Posts categorized as Gardening

According to the NYC Department of Sanitation 31% of the waste collected in the city is organic. Curbside composting which was on pause through the winter is back, effective immediately. Put your brown bins out curbside this week on the same day as recycling.  You may also use any can/bin labeled “Composting Bin.” Compost collection is available to all Rockaway residents – single family homes, small apartment buildings, and multi-unit residential buildings. No sign-up required. As a refresher, below is a list of common (and not so common) materials that […]

Dear gardeners – we made it. Spring is upon us! I know you can feel it. The need to get your fingers in the soil. The want of the sun on your back. And the warm breeze on your skin, that carries the fragrance of spring. Gardens at Wave Hill This is our busiest time of year – pruning, clearing organics, and seeds, sourcing compost, and I’d argue the best part, planning out our gardens for the season. Last summer I visited Wave Hill with my friend Winnie – a […]

Three circumstances came together that inspired this column. I attended a baby birthday party over the weekend. I found an old “kids” book on the shelf. And the guest room switch-over to my art studio/office is complete. Levi and Noah, my BFF’s kids turned 2 this weekend! The party was held the Rockaway Beach Brewery. I’m sitting at a table eating a delicious vanilla frosted cupcake, with my dinosaur party hat on, observing the little rugrats. I noticed their energetic movements, their curiosity and creative play. It was a breath of […]

From Left to Right – Diane Cardwell, Don Riepe, Charley The Dog, Kristi Dickerson   The New York Times published an article last week stating the monarch butterfly has been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The Times informed, “In 2020, U.S. wildlife officials found that monarchs were threatened with extinction but declined to add them to the endangered species list because they said conservation of other species took priority…. Eastern monarchs, which make up most of the population in North America, dropped by […]

I was gardening the other day and spotted a bug I’ve never seen before. It had bright red-orange markings contrasting the insects long black, flat body. It was on a milkweed plant. I took a closer look and noticed there were two bugs actually, connected back to back. Also on a seed pod, I saw about 12 little red dots which reminded me of aphids. Those concerned me. I thought this was a late season pest infestation. I immediately took out my phone and typed in a quick description. The […]

I’ve always admired prickly pear cactus for its distinctive paddle spikes, bright red buds, and showy yellow flowers. There are 181 different species. Opuntia is a perennial shrub with waxy skin. The cactus thrives in sandy soil and dry conditions. It grows wild in arid areas in the south and southwest. Opuntia is indigenous to the Americas. Pear cactus is a domesticated crop plant grown and harvested throughout the world. Right now is the plant’s growing season and when you see “baby paddles” forming. This is the ideal time to propagate. I’ve never grown prickly […]

Purslane I know a great deal about foraging at this point in my gardening “career.”  But there’s always more to discover. A few weeks back, I learned of a new edible from my friend Melissa Draugsvold. We were at the Beach 91st Community Garden watering our adjacent plots. She pointed out the purslane that popped up between her lettuce crop. Purslane (also known as little hogweed, pigweed, pusley) is an annual in our garden zone 7.  This succulent can grow in sandy soil and resists drought. You’ll see it everywhere if you look […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has said “Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices you can use in the garden.” Knowing this, why did I skip mulching this spring? I’m regretting it now. The weeds are a constant in any garden but without mulch, it becomes unmanageable. Every few days it seems the weeds reappear. A 2-3 inch layer of mulch will prevent seeds from planting in the soil. For the relentless roots of weeds, (ahem, morning glories) mulch blocks out sunlight which […]

I was watering my hanging baskets when I noticed hundreds of aphids on the underside of the delicate petunia petals. I almost fell off the ladder! Unmanaged infestations will kill plants within a few weeks. Aphids are very small bugs – bright green, burnt orange, or black in color. If you see them, take action quickly. Here you can see aphids on the flower and one ladybug larva enjoying a feast. To combat these garden pests, fill a water bottle and add natural dish soap (1-2 tablespoons). Shake, then spray […]

It’s been an unseasonably cool and rainy April/May but we made it – garden season is here! I’m behind but I’m working my way through the front and back garden. I’ve separated the Daylilies (which encourages more flowering) and took out Walker’s Low (which spreads so much). I gave the Walker’s Low and Irises to a friend who’s starting a garden for the first time. And with all the rain to encourage growth, the weeding seems endless. 4 cubic yards of beautiful compost made from NYC food scraps. It’s been […]