You can expand your growing space with tent-like structures. I have a frame of 2-by-inch lumber, sized 2 by 4 feet, hinged to another of that size, both with chicken wire stapled to them. The hinge permits easy flat storage, and the chicken wire is support for vines such as melon, squash or cucumber vines.

We set it up like an inverted V, the edges stopped from doing “the splits” by stones or sticks pushed into the soil. When we set it up, we install black plastic in the opening under the vee to bar weeds.

A few years ago, when I lifted that black plastic weed block, there was a glistening mass of white slug eggs, perhaps a half a cupful. I scooped them up and put them directly into the trash.

If you time it just right with lettuce seedlings ready for transplant, you could grow lettuce under the vee instead of wasting that growing space, but if you don’t time it right, you get weeds and wimpy lettuce.

In the effort to get more growing space, some folks are using a half-crib (side and end), the slats giving support to vines. That’s an easy solution, but cucumber and squash vines will need to be guided atop each slat as they grow. Thrift stores may have old cribs, no longer considered safe for infants.

TIME FOR GARLIC

If you’re growing rocambole garlic, the scapes or flower stalks may be uncoiling now. They’re most tender before they uncoil all the way, so pull them out, run them through the blender with olive oil, lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese, to make some super pesto, great for a dip or over pasta. Chopped walnuts add texture and taste.

Recipes are online. Search garlic scape pesto recipes.

GET EVERY SINGLE POD, PEOPLE

If you’re growing peas, harvest sugar peas before the peas bulge pods, but harvest sugar snaps and shelling peas once the peas have filled out the pods.

Pick pea and bean bush plants and vines clean, even if you have to pick every other day to get them at their peak. If you miss a pea or bean pod, even a damaged pod with a mature pea or bean inside, the plant or vine it’s attached to may die, having fulfilled its purpose of reproducing itself.

To pick a row clean, pick in one direction, then turn around and pick in the opposite direction, for you’re apt to find pods you missed.

THE ART OF REPLANTING

To get the most out of your garden, plan to replace crops quickly after you’ve harvested. I usually pull out the spent plant, cover the area with compost, then replant. I wouldn’t try to replace peas with peas, but if you want a second crop, try growing them later for fall harvest. Peas are prime targets for destructive insects in summer.

You could replace beans with beans, though, if they’re a short season variety. lettuce is one of the crops that is usually replaced by other lettuces.

Most references advise starting lettuce at seven-to-10-day intervals, but I find that’s too quick, especially if you’re growing cut-and-come-again leaf lettuce. An interval of about three or four weeks is better for that type of lettuce, for a household of two who consume a large tossed salad at least once each day.

LIKE A MAGPIE ON HOT PEPPERS

We have a large number of magpies in our area, but they’ve done no damage in my garden. A friend in Eagle told me the magpies are stealing her peppers. That’s unusual, but not even habaneros would deter them: Birds feel no pain from capsaicin, the “heat” in hot chiles.

Send garden questions to melauter@earthlink.net or Gardening, The Statesman, P.O. Box 40, Boise, ID 83707.

Burlington — In her book, “Trowel and Error”, author Sharon Lovejoy covers over 700 gardening shortcuts, tips, and home remedies for plant problems.

Under the category of tools, consider these ideas and items:

• Use a mixture of equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water to scrub and clean dirty tools and white salts residue from pot rims.

• Old kitchenware can be reused, such as kitchen tongs for picking up prickly plants or stinging nettles, grapefruit knives for weeding containers, and apple corers for “dibbling” in small bulbs and plants.

• Heavy-duty paper clips (the kind that hold stacks of paper together) have many uses, such as holding shade cloth to frames, or tightening glove cuffs to keep out unwanted insects and soil.

• Keep a used soap dispenser, filled with mineral oil, near your tools; after done for the day, wipe dirt from tools using a scouring pad if needed, then wipe with the oil.

• Save those wide-mesh tomato or fruit baskets (as you often get with strawberries). Line next spring with paper, then fill with soil, before sowing seeds of melons, squash or cucumbers. Then plant the entire basket, the roots being able to grow through the mesh openings.

• Use old colanders and laundry baskets to harvest produce, then wash with the hose outdoors to save a mess and clogging sinks with dirt indoors.

• Use Velcro tape for attaching vines to surfaces.

