Greetings from the President
August has been relatively nice to us this year. Not too hot, very few hazy, hot, humid days, and lots of sun and rain when we needed it. If you were diligent in cutting back your mums during June and July, you should just be seeing bushes full of buds and maybe even a few peeking open. If you have a vegetable garden, don’t forget to put in a fall crop of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and other winter vegetables.
If your lawn is looking a little scraggly, now is the time to re-seed, patch bare spots, or start all over if it’s really bad. Hold off on the fertilizer until the end of September. If you haven’t put lime down in a while, consider adding some to sweeten your soil. Check out the nursery catalogs for spring bulbs to brighten up your home next April. Don’t overlook the garden centers for bargains on out of bloom perennials which will look terrific next year.
Paula will be presenting a comprehensive budget at this month’s meeting at Guy’s house. This will be our last meeting at a member’s garden. Next month we will return to the Hagerman Fire House at 7:00 PM. We will also be asking for volunteers to serve as a nominating committee for next year’s slate of officers. Nominations will be taken at September’s meeting, and voting will take place in October. Enjoy the fine weather and the waning days of summer.
- Carol
Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens
But remember: Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty. ~Sicilian Proverb
Mark the Date Tuesday, June 26, 2008, 6 PM, in the wonderful garden of Guy Vitale and Mark Jeffers, 36 Grove Avenue, E. Patchogue, just off Main St., the first house south of the LIRR tracks on the west side of the street.
Flowerpot's Spontaneous Combustion Blamed For Fire!
AP: Fire Chief John Maczko said a fire that destroyed a Mendota Heights home last week was caused by a flowerpot on the home's deck that spontaneously combusted. While rare, spontaneous combustion can happen with the right mixture of soil, moisture, and heat. Investigators said the soil was in a plastic pot that had become hot after several days of high temperatures and humidity. [Thanks, Guy—Beware! Ed.)
Like most gardeners, I am always in search of more effective ways to control weeds in my garden. I've relied on basic gardening practices such as not disturbing the soil and keeping the soil covered with 2-4 inches of mulch (usually free from a local tree service). I've also used seaweed very effectively as a mulch. When weeds do emerge, I hand pull and now suffer from painful thumb joints, a condition which I have named "weeder’s thumb". There are several products now available that claim to control weeds. The two types are pre-emergent (prevents seeds from germinating), and post-emergent (kills actively growing plants). Preen, a pre-emergent synthetic, is familiar to most of us; my use of it has been minimally successful, but I have heard other gardeners swear by it. It did prevent my hollyhock seeds from germinating. Corn gluten is a pre-emergent control that has been touted by organic gardeners. I used it once, found that it attracted flies, and removed most of it. Recently some post-emergent products have been attracting the attention of gardeners, e.g., vinegar, but household vinegar is only 5-6% acetic acid, and mixed results have been reported. Mixing dish soap with the vinegar, clipping the leaves from the weeds, and directing the spray directly into the soil and to the roots may be more effective. Sounds like more work than hand pulling! There are vinegar products on the market which contain 20% acetic acid plus clove oil. However, this concentration of acetic acid may be dangerous to use, causing, for example, skin irritation, burns, and respiratory problems. The Safer brand is marketing a weed and grass killer with the active ingredient
fatty acid salts. I have used this product with mixed results. It seems to be effective on crab grass and some smaller weeds. Whether it kills down to the root or just top growth remains to be seen. I have been able to find it in a ready-to-use spray, but not in concentrated form; thus, it is expensive to use. On line, I have come across a product, "Nature's Avenger Organic Herbicide”, a ready-to-use spray or a concentrate with active ingredient natural citrus oil (17.55 d-limonene) that strips the waxy coating from leaves causing dehydration and death. It is not clear whether it kills root or only top growth. Most of us are familiar Roundup or other glyphosate-based herbicides absorbed through leaves that gum up enzyme (EPSP synthase) production so that plants cannot produce the proteins necessary for growth. Plants die between 7 and 14 days after application, depending on weather. I have found when it is hot and dry weeds disappear more quickly. Monsanto, the manufacturer, claims it remains active in the soil for only a short time and has minimal negative impact on the environment, but several environmental groups are challenging this. [Thanks to Jo Miller for her contribution—Ed.]
Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
Did You Know? Tobacco Can Now Save Lives!
For centuries now, medicines have been found within the plant world. Now through modern science, a genetically modified tobacco plant can help save lives. Surely not by smoking it but by detecting the location of land mines. The tobacco plant will have its leaves turn red when it is in contact with nitrogen oxide that leaks from the land mine (in a 10 week period of time). The United Nations and other organizations engaged in clearing the fields where land mines have been buried are looking into the scientific findings with much interest. They estimate that there are close to 80 million (yes, million) mines buried in locations that cover about 120,000 square miles. Engineers right now are still needed to physically remove the land mines but now the much maligned tobacco plant has a good use for mankind. Listen to the NPR story at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93555918. Upon hearing the name, Bette Midler, you might think of the performer known for her singing, acting, or even her outrageous stage act. But now you might wonder, what does this have to do with gardening? The New York Restoration Project (NYRP) was founded in 1995 by none other than Bette Midler when she made New York her home base and started to notice many parks and open spaces that were neglected, trash strewn about, and clearly forgotten. The NY Restoration Project teams up with other private community-based groups and public agencies to bring parks back to use and to make community gardens green once again. Education is also a key element to this organization’s goals, with over 10,000 children given the recreational opportunities that were not there prior to its involvement. In 2002 Bette Midler was given the Governors Award for Parks and Preservation along with many other honors bestowed upon her since the inception of the NY Restoration Project. Besides having a wonderful singing voice, she has also lent her voice to gardening that we too hold dear. http://www.nyrp.org/.
On my usual drive to work I recently noticed a bare maple tree branch hanging low over the road without any leaves and looking quite heavy. As I kept driving my thoughts went from being glad the branch had not snapped off with dire consequences and then to thoughts of whom I should contact before an accident does occur. And then a few days later by chance, there in the local free weekly paper is an article by Maria Cinque with the headline, 'Reporting Dangerous Trees'. She mentions that it is a homeowner’s responsibility if the tree is on your property but otherwise it is under the jurisdiction of the state or county for the pruning or necessary removal. But it is our responsibility as concerned citizens to report a potential dangerous tree. Keep these phone numbers handy: For State roads: NYS Dept. of Transportation Maintenance: 631-952-6702. For County Roads in Suffolk County: Division of Highway Maintenance: 631-852-4075. If there are trees caught in electric lines, you should contact the Long Island Power Authority at 800-490-0075. In Patchogue Village, call Village Hall directly at 475-4847 and use the new "phone tree" to be connected to the Building & Housing Dept.; hazard trees are under their jurisdiction.
Timely Tips for September
Plants and trees that provide color in the month of September include beautyberry, crape myrtles, cotoneaster, viburnums, hypericum, hydrangeas, potentilla, pyracantha, and burning bush are a few. Look for them at local sales.
Do not prune azaleas, rhododendrons, or other spring flowering shrubs because they have already set their buds for next year's blooms. If you feel these shrubs do need to be pruned, you can prune them now, but be aware you will sacrifice next spring’s flowers.
Time to continue with fall crops. You can still seed beets, radishes, turnips, and leaf lettuce.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 2008
Greetings from the President
Dear Garden Club Members,
Congratulations to Paula Murphy and her entire committee for a successful eighth annual garden tour. The selected gardens showcased a variety of gardening “microclimates”beach, shade, sun, and sun/shade. The gardens were as varied as theirowners. It was hard not to come away without coveting yet another plant, ornament,or perhaps a total re-do of a small part of your own garden.Thank you also to Carolyn Young for again having an Open Garden tour for hermagnificent daylilies.Water, water, water seems to be the mantra of the past few weeks. Although therewere many thunderstorms and downpours all around us in the past two weeks,especially to the north and west, our marine climate conditions have keep all rainaway from the Patchogue area. This is very reminiscent of last year’s summerweather. Remember to water early in the day, longer, deeper watering is muchmore efficient and beneficial, than daily short bursts. Three to four inches of mulchwill conserve water, and keep down the weeds. Do not mound your mulch aroundyour tree trunks, as you often see in homes/commercial spaces that are“professionally” maintained. You will eventually smother your trees and they will startto experience dieback. You should keep a large circle around the base of your treemulch free and be sure the dirt does not surround the root collar.
Enjoy your summer,
Carol
Mark the Date
Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 6 PM, in the lovely garden of June and Angelo Petrucelli, 111Monroe Ave., Patchogue, 730-1091. Take North or South OceanAvenue to Roe Blvd. and turn west. Turn north onto Monroe. Jennings is the street before Monroe. Bring a chair if you want a guaranteed place to sit.
