Chappaqua Garden Club Blog

What the Pocket Park Means

Innes Mercean — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:20:28 GMT

“Oh! It’s so beautiful!” “Thank you so much for doing this!” “What’s the name of that plant? Could I have it in my garden?” These are some of the comments and questions that we hear from passersby on Thursday mornings when we work each week in the Pocket Park. What has the Park come to mean to Chappaqua? It’s a place where early in the morning an Asian woman faces the garden to meditate while, in a corner, another woman is eating her breakfast and reviewing her notes for the day. It’s a stopover for moms and their stroller-borne toddlers to wander among the flowers and, with the help of one of us, learn how velvety soft are the leaves of Lamb’s Ears. It’s a place where “family pictures” are taken around the holidays when everyone is together. It’s a background for Tik-Tok performances. It’s a destination to which other local garden clubs have sent their members to take inspiration from it. It has even been the site for a wedding!

Here we practice sound horticultural and ecological practices. We have rid the garden of the invasive ivy and porcelain berry that are destroying local habitats. Our plants are pollinator- friendly. One can find early bees in March buzzing around the Winter Aconites. In the summer, the flowers of the Roses and Salvia draw one’s eye. Continuing the circle of the year, in the early fall the Monarch Butterflies cover the blooms of the Buddleias while the Goldfinches, before they migrate, gorge on the seedheads of the Echinacea. Just for beauty’s sake, one can admire the Hydrangeas and Rhododendrons and the annuals that are there for season-long color. People come to just sit and admire and rest throughout the day.

How does this “little Eden”, as it has been called, exist in such perfection? It is maintained by a very dedicated group of volunteers from the Chappaqua Garden Club. The group is not exclusive nor is it compulsory. They come and work in the 90-degree weather of the summer as well as the chill of the spring and autumn because they want to be there. They weed, they prune, they tie up, they deadhead, they thin and transplant. They will each say how much they have learned about gardening techniques working in the Park. But there is more to it than that. There is a strong feeling of community and inclusiveness that gives rise to the cacophony of laughter that is always present. And there are the gasps of gratitude to Chappaqua Cleaners who bring us bottled water during the dog days of summer.

The Pocket Park has become an integral part of downtown Chappaqua. We are proud to be a part of that.

Judy Leheny - 2025

Junior's Flower Show

Innes Mercean — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:30:58 GMT

Our Garden Club juniors created flower arrangements inspired by Mara Van Fleet's art work, at the first Juniors Flower Show at Chappaqua Library. Karen Scharf guided the young florists through flower arranging technics and the creations received well deserved awards. Congratulations to all participants!

Woodland Princesses

Innes Mercean — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:27:56 GMT

Submitted by Karen Bazik

Our Garden Juniors met on October 11 for our fall workshop. We read "The Leaf Thief" by Alice Hemming . It's a story about a squirrel who thinks his woodland friends have stolen the leaves from his tree. When the story was finished, the girls searched for puzzle pieces hidden in the garden. They completed the insect puzzle and dumped leaves on top. We talked about how insects rest under the leaves in winter. One junior flew a Monarch butterfly puppet to "Mexico" while the other girls put the other stuffed insects under the leaves. Then, we used leaves to create leaf crowns. . We ended the session by reading "Treemendous" by Bridget Heos. Treemendous is a story about an acorn that grows into an oak tree. Thanks to Melanie, Kent and Sue for helping out.

Gardener's Tips for September

Innes Mercean — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:21:06 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

NOW! a tip for preserving Hydrangea flowers: Cut the stem, strip off any leaves, place in about two inches of the following solution: 2T lemon juice , 1T sugar, 1/4 T Chlorox dissolved in 1 quart warm water. Leave it alone out of direct sun. The flowers will slowly dry and you will have a bouquet for the winter.

Keep watering your pots and keep fertilizing them every two weeks. The way the weather is going, they will probably bloom till mid-November. The job of the annuals is to set-seed for next year so keep cutting those flowers and frustrating the plant’s attempts to set seed.

Don’t do any major pruning now - it’s too late and the shrub/tree will produce new wood that hasn’t had a chance to “harden” off therefore leading to death of the new growth. Wait till after bloom time in the spring.

Beware when ordering plants online! My daughter bought me two hybrid Heucheras from Plant Delights Nursery in North Carolina. They were not inexpensive . Package shipped Monday, supposed to arrive Tuesday but didn’t arrive till Wednesday. One plant was dead, the other was very badly wilted. Daughter complained to the Nursery and they agreed to ship a replacement for the dead plant. Which arrived, again, nearly dead. I complained and was told that the bushy plants were shipped in their 3” nursery pots filled with a non-organic medium and were watered daily in the nursery. When I pointed out that their business was shipping plants online and should have been shipped in a moisture retentive medium because they were not going to be watered by Federal Express, the woman shrugged it off. So if you do order online (and I have done so before) take care to unwrap the plant immediately and re-hydrate it in a bucket of water overnight.

