Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2009

The Recession Garden.    [ April 22, 2009 ]
Looking through some old magazines, I came across The National Garden Bureau's and the National Victory Garden Institute's posters gracing the front and back covers, respectively, of the July 1976 issue of Horticulture, the publication of the Massachusetts Horticulture Society...

Leeks: A Gourmet Favorite from Ancient Times.    [ April 8, 2009 ]
I stopped by my favorite haunt for early spring ramps, but they were not yet showing. It won't be long and these "wild leeks" will be abundant for about six weeks. In the meantime, I thought about the other leeks...

Signs of Spring to Record.    [ March 25, 2009 ]
March came in like the proverbial lion with snow, single digit temperatures, and howling winds. Where we live, it often starts this way...

Pruning, Renovating and Protecting.    [ March 11, 2009 ]
As we approach the vernal equinox in just nine days, the signal for most landscape caretakers, be they homeowners or employees, is that it's time to consider pruning and renovating your fruit trees and flowering shrubs, and treat for pests you had last year while you still have the control. And, you know, you're just itching to do something productive outdoors anyway...

We Are Plant Stuff.    [ February 25, 2009 ]
It takes about eight minutes for sunbeams to reach the earth's surface. As sunlight strikes leaves, they create sugars, starches and carbohydrates at the astounding rate of 150 billion tons per year. Much of this is stored as solid tissue for the plant's structure. Organisms consume the remainder as food. Green plants are solar energy converters...

A Horticultural Heritage for the Future.    [ February 18, 2009 ]
Congratulations, Sullivan County, on the upcoming celebration of your Bicentennial. Congratulations, also, to the Gerry Foundation and Sullivan Renaissance entering your ninth year partnering in your dedicated and tireless effort to promote community pride and awareness for the rest of the world to witness...

A House Plant: Just What Is It?    [ January 28, 2009 ]
This is the time of year when I have the luxury of spending extra time with my interior plants. My 46 feet long solar heated greenhouse can reach temperatures exceeding the mid-80s while outside it remains in the 20s...

Horticultural News Update.    [ January 14, 2009 ]
Here is my promised (at least annual) update. Please forgive me, if it's a little late. I think it's important to provide this kind of brief snapshot of horticultural related doings around the world that are influencing history, economies, health and nutrition, and increasing awareness in this huge field of study...

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2008

Personal is as "Local" as One Can Get.    [ December 31, 2008]
Reported in the Denver Post this past November 23, a headline read "Down on the farm, a frenzy over free food". This accurately reflects what happens in bad economic times when a kind and generous farm family, the Millers, invite people to gather surplus produce, and 40,000 people show up to haul away as much as they can get...  

Peace and Light.    [ December 17, 2008]
This is my wish for you this holiday season and for the coming year. The light is metaphorical, of course. It is also reality to a host of seasonal flowering plants at this time of year. The appearance of Christmas plants each year isn't always about flowers...  

Homage to the Christmas Star.    [ December 10, 2008]
Note: Article was also published in the Sullivan County Democrat "Gift Guide" - December 5, 2008.
The Aztecs called poinsettias "Cuetlaxochitl", the literal meaning of which is "the flower with leather petals". From the 14th to the 16th centuries they used the sap to control fevers, and the colorful bracts (modified leaves) to make a red dye...  

Around the Corner, or Not.    [ November 19, 2008 for the 26th]
The witch hazel has been flowering across the way for the past few weeks. There is still much to do in preparation for winter, as well as for next spring, if you don't want to be overwhelmed as the snow and ice melt and new green growth begins to appear. That being said, this is a continuation of my last column...  

Winter May Be Just around the Corner.    [ November 5, 2008 ]
We never know exactly when winter conditions will strike. In some years the ground remains unfrozen into January. The first hard frost usually arrives in late September and it was true to form this year...  

Maple Tree Fungus.    [ October 22, 2008 ]
Several years ago I noticed this kind of formation on a very large sugar maple at the corner of Jan's Bungalow Colony and Route 209 just outside of Ellenville. I watched it grow weekly...  

That Other Cranberry.    [ October 8, 2008 ]
It goes by the name American Cranberrybush, American Highbush Cranberry, cherry wood, red elder, rose elder, squaw bush, witch-hobble, crampbark tree and several other nicknames from its rich, native-American past...  

Let's Go Native.    [ September 24, 2008 ]
Autumn is upon us. I've stated repeatedly that fall is the very best time for planting trees and shrubs for the home landscape. What I've not said often enough is that you might consider purchasing and putting in native plants in much higher numbers than non-natives...  

Unsightly, but Not Very Serious.    [ September 10, 2008 ]
Driving home from work the other afternoon, I stopped to take a picture of a tree branch that had a web spread out all over it to its very tip. The leaves that should have been there were dead and mostly gone, eaten, I surmised, by a caterpillar...  

Sweet Pea.    [ August 27, 2008 ]
Reminds me of Popeye's nickname for Olive Oyl, Swee' Pea, or his name for the boy found on his door step that he adopted (just a bit later), also, Swee' Pea...  

Share the Wealth and Other Things, Too.    [ August 13, 2008 ]
Since it is mid-August, I expect that you have either been enjoying the fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden, or you've visited the farmers' market near you and have supplied yourself with their healthy and nutritious offerings. If you grow some produce at home and you have a surplus, remember to share it with those in need...  

What's the Buzz in Horticultural Circles?    [ July 30, 2008 ]
There's always a lot going on the world of horticulture. The following is an attempt to provide an abbreviated update. So many of these are inter-related even if from different parts of the world. Why? The economy is reflected in every corner of the world community...  

Garden Anxiety.    [ July 16, 2008 ]
You might be preoccupied with asking yourself, "What is going on with my vegetable garden?", "I can't be doing everything wrong. I know there are insect problems and diseases out there, but really!   I pay pretty close attention and I just don't get it."...  

Prepare Now for the Fall Garden.    [ July 02, 2008 ]
I know, I know, you're busy harvesting what the garden of now is offering up, early season and maybe a few mid-season vegetables. So far this might have included asparagus, rhubarb, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, peas, summer squash, beets and beans...  

