by Gene Henson

The torrential rains over the past two weeks have turned my garden into a swamp, and I’m sure that’s the case with yours as well. Any attempt to get anything done is probably going to require not only dedication, but rubber boots as well. But there’s plenty you can do without having to be out there.

Although it’s easer to buy plants at your local garden center, I find it much more satisfying to start many of my own. The easiest are tomatoes and peppers. And if you’re into heirloom varieties, it’s the only way to go. It’s not all that hard either.

The simplest way to start is some soil in a paper cup with holes punched in the bottom, set on a saucer. Placed on a southern windowsill, you will be amazed at how quickly a tiny green shoot will pop up. But if you want to populate your garden, a bit more sophistication is in order.

Make it easy on yourself and trot down to your local hardware store or garden center, and get one of their “starter” kits. These are plastic trays usually with provision for starting 72 plants. Seventy two you ask? Well, while this may seem excessive, it’s easy to choose the biggest and the best plants for transplanting later. These trays come with a clear plastic top which, when placed over the planted seeds, turns the whole thing into a miniature greenhouse.

Next on the list is potting soil. Potting soil can be many things, and is sometimes not even soil, but may be made up of a combination of ingredients. While it’s possible to make your own, it’s much easier to pick up a bag while you’re choosing a starting kit, and maybe a packet or two of seeds.

Most commercial potting soil is moist enough to be used right out of the bag, but if it seems a bit dry, then add a little water. Damp is the key word here. Too much moisture and the seeds will tend to rot.

After filling the cells with potting soil, the next step is, of course, to plant the seeds. I prefer tweezers for this. I dump the contents of the seed packet into a small saucer and use tweezers to pluck a seed out and stick it into the prepared cell.

When the tray is full, it can be placed anywhere it will be exposed to sunlight, with the clear plastic dome in place. You will see moisture condense on the dome, but it’s a good idea to check every day to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out. I use a spray bottle to keep the soil damp.

Do not spend money on expensive grow lights; regular florescent lights do just fine. The secret is to keep them as close to the plants as possible.  In just a few days, you will be rewarded with tiny sprouts popping out of the soil crying out, “Plant us! Plant us!”

Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.

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(l-r) Delvin Rodriguez lands a jab against the right eye of Mike Arnaoutis at Mohegan Sun.

by Alex Pierpaoli

Danbury native, Delvin Rodriguez defeated Mighty Mike Arnaoutis for a twelve round unanimous decision, thus retaining his USBA Welterweight Title, in the Main Event of a six bout card at Mohegan Sun.  An enthusiastic crowd watched the mostly tactical bout promoted by Star Boxing and aired on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights.

After an uneventful first, a round best described as the consummate feeling-out round, Rodriguez used his size and consistent pressure to blunt the attack of the southpaw, Arnaoutis.  Mighty Mike’s speedy straight-rights and lefts did little damage to the stronger Rodriguez who landed his own straight shots that swelled and reddened the face of Arnaoutis over the course of the bout.  In the eleventh, Rodriguez opened a gash around the left eye of Arnaoutis and the cut bled freely till the end of the bout.

Despite consistent and effective body-punching by Arnaoutis, Rodriguez’s size and power won him the bout on all three official scorecards.  Judge Clarck Sammartino saw it 118-109, judge Don Ackerman had it 117-110 and judge Larry Hazzard Jr’s final tally was 119-108, all in favor of Delvin Rodriguez.  

In the televised co-feature, former Olympian and unbeaten Demetrius Andrade, of Providence, RI, defeated Geoffrey Spruiell by eight round unanimous decision.  The junior middleweight southpaw, Andrade, used smart boxing and aggression to force the determined Spruiell to give up ground.   By the end of round three it seemed as though Andrade might be able to end things with a busy fourth round but the cagey Spruiell, of Pueblo, CO, was determined to go the distance and made it to the final bell by fighting back wildly when along the ropes and clutching through the rough spots when Andrade surged.  Andrade finished the night with a shut-out victory on all three official scorecards and proved his focus is not shaken when faced with a cagey but limited opponent who refuses to be kayoed and is content to go the distance.  Andrade improved to 10-0 (7) and Spruiell fell to 8-9 (2). 

