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From left, Gil Anderson, Michael Deering, Tom Falcone, Neal Lewis, Steve Bellone, Lisa Broughton, Mike Voltz, Dave Daly and Gordian Raacke show off some of the energy efficient projects announced at Monday’s press conference, as well as an Always Conserving Energy Award. Photo by Alex Petroski

Suffolk County is making strides toward a greener future.

On Monday Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) announced upgrades designed for energy efficiency to several county buildings, including key spots in Smithtown, that should save taxpayers more than $3 million annually.

Improvements were made to the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge, where the press conference was held, the Board of Elections in Yaphank, the Riverhead Criminal Courts Building and the 4th Precinct police building among others. The county has invested about $15 million in energy efficiency funding since 2010, Bellone said.

“As you know Suffolk County is home to more than 1.5 million people,” Bellone said. “It’s the largest county in the state of New York outside of the city. Of course we provide an array of different services to all of those residents. So many of our operations and facilities are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’re responsible for the operation of more than 400 facilities. Since we are a large operation, it’s vital for us to embrace as leaders green energy and alternative energy sources in our day-to-day operations.”

Some of the upgrades Bellone announced included new boilers, replacement of lights, occupancy sensors, improvements to heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems and a photovoltaic system installation for the Board of Elections building that will provide solar energy.

Officials from LIPA and PSEG Long Island joined with environmental advocacy groups at the press conference.

“Partnering with PSEG Long Island and LIPA and utilizing their rebate programs made these long-term energy savings possible, and they assisted with the up-front cost that might otherwise hold back the important projects that you see displayed here,” Bellone said.

Both LIPA and PSEG Long Island incentivize energy efficient upgrades for residents and commercial property owners with rebates. LIPA CEO Tom Falcone and PSEG Long Island COO Dave Daly both praised Bellone for his leadership, and for the example that he has set for New York State.

“Suffolk County is demonstrating that local government can take very concrete steps to reduce the carbon footprint, clean the environment and reduce cost for citizens,” Falcone said.

Gordian Raacke, the executive director for the nonprofit organization Renewable Energy Long Island commended Bellone for his proactive approach to energy efficiency.

“You know when world leaders meet in Paris to talk about what we need to do to tackle climate change, it is the kind of action that we’re seeing here with the leadership of County Executive Bellone in Suffolk County that they’re talking about,” Raacke said. “All of the talk in the meetings doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t save a ton of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas until a leader steps up to the plate, a leader like Steve Bellone, and makes it happen.”

Neal Lewis, the executive director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College sent a message to other municipalities that have yet to follow Suffolk County’s lead.

“Frankly, inaction by elected officials today when it comes to energy issues is wasteful,” Lewis said. “If you have a town hall that still has old lighting systems, old heating systems, old cooling systems — you’re wasting taxpayer dollars. I think that’s an important message.”

Bellone said that these projects are just the beginning, and more cost and energy saving upgrades are to come for the county.

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By Heidi Sutton & Ernestine Franco

Winter was a long time coming to Long Island this year. The first snow did not fall until the weekend of Jan. 23, and then it fell with a vengeance — some areas of the Island were covered with more than 2 feet of snow. Following this, we went into the deep freeze the weekend of Valentine’s Day, with temperatures plummeting to minus 20 with the wind chill. To really confuse people, animals and plants, the thermometer reached 56 degrees two days later and we had a rainstorm.

So this year, it is not just gardeners who can’t wait for spring. Everyone may be checking out All-America Selections’ recently announced National Winners for 2016 — new varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables that will do well in any climate throughout the United States and Canada. With fun names like Tomato Candyland Red, Strawberry Delizz and the exotic Mizuna Red Kingdom, these cultivars are the best of the best, beating out thousands for superior taste, disease tolerance, unique colors and flavors, higher yield, length of flowering and harvest, and overall performance.