Plant of the Month and Book Review:
Viburnum
The viburnums are a versatile, diverse—around 150 species-- and adaptablegenus exhibiting fine forms, sweet scents, and beautiful fruits attractive tobirds. There is scarcely a garden that couldn’t use one or more of thesevaluable pest- and disease resistant shrubs, some of which are native. Dr.Michael Dirr, a distinguished woody plant authority, has written “Viburnums:Flowering Shrubs for Every Season”, Timber Press, 2007, $39.95, but as lowas $23.98 at Amazon, or browse for free via Patchogue-Medford LibraryInterlibrary Loan.Viburnums adapt well to most soil conditions and light exposures, but ideallyprefer well-drained acid soil and full to part sun. They tolerate pruning well.They are versatile in many landscapes, so can be used in formal or informalhedges, screens, and barriers as well as in foundation and mass plantings.These lovely shrubs range in size from about three (the fragrant V. carlesii‘Compacta’, dwarf Korean spicebush) to twenty feet (V. sieboldii, sieboldviburnum).Many have outstanding fall color, all have large, beautiful flowers, and thefruits are dark or brilliant blue, yellow, or red in late summer to early fall.
Recipe of the Month:
Fruit Kebobs
2 bananas
8 strawberries
1 apple
8 pineapple chunks
1 orange
1 cup plain, vanilla, or fruit yogurt
1 cup seedless grapes
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Vary the fruit according to what is best in season—think peaches, nectarines,plums, pears, kiwi, raspberries, etc. Cut the fruit into bite-sized chunks. Mix yogurt with honey and cinnamon. Thread fruit chunks onto eight woodenskewers, alternating with different types of fruit. Enjoy your creations dipped incinnamon-honey yogurt. For an extra sweet treat, brush skewers with yogurtdip and roll in your favorite granola.
Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
A WAY TO GARDEN (DOT COM) blog and Q&A forum is the latest horticulturalincarnation of Margaret Roach, whose life list also includes stints as gardeneditor at Newsday in New York, one of the country’s largest daily newspapers;and Martha Stewart Living, where she was the magazine’s first garden editorand until 2008 editorial director of all of the company’s content: magazines,books, and Internet. She recently retired (at a very young age, thank you) to her2.3-acre garden in a Zone 5B area of New York State, which was the subject ofher book “A Way to Garden” (named best garden book of the year in 1998 bythe Garden Writers Association of America and now a collector’s item). Thegarden has been open for ten years for tours as part of the national Open Daysvisiting scheme of the Garden Conservancy; check their site for upcomingdates. Want to know more about her and her relationship with both sides of thegardening equation, the hands-on and the touchy-feely? Check outhttp://awaytogarden.com/.
Read what Anne Raver said about Margaret’s country dream and blog in theNew York Times, June 19, 2008 athttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/garden/19garden.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&sq=raver%20roach&st=nyt&scp=1&oref=slogin
8th Annual Garden Tour Volunteers
A BIG THANK YOU FROM PAULA and the CLUB!
Arlene Lamberti, Georgia Dulmovits, John Dulmovits, Pauline Carlton, Carolyn Savastano, Guy Vitale, Karen Ferb, Anne Rubbo, Violet Mulligan, Mark Jeffers, Millie Zimmerman, Marie Magnano, Barbara Aragon, Carol Tvelia, Susan Scala, Jo Miller, Sandra Franco.
THANK YOU, PAULA!
MUCH APPRECIATED FAN MAIL
It was with great pleasure that I received the notice for this year’s Garden Tour. I’m looking forward to it so much.The past tours have been wonderful. There is something to be learned and admired at each one, and the hostswere all so helpful and hospitable.The Garden Club is to be commended for all its fine works. It has added so much to the community (and in such ashort time). Patchogue is very fortunate to have such a wonderful and active Garden Club.The Spring Luncheon is a great way to start off the season. We look forward to it each March. The baskets are so beautifully put together. Your members (and donors) do a fantastic job, which I know involves an enormous amountof work.The Christmas House Tour was another lovely event. Each home had such gracious hosts and festive, warmdecorations. I hope that it will become an annual event.Keep up your great work, please, and thank you for all you contribute to make our environment so much nicer.The gardens at the Terry Street parking area is so very beautiful and should serve as a model for other villages thatare interested in making their public parking areas attractive.Long live the Patchogue Garden Club and its dedicated members!
Sincerely,
Anita Tim
Timely Tips for August Water plants:
take advantage of cool morning hours, use daytime shade, usemulch, water plants deeply and less frequently. Manage cutworms, larva, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and other garden pests. Deadhead, deadhead, deadhead!!! Weed, weed, weed!!! (Same old story)Harvest and preserve extra fruits and vegetables. Read, listen to music, practice your musical instrument, relax, sleep in theshade, or whatever comes naturally during the dog days of August.
Dear Garden Club Members,
Congratulations to Paula Murphy and her entire committee for a successful eighth annual garden tour. The selected gardens showcased a variety of gardening “microclimates”beach, shade, sun, and sun/shade. The gardens were as varied as theirowners. It was hard not to come away without coveting yet another plant, ornament,or perhaps a total re-do of a small part of your own garden.Thank you also to Carolyn Young for again having an Open Garden tour for hermagnificent daylilies.Water, water, water seems to be the mantra of the past few weeks. Although therewere many thunderstorms and downpours all around us in the past two weeks,especially to the north and west, our marine climate conditions have keep all rainaway from the Patchogue area. This is very reminiscent of last year’s summerweather. Remember to water early in the day, longer, deeper watering is muchmore efficient and beneficial, than daily short bursts. Three to four inches of mulchwill conserve water, and keep down the weeds. Do not mound your mulch aroundyour tree trunks, as you often see in homes/commercial spaces that are“professionally” maintained. You will eventually smother your trees and they will startto experience dieback. You should keep a large circle around the base of your treemulch free and be sure the dirt does not surround the root collar.
Enjoy your summer,
Carol
Mark the Date
Tuesday, July 22, 2008, 6 PM, in the lovely garden of June and Angelo Petrucelli, 111Monroe Ave., Patchogue, 730-1091. Take North or South OceanAvenue to Roe Blvd. and turn west. Turn north onto Monroe. Jennings is the street before Monroe. Bring a chair if you want a guaranteed place to sit.
Plant of the Month and Book Review:
Viburnum
The viburnums are a versatile, diverse—around 150 species-- and adaptablegenus exhibiting fine forms, sweet scents, and beautiful fruits attractive tobirds. There is scarcely a garden that couldn’t use one or more of thesevaluable pest- and disease resistant shrubs, some of which are native. Dr.Michael Dirr, a distinguished woody plant authority, has written “Viburnums:Flowering Shrubs for Every Season”, Timber Press, 2007, $39.95, but as lowas $23.98 at Amazon, or browse for free via Patchogue-Medford LibraryInterlibrary Loan.Viburnums adapt well to most soil conditions and light exposures, but ideallyprefer well-drained acid soil and full to part sun. They tolerate pruning well.They are versatile in many landscapes, so can be used in formal or informalhedges, screens, and barriers as well as in foundation and mass plantings.These lovely shrubs range in size from about three (the fragrant V. carlesii‘Compacta’, dwarf Korean spicebush) to twenty feet (V. sieboldii, sieboldviburnum).Many have outstanding fall color, all have large, beautiful flowers, and thefruits are dark or brilliant blue, yellow, or red in late summer to early fall.
Recipe of the Month:
Fruit Kebobs
2 bananas
8 strawberries
1 apple
8 pineapple chunks
1 orange
1 cup plain, vanilla, or fruit yogurt
1 cup seedless grapes
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Vary the fruit according to what is best in season—think peaches, nectarines,plums, pears, kiwi, raspberries, etc. Cut the fruit into bite-sized chunks. Mix yogurt with honey and cinnamon. Thread fruit chunks onto eight woodenskewers, alternating with different types of fruit. Enjoy your creations dipped incinnamon-honey yogurt. For an extra sweet treat, brush skewers with yogurtdip and roll in your favorite granola.
Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
A WAY TO GARDEN (DOT COM) blog and Q&A forum is the latest horticulturalincarnation of Margaret Roach, whose life list also includes stints as gardeneditor at Newsday in New York, one of the country’s largest daily newspapers;and Martha Stewart Living, where she was the magazine’s first garden editorand until 2008 editorial director of all of the company’s content: magazines,books, and Internet. She recently retired (at a very young age, thank you) to her2.3-acre garden in a Zone 5B area of New York State, which was the subject ofher book “A Way to Garden” (named best garden book of the year in 1998 bythe Garden Writers Association of America and now a collector’s item). Thegarden has been open for ten years for tours as part of the national Open Daysvisiting scheme of the Garden Conservancy; check their site for upcomingdates. Want to know more about her and her relationship with both sides of thegardening equation, the hands-on and the touchy-feely? Check outhttp://awaytogarden.com/.
Read what Anne Raver said about Margaret’s country dream and blog in theNew York Times, June 19, 2008 athttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/garden/19garden.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&sq=raver%20roach&st=nyt&scp=1&oref=slogin
8th Annual Garden Tour Volunteers
A BIG THANK YOU FROM PAULA and the CLUB!
