Cornell University | Cornell Cooperative Extension
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Cornell University | Cornell Cooperative Extension
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Master Gardener Program http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/ Gardening Articles written by Yates County Master Gardeners |
If you have
qustions, or e-mail mgyates@cornell.edu |
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Master Gardener Program is a national program of trained volunteers
who work in partnership with their county Cooperative Extension offices
to extend gardening information to the local community. Over 1,500 volunteer
Master Gardeners in New York State contribute educational services to
meet the outreach mission of Cornell, influencing many thousands of
consumers on horticultural issues.
Up to
their elbows in dirt, Master Gardeners see soil as the base for germination
of seeds destined to become beautiful plants, blooming in their maturity.
So in turn Master Gardeners have cultivated their involvement in the
community with hope of creating an ideal growing medium for Yates
County youth. Recently, the Master Gardeners sponsored a staff member from the Keuka Lake School to attend the Greener Beginnings conference at Cornell University. The conference focused on gardening activities for school children. This has led to a collaboration where Master Gardener volunteers work with teachers and students from the school in hands-on horticultural education. This continues a tradition of working with youth for the Master Gardeners. Other activities include an intergenerational holiday workshop, the maintenance of the Penn Yan mini-park with Penn Yan FFA, and the Dundee Interactive Gardening club. Highlights
If you have a gardening question, you may email mgyates@cornell.edu or call Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County at 315-536-5123. During the summer, Master Gardeners are in the office Tuesday and Friday mornings but you can call anytime and leave a message for them. Do you love gardening and are looking for a way to share your interest with others? Email Peter Landre, ptl2@cornell.edu, to find out how you can become a certified Master Gardener! |
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PHOTOS Yates County
Master Gardeners
LINKS Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas
Web sites from the 2008 Land Ethics Symposium Saving Places for Nature
Gardens Past, Present & Future: Sustainable Sites Initiative – John Peter Thompson One Drop at a Time: New Paradigms for Home Gardens – Marcus de la fleur Queens Botanical Garden’s Sustainable Landscapes and Building Project – Jennifer Ward Souder Stormwater, Stream Restoration & Native Plants: The Ecological Context & Designer’s Challenge – John W. Munro
A Pollution Fighting Rain Garden Rain gardens are unique landscape areas of wildflowers and natural vegetation designed to filter runoff after heavy downpours. They can be a valuable tool to help reduce flooding and soil erosion from storm water runoff. There is a growing interest in rain gardens because they are a simple way for people to contribute to cleaner water in their community. Rain gardens also add beauty and value to a home landscape while benefiting water quality overall. The concept of a rain garden began in the 1990’s in the state of Maryland and is now one of the fastest growing areas of interest for home landscaping. The purpose of a rain garden is to contain and “treat” storm runoff water using a garden. Instead of water running quickly off your property after a storm, water is diverted to the rain garden and filtered slowly by the soil and absorbed by the plants in the garden. The infiltration time is short enough to eliminate mosquito problems associated with standing water. A rain garden should be at least 10 feet away from your foundation and in a well drained area. Rainwater is directed from roof downspouts and/or paved surfaces to the garden via a swale or drainage tile.
A rain garden is built by digging into a gentle slope, making the bottom level and using the excavated soil to create a berm on the downhill end to retain the water (see figure above). Any grass removed can be placed on the top of the berm. A grassy area should be created below the berm to handle water in the event of a severe downpour beyond the capacity of the rain garden. Rain gardens should be twice as long as wide and can be located in full or partial sun. Basic steps to building a rain garden are: 1) site and sizing; 2) design and plant selection; 3) digging; 4) soil test and amendments; 5) planting and 6) maintenance. The cost varies according to amount of excavation work and plant selection. Many modest sized rain gardens can be constructed by active home gardeners. The plants selected must be able to tolerate both wet and dry conditions. This is a good reason to use plants native and non-invasive to New York State. There are many benefits of a rain garden for homeowners and the community. First, they can fit into your landscaping and replenish groundwater (a great benefit for those using drilled wells). Second, they protect our streams and lakes by reducing flooding from heavy rainstorms and remove pollutants such as sediments, nutrients and bacteria. Third, rain gardens add beauty and enhance your neighborhood. Fourth, they can provide a habitat for birds, butterflies and many beneficial insects. And finally, they can provide 30% greater infiltration of water than turf grass. Rain gardens can work virtually everywhere and they can be simple to install. Their location, size and effectiveness depend on the amount of rainwater runoff you have on your property. Since each rain garden is different, there is no wrong way to make one. For more information, use these internet sites: www.cayugalake.org, photos at www.danewaters.com/private/raingarden.aspx, a step by step guide at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/nps/rg/ , a native plant list that will keep your garden blooming throughout the season at http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/onondaga/002_environment/001_water_quality/000074.php. or call the Yates County Master Gardeners at 536-5123.
Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association
Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
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