Gardener News September 2016

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

September, 2016

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 161

N.J. Nursery & Landscape Association Names New Executive Director

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Bob Heitzman, left, President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, and Jack Otterbein, center, Vice President of the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, welcome Lori Jenssen as the association’s first female executive director by presenting her with an Echinacea flower at the association’s Summer Plant Symposium in the Rutgers Gardens.

Jenssen has been named as the new Executive Director of the Association, effective August 15, 2016. Jenssen brings %25'(172:1 1 - ĘŠ over 15 years of experience The New Jersey Nursery in the non-profit world and & Landscape Association association management. She (NJNLA) is pleased to also will continue her role as announce that Ms. Lori Executive Director of the New

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

Jersey Forestry Association, sharing her time between both associations.

This is the first time in the history of the NJNLA that a woman will be leading the growth of the nursery and landscape industry in the state as its executive director.

Jenssen holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and also has served as Executive Director of the American Mosquito Control Association; president of her local school board; and president of the National Association

of Professional Pet Sitters.

She has a proven record of success in facilitating educational programs; membership development; communications; and leadership development in all aspects of running a non-profit organization. (Cont. on page 8)

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

This Fall Restore Your Lawn The All Natural Way Learn About Organic Fertilizers Eco-friendly grass seed mixtures Questions specific to your lawn

Saturday, October 8 10AM to 12PM

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September, 2016 3

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Sell A Bration

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4 September, 2016 The Eastern Apicultural Conference was held at Stockton University in Atlantic County this summer, and I was glad to have been invited to welcome the attendees at the gathering on behalf of Governor Christie, the State Board of Agriculture, and the farmers across our great state.

OK, so you thought I misspelled “agriculture” as you glanced at this article, right?

Well, apiculture relates to that part of agriculture involving bees. The group organizer was the Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS) of North America, which has members representing all states east of the Mississippi, from Florida all the way into Ontario, Canada.

It is an international, nonprofit, educational organization founded for the promotion of bee culture, education of beekeepers, certification of Master Beekeepers, and excellence in bee research. EAS is the largest noncommercial beekeeping organization in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Our own Jersey resident Jeff Burd, of Ewing, is the national President, and Janet Katz was also on hand as New Jersey President of our state’s beekeepers association, as well as our State Apiarist Tim Schuler.

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

A Bee-autiful Time at the Eastern Apicultural Conference Even the American Honey Princess, Tabitha Mansker of Texas, was in attendance.

She travels over 325 days a year promoting the American Beekeeping Federation.

Pun intended, it was truly a beehive of activity, and there was so much there to see, learn and experience from the world of beekeeping. Demonstration hives were brought in, set on the grounds outside the auditorium and classroom area, and the bees immediately went out foraging the New Jersey Pines for nectar. Besides the obvious educational credits being offered, classes on extractions, and comb-cutting, honey frames, etc., there were competitions and an arts and craft show.

The EAS 2016 honey show is mighty competitive and a Honey Show Superintendent has full charge of the proceedings. These

folks are judging on things like density, color, flavor, appearance, uniformity, crystals, capped cells, and so on. It’s really exacting stuff and it reminds me of some of the other competitions in, say, viticulture.

There was a Mead and Honey Beer Show, where Sill Meads, Sparkling Meads, and Honey Beers were featured.

Honey Beer, for example, to be considered light- to mediumbodied must have honey as 15 to 30 percent of the fermentable product. It’s exacting stuff, but everyone in attendance enjoyed the friendly judging.

One of the reasons that I think beekeepers are such an interesting lot is that their endeavor works with these amazing animals. Bees have habits and organizational structures that are really fun to learn about, and at the same time, constantly challenge

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Disco diva Gloria Gaynor, whose inspirational women’s anthem I Will Survive was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2016, and on June 23, 2016, received a New Jersey Senate Resolution in the State House in Trenton, looks over the August Gardener News at a special Eastern Independent Garden Center (EIGC) Trade Show Disco-Retro Concert & Party at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, Pa.

their owners. It really takes an extreme amount of knowledge to be successful in this field, but almost all those who takes up beekeeping seem to enjoy the experience and become passionate followers.

Bees are really important to mankind. They pollinate, just in our state alone, over $150 million worth of product.

Blueberries alone rely on bees to do work on 9,100 acres of ground. There are around 5,000 beekeepers in New Jersey, with about 12,000 colonies they manage. The bees are important to the pollination of crops and the honey that is produced from the various growing fields in our state is very high quality and oh-so tasty.

Try the following recipe for Honey Holiday Party Punch from the “Buzzing Across America” website (http://www. buzzingacrossamerica.com/p/

cooking-with-honey.html)

by American Honey Princess Tabitha Mansker and American Honey Queen Kim Kester: Holiday Party Punch 2 cups boiling water 3/4 cup honey 4 cups cranberry juice 2 cups orange juice 1 cup lemon juice 1 quart ginger ale Ice Cubes Combine boiling water and honey, stirring to dissolve.

Chill. In large punch bowl combine cranberry, orange, and lemon juices. Stir in honey mixture. Just before serving add ginger ale, ice cubes, and fruit garnish.

For information more information on beekeeping, contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

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

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September, 2016 5

6 September, 2016

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

Rutgers 250: NJAES All-Star Variety of the Month – ‘Triploid’ Oyster The oyster breeding program at Rutgers University has conducted over a century of cutting-edge scientific research to overcome challenges to the industry from the devastating effects of over-fishing, diseases, and climate change. Professor Ximing Guo explains his research and vision.

Throughout Rutgers’ yearlong celebration of its 250th anniversary (November 2015 to November 2016), NJAES each month highlights one of its all-star varieties developed by its breeding program. Decades of research contribute to superior varieties of plants and shellfish, benefitting and sustaining the future of agriculture (which includes aquaculture) in a number of ways. August 2016 celebrated the NJAES oyster breeding program, which dates back to 1901 when Julius Nelson founded the Rutgers Oyster Investigation Laboratory, which became what we now know as the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory—the most productive and prolific oyster research center in the nation.

The Rutgers 250 All-Star Variety for August was the ‘triploid’ oyster! Normal oysters contain two sets of chromosomes, hence diploid, whereas triploid oyster contain three sets of chromosomes. As professor and shellfish geneticist Ximing Guo states, “Triploid oysters have several advantages. One, they grow faster. They’re sterile, so they don’t reproduce. If they don’t reproduce, they’re good for the environment, because they don’t interbreed with the wild populations. If they’re sterile, they also have a better meat quality in the summer.” This is why, when the NJAES oyster breeding program at Rutgers developed a method to produce tetraploid oysters, which can be crossed with normal diploid oyster for production of highly desirable triploid oysters, it created several advantages for oyster growers around the world and thus, has helped to sustain the aquaculture industry. Now, triploid oysters developed at Rutgers are a popular variety in the U.S., France, Australia, and China.

Other varieties released by the oyster breeding program include Haskin CROSBreed® and Haskin NEH®, part of the Northeastern High Survival Resistant Line. These varieties, primarily Haskin NEH®, are available to oyster fishermen, who then sell the full-grown oysters commercially. As Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory director and associate professor Dave Bushek explains, “We sell Rutgers oysters as ‘seed’ (baby oysters) and we license our broodstock to hatcheries for commercialization. We do not produce market oysters for sale to the public. As a result, what the growers produce is often marketed under their trade name. Many list the source of their oysters as disease resistant stock or ‘triploid’ oysters from Rutgers.”

This means that restaurants and distributors from which you purchase oysters likely are selling a Rutgers product and you may not even realize it! If they’re ‘triploid’ oysters, they were developed by the NJAES oyster breeding program.

Thanks to research being conducted by the oyster breeding program at NJAES Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, oyster industries around the world are able to receive the support they need to sustain their businesses. Impacts of global environmental change on aquaculture is unpredictable and research conducted by the NJAES oyster breeding program provides hope for the future of oyster farming.

Rutgers Around the World TV ShowPremiere Party

The television show will trace Rutgers’ international history and feature key projects, live chats, and interviews with partners, friends of Rutgers, and alumni throughout the world.

The show will air via LiveStream, RU-tv, and other channels.

We’re hosting a viewing party for the premier of our show, Rutgers Around the World Come for food, fun, and giveaways at our four-hour premiere party. Come for episode 1 at 4:00 p.m. or stay for the whole series until 7:00 p.m. If you can’t make it, check out the premiere or re-runs of the show on RU-tv or LiveStream (online). So we may adequately accommodate you, please RSVP for this free event to Eric Garfunkel at (848) 932-1777 or by emailing csestito@gaicacenters.rutgers.edu The party will be held at the College Avenue Student Center, 126 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ. Learn more at http://global.rutgers.edu/events/rutgers-250

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From the Director’s Desk

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

Reflections on a Rutgers Cooperative Extension Director’s Legacy

For a university established in Colonial times, big anniversaries are a good time to gauge progress and reflect on past accomplishments.

While Rutgers celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, two years ago we celebrated a milestone that reflected the university’s mission of supporting New Jersey agriculture and disseminating practical knowledge to promote the well-being of residents: the 100th anniversary of the signing of the federal Smith-Lever Act in 1914, which led to the creation of the national cooperative extension service. This Act paved the way for the research and expertise of the land-grant institutions, of which Rutgers is one, to be disseminated to state residents through county cooperative extension offices.

These events have caused us to reflect on the major accomplishments conducted by our institution and the great organizers behind them. Two individuals that forged an indelible mark on Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) during its evolution into the modern era have continued to be engaged and give back to extension, well into their retirement: John and Anne Gerwig.

