Week 13

Monday morning I watered out front. I watered the intern bed, palm lot entry bed, double sidewalk, visitor center pots, beds on sides of excedra, bed behind excedra, gates ajar, and a few trees in the front. Then, I went up to the rooftop and watered. After that, I read a book on edible landscaping for about 25 minutes before lunch. After lunch, I helped Scott rake and sweep the mulch around the lindens out front which ended up on the grass, sidewalk, and curb on Sunday when people were walking through to get to the Japanese lantern lighting festival. Then, we deadheaded the geraniums in the urns around the historic entrance to the conservatory. After that, we turned off the sprinklers, rolled up the hoses, and I went and deadheaded the daylilies along the frog pond.

Tuesday morning I went out front with Scott. We started off by setting up sprinklers out front. Then, I cut down some plants in the enchanted butterfly garden that had died back for the season. After that, I deadheaded the visitor center pots, double sidewalk, and welcome sign bed. Next, I helped Scott plant Clethra alnifolia Summersweet Clethra which is the featured plant of the week. After that, I watered and mulched around these plants. After lunch break, the outdoor staff had a meeting which I was able to sit in on. Then, we planted some ornamental grass called 'Karl Foerester' which is a reed grass in one of the beds near the shuttle and put some mulch in the bed. After that we turned off the sprinklers, rolled up the hoses, and picked up the other tools we had out.

Wednesday morning I helped Scott water out front. I watered the intern bed, palm lot entrance bed, double sidewalk, visitor center pots, welcome sign, and part of the enchanted garden. I also helped with making sure the sign was straight when Tina, the horticulture manager, was out taking pictures of the welcome bed which are going to be submitted with the other required information for an All American Selections design contest. I also pulled some weeds and deadheaded a little while watering. Then, all of the outdoor horticulture staff helped to unload a plant order which arrived and placed the plants along the greenhouse. After that, Scott and I went down to gates ajar. I watered gates while Scott did some trimming. Next, we turned off the sprinklers out front and rolled up the hoses. Then, most of the outdoor horticulture staff went to the MN Landscape Arboretum for a speaker, but Mindy and I stayed behind. First, Mindy and I put away the tools from the rooftop beds which the volunteers had been working with. Then, we put up some short metal fencing near the gift shop cart by gorilla forest because visitors were going into the flowerbeds in this area. Next, we moved a sprinkler. After lunch, I helped the indoor greenhouse staff by power washing algae and spilled soil off of the floor.

On Thursday Kerrick was back. First, we went with Scott to help with some watering. I watered the flowerbed with azaleas. Then, I helped Scott set up sprinklers. After that, I watered some of the daylily bed by the frog pond because we were moving the daylilies that were too close to the dogwoods in that bed. After that, Kerrick and I went over to the welcome sign flowerbed to take pictures of people working on the bed as that is a part of the contest so we did some weeding and deadheading while a volunteer took pictures. Next, Kerrick and I moved hoses, watering tools, and shovels to the shuttle bed which is where we were putting the daylilies. Then, we moved the daylilies from the frog pond bed to the shuttle bed using the mule. Once the daylilies were moved, I cut them down to only about 5" before they were planted so that the plants would focus more on establishing the roots amidst the drought we are experiencing here in Minnesota and the shock from transplanting. I then went to the enchanted flowerbed and watered the clethra as well as cut a few inches off of  the top to force the plants to focus more on establishing the roots. One of the volunteers also cut off the flowers so that the plants put more energy in the roots. Afterwards, I worked on weeding the shuttle bed and then the daylilies were planted. After the daylilies were planted, Kerrick worked with one of the volunteers to put down mulch while Scott and I spread it around the plants and watered in the newly planted daylilies. After lunch, the horticulture staff had a meeting so Kerrick and I turned off sprinklers, rolled up hoses, picked up the debris by enchanted, and picked up the weeds that one of the volunteers had left under the trees by Schiller. We then got the opportunity to feed some lettuce to the giraffes. After that, the horticulture staff had a going away party since it was my last day, Amanda is leaving tomorrow, and Kerrick leaves on Tuesday. Finally, I had an end of summer review with my boss, Mindy.

http://gardening.about.com/od/treesshrubs/ig/Top-Shrubs-for-the-Home-Garden/Summersweet-Clethra-alnifolia.htm

The plant of the week is Clethra alnifolia Summersweet Clethra. The leaves are alternate, simple, 1.5-4" long and .75-2" wide, sharply serrate, usually entire toward base, and often woolly tomentose below. They leaf out late in the spring and leaves turn a pale yellow to rich golden brown in the fall which develops around mid-October and can persist 3-4 weeks. The buds are small, loosely scaled, ovoid, and pubescent. The stem is brown and pubescent. Summersweet Clethra grow to be 4-8' high and 4-6' wide and are larger in moist soil. Plants are often wider than high at maturity because they have a suckering nature. Clethra are hardy to zones 4-9. Flowers are perfect, white, 5-petaled, delightfully fragrant, appear July into August while lasting 4-6 weeks, are borne on the current season's growth in 2-6" long upright racemes with the flowers opening from the base to the apex. A dry 1/8" diameter capsule fruit that persists through the winter offers a good identification characteristic. The plants like acid soil which has been supplemented with organic matter, grows naturally in wet places, partial shade or full sun, salty conditions. Clethra is virtually pest free except for mite damage which occurs in dry seasons. This shrub is excellent for summer flower and fragrance, works as a shrub border, a good plant for shade and wet areas, the overall winter habit is clean, and the fall color is a worthwhile attribute. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A Dirr)

This is my last blog post of the summer as I am a leader for welcome week and training starts this Friday. After training, I will be leading a group of about twenty freshman and getting them familiar with campus in order to help prepare them for their first year of college. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blog each week to find out more about what was going on at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory and what goes into managing a public garden. I want to once again thank my friends and family who have supported me through my summer internship. I have learned a lot this summer and look forward to continuing my education at the University of Minnesota and delving deeper into the world of Horticulture and what it has to offer.

Week 12

You will notice that I missed a week. I was off on a retreat for a student group I'm in on campus which is also why my last post was a week late. I am now back at work and ready to finish the summer out strong.

