Creating a budget-friendly water garden

Editor Note:  Have a great pond in Fayette County?  Have too many fishy mouths to feed?  Need to prune the plants in your pond?  


The Fayette Front Page is happy to announce a new networking tool for Fayette County Water Gardeners.  Pop us an email to let us know what "extras" you need to get out of your pond and into someone else's!  We'll post what you've got in order to help those plants and fish find new homes!

Send those emails to ann@fayettefrontpage.com with "pond exchange" as the subject since she has graciously volunteered to get the givers and the givees together.  Of course, the rest of the staff suspects she wants to prune her own pond and we just know she can't kill those plants!

First up--   "Lizard Tail" plants need a new home.  Our pond is overflowing with them!

A water garden filled with plants, brightly colored koi and goldfish doesn’t have to break the bank. A University of Georgia expert offers tips on creating a water garden on a budget, but says you’re still going to have to pay sweat equity.

Horticulturist Tony Johnson is responsible for three water gardens at the UGA Research and Education Garden in Griffin, Ga. An award-winning landscape designer, he has installed water gardens for more than 25 years.

Money-savings tips

For those who’d like to install a water garden but can only do so on a tight budget, Johnson offers a few tips:

• Instead of buying pots designed for water gardens, improvise. Create water garden pots by drilling holes in the bottom of a new oil pan or plastic trash can lid.
• To make inexpensive floating pots, place the pots in circles made from the foam noodles commonly used in swimming pools. Close the ends with a small piece of plastic tubing the size of the hole in the end of the noodle, he said.
“I know these are strong because they hold me up in the swimming pool when I play with my grandkids,” Johnson said. “An oil pan costs about $3 and the noodle is around $2, so for $5 you can create a unique floating plant island.”
• Don’t buy expensive water garden potting mixes. Plant water garden plants in regular potting mix combined with unscented cat litter.
• Instead of buying plants, find a friend who has a water garden and ask her to share a few plants.

Get plants from other water gardeners

“Most water gardens contain more plants than they need,” he said. “And your friends most likely need to thin out their garden so you’d probably be helping them out.”

When selecting plants, Johnson recommends hardy lilies, ornamental sweet potatoes, creeping jenny and impatiens.

Johnson may offer money-saving tips when it comes to pots, soil and plants, but he stands firm when it comes to buying a water garden liner. He only recommends Permalon or EPDM rubber liners.

Don't cut corners on pond's liner

“Don’t try to save money by buying roofing material or a swimming pool liner,” he said. “They contain chemicals that can kill your fish. And, a blue pool liner will reflect sunlight, and light equals more algae.”

Water gardens should be at least 24 inches deep and the bottom should be lined with 2 inches of sand to protect the liner or underlayment. Lay the liner in place and anchor it with rocks. Next, add the pump and filter system, what Johnson calls the final and most important aspects.

"When it comes to pumps, always buy a bigger pump than you think you need,” he said.

Adding a few fish will keep the mosquito larvae population down and provide visual entertainment. You can often get these from friends, too.

Tending the garden is a must

Once your garden is installed, then you really begin paying – in sweat equity, Johnson said.
“To properly maintain a water garden, you should be doing something in there every week,” he said. “It may be grooming or pruning plants or it could be cleaning the filter.”

When cleaning the pond filter, use water from the pond to help maintain the active beneficial bacteria growing there.

Johnson suggests investing in a pair of wading boots or surf shoes to wear when working inside your water garden.

Don't toss excess plants in ponds, rivers

When pruning water garden plants, he recommends sharing excess plants with other water gardeners. Do not dump them in the neighborhood pond thinking you are helping the environment.

“Most water garden plants are very invasive and you’ll be hurting far more than helping,” he said.

Remove entire stems of spent water lilies and dispose of faded leaves, which are signs of disease. Dead plant material will sink to the bottom of the pond, feed the algae and turn your pond water pea green, he said.

If you don’t prune throughout the year, Johnson says you must at least do a once-a-year pruning or your garden will quickly grow out of control.

For more information on the UGA Research and Education Garden, visit www.ugagarden.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia
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Interior and Agriculture Departments Announce Joint New Climate Change Research Projects on SE and NW Freshwater Systems

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today(July 27) announced joint scientific research projects that address the effects of climate change on freshwater systems and sensitive aquatic species in the northwestern and southeastern United States.

"Addressing the challenges of climate change will require new tools that enable our leaders to develop successful strategies," said Vilsack. "This research will provide tools and information to help ensure that aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest and Southeast remain healthy in the face of climate change."

"Conserving our nation's fisheries and aquatic ecosystems will be a challenge as climate change continues," said Salazar. "These collaborative research projects will provide the science and technology needed by the Interior Department and other natural resource managers to plan for coping with these challenges, especially in sensitive aquatic environments."

Salazar noted that these projects are an early indication of the kind of science and management support that will be generated by the Interior Department's regional climate science centers, which will be established in the Northwest and Southeast later this year. "Collaborative science targeted at managers needs is our agenda," Salazar said.

The multi-year $500,000 joint USDA-DOI projects, which will be carried out by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) scientists, will make use of existing data, field studies and modeling to better understand the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Information from the project will help guide science-based land-use decisions by federal agencies and others engaged in long-term planning for climate adaptation.

In the Northwest, a region known for its abundant supply of cold and clean fresh water, the project's goal is to identify how climate change will affect water temperature, quality and quantity, as well as the likely effects of increasing and more fluctuating water temperatures on coldwater-dependent fish such as trout and salmon.

Regional climate change will likely cause altered hydrology and water temperatures, vital components of water quality and healthy life cycles for species such as Pacific salmon, trout and chars, which depend on coldwater habitats. At the same time, little is known about existing and potential impacts of climate change for stream temperature in the Pacific Northwest. With a better understanding these factors – temperature and altered water flows – experts will be able to help guide land-use decisions by federal and state agencies planning for climate adaptation in the area.

In the Southeast, the project's goal is to develop tools managers can use to minimize the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and the coldwater-dependent species in them, as well as on related ecosystem service such as drinking water quality and wildlife-based recreation. The scientists will refine and combine climate and hydrologic models for the region that will help resource professionals assess how land-use and water-management decisions will affect coldwater fish species such as brook trout, and the transition from coldwater fisheries in the mountains to warm water fisheries in the lower-lying Piedmont area.
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Ten tips for living more sustainably in 2010

(ARA) - The beginning of a new year - and a new decade - is the time many people pledge to live differently. For many, that change means living a more sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability, once only a buzz word, is now fast becoming the way to live consciously.

