Greetings,
fellow gardeners,
Well,
we are now into meteorological fall, and doesn’t it feel nice. These cool nights are perfect for sleeping
with the windows open. Fall is both a
sad and happy time of year for me. I am sad to say goodbye to summer and to all
of the beautiful flowers in my garden. I am happy to see
all the pretty fall colors and to feel the cool crisp air.
I trust that all who went on the Monet Gardens bus trip had an enjoyable time. We certainly had a beautiful day. Thank you to Josephine Miller for putting this trip together for us. We look forward to the next trip.
MARK
THE DATE
September 25th—General Meeting,
American Legion Hall, 7:00 p.m.
Speaker: Mark Vosburgh
Topic: Canning
Plant exchange (see below)
October 27th—Harvest Dinner—Emmanuel Lutheran (see below)
November 10th—Close the Garden
November (to be announced)—Decorate the Garden for Christmas
December 9th —Christmas House Tour
We’ll
have a plant exchange at the next meeting. Bring any divided plants that you’d
like to share or any other plants you wish to share.
Also,
remember the Harvest Dinner on October 27th. Come in costume if possible. Bring
a dish for 8-10 people. If you have any questions, call me at 730-7572 Arlene
Lamberti
October Birthdays
Diane Riviello-Voland
Richard Waldman
Rob Calarco—24th
AUGUST
MEETING IN A FLASH
• Jo
Miller reminded everyone of the Monet Tour on Sept. 12th. The bus will leave
promptly at 9 a.m. from the Community Garden.
• MaryAnn
Tchinnis spoke about the Christmas House Tour, Dec. 9th from 1-5 p.m. One
more house is needed. Art Space will be opened for this tour, including some of
the residents’ units.
Volunteers
are needed for house sitting and for baking cookies. Tickets— $20 available at
the Chamber, Yesteryear, and Country Junque.
• Georgia
Dulmovits and Arlene Lamberti, co-chairs of the luncheon will hold
their first meeting on Sept. 17th at 10 a.m. at Georgia’s house. Ensuing
meetings will be every Monday at 10 a.m. starting in January. The Committee
is open to anyone. The theme this year is “Salute America.”
• Patchogue
Chamber of Commerce and the Business Association are having a fund raiser at
Claire Rose Playhouse on Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 or 7 p.m. for wine
and cheese. Tickets are $20. There will also be a raffle. Proceeds go to
Breakfast with Santa and other local events.
• The
Harvest Dinner will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church on Oct. 27th. Set up is
at 5:30 and dinner at 6 p.m. Costumes are encouraged with prizes for the
costumes. We hope to have karaoke/DJ. Everyone bring a dish to share for 8-10
people. BYOB and the Club will supply soda and water.
August Meeting at the Petrucelli Garden
I do
what I can to express what I feel in the presence of nature. ~Claude Monet
Submitted
by Ronnie Manfredi
The
NY Botanical Gardens’ Monet Exhibit, represented two Monet gardens—a French
style walkway (allée) and a Japanese inspired water garden. Paul Hayes Tucker,
a Monet scholar, took great pains to replicate Monet’s original gardens. Monet
spent as much time planning his gardens as he did on his paintings, and, as we
know, his paintings are a reflection of his gardens. The most interesting thing
to me was Monet’s paint box, or palette, beds—large
boxes set away from his garden where he experimented on color combinations, flower
shapes, and lighting conditions before adding them to his garden. These box
beds are beautiful in themselves.
Monet
studied nature closely, beginning many of his paintings outdoors in the open
air, working on them over many painting sessions, and then completing them in
his studio. He said, “My most beautiful work of art is my garden.”
Also
in this 250-acre Bronx garden you’ll find an old growth forest, the largest
remnant of the original forest which covered all of NYC before the 17th
century. The area also has a beautiful rose garden, a rock garden, a conifer
collection, and extensive research facilities. The Bronx River, the only fresh water
river in NYC, divides the garden. There’s also a children’s area with planting
fields and a demonstration area. Some of us took a tram ride
around the area, and others hiked to the waterfall. (And some of us did both!)
