April 2025 Discussion/Obs

[Sundog]

1 minute ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

Lantern flys shouldn’t be killing tree of Heaven as they are their natural hosts. They evolved together in China. Tree of Heaven was planted extensively in urban areas back in the early 1900s because of its extensive resistance to pollution. Much like Norway Maple. Both trees have become extremely invasive. In my opinion all should be removed when possible. This time of year it’s easy to see just how invasive, taking a ride on local highways. All that light green growth you see are the flowers of the Norway maple. In places it outcompetes all native trees and produces pure stands. Terrible for local fauna. Both trees also aren’t adapted to our coastal wind potential. They have weak wood and end up failing. 

Norway Maples are a terrible urban street tree. Now we know that (or maybe we always did) but they were extensively planted in NYC many decades back. They are off the planting list now. 

I have to give these trees credit in two areas, (when healthy) they produce a very solid shade and their fall color is gorgeous. Problem is they grow like crap in the city so they are usually looking sick. 

[Brian5671]

up to 70 here with full sun

[psv88]

Feels hot in the sun, 72 and no wind

[FPizz]

1 hour ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

Lantern flys shouldn’t be killing tree of Heaven as they are their natural hosts. They evolved together in China. Tree of Heaven was planted extensively in urban areas back in the early 1900s because of its extensive resistance to pollution. Much like Norway Maple. Both trees have become extremely invasive. In my opinion all should be removed when possible. This time of year it’s easy to see just how invasive, taking a ride on local highways. All that light green growth you see are the flowers of the Norway maple. In places it outcompetes all native trees and produces pure stands. Terrible for local fauna. Both trees also aren’t adapted to our coastal wind potential. They have weak wood and end up failing. 

I have no idea, but they turned them black as you can kind of see from the pic above and seemed to have killed them.  I never knew what kind of trees they were until the lanternfly came.  There were legit thousands on them and they secrete a liquid (maybe that was what the black was on the bark?) that made it almost look like it was drizzling outside.  

73 out and watering system just got turned on for the season.

 

[winterwx21]

1 hour ago, LibertyBell said:

we need more woodpeckers!  I've only seen one here over the last few years, they will help control these weed trees and the lanternfly.

I have 3 types of woodpeckers in my back yard regularly -- Downy, Red-bellied and Yellow-shafted Flickers. I see the Pileated woodpeckers (like the pic that FPizz posted) where I hunt in Hunterdon county. Always cool to see woodpeckers. 

[Stormlover74]

74 already probably hit 80

[winterwx21]

18 minutes ago, FPizz said:

I have no idea, but they turned them black as you can kind of see from the pic above and seemed to have killed them.  I never knew what kind of trees they were until the lanternfly came.  There were legit thousands on them and they secrete a liquid (maybe that was what the black was on the bark?) that made it almost look like it was drizzling outside.  

73 out and watering system just got turned on for the season.

 

Yeah it's getting to the point that watering is needed. I'll be watering my broccoli and lettuce plants this afternoon. I haven't had to water them much since I planted them in late March because we got plenty of rain, but it's becoming dry out there again. Getting to the point that we could use some rain. It looks like a pretty good soaking for Saturday. Hopefully that will happen. 

[LongBeachSurfFreak]

Was just out working on my veggie garden and in full sun with no wind it feels hot. Crazy difference from yesterday as far as the “feel” to the day.

[MJO812]

75 here

[FPizz]

78.  It is a bit breezy here

[psv88]

79

[nycwinter]

does not feel to warm due to low dewpoint..i felt quite comfortable even with a hoodie on..

[LibertyBell]

2 hours ago, FPizz said:

I have no idea, but they turned them black as you can kind of see from the pic above and seemed to have killed them.  I never knew what kind of trees they were until the lanternfly came.  There were legit thousands on them and they secrete a liquid (maybe that was what the black was on the bark?) that made it almost look like it was drizzling outside.  

73 out and watering system just got turned on for the season.

 

this is a good excuse to spray pesticides, lanternflies are absolutely disgusting.

