These shots are of Daniels Vineyard after their second-winter pruning.  We are both growing Noiret. Daniels is one year and about 8,000 plants ahead of me. 

First Winter Pruning:   Any time from midwinter on, select the strongest, straightest shoot and prune off all the others. Cut the chosen shoot back to two live buds. Remember the first season is for growing roots.  
Source: Rodales Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening.  
Here is my first winter pruning..

February is last call for seeding natives, many of which require a few freeze/thaw cycles for scarification. The seed pod on the left is Butterfly MilkWeed. On the right is a combo packet from the Hamilton County Urban Conservation Association.  I scattered the milkweed in the back and moved a bunch of prairie dropseed to the front and then scattered the combo pack just behind the dropseed.

"My hypothesis was false. Snow takes up more space than melted snow. Water takes up less space than frozen water."

I'm often asked by the most important person in my life why the most important person in my life rarely appears in my blog. 
Thats a good question. I'll work on it.

We added a new fish to the tank and the next day he was gone. I think Elmo (the carp sized gold fish) ate him. 
Rest in peace Finnick O'Dair. 

Annette and I pitched a butterfly garden for Geist Elementary Earth Day. Principal Jackson loved the idea. 
Tip: its easier to sell "butterfly garden" than "native prairie restoration".
Here is a math problem for the kids...

I met Donovan only once at the Indiana State Museum during spring cleanup of his native prairie installation.  He was passionate about native plants, gardening, and educating our next generation of gardeners. The greenhouse at Cold Spring School has been renamed "Mister Donovan's Greenhouse" in his honor. Nuvo wrote a really nice In memoriam.

Our day at the totally awesome NFL Experience