Native Curiosity - Ed Miller: Landis Marks the 20th Year of the Native Plant Collection, continued6/22/2021
(Click on arrows in upper corners to view slideshow above.) I have treasured photos of him hiking (in street shoes) in the Adirondacks as a 14-year-old Boy Scout and, later, freshly discharged from his WWII Navy service, hiking the Northville-Placid trail with my uncle. His love of nature, of kids, and of teaching led him to scout-mastering, expanding our pack of four boys to countless many more. He could take small armies of boys (and often girls – he was ahead of his time in that regard, occasionally driving the BSA brass crazy) into the woods. He could name every woodland plant one might find, knowledge which he would gently impart to all around him. He took endless 35mm Ektachrome slides of woodland flowers (which we still have).
In those days, while he loved his woodlore, he eschewed more formal botanical practice, mostly ignoring taxonomy and Latin nomenclature. But after he retired in 1983 from an illustrious four-decade career at GE as a world-recognized pioneer in steam turbine engineering and design – a story for another day -- his botanical curiosity was unleashed without bound. He traveled the country and the world, always gravitating to people who loved nature, loved life, and shared his unfettered love of knowledge. Becoming active in the North American Botanical Society was something like naturalist graduate school for him. He learned to love the subtleties of identification, appreciating the need for taxonomy and Latin to achieve a precision not possible with common names. An indefatigable organizer, he hosted Botanical Society meetings in the Northeast on multiple occasions. His association with accomplished botanists stirred his need to share his knowledge and was the fertile ground on which the seeds of the Native Plant Collection were sown. At some level, he felt that the native flora of New York was underappreciated by, and rather under-represented to, the public. Exotic plants from the steppes of Asia, or the jungles of Borneo are great, but what about our own wonderful but often overlooked plants? Thus, the idea germinated of getting all New York State’s native woody plants together so that people could learn about them. Ed approached Landis with the idea for creating such a collection. The collection, while being aesthetically pleasing and in keeping with the character of the Arboretum, would also be designed to be a teaching experience. In each of the “plantings” or stations around the trail, all the native members of plant families are found. For the casual enthusiast who thinks, “I know that’s an oak tree, but then I’m stumped,” the collection is perfect. Dad intended for the families of plants to be accessible, so that the visitor can examine the often subtle differences in leaves, bark, buds, leaf scars, and all the minutiae than enter into successful identification. Building the collection took epic effort. We Miller Boys helped with the unforgiving mechanical aspects of creating the trail itself. The relentless Landis clay, which drains miserably, sticks to your tools, boots, and tires, is interspersed with rocks and roots. Even today, after 20 years, drainage is a constant battle. But it was Dad’s endless hours, toiling with saw, shovel, pruner, mattock, watering can, and knife, all through his 80s and into his 90’s, that allowed over 200 species to grow and, more often than not, flourish. Dad took such delight in successes like the pawpaw, and the oaks, and the roses (who knew that family was so BIG??). The bog gardens also reflect a particular passion. Dad loved the understated and sometimes exotic beauty of the unique ecosystem that is an Adirondack bog. But how to share with people who don’t relish slogging knee deep through black, bubbling bogs in search of an orchid or a carnivorous sundew? The two bog gardens, which are presently being upgraded to a single new one, our fourth version, are packed with interesting plants – including Landis’ only carnivorous plants. Another passion, which Dad shared with dear friend Nan Williams, was ferns. Together, they created a collection of every native fern that can tolerate the local climate. In the moist, shady dell below the Willow Pond along the Spur Trail, you will find well over 20 species, including delights like Goldie’s fern and maidenhair fern. Dad liked to say, “how optimistic for an old man to plant a tree”! His optimism and curiosity live on in the Native Plant Collection. Come enjoy it. Learn. Dad would want it that way. Nick Miller is currently the hereditary curator and conservator of his father’s Native Plant Trail at the George Landis Arboretum. The azaleas and rhododendrons are on a little path that veers off the Fred Lape Trail. These beauties are surrounded by the Pine Shelter --- another one of my favorite spots at Landis. You may hear a serene trickle from a seasonal stream contrasting with the cackle of a pileated woodpecker in a neighboring tree. This balance offers an ideal location to gather your thoughts as you peer up into the towering pines. Sam agrees. After we left the Pine Shelter, we turned right to make our way past the oaks and lilacs. The lilacs prepared to open, while the oaks remained leafless. Although it was a bit early for their show during this visit, the full-bloom lilacs (I’d estimate mid-May) are a must see when exploring the Arboretum. The dainty purple and white flowers release a sweet, floral scent that is almost intoxicating. Bluebirds and tree swallows swooped above our heads, seemingly in competition for a prime nesting location this season. Sam often has to catch up with Lil P’ and me because he gets distracted by their songs. Crabapples and pines are in view as you visit the Fred Lape Memorial, honoring the Arboretum’s founder. We stopped here to admire the vista and reflect on the man who founded this natural sanctuary. Since it was our first outing this year, we didn’t cover as much ground as we anticipated. But we couldn’t pass up a peek at Willow Pond and the Van Loveland Garden. Willow Pond is absolutely serene. Walking the perimeter of the pond, we like to play a game. Instead of “Where’s Waldo?” it’s “Where’s Frog-o?” and we search for green friends camouflaged amongst the aquatic foliage. Plop, splash. Lil’ P must have startled a hidden turtle. Yellow-green buds just started forming on the willow tree bordering the pond. In the summer months, its wispy, cascading branches will provide a shady reprieve.
Why wait seventeen years, and then emerge all together in such vast numbers? They’re wielding a strategy known as predator satiation. If you’re small, clumsy, slow-moving, and deliciously crunchable, you’re very likely to be eaten by the thousands of predators lying in wait for the feast. But even tens of thousands of predators can’t begin to eat all of the billions of periodical cicadas, all emerging at the same time.