The Gerwigs are the embodiment of RCE. John joined 4-H when he was 5, became the extension agronomist early in his career, and is the longest-serving director (1962-1992) in its history. Anne led the university’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, reaching limited-resource families, and was instrumental in obtaining critical employee benefits for paraprofessionals in extension.

During John’s tenure at the helm of RCE, New Jersey was undergoing significant growth and change, and John guided extension to accommodate these transformations. RCE adapted its educational aims to serve what was once a rural state to what is now one of the most highly urbanized in the nation.

When John began as director in 1962, cooperative extension looked then very much like what we may envision as the traditional extension activities – county agricultural agents making visits to family farms, farm kids raising animals for 4-H, and home economists teaching practical skills such as canning and sewing.

While these programs continue to some extent to this day, in addition, you’ll find county environmental agents working with urban residents on dealing with lead in their soil and building community gardens; master gardeners assisting suburban residents with gardening questions; environmental agents helping communities deal with weed-choked lakes or urban flooding.

4-H programs involve kids building robots, creating hydroponic gardens and creative arts activities. County family and community health sciences educators implement school nutrition and workplace wellness programs. Our traditional roles have evolved to reflect modern New Jersey – agricultural agents work with farmers on incorporating agri-tourism into their businesses or growing ethnic crops like hot peppers.

By the time John retired in 1992, RCE already had established a strong foothold into the modern electronic age. John supported the computerization of all the county offices and set things in motion for internet and e-mail connectivity, and incorporating the new technology that was appropriate for extension’s outreach and research needs.

Now, so many years after they’ve retired, the Gerwigs continue their dedication to RCE. Their devotion led them to establish the John and Anne Gerwig Director’s Fund awards for RCE that will provide resources to extension professionals in perpetuity. The intent of their $200,000 gift is to empower RCE professionals so that they can make a bigger impact on New Jersey’s communities.

A portion of the fund will be reserved to award through a formal “request for proposal” process set up and managed by my office. Remaining funds will be used to support emerging issues, internships, awarding additional proposals, and other needs that arise.

John and Anne were always perceptive of New Jersey’s needs and the needs of underserved populations. John’s visionary leadership of RCE resulted in New Jersey becoming a model for the nation in techniques used to reach urban communities. Their endowment will help ensure that extension will continue to make a positive impact on our communities and on New Jersey.

As a final note, John is living proof that you can take the director out of extension, but you can’t take extension out of the director. John writes monthly articles for their local community newspaper.

He’s been writing these articles, called “Tips for The Gardener,” since 2005. To close my column, here is an excerpt from one of his columns this summer: “Unlike peaches shipped in from out-of-state, our peaches are not harvested until they are ripe. Unlike most fruits, peaches do not get any sweeter after harvesting. They are as sweet as they will get the moment they are pulled from the tree. They will get softer and juicier but not sweeter.” – J. Gerwig Editor’s Note: Larry S. Katz, Ph.D. is Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE), Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and a Professor of Animal Science. RCE delivers wide-ranging educational programs in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, urban and community outreach, youth development, food, nutrition and health, and related areas of economic and workforce development across New Jersey. Dr. Katz can be reached at 848-932-3591. Visit: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/extension/

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RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

September, 2016 7

Panicum!

During my college summer break years, I would occasionally purchase and bring home an ornamental grass to grow and study. I would proudly display my purchase to my parents over dinner, since we often ate outside on the patio.

One evening, I brought home Switchgrass, or Panicum virgatum. Although my dad was an avid gardener, he was also an engineer and preferred “orderly” plants. He looked at my new purchase and simply stated it looked like a roadside weed and, to some degree, he was absolutely correct.

Panicum is a member of the grass family or Poaceae, and has over 450 species located in tropical and temperate grasslands nearly worldwide.

Not surprisingly, the genus and species were penned by the Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1753 with the publication of Species Plantarum.

The root of Panicum is from

either the Latin panus, referring to an ear of millet or panis meaning bread. Panicum millaceium is the grain called millet, hence the connection with millet or bread.

The species epithet is from the Latin Virg, meaning wand-like or twiggy, and is a reference to the upright stems. The common name of Switchgrass is evidently a derivation of Quitchgrass (Elymus repens), which is a rapid-spreading European grass.

Switchgrass is native from Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and south to Mexico and Florida.

It is one of the main components of tall grass prairies and, with a root system extending10 feet or more deep, and it is certainly drought tolerant.

Interestingly, throughout its extensive native range, it has developed two distinct forms. In moister, lowland regions, plants are genetically taller, reaching heights upwards of eight feet, with broader leaf blades to nearly one inch. In higher elevations or more northerly locations, the plants reach a more diminutive three to four feet tall, with finer and more delicate foliage, typically three-eighths of an inch

wide.

Similar to many other warm season grasses, such as crabgrass, Switchgrass has developed the C4 photosynthetic pathway, allowing it to be far more efficient during periods of drought and heat than plants with the more conventional C3 pathway.

Between its extensive root system and its modified photosynthetic pathway, Switchgrass will thrive in the worst of conditions. This explains why my dad thought it resembled a roadside weed, since it is often inhabits these harsh environments.

With such variations in height and texture, Switchgrass provides a tremendous wealth of diversity for selecting cultivars. One of my favorite forms is “Dallas Blues.” It was discovered as a seedling growing in a Dallas, Texas, garden by Ken and Linda Smith of Change of Scene Nursery in Ohio. This tall form offers beautiful powder-puff blue foliage with a very attractive arching habit. The foliage grows to five feet tall, with a spread of five to six feet.

In late-August, large pink flower panicles, typically 10

Faculty Focus: Leonard Bielory Researches the Impact of Climate Change on Allergies For many people, spring’s arrival signifies blissfully longer days, welcome sunshine, and flowers in bloom. But for millions of Americans, it’s also the first sign that dreaded allergy symptoms are on their way, from sneezing and stuffy nose to watery eyes and an overall malaise that can last months or even all year, depending on the trigger.

And according to Leonard Bielory, M.D., a specialist in allergy and immunology with the Rutgers Center of Environmental Prediction, allergy sufferers should hunker down for more of the same in the years to come. Bielory’s research focus is the impact of climate change on allergies, and what he found was a discouraging link: the milder winters and warmer seasonal air that accompany climate change bring with them shifts in flowering phenology and pollen initiation—in other words, when it comes to ragweed, for example, climate change is causing the allergy season to start earlier and, in some areas of the northern U.S. and Canada, last up to a month longer than it did in 1995.

Why? First, upwardly inching temperatures often mean a delayed first frost and a longer frost-free period overall. Plus, since plants reproduce every single year, their genetic code is evolving very efficiently to adapt to increasing CO2 warming temps, and other stressors that come with climate change. According to Bielory, by the year 2020, there will be about 10 to 20 percent more pollen production overall, and counts could more than double by 2040.

The silver lining? Though counts may rise, they can shift dramatically depending on location. That’s why Bielory, a certified pollen counter with a 30-year history recording counts in New Jersey, is looking to expand the counting force by working with local 4-H clubs and young scientists. He is also currently seeking funding to launch an education program that teaches students to assess air quality and pollen counts, so they can alert their neighbors.

Eventually, Bielory hopes that this information will be widely available via mobile technology so that individuals can monitor their symptoms and compare them against reported allergens to determine personal triggers. In the meantime, gesundheit!

inches long, stretch well above the foliage and offer a frothy, pink glow to the autumn garden.

Fall color is a brilliant gold and the plants remain upright and effective throughout the winter months. It looks great combined with Hydrangea paniculata “Limelight,” as the pink flowers of the Hydrangea nicely compliment those of the Switchgrass.

If you are looking for even more height, consider “Cloud Nine.” Introduced by Bluemont Nursery of Maryland, this form also sports blue foliage with the flowers stretching upwards of eight feet. Cloud Nine can serve as a great screening or accent plant. The flowers are light tan in color, with the entire plant turning to light yellow with the advent of frost.

One of the assets of the upland, lower growing forms is the tendency for the foliage to display red highlights during latesummer. European nurseryman found these forms particularly interesting, with Dr. Hans Simon of Germany selecting Panicum virgatum “Shenandoah” for its distinctive red foliage. This form

produces a three-to-four-foot upright fountain of foliage with ever-increasing amounts of red coloration throughout the season.

Autumn marks its zenith, with burgundy-red fall colors.

Switchgrass may appear along New Jersey roadsides, but a weed it is not. For foliage color, flower, form and a tough constitution in challenging sites, this is yet another garden musthave plant!

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

5ඎඍ඀ൾඋඌ &ඈඈඉൾඋൺඍංඏൾ (එඍൾඇඌංඈඇ 3ඁඈඇൾ 'ංඋൾർඍඈඋඒ Atlantic County Phone: 609-625-0056 Bergen County Phone: 201-336-6780 Burlington County Phone: 609-265-5050 Camden County Phone: 856 216 7130 Cape May County Phone: 609-465-5115 Cumberland County Phone: 856-451-2800 Essex County Phone: 973-228-2210 Gloucester County Phone: 856-307-6450 Hudson County Phone: 201-915-1399 Hunterdon County Phone: 908-788-1339 Mercer County Phone: 609-989-6830

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

8 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

N.J. Nursery & Landscape Association Names New Executive Director “It’s my pleasure to announce the hiring of our new Executive Director” said Bob Heitzman, President of NJNLA. “Our search committee, which is made up of all segments of the industry, including both board members and nonboard members, engaged in an extensive search for our new director. We were fortunate enough to find many very qualified individuals who were interested in the position. After interviewing the finalists, we came to the unanimous decision to present Lori Jenssen to the board

of directors. The board, in a unanimous vote, offered the position of Executive Director to Lori and she accepted.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture estimates that nurseries, greenhouses and sod farms turn out a product valued at about $445 million per year.

