CCE Suffolk Community Horticulture is happy to launch this blog dedicated to the delights and concerns of gardeners on Long Island, New York. Our long growing season, sunny skies, temperate climate, and generally well-drained soils make this a wonderful place to grow plants. No wonder Suffolk County is New York’s top producer in terms of agriculture and horticulture sales. Some of the country’s bestselling nurseries and vineyards are located here, too.

Long Island also abounds with gardens of every sort—public, backyard, community, school, edible, ornamental, and wildlife habitats in many shapes and sizes—and this blog is designed for the gardeners who care for these spaces. Our goal is to serve your needs and interests by bringing you research-based information to improve your gardening experience on Long Island. CCE Suffolk Long Island Gardening is a forum where CCE Extension Educators, Horticulture Consultants, and Master Gardener Volunteers share their recent field experiences with you to help make Long Island a greener, healthier place to live.

Master Gardener Volunteers use drought-tolerant plants to beautify the Medford Train Station.

Here you’ll rediscover some of the most beloved features of the old Long Island Gardening Quarterly (formerly published by CCE Suffolk), including the question and answer format of its “Horticulture Inquiries” column. So please keep your questions coming! Email them to Robin Simmen, Community Horticulture Specialist, at rls63@cornell.edu or to anyone who posts on this blog about horticultural subjects of interest to you.

To receive the latest information as posts are added, subscribe to the blog by adding your email address above on the right side. A link to the blog is also nestled on the CCE Suffolk Gardening webpage for easy connection: http://ccesuffolk.org/gardening.

Happy gardening!

Robin Simmen is Community Horticulture Specialist for CCE Suffolk. She can be reached at rls63@cornell.edu or at 631-727-7850 x215.