Library Pollinator Garden Planting

Innes Mercean — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 12:16:16 GMT

We had lots of fun planting at the Chappaqua Library with the juniors program. This project helped to fulfill our mission of enlarging a pollinator garden that is funded in part by a Plant America Grant.

Wildflower Island Tour

Innes Mercean — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:22:12 GMT

We saw many beautiful wild flowers and plants on our Wildflower Island trip, guided by the amazing Mathew McDowell. Thank you Nancy Chung for the photos!

Plant Sale Success

Innes Mercean — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:20:33 GMT

Submitted by Gwinne Porter

Our Spring Plant Sale has been an even bigger success than last year, thanks to selective offerings and enthusiastic sales! Thank you to all who came out and helped!

Gardener's Tips for May

Innes Mercean — Mon, 15 May 2023 15:17:33 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

There has been a glorious display of Daffodils this year. To keep them healthy for next year, de-bud them as they fade. Not hard - Using your thumb and index finger, simply snap off the heads behind the swollen seed pod and throw them in the dirt. The leaves will then divert their energy to building up the bulb instead of the seed. Prune your roses to an outward-facing bud to facilitate an open plant. The rule on roses: “Feed ‘em like hogs and water ‘em like elephants!" Weed and mulch. Now you can see where you will plant the annuals and perennials that you will just have to have from the Plant Sale. If you think a plant is over-crowded separate it and donate the off-shoot to the Plant Sale. Then take time to sit and admire the results off your hard work!

On the subject of compost/mulch. There are lots and lots of ways to make compost. Herewith, the lazy man’s way: Take a pile of leaves about 4 feet high and wide, throw some dirt and a little grass clippings on it, empty about three buckets of compost from the dump (think of it as a sour dough starter) and water it well. Once or twice a year turn it over (stir it). In a year or two you’ll have delicious soil for your plants.

Pocket Park

Innes Mercean — Mon, 15 May 2023 15:15:46 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

New faces have joined our merry group and they have reported that they have had a great time. Some members are not able to make it each week but that’s the whole point of the “schedule.” We meet every Thursday at 10 - if life intervenes, so be it. Come next week. We look forward to seeing you - and catching up. Positive feedback from the passersby make it all worthwhile.

Congratulations!

Innes Mercean — Mon, 15 May 2023 15:13:48 GMT

Congratulations Mary Lynn McRee for receiving People's Choice Award - 3rd place - at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art 40th Annual Fine Arts and Flowers.

Gardener's Tips for April

Innes Mercean — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:21:35 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

Now is the time to fertilize - not only your lawn - but your garden beds as well. If you have a compost pile, that is the best “medicine” for your garden. Next best is fish fertilizer. Otherwise, a good, balanced fertilizer (5-10-5) sprinkled around your plants and shrubs will get them off to a good start this season.

Fertilize your bulbs as soon as they come up (now) and again as the foliage dies down.This may help your tulips come back next year. Prune your roses now to shape them and remove crossing branches. Cut just above an outward facing bud. This will direct the growth away from the center of the plant. Peonies should be sprayed now with a fungicide every week for three weeks to prevent botrytis fungus.

If you have a slug problem and use slug bait, place it now where slugs tend to do the most damage (Hostas). This kills the adults before they lay eggs that will produce the slugs that will take off in your garden during the summer. Spring in the garden means that everything must be done yesterday. But your efforts will be rewarded come May!

Pocket Park work has started

Innes Mercean — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:18:28 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

Thursday, April 6 at 10 a.m. will be the next “meeting” of the Pocket Park. We accomplished so much on March 23 - cutting down the grasses, learning to prune the Hydrangeas, and giving the Park a spring cleanup that we decided to take a week off. Since the 23rd, the Park has been fertilized and the trellised rose tied up and pruned. We are well on our way to shaking off the winter blahs. We are not at all an exclusive group and one disappointment was that no new members came to join our laugh-and-learning experience. Contact Anne Boyd or Judy Leheny if you would like to come on the 6th

Juniors' Herb Garden

Innes Mercean — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:16:35 GMT

Submitted by Karen Bazik

Garden Jr. 's had 13 children attend our March Herb Windowsill Garden workshop. The children enjoyed hearing a story about planting a garden. Then, they planted their own windowsill garden. Thanks to Kent and Sue for supplying seeds and helping out. Many of the families plan to attend next month's vegetable garden workshop.