Arlene Lamberti, Georgia Dulmovits, John Dulmovits, Pauline Carlton, Carolyn Savastano, Guy Vitale, Karen Ferb, Anne Rubbo, Violet Mulligan, Mark Jeffers, Millie Zimmerman, Marie Magnano, Barbara Aragon, Carol Tvelia, Susan Scala, Jo Miller, Sandra Franco.
THANK YOU, PAULA!
MUCH APPRECIATED FAN MAIL
It was with great pleasure that I received the notice for this year’s Garden Tour. I’m looking forward to it so much.The past tours have been wonderful. There is something to be learned and admired at each one, and the hostswere all so helpful and hospitable.The Garden Club is to be commended for all its fine works. It has added so much to the community (and in such ashort time). Patchogue is very fortunate to have such a wonderful and active Garden Club.The Spring Luncheon is a great way to start off the season. We look forward to it each March. The baskets are so beautifully put together. Your members (and donors) do a fantastic job, which I know involves an enormous amountof work.The Christmas House Tour was another lovely event. Each home had such gracious hosts and festive, warmdecorations. I hope that it will become an annual event.Keep up your great work, please, and thank you for all you contribute to make our environment so much nicer.The gardens at the Terry Street parking area is so very beautiful and should serve as a model for other villages thatare interested in making their public parking areas attractive.Long live the Patchogue Garden Club and its dedicated members!
Sincerely,
Anita Tim
Timely Tips for August Water plants:
take advantage of cool morning hours, use daytime shade, usemulch, water plants deeply and less frequently. Manage cutworms, larva, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and other garden pests. Deadhead, deadhead, deadhead!!! Weed, weed, weed!!! (Same old story)Harvest and preserve extra fruits and vegetables. Read, listen to music, practice your musical instrument, relax, sleep in theshade, or whatever comes naturally during the dog days of August.
Friday, June 20, 2008
June 2008 Garden Gazette
Greetings from the President
Thanks to all those members who volunteered to put down the mulch in the garden this week. Your work is definitely appreciated. I am slowly working my way through 20 yards of my own mulch which is currently sitting on my driveway. Mother Nature is certainly playing tricks on us this month, searing heat, torrential downpours, a possible tornado if you live in East Moriches, and now a week of spring weather.
Summer officially arrives on Saturday with the summer solstice. The sun moves higher in the sky and we will receive more direct sunlight until the vernal equinox on September 20. Remember to cut your grass higher in the summer to help it survive the heat and humidity, mulch your beds to keep down weeds and to keep flowers and vegetables moist and cool. One inch of water a week is all your lawn and beds
need. Longer watering a few times a week is better for root growth than short daily bursts. Use tuna cans scattered around the yard to have an easy way to check on weekly water totals for both beds and lawns. After all this rain, check around your yard for standing water in pots, wheelbarrows, and other items; don't provide mosquitoes with natural breeding grounds. See you at Sandra's house for the meeting.
Carol
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Mark the Date
Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 6 PM, in Sandra Franco's delightful garden, 42 Bailey Ave., Patchogue, 289-2084. Take S. Ocean Ave. south to Baker St., turn left. Baker becomes Edwards at Rider Ave., then turn right onto Bailey Ave. Sandra is on the right.
Saturday, July 12, 2008, our 8th annual Garden Tour. Flyer enclosed with this newsletter. If you want to help, call Paula Murphy at 289-0234.
Sunday, July 13, 2008, 6:00 PM, annual post-tour potluck at Paula Murphys, 25 Smith St., between Rider and Bay, Patchogue. Bring a chair, a dish to share and beverage of choice; the club provides grilled fish and meats.
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Plants of the Month: Fastigiate Trees
Most of us don’t have space for many, if any very large trees. The landscape solution for the height specimens we’d like to have is fastigiate, or columnar, trees. One of the most popular is the eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’, growing to 20’ tall, but only 3’ wide. Taxodium distichum ‘Peve Minaret’ is a new introduction, 12’ x 2.5. Dr. August Kehr of North Carolina has developed Magnolia x 'Daybreak', an advanced cross between M. x 'Woodsman' and M. x 'Tina Duoro'. It blooms late, has a large, 10" diameter, fragrant, rose-colored flower, and is 30’ x 10’ at maturity. Prunus x cerasifera
‘Crimson Point’ is notable for its purple foliage and orange-bronze new growth. Its snow white flowers are striking against bare dark branches. Never more that 10’ wide, it tops out at 25-30’ at maturity. Along with several crabapple and cherry, look for: Pinus mugo ‘Columnaris’, 15’ x 4’; Picea abies ‘Clanbrassiana Stricta’, 10’ x 2.5’; Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’, 10’ x 3’; Thuja occidentalis ‘Unicorn’, 10’ x 2.5’; and Crataegus monogyna ‘Stricta’, 25’ x 8’
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Recipe of the Month: Watermelon Summer Salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind 1 cucumber, diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 jalapenos, seeded & minced
1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup chopped red onion
3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup fresh basil or cilantro
3 cups seeded, finely chopped watermelon salt to taste
Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add next 5 ingredients, tossing to coat. Chill until ready to serve. Stir in salt just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips. YUMMY!
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Serious Dirt from Paula and Karen (Richard will return)
Our recent horticulturally focused trip to London was smashing! We took in Kew Gardens; their Chinese landscape installation in the forecourt of the British Museum (and as long as we were there, we visited the museum as well); the Chelsea Physic Garden; the Museum of Garden History; Battersea Park; and, last but not least by a long shot, the famed Chelsea Flower Show.
The world famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are absolutely stunning. The new alpine house and rock gardens are especially impressive. Take the tour at http://www.kew.org .
Visit the Chinese exhibit with the garden plan and slides of its creation at http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/china_landscape/kew_at_the_british_museum.aspx
The Physic Garden, founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for training apothecaries, continues to research the properties, origins and conservation of over 5000 species. The beds are laid out geographically, and the plants are labeled with their scientific and common names as well as their uses. There are two order beds, one for monocots and one for dicots; these are laid out in taxonomic order to show relationships between the plants. http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk has a wealth of information.
The Museum of Garden History is located in a wonderful old deconsecrated church. Captain Bligh is buried in the courtyard, as are several members of the Tradescant (as in Tradescantia) family, renowned explorers and gardeners. A wonderful boxwood knot garden was nearly destroyed by a local fox (London is full of them). It seems that boxwood, while smelling noxiously of cat pee to humans, is ambrosia to amorous foxes. Finally the fox died, of natural causes, we were emphatically told, and the boxwood has nearly recovered. There is a great collection of old and unusual gardening paraphernalia, including a cucumber straightener and pony boots for use when mowers were drawn by real equine horsepower. See http://www.museumgardenhistory.org for more. Battersea Park contains a subtropical garden that was originally installed in 1863. During and after World War II, when many men were off to the military, much of the park, including the garden, became allotment gardens to help feed local people. Restoration began in 1992 and was completed in 2004. Read about the park’s fascinating history at http://www.batterseapark.org .
The Chelsea Flower Show is the ultimate event of the gardening year in the UK.
The garden installations and shops were located outdoors. There was a gigantic tent, the Great Pavilion, full of displays from the floral exhibitors. See http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2008/index.asp for the full monty. The BBC link only works in the UK, but do watch the video clips about the display gardens.
We also visited (and shopped and ate at) the fabulous Borough Market in Southwark, http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk Historically important, it was established on the south bank of the Thames when Romans built the first London Bridge it has been on the present site for 250 years.
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Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING:
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2 Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1 Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends
WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN
BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
Thank you, Mary Ann, for these words to live by. I especially like turnips. –Ed.
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Timely Tips for July
Don’t remove clippings from mowing; they return nutrients to the soil and do not contribute to thatch buildup.
Keep a close eye on houseplants outdoors. They need more water now.
Deadhead, deadhead, deadhead!!! Weed, weed, weed!!!
Water lawns once a week, 1-1 ½”. Frequent watering makes for shallow roots more susceptible to drought.
Keep newly established plants watered in dry weather, but do not overwater.
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And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten.
~~James Russell Lowell~~
Visit www.PatchogueGardenClub.com
Thanks to all those members who volunteered to put down the mulch in the garden this week. Your work is definitely appreciated. I am slowly working my way through 20 yards of my own mulch which is currently sitting on my driveway. Mother Nature is certainly playing tricks on us this month, searing heat, torrential downpours, a possible tornado if you live in East Moriches, and now a week of spring weather.
Summer officially arrives on Saturday with the summer solstice. The sun moves higher in the sky and we will receive more direct sunlight until the vernal equinox on September 20. Remember to cut your grass higher in the summer to help it survive the heat and humidity, mulch your beds to keep down weeds and to keep flowers and vegetables moist and cool. One inch of water a week is all your lawn and beds
need. Longer watering a few times a week is better for root growth than short daily bursts. Use tuna cans scattered around the yard to have an easy way to check on weekly water totals for both beds and lawns. After all this rain, check around your yard for standing water in pots, wheelbarrows, and other items; don't provide mosquitoes with natural breeding grounds. See you at Sandra's house for the meeting.
