With a series of impressive wins to start the season, Alex de Minaur's motto to stay positive in 2022 is already paying off.

Melbourne, Australia , 20 January 2022 | Darren Parkin

Alex de Minaur is hoping his early season momentum rolls on as he shoots for a return to the worlds top 20 this year.

A difficult end to 2021 appears a distant memory for the young Australian, who has hit the ground running at the start of a new campaign.

The world No.42 backed up some strong ATP Cup performances in a polished first-round display against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti at Australian Open 2022.

After being challenged early and falling behind, De Minaur took complete control of the match to win 18 of the last 24 games.

A new years resolution to stay positive at all times was a driving factor.

For me, the most important thing was my attitude. You know, that was what won me the match. I was positive throughout the whole night, De Minaur said.

I didnt let anything get in my head, and I just kept on going. I was playing every point for its merit, and eventually things started to go my way and I was able to take control.

Positive vibes only for 2022 is my motto.

In his first-round match, de Minaur was edged by Musetti in short rallies, with the Italian winning 47 points to 42 on rallies of four shots or fewer.

But on the longer points, his work-rate and tenacity stood out. He won 74 points to 42 on rallies of five or more shots.

Im cautious of myself as a competitor, as well. I feel like if Im on top and Im focused and determined and trying to win every point, I can be a very difficult opponent to beat, and especially when Im staying tough, the Australian said.

I had that in the back of my head. I knew I needed to start the sets well and hopefully get that early break so Im just happy with my level all around.

In the lead-up to Wimbledon last year, was a semifinalist at Queens and won a first title on grass in Eastbourne, elevating his ranking to a career-high world No.15.

In the weeks that followed, the 22-year-old contracted COVID, forcing him to miss the Tokyo Olympics. He won just five of his last 17 matches for the remainder of the season, with his ranking dropping to No.42.

> READ: De Minaur off to a winning start at Australian Open 2022

De Minaur began his pre-season training in Alicante, Spain, alongside his golden retriever Enzo,

The strong fitness regime served him well as he started the new year with wins over Matteo Berretini and Ugo Humbert both high-ranked opponents at the ATP Cup in Sydney.

We had a tough group at the ATP Cup, and we were very close to getting through, said De Minaur.

I especially stepped up when I needed to and had quality wins against Berrettini and Humbert.

Humbert is one of the biggest ball strikers, especially in an indoor court and in fact that match was huge for me, because it got me the last seeding for this week, so it gave me a little bit of protection in that sense.

It was a very tough pre-season. Its always good to see things going well so that gives me a lot of confidence.

At 22 years old, De Minaur is still at the start of what should be a long and successful career. He notes the positive influence of Australian players including Sam Stosur in his formative years.

Stosur is playing her final main draw singles event at this years Australian Open, and De Minaur recalls the guidance she provided to him as a young boy in Sydney.

Funnily enough, as a kid I actually hit with Sam maybe once or twice in Sydney, and I can really remember those days, he reflected.

I think we might have hit maybe on hard once and on clay out in Homebush. Shes always been an incredible competitor and role model.

I remember even back then with me being a little kid, a little junior, she was very nice to me.

As a determined De Minaur aims to maintain his good form with a win over Kamil Majchrzak a world No.107 from Poland, at Rod Laver Arena today its clear the positive vibes have rubbed off.

Original post:
Alex de Minaur: Positive vibes only for 2022 | 20 January, 2022 | All News | News and Features | News and Events - Tennis Australia

By Jean HansenAdvertorial Writer

With Covid-19 preventing a lot of travel around the country, some homeowners took advantage of the time at home to beautify their yards.

October Yard of the Month winners Sophia Clark and her husband Brian have spent the time improving their property at 2910 Jackson St., by putting in attractive retaining wall planters and in-ground sprinklers, adding plants and working on the flower beds.

The retaining wall planters in front of the property (on both sides) feature different varieties of roses, silver mound (artemisia), marigolds, blanket flowers and balloon flowers.

"Before the retaining walls there was just grass there," she said. "It was so hard to grow grass," said Sophia,who is working remotely for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The Clarks, who have lived in their Queen Anne Victorian since September 2015, have made other changes including having fir and arborvitae trees removed, and planting lots of flowers in their place. She still has a couple of arborvitae in the beds around the front porch.

"I have moved the flowers around to all different places. Gardening allows me to get out of the house," said Sophia, who traveled a lot with her job before Covid-19.

People are also reading

She usually tries to give her property a balanced look. As you walk up the steps to the wrap-around porch, there are tall pots with purple fountain grass flanking the sidewalk. Lining the sidewalk on both sides are bee balm plants and rock.

In the right flowerbed in front of the wraparound porch, she planted hydrangeas, hollyhocks (new this year), sedum and ornamental grass. The plant varieties are similar in the left side flowerbed, she said.

The front yard showcases a standalone flowerbed with a cherry blossom tree and daylilies surrounding it.

Sophia then pointed to a flowering pear tree on the parking that they planted for the birth of their four-month-old daughter.

"In the springtime it will have white flowers, so hopefully it will grow. We plan to take a picture of her in front of it every year," she said.

In the side yard, Sophia planted hostas, and the flowers continue on the other side of the white gate. In the backyard, around the foundation, she grows roses and chrysanthemums. Bugleweed provides color all along the side of the fence, and Maiden grass, phlox and coneflower provide interest along the back wall.

The garage is decorated with yard art and provides the perfect backdrop for what she calls her "Everything Flowerbed" because she likes to put "everything" there. She has spirea, blue fuschia, honeysuckle vine, annuals, climbing rose, lilies, columbine, purple leaf Sandcherry, geraniums, dianthus, phlox, Goldenrod and ornamental grass. She trains the climbers by using stakes and trellises.

"This garden is red for Nebraska," referencing her husband Brian's love for the Nebraska Huskers. The geraniums are bright red and the Goldenrod is a state flower.

