Garden Practices
Friday, August 27th, 2010
This summer saw the removal of the last Malus tschonoskii on campus. As part of our mission to display great plants for Delaware Valley gardeners, we trial new introductions and cultivars of plants. Beginning in the 1980s, Scott Arboretum participated in the National Crabapple Evaluation Program led by Professor Les Nichols of Penn State University. This program evaluated readily available crabapple cultivars in various locations throughout the United States based mainly on disease resistance and aesthetic autumn appeal.
The last Malus tschonoskii on campus has succumb to fire blight. photo credit: R. Robert
Malus tschonoskii was among the over 50 species and cultivars…
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Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Following a full day of soil science education and information exchange with consultant Eric “T” Fleisher, Swarthmore College’s Organic Lawn Care Initiative is one step closer to implementation. As I discussed in my last blog post, I am spending my summer internship helping the Grounds Department and Scott Arboretum transition the five-acre Mertz field into an organic lawn, and Monday, July 12 was a critical day in this process. T’s visit is the first pass toward a feasible and effective detailed program design.
We approached T after hearing about his work on Harvard University’s Soils Restoration Project, upon which our program…
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Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
In the fall 2009, a New York Times article about an innovative organic lawn care project at Harvard University shook the assumptions of other higher education institutions regarding their own landscaping practices. A casual inquiry about Swarthmore’s lawn management by an alumnus who had read the piece sparked a flurry of discussion and activity that will culminate this fall in the implementation of the Scott Arboretum’s first organically maintained lawn.
Instead of applying standard synthetic herbicides and fertilizers to the five-acre field between Mertz dormitory and Magill Walk, gardeners will spread compost and spray compost tea. This organic matter will be carefully…
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