Gardener News February 2016

TAKE ONE

Gardener News Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

February, 2016

GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 154

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Official State Butterfly of New Jersey

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Garden Club of New Jersey President Susan O’Donnell, left, New Jersey State Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, center, and Jeannie Geremia met in Senator Bateman’s legislative office in Somerville, Somerset County, shortly after the Black Swallowtail Butterfly became the official State butterfly of New Jersey.

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor Jeannie Geremia, a featured columnist for the Gardener News, the 2012 Gardener News “Person of the Year” and a member of

The Garden Club of New Jersey, and New Jersey State Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, the 2014 Gardener News “Person of the Year,” teamed up to designate the Black Swallowtail Butterfly as the official State Butterfly of New Jersey. Geremia

drafted the original text and presented it to Bateman. By designating a State butterfly, it recognizes the important role that butterflies and other pollinators play in agriculture and the ecosystem. In the Senate, it was S-939. Joining Senator Bateman as a Prime

Sponsor was Senator Anthony R. Bucco. It was co-sponsored by: Senators Kyrillos, Gordon, P. Barnes, III, T. Kean, Pennacchio, Ruiz, Singer and Greenstein. In the Assembly, the bill number was A-2913.

The Prime Sponsors were Assemblywoman Marlene

Caride, Assemblywoman/ Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer and Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco. It was co-sponsored by: Assemblymen Gusciora, Mukherji, Singleton and Ciattarelli. (Cont. on Page 20)

2 February, 2016 G A R D E N C E N T E R D I R E C T O R Y GardenerNews.com

Got Rock Salt?

We Do… & Calcium, Snow Shovels, Firewood & Propane.

Hall’s Garden Center & Florist 700 Springfield Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 908.665.0331 | www.hallsgarden.com

Thank you for a wonderful 2015 season.

See you in March!

The Biondi Family

Celebrating Our 70th Anniversary

601 Union Ave. Middlesex, NJ

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 3 EIGC is Home to Master Nursery’s Eastern Regional Member Meeting

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FREE IGC Trade Show THREE FREE Keynotes FREE Concert Tuesday

John Tierney, New York Times Science Columnist

“Why Recycling Is Really A Waste!”

His message will surprise you!

Tierney brings his contrarian points-of-view to EIGC. WATCH: www.cbsnews.com/ videos/is-recycling-a-waste

Disco -Retro Conc t Featuring

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Kitchen gardening and cooking demos will get you there in any season.

REGISTRATION OPENS SOON! IGCEAST.COM Reserve Your Exhibit Space Today! Contact Rob Bailey at Rob@IGCshow.com

4 February, 2016 Farmers generally do not boast, at least that has been my experience with most of the ones I have encountered.

They just go about their business of growing plants and raising livestock, tending the land, raising a family, giving back to the community and enjoying life.

I mention this because sometimes I wish they would toot their own horns a bit more about the business agriculture brings to our state.

Our 9,000 family farms, along with our fisheries, generate billions of dollars of revenue for the New Jersey economy. That’s right – billions of dollars are coursing through the cash registers and credit markets in the Garden State directly due to agriculture.

Most people do not really understand the magnitude of the agricultural economy. For instance, in the U.S., agriculture exports are the number-one success story in the free trade agreements that have developed over the past decade. In 2012, the U.S. exported $131 billion in agricultural produce, which resulted in a $24.5 billion trade surplus. Every $1 billion in farm exports supports approximately

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Agriculture’s Impact in the Garden State 8,400 jobs, according to Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

For instance, New Jersey exports blueberries to Canada and grain to ports around the globe. We export seafood, wine and many other finished food products.

So, back to our economy, specifically. Here are some statistics you more than likely would not be expected to know.

Agriculture contributes to the overall economy in New Jersey (as recorded by Farm Credit East) $12.8 billion dollars of economic impact, which magnifies the effect by providing 58,000 jobs. Just to give a comparison, this is $8 billion more revenue than Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont combined.

New Jersey ranks fourth in the nation in value of market

products sold per acre at $1,408 – which is three times the national average. So, for the purpose of reporting to Gardener News readers, please note that nursery and floriculture production alone produce threequarters of a billion dollars in economic impact.

So how does the word go out that better explains the enormous effect our farmers have on commerce?

One example comes to mind about the famous Charles F. Seabrook, who in 1950 owned a farming operation in Cumberland County that had 3,200 employees on the payroll.

To emphasize the importance of his operation in the City of Bridgeton, and the surrounding area, he paid his employees’ wages in silver dollar coins, adding up to $150,000. Local merchants saw the “hard

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Former Major League Baseball outfielder and coach William Hayward “Mookie” Wilson, best remembered as the New York Met that hit the ground ball that went through Red Sox first basemen Bill Buckner’s legs in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, looks over the January Gardener News just before he made a special guest appearance at the Garden State Home Show in Somerset, New Jersey.

Wilson was enshrined in the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1996.

money” as it filtered through the economy and in a few days everyone finally realized how important his business was to the community. I do not think Mr. Seabrook ever had to make the point again of the importance of agricultural enterprises.

In the Department of Agriculture, we are constantly looking for ways to promote the interest of farmers because they are an important pillar of the commerce of this state. Tourism, logistics, pharmaceuticals and agri-food are mainstays of the economy. In our Department, we use today’s tools like social media, but we also do it the old fashioned way, by promoting our fairs, festivals farmers markets and wineries.

Yes, farming is big business, but it also is personal. Farmers connect with their communities.

They invite people onto their farms to enjoy the bounty of the land, get fresh air and make lasting memories. Agriculture helps to preserve open space, keep local taxes low and provide scenic vistas. The emotional value of agriculture to the Garden State far exceeds the economic value. New Jersey residents love that they are a short distance from a day on the farm. And farmers love to teach people about agriculture and what it takes to grow our food.

We are blessed in New Jersey to have a strong and healthy agricultural industry and a community that supports our farmers.

Editor’s Note: Douglas H. Fisher is New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture. He is the department’s executive officer, secretary to the State Board of Agriculture and a member of the Governor’s cabinet. Secretary Fisher fulfills executive, management and administrative duties prescribed by law, executive order or gubernatorial direction. He can be reached at 609.292.3976.

For more info, please visit: http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 5

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

Nursery Stock JERSEY GROWN

Sunflower Birdseed JERSEY GROWN

Firewood

JERSEY GROWN

When you’re shopping for JERSEY GROWN nursery stock, you know the trees, shrubs, plants and flowers are checked for quality, disease, are pest free, and accustomed to the Garden State’s climate and soil conditions.

Annuals & Perennials Made With JERSEY GROWN

Wood Birdhouses & Bird Feeders

Governor Chris Christie Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

jerseygrown.nj.gov

6 February, 2016

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

Join Master Gardeners for Annual Bird Count The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Middlesex County invite you to take part in the “Great Backyard Bird Count.”

This free event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Davidson’s Mill Pond Park, located at 42 Riva Ave. in South Brunswick. The rain date will be Sunday, Feb. 14.

Beginning birders and experts are encouraged to attend.

Between noon and 2:30 p.m., Master Gardeners will offer guided tours led by advanced birders with “count sheets”. These sheets will be filled in during the tour, and then collected and entered into the Cornell University database.

The event will be held simultaneously with the Audubon Society and Cornell University Lab’s “Great Backyard Bird Count.” Please bring your own binoculars and field guides and dress appropriately for outdoor hiking. Tour guides will be available to assist your party, or you can explore the park on your own. Please RSVP to evans@aesop.rutgers.edu.

The Master Gardeners will offer hot coffee for participants from noon to 2:30 p.m. within the park at the EARTH Center, home to Middlesex County’s Extension office.

For more detailed information visit: http://birds. audubon.org/great-backyard-bird-count For more information on programs offered by Middlesex County’s Cooperative Extension call 732-398-5260.

State 4-H Equine Arts Show February 20, 2016 Cedar Creek High School 1701 New York Avenue, Egg Harbor City, NJ The 4-H Equine Arts Show is a creative and instructional program that invites 4-H members to display their artistic talents and imaginations, while developing life-time skills and abilities. Participants are able to express their appreciation of the horse through various art mediums, while they are expanding their cultural knowledge. Art projects enable 4-H’ers to learn the value of developing visual exhibits in areas of specific interest.

For more info email Carol Ward at ward@njaes.rutgers.edu

North Jersey Fruit Meeting February 24, 2016 For Commercial Growers Only RCE of Hunterdon County Route 12 County Complex- Chicken Coop, Flemington, NJ Speaker is Win Cowgill For more info email Diana Boesch at boesch@AESOP.Rutgers.edu

Grape Expectations Symposium February 27, 2016 Forsgate Country Club, Monroe Township, NJ The symposium is a daylong series of lectures by professionals in viticulture (grape growing), enology (winemaking), and marketing. Lectures are designed to present new and relevant information to professionals and amateurs involved with any aspect of grape growing or the wine industry.

Sponsored by Rutgers Cooperative Extension, The NJ Wine Industry Advisory Council and the Garden State Winegrowers Association For more info email Gary Pavlis at pavlis@njaes.rutgers.edu

GardenerNews.com

From the Director’s Desk

Rutgers Outreach Provided by Larry S. Katz, Ph.D. Sr. Associate Director

Volunteers Needed to Measure NJ Rain and Snow The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a communitybased network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation. Using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training, and utilizing an interactive website (cocorahs.org), CoCoRaHS aims to provide the highest quality data for activities such as environmental studies, water resource management, and education. New Jersey residents of all ages can participate. The only requirements are enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather affects and impacts lives.

The CoCoRaHS network spans every state and many Canadian provinces. In New Jersey, almost 300 citizen scientists contribute observations, while network-wide close to 15,000 individuals participate. CoCoRaHS began in 1998 in Fort Collins, Colorado, following a deadly flash flood the previous summer. It was evident that standard National Weather Service reports from the area were too sparse to adequately record the event and that a high-density network would greatly improve the documentation and understanding of future heavy rainfalls, in addition to snowfall and hail events. Over the following decade, the network expanded throughout Colorado, the High Plains, and eventually east of the Mississippi.

New Jersey became a CoCoRaHS state on February 2, 2008. Yes, intentionally on Groundhog Day! Based out of the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist (ONJSC) at Rutgers University’s N.J. Agricultural Experiment Station, NJ CoCoRaHS is managed by this column’s authors, with the able assistance of student interns and individuals from the central CoCoRaHS office at Colorado State University. The New Jersey network is the most spatially dense of any state, yet there can never be enough observers measuring the rain, snow and occasional hail that fall on about one of every three days. It’s even critical to document days when precipitation does not fall, as drought may only be a dry month or two away.

Observations from CoCoRaHS volunteers are widely used by the agricultural community, water resource managers, weather forecasters, and many others whose decisions depend on timely and high-quality precipitation data. For example, hydrologists and meteorologists use the data to warn about potential impacts of flood and drought.

“Weather matters to everybody – meteorologists, car and crop insurance companies, outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners,” said CoCoRaHS founder and national director Nolan Doesken.

“Precipitation is perhaps the most important, but also the most highly variable, element of our climate.”

The addition of hundreds of NJ CoCoRaHS observations is an important supplement to the automated 60-station NJ Weather and Climate Network (njweather.org) that is operated by the ONJSC, which gathers reports of precipitation and other weather variables every five minutes. CoCoRaHS observations provide a much more detailed picture of rain and snowfall patterns than possible by automated stations alone. In fact, only via volunteer observers are measurements of new snowfall, the combined depth of old and new snow covering the ground (snowpack), and the quantity of water in a snowpack available.

It is remarkable how conditions can vary across the state during an event. For instance, during a 2010 snowstorm, an observer in eastern Hillsborough measured a 17-inch snowfall, while one on the west end of town recorded only six inches. This past August, an observer’s gauge in Union County caught over four inches of rain in just a few hours, while two other county gauges received under a half-inch. August 2011 brought flash floods to South Jersey farmlands and Monmouth County gardens, and, late in the month, statewide flooding from Tropical Storm Irene; resulting in several CoCoRaHS volunteers reporting monthly rainfall totals of close to two feet. Conversely, several observers in northwestern New Jersey reported less than a half-inch of rain in May 2015, with southwest observers finding less than an inch in their gauges in August 2015, worrisome situations for farmers.

