How Do Trees Fare in Major Cyclones / Hurricanes?

If you are in those areas both a little north and south of the equator you probably experience major tropical storms variously called cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons, depending on where you are located.

In Australia we get cyclones while in the USA they are named hurricanes, and typhoons in much of East Asia.  All are powerful, destructive storms and it seems, getting stronger.

Loss of the local vegetation is common - with lots of leaves shredded as an initial effect of the wind damage and often massive loss of tree cover, plus broken branches and destroyed and fallen trees.

The question is asked.....how do trees cope in these massive storms?  What happens to them, and why are some much better survivors?  Following Cyclone Marcus in 2018, the Darwin local government council, no stranger to these massive storms, sought to try and detail what trees fared best and why and to develop an improved list of suitable resilient trees, and to detail those of  much lesser stability and resilience.  Earlier work detailed outcomes of the major Cyclone Tracy in December 1974 in relation to tree resilience.

More recently, the February 2019 edition of The Scientist journal has explored this much more, even experimenting with "pseudo hurricane" damage to explore redevelopment of natural forest cover.

explore the link - some good graphics and information as well.  Hyper link below.

https://www.the-scientist.com/features/how-trees-fare-in-big-hurricanes-65335 

Soil Moisture Monitoring by Drone

Australian stuff from Monash University.  Very neat and very useful.

Autonomous Drones for Soil Moisture Mapping Help Farmers Use Water More Efficiently (Video)

Monash ​University ​engineers are ​working with ​Australian ​farmers to help ​them improve ​irrigation ​practices, ​reduce water ​use and ​maximise crop ​harvest by ​using ​autonomous ​drone ​technology. ​

As severe ​drought ​continues to ​devastate ​farmland and ​impact food ​supply across ​Australia, a ​Monash ​University ​research team, ​led by ​Professor Jeff ​Walker, has ​spent the past ​two years ​developing a ​drone-based ​autonomous soil ​moisture ​mapping system ​for irrigated ​paddocks. ​

Monash ​University ​engineers are ​working with ​Australian ​farmers to help ​them improve ​irrigation ​practices by ​using ​autonomous ​drone ​technology. (​Image source: ​Monash )

The team has ​recently ​completed field ​experiments ​using optical ​mapping which ​can determine ​soil moisture ​levels in the ​near-surface. ​The data taken ​from the drone ​can be ​downloaded and ​used to produce ​a map of ground ​soil moisture ​levels to ​inform the ​farmer on how ​best to ​irrigate the ​paddock. ​

While equipped ​with optical ​mapping as a ​proof-of-​concept, the ​drone has now ​advanced to ​passive ​microwave ​sensing ​technology ​using L-Band ​waves, with ​further ​research being ​conducted on ​the potential ​for using P-​band waves. P-​Band waves are ​expected to be ​able to measure ​up to 15cm into ​the soil ​unimpeded by ​vegetation and ​tillage ​features. ​

Drones have ​the capacity to ​analyse soil ​moisture at ​metre-level ​scales within a ​paddock, ​allowing ​farmers to ​focus on ​specific crop ​irrigation, and ​overcomes the ​challenges of ​aircraft or ​satellite ​mapping. ​

Testing has ​taken place ​across two ​farms in ​regional ​Victoria and ​Tasmania. One ​was at a dairy ​farm using a ​centre pivot ​irrigator and ​the other was a ​crop farm using ​a linear shift ​irrigator. ​

“We need ​to produce 60% ​more food with ​the same amount ​of land and ​water, and we ​can only ​achieve this by ​being more ​efficient with ​the water we ​use through ​irrigation,​” ​Professor ​Walker, Head of ​Civil ​Engineering at ​Monash ​University, ​said. ​

“We need ​to know how ​much the crop ​needs, how much ​moisture is ​already there ​and apply just ​the right ​amounts of ​water in the ​correct places ​to avoid ​wastage while ​keeping the ​crop at its ​peak growth.​” ​

