Garden Detective

Put your wallet away. You can multiply many plants simply and easily with stem cuttings. I did this recently with my Sedums and Catmints and had great success. Try it. It's not only economical - it's fun.

Take cuttings early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun isn't at its strongest. Cloudy days work, too. To increase your success rate, propagate early in the growing season:

Click photo for a step-by-step slideshow:

Click photo for a step-by-step demonstration

Here are some perennials that can be propagated successfully with stem cuttings:

Alyssum

Artemisia

Aster

Bee balm (Monarda)

Bellflower (Campanula)

Blanketflower (Gaillardia)

Catmint (Nepeta)

Chrysanthemums

Clematis

Coral bells (Heuchera)

Coreopsis

Dusty miller (Senecio)

Lavender

Montauk daisy

(Nipponanthemum)

Penstemon

Phlox

Sedum

Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum)

Yarrow (Achillea)

Click photo for a step-by-step slideshow:

Click photo for a step-by-step demonstration

Click photo for a step-by-step slideshow:

Click photo for a step-by-step demonstration

Here are some great container plants to play around with:

Thrillers

Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum')

New Zealand flax (Phormium)

Fern

"Spike” plants

Cana

Angelonia

Ti plant (Cordyline)

Dwarf banana (Musa)

Ornamental millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

Coral bells (Heuchera)

Fillers

Coleus

Begonia

Impatiens

Lantana

Allysum

Zinnia

Marigold (Calendula)

Wave Petunia

Geranium (Pelargonium)

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

Spillers

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Trailing petunia (Calibrachoa)

Fuchsia

Ivies

Vinca

Lobelia

Verbena

Spiderwort (Trades.cantia)

Inchplant (Tradescantia zebrina)

Before planting anything (perennials, vegetables, trees, shrubs, etc.), it's important to make sure the soil in the area is suitable, as each plant has specific pH requirements. Readings of 7.0 are neutral. Readings above 7.0 indicate alkaline soil. Those below 7.0 are acidic. Soil on Long Island is generally acidic, so many plants will require amendments such as lime to thrive.

Click photo for a step-by-step slideshow

Vegetables thrive best in soil with a pH of 6.2-6.8; Lawns prefer 6.3-6.7, but should do fine anywhere in the 6.0-7.0 range; herbs like things neutral, around 7.0, but most can handle 6.5.

Photos by my very talented daughter, Justine.

It's summer vacation time! Gradually begin moving houseplants outdoors for the season, starting with an hour the first day and increasing exposure to eight hours over the course of a week to get them accustomed to their new digs.

Then you can leave them out day and night until autumn, but you'll likely have to adjust your watering schedule to account for the drying hot summer sun as well as the rain.

Earlier this week, lawn-care giant Scotts recalled four of its lawn and garden products that contain weed suppressants never approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. They are Miracle Gro Shake 'n Feed with Weed Preventer All Purpose Plant Food, Scotts Bonus S MAX, Scotts Turf Builder MAX and SLS Fertilizer with .28 Halts.

The products were not contaminated. There weren't any bad batches. That might be understandable. But according to the press release, "two of the products have not been registered with EPA and two of the products were registered but are not properly labeled." The company has reportedly blamed the error on a former employee.

Um. Maybe it's me, but wouldn't you think it's safe to assume that in this great country of ours products that require registration would be, well, registered before hitting store shelves? We're not talking about a mom-and-pop operation here. Scotts is a publicly-traded company that pulled in $2.9 billion in net sales last year. Its products are sold pretty much all over the planet. How does one single person have such control in a company like that?

I don't want to get into a debate about Scotts' business practices, but since lots of people use its products in their gardens, the recall makes it necessary to talk about alternatives.

I’m not a big fertilizer person. In fact, I have never, ever fertilized my lawn. I've never quite understood the whole suburban obsession with perfect turf. Mine is nearly half weeds, but when it’s neatly mowed (which is isn’t right now), you’d never know it. Green is green, whether it’s grass or amputated dandelions. For my purposes, it's a lawn.

I try to garden responsibly – just like I try to eat well – but I'm not an extremist in any facet of my life. And while I’ve been known to indulge in the occasional sack of White Castle cheeseburgers, I’d rather my lawn go without weed killers than smother it in chemicals.

I do, however, give my perennials an occasional dose of 5-10-5. I’ve used Miracle-Gro in the past, and in all fairness, I’ve seen good results. A couple of years ago I discovered a product called Worm Poop that worked wonders on my tomatoes. Another "plant food,” Dynamite, which was bestowed with EPA’s Gulf Guardian Award, has served my perennials well.

Regardless of the brand you buy, pick one with a slow-release formula, which is best for the environment with less excess to run off into ground water. They're also better for your plants. And look for one that contains micro nutrients like magnesium, copper, boron, iron and molybdenum in addition to the usual nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K). Dynamite offers both benefits, plus it contains ammoniacal nitrogen instead of the more-common urea, which can contribute to groundwater pollution and is found even in some organic fertilizers.