Here’s what the judges had to say about these award winners:

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Cabbage Katarina: You will be able to enjoy your own fresh, homemade coleslaw with this new variety that has a perfect smaller head size (4 inches) and shape to be grown successfully in containers on patios and decks or in-ground beds, possibly as an ornamental/edible border. The taste is sweeter and less bitter than conventional varieties; it might just convert those who think they are not fond of cabbage. Photo from All-America Selections
Geranium Brocade Fire: This geranium has unique bicolor foliage with a nonstop display of semidouble orange flowers from spring to fall that gives it an exceptional look in any garden. It is ideal for combination planters, landscapes and garden beds. Photo from All-America Selections
Kale Prizm: Dreaming of growing the popular superfood kale, but think you don’t have room? Look no further than Kale Prizm which produces attractive, short, tight, ruffle-edged leaves that are content to be grown in containers as well as in-ground beds. The excellent tasting, almost nutty-flavored leaves are tender enough to enjoy in fresh salads, but also hold up well when cooked — a foodie gardener’s dream come true! Photo from All-America Selections
Kohlrabi Konan: Selected for it smooth, globe-shaped bulbs that can grow up to 6” in diameter, this variety is the perfect upright size and shape for container gardening and garden plots. Resistant to insect damage, the sweet, flavorful bulb has an excellent texture that makes it easy to slice and dice. Photo from All-America Selections
Mizuna Red Kingdom: This beautiful, vibrant, reddish-purple variety of Mizuna (Japanese mustard) is a flavorful, mild tasting green that can also be used as an ornamental in containers or in the landscape. Gardeners will appreciate how this variety does not bolt as easily as other mizunas and produces a much higher yield throughout the season, standing up to mid-season heat. Photo from All-America Selections
Pepper Cornito Giallo: “Double Yum” was one judge’s response to this new variety of pepper. Starting as small green fruits, it develops into bright yellow jewels with a delicious sweet and fruity flavor. Being an early bloomer, you will be able to enjoy these peppers throughout the growing season and well into the fall. Photo from All-America Selections
Pumpkin Pepitas: Pepitas is named for its hull-less or naked seeds (pepitas) that lack the tough outer hull, making them easy to eat after slow-roasting. Each high-yield plant produces numerous, uniform medium sized (9 – 12 pounds) pumpkins on healthy, disease-resistant vines. This confectionary-type of pumpkin produces beautiful orange fruits that, at maturity, have decorative green stripes. What an interesting change of pace for your fall decorations. Photo from All-America Selections
Strawberry Delizz: These vigorous strawberry plants are easy to grow from seed or transplant and produce an abundant harvest throughout the growing season. The best part though is the wonderful sweet strawberry burst of flavor from every handpicked berry. These plants have a nice uniform and compact size, making them perfect for containers, hanging baskets or garden plots. Photo from All-America Selections
Tomato Candyland Red: This award-winning, currant-type tomato is smaller in size than cherry-type and are ready to “pop” in your mouth straight from the garden. Gardeners will appreciate the dark red, sweet-flavored fruit that can be enjoyed throughout the season. The tomato plant itself has a nice tidier habit than other currant-type plants, with the fruit tending to form on the outside of the plant, making them easier to harvest. Photo from All-America Selections
Tomato Chef’s Choice Green: This uniquely colored yet delicious tomato produces beautiful green fruits with subtle yellow stripes, a wonderful citrus-like flavor and perfect tomato texture. Gardeners enjoy this disease-free plant throughout the season, with its dark green leaves and well-behaved form. Photo from All-America Selections

None of these AAS winners are bred or produced using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). For a complete list of 2016 new plants winners chosen by the AAS by region, visit their website at www.all-americaselections.org.

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'Purple Haze' is a sweet flavored hybrid carrot that has a dark purple skin with a bright orange interior. Photo from All-America Selections

By Ellen Barcel

Sometimes two fruits or veggies develop together to form a twin. Just this past fall, I bought some chestnuts and found just that — two chestnuts that formed a twin. Sometimes carrots form two or three roots rather than just one or potatoes develop into strange shapes.

Just because a vegetable or fruit looks ugly or strange, doesn’t mean that it tastes terrible or lacks the vitamins and minerals you are looking for. In fact, most ugly or strange veggies are delicious and rich in the same vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in the more conventional ones. Usually, these strange bits of produce are filtered out by the vendor, so we, the consumer, see only perfectly formed items — the item that fits the ideal we have in our minds. Tomatoes are round, smooth and reddish orange, for example.

But there are also strange, weird or ugly veggies and fruits that are grown on purpose. They’re different from the norm, the ideal. There are tomatoes with wrinkles, potatoes of different shapes or colors etc. Here’s a rundown of some strange or uglies you may want to try.

