tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.comments2024-03-14T00:38:07.034-04:00Princeton Nature NotesSteve Hiltnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comBlogger466125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-17949360029849537912024-03-14T00:38:07.034-04:002024-03-14T00:38:07.034-04:00Glad to hear. Was surprised to find out recently t...Glad to hear. Was surprised to find out recently that a lot (though not all) of spring weeds are edible. Not sure that will translate into eating them, but it could be a way of gaining some nourishment while pulling them out. Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-1729079804656271912024-03-13T20:03:32.242-04:002024-03-13T20:03:32.242-04:00I too was looking to find out what the bittercress...I too was looking to find out what the bittercress were. Thanks for your help. I also like how straight forward this blog is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-63088495658157743822024-03-11T14:05:24.669-04:002024-03-11T14:05:24.669-04:00Is it only one night that this crew is out there? ...Is it only one night that this crew is out there? Only one night that amphibians cross? Seems like it should be many nights. I’ll volunteer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-85761762763035852102024-02-04T00:03:39.100-05:002024-02-04T00:03:39.100-05:00Hi Steve, not a hydrogeologist ! But -- springs re...Hi Steve, not a hydrogeologist ! But -- springs result from groundwater movement. If by gravity, there must be an impervious layer beneath. Now if that is randomly elevated and randomly sloped and cupped, such that it sheds water out of a hill, then that's unlikely high up the hill (too little collection area), and may be unlikely far down the hill b/c the slope of the land is more gentle, resulting in a seep rather than a marked flow. But -- if the flow is artesian, with impervious layers on both sides of an aquifer, then the collection area may be far distant -- common in karst regions, such as my home area of Missouti Ozarks. Saratoga Springs NY also has many springs of various salinities, carbonations, sulfurations, and flow rates.Stanton R de Rielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-41228689578116926562024-02-03T21:05:07.523-05:002024-02-03T21:05:07.523-05:00Lovely story, lucky discovery! Yes!!!--being near...Lovely story, lucky discovery! Yes!!!--being near, watching/listening to water, being IN water, drinking cool spring water..... Glad to hear of a small town that has missed some of the hectic growth of past century or two. Compare to: recent rush on buying our Princeton store's spring water (shipped from PA), in six 1/2 gallon cases or 5-gal. bottles, because recent online sites had scary stories (NOT new!) about tiny bits of plastic in our tap water....how careful are those same buyers, about not buying plastics?! And, sad, that we as a store still have so many plastic-wrapped products. So much for us all to un-/re-learn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-81601334052529422792024-01-13T21:08:42.045-05:002024-01-13T21:08:42.045-05:00Terrific video, thank you! We're building rain...Terrific video, thank you! We're building rain gardens in our back and side yards -- your video tour provides a bunch great design ideas!Steffen Parratthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521111546438816906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-52499077521932745352024-01-12T14:39:10.553-05:002024-01-12T14:39:10.553-05:00Great post! Thank you Steve!
(Your Pal: Andrea...Great post! Thank you Steve! <br /> (Your Pal: Andrea)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-13050377696581273042023-12-17T05:30:53.628-05:002023-12-17T05:30:53.628-05:00niceniceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-47306898634653013552023-10-07T14:36:12.929-04:002023-10-07T14:36:12.929-04:00Steve, thanks, as always you have responded to a q...Steve, thanks, as always you have responded to a question that has been on many minds all summer, as we saw very little of this previously quite flagrant bug. And as you point out, we need to learn to "see" the much more serious invisible threats e.g. CO2 , Covid, and others we haven't "seen" yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-31225438999748280852023-10-06T15:39:57.014-04:002023-10-06T15:39:57.014-04:00From what I hear, the town has already done interv...From what I hear, the town has already done interviews and is close to deciding on someone to offer the position to.Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-14484725847733529472023-10-06T15:34:13.364-04:002023-10-06T15:34:13.364-04:00Are you looking to hire a new open space manager?Are you looking to hire a new open space manager?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-48524303016260982382023-08-23T18:36:39.494-04:002023-08-23T18:36:39.494-04:00Great to hear you have a new resident in your gard...Great to hear you have a new resident in your garden.Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-69075727943381394972023-08-23T16:21:02.266-04:002023-08-23T16:21:02.266-04:00Having just discovered Eupatorium serotinum poppin...Having just discovered Eupatorium serotinum popping up in my garden, I "thoroughly" enjoyed this article. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-83618686558509610192023-08-14T12:55:01.699-04:002023-08-14T12:55:01.699-04:00Typically, in the region where a species like guin...Typically, in the region where a species like guinea grass evolved, other species would have co-evolved to eat it and limit its rampancy, be they insects or, in Africa, megafauna. If guinea grass is adapted to fire, it likely evolved in an area where other species would also be fire-adapted, and so the ecosystem as a whole would survive those fires. From what I read, the forests in Hawaii are not adapted to fire. Guinea grass, being tall and thriving in partial shade, serves to channel fire up into the canopy where it can spread through the forest. The native species of Hawaii are not adapted to spring back after a fire, so the forest will not return and the invasive species will take over. A dense stand of guinea grass might hold soil well, but the burning of a forest, particularly on a steep slope, would expose soil that then would be highly prone to erosion. It sounds like guinea grass and other invasives might move in to claim the decimated area, but the damage is already done, and the native forest with all its diversity is gone. Here are a couple interesting articles on guinea grass's cultural and ecological aspects. It sounds like guinea grass is a great foraging grass for cattle, but the cessation of grazing allows it to grow unchecked.