June Garden Calendar.    [ June 18, 2008 ]
It's mid-June, the full moon (Strawberry Moon) is tonight, and as the enlightened ones (are these advisors new to you?) tell us, tomorrow it ought to be safe to put in your tender plants: annuals to their waiting beds and special containers, and vegetables to your gardens...  

Weeds. Saviors or Scourges?    [ June 04, 2008 ]
You know to what I'm referring: the wild plants, Mother Nature's most successful introductions, some of the fastest breeders on the planet, those that spread so far and wide that they take over spaces occupied by other species: weeds by any other name...  

Gardening for the Gourmand.    [ May 21, 2008 ]
Here we are not two weeks behind National Herb Week. Established in 1991 by the International Herb Association, National Herb Week is designated as the week preceding Mother's Day. I felt it was time I wrote about herbs...  

The Tents of Our Discontent.    [ May 07, 2008 ]
In witnessing our very early spring, I report that April 8th thru April 12th temperatures averaged almost 10 degrees F above normal, daily; April 16tth thru April 26th averaged more than 18 degrees F above normal, daily. Finally, by April 27th we've returned to seasonal temperatures with a blessing of some much needed rain the last couple of days...  

Shrubs Need Rejuvenating Now and Then, Too!    [ April 23, 2008 ]
And now is a great time to give them that helping hand. Overgrown scraggly shrubs become an eyesore as well as a deficit in the landscape because their productivity is greatly reduced. It might be a high bush blueberry, a rose of Sharon, a lilac, a hydrangea, or a spirea...  

Spring Q & A for Gardeners.    [ April 09, 2008 ]
The following questions are culled from many dozens that used to come into my phone line each spring. They always seem relevant at this time of year and I thought it good to revisit some of them...  

Getting Close to the Ground and Loving It    [ March 26, 2008 ]
I'll bet one or more of you have longed for ways to reduce the amount of lawn around your home and maybe even replace some of it. Doing so just may increase the pleasure of your surroundings and be greener at the same time...  

True or False?  A Gardener’s Quiz    [ March 12, 2008 ]
There are truths and half-truths, old wives tales, superstitions, proverbs, folk tales, and even aphorisms. There are many handed down notions about gardening and related ideas. Many are valid and many are nonsense....

Looking Ahead: Preparing Your Garden    [ February 29, 2008 ]
Note: This article was submitted for publication in the Sullivan County Democrat.
Whether you rent or own, there’s a pretty good chance that you devote some space to growing something. It might be a houseplant. It might be some flowers. It might even be a vegetable garden....

A Horticultural Update for 2008    [ February 27, 2008 ]
In keeping with my tradition of providing an update twice a year on things horticultural and occasionally agricultural, I decided one is due....

Houseplants Deserve a Valentine    [ February 13, 2008 ]
Loving care of your houseplants will reward you with radiant blossoms, shiny healthy foliage, and beautiful, luxuriant growth. They deserve a valentine at least once a year. More is better, here.  This is a time of year when your houseplants would really appreciate a little extra attention....

Plant Lover, Imagine If You Woke Up in Chicago!    [ January 30, 2008 ]
Most people shop with their eyes. They see something they like and they purchase it. Plant lovers are no different. I submit that they should be....

"Let’s Kick It Up a Notch".    [ January 16, 2008 ]
That imperative is the usual for a popular Food TV host. It’s commonly followed by “Bam!” to accompany the handful of signature spices he throws into the dish he’s preparing...

Try Planting Something Different.    [ January 2, 2008 ]
Did you receive "The Kitchen Counter Herb Garden" from Hammacher Schlemmer as a gift this season? I didn’t either. How about their Upside Down Tomato Garden? No? Nor did I. How about a poinsettia...

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2007

America's First Christmas Tree (?) and Other Surprises   
[ December 19, 2007 ]
On Madison Hill in Wooster, Ohio, there is a tomb. Outside its door each Christmas stands a lighted tree as a tribute to August Imgard, the man credited with introducing the Christmas tree to America. August, a nineteen-year-old German immigrant, missed the tradition of his youth in Bavaria. The heart that is not happy, seeks to fill a void...

A Mid-Winter's Look Back and Forward    [ December 5, 2007 ]
I assume that you've fairly much caught up with all the necessary tasks to button-up the 2007 gardening year. It is December and time to reflect and relax and revisit a lot of notions that you might compartmentalize now, when the mind is less cluttered, for use next year. Some of the following I hope will be useful hints...

Unseen Warfare in the Landscape    [ November 21, 2007 ]
The hulls (technically "pericarps") of sunflower seeds contain an ingredient that is poisonous to most plant life, especially grasses, but even future sunflowers. Beneath most bird feeders that had some sunflower seeds, you will find a telltale bare spot of dead grass and poorly growing weeds...

Downshift, and Prepare for Winter Now    [ November 7, 2007 ]
I promised a follow-up geared toward colder temperatures and more winter oriented objectives. While winter is still held at bay by the forces of nature, there are a variety of things to consider before her arrival...

Bulbs: Plant Spring's First Color Show Now    [ October 24, 2007 ]
A bulb is a compact and compressed plant-to-be. It is an underground foods storage organ, a geophyte, and inside, it includes buds, stem, flowers and leaves. The package is small, and from it will emerge an herbaceous flowering plant. The spring or summer display is a noticeably larger, beautiful miracle of form, color, and often fragrance...

Nature Signals Us to Change Gears    [ October 10, 2007 ]
One look at a more distant vista, the colors on the hillsides, the lengthening shadows, the frost that is imminent each approaching nightfall, the equinox just past, all of these are autumn's invitation to move with a different deliberateness toward new goals...

Sex in the Vegetable Patch and Elsewhere    [ September 26, 2007 ]
How was the sex in your neck of the woods this growing season? Still harvesting those tomatoes, zucchini, and other favorites? Successful sex in your garden and landscape is not always a sure thing. It may take place au naturel after a spring shower, or, perhaps, is assisted by other forces. It may not happen at all...

Horticultural Update - September 2007    [ September 12, 2007 ]
In keeping with my promise made in Nov. 2002, I present a horticultural update for this year 2007. I usually present one at least annually, sometimes more often. I think it is important to provide a brief time capsule of horticultural news that is influencing history and increasing awareness in this huge field...