From reducing your water usage to buying organic, here are 10 simple ways to make 2010 the year of sustainable living:

1. Use water more efficiently: Water is a limited resource and limiting it within your household is a cornerstone of sustainability. Rain barrels, largely unheard of even a decade ago, are becoming a popular way to collect and reuse rainwater for purposes like gardening. Meanwhile, conserving water in the home by taking shorter showers or even fixing a leaky faucet also can make a difference at a time when many communities are experiencing water shortages or are expressing concerns about water overuse.

2. Compost: Turning over leaves by way of a new compost garden is one way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A compost heap is a simple, effective way to collect yard waste, like leaves and grass clippings, and kitchen scraps such as raw vegetable peelings and coffee grounds, and return them to the ground as organic matter.

3. Seek earth-friendly packaging: To better fill that compost heap, alter shopping habits to look for products with compostable packaging. Snyder's of Hanover, for instance, recently introduced a new Pretzel Variety Sack of 100-Calorie Pretzels and Pretzel Sandwiches in the market's first 100 percent compostable outer package made from 100 percent renewable cornstarch-based plastic. The new Variety Sack includes a special logo indicating that the bag can be composted and is made with sustainable materials. In addition to that example, more manufacturers are switching to cardboard packaging materials, which are made from renewable materials and can be recycled or composted.

4. Buy local, embrace organic: Many farmers, ranchers and, increasingly, food manufacturers, are offering foods and beverages made using sustainable practices. It could be a farmers market tomato, a local dairy's milk, an organic snack food, like new Organic Honey Whole Wheat Sticks and Organic Whole Wheat and Oat Sticks from Snyder's of Hanover, or any number of natural or organic items. The bottom line is that natural, organic and locally produced foods provide both sustenance and sustainability. To learn more about Snyder's of Hanover's sustainability initiatives visit www.snydersofhanover.com/Sustainability/.

5. Go to seed: Take the locally grown movement a step further - like in your own backyard or patio. An afternoon spent planting seeds or small plants can yield plenty of rewards a few weeks or months later, in the form of fresh, inexpensive and convenient vegetables and fruits. You don't need a large tract of land, in fact, to start a small garden.

6. Ride out the trend: Sustain your own energy level by opting to ride a bike or walk to a destination that isn't all that far away. Add a basket to a bike or take along a backpack to bring something back home.

7. Re-recycle: Recycling is nothing new and most people have been recycling in some form for years. But recycling can be taken to another level, going beyond obvious and traditionally recycled items like soda cans or newspaper to the smallest of waste materials, from plastic straws to the paper straw wrapper. Why not recycle apparel as well, by donating clothes and buying gently used clothes?

8. Plug in: Learn how to operate appliances more efficiently. For example, use cold water in the washing machine: clothes will still be cleaned, without the use of heated water. Turn off appliances when not in use, whether it's the television, video game player or radio. Better yet, completely unplug. Many electronics and battery chargers continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. Instead, use a power strip to cut power completely when not in use.

9. Lighten up: Use energy efficient lighting and bulbs when possible and turn off lights when not in a room. That will cut energy use - and the family budget.

10. Get involved: As the sustainability movement gains traction among the public, there are more opportunities to join in. Local communities, schools and organizations often have green committees, and there is a plethora of national and grassroots organizations geared around earth-friendly living that appreciate new volunteers or members.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Long-term study finds that nutrient enrichment of headwater stream disrupts food web in unexpected ways

Human activity is increasing the supply of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to stream systems all over the world.The conventional wisdom—bolstered by earlier research—has held that these additional nutrients cause an increase in production all along the food chain, from the tiniest organisms up to the largest predators.A long-term, ecosystem-scale study by a team of University of Georgia researchers, however, has thrown this assumption into question.

The researchers—a team from the UGA Odum School of Ecology and department of entomology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—found , unexpectedly, that while nutrient enrichment did indeed cause a steady increase in the production of organisms lower on the food chain, organisms at the top of the food chain did not benefit.

Their study, “Long-term nutrient enrichment decouples predator and prey production,” published this week in the early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was funded by the National Science Foundation.It documents the effects of long-term nutrient enrichment of a headwater stream in a forested area at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in North Carolina.For the first two years of the study, the results were as expected: the production of both prey (the organisms low on the food chain) and predators (in this case salamanders and macroinvertebrates) increased.But with continued addition of nutrients, things began to change.While the prey continued to increase at the same rate, the production of predators leveled off, signifying a ‘decoupling’ of the typical relationship between predators and prey.

Maintaining patterns of energy flow between predators and prey is a critical aspect of healthy ecosystems. “What we found was a dead end in the food chain,” said Amy Rosemond, assistant professor at the Odum School, and one of the lead researchers.“This is the first time we’ve seen this kind of trophic decoupling, or break in the food chain, between the levels of prey and predator on this scale.This kind of disruption of the food web wasn’t on anyone’s radar screen before now.”

In this instance, Rosemond explained, the break was driven by the traits of the various prey species that inhabit the stream system.Some of these species were better able to take advantage of the extra nutrition than were others.After the first two years, the nutrient enrichment began to favor the growth of large-bodied prey, such as the caddisfly, Pycnopsyche spp., over smaller organisms.These large-bodied prey were simply too big for the stream’s predators to consume; hence, they were unable to capitalize on the increase in available food.

John Davis, who conducted the research as part of his Ph.D. dissertation, said that the work has global implications.“Nutrient enrichment is a global threat to the health of freshwater ecosystems,” he explained.“However, our understanding of its effects is limited.Our experimental results varied substantially from the few other large-scale experiments, which suggests that ecosystem-level responses to nutrient enrichment are largely context-dependent.This is important because humans are increasing nutrient loading rates to a diversity of ecosystems, but our understanding of their effects is based on only a small number of ecosystem types.”

Rosemond said that their results point to the need for more research, especially large-scale, long-term studies in a variety of ecosystems.Davis agrees.“It took over four years for nutrient enrichment to decouple predator and prey production within these headwater streams,” he said.“But most ecological experiments are limited to time scales of weeks to months.”

