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GARDEN TIPS: Now is a good time to plant cover crops

By Bob Beyfuss

The weatherman predicted possible frost very recently in the northern regions of the Capital District and that includes the higher elevations of the Catskill Mountains, as we enter the first week of September.

This is much too soon for my liking as well as everyone else who is still waiting for their tomato crop to fully ripen. It is within the historical “norm” however, although I do not recall any hard frosts in September in the Hudson Valley and the Capital District in recent memory.

Sadly, my memory is not what it used to be, but I am pretty sure I have not had a killing frost in September in at least the past 10 years.

When people ask me what is the average date of the first killing frost, I have to ask them where they live, exactly. In places near the Hudson River, such as Kingston, the first hard frost may not occur until mid to late October and sometimes it does not happen until mid-November. At elevations above 2,000 feet the usual date is closer to mid or late September.

By the way a “hard frost” is the same as a “killing frost”. Frost itself, just refers to temperatures of 32 degrees, which is the temperature that water freezes at. Most of our garden plants can tolerate this temperature for many hours. It generally requires temperatures in the mid 20s to kill tender garden crops such as squash, beans, tomatoes, eggplant and basil.

Cool season crops such as lettuce, beets, leeks, Swiss chard, cabbage and all its relatives can tolerate much lower temperatures for long periods of time. If frost is predicted for only one or two nights, you can protect your tender crops by draping cloth blankets or sheets over them overnight. Plastic tarps or drop cloths are not nearly as effective.

Typically, temperatures will return to more “normal” levels for days or even weeks after the first few frosty nights. This period of nice weather after a killing frost is referred to as “Indian Summer”.

A hard frost does kill many insects such as mosquitoes but unfortunately, not ticks. Some mosquitoes will also survive and can reproduce quite nicely during Indian Summer. Some, but not all garden pests are also killed by frost. Most of our ornamentals also vary greatly in their frost tolerance. Some of our annual bedding plants such as petunias and snapdragons are quite tolerant of frost while others such as zinnias are more sensitive. When it doubt, get out the blankets!

This is a good time to plant cover crops in places in the garden that are no longer growing vegetables to harvest. Cover crops protect soil from eroding and prevent weeds from taking over, while providing an excellent source of organic matter for the soil. They may be annual plants such as oats or perennial plants such as clover, alfalfa, vetch or winter rye. Legumes, such as clover, vetch or alfalfa are also capable of fixing nitrogen in the soil which will help to nourish crops in subsequent growing seasons. The bigger your garden is, the more important it is to plant cover crops, but even small gardens can benefit from additional organic matter and weed prevention.

Some leguminous cover crops, such as clover and alfalfa, require more than a few weeks to become established and even longer before they can add any significant quantities of nitrogen. If you have a section of garden that can remain fallow for a year, they are excellent choices, but if you plan to plant crops the following spring, you should opt for non-legumes. Winter rye, not ryegrass, is an excellent choice since it can be planted as late as mid-October and will still produce prodigious quantities of organic matter by the following May. The only downside to winter rye is that it will form a pretty solid sod that usually requires mechanical tillage to incorporate it in the springtime. Indeed, this grass like cereal grain will grow to three feet tall by Mid May in most areas. You may have to cut it down before tilling it under which is why farmers often harvest a good hay crop before tilling it in. Winter rye also seems to suppress many weeds by producing an allelleopathic chemical that prevents the weed seeds from germinating. Continued…

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Garden Tips: No time to slack during fall gardening

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As the garden season winds down, many may think it is time to relax. But now is the time to make a checklist of fall gardening chores.

First, fertilize the lawn. Early September and late October are the most important times to do this.

During the hot part of summer, cool-season grasses become stressed. Grass shoot and root growth slows to a stop. But as the weather cools, the grass begins to grow again, establishing new roots increasing lawn thickness. Nitrogen applied in the fall helps the grass recover from the summer stresses.

Washington State University recommends using a quality fertilizer that contains slow-release or controlled-release nitrogen, such as IBDU, sulfur-coated urea or urea formaldehyde. These fertilizers release nitrogen over an extended period of time. Fertilizers with soluble nitrogen, such as ammonium sulfate or urea, are best for late fall fertilization.

Next, take care of weeds. If you just have a few weeds, take them out with a weed digger. If the problem is serious, consider broadleaf weed killers.

