January 30, 2004 News Releases
Released 1/27/04 and 1/29/04
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-29-04
ASK A SPECIALIST:
I WOULD LIKE TO PLANT VEGETABLES IN CONTAINERS THIS WINTER.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT INDOOR GARDENING?
Growing vegetables in containers can be both fun and challenging.
Surprisingly, most vegetables do very well in containers, but
it is important to pay attention to light, temperature, soil
media, rooting space, plant selection, watering, feeding and
pests. Most gardeners grow plants in containers if they do not
have enough space for a regular garden. Plants in containers
can be grown indoors, on a patio, deck, terrace or balcony.
They can be grown in window boxes, walkways, hanging baskets
or other places that receive proper light. Consider the following
information for successful container gardening.
• Lighting. This is one of the most important things to
consider. Generally it is recommended that vegetables get a
minimum of six hours of full sunlight. This is not a problem
during the summer, but when growing them indoors in the winter,
supplemental light is needed. Purchase grow lights especially
for vegetables that fruit, such as tomatoes.
• Temperature regulation. Tomatoes and other fruiting
vegetables require temperatures near 80 F during the day and
65 F at night. This ensures good fruit set. These temperatures
are warmer than most home settings. At cooler temperatures,
plants grow less vigorously and fruit size and number is compromised.
Leafy vegetables such as lettuce grow better at cooler temperatures
and are generally easier to grow.
• Pollination. Be aware that indoor gardening can create
pollination problems. Tomatoes set fruit best if the flowers
are vibrated when they open. Some cucumber varieties may need
to be physically cross pollinated since the plants produce separate
male and female flowers on the plant.
• Potting mix. Purchase a potting mix that drains well
enough to avoid root rot but also holds enough moisture to supply
the plant’s water needs. If you prefer to use garden soil,
it must be sterilized. Once free of soil pathogens, it will
need to be mixed with sand or pumice, organic matter or peat
moss, then tested for pH. Homemade mixtures tend to be heavy
when wet. There are many good “soilless” commercial
potting mixes that work very well and are not expensive.
• Container size. The smallest pot size to consider for
indoor gardening is eight inches in diameter and eight inches
deep. This works well for lettuce, radishes, onions or herbs.
A large plant, such as a tomato or cucumber, will require a
much larger container to allow for ample root development. Make
sure the container has sufficient drainage holes to avoid root
rot. Large containers to consider are half barrels, tubs, constructed
wooden boxes or any other material that will hold the soil.
Remember to consider the size and weight of the pot. This becomes
important if you intend to start your plants indoors and then
want to move them outdoors. Remember also that plants can be
moved back in the house in the fall.
• Seeds or transplants. You can start your pots using
either seeds or transplants. When using seeds, over-plant the
pots and thin later to get the desired number of plants per
container. Be sure to allow plenty of space so the plant can
grow without crowding. If you want to use transplants, either
grow them or wait until the local nursery or garden center begins
to stock them. Sometimes it is easier to start new plants in
late summer for your fall indoors vegetable garden.
• Water. Proper watering is critical for successful container
gardening. It is easy to over-water and cause root rot. At the
same time, if you leave for a few days, plants can wilt severely
or die. It is difficult to recommend water quantity and frequency.
A good rule of thumb is to apply water when the soil is dry
about one inch below the media surface. In the heat of summer
it may be necessary to water more than once a day. Water needs
are generally proportional to the size of the plants.
• Fertilizer. In addition to watering, container plants
need to be fertilized regularly with a complete fertilizer mix.
Since there are virtually no nutrients in “soilless”
mixes, be sure the fertilizer you choose has all the essential
nutrients needed for growth. Most container gardeners use a
liquid fertilizer at a quarter to half strength every time they
water. Be sure to follow the directions on the fertilizer package
to ensure the plant gets necessary nutrients for proper growth.
• Pests and disease. Aphids, fungus gnats, white flies
and plant diseases can be a problem in containers. If you start
with disease and insect-free plants, you are less likely to
have pest problems. Since containers are isolated from each
other, the spread of these problems is also minimized. Diseases
can become a problem if you don’t water carefully.
• Plant height and growth habit. When selecting vegetables
to grow, remember to consider plant height and growth habit.
Tomatoes and cucumbers will need support and can grow very large.
Look for plants with a compact growth habit and those that mature
rapidly.
While there is a lot to consider when gardening in containers,
the reward is the freshest of vegetables, even during the winter.
Containers also lend themselves to smaller gardens and patios,
thus allowing food production in urban settings.
Visit http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/aska/ to see other
Ask A Specialist columns.