At the back of their house is a deck, where the Clarks like to entertain. A black pergola overhead minimizes the hot morning sun. Around the deck she has pleasantly scented lavender along with Wisteria, bugleweed, lupine, dahlias featuring big, colorful pink and yellow blooms, marigolds, vinca, and now thriving sweet potato vines that she transplanted from pots.

Other plants you will find in the Clarks' backyard are azaleas and rhododendrons, pussy willow, and more. She strives to have color in her flowerbeds to cover the different seasons so she has pretty plants to look at year-round, and she wants to look for more winter season offerings.

"I try to have as many different plants as I can," she said. "I love having lots of flowers in many shapes, colors and sizes. I was focusing on the 'Wow' factor."

Sophia said she started gardening more when they bought their house and ramped it up during Covid-19 and her maternity leave as a way to get exercise and take a break from being inside the house. She spends about an hour each day and up to four hours during peak seasons. Brian focuses on the grass, doing the mowing and re-seeding, etc., and she does the flowers.

They enjoy their yard by using the hammock on the porch, playing frisbee golf, and spending time working on their old house.

"I love this place," said Sophia, who gets gardening inspiration from her grandmother, who is really into gardening, has big gardens herself, and lives nearby on Nebraska Street. "When we were walking through it, I said 'I'm going to get this house.' I love old houses on Jackson and Nebraska. I love it and I'm definitely going to make the yard my own."

If you would like to nominate yourself or a neighbor for the Yard of the Month, fill out an application and return it to the city manager's office.

Address it to Office of the City Manager, 405 6th Street, 2nd Floor, Sioux City, IA 51101. Or emailjessicajohnson@sioux-city.org.

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Read more:
Yard of the Month winner adds charm to old house - Sioux City Journal

The first thing you should do about a wet lawn is rule out a few possible causes. Common reasons for soggy grass and muddy divots include everything from concentrated gutter downspout outflow to a poorly managed irrigation system. Once you've figured out why your yard seems to hold water, you can begin to address the issue.

Related: How to Care for Your Lawn Organically

Typically, a homeowner's lot receives grading before seeding or sod placement, says George Bernardon, the vice president of Grounds Management for SSC Services for Education. "Inspectors only ensure that the grade around the structure allows water to move away from the structure and the correct compaction rate is present," he explains. Unfortunately, improper grading can lead to both minor or major dips, depending on size of yard, says Bernardon, which can cause improper water retention down the road.

Another cause for standing water on your lawn might be invisible: According to Bernardon, a compacted sub-surface, or a "fragi-pan," could be to blame. "When grading occurs with heavy equipment and the soil is wet, it severely compacts and seals the soil, not allowing water to move down through the profile, thus puddling on the surface," he says. Additionally, poor drainage can be caused by a combination of the soil and a thick thatch layer: "Thatch greater than three-quarters of an inch becomes impervious to water, and won't allow it to move into the soil profile."

If the grade of your lawn is the problem, Hank Bruno, a horticulturist for the SSC Services for Education at Belmont Abbey College, says you may notice a depression that prevents storm water runoff. "Drainage can be improved by cutting a gentle swale to lower elevations; adding soil (if there are no trees nearby) to raise the low spot; or installing a French drain of four-inch perforated pipe with a sock, gravel, and sand." Depending on the severity of the issue, you may need to call in a professional for help with these solutions.

Story continues

beautiful landscaped backyard sunny day

JamesBrey / Getty Images

Bruno says some homeowners may find success digging a straight sided hole and studying the soil profile for evidence of a layer of compacted claysomething farmers call a hardpanwhich prevents water percolation. "If it is near the surface and not too thick, it can be corrected with deep tine aeration and the addition of coarse material to fill the holes," he explains. "This may also require professional help. Unfortunately, minute clay particles will migrate with water into these drain holes, so it will need to be repeated every year or so."

If you can't beat it, Bruno says the trick might actually be to embrace the wet spots by planting a rain garden. "There are many plants adapted to wet sites, and they do not require weekly mowing," he says. "There are trees (bald cypress, river birch, black gum, sweetbay magnolia); shrubs (Virginia sweet spire, buttonbush, alder, summer sweet); and perennials (Joe Pye weed, flag iris, mallow cinnamon fern, cardinal flower) that thrive in wet soil." Creative homeowners shouldn't think of these wet spots in the lawn as a problem, but instead treat them as a wonderful opportunity to try something new, he adds.

Visit link:
How to Fix a Yard That Holds Water - Yahoo Lifestyle

You've successfully shared the link to this article through email.

Why should we care about pollinators-those butterflies, moths, bees and insects that flutter around us all day? According to Terri Cain, chair of Sustainable Guilford Task Force (SGTF) and manager of the Guilford Community Garden Hub, if you want to eat, you should care.

Presumably you like to eat, and without our pollinators there is no food, said Cain.

According to some recent studies, the increased use of pesticides, herbicides, and loss of habitat have all had a devastating effect on pollinators. The stats are staggering, some species of pollinators, including butterflies, have seen a 99 percent decline in the last few years. The bee die off has been an on-going problem for farmers for close to a decade and without intervention numerous industries including food and farms are finding an increasingly dire situation.

So what can we do?

According to Cain, there are a number of simple steps we all can take to keep our insect friends happy and healthy, whether we live on 10 acres or in a studio apartment.

We really need to help preserve habitat. The mission is resiliency and sustainability and we can all pitch in with that. People can make a huge difference with some simple plantings. Mow less, dont use herbicides or pesticides, and plant pollinator friendly plants, said Cain.

SGTF member Robin Campot said that its easy to make a difference.

Its as easy as just planting these native species in and around your existing ornamental garden. Integrate pollinator plants into your garden design, said Campot. Clover makes a fabulous pollinator. Use that that as groundcover for your garden. Its beautiful and so important for these pollinators.