For weeds like black medic, bindweed, mallow, dandelions, plantain and clover, use a combination herbicide product containing 2,4 D and MCPP. A lawn product containing triclopyr will help with tough-to-control broadleaf weeds, like oxalis, prostrate spurge, henbit, ground ivy and lawn violets.

It also is a good time to buy spring flower bulbs for planting next month after the weather cools. Keep in mind that more expensive bulbs produce bigger flowers. If your bulbs are packaged in a plastic or closed paper bag, place them in an open, well-ventilated tray in a cool (50 to 60 degrees) spot.

Wait to plant the bulbs until the soil temperature drops below 60 degrees. This temperature allows for root growth without stimulating leaf growth. Don’t forget to water after planting and whenever needed during mild fall and winter weather to keep the soil slightly moist.

Other tasks include:

— raking leaves.

— build a compost pile.

— divide spring and early summer flowering perennials that have become crowded.

— cut to the ground the dead tops of perennial flowers.

— weed and clean away plant refuse in garden and landscape beds.

— aerate lawn if the soil is compacted.

— give all trees, shrubs and perennials a deep watering before the water is shut off.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

Massive Vertical Garden Sets The Stage For Paris Design Week

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Not to be outdone but the recent unveiling of London’s newest green wall, Paris recently became home to it’s own impressive living edifice. Named the Oasis of Aboukir, the living work of art is an homage to biodiversity and the importance of greenery in one of the world’s most famous cities.

Designed by botanist and vertical gardening expert Patrick Blanc, the Oasis was installed on the gable end of a building overlooking three very busy motorways: Montorgueil, Reaumur Sebastopol and Grands Boulevards. Now, the thousands of motorists who pass through “the triangle” every day will enjoy 25 meters of wall planted with some 7,600 plants representing 237 different species.

Image via Patrick Blanc

According to Inhabitat, the City of Light’s newest green wall was planted in celebration of Paris Design Week, an annual event that runs September 9 – 15. Although the lush wall of greenery looks like its been growing for years, construction only began seven short weeks ago. Blanc’s original sketches show a leaf-like pattern reaching diagonally across the building’s face, and he used plant species of varying colors and textures to fill in the design.

Image via Patrick Blanc

The expert planning and quick execution of this luscious living art are the result of a lifetime of study. Blanc has studied living walls since childhood, and invented the first vertical garden in the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industry in Paris in 1986, according to Velib Paris. He has since created plant-based art all over the world, including a vegetable dress for Jean-Paul Gaultier’s fashion show in 2002.

The Oasis of Aboukir will be officially inaugurated on September 10th, during Design Week.

10 Best Garden Design Apps for Your iPad

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Aimed at the serious vegetable, fruit and herb gardener, this app helps plan for next year’s harvest. Fortunately there is a video tutorial to get you started, because the app has many features and, on first look, does not seem intuitive. It will find your location and keep track of plants to grow in your climate and when to plant them. With free registration at gardenplanpro.com, you can keep track of your garden, store a backup plan, and receive email planting reminders. Save up to five years of garden information, including notes about your successes and failures. It will remember where you have planted your crops and alert you if you need to rotate something to a different location.

iPad app Florafolia l Gardenista

Marnie Majorelle, of the Brooklyn garden design firm Alive Structures, recommended this app to me and says it’s helpful if you use native plants. It is a compendium of plants which you can browse or search by specific criteria. Plants are organized by trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, ferns, and vines. You can search by a long list of characteristics including growing conditions (sun exposure, water needs, USDA zone); flower color; leaf shape; autumn foliage color; wildlife benefit (“attracts butterflies”), and season of interest. There is an easy-to-use notes section where you can write comments about a plant and there is a handy “favorites” section.