Carol
-----------
Mark the Date
Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 6 PM, in Sandra Franco's delightful garden, 42 Bailey Ave., Patchogue, 289-2084. Take S. Ocean Ave. south to Baker St., turn left. Baker becomes Edwards at Rider Ave., then turn right onto Bailey Ave. Sandra is on the right.
Saturday, July 12, 2008, our 8th annual Garden Tour. Flyer enclosed with this newsletter. If you want to help, call Paula Murphy at 289-0234.
Sunday, July 13, 2008, 6:00 PM, annual post-tour potluck at Paula Murphys, 25 Smith St., between Rider and Bay, Patchogue. Bring a chair, a dish to share and beverage of choice; the club provides grilled fish and meats.
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Plants of the Month: Fastigiate Trees
Most of us don’t have space for many, if any very large trees. The landscape solution for the height specimens we’d like to have is fastigiate, or columnar, trees. One of the most popular is the eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’, growing to 20’ tall, but only 3’ wide. Taxodium distichum ‘Peve Minaret’ is a new introduction, 12’ x 2.5. Dr. August Kehr of North Carolina has developed Magnolia x 'Daybreak', an advanced cross between M. x 'Woodsman' and M. x 'Tina Duoro'. It blooms late, has a large, 10" diameter, fragrant, rose-colored flower, and is 30’ x 10’ at maturity. Prunus x cerasifera
‘Crimson Point’ is notable for its purple foliage and orange-bronze new growth. Its snow white flowers are striking against bare dark branches. Never more that 10’ wide, it tops out at 25-30’ at maturity. Along with several crabapple and cherry, look for: Pinus mugo ‘Columnaris’, 15’ x 4’; Picea abies ‘Clanbrassiana Stricta’, 10’ x 2.5’; Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’, 10’ x 3’; Thuja occidentalis ‘Unicorn’, 10’ x 2.5’; and Crataegus monogyna ‘Stricta’, 25’ x 8’
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Recipe of the Month: Watermelon Summer Salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind 1 cucumber, diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 jalapenos, seeded & minced
1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup chopped red onion
3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup fresh basil or cilantro
3 cups seeded, finely chopped watermelon salt to taste
Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add next 5 ingredients, tossing to coat. Chill until ready to serve. Stir in salt just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips. YUMMY!
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Serious Dirt from Paula and Karen (Richard will return)
Our recent horticulturally focused trip to London was smashing! We took in Kew Gardens; their Chinese landscape installation in the forecourt of the British Museum (and as long as we were there, we visited the museum as well); the Chelsea Physic Garden; the Museum of Garden History; Battersea Park; and, last but not least by a long shot, the famed Chelsea Flower Show.
The world famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are absolutely stunning. The new alpine house and rock gardens are especially impressive. Take the tour at http://www.kew.org .
Visit the Chinese exhibit with the garden plan and slides of its creation at http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/china_landscape/kew_at_the_british_museum.aspx
The Physic Garden, founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for training apothecaries, continues to research the properties, origins and conservation of over 5000 species. The beds are laid out geographically, and the plants are labeled with their scientific and common names as well as their uses. There are two order beds, one for monocots and one for dicots; these are laid out in taxonomic order to show relationships between the plants. http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk has a wealth of information.
The Museum of Garden History is located in a wonderful old deconsecrated church. Captain Bligh is buried in the courtyard, as are several members of the Tradescant (as in Tradescantia) family, renowned explorers and gardeners. A wonderful boxwood knot garden was nearly destroyed by a local fox (London is full of them). It seems that boxwood, while smelling noxiously of cat pee to humans, is ambrosia to amorous foxes. Finally the fox died, of natural causes, we were emphatically told, and the boxwood has nearly recovered. There is a great collection of old and unusual gardening paraphernalia, including a cucumber straightener and pony boots for use when mowers were drawn by real equine horsepower. See http://www.museumgardenhistory.org for more. Battersea Park contains a subtropical garden that was originally installed in 1863. During and after World War II, when many men were off to the military, much of the park, including the garden, became allotment gardens to help feed local people. Restoration began in 1992 and was completed in 2004. Read about the park’s fascinating history at http://www.batterseapark.org .
The Chelsea Flower Show is the ultimate event of the gardening year in the UK.
The garden installations and shops were located outdoors. There was a gigantic tent, the Great Pavilion, full of displays from the floral exhibitors. See http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2008/index.asp for the full monty. The BBC link only works in the UK, but do watch the video clips about the display gardens.
We also visited (and shopped and ate at) the fabulous Borough Market in Southwark, http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk Historically important, it was established on the south bank of the Thames when Romans built the first London Bridge it has been on the present site for 250 years.
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Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING:
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2 Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1 Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends
WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN
BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
Thank you, Mary Ann, for these words to live by. I especially like turnips. –Ed.
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Timely Tips for July
Don’t remove clippings from mowing; they return nutrients to the soil and do not contribute to thatch buildup.
Keep a close eye on houseplants outdoors. They need more water now.
Deadhead, deadhead, deadhead!!! Weed, weed, weed!!!
Water lawns once a week, 1-1 ½”. Frequent watering makes for shallow roots more susceptible to drought.
Keep newly established plants watered in dry weather, but do not overwater.
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And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten.
~~James Russell Lowell~~
Visit www.PatchogueGardenClub.com
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
May 2008 Garden Gazette
Greetings from the President
Thank you to the approximately 25 members who gave their time to help “Open the Garden” a few weeks ago. This was the largest turn out ever, and we were able to finish around noon. Thanks to Guy for picking up the bagels and to Violet for the coffee. Thanks to Jack Heyer for repairing the shed door.
It’s finally time to plant, plant, plant! The last frost date for our area is May 15, so feel free to put in all those tender annuals and vegetables. When planting tomatoes, plant them deeply to get nice strong stems to hold up all those mouthwatering tomatoes, and don’t forget the cages or stakes. Check your hemlocks for wooly adelgid and use a horticultural oil to control them; left unchecked, your hemlock may be lost.
Don’t forget to put out water for the birds even if you don’t feed them; they always need a water source, especially during dry months. See you on the 27th!
Carol
---------
Mark the Date
Saturday, May 17, annual Plant and Yard Sale in the garden. Contact chairperson Carol Tvelia, sciencecat@optonline.net, for more information.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008, 6 PM, at the lovely home of Violet Mulligan, 899 Sipp Avenue, Patchogue, 758-1714. Turn south from Woodside Avenue just east of Hospital Road. Violet is a couple of blocks down on the left.
Saturday, June 7, 2008, 9:00 AM, Breakfast in the Garden; the club will provide bagels, coffee, tea, OJ. Bring a dish to share. Don't forget chairs!
The air is like a butterfly/ With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky/ And sings.
- Joyce Kilmer, Spring
---------
Plant of the Month: New Improved Syringa (Lilac)
Gardeners today have a splendid range of new Lilac species, selections, and hybrids for various uses. Much of the effort has been the breeding of smaller plants such as the very popular 3-4’ S. patula, ‘Miss Kim’ with ice blue flowers and 4-6’ S. meyeri ‘Palibin’ with mauve-purple flowers. Both have coppery russet fall foliage to boot. New cultivars are being seen in the trade now. One is S. vulgaris ‘Prairie Petite’, a four-footer with many big pink trusses of pink flowers. S.hyacinthiflora ‘Maiden’s Blush’ is 5’6’ with bright pinky-lilac flowers. ‘Ballin’ (aka ‘Thumbelina’) is 5-6’ with exceptionally clean foliage and a long bloom period of pink flowers. If you’re up for something bigger, look for S.pekinensis ‘Copper Curls’, just patented and introduced by North Dakota State University, Fargo ND. It is a 20-25’ single or multistemmed tree with showy coppery exfoliating bark, creamy flower trusses, and big long-lasting seed clusters. Lilacs like full sun and bloom on old wood, so should be pruned, if at all, right after flowering. Remember that cropping ends only reduces bloom. Remove the seed heads. If your bush is too tall for space, cut out the older branches near ground level.
----------
Recipe of the Month: Rhubarb Citrus Punch
Ingredients:
8 C. diced rhubarb, stems only
5 C. water
About 2 C. sugar
2 C. orange juice
3/4 C. lemon juice
1 Qt. chilled ginger ale
1 Qt. fresh strawberries (optional)
Rum or vodka (optional)
In pot, simmer rhubarb and water until rhubarb is mushy. Cool; strain through food mill. Add ¼ C. sugar for each cup of rhubarb, lemon and orange juice and return rhubarb only to the pot. Heat just to dissolve the sugar. Chill. Add the orange and lemon juices. Just before serving, add ginger ale and
strawberries, if desired. Pour over ice. Add rum or vodka if you’re that sort. Quantities for 2 ½ -3 gallons: 32 C. rhubarb, 20 C. water, 8 C. sugar, 12 Oz. lemon juice, 8 C. orange juice, 4 Qts. Ginger ale.
