Tag Archives: backyard gardening

Uncategorized

Pest Watch Update: Bagworms!

by Susan Ndiaye, Community Horticulture Educator

It is time to revisit our post on bagworms! Over the weekend, I was notified by the National Phenology Network that bagworm caterpillars will be emerging in our area in the next six days. If you need to treat a tree that has been infested with bagworms in the past, it is important to do so soon after emergence when the caterpillars are small, as treatments are not effective against larger caterpillars.

pinecone like structure hanging on an evergreen tree

Have you ever noticed one of these structures hanging on a Colorado blue spruce or an arborvitae? They kind of look like pine cones, but not exactly. Well, they aren’t pine cones, but silken bags spun and decorated by bagworms (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeform).

Bagworms are moths whose larvae feed on evergreens such as spruce, juniper, pine and arborvitae. The larvae can also feed on deciduous trees such as maple, elm, birch and sycamore. Bagworms defoliate the trees and shrubs they infest. In large numbers, bagworms can cause significant defoliation, which can lead to the death of the plant.

Bagworm Lifecycle

In late spring, bagworm eggs, which overwinter in their mother’s silken bag, hatch and caterpillars emerge. These caterpillars begin to form new silk bags, and as they eat, they cover it with bits of leaves. As the caterpillar grows, it expand its bags. Then in late summer the caterpillar firmly attaches its bag to the plant and pupates.

Adult male bagworm - clear winged moth with furry brown body
Adult male bagworm

Complete metamorphosis from caterpillar to moth takes about four weeks. Adult male bagworms emerge from their bags as clear winged moths and begin to search for a mate. Adult female bagworms are wingless moths and never leave their bags. After mating females produce 500-1000 eggs before dying. Their eggs overwinter inside their mother’s silken bag and the whole cycle begins again.

Management

Because bagworms are protected by their silken bag, management can be tricky. For smaller trees and shrubs the best tactic is to remove and destroy the bags by hand. Unfortunately, this is not possible in all instances, especially on larger trees and shrubs. Insecticides are most effective right after bagworm eggs hatch, when the caterpillars are small.

But how does one know when the eggs are going to hatch? Well, it turns out that there is a “Bagworm Forecast” that you can check in the spring to determine the best time to apply insecticide. The maps provided by this forecast are updated daily and available six days in the future, so you can plan ahead.

For recommendations on pesticides, check out the resources below. And as always, make sure you read and follow all the instructions on the pesticide label including the use of personal protective equipment. The label is the law!

If you need to spray a larger tree, you may need to contact an arborist. Click here to find a certified arborist near you.

Fun Facts

As females don’t fly, you may wonder how bagworms spread. Bagworm caterpillars can balloon, or use their silk threads to catch the wind and travel long distances.

Despite relatively little protection for overwintering bagworm eggs, research at Purdue University found that it takes a 24 hr period at -0.6 ° F or below to kill the eggs. So if you live in Orange County New York don’t expect a cold winter to kill off your bagworms.

Here is a video of a bagworm feeding!

Video from Purdue University Landscape Report (https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/824/)

Resources

Bagworm – Penn State University

Bagworms – Cornell University

Bagworm Forecast – USA National Phenology Network

Bagworms on Landscape Plants – University of Kentucky

Cold weather in January 2018 may have killed bagworms in some parts of Indiana – Landscape Report, Purdue University

Uncategorized

Tree of the Month: Snags

by Sharon Lunden, Goshen Master Gardener Volunteer

Photo: A dead tree broken off about 10-15 up; very jagged at the top. It has a large hole in it about two-thirds of the way up the tree. It is standing in the middle of a forest full of trees putting just starting to put on their spring foliage. There is very little undergrowth and most trees are quite skinny.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 many benefits of keeping a snag in your yard and wooded areas. I was curious to know the source of their nickname which, according to etymonline.com is a derivative of an ancient word:

snag (n.)1570s, “stump of a tree, branch,” of Scandinavian origin, compare Old Norse snagi “clothes peg,” snaga “a kind of ax,” snag-hyrndr “snag-cornered, with sharp points.”

You can almost picture a dead tree as a clothespin, and if you played in the woods as a child, you likely noticed or even tripped over the jagged edges of a fallen tree. Fallen trees or parts of trees are called logs, and also provide many benefits to insects and other wildlife.

Photo: Jagged tree stump with a large white overlapping cluster of fungus growing in a stripe up the front of it. The ground in front of the stump is littered with dead leaves, and behind the stump us green leaves of forest understory.
Phlebia tremellosa, a wood-decay fungus

Some of the smallest beneficiaries of a snag are fungi, which begin to break down the dead material. Fungi then become a meal for insects. Snags provide a home for a great many spiders; spider webs are made of a strong silk which is utilized like duct tape in nest building by birds such as the ruby-throated hummingbird. Raptors like the bald eagle utilize dead branches and sticks for building their nests.

Photo: The trunk of a tree with three large holes in a line right down the middle of it. The wholes are oblong and several inches deep.
Cavities created by a pileated woodpecker

Snags provide a home for boring insects. No, insects are not boring, just ask an entomologist! Certain ants, beetles and other invertebrates bore holes to live in, and in turn become dinner for birds like woodpeckers, who also nest in cavities in snags. There are at least twenty cavity nesting woodpeckers and eighty types of cavity nesting birds. The holes that woodpeckers drill in snags provide 47% of the nesting cavities for other birds and creatures who do not do their own excavating: ducks, owls, bats, falcons and over forty song birds, as well as small mammals like squirrels, raccoons and martens, and larger mammals like bear and fox. Thirty percent of our native bees nest in tree cavities!

Reptiles will use downed trees as a place to sun themselves, and many creatures will seek cover from the sun or predators under a log.

Photo: Immature bald eagle perched on a branch of a tall dead tree. The bald eagle is brown with yellow feet and beak and yellow plumage on the top of its head. Behind the tree is a shorter pine tree and blue sky.
Immature bald eagle perched on a dead snag

Since snags have no foliage, they provide an excellent perch with unobstructed views for raptors on the hunt for dinner. The hard wood provides an anvil where birds and small mammals can crack open nuts and seeds or bugs and beetles with a hard exoskeleton. Squirrels and some birds will store food in the cracks and crevices provided in decaying trees.

Logs left on the ground also help prevent runoff, absorbing water and covering the soil.

Of course, in the forest, dead and dying trees pose no threat of injury or damage, however in your own yard you will want to assess the risks of leaving a dying tree in place. Pay close attention and you can tell when a tree is on its way out – woodpeckers are a telltale sign, as are cavities developing below dead limbs.

Photo: Close up of an ash tree in which the bark has fallen off leaving a light tan color area
Woodpecker damage to an ash tree infested with emerald ash borer

A hard snag is a recently dead tree; soft snags have lost all bark and are often already home to woodpeckers and other creatures. As much as possible, retain a snag for as long as possible, however only if it can safely fall over in place, so snags close to your home and other structures likely will need to be removed, or possibly trimmed to remain in place for a longer period. Take the weight of snow into consideration; snow can bring down branches in a hurry. If the snag is surrounded by other healthy trees which prevent it from falling down completely, or near an area where it can fall to the ground without causing damage, consider leaving it in place and allow nature to take its course. Before removing a snag, be aware of what may already be living inside. When taking down a snag, is beneficial to leave the material in the general area, if you are able. A good arborist will be able to assess the possibilities for any snag on your property.

Photo: Large tree in a grassy field with multiple defects, including cracks, decay, dead branches.
Dying Tree

Dead and dying trees offer benefits that live trees cannot and enhance the diversity of wooded areas and the forest. Next time you are out in your yard or in the woods for a hike, look for snags. Observe them closely and consider what they are offering to the surrounding area – hopefully you will find a new appreciation for them.