Wood Cutting Propagation

Innes Mercean — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 14:14:17 GMT

Submitted by Innes Mercean

Adam Wheeler from Broken Arrow Nursery in CT showed us how to properly cut and setup for plant propagation, during a very informative presentation, followed by a hands-on workshop. Workshop participants got to take home their test pot with three plant cuttings. Hopefully we will see new roots in a few weeks!

Pocket Park is waking up!

Innes Mercean — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 11:30:26 GMT

From Judy Leheny

The Pocket Park will reconvene on Thursday, March 23 at 10:00. A number of our core members have already “signed” on to continue the great work that we accomplished last year. We are definitely NOT an exclusive group and welcome anyone who wants to learn about gardening and participate in restoring our little Central Park. We learn from one another and laugh a lot. We meet on Thursdays at 10 but there is no sign-up. If you go on vacation that’s okay. If life intervenes, no problem. If you know nothing about gardening, that’s okay, too. Pruning, weeding, planting, thinning, garden design - we do it all. If you want to know more, contact us. See you on the 23rd!

Valentine's Day Centerpieces with Seniors

Innes Mercean — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:57:21 GMT

From Sue Meany

Chappaqua Garden Club volunteers guided 20 seniors into creating beautiful centerpieces on Valentine's Day at Chappaqua Community Center. 20 seniors and 10 volunteers participated and enjoyed creating flower arrangements, the lively conversations and tea.

Juniors Valentine's Day workshop

Innes Mercean — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 10:42:36 GMT

From Karen Bazik

Our Garden Jr. 's created beautiful cards. The children learned how to press flowers at home using a flower press or a book. We discussed how to select flowers to press at home. Everyone was inspired to create their own valentines. One mother even shared how she preserved bouquets with the group. Thanks to Diane, Diane and Chris for helping out.

Pocket Park waiting for aconites

Innes Mercean — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 11:11:31 GMT

From Judy Leheny

Pocket Park - Most of the garden is sleeping but, if you look carefully, the Winter Aconites have started to come into bloom. We shall be selling these (from private garden) at the Plant Sale. Now is the time to see what they look like and think where these early-flowering harbingers of Spring would look in your garden.

Junior Gardeners winter sowing

Innes Mercean — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:24:50 GMT

From Karen Bazik

The Garden Jr.'s program held its first winter sowing workshop. Families planted seeds gathered from milkweed planted last May. We also planted some coneflower seeds gathered from the Pocket Park. Families took their jugs home and some jugs were left in the library's vegetable bed.Sue Meany and Kent assisted families and they shared information about the Pollinator Pathway. Special thanks to all the members who donated empty gallon jugs.

Gardener's Tips for December

Innes Mercean — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 15:00:16 GMT

From Judy Leheny

Making it easy to coil a garden hose for the winter: Set a garbage can in the driveway and coil the hose around the base of it. Tie the hose in 3-4 places to keep it intact. Remove the garbage can. Neat and easy.
Don’t forget to remove the nozzle and store it separately.

Garden Jr Fall Workshops

Innes Mercean — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:25:09 GMT

From Karen Bazik

The Garden Jr's have been very busy this fall. Our October fall flower arranging workshop was buzzing with activity. Juniors learned how to dry flowers from their garden. Then, they used a variety of dried flowers to create their own arrangements in a pumpkin container. Special thanks to Judy for the giant allium flowers.

The juniors welcomed the end of fall by creating leaf crowns. Juniors learned to identify different leaves and adhered them to paper strips which were made into crowns. They also created Thanksgiving placemats using pressed leaves. Thanks to all the members who collected and pressed leaves for the event.

Baked Green Tomato Recipe

Innes Mercean — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:25:51 GMT

From Sue Meany

It has been a banner year for green tomatoes. My husband, Kent, create a recipe which allows you to bake the green tomatoes in the oven without frying them in a skillet which makes a mess. The clean-up is not fun!

If you have leftover baked green tomatoes, you can freeze them in in a plastic container in the freezer. Line the bottom of the container with waxed or parchment paper, place the baked tomato slices on the paper with a little room to spare. Add additional sheets of paper to keep the tomatoes from sticking together. Add the final layer of paper before sealing the top of the container. Eat them before next year’s green tomato harvest!

Baked Green Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

vegetable oil for browning

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.

Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium sized bowl.