Middleweight Joe Greene of Queens, NY defeated Chris Gray of Baton Rouge LA by eight round unanimous decision in the most dreadful bout of the night.  Both men clutched and grabbed and missed and fouled each other throughout the fight bringing out the boo-birds in the crowd who were only scattered by hoots and whistles between rounds at the appearance of the bikini-clad round card girls.  Greene remained undefeated with the decision win and is now 22-0 (14) while Gray dropped to 12-13 (1).

In the first bout of the night super middleweight Shqiprim Muriqi, brother of light heavyweight Elvir Muriqi, stopped Fasika Bezabah at 2:08 of round three.  Bezabeh was getting shelled along the ropes when referee George Phillips stepped in and waved off the bout.  Muriqi is now 3-0 (2) while Bezabeh remains without a win at 0-4.

Yan Barthelemy, of Miami, stopped Roberto Benitez, of the Bronx, at 1:16 of round four in a super bantamweight contest.

Yathomas Riley of the Bronx, NY, stopped Walter Foster Jr of St Louis, MO, at 1:20 of round number two in a light heavyweight scrap.

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Governor M. Jodi Rell presents Coach Geno Auriemma and the University of Connecticut Women’s basketball team with an oversized Connecticut license plate to mark the team’s undefeated season and seventh national championship. An estimated 25,000 people attended the team’s parade in downtown Hartford and State Capitol rally on April 18.

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Tom Turkey

photo by Paul J. Fusco

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reminds hunters that the 2010 Connecticut spring wild turkey hunting season runs from April 28 to May 29. In addition to the regular season, there are two special Saturdays, April 17 and 24, which provide an opportunity for youth hunters to learn safe and effective wild turkey hunting techniques.   On these days, licensed junior hunters (ages 12-15) with a valid spring season turkey permit can hunt while accompanied by a licensed adult mentor.  The mentor may not carry a firearm, and juniors may hunt any state land open to turkey hunting or private land where they have obtained written consent of the landowner.

This year will mark the 30th consecutive year that sportsmen have hunted turkeys in Connecticut.  The statewide turkey population is estimated at approximately 35,000 birds. Healthy and numerous wild turkey populations exist throughout the majority of Connecticut’s woodlands. Last spring, 7,376 hunters took 1,502 bearded turkeys.

During the 2010 spring season, two bearded turkeys may be taken on state land and three on private land. Hunting is permitted from one-half hour before sunrise until noon each day; except on the designated junior hunter training days when the hunting hours have been extended until 5:00 PM.

New Tagging and Reporting Requirements: All harvested turkeys must be tagged immediately and reported to the DEP on-line www.ct.gov/dep/hunting or by phone 1.877.337.4868 within 24 hours. Hunters must use 2010 Kill Tags to record information about turkeys they harvest.  After reporting their kill via the internet or by telephone, hunters will be given a confirmation number to write on their Kill Tag. This confirmation number serves as proof that the kill was legally reported.

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by Sam Mazzotta

Dear Paws4Pets: I walk early every morning around my neighborhood, and almost every time I walk past the elementary school, I see people letting their dogs run around the grassy part of the playground. This is right around sunrise, before school opens. I don’t think this should be allowed. What if a dog leaves a nasty “surprise” for the kids? Who should I call to report this?

– Concerned in New England 

Dear Concerned: While you raise a good point about dogs possibly leaving waste behind after romping around the playground, there doesn’t appear to be any other harm done from your description of what’s going on. Before calling to report these dastardly evildoers, be sure to check municipal, county or school board regulations about pets. There probably are regulations about when and where pets can’t go — like inside the school or on the grounds during school hours — but there may not be any rule stopping pet owners from letting their dogs romp on the grass at 6 a.m. I’m somewhat ambivalent about telling you how to stop a dog owner from letting his dog play in a controlled area. It’s become very difficult for urban and suburban owners to find open, unregulated places for their pets to play. But it’s certainly your right to voice your concerns, to the city or the school board. For pet owners faced with a dearth of open spaces, it’s more important now than ever to make a good impression on neighbors, many of whom aren’t thrilled about off-leash anything — even designated dog parks. Socialize your dog to humans and other dogs from a young age, make sure your pet responds promptly to basic commands, pick up its mess from sidewalks and grounds right away, and be considerate to others.

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