And the need to understand the effects of nutrient enrichment continues to grow more important. According the Environmental Protection Agency, the health of 47 percent of lakes and 45 percent of streams in the U.S. is impaired, with excessive nutrients a significant source of that impairment.Nutrient inputs to lakes and streams are likely to continue to increase globally from fertilized agricultural and suburban lands and from human and animal wastes that enter aquatic systems from treated sewage, septic tanks, or run-off from land.Furthermore, headwater streams, like the study stream in Coweeta, may account for as much as 73% of all stream miles.These headwater streams are the ‘feeders’ of larger rivers, so their response to nutrient enrichment likely affects downstream systems as well. But long-term effects of nutrients have not been previously tested in these systems.

“Without more accurately assessing the long-term effects of nutrients on a diversity of ecosystem types,” Davis concluded, “we won’t be able to adequately predict how global ecosystems are going to respond to chronic nutrient enrichment.”

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Water-saving technology focus of new grant

Many ornamental nursery growers test to see if their plants need water by sticking a finger in the soil to see if it’s dry. Or, they just water them whether they need it or not. University of Georgia horticulturists have found a better way, one that requires less water, less fertilizer, less money and fewer dirty fingers.

Now they have the funds and collaborations to study more water-saving technologies. UGA is part of a national team that received a five-year $5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative Grant. The goal is to save water, increase efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of ornamental plant production.

To do that, they’re developing “the next generation of tools to precisely monitor plant water use, allow for better control of irrigation water applications, increase the efficiency of water and nutrient use by ornamental growers,” said UGA horticulturist Marc van Iersel.

Water moisture sensors

UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty will use $520,000 of the grant to study affordable soil moisture sensors that can be used easily in greenhouses and nurseries.

Van Iersel has been working with sensors for six years. He’s shown that they work in his greenhouse and at test nurseries. And now he can make them feasible for growers.

He, along with UGA professors John Ruter, Matthew Chappell and Paul Thomas, will work in their greenhouses, nurseries and at test sites at Evergreen Nursery in Statham, Ga., and McCorkle Nurseries in Dearing, Ga.

McCorkle saw the impact of using soil moisture sensors in a study UGA did last year.

“They were watering the plants using normal practices, and we were using soil moisture sensors to irrigate the plants,” van Iersel said. “We reduced water use by 83 percent.

“There’s definitely the potential for drastic water savings. How much probably depends on a particular greenhouse or nursery, but throughout the U.S., it has the potential to save huge amounts of water,” he said.

Plant models

UGA faculty will also study the water needs of different plants, such as petunia, poinsettia, hibiscus and hydrangea. Cooperators from other institutions will then develop software that will predict how much water these plants use.

Growers will be able to enter information like plant type and age, greenhouse light levels and temperatures to tailor the software. They will be able to estimate how much water they will need for their plants.

“Hydrangeas will definitely be one of the plants,” van Iersel said, “because that is such an important crop, and it’s a plant that seems to need a lot of water. Growers have trouble keeping hydrangeas well-watered, and they’re often over-watered.”

Group effort

John Lea-Cox from the University of Maryland is leading the overall project, which includes engineers, plant scientists, economists and Extension specialists.

In addition to determining water needs, they will construct watering systems that greenhouse managers can use, understand and install themselves. By combining their expertise, this group aims to develop a commercially-available, affordable product within the next five years.

Other universities and research centers on the grant are Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, Colorado State University, Cornell University and the UM Center for Environmental Science. Commercial partners are Decagon Devices in Pullman, Wash., and Antir Software in Jarrettsville, Md. The grant will be combined with an additional $5.2 million in matching funding from various sources.

Economists will look at whether the system is effective and economical for growers, van Iersel said. The questions they hope to answer are how much water, fertilizer and labor are saved, is there less runoff, less water to treat? And how about labor savings?

Environmental impact

Van Iersel sees the project as more than just a way for the plant industry to save money by reducing water and fertilizer.

“It can be a way to decrease their environmental impact,” he said. “And that would benefit society at large.

“If we reduce water use in these greenhouses and nurseries by X number of gallons per year, what is that value to society? If we can reduce runoff from greenhouses and nurseries, how much money is society saving by not having to clean up that water?”

For more details of the project goals, the university teams and the commercial partners, visit www.smart-farms.net.

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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Water-logged lawns

As flood waters across the state recede after record rainfall, homeowners are left with a messy aftermath to deal with. This includes water-logged lawns that could suffer from the effect of too much of a good thing.

“Excessive rainfall creates an unfavorable soil environment for root growth,” said Alfredo Martinez, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension plant pathologist. “The oxygen is displaced in the soil pores by water.”

Roots need oxygen

Without oxygen, root growth is restricted. In extreme cases, toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfides and metallic sulfides can accumulate, he said.

The result is weak or dead plants. Water-logged soil stays warmer longer and can increase turfgrass damage.

“Turfgrass injury due to flooding appears as dead brown areas,” Martinez said.

Symptoms will appear a few days after the flood water recedes, and the injured areas will follow the outline of low flooded areas. The first sign of trouble is raw sewage-like odor, which indicates a lack of oxygen in the soil.

After long periods of flooding, turfgrass can partially rot, he said.

“As with diagnosis of many turfgrass problems, history of the area is critical to correctly identify the problem,” Martinez said.

Watch for signs of damage

Additional problems associated with excess water are the diseases that thrive in extremely moist conditions and take advantage of the stressed plants.

The extent of damage depends on the length of flooding, said UGA Extension turfgrass specialist Clint Waltz.

Bermuda grass and bahia grass are most tolerant of flooding. Centipede is least tolerant. Zoysia and St. Augustine are intermediate.

To assess damage, look for white roots, green leaves or green or white runners above and below the soil surface. Green and white indicate a healthy plant while soft, milky white or brown stems and roots suggest the plant is dead.

Lend a helping hand

Lightly rake brown turf areas to determine if some grass has survived.

To help your lawn recovery from the flood:

* Improve surface and subsurface drainage. Keep drains clean. Dig temporary surface drains or put in subsurface drains.

* Remove any sediment like soil and organic debris on the surface by raking or shoveling to help surviving turf recover. Mow off dead leaves.

* Apply one-half pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet to encourage grass recovery. Follow normal maintenance practices the rest of the year.

If 40 percent to 50 percent of the area has healthy grass, there’s probably enough left to ‘grow in’ the rest, Waltz said.

Replacement an option

If more than 60 percent is lost, consider using sod, seed, plugs or planting a cover to restore the lawn. Sod produces an instant lawn with less long-term mess.
You can seed tall fescue now until early-November. Plugs should be installed later in the growing season.

You can establish a temporary cover with ryegrass or tall fescue. This should be done from mid-September through early-November. Turf-type tall fescue seeded at five pounds to six pounds per 1,000 square feet may survive if seeded in September. Higher seedling rates will lead to disease and other stress problems and should be avoided.