For more information:

The Cavity Conservation Initiative

The Dying Tree: Nature’s Legacy – Gillian Martin

What is a Snag? – Tree First Arboriculture

To locate a certified arborist:

Trees are Good – International Society of Arboriculture

Out in the Garden

Pocket Gardening for Small Spaces

by Marion Loiola, Highland Mills Master Gardener Volunteer

Hollowed out stump being used as a container to grow fern, dead nettle, Tiarella sp. and Brunnera sp.
Pocket garden in hollowed out stump (Brunnera sp., dead nettle, fern, and Tiarella sp.)

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 up with a few plants.  If you do, it might be time to develop this un-gardened area by creating a pocket garden!  Pocket gardens provide an opportunity to become creative with landscape design by adding plantings in small otherwise unusable areas.  They are a wonderful place for flowers, herbs, succulents, and vegetables.  They can be used to add color and texture and attract birds and pollinators.  Once established a good pocket garden will look like it always belonged there.

Photo: Baskets of herbs hanging a wire grid in front of a wall creating a balcony herb garden
Balcony herb pocket garden

There are endless possibilities in terms of how to create a pocket garden.  Determine key focal points that will work well with your design.  Perhaps add a focal point using a dwarf conifer surrounded by annuals or vegetables that change each year.  If your pocket garden is near the kitchen or back door you may want to plant edible herbs.  Whether planted in the ground or a container, herbs are can add color, texture, attract pollinators, and/or provide you with delicious flavors for cooking.  On your deck or patio, you can create a privacy screen using a vertical pocket garden made by planting vining plants in a container and training them to a trellis.  If you are using raised beds in your pocket garden, you can use various border shapes to enhance your design.  When using containers, make sure to chose one that adds to the aesthetic of the garden.  Succulents can be used to enhance a rocky area.  A great way to grow vegetables in an otherwise unusable space is growing them in straw bales.  You can also pair vegetables with ornamentals in a pocket garden.  Whatever you do, make sure that the pocket garden fits the space you have.

Photo: Small plant with tiny light purple flowers growing in in the corner at the base of a ciment step
Tiny pocket garden (Linaria cymbalaria)

Once you decide where you want to place your pocket garden, make sure you note the lighting, drainage, and any other environmental conditions that may affect your plants.  Before planting it is always a good idea to get your soil tested so you properly amend the soil to meet the needs of your plants.  If you are using containers, you will want to use potting soil as opposed to garden soil.  Don’t pack the potting soil too tightly and remember to water and fertilize as needed.

Plant choice is key.  Research your plants and group those with similar needs together.  When possible, use low-maintenance native plants which will need less water and have fewer pest issues.  Stay away from aggressive plants that will take over the space and impede the growth of other plants in the garden. Look for plants that will remain interesting throughout year and think about how to use your pocket garden to attract wildlife such as birds and pollinators.

Photo: Large bright purple blooms of Clematis 'Doctor Ruppel' climing up a wooden trellis
Using vertical space can enhance your pocket garden (Clematis ‘Doctor Ruppel’)

The design you use for your pocket garden is up to you.  Take advantage of vertical gardening, container gardening, small, raised beds, and other space efficient techniques. Don’t be afraid to experiment with various sizes, textures, and colors. Soften your hardscape, create a personal space where you that you can relax and find joy.

As we get ready for spring, think about how you can brighten up your space with a pocket garden or two.  Get creative, pick a theme, make a statement, use plants with different sizes, textures, and colors but most of all, have fun!

Uncategorized

The Soil Will Save Us

by Joe Gregoire, Warwick Senior Master Gardener Volunteer

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (CO2) in parts per million (ppm) for the past 800,000 years. The peaks and valleys track ice ages (low CO2) and warmer interglacials (higher CO2). During these cycles, CO2 was never higher than 300 ppm. On the geologic time scale, the increase (orange dashed line) looks virtually instantaneous. For decades, we’ve been involved in a global debate about the warming of the planet and the resulting climate change that impacts us all.  From heat waves that fuel drought and wildfires to extreme cold that shortens growing seasons and puts food production at risk across the planet, the increasing unpredictability of climate has an impact on the lives of billions of people each year, making the debate over the causes of climate change less and less relevant.  It is like debating over the cause of a house fire, while the house is burning all around us.  While opinions continue to be polarized on the topic of human or natural causes of climate change, the science behind what is increasing the temperature of the planet is clear.  The increase in parts per million of carbon dioxide is linked to the continuing trend in rising global temperatures.

A vegetable garden with a combination of cabbage surrounded by small yellow and orange flowers and dark purple leafy greensAs an avid gardener, managing the variability of the weather is a constant part of the experience when growing food and I regularly reflect on the global phenomenon and what I can do to protect my crops from the risks that nature can bring.  Floating row covers protect my plants from frost damage in spring and fall.  A three inch layer of compost mulch over my garden beds retains moisture in the soil and captures rainfall like a sponge, helping my plants persist through dry spells.  And shading my garden soil with a canopy of growing plants, provides my plants with a microclimate of cooler soil temperatures during the hottest days of summer.  I’ve come to appreciate that there are actions I can take in my own garden that can increase my plant health and the resulting yield from my crops at harvest time.  I’ve come to believe that we can take action to develop solutions that work with nature as the best path to follow in my gardening pursuits.

Book Cover: The Soil will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers, and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet by Kristin Ohlson / Image f a maple tree sapling howing the roots grwoing beneath the soilIn her book, The Soil Will Save Us – How Scientists, Farmers, and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet, author Kristin Ohlson delivers a powerful message on the subject of climate change.  Looking past the debate over whether humanity is the cause of global warming or not, Ohlson dives deep into the science of soil health and its connection to the carbon cycle at a macro level.  Through her travels around the world researching the topic, Ohlson finds numerous best practices in soil science, farming and ranching practices, and the food community that drives the demand for sustainable agriculture.  She successfully builds the case for humanity as a solution to climate change, working with nature to reduce carbon from the atmosphere.

Diagram of the Soil Food WebAt the root of the solution to global warming, is the soil beneath our feet.  And the healthier the soil, the better.  Healthy soil is more than just its composition and the nutrients it contains.  Healthy soil is healthy because of the life within in it, in the form of microscopic bacteria, fungi, and insects which comprise the soil food web.  A virtuous cycle of carbon capture from the atmosphere into the soil, the soil food web and our understanding of it is emerging as a keystone solution to reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

New research sheds light on the fascinating communication process that exists between growing plants and the microbial life in the soil with plants “signaling” their need for various nutrients by attracting microbial life to their root zone using exuded sugars created through photosynthesis.  While we’ve known that photosynthesis enables plants to produce their own food by transforming sunlight and atmospheric CO2 into carbon sugars that feed growth and release oxygen back into the atmosphere, new research is showing that these carbon sugars are used by plants to grow the soil life surrounding their roots at the same time, by exuding sugars into the soil through their roots.  These sugars in the soil attract beneficial soil bacteria and fungi that consume the sugars and grow in number as a result.  Nematodes and other microbial life then feed on the growing bacteria and fungi populations and release plant soluble nutrients through their waste into the plant root zone, like microscopic herds of cattle dropping their manure for the benefit of the plants in a pasture.  And the extensive microscopic network of mycelium that are the living fungi in the soil, trade those same root exudate sugars with moisture and minerals they extract from far beyond the reach of plant roots.  All of this exudate sugar, carbon that was once atmospheric CO2, remains in soil that is undisturbed and kept covered by mulch or growing plants and protected from the oxidation that would combine it with oxygen and release it back into the atmosphere as CO2.

