David Desiderato’s column, NOT WANTED, has appeared in The Granby Drummer since 2020. His writings identify invasive plant species and suggest eradication methods, warn of “bad bugs” like the spotted lanternfly, and commiserate with fellow gardeners who recoil from the dreaded jumping worm. Over the years, Desiderato has written 36 information-rich articles in his distinctively humorous, chatty style.
During the busy gardening month of May 2024, Desiderato’s article was entitled Buying Soil or Plants? Read this first! That article won an award in the Connecticut Press Club’s 2024 competition in the Columns category, which considers writers who submit regularly on a particular topic.
In his winning article, Desiderato details the developmental growth of jumping worms. They become the “large, energetic, snake-like wigglers” so loathed by green thumbs. Jumping worms degrade and damage topsoil to such an extent that plants fail to thrive. Desiderato writes, “There is no chemical cure at this time…Dropping live worms one by one into a bucket of water with a bit of dish detergent kills them right away. It’s gross but worth it.”
Meet Desiderato in his natural habitat—on the second Saturday morning of each month from 10 a.m. to noon as he leads like-minded conservationists, referred to as IPAs (Invasive Plant Activists), in hands-on removal of invasive plants and trees on the Holcomb Farm property. Information on invasive plants and on how to become an IPA can be found at GranbyInvasivePlants.weebly.com