WallyWorm’s Wonderful Word World
WallyWorm Word articles are written by our witty and wacky Master Gardener, Wade Moore. WallyWorm brings many somewhat obscure gardening words and concepts to you in a fun and informative manner. Many are quite the “head-scratcher” but all are whimsical in their presentation and most certainly entertaining and rather enlightening.
Enjoy reading! You’ll be intrigued and want to read every episode, just to see what he’ll come up with next!
WallyWorm Words for 2012
May 2012
WADE’S WALLYWORM WORD
“H2OLISM”
By Wade Moore, Somervell County Master Gardener
Wade greets Wallyworm on a warm afternoon around happy hour “Hello,down there. You look cool in those shades.”
“I’ve got to keep the glare down so that I can see if any birds are near. Dangerous to my health you know. I’m sure you have something to talk about or you would have stayed in the shade.” responds WallyWorm
“As a matter of fact I do. Wallyworm, can you grasp the thought that just three atoms allow all of life as we know it to exist? Yep, two small positively charged hydrogen atoms and one large negatively charged atom combine to form a molecule called water, water being the epitome of holism. Holism is a word derived from the Greek word holos , meaning all, entire, or total. Holism is the theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannopt exist independently of the whole.” Wade begins
“Water supports all life and is beyond time because it bears in its flow the seeds of the future as well as the memory of the past. Water is found throughout the universe, though seldom as a liquid. Through the ages water was regarded as sacred. Not so much today; just taken for granted. Dynamic water, when it is alive and energized, performs the roles of initiating and operating all the processes of life. Moving, circulating water is energized; still water is effectively dead. Water’s principal quality is to bring balance to life. In Chinese tradition, the sun emit’s a positive yang (masculine) energy and the earth balances this with a negative yin (feminine) energy. Water, being an unstable medium, its restlessness stimulates its pulsation and constant swinging between the yin and yang.” continues Wade
“A natural river flowing sinuously recharges its energy towards the positive on a right hand bend and toward the negative on a left hand bend. This constant yin and yang charges raises the energy level of water so that it can perform its true role in nurturing the enviroment. At a temperature of 37C (98.4F) water requires a very large input or removal of kinetic energy in order for its temperature to rise or fall, allowing it to keep the blood in the human body at a constant temperature of 37C. Water that has been exposed to harmonious music can produce pure beautiful crystals, while when it is exposed to disruptive energies, it cannot produce fine structures.” concludes Wade
“Well, I have probably been educated beyond my intelligence after this happy hour episode.” chides WallyWorm
Extracted from holos of an article by Alick Bartholomew in Acres USA
April 2012
Wade’s WallyWorm word
“LYME”
“EEEK!!! a tick.” screams Wallyworm
“Well, I’ve heard ‘EEEK!!! A worm’ before, but not ‘EEK!!! a tick’– What’s the big deal?” inquires Wade
“Man, those little critters carry bacteria that cause Lyme disease. You sure don’t want that stuff.” answers WallyWorm
“If you get bitten by a tick, you may or may not know it, and could possibly be infected with Lyme disease. A bulls-eye rash around the bite is known to be a tell-tale sign of Lyme disease, but only a red rash at the bite or no rash at all may occur. Flu-like symptoms followed by hands and feet tingling and burning, like being “asleep” are clues that you may be infected. Neck pain can occur along with headaches and a scratchy throat. Fatigue and restless sleep combined with the other symptoms make the tick a little varmint to be cautious of.” continued Wallyworm
“What do I need to do to lessen my chances of becoming a victim of the little parasites.” asks Wade
“Educate yourself about Lyme disease and if you’re in tick country, check yourself frequently and thoroughly after being outdoors. Use tick repellant on shoes and clothes. Long pants tucked into socks, long sleeve shirt tucked into pants, and a hat are good preventative measures. Soapy showers for you and laundering your clothes follow being outdoors with the ticks.