If tall fescue is used and bermuda, centipede or zoysia is wanted, the tall fescue will survive until next summer when centipede can be seeded or sodded into the tall fescue providing a gradual transition.

“In conditions like these, keeping things simple and being patient are the best strategies,” Waltz said.

For more information on caring for your turfgrass and landscape, contact your local UGA Extension agent at 1-800-ASK-UGA1. Or, visit the Web site www.GeorgiaTurf.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Plant doctors identify diseases

Mother Nature has blessed Georgia with an abundance of rain over the past month, leaving most areas drought-free. But all that moisture mixed with warm spring temperatures creates a perfect environment for landscape diseases.

Watch for the signs

If you’re worried that the moist conditions may cause your plants to fall ill, scout your landscape and search for signs and symptoms of infections such as wilting, yellowing, leaf spots and dieback from the tips inward.

Finding these symptoms doesn’t always mean a plant disease is the cause, said University of Georgia homeowner integrated pest management specialist Holly Thornton. They can also be signs of other problems, like drought, chemical damage, improper planting or too much fertilizer.

Take a sample to your agent

So what if you aren’t sure whether your plant is sick due to a disease or its living conditions? Take a sample to your local UGA Cooperative Extension office. Agents there are trained to identify the problem and offer solutions.

If your agent is unsure, the sample will be sent to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Homeowner Plant Disease Clinic in Athens. There, samples are identified and diagnosed by specialists like Thornton. A treatment recommendation is then made.

The CAES clinic offers identification of diseases and nematodes on turfgrass, fruit, forage, ornamental, crop and vegetable samples. The staff also analyzes plant material and soil for bacterial, fungal, viral and other pathogens.

In addition to homeowners, the clinic’s clients include commercial growers, retailers, arborists and golf course superintendents. The Athens clinic processes more than 600 home turf, ornamental and fruit-tree samples each year.

How to collect a sample

To properly collect samples, Thornton offers the follow tips:
1) Take a close-up photograph of the suspect area of the plant. Then, take a picture of the entire plant and one of it in the landscape.
2) Place a physical sample in a sealable plastic bag with a dry paper towel.
3) Take the sample to your local UGA Extension office early in the week. This will allow time for your agent to mail the sample to the university before the weekend if need be.

If you think the problem is root-related, UGA plant pathologists recommend removing and submitting the entire plant. Losing one plant is a small sacrifice to find out what's going on in your landscape.

There's no charge for digital image samples. A $10 fee is charged for physical sample disease identification.

More information on the UGA Homeowner Plant Disease Clinic at be found at the Web site plantpath.caes.uga.edu/extension/clinic.html. To locate your local UGA Extension office, call 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Are You Drowning Your Houseplants with Love?

(ARA) - Whether you have rooms filled with houseplants or a choice few displayed throughout your home, growing houseplants is a great way to decorate and is good for both body and soul.

But did you know that the No. 1 reason indoor plants die is people drown them with love? That’s right. They overwater them. If your pretty peace lily is changing its color and losing its leaves, you may be pouring on the “love” a bit too much.

Uh-Oh: Signs of Trouble
We all know the signs ... wilted, yellow, droopy leaves, mushy stems and blossoms that are leaning over and falling off. And then we try to bring the plants back to life by overwatering them, thinking they need a really big drink.

“Overwatering your plants can lead to root rot damage while underwatering can cause sudden wilting,” says Luke Miller, editor of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living magazine.

Miller recommends not watering all your houseplants automatically on the same schedule because indoor plants have different watering needs. Rather than empty an entire can of water into your plant’s container until you see water dripping over the sides or sticking your finger in the soil to “guesstimate” when it’s time to water, there really is an easier solution.

Moisture meters take the guesswork out of watering. These meters are easy to use and accurately measure the soil’s water content.

Fertile Earth has taken this technology to the next level with an inexpensive moisture probe. The new WaterStik is a simple device that monitors the water content in any type of soil and gives an automatic signal of your plant’s water status that’s quick, easy and accurate.

“The WaterStik is a no-brainer watering system even a 5-year-old can use,” says Dan O’Very of Fertile Earth. “You simply press the Insta-Read button and it instantly shows your plant’s water needs.”

The WaterStik blinks four warning colors. Blue means, “Stop! I’m drowning!” Yellow means, “Water me soon.” Red is “Water me now!”, and green is “Ah, just right!”
Quick Watering Tips to Grow Healthy Houseplants

* Give your plants a healthy start by choosing containers with proper drainage holes and avoid letting your plant sit in water in the catch basin.

* Use a light potting soil instead of garden soil, which tends to be heavy and doesn't allow water to drain through. Potting soil must be porous enough to allow drainage of excess water and provide oxygen needed by the roots.

* Pour enough water until it drains out the bottom. Pour off any excess water since plants don’t like to have their “feet” wet.

* Most indoor plants prefer room temperature water and need to be watered more frequently in spring and summer, when they’re actively growing, than in winter.

* Follow the watering directions on your plant’s tag. Some plants like succulents and cacti require less watering than moist-soil plants such as ferns and African violets. These fleshy-leaved plants need the opportunity to dry out between watering.

From pothos and spider plants to Chinese evergreen and jade plants, moisture meters such as WaterStik make it easy to water each of your indoor plants just like a pro. For more information or to find a retailer near you visit www.WaterStik.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Fresh Trees Liven Up the Holiday Season

Charlie Brown trees and brown needles don’t have to haunt you this holiday season. With the help of a few tips and tricks from the University of Georgia, your Christmas tree will be fresh long after the celebrating is over.

Before picking out a tree, decide the size, species and how much you want to spend. Then, select a fresh tree that has been properly maintained and cared for while still on the lot.

“Taking really good care of a tree at home after you purchase it does not reverse the abuse it can get waiting on the lot,” said Don Gardner, the UGA Cooperative Extension coordinator in Glynn County.

Picking the freshest tree

Look for trees displayed in the shade or under a tent and in tree stands with water in them. The sun and wind pull water out of the tree, so good growers will keep their trees out of the sun.

To find the perfect tree, look for one with uniform distribution of branches and no holes in the needle canopy. Also make sure it smells fresh.

“The more water stress the tree is under, the less fragrance it emits,” Gardner said. “Fresh trees smell better.”

Test freshness by gently pulling several of the branch ends through your hand to see how many needles fall off.