According to Cain and Campot, though many gardeners focus on spring, autumn is the best time to plant many of the plant species that pollinators will need come spring.

Fall is really an important time for planting, said Campot. The conditions are the best at this time of year and a perfect time to start and seed a pollinator garden of your own.

Cain echoed that advice: People get excited about spring, but fall is the time to do your planting and seeding. It is very important to plant in the fall.

Many pollinators are in a one-to-one relationship with certain plants. The loss of a species of plant means a loss of a pollinator.

Plants like milkweed and others are absolutely crucial for certain species. Monarch butterflies only lay eggs on milkweed. Without it, the species will die off and sadly that is what we are seeing, said Cain.

Guilford High School educator and science teacher Samantha Chiappa and her students have taken this to heart. Her students began designing and constructing a pollinator garden on school grounds to put a solution into action.

We have such a great and supportive principal and staff and the students really responded to that. Everyone got very excited when the project began, said Chiappa. The students really love it. They are outside, which during the pandemic was a great situation, but they like having that combination of hands-on and classroom learning.

The high school garden is set to be tilled down this fall and seeded with an array of pollinator plants.

The kids are really great. They love any opportunity to do something different and the garden really is a source of pride for them. They did the planning, planting, and the design, Chiappa said.

According to Chiappa, the University of Connecticut will actually sample your soil and provide feedback on how to nurture it for pollinator plants. It also can assist in what species might be best suited for your particular soil configuration.

For more information on the Sustainable Guilford Task Force, visit http://www.sustainableguilford.org.

For more information about the Guilford Community Garden and how to help, donate, or obtain more information about designing a pollinator garden, email guilfordcommunitygardenhub@gmail.com.

For more information on the UConn soil testing program, visit http://www.soiltest.uconn.edu/sampling.php.

The Best Pollinator Plants

Dandelions

Asters

Fennel

Milkweed (essential for monarch butterfly reproduction)

Golden rod

Sedum

Clover (great ground cover plant and/or lawn cover)

Queen Annes Lace

Some Tips from the Experts

Dont rake your leaves. Leaves provide essential habitat and cover for numerous species of invertebrates and pollinators like moths, butterflies and bees. If you must rake, try to leave some areas un-raked to provide this essential cover.

Mow around your dandelion patches if possible, or leave sections of heavy dandelion growth alone for chunks of the summer mowing season. These flowers are not only beautiful, they provide crucial opportunities for pollinators such as bees.

Cut the pesticide and herbicide use. Wild flowers, dandelions, and other tall grasses and are a natural and necessary component of a healthy ecosystem and they can be far more esthetically pleasing than an empty green lawn.

Leave sections of your lawn un-mowed and allow it to go wild. Simply by not mowing, a critical and beautiful little ecosystem will develop on your property. Even small areas around the edges of your property or a small patch can be crucial. You can even grow pollinator plants in pots and put them on your steps or deck.

Plant native species that attract pollinators: asters, butterfly bushes, milkweed, and golden rod. Also, fennel and especially clover can be plated as a ground cover for a pollinator garden or even to spread around areas of your lawn to enhance the existing grass.

See the original post here:
Guilford Efforts Underway to Preserve the Pollinators - Zip06.com

RAPID CITY, S.D. The call came in at approximately 1:49 p.m. Monday afternoon for a grass fire located four miles north of Rapid City.

The fire started off of Henderson Drive, west of Haines Avenue. According to the manager of Edgewood Estates, located west of Haines Avenue, the fire started small but quickly took off within 15 to 20 minutes. South to southeasterly winds moving 20-25 miles per hour had pushed the fire north, setting fire to canopies and trees.

Nearly an hour later, at 2:35 p.m., the western edge of Kimberly Circle had been evacuated and closed to the public while mandatory evacuations were declared for the area that is east of Deadwood Avenue and north of Interstate 90.

Multiple sources urged the public to use the PennCo Public Safety Hub as a resource as to which areas were restricted, which areas were evacuated and which areas were in pre-evacuation status.

Efforts were hindered with onlookers blocking the way. Officials from Rapid City Fire Department, Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County Sheriffs Office asked the public to please stay home unless you were being evacuated.

We have run into some issues with those onlookers, causing trouble getting access to certain areas, said Public Information Officer for the RCPD Brendyn Medina. They are congesting the roadways were needing access to, get water to, get first responders to. So, really, the biggest plea we are asking right now is that if you have no business to be out here, assisting with the fire, if youre only out here to look, we want you to stay away from this fire.

Around 3:09 p.m., air resources had arrived to the scene to assist with the fire from above.

By 4:07 p.m., the Great Plains Fire Information had updated that the now-named Auburn Fire had burned approximately 100 acres west of Haines Avenue.

Courtesy of Pennington County Sheriffs Office

At 5:03 p.m., PCSO announced on Twitter that the Marvel Mountain area had been evacuated while the area between Deadwood Avenue to Erickson Ranch Road and Haines Avenue to Elk Creek Road was in pre-evacuation. The fire had burned 250-300 acres with zero percent contained by this time.

For ground accessibility, there are paved roads for our engines to actually get up on the hill, which is great. So, they are able to access the fire pretty easily, said Tessa Jaeger, the Public Information Officer for RCFD. We do have all of those different types of engines up there fighting the fire at this point.

Crews continued to work through the Monday night with the objective to construct and strengthen direct and indirect containment lines to maintain a presence near structures.

According to multiple sources, the Auburn Fire would likely be a long-term fire, lasting for two to four days. If the fire line were to jump, southwesterly winds would likely push the fire in western Meade County where there are less roads but plenty of open grassland.

Overnight, the Auburn Fire had grown to 500-750 acres but was 25 percent contained by Tuesday morning. Crews, taking advantage of weather conditions, were successful in conducting burn-out operations and securing the fire line.