What is Soil Health - Link to Interactive GraphicWith this growing understanding of soil life and the benefit of carbon capture that is inherent in the natural process of the soil food web, Ohlson uncovers a growing movement of collaboration between environmentalists and agriculturalists that, not long ago, was an adversarial relationship.  Traditional environmentalist attitudes called for humanity to leave nature alone is evolving into a movement that sees the potential for humanity to work with nature in a beneficial way.  And traditional agriculturalist attitudes that look at nature as something that needs to be tamed and controlled through tilling, chemical fertility and pest elimination and monocropping for production efficiency, is evolving into a movement that sees natural processes as a solution to sustainable food production and increased yields.  And as these two once opposing movements evolve, they are coming together in collaborative efforts to protect nature through the use of agriculture that can have rapid benefits to thousands and thousands of acres of cropland around the world.

A row of corn plants growing between rows of bean plants
Field corn – dry beans intercropping system

Intensive grazing of livestock using electric fencing to corral livestock into a tight herd and practicing rotational grazing through managing the movement of these herds over a pastureland, replicates the natural behavior of herding livestock that evolved to graze in tight herds as protection from predators that no longer pose a natural threat.  This intensive grazing behavior is what created the deep soils that covered the Great Plains prior to European settlement and that were blown away with the ravages of the dust bowl.  And a movement away from vast acres of monocrop corn and soil bean production toward no-till multispecies crop production and cover cropping, accelerates the introduction of carbon sugars into the soil food web.  For an increasing number of practicing growers, this is increasing their yields, lowering their costs, and restoring the moisture retention, erosion protection, and soil health of their land.  All the while, acting as a viable solution to reducing CO2 levels within the atmosphere.

If you find this subject interesting and would like to learn more about how our daily food choices can play an active role in collaborating with nature as a solution to the global warming problem, then I highly recommend taking time during these last days of winter to read this book.

Gardening Knowledge

Holiday Plants: A Horticultural View

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 part of the celebration.  Much has been written about the cultural aspects and origins of the plant life used as part of our celebration and seasonal decoration.  This article will focus on the geographic origins, growing environment, and propagation of our holiday flora.

Evergreens

Photo: Close up of needles on a pine tree
Pine needles

Christmas and Winter Solstice celebrations throughout the world use evergreens for both decorative and symbolic reasons.  The “Yule” or “Christmas” tree is generally a decorated evergreen conifer tree, such as a pine, fir, cedar, juniper, or spruce. The tradition began with ancient civilizations in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. The modern custom developed in 16th century Germany and became popular in other European nations and North America during the 19th century. The tree’s decorations and lights symbolized stellar objects, spirits of the dead, religious events, important figures, and sometimes provided edible treats.

Photo: A field of short conical shaped white pine trees
Christmas tree farm

An evergreen is a plant which has green foliage throughout the year and in most colloquial references it applies to coniferous evergreens such as pine, spruce, and fir.  Although many characteristics can be used to distinguish one coniferous evergreen from another, let’s concentrate on the needles. Pine trees are easy to distinguish as their needles are bundled in sheaths of two, three, or five needles.  If the tree has single needles along the branch, it’s a good chance that it is a fir or a spruce.  Fir needles are flat and do not roll between your fingers while spruce needles have four sides and rolls easily between your fingers.

Although some people may go into the woods to find and cut a tree for their celebration, most trees are commercially grown.  According to the National Christmas Tree Association it can take anywhere between 4 and 15 years to grow the typical 6-7 foot tree, but the average is 7 years.  Spruce and fir are the most popular because of their shape, needle retention, and fragrance.  Trees are harvested in the fall when temperatures begin to drop and trees are full hydrated.  With proper “watering” a cut tree can last up to month or more indoors and provide festive beauty for the early winter season. So it is possible that you are still enjoying your Christmas tree now.

Holly

Drawing of a wreath made of hollyHolly (Ilex spp.) provides deep green and rich red color for the winter season.  There are many species of holly including our native American holly (Ilex opaca) and common holly (llex aquifolium) which is native to parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.  In ancient cultures, the holly tree symbolized the waning sun which leads to the winter solstice.  Holly was used to create wreathes to decorate homes.  Placing a ring of holly on doors originated in Ireland. Holly decorations were believed to bring protection and good luck to the home’s residents in the coming year.

Dark green leaves on an American Holly Tree with bright red berries
Ilex opaco

Hollies have simple leaves that are arranged alternately on the branches.  Most hollies have leaves with wavy margins tipped with spines.  Although most hollies are evergreens, some species like the native deciduous holly (Ilex decidua) lose their leaves in the fall.  Hollies have small white or green flowers that are often overlooked, but their bright red berries provide beautiful winter color and are an important source of food for many bird species.

A large 20 foot conical shaped holly tree
Holly tree

Most holly species are dioecious meaning that they have separate male and female plants.  In order to produce seeds, you’ll need one of each.  And if you want to have red berries, make sure you get a female plant.  Hollies can be a great addition to your home garden.  They do best when grown in full sun to part shade and prefer moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.

Poinsettias

Photo: a close-up of the bright red leaves of a poinsettia surrounding the small yellow flowers
Small yellow flowers of a poinsettia

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) add color and brightness to our winter décor.  The colorful ‘petals’ of the poinsettia are actually not petals at all, but modified leaves known as bracts.  Poinsettias are natives of Mexico and Central America where they are called ‘Flor de Nochebuena’ or the Christmas Eve Flower.  Here in the United States, they are known as poinsettias after Joel Roberts Poinsett, a diplomat and amateur botanist, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828.

Poinsettias grow in temperate coastal climates and will suffer damage if exposed to temperatures below 50°F.  The ideal indoor growing temperature for your poinsettias is between 65°F and 70°F and they should be placed in a south, east, or west facing window that receives bright daylight.

Bright red 'leaves' of poinsettiasPoinsettias are an attractive green plant most of the year and come late spring they can be brought outside and either kept in containers or transplanted into a part-sun garden that gets four to five hours of sun a day.  Getting your green poinsettia to change color for the holiday season is an onerous task and requires excluding light from the plant for period of time while still keeping the plant healthy.  Click here for a complete guide to year-round poinsettia care.  Good luck if you decide to try and get your poinsettias to re-bloom this coming winter!

Mistletoe

Photo: Large tree barren of leaves but covered with sevral large green balls of mistletoeMistletoe has long been associated with winter holiday traditions and is the common name for several families of poisonous, evergreen parasitic plants.  In nature mistletoe can been found attached to and penetrating the branches of trees and shrubs alike.  According to Norse legends, couples who met under hanging mistletoe were obliged to kiss. Here in North America mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration and is generally a plant from the genus Phoradendron.

Mistletoe (Phoradendron spp.) produces small berries that are a favorite wintertime snack for birds.  The seeds then pass through the bird and are excreted high up in the trees where the birds roost.  Its seeds are sticky to keep them from falling to the ground, where they would be unable to sprout and develop into mature plants.

Christmas Cactus

Photo: Bright pink flower of a Christmas catcus The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a hybrid bred from plants native to the coastal mountains of Brazil.  This popular holiday plant has beautiful blooms in early winter.  Although full sunlight is beneficial during fall and winter, bright sun during the summer months can make plants look pale and yellow. Christmas cacti depend upon shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures to set their flower buds.  Once flower buds are set do not let temperatures rise above 90°F or the buds will drop. The holiday cacti are tolerant of dry, slightly under-watered conditions and tend to thrive when pot bound.  When properly tended, this blooming succulent can live for a 100 years!

Salvia

Photo: Branching strucutre of the salvia with green leaves and spikes of flowers
Salvia fruticosa

The salvia plant (Salvia fruticosa) also known as Greek sage is native to the eastern Mediterranean.  Its structure resembles the description of the menorah found in the book of Exodus and is likely the floral candidate after which the menorah was modeled.  Salvias are members of the mint family and have square stems and are usually strongly aromatic with leaves rich in essential oils.

