PLG block wins "Greenest Block in Brooklyn" contest

After years as runners up, the block of Lincoln Road between Bedford and Rogers has won first place in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest. Apparently, there's been a bit of controversy about the block getting short shrift in previous years. 

Congrats to the R&B Block Association for getting its due. In previous years, the block has won numerous honorable mentions; in 2005, it tied for third place.

Why are so many trees on Lincoln dying?

I noticed the other day that two more street trees on Lincoln Road—on the south side, near Ocean Avenue—have died. If I'm remembering correctly, these trees were healthy last season. I think they were among the batch planted about three years ago, after construction on Lincoln ended. Around the corner, on Ocean Avenue, an older tree is dying and the one next to it seems to be headed toward the same fate. I have no idea what kind of trees these are, but here's a detail of the sick leaves.

Further down Lincoln (around 40 Lincoln), another young tree—which appeared healthy last season—is on its last few limbs. The one next to it died a couple of years ago but was replaced with a new tree this spring, thanks to the Million Trees Project.

As someone who asked the City to replace the dead tree (using the handy Million Trees form), I now feel partly responsible to help keep it and the others alive. If anyone has a clue, please say so in the comments, and let us know if anything can be done.

Free Tree giveaway this weekend

Flatbush Gardener pointed us to this neato event on Saturday, October 18:

1,250 FREE trees will be available for adoption by homeowners and community groups at select locations throughout the five boroughs this October. Trees will be distributed by New York Restoration Project (NYRP). Note – individuals and families are limited to adopting one tree per household; and all tree recipients are required to register their new tree at www.milliontreesnyc.org. Interested community groups that can plant and care for 5-10 trees should contact mcrowley@nyrp.org before October 18th.

For residents who do not have their own yard to plant a tree, information on volunteering, educational programming and contributing to MillionTreesNYC will also be available.

A variety of trees of different sizes, including flowering and medium and large canopy (shade) trees will be available. Our horticultural staff will be present to provide advice on which species tree is best for your home.

Brooklynites can pick up trees at the Sunset Park Green Market on 4th Avenue and 59th/60th Streets. Details and other locations can be found here (pdf).

Need tree guards for your block?

If any PLG block associations are interested in getting free tree guards for their block, now's a good time: Marty Markowitz has just sent out the applications for Brooklyn's Neighborhood Beautification Fund. Since I couldn't find the form online, I scanned the one they mailed me, which you can download here.

Who can apply for free tree pit guards?

Block associations and other civic and community organizations... We will favor applications which include all of the street trees located on a particular block. Property owners adjacent to a street tree must indicate on attached consent forms whether they wish to participate in the program....

Commercial streets are not eligible to receive tree guards under this Fund...

Projects will be awarded based on the following criteria:

• a demonstrated ability and commitment to provide for long-term maintenance of trees;
• a previous participation in Brooklyn's Greenest Block competition;
• have not received tree guards from the Brooklyn Borough President in the past;
• a commitment to plant and maintain flowers and greenery in tree beds

There's more information on the application. Deadline is by June 6, 2008... and you can only include trees located on residential blocks as of May 15, 2008.

Local Garden on Brownstoner

What kind of local blog are we when Brownstoner scoops us on a story in our own backyard? Literally.

Today's Brownstoner Garden of the Day is diagonally across from our own garden. Since the owners weren't named on Brownstoner, we won't name them here without their permission, but we will continue to enjoy our live view of their yard.

Not-so-green streets

Now that one of the young trees at the triangle on Lincoln and Flatbush is dead and gone, the "green street" is now host to but one sad and lonely evergreen. Both trees there were hit by a car a few weeks ago.

When I first noticed the fallen trees and went to look at them, a passerby told me not to worry, that the Lefferts Manor Association maintains this space and would fix it. According to someone on the Lefferts email list, the Parks Department is responsible.