Direct column topics to Julene Reese, Utah State University
Extension, Logan, UT 84322-0500, 435-760-9302; julener@ext.usu.edu
Jan. 29, 2004
Answer by: Dan Drost, Utah State University Extension Vegetable
Specialist
WHEN THE BOUGH
BREAKS...
Logan — Although the snow is a welcome relief from Utah’s
drought conditions, it has caused some damage, said Jerry Goodspeed,
Utah State University Extension horticulturist.
“Many trees and shrubs have been damaged either directly
from the weight of the snow, or as a result of snow removal
efforts around homes and vehicles,” he said. “Trees
and shrubs that kept their leaves into the winter appear to
be the most affected. The weight of the snow on the leaves and
the branches has caused many to crack or break. Now is a good
time to go out and assess the damage.”
Branches that are broken or partly split from the tree or shrub
will eventually need to be removed, and the sooner the better,
said Goodspeed. If damaged limbs are allowed to hang on the
tree, the bark can continue to tear away from the trunk as it
splits and rips further down the tree.
“Cut back broken or cracked branches to a healthy branch
or the trunk,” he said. “Some homeowners have tried
bolting, propping up and even duct taping branches to the tree,
but this often causes more problems later — and a few
funny looks from the neighbors. Often the removal of a large
branch can leave a tree out of balance. However, most trees
eventually produce growth in those bare areas and look somewhat
better after a couple of years.”
If a branch has broken completely off the tree, prune the stub
back to another branch or the trunk. Trees are a little like
we are when it comes to healing — the cleaner the cut,
the quicker they heal. A good, smooth cut at the branch collar
heals much faster than a jagged, splintered wound, said Goodspeed.
“Sometimes as branches break and fall, they rip the bark
off the tree in strips, leaving a large wound on the side,”
he said. “If this is the case, carefully remove the branch
and cut the bark off just above where it is still attached.
This wound will mend on its own if the bark is cut off cleanly.
Leave the wound open to heal and do not cover it with paint
or pruning sealant.”
Branches that break easily also tell something about the condition
of the tree. Limbs that have been weakened by insects or disease
are the first to snap and break, Goodspeed noted. This is especially
true in aspens, willows, poplars, ash and other weak-wooded
trees. This provides an opportunity to examine the tree more
closely for signs of why the branch deteriorated, and determine
what needs to be done next year to strengthen and improve it.
Evergreen trees can also be damaged by heavy snowfall. Often
these upright trees and shrubs have branches bent and pulled
down under the weight of the snow. Many of these branches never
recover or grow back into their upright position, he said. They
can heal themselves somewhat, but never return to their original
position. One way to prevent snow damage on evergreen plants
is to wrap them before the snow flies, or select plants from
the beginning that that are not prone to snow damage.
“If a branch is weighed down, remove the snow as quickly
as possible to allow the branch to spring back,” Goodspeed
concluded. “If branches have been pulled out of place
for any length of time they may need to be removed later in
the spring.”
Jan. 29, 2004
Writer: Julene Reese, 435-760-9302
Contact: Jerry Goodspeed, 801-392-8908
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-27-04
DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE
CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 25-27
LOGAN — Utah State University Extension is sponsoring
Utah’s first Diversified Agriculture Conference on the
Snow College campus in Ephraim 1 p.m. Feb. 25 to noon Feb. 27.
The conference is geared toward producers interested in recreation,
tourism, direct marketing, further processing products, value-added
products and other ideas for diversifying their operations.
Conference speakers include producers currently diversifying
their businesses and experts explaining areas of business management
such as marketing, finance and legal considerations. Jack Payne,
vice president and dean for Extension, will make introductions;
Robert Kirby, Salt Lake Tribune humor columnist, will be the
keynote speaker; and attorney Warren Peterson from Delta will
discuss the legal implications, including liability issues of
diversification.
Friday morning features four options of three-hour hands-on
workshops: Recreation and Tourism, Niche Marketing, Further-Processed
Products/Value-Added and Creating Business Plans.
Sponsors of the conference include Snow College, the Farm Bureau,
Sevier County Economic Development and Utah State Extension.
The registration fee is $50 per person, or $40 each if two or
more individuals from the same enterprise attend. Meals and
breaks for the three days are included in the registration fee.
For further information contact Ruby Ward at (435) 797-2323
or ruby.ward@usu.edu. Registration is limited to 200.
January 27, 2004
Writer: Dennis Hinkamp 435-797-1392
Contact: Ruby Ward (435) 797-2323 ruby.ward@usu.edu
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
TECH WRITING STUDENTS SERVE AS REGIONAL JUDGES IN INTERNATIONAL
ON-LINE COMPETITION
LOGAN — What do students do after finishing their coursework
and finals in December? While many go off to various, non-academic
holiday adventures, Utah State University department of English
technical writing students Amanda Wanner, Lindsey Groves and
Greg Barrus joined department of English senior lecturer Nancy
O’Rourke to judge regional on-line entries for the Society
of Technical Communications Competition. The students judged
submissions from Corda Technologies, Idaho National Engineering
and Environmental Laboratory and Gateway Computers.