Horticulture 101: Culinary and Garden Queries.    [ August 29, 2007 ]
I thought it appropriate to address some of the mysteries in the world of food and plants not often discussed. Who could blame me living in a world today where Ratatouille was not only a favorite (when properly prepared) of the late and great Julia Child, but...

Fall Gardens Gaining in Popularity.    [ August 15, 2007 ]
Many vegetable planting charts indicate the best time for planting seeds indoors is generally between February through April, depending on the vegetable. The best time to put out transplants can range from April to August. Yes, August!  Seed planting time outdoors ranges from April to September. Yes, September...

Things to Do in August: Homestead and Gardens.    [ August 1, 2007 ]
I attempt this column with caution. Not everyone may want to read what amounts to me suggesting there is still much to do and pay attention to? You are probably stressed enough trying to fit into your social calendar all of the perks of summer here in paradise...

Vegetable Varieties for Home Gardens.    [ July 25, 2007 ]
Each year Cornell University publishes and distributes through the Cooperative Extension offices around the state a Selected List of Vegetable Varieties that have proven success records over the years. The list is very extensive and covers vegetables from asparagus to zucchini...

Herbs and a Scented Garden.    [ July 11, 2007 ]
Eight species of flowering plants' pollen were found buried in the grave of a Neanderthal man in Iraq. Seven of those plants are still growing in that area, and all are used for medicine. The pollen was deposited 60,000 years ago...

The Deliberate Edible Garden.    [ June 27, 2007 ]
Growing vegetables in a home garden is a deliberate act. It just doesn't happen by accident. Some of the motivation might be to bring some relief to the family's weekly grocery bills. A greater motivation, however, increasingly seems to be to obtain fresh food that is wholesome, pesticide free, and in keeping with what's often only available at local farmers markets...

Flowers Today    [ June 13, 2007 ]
Sometime between 70 and 100 million years ago, a slow explosion took place. Botanists refer to it as the "great radiation". It began in a time when the surface of our earth was green...

Garlic Mustard: Invader from Abroad.    [ June 6, 2007 ]
I believe a weed is a lot more than a plant growing where it's not wanted. It is a plant that is having a negative impact on the economy or health of another ecosystem, be it human, animal, botanical or environmental...

The Ramps Are Here!    [ May 23, 2007 ]
Ramps are the native-American cousins of the widely cultivated, foreign garlic. They are also known as wild leeks and ramsons. Garlic lovers have long been familiar with these unique relatives...

Q & A Time: Annual and Perennial.    [ May 2, 2007 ]
When I see colonies of Coltsfoot pushing through the leaf litter or the remaining snow, or in full glorious yellow bloom along side the road where the snow and ice have melted, I know it's time for Q & A season. Garden and landscape questions are already cropping up....

Elderberries.    [ April 18, 2007 ]
"Thousands of tons are wasted every year". That's what Euell Gibbons said in his field guide edition of "Stalking the Healthful Herbs" first published in 1970....

Not as Rare as Ives ... Burl, That Is    [ April 4, 2007 ]
You might know by now that I enjoy all kinds of music (Burl Ives, included). In an earlier column I wrote about when I was proprietor of a plant store in New York City. I told of a traveling vendor who sold burls of the famous California redwoods...

Ah! Spring!    [ March 21, 2007 ]
Last evening, at 8:07 P.M. EDT, the spring or vernal equinox took place here in the northern hemisphere. Imagine, six months of 12 (beginning today) hours of daylight building to 15 hours by June 21st, and then slowly receding back to 12 by Sept. 23rd.

In Search of the Unexpected: Are Ancient Crops in Our Future?
[ March 07, 2007 ]  My dad couldn't tear me away from a stickball game to help him with his rose bushes... was at this time that I experienced the parasitic plant "dodder" first hand...

A Most Familiar Insect Pest.    [ February 21, 2007 ]
I believe winter is a good time to become acquainted with an insect that you are likely to see a few months from now, just as leaves and buds begin to expand and new growth commences.

A Mid-Winter Garden Calendar.    [ February 7, 2007 ]
It may seem to you that there is nothing under the sun to do at this time of the year that involves your gardens and gardening, except, of course, to read the catalogs that keep showing up...

Brightening the Dull Gray Season.    [ January 24, 2007 ]
I'm writing this column almost as a response to an e-mail I received that had a ticker type calendar attached that informed me that there were two months and a week until spring. I was going to write about the winter that just wouldn't come, or, at the very least, stay for a while. And then everything changed...

Wishing a Sustainable Year to All.    [ January 10, 2007 ]
As we returned home in the late afternoon on Christmas Day, in the failing daylight, snow began to fall. It was the 'frosting' on this beautiful 'cake of a' day. It was a final and treasured gift...

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2006

Deck the Halls.    [ December 27, 2006 ]
The boughs of holly seem made for the season in the traditional red and green. They are gorgeous, with shiny dark green foliage and brilliant scarlet berries. Caution: the leaves bite a bit...

One Golden Bough with a Twist.    [ December 13, 2006 ]
This might be a new Christmas cocktail at one of those trendy after hours clubs, maybe in Livingston Manor (not yet?) or New York's meat packing district. You know, the places where the newest faces in People Magazine gather with celebrities, film producers, models, musicians and superstars from abroad to party the night away...

News, Views, Green Talk, and GM Talk, Too.    [ November 29, 2006 ]
It has been some time since I provided an update regarding horticulture and closely related news. I feel it is never too late for one...

Not Tonight, Deer.    [ November 15, 2006 ]
Seeing and enjoying deer in the landscape has value. Whether you are a photographer, a hiker, camping enthusiast, bird watcher, fisherperson or hunter, you spend a lot of time outdoors and are probably rewarded with some closer than normal encounters with the whitetail deer...

A Raised Bed Garden: A Fall Chore is A Spring Joy.    [ November 1, 2006 ]
It occurred to me after my last column, that I've recommended raised bed gardening more than a couple of times, but I don't think I ever gave many solid reasons why or advice about how to create one. To many gardeners it might be intuitive...

