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Authors Posts by Ellen Barcel

Ellen Barcel

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When feeding the birds, use a 'patio mix, seeds without shell, so there is less mess. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Winter’s on its way, despite the really mild autumn we’ve had. And yes, as of this writing, I still have geraniums and roses blooming. Here are some things to remember for the cold days and nights ahead.

Predictions for this winter include a milder (but still cold) and, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac for 2017, snowy winter. If you haven’t done so already, check out your trees for damaged and dead branches, which can easily come down in a storm especially an ice storm. Call in an arborist as needed.

Remove heavy wet snow from bent branches if can be done safely. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Remove heavy wet snow from bent branches if can be done safely. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Remove heavy wet snow from shrubs if possible to do it safely (safety for yourself first and then the plant), so that branches don’t break after storms. And yes, remove any icicles if possible, but not branches coated with ice. You’re more likely to damage the plant trying to remove the ice. Most plants survive icing well. Come spring trim any broken branches as needed.

Another prediction I’ve seen is that despite the last few rains, we may have a time of drought coming up. If the ground is not frozen and there hasn’t been much rain, you need to water accordingly, especially newly planted ones. Also, you may need to wrap some evergreens, again especially newly planted ones, to protect from dry wind.

Remember to water periodically (usually once a month) any potted tender plants, like fig trees, you’ve stored over winter in an unheated garage or basement. You’ll know when to bring them out in the spring when you see the green buds starting to open.

Salt is a big danger to plants. Some agricultural fields in the Netherlands that were flooded during World War II with salt ocean water did not produce for many years after. So, when you select plants that will grow near the roadside, make sure they are somewhat salt tolerant so that salt spray from the road in winter doesn’t damage your plants. Holly and crepe myrtle are just two of these plants. But your grasses may not like the salt, so when spreading an ice melt on your driveway look for one that doesn’t harm plants. Note, there are also ice melts that are safe on dogs’ paws. If your regularly walk your dog in a certain area that needs de-icing, looking for the appropriate one.

If you are so near the coast that your property floods with severe storms, grow your least salt-tolerant plants in containers that can be moved to a safer location when such storms are predicted.

If you feed the birds during the cold months, you may want to use a variety known as “patio mix,” seeds without shell. There’s less mess. Also, don’t put out so much bird seed that a lot falls on the ground and isn’t eaten, or you’ll find the excess seed sprouting come spring, making more weeds to pull. Been there, done that.

If you have a living Christmas tree (one with roots attached), move it outside as soon as possible after the holidays. Keep it watered during times of drought. Plant it as soon as the ground is workable in late winter or early spring. When buying a living tree, check to make sure you don’t plant a tender one outside, like the holiday-decorated Norfork Island pine, which can only be grown as a house plant in a climate zone (with summer’s outdoors).

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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‘Rush’s Lancers’ by Winslow Homer, 1886; Courtesy of the Mort Kunstler Collection. Image from The Heckscher Museum of Art

By Ellen Barcel

Two related exhibits have opened at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington: Normal Rockwell and Friends: American Illustrations from the Mort Künstler Collection (through March 5, 2017) and Mort Künstler: The New Nation (through April 2, 2017). Related in theme (American artists and subjects), related in exhibit time and related through American artist Mort Künstler himself, the duel exhibits complement each other perfectly.

Norman Rockwell and Friends

Norman Rockwell’s ‘A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!’ (aka ‘World of Charles Dickens’), 1937; Mort Künstler Collection. Courtesy Norman Rockwell Family Agency. Image from The Heckscher Museum of Art
Norman Rockwell’s ‘A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!’ (aka ‘World of Charles Dickens’), 1937; Mort Künstler Collection. Courtesy Norman Rockwell Family Agency. Image from The Heckscher Museum of Art

Mort Künstler, an American artist himself, has long collected the works of late 19th century and early 20th century artists/illustrators. The current exhibit at the Heckscher (Norman Rockwell and Friends) highlights Künstler’s collection and is unique because this is the first time these works are being shown to the public. The 75 pieces on display, such a broad variety of artists, represent 39 artists including Edwin Austin Abbey, Howard Chandler Christy, Dean Cornwell, Charles Dana Gibson, George Gross, Winslow Homer, J.C. Leyendecker, Thomas Lovell, Maxfield Parrish, Howard Pyle and, of course, Norman Rockwell.

