Happenings April 2024

April 2024

Mark Your Calendars, It’s Plant Sale Time Again!

Putnam County Agriculture District Enrollment season has begun!

Putnam 4-H Celebrates NYS Agricultural Literacy Week 2024

Tomato Seed Harvesting Made Easy

Tea for Two: Easy Herbal Teas

Creating a Meadow - Part 2

Seed Libraries are Sprouting Up in Putnam

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Mark Your Calendars, It’s Plant Sale Time Again!

Join us for our annual Master Gardener Plant Sale for Saturday, May 11, 2024, from 8:30 – 12:30 at Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park in Carmel.

The plant sale will feature a huge selection of heirloom and hybrid vegetable plants picked by Master Gardeners for Putnam County gardens. Thousands of carefully chosen tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and other popular vegetable seedlings will be available singly or in multi-packs to allow gardeners to try several different varieties. The sale will also include garden favorites such as colorful annuals, perennials, native pollinator plants and herbs.Beautiful pre-planted container gardens, hanging baskets and gardening gifts will be available for that perfect Mother’s Day present. For adventurous gardeners, we will have inoculated shiitake mushroom logs for purchase. The proceeds from this charity event fund numerous CCE-Putnam programs.

Cornell trained Master Gardener Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about planting, nurturing, and harvesting to help Putnam gardeners prepare for a successful growing season. Soil testing will again be offered this year, so interested gardeners are encouraged to bring samples of their garden soil. The event will be held rain or shine in a covered pavilion at Putnam Veterans Memorial Park, 201 Gipsy Trail Road, Carmel, NY.

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Putnam County Agriculture District Enrollment season has begun! 

Applications open from April 1st through April 30th.The Agricultural District Program was established under Agriculture & Markets Law § 303. It provides agricultural landowners a number of benefits and protections (not associated with property tax relief), which encourage farmers to continue farming. Enrollment in an Agricultural District does not automatically qualify the property for the Agricultural Assessment Program.

An agricultural district is a geographic area consisting predominantly of viable agricultural land. Agricultural operations within the district are the priority land use and afforded benefits and protections to promote the continuation of farming and the preservation of agricultural land. In Putnam County we have one Agricultural District #1 that covers the entire county due to its small size; it didn’t make sense to have multiple agricultural districts. So instead of covering a defined land area, our agricultural district is parcel by parcel.

Putnam County has designated the month of April as the annual period during which landowners may request tax parcel inclusion into the PC Agricultural District.

During this process, parcels of land may be added; no tax parcels can be removed. The only time that tax parcels may be removed is during the NYS required programmatic eight-year review of the entire agricultural district. The Putnam County Agricultural District was created in 2003 and went through an eight-year review in 2011 and again in 2019. The next review is scheduled for April 2027.

More details and application at:  https://www.putnamcountyny.com/keepputnamfarming

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Putnam 4-H Celebrates NYS Agricultural Literacy Week 2024

New York Agriculture in the Classroom is excited to announce that more than 103,000 students across New York State were reached during Agricultural Literacy Week 2024!

In celebration of New York agriculture, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County 4-H and Master Gardener volunteers, helped to promote literacy in the field of agriculture by reading a state chosen book and completing a hands-on activity in elementary classrooms throughout Putnam County. The signature book for 2024 was "I Love Strawberries" by Shannon Anderson.

The goal of the program is to help young minds understand where their food comes from and recognize the importance of agriculture. After the reading, the books were donated to each of the participating classrooms or school library with a bookplate recognizing the donor and our celebration of New York Agricultural Literacy Week.

Thank you to all of our Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County 4-H and Master Gardener volunteers who generously share their time and love of agriculture.

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Tomato Seed Harvesting Made Easy

Tomatoes make an excellent choice for on-farm seed production due to their low seed costs and ease of production. They are primarily self-pollinating, requiring only 20-30 plants to maintain genetic diversity. For on-farm use, an isolation distance of 50 feet is typically sufficient, although commercial production may require greater distances for precautionary measures.

Starting with open-pollinated cherry or plum tomato varieties is recommended, as they yield more seeds compared to beefsteak heirloom types. However, any open-pollinated tomato variety can be used if seed saving is minimal.

To produce seeds, allow tomatoes to ripen fully as you would for market production. If isolation distance permits, harvest a portion of the market tomatoes for seed saving.

Tomato seeds need fermentation to remove the gel surrounding them. For small batches, squash tomato insides into a bucket or jar and let it ferment for 2-3 days at room temperature. Stir the mixture occasionally to introduce oxygen. Once most seeds settle at the bottom, rinse and dry them. Rinse seeds by adding water to the bucket, allowing seeds to sink, then pour off excess water and tomato debris until only seeds remain. Dry seeds on screens with fans, ensuring the temperature remains below 110°F if using a greenhouse or tunnel.

