Garden Detective

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay is adding a new rhododendron to its plant collection. The new cultivar, 'Margaret S. Coe', is named for the daughter-in-law of William Robertson Coe, the insurance magnate and former owner of Planting Fields. The certificate of International Registration just came in from the Royal Horticultural Society in the U.K.

Local rhodie expert Richard Murcott of East Norwich developed the cultivar, which sports large mid-range pink flowers with white highlights and fainted yellow centers.

At Planting Fields, William Robertson Coe was actively involved with developing and improving the collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and hibiscus. He had a penchant for new plant varieties and modern growing techniques, and collected rhododendrons. During the estate era, thousands of large specimens were imported from all over the world. There still are more than 1,000 different types of azaleas and rhododendrons at Planting Fields.

'Margaret S. Coe' will be planted in the North Rhododendron Park on the east side of Coe Hall next fall, alongside other rhododendrons named for Coe family members.

The collection is a reflection of the New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society's hybridization endeavors. Plants are selected for their color, form and suitability for Long Island.

Want more? The New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will host a rhododendron show and sale in the Conference Center of Planting Fields on Sunday, May 25, open to the public from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Admission to the show is free but there is a $6 parking fee. Cut specimens in full bloom will be displayed by class and category to illustrate the numerous mid-season varieties of rhododendrons that can be grown on Long Island.

For information, visit plantingfields.org or nyrhododendron.org.

Will Wischhusen, far right, and the Botanical Training Group in Great Neck

I spent the morning visiting with the good folks in the Botanical Training Program at North Shore University Hospital's Vocational Training Center. The group, led by Will Wischhusen, comprises aspiring gardeners preparing for careers in the horticulture world.

We talked about soil pH, explored types of liming materials, discussed macronutrients and then played in the dirt, literally.

The group's eight members took turns testing two soil samples -- one from a neglected area in my backyard, the other from directly outside the building on Northern Boulevard in Great Neck. Both were surprisingly nonacidic, with readings of approximately 7.0 to 7.2.

That's some sweet soil, and unless you're planting ericaceous plants like blueberries, azaleas or rhododendrons, it's absolutely perfect. But what if your soil is more acidic, as much of Long Island soil is?

Your first course of action when planting a new area should be to get a soil test. The Cornell Cooperative Extension has walk-in counters located in Eisenhower Park in Nassau and in Riverhead in Suffolk. They'll test your sample for $5. You also can buy a test kit at most nurseries. The advantage to using the extension's service, though, is that it comes with recommendations for adjusting the pH, if necessary.

To get started: Dig down 4 inches and scoop up about 1/4 cup of soil from the area(s) you'd like to have tested. Place it in a zippered plastic bag and run a test.

The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. Readings of less than 7 indicate acid (sour) soil; higher than 7, alkaline (or sweet). Optimum pH depends on what you're planting. Pieris (andromeda), gooseberry, hemlock, creeping juniper, magnolia, pinoaks, white pines and potatoes -- in addition to azaleas, rhododendrons and blueberries -- thrive in more acidic soils. But most common garden plants require a neutral pH of around 7.0, or slightly below. So the next step is determining what pH suites your garden. (For a list of pH preferences of different plants, check out the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County fact sheet on soil acidity).

Once you know your plants' needs and your soil's reading, you can adjust the pH accordingly, if necessary. That's important because if the pH is off, nutrients won't be available to your plants. They might be in the soil, but they'll be locked up.

Most soil on Long Island is naturally acidic because of the amount of rain we get and because of our humid summers, so lowering pH usually isn't warranted.

Raising soil pH can be accomplished by adding calcium and magnesium to the soil. Both elements are present in limestone. Look for dolomitic limestone or dolomite; calcitic limestone is mostly calcium and contains only a very small amount of magnesium.

Liming materials are available in different particle sizes, which determine the speed of absorption. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. Pelletized lime is the Rolls Royce of amendments. It's fast acting and easy to spread but the most expensive of the group. Hydrated lime also is very fast, but caustic. Pulverized lime is fine and dusty and works fairly fast. Granular is slow acting and inexpensive. Your budget, obviously, but also the size of the area you're treating will determine the type of lime you purchase. If you have a small area and can afford it, go for the pelletized lime. If you're working on a acre of land, let your wallet be your guide.

