Brooklyn Queens Land Trust

Article Archives - Volume 2, 2004

Garden/ Plant Information Articles

BQLT NEED YOU!!!!

We are planning our Garden opening eason, 2004.

The date is JUNE 19, 2004.
The place is at the Central Bainbridge Community Garden.

The time is from 12 noon until 4pm.

WE ARE LOCATED at: 277-279 Bainbridge St. Brooklyn, NY 11233, at the corner of: PATCHEN Ave. and BAINBRIDGE St.


We’ll see you on Sat. June 19th.

MJ, 5-27-2004






By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Justin Consor

Weather folklore has long fascinated people whose livelihood depended on the weather. For centuries, farmers and sailors used signals from animals, plants and celestial bodies to divine a forecast for the next few days.

Most of these signals were developed by individuals who observed weather patterns and plant and animal behavior over long periods of time and devised rules of thumb for correlations between the two.

However, much of this folklore was developed before modern weather instruments were commonly available and before the science of meteorology matured. While they are broadly valid, it is very difficult to use such general rules as accurate predictors.

Animal and plant signals typically relate to temperature, humidity, wind and pressure. A falling barometer typically indicates more inclement weather is on the way, especially if the barometer is falling rapidly.

A wind shift from a land wind to a wind from the ocean, often accompanied by increasing humidity, also typically indicates better chances for clouds and precipitation.

Crickets provide a fairly reliable way of assessing temperature. Count the number of chirps in 15 seconds, and add 37. Also there is a piece of folklore stating when woolly bear caterpillars in one`s location have more black than brown/orange segments, the winter will be harsher than usual.

Birds and bats are rather sensitive to pressure. They tend to fly in the most dense air as this allows them glide along most efficiently. If you observe the movement of birds and bats in your locality over time, you will find that birds tend to fly lower to the ground or even roost on the ground when the pressure is lower.

One fairly reliable way of telling the wind direction is via cows. Their tails tend to point in the direction of the wind. This is based on instinct - a cow with its tail pointed toward the wind can sense the smell of an invader approaching from behind and thus turn around to face the invader.

Several animals are very sensitive to humidity. When relative humidity increases, the threads of spider webs soak up the moisture and become thick and can sometimes break. Such webs were made in dry air and cannot easily adapt to the increase in moisture.

One good sign of low relative humidity is a cat licking itself. They do this because in dry air cat fur builds up positive electrons and cats are often subject to shocks when they come in contact with other objects. By adding moisture to themselves, the cats help to mute the positive charges.

In addition, various plants such as chickweed, dandelions, bindweeds, wild indigo, clovers, and tulips all fold their petals prior to the rain.

Sailors also developed a folklore to forecast the weather at sea using the state of the sky.

One popular proverb is:

Red sky at night, sailors delight
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.

This proverb relies on the fact that a red sky in the morning means the sky is cloudy to the west but clear to the east (where the sun is rising).

In the mid-latitudes, where storms move from west to east, high wispy cirrus clouds typically are the first to arrive in a given location. On the other hand, a red sky in the evening means the sky is cloudy to the east but clear to the west (where the sun is setting).

Other well-known sky signals are halos and sun dogs. A sun dog is an optical effect where a mock sun appears around the actual sun. It is formed from ice crystals from high wispy cirrostratus clouds.

A halo occurs around the moon at night under the same circumstances as a sun dog. Both require a fairly solid deck of cirrostratus clouds indicating advancing high level moisture that often precedes an organized storm with precipitation.

One thing to keep in mind is that a glance at the sky at a particular time provides quite limited information. Cirrus clouds are not necessarily associated with organized storms. More reliable forecasts can be obtained by observing the sky throughout the day, over a period of time.

On the other hand, long-term observations of weather conditions have verified that east of the Rockies, when high wispy cirrus clouds which thicken into a solid deck, precipitation occurs within 24 hours about 70% of the time.

All in all, observations of the sky and of wind and pressure signals can provide meaningful information about short-term weather conditions.

However, they are best applied as supplements to large-scale weather information, such as satellite, radar and maps of current weather conditions. In order to tell the weather, you need to do more than just look out your window.

Look for more WeatherBug articles on seasonal weather folklore, sun dogs, sun pillars and other phenomena.




May 21, 2004: Five years ago, New York City auctioned land to the highest bidder. Of the lots on the auction block, 113 contained community gardens that had served as neighborhood parks for anywhere from 10 to 25 years. In the final hours of May 14, 1999, the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit land conservation organization, finalized the purchase of 63 of the gardens and the other 50 were sold to the New York Restoration Project. All told, the final price was $4.2 million.

The auction was protested by hundreds of people at demonstrations from January through May. The auction was ultimately held up by lawsuits brought by New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and others, putting the city in a position where it was willing to make a deal with the Trust for Public Land, which had made multiple offers to purchase the gardens to protect them as public open space.

“We just couldn’t bear the thought of the gardens being converted to other uses,” Andy Stone, director of TPL’s New York City Program, which has been working to establish, protect, and support New York City gardens since 1978.

Since that fateful day, the Trust for Public Land has been working with the gardens to ensure their long-term sustainability as public open spaces, investing more than $1.5 million in capital improvements—such as water systems, fences, and sidewalks—and setting them up for the future. A key part of the ongoing management of the gardens has been the establishment of new nonprofits: three urban land trusts, which, when combined, form the largest community garden land trust in the country.

