Scientific name: Cytisus scoparius. Common names: Scotch broom, broomtops, common broom, European broom, Irish broom, English. Native Origin: British Isles, central and southern Europe Ecological Impacts: This aggressive, rapid spreading plant can grow 3 feet in the first year. It can form dense impenetrable stands that degrade rangeland, prevent forest regeneration, and create fire hazards. It invades rapidly following logging, land clearing, and burning. It can form pure dense stands for miles along highway and country roads to crowd out native species and destroy wildlife habitat. Toxicity: Mild poisoning can occur from this shrub. Large amounts are required to cause symptoms in animals such as horses. Alkaloids have been identified as being the toxic principle. Cytisin, sparteine and isosparteine are found in the twigs, leaves and seeds in small amounts. The seeds of the plant can stay dormate for 160 years.

Good points. Our main problem is we have fairly high pH, usually between 7.5 and 8.3 somewhere, and we have very high calcium in our prairie soils. This leads to problems with uptake of iron, so certain plants develop chlorosis very easily. Cold and drought are some other reasons, but mainly lots of land that had trees (aspen parkland) were cleared to make more farmland, and the rest was originally prairie to start with (I think the buffalo kept it that way on purpose!). For the longest time there was not much planted because most of the stuff that the settlers brought with them (from southeastern Canada and central Europe) died. Our Government set up Experimental Stations across the prairies in the early 1900's and started testing and hybridizing new species and releasing cultivars that could be grown here. They (and other plant breeders) found that plant material from other northern areas in the world would do well here, and imported many species from Northern China, Mandschuria, Siberia, Mongolia, Amur River, Altai Mountains, etc and also species that can stand wind and cold (plants from the top of the tree line in mountains for example). I guess I may may have "genus envy", not just tree envy. It seems with a genus of northern origin, like say Betula, you may be able to grow quite a few species from that genus. I might be able to grow (and have seed for)B.alleghaniensis, ermanii, humilis, lenta, nana, pendula var carelica, and pubescens var czerepanovii, to name a few. We have lots of White Paper, River and European birch here, but we also have the bronze birch borer, sort of the reason I want to try others that may be more resistant to it. We have lots of Pine that I've seen in the city, including Red, Jack, Bristlecone, Limber, Ponderosa, Shore, Lodgepole, Swiss stone, Mugo, Eastern White, Scots, etc and I'm trying out a few more, just to see. What I envy is the sheer amount of other genus you guys can grow that are just not hardy enough here, like Magnolias, Sycamores, Tulip trees, and so many other trees that are mentioned on this forum daily. We northern plantaholics tend to search the world (thank you internet) to find seeds of things to try, that might be tough enough for us. I'm not complaining though, it's very challenging and enjoyable process, and I know I'm hooked! Misssherry, Thanks for your suggestion for the Concolor Fir, I actually ordered 10 last fall, and hope they will do well. I'm also sourcing some Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa) from the northern part of the Rocky Mountains, as they do really well here in the city, and can handle winds better than most other firs. We have a small arboretum here at the University of Saskatchewan (well labeled with straight rows) that was planted in the 60's that has many little known species of Larch, some Oaks (including Scarlett), Fraxinus, Tilia, Prunus (huge genus!), Spruce, Sorbus (5 or 6), Maples, and dozens and dozens of other hardy trees and shrubs that I've never even heard of. I've been collecting seed from there and have been planting it throughout the winter months while waiting for spring to come. This winter is ridiculously cold and is seeming to last forever.... I think I will do groupings of certain species, but not very formal ones, perhaps I could do several trees species (say Tilia) mixed with a few smaller shrubs (perhaps dogwoods and lilacs) so that it won't look so formal, but everything will still be fairly organized from a labeling standpoint. I should really try to visit some real arboretums and see how they've organized their collections to get a better idea of how to make it work so that it's still pleasing to the eye. Oh the possibilities!!!! Koren in Saskatoon

