We tested 4 portable fans in the summer heat
By Natalie B. C ompton
The Washington Post
THIS SUMMER’S HOTtest travel accessory wasn’t a trendy water bottle, a designer bag or a specific sock length. It was the portable fan, an affordable gadget that promises to keep travelers cool no matter where they ventured.
The fans were spotted in Olympics grandstands, at theme parks and around music festivals. Vendors are selling them outside the Colosseum.
Two styles dominate the market: One is a handheld miniature and the other is a horseshoe-shaped contraption that is worn around the neck and rests on the shoulders, like a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Both are tempting. Portable-fan enthusiasts, including travel writers and new parents, use words such as “lifesaver,” “invaluable” and “can’t live without them.”
The proliferation of the travel fan inspired a nagging FOMO all summer long: Do we all need one? We tested a few popular models to see whether they live up to the hype. I took four fans on a trip to see family in Fresno, Calif. (108 degrees); a work trip to Tulum, Mexico (90 degrees with 78% humidity); and around Washington (high 90s).
PenKou Portable Neck Fan
Price: $29.99
I brought the PenKou neck fan on a morning tour of Tulum’s famous beachside ruins, a beautiful but largely shadefree archaeological site. This neck fan felt like a good starting place: not too expensive but not too cheap, either. It had 4.3 stars based on more than 9,000 global ratings on Amazon (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post) and was advertised as “Amazon’s Choice.” With “72 wind outlets” around the rim plus two “twin-turbine fan blades,” PenKou claims air would blow all around your head. Like every model I tried, this fan had three speeds and was rechargeable. It was light (like noise-canceling headphones) but not an insignificant addi-
tion to a purse or backpack. By 10 a.m. in Tulum, it was so hot that sweat was pouring into my eyes. Still I’d been hesitant to wear the fan from the get-go; no one else in the group had a pair, and it felt as touristy as a selfie stick. A few minutes later, I swallowed my pride and put the fan on. It offered some relief but was so loud I had to turn it off while the tour guide was talking; it sounded like a small drone was circling my ears. I turned the fan on again during pauses in the tour guide’s commentary and for our bike back to town.
Verdict: The cooling impact of the PenKou model was negligible. It did not feel worth the hassle of carrying it.
Torras COOLiFY 2S Neck Air Conditioner
Price: $199.99
The Torras “neck air conditioner” was the most expensive fan of the group by a long shot. Appropriately, it’s also the most luxurious, with “cooling plate” technology along the back of the neck. According to the Amazon listing, it can run on a “fan,” “cool” or “warm” mode for 28 hours. It also came with a fancy protective case.
I wasn’t impressed. On a scorching 104-degree day at a ranch outside Fresno, the device felt bulky and the fan was loud. I was uncomfortable in the heat even at the fan’s highest setting. The cooling plates do feel cool to the touch, but the back of them warm up as they are running, so you can sometimes feel hot plastic.
The COOLiFY 2S did have a redeeming moment in Tulum. I was sitting in an outdoor hotel lobby waiting for a taxi, melting
the back of my shirt to cool my sweat-drenched back.
Verdict: The lower settings didn’t do much and the highest setting could have been higher.
Honorable mention
After my tests were complete, I kept asking people what they thought of portable fans. As in my initial research, reviews were mixed, but one brand kept coming up in a positive light, so I’d be remiss not to mention the Jisulife handheld fan ($19.99).
by the minute, when I remembered the Torras in my purse. It instantly made the situation more bearable.
Verdict: More like a milder version of applying Icy Hot than a real cool-down. Too expensive and clunky for what you get.
Juananiug
Portable Neck Fan
Price: $13.99
Cheap and straightforward, the Juananiug Portable Neck Fan has devotees that say it can make a trip to a scalding desert more habitable. It’s the goofiest-looking of the lineup, with two round fan bulbs reminiscent of the cartoon snail from “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Those googly fans run at three “wind levels,” and they are adjustable, so you can point them in various positions.
I stuffed the fan back into my tote bag shortly after putting it on. The sound was so obnoxious and overpowering that I couldn’t stand wearing it.
Verdict: This is the EasyBake Oven of portable fans: cheap and gimmicky. Yes, it
blows air in your face, but the air is not strong enough to warrant the annoying sound. Maybe if you were wearing earplugs it would be serviceable.
Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan
Price: $13.99
This handheld fan was one of the highest rated on Amazon, with 4.7 stars from close to 13,000 ratings. Reviews called it sleek, powerful and effective. At just under 6 inches long, it seemed the most travel-friendly, too, taking up very little space in a carry-on bag, backpack or purse. It came in seven colors, has three speed settings and is rechargeable by USB-C plug. I could grab it quickly when I needed, fan my face for a few moments without making a scene, and hide it away again. On a walking tour of a historic site in Fresno, it felt like a life hack to hold the fan pointed up
Travel writer Jill K. Robinson told me she used to think they were silly, but using the Jisulife on a trip to Europe in July made her a convert. It promises 19 hours of cooling time, has two speeds and can be folded so it stands on its own. Photographer Nate Jarvis said he loved using it during his summer trip to Japan, and not just because of the cooling power. “It looks like a cute little bear and doubles as a phone charger if you need it,” he said. It also triples as a flashlight. If I was going to take a risk on another fan, this would be it.
The ‘winner’
The Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan was my favorite of the bunch, because it was discreet and easy to use. But honestly, it’s hard for me to recommend any of these products. The chances that it becomes just another piece of trash in a landfill outweigh whatever brief benefit it could deliver.
From left, the PenKou Portable Neck Fan, the Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan, the Juananiug Portable Neck Fan, and the Torras COOLiFY 2S Neck Air Conditioner. ( PHOTO/ COVER PHOTO BY JASON LITTLE
I’M TAKING UP SCULPTURE.
Not in bronze, Carrara marble, or granite, but with plants.
My easiest sculpture is one I’ve been doing for years. I can’t really say “working on for years” because every year it vanishes, to be started anew each spring. It’s “lawn nouveau,” as I call it in my book, “The Pruning Book,” and then go on to describe the technique as “two tiers of grassy growth ... the low grass is just like any other lawn, and kept that way with a lawnmower. The taller portions are mowed infrequently — one to three times a year, depending on the desired look (and my need for hay) — with a scythe or tractor.” The sharp, defining line between the high grass and the low grass is integral to the design.
