Upstate Gardeners' Journal March-April 2021 by JFM Publishing—(585) magazine / (585) Kids / Upstate Gardeners' Journal

BUFFALO - ITHACA - ROCHESTER - SYRACUSE

Site assessment for busy people Healthy, vegetarian stuffed peppers Plant-based strategies for supporting pollinators FREE

Volume Twenty-seven, Issue Two March-April 2021

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL - 1501 EAST AVENUE - ROCHESTER, NEW YORK 14610

SARA’S GARDEN & Nursery The best is yet to come... Do you know the aforementioned song title? A loved standard by Frank Sintra. As a business that started over forty years ago? Oooh yeah, we know it, and the title still resonates. There is nowhere to go but up in this new year, and gardening can play a big part in our joint upward movement. Spring is about new beginnings and new opportunities, the big ones, and the small ones. Both have outstanding outcomes and benefits for everyone. They happily coexist and make a difference. Your big options could include: • Planting pollinator plants. • Growing enough veggies to share. • Composting. • Less reliance on chemicals. Your small options could include: • Container gardening. • Growing some of your food. • Maintaining your sanctuary for your well-being. • Sharing your garden know-how. The results of even the most modest of efforts combine and deliver a significant benefit. The lesson here is that planting, growing, and gardening are straightforward ways to move in a very good direction. And the ability to improve scenarios on so many fronts while feeding your personal need to plant is just an excellent perk for plant lovers everywhere. We invite you to visit and see what’s new and inspiring this season and get ready to put that garden in a new light.

Spring is coming, ‘and won’t it be fine.’ Contact me, Kathy, for info on garden rental events, and pretty much anything garden related: kkepler@rochester.rr.com or (585) 637-4745

44 Year Mission! It is our greatest desire to provide our customers with top quality, well-grown plant material at a fair and honest price. We will strive to provide an unmatched selection of old favorites and underused, hard-to-ﬁnd items, along with the newest varieties on the market. We will eagerly share our horticultural knowledge gained from years of education and experience. Lastly, we offer all this in a spirit of fun and lightheartedness.

Sara’s Garden Center | 389 East Ave. | Brockport 14420 | 585-637-4745 sarasgardencenter.com | facebook.com/sarasgardencenter

Contents

PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jane F. Milliman MANAGING EDITOR: Regan Wagner GRAPHIC DESIGN: Cathy Monrad TECHNICAL EDITOR: Brian Eshenaur PROOFREADER: Sarah Koopus CIRCULATION & CALENDAR: Kimberly Burkard

From the publisher......................................................7

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: MICHELLE SUTTON | LIZ MAGNANTI | BARBARA GOSHORN FILOMENA CIMINO | CAROL ANN HARLOS LYN CHIMERA | STACEY HIRVELA

Site assessement for busy people....................... 8-11 Sustainable gardens and landscapes............... 15–17 Calendar...............................................................20-23

1501 East Avenue, Suite 201, Rochester, NY 14610 585/413-0040 e-mail: info@upstategardenersjournal.com upstategardenersjournal.com

Plant-based strategies........................................24-26 Almanac................................................................32-33

The Upstate Gardeners’ Journal is published six times a year. To subscribe, please send $20.00 to the above address. Magazines will be delivered via U.S. mail and/or email (in PDF format). We welcome letters, calls and email from our readers. Please tell us what you think!

Hawks overhead....................................................... 34 Classifieds.................................................................. 35

Modern hanging planter.......................................... 36 Healthy, vegetarian stuffed peppers...................... 37

On the cover: Salix discolor, Draves Arboretum, Darien, NY, by Bonnie Guckin

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From the publisher

Dear friends, Sometimes we pick an issue theme, and other times the issue theme picks us. For this one, we had planned something along the lines of “Your Backyard Oasis,” but when we started assigning stories, another topic kept popping up—that of creating a backyard habitat that makes a positive difference in our environment. Experts agree that not everything you plant needs to be native, but to support the insects so crucial to our ecosystem, you should at least have some. When I attended a webinar with Doug Tallamy (author, most recently, of

Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard) last fall, he talked a lot about this—in fact, it was the only thing he talked about. Tallamy makes the argument that caterpillars (and hence moths and butterflies) are where it’s at, and then recommends “keystone” plants that are the most supportive of them. In other words, some natives are better than others. Happily, Mr. Tallamy has teamed up with the National Wildlife Federation to bring you an online native plant finder where you can “search by zip code to find plants that host the highest numbers of butterflies and moths to feed birds and other wildlife where you live.” You can access it at nwf.org/nativeplantfinder and get some help making your backyard a true oasis for many species. For reasons that I think need no explanation, our annual Odyssey to Ithaca, usually the first Saturday in June, has again been canceled. We will offer a similar plant-finding and -buying trip September 11, 2021. Stay tuned for details. Thanks, as always, for reading.

2020 Grand Prize Winner: MCC Morning by Donna LaPlante, Rochester, NY

Announcing the 11th Annual

Upstate Gardeners’ Journal

Winter Photo Contest Enter until April 1, 2021

Details online: upstategardenersjournal.com/winter-photo-contest/

Seasonal stakeout

Site assessment for busy people Story and photos by Michelle Sutton

LEFT: Wispy pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), the favorite snack of the author’s resident woodchuck, had to be rescued by a friend RIGHT: A Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) cultivar proved insufficiently hardy for the author’s garden but did give a number of years’ enjoyment before a particularly cold cold snap did it in INSET: The sole surviving box-store wildflower, a lovely, forgiving toad trillium (Trillium sessile) 8 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

ne of my most important mentors, Dr. Nina Bassuk, taught a fabulous urban forestry course that I got to take while in graduate school. Bassuk gave us the opportunity to try out the most professional site assessment tools, protocols, and applications. For instance, to measure soil compaction, we got to use a device called a soil penetrometer that tests the resistance of the soil to pressure, giving you a result in PSI (pounds per square inch). Bassuk showed us to how to take soil core samples, dry them out in the lab, and then calculate the bulk density of the soil, which is the weight of soil in a given volume. (Bulk density is another indication of compaction and therefore how rootfriendly or unfriendly a soil environment is.) She taught

us how to systematically take soil samples across a given site and then how to interpret the lab’s findings as to pH, soil texture, and soil nutritional makeup. In her course, we looked at and quantified every possible facet of site assessment. That level of testing and documentation is especially important for large-scale projects, like the one that Bassuk and her colleagues Barb Neal, Bryan Denig, and Yoshiki Harada did, at nothing less than … the National Mall. The team was commissioned to analyze the site and the ailing American elm (Ulmus americana) trees and come up with recommendations. You can bet that for something this high profile, they were busting out the penetrometer and all the other gadgetry. Their site findings and their ultimate recommendations are extensively documented

in two publications (see Resources). They are fascinating reading—I highly recommend—and spoiler alert: The National Mall has an insupportable American elm monoculture that will continue to be in massive decline. To meet this crisis, Bassuk and colleagues came up with a twenty-year, phased plan for systematically diversifying the trees of this iconic landscape. As the failing National Mall elms are removed and a diversity of new tree species is planted, the plan provides for a similar visual coherence that the elms have had, but with the benefit of biological diversity, making the outcome much more sustainable than the elms have proved to be. —•— Having worked as an educator in urban forestry for nearly twenty-five years, I’ve found that in everyday practice, the site assessment that urban foresters and tree planting groups do is not always as thorough as the one done for the National Mall project. It’s understandable. Spring or fall planting season comes with a rush; there are sites that need to be filled and trees that need to be planted in a hurry—especially if they’re bare root—and sometimes, because of numerous pressures, not every site assessment box gets checked. However, when it comes to matching trees to sites in cities or deciding what to plant in your yard, perfection is not required; in fact, as with all things, perfection can be the enemy of the good. A lot of times, simple observations go a long way, no gadgets required. All this applies to our

assessment of our own landscapes, as we work toward creating the gardens we desire that provide the beauty and ecosystem services we hope for. —•— I sure as heck didn’t perfect the art of casual or rapid site assessment right away. In fact, I had a lot of failures in my current home gardens when I put them in ten to eleven years ago. I was enamored of plants I had used for clients for many years in Rochester or intrigued by certain plants I saw for the first time here in the nurseries of the Hudson Valley. I didn’t do the most thorough site assessment. I wanted to try stuff, and that’s ok too. I learned from the failures. I present to you a quick tour of some of them.

• In my boney, sandy, overly well-drained fill soil, I planted a rush (Juncus effusus) that needs clay soil and wet conditions, and I put it in near the hot asphalt driveway. I am amazed that it is still alive and has even managed to clump out microscopically over the last eleven years.

TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: Rochester lilac; Marshall lilac: These two lilacs, gifts from Ted Collins, are in overly well-drained soil, and, as such, they “Keep Small and Carry On”

• I bought nursery-grown—one hopes that label was truthful—wildflower tubers and other propagules from the big box store down the road for the likes of trillium, wild ginger, and trout lily. I put them on the north side of the house (good), in sandy soil (not so good), and far from the property’s sole outdoor faucet (doom). UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 9

• I put in a weeping redbud too darn close to the house. Why did I do that? It had to be moved.

• The currants I planted (one red, one champagne), LEFT: The author planted two hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta), a male and a female, in order to have fruit, but the two plants quickly engulfed the front porch, speaking to the importance of assessing available above-ground space before planting RIGHT: Naturally occurring brambles grow in tough conditions and provide winter beauty and cover for the cutest of wildlife—the birds and the bunnies

10 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

which prefer soil with the opposite characteristics of mine, produce a good crop if I water like crazy. The chipmunks get to eat most of the fruit before I do, but they are so stinking cute when they scale those vertical branches and stuff their cheeks. I just can’t dwell on how much water it takes to produce every currant.

• I planted a lovely wispy form of coneflower from the native plant nursery, and the woodchuck ate it repeatedly, until I dug it up and gave it away, so it would have a chance at life.

• When I interviewed him for a story in this very publication, the late, great Ted Collins gifted me with two lilacs—one, a ‘Rochester’ lilac (Syringa vulgaris) that is used as a parent in many crosses, and the other, a ‘Mrs. W.E. Marshall’ lilac that has the purple flowers I covet. These poor babies are growing in gravelly fill and are coping by remaining small and not blooming much. (Here you might be wondering why I didn’t amend my soil with massive amounts of organic matter back in 2010. We didn’t think we’d live here more than a year or two. Over the years, I’ve top-dressed with compost I make, but it’s never enough to meaningfully change the essentially challenging nature of the soil here. To do that would be a wholesale remove-

and-replace proposition, which would be wildly expensive … and makes me tired just writing this.) —•— The professional approach to site assessment is best seen in the Site Assessment Checklist and Instructions I’ve listed in the Resources. Meantime, here’s a simpler version for folks in more of an “I-bought-this-and-now-I-have-tofind-a-place-for-it” situation. First and always first: Call before you dig! 811. There’s no shortcut around this one. In addition to eliminating any potential safety hazards, you will get helpful information about where your yard’s underground utilities lay, so you can avoid planting a notoriously thirsty tree near the water line—and things of that nature. Seeing where the utilities run will help you determine how much belowground space is truly available for tree root growth. Aboveground space is simply: how big can this tree get, and is there adequate space here for that to happen gracefully? USDA Hardiness Zone: This is super low-tech. Just see where you’re at on the commonly available map. Microclimate Factors: Might there be heat radiating from nearby surfaces that will bump up the hardiness by half a zone or more? Or is the spot in a low-lying, colder pocket that drives the zone down? Is it super windy in that spot? That will put the tree at more risk of desiccation. Sunlight Levels: Is there full sun (6 hours or more), partial sun/filtered light, or shade on the spot you have in

mind? Red switch grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’) has been so successful in my south-facing garden that I put a division of it in the backyard, which gets partial shade, to test out its versatility. Poor Shenandoah is just barely hanging in there; it wants back out in the sunny front yard. Soil pH: You can take a bunch of samples from all over your yard and send them to the lab or use a quality professional level pH kit … or you can observe what’s already growing and where. On the property where I live, there’s a naturally occurring hedge of blackcaps (Rubus occidentalis) but the fruits don’t get very big, which could be explained by the dry, sandy, excessively well-drained and low-fertility soil they’re growing in. The presence of other intrepid pioneer plants like eastern cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) also speaks to the challenging site conditions, such that I could see early on that roses (other than rugosas), azaleas, and other ericaceous plants, and thirsty plant species in general were not going to be good matches here. Soil Texture: Again, you can take a bunch of samples from all over your yard and send them into a lab that tests for texture or you can try soil texture assessments at home. What plants are growing well on the site? Are they plants known to be tolerant of clayey/poorly drained conditions, or are they ones that require good drainage? The naturally occurring mix of plants will collectively point you in the direction of your soil’s sandy, loamy, or clayey texture. Compaction Levels: You could buy or borrow a penetrometer, and they are fun to use. Or you could use a shovel to find out how hard or easy the soil is to dig, a technique that has served me well over the years. Drainage: You can test percolation by digging a hole and measuring how many inches drain per hour. Here again, existing plants can tell you a lot, as can your own observation about how long water pools (if it does at all) in a given spot. If water pools there in spring, but the same site gets really dry in the summer—not to worry, there are plants for that! (See resources on right) Michelle Sutton is a horticulturist, writer, and editor.

RESOURCES

Cornell Urban Horticulture Institute (UHI) Team Evaluates Condition of National Mall Elms https://bit.ly/39RHjd1 UHI Produces Plan for a Sustainable National Mall Treescape https://bit.ly/3pTPivP UHI Site Assessment Checklist and Instructions https://bit.ly/3tu8zGg Woody Shrubs for Stormwater Management https://bit.ly/2MWjRSU

TOP FROM LEFT: Garlic has thrived in the author’s garden with some compost; a raspberry patch, starting with this one plant and preferring neglect, has thrived in poor soil and yielded many dozens of pounds of berries RESOURCES: Highly recommended reading about site assessment on a big and hugely important scale, and management recommendations to create a sustainable National Mall landscape going forward UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 11

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Garden design

Sustainable gardens and landscapes Story and photos by Filomena Cimino

he year 2020 was surely challenging—I doubt anyone would deny that—but it did give us an opportunity to reassess many things as we all began spending more time at home. As our houses became our safe havens, we found ourselves either consciously or unconsciously reassessing what “home” meant to each of us. Many caught up on projects like cleaning out and donating possessions we didn’t need and organizing spaces. Some of us grew gardens, both vegetable and decorative. Ah … necessity, that grand mother of invention, perhaps re-invention in this case. My work as a landscape designer often has me literally grounded in the reality of today’s environmental challenges. Many of us appreciate and marvel at the sublime beauty of nature. We are finally beginning to realize that nature does not exist apart from us. What is required of us instead is that we recognize our integral

role, how each one of us can turn the tide and in so doing create a living, sustainable planet for the future. I will elaborate on this a bit using native plants as an example. The role that native species of plants play in the ecosystem is a strong one. With an alarming number of animal, bird, and plant species threatened with extinction (mostly since 1900), the argument for preservation is strong. For example, most of us are aware of the benefits of the humble bumblebee—without them, simply put, much of our food wouldn’t get pollinated. Two-thirds of the world’s crop species depend on natures creatures to transfer pollen between male and female flower parts. There are many pollinators including birds, butterflies, even bats, but no question—bees are the most important. Their wings beat 130 times per second, and this action, called buzz pollination, vibrates flowers until pollen is released. This behavior helps plants produce more fruit.

ABOVE: Monarch butterflies on liatris

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 15

ABOVE: This garden is a mix of native cultivars and exotics RIGHT: Monarch caterpillars on butterfly weed

16 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

So, the next time you consider purchasing insecticide sprays, flea and tick treatments, or chemical products for your vegetable garden or your farm, please think again. Instead, take an active role in our collective well-being. The food chain is a real and dynamic system which we are completely dependent on for survival. Back to plants. The argument to plant native species is significant, but it should also be recognized that an international mix of species will still engage in ecological processes that are like a naturally occurring community of plants. All species, both native and exotic, occupy specific ecological niches and interact with their environment and the plants around them. We need not completely exclude all plants that are not native. It is very important, however, to identify non-native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses that are considered invasive that should not be used in landscape plantings. These invasive exotic plants can displace native plant communities and the wildlife populations that they sustain. Their aggressive spread and

growth enable them to out-compete native flora, enabling them to form large monocultures. The result is an obvious degradation of natural healthy biological systems. Native plants provide active dynamic landscapes with no loss of aesthetics—and with many more ecologically sound benefits than those that are merely decorative.

Specifically, let’s cite real benefits of native plants:

• Easy to grow! These babies have adapted and evolved here for millennia. They have truly stood the test of time.

• Low maintenance. Everyone asks designers like me for “low maintenance” plants. The natives are the only true low maintenance plants. Why? Because they have adapted to our soils, climates, geology, and exist in harmony with our insect, bird, and mammal populations. Plus, because of these adaptations, they are less disease prone.