CoCoRaHS volunteers are asked to read their rain gauge and measure any snow at the same time each day (preferably between 5 and 9 a.m.). Measurements are then uploaded by the observer to cocorahs.org, where they can be viewed in tables and maps by anyone choosing to visit the website. Training is provided for CoCoRaHS observers through online training modules and group training sessions held at locations around New Jersey. (Gather 20 or more interested observers and we’ll be there!)

We learn something new about the precipitation regime of our state each day. Every dedicated and trained CoCoRaHS volunteer makes a significant scientific contribution to this understanding. We thank the Agricultural Experiment Station for their support and maintain gratitude for our citizen scientists. We seek observers throughout New Jersey, especially within southern farmland regions, the Pine Barrens, and urban locations. Learn how to become a CoCoRaHS citizen scientist on the website or contact njcocorahs@climate.rutgers.edu.

Editor’s Note: David A. Robinson, Ph.D., NJ State Climatologist and Mathieu Gerbush, M.S., NJ Assistant State Climatologist, NJ CoCoRaHS coordinators, NJ Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University.

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 7 Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

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Gladly Accepting SNAP EBT Cards

It’s that time of the year again when conferences, flower and garden shows, gardening schools, horticulture shows, landscape contractor shows, and nursery shows germinate and fully bloom.

It all began for me on January 6-8 when I traveled to Baltimore, Maryland with Gardener News Featured Columnist Bob LaHoff, for the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show. This show was established in 1970 by the Maryland and Virginia Nurserymen’s Associations. The West Virginia Nurserymen’s Association became the third partner in 1972. All three State Nursery and Landscape Associations are equal sponsors of the show. The show covered over 300,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the maximum amount available on one level at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Next up was the 49th Annual North Jersey Orchid Society Show and Sale. It was held January 15-18 in the Rutgers University Douglas Student Center on George Street in New Brunswick, Middlesex County. The show featured spectacular orchid exhibits showcasing plants grown in homes and greenhouses from across the tri-state area.

Depending on when you are reading this (January 30-31) the next event was or will be NOFA-NJ’s 26th Annual Food and Farming Winter Conference at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, Monmouth County, N.J. Farmers and homesteaders of all levels can choose or chose from a broad selection of workshops on soil fertility, growing nutrient dense fruits and vegetables, no-till agriculture and the husbandry of livestock. Home and community gardeners will find or found classes on growing fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and garlic.

On February 9-11, the New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show and the 2016 Annual State Agricultural Convention will be held at Harrah’s Resort Waterfront Conference Center, Atlantic City. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary at the State Agricultural Convention.

February 11-14, there are two events on the same exact dates. First is the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison, Middlesex County. Get ready to party, garden style!

The 14th Annual New Jersey Flower and Garden Show will be celebrating with the theme, “Celebrate! It’s a party!” Stop by and celebrate a year full of color and festivity with specially created displays. You can sit in on seminars and shop ‘til you drop in the Great Garden Marketplace. This annual show attracts over 25,000 flower and garden enthusiasts each year; showcasing fabulous display gardens and a flower show presented by the Garden Club of New Jersey.

The largest orchid show in the tri-state area is also scheduled for Feb. 11-14 at Dearborn Market in Holmdel, Monmouth County. There will be exhibits from orchid clubs in the Mid-Atlantic area and vendors from across the United States. Certified American Orchid Society judges will award prizes to the best exhibit and flowers.

February 21-23 is the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, Atlantic County. Landscape Architects and allied professionals from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland will come together to learn about new products, make connections and earn professional continuing education credits.

Next up on Feb 24-25 is the New Jersey Plants Trade Show at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison, Middlesex County. The show will draw together landscape professionals, garden center owners, nursery growers, suppliers and commercial groundskeepers to exchange ideas and develop connections that could make the season ahead more profitable. This show provides not only unparalleled business-to-business networking, but also a wide-ranging and relevant program of educational seminars.

“Peace, Love and Landscape,” a tribute to the 1960s, is the theme of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Show 39th Annual Trade Show and Conference to be held on March 3 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, Hudson County. Landscape NJ 2016 will feature over 150 companies showcasing their newest products, equipment, machinery and services. A DEP program will be coordinated, while additional business related seminars will also be offered.

The 2016 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, “Explore America,” will celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service and our country’s majestic landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture on March 5-13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. In addition to the major garden displays, the Flower Show hosts world-renowned competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging, gardening presentations and demonstrations, special events, a mammoth indoor Marketplace, and Bloom Philly, a celebration throughout the Philadelphia region.

Inspiring and educating gardeners for 20 years, the Springfest Garden Show returns March 17-20 to the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta to help you through those last gray, snowy, slushy, muddy days of winter. The sun-drenched warmth of the Springfest Conservatory will be filled with garden displays overflowing with color, fragrance, and inspiration for visitors to glean ideas for their own gardens. The area’s premier landscape companies and garden designers will be on hand throughout the show to share their knowledge or set up consultations.

And finally on March 19 is the 40th Anniversary of the Rutgers Home Gardeners School. Designed to provide “something for everyone,” the Home Gardeners School offers 35 individual workshop sessions covering a wide array of horticulture topics. Speakers from their commercial horticulture and landscape design programs will be participating along with Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) and School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) faculty and staff, providing you with the opportunity to learn from the best in the business.

I can’t wait to relax in the garden after all these gardening chores. How about you?

As always, I hope you find the information in the Gardener News informative and enjoyable.

Until next time…Keep the “garden” in the Garden State.

-Tom Editor’s Note: Tom Castronovo is executive editor and publisher of Gardener News. Tom’s lifelong interest in gardening and passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, gardening and landscaping, led to the founding of the Gardener News, which germinated in April 2003 and continues to bloom today. He is also dedicated to providing inspiration, and education to the agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.

8 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

“Celebrate – A Party for the Senses”

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone so quickly, but we enthusiastically embrace the new year of 2016 as The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. rolls out our biggest flower show ever!

“Celebrate – A Party for the Senses,” our flower show title, conjures countless happy scenes in our mind’s eye. To those of you who are new to the New Jersey gardening world, this is the 14th year of the celebrated New Jersey Flower and Garden Show and the GCNJ has been there from its infancy.

This fabulous Valentine to New Jersey, sponsored

by Townsquare Expos, is being held February 11-14, 2016 (I did say it’s a Valentine, so the finale couldn’t be on a better day). Put your party shoes on and plan on attending this gardening extravaganza at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center, 93 Sunfield Avenue, Edison, N.J. (a.k.a. the Raritan Center) and get a preview of spring not far behind. Coincidentally the official title for the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show is “Celebrate! It’s a party,” so let me lay out an overview of all the celebratory possibilities of just what you may find in the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show.

Whatever your favorite holiday and/or celebration, I’m sure you’re going to see it here, as our GCNJ Flower Show alone covers pretty much all bases. Our flower show always has tough competition with the nurseries showcasing their landscape designs that we can bring home to our own yards and gardens and with this theme, the mind boggles as to the ingenuity that will be on display.

Of course, the Great Garden Marketplace will beckon upwards of 25,000-plus expected visitors with tempting floral bouquets, the latest plant introductions, seeds, bulbs, gardening tools,

irrigation equipment, chefs demonstrating their expertise, jewelry, oh, the list goes on. Multiple daily seminars will feature the latest gardening techniques and innovations by experts in the gardening world, along with the Bouquet of the Day with the ever popular Container Challenge, Dueling Designers, Garden Design Demonstrations and Creative Floral Arranging.

Our garden club members love to participate in the Container Challenge, with two gardeners vying for the biggest applause (no losers here as the participants get to keep their finished containers – plants and all). The best of GCNJ flower designers go toe-to-toe in a fun demonstration of flower design using the same materials and delighting the audience with the diverse results and floral arrangement tips that can be replicated at home.

Celebrate is what we will be doing big time as the news greeting New Jersey in the New Year is that we’re joining 28 sister states with our own official New Jersey State Butterfly, the beautiful Black Swallowtail Butterfly!

We will be showcasing the Black Swallowtail Butterfly and our pollinators throwing a huge party in our GCNJ Standard Flower Show.

Our “Youth Leading the Way,” GCNJ President Susan O’Donnell’s Presidential Project, will feature “Bugdominiums” created by youth garden club members in the Subaru Car Youth Artistic Craft Class and our “Party with the Pollinators” Subaru Invitational featuring Pollinator Hotels, and our new Black Swallowtail Photo-Op Display. Our GCNJ membership table will have all the “howtos” and will invite our visitors to participate in the “Million Pollinator Garden Challenge,” giving detailed instructions on how to create a “Certified Wildlife Habitat” through the National Wildlife Federation’s guidelines.

The Garden Club of New Jersey’s Standard Flower Show follows the rules laid out by the “Handbook for Flower Shows’ under the auspices of National Garden Clubs, Inc., and is an educational event that engages the public in all aspects of gardening. Our Flower Show consists of three Divisions: Design, Horticulture and Special Exhibits, with multiple classes in each Division plus a Youth Section, a miniflower show under Special Exhibits. We invite the public to participate in all three Divisions. Please find all the detailed information in the GCNJ Flower Show schedule posted on the GCNJ website: www. gardenclubofnewjersey.com.

It’s Party Time with a thrilling Design Division entitled “Oh, Those Holiday Parties,” followed by our Horticulture Division entitled “Went to a Garden Party…” and last, but not least, the Special Exhibits Division entitled “A Lifetime of Celebrations.” Included in the ever-popular Special Exhibits Division is the Photography Section “Four Seasons of Celebrations” with six sub-classes under each of the Four Seasons.

Check it out so you can register by February 1, 2016.

Our Youth Section is entitled “Jumping Jiminy Cricket” and features the fabulous “Great Zucchini Race,” a “Grow’em, Race’em, and “Eat-em” competition for all pre-registered youths. Stop by and say “hello”!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Gardens Chair, the Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair, and the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Chair for The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is the GCNJ 2016 Flower Show Chair and can be reached by emailing: jeannieg42@earthlink.net The Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. gardenclubofnewjersey.com and phone number is: 732-249-0947.

Recall Alerts from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

John Deere Recalls Zero Turn Lawn Mowers Due to Risk of Fire, Serious Injury or Death Hazard: A fuel hose could have been cut during manufacturing, allowing fuel to leak, posing a fire hazard.

Description: This recall involves John Deere models Z445, Z645, Z655, and Z665 zero-turn mowers with serial numbers beginning with 1GXZ, manufactured from August 10, 2015 through September 9, 2015. A complete list of serial numbers included in this recall is on the firm’s website. The mowers are green and yellow with yellow wheels. The model number is on the front of the machine, near the operator footrest.

The serial number is located behind the seat, in front of the engine.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled zero-turn lawn mowers and contact a John Deere dealer for a free repair. After identifying four reports of cut fuel hoses during the manufacturing process, John Deere is contacting all registered owners of the recalled lawn mowers directly.

Consumer Contact: Deere and Company at (800) 537-8233 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET or online at www.deere.com then click on USA, then select Product Recall Information on the drop-down menu under Services & Support for more information.

Exmark Recalls Quest Riding Mowers Due to a Fire Hazard Hazard: Fuel filters on the mowers can become brittle and fractured, allowing fuel to leak and posing a fire hazard.

Description: The 2015 Quest riding mowers are red black, and gray. “Exmark” is printed on the sides and in front of the operator seat. “Quest” is printed on the front of the riding mowers. The model number and serial number are located on a decal affixed to the frame, under the seat. The recalled mode number is QTS452CEM34200. Quest mower has serial numbers ranging from 315606482 to 315628458.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled mowers and contact an Exmark dealer to schedule a free repair. Consumers with registered mowers will receive a letter and a fuel filter, and may contact an Exmark Dealer if they are uncomfortable with the replacement procedure.

Consumer Contact: Exmark toll-free at 800-6675296 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or online at www.exmark.com and click on “Service & Support” at the top of the page, then on “Safety”, then on “Recalls” for more information.

GardenerNews.com You all know that we write our February articles in January, so I am going to tell you about my first week of January in Maine.