I’m lucky to have a meadow bathed
Lee Reich | In the Garden
in sunlight bordering the south side of my property. But even a small yard might be able to accommodate lawn nouveau. My three-quarter of an acre yard did before the meadow shifted to my care. (Previous owners had maintained it as a very large lawn with weekly or biweekly mowing.)
This sculpture has many pieces to it.
One is how I manage it with mowing the whole meadow either at the end or the beginning of the growing season, a necessary task or the meadow will naturally revert over time to forest. Even a once-a-year mowing might be insufficient, as I realized a couple of years ago with the increasing encroachment of woody shrubs and vines such as poison ivy, grape, and multiflora rose.
This Japanese okarikomi yew hedge is in its early stages of training. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
GARDEN NOTES
STOCKBRIDGE
Berkshire
Botanical Garden programs
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs. Tuesdays, Sept. 3 through 24 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., “Herbaceous Plants.” This intensive four-session class explores the world of herbaceous plants, from their identification, selection and use in the garden through their basic botany, life cycle, and propagation.
Participants are asked to create a final project highlighting by genus or plant family related to the curriculum.
As part of the Level 1 horticulture core curriculum, this class is essential for the committed gardener and includes lectures, hands-on activities and field study, and group discussion.
The class aspires to give participants a deeper understanding of annuals, perennials, and ornamental vegetables and their role in the garden.
Advance registration is required.
Cost is $215 members, $240 nonmembers; Saturdays, Sept. 7 through 28, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“Drafting for Garden Design.”
This four-week studio intensive course will help students to develop a scaled plan. Learn basic drafting skills necessary to record and effectively communicate scaled site plans.
The course will cover reference books, drafting supplies, media/paper types, line weights, lettering and scale reading.
Drafting demonstrations will familiarize students with professional drawing techniques, and students will begin to draft basic site plans and explore map-making.
During the last half of the course, students will learn to develop a landscape graphic palette to illustrate trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers, as well as hardscape materials such as stone terraces. Taught by Tom Smith of Springfield Technical Community College.
Cost is $215 members, $240 nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshire botanical.org. Berkshire
Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
AGAWAM
Agawam Garden Club meeting
The next meeting of the Agawam Garden Club will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m. at the Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St.
After a short business meeting Dan Ziomek will present a program on hydrangeas.
All meetings are open to the public and not restricted to Agawam residents.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
West Springfield Garden Club plant swap
The West Springfield Garden Club will hold its plant swap on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mittineague Park-across from Santa’s House.
This bring a plant, take a plant event, done on the honor system, will also include a few give aways. Bring disease free perennials, house plants and small shrubs.
Please bring your plants potted and labeled. RSVP by emailing sdamours68@ gmail.com with info on the plants you might be brining or if you have questions.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
Repeated mowing during one season brought the meadow back in order, mostly with grasses. Over time I expect and hope for a resurgence also of more goldenrods, bee balms and other herbaceous, flowering plants.
The look of the meadow is also influenced by a season’s
weather. And by the progress of the season, the meadow’s appearance being very different as grasses morph from a lush sea of green in spring to late summer’s tawny shoots and seed heads. Late summer also brings on showy flowers.
The appearance even varies with the time of day; it’s early morning appearance is quite different than its appearance at various times throughout the day, all dependent also,
of course, on what’s happening up in the sky. All this makes for a very interesting sight of varying beauty. A lot of this is either beyond my control or very unpredictable. What is neither is my mowing during the growing season. Each spring I lay out a path, maintained by mowing with my tractor, that wends its way through the meadow. The goal is to make it inviting and practical.
SEASONAL AWNINGS
Terry and kim kovel | Antiques & Collecting
A Labor Day salutation from the past
‘HAVE A GOOD
One — It’s Union Made” is the slogan on this cigar store advertising sign. It could also work as a Labor Day salutation. The first Labor Day celebration, held in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, was planned by the Central Labor Union. Labor activists in other states adopted the holiday, and it was signed into national law by President Grover Cleveland in 1894.
At the time, the Cigar Maker’s International Union was one of the best-known and most influential trade unions in the country. This union started in 1864, about the time cigars were becoming popular in the U.S. Workers in the cigar industry often faced terrible conditions. Many non-union shops employed immigrant families, including young children, who worked in cramped, filthy tenement house shops for more than 12 hours a day at low wages.
In 1880, the Cigar Maker’s International Union introduced the “Blue Label” to be put on any box of cigars made in a union shop, and therefore under safe, sanitary conditions by fairly compensated adult workers. You can see the blue label reading “Unionmade Cigars” on the front of the store counter in this advertising sign, which sold for $1,625 at Rich Penn Auctions.
The sign, with its design printed on an oak panel, was made by the Meyercord Company, which was founded by George Meyercord in Chicago in 1896. The date of this sign is not known, but the clothes on the figures indicate the early 1900s. So, by the time it was made, the Blue Label had been in use for years, and Labor Day was established as a national holiday.
Q. Are you still in the business of appraising or giving advice about the price of antiques? I have an antique gateleg table and
four matching chairs that I believe to be at least 60 years old.
A. We do not offer formal appraisals, but we can provide information and advice about your antiques and the values of similar pieces. The gateleg table was first made in the 17th century, putting it in the Colonial period of American history, and has been a popular space-saving style since then. There was a major Colonial revival in American furniture about the 1930s. From your estimate of your table’s age, it sounds like it was probably made about then. Unless made by a well-known designer, 20th-century furniture does not often sell for high prices. It often sells at antiques and consignment stores; many buyers consider it a higher quality alternative to the mass-produced furniture that sells at big box stores today. Similar table and chair sets have sold for about $300 to $500. You may want to check antiques stores in your area to see if they sell pieces like yours, and for how much. You can also look up recent country auctions and estate sales; many auction houses have results available online.
Q. I have a small collection of hobnail glass and would like to know how I can find out what it is worth.
A. Hobnail is a glass pattern with small, raised bumps covering the piece. There are dozens of hobnail patterns made by many glass companies. One of the most famous hobnail patterns was made by Fenton Art Glass Company starting in 1940. The value of a piece depends on factors like its condition, age, color, maker and rarity. There are many price guides where you can look up values. General price guides like Kovel’s often have sections for hobnail and
Advertisements like this cigar sign on an oak panel encouraged American shoppers to buy union-made products.