Ugly tomatoes
Ugly tomatoes are wrinkly and usually very juicy and flavorful. They’re great sliced on a grilled hamburger or a BLT. They can even come in different colors, including yellow and purple besides the traditional orange. ‘Black Krim’ is a deep purple color as is ‘Cherokee Purple.’ ‘Chocolate Sprinkles’ is a variety of grape tomatoes that are a dark purple to brownish color.
‘UglyRipes’ are a delicious variety of heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom plants are not crosses with any other variety (i.e., are not hybrids) and so, once you grow some, you can sacrifice one to save its seeds for the next year.

Potatoes
Most people think of potatoes as having a brownish skin with a creamy white interior. But there are several varieties of potatoes that are very different. ‘Red Gold’ has a reddish skin but has a golden interior. ‘Purple Majesty’ has both a deep purple skin as well as deep purple interior.
Potatoes are easy to grow on Long Island with our sandy soil and excellent climate. On average we have over 200 (up to 220) growing days a year with approximately one inch of rain each week.
Once you start growing a particular variety, it’s very easy to keep them growing year after year. After harvesting them, store a few in a cool dry place and come spring, cut each stored potato into pieces making sure that each piece has an eye in it. Then plant the pieces outdoors, water and fertilize over the growing season and harvest in the fall. Each small piece of potato with an eye will have turned into a large potato plant and underground each you’ll find lots of edible potatoes.

Carrots
Carrots are another crop about which people have a very definite opinion. They should be a long, single-rooted veggie bright orange in color. But, some carrots will produce several roots making it look sort of weird. ‘Purple Haze’ is a hybrid carrot that, as its name implies, is a deep purple color.
If you are growing your carrots in a container, make sure it is deep enough for the roots to form. Also, do not transplant carrots since it disturbs the roots and it’s the root of each plant that you want to eat. Start the seeds either where you plan to grow them or in a peat pot that can be moved whole into the garden.

Cauliflower
Most of us think of cauliflower and expect it to be a head of creamy white curds. They can be cooked in a whole variety of ways, including boiled, steamed and raw (with dip). But there are a number of other unusual (and colorful) varieties of cauliflower. The cultivar ‘Cheddar’ has bright orange curds and has lots of beta carotene. Cooked, it has an even brighter color.
Other varieties include ‘Graffiti’ and ‘Purple Head,’ which have, as the second name implies, purple heads. They have a mild flavor and certainly add color to a salad. ‘Cauliflower Romanesco’ (Roman cauliflower) is really weird looking — its’ lime green curds are pointed. Since cauliflower prefers a near neutral soil pH, you need to add lime to your soil.

Yes, there are many other strange varieties of plants. There are long, white radishes, bumpy white pumpkins and even giant kohlrabi the size of a head of cabbage. Since it’s always fun to try something different in the garden, do try one (or more) of these ugly, strange or weird veggies. You may find that children and grandchildren are fascinated by them, making it easier for you to get them to try and taste something new.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Egyptian walking onions. Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

When growing fruit in the garden, we generally think of shrubs (blueberries, raspberries etc.) and trees (apple, peach, pears etc.), rarely annuals. But, when it comes to veggies, it’s sort of the opposite — we think of annuals (tomatoes, corn, green beans, radishes, lettuce etc.), which need to be replanted every year.

But, there are veggies that are perennials, veggies where you establish a bed of them and they return year after year. I’ve said it before, I really like the “plant once and enjoy for many years” form of gardening. First, some things to be aware of when establishing certain veggies in beds:

• Select a sunny site with well-drained soil.

• Many perennial veggies produce poorly or not at all in the first year since they’re just becoming established. So, think of perennial veggies as a multiyear project. Once established this year, some will produce for 20, 30 or more years.

• Amend the soil with compost and test it to make sure it is the proper pH and has enough nutrients to support the crops you want to grow.

• Remember to water, fertilize and weed throughout the growing season, even after you’ve harvested, or you’ll have a poor crop the next year.

• There are ways to make the veggie bed look attractive: Make it a raised bed with stones around it, for example, and plant some attractive flowers around the bed as well. Make sure the flowers don’t shade out the vegetable crop.

• If you are setting up a bed for several varieties of plants, make sure that they all have similar  requirements.

• Mulch helps to keep weeds out of these beds and helps to keep moisture in the soil.