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Public Safety Secretary Craig Price arrived in Rapid City to meet with firefighters and received a briefing from Incident Commander Tim Daly of South Dakota Wildland Fire. Daly said as of Tuesday morning, no structures or livestock had been lost.

We were able to complete burn-outs along the line to to help secure that fuel in between the fire edge and our indirect dozer lines, said Daly. And as of this morning were at 25 percent containment.

At 12:45 p.m., the Great Plains Fire Info used a Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA) to determine the perimeter and updated the size to 964 acres. The southern portion of the fire was being mopped up while firefighters continued to extinguish hot spots. Meanwhile, a small burn-out operation was taking place in the northern and western portions of the fire.

Courtesy of the Great Plains Fire Info

Winds were still coming from the south and southeast, and presented a challenge for the firefighters. Fire managers continued to shift resources around appropriately to work to secure the line.

Around 3:00 p.m., PCSO and Meade County Sheriffs Office had announced that all fire evacuations, pre-evacuations, and road closures will be lifted at 6:00 p.m. if conditions remained the same. The areas would be restricted to residents only as there were still emergency vehicles and equipment working in the area.

By 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the Auburn Fire was at 50 percent containment. Crews continued to work overnight to maintain a presence in the area to monitor structures, reinforce containment areas and extinguish hot spots.

Black Hawk Fire Corp prepares to serve supper to hungry firefighters at the Auburn Fire Tuesday Night / Courtesy of @PennCoFire

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Overnight, fire behavior was described as active. Crews continued to extinguish hot-spots, reinforce containment lines, and repair dozer lines.

Courtesy of National Weather Service Rapid City In this infrared image, green vegetation shows up as red while the black shows the burn scar from the Auburn Fire

An aerial observation aircraft flew over the fire and determined that there were no hot-spots outside the fires perimeter. Other air assets remained available if needed.

Great Plains Fire Information announced on Wednesday that the cause of the Auburn Fire is accidental due to a mechanical failure of earth-moving equipment. The equipment had been sitting in a field and had not been operated for a long period of time.

Fire crews continued to fight the Auburn Fire north of Rapid City though out the day. It was still listed as 974 acres in size and 50-percent contained.

In an early Wednesday afternoon update, South Dakota Wildland Fire said south-easterly winds were causing flare-ups within the fire perimeter. A Red Flag Warning due to hot, dry and windy conditions was in effect from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and was a cause of concern for the firefighters.

There were still pockets of unburned fuel within the perimeter that continue to ignite. Residents were expected to see an orange glow or flames after dark.

Wednesday nights operational shift focused on an extensive mop up operation to reinforce containment lines. Lucky for the firefighters, no spot fires emerged and the containment lines held through out the day, despite the Red Flag Warning.

Officials hope that this would be the last night for a night operational shift unless fire conditions change considerably. A rehab plan was in place which included rehabbing and seeding dozer lines, fixing fences that were cut during firefighting operations, and fixing roads and trails that firefighting equipment may have damages.

Read this article:
A timeline of the Auburn Fire - KNBN NewsCenter1 - Newscenter1.tv

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Bountiful player Corbin Cottles rushing statistics for the previous two games. The Standard-Examiner regrets the error.

After this week, most region football championships in Northern Utah will either be decided or be pretty easy to figure out. The complicated part is figuring out where teams will land, seeding-wise, in the playoffs.

Heres where things stand in the football RPI with two weeks left in the season. For 6A, 24 schools qualify for the playoffs, the top eight teams get a first-round bye, and seed Nos. 9-16 host a first-round playoff game.

6A: Weber 5, Farmington 9, Layton 10, Syracuse 11, Davis 12, Fremont 15, Roy 16, Clearfield 22

5A: Bountiful 8, Northridge 15, Bonneville 16, Box Elder 24, Viewmont 26, Woods Cross 30

4A: Bear River 13

3A: Morgan 3, Ogden 9, Ben Lomond 11

1A: Layton Christian 5

Below are this weeks games, which are being played Thursday and Friday.

Last weeks prediction record: 9-4. Season prediction record: 82-28.

BOUNTIFUL at NORTHRIDGE

Game of the Week, Friday

Friday brings a de-facto Region 5 championship game between Bountiful and Northridge. One can point to Bountifuls (5-2, 4-0 Region 5) running game as a reason why the Redhawks already clinched a share of the Region 5 title.

Running back Corbin Cottle has put up a combined 540 rushing yards on 38 carries (14.2 yards per rush) with seven touchdowns the last two games, but theyve really locked down their region opponents defensively, allowing only 34 points in four region games.

This is the challenge facing Northridge (6-2, 3-1) as the Knights seek their first region football title since 2003.

NHS quarterback Maximus Fonoti-Maikui is second in the state in passing yards (2,597) and pass yards per game (324.6). Receiver Josh Acord is third in the state with 979 receiving yards and second with 13 receiving touchdowns.

The Knights dont run as often as they pass, but the run game averages 7.7 yards per carry. Defensively, they can key in on the run since Bountifuls offense is Cottle-centric with quarterback Max Barker out. The Redhawks have had their hands full plenty of times this year and done fine.

Prediction: Bountiful

BONNEVILLE at BOX ELDER (Fri.)

Bonneville (4-4, 3-1 Region 5) is very invested in the Northridge-Bountiful result because if the Lakers and Knights win, then Bonneville wins a share of the Region 5 title.

Standing in the Lakers way is Box Elder (3-5, 2-2), which has won two of the last three games thanks to its ground game. Both teams could literally get stuck in the mud Friday playing on the Bees grass field.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 90% chance of rain in Brigham City after multiple days of whats expected to be solid rainfall. Who does that benefit? The team with the better offensive line and the team that runs the ball better.

Prediction: Bonneville

WEBER at DAVIS (Thurs.)