If you discover a tick latched on to you, grasp the tick with pointed tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out. Do not squeeze the ticks body if possible. Treat the tweezers and wound with alcohol. Wash your hands thoroughly. Do not burn or use any substance on the tick to get it to unlatch.” concludes WallyWorm
“Well, thanks old buddy, you may have saved me a lot of misery and several dollars; so you just keep on screaming ‘EEEK!!! A tick’.” replies Wade
Plucked straight out from an article by Janisse Ray in the August 2011 Acres USA publication
March 2012
HORSERADISH
“WallyWorm, how were your times since we last talked?” asks Wade
“Well, the extra day of February was okay, but what happens to the extra six hours per year that hides from us until they are suddenly found on February 29 every four years?” responds WallyWorm
“Probably reserved in a time capsule until needed; but you look a little stressed, what’s wrong?” Wade comes back
“I’m sore from all that leaping on leap day. Do you realize the effort I have to put out to jump?” WallyWorm complains
“Well, this should take your mind off your pains. Mull this over in your spare time. Milton Berle is given credit for this.
“I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are;
Because a could-be is a maybe reaching for a star.
I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far,
For a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are.
Now, don’t you feel better now? WallyWorm! I just got word that the International Herb Association named horseradish “Herb of the Year for 2011”, how about that Wallyworm?” asks Wade
“What’s so special about horseradish?” asks Wallyworm
“Well, the herb is treasured for its’ roots, which around 24 million pounds are harvested in the U.S.A., mainly around St. Louis, and processed into 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish. The U.S.A. supplies 60% of the world’s production.
Here is a little history lesson of this, high in vitamin C, mustard family herb. Back around 1500 BC it was used for a lower back pain rub, an aphrodisiac, and eaten during the Jewish Passover. From 1300 to 1600 AD it was used as a cough expectorant, a treatment for food poisoning, scurvy, tuberculosis, and colic. From 1601 to 1700 it was used for food flavoring. From 1840 to the present, it has mainly been used for a condiment.
The “heat” is caused by rupturing cell walls, releasing isothiocynate oils. Adding vinegar stops the reaction and the heat level is controlled by when the vinegar is added. Horseradish contains allylisothiocyanate which is a protection against Listeria, E.Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus and other food pathogens.” concludes Wade
This piquant information was acquired from: www.horseradish.org
February 2012
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“VIGOR”
by Wade Moore, Somervell County Master Gardener
“Say, WallyWorm, how’s your vigor lately?” asks Wade
“ It’s great, after these good rains and warm temperatures, I feel like a new worm, and since my old worm felt pretty good, I am on top of the world.” replies WallyWorm
“You might consider a few inches below the top for your own safety. Just kidding WallyWorm; let’s get back to the subject of vigor, vigor being the active healthy well balanced growth, especially in plants.” adds Wade
“Take for example the vigor of garden seeds. Quick emergence and a high germination rate are signs of good vigor. Mark the 1st plant to emerge if you desire to save seed, but remember, saving seed from open pollinated plants, mostly heirlooms, is the way to go. If you purchase seed that do not show the vigor you expect, cull out the plants showing the least vigor. Save seed from the best plant and then cull the seeds by sorting by size. Then sort these seeds by weight, the heavier seeds having better vigor. Then save the top 5% for planting. Share the remaining seeds with your neighbor along with a lesson on saving seed with good vigor.” continues Wade
“Another tool in your kit for saving the best seed is to select seed from plants with a high brix reading. Remember, your soil health is a major factor for high brix plants. A high brix plant produces more carbohydrates, ergo its seeds are heavier and the higher carbon content allows the seed to draw in more soil moisture faster and germinate faster. Also, foliar feeding the plant with trace minerals increases seed quality by starting enzymatic reactions. Seeds well endowed with trace minerals grow faster and resist stress better. More vigor. Trace minerals in the seed and the plant attract like minerals from the soil and atmosphere, therefore, a higher mineral content can be promoted and accumulated over several generations of planting.” concludes Wade
“You know, I feel like I am now probably educated beyond my intelligence, but I will sleep better knowing you are awake to gather these morsels of information.” says Wallyworm, crawling back into his haven of good topsoil.
These paragraphs were harvested from articles by John C. Frank in the January and February issues of Acres USA.
January 2012
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“SEEDS“
WallyWorm and Wade are getting ready for spring by poring over their new seed catalogues. Here are a few of the free ones that are offered.
SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS
3094 North Winn Road P.O. Box 299
Decorah, Iowa 52101 Waterville, Maine 04903
(563) 382-5990 1-877-564-6697
NICHOL’S GARDEN NURSERY BAKER CREEK HEIRLOOM
1190 Old Salem Road NE 2278 Baker Creek Road
Albany, OR. 97321 Mansfield, MO. 65704
1-800-422-3985 (417) 924-8917
PLANET NATURAL TOTALLY TOMATOES
1612 Gold Ave. 334 W. Stroud Street
Bozeman, MT. 59715 Randolph, WI. 53956
(406) 587-5891 1- 800-345-5977
SEEDS OF CHANGE THE COOK’S GARDEN
P.O. Box 4908 P.O. Box C5030
Rancho Dominquez, CA.90224 Warminster, PA. 18974-0574
1-888-762-7333 1-800-457-9703
HARRIS SEEDS SOW TRUE SEED
355 Paul Road 146 Church Street
Rochester NY. 14624-0966 Asheville, North Carolina 28801
1-800-544-7938 (828) 254-0708
BURPEE SEED GURNEY’S SEED & NURSERY
300 Park Ave. P.O. Box 4178
Warminster, PA. 18974 Greendale, IN. 47025-4178
1-800-888-1447 (513) 354-1491
WallyWorm for 2011
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“BD 501”
Instead of sugarplums dancing in Wade’s head, he still has a noggin of numbers numbing his nonsense. To lighten the load a little he tunes in on WallyWorm’s tunnel and pours out a continuance of last month’s topic of biodynamic recipes.
“Oh Wally, WallyWorm, I’ve brought you tidings of another formative force recipe; BD 501. Remember BD500 being a formative force associated with gravity? Well, BD 501 is is a formative force associated with levity.” Wade starts out
“BD 501 is prepared by placing finely ground silica flour, packed into female cow horns and buried in fertile soil for the summer months. The silica flour is produced by crushing quartz crystals into tiny pieces and then grinding these pieces between two pieces of heavy glass to produce a very fine white powder. This powder is stored in a glass jar in a protected well lit location such as a window sill.
One gram of BD 501, mixed with 3 gallons of water in a five gallon bucket, is enough to treat one acre. The same stirring procedure is used as with BD 500; creating a vortex and then reversing the stir to create a vortex in the other direction, continuing the chaos for one hour. Apply BD 501 in the early morning, preferably the next morning after a BD 500 treatment since the two forces compliment each other. Apply BD 501 in a very fine mist, ergo the straining out of the silica flour from the mix may be required to prevent clogging of the spray nozzle.” continued Wade
“Why would a human being go to that much trouble? All that prepping and waiting has to have some benefit; what gives?” asks WallyWorm
“Well, remembering that BD 500 is associated with downward forces and BD 501 is associated with levity forces, the combination of the two treatments can be a stimulating benefit to certain grain and grass crops. Fruit production is also enhanced. Flavor and nutritional value is improved and a resistance to insects and diseases is also a benefit. The low cost of making BD 500 and BD 501, coupled with their enhancement of increased and healthier production, make for a winning combination.” concludes Wade
Saucered and blowed from “A BIODYNAMIC FARM for growing wholesome food” by Hugh Lovel
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“BD 500”
“ Brrr!! This cold weather is making this old Oligochaeta shiver. I wrapped a scarf around my neck, but it just kept sliding off my shoulders.” complained Wallyworm
“ You should find some nice warm compost to bed down in during these cool spells.” returns Wade
“I’ll do that. Oh, by the way, what have you been massaging your gray matter with lately?” asks WallyWorm
“BD 500” Wade smugly replies, posturing akimbo
“What or who is BD 500?” comes back WallyWorm
“Stand by little buddy, you’re going to like this. BD 500 is a soil medication, being just one fragment of biodynamic farming, which is mostly attributed to have been developed by Rudolf Steiner. There is sort of a recipe to be followed to produce BD 500, and it goes like this.