Lowering soil pH is a very slow process and needs to be repeated ad nauseum. It's a never-ending uphill battle, but if you're growing ericaceous plants, you might have to consider it. Frankly, if my soil weren't suitable for acid-loving plants, I'd plant something else rather than mess with this stuff, but there are instances where it might be necessary, like if your plants are suffering from iron chlorosis (indicated by dark green veins on yellowing leaves.)

Elemental sulfur and ammonium sulfate are two elements used to lower soil pH. Ammonium sulfate also adds lots of nitrogen, which will run off and pollute groundwater something awful, but it gives instantaneous results, so people tend to prefer it. Sulfur can take weeks or months to become effective.

Use extreme care when messing with either of these. If they contact leaves, rinse immediately to avoid burns. And whatever you do, don't over-apply them.

We talked about macronutrients and micronutrients, fertilizers and how some freaky things can end up in drinking water.

In all, I'd say my morning was pretty alkaline.

Open Days photos

It's that time of year again -- the time when voyers such as myself finally get to see what's lurking in strangers' backyards. Over the next 3 months, private gardens will open to the public for a $5 admission fee, which will benefit the Garden Conservancy, sponsor of

Three of my favorite member-submitted designs from the first Onusgear.com contest, from left: "Galaxy," "Flower Power," and "Chinese Lantern Trees"

I just got off the phone with Greg Burrington, a nice guy from Ohio who recently started a new environmentally conscious website. As a gardener and a citizen of our planet, his concerns are close to my heart. He put the onus on me to spread the word about his endeavor.

"We were inspired by the fact that Americans use about 500 billion plastic bags a year," he said, explaining that when he heard the statistics, he worked to "come up with a fun way to reduce that number."

That fun way turned out to be Onusgear.com, a member-based effort to promote the use of canvas shopping bags to reduce our footprints on landfills, and in turn, the earth.

Visitors have to register (membership is free) to submit original designs to the website. Each month, three designs are chosen by member-submitted votes and printed on canvas bags, which then are sold on the site for $21 apiece. Winners get 2 free bags bearing their designs and initials, plus -- depending on the strength of sales for their bags -- anywhere from $50 to $500.

The first monthly contest is underway, so here's a chance to be on Onusgear's inaugural bags.

Sidney Kalugin of Jackson Heights watering his tomatoes at Queens Botanical Garden’s Senior Garden last summer. Photo: Terese Anthony

This just in: Don't grow old, grow vegetables!

How often does valuable New York real estate get offered for free? For a brief time, four 15 ft. X 5 ft. spaces are available to gardeners over 60 years old in Queens Botanical Garden’s Senior Garden.

Now in its 43rd year, Senior Garden’s approximately 45 members grow radishes, lettuce, spinach, zucchini, beans, tomatoes, strawberries, acorn squash, and flowers and tend apple, fig, and pear trees from April to September. Members are free to take home whatever they grow in their gardens.

Apart from the vegetables, Senior Gardeners appreciate the exercise, fresh air, tranquility, and pride of accomplishment that come with gardening. A sign near the garden’s gate promises, “Don’t grow old, grow vegetables.”

Another benefit is the close friendships that grow along with the plants. Every Wednesday, Senior Garden’s members meet for lunch at picnic tables under a white tent. They celebrate birthdays, trade jokes, discuss gardening techniques, and boast about their grandchildren. Occasionally, the group organizes trips to other gardens or the Philadelphia Flower Show.

In summer, Senior Gardeners open their gate to the public on alternating Saturdays so members can answer questions, share experiences, and display prized vegetables and flowers. Since many members have gardened for decades, their collective experience represents hundreds of years of practical expertise.

Senior Garden is open to members Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am to 12 Noon. The quarter-acre garden is located in the southwest quadrant of Queens Botanical Garden, near the College Point Boulevard gate, about a five-minute walk from Main Street and a short distance from QBG’s Crommelin Street parking lot.

