In the Garden

email from Margaret Hughes:

“The Garden Club of Peekskill is sponsoring a bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show on Tuesday, March 6.  Departing 8am from Beach Shopping Ctr. and returning 7:30pm.  Non-members are
invited at a cost of $63.00.  Deadline for tickets is February 10.  Call Dee Hintze at 914-737-1594.

Perennials: Order seeds early for best selection. Make sure mulches are in place if there is no snow cover. Christmas tree boughs are useful.

Flowers: Petunias and wax begonias can be seeded soon. The seed requires light, so don’t cover. Take cuttings of plants overwintering in the house, such as geranium and coleus.

Vegetables and fruits: A cold frame can be used all winter for lettuces and spinach if it is convenient to the house. When ordering tomato seeds be aware that determinates make little or no growth after the fruit is set. Indeterminates continue producing new shoots and blossoms and harvest is extended, and they take up more space.

Trees and shrubs: An oak tree can host more than 500 species of insects, birds, bees etc.

Lawns: Cornell Cooperative Extension has the new lawn fertilization recommendations and regulations: In Westchester County no application of nitrogen fertilizer is permitted between Nov. l and April l to prevent runoff into the drinking water supply. Overseeding, that is spreading grass seed over the existing lawn grass, increases turf density and can be done very early in the spring to fill in bare spots.

Houseplants: Know your indoor plants’ light needs. Indoor plants clean the air so have some in each room. Use interesting containers, and use supports for climbing varieties.

General: Curious about climate change? Note the dates that the migrating songbirds return, and bloom dates of lilacs and other hardy plants.

Susan Henry, master gardener with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester

Do you force bulbs? I’ve done it for several years now, and I can’t imagine a better image in my house than a pot of tulips or daffodils that I forced, next to a window showing tired snow and the end of a dreary winter in my yard.

I just got a great new book, “Bulb Forcing for Beginners and the Seriously Smitten,” written by Art Wolk and published by AAB Book Publishing. It’s loaded with info on how to force every imaginable bulb, with gorgeous photos by Wolk.

This a very practical how-to, step-by-step book that I highly recommend. I especially like Appendix 5, a chart with chilling times for every bulb. And the info on which cultivars of daffodils work best.

Read more about Wolk here.

Jan. 28
Bronx: Bird Walk. Look for species that live in the botanical garden year-round, and migrating birds. Saturdays at 11 a.m. through June 30. Admission is from $2 to $20. www.nybg.org. 11 a.m. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard. 718-817-8700.

Bronx: Plants and Fungi. Ongoing exhibits of 10 current research stories, located in the new Britton Science Rotunda and Gallery. Admission is from $2 to $20. www.nybg.org. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard. 718-817-8700.

Bronx: Caribbean Garden and Photographic Tour. Tropical trees, flowers and foliage in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Activities include photography and salsa, and a children’s area to discover tropical treasures. The photographs are from the International Garden Photographer of the Year Contest. Through Feb. 26. Admission is from $8 to $20. www.nybg.org. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard. 718-817-8700.

Jan. 29
Bronx: Owl Prowl. Join the Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester to search for overwintering owls. Try to  bring binoculars  and dress for the weather. Free. 8 a.m. Pelham Bay Park, Split Rock Road & Park Drive. 914-237-9331.

Feb. 2
Pleasantville: Plant propagation — shrubs, annuals, perennials, houseplants and seeds, with Kathryn Shubar. Pleasantville Garden Club. All are welcome. Free. 9:30 a.m. Presbyterian Church of Pleasantville, 400 Bedford Road. 914-747-4217.

Feb. 3
Peekskill: Junior Garden Club. Make your own bird feeder for winter birds, for ages 6 and up. Sign-up required. Free. 3 p.m. Field Library, 4 Nelson Ave. 914-737-0847.

Feb. 4
Pocantico Hills: Carbon Farming Series: An Evening Lecture with Joel Salatin. Tickets: www.stonebarnscenter.org or 914-366-6200, Ext. 151. Advanced registration recommended. $15. 7 p.m. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road. 914-366-6200.

Bronx: Bird Walk. Look for species that live in the botanical garden year-round, and migrating birds. Saturdays at 11 a.m. through June 30. Admission is from $2 to $20. www.nybg.org. 11 a.m. New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard. 718-817-8700.

Feb. 5
Piermont: First Sunday Walk at Piermont Pier. Meet Veronika Krause at the ballfield parking lot at the pier. Look for waterfowl and winter migrants. Dress for the weather. Free. 8 a.m. Piermont Pier, Ferry Road. 845-358-3659.