Lillian Goldman Fountain of Light in front of the Mertz Library
The
weather was perfect, and the companionship was just fine!
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS?
1.
“Autumn light can be stunning, so take advantage of its golden glow to create
garden art. The cascading cutleaf Japanese maple shown here, for example glows
in the late season sun. Because the tree matures at 10 feet
tall, it won’t overpower the vinca groundcover or dwarf evergreens growing nearby.”
For other lessons in
fall garden design, go to this bhg site: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/landscapingprojects/landscape-basics/fall-garden-design-lessons/
2.This
year my gardens were overpopulated with purslane. When I saw this “weed”
selling for $4.95 at the Patchogue Farmers’ Market, I decided to harvest it and
add it to my salads. It has a bit of a bite, but is delicious. No complaints
from anyone I served it to all summer. Three years ago my grass was full of
sorrel. That made a
delicious schav soup. Unfortunately, I served it so often that summer that we
nearly eradicated it from the lawn. If you’d like to see what other edibles might
be lurking in your yard, go here: “Eight Weeds You Can Eat,” Organic
Gardening: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/8-weeds-you-can-eat
Purslane
Purslane
3.
Look at this interesting butterfly garden. “We have two plans to choose from:
one a pairing of perennials, composed of host plants and nectar plants, and the
other a feast of nectar-rich annuals.” http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Backyard-Projects/Big-Garden-Projects/A-Garden-for-Butterflies
Here’s
some news submitted by Richard Waldman: 1. Here are some tips on how to
overwinter geraniums:
“Using
a clean knife, take a new cutting from the plant. Stick it in rooting media of
coarse sand and pearlite. Water and mist the cuttings. They should start to
root in about two weeks.” For more information, check this Home Depot website: http://ext.homedepot.com/community/blog/homedepot-
garden-club/marthastewart/overwintering-geraniums-howto/cm_mmc=hd_emailGC_LD28_LTHD_MSLFULL_L01__L01_MSLFULL-_-20120905_GC_Martha-_-hero_geraniums&et_rid=10252055
2.
Botanists Fear Long Island Drought’s Toll on Sandplain Gerardia. “There are
only 12 known populations of sandplain gerardia (Agalinis acuta) in the
country, and six of them grow on Long Island—but nowhere else in the state.
This year, with punishing drought conditions leaving great swaths of thecountry,
including the South Fork, pleading for a drink, botanists are fearing the worst
for the plant.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/nyregion/botanists-fear-long-island-droughts-tollon-sandplain-gerardia-flower.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion
Sandplain Gerardia
3.
“Saying Goodbye to the Farm”, NY Times, “It would be easier to move than
to ask permission to walk over fields that I know like the curve of my own
hips. I know where the stream turns, where the otter lives.”
This
beautiful essay expresses the author’s love of land and home. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/garden/saying-goodbye-to-the-family-farm.html?ref=garden
Richard
says, “I can’t believe she is moving after reading about the farm for many
years in her columns. While working in my own garden I wonder about the next
person taking over after me and putting in concrete and AstroTurf
and throwing down chemicals while I have been letting the thistle and milkweed
grow.”
4.
“The Postal Service’s first green roof is another example of its proactive
environmental leadership, and continues the Postal Service’s commitment to
making a positive impact on the environment. The Morgan Processing and
Distribution Center is a showcase of resource conservation and innovation.” To read
more about this, look here: http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/greennews/greenkit-5.pdf
USPS Green Roof in New York City
5.
Designer Charlotte Moss gives eight key lessons from her grand tour of Italian
estates. In the Wall Street Journal, she writes “A Tuscan Garden
Tutorial.”
a)
Create an axis (or two).
b)
Carve out an area for quiet conversation.c) Unify with a theme
d )Repeat elements.
e) Re-imagine rather than redesign.
f) Have a solid plan.
g) Connect house and garden.
h) Set a focal point.