• To keep garden twine from getting tangled, place in an old coffee or grated cheese container, then guide the string through a hole in the top. An old watering can serves similarly, the twine coming out through the spout.

• Mark inch and foot marks on handles of tools, such as hole diggers, shovels, and hoes, to know how deep to dig or spacing for transplants for instance.

• Laminate seed packets, then attach to popsicle sticks or tongue depressors for garden labels. Cut strips of old miniblinds for labels to write on with permanent marker.

These are merely a sampling of the ideas from Lovejoy, with other categories on home potions, attracting allies to help with pests, success with seeds, soil-related tips including composts and mulches, and indoor plants.

If you read enough gardening books, you’ll pull out a few tips or tricks. But they often contain a lot of techniques developed in the author’s own yard, which may or may not be useful to you.

I am as guilty of this as anyone in my gardening columns, but I do try to point out that what works in my particular micro-climate and soil profile may not work for you.

What I really like to find in a gardening book is well-reasoned, evidence-based advice on how to do particular things and the physical requirements of plants that I want to grow (or tried to grow and failed for reasons that are not yet obvious to me).

The best book for food gardeners in southwestern B.C. is Steve Solomon’s Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades. He has since moved to Tasmania, so the book in all likelihood will not be updated again.

But I have been thumbing through a more recent text, Gardening for Geeks, which appeals to me because it is so instructive.

The author Christy Wilhelmi lives in Los Angeles and like all California-based gardening writers, she undoubtedly has unique challenges of her own. Ordinarily that makes their books useless to British Columbians. But not so for Wilhelmi.

Her advice about arranging crops from shortest to tallest, south to north to take advantage of the sun’s rays works no matter what the latitude. She includes the important exception for tender lettuce in the heat of summer: plant lettuces to the north of taller plants or trellised vines to protect them from full sun.

Measurements and sketches will guide you to soundly designed garden boxes, raised beds, paths and simple garden structures such as tomato cages. Instructions for building a hot compost heap and a worm box are easy to follow.

Wilhelmi zips through basic introductions to double-digging, biodynamic growing and French intensive agriculture – just enough so that you will know whether or not to seek out more detailed instruction.

I also like that she gives good basic information about how to plant and grow a couple of dozen common vegetables from arugula and beets to spinach and squash, plus a chapter on herbs.

If you are just starting out and aren’t quite sure what kind of gardener you are yet, Gardening for Geeks will probably help you figure it out.

By Carol Stocker

The Old Northern Avenue Bridge, an important pedestrian link between the Rose Kennedy Greenway and the Seaport District, has been spruced up with 12 giant planters of flowers spanning Fort Point Channel. A ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday morning celebrated the project, called the Harbor Links Gardens, which is an example of public and private cooperation.

Representatives included Michele Hanss and Leslie Wills of The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America, which contributed $50,000 to the project, Vivien Li, president of The Boston Harbor Association, and JoAnn Massaro, Commissioner of Public Works for The City of Boston and Antonia Pollak, Commissioner of the Boston Department of Parks and Recreation, who originated the idea. Also on hand were David J. Warner of Warner Larson Landscape Architects, which provided pro bono services for the design and oversight of the installation and designer Sameer Bhoite. A reception sponsored by the Milton Garden Club followed at the ground floor facility for public accommodation at 470 Atlantic Avenue.

With rooftop gardening becoming more popular, innovations in lightweight products were employed to protect the historic but fragile bridge, including “Roof Lite” growing media donated by Read Custom Soils.

Other companies that contributed to the project include BH Brown Landscape Design, Mahoney’s Garden Center and Greentop Planters of Rockport, who built large but light weight containers from fiberglass and aluminum with polystyrene cores for maximum insulation in heat and cold with a minimum of weight. These are a long way from the old concrete municipal planters that were once the standard.

“Making horticultural and open space available in this important area of Boston is consistent with the Garden Club’s mission of supporting horticultural projects that can have an impact upon the greatest number of people,” said Hanss. “We want to show developers that this kind of beauty and greenery should be part of the new waterfront. Mayor Menino has done a great job and I hope whomever the new mayor is, he or she keeps green space and beautification on the City’s agenda.”