And what about weeds? Why not try all-natural corn gluten? Applied before weed seeds germinate, it's a good alternative to products containing trifluraline.

If you have any of the recalled Scotts' products, don't use them. Call 888-295-0671 for instructions on getting a refund. Other Scotts products are unaffected by the recall.

Squirrels like to use the area under lawns as their personal cupboards. They collect acorns and other food in the fall and dig up lawns to bury their stash. Come winter, they dig again to feast at the buffet.

If squirrels are digging up your lawn, you probably have an abundant food source nearby, like oak trees or open bird feeders. Repellents such as Get Away Squirrel and Raccoon Repellent, which contains capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers, have been shown to keep squirrels from digging in landscaped areas.

To repair the damage, fill each hole with sterile topsoil and tamp down with your foot to level the area with the rest of the lawn. Water the area lightly and sprinkle with grass seed. Then scrape the area gently with a fork. Water each spot daily, taking care to avoid washing away the seed. And don't mow until the new grass is 3 inches high.

Ewww, moss. That's a problem I don't like hearing about. Moss takes advantage of poor soil cover in neglected lawns, or where it finds conditions favorable in moist, shady spots. Low soil fertility, acidic pH, poor drainage, compacted soil and too-short mowing also can contribute to the problem.

Your first course of action should be to have your soil tested. Call your local agricultural extension office (On Long Island, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension: 516-228-0426 in Nassau; 631-727-7850 in Suffolk) for information on how to collect a sample and when and where to bring it. They will recommend a course of action for improving the soil, if necessary.

Don't bother spending money on any of the moss-eradication products on the market. While they are effective, their solution is temporary. Without improving conditions, the moss will surely return.

First, rake out the moss. Next, you'll have to make the area inhospitable to prevent its return. Adjust the pH if your soil test indicates you should. If the soil is compacted, core aeration will help. If it's too shady, you'll have to weigh the pros and cons of removing tree limbs or entire trees. If it's damp, consider installing drainage.

The good news is that, although you might find it unsightly, the moss is not aggressively competitive and is generally harmless to your plants.

This video has absolutely nothing to do with this post. I just thought I'd provide some entertainment for your listening enjoyment while you read. (Slide the bar to the 1:10:00 point to bypass the intro.)

There are 5 simple rules to keep in mind when planning a garden, whether it's a bed, border, garden room or landscaped area.

1. Repetition. Repeat hardscape materials throughout the garden and repeat foliage or flower color and texture throughout the space.

2. Balance. You can achieve balance two ways, but first you have to figure out what sort of garden you want. Do you like a formal look? Then you'll want things arranged symmetrically. Prefer things informal? Shoot for an assymetrical arrangement. Either way, you need balance. Imagine a line running through the center of your garden. Now fold it in half. Oh -- and erase the garden and replace it with a mirror. If both sides are identical, that's a formal symmetrical arrangement. If they're a bit askew, like in my mirror, then you're an asymmetrical type.

Yesterday, I wrote about planting in groups of 3s or 5s. That looks best regardless of your style. Using just one of a plant makes it a specimen. If you use two, then things are symmetrical, and that makes you a formal person. When grouping in 3s, plants look best when arranged in the shape of an equilateral triangle. If you want to use 4 of something, don't just line them up. Plant 3 on one side and 1 on the other. Or, divide the space into quadrants and plant one in each quad. When you have 5 of the same plant, put 4 on one side and another opposite them. This creates balance, even though it's not symmetrical.

3. Contrast and harmony. Consider that plant textures and colors should be different enough to provide contrast but you still need them to blend with eachother. Using just one each of many plants will create a big jumble that will look chaotic and messy.

4. Movement. Hopefully in #2, above, you figured out whether you were a formal type or an informal type. Use that new self-awareness to determine how you'll create movement in your garden. Soft, curved lines are used in informal gardens; straight geometrical lines are found in formal gardens. Either way, your gardening style determines how people walk through the property. It's a power trip. In my yard, you have to walk around curvy beds. I don't care if you're a formal person. It's my house, and that's the way I like it. When I visit you, I'll walk straight if you want me to, but over here we do it curvy.

5. Unity. Think about all the components of your property. There's a house, plants, maybe a deck or a patio, a walkway, some trees. If you're mindful of creating unity, all those individual parts will come together. Consider using plants with colors that coordinate with your house. And don't stop at color. It's important to match style, as well. A cottage garden would seem out of place in front of a so-called McMansion, while a formal garden might seem odd behind a bungalow.

In the end, though, you should use these principles to express your individuality. What to plant? Plant what you like. Just be sure it's suited to the climate and soil and sun exposure. After that, it's all you.

Too proud to inspire pity, I'm including a photo of my kickass crocuses instead of the current state of my backyard. I'll post those when I can hide behind the 'after' shots.

Well, it's finally time to pay the piper. Regular visitors here know about the cesspool installation that wreaked havoc on my backyard last summer. Not that it was Shangri La before being reduced to a mud pit. Not by a long shot.