Scoop flour onto a plate

Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt and pepper on another plate

Dip tomatoes into flour to coat

Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture

Dredge in breadcrumb mixture to completely coat

Either brush or spray the tomatoes with a think coat of oil to help then brown

Place the tomatoes on a sheet pan

Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other

Place on a rack in the middle of the oven(or upper and lower third if you're doing two trays

Brown the tomatoes on the first side, approximately 15 minutes

Flip and brown the other side, again, approximately 15 minutes

Drain them on paper towels if necessary.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: kentevanthomas@gmail.com or suemeany@gmail.com

Chappaqua's Miniature Central Park

Innes Mercean — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:00:00 GMT

From Judy Leheny

The Pocket Park is Chappaqua’s Central Park in miniature. It is the garden between Susan Lawrence and the traffic light where so many people come and relax, drink their coffee, amuse children in strollers and even take their annual family portrait. In recent years it has been tended by Anne Boyd (and her husband) and the late Maria Carvao. Anne’s family is away all summer so this year there would have been no one to tend the Park. That’s how this project started and it has been very, very successful.

Each Thursday, as their schedules permitted, a core group of 10 would gather between 9:30 and 11:30 to renovate the Park. The key to success seems to have been that people, though devoted to the garden, would not have to come if life intervened and they couldn’t show up. In practice, a great camaraderie developed and we were never fewer than 8. There was a lot of laughter, shared stories and, by the by, a lot of garden lore and techniques were imparted: how to prune a rose bush, how to deadhead Butterfly Bushes to keep the Monarch butterflies coming, how to reduce the size of Hydrangeas, how to prune Russian Sage and much, much more. One of the unexpected and interesting things that happened was how people “took ownership” of certain plants as they took care of them. It has been a great time for novice gardeners to learn. Treasures were uncovered beneath overgrown plants – a beautiful yellow rose which kept blooming all summer and, recently, Autumn Crocus, a total surprise.

Each Thursday, after we had finished, we would sit around and drink lemonade and eat homemade chocolate chip cookies and look at what we had accomplished that day. And what needed to be tackled the next week! Every single day people would stop by and thank us for all our hard work.

Our Thursdays are on hiatus until the spring but there will be one more Thursday this fall when we shall gather to put the garden to bed for the winter. A couple of our gardeners will not be able to help us next spring, so we are going to need more help. The only thing required is a sense of humor. Call Judy Leheny, (914-420-9246) or Anne Boyd (914) 238-9326) if you want to know more about the “Park Rangers.”

Gardener's Tips for November

Innes Mercean — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:13:22 GMT

From Judy Leheny

Getting ready for winter:

1. Throw your gardening gloves in the wash!

2. Take care of your tools. This is something that usually gets skipped but it is really important for your investment. Wash all the dirt off your tools and leave them in the sun to dry. If they have wood handles and you’re really serious, rub the handles with a little vaseline to nourish the wood.

3. After you have washed the tools, disconnect the hoses, tie them in circles so they don’t get tangled and put them in a frost-free place so that the water residue inside them doesn’t freeze and burst the hose. Disconnect the nozzle before storing; it can corrode on the hose connection and then you won’t be able to remove it.

4. When you plant your bulbs, put a small handful of bone meal in the bottom of the hole to nourish root formation.

5. Bring ceramic pots inside so they don’t crack in the frost; it’s okay to stack plastic ones outside.

6. Store birdseed in galvanized garbage cans in the garage so mice so don’t get at it.

7. Likewise, I discovered that mice are attracted to liquid fish fertilizer and punched tiny holes in the plastic container; keep it in the house or in a mouse-proof container.

8.Cut your geraniums back hard, shake off the dirt and store in a paper bag in a warm place. They’ll perk right back up in spring once you plant them and begin watering.

9. Dig up your dahlia and begonia tubers and winter them inside. Various ways of doing this on Google.

Hunker down for the winter and wait for the beautiful, colorful garden catalogues which are produced by teams of gardeners in greenhouses - not like the rest of us.

Fall Planting with Mathew McDowell

Innes Mercean — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 11:39:37 GMT

From Mathew McDowell, Wildflower Island Curator at Teatown Lake Reservation

Rosedale nursery is a good place to get native shrubs and trees in particular (they have perennials as well but their selection of native herbaceous stuff isn't as good as their native woody plants). They host the Native Plant Center's fundraiser plant sale, which is a good time to pick up stuff.

I would also recommend the following local nurseries. They all focus on natives, all do it the right way, and all have incredible stock lists of stuff that can be hard to find:

https://onenaturellc.com Based in Beacon.

http://nativelandscaping.net Based in Pawling.

https://wildgardensnursery.com In Cortlandt Manor

HilltopHanover https://hilltophanoverfarm.square.site has a native plant propagation program that's only growing plants that were originally from locally sourced seeds. This is particularly useful as it helps preserve regional genetics, so these plants aren't just native they're also specifically from this area.

A bit further out but Earth Tones in Connecticut http://www.earthtonesnatives.com and Toadshade in New Jersey

https://www.toadshade.com are also awesome and worth the schlep, especially if you're looking for rarer things.