There is very little snow on the ground compared to last year, just a couple of inches. It rained today, the roads are bare and I haven’t even put the snow tires on my WRX yet. But, I do have blankets and water in the trunk, extra windshield washer fluid, new Bosch Icon wiper blades that are ridiculously expensive and a fresh coat of Fluid Film on the undercarriage to protect everything from the salt the roads are covered with.

The squirrels continue to hit their hanging house feeder full of sunflower seeds very hard and the corn cob lasts about two days. The two bird feeders and suet station are all half full after a week. Sandra has prompted me to make a smoothie that contains organic everything: parsley, cilantro, banana, strawberry and apple, to take to work to drink along with a halfgallon of water every day to help with the joint pain that

February, 2016 9 The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

“Is it Wintah Yet?” bothers me every winter.

And yes, it helps me, and I am 62 years old with 31 broken bones over a lifetime and a recent partially torn MCL on my left knee that hurts like heck. I opted to not have surgery and after eight weeks it is finally starting to feel better.

A large group of my friends have goats, chickens, ducks and /or geese that are enjoying the mild winter as well. I understand how beneficial the relationships are that these animals create with children, who not only become loving caregivers at an early age but learn responsibility as well.

My cat Emma went out the other day and it is always a joy to see a cat walking tippy-toe on the snow for the first 20 feet or

so. She had to go out back to see what the squirrels and birds were up to in “her” backyard. Being clawless and old, she does not pose a real threat, but they all take off anyway and I am sure that makes her feel good.

I do not want to jinx it but I am thinking that we are having a very mild winter simply because I bought a snowblower this fall, which sits awaiting her first real snow. Now that I have said, it we are probably going to get an epic blizzard where I won’t even be able to find the darn shed the thing is sitting in out back.

At the main house the turkeys and deer are back in large numbers because we are feeding them sacks of cracked corn, oats and I just had to buy those salt

licks which they love. My 86-year-old Mom called me the other day and told me that the turkeys were on her back deck gobble-gobbling loudly and could I please come over and feed them. So I stopped by and found that there was cracked corn out there and determined that the squirrels were dropping a lot of sunflower seeds out of the big feeder attached to a pole on the deck that I guess the turkeys really liked as well. I told Mom that I was not going to feed the turkeys sunflower seeds because it would cost a small fortune so she started dropping them on the deck just to see them, and they are beautiful. And, we are talking about 25 or more turkeys that stroll between three woods-adjacent

properties that all have feed on them.

I should take a video of my 86 year old Mom gobble-gobbling at the wild turkeys…it definitely would go viral on YouTube.

Mom, who noticed that the feeder was empty one morning after filling it up before going to bed, filled it up again that evening, turned the lights off and waited. After a while a rustling ruckus on the deck caught her attention, she flipped the lights on and yup, a whole platoon of raccoons were there, some standing on the rail dumping out the contents of the feeder to a group below.

She scared them away and brought the feeder inside, which she still does on a regular basis. I am guessing that sunflower seeds are a universal treat to all fur and feather bearing critters. I know I like them.

Happy New Year to all!

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

Editors Note: Check out Richard’s photography at; rwperkinsphotography.com

Skunk Cabbage – A well-earned name

By Hubert Ling If you visit a swamp in late-March, you are much too late!

In New Jersey, skunk cabbage blooms in lateFebruary. Although the large two-foot-long leaves are a familiar sight in wet areas, our earliest blooming wildflowers are less often seen, unless you brave a latewinter outing; the flowers (flower clusters) often emerge through ice, snow and frozen muck. These very unusual structures are two to five inches high and are shaped like a chunky calla lily or Jack-In-The-Pulpit, since these plants are in the same family.

Skunk cabbage flowerclusters on the outside resemble a maroon-andwhite speckled hoodie (spathe) with a twisted curved over the hood. Inside the hood is an elongated spike (the spadix) which contains

numerous very small male and female flowers clustered on the surface.

The entire plant is considered poisonous and contains large amounts of calcium oxalate. The name skunk cabbage originates from the odor which is like a mixture of skunk and garlic.

The odor is much stronger if plant parts are crushed and odor from the flowers attracts carrion insects, as well as stoneflies and bees.

The plant is also of great interest to young children who often love gross things.

The plant is easy to grow in any mucky area with slightly acidic to neutral soil.

Propagation, if so desired, is easily accomplished by seed.

The roots of skunk cabbage contract and pull the stem deeper in the muck each year, so that old skunk cabbage plants are very difficult to dig up.

Swamp cabbage is one of the very few plants which can raise its temperature an astounding 63 °F above

the ambient air. Even when submerged, the flower temperatures can be two or three degrees F above the surrounding water. Having this elevated temperature may help the flowers poke through the ice and frozen mud. These warm flowers may also provide a favored resting place for carrion flies and other pollenating insects in an otherwise cold environment. This astounding feat perhaps explains why the plant can be the first in the Northeast to successfully bloom and be pollinated, and set seed at the end of winter before any other plant.

Although the plant is questionably listed as edible by some authors, wise fans of wild foods should listen to the admonition of Wildman Brill of NYC Central Park fame: “After cursing … for an hour before the burning and stinging of my tongue and mouth…subsided, I flushed the entire recipe….”

Calcium oxalate, which

feels like a thousand needles jabbing your tongue over and over, is not broken down by cooking and it takes months to evaporate from thin areas of plant leaves. Leaves may be dried for six to 12 months, after which Wildman states “it tastes like paper, which is a vast improvement!”

In addition, moderately poisonous skunk cabbage is sometimes mistaken for the very poisonous false hellebore, which frequently grows alongside skunk cabbage and also has large leaves in spring. Thus it is a little hard to understand why any sane person would attempt to eat skunk cabbage, since it would be easier and safer to eat your Sunday newspaper.

Deer and other herbivores avoid skunk cabbage, so it appears that the foul smell and toxic calcium oxalate protect the large, tempting leaves, which emerge in earlyspring. Although these leaves appear after the flowers, they still unfurl before almost any

other plants. Bears appear to be about the only mammals to use skunk cabbage. It has been reported that about 75 percent of a bear’s stomach content in early-spring is made up of skunk cabbage.

Although Native Americans made occasional use of skunk cabbage as food, after careful detoxification, skunk cabbage has been extensively used by natives and colonists as a medicinal plant. A tea from the roots and seeds has been used for treating asthma, convulsions, and, since it is semi-toxic, the Iroquois used it to remove parasitic worms.

However, due to the toxicity, it would be best to just enjoy skunk cabbage in place and pass along folklore and science about this amazing plant.

Editor’s Note: Hubert Ling is the Horticulture Chairman for the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. He can be reached at milhubling@verizon.net

10 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

2016: Year of the Allium

Tom Castronovo/Photo

By National Garden Bureau Contributing Writer Ornamental alliums have so many good things going for them that it’s a wonder they’re not more widely planted. But alliums are definitely on the rise.

They seem to be popping up everywhere: in gardening books and magazines, on Pinterest boards, and in public and private gardens across the country.

Most allium flowers have a long, leafless stalk topped with a globe-like bloom that’s made up of a cluster of individual florets.

Like exclamation points, alliums stand out from other plants, adding emphasis and excitement wherever they’re grown.

In recent years, alliums have been used to great effect in the naturalistic plantings of garden designers such as Piet Oudolf and James van Sweden. They are ideal companions for ornamental grasses and other lowmaintenance perennials such as sedum, rudbeckia, echincacea and salvia.

Deer are another reason alliums are increasingly popular. Some gardeners fight a daily battle with roving bands of deer that will munch on anything green. Alliums are on the short list of plants deer tend to avoid. In the garden, the plants are odorless, but step on them or chew on them and the cell walls break, releasing volatile, sulfurbased chemical compounds

that have a pungent odor and bitter taste.

These sulfurous compounds, classified as secondary metabolites, are a defense mechanism against diseases and insects, as well as predators. This makes alliums virtually bulletproof. And, though the foliage repels, the flowers are filled with sweet nectar that’s highly attractive to honeybees, bumblebees and other pollinators.

History Edible alliums are among the world’s oldest cultivated plants, but there is no record of them being used as ornamentals until plant hunters began collecting alliums in the mid-1800s.

Another 150 years passed before the horticultural world started to fully appreciate their garden potential.

Alliums are members of the onion family, which is a big one and has more than the usual number of taxonomy problems.

Formerly classified as alliaceae, they are now amaryllidaceae, subfamily allioideae. Experts are unable to agree on the number of species, with estimates ranging between 500 and 750.

Like their culinary relatives, garlic and shallots, most ornamental onions grow from bulbs. Planted in fall, they bloom from latespring to early-summer. The flowers have hollow stems that rise above strappy basal leaves. As with other springblooming bulbs, the foliage begins to wither away shortly after or sometimes

even while the flowers are blooming. Though the foliage isn’t around for long, it’s enough to give the bulbs the energy they need to return and flower year after year.

Basic Types/Varieties The most popular ornamental alliums are grown from fall-planted bulbs, and the showiest of these are the big-headed ones such as “Gladiator” and “Globemaster.” Alliums are native to mountainous regions in Central Asia, where winters are cold, summers are hot, and the soils are thin and porous.

This gives them a tolerance, and even a preference, for dry growing conditions – ideal credentials for today’s waterconscious landscaping.

The most widely planted ornamental allium is also the earliest bloomer: A. aflatunense “Purple Sensation.” The three-inch diameter, raspberry-purple flower heads are displayed on 24- to 30-inch stems. The flowers last for up to two weeks and are excellent cut flowers.

Blooming just after Purple Sensation are “Gladiator,” “His Excellency” and “Globemaster.”

With blossoms that measure five to 10 inches across on three- to four-foot stems, these alliums are always impressive and their big seed heads are attractive long after the color is gone.

Several other fall-planted alliums deserve mention.

Elegant “Mount Everest” has pure white, five-inch diameter flowers. Along with the misleadingly named A. nigrum (black onion) they are must-haves for any allwhite garden. Possibly the most unusual-looking allium is A. schubertii (tumbleweed onion), with flower heads that look like they were caught mid-explosion. Three equally appealing species are maroon A. atropurpureum (purple-flowered onion) starry-eyed A. christophii (Star of Persia) and the twotoned drumstick allium, A. sphaerocephalon.

Ornamental alliums that grow from bulbs may produce the most dramatic flowers, but small-headed

alliums have their own appeal. The flowers of these plants emerge from a dense clump of roots and have foliage that stays green and lush all season long.

Bloom time for these nonbulb alliums starts in earlysummer and, depending on the species, can extend right through October.

One of the best of these clump-forming allliums is “Millenium,” a hybrid of A. nutans (Siberian chives).

The purple, two-inch diameter flowers bloom in midsummer on stiff, 15-inch stems that rise above a tidy clump of foliage. The blossoms last for weeks and are excellent for cutting. Two other summer bloomers are “Sugar Melt,”, with light pink flowers and “Summer Beauty,” with lavender-pink flowers.

Two others in this group are worth noting. Allium tuberosum is both edible and very ornamental. In herb gardens, it’s known as garlic chives, but in the flower gardens it’s a latesummer star, with pure white flowers on 20-inch stems. A. thunbergii ‘Ozawa’ (Japanese onion) is the last allium of the season, and its orchid-pink flowers are an important nectar source for pollinators who are still foraging in late-fall.

In addition to this list of garden-worthy alliums, there are also about 100 more species that are native to North America. The most commonly available are Allium cernuum, also known as the nodding onion, A. stellatum (prairie onion), A. unifolium (American garlic) and A. amplectens (narrowleaf onion).

Note that some types of alliums have made their way onto noxious weed lists as they can self-sow prolifically.

Species to keep your eye on include A. triquetrum, A. moly, A. neapolitanum and A. flavum.

How to Grow and Use Alliums are tough, coldtolerant plants and most will grow in hardiness zones 3 to 9. As a general rule, they are not fussy about soil, though the ones with large bulbs require good drainage.

They are also practically immune to disease and insect problems, and are rarely bothered by rodents or deer.

Alliums offer so many different flower sizes, heights and bloom times, that it’s easy to incorporate them into almost any sort of garden or landscape. Plant a variety of different species to enjoy a succession of blooms all season long.

For ornamental alliums that grow from bulbs, fall is the proper planting time.

