Gardening

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The Northport Historical Society will present its Summer Splendor garden tour on July 18 from noon to 4 p.m. Held rain or shine, the event will feature an outdoor, self-led tour of six beautiful gardens in Northport, Fort Salonga and Asharoken. Each garden reflects a personality, family history and style unique to each property.

Tickets are $35 for members, $45 for non-members, and $50 on tour day and can be purchased on the Events page on the historical society’s website, northporthistorical.org.

Proceeds from the event will support the Society’s important work preserving, interpreting, and presenting the unique stories of  communities represented in Northport, East Northport, Fort Salonga, Asharoken, Eaton’s Neck and Crab Meadow.

For more information, please call 631-757-9859.

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The Rocky Point Civic Association (RPCA) hosts its 10th annual Rocky Point Garden Tour on Saturday, July 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Held rain or shine. Tickets are $15 per person and are available for purchase at Heritage Paint, 637 Route 25A; Flowers on Broadway, 43 Broadway; and Heart, Mind & Spirit, 106 Prince Road, Rocky Point through July 17. All proceeds will benefit the RPCA. Questions? Call 631-521-5726 or email [email protected].

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Summer is a season to relax and enjoy the warm weather. Basking in the summer sun is a great way to relax, but only when the temperatures are safe. Summer heat waves can compromise the health of human beings as well as their pets. Gardening enthusiasts also may need to go the extra mile to keep their plants and gardens from wilting under harsh summer sun.

Extreme heat stress can be very harmful to plants. The online gardening resource Gardening Know How notes that some plants can withstand summer heat waves better than others. For example, succulents conserve water in their leaves, helping them to withstand heat waves when the dog days of summer arrive. But succulents are unique, and many plants will require a little extra help to withstand a heat wave.

· Take a proactive approach with mulch. Gardeners need not wait until the heat arrives to protect their plants from searing summer heat. The sustainable living experts at Eartheasy recommend utilizing light-colored mulch during heat waves. Such mulch will reflect the sunlight and help to maintain cooler surface soil conditions. Eartheasy even notes that grass clippings, once they’ve turned from green to light brown, can make for the perfect mulch to protect plants from the heat. Clippings also are free, making them a cost-effective solution.

· Water wisely. The horticultural experts at Yates Gardening note that water only helps plants withstand heat waves if it’s applied effectively. If water is only applied in short bursts and not long enough so it can penetrate all the way to the root zone, roots will then stay near the surface. In such instances, roots will dry out during a heat wave and plants won’t make it through the season. Timing also is essential when watering. Eartheasy recommends watering in the morning to avoid heat scald and also ensure as little water is lost to evaporation as possible. When watering during a heat wave, do so by hand rather than through a sprinkler. Hand watering allows gardeners to direct all of the water onto the plants that need it most during a heat wave.

· Let your plants pitch in. When planting new plants, it’s important that gardeners recognize it takes time for these plants to establish their roots so they’re strong enough to withstand heat waves. In the meantime, strategic planting can help them make it through their first heat waves unscathed. Eartheasy notes that planting by taller, more established plants can provide new plants with shade that can help them survive heat waves. Just make sure new plants can still get the sun they need to thrive.

Heat waves are inevitable and potentially harmful to gardens. Gardeners can help their plants beat the heat in various ways.

On Saturday, June 5, the Sound View Garden Club gathered to weed  and rake, prune and plant at the St. Charles Hospice Garden in Port Jefferson.

Flowers donated by Connie at GardenWorx in Miller Place were lovingly planted by the ladies of this club who have undertaken this project for over ten years. Their hands were blessed with water by the hospice chaplain who shared scripture and prayer with the gardeners. 

“It is with great pleasure that the garden club undertakes this endeavor that is greatly appreciated by the families who visit this very special place,” said Patrice Perreca, Vice President, Sound View Garden Club.

Photos from Patrice Perreca

 

Sup. Losquadro with Jen Carlson

Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro recently assisted with the distribution of donated flowers and plant material from the Holtsville Ecology Site to be used for beautification projects across Brookhaven Town.

Bea Roberto with Sup. Losquadro

Grown in on-site greenhouses, the flowers and plant material are requested by local non-profit organizations, civic groups, school districts and hospitals. Some groups choose to borrow the plants for decoration at specific events; others use the plants to enhance community gardens or beautify local parks. Each year, Mather Hospital requests a donation of seasonal and sensory plants which are used in hands-on gardening experiences to advance healing among patients.