In a recent phone interview, Künstler remarked that of the many artists he collected, he knew several personally. Thomas Lovell was “almost like a mentor” to him and George Gross “really was my mentor,” adding, “I did have the pleasure of talking to Norman Rockwell on the phone.”

Künstler’s collecting goes back to at least 1972 “or earlier,” he commented, over four decades of seeking out the best illustrators of the early 20th century. Why these particular artists? “I liked the work,” he said, from when he was in art school. Künstler stated that many of the artists were members of the Society of Illustrators, a professional organization founded in 1901. Gibson was one of its early presidents. Included in the nine founding artists were N.C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle, both in the current exhibit. The heyday of the society’s art shows was during the Roaring Twenties and Great Depression of the 1930s.

“All were illustrators,” said Künstler. “There was no TV (back when they were working). The only visuals that people got were out of magazines and newspapers. Visually, they were the ones who created the fashions. Charles Dana Gibson was the creator of the Gibson girl.” She was recognized as the personification of feminine beauty in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “The illustrators were idolized like movie stars. They reached out to thousands of people. They were the superstars of that era.”

Why the exhibit now? “I got to know Michael Schantz, executive director at the Heckscher Museum, well. He came to lunch, visited, loved the collection. … It was time to let it go out,” said Künstler.

“One of the extraordinary things about this is that both the Künstlers allowed us to take everything off their walls, from the house. It was just an extraordinary gesture. It speaks so well of the relationship between this museum and the Küntslers,” said Schantz. “I met with him quite a few times. I recorded him for hours and hours — a record of the interesting stories, the hunt for the works, where he found them and how he found them.” He added that some of these stories are related in the information cards in the exhibit.

Mort Künstler: The New Nation

The museum also has a related exhibit, Mort Künstler: The New Nation, featuring Küntsler’s most recent work including his paintings of the early years of the United States. Künstler, who is particularly known for his Civil War paintings, reflected that his interest in American history came about because “almost all of my work was commissioned,” and frequently those commissions related to American history.

Above, ‘Washington’s Crossing: McKonkey’s Ferry, Dec. 26, 1776,’ 2011; oil on canvas, 33 × 50 in., from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Suozzi. Image courtesy of The Heckscher Museum
Above, ‘Washington’s Crossing: McKonkey’s Ferry, Dec. 26, 1776,’ by Mort Künstler, 2011; oil on canvas, 33 × 50 in., from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Suozzi. Image courtesy of The Heckscher Museum

“My book, ‘The New Nation’ [‘The New Nation, The Creation of the United States in Paintings and Eyewitness Accounts’] will act as the catalogue of the show,” said Künstler. “I did some of the work for the bicentennial in 1976,” then did additional paintings, he said. The book, with text by American military historian Edward G. Lengel and David H. Fischer, will be available at the museum. Künstler, who has published 10 books of his art work, now also has a children’s book series as well, “based on my paintings.” Themes of the four books include the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Wild West and World War II. The works are written by well-known historians (particularly James “Bud” Robertson) for children ages 10 to 15.

Howard Shaw, president and director of the Hammer Galleries in Manhattan, has known and worked with Künstler for more than 25 years. “Mort is considered the country’s leading historical artist,” said Shaw. “Not only has he incredible technique but he does enormous research so that even the smallest detail is accurate.” Shaw went on to relate an incident where Künstler was researching information with a number of historians for a painting he was doing. Only one was able to get back to him “one or two hours before the opening of the show. With the painting on the gallery wall, Mort repainted that particular part of an insignia,” so that it would be historically correct.

Shaw observed the joy that goes into Künstler’s work. “He told me if it ever feels like work, ‘I’ll stop doing it.’ Over 70 years he hasn’t felt he’s had a job.”

A gallery tour and talk with Mort Künstler will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the museum (inclement weather date is Jan. 19). Members are invited to attend free, for nonmembers there is a $5 charge.

