Gardener News January 2017

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

January, 2017

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 165

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Gardener News proudly bestows our 2016 “Person of the Year” to Jeff Morey, for being a dedicated advocate who tirelessly promotes the independent garden center industry.

Jeff is the co-founder and co-producer of the Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show, the world’s largest trade show and retail conference for independent garden centers, now in its 11th year.

Every August, independent garden centers and vendors from across the country and around the world gather at the trade show and conference, the industry’s biggest event - IGC Show at Chicago’s Navy Pier.

He is also co-director of Garden Centers of America, the nation’s only association focused exclusively on the needs of independent garden centers. As the hands-on second -generation CEO and Publisher of IGC Magazine, the garden center industry’s leading B-2-B publication, Jeff carries on the tradition of editorial excellence founded by his father, the late Richard Morey. He draws upon 40-plus years of experience, which includes business development, marketing and editorial direction, to inspire the IGC industry to think (Continued on Page 12)

2 January, 2017

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 2016 season.

See you in March!

The Biondi Family

Celebrating Our 71st Anniversary

601 Union Ave. Middlesex, NJ

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January, 2017 3

AUGUST 15-17 2017 THE FUTURE BEGINS

Aug.15-Aug.17|Navy Pier,Chicago

www.IGCShow.com

4 January, 2017 They say changes aren’t permanent, but change is.

One of the “constants” in the world of agriculture is that ongoing change. That seems to happen faster in New Jersey than it does in many of our neighboring states.

Often, in keeping with the thought that what was old can become new again, agricultural practices or crops come back into style, and trends from the past become the “new” trends of today.

In the late-1800s, approximately 2 million acres of what was then called “improved land in acres” – what we now know as farmland – existed in New Jersey, out of a total of 5 million acres in the state. Essentially, almost half the state was farmland, which gives us a clearer indication of why the nickname “The Garden State” came to be.

As you can see from those numbers, agriculture has always had a dynamic presence in New Jersey. As we traveled through the 20th Century, however, our cities became more and more developed and landscapes changed to factories and their supporting infrastructure.

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Change and the New Jersey Farmer Our suburbs also transformed, as housing for the workers in those businesses became necessary, and farmland became the place for developers to build new houses.

Now, our farms cover about 720,000 acres across New Jersey.

However, thanks to advances in farming techniques and the state’s natural topography and soils, we remain in the Top 10 in the nation in production of many produce crops, as well as nursery/ greenhouse/sod horticultural production.

While one needs land to farm, it is the people, more than anything, who account for agricultural success. As I travel across the great farming regions in New Jersey, I encounter such a rich history of cultures that are ever-flowing to our shores, bringing their diverse skills and customs that enrich us all.

Oh, the stories I get to hear from farming families about so many activities of yore – maple sugaring, taking milk to the creamery, mowing the fields, taking grain to grist mills, harvesting honey, blacksmithing, berry-picking, making sausage and scrapple. The list of these farm experiences is endless.

Owners tell me their family histories, some going back as far as 13 generations on the same farmland. Just hearing about what was grown and how it was marketed to establish that family farm is extraordinary. Many times, I get information about old family recipes or farm products being turned into homeopathic cures in the “olden times.”

Since I became Secretary of Agriculture, I have steadfastly said that every farm in this state is unique in some way. It could be the physical location and its

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Sonny Shroyer, Jr. best known for his role as Deputy Sheriff “Enos” Strate in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard, looks over a copy of the Gardener News in Parsippany, N.J. Shroyer has appeared in various television and movie roles, including The Longest Yard, Gator, The Lincoln Conspiracy, The Million Dollar Dixie Deliverance, Forrest Gump, In the Heat of the Night, and Smokey and the Bandit. Shroyer also makes numerous benefit appearances, helping out with projects such as the Los Angeles Special Olympics, Muscular Dystrophy, The Cystic Fibrosis Telethon, and the American Cancer Society.

importance in U.S. history as a former battlefield. It could be because of research and propagation of a special crop – whether that is as far back as Elizabeth White harnessing the wild blueberry into a cultivated crop in 1911, or right up to today as Abbott Lee’s Integrity Propagation brings the new “Rutgers Scarlet Knight cranberry” forward.

Sometimes it can be because the farm was the home of someone famous who was molded by their youthful experience on a farm in New Jersey. And still other times, someone will tell you why this farm produces the best Jersey tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, sweet corn, big-webbed cantaloupes, chickens, turkeys, honey or any of the hundreds of New Jersey agricultural products.

In some instances, those “claims to fame” are the result of bringing back crop varieties

from the past, what are known as “heirloom varieties,” and something old becomes new again. Frankly, taking the past and applying it to today’s markets provides us all with information and valuable lessons.

More and more, we in the Department of Agriculture are witnessing a return to some areas of farming that seemed like they were lost to the past. Even people in many of those homes built on former farmland now want to have backyard chicken coops, or beehives to produce their own honey.

More reasons why New Jersey remains, and likely will continue to be, the Garden State.

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

January, 2017 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 January, 2017

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

Rutgers Snyder Farm Harvest Feeds Hungry Residents and Makes a Hit in Rutgers Dining Halls The Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown, NJ, hosts numerous agricultural research trials

by New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) faculty on the farm’s 390 acres in Hunterdon County. The farm trials span an array of fruit, vegetable, herbs, and hops research that includes breeding, variety trials, insect and disease control, and cultural propagation. By the end of the growing season, the farm has tons of produce on hand, however, unlike commercial farms, its harvests are not destined for retail markets. Under the direction of Snyder Farm director John Grande, the farm staff has organized innovative ways of distributing the fresh-picked produce to those who can use it.

For over 20 years Snyder Farm, working with Rutgers Against Hunger and more recently with community organizations, has been harvesting and distributing tons of high-quality farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to New Jersey food banks and soup kitchens. This massive effort has been orchestrated by farm supervisor Ed Dager. For 2016, with the expansion of tree fruit donations to food banks, this year’s total amounted to 195,701 pounds of produce. The produce includes peaches, apples, sweet corn, potato, peppers, tomatoes, and winter squash. By 2014, the farm had achieved the cumulative total of well over a million pounds of donated fruits and vegetables. Dager has coordinated various groups of volunteers to harvest the produce, including Rutgers Master Gardeners, Rutgers students, local schools, and even corporate sponsor volunteers such as Johnson & Johnson.

The farm’s bounty was distributed to organizations in Somerset, Morris, Union, Middlesex, Essex, Passaic, Mercer, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex counties. Some of the recipient organizations include Flemington Food Pantry, Farmers Against Hunger, Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, NOR’WESCAP, and Giving Gardens. The fresh-picked produce is a welcome contribution to food bank recipients who often have limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

New for this year, Snyder Farm implemented the distribution of fruit to Rutgers Dining Services, which reported positive feedback and enhanced fruit consumption by students in response to the apples and peaches being “Rutgers Grown and Jersey Fresh.” With each fruit delivery, the farm staff also provided the fruit varietal information to be displayed in the dining hall, so the students would know the varieties of apples they were eating.

Lisa Tenore, senior food buyer for Rutgers Dining Services loves the fruit from Snyder Farm “because it is the freshest you can get – you can’t get any fresher!” Dining Services served the peaches during the summer in their cafes and at conferences, and in the fall, apples have been served in the dining halls. Tenore appreciates the extra care Snyder Farm takes to educate the students on what they’re eating in addition to where it came from, “with each delivery they pack a card naming the variety, what it tastes like, and its growing season.”

In addition to feeding New Jersey’s hungry residents and hungry Rutgers students, the farm utilizes a third venue to use the tree fruit. As an extension research farm, Snyder Farm cannot sell its harvest in a way that would compete with sales by commercial growers. It has, however, been able to help local growers expand their produce offerings by selling the tree fruit directly to farmers to supply their roadside markets. This effort generates revenues to maintain the research farm’s orchard and is a joint effort of the New Jersey Horticultural Society and NJAES. Growers contact Snyder Farm to receive an email of inventory of fruit available for sale through direct pick-up at the farm. The revenues generated are utilized to provide labor, supplies, and maintenance for the 12 acres of orchards.

Since the retirement of the Rutgers tree fruit agent this year, on-going tree fruit research by other faculty continues, and the orchard has been managed and maintained by Snyder Farm staff through activities like pruning, thinning, spraying, and harvesting fruit from thousands of trees. These steps are critical to preserving the integrity of the orchard and maintaining the farm’s status as an agricultural showcase.

GardenerNews.com

From the Director’s Desk

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

Optimizing Soil Health in New Jersey Along with reading the Gardener News and browsing seed catalogues as you sip warm cider by the fireplace this winter, start making a list of things “to do” in the garden when cold weather breaks into spring.

At the top of your to-do list should be soil testing. After all, your landscape and garden crops are grounded in soil, relying on proper soil conditions for availability of most nutrients.

Soil nutrients are derived from both mineral breakdown (weathering) and organic matter decomposition. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are nutrients needed in relatively high amounts and are called macronutrients. Other elements from soil are needed in trace amounts, but are still essential to the life cycle of most plants – such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and boron. It is important that these nutrients be available in the proper balance for optimum production and health of the plants. A deficiency of any one may cause reduced growth or yield, deformities or undesirable characteristics (poor quality), or even susceptibility to disease and other stresses.

Understanding the nutrient availability of soil is one reason why soil testing is an important “Best Management Practice.” With this knowledge, you can make sound decisions about what deficiencies need treatment and what excesses can be avoided. The treatment decisions usually relate to what fertilizer amendments to purchase and apply. Economically, it makes most sense to invest in a fertilizer which corrects deficiencies but prevents overapplication of any nutrient.

The agronomic and economic principles apply to soil pH as well: many plants have a specific optimum pH range which affects their growth/production directly, as well as indirectly, affecting solubility (availability) of the soil nutrients. Many plants prefer “slightly acidic” soil pH (6.3 – 6.8), but others may perform better at pH below 6.0 (acid-loving plants) and others at pH at 7.0 or above (neutral to alkaline pH).

How do you know if you need limestone to raise soil pH this year? Is it possible that you’re applying limestone too frequently? Do you need to acidify the soil instead? A soil test will inform you so you can make management decisions for best results and financial considerations.

We must also be conscious of potential impacts of our soil management decisions on the environment. Nitrogen applied in excess of what crops need, or otherwise applied carelessly, can pollute groundwater and other water bodies. In estuaries and bays, nitrogen can lead to eutrophication (excess algal growth, high oxygen demand, and toxic effects to aquatic life).

Likewise, erosion of phosphorus-rich soil into freshwater lakes, streams and rivers can have a similar result. Eutrophication not only degrades water quality and harms natural aquatic ecosystems, but it also affects the beauty and recreational uses of these valuable resources.

Avoiding fertilization altogether may be your strategy, thinking that plants will grow as they will. But keep in mind that in many manipulated suburban environments, thin layers of previously eroded and/or compacted soil may not be at a desirable equilibrium with the requirements of vegetation, which often includes non-native plants. Establishing a new balanced condition may take years, but can occur with well-timed and gauged applications of specific soil amendments. Creating a full cover over the soil surface (and dense rooting within the soil) will help to preserve the soil and enhance its health in the long term.