“Don’t try to strip the needles off the branch,” said Gardner. “Stroke it as if it were a cat’s tail -- a cat you like. All cut trees will lose some needles, but the fewer the better.”

From the farm

Although there is little difference between buying a tree from a local tree farm or from a commercial retailer, buying from a farm is great for making family memories and helps keep local farmers in business, Gardner said.

“Loading everybody into the truck to pick out a tree at a farm is a fun day itself,” Gardner said, “and the more family members involved in picking out the tree, the more eyes there are making sure the tree stays watered.”

Many Georgia tree farms also hold family events and offer refreshments during farm visits.

“Buying local helps keep your friendly neighborhood Christmas tree grower in business and keeps good farmland in production,” Gardner said. “Buying from a local tree farm is definitely the ‘green’ thing to do.”

Taking it home

To get your Christmas tree home safely, have the seller tie it up and put the tree inside your vehicle if possible. If you put the tree on your vehicle rooftop, bring a few large plastic bags and put the tree in the bags stump end first. Then face the stump end forward on your rooftop. This will reduce wind blow-drying effects and water loss.

Many sellers will offer to trim off the stump end of the tree, Gardner said. Instead, wait until you get home to do so.

At home, trim low limbs and cut the tree stump at an angle with a sharp saw. Gardner advises running water over the stump while cutting it.

“While making the cut, have a helper hold a running hose over the cut so you are virtually making the cut under water. This is the difference between a tree that lasts two weeks and a tree that lasts two months,” Gardner said.

Then, quickly move the tree into your house and into its stand. Immediately add water until the tree stand is about two-thirds full. Then secure the tree into the stand.

After your tree is in place, keep it watered. Be sure the trunk’s cut surface is never exposed to the air.

“A new tree may surprise you at how much water it will suck up and how quickly it will do it,” Gardner said. “A 10-foot tree can use over a quart of water in the first three hours.”

Water your tree at least three times a day during the first few days and twice a day thereafter.

By Allie Byrd
University of Georgia

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Guilt-free Showers? New Solar Technology Makes it Possible

NF Note: Sounds like a great idea to explore. You can start the process off in Peachtree City with the local solar golf cart company who also has some solar panels.

(ARA) - Every time you take a shower, do the laundry or wash the dishes, you’re spending money -- big money. The average household with an electric water heater spends about 25 percent of its home energy costs on heating water, according to the Department of Energy. Many Americans are resigned to this fact, but there is an affordable way to save money and fossil fuels.

Today, affordable, lightweight, all-polymer solar hot water systems can sit on your roof and provide for up to 50 percent of your home's hot water needs. In states like Arizona, Texas, California, Florida and Hawaii, homeowners are reporting up to 100 percent energy savings. Polymer solar systems are replacing the heavy, expensive copper solar collectors of the past.

Homeowner Derek Reidhead, of Phoenix, Ariz., relies on solar thermal energy. “You’re not going to believe this,” he says. “I turned the (electrical) breaker off to install the system and never turned it back on. I had no electricity to the water heater for 30 days!”

Reidhead says his system produces enough hot water for six to seven people to take showers, do their laundry, wash dishes and do all of the normal things a household does.

According to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), solar hot water installations have boomed since the 2006 increase in the federal investment tax credit. Recently, the tax credit was extended to the year 2016. The IREC says that rising conventional energy costs have also played a role in homeowners’ search for better efficiency and affordability in solar.

Saving money with this new kind of solar technology is easy. The moment you turn your system on, you start saving energy and costs. You also immediately qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit of up to $2,000. According to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, 17 states offer personal tax incentives and 34 states offer state, local and/or utility rebates so there is even more financial incentive.

The lightweight, all-polymer solar hot water systems cost about $4,000 if you have them professionally installed. If you do it yourself, it can cost a little over $2,000. The system works with your existing hot water heater, whether it’s gas, electric or tankless. It weighs just 70 pounds and fits into a single box. FAFCO (www.fafco.com) is the oldest and largest solar water heating manufacturer in the United States, and leads the nation in pricing, ease-of-installation, and energy efficiency.

Since 2005, solar hot water installations have quadrupled in the continental states -- with good reason. Leaders have called on citizens to become energy independent and environmentally conscious. And who doesn’t want to take long, hot showers without going bankrupt? Solar thermal technology is here to stay.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Fayette County Students Inventors Win $10,000 MIT Grant

NF Note: Congratulations to the Whitewater High School students who will be working on this grant to purify water. We'll be anxious to hear the results next spring!

A group of high school students might have the solution to end the world’s shortage of clean drinking water. So impressed with their idea was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that it awarded them a $10,000 grant to develop a prototype.

Five students who make up the InvenTeam at Whitewater High are one of only 16 teams throughout the US and Canada to receive a Lemelson-MIT grant for the 2008-2009 school year. The students are Kavita Singh, Chris Sandwich, Jacob Cotton, Andrew Barth and Hendri deBeer.

InvenTeams are composed of high school students, teachers and mentors who collaboratively identify a problem that they want to solve, research the problem and then develop a prototype invention as an in-class or extracurricular project.

The Whitewater team decided to create a combination dehydrator and condenser that will preserve food while purifying the water that results from the dehydration process.

This team is the first in Fayette to win a grant. InvenTeam is expected to release a final list of grant winners later this month, but so far only one other Georgia team has won a grant since the program began in 2003.

Whitewater submitted an initial application for the grant last spring and received an Excite Award, an invitation to complete a final, more detailed application of the idea. The selection of the finalist teams is based on the inventiveness and feasibility of the proposed idea. A panel of MIT professors, staff and alumni, inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs and high school educators assess the applications.

The team will use the grant money to purchase materials and supplies needed to develop a prototype of their invention. They will have all school year to complete the prototype. The team will display and discuss their invention at the MIT EurekaFest this spring.

Whitewater teachers working with the InvenTeam students are Carolyn Smith, engineering and technology, and Dr. Ted Wansley, science.

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Simple Solutions for Saving Hundreds at the (Toilet) Tank

October is National Toilet Repair Month and is historically a time when many homeowners tackle repairs prior to holiday events and the arrival of houseguests.

(ARA) – Water conservation is becoming a household necessity due to more states declaring drought emergencies each year. Plus, not only does water conservation help the environment, but it also puts less strain on the pocketbook.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Palmer Drought Index shows from a recent governmental survey at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional or statewide water shortages by 2013, only five years away.

