Gardener News June 2020

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

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June 2020

TAKE ONE No. 206

Spread the Word: “Killer” Hornet NOT Found in the Northeastern U.S.

By Michelle Infante-Casella Rutgers NJAES Although media reports have triggered panic over the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) there are no reports this pest is present anywhere else in North America besides the Pacific Northwest.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Agriculture and Natural Resource personnel have received inquiries to identify hornets found by the public.

In New Jersey, Rutgers Cooperative Extension county offices have not identified any submitted specimens to be the Asian giant hornet. The Asian giant hornet has only had confirmed sightings in Washington State and British Columbia, Canada.

“The species has not yet been detected this spring and we do not expect them on the East Coast,” said Professor Dina M. Fonseca, director of the Center for Vector Biology in the Department Entomology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers–New Brunswick. “We do not know how the species arrived in the United States but it is important to not overreact.”

Washington State University’s information on the Asian giant hornet confirmed the first U.S. sighting of this hornet in the wild. The first two specimens were found in Nanaimo and White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, (Cont. on Page 4) in fall 2019.

Washington State Department of Agriculture/Photo

Asian giant hornet, the world’s largest species of hornet, was found late last year in northwest Washington. Extension scientists at Washington State University are partnering with state agencies, beekeepers, and citizens to identify and report the invasive insect.

2 June 2020

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June 2020 3

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

The Dark Side of Gardening

New growth on plants is like caviar to pests such as ants, aphids, bagworms, spider mites and whiteflies.

The trick is identification, prevention, and daily monitoring.

Let’s start off with ants.

Ants seldom feed directly on plants, but they can sometimes damage plants in other ways. When ant colonies build their nests under plants, it disturbs the roots and deprives the plants of water.

Ants are attracted to aphids due to the fact that aphids give off a sweet secretion. The ants will collect these aphid secretions, and take them back to their nests. The ants will also protect the aphids from predators. If you do find ants in your garden, check to make sure that aphids are not present as well.

If ants are coming into your home, place a substance that ants dislike along door thresholds, window ledges, baseboards — anywhere ants might enter your home.

Ants dislike cinnamon, cayenne pepper, ground chalk and cornmeal. You can also spray some common white vinegar and water where ants enter your home to keep them out.

Aphids are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. They usually occur in colonies on the undersides of tender terminal growth. Heavily infested leaves can wilt or turn yellow because of excessive sap removal. The insects are very small, measuring one-eighth of an inch at most in length and are either green, yellow, orange, gray, black or white in appearance.

They are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants. Populations left unchecked can cover a plant and suck it dry. Daily monitoring pays off.

Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, will feed on aphids. Supplemental populations of these insects can be ordered online and should help keep the aphid populations controlled from the start.

You can also spray aphids off of plants with a strong stream of water from a garden hose. This method is most effective early in the season before an infestation has fully taken hold. It may not be a good choice for younger or more delicate plants, but it works well on plants where you can use higher water pressure.

What’s a bagworm?

Bagworms are the larval form of a moth that attacks evergreens. The worm inside each bag feeds on the plant, building a case around itself for protection from predators. The case is made from bits of the plant the insect is feeding on and slowly enlarges over time as the insect grows. Females lay eggs in the bags in late fall. The best control, if you only have a few bagworms, is to handpick the bags and drop them into soapy water or put them out with the trash. You can also treat with traditional insecticides. Follow directions carefully on timing. Once larvae are more mature and tucked into thicker bags, the chances of a spray reaching the worm

itself are small.

What’s a spider mite?

Spider mites are not true insects, but are classed as a type of arachnid, relatives of spiders, ticks and scorpions.

If your garden plants have mottled leaves and lots of fine webs, chances are you have spider mites. Most mites are too small to see without magnification, but if you’ve fallen behind in your watering, and it’s been hot, dusty and dry, those are the perfect conditions for these sap-suckers. Usually by the time you notice the infestation, it’s too late to save the plant.

Conifers often react slowly to the feeding of this mite. Yellowing and bronzing of the needles may not become apparent until the heat of summer, even though the damage may have occurred the previous fall and spring.

Early detection of spider mites, before damage is noticed, is important. The tiny spider mites can be detected by taking a piece of white paper or cardboard and striking some plant foliage over it. The dislodged mites can be seen walking slowly on the paper. If crushed in a streaking motion with your finger, most plant-feeding mites will produce a green streak. If the mites streak yellow or orange, they are likely beneficial predators. If 10 or more spider mites per sample are common, controls are probably needed.

The best defense is prevention. Give your plants consistent deep watering, especially when it gets hot, and periodically sprinkle the area to keep down the dust and discourage the mites, who prefer things dry.

Do you have white clouds of tiny insects around your plants?

Whiteflies use their piercing, needlelike mouthparts to suck sap from phloem, the food-conducting tissues in plant stems and leaves. Large populations can cause leaves to turn yellow, appear dry, or fall off plants. Like aphids, whiteflies excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew, so leaves may be sticky or covered with black sooty mold that grows on honeydew.

The honeydew attracts ants, which interfere with the activities of natural enemies that may control whiteflies and other pests.

Due to whitefly feeding, plants will quickly become extremely weak and may be unable to carry out photosynthesis.

When it comes to whiteflies, avoid chemical insecticides; they’re usually resistant and all you end up doing is killing the beneficial insects—their natural predators—and the insects which pollinate the garden for a better harvest.

Yellow stick boards coated with petroleum jelly makes it easy to monitor whiteflies, especially when it comes to tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, or cabbage crops. Most insects are attracted to the color yellow.

You can go to the bright side of the garden by looking at your plants every day.

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, landscaping and nursery communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.

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4 June 2020 We are about to enter June, which marks more than three months that we have lived in a world dramatically changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, its addition of face coverings to our daily wardrobe, and the strange new rhythms limiting shopping schedules.

We made it through March and April, through quarantines and lockdowns, through daily reminders to take precautions not only for ourselves, but for fellow residents.

And yet, as I write this at April’s end, there is still uncertainty about where we go from here. Yes, we’ve seen some all-important “flattening of the curve” in spots, but we are all aware that rushing back to “normal” too soon is inviting another round of the infection’s spread.

No one wants that.

We have seen much of the messaging on our TVs, radios and Internet sites, sending out messages of thanks to the people who have been most instrumental in curbing the spread of the virus, helping the sick to heal, the survivors of those who could not heal to grieve, the students displaced from schools to learn, and the employees of grocery stores and pharmacies to keep us all in the essential supplies needed to live our lives.

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Thanking New Jersey Farmers

by Showing Our Support Through all the challenges, these first-line people have done everything they could – some working almost endless shifts in the most distressing conditions – to hold our world together in the face of the most dire circumstances many of us have ever lived through.

Well, I may be biased as the Garden State’s Secretary of Agriculture, but I want to add my voice to the grateful chorus by mentioning a group that may not always be in the spotlight, but which will become more and more important as we move through this coming summer – our state’s farmers.

Quietly, often in the dark of the pre-dawn hours, our farmers throughout the state have been working hard, with a particular determination to not let this

pandemic get in the way of the job they start each year in the latewinter/early-spring and don’t finish until the last of everything they grow is harvested, often through November and into December (in the case of turkey producers and Christmas tree growers) and all-year-long (in the case of dairy farmers).

As many of us were adjusting to new lives centered around our homes, they were out tilling the soil, preparing plantings in their greenhouses, and putting the seeds of what is their life’s work into the fields, as the dark clouds settled over the country and we spent countless hours asking how this nightmare could have happened and wondering when it might end.

It is difficult to think how people could remain so focused

and dedicated, with everything swirling around us in 24/7 news coverage of the pandemic, but they go out amidst all of this to work their fields, tend their crops and livestock, in full Jersey fashion, to ensure that the fresh agricultural products we all will be clamoring for in the coming months will be on store shelves, available at farm markets and at their own farm stands, in abundance.

The greatest thanks we can give these hard-working farm families is to support more fully than we ever have before. Fruits and vegetables – so vital to maintaining a healthy immune system with which to fight off the virus – will be available.

And the surest way to know you are buying produce that comes from our neighbors on these New Jersey farms is to demand real, local,

Jersey Fresh produce. The same goes for meats, dairy products, ornamental plants and cut flowers.

We have such an abundance and diversity of agricultural products grown and produced in New Jersey that it is hard to imagine they all can come from a state with such a small land mass and just 9 million residents.

In even “normal” years, it is an amazing feat. At a time like this, it deserves all the thanks and support we as consumers can muster.

Thank a farmer by helping to ensure they will be around again next year.

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

Spread the Word: “Killer” Hornet NOT Found in the Northeastern U.S (Continued from page 1)

The hornets were reported to be attacking colonies of honeybees in Washington State. The Asian giant hornet is known to aggressively attack honeybees and can destroy entire honeybee colonies. Washington State University recently published an extensive fact sheet with identification and guidance for the public. According to the WSU Pest Alert, Asian giant hornets are not generally aggressive towards people, but may sting when threatened.

“The Asian giant hornet is unlikely to be present in New Jersey,” Fonseca said. “While citizens in the Pacific Northwest can help detect any emerging hornets this spring, which is critical for its control, the indiscriminate killing of bees, wasps or other hornet lookalikes, would be detrimental because of beneficial roles these insects provide as plant pollinators and predators of agricultural pests.”

An insect that looks similar and can be confused for the Asian giant hornet is the Cicada killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus). The large solitary wasps are found throughout the U.S. and burrow holes in the soil. Even with their large size, dangerous appearance and “dive-bombing” habit, adult Cicada killer wasps rarely come into contact with people and it is rare they will sting. The males of this species will make “dive-bombing” flight patterns, but do not have a stinger and an attack would not result

in a sting. The female’s tubular egg-laying structure on the rear end can function as a very weak stinger. Her mild sting is similar to a slight pin scratch and is not considered by most people to be painful. Rutgers Cooperative Extension has more information on the Cicada Killer Wasp and other bees and wasps.

