Gardener News January 2018

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

January 2018

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 177

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor

Kathleen Gagan

Gardener News proudly bestows our 2017 “Person of the Year” to Kathleen Gagan, for dedicating her life to growing and interpreting awareness of the peony, a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae.

Her ability to interact effectively with the gardening public by cultivating educational relationships, has become an institution of learning and inspiration in the Garden State, and beyond.

And we also honor here for being a true environmental steward of the land.

Kathleen Gagan, owner of Peony’s Envy, is a linguist and international corporate communications consultant turned lady farmer. After a successful life overseas, where she became fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, Gagan returned home to New Jersey to a life as an entrepreneur. She grows peonies because of their resilience, deer-resistance, and beauty. Gagan has studied horticulture at the Barnes Foundation, and lectures on peonies nationwide.

Her first career was as a professional linguist, specializing in cross-cultural communication. She has

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2 January 2018

G a r d e n C e n t e r D i r e c t o r y GardenerNews.com

Got Rock Salt?

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

Hall’s Garden Center & Florist

700 Springfield Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 908.665.0331 | www.hallsgarden.com

Thank you for a wonderful 2017 season.

See you in March!

The Biondi Family

Celebrating Our 72nd Anniversary

601 Union Ave. Middlesex, NJ

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January 2018 3

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4 January 2018 Each month, Gardener News publisher Tom Castronovo invites people whose careers, avocations and interests revolve around the subject of gardening, landscaping, agriculture and other “green industry” topics.

Tom is truly dedicated in providing an informative and enlightening publication. It is clear how so many people really appreciate that.

As New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, I contribute articles that address what is taking place on the farms around New Jersey and, sometimes, the nation. I typically write about the incredible diversity of the farm operations in this state, the wide array of farm products grown or produced by them, and the hard-working people of our agricultural community.

New Jersey has an impressive and accomplished cadre of farmers, many of whom are on the forefront of innovation in their industry, that make agriculture here such an effective and dynamic enterprise.

Considering all the vastly different things that make up agriculture in this state, New Jersey is not like many states across the nation where one

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

What do you want to know about New Jersey agriculture?

crop or one type of agricultural product is “king.”

New Jersey’s agriculture is much more balanced. That’s one of the reasons the nickname “The Garden State” came to be.

On a given farm in this state, you could find such a wide variety of fruits and vegetables being grown that you could fill up a huge swatch of a store’s produce aisle from what is on a truck from just that one farm.

New Jersey’s leading agricultural sector, even larger than produce (fruits and vegetables), is the nursery/ greenhouse/sod industry, which also includes Christmas trees.

Then there’s all of the livestock that populates New Jersey as part of agriculture and related activities. One might think that, as the most densely populated state in the nation, New Jersey does not have room for a lot of large, agricultural

animals to be roaming around.

But, in fact, we do.

Perhaps to some people’s surprise, we have our fair share of horses, cows, goats, sheep, poultry (approximately 2 million chickens, not counting the growing number of people keeping them in their back yards), rabbits, llamas, alpacas and even a large bison farm.

All those animals have to eat, and that helps maintain yet another large sector of our agriculture, the grouping known as “field crops,” which includes hay and grains, including field corn (as opposed to the “sweet corn” you buy for summer barbecues).

Then there is the realm of fishing and aquaculture, with our six fishing ports, dozens of shellfish-raising operations and seafood processing along our coast.

As for the Department of

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

Agriculture, we not only both regulate and promote all those various industries, including efforts to educate the next generation of agriculturalists, but we also administer all the federally funded school and community feeding programs, including the fast-growing area of Farm-to-School activities, which seek to link our schools and farmers both through educational offering and connecting the farmers to the food-service operations of the schools.

Finally, there are our conservation efforts, which include the national-leading Farmland Preservation program to keep farmers and their successive generations on the farm, and soil and water conservation efforts to ensure farmers have all the natural resources so vital to their industry.

All of which is to say, that with so many different areas of everyday life that we touch, both as a Department and an industry. We are interested in hearing from you as readers the questions and topics you are curious about that relate to agriculture. Perhaps, after having read this column, you see that some things you may not have considered “agriculture” actually are.

So, let us know them.

Send us your questions and ideas for topics that interest YOU about agriculture. We’ll provide information about those issues in future editions of the Gardener News. You can e-mail your questions to: douglas.fisher@ag.nj.gov.

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

morris county park commission

The FrelinghuysenArboretum BENJAMIN BLACKBURN SCHOLARSHIP LECTURE

“The New Shade Garden: Creating a Lush Oasis in the Age of Climate Change” is the topic of this year’s lecture by noted garden writer Ken Druse.

Twenty years after the publication of his best-selling book, The Natural Shade Garden, Ken tackles the challenges that have arisen due to our changing climate. He predicts that “the garden of the future will be in the shade.”

Proceeds from this talk support the Benjamin Blackburn Scholarship given annually to a student of horticulture by the Friends of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

This program is eligible for 2.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s.

Saturday, February 3 at 1 pm  $35.

8th ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARDEN CONFERENCE The Friends of Frelinghuysen Arboretum and Rutgers Cooperative Extension team up to present their Annual Community Garden Conference.

The keynote speaker is Charlie Monroe, President of the American Community Gardening Association.

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Grammy Award winner Robert Michael Nesmith, who is an American musician, songwriter, actor, heartthrob, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the pop rock band The Monkees and co-star of the TV series The Monkees, looks over a copy of the Gardener News while visiting the Garden State. The Monkees are an American rock and pop band originally active between 1965 and 1971, with subsequent reunion albums and tours in the decades that followed. They were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968.

The session topics include Weedless Gardening, the Seed Business, Seed Starting, Growing Strawberries, Sustainability, Pests and Diseases, and more.

It’s a full day of education, exhibitors, networking, and camaraderie.

This program is eligible for 5.0 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s.

Saturday, March 3 at 9 am – 4:30 pm  $50 before 2/1, $60 after 2/1 353 East Hanover Avenue • Morris Township, New Jersey • 07960 Pre-registration is required for all programs Register at arboretumfriends.org or call 973.326.7603

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January 2018 5

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

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

Annuals & Perennials Made With

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Governor Chris Christie Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

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6 January 2018

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

Rutgers ‘Ultra-Niche’ Crops Team Wins ASHS Extension Education Materials Outstanding Video Award The Rutgers Ultra-Niche Crops team proudly accepted the 2017 Extension Education Materials Outstanding Video Award for their “Winter Lettuce” production from the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).

The team included Robin Brumfield, Jenny Carleo, Hemant Gohil, Ramu Govindasamy, Jeff Heckman, Jennifer Matthews, Meredith Melendez, Jess Niederer, Peter Nitzsche, Nicholas Polanin, C. Andrew Wyenandt, Fred McGrady, and the late Dan Kluchinski.

“Featuring Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington in a virtual field trip video for training new or progressive farmers on winter lettuce production was a special opportunity for the team,” said Robin Brumfield, who accepted the award for the team at the ASHS Annual Conference in Hawaii. “The team was honored to have Dan Kluchinski share his expertise in our efforts, and his professionalism will be sorely missed.”

“The goal of our videos is to support beginning farmers and our hope is that this award will extend the reach of the project to an even larger number of farmers nationwide.

Earning this award means even more to us now that our team member, Dan Kluchinski, has passed away,” said Jenny Carleo, Cape May county agent. Dan was very proud of this video in particular and made major contributions to both the project and the award application. Now his work can continue to improve the lives of the people he so diligently served throughout his career.”

The “Ultra-Niche Crops for the Progressive New Farmer” is a USDA-NIFA grant funded project currently underway at Rutgers University. This project seeks to teach new and beginning farmers about the cultivation, marketing, and business management of 10 “ultra-niche” horticultural crops – those of exceptionally high value that can be grown successfully on 10 acres or less.

Teaching methodologies for this multi-year project include face-to-face traditional Extension programming along with streaming video of the live presentations to two other “remote sites” across the state. Crops have been selected through the work of a grower advisory council.

A major highlight and undertaking of this training is the grower virtual field trips, a video broadcast to all three sites on the evening of the training, and then archived online along with all the other training materials and resources created for and shared during the training sessions. These 20-minute videos include an expert farmer, a wholesaler or consumer marketer or buyer, and a subject matter expert specific to that crop.

Attendees are able to virtually visit the farm in season, see how the crop is grown, learn what buyers look for, and hear from an expert about any specific difficulties a crop may pose. Session presenters are those showcased in the videos, giving the audience members ample opportunity to engage with the speakers, filmed and in real time.

When the project is fully completed, information on how to profitably grow 10 ultra-niche crops will be available on-line. In addition to the virtual field tours for each crop, the website and training sessions include: enterprise budgets for each crop; short segments on the components of a farm business plan; crop profiles – including on-line enterprise budgets; and Feasibility Analysis worksheets, including a SWOT analysis template and a food safety compliance worksheet. All sessions and project details can be found online at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/ultra-niche-crops/.

Established in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is recognized around the world as one of the most respected and influential professional societies for horticultural scientists. ASHS is committed to promoting and encouraging national and international interest in scientific research and education in all branches of horticulture.

GardenerNews.com

From the Director’s Desk

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

Getting Started on a Vegetable Garden – Cooperative Extension is Here to Help

With the winter season upon us, it is time for gardeners to begin planning and working on next year’s vegetable garden. This means ordering seeds and plants, and starting seeds indoors. Luckily for gardeners, Rutgers Cooperative Extension has lots of information and resources to assist with these winter tasks.

By now, most gardeners have received a multitude of seed and nursery catalogs with enticing pictures of the latest introductions and varieties of vegetable crops. It can be very easy to get carried away and order more seed than needed, so gardeners should step back and make sure they draw up a plan for their vegetable garden.

Our factsheet “Planning a Vegetable Garden” (njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs129) will assist gardeners with this task by indicating proper plant spacing, whether the crop should be directseeded or transplanted, planting dates, and potential yield per 10 -foot of row. When developing a plan, it is good to review the crop choices with your family to be sure, for example, your children will actually eat purple kohlrabi and/or 15 zucchini per week.

Once a vegetable garden plan is drawn up, it is time to visit your local garden center or nursery or review seed company catalogs and websites to choose varieties. We have a basic list of “Mail Order Vegetable Seed Sources for the New Jersey Gardener” (njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication. asp?pid=FS1163) to help get gardeners started. If gardeners are interested in some great tasting tomato varieties (who in New Jersey is not?) they can also visit our “Rediscovering the Jersey Tomato” webpage (njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/jerseytomato.html).

Cooperative Extension can provide some help choosing varieties with a list of recommended varieties available to gardeners, “Varieties for New Jersey Home Vegetable Gardeners” (njaes. rutgers.edu/pubs/fs681). Unfortunately, with so many new varieties introduced each year, Extension does not have the ability to test them all. Another good way to choose vegetable varieties is to look for “All American Selections” (all-americaselections.org), which describes superior performing varieties judged in impartial garden trials across North America.

Once vegetable varieties are selected, consider starting seeds indoors. “Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors” (FS787) (njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs787) addresses this topic and includes some important considerations.

First is starting with high quality clean seed, starting mix and containers. Regular garden soil does not have the physical properties to drain properly in a pot and may harbor insect and disease pests. It is better to choose a seed-starting mix of components such as peat moss, coconut hulls, perlite and vermiculite, which is either sterile or has been pasteurized to kill insect and disease pests. Pest problems are also prevented by making sure to use either new pots or containers, or by thoroughly washing used containers to ensure they do not have disease spores or eggs of insect pests.

Timing is another important consideration for starting vegetable seeds indoors. FS787 has a table noting how long it takes to grow vegetable seeds indoors to reach outdoor transplant size.