The NJNLA is an organization whose vision is to be a passionate advocate for the nursery and landscape industry in New Jersey and drives successful initiatives that have high impact on improving the business environment for

(Continued from page 1) their members. They are a go-to resource for highvalue, relevant and timely information for industry professionals. They have a robust and diverse community of members and maintain a high retention rate by consistently delivering and communicating value in membership.

The association was first organized in 1915 as the New Jersey Association of Nurserymen. In 1935, the group incorporated under the same name. Around a similar time, a group of North Jersey plantsmen founded the

Metropolitan Nurseryman’s Association. In 1988, the association saw a continued increase in membership from the landscape industry, and the board voted to rename the organization. The name became the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association and it remains that today. In 2008, the NJNLA merged with the Professional Landscape Alliance of New Jersey.

For more information about the New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association, please visit njnla.org or call 609-291-7070.

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

Jackpot, Concert and Party at EIGC

David Keith/Photo

Gardener News advertisers, columnists and industry friends gathered at the Eastern Independent Garden Center (EIGC) Trade Show at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, Pa., on Tuesday, Aug. 2. The group assembled at a Special V.I.P Table to hear disco diva Gloria Gaynor perform her hits live, in a special EIGC Trade Show Disco-Retro Concert & Party. Gaynor’s inspirational women’s anthem I Will Survive was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2016, and on June 23, 2016, she received a New Jersey Senate Resolution in the State House in Trenton.

In the back row, from left to right, are: David Williams, Williams Nursery and The Gift House; Ellen Pretz and Todd Pretz, Johnathan Green; Tom Castronovo, Gardener News; and Mark D’Angelo, Griffin Greenhouse Supply. In the front row, from left to right, are: Allison LaHoff and Mary Lou Hall, Hall’s Garden Center; Steve Leyland, Jonathan Green; and Rob Bardy, Bardy Farms.

EIGC serves the special interests of Independent Garden Centers in the Eastern United States with a top-notch trade show of hand-selected products, as well as regionally relevant keynotes, educational conference sessions and peer-to-peer networking opportunities.

GardenerNews.com

September, 2016 9

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

HARDY BARDY MUMS Thousands to Choose from!

The Delivery

With a full range of natural soil products, amendments, aggregates, mulch, sod, pavers and more, available for delivery today, a few things come to mind. And the most important one is safety.

My safety tip of the month is to tarp your load. And this goes out to everyone. Whether you are pulling a trailer behind your SUV, driving a rented or borrowed truck, or you are a delivery truck driver. This also applies to all those weekend warriors that let the mulch fly in those homemade trailers without working brake or trailer lights.

This is what caused my diatribe this month.

Four weeks ago, I was traveling north on Route 206 in Princeton, Mercer County, and got blasted by a stone from a landscape contractors single axel blue dump truck as he rounded the bend. He was headed south. My windshield had a hole in it right next to my inspection sticker. It sounded like a large firecracker exploded inside my Pathfinder. It scared the bejesus out of me. After the initial jolt to my wits, I looked to see how and where I could turn around to catch the offender. Because of the traffic and the time it took to spin around, he was gone.

Boy, was I pissed off!

Every once in a while, I include this New Jersey Motor Vehicle Law in the Gardener News in hopes that folks will pay attention when traveling with a loaded, delivery material vehicle.

So here it is again.

39:4-77. Loading so as to Spill Prohibited; Minimum Safety No person shall cause or permit a vehicle to be so loaded or operate a vehicle so loaded that the contents or any part thereof may be scattered in any street. Whenever the load of any vehicle is of material other than farm products susceptible to scattering on a street and such load extends above the height of the sides or tail gate or rear of the body of the vehicle, such load shall be securely covered by a tarpaulin or other cover. The director, where public safety so warrants, shall, after a public hearing, prescribe by rule or regulation minimum safety standards for fastening loads on and fix loading procedures for any commercial type flat bed motor vehicle or motor-drawn vehicle. Any rule or regulation so promulgated by the director shall be filed in the Secretary of State’s office and copies thereof shall be available, upon request, in the director’s office.

The owner, lessee, bailee, or operator of any vehicle described above found on a highway in violation of any such safety standard or procedure that may be prescribed by the director shall be fined not more than $500.00 for each violation.

When you make a decision to get a delivery, consider dump spot options.

Bulk materials are delivered by single-axel dump trucks, tandem-axel dump trucks and tractor trailers, in some cases. These trucks are heavy-duty, special-purpose vehicles unlike pickup trucks. The ability of these types of trucks to maneuver on a residential property is limited. They will leave compacted ruts in a lawn, and will likely tear it up if a turn is required in the area. Also the dump box goes very high in order to dump, so tree branches, overhead wires etc., can affect where the load can be dumped.

Also, driveways are susceptible to cracking when a dump truck drives off the side of them to access another area. Consider using an alternative dumping spot if your driveway is new.

Try to be home when the delivery is expected. If it is unavoidable, you should clearly mark the delivery spot, letting the business that you are making the purchase from know how you marked it. Make sure it is not on a slope. Open flat, dry hard areas are best, with no overhead wires in sight. It would also be best to make sure the delivery driver has your cell phone number if there are any questions once he arrives. Tipping the driver is OK. My local garden center provides marker flags when I make the purchase in person. And it’s always best to make your material selection in person so you know exactly what you are getting delivered. I always do.

Before you visit the bulk material location, measure the area you are planning to cover and how thick you are planning to make the cover. This will ensure you that the material that you order totally covers the area. The bulk material locations have formulas to determine material amounts.

If you decide to use your own vehicle and trailer to personally bring your bulk material home, please consider how much weight can be put on the trailer. I can’t tell you how many trailers I’ve seen loaded to the point of ridiculousness. If your trailer hitch breaks, you blow a tire, or if the trailer springs break, you are not only endangering your life, you are putting others at risk. Please make two or three trips if necessary. And please make sure your trailer is insured.

Now I have to contact Coury’s Auto Body Shop to have my windshield fixed.

Safe travels, everyone!!!

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

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

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

Gladly Accepting SNAP EBT Cards

10 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Live and Let Live!

By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey Here in the midst of summer, I seem to be a little more reflective and appreciative, at the same time, of life all around me.

That encompasses animal, insect and plant life, as they seem so intertwined, so dependent on one another. In our fastpaced life, we sometimes lose the intimacy and mystery that nature is constantly revealing and, my gardening friends, I’d like to share some of my observations and actions or actually “inactions” I’ve taken. It truly is amazing that we all are on a constant learning curve, no matter our age, and one of the most important things I’ve learned over the past several years is to “live and let live,” as the title of my article suggests.

Let me start by saying how I no longer am waging a never-ending battle with nature in my backyard. For decades I was eliminating jewelweed, woodland aster (who knew?), wild morning glory vine, blackberry brambles, Japanese honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, etc. This season, I just surrendered.

We shall see if that was a good call, as I can already tell you that the birds, butterflies and bees have enjoyed my decision.

I’ve also let goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, and heath asters have their way in my front yard gardens.

Naturally, I don’t spray, and for some reason the usual May gnats weren’t so annoying, nor was there evidence of any widespread pests. Of course, our halfacre is inundated with birds – catbirds, wrens, crazy cardinals who see their reflection in our windows and keep trying to woo their reflection, robins, woodpeckers and blue jays.

So I believe we have built-in insect eradicators.

Of course, that is why I have nothing to do, but protect my baby caterpillars

as they are at the top of any momma and papa bird’s list in feeding their demanding young.

Studying the interdependency, or “food chain” if you prefer, is fascinating indeed, as nature tries to balance the tally sheet so that one species isn’t annihilated to the detriment of all. The camouflage nature uses for its wildlife species to insure their survival is an ongoing celebration of ingenuity and is thrilling to see and understand.

Some things will live in our memories forever, and one of those special moments happened in our front yard with my husband and I lucky enough to witness. It was a glorious warm, sunny afternoon, when we observed two black swallowtail butterflies dancing vertically in a mesmerizingly beautiful acrobatic display, when a third black swallowtail flew in to join the party. It was dazzling and made my summer.

Oh, if only our butterflies weren’t in desperate decline. I have yet to see a monarch caterpillar and, sad to say, their milkweed plants are still uneaten, just waiting for their chance to be part of the “food chain.”

Absent, too, are the orange aphids that dine incessantly on milkweed plants. I can only attribute this to the house sparrows that have commandeered the two bluebird houses and owl house in our community garden. Wow! Talk about a prolific species.

I have more butterflies at home than I see in the community garden and I suspect the sparrows are the culprits. I have to “catch myself” with my disdain for them as I realize that, in fact, they’re the single most effective insect eradicator, bar none.

They have eliminated the Japanese beetles and insect population like nothing else, so I have to “back off” and let them have at it for all the other community

gardeners’ sakes, with their amazing variety of vegetables, fruits and flowers growing in their plots.

You all have similar stories to relate, advice to give and cautionary tales to tell, and what better place for sharing, caring and being a steward of the environment than your local garden clubs? Our garden clubs are an integral part of the community and there are no more optimistic, hard-working, dedicated community activists than members of The Garden Club of New Jersey Inc.’s, 110 garden clubs, and 4,500 members throughout our great state.