As more information comes out regarding the Asian giant hornet, it is best to pay attention to where this insect has been confirmed and how far it has spread. It is most likely that the Asian giant hornet would first spread and be reported in surrounding areas bordering Washington State and British Columbia, Canada, before any reports would occur on the East Coast. Knowing this information may help to calm fears when seeing other hornets and wasps. As always, take precautions and avoid contact with stinging insects. For identification and recommendations, contact your local county Rutgers Cooperative Extension office.

Editor’s Note: Authored by Michelle Infante-Casella, an Agricultural Agent/Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County, N.J. and William Bamka, an Agricultural Agent/Associate Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County, N.J.

GardenerNews.com

June 2020 5

6 June 2020

R U T G ER S N J AE S / R C E Office of Continuing Professional Education

Online Beekeeping Workshops Sustainable Beekeeping June 9, 2020 | 6:30pm-7:30pm | $35 In the US, beekeepers lose 30% – 40% of their hives each year. In this one-hour webinar you will learn methods to maintain your beehives in a more sustainable way, minimizing losses through management, using local bee stocks, and creating resource hives.

Small Scale Queen Rearing June 16, 2020 | 6:30pm-7:30pm | $35 Have you ever considered raising your own honeybee queens? In this workshop, you will learn about queen and drone biology, stock selection, queen rearing techniques, tools, and equipment, starter and finisher hives, setting up mating yards, and record keeping.

New to online learning? No problem!

A few days before the class, you will receive an email containing how-to tips to help you use our learning platform, Webex. Plus, log in early to practice and learn the features!

Register Online Today! http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/BEES

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: 856-224-8040 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

GardenerNews.com

From the Director’s Desk

Rutgers Outreach Provided by Brian Schilling Director

Better Days Lie Ahead

Foremost, I extend best wishes to all Gardener News readers with a sincere hope that you and your loved ones are well.

The global public health crisis caused by COVID-19 presents challenges that, for most of us, have no parallel in recent history. It is presenting each of us with fears and hardships that we all hope ease as the days go on. We all look forward to the better days that lie ahead.

At the same time, we can find inspiration in the selfless acts of people as they help their neighbors and communities through troubling times, most notably those in our healthcare system and those who help us sustain ourselves.

I continue to be amazed at the modern marvel that we call our food system, and all of those who work tirelessly and at personal risk to ensure our country retains its ability to feed itself. We owe them our gratitude.

All facets of our society are being deeply impacted by the virus and social distancing. We at your state university are most certainly not immune. In mid-March, the decision was made to suspend in-person classes at Rutgers University and move most classes into online formats. With a student body of more than 70,000, this was a monumental effort. But students and faculty alike rose to the challenge.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), too, rose to meet the challenges presented by COVID19. In-person program restrictions began in midMarch, culminating with the closure of our county offices. But we remain open for business, albeit in a virtual sense.

Our faculty and staff have demonstrated a resolve to ensure that the services we provide to communities and people, all across the state, continue through remote education and communication platforms. Their ingenuity and resilience, and above all commitment to those they serve, are inspiring and deeply appreciated.

I point to a few examples.

Dr. Don Schaffner, distinguished professor in food science and an internationally respected microbial risk expert, has been tirelessly working to provide credible, science-based information on issues pertaining to personal safety measures amid the pandemic. Chief among them are his efforts to bring factual information – and dispelling nonfactual claims – to those concerned about minimizing virus transmission through proper sanitation, hand washing, and handling of groceries or takeout orders.

Family and Community Health Sciences faculty and staff are bringing resources to families such as the Get Moving Get HealthyNJ Workforce Wellness program, focusing on

self-care during the prolonged period of social distancing. Our experts are providing a wide range of resources to help people adjust to the realities we now face – from healthy eating and nutrition, to food preparation and storage, to physical and mental well-being.

The Department of 4-H Youth Development is continually finding innovative ways to engage our state’s youth while in-person club activities and events are not feasible. Faculty and staff developed 4-H from Home webinars that offer interactive lessons on topics such as healthy living, STEM topics, civic engagement, the arts and other subjects. They are doing a remarkable job engaging our state’s youth under challenging circumstances.

Our commitment to supporting our agricultural industry also remains unwavering. A new “Ask the Agent” program on Wednesday evenings allows open-discussion forums on matters affecting growers. A team of experts from the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station worked with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to develop best practices to maintain vital access to food through our state’s farm markets, while at the same time reducing COVID-19 exposure risks. Agricultural agents are also developing resources to aid farmers with practices to protect the well-being of agricultural workers during the pandemic. Our IPM programs continue to help farmers identify insect and disease pathogens and select appropriate treatment options to protect their crops.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, RCE faculty launched an Earth Day at Home webinar series. These weekly webinars are drawing hundreds of participants and continue through the end of June (visit the Rutgers Environmental Stewards website for information).

Furthering the noble goal of cherishing our natural world, we are coordinating home gardening resources for new and existing garden enthusiasts, complemented by health and wellness tips and educational activities for children.

This initiative is a response to the heightened interest in gardening among homebound families—whether such interest is rooted in food production, the joys of outdoor activity and engagement with nature, or purely the emotional and physical benefits of working in a garden.

While our lives have been turned upside down by COVID-19, one truth remains unaltered.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (njaes.rutgers. edu) has served our state’s residents, communities and businesses for more than a century – and we remain committed to serving you. As always, we are here when you need us.

Editor’s Note: Brian J. Schilling, Ph.D., is Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Senior Associate Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and a professor of agricultural, food and resource economics.

GardenerNews.com

R U T G ER S N J AE S / R C E

June 2020 7

Mountain Mint – Truly, A Gardener’s Mint Mint is a plant that conjures up a multitude of emotions among gardeners.

Our first thought is of a plant with wonderfully fragrant foliage that combines well with iced tea and mint juleps.

Unfortunately, this is matched with an equally unsettling vision of a plant that knows no boundaries and will rapidly spread throughout your garden.

True mints are found within the genus Mentha, and their aggressive nature makes them problematic. However, there are other plants in the mint family, or Lamiaceae, that display a far greater degree of garden refinement and manners.

Mountain Mint, botanically known as Pycnanthemum muticum, is one such plant.

Mountain Mint is certainly not a new plant to the world of horticulture. It was first discovered by the French botanist Andre Michaux (17461802) in 1790, when he found As the Director of the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE), I have the privilege of leading one of the most innovative and diverse educational program portfolios in the world.

This Lifelong Learning column is dedicated to amplifying innovative programs and courses available throughout the year. Please visit the website at the bottom to obtain the full list of classes available.

June Trivia Question: What is the difference between a pond and a lake?

Spotlight Program: This month’s spotlight program area is critical to the preservation of New Jersey’s diverse ecosystems – Rutgers Surface Water Quality Educational Series. This innovative and much needed training series educates environmental professionals seeking to maintain water quality and protect our local ecosystems.

It’s almost summertime! The fish are jumping, the weather is warming, and invasive plant species have begun their annual growing cycle. Last year, residents throughout the Garden State felt the recreational and economic impacts caused by Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs).

The nationwide outbreak caused beach closures and wide-ranging health advisories. There were more

masses of the plant growing in Pennsylvania. Michaux initially named the plant Brachystemum muticum, which was updated in 1806 by the French botanist and mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (1761-1836) to Pycnanthemum. Pyknos is Greek for “dense” and Anthos means “flower.” The species epithet comes from the Latin Muticus, for “blunt,” a reference to the dome-shaped or blunt appearance of the apical flowers.

Although the common name is Mountain Mint, it actually does not grow in alpine regions, but rather in open, moist fields and forest edges.

I was not introduced to this plant until 2010, while touring Central Park. It appeared periodically throughout the park as a two- to three-foottall mass of shimmering silver along the edge of woodlands and ponds.

Although the day was cloudy and it was growing beneath the canopy of tall trees, the plant gave the impression of sunlight cutting through openings in the canopy and illuminating

the forest floor beneath. The gentleman leading the tour mentioned how these masses of Mountain Mint had been installed in an effort to reduce weeds and it was not invasive.

A weed-suppressing, noninvasive mint – my interest in this plant began to grow!

The shimmering, silvery effect of the plant was not the result of a true flower petal, but rather a pair of silver colored bracts or modified leaves that subtend the central boss of small white flowers. The flowers themselves are roughly one-eighth of an inch long, white with pink markings, and are densely arranged in a half-inch diameter compressed flower structure called a cyme.

It is this dense arrangement of flowers that sparked the crafting of the genus name.

The flowers open over a threemonth period beginning in June and are a great source of nectar for pollinators. In fact, it is rare that the plants are not a flurry of activity when in bloom. My interest in this plant has grown even further!

The lance-shaped, dark green foliage, measures two to two-and-a-half inches long and like a typical mint, the foliage is very aromatic when rubbed.

Tightly clad to the square stems with only a short petiole, the foliage contains pulegone, an oil with an aroma reminiscent of spearmint that is very effective at repelling mosquitoes when rubbed on the skin. It also eliminates deer browse!

Mountain Mint is a great plant for working into the garden. It looks great paired with the silver foliage of Lamb’s Ear and it is great at brightening the darker foliage of deep purple-leaved plants like Purple Leaved Smoketree.

The plants grow well in full sun or light shade, providing that the soil does not become excessively dry. The rhizomes do spread about four to six inches per year, but they are easily cut with a garden spade and the shallow stems are easily extracted.