Often gardeners start crops like tomatoes indoors too early, and the plants become leggy and hard to manage by the time the weather and the garden are ready for outdoor planting.

Leggy transplants are also often the result of poor or improper lighting. Vegetable seeds need high levels of sunlight or artificial lighting to develop properly indoors. Seed starting should be done in a south-facing window or under high levels of artificial light.

Many gardeners utilize fluorescent lighting, often in the form of shop lights. Seed containers should be placed under these lights so that they are only one to three inches away from the bulbs.

As the seedlings grow, this distance should be maintained by adjusting the lights upward, or by lowering the containers. Artificial LED lighting is quickly becoming the way of the future due to its energy efficiency. LED lighting can be utilized to start seedlings, however gardeners should be sure to look for LED lighting, bulbs, or systems designed for plant growth.

Finally, temperature plays an important role in growing vegetable seedlings indoors.

Germination and seedling growth is aided by moderately high soil temperatures, 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. There are electric heat mats specially designed for seed starting. These mats are placed underneath seedling containers and warm the mix–aiding in quick germination and early root growth. The mats are usually waterproof and have safety features to deal with the combination of water, heat, and electricity, so gardeners should heed any cautions mentioned in their instructions.

These tips and resources should assist gardeners in winter planning and starting of a vegetable garden. If you have additional questions you can reach out to your local county Rutgers Cooperative Extension office and the Rutgers Master Gardener helplines. (njaes.rutgers.edu/mastergardeners/ helplines.asp).

Note: Some of the helplines are lightly staffed over the winter months, with increasing availability in the spring.

Editor’s Note: Peter J. Nitzsche, Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is the County Agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Morris County.

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

January 2018 7

A Winter Winner Whose Time has Come!

Winter is the season for appreciating trees and shrubs in a new light. Plants with evergreen foliage naturally take center stage, but there are numerous other winter winning qualities that add interest.

For example, the bark of trees and shrubs. Whether exfoliating or simply colorful, bark is always a garden asset, but it becomes all the more important during those bleak winter months. Amur Maackia, botanically named Maackia amurensis, is a little known tree that was introduced into cultivation in 1864. It not only has great bark, but possesses a solid constitution that deserves much closer attention after 150 years.

Maackia is a member of the pea family or Fabaceae and has 12 species, all of which are native to Eastern Asia. The genus name honors Richard Otto Maack (1825-1886).

Maack was a Russian naturalist who explored the Russian Far

East. In 1855-56, he explored the very cold region known as the Amur River Valley, which forms the boundary between Russia and Northern China.

One of the plants he found during this exploration was Maackia amurensis, with the species epithet recognizing its place of origin. The plant was named and described by Franz Josef Ruprecht (18141870). Ruprecht was born in Austria, but spent his life practicing medicine and botany in Russia, describing many plants collected in the Eastern Regions of Russia. He described Amur Maackia in 1856 after receiving specimens from Maack’s journey to the Amur River Valley.

Maackia amurensis is a mid-sized tree, slowly reaching 40 feet in cultivation, but can grow to nearly 60-plus feet in the wild. It has compound leaves arranged alternately along the stem, with each eight- to 12-inch-long leaf having between seven and 13 elliptically shaped leaflets.

Although the foliage is deep green in summer, it is

covered with silky white hairs as it unfurls in spring, providing a very attractive silvery glow.

In early- to mid-July, the tips of the branches yield clusters of four- to eight-inch-long flower racemes that are clothed in half-inch-long, off-white flowers. The flowers have a faint yet pleasant fragrance, reminiscent of newly cut grass.

Of course, for winter appeal, the rich coppery brown bark of Maackia takes center stage. Not only is the color very cheerful and luminescent, but it peels off the trunk and branches in curious and attractive vertical curls.

As is typical of slowgrowing trees, the wood is dense and relatively hard. It is also extremely decay-resistant and it is used for fence posts in Asia. However, not only is the wood tough, but so is the tree – it is able to thrive under the most difficult of conditions!

Since it is in the pea family, it is able to fix its own nitrogen and can survive in more nutrient-poor soils. It is also adaptable to alkaline and acidic soil conditions. I have seen it

Three Plant Biology Graduate Students Win Awards at Scientific Conferences

Three students in the School of Graduate Studies’ Plant Biology graduate program, who attended the joint international meeting of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America, came away from the event with several awards for their oral and poster presentations.

The premiere annual gathering for professionals working in the agronomic, crop, soil and related sciences, the four-day international event drew thousands of scientists, professionals, educators and students. Held from October 22-25, in Tampa, FL, the 2017 meeting was themed, “Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future.”

Hui (Eric) Chen, a doctoral candidate, took first place honors in the Graduate Student Oral Paper Competition in the Molecular Techniques, Turf Genetics and Breeding section, for his presentation, Nitrogen Effect on Fine Fescue Fiber and Protein Contents.

Doctoral candidate Cathryn Chapman took third place in the Graduate Student Oral Paper Competition in the Turf Physiology, Breeding, and Genetics section for her presentation, Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Drought Tolerance and Post-Drought Recovery of Kentucky Bluegrass.” Her poster presentation, Effects of Hormones on Drought Tolerance and Post-Drought Recovery in Creeping Bentgrass, took third place in the Graduate Student Poster Competition in the Turf Science and Management section.

James Hempfling, who is also a doctoral candidate in the Plant Biology program, scored a first place win for his oral paper, Bentgrass susceptibility affects fungicide programming for dollar spot,” which he presented in the Turf Pests: Diseases and Insects section. His Graduate Student poster, Evaluation of dollar spot predictive models on bentgrasses in New Jersey,” in the Turf Management: Pests section, earned him third place in the competition.

Hempfling also took home international honors at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Division American Phytopathological Society, held in Québec, Canada, in November 1-3. He took first place for his oral paper presentation, Dollar spot control affected by bentgrass susceptibility and fungicide programming.

planted in soil pits that contain topsoil, but the surrounding patio areas featured compacted and alkaline subsoil with gravel underlying the stonework.

Over the past 15 years, the roots have long since extended out into the compacted subsoil yet the trees look fantastic.

It is a bit finicky about temperatures, preferring the cooler summer temperatures found in the regions of Zones 3-7.

Although there are relatively few selections of Maackia, “Starburst” is a cultivar introduced in 1998

by Princeton Nurseries and selected by Richard Hesselein, who was President of Princeton Nursery and is currently President of Pleasant Run Nursery. The plant features a very uniform canopy shape, a naturally straight trunk and resistance to leaf hopper damage, which stimulate a proliferation of small stems at the tips of branches called Witches Broom. The plant produces starburst shaped flower clusters at the tip of nearly every branch, the

shape of which provided the inspiration for the cultivar name.

Obviously, Maackia is one tough plant with many benefits for the gardener. Its attractive foliage, flowers and bark, paired with its tough constitution and residentially appropriate mature size, raises the disconcerting question as to why it has spent the past 150 years in obscurity? It is certainly a plant whose time has come!

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

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

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

8 January 2018

By Jeannie Geremia Contributing Writer

Another year has come to an end, with a clean slate looming ahead of a New Year giving us renewed optimism of accomplishing unfinished goals or taking us in new directions altogether.

Now is the perfect time to reflect on the year that was, for in these musings we can extract ideas and plan how to incorporate them into an even better 2018. Of course, my gardening friends, I’m talking about our gardening world and conjuring up the wins, the losses and what-ifs so that we can make our world an even better place. So, in no particular order, let’s run through some recent highs and lows.

First off, the best news of 2017 was the tremendous increase of Monarch butterflies. The reports from Long Beach Island were phenomenal, as lucky spectators stated they had never seen so many Monarchs nectaring on goldenrod as they made their way south in September and October.

Members of the Garden Club of Long Beach Island said they were astounded by the clouds of Monarchs literally covering the plants.

My LBI friends, Diana Kazazis and Onnolee Allieri, both said they have lived on the island for the past three decades, and have never witnessed so many Monarchs in all these years. How terrific is that? After years of virtually witnessing the collapse of the Monarch population, we are seeing their resurgence thanks to all our milkweed growers!

It wasn’t only LBI, but in all parts of the state, that welcomed many more Monarchs than prior years, including here in central Jersey. Hopefully, the reports back from Mexico this year will reflect a huge increase in numbers of this exquisite

GardenerNews.com

Musings

pollinator. We must continue to build on this by educating the public and municipalities to limit spraying lethal pesticides and herbicides, using IPM (integrated pest management) practices at all times. Limiting mowing along roadsides and fields will not only help milkweed proliferate and provide the necessary plant food for Monarch caterpillars (the only food they eat), but will provide nectar for hungry bees and other butterfly species.

On a visit to Hionis Greenhouses this past September, I enquired about purchasing some parsley, dill or fennel plants, hopefully with baby Black Swallowtail caterpillars munching away.

Their employee, Christa DiGrazio, let me know that she rescued any and all caterpillars found on these plants and provided them a safe haven at her home.

She proceeded to tell me that she was totally stressed out by the unfortunate mowing down of milkweed plants that were laden with Monarch eggs and caterpillars at the pond’s perimeter in Duke Island Park. She had rescued many but was devastated that she wasn’t able to protect them all. Bridgewater Township, along with other townships and municipalities, really need to incorporate education as to best times to mow so as not to interfere with nesting birds, and nectaring bees and butterflies, as it can’t be stated too often, they provide one-third of the food we eat.

Onward to my own dilemma as to what to do with praying mantis cocoons.

I know they’re a beneficial insect, but they seem bent on eating Black Swallowtail and Monarch caterpillars, much to my dismay. I just can’t get warm and fuzzy about these lethal predators.

I also found out from Keith Lord, owner/operator of Gardeners’ Nook in Franklin

Township, that a praying mantis species from the south (Carolina mantis?) made its way to his garden center. He managed to capture it and send it back down south, but worries that this newto-us larger, and even more lethal predator will mate with our local species and produce a vile predator that not only takes out caterpillars, insects (good and bad), but hummingbirds, and other small birds, too.

Enough is enough already.

I’m well aware of “let nature take its course” and the “survival of the fittest” philosophy, but I just don’t understand when there’s tons of milkweed beetles, stink bugs and other bad bugs, why they don’t take more of them out and leave the good ones alone.

My other nemesis is the vole. They seem to be running amuck in our community garden. Where are the raptors when we need them? I am guilty of musings related to how best to rid us of these voracious pests. I seem to come up with all sorts of mayhem running through my mind but would like to use the least drastic and most effective solution. Do any of you have suggestions that have worked for you?

On a happy note, my Josef Lemper hellebores started blooming on Thanksgiving. Have a Happy New Year and think about VOLUNTEERING. Get Out There, we need you!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is The Garden Club of New Jersey First Vice President, GCNJ Wildlife Habitat Chair, and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc. Accredited Life Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is a member of Neshanic Garden Club, The Raritan Township Historic Committee and the Raritan Township Board of Health.

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

Census Countdown Underway for Farmers

Farmers have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their communities by taking part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Census is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches and those who operate them. Forms are being mailed out and also are available online at https://www.agcensus.usda.gov/ with a submission deadline of February 5, 2018.

The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and other topics. This information is used by all those who serve farmers and rural communities from federal, state and local governments to agribusinesses and trade associations.

“The Census of Agriculture is USDA’s largest data collection endeavor, providing some of the most widely used statistics in the industry,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840, the census gives every producer the opportunity to be represented so that informed decisions can support their efforts to provide the world with food, fuel, feed, and fiber. Every response matters.”

Responding to the Census of Agriculture is required by law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113.