Good soil ​moisture allows ​for the optimal ​growth and ​yield of crops, ​while at ​broader spatial ​scales also ​regulates ​weather, ​climate and ​flooding. The ​water levels in ​the soil ​controls ​evaporation ​over land and ​thus the energy ​fluxes into the ​atmosphere. ​This drives the ​atmospheric ​circulation, ​which drives ​climate. ​

“If the ​soil is too dry,​ crops can fail ​due to a lack ​of water. But ​if the soil is ​too wet, crops ​can not only ​fail but pests ​and diseases ​can flourish,​” ​Professor ​Walker said. ​

Professor ​Walker said the ​farming ​industry has ​welcomed ​smarter and ​more automated ​practices, but ​there are few ​tools available ​to make the ​already ​difficult ​workloads of ​farmers more ​manageable. ​

“At best,​ farmers might ​have a single ​soil moisture ​sensor in a ​paddock, but ​this doesn’​t allow for the ​optimal ​application of ​water, ​especially as ​this resource ​becomes scarcer.​ Plus it ​won’t ​take into ​account ​moisture ​variation ​levels across ​the individual ​paddocks,”​ Professor ​Walker said. ​

As crop ​failures due to ​a lack of water ​have enormous ​human and ​financial ​consequences, ​Professor ​Walker said ​Australian ​farmers need to ​become more ​efficient in ​soil moisture ​mapping by ​using ‘​precision ​agriculture’​ methods such ​as autonomous ​soil moisture ​mapping using ​drones. ​

“Farmers ​also need to ​cooperate; ​water ​conservation ​and efficiency ​is a collective ​responsibility. ​Everyone needs ​to do their ​part to use ​water more ​effectively or ​we’re at ​risk of running ​out completely,​” ​Professor ​Walker said. ​

“As the ​world’s ​driest ​continent ​facing climate ​change, a ​growing ​population and ​a greater ​demand for food,​ water ​conservation ​should be one ​of Australia’​s top ​priorities.​” ​

This project ​is part of ​Monash ​University’​s expanding ​interdisciplinary​ ​focus on the ​use of data and ​technology to ​solve real-​world problems ​for today and ​in the future. ​

The Autonomous ​Drones for Soil ​Moisture ​Mapping project ​was funded by ​Monash ​Infrastructure ​through a seed ​funding scheme. ​This project ​forms part of ​Professor ​Walker’s ​wider research ​into soil ​moisture ​mapping and ​autonomous ​farming.  ​

News source: Monash University  

Video source:​ Posterboy ​Media on Vimeo 

To download, click ‘Download’ button on the right (on a computer) and download ‘Original’ format - this is the best format for redistribution…

Sulfate Boosts Ability of Plants to Handle Dry Conditions

Plants absorb the mineral sulfate from soil water. An international research team led by scientists from Heidelberg University has uncovered how sulfate controls the production of the drought stress hormone ABA in plants and thus contributes to their drought-resistance. These findings improve scientists' understanding of how the drought-stress signal travels from the roots to the leaves. The studies in Heidelberg were carried out at the Centre for Organismal Studies (COS).

Plants take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis through pores in their leaves. When rainfall is low, however, these openings spell disaster for the plants because strong sunlight and active photosynthesis draw a lot of water through the open pores. Without fresh water from the roots, the plants wither and ultimately die. The hormone ABA [abscisic acid] controls how far the pores open in order to regulate the water loss of the plant.

Last year the researchers uncovered that the nutrient sulfate accumulates in the water transport pathways of the plants when the soil begins to dry out. Now the team led by Dr Markus Wirtz and Prof. Dr Rüdiger Hell has shown that the mineral actually known as sulfate plays a critical signalling role in supplying water to the plant. “Even we were surprised how efficiently sulfate triggers the synthesis of ABA and thus controls closure of the pores,” states Prof. Hell.