The 1908 metal truss “swing” bridge” has “always been gritty, a connection to warehouses and railroads,” said Li. “No one really thought of it as an entry to an ‘Innovation District,’ We took a rusty bridge and made it a beautiful connector.” She praised Mayor Menino and his staff for his support. “Think about this: The Garden Club gave us the money in November and the project was executed by June.”

The planters are moveable because long term plans for stabilizing and refitting the bridge for multiple uses are still in the works. In the meantime, plants have been installed that can withstand punishing summer sun and winter winds in a very exposed location.

Shrubs and trees include blue holly, Japanese black pine and white pine, purple leaf sand cherry, Icy Drift rose, Blue Pacific Shore juniper, and Color Guard yucca. The tough perennials are equally well chosen. Leading the field is the wonderful reblooming clear yellow Happy Returns daylily bred by Darrel Apps. Also up to the challenge are May Night salvia, Moonshine yarrow, Little Spire Russian sage, black eyed Susan, Angelia sedum, Black Beauty coral bells, Walker’s Low catmint, Elijah blue fescue grass and Hamlen fountain grass, Potato vine, petunia and purple verbena are the annuals used, along with driftwood for a sculptural effect.

Funding from the Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America is raised from a membership of 1100 women from 14 garden clubs in Greater Boston and southern New Hampshire.

“It used to be ‘splat, splat, splat’, but now I barely need to clean my visor!” This has been the experience of a motorcycling friend, noticing the long-term decline in the number of insects he encounters while on his bike. It may be anecdotal, but it mirrors the wealth of scientific data revealing the inexorable erosion of so much of Britain’s wildlife.

There are many reasons for these declines, and combatting them requires action on many fronts, from ensuring the right political policies are in place to help farmers look after the countryside, to protecting the rarest habitats and their wildlife on nature reserves.

Much of this falls to nature conservation charities such as the RSPB, but it is increasingly recognised that gardens also have an important role to play for a whole host of threatened wildlife, from hedgehogs to house sparrows to toads. It means we can all play an active role in giving nature a home.

In case you think this is about letting your garden become weed-strewn and “wild” – think again. A neat, tended garden can – with care and thought – be just as good for wildlife. Nor is it about setting aside a little corner. It is quite possible to do things throughout your garden that help wildlife without compromising everything else you want your garden to be.

Each of Britain’s thousands of species of garden wildlife has a particular set of ecological requirements. And, if we pare it back to basics, there are two simple things that will have an immediate impact:

Planting the gaps

Every garden probably has an area that is a “plant desert”, be it patio or decking, bare fence or wall, shed or garage roof. Adding greenery to any of those areas will help.

Just add water

A birdbath will do as a starter, but if you can expand that to a pond, so much the better. It will host a whole range of different creatures, as well as providing a place for many land animals to drink and bathe.

For maximum effect, the following steps will turn your fledgling “home for nature” into a des-res:

Plant perfection

While almost all plants will do some good for wildlife, they vary in their value. Try to grow those that just can’t stop giving, be it in pollen, nectar, seeds, berries, or tasty foliage. There are all sorts of gorgeous garden plants that do exactly that.

Spatial diversity

That’s just a posh term for offering different rooms for different guests. Aim to provide a rich mix of “wildlife real estate” including trees, shrubs and flower-rich borders, creating everything from damp, shady retreats to glorious sun-baked hotspots. And if you have a lawn, why not allow some of it to grow long? It can look great, especially when creatively dissected and outlined by mown pathways.

Cut the chemicals

When I say chemicals, I really mean insecticides and herbicides. Anything that removes links in the food chain will have a damaging knock-on effect all along it.

Glorious decadence

The basis of garden fertility and of much of the web of life is when plants decay, be it wood, bark, leaves or flowers. Compost heaps, log piles, leaf litter and bark mulches all provide warm, damp, food-filled hideaways for a whole host of creatures.

Supplementary food

We humans keep the harvest from most of the landscape for our own needs, so it is no wonder many birds turn to us for a bit of supplementary help at bird tables and feeders – for them it can be a lifeline throughout the year.

Keeping the planet in mind

You don’t want to undo your efforts by using peat-based compost or too much water, damaging wildlife-rich habitats in the process. Understanding your environmental impact beyond the garden fence is vital.

Do some – or ideally all – of these simple steps and you really will be building homes for nature. For more inspiration and to share your successes and ideas, go to the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home website.