“It was important to us that these sites continue to be managed by the communities that lovingly and painstakingly created them,” said Stone. “A second but equally important goal was to train gardeners to play a lead role in running and operating new land trusts with all of the rights and responsibilities that come along with being landowners.”

“The Trust for Public Land saved us,” said Loretta Welcome, president of the Clayton Williams Garden. “We have a lot of people who care about holding onto this little piece of open space, and they made that possible.”

Welcome has been gardening in her Central Harlem neighborhood for eight years. “I knew how to grow plants, but if you asked about recruiting new members, community organizing, or fundraising, I wouldn’t have known where to start. Now I’ve learned about all of those things and more thanks to the training provided by the Trust for Public Land and we have a larger membership and more community events as a result.”

The Trust for Public Land’s intensive land trust formation program has involved working with the land trust leadership and overall membership of more than 700 community members to provide training and mentoring in the legal, organizational, ownership, and governance issues related to forming and operating urban land trusts.

The formal incorporation of the Manhattan Land Trust, Bronx Land Trust, and Brooklyn Queens Land Trust took place in March 2004. Their nonprofit status is secured and they have written and agreed to formal bylaws for governance, established boards of directors, and will hire staff later in 2004. All three of these membership organizations are rare examples of major land trusts populated primarily by people of color, and governed by an extraordinary group of racially, culturally, and economically diverse people that includes not only the gardeners themselves but also professional resource people on the boards of directors.

“Once they’ve settled in as organizations, we’ll then transfer actual ownership of the gardens,” said Stone, a step he expects will be made in 2005.


COMMITTEE Members NEEDED

Two BQLT committee meetings were held on January 10, 2004 and February 7, 2004(Communications and Operations). Possibly due to the frigid weather, only a few faithful members attended. The keyword here is FEW. We need more BQLT members to work and represent their gardens. Our work is not yet done. The next Operations meeting will be held at York College on March 6, 2004. Look on our calendar page for address and travel directions.

In order for the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust to function and flourish, we need the garden members to participate in all of the various committees.

Planning for the 2004 activities and budget have to be completed. The February 28 membership meeting has been postponed. This meeting will only take place if/when our incorporation process has been completed. The Banking Commission has yet to sanction the use of the term "Trust" in our name...we are not a financial institution.

There are several organizational tasks that need to be completed:

A BQLT logo contest will begin as soon as you receive the mailing announcing it. It will end on March 31 and the judging should be completed by April 30, 2004. A logo that visually portrays what our land trust represents (mission and purpose) is needed. All member gardens are asked to participate.

Three resource persons must be recruited.

Licensing agreements, communications and other operational policies need to be created and/or completed.

Member Garden webpages need information, news, and pictures to be added. Each garden has to decide on content, including activities, member introductions, events, histories, and the like.

Office space search is ongoing.

Staff need to be recruited, interviewed and hired.

Public Relations people are needed to create brochures, tip sheets, and other information re: BQLT. The time for planning and brain storming is now.

Fundraising. Ongoing activity. Enough said.

Newsletter staff need to meet and plan.

Mailings


We have the skeleton. Now we need the flesh (garden members). Please don't think you are not necessary to the functioning of the organization.
If you're creative in any of these areas, have ideas, wish to help, or even if you're undecided, come sit in at one of the meetings.

People interested in potentially becoming BQLT Board Members, remember: one measurement of interest in and commitment to the land trust is discerned by attendance at meetings and/or working within one (or more) of the BQLT committees. The Board term is staggered: nearly half of the board will step down after a year of service. Those seats will become available. Re-election is not assured.

Currently, most of the committees need more garden member participation. Please notify your garden representative or the particular committee chairperson of your interest. Your encouragement, expertise, and help are needed and most welcomed.

What to do in the garden
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The first of January may be the start of the Roman calendar year, but as far as gardening is concerned it is only the beginning of the end, spring being more commonly regarded as the start for gardeners. However, in January in favored areas some plants begin to flower, snowdrops, winter aconites and winter heliotrope with its delicious fragrance; others such as Christmas roses, winter jasmine and witch-hazel may also provide some flower.

A wander round the garden on a sunny January day will point to seasonal jobs, in spite of its still being the close season for most plants. Bud pecking by birds, particularly of ornamental cherries, may be in full swing; one of the repellent sprays will help in milder areas. Supporting stakes and ties of shrubs and trees may be renewed; snow should be shaken off branches, if possible, before they break; shelter and protection of small or tender plants may need strengthening. This is one of the worst times of the year for bark stripping by rabbits and mice, particularly in snowy weather, so make sure all is well. You can still plant woody specimens (shrubs and trees)where winters are less severe, when the soil is friable and crumbly, but not too cold nor too wet.

Borders can still be mulched. If you are a chrysanthemum fan, cuttings of winter flowering varieties need taking now, and of course will need some heat, in a propagating frame in the greenhouse; carnation cuttings can be put in as well. Bulbs for forcing, including tulips, hyacinths and narcissi that have been placed in the root cellar or plunged outside, may be brought inside at regular intervals.

Keep the greenhouse temperature up, the atmosphere not too damp, and ventilate slightly, even in severe cold; clean out rigorously all fallen vegetation, as botrytis (gray mold) thrives on this and is at its worst in cold, damp conditions.