Feb. 7
Spring Valley: Growing and Caring for Indoor Plants, with Cornell master gardeners. Free. 11 a.m. Finkelstein Library, 24 Chestnut St. 845-352-5700.

Feb. 8
Briarcliff Manor: Briarcliff Manor Garden Club. Dawn Orza, a life-long resident of Briarcliff, will present a talk about the village. All are welcome. Free. 1 p.m. Briarcliff Recreation and Parks Dept./Chilmark Recreation Center, 48 Macy Road. 914-941-6560.

Feb. 11
Pocantico Hills: Farm, Cook and Feast. For ages 16 and up. Get a taste of what it’s like to be a four-season farmer and learn to prepare seasonal recipes using food from the farm. Tickets: www.stonebarnscenter.org or 914-366-6200, Ext. 151. Advanced registration recommended. $50. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road. 914-366-6200.

North Salem: Conversation with Local Gardeners. Usually meets the second Saturday. Free. 10 a.m. Ruth Keeler Library, 276 Titicus Road. 914-669-5161.

Croton-on-Hudson: Saw Mill River Audubon Second Saturday Walk at Brinton Brook. Two-hour walk over moderate terrain looking for signs of the season. Ages 6 and up. Meet in main parking area off Route 9A, north of Croton. Visit www.sawmillriveraudubon.org/Brinton.html. $5. 9 a.m. Brinton Brook Sanctuary, Route 9A. 914-666-6503.

Feb. 17
Stony Point: Owl Prowl. Meet Jim Previdi at the main parking lot at the end of Battlefield Road, accessed from Park Road, off Route 9W in Stony Point. Bring binoculars and a flashlight. Free. 7:30 p.m. Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, 44 Battlefield Road. 845-942-8448.

Feb. 18
Congers: Rockland Audubon Society. Meet Elyse and Tom Fuller at the north pool parking lot. Look for late wintering ducks and other birds. Great for beginners. Over by 11:30 a.m. Free. 8 a.m. Rockland Lake State Park, Route 9W. 845-639-9216.

Feb. 21
Garnerville: Keeping Spirits Bright with Spring Flowers. Flower arranging tips. Free. 7 p.m. Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Rosman Center, 10 W. Ramapo Road. 845-786-3800.

Spring Valley: Starting Seeds Indoors, with Cornell master gardeners. Free. 11 a.m. Finkelstein Library, 24 Chestnut St. 845-352-5700.

Feb. 25
Pocantico Hills: Intensive Growing Techniques for Homegrown Edibles. Learn how to grow more fruits and vegetables in less space by making the most of your growing area and by extending the season. Learn about organic methods, vertical space and raised beds. Registration via NY Botanical Garden: 718-817-8747, www.nybg.org/edu. $47. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road. 914-366-6200.

Join the class of 2014

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester holds a 75-hour master gardener training program every two years. The 20-member class for 2012 started last week and is closed.

But you can put your name on the list for the January 2014 class.

Email JoAnn Trautmann at jdt34@cornell.edu or Patris Beamon at pyb2@cornell.edu and include your full name, phone numbers and email and postal addresses, and your name will be entered into the Cornell database for future master gardener training. You must be a Westchester resident.

(Master gardeners make house calls, too. Here is a group from the Westchester Cornell office making a site visit to a Briarcliff Manor home. For $150, they will evaluate your yard and gardens and give you a plan of action.)

If your work schedule doesn’t allow you take Thursdays off or you don’t want to commit to 100 hours of volunteer time, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland is again offering a Green Gardener certification program.

The noncredit adult education program for gardening fans, professionals and entrepreneurs made its debut in 2009. Participants will get most of the same horticultural training and information that the aspiring master gardeners will receive. The Green Gardener program will include lectures, interactive workshops and practical outdoor training.

Topics include: Starting a Garden from Scratch; Seed Starting and Propagation; Organic Vegetable and Fruit Growing; Edible Landscaping; Garden Design; Sustainable Gardening; Solving Plant Problems; Container Gardening; Backyard Composting; Gardening with Herbs; Pruning Trees and Shrubs; and Water Saving Techniques.

The classes will be held on Thursdays — the times vary— beginning on Feb. 16 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland Education Center at 10 Patriot Hills Drive in Stony Point. They are open to all, including non-Rockland residents.

The full tuition costs $300 and includes five core classes and four electives, or you can pay $35 per class. Space is limited, and registration is due prior to each class.

For a registration brochure, visit www.rocklandcce.org, or contact Cornell at 845-429-7085 weekdays, or e-mail dmc72@cornell.edu.

Spring will be here before you know it — really, we promise — and you’ll soon be reaching for your bug spray, trowels and gardening gloves. Meanwhile, the Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in all three of our counties are launching their 2012 master gardener training programs.