Monday morning Kerrick and I started off by watering the intern bed, palm lot entrance bed, double sidewalk, welcome sign bed, visitor center pots, enchanted garden, excedra bed, and historic entrance pots. We also went down to gates ajar and watered and pulled some weeds. Next, we pulled some weeds along the outside of the fence by the edible garden. Then, we met up with Scott and shaped Salix purpurea purpleosier willow bushes. After that, we went down to the mulch pile by the golf course which had been pushed back and cleaned up the area surrounding the mulch pile to prepare it for seeding. After that, we pulled out larger weeds under the pine trees. Next, we used a pole saw and cut low branches as well as dead branches off of the linden trees up front using a three point cut. We cut from the bottom for a short distance. Then, we cut closer to the branch end from the top. This would cause the branch to fall. Some bark peeling occurred, but it would stop at the place where the bottom cut had been made. Finally, the rest of the branch would be cut off where it intersected with the trunk or another branch, but the bark would not peel because the weight has been released by the original cuts. Finally, we helped Scott to load the branches into the dump truck which he would then take to forestry for proper disposal.

Tuesday morning Kerrick and I mowed in the Japanese garden. Next, we weeded and deadheaded in the intern bed and palm lot entry bed. Then, we met Scott out front and cut some more branches that he noticed were dead or still too low. We also helped to cut down a dead tree by taking off the lower limbs to make it easier to cut down with the chainsaw. Again, we helped Scott to load up the dump truck with branches. The maintenance crew needed the dump truck back and there is about one load left of limbs to pick up, but they are currently underneath one of the larger trees and will be taken care of probably tomorrow. Then, we put mulch around two trees out front. Finally, we composted some of the unused annuals which were still in greenhouse pots and trays along the service drive.

Wednesday morning Kerrick and I mowed some areas on zoo grounds, Como town, and out front. Then, Kerrick and I did some weeding out front near the gate to the Japanese Garden and put down mulch on top of a gravel area that used to be grass. Finally, we picked up trash near the historic lily pond and did a little bit of weeding.

Thursday morning Kerrick and I cleaned up the area by the primate loading dock. First, we moved any garbage left behind by the construction crew when the gorilla exhibit was built. Then, we removed dead limbs off of the trees. After that, we were joined by the volunteers who helped us weed and rake the area as well as pick up large rocks. Once we were finally able to get to the gate on the side of the exhibit, we pulled out the logs which were on the ground, moved the garbage that was back there, and weeded. This area was seeded two weeks ago, but the areas that were full of weeds and debris were left unseeded so the area will need to be seeded once again so that grass might grow which the outdoor horticulture staff will be in charge of mowing which is why we had to pick up the rocks. This project took all morning to complete. In the afternoon, Kerrick and I went down and weeded around the historic lily pond and picked up some tree branches that were near there.

Friday morning Kerrick and I put down mulch around the lindens across from the historic entrance of the conservatory. Then, we weeded the wall of the frog pond to touch it up as there is a Japanese lantern lighting festival on Sunday. After that, we raked near the other lindens in the boulevards near the historic entrance and helped Scott clean the debris off the road. Then, we burned weeds along the sidewalk near the historic entrance and the cracks in the road. After that, we pulled weeds on the service road and composted some annuals along the service road. Next, we turned off the sprinklers up front and picked up the hoses along with picking up the debris by the enchanted garden and some debris underneath the lindens in the park. Then, we composted some more annuals that were along the service road. After that, Adam gave us a tour of the inside of the tea house and told us a little bit about the customs involved in an official tea ceremony. Next, the son of the designer of the Japanese Garden came to visit so all of the Horticulture staff came to greet him at the gate. Finally, we deadheaded the spent flowers off of the daylily plants along the frog pond.

The featured plant of the week is Salix purpurea Purpleosier or Basket Willow. The leaves are alternate or occasionally opposite, simple, oblanceolate, 2-4" long, 1/8-1/3" wide. They are lustrous dark blue-green above and pale or glaucous beneath. The buds are small, appressed, purplish, and glabrous. The stem is slender, tough branches, purplish at first, and turn to a light gray or olive-gray. Purpleosier willow is a rounded, dense, finely branched shrub 8-10' in height. They need to be properly maintained to prevent the horrendous look when species become overgrown. This shrub is native to zones 3-6.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/17143/

Week 11

Monday I worked with Kerrick out by the carousel which was closed today. First, we used hedge shears and trimmed back the Viburnum and Euonomous bushes in the area. Then, we had to rake out the debris and put it in the compost. After that, we edged out the beds by digging a very small trench on the edge. In this area, there has been a problem with the mulch coming out of the bed whenever it rains so the trench will help stop the mulch from exiting the flowerbed. After that, we mulched the flowerbeds around the carousel. Finally, we swept up the soil we had dug out for the trench on the edge and swept up the mulch which had fallen on the sidewalk. We also put some small rocks by the downspouts to allow for drainage and prevent soil erosion where the downspouts drained.

Tuesday morning I went out with Heather and Mindy and started weeding near the polar bear exhibit. Then, I was sent to weed whip the perimeter of the large exhibit to keep the weeds from growing towards the middle and inhibiting the electric fence. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding as I was actually supposed to go into the exhibit to weed whip. After break, Kerrick and I were sent in the small polar bear exhibit to do the same thing except that we used hedge trimmers instead of weed whips. We also pulled a certain weed that was not supposed to be in the exhibit and raked up the debris. At this time, the polar bears were in the large exhibit. Finally, we continued to weed the flowerbeds near the polar bear exhibit and ended the day by putting away tools.

Wednesday morning we started of f by mowing and weed whipping out front and down by the lily pond. Then, we were sent to the service drive and pruned back vines and branches away from the fence leading up to the overflow parking lot and on the sidewalk on the service drive between the cat building and the aquatics building. After that, we weeded the bed with the Diervilla shrubs near the bison exhibit and ended the day by starting to weed the large flowerbed by the frog pond.