Region 1 plays on Thursday this week since there are region games next Wednesday before fall break starts. Weber (6-2, 4-0 Region 1) has a chance to win a share of the Region 1 title.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner In this Oct. 30, 2020, photo, Davis receiver David Spjut (4) runs the football as Webers Spencer Hall (80) stretches for a tackle during a 6A second-round playoff game in Pleasant View.

The Warriors have some uncertainty at quarterback as starter Jake Lindsay got hurt in last weeks win, but backup Aidan Carter completed 10 of his 12 passes for 164 yards and two TDs.

Theyre facing a Davis (4-4, 2-2) defense that has some very good playmakers, led by the states leading tackler, linebacker Colby Flint (107 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles). Webers not one to let a chance like this slide by.

Prediction: Weber

MORGAN at OGDEN (Thurs.)

If one looks at results from Morgan (5-3, 2-1 3A North) and Ogden (2-6, 0-3) against Grantsville, indications are there that this could be a pretty tough, close matchup. But if Thursdays game is anything like the teams recent history, it wont be close. At any rate, the Trojans are still in the 3A North region title hunt and look set to rebound this week.

Prediction: Morgan

FARMINGTON at FREMONT (Thurs.)

Farmington (5-3, 3-1 Region 1) doesnt have its leading rusher, Boston Reinhold, anymore due to injury, but the Phoenix still handled Davis last week and present a better running game than what Fremont (4-4, 2-2) faced last week.

Farmington is rolling four straight wins and a defense thats allowed 53 points the last four games, though that defense will have to find a way to slow down Fremont running back Kyler Kotter, who has 413 all-purpose yards in the last two games.

Prediction: Farmington

GRANGER at ROY (Thurs.)

Roy (5-3, 3-1 Region 2) ran for 317 yards and four touchdowns last week. Grangers had issues stopping the run all year and so have the Royals, but the Parker Kingston-led running attack has the advantage.

Roy is still in the Region 2 title hunt, but the Royals need Kearns (3-1 Region 2) to beat West (4-0 Region 2) on Friday to stay in contention. If the Panthers win, the race is pretty much over.

Also, if youre Roy and sitting at No. 16 in the RPI, you want to go 2-0 the next two games and move up 2-3 spots in the RPI so your second-round playoff game isnt at Corner Canyon.

Prediction: Roy

BEN LOMOND at JUAN DIEGO (Thurs.)

Juan Diego is a second-half collapse away from beating Morgan, who in turn put up 69 points against Ben Lomond (1-7, 0-3 3A North) earlier this year.

Prediction: Juan Diego

LAYTON at SYRACUSE (Thurs.)

The computers like Syracuse (5-3, 1-3 Region 1) this week. Recent history also favors Syracuse. Recent trends point toward Layton (5-3, 3-2), which still has an outside shot at a split region title.

Both teams have good defenses and have played many games in the 20s and teens for scoring. First one to 20 points wins.

Prediction: Layton

BRIGHTON at CLEARFIELD (Thurs.)

Clearfield (1-7, 0-5 Region 1) is No. 22 in RPI (the top 24 get into the playoffs for 6A) and unless Pleasant Grove, Cyprus and Copper Hills all start winning (thats unlikely), the Falcons are a lock for the postseason.

A difficult non-region game awaits this week against a team that has one hand on the Region 6 trophy.

Prediction: Brighton

WOODS CROSS at VIEWMONT (Fri.)

Woods Cross (0-8, 0-4 Region 5) has lost three of four region games by single digits, which says the Wildcats are close to a breakthrough.

Viewmont (2-6, 0-4) has had troubles with its defense this year. Playing against a WXHS offense thats averaging 11.5 points per game in the region should be a good chance for the Vikings to have a good game on senior night.

Prediction: Viewmont

MOUNTAIN CREST at BEAR RIVER (Fri.)

This is Bear Rivers (0-8, 0-4 Region 11) best chance for a win the rest of the year. If theres anything going for the Bears, its that theyre playing at home for only the second time this year and the last time they played at home, they scored 42 points with a huge rushing game.

Prediction: Bear River

CANCELED

Layton Christian head coach Ray Stowers told the Standard-Examiner that Monticello has forfeited Fridays game against LCA.

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Originally posted here:
Prep football: Week 9 game previews and predictions for Northern Utah - Standard-Examiner

First, well talk about growing your own plants for the garden and how simple it can be from seeding to transplanting all by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac.

Then, well review a few topics weve been visiting for the last several weeks, all but one of them likely for the last time this year.

Springs barely a month away and we want to be ready! But before we get too excited, lets remember its still winter, and we need to be patient.

Starting your transplants

Every year long about this time I receive lots of questions about seeding to grow your own transplants and should one follow the phases and the signs for this process since, technically, its not planting as in the garden.

The answer is absolutely yes!

There are three aspects of the raise your own plants process:

First is sowing seeds in flats, peat pots or the myriad other latest and greatest methods available.

The second is transplanting the little seedlings to peat pots, yogurt cups, cottage cheese containers whatever is available if you didnt start them in one of those containers in the first place to nurture until the next step.

The third is putting the little plant in the ground where it will hopefully grow, thrive and produce whether that ground is a traditional garden, a raised bed, or a barrel on the back deck. (Thats garden size and well review that in a later column).

The more of these steps you can accomplish in the right moon phase and zodiac sign the better.

For example, the ever-popular tomato. You can be reasonably assured nurseries and plant suppliers dont have the time or luxury even if they might have the inclination to seed hundreds or thousands of tomato plants in the right moon phase which is light, and sign which is one of the four fertile signs or the so-so signs since its a small window and they are planting just to re-sell. Thus, they might hit the right phase and sign and then they might not.

Where they cant, you can because weather and labor are not factors since the plants are started indoors long before they can be planted outdoors. And, at most you may be seeding a few dozen plants more than likely even fewer so time (as in labor) isnt a factor as it is for the mass producers.

As an aside, one of my dreams is to have my own greenhouse and start all plants in the right phases and signs.

