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April is National Gardening Month – Pruning Tips from Down to Earth Living

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6 years ago

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According to the US Department of Agriculture, April is National Gardening Month. Many people await the arrival of spring specifically so they can begin to work in their gardens. One of the first tasks is to see what might need pruning.

Just like gardeners need to get their tools and supplies ready for the spring growing season, so should they take stock of which plants need to be cut back. Pruning in spring is a great opportunity to cut out dead, diseased or dying stems, and to reshape shrubs that have gotten overgrown and unwieldy. A good “haircut” also makes way for new growth and helps to encourage more flowers, foliage, and colorful stems on a wide range of plants.

Plants that flower on the same year’s growth such as lavender, fuchsias, buddleia and ornamental grasses can be pruned almost to ground level before they put energy into new growth. Early-spring bloomers like lilac, forsythia and rhododendron produce flowers on wood formed the previous year and should be pruned immediately after they finish blooming. If you prune them later in the growing season or during winter, you’ll remove flower buds and decrease the amount of spring bloom.

Treat roses that bloom only once per year the same as other spring-blooming shrubs, by pruning after they finish blooming. Repeat bloomers, including hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, are pruned mostly to shape the plant or to remove winter-damaged canes. If they become overgrown, cut them back in early spring.

Hedges of beech and cherry laurel as well as boxwood topiaries are best pruned after they have leafed out in early spring. This gives them the form in which they will grow for the season. Since many evergreens only have new growth on the tips of branches, wait to prune them until after new growth for the year is complete. Then it will have the whole growing season to form new buds for growing and filling in next year.

Young fruit trees should be pruned as soon as buds form in order to form them into their desired shape and allow their energy to be devoted to making fruit. Perennial herbs like rosemary, oregano and sage grow leggy and woody over time and benefit from being pruned in spring as growth begins.

Tips on Pruning Correctly

 Use high quality pruning tools that have been cleaned and sharpened since the previous season.
We recommend bypass pruners which work like a scissor rather than an anvil pruner which tend
to squash the branch rather than make a clean cut.
 Remove all dead, diseased, or damaged stems as they attract insects and invite diseases to
develop. Also remove crossing branches, water sprouts and suckers.
 Cut just above a node where the leaves, buds and shoots emerge from the stem. This way you
can manipulate new growth to form in a desired direction, as nodes form on different sides of a
stem.

 It’s important to cut at a downwards angle, so rainwater runs quickly off the wound. Cutting flat
runs the risk of infections entering the plant, creating ideal conditions for fungi to take hold.
 After pruning, mulch plants with a generous layer of garden compost or well-rotted manure, to
give them a boost.

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Lafayette Theatre Packs October With Movies, Halloween Events and Local Premiere

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3 weeks ago

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September 26, 2026

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October will be a busy month at the Lafayette Theatre, with the historic Suffern movie house offering a lineup that ranges from highly anticipated new films and local filmmaking to family Halloween favorites and cult classics.

And with tickets priced at $10 or less, the theater is making it possible for moviegoers to take in several of the month’s events without breaking the bank.

Among the highlights is the October 8 homecoming premiere of Concessions, a film shot at the Lafayette Theatre with the participation of local Rockland County extras. The premiere will feature a live question-and-answer session with the film’s director and cast. Additional screenings are planned for October 16–18.

The October schedule also includes Verity, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel and starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. The mystery-thriller centers on a writer who discovers a series of disturbing secrets while working on an unfinished manuscript.

Moviegoers can also see Digger, starring Tom Cruise, a film that has already attracted attention as awards season approaches.

Halloween will bring several special screenings to the Lafayette.

The Addams Family will screen October 31 and November 1, giving families a chance to celebrate the holiday with the famously creepy and kooky Addams clan.

Horror fans can also experience A Nightmare on Elm Street on the big screen. The 1984 classic helped establish Freddy Krueger as one of horror’s most recognizable villains.

For those looking for a more interactive Halloween experience, The Rocky Horror Picture Show returns October 31. Doors open at 8 p.m., with the film beginning at 9 p.m.

The Apoca-Lips Shadow Cast will return for the screening, featuring a preshow, audience participation and costumes. Prop bags will also be available.

With a combination of new releases, classic films, local talent and Halloween traditions, the October schedule offers something for movie fans of all ages — while continuing the Lafayette Theatre’s role as a gathering place for the local community.

Tickets are on sale now.

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In Plain Sight World Premiere at Penguin Rep Theatre | Sept. 25–Oct. 18, 2026

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3 weeks ago

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September 25, 2026

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Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York, has announced the complete cast for the world premiere of In Plain Sight, a new play by acclaimed playwright Michael McKeever (Daniel’s Husband, Mr. Parker). Directed by Penguin founding Artistic Director Joe Brancato, the production runs September 25 through October 18, 2026, concluding Penguin Rep’s 2026 season.

The play follows Elliot and Alan, a couple preparing to marry after 11 years together, as buried secrets and difficult choices from the past threaten their future. The play explores love, identity, family, and the consequences of choices made long ago.

The cast includes Stephen Dexter, Remidy Dixon, Lana Gordon, Russell Saylor, and Derek Smith. Smith, a Tony nominee and winner of multiple theatre awards, previously collaborated with McKeever and Brancato on Mr. Parker.

McKeever’s plays have been produced throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. His work Daniel’s Husband was first produced by Penguin Rep before transferring to New York City, as did Penguin productions of After and Mr. Parker.

Performances take place at Penguin Rep Theatre, 7 Crickettown Road, Stony Point, an intimate, air-conditioned converted barn with comfortable seating and free parking.

For ticket information visit https://www.penguinrep.org/ or call 845-786-2873.

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