(RICH PENN
AUCTIONS)
other glass patterns. Look for glass-specific price guides at your library. Check the directories on Kovels.com and AntiqueTrader.com for glass collectors’ clubs. They often have resources to help collectors identify and value their glass.
Q. Is Flow Blue china still “collectible”? What might be the value of the pieces I have? What’s the best way to market them?
A. Flow Blue ceramics were made from about 1830 to 1920. The most famous were made in England, especially the Staffordshire pottery district. Designs were transfer printed onto white-glazed pottery, usually ironstone, with cobalt blue, which would smear and appear to “flow” beyond the design. Blue and white dishes are always popular, and while Flow Blue may not reach the heights of art pottery or very early porcelain, it has its fans. Patterns with historical scenes and pieces other than plates, like pitchers and serving bowls, sell for the highest prices. Flow Blue sells at general antiques shops, flea markets and estate sales. There are collectors’ clubs for Flow Blue and related ceramics, like the Flow Blue International Col-
lectors’ Club (flowblue.org) and the Transferware Collectors Club (transferware collectorsclub.org). They could help you find out more about identifying, pricing and marketing your collection. Contacting a matching service is another option.
TIP: Advertising collectors should check every address, phone number, name and price information that is on a label, a sticker or the container. They will help with the research to determine the age of the product.
Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions. Silver flatware, sterling, serving spoon, Virginiana, raised flowers on bowl, art nouveau flowers on handle, monogram, Gorham, 7 1/2 inches, $60. Toy, car, Chevrolet, Corvette Stingray, painted, white, swiveling headlights, black tires, die cast, box, Corgi, 3 3/4 inches, $125. Rug, Turkoman Bokhara, hexagon medallions, salmon, geometric field, salmon outer border, mid-20th century, runner, 2 feet 7 inches x 8 feet 3 inches, $130. Picture, silhouette, scholar, standing, wearing cap and gown, scissor cut, signed, dated, frame, August Edouart, 1828, 11 1/2 x 8 inches, $220. Buffalo Pottery Deldare, tankard, Dr. Syntax Entertained At College, 10 1/2 inches, $265. Silver plate, basket, Aesthetic, top handle, applied leaves, cherries, berries, insects, copper, parcel gilt, four scrolled feet, quadruple plate, Meriden, c. 1900, 9 x 10 x 8 inches, $310. Advertising, sign, Riverview Park, Reduced Rate Ride Booklets Here, blue lettering, pointing fingers in top corners, rectangular, Veribrite Signs, Chicago, 5 x 8 inches, $400. Furniture, easel, Lucite, canvas holder, three beam mast, four beveled knob handles, 20th century, 71 inches, $930. Photography, photograph, Workers at American Woolen Company, black and white, silver print, unsigned, Margaret Bourke-White, c. 1935, 14 x 11 inches, $1,205. Moser, candelabrum, five-light, cased, cranberry, allover enamel, gold, white, green, red, blue, pink, cut cups and bobeche, scalloped rims, 21 1/2 x 15 inches, pair, $1,475.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage
eases to 6.35 %
Rate at lowest level in more than year
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage eased for the second week in a row and remains at its lowest level in more than a year, good news for prospective homebuyers facing home prices near all-time highs.
The rate fell to 6.35% from 6.46% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.18%.
The last time the average rate was this low was May 11, 2023.
Borrowing costs on 15year fixed-rate mortgages also fell this week, good news for homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan at a lower rate. The average rate fell to 5.51% from 5.62% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.55%, Freddie Mac said.
“Mortgage rates fell again this week due to expectations of a Fed rate cut,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Rates are expected to continue their decline, and while potential homebuyers are watching closely, a rebound in purchase activity remains elusive until we see further declines.”
Signs of waning inflation and a cooling job market have raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate next month for the first time in four years.
Deeds
AGAWAM
Brian A. Dagostino and Amy Levan to David J Dagostino, Pasadena Stree, $95,000.
John Vasiliy Ivanov and Olena Ivanov to Jan Misiak and Elzbieta Misiak, 47 Rosie Lane, $430,000.
Joseph M. Kratochvil to Igor Divizinschi and Olga Divizinscaia, 72 Thalia Drive, $300,000.
Justin T. Ritchie to Hannah Marie Black, 27 Corey Colonial, Unit 27, $224,900.
Mary Ann Marzano, Linda A. Marzano, Josephine A. Smith, Carmela Kirk and Elizabeth Marzano to Lisa Maria Cernak and Laura Ann Balbony, 406 Cooper St., $290,000.
Matthew J. Kele and Sarah N. Kele to Matthew J. Kele, 134 Wagon Wheel Drive, $115,000.
Pine Crossing Construction Inc., to Denise Marilyn Ford and Denise Ford, 124 Villa Drive, Unit 44, $515,000.
Rachel M. Seddon and Rachel M. Thomas to Joseph Kratochvil, 30 Bradford Drive, $405,000.
William B. Gabel to William B. Gabel and Susan M. Guenard, 156 School St., $100.
AMHERST
Ann E. King to Karen Lederer, Webster St., $8,000.
Kristina Stinson to Joanna F. Morse and Gideon S. Morse, 158 Flat Hills Road, $741,000.
David R. Buchanan, trustee, David R. Buchanan Revocable Trust, David R. Buchanan and Laura N. Price to Debora W. May, John May, trustee, and John & Deborah May Family Trust, 1611 South East St., $960,000.
Vincent P. Hohreiter to James Powers and Belinda G. Dorn, 605 Warren Wright Road, $650,000.
Stephen Katigbak and Sallie Welsh Steele to Tamasz Sroka and Sabina Sroka, Cold Hill Road, $179,900.
ASHFIELD
Melissa Jackson-Nieves, individually and as personal representative of the Estate of Doc Barbeaux, to Claire Miraglia, 1625 Cape St., $100,000.
Lauren A. Mills, trustee of the Dennis A. Nolan Investment Trust, and Lauren A. Mills, trustee of the Lauren A. Mills Investment Trust, to Janice Dompke and Alan Ross, 537 West Road, $643,000.
BELCHERTOWN
George H. Cooley and Deborah M.
Furioni to Kevin P. O’Connor and MariaJane T. Peich, 111 Daniel Shays Highway, $425,000.