Never was a genus of insects so well-named: Magicicada. It does seem magical, all those miniature monsters silently rising from the ground, like when Jason sowed the dragon’s teeth and the skeleton warriors appeared. The cicadas who don’t immediately become part of the food chain wend their way to a nearby bush or tree trunk. Then the brown, ungainly nymphs miraculously shed their skins to become a sparkling fresh creature, with wings of transparent silver and mad ruby eyes. Then they make their way up to the treetops, and begin to sing—or rather to vibrate a membrane in their abdomen, which produces that echoing sound. The males belt out their demented chorus to attract the ladies, and for a few brief weeks, it’s an orgy of song and sex. And then it’s the end. Then they all die, all the mad singers. But the eggs they leave behind soon hatch, and then another brood goes underground. Until seventeen years from now, when they’ll rise again, like a spring tide rising under the moon. A dedicated participant in the Arboretum's Garden Club, Jean's diligence in the flower beds led to a position as a contract gardener, and still she continued to volunteer wherever needed. Jean never stopped giving of herself. She was kind in spirit and generous with her time, an active member of the Landis community. She enjoyed hiking, riding her bicycle, and, of course, gardening. Her smile lit up the room - or the garden - and served her well at public events like the plant sales and garden shows. Jean had a deep love of family, including the cats she shared her home with over the years.
And we at Landis will miss her dearly. Pam remembers driving by, seeing the Arboretum founder Fred Lape’s bonsai spread out in front of the Farmhouse many years ago. She took courses in botanical drawing and hiked the trails. After her husband passed, she felt the need for a “place to give me back something beautiful in my life,” and she found that at Landis. And there were the people too. Pam said that she “came for the flowers but found a community.”
For Pam, the Arboretum has become “an inspirational place.” She participated in Susannah Risley’s course in writing from nature, held at Landis. At the Arboretum, there was “always some pocket of beauty” which inspired her writing. It’s a “hidden gem” though, unlike some other gardens, “not a movie set” but rather a place that invites exploration and creative musings. Janka’s introduction to the Arboretum was a stonework class in which she joined others to practice on some of Landis’ venerable stone walls. She remembers visiting the Arboretum during the pandemic and sitting on the porch at the Meeting House and, during this frightening time, experiencing “the absolutely most peaceful, deepest peace.” Over the years, both Pam and Janka gravitated toward the Book Shop. Janka has a degree in library science and for many years was an employee and manager of the Book House at Albany’s Stuyvesant Plaza. Pam taught high school English in the Cobleskill-Richmondville School District. Both are avid readers of fiction, particularly literature by contemporary American women. And both have organized their book collections at home. In Janka’s case: “I love organizing [books].” Her living room contains coffee table books; the hallway, reference volumes; the dining room, cooking, gardening, and general fiction; another hallway, gay and lesbian literature; her partner’s study, theater; the bedroom, books they intend to read. In spite of their organizational prowess, both Pam and Janka admit to having what Pam called “haphazard stacks” of books around the house. Both are enthusiastic gardeners. Pam grew up in suburban Chicago, and she treasures memories of the Garfield Park Conservatory and other public gardens in the Chicago area. She moved into a new house several years ago, and was presented with an acre of undeveloped land: “I couldn’t live with that,” Pam said, and proceeded to fill that “blank slate” with perennial gardens. Janka grew up in a traditional row house in urban Baltimore, but one of her college jobs was tending a vegetable garden, and she began her exploration of the art of gardening. Like Pam, she has recently relocated, having purchased 10 acres of undeveloped land. She has planted trees and created an expansive vegetable garden in her front yard. Both Pam and Janka understand the profoundly human connection between books and plants. Pam suggested that books and plants “take over our lives” – and need culling, painful as that might be. She added that certain plants in our gardens are “markers” in our lives, just as books are. We look at a plant and remember a person, a time in our lives, just as we do when we reread a special book. Janka Bialek and Pam Trickett were drawn to the Arboretum and its Book Shop by their love of books and their love of nature. Cicero’s age-old adage rings true: those lifelong gifts, reading and gardening, are alive and well at Landis. The Primula japonica (candelabra primrose) continues to grow happily along the rock wall and in the field just beyond the Van Loveland Garden. The wet and shady environment is perfect for this stunning low-maintenance perennial, which will bloom from May through July -- unless drought occurs. A palette of lime green leaves complements the light and dark pink flowers that open on tall stems about a foot off the ground. Rosa ‘Harrison’s Yellow’ (Oregon Trail Rose) began its story in the early 1800’s as a chance hybrid in a garden just outside of New York City (Wikipedia). Cuttings were marketed, and the flower was said to be introduced to the western United States by pioneer women who travelled along the Oregon Trail. This wonderful rose, over five feet tall and at least as wide, stands along the driveway side of the garden. When in bloom, cheery and fragrant yellow flowers cover the plant, a true show stopper. Our Clematis viticella ‘Betty Corning’ could be one of Landis’ most unique and historic plants in the Van Loveland Perennial Garden. It was discovered in the 1930s by Betty, wife of Albany’s Mayor Erastus Corning and president of the Landis Board of Trustees, and subsequently introduced into the botanical world. The ‘Betty Corning’ clematis is a drought tolerant plant that needs little maintenance. It is covered with the sweetest bell-shaped lavender flowers all summer. Slightly fragrant, it attracts bees and hummingbirds. Landis has two thriving specimens along the garden’s main corridor. The Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ is located along the stone walkway perpendicular to the Betty Corning clematis. Its long-awaited blooms open on tall stems in late August and last well into fall. This “old-time perennial” brings back memories of the sophisticated and romantic gardens of the past, although it certainly has a place in today’s gardens as well. Colchicum autumnale, often called “autumn crocus”, is a fall-flowering bulb, often confused with the true, spring-flowering crocus. Related to the lily, Colchicum autumnale produces its leaves in spring, then pulls all of its energy back into the bulb. As the season proceeds it is easy to forget about those leaves, until one day in early or mid-September a beautiful purple flower suddenly appears. Then another, and another, with no leaves. Though each flower lasts only a few days, every bulb produces flowers in abundance, and new blooms open again and again. Landis has a lovely fall display of Colchicum flowers in the garden. There are several varieties, including the large Colchicum byzantinum and Colchicum speciosum ‘Alba’ (white autumn crocus). All are welcome to visit the Van Loveland Perennial Garden at Landis, dawn to dusk, and enjoy these (and many more) beautiful blooms. Landis also displays many of its plants on its website (www.landisarboretum.org), Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/LandisArb), and Instagram (Instagram.com/landisarboretum/). Come and see, smell, touch, and enjoy this abundance of nature with us! We are already witnessing an unprecedented species migration as the native range of trees in our forests changes. To mitigate these shifts and to plan for healthy forests in the future, an ever-changing body of knowledge about tree health and ecological intervention is required. New trees should be "climate ready,” tested species that can survive the climate of the future. Horticulturists are working to breed cultivars that are more resistant to disease, drought, and insects, and new types of grow bags have been developed that enable many more roots to survive during shipping and transplanting.