Look for our presence at your local garden centers and nurseries, as we are partnering with them in our efforts to grow our severely declining pollinator population. Our clubs are working with their local garden centers/nurseries to erect “Pollinator Centers” in each garden center/nursery throughout New Jersey and beyond.

The GCNJ Butterflies & BeeGAP committee developed signage that identifies necessary host/ nectar/pollen/fruit/seed and nesting requirements for butterflies, bees and birds. Check it out at your local garden center/ nursery or contact me at: jeannieg42@earthlink.net to have one erected. We will work together!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Gardens Chair, the Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair and the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Chair for The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Life Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is a member of Neshanic Garden Club and her email address is: jeannieg42@earthlink.net The Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. gardenclubofnewjersey.com and phone number is 732249-0947.

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GardenerNews.com

September, 2016 11

Yellow Jackets… They’ll Be Ready, Will You?

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Story from a few years back: It’s a typical fall Saturday and I’m coaching my daughter’s soccer team. The lineup is done, the kids are ready and the referee is ready to start the game. Life could not be better right?

All of a sudden, I take a drink from my coffee cup and a sharp piercing pain hits the top sensitive area of my lip.

Not knowing what it was, I grab for my lip and low and behold, I’m holding a yellow jacket. SHE is mad as “you know what” and stings me again on my fingers. By now I know what’s going on and I just crush this poor insect with my bare hand.

As you know, the skin and tissue around our lips is quite sensitive and I just got a lesson from Mother Nature on just how sensitive my lips are

and just how aggressive yellow jackets are!

I try to think of something else to try and reduce the pain, but nothing is working. I flash back to my grandfather showing off by grabbing wasps and squeezing them to show us grandchildren how strong his skin was and that he was not afraid of them. My grandfather was a painter and had lots of experience with yellow jackets, especially in the fall months.

Back to the soccer game, and now I have a small crowd watching me “dancing” with this aggressive yellow jacket and within no time at all, my lip is swollen up and hurting a lot. We don’t have any anti-histamine in the first aid kit, so I know I’m just going to have to tough it out. I’ve been stung a lot over the years by stinging insects, but I have to tell you, this sting on my lip caused me the most pain I had

experienced in quite a while.

Of course, the kids on my soccer team know I work in pest control and deal with issues like this all the time, so I have to toughen up and not let them know how much pain I’m in. Soon a parent comes over with some ice and in a few minutes I’m feeling a lot better.

I didn’t spill my coffee, and after removing the lid and taking a quick look to make sure no more yellow jackets are in my coffee, I finish my brew. We were playing a tough team and we did win the game.

September starts the fall season (Thursday, September 22, 2016 is the first day of fall this year) and it’s that time of year when yellow jacket populations explode and everyone, especially fall sport teams, will see a dramatic increase in populations of yellow jackets.

Here’s why. The

nests of hymenoptera are mostly females during the summer months. Most all wasps, hornets and yellow jackets start off the season as fertilized females that have overwintered; usually beneath the frost line. While most all of these are social insects, the females would rather make their nest, find food and care for their young, which are larvae.

They really don’t care much about humans, but when you get in their way or disturb them, they go into the “defense mode” and will sting at will. Once the first one stings and gives off the defense pheromone, look out. The rest of the females will come and start stinging, over and over until you run away.

The increase in numbers in the fall is because the males are produced late in the year, basically to mate with females that will overwinter. Males basically mate and die and

the fertilized females will start the process again next year.

There are studies that suggest cool and wet months like we had in April and May this year could reduce the numbers of yellow jackets. Like most hymenoptera, yellow jackets are beneficial and should be left alone. Be careful in the month of September, as yellow jackets, especially the ground-nesting German yellow jacket, will be more noticeable due to the increase in numbers.

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

Bill is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

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

Gardener News is Now Accepting Nominations for its

2016

Person of the Year Award.

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

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

The deadline for receiving nominations for 2016 is November 1, 2016.

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

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

Thank you!

12 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

GardenerNews.com A look at a lawn which is not responding to the warm weather and frequent rainfall of this season may show a layer of stems, crowns, roots and undecomposed organic matter that is more than onehalf-inch deep.

Although a perfect cover for a dwelling in another climate, this thatch layer will prevent good air and water percolation and will increase the susceptibility of the lawn to disease and insect damage. Conditions which will increase thatch development are compacted soil conditions, the overapplication of nitrogen, overwatering, planting varieties which produce large amounts of tough, fibrous tissue, and improper cultural practices. To find out how much thatch is in your lawn, take a core or remove a wedge of lawn with a spade and measure the amount of thatch from the soil surface to the grass blades.

Many times, a lawn choked in thatch looks to be beyond control. All hope is not lost, however. The first step is to test the soil. A soil medium which is stagnant will lead to compaction and an increase in thatch.

Investigating what is going on

September, 2016 13 The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

What is Choking My Lawn? in the soil will help alleviate the core problems associated with these conditions. The pH will probably needs to be addressed. Many times, the use of high-calcium lime is warranted. Acidic soil conditions will decrease the rate of decomposition, as will any pesticides which restrict earthworm and microbe activity. There are many products available that will increase microbial and earthworm activity.

The growing season is the ideal time to remediate conditions identified by the soil test results. Immediately, proper mowing can be implemented. Cut off no more than one-third of the grass blade whenever possible.

Leave clippings on the turf whenever they cannot be seen readily after mowing.

Aerate the lawn through the use of soil conditioners or by

mechanically pulling cores from the lawn. Water the lawn deeply and infrequently. This may be only once or twice a week, but you may need to water up to 60 minutes per area. Your yard’s exposure will dictate this as well.

Lawns which bake in the summer sun will need more water than those in a shaded condition. You may need to adapt an automatic sprinkler system to target areas which are getting improper water.

Your irrigation contractor can address improvements, which will allow you to get this accomplished.

When the thatch layer is more than one-half-inch thick and implementing soil test recommendations and improved cultural practices are not enough to see an improvement, then mechanical means may be necessary. Early-fall is the

perfect time to implement the removal of a lot of the thatch layer. The use of a hand rake made for thatch removal can be used on very small lawns.

On larger areas, a power rake or vertical mower will be needed to expedite matters.

This removal will open up the soil, and in the case of the vertical mower, will create a bedding area for seed. Choosing seed varieties which are adapted to the site is important. Shade conditions require blends which have more fescue varieties, while sunny locations lean toward the blue and rye varieties, and high-traffic areas can use the turf type tall fescues.

After the mechanical process is completed and seeding to upgrade the lawn is accomplished, your fertility program will need to be addressed. The use of organic products which

will increase the amount of microbial activity will help prevent the future buildup of thatch. Returning clippings into the lawn will help.

Cutting of no more than onethird of the grass blade and keeping a sharp blade on your mower will help as well. You may even look into the use of reel mowers. There are many updated push mowers which are much more efficient and will afford some exercise time, as well as helping reduce pollution.

As your lawn recovers and fills in, continuing a natural organic fertility approach will increase the health of your lawn and the vitality of the soil.

Keeping the soil in balance will prevent the buildup of thatch and keep many weeds from returning. Your local landscape professional or garden center can help you analyze and cure your thatch issues.

Editor’s Note: Evan Dickerson is owner of Dickerson Landscape Contractors and NaturesPro of North Plainfield. He has been pioneering the organic approach to plant health since 1972. Evan can be reached at 908-753-1490

Landscape Contractor Runs For Charity

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association President, Founder and President of Landscapeworks Inc., Landscapeworks Snow & Ice Management, and Advanced Mulch Services, Inc., Nelson Lee, just returned from Napa, Calif.

Lee ran the Napa-to-Sonoma Half Marathon to raise money for Team Challenge, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America’s endurance training and fundraising program. Through Team Challenge, you can run or walk a half marathon (13.1 miles), train for a cycling event, or experience a sprint triathlon while simultaneously helping to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—two chronic and often debilitating digestive diseases that impact over 1.6 million Americans.

This popular race featured a fast and scenic course starting at Cuvaison Carneros Winery and finishing in historic Sonoma Plaza in front of City Hall.

Lee also raises money for Teams for Kids, an official charity of the New York Road Runners (NYRR). Team for Kids is a committed group of adult runners from around the world who add meaning to their miles by raising funds for NYRR’s Youth and Community Services programs while training for major endurance events. The funds they raise provide free or low-cost health and fitness programs to kids who would otherwise have little or no access to regular physical activity. These programs serve more than 215,000 children each year in more than 1,000 schools and community centers in New York City and across the nation.

His next charity race will be the New York City Marathon on Nov. 6, 2016.

14 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

HELP WANTED

USDA, NASS NJ Field Office: Agricultural Survey Interviewer Survey interviewers in central New Jersey counties are needed for intermittent, part-time work.

Applicants must have a valid driver’s license. Paid training, mileage and hourly wage are provided. An agricultural background desirable, but not essential.

Light computer skills needed. E-mail Clare Burger at clare.burger@nass.usda.gov

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In South Jersey Contact:

Rich Imlay 908-216-8933

Steve Leyland 908-217-0682

GardenerNews.com

September, 2016 15

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16 September, 2016 As we are heading into fall and the perfect planting season with cooler temperatures, I would like to address a few gardening tasks.

First, as a spokesperson for the NJLCA, it is my duty to explain some of the current issues facing the green industry to this readership.

We recently presented a letter to the Governor of our Garden State, along with several other green industry associations, stating our reasons to reject the raising of the minimum wage rate. This included nurserymen, sports field and golf course managers, turf grass professionals, arborists and all those involved in the different facets of the landscaping industry.

We feel that the impact of the wage increase can directly affect business owners who will need to reduce the workforce.