This will be our third summer in this house. I left scores of perennials behind in my old garden. I didn't realize how long it would take to get the new gardens going. The first summer was spent unpacking and settling in. The second summer -- last summer -- we concentrated on the front yard, which still has a way to go. The backyard was plain, but livable. And then disaster struck. Six thousand unanticipated dollars later, we have a new cesspool and well, a cesspool of a backyard. Just mud, erratic patches of grass and and lots of weeds.

I've been researching plants and planning and sketching 3 garden room areas for the backyard for a few weeks now. The backyard beds are marked with garden hoses and jump ropes, and I'm just about ready to order plants, trees and shrubs.

So far, there are 56 items on the list. With a project of this magnitude, I'm going to have to hire in some help to install them all. Most of the plants will be available within a month. Fortunately, that should coincide very conveniently with the arrival of my tax refund.

Though I could consider myself terribly unfortunate for having to spend all this money and time building up the gardens from scratch instead of letting them evolve gradually, I've always been a glass-full kind of person. Plus, starting with a blank canvas is easier than trying to work around what you have. It just takes knowledge and imagination.

The knowledge part is easy, but when it comes to imagination, well, I usually buy what the mannequin is wearing. I'm no stranger to moving plants around several times over the course of a single season until I'm happy. Along the way, the plant often suffers from my indecision, but almost always it's no worse for wear the following year. That's why I spent weeks (and almost an entire pad of graph paper) trying to get it right this time.

A successful landscape comprises greenscape and hardscape components. Greenscape refers to plant material, while hardscape is anything constructed of wood, stone, bricks, cement, etc. The latter includes walkways, patios, decks, statues, ponds and that sort of thing. It's always best to plan and install the hardscape first, then consider how the greenscape will work around it.

I'll only need 2 hardscaping items. A small stone patio area in the center of what will henceforth be referred to as John's Grass Garden, and a large rock in one of the other beds.

John loves ornamental grasses. He finds watching them sway in the breeze very relaxing. I could take them or leave them. They have their places, to be sure, but in my garden at least, less is usually more. I have three surrounding a huge spruce tree in the front and I'd be happy stopping there. John would fill the property with them. So, in the interest of compromise I designed John's Grass Garden in the shadiest spot of the backyard, sandwiched between the deck and the garage. He'll be able to relax on a hammock surrounded by tall grasses and clumping (not invasive) bamboos, oblivious to the existence of anything beyond its borders.

The Curvy Island Bed (I just named it this very minute for your sake) was designed to provide some privacy from the street. Otherwise passersby would continue to have an unobstructed view straight past the driveway through to the back fence at the end of the yard. It also will divide the space into two separate areas, or rooms. I'm filling it up with blue spruce, black-eyed Susans, Echinacea, barberry, Joe Pye weed, blue fescue, white phlox, Ilex, salvia and the aforementioned rock.

When we enter the backyard from the driveway, we'll be forced to walk around the Curvy Island Bed, past the rock, in order to see the back fence and the rest of the property. And that's one of the goals of creating garden rooms. Let the picture unfold gradually. You shouldn't be able to see the whole thing at once. Create surprises around every corner.

You don't need to live on an estate to do this. I have a very small L-shaped backyard. The whole property is only .14 acres, including the front and the land under the house. (Notice the decimal point.) If I can create rooms in this small space, so can you.

Along the back fence, I'm installing a half-moon border with Lelyand cypresses and Cotinus smokebush in the rear, Spirea, catmint, blue spruce 'globosa', Sedums and Dianthus in front. It will serve as a colorful backdrop to a small sitting area. (Note to self: Draw a bench into the plans; it's another hardscape item.)

Here are some logistics to consider when planning your garden room:

• Garden beds should be at least 3-4 feet deep to allow for adequate layering of plants. My Curvy Island Bed will be 9 feet deep at its widest point.

• Include plants with 4 seasons of interest. The bed would look awfully barren over the winter if it's filled with only herbaceous perennials. I've included spruce, smokebush, cypress, Ilex and the by-now-famous rock. Also, I file grasses under winter interest, as they turn strawlike and add a pretty dimension to the off-season landscape.

• The tallest residents in a garden bed should be in the center, visible from all sides. This is called layering. Just like in school on picture day, when the tall kids got to stand in the back and I had to sit in a chair in front. I'm not bitter.

While we're on topic, let me define beds and borders. Beds can be seen from all sides. You can walk around a bed. Borders are placed up against something like a fence or a house and can be viewed only from the front (OK, maybe the sides, too, but they aren't focal points.)

• Consider the mature size of plants and space accordingly. I'm an impatient gardener who hates looking at (and inevitably weeding) bare mulch spots, so I'm not going to cast stones (or the ubiquitous rock) at anyone. But if planned properly, allowing room for growth, those bare spots could be occupied by annuals until they fill in. Do as I say, people, not as I do.

• Plant perennials and shrubs in odd numbers. Groupings of 3 or 5 work best.