---------
Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
Andre LeNotre, 1613-1700
You don’t have to fly to France (not that I would mind!—would you?) and walk through the gardens (translation: jardin, if you have already booked that trip and haven’t bought the Berlitz book yet) to understand the influence of a landscape architect who worked for King Louis XIV from 1645-1700. French landscape architecture in a simplified manner could be summed up to designs found in the garden layouts of this time. Formal gardens with an emphasis on geometry and perspective can be found in the landscape at Versailles. The city plan at Versailles also incorporates these design influences with its radiating boulevards that include the largest avenue in all of Europe, the Avenue de Paris. LeNotre came from a family where his father and grandfather were both responsible for the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. His schooling included mathematics, painting, and architecture which shows in the work he did for the gardens at Chateau Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Vaux le Vicomte, and even St. James Park in London. So the next time you find yourself strolling along the Champs Elysee smoking a Gauloise and eating a croissant, remember to thank Andre LeNotre for his design.
----------
Take a Hike : Hofstra University Arboretum
When you need a suggestion for just the right tree, shrub, or perennial for that spot in your garden, do you pick up a plant catalog or book with closeup photographs that don’t show what the entire plant will look like once well established? Or do you go to the local nursery and hope they have more than the standard rows of azaleas and rhododendrons? You might want to consider a trip to Hofstra University in Hempstead, not to sit in a classroom but to walk the grounds of their beautiful campus that is also one of 430 arboreta in the US with 240 acres consisting of 625 different species and varieties of plant material. Also within the grounds is a two acre bird sanctuary with a clear walking path through this reclaimed site. Go to the Hofstra University website to see photographs of what is currently in bloom (www.Hofstra.edu) or call 516-463-6623 for additional information on self-guided tours.
----------
Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
Very Important Message!
Thank you for signing up to help at the Plant and Yard Sale. The sale is this Saturday from 9:00 AM—3:00 PM. We will need people to stagger their attendance if you cannot stay the entire time. We will begin setting up at 8:00 AM.
The Village is loaning us tables, but they must be picked up at the Beach Club, so if someone has a truck we can use, please be at the garden at 7:45 AM so we can meet Lori Devlin at the Beach club by 8:00 AM.
We will also need people at the end of the day to clean up and transport "leftovers" to the Salvation Army and/or Good Will in East Patchogue. Again, a truck would be helpful.
If you have never participated before, the day is basically helping customers and organizing the merchandise. Knowledge of perennials and their care is a bonus when people ask us for horticultural tips. Please e-mail me at sciencecat@optonline.net and let me know the times you can help.
The club will provide bagels and coffee for the workers. Thanks for making this annual event a success! Carol
Reminders: Farmingdale State College Garden Festival on May 31st and June 1st from 10 AM to 5 PM 2008, the Great Brookhaven Cleanup April 5 to May 31 and the Maynard garden June 1. See the April issue of the newsletter for details.
Sayville Garden Club Spring Luncheon and Raffle Boutique
May 19, 2008 at 10 AM Speaker: Mr. Art Wolk, “Garden Lunacy: A Growing Concern”, program and book signing Land's End, 80 Browns Rd., Sayville, NY 11782 Tickets: $40. Call Anne Wolstencroft at 589-1713.
Help Wanted!
One of our members, Heather Georgiou needs a recommendation for a landscaper to help her with her own garden clean up. If you know someone reliable, please e-mail her at markella12@aol.com.
Free Iris: Frances Barlow from the Bellport Spring Gardening School has Iris to give away. All you have to do is dig them up. Call her at 286-9151 after 4:00 PM to arrange a time. She lives in East Patchogue.
Dress Up Your Dirt
Violet Mulligan tells us if you don't find a good way to cover the ground, Mother Nature will, and you may not always like the results. She refers us to HDTV’s site for gracious groundcovers, including the beauty below. Thanks, Violet!
Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_plants_groundcovers/article/0,1785,HGTV_3608_5850064,00.html?nl=HGG_v082_5
--------
Timely Tips for June
Pinch back any plants getting leggy, chrysanthemums every 6” or so. Divide spring flowering perennials, sow perennial seed, buy a few new. Check roses for black spot, mildew, & aphids and correct immediately. Deadhead annuals to keep them flowering all summer. Prune spring flowering shrubs right after they bloom. Divide and move old clusters of daffodils if bloom has fallen off.
Thank you to the approximately 25 members who gave their time to help “Open the Garden” a few weeks ago. This was the largest turn out ever, and we were able to finish around noon. Thanks to Guy for picking up the bagels and to Violet for the coffee. Thanks to Jack Heyer for repairing the shed door.
It’s finally time to plant, plant, plant! The last frost date for our area is May 15, so feel free to put in all those tender annuals and vegetables. When planting tomatoes, plant them deeply to get nice strong stems to hold up all those mouthwatering tomatoes, and don’t forget the cages or stakes. Check your hemlocks for wooly adelgid and use a horticultural oil to control them; left unchecked, your hemlock may be lost.
Don’t forget to put out water for the birds even if you don’t feed them; they always need a water source, especially during dry months. See you on the 27th!
Carol
---------
Mark the Date
Saturday, May 17, annual Plant and Yard Sale in the garden. Contact chairperson Carol Tvelia, sciencecat@optonline.net, for more information.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008, 6 PM, at the lovely home of Violet Mulligan, 899 Sipp Avenue, Patchogue, 758-1714. Turn south from Woodside Avenue just east of Hospital Road. Violet is a couple of blocks down on the left.
Saturday, June 7, 2008, 9:00 AM, Breakfast in the Garden; the club will provide bagels, coffee, tea, OJ. Bring a dish to share. Don't forget chairs!
The air is like a butterfly/ With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky/ And sings.
- Joyce Kilmer, Spring
---------
Plant of the Month: New Improved Syringa (Lilac)
Gardeners today have a splendid range of new Lilac species, selections, and hybrids for various uses. Much of the effort has been the breeding of smaller plants such as the very popular 3-4’ S. patula, ‘Miss Kim’ with ice blue flowers and 4-6’ S. meyeri ‘Palibin’ with mauve-purple flowers. Both have coppery russet fall foliage to boot. New cultivars are being seen in the trade now. One is S. vulgaris ‘Prairie Petite’, a four-footer with many big pink trusses of pink flowers. S.hyacinthiflora ‘Maiden’s Blush’ is 5’6’ with bright pinky-lilac flowers. ‘Ballin’ (aka ‘Thumbelina’) is 5-6’ with exceptionally clean foliage and a long bloom period of pink flowers. If you’re up for something bigger, look for S.pekinensis ‘Copper Curls’, just patented and introduced by North Dakota State University, Fargo ND. It is a 20-25’ single or multistemmed tree with showy coppery exfoliating bark, creamy flower trusses, and big long-lasting seed clusters. Lilacs like full sun and bloom on old wood, so should be pruned, if at all, right after flowering. Remember that cropping ends only reduces bloom. Remove the seed heads. If your bush is too tall for space, cut out the older branches near ground level.
----------
Recipe of the Month: Rhubarb Citrus Punch
Ingredients:
8 C. diced rhubarb, stems only
5 C. water
About 2 C. sugar
2 C. orange juice
3/4 C. lemon juice
1 Qt. chilled ginger ale
1 Qt. fresh strawberries (optional)
Rum or vodka (optional)
In pot, simmer rhubarb and water until rhubarb is mushy. Cool; strain through food mill. Add ¼ C. sugar for each cup of rhubarb, lemon and orange juice and return rhubarb only to the pot. Heat just to dissolve the sugar. Chill. Add the orange and lemon juices. Just before serving, add ginger ale and
strawberries, if desired. Pour over ice. Add rum or vodka if you’re that sort. Quantities for 2 ½ -3 gallons: 32 C. rhubarb, 20 C. water, 8 C. sugar, 12 Oz. lemon juice, 8 C. orange juice, 4 Qts. Ginger ale.
---------
Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
Andre LeNotre, 1613-1700
You don’t have to fly to France (not that I would mind!—would you?) and walk through the gardens (translation: jardin, if you have already booked that trip and haven’t bought the Berlitz book yet) to understand the influence of a landscape architect who worked for King Louis XIV from 1645-1700. French landscape architecture in a simplified manner could be summed up to designs found in the garden layouts of this time. Formal gardens with an emphasis on geometry and perspective can be found in the landscape at Versailles. The city plan at Versailles also incorporates these design influences with its radiating boulevards that include the largest avenue in all of Europe, the Avenue de Paris. LeNotre came from a family where his father and grandfather were both responsible for the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. His schooling included mathematics, painting, and architecture which shows in the work he did for the gardens at Chateau Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Vaux le Vicomte, and even St. James Park in London. So the next time you find yourself strolling along the Champs Elysee smoking a Gauloise and eating a croissant, remember to thank Andre LeNotre for his design.