Like other fall-planted flower bulbs such as tulips, these alliums look best planted in groups; the smaller the bulb, the more you should plant in each group. The bulbs can be tucked in almost anywhere, because their foliage will die back a couple weeks after they flower. In fact, it’s best to have other plants nearby to help cover the fading foliage.

The clump-forming alliums can be planted any time during the growing season. They are easy to divide and don’t mind being transplanted, so they make good pass-along plants.

You can keep these plants looking tidy and minimize re-seeding by cutting off the flower stalks after they finish blooming.

Want to join the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge to support pollinators? Plant alliums! Their nectar-rich flowers are highly attractive to honeybees, bumblebees and many other native bees.

From May-blooming Allium karataviense (Kazakhsatan onion) to October-blooming Allium thunbergii “Ozawa,” alliums will keep your yard blooming and buzzing all season long.

Editor’s Note: The National Garden Bureau’s purpose is to educate, to inspire and motivate people to increase their use of plants in homes, gardens and workplaces by being the marketing arm of the gardening industry.

The National Garden Bureau recognizes and thanks Kathleen Laliberte from Longfield Gardens as author and contributor to this story. Learn more about the National Garden Bureau at www.ngb.org

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 11

New Hope for Extending Fresh-cut Vegetable Storage

By Sharon Durham ARS Public Affairs Specialist Fresh-cut peppers and lettuces in supermarkets have a shot at lasting longer thanks to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Beltsville, Maryland, and Salinas, California.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant geneticist John Stommel and his research team with the Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory, and food technologist Yaguang (Sunny) Luo with the Food Quality Laboratory, both in Beltsville, Maryland, evaluated a diverse collection of peppers for attributes that would prolong their shelf life after being cut.

The team looked at 50 types of peppers available commercially and from the ARS collection—sweet bell, large elongated peppers, jalapeno, and serrano—to find those that can stand up to prolonged cold storage. Fresh-cut sweet bell and elongated peppers exhibited signs of deterioration, such as fluid leakage, after 10 to 14 days of storage, whereas jalapeno and serrano peppers didn’t lose fluids until 14 days of storage. Fluid leakage is undesirable as it causes peppers to lose firmness and marketability.

The team found that some varieties in each pepper type showed exceptional fluid maintenance beyond 14 days, meaning the peppers stayed firm and didn’t exhibit tissue breakdown. The results provide opportunities for plant breeders, via traditional breeding, to All right, I’ve got to be honest here. I am not in the mood to discuss some type of super-healthy grilled recipe with some type of roasted or steamed vegetable side dish, bland and boring.

That’s great for the warmer months, but for right now, we need to be focusing on hearty wintry type foods that are hot and satisfying.

The ones that bring you back to your childhood from the deliciously tantalizing aromas. Stick to your ribs, crock pot, all day, slow-cooked food.

So go to the gym, eat all your healthy stuff, but for heaven’s sake eat at least, for one day a week, something indulgent and downright satisfying. The kind of meal that makes you want to lay on the couch and not move when you’re done.

That kind of satisfying. This can be stew, pot pie, pot roast, a large vat of all-day sauce with sausage and meatballs, mac and cheese, some type of parmigiana, or whatever decadent “comfort food” you can think of.

One I have been making a lot of as of late is shepherd’s pie. Traditionally made with ground lamb, it can also be made with ground beef for those of you who don’t care for lamb. The best thing about shepherd’s pie is that it is a one pot (or dish) meal. It has your vegetables, your potatoes and your protein all in one, and it can be made ahead of time. Not to mention it is one of those types of meals that often tastes better the second day.

Originally called cottage pie, it

incorporate attributes that contribute to fresh-cut quality into elite varieties that will benefit the food industry and consumers, according to Stommel.

The very action of cutting fresh produce results in damage to plant tissues, increases respiration, and shortens postharvest shelf life. The loss of fluid from tissues is closely related to the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut produce.

Leakage is indicative of cell damage and is responsible for adverse changes in fresh-cut product color, texture, flavor and microbial growth.

Lettuces, the base of salads everywhere, are also targeted for improvement. Luo and plant geneticists Ryan Hayes and Ivan Simko at the ARS Crop Improvement and Protection Research Unit in Salinas, California, found several genetic markers that will allow lettuce breeders to confer a longer shelf life to salad-cut lettuce.

Lettuce with a gene that results in rapid decay becomes unusable in one to two weeks, according to Hayes. In contrast, lettuce with a slow decay gene lasted one month or longer.

The research results from these evaluation studies will facilitate development of improved varieties that greatly benefit growers, packers, processors and consumers.

Editor’s Note: Sharon Durham works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at (301) 504-1651 or by emailing Sharon.Durham@ars.usda.gov

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Shepherd’s Pie is an all-in-one treat is basically a meat pie with a mashed potato crust that is baked golden brown. The term shepherd’s pie came later and is more commonly used when making the lamb version, based on the fact that shepherds would look after and tend to the flock of sheep and/or lamb. It has both English and Irish roots. These days, there are plenty of different versions out there and again, as I always mention, not one master recipe. Everyone makes it just a bit differently, which is great.

I generally make ours at the restaurant with ground beef, mixed vegetables, herbs, tomato, garlic and super buttery mashed potatoes. It’s very easy to prepare and can be made a day ahead, no problem. Again, I apologize for not writing about some healthy vegetable dish, but my mind is currently focusing on decadent homestyle comfort meals such as this.

Maybe next month or perhaps the month after, I will become inspired to write about those things, particularly once April gets here, which will come sooner than you think.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this basic meal, and feel free to put your own twist on it. Good luck and keep on cookin’!

Shepherd’s Pie (serves 4) mashed potatoes -6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” chunks or pieces -1/2 pint heavy cream -1 stick salted butter -salt and white pepper to taste -*optional-a few dashes of Tabasco sauce method-place cut potatoes into a pot and cover with cold water -bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until very tender -meanwhile, over a low flame, combine the butter and heavy cream until butter is just melted -strain potatoes -place into a bowl and either mash or whip potatoes with a blender or beater, adding the cream and butter slowly, until very smooth and all chunks of potato are gone -season with salt and white

pepper, and Tabasco optionally -set aside filling1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or lamb) 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/2 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, and the juice 1 tsp. chopped garlic 1/2 cup diced fresh carrots 1/2 cup chopped white or Spanish onion Worcestershire sauce, a few dashes Salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbsp. light olive oil or vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chicken broth or beef broth method-in a medium sauté or sauce pan, sauté the onions and carrots until just soft, with the oil, over medium heat -add the garlic and sauté for

about 30 seconds more -add the ground meat and cook, chopping up the meat as you go with the side of a wooden spoon or a spatula, until the meat is nicely browned -add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the thyme and rosemary and sauté until most of the liquid is gone, another minute or so -sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and stir around until the flour has all absorbed into the meat -add the broth, tomato paste and peas and simmer for about 10 minutes or until mixture becomes a little thick -season with salt and pepper and the Worcestershire sauce to taste -spread mixture over the bottom of a square Pyrex type baking dish and either use a piping bag for the mashed potatoes or spread the mashed potatoes on top of the meat mixture -bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until golden brown.

ENJOY!!!

Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey. He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University.

For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447.

12 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Come celebrate our 50th Anniversary, as we go back to the 60’s and join us for...

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 8:00 am - 3:30 pm Meadowlands Exposition Center 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ 07094 ͻ W ƌĞĚŝƚ ŽƵƌƐĞƐ ͻ dƌĂĚĞ ^ŚŽǁ &ůŽŽƌ ^ĞŵŝŶĂƌƐ ͻ KǀĞƌ ϭϱϬ džŚŝďŝƚŽƌƐ ͻ dƌĂĚĞ ^ŚŽǁ ŝƐĐŽƵŶƚƐ

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For more information visit www.NJLCA.org or call (201) 703-3600 My name is Tom Canete, and I am the current president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, also known as the NJLCA. I’m also the owner of Canete Landscape, Inc., Canete Snow Management, Inc. and Canete Garden Center, Inc., all located in Wayne, N.J. Going forward, I will be providing this educational, informational and seasonal column from the NJLCA, geared toward the landscape contractor and the green industry.

The NJLCA is a proven resource to both the landscape professional and consumer. As members, qualified landscape contractors offer a variety of services from planning and design to installation and maintenance which are oriented to the needs of each client. The NJLCA is a group of professional landscape contractors dedicated to advancing the integrity, proficiency and continued growth of the landscape industry. As an NJLCA member, you receive valuable information and benefits indispensable to the ongoing success of your business.

If you are a contractor reading my column, I hope to help you with your business. If

The NJLCA Today

By Tom Canete Association President

Keeping Crews Busy During a Mild Winter you are a homeowner reading my column, I hope I can help you understand our very complex industry.

I was an entrepreneur at a very young age. When I was 9 years old, when other kids enjoyed a snow day to stay home and play, I kept busy shoveling the neighborhood sidewalks and driveways.

By the time I was in high school, I had two full-time employees working for me in landscape. While attending college full time, I employed three landscape crews.

Balancing an education with my work ethic, passion and commitment toward building my companies, I discovered that building a company today, you cannot limit your thinking to a single source of income.

You need to stay focused on maintaining a portfolio of seasonal services that will keep you in demand with your

customers while keeping your key staff members busy.

At this time of year, the landscape is usually snowcovered. So far, this winter has had a very slow start in most of the state, breaking record high temperatures along the way.

So for those of us who rely on snowfall to make a living during the winter months, here are some ideas of services you can offer to maintain revenues while keeping your crews busy when snow and ice management is not in demand: Firewood splitting and delivery, indoor house painting, indoor masonry work, i.e. fireplace veneering (assuming your crews are experienced masons who build outdoor kitchens, etc.), holiday décor and lighting, fence repair, garage and basement clean-outs, tree pruning, tree removal and stump grinding, and winterizing homes (pipes

must be wrapped, patio furniture cleaned, covered and stored).

We need to reach customers who would like to hand over a “honey-do list.”

But do not forget to check with your insurance carrier to make sure the services you are offering are covered in your policy. Also, remember that an estimate should always include your NJ HIC Contractors Registration Number and to check with local state and municipal agencies about disposal regulations.

This milder weather also allows you time to ensure that equipment is in top condition for when you need it most. So service and clean your landscape maintenance equipment, clean and paint the interiors of your enclosed lawn maintenance trailers, and wax and detail your

hard-working trucks. Make sure you do an inventory and assess all trailers and trucks to check whether all preventive maintenance and repairs have been done so when the spring weather hits, you are ready for service.

Also, take the opportunity to schedule training on new equipment and proper landscape practices. Schedule safety meetings to prepare your crews and always maintain safe work environments.

And last but not least, get in touch with your customers.

During the course of a busy season, either in landscape or snow, we don’t often have the opportunity to personally talk or write to our clients and let them know how much they matter. Follow up and make sure they are pleased with the services you have rendered and let them know about other services you provide.

Editor’s Note: Tom Canete is president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, also known as the NJLCA. He is also owner of Canete Landscape, Inc., Canete Snow Management, Inc. and Canete Garden Center, Inc. all located in Wayne, N.J. He can be reached by emailing tom@canete.com

GardenerNews.com “Shared services� has been the trendy new buzzphrase among local and county governments here in New Jersey for the past few years.

Politicians have jockeyed among themselves to show the voters that they are the ones who are innovative and forward-thinking and are ready to lead their constituencies into the future.

But the fact of the matter is that shared services are not very new at all, but have in fact been very prevalent throughout the agricultural community here in New Jersey for generations.

What shared services usually entail is that two or more governmental entities get together and offer their services in a unified manner for the purpose of improving their end product while at the same time reducing the costs to their taxpayers. This is just a fancy way of saying that if you buy it, I will borrow it, and then reimburse you for your expenses.

There is a rich and deep history of sharing among farmers here in New Jersey that stretches back hundreds of years. Once farmers moved

February, 2016 13 The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Shared Services – An Agricultural Tradition from subsistence farming into types of specialized agriculture and more and more unique pieces of equipment were needed, it was only natural that neighboring farmers would band together in an effort to save time and money, as well as increase their efficiencies.

For example, when combines were first invented, they were much too expensive for one farmer to own outright.