Thursday we continued to weed the large flowerbed by the frog pond and mulched the bed. We also seeded and watered the area where the willow tree fell down in June. Friday morning we started off by weeding and mulching the grass wall by the lions and underneath the sumac behind the grass wall by the lion exhibit. Then, we went to Como town and took down a mulberry tree which was then delivered to the primate keepers as enrichment for the gorillas because they apparently like the taste. After that, Kerrick and I went up front with Scott. We started off by cutting the suckers off of the linden trees. Next, I cut dead limbs off of the pines and spruce trees while Kerrick worked on weeding. We then went down to gates ajar to water, weed, cut back Alternanthera that was growing over top of the Echiveria, and replaced Echiveria that had fallen out. Finally, we ended the day by doing some more weeding out front and picking up the debris pile near the enchanted garden.

The plant of the week is Morus alba White or Common Mulberry. The leaves are alternate, simple, polymorphic (undivided or lobed), serrate or dentate, ovate to broad-ovate, 2-7" long, up to 6" wide, rounded or cordate at the base with a petiole .5-1" long as can be seen in the picture below. The leaf shape is the easiest way to recognize mulberry. The stem is slender, yellowish green to brownish gray, smooth, more or less shining and is slightly sweetish if chewed which is probably why the gorillas like it. Mulberry gets to be 30-50' in height with a similar spread. It is hardy to zones (4)5-8(9). The habitat is usually extremely dense and often develops a "witches" broom which gives the tree a messy, unkempt appearance. Fall color ranges from green to yellow-green to yellow. The flowers are yellowish-green and bloom time is March-April. Multiple fruit of small, fleshy drupes that are white, pinkish, red or purplish violet appear in June to July. Diseases and insects that commonly affect mulberry include bacterial blight on leaves and shoots, leaf spots, cankers, powdery mildews, scales, two-spotted mites, and other pests. Finally, there is no landscape value according to a landscape architect. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr)

 

Week 10

Monday I took off because I had an appointment.

Tuesday morning I went with Heather and we mowed the yards in the reindeer and bison exhibits. Then, I went with Kerrick and we weeded by the carousel. After that, we went and weeded under the trees by Schiller. Then, we checked the water bags around the trees down by the historic lily pond and looked to see how dry the Austrian pines down by the lily pond were because they are new trees. Next, we brought mulch piles to some of the pines by Schiller which had been fully weeded. Angie has a camp tomorrow that will be spreading the mulch. Finally, Kerrick left early so I finished up with weeding by Schiller.

We checked the trees down by the lily pond because they were newly planted. According to the city of St. Paul website, newly planted trees should be watered 1-2 times per week during dry periods in the spring, summer and fall months, and trees planted within the last 5 years should be watered once every 1-2 weeks. According to the University of Missouri extension office one method that is especially effective in the first year is using drip irrigation. Drip irrigation can occur through the use of water bags around trees. The most common brand of water bags is tree gator. Water bags are zippered bags that have holes on the bottom that allow water to slowly dispense into the root ball of trees.

Wednesday was mowing day. Kerrick and I were the only ones who push mowed today because Amanda was injured on Friday. I started off by doing the areas on zoo grounds that needed to be mowed and weed whipped where needed. Kerrick started off in Como Town and I met him when I was done. After that, we did the boulevards in the wolf lot and went out front and did the boulevards in the palm lot, wings by the historic entrance, frog pond boulevard, and excedra. We ended our mowing by doing all of the service drive. After mowing, we cleaned the mowers which took us to the end of the day.

Thursday morning I went into Como Town and worked on weeding there. Then since Kerrick, Angie, and Heather were mowing in the lion and tiger yards, we were given a behind the scenes tour of the cat house and got to see where the cats are housed at night and watched as the keeper opened the gates for them to go outside into the yards. After that, Kerrick and I went and weeded the many beds by excedra to prepare it for a photoshoot that is taking place tomorrow morning.

Friday morning Kerrick and I went and watered out front. While watering the intern bed, I noticed that the sweet potato vine has taken over the part of the intern bed on top of the rocks and is covering up ost of the millet in that area. Then, we weeded and mulched the tiered bed by the arctic fox exhibit. After that, we watered gates ajar and weeded the half moons with ornamental grass out front by the double sidewalk. Finally, we watered the young trees down by the historic lily pond and weeded around the lily pond.

The plant of the week is ornamental sweet potato vine Ipomoea batatas. Sweet potato vine is an annual plant that is a vigorous grower with a height up to 2 ft. and a width of up to 5ft.. The new foliage starts off green and then turns a gorgeous shade of purple which is a great accent to just about any plant. They do best in warm, summer days with moist, well-drained soil and thrive in sun or shade. Sweet potato vine has many uses including containers, beds, and borders. (Information from better homes and garden: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/annual/sweet-potato-vine/)

Week 9

Monday morning the three interns started off by wood-chip mulching in flowerbed in front of the skipper garden and along the path in the skipper garden. Then, we weeded by the waterfall in the bird yard, added mulch to prevent future weeds from growing. We also pruned the dead branches out of the Spirea shrubs in the waterfall area. After that, we went on to weed around the giraffe/ostrich perimeter, and zebra/kudu perimeter. We also weeded the flowerbed across from the giraffe perimeter. Then, we went into the picnic area and weeded around the trees in there and mulched after weeding. Finally, we went out front by Schiller and weeded under the pine trees.
Tuesday morning we started the morning off by weeding the orangutan perimeter. Then, we mulched the perimeter and mulched the area behind the waterfall in the bird yard. After that we were told to once again weed the African Hoofstock perimeters. We missed the weeds that were between the fronts or the plants and the asphalt. Then, we went out for a little bit and weeded under the pine trees by Schiller. In the afternoon, our boss felt it was too hot so she told us interns to stay inside and read magazines.