If you want to add a salvia plant to your garden, there are many species to choose from.  There are both annuals and perennials and come in a wide range of sizes and colors.  Ornamental salvias produce beautiful flower spikes that attract a variety of pollinators with their sweet fragrance and colorful blooms.

Corn

Photo: Multi-colored cornCorn is one of the seven symbols used during Kwanzaa celebrations.  Muhindi (moo-heen’-dee) means corn and represents children and the future.  Corn was first domesticated by peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago and it is believed to have been derived from a wild grass known as teosinte (Zea mays parviglumis).

When most people think of corn they think of sweet corn, but most corn grown in the United States is actually field corn which unlike sweet corn, is harvested when the kernels are hard and dry.  Field corn is used as livestock feed and used to make corn starch, whiskey, oils, margarines, and bio-fuels.  The United States is the largest corn producer in the world and it is grown in most parts of the country including Alaska and Hawaii. Corn does best with warm, sunny growing weather (75–86°F) and moderate rains.

As you can see, plants play an important part in holiday celebrations and have very diverse horticultural origins and applications.  As you continue to enjoy this winter season, think about planting or propagating these symbols as a way to personalize your holiday celebration next winter!

Uncategorized

Book Reviews

Photo: Person with long brown hair, wearing comfy socks and sweat pants, sitting on the floor in front of a blazing fire place reading a book as a black and white cat rests its head on their legWinter 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: James F. Brown, Horticulture, and the Hudson Valley in Antebellum America by Myra Beth Young Armstead

Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More by Stephanie Rose

Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner, Ph. D.

The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblik

Natural Companions: The Garden Lover’s Guide to Plant Combinations by Ken Druse

Square Foot Gardening with Kids by Mel Bartholomew

The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardner’s Handbook by Ron and Jennifer Kujawski

The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency by Anna Hess

The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature by Sue Stuart-Smith

A Year at Brandywine Cottage by David L. Culp

Your Wellbeing Garden: How to Make Your Garden Good for You – Science, Design, Function by D.K. Publishing

Book Cover: Freedom's Gardener - Drawing of four-petaled white violetFreedom’s Gardener: James F. Brown, Horticulture, and the Hudson Valley in Antebellum America

by Myra Beth Young Armstead

Reviewed by Madelene Knaggs, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

Freedom’s Gardener is impeccably researched and full of detail. It is the kind of book that grabs the attention of readers interested in gardening, local history, Black history, and the concept of freedom. Armstead, a professor of history at Bard College, extracts small details from the diary of James F. Brown to compose a story illustrating the concept of freedom as it developed in the United States in the decades following the Revolutionary War.

James F. Brown was born a slave in 1793 and died a free man in 1868. He escaped slavery in Maryland to the Hudson Valley of New York State, where he was employed as a gardener by the wealthy Verplanck family in Beacon, NY (on what is presently the Mount Gulian Historic Site).

Brown kept a detailed diary over 39 years, with entries covering weather, gardening, and steamboat schedules, as well as domestic matters. James began his career with the Verplancks as a waiter and a laborer, but eventually assumed the duties as the Verplanck Estate’s master gardener. He managed and supervised garden, farm, and nursery workers. He was also responsible for making major purchases for the Verplanck house and garden. He frequently interacted in Newburgh with Andrew Jackson Downing, the famed lAmerican landscape designer and editor of The Horticulturist magazine (1846–1852). Brown attended the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Show in Philadelphia as well as the New York Horticultural Society Exhibition.

This book has been recommended by the Library Journal to historians of antebellum America and the social aspects of horticulture, as well as those interested in historical diaries. Armstead’s well-researched study of Brown’s work greatly expands our understanding of the Hudson Valley and the people and plants that have shaped it.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: Garden Alchemy - Photo containing an assortment of flowers and herbsGarden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More

by Stephanie Rose

Reviewed by Mary Presutti, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

As a newly minted Master Gardener Volunteer, I frequently turn to my class notes for advice in the garden. Now I have another, more portable source. In this one handy, slim volume, Canadian Master Gardener Stephanie Rose has compiled a nifty hands-on guide with useful recipes to get everyone’s garden in top shape.

The book is loaded with step-by-step instructions beginning with homemade methods to test your soil, then on to recipes for soil amendment, custom mulch, compost boosters, fertilizers, garden teas, potting soils, and even a method to produce your own worm castings. The ingredients are common items available in your home.

Even wildlife has not been left out. There are techniques for encouraging as well as discouraging nature in the garden. Some of my plants go outdoors in the summer months. They invariably bring fungus gnats back indoors in the fall. She has a fix to keep them away. She also includes a bottle trap for flies, wasps, and stinkbugs—all with their own individual bait recipes.

As a plus, Ms. Rose has included some fun activities to keep gardeners occupied while their plants are sleeping this winter season. You can make seed bombs, suet holders, butterfly puddlers, and more.

Garden Alchemy is chock full of beautiful, interesting photographs and diagrams that complement the easy to understand, straight to the point text. I recommend it for all gardeners.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: Good Garden Bugs - Photo of a black and yellow stripped hover fly resting in the center of a bright yellow flowerGood Garden Bugs

by Mary M. Gardiner, Ph.D.

Review by Donna Beyer, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

All gardeners must deal with bugs — good bugs, bad bugs — but some of us aren’t sure which is which. Good Garden Bugs is directed to the home gardener who might not know the difference. As gardeners, we invest time and effort into making our gardens the most beautiful and productive they can be, yet bugs can present challenges to our efforts. Most of us understand the need for good bugs, but sometimes find it difficult to live in harmony with them.

The book begins by providing information on the classification, anatomy, and the life cycle of garden bugs. The information helps the gardener understand how each stage of a bug’s development has different enemies and threats, and is presented in a way that non-academics can understand. How bugs overwinter and mature provides the gardener with valuable insight into promoting good garden bugs.

The chapter that discusses controls we use to regulate bug populations can help gardeners understand how their actions affect them. This section also stresses the need for native plants to promote healthy habitats that support good bug populations.

The chapters that follow are the core of the book. Each subsequent chapter is dedicated to an order of bug that describes the unique attributes and common examples of bugs that fall into that order. The book also includes large color photos with descriptions of each.

Over half the chapters are dedicated to wasps, beetles, and spiders. These bugs are the most plentiful and can be difficult to identify. These orders can do serious damage to plants and humans alike, so being able to identify these “good” bugs is especially important. Gardeners want to promote good bugs that fall into these orders, but also want to protect themselves and their gardens.

Currently, in the age of the internet, having a resource you can carry to the garden that will assist with pest identification is invaluable. This book is slim but does not skimp on content and is a valuable addition to a home gardener’s library.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden - Photo of perennial garden with purple flowers in bloomThe Know Maintenance Perennial Garden

by Roy Diblik

Reviewed by Cecille Jones, Monroe Master Gardener Volunteer

If the title of this book doesn’t hook you, perhaps the words on the cover will. In red ink, it loudly declares knowing your plants means less work. Or perhaps you’ve heard of Roy Diblik, the renowned plantsman behind the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago.

Diblik’s approach to gardening stresses harmony with how plants grow and interact with each other. He advocates knowing your plants so you can plant them in self-sustaining communities. By doing so, you will spend less time maintaining them and more time enjoying them.

The author focuses on perennials because he believes they are the foundation of durable, diverse and beautiful gardens. According to Diblik, once you’re familiar with perennials, then you will recognize how and when to add annuals, vegetables, herbs, shrubs and trees.

Diblik believes that traditional gardening has become so culturally defined over the last 50 years that it is now a source of frustration and defeat for most gardeners.

In the first four chapters, he covers the basics – from understanding plant growth to soil, light, site preparation, and more. Chapter 5 covers 74 key perennials selected for their dependability, suitability to the northern half of the U.S., adaptability to soil & seasonal changes, and durability.