Take the fresh manure of an adult female bovine; pack it into female bovine horns which were procured from the local area. Bury the manure packed horns in good rich soil in a hole that will allow about 18” of coverage over the horns. The horns are placed points up and covered with soil; this being done in November.
Retrieve the horns after Easter, but before the lush plant growth in the spring; knock out the BD 500 into a bucket, screen it, and store it in an unglazed crock placed in a cool dark place.
Apply BD 500 to the soil in the late afternoon or evening. To prepare BD 500 for application, put ¼ cup of BD 500 along with 3 gallons of water into a 5 gallon bucket. Stir the mix to form an eddy or vortex; then reverse the stir to form a vortex in the other direction. Keep up this stirring chaos for 1 hour and immediately apply the mix by spraying or by splashing on with a large brush. This amount of mix will treat 1 acre, but, the same amount on smaller tracts is okay.” says Wade
“Well, what does this medication medicate?” asks WallyWorm
“The BD 500 preparation treats the soil with a medicine that is rich in the formative forces associated with the gravitational, or earthly, polarity.” concludes Wade
“Well I’m sure glad you cleared that up. That makes me feel so much warmer.” snaps WallyWorm
Info. From “A BIODYNAMIC FARM for growing wholesome food” by Hugh Lovel
“6″”
Ah! Tis a beautiful mild summer day. Wallyworm and Wade, worm in hand,(WallyWorm has no hand) stroll amongst the morning dewy patches of the lea. The temperature, being in the 60’s is a cue to butt in on their conversation.
“You know WallyWorm, the number 6 is a powerful number and relates to several different genres. The 6666 Ranch out in west Texas has 345,000 acres; the Roman numeral 666 being DCLXVI contains one occurrence of all Roman numerals less than 1000; the U.S. Route 66 is 2448 miles long; but, my favorite 6 is 6 inches.” continued Wade
“Well I can be 6 inches on a good day. Why would 6 inches be of that much importance to you?” asks Wallyworm
“Not only to me ; but, this particular 6 inches is very important to everyone on Earth. It provides us with life as we know it. Without this 6 inches, life for most of us would cease. A good healthy 6 inches should be the goal of any and all mankind. Some folks strive to enhance this 6 inches, others do not. This 6 inches can dwindle if not cared for properly” worries Wade
“If unnatural amenities are applied to this 6 inches, short term effects may be good, but, in the long run they may hamper production. The addition of natural elements can enhance the power of same and if just left alone, Mother Nature may increase its vitality. Yours and my very existence rely on this 6 inches, not that 4 or 8 can’t do the job. You see Wallyworm, the 6 inches I am really attached to is the top 6 inches of the earth’s crust known as topsoil.” continued Wade
“A huge amount of topsoil was lost in the U. S. A. during the depression days of the 30’s because farmers quit rotating crops and planted the same money crops year after year. The depletion of soil vitality resulted in less plant cover and exposed the topsoil, which in turn became airborne and was lost. With enhanced practices, a lot of the topsoil has been “recreated”, but there could be another scenario with weather conditions as well as conditios being so conducive.” woes Wade
“Well, I will do my part, and I expect you to do your part also, to keep this thin provider of life, healthy and safe from the ignorance of malpractice to this vital 6 inches.” concludes Wallyworm
“PYROLYSIS”
“WallyWorm, not only has the hot weather been bad for most of us, the down economy has become worse. Why it has gotten so bad one big oil company is having to fire 25 congressmen.” retorts Wade
“Enough of your corn; let’s get back to our biochar discussion.” answers WallyWorm
“Okay, biochar is a charcoal created by using a PYROLYSIS process. Essentially, the heating of your biomass in a low oxygen environment, causing the release of gases such as syngas and methane. This process allows the carbon to remain stable and not be dispersed into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.” continues Wade
“Once you have produced biochar by PYROLYSIS, the biochar is incorporated into the top layer of soil, helping to prevent fertilizer runoff and leeching. Biochar retains moisture, helping plants through periods of draught more easily. It also replenishes exhausted or marginal soils with organic carbon and fosters the growth of soil microbes essential for nutrient absorption, particularly mycorrhizal fungi.” adds Wade
“PYROLYSIS, using wood as the biomass, starts occurring around 450 degrees Fahrenheit and is usually complete at temperatures close to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Biochar retains about 50% of the carbon the biomass absorbed, as carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere. Hence, PYROLYSIS removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequesters it in the biochar in a virtually permanent and environmentally beneficial way.” concludes Wade
“Using biochar sure sounds like a better system than just adding organic matter to the soil. But, at the same time, that will sure cut back on my snacks.” answers WallyWorm
Information harvested from www.biochar.info
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“BIOCHAR”
WallyWorm, being misled by Wade watering a small portion of the garden, comes to the surface to check on the weather.