For more information, visit www.queensbotanical.org or call 718-886-3800, ext.200. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, NY 11355. Accessible by LIRR or #7 train to Main St., Flushing. Buses: Q44, Q20.

Of all the millions of garden blog posts lurking in cyberspace, quite a few are real gems. Some are new, while others are relics buried in archival piles in unfrequented directories that nobody remembers anymore.

Sue Swift, a virtual friend from The Balcony Garden in Milan, thought it would be a good idea to compile the best garden blog posts in history and have a party with them. She's calling it the Garden Bloggers' Retro Carnival, and the festivities began yesterday.

She's posting various blog posts from around the world in one place, arranged by topic. So far, it makes for some entertaining, informative and educational reading.

Check it out.

The class took its final field trips last Thursday, visiting Hofstra University in Hempstead in the morning and Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson in the afternoon. Our guides at each location were their respective big Kahunas.

At Hofstra, Fred Soviero, the director of grounds and landscaping there, led us through much of the 240-acre campus, about half of which is maintained with donated funds. Many of the gardens and individual trees in the arboretum have been planted in memoriam or dedicated to past administrators, alumni and students who have passed away. As such, once installed, their upkeep is guaranteed in perpetuity.

Soviero is meticulous about keeping the University's end of the bargain. With a scant crew of 25 (amounting to approximately 12 acres of maintenance per crew member), he oversees the upkeep of thousands of plants and trees, implementing an integrated pest management approach to ensure the safety and well-being of the thousands of students, employees and visitors who traipse through the campus every year.

First stop: The bird sanctuary. This 2-acre sanctuary, installed in a sump, serves as an educational prototype for all of New York State. It receives 363-day-a-year attention that rivals that at Walt Disney World. The plantings, however, do not.

Here, it's all wild and natural, with most of the plants seeded by wind and birds. And even though it's made up mostly of weeds, it provides water, food, shelter and a place to rest for migrating birds. Plus, it offers a nice, peaceful respite for humans, especially in the area beside the pond.

Elsewhere on the campus, there's a pinetum, a formal labyrinth and a sensory garden with braille plant tags and sweetly scented flora.

The Hofstra campus is a member of the American Public Gardens Association, one of only 430 arboreta in the United States, and certainly worth a visit. To see what's in bloom there at any given time, click here and select "In Bloom" from the left side of the page.

At Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson, the very charismatic Jenny Ulsheimer took the class on an entertaining and educational journey through the 12-acre "living museum and educational facility."

Ulsheimer, director of horticulture at Clark, introduced us to the Garden's collections of native wildflowers, conifers, roses, perennials, wetland plants, rock garden and -- my favorites -- its herb and butterfly gardens. Tropical plants, such as banana trees and elephant ears (the largest I've ever seen) add a wow factor to Clark's appeal.

She also runs a wonderful educational program for kids (currently filled at its 60-participant capacity) that not only teaches them about but involves them in hands-on gardening. I can't think of a better leader to mold children's passion and get them excited about gardening than Ulsheimer, whose own passion and exuberance is contagious.

There's an organic garden in Amityville that's run by the Sisters of St. Dominic. The endeavor, Sophia Garden, is a community-supported agricultural (CSA) mission that provides food to needy local families. It also sells "shares," as an agricultural co-op would, to its members, who also commit to a set hours of volunteer time working the land, pulling weeds, turning the compost pile, and harvesting crops.

As in other CSA set-ups, members share in the cost and success of the garden, as well as in the harvest. A share at Sophia Garden costs $700 (weekly pickups,) and half shares can be purchased for $350 (pickups every other week). Each pick up consists of 10-15 pounds of a combination of the 25 or so vegetables grown at the site.

As you can imagine, a staff farmer is a necessity. Unfortunately, the Garden has been experiencing difficulty holding on to one. "It's difficult to keep a young agricultural farmer on Long Island, explained Sister Jeanne Clark, who founded the organization. They usually come from other parts of the country, and housing here is too expensive." Some get priced out of the area, while others simply get homesick, she said.

