Keeping It All Connected
His passion for the natural world was sparked at age five in 1963 when he spent hours exploring the woods and creek behind his family home in Annandale. Scott C. Plein, chair of the Board of Directors of the American Horticultural Society (AHS), headquartered in Mount Vernon, delighted in catching frogs, toads and garter snakes. He was awed by nature's wonders when he watched a frog swimming in the creek.
At age ten he started mowing grass and as a high school senior, hired his first employee, a business that grew into a lifelong love of plants and landscaping. His interest in nature and landscaping evolved so that today he champions native plants and counts as one of his heroes, Aldo Leopold, a 20th century Wisconsin naturalist who wrote A Sand County Almanac published in 1949. "We must understand how the natural world interacts with human habitation," says Plein and "to survive, we need nature to be healthy and need humans to support it." He also admires the late Edward O. Wilson, a Harvard University entomologist, who wrote extensively on biodiversity, stressing the interconnection of all plants, animals and micro-organisms on earth. "We must understand how it all works together," urges Plein.
Plein founded KT Enterprises in 1976, a landscape development firm and an affiliate, Total Development Solutions, companies that service home builders, developers and commercial contractors in the Washington metropolitan area. He is the founding principal of Equinox Investments, a real estate investment firm begun in 1999. He loves to tout his cornerstone project, Villages of Piedmont, which he believes balances human needs and natural habitats. The development includes a 380-acre park with seven miles of trails, called Leopold's Preserve, protected by a conservation easement.
Plein founded the White House Farm Foundation, based in Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. On his 270-acre White House Farm near Luray, Virginia, he grows native trees and plants on 60 acres. "We believe in striving for a healthy ecosystem, which encompasses wise use of natural and human resources," says the foundation's website.
Why AHS?
In 2020, AHS listed River Farm for sale for $32.9 million, a proposal that raised the specter of developers buying and transforming the property. The listing divided the Board of Directors, spawned intense local backlash, mobilized elected officials' opposition, threatened legal action and resulted in some board member resignations. Selling River Farm was "absurd," Plein argued then. After the tumult subsided, a reconstituted board canceled the sale and began what Plein calls "re-inventing ourselves."
He joined the Board in 2021 and became chairman in 2022, he says, "because I believe in this place. It's an iconic property and it should be saved and open to the public." River Farm can "exemplify good gardening," he contends, by nurturing both traditional landscaping and landscaping with native plants. Pointing to the wooded area, he insists that the property "can be a good example" of blending traditional landscaping with ecologically-friendly gardening and stewardship.
He hopes to "help AHS find its place" and "influence where horticulture goes," to especially involve more young people in gardening and conservation. "We're the national horticultural society, so our number one priority is to be the best at representing every aspect of horticulture and continuing to encourage all Americans to discover the benefits and joy of gardening," he told The American Gardener magazine in January.
Plein invites the local community to "get involved, to help make it great." Though AHS is a national organization, he sees River Farm as "part of the neighborhood, a special asset for the community." Noting that visitors pay no entrance fee, locals can always help financially and build community and political support for River Farm, he notes.
Among Plein's many civic activities, filling two single-spaced pages of his resume, are serving on the board of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network and Mason Housing. He has been involved with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, National Association of Industrial Office Parks, Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance and the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust. He's a member of Ducks Unlimited and the Virginia Native Plant Society.
Plein lives in Falls Church. He has two adult sons, one daughter and two grandchildren. He's very glad he "fell in love" with River Farm.
River Farm
River Farm, at 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria 22308, is on the Potomac River. Its 18th-century-style manor house has offices and event spaces. The property was the northernmost of George Washington's five farms and once home to Tobias Lear, Washington's secretary.
Founded in 1922, AHS moved its national headquarters to the site in 1973. The 25-acre property has formal and natural gardens, woodlands, a meadow and a children's garden.
The gardens are free and open to the public. Visit https://ahsgardening.Org/.
Sept. 23 Gala
AHS will celebrate its 50 years at River Farm with cocktails, dinner and dancing at a gala on Sept. 23. This year's theme is "Simple Pleasures of the Garden," featuring renowned interior and garden designer Charlotte Moss. Visit www.Ahsgala2023.Org for sponsorship and ticket information.
Slime Flux Of Trees
Got Nature? BlogFigure 1. White oak slime flux
Purdue Landscape Report: Slime flux (also known as wet wood) is a dark, foul-smelling and unsightly seepage of sap from tree trunks (fig. 1). The disease is not usually a serious problem but the appearance can be alarming. Slime flux is caused by common surface-inhabiting bacteria or yeast fungi that enter the trunk through wounds associated with improper pruning, stem breakage, injections, cracks from freeze injury or weak limb crotches. The bacteria and yeast may live on sap nutrients within injured trees for many years without any outward evidence.
