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Probability of damaging freeze higher in 2004 By David Emory Stooksbury University of Georgia Athens, Ga. — Compared to recent winters, the probability of a damaging freeze is higher in early 2004 across most of Georgia. This higher freeze risk is because of current and expected atmospheric-oceanic patterns. Atmospheric-oceanic pat terns have a major influence on the type of winter we have in the Southeast. The best known large-scale atmospheric-oceanic pattern is El Nino. Under the El Nino pattern, much of Georgia has a wetter-than-normal winter. The opposite pattern is called La Nina. During a La Nina winter, much of the Southeast is drier than normal. Both El Nino and La Nina patterns tend to keep extremely cold air from making it from Canada into the deep South. Thus, damaging freezes are less likely during El Nino and La Nina winters. This winter, though, the at mospheric-oceanic system is in the neutral pattern. It’s neither El Nino nor La Nina. During winters with the neutral pattern, extremely cold air from Canada is usually able to invade the Southeast. This extremely cold air can cause significant freeze-related damage. Between periods of very cold air, the Southeast should have periods of relative ly warm air. Across extremely south and coastal Georgia, the likelihood of temperatures below 20 de grees this winter is at least one and half times greater than we would expect during an El Nino or La Nina winter. Across much of Georgia, the probability of temperatures below 14 degrees is at least one and half times greater than we would expect during an El Nino on La Nina winter. Tem peratures around 14 and below can cause extreme damage to Georgia winter crops, especially onions. Maps and detailed expec tations concerning the ex treme freeze probabilities may be found on the Web at www.coaps.fsu.edu/climate_ center/frz04.html. The extreme freeze prob ability analysis and maps were produced by the Southeast Climate Consortium. The consortium is an outreach and research cooperative between the University of Georgia, Flori da State University, University of Florida, University of Miami and the University of Alabama at Huntsville. (David Emory Stooksbury is the State Climatologist of Geor gia and a professor of engineer ing and atmospheric sciences in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.) Make most of compost, other fertilizers in garden By Darbie Granberry University of Georgia If you want to make the most of your garden, you’ll need to make the best use of fertilizers, including compost and other organic products. Fertilizers fall mainly into two classes: organic or inorganic. Inorganic fertilizers, some times called synthetic or min eral fertilizers, are store-bought mixtures of inorganic nutrients such as nitrates, phosphates and potassium. They have much higher concentrations of plant nutrients than organic fertilizers. The nu trients in them are released into the soil soon after you apply them, too. Organic fertilizers come from plants or animals. The plant nu trients in them have been taken up by living plants or animals and chemically bound in their tissues and by-products. Because they’re integrated into complex organic molecules, these nutrients are in relatively low concentrations. They’re not water soluble. As a result, plants can’t take them up as soon as you apply them. Organisms in the soil have to break down the organic matter before the bound nutrients are released for plants’ roots to take them up. Besides the slow-release nutri ents, organic fertilizers typically have generous amounts of help ful organic matter. Compost is an excellent or ganic fertilizer for your garden. Simply put, compost is de cayed organic matter. Through the composting process, plant and animal materials are broken down into smaller particles. The final product is 35 percent to 45 percent organic matter. It resembles potting media. The nutrient content varies, depending on what material was used and exactly how it was composted. Generally, though, it’s 1 per cent to 2 percent nitrogen, 0.2 percent to 1 percent phospho rus, 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent potassium and 0.05 percent to 2 percent calcium. Besides these nutrients, compost also contains small amounts of micronutrients such as boron, copper, manga nese and zinc. If they aren’t composted. organic fertilizers from animal manure can harbor weed seed and pathogenic organisms. Because of the heat generated during composting, though, compost is free of viable weed seeds. This helps keep trouble some weeds from getting a start in your garden. Perhaps even more important, the high heat phase of compost ing destroys plant and human pathogens. Getting rid of these critters helps safeguard the health and well-being of you and your garden veggies. Nutrients in inorganic fertil izers are released into the soil quickly. But they also start leaching from the soil as soon as you apply them. Heavy rains or watering early in the season can move nutrients deep down, beyond the reach of plant roots. Unless you apply more fertilizer, plants become stunted. This lowers the quality and yields of your garden crops. Compost releases its nutrients slowly, over many months. This keeps them from leaching and makes sure they’re available to plants all season long. Compost has a lot of organic matter, which improves garden soils and helps your garden vegetables grow better. Besides providing its nutrients