“What gives? I can’t live in these conditions. It is too hot and dry” exclaims WallyWorm
“I know. I have been watering just enough to keep a few things alive. I even water my rock garden to keep it from turning back to molten lava. Why even the trees are whistling for the dogs and the Methodists are using wet-wipes.
“Well what can we do to help improve these conditions?” asks WallyWorm
“We can’t do much about the temperature, but there are ways to “trap” more water in the soil; “BIOCHAR” being a good component.” replies Wade
“ “BIOCHAR” ? I have never heard of it. What is it and what can it do to help us out?” asks WallyWorm
“Well hang on WallyWorm, because this is going to take a while. “BIOCHAR” is a new word, created in 2008, to describe charcoal properly prepared to enhance the soil. Although the practice of adding charcoal to the soil was practiced by the indigenous people in the South American Amazon Basin for 6000 years, it is a new concept in these “modern” times. European “influence” diminished the 25 million or so inhabitants of the Amazon Basin by 90% and their carbon rich soils reverted from cropland to forests. The carbon dioxide required for this tremendous regrowth was taken from the atmosphere. This depletion of CO2 initiated a global cooling which was a factor of the “Little Ice Age” in Europe from 1550 to 1750.” continued Wade
“ ”BIOCHAR” is created by “burning” biomass and at the same time isolating it from oxygen. This can be done by externally heating the biomass and just letting the gases escape. By preventing actual combustion of the biomass, carbon is captured as charcoal, reduced to char. This char or “BIOCHAR”, incorporated into the soil, will remain there for centuries. This is a good thing.
By increasing the “BIOCHAR” content of the soil, absorption of water is enhanced. “BIOCHAR” is very light because it is full of holes or micropores and weighs only about 1/6 the weight of sand. The micropores are like sponges and soak up water. Soil “treated” with “BIOCHAR” resists drying out. “BIOCHAR” being located between soil granules insulates the electrical attraction of the granules and curtails stickiness and tight dense soil structure. A “BIOCHAR” enhanced soil structure can more easily open, soften, have looser tilth, texture, airflow and water penetration.
“BIOCHAR” is not consumed by the soil microbes. Instead, “BIOCHAR” becomes the residences, storehouses, strongholds, larders, and cisterns for the microbes. By reducing the particle size, “BIOCHAR” can be incorporated by blending with compost. “BIOCHAR” can also be sprayed with compost tea, a biodynamic preparation, or EM culture (a microbial consortia).” continues Wade
“Say buddy, I need to take a break. Let’s continue this conversation later when we can think about something other than the weather.” interrupts WallyWorm
“Fine with me. I need to get out of this heat. I’ll be back in a few more weeks and fill you in on a few more bits of information on “BIOCHAR”.” concludes Wade
This information was sweated out of an article by David Yarrow in the March and May issues of Acres USA.
July 2011 |
WallyWorm’s Wonderful Word World
by Wade Moore, Somervell County Master Gardener
In October of Two Thousand and Nine
Wally wiggled forth with words; some common, some sublime.
He recently recalled some of the better
He was able to have published in this fine newsletter.He didn’t get his kicks from Route 66 but from a high BRIX,
Also his COMPOST pile provided him with a delicious fix.
