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March 10, 2014

Pruning at the Plantations

Filed under: Miscellaneous,Travel,Winter — Judy @ 11:59 am

On Saturday, we went to a class on pruning given at the Cornell Plantations in Ithaca NY. Although we have been gardening (and pruning) for a very long time, it was good to get out, take a drive, and catch up on any new information and techniques. The class was led by Lee Dean, a Certified Master Arborist for the Plantations.

Lee Dean

He discussed tools, techniques, and safety in an indoor session at the new Nevin Welcome Center with several handouts, interesting specimens, and chalkboard drawings and then followed up by giving the class some field experience in a garden just outside with a variety of woody plants – some small dogwood trees, young viburnums and other small shrubs.

A quick mention about the Nevin Welcome Center: This building is LEED Gold certified based on qualifications by the US Green Building Council and is quite impressive.

Nevin Welcome Center Nevin Welcome Center

The first floor includes a bright and airy two-story atrium and lobby with a gift shop and small café.  Interpretive exhibits about Cornell Plantations are also displayed; one this time included pretty watercolor tree and landscape paintings done by students of Camille Doucet in adult classes at Cornell Plantations. Upstairs includes room for classes, conferences, or other events. I was particularly entranced by the floor-to-ceiling chalkboard wall and the rolling chairs and tables! You can learn more about this fabulous building in its handout here.

Back to pruning. Pruning your trees and shrubs can beautify your landscape and improve the growth and health of your plants. It is not hard work and most of your gardens can be handled simply with hand pruners and a small folding saw. Although many landscapers swear by Felco pruners, my personal favorite pruners are by Bahco.

Bahco pruners

I first heard about these on another blog here where the merits of Felco, Corona, and Bahco pruners were compared. Since both the Bahco and Felco pruners are available at AM Leonard where I purchase a bunch of stuff for my gardening business (also available through Amazon), I decided to give them a try. I have been more than pleased with their ergonomic cutting head – my hands and wrist thank them every day! I also have a small folding pruning saw by Bahco which is great too.

So, here is the lowdown on pruning:

  1. Don’t ignore it – examine your plants annually. Plants will respond with regular pruning to keep the plant in bounds, keep its growth vigorous, and keep it looking beautiful.
  2. Pruning is not difficult. Educate yourself on how your plant grows and what it should look like afterward.
  3. Plants won’t die if pruned at the wrong time of year. Injury may occur, but they won’t die. Usually pruning is performed during the winter because this is when the plants are dormant, but many are best pruned right after blooming. Learn about your plants.
  4. Winter pruning – if you and your pruners can stand the weather, it is a fine time to prune.
  5. Do NOT top your trees. This only leads to weak aftergrowth and may also encourage more wood rot.
  6. Removing a tree or shrub is NOT a crime against nature. If they are not in the right place and have gotten too large or are suffering in that spot, move or remove. Don’t let them be mutilated beyond recognition by the utility companies, for example – hmm, a post for another day.
  7. Hedge trimmers are NOT proper pruning tools for shrubs except for pruning shaped hedges. Learn to use the hand pruners and pruning saw properly.

The details and mechanics of pruning are best left to another post. All in all, we had a good day pruning at the Plantations.

 

January 13, 2013

Really?

Filed under: Miscellaneous — Judy @ 9:46 am

Found this in my email this morning.

No words

An “illuminated multi-color solar powered LED planter?” Sans plant, of course. Really, HD? Have you no shame? BTW a real plant would be embarrassed to be seen in that.

November 12, 2012

Miscellaneous views from Canandaigua Lake

Filed under: Miscellaneous,Travel — Judy @ 2:17 pm

This is a collection of photos I took while working down at Canandaigua Lake. The weather patterns there fascinate me and being around the water is calming to my soul. When I grow up, I would have a house there (with no neighbors and no noisy boats) and take pictures of the lake every day. Enjoy!

Liz's pic

Windmills at the south end of the lake

Sailing

Trees, trees, trees

Sunset over the lake

A pretty day

Puffball mushroom

A lone manned balloon over the lake

Duckies

Fall colors

More fall colors

Storm coming

Storm closer

Birds leaving

Storm

Canandaigua truly is a “Chosen Spot,” especially for me!

September 25, 2012

Artifact?

Filed under: Miscellaneous — Judy @ 12:20 pm

While we were working down at Canandaigua Lake, a search among the shale stones and pebbles on the beach revealed this unusual item. I showed it to my anthropologist-archaeologist daughter who thought it was only a random glacial stone, washed and worn by the glaciers and waves. I think it is a Native American single grooved axe head, but what do I know!

Flat side view

Top or Bottom view

Top or Bottom view

My thoughts:

  1. It is definitely worn and shaped (somehow) on the leading edge sloping away from the center of the stone.
  2. The back side is perfectly flat with no indentations or perceived shaping.
  3. There is a grooved indentation that runs from top to bottom along the entire side of the stone that seems to be appropriate for hafting a wooden handle to with leather thongs or strapping.
  4. Native American (specifically Seneca) artifacts are found in abundance in and around Canandaigua Lake. In fact, the Native American translation of Canandaigua is “The Chosen Spot”.

Here is a great article about the Indian legends of Canandaigua Lake and hiking near Bare Hill. What do you think? Grooved axe or hoe head or just a worn glacial stone?

 

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