But mostly the ornamental garden can be left to look after itself at this time of the year, and one can sit back in a comfortable chair by the fire and indulge one's self in dreams of sheets of color, from perfectly grown plants, superbly blended and covering every inch of the ground. Seed for this spectacle should be ordered now from the new catalogs. Annuals, biennials and bedding plants can all be ordered; some of the more easily grown annuals for quick display are echium, godetia, calendula, (pot marigold), limnanthes annual chrysanthemum, cornflower, nigella (lovein-a-mist), night-scented stock, forget-me-not, nasturtium, larkspur and a variety of ornamental grasses, for sewing in later in spring. Biennials for May and June sowing are foxgloves (the modern hybrids are delightful), sweet Williams, Canterbury bells and wallflowers (all good home garden plants). Pansies, honesty, sweet rocket and clary can be added, and a really striking and handsome plant is the mullein called Verbascum bombyciferum, with a rosette of great soft furry gray leaves, and a 5 or 6 ft. spire of white woolly buds unfolding to produce pale yellow flowers.

The bedding plants can be started in February from seed-petunias, nemesias, ageratums, bedding dahlias, impatiens, lobelias, tobacco plants (nicotiana) and dwarf phlox are some to sow in a warm greenhouse.

Where weather conditions are favorable, apples and pears may be pruned, so can cherries and plums, provided there are no diseases about such as silver leaf or bacterial canker; otherwise the wounds are very easily infected, and such trees are best left uncut until summer. Redcurrants and gooseberries can have their summer pruning completed by cutting the remains of the year's new lateral shoots back to 2-in. stubs. Raspberry canes should be tipped and ties renewed where necessary. Dormant oil spray can be sprayed on to top fruit and soft fruit bushes to kill the overwintering eggs of aphids and sap-suckers, spraying a drenching wash to run-off; it will clean off lichen and moss as well. In colder areas all these operations should be delayed until February or early March.

If peaches, almonds and nectarines are showing signs of bursting at the end of January, spray with a copper or sulfur fungicide to ward off leaf curl, again giving a drenching spray to run-off. Look for small mammal damage to bark of trunks; continue planting in suitable weather.

The vegetable front is the quietest, but even here there are jobs to be done where the ground is unfrozen. Cultivation and adding bulky organic materials such as well-rotted manure, compost and moist peatmoss, especially if you have a sandy soil, is one and, on a cold, sunny winter's day, taken easily, this is a not unpleasant task, and one finishes glowing with virtue as well as exertion. Dress with lime, but only if the soil is very acid and, in any case, not at the same time as the working in of the bulky organic materials; allow an interval of at least six weeks between the two.

Decide on your plan of campaign for rotating you vegetalbe crops; this enables use to be made of all nutrients in the soil and avoids the build-up of such troubles as eelworms, clubroot, scab and so on. Rotating means what it says; every year one of three (or four) different categories of vegetables is grown on a given piece of ground; the following year those types grown on plot (A) are grown on a second piece and their place of the previous year taken by a second (B) collection. In due course the vegetables in collection (C) are grown on the original piece of ground, and so sets revolve round, using three different soil sites.

In general, vegetables for this purpose are considered in the following categories: brassicas such as cabbages, cauliflowers, sprouts, savoys, also lettuce, mustard and cress, and radish; potatoes; legumes, e.g. peas and beans; root crops-carrot, turnip, parsnip, beet. Onions are left to themselves and can safely be planted in the same piece of ground for many years, where they seem to do better than if moved about. If there is not much space they can, however, be grown with the roots and legumes.

In a rotation, potatoes can be followed the next season by the roots and legumes, and they in turn are succeeded by the leaf crops, brassicas and salads.

There is no need to manure before planting potatoes, since the ground will have been dressed early the previous winter for the brassicas which will have just preceded the potatoes; it is, however, a good idea in most instances to mix in a general compound powder fertilizer a week or so before putting out the sets. After the potatoes have been lifted, manure can be applied in the fall where peas and beans are to go in spring, but for the root crops potash only need be given, and that a few weeks before sowing or planting. For both again, a general fertilizer shortly before sowing or planting is advisable.

In the third winter, compost or manure can be given before the brassicas, and by this time lime may also be necessary, allowing an interval of about two months between the two dressings. Since the leaf crops have such a large area of top growth, an application of a nitrogenous fertilizer while growing is advisable.

Tidying up vegetable debris, such as old Brussels sprout plants and cabbage tops is very necessary to keep pests and diseases at bay. Some vegetables can be sown in heat in the greenhouse: these include tomatoes, carrots, onions, leeks, radishes and bush beans, in a temperature of 6o°F (15-16°C).

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Garden by ZONE
Go online and find out which zone you garden in. Learn it now and then plan your chores for the new year. TO FIND PLANTING ZONE: http://www.backyardgardener.com/zone/index.html
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PREVENT ROAD SALT DAMAGE TO TREES

Although road salt is a welcome icy-weather remedy to motorists, trees along the roadsides don’t appreciate its harsh effects.

Gary Johnson, an urban forester with the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, says road salt hurts trees in two ways: Salt spray from passing cars can kill buds and twigs and disfigure both broadleaf and ever green trees and shrubs; and salt accumulation in the soil can cause abnormal fall color, needle-tip burn and browning that starts on leaves’ edges and progresses toward their middle veins.