----------
Take a Hike : Hofstra University Arboretum
When you need a suggestion for just the right tree, shrub, or perennial for that spot in your garden, do you pick up a plant catalog or book with closeup photographs that don’t show what the entire plant will look like once well established? Or do you go to the local nursery and hope they have more than the standard rows of azaleas and rhododendrons? You might want to consider a trip to Hofstra University in Hempstead, not to sit in a classroom but to walk the grounds of their beautiful campus that is also one of 430 arboreta in the US with 240 acres consisting of 625 different species and varieties of plant material. Also within the grounds is a two acre bird sanctuary with a clear walking path through this reclaimed site. Go to the Hofstra University website to see photographs of what is currently in bloom (www.Hofstra.edu) or call 516-463-6623 for additional information on self-guided tours.
----------
Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
Very Important Message!
Thank you for signing up to help at the Plant and Yard Sale. The sale is this Saturday from 9:00 AM—3:00 PM. We will need people to stagger their attendance if you cannot stay the entire time. We will begin setting up at 8:00 AM.
The Village is loaning us tables, but they must be picked up at the Beach Club, so if someone has a truck we can use, please be at the garden at 7:45 AM so we can meet Lori Devlin at the Beach club by 8:00 AM.
We will also need people at the end of the day to clean up and transport "leftovers" to the Salvation Army and/or Good Will in East Patchogue. Again, a truck would be helpful.
If you have never participated before, the day is basically helping customers and organizing the merchandise. Knowledge of perennials and their care is a bonus when people ask us for horticultural tips. Please e-mail me at sciencecat@optonline.net and let me know the times you can help.
The club will provide bagels and coffee for the workers. Thanks for making this annual event a success! Carol
Reminders: Farmingdale State College Garden Festival on May 31st and June 1st from 10 AM to 5 PM 2008, the Great Brookhaven Cleanup April 5 to May 31 and the Maynard garden June 1. See the April issue of the newsletter for details.
Sayville Garden Club Spring Luncheon and Raffle Boutique
May 19, 2008 at 10 AM Speaker: Mr. Art Wolk, “Garden Lunacy: A Growing Concern”, program and book signing Land's End, 80 Browns Rd., Sayville, NY 11782 Tickets: $40. Call Anne Wolstencroft at 589-1713.
Help Wanted!
One of our members, Heather Georgiou needs a recommendation for a landscaper to help her with her own garden clean up. If you know someone reliable, please e-mail her at markella12@aol.com.
Free Iris: Frances Barlow from the Bellport Spring Gardening School has Iris to give away. All you have to do is dig them up. Call her at 286-9151 after 4:00 PM to arrange a time. She lives in East Patchogue.
Dress Up Your Dirt
Violet Mulligan tells us if you don't find a good way to cover the ground, Mother Nature will, and you may not always like the results. She refers us to HDTV’s site for gracious groundcovers, including the beauty below. Thanks, Violet!
Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_plants_groundcovers/article/0,1785,HGTV_3608_5850064,00.html?nl=HGG_v082_5
--------
Timely Tips for June
Pinch back any plants getting leggy, chrysanthemums every 6” or so. Divide spring flowering perennials, sow perennial seed, buy a few new. Check roses for black spot, mildew, & aphids and correct immediately. Deadhead annuals to keep them flowering all summer. Prune spring flowering shrubs right after they bloom. Divide and move old clusters of daffodils if bloom has fallen off.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
April 2008 Garden Gazette
Greetings from the President
Although the calendar said that spring arrived almost a month ago, the weather certainly hasn’t cooperated. I think we will have another one of those seasons where we “skip” spring and go right into summer. We still need a volunteer or two to help with the Community Summit at Patchogue- Medford HS on May 1 from 5-9 PM. If you can give just one hour, it would be much appreciated. Everyone is welcome to attend the summit starting at 6 PM. We will be opening the garden on Saturday, April 26 at 9 AM. Please bring clippers, bags, rakes, and shovels. The club will provide bagels and coffee. The rain date is Sunday, April 27. Remember the adage, “Many hands make light work”. Any time you can give will help the work go much faster. The Plant and Yard Sale will take place on May 17th. Price labels for donated yard sale items will be available at the April meeting. We will also have a limited number of pots for your plant donations. Please be sure that any items you are donating are pre-priced. Plants need to be identified by common names. We will need people to
set up and clean up as well as to sell during the day.
Carol Tvelia
President
Patchogue Garden Club
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Mark the Date
Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 7 PM, membership meeting at the Hagerman Fire Department on the corner of Dunton Avenue and Oakdale Avenue in East Patchogue. From the Village, go east on Montauk Hwy. to Dunton Ave., turn right, cross the railroad tracks, and make an immediate left. The fire house is on the right. Enter the first driveway, park in the rear of the building, and enter through the visitor’s entrance in the rear. The meeting room is on the right side of the hallway.
Saturday, April 26, 2008 (Rain date April 27), 9 AM, opening of the community garden at South Ocean Ave. and Terry St. Workers needed! Bring gloves, tools, plastic bags and energy! Reward: Coffee and bagels.
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Plant of the Month: A Shady Standout
Ten years ago few gardeners knew about Brunnera macrophylla (formerly Anchusa myosotidiflora, meaning forget-me-not flowered), commonly known as Siberian/heartleaf bugloss or perennial/false forget-me-not. Its large, heart-shaped or oval leaves and masses of pure blue spring flowers are
endearing. It is extremely hardy and adaptable, producing mounds of 6” leaves that stay handsome all summer if given half to full shade and moist, humusy soil. It makes an excellent groundcover.
As beautiful as the species is, most in demand are cultivars with various leaf variegations. ‘Jack Frost’ has striking green-veined silver leaves. ‘Variegata’ has lovely gray-green leaves with irregular creamy edges. ‘Hadspen Cream’ has broad creamy borders on dark green leaves. ‘Langtrees’, aka ‘Aluminum Spot’, has unusual silver spotting and mottling on its foliage. The newest arrival is ‘Silver Wings’, with distinctive marbling. Occasionally you might find the white-flowered ‘Alba’ whose leaves are a deep green. Available at many mail-order nurseries, e.g., White Flower Farm, if not locally.
Recipe of the Month: Pasta with Asparagus
Southern asparagus is in the markets now, and soon we’ll be seeing the local product. Now is the time to haul out all your best asparagus recipes for the season. Timely hint: Store up your stems for cream of asparagus soup and garnish with a few fresh tips. If you have overwintered leeks, make the soup with them instead of onions.
1 lb. asparagus * 6 tbsp. butter * ½ c. finely sliced ham * 1 c. finely sliced
mushrooms * 1 lb. fettucine * 2 tbsp. olive oil * 2 cloves garlic, minced * 2 c.
light cream * ¾ c. Parmesan * salt & pepper * 2 beaten egg yolks * chopped
chives
Peel and roll-cut asparagus into 1-1 ½ “ pieces. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a saute pan and lightly saute the ham (omit for vegetarians) and mushrooms; set aside. Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of water until just cooked through; scoop out the asparagus, but save the water. Add the pasta and cook until done, then drain. In a large saute pan heat 4 tbsp. butter and the olive oil. Add garlic (you can use more if you like) and cook for a minute. Add the pasta and toss to coat with butter and oil. Stir in the cream and grated cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. If you like, lower the heat and stir in the eggs. Toss for a minute to thicken the sauce. Add the asparagus, ham, and mushrooms and cook for a minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives and pass more grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4-6.
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Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
Thomas Dolliver Church (1902 - 1978)
In the United States, modern residential landscape design began with a small group of influential designers, with Thomas Church, affectionately known as Tommy, being considered the founding father. He was born in Boston, but grew up in the Ojai Valley north of Los Angeles, and received his MA from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in city planning and landscape architecture in 1923. When he was 30 years old he opened an office and continued his practice from the same location until his retirement in 1977. The modern landscape design movement came to be known as 'California Style'. In his book, “Gardens are For People” (available through the Suffolk County Library system and in bookstores), he illustrates his four guiding principles for garden design. Unity (taking into account the scheme as a whole rather than disjointed parcels), function, simplicity and scale. Having designed over 2,000 private gardens and master plans for college campuses and commercial sites, Church did away with an emphasis on using a formal central axis and stated that gardens ‘should be pleasing when seen from any angle, not only from the house.’ In addition to his books that are still in print, he was also a longtime contributor to the magazines House Beautiful and Sunset. See Stanford Magazine’s article for more detail at http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2003/janfeb/features/church.html
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Arbor Day
Arbor Day, a Nebraska holiday since 1872, came from an idea of J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska. A pioneer from Detroit, he noticed that his new state lacked the green growth he was accustomed to. As a journalist he wrote of the importance trees have as windbreaks, for building materials and for shade. In numerous editorials he persuaded other civic organizations to jump on the band wagon. The first official national Arbor Day was celebrated in 1885 with great fanfare. In the following years, states passed Arbor Day legislation, typically observed on the national date of the last Friday in April, though that varies from state to state. In New York State, 379,036 trees were planted by 47,300 Arbor Day Foundation members in 2005 alone. See www.Arborday.org.