After all, one farmer might only use it a few days a year.

Why not spread the costs out among several growers? As long as all of the farmers did not want to use it on the same day and they could come to some type of reasonable agreement as to its overall use, there is no reason that this type of an arrangement could not be successful.

As a matter of fact, we utilize an arrangement similar to this on our farm today.

A number of years ago, we decided to pursue the idea of growing sweet corn under clear plastic mulch. This would allow us to harvest sweet corn much earlier in the season. The one drawback to doing this was that equipment needed to perform this task was rather expensive. In talking to a neighboring grower, we decided that we would split the cost of the machine. We only use the machine a few days each early-spring and we both felt that we would be able to work together in scheduling its use.

Naturally, there can be pitfalls to an agreement like this. Sometimes during an especially wet spring, when the days where the soil is

suitable for planting are few and far between, we might both want to use the machine at the same time. Or, it may break down while one or the other is using it, thereby necessitating some time-consuming and expensive repairs. And then there is the transportation of the machine back and forth between our two farms. But these are all issues that have been successfully dealt with over the life of our shared ownership of the planter.

And after 15 years or so, I am happy to say that we are in the process of replacing our original machine with a second one.

Another aspect of this shared ownership has been the synergy that has been created because of this. The old saying that two heads are better than one could not be

more accurate. Many times when we have had an issue or a problem, we have been able to work through it together and probably solved it much quicker than either of us could have done on our own. Plus the natural back and forth of suggestions and ideas has been beneficial to both of our operations.

The key to a successful relationship such as this is the ability to work together.

If one side or the other tried to dominate the other or put their own needs ahead of the other’s, then the relationship would not be successful. Let’s hope we can have another successful 15 years!

Editor’s Note: Peter Melick is co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick and a 10th-generation New Jersey farmer. Peter is currently the Mayor of Tewksbury Township. He also served as a director for the New Jersey Farm Bureau and is a past president of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Peter has also been featured on NJN, News 12 New Jersey and on the Fox Business Network.

EPA Releases the First of Four Preliminary Risk Assessments for Insecticides Potentially Harmful to Bees :$6+,1*721 ' & ĘŠ 7KH 8 6 (QYLURQPHQWDO 3URWHFWLRQ $JHQF\ (3$ DQQRXQFHG D SUHOLPLQDU\ SROOLQDWRU ULVN DVVHVVPHQW IRU WKH neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, which shows a threat to some pollinators. EPA’s assessment, prepared in collaboration with California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, indicates that imidacloprid potentially poses risk to hives when the pesticide comes in contact with certain crops that attract pollinators. “Delivering on the President’s National Pollinator Strategy means EPA is committed not only to protecting bees and reversing bee loss, but for the first time assessing the health of the colony for the neonicotinoid pesticides,â€? said Jim Jones Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Using science as our guide, this preliminary assessment reflects our collaboration with the State of California and Canada to assess the results of the most recent testing required by EPA.â€?

The preliminary risk assessment identified a residue level for imidacloprid of 25 ppb, which sets a threshold above which effects on pollinator hives are likely to be seen, and at that level and below which effects are unlikely. These effects include decreases in pollinators as well as less honey produced.

For example, data show that citrus and cotton may have residues of the pesticide in pollen and nectar above the threshold level. Other crops such as corn and leafy vegetables either do not produce nectar or have residues below the EPA identified level. Additional data is being generated on these and other crops to help EPA evaluate whether imidacloprid poses a risk to hives.

The imidacloprid assessment is the first of four preliminary pollinator risk assessments for the neonicotinoid insecticides. Preliminary pollinator risk assessments for three other neonicotinoids, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran, are scheduled to be released for public comment in December 2016.

A preliminary risk assessment of all ecological effects for imidacloprid, including a revised pollinator assessment and impacts on other species such as aquatic and terrestrial animals and plants will also be released in December 2016.

In addition to working with California, EPA coordinated efforts with Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Canada’s Imidacloprid pollinator-only assessment – also released – reaches the same preliminary conclusions as EPA’s report.

The 60-day public comment period will begin upon publication in the Federal Register. After the comment period ends, EPA may revise the pollinator assessment based on comments received and, if necessary, take action to reduce risks from the insecticide.

In 2015, EPA proposed to prohibit the use of pesticides that are toxic to bees, including the neonicotinoids, when crops are in bloom and bees are under contract for pollination services. The Agency temporarily halted the approval of new outdoor neonicotinoid pesticide uses until new bee data is submitted and pollinator risk assessments are complete.

EPA encourages stakeholders and interested members of the public to visit the imidacloprid docket and sign up for email alerts to be automatically notified when the agency opens the public comment period for the pollinator-only risk assessment. The risk assessment and other supporting documents will be available in the docket at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketBrowser;rpp=25;so=DESC;sb=postedDate;po=0;dct=SR;D=EPAHQ-OPP-2008-0844.

EPA is also planning to hold a webinar on the imidacloprid assessment in early February. The times and details will be posted at: http://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/how-we-assess-risks-pollinators

14 February, 2016

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Tree Assistance Program (TAP) Sign-up Orchardists and nursery tree growers who experience losses from natural disasters during calendar year 2015 must submit a TAP application either 90 calendar days after the disaster event or the date when the loss is apparent. TAP was authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 as a permanent disaster program.

TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters.

Eligible tree types include trees, bushes or vines that produce an annual crop for commercial purposes. Nursery trees include ornamental, fruit, nut and Christmas trees that are produced for commercial sale. Trees used for pulp or timber are ineligible.

To qualify for TAP, orchardists must suffer a qualifying tree, bush or vine loss in excess of 15 percent mortality from an eligible natural disaster. The eligible trees, bushes or vines must have been owned when the natural disaster occurred; however, eligible growers are not required to own the land on which the eligible trees, bushes and vines were planted.

If the TAP application is approved, the eligible trees, bushes and vines must be replaced within 12 months from the date the application is approved. The cumulative total quantity of acres planted to trees, bushes or vines, for which a producer can receive TAP payments, cannot exceed 500 acres annually.

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GardenerNews.com

Snow Fleas – Yes Virginia, There Are Such Things!

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. As you know, we write articles for Gardener News about a month in advance of the printing, so as I sit in 60-degree weather here in Northern New Jersey, I prepare for an interesting article on snow fleas.

This year, so far, El Niño has brought us warmer-thanusual weather. Let’s hope La Niña brings us some cold weather and snow. We will get snow, and when we do, there is a chance you could experience an insect that does occur in New Jersey called “snow fleas.”

In February, insects are the last things on your mind. You look down on what seems to be dirty snow and you see lots of little black specks. Suddenly you remember something you read in Gardener News and you stoop down for a closer look.

Just as the snow turns to cold water melting onto your knee, you notice some of the small black specks springing into the air. Yes, you’ve found ‘em!

Snow fleas!

Actually, they are not fleas at all. They will not bite you, jump on your dog or really care about you. They are insects in the Order Collembola, commonly called springtails. In North America, there are seven families and approximately 677 species of springtails. They are the most abundant of soildwelling arthropods. Living in a variety of habitats where they feed as scavengers on decaying vegetation and soil fungi, these insects are beneficial in that they help decompose organic matter.

They are small in size, usually six millimeters or less in length. They are named for a forked-like jumping organ called the furcular. Springtails are able to jump by positioning the furcular up underneath their body, releasing it and propelling

into the air. Experts believe this mechanism was developed to avoid predation and escaping from other arthropods that may feed on them.

The immature Collembola are similar in appearance to adults. They are dark blue in color, making a nice contrast to snow. They usually molt four to five times before reaching sexual maturity. Unlike other arthropods, springtails have evolved in cooler climates.

Snow fleas can tolerate cold temperatures down to 31 degrees Fahrenheit. When the ground is covered with snow, they tend to emerge from leaf litter during warm sunny days.

Keep in mind that decaying leaf litter can generate heat during the winter months and many times you can find insects and other arthropods warm and cozy, even during the coldest of winter days.

The economic importance of springtails is that of decomposition. They break down and recycle organic waste. A few species feed on living plants and are sometimes regarded as pests. The garden springtail (Bourletiella

hortensis) may damage seedlings in early-spring. Other species will attack alfalfa and mushrooms.

Bug Bytes (courtesy of NC State University).

Springtails may be extremely abundant in certain habitats.

Population densities exceeding 750 million individuals per hectare have been found in some grassland communities.

Springtails “hop” by snapping their furcula against the substrate. In this manner, they may propel themselves up to 20 centimeters in the air -- a distance 50 to 100 times their own body length.

Unlike most other arthropods, springtails appear to have evolved in cool climates. Their relative abundance in the soil tends to increase as the mean annual temperature decreases. Other cold-loving species are found on the surface of glacial ice in the far North. Females of some Sminthuridae cover their eggs with a glaze of freshly eaten soil and fecal material.

This mixture evidently protects the eggs from dehydration and fungal attack. Like other non-

insect hexapods, Collembola continue to molt after they reach sexual maturity. But unlike other taxa, reproductive activity occurs only during alternate instars: each reproductive stage is followed by a molt, a short period of feeding, and another molt.

Some springtails live in caves or in the burrows of small mammals. A few species, including all members of the family Cyphoderidae, live in the nests of social insects.

Springtails come in a wide variety of decorator colors, including white, pink, yellow, green, orange, red, blue and indigo.

Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is a Board Certified Entomologist for Viking Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Entomology with a minor in Ecology from the University of Delaware.

He is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

He can be reached at 800-618-2847 or visit www.vikingpest.com

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Official State Recycle Butterfly of New Jersey The Black Swallowtail Bill was passed unanimously in both houses with the Senate voting to pass it on December 17th, 2014, and the Assembly voting to pass it on December 17th, 2015, one year to the day.

Governor Christie signed the bills on Monday, January 11, 2016. New Jersey now joins a majority of states to have such a designation.

This large, black, yellow and blue butterfly is indigenous to New Jersey and can be found in each of the state’s 21 counties. The Black Swallowtail is both beautiful and beneficial, pollinating many cultivated flowers and crops.

For generations to come, New Jersey school children can raise Black Swallowtails and other butterflies in their classrooms as they have done for generations, thus gaining a valuable appreciation for natural science.

(Continued from page 1) Senator Bateman and that the process would be Geremia worked tirelessly lengthy, as she had worked to see that New Jersey had with Jeanette Johnson on an official State Butterfly. the Garden Club of New The seeds for this Jersey’s history. It seems historic effort began in that the GCNJ helped August 2013 when Geremia to have the Goldfinch read the September issue of designated as the New Birds & Blooms magazine. Jersey official State Bird This special issue was in 1935 and in 1948. The dedicated to butterflies, GCNJ was asked by thenwith one article in particular State Forester Charles leaping out to Geremia, Wilber to designate an “Do you know your State official State Tree for New Butterfly?”

She was Jersey. The GCNJ and startled to realize that New others championed the red Jersey did not have a state oak for this distinction and butterfly and immediately it took until 1950 for this to sought to rectify this be accomplished.

Bateman and Geremia situation by suggesting to then-Garden Club of New had lots of help with countless Jersey (GCNJ) President garden club members, Barbara Mullin that the Gardener News readers, the GCNJ launch a campaign to North Jersey Chapter of the have a butterfly designated North American Butterfly as New Jersey’s official Association, New Jersey State Butterfly. Mullin Audubon, New Jersey 4H, lost no time in appointing Master Gardeners, and Geremia GCNJ’s Butterfly teachers, including Janne Chair. Geremia realized Darata and Lisa Rizziello,

and GCNJ Youth Chair Bob Markey, Diana Kazazis, Rake & Hoe Club President Edward Danberry, who commissioned famed artist, James Fiorentino to paint the Black Swallowtail, current GCNJ President Susan O’Donnell and New Jersey’s finest lawmakers.

Editor’s Note: Tom Castronovo is executive editor and publisher of Gardener News. Tom’s lifelong interest in gardening and passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, gardening and landscaping, led to the founding of the Gardener News, which germinated in April 2003 and continues to bloom today. He is also dedicated to providing inspiration, and education to the agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.

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February, 2016 21

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22 February, 2016 The weather in the past six months has been unusual. We had extremely mild temperatures late in 2015 into January 2016, with lots and lots of rain.

