Click Here for some Holiday Ideas
… FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A FREEZE WATCH MEANS BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE. THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION
Add to the natural autumn beauty of your yard with harvest-inspired fall outdoor decorations. Featuring natural elements such as pumpkins, leaves, and more, our versatile fall outdoor decorating ideas will span the season from September through Thanksgiving. Read More
Call In the Green Landscaping for your sprinkler system shut down.
Phone: (516) 679-0101
The map at left shows the average date of the first frost in fall. Use it to help plan when to plant late-season or fall crops, and when you can expect frost-sensitive plants to finally succumb to freezing temperatures.
Keep in mind that t…he dates are guides, and no guarantee that frost will not occur before the first date shown.
Also remember that microclimates have a tremendous effect on frost. Some valleys and low-lying areas can be plagued by early frosts well before the first frost date on cold nights when there is radiational cooling. Large bodies of water may moderate air temperatures at some sites, reducing the chances of frost.
Best Fall Flowers for the Northeast
These spectacular bloomers enliven Northeastern gardens with fall color and drama.
Ann Whitman
Short days and crisp nights transform leadplant (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Zones 6-9) into a scarlet canvas that echoes the fiery autumn landscape above it. This groundcover's startling blue flowers sparkle above its blushing leaves.
Purple-leaf smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria, Zones 5-8) is well-known for clouds of long-lasting frothy flower plumes, but it also shines for its fall foliage. Variety 'Velvet Cloak' has purple-pink blooms and deep red fall color. 'Royal Purple' starts with red spring foliage that turns purple by summer, then transforms into a magnificent display of red, orange, and yellow in autumn. Dwarf Fothergilla gardenii 'Mount Airy' (Zones 5-9) is another fall foliage superstar. The foliage turns apricot, crimson, and gold.
For jewellike fall blooms, plant clusters of Colchicum bulbs, also known as autumn crocus, among shrubs. Colchicum flowers appear like magic in early to midautumn, long after their spring foliage has gone dormant. Flowers range from pure white to pink, blue, and rosy purple, depending on the variety, and are larger than spring-blooming crocus. Colchicum autumnale 'Alboplenum' has plush white blooms that resemble water lilies, and Colchicum 'The Giant' features 10- to 12-inch- tall violet flowers.
Correct any soil deficiencies you've noticed. Healthy soil is crucial to healthy plants.
Check coniferous trees for tip damage on new growth. If the tips have been mutilated by borers or otherwise damaged, remove them and establish a new leader by forcing a new side shoot into an upright position.
Young trees should be staked to prevent the roots from being pulled by fall and winter winds.
If you haven't brought your houseplants in yet, do it before you have to start heating your home. This gives them a chance to adjust. Wash them thoroughly before bringing them in to rid them of any pests and eggs.
Plant spring bulbs as long as the ground is workable. Plant the following bulbs soon: trout lily,tulip, narcissus (including daffodil), snowdrop, winter aconite, starflower, and crown imperial. For crown imperial, add a little lime to the soil.
Dig up your rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, English thyme, parsley, and chives to grow them inside as houseplants. Keep them in a cool, sunny spot, and allow the Click Here
The same hot weather that brings out the best in tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other summer vegetables makes spinach, lettuce, peas and other cool-weather vegetables tough and bitter.
In the middle of a siege of hazy, hot days, it is hard to imagine that the weather will ever be cool and the soil moist again. But of course they will, and now is a good time to plan for and begin planting those vegetables that thrive when cool temperatures and short days sap the vitality from tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
Growing fall vegetables is like having an extra growing season. The garden's closing scenes need not be of blackened tomato vines in a sea of weeds but can be vibrant with lush green, bluish-green and reddish-green leaves. The medley of frilly, scalloped, wrinkled and smooth leaves livens the scene.
Moist, cool weather, even temperatures dipping below freezing, brings out the best flavor from vegetables like kale, broccoli and carrots. And the fall harvest season in the Northeast can go well into December. While spinach, radishes and Chinese cabbage grow seed stalks instead of tender edible leaves or roots during spring's lengthening days, these vegetables stay Read More
Banning Guests That Bite or Buzz - Home & Garden
Earlier this month, the raspberry bushes on our property exploded with berries, thanks to the season’s big rains. Unfortunately, the backyard puddles that had harbored bug larvae exploded with life, too, so our berry harvest exacted a high price in mosquito bites.
I’ve never much feared West Nile virus or even Lyme disease, despite our location in deer-thick Connecticut woods not far from Lyme. But with mosquitoes stalking the berry pickers, and with ticks infecting three friends recently with Lyme disease, it seemed a good time to make my yard less bug-friendly.
I asked several entomologists for tips, including Dr. Roxanne Connelly, president of
Click Here for NYTimes article
Protecting the soil surface is key to plant survival during periods of extreme heat…
CLICK HERE For Link to Entire Article (excerpts below)
By Greg Seaman
The heat wave currently baking the East Coast may have caught many gardeners by surprise, as the searing temperatures cause struggling transplants to wilt just when they should be starting their summer growth spurt. Even well-established garden plants and landscape shrubs can be set back during a heat wave. Fortunately there are some simple measures gardeners can take to counter the heat and keep a garden growing.
Most common vegetable crops and native shrubs can withstand periodic heat waves without losing vigor. However, the shallow surface roots cannot withstand the stress of extreme heat which dries and cakes the soil in the top few inches. By paying attention to the condition of the soil, a gardener can offset the effects of a heat wave on growing plants.
The first line of defense against hot weather, and against windy conditions which can dry surface soil, is to apply a liberal layer of mulch around the plants. This protects the soil from direct sun exposure, keeping it moist at the surface. Mulch also reduces evaporation of water from the soil which reduces the need for watering.
There are many different mulch materials which gardeners can use. During a heat wave, light colored mulches will reflect the sunlight and help maintain…
It stands to reason that taller grass casts longer shadows. And the added shading from leaving your grass taller than usual will benefit the soil by helping to retain moisture. A minimum depth for getting a shade benefit is 3”, and some groundskeepers set mowers as high as 6” during heat waves or drought conditions.
Avoid applying fertilizers to your lawn or garden during a heat wave, since the roots ability to absorb nutrients is diminished during a heat wave. Wait until the weather cools down before adding fertilizers to garden crops and the lawn.
And while you’re thinking of ways to protect your garden during a heat wave, don’t forget to set out some water for the birds…