Homeowners can help reduce their water usage and shrink their water bill by looking at one of the biggest potential water wasters in the home -- their toilet. Repairing a leaky toilet can save up to 200 gallons of water a day or more than $365 a year on your water bill, depending on the varying cost of water in your area and the severity of the leak.

One way to identify a leaky toilet is to add a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If -- when the toilet is not running -- the coloring seeps into the toilet bowl, it signals a leak at the flapper. Another simple way to recognize toilet leaks is to install a Fluidmaster Leak Sentry Fill Valve or Leak Guard Fill Valve on your toilet. After detecting a leak, these valves “lock” the refilling of a tank without disabling the toilet. Homeowners are made aware of the leak because they have to push the lever twice to flush the toilet.

Other signs that a toilet is leaking include the sound of running water and the toilet turning on and off without being flushed. You may need to replace the flapper, the handle or adjust the water level in the tank to make sure water isn’t being wasted in your toilet.

Homeowners can also replace 3.5 or 5.0 gallons per flush toilets with low-flow or high-efficiency models, which use less water per flush, saving hundreds of gallons of water per week in a house.

For additional tips on toilet repairs, water conservation and information on products that save water, money and make an environmental difference, go to www.fluidmaster.com/waterconservation.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Trees Fall Victim to Georgia's Drought

An increasing number of trees are falling victim to Georgia’s ongoing drought, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. “The lack of rainfall is impacting shade trees and has also caused a decrease in timber production for the past growing season,” said James Johnson, GFC Staff Forester. “Both pine trees and hardwoods are dying, but species within the red oak group in urban areas are prompting the most attention. Homeowners should be taking preventive measures now,” he said, “because by the time obvious symptoms appear, it may be too late.”

Johnson said large trees require several hundred gallons of water each day to stay healthy, but any supplemental water applied will be beneficial. Trees should be watered thoroughly underneath their “drip line,” the area beneath the canopy where rainfall drips to the ground from the tree’s foliage and where “feeder roots” transport moisture to the trunk.

“Certain types of “gray water” can be used to sustain your trees,” explained Johnson. “Water from dish or clothes washing can be used without fear because they are diluted solutions that won’t harm the tree.”

Johnson said drought-stressed trees should not be fertilized because that can spur branch growth and put further strain on the tree’s limited water supply. One thorough watering each week is more effective than several light waterings, according to Johnson. “Trees suffering from the drought are also more susceptible to diseases and insects,” Johnson said, “so check them regularly to prevent damage.” Johnson recommended mulching to help hold moisture in the soil, which is especially beneficial for shallow-rooted species such as dogwood. As cooler weather approaches, trees will require less moisture and supplemental water isn’t necessary, according to Johnson.

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Plan A Garden Makeover For Seasonal Savings

(NAPSI)-Designing your garden to conserve water can help weed out one cause of high utility bills.

Advance planning can save homeowners hundreds and even thousands of gallons of water during the growing season. Here are a few tips for a water-saving garden makeover from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

• Start early. Plan ahead so that all new plantings take place in the spring. Plants require much less water to get situated when they are planted during the cooler months.

• Go native. When deciding what to install in your yard, consider native and drought-resistant plants. They typically require less maintenance and little watering once established (sometimes none at all).

• Must mulch. Use compost when planting and cover the area with mulch afterwards. Compost helps keep the water by the plant's roots and mulch prevents evaporation. Make sure to leave some space around the base of each plant and resist creating mulch mounds around plants and trees.

• Less lawn. The average American uses 200 gallons per day watering the lawn. Consider replacing some of that grass with an attractive ground cover that is drought resistant, covers a large area and requires no mowing.

• Supersoak. Up to a third of all water from sprinklers can evaporate during the heat of the day. Instead, give your plants fewer, heavy soakings. If you use sprinklers, only use them in the morning.

• Gray is good. Recapturing gray water or rainwater can provide a free source of garden irrigation. These systems can be easily installed and even incorporated into irrigation systems.

• Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip irrigation systems water plants right at the root and serve as an efficient alternative to sprinkler systems. For maximum effectiveness, be sure to get a timer.

To learn more about reducing utility bills through landscape design or to find a landscape architect, visit www.asla.org.

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Plant Now and Save Water

NF Note: April R. Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Her informative articles are regularly included on the Fayette Front Page.

Most Georgians are aware of the importance of conserving water, both inside and outside the home. In the landscape, a great way to save water is by planting during the cooler fall season, says a University of Georgia horticulturist.

Spring = short establishment time

"Trees and shrubs planted in the spring often don't have time to get established before they’re exposed to the sizzling summer heat," said Gary Wade, a horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

"As temperatures rise, developing leaves, fruit and flowers demand more water and the root system may not be able to satisfy the demand," he said. "If watering schedules are limited due to drought conditions, plants may die of thirst."

When a plant's top demands more supplies than the roots can provide, it starts abandoning branches or dropping leaves in a fight for survival.

Fall is less stressful, more successful

"Planting in the fall is much less stressful for the plant than springtime planting," Wade said.
"Trees and shrubs grown in containers can be planted anytime, he said. But if you plant in the fall, as the weather cools down, the plant has a much better chance for survival."

"Roots don't go dormant," he said. "They keep growing all winter. Even though the tops of deciduous plants go dormant for the winter and the tops of evergreen plants slow down, roots continue to grow. Since the tops demand little from the roots, the plant’s energy can be funneled to the roots for growth and establishment."

Fall-planted ornamentals also have a supply of carbohydrates and other food substances stored in their roots from the previous growing season. This stored energy helps roots establish while the rest of the plant rests.

"When spring arrives, the plant will be able to pop with growth," Wade said.

Other advantages of fall planting are less water loss due to evaporation from the soil and from foliage as temperatures cool down. For these reasons, the plant requires less water while establishing.

Follow these tips

Planting in the fall is very similar to spring planting. "The only big difference is that you don't want to fertilize when you plant in the fall," he said. "Wait until next February." Wade offers some basic fall planting tips:

• Plant groupings of shrubs in beds thoroughly cultivated eight to 12 inches deep.
• For a single shrub, dig a planting hole at least twice as wide and as deep as the plant's root ball.
• Make sure the planting site drains well.
• When planting balled-and-burlapped plants, cut the cord or wire from around the stem and remove it. Then remove the top third or half of any burlap or fabric from around the root ball.
• Place the plant at the same depth it was grown in the nursery. Make sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
• Fill the hole with the soil you removed. Lightly pack it with your hands, water when it's half filled and again when completely filled to remove air pockets around the roots.
• Cover the planting surface with three to five inches of mulch, such as pine straw, pine bark or even fall leaves. This is always important, but even more critical during a drought. Mulch conserves water.
• Water. Plants need water anytime it's dry no matter which season. However, in the fall, they're much more forgiving if you're a day late watering them.