Some perennial veggies to consider for your garden include:

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a spring vegetable, native to Europe, Asia and Africa. There are a number of varieties, including white. Plant the asparagus crowns in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. They do particularly well in a raised bed. Gardener’s Supply Company notes that “it’s critical to eradicate all the weeds and grasses from the planting area — even if this requires a full year of advance preparation.” As I said above, growing perennial vegetables is a multiyear commitment. Harvest in spring and early summer. Once this time frame has passed, allow the plants to continue growing. They will produce lacy foliage that can be four or more feet all. The better care you take of the plants at this time, the more prolific they will be next year. Cut back in fall and wait till next spring for a healthy crop.

Egyptian walking onions (Allium proliferum) are cold hardy. Sometimes called winter onions, tree onions or perennial onions they produce bulblets at the end of the stalk where flowers would normally form, not underground. When the stalk bends over and touches the ground, the bulblets will take root, establishing a new plant, hence the name walking onions — they seem to walk across the ground. They come out in early spring, sometimes even through the snow. Once you harvest a plant it will not grow back, but since each plant can produce so many bulblets on many stalks, as long as you don’t harvest all of every plant, you’ll have plenty for the future. They grow in zones 3 to 9 (Long Island is 7). These perennial onions can be found in a number of catalogs. Go to www.egyptianwalkingonions.com for further information.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is in the same family as mustard, broccoli and cabbage. The roots are used as a spice, particularly for red meat, chicken and fish. It does well in hardiness zones 2 through 9. In the fall, the roots are dug up, some kept for consumption and one main root replanted for next year’s crop. Alternately, only dig up some of your plants. The Horseradish Council (www.horseradish.org) has many recipes for using this delicious but hot spice.

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is botanically a veggie, although it’s used as a fruit, particularly with strawberries, in sweet pies and jams. It’s planted in a similar way to asparagus. Prep the soil, removing all grasses and weeds and plant the crowns in early spring. Don’t expect much of a crop the first year. When harvesting, leave at least some stalks on each plant so it will thrive for the next year. While the plants will produce enormous leaves, remember, it is the red stalks that are edible, not the toxic leaves. A high nitrogen fertilizer is recommended when the ground has just thawed. The rhizomes of rhubarb plants can be divided every three to four years when the plants are dormant.

There are other perennial vegetables, including artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes. And yes, strawberries (which are a fruit) are established in beds as well.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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East Beach in Port Jefferson is on the Long Island Sound. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By Giselle Barkley

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency got more than it bargained for at a North Shore library earlier this month when concerned residents showed up to oppose a plan that would allow dumping of dredge spoils into the Long Island Sound for the next 30 years.

EPA officials had finalized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed open water dredging plan in January, and had set the public hearing at the Port Jefferson Free Library to get input on possible rules and regulations for the 30-year plan, which calls for the Army Corps of Engineers to dump upward of 50 cubic yards of dredge material from Connecticut waterways into the Long Island Sound.

The group has practices this type of dumping for years, but has recently faced opposition from environmental advocates.

About 60 community members attended the EPA’s hearing on the Long Island Sound Dredged Material Management Plan.

“We’re not offering … specifics in the rulemaking because we’re not going to approve a plan that pollutes the Long Island Sound,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director for the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “We’ve been having public hearings for 10 years and all of the public input has been unanimously ignored.”

The EPA has said it is open to finding alternative ways to dispose of the spoils, and invited communities to partner with that agency and with the Army Corps to line up resources to explore those other methods and do the investigation.

New York State demanded that the Army Corps reevaluate its disposal process in 2005, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has yet to make a public statement regarding the new dredging proposal.

“The Long Island Sound should be protected from adverse activities, rather than have this activity go forward,” Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) said.

Englebright, the head of the state Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation, said spoils could instead be used to replenish eroded beaches: “We’re going to need to defend our coastlines and we’re going to need a lot of sediment to do that.”

Esposito had similar ideas at a press conference in February. She suggested the spoils could be used for wetlands and beach restoration and for capping landfills.

County officials like Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) were disappointed in the EPA’s support of the plan. “We’ve invested so much [money] in improving the health of the Sound,” she said. “To have them make a decision that flies in the face of all that investment … is very discouraging.”

In a previous interview, Stephen Perkins, a member of the EPA’s dredging team, said the agency tests the material before dumping it into the Sound. Highly toxic spoils are not dumped.

But Hoffman said spoils jeopardize the water’s health.

“It’s an estuary of significance, it’s an estuary that’s endangered,” Hahn said.

