Because of the weather I am getting my plants in on the late side. But my kale, broccoli and cauliflower are all in! A few lupines that overwintered are in the beds with them. They attract bees and butterflies, and are legumes, so they will also help feed my brassicas (which are hungry plants!).
I’ll also plant some Dutch white clover between the plants to out-compete weeds and also to provide nitrogen to my vegetables, naturally. The Dutch white clover spreads with runners, and is also a legume. It has rhizobium bacteria that grow on nodules on its roots. These bacteria take nitrogen from the air and turn it into a form that the plants can use as the roots of the clover decompose. Clover is much less expensive than fertilizer, and doesn’t run off with rainwater into streams.

I was busy working in my vegetable and herb gardens when I noticed a Scotch Pine was brown at the top. When I went to look I was horrified to find it covered in caterpillars that blended in with the needles. Hundreds of them, all wiggling and eating. I had never seen them before, and it was getting dark. I was afraid were going to take over the world, or at least my garden and all of my neighbor’s gardens, so I sprayed them with Spinosad and emailed Dr. Matt Frye, and entomologist affiliated with Cornell University.
He told me they are sawflies. They can destroy an evergreen, but they are not usually a problem. They grow into non-stinging wasps that birds love to eat. He also sent me this link to a Cornell video. If it is not a heavy infestation they can be picked off or left alone. Like so many things, they were not at all horrifying once I knew what they were. Thank you Dr. Frye!!! I will sleep better tonight 🙂

So fortunate to be a guest today on Carl Molter’s wonderful show, Into The Garden on WDVR FM today. Beautiful gardens without pesticides means clean water for all of our children.

Thrilled to be included in this wonderful Consumer Reports article that covers 10 weeds we all know and struggle with, and tips to control them with natural methods.
Dandelions (along with clover) provide nectar for bees and butterflies before native plants and milkweed bloom. Tender spring dandelion greens are great in salads, too, but most of us don’t want too many dandelions. Learn how to turn the tables on dandelions, naturally. And try this Fiskar weeder to simply pull them out!
Barberry is more than vexing. It is an aggressive spreader and secretes chemicals that prevent young native trees and shrubs from getting a foothold. Learn simple tips to win this battle, chemical free.
Consumer Reports reaches so many households, this wonderful article will help so many people start the season with a new approach.

Excellent article in the LA Times by Julie Cart explains that with the drought and emphasis on recycling water, concerns are being raised that food is being contaminated by small amounts of chemicals in recycled wastewater, particularly oil field water.
Because wastewater treatment doesn’t remove all of the contaminants (see their graphic) “We need to make sure we fully understand what goes into the wastewater,” said Clay Rodgers, assistant executive officer of the Central Valley Water Quality Control Board.
The same principal outlined in this graphic is described in more detail in the book “The Great Healthy Yard Project.” Regulations and testing are being adjusted in California, but the only way to prevent harmful substances from going into our wastewater is to not put them there.
We can help in our yards by not using synthetic chemicals and in our homes by not disposing of drugs down the drain.

It is really easy to keep chickens free of insect pests. Simply build them a dust bath. Take 1/3 fireplace ash, 1/3 green sand, and 1/3 soil, and mix them well. Then fill a small ditch or indentation with the mixture. The chickens will roll around and burrow in it, getting out any bugs from their feathers. Wild birds love dust baths, too.
If insects are still a problem a small amount of diatomaceous earth will help. The tiny, sharp pieces of silica (found naturally in smaller amounts in many soils) harm insects, but not chickens or birds.

The biggest threats to most trees are soil compaction, physical damage, and competition from other trees or turf. Of course if you are planting a new tree, make certain you have made the right choice for the location and soil type. Test your soil and amend it as necessary before you put the tree in the ground.
But for most established trees there a few simple measures that give them a boost.
Have an arborist trim their canopy and competing canopies when it is needed. Then they get enough light and air, and they will be more resilient during a storm.
Consider having a professional aerate around the tree with an air spade. Don’t do this on your own because you don’t want to damage the trees roots.
Then add four or five inches of compost topped with leaf mulch to a distance of about 1/3 of the canopy. Together this will allow oxygen to penetrate to the roots and the soil structure and biome to develop.
Have the soil tested every three to five years or if new growth is less than about two inches or the leaves are yellow. Trees need micronutrients including calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, magnesium, and iron as well as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. They are also sensitive to pH, and the pH affects how the nutrients are absorbed by the tree.
Fall or spring? Some people suggest fertilizing in spring when there is a growth flush and others in fall when root growth is strong and then the tree is going dormant.
Too much fertilizer is also bad for the tree, so have your arborist help you pick a natural fertilizer in the right amount, only when it is needed.
Your trees are supposed to have some insects, that is part of the web of life. If you have an infestation there are good natural ways to deal with it. Neem spray as a dormant oil early in the spring (some people even use soy oil) is very effective. Spinsoad, a product of fermentation of the bacteria S. Spinosa is a very effective pesticide, but it also kills good bugs and bees. So only use it when necessary and early in the morning or late in the evening when bees are in their hives.
Remember, the best defense against plant disease is good soil culture and strong populations of beneficial insects.

Chipolte just became the first fast food restaurant to cook without GMO food. Although they explain that their livestock are likely raised on genetically modified feed. Forgoing GMO corn and soy and having full open disclosure about which foods are modified in a laboratory and how is crucial to consumers. GMO corn and soy are modified to withstand large amounts of glyphosate (just named a probable carcinogen by the W.H.O) or a mix of glyphosate and 2,4-D. These genetic modifications lead to large increases in pesticides in our food and water.
But other genetic modifications are beneficial, and in fact decrease pesticide use. See Mark Lynas’ New York Times op ed about a Kenyan farmer that can increase the output of eggplants on his small acreage and use no pesticides. In many regions eggplants can only be grown in greenhouses to avoid shoot borers. The eggplants are modified by inserting a gene from the soil bacterium b. thuringiensis that confirms resistance. Admittedly, I am not thrilled that the companies are allowed to “mark” these foods with an antibiotic resistant gene marker.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators passed a resolution in support of The Great Healthy Yard Project and will promote the program to improve water quality in Westchester County.
Northern Westchester is home to the Croton Watershed, supplying drinking water to New York City. Much of Southern Westchester drains into the Long Island Sound, while other parts drain into the Hudson River. What we do in our yards matters!
The Parks Department has cared for the parks in this manner and promised to continue to do so. County Parks like Ward Pound Ridge Reservation are a great place to see how beautiful your yard can be without synthetic weedkillers, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Before milkweed and other native plants have bloomed, butterflies rely on dandelions and clover for nectar.
Tender, spring dandelion greens are also delicious. See my book for recipes by my friend Edward Giobbi, a renown painter and cookbook writer. Or simply chop them with some lambs quarters and add your favorite vinaigrette.