• Adrian Thomas is an RSPB nature reserve manager and author of the award-winning book Gardening for Wildlife

By Vivian Silvestri
Community News Editor

Get your garden in shape

Posted: Monday, June 24, 2013 11:12 am
|


Updated: 11:33 am, Mon Jun 24, 2013.

Thrifty Tips for your Garden

By Vivian Silvestri
Community News Editor

PhillyBurbs.com

BY: Birds Blooms: Summer’s the season to get your garden in shape. You can easily give your space a refresh without breaking the bank. Birds Blooms—has rounded up some of the most useful objects for your garden that cost next to nothing. Even better, you probably have many of these items laying around the house or garage!

1. Reuse and Recycle— Use objects like recycled cans, worn boots, damaged watering cans, old teapots and even discarded sinks as containers for herbs, flowers and houseplants. They contribute a touch of whimsy and even a “settled look” to a garden scene.

2. Paper Bag Rescue— Paper bags protect vulnerable plants from frost by trapping warmer air and insulating the plant. Set them upside down over tops of plants when frost threatens and place soil or rock over the edges of the bags to hold them in place. Remove in the morning so the plants can receive warm sun and any nighttime dampness can evaporate.

3. Tool Savvy— Did you know forks, knives and spoons can make great garden tools? They’re tough and sharp enough to do the job without causing damage. Use them to separate flats, lift seedlings, and tease apart dense root balls. Save yourself a trip to the hardware store just by checking your kitchen drawers.

4. A New Use for Newspapers— Newspaper keeps light and unwanted intruders out of the soil. It also snuffs out grass and prevents weed germination for new garden beds. Thicker layers are most effective for keeping out grass (up to 30 sheets will do).

5. Canned— Tin cans make good collars to thwart destructive cutworms by creating a physical barrier they cannot cross. Instead of tossing out your tin cans, cut the tops and bottoms, press them into the soil, then plant seeds or seedlings within.

6. Ground Your Grounds— Sprinkle coffee grounds on the ground at the base of certain plants. Adding the organic matter to the soil helps improve drainage in clay and water. It can be used on any plant, especially those that like rich, moist organic soils, like azaleas and blueberries.

7. Clean Out the Pests— Soap is thought to keep deer from feasting on your trees and plants. Break a bar of soap into several pieces and hang them from strings or in old nylons or net bags on your trees or other structures near prime feeding areas. The strong scent of deodorant in the bar may deter other backyard pests as well.

8. Pie Tin Tactics— Aluminum pie tins can scare pests away, at least temporarily. Tins make an annoying noise as they bang around in the breeze. They also flash reflected light, which may be disconcerting. Tie them to a string and hang them from branches, a trellis, or your garden fence.

9. Potted Packing Peanuts— Packing peanuts improve drainage in pots by permitting water, but not soil, to pass through. This is a great way to reduce soil-mix use in large pots and also makes them weigh less, so they’re easier to pick up or move around. Layer them out of sight in the bottom of the pot, then add soil.

10. Nylon Support— Old hosiery is soft and flexible and can be used to tie up floppy plants without causing damage. They can also be used to line bottoms of pots so water can get out but dirt can’t.

For more Garden Bargains, check http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Gardening/Summer/Garden-Bargains.

Vivian Silvestri: 215-949-4161; email, vsilvestri@phillyburbs.com

To subscribe, go to http://www.phillyburbs.com/orderBCCT

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Updated: 11:33 am.

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BY NATASHA WASINSKI | Contributor

June 24, 2013 7:44PM

Linda Suwalski of Franklin Park sprinkles pebbles into a miniature fairy garden at the River Grove Library June 22. | Natasha Wasinski~For Sun-Times Media

Article Extras

Updated: June 24, 2013 7:49PM

RIVER GROVE

Linda Dwyer’s collection of bonsai trees thrives during the warmer months of the year.

But she couldn’t put her finger on why the plants withered inside her Norridge home during winter.

After all, Dwyer said, she continues to sprinkle them with Miracle-Gro.

Dwyer’s choice of fertilizer caught master gardener Kathleen Obirek’s attention.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “I hear that all the time, and I get goose bumps.”

Obirek explained: “If your plants are doing so-so, it’s not you.”

“It’s just that you don’t know about these finer products.”