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Henry Moore Sculptures Arrive Fresh from England’s Kew Gardens!
A garden consists of more than just trees, shrubs, perennials and lawn. Some gardens include water features such as fountains or ponds, and in others you can find sculpture placed in strategic locations. From May 24th through November 2nd the New York Botanical Garden will be hosting an exhibit throughout their 250 acres of 20 major Henry Moore sculptures. Moore had taken inspiration for many of these pieces from his love of nature. With the monumental size of these works of art, the outdoors turns out to be one of the best places to be able to view them from all angles, in different light conditions and with the gardens as a backdrop. The Henry Moore Foundation, along with the New York Botanical Gardens, will be placing these sculptures for visitors to get close enough to touch them too. For more information go to www.nybg.org. For more on Moore, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Moore
----------
Around Town
More News on Arbor Day
The Village of Patchogue’s Tree Committee, headed up by Trustee Lori Devlin, is planning an Arbor Day celebration to be held in the municipal parking lot behind the Patchogue Theatre in the vicinity of the new American Elms. They will install the plaque that was awarded from Liberty Elm (the group that raises these Dutch Elm disease-resistant trees, http://www.libertyelm.com/) and John Cino will read from Seuss’ "The Lorax". If you have any ideas for additional content for this ceremony, please let Lori know at ldevlin@patchoguevillage.org . The date for the ceremony is April 29th at 10 AM. Children from Bay Avenue Elementary School’s Green Thumb Club will be there. Village of Patchogue Beautification Committee Fundraiser
The Greater Patchogue Foundation Beautification Committee, headed up by our own Paula Murphy, will host its Annual Eloise Staudinger Fundraiser on April 26th at the Pine Grove Inn at 1 Chapel Avenue in East Patchogue. This is the committee’s only fundraiser, so if the daffodils they planted blooming all over Patchogue make you smile—with tulips and flowering trees soon to follow—please make every effort to attend. Lunch, 11:30–3:00, Dinner, two seatings, 5:00–7:30 and 7:30–10:00. Call the office, 207-1000, for reservations. Lunch: $22, Dinner: $35. Prizes will be raffled off.
At Last, Copper Beech Village Sports a Real Copper Beech On Friday, April 11, around noon, a magnificent Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’, was planted on the grounds of Copper Beech Village at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Gerard Street, thanks to Pulte Homes. We will look forward to seeing this beautiful specimen take off.
---------
Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
Learning Experience
Put down your trowel, hang up your rake and find your way to Farmingdale State College on May 31st and June 1st from 10 AM to 5 PM for the 2008 Garden Festival. Take a free tour of their teaching gardens where students from the Department of Ornamental Horticulture have been working the gardens into themed rooms since the 1930's.
You can shop their plant sale with assistance to help you locate the right plant for your garden and your own specific needs. There will be workshops, and Cornell Cooperative Extension will offer an analysis and diagnosis on soil samples brought from your garden. For more information: www.farmingdale.edu/horticulture or call 631-420-2075/2113. Thanks, Richard.
Pitch In!
Join good people doing great things: The Great Brookhaven Cleanup is April 5 to May 31. On May 10 there is a Shredding Event. Residents can bring old files, sensitive papers, etc., for free secure shredding and recycling (small businesses must register in advance) at the Town’s Materials Recycling Facility. The Great Brookhaven Plant-In will be held on May 17. Register online at www.Brookhaven.org or via Brookhaven’s Green Gazette, mail or fax. For information call 451-TOWN. Thank you Barbara Aragon!
John and Pepe Maynard’s Bedford NY Garden: A Very Special Road Trip
Pepe Maynard, a landscape designer, was a co-founder of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program and a principal in the restoration of New York City’s Central Park Conservatory Garden. Paula and Karen recently attended a program sponsored by Wave Hill at the New York School of Interior Design at which Pepe spoke about how her upbringing on a 2,000 acre farm in Kenya just south of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the natural African landscape informed her approach to landscape design. At the talk, Pepe invited people to stop by on June 1 to see their garden, which they have nurtured for 30 years—it’s now or never. Soon they will be retiring to their Maine home.
See http://gardening.lohudblogs.com/2008/01/24/pepe-maynards-garden-in-winter/ for photos and a link to news.
Let’s have a caravan; organize your carpool. Directions on request. Biochar? What’s the Buzz?
Biochar is a charcoal produced from biomass (secondary forest and crop residues). In some cases, the term is used specifically to mean biomass charcoal produced via pyrolysis (slash and char rather than slash and burn). Biochar is employed commonly as a soil amendment. There is evidence that low-temperature biochar produces robust growth in plants when compared to high-temperature biochar. It is speculated that it retains organic matter desirable to beneficial microbes resulting in higher nutrient availability to plants. Biochar is the main ingredient in the formation of terra preta, or Amazonian dark earth. Efforts to create these soils are being undertaken by companies, and research efforts are underway at Cornell, among other universities. One focus of this research is the prospect that if biochar becomes widely used for soil improvement, it will involve globally significant amounts of carbon sequestration, remediating global warming. Biochar has potential as an amendment for aquatic habitats, being able to absorb nitrate and phosphate which run off the land and into waterways. Also, rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are thought to be leading to increasing ocean acidity and potential harm to some forms of marine life. Biochar is able to absorb and neutralize
acids and toxins in the water which would lead to an increased ocean pH. For more details and scientific explanations, see http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/biochar/Biochar_home.htm and http://www.biocharinternational.org/aboutbiochar.html. Thanks to Barbara Aragon.
-----------
Timely Tips
Treat yourself to at least 1 great new plant before the best selection is gone.
Deadhead spring blooming bulbs, but let the foliage grow until it yellows
Start digging that pond you’ve been talking about.
Keep an eye out for pests & fungal diseases. Control them before it’s too late.
Keep harvesting cool season crops like asparagus, peas, and spring lettuce.
If you’re not picking asparagus, get some planted for next year
---------
"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of
March."
- Robert Frost
Although the calendar said that spring arrived almost a month ago, the weather certainly hasn’t cooperated. I think we will have another one of those seasons where we “skip” spring and go right into summer. We still need a volunteer or two to help with the Community Summit at Patchogue- Medford HS on May 1 from 5-9 PM. If you can give just one hour, it would be much appreciated. Everyone is welcome to attend the summit starting at 6 PM. We will be opening the garden on Saturday, April 26 at 9 AM. Please bring clippers, bags, rakes, and shovels. The club will provide bagels and coffee. The rain date is Sunday, April 27. Remember the adage, “Many hands make light work”. Any time you can give will help the work go much faster. The Plant and Yard Sale will take place on May 17th. Price labels for donated yard sale items will be available at the April meeting. We will also have a limited number of pots for your plant donations. Please be sure that any items you are donating are pre-priced. Plants need to be identified by common names. We will need people to
set up and clean up as well as to sell during the day.
Carol Tvelia
President
Patchogue Garden Club
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Mark the Date
Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 7 PM, membership meeting at the Hagerman Fire Department on the corner of Dunton Avenue and Oakdale Avenue in East Patchogue. From the Village, go east on Montauk Hwy. to Dunton Ave., turn right, cross the railroad tracks, and make an immediate left. The fire house is on the right. Enter the first driveway, park in the rear of the building, and enter through the visitor’s entrance in the rear. The meeting room is on the right side of the hallway.
Saturday, April 26, 2008 (Rain date April 27), 9 AM, opening of the community garden at South Ocean Ave. and Terry St. Workers needed! Bring gloves, tools, plastic bags and energy! Reward: Coffee and bagels.
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Plant of the Month: A Shady Standout
Ten years ago few gardeners knew about Brunnera macrophylla (formerly Anchusa myosotidiflora, meaning forget-me-not flowered), commonly known as Siberian/heartleaf bugloss or perennial/false forget-me-not. Its large, heart-shaped or oval leaves and masses of pure blue spring flowers are
endearing. It is extremely hardy and adaptable, producing mounds of 6” leaves that stay handsome all summer if given half to full shade and moist, humusy soil. It makes an excellent groundcover.
As beautiful as the species is, most in demand are cultivars with various leaf variegations. ‘Jack Frost’ has striking green-veined silver leaves. ‘Variegata’ has lovely gray-green leaves with irregular creamy edges. ‘Hadspen Cream’ has broad creamy borders on dark green leaves. ‘Langtrees’, aka ‘Aluminum Spot’, has unusual silver spotting and mottling on its foliage. The newest arrival is ‘Silver Wings’, with distinctive marbling. Occasionally you might find the white-flowered ‘Alba’ whose leaves are a deep green. Available at many mail-order nurseries, e.g., White Flower Farm, if not locally.