If I'm not too busy, I'll post a primer on the principles of garden design tomorrow. Otherwise, Thursday at the latest, I promise.

Tis the season, and I've been getting a lot of emails asking if and why mulch is necessary. In a nutshell, mulch keeps the soil moist and its temperature even, suppresses weeds and keeps things looking nice and tidy. It helps keep soil from eroding and reduces soil compaction around delicate roots.

But what is mulch? It's simply a generic term that applies to any ground covering that serves the above purposes. It can be made of a solid fabric or plastic sheet, shredded bark, leaves (except oak), wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings, pebbles, even recycled tires. Of all the organic and inorganic types of mulch available, the most common applied in spring is shredded bark.

But you shouldn't just toss it about willy-nilly -- now there's a word I don't use often enough -- and there's a method to the mulching.

First, wait until the soil warms up. I saw landscapers applying the stuff to my neighbors' gardens as early as St. Patrick's Day. If applied too soon, it will be counterproductive, keeping the coolness in the soil instead of the warmth.

Secondly, too much of a good thing can cause problems. Keep mulch to no more than 3 inches deep. If applied too thickly, it will attract rodents and become a breeding ground for fungus. Large, uncovered piles of mulch left sitting around too long will decompose anaerobically and become toxic to plants once applied. Plan deliveries accordingly.

You've probably passed a common suburban travesty dozens of times this week alone. And you might not even have been aware of it. Trees are dying slow deaths because of a common practice we'll refer to as "volcano mulching." Sure, it might look cool to have a 2-foot-high mound of mulch surrounding your trees, but if you can't see the natural flair that extends from the bottom of the trunk to the soil line, that means the tree is, in effect, suffocating.

The buried portion of the trunk eventually will decay, and the rotting will make the tree susceptible to disease. Certain trees will even send girdling roots into the mulch, restricting the trunk and eventually strangling the tree. It makes me crazy to see people doing this.

Applying mulch 2 to 3 inches deep over the roots in a circle around the trunk - but not touching it - will protect the tree from lawn mower injuries. More than that is harmful.

Shredded bark mulch should be applied in late fall and mid-spring. Wood chips usually need to be replaced every three years, while inorganic mulches last much longer. Pine needles can be used around ericaceous (acid-loving) plants such as blueberries and rhododendrons. They also make a nice winter mulch, as do discarded Christmas tree branches.

Sheet mulches can be rolled out under pebble walkways or mulched areas to suppress weed growth. Dark plastic or landscaping fabric (geotextile mulch) can be applied to vegetable gardens before seedlings are planted. Simply cut an X into the mulch and gently insert the root end of the plant. If the plastic isn't pre-scored or porous, poke holes in it to allow water to reach roots.

University of Tennessee photo

From coast to coast, slugs and snail seem to cause problems wherever they go. I've gotten laments from the west:

Would you like to meet the indigenous slug of the Northwest? You won't need your magnifying lens out here, Detective. Oh No! The Banana Slug is easily spotted on the wet pathways through the woods and it can be tracked by its iridescent trail left on the patio door glass. -- Lynn & Carel, Olympia, Washington

... and desperate pleas from the east:

Is there a way to get rid of slugs? I'm finding round holes in my hostas. -- Chris J., Patchogue

Sluggo and Escar-go! are two products that are quite effective in eliminating most slug problems, and both are natural and safe to use around pets.

But they're not cheap, so it pays to know that beer and molasses work, too. Try this first: Add ¾ inch of beer or molasses to a high-rimmed dish and place the dish in the garden under your hostas or wherever slugs hide.

Salt also is quite deadly to all slugs. When it comes in contact with them, they automatically release moisture and rush it to their outer surface, in an attempt to dilute the irritating substance. As a result, the slug dehydrates itself. Problem is, unless you're planning to sit up all night in your garden with a salt shaker (and the University of Minnesota photo at left just might inspire you to do so,) you'll need to sprinkle the stuff around your plants, and that might not be the best thing for your soil.

Some easy cultural controls that help a great deal include raking the garden well in early spring. You'll be oblivious to all the slug eggs you'll pick up with leaves and other debris. And don't mulch any thicker than 3 inches or you'll invite not only slugs but rodents, too.

A reader from Orange County, California, wrote not about problems encountered with slugs, but with snails. While snails aren't much of an issue in my garden (OK, they're not an issue at all, but I don't want to gloat), I can understand her frustration. What's really interesting is that there's a strange irony in the American snail's history.

Ordinary garden snails were brought here deliberately by the French, as they were an important part of their cuisine. Somehow, they managed to escape and multiplied like, well, like snails.

So they were brought here to be eaten, but au contraire, now your vegetables and plants are being eaten by them. Now that's what I call vengeance.

The good news is that products like Escar-go! work wonders on snails as well. Touché!