My interest and admiration for what this plant can provide for the garden only continues

Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education

By Kenneth M. Karamichael Director

Lifelong Learning

than 70 suspected and 39 confirmed HABs in New Jersey, distressing Lake Hopatcong, Greenwood Lake, Lake Mohawk, Echo Lake, Budd Lake, Spruce Run Reservoir, Branch Brook Lake, and Deal Lake – to name just a few of the locations affected.

What is all the fuss about?

A HAB is an excessive growth or “bloom” of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria aren’t actually algae.

They are prokaryotes, singlecelled aquatic organisms that are closely related to bacteria and can photosynthesize like algae. In any case, HABs can make a gorgeous lake look and smell like a mucky swamp. Cyanobacteria blooms often coagulate into a thick coating or mat on the surface of a body of water.

It can look like thick pea soup or a greenish-blue paint spill.

More important than being aesthetically displeasing, HABs can

be dangerous to people, animals, and the area’s ecosystem. Not all, but some HABs produce chemicals that can be toxic (even deadly) to humans and animals if ingested, inhaled, or even touched.

Exposure to the algae blooms can cause skin rashes. If consumed, it can cause abdominal pain, headaches, vomiting, nausea, mouth blisters, and flu-like symptoms. In extreme cases, HABs can cause liver toxicity and neurological damage.

HABs are only one of many factors to consider in lake or pond management. There are invasive species like hydrilla and water chestnut to control as well. Want to learn more? Rutgers has the course for you!

Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance Online Course - July 14-15, 2020, (8:15am to 12:15pm).

This one-day (online) course will teach you how to properly design,

manage, and maintain a small body of water. Before the pond you manage is hampered by excessive amounts of algae, cloudy water, unhealthy fish, or other common problems, learn the art and science of appearance and function. Topics covered include: Embankments, Aquascaping littoral benches, Dams, Maintaining a stable shoreline, Liners, Optimizing habitats for fish/ wildlife, Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs).

Come learn what triggered this intense blue-green algae and the cyanotoxins linked to human/pet health problems, as well as what you can do to protect your pond from experiencing a HAB. Don’t just go with the flow...keep common problems at bay by attending this expert-led class taught by veteran instructor Dr. Stephen J. Souza, owner of Clean Waters Consulting, LLC.

to grow as I find new ways to incorporate this plant into designs. Pycnanthemum is not the best garnish for a glass of iced tea or a mint julep.

However, if you have been searching for a deer-resistant native plant that is friendly to pollinators, suppresses weeds and works well with others, here is a mint that you surely want to add to your list of great garden-worthy plants.

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth, is the Rutgers State Program Leader for Home and Public Horticulture, a part time lecturer in Landscape Architecture at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, regularly participates in the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education Program, and Past President of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at crawford@njaes. rutgers.edu.

Note: This course is approved for continuing education credits for Certified Lake Managers, New York Landscape Architects, New Jersey Certified Public Works Managers, New Jersey and New York Professional Engineers, as well as New York Land Surveyors. For more details, please visit our website or contact Suzanne Hills at (suzanne. hills@rutgers.edu) or 848-932-7234.

Trivia Answer: If the water is deep enough that light does not penetrate to the bottom, and photosynthesis is limited to the top layer, the body of water is considered a lake. A pond is a body of water shallow enough to support rooted plants.

Visit CPE.RUTGERS.EDU to learn more about the spotlight program and the hundreds of programs available at Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station each year!

Learning Never Ends for the New Jersey Gardener!

Editor’s Note: Kenneth M. Karamichael, Ed.M., is the Director of the Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education within Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Ken can be reached at kenneth@ rutgers.edu.

8 June 2020

GardenerNews.com

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GardenerNews.com

June 2020 9

In Pursuit of a Dogwood Tree

By Jeannie Geremia Contributing Writer

Yes, my gardening friends, I’ve been in hot pursuit of a dogwood tree the past few weeks as we’ve all been asked to plant a tree in our yard. The Garden Club of New Jersey’s parent organization, National Garden Clubs, President Gay Austin implored each of us to plant a tree each year of her administration (2019-2021). Please refer to my February 2020 Gardener News article entitled “Plant America with Trees: Each One Plant One,” and join me in this adventure.

Yes, it’s been quite an adventure as I already have majestic oaks, hickories, and understory redbud trees on my half-acre, making it a woodland setting that would not support many trees needing full sun or lots of room.

Dogwoods were front and center in my selection from the get-go, as there were dogwoods in my yard many years ago that were lost to disease and age. The flowering dogwood is a permanent resident in my mind’s eye and I’m determined to introduce them back in my yard but have to take care to how many and where to site them.

I say “how many” as I have come away from my hunt with wanting not one, but several species/cultivars of dogwood. I always start out very innocently, but the choices are such that it’s really difficult to narrow it down to only one species. The first thing I did was ask Bruce Crawford for his recommendation of a red dogwood. His immediate response was Rutgers Cornus kousa “Scarlet Fire®,” that was developed from over 45 years of breeding and specifically cross-bred by Dr. Thomas Molnar and his colleague, John Capik, for six years prior to its introduction to the gardening world in 2016.

By the time you read this, I will have my own “Scarlet Fire®” Chinese Dogwood planted in my side yard with a southern exposure. I’m beyond excited as this new cultivar has darkgreen leaves tinged with purple, turning red in the fall, pink-bracted flowers deepening to fuchsia depending on amount of sun exposure and is floriferous with rounded pink/red fruit up to one inch in diameter dangling like jewels from its branches. Whew, be still my heart!!!

During this pursuit, I visited several garden centers and ended up lusting after a few other dogwood species, including another

Rutgers introduction aptly named “Stellar Pink®,” a hybrid dogwood, Cornus florida x Cornus kousa,, developed by noted breeder of dogwoods and hollies, Elwin R. Orton, Jr. It is a gorgeous pink with resistance to anthranose and dogwood borer.

The disease resistance is especially appealing as I believe I lost my former dogwoods to these dogwood enemies. I also developed quite an affection for “Cherokee Brave,” another pink, and “Cherokee Princess,” a creamy white, but am limited as to where they could possibly find a comfortable home in my yard. Each year, a new dogwood, how’s that sound? Perfect!!!

So ends my happy pursuit of my dogwood tree, but I have to share other parts of my adventure as the sheer abundance of plants at all the nurseries and garden centers I visited was breathtaking. These garden centers deserve a special thanks and a visit as the selections and volume is just fantastic.

I singled out dogwoods, but know many of you are aficionados of Japanese maples, and I was absolutely stunned by the numbers and beauty of the Japanese maples at Ambleside Gardens in Hillsborough Township. I stepped in to a park with the maples vying for attention with their exquisite beauty. Dave, the owner, told me he has over 140 varieties and I asked him if that was the most of any nursery in New Jersey, and he replied that he’s been told Ambleside has the biggest variety of Japanese maples from Washington, D.C. to Boston. It is worth a visit as they are sited throughout and are the prima donnas with everything else playing second fiddle.

Belle Mead Co-op has a huge variety of annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs with an emphasis on pollinator plants, including many species of milkweed. I came away with a few flats of stunning snapdragons in gorgeous colors.

Hionis Greenhouses in Whitehouse knocked my socks off with their wall-to-wall displays of tulips, hydrangeas, geraniums and succulents plus a multitude of annuals. Their greenhouses were bursting at the seams with plants. I bit the bullet and made my selection of tulips and more tulips but it was tough to choose as I had never seen so many spectacular plants. You would have thought we were in Holland! Have to also give a shout-out to Nester’s Greenhouse in Hopatcong for their fabulous selection of Begonias!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is The Garden Club of New Jersey President, and a National Garden Clubs, Inc. Master Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is a member of Neshanic Garden Club, and The Raritan Township Historic Committee.

Jeannie’s email address is: jgeremia42@gmail.com.

Flowering plants provide pollen and nectar that many species of beneficial insects require in addition to their preferred prey species. Try to select flowering plants so that something is in bloom from as early in spring to as late in fall as possible. Remember that simple flowers provide better floral resources than double flowers because double flowers typically replace reproductive structures with petals that do not offer pollen and nectar.

USDA to Measure Agricultural Land Values The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is encouraging agricultural operations to respond to the Agricultural Land Values Survey.

Agricultural land values are one of the major indicators of the financial health of the agricultural sector. The value of land and buildings accounts for the vast majority of all farm assets. Accurate land values are necessary for Federal and State deliberations on farm programs, for lending agencies (e.g. determining collateral assets), and for individual producers to determine their net worth.

This survey collects agricultural farmland, cropland, and pasture values on a per-acre basis (excluding buildings), and yearto-year percentage changes in land values. In New England, this data will be summarized in conjunction with the February Land Values survey results to maximize precision of aggregate data.

NASS will publish the results in the August 6, 2020 Land Values publication. The publication will be available on the USDA-NASS website at https://www.nass.usda.gov/.

NASS gathers the data for the survey online, by mail, phone and in-person interviews. “The cooperation of the agricultural sector is crucial to ensure that NASS accurately provides the most comprehensive estimate of U.S. farm real estate data for 2020,” said Kevin Pautler, deputy director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. “NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only State and National level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified,” added Pautler. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at (800) 498-1518.

NJDEP Seeking Nominations for Pesticide Control Council

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is reaching out to you as a valued member of the Pesticide Program stakeholder community to request your assistance in a search for qualified persons interested in serving as citizen members of a Pesticide Control Council. The Pesticide Control Council advises the Department on matters related to the control, regulations and use of pesticides pursuant to the Pesticide Control Act of 1971 (N.J.S.A. 13:1F-6 through 8). NJDEP’s Pesticide Program believes valuable insight and benefits can be gained by re-establishing a Pesticide Control Council with members willing to expand and share their knowledge of pesticides while contributing to the information available and relied upon by the NJDEP for implementation of the Pesticide Control Act and its associated regulations.