• Many flowering natives are favored by native bees and other pollinating insects. That’s a huge benefit to know that you are contributing to the food chain that sustains life on Earth.

• Particular species of forbs (flowering perennials) can be the sole nectar source for a specific butterfly or insect, for example: spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) for the rare Karner blue butterfly. How special!

cover from predators. These are the characteristics of a highly functional plant.

• Deer resistance: Often natives are left untouched by deer. Again, they have an adaptive ecological niche in the landscape where deer have cohabitated.

• Monarch habitat: A monarch butterfly could live its life exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias spp.). We have three native species in central New York. Most monarchs live only three to five weeks. So, for the Monarchs’ return journey to Mexico to occur, the process of the migration takes four generations! These butterflies are facing population decline, so please consider making your gardens Monarch-friendly by adding milkweeds, liatris, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) and others.

ABOVE: Hummingbird in a field of mixed plants

A close friend of mine who, since 1972, has dedicated his life to his native plant nursery in the Midwest, writes: “Planting natives encompasses far more than just doing a good deed for nature—our very existence depends upon it.”

• Certain species of forbs, like the cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) provide several benefits for birds: food, water, and cover. Food for goldfinches (the seeds produced by the plant); water for songbirds and butterflies that will drink after rain from the “cup” that lies at the leaf-stem junction of the plant; and shelter, since the large leaves provide small birds with

Filomena Cimino of Skaneateles’s Turtle Island Landscapes is a Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional (CNLP) and a Master Gardener with twentyfive years of experience in working with native plants. Find her at turtleislandscapes.com.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 17

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Calendar Due to the COVID-19 crisis, we strongly recommend you confirm with the host whether an event is still taking place as listed.

BUFFALO REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS African Violet & Gesneriad Society of WNY meets the third Tuesday of the month, March—December, at 7pm, Greenfield Health & Rehab Facility, 5949 Broadway, Lancaster. judyoneil1945@gmail.com. Alden Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except July & August) at 7pm, Alden Community Center, West Main Street, Alden. New members and guests welcome. Plant sale each May. 716/937-7924. Amana Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January) at Ebenezer United Church of Christ, 630 Main Street, West Seneca. Visitors welcome. 716/844-8543; singtoo@aol.com. Amherst Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except December, March, July & August) at 10am, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Main Street, Williamsville. New members and guests welcome. 716/836-5397. Bowmansville Garden Club meets the first Monday of the month (except June, July, August & December) at 7pm, Bowmansville Fire Hall, 36 Main Street, Bowmansville. New members and guests welcome. For more information 716/361-8325. Buffalo Area Daylily Society. East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King Street, East Aurora. Friendly group who get together to enjoy daylilies. Plant Sales, May & August. Open Gardens, June–August. Facebook. Buffalo Bonsai Society meets the second Saturday of the month, 1pm, ECC North Campus, STEM Building, Room 102. buffalobonsaisociety.com. June 5-6, 10am-4pm, the Buffalo Bonsai will have a show at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanic Gardens (BECBG). Bonsai trees will be on display with vendors in the back of the admin building.

tours. Guests are welcome. Contact lonabutler4@ gmail.com. Kenmore Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month (except July, August & December) at 10:00am, Kenmore United Methodist Church, 32 Landers Road, Kenmore. Activities include guest speakers, floral designs and community service. New members and guests welcome. songnbird@aol.com. Ken-Sheriton Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month (except January) at 7pm, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 576 Delaware Road, Kenmore. Monthly programs, artistic design and horticulture displays. New members and guests welcome. 716/833-8799; dstierheim@gmail.com. Lancaster Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January, July & August) at 7pm, St. John Lutheran Church, 55 Pleasant Avenue, Lancaster. All are welcome. Meetings are currently on hold. 716/685-4881. Lewiston Garden Club meets the fourth Monday of the month. See website for meeting information, lewistongardenfest.com/garden-club.html or contact at PO Box 32, Lewiston, NY 14092. Niagara Frontier Koi and Pond Club meets the second Friday of the month at 7pm, Zion United Church, 15 Koening Circle, Tonawanda. Niagara Frontier Orchid Society (NFOS) meets the first Tuesday following the first Sunday (dates sometimes vary due to holidays, etc.), September–June, Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo. niagarafrontierorchids.org. Orchard Park Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month at 12pm, Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, 4369 South Buffalo Street, Orchard Park. Contact: Sandra Patrick, 716/662-2608. Ransomville Garden Club meets the third Wednesday or Saturday of the month at 5:45pm, Ransomville Community Library, 3733 Ransomville Road, Ransomville. Meetings are open to all. Community gardening projects, educational presentations, June plant sale. bbonnie2313@gmail.com. Silver Creek-Hanover Garden Club meets the second Saturday of the month at 11am, Silver Creek Senior Center, 1823 Lake Road (Rte. 5), Silver Creek. edlorrie@yahoo.com; Facebook.

Federated Garden Clubs NYS – District 8. Nancy Kalieta, Director, nancyk212@aol.com. gardenclubsofwny.com.

South Towns Gardeners meets the second Friday of the month (except January) at 9:30am, West Seneca Senior Center. New members welcome.

Forest Stream Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month (September-May) at 7pm, Presbyterian Village, 214 Village Park Drive, Williamsville and other locations. Summer garden teas & tours. Ongoing projects include beautification of the Williamsville Meeting House, garden therapy at a local nursing home, youth gardening & Victorian Christmas decorating. eileen.s@markzon.com

Town and Country Garden Club of LeRoy meets the second Wednesday of the month (except February) at 6:30pm, First Presbyterian Church, 7 Clay Street, LeRoy. New members and guests are welcome. 585/768-2712; ritawallace005@gmail.com; Facebook.

Friends of Kenan Herb Club meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6pm (January–March), 5:30pm (April– November), Kenan Center for the Arts, 433 Locust Street, Lockport. Meeting dates, times and campus locations: kenancenter.org/affiliates.asp; 716/4332617. Annual Plant Sale, June 5, 10am-3pm. The sale will be located in the herb garden of the Kenan Center located at 433 Locust St., Lockport, NY 14094 rain or shine. Covid-19 rules will be implemented – Masks, 6’ Social Distancing and the proper number of people (currently 25) under the tent at any one time. Garden Club of the Tonawanda meets the third Thursday of the month at 7pm, Tonawanda City Hall, Community Room. Garden Friends of Clarence meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm, September–June, Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main Street, Clarence. gardenfriendsofclarence@hotmail.com. Hamburg Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month at 10am, VFW Post 1419, 2985 Lakeview Rd, Hamburg, NY. May plant sale. Summer garden 20 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

Western New York Herb Study Group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo. Western New York Honey Producers, Inc. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, 21 South Grove Street, East Aurora. wnyhpa.org. Western New York Hosta Society. East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King Street, East Aurora. Meetings with speakers, newsletter, sales. Hosta teas first Saturday of July, August, September. h8staman@aol.com; wnyhosta.com. Western New York Hosta Society Breakfast Meetings, a friendly get-together, first Saturday (winter months only) at 10am, Forestview Restaurant, Depew. wnyhosta.com. Western NY Iris Society usually meets1-4pm the first Sunday of the month at the Julia Boyer Reinstein Public Library, 1030 Losson Road, South Cheektowaga, NY 14227. Guests are welcome. Programs include information about acquiring and growing irises (bearded & non-bearded) and complementary perennials; our annual judged iris show, & a summer iris sale. During months when irises

are blooming, we have garden visitations. All events are temporarily on hold. Marilee Farry, 716/668-1789; faremare@aol.com. Western New York Rose Society meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm, St. StephensBethlehem United Church of Christ, 750 Wehrle Drive, Williamsville. Currently holding meetings virtually, see website for details. wnyrosesociety.net. Youngstown Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7pm, First Presbyterian Church, 100 Church Street, Youngstown.

FREQUENT HOSTS BECBG: Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14218. 716/827-1584; buffalogardens.com. DRAV: Draves Arboretum, 1815 Sharrick Road, Darien, NY 14040. 585/547-3341. REIN: Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, 93 Honorine Drive, Depew, NY 14043. 716/6835959; reinsteinwoods.org.