Technology also provides arborists with new tools to address the problems inherent in climate change. For example, ground penetrating radar can be utilized to diagnose root system disorders. Using high sonic tomography tools, we can now visually explore the cavities of trees, revealing defects much as would a doctor identify disease in a human being. New approaches in horticulture are not limited to rural locations. Cities of all sizes are going green. In many areas, "smart" designs for construction projects are becoming the norm. Arborists are working with engineers to preserve existing urban green space. Green roofs, complete with solar panels and designated gardens, are being developed on top of buildings. They may incorporate both sustainable energy and small-scale farming. Earth-friendly engineering is appearing everywhere, town and country. Gutters are being replaced with rain gardens and collection pools, with cleansing systems that facilitate water conservation and reuse. With a changing climate and the horticultural challenges it presents, new technology can, and must, lead to new solutions. Lou relocated to the Capital District in 1995, leaving behind a successful Wall Street career. While working in the financial services in the Albany area in the late 90s, he attended the Sage Colleges, and he needed a few science credits to complete his degree in business administration. His childhood interest in the stars and planets led him to take an astronomy course with Dr. George Tucker, whom Lou credits with opening his eyes to the marvels of the cosmos.
His passion for astronomy only increased with a gift subscription to SLOOH, an astronomy website that allows subscribers to use the site’s professional telescopes to view celestial events. Lou went on to become the developmental director for another astronomy website, Astronomy FM. He considered the service so valuable that, under a blue moon on a bitterly cold New Year’s Eve in Saratoga Springs, he and his wife, Ann Marie, held a First Night bake sale to raise money to fund the website. Lou bought his first “real” telescope in 2009. In conjunction with the Dudley Observatory, he set it up at SPAC during the Philadelphia Orchestra’s performance of Gustav Holtz’s “The Planets.” More than 300 concertgoers lined up to look at the planet Jupiter. To prepare for the SPAC event, he attended the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers’ (AAAA) public Star Party at the Landis Arboretum. He arrived early to hike some of the trails and was won over by the panoramic views of the Schoharie Valley. He continued to attend the star parties at Landis as a member of AAAA and soon became a volunteer at plant sales, his wife at the bake sales. When Anne Donnelly, then interim director, approached him about joining the Board of Trustees, he agreed, taking office in 2011. After retirement, Lou focused his attention on non-profit organizations that advocate the preservation of the natural world. He served for two years on the Board of the Dudley Observatory. He currently serves not only on the Arboretum’s Board, but also on the Board of the Mohawk-Hudson Land Conservancy. There are many “cosmic” moments in the dark skies of Landis that Lou treasures: showing his sister from the NYC region the Milky Way; witnessing last year’s Geminids shower, at which he counted 75 meteorites in a two-hour period; and viewing a Perseids shower – to the accompaniment of a chorus of coyotes! Lou’s other avocation is photography, often stunning photos of celestial events, but also those celebrating the beauty of nature closer to home, frequently taken at Landis. Shared on social media sites, Lou’s photos have proved very popular, but he believes that they are “no substitute for the real thing.” “A lot of people don’t have access to the outdoors . . . The Arboretum is a great place to experience nature. Right now, I’m looking at a hummingbird in the roses,” he said during our interview. “I didn’t have to work at that, did I?” More than 500 people have “liked” our new Facebook page, but Lou hopes that they will visit in person. “But not too many people,” he added. “The peacefulness here is nice too!” Lou encourages people to attend a Star Party. Or to hike the trails. Or to attend a plant sale. A visit might lead to membership, membership to volunteering. “Every time you volunteer, you help people appreciate nature,” he said. And nature, both far away or close at hand, is here for all of us at Landis, to be protected and cherished. “Tossing out ideas,” she admitted, was something she was always good at. One of her ideas was to market Landis as a wedding venue. Someone needs to take responsibility to bring ideas to fruition, and Wendy stepped up and became the Arboretum’s special events coordinator. It’s a perfect fit, as confirmed by the several weddings held under her aegis. “The excitement of a wedding is contagious. I feel as if it’s my own wedding all over again!” she said.