I read the May 2013 edition of American Nurseryman. In this magazine, I read three articles. The first article talked about the increased use of LED lighting in the landscape. I also read an article talking about Ambrosia Beetles. They usually attack dead and stressed trees but have recently they have been attacking healthy trees. The research done has shown that this is due to over-watering of trees. The article said that there is nothing that can be done once a tree is attacked but monitoring can be done in the spring. In order to monitor, a trap can be set and if beetles are caught then the tree should be sprayed with permethrin to prevent an attack. More information can be found at: http://www.amerinursery-digital.com/May2013/May2013/0/0#&pageSet=13. Finally, I read a short article on Little Devil ninebark which is a dark foliaged shrub. Then, I read the March 2013 edition of American Nurseryman. I read an article on Callicarpa Beautyberry. This plant has purple berries which make it appealing to the eye. The article was about the various trials being done to select for the most favorable plant. More information can be found at: http://www.amerinursery-digital.com/Mar2013/Mar2013/0/0#&pageSet=3. I also read an article about the Bohn Farm in Maryville, Illinois which strives to practice sustainability. Sustainability measures include limiting the amount of peat in soil media, reducing runoff from irrigation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing energy, integrated pest management, reducing use of potable water, reducing waste, and recycling organic matter. More information can be found at: http://www.amerinursery-digital.com/Mar2013/Mar2013/0/0#&pageSet=12. I also read an article about Tulipa tarda which is the featured plant of the week. I also read the March 2013 and February 2013 and read an interesting article that researched whether mulch is beneficial to young trees. Research showed that mulch has little benefit relative to water loss from the root zone of newly planted trees, but mulch does help to prevent weeds and looks aesthetically appealing.

Wednesday morning began like any other Wednesday. We started off by mowing some of zoo grounds and up front where it was needed. Then, the three interns went to fix the bamboo fixing and replace the sections where there were a lot of gaps. Then, we spent a little  bit of time reading magazines. I read an article about the symptoms of various nutrient deficiencies and a different article about the various species of Coreposis. After lunch, Amanda and I were potting begonias in the greenhouse and pinching back peppermint scented geraniums so that they would grow upwards instead of spreading and becoming leggy.

Thursday morning we were weeding and putting down mulch around the path and perimeter of gorilla forest to prepare it for sunset affair which is a big donor event. After gorilla forest, we put waders on and went into the frog pond to weed the wall. Amanda wanted me to mention that there were a lot of spiders some were small and others were at least quarter sized. Then, we read for a little while. I was reading houseplant book and found out about some different houseplants and upkeep of houseplants. Finally, all of the interns went and washed the floor in greenhouse to prepare for a greenhouse walk through occurring for sunset affair.

Friday morning the interns began by moving chairs and tables from around the tortoise yard and gorilla forest closer to the cafe patio because they were used for sunset affair and needed to be moved back to the patio for use in the cafe. Unfortunately, the tents were not down yet  Then, I went to water the raised beds in Como Town. After that, I went back to help put tables and chairs in place on the patio but unfortunately the tents still were not down so we had to put up barricades and set up the tables by the bird yard since it was close to 10am which is when the zoo opens. After break, we went and weeded the big weeds out of the cracks in front of the historic entrance and burned the little ones. We also started weeding by the daylily bed. We ended our day by weeding down by the historic lily pond.

Tulipa tarda is the featured plant of the week. Tarda tulip is an early riser , normally blooming from early March to April in zones 3-8. It's easily grown in average, well-drained soil in full sun. The plant prefers a humusy soil mix but according to the author they have done well in her clay soil. Bulbs should be planted 4-5" deep in the fall and once blooms are spent foliage should be left in place until it yellows. Each flowering stem produces 3-6 star shaped blooms that emerge white with a yellow eye. Individual blooms are upward facing spanning 2.5-3" across held atop 4-6" stems. The glossy green foliage is strap-like reaching 5-7" long. Tarda tulip is perfect for rock gardens, naturalizes well around trees and shrubs, and provides a layer of color at the front of the border.

Week 8

Monday the three interns went out front into the palm lot and weeded. We weeded in between the cars and also around the pine trees that are out front. "No weeds left behind," said Amanda. Mindy told us that from now until the end of the summer we will be weeding, watering, and mowing, and other odd jobs as they come about.

Tuesday consisted of more weeding. I used a different method for weeding today and that was to burn them. First, I started burning weeds that were under the roller coaster in Como town. Then, a thunderstorm that was potentially severe passed through so I met Amanda and Kerrick and we did some work for the indoor greenhouse staff. While inside, we put a potting mix which consisted of peat and rock wool and some other growing media into pots that will later be planted with chrysanthemums. We made sure not to pack the potting mix too tight. After the storm passed, I went in front of the conservatory and burned weeds in the cracks by the historic entrance which took me the rest of the day.

Upon Googling burning weeds with a torch, I found an article from June 26, 2012 in the Star Tribune titled "Putting the burn on weeds" which said that "fighting weeds with fire is one of the best and most natural ways to get rid of large perennial weeds, at least temporarily. The fire kills the tops of the plants and initial research shows that fire may be better than natural chemicals at preventing weeds from resprouting. However, the roots can remain underground especially in larger weeds which allows them to spring back to life." They also mentioned to be careful when burning on dry, windy days. I also found an article from Colorado State University Extension which said that "heat from the flame is transferred to the plant tissues, increasing the thermal energy of the plant cells and resulting in coagulation of cell proteins if the temperature is above 50°C. Exposing plant tissue to a
temperature of about 100°C for a split second (0.1 second) can result in cell membrane rupture, resulting in loss of water and plant death. Thus, the weeds do not need to be burned up, but rather just scorched. Flaming works best on very young weeds." Also, they mentioned that many communities prohibit the use of torches on weeds due to fire prevention laws.

Wednesday morning the interns were once again mowing. This week there were less areas to do because the grass isn't growing as quickly and some of the areas are starting to burn up. I went and did the areas in zoo grounds which included the bird and tortoise yard, picnic area, area behind the shrubs which Amanda and I pruned last week Friday and are called Viburnum, and the timber area as well as weed whipping these areas. Then, I mowed the piece of sod by the edible garden and met Amanda and Kerrick out front and helped to weed whip around the frog pond. After we were done mowing, we cleaned off the mowers. Once the mowers were clean and put away Kerrick and I weeded various areas within zoo grounds to prepare for a donor event which is taking place next week. Finally, we attended training for new time keeping system.