If you fear the soil around your trees has taken in too much road salt over the winter, flush the soil with water in the spring when it thaws. This should send salts beyond the trees’ root zones, where they can’t harm the trees.

To prevent road-salt damage to your trees and shrubs, Gary has a few tips.

Avoid de-icing salts — Use coarse sand to help make sidewalks and driveways less slippery. If you must use salt, use as little as possible.

Keep your plants and trees healthy — A healthy plant is better equipped to survive salt spray and accumulation.

Use barriers — Protect sensitive plants with plastic fencing, burlap or snow fencing.

Plant salt-tolerant plants near busy streets and intersections — These include Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra), Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ‘Fastigiata’) and winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus).

Plant salt-intolerant trees away from the road, such as crabapples (Malus spp.), white spruce (Picea glauca) and Japanese yew (Taxus spp.), .
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Garden Crafts. Recipes, Tips

JANUARY RECIPEs
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PINACH AND PASTA SOUP

The wonderful aroma of this soup is just the thing to come home to on a cold winter's day. Not only does it taste great (even spinach-haters have gobbled it up!), but it's quick and easy to make. It keeps for up to four days in the refrigerator.


1 pound turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 can (28 ounces) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained
1 quart chicken stock
2-1/2 quarts water
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1 bag (10 ounces) spinach, cleaned and finely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained

HEAT AN extra-large soup kettle over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown, breaking it up with a spoon. Add the onion and garlic, and saute 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon. Stir in the stock and 1 quart of the water, and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Then add spinach, beans, and remaining quart of water (add extra water, if needed), and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender. Add salt to taste. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

from Old Farmer's Almanac
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Granny Smith Apple Coffee Cake

3 Granny Smith apples
1 cup Canola oil
2 cups + 3 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs (or eggbeaters)
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon real vanilla
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon maple extract
1 teaspoon salt

Spray angle food pan with Pam. Peel, core, slice apples; combine with 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Sift flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt into bowl. Make well; pour oil, eggs, orange juice, vanilla and maple extract into center; stir with wood spoon. Spoon 1/3 of mixture into pan. Then, ring 1/3 apples on top. Make sure apples are not too wet and don't touch pan sides. Repeat twice more. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes more. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Freezes well.

How do you like me now?
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The following is Executive Chef Fortunato Nicotra of Felidia, one of Manhattan's top rated Italian restaurants, new recipe for butternut squash:

Butternut Squash Flan with Spinach and Fonduta Sauce

Flan:

1 lb. butternut squash pulp
6 eggs
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cups heavy cream
3 tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg
Nonstick baking spray
1/4 lb. grated Parmigiano Reggiano


Cut squash in half; bake at 300° for 45 minutes. Cool; scoop out pulp; pass through sieve. Saut?© onions in olive oil. In a blender, puree squash and onion. Add Parmigiano; blend. Add eggs and nutmeg. Blend. Add heavy cream; blend for 2 minutes - medium speed. Mixture should be liquid but not thin. Season to taste. Spray individual molds with nonstick spray; fill. Bake at 300° in bain marie (water bath) for 40 minutes.

Spinach:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 lb. spinach leaves cleaned
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste

Saut?© garlic in butter; add spinach, season; braise until spinach is wilted.

Fonduta Sauce:

1/2 lb. Fontina cheese, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks

Soak cheese in milk for 2 hours. Over double boiler, whisk cheese and milk. Add butter; whisk until mixture becomes smooth. Add egg yolks; whisk until mixture becomes smooth.

Line plates with fondata sauce; set spinach in center; place each flan on top of spinach; decorate with butternut squash chips (fried thin slices of fresh squash).

HERB AND VEGETABLE GARDENING TIPS

VEGETABLE GARDENING TIPS

Plants that require insect pollination like members of the squash family may produce small, malformed fruits or fruits that drop prematurely. This is usually caused by low bee activity. Remove spent blooms from the end of summer squash fruit to avoid fruit rot.

Blossom-end rot of tomato, pepper, squash and watermelon may be observed now. The bottom end of the fruit bottoms becomes brown and rotted. Promptly remove any fruits that have blossom-end rot or are badly malformed. The disease is caused by a lack of calcium in developing fruits and is brought on by dry conditions. Water your plants deeply and regularly and keep them mulched. Tomato plants may need 1-2 gallons of water each at least twice a week during droughty periods.

Garlic can be harvested when tops begin to die back- usually by the last week in June or the first week in July. Allow bulbs to dry in the sun for a day before storing. New potatoes can be harvested when plants are in full bloom. Seed for fall crops of broccoli and cauliflower should be sown in containers by the 3rd to 4th week in July. Late crops of squash, beans and cucumbers can be direct sown through the end of July.

Remove the ground suckers that emerge from the base of tomato plants. These suckers can be planted the first week in July for a late tomato crop. Support your corn plants with two strands of strong twine around the perimeter of your planting at 3 feet and 5 feet in height. This will help prevent wind damage.

Perpetual spinach, mountain orach and Swiss chard are good heat tolerant salad greens for Maryland. 'Grand Rapids', 'Red Sails', 'Deer Tongue', 'Slobolt', 'Bronze Arrowhead' and all oak-leaf type lettuces are some of the heat tolerant looseleaf lettuce varieties that can be sown now. Jericho is a romaine type lettuce developed in Israel that is supposed to be very heat tolerant. Keep lettuces fertilized and watered and covered with a shade cloth if possible.