It will also increase the cost of operations and therefore reduce taxes generated for the State of New Jersey. If the state minimum wage increase were to take place, it would be a challenge for the green industry to attract enough labor for the physically demanding and often seasonal work. Most of

GardenerNews.com The NJLCA Today

By Tom Canete Association Past President

Keeping an eye on issues both political and plant us already pay wages far above the current minimum wage in order to compensate for these challenges.

Our industry is already very competitive and our margins on services are constantly threatened by sudden price increases, fluctuation in fuel costs and constantly rising insurance rates, etc. The wage increase will have a negative effect on the bottom line of countless businesses and affect the state’s economy adversely.

The New Jersey Turfgrass industry alone contributes more than $3 billion annually and plays a very important role in both the state’s economy and the lives of New Jersey residents.

I hope you all support us in our request to Governor Christie to veto the Minimum Wage Bill for the sake of the green

industry and the thousands of families it supports.

On a gardener’s note, September is a great time for planting. As temperatures remain warm during the day, but the worst of the heat has subsided, plants will put all their energy into growing a healthy root system. Although the garden centers may be low on inventory of flowering plants, many evergreens are brought in to plant now and provide green in the winter months to come.

This is also a very busy time for a landscape company.

After homeowners return from vacation and kids are back in school, new attention is paid to properties. After the calm and tranquility of summer, in our industry and in order for customers to enjoy a cool fall evening sitting around an outdoor fireplace or fire pit with

friends and neighbors, we are busy planning and constructing projects now. There are magical transformations taking place in backyards everywhere with new outdoor lighting fixtures, furniture, and entertainment equipment on the market.

In our perennial gardens, we can lift and divide some plants to spread the floral beauty throughout the garden.

This is the perfect time to divide hostas, day lilies and bearded iris.

The cooler season also provides the opportunity for cooler weed seeds to germinate.

If you keep a natural, untreated lawn, keep your eye out for dandelions (again!) to save much work in spring. Overseeding, fertilizing and core aerating the lawn is also important to do now, as days are still warm and nights are

cool. Check the pH level of your lawn soil to determine if a lime application is needed, as if the soil is too acidic, it takes approximately eight to nine months for lime to take effect and change the pH. To transition tropicals to the indoor environment for winter, it is best to move them to the shadier parts of the garden and patio to get them used to the low-light conditions indoors.

Pruning evergreens should have been completed last month. When done any later, the new growth it encourages may not harden off before winter.

You are better off waiting to prune in spring if you have not done so already.

So keep enjoying the fruits of your labor in the vegetable garden and welcome the start of leaf-raking season!

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

Mountain Mints

By Hubert Ling You might think of peppermint or spearmint, but did you know that New Jersey has almost 80 types of mints?

Well, I didn’t either, but my detailed reference books make me look good! About half of these New Jersey mints are recent immigrants and half are native.

Mints generally have leaves arranged in pairs opposite each other on square stems, small flowers in terminal clusters, and leaves dotted with glands containing aromatic oils, which give mints distinct aromas. Mints and New Jersey are perfect together, since these oils often discourage deer.

Native mint plants come in all sizes and shapes, from a diminutive four-inch blue curl to a seven-foot yellow giant hyssop. Other colors include purple, white, and the vivid color of bee balm. Almost nothing can make a hike more

memorable then chancing upon a bed of pure red bee balm gracing the banks of a meadow stream; we will try to feature this treasure and its relatives in a future article.

Now that you know there is much more than just peppermint, let’s look at the mountain mints, or Pycnanthemum, found in New Jersey. Pycnanthemum, the scientific name, means densely crowded with flowers.

Yes, mountain mints are frequently found on mountains such as High Mountain Park Preserve in Passaic County, which has four types, but they are also commonly found at lower elevations, sharing meadows with grasses, thistles and asters.

Four New Jersey-native, perennial mountain mints are commonly available for sale: P. incanum (hoary), P. muticum (short-toothed), P. tenuifolium (narrowleafed), and P. virginianum (Virginia mountain mint).

These species have similar growth requirements and

similar characteristics. I will specifically discuss shorttoothed mountain mint, since I have been growing this plant for several years, but the information presented here can generally be applied to all.

Mountain mint grows two to three feet tall. In late-July through early-September, it produces numerous clusters of small white flowers with violet speckles. The flowers open up over a four to six week span and are avidly sought by a variety of butterflies, moths, bees and flies.

The flowers are highlighted by showy rosettes of pale-green leaves. NABA, the North American Butterfly Association, has a rousing recommendation for the mountain mints on its web pages.

Short-toothed mountain mint has a lot of mint oils and is very fragrant. North American natives used the leaves of mountain mints for headaches and amenorrhea,

and early settlers in the United States used them for colds, fevers, sore throats, colic and stomach cramps.

However, several of the broad-leafed mountain mints contain pugelone, which can damage your liver if ingested in large amounts. So instead of using mountain mint in your mint tea, PETA suggests you use it to humanely repel mice. Many people have also experimented with various mints as insect repellants and sprayed it on plants as a natural insecticide, but use a little caution at first since you or your favorite plant may have a sensitive epidermis.

Mountain mints are very easy to grow on a variety of slightly acidic to neutral soils, in sun or partial shade.

Colonies expand slowly by runners and large clusters can be divided in spring or fall. In addition, the seeds can be collected in fall and sown immediately. Be sure to collect the seeds early; the seed capsules of mints mature rapidly and release

all their minute seeds when they just start turning golden.

If you wait until all the seed capsules are brown, you will find the seeds long gone.

I start collecting seeds in August to September when some capsules of a cluster are brown, most are yellow and some are still green. Use a seed tray three-quarters filled with good garden soil.

Depress the center of the soil to prevent the seeds from washing overboard. Mix two pinches of seed with quarter cup of dry soil (to ensure even coverage), sprinkle over the seed tray, and pat down.

A mulch of straw or oak leaves will also help protect the seeds from driving rain.

Remove the mulch in April and celebrate your effort to make New Jersey a little better.

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

GardenerNews.com

September, 2016 17 Proud Partner

Proud Partner

Do you want to attract better clients and charge more for your work?

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Test Site: Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Rd., Paramus, NJ

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We are limited to 80 participants..and these spots will be taken up quickly!

Register now and get your free study guide today!

Being certified has made me more professional and helped my company land more projects.

-- Bob Pedatella, CLT Kodiak Landscape NJLCA Past President

NJLCA extends member pricing for the exam to all NY, NJ, PA, CT and all other state landscape association members

For more information and to register visit www.NJLCA.org, call (201) 703-3600 or email info@njlca.org

18 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

‘Going Green’ with Stink Bug Control Storr Tractor Announces Promotion

By Dennis O'Brien Public Affairs Specialist A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist has found “green” alternatives to insecticides to control three native stink bugs that damage cotton, and the new methods are catching on with growers.

The green stink bug (Chinavia hilaris), southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula), and brown stink bug (Euschistus servus) are a particular problem in the southeastern United States, because cotton is often grown alongside peanuts. Brown and southern green stink bugs develop in peanut fields and migrate into cotton. Green stink bugs move into cotton from nearby wooded areas.

Glynn Tillman, with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Tifton, Georgia, is studying the use of “trap crops,” such as soybean and grain sorghum. Trap crops are planted in small strips alongside cotton so that the stink bugs will move into them instead.

Another option is using pheromone-baited traps to capture and kill the bugs. Nectar-producing plants can be grown to attract native parasitoid wasps that attack A little over a month ago, MSN-Travel came up on “my homepage” and had “80 Unreal Places You Only Thought Existed In Your Imagination.”

Not surprisingly, a good number of places represented on their list had to do with plant material. Since my articles are limited to 775 words in the Gardener News and a picture is worth 1,000 words, I figured I could tempt your appetite with the names and a brief description of some of those highlighted on their list.

“The Tunnel Of Love” is a tree-lined romantic railway line located in Klevan, Ukraine, a three-kilometer section of private railway that serves a fiberboard factory near the town of Klevan.

A myriad of plant material woven together that shimmers and comes alive as the train rolls through it. It is said that couples go there and make a wish, and if they are sincere in their love, their wish will come true.

“Deadvlei” is a white clay pan located inside the NamibNaukluft Park in Namibia. Also written DeadVlei or Dead Vlei, its name means “dead marsh.”

Surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world, there are species of plant material that have perished some 700 years ago. The remaining skeletons of these trees, Giraffe/Camel Thorn

stink bugs. Placing plastic barriers between cotton and peanut rows is yet another control method.

In a recent study, Tillman and her colleagues grew cotton and peanuts side by side for two years. In the first year, they planted soybeans as a trap crop, with and without pheromone traps, between the cotton and peanut rows. In other areas, they placed 6-foot-high plastic barriers between the rows. In the second year of the study, they added nectar-producing buckwheat plants near the cotton.

Each week during the May-toOctober growing season, they counted the stink bugs and stink bug eggs killed by wasps, and documented the damage to cotton bolls.

They found that physical barriers between peanut and cotton were the most effective tool and that the multi-pronged approach is an effective alternative if barriers are not feasible. They also found that soybeans were an effective trap crop and that buckwheat plants attracted beneficial wasps that reduced stink bug numbers.

Editor’s Note: Dennis O’Brien works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. He can be reached at 301-504-1486 or by emailing dennis.obrien@ars.usda.gov

Tom Castronovo/Photo To Storr Tractor Dealers, Employees and Friends: We were all saddened by the sudden passing of Tom Boglioli last year. We all mourn his loss.