“The extremely dry European summer of 2018 was a preview of the imminent effects of global warming on the growth of plants and nutrient production,” stresses Dr Wirtz. “To be able to cultivate food crops that are more resilient during periods of water scarcity and drought, we need to understand how environmental factors regulate the formation of the hormone ABA”.

The results of the study were published in the journals “The Plant Cell” and “Plant Physiology” in late 2018.

The implications for turf could be most intriguing too and if your also add in the known effects of potassium on cell wall strengthening under dry conditions, could this explain or partially suggest an improved role for use of potassium sulfate as a summer fertiliser, or use of more complex mixes including slow release nitrogen?

Potassium sulfate is an often favoured means of supplying potassium and considered much superior to some alternate and cheaper forms, but is the real benefit the potassium or the sulfate in boosting drought resilience in many summer growing warm season turf grasses, especially in water deficit and /or hot stress conditions?  Do similar issues arise if using potassium sulfate in hydroponics in hot conditions [ it is commonly used in hydroponic cultivation] ?

It is an intriguing outcome of the research.......with no doubt more to come.

[ some material used from a press release by COS]

SURPRISE - the Earth is Getting Greener!!

It seems there is always doom and gloom environment news - so here is some good news, as reported by CNN.

NASA satellite imagery reveals that China and India are leading the world in adding volumes of green foliage. 

Also, since 2000, the Earth's overall green acreage has grown by 5%, an area equivalent to the Amazon's rainforests.

So.......maybe some positive news.

Banana Streak Disease May be Disabled

Bananas continue to be a target plant for breeding using new technologies.

The latest is a development that eliminates banana streak virus disease from the plant as well as preventing reinfection, using various gene editing options.  This disease is a major problem in parts of west Africa.

Read the full story here - https://www.newscientist.com/article/2192461-virus-lurking-inside-banana-genome-has-been-destroyed-with-crispr/

Developments like this continue to be implemented and offer significant potential for food crops especially in areas where some crops are staple foods.......and lowered production can be devasting to the local population.

Yes, there are some scientific and policy issues to be considered but there seems to be a better understanding that maybe these approaches with genetic engineering [as a broad approach] offer a real way forward in better plant production.

We are likely to see expanded use of the CRISPR gene technology across many crops or even less well developed or unexploited species to develop newer varieties for modern agriculture and improve overall crop productivity.

Trichoderma for Disease Control in Zoysia Turf

Disease control in turf can be a tricky process and is often commenced well before the disease appears or is expected to arrive – on a seasonal basis, as is often the situation.

That might be okay for major sport areas – from golf and bowling greens to major sport stadia and similar larger venues.  But what about the backyard lawn?   Or the neighbourhood oval?

Cost and lack of information often mean these types of programs never are used.  It also often means no disease management occurs at all with resulting significant loss of amenity, and significant remedial cost – after the disease event.

There are other options that might be worth considering.

A recent paper on disease issues in high quality new turf ovals using zoysia has highlighted a role for root colonizing fungi that can elicit a plant immune response in the roots and may have significant potential for bio-control of a few different turf diseases.

The concept is not a “flash in the pan” radical new idea at all and has been investigated and researched for some years.  There are commercial materials now sold that even use the materials and so they can be bought commercially in some countries, including Australia. Details available on request.

One advantage they have is that the “good” fungal material can be applied once disease is noticed [also used before if required] and that it can develop and spread and be active in the soil in effect becoming a possible long term solution to the suppression of turf diseases by effectively moving the balance back towards a positive fungal colony in the soil, not a disease causing collection of fungal species – these are suppressed.

I thought the recent scientific paper based on work on Zoysia japonica turf in Guangzhou [ southern China] to be most interesting even if conducted in a greenhouse.

The pathogenic fungi [ which included a range of known disease vectors] were all significantly inhibited by an isolate of Trichoderma viride and this organism had positive effects on zoysia turf growth.

The reference is: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Volume 37, January 2019, Pages 168-172

Root zone mixture affects the population of root-invading fungi in zoysia grass - by Tianzeng Liu, Jialing Li and Juming Zhang from -

College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grassland Science, China

Is Turf Still Relevant ?

