mailing the paper copy.  This was a very difficult decision for the HGA Board as everyone loved the paper copy.  The loss of our printer and being unable to find another printer forced us to make this decision.  We hope you will stay with us through this difficult time.  We have a lot more indoor plant knowledge to share along with the articles members submit to help others grow their plants to their full potential.
          Enjoy the Fall Magazine as you ease into the next season.  Stay safe and healthy.

[David Pilling]

Does vinegar kill weeds? Expert advice on getting rid of unwanted plants

"Get the lowdown on whether vinegar can destroy the weeds that invade flowerbeds and borders"

https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/does-vinegar-kill-weeds

[David Pilling]

Farmers turn to tech as bees struggle to pollinate

"Based on a moshav, or collective farm, in central Israel, Mr Sade is the founder of tech firm BloomX. He says that the company has found a way to mechanically pollinate crops in a similar way to bees."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66807456

[David Pilling]

How to turn a bare patio into a year-round flower yard

"Arthur Parkinson shares his advice for gardening in pots for year-round character and interest, even in the smallest of outside spaces"

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/how-to-grow/how-to-turn-a-bare-patio-into-a-year-round-flower-yard/