Scott D. Mutch to Nicole S. Grace, 580 Bardwell St., $100.
Gary Snyder to Brad Harasimowicz and Courtney Harasimowicz, Summit St., $15,000.
BRIMFIELD
Bruce A. Aldrich, representative, and Richard A. Aldrich, estate, to Stephen Aldrich, 169 Washington St., $63,000.
BUCKLAND
James T. Godfrey and Julia L. Godfrey, trustees of the Godfrey Investment Trust, to Justin von Bujdoss and Cheryl Huber, 12 Wilde Road, $610,000.
CHESTER
Sally O. Emerson and William E. Emerson to American Country Land LLC, 33 Holcomb Road, $42,500.
Thomas W. Balukonis, Thomas W. Balukonis II, and Joan C. Balukonis to Kimberly Edwards and Timothy Radville, 78 Lyon Hill Road, $520,000.
CHICOPEE
Amber L. Mastej, Amber Lajeunesse, Kevin M. Guilbault, Jodi T. Gauthier, Mark E. Guilbault and Amber Mastej to Frederick R. Devault III, 12 Cadieux Ave., $230,000.
Clifford A. Madru and Richard A. Madru to Elizabeth Ibwe and Ahmadi Mkambavange, 95 Warregan St., $285,000.
Denis R. Chicoine, representative, Ann Marie Chicoine, estate, Louis M. Chevalier, Sara J. Chevalier and Brian F. Chevalier, estate, to Matthew Mascaro, 1107 James St., Unit 2, $220,000.
Elaine Peterson, representative, and Deborah A. Romanski, estate, to Teresa L. Peterson, 94 Shepherd St., $160,000.
Elizabeth A. Sawyer to John C. Pagan Arroyo, 11 Calvin St., $291,000.
Erin L. Brault to Elving Rosado, 98 Narragansett Boulevard, $268,000.
Geraldine P. Stone to JTT Realty LLC, 51 Beaumont Ave., $240,000.
JJJ 17 LLC, to Manuela Olivares, 50 Wheatland Ave., $415,000.
John C. Pagan Arroyo to Zachary Singleton-Havner, 308 Hampden St., $230,000.
R L New Life LLC, to Manish J. Patel and Binita M. Patel, 200 Exchange St., $800,000.
TGTBT 2 LLC, to Wreckers LLC, 944 Sheridan St., $940,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Angela C. Bourget to John W. Winslow and Stewart Lee Bromberg, 48 Deerfoot Drive, $600,000.
Arthur P. Loughman-Bull, Arthur Bull, Maura M. Loughman-Bull and Maura P. Loughman-Bull to David W. Pekarski, 33-35 Somers Road, $401,500.
Barbara Ann Mohajery, Mahmood M. Mohajery and M. Michael Mohajery to Timothy P. Crimmins Jr., and Janet M. Crimmins, 227 Pinehurst Drive, $460,000.
Equity Trust Co., custodian, Robert Lareau IRA, and Robert Lareau to Swacey Ann Tucker, 9 Crescent Hill, $355,000.
Jeffrey A. Pryor, trustee, Patricia A. Pryor, trustee, and Pryor Family Trust, trustee of, to Wei Ning Ni, 89 Nottingham Drive, $775,000.
Kevin D. Matheny and David A. Lawson to Samantha E. Kastrati and Granit Kastrati, 8 Savoy Ave., $425,000.
Michelle A. Solomon to Ilana Kasal and Seth Berti, 47 Autumn Ridge, $675,000.
Patricia Aleks and Linda Corish to Michael Carabetta, 177 Vineland Ave., $395,000.
Southern NE Real Estate Development Inc., to Best Home Builders LLC, 1 Jeffrey Lane, $160,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Nicole M. Sealander, personal representative, and Bruce G. Sealander, estate, to Brian C. Kelly and Kaitlin Pomeroy-Murphy, 23 Carillon Circle, $395,000.
Brian P. Heroux Sr., Michelle R. Heroux and Michelle Heroux to Ryan D. Cox and Kristina Yamkovoy, 6 Crescent St., $590,000.
GRANBY
Denise M. Houle-Kukahiko, personal representative, and Jean L. Houle, estate, to John Frederick Kukahiko, Carver Street, $100.
Paul Sowa and Joanne Sowa to Paul Sowa, trustee, Joanne C. Sowa, trustee, and PSowa Family Trust, 83 Morgan St., $100.
Eleanor J. Sexton and George Sexton to Elias Daniel Os and Mariana De Oliveira Cortes, 34 South St., $962,500.
Douglas M. Frechette, Michael K. Morris and Valerie A. Brissette to John P. Sacco and John Paul Sacco, 14 Cedar Drive, $350,000.
Tara Alterman to Rhys Harries, 55 Pleasant St., $270,000.
Sarah Hill, personal representative, Stanley W. Hill, estate, and Stanley Hill, estate, to Jason Delano, 435 East State St., $250,000.
GRANVILLE
Lori Conley, Cheryl Roy and Heidi Falcetti to Gary A. Prentice Jr., and Lynette M. Prentice, 38 Sodom St., $215,000.
GREENFIELD
Lisa M. Minter and Alex K. Phakos to Ellen D. Cookson, 7 Myrtle St., $385,000.
John T. Koehler Jr., to Breakaway Real Estate LLC, 37 Silvio O. Conte Drive, $649,000.
Timothy E. Parsons, personal representative of the Estate of Joanne P. Parsons, to Wende Mueller, 42 Rockland Road, $335,000.
George R. Marchacos and Nancy J. Marchacos to Alexander P. Morin and Nicholas P. Morin, 336 Wells St., $255,000.
HADLEY
Dennis F. Pipczynski and Sandra A. Pipczynski to Eleanor J. Sexton, North Branch Road and Town Road, $135,000.
HAMPDEN
Gina Dunn and Andrew Dunn to Christopher D. Draper, Wayne Draper and Suzanne Draper, 4 Colony Drive, $475,000.
HATFIELD
Joyce Arel and Nancy Pelis to Arthur F. Rubeck and Leeane T. Rubeck, 15 Gore Ave., $275,000.
Adam J. Cialek and Stephanie L. Cialek to Megliola Realty LLC, 31 Depot Road, $368,516.
HOLYOKE
Efrain Torres to Luis Rosado, 66 Pine St., $148,000.