NJDEP’s Pesticide Program is asking qualified members of the public to submit a letter of interest and resume for consideration.

As proscribed in the Act, there are to be nine members: the Secretary of Agriculture, the Commissioner of Health, the Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Science of Rutgers, the State University, or their designees, and six citizens of New Jersey representing the general public. The citizen member positions to be filled are to include one farmer, one toxicologist and one ecologist. Members of the council serve without compensation, although can receive reimbursement for expenses in attendance at meetings of the council and in performance of their duties as members (N.J.S.A. 13:1F-6).

Individuals interested in the citizen member positions are asked to state their interest and s through email directly to the program at PCP@dep.nj.gov, no later than July 15, 2020. While email is the preferred method of submittal, you may also mail the information to: Bureau of Pesticide Compliance and Enforcement Mail Code 401-04A 401 East State Street PO Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625-0420

10 June 2020 Our farmers never let us down.

Throughout history, even in times of war, drought, floods, blight and economic recession, New Jersey farmers have found ways to keep food on our tables.

The saying “no farmers, no food” sums up their necessity to the quality of our lives pretty well.

We’ve seen their resilience recently as many farmers have made forays into home delivery and drive-by pick-ups in order to maintain the flow of food to consumers.

These local individual on-thefarm markets have been popping up throughout the Garden State.

They offer a great opportunity for consumers to access delicious and nutritious locally grown produce while supporting Garden State farmers as well as experience a taste of farm life.

That’s important because farm life - never an easy life - has gotten tougher in recent months.

In some cases farmers face dire circumstances. Some New Jersey farmers have had to plow fields under because travel restrictions prevented the seasonal workers they rely on from getting to their farms to pick crops. Labor likely will continue to be a concern during the summer months, as short-handed After a winter and spring most of us would prefer to forget, we are finally emerging (both figuratively and literally) to nature’s annual rebirth.

The sun’s warm rays have returned, and lawns and pastures are covered in emerald green. Flowers and foliage are in full bloom, and the scents of summer linger in the air. Best of all, this signals the return of Jersey Fresh. I do not know about you, but I am more than ready to enjoy all the wonderful bounty available from our farmers.

Nothing heralds the beginning of the new growing season better than the appearance of strawberries.

One of New Jersey’s best kept secrets, strawberries can mostly be found at local farmers markets or at pick-your-own operations.

New Jersey strawberries are grown to be consumed immediately.

They are not grown to be shipped long distances. Consequently, consumers enjoy a nice, plump, juicy berry that was picked at the height of ripeness. Strawberries do not ripen once they are picked, so if they do not look ripe, they never will be. Hence, a strawberry traveling 20 miles will always be better than one traveling across the country.

Botanically speaking, a strawberry is not really a berry and is a member of the rose family.

GardenerNews.com Agriculture and Natural Resources

By Eric Houghtaling New Jersey Assemblyman

No Farmers - No Food: Agriculture in NJ Never Lets us Down

farmers attempt the labor-intensive task of getting strawberries and blueberries out of the field.

We need to continue supporting New Jersey farmers on both the consumer and government levels.

That’s why the state Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will be exploring wildlife management issues, especially the overpopulation of deer, and how to encourage native plant and animal species during the current legislative session.

Deer in New Jersey no longer have any natural predators. They breed often and quickly. As development has devoured open space, deer have turned to the state’s agricultural and suburban landscapes for food.

The white-tailed deer population in New Jersey now dramatically exceeds what wildlife biologists

say is sustainable. A healthy deer density, according to the New Jersey Farm Bureau, is five to 15 deer per square mile. But a recent survey of deer population conducted with infrared cameras at eight sites throughout the state concluded the average deer population at those sites was 112 deer per square mile.

At some of the survey sites, the deer population was as high as 270 per square mile.

The Agriculture Committee also will continue to explore ways to address invasive, non-native plants that harm birds and animals and can change entire ecosystems with devastating environmental and economic impact. Invasive plant species often spread rapidly and can kill entire crops and eliminate animal habitats.

That’s why the Agriculture Committee continues to explore

proposed bills to require the state Department of Environmental Protection to research and develop data on invasive species. We can use that information to inform the public about which species are invasive and the level of threat they pose to the Garden State’s biodiversity.

Towns are often working in a vacuum in terms of which plants are invasive and it can be all too easy to act on misinformation. We need to give governing bodies, as well as backyard gardeners, the information they need to make intelligent choices that are good for the environment.

New Jersey’s home gardeners can contribute to this effort by helping to educate their neighbors and municipal officials in the towns where they live about the importance of providing pollinator

NJ Agricultural Society

By Al Murray Executive Director

A Berry Good Spring Technically, to be classified as a berry, the fruit has its seeds on the inside. In contrast, an average strawberry contains over 200 seeds speckled across its skin.

Strawberries have been around for thousands of years and are found growing in almost every country. There are currently over 100 varieties grown world-wide.

Ancient Romans used the berries to treat everything from depression to fever and sore throats. The French were the first to domesticate the strawberry by transplanting wild strawberries from the forests to their gardens for harvest beginning in the 14th century. Charles V, France’s king, had over 1,200 strawberry plants in his royal garden.

By the 16th century, references to cultivation of the strawberry became more common. In England, the demand for regular strawberries was ever-increasing.

The combination of strawberries and cream was created by Thomas Wolsey in the court of King Henry VIII and is still served as a traditional dessert at the Wimbledon Open each summer.

The name “strawberry” is generally attributed to the English.

It morphed from the medieval term “strewn berry” because the berries grow from runners that make the berries look “strewn” among the forest floor.

In America, strawberries were consumed by Native Americans long before the arrival of any Europeans. As with most berries, they often ate them fresh or dried.

However, with strawberries, ‘’The Indians bruise them in a mortar, and mixe them with meale and make strawberry bread,’’ was an Englishman`s description believed to be the inspiration for strawberry shortcake.

Today, California produces almost 88 percent of the U.S. crop, followed by Florida, and then North Carolina. According to the USDA, the average American annually consumes 3.4 pounds of fresh strawberries, and 1.8 pounds of frozen.

Something that tastes this incredibly wonderful can’t possibly be good for you – can it? Au contraire! Strawberries should be considered a superfood. Each berry is nutrient-rich and packed with antioxidants. One serving of eight medium-sized strawberries contains the following: 45 calories, 140 percent of the Recommended Daily Value (RDV) for vitamin C (a one-cup serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange!), 8 percent of the RDV for folate, 12 percent of the RDV for dietary fiber, and 6 percent of the RDV for potassium. Despite the incredible

pathways on municipally owned land such as local parks.

Using native plants in your home garden will help reduce invasive insects and attract birds.

Shopping at nurseries, greenhouses and gardening centers will enable you to find many native plants that support a healthy ecosystem in New Jersey.

We think of the food supply as a chain, but it’s really more of a mesh; when it fails in one place, the rest of the network fills it in. That’s what the resourceful farmers of New Jersey have been doing.

Our farmers have never let us down. We need to do the same for them because people need food and we need farmers to produce it.

As always, I look forward to your suggestions on how to maintain the quality and quantity of fish and wildlife habitat.

Editor’s Note: Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling is Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in the New Jersey State Assembly.

He can be reached at 732-6953371 or AsmHoughtaling@ njleg.org, or by mail at 802 W Park Ave, Ste 302, Ocean Township 07712 taste, one serving only contains 7 grams of sugar.

Studies show that regular consumption of strawberries can boost your immunity, maintain your vision, help lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammations. Who would have guessed that our strawberry growers were growing virtual pharmacies in their fields?

These little New Jersey red dynamos won’t be here very long, so don’t wait. Break out the ice-cream maker, dust off the strawberry shortcake recipe, put them on your cereal, or just eat them out of hand.

Check out the N.J. Department of Agriculture’s “Find Jersey Fresh” webpage to find some near you.

Editor’s Note: Al Murray is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Society. Established in 1781, the Society is New Jersey's oldest organization whose purpose is to advocate, educate and promote on behalf of New Jersey's agricultural industry. Mr. Murray previously spent his entire career at the NJ Department of Agriculture, serving as the Assistant Secretary. He can be reached at njagriculturalsociety@ gmail.com

GardenerNews.com

June 2020 11

SAVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AND FORESTS SAVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE AND FORESTS

JOIN THE BATTLE. JOIN THE BATTLE.

BEAT THE BUG. BEAT THE BUG.

STOP THE SPREAD OF THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY. STOP THE SPREAD OF THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY. CHECK YOUR VEHICLE Search for all spotted lanternfly life stages CHECK YOUR VEHICLE

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Egg mass Sept.-June Egg mass Sept.-June

Early nymph April-July Early nymph April-July

Late nymph July-Sept.

Late nymph July-Sept.

Adult July-Dec. Adult July-Dec.

SCRAPE. SQUASH. REPORT. SCRAPE. SQUASH. REPORT. Contact your State Department Contact your of StateAgriculture Department of Agriculture Scrape

Squash

egg massess into a any bugs container of rubbing you see Scrape Squash alcohol or hand sanitizer egg massess into a any bugs container of rubbing you see alcohol or hand sanitizer Get more information at aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slfbiz Get more information at aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slfbiz

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any sightings

Report

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12 June 2020

GardenerNews.com

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14 June 2020 It’s been a rough couple of months for the United States food supply system. The closures of schools, restaurants, and many food service establishments, coupled with increased purchasing of food by retail consumers, has put immense pressure on growers, shippers and the entire food service industry to keep America fed.

