Rain is a Four-Letter Word

"Into each life a little rain must fall" observed the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, although probably not with April showers in mind--or that rain is a four-letter word. Nevertheless, spring rain builds up reserves in the soil against later desiccation. Early perennials and bulbs welcome it--and so do slugs. Lawns greening up are a reminder that lawnmowers require servicing. Time too for checking blades of spades, hoes and lawn edgers. Sharpening with a flat file can make the difference between modest exercise and an aching back.

Diversion No. 1 Want to be Edmonton's goat boss? Now is your chance--we're not kidding. The city is hiring to oversee the weed-eating herd. Officials are accepting job applications for the official position of 'goat coordinator' that pays up to $43 per hour for up to 11 months of the year You can help city trees survive. The lack of water is a key stressor for urban trees. A recent study finds that urban trees can survive increased heat and insect pests fairly well--unless they are thirsty. Insufficient water not only harms the trees but allows other problems to have an outsized effect on urban trees in urban environments, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. Diversion No. 2 The best tool to fight crime may be a lawnmower, suggests Roni Dengler, Science. That's the conclusion of a new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which shows that sprucing up vacant lots by doing s little as picking up trash and cutting the grass curbed gun violence in poor neighbourhoods in a major US metropolis, Philadelphia, by nearly 30%. Anyone wanting to brighten up a slightly-shaded spot should seek out Disporum cantoniense 'Moonlight', a compact perennial with arching stems clothed with green and white leaves, suggests Martyn Cox, writing for Brit-based The Mail on Sunday. But if you are not an admirer of multi-hued or 'variegated' foliage, although many are, return to its forbear Canton Fairy Bells. This neglected beauty from south China tolerates heavy shade in locations with moist, humid soil and zones 5-10. The white to greenish-yellow flowers in early to midsummer are followed by black berries. 4'At four feet tall it needs to be positioned in the middle or rear of the border although it will likely spread just two feet.

Diversion No. 3 Medieval superstition: wearing a wild radish allowed the bearer to see witches, at least on Walpurgis Night, 30 April--also proclaimed as Honest Day and dedicated to politicians everywhere. Japanese cherry trees, Prunus yedoensis, surround the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. They were presented in 1909 by Tokyo Municipal Council as token of friendship but found infected with fungus and destroyed. According to Charles Panati (1989) President William H. Taft's frugal wife, Helen Herron, was an educated, well-travelled woman. On a trip to Tokyo, she was impressed with a profusion of flowering trees and became instrumental in the planting in 1912 of three thousand Japanese cherry blossoms along the Potomac. Panati fails to mention that this second shipment was believed clean but later discovered to harbour the oriental fruit moth, highly destructive to the American peach crop. Diversion No. 4 Use of controversial neonicotinoids insecticides ('neonics') in agriculture is not as effective as once thought and can be replaced by advantageous pest-manage alternatives, according to a study published by the Springer journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research. April has been proclaimed as Garden Month and to remind us of what all gardens are based on the UN recognizes 19-23 April as Global Soil Week. But warning: did you hear what happened when a man fell in love with his garden? It made him wed his plants. The 19^th is both Garlic Day and Banana Day, depending upon your personal tastes. US National Arbor Day falls on the 28^th (also Hairball Awareness Day). The 24^th April is Earth Day--also Firefly Day and that of St. Ivo, patron saint of lawyers (Be Kind to Lawyers Day is the 11^th April, also recognized as Pets Day). St. George's Day is on the 23^rd with possible protests by PETA against cruelty to dragons although some claim a shortage of these beasts is blamed by a lack of virgins. The same day, however, you are urged to 'Talk Like Shakespeare,' forsooth. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Goodwood, Ontario a short drive northeast of Toronto, check out Richters free seminars Saturday 2-3pm afternoons. 8 April: Time to Start Your Herb Garden with Koilu Sulev, Richters Herbs: planning and making changes; 22 April: Trials, Tribulations and Triumph of a Teenage Tomato Gardener with Emma Biggs, 12-year-old gardener, co-author of Grow Gardeners: how to fit lots of tomatoes into a small space; 29 April Herb Day Celebrating Hops with Doug Warren, brewmaster, Second Wedge Brewery: hops are herb of the year and not just because of beer. More at Richters.com.

Wes Porter——Bio and Archives

Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.