Gallagher Capital Group LLC, to Lindsey White, 14 Maple Crest Circle, Unit B, $225,000.
Germania N. Gonzalez to Marie Y. Pierre, 521 Pleasant St., $395,000. Joshua Carrig to Fiverobin LLC, 610 County Road, Unit 7, $256,500.
Summer R. Turner to Jennifer M. Martinez, 138 Michigan Ave., $300,000. Walfrido Marquez and Radys Marquez to Alvaro Ortiz, 88-90 Saint James Ave., $425,000.
LONGMEADOW
Donna L. Dyer to Daniel Stapleton, 90 Shaker Road, $462,500.
Jaimee A. Zick and Jaimee A. Arnold to David Wartman and Katherine Wartman, 29 York Drive, $975,000.
Laura H. Jenkins to Michael Wood
SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8
Deeds
and Jessica Wood, 100 Pleasantview Ave., $465,000.
Michael A. Wysocki and Mutsumi Wysocki to CLTJ Realty LLC, 17 Yarmouth St., $320,000.
Ryan N. Shanks and Lauren Shanks to Sheri R. Gray and Rainy Gray, 690 Longmeadow St., $1,135,000.
Steven S. Christenson to Thuy Thi Vu and Chinh Dinh Pham, 21 Massachusetts Ave., $366,000.
William C. Loiselle to Alison K. Anderson, Jacqueline Crowley Soltz Anderson and Judith Hall Soltz, 32 Lincoln Road, $425,000.
LUDLOW
Americo Dacruz and Madalena Dacruz to Rachel A. Ahlmeyer, 110 Chapin Greene Drive, Unit #110, $330,000.
Gregory G. Demone to Donald E. Moran and Cassandra M. Meads, Sawmill Road, Par A, $225,000.
Michael A. Morais, Filipa G. Saraiva and Filipa G. Morais to Mary T. Tzambazakis, 695 West St., $433,000.
P & E Properties Inc., to Center for Human Development Inc., 608 Center St., $435,900.
Rosa Cordiano to David Goncalves, 25 McDonald Circle, $502,500.
William L. Laughlin to Michael A. Morais and Filipa G. Saraiva, 695 West St., $270,000.
MONROE
Terri Pike to Cynthia Bimmler, 9 Depot St., $99,000.
MONSON
Brent Ketner to Liam Ferguson Jr., 3 Heritage Lane, $480,000.
Peter M. Barnett and Helen Chase Barnett to Isaac Gomez Jr., 10 Zuell Hill Road, $445,000.
Suzanne L. Stone, estate, and Thomas R. Borjas, representative, to Christopher E. Skutnik and Melanie S. Skutnik, 380 Lower Hampden Road, $370,000.
MONTAGUE
Margaux A. Reckard and Quentin K. Reynolds to Shirah Neumann, 11 Montague St., $491,000.
NEW SALEM
Nicole Greeley and Ryan D. Greeley to Graham Lowery Hsu and Jenna Lowery Hsu, 78 North Main St., $375,000.
NORTHFIELD
Sharon G. Black, “aka” Sharon L. Gould-Black, Roxene M. Shedd and Jeannie L. Sulda, trustees of the Gould Family Trust, to Christian Drew and Kelsey O’Brien, 44 Pentecost Road, $327,500.
NORTHAMPTON
Janet G. Hodos, trustee, Janet G. Hodos Trust, and Janet G. Hodos to Janice Dumond Neiman, trustee, Revocable Indenture of Trust of Janice D. Neiman, and Janice Dumond Neimand, trustee, 20 Bridge Road, $836,000.
Annette Griffin, trustee, Susan Reardon, trustee, and Griffin Reardon Family Trust to Christina Wells, trustee, Darby Keeney, trustee, and Keeney Wells Family Trust, 20 Cloverdale St., $632,000.
Michael Korpita to Liam H. McCann and Kerry A. Flynn, 84 Sandy Hill Road, $335,000.
Marco A. Vega to Patricia A. Bowler, 267 Locust St., $150,000.
Shauneen Kocot to Carlos Oliva and Blanca Sandoval, 3 Drewsen Drive, $420,000.
Northeast Asset Management LLC, to Lee Holmes, 329 Riverside Drive, $460,000.
Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, trustee, and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead Trust to Stanley Thomas Thacker and Katharine Frances Krahl, 22 Norfolk Ave., $869,000.
Plata O Plomo Inc., to Christine Doktor, 28 Columbus Ave., $1,075,000.
ORANGE
Bernice M. Ferguson and John P. Ferguson to Carol Diesel, 74 Harrison Ave., $362,500.
Dennis F. Bramhall and Linda J. Bramhall to Leo G. Cakounes, “aka” Leo Cakounes, trustee of Olga Realty Trust, 371 Walnut Hill Road, $490,000.
Joshua John Tyler and Kristen Tyler to Sarie L. Whitehouse, 102 King St., $399,900.
PALMER
Arenas Investments LLC, to Eric Clark, 3056 Main St., Unit 3056, $208,000.
Avyanna Cruz, Idelramon Izquierdo and Janet Izquierdo to Eric Riesmeyer, 4042-4044 Pine St., $391,000.
Daniel Delisle and Maria Gonzalez McDougall to Erica Veary, 2010 High St., $291,000.
Donald Hall and Candy Lynn Ocasio to Nolan Spiers, 12 Riverview Parkway, $291,000.
PELHAM
Marianne Rowe, personal representative, Sue Ellen Bisgaard, estate, and Sue Ellen Bisgaardfrantzen, estate, to Elizabeth Lutwak and Robert Lutwak, 40 Arnold Road, $799,900.
PLAINFIELD
Matthew H. Stowell to Robert J. Cole, 278 Main St., $370,000. Eric A. Light and Brenda L. Light to Patrick Walsh and Barbara Walsh, 120 Pleasant St., $701,900.
SHELBURNE
Deerfield Avenue Realty Inc., to Kurt E. Damkoehler, 359 Main St., $160,000.
Jeremy Kingsbury and Sara Kingsbury to Carmen L. Bassett, 77 Reynolds Road, $460,500.
Claire H. Blatchford, trustee of the Edward W. Blatchford Investment Trust, and Claire H. Blatchford, trustee of the Claire H. Blatchford Investment Trust, to Jeremy Kingsbury and Sara Kingsbury, 286 Patten Road, $750,000.