I agree you should check the regulations for the forest you are in. I doubt there is a clause that says 'you can not destroy something just because you think it does not belong,' but the regulations do say something. Perhaps there is a rule against removing native plants, or maybe it covers all vegetation. If it is native plants only, then go ahead and clip the dandelions if you want to, and if you are sure they are dandelions, not a similar-looking native plant. I think dandelions are ubiquitous enough and their seeds are mobile enough that it really won't make any difference if you remove them or not. America is awash in dandelions, and their seeds are already flying above all of our national forests, so it would be tough to have mush impact of their spread. Also, in the places I have visited dandelions are not a problematic invasive species. They do grow occasionally in wild areas, but I haven't seen them invade to the point of damaging native plant populations. Of course it could be different where you are. My opinion regarding people taking management of national forests into their own hands is that it is generally a good thing, as long as you make sure you have some idea what you are doing. There is a risk you'll do some damage, but there is also a good chance you will do a lot of good. Damage is done everyday by people who don't care about native plants or native habitats; how many examples of trail or road 'maintenance' that result in major disturbance to native ecosystems and allow invasive plants to spread can you find in the forest? Probably lots. If you can spend a little effort to try to stem the tide of invasive plants, then I think you should. The risk of a little damage is outweighed by the potential benefits. If I was going to spend time removing invasive plants, I'd focus on plants that tend to spread locally from the parent plant and tend to overwhelm native plant communities. Here in the east, a good example is Garlic Mustard. This plant spreads mainly by seeds falling a few feet from the parent plant. An invasion starts with one plant then expands. One way or another, a plant or two of Garlic Mustard gets started along a path or road in the forest. The first year there may be one plant. The next there may be 10, then 100, then 1000, and so forth. When I am in the woods in spring, I look for small patches of Garlic Mustard far removed from large invasions, and pick all of the flowering plants. This prevents the setting of seed for the next generation of Garlic Mustard. I have wiped out numerous patches in my local forest by hand picking all of the flowering plants for a couple of consecutive springs, and I am sure this has prevented much larger invasions. This I did on public land. I don't know whether it was legal or not, and I don't really care. I certainly wasn't legal for the atv , horse, or hiker who transported Garlic Mustard seed around the forest to do so, so why should I get worked up wondering whether it is, strictly speaking, legal for me to pick the resulting plants (I bet it is legal, just haven't researched it enough to be sure). In the end, picking a few non-native plants to make me feel like I am doing something is a small matter and the legality of it isn't worth worrying about, in my opinion. The amount of impact I have is comparable to removing a single tree, or driving a truck through the woods, both things that are done many times daily by the land management agency who owns the forest. By the way, if it is legal to pick plants for food, you can pick dandelions and take them home. They are edible, and not too bad with a vinegary dressing to help reduce their bitterness.

Self cleaning ovens generate a great deal of heat. Heat can and will scorch wood, mdf, and paint. To prevent that heat from building up, it is recommended to open the doors and drawers adjacent to an oven while it is in the self cleaning cycle. If you don't and your cabinets scorch, yes, that is abuse and would not be covered under warrant. By any cabinet company. Wood expands and contracts over the seasonal moisture cycle. Just as you will get a gap in your crown molding in winter because it's dry, and a door will stick in summer because it's moist, cabinets will do the same thing. Although top coatings are meant to have a certain amount of flex to them, they do not have enough flex to not get hairline breaks in the finish where you have two pieces lf wood joining. That is 100% normal. You cannot expect wood to not behave like wood. This is normal. Cabinets do get wet occasionally, yes. But you are expected to not let them stay that way. You are expected to dry them, as part of a normal care routine just as you would any other furniture in your home. And you are expected to not constantly slop water onto the cabinet below the sink base, and to teach your children to do the same. And not let the dog jump on them and scratch them with his nails. That is not normal wear and tear. That IS abuse that will result in guaranteed damage that will not be covered by any cabinet warranty. If you feel that you cannot properly care for your kitchen furniture investment, then there are cabinets that will stand up to a more continual water presence and searing heat. You find them in commercial kitchens everywhere. They are stainless steel.