SymptomsThe main symptom is the appearance of the dark sap oozing on the trunk exterior which happens when gasses produced by growth of the bacteria and yeast cause the internal pressure of the sap to become high enough to force the sap out through cracks in the bark. The dark streaks usually turn light gray or white upon drying. Oozing sap may be frothy and white at the point of exit. Airborne bacteria, yeasts, and fungi often colonize the wet oozing material, which ferments and releases a foul odor. Slime flux may delay wound healing (callus formation).
Slime flux is extremely common on mature elms (fig 2), oak (fig 3) and mulberry; and is seen less frequently on maples (fig 4), paper birch, sycamore, and walnut.
Figure 4. Silver Maple
Figure 3. White Oak
Figure 2. American Elm
PreventionThere is no control or treatment for slime flux. Inserting a drain tube into the tree to relieve pressure and drain infected sap was once an accepted treatment, but is no longer recommended and may do more harm than good. Boring holes in affected trees causes internal spread of the bacteria within the tree and may allow entry of wood decay fungi.
To reduce the chances of susceptible trees developing wet wood avoid unnecessary wounding of the trunk and branches. Proper pruning techniques, HO-4-W, will allow branches to heal more rapidly. Make sure susceptible trees receive good general care; including irrigation when needed and mulch to conserve moisture and keep mowers away from the trunk. Avoid excess traffic in tree root zone to prevent soil compaction and root injury.
The first and most important step for managing a tree disease is to accurately diagnose the problem. The best approach to diagnosis of tree problems is to start by submitting photos of the tree via the digital upload tool on the Purdue Pest & Diagnostic Lab (PPDL) website. In the case of slime flux it is impractical to collect the type of physical sample needed for confirmation so photos are the best alternative.
ReferencesSinclair, W. A. And H. H. Lyon. 2005. Diseases of trees and shrubs. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 660 pp.Stipes, R. J. And Campana, R. J. (eds.) 1981. Compendium of Elm Diseases. APS Press, St. Paul, MN.
ResourcesDiseases in Hardwood Tree Plantings , The Education Store, Purdue Extension's resource centerIron Chlorosis of Trees and Shrubs, The Education StoreSurface Root Syndrome, The Education Store
Tom C Creswell, Clinical Engagement Professor – Plant & Pest Diagnostic LaboratoryPurdue University Department of Botany and Plant Pathology
Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Executive DirectorIndiana Arborist Association
Recent PostsSTATE: N.C. Forest Service Tree Seedlings To Go On Sale July 5
Published 9:35 am Wednesday, June 28, 2023
RALEIGH – The N.C. Forest Service will begin accepting orders July 5 for its annual tree seedling sale. With an average annual production of 16 million seedlings, the NCFS Nursery Program produces enough native and genetically improved tree seedlings to plant roughly 30,000 acres of land each year.
"The importance of healthy trees and forests cannot be overstated as they provide countless benefits to our state's environment as well as to each of us," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "I strongly encourage landowners to take advantage of both the quantity and quality of tree species produced right here in our state by the North Carolina Forest Service."
Conifers and hardwoods are sold in units as low as 10 and as high as 100. For those wishing to submit larger orders, the nursery sells tree seedlings by the hundreds and thousands. Genetically improved stock is available for loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf and white pines as well as other species.
These seedlings offer better volume growth, tree form, disease resistance, straightness and other characteristics needed to produce healthy woodlands and quality forest products, according to the N.C. Forest Service. Customers interested in knowing more about our long list of tree species and available inventory can speak with NCFS Nursery staff, as well as reference the ordering website or seedling catalogs.
Tree seedlings can be ordered from the online seedling store at www.Buynctrees.Com , at 1-888-NCTREES (1-888-628-7337) or 919-731-7988 or by sending in an order form from the FY23-24 Nursery Seedling Catalog. Complete the form and mail to Seedling Coordinator, 762 Claridge Nursery Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
A user-friendly online catalog will soon be available athttps://www.Ncforestservice.Gov/nursery/NurseryandTreeImprovement.Htm. Seedling catalogs will also be available at local NCFS offices beginning in July.
Within the catalog, landowners can find information about the types of tree species, quantities and cost to order. Each species description includes information about ideal planting locations and whether a species is typically used to benefit wildlife, restore forest habitats or as marketable timber.
Accepted methods of payment are check, money order, Mastercard and Visa.
Distribution of orders occurs January through March, depending on weather conditions. Seedling orders can be shipped to one of 13 distribution centers statewide for a small fee or via UPS for a charge.
Seedling orders are also available for pickup from the NCFS Claridge Nursery in Goldsboro or the Linville River Nursery near Crossnore.
For information on planting trees, customers are encouraged to contact their local NCFS county ranger. Contact information for NCFS county office and nursery locations is available at www.Ncforestservice.Gov/contacts.