SHUTESBURY
Kerry L. Blanchard, “fka” Kerry L. Brown, and Joel Morris to Megan W. Lennon and Michael Lennon, 366 Pelham Hill Road, $593,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Paul J. Mazzariello, Carole-Anne Mazzariello and Carole-Anne I. Mazzariello to Paul J. Mazzariello, trustee, Carole-Anne I. Mazzariello, trustee, and Angel Boy Family Trust, 504 Alvord Place, $100.
John G. Peetz Jr., Joan K. Frey, and Joan M. Frey to Jonathan Marcoux, 2 Edgewater Lane and 6 Edgewater Lane, $100.
Norman J. Moreau Declaration of Trust and Tina M. Moreau-Jones, trustee, to Catherine Lecesse, 72 Ferry St., $415,000.
Veteran Stan LLC, to Lynn Boucher, 38 Westbrook Road, $405,000.
Nancy P. Boyd, trustee and Nancy P. Boyd Revocable Trust to Brian M. Connors and Nancy A. Connors, 122 Pine Grove Drive, $475,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Benjamin S. Fassett and Annette C. Suslak to Tenzin Shawa and Tenzin Yangzom, 169 Pomeroy Meadow Road, $535,000.
Karen I. Dobiecki to Andrew Valles and Jamie M. Valles, 138C Fomer Road, $575,000.
Carl J. Hampson and Linda L. Hampson to Brian S. Hampson,
Gregory J. Hampson and Amanda C. Morrissey, 5 Cheryl Lane, $100.
SOUTHWICK
Nicholas Sonsini to Diana Huynh and Luis J. Velasquez, 13 Concord Road, $460,000.
Pah Properties LLC, to Mahmoud Jnaed, 82 North Lake Ave,, $385,500.
SPRINGFIELD
Aida M. De La Cruz and Aida M. De La Cruz Santana to Kathleen E. Saunders, 119 Kane St., $270,000.
Alfred C. Joyce Jr., trustee, and 1416 Cloverdale Street Trust, trustee of, to Muayyad Realty LLC, 14-16 Cloverdale St., $350,000.
Amaurys Amadis and Juliana Amadis to Julio Ramos Ortiz and Frances Ramos Rodriguez, 132 Hamburg St., $291,000.
Avery Webber to Jose M. Gonzalez, 18 Goodwin St., $300,000.
Unlimited Property Services LLC, to Ana De Jesus Irizarry, 476 Berkshire Ave., $310,000.
Christina M. Stelzer, Kelsey Ouellette and Christina M. Ouellette to Justin Drengberg and Xzandrea Shylo Spa, 235 Emerson St., $310,000.
Dorothea E. Mozell to Marolis Acosta Cruz, 287 Walnut St., $155,000.
Edwin Alvarado to Donnalee Reid, 3-5 Angelo St., $372,000.
Emily A. Boucher and Amanda Boucher to Kiannah M. Rodriguez and Caleb J. Currier, 6 Capitol Road, $290,000.
Emily Marie Lamica to Brandon Lopez, 524-526 Plainfield St., $425,000.
George Doty to Kayleen Whitaker, 187 Ashland Ave., $296,000.
Giselle M. Ojeda to Joseline Eliezer Reina Mercedes, 43-45 Claremont St., $340,000.
In The Moment Investing LLC, to Michael A. Santaliz Aguilar and Arelis Aguilar Velez, 118 Tyler St., $250,000.
Unit #213 235 State Street Nominee Trust, trustee of, and Lawrence S. Cooley, trustee, to Stephen J. Bouniconti and Angelina M. Bouniconti, 235 State St., Unit 213, $225,000.
James B. Morrissey Jr., trustee, John Swift, trustee, and Springfield Ventures Realty Trust, trustee of, to Paul Marseille and Ginette Fanfan, 106-108 Clifton Ave., $319,900.
Jason S. Donaldson, trustee, and Coalie Realty Trust, trustee of, to B. Bradley Cassin and Kathleen E. Cassin, 1599 Parker St., $389,900.
Jose Rivera-Portillo to Esther Onwukwe and Ihedioha Onwukwe, 22-24 Terrence St., $400,000.
Kelnate Realty LLC, to Roxanna Contreras, 21-23 Governor St., $375,000.
Kenneth S. Ross Jr., to Isabel Santiago and Marco Papallo, 6 Ellendale Circle, $301,000.
Kyle A. Watt and Alyssa Sagan to Salomon Albrandy Mateo and Dahiana M. Nunez Tavarez, 30 Corona St., $310,000.
Little Eagle LLC, to NRES LLC, 23 Corona St., $230,000.
Luis A. Rosa-Martinez and Angelika G. Rodriguez to Richard M. Johnson, 48 Morris St., $305,900.
Malia Homebuyers LLC, to Chelsea Wilson, 142-144 Suffolk St., $375,000.
Marcello Deiulis and Terry Deiulis to Tristan Harvey Cohen and Tristan Cohen, 30 Irvington St., $403,000.
Maria Castro to Elizabeth Flores, 16 Rogers Ave., $245,000.
Mark Hebert to Matheus Espindula Abib Ramos, 14 Springfield St., $450,000.
Matthew P. Dibiaso and Heather A. Dibiaso to Jillian L Bowyer, 65 Bartels St., $365,000.
Megan Schwartz to Nicholas Matthew Abraham and Emily Elizabeth Mcneight, 16 Weymouth St., $350,000.
Meka Projects LLC, to Rossana Chum, 18 Bamforth Road, $300,000.
Michael Eamon McCarthy to Michael Eamon McCarthy, trustee, Julie Jaenicke, trustee, and Michael Eamon McCarthy 2024 Revocable Trust, trustee of, 38 Yorktown Drive, Unit 38A, $100.
Peter J. Mancuso Jr., and Nancy L. O’neil to Dany Nguyen and Hang T Tran, 1882 Parker St., $375,000.
Randall R. Jarry and Tammy A. Jarry to Shelton J. Brown and Vanessa M. Pharms, 31 Fieldston St., $224,000.
Ricardo Miranda to Aleksandr Chuduk, 289-291 Mill St., $450,000.
Roger D. Gore and Donna M. Williams to Emtay Inc., 123 Bowles St., $230,000.