A Naughty Lady from Shady Lane.    [ October 18, 2006 ]
There is a terrorist in our midst and her beauty is much of the problem. I identified her in 2002 for Peggy De Wire. Peggy first saw her along side a brook on Davis Lane in Grahamsville. This is just a stone's throw from the Neversink Agricultural Society's Fairgrounds, the site of The Little World's Fair and the Giant Pumpkin Party, the Daniel Pierce Library's biggest fundraiser. I was humbled and honored at the same time...

Thinking about Spring in the Fall.    [ October 4, 2006 ]
It is officially fall now, but I remind you that this year's gardening season is still happening and part of the work that remains to be done may insure that your spring is delightful and not overwhelming. In spring you want to focus on gardening and not on the previous seasons chores. It is invigorating...

The Garden: Bidding Farewell Reluctantly.    [ September 20, 2006 ]
I noted a low of 39 degrees F two nights ago, and, I heard from a few acquaintances that scattered frosts in the higher elevations occurred that same night. Pretty much on time as most seasons go...

Diagnosing Houseplant Problems.    [ September 6, 2006 ]
(Adventures with Flora continued...)    When Flora's in the house, we expect all kinds of rewards. Cleaner air to breath, a more peaceful indoor ambience, a melding of the verdant outdoors with that contained inside. Blossoms unexpected and most welcome...

Trees and Shrubs.    [ August 23, 2006 ]
(Adventures with Flora continued...)    As a brief review, plant problems occur as a result of one of the four following causes...

How's the Grass across the Fence Growing?    [ August 9, 2006 ]
(Adventures with Flora continued...)    I was at a community meeting place recently when a neighbor inquired of me, "Why is my son's newly planted lawn yellowing and browning out. The questions that I responded with could have been the rehearsal for today's column....

What's Goin' on in the Vegetable Patch? "The Da Veggie Code"
[ July 26, 2006 ]     About this time in the growing season, some home vegetable growers are seeing less than satisfactory results with some of their crops. As promised, this is a continuation of my last column (introductory), "Questions to ask when diagnosing Flora's problems". It is Part 1, "Vegetable Problems Diagnoses"...

Questions to Ask When Diagnosing Flora's Problems    [ July 12, 2006 ]
No, Flora is not the recalcitrant stepdaughter. Flora is the word I use to refer to the plant life in your world. These are the counterparts to Fauna, the mobile wildlife in your surroundings. The Flora I plan for will be in your familiar surroundings...

Trees! Good News and More...    [ June 28, 2006 ]
I am happy to report that after last year's spring and early summer defoliation of oaks and many other valued tree and shrub specimens, this date of reporting indicates that the gypsy moth caterpillars are on the decline..

Sweet Cicely.    [ June 14, 2006 ]
Its deeply cut leaves give it the appearance of a delicate fern. Brushing by its soft downy leaves fills the air with the sweet fragrance of anise.

Heroes and Villains in the Vegetable Garden.    [ May 31, 2006 ]
The average insect population in a square mile surpasses the entire peopled population of the planet.

Hints for a More Successful Gardening Season.    [ May 17, 2006 ]
The number one reason for loss of annual and perennial flowering plants and vegetables is the failure to maintain a proper moisture balance of the roots.

Botanical Miracles or Botanical Curses?    [ May 3, 2006 ]
Weeds may be many things to many people. It all depends on what kind of hat you are wearing. The "hat" thing is a lot like walking in someone else's shoes.

Two Caterpillars Worth Knowing.    [ April 19, 2006 ]
I stress the "worth knowing". Grabbing the can of "Raid", which a neighbor did last year, is not the best option.

Edible Herbaceous Perennials.    [ April 5, 2006 ]
This subject has been on my mind for some time. I suppose I might have titled the article, "Perennial Vegetables", but it is my thinking that got in the way.

According to the Calendar...    [ March 22, 2006 ]
The long wait is over. Or almost over. Or, soon to be over? Spring, and nice weather, and the longing to get back into the yard and garden are the thoughts that preoccupy so many of us these days.

Gardeners, Start Your Seeds!    [ March 8, 2006 ]
It's just twelve days to the vernal equinox - days and nights of equal length. It's time to start seeds, especially those that can be planted out early, because they enjoy the cool temperatures of April.

Hybrids, Heirlooms, Standards. Does It Matter?    [ February 22, 2006 ]
You are the arbiter of taste. And, for that matter, labor and whatever else it is that might make or break your day. Spring is only one month away.

Easing the Worries Over Dried Out Plants.    [ February 8, 2006 ]
With five of the last nine summers being droughty, and more and more frequent talk of global warming resting on our minds, we had better face the fact that the moisture needs of plants require our attention as never before.

Expanding the Garden Family.    [ January 25, 2006 ]
Very few of us wishes to live alone. The desire for companionship offers much that led to social order and societies. It's not so different in the plant world.

The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#7)
[ January 11, 2006 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   Never, Ever, Underestimate Plants.

In 2005 I wrote six columns under the umbrella title of "The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower ..." with homage to Dylan Thomas's poem that inspired me. They are my overview of plants' important influence on man throughout history. This column will be the final one. It's about plants and man's spirit.

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2005

Another Year! Pick Your Garden Resolution(s).    [ December 28, 2005 ]
This morning I witnessed the early sunlight illuminate the moths flying about in between the large fluffy snowflakes, and I felt so privileged to be alive...  




Holiday Plant Giving.    [ December 14, 2005 ]
A splash of holiday cheer in the form of a box of candy or a bottle of wine is always appreciated, but disappears rather quickly. A blooming plant on the other hand carries on for quite a while. There are several to choose from at this time of the year...  




Cornucopia One More Time.    [ November 30, 2005 ]
Those of you who know me, know I am fond of collecting horticultural odds and ends that I find interesting or, maybe, even useful. I cannot resist sharing them from time to time with friends. I did it in February, last year and again in December. It's been too long for me not to break free and share once more before the close of this year. I hope some of it is interesting to you, my readers...  




Recent News in the World of Flora.    [ November 16, 2005 ]
We owe it all to the Roman goddess of flowers. My (your) preoccupation with green growing things, that is. There is so much going on in the world of plants, both regionally and world wide. It's time for me to give another report before we fall too far behind, and things begin to happen that shock or dismay...  