For
details, look here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443324404577593250878228644.html?
mod=WSJ_HomeAndGarden_LEFTTopNews
6.
The US Postal Service has issued a series of 16 Forever stamps with the “Go Green”
theme. http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/ greennews/greenkit-5.pdf
The
answer to why the chicken crossed the road. Contributed
by Paula Murphy:
Get
to Know A Fellow Gardener: Guy Vitale
Where
were you born, and where have you lived?
I
was born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, and when I wasin the service Ilived in
Frankfurt,West Germany. I was fortunate
to NOT have to live on post. I had an apartment in a section of the city that
was close the zoo, and in the evenings I could hear the lions roaring in the
distance.
Tell
us about your family?
Not much
to tell, there is Mark, my mother and sister in my immediate family.
What
gave you your first interest in gardening?
I
learned very early how to propagate house plants, and over time it turned to dividing
and replanting. (A very cheap way to garden when you have little to no money)
Do
you have a favorite gardening style?
None
really. Over the years I had formed a style that is free flowing, and I try to
have a naturalistic look and feel.
Outside
of gardening, what are some of your
interests?
Cooking,
canning vegetable gardening and the arts.
A
television show you like—
New
Girl, Raising Hope, Jeopardy, the New Dallas and most anything on
PBS.
A
book you’d recommend—
Unfortunately,
I’m not much of a book reader. I don’t find the time, to be honest. I do a lot
of reading though: newspapers, magazines, computer etc.
An
accomplishment you are proud of—
I won
a beauty and talent competition once—”Miss Long Island” in 2005.
An
interesting place you’ve traveled to or visited—
Europe
and Communist East Germany
Your
favorite dessert or food—
CHOCOLATE
anything
A
talent you have we may not know about—
It’s
not singing.
Favorite
sport (to play/to watch):
I
don’t play any sports, but I watch the Giant’s and the Yankees.
A
favorite internet site:
Facebook
What
would you do if you won the lottery?
Produce
a world class Broadway Show. I have one in mind—Moulin Rouge.
Something
you keep postponing—
Punching
a time clock.
An
interesting job you’ve had—
None,
they all suck.
Education,
job experience—
High
school and life, but I’m not complaining I love the life I live. I wake up
every morning thankful to be alive.
Anything
else you’d like us to know about you—
I
think everyone knows I raise chickens.
Halloween
is coming to the Harvest Dinner. Guy
says, “Better be able to ‘Bring it…’”
REMEMBER!!!
If
you haven’t already signed up and are interested in “house sitting” for the Christmas
House Tour, or in baking cookies for the same, please contact either Karen
Ferb or Mary Ann Tchinnis, or sign up at the meeting on Tuesday.
Thanks, Mary Ann
Karen
Ferb 758-2671
Mary
Ann Tchinnis 289-8122
Food Committee For September Meeting
Ronnie Manfredi
Marita Morello
Carla Buchanan-Steward
June Petruccelli
Joanna
Drake has butterfly
bushes in need of a
home. Please call her to arrange
pick up of these
beautiful
bushes. (She has
two large bushes and one
small one.) Also,
she has decorative white
garden rocks to
pass on to someone who
needs them. They will cover
a 2 X 6 ft area.(631) 289-6935
Timely
Tips for the Garden in October
• Start
raking. Shred or compost this fall gold.
• Cut
back and remove diseased perennial foliage
• Finish
planting bulbs.
• Keep
transplants watered.
• Turn
your compost pile
• Plant
trees and shrubs. Be sure to keep them well watered, even
through the winter.
• Dry
and save seed.
• Take
cuttings of tender perennials
• Harvest
and dry or freeze herbs for winter.
• Harvest
winter squash once the vines die back and definitely
before a hard freeze.
• Clean
and sharpen gardening tools.
Nature does nothing uselessly. ~Aristotle