[LibertyBell]

2 hours ago, winterwx21 said:

Yeah it's getting to the point that watering is needed. I'll be watering my broccoli and lettuce plants this afternoon. I haven't had to water them much since I planted them in late March because we got plenty of rain, but it's becoming dry out there again. Getting to the point that we could use some rain. It looks like a pretty good soaking for Saturday. Hopefully that will happen. 

I don't know why so many people complain about watering.  Not you specifically, but just in general.  If people want to garden or do agriculture they should expect to spend at least an hour a day watering (especially during the summer.)

I really enjoy watering, it's good exercise and gives you a hands on experience, rather than being lazy and relying on nature.

 

[SACRUS]

 

79 here now.  Pollen poluza

[LongBeachSurfFreak]

34 minutes ago, LibertyBell said:

I don't know why so many people complain about watering.  Not you specifically, but just in general.  If people want to garden or do agriculture they should expect to spend at least an hour a day watering (especially during the summer.)

I really enjoy watering, it's good exercise and gives you a hands on experience, rather than being lazy and relying on nature.

 

I love watering too, but natural rain is much better for Vegetables in particular. Root systems are much larger horizontally then one would think. So often times just watering around the base, as most people do isn’t the best. Also natural rain over the course of many many hours soaks into the soil more efficiently. I do not know anyone who spends 12 straight hours slowly drizzling water on their plants. 

[bluewave]

5 hours ago, LibertyBell said:

And also with more rainfall the winds required to topple over trees is less.  Now we're seeing trees come down in 40 mph gusts, which used to need 60 mph gusts to bring down.

The September 1998 Derecho was my only severe storm in Long Beach with .75 inch hail and wind severe gusts. It was also the darkest sky I ever experienced in the afternoon. Drove up to Lynbrook right after the storm was over and the tornado damage was obvious with the concentration of downed trees along a relatively narrow path.

 

[forkyfork]

6 minutes ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

I love watering too, but natural rain is much better for Vegetables in particular. Root systems are much larger horizontally then one would think. So often times just watering around the base, as most people do isn’t the best. Also natural rain over the course of many many hours soaks into the soil more efficiently. I do not know anyone who spends 12 straight hours slowly drizzling water on their plants. 

i'm a devout waterer and nothing makes them grow faster than rain

[LibertyBell]

28 minutes ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

I love watering too, but natural rain is much better for Vegetables in particular. Root systems are much larger horizontally then one would think. So often times just watering around the base, as most people do isn’t the best. Also natural rain over the course of many many hours soaks into the soil more efficiently. I do not know anyone who spends 12 straight hours slowly drizzling water on their plants. 

But we're used to watering here on the south shore.  I don't see  a problem with it-- plus my best season for vegetables and flowers (summer squash, zucchini, okra, potatoes, carrots, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, sunflowers, roses, etc.) was 1993 which was a super hot summer with around 2 inches of rain each month of the summer.  I think they need sunshine a lot more than they need rain.

1993 was my favorite summer for growing.

[LibertyBell]

29 minutes ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

I love watering too, but natural rain is much better for Vegetables in particular. Root systems are much larger horizontally then one would think. So often times just watering around the base, as most people do isn’t the best. Also natural rain over the course of many many hours soaks into the soil more efficiently. I do not know anyone who spends 12 straight hours slowly drizzling water on their plants. 

we have sprinklers for that too lol.

I do a combo of manually watering plus using sprinklers.

 

[Brian5671]

57 minutes ago, LongBeachSurfFreak said:

I love watering too, but natural rain is much better for Vegetables in particular. Root systems are much larger horizontally then one would think. So often times just watering around the base, as most people do isn’t the best. Also natural rain over the course of many many hours soaks into the soil more efficiently. I do not know anyone who spends 12 straight hours slowly drizzling water on their plants. 

Ph on rainfall probably better than municipal water I would assume...

[winterwx21]

It hit 81 here. 

[LibertyBell]

It's been cloudy for over an hour now lol