5. The Landscaper’s Companion—Plant and Garden Reference Guide, $6.99 from Stevenson Software

Another compendium like Florafolio, this app can help you make and organize plant lists for yourself or your clients. Manhattan Garden designer Bruce James of City/Country Gardeners says he uses this app even though he found the search function somewhat difficult to get used to. The Landscaper’s Companion offers an extensive database of plants (it claims 26,000) you can search by various criteria including size, color, cultivation requirements, and resistance to deer. As with Florafolio, there is a “favorites” file for organizing plant selections. You can also email plant lists and individual plant fact sheets… a very handy way for the professional gardener to communicate with clients. To add your own pictures, you have to upgrade to the $9.99 “Professional” version.

garden design app for iPad l gardenista

6. Dirr’s Tree and Shrub Finder, $14.99 from Timber Press

Several garden designers recommended this app to me, which is not surprising since Michael Dirr is a rock star of the horticulture world. His exhaustive The Manual of Woody Landscape Plants ($67.41 at Amazon) is revered and universally depended upon by serious gardeners. The app is based on the classic book and purports to cover 9,400 woody plants including trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. The photos are excellent. Tap on Aesculus parviflora, Bottlebrush Buckeye, and you get a choice of three varieties. Tap on the photo of the species and you get six larger pictures, including an amazing closeup of the flower. However, not every entry is illustrated. Aesculus chinensis, Chinese Buckeye, is one of many with no picture. It’s disappointing, and I’m hoping this will be corrected in updates. Like Landscaper’s Companion, it has a favorites tool and you can email plant info. I found the search function rather mysterious and would have appreciated some instructions.

7. Foolproof Plants for Small Gardens, $2.99 from Sutro Media

This specialized app lists fewer than 100 plants, all handpicked to work in a small garden. There is an informative introduction page which tells you what information is included about each plant and describes how the search function should be used (Dirr app designers, take note). Type in “Echinacea” and you get Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower. Tap on the photo and you get two other shots, all with the photographer’s name noted in the bottom left corner. Along with the usual cultivation tips there is a pronunciation guide and a link to an online nursery where you can buy the plant.

Garden design iPad app for layout and planning l Gardenista

8. Garden Tracker-Bumper Crop, $3.99 from Portable Databases

This app is for the vegetable gardener. It will help you create a graphic illustration of your bed, showing which crops you have planted. You can choose from the pre-loaded list of vegetables with their growing information or add other plants or varieties of your own. After you set up the garden, you can input dates for watering, fertilizing, and harvesting. There is a “Pests” feature with a (non-searchable) list of more than 50 insects and diseases common to vegetable gardens. Unfortunately the photos are quite small, which is frustrating because many pests resemble each other. In what appears to be compensation for that shortcoming, there are links to posts with more information on Wikipedia and Google.

9. Gardening Toolkit HD, $3.99 from Applied Objects

This app lets you select plants from a database and move them into up to four virtual gardens. Because there is no feature to record the dimensions of your actual space, these “gardens” are really just lists of plants. In the database is information about a plant’s cultivation needs, but when you add it to your garden most of the cultivation information disappears. It is frustrating to have to go back to the database every time you want to know more about the plant, although there is a space for making notes. When you add a plant, the app automatically lists the current date as the planting date. This is confusing if you are planning a garden that you will plant later.

10. Perennial Match, $4.99 from Harmony Systems, Inc.

This app contains an easily accessed database of perennials, but its real purpose is to allow you to see how plants look together. You select from a long list that includes a lot of natives and place them in a template that shows their photos side by side. Tap the data button and it will display the requirements for each plant in adjoining columns for easy comparison. If you can’t find the plant you want, it is not difficult to add a photo of it as long as you know both its Latin and common names. The template will only allow a maximum of three plants to be compared at one time, which some users may find limiting.

By the way, if the idea of taking your beautiful, shiny iPad out into the garden with its dirt and water hazards fills you with dread, here’s a tip. Seal it up in a plastic bag. It will stay clean and dry and still respond to your touch.

Want to ID plants and leaves on the fly? See Identify Leaves and Flowers (There’s an iPhone App for That).

For more, see The Top 10 Gardening Apps You Need Now.

Lexington residents create support for nonprofits

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Lexington Minuteman |
9 Meriam Street Lexington, MA 02420

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.

Four suggestions for a new Franklin Square

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Public Spaces

Four suggestions for a new Franklin Square

by Dan Malouff • September 5, 2013 1:07 pm

DC and the National Park Service are partnering to redesign Franklin Square, the largest of the parks lining K Street in downtown DC. As they draw up plans, here are 4 ideas that will help transform Franklin from one of DC’s most underused parks into one of America’s best public spaces.

Franklin Square today. Photo by the author.

Work with the city’s edges

Most of downtown DC’s existing squares pay little attention to what’s around them. They’re laid out symmetrically, with paths emanating outward from a central statue through grass and trees to the street. Each side is close to identical, regardless of what’s across the street. That works well for small spaces like Dupont Circle or McPherson Square, but not for larger ones like Franklin Square.