Whether any person or group does in fact maintain this space remains a mystery. Even before the trees were hit, the small garden resembled a scraggly brown patch. When I talked to someone at the Parks Department last summer, the rep told me that the Parks Department can only handle initial plantings and that it's up to community members to maintain street trees and green streets.

So what shall become of Lincoln's little green street? If the green space is effectively orphaned — as I suspect it is — it'll stay that way until someone volunteers to care for it.

Any takers?

Greening Things Up

The weather forecast for this weekend is looking promising, so I thought I might spend some time out of doors turning my back yard mud pit into something other than mud.

I took a stroll this week down to local Kings County Nurseries, on New York Ave at Fenimore, to check out the pickings. Things are looking pretty green over there, and we hear that by this weekend there should be a good selection of annuals to choose from. King's County also sells a bunch of veggies if you're inclined to do some gardening for eating (be sure to plant any edibles in safe soil, ie; not your untested back yard).

I like to go local, and the guys at Kings County are great. But for items beyond your basic "garden variety" plants, you may have to search farther afield. If you don't have access to a car, some other Brooklyn nurseries (Gowanus, etc.) may deliver for a fee, or you can turn to the internet.

If shopping on the internet, make sure you know what size pot (if any) the plants are shipped in. Be warned: there are a lot of inexpensive internet nurseries out there, but many plants are shipped bare root, which means you'll be waiting eons (or at least a few seasons) for your plants to look anything like what the photo shows. Garden Watchdog is a good place to start weeding through the mire of internet garden suppliers.

Happy gardening!

Caring for new street trees

The Parks Department seems to have made a recent visit to some blocks in Lefferts and planted us some new street trees. Hooray! Thanks to everyone who has requested trees, and for those of you who haven't been successful yet, let's keep prodding the city to get with the program. Here is a link to the NYC street tree request form. Be warned, there is a long wait time on getting street trees.

If you have a recently planted street tree in front of your house or building, maintenance is a key factor in ensuring that it continues to be healthy. The first year after planting is a critical time. Now that the danger of frost is dissipating, young trees need a lot of water. Watering should be done slowly, allowing the moisture to permeate the soil deeply. This allows the tree to develop a deep root system rather than depending on shallow roots. A soaker hose or water-filled garbage can with holes poked in it could work. Make sure that the tree is adequately mulched so that moisture is maintained.

Want to know more? There is a decent BBG website on the care and maintenance of street trees and pits.

Want to do more? Take the Trees New York course and become a NYC certified Citizen Pruner! Classes at BBG start April 28th. Yes, YOU TOO can "become an informed steward of NYC's urban forest..."

RELATED POSTS:
Want more trees on your block?
Help the city put more trees in PLG

"Greening Flatbush" event on Sun. February 24

Our neighbors to the south have been some enviable projects in the works, including a day of short lectures, demonstrations, and workshops called "Greening Flatbush: Garden Where You Are."

Details:

Sunday, February 24, from 1:30 to 4:30pm
Brooklyn Public Library (Flatbush Branch): 22 Linden Boulevard.
The event is free, but space is limited. To register, email greeningflatbush@gmail.com.

Help the city put more trees in PLG

An earlier post discussed what homeowners can do to get street trees in front of their houses. But what about getting trees in places that aren't yours—like large apartment buildings, schools, or commercial strips?

In the past, nothing short of personally lobbying the property owner would make it happen. But thanks to Flatbush Gardener, we just found out that Million Trees NYC is asking residents to recommend new sites for street trees throughout the City.

So what about it, people? Where does PLG need street trees? ...wait, don't tell me, tell the NYC Parks and New York Restoration Project: click here for the form.

The Parkside Q station (pictured) tops my wishlist. The plaza in front of Parkside is decidedly un-parklike: an unwelcoming concrete slab with no greenery of any kind. Half of Parkside Ave. (gmap) here is treeless, which is especially unfortunate because so many people pass through here.