Roger D. Gore and Donna M. Williams to Emtay Inc., 36-38 Dearborn St., $230,000.
Roger D. Gore and Donna M. Williams to Emtay Inc., 47-49 Governor St., $235,000.
Round Two LLC, to Saint Mbakop A. Boui, 30 Sachem St., $450,000. Scott R. Hastings and Pamela J. Szmyt Hastings to Marisa A. Figueroa, 105 Geneva St., $270,100.
How to garden in an unfamiliar climate? Expect the unexpected
Things are no longer happening in the order we’re used to
By M argaret Roach The New York Times
MAYBE SOME OF THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR:
Spring makes an extra-early start, in a month that not so many years ago felt more like it was part of winter. Then, when the calendar says spring is barely over, summer arrives as a heat dome — and without the much-needed soaking rain.
Just as early April masqueraded as May, June impersonated August. And all bets were off.
To expect the unexpected may be the best advice for gardeners facing unfamiliar weather patterns driven by a changing climate. But how do we do that?
Things are shifting, and the gardener’s focus must shift along with them, especially when caring for woody plants, said Daniel Weitoish, the arboriculture supervisor at Cornell Botanic Gardens, in Ithaca, New York. Our updated job description is likely to require anticipation and triage, not simply scheduled maintenance.
“Rather than just looking at a calendar and saying, ‘It’s July 15, time to do X or Y,’” he said, we have to be “a caretaker, watching and reacting to what signs the plants are showing.”
Things are no longer happening in the order we’re used to, so we have to tune in for clues, and get to know the garden in this new world order.
Richard J. Kszaszcz to George Richard LeBeau Jr., and Jamie Lee Bishop, 4 Lake Shore Drive, $250,000.
WARE
Scudder Bay Capital LLC, to Numeri Capital Investments LLC, 56 Colonial Ave., $125,000. Than Kool to Yapu Gu and Luis A. Hernandez, 101 Mulberry St., G8, $96,000.
Todd M. Lemieux to Matthew Certain and Crystal Certain, 109 Pineywoods Ave., $542,000.
Triumphant LLC, to SSJ Enterprises LLC, Magazine Street, $40,000.
Viktor Savonin to Kevin R. Echavarria, 162 Gilbert Ave., $414,900.
SUNDERLAND
Kipa Realty Inc., to Rebecca Bleecher and David Letourneau, 332 South Silver Lane, $469,000.
WALES
John R. Riddle, representative, and Jeannette R. Riddle, estate, to Peter S. Haley, Off Main Street, $10,000.
Karen Astrid Crowley-Keen to Deena Alvarez and David Richardt, 61 Main St., $241,500.
Angelique C. Cordeau to Jackson A. Garcia Santiago and Ileanette Lopez Cotto, 28 Pine St., $280,000.
Janet M. Harrison to Gregg Harrison, 2 Mirabile Drive, $170,000.
Christine E. Kent to Maxwell Labier, 120 Church St., $395,000.
Cassidy D. Caravella and Cassidy Connolly to Christopher L. Fabrycki and Kayla M. McQuaid,1 Fisherdick Road, $315,000.
WENDELL
Stephen A. Geosits to Cynthia Ann Butler, trustee of the Hollows Keep Trust, 59 Gate Lane, $160,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Blackrock SH Group LLC, to Genesis Moreira Arzon, 15 East School St., $315,000. Campagnari Construction LLC, to Yaritza Gonzalez, 279 Morton St., $438,000.
Catherine A. Hill to Brendan Daley and Mari-
Practical because it carries you to the end of the meadow into a bosk of maples, river birches, and one large nut tree. Another plant sculpture here is a difficult one for which I each year claim improvement, but not success.
The plants are yews four of them, all maintained four to five feet high so as not to block the windows of the wall they front.
Originally, they were pruned as a standard yew-along-house-foundation hedge. A few years ago, I morphed them into something more interesting and humorous, a giant caterpillar, with some success.
More recently for these plants, I decided to try a method of pruning known as okarikomi, a technique that originated in Japan. In this case, a group of shrubs, rather than maintaining their individual identity, are pruned to flow together to create a scene reminiscent of billowing clouds or a distant, rolling landscape. Thus far, I’m not pleased with my pruning. But each year I make some changes, and the sculpture looks better than it did the previous year.
Plants are very forgiving. Every year, even during each growing season, I have opportunity to change my sculptures according to my whims or what looks nicer to me. What will the meadow and the okarikomi yews look like next year?
on Rose Pagios, 94 Poplar Ave., $375,000.
Gita B. Oza, representative, and Shruti B. Oza, estate, to Nilson Agostinho De Sa, 695697 Elm St,. $340,000.
WESTFIELD
Brooke Miller to Timothy Riordan Taylor and Lindsay Marie Taylor, 27 Summit Drive,, $330,000.
Dianne M. Williams and Robert S. Williams to Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC, trustee, and 12 Meadow Street Land Trust, trustee of. 12 Meadow St, $32,242.
Gail Foley to Cassandra Rose, 168 Prospect St. Extn., $352,000.
Janette J. Kosior, Bronislaw F. Kosior and Beverly J. Kosior to Stephen Machinton, trustee, and Survivors Trust Under the Machinton Revocable Trust, trustee of, 27 Sunbriar Drive, $460,000.
Kathleen A. Daly, conservator, John P. Daly and John J. Daly to Aaron Baillargeon, 37 Shepard St., $265,000.
Svitlana Pomazniuk, Svitlana Fedotov and Andrey Fedotov to Thomas P. Pepek, 12 West School St., $355,000.
Vinodkumar Patel and Alpa Patel to Douglas Tilden and Teresa Keller, 39 Rachael Terrace, $704,999.
WESTHAMPTON
Jace M. Bryan and Joni Bryan to Thomas Stang and Annabel Fair, 253 Kings Highway, $370,000.
Thomas J. Moore and Janelle Matrow to Casey Sims and Roberta L. Diehl, 170 Laurel Hill Road, $565,000.
WILBRAHAM
Donna P. Bartlett to Adam Lopez and Nicole Bateman, 21 Delmor Ave., $365,000.
Gerald Small to Molly Marielle Ronan, 743 Main St., $455,000.
Gina M. Fusco, representative, and Neal G. Fusco Jr., estate, to Christopher Pittsinger and Courtney Smith, 8 Primrose Lane, $350,000.