The Heckscher Museum of Art, is located at 2 Prime Ave., Huntington. The museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day). For further information, visit www.heckscher.org or call 631-351-3250.

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Botanical soaps, like these found at a recent holiday fair, make great stocking stuffers.

By Ellen Barcel

It will soon be time to select holiday presents for the gardener on your list. Of course, a gift certificate to a local nursery or gardening catalog or an amaryllis bulb (some even coated with wax for minimum care) are great gifts, but consider some more unique ones. If you’re looking for a number of small gifts, such as for stocking stuffers, here are a few suggestions.

One of my favorite periodicals is the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Published annually since 1792 this (2017) is the 225th issue. It’s funny, it’s serious, it’s filled with great information and unique advertising. Expect weather forecasts for the coming year (they claim 80 percent historical accuracy), recipes, calendar information and, yes, gardening information. In other words, everything that the farmer (yesteryear’s and today’s) could find useful. The reader will pick it up again and again throughout the year to uncover added info.

At just $6.99 it’s very affordable and perfect for that gardener’s holiday stocking. Note that the company also publishes several cookbooks, an almanac for kids and a History of the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Check out the magazine section of your local store or go to www.almanac.com for details.

A Farmer's Almanac would make a great gift for a gardener.
A Farmer’s Almanac would make a great gift for a gardener.

In general, house plants are much smaller than “outdoor” plants (shrubs and trees). As a result, typical tools for the indoor gardener need to be much smaller to fit into the small houseplant containers. A set of these tiny tools makes a lovely stocking stuffer for the indoor gardener on your list. A package of plant food for indoor plants is also nice.

Scented candles remind the gardener of the past growing season. They come in a wide variety of scents including mint (frequently Christmas candles), apple cinnamon, floral and even thyme. Botanical soaps (lavender, rose, gardenia, etc.) are another option.

Varietal honey is another lovely gift. I particularly like buckwheat with its stronger flavor, but clover, wildflower, orange blossom, blueberry and sage are just a few of the many available. Bees that gather pollen from fields of these flowers then impart the subtle taste to their honey production.

We all know that gardeners should wear gardening gloves, but we also know that many times we forget. So the hands take a beating. Consider super strength hand repair creams (O’Keefe’s Working Hands, Miracle Hand Repair, Burt’s Bees Hand Repair with Shea Butter, etc. are all possibilities). A nail brush to remove the soil from under the fingernails is also a possibility.

Field guides also make great gifts for gardeners and nature enthusiasts.
Field guides also make great gifts for gardeners and nature enthusiasts.

Membership in a horticultural society isn’t expensive, supports the good work they do, and usually comes with a newsletter or magazine. Suggestions include the Arbor Day Foundation, the American Chestnut Foundation, the American Horticultural Society, African Violet Society, American Rhododendron Society, American Fern Society, Holly Society of America, Long Island Botanical Society, etc.

If your gardener has a rock garden, consider tiny statuary, including fairy doors and other fairy pieces. Kids are not the only ones who enjoy these cute little pieces.

Another option is any of the National Audubon Society’s field guides (Trees, Mushrooms, Wildflowers, etc.). They are compact (easy to carry in a small backpack), detailed and filled with color photos making them extremely useful. Go to www.audubon.org for a complete list and details.

Remember that during December there are many craft fairs that have all sorts of gardening-related gifts including some of the above suggestions. Happy Holidays!

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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By Ellen Barcel

It’s getting to be that time — the time of year when the stores are filled with irresistible holiday plants. Before you make that purchase or purchases, there are some things to remember.

First, little kids and pets have a very bad habit of putting everything they see in their mouths. While some plants are safe, others are toxic. Make sure that your children and grandchildren as well as your dogs and cats can’t get at your holiday plants. A trip to the ER should not be part of your holiday experience.

Second, if you are treating that plant as you would a bouquet of flowers, that is, a decoration for a brief time, then of course put those plants where they do the best for the décor. If, on the other hand, you wish to keep your holiday plants growing year round, then you must treat them kindly. Put them where they will get enough light. Remember to water them accordingly. Don’t overwater any cactus plant, for example, but don’t let your poinsettias dry out.