So, put soil testing at the top of your spring to-do list. Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory processes over 8,000 samples each year; the basic fertility test includes soil pH, nine nutrient levels, and recommendations for liming or acidifying, and fertilizing for the sample area. Soil testing kits (prepaid soil fertility analysis) may be purchased at most Rutgers Cooperative Extension county offices. Kits include sampling instructions, a soil test questionnaire, and a mailing bag/envelope for the sample and questionnaire. Alternatively, instructions can be viewed online and questionnaires downloaded (njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/howto.asp); send sample to the Soil Testing Lab along with the completed questionnaire and payment.

Please follow sampling instructions carefully. The analytical results and recommendations are only as good as the sample represents the desired area. As instructions describe, the sample should be made up of multiple subsamples obtained randomly throughout a specific area (one crop with same treatment history) and homogenized to represent that soil zone.

Recommendations cannot be provided for more than two plant/management situations.

Fill out the soil test questionnaire completely (and legibly). Test results will be emailed or mailed.

While the target turnaround time for soil fertility analysis at Rutgers Soil Testing Lab is about one week, the heavy sample load in the spring often creates a backlog and slows response time. For timely results, take and send your soil samples early.

Editor’s Note: This month’s column is written by Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D., Director, Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory.

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RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

January, 2017 7

Noble Qualities What qualities should a plant possess to be described as “noble”? Possibly a plant which can withstand the heat and drought of a desert in summer, survive winters indoors in a sunny window or provide fiber and nourishment to multiple civilizations? If these qualities meet your expectations, then allow me to introduce you to Agave americana, commonly known as Century Plant.

Agave americana is a member of the Asparagaceae or Asparagus Family. Agave has 208 species that are native to Mexico and southwestern North America. The genus name was coined by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) and it is from the Greek Agavos, meaning kingly or noble. Perhaps it was the rosette of stoutly upright leaves, which loosely resemble a crown that inspired Linnaeus to conjure up the name.

Indeed, the foliage is impressive, as it can stretch three to five feet tall with a

spread of six to 10 feet in its natural environment. The species epithet indicates its native growing region of North America. The common name of Century Plant is derived from its flowering cycle. Although it may seem like a century, flowering actually occurs after only 10 to 30 years, following which the mother plant dies.

This pattern of flowering followed by death is termed “semelparous reproduction.”

It is an adaptation to an environment in which a necessary ingredient for life, such as water, is limited. The plant spends its life storing sufficient water and nutrients to produce one spectacular flowering event before perishing. In reality, the plant does not totally die, since it also reproduces asexually from adventitious roots and forms a number of baby plantlets or “pups” around the base of the original plant.

Flowering is indeed a grand event, for not only is it infrequent, it is also a spectacular. The flower stalk rockets upwards to 25-plus feet

in height, with a diameter that rivals that of a telephone pole.

Short branches appear near the top of the flower spike, which are tipped with clusters of five-inch-long yellow flowers that are pollinated by bats and butterflies. The flowers yield two-inch-long pods that are filled with shiny black seeds.

Typically, the plant will not flower in a container, although, in celebration of Rutgers Gardens Centennial, a plant is coming into flower in the Gardens greenhouse!

Although the flowers are unique, the foliage carries the lion’s share of the plants’ economic and garden worthiness. The leaves can become large, growing to six feet long by 10 inches wide.

The leaf margins are armed with numerous spines or prickles, while the tip of the leaf narrows into a lethal, needlelike barb. As an expanding leaf peels away from the central bundle of new leaves, the impression of the outer leaf and its protective barbs are actually imprinted on the adjacent erect younger leaf. Needless-to-

Not Your Garden-Variety Day of Learning: 22 New and Revised Workshops to be Featured at Rutgers Home Gardeners School Jeopardy games, hands-on activities, and demonstrations from horticulture experts offer unique learning experience for gardeners For those with a deep-rooted passion for plants, those who are just beginning to plant the seeds for a gardening hobby, and green thumbs of all levels in between, Rutgers Home Gardeners School is the perfect place to prepare for a successful summer garden. Registration is now open for this oncea-year event, which will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Rutgers University Cook/Douglass campus in New Brunswick, N.J. The Home Gardeners School is made up of 37 individual workshop sessions that cover a wide array of horticulture topics. This format allows attendees to select the workshops that are most relevant to their gardening interests in order to create their own unique, customized schedule for this fun day of learning. Expert speakers from commercial horticulture and landscape design firms, as well as faculty and staff from Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), provide attendees with the opportunity to learn from highly-respected professionals with a wealth of experience.

An exciting new addition to the 2017 Home Gardeners School schedule is the opportunity for attendees to participate in interactive Jeopardy games hosted by Steve Kristoph of Steven Kristoph Nursery. Working in small groups, they will test their gardening knowledge against others and compete for plant prizes. Other new workshop topics for 2017 include going organic, plant identification, getting a garden started, and rejuvenating the tired landscape, to name just a few.

Overall, there will be 22 new and revised offerings to provide both first-time and long-time attendees with many options to grow their gardening knowledge.

A special lunchtime keynote discussion presented by New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson will focus on “Exploring NJ Climate Variability and Change.” Robinson will explain how human influences are amplifying natural climate variations and outline the challenges these changes present for gardeners in NJ and the surrounding areas.

The registration fee for this event is $75, but a special early registration discounted price of $60 is being offered through March 10. An additional discount is available for Master Gardeners. Participants can purchase a $10 box lunch when registering or bring their own bag lunch. Pre-registration is recommended.

Starting a new tradition of altruism this year, the Home Gardeners School organizers are asking attendees to bring non-perishable food donations to the event. Rutgers Against Hunger, a universitywide initiative working to address the issues of hunger across the state, will distribute the donated food items to local families in need.

For more information or to register, visit www.cpe.rutgers.edu/hgs or call the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education at 848-932-9271.

say, this is a plant with great architectural interest, but not one for frequent handling.

The foliage contains a fibrous vascular system that runs along the length of the leaf and is connected to the terminal barb. Dried, the fiber and the terminal barb were used as a needle and thread, and the fiber was prized for making clothing, mats and even paperlike products.

The leaves are also prized for the sugar-rich sap. The leaves can be harvested in winter or spring when the sugar content is highest, cut into bitesized pieces and roasted. They release a rich caramel flavor when chewed upon. Once a plant has reached six to eight years of age, the central core of leaves can be removed to harvest the sap.

Over the course of a week, a plant produces about half a gallon of sugary sap that can be consumed fresh, boiled down into Agave syrup or distilled into an alcoholic beverage called mescal. The sap also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a valued

herb for the treatment of burns, cuts and insect bites.

In addition, there are numerous forms with attractive white or golden leaf variegation, enhancing its ornamental appeal.

Although the common name celebrates the flower, the noble qualities of Agave americana stretch far beyond to include its foliage, its economic value and, hopefully, your garden.

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 past-president of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PHONE DIRECTORY Atlantic County Phone: 609-625-0056 Bergen County Phone: 201-336-6780 Burlington County Phone: 609-265-5050 Camden County Phone: 856 216 7130 Cape May County Phone: 609-465-5115 Cumberland County Phone: 856-451-2800 Essex County Phone: 973-228-2210 Gloucester County Phone: 856-307-6450 Hudson County Phone: 201-915-1399 Hunterdon County Phone: 908-788-1339 Mercer County Phone: 609-989-6830

Middlesex County Phone: 732-398-5260 Monmouth County Phone: 732-431-7260 Morris County Phone: 973-285-8300 Ocean County Phone:732-349-1246 Passaic County Phone: 973-305-5740 Salem County Phone: 856-769-0090 Somerset County Phone: 908-526-6293 Sussex County Phone: 973-948-3040 Union County Phone: 908-654-9854 Warren County Phone: 908-475-6505

8 January, 2017

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New Jersey Legislative Update Bill to Protect Bees from Pesticides Passed by New Jersey Senate Panel Legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex) to protect the state’s apiaries from pesticides by establishing beehive registries and a notification protocol was advanced by the Senate Environment Committee on December 5, 2016.

“The state’s apiarists provide a vital service by supplementing our natural bee population with beehives raised on private properties,” Senator Bateman said. “We can’t risk losing these important pollinators to pesticides. The work they do for New Jersey’s farmers is too important.”

The legislation, S-2076, establishes a process by which beekeepers can register their honey or native beehives or beeyards with the DEP. It also requires pesticide applicators to notify any registered beekeeper before they spray a pesticide within three miles of a registered hive. The registrations will allow the DEP to create a list of beehives that can be used as a guideline for the notification process.

Insect pollination services and pollination by bees in particular are extremely important to New Jersey’s agricultural industry. Pollination by animals is required in the production of many crop varieties, and pollination by bees can actually lead to the improved quality of a crop. The pollinating bee population has been declining over the last few years, and according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the use of certain pesticides might be responsible.

Earlier this year, another bill sponsored by Senator Bateman , S-2078, to require pesticide applicators to get training how to reduce or eliminate the impact of pesticides have on the state’s pollinating bee population was passed by the New Jersey Senate.

“Pesticides play an important role in our mosquito control operations, but we can’t risk losing pollinating bees in the process,” Senator Bateman said. “Both of these measures will help ensure the Garden State has a healthy population of bees for years to come.”

Bill to Fight Hunger Passes Senate Panel Legislation sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) to fight hunger by providing a tax credit to farmers that donate produce to food banks was advanced by the Senate Economic Growth Committee on December 12, 2016.

“After a harvest, commercial farmers regularly end up with a surplus of crops that have some kind of cosmetic defect that makes it unmarketable but are still perfectly good to eat,” Senator Oroho said. “We want to encourage these farmers to donate these extra crops to people in need, rather than just let them go to waste.”

The bill, S-512, provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for the value of fruits and vegetable donations made by New Jersey’s Commercial Farmers over a five-year period. The amount of the credit would be equal to 10-percent of the whole sale value of the produce at the time of the donation.

The credit is intended to provide an incentive to farmers to donate surplus crops to local food banks. According to Feeding America, more than 1 million New Jersey residents were food insecure in 2014, about 11-percent of the state’s population.

“A lot of people count on these food banks to feed their families, and they do a great job giving help to people in need,” Senator Oroho said.

“But they often rely on canned food, which is good, but it can’t match the nutrition or health benefits of fresh produce. At this time of year, it’s important to think about the less fortunate and ensure no one spends the holidays hungry.”

GardenerNews.com

January, 2017 9

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Snow Accumulation Advisory This is a friendly advisory that may help you as you consider your snowstorm priorities.

In light of the current forecast for snow in the coming days, weeks and months, I thought I’d share with you want I do around the house during and after a storm.