Judith R. Epstein to Kevin Dean Matheny and David Alan Lawson, 46 Sandalwood Drive, Unit 46, $600,000.
Judy Bergdoll to Betty Jean Bustamante, 243 Manchonis Road, $465,000.
Paula J Goodreau to Giuseppe A Daniele and Leonore A Daniele, 86 Cherry Dr, $535,000.
Samantha D Burns to stments Inc Positive Spin Real Estate Inve, 505 Mountain Rd, $374,900.
Some woody plants like this young red maple (Acer rubrum) express their reaction to environmental stress by showing fall color in summertime. (JAY POTTER VIA THE NEW
Climate
“Being present, watching, knowing what to look for: It feels more intimate communicating with the plants and listening to their needs,” Weitoish said.
He knows, for example, that various dogwoods (Cornus) are indicator species — revealing stress early, before it shows up in other trees and shrubs.
“Many dogwood species are going to wilt, and their leaves are going to curl,” he said. “It’s the poster child for what you could look for in many of your other plants if you’re like, ‘Do I need to start triaging?’”
He added: “Flagging foliage that doesn’t rebound during a cool or wet period is even more concerning.”
What signals has your garden been giving you? Take note — and take notes, for future reference, because not every symptom will coincide with a current weather event.
That’s another part of the equation, Weitoish explained: Trees are on a different timescale. They have “a metabolic memory,” he said, as if they keep “a budget or ledger of their reserves.”
Because of that, he added, “looking at what weather and climate and pests and stressors were like over several years goes a long way” toward understanding what we are seeing now.
Watering mindfully, creating shade
There are some important don’ts to remember when you’re dealing with stressed plants: Don’t prune them, and don’t fertilize, either.
If you see yellowing foliage, get it diagnosed with help from your county cooperative extension service. Don’t intervene without testing the soil. There has never been a more important time for gardeners to connect with expert hyperlocal resources.
Much of the tactical to-do advice seems obvious, but there is a new urgency — and less room for error.
It’s no surprise that a conscientious watering regimen is essential in gardens where erratic rain patterns and bouts of intense heat are becoming more commonplace. “We want rain to take care of watering, but if it hasn’t rained for a week or so, or if it’s been shallow drizzles, that’s when we start to take closer looks,” Weitoish said. “Dig a finger into the soil, and if the top three inches are dry, I’d start watering.”
You may have heard this before,
myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), a flowering tree long synonymous with Southern gardens. Weitoish is also enthusiastic about Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and bigleaf magnolia (M. macrophylla).
Whatever the species, proper planting is crucial to success, particularly with all the additional stressors. The goal: maximum resilience.
“Take the time to do what’s best for the roots,” he said. Remove trees or shrubs from their nursery pots and spread the roots out, positioning them so that the root flare — where the first structural roots meet the trunk — is at soil grade or slightly higher.
Once the plant is positioned and the hole backfilled and mulched, use water — not your foot — to settle it in. No stomping on the planting surface, he said. Let the watering wash the soil particles downward, displacing any air pockets.
More pressures, and hope There is so much more to think about.
but it bears repeating: Gardeners armed with a hose nozzle suited to car-washing may be giving plants a bath, not a proper drink. Water infrequently but deeply, drenching the soil rather than the plants. Bark on trees and shrubs that is constantly wet can lead to decay; repeated watering on foliage contributes to fungal diseases.
Soaker hoses are an excellent way to put water only where it is needed. And make sure to do your watering at night or in the morning, rather than in the heat of day.
Mulch is another essential tool, both to retain soil moisture and regulate soil temperature. Cornell gardeners use mulch made from ramial wood chips (chipped small and medium-size branches) composted with fall leaves.
Better plant choices, smarter planting
Identify the areas in your garden that seem to have suffered the most in recent years. Some plants that used to handle full sun, for example, may not acclimate to a more intense version of it. Do you transplant them or modify the space?
At the botanic garden, a structure of slatted wood known as a lath house provides permanent shade for some plants, but there are simpler solutions.
Planting a coniferous tree on the southwest side of a garden can
mitigate afternoon sun that’s harsh on perennials, understory trees and shrubs. “It’s probably not going to shade it this year,” Weitoish said. “But five years from now, you’ll have started to chip away at the problem.”
Until then, light-blocking shade cloth — woven polypropylene fabric available in various densities — could serve as a temporary rescue for small-scale plantings. Tarp-like versions sold hemmed and with grommets are easier to set up on supports than unfinished material in rolls.
Although many of a gardener’s management decisions are made in response to weather — specific events at a given moment — it’s time to make some longer-term choices in anticipation of where the bigger pattern of climate is headed.
When a new U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map was issued in November, gardeners in half of the country learned that their locations had officially shifted. Many saw their average annual extreme minimum winter temperature (the metric the zones are based on) designated a half zone, or 5 degrees, milder, confirming something they had probably already felt.
The Cornell Botanic Gardens, formerly Zone 5b, is now 6a, presumably widening its palette of winter-hardy plants. This year, for the first time, the staff planted crape
“Changes in disease patterns are really being seen,” Weitoish said, noting fungal pathogens like cytospora and rhizosphaera appearing in spruces. “It’s really hard to grow Picea pungens, the Colorado blue spruce, and several other spruce species.”
The increased humidity promotes fungal issues. Bouts of heat can interfere with pollination in various crops (think: tomatoes). Some pests are having a field day, able to extend their range into new regions and possibly produce more generations of offspring in the extended frostfree season.
At some point, winters will simply be too warm in many traditional areas for the venerable sugar maple, scientists predict.
Cornell team members are tuned in to all of this, but nevertheless undeterred. Just as they are trying out new tree species, they have also embarked on other future-thinking projects, including the installation of a water-wise gravel garden.
Hard times have prompted updated guidelines for drought preparedness and the like, certainly. But the outcome of recent strategic planning sessions wasn’t all protocols and procedures.
There was another important mandate, as well. “One of our essential values,” Weitoish said, “is to be purveyors of hope.”
This article
A structure of slatted wood known as a lath house provides shade from an increasingly hot sun for plants like Ligularia japonica at Cornell Botanic Gardens in Ithaca, N.Y. There are some important things to know about dealing with stressed plants. For starters, don’t prune them — and don’t fertilize, either.
(JAY POTTER VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES)
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