Thursday morning Kerrick and I had to cut back the Diervilla shrubs in Como Town Driving School because the people running the ride could not see the kids when they were driving. At the time, the shrubs were about 3-4' tall and 2-3' wide and were flowering, but we had to cut them down to about 1' X 1' leaving only a few leaves and exposing the woody portion of the plant. After that, we once again had to fix bamboo fencing around gorilla forest. Then, we went and did some weeding in the bird yard above the waterfall and finished up the day by weeding in the other areas of the zoo where a donor event will be taking place next week.

Friday morning Kerrick and I started off by watering out front including the intern bed, palm lot entry, double sidewalk, visitor center pots, pots and urns by the conservatory entrance, enchanted garden annuals, and excedra annuals. Then, we went down to gates ajar and watered that. After watering, we picked up various debris piles that were under the trees out front. Next, we cut back vines and branches that were blocking the sidewalk and parking along the part of the service drive which leads to the overflow parking lot. We also weed whipped along the fence and blew off the sidewalk. We finished off the day by putting the mules in the garage, putting away tools and cart keys, and then walking around the Japanese Garden.

The plant of the week is Viburnum. I'm not sure what exactly the species at Como is so I will talk about the genus in general, but I do know that the leaves were purple and they have red fruit. There are about 150 species and numerous cultivars of Viburnum. They range in size from 2-3' to 30'. The fragrance ranges from the sweetest perfume to the stenchiest stink. Flowers are white to pink and produce a fruit from yellow, orange, pink, red, blue, and black. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr)

Week 7

Monday morning I went with Kerrick. We went and pulled weeds that had been missed around the Diervilla shrubs near the bison. We then continued to pull weeds in the beds with the Spiraea shrubs that are near the bison. Then, we finished with manure mulching in the giraffe perimeter. After that, we pulled weeds around the giraffe and ostrich perimeter as well as the zebra and kudu perimeter. We also had to grab wheelbarrows, pitchforks, and hard rakes so the STS people could wood chip mulch the areas once we finished weeding. After lunch, we went out front and helped Amanda and Scott weed around the White Pine trees near the frog pond.

Tuesday Kerrick and I mowed in Como Town and Amanda mowed zoo grounds. After that, all three interns went out front and mowed and blowed the paths off. Then, we did wolf lot and historic lily pond and started the service drive all before lunch break. With many weeks of practice, it appears that us interns are getting down everywhere that needs to be mowed and getting faster in the process. After lunch, we finished up the service drive. We ended our day by once again fixing the bamboo fencing around the gorilla exhibit by adding more stakes and pounding in the existing stakes.

Wednesday morning Amanda and I went out front and watered the intern bed, palm lot entrance bed, double sidewalk, welcome sign flowerbed, visitor center pots, pots by the historic entrance of the conservatory, and sections of annual in the excedra and enchanted garden. All of the annuals are growing and appear to be healthy. We also found some baby bunnies chowing down on the annuals in the intern bed. After watering, we weeded in the cracks around the tiger enclosure. Then, we went out by the statue of Johann Friedrich von Schiller and weeded under the pine trees for the rest of the day.

Thursday was the 4th of July. Therefore, the interns had off because we do not get paid holiday pay. I did however still come to Como to visit with my parents and took some pictures of the plantings that I helped with and their progress.

Gates Ajar is really filling out from what it was at the end of week 1.

The Japanese Garden is looking nice.

Intern Bed

Another view of the intern bed

Friday morning Amanda and I mowed in the Japanese Garden and blew the grass off of the path. While we were in the Japanese Garden, Adam put three koi fish into the pond. After mowing, Amanda and I went and weeded the beds on the backside of the visitor center. Then, we did some pruning of dead limbs on the purple shrubs with red flowers in a planting across from zebra enclosure near the Como Town entrance. I'm not sure exactly what these shrubs are but I think they are purple plum. Finally, we weeded the intern bed and bed between cars.

The plant of the week is Japanese tree lilac, Syringa reticulata.The leaves are opposite, simple leaves that are dark green in the summer and are 2-5.5" long and about half as wide. The stem is stout, shiny brown, and heavily lenticelled resembling cherry bark. Japanese tree lilacs grow to be 20-30' tall and 15-25' in spread with a medium growth rate (9-12' over a 6-8 year period) and are considered to be a large shrub or small tree with stiff, spreading branches developing a somewhat oval to rounded crown and with time the branches and leaves become somewhat arching. They are hardy to zones 3-7. Flowers appear in mid-late June and are creamy white, fragrant wide, showy panicles that are effective for two weeks and petals that turn brown with age. A warty, glabrous fruit that is a 3/4" long capsule appears after flowering. This is possibly the most trouble-free tree lilac that makes an excellent specimen tree, street tree, and is good in groups or near large buildings. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr)

Week 6

Monday morning the three interns started off our day by manure mulching around the ostrich and giraffe exhibits. We were later joined by the education intern for the edible garden, Anna. At 10am we got the cart off grounds and went on to a new project. We went out and picked up sticks around the frog pond, down by the lily pond, and gates ajar. One of the big willow trees uprooted in the storms over the weekend so this tree will have to be removed by forestry. The willow is currently blocking part of the path around the frog pond but nothing is in the street. We put the sticks that we had picked up near the willow. For the last 10 minutes of the day, we emptied out the green mule and took the soil out of a pellet which had cloth on the back and bottom and had been used as a planter previously.

Tuesday morning I started off by weeding in a planting near the bison. Then, I went to help with mowing in the lion and tiger exhibits. I used the leaf blower and blew the leaves toward the middle of the exhibit so that the riding lawnmower could mow over the leaves. Unfortunately, the riding lawnmower broke down shortly after we had started. Then, I pulled weeds around the zebra and kudu exhibit where manure mulch was laid a few weeks ago. After that, I went to the picnic area on zoo grounds and picked up the larger sticks so that when the area was to be mowed on Wednesday there were not any issues. In the afternoon, I went with the other two interns and picked up branches in the palm and wolf lot so that we would not have any issues when mowing on Wednesday. Finally, we weeded up front around the pine trees.