The moment I notice snow accumulating around my home backup generator, I remove it by shoveling a three-foot radius around the entire unit. That way I can be sure the intake and the exhaust vents remain free of snow. If those vents are blocked, then the generator could fail and generator repairs would be needed to get it up and running again. And who wants to spend more money than necessary?

There is no way I want to freeze and be without power. If you don’t have the capability to shovel it out yourself, have someone remove it for you. Just a thought here…if you have someone plow your driveway and shovel your walk, ask to have the generator added to the snow clean-up list.

If the power goes out and the generator runs for more than a few hours, I check the oil after it shuts down and has cooled. I always refer to my owner’s manual for the oil requirements.

I also try to keep my external natural gas utility meters clear.

I have it well marked with yellow ribbon so I don’t hit it with my shovel. If you have propane gas regulators and propane tanks, keep them clear of snow and ice, as well. You should mark them with yellow ribbons, too. Next, I clear the snow from around my clothes dryer vent to prevent the dryer from catching fire and to allow CO fumes to vent outside.

After my home chores are done, I head down the street to shovel out a three-foot radius around the fire hydrant. I do wait until the town plow truck has made its final sweep of the neighborhood.

There is currently a bill in the New Jersey Assembly that establishes a uniform standard for identifying and accessing fire hydrants. That bill is A2415, and it is sponsored by Assemblyman John F. McKeon and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano. Both of them also recognize the importance of keeping fire hydrants accessible at all times. Right now, the bill is in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee. Maybe a safety-conscious Senator will sponsor an identical bill in the Senate.

I hope my friendly snow accumulation advisory provided you with a few motivating winter safety precautions. By the way, I also use the fireplace ashes on the driveway to help prevent a slip and fall. I like protecting the environment as well.

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.

Lyric Wild Bird Food

Gladly Accepting SNAP EBT Cards

10 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

Landscape and Nursery Industry Annual Dinners The two largest landscape and nursery associations in the Garden State recently held their annual award dinners.

One was in Ocean County.

The other was in Bergen County.

On December 1, New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association Board Members were distinguished guests at New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association Education Foundation Annual Awards Dinner in New Egypt. On December 5, New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association Board Members were distinguished guests at the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s Holiday Gala, Achievement Awards and Installation Dinner in Washington Township.

The New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association is based out of Bordentown, Burlington County, N.J. The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association is based out of Elmwood Park, Bergen County, N.J. Dan Mayo received the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association Education Foundation “Nurseryman of the Year” award. This award is presented to someone for their outstanding contributions to the commercial horticulture industry in New Jersey. To be qualified, the individual must by a member of the association, and can represent any segment of the industry – nursery, landscape, greenhouse, or retail.

Greg Carpenter received the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s “Contractor of the Year” award. This award is granted to a contractor member for outstanding service to the association and the industry for the year. This member demonstrates professionalism, knowledge and a willingness to help others.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Nelson Lee, left, President of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association; Bob Heitzman, second from left, President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association; Dan Mayo, center, Owner of Waterford Gardens in Atco, Camden County, N.J., and the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association’s Nurseryman of the Year; Jack Otterbein, second from right, Vice President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association; and Richard Goldstein, Vice President of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Bob Heitzman, left, President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association; Nelson Lee, second from left, President of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association; Greg Carpenter, center, Owner of American Beauty Landscape Design in Paramus, Bergen, County, N.J., and the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s Contractor of the Year; Richard Goldstein, second from right, Vice President of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association; and Jack Otterbein, Vice President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association.

GardenerNews.com A visit to a friend’s house for dinner recently uncovered salad greens and some vegetables straight from the garden.

At first I thought he was pulling my leg, but after some more digging, I uncovered the source of the delectable fresh produce.

They came from his cold frame garden. Now I have always known of the use of cold frames, but more for starting seeds before the first of spring, not so much for extending the growing season through the winter.

With my curiosity now in full flight, I picked his brain. How did you set up your cold frame? Well, it seems it’s as simple as setting up a bottomless wooden box filled with well composted soil mixed into the existing grade.

He explained the easiest way to set it up is to cut four boards for the rear and three for the front. The sides will have four shorter boards with a diagonally cut board for the top edge.

He said he liked to make his cold frame seven feet by four feet, but you can make It’s hard to believe another year has gone by. It seems as though summer was just here, with 70-degree weather in November; who could believe?

Now that winter is upon us, what do we do as business owners in the green industry when everything is dormant and the ground is frozen and blanketed by snow?

Some of us plow snow.

If we have a season like the winter of 2015/spring of 2016, it may be few and far between that the equipment we have will be moving as much as the winters of 2013 until the spring of 2015.

Preparing for the snow season depends on the size of your company and can be a yearlong process. Getting trucks, loaders, salters, snow blowers and all the other snow-fighting equipment ready could be a year-round project. Just when you think you’re 100-percent prepared, you find out you’re not when the first snowflake falls out of the sky and that salter does not work. We still need to be ready, because you never know what Mother Nature will throw at us.

There may be some who will still be doing work outdoors as long as the

January, 2017 11 The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

Veggies in the Winter it whatever dimensions you would like. The next step was to set up the top.

This needs to be made with glass or Plexiglas or even plastic as the majority of the surface to facilitate the warming rays of the sun, which will keep the plants warmed enough to survive.

The top will be set with hinges to enable you to open it to vent enough to keep the plants from getting too hot. You can even purchase a thermostatically controlled opener to take the worry out of checking the temperature constantly.

He also let me know that, for a price, cold frames can be purchased as well.

However, in the next breath he reminded me that it is much more enjoyable to create your own.

So whichever way you go, now that it has been built, what do we need to do to the soil? Of course, a loose, well drained loam with plenty of added compost and organic matter will result in better plants.

Speaking of plants, I asked what varieties are best to be planted in these cold frames. He replied that the vegetables he has had good success with are arugula, broccoli, beets, cabbage, green onion, kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach and Swiss chard. He even started some carrots and sweet potatoes at the end of August, which were just about ready as well.

As we finally were able to get a look at his masterpiece, I couldn’t help notice how the plants

were very clean and the environment was weed free.

To which he replied that a two-inch layer of potting soil was all it took to keep the weeds out. He also said a little mulch was a good idea for moisture control.

So, what are the other uses for the cold frame besides keeping some produce available in winter? There are many uses, one of which is to start seeds in the cold frame which develop into mature plants sooner than those sown without the aid of the cold frame. Also hardening off tender plants by exposing them to the elements slowly will ensure successful transplants. The cold frame can even be helpful in getting tender ornamental plants through

The NJLCA Today

By Nelson Lee Association President

Winter’s not for idle hands – or minds weather cooperates somewhat.

Working on hardscape like patios, retaining walls and walkways, as long as the ground isn’t frozen, can help reduce some of the hustle and bustle stress of getting work done in the spring. With the availability of heating mats, tenting and heaters, a lot of work can be completed.

You also can be offering litter and debris removal or tree pruning for your commercial clients to at least generate some income during the winter months and keep your properties looking neat and clean for the managers.

Ask the managers what they may need from you. You don’t know if you don’t ask.

The main thing that most people should be doing, whether you are the sole employee of your company or have hundreds of employees, is working on

your business. Working on landscape equipment such as trucks, construction or maintenance equipment this time of the year is a great way to give them some TLC. Things break down during the season, and now is the time to prepare for spring.

Review all the systems you may have implemented last season and see if they went the way you planned.

Now is the time to make any corrections you may need, so that come spring time you can hit the ground running. You can create some new systems to help run your company smoother, because we all know there is always room for improvement.

Working on your books for the tax man is never a fun thing, but we all know it’s a necessary evil and must be done by March or April, depending on the type of

business you have.

Networking for new business and nurturing existing clients helps build stronger relationships. And what better time to do this?

The winter is the perfect opportunity to learn more about your trade at seminars and training sessions. Get the credits you need for all your licenses. Go to trade shows and meet with vendors. Learn what’s new in the industry.

Then take that new knowledge and turn it into dollars for your company.

There are plenty of events available to all of us in the green industry via computer with webinars or at different locations throughout New Jersey. The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association hosts webinars on occasions and meetings every second Thursday of the month at different locations,

the harsh conditions of winter.

Well, I think this was a productive and enjoyable dinner. The discussion and tour of the cold frame garden sparked a renewed interest in winter gardening.

It’s a shame it is so cold out today or I’d be tempted to install some cold frames of my own. Come to think of it, on a warm winter day this could be a fine project to work on. And as my friend had said, he replaces some of the plants that for one reason or another don’t survive all winter long, so it would be possible to plant at any time.

There you go. Another winter project that doesn’t involve a glass of wine to get through. However, a nice Irish coffee might just hit the spot.

Editor’s Note: Evan Dickerson is owner of Dickerson Landscape Contractors and NaturesPro of North Plainfield. He has been pioneering the organic approach to plant health since 1972. Evan can be reached at 908-753-1490 as well as The New Jersey Landscape Trade Show in March at the Meadowlands Convention Center.

Rutgers also hosts winter education classes throughout the winter season through OCPE. Educational sessions are also offered to the trade at the New Jersey Plants Show at the end of February, which is hosted by the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association at the New Jersey Convention Center.

Homeowners and contractors alike can attend the Rutgers Home Gardener School on March 18.

As you can see, winter should never be boring and non-productive because what you sow is what you reap and the winter is the only time we really get a breather.

Happy winter and think spring.

Editor’s Note: Nelson Lee is president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). He is also Founder and President of Landscapeworks, Inc., Advanced Mulch Services, Inc. and Advanced Hauling.

Lee can be reached at nlee@landscapeworks.net or by calling the NJLCA at 201-703-3600.

12 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

2016 Person of the Year (Continued from page 1)

outside the box.

Jeff focuses 100 percent on the North American independent garden center channel. He does everything in his power to help garden centers band together for success through education.

In today’s business climate, trying to go it alone is doing it the hard way. Jeff helps garden center operators on a daily basis tap into professional networks of leading retail specialists. He continuously searches all corners of the world for innovative ideas and methods to help the industry.

Jeff’s lifestyle also gets him deeply involved in all areas of garden center operations and management, including merchandising, sales, marketing, inventory and strategic planning on a daily basis. And he’s willing to share that information with anyone that asks.

He is a true expert at culture development and leadership. Jeff has a great reputation as a garden center industry forward thinker. He also constantly searches out ways to help independent garden centers increase their foot traffic.

Dave Williams, co-owner of Williams Nursery and Gift Shop in Westfield, Union County said: “I am very excited to see that Jeff Morey has been awarded ‘Person of the Year’ by the Gardener News. I’ve known Jeff for a long time, and he has been extremely supportive to the independent Retail Garden Center. He created the Independent Garden Center show as the marketplace for myself and hundreds of other garden center owners to buy product and to network with other owners and managers. When I was President of Garden Centers of America, he joined our board, and eventually took the organization under his wing.

This was the only way that our organization could continue to run our important Retail Garden Center tours, which still continue to this day. He is a true leader in our industry.

If it wasn’t for Jeff, consumers wouldn’t see many of the new and innovative products at local garden centers each season.”