A brief article in the December edition of Scientific American by a scientist from the University of WA here in Australia makes the case for abandoning the use of turf / lawn in urban areas, arguing it is too intensive in its use of almost everything in resources, although there are some benefits.

Is this really the case for many modern varieties of warm season turf lines?

We like to think that zoysia does not fit many of the criteria used to knock the use of turf in modern gardens in urban areas.

It does not require a lot of mowing nor does it require much in the way of nitrogen fertiliser, and as well, it is also relatively light on irrigation demand in dry periods.  Yes, it does semi shut down when moisture stressed, but zoysia turf can thrive on much less resources than many other warm season turf species.

Should it be included in the hit list proposed in the article?

I would submit NO.

Read the article and come to your own conclusions.  Scientific American December 2018.

A hottie and will there be more?

Last week was the hottest night ever in Australia.

Maybe not in Darwin........but see the site and ponder.

Would you like a 35.6C night?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-18/hottest-night-on-record-noona/10725886

One relevant item is that zoysia turf does handle hot weather very well.  And it requires less water to grow.

Please consider!

Compadre Zoysia - Buying and Sowing Seed

Compadre zoysia seed offers an alternative option to create a great zoysia turf area, and you do not need to purchase expensive sod of other similar alternative varieties.

While there are some zoysia varieties that only exist as vegetative sod areas, once you need to move sod any distance especially in our warm Australian climate it can be expensive and a bit tricky, as it is also if larger areas are required on a site.

Seed of Compadre [or even Zenith if available] offer an alternate and similar quality turf, once established.  Yes, a longer period to establish to a suitable standard for use, but at considerable $$ savings in comparison to using sod.

With sod costing $10 - 20 per sq m at the production site, and a delivery charge often added, seed offers a real alternative, and is much cheaper per unit area.

NOW........is the time to seriously consider Compadre zoysia for your lawn.   If in areas of Australia, say Brisbane and south, soil is about warm enough for prompt establishment [average soil temperature 18-20C desirable] and the longer days ensure adequate light to invigorate seedling growth.

Remember you need a clean seed bed and it is worth taking the time to remove as many weed seedlings as possible.  We offer services and advice to ensure you can establish an area successfully, and can advise on appropriate herbicides for weed control within a developing zoysia lawn, including zoysia sod areas [ unfortunately not all sod finishes up weed free including from a weedy sub soil].

We consign any seed purchased promptly via air express - with a normal 2-3 business day delivery around Australia, including outside capital cities. 

Ask for our information sheets, after reading the many articles on this blog.

Remember that Compadre zoysia is a great warm season lawn needing less mowing, less water, less fertiliser and mostly disease free...........you will not be disappointed once the lawn is established.

Young partially shaded area of zoysia turf area sown from seed, on a school oval.

 

New Light on Seed Germination Genetics

Scientists have identified a key gene that helps seeds decide whether to germinate.

The study was conducted on Arabidopsis, a very close relative of oilseed rape.

The MFT gene stops seeds germinating in the dark or under shady conditions, where their chances of survival would be poor, according to new research from the University of York.

The study, conducted on Arabidopsis, a very close relative of oilseed rape, increases our understanding of one of the most important stages in the life cycle of a plant and may help to improve the seed quality of agricultural crops in the future.

Signals

Scientists have known for some time that two plant hormones play an important role in regulating if and when a seed will germinate - “Abscissic Acid” or ABA blocks germination and “Gibberelins” or GA promotes it.

However, in a breakthrough in our understanding of the mechanism by which these hormones control germination in response to light quality, the researchers have discovered that MFT is the key component that integrates and interprets signals coming from both ABA and GA.

The MFT gene is regulated by light quality and receives signals from both ABA and GA. In dark or shady conditions, it then directs the production of the MFT protein, which regulates germination by switching on a block of genes that prevent growth and switching off another block of genes that promote growth.