In addition to a propensity for generating ideas, Wendy has always had what she called an “artistic bent.” She studied raku pottery, stone cutting, and silver smithing. For more than twenty years, she and Jim traveled in Southeast Asia, often wintering in Thailand, where she studied Phuket batik under a master artisan. The travel and the art she encountered inspired a “less is more” mindset that is reflected in her own art. She’s offered classes in both shibori and batik at Landis; this year, she hopes to introduce a workshop on ice dyeing fabrics. At home, Wendy’s gardening reflects her minimalist approach. Hers is a culinary garden featuring unusual herbs, edible flowers, and tomatoes (because “there is nothing like a homegrown tomato”). She is entertaining the idea of a fragrance garden or a white garden to appreciate in the evening. She’ll never be at a loss for ideas. One winter night, she and Jim and friends got together at the Meeting House, listening to music and exploring the possibility of bringing live music to the Arboretum. When the full moon broke through the clouds, Wendy suggested the idea of gathering music lovers together by the light of the moon – and so the Arboretum’s popular “Full Moon Music Series “ was born. Wendy grew up in suburban Chicago, and she recalled her visits to the Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Botanical Gardens. By contrast to these highly cultivated – and heavily endowed – institutions, Wendy treasures Landis because it is, in part, a “wild place.” “Anyone would feel comfortable there. You walk and find surprises, something unexpected, something magical,” she said. Wendy thrives on volunteering. It’s good for one’s mental health, she said, “to be part of something larger than yourself, to take the focus off the me-me-me.” Plus, she added, there’s all that fresh air as a bonus! And the pleasure of meeting “earth-centric” people. Wendy’s path to the Arboretum is a familiar one: it was love at first sight. Soil is the key. Choosing the correct soil for your plants will help them thrive. Soil from the garden or bagged topsoil is much too heavy. Potted plants prefer a light, fluffy mix that is well aerated and drains well. Potting mix with equal parts peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite is a great way to start. Some brands even come with fertilizer mixed in, resulting in a successful first growing season. Use new soil each season to reduce problems with disease. Select a container that has space for roots to grow and drainage holes in the bottom. Both are critical as plants that are too crowded will dry out faster and become root bound. Your container should be about as large as you expect the mature plant’s foliage to spread. Many sizes, colors, and materials are available at stores, or you can upcycle unique containers from your garage, thrift store, or flea market. Consistent watering is crucial. Smaller pots and those made of terra cotta will dry out more quickly and need water more often. One sunny day with heavy wind or a weekend away without watering can kill your hanging baskets. Newly planted pots will dry out more quickly until the roots fill the soil area. Early morning or evening when temperatures are cooler allow for better absorption, but if your plants are wilted, it’s still better to water ASAP. With constant watering, however, comes depletion of the nutrients in the soil. Water soluble fertilizers such as Miracle-Gro work great, although I prefer Espoma organic fertilizer. Containers allow access to fresh herbs and vegetables right outside your kitchen door. Most vegetables require 6 hours of direct sunlight to thrive. Many root vegetables are suitable for containers: beets, carrots, onions, radishes, parsnips, potatoes, and sweet potatoes can all be grown successfully in pots. Leafy greens like lettuce and others do very well in containers. Use successive plantings to harvest all summer long. Many leafy greens can take a few hours of shade as well. Plant cool weather plants like spinach, kale, and arugula in April and September. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers can also do well in large containers. Tomatoes need at least a 5-gallon pot to support their heavy stems and fruit, although there are some smaller patio varieties available. Peppers are wind pollinated so you will need to have several pots close together or pollinate by hand with a small paintbrush. I normally plant 3-4 peppers in each 14” pot in my container vegetable garden. I grow one large 16” pot of cucumbers with 4 plants each season using a tomato cage for them to climb. Many herbs have different moisture needs, so grow them in separate pots. Basil is a warm weather annual that needs lots of sun and frequent harvesting to thrive -- remember to remove the flowers as they start to form. Rosemary grows well in pots, and since it’s not cold hardy in NY, you can bring the pot inside in the fall. Just remember that it does not like to be too wet. I grow 5 or 6 varieties of mint in pots around my patio, mulching them for the winter so they return the following year. Pots of flowering annuals can provide splashes of color around your home. Give careful consideration to the amount of sun/shade they will receive. Color harmony is important in creating an eye appealing arrangement. For example, pastel pinks can accentuate the bold fuchsia-hot pink shades. Complementary colors planted together, such as blue and orange or yellow and purple, are also a great choice. Try to stick to two or three colors in one pot: too many colors are overwhelming. Larger containers look good with a taller focal plant in the center surrounded by colorful blooms and trailing varieties around the edges. Let this be the year you begin to grow. Don’t let the lack of space or physical limitations rob you of the joy of gardening. This redbud tree has a colorful leaf display throughout the growing season. The leaves, deep burgundy when they first emerge, then change to a peach-orange. The color then morphs into a peachy-yellow, finally fading to a yellow-green. All of the color stages are displayed at the same time, as new leaves emerge at tip of the branch as older leaves change near the trunk. Due to shortages in the nurseries, we were able to procure only one tree, but we hope to have more available this year. To help make that possible, we encourage plant sponsorships. The Plant Sponsorship Program allows patrons to make a donation to procure unique trees and shrubs from family-owned growers. ‘The Rising Sun’ redbud was purchased through this program. Please consider donating to help increase the availability of incredible plant specimens by contacting our office by mail: PO Box 186, Esperance, NY, 12066, email: [email protected] or phone at 518-875-6935. To increase our unique plant offerings, we are starting a new Customer Request Program. To participate, contact our