Longstanding sales and marketing trends were stood on their respective heads and everyone in the industry was forced to react in an “on the fly” manner which, at least up until now, had been unprecedented. When one takes into account that with many food items, it takes many months, if not years, to grow, harvest, process, package and deliver those products to their intended consumer, it is surprising that we fared as well as we did.

How is it possible that grocery stores are out of milk and placing limits on how much consumers can buy in New Jersey and dairy farmers in New York and Pennsylvania are being forced to dump milk? How can store shelves be empty of bread and the price of wheat is near an all time low?

How can supermarkets in the East be out of potatoes, and yet in Idaho, growers are bringing in

GardenerNews.com The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

What’s the Difference Between a Potato and a Potato?

heavy equipment to bury last year’s crop so that they can make room for this year’s harvest? At the same time. I know that it seems like a crying shame that there is this extreme disparity between a glut and a shortage, but a little further explanation might shed some light on the situation.

The agricultural and food service industries have been developing and adapting for as long as there has been agriculture.

Growers, marketers and sellers adjusting their products and offerings to suit their customers is a constantly changing phenomenon.

But when the industry is stood on its head and a large percentage of the marketplace disappears overnight, there are bound to be some hiccups.

Take potatoes, for example.

While you might think that potatoes are potatoes, what’s the big deal? There are actually quite a few issues to consider.

First of all, there are many types of potatoes that are normally available to consumers throughout the year. Red, White, Yukon Gold and Russets are probably the predominate varieties. These are varieties that are sold “fresh,” or to be used by the retail consumer.

But a very large percentage of the potatoes that are grown in the United States are not intended to be sold fresh, but are instead intended to be processed into French fries, potato chips or some other item.

According to “Food Review” magazine, 29 percent of the United States potato crop goes to making frozen French fries. And because the large majority of the fries

are served at restaurants, it’s not too difficult to see what would happen if most of those restaurants suddenly closed. That’s right, suddenly, there are a lot of unused potatoes somewhere.

But what’s the big deal? you might ask. Retail consumers purchase and use Russet potatoes, why don’t we just redirect those potatoes to supermarkets? I know it sounds easy, but it’s just not that simple.

Through years of practice and experience, growers and French fry processors have developed extremely efficient and costeffective systems of growing potatoes and then turning them into French fries. Potatoes are grown, stored, and then processed.

That’s it.

If those same potatoes were

to be rerouted into retail grocery channels, there would be quite a few obstacles to overcome. The potatoes would have to be sorted, washed and bagged, and then palletized and transported to their final destination. All of that would require a huge capital investment that, if it was temporary, would hardly be worth it.

And considering the slim margins the potato growers were probably already working on, the potential reward would hardly be worth the risk. Spend a few hundred thousand on a new packing line, or a few thousand on a bulldozer and some diesel fuel?

Unfortunately for consumers, its’s a pretty easy choice.

Editor’s Note: Peter Melick is co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick and a 10th-generation New Jersey farmer. Peter is Mayor of Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, NJ. 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.

GardenerNews.com I have always felt that the “backbone” of the garden is made up from the shrub layer. In the spring, we have the myriad of azaleas and rhododendrons that thrive in this region, as well as the many choices of Spiraea, Fothergilla, Itea and viburnums.

Of course, any discussion on summer flower shrubs must include Hydrangea. While the lacecap and mophead or hortensia types of both Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata have seen incredible popularity in recent years with selections like Endless Summer™. I will focus on some equally impressive species.

Hydrangea paniculata, for me, is the quintessential flowering shrub.

This species was popularized by the old-fashioned Hydrangea paniculata “Grandiflora” or the peegee hydrangea. In July, this shrub can reach small-tree stature with massive, erect, white panicles of lime green flowers. The flowers turn pure white and last into September. Because Hydrangea paniculata blooms on current season growth, it can be left unpruned where it will turn into a large shrub or small tree or, alternatively, be pruned hard in March, maintaining a more diminutive standard.

In recent years, H. paniculata has gone through an amazing horticultural renaissance in gardens.

Dozens of fantastic selections have been introduced. My favorites are

June 2020 15 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

By Andrew Bunting Vice President of Public Horticulture

Hydrangeas for Summer

“Limelight,” where the flowers transition from lime green to alabaster white. If you want something smaller in stature, Little Lime® only reaches four feet tall with lime-green flowers and “Dharuma” has white flowers that fade to pink, but also remains small, making it a perfect selection for the smaller suburban or urban garden.

Zinfin Doll® also has flowers that open white and fade to pink, and reaches medium size at maturity, and Pinky Winky® is a best-selling pink selection. Other exceptional white forms include “Phantom,” with an abundance of very large flowers, or “Silver Dollar” with pure white flowers and a more compact habit.

Native hydrangeas are favorites for their summer flowers, the smooth hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, and the oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia. Hydrangea arborescens “Annabelle” was introduced by J. C. McDaniel in 1962. It has remained the best-of-the-best in the hydrangea

world for decades. It blooms on current season growth, therefore, can be pruned hard in March. In my yard, I prune them back to about four inches, which keeps the shrubs at about four feet tall when they flower.

In July, every stem is covered with a large, white, mophead flower. The flowers emerge lime green, turn pure white, and finally fade back to lime green and have tawny flowers for the winter.

“Annabelle” received distinction for the Gold Medal Program from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

In the wilds of the East Coast and Midwest, the smooth hydrangea grows in full shade, but best flowering will occur in part shade to full sun.

Since 1962, many fine selections have been made, including what is considered one of the holy grails of the hydrangea world, a “pink Annabelle,” Invincibelle® Spirit is just that. The flower clusters are a little smaller than “Annabelle,” but the flowers are

soft pink. Invincibelle® Limetta is a dwarf version of “Annabelle” and Incrediball® has massive heads.

While the oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, is native to the southeastern parts of the United States, it is perfectly hardy. Starting in July, this shrub which can reach 10 feet tall has white cones of flowers atop leaves that look like red oak leaves and actually turn purple-red in the fall.

“Snow Queen” is an older, but still popular cultivar, and too is a PHS Gold Medal recipient. “Snowflake” has double flowers which make them so heavy the clusters hang downward.

“Amethyst” has white flowers which quickly turn deep pink-purple.

“Peewee,” “Syke’s Dwarf” and “Munchkin” are for the small garden.

“Ruby Slippers” has white flowers that quickly turn pink and keeps to a nice four-foot-tall dome.

“Little Honey” has butter yellow leaves which perform best in part or

dappled shade.

This is just a peek at the dozens, if not hundreds, of fantastic hydrangeas for New Jersey and the Philadelphia area.

Editor’s Note: Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Public Horticulture for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He is one of the most recognized horticulturists in the Philadelphia, Pa., region and a highly regarded colleague in the world of professional horticulture.

Bunting has amassed a plethora of awards, including the American Public Gardens Association Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Marion Marsh Award, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

In addition, Bunting has lectured extensively throughout North America and Europe, and participated in plant expeditions throughout Asia and Africa. Learn more at https://phsonline.org/team/ andrew-bunting

An Early American Cash Cow

By Hubert Ling What agricultural product first put Colonial America on the trade map? No it wasn’t corn, beans, squash, blueberries, rice, or cranberries.

It was dye stuffs from blue false indigo, Baptisia australis. The genus name is from the Greek “bapto,” which means “immerse”; this refers to dipping cloth during the dyeing process. The species name australis means southern; blue false indigo is common in the southern United States, but it grows further north in New York and Massachusetts and is listed as native in New Jersey. Indigo indicates that most indigo dye came from India.

In the 1700s, blue indigo dye from the Indigofera plant was highly desired but expensive to import. However, the Cherokee used the roots of the native blue false indigo as a light blue dye; the sap of our

native plant Baptisia australis turns a slate-blue color when exposed to air and makes a respectable dye.

The American colonists were quick to capitalize on use of this plant due to much greater cost of “true” indigo.

English businessmen were also quick to recognize that dye from the American blue false indigo and true indigo was becoming a thriving market commodity. Imports of indigo from the American colonies started to England in 1747 and by the 1760s a million pounds a year of these dyes were being exported.

Commercial production of blue false indigo and true indigo is now but a faint memory since inexpensive blue dyes have been produced synthetically for quite some time.

Although you may want to try dyeing cloth with blue false indigo, most of us will rather enjoy it as a reliable, long lasting, garden perennial.

The vigorous plants are two-

to four-feet-tall and bloom reliably every June, producing magnificent, dense, oneto-foot spikes of vivid bluepurple flowers with striking blue-green foliage and then the plants die back each fall.

The plants do well in full sun or partial shade and tolerate a wide range of rocky, sandy, or clay soils and are moderately drought-resistant when mature. However, the plants do best in neutral, rich, well-drained soil with moderate water. In general, blue false indigo is free from significant pests. The plants have deep tap roots, so select their growing sites carefully.

They will not become weedy.

Propagation may be done by seed, but since the seed coats are heavy, germination is increased if you use fresh seeds and scarify them before planting by rubbing them between two sheets of rough sandpaper; soaking the seeds in water overnight also speeds germination.

Blue false indigo is in

the bean/pea family and has typical three-part compound leaves and roots with nodules which fix nitrogen. Since the bacteria needed to populate these essential nodules are common in the soil, there is no need to purchase bacterial inoculum separately.

Baptisia species including blue false indigo have a number of bitter alkaloids which deter grazing and make them deer and rabbit resistant. These alkaloids also lead to the use of the root as an emetic by Native Americans. However, these plants are suspected of poisoning livestock and Peterson’s Medicinal Plant guide lists the plant as potentially toxic, so ingestion is strongly not recommended, especially since much safer alternatives are available.

Blue false indigo produces large bean-like fruits which turn black when ripe. These have been used for dried flower displays. Cherokee children, and I am sure many others, used them as toy rattles since

the numerous hard seeds break loose when ripe and shake around in the dried “beans.”