Sophisticated mechanism

This prevents a plant from germinating under the wrong conditions such as when there is not enough light to grow.

Professor Ian Graham, corresponding author, from the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products in the Department of Biology at the University of York, said: “This is another great example of how plants have evolved very sophisticated molecular mechanisms to stay in tune with their environment. This allows seeds to survive in the soil for many years so that when the time is right, such as when a tree falls in a forest or soil is turned over, seeds can suddenly spring into action.”

For many plant species the ability of a seed to sense the quality of light can inform it if it is located in direct sunlight, under a canopy of other plants that only allow a certain quality of light to pass through or in the dark, which is often the case when seeds are buried in the soil.

Survival

In wild plant species the ability for seeds to remain dormant even under conditions that would allow them to germinate is important for survival. For crops species, eliminating this dormancy is one of the first traits that has to be dealt with in a plant breeding programme.

Lead author of the work, Dr Fabian Vaistij, from the Department of Biology at the University of York added: “Understanding the molecular genetic basis of how seed germination is controlled will provide new tools to improve seed quality and seedling vigour in developing new crops for the future.” 

This work provides some ideas about how light interacts with seeds and germination.  Especially where species are known to respond to light during germination.  Zoysia turf grass is one of the species that does require light to germinate - if buried, even at shallow depth, germination and subsequent establishment is greatly impaired.

[ adapted from University of York press release 7 August 2018]

Mosquito Control with Sterile Insects

The world's most dangerous animal isn't a lion, shark, snake or croc: it's the menacing mosquito. 

While many mosquitos are harmless to humans and ecologically important, three groups of mozzies, the Aedes, Anopheles and Culex, are found almost all over the world and are responsible for around 17 per cent of infectious disease transmissions globally. 

In a landmark trial working with international partners, CSIRO were able to suppress the invasive and disease spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito by 80 per cent along the Cassowary Coast, Queensland. 

Millions of non-biting male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were reared, sterilised using a natural bacteria and re-released into the area.

Click through on the link to read the story - Australian science at work - for good! Read more by clicking through below.

Very sharp, smart science!

Our infertile mozzies are now wiping out the invasive irritants.

Click here

Innovative Methodology For Multiple Gene Insertion Into Plants - Easier Plant Improvement

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Albany, California, have found a way to streamline the process that scientists use to insert multiple genes into a crop plant, developing a reliable method that will make it easier to breed a variety of crops with vastly improved traits.

The technology is expected to speed up the process for developing new varieties of potatoes, rice, citrus and other crops that are better equipped to tolerate heat and drought, produce higher yields and resist a myriad of diseases and pests. Crops with greater resistance to pathogens and insects could greatly reduce pesticide use and prevent billions of dollars in crop losses.

“Making genetic improvements that were difficult or impossible before will be much easier because we can now insert not just one or two genes, but multiple genes, into a plant in a way that will lead to predictable outcomes,” said Roger Thilmony, an ARS molecular biologist in Albany.

A paper describing the achievement by Thilmony, James Thomson, an ARS geneticist in Albany, and Ray Collier, a former ARS postdoctoral researcher, was published recently in the August issue of The Plant Journal.

The GAANTRY gene stacking technology will be freely available to anyone interested, and a commercial firm in the US is planning to use it to introduce multiple genes into potatoes to make them more resistant to late blight, which is caused by a fungus-like organism. Late blight can destroy entire fields and force some farmers to spray fungicides up to 15 times a year.

“We have struggled to put multiple late blight resistance genes into potatoes for years. They are very long, complex genes, and with existing technologies it’s been extremely difficult. But the GAANTRY technology will help us tremendously,” said Craig Richael, a director of research and development for J.R. Simplot Co., an Idaho-based company that produces French fries, frozen vegetables, fertilizer, turf grass seed and other products.