Yields can range from 1-2 pounds of seed per 100 bed-feet of tomato plants, depending on the variety.

Adapted from CCE ENYCHP Winter Vegetable Blog: Seed Production of Tomato, Annual Brassica, and Lettuce for On-Farm Use by Crystal Stewart-Courtens and Natasha Field

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Tea for Two: Easy Herbal Teas

The story of tea begins in China. According to legend, in 2737 BCE, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water. When some leaves from the tree ( Camelia sinensis) blew into the water, Shen Nung, a renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created.

The story of tea also includes the East India Tea Company, the Boston Tea Party, the song “Tea for Two” and culminates in the Master Gardener Plant Sale Saturday, May 11th at Putnam County’s Veteran Memorial Park.

How many teas are there? How many stars are in the sky? But let’s start with three easy to grow tea plants, ones that come from the herbs the Master Gardeners will be featuring at the plant sale: Teas made from steeped herbs are called tisanes or more commonly herbal teas.

Mint ( Mentha sp.) is the most common and easiest to grow. Grow mints in a pot to limit their spread. There will be at least 3 types of mint (peppermint, chocolate mint and lemon mint) and they all have leaves that make great tea. You can dry the leaves or use them fresh. And they make refreshing iced tea as well.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum nobile) is similarly easy to grow and it, too, makes a great cup of tea.Different from mint, chamomile tea is made from the lovely yellow and white flowers that look like they want to become daisies when they grow up.The smell of Chamomile is sweet and soothing. What’s more, it’s caffeine free, so you can relax with a cup of chamomile tea at bedtime.

Lavender (Lavandula sp.) has the prettiest purple flowers.Steep these flowers to make tea that will perfume the neighborhood.Lavender is reported to ease anxiety. Take a deep breath as you sip and the smell of lavender will carry your cares far away, up into the clouds.

You don’t even have to dry them first. All edible herbs can make a great cup of fresh tea. Muddling them with a little bit of sugar helps to abrade the leaves and gives an even stronger taste to your tea. At summer’s end, you can dry your herbs in the sun, a slow oven, or a food dehydrator, and enjoy your summer bounty all winter long.

There will be over 30 different herbs available at the sale Saturday May 11th.Gather up your tomato and pepper plants and then come over to the Herbs section to pick up your selection of tea and cooking herbs.And if you have questions, the Master Gardeners on site will help you choose. For more ideas on herbal plants that make marvelous teas please visit the University of Illinois Tea Garden teas list.

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Creating a Meadow - Part 2 

Carol Ann Lutz, Master Gardener Volunteer, Jennifer Lerner, Sr. Resource Educator

In part 1 of this article, we described meadow, pasture, and lawn, as well as the history and uses of each. (See March issues of “Happenings”) Now in part 2 of this article, we will consider reasons why and ways to convert some or all of your lawn to meadow.

Why Would you Covert Lawn to Meadow?

Why would you go through the trouble of converting a lawn to a meadow? One of the best reasons is to create habitat. Another reason would be to reduce fossil fuel use associated with lawn maintenance. Complex, structured landscapes provide refuge for insects, birds and other animals. Perennial root systems and undisturbed soils also create a vegetative buffer that protects water quality, both filtering surface waters and slowing stormwater for better infiltration and groundwater recharge.

Creating many pockets of habitat helps to bridge fragmented ecosystems. Pollinator populations are in sharp decline because of habitat loss, climate change, improper pesticide use, and pathogens. Most native bees have a range of about 750 meters, so the goal of a “pollinator pathway” is to connect properties that are no farther apart than that. Even the smallest green spaces, like flower boxes and curb strips, can contribute to a connected corridor.

You might also want to save money and time on lawn care. And while meadows can be low maintenance, they often have high installation and long-term maintenance costs, depending on your chosen establishment method. Maintenance costs in meadows are much higher than lawns when invasive, perennial weed species are involved. Once established, meadows require less water and mowing and do not need to be fertilized.

And lastly, you may want to create a natural aesthetic. Sweeping grasses, flowering perennials, flitting birds, and fluttering insects are beautiful to experience.

Conversion of lawn to meadow does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. Thoughtful planning can combine swaths of meadow grasses and flowers with lawn pathways, recreational and gathering spaces, and food and flower gardens.

How to Convert Lawn to Meadow

Ignore the temptation of a wildflower meadow-in-a-can! Converting lawns to meadows is a process that should take at least 2-3 years. Here are a few important steps.