Norfork Island pines decorated for Christmas. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Norfork Island pines decorated for Christmas. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Some plants need enough humidity, like the Norfolk Island pine, which is so popular this time of year. Frequently decorated with sparkles and red bows, it makes a nice alternative to a full-sized Christmas tree. I’ve seen them in the supermarket, moderately priced, for about three feet tall. Add a few of your own decorations and you have a really nice holiday tree. I kept one growing for a number of years before the dry house air in winter finally did it in.

If you are planning to have amaryllis blooming for the holidays, you need to have that bulb planted approximately four to six weeks before the desired bloom date. While most are a bright red, there are white, pink and variegated varieties. To keep them blooming for the next year, remove the spent flower but keep the green leaves growing. You need to fertilize the plant as it is growing, since this year’s bloom is based on what the grower did the year before you bought it. The bulb will then go dormant for a number of months. If you’ve treated the bulb right, it should start to grow and bloom again in November of next year.

Look for poinsettias with the yellow center flowers still closed. They will last longer. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Look for poinsettias with the yellow center flowers still closed. They will last longer. Photo by Ellen Barcel

If you choose a poinsettia, make sure that the yellow flowers (the tiny part in the center of the “bloom”) are tightly closed, with no pollen on the red petals (actually bracts, modified leaves). This means that the flower has not really bloomed yet and will last longer in your house. If you see that the yellow flowers are open and that the pollen is out, it means the plant is an older one and will not last as long in your house.

Yes, you can try to keep a poinsettia year to year, but my experiences have not been positive ones. I treat them as I would a bouquet of flowers, nice for a decoration but to be discarded when the bloom fades. If you get one of those “doctored up” varieties, sprayed a different color or sprinkled with glitter, and are able to keep it growing year after year, you will, of course, just get the plain red bracts in future years.

Christmas cactus need dark and cool night temperatures to form buds. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Christmas cactus need dark and cool night temperatures to form buds. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Christmas cacti are much easier to keep growing year after year. They don’t mind the dry air so common in most winter houses. To get the cacti to rebloom year after year, put them in a totally dark room (or closet) each night for about two months before Christmas. The dark, the experts say, will trigger the formation of flowers. It has been my experience that as long as I keep my cacti in a very cool room (for me, my dining room) during the autumn months, the buds form. Of course, my dining room tends to be a fairly dark (but not totally dark) room in the fall.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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The leaves on a ginkgo tree turn bright yellow in autumn. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

This is part one of a two-part series.

Selecting trees for your property requires some decision making. For example, which trees do well in acidic soil? Which trees tolerate drought? Which trees are fast (or slow) growers, depending on your needs? Which trees have negatives that may mean you would avoid them (see my columns on researching plants, Sept. 22 and 29). And what about the final height? Is this a specimen tree for the front of your house or a shade tree for your back patio? But, there are other factors involved in your choice. One is evergreen versus deciduous trees. A second is autumn leaf color and a third is final tree shape. Since trees take so long to mature, this is one decision you want to get right.

Evergreen vs. deciduous

Evergreen trees hold their needles (and color) over the winter. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Evergreen trees hold their needles (and color) over the winter. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Trees can be divided into evergreen and deciduous trees. Evergreen trees keep their needles (leaves) throughout the winter while deciduous ones lose their leaves in fall. Evergreen trees tended to evolve in climates that have short growing seasons. Keeping their needles over the winter is a survival mechanism for the trees since they have greenery ready to feed the tree quickly during that short growing season. Evergreen trees do eventually lose their leaves/needles, but it is later in the growing season after the new ones have come in. Evergreen trees include pine, spruce, cedar, juniper, arborvitae and hemlock.

The advantage of evergreen trees for the gardener is that they provide screening year round. If you have a sight you wish to block or screen, then evergreens are ideal. It could be an ugly wall or privacy screening for a hot tub or gazebo. While most needled trees are evergreen, remember that the dawn redwood, referred to sometimes as a living fossil, a truly beautiful tree, does lose its needles in fall after they turn a reddish brown.

Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the autumn, have bare branches throughout the winter and put out new leaves the following spring. The advantage of a deciduous tree for the home gardener is that it provides shade in the heat of summer but lets the sun reach the ground and nearby houses in the winter. Many are quick growing, meaning a more established look in fewer years. Another advantage is the brilliant colors the leaves take on in autumn.

Autumn color

Japanese red maple have leaves which turn a deep mahogany in autumn. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Japanese red maple have leaves which turn a deep mahogany in autumn. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Autumn color is another consideration when selecting new trees for your garden. Some blaze yellow in autumn such as the ginkgo, sassafras and sweet gum trees. Others go a deep mahogany like the Bradford pear, some varieties of maple and the pin oak. Now, of course is the ideal time to check out those you might be interested in. Of the evergreens, those with a blue tinge, like the Colorado blue spruce and blue cedar, or a golden hue, will keep that color in autumn, along with green varieties.

Next week, a look at tree shapes for the garden.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Sunflower seeds are popular with birds. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Once our beautiful flowering plants have bloomed, the question then becomes, what do you do next, if anything. Deadheading is frequently recommended for plants with many or large flowers such as rhodies. But, the question is, should you deadhead your flowering plants? The answer is yes and no.

Deadheading helps the energy of the plant go into growing the plant rather than producing seeds. Some plants will bloom again or continue blooming if deadheaded. Coreopis, daylilies, roses and marigolds are all plants that will produce more blooms if deadheaded. So will cosmos and geraniums (Pelargonium). After all, the botanical purpose of flowers is to produce seeds. If you remove the remains of the flowers before they go to seed, the plant will generally send up more flowers so it can produce seeds.

In addition, deadheading makes plants look tidier by removing the brown/curled remains of old flowers. Some people don’t like the look of the flowers that form on hostas, planting them instead for their unique leaves. If you feel that way, remove the flower as soon as you see it.

However, don’t deadhead if:

• You plan to save the seeds of heirloom plants, particularly tomatoes, for next year. Take one of the best tomatoes, cut it open and remove the seeds and dry them. There are even seed exchanges where you can trade some of your heirloom seeds for others.

• The plant is a self-seeder (volunteer) like lunaria or columbine. Then you want the plant to go to seed, spreading the seeds throughout the garden for next year.

• Some plants bloom only once (like Hydrangea macrophylla), but the blooms stay on the plant all season. In that case, don’t even think about deadheading.

• You want the local birds to have a food source. Sunflowers are particularly popular with birds, as are tickseeds (from coreopsis) but so are most flower seeds.

• You like the appearance of the seed pods (for example, lunaria) or the remains of clematis.

• You plan to eat the seed pods (green beans, snap peas, melons, squash, apples, etc.) that form from or around the flowers. Or, in the case of roses, plan to use the rose hips to make jelly.

• You can’t comfortably reach the flowers. Don’t damage your plants by bending branches down just to reach and remove spent flowers, or climb on a ladder if it’s not safe to do so.

• You’ll damage the plant’s growing sections. For example, rhododendron’s new leaves come out from the end of the branch, where the flower has bloomed. When pulling off the remains of the flower, it’s easy to accidentally knock off the new leaves coming in. As a result, I never deadhead rhodies. I let the flower remains fall off naturally.

Remember that deadheading means just removing the spent flower, cutting as little of the stem as possible. It is not pruning where you cut back a plant drastically. However, if you are deadheading a plant that has a single flower at the end of a long stem, like a daylily, cut that stem back to the ground.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Acorns are littering the lawns and decks of many homes on Long Island this year.

By Ellen Barcel

“The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” Chicken Little shouted. Well, this year, the sky isn’t exactly falling, but leaves sure are and so are lots and lots of acorns. Why? Well, a bit of plant biology first and then some theories.

Over the many millions of years that plants have existed on Earth, they have evolved to survive in their unique environments. Long Island formed after the last glacier, around 10,000 years ago. Plants that evolved to survive well in acidic soil, like oak trees and pines, established themselves here — Long Island has very acidic soil. Since Long Island has occasional droughts, plants that do well in droughts also do well here.