Wednesday morning the interns mowed. Kerrick and I mowed Como town. Then, we met Amanda and one of the indoor interns, Joe, in the front of the visitor center to help with mowing and blow off the sidewalk. After break, we mowed the wolf lot, finished up out front, and went down to the lily pond to mow. Since it was very hot and humid, our supervisor Mindy told us to go sit in the air conditioning and read some horticulture magazines in the afternoon. I read the May 2013 volume of the magazine The Scoop. I read an article about Sustainable Food Systems and about the new Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems at Dakota County Technical College. More information about the certificate can be found at http://www.dctc.edu/academics/programs-majors/design/landscape-horticulture/sustainable-food-systems-certificate/. I also read an article about taking a sustainable approach to landscape design by looking to take portions off the lawn off life support because lawns require a lot of water which is difficult when facing drought. Suggestions included confining high maintenance lawn to areas where it aesthetically highlights a residence and has a practical function, converting turf to drought tolerant/low mow grasses such as fescue, and replacing turf with woodland plants and mulch in shade conditions to make the best use of limited sunlight while maximizing water retention. The larger the lawn the more water it needs so having smaller lawns and more plantings is more efficient for water use. I also read a short excerpt about permeable pavers which are a best management practice. The two other articles I read in the January 2013 and April 2013 volumes of The Scoop talked about Bachman's Trials Demonstration Garden in Farmington, MN in which plant are only watered in the first season with no water after the initial season and never any pest control and an article about the trials for All American Selections at the West Central Research and Outreach Center at the University of Minnesota's Morris Campus.

Thursday morning Amanda and I went into the Japanese Garden with Adam and helped him mow. Then, we went and helped Kerrick to finish mowing the service drive. Finally, we mowed an areas in the tortoise and bird yards that had been missed and touched up around the trees and picnic tables in the picnic area on zoo grounds before Como opened at 10am. After break, the interns went out to fix the bamboo fencing around gorilla forest. We also added lava rocks which are very light but can easily scratch you so we used gloves when picking them up. The lava rocks were placed in the gaps between the permanent fencing and the temporary bamboo fencing because the managers were afraid that little kids might try to go through these small gaps. After that, we weeded around the Diervilla shrubs that are in a bed near the bison exhibit and weeded around the Spiraea shrubs in the beds behind the African Hoofstock Building. After our break in the afternoon, we went down to the historic lily pond which was drained after the past weekend storm and swept out about half of it in order to remove the debris before the pond is filled again.

Friday morning the three interns started off our day by picking up some stick piles in the bird yard and tortoise yard. We then fixed the gorilla fencing in the morning and added more fencing where it had been missed in the afternoon. Then, we weeded by the pine trees near the frog pond. We ended the day by finishing sweeping out the historic lily pond which was filled after we finished and picking up the debris piles in the enchanted butterfly garden.

The plant of the week is Diervilla sessilifolia. Southern Bush-honeysuckle is the common name. The leaves are opposite, ovate-lanceolate, 2-6" long, half as wide, and sharply serrate. New foliage has a bronze-purple cast changing to dark green, sometimes lustrous. Buds are often superposed, sessile, and have about 5 pairs of exposed scales. The stem is rounded, brownish, with 4 crisp-puberulent ridges from the nodes. Diervilla sessilifolia is a low growing, suckering deciduous shrub that grows 3-5' high and 3-5' wide or greater spreading. The flowers are sulfur yellow, 1/2" long, and flower June-July into August. The bushes at Como are currently in bloom. Flowers do not carry any fragrance. This is an extremely tough plant that makes a good filler and is a good choice for rough cuts and fills, banks, and perhaps even planters or containers in outside areas. Foliage is not affected by diseases or insects Full sun is preferred by Diervilla but it can withstand shade. In order to propagate, Diervilla can be readily rooted from cuttings. Diervilla is licensed to Bailey Nurseries in St. Paul, MN. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr)

Week 5

On Monday I worked with Scott. We began the day by pulling weeds in the daylily bed by the frog pond in order to prepare the area for mulching. Then we started putting down wood chip mulch in the daylily bed which will help prevent future weeds from growing. I went down to gates ajar on my own in the morning to water and later in the afternoon Scott went down with me and we planted some Alternanthera that was found in a plug tray in the greenhouse and Scott trimmed the junipers that are down by gates ajar.
 
Tuesday I worked with Kerrick. We started off the day by putting down manure mulch in the bird yard. Last week we were told to only put manure mulch around the annuals but we were told wrong and were actually supposed to put it around all of the flowers. After that we put wood chip mulch around the rest of daylily bed, along stairs by excedra, and half moons on the edge of the intern bed so that people can get out of there cars without having to walk on the plants. We ended the day by putting on hip waders, getting in the frog pond, and pulling weeds in rocks.

Wednesday as usual means mowing day. I mowed on zoo grounds while Kerrick and one of the indoor interns Joe mowed Como Town and the wolf lot. I then went up front and helped blow off the path before the facility opened. After that the boulevards and smaller areas in front of the conservatory that could not be done using the riding mower. We then did the lily pond. All of these areas were finished by lunch. After lunch we washed off the mowers. To finish off the day I went up front by the carousel and weeded the flowerbeds that are near the carousel.

Thursday morning consisted of manure mulching for Kerrick and me around the zebra and kudu exhibit. We did this until 10am as that is when the zoo opens and carts must be off grounds at 10am. While manure mulching we got a short break by trying out the zip line in Como town that opens this weekend. After break, we went and planted the remaining Joseph's Coat on the back side of gates ajar and planted the larger Joseph's Coat from which the cuttings were taken in the flower bed surrounding gates ajar. After planting in the flower bed, Amanda, Kerrick, and I mulched that bed. We also watered gates ajar. Then, we mulched around the edge of the intern bed and swept up the mulch that was spilled in the parking lot.

Friday morning Amanda, Kerrick, and I started off the day by planting some Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia as a ground cover to fill in the open spaces in the garden. Then, we watered in the plants. After that we weeded the beds by the excedra and put down fresh wood chip mulch. Then, we swept up the mulch that had fallen upon the path. After that, we started weeding in the beds around the pine trees near the frog pond. There was a lot of clover along with some dandelions and thistles in these beds which took us the rest of the day to weed.