The same law requires NASS to keep all information confidential, to use the data only for statistical purposes, and only publish in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.

NASS will release the results of the census in February 2019.

For more information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 9

I’m outraged that Governor-elect Phil Murphy is still pushing a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

Yes, I wrote a similar column in the October 2017 issue. I’m re-visiting a few paragraphs and adding a few more this month. In case you missed it in the October issue, this one is a must-read.

After receiving many tremendous comments on my last go-round, I thought it was worth writing more, and including a few more ways that his administration plans on looting your hard-earned money.

As the executive editor and publisher of Gardener News, the newspaper that covers and reports on the agricultural, gardening, and landscaping communities in the New Jersey metropolitan area, both online and it print, I firmly believe that this minimum wage increase will cause the agricultural and green industries to suffer tremendously.

First off, how much will you be willing to pay for annuals and perennials like angelonia, geraniums, lavender, lobelia, marigolds, mums, pachysandra, pansies, petunias, poinsettias, salvia or vinca flower?

How much will you be willing to pay for shrubs or trees like arborvitae, azalea, dogwood, holly, hydrangea, lilac, ornamental grass, rhododendron, spirea, spruce or winter hazel?

Normally, all of the above need to be grown, fed, watered, and handled by human hands. Human hands cost money to the grower.

And all of these costs are passed on to the consumer, which is you.

Now, if the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour, what is going to happen to the cost of goods, or should I say plant material?

What about the people who are cutting your lawn?

They will all get raises, too.

How much more will you be willing to pay to have your lawn maintained?

What about the people that are safely pruning your trees. How much can you afford to pay a tree company?

Do you play golf? The wages will also go up on

work.

I will probably make a few enemies in this paragraph, but here goes. Do you know that agricultural farm workers are not entitled to overtime pay? Yes, employees who are employed in agriculture as that term is defined in the Act are exempt from the overtime pay provisions. They do not have to be paid time and one half their regular rates of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 per week.

Rumor has it that the incoming administration is considering some type of amendment in the much spoken about minimum wage legislation to exempt the green industry in New Jersey, the same way the Right to Farm Act exempts agricultural workers. When the already diminished work force in New Jersey finds this out, why would anybody want to work in the agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities in the Garden State if they were exempt from overtime pay.

Maybe New Jersey’s nickname, Garden State, will soon change, because the future of the Garden State is surely in jeopardy.

When and if legislation is introduced to raise the minimum wage, I suggest a strong protest at the committee hearing in the Assembly and at the committee hearing in the Senate. Only a strong voice will convince the new Legislature and the new administration to reconsider.

I wonder what it will cost for a slice of pizza?

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

Get ready to bend over in the Garden State

everybody who works on the course. I bet those greens fees will go up as well.

Here’s one I bet you didn’t think about. Gravediggers, also known as cemetery workers. These folks dig our graves. They also maintain the grounds. With a minimum wage increase, these workers will earn more as well. That means…you guessed it…the cost of dying will go up as well.

Here’s another problem.

How much more will an employer in the green industry have to pay for a foreman or a supervisor? How much more will an employer have to pay someone with a driver’s license to drive around the laborers? How much more will an employer have to pay someone that is already making $15 an hour, that has been with the company for several years?

Some employers are already paying more than the current minimum wage to skilled workers.

Now, add time-and-ahalf to that after they work for 40 hours. Can you see where I’m going with this?

It’s going to get expensive.

What about agricultural goods like corn, eggplant, onions, peppers and tomatoes? A visit to the farmers market and farm stands will get more costly, too. How much will you be willing to pay for fresh produce?

Now, it gets even better.

The higher the payroll, the higher the payroll taxes the employer has to pay the state.

And the higher the payroll, the more an employer has to pay into Worker’s Compensation Insurance.

Who benefits? I think this is a sneaky way for the state and the insurance companies to make more money.

Although freshly harvested produce isn’t taxable in New Jersey, almost everything else in the green industry is. So, the higher the

green industry owners have to mark up their services to cover the hourly wage increase, the higher the sales tax numbers go up. Another sneaky way for the state to make money. Basically, the higher the business owner has to raise his or her prices to cover the increase, the higher the sales tax on the cost of goods. Yes, another way the State makes money.

On another note, are labor organizers behind this campaign for a $15 minimum wage increase? The higher the pay, the more dues money from the employee’s paycheck. This just goes on and on.

With all this talk of a minimum wage increase, some agricultural and horticultural operations in New Jersey have begun to automate. Yes, robots. Some growers of annuals are installing automated plug transplanters, automated watering tunnels, and automated tagging machines to stay competitive. A $15-an-hour minimum wage will most likely encourage all growers to automate in one form or another. This will certainly eliminate jobs.

Some nurseries in South Jersey already have robots picking shrubs and loading them up for delivery.

Speaking of jobs, when was the last time you visited a convenience store? You walk in the door and order your meal on a computer screen.

Then you take the receipt to a self-checkout lane. The only human to interact with me is the person making my food. Reduced jobs. Lots of big box stores are automating as well. Fewer and fewer employees.

When was the last time you dined at a chain restaurant? The same thing, you walk in the door and order your meal on a computer screen, and pay for it on the spot. You then sit down, and your meal is served to you

after being plated by a food preparer. Reduced jobs.

If the minimum wage is increased in New Jersey, many jobs in the green industry will also be lost to automation. Many jobs will also be lost when businesses shut down because of cost increases. Businesses will cut their payrolls, put off new hiring, reduce hours or let their workers go. This will not be good.

There’s only so much money to go around. If the consumer cuts back because the costs rise, something will have to give.

Please think about what a $15-an-hour minimum wage will do to my beloved agricultural and green industries. Raising the cost of labor raises the incentive for employers to find ways to use less labor.

Basically, everything we purchase will go up. Who wins by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour?

The 2017 election for the Governor of New Jersey took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Mr. Murphy told you he was going to raise taxes , and you voted for him. Shame on you. Now he’s going to put our beloved farmer, garden center, greenhouse operation, landscape contractor, and nursery in serious jeopardy.

Right now, our agricultural and green industry isn’t broken.

Again, the minimum wage increase in New Jersey will eliminate jobs.

Ordering businesses to pay entry-level workers more will make them hire fewer of them, and consider replacing more workers with robots or computers.

This is but one of the poorly designed policies that are being created by our new governor-elect, who in my opinion, has little or no understanding of how the agricultural, gardening, and landscaping communities

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

10 January 2018

GardenerNews.com

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Be Kind To Bees!

By Hubert Ling About one-third of our crop plants and almost all of our garden plants require pollinators. In addition, many fruits and seeds are larger and more abundant when plants are visited by our hardworking bees. Bees are joined in pollination efforts by butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and birds (listed in the order of their importance).

Since 1947, the managed bee population (Italian honeybees) has decreased 55 percent; many keepers have simply given up since beekeeping may no longer be profitable. Therefore, we have had to rely more and more on wild bees but many of the wild native bee populations are also in danger; in the Midwest, 50 percent of the native bee species have disappeared in the last 100 years.

If bee decline continues, we may actually lose fruit crops and many native

plants. In some areas of China, farmers must now hand-pollinate fruit trees in order to get good crops and current statistics show that the problem worldwide is accelerating.

Fortunately, there are some actions we can take and support. General Mills is currently sponsoring a Cheerio’s project “Bring Back The Bees” and devoting 4 percent of their oat cropland to establishing wildflower median strips and borders. In effect, they are telling us to “Be Kind To Bees.” If we want to continue eating our favorite foods and enjoy our flowers, this is a good idea.

Hopefully, other commercial firms and individual farmers will pick up on this concept.

Some of the steps you can take to help pollinators are: 1. Reduce the use of insecticides which frequently kill bees. 2. Reduce the use of fungicides which appear safe for bees but increase the injury from insecticides. 3.

Plant pollinator gardens.

What is a pollinator garden and how does it differ from the popular rain garden of a few years ago? A rain garden and a pollinator garden may be the same thing with the same plants. The difference is in the basic goals. A rain garden makes use of runoff water from roofs and roads to water plants and recharge the groundwater. A pollinator garden contains plants that are pollinator friendly.

Actually a raingarden may be composed solely of plants used by pollinators and pollinator gardens may also shunt rainwater into gardens and soil.

A large number of native plants are especially useful in pollination gardens since they will support populations of a variety of pollinators. Let’s compare a pollinator gardens with a commercial orchard.

In an orchard, all the flowers bloom at approximately the same time and thus can only be used by relatively few pollinators. In a well-planned pollinator garden, a variety

of plants with different sized flowers bloom sequentially so that there is a constant source of nectar and pollen, and a much larger permanent population of pollinators can thrive.

Pollinators also need a source of water; a deliberately dripping hose and a small shallow plate are all that is needed for insects, birds, and other wildlife. You might also consider maintaining a small muddy puddle with a little bit of sea salt added; swarms of butterflies find these irresistible. Some bees need bare soil for their nests, which you can provide by leaving a few scattered patches of yard with no mulch, and bee houses can be purchased on-line from several sources.

A variety of native plants can be used for an effective pollinator garden; try to include some trees and shrubs if you have the space. Earlyblooming (March, April, May) plants include red maple, serviceberry, willow, Pinxter azalea, coral honeysuckle,

blueberry and violets.

Midseason-blooming (June, July, August) plants include milkweeds, butterfly weed, mountain mint, sunflowers, false sunflowers, cone flower, Black-eyedSusan, and native wild roses.

Late-blooming (September and October) flowers include cardinal flower, blue lobelia, wild bergamot, Joe-Pye-Weed, boneset, thoroughwort, white turtlehead, asters, Boltonia, bottle gentians and goldenrods.

Another way to make your garden pollinator friendly is to leave dead plant stalks and leaf litter in place during the winter and early-spring; this will help maintain habitat for stem-dwelling and groundnesting bees. What a great excuse not to rake or clean up!

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

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 11

BUGS and Christmas Trees

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E.

I’ve been in the Professional Pest Management Industry for 43 years and I am amazed at what I still do not know. I learn every day.

Just recently I learned that head lice come from Christmas Trees!

HUH? According to the company Clearlice, and they state on their website; “When it comes to sources of head lice, there are usually a few suspects, if you have children at home it is likely to think they might have brought the lice home from school. And while schools are still some of the most common places to get head lice from, it might surprise you to find out that your Christmas tree might be the culprit when it comes to finding out where you got head lice from.” Here is the URL if you don’t believe me. https://blog.clearlice.com/ your-christmas-tree-mayhave-lice-on-it/ I am sure that most people are familiar with the running controversy surrounding the National Football League regarding players kneeling during the playing of our National Anthem.

What started as a form of protest by a handful of players regarding perceived racial injustice quickly spread around the league and became an extremely controversial topic. While some saw this as a legitimate way of protesting, others took it to be disrespectful to those who serve in the military, as well as an affront to the nation as a whole.

Needless to say, this has become an extremely polarizing issue which has captured the attention of everyone from the President on down, and shows no sign of abating any time soon.

There have been numerous times when farmers have felt the need to protest. I am sure that many have seen the old news reel footage of dairy farmers dumping their milk during the Great Depression. These farmers were unhappy with the very low prices that were being paid for milk (and many other farm products) at that time. To them, the dumping of milk was an

They go on to compare Bark lice with Head lice, even so much as to state how head lice live on trees. Well, you read it on the internet so it must be true! Of course, the information in this blog is totally wrong. I wrote the company three months ago and the erroneous information is still on their blog. Amazing!

Fears of introducing unwanted and potentially harmful pests into the home from trees are just unwarranted. Christmas trees can harbor insects, mites, or spiders. Some may remain on the tree into winter and could become active after being exposed to the warm temperatures inside. They may be attracted to sources of light, including windows.