Larger squares need multiple sub-areas, each with distinct attributes that reflect what’s around them. Franklin Square is big enough that it shouldn’t be symmetrical. The more active 14th Street side should be more welcoming to large numbers of people, and should have more hardscaping and mixed-use. Conversely, the less active 13th Street side should be quieter and more park like.

Embrace transit

One big reason the 14th Street side is more active is the entrance to McPherson Square Metro station at 14th and I Streets. That’s a big opportunity. Rather than treating that as just another corner, no different from the other 3, the new design for Franklin Square should focus acutely on the Metro station. That corner should be the most intense part of the park, and should function as its unofficial center.

New York’s Union Square is a great example of what that might look like, with its hardscaped plaza surrounding a subway entrance, and quieter park area behind.

But the Metro station isn’t the only big transit component to Franklin Square. It’s also a major transfer point for several of DC’s busiest bus routes. The southern edge of Franklin Square, along I Street, is essentially one long transit station, serving hundreds if not thousands of passengers per day.

But Franklin Square’s current layout treats I Street the same as all the others. Landscaping curves away from the sidewalk, and benches face inwards towards the center of the park. As a result, every day tons of bus passengers stand in the grass facing I Street, while most of the benches sit empty, facing the wrong way. Except the grass is actually dirt, because too many people stand in it for grass to grow.

By ignoring bus passengers, Franklin Square’s current layout makes it a worse park, and a worse transit stop. Embracing I Street with better transit amenities would make the whole park better for everyone.

And don’t forget that the northern edge, along K Street, will eventually have streetcar service.

More stuff is better, but make it visible

Franklin Square’s existing layout should teach us one thing, at least: That it’s not always enough to simply plop some green space in the center of the city and hope for the best. If designers phone it in and just build a big grass lawn, the result won’t be any better than what’s there now.

The best parks are surrounded by extremely busy sidewalks, from which pedestrians naturally spill over and hang out. Except for the corner with the Metro station, Franklin Square is surrounded by moderately busy sidewalks, but not extremely busy ones. That means the park needs amenities to draw people.

Interactive features like movable seating, splash fountains, and vendor kiosks are all great ways to add vitality to parks, and should be considered in Franklin Square.

The existing fountain at Franklin Square fails to draw many users because it’s nothing but a squat ledge set in a sunken plaza. It’s impossible to see until you’re right on top of it. If designers want people along the park’s edges to enter and move towards the middle, there need to be highly-visible, interesting-looking things in the middle. That means they need to be taller than 2 feet.

Finally, the park does need a large central landmark. It may make sense to put such a thing at the southwest corner near McPherson Metro rather than the center, but regardless of its location within Franklin Square, there should be some single defining icon, to act as gathering place and landmark. A more grand fountain, or an archway, or a clock tower, or something.

Consider what’s missing from downtown

Since Franklin Square is so much larger than McPherson or Farragut, it can fit things the others can’t. It’s worth asking what amenities are missing from downtown DC that
Franklin Square might accommodate. Downtown doesn’t have any ponds, like Boston’s Public Garden. Nor does downtown DC have a concert shell. Surely there are others.

Franklin Square won’t be able to fit every possible idea, and some that it can fit may not be the best uses for Franklin’s particular needs anyway. But redesigning such an important square isn’t an opportunity that comes along every day, so while we have this chance it’s worth exploring all the options.

The National Park Service will hold a public meeting to discuss the redesign on the evening of October 2, at the Sheraton at 1201 K Street, NW. Come with ideas!

Cross-posted at BeyondDC.

Dan Malouff is a professional transportation planner for the Arlington County Department of Transportation. He has a degree in Urban Planning from the University of Colorado, and lives a car-free lifestyle in Northwest Washington. His posts are his own opinions and do not represent the views of his employer in any way. He runs the blog BeyondDC and also contributes to the Washington Post Local Opinions blog.

Morris: Bunny head puzzles San Jose family

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DEAR JOAN: Last weekend we saw a cottontail scampering around our backyard. He disappeared, we thought, under the fence.

This morning we found the head of a cottontail on a step in the backyard just five feet from the door into our family room. We didn’t hear any disturbance last night while we slept. We have not found any other evidence — just a head — no body, no tufts of fur, no blood, no obvious disturbance in the landscaping. All the gates were locked.

