by Steve Reiners, Professor in Horticulture, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality here in the Northeast. Smoke has filled the sky and warnings are issued for outdoor activities. This is making many growers and gardeners worried about the potential impact the smoke will have on field grown vegetables. The good news … Continue reading Smoke Not a Problem for Vegetables
by Mary Pobedinsky, Monroe Master Gardener Volunteer I like growing plants from things I find at the grocery store. I’ve been doing this for quite a while, since third-grade bean experiments for science fairs, through apple, orange and lemon seeds, and on to growing avocado trees from their pits. Here is a list of some … Continue reading Beyond the Avocado Pit
by Carole Liantonio, Warwick Senior Master Gardener Volunteer The princess or empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) is a fast growing shade tree that was as introduced to North America from Asia via Europe in the 1800s. As it is a beautiful tree with many desirable characteristics, the princess tree is widely available commercially and frequently planted. … Continue reading The Princess Tree: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
by Sharon Lunden, Goshen Master Gardener Volunteer Did you know a dead or dying tree is called a snag and that snags serve a vital purpose in the ecosystem? I never seriously considered that until attending a webinar presented by Gillian Martin on The Life of A Dying Tree and was fascinated to learn the … Continue reading Tree of the Month: Snags
by Karen McCarthy, Newburgh Master Gardener Volunteer Last year, 2022, marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of the father of American landscape architecture, social reformer, and author Fredrick Law Olmsted. For Olmsted 200 events were planned by the National Association of Olmsted Parks, The Garden Clubs of America and many local garden groups. This … Continue reading Celebrating Fredrick Law Olmsted
by Marion Loiola, Highland Mills Master Gardener Volunteer As February comes to an end and we get closer to spring, I am noticing small, underutilized areas in my yard that could use some aesthetic enhancement. Perhaps you have a bare spot, a barren corner, or a rocky slope in your yard that you could dress … Continue reading Pocket Gardening for Small Spaces
By Madelene Knaggs, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer The holiday season has come and gone, but let’s take a minute to look back at some of the plants that played such a prominent role in our festivities. Whether we observed Christmas, Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the Winter Solstice, trees, herbs and plants were most likely a … Continue reading Holiday Plants: A Horticultural View
Winter has arrived! While there isn’t much to be doing outside in our gardens, the winter is a great opportunity to spend time learning more about gardening. So grab one of these books recommended by our Master Gardener Volunteers, sit by the fire, and spend time cultivating your mind this winter. Book List Freedom’s Gardener: … Continue reading Book Reviews
by Mary Carol Presutti, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer The ruby-throated hummingbird flew into the porch door window and lay lifeless on the ground. Not ten minutes ago, she had been darting around the yard, along with another female, sipping the necter from my coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and giant hyssop (Agastache sp.). The two … Continue reading The Flight of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird
by Brooke Moore, New Windsor Senior Master Gardener Volunteer As the Holiday Gift Giving Season approaches so many of us are dreading the “gardener gifts” that will appear. I do not know a single gardener who does not have a box, a basket, or a stash somewhere of inappropriate garden themed gifts that they were … Continue reading It’s Gift Season : Gift Giving Dos and Don’ts for the Gardeners in your Life