Next is transplanting them to peat pots if they didnt start there. All the same information you just read about seeding applies here: right moon phase for above or below-ground producers in one of the most fertile signs.

Finally, what happens when the little plant goes to its forever summer home as in planting in the garden.

If you buy your plants at a nursery or big box store garden center and take them home, this is the only step you can control one of three. But on the other hand, if you do a little research online or elsewhere, assemble the right supplies, and check the phases and signs then you can control all three steps from seeding to planting.

Ready to do it this year? What do you have to lose?

Whats left of today and Saturday would be perfect days for planting snow peas with the sign in Gemini (the arms) and the moon in the light phase. I say would be perfect days except, short of a dramatic warm-up and thawing, your garden probably still has a layer of snow on it and likely as not is frozen given the bitter cold days weve had.

I hate for anyone trying to get peas planted before Washingtons Birthday to miss these days since they dont come around often, but likely as not thats going to be the case this time.

As Ive been writing for some time now, spreading grass seed during the dark moon in February yields good results at least it has for me. The moon, as weve established, is in the light phase now but it moves back to the dark on 27th, which unfortunately is an Ember Day when you dont want to be planting.

If you havent completed your seeding and Im sure many havent I would not hesitate to roll the program over into March, at least during the time the dark moon is in force, which will be through March 12.

According to the phases, there are no bad days during that stretch with the absolute best ones being March 2-3 and 11. The remainder except for Feb. 28 and March 1 (flowering signs) are ruled by the so-so signs that are the second best for planting, in my opinion.

Its ideal if you can sow on top of this snow because as it melts the little seeds are taken into the ground naturally. That, in fact, is the whole premise and hope for sowing in the dark moon of February: snow melt and the gravitational pull of the dark moon puts the seed right where it needs to be.

As my friend Dennis Martin pointed out earlier in the week, this works great if your dogs have done a number on your backyard or their pen. Just pitch out some seed on the area, he said, and the dogs can pound it in the ground.

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Dennis.

If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, the perfect stretch continues through Feb. 26 with the moon in the light phase. The same applies for stones on a garden path. The sign doesnt matter here since were not trying to grow anything.

Read more here:
Plantin' by the Signs and other things: Growing your own transplants by the phases and signs - State-Journal.com

By James Hoorman, Hoorman Soil Health Services

Many livestock farmers who are being compensated by the H2O Ohio program may be looking for guidance on planting cover crops. NRCS Appendix A (Cover Crops) is your best guide for cover crop seeding methods, planting dates, and planting rates. Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation office or local NRCS representative for additional questions.

What should your cover crop accomplish if you are applying fall manure? First, a live plant that survives the winter and absorbs nitrogen, phosphorus, and reduces soil erosion. Fibrous fine roots systems are better than tap roots which may allow manure nutrients to leach into tile or surface water. The cover crop should be easy to kill, and its a bonus if it can be used for forage (but not allowed under the H2O Ohio program rules).

Generally, grass cover crops with fibrous fine roots absorb manure nutrients the best. Legumes and clovers make their own nitrogen and readily absorb free nutrients but are generally a little less efficient at absorbing soil manure nutrients. Brassicas like radish, have deep roots and are efficient at absorbing manure nutrients, but winter kill and release nutrients quickly and may cause water quality problems. Kale and rape seed (brassicas) have deep roots, survive the winter.Brassicas should be used at low seeding rates and always in a mixture with winter grass cover crops.

Summer annuals include oats, radish, and Sorghum Sudan varieties; which effectively absorb manure nutrients. However, these cover crops die with a frost, so they should be minimized in a fall planted cover crop mixture. Winter grass cover crops are cereal rye, annual ryegrass, barley, triticale, and wheat; which can be planted alone or in mixtures. Winter legumes include vetches (hairy, common), clovers (red, sweet, crimson, Balansa), and peas (true winter peas or Canadian pea) which need to be inoculated. Follow H2O Ohio program cover crop mixtures guidelines to qualify for payment.

Seed quality can be harmed by weed seed (purity) and low germination. NRCS requires adjustment factors (need more seed) if seed purity (too many weeds seeds) or seed germination is less than 86%. See NRCS Appendix A for adjustments. Farmers can use bin run seed or their own seed, but seed testing or seed tags are required for purity and germination to get payment.

There are several seeding methods to plant cover crops at the proper seeding depth and rate to get fast germination. Drilling cover crops and getting good seed to soil contact is usually the best method, but because the farmer needs to harvest the main crop first, this can be difficult. Broadcast seeding with airplanes, helicopters, high boy applicators, or with a broadcast seeder can be successful if done early with adequate moisture to get fast seed germination. Some farmers incorporate seed with tillage equipment, but depth control may be variable. Broadcast seeding can be done quickly and on large acres, but the seeding rate should be at least 20% higher to account for lower germination rates (H2O Ohio program rules).

Most fall planted winter cover crops can be planted from August 1st until around mid-September in Ohio with good results. Farmers located close to Lake Erie have a shorter planting window than those located closer to the Ohio River. NRCS allows farmers to compensate for up to two weeks of planting after the ideal planting window by increasing the seeding rate 20% to compensate for reduced germination and to increase plant biomass.

If you plant more than 2 weeks later than recommended, NRCS does not pay. The longest planting window for grasses is cereal rye (November 1st) followed by wheat, triticale, and spelt (October 22), and barley (October 10).

Since each cover crop seed has a different size and density, seeding rates are based proportionally on the recommended seeding rate for each specie. For example, if equal parts winter rye, winter triticale and hairy vetch mixture was selected use the 1/3 proportional rate of the full seeding rate for each (17, 19, and 5 lb/ac respectively). Insure the sum of the proportions equal at least 1 (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 1). If addressing water quality (nutrients in surface and ground water) as part of a conservation plan, at least half of the proportional seeding rate must be non-winter killed cover crop species. Keeping our water clean and safe to drink is an important goal of cover crops, soil health, and the H2O Ohio program.