office with a suggestion for a specific plant, or category of plants. Knowing preferences allows our buyers to make better decisions at the nurseries. For example, we are already looking for more redbud cultivars based on the response to ‘The Rising Sun’’. Also on our list are new cultivars of lilacs and hydrangeas, ones that have longer bloom times or are more cold tolerant. Similarly, we will expand our “Small Shrubs for Small Spaces” category, offering plants that are 1 to 3 feet tall and wide upon maturity. And our volunteer greenhouse staff and specialty consigners are planning to grow a wide assortment of vegetables, herbs, and perennials. This year we are expanding our relationship with the students and staff at SUNY Cobleskill, who have been contributing small shrubs and trees for years. This spring they will grow annuals like vinca, penta, lobelia, and nicotiana in flats. Other offerings include bigger plants: 4” pots of annuals like petunia and gomphrena, or 6” pots of gerbera daisy and ranunculus. Also look for 2.5 gallon pots of trellised morning glories. Some hanging baskets will feature combinations of petunia, calibrachoa, lobelia, bacopa, verbena, and trailing plants such as dichondra and lysimachia. Others will feature just one type of plant such as Boston Fern, chenille plant, or black-eyed Susan vine. Look for miniature houseplant succulents in 1” – 2” clay pots -- very charming. Furthermore, we expect a greater selection of pollinator-friendly plants -- annuals such as lantana, heliotrope, salvia, and cuphea. Cuphea sports a red-orange, long, tubular flower that is especially attractive to hummingbirds. The perennial selection will include many natives, some of which you may not recognize. Many of our volunteer gardeners make it a rule to try one new-to-them item every year so their plant knowledge continues to grow as their plants do. Shortly before the sale, we will send an email updating our plant assortment, including rare and unusual plants. Please remember that the one-of-a-kinds will sell out quickly, so consider becoming a member to take advantage of our Friday Pick-of-the-Pots evening. At this year’s sale, as usual, you can count on our experts with advice on plant types and growing tips to assist you in becoming a more savvy gardener in no time! Size. Your compost pile should be at least 3’ tall and 3’ wide. When created correctly, a compost pile is literally heating up to break down plant materials, killing weed seeds, and increasing microbial activity. A compost pile smaller than the recommended dimensions may not heat up efficiently.
Compostable materials. Most organic materials can be classified as “nitrogen/greens” and “carbon/browns”. “Greens” are items such as kitchen waste (vegetable peels, seeds, and scraps), fresh weeds, and grass clippings. “Browns” are items such as old leaves, shredded paper, and bulkier dry plant material, such as end of the season vegetable plants and the perennial garden “cut back.” For optimal composting, layer or alternate the “greens” and “browns” in a lasagna style, with each layer being approximately 4-6” thick. You can add a third layer of animal manure, which will accelerate the heating of the pile. Manure will also provide a nitrogen source for beneficial microbes. Water. Your compost pile should remain moist, but not wet or soggy. Turning the pile. An open-air compost pile should be turned about once a week; a compost tumbler should be turned every 3-4 days. It is important not to turn the pile daily, as this can prevent the pile from heating up completely and may disrupt the formation of microbes and fungi that break down the greens and browns. If you do not turn the pile enough, it will still break down, but it will take longer to turn into compost. Is it done yet? You will know your compost is ready when it has decomposed into small brown-colored soil particles and has cooled. This can take anywhere from 2 months to 2 years, depending on the size of the pile, materials in it, and how often it is turned. An informative source of information on home composting is the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s website, www.dec.ny.gov Here’s what to expect:
Spring: Currently, the Spring Plant, Book, and Bake Sale is expected to be held with strict adherence to masking and social distancing, following the model of our successful fall 2020 sale. Other than that event, all other activities will be conducted virtually, either through Zoom or Facebook Live. Summer: Some activities may be virtual, while all-outdoor events such as the 5K Forest Run and the Dragonflies and Damselflies workshop will be held in person, with safety protocols in effect. Other events may be either virtual or in-person, depending on the circumstances at the time they are scheduled. The Albany Area Amateur Astronomers’ monthly Star Parties will not take place until the organization is confident that sharing equipment can be done safely. At this point, the Landis Full Moon Music Series is planned as a virtual event until it is determined that indoor musical performances are feasible. Fall: Directives from State and local health departments will determine the protocols for any events scheduled for the fall. We will update you as information becomes available. Landis remains grateful for your continued support for our mission in these uncertain and changing times. Be assured that all events will be planned and conducted with your safety in mind. And, as always, Landis remains open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year, for your enjoyment, education, and inspiration. She wanted to know what kind of nature walk I might do at the Arboretum, and I proposed a wildflower theme. “Wild flowers?” she said dubiously, glancing at the huge perennial garden in front of the farmhouse. “Yes, all these summer wildflowers,” I said, indicating the daisies and clover that lined the dirt road. “Those are weeds,” she said firmly. But she eventually agreed to my choice of topic, and we scheduled a wildflower walk for later that month. Then she said that Mr. Lape would like to thank me for doing the program. I had assumed that the Arboretum must belong to a Mr. Landis, so I had no idea who this Mr. Lape might be. She led me inside the big white farmhouse. It was a little run-down but looked homey and lived-in. We went into one of the rooms--it seemed to be sort of an office, with armchairs and walls of bookshelves, and piles of books and papers on every surface. A pale, whitehaired gentleman stood up as soon as I entered. He towered over me, tall and very thin. He took my hand and bowed over it with an old-fashioned elegance. Courtly was the word that came to mind as he thanked me for coming with an old-fashioned courtesy. Our meeting lasted only a few minutes, and I never met him again—at least, not in person. The walk was well attended, although plainly the education