“The Ecology Site staff do such a wonderful job propagating, growing and caring for a beautiful variety of flowers, from annuals and perennials to flats and house plants,” said Superintendent Losquadro. “We are happy to provide them to assist local groups and organizations in their efforts to beautify our Town.”

Sound Beach Civic Association President Bea Ruberto said, “This program allows us to put color in our community and beautify our parks. Especially now, a program like this means a lot. Being able to again plant flowers in our public spaces shows that Brookhaven is coming alive after more than a year that’s been hard.”

Rocky Point Civic Association President Jennifer Carlson said, “Two years ago, I became the park steward to the park behind Tilda’s Bakery (Veteran’s Park) in Rocky Point. I requested flowers and it makes a huge impact on the park. The addition of the flowers welcomes visitors and makes the park look more cared for. When the park looks cared for, people are more respectful of the space.”

Flower and plant donation requests can be sent to Superintendent Losquadro, 1140 Old Town Road, Coram, NY 11727. Requests are approved based on availability.

Photos courtesy of Town of Brookhaven

Sweetbriar Nature Center's Habitat Garden

The Four Harbors Audubon Society will host a Habitat Garden Maintenance Volunteer Day event at Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown on Friday, May 28, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Join 4HAS and Nature Initiative as they maintain the Center’s Habitat Garden, located across from the Eagle enclosure behind the main building at Sweetbriar Nature Center.  They will be weeding, planting, and dividing perennials, plus learning about insects, the local ecosystem, and how plants and animals co-evolved.
Contact Joy Cirigliano to volunteer: [email protected] or (631) 766-3075

Green Thumb

Would you like to try eating some delicious, fresh, local, certified organic vegetables, herbs and fruit? How about getting all this, and organically grown flowers too, at the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington before or after seeing a movie? (The Cinema will be announcing a reopening date soon)

Green Thumb Community Support Agriculture (CSA) – Huntington is coming to the Cinema Arts Centre’s Sky Room Café starting Thursday, June 3 (and every Thursday till December 10th), between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Green Thumb CSA

And for first-time CSA members, who are members of the Cinema, Green Thumb CSA – Huntington is offering $55 off the initial sign-up cost of joining! (Plus, if you make an appointment just to visit the CSA at the Cinema, you’ll leave with an edible parting gift (a sample from the CSA share for that week). Join by May 30 to be able to begin picking up your organic veggies on June 3rd. There just might be some strawberries!

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it’s a great way for a group of people (Community) to support (Supported) a local farm family (Agriculture), while also getting fresh, local, certified organic produce at a fair price. Green Thumb CSA – Huntington is great for families (kids that come to the CSA are more likely to eat veggies THEY pick out), great for seniors (if you’re interested in eating healthy on a budget this is a mighty good investment), great for singles (if you want to share a CSA share with someone we provide a matchmaking service), and great for everyone who’s interested in eating better (and tastier), saving money, keeping our Long Island agricultural heritage going strong, and helping to clean up our environment.

All the food in the CSA share is from Green Thumb Farm in Water Mill, NY. They are an 11th generation family farm that’s been farming on Long Island since the 1640s. Almost half of what they grow is sold to CSA members so CSA helps keep this family doing what they love, and what they’re very good at doing.

Join now and tour the farm and come Strawberry picking on June 26 (free and for CSA members only)!

For more information, and to make an appointment to visit Green Thumb CSA – Huntington for some free organic produce, call 631-421-4864, or email [email protected].

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The Village of Port Jefferson seeks volunteers ages 13 and up for a Community Garden Build at Beach Street Parkland (150 Beach St.) in the village on Saturday, May 22. Choose a session (9 a.m. to noon, noon to 3 p.m. or 3 to 6 p.m.) to help assemble garden bed kits, fill beds with topsoil, dig post-holes and install fence posts and staple up deer fencing. Snacks and gloves will be provided. Masks are mandatory. To RSVP, email [email protected].

Girl Scouts help plant the American Elm tree donated by Covanta with Town and Covanta officials looking on. 

Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Councilman Ed Smyth and Councilwoman Joan Cergol were joined by Covanta and Girl Scout Service Unit 12, Troop 239 for an Arbor Day tree planting ceremony and to unveil trees planted with Tree City USA grant funding at Columbia Street Park in Huntington Station Friday, April 30. 