The true treasure is saved for Chapter 6 and beyond, where Diblik provides more than 60 garden plans, each designed to cover a 10 – 14’ rectangle, categorized by plans for growing in sun or shade, and complete with notes on care and maintenance. Assuming you are diligent about care and maintenance, Diblik claims that each plan should take about 3 to 4 hours of work per week.

Diblik’s approach will put you on a path to a style of gardening that stresses harmony, simplicity and enjoyment.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: Natural Companions - Photo of several colorful flower blossoms and colorful leaves arranged on a black backgroundNatural Companions: The Garden Lover’s Guide to Plant Combinations

by Ken Druse

Reviewed by Gerda Krogslund, Middletown Senior Master Gardener Volunteer

For this book, author Ken Druse worked in conjunction with artist Ellen Hoverkamp who provided the beautiful botanical photographs throughout. Each chapter explores plants in a different light looking at season, family, form, function, color, spirit of place, or theme.

Take a journey through the seasons starting with signs of spring and continuing through the year concluding with winter and new awakenings. Learn about different plant families and delve into the numerous varieties found in each. Form follows function – examine the many different shapes, textures, structures and growth habit of flowers and other plants. Be inspired by pictures of flowers with both similar colors and exciting color combinations. Consider the spirit of place and think about what you can plant in woodlands, meadows, wetlands, rain gardens, and rock gardens. Explore themed gardens grown for fragrance, roses, pollinators, birds, cutting, edible plants, herbs, medicinal plants, and toxic plants.

This is not a “how-to” manual but a book that suggests possible plant combinations for your consideration. It gives you lots of ideas in which you can take your reliable basic plants and add others to make your garden even more spectacular. Ken Druse knows that gardening is very personable and suggests that while you read through the book, you make lists of combinations that appeal to you.

A garden is never really complete but more a work in progress as we continually experiment with new plants and new plant arrangements. I’ve spent hours going through this book and I know I’ll come back again and again.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: Square Foot Gardening with Kids - Small boy picking tomatoesSquare Foot Gardening with Kids

by Mel Bartholomew

Reviewed by Brooke Moore, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

Getting children interested in growing food and learning more about the natural world is an admirable goal. And one that does not have to be boring or pedantic.

This lovely book by the master of Square Foot Gardening, provides kids from toddlers to teens with all the tools they need to build, manage, grow and harvest a vegetable garden. It encourages starting small and building more as confidence and experience lead one to wanting a larger planting area.

With a format that provides age-appropriate tasks and goals at every step, this book also works for the whole family. I loved that there are clues to help parents not be overly involved but rather encourage the children to figure out how to do things themselves. It covers building raised beds, making soil mixes, how to make a grid system, water issues, protecting plants from predators, best growing practices, and much more.

Teachers and classroom projects are also a part of the book, and these can be used by anyone. Math, science, art, and history are all related to gardening, and the book provides simple and interesting activities to bring these skills into the garden and to use the garden to develop entirely new ones. Measuring, weighing, keeping a planting journal are all well described and encouraged. There are good photos and illustrations for each step and lots of handy tips and “how to” suggestions.

This is a book with “kids” in the title, but it truly is a book for anyone and everyone interested in exploring how to use this simple system to have a successful garden harvest.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener's HandbookThe Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardner’s Handbook

by Ron and Jennifer Kujawski

Reviewed by Kimberly Marshall, Washingtonville Master Gardener Volunteer

If there were only one vegetable gardening book I could use throughout the gardening year, it would be The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook by Ron and Jennifer Kujawski. This dynamic father-and-daughter gardening duo have made an indispensable resource that should grace the bookshelves of vegetable gardeners everywhere.

It provides week-by-week vegetable gardening how-to’s that coincide with each planting season. A chart at the beginning of the book helps you identify where you are in your own area’s growing season, using your first and last frost dates as a guide. For example, if your last frost date is mid-May, as it is for many of us here in Orange County, you enter that date in the calendar’s “Week 1,” which starts your weekly to-do’s (first week, two weeks out, three weeks out, etc.).

Based on these dates, the book explains which week to start seeds indoors, plant cover crops, look for pests, harvest your crops, and fertilize each and every vegetable you can think of, with plenty of gardening tips and tricks along the way. There are even steps for gardening in the winter, with instructions for planning gardens and ordering seeds, so you can work on or think about your garden all year long.

The book also includes space for journaling your thoughts and experiences. There is ample room for notes in each section to remind yourself of what you planted and any issues you might have experienced, helping you to avoid making the same mistakes the following year.

If you’re looking for a step-by-step vegetable gardening book that tells you exactly what to do and when to do it, give this one a try—especially if you find the idea of vegetable gardening a bit overwhelming, like I do. It breaks everything down into easy steps, making even the scariest parts of gardening seem effortless while helping you realize what’s truly possible for your garden along the way.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: The Weekend Homesteader - Grid of gardening photos: pea shoots, rubber boots, chicken, peppers, etc.The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency

by Anna Hess

Reviewed by Robin Portelli, Cornwall Master Gardener Volunteer

As I was perusing through gardening books on the Libby App from my local library, the book title, The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve-Month Guide to Self Sufficiency by Anna Hess caught my attention. I was envisioning a book with information that would inspire me to become a self-sufficient gardener without feeling overwhelmed or pressured that I needed to go off the grid or never buy grocery produce again. I was not disappointed.

In her introduction, Anna Hess immediately connects with the novice homesteader. She understands that the dream of full-time homesteading can be daunting for most people. “Weekend Homesteader is full of short projects that you can use to dip your toes into the vast ocean of homesteading without becoming overwhelmed,” she writes. So, I began to read.

The book is divided by months beginning in the month of April or October if you live down under. Each month introduces you to topics that are important factors in growing a successful garden and maintaining a small homestead. Some homesteading basics covered that are more familiar to most of us include budgeting skills and record keeping (ugh!), healthy soil, garden rotation, and how to build a chicken coop. Anna Hess also touches upon less well-known details and tips such as how to find space to plant if you live in the city, how to stay warm without electricity for longer periods of time, and how to extend the gardening season by making your own garden hoops. Recipes, canning, cooking, and details of food/seed storing options are among some of the other multitude of topics.

Overall, I would give this book 4.5/5 stars.

Pros: It was well organized and gave many tips that only an experienced homesteader would know. It could help a novice homesteader avoid rookie mistakes. This book was published in 2012, but the topics and information are still very practical and relevant.

Cons: It covers the basics so an already experienced homesteader may not reap much benefit by reading it. Also, it is missing a chapter specific to urban gardening topics.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: The Well-Gardener Mind - Drawing of a head in which the outline of the face is a green stem and the head has branches coverd with green leavesThe Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature

by Sue Stuart-Smith

Reviewed by Sharon Lunden, Goshen Master Gardener Volunteer

In The Well-Gardened Mind, Stuart-Smith, a British psychiatrist and psychotherapist, delves into the therapeutic aspects of immersing yourself in a garden. This is not a how-to garden book but instead outlines the well-researched benefits to the human body, mind, and soul to be found in the natural world around us.

Our brain cells are like branching trees, requiring pruning, weeding, and room to grow. Experience and pain can be “composted” into something beneficial. Gardens reflect our lives, periods of yield and beauty, loss and rest. Our minds as gardens seek light, cultivation, seeding, nourishment, watering, and replenishment. Souls and bodies begin to heal and thrive in the peace, safety, and beauty of the confines of a flower or vegetable garden. We need the earth as much as the earth needs us to care for and cherish it, a full circle. By learning to care for a garden, we better learn to care for ourselves and others.

This is a fascinating book which I recommend to you, as it can prove helpful and comforting in the midst of the stress of these difficult times.