We don’t have a cat or dog. Our neighbor has a cat, but I cannot remember the last time it was in our backyard. There are bobcats and coyotes occasionally — we live next to the water district in Almaden Valley. We do

have skunks that go along the side of the house and across our yard to the neighbors.

Any idea what might have happened, or what might be prowling around in our yard?

Gretchen Zane

San Jose

DEAR GRETCHEN: My vote goes to a great horned owl. They have been called the most efficient killing machines around, able to spot their prey and swoop silently down on them, catching the unsuspecting creature in strong talons.

Smaller animals are swallowed whole, but larger prey, such as a cottontail rabbit, would be torn into owl-sized bites.

Great horned owls rarely eat their prey on the ground as it makes them too vulnerable, so the owl may have caught the rabbit in your yard, flown into a tree in your yard and began to feast.

Rabbit heads don’t have a lot of meat, so the owl may have decided not to bother with it and dropped it to the ground, where it landed or rolled onto your porch.

A coyote would have gobbled down the rabbit pretty quickly, leaving nothing behind. It also isn’t likely to dine near your back door. A dog may have killed the rabbit and eaten part of it, but it likely would have taken the kill home to show off the prize.

I doubt a cat could have killed a cottontail, but it may have found part of the body and left it on your doorstep. A fox or raccoon may also be to blame for the abandoned head.

DEAR JOAN: Recently we have found dead birds on our property, one in the backyard and the most recent on the sidewalk outside our home.

I called the Contra Costa Mosquito Control number and spoke to one of the ladies there. She said the bird I described sounded like a mockingbird and they only tracked ravens and crows. She suggested we just dispose of it in the garbage.

Because we do not have mosquitoes in our yard, she didn’t think that West Nile virus was what was killed these birds. She said it could be that neighbors are putting out rat poison and that the birds were possibly ingesting it, which I guess could happen.

Do you have any other ideas as to what could be killing these birds, as it’s kind of creepy when you go outside and find them dead?

Donna Hernandez

Brentwood

DEAR DONNA: Any number of things may have killed the birds, but it is unusual to have two deaths so close together. It’s likely too late now to find out what did kill them, but you can report the deaths — and any others — to the California Department of Health at 877-968-2473 or http://westnile.ca.gov.

If they believe a bird is in good condition for testing, they’ll make arrangements to pick it up. Otherwise, you are instructed on how to dispose of it in the garbage. Even if it’s not tested, the state uses this information to look for patterns and problems.

Joan Morris’ column runs five days a week in print and online. Contact her at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com; or 1700 Cavallo Road, Antioch, CA 94509.

A trend is growing in Ross

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A trend is growing in Ross

All in a garden: Novato-based Rayner Landscaping is helping construct an edible garden at, of all places, the Marin Art Garden Center in Ross. Courtesy photo

Posted: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:27 pm
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Updated: 12:35 pm, Wed Sep 4, 2013.

A trend is growing in Ross

By Joe Wolfcale

marinscope.com

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A Novato-based landscaping company and the Marin Art Garden Center are collaborating on an edible garden which should be open by the end of this month.

Rayner Landscaping has plans to build a 30-by-50 foot garden at MAGC in Ross.

The Ross Recreation Auxiliary – a group of residents who raise money for good, local causes, helped raise funds to construct the project.

MAGC board member Jessica Fairchild designed the garden where vegetables and fruit beds of varying heights will make the garden accessible for people of all heights, ages and abilities. It will be complaint with American with Disabilities Act guidelines.

“Edible gardens are at the intersection of several movements,” said Eric Rayner, owner of the Novato landscaping business doing the work.

“With people paying more attention to where their food comes from, and the health properties of what they eat, edible gardens, check all the boxes.”

In order to provide food safety, the entire garden project will be made out of redwood, forgoing any pressurized or treated wood.

The vegetable mix soil is being sourced from American Soil Stone based in San Rafael.

“Edible gardens are a growth field,” Rayner said, no pun intended.

“I can’t wait until people get to see the vegetables and fruit trees that will grow here. And, of course, some folks just like connecting with the earth while shaving a few bucks off the old grocery bill.”

Rayner Landscaping has done extensive work in Ross, especially on MAGC grounds and a few projects on Shady Lane.