“Judging these entries was a tremendous opportunity,”
said Wanner. “It was fascinating to look at and evaluate
examples of on-line technical writing. The quality of the work
and the time frames in which these people produced the projects
were amazing. It’s also cool to think that I could be
doing work like that someday.”
Groves agrees. “I enjoyed the judging experience because
I was able to examine the best documents real companies are
creating,” she said. “Comparing their writing and
design strategies and seeing which worked well and which were
not as effective was very instructive.”
Groves added that the experience will benefit her professional
life after she earns her degree. “Evaluating several types
of on-line submissions helped me determine what kind of documents
I want to create as a technical writer,” she said.
Judging these on-line entries for STC’s InterMountain
Chapter is a yearly event for Utah State’s STC student
chapter. Last year, the judges awarded only one entry a Distinguished
Award, and that entry went on to receive a Distinguished Award
from the STC International Competition. O’Rourke said
this example is testimony to the standards students are held
to and the strength of the undergraduate program in professional
and technical writing in the English department. For more information
on the program, contact O’Rourke at (435) 797-3647.
January 27, 2004
Contact: Nancy O’Rourke (435) 797-3647
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH PROF WINS NATIONAL T.S. ELIOT PRIZE FOR POETRY
LOGAN — Utah State University assistant professor of
English Michael Sowder has been awarded the 2004 T. S. Eliot
Prize for Poetry for his manuscript “The Empty Boat.”
The annual award for the best unpublished book-length collection
of poetry in English is awarded by Truman State University Press.
Poet Diane Wakoski judged this year’s competition and
called Sowder an “earthy yet elegant poet.”
“Reading these poems, I felt the possible power of all
poetry: a way of understanding and connecting to the primal
and expanding universe,” Wakoski said. “This poet,
evolving from the American Modernists, transforms the ordinary
into magic. A journey, a quest: I could not stop or be distracted
from his path.”
Sowder earned a law degree from the University of Washington
and worked as a lawyer for several years in Atlanta. During
this time he began turning his attention to poetry.
“While taking some classes from poet David Bottoms at
Georgia State University, I realized the error of my ways and
abandoned the practice of law,” Sowder said.
He completed his doctoral work on American poet Walt Whitman
at the University of Michigan. Sowder joined the Utah State
department of English faculty in the fall of 2003.
The purpose of the T. S. Eliot Prize is to publish and promote
contemporary English language poetry, regardless of a poet’s
nationality, reputation, stage in career or publication history.
Sowder will receive $2,000, and Truman State University Press
will publish his book, “The Empty Boat.”
For more information on Sowder or the department of English
at Utah State, call (435) 797-2733.
January 27, 2004
Contact: Michael Sowder (435) 797-7100
Writer: Marina Hall (435) 7970-3858
OPENING SPEAKER
IN ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE ARTS SERIES AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
LOGAN — Lydia Degarrod, a visual artist and cultural
anthropologist, presents her anthropological multimedia work
“Souls of Bandits, Virgins and Victims: Searching for
Miracles and Justice” Thursday, Feb. 5, in Old Main 115
from 4:30-6 p.m. at Utah State University. Degarrod is the opening
guest in the Anthropology and the Arts Lecture Series presented
in conjunction with the Museum of Anthropology. The presentation
is followed by a small reception in the museum (Old Main 252).
Degarrod will focus on her visual artistry in a second presentation,
“Crossing Paths and Merging Visions: The Depiction of
Ethnographic Realities through Visual Art,” Friday, Feb.
6, at 12:30 p.m. in Old Main 224 (Sociology, Social Work and
Anthropology conferene room).
Degarrod’s interdisciplinary work combines ethnographic
and archival work with visual art, said Melanie Dixon, events
coordinator for the lecture series. Degarrod’s work concerns
“animatas,” believed by urban residents of Santiago,
Chile, to be the souls of those who have died a violent and
unjust death in the streets. The work aims at exploring the
miraculous by depicting both the places where contemporary urban
residents seek miracles from the animatas, and the individual
testimonies of the miracle seekers themselves.
“These presentations provide excellent and unique perspectives
of both visual art and ethnographic work,” said Dixon.
Degarrod is currently a part-time professor of anthropology
at University of California, Santa Cruz. Her artwork has been
exhibited in galleries in the United States and Chile, and has
received awards from the Wing Luke Memorial Museum, Saint John’s
University and the Ministry of Culture of Chile. Degarrod has
served as a panelist for the City of Oakland Individual Artists
Awards and is a member of the College of Art Association, American
Anthropological Association and the Asian American Women Artists
Association. Her latest work combining visual art and ethnographic
work is “Following the Trails of Miracle Seekers”
and opens March 19 in San Francisco.