If we put energy into cultivating the earth, we are given something back. There is magic in it and there is hard work in it, but the fruits and flowers of the earth are a form of goodness that is real; they are worth believing in and are not out of reach. When we sow a seed, we plant a narrative of future possibility. It is an action of hope. Not all the seeds we sow will germinate, but there is a sense of security that comes from knowing you have seeds in the ground. (pp. 65–66)

Back to Book List

Book Cover: A Year at Brandywine Cottage - Photos: Harvested beets, radishes, and peas / A lush garden with a white cottage in in the backgroundA Year at Brandywine Cottage

by David L. Culp

Reviewed by Madelene Knaggs, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

A Year at Brandywine Cottage leads us on a journey through an exquisite garden that represents a lifetime of hard work, passion, successes and disappointments, experience and knowledge. Engaging prose and beautiful photography take the armchair gardener on a virtual tour through each season as the author informs us of the Latin genus and species and the botanical and historical facts about each plant.

Author and gardener David Culp states, “By looking closely at my garden over a period of time, and allowing it to speak to me, I find that the garden at Brandywine Cottage wants six seasons. As you will see, this book chronicles what happens in my garden over the course of those seasons.”

Culp demonstrates his deep knowledge of plants season by season with such tips and techniques for a successful layered garden as adding pots of tropicals (he has 400 pots) into the beds to boost a tired August garden, or clipping distracting dead leaves off hellebores before they bloom. He also weaves in family and local recipes using ingredients from his own beautiful vegetable garden.

Beginning in February (in the chapter “Early Spring”), he shows us the sleepy phase in the garden when most people are oblivious to any plant life. He proves that there is much to behold—the emerging bulbs of crocus, dwarf iris, glory-of-the-snow, winter aconite, witch hazels, and the author’s large collection of snowdrops. As the season progresses into March, daffodils and hellebores take center stage. He continues to show the progression and overlapping from season to season and from outdoors to inside the home.

This book will inspire readers with ideas for their own gardens, and will encourage plans in anticipation of the upcoming season.

Back to Book List

Book Cover: Your Wellbeing Garden - Drawing of garden bench with trees on both sides and a potted flower sitting on itYour Wellbeing Garden: How to Make Your Garden Good for You – Science, Design, Function

by D.K. Publishing

Review by Patricia Henighan, Walden Master Gardener Volunteer

If you have been gardening for a while, you probably don’t need to be convinced that your garden is good for you. Nevertheless, this delightfully designed and easy to digest book uses scientific research drawn together by a team of scientists from the Royal Horticultural Society to present the whys and hows of creating an outdoor space that nourishes both the mind and the body, and is good for the planet. Each section encapsulates the latest research on topics such as how to fight air pollution, reduce noise pollution, help pollinators, address climate change, and provide fodder for your brain.

The authors use diagrams and illustrations to explain concepts such as how different types of leaves trap air pollutants and why vegetation is a better at reducing noise pollution than a fence or a wall. They explore topics such as Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS) which rates plants from 1 to 10 for allergenicity using eye-catching illustrations that show why certain flower and tree species are better choices if you are looking to avoid flying pollen.

Many people spend time outside to find peace and tranquility in a chaotic world. Research has found that when seeking “natural restoration”, we respond best to natural features that are moderately complex – not too smooth and not too busy. A grassy area with openings and some trees provides the highest rewards for inducing tranquility. Fractals or repeating branching patterns, which occur frequently in nature, can be added to a garden to ensure the landscape provides release for the brain from stress and anxiety. The authors encourage you to design a mindfulness corner with a comfortable seat in an area cushioned from street noise with a soothing sound of water or bees buzzing. Who said gardens must be all work?

Gardening can be a solitary pursuit or a communal activity. It can benefit people from all walks of life. Children and adults with special needs can benefit from the experience of growing flowers and food crops. Horticultural therapy is a way in which gardening is used to help people suffering from trauma and illness. For immigrants, growing crops from their home country can help to allay homesickness. And when it comes to children and gardening, psychologists have found that children can cultivate character by taking care of their own individual garden plots. It is also thought that by handling dirt at an early age, children increase their exposure to beneficial microbes, which may boost the immune system.

Since climate change is an ongoing challenge for everyone, the last section covers many aspects of creating a sustainable garden. There are suggestions on how to change barren, water-gobbling lawns into more resilient spaces and the latest recommendations on how to care for your soil, avoid impermeable surfaces, capture run-off, and design rain gardens. Obviously, it is a win-win situation as making your garden better for you will also make it better for the environment.

Back to Book List

Uncategorized

Tree of the Month: Eastern White Pine

“O Christmas Tree”

by Becky Stage,  Florida Master Gardener Volunteer

Photo: A field of short conical shaped white pine trees It is believed that the Christmas tree originated in Latvia in the early 1500s and the tradition was brought to the United States by German settlers in the 1800s. It was originally tabletop size but soon became floor to ceiling size. Christmas trees started to be sold commercially in the United States in 1851. At that time, Christmas trees were harvested from forests.  Eventually conservationists became concerned that the natural supply of evergreens was being decimated, which lead to the creation of Christmas Tree Farms. The first Christmas Tree Farm in the United States was started in New Jersey in 1901 and grew Norway spruce trees.

The eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), also known as white pine, northern white pine, northern pine, and soft pine, is a very popular Christmas tree. It is native to New York and all of eastern North America, from Canada down to northern Georgia and Alabama.

Photo: Several towering white pine treesThe eastern white pine is a very large tree, fifty to eighty feet tall and twenty to forty feet wide. It can often be identified by its lone silhouette as it towers over other trees in the forest or by its wide base and gradual layering of upswept branches up to the top.  Pine trees are easy to distinguish from other conifers as they are the only conifer that has their needles bundled in sheaths known as fasicles.  Eastern white pine needles are blue/green to silver/green in color and 2-5 inches long.  It is easy to distinguish from other pines in our area, because it is the only one that has five needles in each fasicle.

Photo: Large conical shaped eastern white oine treeSomewhere between 25-35 million live Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year.  When grown as a Christmas tree, the eastern white pine is cut at six feet and is usually sheared. It takes 6-8 years to produce an eastern white pine Christmas tree whereas it takes other an average 15 years for other Christmas tree species making it very profitable for Christmas tree growers.

The eastern white pine prefers to grow in locations that get lots of sun and have moist, sandy loam soils. It will tolerate some shade and although it will grow on rocky ridges and wet sphagnum bogs, it will not be as magnificent as when grown in its ideal conditions.

Photo: Deep fissured bark of a mature eastern white pine tree
Mature bark

This pine excels as a Christmas tree as it has good to excellent needle retention and very little aroma which is a plus for those who suffer with allergies. On the down side, the branches do not support much weight and it is recommended not to put heavy ornaments on them.

The bark on young eastern white pine trunks and branches is smooth and tends to be greenish-brown in color.  As the tree ages the bark becomes dark gray and deeply fissured. mo

Photo: Clusters of upright,light brown male cones on the ends of branches
Male cones

All pines are gymnosperms, which means that they have neither flowers nor fruits.  Instead of flowers they produce male and female cones. The seeds of conifers are not protected by a fruit, they are naked hence the name  “gymnosperm” which comes from the Greek  meaning “naked seed”.

Eastern white pines are monoecious meaning that both male and female cones occur on the same tree.  Cones are produced in the spring with the male cones located near the bottom of the tree and the female flowers higher up on the tree.  Pines are wind pollinated  and the cone placement helps prevent self-pollination.

Photo: A single dried mature female come hanging off a branch
Mature female cone

The female cones of the eastern white pine are 4-8 inches long and slightly curved. They start out green and become light brown as they ripen.  After pollination, two seeds develop on top of each scale on the cone. The seeds mature at the end of the second season and drop out after the cone dries.  Mature cones often remain attached to the tree for several months before they fall off.