They are associated with field-grown conifers.

However, none of these accidental introductions are a threat to your home, its contents, or occupants.

Preventing introduction of these “pests” into your home is the best, and easiest, plan. Vigorously shaking the

tree before bringing it into your home will serve the same purpose, and will also remove any loose needles. Bird nests, although considered decorative by some people, may contain bird parasites such as mites and lice. They should be removed by hand if not dislodged by shaking.

Any egg masses on the trees, including those of praying mantids and Gypsy moth, should also be removed. Control of these temporary invaders should be limited to non-chemical means such as a vacuum.

Insects occurring on the tree should be left there until the tree is removed. Any that collect on ceilings, walls, or windows can be eliminated with a vacuum cleaner. It is important to remember that these “critters” are normally found outdoors, on LIVE trees. Warm temperatures, low humidities and lack of appropriate food conditions typical of most homes will usually kill these invaders in a short time.

Christmas trees may

have some pests on them, depending on where they came from. Most of these will be hitchhikers and most often outdoor pests. Occasionally, however, one or more of the following may find its way into your home on your tree: Adelgids aka “wooly conifer aphids.” Small aphidlike insects that secrete waxy filaments over their bodies.

Aphids on occasion will hatch from Christmas trees. Cinara aphids may be mistaken for small spiders or ticks.

Aphids, however, have only six legs, while spiders and ticks have eight. Also, these insects do not produce silk or webs, typical of spiders.

Several species of bark beetles may be overwintering in trees. These are no threat to wood inside the home. Mites.

The majority of mites in nature are predacious mites. They are relatives of the chigger mites, but none of these pose a threat once brought indoors. Praying mantid egg cases may be brought inside and when warmed up, could hatch. Psocids (book and bark

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

What if Farmers Took a Knee? extreme act that was taken to raise awareness with lawmakers and the general public over what they felt were unsustainable conditions that were then affecting their industry.

There have even been two fairly recent examples of farmers protesting here in New Jersey.

The first was back in 2004 during the McGreevey administration when the Highlands Act was first proposed. The state set up different public hearings throughout the region for the purported purpose of soliciting comments from residents and land owners. Because the provisions of the Highlands Act were so detrimental to both agriculture and the agricultural economy as a whole, some farmers in the region, (myself included), decided to take their tractors to one of these hearings as a form of protest.

What we did not realize at the time however, was that Governor McGreevey, in a last ditch effort to save his then quickly crumbling political career, had already conspired with his stooges in the Legislature to pass this legislation regardless of any sound arguments that happened to be made to the contrary. In other words, why let the facts get in the way of a good story? In this instance, the farmers’ protests proved to be unsuccessful.

A few years later, however, a statewide demonstration by New Jersey’s farmers actually worked! In 2008, Governor Corzine decided that it would be in the best interest of the state if the Department of Agriculture was folded into the Department of Environmental Protection.

Needless to say, this decision was not heartily

welcomed by New Jersey’s farming community. As a way to garner attention to their cause, many agricultural organizations such as the Farm Bureau and various County Boards of Agriculture organized a protest where farmers from across the state would drive their trucks and tractors into Trenton as a show of support for keeping the Department of Agriculture as its own entity.

This demonstration, along with many sound arguments that were made (it turned out that this move would not realize any cost savings for the taxpayers) was able to turn the tide of public opinion, as well as the opinions of those in government, and Governor Corzine changed his mind and the Department of Agriculture was spared.

While one of these protests was successful and one was not

lice) typically feed on fungus and mold and need moisture inside to survive. Scale insects pose no threat inside (unless you have a nursery inside or raise plants). And last but not least, spiders.

They can set up shop inside.

So, after your bring in your tree, relax, drink egg nog and don’t fret over insects or bugs on your tree. Most of these are harmless and will just “spice” up the Holidays.

Happy Holidays!!

Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is Director of Technical and Training for Viking® Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ. He is a Board Certified Entomologist and 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.

His career in Professional Pest Control started in June 1974. He can be reached at 732-356-3100 or visit www.vikingpest.com successful, they do have one thing in common. Both of these demonstrations were carried out in a way that did not alienate other groups in the process. They both tried to highlight valid points of concern and make arguments on behalf of their cause.

The problem with the NFL protests, in my opinion, is that besides drawing attention to their own issue, the protestors are now perceived to be not only championing racial equality, but as protesting against the flag, the military, the veterans, law enforcement, apple pie, etc.

Perhaps they would be better served to comment on their issues in a way that does not alienate so many others in the process.

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.

12 January 2018

GardenerNews.com

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 13

NJ Agricultural Society

By Al Murray Executive Director

The Challenges of a New Year

Well, another holiday season has passed. My Jersey Fresh Christmas tree lies on the curb forgotten; just like most of my New Year’s resolutions. A new year debuts, and so does a new Governor and Legislature.

Every new administration typically begins by proclaiming, “We are going to change the way Trenton does business.” During a tenure that began with Governor Kean and ended with Governor Christie, I used to cut that inevitable quote out and post it on my bulletin board just under the previous Governor who also thought it profound.

It reminded me of Charlie Brown kicking the football.

When I started my career at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, New Jersey had over 1 million acres in farmland. Today, that number hovers around 720,000.

Despite this significant drop over the past 30 years, New Jersey’s agricultural industry manages to remain, and is part of a $105 billion food-andagriculture complex. We rank nationally in various farm products, and the technology and innovation that comes from Rutgers University (our state’s agricultural school), is used and appreciated all over the world.

Yet, New Jersey agriculture needs help. At best, agriculture was mostly ignored by our most recent governors, and at worse, was looked at with hostility.

(Remember when Governor Corzine tried to close the state department of agriculture?)

The Agriculture Department and the Rutgers Experiment Station are broke and sorely need an infusion of dollars into their meager budgets.

Legislative proposals and political promises from the campaign pose even greater challenges to New Jersey’s farmers.

Governor Murphy has promised a very ambitious agenda. Among some of his initiatives, he advocates for a fully funded state pension system, full funding for

schools, increases to NJ Transit, and a promise to fight President’s Trump agenda, including making New Jersey a “Sanctuary State.” He also plans to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour, as well as legalize marijuana. He plans to pay for these programs by raising taxes, including a “Millionaire’s Tax,” and close loopholes on corporations.

How this affects agriculture remains to be seen. However, a few concerns appear on the horizon.

Right now, the proposed minimum wage increase remains the number-one concern to the industry. How do you justify paying some school kid $15 to sling hotdogs on the boardwalk during the summer? If you think boardwalk food is expensive now, just wait. For those who rely on lawn services - also made up of high school or college kids, how much will it cost to cut your lawn?

The impact on our farm families will be devastating.

Farm products are perishable commodities whose price is basically determined by national/regional supply and demand. A farmer can not simply raise the price of his/ her farm products to cover the increase in costs. New Jersey farmers already live in the most highly taxed state as it is. Consequently, other states already have a significant advantage in competing against our farmers, and now they must endure yet another cost forced onto them.

New Jersey’s Senate Committee on Environment and Energy recently conducted a hearing on legislation, S3405, which will ban using Chlorpyrifos, an insecticide that has been in use in agriculture for over 40 years, and depending which group you belong to, claims it is entirely safe, or poses health risks. The environmentalists, who were largely relegated to the sidelines during Governor Christie’s eight years, are now energized with the prospect of a liberal administration.

The Administrator of the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, has infuriated environmentalists through out the country by rolling back various directives of his predecessor.

This bill was introduced in-part as a protest to the Trump administration, and was even touted as such by several legislators when heard in an Assembly committee.

This boils down to the Legislature’s desire to send a political message to the Trump administration, but – on the backs of our farmers. Political theatre dictating public policy is never a good idea, and once again, New Jersey farmers could have a valuable tool taken away from them, unlike their competitors in other states.

Governor Murphy’s agenda embraces the term “economic justice.” Let us hope that some of this “justice” will be shown to our hardworking farm families who have endured numerous and onerous regulations imposed on them. A small snapshot of examples includes: downzoning, the Highlands Act, the Pinelands Act, poor wildlife management programs, the state encouraging economic development through grant programs, and other infrastructure investments in “smart growth areas” yet ignoring the needs of investment in rural areas for jobs, housing, energy efficiency, or connectivity on farms.

Let us hope the new administration recognizes that “injustice” is not solely an urban issue.

Editor’s Note: Al Murray is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Society.

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

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GardenerNews.com New York State Grown & Certified Program Takes Center Stage at New York Produce Show

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball’s marketing program “New York State Grown & Certified” took center stage at the 2017 New York Produce Show, the second-largest produce trade show in North America.

For the first time ever, the Department of Agriculture and Markets sponsored cooking demonstrations by top New York chefs from the American Culinary Federation and launched a promotional video that showcased the New York State Grown & Certified program to a large retail audience. In addition, the program was prominently featured at the Department’s trade show exhibit, which highlighted the diversity of New York’s specialty crop growers to connect them with global buyers.

“The New York Produce Show is one of the best ways for New York producers to network with major industry buyers from all over the world because it brings them together under one roof,” said Commissioner Ball. “This year, we are very excited to be expanding our presence at the show to help raise the profile of our incredible grower community and to spotlight New York’s leadership in food safety and environmental stewardship through our Grown & Certified program.”

Jim Prevor, founder of Perishable Pundit and Produce Business, which co-sponsors the New York Produce Show said, “The New York Produce Show and Conference gathers together thought and practice leaders from across the globe. It allows New York producers to showcase their produce to the world while the attention of the global produce trade pivots to New York. In addition to being a major producer of fruits and vegetables, New York lies at the epicenter of the largest consumer market in America, so buyers and sellers both come to New York to educate themselves through the event’s seminar program, to build relationships through its networking events and to do business through its trade show.”

Held December 11-13 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, the Produce Show featured over 400 companies from around the world and attracted more than 5,000 attendees. This year, more than 400 retailers, wholesalers, foodservice distributors and restaurateurs attended the keynote breakfast, which included a promotional video spotlighting “New York State Grown & Certified.”

Following the breakfast, the Department joined the event organizers for a ribbon-cutting event to officially launch the trade show. The ribbon-cutting was held Wednesday, December 13, at 10 a.m. in the Javits Center Hall 1C. In addition, New York chefs from the American Culinary Federation, the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America, used Grown & Certified ingredients in four cooking demonstrations held during the trade show at the Center Stage Chef Demonstration Area. Also, for the second year, the Department’s exhibit, located in booths 100 to105, included a “New York State Grown & Certified” display to promote the specialty crop growers participating in the program, New York maple products, New York wines and a chef-prepared salad featuring “New York State Grown & Certified” vegetables.

Nationally, New York ranks in the top-10 in production of 30 commodities, including many specialty crops such as apples, cabbage, snap beans, grapes, pears, and maple. The funding to promote New York’s grower community at this event is provided to the Department through the United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Fund.

Helen Thomas, Executive Director of the New York State Maple Producers Association, said: “NYS Maple Producers are looking forward to showcasing our delicious natural sweetener and all the uses it can be put to at this event. The produce show provides us great visibility with chefs and market owners who may not realize New York has a thriving maple production.”

Brian Reeves, President of the NYS Vegetable Growers Association, said: “The New York Produce Show provides a great opportunity for growers to network with produce buyers, see what’s new in produce packaging and further their knowledge of various sales channels. Whether new relationships develop or old ones are reinforced, the New York Produce Show allows for efficient use of time with so many industry leaders at one location.”