The sisters are in a bind. "We really want to hold onto this farm," Sister Jeanne said, adding that the farmer position is unique in that -- unlike most farmer positions -- it doesn't require any managerial work. It's strictly farming, she said. The position pays $24,000 a year plus health benefits.

The garden also needs an intern for the 2008 growing season, who would receive $10 per hour.

Interested? Send an email to Sophiagarden@aol.com or call 631-842-6000.

On Thursday, my class took a field trip to Old Westbury Gardens. After a brief introduction, we began a 5 1/2-hour foot journey through the 200-acre estate, breaking only for lunch.

Of those acres, 88 are devoted to formal gardens, tree-lined walks, grand allées (narrow walkways flanked on both sides with double rows of trees or shrubs) and ponds. Old Westbury is considered the finest English garden in the United States, with plantings -- many 100 years old -- that include historic varieties, new hybrids and experimental plants.

I had visited the gardens before, but had never taken part in a formal tour, which proved eye-opening and inspiring.

Master gardener Gene Lanzaro led the afternoon portion of the tour, which focused on the plantings and the family that had lived at the estate, from a historical standpoint.

Henry Phipps, a poor shoemaker, immigrated to Philadelphia from England in the early 19th century, eventually settling in Pittsburgh. His son Henry II, partnered with friend and neighbor Andrew Carnegie to found Carnegie Steel. As the company's second-largest shareholder, the younger Phipps became quite wealthy.

When his son John, a financier, married Margarita Grace from Ireland, he purchased an old 160-acre Quaker farm, where he built a mansion with magnificent gardens for his new bride. The couple raised their 4 children there, surprisingly only residing at the estate during spring and fall.

Following Phipps' death in 1958, the estate was donated for public use and became known as Old Westbury Gardens.

Talk about your American Dream!

Gene did a terrific job, enthralling the class with a fascinating history lesson. We were captivated as we learned the history of 100-year-old trees, touched when we learned the family had taken in 30 European children during wartime, and amused as we strolled through the Dog Grave Yard, where the family buried more than a half-dozen of its cherished pets, each with its own personalized headstone.

Coincidently, reader Susan Kahoud of Garden City sent in a lovely piece she has written about an old apple tree at Old Westbury Gardens. It appeared originally in the Gardens' newsletter, and she has asked me to share it with Newsday readers. For me, it couldn't be more timely.

In a world that insists on the limitations of the obvious, this wise old apple tree helps us perceive the possible within the hidden, and assures us that despair does not have the last word. In the late afternoon sun, in the calm of day, it is good to rest under her bough and bask in her bounty of hope. -- Susan Kahoud

John Lennon, 62, of Coram has an interesting tale to tell. The restaurateur-turned-butcher received a Pistachio tree as a souvenir about six years ago from his son's trip to New Orleans. "It was a scrawny little bush in a pot," he says, adding that his son bought it at a nursery in Louisiana.

The potted tree spent its first summer on the deck in Lennon's backyard. Not wanting to bring it indoors for the winter, he threw caution to the wind and planted it in an unprotected spot in the middle of his yard. "The next year it came back. The leaves looked great," he says.

The tree has more than doubled in size, and is now nearly 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide, and Lennon is amazed. "I'm told Pistachios need Arizona or California weather," he says. "They also require a male and female for pollination, so I wasn't expecting any nuts." But last year, the tree had 15 flowers on it. This year, it's covered with hundreds of "nuts."

According to the University of California's Resource for Fruit and Nut Crops, Pistachio trees require "long, hot, dry summers and mild winters," neither of which would describe the climate in Coram. It goes on to confirm that Pistachio trees are dioecious, which means there are two different sexes of the trees and that a male must be planted near a female "to get a good crop set." The resource also states that "only the warmest regions of California are suited for pistachio production in the backyard" and that "pistachios are a poor choice for coastal California."

So how is it that Lennon is having success?

Vincent Simeone, director of the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay and a horticultural consultant, says Pistachio trees are, in fact, dioecious, so if it's a Pistachio, there must be a male nearby that is pollinating it. "That would be an unusual scenario, to say the least," Simeone says, adding that the odds of that on Long Island are "slim."