A floral and landscape designer and educator for the past two decades, Obirek knows a thing or two about what makes a garden grow.

She shared some of her tricks of the trade at River Grove Library June 22 during a free gardening craft class. In addition to teaching the ground rules to being a green thumb – like how to never use water that is treated with salt or comes from a well – Obirek helped the participants in properly planting a miniature fairy garden, complete with a ceramic figurine, glitter and gems.

The gardeners potted two-year-old syngoniums, a tropical climbing vine and common houseplant often referred to as “fairy wings.”

Obirek selected the leafy, lime-green plants for the project because they’re easy to grow. Yet that’s not to say the plant doesn’t require some special care.

As with other indoor plants, paying attention to lighting conditions is key, Obirek noted.

If an area is too bright or hot, the plants’ leaves may develop yellowish-brown spots.

That’s not disease, Obirek said; it’s sunburn.

Living and breathing plants share some other traits with their human caretakers. For starters, water cannot be their only sustenance.

“If we just had a diet of water, where would we be?” Obirek said.

Fertilizer and supplements rich in nutrients and hormones provide fuel, and variety is the spice of life when it comes to feeding.

Obirek advised changing a plant’s diet every other month, and to fertilize year-round.

“They are never dormant,” she said. “We need nourishment during the winter months and so do your plants.”

Obirek said while she doesn’t get paid to push products, she does have strong opinions on what to feed flora.

She personally tends to stay away from powdery substances due to her asthma, and has found successes with an organic liquid fertilizer.

The result has been no powdery mildew and no bugs.

“I cannot tell you, when I switched products, the difference in my plants was just amazing,” Obirek attested.

The most experienced gardeners in the River Grove library that Saturday afternoon walked away with new tidbits for taking better care of their plants.

Not relying on Miracle-Gro for miracles was Linda Suwalski’s biggest takeaway, in addition to a new tropical houseplant.

“I lived by that stuff,” she said of the fertilizer.

A retiree, Suwalski said tending to her Franklin Park home’s gardens daily is her “enjoyment.” She also aspires to take the hobby a step further.

“I still want to get my master gardener (certification),” she said. “I’m going to. One day.”

Lou Manfredini and 3M TEKK Protection Brand Offer Top Five Safety Tips for Lawn and Garden Projects

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– With warmer weather upon us, millions of American DIYers will be dusting off their lawn mowers to get their lawns and gardens looking lush and beautiful. According to a new survey by 3M™ TEKK Protection™ Brand and the National Safety Council*, many may not be aware of the dangers that are lurking each time they rev up those small engines.

In fact, more than one in three DIYers (39 percent) report injuries from using a lawn mower with eye and ear injuries topping the list. Yet while 45 percent say they are concerned about getting injured, 57 percent never wear ear protection and 43 percent never protect their eyes.

“Smart preparation can make all the difference when you’re taking on outdoor projects this season,” said Manfredini, host of HouseSmarts TV and home improvement contributor on NBC’s The Today Show. “Whether you’re doing routine tasks like mowing the lawn or spreading fertilizer, it’s important to protect yourself with the proper safety gear.”

Manfredini provides these tips to help keep outdoor DIYers safe and protected this lawn and garden season.

1. Before you mow your lawn, take time to walk the yard quickly to inspect for items that may be lying on the ground. Sticks and stones can break your bones – particularly, if the blade of the mower picks it up and throws it at high speed from under the mower’s deck.

   In fact, the blades of a power mower can hurl objects such as rocks and twigs at fast speeds, turning them into dangerous projectiles. Be sure to help protect your eyes with safety eyewear like 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM ForceFlex^TM MAX Flexible Safety Eyewear.

2. There is nothing better than digging in the dirt but for most of us it’s a great way to tear up our hands. A good pair of gloves that fit well will give you added protection and help keep you working longer in the garden.
3. Lawn and garden power tools make your outdoor chores go much more quickly. But the noise that they make can harm your hearing even if you are only exposed for a short amount of time. Make sure you are wearing ear protection. It comes in many varieties —from disposable foam ear plugs to high quality ear muffs, and even ones that will play music while you work like 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM WorkTunes^TM Hearing Protector.
4. Spreading fertilizers around your lawn and garden will help control weeds and green things up but you do not want to inhale the fumes from those chemicals. Help protect your lungs by wearing a respirator when applying these products. A 3M^TM TEKK Protection^TM Sanding and Fiberglass Valved Respirator can help protect you and help keep you comfortable and cool with its unique, patented Cool Flow^TM Valve technology.
5. No matter what project you are doing outside, wearing eye protection is a must. Each year, more than 2.5 million eye injuries occur and more than half of all reported injuries occur within the home.^** Protective eyewear has come a long way and offers styles that are comfortable and stylish, and designed to help keep your eyes protected from projectiles and contaminants.