Use care around trees and shrubs

When adding new plants, minimize soil disturbance around existing trees and shrubs. When planting around established trees and shrubs, it’s best to plant in individual holes instead of cultivating an area and cutting roots of adjacent plants.

“Most roots are within the top 12 inches of soil and the roots of established trees and shrubs can extend two to three times farther than their canopy spread,” Wade said. “When you dig and cut roots, you’re affecting the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients.”

By April Sorrow
University of Georgia

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New Findings Show Diverse, Wet Environments on Ancient Mars

NF Note: We thought you would be interested in this story-- even if it is out of this world!

Mars once hosted vast lakes, flowing rivers and a variety of other wet environments that had the potential to support life, according to two new studies based on data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) and other instruments on board NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

"The big surprise from these new results is how pervasive and long-lasting Mars' water was, and how diverse the wet environments were," says Scott Murchie, CRISM's principal investigator at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), in Laurel, Md.

One study, published in the July 17 issue of Nature, shows that vast regions of the ancient highlands of Mars—which cover about half the planet—contain clay minerals, which can form only in the presence of water. Volcanic lavas buried the clay-rich regions during subsequent, drier periods of the planet's history, but impact craters later exposed them at thousands of locations across the planet.

The clay-like minerals, called phyllosilicates, preserve a record of the interaction of water with rocks dating back to what is called the Noachian period of Mars’ history, about 4.6 to 3.8 billion years ago. This period corresponds to the earliest years of the solar system, when Earth, the moon and Mars sustained a cosmic bombardment by comets and asteroids. Rocks of this age have largely been destroyed on Earth by plate tectonics; they are preserved on the moon, but were never exposed to liquid water. The phyllosilicate-containing rocks on Mars therefore preserve a unique record of liquid water environments—possibly suitable for life—in the early solar system.

“The minerals present in Mars' ancient crust show a variety of wet environments,” says John Mustard, a member of the CRISM team from Brown University in Providence, R.I., and lead author of the Nature study. “In most locations the rocks are lightly altered by liquid water, but in a few locations they have been so altered that a great deal of water must have flushed though the rocks and soil. This is really exciting because we're finding dozens of sites where future missions can land to understand if Mars was ever habitable and if so, to look for signs of past life."

A companion study, published in the June 2 issue of Nature Geosciences, finds that the wet conditions persisted for a long time. Thousands to millions of years after the clays were formed, a system of river channels eroded them out of the highlands and concentrated them in a delta where the river emptied into a crater lake slightly larger than California’s Lake Tahoe, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) in diameter. "The distribution of clays inside the ancient lakebed shows that standing water must have persisted for thousands of years," says Bethany Ehlmann, another member of the CRISM team from Brown and lead author of the study of the ancient lake within Jezero Crater. "Clays are wonderful at trapping and preserving organic matter, so if life ever existed in this region, there's a chance of its chemistry being preserved in the delta."

CRISM’s combination of high spatial and spectral resolutions—better than any previous imaging spectrometer sent to Mars—reveals variations in the types and composition of the phyllosilicate minerals. By combining data from CRISM and MRO’s Context Imager (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), the team has identified three principal classes of water-related minerals dating to the early Noachian period: aluminum-phyllosilicates, hydrated silica or opal, and the more common and widespread iron/magnesium-phyllosilicates. The variations in the minerals suggest that different processes, or different types of watery environments, created them.

"Our whole team is turning our findings into a list of sites where future missions could land to look for organic chemistry and perhaps determine whether life ever existed on Mars,” says APL’s Murchie.

APL, which has built more than 150 spacecraft instruments over the past four decades, led the effort to build CRISM, and operates the instrument in coordination with an international team of researchers from universities, government and the private sector. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft.

The Applied Physics Laboratory, a division of the Johns Hopkins University, meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology.

Mock 'jellyfish' sign of healthy pond

If you see what look like jellyfish floating in Georgia ponds, don’t be alarmed. These are actually harmless moss animals called bryozoa.

“I get a lot of calls from pond owners who want me to come out and look at the ‘thing,’ ‘glob’ or ‘weird creature’ that’s under the surface of their ponds,” said Jim Crawford, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension coordinator in Jefferson County.

Bryozoa are colonies of aquatic animals belonging to the phylum Ectoprocta, a group with fossil records dating back to the upper Cambrian period. Most live in saltwater, but one class, Phylactolaemata, lives exclusively in fresh water.

“Pectinatella magnifica is the type seen most often in our county ponds, and it consists of a mass of animals living on the surface of a gelatinous mass that is 99 percent water,” Crawford said. “There could easily be millions of interconnected animals forming this one colony.”
These colonies are firm and slimy to the touch and are most often attached to underwater limbs, pipes, logs, posts or even boat docks, he said.

UGA aquaculture specialist Gary Burtle has seen bryoza as large as baseballs, footballs and even basketballs.

“They are a food source for panfish such as bream and crappie,” he said. “They’re microscopic animals, and they form colonies for protection. When they’re football size, the bream can’t eat them.”

There are three ways to control bryoza populations, he said: physical removal, chemical control and fish control.

“If they’re large enough, you can scoop them out and take them to shore,” he said. “You can also add more panfish.”

Treating algae with herbicides containing copper sulfate will subsequently control bryoza, Burtle said.

“These bryoza have actually been in ponds for a while,” Crawford said. “But as the weather cools and the algae population recedes, the water becomes clear and they become highly visible. One pond had so many (bryozoa) they had attached themselves to the inside of the drainpipe. It actually became stopped up, and the water flow was down to a trickle.”

Saltwater species are known to grow on the bottoms of ships, causing drag and reducing the efficiency and maneuverability of the fouled ships.

“To me, they resemble a human brain. And that’s how I describe them to people on the phone,” he said. “If you take them out of the water and put them in the sun, the animals will dry out and die, leaving just the gelatinous material that looks like clear jelly.”

Bryozoa are a sign of a healthy pond. “Pond owners should be fascinated that their pond is clean enough to support these prehistoric animal colonies,” he said. Burtle agrees.

“They’re one of those anomalies that people just don’t understand,” Burtle said. “They’re on the same evolutionary scale as jellyfish, and they can’t hurt you.”