The plant of the week is Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia. Creeping Jenny is native to Europe and has become naturalized in the eastern United States and is often found at the edge of wooded areas. It is good for zones 3-9 and grows to be 4-8" tall by 24" wide. The flowers are yellow and occur in early summer. The leaves are rounded and 1" long. Plants can produce adventitious roots which can result in rapid multiplication. Large patches appear in a single season where soil is moist. Creeping Jenny is used as ground covers by streams, pools, or other moist areas. They are easy to remove so are seldom thought to be invasive. Propagation can occur by dividing plants in the spring or fall. The cultivar 'Aurea' is the most common because of the lime green to yellowish leaves. 'Aurea' is the cultivar which we planted. (Information obtained from "Herbaceous Perennial Plants" Third Edition by Allan M. Armitage)

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/24123/

 

Week 4

I have now been at my internship for 4 weeks and what an experience it has been.

This week Monday I worked with Kerrick. We started off our morning by mowing the perimeter around the wolves while one of our supervisors, Heather, mowed inside with the riding lawn mower. The weeds and grass around the perimeter were 3-4 ft. tall in spots because the area had not been mowed all season since the keepers did not want us to do it until they could get the male wolf inside and he was being stubborn every other day that we were going to mow. After mowing, we pulled weeds in various beds in front of the zoo that the horticulture department is responsible for. Along with pulling the big weeds by hand, we also used a torch to burn the weeds along the rocks and in the cracks around the frog pond. Finally, we ended the day but watering gates ajar.

Tuesday I worked with Kerrick. First, we put up some bamboo fencing around the new gorilla exhibit because people were walking in the flower beds near the exhibit and not only trampling the plants but it was also making the gorillas feel uncomfortable according to the keepers. Then, we did manure mulch in the bird exhibit around the annuals that were planted last week. We also finished putting wood mulch around the perimeter of the edible garden. Finally, we put on some hip waders and got in the frog pond and pulled weeds that were in the cracks of the rocks surrounding the pond.

Wednesday was once again mowing day. Kerrick and I started off by mowing in Como Town. Unfortunately, it started pouring rain along with thunder and lightning while we were still mowing so we ended up going into the greenhouse and helping out in there for a few hours. While in the greenhouse, we trimmed four varieties (Lime, Citrosa, Peppermint, and Old Fashioned Rose). We also trimmed other geraniums that were not scented. In trimming the geraniums, we removed the apical meristems in an attempt to make the plants more bushy and fuller near the bottom rather than continue to grow in height. While in the greenhouse, we also pinched the flowers off of begonias and spread the pots out more in order to allow for the plants to grow bigger which was inhibited when the plants were too close together. After lunch, we went back outside and mowed along the service drive. After we finished mowing, we washed off the mowers and put them away.

Thursday  morning Kerrick and I started off the morning by going onto seal island and mowing the grass and weeds that were on the rocks but first we weed whipped the weeds down because they were about 3ft tall so that the mower would be able to go through more easily. Then, we mowed, touched up the weed whipping around the rocks and finally swept the grass off of the rocks. Then, we finished the mowing in Como Town, in the boulevards near the front of the visitor center, and down by the historic lily pond. After mowing, we washed off the mowers. Finally, we put waders on and continued pulling weeds along the rock wall of the frog pond. We only have a small area left that is not finished which we will do next week.
 
Friday I was the only intern since Kerrick had off and Amanda is working as an attendant since she hurt her back last week. In the morning, I pulled weeds in the beds behind excedra and put down fresh mulch which took most of the day. I also watered gates ajar in the morning and in the afternoon.

The plant of the week is scented geranium. The genus is Pelargonium. They provide a great scent when used outdoors and indoors. Scented geraniums are originally from Africa and migrated to Holland and then England in the 1600s. Now, there are 100 varieties in cultivation. The plants are shrub like and grow to be 18"-3' tall with five petaled flowers that are usually pink, lilac, or white in color. Scented geraniums are perennials in zones 8 and higher but can be used as annuals in other zones. Therefore in Minnesota, scented geraniums are used as annuals. They are typically categorized according to there scent. Plants do well in full sun and well-drained soil of average fertility. Outdoor plants must be dug up and brought into the house before the first frost. Indoor plants only require about four hours of sunlight a day. (Information obtained from Colorado Extension)

Week 3

Hey everyone! First, I just want to thank everyone for reading my blog especially my family and friends. Also, thank you to the teachers who have inspired me to pursue a career in Horticulture. I'm halfway through my college days and am doing this summer internship not only for credit but to prepare me for my future career and I'm loving every day and know that I am pursuing the right career path. This is week 3 of my blog and I will continue to have weekly posts up until the end of my internship.

On Monday morning, the interns were up front tilling, raking, fertilizing, and planting the garden around the welcome sign. Scott is entering the All-America Selections design contest so over 50% of the flowers we planted were from the All-America Selections. Amanda and I also went down to gates ajar which was the project for week 1 and made sure to water. It looks very good although some of the plants appear to be wilting and a few are falling out but Scott who is in charge of planting and upkeep of gates ajar told us that that is normal so we are just fixing as we water. Then, we tilled one of the gardens in the parking lot and put down fertilizer to prepare it for planting. The Horticulture interns also get there own bed on the edge of the main parking lot in which we decide what to plant of the leftover plants so we had some time to till that area to prepare it for planting soon. Then, Amanda and I had to clean the van by sweeping it out and wiping down the sides as well as shaking out the rugs which we used the first week. We then moved some plants to a different part of the greenhouse. After that, Amanda and I took some compost to the compost pile and finished out the day by driving the mule out to gates ajar and watering it again. Since the plants are still rooting and getting established on gates ajar, then they need to be watered 2-3 times a day for the first couple of weeks in order to get established and will be watered less frequently once the plants are indeed established.

On Tuesday, it was time to mow again so the interns got to mow the smaller areas of the zoo, Como town, front entrance, and parts of the park managed by the horticulture staff while a member of the horticulture staff mowed the larger areas using the riding lawnmower. Once we were done mowing, we did some more work on tilling the intern garden.

On Wednesday, I worked with Amanda putting down manure mulch around the plants in the edible garden. We also did some trimming of Verbena in the greenhouse when it started pouring outside which hindered our ability to put down manure mulch. We only did this for about 15 minutes because it was before lunch and the rain stopped soon thereafter. The Verbena were becoming too leggy so we trimmed them down in an attempt to train the plant to grow up instead of out.