This paper now wholeheartedly salutes Jeff Morey for his passion and appreciation for the independent garden center

industry family and for helping increase the demand for gardening with everyone.

We also salute him for immersing himself in nature regularly. He is invaluable to the independent garden center and gardening world.

Gardener News began the annual “Person of the Year” cover story in 2008. Gardener News will annually bestow our “Person of the Year” award to a person who performs exemplary outstanding service to the agricultural, farming, gardening and/or landscaping communities.

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.

Gardener News is Now Accepting Nominations for its

2017

Person of the Year Award.

Do you know someone in the “Green Industry” whose contributions deserve recognition?

This person must be from the landscape, nursery, garden center or gardening industries who best epitomizes concern for, involvement in, and dedication to those pursuits. Or a person who performs exemplary outstanding service to the green industry.

The deadline for receiving nominations for 2017 is November 1, 2017.

Gardener News annually bestows our “Person of the Year” Award in our January edition.

To download the form, please visit www.GardenerNews.com and click on the “Person of the Year” link on the left side.

Thank you!

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January, 2017 13

How insects survive winter

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Well here we are, January 2017. The end of 2016 gave us relatively warmer than usual weather and we may finally see some cold weather. This may seem weird, but we actually want it to stay cold so that the beneficial insects survive the winter!

HUH? Yes. Insects need to devise ways to stay “warm” in winter. If we get a warm day or two, insects will come out of diapause and become active. Then when it returns to being cold again, they may not survive this abrupt change in temperatures. Here’s why.

Some (nearly all) insects dormant, into a state called “diapause.” Others may just find an area facing south, stay inactive till it gets warm from the sun and remain active. Insects that spend the winter in diapause can withstand a greater range of

low temperatures than those that remain active -- some to temperatures as low as -94 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about the lowest reported temperature for natural environments.

Insects that go dormant for the winter fit into two classes: freeze-susceptible and freeze-tolerant.

A freeze-susceptible insect avoids freezing altogether by depending heavily on antifreeze compounds, called cryoprotectants, to supercool body fluids and tissues above their freezing point. Ethylene glycol, the same compound found in antifreeze for cars, is the most common cryoprotectant.

Freezetolerant insects do not really freeze, at least not totally.

Just the fluid, which bathes their living cells, freezes.

This freezing process forces water out of the living cells, thus lowering the freezing point even further. (Smaller amounts of water freeze at lower temperatures than larger amounts of water.)

Other factors are size.

Insects essentially are little bags of water. Their ability to supercool depends, in part, on how much water they contain. The smaller the amount of water, the greater their ability to supercool without freezing.

Smaller arthropods (ants, insect eggs, tiny spider mites) can supercool to colder temperatures than larger species, such as grasshoppers. This phenomenon also is true between individuals within a species. A smaller housefly may be more cold hardy than a larger housefly.

Nutrition also plays a part. An insect with an empty gut will survive lower subfreezing temperatures than an insect with a full gut. This is because food in the gut attracts water that can freeze and promote growth of ice crystals. The intensity and duration of cold and freezing, as well as exposure time to cold, is critical to insect survival.

If exposed long enough, an

insect will die at moderately cold temperature.

Winter conditions and suitably protected habitats can be critical to an insect’s winter survival. Snow cover offers good insulation from winter cold. Light, fluffy snow provides more insulation than packed snow. The north side of a tree maintains the same temperature as the air, but the south side of a tree may be several degrees warmer on a sunny day. Wet substrates (soil, leaves) cool slower than dry substrates; saturated substrates may suffocate an overwintering insect.

Examples of insects and other organisms that can tolerate cold include the following: Cockroach nymphs (Periplaneta japonica) survive short periods of freezing at -6 to -8 °C; the red flat bark beetle can survive after being frozen to -150 °C; the fungus gnat (Exechia nugatoria) can survive after being frozen to -50 °C, by a unique

mechanism whereby ice crystals form in the body but not the head; Ceramboides beetles are freeze-tolerant; African chironomids were able to withstand exposure to liquid helium (-270°C) for up to five minutes with a 100-percent survival rate.

The lowest temperature survived by any insect in a nonanhydrobiotic state is -196°C by the pre-pupae of the sawfly (References Cited: Jason P.W. Hall Dept.

Entomology & Nematology University of Florida; Colorado State University Extension Agency

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 (Class of 1974) Bill is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

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

Landscape Architecture: Past and Present

By Brian Bosenberg Colors, sunlight, textures, ambiance and forms. All of these are exciting parts of the design process that a landscape architect considers when designing anything, from a simple foundation planting to a complex outdoor space.

I hope that by writing a monthly column from the perspective of a landscape architect, we can explore the intricate world of design, and the design process.

Historically, landscape architecture covers many disciplines, incorporating horticulture, soil sciences, industrial design, architecture, engineering, the fine arts, geography and ecology. Prior to 1800, landscape gardening was applied mostly to master planning and grand garden designs of palaces, royal properties and manor houses.

Although the practice has existed for thousands of years, as George B. Tobey wrote in the History of

Landscape Architecture – his book’s description references the practice from 5000 BC, through the development of agriculture and towns to a more modern design of parks and garden cities – the term “landscape architecture” was not popularized until John Claudius Loudon’s book written in 1840, Landscape Gardening and Landscape Architecture of the Late Humphry Repton.

In the mid-1800s, Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux and George Oskar used the term “landscape architecture” to describe the design process of planning, the creation of land and water forms and massing of plant material to develop public spaces. Olmstead and Vaux used this term to describe their winning entry for their design of Central Park in New York City.

Later, they used the professional title “landscape architect” and promoted their work as urban park planners, which included Olmsted’s project for the Emerald

Necklace, a 1,000 plus-acre chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Mass.

Landscape architecture began to grow as a profession in the 1900s, as many universities adopted the practice and offered professional degree programs.

The process of designing the landscape always starts with analysis of site. What are the hidden and visual clues?

Does the land or space to become the new home or future garden have special features that we want to celebrate? Is there an objectionable view or noisy neighbor we are trying to screen? We need to consider the slopes, sun, soils, winds and wetlands. What are the municipal, county or state regulations that might impact the design?

Most importantly, what is the budget and timeline for completion? Many times, constraints and regulations can make a project’s potential seem limited, but as landscape architects, we are taught to devise creative solutions to

design challenges and find the unique opportunities they present.

My design philosophy has been deeply influenced by traveling globally, observing local cultural practices and relationships to nature. For centuries, man has been creating patterns in the landscape. We use these patterns for today’s projects by recombining the various design elements into different forms to solve problems and create beautiful spaces.

Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) adopted the motto “Less is More” to describe his aesthetic. I follow this aesthetic and believe that simplicity in design is timeless and usually the correct solution to a complex problem.

Many elements make up the solution to a landscape design. Over the coming months, we will discuss the design process, how to consider all of the components of design and the thought process behind it all. It is a combination of inspirations,

visual clues and a series of steps we follow to complete a project.

In the end, I hope to be able to share with you the design tips, tricks and techniques I use every day. I became a landscape architect because of my love of beautiful spaces, spaces like Central Park, our National Parks and the Gardens of Versailles, that evoke inspiration and leave an everlasting impression. I am excited to be a columnist for the Gardner News and share my love of landscape architecture and the magnificence of nature that surrounds us. Let’s have some fun out in the landscape!

Editor’s Note: Brian W. Bosenberg is a practicing landscape architect licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maine and Vermont, and a principal in the firm of Bosenberg & Company Landscape Architects, Far Hills, N.J. He can be reached at 908-234-0557, info@bwbosenberg.com or www.bwbosenberg.com

14 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

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16 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

Native plants inside your home

By Hubert Ling Generally, my native plants are outside, but a few permanent indoor residents are gracing the tops of our bookshelves and tables.

Although most dried plants look like poorly preserved mummies, a few dry lifelike and retain their color. The most popular dried native plant is pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea); this plant has been used commercially for many years and a large bunch can cost $5.50.

If you want to grow and pick your own bouquets of this petite white and yellow strawflower, plants and seeds are readily available on the internet. The plants are said to be easy to grow (OK, I admit I have never grown them, but I may try next year). Pearly everlasting is in the aster family; they grow about one to three feet tall and have silver-gray foliage

and small globular flowers.

The plants generally occur in dry, gravely or sandy areas in full sun or partial shade. Pearly everlasting will form stolons and under the right conditions can grow into large clumps. For good seed production, you need both male and female plants; just make sure you purchase several plants and not just one or two which you propagate by dividing the clumps.

Pearly everlasting has a slight musky smell and Native Americans used the plant to treat external infections, as a salve for burns, and as a tobacco substitute. The plants are a host for skipper and American painted lady butterfly larvae. Pearly everlasting is found growing naturally in much of North America and in Asia.

Native grasses have also been widely used for indoor bouquets. Perhaps the most popular is river oats, Chasmanthium latifolium.

In contrast to wheat and

rye, which are borne on relatively stiff stalks, our native river oats are borne on very slender stalks which curve completely down to support flattened grain heads that flutter with any gentle breeze. The leaves retain a lifelike appearance but they turn a rich chocolate color when dried, as do the “oats.”

They normally grow two to three feet tall and, in contrast with most grasses, like partial shade. River oats are a Southern U.S. and Mexican plant and reaches its northernmost limit in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

However, river oats will grow well in cultivation in almost any soil and will tolerate full sun if they have access to moisture. River oats propagate easily from seeds and clump divisions.

They are also very useful to gardeners in New Jersey since they are deer resistance and will tolerate black walnut roots.

This decorative plant has been used very successfully

Pennsylvania’s CHEMSWEEP to Provide 15 Counties with Safe Pesticide Disposal in 2017 Agricultural businesses and pesticide applicators in 15 counties can dispose of unwanted pesticides safely and easily in 2017 through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s CHEMSWEEP program.

The program is offered in different counties each year. In 2017, it will be available in Bedford, Berks, Bradford, Butler, Columbia, Cumberland, Fulton, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Warren and York counties.

“While pesticides are an important tool for many in production agriculture across Pennsylvania, they can be a problem when they outlive their usefulness, sitting in barns and sheds and becoming hazardous to the environment and to your safety,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “With CHEMSWEEP, our agriculture industry can more easily safeguard our land and waterways by properly disposing of pesticides.”

More than 2.4 million pounds of unwanted or unusable pesticides have been properly destroyed through the program since it was established in 1993.

Every year, many pesticide products are discontinued, phased out or become unusable, leaving growers, commercial establishments and professional applicators with potentially dangerous and toxic materials that cannot be placed in landfills. The unwanted pesticides often become a safety hazard and an environmental concern through long-term storage in garages, barns or other areas.

Licensed pesticide applicators, pesticide dealers and commercial pesticide application businesses from the designated counties are eligible to participate by completing the CHEMSWEEP registration/inventory form that will be direct-mailed. The registration period ends February 28.

