Posts Tagged ‘Garden’

Garden nerds unite! There are two spring plant sale events this weekend – The Beach 91st Street Community Garden is hosting a plant sale tomorrow, Saturday May 6, from 11am-2pm. On Sunday – the following day – head to Edgemere Farm for more plants of different varieties and music. Below are the details for both community happenings. B91 Garden Plant Sale – Saturday, May 6 from 11am-2pm For sale find veg starters and herbs – many varieties of tomatoes, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, soybeans, basil, sage, parsley and more. Add […]

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 […]

The crisp air reminds me of a fall day when I was in grammar school. We went outside and collected leaves from the field next to the playground. My classmates and I were scattered about. I remember feeling anxious, wanting to find the best and brightest ones before everyone else did. I was on a color collection mission. My next recollection is staring at my precious assortment of orange and red leaves on an off-white table. I don’t particularly remember what the art project entailed or what I made. I […]

What do cookies, sea God plush toys, rad guitar riffs, and a surfboard that amps out DJ vibes have to do with each other? Nothing, except that all will be present at the Beach 91st Street Garden tomorrow, Saturday, Oct 8th, from 1-4 p.m. Get Baked With Sea Monsters is the community gardens end of season event. Here’s the skinny: Enjoy delicious homemade baked goods and coffee for sale, made by garden members. Expect corn muffins, caramel apple tarts, chocolate chip cookies, decadent brownies, chocolate rice crispy treats, vegan and […]

 A month ago, I wrote about an experience with Don Riepe, our beloved The Jamaica Bay Guardian. He stopped by the Beach 91St Street Community Garden to give a talk on what we can do as a community to help protect the monarch butterfly. We learned about their habitat, migration, life cycle and feeding. The takeaway – plant an abundant amount of milkweed and goldenrod in your garden. We also discussed the importance of other pollinators and their vital role in our ecosystem. To learn more, Don told us to […]

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 […]