After studying photos of Lennon's tree, Simeone cracked the case: The pictures are of Cornus Florida, or flowering Dogwood. "Pistachio has a long, compound leaf," he pointed out, not simple leaves like those on Lennon's tree.

I've alerted Lennon and warned him against eating those "nuts," which in actuality are the half-inch-long red fruits commonly seen on dogwood trees this time of year. What a difference a mixed-up plant tag can make!

Natalie Goldfeder of Whitestone has pulled off an amazing feat. She's not only managed to keep a 40-year-old orange tree alive in New York, but it's actually yeilding fruit!

"The tree came from Florida about 40 years ago and was given to my mother by her friend. After about 25 years living in her house it went to my sister's apartment and lived there for about 8 years," Goldfeder says.

"Now it is in my apartment and I would not part with it for a moment. All of my friends are telling me to throw it out because it takes up so much room. I thought of donating it to the Botanical Gardens but the thought of parting with it sickens me. I know that I will be the only person that would take such good care of it. "

Goldfeder says the tree produces fruit, but the oranges are small and too sour to eat. Nonetheless, the fuit lends a tropical feel to her home. In the summer, Goldfeder has the tree relocated to her apartment complex's pool area, where all her neighbors get to enjoy it. The folks from the Queens Garden Center tend the tree from June through September, fertilizing and pruning it during its outdoor vacation. After Labor Day, it returns to its home beside a wall of windows in Goldfeder's living room.

It's pumpkin-picking time, and as reported in Garden Detective: The Column, reader Valerie Grant of Roosevelt has picked herself a doozy! Back in the Spring, Ms. Grant planted a few "curry pumpkin" seeds, just as she’d done in the past. But this year, her gourds have grown beyond her expectations. The largest measured 31 inches in length and 54 inches across, and weighed in at 70 pounds.

“I got a beach towel, laid it on the lawn and rolled the pumpkin onto it,” Grant explained when asked how she managed to harvest the giant. “My friend came over and helped me take it inside the house.”

Grant plans to make pumpkin soup on Sunday for the congregation at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Roosevelt.

Pumpkins are technically fruits, as are tomatoes, but for our purposes, we'll call them vegetables because that's how most people view them. They're also among the most unappreciated grown foods in our area. Most Long Islanders purchase pumpkins along with other gourds and chrysanthemums to add a touch of autumn to their decor. Not many actually eat them.

I grew up in an Italian household, where pretty much everything was edible so long as it was fried up with some peppers. Pumpkin actually is very good that way, and I always save some of the innards of my jack-o-lantern for just such a side dish. The rest I slice (or scoop) and store in the freezer. When the urge for pumpkin pie strikes, I bake it at 375 degrees for a half hour and then puree it in a blender with brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and a pinch of cloves. I pour in a can of evaporated milk and a couple of eggs, mix thoroughly and pour into a prepared pie crust. I toss it in a 375-degree preheated oven for about 45 minutes, until the center is firm.

Here's a recipe for Peppery Pumpkin Risotto.

More pumpkin recipes from Newsday.

Share your recipes here.

HEAVIEST PUMPKIN

Larry Checkon holds the Guinness World Record for growing the heaviest pumpkin. It weighed 1,469 pounds when he entered it in the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Association Weigh-off, on October 1, 2005. Later, Scott Cully carved the world's largest Jack-o-lantern from it.

If you grew pumpkins this year, tell us about them. If not, you can still pick your own at one of Long Island's u-pick farms.

More Pumpkin World Records

Stephen Clarke holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest to carve a face into a pumpkin, completing the creative task in just 24.03 seconds. Read more about Clarke here.

Planning a pumpkin party for the kids? Check out the ideas at Family Fun.

Creepy Stuff

Since we're on a pumpkin/Halloween roll, check out these actual, unedited photos of the Planting Fields Arboretum ghost. My daughter Justine visited with some friends last year and took some photos while she was there. We all swear we saw a ghost-like shadow in the background of one of them, but she accidentally deleted the shot a few days later. Some might say that was no accident.