An independent contractor hired by the state agriculture department collects and packages all waste pesticides at each participating location, primarily for incineration at facilities approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CHEMSWEEP covers the disposal cost for the first 2,000 pounds per participant. Above that level, participants are billed at the Agriculture department’s contracted price.

The program is funded through annual registration fees paid by pesticide manufacturers and applicators.

For more information, visit www.chemsweep.pa.gov.

to prevent soil erosion along stream banks, and river oats are host to several species of skipper butterfly larvae; the grain is eaten by several types of mammals.

Another decorative, native grass is little false bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). It is widely distributed in the U.S. and Mexico and is common throughout most of New Jersey. The plant gets its name from the blueish–green stem bases which are evident in spring. In fall and winter, the whole plant turns a rosy tan topped with shining seed tufts, which often persist into winter.

These striking, longlasting colors make these plants a graceful addition to any dried floral arrangement.

Outdoors, the plants stay upright during winter and don’t take on a ratty matted appearance like most other grasses.

These plants grow to two to three feet tall and tolerate deer, drought, poor soil, air

pollution, limestone, high heat, and high humidity.

They are easy to grow in dry to medium soil in full sun, but will not tolerate damp soil. They self-sow freely and thus may not be a good choice for small gardens.

Little false bluestem was one of the dominant grasses in the vast prairies of the central U.S. and it is useful to wildlife as cover to hide in, nesting material, graze of bison and cattle, and as a host for several butterfly larvae. Several species of songbirds and small mammals utilize the seeds especially in winter.

If you have the space, why not use these three species to add some wild and interesting prairie plants to your yard and inside your house?

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

GardenerNews.com

January, 2017 17

Celebrating Fresh, New York Style Produce managers, buying organizations, procurement executives and foodservice operators from around the world gathered at the Javits Convention Center in New York on December 7 for the sixth annual New York Produce Show and Conference. This show and conference is a four-day, exciting, worldclass event for the industry that attracts more than 5,000 attendees and includes networking opportunities, a one-day trade show of over 400 companies, educational sessions and tours of the region’s vibrant fresh produce industry.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball and New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher were on hand to help all of the attendees experience the diversity produce flavors that the show and conference had to offer. Commissioner Ball was promoting the New York State Grown & Certified program. Secretary Fisher was promoting the Jersey Fresh program.

Gardener News executive editor and publisher Tom Castronovo also attended the educational and innovative produce extravaganza.

Next year’s show and conference is slated for December 11-14, 2017.

D. Williams/Photo

Gardener News executive editor and publisher Tom Castronovo, second from left; met up with New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, left; Jim Prevor, second from right, founder of Perishable Pundit and Produce Business, which co-sponsors the New York Produce Show; and New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, for an annual show reunion.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Arthur Goncalves, right, vice president of Produce and Floral for Kings Food Markets, and Frank Cardoso, left, a General Store Manager for Kings Food Markets, chat with Wayne Brandt from Brandt Farms, Inc., in Reedley, Calif., during the New York Produce Show and Conference bus tour Thursday, December 8, at Kings Food Markets in Short Hills, Essex County, N.J.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

The giant New York Produce Show and Conference sign in front of the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, New York City, N.Y.

18 January, 2017 Let me begin by saying that our garden center guarantees plants today and will continue to do so for years to come.

For years I have wanted to write this article and have struggled to find the right verbiage that would accurately convey my thoughts, walking a fine line between educating the consumer and not sounding condescending. Informing the homeowner, and landscaper for that matter, that guaranteeing life is just silly.

I love movies, all types of genres, but comedies are my favorite. The movie “Tommy Boy” has one of the best quotes about guarantees that I know.

After an “off-color” banter about guarantees, between a manufacturer and his customer, Tommy Boy says, “But for now, for your customers sake, for your daughter’s sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me.” Convincingly, he impresses the importance of buying quality products over low price. “The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” was a great locution written on the side door of Grant Construction’s trucks, a New Jersey construction company, years back.

For as long as I can remember, plants have been guaranteed in one form or another. Whether it’s a threemonth, six-month or one-year guarantee, telling consumers that no matter the outcome, their purchase is guaranteed.

Most plants, commonly purchased at a garden center, have a vascular system; that’s to say that vascular vessels transport food and water throughout the plant by way of their xylem and phloem.

They need proper nutrition to survive the same way we do.

Vascular plants are those that have leaves, branches, stems, flowers and roots.

So here’s my question: When new parents bring their baby home from the hospital, does the registered nurse and doctor guarantee the life of the child? Do they tell the parents their child will remain free from infection or household mishaps? Parents are expected to love, feed, bath and monitor their children. In short, pay attention to anything that might get in the way of their child’s development.

Don’t misunderstand me, unexpected circumstances can

GardenerNews.com Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Guaranteeing Life? and will come up. However, plant material that arrives at an Independent Garden Center has already been state-inspected, free of any insect or fungal issues, when it arrives. Doctors, registered nurses, grandparents, even the Internet today are all there to help give thoughtful advice so a child can develop and grow into a well-adjusted human being. In essence, the acorn can become the mighty oak, capable of providing shade to the perennial counterparts at its feet.

Plants are not widgets, swiftly manufactured in days off of an assembly line.

Months, even years, are needed to develop annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.

And better plants, YES, BETTER PLANTS, those that have been well groomed, spaced appropriately, grafted, propagated by air-layering, patented plants, those that have advanced soils with Mycorrhizae added to them, etc., take even longer to bring to market.

The average length of time to bring a marketable plant to fruition has been measured between three and eight years for woody ornamentals.

Annuals and perennials take far less time to produce a quality plant, while larger calipered deciduous trees and conifers can take one to two decades.

Often, I speak directly to quality. While everyone I know enjoys a good deal, most would not sacrifice the quality of a said commodity.

There needs to be a standard of excellence for plant material that demands more dollars, as more time, effort and science has gone into their development.

Do all winemakers produce the same bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon? Do all farmers yield the same crop from their land? Do all tomatoes taste the same, or does a Jersey tomato, in the summer, just taste better?

Partially my fault and certainly many others in my industry,

we have taken for granted, for far too long, that the public understands the difference between premium plants and B-Grade or commercial/park grade plant material.

There needs to be an appreciation for welldeveloped plants, free of blemishes, not chlorotic, that have strong root systems, are well-branched and have been harvested thoughtfully and or developed properly in containers.

The image is clear.

Damaged plants, those with broken limbs, showing signs of decline, bug infested or otherwise damaged plants should cost less! Broken root balls, scuffed tree bark and two sided plants similarly speak the same language. Discounts on substandard plant material only cheapen our industry.

But for some obscure reason plants are held to a different standard.

Time, effort, science and knowledge all go into the development and growth of a healthy plant. Their beauty should not be taken for granted, boiled down or lumped into a lowest common denominator.

Whether you know this or not, plants that are sold to IGC’s, (Independent Garden Centers) throughout the country, are NOT GUARANTEED to them beyond the plant’s correct botanical name. Once a plant has been received by an IGC, it is their responsibility to look after the plant.

Extreme cold in March and April requires them to tarp or bring plants inside to keep them safe. Similar efforts, in the hot summer months, may require extra water or shade cloth to help keep them healthy, not to mention aesthetically pleasing for their customers.

Once a plant leaves the Independent Garden Center, how do they know what efforts have been made to keep the plant alive? Furthermore, what assurances do they have that the plant was planted correctly? Often I use an

analogy when planting plants properly. Avoiding the pitfalls of planting too high, those unsightly mulched volcanoes, and planting too deep, burying the root flare of the plant. If you stand in a pool and the water is one inch under your nose, you can still breath. However, if you’re standing in the same pool and the water were one inch higher than your nose, you would drown. The same holds true with plants.

Another analogy I have for watering a plant, references a sponge in a sink. Plants, on average, should be checked for water two to three times a week. Not every day and not once a week. If you had a sponge in a sink and you went away for a week, you could break the sponge in half, as it would have dried out. If you kept the same sponge wet every day, you could breed bacteria or mildew. I tell our customers that you want the consistency of the sponge being rung out. In other words, give your plants the chance to accept the water you give them, utilize it and then get ready to accept more.

A customer once told me that I sold him a “dead plant”!

I wanted to say, “I must be one heck of a salesperson to sell you a dead plant the day you bought it.” After working through all the possibilities that could have caused the plant to fail, the customer admitted that they went away for the summer and hadn’t watered it beyond the first two weeks.

Truth is, in my nearly 30 years of retail experience, in the “Green Industry,” the majority of returns have been attributed to either over- or underwatering the plant. Important to also note that the amount of returns to our garden center is so infinitesimal, it is just good business to replace plants that are returned.

Often, I draw similar comparisons to other perishable products like produce and condiments.

Would you wait for your fruit to over-ripen, have soft

spots and gnats flying around it before you eat it? Would you expect mayonnaise, left out in the hot summer sun all day, to still be safe to eat? Furthermore, should you expect your new pet to be guaranteed from infection or mishaps, too? Of course not! Sound and reasonable judgment, combined with a strong commitment, are the operative words here, and help ensure expectations are met.

Why then should plants be held to a different standard?

There are no short cuts to gardening. You can read every gardening book and scour the Internet for advice, but it doesn’t guarantee success.

You can buy light and moisture meters, start with a healthy plant, in a good planting medium with fertilizer, and water your new plant the day you get home. You have to figure out soil content, watering and what exactly part sun/part shade really means, for your particular plant on your particular property, for yourself.

Guidelines are in place for you to follow, the same way they are there for your newborn baby coming home from the hospital. Sound, prudent judgment and a commitment to nurture your new “green friends” are needed to ensure their growth and reach their potential. You have to figure out feeding, diaper changes, sleep cycles, swaddling, white noise and even those soothing midnight car rides for yourself.

Imagine an oak tree, planted by a grandparent that the grandchild gets to sit under. Appreciating the shade and beauty it offers should not be taken for granted, let alone guaranteed. In short, plants are living, breathing things and need to be treated as such, with a commitment and respect for their well-being.

Editor’s Note: Bob LaHoff is co-owner of Hall’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.

GardenerNews.com Recently I gave a local neighborhood group a tree “walk and talk,” where we informally walk the area and I pontificate about trees and answer questions. These are usually well received, and on that particular day, one resident remarked, “Well, you really seem to love what you do.” My response was an emphatic, “Yes!!” The joy of any vocation is continued study and learning, and sharing with others.

Most people really don’t think much about trees, until onet falls on their house or roots invade the sewer line.

Yet they are wonderful organisms, simple and at the same time complex. Here in the Northeast, we suddenly become enamored by them when autumn arrives, and the forest green becomes a palette of vibrant color. At some point down the road I will discuss leaves and their special significance, but today some fun facts…and myths …for you to ponder.

My fellow Gardener News columnist and best friend Bob LaHoff, is obsessed with Ginkgo biloba…why, I have no idea. But it is a cool tree,

January, 2017 19 Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman NJ Certified Tree Expert

Some Fact and myth about trees as it is truly a living fossil, found in the fossil record dating back 270 million years.

Now that’s perseverance.

But there are older living species alive today.