One of his favorite words is MYCORRHIZAL,
Which when attached to fungi, is quite vital.And he didn’t forget the friendly COLLEMBOLA,
Along with the NEMATODE, and an R C Cola,
They got together to make some MOLASSES
And discuss the merits of MICELLES.Never mind that he is HEMAPHRODITIC
( He had to have something to rhyme with PARAMAGNETIC. )
And he is somewhat MINERALIZED
With CALCIUM more than most realized.Now Wally may hold his pointed nose around the STINK BUG,
And occasionally give the PILL BUG a hug;
Fortified with GOMALIN you can’t stop him
From EARTHING even after the Sun grows dim.So, THANKS for abiding this ditty
And look upon Wally with eyes of pity;
For he can’t seem to concentrate
On new words for the newsletter until it’s too late.Wally will do his research for the next issue,
Meanwhile, just get a roll of tissue.
Have it handy; for Wally may be among The bards encased in DUNG.
Print Version Wally’s Wonderful Word World July11 (PDF)
June 2011
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“EARTHING”
WallyWorm, being of sound mind and healthy body, maintains these positive qualities by being in close contact with the earth. “EARTHING” is a grounding concept that has been with all of us for all of man’s existence. Not being like WallyWorm and literally contacting the earth on a daily basis, man has chosen in just the last few generations to insulate itself from the earth. The absence of actually coming in contact with the soil has become the norm; even though a lot of Master Gardeners may not fit this profile. Insulating our bodies, with rubber soled shoes, from earth’s negative charged free electrons has become a way of life for a large group of humanity.
Our bodies need to be in contact with the negative charged free electrons so abundant on the earth’s surface. Our bodies need to be in contact with these electrons in order to stabilize the complicated circuitry of our electrical bodies; in other words, our bodies need to be equalized to the earth’s energy level. These electrons are the source of power for antioxidants, which in turn supply electrons to free radicals in your body, keeping them from stealing electrons from healthy body tissue. This stealing of electrons from healthy tissue can result in tissue damage and chronic inflammation.
“EARTHING” can increase energy, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, relieve muscle tension and headache, and even promote quicker healing from an injury. “EARTHING” can also decrease ones exposure to the harmful electromagnetic fields that originate from wiring in our homes, computers, appliances, power lines, cell towers and other sources. In essence, “EARTHING” is simply grounding our bodies, for substantial amounts of time, to the earth. Going barefoot, swimming in ‘natural’ waters and sleeping on grounded devices are just a few ways of “EARTHING”. Devices that hook into the ground wire of your home electrical system are available for making “EARTHING” more convenient.
So, as you can see, WallyWorm is “EARTHING” all the time and is in tune with Mother Earth.
Gathered from an article by Calvin F. Bey in the March 2011 issue of Acres USA magazine.
March 2011
“Wade’s WallyWorm Word”
“MICELLES”
Wade is visiting WallyWorm. Knowing spring is nigh, Wade mentions that he is going to try one of the plant tonics he has been reading about.
“Is that like an iron tonic?” asks WallyWorm
“No, this tonic is a combination of natural occurring compounds found in several different plants. By using colloidal chemistry, scientists have developed, through nanotechnology, molecules called micelles. Micelles in the tonic are about one to four nanometers thick. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter, or about the width of ten hydrogen atoms. A human hair is around 90,000 nanometers across. Matter in miniscule sizes of less than fifty nanometers fall into the quantum physics category.” answers Wade
Wade continues “In the world of quantum physics, the traditional laws of physics and chemistry no longer apply. Materials take on new properties. Something that was red may now appear to be green, metals may become transparent and thus becoming invisible, non-conductors may become conductors, non-magnetic material may become magnetic, and insoluble substances may dissolve. The micelle molecules in the tonic are so miniscule that their positive charge attracts other positive charged molecules, which is the opposite of positives attracting negatives found in normal physics. The tonic molecular composition allows it to diffuse into the plant cells, providing energy and nourishment to the cell. This increased vitality allows the plant to produce more sugar during photosynthesis. Hence, the combining of six water molecules with six molecules of carbon dioxide, with radiation from the sun, photosynthesis takes place making one molecule of basic sugar and six molecules of oxygen. Therefore the tonic assists the plant in producing more sugar.