CLASSES / EVENTS March 6-June 27: Feed the Fish, Select days, 9:30am. Enjoy early access to the Botanical Gardens with a special experience. Each participant receives, a potted plant, a cup of koi fish food, an exclusive button and time to help feed the koi fish. Regular admission for the day is included. This special encounter is limited to 15 people. Pre-purchased tickets required. General tickets $18.50/person, Ages 3-12 & Members $14.50/person, Kids 2 and under free but must have a ticket. BECBG March 18-May 27: Virtual Art Workshop Series, 6:308:30pm. March 18, Watercolor Whimsy I. March 25, Spring Watercolor Wreath. April 8, Impressionistic Watercolors. April 14, Botanical Line Drawing. May 13, Watercolor Whimsy II. May 27, Sunny Sunflowers. Ages 16+, $25/general, $22.50/members. Zoom/ Online. BECBG March 20: First Day of Spring Walk, 10am. Celebrate the beginning of spring while discovering vernal equinox traditions from around the world. Pre-registration required; call 716-683-5959. REIN March 20-April 18: Spring Flower Exhibit, 10am-4pm. The sights and smells of spring flowers like tulips and daffodils are on display throughout the Botanical Gardens. Reservations are required. BECBG March 21: Flower Fest – Wegmans Family Day, 10am4pm. Family fun and activities throughout the Botanical Gardens. Reservations are required. BECBG March 26-April 11: Gardens After Dark: Spring Flowers, 6:30-9pm, Fridays & Saturdays. This magical exhibit will highlight the Botanical Gardens’ amazing plant collection and the Spring Flower Exhibit. Thousands of spring flowers will fill the Botanical Gardens and Gardens After Dark will highlight these amazing and fragrant plants in a different way. See website for additional details and ticket prices. Reservations are required. BECBG March 27: Horticulture V Series: Vegetables and Organic Gardening, 11am-1pm. This a great class for both experienced and inexperienced vegetable gardeners looking to start or improve their vegetable gardens. This informative class will cover important garden maintenance, care, and pest solutions. $25/ person, Members/$22.50. Zoom/Online. BECBG April 1: Botanical Demonstrations: Spring Floral Arrangement, 6:30-7:30pm. The instructor will cover some tips and tricks for working with various spring plant materials and cut florals. Participants will also learn techniques for cut flower arranging in vases or other vessels and care tips. Zoom/Online $10/General and $9/Members. BECBG

April 10-May 29: Horticulture VI Series, Saturdays 11am-1pm. Participants can either take the full series or sign up for an individual class that they are interested in. The following topics will be covered in this series: On 4/10, Great Grasses and Lawn Care; on 4/24, Color Theory and Texture in Gardens; on 5/15, Edible Plants and Composting; on 5/22, Tough Plants for Tough Sites; and on 5/29, World Tour of Garden Design. Individual classes are $25/general and $22.50/members. A full five class series is $125/ general or $112.50/members. Zoom/Online. BECBG

May 1 & June 12: Garden in a Jar, 1-1:30pm. Create your own tropical oasis with this all-ages workshop. Join one of our educators as you learn how terrariums work, how to create an enclosed ecosystem, and how to care for your tropical plant. This fun workshop includes all materials needed to build a tropical terrarium. Limited to 10 people per class and tickets must be purchased for all persons ahead of time online. Regular admission for the day is included. General tickets $18.50/person, Ages 3-12 & Members $14.50/person, Kids 2 and under are free. BECBG

ITHACA

April 11: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Course, 9am-11:30am. Class covering IPM strategies for controlling a wide variety of fungal, insect, and vertebrate pests and diseases commonly found in Western New York landscapes. Instruction will begin with classroom instruction, and is followed by a tour to demonstrate scouting practices and view examples in the field. $40/members, $45/general. See website for registration. DRAV

May 7–9; 14-16: Spring Open House. Chicken Coop Originals, 13245 Clinton Street, Alden. 716/937-7837; Facebook; chickencooporiginals.com.

Auraca Herbarists, an herb study group, usually meets the second Tuesday of the month at noon, Cornell Botanic Gardens, Ithaca. Brownbag lunch at noon followed by the program and herb of the month. Field trips during the growing season. All are welcome. Contact: Pat Curran, pc21@cornell.edu.

April 13-May 4: Watercolor III-Advanced Beginners, Tuesdays 9-11am. This is the third session of BECBG’s watercolor series. See BECBG for details. Completion of Watercolor l and ll or a comfortable level of experience painting with watercolor is required for these classes. Watercolor I through Watercolor V classes are for ages 16+ and the cost of each series is $78.00/ general, $72.50/Members. Zoom/Online. BECBG April 13-May 4: Watercolor IV – Intermediate Expression, Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm. Offered in four-week sessions: Nature’s Textures (Apr. 13-May 4). Participants should have a working knowledge of color theory and design elements as well as intermediate to advanced watercolor painting experience. Watercolor V will be taught by Deanna Weinholtz. Watercolor I through Watercolor V classes are for ages 16+ and the cost of each series is $78.00/general, $72.50/Members. Zoom/Online. BECBG April 14-May 5: Watercolor V – Masters, Wednesdays 9-11am. Offered in four-week sessions: Creekside Walk (Apr. 14-May 5). Watercolor IV is suitable for anyone with previous watercolor painting experience who would like to move beyond the basics as well as students who have completed Watercolor III. Watercolor IV will be taught by Deanna Weinholtz. Watercolor I through Watercolor V classes are for ages 16+ and the cost of each series is $78.00/general, $72.50/Members. Zoom/Online. BECBG April 15: Succulent Garden Workshop, 6:30-7:30pm. Design a unique succulent container garden while learning more about these exciting low-maintenance plants. Learn how succulents grow and how to propagate them while adding some creative touches to your garden. Containers, soil, plants and supplies are included. Fast, easy and safe pickup for materials will occur from 4:30 to 5:30pm the day before class. Zoom/Online. $35/General, $31.50/Members. BECBG April 22: Mini Garden Workshop, 6:30-7:30pm. This fun, interactive all-ages workshop is suitable for anyone including kids and families. This mini garden creates the perfect hideaway for fairies, gnomes, and other whimsical friends. Containers, soil, plants and some building supplies are included. Fast, easy and safe pickup for materials will occur from 4:30 to 5:30pm the day before the class. Zoom/Online. $25/ General, $22.50/Members. BECBG April 29: Botanical Demonstrations: Bonsai Demonstration, 6:30-7:30pm. The instructor will be working on pruning and fashioning a live bonsai tree and will discuss the techniques and styles of this unique practice. There will also be time for discussion, questions, and answers. Zoom/Online. $10/General and $9/ Members. BECBG April 30: Name that Tree, 7pm. What better way to celebrate Arbor Day than by taking a hike in the woods and identifying common trees? Join us to discover the tricks to tree identification and to learn fun tree facts along the way. Pre-registration required; call 716-6835959. REIN

May 8: Basic Tree ID Course, 1pm-3pm. This program is with William Snyder and Thomas Draves that includes classroom and field instruction. This course reviews the basic elements of woody identification including evaluating tree silhouette, leaf shape, and branching structure. Attendees will have hands-on instruction identifying woody tree species. Seats are limited for this event. Registration required. DRAV May 20: Terrarium Workshop, 6:30-7:30pm. Bring a bit of the Botanical Gardens indoors with this fun a popular class! Discover how low maintenance closed tropical terrariums are while creating a truly special piece. Containers, soil, plants and supplies are included. Fast, easy and safe pickup for materials will occur from 4:30 to 5:30pm the day before class. Zoom/Online. $35/General, $31.50/Members. BECBG May 22: Samuel P. Capen Spring Plant and Seed Exchange, 10am-2pm. Free event held at the University Presbyterian Church, 3330 Main St. at Niagara Falls Blvd. Buffalo, NY 14214. Perennial flowers and vegetable plants and seeds packaged by Artseeds, and garden related sale. Donations of used pots, art objects and other garden related paraphernalia gladly accepted to benefit the Brooks Garden Grant. Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk, University Heights Collaborative, 5 W. Northrup Place, Buffalo, NY 14214; ourheights.org; info@ourheights.org. May 28-29: Master Gardener Plant Sale 2021, 8:30am3pm Saturday and until 2pm on Sunday. Great plants, great prices. Perennials for sun and shade, native plants, succulents, hypertufa Pots, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, and garden art. Expert inspected plants to prevent spread of invasive species. Bring your soil sample for pH testing for $2/sample or $5/3 samples. Will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 1 Symphony Circle, Buffalo, NY 14201. For more information contact 716/652-5400, x176. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Erie County, 21 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052. 716/652-5400 x174; jah663@ cornell.edu; erie.cce.cornell.edu.