Rayner Landscaping was founded in 2002. Twice the company was recognized as Small Business of the Year, in 2012 by the city of San Rafael and in 2008 by the city of Novato.

The business is certified by the Marin Municipal Water District for water efficient landscaping.

Contact Joe Wolfcale at jwolfcale@marinscope.com.

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Wednesday, September 4, 2013 12:27 pm.

Updated: 12:35 pm.

Chemical-free gardening seminar

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Cape Fear River Watch will be holding its monthly First Saturday seminar on Sept. 7 at its office located at 617 Surry St. in Wilmington. The seminars, which include a free pancake breakfast for those in attendance, feature a new guest speaker each month. September’s speaker is Evan Folds, president of Progressive Gardens and an expert on organic gardening. Folds’ seminar, entitled Grow the Best Garden and Landscape of Your Life Without Chemicals, will discuss methods of pest and weed control that don’t include chemical treatments.

Folds stated that gardening and landscaping without chemicals is not necessarily difficult. By implementing a “business through education” strategy at Progressive Gardens, he and his associates strive to connect people to how they’re growing, and help them maintain focus on balancing the natural systems at work in their gardens.

“Every sick person goes to the doctor, who prescribes the same pill to everyone. The pill treats the symptoms but shouldn’t we find the root of the problem?” Folds said. “Gardening without chemicals is about treating the root of the problem, rather than just managing the symptoms.”

Folds believes the methods he proposes are similar to a doctor prescribing diet change, rather than medications that only disguise an unhealthy person’s symptoms.

“Nature works in chaos and spirals. Design is counter-intuitive to nature and I recommend products and methods that reinforce that,” Folds said, stressing a natural and preventative approach to gardening.

The pancake breakfast will be served at 8 a.m. Folds’ talk begins around 9 a.m. The seminar will conclude around 10:15 a.m.

Cape Fear River Watch Executive Director Kemp Burdette stated, “You don’t have to be a member, there are no obligations and the seminar and breakfast are free. These seminars are purely learning experiences.”

For further information about Cape Fear River Watch and its First Saturday seminars, visit its website at www.capefearriverwatch.org

Home and garden events – Daytona Beach News

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The call-in show features Florida commercial growers and experts in agriculture and horticulture. Episodes air live at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays with taped re-airings at 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Here’s the upcoming schedule of topics and guests:

Tuesday: “Growing olives” with Richard Williams of Florida Olive Systems

Sept. 17: “Lawn care” with Keith Truenow of Lake Jem Sod

Sept. 24: “Fern and cut foliage” with David Register of FernTrust

Oct. 1: “Propagation of unusual plants” with Tom Wichman of the University of Florida Department of Horticulture

Oct. 8: “Caladiums” with Dr. Robert Heartman of Classic Caladiums

Oct. 15: “Palms” with Carl Sherman of Coastal Botanics

Oct. 22: “Daylilies” with Dan Hansen of Ladybug Daylilies

Oct. 29: “Roses” with Robert Bowden of Harry P. Leu Gardens

Nov. 5: “Christmas cactus and spathiphyllum” with Chet Peckett of Peckett’s Nursery

Nov. 12: “Coleus and new foliage plants” with Dr. David Clark, a University of Florida horticulture breeder

Nov. 19: “Hanging baskets and mixed containers” with Paul Jensen of Paul Jensen Nursery

Nov. 26: “Holiday décor with plants” with Robert Kleinfelter of Gaylord Palms Resort Convention Center

Dec. 3: “Landscaping for butterflies and other pollinators” with Dr. Jaret Daniels of the University of Florida Department of Entomology

For more information, call 386-822-5778 or visit volusia.org/extension.

Garden Club of DeLand kicks off Garden of the Month Program

The Garden Club of DeLand wants to know about DeLand residents’ beautiful gardens, and invites the public to participate in its year of events that kicks off with an open meeting Sept. 5. September also kicks off the Club’s Garden of the Month Program, as well as sets the stage for an Oct. 5 membership brunch where interested men and women can learn more about the club and its community projects.

The club meets at 9:30 a.m. the first Thursday of the month, September through May, and at 6 p.m. in the months of October, January and March at the Garden Club of DeLand. Interested residents are invited to visitgardenclubofdeland.org for additional meeting details.