More sugar means more food for the root system and its surrounding biomass fed by the roots. The biomass return mineral solutions and such to the roots which is then pulled back to the leaves. This higher sugar content (higher Brix reading) in the plant directly affects the health of the plant. Most insects will avoid attacking those plants with a high sugar content because for the lack of a liver in order to digest the sugar, leaving the sugar to turn to alcohol and eventually killing it.”
“You know, if I wasn’t so sweet already I would ask for a little snort of that tonic myself.” replied WallyWorm
Information leaked from the stomata of [nanogreenscience.com]
February 2011
Wades Wally Worm Word
“Hermaphroditic”
Wade: “WallyWorm, I heard some scuttlebutt that you became hermaphroditic. Is there anything I can do for you? Get you some pills or something?”
WallyWorm: “Better do some research Wade. I became hermaphroditic a few months after I hatched. Hermaphroditic is just a fancy word, derived from Hermes and Aphrodite, meaning that I possess both male and female reproduction organs. And, before you ask, I cannot reproduce by my lonesome.”
“If you will pick me up, get your loupe, keep me in the shade so I won’t be attacked by a sun spot, and pay attention, I will try to give you the low-down so you won’t be led astray by scuttlebutt.”
WallyWorm continues: “The reproduction process for us earthworms is pretty complex, so again, pay attention. Now, look closely and count my segments back from my front to segments 10 and 11. This is where my male sex cells are located. My sperm travels from here back to segment 15 where the sperm is eventually dispersed through two tiny openings on my underside. Now, go back to segment 9 and 10 and you will find two tiny sacs where I will store my partners sperm after mating”
“Now hop back down to segment 13. Are you ready for this? This is where my egg producing ovaries are. I produce eggs here and store them in egg sacs in segment 14. Oh, by the way, that rubbery arm band thingy covering segments 31 to 37 is my clitella. When I discover another worm in a receptive mood we meet nose to nose and continue next to each other until our clitorides lay next to each others’ segments 9 to 11. We then both excrete mucus until we are enclosed in a slime tube from segments 9 to 37. We now exchange sperm which is stored in segments 9 and 10.”
“After this sperm deposit, we both go our separate ways. Later my clitella secretes a second mucus ring that slides forward along and around my body. When that ring passes over segment 14, several of my ripe eggs leave my egg sac and stick to the ring. As the ring passes over segments 9 and 10, sperm from my mating partner come in contact with my eggs and fertilization takes place. The ring continues to the front and I slip out of it. The openings of the ring self-seal creating a cocoon which is let lay in the soil. Later the eggs hatch and my tiny offspring escape the cocoon and begin their life’s journey.”
Wade: “Well, if you are finished, I’ll put you back down to earth. And by the way, if I come across that rumormonger again, I am sending him down here to hear your story and then I bet he will mind his tongue.”
Data gathered from: www.backyardnature.net/earthwrm.htm
January 2011
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“Snow Peas”
WallyWorm has surfaced toget a little sunshine on a mild Winter day.
“Wade, what are you doing?” asks Wallyworm
“Planting snow peas.” answers Wade
“But we don’t have any snow; it’s almost balmy.” says WallyWorm
“That is just what these peas are called. They do not have to be planted in the snow.” Wade responds
“ Well, just what are snow peas?” asks WallyWorm
“Snow peas have a flat and thin pod with the bulge of the tiny seed barely visible when they are at their best for eating. The crisp pods are a bright green and contain five to seven seeds and are two to three inches long. You will notice I am planting the seed about eight weeks before the last killing frost, in my well-drained sandy soil. I plant the seed about I inch deep and about five inches apart. When the legume pea vines surface, I will have trellis installed for them to climb on to prevent the pods from touching the ground. I will have to irrigate in order to maintain soil moisture sufficient to produce the tenderest and sweetest pods.” answers Wade
“Notice, I am planting the peas in full sun even though they can tolerate partial shade. I added phosphorus and potassium prior to planting. I also soaked the seed for 24 hours and dusted them with a legume inoculant powder prior to planting. In 63 to 72 days I should be harvesting the first pods. I will do this in the cool of the morning, picking the young pods before the seeds start to develop in order to eat the whole pod. If I miss a few, I can shell the seeds out and just eat the peas. Harvesting from the bottom up will give me a higher yield. Very soon after harvesting, I will rinse the peas in cool water and refrigerate them in an air tight container.” concludes Wade