Assess your site’s conditions. Observe light, soil conditions, and level of moisture. Most meadows require eight hours of sun daily. Measure soil pH. Identify existing plants.

Manage tough weeds. The most common reason for meadow conversion to fail is by not adequately clearing out unwanted vegetation. Tough weeds like mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) can take a decade or more to manage and may require the use of herbicides to suppress. If you have a tough perennial weed, please give our hotline a call and we can help you assess and plan. You will need to decide how you wish to suppress existing vegetation: are you willing to use, or do you wish to avoid herbicides? Preparation should not remove valuable soil or disrupt the soil microbe community. Three non-herbicide options include:

a) Solarization: Use permeable material to smother the vegetation and kill seeds with natural heat while allowing precipitation to pass into the soil. Here in the Northeast, this is a method best used in the sunny, hot days of summer. This method, however also may kill any existing native vegetation already growing in your law,

b) Sheet mulching: This is another smothering method whereby cardboard is layered with a mulch material, then the soil rests for a few months before planting. As above, this method can also kill existing native vegetation.

c) Seasonal mowing: Select a sunny part of the lawn, reduce mowing to once a year. Timing is tricky! If you mow in late fall, you deprive insects of harborage, and remove the seed heads that birds may depend on for the winter. If you mow in early spring, you may disturb overwintering insects. Too late in the spring, and you will disturb ground-nesting birds. Alas, experts don’t agree on the perfect time to do this mowing. When lawn grasses are cut less often, they invest more energy in seed heads and root grown. This in turn allows other clump-forming grasses and wildflowers to succeed.

Choose native, herbaceous perennials and grasses well-suited to your site conditions. Success depends on you choosing the right plants for your space. Native plants have co-evolved with pollinators and other animal life in specific climates and soil types without interference by humans. They form complex systems that are largely self-sustaining, and that support a higher diversity of animals than non-native plants. Perennial plants live for decades, as opposed to annuals, which have a one-year life cycle. Annuals can provide quick color and discourage weeds while slower-growing perennials get established. You’ll find plants lists and resources on our website.

Ready, Set, Grow! Direct seeding, winter sowing, and perennial divisions or plugs are just a few ways you can get more native plants into your meadow project. Each method has its associated benefits and costs. Spring is a good option for perennial divisions and plugs. Fall is a good time for all three methods, because some seeds require a cold period for best germination, and plants have time in the fall to establish roots before winter comes.

Observe. The first year, learn to distinguish your native plants, their seedlings, and their seeds. Make notes and take photos. In this first year, you’ll need to water your plants to help them develop deep roots, which will see them through times of drought and cold weather. You may wish to use a biodegradable mulch until plants fill in and knit together. Weeding is also a big part of the first 2-3 years.

Assess. After the first year, plan not to water except where you must fill empty spaces. Fertilizer is not necessary either. For small sites, pull “weeds” by hand. This is a great time to ask yourself, what is a weed? Some humble plants provide forage for pollinators. For larger sites, you may need to mow annually to manage woody weeds.

Join! Now that you have created this marvelous habitat, consider joining the “Pollinator Pathway” in your area. Hanging a Pollinator Pathway sign will let your neighbors know why you converted some of your lawn into a meadow, and most importantly, may encourage them to do the same.

Photo Vicki Deloach CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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Seed Libraries are Sprouting Up in Putnam

Libraries are vital places in our community that offer much more than books! Seed Libraries are sprouting up in local libraries, thanks to an initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County Master Gardener Volunteers.

A seed library is a community-based resource for sharing seeds. Like a regular library, gardeners "borrow" seeds from a seed library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, they save the seeds from their plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library.

In collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Putnam County, five libraries—Brewster, Patterson, Mahopac, Putnam Valley, and Reed Memorial—will offer seed libraries this growing season. The aim is to spread awareness of heirloom and open-pollinated plant varieties while offering an opportunity for residents to grow their own food. “If you can find a little space, you can try your hand at growing a pot of herbs or starting a vegetable patch. Our volunteers have provided the seeds,” says Jen Lerner, of CCE Putnam.

Some libraries will even offer coordinated garden programming. Need more help? A dedicated resource page on the CCE Putnam website will guide you towards growing hints and educational fact sheets to help you on your gardening journey. Master Gardener Volunteers are also available to help you 9:00 AM to Noon weekdays on the Horticulture Hotline (845) 278-6738 or via mastergardener.putnam@gmail.com

Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers raise funds to support community projects like this by hosting an annual plant sale, this year on May 11th at Veterans Park on Gypsy Trail Road.

Photo: Courtesy of Brewster Library

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Last updated March 28, 2024