Scientists over the years have modified the genetics of soybeans, corn, canola and other crop plants to develop varieties that tolerate specific herbicides and resist insect pests. But those traits were controlled by one or two genes, and in most crop plants, important traits such as cold and drought tolerance, yield and seed production are almost always controlled by multiple genes. Inserting more than two or three genes into the same site on a plant chromosome has been notoriously difficult.

The researchers’ unique platform stabilizes large “stacks” of DNA needed for conferring key traits, allowing researchers to insert suites of genes “so precisely that no unintended DNA is added or lost during the process,” says Thomson.

“Before this, assembling 10 genes to insert into a new line would be difficult or impossible, but this technology basically stabilizes the stack and makes for results that are more stable and much easier to predict,” Thilmony said.

Read the report in The Plant Journal.

This technology offers some very smart options for plant improvement, and is potentially likely to be assessed similarly as the CRSPR system whereby derived plant lines are not assessed as GM plants, easing regulatory approvals. 

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. 

Each dollar invested in agricultural research through the ARS results in $20 of economic impact.

That is a very good return on the investment.   I wonder if those returns are achieved in Australian institutions?

[ modified from publicly available press release of ARS ]

EU Court of Justice Ruling on Plant Breeding Innovation

On July 25 the European Union (EU) Court of Justice ruled that plants resulting from some of the latest plant breeding innovations, including targeted mutagenesis (i.e. gene editing) such as CRISPR, are considered genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It is important to note that the ruling is an interpretation of existing EU law. It is not a scientific assessment, nor an expression or statement of policy by the EU’s political bodies. This interpretation is at odds with decisions and interpretations made elsewhere in the world, including here in Australia, US, South America and Israel.   Summary  The EU Court of Justice has issued its long-awaited decision on the regulatory status of plants resulting from some of the latest plant breeding innovations. This determines whether they can practically be taken up by researchers, universities, breeders and farmers in the EU. The ruling’s line of argument is based almost entirely on the breeding process (technology involved) and does not differentiate between product categories based on the outcome of these processes. The ruling puts forward a purely process-based approach after an EU specific point in time (2001; the time of adoption of the EU GMO Directive). Organisms obtained by means of mutagenesis which have “conventionally” been used and have a long safety record will continue to be exempt. This exemption would apply to the “classical”, random mutagenesis breeding methods using chemicals or radiation. In Australia, the current review of the Gene Technology Regulations and the National Gene Technology Scheme will provide regulatory clarity on plants and animals derived from the latest breeding methods for Australian industry and public-sector researchers. ABCA’s Statement of Principles on Regulatory Oversight of New Breeding Techniques is available on the ABCA website.   Further information: The Court of Justice of the EU Ruling on Case  C-528/16 and associated Press Release. Media releases from CropLife Australia, EuropaBio and the European Seed Association are also available. Links to some of the media coverage overnight on the EU decision on gene editing techniques: EURACTIV - Industry shocked by EU Court decision to put gene editing technique under GM law: https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/industry-shocked-by-eu-court-decision-to-put-gene-editing-technique-under-gm-law/ Reuters - GMO rules cover plant gene editing technique: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-court-gmo/eu-top-court-says-mutagenesis-falls-under-eu-gmo-rules-idUSKBN1KF15L Politico - EU’s top court tightens controls over controversial new GMO techniques: https://www.politico.eu/article/mutagenesis-genetically-modified-organisms-eu-court-opens-door-to-certain-contentious-plant-breeding-techniques/ The Guardian - Gene-edited plants and animals are GM foods, EU court rules: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/25/gene-editing-is-gm-europes-highest-court-rules Yahoo - EU court extends GMO rules to new techniques: https://au.news.yahoo.com/eu-court-extends-gmo-rules-techniques-165643988--spt.html Wired – EU ruling could slow Africa’s push for Crispr crops: https://www.wired.com/story/european-ruling-could-slow-africas-push-for-crispr-crops/ Nature - CRISPR plants now subject to tough GM laws in European Union: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05814-6 DW - EU risks being left behind after GMO ruling: https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-eu-risks-being-left-behind-after-gmo-ruling/a-44825520 -------------------------------------- Probably unexpected, and does not reflect on the science, but rather a legal interpretation. The media links above would say it all - most if not all are a bit stunned at the decision. No doubt the anti GM urgers will  applaud the decision, but it will have wide implications - or will it?

