We’ve done a little much-needed upgrading, to the way the site works and the way it looks. A crack team of test elves swarmed all over the site, and didn’t report anything broken, but some of them are pretty slack. So if you find something that isn’t quite right, let us know.
Also, in response to a demand, we’ve put in a Category Cloud, which indicates what we write about. Personally, I find it a trifle misleading, but that’s a discussion we need to have among ourselves. Your thoughts, however, are most welcome. Thanks.
The hype goes on
“More food at lower cost.”
Now there’s a headline packed with potential. Alas, that’s all it has at the moment, potential. Not to denigrate the science of Angharad R. Jones — known to his pals as Harry — and colleagues at the University of Bristol. ((The full paper is in Nature Cell Biology.)) They’ve done some nifty research into what makes plant root hairs grow. It’s a complex study involving a computer model of where the plant hormone ought to be, and the bottom line seems to be that it isn’t where the researchers thought it would be.
Great. A deeper understanding of the development of root hairs is important. Root hairs, after all, are the basis of the plant’s uptake of minerals and water. But the press release goes well beyond that:
This new understanding will be crucial in helping farmers to produce food sustainably and to reduce fertiliser waste, which can cause severe damage to ecosystems.
I’ve written the odd press release myself, and I know how hard it can be to interest reporters in the small individual bricks that make up the building that is scientific understanding. But this kind of reporting is, I fear, going to lead inevitably to overinflated expectations and crushing disappointment.
If anyone notices.
Nibbles: Cheese, Seeds, Elephants
- Never mind big-auto, bail-out for big cheese.
- Millennium Seed Bank (still) pleading poverty.
- Kimani avoids crops, one day at a time.
Nibbles: Coffee
- Get your eco-coffee here. Where? Dominican Republic!
Seed exchange is evil
That’s not my view ((Obviously. Ed.)) but it seems to be what a commenter called Cassandra is saying.
If I could bring myself to be an “evil” person I would offer tons of my “HOMEGROWN” seeds to them and even ship them for free. That way I could get even with all the idiots that are happily transporting their “noxious” weed seeds along with their lovely and so prized Pansy seeds.
It’s time for the United States Dept of Agriculture to step up to the bat and start fining these idiots that are polluting the earth with weeds, among other things.
How about the lady that bought four trees off of a seller on that four “****” letter internet auction site, lovely trees they were. Nice full rootball with plenty of dirt still attached. Little did she know that she was also buying an entire family of “Fire Ants” . Have you ever tried to rid your property of “Fire Ants”?
Those are indeed shocking examples of bad consequences of ignorant seed and plant exchange. Myself, I’m not too sure how you would miss a fire ant nest in a rootball, but then almost all the trees I’ve planted have been bare-rooted dormant specimens. As for weeds among the seeds, again, I tend to sow all seeds in trays or pots, especially those I am experimenting with, maybe growing for the first time. That gives me a chance to select among the seedlings and to discard anything untoward. But I do that regardless of the source of the seeds; public, private, large, small — makes no difference to me.
Cassandra does have a point, but I also think that her ire is misplaced. The kind of people who would use seed exchanges to broaden their experience of agricultural biodiversity probably have a wee bit of indigenous knowledge. Is there any way to stop the spread of invasive weeds? I doubt it. All we can do is be vigilant. And careful.
So if your truly interested in some “AWESOME†Dahlia seeds, they have been in my family for generations please just ask me for them. Be prepared to have your request denied. I don’t even know you and care more about the wellness of your state and property than you do.
Actually, I’ve never grown a dahlia from seed, so yes, Cassandra, I would be interested. You can use the contact form to let me know how I can get in touch, as you forgot to leave an email.