Imagine if that was all snow!

The mild weather has really played havoc on our lawns.

This weather pattern is what I will refer to as the “Environmental Factor.”

Let’s start with the good news. People who applied grass seed this fall had an extended period of time for turf establishment and growth. I received many emails from homeowners saying they had great seeding results this fall due to the warm weather and plenty of moisture. The bad news is you needed to continue to mow your lawn a few weeks later than you normally would. This is always good practice to avoid snow mold problems; we’ll discuss this subject more below.

There is more bad news, since the growing season was so long, nitrogen reserves have been depleted. Since the grass kept growing, the lawn kept on sucking up the fertilizer you applied last fall,

GardenerNews.com Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

The damage has been done… many lawns even suffered from a lack of “lawn food” from Thanksgiving onward.

This would have been a good year to fertilize in September and again in November. Rust and powdery mildew started to break out in December.

Rust disease looks “orangey” on the blades of grass, like metal rusting, and powdery mildew looks like you sprinkled baby powder or spray painted your grass blades white.

The simple way to combat these diseases would be to lightly fertilize, but you could not, due to various state lawn fertilizer laws outlining “black-out” dates restricting lawn fertilizer applications. This lack of nitrogen reserves to grass plants may also contribute to red thread disease problems

next spring. If snow mold is present, this can make matters even worse. We’ll discuss some plan of action/ solutions to counter these disease potentials below.

Did you remember to clean your leaves off of your lawn this December?

I hope so, or snow mold may come visit your lawn even if it doesn’t snow. How can that be? If you did not mow your lawn shorter than usual for your last mowing, excessive leaf matter may promote snow mold if the proper conditions are present. When there is lots of rain but little or no snow, how can snow mold appear?

You do not need snow for snow mold to appear; you need frozen ground. In the past few years, snow mold spores have been well

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established in the soil. When soil temperatures start to rise in early-spring, snow mold has a good chance of breaking out in your lawn.

If you have a history of snow mold, you could apply a lawn fungicide labeled for use on snow mold in latefall to help prevent further winter damage.

What’s the solution?

Fertilize your lawn as soon as you can after your state’s “black-out” dates or in New Jersey after March 1. I would use a lawn fertilizer without any crabgrass controls at this time. Follow up four to six weeks later with a crabgrass preventer plus lawn food.

This fertilizing program will help the lawn “grow out” of its winter diseases.

This will then allow you to start mowing earlier in

the season to help alleviate lawn diseases. Prepare to re-seed damaged areas in early-spring. You could try a “snow-frost” seeding.

You apply grass seed over existing snow cover and the seed will work its way into the soil and germinate when temperatures warm up. This is a good way to crowd out weeds too.

If we continue with this mild weather pattern throughout winter, be prepared for more problems with your lawn later this spring. This short winter dormancy will not kill off as many weeds and insects.

Therefore, we can expect more insects and weeds this spring. That will be discussed in my next “Environmental Factor” column.

Hope to see you at the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show, February11-14, in Edison.

Editor’s Note: Todd Pretz is Vice President of Jonathan Green, a leading supplier of lawn and garden products in the northeast. For more information, please visit: www.jonathangreen.com

Tropical Fire Ant Movement Traced to Spanish Ships

By Sandra Avant ARS Public Affairs Specialist A genetic investigation of tropical fire ants has revealed insights into the history of their movement across the globe and voyage to America, according to collaborative research between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and university scientists.

Researchers, which included scientists at the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) in Gainesville, Florida, retraced the history of the tropical fire ant using genetic markers. CMAVE entomologist Dewayne Shoemaker, along with colleagues at the University of Vermont and the University of Illinois, analyzed the genetic diversity in the genomes of tropical fire ants, which are natives of Central and South America.

They also studied trading patterns of Spanish vessels that sailed to various lands in the 16th century.

Findings from the study, published in Molecular Ecology in 2015, showed that tropical fire ants were likely transported in dirt used to stabilize Spanish ships that sailed from Acapulco, Mexico, across the

Pacific Ocean to the Philippines and to other parts of the world.

Ants, as well as other invasive organisms, made their way onto land when the dirt from these ships was dumped at different ports to make room for cargo.

Today, the tropical fire ant has spread to nearly all tropical regions. Learning more about invasive organisms such as tropical fire ants is important in finding the best natural enemies to fight them, according to Shoemaker.

Also, knowing how ants moved from place to place in the past can help develop methods to prevent future invasions.

In previous research, Shoemaker also reconstructed the invasion history of a different fire ant species, the red imported fire ant. The more researchers learn about invasive ant species, the closer they get to solving problems that infestations can cause, including billions of dollars spent in control, medical treatment and damage repair in urban, agricultural, wildlife, recreational and industrial areas.

Editor’s Note: Sandra Avant works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at (301) 504-1486 or by emailing Sandra.Avant@ars.usda.gov

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 23

2016 Gypsy Moth Spray Program Announced The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has proposed spraying 20,354 acres in 27 municipalities and one county park system in Cape May, Salem, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties this year to combat the tree-killing gypsy moth caterpillar.

“Last spring we saw an increase in gypsy moth caterpillar populations in certain areas that now qualify for the Department’s spray program,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “By acting swiftly and spraying the most impacted areas, we hope to minimize tree damage and nuisance to homeowners in the coming years.”

The Department of Agriculture held an informational session in Trenton today to outline its 2016 Aerial Gypsy Moth Suppression program.

Egg mass surveys were conducted from August to December and treatment is proposed for areas of: Middle and Upper Townships in Cape May County; Upper Pittsgrove Township in Salem County; Holland, Bethlehem and Alexandria Townships in Hunterdon County; Boonton, Jefferson, Montville, Washington, and Rockaway Townships, Kinnelon Borough and areas of three county parks in Morris County – Mahlon Dickerson, Silas Condict and Pyramid Mountain Park; Bloomingdale and Ringwood boroughs, West Milford Township in Passaic County; Hampton, Sparta, Stillwater, Vernon, Wantage and Frankford Townships in Sussex County; and Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Liberty, Hardwick, Knowlton and White Townships in Warren County.

Participation in the program is voluntary. If the towns agree, spraying would take place in May and June. To qualify for the spray program, a residential or recreational forest must have an average of more than 500 egg masses per acre and be at least 50 acres in size. A single egg mass contains up to 1,000 eggs.

In addition to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) spray program, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is planning to spray 880 acres on 13 state properties in Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties. These include high use areas such as campgrounds, picnic and swimming areas, historic sites, along the Appalachian Trail and adjacent to some NJDA spray blocks.

In 2015, the NJDA’s spray program included 288 acres in Morris County -- two residential areas and two county parks, Mahlon Dickerson in Jefferson Township and in Silas Condict Park in Kinnelon Borough.

The NJDA and DEP use Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) to combat gypsy moth. It is a biological insecticide that kills the gypsy moth caterpillar when ingested.

In last summer’s defoliation survey, 290,696 acres of trees in 175 municipalities in 20 counties were damaged by gypsy moth caterpillars.

Most of the tree damage was in the seven northernmost counties in the state, with the highest concentrations in Sussex, with 112,149 acres; Passaic with 61,386 acres; and Morris with 60,699. The hardest hit towns were West Milford in Passaic County with 40,632 acres of trees defoliated and Jefferson Township in Morris County with 22,562 acres.

Two to three consecutive years of significant defoliation (defined as 75 percent or more) can kill an otherwise healthy tree. However, any gypsy moth defoliation can make trees more susceptible to other damage that can lead to the death of the tree. Oak trees are the preferred host for gypsy moths, but the caterpillars can be found feeding on almost any tree in the vicinity.

For more information on New Jersey’s gypsy moth suppression program, visit: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/gypsymoth.html.

Also, for national gypsy moth material, visit www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/gm/.

24 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

An Evergreen for the Birds and the Garden Native plants have slowly been gaining in popularity with the general public. Once considered weedy, many natives such as Goldenrod are now accepted as gardenworthy plants.

However, that still does not pertain to all our native plants. During my daily drives around New Jersey, one of the most ubiquitous native plants that remains “undiscovered” by most gardeners is Juniperus virginiana, or Eastern Red Cedar.

Native to eastern and central North America, Juniperus virginiana is a member of the Cupressaceae or Cypress Family. Juniperus is a large genus, representing 50 to more than 65 species that are scattered throughout the northern hemisphere from the arctic to the tropics. This species was first named and described by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1753. The commonly used species

epithet refers to its affiliation with the region of Virginia, which was significantly larger in the 1700s.

Juniperus is derived from the combination of the Latin Junio, meaning “young” and Parere, “to produce,” referring to the “young” or evergreen leaves. This evergreen foliage is divided into two distinct forms: juvenile and adult foliage. The juvenile foliage is awl-shaped, light green and sharp to the touch.

Around a quarter-inch long, it appears on plants under three to four years of age and on shaded or vigorously growing regions of older plants. By contrast, the adult foliage is dark green and scale-like. It is only around 1/16 of an inch long, overlapping and tightly clasps the stem, giving the appearance of a swollen stem.

Juniperus virginana is a dioecious plant, with individual plants bearing only female or male cones. The female cones do not resemble pine cones, but rather dark blue berries with a white, waxy coating. The fruits are

a highly desired food by a variety of birds, including bluebirds, turkeys and, above all, cedar waxwings.

Contrary to its lack of garden use, Eastern Red Cedar is a very easy plant to grow. It is actually a pioneer plant, being one of the first trees to populate an open area, as is obvious to anyone that travels Route 287 in New Jersey. The plants are very adaptable to pH and soil extremes, growing happily in clay, silt or sandy soils, whether in mountainous areas or at the shore. Providing that the site basks in full sun and the soil is well-drained, plants will thrive and slowly reach 45 to 60 feet in height by 10 to 20 feet wide.

Many of the plants are very upright in form, which can be useful for gardens where space is at a premium. Since there is minimal root competition when grown in close proximity, they make an excellent barrier or wind break. The challenge is growing other plants beneath Eastern Red Cedar; the dense canopy produces a very dry rain shadow and the accumulating fallen foliage will slowly raise

the pH. I have personally had good luck with growing Hellebores (Helleborus species), Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pennsylvanica) and Wood Hyacinths (Hyacinthoides hispanica) near or beneath the trees, but the palette is certainly limited. Juniperus virginiana has also changed the ecology in regions of North America that once relied on fire ecology to sustain plant populations. Since it is a pioneer plant, the current focus on reducing fires has allowed this tree to populate and out-compete plants native to the prairies.

Despite its cosmopolitan nature, most people fail to recognize the unique and attractive personality that it can bring to their gardens.

There are numerous forms available, with some such as Emerald Sentinel™ having a decidedly columnar habit. The blue fruits are not only food for wildlife, but aid in winter interest, provide attractive accents to holiday decorations and serve as the flavor in gin.

The bark is an attractive reddish brown, gradually exfoliating in

vertical strips and again adds winter interest. Economically, the heartwood is an attractive mahogany-red and repels moths, making it the lumber of choice for closets and blanket chests. The lumber was also used for pencils and its decay resistance made it opportune for fence posts.

Certainly, a great plant for the birds, it is time for this durable native evergreen to become more of garden staple!

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth; is the managing director of the Rutgers Gardens, a 180-acre outdoor teaching classroom, horticultural research facility and arboretum; an adjunct professor in Landscape Architecture at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; regularly participates in the Rutgers – Continuing Education Program; and the immediate pastpresident of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

An outstanding business destination for growing a network The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, Inc. (MANTS) was established in 1970 by the Maryland and Virginia Nurserymen’s Associations. The West Virginia Nurserymen’s Association became the third partner in 1972. All three State Nursery and Landscape Associations are equal sponsors of the show.

MANTS helps companies connect with a wide variety of horticultural industry suppliers and /or customers depending upon the needs of your business.

The show covers over 300,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the maximum amount available on one level at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland. Today the show has a waiting list to exhibit. MANTS draws exhibiting companies and attendees from throughout the United States and 11 other countries.

The 46th annual show had 11,039 total registrants and offered 1,536 booths. Attendees booked over 5,000 room nights at 11 Baltimore-area hotels.