Planting Zoysia in 2018? Early Start Possible!

It is the end of July 2018 and the BOM has released the next 3 month climate assessments.

And the consensus is - a strong chance of a warmer end to winter and a warm spring period in Australia.

That could mean an opportunity to get a slightly earlier start to developing a new sown area of zoysia turf from seed.  Normally, we work off long term averages in assessing a potential date to sow seed when ground temperatures and air temperatures are warm enough to allow seed to germinate promptly.

However the BOM is predicting a strong probability of warmer weather coming over the next 3 months so earlier planting could be an option.

You still need to check the weather as there may well be cool periods, but overall, an earlier warming seems likely.

Data maps are here, http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks/#/temperature/summary , but by drilling down, specific data is available for many towns.

Use this as a planning guide - with conditions of 20C and above as daytime temperature and above about 14 C at night being adequate, but higher is also better.  The other consideration is the quickening extension of the longer day length from August onwards which helps boost the growth of the turf over the short days of winter.

Zoysia seed is available, but note we are not available to supply seed for early to mid -September.  Can respond to queries, but no physical seed despatch at this time. Ask about seed supply by email to:  office@abovecapricorn.com.au     

Extreme Lawn Care - Not You??

There are certainly a few "odd" people around with regard to lawn care - some say even "nutters".  The following article from a recent Wall Street Journal is worth a read  to learn about extreme lawn care!

Is this your scene too?

Acknowledgement to wsj.com for article below

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Plucking Blades by Hand, Vacuuming the Grass: This Is Extreme Lawn Care

For some lawn fanatics, mowing is a labor of love. And it’s getting competitive.

For Oktay Mustafayev, who lives in Fair Lawn, N.J., lawn care is life. Video/Photo: Rob Alcaraz/The Wall Street Journal

By 

James R. Hagerty

July 15, 2018 12:52 p.m. ET

28 COMMENTS

Keith Trzynka’s neighbors on Cottonwood Street in Grand Forks, N.D., are no longer surprised to see him vacuuming his front lawn.

Mr. Trzynka, a retired farm-equipment dealer, worries about sand blown into the edges of his yard by ice-clearing crews in the winter. The sand threatens to blight his lovingly tended grass. So he occasionally hauls out his shop-vac to extract it.

Artist’s tool

Each morning, he tries to pick up any twigs or leaves that may have fallen on his grass overnight. Sometimes he sweeps sticks and debris from the street in front of his house to keep the landscape tidy.

“The lawn is his little farm,” said Mr. Trzynka’s wife, Ginger.

For most people, lawn care is a tiresome chore or something they pay somebody else to do. For others, it’s a challenge. They tend to want their lawns to be a dark, emerald green and preferably striped like a baseball field, an effect achieved by attaching a roller behind the mower. Edges must be perfectly squared. The job isn’t finished until the last weed is plucked and the final blade of grass blasted off the sidewalk.

Brad Ferguson, a self-described lawn-care fanatic, with his wife, Heather, and 10-month-old son, Grant, at home in Columbia, Mo. PHOTO: FERGUSON FAMILY

“Yes, I am a fanatic,” said Brad Ferguson, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Missouri’s medical school in Columbia, Mo. He admits to having slipped outside with a flashlight at 2 or 3 a.m. to check whether recently planted grass seeds were starting to sprout.

Dr. Ferguson’s routine includes sharpening blades, pressure washing and tuning up his John Deere lawn tractor. “I do all the maintenance myself,” he said. “I don’t let anyone else touch it.”

Many of these yard masters are disciples of Allyn Hane, an internet guru who dubs himself the Lawn Care Nut. Mr. Hane, whose video “How to Dominate Your Neighbor’s Lawn” has had more than two million views on YouTube, exhorts his followers to “mow taller” than their neighbors, leaving their grass about an inch above the competition. “It’s the same reason why tall people stand out in a crowd,” he says in the video.