To help create your safety shopping list, visit www.3mtekk.com and check out the Product Selector and instructional videos to choose the right protection for your project.

About 3M

3M TEKK Protection offers a full line of innovative respiratory, eyewear and hearing products designed to help keep DIYers and professionals safe when completing projects around the home. 3M TEKK Protection products can be found at home improvement and hardware stores across the U.S. For additional information, go to www.3mtekk.com.

3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs about 88,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.

* National Safety Council/3M TEKK Protection Brand DIY Safety Survey conducted by Kelton, April 2013. An online survey of 604 Americans ages 35-54 who own a home and have completed a DIY home improvement project.

** American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Injury Snapshot, 2010

3M, 3M TEKK Protection, ForceFlex, WorkTunes and Cool Flow are trademarks of 3M

Media Contact:
3M Public Relations
Robert Brittain, 651-733-7034
rbrittain@mmm.com
or
Cohn Wolfe
Dana Simone, 212-798-9708
dana.simone@cohnwolfe.com

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As Garden City’s Class of 2013 readies for pre-prom and prom festivities, the Garden City Police Department is offering safety tips for parents and teens to make the night a memorable one for all.

“For many parents, their biggest concern isn’t the cost of their children attending proms; they are concerned with the risky behaviors and tragic consequences associated with proms,” Garden City police state.

The following safety tips are prepared by the Nassau County Security/Police Information Network (SPIN) of which the Garden City Police Department is a member of: 

Tips for Parents

• Know and discuss the school code of conduct before the prom with your child. 
  Does the school code of conduct extend to off-site functions that have been 
  approved by the school?
• Know who your child is attending the prom with and obtain their cell numbers.
• Discuss the events for pre- and post-prom parties with other parents.
• Discuss the dangers of drinking and driving. New York State law mandates arrest
  and license revocation/suspension of any person under 21 driving with .02 percent or more Blood Alcohol Content. (One drink!)
• Talk with your child about the dangers of club drugs, warning signs and who to
  notify for assistance.
• Pre-plan and role-play answers that your child can use to get out of uncomfortable
  situations. (e.g., offered alcohol, getting a ride from an intoxicated driver, unwanted sexual advances, etc.)
• Discuss guidelines and a curfew. Discuss the consequences of violating these
  rules.
• Discuss travel plans, use a reputable limousine service that will not allow a person
  to bring, serve or introduce alcohol into the vehicle.
• Know who is driving to the prom and who will a passenger. Limit the number of passengers to increase safety and reduce driver distractions. 
• Know the location of post-prom parties and who is sponsoring them.
• Talk to your teenager about the serious dangers and consequences of underage
  drinking and driving.
• If your child’s’ plans change, confirm the change with the parents of other 
  children.
• Remind your child that you are there for them, if they need a ride home or to an
  after prom affair 

Tips for Teens

• Alcohol is illegal for persons under the age of 21. Underage drinking is
  illegal and can result in arrest, injury, or worse!
• Don’t let friends’ drink and drive.
• Plan ahead—make sure you have a safe plan for prom night.
• Discuss your plans with your friends; remind each other about responsible
  decision-making and confronting peer pressure.
• Do not accept any drinks from someone you do not know. If you leave your drink,
  discard it and get a new one.
• Do not leave your possessions unattended.
• Learn the warning signs for alcohol poisoning and drug intoxication, contact 911
  for assistance and immediate treatment.
• Take extra money or have a responsible person available for transportation for a
  safe ride home or in case an emergency arises.
• Remember to charge you cell phone and have it with you.
• Know where you are and where you are going, keep your parents and friends
  informed.
• Trust your instincts, if you feel endangered or uncomfortable, leave immediately.
• Intoxication by alcohol or drugs can lead to poor judgment and dangerous
  situations.
• Remember to contact your parents if your plans change.
• Practice and discuss answers you can use to get out of uncomfortable situations.
• Do not allow anyone in your car or limo that has drugs or weapons. It is
  dangerous and everyone in the car is at risk of getting arrested.
• It is illegal to alter your driver’s license or any other form of government
  identification.

