Want to change careers to horticulture? Here’s info from NY Botanical Garden:

Free Career Information Session at New York Botanical Garden
Gives Students Insight into New Green Careers

First Session of 2010 set for February 3, 2010, 6–8 p.m.

WHAT:           The New York Botanical Garden presents a free Career Information Session on Wednesday, February 3, 6–8 p.m. for career changers and new career seekers. This will be the fifth Career Information Session since the program’s inception in November of 2008, and the first session of 2010.  For over 50 years, the Botanical Garden has provided professionals with various job backgrounds the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in new, rewarding green careers. It has also provided those entering the workforce a wide choice of possibilities for new career paths.

Instructors and successful graduates of the Botanical Garden’s renowned Continuing Education Program, who are experienced professionals in their fields, will discuss career opportunities in landscape and floral design, horticulture, and horticultural therapy. First-time students who attend the session will receive 10% off their first class. (Restrictions apply.)

The Career Information Session is free for the public. However, pre-registration is recommended. Call 800.322.NYBG (6924) for more information or visit http://conted.nybg.org/career.php to register. Media representatives should RSVP to the contact below.

WHO:             Botanical Garden instructors and alumni certified in landscape design, floral design, horticulture, and horticultural therapy will provide information on the variety of adult education course available at the Garden.

One of the featured speakers is former first-time student and current landscape design company owner, Valerie D’Antonio. Read her career-changing story on today’s Plant Talk blog at: http://www.nybg.org/wordpress/?p=5238.

WHEN:           Wednesday, February 3, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.

WHERE:         The New York Botanical Garden
Arthur and Janet Ross Lecture Hall
Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) at Fordham Road
Bronx, New York

WHY:              This is an opportunity for media representatives to attend and cover this free Career Information Session at The New York Botanical Garden.

CONTACT:    RSVP by noon, February 3, with intent to attend/cover:
Elizabeth Fisher, 718.817.8136; efisher@nybg.org

Event announcement from the Cary Institute in Millbrook:

Friday, February 5th, 2010
7:00 p.m.

STORMS OF MY GRANDCHILDREN:
The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity
Dr. JAMES HANSEN

On Friday, February 5th at 7:00 p.m. renowned climatologist Dr. James Hansen will be presenting his new book, Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity.

Coined the father of climate science, Hansen is the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies. More than 30 years ago he created one of the first climate models, Model Zero, which he used to accurately predict warming scenarios in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. His Congressional testimonies propelled the issue of global climate change into the public and policy discourse.

The event will be held in the Cary Institute’s auditorium, located at 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Rte. 44) in Millbrook, New York. Learn more at www.caryinstitute.org

Events are free and open to the public

Two good pieces from Fine Gardening:

Make a Strong First Impression

Design an Engaging Entryway

Ask the master gardeners

Q: Many of my indoor plants are not thriving; some have become leggy and unsightly. What did I do wrong?

A: Like children, plants require nutrition, a good environment, grooming and lots of patience. Though plants can be forgiving at times, consistent care is much preferred.

Most houseplant problems are caused by inconsistencies in watering and feeding, inappropriate potting medium, wrong environmental conditions and pests.

The first step in assessing why a plant is not thriving is to check for bugs or diseases. Look closely under leaves, on stems and on soil for telltale signs (webs, brown or white spots) and either treat accordingly or discard the plant. Make sure to check neighboring plants as well.

Too much water can result in “wet feet” and eventually root rot; too little water stresses the plant and deprives it of nutrition. Before watering, insert a finger 1 to 2 inches into the soil; if it comes out clean, the plant needs watering. Pour tepid water around it; empty excess from the saucer if it’s not absorbed after 20 minutes. Maintain a regular schedule, adjusting it to the season and temperature.

Use fertilizer sparingly during the growing season. Most houseplants prefer filtered light rather than bright, direct sun. Cool temperatures are preferable to a hot, dry environment; avoid drafts.

Learn to “read” your plants; like children, they will always show you when something is wrong.
Cynthia Weiss, Nanuet master gardener, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland

Yesterday’s note from Nancy Inzinnia at the Native Plant Center. Sounds exciting! Note the Monday deadline:

“Are you ready for Spring after seeing today’s snow ?
Do more than dream about it !
Sign up today for the Spring Garden Tour.