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Grape vines on the North Fork heavy with fruit. Photo from Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Many years ago, Long Islanders were surprised to see a growing wine industry developing here. Now, it’s taken for granted that the East End is a wine producing region. Who knew that our climate (with 200 to 220 frost-free days) was ideal for growing grapes and therefore making wine? Obviously, some very astute growers who began replacing the farms on the East End with vineyards did, the first vines being planted in 1993.

If you decide that you want to plant some grapes on your property, you first need to determine what you want to do with these grapes. You may just like the appearance of an arbor with grapes growing on it. Maybe you enjoy eating grapes right off the vine. Or perhaps you wish to make grape jelly or maybe, like the growers on the East End, you may want to make wine.

The decision is a first step and important because it determines what type of grapes you are going to be planting. For example, suppose you want grapes to munch on. Then you’re going to be looking for seedless varieties.

There are three general types of plants, American (Vitis labarusca, native to the northeastern part of the United States, with many improved cultivars including Concord grapes and other varieties of table grapes), European (V. viniferia, used extensively in wine production) and North American native muscadine (V. rotundifolia, native to the southeastern part of the United States).

Another factor to consider is the climate zones where the vines will thrive. We are located in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone 7 and we receive between three and four inches of rain a month. But, as we’ve seen last summer, that rainfall is an average. We were at near drought conditions this past summer. You may need to supplement the rain.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk notes that grape vines do well in a variety of soil types, but, need a well-drained soil. If you have clay soil, they won’t do well. Your soil’s acidity or alkalinity is also a factor. Native grapes do well in a soil pH as low as 5.5 (very acidic) while V. vinifera need a pH of 6.5 to 7 (near neutral). So, you may find that you need to add lime to your soil. It can take more than one growing season for lime to affect your soil’s pH.  Read the package directions carefully and remember that once you begin to change the soil’s chemistry, you need to continue year after year or your soil will revert to its original pH.

In considering the location for planting your grapes, note that they need a very sunny location, but a well-placed grape arbor in a sunny location can produce a shady spot for sitting and enjoying a cool beverage on a hot summer’s day or a shady walkway.

Since grapes are vines, you need to prepare the location with a trellis, arbor or other type of support. Be prepared to put some netting over the ripened grapes since the birds will love them. So will deer, squirrels and rabbits. Regarding animals, in the same way that dogs should not have chocolate, they shouldn’t have grapes either, so make sure Fido doesn’t help himself.

Most grape varieties are self-fertile. When you look through the gardening catalogues or tags on plants, make sure to check. If you need other plants to pollinate, the description should tell you. Look for plants that are disease resistant, as well. You may notice roses growing at the end of some vineyards on the North Fork. Roses are seen by some as the “canary in the mine,” showing problems before the grape vines do. This gives the grower a chance to save the vines.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, most grape vines will produce for 30 or more years, so this is a “plant once, enjoy for many years” type of plant — I just love those!

Growing grapes is a multiyear project since it is recommended that the vines not be allowed to fruit the first year and, as you can see, growing grapes requires quite a bit of research. Winter is an ideal time to begin doing that research so that come spring, you can select and plant the correct varieties and locations to produce what you want.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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One Suffolk County legislator wants to see an end to single-use plastic bags. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

One North Shore legislator is looking to make plastic bags a thing of the past.

Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) introduced a bill at the Legislature’s general meeting on March 3 that would ban single-use plastic bags throughout Suffolk. The lawmaker said the idea has already received support from community members, business owners and environmental groups.

“It is something that has been on my radar since I first took office,” Spencer said in a phone interview. “I’ve heard the frustration about how they end up as unsightly litter on our roadways and in our waterways after being used for all of 12 minutes.”

Spencer said that retailers spend $4 billion each year to give plastic bags to consumers — a cost passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. New York City alone spends $10 million disposing of plastic bags annually, he said.

After about 12 minutes of usage, Spencer said, a plastic bag could easily become pollution that litters parks and blocks storm water drains or can pose a serious threat to wildlife.

Spencer there is more plastic than plankton in our ocean.

“Fish eat plastic bags, which cause them to choke,” Spencer said. “An animal could die from that, and the plastic bag will still remain intact, going on to kill another animal. This is killing our planet.”

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, echoed the sentiment.

“Plastic bags pollute our beaches, bays, roadways, parks and neighborhoods,” Esposito said. “They kill thousands of marine mammals and shore birds every year. Last year, volunteers removed 10,500 plastic bags from the South Shore Estuary. The answer to this ubiquitous pollution plague is simple — ban the bag.”