A Mid-Autumn Garden Calendar.    [ November 2, 2005 ]
It is a sure thing that the water deficit we've suffered earlier in the year has been made up. What remains for us to do is button up some of the business end of our home and garden responsibilities before the onset of winter. It's like the wolf at the door...  




It's Not Just Dirt, It's Our Soil Connection.    [ October 19, 2005 ]
In my Labor Day column I suggested fall was a great time to plant trees, shrubs, bulbs including garlic, and also, a great time to fertilize lawns and established plants in anticipation of next years growth. The tops won't grow any more this year...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#6)
[ October 5, 2005 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   Enthrallment from the Plant World.

Captivate, fascinate, charm, enslave. Something that plants can do to humans, with or without their permission. Much as art, music, nature, mathematics, dance and every other form of stimuli has the ability to do. What must take place is some form of shift in consciousness.




Drought Consequences Vary.    [ September 21, 2005 ]
The severe flooding as a result of inordinate amounts of rain and the snow melt that visited most of our region on April 2nd and 3rd stays in our memory like a stain. We didn't want to see rain again. And, as a wish granted out of spite, we waited until the most devastating storm to ever visit American soil, Katrina, sent some precipitation our way in the final days of August...  




Labor Day: A Misnomer, or a Day for R & R ?    [ September 7, 2005 ]
As a teaser, I've come across a wonderful poem published in January 1957 Nature Magazine. Researching the poet, I found he was more involved in science fiction after this period. But, I thought this poem so worthwhile, I pass it on. Especially since I am providing a to-do list...  




Pollarding: A Centuries Old Woodland Management Technique.
[ August 24, 2005 ]     As a youngster growing up in a small town in Queens, I was fascinated and puzzled by a rather common sight. Many small front yards had a tree on either side of the walkway. I was puzzled because the tree with its thick trunk only stood about ten to twelve feet high instead of the eighty or more feet of other trees on the streets...  




Mothra: It Came from Afar in 1869 and Got Loose.    [ August 10, 2005 ]
I wonder if anyone out there remembers the sci-fi horror flick, "Mothra". It was released in 1961. Not quite a hundred years after the Gypsy moth's first appearance as a major tree pest in America. We're blessed. Ours are nothing like the MOVIES'! Thanks be to G...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#5)
[ July 28, 2005 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   Plants: They're in It for Themselves!

Plants also contain the means of their own defense against rivals, invaders, predators. If necessary, they can and will kill. With no concern for the victim, a plant can dispense toxins of agonizing and deadly results. Remember, what plants contain is for their good. In the vitalist sense, they are as gods with powers to nourish, heal and kill. We are the sentimental ones.




St. Francis in Conversation with God, and How Many Gardens.
[ July 13, 2005 ]    A question came in one day recently. How many gardens can you name? Well, I like a challenge as well as the next fellow, so I ask you to join with me and see how many you can come up with. I'll give you my list at the end of the column...  




Horticultural Update.    [ June 29, 2005 ]
It's time again for me to give a brief horticultural update. I think it's necessary now and then to provide a time capsule of hort. news, recent information, and personalities that have made and influenced recent history to increase awareness of what is happening in this huge field...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#4)
[ June 15, 2005 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   All living things require food.

Plants obtain what they need from the earth, the air, and sunlight. Plants nourish themselves. The organic substances that plants produce also nourish all of the animal world. Food for all, courtesy of plants. And, not just food. Shelter, clothing, heat - whatever is needed for the sustainability of other living things.




The Summer Season Is Growing on Us.    [ June 1, 2005 ]
With the official arrival of June, I'm fairly certain that you put in some, many, or most of your tender vegetables and bedding plants. The summer solstice is less than three weeks away. We all want to capitalize on the longest days of the year and the warm, fair weather that favors abundant growth and fruitfulness...  




Your Personal "Great Outdoors".    [ May 25, 2005 ]
The Sullivan County Catskills are no longer "the sticks", as they were once referred to. They are being discovered anew...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#3)
[ May 18, 2005 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   The power of plants to survive.

The power of plants to survive originates with their unique beginnings a couple of billion years ago. The most primitive of plants, the slime molds, various classes of bacteria, algae, fungi, etc., were the substrates for the earliest bits of photosynthetic protoplasm. In colonizing the planet, some variety of plant life always succeeded, and, those that did not, yielded to breakdown to bacteria and fungi.




Nipping in the Bud Some Perennial Problems.    [ April 20, 2005 ]
This is the time of year for gardeners to be as pro-active as possible. Now anticipate some of last years troubles and nip them in the bud...  




Lilies! The Garden Aristocrats!    [ April 6, 2005 ]
The Lily family, Liliaceae, contains 200 or more genera and some 2000 species. While some species provide food (Allium and Asparagus) and others medicine (Aloe), and so on, with this large family's attributes, I wish to focus on...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#2)
[ March 23, 2005 ]     ... a continuation of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   Their cultural and biological development can be miraculous.

I believe in miracles. Do you? A green shoot emerges. It contains within all the knowledge it needs to break through the earth, elongate, branch, leaf out, flower and fruit - even to the last vein, cell, tendril, and hair. Accompanying this miraculous process are responses from hosts of life forms including insects, birds, and the human spirit. The infinite variety of flowers and leaves impresses our human perception far beyond what I imagine "nature" intended.




Breaking Dormancy One Day at a Time.    [ March 9, 2005 ]
There are only eleven days to the Vernal Equinox. We know where we live and what limitations we have, and yet we are longing to think spring and green. And why not? By March 20th the day length will be the same (approximately) as on the Autumnal Equinox on Sept. 22. Twelve hours plus a little...  




The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. (#1)
[ February 23, 2005 ]     First in a series of my overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man.  

Subtitled:   There Is No Escaping the Power of Plants.

** The first line of a poem written in 1934 by a young Welshman named Dylan Thomas. This powerful evocation of the life force that inhabits all living things motivated me to present an overview of the history of plants and their important influence on man. This will occur in several installments.




It's Almost Sweet Water Time: MM-MM Good!    [ February 9, 2005 ]
Within the next couple of weeks, the conditions should be perfect. The warmth of the sun will heat up the branches of the sugar maple trees during the day, and the resulting pressure will force the sweet sap out of the holes bored into the trunk. As the temperature drops into the freezing range at night, the suction (vacuum) will draw more sap into the same cells that gave it up...  