The pride he took in the distribution business and the great relationships he forged with our dealers, customers, employees and Toro are a legacy that continues today.

With the goal of continuing this legacy, I am pleased to announce the promotion of Bob Kaufman, above, to the position of Manager of Distribution Sales. Bob has been with Storr Tractor for over 17 years, holding positions of increasing responsibility starting with a salesperson with the golf equipment division, managing the Toro Dingo division and moving into his current position managing the central New Jersey distribution territory. Moving forward, Bob will continue to manage his current territory. In his new role as Manager of Distribution Sales, he will work closely with our entire dealer network and Toro to continue to grow the business and maintain the strong dealer and customer relationships that are a hallmark of Storr Tractor.

Please join me in congratulating Bob on his promotion and wishing him much success moving forward.

Very Truly Yours, Mary Lou Des Champs CEO / President Storr Tractor Company Inc.

Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

Google These tree, Acacia erioloba, are now black because the intense heat has scorched them.

“The Wisteria Flower Tunnel” located in the city of Kitakyusha, Japan, is home to an incredible 150 Wisteria flowering plants, including 20 different species.

The Wisteria Tunnel, Kawachi Fuji Garden’s main attraction, allows visitors to walk through an enchanted tunnel exploding with color. The end of April and beginning of May is the best time to view this horticultural treat.

“Dragon Trees” Dracaena cinnabari, is arguably the most famous plant of the island Socotra, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Yemen. Evocatively named dragon’s blood, this tree has been described as “upturned, densely packed crown having the shape of an uprightly held umbrella” (Wikipedia). This evergreen species is named for its dark red resin, aka Dragon’s Blood, a substance revered since

ancient times. Used to color wool, varnishes and plaster, decorate houses and pottery, for ritual magic and for medicinal purposes, including as an antiseptic, antiviral and for treating tumors.

“Arashiyama Bamboo Grove” is one of Kyoto, Japan’s top sights! Almost like standing in another world, beyond anything you think you know or have seen before, for that matter. A sprawling bamboo grove that shimmers in the light and sways with the breezes that caress its giant stilts.

It is these towering stalks that seem to stretch your sight and maybe your imagination. Built in the 14th Century by a shogun to honor the passing of a Japanese emperor, a temple stands amidst the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Surrounded by these majestic giants, it is here where Japan’s history metaphorically links mans’ strength with this plant, making this a true “Bucket List” experience.

“Glendurgan Gardens” sit on the shore of beautiful Helford estuary in Cornwall, England.

Glendurgan is one of the great sub-tropical gardens, exhibiting exotic trees, shrubs and flowers, all nestled in this sheltered valley location. Their massive laurel maze (.75 mile) is an instant hit with visitors of all ages. Designed by owner Alfred Fox in 1833, the maze is designed to resemble a coiled serpent curled up in the lawn.

This warm, mild microclimate has ferns, palms, orchids, camellias and rhododendron all living in harmony.

“The Blue Universe” consists of about 4.5 million Baby Blue Eyes, Nemophila menziesii, carpeting the hills at Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan.

Photographer Hiroki Kondo calls this landscape “the blue universe,” whose flowers peak at the end of April to the beginning of May. This California wildflower validates the argument for mass

planting.

“Canola Fields” is located in Yunnan, China (Luoping County in Qujing Prefecture). Noted for its beautiful spring scenery (May/ June) when its fields of canola or rapeseed flowers are in full bloom. A spectacular sea of golden flowers helps amplify the surrounding mountains that are seemingly within reach.

When you Google image these breathtaking places, be mindful that you will have to catch your breath. It is amazing to see what nature, with a bit of coaxing by people, can create.

Time and energy coupled with passion and an ability to read the terrain properly have given the world many WOW experiences.

And just think, I have only touched upon a few of those 80 “Unreal Experiences You Only Thought Existed In Your Imagination.”

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 I am honored to bring back the popular “Tree Notes” column to the Gardener News.

As a horticulturist and undeniable “tree hugger,”, and I am always amazed, and often dismayed when, while consulting with a client and I ask, “Do you water and fertilize your trees?” The answer is usually, “No.” When asked why not, the typical response is that trees take care of themselves.

Really?

Perhaps in the forest, where leaves and dead insects and animals decay, providing natural nutrient replenishment, and where there is no impact from children and pets and wild parties compacting the soil. In the forest, trees simply grow. There are no elves in the forest picking up the leaves and providing water.

But in our overlymanicured modern landscape, we take away leaves and dead animals, so there is no natural nutrient replenishment.

We spend many dollars for a perfectly green lawn, pretty flowers, manicured shrubs. But our trees? We ignore them, until a storm takes out a branch or we need some sunlight for our vegetables. Then we wake up and take action.

Usually it’s too late.

September, 2016 19 Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman ISA Certified Arborist

Seeing the forest for the trees Trees deserve and require the same attention we give our lawns and lantanas. They need water and nutrients, protection from pests, and regular pampering. I know you do not think so, but like you and I, trees are very sensitive to neglect…just ask one.

Certainly the longestlived plants in our landscape, well cared for trees will outlive you and me. However, in the “artificial ecology” of a garden, we often fail to provide good culture to our trees. As they grow and mature, they change the dynamics of the garden. They shade what were once sunny sites, they drain the soil of water and nutrients, and their roots compete with your perennials and shrubs. Each year, this amplifies. Make no mistake, trees change how we garden, and they change our garden.

What should the home gardener do?

If you have large shade trees on your property, and you have never done so, you should hire a reputable tree care contractor with a New Jersey Certified Tree Expert on staff to provide an initial condition analysis. This will not be expensive, but the results will be immeasurable.

Any recommendations made can be scheduled: immediate hazard conditions addressed, short-term pruning, long-range maintenance work.

All large trees should be inspected annually, and also following any severe storms.

All large trees are hazards if they have a target; your house, your pool, your neighbors, your family. Any structural deficiency adds to the equation.

Failure to address a known problem could be disastrous.

Don’t wait for a storm to do

your work, as many often do.

Think about it. Be responsible.

Small ornamental trees deserve the same attention – maybe more. Most come out of the nursery with poor branching structure, and this needs to be corrected immediately – by a qualified tree expert. Make sure you provide a ring of highquality mulch out to the drip line, only one to two inches deep, and keep it from touching the trunk. Mulch helps keep soil cool and moist, and keeps turf from competing with the tree’s roots. Too much mulch - the so-called “mulch volcanoes” - suffocates roots and reduces water infiltration. If you want a mountain in your yard, move out West!

Many of our landscape trees are very sensitive to drought stress. Redbud, dogwood, Japanese maple and Stewartia need adequate water during hot, dry weather. A few gallons

won’t cut it. A drip hose or slow trickle for many hours is what’s needed. No, your lawn irrigation is not enough.

Failure to provide supplemental irrigation to small or young trees is one of the most common problems I see in the landscape.

Remember, there are no elves.

If you take the time to care and study your trees, you and your garden will be amply rewarded. Trees provide us shade and shelter, fruit and fire.

They are as alive as you and I. Noble Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai, whose organization in Kenya planted 30 million trees, said, “Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking”.

Stop talking, and plant a tree.

Editor’s Note: Steve Schuckman is owner of First Mountain Aboriculture, which provides horticultural consulting and community forestry services. He is currently the consulting forester for Bloomfield, Hawthorne, Maplewood, and Montclair, in New Jersey. He is a New Jersey Certified Tree Expert and an ISA Certified Arborist. He can be reached at smschuckman@verizon.net

A Lonely Kitten in a Sunflower Maze New Jersey farmer and author Raj Sinha proudly announces the release of his new book, Sunny & The Sunflower Maze, in the middle of the Sussex County Sunflower Maze at his Liberty Farm.

The book is about a lonely kitten, as he explores a beautiful sunflower farm and finds a forever home.

Sinha has been planting sunflowers for six years and created the first sunflower maze in the Garden State in 2011. The sunflower maze is located this year at 101 Route 645 in Sandyston, Sussex County, N.J. (near mile marker 125 on Rt. 206 North). It is the largest on the East Coast, with over 1.5 million sunflowers expected to bloom. This is the second year the maze is located at this location.

Sinha rotates the fields every few years for sustainable farming practices. Each year, the agri-tourism activities grow. They have a Kids Scavenger Hunt, A build-your-own Scarecrow contest, and a Bug Safari Tour. There is also a pick-your-own sunflower field. The maze has hundreds of native pollinators such as butterflies, bees and grasshoppers, and there is always something new to photograph. The bloom schedule is dependent upon Mother Nature.

The sunflower maze is in a farm field. Closed toed shoes are required and dogs must be on a leash. Drones are allowed by appointment only.

The book is available at the farm or online at Tom Castronovo/Photo www.LibertyFarmPress.com

20 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

New Faba Beans Offer Multiple Benefits

By Jan Suszkiw Public Affairs Specialist Four cold-tolerant faba bean germplasm lines are now available for developing pulse or cover crops that can be rotated with wheat and other cereal grains grown in the Pacific Northwest.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists who co-developed the new germplasm lines, planting faba beans can offer both environmental and economic benefits.

These include converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form subsequent crops can use for growth, forming a thick canopy that shades out weeds, protecting the soil from erosion, and nourishing it when chopped and left to decompose as a so-called “green manure.”

Although current U.S. varieties can tolerate cool temperatures and light frosts, they don’t possess true winter hardiness, according to geneticist Jinguo Hu, with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Shoring up that trait could allow greater flexibility in where and when growers use faba beans as an annual winter cover crop or green manure. Other benefits are fertilizer savings and extra income from harvesting the seed.