Control weeds in the vegetable garden by laying down sections of newspaper covered with straw.

Pests:

The adults, larvae and eggs of Mexican bean beetle can be handpicked. The adults have 16 spots, coppery-colored wing covers and resemble ladybird beetles. The adults and larvae skeletonize bean leaves. A parasitic wasp, known as Pediobius faveolatus, is an excellent biological control agent for the Mexican bean beetle. You can actually purchase these beneficial insects from the Maryland Department of Agriculture (410.841.5920) and release them into your garden.

Japanese beetle adults are feeding heavily at this time. They can be a pest of vegetable plants. The beetles will drop to the ground when disturbed. The best control technique is to simply knock the beetles into a bucket of soapy water. Single Japanese beetle traps will attract Japanese beetles to your landscape resulting in increased damage.

Striped and spotted cucumber beetles are actively feeding on foliage and blossoms of cucurbits. These pests transmit bacterial wilt disease which causes mature cucumber and muskmelon plants to wilt and die. They should be controlled with insecticides or excluded with floating row covers. 'County Fair' is the only cucumber variety available with genetic resistance to this disease.

Slugs produce round holes in the leaves of many different plants. Slugs reproduce around garden structures, like rock walls and railroad ties and in shaded, moist areas covered with thick groundcovers. You can control them with shallow containers of beer or a molasses, water and yeast mixture. The slugs crawl into the containers and drown. You can also set out boards and grapefruit rinds which will attract the slugs. Turn the boards and rinds over in the morning and destroy the slugs. There is a relatively new organic product called Sluggo (iron phosphate) which is available. Recent research indicates that coffee sprayed on slugs or coffee grounds sprinkled around plants can control slugs.

Aphids continue to feed on a wide variety of vegetable plants. It is usually not necessary to spray insecticides or release beneficials to control aphids. If necessary, an application of insecticidal soap or ultra fine horticultural oil will kill aphids, spider mites, whitefly and thrips. Flea beetles are also active now on eggplant. They are very small, shiny black beetles that jump when disturbed. They can be controlled with labeled insecticides or by dusting plants with flour, calcitic lime or wood ash or they can be excluded with a floating row cover. The row cover will also exclude pollinators like bumblebees which may reduce yield and fruit size. Spinosad (Bulls-Eye) is a microbial insecticide and neem is a botanical insectide. Both are somewhat effective organic controls for flea beetle, Colorado potato beetle, cucumber beetle and a variety of caterpillar pests.

Imported cabbageworm is active on mustard family members like broccoli and cabbage. They are small, cream colored caterpillars that become velvety green when fully grown. They chew large irregular holes in leaves and leave black droppings. Handpick them or spray with a B.t. product when larvae are small.

Squash vine borer adults are laying eggs on squash and pumpkin stems. Monitor plants for signs of wilting and entrance holes on lower stems. You may see sawdust-like frass around the hole. Stems may contain more than one larva. They can feed inside the stems for up to 2 weeks. Here's the easiest and surest method of control: cut a slit above the hole with a razor, remove the 1 inch long white larva with a brown head, and mound up soil around the wound.

Young tomato plants may be exhibiting symptoms of various leaf spot diseases such as gray leaf spot, septoria and early blight. Remove badly infected lower leaves, keep a thick organic mulch around plants and avoid overhead watering. Applications of tri-basic copper will slow down severe infections. Be sure to offer proper support to growing tomato plants. Pepper and eggplant also benefit from being supported by a low trellis or wire cage. The suckers or succulent shoots that develop from the tomato plants at the soil line should be removed throughout the season. You can plant these suckers for a late crop.
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HERB GARDENING TIPs

Cut back herbs through the summer to keep plants bushy and productive. Essential oils are most concentrated right before bloom. Now is a good time to propagate herbs by stem cuttings.

Aphids are still active on various herb plants. Japanese and June beetle adults are out feeding on basil foliage. Sage, lavender, tarragon and rosemary grow best in full sun in gravelly, well-drained soil. These herbs tend not to grow or overwinter as well in fertile soils high in organic matter.
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Garden Miscellaneous

New Year's Resolution or Hope for 2004

Goals:
Number one goal — the eradication of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. "If we do not eradicate it in its present quarantined areas, by 2020 there probably won't be a maple tree left in the Northeast. Its prime diet is maple and once it's in a tree, it's dead."

So far, quarantined areas include parts of Long Island and Manhattan and just outside the Lincoln Tunnel on the Jersey side. There are no chemical controls for the beetles and they can live inside a tree trunk for two years where no insecticides last long enough to kill them. The only control now is to chip and incinerate the tree and its entire root system.

The beetle came from China in the early '90s in green, raw lumber and packing crates for plumbing parts and antiques, and was found in 34 warehouses in the U.S.


BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month was started by Dr. Carter G. Goodson. In 1915 he formed the Association for the study of African life and in 1926 launched the study of African people history known then as 'Negro History week', which stressed the importance of each African person educating him or herself and taking practical pride in their history. As a tribute to his vision the week was turned into Black History Month in 1976. It is celebrated in February in the USA and in October in Britain.