Xerces Society lists blue false indigo as a valuable host plant for several species of butterflies, including clouded and orange sulphur, eastern tailed blue, and hoary edge. In addition, bees and butterflies are attracted to the blossoms.

Blue false indigo was the 2009 Kentucky Wildflower of the Year, and Plant of the Year for 2010 from the Perennial Plant Association. In addition, it was given the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit for 2013.

A related species, Baptisia tinctoria, which has yellow flowers, is also native to New Jersey.

So consider Baptisia as a valued addition to your garden.

Editor’s Note: Hubert Ling is President of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey.

He can be reached at milhubling@verizon.net.

16 June 2020 It seems more and more homeowners are venturing into doing their own lawn care and mowing these days.

It really isn’t that hard if you read all of my articles that I have written since I started writing for Gardener News in 2005, but I won’t put you through that agony. I would only recommend this only if you are having trouble sleeping at night.

Why does lawn acre seem so scary or hard to some? Of course, your lawn makes up the majority of your property and it takes more work than taking care of a flower and vegetable garden that is only 10 feet by 20 feet.

Perhaps it’s because Mother Nature throws curve balls at you and the lawn care program to follow isn’t as simple as 1-2-3-4 every year. A lot of folks say, “Just tell me what to do.” This is kind of hard when you do not have an expert present on the lawn while you wonder what to do next.

Perhaps you are scared of fertilizer burn or using chemicals or you do not know how to use a spreader. The Most of us have heard the story of Socrates and his untimely death at age 70. Standing before a jury and fellow Athenians, Socrates was sentenced to death in 339 BC. His anti-democratic views and impious acts lead to a guilty decision, a vote of 280 to 220, thus providing a suicide story for the ages.

What most people don’t realize, however, is that the poison hemlock consumed was not the evergreen type (Tsuga), but rather a deadly, poisonous herb of the Apiaceae family (Conium maculatum).

Mistaken for fennel, parsley or wild carrot, poison hemlock has tiny white flowers clustered in umbels. Native to Europe and the Mediterranean, poison hemlock, when crushed, emits a rank, unpleasant odor, not the anise or liquorice smells associated with the likes of fennel. Suffice it to say, evergreen types of Hemlock look nothing like the herbaceous types.

These exact words were taken from an article I wrote for the Gardener News for my March 2007 column. At that time, Canadian (Eastern) Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) had a “black eye” in the industry as its list of disease and insect problems was lengthy, most notably the infamous woolly adelgid.

GardenerNews.com Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

DIY Lawn Care, is it the New Fad?

key to success is learning the products and following the manufacturer’s directions.

Many years, the spring starts out cold and wet and it delays applications of the first lawn food. When do I put my pre-emergent down, is it too late if the forsythia has already bloomed? I have weeds appearing in early spring, do I put Weed & Feed down first? Are they broadleaf weeds or crabgrass? Why didn’t I get good broadleaf weed control in early spring?

Answer: It’s too cold for effective control. I put down crabgrass preventer but still got crabgrass this summer.

You probably put it down too early, the cool-wet spring weather delayed crabgrass

germination. Put a second application of crabgrass preventer down mid-May if you had severe crabgrass pressures last year.

Remember, crabgrass only grows in sunny areas of the lawn. Grow a healthy lawn to crowd out crabgrass and other weeds.

Why does Weed & Feed take so long to work?

Patience, some broadleaf weeds may take up to 30 days to “disappear.” I had grubs last year, will I get them again? Answer: Did you treat them last year or not? Have you noticed a lot of bird, skunk or raccoon damage in your lawn? These critters are looking for grubs.

Monitor your soil for grub activity starting in late spring

to decide if treatment is necessary.

Perhaps you do not want to mow your lawn anymore?

You may live in a town house or just don’t want to mow anymore. I get it. I’m done with mowing, it’s too much work, I would rather watch TV and sit by the pool, and I can afford to have someone mow my lawn. I don’t want the smelly mower in my garage or shed. My mower never starts and I don’t get a clean cut anyway. What do I do with my clippings, bag them or mulch them?

It rained for four straight days and now my lawn is six inches high, my mower and I will struggle if I have to wait until the weekend to mow it and then clumps

Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Socrates May Have Liked This Hybrid

An insect native to Asia, the hemlock woolly adelgid is an invasive, aphid-like insect that has been attacking North American hemlocks for some time. Easily identifiable by the white woolly egg masses (ovisacs) they form on the underside of branches and at the base of needles, this insect seemed to destroy retail sales for a much-needed conifer.

Resulting in severe needle loss, branch dieback and graytinted needles, this insect did enough damage, that even novice gardeners heard of its abuse. And while chemical insecticides prove useful for controlling woolly adelgid in a residential setting, they are not practical or economical in a forest setting. However, all this could change as there is a new hemlock hybrid on the horizon that withstands this killing insect.

Canadian (Eastern) Hemlock

(Tsuga canadensis) had long been a staple for our industry because of their tolerance to shady locations.

A graceful evergreen that can offer significant value to most any situation. Useful as a single specimen or as a screen/hedge, there are many cultivars that lend themselves well to residential foundation plantings.

Lustrous dark green needles with two whitish bands underneath are a great plant ID feature. Capable of growing 40 to 70 feet tall and 25 to 35 feet wide, hemlocks are “hardy” in zones 3-7(8). And while there are other conifer types that also tolerate some shade; Chamaecyparis, Cryptomeria, Microbiota, Sciadopitys, Taxusand Thujopsis, most of these simply don’t do it as well or may prove cost prohibitive.

Last month, Gardener News featured a press release on page 22

from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) letting gardeners know that hope is on the horizon. “Traveler,” a hybrid hemlock, has been specifically bred for its resistance to hemlock woolly adelgid and has been selected for its notorious graceful, symmetrical appearance, complete with a slightly pendulous habit. The ARS’ U.S National Arboretum developed this new variety, a cross between the Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis) and the native Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana). The result has the native hemlock’s handsome, evergreen growth habit, complete with slightly weeping branches, a moderately slower growth rate and large cones. However, its greatest attribute, purportedly, is its ability to “survive attack from the hemlock woolly adelgid.”

appear. I don’t want to rake up all of the clumps, it’s maddening! If you feel this way, perhaps if your lawn is too large, you may want to hire a professional to mow your lawn and take some of your sorrows away.

Your lawn goes through a similar life cycle each year, so eventually you get a grip on what needs to be done when problems appear.

Successful lawn care is problem-driven. You will get better at identifying weeds, insects and fungus as the years go by.

Ask a neighbor who has a better lawn than you have what they do to their lawn, or just keep reading my articles in Gardener News.

I have faith in your efforts and hopefully your lawn will be the best lawn in town and rewarding for years to come.

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 Traveler, a slower grower, is both good and bad. Useful for residential landscapes, able to be clipped and hedged and survive shade and insects, it may not be economically feasible to use “Traveler” routinely in forest renovations. A plant patent has been applied for and the USDA ARS is steadfastly looking for commercial propagation partners to bring this exciting new plant to the nursery trade.

I for one will be on the lookout for this plant in the coming years.

Combing every plant catalogue, offering a graceful, shade-tolerant conifer type, resistant to wooly adelgid that will benefit our residential landscapes.

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

June 2020 17

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NORTHEAST DEPARTMENT DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Delaware Extends 2020 Produce Grower Registration Due to COVID-19

PA Secretary of Agriculture: We’re all in this Together, Remember the Risk Essential Workers are Taking to Serve

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the deadline for produce growers to register their farms with the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) has been extended to June 30.

The Food Product Inspection Section has enforcement responsibility for the Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).The rule focuses on regulatory standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables, in an effort to prevent microbial contamination and reduce foodborne illnesses associated with fresh produce.

In order to determine if a farm is subject to the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, DDA requires all farms within Delaware that grow produce to register. Registration materials are available online at https://de.gov/producesafety. Once DDA receives registrations, staff will reach out to producers to verify that the facilities are covered by the Produce Safety Rule or considered exempt.

Additional information on the Produce Safety Rule, including educational videos, outreach resources, and recordkeeping templates are available online at https://de.gov/producesafety. For more assistance with registration, email DE.ProduceSafety@delaware.gov.

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE State Agriculture Officials Remind Horse Owners to Vaccinate Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is reminding horse owners to vaccinate their horses against the mosquito-borne viral diseases Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Annual vaccinations should be given now to provide protection to animals prior to peak mosquito season which begins in late July, and to remain protective through the first hard frost.

“Mosquito-borne diseases such as EEE and West Nile Virus are a serious threat to the health of horses in Massachusetts, as infection can lead to death,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux. “We ask all horse owners to heed this call and get their animals vaccinated, as the timely use of vaccines ensures a safe and healthy equine population across the Commonwealth.”

Containers such as buckets, tires, wading pools and water troughs can serve as mosquito breeding sites and water should be dumped or changed at least every three days. People can protect themselves from mosquito-borne diseases by using mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants and avoiding outdoor activities between dusk and dawn during the highest risk periods.

If an animal is suspected of having EEE or WNV, owners should call their veterinarian immediately. Positive and suspect cases are required to be reported to the Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795. Animal testing is available through the Department of Public Health (DPH) by calling 617-983-6800.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today reminded Pennsylvanians the importance of mutual respect when patronizing Pennsylvania’s essential businesses – whether it be a grocery store, farmers market, restaurant, or hardware store. Business operators and their employees are working hard to protect each other and their consumers in a safe, clean environment.

“During these unusual times, there should be an unspoken covenant of mutual respect; just as we as consumers expect stores to be open and there for us when we need them, the workforce expects and deserves their customers to do their part to reduce risk,” said Secretary Redding. “Don’t put employees in the uncomfortable position of asking you to wear a mask. Be prepared with a mask before you enter a store.