committee lady still wasn’t quite on board with the topic—she gave the program the title “Weeds Can Be Interesting.” Anyway, afterwards I went back to the nature center, and I didn’t return to the Arboretum for a long time. It was many years later that I came across a copy of Fred Lape’s memoirs. He had passed away in 1985, not long after I had met him. In our brief encounter I hadn’t gotten to know him at all.But it’s amazing how we can meet a person in the pages of a book, isn’t it? As I read his reminiscences, I was fascinated with his warm and enthusiastic personality, and his vivid memories of his youth. He told stories of the town of Esperance, and how the wooden bridge across the Schoharie was so noisy it sounded like a thunderstorm when a horse-drawn wagon went across the planks. He described the steep winding road, and how a snowfall would bury it in deep drifts, and how the white farmhouse would be snow-bound for weeks at a time, much to his mother’s disgust. He remembered berry-picking, and squirrels, and summer afternoons. Most of all, I liked his tales of the great oak tree. As all Arboretum fans know, there was once a huge white oak, estimated to be hundreds of years old, that stood on the knoll overlooking the valley. Before this land was called the Landis Arboretum (named for George Landis, a friend of Fred Lape) it was named Oak Nose Farm, for this giant tree that grew on a “nose” of land jutting out from the hillside. The oak’s mighty skeleton is still there, with a hopeful young sapling standing beside it, and another big oak nearby. In Fred Lape’s childhood, the “Oak Nose” was one of his favorite spots. Next time you’re there on the Oak Nose, imagine a ten-year old boy lazing in the grass below the magnificent oak, looking out at the world that he would someday travel, dreaming of trees and flowers that he would plant on his lonely hilltop. Technology is also enabling smarter machines. As advanced sensors can tell us when our cars need maintenance, that same technology is becoming available for power equipment including chainsaws, weed whackers, and mowers. When these items are linked to mobile phones, arborists can easily track runtimes on equipment, measure fuel consumption, and schedule maintenance. There is even a phone app to locate your chainsaw should you forget where you put it! Robotic mowers are available with sensors and automatic deck adjustments, allowing them to mow a lawn precisely. Some of these machines even load themselves on and off the trailer at the worksite.
Urbanization and changing environmental conditions are creating new challenges for our trees. In response, computer technologies are being developed that monitor plant health. Chlorophyll fluorometers (which measure the amount of chlorophyll emitted from plant leaves) give an insight into the plant’s health, since levels of variable fluorescence often indicate the level of plant stress. The European Space Agency’s FLuoresence EXplorer, FLEX, was designed to measure fluorescence of plants from space in order to provide an understanding of the way carbon moves between plants and the atmosphere and how photosynthesis affects the carbon and water cycles. Sensor-enabled real-time data collection in concert with computer technology can rapidly analyze information. Data collected over time is helping to build a model of plant health for individual tree species under different environmental conditions. This technology can also monitor different physiological functions: sap flow rates, for example. Sap flow is the measure of a tree’s water flow, which indicates its health and vitality. By monitoring it, stress and other issues can be detected long before they can be seen. When charted, the sap flow creates a pulse rate, similar to the pulse rate of a human. Who knows, there may be Fitbit for trees in the near future! Controlling damage caused by insect pests and fungal pathogens is imperative when managing our landscapes and forests. Applications using sensors installed on trees have proved invaluable in detecting these attacks. Beneficial in large forest stands or in urban areas, these sensors link to GPS coordinates on monitor maps. Arborists can then see which trees are in distress and give aid to the specific plants. Technology changes at an increasingly rapid pace, and some innovations widely in use today seemed inconceivable just a few years ago. In arboriculture as in nature itself, adaptation means survival. And each one has been recognized for their service as an outstanding Landis volunteer.
The Arboretum thrives with the help of a talented network of individuals and families that volunteer their time, throughout the year or at specific times or events. They all bring a host of skills and interests - gardening, baking, beekeeping, and the like - but also web design, social media, database management, and more. What is your passion? There is a place for you as a Landis volunteer. Opportunities can be found on-site in Esperance on our hundreds of acres, as well as online, with the help of your laptop or other device. Some volunteers communicate with each other by Zoom or email. One way or another, the job gets done, and Landis appreciates everyone that makes it happen. Each fall the Arboretum celebrates the service of all its volunteers, and names the recipients of its Great Oak and Volunteer of the Year awards. Take a look at our awardees here and you may recognize a dear friend or neighbor. Whet your appetite for community service at the Arboretum. Volunteers and Landis: it's a perfect pairing. The year 2021 brings new and returning initiatives and programming to Landis. If you would like to explore the possibilities for ways you can join us as a volunteer, please contact Anne Donnelly, Volunteer Coordinator, at [email protected] or (518) 234- 7502. Matt bought the realty company in 2012 from Alton Mackley, continuing a 52-year-old tradition of servicing the greater Schoharie Valley area. Country Boy’s listings include residential homes, farms, commercial properties, properties and acreage, and vacation homes. According to Matt, the agency cultivates a “real estate boutique” approach: it employs ten full-time agents and both a marketing and administrative staff dedicated to meeting the needs of the individual client.
Travelers on Route 7 will not miss the agency’s welcoming billboard. Readers of the Times Journal will note their full-page ad in the newspaper’s late February Progress Edition. Runners in the Arboretum’s annual 5K will appreciate Country Boy’s generosity in supporting the event. Duckweed is a very small free-floating plant that consists of one to three fronds, with a root (or root hair) protruding from each frond. Duckweed forms dense colonies in quiet water, often including more than a single species. This co-mingling of species is indicated by different shades of green and is evident in the Woodland Pond.