SAVE THE DATE… June 19-20: Lewiston GardenFest, 10am-5pm. Enjoy vendors, gardens, and gain information to improve your garden sanctuary on Center Street in Lewiston, NY 14092. See website for additional details at lewistongardenfest.com. June 26: Gardeners Day with Bill Hendricks, 1-4pm. Join them for their Second Annual Gardeners Day with Bill Hendricks talking about Trees and Bees. $30/ members, $35/general. See website to register. DRAV September 11: Odyssey to Ithaca Day Trip. Join UGJ staff as we travel by motor coach to tour the Ithaca region. Highlights include a visit to Cornell Botanic Gardens; shopping at a variety of nurseries including Bakers’ Acres and Cayuga Landscape and more. Lunch included. $85. Registration required. Please call to reserve your seat: 716/4328688; 585-591-2860. Upstate Gardeners’ Journal, 1501 East Avenue, Ste 201, Rochester, NY 14610. upstategardenersjournal.com.

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS Adirondack Chapter, North American Rock Garden Society (ACNARGS) meets the third Saturday of the month (except in summer) at 1pm, Whetzel Room, 404 Plant Science Building, Cornell University, Ithaca. Meetings are open to all. 607/269-7070; acnargs.org; Facebook.com/acnargs.

Elmira Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month, April–December, at 6pm, 426 Fulton Street, Elmira. Annual plant sale, workshops, monthly meetings, local garden tours and community gardening services. Karen Coletta, 607/731-8320; Facebook. Finger Lakes Native Plant Society meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7pm, Unitarian Church annex, corner of Buffalo & Aurora, Ithaca. Enter side door on Buffalo Street & up the stairs. 607/257-4853. Windsor NY Garden Group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 10am, members’ homes or Windsor Community House, 107 Main Street, Windsor. windsorgardengroup.suerambo.com.

CLASSES / EVENTS March 19-20: Ithaca Native Landscape Symposium, 8am-5pm. Virtual sessions. This event educates professionals from various fields, as well as enthusiastic homeowners and gardeners, about native plants in the wild and their role in sustainable landscapes. $140/Friday, $120/Saturday, $230/both days. See ithacanativelandscape.com for registration and details. May 14 & 21: Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale, 2–3pm for seniors/compromised; 3–7pm general public. Shop local growers & garden groups offering annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetable transplants and heirlooms, flowering & fruit trees, shrubs, hardy roses, specialty plants and gardening advice. Location: Ithaca Farmer's Market, Steamboat Landing, 545 3rd Street, Ithaca. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14850. 607/272-2292; ccetompkins.org.

ROCHESTER REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS 7th District Federated Garden Clubs New York State, Inc. meets the first Wednesday of the month. 7thdistrictfgcnys.org. African Violet and Gesneriad Society of Rochester meets the first Wednesday of the month (except in summer), 7–9pm, Messiah Church, 4301 Mount Read Blvd., Rochester. All are welcome. Meetings are on hold until further notice. Stacey Davis, 585/426-5665; stacey.davis@rit.edu; avgsr.org. Big Springs Garden Club of Caledonia-Mumford meets the second Monday evening of the month, September–November, January–May. New members and guests welcome. 585/314-6292; mdolan3@rochester. rr.com; Facebook. Bloomfield Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month at 11:45am, Veterans Park, 6910 Routes 5 & 20, Bloomfield. Visitors and prospective new members welcome. Marlene Moran, 585/924-8035. Facebook. UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 21

Calendar ROCHESTER cont. Bonsai Society of Upstate New York meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Brighton Town Park Lodge, Buckland Park, 1341 Westfall Road, Rochester. 585/334-2595; Facebook; bonsaisocietyofupstateny. org. Conesus Lake Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of the month (April–December) at 7pm, Watershed Education Center, Vitale Park, Lakeville. Welcoming new members. Contact Rosemary Fisher, 716/9838630. Country Gardeners of Webster meets the second Monday of the month (except February, July & August) at 7pm, various locations. All aspects of gardening covered, outside speakers, projects, visits to local gardens, community gardening involvement. Includes coffee and social time. Guests welcome. 585/2654762. Creative Gardeners of Penfield meets the second Monday of the month (except July & August) at 9:15am, Penfield United Methodist Church, 1795 Baird Road, Penfield. Visitors welcome. Call 585/385-2065 or email 09green17@gmail.com if interested in attending a meeting. Fairport Garden Club meets the third Thursday evening of each month (except August & January). Accepting new members. fairportgc@gmail.com; fairportgardenclub.com. Garden Club of Brockport meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7pm, Jubilee Church, 3565 Lake Road, Brockport. Speakers, hands-on sessions. Georgie: 585/964-7754; georgietoates@yahoo.com. Garden Club of Mendon meets the third Tuesday of the month, 10am–1pm, Mendon Community Center, 167 North Main Street, Honeoye Falls. Work on community gardens and gather new ideas in a casual, social environment. 585/624-8182; joanheaney70@ gmail.com. Garden Path of Penfield meets the third Wednesday of the month, September–May at 7pm, Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Road, Penfield. Members enjoy all aspects of gardening; new members welcome. gardenpathofpenfield@gmail.com. Gates Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the month (except July & August) at 6:30pm, Gates Town Annex, 1605 Buffalo Road, Rochester. New members and guests welcome. 585/429-5996; may@gmail.com. Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) meets the first Monday following the first Sunday of the month (September–May). Due to Covid, all meetings are virtual, see website for information. GROS is an affiliate of the American Orchid Society (AOS) and Orchid Digest Corporation. Facebook.com/geneseeorchid; geneseeorchid.org. Genesee Valley Hosta Society meets the second Thursday of the month, April–October, at Eli Fagan American Legion Post, 260 Middle Road, Henrietta. 585/538-2280; sebuckner@frontiernet.net; geneseevalleyhosta.com. Greater Rochester Iris Society (GRIS) meets Sundays at 2pm, dates vary, St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall, 11 Episcopal Avenue, Honeoye Falls. Public welcome. 585/266-0302; thehutchings@mac.com. March 27 pm: Zoom meeting with Patrick Spence of Cascadia Gardens in Washington state; Japanese Iris Culture. April 11, 2pm: Gypsy Moths – Their History and Mitigation, Zoom meeting with Maureen Dunphy. Registration required. April 15-July 1: Virtual Iris Show, Everyone is invited to attend. Pictures of your favorite iris can win you prizes. Please contact for complete rules. To register for events or for more information, please contact thehutchings@mac.com. Greater Rochester Perennial Society (GRPS) meets the 22 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, we strongly recommend you confirm with the host whether an event is still taking place as listed. first Thursday of each month at 7pm, Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 1200 South Winton Road, Rochester, except in summer when it tours members’ gardens. Lectures & garden tours on pause; see website or Facebook for updates. cap704@frontiernet.net; Facebook; rochesterperennial.com. Greater Rochester Rose Society meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm, First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Road South, Room 110, Rochester. July meeting is a garden tour. 585/694-8430; rochrosesociety@gmail. com; Facebook. Henrietta Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except May–August & December) at 6:30pm, Department of Public Works Building, 405 Calkins Road, Henrietta. Guests welcome. No meetings September 2020–April 2021; club status will be updated as the global community situation changes. Handicap accessible. 585/889-1547; henriettagardenclub.org. Holley Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 7pm, Holley Presbyterian Church. 585/6386973. Hubbard Springs Garden Club of Chili meets the third Monday of the month at 7pm, Chili Senior Center, 3235 Chili Avenue, Rochester. dtoogood@rochester. rr.com. Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53 meets the third Thursday of each month (except December and February) at 10am, First Baptist Church, Hubbell Hall, 175 Allens Creek Road, Rochester. 585/3016727; 585/402-1772; rochesterikebana@gmail.com; ikebanarochester.org. Kendall Garden Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm, Kendall Town Hall. 585/ 370-8964. Klemwood Garden Club of Webster meets the 2nd Monday of the month at 7pm (except January & February) in members’ homes or local libraries. Accepting new members. 585/671-1961. Lakeview Garden Club (Greece) meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January & February) at 7pm, meeting location varies depending on activity. Meetings may include a speaker, project or visits to local garden-related sites. New members always welcome. Joanne Ristuccia; rista1234@gmail.com. Newark Garden Club meets the first Friday of the month at 1pm, Park Presbyterian Church, Newark. Guests are welcome. Pittsford Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of the month (except January & February) at 10:30am, Spiegel Community Center, 35 Lincoln Avenue, Pittsford. Guest speakers and off-site tours. New members welcome. kwhultz@gmail.com. Rochester Dahlia Society meets the second Saturday of the month (except August & September) at 12:30pm, Trinity Reformed Church, 909 Landing Road North, Rochester. Visitors welcome. Meetings currently on hold. See website for up-to-date information concerning meetings & shows. 585/865-2291; Facebook; rochesterdahlias.org. Rochester Herb Society meets the first Tuesday of each month (excluding January, February & July) at 12pm, Potter Memorial Building, 53 West Church Street, Fairport. Summer garden tours. New members welcome. rochesterherbsociety.com. Rochester Permaculture Center meets monthly to discuss topics such as edible landscapes, gardening, farming, renewable energy, green building, rainwater harvesting, composting, local food, forest gardening, herbalism, green living, etc. Meeting location and details: meetup.com/rochesterpermaculture. Seabreeze Bloomers Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except January) at 7pm, location varies depending on activity. Meetings may include a speaker, project or visit to local garden-related site. Monthly newsletter. New members welcome.