The CCE conducted a survey of more than 650 Suffolk County residents, and 80 percent supported either a ban or fee of plastic bags.

“The time has come to simply ban them and practice BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag,” Esposito said.

Business owners have also lent their support. Charles Reichert, owner of five IGA grocery stores, including locations in Fort Salonga and East Northport, said he believes all of New York should abide by this bill.

“It’s inevitable, so let’s have a countywide bill,” he said in a statement. “Honestly, I think it should go statewide as opposed to having these different laws, but I’d be happy with a countywide bill.”

For grocery store shoppers who fear they will now have to buy reusable bags, Spencer said fear not. He and several other organizations said they planned to give away many free reusable bags if this bill takes off.

“Plastic bags just came on the scene in the last 30 years,” Spencer said. “We got along fine without them. This is good stewardship of the planet.”

A public hearing for this bill is scheduled for March 22. If adopted, there will be a 12-month period before implementation of the law, and within those 12 months, Spencer said he would propose a companion bill to provide a comprehensive education and awareness campaign to assist the public and retailers with the shift.

“We want to ensure customers and retailers will have a successful transition and are fully aware of the alternatives,” he said. “The campaign will also highlight the pivotal role the public will play in reversing the detrimental effects these plastic bags have had on our planet in such a brief period of time.”

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A cold frame is the perfect way to get a jump on spring gardening. Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

When I was a kid, my father always started his tomato (and other) plants indoors as seedlings and then, as the weather warmed, gradually moved them outdoors to harden them off. He did this by first moving them to a cold frame and then finally out into the garden itself.

What exactly is a cold frame and how is it different from a greenhouse? A cold frame is a small structure, with a transparent roof, like a miniature greenhouse. It’s built low to the ground, just high enough to accommodate the new, baby plants. When the weather becomes unexpectedly cold or very rainy, the cold frame keeps the plants warm and dry.

On an unexpectedly hot day in early spring, my father would go out to the cold frame and prop the “roof” open so the temperature wouldn’t become too hot for the little plants. He’d make sure to close the cold frame at night so low night temperatures wouldn’t shock the plants. Once the weather had warmed enough, especially overnight, he’d then move the plants to their permanent home in the garden.

So, think of a cold frame as a transition from the protection of the house or greenhouse where the seedlings are started to the various weather conditions outside — a way of prolonging the growing season.

Cold frames can be bought from nursery supply stores or catalogues or can be homemade. The size depends on how many baby plants you hope it will hold. Usually, it is two or three feet deep by four or five feet wide, depending on the space available and six to 12 inches high.

To make one using leftover materials around your house, use leftover lumber to create the sides of the rectangle, placing them directly on the ground. Then use an old window and attach it to one of the longer sides in the back with hinges so that the window can be propped up to allow excess heat out. If you decide to build your own cold frame, there are a number of videos online that give you detailed instructions.

Yes, you should place your cold frame in a sunny location (a south-facing location is ideal) or you’ll find that your plants will become very leggy. Since it will also protect against heavy rain, make sure the location is one where water doesn’t pool.

Does every gardener need a cold frame? Not necessarily — only if you like to start seedlings indoors to get a jump on spring gardening. If you prefer to buy from your local nursery, then it will have plants out when it is warm enough to plant them directly in the garden.

What’s the difference between a cold frame and a greenhouse then? A greenhouse is a much larger structure, usually designed to grow plants year round or at least overwinter them. A hothouse is a greenhouse with temperature control (heat in winter) to keep plants warm enough while a cool house is a greenhouse used in a hot (desert) environment to protect them from the hot outside temperature, cooling them as needed.

The temperature in a greenhouse is adjusted (frequently automatically with a thermostat) to make sure that the plants are kept at a given temperature. The only adjustment the gardener does to a cold frame is opening the glass to let out excessive heat on a warm spring day. It’s a transition and not intended for long-term growing of plants.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve in Commack hosted a maple sugaring event this past Sunday, Feb. 28, where employees of the park demonstrated both Native American and colonial techniques on maple sugaring.

All participants were able to taste real maple syrup after they learned how to tap a tree for it in their own backyards and also learned about tree anatomy and photosynthesis.