One curious aspect of the duckweed is its ability to withstand both dry conditions and declining temperatures. Late summer flowering produces starch-filled structures more dense than the fronds. The weight causes the plants to sink to the bottom and become buried in the mud, rising to the surface in the spring. Thus one might consider the duckweed a migratory plant! Duckweed is being explored for many practical uses. One is a form of ethanol. Duckweed can double its mass every few days. By manipulating conditions during its growing period, its starch content can be increased and later fermented into ethanol. Since duckweed can be harvested regularly, sometimes daily, it can produce up to four times the ethanol per acre as corn. The use of ethanol does not increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Since plants take in carbon (in the form of CO2 ) as they are growing, the carbon released during burning results in a net balance. On the other hand, fossil fuels cause a carbon increase as they release the carbon that was once stored in the earth. Duckweed can also be used as a water purifier. As it grows, it has a substantial need for nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrogen and ammonia. As the plant uptakes these elements, it adds them to its biomass. This process filters and cleans sewage and waste water. If toxic pollutants are not present, duckweed can be skimmed off and used for fertilizer or to feed fish. It can also be used to feed animals, but a retention period in clean water is necessary to ensure that the biomass is free of water-borne pathogens. Duckweed is truly a small plant with big potential applications. It proves the old adage that good things do come in small packages. Propagation is difficult, as both grafts and cuttings tend to have a high mortality rate. Successful experimentation, however, has produced some relatively stable dwarfs such as the well-known “bird’s nest” or dwarf Alberta spruce. Other dwarfs are not as stable and must be constantly policed for aggressive growth patterns that are the plant’s attempt to revert to its natural state. Occasionally, the broom will develop cones and set viable seed. The progeny from such seeds vary widely, but some seem stable. The Sargent’s weeping hemlock, for example, can be raised from seed and tends to produce offspring identical to the dwarf plant. It is well known that every branch of a woody plant produces many more bud initials than needed for normal development of that plant. These buds are typically held in reserve in case of injury to the plant. An imbalance of the hormones in the plant can stimulate these extra buds and produce an abnormal congested growth. It would appear that this disruption of the normal growth pattern is a response to a parasitic organism. Although viruses, fungi, mildew, mites, or other organisms are the most common causes of the hormone change, it has even been suggested that the recent increased levels of nuclear fallout may be affecting the genetic structure controlling the hormone production. Although the initial abnormality is relatively easy to understand as the plant’s response to external stimuli, it is more difficult to determine why the altered growth is perpetuated. Obviously, there must be a permanent genetic change resulting from the initial damage by the virus. According to today’s genetic theories, the pathogenetic DNA of the plant produces a new genetic code that is then transmitted to the plant’s progeny. Since this is now a stable chromosome change, it will be reproduced in its altered parent. Theoretically, a dwarf plant could be crossed with a normal sized plant of the same species and produce offspring carrying the dwarf characteristics as recessive genes. Thus Swartley (1984) has suggested that it is possible for normal appearing trees to be carrying recessive genes coming from a witches’ broom developed a thousand years ago. This could explain the dwarf plants found today with no apparent link to a witches’ broom. Although witches’ brooms are unusual, they are not extremely rare. Since plant fanciers all seem to want to propagate the unusual, there has been a proliferation of dwarf plants in recent years. The Full Moon Concert Series has also taken to the Internet. As each event is recorded, it is uploaded to YouTube and the video link is posted on a special page on our website. And we've just added an hour-long concert from the Upper Catskill String Quartet! Both programs received grant funding: This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by The Greene County Council on the Arts dba CREATE Council for Resources to Enrich the Arts, Technology & Education.
To see what videos are available, visit landislive.weebly.com/videos.html. Please consider dropping something into the online Tip Jar: every little donation helps us fill the gap left by the cancellation of our Spring Plant Sale and other events. The habit is oval-rounded to broad-rounded with a dense complement of fine twiggy branches. The flowers of the winterberry holly are small and not particularly showy; however, they do attract a wide range of pollinators, including the honey bee. These shrubs, like most hollies, are dioecious, meaning separate male and female plants. It is recommended that a male holly be planted next to a female to allow for fruit production.
Winterberry holly is very tolerant of difficult growing conditions, ranging from very wet to dry, but prefers heavy soils rich in organic matter with abundant moisture. Typically, it can be found growing along the margins of ponds, swamps, and drainage ways. This holly, unlike many other forms, is deciduous and extremely hardy in our area. It grows in hardiness zones 3-9. While susceptible to tar spots, leaf spots, and powdery mildew, it is not prone to any serious diseases. In fall, the perennial beds show signs of “dying back,” turning to yellow from green as nutrients are pulled down into the plants’ root systems for storage over the winter. Eventually, the leaves will turn a crispy brown and die. All of this plant material can safely be cut back at the yellowing stage, but make sure to leave about 4 to 6 inches of “live growth” above the ground. Any weeds or leaves in the crown of the plant should be removed in order to prevent rotting.
This time of year gives gardeners an opportunity to really get ahead on weeding the garden. Weeds become less vigorous and much easier to control. Pull as many weeds as you can, so when spring and summer come, you can enjoy your garden blooms without weeds to distract you! Using a trowel or similar tool to dig out the weed with its roots intact is the best way to eradicate it. If the soil is too dense and the roots keep breaking off, you need to add compost and amend it in layers. I like to add a layer of basic compost and then cover that completely with straw. By next spring, the soil will be noticeably easier to work and will have more aeration and drainage. Many gardeners like to put leaves in their gardens and let them break down over the winter. Instead, I would encourage you to put your leaves in the compost pile and allow them to break down first: this is a safer gardening practice. Compost piles heat up naturally and “cook” most pathogens in the plant material. Leaves and plant materials for roses, peonies, and tomatoes should be thrown out rather than composted because their diseases are readily reintroduced – and can spread to other plants in your garden. Fall is also an opportunity to plant bulbs. My husband is fond of tossing the bulbs and planting them wherever they land, creating a naturalistic effect. Of course, we always forget where we plant them. When they come up in the spring, we welcome both their beauty and their unexpectedness. Another bulb-planting tip is one that I’ve been implementing at Landis. I plant a circle of the same flowering bulb at the end of the mulch ring around a tree, then a second ring of a smaller flower around it. An example might be a ring of yellow daffodils with a ring of miniature purple hyacinth in front of it. Planting one color per variety doubles the effect. If you avoid planting bulbs because animals dig them up, sprinkle cayenne pepper on the surface of the ground. Any spicy pepper seems to work: I’ve tried Cajun rub and Mexican seasoning too. Just make sure you can see it on the surface and reapply it right after it rains! Invest the time in your garden during this most lovely time of year, and it’ll pay dividends in the spring! He said that growing up in this day and age is markedly different from his growing up in the wild areas of the Southern Adirondacks near the Hudson River, when he would often disappear into the outdoors for an entire day – until he heard his mother’s whistle, a signal that he needed to return home. His love for Nature was nurtured through his involvement in the Boy Scouts and continued as he moved from camper to counselor. These days, he said, there are so many obstacles between children and Nature – “stranger danger,” the lure of videogames and computers, neighborhoods in which it’s impossible for a child to dig a hole or climb trees or build a fort.