There are a lot of good, online retailers that ship as well. Some of the nurseries I've used with clients include:

https://www.prairiemoon.com/

https://www.prairienursery.com

These two are the really big ones. They're based in the midwest and I've been trying to pivot to buying more locally when able, but you can't go wrong with either. I've only ever had great experiences with them.

https://wildseedproject.net

Based in Maine. They sell seed packets derived from local ecotypes primarily but their website has a ton of great info on it so it's worth looking at regardless.

https://www.amandasnativeplants.com

New York based native nursery that ships. I ordered things from them for clients and I was pleased. They have a nice selection, especially of woodland plants and I like that they're more local.

https://wildridgeplants.com

New Jersey based native nursery that ships and works on restoration projects. Same story with Amanda's Native Plants, got things and I've been very happy so far, and they've got a really nice selection. They also specialize in local ecotypes and have a fantastic stocklist.

Garden Juniors at the Library

Innes Mercean — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 03:37:45 GMT

What an exciting day!!! We had our first Garden Jr's event today. We took the children out to check on the plants ( from the spring) . The children found 2 caterpillars!! ( the library suggested naming them "Macadamia" and "Cashew" - lol) on the milkweed the CGC planted. Then, Melanie opened up a pod. We looked at the seeds and the kids let them fly away. We checked on the pussytoes which are nice and healthy. Then, we walked back to discuss annuals, biennials and perennials.

While Melanie searched for jewelweed, the kids learned about the differences and sorted seed packets into baskets ( annual /perennial). They looked at the aster plants to see which flowers were pollinated. Melanie returned with the jewelweed pods. Parents, kids and staff delighted in bursting open the pods. Those corkscrews are so cool. We ran out of time. We handed each child an aster plant and shovel ( I had leftover from a few years ago - what do you do with 40 kid shovels, lol) Melanie distributed a sheet with aster information. We invited the parents to attend the Community Day celebration. Many said they would attend! Hooray! A GREAT DAY!! Thanks - many, many thanks to Melanie - that expertise makes the event great! Thanks to the garden club for your support!!

Gardening tips for October

Innes Mercean — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 03:35:02 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

-If you are planting shrubs or trees this Fall, remember that “First year, they sulk; second year, they settle; third year, they sprint!” So please allow room for them to sprint!

- Deep water your gardens now to prepare them for the winter. The drought this summer has left them with roots near the surface looking for water, and those roots will freeze and die during what is predicted to be a very cold winter. Let those roots go deep now.

-Daffodils should go in the ground now; Tulips do best if planted closer to Thanksgiving.

-Deadhead your perennials so strength goes to the roots and leaves and not to seed formation. If you want to prune them now, (phlox, etc.) prune them to about 12 inches so that falling leaves will “catch” in the dead stalks and help insulate the roots.

- Prune deciduous (lose their leaves) peonies down to the ground and throw the leaves away, do NOT compost them!

- Delicately prune the leaves off the Tree Peonies to the next year’s growth (you’ll be able to see it) and throw those leaves away as well. You’ll wind up with the woody structure of the plant which is what you want. If you want to move Peonies, do it now - not in the spring - and be sure to give them a good size hole with plenty of compost and be careful not to plant them too deep or they won’t bloom!

-Begin to spray against deer and rabbit damage. Besides the usual fare, they love Grape Hyacinths which has lucious foliage through the winter.

Chappaqua Pocket Park

Innes Mercean — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 03:31:40 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

Last Spring about ten members signed up to work on the Pocket Park in downtown Chappaqua. It quickly evolved into a tight core that met every Thursday at 9:30 and worked until noon. There were as many as 10 on a day but never fewer than 5 and people came according to their own schedules. One day one of the group who hadn’t been expected because of medical problems came anyway because “I miss everyone”.

We worked hard even in the intense heat of the summer and came to be known as the “summer sweaters”. But, most of all, people got to know and care about each other and, as a bonus, learned what was a weed and what was a plant, how to prune, when to deadhead and when not, the proper way to transplant and all sorts of other garden knowledge. Each day we worked, people stopped by, admired what we were doing and said how much they used and loved the Park. One day, Board members from the Pleasantville Garden Club visited to inspect and admire and take away ideas for their own public garden. And each day, as we were finishing, we would look around and admire the difference we had made that day. And what was needed the following week!