Events listed in "Things to Do In Brooklyn and Queens"

Family Activities: Festivals, films, museums, playground activities, tours


Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden Ongoing Children’s Programing

October 2 & 3 -
Scarecrow and Harvest Weekend
Create a fall field notebook, fruit-and-seed scavenger hunt, sip cider while choosing fall outfit for a scarecrow, make a corn husk doll to take home.

October 30 & 31 - Goodnight Garden and Goblin Fun
Pick summer’s last vegetables and taste autumn’s new harvest. Don a crown of fall flowers. Cover the garden beds with a mulch blanket. Give a pumpkin a funny face. Pot up a spider plant to take home.

November 19 thru January 9, 05 - Winter Wonderland of Gingerbread Houses at ‘Gingerbread Adventures.'

–Fridays 1:30–5:30; weekends 10–4:30.
The New York Botanical Garden.
718 - 817-8747 or http://www.nybg.org

_________________________________________________Ongoing Tours/Exhibits/Attractions

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Weekend Discovery Carts - Every Sat, 1–3 pm

These carts offer in-depth opportunities for children & adults to learn about plants & natural objects.

Worms on Wednesdays
Drop by, roll back your sleeves, and see what we’re digging up in the Discovery Garden! Drop in between 1 & 3 pm

Brooklyn Children's Museum

Little Scientist
Investigate the world of natural science with hands-on activities. Every Wed, 11am-noon & 2:30-3:30 pm

Tales for Tots
Hear tales from around the world, sing songs, and get moving to music. Every Thurs, 11am-noon & 2:30-3:30 pm

Art Work!
Get color crazy and create beautiful artwork. Every Fri, 11am-noon & 2:30-3:30 pm

Brooklyn Museum of Art
Arty Facts
Children ages four to seven and their adult friends explore the galleries and create art. Every Sat & Sun, 11 am and 2 pm

Stories & Art
Storytellers tell tales inspired by the Museum’s collections. Every Sat, 4 pm

Prospect Park Alliance

Carousel $1. At the Children’s Corner near Flatbush Ave. & Empire Blvd. (718) 282-7789.
Thurs-Sun & holidays, 12–5 pm

Lefferts Historic House
Tuesday-Friday, school groups by appointment.
Thurs-Sun & holidays, 12–5 pm

Pedal Boating $10 for one hour rental, plus $10 refundable deposit.
Sat, Sun & holidays, 12- 5 pm

Audubon Center and Caf?© at the Boathouse
Free. Near Lincoln Rd. & Ocean Ave. (718) 287-3400.
Thurs-Sun & holidays, 12 – 5 pm

Electric Boat Tours
$5 for ages 13 & up; $3 for ages 3-12. Children under 3 ride free.
Sat, Sun & holidays, 12-5 pm

Prospect Park Nestlings
A fun program of storytelling, music or crafts for 3 to 5 year olds and their caregivers. Free. Every Fri, 2 pm

Prospect Park Green Team
Learn about the natural wonders of Prospect Park in this drop-in program for children ages 9-13. Every Wed, 3:30–5 pm

Discover Nature Tours
Free. Every Sat & Sun, 3 pm

Introduction to Birdwatching Tours
Free. Every Sat, 12 pm

Prospect Park Zoo

Daily Sea Lion Feeds
Come out and enjoy the California Sea Lion feedings or feed the animals at our barn.
Daily, 11:30am, 2pm, 4pm


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Gallery Exhibition

Upcoming Events throughout Metro area
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New York Transit Museum (formerly Court Street Station)
Boerum Place & Schermerhorn, Downtown Brooklyn

Sun:10am

architect: NYC Transit, 1936

services: access for wheelchairs, restrooms available

Description: Behind-the-scenes tour of this de-commissioned subway station, including tower, signals, switches, and other seldom-seen inner workings. Exhibits include photographs by Christopher Payne of NYC's forgotten substations.

reserve in advance 718.694.1794
Travel directions: subway: 2, 3, 4 to Borough Hall; N, R to Court Street
bus: B25, B41, B61, B63

www.mta.info/mta/museum

The Green-Wood Cemetery
500 West 25th Street, Sunset Park

Sat: tours at 1:00pm, 2:45pm
tour at reserve in advance 718.788.7850

architect: David Bates Douglass, 1838

services: restrooms available, parking

Description: A vast and gracious park-like landscape, with three-quarter square miles of elaborate mini-palaces, stunning views and 150 years of the rich and famous. Marks first public access to the catacombs in 165 years.

Travel directions: subway: R to 25th Street


QUEENS

Astoria Pool
19th Street & 23rd Avenue, Astoria
Sat: tours at 10am, 11:30am, max 30 at a time

architect: NYC DP&R

Description:See the engineered underpinnings beneath this vast 330-foot Art Deco pool, and appreciate its original details, as well as spectacular views across the East River.

Travel directions: subway: N, W to Astoria Blvd
bus: Q19A
www.nyc.gov/parks

Fort Totten
212 St. and Bell Boulevard, Bayside
Sat:10, 12, 2pm
Sun:10, 12, 2pm max 30 at a time

architect: Robert E. Lee, 1864

Description: One of New York's great castles, this fort guarded her watery approaches. This 163-acre fort sweeps down to the East River with battlements, gothic features, expansive grounds and storied history.
Travel directions: subway: 7 to Main Street for buses
bus: Q13 or Q16 from Main Street
www.nyc.gov/parks

King Manor Museum King Park, Jamaica Avenue, between 150th St. & 153rd St., Jamaica
Sat:1pm - 5pm
Sun:1pm - 5pm tours at every half hour

architect: unknown, 1750-1810

services: access for wheelchairs, restrooms available, bookshop/gift shop

Description: Home of Rufus King, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, one-time presidential candidate and abolitionist. Purchased and expanded in the Federal style in 1805, it is now surrounded by an 11-acre park.

