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From The Garden of Ed. Submitted for publication in The Towne Crier on May 25, 2005

Your Personal "Great Outdoors".

The Sullivan County Catskills are no longer "the sticks", as they were once referred to. They are being discovered anew, on a regular basis, and, as more people seek to become a part of the communities whose Main Streets have become destinations, they might find themselves wanting for some horticultural input. I offer here a primer for new or second homeowners who have their own landscapes outside their doors.

No matter whether your home grounds are 'plain vanilla', or if you've inherited garden plots and/or flower beds, if you are a novice around the world of plants and landscapes, I suggest the first course of action is to observe patiently. Leave the shovel, pruning shears, fertilizers etc. in the store, or, if present at home, where they are. At least for a little while. The first stage of inhabiting new outdoor rooms (to me, this is an easy way to view different areas) is to identify and educate yourself about what's there. A length of rope can be useful in defining the rooms as you see them.

As a start, there are many inexpensive pocket guides you can carry with you on a quiet stroll around your place. A few Nature Study Guides, among them Tree finder, Flower Finder, and Fern Finder are available in Liberty at the Soil and Water Conservation District's office for a nominal price. Fresh plant samples can also be taken for identification to the same building in a visit to Cornell Cooperative Extension. There are many field guides to help in identifying trees and shrubs and wildflowers. Most are available in bookstores.

By not acting in haste, you will be rewarded with a greater appreciation of your surroundings and by a decided savings in money, because when you are ready to act, you will do so with knowledge. Let's face it, the kind of beauty we share day to day is becoming increasingly rare and needs protection and nurturing.

The other tools at the beginning stage are a notebook for recording observations and ideas, and a camera which can serve as a visual counterpart. If you see a plant, tree or shrub you'd like to move, or prune, or mess with in any way, know what it is, learn about it, what its preferences are in terms of soil, light, temperature, space requirements, etc.. You'll discover it has some competitors (pests) too -- from the microscopic to the very evident macroscopic. I don't want to discourage you, just to alert you to the fact that it's not a cake walk. Gardening in any capacity is work that provides great rewards.

The number of plant enemies is very great and the list is too extensive to list here in full. From invisible bacterial and fungal diseases, to tiny mites, to small aphids, to noticeable beetles, to 'impossible to miss' deer -- that's what I'm referring to. And, then there are vegetative, less mobile kinds -- weeds. They are all competitors with your plants, if not for the light, water, nutrients and space your plants require, then for the flowers, fruit and vegetation your plants produce in order to survive, propagate, and provide you with the pleasure to all of your senses for which you grow and nurture them.

There are many ways to protect your favorites, and I suggest the methods least harmful to the environment. What goes around comes around, if you get my drift.

Once you've armed yourself with some valuable knowledge and learned about what skills are required, start with a plan and determine what you are able to do yourself and what you think might require professional help. Set priorities. Rome ... etc. Start gradually and maybe work one "room" at a time. If you're contemplating importing some new plants to your space, keep in mind that most of our Catskills are best regarded as hardiness zone 4 for practical purposes. Once every so often our winter temps plunge us into borderline zone 4 to zone 3. Zone 5 plants can be killed or irreparably damaged; zone 4 plants survive with minimal damage; zone 3 plants shake it off as just another winter. There is a lot of plant material to choose from. Don't be hasty. But, also, don't be afraid. A zone 5 plant provided with a few protective strategies may do just fine as long as weather forecasts are heeded and protective measures are kept in place.

The average frost dates (last frost in spring and first frost in late summer) are June 1 and September 25th. That's not to say they are etched in stone. These dates are guidelines, factoring in anomalies and freak occurrences. I recall my second year at Cornell Coop Extension when I received a call reporting snow on June 25th on Shandalee Mtn.. The best thing you can do is talk to you local neighbors, find out about your microclimate and prepare yourselves for every eventuality. These frost dates are especially important to remember when planting tender annuals and vegetables.

Native soils tend to be moderately to very acidic with pH (a means of measuring the acidity/alkalinity) averaging between 4.8 and 5.4. Vegetable and flower gardens thrive best in a soil pH of between 6.0 and 6.5. Test your soil pH before planting or investing big bucks in plant material. The rule of thumb is to select a plant for the location rather than to try to adjust the location to what the plant prefers.

Of course, if every vegetable and fruit grower followed this dictum, he would only grow in our native soils that which would flourish: potatoes, blueberries, conifers, and evergreens (all acidic soil lovers). Additions of ground limestone will sweeten acidic soils and offer amended soils some success with some favorites. A few of mine are asparagus, basil, tomatoes, and sweet corn. There are so many.

So, hopefully, you see the value of identifying the plant material you have or desire, the needs of same, the enemies of same and how best to deal with them, the best time to prune or cut back so you don't deprive yourself of the enjoyment of their flowers and fruit, and the nutrient needs and water needs which are so vital to their success. A note: a healthy, well established tree or shrub rarely needs additional fertilizer; it manufactures most if not all the food that it needs.

Water, however, is a different story. Any plant, tree or shrub totally dependent on nature, is at risk. Rainfall is not programmed or regular. Established plants require between one and two inches of water each week of the growing season. If it doesn't come from the sky, it must come from you or it will become stressed, more vulnerable to attack from pests and at jeopardy. You can construct a simple rain gauge, or purchase one to eliminate the guess work. Your plants' lives are what is at stake, and by extension, perhaps significant parts of you and your psyche.

This is just a brief introduction. Try to get explanations for what you do not understand. For example: If your forsythia only had flowers on the lower foot and a half, while the above four feet were without blossoms, it suggests that the lower flower buds were protected from the harshest freezing temperatures and killing ice probably by snow cover. The buds on the unprotected upper portion were killed.

Go forth. Garden big or garden small. Mostly, enjoy the contact with the earth and its bounty. It is so rejuvenating!

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From The Garden of Ed. Submitted for publication in The Towne Crier on May 25, 2005

© 2005 Ed Mues. All Rights Reserved.
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eMail:  eGarden@MountainAir.us

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