The Club’s Garden of the Month Program has been inspired this season by the garden of Debra Gaffney, Ph.D., a Garden Club member. Gaffney’s landscaping beautification work at her DeLand home and business, The Center for Complementary Medicine at 339 E. New York Ave., is an example of how gardening can have a beautiful impact on a home and/or business.

“English Garden gone wild” is how Gaffney refers to her space, which features a “no-grass, rarely watered, fertilized and sprayed” garden. Gaffney is using native, nearly native, and drought-tolerant plants in the garden, in addition to plants and trees that were planted by the property’s original owners.

“Recognizing gardens around our community — for their beauty, variety, and subsequent beautification of areas around them — is one of our favorite things to do in the Garden Club,” said Garden Club President Judy Maurer. “We hope it encourages other residents to share a love of gardening and join the movement of beautifying DeLand one seed at a time.”

The Garden Club of DeLand’s purpose is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening. The club was organized in 1925 and is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc. and Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.

The Garden Club of DeLand’s 2013-2014 officers are Judy Maurer, President; Ruth Moorman, 1st Vice President; Ann Wolfe, 2nd Vice President; Sue Thurman, Co-Recording Secretary; Pat Young, Co-Recording Secretary; Kimberly Cline, Corresponding Secretary; and Karen Hall, Treasurer. For more information visitgardenclubofdeland.org or call Kimberly Cline, corresponding secretary, at 386-848-4748.

DeBary Hall to host lecture series on honey bees

Did you know that honey bees pollinate one-third of our food crops and 80 percent of our flowers? These busy bees can visit up to 5,000 plants in one day, performing a vital duty no human could replicate. Unfortunately, honey bees are disappearing rapidly and mysteriously around the world.

Learn about the amazing lives of honey bees and other Central Florida pollinators during a free series at DeBary Hall Historic Site, 198 Sunrise Blvd., DeBary.

Master Beekeeper Ed Williams will address these topics from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on the following Thursdays:

How to make your yard honey bee and pollinator friendly: Sept. 12. Learn why honey bees, solitary bees and other pollinators are so important, what they need, and what is bad for them.

Africanized honey bees – fact vs. fiction: Oct. 10. Explore the ABCs of honey bees, including how they came to America and what to do if you’re attacked.

Honey bee biology and behavior: Nov. 7. Learn about the secret lives of these complex creatures.

Introduction to beekeeping: Dec. 12. Get the facts on practices, tools and equipment used by beekeepers and why they do what they do. This presentation is geared toward non-beekeepers.

Williams is also a master gardener with the University of Florida/Volusia County Extension.

His presentations will be in DeBary Hall’s stable. Reservations are not required. For more information, call 386-668-3840. For information about DeBary Hall and other upcoming events, visit debaryhall.com.

Master gardeners to discuss plants, pollinators

Learn about native plants and pollinators during a series of presentations led by Volusia County’s master gardeners in September. Upcoming programs include:

Plant swap and Q A clinic: 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 18. Carole Alderman and Jane Holcomb will answer questions at Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, 950 Old Sugar Mill Road, Port Orange.

Succulents: 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 19. Myrna Moore will offer growing tips for cacti, aloe and other succulents at the Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach. This program is free.

Upgrading your landscape: 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 19. Howard Jeffries will explain how you can beautify your garden and landscape without a lot of effort at during a free program at DeBary Hall Historic Site.

Growing strawberries in your home garden: 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 28. Horticulturist Joe Sewards will demonstrate how to grow strawberries in traditional and non-traditional ways at the Volusia County Agricultural Center, 3100 E. New York Ave., DeLand. A limited number of strawberry plants will be available for sale. Advance registration and payment are encouraged because space is limited. To reserve a spot, mail a $5 check to the University of Florida/Volusia County Extension, 3100 E. New York Ave., DeLand, FL 32724. The check should be made payable to the Volusia County Extension Fund.

Reservations are required only for the strawberry presentation. For more information, call the extension office at 386-822-5778.

Florida master gardeners are volunteer teachers trained by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. They provide research-based gardening information that emphasizes environmental stewardship and covers planning and maintaining urban, suburban and rural landscapes.

To learn more about the Master Gardener Program at the University of Florida/Volusia County Extension, visit volusia.org/master-gardener.

Send your news of home and garden events to At Home Editor, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, P.O. Box 2831, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2831, or send email to accent@news-jrnl.com. Fax is 386-258-8623. Deadline is one week before publication.