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Expert Tips to Refresh Your Garden for the Rest of Summer

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After weeks of summer heat and frequent rain, many gardens across Rockland County, Bergen County and the Hudson Valley are beginning to show signs of stress. Fortunately, a few simple maintenance steps can help restore color and keep landscapes looking their best through late summer and into fall.

The gardening experts at Down to Earth Living Garden Center in Pomona recommend removing spent flowers to encourage new blooms, feeding flowering plants with a bloom booster fertilizer, and pruning spring-flowering shrubs that have already finished blooming.

For an instant burst of color, consider adding late-season favorites like Black-Eyed Susans, zinnias, hydrangeas and fresh hanging baskets. Gardeners are also encouraged to plant milkweed, an essential plant for monarch butterflies, and provide a shallow water source for birds, butterflies and bees during hot weather.

Containers and hanging baskets should be checked frequently, as they often require extra watering during periods of intense heat. If plants have reached the end of their flowering season, replacing them with fresh blooms can quickly brighten outdoor spaces.

With summer sales underway, it’s also a great time to update patios and backyards with discounted outdoor furniture, umbrellas, décor and statuary.

Down to Earth Living Garden Center also offers personalized gardening advice. Customers are encouraged to bring photos or inspiration for their outdoor spaces, and the center’s team can help select the right plants, containers and décor. The garden center’s expanded indoor plant showroom is open for the season, and free repotting is available with the purchase of any plant or pot.

Located at 1040 Route 45 in Pomona, N.Y. For more information, call 845-354-8500 or visit www.dteliving.com.

 

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Rockland Bakery in Nanuet Bakes Record-Breaking Croissant

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A massive croissant baked at Rockland Bakery has officially surpassed the previous benchmark for the world’s longest croissant, according to Rockland County officials.

The Rockland County Department of Consumer Protection’s Weights & Measures Division verified the pastry’s measurement at Rockland Bakery in Nanuet on Aug. 24, 2026.

Created by Rockland Bakery head baker Sean McConnell for The Mannii Show in collaboration with Serendipity3, the croissant measured 41.75 inches long, or approximately 106.05 centimeters.

Record Details

  • Length: 41.75 inches / 106.05 cm
  • Weight: 5.62 pounds / 2.55 kg
  • Date Measured: August 24, 2026
  • Location: Rockland Bakery, Nanuet, New York

The measurement surpassed the previous 85-centimeter benchmark announced in Germany earlier this year by 21.05 centimeters, or 8.29 inches. The new measurement represents an increase of approximately 24.8% and marks the first time the benchmark has exceeded one meter.

Rockland County Weights & Measures officials were present at the bakery to conduct and verify the measurement as part of the world-record attempt.

The enormous croissant was created by The Mannii Show as part of a celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary. The project brought together The Mannii Show, Serendipity3 and Rockland Bakery for a three-day baking effort led by McConnell.

The record attempt combined large-scale baking with an official measurement conducted by county officials, putting a Rockland County bakery at the center of an unusual culinary milestone.

 

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Why Fall Is the Best Time to Add Lime to Your Garden Soil

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While “adding some lime” may sound like a recipe for a margarita, gardeners in the Northeast know lime can be an important tool for improving soil and preparing gardens for spring.

In areas such as Rockland, Bergen and Orange counties, frequent rainfall can contribute to naturally acidic soil. Lime, which is made from ground limestone, helps raise soil pH and make acidic soil more neutral, allowing plants to better absorb essential nutrients.

Gardeners should test their soil before applying lime to determine whether it is needed and how much to use. Soil with a pH below 6.5 may benefit from lime, and inexpensive test kits are available at garden centers.

Why Apply Lime in the Fall?

Fall is considered a good time to apply lime in the Northeast because it gives the product several months to react with the soil before spring planting.

Two common types are granular lime, which works slowly and is often used on lawns and vegetable beds, and hydrated lime, which acts more quickly and is generally used for spring applications or new gardens.

According to Stuart Leventhal, owner of Down to Earth Garden Center, lime helps neutralize soil acidity, allowing plants to absorb nutrients more effectively.

Lime can be spread on lawns with a spreader or applied by hand to garden beds. It should then be worked into the top four to six inches of soil and watered. Gardeners should avoid applying lime and fertilizer at the same time because the products can react negatively.

Soil pH can be tested again in the spring to determine whether additional adjustments are needed.

For gardeners across Rockland, Bergen and Orange counties, fall offers an opportunity to improve soil now and help create healthier, more productive landscapes when the growing season returns.

Down to Earth Living Garden Center also offers gardening advice and encourages customers to bring photos of their gardens or outdoor spaces when seeking recommendations on plants, containers and landscaping projects.

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