Closer Looks in Winter Light.    [ January 26, 2005 ]
It was on Christmas eve that I received my first 2005 garden catalog, and it served as my reminder. "Ed, it's time you reassessed what's going on around you. You know, there's a change or two you've thought about more than once, and meant to take note of, so you wouldn't forget. Remember?"...  




Horticultural Update.    [ January 12, 2005 ]
It's a new year and a time when many of us resolve to lead a life that is an improvement over the previous. Don't keep your potential locked up inside. We all can make time and reserve some energy to pursue the things we find rewarding...  

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2004

My Catskill Solar Heated Greenhouse.    [ December 29, 2004 ]
I am enlivened so much by the arrival of the winter solstice. It is my wife, Diane's birthday, and it is also the day my solar-heated greenhouse turns around in its function, in a couple of ways. I know that sounds cryptic, but here it is in a nutshell. My greenhouse requires me to supply it with supplemental heat, and in exchange it supplies me with supplemental heat...

My Second Cornucopia.    [ December 15, 2004 ]
In my first cornucopia presentation (The Towne Crier, Feb. 25, 2004), I offered a peek into my collection of man/plant related facts, fictions, fantasies etc.. I ended with a promise to continue...

Galls: Most Unusual, but Noticeable, Homes for Mystery Guests
[ December 1, 2004 ]  I remember when I was a youngster walking through Chisolm Park in College Point, Queens, near where I grew up. Mom and dad and brother, Jim, and sister, Judy, and I were all making our way either along the salty water's edge, or across the meadow, or, exploring the boundary of the woods...

Protect Your Landscape Plants from Salt Damage  [ November 17, 2004 ]
There are a variety of areas around the home that we wish to keep free of snow and ice. You probably don't think of all of these, but I name several because we also use these same areas for planting favorite shrubs, borders, perennials, ornamental grasses etc.. These include patios, sitting areas, decks, outdoor fireplaces, pet shelter pathways, garbage can enclosures, play equipment areas, garage and driveway, and most commonly walkways ...

Two Conifer Pests: One Long Here, One 1992 Arrival  [ November 3, 2004 ]
Our needled evergreens serve as landscape focal points, property line definers, Christmas tree candidates, as well as windbreaks, privacy screens, living fences, and as a valuable timber crop...

My Love Affair with an "Ugly Duckling" of the Plant World.
[ October 20, 2004 ]    My Personal Notes about Bowiea volubilis aka "Climbing Onion".
Getting up close and personal with a living plant is a pleasure enjoyed by countless plant lovers. For a few years I grew "bonsai" plants. I derived a lot of pleasure from facing and overcoming the challenges, but always felt a small part of me disturbed by the notion that I was hurting the candidate by forcing it into an unnatural growth habit...

Native Plants vs. Exotics: "Fraught with Controversy"  [ October 6, 2004 ]
On July 14th of this year, I wrote about "killer plants", suggested some are not welcome here because of their growth habits, and even referred to some as foreign invaders. Be that as it may, I went further on August 11th, with suggestions on how to rid your property of unwanted weeds, native or foreign. Today, I'm revisiting the issue...

Myth, Lore and Superstition from the Plant World  [ September 22, 2004 ]
Since man owes his very survival to the plant world, and, since man is a sentimental being, it should not come as a surprise that he has developed a rich supply of superstitions and meanings attached to all forms of plant life...

How Does Your Garden Grow, and How Did It Do So Far
[ September 8, 2004 ]  With Labor Day having just passed, I expect we'll be getting signals that the growing season is winding down. The average frost date is Sept. 25 in our area, and the days are already shortening. With one of the wettest and cloudiest summers on record, I am especially curious to know how gardens fared this growing season...

Horticulture News and Update    [ August 25, 2004 ]
Forgive me for being a little late with this report, but I get sidetracked by other issues I think you want to know about. In any event, the news here in not more than six months old, and much of it is closer to recent than that. There is a new peach headed our way. It may be odd looking to many, with a flattened shape (some reports say it remembles a bagel), sweet and juicy, white flesh, guaranteed to please. It is named Galaxy...

Going After Weed Enemies    [ August 11, 2004 ]
I'm reporting today on the most favorable time to go after the non-legged but intrepid predators of our lands. In mid-July, I wrote about the attack of the aliens. Their number is many. They are claiming our valuable resources: land, wildlife, natural habitats, and maybe entire ecosystems. Our clean water is at stake as are our garden spaces and personal landscape areas...

The Greening of Our Planet    [ July 28, 2004 ]
A significant thing to remember is that plants are unique among all life forms, in that, they alone can manufacture their own food. These paved the way for all future life forms as we know them on our planet. They modified our earth...

The Attack of the "Killer Plants".    [ July 14, 2004 ]
A few years ago, my wife Diane and I were out for a drive. It was late summer. Both roadside and at some greater distances we saw fluffy white clusters of blooms held eight feet or more above the ground. Simply beautiful! Diane commented how nice they would look as a backdrop where our field meets the woods...

Making Dining a New Feast for the Eyes and the Palate    [ June 30, 2004 ]
It was in 1995 that Alice. P., a veteran Master Gardener Volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County, wrote an article for the Farm and Garden News. It was titled simply "Please Eat the Daisies". This was no invitation to the four legged denizens that were ravaging flower beds and gardens across the region...

A Few of My Favorite Things    [ June 16, 2004 ]
Every now and then, I feel compelled to reveal a bit more about myself and my preferences so you can get to know me a little better. When it comes to horticulture, I have a bunch of favorites. Today, I choose to share a few catalogs and books to whet your green-thumb appetite, and maybe get a few creative entrepreneurial juices flowing, to boot...

Not Your Everyday Container Garden    [ June 2, 2004 ]
Somewhere around the mid 1960s, a clever invention was popular with home crafters. It was called a bottle cutter. It allowed for a nice neat cut of all but the thickest glass. One could easily cut and remove the top portion of a one gallon jug. This allowed for a very simple open area for planting for the terrarium minded...