Among the things we accomplished: ivy and Climbing Hydrangea were removed from the neighboring walls, bags and bags of weeds and pruning’s taken to the dump, Paulo Carvao (Maria’s husband) excavated a bronze plaque honoring the CGC which had been hidden by overgrown plants and moved it to a prominent place near the benches, Brian Wigley and a friend removed a hornet’s nest the size of a basketball that we hadn’t noticed until August, a stone from the garden was carved as a memorial to Maria Carvao who had worked on the Park but died suddenly in December, poison ivy was eradicated, and much more. And throughout the summer Alwyn Boyd (Anne’s husband) weed-whacked the grass. Along the way, we gratefully drank water brought over from the cleaners across the street, enjoyed lemonade Emma purchased, and devoured goodies from Brian and Judy. The end of summer was celebrated with lunch on Judy’s patio where the now-experienced gardeners tactfully avoided mentioning the weeds!

We are not an exclusive group and would enthusiastically welcome anyone who wanted to show up on Thursday mornings. Contact Anne Boyd or Judy Leheny if you would like to join us.

Chappaqua Pocket Park

Innes Mercean — Mon, 02 May 2022 03:42:09 GMT

Submitted by Judy Leheny

New York City has its Central Park – an oasis of flowers and green where one can escape the noise and busyness of the city. Chappaqua has its own Central Park called the Pocket Park, located right in the middle of downtown. It, too, is an oasis that a surprising variety of people visit to rest, look at the garden, eat their lunch, enjoy their coffee, meet friends.

The Pocket Park was planned nearly thirty years ago by one of the Chappaqua Garden Club members who was a professional garden designer. It has been tended by CGC members, most faithfully, by Anne Boyd and her husband. A number of club members have helped over the years but now it is time for a systematic overhaul of weeding, pruning and planting.

We need a dedicated crew of “park rangers” who will commit to just two (2) hours a month from spring to fall. We anticipate that small groups of 2-4 will mutually decide which day of a particular week and at which hour they will meet to do what is needed. There is a lot of FLEXIBILITY to accommodate the members of each mini-group. There will be an experienced gardener on tap to indicate what needs to be done and to help novices to identify plants and weeds. No experience is necessary. Think of it as a free horticultural course where you can have fun and conversation while you are sprucing up a community gem. Think of the pride you will feel as we complete different phases.

There will be an organizational meeting at the Park after the Plant Sale. Please contact Anne Boyd or Judy Leheny for further information as to how you can help.

Book Review: Planting Native to Attract Birds to Your Yard

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 17:40:11 GMT

Book review from Nance Greenberg: Planting Native to Attract Birds to Your Yard by Sharon Sorenson

A few years ago, Sorenson decided to do a “full-year bird count”. Rather than focusing exclusively on birds that visited her feeders, she spent a lot of time outdoors recording the species she observed (or heard) each week on her three acres of property. What she learned was very interesting:

She counted 114 species of birds but only 29 of them (about one-quarter) visited her feeders

Of the 114 species, 76 were migrating through the area, with a need for high-protein nutrition in spring (i.e., insects) and fats in the fall

Year-round residents were typically raising nestlings, who eat insects rather than seeds

She realized that there is more to attracting birds than simply putting out feeders and feed. Birds utilize plants not only for food but also for shelter, nesting sites, nest materials, safety from predators, and more. Each type of bird she observed needed a particular habitat: the right plantings plus a source of water. She concluded that the more diversified the plantings in a garden, the more species will come to make use of it.

For sure, we should add plants that provide food in the form of berries, seed, fruit and nectar. But the most vital nutrient for birds (just like humans) is protein. Plants cannot provide protein directly. Instead, animals must create it. For us humans, protein comes from cows and sheep munching on grass. For birds, insects provide the equivalent transformation, turning leaves into caterpillars, butterflies, beetles, etc.

Some 96% of songbirds feed their babies bugs (the exceptions being Mourning Doves and American Goldfinches). Experts have found that one brood of babies needs 300 caterpillars per day, so that if the average couple feed two broods over a typical nesting period, that adds up to 8,000 caterpillars! Adult birds also eat bugs during breeding season.

Why native? Turns out that 90% of bugs are plant-specific, breeding and feeding on sometimes a single native plant species. Often non-native plants contain toxins that kill bugs (which is why we buy them in the first place). Native berries, especially in the fall, have more fat content for migrating birds. Native evergreens such as hemlock, pine, cedar, fir and juniper (with American Holly being the best) provide shelter from predators and winter weather.

In Chapter 3 she answers our questions about native plants. A few of them:

What to do when we’re all starting with gardens full of non-natives, including “heritage” plants from relatives and friends? (One answer: reduce that lawn!)

Won’t the garden be too messy? (“Native” does not mean “untended”!)

Aren’t non-natives harmless?