Travel directions: subway: E, J, Z to Jamaica Center
bus: Q24, Q42, Q43, 44, Q54, Q56, Q83


Kingsland Homestead
143-35 37th Avenue, Flushing (Freedom Mile)

Sat:2:30pm-4:30pm, last entry 4pm
Sun:2:30pm-4:30pm

architect: unknown

services: restrooms available, bookshop/gift shop

Description: This farmhouse, now home of the Queens Historical Society, features characteristically local elements like Dutch-style front and back doors, a double parlor, and a large side hall. Exhibits feature local history.

Travel directions: subway: 7 to Main Street
bus: Q13, Q14, Q16, Q17, Q20, Q25, Q28, Qx32, Q34, Q44


Old Quaker Meeting House
137-16 Northern Boulevard between Union and Main Streets, Flushing

Sat:10am-4pm, last entry 3:45pm
Sun:12-4pm, last entry 3:45pm

architect: unknown, 1694

services: access for wheelchairs, restrooms available, parking

Description: The oldest house of worship in NYC, this timbered structure was built by the Quaker community and has been in continous use by the congregation of Friends.

Travel directions: subway: 7 to Main Street
bus: Q14, Q20A, Q25, Q34, Q44, Q65, Q66


The Hindu Temple Society of America
45-57 Bowne Street between Union and Main Streets, Flushing

Sat:9am-7pm
Sun: tours at 9am-7pm, max 20 at a time

architect: Ganapathi/ Muthiah Stapathi, 1977
services: access for wheelchairs, restrooms available, food/beverages, bookshop/gift shop, parking

Description: Built conforming to ancient codes, an elaborately detailed carved temple with black stone statuary and decoration imported from India.

Travel directions: subway: 7 to Main Street
bus: Q17, Q27, Q65

www.nyganeshtemple.org


GENERAL INFORMATION at Queens Botanic Garden (QBG): (718) 886-3800

Closed Mondays year-round, except legal holidays.

Admission: Free

Parking: Parking is available in the Garden’s lot on Dahlia Avenue. There is a $5 fee to park at QBG:
on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 am to 6 pm, from mid March through September,
and on weekdays,
from July 1 through September 1 (Labor Day), from 9 am to 5 pm.

JUST FOR KIDS!
Series of weekend workshops for children ages 3 to 12 with QBG instructors and friends. Space is limited. Arrive early and register in Plant Shop before each program, to guarantee a place! Workshops begin promptly and last approximately one hour.

Registration required.
Contact: Education department, (718) 886-3800, ext. 229. The Children’s Garden has support from HSBC in the Community (USA), Inc.


The Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Building Project is under way. MoMA's exhibition programs have moved to MoMA QNS, 33 Street at Queens Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens

MoMA is not just expanding; it is creating an entirely new Museum, with more than double the space for its exhibitions and programs. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi and opening in 2005, the new MoMA will feature 630,000 square feet of new and redesigned space. Two buildings will frame the enlarged Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden: a new gallery building will house the main exhibition galleries, and the Museum's first stand-alone Education and Research Center will provide over five times more space for MoMA's education programs and scholarly resources.

Family Programs

Lefferts Historic House
MUSEUM AND EVENTS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

In the 18th and 19th century people whose origins were Europe, Africa and North America inhabited Flatbush village and the area around it. Lefferts Historic House, a farmhouse built c. 1783, is a museum for children and adults that focuses its research, programming and exhibitions on the day-to-day lives of these real people.

Museum Telephone: (718) 789-2822

Location: Lefferts Homestead is located in Prospect Park on Flatbush Avenue between the Zoo and Carousel (near Empire Boulevard).

· Groups of ten or more must call to make a reservation at 718/789-2822.

· First floor exhibits and period rooms are accessible via a ramp to the first floor. 2nd Floor exhibits are reproduced on the 1st floor with “Upstairs Downstairs” materials that utilize models and photographs.

Gardening Club. Everyone is welcome to join the Thursday Gardening Club and help plant, weed, thin, water and harvest vegetables in the museum’s garden. Learn how to make compost and find many different garden critters. To join the Gardening Club, come and sign-up any Thursday at the Homestead from 1:30 – 3:30. All ages and levels of experience are welcome.

Sewing Club. Visitors of all ages and skill levels can join the Friday Sewing Club. Visitors can learn basic sewing techniques or work on their own projects. To join the Sewing Club, come and sign-up any Friday at the Homestead from 1:30 – 3:30. All ages and levels of experience are welcome.

NEW YORK STATE PARKS

Valley Stream State Park, Box 670, Valley Stream, NY 11580 Phone: (516) 825-4128

What: Valley Stream State Park is a day-use picnic facility next to a highly-developed residential area. The park offers picnic areas with tables, fireplaces and grills; children's play areas; horseshoe, volleyball, basketball, bocce ball courts; ball fields; nature trails, and cross-country ski trails. The Squirrel Nut and Hickory Nut nature trails give children the opportunity to explore the various habitats within the park. The park has a walking course, a half-mile loop with 15 stations, at which walkers can complete a variety of stretching and strengthening exercises. NO PETS ALLOWED.