One form of Bristlecone pine, Pinus longaeva, found in the mountains of California, Nevada and Utah, is represented by perhaps the oldest non-clonal living tree on Earth, at 5,066 years old. Go ahead, do the math, and consider when that seed germinated, and what the world was like.

The oldest clonal tree is a quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides, found in the Rocky Mountains. With new shoots arising from the same root system, it covers over 100 acres with over 47,000 individual shoots. It has been estimated to have been around

for more than 80,000 years!

Of course, the largest living tree is one specimen of giant redwood, Sequoiadendron giganteum.

The General Sherman, though damaged by storms, reaches 275 feet and is estimated to be 3,500-plus years old. As a species, the giant redwoods are the world’s largest living trees.

These are some facts that really get folks thinking.

But as a municipal forester, I deal more with the reality of trees growing in the urban environment. So first, some common myths dispelled.

As stated in my last column, trees do not have tap roots (with some exceptions).

In fact, most tree roots grow in the upper 18 to 24 inches of soil. In forest conditions, trees may send down a so-called

USDA to Gauge Financial Well-Being of Northeastern Farmers and Ranchers Beginning in late December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics and production practices from farmers and ranchers across the U.S. (including the Northeast) as the Agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2016 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).

“ARMS is the only survey program that allows anyone to clearly see the current financial well-being of agricultural producers and their households as a whole,” said King Whetstone, Director of the NASS Northeast Office. “The results of this survey will serve as a primary source of information for numerous local and federal policies and programs that affect Northeast farms and farm families.”

NASS conducts ARMS jointly with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). In an effort to obtain the most accurate data, the federal agencies will reach out to more than 30,000 producers nationwide, including 2,200 in the Northeast, between December 2016 and April 2017.

The survey asks producers to provide in-depth data on their operating expenditures, production costs and household characteristics.

“We realize that this survey is lengthy and some producers may have questions or need clarification,” explained Whetstone. “In February, our interviewers will begin reaching out to those farmers who have not yet responded to answer any questions they may have and help them fill out their questionnaires.”

In addition to accurate data, NASS is strongly committed to confidentiality. The agency will only publish data in an aggregate form.

This helps safeguard the confidentiality of all responses, ensuring no individual respondent or operation can be identified.

The economic data gathered in ARMS will be published in the annual Farm Production Expenditures report on August 3, 2017. All NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. ERS also plans to release a series of reports based on ARMS data. All of these reports will be available on the agency’s site at www.ers.usda.gov.

“striker” root to reach a water source, but not in your yard or at the curb. We have all seen uprooted trees. Ever see one with a six-foot “carrot” sticking out of the bottom?

So that leads to the most common resident request.

When planting new street trees, they ask for one that is deep-rooted and will not lift the sidewalk, or have roots at the surface. Sadly, no such thing. Then its, “Well, if they don’t go down, why are they in my sewer line?”

The reason: the sewer line is cracked or broken, and tree roots will take advantage of nutrient-rich water, sending fine roots to the source. They don’t break the line or crack the pipe. Sewer laterals are often many feet deep, and tree roots just don’t go there naturally.

Some other myths: trees bleed and trees heal. Not true.

Fresh pruning cuts made in late-winter or early-spring will let sap flow, sometimes quite heavily in trees like maple and dogwood. But this is not “bleeding,” just sap flow. Trees do not have a pumping system.

Trees do not heal.

Remember, most of the tree is dead tissue (wood), so once damaged it lets in decay organisms. However, the living cambium will begin to grow and close a wound if it is not too big and the pruning cut made properly.

Not healing, just preventing.

See you next month!

Happy Holidays!

Editor’s Note: Steve Schuckman is owner of First Mountain Aboriculture, which provides horticultural consulting and community forestry services. He is currently the consulting forester for Bloomfield, Hawthorne, Maplewood, and Montclair, in New Jersey. He is also a New Jersey Certified Tree Expert.

He can be reached at smschuckman@verizon.net

20 January, 2017 HAPPY NEW YEAR! What a crazy, crazy, crazy year we have had! I am so glad all the election stuff is behind us now. That was too much for everyone. It’s a new year and we need to look ahead, my friends, strengthen the bonds that hold us together and be ever so thankful for what we have.

I have to say a special hello to my new niece, Penelope James Hammer, who was born at the very end of November and is just as beautiful as anything I’ve ever seen. I wish her the best, as well as my brother in law and sister in law.

I hope everyone had as good a holiday season as I did.

Of course, like most, I possibly could have eaten a little too much. I know everyone has that whole resolution thing.

I get it, I feel the same, but do yourself a favor and wait a month for the gym to clear out. For now, enjoy the rest of football season and the Buffalo wing/shrimp recipe I am giving you.

Buffalo wings, debatably, originated in the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. As the story goes, the woman who created

GardenerNews.com From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Winging in the New Year them sort of stumbled upon it, much like Caesar salad.

Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes.

Apparently she fried up some wings, tossed them in some cayenne based hot sauce and served them with some blue cheese and celery that just happened to be readily available at that moment and, voila! a classic was born.

I love, love, love my Buffalo wings. Now, it has become such an increasingly popular dish that there are entire chain restaurants dedicated to the chicken wing. Amazing! I often hear stories of people’s grandparents going to the local butcher and being given the wings for free or minimal cost because they were considered useless. Seriously??? Now they are often more money per pound than chicken breasts.

Who would have thought?

Anyhow, I will be giving you the “secret” recipe of the Crab’s Claw version of this classic. I’m including the Buffalo shrimp as well, since they are so similar. Good luck! Enjoy the rest of football season and have a happy, healthy and safe New Year!

Buffalo wings/shrimp Crab’s Claw style (serves 2-4 depending on size of human) 12 fresh chicken wings or a dozen 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 Tbsp. salt, preferably Kosher, fine ground Juice of 2 lemons Enough water to cover wings/shrimp 1 cup all-purpose flour Salt and fresh black pepper 6 oz. your favorite hot sauce, I stick with Frank’s red hot

2 oz. butter Frying oil method-for the wings, start this recipe a day ahead for best results - roll lemons by hand to soften, cut lemons in half and squeeze juice into a large bowl or container large enough to fit all the wings -add salt and stir to dissolve, add a cup or so of cold tap water and stir again -add wings or shrimp and toss together with salt/lemon mixture, add enough water and allow to brine/marinate overnight for chicken and at least four to six hours for shrimp -heat enough oil in a fry pan or tabletop fryer to cook the wings/shrimp -oil should be heated to 350 degrees -while oil is heating, add

hot sauce to a sauce pan and bring to a light simmer, cube butter into small pieces/chunks and add into hot sauce, gently swirling the pan until the butter is just melted, remove from heat and reserve -cook wings or shrimp until cooked through -remove wings/shrimp and allow to drain on a paper towellined plate for 30 seconds to a minute -place wings/shrimp into a medium sized bowl, enough to fit wings/shrimp and pour sauce over them -toss gently until fully coated -place wings on a plate and serve with celery sticks and your favorite blue cheese or ranch dressing -ENJOY, MY FRIENDS! 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.

State Agriculture Commissioner Reconvenes Milk Marketing Advisory Council New York State Department of Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced the Department has reconvened the Milk Marketing Advisory Council (MMAC), which was created to advise the Commissioner on issues important to the dairy industry. The council met to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the State’s largest agricultural sector.

Commissioner Ball said, “I’m pleased to reconvene the Milk Marketing Advisory Council and bring together such a great group that represent the very best of the industry—from our farmers to our processors to our retailers. Today’s meeting provided an opportunity for the group to delve into some of the key issues the industry is facing today, such as market conditions and trade barriers, but it also gave us the platform to inform our producers and processors about some of the new exciting marketing programs available, like the NYS Grown & Certified program, to help our dairy businesses grow. I look forward to continuing the great dialogue started here today.”

Andrew M. Novakovic, PhD, Cornell University Professor of Agricultural Economics and Chairman of the Council, said, “The dairy industry faces daunting challenges but also terrific opportunities. We have seen the dairy industry struggle with low milk prices, an unprecedented drought this summer and continued consumer demand on the food system, but the dairy sector rises to those challenges and provides great products. The industry members who are represented on the Commissioner’s Milk Marketing Advisory Council are eager to assist the State in providing input to improve the sound framework in which the dairy industry operates.”

The MMAC is composed of more than two-dozen members from the dairy manufacturing and processing sectors, from dairy farmer cooperative associations, in addition to milk consumers and representatives of milk retailers. The Advisory Council’s goal is to advise the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets on policy issues impacting New York’s dairy industry, and provides a forum for communication and networking between dairy community leaders.

The MMAC discussed topics including the current milk market situation, increased production, and trade agreement policies, in particular with Canada. This comes on the heels of the Governor’s letter to Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, expressing his opposition to proposed regulations that would create a barrier for New York’s dairy farmers exporting a key New York dairy product to Canada. The Governor called on the Canadian Government to develop a national agreement that will mutually benefit trade across borders.

In addition, the Department provided in-depth information on the State’s NYS Grown & Certified food labeling program. Launched in August, the New York State Grown & Certified program assures consumers that the food they are buying is local and produced to a higher standard by requiring participating producers to adopt good agricultural practices and enroll in an environmental management program. The program is currently being expanded to include dairy producers and processors, and will provide significant marketing benefits to New York’s milk and dairy products industry. Learn more about NYS Grown & Certified here.

The group will meet again on June 1, 2017.

New York’s dairy industry ranks fourth in the nation for total milk production with more than 14 billion pounds produced annually from 620,000 dairy cows. New York has just over 4,800 dairy farms and generated $2.6 billion in 2015 from the sale of milk, which represents nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts.

New York’s dairy industry also consists of nearly 400 dairy processors and manufacturers, numerous dairy support services, such as veterinarians, feed dealers, equipment dealers and others as well as thousands of retailers that provide milk and dairy products to New Yorkers throughout the State.

GardenerNews.com

January, 2017 21

WINGS!

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey Happy New Year to you all and best wishes as you contemplate what this year of 2017 has in store for us.

The year 2016 seemed to be a mixed bag and one we may not want to revisit, but every New Year begins with a brand new slate and one that we optimistically feel will be the BEST YEAR yet! For me, a great year will be to see more of our winged beauties flying about our great state and country with their prospects of survival on the upswing.

To that end, I pledge to continue advocating for our pollinators, wildlife, open space, reduction of the use of pesticides and herbicides, clean water and clean air. That means getting environmental legislation passed in New Jersey, such as Assembly bills A3604, A3397, A3398 and Senate bills S2076 and S2077.

Speaking of “Wings,” have you really stopped to appreciate the breathtaking beauty in the wings of butterflies, moths, bees, insects, and birds? I feel so fortunate to have a photographer mate whose passion is photographing wildlife. For our eyes alone cannot appreciate the intricate, delicate, designs and patterns that exist in even the commonest of birds and insects. The camera brings all the detail, the gossamer wings, the iridescence, the uncanny color spectrum, the strength, the structure, the magnificence of it all.