See the article here:
Manure and cover crops Ohio Ag Net - Ohio's Country Journal and Ohio Ag Net

Adopting the ecologically sensitive, low-cost conservation management pasture-cropping practice could help landowners regain the health and resiliency of soils sustaining degradation over the years.

Pasture cropping, a relatively new and innovative land management system, integrates direct seeding of cool-season annual crops into dormant perennial warm-season grasses. It was pioneered by Colin Seis, an Australian farmer.

Now the potential for implementation of the practice in the Southern Great Plains is being investigated by a Texas A&M AgriLife-led team of researchers through theU.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NIFA, grant-funded project Enhancing Soil Ecosystem Health and Resilience Through Pasture Cropping.

The team consists of Srinivasulu Ale, Ph.D., project lead and Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering geospatial hydrologist; Richard Teague, Ph.D., Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management range ecologist; and Paul DeLaune, Ph.D., Department of Soil and Crop Sciences environmental soil scientist, all College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Texas A&M AgriLife Research faculty at Vernon.

They are joined by Tim Steffens, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist at West Texas A&M University at Canyon, and Tong Wang, Ph.D., advanced production specialist at South Dakota State University. The team is also consulting with Seis as they build and conduct their research.

Ale said while some ranchers have already adopted the practice on smaller scales, many are looking for guidance information on the best crops, the best time to plant and terminate/harvest them, and how benefits vary between wet, normal and dry years.

We expect to be able to answer these questions at the end of our four-year project based on all the data we collect and modeling we conduct, he said.

Continuous and heavy grazing pressure since the introduction of conventional livestock grazing has resulted in degraded grassland soils, largely due to a combination of a lack of species diversity and diminished soil inputs of organic material from plant roots, Steffens said.

The pasture-cropping practice has helped rebuild soil organic matter and improve soil structure, infiltration and water holding capacity in Australia, he said.

The hypothesis is that adding growing roots, root exudates and mycorrhizal fungi in the colder parts of the year provides an additional amount of organic material when the warm-season grasses are not growing, but when decomposition is still occurring, Steffens said. This boost of organic material and the enhanced microbial activity it triggers are what drives better ecological function of the soil.

The project aims to evaluate these soil health benefits through a combination of field experiments, unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV-based measurements, environmental modeling and economic analyses.

Through these measurements and simulations, the team will assess the ranch- and watershed-scale improvements in ecosystem services from pasture cropping and analyze the economics compared to conventional practices under different weather and market conditions.

Soil degradation can result in elevated soil erosion, soil organic carbon loss, nutrient imbalance, soil sealing, acidication, salinization, contamination, waterlogging, compaction and loss of soil biodiversity.

DeLaune said introducing growing plants during the winter months will not only increase microbial activity, but also provide increased soil cover and protection, supplemental forage for grazing and subsequent cycling of soil nutrients.

Our goal is to evaluate the overall effect of pasture cropping on soil health and function, he said. In our cropping systems, we have observed trends in improved microbial activity with an extended period of living roots over the year. Additionally, we have observed improved physical properties that increase water infiltration, reduce runoff and improve water quality.

The pasture-cropping field experiments will be conducted at the West Texas A&M Universitys Nance Ranch near Canyon and at the Dixon Water Foundations Pittman Ranch near Muenster. Modeling efforts will focus on the headwaters of the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River watershed in the Texas Panhandle, which includes the Nance Ranch; and the Clear Creek watershed in North Central Texas, which contains the Pittman Ranch.

The pasture will be grazed short one to two days prior to planting, and then very similar to no-till wheat, the seeds will be drilled directly into the grassland during the fall. The winter wheat will be an added source of green winter grazing that can decrease the cost of supplementary feeding in winter. And, in wetter years, it also might be possible to harvest a grain crop.

However, in most years, prior to the warm-season grasses starting to green in the spring, the wheat will be grazed off so the grass growth is not hampered.

Teague said the process will be conducted on one-quarter or less of the pasture each year, and that pasture will not be grazed again until the other summer pastures have all been appropriately grazed in rotation to allow maximum recovery.

This practice requires excellent adaptive multi-paddock grazing of the native grassland to build soil health/carbon as the base, he said. Doing the pasture cropping more often than every four years would likely negate this or even lower soil carbon in time. Conducting the practice every year would degrade the solid base of the healthy summer growing permanent pasture soil health, even in wetter parts of the world.

Ale said while Steffens, Teague and DeLaune will conduct the field experiments and data collection, he will be evaluating ecosystem models with their data so he can then run long-term simulations.

With modeling, he said he can determine what happens if the practice is carried out for 10 or 20 years, build in projected future weather changes, and assess the potential of pasture cropping in mitigating the negative effects of climate variability and change on soil ecosystem services.

They will be doing these experiments on a ranch scale, but I can model it on a watershed basis measure the holistic benefits if all ranchers in a watershed do it, Ale said.

After conducting the experiments over four years and analyzing the data to compare the various soil health indicators, Wang will provide an economic analysis of all the practices and improvements.

Steffens said once the project is complete, they plan to incorporate their findings into the various in-depth grazing and ranch management schools he conducts.

-30-

Read this article:
Pasture-cropping could improve degraded Texas soils| AgriLife Today - AgriLife Today

At 1700 m altitude, on a jagged limestone ridge often used for training by alpinists, a group of young researchers are clinging to tufts of grass and sharp rock as they scramble straight down the steep mountainside of Mount Orjen, which straddles the border of Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. What brings them here, with no ropes, one misplaced step away from tumbling to peril? In a word: plants. In practical terms, theyre undertaking a transect, recording population, habitat and threat data, and collecting vital seeds. But the underlying reason theyre here: pure passion and enthusiasm for conservation.

