Local farm offers free planting guide for gardeners

Warwick —Recently, the owners of one Warwick Valley farm and greenhouse have begun teaching local gardeners how to interpret climate change data and how to make smart decisions when it comes to spring planting and planning landscaping of homes and businesses. “The changes that we are experiencing are happening in subtle ways, but over time, it will be significant,” said Bob Scheuermann, of Scheuermann Farms & Greenhouses in the Black Dirt region of Warwick. “We provide information to area residents that helps them learn what’s right for them,” he continued. With a free planting guide, Scheuermann and his wife, Sally, look to help educate the community in what to do first, how to prepare the soil, and knowing when to plant what. Knowing about changing patterns of frost, temperature, rainfall, and the impact that these have upon fruit and vegetable pests is critically important. According to a recent study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Average temperatures across the Northeast have risen more than 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) since 1970, with winters warming most rapidly — 4°F between 1970 and 2000. If higher emissions prevail, seasonal average temperatures across the state are projected to rise 8°F to 12°F above historic levels in winter and 6°F to 14°F in summer by late century.” “Everyone in the area has experienced heavy, intense spring rains for three years in a row,” said Sally Scheuermann, “producing flooding throughout the Black Dirt Region and neighboring districts. Our families have lived in the area for many generations and are familiar with these cycles and know what varieties of annuals and perennials will thrive under these conditions.” While New York farms rank among the top three in the production of apples, sweet corn and grapes nationally, the Scheuermann Farm also produces award-winning vegetable plants and thousands of perennials and hanging plants. “Our success with summer sweet corn, squash, and other vegetables has given us a firm knowledge base to share with our customers,” the couple said in their press release. Scheuermann Farms and Greenhouses is located on Little York Road in Warwick. For the free planting guide and a copy of the New York Climate Change Study, click on www.Warwickinfo.net/Scheuermann or call 258-4221.