And all the poems, odes, songs, books, words and art just cannot do our wildlife justice. Our wild creatures are too heart-achingly beautiful. But how lucky are we that we can see, appreciate and celebrate this amazing cornucopia of life that may be lost to future generations.

Upon reflection, the year 2016 had some great advances for the environment here in New Jersey. I had identified that the designation of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly as

New Jersey’s Official State Butterfly was the cornerstone of The Garden Club of New Jersey’s Butterflies & BeeGAP Project in September 2013.

It took two and a half years to get this accomplished with the help of State Senator Bateman, garden clubs, organizations, schools and the public, with the final passage of the bill on January 11, 2016.

It was and continues to be the cornerstone of our project to grow our pollinator population as our citizens are able to attract this beautiful butterfly and its likewise beautiful caterpillar by the simple act of growing its host plants: parsley, fennel, dill, rue, carrot (tops), Queen Anne’s lace, and golden Alexanders. The life cycles of butterflies are one of the wonders and miracles of nature, and to view it up close and personal is to become enamored of wildlife in all its beauty, mystery and enchantment.

It leads to learning more about the interdependence on all our creatures and the need to provide necessary habitat, food, shelter and protection from harmful pesticides and herbicides, as well as using an Integrated Pest Management system in our yards, gardens, public gardens, municipalities, roadsides…in other words, the entire Garden State!

Following on the heels of our successful campaign, we have launched the “Creating Pollinator Centers” Project, designed to educate the public into conserving and protecting our wildlife and specifically to grow our pollinator population.

This project was “rolled out” last fall by the GCNJ Butterflies & BeeGAP Committee with the display of six pollinator signs which provide colorful pictures and lists of seasonal plants for garden centers/ nurseries, public/private gardens, schools, museums and non-profit gardening organizations to create their “Pollinator Centers.” These signs are available through

The Garden Club of New Jersey’s website at www. gardenclubofnewjersey. com.

The project concept can be viewed on our home page, then go to Club Projects at the top of the page, scroll down to Butterflies & BeeGAP, then view the various signs, information and order form to the right. Numerous garden centers, nurseries, Monmouth Museum, Van Vleck House & Gardens have already obtained or are in the process of ordering this collaborative approach to growing our pollinator population. The signs are available in two sizes: 24 inches by 36 inches, or 18 inches by 24 inches, and can be single- or doublesided. They are of a durable corrugated plastic, UV ray protected material and can be used indoors/outdoors with handouts available.

The enthusiastic responses we have received from garden center owners, staff and garden club members have made all the time and energy devoted to creating these signs totally worth it, as it is a WIN/WIN for everyone concerned.

Garden clubs are busy right now offering these signs to garden centers/nurseries, so they can begin the spring season with a designated “Pollinator Center” area.

Join the fun and make 2017 a spectacular year for Pollinator “WINGS”— Bees, Birds, and Butterflies!

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 Life Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is a member of Neshanic Garden Club and her email address is: jeannieg42@earthlink.net The Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. gardenclubofnewjersey. com and phone number is: 732-249-0947.

22 January, 2017 All my back porch plants are now in my dining room, living room and upstairs library. This is the second year in a row that I have done this daylong move that involves re-designing rooms to have the plants near the windows.

I am happy that Ms. Ficus Tree has only dropped a few leaves and I wonder if it is because I trimmed her way back last year. If you do this, have lots of small paper towel squares to cover the stem ends with or expect to have sticky white sap all over everything.

A lot of the stems and leaves are new growth and possibly hardier than the older ones. Another factor could be that the leaves are smaller and lighter.

Originally, the tree was a variegated variety, meaning the leaves were green and white. A lot of the new growth is dark green, making me think that green and white leaves are not the dominant trait for this plant. Right now the tree has become 50/50 variegated leaves vs. dark green, and it’s rare that the dark green leaves drop.

GardenerNews.com The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

My winter-time gardening My jade plant has now finally gotten settled, almost 30 days later. I just moved her big bucket on wheels from the back porch, 30 feet to the living room, and all her branches went cock-eyed.

The last heavy October rain didn’t help either - she does not like anything more than a little sip now and then.

My lithops (living stones) are all doing very well. Every year after I bring them inside, I soak them, they get plump and some flower. Their next drink is in late-winter or early-spring. If I water them here and there, some get mushy and die, so I wait until their tops get wrinkled, which will probably be three or even four months later.

A number of other plants were given to me by

previous owners who, due to their owners’ negligence, were well on their way to dying. Now, months later for some of them, my rescue orchid’s leaves are a nice green instead of dark green with black necrotic spots on them, and one even produced the most beautiful peach and pink dot flowers that I have ever seen. All of the great big leaves that were yellow and fell off have not come back.

My biggest rescued orchid leaf so far is about five inches long. We will see and time will tell if the orchids will ever be robust again. I also have four glass planters full of bamboo that were as close to being dead as any plant I had ever seen.

I now have sturdy stalks of dark green leaves and even

some new shoots coming up, which makes me very happy.

When I first got them a good friend told me to keep them instead of throwing them out because bamboo is one hardy plant - she was right. I was seriously considering putting something else in the glass planters. I have six different kinds of specific fertilizer where I spray the foam onto the dirt and let it sink in. That has helped a lot.

Misting the entire plant is another practice that I do once a week.

Another prolific plant is the Christmas cactus.

During the move, four stems broke off and I put them in water. They rooted and are now living in a planter, well on their way to filling that

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available in New Jersey Following Secretary of Agriculture Disaster Declaration The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations located in New Jersey as a result of the freeze, excessive heat and drought on April 1 through Sept. 19, 2016.

The SBA’s disaster declaration includes the following counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Union and Warren in New Jersey.

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than June 5, 2017.

expanse of earth. Another rescue was my Hoya Carnosa Rubra wax plant, with the flowers that look like an upside down umbrella imprinted with small starlike white and pink flowers.

When I got this plant it had two leaves that the owner said had just grown a little in the three years she owned the plant?! A friend had given it to her as a rooted cutting. Hmmmm, I thought to myself, two leaves in three years? Fertilizer, Miracle Grow soil, a much bigger pot and a wooden trellis and now I have a threefoot-tall plant with hundreds of leaves with wild fronds shooting out everywhere to see what they can grab onto to make the plant even larger!

This thing would cover an entire hundred-foot-long fence if I lived in a state with year round warmth. I like plants… and they like me.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

GardenerNews.com Now that the Presidential election is over and Donald Trump is well on his way to his inauguration and the start of his four-year term, many are starting to focus on what will be the primary areas of focus for the Trump administration.

And as is usually the case, there has not been a lot of mainstream media coverage of President-elect Trump’s positions on agricultural issues. Because President-elect Trump does not have much in the way of a political body of work to be judged on, there is quite a bit of uncertainty within the agricultural community as to how the Trump administration will come down on many farming-related issues.

One comment that came out of the Trump transition team that did address (at least broadly,) their attitude toward agriculture was the promise to “defend American agriculture against its critics, particularly those who have never grown or produced anything beyond a backyard tomato plant.”

(Politico, 11/14/16).

As a grower, this statement is particularly refreshing, especially considering the growing disconnect that has been forming between farmers and some of the agricultural decision makers in It seems every neighborhood has one or two properties with serious runoff problems. These areas of bare dirt gather up a momentum of mud every time it rains. The mud ends up on the sidewalk and in the streets, and ultimately in sewer drains. Why is this happening? Can’t something be done?

It baffles me why some homeowners seem to ignore these problems. These situations are usually caused by a number of conditions.

Perhaps this area of the property has severe shade problems and grass will not grow. If the runoff area is not getting at least two to three hours of filtered sunlight a day, it will be hard to grow grass there.

Consider removing some trees or at least remove some lower branches so sunlight can help dry out the soil and grow grass.

Another option is to heavily mulch these areas so soil does not erode. Be sure that the flow of water from a downpour will not move the mulch around. If this happens, you need to work

January, 2017 23 The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

President Trump and Agriculture Washington, D.C. throughout the past few years. The same article also went on to say that “The Trump-Pence administration will use the best available science to determine appropriate regulations for the food and agriculture sector; agriculture will NOT be regulated based upon the latest trend on social media.”

I know that there are many growers who are sick and tired of people with absolutely no agricultural experience telling them how they should be farming. I know, I know, reading a handful of slanted online articles and watching the Discovery Channel does qualify someone as an expert.

But really, I hardly think that this type of superficial experience should justify someone setting agricultural policies. Just the shift from one administration to another will be enough to cause

many farmers to become more optimistic.

Another area where the new administration may be beneficial to farmers is in the area of environmental regulation.

The Trump transition team has been quoted as saying that they will choose an EPA administrator who is “friendly to farmers,” and that they “will kill the ‘unlawful’ Waters of the United States rule.”

(Politico 11/14/16).

There are a couple of agricultural issues that could be problematic for the Trump Administration. The Trump campaign spent a lot of time talking about immigration issues.

While it is clear that changes do have to be made, many growers are very wary that a drastic shift in immigration policies, no matter how well intentioned, could cause a disruption in the availability of competent agricultural workers.

And especially for those growers who rely upon seasonal labor, this issue will be sure to be on their radar throughout the next four years.

Another potential area of conflict within the agricultural community has to do with the United States’ trade policies.

Certain sectors of agriculture favor unrestricted trade with other countries. This would open up new markets and should create increased demand for American farm products.

Commodities which are already heavily exported now, such as corn, soybeans, and wheat would probably tend to benefit.

But then there are other sectors of agriculture that would not be in favor of this type of policy and would like to see more restrictions, especially on imports. An example of this would be vegetable growers in

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Are you tired of runoff? on drainage problems.

Rainwater from the rooftop needs to filter its way into the ground and not just blaze a mud path across the property. Install a French drain to stop or slow down the movement of water in that area. You can also divert some of the water with an above-ground drainpipe onto a grassy area that will prevent erosion and allow the water to filter slowly into the ground. This will help to keep mulch in place in these bare dirt areas.

Speaking of drainage, is your property graded correctly? The ground must be pitched away from the house foundation. Create a drainage swale in the grass to help divert the force of the water coming off of the house during

rainfall. If you have severe drainage problems, getting a professional to correct this may be your only choice.

The most likely reason your may have runoff in your yard is poor soil quality.

Grass cannot thrive without the proper soil conditions; neither can tomatoes in your garden. Soil pH needs to be between 6.2 and 7.0 for best growth. This requires you to take a soil test. These kits are available at your local lawn and garden center or hardware store, or you can get a soil test kit from your local county extension office.

Quality soil is a general statement, but you need the proper mix of clay, silt and sand to create a good growing medium along with some organic matter.

Sandy soils are a larger particle that drain quickly and are frequently used to break up clay soils when mixed together. Silty soil is made up of medium-sized particles and may erode quickly if not kept moist.

Clay soils are made of very small particles, which compact easily and need soil amendments added, such as sand or peat moss.