For more information regarding Degarrod’s presentations,
contact Dixon at
(435) 797-4575.
January 27, 2004
Contact: Melanie Dixon (435) 797-7545
UTAH STATE PROF
RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED MENTOR AWARD
LOGAN — Professor Cliff Craig from the College of Natural
Resources at Utah State University received the Distinguished
Mentor Award for his contributions to geographic education in
the United States.
Each year the National Council for Geographic Education recognizes
an outstanding mentor. Craig was honored for excellence in teaching
geography, working with teachers, providing workshops, and mentoring
graduate and undergraduate students. The National Council for
Geographic Education works to enhance the status and quality
of geography teaching and learning.
“I was elated to be recognized by my peers for my interest
in increasing geography education,” said Craig, a professor
in the environment and society department. “The award
reflects our effort to improve geographic education, not only
here in Utah but nationally.”
Craig is the coordinator of the Utah Geographic Alliance, a
Utah-based educational organization that improves geography
education throughout the state. Established in 1988 in partnership
with the Utah State Office of Education and the National Geographic
Society, the UGA education network reaches elementary, secondary,
college and university educators. Utah State University has
served as the host institution since 1989. All activities and
functions are cooperatively supported by Utah State University,
the National Geographic Society and local school districts.
Presently, there are more than 200 trained workshop presenters,
17,017 teachers who have attended workshops and more than 1,880,000
Utah students who benefit annually from NGS and UGA programs.
“The goal is to improve geography teachers’ education
so they can pass the information on to fellow teachers from
their districts and ultimately offer better education to their
students,” said Craig.
The UGA promotes geographic education in Utah schools through
leadership workshop training, summer geography institutes, in-service
workshops, geography educator awards, newsletters, the development
of classroom materials, fall and spring conferences, student
competitions (GeoBee and Geography Olympiad), the Geography
Education Resource Teaching Lab, technology training workshops,
geography awareness activities and the development of text and
technology-based curriculum materials.
“Geography education was strengthened after a mid-1980s
Gallup Poll, which showed that 35 percent of the students in
Dallas, Texas, didn’t know the country closest to them,”
said Craig. “This fact is horrific and ultimately resulted
in the educational improvements that have taken place nationally
over the past 15 years.”
For more information on the Utah Geographic Alliance, see www.usu.edu/cliff/Pages/menu.html.
For more information on the National Council for Geographic
Education, call (256) 782-5293 or visit www.ncge.org.
Jan. 27, 2004
Contact: Terry Sharik, (435) 797-3270, tlsharik@cnr.usu.edu
Writer: Matt Cardis, (435) 797- 1350, macardis@cc.usu.edu
AFRICAN AMERICAN
READ-IN TO HONOR BLACK WRITERS
LOGAN — For the second time, Utah State University will
participate in an annual African American Read-In. This year’s
event takes place Monday, Feb. 2, in the Utah State Taggart
Student Center Sunburst Lounge and is sponsored by the Black
Student Union (BSU), the department of English, the Women and
Gender Studies Program and the School of the Arts. Local organizers
are BSU President Gabe Carter; Multicultural Student Services,
led by Christine Christensen; and department of English Associate
Head, Pat Gantt.
The Read-In, part of Utah State’s observance of Black
History Month, features administration, faculty and students,
both graduate and undergraduate, reading selections by African
American authors and performing music. Each reading will be
from 5-15 minutes long.
Last February, close to 1,000 local people participated in this
celebration of literacy. Those who would like to participate
in this year’s Read-In are asked to contact Christine
Christensen in Multicultural Student Services at chrismss@cc.usu.edu.
“The African American Read-In is another wonderful opportunity
for our community to celebrate the legacy of genius we all share,”
said Gantt. “We have now expanded our selection of such
events, with last spring’s Native American Read-In, this
fall’s Hispanic Read-In and the more recent Asian American
Read-In — all led by related Utah State student organizations.
Ernesto Lopez and Gabe Carter have been terrific leaders in
this series of successful events.”
In 1990, the first African American Read-In Chain was sponsored
by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English.
In 1991, the National Council of Teachers of English joined
in the sponsorship.The Read-In has been endorsed by the International
Reading Association. More than one million readers of all ethnic
groups, from 49 states, the West Indies and African countries
have participated. The goal is to make the celebration of African
American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month.
For more information on the African American Read-In or the
department of English, contact (435) 797-3858.
January 27, 2004
Contact: Marina Hall (435) 797- 3858
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