Spring: Much Ado about Many Things    [ May 19, 2004 ]
I mentioned in my last column that Maia, most beautiful and shy goddess of spring, has returned. So much so in May, that John Keats sought to sing to her and seek her smiles with no concern that his song might only be heard by the "quiet primrose" or the "span of heaven". And if it "should die away", he would be "rich in the simple worship of a day". These quotes are from a fragment Keats wrote, "Ode to May" in 1818...

In May, the Garden Questions Mount    [ May 5, 2004 ]
And, so they should. May, after the Roman and Greek goddess of Spring, Maia, "the great one", comes out of hiding (resting?) and begins to enliven and rejuvenate all life forms. We go for a walk and begin to think about and notice things that have been sleeping for several months...

The Earth Beneath Our Feet    [ April 21, 2004 ]
It is as enormous and fascinating as the sky above about which so much is known. The realm beneath our feet, the top layer of our planet's crust, the first few feet of earth is known as the rhizosphere...

What's Going on with Our Soils?    [ April 21, 2004 ]
Note: This article was originally written for publication in The Towne Crier but not submitted.
There was a passel of red-winged black birds outside my kitchen window both in the maple and at the feeder. The date was March 8. Surely, mild planting weather is close by, only twelve days to spring (equal night and day). With this in mind, I thought it was high time I wrote a column akin to the state of our soil health, plant nutrition, and some factors beyond our control...

Seldom Seen Plant Destroying Multitudes    [ April 7, 2004 ]
April is the time to savor freshly caught trout. My kitchen is in the back of my house. The window looks out on 95 percent of my property, most of which is a small back yard, gardens, shrub and herb borders, and a rather moist, open field giving way to woods down to the brook...

Where Have All the Flowers Gone? AWOL?    [ March 24, 2004 ]
Let's go on a little exploratory trip to examine the plant characteristics and preferred growing conditions that might to influence our plant choices...

Come Early Spring, We Must Prune to Renew.    [ March 10, 2004 ]
Fed up with the prolonged cold? Tired of winter? You've poured through the seed catalogs that keep arriving, and maybe you've had your fill of the ads promising delivery of live plants just in time for planting...

A Cornucopia of Horticultural Curiosa.    [ February 25, 2004 ]
I'm an inveterate collector of data pertaining to the multiplicity of relations that occur between man and plants. Some are material and simple, some are emotional, some spiritual, some economic, and so on...

When Growing Orchids Prepare to Be Seduced.    [ February 11, 2004 ]
The recent bestseller, "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean, and its offspring, the movie "Adaptation", are what provoke me to write about orchids. First, I read the excerpt of the book in The New Yorker, and I was hooked...

A Common Thread:
Pine Cones, Collards, and 99 Cents Stores.    [ January 28, 2004 ]
You may think it's a stretch, but these are just a few of many items in the new horticultural update. It has been over four months since I have provided one. They are varied, fascinating to me, and I hope of value and interest to you readers...

Snow: Mother Nature's Extraordinary Gift to Gardeners.
[ January 14, 2004 ]    The very word stirs hearts, makes pulses race, excites artists, writers, winter sports enthusiasts, nature lovers and snowshoers. The transformation that takes place stirs one to contemplation...

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2003

Especially Seductive, Especially Elusive Winter Light [ December 31, 2003 ]
One week has passed since the solstice, and as the days begin to lengthen, my first instinct is to focus on the closest green plants at hand. These will actually begin to slowly pick up speed, waking from the long nights, as each day's photoperiod sends them irretrievable signals...

The First American Christmas Tree [ December 17, 2003 ]
There is a tomb that stands on Madison Hill in Wooster, Ohio. Outside its door each Christmas stands a lighted tree as a tribute to August Imgard, the man credited with introducing the Christmas tree to America. This nineteen year young German immigrant missed the tradition he was familiar with in Bavaria...

A History of Christmas Trees.    [ December 3, 2003 ]
Contrary to some reports, the Christmas tree was not a Victorian invention of the 1860s. Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries people believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness...

A Mues Anniversary Plant.    [ November 19, 2003 ]
This column is my "first anniversary" column. One year ago the first 'Garden of Ed' appeared in the Towne Crier, Nov. 19, 2002 (coincidentally). I'll attempt to provide a little personal history that will focus on my passion for plants. I hope what follows will help to explain why my favorite bumper sticker reads "I Dig Plants"...

Using New Tools - Not from the Shed.    [ November 05, 2003 ]
As astute growers, we can measure and record much of the same environmental phenomena as our conventional calendars, but we don't need to rely on time as the measuring stick. "What's that?" you say...

A You Do, Honey Do, We Do List That Heaps Rewards [ October 22, 2003 ]
As promised in my last column, I will continue to suggest fun, energetic and satisfying projects, small and large, that will enhance your property, your health, and your enjoyment of both...

It's Autumn: Reconnect with Our Earth Again    [ October 8, 2003 ]
Cooler temperatures and lots of sunshine are invigorating. It's likely for most of us that a frost or two has touched our gardens. This is nature's signal to shift gears. Invigorated, we might consider a number of pleasant things to do around the home. What follows is a suggestion box of hints, tips, and chores, which are healthy, fun, challenging and help us renew our connection with the earth and our inner spirit...

The "Stinking Rose", Isn't a Rose. It's a Lily!    [ September 24, 2003 ]
It's garlic time! The harvests are in. It's time to taste and think about planting. What a great opportunity. Taste ten, twenty, thirty garlics and purchase the ones you can't live without and bring them home to plant. How does the commercial go? "Priceless"...

The Power of Plants Has Influence over Us All.    [ September 10, 2003 ]
I have often written about the power of plants. Knowing I'm due to give a horticultural update, I thought I'd approach it from that point of view. Most of what follows is recent news. Plants from their beginnings have had the power to survive...

The Lure and the Lore of the King of Shrubs.    [ August 27, 2003 ]
The first plant of its species was collected, classified, named, cultivated, and offered for sale in the mid-1600s. Not long afterward, the search for more and varied specimens led to expeditions that continue today, especially to the nether regions of the Himalayas and Southwestern China. Everywhere on the planet is "game". What scientists and botanists and commercial growers are seeking is new plant material of the Ericaceae, the Heath Family, in particular Rhododendrons...