Recipe of the Month: Pasta with Asparagus
Southern asparagus is in the markets now, and soon we’ll be seeing the local product. Now is the time to haul out all your best asparagus recipes for the season. Timely hint: Store up your stems for cream of asparagus soup and garnish with a few fresh tips. If you have overwintered leeks, make the soup with them instead of onions.
1 lb. asparagus * 6 tbsp. butter * ½ c. finely sliced ham * 1 c. finely sliced
mushrooms * 1 lb. fettucine * 2 tbsp. olive oil * 2 cloves garlic, minced * 2 c.
light cream * ¾ c. Parmesan * salt & pepper * 2 beaten egg yolks * chopped
chives
Peel and roll-cut asparagus into 1-1 ½ “ pieces. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a saute pan and lightly saute the ham (omit for vegetarians) and mushrooms; set aside. Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of water until just cooked through; scoop out the asparagus, but save the water. Add the pasta and cook until done, then drain. In a large saute pan heat 4 tbsp. butter and the olive oil. Add garlic (you can use more if you like) and cook for a minute. Add the pasta and toss to coat with butter and oil. Stir in the cream and grated cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. If you like, lower the heat and stir in the eggs. Toss for a minute to thicken the sauce. Add the asparagus, ham, and mushrooms and cook for a minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives and pass more grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4-6.
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Serious Dirt from Richard Waldman
Thomas Dolliver Church (1902 - 1978)
In the United States, modern residential landscape design began with a small group of influential designers, with Thomas Church, affectionately known as Tommy, being considered the founding father. He was born in Boston, but grew up in the Ojai Valley north of Los Angeles, and received his MA from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in city planning and landscape architecture in 1923. When he was 30 years old he opened an office and continued his practice from the same location until his retirement in 1977. The modern landscape design movement came to be known as 'California Style'. In his book, “Gardens are For People” (available through the Suffolk County Library system and in bookstores), he illustrates his four guiding principles for garden design. Unity (taking into account the scheme as a whole rather than disjointed parcels), function, simplicity and scale. Having designed over 2,000 private gardens and master plans for college campuses and commercial sites, Church did away with an emphasis on using a formal central axis and stated that gardens ‘should be pleasing when seen from any angle, not only from the house.’ In addition to his books that are still in print, he was also a longtime contributor to the magazines House Beautiful and Sunset. See Stanford Magazine’s article for more detail at http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2003/janfeb/features/church.html
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Arbor Day
Arbor Day, a Nebraska holiday since 1872, came from an idea of J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska. A pioneer from Detroit, he noticed that his new state lacked the green growth he was accustomed to. As a journalist he wrote of the importance trees have as windbreaks, for building materials and for shade. In numerous editorials he persuaded other civic organizations to jump on the band wagon. The first official national Arbor Day was celebrated in 1885 with great fanfare. In the following years, states passed Arbor Day legislation, typically observed on the national date of the last Friday in April, though that varies from state to state. In New York State, 379,036 trees were planted by 47,300 Arbor Day Foundation members in 2005 alone. See www.Arborday.org.
----------
Henry Moore Sculptures Arrive Fresh from England’s Kew Gardens!
A garden consists of more than just trees, shrubs, perennials and lawn. Some gardens include water features such as fountains or ponds, and in others you can find sculpture placed in strategic locations. From May 24th through November 2nd the New York Botanical Garden will be hosting an exhibit throughout their 250 acres of 20 major Henry Moore sculptures. Moore had taken inspiration for many of these pieces from his love of nature. With the monumental size of these works of art, the outdoors turns out to be one of the best places to be able to view them from all angles, in different light conditions and with the gardens as a backdrop. The Henry Moore Foundation, along with the New York Botanical Gardens, will be placing these sculptures for visitors to get close enough to touch them too. For more information go to www.nybg.org. For more on Moore, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Moore
----------
Around Town
More News on Arbor Day
The Village of Patchogue’s Tree Committee, headed up by Trustee Lori Devlin, is planning an Arbor Day celebration to be held in the municipal parking lot behind the Patchogue Theatre in the vicinity of the new American Elms. They will install the plaque that was awarded from Liberty Elm (the group that raises these Dutch Elm disease-resistant trees, http://www.libertyelm.com/) and John Cino will read from Seuss’ "The Lorax". If you have any ideas for additional content for this ceremony, please let Lori know at ldevlin@patchoguevillage.org . The date for the ceremony is April 29th at 10 AM. Children from Bay Avenue Elementary School’s Green Thumb Club will be there. Village of Patchogue Beautification Committee Fundraiser
The Greater Patchogue Foundation Beautification Committee, headed up by our own Paula Murphy, will host its Annual Eloise Staudinger Fundraiser on April 26th at the Pine Grove Inn at 1 Chapel Avenue in East Patchogue. This is the committee’s only fundraiser, so if the daffodils they planted blooming all over Patchogue make you smile—with tulips and flowering trees soon to follow—please make every effort to attend. Lunch, 11:30–3:00, Dinner, two seatings, 5:00–7:30 and 7:30–10:00. Call the office, 207-1000, for reservations. Lunch: $22, Dinner: $35. Prizes will be raffled off.
At Last, Copper Beech Village Sports a Real Copper Beech On Friday, April 11, around noon, a magnificent Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’, was planted on the grounds of Copper Beech Village at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Gerard Street, thanks to Pulte Homes. We will look forward to seeing this beautiful specimen take off.
---------
Members Page
New! Please Contribute Your Ideas, Suggestions, and Special Information. Name may be held by request.
Learning Experience
Put down your trowel, hang up your rake and find your way to Farmingdale State College on May 31st and June 1st from 10 AM to 5 PM for the 2008 Garden Festival. Take a free tour of their teaching gardens where students from the Department of Ornamental Horticulture have been working the gardens into themed rooms since the 1930's.
You can shop their plant sale with assistance to help you locate the right plant for your garden and your own specific needs. There will be workshops, and Cornell Cooperative Extension will offer an analysis and diagnosis on soil samples brought from your garden. For more information: www.farmingdale.edu/horticulture or call 631-420-2075/2113. Thanks, Richard.
Pitch In!
Join good people doing great things: The Great Brookhaven Cleanup is April 5 to May 31. On May 10 there is a Shredding Event. Residents can bring old files, sensitive papers, etc., for free secure shredding and recycling (small businesses must register in advance) at the Town’s Materials Recycling Facility. The Great Brookhaven Plant-In will be held on May 17. Register online at www.Brookhaven.org or via Brookhaven’s Green Gazette, mail or fax. For information call 451-TOWN. Thank you Barbara Aragon!
John and Pepe Maynard’s Bedford NY Garden: A Very Special Road Trip
Pepe Maynard, a landscape designer, was a co-founder of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program and a principal in the restoration of New York City’s Central Park Conservatory Garden. Paula and Karen recently attended a program sponsored by Wave Hill at the New York School of Interior Design at which Pepe spoke about how her upbringing on a 2,000 acre farm in Kenya just south of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the natural African landscape informed her approach to landscape design. At the talk, Pepe invited people to stop by on June 1 to see their garden, which they have nurtured for 30 years—it’s now or never. Soon they will be retiring to their Maine home.
See http://gardening.lohudblogs.com/2008/01/24/pepe-maynards-garden-in-winter/ for photos and a link to news.
Let’s have a caravan; organize your carpool. Directions on request. Biochar? What’s the Buzz?
Biochar is a charcoal produced from biomass (secondary forest and crop residues). In some cases, the term is used specifically to mean biomass charcoal produced via pyrolysis (slash and char rather than slash and burn). Biochar is employed commonly as a soil amendment. There is evidence that low-temperature biochar produces robust growth in plants when compared to high-temperature biochar. It is speculated that it retains organic matter desirable to beneficial microbes resulting in higher nutrient availability to plants. Biochar is the main ingredient in the formation of terra preta, or Amazonian dark earth. Efforts to create these soils are being undertaken by companies, and research efforts are underway at Cornell, among other universities. One focus of this research is the prospect that if biochar becomes widely used for soil improvement, it will involve globally significant amounts of carbon sequestration, remediating global warming. Biochar has potential as an amendment for aquatic habitats, being able to absorb nitrate and phosphate which run off the land and into waterways. Also, rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are thought to be leading to increasing ocean acidity and potential harm to some forms of marine life. Biochar is able to absorb and neutralize
acids and toxins in the water which would lead to an increased ocean pH. For more details and scientific explanations, see http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/biochar/Biochar_home.htm and http://www.biocharinternational.org/aboutbiochar.html. Thanks to Barbara Aragon.
-----------
Timely Tips
Treat yourself to at least 1 great new plant before the best selection is gone.
Deadhead spring blooming bulbs, but let the foliage grow until it yellows
Start digging that pond you’ve been talking about.
Keep an eye out for pests & fungal diseases. Control them before it’s too late.
Keep harvesting cool season crops like asparagus, peas, and spring lettuce.
If you’re not picking asparagus, get some planted for next year
---------
"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of
March."
- Robert Frost
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