“These freshwater bryozoa are completely harmless in and of themselves, except when they occasionally clog water pipes,” Crawford said. “If you have some close to your boat dock, they probably make interesting conversation pieces.”

By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Well owners responsible for their water safety

When Frank Hancock was called to the house of a mother with two children sickened by E. coli bacteria, he discovered that the water from their well was the source. He found other wells in the county with problems, too.

“I don’t think our experience is different than any other county,” said Hancock, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent in Henry County. “People are not maintaining their wells. They don’t think about where their water is coming from.”

Most people don’t know that they must maintain their wells, he said.

“If the county water supply has a problem, there are probably 100 people working on it,” he said. “If your well has a problem and you aren’t working on it, no one is.”

To get the word out in his county, Hancock organized a well water maintenance seminar.

“We wanted to let people know the risks of not taking care of their well,” he said, “and tell them, 'this is your responsibility.'”

“You will find low levels of bacteria in most wells,” said Parshall Bush, a residue chemist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “There are different levels of contamination.”

Since 2003, 10 percent of bored wells tested at the UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratory contain E. coli. More than half failed to meet Environmental Protection Agency municipal drinking water standards. One out of three showed bacteria levels high enough to cause illness. Most water samples sent to the lab come from north Georgia.

Drilled wells, typically deeper than 100 feet, are less likely to be contaminated by bacteria. Wells less than 60 feet deep are more likely than deeper wells to be contaminated. Soil above the water table doesn’t filter enough bacteria from shallow groundwater.

If a septic system is too close to the well or not working properly, Bush said, it can be the bacteria source.

“Contamination can occur if the well was improperly constructed or if the well is located in a depression that collects surface runoff,” Bush said.

The UGA well-cam was used to checkout problem wells in Henry County.

“We saw cracks in well liners, tree roots so numerous in wells that the camera couldn’t pass by, wells with spider webs down to the 14-foot level,” Hancock said. “We also saw well houses totally contaminated with gas, pesticides, fertilizer and rats.”

Nitrate, lead and copper are the primary contaminates found in Georgia well water, said Bush.

“Nitrate contamination is the result of fertilizer application or animal operations and copper and lead can be attributed to corrosive pipes.”

All pesticides and herbicides should be kept away from wells and other sources of drinking water, he said.

“We always say, ‘If you don’t want to drink it, keep it away from the well,’” Bush said.

Abandoned wells should be filled in.

Well testing can be done through local UGA Extension offices. A bacterial test is available for $35. An expanded water test, which tests for minerals, soluble salts and alkalinity, is $45. Call 1-800-ASK-UGA1 for more information.

Once a water sample is tested, the well owner will get a report showing results that are above EPA's primary and secondary maximum levels. If a water sample tests positive for bacteria, a chlorination treatment is recommended.

by April Sorrow
University of Georgia

April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Planting Rain Gardens Can Cut Neighborhood Pollution

SPM Wire Homeowners can help eliminate neighborhood pollution simply by planting an easy-to-construct garden on their property.

According to new research, properly designed "rain gardens" can effectively trap and retain up to 99 percent of common pollutants in storm runoff, potentially improving water quality and promoting the conversion of some pollutants into less harmful compounds.

The affordable, easy-to-design gardens could help solve one of the nation's most pressing pollution problems, say University of Connecticut researchers who have been studying the issue.

More than half of the rainwater that falls on a typical city block, one with 75 percent or more impervious cover - such as roads or parking lots - will leave as runoff, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This runoff includes metals, oils, fertilizers and other matter.

Easy-to-construct rain gardens - shallow depressions in the earth landscaped with hardy shrubs and plants such as chokeberry or winterberry surrounded by bark mulch - offer a simple remedy to this problem.

The gardens are designed to replicate the natural water cycle that existed before roads and other impervious surfaces were built, say Michael Dietz and John Clausen, the two researchers who conducted the new study.

"Rain gardens are pleasing to look at, while they are performing an important function," Dietz says.

As the water collects and soaks into the rain garden, it infiltrates into the ground rather than draining directly into sewers or waterways. The gardens work well year-round.

Information about designing and constructing rain gardens can be found on the Internet on such Web sites as http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs.

In their two-year study of roof-water runoff, the researchers found that rain gardens significantly reduced concentrations of nitrates, ammonias, phosphorous and other pollutants reaching storm drains. In addition, design tweaks that allowed polluted rainwater to pool at the bottom of the gardens permitted bacteria in the soil to convert harmful nitrates into nitrogen gas, preventing them from entering the groundwater.

Dietz and Clausen hope their results will encourage developers and homeowners to create these low-tech rain water collectors. Their research is being published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society and a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress.

Michael Dietz, University of Connecticut

Drought lingers across north Georgia

Winter and early spring rains have helped, but north Georgia remains in severe to extreme drought. The northern coastal plain is abnormally dry. Moisture conditions for the southern coastal plain along the Florida border are near normal for now.

From Oct. 1 through the middle of April is considered Georgia’s moisture recharge period, when the state typically gets more rain than moisture loses due to evaporation and plant use.

North Georgia didn’t receive enough rain to fully recharge soil moisture, groundwater, streams or reservoirs. Since Oct. 1, north Georgia has received only 70 percent to 80 percent of normal rainfall.

Most north Geogia streams are at or near record low flows for late April. At many locations, only 1986 and 2007 stream flows were lower than they are now.

Both Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell are well below desired levels for late April. Smaller reservoirs are near full, though. However, with the extremely low stream flows across north Georgia, these smaller reservoirs must be managed well because drought conditions are expected to continue.

From the northern coastal plain to the North Carolina and Tennessee borders, soil moisture is abnormally low. It is especially low across the northern piedmont and into the mountains. In northwest Georgia, soil moisture is extremely low.

Soil moisture in south-central and southeast Georgia is near normal for late April. But levels are already decreasing. In southwest Georgia, most flows are low for late April and decreasing. The development of drought conditions over the next month is possible.

Late April through October, moisture loss from soils is usually greater than rainfall. If Georgia has normal weather this summer, we can expect the soils to continue to dry out and groundwater levels, stream flows and reservoir levels to drop across the entire state.

Updated drought information is available at www.georgiadrought.org. The state drought Web site includes information on how to deal with the drought.

The University of Georgia statewide network of automated weather stations can be found at www.georgiaweather.net.

By David Emory Stooksbury
University of Georgia

David Stooksbury is the state climatologist, a professor of engineering and graduate coordinator for atmospheric sciences in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.