The Garden City High School senior contract must be signed by both parents and members of the Class of 2013. The contract, in part, states to parents that “All students who wish to attend the Prom must attend the Pre Prom, and that parents are invited to attend Pre Prom. I also will discuss my child’s post prom plans with him/her. I understand that there will be consequences for poor behavior at Pre-Prom, Prom, Graduation Rehearsal or Graduation, which may include exclusion from Graduation Exercises, removal from Honor Societies, and/or a letter to the graduate’s chosen college informing them of the behavior.”

To seniors, the contract states: “As a Garden City High School member of the Class of 2013, I understand that I must attend the Graduation Rehearsal at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, June 21, 2013 if I wish to participate in Commencement Exercises. I must attend the Pre Prom if I wish to attend the Prom. I understand that there will be consequences for poor behavior which may include exclusion from Graduation Exercises, removal from Honor Societies, and/or a letter to the graduate’s chosen college informing them of the behavior.”

According to a letter to graduation candidates from Garden City High School principal Nanine McLaughlin, pre-prom and prom festivities begin at 6 p.m. June 20. All students must be brought by a parent or guardian to the high school between 6-6:30 p.m. Students are not permitted to drive themselves or to have a limousine or party bus drop them off.

Further, students are required to enter through the social studies doors where they will check in with a faculty member and have such items as pocketbooks and jacket pockets checked. No student is permitted to bring a backpack or overnight bag of any kind. Once in school, students will not have the opportunity to go to their lockers or anywhere other than the area dedicated to the pre-prom.

Parents are invited to park in the back lot and enter through the cafeteria where they can meet with their child, take pictures and enjoy light refreshments. Please do not bring any bags to pre-prom.

Principal McLaughlin warns that upon check-in, any student suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be sent to a designated area for evaluation. The penalty for misbehavior at pre-prom or prom may include non-attendance at graduation June 22.

Coach bus transportation will be provided beginning at 7-7:30 p.m. to transport students to the Garden City Hotel. School officials note that prior to boarding the buses, students will pick up their prom ticket/bracelet from a designated table outside the gym. Principal McLaughlin notes in the letter that this is the only opportunity for students to claim their ticket/bracelet. (Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to enter the hotel without a prom ticket/bracelet.)

Students will have the opportunity to take photos and enjoy finger foods at the hotel between 7-8 p.m. As students check in at the hotel, attendance will be verified, according to the letter. A professional photographer will be on hand to take photos.

Students will then enjoy dinner and dancing between 8 p.m. and midnight and are required to stay at the hotel until 11:15 p.m. – no one will be permitted to leave the prom before that time.

Bus transportation will not be provided back to the high school. Arrangements must be made for students to be picked up from the Garden City Hotel. Parents are not permitted to enter the hotel to pick students up or to make deliveries. Students are also not permitted to change their clothing in the restrooms at the Garden City Hotel.

We certainly haven’t needed to water lately. After the soil has had a chance to dry out a bit you may want to take a few minutes and pull any weeds before they go to seed. A few minutes now will save you hours later.

We’re pleased that so many of you have called our home garden and landscape hotline with questions. We hit an all-time high in May for the most calls responded to within a one month period. Keep your questions coming!

I know it’s a busy time of the year for many of us, but I hope you have time to attend our upcoming garden tour (information below). Garden owners and our Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions.

Below we have included information about our upcoming events, garden and landscape tips for June, an article on how to harvest and dry herbs, and some additional information that may be of interest to you.

Monthly tips:

* A thick (3 to 4-inch) layer of mulch over the root zone helps maintain moisture and controls weeds. Keep mulch away from direct contact with stems. However, a thick layer of mulch around the base of fruit trees can create a wonderful home for mice and voles, which can damage bark and girdle the tree during winter. Apply a thinner layer of a light mulch such as grass clippings around fruit trees instead.

* Prune off and destroy the pineapple-shaped galls on spruce while green and before they open, to help control spruce gall adelgids.

