News stories tagged with "gardening"

(03/05/12) Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley it's time to get the pruning saw and clipper out. And she has advice on what to do first.

(02/27/12) Martha Foley talks with Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about planning for perennials. There are options for acquiring new perennials, and some thinking to do before adding them to your flower garden.

(02/20/12) The equinox is a month away, and the winter has been on the mild side. Even so, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy sounds a note of caution for gardeners thinking about getting an earlier than usual start on the planting season.

And she tells Martha Foley that of the three berry crops favored in the region, strawberries are the easiest choice for last-minute planners.

(02/13/12) There are bugs, and then there are worse bugs. Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about insects you don't want to share your home with. Meal moths and grain beetles breed in lots of places, in and out of the pantry, in cereal boxes, four sacks, and cookie packages. What to look for, and what to do, in today's conversation.

(02/06/12) Ladybugs and clusterflies are certainly annoying indoors residents. And a new "leaf-footed" insect, the western conifer seed bug, can be disconcerting. But as Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, they're not harmful, and not worth attacking with pesticides. (Next week: Moths)

(01/30/12) The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It's an update of a useful tool for gardeners. Clinton and Essex County Cornell Cooperative Extension Service Horticulturist Amy Ivy says it's a "great piece of the gardening puzzle" in the North Country, but not the whole story. She spoke with Todd Moe.

(01/23/12) January is the beginning of the gardening season for seed catalog fans. The stacks of colorful, glossy pages can set off a fantasy of unrealistic expectations, or can be the foundation of a good plan for the coming season.

Amy Ivy, of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service of Clinton and Essex counties shares thoughts on how a gardener can sort through the possibilities and make good choices for the new year.

(01/16/12) Birches bent double, spireas flattened, evergreens folded up like umbrellas -- heavy ice and snow put a huge strain on trees and woody shrubs, and temperatures around zero don't help. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley there's not much to be done. Propping up a stressed branch is a good idea, but be gentle otherwise.

(01/09/12) There's open ground across much of the North Country. Temperatures are up above freezing one day, and may fall into the teens or single digits the next. It's hard to get a handle on this winter. But one thing is for certain, fluctuating temperatures combined with a lack of snow cover isn't good for the yard or garden. Amy Ivy, horticulturist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service of Clinton and Essex County, explains why in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley.

(01/02/12) Some post-holiday notes from Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy today. From a new Christmas cactus that's dropped its blossoms, or a 12-foot tree that's dropping its needles, Ivy shared tips with Martha Foley this morning.