 “Thank you to Covanta Huntington for your environmentally-conscious donation and to our Girl Scouts from Troop 239 for your commitment to Columbia Street Park and many of our green spaces,” stated Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “The Town of Huntington is fortunate to have maintained our Tree City USA designation for over 20 years and thanks to your contributions, grant funding from the New York State Urban Forestry Council, and our Volunteer Parks Stewards like Alvin White, we will continue to plant trees, beautify and preserve our open spaces.” 

 “It’s great to be in Columbia Park, one of the “hidden gems” of the Town’s parks,” said Councilman Ed Smyth. “Our bigger parks get most of the attention, but it is worthwhile for our residents to explore the smaller parks that are often within walking distance of their homes.” 

 “I want to thank Covanta for donating such a beautiful American Elm tree and Girl Scout Service Unit 12, Troop 239 for planting additional saplings at Columbia Park,” Councilwoman Cergol said. “Planting trees is one of the best things we can do for the Town’s natural beauty and for the environment, and I’m proud to serve a Town that has been designated a Tree City USA community for 20 years and running.” 

 Maureen Early, Senior Community Affairs Specialist for Covanta, stated, “Covanta was delighted to partner with Supervisor Lupinacci and the Town of Huntington to plant trees in honor of Arbor Day. It’s efforts like this that remind us how important it is to protect our environment and work toward a more sustainable tomorrow. We thank our municipal leaders for being environmental stewards with us.” 

 Girl Scouts from Troop 239 in Service Unit 12 from South Huntington joined the ceremony to help plant the American Elm tree donated by Covanta to the Town of Huntington to commemorate Arbor Day; the Town Board accepted the donation at their April 13 meeting.  

 Participating in the Arbor Day ceremony were Girl Scout Cadettes Zahara Amorde, Julia Dean, Kate Sperduti, Lily Fleischer, Abbrianna Mandarino, Kate Adams, Morgan Franz, Ava Tulipano, and Allie Lynde, as well as Girl Scout Juniors Sophia Amorde, Nadia McKelvey, and Ava Rodriguez. The Scouts also helped plant additional bare root saplings at the park. Troop Co-Leaders Gina Barone and Christine Reilly attended the event. 

 Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader Gina Barone stated, “It was a privilege and pleasure for Troop 239 to participate in the Town of Huntington Arbor day tree planting event.  Girl Scouts have been passionate proponents of conservation throughout our organization’s 100-plus year history and our troop strives to embody the value of environmental stewardship in our Huntington community.  We are committed to continuing to live the Girl Scout law of “using resources wisely” and protecting the Earth both globally and locally.  Thank you for supporting our mission and for allowing us to be a part of such an inspiring program!” 

 Volunteer Park Steward Alvin White, who serves as the parks steward for Columbia Street Park, also attended the Arbor Day event. 

 The event also celebrated grant funding that allowed additional trees to be planted at the park in late 2020. The Town of Huntington has maintained its designation as a Tree City USA for over two decades. In September 2020, the Town applied for and received $1,000 in Tree City USA grant funding from the New York State Urban Forestry Council to plant five (5) trees at Columbia Street Park in Huntington Station, a site recommended in a Planting Location Evaluation from a tree inventory previously conducted with a Tree Inventory Grant funded by the NYSDEC Urban and Community Forestry Program.

A total of twelve (12) trees were planted under the project; seven (7) trees were funded by an EOSPA-recommended match of $1,900. Most of the trees were planted as street trees to provide shade and a welcoming park aesthetic in 2020, when an event could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Arbor Day celebration at Avalon Nature Preserve. Photo by Heidi Sutton

On May 1, Avalon Nature Preserve, in conjunction with the Village of the Head of the Harbor, hosted a special event in honor of Arbor Day. 

Judy Ogden shows visitors the proper way to plant a bare root sapling. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Visitors to the Preserve were invited to participate in a garden workshop led by Judy Ogden, Trustee and Highway Commissioner for the Village of the Head of the Harbor and owner of Ogden’s Design and Plantings in St. James. All were given a bare root sapling to take home and plant in their yard. 

Ogden spoke of the importance of planting native Long Island trees, and demonstrated how to properly plant and care for a young tree. Attendees were able to choose either an American Witch Hazel or Eastern Redbud sapling to take home, courtesy of the Village of the Head of the Harbor, a Tree City, U.S.A. These two types of understory trees provide many environmental benefits including attracting honeybees, providing seeds for birds and serving as host plants for butterfly larvae.