Technically a vine, Mandevilla often is grown in a large pot and allowed to climb on a trellis. It thrives outdoors in partial sun. For overwintering indoors, it should be brought inside in early autumn, when daytime temperatures dip into the 60s. In late spring, when temperatures consistently reach the 70s, Mandevillas can be moved outdoors for another season. But what to do in between?

You have two options: Allow the plant to go dormant, or try to keep it going over the winter.

To go the dormancy route, after moving the plant indoors in September, you should set it in a warm spot (68 to 70 degrees) in indirect sunlight and keep the soil consistently moist. It's normal for Mandevilla to drop leaves in October or November, so don't panic when that happens. That's the time to prune it and to move it into a cool (50-60 degree) spot. Over the winter, water only when the soil completely dries out.

In late winter or very early spring (now), move the plant back into the main part of the house near a window that offers indirect light. Pick up the watering again and apply a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 or 20-20-20) monthly until fall. The plant will leaf out soon.

If you choose to keep it as an active houseplant over the winter, it will survive, but don't expect it to be pretty: It probably will lose some leaves and it won't bloom much.

In either case, move it back outdoors gradually around Memorial Day, beginning with a half-hour a day and working up to 8 hours over the course of 10 days or so.

Here are some exceptions to the pruning recommendations I posted Wednesday.

For spring bloomers like lilacs, it's best to wait until after their flowers fall. It's fine to prune now, but you'll be removing flower buds and have fewer blossoms this year. It's up to you.

Forsythia and privet should be pruned every year. Spirea and weigela should be pruned every two to three years.

Clethra and cotoneasters should seldom be pruned.

Butterfly bush (Buddleia) should never be pruned in fall or it will die. Instead, cut it all the way to the ground every year in early spring.

Only deadhead rhododendrons and mountain laurels if they aren't full enough, and do it immediately after flowering. Waiting even a week will defeat the process and you'll still end up with leggy plants.

Caring for hydrangeas can seem a bit daunting because different species require different maintenance. If you mistake one type for another, you'll end up with a blossom-less season, or worse. It's really not that bad, as long as you keep the plant tag that came with the plant and use the handy guide I've prepared for you:

Hydrangea macrophylla: Prune in late summer, as soon as the flowers fade, but never after September. Remove weaker stems from the base of the plant, being careful to retain several stems of old wood, which will produce buds for next year's flowers. You can prune now, too, but it will cost you flowers this year.

Hydrangea arborescens 'Grandiflora': Cut to the ground in late winter/early spring. If it survived the winter nicely, however, and you'd like it to grow better, do a light selective pruning, cutting branches at varying heights.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' (Peegee): Simply remove spent flowers and thin or cut back last year's growth in late winter/early spring.

Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea): Remove dead wood at the base of the plant in early spring.

Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (climbing hydrangea): Unruly vines can be shortened in summer. Otherwise, pruning is seldom necessary.

That wasn't so bad, was it?

Share your photos of the lunar eclipse

I can't remember the last time I saw a lunar eclipse. Maybe never. I don't know. But I do remember viewing a total eclipse of the sun when I was about 5 years old. I spied it outside my living room window through sheer curtains since my mother wouldn't let me go outside to look at it directly. Solar eclipses are usually big-time events, with people capitalizing on memorabilia and those little cardboard eyeglasses with pinholes poked through them for safe viewing.

Lunar eclipses aren't as noteworthy, probably because they aren't as rare. Plus, they're safe to look at. We had two last year. But the one enroute to us tonight will be the last until December 10, 2010, so I'm going to make a point of seeing it.

It's going to be extra special because Saturn and the bright star Regulus will line up to form a perfect triangle with the moon. Jack Horkheimer, of PBS' "Star Gazer," called it "the moon, the lord of the rings and heart of the lion eclipse," so I'm hoping the snow flurries in the forecast don't interfere with my view of the big event.

Though the moon will be blocked by the earth's shadow, don't think there'll be nothing to see. A total lunar eclipse can put on quite a show. Dramatic colors from bright orange to bright red and dark brown -- even shards of dark grey -- could peek out. The event will develop gradually, beginning at 8:43 p.m.

Usually, I'm all tucked into bed by 9:00. But I'll be out in the garden looking skyward at 10:01. The moon will be totally eclipsed from then until 10:51. Make some hot cocoa and let the kids stay up late. They'll always remember it.

Here's a really cool interactive simulation of tonight's eclipse for you to play with

Living to 100 isn't as elusive as you might think, and a study published in yesterday's Archives of Internal Medicine suggests gardening might help you get there -- even if you experience some common age-related ailments along the way.

Together with the avoidance of smoking, obesity and other "lifestyle-related" dangers, healthy habits such as exercise can add years to your life, according to the study. And spending time in the garden is not only a rewarding hobby, it's an ideal exercise. Think about it: You stretch, move, repeat motions (think raking) and experience some weight resistance without stressing your joints as much as you would at the gym.