This past year Long Island has gone through drought conditions. Seven of the past nine months (January through September) the rainfall has been below average. August, for example, received just over two inches while the average is slightly over four. June was also particularly bad with just over one inch of rain while the average is nearly four. So, the ability to withstand occasional drought conditions is very useful for plants that establish themselves on Long Island. And, yes, oak trees have a taproot that goes way down into the soil, where there is more likely to be water.

So, oak trees have two ways of growing well on Long Island: their ability to do well in acidic soil and their taproots. This year, it seems that the local oak trees have produced lots of those acorns, that is, the seeds for future generations of trees were abundant, very abundant. This abundance is referred to as masting or mast years.

Said a gardening friend of mine from Farmingville, “You can’t walk out of the house without slipping and sliding … I almost broke my neck … The deck is covered. All night you hear them falling … the gutters are full of them … when you drive down the driveway you crush them.”

So, the question is, why the abundance of acorns some years and not others? There must be some sort of survival mechanism in producing lots of acorns, but why some years and not others? There are many theories.

1. One is that an extensive crop of acorns predicts a harsh winter. This theory assumes that oak trees have some way of predicting the future. My feeling is that when a big acorn crop and a harsh winter coincide it’s more likely a coincidence than oak trees’ ability to predict the future.

2. A theory I read about many years ago is that an extensive acorn crop is a way that oak trees have of dealing with harsh conditions. By putting all their energy in a nasty year into producing acorns, they’re guaranteeing the survival of the species. This is more likely. We did have drought conditions this past year, but remember that oak trees, with their taproots, do well in drought conditions.

3. The most likely explanation, however, is that we had mild, favorable conditions in spring for the production of oak flowers and therefore acorns. As a result we have been inundated with a large crop, a crop that has been falling and falling all over the place. Of course, there may be other factors involved. Oak trees have both male and female flowers on the same tree. Suppose there is a late frost in the previous spring, damaging the flowers that will become future acorns. Or suppose it’s been a particularly windy spring, again damaging the flowers, or excessive rain-storms. White oak trees take one year to produce acorns, while red oak (which includes pin oaks) take two. So, if the trees that are masting are red oak, we need to go back two springs to examine the weather at that time, not just this past spring. Confusing, isn’t it?

Whatever your theory, the abundance of acorns sort of guarantees fat squirrels, deer, raccoons, possums, rabbits, chipmunks and even blue jays and wild turkeys this winter, even if it is a harsh one. In the meantime, get out your broom and at least clean the acorns from your walkways so you don’t slip.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Zoyzia grass is a tough, easy to grow lawn grass but turns brown with the cold weather. The small green sprouts are probably onion grass. Over time, zoyzia grass chokes out weeds. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Last week, we looked at the history of lawns. Since we live in suburbia, and since lawns are part of our gardening experience, let’s take a look at what grasses we grow and what needs to be done in autumn. Each of the grasses below has its advantages and disadvantages.

Zoysia grass, a native of Asia and my personal favorite, needs little in the way of fertilizer, spreads easily through underground runners, choking out weeds, and once established is somewhat drought tolerant. Its major disadvantage is that it thrives on very warm weather, meaning that come winter, it turns brown. Some people dislike this feature enough that they will dye the brown grass green. Me, I just ignore it.

I know that come next spring it will green up and be very easy to care for, something that really appeals to me. If you do add some fertilizer in the spring, make sure you wait until the grass has actually greened up so it can take up the fertilizer. Since it is a warm-weather grass, plant it is spring, not fall.

Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-weather grass. Like zoysia grass it can spread through underground rhizomes. Being more cold tolerant, it stays nice and green much longer than other grasses. However, in the heat of summer, it needs lots of water and it’s also not very shade tolerant. Kentucky bluegrass may have been cultivated in Kentucky, but, it, too is an import from Europe and the Middle East.

Ryegrass is also a cool-weather grass. It’s a tough grass, used in sports fields. It is, however, susceptible to a variety of diseases and winterkill. It’s common in lawn seed mixes and originated in Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Fescue grass, a native of Europe, is also a cool-weather grass but has the advantage of tolerating some shade. According to Oregon State University, it was not widely planted until the 1940s and ’50s — interestingly, the time of the growth of suburbia. Because each grass has some different characteristics, you will frequently find grass seed mixes. If you notice that many of the popular grasses are cool-weather grasses, it will come as no surprise that autumn, with its cooler weather, is a great time to refurbish your lawns. You’ll have less heat and therefore require less added watering.