In the Palouse—a region encompassing parts of southeastern

Washington State and northwestern Idaho—pea, chickpea and lentil are currently used as rotation crops with wheat, the predominant crop there.

However, faba bean has the potential to extend the crop diversity in the Palouse and other U.S. regions, notes Hu, who leads ARS’s Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research Unit in Pullman, Washington.

In October 2008, Hu and his ARS and Washington State University collaborators began an intensive screening effort to identify sources of winter hardiness in faba bean plant populations derived from 175 germplasm accessions collected worldwide.

From that total, the team chose several promising lines and produced six consecutive generations of offspring plants to recover and refine the hardiest individuals. They ultimately selected four lines of European descent with average winter survival rates of 84 percent during 2013-2014 field tests in southeastern Washington, where the lowest air temperatures ranged from 11 degrees Fahrenheit (F) down to minus 12.5 F during the past six winter seasons.

Editor’s Note: Jan Suszkiw works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

She can be reached at 301-504-1630 or by emailing Jan.Suszkiw@ars.usda.gov

GardenerNews.com This summer was one of the hottest on record. Lawns where severely damaged.

The excessive heat and drought took its toll on most lawns, and so did crabgrass!

Do you have any crabgrass in your lawn? If so, what should you do now?

Most of you will report that, yes, you do have some crabgrass infestation.

But how is the rest of your lawn holding up? Many homeowners are frustrated because they applied a pre-emergent crabgrass preventer this spring and still got crabgrass There are some granular forms of crabgrass control and more sprays available that are labeled to control crabgrass but now the crabgrass plants are too large and strong to control.

If you did use a spray, most likely your lawn would suffer and may die from the stress of heat and drought and herbicide combination.

If you have crabgrass in your lawn now, I would not try to do anything to eradicate it.

While I write this article, we experienced severe thunderstorms and rain these past few days. This I put the Weather Channel on in the morning as I prepare for the work day.

They discuss it all the time.

Anytime I turn the news on, there it is again. On my PC at home or at work researching something and, yup, there it is again. After a while you say to yourself, okay, just what the heck is this all about and do I need to prepare myself for this?

What I am referring to is the Zika virus.

Now I dislike mosquitoes anyway. You cannot have an evening outdoor BBQ in the summer without them! And now I have to worry about this Zika virus?

So, what is Zika virus?

I went on the CDC Website and this is what I found: “Some people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.

September, 2016 21 Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Crabgrass gotcha? will help the lawns under stress somewhat, but we still have the end of summer and we may face harsh weather conditions.

So, why so much crabgrass? Mother Nature is tough on some plants and beneficial to others. She’s tough on lawn grass plants, with heat and drought, so the plants slow down and go dormant or die. But, the hot, dry weather favors crabgrass and weed growth, since the lawns have shut down giving little competition for the weeds to flourish.

Crabgrass preventers ran out of effective control with the extended latespring weather, so when the hot, dry summer arrived, the crabgrass still had a chance to germinate around July 4th.

Crabgrass is an annual plant that creates thousands of seeds for a new crop next year. It exhibits a horizontal growth pattern, so it can avoid your lawn mower cutting off the seeds it produces.

If you have a lot of crabgrass now, I would apply a preemergent next spring and then another application in late-spring to extend your crabgrass control. Dimension (dithiopyr) works best for late-spring applications; it can still control crabgrass up to the three-leaf stage.

I’ve heard from a number of homeowners that they seeded in June and July, watered feverishly and experienced little grass germination and growth and an excessive amount of weeds.

Well, my first comment on this is, “Why would you attempt

to seed at this time of the year?” I know I have stated that if you do not want to look at bare spots until the fall, go ahead and seed, but there have to be realistic expectations on growing grass going into rough summer weather.

Now that it is early-fall, you will still see actively growing crabgrass plants in your lawn. If you only have a few plants, you can pull-cut them out hopefully avoid them spreading more crabgrass seeds for next year. Crabgrass plants will die with the first frost, which usually happens in October. Otherwise, plan on re-seeding areas in earlyfall to get the best lawn. I want you to seed in early-fall, not in October or November, because you have a longer growing season to establish your new grass.

The Miscellaneous Gardener

By Richard W. Perkins Freelance Writer

Every Time I Turn Around, There It Is Again?!

See your doctor or other healthcare provider if you are pregnant and develop symptoms within 2 weeks.

Be sure to tell your doctor or other healthcare provider if you traveled in any Southern States. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.

People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.

Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week but it can be found longer in some people. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.”

Hmmm, they say it’s mild but it sounds pretty nasty

to me. These mosquitoes primarily live in tropical and subtropical climates, but can survive in colder climes.

They spread Zika, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya, and other viruses that basically all have the same symptoms.

Because the mosquitoes live near and prefer to feed on people, they are more likely to spread these viruses than other types of mosquitoes.

Many areas in the United States have the type of mosquitoes that can become infected with these viruses. Recent outbreaks in the continental United States have been relatively small and limited to a small area.

CDC is not able to predict if Zika virus will spread, however, and areas with past outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue are considered

at higher risk for Zika.

These include U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Local outbreaks have also been reported in parts of Hawaii, Florida and Texas. For these mosquitoes to cause an outbreak here, all of the following must happen: People infected with a virus (like Zika, dengue, or chikungunya) arrive.

A local mosquito bites an infected person during the first week of infection when the virus can be found in the person’s blood. The infected mosquito lives long enough for the virus to multiply and for the mosquito to bite another person. The cycle continues multiple times to start an outbreak.

So, with the on-set of Floridian vacationers

Fall is a great time to seed because of warm soil temperatures, cooler nights and the return of normal rainfall patterns. The newly planted grass can grow and develop roots right up to Christmas if conditions are right. Next spring, you will hopefully not have to seed at all, just continue to develop a strong lawn so your lawn can survive better next summer.

Crabgrass will be around for a long time, but your lawn will prevail if you have a sound lawn care program. I saw a lot of lawns that showed a lot more crabgrass than healthy lawn growth at this time of year and very little effort was made to grow a great lawn, but then right next door a great looking lawn exists, free of crabgrass with lush green growth and, yes, an irrigation system helps.

Don’t give up on the fight against crabgrass!

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 coming north to hang out in their summah homes, it is a good idea to protect yourself from the potential spread of Zika. Take these steps and if you are pregnant, and strictly follow them: Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Stay in places with air conditioning and use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside. Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or paramenthane-diol.

When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Treat clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated items.

We also stick citronella tiki torches on poles around our sitting areas.

Thanks for reading and see ya next month.

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

22 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Farmers Market Week Celebrates Peak Of Jersey Fresh Season (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher, Health Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett and U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Mid-Atlantic Region office representatives today marked Farmers Market Week with a visit to the Westmont Farmers Market in Haddon Township.

Governor Chris Christie proclaimed August 7 through 13, 2016 as Farmers Market Week in New Jersey and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, likewise, proclaimed the week National Farmers Market Week to remind consumers to visit these markets this summer and fall.

“We are at the peak of the season right now so farmers markets have a wide variety of just-picked Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables available,” said Secretary Fisher. “Farmers markets, like the Westmont market, are great places to meet the farmers who grow our food and visit with neighbors. They also provide important programs to help those in need purchase nutritious, wholesome local produce.”

There are 146 community farmers markets in the state. Farmers who attend these markets sell produce they’ve picked at the peak of ripeness within 24 hours of sale to ensure the best taste and highest quality. Many of the farmers accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers and SNAP food stamp electronic benefit cards. These US Department of Agriculture-sponsored programs provide purchasing assistance to those in need.

“The New Jersey Department of Health appreciates New Jersey farmers’ commitment to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to our most vulnerable populations—seniors and low-income women and children,” said Commissioner Bennett. “Through the WIC and Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition programs, more than 90,000 residents had access to nutritious, locally-grown produce that help them lead a healthier life.”

The Westmont Farmers Market is in its 8th season and is located at Haddon and Stratford Avenues from 4 to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday through October 26. There are 25 vendors, including three farmers, five food trucks and a variety of other food-related booths. The Business Improvement District started the market to help promote Haddon Township’s downtown. Market Manager Douglas Kelly said the market has attracted businesses and residents to the surrounding area.

“We have had hundreds of residents tells us the farmers market is the best part of living in our town,” said Kelly. “Our farmers come back year after year. Beside the sales, the farmers have become friends with my neighbors and they seem to welcome the human relations they have built with the residents.”

Eating Jersey Fresh fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products can go a long way to improving overall health. Eating locally also is a good choice for protecting our environment by reducing the miles a meal travels between farm and fork, lessening fuel consumption. In addition, choosing locally grown products helps keep New Jersey farmers on their land, preserving the Garden State’s quality of life.

NJDA/Photo

From left to right: Eric Ratchford, USDA Mid-Atlantic Region SNAP Director; Douglas Fisher, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture; Douglas Kelly, Market Manager; Cathleen Bennett, New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner; Haddon Township Mayor Randall Teague

GardenerNews.com It’s been an awesome summer. The weather was good, business was good, water was good, it was all good. This month there are plenty of beach festivals, like Founder’s Day in Lavallette and The seafood festival in Point Pleasant Beach, to name just a couple. It’s tons of fun and makes for a great family day, so come on down.

Weekends are still filled with people and the water is still at a perfect temperature for swimming, surfing or whatever.

Parking is a lot easier this time of year as well, which is a definite bonus.