Dave Walczak, Sales and Operations Manager at Eden Valley Growers, Director of the Western New York Food Hub, said: “The opportunity to enhance relationships with current customers while creating new opportunities for growth within New York State is a win- win! The New York Produce Show provides both, in a great venue at a great time of the year.”

Paul Alward, Farmer and Co-founder of Hudson Valley Harvest, said: “New York is exceptionally fortunate to have a depth and breadth of talented farmers growing and raising a remarkably diverse array of food. “The New York State Grown & Certified” program will open new markets and sales channels for New York farms, and provide consumers with the transparency they want.”

Governor Cuomo launched “New York State Grown & Certified” in 2016 to help meet the growing consumer demand for local foods grown or produced to a higher standard. The program certifies New York State producers who adhere to high food safety and environmental stewardship standards. It is supported by a marketing campaign including on-product labels, promotional materials, such as the “New York State Grown & Certified” website, and sales materials, to educate retail and wholesale buyers on the value of the program.

There are currently 76 fruit and vegetable growers and 11 Christmas tree growers operating nearly 50,000 acres of farmland in the state participating in the program. For more information on “New York State Grown & Certified,” visit certified.ny.gov, or follow the program on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 15

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GardenerNews.com

Designing for winter weather

By Brian Bosenberg Sunny and 75 degrees…for some, this describes the perfect weather.

Many love the almost yearround consistent sunny and warm weather conditions that occur in places such as Southern California. Others appreciate the change in the seasons and couldn’t imagine living in a place without colorful leaves in autumn and a chance of a snowfall on Christmas morning.

For those of us living in the tri-state area, our latitude, global location and the Earth’s tilt create diverse weather conditions, which in turn create the four seasons. Our landscape has developed and evolved to change in harmony with the seasons. Plants go dormant, broad leaf evergreens curl up in the winter to reduce wind exposure, seeds require freezing temperatures to germinate in the spring. The landscape has evolved not only to survive, but to thrive in all four seasons.

However, the diverse Winter reveals a garden’s bones. Be it a well laid out path, a properly placed arbor, or raised beds that beckon, garden elements become the garden’s stars when flowers and foliage fall.

A study of 16th century English garden history provides some intriguing garden elements for our time. Gardening in the age of Elizabeth included knots and mounts, topiary and turf beds and the pleached bower to name but a few.

In 1558, when Elizabeth I ascended to the throne, threequarters of the English land previously owned by monasteries had been sold off, primarily to the gentry and an increasingly monied middle class who found themselves able to spend more on pleasures and comforts, including and especially their gardens.

Tudor dynasty gardens emanated order, power and conceit, as the Renaissance ideals of controlling and improving nature replaced the medieval approach.

Laid out formally, geometrically designed and often symmetrical, knot gardens were a common feature of this period.

Knots were made up of square or rectangular patterns. The lines of the knot were interlaced and at different heights at the hedge

weather conditions and temperatures present a design challenge when creating a new landscape. One must understand the constraints and opportunities created by each of the seasons and weather conditions, planning necessary design elements to function and flourish through each seasonal change.

One of the most important challenges in any new site design is true for many projects…where does the water go? Creating proper, positive drainage is vital to a successful design. This means the ground slopes away from a building or structure, preventing flooding from runoff.

Most projects need to comply with stormwater regulations and require a stormwater storage solution to be incorporated into the design.

This can be in the form of bioswales, water quality basins or catch basins connected with pipes to underground dry wells. The site opportunities and limitations help determine which water quality storage solution best fits the design.

Creating a broad, site-wide grading and stormwater design is crucial to the success of any new landscape project.

After creating an overall stormwater design, we must plan for the smaller details of the design as well. Walkways, gathering areas, open lawns, parking areas, driveways, etc… all must be properly drained.

Properly pitched surfaces should be incorporated into any design, and the percentage of slopes vary with different types of surface materials. Lawns are pitched at a higher percentage of slope compared to a bluestone patio. Site limitations sometimes prevent us from pitching hardscapes properly, which is where installing channel drains and catch basins become necessary to create the proper drainage.

In New Jersey, proper drainage is especially important during freezing weather. The expansion and contraction of patios and walks due to the temperature changes sometimes creates heaving, cracking and breaking of hardscapes. Freezing and

thawing of standing water on these surfaces is one of reason for hardscape failures.

Proper drainage and stormwater management is a fundamental element to any successful design; but what happens when it snows?

During the winter months, we are blessed to see beautiful snowfalls, creating winter wonderlands with snowy fields, snow covered tree branches and icicles reflecting the winter sun from above.

However, many times new landscapes are designed without planning for snow storage. This results in utilizing areas that are not ideal, possibly taking up vital parking spots during the holiday shopping season or storing the snow in planting beds that were not designed for snow storage.

Many plants in our area can withstand the freezing temperatures and snow, but the weight of piling too much snow on the plants can damage branches, and excessive de-icing salts can harm the plants. Planning for snow storage is necessary for our

The Garden Historian

By Lesley Parness Garden Educator

Gardening in the Age of Elizabeth, or Bring the Bard to Your Yard

junctions, so that they appeared to weave in and out of each other.

Often the beds were filled with sand, grass or gravel of assorted colors to emphasize the overall pattern of the knot, especially when viewed from an overlooking window. Today, knot gardens are still used effectively to contain and exhibit seasonal plants while providing structure and four-season interest. They are especially appropriate for vegetable or herb gardens and may be made of box, bush forms of thyme, or winter savory.

When a window was not nearby, another means of observing the knot garden was atop a mount or mounded earth hill. Francis Bacon, father of the scientific method and suspected “secret” son of Elizabeth, built a mount in his garden that was 30 inches high with three ascents and alleys wide enough for four to walk abreast. Bacon’s

perspective - don’t plant it, if you can’t view it - is still true.

Turfed seats were another element of Elizabethan “plausance” or pleasure gardens.

Generally built along the lines of slightly higher raised beds, the outer walls and seat were lined with sod. Often turfed seats were arranged around the inner borders of an enclosed “herber,” or herb garden, providing seats as well as anchorage for trellised plants. What a luxury such a seat would be in our plastic times!

First used in Roman times, topiary’s popularity experienced a great revival in 16 century England. Traditional topiary forms used foliage pruned or trained into geometric shapes such as balls, cubes, obelisks, pyramids, cones, or tiered plates and tapering spirals. Then Royal Botanist John Parkinson found privet “so apt that no other can be like unto it, to be cut, lead, and

drawn into what forme one will.”

Topiary animals appeared in Hampton Court in 1599 “There were all manner of beasts, men and women, sirens and serving-maids true to the life, and so cleverly and amusingly interwoven, mingled and grown together and trimmed.” You can use a quick growing rosemary to create simple topiary forms for your garden.

William Shakespeare described the pleached bower in Much Ado About Nothing “...the pleached bower, where honeysuckles ripened by the sun forbid the sun to enter, like favorites made proud by princes, that advance their pride against that power that bred it.”

Pleaching is a technique of interweaving living and dead branches of trees and shrubs.

Originally used to create hedges for stock control, pleaching was common in gardens from late

climate.

Living in the tri-state area, consideration for a wide range of weather conditions is one of the many challenges we face when creating a new landscape where temperatures vary from below 0 to upwards of 100 degrees. Some months can have as little as a fraction of an inch of rain, while others can have over 12 inches, and piles of snow in parking lots can sometimes reach staggering heights, towering over cars and trucks.

Creating a successful design requires proper planning and consideration for all seasons and weather conditions.

Editor’s Note: Brian W. Bosenberg is a practicing landscape architect licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maine and Vermont, and a principal in the firm of Bosenberg & Company Landscape Architects, Far Hills, N.J. He can be reached at 908-234-0557, info@bwbosenberg.com or www.bwbosenberg.com medieval times to the early-18th century, to create shaded paths or shady shelters. How cozy would a bleached bower of New Jersey’s native honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, be?

This winter, while the leaves are down, study your garden.

Perhaps one of these ideas from the past will be perfect for your 2018 garden.

This article is a part of the author’s talk - “Gardening in the Age of Elizabeth or Bring the Bard to your Yard” which also includes period horticulture, gardening techniques and botanical literature, a how to for creating a Shakespeare Garden and lots of juicy tidbits about gardenista Elizabeth I. Editor’s Note: Lesley Parness offers a variety of presentations and workshops for garden clubs, plant societies, and horticultural gatherings.

Recently retired from her position as Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, and with four decades of teaching environmental science and garden education, her focus now is garden history. A complete listing of her talks can be seen at lesleyparness.com and she can be reached at parness@verizon. net. This column will appear in the paper every other month.

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 17

18 January 2018

GardenerNews.com

New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association Annual Awards Dinner The New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association (NJNLA) honored Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman with the “Green Industry Advocate of the Year” award on December 11 at the NJNLA Annual Awards Dinner, held at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J. The Senator has been a long-time advocate of the green industry, as demonstrated by his commitment to issues affecting the nursery and landscape industry: Water Conservation and Water Quality, Invasive Plants/Native Vegetation, Snowplow and De-icing Limited Liability legislation, Horticultural Therapy Week, New Jersey Agriculture Day, New Jersey Public Gardens and Arboretum Day, and more.

Senator Bateman is a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and sponsored the 2014 constitutional amendment to establish a long-term funding source for open space, farmland and historic preservation. He has solidified that commitment by championing efforts to secure funding for Green and Blue Acres in subsequent years as well.

Other awards were part of this annual celebration and included Nurseryman of the Year, Keith MacIndoe (Johnson Farms); Distinguished Service Award, John Patten (PBI Gordon); Hall of Fame Inductee Roger Ruske (Cumberland Farms); Retailer of the Year (Sickles Market); and Young Professional of the Year, Bob Blew (Centerton Nursery). Each recipient received an award plaque during the ceremony.

The annual Landscape Awards were announced, proceeded by a video presentation of the fine work of these highly-regarded landscape firms. To establish the recipients of the awards, a jury of five professionals from various segments of the design industry are assembled to judge the award entries.

Judges rate the projects in several categories including overall design or maintenance, use of/maintenance of plant material, use of hardscape/built structure, quality of plan/presentation, quality of workmanship and the use of design principles and elements.

This year, the Grand Award winner was Scenic Landscape for a project in Ridgewood, N.J. Certificates of Excellence and Certificates of Merit were awarded to the following companies: Beechwood Landscape Architecture and Construction LLC, Bergen Landscaping, CLC Landscape Design, Thomas Lee Fisher Landscaping, Horizon Landscape Company, Central Jersey Landscaping, Inc., Landscape Marshal, Scenic Landscaping, Siciliano Landscape Company, Young’s Landscape Design Team and Artisan Landscapes and Pools, Inc. The new NJNLA Executive Committee for 2018 are: Jack Otterbein, President; Steve Wagner, Vice President; David DeFrange, Treasurer; and Bob Heitzman, Immediate Past President.

About NJNLA The New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association is the oldest green industry organization in New Jersey and supports all industry businesses, nurseries, landscape professionals, and garden centers by advocating on issues of importance; collecting and distributing important information, articles and best management practices; and coordinating educational and networking events to strengthen connections within the industry. For more information about NJNLA, please visit www.njnla.org.

Jack Otterbein, left, President of the NJNLA, and Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman

Tom Castronovo/Photo

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 19

New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association Annual Awards Dinner

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Nurseryman of the Year Keith MacIndoe, right, and his wife, Kim.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Hall of Fame Inductee Roger Ruske, right, and NJNLA Vice President Steve Wagner.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Distinguished Service Award Winner John Patten, right, and Bob Heitzman, NJNLA Immediate Past President.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Young Professional of the Year Bob Blew, right, and Lori Jenssen, NJNLA Executive Director.