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Hoyt Farm Park Manager Jeff Gumin gives a demonstration of early American maple sugaring techniques. Photo by Greg Catalano
A young girl dressed as a tree during a demonstration on tree anatomy and photosynthesis. Photo by Greg Catalano
A crowd watches a demonstration on tree anatomy and photosynthesis. Photo by Greg Catalano
Hoyt Farm Park Manager Jeff Gumin teaches a young girl about tree tapping. Photo by Greg Catalano
A young girl tries some fresh maple syrup. Photo by Greg Catalano
A volunteer gives a young girl some maple syrup to taste. Photo by Greg Catalano
A woman enjoys some fresh maple syrup. Photo by Greg Catalano
A young girl helps with a demonstration on tree anatomy and photosynthesis. Photo by Greg Catalano
Kids watch as Hoyt Farm Park Manager Jeff Gumin shows how to tap a tree for maple syrup. Photo by Greg Catalano

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Stop cutting back mums and Montauk daisies by the Fourth of July to ensure autumn flowering. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Holidays are a time when people enjoy a rest, take a vacation from work and like to celebrate special occasions. But, holidays can also serve as markers for gardeners, a calendar of sorts, reminding them what needs to be done and when.

February 2 is Groundhog Day, a day in midwinter where whimsy takes over and the rodent “predicts” either an early spring (as this year) or six more weeks of winter. In any event, February is the perfect time to check out the gardening catalogues, plan your future garden and start your hardier crops indoors in a sunny location. Check the seed packages to see how many weeks before moving them outdoors you should sow the seeds. Cuttings from early flowering shrubs, like forsythia, can be made in February and brought inside to force early flowers.

Poinsettias can be toxic to children and pets, so place them out of reach during the Christmas holidays. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Poinsettias can be toxic to children and pets, so place them out of reach during the Christmas holidays. Photo by Ellen Barcel

March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, is the traditional start of the pea planting season. Of course, it’s really important to check the weather and the soil conditions. Peas are one crop that prefers cool weather but can’t grow in the extreme cold we usually have on Long Island in mid-March. Think of this as a heads-up to get ready to plant as soon as the soil is workable and warm enough.

Easter is a holiday when people tend to bring forced plants, grown in nurseries, into the house. Be really careful here as lilies, while traditional for the season, are toxic to cats. Even the water that the cut flowers are placed in can cause series health issues for them if they drink it; so keep lilies away from your cats. Generally, plant Easter gift plants in the garden as soon as possible but usually after the blooms have faded — so you can enjoy them in the house.

Memorial Day (some people say Mother’s Day, which is a bit earlier) is usually the start of really warm weather, so that tender annuals, such as tomatoes and herbs such as basil and dill can be moved outdoors. Marjoram and summer savory will also die in a late frost; so wait till the weather is warm enough.

Fourth of July is usually considered as the last date in the growing season that perennial flowers, like Montauk daisies and mums, can be pruned back and still complete a flowering cycle, blooming in very late summer to autumn. The rule of thumb is to start pruning them when green buds appear in spring, and stop 100 days before bloom time. That is usually July 4.

Stop cutting back mums and Montauk daisies by the Fourth of July to ensure autumn flowering. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Stop cutting back mums and Montauk daisies by the Fourth of July to ensure autumn flowering. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Labor Day is generally the last day in the growing season that second (or third) season crops can be planted. The first frost day on Long Island is generally considered to be early to mid-November; so count backward from that day for the exact planting time, based on the number of days each plant takes to mature. Some varieties of bush beans will produce a crop in 50 to 60 days, which means plant them in early September, that is, Labor Day for a crop before frost. Also, very tender houseplants should start to be brought indoors if they have summered outside. Particularly watch the low night temps.

By Columbus Day all your houseplants should be indoors. Move tender shrubs or small trees like figs to an unheated garage once the leaves fall. Lift tender bulbs and store them in a cool dry place once the leaves have all died back to the ground.

Thanksgiving, late November, is usually the last time you can plant spring bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, etc, outside. Those and other spring bulbs can actually be planted as long as the ground is not frozen. If you miss the cutoff date, consider storing them in the fridge till spring.

Christmas is a time when many decorative plants are used in the house. Be particularly careful with indoor plants, such as poinsettias, which can harm both young children and pets if ingested. And we all know that little kids and pets put everything in their mouths.

While the above are generalities, always take into consideration the actual conditions at any given time. If a sudden cold front is predicted for mid-September, make sure that your houseplants are indoors. If the ground is still frozen in early April, then you just can’t plant your early/cool weather plants yet.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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