The eastern white pine is very sensitive to air pollution and salt spray. It also is susceptible to insect pests include the white pine weevil, the white pine shoot borer, aphids, bagworms, bark beetles, sawflies, and scale. There are also several diseases that affect white pine trees.

If you are still looking for a Christmas tree, consider getting an eastern white pine.  It is a beautiful tree with its soft, luxurious needles and low allergenic properties.   And  don’t forget to support our local farmers:

Christmas Tree Farms in Orange County New York

And if you are looking for great native tree to add to your landscape, eastern white pines are a great addition.  You can plant a  towering tree or a dwarf cultivar.  They are commonly used as windbreaks and screen.  And eastern white pines help support a wide range of wildlife providing both food and shelter to several mammal species and a whole host of bird species.

Detailed drawing of cones, seeds and needles of eastern white pine tree

Resources

Basic Information

Eastern  White Pine (Pinus strobus) – Woody Plant Database, Cornell University

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) – Plant Database, University of Connecticut

Trees of the Adirondacks: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) – Adirondacks Forever Wild

Care

Pruning Evergreens – Colorado State Extension

Pruning Pines – Michigan State University Extension

White Pine Planting and Care – Tending White Pine – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Problems

Dieback of Eastern  White  Pine – University of Massachusetts Extension

Eastern White Pine: Modern Disease Threats to a Historically Important Species – Penn State University

Eastern White Pine Problems – Missouri Botanical Garden

Pine Diseases – Penn State Extension

Pines: What’s Wrong with My Plant? – University of Minnesota Extension

White Pine Weevil – Colorado State Extension

Out in the Garden, Pollinators

The Flight of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird

by Mary Carol Presutti, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

Green hummingbird with a white throat and grey head perched on a twig
Female ruby-throated hummingbird

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 of them had been there on and off all summer, so it’s not like she didn’t have the lay of the land.  I could only assume the two girls had been fighting over the honeysuckle, as they are wont to do in a race to put on winter weight, and I guess it got out of hand.

Photo: Bunches of light red tubular flowers
Coral honeysuckle

I thought about the little bird now laying lifeless on the ground, it would never make it to wherever she would have spent the winter.  Thinking about it, I didn’t know where she would have headed to.  Or the route, or the time taken to get there, or if she would eat along the way, or well…anything about her journey.

The remaining bird was sitting on the fence near the honeysuckle looking in my direction.  She perched there for maybe five minutes then flew away, and I never saw the bird again.

Map showing Ruby-throated Hummingbird Range throughout the yearSo, as the little ruby-throated began the first day of her winter journey, I sat down in front of my laptop and began to learn as much as I could about what she would be doing in the days and weeks ahead.

After leaving my yard in New Windsor, she would have traveled southwest to somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico.  She would fly during daylight, just over the treetops in constant search for food. During most of the flight she had to make sure that her weight stayed high by eating flower nectar, insects, sugar water provided by birders, and interestingly, the sugary and protein laden contents of yellow-bellied sapsucker holes.  Her normal weight is between 3 and 4 grams, about the weight of a penny.  To prepare for her trip she had to double her weight while she was in New York.

Female ruby-throated hummingbird at a feederOnce she reached the Gulf, there was a final push across the water as she flew nonstop for 500 miles until she reached land.  Young and older birds may fly along the coastline into Mexico to reach their destination.  My bird may have had the good fortune to alight on a passing boat or possibly an oil rig for a short rest.  It is an amazing journey for such a tiny bird.

It is now December so the ruby-throated hummingbird who, in September, perched on the fence watching me, has by now made the long 1600 mile or more trip to one of a few locations in Mexico and Central America. However, there is a chance that she may be wintering in one of the southernmost states.  In the last 25 years with the temperature change, the ruby-throated hummingbirds’ range has expanded 200 miles north of its traditional southernmost range.

Sometime in March the trip back north will begin and by the end of April to mid-May she will arrive close to where she was born, ready to find a suitable mate, raise her chicks, and prepare for another fall flight.

Interesting Facts about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

  • Photo: Green hummingbird with a white breast and red collar
    Male ruby-throated hummingbird

    Research indicates that a hummingbird can travel as many as 23 miles in one day. They fly by day and use tail winds to help conserve energy.

  • In eastern part of the United States the ruby-throated hummingbird is the only breeding hummingbird around. Males arrive in New York a few days before females to set up territories
  • Bird banding projects show that when ruby-throated hummingbirds head south, they will follow almost the exact route they took a few short months ago when they were heading north to their breeding grounds. Young birds will return to the location in which they were hatched.
  • Photo: Juvenile red-throated-hummingbird in flight showingits red breast and a few patches of red in the collar area
    Juvenile red-throated hummingbird

    Several species of hummingbirds including the ruby-throated hummingbird follow yellow belly sapsucker woodpeckers to feed on the remaining sap and bugs left over from the holes the sapsucker drills into trees.

  • Hummingbirds eat between 60 and 80% of their protein a day in insects. That’s about 330 fruit flies a day!
  • Photo: Hummingbird with white throat and breast sitting in tiny lichen covered nest on a tree branch
    Female ruby-throated hummingbird on nest

    Hummingbird feet are poorly developed, so if they want to move a few inches while perched they must fly.

  • A group of hummingbirds is called a charm, but you will seldom see a group of hummingbirds gather willingly outside of backyard hummingbird feeders. Hummingbirds are territorial and can be aggressive when food is involved.  The dominant male controls which hummingbirds feed in his territory.  He sits nearby the feeding area and will attack any other males or females that dare to attempt to feed in his territory.  Female hummingbirds that are sociable towards the dominant male are allowed to feed unscathed.

More Information about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Photo: Female red-throated hummngbird feeding from a stalk covered wtih of light purpletubular flowers
Female ruby-throated hummingbird feeding from an obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)

Attracting Hummingbirds – Penn State Extension

Central America Bird Feeder Live Feed – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Hummingbird Migration – Hummingbirds.net

Hummingbird Sightings – Journey North

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – National Audubon Society

Understanding Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Enhancing Their Habitat – University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Out in the Garden

The Eensy Weensy Spider

By Sharon Lunden, Goshen Master Gardener Volunteer

A brown spider on a cement surface
Funnel weaver spider (Agelenopsis sp.)

Welcome to autumn, time for falling leaves, pumpkin spice everything, candy corn and… spiders!  Fall is spider mating season, so they are more visible this time of year. Typically it is the female you will notice since the males are on the move to find a suitable mate.  Whether you find spiders beautiful or frightening, they are an important part of our world.  Allow me introduce you to a few of our area’s eight legged residents, so you, too, can appreciate them.

Note: When measuring spiders only the body length is measured, the legs are not included in the measurement.

A brown spider covered with short prickly hairs hanging from a web
Funnel weaver spider (Agelenopsis sp.)

Have you noticed a dewy webs stretching across the surface of your shrubs, grass, or ground cover?  This may have been created by a funnel weaver, or grass spider, in the family Agelenidae.  Spiders in this family build large webs that resemble a small sheet, but with a small funnel on one side.  These webs are not sticky themselves, but provide both a place to hide and a platform for this fast-moving spider to capture an unsuspecting insect after it is knocked into the web by a network of other threads strategically placed above the sheet.  You’re more likely to see the web than its yellow brown builder unless you pay close attention or find one indoors as they seek warmth during the increasingly cold weather.  These spiders measure anywhere from 9 to 20 mm (⅓ to ¾ inch) length, males being slightly smaller than females, and are recognized by long spinnerets on the back of their abdomen and distinctive striping on the top side of their cephalothorax.

Two spiders, on redish-broen and one black with off-white markings and legs hanging out in the middle of a web of silk strands
Bowl and doily spiders (Frontinella communis)

Spiders in the Linyphiidae family are also sheet web weavers, but they are much smaller (1 to 8.5 mm / 0.04 to ⅓ inch) and less noticeable.  Theses spiders build a flat sheet, sometime in two layers, and hide underneath, ready to capture its prey, running out to bite and immobilize any insect that lands.  These are some of the most common spiders found in vegetation.