<br />https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/wre.12512<br />https://daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-guinea-grass/Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-74542602551605731172023-08-14T11:36:49.235-04:002023-08-14T11:36:49.235-04:00I don't buy the "African Grass fueling th...I don't buy the "African Grass fueling the fires" commentary. Why do we not hear of devastating fires in Africa or the Canary Islands from which these grasses originated?<br /><br />My understanding is that these non-native grasses have large root systems, tapping 4+ feet into the ground. This would work to RETAIN soil, not lose it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-77909590613562323062023-06-29T00:02:03.352-04:002023-06-29T00:02:03.352-04:00I found some in the meadow on the top of Ted Stile...I found some in the meadow on the top of Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate. Wonder if it could have been spread by mowing and maintenance equipment. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-84535094228458225122023-06-28T18:55:57.253-04:002023-06-28T18:55:57.253-04:00So happy to see this.So happy to see this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-44753388174055170592023-06-09T12:38:36.330-04:002023-06-09T12:38:36.330-04:00Thanks so much for sharing this story, Steve. It i...Thanks so much for sharing this story, Steve. It is disheartening that central office administrators could not see the value and importance of preserving this natural area for our students as well as our wildlife. We as parents and educators need to teach these things now more than ever! Spending $18,000(!) of our money to turn it into "scorched earth" is mind-boggling. I am sorry for the loss and thank you for your efforts to return and restore it the best we can! It is greatly appreciated by us in the school community.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-38122317345900733062023-05-23T16:00:20.417-04:002023-05-23T16:00:20.417-04:00Can offer American groundnut tubers, Erigeron seed...Can offer American groundnut tubers, Erigeron seedlings, Tragopogon pratensis, more blue species Iris, even a Sisyrhinchium (sp?) in bloom. Let me know.Stanton de Rielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14854892968543878333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-60121035959054610822023-05-23T12:33:22.558-04:002023-05-23T12:33:22.558-04:00Duck potato! Wonderful name. I know it as arrowhea...Duck potato! Wonderful name. I know it as arrowhead. Thanks for this fascinating post, Steve. Laurie Larsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-49421324220842289112023-05-23T06:36:15.537-04:002023-05-23T06:36:15.537-04:00Thanks, Callie. I wanted to wait until there was a...Thanks, Callie. I wanted to wait until there was a positive turn before telling the story. Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-66715443368541276012023-05-22T17:25:50.334-04:002023-05-22T17:25:50.334-04:00Hi Steve, thank you very much for clearing up this...Hi Steve, thank you very much for clearing up this mystery for me-- I was stunned to see the PHS wetlands suddenly gone, and nobody around me knew anything about this. And now I also know that this lovely ecosystem was due to your inspiration & leadership of the team of teachers and students doing the hard work. Thanks again! What a relief that recovery seems possible, something to look forward to.Callie Hancocknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-8018420164249016192023-04-05T17:34:39.010-04:002023-04-05T17:34:39.010-04:00This is probably a good question for the county ex... This is probably a good question for the county extension, but I can tell you what I do. In my yard, I've used Weed Be Gone or similar broadleaf weed killer when it's in the lawn. For glyphosate, I bought a generic brand a long time ago from a farm store that is concentrated. I then dilute to around 2% and use that. It's many years old and still works, so the shelf-life is impressive. You can also buy products with 2% glyphosate at hardware stores, which of course are mostly water. Not sure why Roundup is still the dominant brand, as the patent expired long ago. Rodeo is one of the wetland safe versions of Roundup, but it's not typically marketed for homeowners and may come only in large quantities. For most homeowners, the wetland safe version is probably not necessary, since the quantities used are going to be so small, and most people don't live near wetlands. Avoid spraying when rain is predicted, so the solution has time to be absorbed by the plant and translocated down to the root.Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-61807341690140110022023-04-05T16:36:19.022-04:002023-04-05T16:36:19.022-04:00To get rid of Lesser Celandine, what exactly shoul...To get rid of Lesser Celandine, what exactly should one order online? Searching on Amazon for "wetland-safe forms of glyphosate" results in lists of very expensive ($100 plus) products, all of which say they kill grass (too). Can you please offer a few specific product suggestions? Thanks - Rena Rena Ledermannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30790016.post-40062993276160949122023-04-02T11:05:08.681-04:002023-04-02T11:05:08.681-04:00Slender black Andrenas (I presume) are frequent in...Slender black Andrenas (I presume) are frequent intruders into my house but later in the summer; they just sit head-up on the glass panes until I scoop them up and set them outside.Stan de Rielnoreply@blogger.com