Meetings are currently cancelled; contact Bonnie Arnold with any questions. Bonnie Arnold, 585/2305356; bonniearnold@frontiernet.net. Stafford Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of the month (except December & January) at 7pm, Stafford Town Hall, 8903 Morganville Road (Route 237), Stafford. Plant auction in May. All are welcome. 585/343-4494. Victor Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except January & February) at 6:30/6:45pm. New members welcome. Meeting and location details: victorgardenclubny2.com; 585/330-3240. Williamson Garden Club. On-going community projects; free monthly lectures to educate the community about gardening. Open to all. 315/524-4204; grow14589@ gmail.com; grow-thewilliamsongardenclub.blogspot. com.

CLASSES / EVENTS February 22-April 2: Landscape Technicians Training, 9am-3pm. For details contact Marci Muller, Horticulture Team Leader, Mem545@cornell.edu. 585-7532557. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County, 2449 St. Paul Blvd., Rochester, NY 14617. 585/7532550; monroe.cce.cornell.edu. March 22 & 29: Pre-Exam Training for Certified Pesticide Applicator, 1-3 pm training classes. Training repeats on March 24 & 31. Agriculture Specialists Mike Stanyard from the NWNY Team and Janet van Zoeren of the Lake Ontario Fruit Program will review core concepts and commodity specific items in preparation for the Pesticide Applicator exam. $35/both days. Online/Virtual. Contact Don Gasiewicz 585 786-2251 ex.113 or email drg35@cornell.edu for information on ordering class materials and to register. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Wyoming County, 36 Center Street, Suite B, Warsaw, NY 14569. 585/786-2251; cce.cornell.edu/wyoming. May 8-9: Spring Wildflower Celebration, 10am-4pm, rain or shine. This is the annual spring event to enjoy spring wildflowers. Event includes beautiful native plants for sale, demonstrations, and guided tours of the property so you can see native plants in both a garden setting and in the wild. Bring the kids to enjoy coloring pages and hands-on planting stations. Scavenger hunt to save you money and knowledgeable staff on-hand to answer questions and give consultations of your landscape. Please preregister on their website. Amanda’s Garden, 8030 Story Road, Dansville. 585/750-6288; amandasnativeplants.com. May 9, 16, 23, 28, 30, 31, and June 6: Flower City Days at The Market, 8am-2pm. Flower City Days at The Market are a paradise for novice and experienced gardeners who want to cultivate ornamental or veggie gardens! These legendary sales are a community favorite, featuring dozens of horticultural vendors, who turn the market into a horticultural heaven of flowering greenery and garden décor! Masks and social distancing required. Please utilize the hand sanitizing stations on site and limit the number of shoppers that you attend these events with. Rochester Public Market, 280 North Union Street, Rochester, NY. 585/428-6907; cityofrochester.gov/flowercitydays.

SAVE THE DATE… September 11: Odyssey to Ithaca Day Trip. Join UGJ staff as we travel by motor coach to tour the Ithaca region. Highlights include a visit to Cornell Botanic Gardens; shopping at a variety of nurseries including Bakers’ Acres and Cayuga Landscape and more. Lunch included. $85. Registration required. Please call to reserve your seat: 716/4328688; 585-591-2860. Upstate Gardeners’ Journal, 1501 East Avenue, Ste 201, Rochester, NY 14610. upstategardenersjournal.com.

SYRACUSE REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS African Violet & Gesneriad Society of Syracuse meets the second Thursday of the month, September–May, Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Bailey Road, North Syracuse. 315/492-2562; kgarb@twcny.rr.com; avsofsyracuse.org. Bonsai Club of CNY (BCCNY) usually meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm, Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Bailey Road, North Syracuse. 315/436-0135; lnewell1@gmail.com; cnybonsai.com. Central New York Orchid Society meets the first Sunday of the month, September–May, St. Augustine’s Church, 7333 O’Brien Road, Baldwinsville. Dates may vary due to holidays. 315/633-2437; cnyos.org. Fairmount Garden Club meets the third Thursday of the month (March–November) at 6:30pm, Camillus Senior Center, 25 First Street, Camillus. Speakers & community projects. All are welcome. tooley.susan@ yahoo.com. Federated Garden Clubs NYS – District 6. 315/4814005; dist6fss@gmail.com. Gardening Friends Club meets the third Tuesday of the month, March–December, at 6:30pm, Wesleyan Church, 4591 US Route 11, Pulaski. 315/298-1276; Facebook: Gardening Friends of Pulaski, NY; VicLaDeeDa@frontiernet.net. Gardeners of Syracuse meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm, Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Avenue. 315/464-0051. Gardeners in Thyme (a women’s herb club) meets the

second Thursday of the month at 7pm, Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville. 315/635-6481; hbaker@ twcny.rr.com. Habitat Gardening in CNY (HGCNY) meets the last Sunday of most months at 2pm. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip Street, Liverpool. HGCNY is a chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes; wildones.org. Free and open to the public. 315/4875742; info@hgcny.org; hgcny.org. Home Garden Club of Syracuse usually meets the first Tuesday morning of the month. Members are active in educating the community about gardening, horticulture & floral design and involved with several civic projects in the Syracuse area. New members welcome. homegardenclubofsyracuse@gmail.com; homegardenclubofsyracuse.org. Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York usually meets the third Monday of each month at 7pm. See website for meeting locations. 315/4583199; cnykoi.com. Men and Women’s Garden Club of Syracuse meets the third Thursday of the month at 7:30pm, Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of gardening and related topics. Members maintain gardens at Rosemond Gifford Zoo & Ronald McDonald House. Annual spring & fall flower shows. 315/699-7942; Facebook. Southern Hills Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of each month, February through November, at the LaFayette Community Center, 2508 US Route 11, Lafayette NY 13084. Some meetings are off site. Guests are welcome, and membership is open to anyone interested in gardening. For information regarding meetings, or membership, please contact Cathy Nagel 315-677-9342 or Email CEN42085@aol.com. April

20, Carol Watson will present “What’s New for 2021” 6:30 pm at Carol Watsons Greenhouse, 2980 Sentinel Heights Road, LaFayette NY. May 18, “Shade Gardening Challenges and Rewards” with Doreen Todorov 7:00 pm at LaFayette Community Center, US Route 11, LaFayette, NY. June 15, Tour of Dickman Farms Greenhouse and Garden Center 13 Archie Street Auburn NY. Time to be determined: please contact Cathy Nagel for information. All programs are subject to COVID 19 and may be cancelled at any time. Syracuse Rose Society meets the second Thursday of the month (except December) at 7pm, Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Avenue. Club members maintain the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, Thornden Park, Syracuse. Public welcome. syracuserosesociety.org.

Deadline for Calendar Listings for the next issue (May-June, 2021) is Friday, April 7, 2021. Please send your submissions to kim@upstategardenersjournal.com.