Seasons/Hours: Open year round, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Empire Passport Accepted/The Passport provides access to most of the 164 state parks, 50 Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) forest preserve areas, as well as to boat launch sites, arboretums and park preserves. Available for $59, the Passport can be used from April 1 to March 31 of the following year

Calendar of events
Directions: 18 miles from Manhattan, on the Southern State Parkway within the Town of Hempstead.

Contact: (315) 769-8663 for details

Bear Mountain State Park, Palisades Interstate Park Commission, Bear Mountain, NY 10911 Phone: (845) 786-2701

Directions: 45 miles north of New York City. Accessible from the Palisades Interstate Parkway or I-87.

Description: Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River. The Bear Mountain Inn overlooks Hessian Lake and provides food and overnight accommodations. The park features a large play field, shaded picnic groves, a dock on the Hudson for mooring small craft, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, a zoo and nature, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails, and ski-jumps. An outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March. The Perkins Memorial Tower atop Bear Mountain affords views of the park, the Hudson Highlands and Harriman State Park.

Seasons/Hours: Open year round.

Pets: Dogs only, must be muzzled and on a leash, not more than 6 feet. Not allowed in buildings, picnic or bathing areas or on walkways.

Empire Passport Accepted

Calendar of events:
LOOKING FOR A FAMILY ACTIVITY - TRY GARDENING

Gardening is a relaxing antidote to today's increasing pace of life. A fresh air type of meditation that clears your mind of stress and worries, and can be an activity that draws the family together.

One reason kids love the garden is that different rules apply there: you're allowed to get dirty, touch things, and even eat the flowers! Herbs and edible blooms fit well into this plan, releasing their appetizing and alluring aromas when handled. Pinching leaves and nibbling a nasturtium petal enlivens the senses, and can lead to interesting explorations.

In a short time, you see demonstrated positive results of your efforts; and as the growing season progresses, you gain a sense of achievement and pride in your garden. For children, it can be one way of building confidence and self esteem.

Gardens and Gardening

Duke Farms is open by reservation only: (908) 722-3700. The hourlong tours, Wednesday through Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., begin June 4 and continue into November. Tickets: $10. Information: www.ddcf.org.

CURRENT EXHIBITS IN BROOKLYN
Baseball's Back in Brooklyn
On display at the Brooklyn Cyclone's Stadium,
Keyspan Park, Coney Island

Retracing the Revolution. Wartime on Brooklyn's Soil.
Old Stone House, 336 Third Street, Park Slope

Brooklyn Stories and Digging in Downtown
New York Marriott Lobby, Archives Restaurant
333 Adams Street

New Neighbors: Sunset Park's Chinese Community
Chinese Cultural Center
5002 8th Ave., Sunset Park


In Pursuit of Freedom: African-Americans in Brooklyn and the Anti-Slavery Movement
Call for location 718-222-4111


Brooklyn Works: 400 Years of Making a Living in Brooklyn, a new core exhibit is currently being created. Call Brooklyn Historic Society


A HIKE FOR EVERY BOROUGH


There are dozens of trails all over the city that are perfect for rediscovering the great outdoors. Some of the city’s best hikes are listed below, but for a complete overview of hikes in your neighborhood park, call the Urban Park Rangers—they might even be hosting a guided hike somewhere near you. It’s also a good idea to check with the Rangers to get an update on trail conditions, especially if the weather has been rainy. To find the Urban Park Ranger station closest to you, call 1-866-NYC-HAWK.


In Brooklyn, the Salt Marsh Nature Trail is beautiful. The trail lies at the westernmost inlet of Jamaica Bay in Marine Park and begins at the Salt Marsh Nature center. About a mile long, the trail is a gravel path that follows the edge of the salt marsh, giving hikers glimpses of wetland wildlife. In the spring, red-winged blackbirds sing among the cattails and Beach Plum, Henbit and Purple Dead Nettle bloom. A bridge at the beginning of the trail offers hikers a place to look for fiddler and horseshoe crabs. In late spring, the new growth of plants and flowers sometimes becomes so thick that they nearly engulf the trail, creating a green buffer that surrounds the trail and muffles urban distractions.


A hike through Alley Pond Park in Queens will lead you around glacial "Kettle Ponds." The park lies on a glacier-formed ridge of sand and rock that marks the southern terminus of the Minnesota Ice Sheet. The "Kettle Ponds" were formed by buried chunks of ice that melted and formed pools when the glacier receded. Water drains into the valley from the hills and bubbles up from natural springs, mixing with the salt water from Little Neck Bay. The ponds are host to freshwater and saltwater wetlands, tidal flats, meadows, and forest, creating a complex ecosystem that gives curious hikers a huge variety of animal and plant life to observe.


City of New York Parks & Recreation Daily Planet Newsletter

At MoMA Film at The Gramercy Theatre:
Fees: Tickets are $10, $8 for members, $5 for students, and can be purchased only in person at the MoMA QNS Lobby Ticketing Desk, 33 Street at Queens Boulevard; and, the Visitor Center at MoMA Design Store, 44 West 53 Street, Manhattan. Remaining tickets will be available at the door on the evening of the program. No phone registration.
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