Geoffrey Lokuta, a biologist who lives in Lakeland, Fla., values Mr. Hane’s mowing tips but said he isn’t on a quest for neighborhood domination. In any case, there isn’t much competition. “People around me have what you would call salad bars,” 50% grass and 50% weeds, he said. “I just let them do their thing.”

Danny Freemyer's lawn won Yard of the Month for June in Forney, Texas. PHOTO: FREEMYER FAMILY

Not so for Danny Freemyer, who in June won the Yard of the Month award in Forney, Texas. “I was super-excited about it,” said Mr. Freemyer, an electrician who moved to the Dallas suburb five years ago. “That was my plan when I first moved in, to get Yard of the Month, and I don’t think they were even doing Yard of the Month at that time.”

Dominick Segro, a police officer who lives in Springfield, N.J., often mows two or three times a week. “I think it’s great,” said his wife, Tara. “We definitely have the best lawn in town.” Officer Segro is protective of his handiwork and “a little neurotic,” his wife said.

For instance, the couple’s children are allowed to play in the yard but “they have to move around” rather than standing in one place, Ms. Segro said. Blowup pools are forbidden because they would mat the grass. The dog is allowed to relieve itself only in a designated spot at one side of the house.

Blow-up swimming pools are banned from Dominick Segro’s lawn in Springfield, N.J., because they would matt the grass. Mr. Segro often mows two or three times a week. PHOTO: SEGRO FAMILY

When the Segros had a Father’s Day party, some of the guests taunted Mr. Segro by lingering a bit longer than necessary on his lawn for a group picture. Afterward, he used a leaf blower to fluff the grass back up.

Eric Cozart of Coldwater, Mich., who sells industrial plastics, opposes any trampling of his manicured front lawn but is willing to compromise: He lets his toddler son romp in the back. “I’ve ceded ground to my child in the backyard,” Mr. Cozart said.

How many hours he devotes to the lawn per week can be a sensitive topic. “My wife would probably tell you 100,” he said. “Realistically, it’s no more than 10 to 12.”

“I sit 8 to 10 hours a day at a computer and think back what did I accomplish today and sometimes it’s hard to think of anything,” said Mr. Ford. “When I get home it’s nice to use a different part of my brain and see measurable, tangible results.”Taylor Ford, a financial planner in Mesa, Ariz., considers himself only moderately obsessive about his lawn. Even so, while at work or on the road, he sometimes uses a cellphone app that connects with his home security cameras so he can make sure his lawn-irrigation system is working. His wife sometimes asks, “Why are you mowing? It’s already fine.”

Lawn care is “kind of like a stress-reduction thing,” said David Tirpak, a psychologist and career counselor who lives in Sykesville, Md. For lawn geeks like him, the attractions also include spending time outdoors and meeting their (often envious) neighbors.

Keith Trzynka tends his pristine lawn in Grand Forks, N.D. Hannah Tirpak, 4 years old, explores a lawn tended by her father, David Tirpak, in Sykesville, Md.PHOTOS: TRZYNKA FAMILY; TIRPAK FAMILY

Growing up in a Brooklyn apartment,  Oktay Mustafayev had little early exposure to lawn care. Then he moved to Fair Lawn, N.J. Mr. Mustafayev, a nurse whose family immigrated from Azerbaijan, soon decided that having merely a fair lawn wasn’t enough. He began taking YouTube tutorials and raising his game.

When he mows, Mr. Mustafayev passes over the entire surface twice to ensure an even cut. If one or two blades of grass exceed the desired height, he yanks them out like rogue eyebrow hairs. “I like uniformity,” Mr. Mustafayev said. He dreads autumn, the end of his growing season: “That last mow, that’s pretty heartbreaking.”

Write to James R. Hagerty at bob.hagerty@wsj.com