So who exactly is a master gardener and how do you become one? Basically, master gardeners are gardening enthusiasts who have gone through a rigorous, months-long training program led by Cornell experts in everything from proper rose pruning techniques to controlling pests in apple orchards.

Upon graduation, they become community volunteers who teach others, including school-age children and adults, about gardening and the environment. There’s an undeniable social aspect to the program, too — these master gardeners share a love of gardening and helping out in their communities, and many become lifelong friends.

In Westchester, a new 75-hour master gardener training program started last week, with graduation set for May 1. Westchester has 125 master gardens who have gone through the training over the years, says JoAnn Trautmann, who oversees the program. About 85 of them are active.

(The Westchsester master gardeners maintain extensive demonstration gardens at the Hart’s Brook Park and Preserve in Hartsdale. Tons of fresh vegetables are grown every year for Westchester food pantries.)

And now the Rockland and Putnam Cornell extension offices are looking for would-be master gardeners who want to sign up for their full training courses, which last six months in Rockland and four in Putnam.

The Rockland office is now taking applications for its 2012 training program, which begins in September and runs through February 2013. Classes will be held on three or four Thursdays a month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Putnam has a similar schedule, starting on Sept. 6, with graduation scheduled for the week before Christmas.

(From April to October, the Rockland master gardeners host free tours of their demonstration gardens on the last Sunday of every month.)

This year, the Rockland office is partnering with three other Hudson Valley master gardener programs in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties to conduct its training. Most classes will be held at the Education Center at the Rockland Cornell campus, at 10 Patriot Hills Drive in Stony Point, with a few fall classes at the Orange County extension office in Middletown. Carpooling will be available.

(Here’s a happy crew of Rockland master gardeners at the county’s Historical Society site in New City last summer.)

After completing the course work, these would-be master gardeners in Rockland are then expected to donate 100 hours of volunteer time in the community over a 2-year period. (They are considered master gardener interns until they complete their volunteer hours.)

Along with teaching classes and workshops and working with students and teachers in school and community gardens, other volunteer options in Rockland include assisting with horticultural therapy programs, answering questions at community events and volunteering in the extension’s horticultural lab.

To remain active with the program, Rockland master gardeners are expected to contribute at least 30 volunteer hours per year. The county has graduated 120 master gardeners from its training program, says horticulture educator Donna Alese Cooke. About 75 percent are active.

For the new graduates of its training program, the Cornell extension in Putnam requires 30 volunteer hours in one year. Horticulture Educator Dianne Olsen says there are now 73 master gardeners in Putnam. She hopes to get 25 new ones.

This year, Putnam is partnering with Dutchess County to conduct its training. Most classes will be held at the Putnam County Emergency Services Building, at 112 Old Route 6 in Carmel.

The Putnam training program costs $375. In Rockland, the cost is $300 (or $250, if you’re willing to just have an electronic version of the 500-page training manual).

The size of the Rockland class is limited to 20 people, and applicants will go through an interview process. Interviews will be scheduled this spring and acceptance letters go out in July and August.

The final deadline for Cornell-Rockland applications is May 1. Download an application packet from its website, www.rocklandcce.org, or call Ellen Chorba at 845-429-7085, ext. 117 weekdays, or fax a request to 845-429-8667 or email one to rockland@cornell.

In Putnam, applications will be available in March and are due by July 1. For more information, visit http://www.counties.cce.cornell.edu/putnam, call 845-278-6738 or email Dianne Olsen at dko3@cornell.edu.

Aristotle, a perfect basil for the porch or patio, The Journal News/lohud.com

“The Armchair Book of Gardens,” TJN/lohud

A modern marvel in Armonk, TJN/lohud

Perusing the Seed Catalogs, Feeling Dizzy With Possibility, NYTimes (Long Island)

Flower Seed Suggestions From Expert Gardeners, NYY metro edition

Email from Helle Raheem:

Programs Sponsored by the Bedford Audubon Society
February 2012

From Nancy Inzinna:

The Native Plant Center’s 8th Annual Spring Landscape Conference (SLC)
March 12, 2012 (Snow Date: Thursday, March 15)
SLC BROCHURE sent as an attachment
4 CEUs and 4 PDHs from LA CES Available –PAY ONLINE <https://mysunywcc.site-ym.com/events/register.asp?id=115611>  TODAY
This is a Hot Topic – Pre-Registration Highly Recommended

Designing for Stormwater
Management and Erosion Control

With extreme weather events occurring more frequently, national, state, and local governments, as well as homeowners, are wrestling with ways to manage and control stormwater to avoid the costly consequences of such events:  flooding, severe soil erosion, and degradation of water quality.  These issues will be addressed by reviewing up-to-date regulations for best stormwater management practices and erosion control, and discussing completed works that incorporate stormwater management and water quality improvements in commercial, institutional and residential projects. Planting strategies presented will focus on native plants best suited for the sites discussed.

Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure Planning, Construction and Compliance
Part 1 and 2
Donald Ferlow and Gregory Liberman
This two part presentation will outline recent updates in stormwater regulations as they relate to project planning and construction and suggest some steps a community might implement to maintain its infrastructure.  Topics include an overview of mandated green infrastructure and its relevance to site specific conditions, promulgated regulations for facility design and construction implementation, and long term maintenance implications of various development actions. The presentation also includes examples of completed works that incorporate stormwater management and water quality improvements through the implementation of low impact development principals that use environmental enhancements in their design.  Case studies display land subdivision, commercial, institutional and residential projects that incorporate a diversity of planning and planting strategies.

I Never Met a Raingarden I Didn’t Like
William Young
Raingardens symbolize an ecological approach to stormwater management; dealing with stormwater close to its source, using nature and natural processes over man-made structures, and restoring the natural hydrologic cycle. By mimicking nature, building good soil, and using best management practices for both water volume and water quality, designers can save money and provide better amenity to developments and landscapes.  In a world getting more and more paved over, raingardens and holistic environmental design are creating a more sustainable world.
Practical Hints for Successful Soil Bio-engineering Projects
Donald Knezick
This presentation will highlight various soil bio-engineering techniques and hints on ways to make projects more successful.  Topics such as site suitability, species selection, project timing, installation, maintenance and herbivory will be discussed.

Speaker Profiles:
Donald Ferlow FASLA is a Landscape Architect and Wetlands Specialist.  He has over 40 years of professional experience involving a broad scope of site and environmental planning, including designing natural functioning stormwater management and water quality renovation systems and establishing long term ecosystem management standards for developments in his work for GHD.  In addition, he is an Adjunct Instructor in Landscape Architecture at SUNY ESF in Syracuse.
Gregory Liberman GHD is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control and has a BS in Landscape Architecture from UMass Amherst.  He has extensive experience in planning and permitting of large-scale municipal infrastructure construction projects.  He has 10 years of consulting experience and specializes in environmental planning, stormwater management design, and environmental quality review.
William E. Young RLA  PWS of Young Environmental, LLC is a professional wetlands scientist and long-time practitioner of ecological restoration and environmental landscaping.  Bill has been involved in projects in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area for over 20 years.  He has headed the New Jersey Native Plant Society and helped write the RainGarden Manual which was issued in 2005 by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey.
Donald Knezick is President of Pinelands Nursery & Supply in Columbus NJ and Gloversville, NY.  He is s Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment control, a Partner in R&D Soil Testing and Engineering, Member of the NJ State Soil Conservation Committee, Supervisor, Burlington County Soil Conservation District, and Past Member of New Jersey Invasive Species Council.

2012 Wildflower & Native Plant Sale <http://www.nativeplantcenter.org/plantsales.htm>  has begun – place your order today!
Hot Off the Press – January 2012 NPC Newsletter <http://www.nativeplantcenter.org/newsletters.htm>
(Read related Stormwater article on page 3 of January, 2012 Newsletter)

PERTINENT CONFERENCE INFO:
4 CEUs and 4 PDHs from LA CES Available –PAY ONLINE <https://mysunywcc.site-ym.com/events/register.asp?id=115611>  TODAY
This is a Hot Topic – Pre-Registration Highly Recommended – we may not be able to accommodate walk-ins (phone first)
Fee for PDHs/CEUs (MUST remain for entire conference to receive a Certificate):
$127 non-member
$100 NPC member (if you are an NPC Member, do not use the Member Sign In Box during pay online process)
Fee without professional credits:
$95 non-member
$75 NPC member (if you are an NPC Member, do not use the Member Sign In Box during pay online process)

ALL Above fees include lunch, and breaks (indicate your choice as you register)
Box Lunch choice of: Beef, Turkey, Tuna or Vegetarian
March 12, 2012 (Snow Date: March 15)
(Pass along to all interested parties)
BROCHURE sent as an attachment

Best,
Nancy
Nancy Inzinna
Assistant Director of The NPC
(914) 606-7870 Phone
(914)606-6143 Fax

The NPC at the WCC
75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY  10595

http://www.nativeplantcenter.org <http://www.nativeplantcenter.org/>

Educating people about the environmental necessity, economic value and natural beauty of native plants in the Northeast.