The show also offered a huge emergence of distinguished expert horticulturists and expert botanists, including folks from the United States National Arboretum.

Pictured are: Kevin Tunison, left, and John Hammond, showcasing a poster of superior crepemyrtle trees developed and introduced by the Arboretum. These crepemyrtles are chiefly known for their colorful and long-lasting summer flowers, their astounding fall foliage and their magnificently colored bark. These crepemyrtles have enhanced disease resistance and cold hardiness and are some of the most widely appreciated of all the plants that have been developed through the painstaking efforts of Arboretum scientists. The Arboretum is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. It was established in 1927 by an Act of Congress.

The 47th annual MANTS Show will be held January 11-13, 2017.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 25 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

2016 GCA Summer Tour Location Announced 3257/$1' 25 Ę&#x160; 5HJLVWUDWLRQ LV QRZ RSHQ IRU *&$ Summer Tour Portland, June 26-29, 2016 featuring a behind-thescenes look at the garden centers that make this Northwestern market a hub of retail innovation. Known as a treasure trove of merchandising and retail inspirations for IGC retailers, Portland is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;must-seeâ&#x20AC;? for all. Destinations include Garden Fever; Portland Nursery; Alâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Centers of Gresham, Woodburn and Sherwood; Sester Farms; Tsugawa Nursery; Shortyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden & Home; Baumanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Farm & Garden; Monrovia; The Garden Corner; Gardenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice; Farmington Gardens; Cornell Farm; International Rose Test Gardens; Good News Gardening; and McMenamins Edgefield. Tour-goers can take advantage of the deeply discounted $199 room rate at host hotel Embassy Suites Portland Downtown, located in the heart of the Pearl District.

Retailers registering by May 31 will enjoy early bird savings of $50 on two or more registrations - no quantity limits. Attendance is not restricted to GCA members and is open to all IGC retailers. To register, visit www.GardenCentersofAmerica.com.

%HHV 1DWLYH 3ODQWV DQG +HDOWK\ 6RLO Ę&#x160; a Sweet Garden Recipe Soil provides the foundation in which all food grows - even food for bees! Bees and other pollinators depend on a healthy food source of nectar and pollen. Native plants growing in healthy native soil are the perfect choice for gardeners who want to support the life cycle of honey bees or attract native pollinators to their yard. Join us for an introduction to home beekeeping, healthy soil and native plants, and taste the sweet rewards of a sustainable yard and garden. Presented by John Zingis, Air, Land & Sea Environmental Management, Inc., and Becky Laboy, Ocean County Soil Conservation District. FREE! Location: Jakes Branch County Park. Pre-registration required, seating is limited. For more information contact Becky Laboy, Education Outreach Specialist, Ocean County Soil Conservation District, 609-971-7002 ext. 114 or education@soildistrict.org

Plant names have intrigued me for as long as I can remember. Botanical, common and cultivar names have always been fun for me, and at times challenging to remember.

Take the name â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestick,â&#x20AC;? for example. A cultivar name purposely given to evoke images of an attribute of the Swizzlestick tree, Quararibea turbinata, an evergreen tree found in South America, the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic. This tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for medicinal purposes, as well as a source for low-quality wood.

However, it was an ingenious islander, most likely, who first conjured up the idea to use one of the treeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stalks as a tool to mix crushed ice with rum, juice, spice and sugar.

Necessity bore invention, as they say, and the Swizzlestick tree later became harvested for its unique branches and the purpose of amalgamating the perfect libation. Today, we can enjoy such Bermudian cocktails as Rum Swizzle and Dark & Stormy thanks to this late-18th Century invention in the West Indies. Just be careful not to indulge too much or â&#x20AC;&#x153;swizzle in and swizzle outâ&#x20AC;? (Dan Bartiromo) may take on new meaning.

Salix â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;? is a unique plant that has gained popularity recently thanks to the efforts of Darrell Probst, collector, nurseryman and famed hybridizer, who found this selection on the Connecticut/New York border in 1987. This Corkscrew Willow has twisted, ascending, orange-yellow stems, with a touch of coral at maturity, that are gorgeous in our colder months. Delicate, narrow, curly green leaves clothe this interior structure in our warmer months, turning yellow in the fall. Salt and extremely wet-site tolerant, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;? can quickly attain heights of 15 to 20 feet tall and five feet wide.

Other notable qualities of this famed willow type include being clay soil tolerant, useful for flower arrangements with its cut branches, an alluring plant support stake and a handsome alternative to the ever-popular Alberta spruce in your outdoor containers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? branching seems to â&#x20AC;&#x153;writhe in ecstasyâ&#x20AC;? (Vermont Willow Nursery) as its extremities point towards the sky. Hardy to Zone 5 and appreciative of more sun than shade, I have seen â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;? used as an effective, unique and inexpensive hedge handsomely. Moreover, I have seen it used to welcome visitors at Bistro Seven Three, a restaurant in New Providence, N.J. Positioned behind two columns, I found it refreshing that this plant was used in lieu of more pedestrian answers like Boxwood or Alberta spruce. Clearly the epicureans who dine at Bistro Seven Three will be treated to fine cuisine paired with interesting plants.

There seems to be some academic challenge as to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; true family origin, and rightfully so. The contention is that it is possibly a cross between White Willow, Salix alba, and Hankow/Peking Willow, Salix matsudana. Plausible in a sense that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? attributes of curly stems and that it lacks the hairiness and glaucous undersides of White Willow foliage, certainly suggest such a theory. The hiccup for me, however, is that White willow is naturalized in North America and Hankow Willow is native to China and northeast Asia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;? benefits from periodically being coppiced (cut to the ground in late-winter, offering a renewed exuberance). This conversation plant is suitable for any garden as its footprint is small. Be careful not to stare too long at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swizzlestickâ&#x20AC;? if you partake in a few Rum Swizzles, as their wriggling interior structure may start to play tricks on you.

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Bob LaHoff is co-owner of Hallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Center and Florist in Union County, a member of the Union County Board of Agriculture, the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, Reeves-Reed Arboretum Buildings and Grounds Committee, a lifetime member of the Conifer Society and past member of the retail council for Monrovia Growers. He can be reached at (908) 665-0331.

26 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Bringing Up Biofuel

By Rosalie Bliss ARS Public Affairs Specialist The idea of replacing fossilbased fuel with a renewable source of sustainable energy is enough to get any environmentalist excited.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have advanced a process to produce a crude liquid called “bio-oil” from agricultural waste. The team is headed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemical engineer Akwasi Boateng with the Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Unit at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania.

Crude bio-oil is produced by pyrolysis—a process that chemically decomposes plant and other organic matter using very high heat. The modified technique, called “tail-gas reactive pyrolysis,” or TGRP, holds promise for improving the bio-oil that is ultimately processed into finished biofuels.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandates the United States produce at least 36 billion gallons of biofuels by the year 2022. This effort will require, in part, the development of a new February is here, and with it is the day for lovers.

I’m not talking about Groundhog’s Day, although it is amazing how this furry little animal has the psychic ability to foresee how long winter will last. It’s the holiday shortly afterward called St. Valentine’s Day. Ah, St. Valentine’s Day. The day for lovers.

Restaurants packed with googly-eyed couples staring into each other’s eyes and enjoying a meal together. Florists running all over town to deliver arrangements of love before the day is over. Thousands of last-minuters running into any place that has a bouquet and chocolates available to grab what they can so they don’t go to their significant other empty-handed. St. Valentine’s Day is always on February 14. This year, it falls on a Sunday.

According to a February 2015 survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, an estimated 257 million roses were produced for St. Valentine’s Day. That’s just for one day. I can only imagine the timing

industry to produce 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels, which are based largely on nonfood sources.

The raw biomass material includes non-food-grade plant matter procured from agricultural or household waste residue such as wood and switchgrass, and animal manures. Using these materials, biooils are produced at an accelerated rate using a new high-output mobile processing unit. Instead of shipping large amounts of agricultural waste to a refinery plant at high cost, the mobile reactor allows conversion of the biomass into energy-dense bio-oil right on the farm.

The goal of using TGRP on the farm is to yield a higher quality bio-oil that is more marketable to biofuel producers than bio-oil made from traditional pyrolysis methods. TGRP is an important step toward the ultimate goal of producing cleaner bio-oils that can be distilled at existing petroleum refineries.

Editor’s Note: Rosalie Bliss works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at (301) 504-4318 or by emailing Rosalie.Bliss@ars.usda.gov

The Professional Grower

By Tim Hionis Greenhouse Specialist

Time to stop and smell the roses and coordination it takes growers to get ready for the demand of this day.

Being a grower that needs to time crops for certain holidays; I have an idea of what has to fall into place to time everything perfectly for that day to go smoothly. And what I can say from experience is that there are many, many, things that need to fall into place to be successful in nailing the date perfectly. It’s a lot like skydiving and trying to hit a specific landing during heavy winds. Only a highly trained and skilled diver can hit their mark no matter what their surrounding conditions may be. Being a grower and timing a whole crop for one day is very similar to a professional skydiver.

The coordination between

grower/supplier, packaging/ shipping personnel, wholesaler/retailer, and so on and so forth have to work very closely to make it go smoothly.

Here are some tips when shopping for roses. There are thousands of varieties of roses out there and they are graded in centimeters.

The bigger the centimeter, the better quality of rose it is. My advice is to go to a reputable establishment that has the experience in cut flower arrangements that has been dealing with roses for many years.

The varieties of roses vary tremendously and some hold up better than others, or may be a more vibrant color, and the size of the flower can change from variety to variety. So this

is why experienced floral personnel can make all the difference in your floral bouquet presentation. Did the arrangement or bouquet you get come without a vase? Make sure the vase or container you use is clean. If it has been sitting on a shelf or in a cabinet for a long period of time, it is a good idea to rinse out and clean it before adding fresh water, in case any dust or dirt has built up.

You also want to make sure you change the water in the vase every couple days to prolong the blooming time. A little maintenance goes a long way. Also make sure to cut all stems at an angle at least an inch or two from the bottom of the stem and place into the fresh water immediately. It is also

is recommended that when you replace the water in the vase every couple days to also cut another inch or two off the bottom of each stem to prolong the bloom time.

To get a better idea on some commercial ranges around the world that produce, harvest, and ship roses for the markets, go to YouTube and do a search: cut roses production, or commercial cut rose production. You can spend literally hours watching videos of how the production of roses are done throughout the world. I personally spent many hours in amazement watching different videos to see how some big operations produce them throughout the world.

You can also treat your Valentine to a day at the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show this February 11-14.

Editor’s Note: Tim Hionis has been growing plants for over 20 years, and is co-owner of Hionis Greenhouses and Garden Center in Whitehouse Station, NJ. He can be reached by calling (908) 534-7710.

GardenerNews.com

February, 2016 27

2016 is a Year Filled with Celebrations and Milestones Springfest Garden Show â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20th Anniversary Â&#x2021; 7KLV VKRZ LV D QRQ SURILW SURGXFWLRQ RI WKH 1HZ -HUVH\ 6WDWH )DLUÂ&#x160; 6XVVH[ &RXQW\ )DUP +RUVH 6KRZ Â&#x2021; ,WÂśV D VKRZ IRU JDUGHQ ORYHUV SURGXFHG E\ JDUGHQ ORYHUV Â&#x2021; 7KH ILUVW VKRZ KDV JURZQ IURP WKH RULJLQDO IRRW E\ IRRW JUHHQKRXVH DWWUDFWLQJ YLVLWRUV WR ZKHUH LW LV WRGD\ ZLWK over 30,000 square feet and over 10,000 visitors. Â&#x2021; 7KLV \HDUÂśV VKRZ UXQV 0DUFK DW WKH 6XVVH[ &RXQW\ )DLUJURXQGV LQ $XJXVWD 1 -

Rutgers Home Gardeners School - 40th Anniversary Â&#x2021; 'HVLJQHG WR SURYLGH ÂłVRPHWKLQJ IRU HYHU\RQH ´ WKH DQQXDO RQH GD\ +RPH *DUGHQHUV 6FKRRO RIIHUV LQGLYLGXDO ZRUNVKRS sessions covering a wide array of horticulture topics. Speakers from their commercial horticulture and landscape design programs participate, along with Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) and School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) faculty and staff, providing you with the opportunity to learn from the best in the business at the Rutgers University Cook/Douglass campus in New Brunswick, Middlesex County.