* Attract beneficial insects to your garden by planting a diversity of herbs, flowers, and vegetables, providing shrubs for hiding, and a nearby water source.

Pest Control:

* Handpicking and/or crushing insect pests works well on small plantings. Depending on the pest, you may be picking adults, crushing larvae, or squishing eggs, especially on the leaf undersides.

* To kill borers, poke into their holes with a piece of wire to pierce them.

* A jet of water from a garden hose will often dislodge aphids. Once off the plant, they tend not to climb back on.

* Japanese beetles can be knocked into a can of soapy water, especially in early morning or late evening when they are more sluggish. Large plants and severe infestations may require insecticide treatment. Some plants and varieties are less damaged than others.

* Tomato hornworms can eat a lot of foliage in a day. They are sometimes difficult to detect because their color so closely matches that of the tomato plant so look in areas near missing foliage. When you find hornworms on a plant, simply hand pick and crush them (gloves are recommended). Occasionally the hornworm will have small, white cocoons protruding from its body. By the time these cocoons are present, the hornworm is no longer able to feed. These are cocoons for a braconid wasp parasite, which is an important natural enemy. Leave these infested larvae in the garden and do not destroy them; the parasites released from the cocoons should be allowed to develop.

* Four-lined plant bugs are common pests in gardens and landscapes this time of year. Feeding injury from these insects appears as small (1/16-inch) sunken round spots on young foliage of many herbaceous and woody plants. These spots may be brown to translucent and may drop out of the leaf, leaving a shot-hole appearance. Often injured leaves become distorted and curled. Feeding injury from four-lined plant bugs is often mistaken for a leaf spot disease. However, these spots are almost perfectly uniform and similar in size, unlike spots caused by fungi and bacteria. These insects scamper quickly when the plant they are on is disturbed. Contact our hotline for control options.

* Hollyhock Rust: When plants are dry, pick off and destroy any leaves or other plant parts as soon as signs of rust infection are noticed during the growing season. Avoid crowding plants and water early in the day so the above ground plant parts will dry quickly. If found in the vicinity the weed mallow should be removed and destroyed. For fungicide recommendations contact the gardening hotline 331-8415 ext. 107.

* Tomato blights, wilts and leaf spot diseases are promoted by wet weather and high humidity. Remove affected foliage and discard in the trash; do not compost or leave in the garden. Thin plants by removing sucker growth to improve air circulation. Cover the soil with an organic or synthetic mulch to prevent splashing of infected soil onto the leaves, and avoid overhead watering. If disease is a problem this year, consider rotating tomatoes to a different part of the garden next year, and plant disease-resistant varieties.

Harvesting Herbs:

* Without much fuss you can extend the summer herb season by preserving herbs to enjoy year round. There are several ways to dry herbs for future use. The easiest and least expensive of these methods is air drying.

* Perennial herbs can be harvested monthly from June through early September when leaves should be left to prepare the plant for winter. The top third of most perennial herbs can be cut back. This also tidies up your herb bed. Annual herbs can be harvested when full grown until frost.

* The key to good flavor is timing.  The essential oil level that provides flavor and fragrance is best just before the plant blooms.  Check swelling buds daily. After the dew has evaporated and before the sun is too high collect the young tender stems and avoid older ones. Clean stems and towel or line dry, depending upon stem size.

* After harvesting and cleaning hang herbs upside down in small bunches in a warm, dark, airy, dust free location to dry. Temperature and humidity determine the length of time needed.

* If drying more than one kind be sure to label them. You may wish to use racks or screens laying stems singly on them. To keep dust free, cover them with sheer fabric or put stems through a hole in the bottom of an upside down paper bag and hang by stems. Seed heads may be dried in a paper bag, tied shut. Add holes for ventilation.

* When leaves are crispy, strip them from stems and store them in a cool dark location. Dark glass jars are best. Oils and flavors are better if leaves are crushed right before use. Remember to use them within a year. To retain better color of parsley, dill weed, and celery leaves wash, pat dry and freeze in plastic freezer bags.

* Other drying methods include ovens and dehydrators. Microwave one layer of herbs between two paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes. If necessary add 30 second shots until crispy. You can dry herbs in a conventional oven set at 100 degrees or a food dehydrator. Storage methods are the same as for air drying.