Such is the new wave of plant conservationists in the Mediterranean, and particularly in the Balkans. Stereotypically, the study of plants has been seen as a niche domain of aging, bearded botanists with a focus on scientic research and natural history. Whilst such a botanist could well be found on a steep mountainside, theres a fresh generation of plant experts that use research as one tool of conservation. Driven by local NGOs like EnvPro and E-grupa on Mount Orjen, they will do what it takes to see threatened endemic plants protected.

With many straight out of University, its not easy to begin a career in conservation. But BirdLife (through its role as Regional Implementation Team for the Mediterranean hotspot of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)*) has been able to provide small grants to local NGOs, which can allow them to employ and train such eager, talented people. In total, 14 small grants (and one large grant) have supported 15 civil society organisations in four Balkan countries since October 2018.

Not only is plant conservation new-school, its important. Plants underpin the food chain, endemic plants support endemic insects, and the Mediterranean region biodiversity hotspot is ranked third-richest in the world in terms of its plant diversity. Some remote areas of Balkans are not properly surveyed and Mount Orjen is the only place where some endemic plant species are still found, such as the beautiful Orjen Iris Iris orjenii which hangs on in just a few sites, nestled within patches of long grass.

It was here that EnvPro and E-grupa revealed additional sites of the iris and conrmed its presence on the Bosnian side. The data gathered also allowed them to assess the species on the IUCN Red List as Endangered, as well as an endemic short-toothed sage Salvia brachyodon as Critically Endangered, and capture important habitat data for other endemics such as Edraianthus serpyllifolius.

Every seed counts

Perhaps taking inspiration from the way the roots of the endemic Bosnian munika pine trees grasp bare rock, newly-employed Marija Popovic holds on tight as she peers over an edge looking for any signs of seeding plants. EnvPro are collecting seeds from all target species for a seed bank kept at the University of Primorska, but its especially vital for the iris because the team are working with the Natural History Museum in Rijeka to grow seedlings (ex-situ conservation) which will be planted back in the wild.

Collaboration is a major theme in this movement, which aims to build a network of plant conservationists in the region, leading to better conservation management overall. Throughout the project, EnvPro (from Montenegro) have been helping build the skills and expertise of the Bosnian-based E-grupa, skills that have already led to a major success: plant data submitted helped form the basis of the case for a new protected area on the Bosnian side of Mount Orjen (declared in September 2020), which will help secure a safe future for the plants surveyed there. The Montenegrin side is already officially protected, but the EnvPro project is also aiming to improve the management of Orjen Nature Park for plants. Theyve also worked with the local mountaineering club to redirect a portion of a hiking trail that was heading through a patch of irises.

Balloons to protect bells from fire

This kind of work is also featured in another plant project in Montenegro, where the Loven Bell Edraianthus wettsteinii subsp. lovcenicus, a small perennial plant with tufts of grassy leaves and ne, blue, bell-shaped owers, has its entire range restricted to an area smaller than a football eld. Here, on Mount Loven, just outside the border of Loven National Park, young plant conservationists arent just becoming effective experts, theyre also bringing new and creative ideas.

Living Green, a local NGO, has found an innovative way to protect the plant from the threat of res: water balloons. Theyve installed biodegradable water bags to ensure the plants get an instantaneous dousing, and water canisters coupled with workshops with the local re brigade, park rangers and local landowners allow for a quick reaction to re in this dry area, eight kilometres from any other water source. There have been no res since, and Living Green continue to work on the other aspects of their project: raising awareness of the importance of the plant and work with the National Park to see its range increase.

Albania's red iris threatened by mining

Elsewhere, in Albania, a stunning re-red-and-yellow native tulip species Tulipa albanica is restricted to an extremely small range in a landscape rife with mining activity. The Institute for Environmental Policy (IEP) have been working to discover all of the remaining plants yes, all of them (the population is so small its possible to count them all) with the aim of protecting its habitat, whilst nurturing a new generation of skilled and professional botanists to work on the protection of other endemic plants in the future. Despite the species only being discovered in the last decade, the tulip is now the official emblem of the local town of Kuks testament to IEPs outreach work, and in April 2020 the Municipal Council approved the formal protection of the Albanian Tulip at the local level. Meanwhile the energetic team have been digging their spades into scientifically selected soil to create four new terraces a few kilometres away from the original locality and planted tulip bulbs giving great hope for the future of one of the regions rarest plants.

From Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia [see below], the new generation of plant conservationists are now equipped with expertise in data collection, fruitful collaborations across borders and with institutions, and great awareness-raising skills. And above all, a passion and love for plants. With all that supporting them on a remote mountainside, who needs ropes?

Innovations across the border

The rst ever seed bank of wild ora in North Macedonia was collected by MASA, with 90% from rare and endemic species; whilst ILIRIA (from Albania) used a drone to record focal species growing on steep cliffs. These two grantees are working in the National Parks of Galicica and Prespa in a collaborative project.

Large grants for rare plants

MES (BirdLife in North Macedonia) are assessing threatened plants in the Jablanica and Dojran Lake areas and setting up a monitoring system. Theyre also supporting protected area managers and local organisations, and work with biology students on chestnut distribution (including using a drone).

Ex-situ ponds

Macedonian Biological Society is also assessing endemic plants with restricted habitats from Galichica including collecting seeds, which theyve planted in newly updated facilities in the Botanical Gardens of Skopje (including a lake for a rare water lily). Meanwhile, theyre training local students and young experts and raising awareness in the local community.

CEPF is more than just a funding provider

A dedicated Regional Implementation Team (RIT) (expert officers on the ground) guide funding to the most important areas and to even the smallest of organisations; building civil society capacities, improving conservation outcomes, strengthening networks and sharing best practices.In the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot, the RIT is entrusted to BirdLife International and its Partners: LPO (BirdLife France), DOPPS (BirdLife Slovenia) and BPSSS (BirdLife Serbia).

Read the original here:
The new wave of plant conservationists in the Balkans - BirdLife International