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 50th Anniversary Â&#x2021; $ JURXS RI SURIHVVLRQDO ODQGVFDSH FRQWUDFWRUV GHGLFDWHG WR DGYDQFLQJ WKH LQWHJULW\ SURILFLHQF\ DQG FRQWLQXHG JURZWK RI WKH landscape industry. Â&#x2021; 7KH DVVRFLDWLRQ LV D SURYHQ UHVRXUFH WR ERWK WKH ODQGVFDSH SURIHVVLRQDO DQG FRQVXPHU

Kings Food Markets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 80th Anniversary Â&#x2021; .LQJV )RRG 0DUNHWV LV DQ XSVFDOH IRRG PDUNHW FKDLQ KHDGTXDUWHUHG LQ 3DUVLSSDQ\ 1HZ -HUVH\ ZLWK VWRUHV LQ QRUWKHUQ 1HZ Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Â&#x2021; ,Q WKH IRXQGHUV RI .LQJV EHJDQ ZLWK WKH KXPEOH SXUSRVH RI ILQGLQJ WKH IUHVKHVW SURGXFH DURXQG 7KH\ TXLFNO\ IRXQG the best local farmers and established relationships that would endure and expand over the years. Today, their passion for food has grown along with their business. They currently have over 25 stores locally, focused on the communities they serve. So youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find even more places where inspiration strikes.

New Jersey Department of Agriculture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 100th Anniversary Â&#x2021; $ VWDWH DJHQF\ ZKLFK RYHUVHHV SURJUDPV WKDW VHUYH YLUWXDOO\ DOO 1HZ -HUVH\ FLWL]HQV 7KH 'HSDUWPHQW ZDV HVWDEOLVKHG LQ One of the Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major priorities is to promote, protect and serve the Garden Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse agriculture and agribusiness industries. Â&#x2021; ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH SURJUDPV WKH\ RIIHU WR VXSSRUW SURGXFWLRQ DJULFXOWXUH 1-'$ DOVR PDQDJHV SURJUDPV WKDW IHHG VFKRROFKLOGUHQ distribute surplus federal foods to soup kitchens and pantries that serve our needy citizens, conserve precious soil and water resources, protect farmland from development and preserve it for future agricultural use, expand export markets for fresh and processed agricultural products, and promote our commercial fishing industry, and administer the complete program of agriculture, food and natural resource education, which includes the State FFA Association.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 250th Anniversary Â&#x2021; 5XWJHUV WKH 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 1HZ -HUVH\ ZDV IRXQGHG DV 4XHHQÂśV &ROOHJH LQ E\ WKH 'XWFK 5HIRUPHG &KXUFK WR HGXFDWH future leaders of the church, who at the time had to return to the Netherlands for seminary training and ordination. In 1825, the school was renamed Rutgers College in honor of trustee and Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Henry Rutgers. Â&#x2021; &RQJUHVV SDVVHG WKH 0RUULOO $FW LQ ZKLFK ODLG WKH IRXQGDWLRQ IRU FRPSUHKHQVLYH SXEOLF LQVWLWXWLRQV RI KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ in the U.S. by establishing land-grant universities to teach â&#x20AC;&#x153;agriculture and the mechanic arts.â&#x20AC;? Princeton, Rutgers, and the State Normal School in Trenton competed for the designation of land-grant college of New Jersey. This paved the way for Rutgers College Professors George H. Cook and David Murray to successfully lobby the New Jersey Legislature for Rutgers to become New Jerseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land-grant college, leading to the establishment of the Rutgers Scientific School in 1864. A 100-acre farm on the outskirts of New Brunswick was purchased from the estate of James Neilson to serve as the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experimental farm. That land is now the heart of the George H. Cook campus of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Â&#x2021; 5XWJHUV LV GHGLFDWHG WR WHDFKLQJ WKDW PHHWV WKH KLJKHVW VWDQGDUGV RI H[FHOOHQFH WR FRQGXFWLQJ UHVHDUFK WKDW EUHDNV QHZ JURXQG and to providing services, solutions and clinical care that help individuals and the local, national and global communities where they live. Â&#x2021; 7KH XQLYHUVLW\ LV WKH HLJKWK ROGHVW KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ LQVWLWXWLRQ LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 0RUH WKDQ VWXGHQWV DQG faculty and staff learn, work and serve the public at Rutgers locations across New Jersey and around the world.

28 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

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GardenerNews.com

Hospitals Merge Jersey Fresh Program

February, 2016 29

Tom Castronovo/Photo

In an effort to not only support local farmers but also promote healthy living, Somerset Medical Center, now Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, partnered with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture over six years ago to incorporate Jersey Fresh produce into every aspect of its food services.

With the merger of Somerset and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, right, and New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Al Murray, left, were happy to learn that they plan to integrate the Jersey Fresh program across all locations. They recently met with the executive chef team of Timothy Gee, center, Executive Chef RWJUH New Brunswick Campus; Michael Kaspereck, second from right, Executive Sous Chef RWJUH New Brunswick Campus; and Peter Pascale, second from left, Executive Chef RWJUH Somerset Campus, to discuss their upcoming Jersey Fresh initiatives such as adding a Farmers Market at the New Brunswick location as well as incorporating produce, seafood, cheeses and meats that originate in the Garden State into the diets of patients, visitors and employees.

Secretary Fisher Assistant Secretary Murray also congratulated Executive Chef Peter Pascale for being named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chef of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? by the American Culinary Federation Jersey Shore Chefs Association, an established chapter of the nationally recognized American Culinary Federation.

RWJUH is a 965-bed hospital with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, offering Central New Jersey residents expanded access to the highest quality medical services and a wider array of innovative therapies available at only a small number of elite academic medical centers nationwide. RWJUHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Brunswick and Somerset campuses now serve as the flagship hospital of Robert Wood Johnson Health System.

Apply by February 19 for on-farm conservation assistance available in selected Delaware River watersheds 620(56(7 1 - Ę&#x160; )DUPHUV ZKR RSHUDWH LQ SDUWV RI WKH +LJKODQGV DQG SRUWLRQV RI VRXWK -HUVH\ PD\ EH HOLJLEOH IRU WHFKQLFDO DQG ILQDQFLDO assistance for conservation practices that promote water quality and quantity through USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Over $1 million has been set aside for this region as part of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project in the Delaware River Watershed that was awarded in January 2015. An interactive map of the project areas, linked from the NJ NRCS website home page, can be viewed online at http://bit.ly/1LmVTps. Applications received by February 19 will be considered for FY16 funding.

State Conservationist Carrie Lindig said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the second year we are able to offer this additional opportunity for farmers in designated parts of the Delaware River watershed. We appreciate all the partners involved in th Delaware River Watershed Working Lands Conservation and Protection Partnership and their commitment to protecting the natural resources of New Jersey.â&#x20AC;?

In the north, the project area includes Delaware River tributaries from the Flat Brook in Sussex County to the Musconetcong in Hunterdon. This Highlands region covers all of Warren County, about half of Sussex County, and portions of Morris and Hunterdon that drain to Lake Hopatcong and the Musconetcong River.

The targeted area of the southern part of the state includes areas that support the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer as well as direct tributaries to the Delaware River and Delaware Bay in Salem and Cape May Counties. This target area includes portions of Ocean, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland and Cape May Counties.

Through RCPP, Delaware River Watershed Working Lands Conservation and Protection Partnership was awarded $13 million for projects in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey over a 5-year period. The proposal was submitted by American Farmland Trust in conjunction with mulitiple organizations and is now administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Another NRCS initiative offered through EQIP, the 2016 Water Quality Initiative, is also available for producers in the Upper Cohansey, Upper Salem, and Upper Alloway Creek watersheds in Salem and Cumberland Counties.

Applicants eligible for EQIP who farm in the designated area are encouraged to visit their local NRCS office to apply by February 19th. More on these opportunities can be found in the Programs section of the NJ NRCS website www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov.

30 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

IN MEMORANDUM Charles M. Kuperus 1958-2015 Charles Miles Kuperus, 57, lifelong resident of Sussex Borough, New Jersey, passed away in his home on December 30, 2015 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Charles was the son of Anne (Aukema) Kuperus and the late Miles Kuperus Sr. He was born on August 5, 1958 in Sussex Borough. Married to his high school sweetheart, Marjorie (Veenstra) Kuperus for 36 years. Attended Sussex Christian Elementary school, Sussex, New Jersey and graduated from Eastern Christian High School, North Haledon, New Jersey.

Charles walked with the Lord throughout his life. The Lord set the path before him, provided guidance and support, and led him to be a beloved husband, father, and pake. He and his wife founded Kuperus Farmside Gardens. He served at Sussex Christian Reformed Church, on the Sussex Christian School Board and on the Christian Schools International Board. He also held leadership positions on the Sussex Borough Council, Freeholder Board of Sussex County, Sussex County Board of Agriculture, New Jersey Farm Bureau, State Planning Commission, and in the State of New Jersey as the Secretary of Agriculture.

He was a man who believed in the power and strength of Jesus Christ’s love and the beauty and peace that would await him after his passing. He enjoyed gardening, reading, and playing with his grandchildren. He will be most remembered for his incredible enthusiasm for the faith and his uncanny ability to take a genuine interest in anyone’s life wherever he went. His encouraging words will be remembered by those who were fortunate enough to know him.

He is survived by his children C. Mark and Michelle, Lafayette; Katherine, New York, New York; Jonathan and Rachel, Haskell; James and Katherine, North Haledon; Annette and Carlos Franco, Morristown; and David and Alexandra, Ridgewood and his cherished grandchildren Charlotte, Stella, Matthew, Penelope, and Grace. Also, by his siblings Grace Datema (Jack), Zeeland, Michigan; Henrietta Van De Weert (Roy), Goshen, New York; John Kuperus (Helen), Wantage; Miles Kuperus Jr. (Lisa), Wantage; and Anne Amels (John), Wantage.

Family received their friends on Monday, January 4, 2016 from 3:00-7:00 PM at Sussex Christian Reformed Church, 51 Unionville Avenue, Sussex, New Jersey 07461. Friends and family were invited to attend a memorial service on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 10:30 AM at Sussex Christian Reformed Church. Funeral arrangements were made with Ferguson Funeral Home, Sussex, NJ.

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 154 Published Monthly Contact Information Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff

Executive Editor/ Publisher . . . .

Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tom Castronovo Justin Kukuc Tom Castronovo

February Columnists Tom Castronovo Tim Hionis Douglas H. Fisher Larry Katz Craig Korb

Todd Pretz Tom Canete Bob LaHoff Peter Melick Richard Perkins

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Hubert Ling Sharon Durham Rosalie Bliss Sandra Avant

Jeannie Geremia David A. Robinson, Ph.D. William A. Kolbe B.C.E. National Garden Bureau

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5($' 7+,6 3$3(5 21/,1( ::: *$5'(1(51(:6 &20 Full Moon, February 22, 2016 Eastern Daylight

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Surprise your favorite lover, relative or friend with a bouquet of roses on St. Valentine’s Day. Roses are very thirsty. Make sure your vase never runs low or if they are in a foam oasis, make sure the foam is always dripping moist. If a rose should wilt prematurely, check the stem for any breaks or scrapes. If there is no visible damage, try re-cutting the stem. While holding your rose in a container of distilled water, cut one inch off the bottom of the stem. Make sure the cut is at an angle. And try to avoid water from a softener as the salts can cause premature wilting.

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February, 2016 31

32 February, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Strawberry Arugula Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction For Other Valentine’s Day Recipe Ideas go to kingsfoodmarkets.com/love

INSPIRING 80 YEARS OF

romantic meals at home

CELEBRATING CE ELEBRA EBRA RATING YEARS

INSPIRATION NSPIRA NSPIRATION AT TION ON NS SINCE NCE 1936

For 80 years, we’ve inspired your love of food. It’s our passion and our pride.

From the freshest ingredients for the perfect romantic meal for two, to premium gourmet chocolates and custom-arranged blooms, get the inspiration to go above and beyond this Valentine’s Day at your local Kings.

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