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www.waysidegardencenter.com UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 23

Open garden

Plant-based strategies for supporting pollinators

story by Stacey Hirvela; photos courtesy Proven Winners

ABOVE: ‘Miss Molly’ butterfly bush

ou’ve probably read the news stories on the “insect apocalypse”: the recent steep decline in insect populations and the potentially dire consequences it holds for us and other animals. It’s easy to get discouraged listening to all the doom and gloom, but the good news is that this is an issue we can all play a part in resolving. The solution is so simple: plant something. Plants and their flowers play a crucial role in sustaining insects, and they in turn sustain everything that eats them, and this continues up the food chain. The relationship between plants and insects is a vital, even foundational aspect of our ecosystem, and it’s well past time for us to rid ourselves of an antiquated “bugs are yucky” mindset. Inviting insects to your garden and observing their behavior, watching them interact with each other and with your plants, is truly one of the most fascinating and rewarding parts of being a gardener. Even if you’ve never planted a thing in your life, it’s not too late to get started and take the first step toward a better environment. Here are some tips to help you pick the right plants, plant them in the right places, and grow them with maximum benefit to insects—as well as to you and your community. A PLACE IN THE SUN

When planting to support pollinators, prioritize spots that get at least six hours of sun. Insects need the sun because their body temperature is dependent on their surroundings, and they quickly become sluggish and inactive in cool, shaded conditions. Plus, plants in the sun 24 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

will bloom more, their flowers will produce more nectar, and they will see far more pollinator activity than plants in the shade. Though there are plenty of shade-tolerant plants that can benefit pollinators, choosing a sunny site is the most efficient way to support the most pollinators. HOST A BANQUET

To sustain all types of pollinators throughout the garden season, you’ll want plants that attract them from the earliest spring days to the last chilly moments of autumn. To do this well takes planning and research before you buy. Since spring tends to be the biggest garden center shopping time, most people’s gardens tend to favor early blooming plants that look great during this period and peter out later. Both you and the pollinators will find reward in expanding your garden to include plants that bloom in summer and beyond. Late season blooming plants, like abelia, caryopteris, and the September blooming seven-sons tree are especially valuable, since they provide new nectar sources when pollinators need them most—before they go dormant, lay eggs, and/or migrate. One way to accomplish this is to include all three main types of plants in your garden: annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Annuals bloom all summer, helping to make up for any lulls between the bloom of perennials and woody plants. Combining all of these keeps your garden interesting to both you and to pollinators. Here are my top ten annuals, perennials, and shrubs for pollinators to get you started on your plant picking.

ANNUALS

PERENNIALS

SHRUBS

“Vermillionaire” cuphea

“Decadence” baptisia (late spring bloom)

‘Ruby Anniversary’ abelia (late summer-fall bloom)

“Heat It Up” gaillardia

“Fun and Games” heucherella (spring bloom)

“Miss” butterfly bushes (summer-fall bloom)

“Suncredible” helianthus

“Summerific” hibiscus (summer bloom)

‘Kodiak’ diervilla (summer bloom; foliage supports larvae of hummingbird moths)

“Truffala” pink gomphrena

‘Sweet Romance’ lavender (early summer bloom)

“Satin” roses of Sharon (summer bloom)

“Luscious” lantana

“Pardon My” monardas (summer bloom)

“Gatsby Gal” and “Gatsby Pink” oakleaf hydrangea (summer bloom)

“Snow Princess” lobularia

‘Cat’s Meow’ + ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ nepeta (late spring/early summer bloom)

“Scentlandia” itea (summer bloom)

“Sunstar” pentas

‘Midnight Masquerade’ penstemon (summer bloom)

“Vanilla Spice” + “Sugartina” ‘Crystalina’ clethra (summer bloom)

“Supertunia” petunia

‘Denim n’ Lace’ perovskia (late summer bloom)

“Double Play” ‘Doozie’ spirea (late spring-fall bloom)

“Rockin’” salvia

“Color Spires” salvia (summer bloom)

“Bloomerang” lilacs (late spring bloom, summer-fall rebloom)

“Meteor Shower” verbena

“Magic Show” veronica (summer bloom)

“All That Glitters”/“All That Glows” viburnum (early summer bloom, fall fruit; foliage supports hummingbird moth and spring azure butterfly larvae)

THE NECESSITY OF NATIVE PLANTS

Native plants are a key component of any garden for pollinators. Insects have evolved to rely on these plants for food, shelter, and reproduction, so they hold particular appeal. Even if a plant is not native to your specific area, you’ll likely find that native plants, in general, attract more or perhaps different pollinators than non-native plants do. A garden doesn’t have to be 100% comprised of native plants to support pollinators, but it should contain at least some native perennials and shrubs.

need to be managed. However, native insects feeding on leaves is completely natural and a sign that you are truly supporting insect populations. In fact, a caterpillar won’t turn into a butterfly or moth unless it feeds on leaves for several weeks first. If you see holes in the leaves of a plant, don’t automatically assume that chewing means something bad is happening—spend some time digging into the cause. Plants can easily withstand insects feeding on their foliage, and except in a few extreme cases, won’t suffer or be set back by it.

TAKE IT TO THE BANK

DON’T USE PESTICIDES

When creating a pollinator garden, avoid planting just one of anything. It’s easier to create more naturalistic designs by grouping plants in odd numbers (three, five, or seven are all good numbers for residential landscaping), plus creating banks of plants encourages uninterrupted foraging for pollinating insects. It’s kind of the horticultural equivalent of your reaction to seeing a plate heaped with cookies versus a plate with just one. Abundance is simply more enticing!

Obviously, if you are trying to support insect life, using synthetic chemicals or other strategies that kill insects is going to be counterproductive. The truth is that there are few cases where pest insects become so serious that they need control, and that by treating your garden as an ecosystem of multiple species working together to support one another, you create a self-sustaining predator-prey balance—provided you refrain from spraying pesticides, whether they are organic or conventional. This approach applies to more than just insects. For example, moles are important predators of grubs, and can play a key role in managing Japanese beetle and other pest beetle populations, so rather than get out the trap or poison at the first sign of a mole tunnel, think of them as free pest control.

LET THEM EAT LEAVES

Many people have an immediate negative reaction to seeing the leaves or flowers of their plants being chewed. And it is true that there are pest insects (Japanese beetles, for example) that cause enough damage that they may

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 25

TOP LEFT: “Summerific” ‘Perfect Storm’ hibiscus TOP CENTER: ‘Midnight Masquerade’ beardtongue TOP RIGHT: “Bloomerang”’Dark Purple’ Reblooming Lilac BOTTOM LEFT: “Vermillionaire” large firecracker plant BOTTOM CENTER: “Meteor Shower” verbena BOTTOM RIGHT: “Kodiak” ‘Orange’ diervilla

GET TO KNOW YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS

It won’t take long for pollinators to begin stopping by your garden to check out the offerings. Get to know who’s visiting with these resources:

• Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw. This picture-filled book is a fantastic value and a musthave for anyone looking to learn more about insects.

• Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holm. Heavy on the photos and information, this very well-researched book will help you better understand the relationship between plants and pollinating insects.

• Attracting Native Pollinators: The Xerces Society Guide. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation does lots of important work to sustain pollinating insects; its book is a great reference, as is ots website: xerces.org.

• The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center—its native plant directory is outstanding and includes specific information about how the plant benefits insects. I rely on this heavily for information on caterpillar host plants especially. Visit the website at wildflower.org/ plants-main.

• Butterflies and Moths of North America—This fantastic website, butterfliesandmoths.org, is 26 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

invaluable for identifying butterflies, moths, and their larvae.

• The internet in general—When I encounter an insect I can’t immediately identify, I find that I can quickly narrow it down by doing an image search using general terms, like “fuzzy, black-orange caterpillar.” If you’re able to snap a photo, you can also try something like Google Lens to match it to visually similar content online. You can start making a difference today—so what are you waiting for? Get out there and plant something. Let’s stop the insect apocalypse together! Stacey Hirvela is a graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. Her first book, Edible Spots & Pots, was published by Rodale in 2014. She currently works as the marketing manager for Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.

We prefer not to use trademark symbols in this publication, so we’ve removed them here. Named cultivars are in single quotes, while trademarked names, which also sometimes designate a series, are in double quotes. All plants pictured here are from Proven Winners. —Ed.

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What to do in the garden in March & April Eager to garden? Keep in mind the weather conditions. March and April could be springlike or snowy. Pruning can be done in wintery conditions, but the soil shouldn’t be worked until the soil is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Let’s get to work! WINTER DAMAGE Clean up leaves and winter debris. This helps to increase soil drainage, improve water quality, and reduce algae growth later in the season. Prune out or cut back branches damaged by the snow, wind, and ice. Replant plants that have heaved from the freeze-thaw cycle as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the roots. ABOVE: Hellebore