Capture the  Capital
May 3 – 6

Registration Deadline:
Monday, February 1

Join us on an exciting springtime botanical foray led by The Native Plant Center’s Director Darrin Duling. Darrin is a professional landscape designer and botanist.  Plant and garden lovers won’t want to miss out on this unique experience!

Monday May 3: Depart from Westchester Community College Valhalla Campus on a luxury coach for lunchtime arrival at The United States National Arboretum .  We will enjoy a delicious lunch and guided tram tour of the 446-acre arboretum featuring eye-popping azalea collections, the Fern Valley eastern native plant garden, the National Herb Garden, and the National Capital Columns. Accommodations are reserved at The Hotel Monaco , a boutique hotel located in a Historic Landmark building near the National Mall.  Our group will gather for dinner at the charming Old Ebbitt Grill. (L, D)

Calling all current and would-be community gardeners — the Westchester County Center is hosting a first-ever Westchester Community Garden Network from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, to talk about establishing more communal garden plots in the county.

Sponsored by a new group called InterGenerate, the event will feature expert speakers on a range of practical, hands-on topics such as organizing, designing and maintaining a community garden with individual plots; securing land and funding; improving soil structure and fertility; creating a 12-month growing season; composting; irrigation; and establishing sustainable practices. There will also be breakout sessions for networking with other gardeners.

“I think it’s time to bring people together to establish good practices and begin to network,” says Roseann Rutherford, one of the co-founders of InterGenerate, a nonprofit group that was founded last year to encourage environmental and social sustainability in northern Westchester.

“We need to figure out rules and regulations, how to ferret out people who don’t belong, how to ensure that people are being organic and being respectful of each other,” Rutherford says.

Last summer, InterGenerate launched an intergenerational summer camp for gardeners — with six children and six older adults — at the Bedford Audubon Society’s Bylane Farm in Katonah. Another camp will be held this summer.

Here are three photos from last summer, by Becky Simkhai:

Above, from left, Barbara Walkley, Aine Kaminski, Lily Oyen and Jane
Smith.

Mike Millius, left, and Evan Hunter.

Lily Oyen, left, and Jane Smith.

This spring, the group is launching a 60-plot community garden at Marsh Sanctuary in Mount Kisco. Long-range, they want to create a center for environmental sustainability on the grounds of the sanctuary.

InterGenerate is also opening a teaching garden, with 12 fully organic beds of herbs and vegetables, this spring at the John Jay Homestead in Katonah.

Long-range, the group hopes to open a 1-acre community garden on the Jay property.

“There’s a lot of interest in getting people to eat healthy and recognize the environmental concerns we all have and to grow locally,” says Rutherford, who lives in Katonah.

“We want to re-establish a sense of community — and we’re using food to do this,” she says.

They’ve pulled together an impressive list of co-sponsors for the County Center event: Westchester County Department of Parks, Bedford Audubon, Bedford Garden Club, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester, Groundwork Hudson Valley, Lewisboro Garden Club, Marsh Sanctuary, Natural Awakenings, Rusticus Garden Club, Slow Food Westchester, Ward Acres Community Garden in New Rochelle and the Westchester Land Trust.

For now, they’re focusing their efforts on Westchester.

“We’re not turning anyone away,” Rutherford says. “We want to be as inclusive as possible, but we’re targeting the Westchester crowd right now.

“We want people to take it back to their communities and get their neighbors involved,” she says.

In Putnam, the master gardener volunteers of Cornell Cooperative Extension run a community garden at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster. In Rockland, Nyack and Piermont have active and successful community gardens.

Admission to the Westchester Community Garden Network is free, but space is limited and advance registration is required. To register, log onto www.intergenerateny.org (click on Community Gardens and then Networking Meeting). For more information, e-mail info@intergenerateny.org or call Roseann Rutherford at 914-393-7169.

As an added bonus, the county’s Winter Farmers Market will be taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that Sunday at the County Center, which is at 198 Central Ave. in White Plains.