20 January 2018

GardenerNews.com

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association Award Season The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association is proud to announce its 2017 Landscape Achievement Awards winners. The Landscape Achievement Awards are designed to acknowledge landscape professionals who execute quality landscape projects. In sponsoring the awards program, the NJLCA of Elmwood Park, N.J., a statewide landscape association, strives to recognize quality landscaping projects and to encourage landscape contractors’ consistent use of quality materials and workmanship.

Entries were judged by a panel of landscape architects, plant experts and former nationally recognized contracting firm owners. The names of entrants are kept from the panel of judges, so as not to affect the decisionmaking process.

2017 NJLCA Landscape Achievement Award Winners: American Beauty Landscape Design (Paramus, N.J. 07653) for the Washington Twp. Project, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: School/ Institution.

Borst Landscape & Design (Allendale, NJ 07401) for the The Nichols Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000-$500,000.

D. Panetta Contracting, LLC (Randolph, N.J. 07869) for Design & Build AC, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $100,000-$250,000 and for Design & Build EH, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $100,000-$250,000.

The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Director of Operations Exclusive Stoneworks (Lyndhurst, N.J. 07071) for the Giacopelli Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: $50,000$100,000, for the Evans Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Under $50,000, for the Koskuba Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Under $50,000 and for the Sutton Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: $50,000$100,000.

Green Meadows Landscaping, Inc. (Oakland, N.J. 07436) for the Smith Residence, the Award of Excellence in Maintenance: Residential.

Horizon Landscape Company (Wyckoff, N.J. 07481) for the Eberson Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: $50,000-$100,000, for the Ellison Project, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000 and for the Berger Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: $50,000-$100,000.

Landscape Techniques, Inc. (Nutley, N.J. 07110) for the Hollender Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000-500,000 and for the McGinley Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape

Installation: Over $100,000.

Landscapeworks Inc. (Hawthorne, N.J. 07506) for Glen Rock High School, the Award of Merit in Design/ Build: School/Institution.

Monello Landscape Industries (Wayne, N.J. 07470) for the Kinnelon Patio Project, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000, for the Waterfall & Courtyard Lighting, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Lighting and for the Courtyard Makeover, the Award of Merit in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000.

Premium Aquascapes (Bergenfield, N.J. 07621) for Lakeside at North Haledon, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Ponds/Water Features.

Scenic Landscaping (Haskell, N.J. 07420) for the Cocktail Pool Backyard, the Award of Merit in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Under $100,000, for the Livingston Residence, the Award of Merit in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000, for the Infinity Pool Property, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Over $500,000 and for the Ridgewood Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000-$500,000.

Siciliano Landscape Company (Red Bank, N.J. 07701) for the Navesink River Road Residence, the

Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Over $500,000 and for Sheep’s Run, the Award of Merit in Maintenance: Residential.

Sponzilli Landscape Group (Fairfield, N.J. 07004) for the Uttz Residence, the Award of Merit in Design/ Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000$500,000, for the Ashkenazy Residence, the Award of Merit in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Over $500,000 and for the West Village Residences, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Condo/ Townhouse.

Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Development (Midland Park, N.J. 07432) for the McAdoo Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000-$500,000, for the Sayer Residence, the Award of Distinction in Design/ Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Over $500,000, for the Warzala Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $250,000-$500,000, for the Rubenstein Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: $100,000-$250,000 and for Sayer Lighting, the Award of Merit in Design/Build: Landscape Lighting.

Wicklow and Laurano LLC (Flanders, N.J. 07836) for the Covered Outdoor Kitchen in Bayhead Cottage, the Award of Excellence in

Design/Build: Landscape Installation: $50,000$100,000, for the Mendham Pool and Poolhouse, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation with Pool: Over $500,000, for the Timberframe Poolhouse in Bernardsville, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000 and for the Fragmented Edge Bluestone Patio Project in Tewksbury, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Under $50,000.

Young’s Landscape Management, Inc. (Moorestown, N.J. 08057) for the St. Charles Prayer Garden, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: School/Institution, for the PonteLandolfo Residence, the Award of Excellence in Design/Build: Landscape Installation: Over $100,000 and for the Waterfall Banquet & Conference Center, the Award of Distinction in Design/Build: Commercial/ Industrial.

In addition, the NJLCA gave awards for Contractor of the Year to Mark Borst of Borst Landscape & Design (Allendale, N.J.) and Kevin Dulio of Native Fields Landscaping (Landing, N.J.), Associate of the Year to Jesco (South Plainfield, N.J.) and Aquarius Supply (Hawthorne, N.J.), Volunteer of the Year to Fidel Castro, CLT of Lawns By Yorkshire (Westwood, N.J.) and Budding Contractor of the Year to Justin Vander Sluys of Vander Sluys Landscape Design (Wyckoff, N.J.).

Editor’s Note: Gail Woolcott is Director of Operations for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

She can be reached at (201) 703-3600 or by emailing gwoolcott@NJLCA.org

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 21

New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association Award Season New Jersey Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney and NJLCA President Nelson Lee congratulate a few of the association’s Special Award winners in the Grand Ballroom at the NJLCA Holiday Gala and Installation Dinner at The Venetian in Garfield, Bergen County. From left to right are Volunteer of the Year Fidel Castro, Budding Contractor of the Year Justin Vander Sluys, NJLCA President Nelson Lee, New Jersey Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney, Contractors of the Year Mark Borst and Kevin Dulio.

Tom Castronovo/Photo Goldstein’s revised lyrics to the movie’s song were: Hold your breath Make a wish Count to three Come with me And you’ll be In a world of landscape imagination Take a look And you’ll see Into your imagination We’ll begin With a spin Designing Your world of total transformation What we’ll see Will defy Most creations!

If you want to view paradise Simply look around and view it Anything you want I’ll do it Want to change your yard?

I’m the guy to do it.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Tom Castronovo, executive editor and publisher of the Gardener News received the first-ever Media Award given out by the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA). It reads: “In recognition and sincere appreciation of your contributions and continued support of the Green Industry and the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.” The award was presented at the association’s Holiday Gala and Installation Dinner at The Venetian in Garfield, Bergen County. From left to right are: NJLCA President Nelson Lee, Tom Castronovo and NJLCA Vice President Richard Goldstein as Willy Wonka.

NJLCA Vice President Richard Goldstein as Willy Wonka, left, and New Jersey Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney at the NJLCA Holiday Gala and Installation Dinner at The Venetian in Garfield, Bergen County.

Goldstein started off the evening by descending a giant staircase in the Grand Ballroom, filled with nearly 200 people, dressed as the fictional character Willy Wonka and sang his own Landscape Industry version of Wonka’s welcome song from the movie to greet the guests at his chocolate factory in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As Goldstein was singing, each guest was handed a Wonka Chocolate Bar. One contained a lucky golden ticket. The prize winner was awarded an Apple iPad. All the dinner tables were filled with candy.

There is no Life I know To compare with Landscape imagination Living there You’ll be free If you truly wish to be If you want to view paradise Simply look around and view it Anything you want I’ll do it Want to change your yard?

I’m the guy to do it.

There is no Life I know To compare with Landscape and installation, Working here You’ll be free If you truly Wish to be (Original lyrics to “Pure Imagination”

by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse.

Copyright MCA Records Inc.)

22 January 2018 I often get calls to evaluate a conifer that is struggling, and most of the time the resident refers to the tree as “a pine tree.” More than half the time, upon arrival, the tree in questions turns out to be something else, usually spruce or hemlock…but not a pine. I guess if it’s evergreen and has needles, most folks just call it a pine.

One tree I almost never see is one of the firs. Not a common landscape tree, firs (not furs) are elegant, graceful, lovely conifers. They tend to get large, and therefore hard to work into the residential landscape.

The genus Abies comprises about forty species found in Europe, North America, and temperate Asia. They are evergreen conifers, with small, flattened needles, often silvery on the reverse, and usually feel quite “soft” when one runs a hand along the branch. This is one way I teach students common conifers: firs are soft – like furs – and spruces are quite prickly. Another key is when fir needles fall, they leave small round scars. Spruces leave a small remnant of the leaf behind, hence even the twigs Greetings and salutations to all! May you have the happiest, healthiest and most prosperous of New Years!

We all need it, that’s for sure. Hope everyone has had a great holiday season. I know I have. Spending as much quality time with family and friends is the most you can ask for. These are the people that make me the happy, fortunate person I am and I am incredibly thankful for that happiness.

OK, moving on, enough of the sensitive stuff. It is still football season and the month that chickens probably hate the most. It is also chicken wing season! Those delectable, once discarded, and now revered little pieces of happiness to so many.

I love chicken wings, grilled, fried, sauced or whatever. It is still hard to fathom that they were once solely used for stock or given away by the neighborhood butcher.

Well folks, they are now more expensive than the breast or the thigh. Who would have thought? Being in the restaurant business, I am eagerly awaiting the genetically modified chicken that has four wings or more! That would be awesome (only kidding). But seriously, go buy your wings for Super

GardenerNews.com Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman NJ Certified Tree Expert

The Firs: Genus Abies are prickly. That is the easy way to remember the genus of spruce: Picea = prickly.

The principal reason one does not see firs in the landscape is they are cool-climate trees.

They require moist, well drained soils, and thrive in cool, humid conditions. One almost never sees them in the Midwest, as it is just too hot. My father had a good-sized balsam fir for years, but it never looked good, constantly shed needles during those blazing summer heat waves, and I eventually convinced him to remove it. They may do OK around here, but beware, firs are not pollution tolerant and despise hot, dry sites. There are better trees than firs for the landscape.

Under natural conditions, one does not see fir in the lowland forests, but in the mountains. If one climbs up

any mountain in the Catskills, you start to encounter Abies balsamea, balsam fir, on colder slopes and above 2,500 feet.

You will see this species lower as you travel north into the Adirondacks and southern Canada.

The same is true of Noble fir, Abies procera. This western species is found in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, where it achieves very large sizes.

Abies fraseri, Fraser fir, is often called southern balsam fir, as it closely resembles balsam fir.

It is found in the mountains of West Virginia to North Carolina, but only at high elevations.

Firs are of limited economic importance, as wood is resinous and not good firewood, and as already discussed not a good or common landscape tree. The resin from balsam fir was once used to mount specimens on

microscope slides (I actually recall doing that), and the resin is also used to fragrance candles. Indeed, the scent of balsam is quite lovely.

However, it is the cut tree – Christmas tree – industry where firs shine. Both balsam and Fraser fir are grown by the millions in cooler climates, to be cut and sold in December and decorated for the holidays.

Even Noble fir is sometimes used, but not as much. Fraser fir has become one of the best cut trees, as it holds its needles indoors longer than balsam.

Both have the classic fragrance, but I think balsam fir smells better.

One fir that deserves mention is white fir, Abies concolor. Native to Colorado to California and northern Mexico, this beautiful tree tolerates heat and dry soils, and

From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

It’s Time to Wing It! Bowl Sunday sooner than later, as they tend to raise the prices right around Super Bowl time.

Buy ‘em now and just freeze ‘em!

The origin of the Buffalo wing is as controversial as the Philly cheese steak, with basically two parties claiming it as their own. I might add that the hamburger and the Caesar salad have had similar controversies.

Either way, they come to us from Buffalo, New York.

And basically, are fried chicken wings tossed in hot sauce with a side of blue cheese and celery. There are many different versions, but I still prefer the original. Some serve them with ranch and carrot sticks.

Blasphemy I say!

There are now chain restaurants that are solely dedicated to “the wing.” They serve a vast amount of different

heat and flavors of wings. I get it, but when I can no longer feel my mouth and my sense of flavor has been destroyed by capsicum numbers that are off the charts, I feel it loses its point, simply being enjoyable to eat.

