By Dagmar Fors Karpi
The bar was set high, at the Locust Valley Garden Club July meeting. Members dressed in red, white and blue to celebrate Independence Day. The July luncheon theme was American foods, and the American flag cake made by Pat Bruderman (which used strawberries, blueberries and lots of whipped cream) stole the show.
This month’s program pointed the way to an ecologically sensitive future. Additionally, three new members were inducted by President Dean Yoder. They included Bruce Castellano of Sea Cliff, Susan Keller of Locust Valley and Monica Randall of Syosset, who was re-joining the club.
The group was enthralled as they listened to Sean Rooney, a conservation technician with the Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District. He opened their eyes about the services the NCSWCD offers residents, which includes a $20,000 grant for homeowners or small businesses to install state-of-the-art nitrogen reducing septic systems. Serendipitously, the Locust Valley Library was the first public entity to take advantage of the offer.
While nitrogen is necessary for plants, Rooney said, “Nitrogen can be too much of a good thing”.
The problem is that nitrogen pollution from cesspools and septic systems has been identified as a leading cause of degrading of the water quality in the waterways around Long Island. A look at the map on their website shows that in the waterfront community of Bayville residents are taking good advantage of the offer. For more information on the grant, please call 516-364-5860.
Rooney also talked about the benefits of using Native Plants. One could say that they create the perfect garden for senior citizens as well as our feathered friends.
Many species of native plants are edible, including raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. Native plants require little to no watering once established in a home garden. There are many
natives that can be planted as ornamental trees, such as Inkberry, Redbud, and Dogwood.
Making them easier to grow, little to no fertilizer is required for planting natives as they are already adapted to local soil conditions, as well as to our hot and humid summer weather.
Members learned of the scope of work being done by the NCSWCD. They have been working with partnerships and grants including creating rain gardens at the Oyster Bay Western Waterfront with Friends of the Bay. They partnered with the Friends of Hempstead Plains to preserve, restore and manage the Hempstead Plains prairie habitat on the campus of Nassau Community College.
They worked with the Friends of Cedarmere to remove and control invasive species of plants and trees and planted native species. At the Garvies Point Museum and Preserve they removed invasive species and planted native grasses and plants. At the Science Museum of Long Island, they helped in woodland restoration at their facility in Manhasset, at the Leeds Pond Preserve.
The LVGC meets the third Wednesday of the month for an educational program, a buffet luncheon and to socialize, all for a donation of $15. The group supports several service programs and new members are welcome to join and find their horticultural home. For more information call President Dean Yoder at 516-850-4694.
Dagmar Fors Karpi is a member of the Locust Valley Garden Club