If you want less work, you can buy sod. Like most everything it has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that it is already sprouted. Disadvantages include cost (it’s more expensive) and you don’t get to select the variety of grasses available. Sod is ideal for refurbishing small areas.

Growing from seed is more time consuming and you need to make sure the seeds are well watered. But, growing from seed is cheaper. You can also get seed that has a covering that absorbs water and contains nutrients. This latter seed is more expensive, but it’s the kind used along roadways where there is no one to tend the new planting.

Since most of the grasses in lawn mixes are cool-weather crops, they grow well in September, October and November (and even a mild December). Remember, according to Suffolk County law, you can’t add fertilizer to your lawn past the end of October. The lawns won’t take up the nutrients — they’ll go into the water table, polluting it and running off into local waterways. In spring, you can’t add fertilizer before the beginning of April for the same reason. Use pre-emergent weed killer in early spring if needed.

A soil pH of 6.0 to 7 is ideal for lawns. Since most of Long Island’s soil is substantially below this level, that is, more acidic, you need to periodically add lime to raise the pH. Read the package directions for each manufacturer’s ideal timing, frequency and amount.

Make sure you remove fallen leaves from your lawn to keep the lawn healthier. Some old-school gardeners will scatter grass seed on bare spots in their lawn just before the first predicted snow fall. This way, the seed is ready to germinate come spring. Water will be provided by the melting snow. Remember that come winter and snow, try to avoid getting ice melt on the lawn.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk (https://ccesuffok.org) has an extensive selection of horticulture fact sheets that can be downloaded, including Healthy Lawns, Lawn Care Without Pesticides, The Homeowner’s Lawn and Repetitive Overseeding.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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This gardener cut back on lawn mowing by planting trees and shrubs. Notice that the lawn itself does not grow up against the trees. This way the trees are not damaged while mowing the lawn. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Many aspects of gardening that we on Long Island take for granted are actually imports. We take honeybees for granted, but in actuality they were imported from Europe. The honey that we routinely enjoy and the pollination benefits they provide for gardeners and farmers are a result of this import. The earthworms that gardeners love to see, creating fertile aerated soil, are also imports, again courtesy of the early Colonists.

Our lush green lawns are another thing we take for granted. Yet before Colonial times, the native peoples had no use for lawns. Natural grasslands, like the prairies of the Great Plains and many other parts of the U.S., supported the buffalo and other grazing animals. Where native peoples farmed, they removed the vegetation and planted, in particular, corn, beans and squash, referred to as the Three Sisters.

So, where did our lawns come from? It’s a long story, but in a nut shell, European grasses were imported into North America, but initially only the rich could afford their maintenance, both here and in Europe. Grasses were trimmed by humans with scythes or by animals grazing on the property.

Interestingly, goats are currently being used in New York State to help eliminate invasive plants in the same way that grazing animals kept grasses trimmed before the lawn mower. They are currently being used on the Underhill Preserve near Jericho Turnpike and Route 106 to clear the land of invasive plants. A particular benefit is that they eat the roots, so that these invasive plants are wiped out. Plans are to remove the goats in mid-October. Hopefully native plants will fill in.

During World War I, a flock of sheep was kept on the White House lawn. It saved manpower and the wool was sold to raise money for the Red Cross. But, no, I’m not suggesting that we as homeowners should keep animals grazing on our lawns. For one thing, in most cases zoning laws prevent it. For another, caring for these animals is work.

In 1830, the mechanical lawn mower was invented, and beginning in the 1870s lawns began to appear, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that front lawns proliferated. They are a product of suburbia. Look at cities and you’ll see very few, if any, in the way of front lawns, even in areas where single- or double-family houses are located. Where suburbs developed in areas of frequent drought, even to this day, there are fewer lawns.