Early leaf-out of non-natives can cause cardinals to establish their territories too early, making them an easy target for predators

Early leaf-out shades out (thus killing off) native plants

Berries low in fat and protein cause poor health and less colorful plumage, making birds less attractive to potential mates

Some non-native berries are actually poisonous (e.g. Nandina berries which kill Cedar Waxwings)

Some non-natives can actually poison the soil around them

Lawn is non-native and may even be toxic to birds if maintained by a lawn service

What type of native to buy?

The straight species from your general region of the country is best

A “cultivar” (sometimes termed “nativar”) is produced by cloning, meaning it has no genetic diversity; sometimes its bird-friendly characteristics have even been bred out

Avoid man-made hybrids – often they don’t produce nectar or seed

Chapter 4 describes how to add natives to an existing garden. Sorenson suggests we start with an inventory of what’s already there, pointing out that many gardens have been invaded by a “Dirty Dozen” of non-natives that should be eliminated immediately. The inventory identifies what is missing, such as shelter or nest materials. Finally, water must be available (and ice-free) all year round. This is a difficult one, but it appears that a neighbor’s pond or stream could suffice.

Chapters 5, 6 and 7 provide descriptions of native trees, shrubs and perennials along with their growing requirements. It’s best to plant shrubs and perennials in masses so that birds can spot their blooms from above. She notes that shrubs are good for small lots, providing nest space, shelter and roosting in winter.

Additional chapters detail how to add water sources, how to eradicate invasives, how to sort through misleading plant labels, and more.

Veggie Garden Tips For October

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:37:00 GMT

Submitted by Sue Meany - October 2020

It’s time to plant alliums to harvest in the spring! Kent and I both enjoy growing and cooking with both garlic and shallots. Tradition dictates that the appropriate time to plant these bulbs is between Halloween and Thanksgiving while more recent studies indicate that the planting time can be moved into early October if the soil is mulched heavily, 6 inches or so. Hard neck varieties grow best in our planting area (6a). Soft neck garlic is generally not hardy enough to grow successfully here. We recently purchased three new garlic varieties: Music, German Extra Hardy, and Chesnok Red from Hudson Valley Seed Co. We saved bulbs from last year’s harvest of Siberian and Polish Hardnecks. Alliums prefer well drained soil in a sunny area. Be sure not to grow alliums where they were planted last year. Planting garlic is relatively simple:

Add compost to the prepared beds. If you have raised beds, use them. (we are proponents of no till gardening whenever possible)

Separate the cloves from the heads of garlic.

Plant the cloves 4” to 6” apart, and push each clove with the pointed end up and the blunt end down approximately 1” to 2” deep. Fill in the holes and firm the soil.

Water the area thoroughly. Water when soil dries out.

Spread 3” to 6” of salt hay or other mulch to cover the planting area. Note: Salt hay does not have viable seeds and will not sprout in the soil.

In several weeks if you carefully look under the mulch, you will begin to see green shoots sprouting. It is important that the green sprouts remain covered by mulch throughout the winter as winds can wick out moist and desiccate the cloves. In spring, when the weather warms, much of the mulch can be removed and used for some other purpose. Leaving and inch or two of mulch will aid in weed suppression. Garlic likes the soil to remain moist but make sure it is not soggy.

In approximately June, the plants will send up a curled sprout with a pointed top known as a scape. The scapes will take energy from the developing bulbs and so should be removed once the seed head forms (the seeds are not viable). But do not discard them as they are a yummy treat! The tender portion of the neck of the scape can be sautéed in butter or olive oil, made into pesto or pureed.

In July, when a few of the lower leaves turn brown, remove any remaining mulch to allow the soil to begin to dry out. When approximately half of the leaves have turned brown, dig and prepare for curing.

After harvesting the garlic and shallots, hang each variety in smallish bunches in a warm, dry location out of direct sunlight to cure them. We suspend them underneath the roof our gazebo, but a porch or other covered area will serve you well. Once necks and outer skins are completely dry, they are cured. This can take two weeks or even more depending on temperature and humidity. Clip the necks off leaving about ½-1 inch of the neck intact. At this time, also remove the roots from the bottom of the bulb. Use any damaged bulbs in cooking and store the rest in a dark and dry location, providing plenty of air flow. We place them in net bags and hang them in our basement which is equipped with a dehumidifier, but somewhere even cooler which does not freeze would be ideal. The garlic will store for 4-6 months before beginning to sprout. Be sure to save the biggest cloves for next year’s crop. Bigger cloves grow bigger heads!

We also purchased Dutch Red Shallot bulbs to plant in the fall which we will harvest in early summer. The process of planting the shallots is similar to that of the garlic. Make sure to mulch them as well. Like other bulbing onions, they should be harvested when the green shoots fall down, usually in July.

Please contact me at suemeany@gmail.com with questions or suggestions.