I literally “crave” chicken wings at times. Some of the newer flavors that have gained popularity are the Thai, garlic-parmesan, sweet and sour, honey garlic and the increasingly popular “use the hottest possible pepper you can find to kill/dare a friend to eat it” variety.

All good depending what you like. Again, I will take what I consider the original, which is what we serve at The Crab’s Claw Inn. So, I am giving you all our recipe and I truly hope you enjoy it! If you can, double fry your wings for a more crispy

wing. All that means is to fry the wing once, let it cool and re-fry when you are ready to serve.

Good luck, this is a winner!

Crab’s Claw Inn Buffalo wings- serves 2-4, depending on hunger and presence of other appetizers!

2 dozen chicken wings, tips discarded and cut in half at the joint 1 cup Frank’s hot sauce, or your favorite brand 1 Tbsp. whole butter 2 cups flour Salt and pepper to taste 1 quart vegetable oil for frying 1 lemon, halved 1/2 cup kosher salt 2 dozen celery sticks Blue cheese dressing, quality store-bought or homemade method-at least 6 hours in advance or overnight, soak wings in water, enough to cover, with the

does quite well here in New Jersey. Color is a silvery blue.

I planted a large specimen in downtown Montclair years ago, to serve as a living Christmas tree. It is beautiful.

One tree that is sometimes grown in New Jersey is Douglasfir (note it is one word).

Often called false hemlock, Pseudotsuga menziesii, does indeed resemble fir, but it is not.

It is an important lumber tree, and in the Pacific Northwest one finds huge cultivated stands of this tree.

There are some odd, unusual cultivars of some of the firs, but I will leave that discussion for my colleague Mr. LaHoff. He is, after all, a conifer weeny!

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

He can be reached at smschuckman@verizon.net lemon, squeeze out all the juice plus add the lemon halves into the “brine” with the salt -combine the salt, pepper and flour -drain the wings and dredge in the flour until fully coated -heat oil in a medium sized pot or home fryer until 350 degrees -add wings and fry until golden brown and delicious!

-set wings aside on a paper towel lined plate -heat hot sauce up in a pan until just simmering, add butter and swirl into hot sauce until just incorporated, the butter helps to coat the wing better -fry wings for a second time until nice and crispy -toss in a small bowl with the sauce and serve with the celery sticks and plenty of blue cheese dressing.

ENJOY! Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey. He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University. For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447.

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 23 Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

A Humbling Experience, A Rare Privilege & A Stroll Through a Living Museum A perfect sunny day in earlyNovember last year had me experience one of my life’s great moments. John Mohr, my Iseli Nursery salesperson, invited me to experience, first-hand, one of the finest gardens in the Garden State.

Hold on… not just the Garden State, this garden is as good as any I have seen in the United States, or Europe for that matter. One of the rare moments in my life where time stood still, an atemporal experience, where the pressures of every day disappeared and a calm, surreal experience had me imbibing nature’s best offerings, all while getting an education of a lifetime. And all this happened just a few short miles from New Jersey’s coastline in Wall Township.

Years ago, I remember reading legendary musician Pete Townshend’s words as he spoke reverently about Jimi Hendrix and Prince. On separate occasions, he described both as “quantum genius.” Well, garden readers, there is a self-taught plantsman here in New Jersey, Ed Shinn, who is just that to the garden world.

Ed and his wife, Debbie, opened their home, kitchen and garden to a select few on this November day and the entire experience was “quantum.” Arriving at their home, I immediately knew this was going to be a special day. One of my favorite trees greeted us from the street. Standing tall, straight and firm was an impressive China Fir, Cunninghamia lanceolata “Glauca.” Close to this was a Katusra tree, Cercidiphyllum japonicum “Heronswood Globe,” standing some 20 feet-plus This may not seem like a big deal to many at this point, but given the rarity of these plants and their imposing size, plant people take notice. This was only the beginning Making my way around the side of their home, I was met with some 25 different Ginkgo cultivars being grown in containers; there are nearly 60 on the property though, for Ed’s evaluation. Ed, as it turns out, is courted by many of the top plant breeders, growers and educators in the world to evaluate new and exciting plants, seeing if they have merit. Ed’s fervent love for horticulture had him routinely intertwining strenuous Latin names with many of his plants history.

Ed also merged the efforts, talent and expertise of many of

the world’s top plant people, whose efforts helped with the Shinn’s collection. Ed did all this seamlessly, in such a casual, relaxed manner, probably because many whom he referenced are dear friends. A property that has over 1,000 maples, some 500 conifers and hundreds of companion plants, in 2015 alone, the Shinn’s added some 250 new plants to their collection. Hydrangea, hosta, dogwood, magnolia, boxwood and even a Forsythia “Carol Hanby” all help support his maples.

A pundit on Japanese maples, Ed recently returned from France, giving a keynote talk on the subject.

His ability to understand all things horticulture was inspiring, humbling and a strong lesson in academia all at the same time.

Candidly, Ed spoke about the redundancy of plants today in the marketplace. Every plant is professionally labeled in their garden! If they weren’t, Ed said, “it would be hard to tell some apart from others.” I also appreciated his wit in saying that “most could graft a Ginkgo with the dull side of a butter knife.” Having taken a few grafting classes in my time, trust me, grafting is an art form.

Leisurely strolling through his garden, just listing all the plant names I saw would obliterate the word count I am held to when writing these articles. Two particular favorites, on this day were a Finetooth holly type, Ilex serrata “Koshobai” and a dwarf tree, Acer platanoides “Stand Fast.” ‘Koshobai,” a rarely encountered, fine-textured, dwarf deciduous shrub.

“Purple-tinged new growth is complemented with the cutest display of tiny red fruit” (brokenarrownursery.com). “Stand Fast” “is a miniature Norway maple type that has small, dark green leaves; ruffled and clustered at the ends of the branches” (plants. ces.ncsuedu). This tree is said to only grow one to three; the Shinn’s is five to six feet.

Standing at the back end of the Shinn’s property, looking toward their home, a towering Ginkgo acted as a beacon with its gorgeous butter-yellow fall markings. Ed was quick to point out that this tree is a sort of barometer for fall color to come in their garden.

However, this year’s kaleidoscopic hues may be muted as the last several months, before this visit,

have been extremely dry. Ed said, “Many Fullmoon maple, Acer japonicum, leaves may just go from green to ground this year.”

Time will tell?

The Shinn’s garden, nearly three decades in the making, is not far off the Garden State Parkway. A scant four miles from the Jersey Shore coastline, sitting comfortably in what Ed calls zone 7B. Their soil, a loamy consistency, “is a good place to garden,” Ed said. He doesn’t add any amendments when planting, Ed simply “digs and drops.”

A befitting planting field for the likes of Monkey Puzzle, Araucaria araucana and a hybrid Aralia Tree Ivy, X Fatshedera Lizei “Curly,” the Shinn’s garden location brought out an appetence in me. The garden is showing signs of “growing pains,” as some overcrowding is beginning to develop. Have no fear though, Ed’s relationship with many of the top arboretums, public garden spaces and his “friend network” has him paying it forward, sharing many of his prized treasures. This, no doubt, will help create an optic wonderland in many other gardens, showcasing many of his plants not yet catalogued in books.

Ed’s opinions, knowledge and photographs are highly sought after and he is referenced around the globe. Finally, the Shinn’s resplendent garden, aside from its vast varieties, has bold texture and meandering pathways. Scale and balance are met with punctuations of metal sculpture and concepts such as planting big to small and obeying the “law” of significant enclosure (Garden Design Magazine, Landscape Design Principles For Residential Gardens

by Rob Steiner) are evident.

With that said, if I were judging this garden in a competition, it would certainly finish best in show!

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, ReevesReed 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.

Tile Drain System Installation in Burlington County Last October the RCE Water Resources Program reported that approximately 36,000 acres of farmland in New Jersey are likely drained by tile drain systems. These underground pipe systems help remove excess water from fields and increase crop production, but the fertilizer that can be washed away in the stormwater contributes to surface water and groundwater quality problems. In an effort to reduce the amount of fertilizer being released from the tile drain system, the RCE Water Resources Program has constructed a nitrate reducing bioreactor at Specca Farms in Burlington County and is beginning to study the effectiveness of the system.

In the early part of the summer the dedicated farmers at Specca Farms started the installation of the tile drains, which turned out to be no simple task. Who knew that digging 3-foot trenches, securing pipes along the bottom of the trench, and then re-covering them with soil wouldn’t be an open and shut case?

After a few setbacks due to rainy and dizzyingly hot weather, the tile drain installation was complete by mid-August. With one part of the system in place, it was time to move on to another install the bioreactor. To do this a trench was dug away from the main exit pipe of the tile drain system and connected to a large square pit; another trench was dug from the other side of the pit to the drainage ditch at the edge of the field. The pit was lined with plastic and filled with woodchips to provide a home to the bacteria which will be doing the real work of breaking down nitrate before it leaves the bioreactor.

We are currently collecting samples with the help of our robot friends, the ISCO Avalanche. These handy machines collect samples at four-hour intervals and keep them refrigerated long enough to bring them back to the laboratory for analysis. As we continue to gather data we will be able to see how much nitrate the bioreactor is removing from the field at Specca Farms, which is currently planted with winter rye as a cover crop for the winter.

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USDA Ranked Among Best Places to Work in Federal Government The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been rated by employees as among the top ten best places to work in the federal government, moving up two notches to come in at seventh place in the 2017 rankings. That is an improvement over 2016’s rankings, when USDA came in tied for ninth place. The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings are produced by the Partnership for Public Service and Deloitte and include opinions from more than 498,000 civil servants from 200 federal organizations on a wide range of workplace topics.

The rankings come from a complex algorithm that weighs responses to questions spanning from “is my organization a good place to work?” to “how satisfied are you with your job?” These measures are widely considered the most comprehensive rating of employee engagement in the federal government.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement: “Our high-quality USDA employees work hard every day to provide the best possible services to our customers: the farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers of American agriculture. It’s our shared goal to be the most effective, most efficient, most customer-focused department in the entire federal government. And this year’s rankings show that USDA is also a great place to work and is improving every day. It is an honor to work alongside such dedicated professionals who make coming to work such a pleasure.”

24 January 2018

GardenerNews.com 2017 Person of the Year: Kathleen Gagan

(Continued from page 1) taught English to Venezuelan oil engineers, coached Taiwanese financiers in the fine points of Western customs and helped employees of merging American companies navigate their new corporate culture.

After years abroad, she and her husband settled in Bernardsville, Somerset County, N.J. to raise their two children. Peony’s Envy grew out of the fact that the land they bought in the Garden State was in farmland assessment. In order to maintain the property’s farmland assessment, she planted 30 peony bushes, which were purchased from a local nursery, and when the deer failed to eat them, Gagan decided she might be onto something, so she imported a container of them – 10,000 roots from China. This involved permits and forms of all kinds. And lots of conversations with USDA officials and plant brokers. The newly imported plants grew. And after a couple of years, they bloomed. For several years in a row, she continued this practice and invested in a container of peonies a year for many years.

As the kids grew up, she began to develop the peony farm for on-site and mail order sales. She also planted a peony display garden open to the public during peak bloom, May 1 to June 15, all depending on the weather. Tucked away on the top of Autumn Hill Drive is a five-acre peony display garden, the largest peony display garden in New Jersey, and possibly the largest peony display garden in the United States.

Gagan also leases 12 acres of farmland in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township, also in Somerset County. Both of Gagan’s locations feature over 170,000 peony plants combined. The gardens also boast over 700 different distinct cultivars of peonies.