Remember that unless you live in a community with strict landscaping regulations, you don’t even need to have a front lawn. You could plant a variety of ornamentals and ground covers together with statuary. Using native plants, in particular, means less concern with watering and, of course, less mowing. A gardening acquaintance of mine had two acres of manicured lawns. He complained bitterly of the amount of time he spent mowing each weekend. He could have planted more trees and shrubs, removing much of the lawn, just keeping enough in the front of the house for appearance and enough in the back for relaxation.

Next week, we’ll take a look at fall lawn maintenance for those who enjoy their lawns.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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An open terrarium with various cacti and succulents should be watered up to twice a month. Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

If you have limited growing space or just love plants indoors, consider setting up a terrarium. It’s also an ideal project for children since it needs minimum care and is small enough that they don’t feel overwhelmed by large plants.

Usually a terrarium is a closed clear glass container that creates its own little ecosystem. This cuts down on work, especially watering. The water evaporates from the plants and soil and then “rains” down on the plants inside. You need to be able to open the container for maintenance and to let it dry out a bit if there’s too much water in it. A closed terrarium can also be made from a plastic container. You just want it to be clear so that light easily penetrates.

You can also set up an open terrarium, which has no cover. Whether you decide to use a cover for the terrarium depends on what type of plants are used. If you fill the terrarium with succulents and cacti, leave it open and water perhaps once or twice a month. Nothing kills a cactus quicker than too much moisture. A container with a narrow neck is not really suited for an open terrarium as it will hold too much water in. A narrow neck container is also difficult to plant and tend. If you use plants that require weekly (or more) watering, then use a cover to create a closed system.

Ideal plants for a closed terrarium include woodland and tropical plants. Generally, terrarium plants are those found in the indoor (houseplant) section of a nursery. They tend to be smaller and therefore fit in the container better. Also, remember that the air inside a closed terrarium can become quite warm, making it ideal for tropical plants. Black mondo grass makes quite a statement against other green plants, but it does grow to over a foot tall, so works in a larger terrarium. Iron cross begonia is stunning with its red and green leaves. It needs sufficient humidity; so don’t plant it in with your succulents or cacti.

When selecting potting soil, select one designed for terrariums (peat moss, vermiculite and perlite). Do not use garden soil for several reasons. One, potting soil has been sterilized so that no pathogens are introduced into the terrarium. Two, garden soil most likely contains weed seeds, something you do not want to introduce into the system. Put a layer of pebbles on the bottom, then the potting soil on top to increase drainage. Outside of swamp plants, you don’t want to drown roots. No wet feet!

When selecting plants, make sure that they all have similar requirements: the same amount of fertilizer, sunlight, room temperature, etc. So, read the plant tags carefully. Remember that virtually all plants have some need for light, but some want full sun (six or more hours of sunlight) while others tolerate a fair amount of shade.

When selecting the container for your terrarium, keep in mind the weight of soil, glass, plants, water, etc. — large terrariums can get quite heavy. If you plan to occasionally move it, take the weight into consideration. How much can you comfortably lift without damaging the terrarium and yourself.

Terrariums can range in size from tiny to enormous. I’ve seen coffee tables designed as terrariums, hanging terrariums, some that look like tiny greenhouses, fish tanks, jars and even coffee pots. So select the container with an eye to your home decor. You can also decorate the outside of the container seasonally: red bows for Christmas, pastel ones for spring, tiny American flags for Independence Day. Tiny statuary are ideal for terrariums as are unique specimens or rocks or gravel, especially if you collected them on a vacation. A glass butterfly could be affixed to the inside of the container as well.

Just because your terrarium is a closed ecological system, it doesn’t mean you can ignore it forever. Plants may grow too large for the enclosure you selected. You may need to cut some of them back or move them to a larger container periodically. If your terrarium is covered, it should be an easily removable cover. You may need to occasionally add some water — this could be as seldom as every three to six months. You need to occasionally add some fertilizer to the plants. Again, because these are small plants, which grow slowly, this, too is seldom. If you see any hint of mold, remove that plant immediately and discard. Ditto for plants that show signs of other diseases.

If you decide to use your terrarium occasionally as a centerpiece on your dinner table, remember to put it back into its ideal growing spot, or you may wind up with leggy plants if the terrarium no longer gets enough sun.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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