An Ounce of Prevention Pays Big Dividends    [ August 13, 2003 ]
We did set a record for the most rainfall in over 100 years for the month of June. This issue's column is about vegetable garden health: How to achieve it and maintain it by preventing diseases from getting a foothold. We all know gardening is not a breeze, but like so many other things, a bit of effort can yield great pleasures...

The Fruits of Summer Are Soon among Us  [ July 30, 2003 ]
A recent phone conversation with Tom Backus of the D.E.C.'s Land and Forest Division confirmed some very good news I was hoping to hear. Aerial surveys of Sullivan and Ulster counties' woodlands reveal only very light populations of both Gypsy Moth (an import) and Forest Tent (a native) caterpillars...

Horticulture Tops Charts in Farming Growth  [ July 16, 2003 ]
At the end of my last column I promised a horticulture update. If you cultivate soil and produce a crop you're in the horticulture audience. The soil can even be in a container or behind a window. The crop you harvest might be saw timber or edible flowers, nuts or fruits or Christmas trees. Maybe you grow mushrooms or vegetables or herbs or houseplants...

... with a Little Help from Our Friends  [ July 2, 2003 ]
Friends. You gotta love 'em. Where would we be without them. They motivate, enervate, celebrate and aggravate us, all in keeping within the bounds of what we expect, by definition. Within the past weeks I have been blissed (mis-spelled intentionally) with a flood of things to do, simply because I love to do these kinds of things, so, I'm led to believe...

Defining Organic Gardening  [ June 18, 2003 ]
A recent issue of The New York Times contained a brief article informing readers that Delta's economy carrier airline, Song, will sell food including yogurt, freerange chicken wraps, Caesar salad made with organic lettuce, and organic cookies. On another page was an ad for all natural veal that read "Hand-raised and fed only top quality protein with no hormones"...

A Full Plate for Gardeners This Month  [ June 4, 2003 ]
From the Latin word "hortus" we get the word "garden". June signals the real onset of our growing season here in the Catskills and every aspect of gardening begins to demand our full attention...

A Nod to Pruning, an Ode to Dandelions, and Other Plant Talk
[ May 21, 2003 ]  Three pieces of news: The National Garden Assn. just reported that in 2002 the garden industry outpaced the U.S. Economy, growing 8% to the economy's 5%. On a similar note, Time Magazine reported on May 5th that container gardening is increasing annually at a rate close to 20%. Why?

In May the To-Do List Starts Growing    [ May 7, 2003 ]
I have to believe that some of you, maybe one or two, have developed a quasi- plan for this season's planting(s). This would not come as a great surprise since eighty-seven percent of Americans participate in some form of gardening.

In Planting, Five Points to Ponder.    [ April 16, 2003 ]
We are now on daylight savings' time and real spring is almost at our door. So, sure we all want to do some planting. But, before you grab your checkbook and head for the nearest garden center, take a little time out to consider... Why, When, Where, What, and How.

Wintry Confines Soon to End.   - with "Calendar".    [ April 9, 2003 ]
A new plant hybrid created by an observant German gardener gives off an odor that you and I aren't bothered by but repels cats, dogs, groundhogs and foxes among others with a keen sense of smell. I expect deer, too...

Edibles and Visuals Are Better as a Team.    [ March 26, 2003 ]
If you're looking to add some pizzazz to your landscape, flower beds or borders, take a bold step and introduce some vegetables and herbs. Many have very ornamental characteristics and can confer a bounty of advantages over keeping your food plots separate from your decorative ones...

Horticulture News Update and a Garden Calendar.    [ March 11, 2003 ]
The thaw that often comes in January eluded us this year , but on February 21st the temperature in Sundown rose to 53 F. The moths and other insect activity told me spring was near. The woolly bear I found on the road told me. The delicate pink/green of the catkins on my hazelnut bushes told me...

New Batch of Master Gardeners Sprouts, and a
        Late-Winter Work Calendar
[ February 25, 2003 ]  I recently had the privilege of attending a closed session of public presentations, the final stage of training and evaluation for an elite group of new Master Gardener Volunteer candidates. After many weeks of intensive, research based instruction in all areas of horticulture under the direction of Cornell Cooperative Extension, I am happy to report the following people will graduate and share their education with the greater community...

For Indoor Blooms, May the Force Be with You   [ February 11, 2003 ]
The first Valentine's Day cards published in America dates back to the 1870s. Esther Howland created elaborate lace-trimmed cards for the extraordinary price of $5 to $10 each. With even more elaborate ones bringing up to $35. That's huge money for the times...

Bahamas for You, Bathtub for Plants.   - with "Calendar".
[ January 28, 2003 ]  The recent deep freeze sure makes some of us long for a winter vacation. Here are a few pointers, if you have house plants that you'll leave behind. A bathtub or shower with a curtain can serve as a self-contained greenhouse for short term care of house plants. Three weeks is definitely within serviceable limits...

Things Look Different in Winter.    [ January 14, 2003 ]
The nature lover in all of us relishes the opportunity to dive into an aesthetically altered world shrouded in profound silence. This fulfills a deep spiritual need and connection with the earth and its offspring.

Ed Mues - Published Articles of 2002

Happy New Year.   - with "Calendar".    [ December 31, 2002 ]
Now that the winter solstice is past, observe the days beginning to grow longer. Take some time out and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. This fulfills an important dimension living. Think positively of this new year before us. Do some armchair dreaming...

'tis the Season.    [ December 17, 2002 ]
I can't recall ever hearing the word "poinsettia" in a Christmas carol or song. I may lead a sheltered life, but I suspect the word just doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "mistletoe" or "holly", or rhyme so well with other words. I think it's fitting to share a bit of lore about these three popular holiday fixtures.

O' Christmas Tree...   - with "Calendar".    [ December 3, 2002 ]
Now that the turkey and trimmings are finished and the venison's been put away, the next hunt will be for a fresh Christmas tree. Before you bundle up and head out, set some priorities for yourself...

Introduction to Garden Plant Needs.    [ November 19, 2002 ]
Hello readers, this is my first opportunity to write for The Towne Crier and I hope to provide useful information in the area of horticulture and the closely related areas of home and grounds pest management.

© 2002-2009 Ed Mues. All Rights Reserved.

eMail:  eGarden@MountainAir.us