“ Well, I will be looking forward to your turning under the pea vines after you complete the years harvest. Thanks for the info..” WallyWorm responds
Info. harvested from: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu
http://vegetable-gardening-online.com
Wade’s WallyWorm Word
“VIGOR”
by Wade Moore, Somervell County Master Gardener
“Say, WallyWorm, how’s your vigor lately?” asks Wade
“ It’s great, after these good rains and warm temperatures, I feel like a new worm, and since my old worm felt pretty good, I am on top of the world.” replies WallyWorm
“You might consider a few inches below the top for your own safety. Just kidding WallyWorm; let’s get back to the subject of vigor, vigor being the active healthy well balanced growth, especially in plants.” adds Wade
“Take for example the vigor of garden seeds. Quick emergence and a high germination rate are signs of good vigor. Mark the 1st plant to emerge if you desire to save seed, but remember, saving seed from open pollinated plants, mostly heirlooms, is the way to go. If you purchase seed that do not show the vigor you expect, cull out the plants showing the least vigor. Save seed from the best plant and then cull the seeds by sorting by size. Then sort these seeds by weight, the heavier seeds having better vigor. Then save the top 5% for planting. Share the remaining seeds with your neighbor along with a lesson on saving seed with good vigor.” continues Wade
“Another tool in your kit for saving the best seed is to select seed from plants with a high brix reading. Remember, your soil health is a major factor for high brix plants. A high brix plant produces more carbohydrates, ergo its seeds are heavier and the higher carbon content allows the seed to draw in more soil moisture faster and germinate faster. Also, foliar feeding the plant with trace minerals increases seed quality by starting enzymatic reactions. Seeds well endowed with trace minerals grow faster and resist stress better. More vigor. Trace minerals in the seed and the plant attract like minerals from the soil and atmosphere, therefore, a higher mineral content can be promoted and accumulated over several generations of planting.” concludes Wade
“You know, I feel like I am now probably educated beyond my intelligence, but I will sleep better knowing you are awake to gather these morsels of information.” says Wallyworm, crawling back into his haven of good topsoil.
These paragraphs were harvested from articles by John C. Frank in the January and February issues of Acres USA.
HORSERADISH
“WallyWorm, how were your times since we last talked?” asks Wade
“Well, the extra day of February was okay, but what happens to the extra six hours per year that hides from us until they are suddenly found on February 29 every four years?” responds WallyWorm
“Probably reserved in a time capsule until needed; but you look a little stressed, what’s wrong?” Wade comes back
“I’m sore from all that leaping on leap day. Do you realize the effort I have to put out to jump?” WallyWorm complains
“Well, this should take your mind off your pains. Mull this over in your spare time. Milton Berle is given credit for this.
[“I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are;
Because a could-be is a maybe reaching for a star.
I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far,
For a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are.]
Now, don’t you feel better now? WallyWorm! I just got word that the International Herb Association named horseradish “Herb of the Year for 2011”, how about that Wallyworm?” asks Wade
“What’s so special about horseradish?” asks Wallyworm
“Well, the herb is treasured for its’ roots, which around 24 million pounds are harvested in the U.S.A., mainly around St. Louis, and processed into 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish. The U.S.A. supplies 60% of the world’s production.
Here is a little history lesson of this, high in vitamin C, mustard family herb. Back around 1500 BC it was used for a lower back pain rub, an aphrodisiac, and eaten during the Jewish Passover. From 1300 to 1600 AD it was used as a cough expectorant, a treatment for food poisoning, scurvy, tuberculosis, and colic. From 1601 to 1700 it was used for food flavoring. From 1840 to the present, it has mainly been used for a condiment.
The “heat” is caused by rupturing cell walls, releasing isothiocynate oils. Adding vinegar stops the reaction and the heat level is controlled by when the vinegar is added. Horseradish contains allylisothiocyanate which is a protection against Listeria, E.Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus and other food pathogens.” concludes Wade
This piquant information was acquired from: www.horseradish.org