George’s family programs are based on the simple pleasures afforded by Nature: finding cicada exoskeletons, or examining moths by night, or catching frogs and salamanders, or examining animal tracks in the snow, or watching hawks soar in the Schoharie Valley. “It all starts when you’re a kid,” he mused. “But who knows where it can go? Maybe the kid will become a herpetologist . . . . Maybe that kid will put together some part of the puzzle and benefit the earth and the environment.” George is a member of the Arboretum’s Education Committee. He earned an undergraduate degree in wildlife biology from SUNY’s College of Environmental Science; he studied environmental education at Antioch Graduate School in Keene, NH. He spent thirteen years working for New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation. For him, the Arboretum is a microcosm. He pronounced the pond behind the barn “the coolest,” since it is exceptionally rich in aquatic microorganisms and macroinvertebra. He loves the Woodland Trail for its natural ecosystem and the cultivated areas at Landis for their incredible diversity of plants from all over the world. “It’s important to know your own backyard, but it’s important to know that the world is a community too,” he insisted. It was a program called “Sounds of Spring,” he remembered, and a horribly uncomfortable, drizzling, cold evening. Only one person showed up, a man with serious hearing impairment who was enthusiastic about his new hearing aid. At one point during the program, a frog croaked out a mating call. The man was astonished and exclaimed, “I never heard that before.” For George, that made the evening all worthwhile. “It is our misfortune that for most of us, that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring [in childhood], is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood," Rachel Caron lamented. It is our good fortune that George Steele restores our vision – and our hearing. And our eternal childhood too. The Corporation has contributed to many regional events, such as the Landis Arboretum 5K Forest Run. It has also awarded Landis a grant in 2020 for child and family friendly programming. It has awarded similar grants to Landis in the past. Fact: did you know that chocolate milk is a recovery drink for runners? As the runners in the Arboretum’s 5K crossed the finish line in August, they were provided Stewart’s low-fat chocolate milk and regular chocolate milk to refuel. Cornell University’s Department of Food Sciences recently crowned Stewart’s chocolate milk – and white milk too -- #1 in New York State. Stewart’s strongly believes that regional milk production is the key to its product base and partners with 23 local dairy farms to source their raw milk. Drivers pick up the milk daily. The milk is processed and bottled at the Stewart’s manufacturing plant in Greenfield, NY – all to ensure the highest standards of quality. Stewart’s Shops also feature premium quality ice cream – who could resist their creamy vanilla milkshakes? Stewart’s Shops offer competitive gas pricing, as well as many items “convenient” to pick up on the way, coming or going, including that early morning coffee. Another fact: Stewart’s Shops donates $7.5 million in product and monetary donations annually. Landis is truly appreciative of its partnership with Stewart’s. Not to mention the forest harvest. Acorns carpet the forest floor. Apple seeds inside bright fruits clunk down to the ground. Squirrels are busy planting hickory nuts and black walnuts. And many creatures - birds, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, mice, and maybe even a bear or two! - are feasting on grapes, berries, and wild cherries.
It’s a question often asked: do bears poop in the woods? The answer is yes, and it’s a good thing, too. Plants can’t get up and walk around, so they have to find a way to colonize new areas. Hundreds of types of plants depend on animals to do their “gardening” for them, since many types of seeds can’t germinate without first taking a trip through an animal’s stomach. Wild cherry seeds, for instance, are hard and bitter, so when an animal eats them, the pits don’t get chewed, and the animal’s digestive tract begins to break down the hard shell. When the critter finally excretes the cherry seed, it’s all ready to get growing. And, as a bonus, the seed is surrounded by a convenient mound of fertilizer. All the other soft mushy stuff in the dropping contains minerals and nutrients the plant needs to grow strong, like a vitamin pill for plants. Botanists with the National Park Service who experimented with potting seeds from a single dropping from a black bear were able to germinate more than a thousand seedlings. Plants “advertise” their wares to their seed-dispersing customers. Most fruits are tasty, sweet-smelling, or brightly colored so they stick out in the landscape. It’s almost as if the plants are saying: Come eat me! And the best part (from the plants’ point of view) is that animals don’t deposit their waste immediately after eating—it takes hours or even days to digest a meal. By then, the animal may have travelled many miles from the parent plant. The seeds spread to a whole new environment to grow. And of course, plants disperse seeds in other ways too. Some use the wind, letting wings or parachutes carry the crop for hundreds of feet—or hundreds of miles. Some seeds are hooked or barbed, and hitch a ride stuck to a rabbit’s fur, a dog’s tail, or your socks. So next time you take a fall ramble, watch nature, the ultimate gardener, at her work of planting. All those uncountable numbers of seeds will lie waiting under the snow till spring. Right now the trails at the Arboretum are ripe with next year’s possibilities. |