Plus, planting burns 250 calories per hour. That's more than golfing without a cart. Hoeing and raking burn about 350, about the same as dancing. When you start digging, your metabolism really starts cooking, burning 450 calories per hour, right up there with taking a bike ride. And I can't remember the last time I exercised and was rewarded with food as a natural consequence. But the last time I was in the garden, I brought in a basket full of tomatoes.

Just remember to bend at the knees, get some ergonomic hand tools, avoid the midday sun and drink plenty of water. And take time to smell the roses.

It amazes me how much junk mail I get these days. Going to the mailbox no longer is the anticipation-filled happy trip it used to be. Now, as I walk the 10 steps to my postal receptacle, I'm usually filled with dread, as a big job sifting through the junk invariably follows.

And you can't just toss everything, either. Credit card offers need to be shredded, and the unmarked envelopes of sneaky marketers need to be opened, just in case there's something of value in there.

I resent the imposition on my valuable time. But even more so, I resent the process that makes me an unwilling party to filling a landfill. What's more, there are a few catalog companies that send me not one, but several copies of each issue. I'll never understand that one.

Well, whether you care about the environment, or you just want to cut down on the time required to sift through the day's offerings, there's a new website that can help. Catalogchoice.org is a free service that, in its short 3-month life, has already helped nearly 400,000 people to opt out of receiving more than 5 million unwanted catalogs. The site's owners say that's about 60 million catalogs in a year.

So today, catalogchoice.org gets the Garden Detective prize for saving the environment -- and my sanity.

Instead of spraying chemicals on your plants next spring, how about being a little proactive and rocking the boat for those pests now, before they get out of control.

It's not too late to get out there and till the soil. It might be a bit hard, but today's wet weather and above-freezing temps are sure to have softened it just enough.

Tilling now will disrupt the life cycles of many insects that can damage your plants next season. Breaking up the soil will expose larvae and pupae to the cold, harsh elements and make them vulnerable to, well, death, reducing their population next year.

This also will disrupt weed seeds that have settled in the bed. And that's a double-whammy. Insects that overwinter in your garden beds survive on weeds that sprout up before your perennials or vegetable plants take their places.

And be sure to clean up debris and dead plants, if you haven't already; they provide shelter and food for those overwintering pests.

Next, cover the area with mulch or leaves to keep it from eroding and to keep remaining weed seeds from germinating in spring.

It seems we've been spared the huge snowfall that was predicted for our area overnight. Sure the snow fell, but with 42-degree temperatures, it didn't have much of a chance of accumulating on the ground.

That's great for me, because I hate digging my car out in the morning and my car has absolutely no traction in the snow. It's unfortunate for my kids, especially the 10 year old, who ritualistically and somewhat superstitiously put a spoon under her pillow last night and slept with her pajamas on inside out in the quest for a snow day off from school. But what does this mean for all your dormant perennials and bulbs?

Well, the freeze-thaw cycles aren't good for them either. Just a few days ago I ran some errands wearing only a denim jacket. A week before that, I was barely visible beneath my down coat, scarf and hat. In the meantime, the bulbs and perennials in our gardens are heaving in and out of the soil. As it loosens its grip on them, it sends them on a ride closer and closer to the surface.

As temperatures fluctuate from above freezing to below freezing and back again, the soil freezes and thaws -- contracts and expands -- causing some perennials and bulbs to lift out of the ground. This is called "heaving."

Shallow-rooted perennials, like Chrysanthemums, Coreopsis, Gaillardia and Scabiosa are more susceptible to heaving. For them, this can mean broken roots. And an exposed crown can kill the whole plant. For bulbs, well, you might as well set the table for the squirrels and ring the dinner bell.

So today, get out there and inspect your beds and borders. Check for lifted plant bases or for bulbs that poking up through the ground, and step on them. It's that simple. Just push them back where they belong with a stomp of the foot.

Then, if you haven't already, protect them for the rest of the season with a nice layer of mulch.

Sesame Street's Kermit the Frog laments his lot in life in his song, "It's not easy being green." But practice makes perfect.

I admit it: I'm an imperfect environmentalist. I talk the talk and try to walk the walk, but every now and then I falter.

I compost (usually), (try to) use mostly renewable or at least biodegradable products and never, ever use pesticides in my garden. But it's the 'usuallys' and the 'try tos' that I want to talk about. Or rather the times when it doesn't work according to plan. Like the other day, when I secretly put a can in with the regular trash because the recyclables had just been taken out and I didn't want to have to put my coat and shoes on and walk to the curb with it. Or the times when my counter-top compost crock is full and so I just throw all those beautiful food scraps into the garbage because I'm too busy to take the crock outside and empty it into the composter. This usually happens when the weather is bad, which it is, generally, from November through April.

It all reminds me of the old Steve Martin joke: "Always carry a litter bag in your car. It doesn't take up much room, and if it gets too full you can always toss it out the window."

On the bright side, I've made a New Year's resolution to try harder. This was spurred by a little surprise I found in the stocking hanging from my fireplace mantle on Christmas morning. Though my husband insists it was a hint from Santa, I'm pretty sure he's behind the conspiracy. John, who works as a commercial real estate property manager, is on a renewed environmental frenzy. He has even completed courses for a "green buildings" certification. And he tossed a sideways glance at me just last night when I threw a tin foil ball in the trash.

