From the Hudson Valley Horticulture newsletter:

“Invasive Plants in the Hudson Valley: A Local Update on Research & Management

“The Cornell University Department of Natural Resources and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester & Dutchess Counties will feature a one-day research/management update on Invasive Plants in the Hudson Valley. This program will provide foresters, woodlot managers, arborists/landscapers, and forest landowners an opportunity to learn more about Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM), Principles of Bio-control of Invasive Plants such as Mile-A-Minute, as well as more information about the availability of local land-management resources.  Featured speakers will include Dr. Peter Smallidge from Cornell University and Dr. Judy Hough-Goldstein from the University of Delaware.

“This program will take place from 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM on Tuesday June 02 at Lasdon Park & Arboretum, Route 35, Katonah, NY.  Continuing Education/Certification Credits have been applied for NYS DEC Pesticide Applicators (Cat. 2, 3a, 10, 25 & 6), and SAF Certified Foresters.     2 ISA Credits have been awarded for ISA Certified Arborists.

For more information or to register for this program, open and complete the attached program brochure in pdf format.  Questions about this program may be directed to Rick Harper at rwh26@cornell.edu or 914-285-2622, or Stephanie Mallozzi at sdm10@cornell.edu or 845-677-8223×104.

Submitted by: by Rick Harper, Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County

Perennials: If daffodils did not do well, they may need dividing or more sun. Complete fertilizing all spring-blooming bulbs. Continue pinching chrysanthemums. Take a few cuttings of vigorous mums to root in potting soil or vermiculite. Keep up with weeding to preserve precious moisture. Mulch beds lightly with sweet peat, buckwheat hulls or other light material.

Flowers: Keep pansies until they wilt in the heat, then replace with summer annuals such as heliotrope or nicotiana, which are long blooming, colorful and fragrant. Fertilize annuals every two weeks. Plant seeds of fast-growing annuals like zinnias and cosmos directly in the garden. Complete planting of dahlias, cannas and gladiolas. Read more of this entry »

With leaves that will grow big enough to cover your face, the new Kong series of coleus will certainly add drama to any sad shady spot desperately in need of a little color.

Every few years, it seems, garden-trend prognosticators announce the end of coleus, the darling of English gardens since the mid-19th century. But gardeners of all levels of sophistication and experience refuse to give up these sweet little plants that grow so easily and so colorfully. And plant breeders keep coming up with new irresistible color combinations, patterns and mosaics.

The Pan-American Seed Co. developed the Kong series of coleus three or four years ago and it continues to win new admirers each spring.

Unlike many recent coleus introductions that have been bred to withstand more sun, Kong plants like full to part shade. The leaves tend to burn in full sun. Heavy summer rains can damage the foliage, too, so try to keep the plants in a sheltered spot.

Known botanically as Solenostemon scutellarioides, coleus plants are grown for their foliage, not their rather insignificant flowers. Keep pinching them back all summer to maintain a robust, bushy plant. Kong plants will grow 18 to 20 inches tall.

They like well-drained soil — add organic matter if you have heavy clay.

Colors in the Kong series include red, scarlet, rose, mosaic and salmon pink, which is new this spring. When used in combination planters, Pan-American says Kong grow best near the outside of the container.

The first fall frost will kill them, but it’s easy to propagate coleus by taking cuttings and growing a new plant indoors over the winter.

Real estate shoppers in the know have long appreciated the historic Park Hill section of Yonkers for its urban charm, great housing stock and relatively low taxes compared to similar properties in Bronxville, Larchmont or New Rochelle. Mix in old-fashioned neighborliness, walkability and a majestic canopy of century-old trees and you have the makings of a really great place to live.

The graceful, winding streets of Park Hill sit on big slabs of forested rock about 300 feet above the rest of southwest Yonkers, with great views of the Hudson and the cliffs of the Palisades on the other side of the river. Name an architectural style of housing from the first half of the 20th century and you’ll surely find it in Park Hill: Colonial, Arts and Crafts, Victorian, Tudor, Georgian, Foursquare.

The diverse and somewhat arty neighborhood has also won acclaim for its fun, smart and interesting house tours, which used to be held every year, then every two, now every three.

On Sunday, May 31, the Park Hill Residents’ Association will hold its 13th house tour of architecturally distinguished homes.

(Photos by our Mark Vergari; exteriors from Jane McAfee)

The self-guided tour runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will feature five houses, including a fully restored 6,000-square-foot 1911 Colonial, a 1905 English cottage and a 1913 English Arts and Crafts.

An Asian-themed all-white garden with ponds and a waterfall will also be included.

Ask the master gardeners

Q: So many people this year are planting a victory garden. Where does the name come from?

A: During World War I, “war gardens” surfaced from food shortages and fears of increasing food prices.

During World War II, victory gardens were another way citizens could demonstrate their support of the war effort. These vegetable gardens were planted to ensure an adequate supply of food for civilians as well as troops because canned goods, being shipped to the military, were in short supply at home.

Government agencies, foundations, businesses, schools and seed companies worked together to provide land, information and seeds for individuals and communities to grow food. Americans across the country prepared back yards, vacant lots, fields and school yards for planting. The goal was to grow enough fresh produce to last through the summer. Excess produce was canned and preserved for the winter and early spring, until a new crop could be harvested.

In 1943, 40 percent of America’s food was grown in more than 20 million victory gardens.