Perennials: Hardy drought-tolerant plants will be in demand this year. Old favorites like echinacea are coming out in an exciting range of new colors, including magenta. A cultivar called ‘Pink Parasol’ has a fluffy pink center. Low-maintenance roses are taking the place of high-maintenance hybrid tea roses. Order 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. Their 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 that is convenient to the house can be used all winter for lettuces, spinach and other greens. 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, so you can extend the harvest longer — but they take up more space.

Trees and shrubs: An oak tree can host more than 500 species of insects, birds, bees etc. It’s one of our most important native plants.

Lawns: Cornell Cooperative Extension has the new lawn fertilization recommendations and regulations: No application of nitrogen fertilizer between November l and April l to protect drinking water quality. Overseeding — spreading new grass seed over the existing lawn — chokes out unwanted weeds and increases turf density. It can be done very early in the spring to fill in bare spots.

Houseplants: Know your indoor plants’ light needs — low, medium or bright indirect sun. Indoor plants clean the air, so try to have some in each room. Use interesting containers, and use supports for climbing varieties.

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

So far this week, we’ve had big rains, warm temps, melting snow and high winds. Very cold weather forecast for this weekend.

This kind of rapid change in temps is very hard on plants. It’s probably a good idea to take a walk  around your yard today or tomorrow to see how your plants are doing. Avoid walking where it’s really wet and mucky because you’ll harm the structure of the soil, in this kind of thaw.

If any of your shrubs, small new trees or perennials have heaved out of the ground because of the  thaw, you  can often just step  on  them and squish them back underground. Once bulbs begin to make their way above ground, it’s very hard to convince them to go back, but sometimes you can nudge them back a little with your foot. Stay warm.

Feb. 6
North Salem: Coffee and Conversation with Local Gardeners. Bring your questions and ideas for your spring gardeners. Free. 10-11:30 a.m. Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, 276 Titicus Road.  914-669-5161. Also March 6.

Feb. 8
Stony Point: Organic Vegetable and Fruit Growing Classes. Sessions include: Organic vegetable growing basics; starting seeds and transplants; step-by-step garden design; integrated pest management techniques; small fruit growing and a visit to a master gardener’s farm. For a brochure, visit www.rocklandcce.org and to register, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland weekdays, fax a request to 845-429-8667 or e-mail to rockland@cornell.edu. Space is limited. $50 for six sessions. 7:30 p.m. 10 Patriot Hills Drive.  845-429-7085. Also March 8.

Feb. 9
White Plains: Greater Westchester Orchid Society Meeting. A speaker on a timely topic relative to orchids, a show table with plants in bloom grown by members of the society, refreshments. Regular monthly meeting; call to confirm. Free. 7 p.m. Ethical Culture Society of Westchester, 7 Saxon Woods Road.  914-428-3028. Also March 9.

A couple of programs at the GEC:
“Terrific Terrariums~ Glass house gardening in your own home.
Monday, February 1
10:00am – 11:30am*

Add a touch of the tropics to your coffee table and lose the winter blues as you create an enchanting mini garden. This hands-on workshop will delve into plant material and container selection that will create an environment that requires very little care. Join Instructors Pam Carey and Lisa Beebe and bring a little greenhouse into your home for everyone to enjoy.

• We invite all who want to refresh their existing terrarium to join us at 11:30am. The fee will be the cost of replacement materials.
  Cost: M $45 N/M $55
  _

  The Garden of Edible Delights Vegetable Gardening Series
  Session 1: February 20 ~ Session 2: February 27
  Session 3: March 6  ~  Session 4: March 13
  Session 5: March 20 ~ Session 6: March 27
  Each session will run on Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

  This six-week series is designed to provide all the information a beginning vegetable gardener needs to get started. Intermediate and master gardeners are also encouraged to participate, since there’s always something new to be learned through shared experience!

  While participants will get the most out of attending the entire six session series, there is also the option to take courses individually. Please see details for pricing information. Bring a bagged lunch.Coffee will be provided.
  Cost for full series: M $250 N/M $350  ~  Individual Classes: M $45 N/M $55

  Garden Education Center of Greenwich | 130 Bible Street | P.O. Box 1600 | Cos Cob | CT | 06807