over a long time, organic matter: * Improves soil structure and reduces soil compaction. * Increases soil aeration. * Helps soil to hold moisture and nutrients. * Supports beneficial soil organisms. Don’t rule out the use of inor ganic fertilizer. You usually have to apply organic matter many times over several years to build up the soil’s organic content and nutri ent reserves. Until then, most gardens will do better if you ap ply both organic and inorganic fertilizer. Moderate amounts of inor ganic fertilizer can be espe cially helpful in getting garden vegetables off to a good start. As always, know the nutrient content of the product you use. And base your application rates on your plants’ needs. (Darbie Granberry is a horti culturist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.) James Helton got his turn at shaving his son’s head. The Lee County Ledger, Thursday, January 1, 2004, Page 7A Trivia Time by Walter Branch 1. What caped superhero had a dog named Ace? 2. Which direction does a merry-go-round turn? 3. Whom did Bob Hope mean in 1977 when he said, “We’ve lost the most recognizable voice in the world”? 4. To what WJM-TV staff member did Rutledge College award an honorary Ph.D.? 5. What book ended: “It was a curious dream, dear, certainly - but now run in to your tea; it’s getting late”? 6. What Beatles song did Fats Domino hit with in 1968? 7. What African-American performer impressed in the 1964 Broadway production of “Othello”? 8. What English city did the perceptive Allen Ginsberg call in 1964 “the center of the consciousness of the human universe”? 9. What 1956 film was Cecil B. DeMille’s last? 10. What camera did Kodak introduce in 1963? Trivia Time Answers 1. Batman; 2. Counterclockwise; 3. Bing Crosby 4. Ted Baxter; 5. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”; 6. “Lady Madonna”; 7. James Earl Jones; 8. Liverpool; 9. “The Ten Commandments”; 10. The Instamatic (c) 2003 DBR Media, Inc. m Mims Auto Paw 434-1793 feed Auto Parti fe09 E. Century Road Leesburgj Have A Tire-ific Safe And Happy New 7* Year! Please Remember Us For All Your Tire and Auto Repair Needs! Gillionville Auto Repair, Inc. 1554 US 19 S. Leesburg Open 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday-Thursday, 7:30 am to 5 pm Friday 229-435-1291 James and Diana Helton of Leesburg gave a Luau going away party in honor of their son, James Jr. as he prepares to leave for the US Army. He will go to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for his Basic Combat Training. James Jr. is well known for his locks of hair and the highlight of the party came when each guest took a turn at cutting James’ hair and shaving his head. The party included lots of swimming, food, fun and games including the Limbo and a Tiki Pinata. His parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins attended the party, some coming from Macon and Newnan. Pictured is Diana Helton and her husband James shaving James Jr.’s head. Nobody can put money in your pockets at tax time faster than Pioneer Credit. With our tax preparation and refund loan program, you can have cash fast and save money too! WE'LL BEAT ALL PRICES ON TAX PREPARATION For Speed...Price...Service...Call... PIONEER CREDIT 227 D S. Walnut (Next to Subway) 759-1200 Clean Care, Inc. TIP OF THE MONTH JJhe Seaton... To be spending more time indoors, but did you know that often the quality of air you breathe indoors can be 5-10 times as bad as that outside? So says Dr. Michael Berry with the Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office of the Environmental Protection Agency. “So why should I care about IAQ (indoor air quality)?” Since 90% of the average person's life is lived indoors today (especially in cold weather), IAQ is important for several reasons: This month we can look at the importance of cleaning the sink on your floor, that is, your carpet! A “sink” is an area in which soils accumulate when filtered out of the air or simply when acted upon by gravity. Dust, dirt, pollen, pet hair, fungus spores and other microorgan isms (dust mites) all collect in carpet and eventually contribute to poor IAQ in homes and businesses. What’s the solution?...Simple, get rid of those soils! How? That’s a little more difficutl to answer. Consider: Vacuum Selection: The basics here include: don’t buy the cheap est vacuum, get the best in terms of soil removal Also, select a unit with a high-collection-efficiency disposable bag and change it when half to two-thirds full. Vacuum Techniques: Overall, carpet should be vacuumed twice weekly with extra attention given to heavy-use areas. Concentrate on entry areas where particle soils accumulate and give them four or five passes using a rearward stroke which removes the most soil. Entry areas (“super sinks”) should be hand vacuumed with a crevice tool every other month. Finally, since even the best vacuum bags won't collect many of the microscopic particles that irritate respiratory systems, plan to have your carpet professionally cleaned by the hot water extraction method every twelve to eighteen months as recommended by the major fiber manufacturers for maximum soil removal. Next month, we’ll discuss carpet cleaning options as they relate to improving the IAQ in your home or business. WINTER 50% Off All Genuine Scotchgard Carpet & Fabric Protector During January! The Employees of Bishop Clean Care Wish All of You a Very Happy & Prosperous New Yearim 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE 234 Cedric St. 883-1202