In the post-war years, gardening was considered more of a hobby than a necessity.

Today, with concerns of global warming, the economy and food contamination, victory gardens are having a revival. It’s a way for people to reduce their food bills and increase the nutritional value of the food they eat, while decreasing the size of their carbon footprint.

Some ideas to consider, even if your space is limited:
• You can combine vegetable plants with flowers in your front yard.
• You can plant containers on your porch, patio or balcony and can grow sprouts indoors.
• Check to see if you have a community garden available.
• Perhaps a neighbor or friend without time or ability would let you garden their yard, in exchange for some produce.

If these options are not available, you can also choose to purchase foods grown locally.

References:
http://exhibits.mannlib.cornell.edu/kitchengardens/hardtimes4.htm
http://americanhistory.si.edu/house/yourcisit/victorygarden.asp
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/watch/video_3301_fl.html
Janet Fenton, Nyack, master gardener, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland

From Saw Mill River Audubon:

“Saw Mill River Audubon Plans “Trees for Tribs” Planting
To Improve Watershed at Brinton Brook Sanctuary
Sunday, May 31, 9:00 a.m.
Volunteers Invited to Help Plant Native Trees and Shrubs
The last Sunday of May is planting day at Brinton Brook Sanctuary in Croton on Hudson. Everyone is invited to bring a spade, dig a hole, and “go native,” joining Saw Mill River Audubon (SMRA) and the New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) in planting native trees and shrubs to improve streamside habitats in the sanctuary. The restoration is part of the DEC’s “Trees for Tribs” program along tributaries to the Hudson River.
Brinton Brook, a 156-acre sanctuary, offers three miles of hiking trails through a wide variety of habitats, including red maple swamp, a large pond, vernal pools, upland deciduous forest, and open meadow. For the planting, SMRA board members Donna Lassiter, Valerie Lyle, and Michael Madias selected a location with severe water runoff and serious stream bank erosion. The spot is at a stone footbridge on a heavily used trail. The new buffer planting will add 100 native shrubs and trees to create a denser native understory, supporting greater diversity of wildlife and mitigating erosion. The DEC is providing 100 native plants carefully chosen for this site. The 40 trees and 60 shrubs represent 13 species, including witchhazel, American cranberrybush viburnum, red maple, and sassafras.
Advance preparation by SMRA included scouting the location with the DEC, removing invasive plants from the area, planning the location for each new plant, and preparing labels with plant names. On planting day, a DEC riparian (streamside) buffer coordinator will deliver the plants, instruct on planting methods, and provide tree tubes and other protection for the new plants.
SMRA will monitor and maintain the new plantings, watering them during droughts in the first season, and removing tree tubes and bird nets as needed. Read more of this entry »

From Donna Cooke, Community Horticulture Educator—845-429-7085 ext. 108:

“Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County is offering a series of classes for homeowners who are planning to start vegetable gardening this year. A survey by the National Gardening Association indicates that a typical backyard plot yields about $500-worth of produce per year, while other estimates range up to $2,000 or more. Don’t have a backyard? Vegetables can be easily grown in pots and containers, right on a patio or deck. The 2009 “Home Grown Gardening” Series will be presented by the Master Gardener Volunteers.

Sessions include:
“Backyard Composting” – Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 am
“Organic Vegetable Gardening” – Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30pm
“Growing Crops in Pots and Containers” – Monday, June 1 at 7:30m
“Growing and Using Culinary Herbs” – Wednesday, June 10 at 11am

For a brochure and to register, contact Cooperative Extension at 845-429-7085 ext. 117 weekdays, or fax a request to 429-8667 or e-mail to rockland@cornell.edu. The class fee is $5 per person per class.  All sessions are held at the Education Center, 10 Patriot Hills Dr., Stony Point. Space is limited, please register before May 15.

I’ve got a few time-stamped things coming out in the next few days, but I will be away until Tuesday, June 9.

I will not be checking email or voicemail while I’m away. And please don’t email me any photos while I’m out—not much storage and my mail gets frozen.

Happy gardening!

Perennials: Continue planting and transplanting perennials, adding a trowel of compost to each newly dug hole. Thin the stems of late-blooming phlox and asters to the ground for larger flowers and fewer mildew problems later. Pinch back other late-blooming perennials. Monitor roses for black spot and keep up with your regular spray program.

Flowers: Plant summer annuals among perennials and in containers. Nicotiana, verbena, salvia and ageratum all give lovely color variety. Cut back annuals by as much as half when planting to reduce stress through water loss and to produce better branching and flowering. Fertilize with liquid fertilizer, measuring according to directions, shortly after planting. Zinnia, nasturtium and cosmos seeds can go directly into the garden. Set out dahlia tubers. Read more of this entry »

This spring, Bailey Nurseries is bringing out a new medium-yellow rose to join its popular Easy Elegance line of no-fuss, long-blooming roses.

Called High Voltage, this new shrub rose features double blooms and a high petal count. It’s hardy to USDA Zone 4, making it fine for Hudson Valley winters. It has an upright growth habit and should reach a height of 3 to 5 feet.

Like others in the Easy Elegance collection, High Voltage has been bred for its resistance to common rose diseases such as powdery mildew and black spot. Look for it in the better nurseries and garden centers.

Bailey is a family-owned wholesale nursery based in St. Paul, Minn. For more information, visit EasyEleganceRoses.com.