Seed Gathering Tips for Veggies

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:33:51 GMT

Submitted By Sue Meany - September 2020

This is a wonderful time in the growing season to consider gathering some seeds from mature vegetables and herbs that have set seed for use in next year’s garden. There are a few things to consider as you move forward.

First we must understand the difference between some of the traits of seeds and the plants that grow from them. There are four categories to consider.

Open Pollinated Seeds:

Open pollinated seed varieties are either self-pollinated or are pollinated by another plant of the same variety, resulting in seeds that are roughly identical to their parents. Open pollinated plants may produce seed which have small genetic variations from the parents, but is considered a benefit for biodiversity. Plants in which the pollen can fertilize the stigma of the same plant are considered self-pollinating. Not as good for genetic diversity, but good for gathering seeds true to the parent!

Heirloom Seeds:

Heirloom plants are open pollinated plants from which seeds have been passed down through generations. Generally 50 years is used as the standard. Vegetables in this category would include Cherokee Purple, Brandywine and Black Cherry Tomatoes, California Wonder, Golden Marconi and Serrano peppers, and many more.

Hybrid Seeds:

Hybrid seeds are result of the crosspollination between two different varieties of same type of vegetable to create a version which has more desirable traits than either of the parents. Some of the traits may include fruit size, plant vigor or disease resistance. The cross pollination is generally performed in the field or a greenhouse and is a completely natural process. First generation cross pollinated plants are referred to as F1 (Filial 1). Thanks go out to Gregor Mendel with his famous work on peas. Hybrids are produced for almost every type of vegetable but are very common among squash, melon, tomato and bell type pepper varieties. Vegetables in this category would include Sungold and Big Beef Tomatoes and Zephyr and Honey Bear squash. Seed produced from F1 plants are considered to be unstable and are unlikely to result in a plant that resembles either the F1 hybrid or either of its parents.

GMO Seed:

Most of us have heard of GMO seed which is created by genetic engineering. As is the goal of cross pollination to produce hybrids, GMOs carry desirable traits such as resistance to disease and herbicides (such as Glyphosate) as well as others. GMO seed is most commonly used in commercial settings but some has crept its way into consumer markets.

Gather, Gather, Gather

Now that we have discussed some of the ins and outs of various types of seeds, do not fret. The great majority of what you can gather in the garden will be perfectly usable to sow, sow, sow next year. Of course there are a few caveats!

If you know the variety name, do an internet search to determine which of the above categories it falls in.

- If it is an F1 hybrid, abandon hope all ye who enter!

- If you grow only one variety of a given vegetable which is open pollinated, you are good to go unless you think a rogue bee has violated your flower and cross pollinated it with a neighbor’s foreign pollen! Unlikely. Give it a try.

- If it is an open pollinated, self-pollinating variety such as tomatoes, peppers, peas, green beans, okra, etc. you have a very good chance of the seed being true, but it is not guaranteed.

- If it is an herb such as dill, basil, fennel, cilantro, et al … you are golden!

- The only way to be 100% sure of what you are getting is to pollinate it yourself as soon as the flower opens and then bag it, so that no pollinator will contaminate the stigma with foreign pollen, until the fruit starts to form. Make sure to label the fruit properly.

- Easy peasy!

Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

Once the seed has been gathered, further treatment depends on the type of plant/fruit. For plants whose seeds are not contained in the fleshy part of their fruit, such as herbs, peas, beans and okra. They should be allowed to dry completely on the plant. When they are removed, place them in a dry, well ventilated space to ensure as much moisture is removed as possible to avoid mold. Seeds which are encased in moist fruit such as peppers and eggplant need to be extracted, rinsed and air dried. Seeds from fleshy fruits such as such as tomatoes and melons need to be soaked and rinsed in water repeatedly until the gelatinous membrane on the outside is removed. They also must be air dried completely. Here are a couple of links to the NYBG’s website on the subject.

https://www.nybg.org/blogs/plant-talk/2010/11/tip-of-the-week/cleaning-tomato-seeds/

https://www.nybg.org/blogs/plant-talk/2014/10/horticulture-2/seed-saving-simple-steps/

Neatness Counts

Assuming you are not going to plant the seeds immediately, you will need to store them. There are two schools of thought here. As you may have noticed, most seed companies use packets made from paper. This allows moisture to escape and is a bit more environmentally responsible. The other tact is to place them in an airtight container such as a zip top bag or a film canister (wait, what?). Provided the seed is completely dry, this has the advantage of excluding moisture which can cause seed deterioration. Make sure to properly label the seed and store is somewhere cool, dry and dark.

Got it? Great, you are ready to sow, sow, sow once the proper time arrives!

Please contact me at suemeany@gmail.com with questions or suggestions.