Remember, my mask protects you; your mask protects me. Using a mask and social distancing during this temporary time not only helps mitigate the spread of his highly contagious virus, but it’s also a way to show we care for one another.”

Governor Tom Wolf has recommended that all Pennsylvanians wear a mask any time they leave their homes for life-sustaining reasons. The Department of Health offers guidance on universal masking. Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine’s worker safety order establishes protocols on protecting worker safety, including masking guidelines for employers, employees and customers.

The secretary’s order asks that businesses require customers to wear masks on premises in order to help protect workers in lifesustaining businesses. Customers at supermarkets and pharmacies must wear masks to enter the store, unless they have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask.

If the customer does not wish to wear a mask, these stores must provide an alternate means of delivering goods.

“Essential workers see many people each day. We can minimize

their risk if we all work together to follow this simple guidance: wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from one another,” Redding said. “Privately owned stores have both followed guidance and orders from the state, and voluntarily implemented their own policies to keep everyone safe and as comfortable as possible. We applaud businesses that early in this crisis, committed to staying open, and offered special hours for vulnerable shoppers, outdoor shelter for those waiting in line to get into the store, and other extra measures. It shows how thoughtful businesses have been about public health.”

“Our dedicated grocery, convenience store workers and distributors have been working tirelessly around the clock to provide food, beverages and essential household items for millions of Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association President and CEO Alex Baloga said. “We encourage customers to help do their part for essential workers by following the proper safety and social distancing guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and CDC.” While so many shoppers have been respectful, some have ignored simple actions businesses have requested of customers, such as wearing a mask, following one-way arrows through the store, and keeping 6 feet apart from other shoppers and workers.

“Please be respectful to workers and fellow shoppers who may not be comfortable in public yet,” Redding said. “The best thing to do when you do go out in public is to be kind to one another, and continue to follow the simple public health rules that can literally save lives.”

For a complete list of guidance documents and information as it relates to agriculture during COVID19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID. For the most accurate, timely information related to Health in Pennsylvania, visit on.pa.gov/coronavirus.

GardenerNews.com

June 2020 19

OF AGRICULTURE NEWS NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NYS Agriculture Department Calls on USDA to Make Additional Emergency Relief Funding Available for New York’s Dairy Farmers New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball called for additional relief funding for New York’s dairy farmers. In a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Perdue, the Commissioner thanked the agency for taking action to address the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on agriculture, but also urged clarification on the details of the recently released Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Following a review of the CFAP, the Department identified funding disparities for the dairy industry and expressed concerns with the proposed direct payments to dairy farmers. As a result, the Commissioner is urging the USDA to provide additional direct emergency assistance for New York dairy farmers.

Commissioner Ball said, “The CFAP provides critical dollars to assist in the purchase of agricultural products that will then be provided to

our food banks, which will build on our Nourish NY initiative. However, after reviewing USDA’s projections of losses for several agricultural sectors and the actual payments to be made to New York dairy producers, I am concerned about the effectiveness of the CFAP in providing sufficient direct relief to the dairy industry. New York’s dairy industry is our largest agricultural sector and we need to ensure we are doing all we can to make sure our dairy farmers are receiving the help they need. Adjustments should be made to the CFAP to resolve this funding gap.”

On April 27, Governor Cuomo announced the launch of Nourish NY, a new initiative that provides $25 million in funding to New York’s food banks and emergency food providers so they can purchase produce and dairy products from New York’s farms and processors.

The Department of Agriculture and Markets continues to work to assist the agricultural

industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many sectors of the agricultural industry, including New York’s dairy farmers, have faced extreme economic difficulties with the loss of wholesale markets, such as schools and restaurants, and uncertain consumer demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 13, Commissioner Ball sent a joint letter with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to the USDA urging support for New York’s dairy farmers and requesting immediate emergency relief funding.

A second letter was sent to the USDA on April 17 asking for direct assistance on behalf of the entire agricultural sector adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including recommending a block grant opportunity, and payments to specialty crop, horticultural, floricultural growers, and equine operations who have also lost their markets.

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE A Message from Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher to NJ Beekeepers The Secretary of Agriculture, Director of Plant Industry, and the State Apiarist are working closely on this issue because of the importance that honeybees have on pollinating New Jersey’s agriculture crops and the environment. However, all Executive Orders issued by Governor Murphy must be followed, including the essential need for social distancing. Please keep the following documents with you while moving bees during the COVID-19: outbreak: New Jersey State Registration Certificate Permit from State of Origin (packages, nucs, pollination)Any Import/Export Permits issued by New Jersey or other states Pollination Contracts with address/contact information Moving bees during COVID-19 Beekeepers need to move their hives to both interstate and intrastate locations to provide pollination services to farmers. Additionally, the movement of colonies by beekeepers from one location to another may be needed to provide the colonies with sufficient sources of pollen and nectar to sustain their health and vigor. This includes the introduction of weak colonies from areas that have a dearth of nutrients to more favorable, nutrient rich environments.

By standard practice, bees are moved at night because, during the day, foragers from the colonies are out in the environment collecting pollen and nectar to bring back to the hive. Moving colony locations during the day causes the foraging bees to be left behind and not deliver their stores to the colony which results in colonies becoming weakened and not being able to survive. Occasionally, on a rainy or very cold (less than 40 degrees) day colonies can be moved because there is extremely limited, or no foraging activity being conducted by the bees. During these conditions, beekeepers would be able to move their colonies during the day without any issues.

Beekeepers are concerned that they will be stopped by law enforcement if found travelling on the roadways, moving their colonies between

8p.m.and 5 a.m. The Department advises beekeepers to make every effort to move their colonies beginning at sunset when most foragers have returned or early in the morning before bees begin to forage. However, they may have to travel a distance and be on New Jersey roads or highways during the curfew to reach their destination. The Secretary of Agriculture understands this need to move bees during various times.

Selling bees during COVID-19 Under Executive Order 104, all beekeepers must practice social distancing and avoid groups while selling bees.

The Department strongly recommends: • Schedule times for beekeepers to pick up their packages or nucs.

• Payments should be done ahead of time to limit personal interaction.

• Buyers should stay in their vehicle during pick up and allow the seller to place the package or nucs in or on their vehicle.

• Nucs or packages must be properly secured for transport, prior to transport to avoid accidental opening or loss.

Beekeepers are always responsible for checking their equipment and outside of colonies for any stage of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) or their egg masses. The egg masses are predominately found from late fall and hatch around May. Currently eight New Jersey counties remain under quarantine for SLF: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem, Somerset and Warren. If you are selling or moving bees in or out of these eight counties you must get a SLF permit from the Department. The permit and training are free and can be found online at: https://www.nj.gov/ agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/spottedlanternfly.html. Also ,be aware of SLF if you are purchasing bees from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, or West Virginia. Each of these states has specific county quarantines as well, and permitting is also required.

The information contained herein is subject to change. Forward any questions to the State Apiarist.

20 June 2020

GardenerNews.com

Shore Town Produce Market Celebrates 40 Years Established in 1980, Big Ed’s Produce is a family-owned and operated retail farm market specializing in providing fresh, locally harvested corn and produce to its customers at the Jersey Shore in 2020 for its 40th year.

After 35 years in business, Martin J. Morales, right, turned over his Lavallette, Ocean County, N.J., business to his son Ed, in 2016 to carry on the family tradition. The business was named after Martin’s father-in-law Ed. This inviting i n d o o r /o u t d o o r market setting located at 103 Grand Central Avenue is the perfect stop off for Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables, whether you are headed to the beach or looking to have an outdoor healthy picnic.

At Big Ed’s Produce, there’s no better way to experience the absolute best of what the Garden State has to offer.

Some say it’s not summer until Big Ed’s Produce opens for the season.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

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GardenerNews.com In the past several months, there have been a lot of changes in all of our lives. As such, there have also been many changes in the landscaping and nursery industries.

What we see from our members’ clients are more people enjoying their yards and landscapes in general. But there are also more people gardening than in recent history and people simply taking more time to appreciate the nature around them. It is a great time to renew our landscapes and spend more time outside than ever amongst them.

The NJLCA has kept connected with our members by using webinars, networking calls and emails. The same goes for our members and their clients. In the past several months, many have told us how technology has become an everyday way of life for their business, which it hadn’t been in the past.

To keep in touch with clients, there have been more “How are you?” calls, which lead to great discussions about everything under the sun. In a way, we are more connected now than we have been in years.

In order to comply with social distancing, many landscape professionals have talked with their

June 2020 21 The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Executive Director

Connecting with the Landscape

clients using Zoom and Skype calls. The client can virtually walk a landscape contractor around their property to get a good look at what the client’s needs are. Clients are sending photos via text or email to help a landscaper determine if there are issues with turf, trees, etc. and to see an area that a homeowner is looking to rejuvenate.

Landscape professionals’ websites are more important now and they are using them to show their clients not only what they are capable of, but also how they are protecting the client.

Speaking of protecting the client, how our members work has changed dramatically as well.

Some of these changes are quite positive and will help everyone in the long run.

The physical changes their companies have had to make are

protecting their employees as well as their clients. In speaking with one of our members, he said to me, “I am running a business, and, yes, money is important, but at the end of the day, my employees and client’s safety is more important than anything.”

I have seen proof of this throughout our industry. They are doing more with fewer employees and those employees are not only being taken care of but being educated as well. Telecommuting has become rampant for office staff, who may have to come by the office just a few times a week to handle items that cannot be completed remotely. Companies are disinfecting vehicles two, sometimes three, times per day.