The stocking surprise was a desk-sized calendar titled, fittingly, "The Lazy Environmentalist" and it contains "366 days of great tips for easy, stylish green living." I'm really excited about implementing the daily tips, offered one to a page, if for no other reason than I currently have only 365 days in a year. If the calendar lives up to its title, I might save a whole day by meticulously following its advice.

Today's tidbit (It's Islamic New Year, I've learned) is about Eco-Vacationing. It touts adventurecollection.com, a travel company that can customize high-end phenomenal experiences while practicing eco-conservatism and "responsible tourism."

OK. I can't take any time off right now, and even if I could, I certainly couldn't afford to "visit Europe's castles and reach out and touch the spires and turrets from...a hot-air balloon." Nor do I have the physical endurance to "scale the east face of Mount Everest." So I might have to pass on this tip and settle for the Disney World vacation I have planned to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday this spring.

Yesterday's tip, however, hits closer to home: "For taking out the trash, use bags that are biodegradable so they won't still be here long after you're not. BioBags are made from next-generation plastic derived from corn -- as in corn on the cob." I really like that one. Check out biobagusa.com.

Are you a lazy environmentalist? Confess your sins below and pledge a fresh start.

I know all about houseplants. But with 2 kids, 2 jobs, a husband, a house and a dog, I don't have much time to care for them, so I keep them to a minimum and focus on the outdoor landscape during the growing season. Right now, I only have 3 houseplants: A one-year-old Miracle Berry plant, which has yet to fruit and whose leaves are getting crunchy, a Poinsettia (to honor the season), and a Cleopatra Begonia -- my favorite -- which I grew from a cutting given to me by my dentist. Dr. John Gaeta of Glen Cove has been keeping many of his patients in cuttings, as they frequently ask to take a piece of his office decor home, as I did.

For those who have a greater love of houseplants than I do, British horticulturist Matin Fish demonstrates in this video the special care they require over the winter months.

I have been re landscaping the yard beginning May 07. It has been a true challenge with the drought and water restrictions. The lot is 110x175, a 6' privacy wood fence installed and stained. I have done a slope area from fence to street. It is arranged very lovely including several Knockout Roses which are still blooming some now December 8th. I have mulched heavy and will continue with shredded leaves and pine straw. I've even released several earth worms under the mulch. Not a lot of grass, just like I want but many plants. I'm still concerned about 70+ daytime temperatures with no rainfall to talk about. Will these roses need water or will they be okay? They have been in the tilled and mulched ground about three weeks. I planted them with soil conditioner and compost under them. I'm a 64 year old woman with a farming back ground but I'm unsure about the plants and the weather problems of lack of rain. I watered in the dug hole as I sat them out. Thanks for addressing my concerns. -- Jewel, 35055

Hi, Jewel.

Though low-maintenance, Knock Out roses need regular watering just like any other plant in your garden. And if it doesn't come from rainfall, you'll need to continue supplemental irrigation until they go dormant.

You don't say where you live, but if the number you provided is a zip code, I'm guessing that's Alabama. I understand the situation in Alabama, which is experiencing the worst drought in its history. I've read that some farmers have lost not only one, but two crops this year.

For your plants to survive, water must be provided through dormancy or they're likely to suffer the same downfall as those farmers' crops. This is true regardless of what your winters are like, and is especially important during the first year, until the plants get fully established.

I admire the extra steps you've taken due to the water restrictions, but unfortunately the plants don't know anything about municipal regulations. They only know they're thirsty. I recommend watering deeply when permitted. Infrequent deep waterings are preferable to more frequent shallow waterings. The latter could be a waste of water, as it won't do much for the plant if it doesn't reach down to the root system. Water deeply when permitted and keep your fingers crossed.

If you anticipate the drought conditions will continue, you should consider xeriscaping -- the installation of plants with low-water needs. Contact your local agricultural extension office for a list of xeriscape-suitable plants. Of course, they, too, will require supplemental watering until fully established, but then their water needs will drop sharply. In general, stick to native plants, which are accustomed to the climate and should have an easier time getting established. And waiting until spring will allow newly planted plants sufficient time to get established. Plus, drought concerns might be over by then.

Concerning the mulch -- your intentions are righteous, but don't apply too heavily. A nice 2-inch layer is appropriate in spring to retain moisture and block weeds. More should be applied after the ground freezes, to protect against freeze-thaw cycles. But over-mulching could cut the plant's water supply, lead to rot and disease, curtail photosynthesis and invite rodents. Since you've already applied it, rake the mulch away from the stem for now and push it back after the ground freezes.

In general, shallow-rooted plants or those growing in poor-draining (clay) soil should not receive more than 2 inches of mulch. For plants that root more deeply or those that are growing in loamy or sandy soil, you can mulch 3 or 4 inches. Also, coarse mulches can be applied more heavily than fine-textured ones because air circulates more easily through them to the soil.