A small spider with green legs and colorful markings in its abdomen suspended in a web next to a trapped insect
Orchard orb weaver spider (Leucauge venusta)

The orchard orb weaver (Leucauge venusta) belongs to the Tetragnathidae family.  It is a small (3.5 to 7 mm / ⅒ to ¼ inch), pretty green spider with orange markings.  As you might guess, they are commonly found in orchards, woodland edges, and under the overhanging eves of structures situated near hedges or gardens.  They usually create horizontal orb webs and rest on underside of the center to wait for dinner. Unlike many solitary spiders, sometimes, when prey is abundant, these spiders will attach their webs together.

A fatspider with striped legs clinging to a web speckled with insects
Cross spider (Araneus diadematus)

Some of the more intimidating visitor to the garden are spiders from one of the largest spider family, the Araneidae or true orb weavers.  Specimens from this ancient family have been found in amber dating back to 121-115 million years ago.  These spiders are usually most active at night, which is when they build their large, round (orb) shaped webs used to catch night flying insects.  Typically, they are shades of brown and gray and vary in size measuring from 6 to over 25 mm in length (¼ to 1 inch).  Their leg segments often have alternating colors given them a striped pattern and they frequently have highly patterned abdomens like the pictured Araneus diadametus.

Digram showing the extrnal anatomy of a spider
Diagram of the underside and head of a spider

Spider silk is created in spinnerets, located at the rear of the spider’s abdomen.  It is used not only to capture dinner, but also for transportation, finding a suitable mate, and for shelter.  Some orb weavers even use silk is to create a daytime hiding place by using it to binding a leaf together.

Some spiders may produce several types of webbing silk.  Orb weavers use a non-sticky silk to build the radial threads and outer frame of their web (like bicycle spokes and rim) and a sticky silk to fill in, used to catch prey.  Orb weavers often have a conspicuous zig-zag pattern built into their web called a stabilimentum.  Although the function of the stabilimentum is not well understood, some scientists hypothesis that it may attract prey through an ultraviolet fluorescence. Unseen to the human eye ultraviolet light is visible to many insects, and many flowers reflect ultra violet light to attract pollinators.

Black and yellow orb wearver sider in the center of her web which has a very visible zig-zag stabilimentum
Black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia)

My favorite orb weaver is the black and yellow garden spider(Argiope aurantia).  This spider is a striking sight in the garden.  The females are among the largest spiders in New York State, with their bodies measuring up to 30 mm in length (1¼ inches).  Like many spiders they are sexually dimorphic meaning the males and females have different forms.  Unlike the females, the males are tiny only measuring up to 8 mm (⅓ inch). Theses spiders prefer sunny spots in fields and gardens, building large webs which include a long zig-zag pattern which some believe helps birds to avoid being caught in the web, a catch larger than even this spider can handle. Each web is rebuilt every morning so that the web remains sticky.

Though many of us have a natural instinct to fear spiders, it is important to recognize their contribution to our world and to appreciate that that they dine on many pests and are generally not aggressive. If you find a spider has built a web near the entrance to your home or vehicle, get close enough that the spider retreats elsewhere, then clear away the web. Eventually they will get the hint and relocate. Please do not commit arachnicide! With time you may even consider these eight legged creatures a beautiful and welcome guest in your garden.

Spider References

Common Spiders of New York – NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Grass Spiders – Penn State Extension

Spiders in New York – Spider ID

Out in the Garden

Clean Your Garden with Insects in Mind

by Mary Carol Presutti, New Windsor Master Gardener Volunteer

Between now and mum season there are a few things you can do to get a head start for spring cleanup with minimum fuss.

Weed

A pair of gloved hands holding some freshly picked weedsThis is a perfect time to get a start on weed management for the spring.  Shorter days and colder weather in the months ahead will reduce the activity of plant growth.  You want to keep the process as natural as possible.  Pull weeds to your hearts content without overly disturbing the soil.  Don’t use hoes or rakes, and don’t turn the soil over unless you must.  When you disturb the soil too much seeds resting on top of soil get planted in the loose soil, and seeds deep in the soil are brought closer to the surface where they will be able to sprout.  Every time you move soil around without a purpose, the roots and seeds of unwanted plants are given the go ahead to sprout away.

Organic Weed Management – Cornell University

Mulch

Freshly mulched garden bed in front of a houseBare soil is an invitation for weeds to… well, put down roots!  Cover weeds that you want gone by the spring with a layer of weighted cardboard. Sometimes I think I shop online more for the cardboard shipping boxes then for what’s inside.  I also love using sheets of bark from my fireplace wood in and around my garden plants.  Tree bark adds nutrients, cuts down on weed growth, and is a good insulator for tender plants.  Grass clippings or shredded leaves make a nice winter mulch, but cut up leaves soon after they fall to the ground before insects and small animals take shelter.  Rake only the leaves you need to, leaving a goodly amount for insects to find winter cover.

Organic Garden Mulches to Conserve Moisture and Prevent Weeds – South Dakota State University Extension

Leave the Leaves – Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Seed

A group of blazing star blooms - cyclindrical spikes covered with tiny purple flowers
Blazing star

There are so many plants that seed themselves if you leave them be, although you must be patient as they will need a year or two to establish themselves from seed.  Here are a few of my favorites

Self-Seeding Perennials – University of Minnesota Extension

Which flowers are self-sowing? – University of New Hampshire Extension

Collect Seeds

Three milkweed seed pods that have been spilt open. One is empty and the other two contain lots of small, brown, oval-shaped seed attached to a silky strands that will help disperse the wind disperse them.
Milkweed seed pods

I love collecting seeds and seed heads as they mature throughout the year.  I either give them to friends or propagate them in other areas of my own garden.  Make sure you collect seeds from plants that produce viable seeds.  Some cultivars are bred to be sterile, and hybrids may produce seed, but the offspring will not necessarily resemble the parent plant.  It is best to stick with uncultivated species and their varieties.  Seeds and seed pods vary greatly.  Milkweed produces seed pods which open to disperse seeds, while catmint, verbena, and blazing star produce seed heads after the plants flower.   Research gathering techniques, proper storage, and how to plant different kinds of seeds in your garden.

Saving Seeds from Annuals and Perennials – The National Gardening Association

How to Collect and Store Seeds – Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Disease Management

Black, yellow, and white stripped monarch caterpillar feeding on milkweed.
Monarch caterpillar

If you grow native milkweeds, consider cutting back the plants this month to discourage next year’s growth from harboring any diseases that may have been left by this year’s monarchs. The most prevalent is Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, a parasitic protozoan that affects caterpillars.  An infected monarch butterfly can host thousands of these parasites on their wings.  Dispose of the cuttings with your regular trash instead of composting.

A wild begamont plant with leaves covered witha white substance.
Powdery mildew on wild bergamont

The stems and leaves of diseased plants should also be cut and disposed of in the trash as well.  A good example is wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), which is very susceptible to powdery mildew.  If left alone the mildew will overwinter on the old stems and may transfer to new growth in springtime.

Powdery Mildew of Ornamentals –  Cornell Cooperative Extension Nassau County

Create Habitat for Pollinators

Milweed stems that have been cut back so the hollow stem can be used for by cavity nesting bees
Cut back milkweed stems

One way to help local native bee populations is to encourage nesting in your garden.  Cut back some of the hollow-stemmed plants like Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium spp.) and milkweed leaving them about a foot tall as to create a space for cavity nesting bees to nest.  For the ground nesting bees, avoid heavy wood mulches which are impossible for these small insects to burrow into.

Pollinator Nesting Resources – Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Wild Bees of New York – Cornell University