This Week's Podcast: Maryland's Master
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Dr. Francis R. Gouin is a nationally and internationally recognized scientist and extension specialist in the area of ornamental and environmental horticulture. He pioneered the development 
of the structureless thermoblanket system for over-wintering container-grown ornamental plants and the use of compost made from various sources in the production of nursery and greenhouse crops.
Most of his research was not recognized by the general public until he successfully cloned the nation’s oldest white oak—the Wye oak—before it fell in a storm in 2002, which made front page news. Prior attempts to reproduce the 450-year-old oak failed, but Gouin devised a new method of bud grafting, and thanks to his knowledge and determination, the progeny of that oak live on throughout the region.
He began his composting research in 1972, and in 1984, he helped establish the Better Composting School as part of the University of Maryland’s Cooperative Extension division.
It is the science and virtue of compost production that we talk about today on Ken Druse – REAL DIRT. Fine-tuning compost is of special interest to me with my sandy soil, and alkaline water source (hint: adding pine fines – screened dust-sized particles of pine bark).
The Annapolis Horticultural Society gardeners refer to him as Dr. G., and recently published a book of his popular collected contributions to their newsletter. For more information send an email to kushner30@comcast.net. (Photo by Bev Foss)
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