Some began their season later, choosing to keep their people home for an extra few weeks. They are

New Small Articulated Loader Bucket Offers Durable Design for Increased Productivity

Bobcat Company is widening its attachment offerings with the introduction of the new small articulated loader utility bucket. The Bobcat® small articulated loader utility bucket is ideal for standard duty grading and leveling. Also, its material handling helps minimize workload and complete projects quickly and efficiently.

The new small articulated loader utility bucket has pre-drilled holes to accommodate ease of installation for many of Bobcat’s bucket accessories and excellent visibility to the cutting edge through the see-through back design. Compatible with the Bob-Tach™ interface, the utility bucket also features an upper flat surface edge, which functions as a level indicator to show when the bucket is level during operation.

In addition, the new utility bucket has a skid bar design that provides additional strength and wear protection to the bottom of the bucket. The small articulated loader utility bucket also has no interior bucket brace. This allows for easier debris clean out.

The Toro Company Gives $500,000 to Global Coronavirus Relief Efforts

The Toro Company announced that it is giving $500,000 to assist families and communities worldwide that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant funding from the Toro Foundation will span all regions where The Toro Company operates, and will focus on providing food, health and humanitarian assistance to helping people adversely impacted.

“Supporting our customers and communities is an important part of our culture and core to who we are as a company,” said Rick Olson, chairman and chief executive officer of The Toro Company.

“Now more than ever, it is critical that we come together to respond to the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19 and to support those most vulnerable in our communities.”

The contributions include commitments to several global nonprofits that are assisting in the relief efforts. This includes the American Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Feeding America, the World Food Program, the United Way Worldwide, and United Way organizations in communities where The Toro Company’s employees live and work.

An additional element of the global giving effort includes a special program for its employees who wish to personally give to designated COVID-19 relief organizations. Under the program, The Toro Company will match employee contributions to a nonprofit organization of their choice in support of relief efforts.

also disinfecting tools and marking tools to be used by only one employee. Marked by either their name or color-coded tape, the same employee uses his/her dedicated equipment every day.

Of course, all are given masks and gloves, and fewer are riding in trucks together. We see less face-toface, but some great conversations with clients where they stay inside, and we speak with them through the window or door.

Growers and nurseries are also seeing a new way of operating.

Orders are now placed ahead of time and are picked up ready-to-go in some instances. Their websites have also been revamped to display what they have in stock and how they, too, are protecting folks during the “new normal.” I have seen Facebook live sessions with virtual walkthroughs of garden

centers as well.

Although we have all been through one heck of a shock the past few months, there have been some wonderful outcomes from what we agree is a terrible situation. However, more people are connecting in new and exciting ways, more people are enjoying their yards and “smelling the roses (or begonias)” and all of us have continued to work together to make this trying time just a little easier.

I know I have spent many days this spring enjoying my landscape and I hope you continue to throughout the year.

Editor’s note: Gail Woolcott is the Executive Director for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

She was presented with a community service award from the Borough of Fairview for her assistance in leading the 9-11 Memorial Park project and the Legislative Champion of the Year award from the Federation of Employers and Workers of America. She is currently the State Licensee Chair on the National Association of Landscape Professionals International Certification Council.

OPEI Issues Letter on GIE+EXPO 2020

Dear colleagues, We are all living in a changed environment right now given the current coronavirus pandemic. It’s a time of great uncertainty, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to assure and update you on what’s happening with the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and our international tradeshow, GIE+EXPO. While we continue to take prudent measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our OPEI family by working remotely and rotating through the office, and practicing social distancing, our plans for the association and GIE+EXPO are moving forward. GIE+EXPO is still currently scheduled to take place this October 21-23 in Louisville, KY, our home for the last 38 years.

GIE+EXPO sales remain strong. We fully expect our nation will soon turn a critical corner in dealing with this pandemic and be back in business.

In the meantime, we remain active and working with our partners to help the industry address the challenges facing it now and in the future – including moving forward with plans for our tradeshow.

The tradeshow is a massive undertaking, and overall, the 2020 show looks strong. Forty new exhibitors have signed on, and we have several new opportunities for attendees this year, including expanded in-tree arborist training in Freedom Hall, hands-on drone sessions, and a UTV test track.

We are also planning a robust schedule of education programming with our partners, featuring an expanded slate of technology sessions and businessfocused programming, as well as education for hardscaping, snow and ice management, irrigation, landscape lighting, and more.

GIE+EXPO is a family reunion for the industry, and this year, we’ll need that reconnection and reinvigoration of our businesses more than ever. The country will restart and we’ll be ready to get together again to talk about how to do business going forward. Together, we’ll face the challenges and opportunities head on. Until then, be well and stay safe.

I’ll see you in Louisville.

All the best, Kris Kiser President & CEO The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and the TurfMutt Foundation

22 June 2020

Researchers Identify Romaine Lettuces That Last Longer

By Kim Kaplan ARS Public Affairs Specialist Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have identified five Romaine lettuce varieties that both brown less quickly after fresh-cut processing and are slower to deteriorate postharvest.

They also are determining the genetic basis for deterioration. The researchers have identified the location of genes associated with postharvest deterioration of fresh-cut lettuce, and are in the process of identifying genes associated with browning, two economically important traits. This will speed up development of new Romaine varieties with better shelf-life because now lettuce breeders will be able to check that offspring carry these genes without needing to grow out and destructively test for browning and deterioration resistance.

Lettuces are the most popular, commercially produced, leafy vegetables in the world. It had a farmgate value of more than $2.5 billion in the United States in 2017, making it one of top ten most valuable crops for the country. But fresh-cut lettuce is a highly perishable product.

“The inability to evaluate for deterioration early in the process of developing new varieties has been a real impediment to breeding advances. Now having these molecular markers means that slow deterioration and eventually less browning can be more easily integrated into lettuce breeding, traits that are important economic considerations,” said research geneticist Ivan Simko with the ARS Crop Improvement and Protection Research Unit in Salinas, California, who led the deterioration study.

When you consider browning and deterioration ratings together, the best breeding lines for commercial production, and also for use as parents to develop new varieties are (in alphabetic order): Darkland, Green Towers, Hearts Delight, Parris Island Cos, and SM13-R2, which is a breeding line developed at the ARS lab in Salinas.

In addition, the researchers found the chromosome region that contains the genes for slow deterioration also contains four genes (Dm4, Dm7, Dm11, and Dm44) and one DNA region (qDm4.2) that code for resistance to downy mildew—one of the most-costly lettuce disease.

This colocation indicates a strong linkage between one or more of the four genes and the rate of deterioration. DNA-based markers can be used to develop new breeding lines with slow rate of deterioration and desirable combinations of resistance genes.

Deterioration is the rupture of cells within lettuce leaves, leading to waterlogging and the lettuce turning to mush. Browning is the discoloration of the edges of lettuce after cutting or tearing. Either development can spoil the leafy vegetable’s value by decreasing shelf life.

In an effort to control browning and prolong shelf life, lettuce processors have been turning to modified atmosphere packaging and flushing bags of cut lettuce with nitrogen gas to reduce oxygen levels in the bags.

But these practices are costly. They also can lead to other problems such as off-odors and, when coupled with high storage temperatures that promote anerobic bacteria growth on the bagged lettuce.

“Our study was aimed at finding lettuces that possessed low browning potential without the need for limiting the oxygen supply,” explained research food technologist Yaguang (Sunny) Luo, who led the browning study. Luo is with the ARS Food Quality Laboratory in Beltsville, MD. Like deterioration, there was significant correlation between high resistance to browning and pedigree, which gives promise that lettuce breeders will be able to improve the trait and incorporate it into new varieties, Luo added.

Editor’s Note: The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency.

Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

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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.

All advertising is subject to the Gardener News advertisement rates, and must be PAID IN FULL at time of submission. Publisher reserves the right at its absolute discretion, and at any time, to cancel any advertising order or reject any advertising copy whether or not the same has already been acknowledged and/or previously published. In the event of errors or omissions of any advertisement(s), the newspapers liability shall not exceed a refund of amounts paid for the advertisement.

NOTE: All editorial, advertising layouts and designs and portions of the same that are produced and published by Gardener News, Inc., are the sole property of Gardener News, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form unless written authorization is obtained from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to: Gardener News, 16 Mount Bethel Rd - #123, Warren, NJ 07059. (c) 2020 Gardener News, Inc.

Full Moon June 5, 2020

Eastern Daylight TIP OF THE MONTH

Spotted lanternfly poses a significant threat to the U.S. economy and environment. To stop its spread, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and other neighboring states have issued quarantines for counties where the presence of this pest has been confirmed.

Businesses operating in the quarantine zone must have permits to move equipment and goods within and out of the zone.

Are you unsure if your business or organization is required to carry permits? Go to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture website at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ pi/prog/spottedlanternfly.html for more information about who is required to obtain a permit.

Penn State Extension and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture have developed a self-paced online course to train designated employees how to comply with the quarantine.

Through short educational videos and handouts, this course will teach the designated employees what they need to know about the spotted lanternfly: its lifecycle and how to identify each life stage; what it eats; and where lays its eggs. They will also learn how to find and destroy spotted lanternflies and their egg masses, and best practices for working in the quarantine zone.

There are three sections in the course. Each section has a quiz at the end. Students will need to achieve a score greater than 70% on the quizzes in order to pass this course.

The designated employee must train fellow employees to work in the quarantine zone without inadvertently spreading these insects and endangering agriculture and commerce.

Downloadable training materials in English and Spanish are available in the course; they include PowerPoint presentations and fact sheets.

Once a designated employee passes this course, his or her company will receive spotted lanternfly permits for company vehicles.

If you have questions about the permitting process, contact New Jersey Department of Agriculture at slf-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov or call 609-406-6939.

GardenerNews.com

June 2020 23

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