32 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

PRUNING If you’re unsure how to prune a particular tree or shrub contact your local Cooperative Extension for guidance. Prune summer flowering shrubs if they need restructuring or have been damaged by snow, wind, or ice. Prune dormant Bradford pear, wisteria, butterfly bush, potentilla, honeysuckle, and flowering plums. Don’t prune ash, oak, elm as they are “bleeders.” Don’t prune azalea, crab apple trees, forsythia, big leaf hydrangeas, lilac, mock orange, rhododendrons, weigela unless you don’t mind missing this year’s flowers which were formed last autumn. Prune fruit trees before bud break. Prune out any branches with cankers or black knot. Be sure to clean your pruners in between cuts so you don’t spread disease! Prune brambles (raspberries, blackberries) during March to remove dead, diseased, or damaged canes and to increase air circulation. When pruning trees be careful not to cut flush to the trunk. Cut outside the branch collar. Wound dressing is no longer recommended. Prune roses when forsythia bloom. (This makes use of phenology, which refers to looking at the seasons by the behavior of plants and animals not just the calendar.) Cut back dead canes to the ground. Cut back crossing canes to about one-quarter inch above an outward-facing bud. Cut pussy willows back drastically after they bloom to

encourage stronger plants and more blooms next year. Cut back lavender into green wood late in April. THE PLANTS, PRESENT AND FUTURE Cut back grasses and perennials that remained as winter interest before new growth is more than a few inches to have attractive plants this year. Add cut plant material that has not harbored disease to the compost pile. Move mulch away from emerging spring bulbs. Pull emerging weeds so you don’t disturb the roots of emerging perennials and bulbs. Don’t know if it is a weed or not? Let it grow. You can always remove it later. That’s what makes gardening so interesting! Divide perennials such as liriope, hostas, daylilies, coral bells (heuchera), and Shasta daisies only when the soil is workable. Scatter annual poppy seeds, cleome, and wildflower collection seeds for bloom later in the season. Scrub and sterilize reusable pots and seed starter trays by washing in a dilute solution of bleach and warm water. VEGETABLES Plan your vegetable garden now. Be sure to rotate plant families at least every three years to prevent disease and to give time to replenish soil nutrients). Family examples include Solanaceae (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant); Brassiaceae (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli); and Cucurbitaceae (cucumber, melons, squash). Direct-seed cool-season vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, kale, and onions. Read seed packages so you know when to start seeds (indoors or out) and the time needed for producing plants to be set outdoors later in the season. Starting seeds indoors too early leads to tall leggy plants that won’t transplant well. HOUSEPLANTS Resume feeding of houseplants following directions for both dilution and applications. Check houseplants for disease and insects. Check the roots to see if the plants need division or repotting. If you want a plant to grow larger, repot it in a container about one-inch greater in diameter but the same depth. If you want the plant to grow in the same container but its roots are taking up space, remove from the pot, root prune, and repot

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Backyard habitat

Hawks overhead by Liz Magnanti

INSET: Sharp-shinned hawk;hoto by Alan Schmierer

34 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

ver the past year, the hobby of backyard bird feeding has really taken flight. With so many people now working from home, many have started the hobby as an enjoyable background to their workday. There is nothing more delightful than setting up your new feeder, filling it with seed, and seeing a bright red cardinal fly in for a snack! You may have found that, along with the beautiful songbirds, there are other, larger predatory species that have shown up. Seeds, peanuts, and suet are all popular sources of food for songbirds. In turn, songbirds are sources of food for other animals. Hawks can be a common occurrence in backyards, especially in the winter months. The three hawks you are most likely to see hanging out in the backyard are the Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. The Cooper’s Hawk is the bird most notorious for picking off songbirds at feeders. This medium-sized hawk can look different if it’s a juvenile or adult. The adult plumage of the Cooper’s Hawk is blue-gray on the head and back with a reddish horizontal barring on the chest. Juveniles have a brown head and back with brown vertical streaks on their breast. They have a long, banded tail with a rounded edge to it. The diet of the Cooper’s Hawk, to the dismay of many backyard birdwatchers, includes small birds. They will also eat small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. In the winter, reptiles and amphibians are hibernating (their hibernation process is known as brumation) and small mammals can be tough to find tunneling under the snow. A feeder attracting small birds is an open invitation for this stealthy hunter. The Sharp-shinned Hawk looks like the little brother of the Cooper’s Hawk. The adult and juvenile plumage is almost identical. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is small, about the size of a Blue Jay, sometimes slightly larger. They have a small, rounded head, which makes their eyes look especially large. They are quick and agile, and though their diet is varied it consists mostly of other birds. Red-tailed Hawks are common year-round residents. They are large hawks that can often be seen perched on telephone poles or light poles along the highway. They are brown in color with a white “V” on their back and a brown band on their belly. Their most distinctive feature is

their reddish tail, which can usually be seen when they are perched or flying. Red-tailed hawks can feed on larger prey and will eat small-to-medium mammals, fish, snakes, large birds and even carrion. While you probably won’t see a redtailed hawk going after the birds at your feeders, you may see one go after something larger like a squirrel or rabbit. Although it can be upsetting to see a bird of prey (also known as a raptor) capture another bird at your feeders, they play an important role in the ecosystem. They take out the sick and the weak birds that are struggling to survive, making the remaining songbird population stronger. All birds, except nonnatives like European Starlings, House Sparrows, and Rock Doves; certain shore birds; and game birds like pheasants and ducks; are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This act makes it illegal to harm, harass, capture, or possess any part of a bird of prey … even its feathers. If you think you are seeing more birds of prey now than you had in the past, it is very possible. The use of DDT (a synthetic insecticide) caused eggshell thinning and it hit raptor populations hard. The thin eggs of these birds were easily cracked by the parents themselves and caused populations to tumble. Since the ban of DDT in 1972, many raptor populations have improved. The Bald Eagle is a fantastic example of this. Bald Eagle populations are very strong in upstate New York, and it’s not uncommon to see one soaring overhead nearby any large body of water. As you spend time outdoors in the winter, don’t be surprised if you come across a bird of prey on your walk or in your backyard. They are opportunistic predators that may just take advantage of hunting in your neighborhood. As the temperatures warm up you may not see them as often because other sources of food will become more readily available. If you don’t want to attract birds of prey to your yard, the best thing you can do is take your feeders down for a few days. They will go elsewhere, at least for a while. Otherwise, enjoy the sight of these magnificent hunters while you have the up-close view!

Liz Magnanti is the manager of the Bird House in Pittsford.

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Cathy's Crafty Corner

Modern hanging planter by Cathy Monrad

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

he most difficult pre-step required to create this project is finding a container and metal ring that will work together. I purchased the rings first and did not find a properly sized container until store number four. I am not convinced that I would have had better luck choosing a planter first; the metal rings at my go-to craft paradise only come in certain diameters. The rest of the project was easy and fast—in less than an hour, this cute little ‘String of Bananas’ was hanging out enjoying the sunshine. MATERIALS Metal rings: 1 small and 2 large 2 pieces of floral wire cut to 4 inch lengths Twine or string in desired color Small dish or pot (sized to nestle or sit within the small ring) White glue (optional) 36 | MARCH-APRIL 2021

TOOLS Wire cutters Scissors INSTRUCTIONS

1. Hold the small and one large ring together. Leaving a one inch tail of wire, tightly wrap wire around both rings until the wrapped wire spans about a ¼ inch. Twist wire ends together, bend twisted wires down flat, and cut off excess. (See Figure 1) 2. Repeat step 2 to attach the remaining ring to the opposite side of small ring. 3. Cut a 6 inch length of twine or string. Leaving a two inch tail, wrap twine over wire to completely cover. Tie ends with a square knot and cut off excess twine. If desired, dab a bit of glue on knot to guard against unraveling. 4. Repeat step 4 on the opposite side. 5. Fold the larger rings up until they meet.

6. Cut a 24 inch length of twine and fold in half. Place the folded twine through the large wrings and loop the ends through the fold to create a larks head knot. (See Figure 2) 7. At this point, you can simply knot a loop at the end of the twine to hang on a hook, or you can get creative and tie macrame knots before making the loop; there are scads of howto video tutorials on the internet if you are not familiar with the techniques. 8. Optional: if container does not nest evenly in the ring, wrap and tie 6 inch pieces of twine halfway between connections. (See Figure 3) 9. Pot a plant and hang it!

Cathy Monrad is the graphic designer and garden crafter for Upstate Gardeners' Journal.

From the garden

Healthy vegetarian stuffed peppers by Barbara Goshorn INGREDIENTS 4 medium bell or poblano peppers Extra virgin olive oil ¹⁄³ cup diced yellow or red onion 1 cup cauliflower rice ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon coriander ½ teaspoon oregano 1 garlic clove, minced 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup cooked white or brown rice 3 cups fresh spinach 2 tablespoons lime juice Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper SERVING SUGGESTIONS avocado slices salsa (no sugar added) feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment pepper. 2. Slice the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribbing. 3. Boil peppers for 10 minutes or just until softened. 4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cauliflower rice, cumin, coriander, oregano, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook until the onion is soft and the cauliflower is lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.

6. Scoop the filling into the peppers and bake for 15 minutes. 7. Serve with avocado slices, cilantro, and/or salsa.

Barbara is the director and lead clinician of the nutrition program at Goshorn Chiropractic and Wellness Center. Working with patients who suffer with food and environmental sensitives, her goal is to educate her patients and the community so they will thrive—not just survive—in the 21st century.

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the black beans, rice, spinach, lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.

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