Good soil is rich in humus, which is created by decaying materials such as leaves, grass clippings and compost. Healthy soil also has a higher water holding capacity. This is the type of soil quality you want to achieve.

Exposed soil without any vegetation to hold the soil in place causes problems, too, such as fertilizer runoff and

Florida and California who might see increased competition from Mexican and Central American growers who do not have the same costs of production as their counterparts in the United States.

Other growers are very concerned about lax phytosanitary standards in other countries and are worried about the spread of new diseases and invasive insects that would be extremely detrimental to the security of our own agricultural industry.

But this type of back and forth on trade policies is nothing new and has been debated for years within the farming community.

It will surely be interesting to see what changes are in store for agriculture!

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. leaching. Any applications of fertilizer to bare soil are really worthless since there are no grass plants to absorb the nutrients. Many times these areas get fertilized anyway when making fertilizer applications.

If there are not grass plants to absorb the lawn food, the fertilizer either leaches downward in the soil or washes across the soil surface, potentially into streets and eventually into water ways. New Jersey enacted their lawn fertilizer laws in order to reduce this type of runoff and water contamination. Studies show that unused nutrients from fertilizers can create algae blooms which are not good for the environment.

Please do your part to establish grass vegetation on any exposed bare dirt areas of your home. Mother Nature will thank you.

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

24 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

New Director Named for New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Marketing and Development New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher announced the appointment of Thomas Beaver, of Mt. Laurel, as Director of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Marketing and Development. Beaver had previously spent eight years with the New Jersey Farm Bureau. He replaces Al Murray who retired November 30, 2016.

“Tom Beaver has a wealth of experience, having spent much of his career working in the farm community, advancing the interests of agriculture in the Garden State,” Secretary Fisher said. “We look forward to working with him on the many new developments that are facing our industry, and the opportunities we see going forward.

Beaver was a public affairs representative for the New Jersey Farm Bureau from 2008-2016. He directed outreach initiatives and coordinated the development of broad-based coalitions with key trade associations and commodity organizations. He also directed marketing and outreach initiatives to promote the state’s agricultural industry.

Beaver earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a master’s in public policy and administration from Rutgers University. He also worked as a graduate research assistant at the Sen. Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers.

“From managing the prestigious Jersey Fresh program to positioning New Jersey producers at the forefront as new food safety regulations take effect, the division plays a key role in helping to ensure New Jersey agriculture remains an economic powerhouse in an increasingly competitive environment,” Beaver said. “I’m looking forward to working alongside the Secretary of Agriculture, the State Board of Agriculture and the incredibly talented staff within the division to continue to advance the interests of the industry.”

The Division of Marketing and Development plays a critical role in enhancing the markets of New Jersey farm products by developing and expanding markets, both here and abroad.

The Division provides regulatory and service programs to the agricultural community, in accordance with policies of the State Board of Agriculture and the state so as to enable abundant supplies of fresh, wholesome agricultural commodities and products.

The Division also provides an array of marketing and regulatory services that benefit the agricultural community and the public. The Bureau of Market Development and Product Promotion and the Economic Development section help farmers access new markets, as well as work to improve bottom line efficiencies on the farm. Inspectors from the Bureau of Commodity Inspection and Grading ensure that the public receives quality produce, seafood, poultry and egg products. The agricultural chemistry bureau inspects and certifies various fertilizers and feeds purchased by New Jersey farmers. The Equine Industry programs provide equine services as well as administer the Sire Stakes program.

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New Members Take Seats on New Jersey State Board of Agriculture Morris County corn, soybean, hay and oats farmer Dan Farrand, Cumberland County nursery owner Ed Overdevest and Atlantic County vegetable producer August Wuillermin are the newest members of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture.

The New Jersey State Board of Agriculture installed Farrand, Overdevest and Wuillermin to four-year terms on November 16 during its meeting held at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture building in Trenton, Mercer County.

Farrand, Overdevest and Wuillermin were elected by the delegates at the February 2016 State Agricultural Convention for recommendation to the Governor for nomination and later confirmed by the State Senate.

“Dan Farrand, Ed Overdevest and August Wuillermin are great additions to the State Board of Agriculture, demonstrating the diversity of New Jersey’s agriculture industry,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “They bring their vast knowledge and experience to the board, which sets policy for the industry throughout the entire state.”

Farrand earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business Management from the University of Delaware. He helps operate Harbe Dan Farm in Long Valley. He is past president of the Morris County Board of Agriculture, and was director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau for 16 years. He is also a founding member of the Garden State Ethanol Committee and the N.J. Grain and Forage Producers Association and is chairman of the N.J. Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.

Overdevest earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and operates Overdevest Nurseries in Bridgeton. The 290-acre nursery produces over 2,000 varieties of perennials, shrubs and trees. He has been past president of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association and represented New Jersey for the American Nursery and Landscape Association. He is past director of the Bridgeton Area Chamber of Commerce and Garden State Farm Credit. He also has served as an executive board member on the Cumberland County Board of Agriculture and is on the Cohansey Area Watershed Association board of directors.

Wuillermin manages a 350-acre farm with his brother Ed Wuillermin Jr. August Wuillermin is past president and vice-president of the Atlantic County Board of Agriculture. He is also a voting delegate on the New Jersey Farm Bureau, is on the Farm Bureau board of directors and is on the board of managers for the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Education Association.

The State Board of Agriculture comprises eight members who serve for four years, with two members being replaced each year. By law, at least four of its members must represent the top commodity groups in the state. Members serve without salary. For more information, visit www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/sba.

GardenerNews.com

January, 2017 25

Seventh Annual Chapman Phytosanitary Irradiation Forum March 21-22, 2017

Burlington County Teen Named 2017 NJ Agricultural Fair Ambassador

Mark your calendars to attend the Sixth Annual Chapman Phytosanitary Irradiation Forum on March 21-22, 2017 at Chapman University in Orange, California.

Organized in cooperation with the USDA and the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme, the objective of the forum is to increase understanding and use of irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment to enhance global trade and prevent invasive pests.

To register and/or receive additional information about the 2017 forum, visit http://www.chapman.edu/food-irradiation-workshop.

Kerri McBride of Medford has been chosen as the 2017 New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador. The 17-year-old home-schooled 12th grader was selected from among six contestants by the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey during the group’s fall dinner on November 6 in Eastampton.

As ambassador, McBride is charged with visiting the state’s agricultural fairs in 2017, discussing the fairs, promoting agri-tourism to the public and bringing people together to support the state’s agriculture industry. “Based on Kerri’s enthusiasm and passion for agriculture, we know she will be a wonderful spokesperson as she attends our state’s agricultural fairs next summer,� New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “Kerri’s dedication is sure to inspire other young people to get involved in agricultural youth organizations and perhaps move into agriculture careers in the future.�

McBride is currently a member of 4-H Clogging, the 4-H Player’s Club, is a 4-H food and fitness ambassador for Burlington County and conducts research projects which she presents at the Delaware Valley Science Fair each year. She is also a Junior Statesman of America member, is the Burlington County Farm Fair queen and has been a volunteer at Drexel University’s environmental engineering lab. “I am so honored to be the fair ambassador and to reach out to everyone in New Jersey, whether they live on a farm or not and to show them the importance of agriculture and why we need it and why it’s vital to each and every one of us,� McBride said. “I think I represent a large portion of people who are interested in agriculture, but don’t necessarily live on a farm.�

McBride has plans to major in biomedical engineering in college with the goal of pursuing research in that area.

This is the 14th year the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey has named an ambassador. In choosing an ambassador, the Association seeks a good representation of young people active in agriculture in the Garden State and their county fair.

There were 20 agricultural fairs in the state this past summer, including the New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. The earliest fair is held in June, with the final fair of the season in early October.

For more information on New Jersey’s agricultural fairs, visit www.njagfairs.com.

40,000 FREE Trees & Shrubs from the NJ Tree Foundation The NJ Tree Foundation, in partnership with Treecycler, is offering 40,000 tree & shrub saplings for free.

Trees & shrubs may be used for reforestation, stream bank restoration, etc. ‡7UHHV VKUXEV PXVW EH RUGHUHG LQ SDFNV RI RQH SDFNHW

Minimum order is 500 trees/shrubs or 5 packets. Â&#x2021;$ VLPSOH RQH SDJH ILQDO UHSRUW DQG SKRWRJUDSKV EHIRUH after) of the tree planting will be required. Â&#x2021;7KH 1- 7UHH )RXQGDWLRQ UHTXHVWV WKDW \RX SXEOLFL]H \RXU WUHH planting on social media (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram) and regular media. Â&#x2021;7UHHV PXVW EH SLFNHG XS IURP RQH RI WKH ORFDWLRQV OLVWHG <RX may pick up your order from the Jackson location at any time.

Simply call ahead first. Â&#x2021;7UHHV PXVW EH SODQWHG DQG QRW JLYHQ DZD\ Questions? Email Lisa Simms, lsimms@njtreefoundation.org Application deadline: January 30, 2017

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 165 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

January Columnists Tom Castronovo Evan Dickerson Douglas H. Fisher Larry Katz Craig Korb Steve Schuckman

TO RESERVE AD SPACE IN GARDENER NEWS CALL: 908.604.4444

Todd Pretz Nelson Lee Bob LaHoff Peter Melick Richard Perkins

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Brian Bosenberg Hubert Ling

Jeannie Geremia William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D.

Gardener News is published monthly by

Gardener News, Inc. 16 Mount Bethel Road #123 Warren, NJ 07059 The Gardener News invites correspondences on gardening subjects of interest. Gardener News, Inc, and its Publisher reserve the right to accept, refuse, or discontinue any editorial or copy, and shall not be liable to anyone for printing errors, misinformation or omissions in editorial or copy. The information contained in articles herein represents the opinions of the authors and, although believed to be accurate and complete, is not represented or warranted by Gardener News, Inc. to be accurate or complete.

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Full Moon, January 12, 2017 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

All firewood should be seasoned for at least six months, at which point its moisture content will be around 20 percent, resulting in efficient, low-smoke fires. If you buy bundles of wood at a gas station, supermarket, hardware store or elsewhere, let the wood dry out before you use it. Wood wrapped in plastic might be too moist to burn optimally. A full cord is a unit of cut wood that measures 128 cubic feet, or a stack roughly four feet high by eight feet long by four feet deep. A face cord is four feet high by eight feet long and as deep as the individual logsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;typically 16, 20, or 24 inches.

26 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

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28 January, 2017

GardenerNews.com

inspiration strikes

Spinach Frittata Find your inspiration with healthy recipes at kingsfoodmarkets.com/healthy

Eat Healthy, Every Day, In Every Aisle At Kings, healthy eating is anything but ordinary. You’ll find organic produce, non-GMO ingredients and exciting new foods to try around every corner. This year, our commitment means exclusively offering Cage Free shell and liquid eggs in our Kings Own line, all from family-owned farms, making it easier to serve your family a wholesome meal.

Start off an inspirational New Year at your neighborhood Kings today.

©2017 Kings Food Markets