Oh, and on that note, one more great thing for me is NO LIFEGUARDS! Lifeguards and badge checkers are great, don’t get me wrong. It’s just nice to not have to be told where you can swim, what you can do and constantly listen to that whistle.

OK, onto this month’s recipe, putannesca, baby!

The perfect accompaniment to anything from fish to pork to shrimp. Puttanesca Irrigation has a huge influence on modern agriculture here in the United States. Without it, a huge portion of the food that we, as a society, rely upon would not be available for our use.

Consider the fact that the interior portions of Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington are, for the most part, deserts, and this region of the country produces a huge proportion of the fruits and vegetables that our country consumes. Also, the dry season for Florida is in the winter months, which coincidentally, is when that state produces the majority of its fruits and vegetables as well. So with just these few examples, it is easy to see how reliant we have become on irrigation.

When the first prehistoric farmers realized that if you added water to plants at the right time, they would grow better, the modern science of irrigation was started.

And irrigation has assumed many forms throughout the centuries. From carrying buckets of water from a stream, to collecting rainwater, to diverting rivers

September, 2016 23 From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

A tangy, somewhat salty Italian pasta dish translates to “whores pasta” when speaking of the classic Italian sauce which is made from tomatoes, anchovy, garlic, capers, olives and olive oil, sometimes even including raisins.

We are going to bring it to the next level by roasting the tomatoes, garlic and red peppers. In addition to the classic additives. I like to serve this under the fish or protein I am using.

I like to leave it chunky and hearty by not chopping it too much. It requires a little bit more of time than my usual efforts, but it can be made a day in advance and only gets better as it sits, like so many Italian dishes.

Most of the ingredients can be found in a backyard garden, if not

at a local farmer’s market, think JERSEY FRESH! As always best of luck and keep on Jersey Freshing and enjoy the great outdoors now!

Grilled swordfish with garden puttanesca (serves 2) 2 8-to-10-ounce swordfish steaks (can substitute tuna or mako as well) 2 oz. capers, lightly chopped 2 lg. Jersey tomatoes, halved and roasted in a 450-degree oven using a roasting pan, with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper until skin is lightly black. Pinch and remove skins when finished, reserving the juice 1tsp. anchovy, minced or paste

1 large red bell pepper, roasted in a 450-degree oven until skin is slightly black or charred, let sit in a brown paper bag for 15 minutes until skin can easily be removed and seeds discarded 1 bulb roasted garlic: slice the top off of a clove of garlic place in aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a tsp. of water, crimp foil together and roast in an oven for approximately 25 minutes or until soft 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped Kalamata olives 1 tsp. good quality extra virgin olive oil Fresh back pepper and sea salt 1 tsp. fresh basil method- lightly chop tomatoes and place in a mixing bowl.

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Water When You Want It into aqueducts, and to drilling wells and pumping thousands of gallons per minute, there are as many types of irrigation as there are crops being grown.

On our farm, other than relying on rainfall, (which we are fortunate enough to receive on a somewhat timely basis) we utilize two main types of irrigation. The first of these is overhead irrigation. This is probably the most prevalent type of irrigation used across the country. Basically, a pipe or hose is laid from a water source where there is also a pump, to a nozzle or sprinkler, which applies the water in an even and consistent manner to the crop.

It is extremely basic in concept, but can be very challenging in its application.

A grower might have to move

water a very long distance or up a hill. Relatively speaking, a large amount of water is needed for this type of irrigation because of the pressure that is required to apply the water in an even fashion.

One of the downsides to this manner of irrigating is that it will cause the plants to get wet at the same time.

While this might seem obvious to some, this wetness is not always a good thing.

Although the roots of the plant need water, in many instances, the wetness of this moisture can help to foster the onset of certain fungal diseases which can be detrimental to the health of the crop.

The other method of irrigating that we utilize on our farm is drip irrigation.

Just as its name implies, this

is a slow and even method of watering crops. On our fruit trees, we will roll out a threequarter-inch plastic pipe down a row of trees. This pipe will have built-in emitters spaced every two feet, which will drip a steady amount of water right into the root zone of the tree. On our vegetables, we use a disposable plastic tubing, which we actually lay under our plastic mulch. This helps even further with water conservation because the plastic mulch does not allow the water to evaporate.

There are a couple of advantages to using drip irrigation. The first is that it does not require as much water or as large a pump as overhead irrigation. And as I mentioned earlier, it does not bring the disease pressure that traditional irrigation

Pull apart or cut the roasted red peppers into large strips or pieces and add to the tomatoes. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb into the mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, kalamata olives, capers, basil, anchovy and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss gently and let sit at room temperature -grill your fish to your desired temperature and serve over the puttanesca mixture. Additional olive oil can be drizzled over the fish as well.

-*optional* - garnish with a thick slice of grilled lemon wheel, the grill helps bring out more juice and the oils from the lemon peel.

Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey. He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University. For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447. does. Also, drip irrigation can usually be set up once, and then utilized for the entire season (or more in some cases). Once it is set up, it usually just requires opening and closing valves for its operation.

And now, through the use of modern technology, I am able to activate our irrigation system by using my smart phone. The next step will be to set up tensiometers in the fields. These units detect moisture in the soil and with the aid of wireless computers, are able to activate the pumps automatically based on how dry or wet the soil is. Now, if I could only figure out a way to make it stop raining…

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

24 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

Understanding the USDA Organic Label

By Miles McEvoy USDA National Organic Program Amidst nutrition facts, ingredient lists, and dietary claims on food packages, “organic” might appear as one more piece of information to decipher when shopping for products.

Understanding what the organic label means can help shoppers make informed purchasing choices.

Organic is a labeling term found on products that have been produced using cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

The National Organic Program – part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service – enforces the organic regulations, ensuring the integrity of the USDA Organic Seal.

In order to make an organic claim or use the USDA Organic Seal, the final product must follow strict production, handling and labeling standards and go through the organic certification process. The standards address a variety of factors such as soil quality, animal raising practices, and pest and weed control. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible. Organic produce must be grown on soil that had no prohibited substances (most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) applied for three years prior to harvest.

As for organic meat, the standards require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors, fed organic feed, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.

There are four distinct labeling categories for organic products – 100 percent organic, organic, “made with” organic ingredients, and specific organic ingredients.

In the “100 Percent Organic” category, products must be made up of 100 percent certified organic ingredients. The label must include the name of the certifying agent and may include the USDA Organic Seal and/or the 100 percent organic claim.

In the “Organic” category, the product and ingredients must be certified organic, except where specified on National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Nonorganic ingredients allowed per the National List may be used, but no more than five percent of the combined total ingredients may contain non-organic content. Additionally, the label must include the name of the certifying agent, and may include the USDA Organic Seal and/or the organic claim.

For multi-ingredient products in the “made with” organic category, at least 70 percent of the product must be certified organic ingredients. The organic seal cannot be used on the product, and the final product cannot be represented as organic – only up to three ingredients or ingredient categories can be represented as organic. Any remaining ingredients are not required to be organically produced but must be produced without excluded methods (genetic engineering).

All non-agricultural products must be allowed on the National List. For example, processed organic foods may contain some approved non-agricultural ingredients, like enzymes in yogurt, pectin in fruit jams, or baking soda in baked goods.

Multi-ingredient products with less than 70 percent certified organic content would fall under the “specific organic ingredients,” and don’t need to be certified. These products cannot display the USDA Organic Seal or use the word organic on the principal display panel. They can list certified organic ingredients in the ingredient list and the percentage of organic ingredients.

Becoming familiar with organic labeling allows consumers to make informed decisions about the products they purchase. Consumers can be assured that the integrity of USDA organic products are verified from farm to market.

Editor’s Note: Editor’s Note: Miles McEvoy is the Deputy Administrator of the USDA National Organic Program. He has worked in organic agriculture for more than twentyfive years. Since October 2009 he has led the National Organic Program in protecting organic integrity from farm to market. He can be reached at 202-720-3252

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

Todd Pretz Tom Canete Bob LaHoff Peter Melick Richard Perkins

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Dennis O’Brien Jan Suszkiw Miles McEvoy

Jeannie Geremia William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Hubert Ling

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Gardener News, Inc.

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

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) 2016 Gardener News, Inc.

September, 2016 25

TO RESERVE AD SPACE IN GARDENER NEWS CALL: 908.604.4444 Full Moon, September 16, 2016 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

If you let your houseplants “vacation” outside this summer, then by early-September, it’s time to start getting them ready to move back inside for the winter. Once the temperatures outside reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit or less at night, your houseplant must begin the process to come back into the house. Most houseplants cannot stand temps below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

The first step to bringing in houseplants is cleaning them. You can slowly readjust them to indoor FRQGLWLRQV E\ EULQJLQJ WKHP LQ DW QLJKW DQG PRYLQJ WKHP EDFN RXWVLGH GXULQJ WKH GD\ ʊ VLPLODU WR hardening them off in spring. A week of this routine helps plants prepare for the changes in humidity, air circulation and temperature.

Remember, plants that are indoors will not need as much water as plants that are outdoors, so only water when the soil is dry to the touch. You may also want to consider cleaning your windows to help maximize the amount of sunlight your plants get through the windows.

26 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

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28 September, 2016

GardenerNews.com

INSPIRING 80 YEARS OF

family time meals

Beef Bourguignon View our anniversary e-cookbook kingsfoodmarkets.com/ecookbook

PROUD PARTNER WITH

In September, celebrate Family Meals Month by gathering your family around the table to enjoy home-cooked meals with the people you love most.

Our markets are ďŹ lled with inspiration for quick, simple and delicious family meals. The best moments at the family dinner table start with Kings.

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