Peonies are native throughout the northern hemisphere and have been cultivated for centuries both in Europe and Asia. The genus Paeonia is generally divided into three sections. However, for the purpose of garden design, Gagan has broken down the genus into four groups based on their use: Woodland Herbaceous Peonies (Herbaceous peonies that grow in the shade, hereafter referred to as Woodland Peonies), Tree Peonies, Herbaceous Peonies, and Intersectional Peonies. In the spring of this year, two acres of the Liberty Corner location will be open to the public as well for chooseand-cut peonies.

Jeannie Geremia, a contributing writer for the Gardener News and the 2010 Gardener News Person of the Year says that it is my honor to support the nomination of Kathleen Gagan, owner of Peony’s Envy, to be chosen as the 2017 Gardener News Person of the Year Award. No one has exemplified passion and dedication to their chosen field and particular genus and species of plants than Ms. Gagan has in her love affair with peonies. Leaving her corporate world to become a lady farmer showcasing 700-plus cultivars shows the kind of spirit, risk-taking and courage that this country was founded on. Ms. Gagan is a true hero as she works to acquaint the public to the joy of growing peonies through participation in countless fairs, flower shows and programs putting her beautiful peonies on the national stage and helping to put New Jersey on the map as the Garden State.

This paper now wholeheartedly salutes Kathleen Gagan for being a farming entrepreneur, opening up her home’s property in the spring to the public for all to enjoy the profound color variation of peonies, for having an entire garden dedicated to peonies and for making Somerset County in the Garden State famous. We also salute her for the time she takes to teach people about the flourishing population of peonies, and immersing herself in nature regularly. She is invaluable to the world of peonies, and someone who truly believes in the love of gardening.

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

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

Gardener News is Now Accepting Nominations for its

2018

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 2018 is November 1, 2018.

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!

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 25

AT T E N T I O N L A N D S C A P E R S !

REPAIR AND RENOVATE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ LAWNS WITH THE BEST!!!

Visit the New Jersey Turf-Pro Distributor near you for top-notch, professional landscape lawn care products: NEW JERSEY

Animals & Gardens Unlimited 14 Jacobstown Rd. New Egypt, NJ 08533 609-752-0000 Celtic Concepts 91 Broad St Eatontown, NJ 07724 732-496-2113 Central Jersey Nurseries 18 Hamilton Rd Hillsborough, NJ 08844 908-359-4652 Country Mile Garden Center 1108 Mt. Kemble Ave Morristown, NJ 07960 973-425-0088 Donaldson’s Greenhouses & Nursery 178 Airport Rd Hackettstown, NJ 07840 908-852-7314

Empire Supplies 1232 North Ave. Plainfield, NJ 07062 908-668-0244

Smeltzer & Sons 1139 Rt. 9 South Cape May Ct. Hse., NJ 08210 609-465-4500

Hammetts Landscape and Garden Center 425 South Main St Forked River NJ 08731 609-971-0453

W. H. Potter & Son, Inc. 470 Red Hill Road Middletown, NJ 07748 732-671-0552

John Guire 187 Brighton Ave Long Branch, NJ 07740 732-374-9383

NEW YORK

Priority Landscape Design 1861 McDonald Ave Brooklyn, NY 11223 718-376-3344 Sweetbrook Nursery 2371 Forest Ave Staten Island, NY 10303 718-448-5661

Mike’s Country Market 200 Riva Ave Milltown, NJ 08850 732-821-7144 Pride Landscape Supply 350 Ernston Road Parlin, NJ 08859 732-721-0554 Sweet Valley Farms 1034 Rt. 202 Ringoes, NJ. 08551 908-892-9701

Visit us at NJ Plants, Booth #319 Jan. 30 - 31st • NJ Convention and Expo Center, Edison th

• Hear Rich Imlay, Jonathan Green Lawn Expert, speak on January 31st - pesticide points available • 1/18

Children playing ball, the family dog in your yard, a swing set or soccer net. All of these activities play a role in ruining your chances of having a great lawn.

Also, let’s not forget Mother Nature and the role rough weather plays in the health of your lawn. Let’s explore what we all face while trying to achieve the perfect lawn.

Compaction – we find compaction problems with our lawns at home as well as our local recreational areas across the nation.

Compaction comes mainly from over use through excessive foot traffic. The result is that grass roots cannot establish in hard, compacted soil because the grass plant is unable to absorb nutrients to sustain the plant.

Almost every yard has some areas that have compaction that should be addressed.

The best way for a quick fix of soil compaction is aeration to de-compact the soil. Aeration can be accomplished by a machine you can rent that pulls plugs out of the soil. Other machines simply “spike”

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Heavy Traffic on Your Lawn the soil but sometimes this creates more compaction in the soil. Aeration creates space for water, nutrients and air, yes air, to penetrate deeper into the soil. This allows the grass plant roots to better absorb nutrients and establish. Aeration also creates a nice platform to grow newly seeded grass since the seed can get into the root zone for better germination and root growth.

Aeration alone is not the sole answer to compaction because if you do not deal with the cause of the compaction the symptoms will return over time. One way to avoid compaction is to rotate the ball playing area or the dog run, I know it’s hard to move the swing set every three months. Since you cannot always impose a

“stay off the grass” policy, if you can move traffic around, you won’t have to aerate as often. You will be amazed how well a stressed area can regenerate itself once aeration takes place and/or traffic moves to another area.

After aeration, apply a soil amendment to help relieve soil compaction, such as calcium sulfate dihydrate or gypsum. These products have the uncanny ability help “pull” soil particles apart and spur microbial activity in the soil. Gypsum can also help neutralize salt damage from ice melters.

Foot traffic along driveways and sidewalks can lead to soil compaction and also promote crabgrass growth during summer months. Foot scuffing and dogs scratching the soil helps

break the crabgrass barrier created by pre-emergent herbicides. Once crabgrass seeds come to the soil surface and receive some sunshine and water, the crabgrass plant will thrive. Consider a second application of preemergence in areas that are crabgrass problems over the years.

The turfgrass industry is developing genetically superior varieties of grass and these advances in grass genetics are creating stronger plants that can better tolerate wear. Remember, while purchasing grass seed “you get what you pay for.” Traffic-tolerant grass species include Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass.

Once the soil conditions are improved from aeration and

any soil amendments have been applied, be sure to re-seed these areas. Follow a sound lawn maintenance program to help retain healthy turf.

It’s nice to walk in a winter wonderland of snow at this time of the year.

However, excessive snow on the lawn for weeks and months at a time can damage the lawn once it melts from snow mold disease.

Try to avoid too much foot traffic on your lawn during winter months.

Footprints can be left on tender grass blades, causing damage, and potentially the grass will die and have to be re-seeded in spring. I hope you enjoyed the holidays and can take some time to enjoy watching some football or go to the movies. You do not have to worry about your lawn until spring.

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

26 January 2018

GardenerNews.com USDA to Survey Cattle Operations

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 177 Published Monthly Reserve Ad Space Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/Publisher . . . .

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

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

Tom Castronovo Clarissa J. Roper Tom Castronovo

December Columnists

Tom Castronovo Gail Woolcott Bob LaHoff Larry Katz Craig Korb Lesley Parness

Todd Pretz

Douglas H. Fisher Steve Schuckman Peter Melick Al Murray

Contributing Writers

Bruce Crawford Jeannie Geremia

Brian Bosenberg William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Hubert Ling

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey about 43,000 cattle operations nationwide to provide an up-to-date measure of U.S. cattle inventories.

“This information helps producers make timely, informed business decisions and plan for herd expansion or reduction. It also helps packers and government leaders evaluate expected slaughter volume for future months and determine potential supplies for export,” said King Whetstone, director of the USDA’s NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. “Obtaining the current count of cattle will serve as an important decisionmaking tool for the entire agriculture industry.”

During the first two weeks of January, Northeastern regional producers will have the opportunity to report their beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop, death loss and cattle on feed information. To make it as convenient as possible for producers to participate in the survey, NASS offers the option of responding via the Internet, telephone, mail or a personal interview with a local NASS representative.

NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data in aggregate, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.

The January Cattle report will be released on January 31, 2018. This and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

Gardener News is published monthly by

ASSISTANT GARDENER WANTED

16 Mount Bethel Road #123 Warren, NJ 07059

Morris County (NJ) Park Commission is seeking a full-time Assistant Gardener.

Employees in this position maintain annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees in assigned garden areas in a manner consistent with the horticulture standards of the MCPC; identify, prioritize, and perform maintenance tasks and coordinate work needs with supervisor; physically work in all aspects of arboretum maintenance and development including soil preparation, planting & transplanting, mulching, watering, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, propagating, mowing, raking, sweeping & blowing, tree & brush cutting, and chipping; operate in a proficient manner power equipment and vehicles in accordance with MCPC safety protocols and regulatory standards. utilize shovels, pruning equipment, and other hand tools properly to complete assigned tasks; monitor gardens and plant collections for pests and diseases; apply pesticides and herbicides and maintain application records; report changes to the accessioned plant collections to the Plant Recorder; perform periodic plant inventories; request accession tags and display labels; supervise seasonal staff, interns, and volunteers.

Minimum: Two-year Associate’s degree in Horticulture or a related field, or equivalent experience, plus one year’s work as a professional gardener or groundskeeper; demonstrated understanding of horticultural practices and procedures; the ability to identify frequently used woody, herbaceous, and annual landscape plants; the ability to obtain Pesticide Operator License from the NJ DEP. Valid New Jersey Driver’s license.

Applicants must pass Assistant Gardener test to be eligible for this position.

Salary: $41,699.00 plus Benefits.

Please visit http://morrisparks.net/index.php/commission/employment/ for full job description and additional information regarding the Park Commission. Please download the employment application and submit with cover letter and resume to employment@ morrisparks.net. No phone calls please.

The Morris County Park Commission is an equal opportunity employer.

Deadline: Until filled.

Gardener News, Inc.

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) 2018 Gardener News, Inc.

Full Moon, January 1 & 31, 2018 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH After your amaryllis bulb has stopped flowering, it can be

made to flower again. Cut the old flowers from the stem after flowering, and when the stem starts to sag, cut it back to the top of the bulb. Continue to water and fertilize as normal all summer, or for at least five to six months, allowing the leaves to fully develop and grow. When the leaves begin to yellow, which normally occurs in the early-fall, cut the leaves back to about two inches from the top of the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil. Clean the bulb and place it in a cool (40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit), dark place such as the crisper of your refrigerator for a minimum of six weeks. Caution: Do not store amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples, this will sterilize the bulbs. Store the bulbs for a minimum of six weeks. After six weeks, you may remove bulbs whenever you would like to plant them. Plant bulbs eight weeks before you would like them to bloom. The larger the bulb, the more flowers it will have.

SPRAY TECHNICIAN NEEDED Small, growing company (NJ Deer Control) is looking for a backpack spray technician.

Tech is needed to spray landscapes with a natural deer repellent. Must enjoy working outdoors. Landscape/spray tech experience is a plus, but not required. Valid driver’s license is a must. Paid training period then $14-$15 hourly pay with 30-40+ hr work week available! Please send resume for possible interview to info@njdeercontrol.com Deadline: Until filled.

HELP WANTED Middlesex Power Equipment - Full time parts counter person needed to help customers with parts sales, equipment sales, parts look up, answering calls, and repair order write up.

Computer skills required. Fluent in Spanish a plus, over time and health benefits available.

Job training also available. Call 732-968-0778 or email Resume to midd_power@yahoo. com. Middlesex Power Equipment is located at 635 Bound Brook Rd, Middlesex, NJ. Deadline: Until filled

GardenerNews.com

January 2018 27

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