Thursday morning Amanda and I finished putting down manure mulch in the edible garden. We then started putting down cedar mulch around the pumpkins and melons in the beds surrounding the edible garden. Kerrick also came and helped us with putting the cedar mulch around the edible garden. The zoo had the grand opening and ribbon cutting of gorilla forest so today was really busy at the zoo. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to work on planting the intern bed in the parking lot. Some of the plants include cleome which is the plant of the week, salvia, verbena, millet, ornamental peppers, zinnia, and sweet potato vine. We got about half of it planted. After planting, we watered in the plants.

Friday morning I watered the beds up front and in the enchanted butterfly garden. Then, Kerrick and I weed whipped around the frog pond and the signs. We then picked up the piles of debris left behind by the volunteers in the enchanted butterfly garden and in one of the beds in the palm lot. Then, we did some more planting in the intern bed, but did not quite get finished because we want some different plants and other colors which we have to wait to see if more plants come available to us but we added some swiss chard today and a few other plants. Then, we watered the bed and went to gates ajar and watered.

Cleome hassleriana is the plant of the week. In Minnesota, it is used as an annual plant.The cultivar used in the intern bed is 'Spirit Frost' which has a white flower. The common name for Cleome is Spider Flower. Cleome likes full sun and grows to be 24-48" tall at maturity and should be spaced 15-18" apart. Cleome is a spring/summer flower that will continue to flower until the first frost. This flower likes full sun, has fragrant foliage, is heat and drought tolerant, and attracts butterflies, birds, and hummingbirds. Cleome is great for use in flower beds, borders, and patio containers (Information found on Proven Winners website).

Week 2

Monday was Memorial Day so the interns had off.

Tuesday I worked with intern Amanda. She is very nice and we make a great team. Before the zoo opened, Amanda and I laid down manure mulch in the bird exhibit. We did not quite finish this but could had to remove the cart from zoo grounds once the zoo became open to the public. Then, we went into the greenhouse and helped Paul out by removing flowers and flower buds from petunias because the plants were small and the flowers attract thrips which are a problem in the greenhouse and are sprayed for weekly. After that, we went back outside and did some weeding around the exhibits. Finally, we moved some lilies from one greenhouse to another.

Wednesday the three interns (Amanda, Kerrick, and me) mowed using push mowers. We mowed on zoo grounds and in Como town which is the amusement park in the zoo. All of this had to be done before the zoo opened at 10am. Then, we mowed out in front of the zoo and down by the lily pond. In front of the zoo and in parts of the park we are responsible for mowing while in other parts the city is responsible. Finally, we mowed along the service drive.

Thursday I went with Scott in the morning and planted annuals in the pots in front of the building. Then, we laid down some manure mulch along the double sidewalk, added fertilizer, and planted annuals. In the afternoon, we had a staff meeting for the Horticulture department in which all of the staff update everyone else on what they are working on. Today, some of the staff talked about the APGA conference which they attended last week. APGA stands for the American Public Gardens Association. They talked about the gardens that they toured and some of the lectures which they attended. After the meeting, the interns went with Angie and Mindy to the flower beds near the gorilla forest in order to clean it up because there was a donor event for the gorilla forest which will be opening in June.

Friday Amanda and I planted annuals by the double sidewalk in the front of the building as can be seen in the image below. Some of the flowers planted include purple petunias, orange impatiens, and pink double petunias. We planted the flowers in blocks because visitors will be voting on their favorite flowers. Then, Amanda, Kerrick, Scott, and I finished up the rest of the planting on gates ajar and planted some annuals in the beds around gates ajar. Finally, we picked up some debris that the volunteers had left behind, raked up the clumps of grass that had been left behind when we mowed the other day by the lily pond, and lifted up the footprints by the double sidewalk.

The plant of the week is Impatiens. In Minnesota, Impatiens are planted as an annual plant because they are hardy only to zones 10 and 11 and Minnesota is zones 3a-5a. They are commonly used as bedding plants in the summer or container gardening. Impatiens do best in partial sun and like moisture (moist, but not too wet). They can grow between 6 and 30 inches tall. (Information found on Farmer's Almanac website)

Week 1

This was my first week on the job. I started on Monday. Friday, I took the day off because I had to go home for rehearsal dinner for my big brother's wedding. First, I will introduce you to my boss and fellow coworkers. My boss is Mindy and the other horticulture staff. My fellow interns are Amanda a global studies major and Kerrick an environmental science major. There is also one other intern Anna who is a Horticulture major in River Falls, WI who is helping out with education as well as with the Horticulture department. Every morning we have a quick staff meeting and the interns are assigned to a staff member.

On my first day, I worked with Scott and Kerrick on the preparing gates ajar for planting down by Como Lake. First, we cleared the debris of the dead plants from last year and weeded in the planting and the garden around the planting. Then, we added fresh mud to the wall in order to prepare it for planting the next day.

On day 2, Scott, Kerrick, Amanda, and I finished putting mud on the wall and started planting Echiveria on the wall to create the design and soften the edges of the wall. In order to plant the Echeveria, we had to widdle down the plants then stick them into the wall by making a small hole. Once in the wall, the Echeveria will root itself.

Day 3 Scott, Kerrick, Amanda, and I continued planting Echeveria for the symbols and softening the edges of the wall and started planting Alternanthera on the rest of the wall using a dibble to make the holes to create some color contrast.

Day 4 Scott, Kerrick, Amanda, and I continued with planting the symbols with Echeveria and then Alternanthera around the symbols.

The above picture is the progress of the wall near the end of day 4. The symbols on the pillars represent hope, faith, and charity. Then, there are wheels on each wall representing the wheels of life. The symbols come from a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem and from a section in Corinthians.

The plant of the week is Alternanathera Joseph's Coat. Alternanthera is a stoloniferous plant sometimes used as a ground cover. It comes in a variety of different colors. The leaves are simple and verticillate. In some areas, Alternanathera is considered a noxious weed. The zone depends upon the variety because there are over 80 species in the genus. (Information obtained from Wikipedia).