Good luck!
Jessica

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts parsley still thriving in the backyard. Ordinarily, I would treat it the same way I do all my herbs: Snip, rinse and air dry overnight in a single layer on a paper towel, then store it in a plastic bag in the freezer.

The single-layer drying method is crucial because it allows each leaf to freeze independently so that when I need to use it, I simply pull out as many individual leaves as I need. If I were to rinse it and place it directly in the freezer, a big green ice cube would result. Trust me, I've done it. It isn't pretty.

When I was turning over my vegetable and herb border last week, I left the parsley and mint behind because they were still doing well. Now I'm thinking about drying some of them, crushing the leaves and storing them in jars for a different, stronger accent. Here are some pointers in case you want to give it a whirl as well.

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of one day visiting our 50th state. Ever since 1972, when I sat on the edge of my seat, three weeks in a row, watching The Brady Bunch's cliffhanging three-part episode -- the one where Greg finds an "ancient" tiki idol, which he believes is responsible for the string of unfortunate events that follow.

I finally made it to Hawaii this summer. I didn't nearly drown, nor did I have any run-ins with tarantulas or Vincent Price. I didn't see any ancient burial grounds like my Brady friends did, but I did get to visit some beautiful gardens. I wore a Plumeria lei, watched my kids surf in the Pacific and said things like "mahalo" and "aloha" whenever the opportunity arose. I attended a luau, took a ukulele lesson, ate Poi, sat on Kailua beach and hiked to the top of Diamond Head, the crater of an inactive volcano. I even learned how to propagate pineapple plants during a visit to the Dole Plantation in Waialua.

It's an unusual process. So simple. And fun for the kids, too.

To get started, cut the leafy crown off the top of an ordinary, store-bought pineapple, keeping the knife blade as close to the crown as possible. Slice off any remaining flesh until you see small dots circling the underside of the crown. Those are the root buds.

Allow it to dry at room temperature -- upside down -- for 7 days. You'll notice the cut end will become hard to the touch.

Strange as it sounds, all you have to do next is place the crown on top of a potful of soil. Twist it in a bit, but don't get any soil in the leaves. The crown and the leaves should stick out of the soil so that it appears you've buried an entire pineapple and left the top inch or so exposed with the leaves attached.

Dole experts recommend using a porous clay pot and lining it with an inch of gravel before filling with a mixture of 70% light soil and 30% compost.

Place in a sunny indoor spot, water every week and fertilize every four months with ordinary houseplant food. In 18-22 months, you'll be eating your own, Long Island house-grown pineapple.

At around 18 months, the plant should sprout a red cone.

Soon afterward, you'll be rewarded with rows of beautiful blue flowers -- the predecessors of fruit. Allow the fruit to remain on the plant for 6 months. When it's rich gold in color, it's time to feast. Your plant will be shot, but you'll have another crown to plant.

TIP: If a red cone doesn't sprout by month 20, Dole recommends coaxing it by placing the entire pot in a sealed plastic bag with a ripe apple and setting it in a dark spot for 3 days. The apple emits ethylene gas, which induces flower production. Remove the plant from the bag and place it back near the window. Look for the cone within 2 months.

A reader from Oyster Bay Cove asks, "What is the correct size pot for growing little cherry tomatoes? "

You're wise to ask that question, as many people make assumptions that end up costing them dearly. Using a pot that's too small could result in a root-bound and unhealthy plant. Likewise, a too-large container could hold too much water and lead to root rot. Neither scenario will yield many tomatoes.

My personal preference for growing tomatoes in containers these days is the EarthBox (photo above.) I saw them at Hicks Nurseries in Westbury recently, but they're pretty widely available in local garden centers and online. You can buy the optional trellis system for your tomatoes to climb on and you'll probably get a much larger harvest than if you planted them in the ground. You'll never need to worry about weeding, over- or under-watering or feeding. On the downside, the box is pricey, and you can only put two plants in each box.

If you'd prefer a standard container, get one that holds at least five gallons of soil (a 5-gallon paint bucket would work nicely) and don't forget to poke or drill holes in the bottom for drainage and provide something for the plants to climb on. Fill the container with good-quality potting soil and place only one plant in each pot.

Tomato plants require calcium, and some people swear by placing a whole egg in the soil under the plant. Others crush up egg shells and mix them in with the soil. The plants will benefit similarly by an occasional watering with water in which you’ve boiled eggs. Any of these methods will help prevent blossom end rot.

Be sure to check moisture levels diligently, as potted plants require more frequent watering than their garden-planted counterparts, and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer (one with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) when the plants are a month old and then regularly after they’ve set fruit. To avoid over-feeding, fertilize at half the strength recommended on the package instructions, and do it twice as often. Over fertilizing could result in big, beautiful foliage but an unimpressive crop.

Place your pots in a bright, sunny spot and in no time you'll be enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Lots of people -- and until recently I counted m